Headspace

Using What's Been Put Up: Lemon-Squash Loaf with Lemon Glaze

2013-06-18T15:47:00.001-04:00

Taking inventory helps you see what you need to use before preserving season gets into full swing. One thing that jumped out at me that needed to be used was frozen shredded yellow summer squash. Actually I wondered why I had even frozen squash that way until I was cleaning off one of my Pinterest boards and saw this pinned there. It all made sense. Last summer we had tried and loved this delicious and easy to make lemon loaf which is kept moist by the addition of shredded squash. Since we enjoyed it so much I had frozen some of our squash from the garden to use in it throughout the winter.

Well, as often happens we did not actually make it again as I intended. So, with it back in the forefront of my mind I made it again. And you know what? It was as delicious as it was the first time which is why I am now going to add it here. You see, if I post about it, I will be much less likely to forget it and much more likely to make it again. That's just how it works around here.

I must say that this is not my recipe. It comes from Nancy Creative. I post it here to have a record of it. I made the recipe with very few changes, however, I used shredded yellow squash in place of the zucchini (mainly so other picky eaters around here wouldn't know I used squash at all). By the way, the squash disappears so nicely into the loaf that you can easily disguise it so that little ones and other squash-averse folks will never know what hit them.

Lemon-Squash Loaf with Lemon Glaze- makes one 9x5 loaf

This loaf cake is moist, tart, and delectable. It can be served as a light dessert or snack or even as a breakfast cake if you are so inclined.

For the Loaf:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
Juice of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 lemon
1 cup grated yellow summer squash (if frozen, drain before using)

For the Lemon Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 lemon

For the Loaf:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9×5 loaf pan and set aside.

In large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. In medium bowl, whisk 2 eggs, oil, and sugar. Add the buttermilk, lemon juice, and lemon zest to the wet ingredients. Fold the squash into the wet ingredients and stir until evenly distributed. Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients in the large bowl and blend everything together until just combined.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack and cool completely. While loaf is cooling, make the glaze.

For the Glaze:
In a small bowl, combine the sugar and lemon juice until blended. If the glaze is to thick add a few more drops of juice until it is a consistency which can be spooned over the cake. Once the cake has cooled, spoon the glaze over the top allowing it to drizzle down the sides. Sprinkle the additional zest over the top to garnish.

Printable Version

Taking Inventory of 2012

2013-06-15T13:21:00.001-04:00

Well, it's that time again. Time to take inventory of what is left from the foods put up last summer. This is one of those things that is not necessarily fun but is important since otherwise we will end up with too much or too little of something which can mean a waste of money and food.

As you can see, we went through most of what I made. I did take a few jars of jams and pickles to work to sell when I realized we would not make it all the way through the batch, but I tried to limit what I took to no more than two jars from the batch. That was a good way to recoup the money spent on jars and ingredients.

So, here is what is left from 2012:

3 quarts collards, frozen
3 quarts green beans, frozen
6 bags corn on cob, frozen (12 ears total)
1 jar jalapeno jelly (half-pint)
2 jars fig preserves (half-pints)
2 jars pear cranberry conserve (half-pints)
1 pint roasted salsa verde
2 jars chile garlic dills
5 jars roasted garlic pasta sauce
4 quarts peaches, frozen
2 pints zucchini, frozen
4 pints shredded summer squash, frozen

Taking inventory helps me see what we really liked using and what we didn't. This year when making my preserving list (which I did a few nights ago) I was able to see which quantities I needed to remain the same as well as which needed to increase/decrease.

Here is what we really used/liked this year:

corn, corn, corn (I will be putting up the same amount- 2 bushels)
crushed tomatoes (we ran out of these early- may double the batch)
roasted salsa verde (need same amount)
tomato soup (need same or more)
zucchini/frozen corn mix (enjoyed using in Chicken and Veg Tostadas)
frozen carrots (may try pressure canning if I can get them cheap)
pickled jalapenos (especially on Nachos Grandes)
chile garlic dills (we liked these better than other quick pickles)
dilly beans

Here is what we don't need as much of:

frozen peaches
frozen collards
shredded yellow squash

In addition, there are several items that I only make every other year. For example, we don't eat that much jam or fruit butter, so I don't really need to make each variety every single year. This year we are finally out of pickled beets from 2011 and apple butter, so those will be on my list in the fall.

Let the summer begin!

Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent

2013-06-08T19:49:00.001-04:00

Before I get started, let me say that I know that this is a cooking and canning blog, but more goes on around here than just cooking and canning. Life happens, and with life comes laundry. With only two people, we don't have nearly as much laundry as some people I know, and yet I still find it to be costly when I'm trying to purchase detergents that don't contain lots of perfumes or dyes which can often be irritating to sensitive skin.

So, I decided to make my own using a recipe I had heard worked well. It has been one of those things hanging out on the back burner (and on one of my Pinterest boards) for awhile. When the time came to purchase yet another bottle of expensive laundry detergent, I headed for the cleaning aisle instead and picked up a bar of Fels-Naptha soap (you can also use Ivory), baking soda, washing soda, and borax. The ingredients cost me about ten dollars total.

All ingredients except the Fels-Naptha bar

I began by grating the bar of soap (actually my husband did this because he is the official "grater" in the house), and I heated it in a pot on medium heat along with 4 cups of water until the soap was completely dissolved.

Fels Naptha mixture before and after the soap melted

I then poured the mixture into a large bucket (I used an old five gallon bucket I had around). To the soap mixture, I added 1 cup baking soda, 1 cup washing soda, 1/2 cup borax, and 2 more gallons hot water. I stirred the mixture to dissolve the ingredients and I allowed it to sit until the next day at which point I stirred it again before storing it in the closet.

My five gallon bucket filled about halfway with detergent concentrate.

To make it easier to use, I filled an old laundry detergent bottle halfway with detergent concentrate, and the other half was filled with water. Now when I am ready to do laundry, I just pour the detergent from the bottle right into the cup in my front loader washing machine.

If you didn't want to dilute the mixture, you could just add 2 tablespoons of detergent concentrate into your machine (if it is diluted, you are adding about 1/4 cup).

So far, I find the detergent to be excellent. It gets the clothes clean and smells nice but not strong like detergents that contain overpowering perfumes. It has not been irritating to my skin either. The only thing I don't like about it is that it is a little lumpy which could have been due to something I did while mixing it. The small lumps have not interfered with the effectiveness of the detergent in my machine though, and they seem to melt quickly even in cold water. You could also make this as a powder detergent by simply omitting the melting of the soap.

I am storing the excess detergent in my large bucket, and diluting it in the laundry detergent bottle as needed. The recipe makes enough to fill my laundry detergent bottle at least three times (maybe more), and I have enough baking soda, washing soda, and borax to make at least 3 more batches. Essentially that means I am spending about ten dollars on what amounts to at least 12 bottles of laundry detergent. Now, that's what I call a deal!

Strawberry Jam

2013-05-27T11:50:00.002-04:00

There's nothing like fresh, in season strawberries. They are exceptionally sweet with just enough tang, and their juiciness can't be beat. This year it has been a little more difficult to get a really good berry though. With all the rain, they have been a little watery around here. So when my mother-in-law came to visit this weekend, she brought with her three flats (equivalent to about 3 gallons) of berries from Tucker's Farm in Madison, NC. I think Tucker's grows the very best berries. They have so much more strawberry flavor than you find anywhere else, even at some of the other local pick-your-own farms.

The problem with these berries was that they needed to be used right away. So, I immediately hulled, washed, and froze two flats for use later in the year in strawberry topping and fruit leather. I then used part of the third flat to make macerated strawberries to serve on top of angel food cake with a little whipped cream. The remainder of the berries went into strawberry jam.

I decided to make the jam because it was a quick way to use the berries, but also because I need a little gift to give some folks who helped me out at work this year and thought it would be a good, yet inexpensive, way of showing my appreciation.

I have made a lot of strawberry jam in the past, and I usually make it the old-fashioned way with no added pectin, but cooking jam like that takes a long time and produces a jam that has a more caramelized flavor. For this, I really wanted something quick with a fresh strawberry flavor, so I went with the recipe on the box of Sure-Jell. It is a no-fail jam recipe that will have you in and out of the kitchen in a snap. You can purchase pectin for reduced sugar jams, but in this case I just used the regular stuff.

All you really need, other than your standard canning supplies, are five cups crushed strawberries which is equivalent to approximately four pints of berries, some sugar, and a box of pectin. About five minutes of cooking and ten minutes of processing, and you will have eight jars of bright, strawberry goodness.

Strawberry Jam- makes about 8 cups

This is the recipe from the box of Sure-Jell pectin. Do not reduce the sugar in this recipe unless you purchase the reduced sugar pectin.

5 cups crushed strawberries, about 4 pints hulled berries
7 cups sugar
1 box powdered pectin

Prepare a water-bath canner. Sterilize 8 half-pint jars. Pour boiling water over flat lids, and wash rings.

In a large pot (at least 5 1/2 quarts large), combine the crushed berries and powdered pectin over high heat. Bring this mixture to a rolling boil, stirring constantly to dissolve the pectin. Quickly stir in the sugar, and continue stirring until the mixture comes back to a boil. Once at a rolling boil, cook, stirring constantly, for exactly 1 minute. Remove the jam from the heat. Skim the foam from the top of the jam.

Ladle the jam into jars leaving 1/8 inch headspace. Wipe jar rims to remove any residual jam. Top each jar with a lid and ring. Process for 10 minutes. Remove jars from the canner, and allow to sit undisturbed for 24 hours. Label and store jars.

Printable Version

Broccoli Harvest and Freezing Spinach

2013-05-12T10:07:00.001-04:00

This time of year means transition in the garden. It will soon be too warm for cool weather crops to continue to thrive, and it is time to plant those warm weather veggies we all crave. So, this weekend, I went out to harvest the broccoli we have been growing since the beginning of March. Here is some of what we cut.

I was growing broccoli and spinach in the same bed, and I needed that bed to plant warm weather veggies, so I went ahead and cut the remaining spinach as well. Some of the leaves were a little larger than what you would use in a salad, so I decided to freeze what was left to use in spinach dip and other meals where frozen spinach is used. I did not have a lot of spinach to work with, but that was okay because spinach (and other greens) are so easy to freeze.

Here's what I did...

First, I washed the spinach several times to ensure it was clean and bug free. I did this by soaking the leaves in a big bowl of cool water and giving the grit time to settle on the bottom. Then, I removed the spinach and repeated with fresh, clean water.

I then plunged the leaves into a large pot of boiling water and left them there for two minutes. After two minutes, I removed the leaves with a metal strainer and plunged them into a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking and lock in their bright green color.

After they had cooled completely, I placed the leaves in a salad spinner and whirled them around until they are were fairly dry.

I then packed them into freezer bags, rolled the bags to remove any excess air, and labeled them. Don't ask me why I wrote "frozen" on the bags. I'm pretty sure that when I remove the bag from the freezer I will realize it is frozen.

I have heard of people freezing greens without blanching. I have never tried it myself, so I stick with the tried and true method.

Have you ever frozen greens raw?

Rendering Lard in a Slow Cooker

2013-04-28T20:43:00.001-04:00

If you want to make an excellent pie crust, there are two ways from the way I see it. One made with butter and one made with high-quality lard. Both result in exceptional flakiness. The problem is getting your hands on good quality lard. Hence the reason I most always turn to an all-butter crust.

But no more...

I have just rendered my own lard from leaf lard purchased at the farmer's market, and the results were superb. A clean-tasting product that I know is high quality based on the farmer's practices, and a product that was so easy to produce there is absolutely no reason not to do it more often in order to have fat for pie crusts and cooking.

Pure white lard ready for a pie crust

Now, before you poo-poo lard (because it has been poo-pooed over the years), make sure you read these articles.

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/TIP04540/Lard-Making-a-Comeback.html
http://www.foodandwine.com/articles/lard-the-new-health-food
http://www.healthygreenkitchen.com/how-and-why-to-render-your-own-lard.html

It turns out that lard actually has less saturated fat than butter, and the monounsaturated fat (the stuff we love about olive oil) found in lard is about double that of butter . It is really not a bad fat for you, used in moderation of course, and it is one that we should not be afraid to use if we know its origins and how the pigs were raised.

What you will need to begin rendering your own lard is high-quality leaf lard. Leaf lard is the fat from around the kidney and belly area of the pig. You can also use fatback but you will have to trim the rind which to me means more work and less yield for my money. Once you buy your leaf lard, you will want to trim away any traces of meat so that it is white and beautiful. Then you can cut it in chunks and pop it in your slow cooker. These chunks will begin to slowly melt, and as they do, you can spoon the melted fat through cheesecloth into a clean jar and set it aside to cool to room temperature at which point it will solidify and turn white.

Lard begin filtered through cheesecloth

The first and second jars of lard- the first jar on left had solidified, and the second was still in liquid state which explains the significant color difference.

You will want to spoon this fat every hour or so (maybe even more often) because the first fat you spoon off will be your whitest and purest tasting lard, the stuff you will want to use in pie crusts. As the chunks continue to cook over the course of 6-8 hours, the resulting melted fat will become slightly darker in color and porkier in flavor. This is the stuff you will want to saute/fry with or use in cornbread or savory dishes where a hint of pork flavor will be appreciated.

Lard ordered from the first spooned off (on left) to the last (on right). The color of the lard changes the longer it is cooked.

So, here is what the end-result looked like. Three pounds of leaf lard produced 2 1/2 pints of rendered fat for a little less than ten dollars. You can tell the difference in jars of fat by looking at the color of the lard. The lighter jar is pure white and clean tasting with no real pork flavor, while the other two jars get gradually more cream colored. The middle jar will still be fine for pie crusts, but that last small jar I will reserve for cooking.

Pork crackins' ready to drain on paper towels

One other fantastic benefit of rendering your own lard is that, in the end, you are left with little bits of crunchy pork goodness called cracklins' which you can add to a variety of dishes including salads (where you would add bacon), cornbread (a recipe will follow soon), or just munch on as is.

So, lard...all in all, easy, economical, and tasty. Definitely something I will be making again.

Homemade Lard- makes approximately 2 1/2 pints

The quantity of rendered lard will depend on different factors dealing with the fat you are using. A good rule of thumb is that every 3 pounds of leaf lard will yield approximately 4 cups finished lard.

3 pounds leaf lard, trimmed and cut into 1 inch chunks

Tools Needed:
slow cooker
funnel
cheesecloth
sterilized jars
ladle

Place the chunks of leaf lard into the slow cooker, cover, and heat on the low setting. Once the fat begins to melt and accumulate around the chunks, remove the lid (you don't want the fat to overheat). When you see enough melted fat to begin spooning some off, remove it and strain it through a cheesecloth lined funnel into a clean jar. Continue to do this every hour or so to strain the fat as it melts. This will help you get the purest tasting lard possible. Continue to cook the fat on low for 6-8 hours, removing melted fat as it accumulates. When no more melted fat is coming out of the chunks, it is finished. The resulting pork chunks are cracklins' and can be used in cornbread, greens, on salads, or just eaten with a little salt for seasoning. Allow the lard to come to room temperature in the jars at which point it will solidify. Store the lard in the refrigerator if you plan on using it within a month or so, or freeze it for longer storage. The cracklins' can also be frozen.

Printable Version

Making and Canning Chicken Stock

2013-04-20T13:42:00.000-04:00

I use a lot of chicken stock, and several years ago I began making my own and freezing it. The problem with that was that I often forgot to thaw it out, so I ended up having to make do without it once I got home and was ready to cook. Then the pressure canner entered my life and saved me from this dilemma. Now, I make and pressure can the stock and it is ready at a moment's notice.

Homemade stock is far superior to that which is purchased in the grocery store. It has a deeper flavor making it great for sauces and soups where you really want the taste of the stock to stand out. It is also superior because you can control the quantity of salt and the ingredients used. In addition, it is super economical. When I roast a chicken or have extra bones or veggies on hand, I just freeze them and save them for stock which means that the only real cost to me are the lids needed for the jars. The other fantastic thing about it is that, even though it is a time consuming process, it leaves me with at least 9 pints of stock to store. That would cost me 20 dollars or more in the grocery if I purchased quality stock.

Everyone has their own preferred methods when making stock, and you can use your own "recipe" and then can it accordingly if you prefer. The canning directions and time for pressure canning chicken stock will remain the same no matter which recipe or method you use. I make mine using about 3 pounds of chicken bones. Sometimes these bones are cooked (which results in a darker stock) and sometimes they are raw. For this batch, I used 3 carcasses from leftover roasted chickens along with the bones from a pound of chicken thighs I had boned for another recipe. The bones went into a big stock pot with some veggies and aromatics (I don't tie my aromatics up since I am straining the stock later) and were covered with water. After about 5 hours of simmering on the stove, I removed the solids and strained the liquid through a sieve lined with cheesecloth which produced a clean stock with no solid pieces present. I don't worry about clarifying my stock because it just doesn't matter to me, but you certainly can if you want.

Once strained, placed in jars, and pressure canned, you end up with a lovely stock to use whenever you want, no thawing or trips to the store necessary.

Remember that chicken stock is not safe to can in a regular canner. You must use a pressure canner. If you are new to pressure canning, read my Pressure Canning 101 page and study your pressure canning manual before beginning. I am not going to post all the directions for pressure canning in the recipe because they are too lengthy. Just follow the above link if you need them. If you prefer to freeze the stock, that can certainly be done. Just try to be better than me at thinking ahead and thawing it out.

Chicken Stock in the Pressure Canner- makes approximately 8-10 pints

I make stock in a 3 gallon stock pot. If your pot is not as large, decrease the quantities. For 8-10 pints of stock, I use somewhere between 1 1/2 and 2 gallons of water. The quantity of water used will depend on how much it takes to cover your solids, and the amount used will obviously affect the quantity of finished stock you will end up making.

3-4 pounds chicken bones, from cooked or raw chicken
1-2 tsp salt, depending on how salty you want your broth
3 carrots, washed and cut into large pieces
2 onions, peeled and quartered
2 celery stalks, chopped (add a handful of celery leaves also if you have them)
2 sprigs of thyme
8 sprigs of parsley
1 bay leaf
3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed with the back of a knife
2 whole cloves
1 tsp whole peppercorns
Cold water to cover (somewhere between 1 1/2 and 2 gallons)

Place all solid ingredients in a very large stock pot and cover with cold water by at least 1 inch. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer slowly for 4-5 hours. During this time, skim any foam or scum that forms on top. After cooking, remove all large solid pieces and discard. Strain the remaining liquid through a fine meshed sieve lined with cheesecloth until no solids remain in the liquid.

If you wish to remove excess fat from your stock (which I do), you can either spoon the fat from the top or place the cooled stock into the refrigerator overnight. The next day, remove the stock, and use a spoon to remove the solidified fat from the top. Then reheat the stock before canning.

For Pressure Canning-

Sterilize 8-10 pint jars. Heat the lids in a small pot of boiling water. Ready your pressure canner according to the manufacturer's directions and follow this link for Pressure Canning 101 steps. Once the water in your canner is boiling and your jars are hot, ladle the hot stock into jars, leaving 1 inch headspace. Place lids and rings on top of each jar. Place jars back in the canner. Can according to the pressure canner directions at 11 pounds of pressure (check your altitude to see if this needs to be adjusted) for 20 minutes. Once the pressure in the canner is zero, remove the jars and allow them to cool on a clean towel before labeling and storing.

Printable Version

Chickens!

2013-04-14T15:52:00.000-04:00

For anyone who knows me, it will be nothing new that one of my long time dreams has been to live on enough land to have chickens. Well, the land hasn't really happened, so I finally decided to settle with going through the permit process to have chickens on my 1/3 acre lot. I had really been putting it off just because I didn't feel like jumping through all the red tape associated with that process, but it turned out to be rather painless, and here I am six weeks later with healthy, growing chicks (which is one reason my food blogging life has slowed down a little around here).

Six weeks ago tomorrow, I went to a feed and seed about 45 minutes from my house to pick up a special order of three Buff Orpington chicks. I drove home with them chirping in the box all the way and then set them up in a washtub I had lined with newspaper (I put pine shavings in the next day after they knew where their food was and what it looked like). This is what they looked like on day one.

They remained snug and warm under a heat lamp for several weeks until we had to abandon the washtub for a larger homemade brooder made out of a plastic bin lined with cardboard and wire. They liked their new home and enjoyed daily "trips" out of the brooder to roam around the floor of our guest room (it was still too cold to go outside).

They went through what we affectionately called the "hobo" stage when they looked a little disheveled.

Along the way, they enjoyed reading Our State magazines and textbooks on teaching. Yes, we're raising exceptionally intelligent birds.

They learned that the food jar was a fun place to sit (at which point we put in a roost). And they've learned that they like mashed sweet potato, yogurt, applesauce, and scrambled eggs, but do not like cold, crisp foods like lettuce or cucumber.

Now, the weather is warming, and we took our first visit outside to the almost finished coop.

The girls stayed out about 45 minutes today and loved it, eating every bug in sight.

By the time I took them in, they were completely tuckered out and did not mind being returned to their makeshift brooder. We will continue to visit the outdoors this week in little spurts until next weekend, when we hope they can stay for an overnighter. We'll see how it goes.

NYC Halal Cart Chicken and Rice

2013-04-01T21:00:00.000-04:00

Let me begin this post with an apology. I have been away from the blog for almost a month. In my defense, I have been very busy traveling and taking care of some things around the house (3 chicks to be exact) which I will blog about in a post very soon. In the meantime, that has meant that a lot of the food being produced in this little house of mine has been go-to things that I have either already posted about or aren't really worth posting in the first place. Now that spring break has started and I am home (hallelujah), I thought it was time to get back at it.

So, here is a very good dish for anyone who has ever eaten chicken and rice from a Halal food cart like the ones you find in New York City. You know, the carts you see on practically every corner in the city with smokey goodness wafting in all directions as you pass. My husband and I especially love the Halal Guys at 53rd and 6th because they don't put too many other things in with the meat and the sauces are spot on. The white sauce is a creamy blend of who-knows-what that tastes dynamite, and the red sauce gives everything a good kick.

After a trip a while back, we wanted to try to recreate this dish at home. After researching and looking at different recipes online, the closest one we found was over at Serious Eats. After tweaking it to make it even easier to make at home, I have a dish pretty darn close to the NYC favorite. Of course, I would still prefer to this chicken and rice straight from the cart standing on the corner in New York City, but (sadly) I usually don't have that option.

NYC Halal Cart Chicken and Rice- serves 3-4

I am unable to find harissa-style hot sauce in my area, so I use sriracha instead. It does taste slightly different, but in the scheme of things it is in no way a deal breaker. Use harissa if available, if you prefer. Also, this dish is in no way prepared according to Halal standards. I am simply calling it that to make it recognizable to anyone who has eaten at one of these ubiquitous carts.

For the Chicken:

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (6 thighs)

For the Rice:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1 1/2 cups Basmati rice, rinsed to remove excess starch

2 1/2 cups chicken broth

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

For the White Sauce:

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup Greek yogurt (regular, plain yogurt will do in a pinch)

1/2 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoons white vinegar

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1/8 tsp ground black pepper

Additional Ingredients:

1/4 head iceberg lettuce, sliced into thin strips

1/2 pita per person, warmed, and sliced into wedges

Sriracha sauce to serve (use Harissa-style hot sauce if available)

2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

To make the chicken:

Mix the first seven chicken ingredients in a bowl. Place the chicken thighs in a large zipper bag, and pour 1/2 the marinade over the thighs, reserving the remaining marinade for later.

Heat a cast-iron skillet on medium-high heat until almost smoking. Add three thighs to the skillet, and cook 4 minutes until browned on one side. Turn the chicken, reduce heat to medium, and cook 6 more minutes, until cooked through. Remove the thighs to a small bowl (you will use this bowl again later), and repeat with the remaining chicken. Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, chop it into small pieces and place it back in the bowl. Pour the reserved marinade over the chicken and let stand while preparing the other ingredients (you are not finished with the chicken just yet).

To make the rice:

While the cooked chicken marinates, place all rice ingredients in a small pot, stir, and bring to a boil. Reduce the rice to a simmer, and cook on low until done, about 15 minutes. Set aside.

To make the white sauce:

Mix all white sauce ingredients in a small bowl, and whisk to combine well. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

To finish and serve:

To finish the chicken, heat the cast iron skillet on medium heat. Add the chicken bits along with any marinade. Cook, stirring the chicken in the skillet to loosen any brown bits from the pan. Once heated, serve chicken on top of the rice with a drizzle of white sauce and hot sauce and lettuce and pita on the side. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Potato, Corn, and Bacon Frittata

2013-03-03T16:43:00.000-05:00

I love eggs. They're easy to make, versatile, and can be quickly prepared on a busy evening. Unfortunately, not everyone in my house enjoys them the way I do which means that I rarely make anything in which eggs take center-stage. I am trying, though, to work eggs into more meals and do it in a way that is not overtly obvious. This frittata, which I modified from The Fresh Egg Cookbook, has proven itself as the perfect egg dish for the beginner-egg-eater.

It is loaded with veggies, studded with bacon, and held together by farm-fresh eggs and shredded cheddar. A little chopped parsley from the garden (it has yet to get cold enough here to kill my parsley), and you're all set.

After one bite, I actually got a "this is good" comment which only meant one thing...success with eggs, at last!

Potato, Corn, and Bacon Frittata- serves 4

This frittata has less eggs than most, contributing to its success in my house. However, if you desire an eggier version, simply increase the eggs to 6. This frittata is a great way to use corn put up over the summer. Simply thaw the corn before adding it to the skillet. Omit the bacon, if desired, and use olive oil in the place of the bacon fat.

3 slices bacon, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large baking potato, peeled and diced
1/4 tsp dried thyme
2 cups corn kernels, thawed if frozen
4 large eggs
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 tbsp chopped parsley
salt and pepper

Place an oven rack 3 inches from the broiler and preheat.

Heat a 10 inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped bacon, and cook, stirring occasionally until brown. Remove the bacon and set aside. Remove all but 2 tbsp bacon fat from the skillet. Add the potato, garlic, thyme, and salt and pepper. Cover the skillet, and cook, without stirring for 5 minutes. Stir the potatoes, recover, and cook another 5 minutes until brown on all sides. Add the corn to the skillet with the potatoes. Cook 2 minutes to heat the corn.

Beat the eggs in a medium bowl. Add the cheese, parsley, and salt and pepper. Mix well. Pour the egg mixture into the skillet and use a spatula to mix it into the potatoes and corn. Pat the mixture into an even layer using the spatula, and let cook 8-10 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally. Once the frittata is almost firm but still jiggles slightly in the middle, place the skillet under the broiler for 2 minutes to brown and set.

Remove the skillet from the oven. Slice into wedges and serve.

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Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

2013-02-17T12:46:00.002-05:00

I am not the biggest cookie lover in the world. I find that, often, cookies fall short of what I want them to be. They are either too cakey, too chewy, to crisp, or too soft. If I was going to love a cookie, it would need to have a combination of those characteristics, ensuring that its textures juxtaposed yet complemented one another perfectly. Enter the Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie from Cook's Illustrated.

This cookie is soft and chewy in the center yet crisp around the edges. It is also chock-full of yummy toffee flavor thanks to browned butter and the method by which the dough is created. Gooey chocolate chips push this cookie over the edge and make it truly craveable, even for a non-cookie-lover like me.

All you need is a cup of cold milk, a warm throw, and a magazine (or Downton Abbey finale, anyone?) and you will be set for anything this winter weather we are having throws your way.

Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies- makes approximately 16 cookies

While I did not create this recipe, I post it here to have a record of it. I have only slightly adapted it from the original created by Cook's Illustrated to whom I give full credit.

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
14 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 1/4 cups good-quality semi-sweet chocolate chips

Place an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper. Whisk the flour and baking soda together in a small bowl and set aside.

In a medium skillet, melt 10 tablespoons of butter on medium high. Once melted, swirl or stir the butter in the skillet until it reaches a dark golden brown color and smells nutty, 1-3 minutes more. Pour the melted butter into a bowl and add the remaining butter to the melted butter.

Add the sugars, salt, and vanilla to the bowl with the butter. Add the egg and egg yolk, and whisk until fully combined, about 30 seconds. Set this mixture aside for 3 minutes, then whisk for 30 seconds more. Repeat this process 2 more times until the butter mixture is smooth and silky. Stir in the flour mixture until just combined. Stir the chocolate chips into the dough.

Remove the dough from the bowl 3 tablespoons at a time. Arrange the dough 2 inches apart on the lined cookie sheets. Bake the cookies, 1 tray at a time, until they are puffy, golden around the edges, but still soft in the center, 10-14 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through cooking. Remove cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

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Preserved Lemons

2013-02-09T10:32:00.000-05:00

Preserved lemons are lemons which have been cut and packed with kosher salt or coarse sea salt so that their juices and the salt create a sort brine in which they cure. They are wonderful additions to soups and stews where a tart flavor is desired. They also go very well (obviously) in Moroccan dishes, with fish, and can even be used in desserts (preserved lemon bars, anyone?).

I have had a jar of lemons hanging out in the pantry for a month or so, and now they are finally finished and ready to be used. While preserved lemons can be purchased in some markets, they are usually packed in a vinegar brine and have a very different taste from those made at home. Homemade preserved lemons are fresher and brighter in flavor, and therefore, worth the little effort required to make them.

The best lemons to use for this project are thin-skinned Meyer lemons. Unfortunately, they cannot be easily located where I live, so I used regular lemons from the grocery. Since these lemons are thicker-skinned, I soaked them in water for two days before beginning to soften them a bit and rinsed them in hot water afterwards to remove any wax residue from the skin.

Once they had been soaked, I cut them in quarters lengthwise leaving them attached at the stem end. I packed the inside of the cut lemons with salt, and placed them in a jar, pressing down to release some of the juice. A quart jar will hold approximately 6 to 8 lemons if they are packed well. Then, all that is left is to wait a month or so until they are ready. Their tart vibrancy provides a bit of needed sunshine on these cold winter days.

If you are interested in Moroccan food including preserved lemons this book, Morocco by Jeff Koehler, is an good read and resource.

Preserved Lemons- makes 1 quart jar (6-8 lemons)

If using thin-skinned lemons like Meyers, all that is needed is to wash the lemons well. If using thicker-skinned lemons, soak the lemons in lukewarm water for 2 days, changing the water daily.  The soaking process will soften the lemon skin. They will then need to be rinsed in warm water to remove any wax from the outside of the lemon. Also, try to get smaller lemons as you will be able to fit more in the jar and they pack easier.

10 lemons (6-8 for the jar, and 2 for the juice)
Kosher salt or coarse sea salt (1/2-3/4 cup)

Sterilize a quart jar. Juice two lemons and set the juice aside. Using a sharp knife, cut a lemon in half lengthwise leaving the stem end attached.  Rotate the lemon 90 degrees, and cut again so that the lemon is now cut into quarters lengthwise but all the quarters are attached at one end.  Gently open the wedges of the lemon and generously pack the inside with salt.  Rub salt on the outside of the lemon as well. Place the lemon in the jar and press down on it to release some of the juice. Repeat this process with the remaining lemons, packing them securely into the jar. Pour the reserved lemon juice over the top to cover the lemons. The lemons need to be completely covered with juice. Invert the jar several times to distribute and dissolve the salt.  Place the lid on the jar. Place the jar in a cool, dark place for one month. Once the lemons are ready, they can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a year.

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Labneh Tart with Vanilla Cookie Crust

2013-01-27T12:04:00.001-05:00

Several weeks ago I went shopping in a local Lebanese grocery. While there I picked up a container of labne (or labneh) which is a thick yogurt "cheese" somewhere between a cream cheese and greek yogurt. I had heard my cousin, who lived in Lebanon for a year, talk about eating it for breakfast with jams and other accompaniments. I purchased it to enjoy with pita, and drizzled with a little olive oil and spices, it served as a delicious spread.

I had quite a bit of it left and wanted to find a way to use it before the expiration date, so I searched online for various recipes. An interesting one that popped up several times was a labneh tart. It looked tasty enough and used just the amount of labneh I had on hand. The crust in the recipes I found were similar to piecrusts, but I had an unopened container of Trader Joe's Ultimate Vanilla Wafers (purchased for a banana pudding which I never made) in the pantry which needed to be used.

The resulting tart is similar to a cheesecake but with a lemon-like tang. If you didn't know exactly what you were eating, you would swear it was some form of lemon pie. The crust is crushed vanilla wafers held together with butter and confectioners' sugar. The sweet vanilla flavor of the crust goes perfectly with the tangy filling, and the crumbly texture of the crust is a great counterpoint to the ultra-smooth labneh.

Several notes about this tart...

Make sure you use quality vanilla wafers (they make all the difference).
I used a 9 inch springform pan rather than a tart pan because my tart pan was too large. If your tart pan is around 9 inches, by all means use it instead.
Make sure you whisk the filling until there are no lumps. You want it super smooth.
The baking time may vary from tart to tart and oven to oven. Mine took longer than the recipes I looked at online. Just know that you want it to be only slightly jiggly in the middle, like a cheesecake.

This the brand of labne (labneh) I purchased.
Photo credit

Labneh Tart with Vanilla Cookie Crust- serves 8

The filling for this recipe is adapted from Darjeeling Dreams and Tanglewood Baked Goods although the original seems to have come from Alice Medrich's Pure Dessert. The crust is from King Arthur Flour. Others who have made this filling experienced that it took anywhere from 12 to 19 minutes to cook. Mine took approximately 25 minutes. Just keep your eye on it so it doesn't overcook.

Crust:

2 cups vanilla wafer cookie crumbs (approx. 71 wafers crushed)

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
6 Tbsp butter, melted

Filling:
3 large eggs
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1/8 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups labneh

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine the crushed vanilla wafers, confectioners' sugar, and butter in a bowl until the crumbs are moistened. Pat the crumbs into and half-way up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan or tart pan (if using a tart pan, press the crumbs all the way up the sides). Place the crust into the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes until the cookies begin to toast. Remove the crust from the oven and cool completely.

Lower the temperature of the oven to 350 degrees. While the crust cools, whisk the eggs, granulated sugar, sea salt, and vanilla in a large bowl until smooth. Add the labneh to the mixture and whisk vigorously until the mixture is smooth with no remaining lumps.

Pour the filling into the cooled crust. Bake the tart at 350 degrees for 15-25 minutes until the middle of the tart is almost set and jiggles only slightly in the center. Be careful not to overbake it as the filling will be dry rather than silky and creamy. Cool the tart completely and chill before serving. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream if desired.

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Moroccan Spiced Chicken with Apricots and Almonds (in the Slow Cooker)

2013-01-13T20:52:00.000-05:00

I am an obsessive cookbook reader. I have often said that my perfect career would be to edit cookbooks because then I could spend my days reading them. As it is, I spend many evenings that way. I know many people (certainly not anyone reading this blog, I am sure) would think I am crazy for pouring over recipes when most people would rather be reading a novel or watching TV. Don't get me wrong. I love to read other types of material as well, but there is something about a cookbook that has the power to transport a person to the very country or region from which its recipes hail. I can read a cookbook and suddenly I am in France, Italy, India, or Morocco. I especially love cookbooks filled with information and stories from around the world.

For the past few weeks, I have been completely obsessed with the recipes of North Africa and the Middle East. I have read several cookbooks I already owned on Morocco, and I have visited the library for more interesting finds. On Saturday I visited a Lebanese grocery where I live, Cedar Land, and in it found many treasures, some of which I had never heard of before. I came home with spices, tea, marinated olives, preserved lemons (I am currently making my own, but will use these in the meantime), pita, Armenian string cheese coated in spices and chiles, sardines, and labneh (a thick yogurt "cheese").

I spent the weekend trying out several recipes, some of which I had eated in restaurants, and some from cookbooks I have owned and never got around to using. This particular recipe comes from The French Slow Cooker by Michele Scicolone, and while this recipe is not necessarily authentic, it does contain the flavors I was craving. A sauce made savory with paprika, ginger, and cumin and sweetened with dried apricots bathes a piece of boneless, skinless chicken breast as it cooks in the crock pot for several hours. It was perfect for a busy Saturday afternoon and could just as easily be done on a weekday. It could also be made with bone in chicken breasts if you are at work and need to cook it for a longer period of time.

Serve this chicken topped with toasted almonds, chopped cilantro, and with a side of couscous seasoned with mint.

Moroccan Spiced Chicken with Apricots and Almonds- serves 4
adapted from The French Slow Cooker by Michele Scicolone

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 Tbsp flour
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 cup chicken broth
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp honey
1/2 cup dried apricot halves, quartered
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp sliced almonds, toasted
1 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil on medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent and tender, 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add the flour, paprika, ginger, and cumin and cook 1 minute until fragrant. Whisk the broth, lemon juice, and honey into the spice mixture being careful to eliminate any lumps. Simmer until slightly thickened, 3-5 minutes. Stir in the apricots, and remove the sauce from the heat.

Season the chicken breast halves with salt and pepper. Pour 1/2 the sauce into the bottom of a slow cooker. Lay the chicken breast halves on top of the sauce, overlapping a little if necessary. Pour the remaining sauce over the top of the chicken. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for approximately 3 hours until the chicken is tender and cooked through.

Serve the chicken topped with toasted almonds and chopped cilantro.

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No-Fail Fluffy Buttermilk Biscuits

2013-01-05T18:25:00.003-05:00

Like many people in the South, I grew up eating a lot of biscuits. My grandma made the best ones I have ever eaten. They were thin, crisp, buttery, and hand-patted (never cut). I have tried over the years to create a biscuits like hers, but like many things that you grow up eating, the ones you make never taste as good as the ones you remember. My aunt has come as close as anyone to recreating those biscuits, and while hers are also delicious, I still have not mastered it. I will keep trying.

In the meantime, when I want homemade biscuits, these are most often the ones I turn to. They rise beautifully, are slightly crusty on top, fluffy within, and have the unmistakable tang of buttermilk. The original recipe ran in the October/November 2010 issue of Cook's Country magazine under the name "Light and Fluffy Biscuits". As an off-shoot of Cook's Illustrated, their test kitchens tried various ways to make biscuits that would rise evenly, and in this cook's opinion, they succeeded wonderfully. These biscuits never fail to be fluffy, even, and beautiful which is why I am electing to rename them "No-Fail Fluffy Buttermilk Biscuits".

So, until I master my grandma's version, these are the ones I will be baking.

No-Fail Fluffy Buttermilk Biscuits- makes 12 biscuits
Recipe slightly adapted from Cook's Country

While this recipe uses vegetable shortening as a portion of the fat, I have also used lard with good results. Go with what you have on hand.

8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter
4 Tbsp vegetable shortening
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 cups buttermilk

Cut the butter and shortening into 1/2 inch pieces and chill until very cold.

Heat the oven to 450 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a food processor, pulse the dry ingredients until combined. Add the fat, and pulse until it resembles coarse crumbs. This step can also be done by hand using a pastry blender.

Place the flour mixture into a large bowl, and make a well in the center. Pour the buttermilk into the center, and pull the flour mixture into the buttermilk using a wooden spoon until the two are combined. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and knead 10 times. Form the dough into a smooth ball, and roll the dough into a 9 inch circle (3/4 inch thick).

Using a floured 2 1/2 inch round cutter (other sizes may be used but it will alter baking time), cut rounds of dough and place them upside down on the baking sheet. Placing the dough upside down is very important as it ensures an even rise. Roll the scraps of dough into a 3/4 inch thick circle, and cut the remaining biscuits.

Bake the biscuits until they begin to rise, 5 minutes. Then rotate the pan, reduce heat to 400 degrees, and continue baking 10-12 minutes. Serve the biscuits hot with melted butter, jam, or other spread of choice.

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Baked Ziti with Meat Sauce, Ricotta, and Mozzarella

2012-12-30T18:56:00.001-05:00

Now that we are finished with cookies, cakes, and holiday goodies (at least for a while), I offer you a tasty dinner option to try in the new year. I have been trying to find a baked pasta that I like. I tried several recipes, but none fit the bill. I wanted some ricotta for creaminess, but too much of it turns me off. I also wanted something with a little natural sweetness and depth of flavor from homemade tomato sauce, but I didn't want to spend all day on one. So, I fiddled around until I found something that worked for me. Here is the finished product.

This baked ziti is comprised of three main components other than the pasta. A ricotta mixture makes it creamy, a quick homemade marinara with ground beef and red wine adds depth of flavor and that hint of sweetness I was looking for, and cubes of mozzarella baked within the dish gives you ooey, gooey cheesiness. Both the ricotta mixture and the sauce can be made up to two days in advance making this an easy dish to assemble in parts and then bake when you want. The sauce can also be frozen and thawed when needed.

One piece of advice...since the ricotta mixture and mozzarella cubes are added first, and the sauce is then mixed in, try not to overmix the pasta once you add the sauce. It is good to have a swirled effect so that you get some bites with more ricotta and some with more sauce rather than having a well mixed pink combo throughout.

Baked Ziti with Meat Sauce, Ricotta, and Mozzarella- serves 6

For the Meat Sauce:
¾ pound lean ground beef
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
6 basil leaves, chiffonade
½ onion, finely chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
½ red wine
½ tsp salt
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp olive oil

For the Ricotta Mixture:

1 cup ricotta cheese
¾ cup grated pecorino romano
6 basil leaves, chiffonade
generous pinch of grated nutmeg
1 egg yolk
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper

Pasta:

1 pound ziti
½ pound mozzarella, cut into small cubes
½ cup grated parmesan

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

In a skillet, heat the olive oil for the sauce. Add the onion and cook 5 minutes until tender. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Brown the ground beef in the skillet with the onions and garlic until cooked through. Add the wine and cook 5 minutes until the liquid has reduced by half. Pour in the can of crushed tomatoes along with the salt, pepper, sugar, and basil. Cook the sauce 20 minutes until thickened.

While the sauce cooks, boil your pasta. Once al dente, drain and set aside until the sauce is ready.

In a large bowl, mix all the ricotta mixture ingredients. Once the pasta is cooked, pour the pasta and the mozzarella cubes into the bowl with the ricotta mixture and mix gently. Pour the meat sauce over the pasta and mix briefly. Pour the pasta into a 9 x 13 baking dish. Sprinkle the top with the parmesan and bake 20 minutes until brown and bubbly. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

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Liege Waffles with Speculoos Spread

2012-12-22T19:57:00.001-05:00

The waffle is a beautiful thing. I just discovered this last year on a holiday trip to New York. We were shopping at the holiday markets which we love to do at Christmas and wanted a little snack. The Wafels and Dinges truck looked appealing to the hubby, but I was not so sure. Waffles in my experience were just not so great which is, in large part, due to the fact that waffle and Eggo had been synonyms to me up to that point. I am a bit of a sucker for dessert though, and when he returned with a warm, golden brown waffle topped with spekuloos (also spelled speculoos) spread and whipped cream, I had to give it a try. I took a bite, and suddenly my entire opinion of waffles was tranformed. This was no Eggo waffle, my friends. This was something delicious. Crusty and sugary on the edges, thick, warm, and wonderfully brown. I have since discovered that these waffles are not made with any ordinary batter. They are Liege waffles created using a yeast batter made special by the addition of pearl sugar (that's where the crunchy, sugary crust comes from).

The spread on the waffles was speculoos which tastes like gingerbread cookies or graham crackers ground into a paste. I could eat it by the spoonful. I won't, but I could.

See those glistening edges? That's from the crushed sugar cubes.

After this year's trip to New York and the reminder (by way of the first bite) that these waffles truly are spectacular, the hubby decided to do a little research on the batter. He also ordered the spread online from Wafels and Dinges (although you can also purchase other brands of speculoos spread). We even went out and purchased a Belgian waffle iron just for the occasion. And oh, what an occasion it was. A taste of the Big Apple at Christmas right there in our tiny kitchen. Delicious!

So, let me tell you a little about this waffle dough. It requires a little time since it needs to rise, but it is well worth it, and it is very simple to make. You essentially activate your yeast with a little sugar and warm water, mix it with flour, cinnamon, eggs, and melted butter, and let it rise for about an hour. At that point, you mix in pearl sugar. Now, I could not find pearl sugar no matter where I went (and I live in a place where it's pretty easy to find unusual ingredients), so I had read that you could coarsely crush sugar cubes and mix those in at the end. It worked beautifully. They got nice and melty on the edges of the waffle, creating the desired crunchiness, and they formed little pockets of sugary goodness within. So, if you can't find pearl sugar, I would advise this route.

You can see the crushed sugar cubes in the batter. You want to make sure you allow these waffles to brown enough so that you melt that sugar and create crunch.

I wanted small waffles since they are so rich once topped with the spread, so I scooped 1/4 cup of the batter into the center of my waffle iron which, of course, did not fill the entire thing. That was fine. It gave me small, round waffles about 4 inches in diameter. I then topped two of them with spekuloos spread, sliced banana, and whipped cream, and I am a little embarassed to admit that that was dinner. But remember, it is Christmas, and I'm pretty sure that makes waffles topped with cookie spread okay.

Liege Waffles- makes approximately 10 (4 inch) waffles
adapted ever so slightly from Food and Wine

1 1/2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 packet active dry yeast
1/3 cup lukewarm water
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
3 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
2 sticks unsalted butter, melted
1 cup pearl sugar or coarsely crushed sugar cubes

In a small bowl, mix the sugar, yeast, and water. Let stand 10 minutes until the yeast the mixture begins to foam. Mix the flour, salt, and cinnamon in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Turn the mixer on to rotate the paddle to create a small well in the flour mixture. Pour in the yeast mixture. Mix at medium speed to moisten. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing between each addition. Add the vanilla and mix. With the mixer on low speed, slowly drizzle in the melted butter until incorporated. The dough will be thick and very sticky. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the batter rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Stir in the pearl sugar or coarsely crushed sugar cubes. Allow the dough to rest for 15 minutes.

Preheat a Belgian waffle iron and brushed with additional butter if desired. Scoop 1/4 cup of batter into center of waffle iron (may need to adjust the amount of dough depending on the type of waffle maker being used). Cook the waffles according to the manufacturer's directions until they are golden and crisp which will take anywhere between 3 and 5 minutes (mine were perfect after 4). Serve topped with spread of choice, syrup, fruit, and/or whipped cream.

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Cookie Swap

2012-12-16T12:54:00.002-05:00

For some reason, this holiday season seems a little more hectic to me. It may be that I have been more of a procrastinator (which is very unlike me) this year with things like shopping, but we have also had some problems with the computer which has prevented me from posting for a longer time span than usual. In any event, I am back and wanted to share some pictures and a recipe from the cookie swap I hosted just a few days ago. There were five of us total which was a good number, but you could certainly have more. The more people attend, the more cookies you take home with you.

In case I have never mentioned it before, my house is very small. I like it that way. Less to clean. However, it is a little trickier when you have people over. In this case, the cookie 'bar' was set up on a back counter just outside the kitchen so that everyone could gather around it easily, and I kept things very simple. A homemade garland made of kraft paper, a small Christmas tree, cookie boxes, burlap, and canning jars (which had candles in them although they weren't lit in the pictures). White platters and bowls displayed the assortment of cookies nicely. And what great cookies they were! From left, here is what we had...

Molasses Cookies- these were soft and chewy with a sugary coating and just the right amount of molasses to flavor

Oreo Balls- Oreo cookie mixed with cream cheese and coated in white chocolate

Speculoos Buttons- lightly spiced, crisp cookies similar to gingerbread edged in sprinkles and glazed

Chocolate Walnut Cookies- crisp on the outside, soft on the inside with a taste reminiscent of a brownie

Snickers Filled Peanut Butter Cookies- peanut butter cookies formed and baked around a Snickers miniature candy

Each person at the swap made 5 dozen of one type of cookie and we divided them so that we each received a dozen of each. A cookie swap is a perfect way to have your holiday treats without doing all the baking yourself.

I leave you with two recipes...one for the Speculoos Buttons I made from Bon Appetit and the other for Oreo Balls. You can also make the Snickers cookies by simply mixing up a homemade or store-bought peanut butter cookie dough and rolling it in balls around a miniature Snickers candy before baking. The cookies will spread out leaving the candy piece in the middle. Yum!

Speculoos Buttons- makes about 90 cookies
from Dorie Greenspan for Bon Appetit

Cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons mild-flavored (light) molasses
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg white
Sanding or other decorative sugar

Glaze

2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
Sprinkles, colored sanding sugar, or dragées (optional)

Directions

Whisk first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl; set aside. Using an electric mixer at medium speed, beat butter in a medium bowl until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add both sugars and molasses; continue to beat until mixture is smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla; mix for 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low; add dry ingredients and mix to blend well.

Scrape dough from bowl and divide into thirds. Using your palms, roll each piece of dough into an 8-inch log. Wrap logs tightly in plastic or parchment paper and freeze for at least 3 hours. (For neater edges, remove logs from freezer after 1 hour and roll on counter.) DO AHEAD: Dough can be made up to 2 months ahead. Keep frozen.

Arrange racks in top and bottom thirds of oven; preheat to 375°. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Whisk egg white in a small bowl to loosen; lightly brush all over 1 log. Sprinkle with (or roll in) sanding sugar. Using a long, slender knife, slice off a sliver of dough from each end of log to make ends flat. Cut log into 1/4 inch-thick rounds. Transfer to 1 baking sheet, spacing 1/2 inch apart; place in freezer while you cut the next log. (The cookies hold their shape better if you bake when dough is cold.) Repeat with remaining dough.

Bake 2 sheets of cookies, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back after 6 minutes, until tops are golden brown and centers are almost firm, 11-13 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks and let cool. Repeat with third sheet of cookies. DO AHEAD: Cookies can be baked 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

Glaze

Mix powdered sugar and 7 teaspoons cold water in a large mixing bowl (glaze will be very thick). Spoon about 1/2 teaspoons glaze onto each button (alternatively, fill a resealable plastic bag with glaze and cut a small hole in 1 corner; pipe glaze in an even circle around edges of cookies, then fill). Decorate with sprinkles, colored sugar, or dragées, if desired. Let stand on rack at room temperature for at least 30 minutes for glaze to set. DO AHEAD: Cookies can be made 5 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

Printable Version

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Oreo Balls

1 package Oreo cookies

8 oz cream cheese

1 bag white chocolate morsels

Grind the Oreos in a food processor. Add the cream cheese and continue processing until well blended. Roll the mixture into 1 inch balls and chill in refrigerator or freezer for 30 minutes. Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler and dip each ball into the chocolate using a toothpick or skewer. Place on wax paper until the chocolate hardens. Keep refrigerated while storing.

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Nachos Grandes...As Supper or a Quick Nibble

2012-12-02T05:32:00.000-05:00

Life is hectic, and if you are anything like me, dinner sometimes falls by the wayside because you are too tired or too short on time to spend any over the stove cooking. Nachos Grandes can be a solution to that problem. With it only being the hubby and I here, this is a dish we have sometimes when we need a quick fix. I know some people will say that nachos can't be a meal, but these really have everything you need to make a complete one, and you can customize them with other ingredients as well. If you prefer not to eat them for supper, they make a great appetizer or quick nibble to serve when you have people over. Either way, they are tasty and filling.

This recipe originally came from a great little cookbook, Moosewood Restaurant Simple Suppers. I have changed it to suit our tastes and what we usually have on hand, but really just about anything can go here. If you can imagine it on a baked nacho then it should be right at home in this dish. It's also a great way to use some of the things you preserve over the summer months like jalapenos, corn, and salsa. One word of warning...the sour cream is baked with the nachos which means it sometimes separates a little in the oven making it looks slightly less appetizing. I would suggest still baking it, though, as it tastes wonderful warm on the nachos and helps create a sort of saucy thing.

Here is how I layer them up.

Place corn tortilla chips (we use multi-grain) in the bottom and up the sides of a baking dish (I use a 9 x 9 but use a 9 x 13 if you want a thinner layer of nachos). Mix a can of refried beans (you can use non-fat) with a tablespoon or so of water to thin them out enough to be spreadable. Spoon and spread them on top of the chips in the dish. Add some corn. This really is a dish where you layer things until they look good to you so change the ingredient amounts to suit your tastes.

Then layer on some diced tomatoes and pickled jalapeno slices.

Sprinkle on some shredded cheese (most any kind will do but I usually go for either Monterrey Jack or Sharp Cheddar), and dollop some sour cream in spoonfuls over everything. Bake it for a few minutes, and you'll be ready to dig in. I serve salsa on the side, but you could also add the salsa to the nachos before baking.

Nachos Grandes- serves 4

adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Simple Suppers

Remember, all of the ingredient amounts below are approximate. Use your judgement once you start layering everything together. The first set of ingredients are the ones on the nachos in the pictures, but underneath, I have listed other possible ingredients.

4 cups corn tortilla chips

1 15oz can refried beans mixed with a tablespoon or so of water (to thin them)

2 cups fresh corn kernels or frozen kernels, thawed and drained

1 cup diced tomatoes

1/4 cup pickled jalapeno slices

2 cups shredded cheese (I use either Monterrey Jack or Cheddar)

1/4 cup sour cream

Your favorite salsa, for serving alongside

Other Possible Ingredients:

1 tablespoon chopped green chiles or fresh jalapenos in place of the pickled

1/4 cup sliced olives

2 tablespoons scallions

1 tablespoon chopped pimiento

1/2-1 cup chopped zucchini or summer squash

Fresh chopped cilantro

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Layer the tortilla chips into the bottom and up the sides of a 9 x 9 (or 9 x 13 if you want a more shallow layer) baking dish. Spread the beans over the chips. Layer all other ingredients up to the salsa in the order listed on top of the beans. Bake the nachos for 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and the beans are hot. Serve with salsa on the side.

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Freezing Pie Crusts

2012-11-26T20:11:00.000-05:00

Okay, I know that Thanksgiving was last week and most people want cleansing food right now, not pie, but I have to share the most ridiculously logical and yet unthought-of-by-me approach to pie crusts. Frozen crusts. So simple, I can't believe it never crossed my mind before now. I mean, I have made and frozen disks of pie dough which are easily thawed and rolled accordingly, but I never (call me crazy...I know!) thought to actually roll it out, place it in a pie plate with pretty fluted edges, and freeze it. It makes pie so easy!

So, even though Thanksgiving has passed, there are more holidays just around the corner, and you can never be too prepared for homemade pie. Whip up a double batch of your favorite pie dough or use my favorite all-butter dough, and get it ready ahead of time. You won't regret it.

To freeze the crusts, simply chill your dough as you normally would. Then roll it out and place it in aluminum pie pans (or in your good pie pans if you don't mind freezing them). Flute the edges as desired, and stack the crusts with wax paper in between each. Put the stack in a plastic bag or wrap in wax paper and aluminum foil and freeze. When you need one, just remove it from the bag and bake from frozen just as you would a store-bought crust.

FYI...the pie in the pictures is Toffee Pecan Pie from Martha Stewart (very likely the best pecan pie recipe you will ever try...seriously!).

What's For Thanksgiving Dinner?

2012-11-18T15:24:00.001-05:00

As I mentioned in my last post, I will be having a small Thanksgiving this year. Very small, in fact. Since both of our families live out of town, and my husband's family will be out of state for the holiday, we will be doing Thanksgiving just the two of us. That means a very scaled back, yet equally yummy holiday dinner. We did want to make enough for leftovers, though, because really, isn't that the best part of Thanksgiving?

So, we will be having the basics...a small roasted turkey breast, gravy, some stuffing, a veg, and dessert. As I sat down to try to decide which recipes to use, I thought it would be helpful to offer up some ideas for Thanksgiving. The following are dishes that will fit perfectly into any holiday dinner, and most of them are easy to prepare. So, if you are a procrastinator (like me) and are still trying to figure out what to make, check these out. They make excellent dinner choices and leftovers for the long weekend of football watching, shopping, Christmas tree searching, and decorating that follow the big day.

Salads:
Pickled Beet Salad with Walnuts and Fried Goat Cheese
Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Spicy Pecans and Cider Vinaigrette

Sides:
Aunt Lynn's Sweet Potato Casserole
Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Apples with Honey Butter Glaze
Roasted Turnips with Sorghum Syrup
Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

Desserts:
Applesauce Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting
Brown Butter Pumpkin Cake
Mini Apple Pies with Spiced Apples
Toffee Pecan Pie

Sauces and Pickled Goodies:
Cranberry Sauce with Apples and Pecans
Cranberry Conserve with Apples and Pecans (canned)
Spiced Pickled Pears
Pear and Cranberry Conserve

Canning Thanksgiving Conserve

2012-11-12T20:19:00.002-05:00

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and due to various circumstances, the husband and I will probably be spending the holiday at home. Just the two of us. That means that, even though we will want a Thanksgiving meal, we don't need to cook nearly as much as if, say, we were spending it with family and friends. That also means, that even though cranberry sauce is a must-have in my opinion, there is no way we will eat an entire quart of the stuff. So, I started thinking about canning it. Actually, I've thought about canning it before, just to have on hand, but never got around to it. Now, we can have it on Thanksgiving and several other times throughout the year. Of course, you don't need to wait for a Thanksgiving alone to can cranberry sauce or conserve. Now is the perfect time to do it while fresh berries are available, and then you will have it on hand all year round.

The cranberry sauce I make is more of a conserve with the addition of apples and nuts. If you want to make the conserve without canning, check out last year's post. For the canned version, I used a recipe from National Center for Home Food Preservation which is almost identical to the recipe I have always used. It does make a few changes, which I am sure are there to ensure the safety and longevity of the canned product. The changes include using more sugar (if you use less, the final product may not last as long on the shelf) and limiting the amount of nuts to 1/2 cup. Their version did include raisins which we don't like, so I added an equal amount of chopped apple. The apple will not affect the acidity negatively, but to keep it safe, make sure you do not increase the amount of nuts in the conserve from the amount listed.

The cooking time on this conserve can be anywhere from 15 to 25 minutes once it begins boiling. You are looking for a temperature of 220 degrees (as if you are making jam). You can test it out on a chilled plate to see if it mounds and sets up.

Cranberry Conserve (canned)- makes approx. 5 half pints
adapted slightly from National Center for Home Food Preservation

1 quart (4 cups) fresh or frozen cranberries, picked over and washed
1 cup water
3 cups granulated sugar
1 orange, zested and juiced
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Prepare the canner, jars, lids, and rings.

Place the cranberries, water, sugar, zests, and juices in a skillet over medium high heat. Bring to a boil. Cook rapidly, stirring frequently 5 minutes until cranberries begin to pop. Add the apple, and continue cooking, stirring frequently 15-25 minutes until the mixture reaches a temperature of 220 degrees. Five minutes before it reaches the desired temperature, add the pecans. Ladle the mixture into hot, sterilized half-pint jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Remove any air bubbles, and wipe the jar rims. Top each jar with a sterilized lid and ring, and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Remove jars to a towel to cool for 24 hours before labeling and storing.

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It's That Time Again!

2012-11-04T13:16:00.000-05:00

As the days turn crisp and the leaves begin to fall, cabbages of all sizes start showing up at the farmer's market signaling the time for sauerkraut. After experimenting with sauerkraut several seasons, last year I stumbled upon the easiest and most fool-proof method I have seen. I posted about it last year, but since it is sauerkraut time again, I thought it would be helpful to have a little reminder.

This method was published in a Martha Stewart magazine in an article about a woman who owns a company which makes various flavors of sauerkraut. The method eliminates the need for large fermenting crocks which not everyone has floating around the house and uses pint size canning jars instead. It also seems to be easier to take the cabbage through the fermenting process without it going bad. Three pounds of cabbage produces approximately three pints of sauerkraut, and it is easy to increase the quantities as needed since you are essentially using a pound of cabbage per jar.

This year, the cabbages at the market were huge. I opted for a six pound cabbage which gave me six jars of kraut. I started them on October 15, so I am a good way through the process. The longer it sits, the stronger it will taste, so it is good to begin testing it after about twenty days to see if you like it. You can add flavors such as caraway or apple, but I like to make it without added flavor as it is more versatile that way.

The basic things to remember with this method (and others) are below:

You will need a cool (around 70 degree) and dark location for fermentation.
You will need to save several good-looking outer cabbage leaves to cover your shredded cabbage before placing the lid on top.
You will need to squeeze, squeeze, squeeze the cabbage to extract juice.
You will need to loosen the lids on the jars every few days to release pressure (you don't want your ceiling wearing sauerkraut), and you will need to replace any liquid lost with a brine mixture.
You will need to store the finished product in the fridge or process it in a boiling water bath for long-term storage.

If you find yourself with an abundance of cabbage, head over to my original post on this method and try it for yourself. It is easy and will reward you with great tasting kraut to use through the winter.

And one more thing, if you have never tried sauerkraut balls, you should head over to Pinterest or search online or a recipe that sounds good to you. A friend of mine makes these little babies with sausage, sauerkraut, and cream cheese, they are excellent as a holiday appetizer.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

2012-10-29T15:52:00.001-04:00

I have always loved chocolate chip muffins. I remember my mother making them from scratch many mornings, and I could just as easily enjoy those little treats for dessert as I could for breakfast. My love affair with chocolate chip muffins has continued into adulthood.

I had a difficult time imagining any muffin better than a chocolate chip one. I mean, what could be better than the moist cakey inside studded with ooey gooey chocolate? I'll tell you what...a pumpkin chocolate chip muffin. That's what!

When I stumbled upon this recipe, I was actually looking for a good muffin to make with my students at school. One that they, as fourth graders, would enjoy mixing and eating. This Nestle Toll House recipe from Very Best Baking fit the bill perfectly.

Not only does this recipe contain pumpkin, chocolate, and whole wheat flour, it also makes plenty of muffins that keep well for several days and freeze beautifully. I have been making this recipe both with my students each fall and at home ever since finding it several years ago.

When I make them at home, I make the entire batch which is usually around 30 regular size muffins (even though the original recipe says 36), and I freeze the ones we don't eat in a day or so.

To freeze, just pop them into freezer bags. When you want to thaw one, remove it from the bag, wrap it in a paper towel, and microwave for around a minute until thawed and warm. They make one of the best on-the-go breakfasts around.

I have not changed this recipe at all except to use cinnamon instead of pumpkin pie spice (the original recipe calls for either). As I said above, I do find that the quantities tend to be a little smaller, around 30 muffins instead of 36. Even though this is not my recipe, I am reposting here to have on file for myself. I give full credit to the original which you can find by visiting Very Best Baking.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins- makes approx. 30-36 standard muffins

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs, slightly beaten
2 cups granulated sugar
1 can (15 oz.) pure pumpkin puree
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) semi-sweet chocolate chips

PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Grease thirty to thirty-six standard size muffin cups or line with paper bake cups.

COMBINE all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in medium bowl. Combine eggs and sugar in large bowl. Add pumpkin and oil; mix well. Stir in flour mixture until moistened. Stir in chocolate chips. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.

BAKE for 20 to 25 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 5 minutes; remove from pans.

TO FREEZE, allow muffins to cool completely on wire racks. Place muffins into zip top freezer bags (usually 4 will fit in a quart bag), and freeze. Frozen muffins will keep 2-3 months and can be thawed in the microwave.

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Chicken with Brussels Sprouts and Mustard Cider Sauce

2012-10-20T21:25:00.003-04:00

I have been doing a little more cooking and less canning lately, although I'm hoping to do more canning in the near future. I have been slightly obsessed (as I get each fall) with cooking magazines and cookbooks, and I've been trying to add some new dishes to the weeknight line-up around here.

This is a dish I had been meaning to try for awhile, but finally got around to several days ago. It was perfect for a busy weeknight as it was quick to prepare, and it was so good it had me looking forward to the leftovers at lunch (which if you know anything about me and leftovers is really saying a lot).

The chicken for this dish is browned in olive oil and finished in the oven. I roasted red potatoes in the oven with a little thyme and garlic which worked well because it allowed me to slide the potatoes over to make a little room for the chicken in the last 10 minutes of cooking. This saved me one dirty dish which is always a major plus in my world.

The Brussels sprouts were cooked until brown and tender in a separate pan while the sauce was being made where the chicken had been browned originally. And let me tell you about this sauce. It is amazing! It's zesty and tangy from the whole grain mustard and slightly sweet from the cider. I found it needed a tad more sweetness, so I added a little honey. I also increased the quantity of sauce and thickened it with a cornstarch slurry.

All in all, a very quick and satisfying fall meal that I will definitely be making again very soon!

Chicken with Brussels Sprouts and Mustard Cider Sauce- serves 4
Recipe adapted from Cooking Light

2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 tsp salt, divided
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 1/4 cups chicken broth, divided
1/2 unfiltered apple cider
2 Tbsp whole-grain Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp honey
1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp butter, divided
12 ounces Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet on high heat. Season the chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook 3 minutes per side until nicely browned. Place the chicken in an oven-proof baking dish (or on the sheet pan where you are roasting the potatoes if you choose to do so) and bake 9 minutes or until done.

In the meantime, add 1 cup broth and the cider to the pan where the chicken was browned. Scrap any bits from the bottom of the pan, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer 4 minutes. Ladle several tablespoons of the broth mixture into a small bowl and add the cornstarch to the bowl to create a slurry. Whisk this mixture until the slurry is smooth with no lumps of cornstarch remaining. Slowly whisk a little of the slurry mixture (you may not need to use it all) into the broth mixture in the pan and boil to thicken. Add more slurry as needed until the sauce it thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add the mustard and honey to the sauce and whisk to combine. Remove the pan from the heat and swirl in 1 tablespoon of butter until melted.

While making the sauce, heat 1 tablespoon of oil and 1 tablespoon butter in another skillet on medium-high heat. Add the Brussels sprouts and saute 2 minutes to brown. Season with remaining salt. Add 1/4 cup broth to the pan, cover, and cook 4 minutes until the sprouts are crisp tender. Serve the chicken topped with the sprouts and a drizzle of sauce.

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