The Saturday Chef

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever

2011-09-17T02:18:00.000-07:00

I’m actually embarrassed to make the forthcoming confession, but I’m going to do it anyway, because this is a safe place of sharing.

Here it is: I went to one of those yuppy suburban high schools, the kind that’s very similar to West Beverly High on “90210,” where the kids go to a school with uniforms and the scoreboards provided by Pespi, and have an Olympic-sized swimming pool and a field house with joint-cushioning springs underneath.

I’m not ashamed of my high school, because I got a great education and had a great time. More than that, I had some amazing lunches. Because our cafeteria was awesome. It was better than the food served in college, and even in some restaurants. I had access to salads, burgers, fries, hot pretzels, chicken sandwiches, fried cheese on Tuesdays, and even had two different flavors of low-fat ice cream twice a week. It was ‘til this day some of the best food I’ve ever had…and 11 years later, I still crave two things: salty French fries and nacho cheese, but mostly, the chocolate chip cookies.

I am a Cookie Monster. I inherited the gene from my grandmother, and the cookies I had at that school, the cookies I could smell baking in the hallway around the start of fourth period, were the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever had. And the reason my dessert of choice, my treat after a crappy day, my favorite snack to sneak into the movies is chocolate chip cookies.

A year ago, I set out to find the best chocolate chip cookie recipe, one that rivaled my high school’s freshly baked delights.

The recipe on the back of the Nestle Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chip bag was a good start, but I knew I could do better. And I tried a few others that were good, but they just weren’t right. I also refused to make a recipe by Jacques Torres that requires bread flour, a chocolate so fancy I couldn’t even find or afford it and 24 hours. After awhile, I felt like the Goldilocks of Chocolate Chip cookies.

Until I discovered this recipe.

And they are by far, the most perfect chocolate chip cookie that’s ever come out of my kitchen. They’re easy to make, chewy, chocolaty, decadent and with a little pinch of sea salt, they are a bit more complex than the average cookie.

So I might not use calculus or chemistry, but this is one lesson from high school I'll never forget. Go Highlanders!

Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Ever

Adapted from Savory Sweet Life

Yield: About 3 dozen

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened

½ cup granulated sugar

1 ½ cup dark brown sugar

2 eggs, room temperature

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 ¾ cup all-purpose flour

½ tsp. smallish-medium coarse sea salt, plus more for sprinkling (do not use table salt)

1 tsp. baking soda

1 ½ tsp. baking powder

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 360 degrees.

Cream butter, white and dark brown sugar until it is nice and fluffy, about 3 minutes on medium-high. Add both eggs and vanilla and beat for another 2 minutes.

In a separate bowl mix in flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Whisk to combine. Add half of flour mixture to sugar and eggs and beat just enough to incorporate. Scrap down the sides with a spatuala and add the rest of the dry ingredients and blend again.

Add the chocolate chips. Mix until well-distributed. The batter should be somewhat thick but airy.

Drop about 2 tablespoons (or you can use a medium cookie scoop) onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Gently pat or shape cookies into a smooth round shape. Sprinkle cookies with a scant amount of sea salt. This is optional, but it adds great texture and the burst of salt both highlights and contrasts the flavors.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or just until the cookies are a light golden broken. Remove from the heat, but allow cookies to remain on the baking sheet for another 5 minutes, and then transfer to a cool, non-porous surface lined with parchment paper. Allow cookies to cool for another few minutes. It will take the willpower of a saint, but try anyway. ;)

Baked Salmon with Sautéed Corn and Black Bean Salad

2011-07-20T23:00:00.000-07:00

I must confess that when I first started cooking I was extremely nervous to work with seafood. It’s expensive; it cooks quickly and if you ruin it, you’ve wasted the ingredients as well as the money used them buy them. When I fry shrimp, I cook them on high alert with a little knot in my stomach.

I've also learned that with seafood, especially something as luxuriously rich as salmon, less is more. When I splurge on salmon fillets, I simply bake it and pair it with a baked potato or a light vegetable salad. I had inspiration for this dish, Baked Salmon with Sauteed Corn and Black Bean Salad, for months and I finally cobbled it together with different recipes and my own baked salmon. It’s light, refreshing, impressive and deceptively simple. In other words, it’s perfect for summer! Especially if you’re in the middle of this brutal heatwave!

Baked Salmon

1 ½ pound fresh salmon fillet

Butter

Seasoning Salt such as Lawry’s

Pepper

Garlic Salt

Olive Oil

Corn and Black Bean Salad

adapted from recipe at epicurious.com

2 cups sweet corn, removed from the cob or thawed if frozen

1 15 ounce can black beans, thoroughly rinsed

¼ cup green onions, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

3 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, chopped

Salt, Pepper

Olive Oil

1 tablespoon of lime juice (from about 1 lime)

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

2 tablespoons of olive oil

Pinch ground cumin

Salmon

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

Line baking sheet with aluminum foil, drizzle with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil and spread evenly. Place fish on baking sheet.

Season fish moderately with seasoning salt and pepper and conservatively with garlic salt. Cut 2 pats of butter and cut or break it into pieces with your fingers. Dot fish with butter.

Place fish in oven and bake for 13 to 17 minutes or until fish is an opaque pink.

Corn and Black Bean Salad

Heat skillet over medium heat and add about 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When oil is hot, add corn. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Toss or stir frequently until corn is begins to brown, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Remove from heat and set aside to prepare vegetables and herbs.

Add corn, black beans, green onions, cilantro and basil to medium bowl and mix to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

Mix lime juice, orange juice, pinch of cumin and olive oil in a smaller bowl. Add most of dressing to corn salad and stir to combine. Taste. Salad should be moist, but not wet. Add the rest if needed. Set aside for 10 minutes.

Place a portion of salmon on place about spoon on corn salad. Drizzle with remaining dressing if you wish. Enjoy!

Chocolate Cheesecake Cupcakes

2011-06-22T01:39:00.000-07:00

I have already spoken about the Power of Ganche, how I believe it has the ability to heal many things. Life, especially in these charged times, can be hard. It’s hard dealing with things like prolonged unemployment and all of the frustration that comes with it. I have been without a paying job for more months than I can share without shame, and some days—usually the ones when I know a job I was cautiously excited about is filled—are especially maddening.

Early one morning, I stumbled across a peppy, can-do woman hosting a Food Network show called “Chic and Easy.” She whipped up these cupcakes in a flourish of movement and optimism.

At a more reasonable hour, I did the same, needing to accomplish something that day. The result was one of the best desserts I’ve ever had. They were rich and decadent and not overly sweet. I don’t like messing with sticky frosting, because I manage to get it everywhere, but coating these fudgy gems was a mess-less breeze.

So when life is bearing down a little too hard, try out these Chocolate Cheesecake Cupcakes and let the ganache do its job.

Chocolate Cheesecake Cupcakes with Ganache Frosting

by Mary Nolan

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt 6 tablespoons butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons

1 egg, at room temperature

2/3 cup milk, at room temperature

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 tablespoons mini semisweet chocolate chips

2 tablespoons chopped pecans

Ganache frosting, recipe follows

Directions

Place rack in the middle of oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.

Line 12 muffin cups with cupcake papers.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt, and set aside. Using a mixer, cream the butter and 3/4 cup sugar until pale yellow, about 1 minute. Add the egg and stir until just combined. Gently add half of the flour mixture and stir until just incorporated. Mix in the milk. Add the remaining flour mixture and stir until combined. Set aside.

In a small bowl, mix together the cream cheese, 2 tablespoons sugar, and vanilla.

Stir in the chocolate chips and pecans.

Fill prepared cupcake liners with enough chocolate batter to just cover the bottom. Add a dollop of the cream cheese filling to each (about a tablespoon), then top with remaining batter. Filling cream cheese filling should not be visible.

Bake for 20 minutes. Let cupcakes stand in the pan for 3 minutes and then remove and allow to cool completely on a rack.

Dip each cupcake into the ganache, forming an even layer of frosting. Top with chopped pecans if you wish. Place in the refrigerator to set, about 15 minutes.

Ganache Frosting:

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder, optional

Place a heat-proof bowl over a pot of simmering water, and whisk together the chocolate, cream, and espresso powder (if using). Continue whisking until chocolate is melted and the mixture is thick, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes.

Photo Crisis Averted!

2011-06-22T00:47:00.000-07:00

You could only imagine my surprise when I checked out my blog one day on my brand new, awesome iPhone, and discovered that all of my pictures had been replaced with a really annoying "Bandwidth Exceeded" image (it's worse than the Twitter Fail Whale). Apparently people took my photos and a really hot animation of "Supernatural's" Jared Padalecki doing shirtless chin-ups and linked them to their own sites without uploaded it to a separate account, thus draining my bandwidth. Grrrrrr.

All of that unpleasantness has been remedied, so enjoy the restored pictures and recipes. A new post will be up ASAP, and it's an awesome one!

Kira, Saturday Chef

Veggies At Last: Asian Chicken Salad

2011-06-06T00:01:00.000-07:00

I was perusing my blog last week, tweaking older recipes and deleting some embarrassing ones, and I noticed that there was nary a vegetable side dish or entrée posted. And I worried if people thought that I didn’t like vegetables or if I had scurvy.

While I don’t crave the sweet crunch of a carrot, I am pretty partial to vegetables. Thus, I immediately looked for a scrumptious veggie-only dish to post.

For the record, I actually love salad, especially a good Greek one with no anchovies and lots of feta and black olives. But I digress. This salad is different as it uses Napa Cabbage, which is a new, and pretty awesome, ingredient for me. I really loved the idea of using a peeler to shave ribbons of carrots and how the whole thing came together rather quickly with the work of my Ginsus. This salad is very refreshing and sweet, and while I didn’t photograph it with the low mein noodles, they are the perfect addition of crunch and texture. The dressing is tangy and a little sweet, and compliments all ingredients wonderfully.

Don’t worry, fellow Saturday Chefs, this might be the first veggie-centric post, but it will not be the last!

Asian Chicken Salad

Adapted from recipe by Giada De Laurentiis

Salad:

1 large carrot, peeled

3 cups shredded napa cabbage, about ½ of a cabbage

3 cups shredded romaine lettuce, from 1 small romaine heart

1 small red bell pepper, seeded and deveined, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, chopped

2 cups chicken breasts, cooked

Chow Mein Noodles, optional

Dressing:

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar

Black Pepper, optional

Directions

For the salad: Using a vegetable peeler, shave the carrot and add to a large salad bowl. Stir in the cabbage, lettuce, red bell pepper, mint, and chicken. *If you're a vegetarian, just nix the chicken.

For the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar until smooth. Season with pepper, to taste, if using.

Plate salad in a mound, spoon a bit of the dressing over the salad and toss. Garnish with the chow mein noodles and serve.

Chef’s Note: I only dress an entire salad if I know the majority of it will be eaten. Otherwise, I just dress the salad on the plates just before serving.

Blueberry Crumb Cake

2011-05-27T22:56:00.000-07:00

When I was fifteen, I used to listen to my parents’ old comedy tapes. Yes, the NSYNC and Christina Aguilera obsession would come years later as I was a late-bloomer in every regard. On my favorite tape, Bill Cosby famously boasted about the nutritious benefits of chocolate cake for breakfast (EGGS!!! MILK!!!! WHEAT!!!), and I have taken it to heart as wisdom and truth. If a decadent, gooey chocolate cake is satisfactory for breakfast, then certainly a Blueberry Crumb Cake has to be even better, because it has fruit! FRUIT!

Like a lot of my favorite recipes, I made this cake on a whim. My mom needed a dessert for a party at work and didn’t remember until the last minute. I went through the cabinets and found I had all of the ingredients to make this cake, and it was in the oven twenty minutes later (I cannot make a decent layer cake from scratch to save my life, so if I can make this and share it with you all, you can do it too!).

My mom later told me that the cake was gone in less than fifteen minutes after she sat it out. After I had a decent slice, I understood why. The cake is lightly sweet; the streusel is spicy and sweet and the blueberries provide a sharp tang. It’s the perfect contrast of taste, and it’s surprisingly light, making it perfect for breakfast or dessert, if you must to be traditional.

Blueberry Crumb Cake

Ina Garten

Ingredients

For the streusel:

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

For the cake:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature (3/4 stick)

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

2/3 cup sour cream (full or reduced-fat)

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup fresh blueberries

Confectioners' sugar for sprinkling

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9-inch round baking pan.

For the streusel:

Combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl. Stir in the melted butter and then the flour. Mix well and set aside.

For the cake:

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed for 4 to 5 minutes, until light. Reduce the speed to low and add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla, lemon zest, and sour cream. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Fold in the blueberries and stir with a spatula to be sure the batter is completely mixed.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out with a knife. With your fingers, crumble the topping evenly over the batter. (NOTE: You probably won’t use all of the streusel topping. I’ve made this cake a few times, and always had a little left over. It does taste delicious, so feel free to use it all for an extra-crumby cake). Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely and serve sprinkled with confectioners' sugar.

Saturday Chef's Easy Marshmallow Pops

2011-05-16T15:09:00.000-07:00

When I was little and bored, my dad and sister and I would play the taste-test game. We would close our eyes and try to guess the item of food we were given. Looking back, I think it was just a way for my parents to get more fruit and veggies in our systems, but back then it was wholesome family fun. (At least until my dad gave me vinegar and we retaliated with liquid soap. Needless to say that was the end of the taste-test game).

I think that’s where I learned that playing with your food could be fun. Thus one day when it was raining and hailing in late April, and my niece was visiting, I decided it was time to play with chocolate and marshmallows and whatever toppings I could find. Marshmallow Pops are just now starting their fifteen minutes of culinary fame, and I see why. They are delicious, easy and fun to make, and did I mention they are delicious. The combinations of toppings are endless and they are perfect for entertaining.

Going to a friend’s baby shower? Use pink or blue sprinkles. Have a boyfriend who loves S’Mores? Use graham crack crumbs. Want something fabulous and unique? Try chopped bacon if you’re nasty!

28 marshmallows and 28 lollipop sticks.

Ready for a chocolate bath.

Yes, I went there, and it was delicious!

Marshmallow Pops

12 ounces milk chocolate

25 to 30 large marshmallows

Toppings:

chopped, toasted nuts

toasted coconut

sprinkles

graham cracker crumbs

bacon, cooked and chopped

Special Equipment:

25 to 30 lollipop sticks or popsicle sticks

Wax Paper

Push sticks into marshmallows. Line a baking sheet with wax paper. To toast coconut or chopped nuts, toss lightly in a skillet over medium heat. Remove from heat and skillet when coconut is a light brown and/or when nuts darken slightly and are fragrant, about 3 to 5 minutes.

You will need to make a double-boiler. Find a medium sized pot and heat-proof bowl. Make sure you can set the bowl just inside of the pot. There should be room between the bottom of the bowl and the bottom of the pot.

Add some water in a pot and simmer it over low heat. Place chocolate in a heat-proof bowl. When water simmers, place bowl of chocolate inside the pot, making sure the water does not touch the bottom of the pot. Stir chocolate frequently.

When chocolate is melted, remove from heat. Submerge marshmallows in chocolate. If necessary, use a spoon to coat the entire marshmallow. Holding by the stick, remove the marshmallow, shaking gently to remove excess chocolate. Immediately coat with desired toppings. Place stick-side up onto baking sheet lined with wax paper. When all marshmallows are coated, place in the fridge to harden chocolate. Serve!

NOTE: I generally keep my chocolate over the pot of water so it will stay warm for longer. If it cools and becomes too thick for dipping, simply place make-shift double boiler over low heat to re-melt chocolate.

Saturday Chef's Turkey Black Bean Chili

2011-05-01T00:45:00.000-07:00

Like Picasso, I go through periods where I am obsessed with one ingredient. I’ll put it in everything, much to the annoyance of anyone who frequently eats my food.

DISCLAIMER: Before I continue, please don’t think that I’m saying that I cook like Picasso painted. I’m not delusional. Okay, back to the blog.

I just want to explore the possibilities of new ingredients, broaden my culinary horizons. And I do so with every new vegetable or spice I experiment with.

Picasso had his blue period; I had my black bean period.

I discovered the magic beans years ago and put them in everything from salads to soups to shrimp nachos. A few months ago, I found a recipe for slow-cooker black bean chili while trolling my favorite foodie sites. It had tons of great reviews and seemed pretty simple, so I decided to make an attempt. It was an unmitigated disaster. I’m not one to cry over bad chili, but I was tempted, mainly because I acted against my better judgment and didn’t rinse the beans. The recipe said not to. Epic mistake, and I knew better. Saturday Chef Rule #8: Trust your instincts! Listen to that voice inside your head.

I loved the idea of black bean chili with ground turkey, and the flavors were there, so I did a major overall. I traded the slow cooker for my trusty Dutch oven. I rinsed each can of black beans so thoroughly they lightened in color. I added more vegetables. After a lot of tweaking and dozens of cans of black beans, I finally got a chili I love. It’s flavorful, but not overly spicy. It’s mild enough that my eight-year-old niece will gobble up two bowls of it. In fact, it was her idea to garnish it with cheddar cheese, a future foodie, that one. This is a tight, delicious, smooth chili, thanks to the black beans and ground turkey (another obsession of mine). It’s perfect on its own or you can put it on nachos or a hot dog or anything you want.

So start your black bean period, and try out this chili for Cinco de Mayo or, ya know, Tuesday.

Turkey Black Bean Chili

1 lb. ground turkey (85/15 mix)

1 yellow onion, minced

2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups of bell peppers, red, yellow, orange, green, chopped*

1 teaspoon dried basil (or 5 to 8 fresh basil leaves, chopped)

2 tablespoons of tomato paste

3 15oz cans of black beans, thoroughly rinsed

1 14oz can of diced tomatoes and juice

3 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth

½ tablespoon chili powder

1 ½ teaspoon dried oregano

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, divided

Salt, pepper

Add ground turkey to hot, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season lightly with seasoning salt or salt and pepper. Cook until, stirring often, until turkey is nearly cooked through. Place in bowl and set aside.

In the same pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add minced onions. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Sautee onions until they are just beginning to turn golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add bell peppers and minced garlic. Cook for about 2 minutes. Add the can of diced tomatoes and juices, and tomato paste. Stir and cook until tomatoes are heated through, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the well-rinsed black beans, cooked ground turkey and enough broth to just cover the mixture, about 3 cups. Stir to combine. Season with chili powder, dried oregano, dried basil, salt and pepper.

Stir to combine and cook until chili begins to boil. Add 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. Reduce heat to low. Simmer partially covered for 30 minutes. I just crack the lid a little bit to let steam escape, and the flavors concentrate.

After 30 minutes, stir, taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Simmer for another 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Chili should be tightening up. Taste once more and add remaining tablespoon of vinegar and cook for 10 more minutes, uncovered. Plate and garnish with sour cream or cheddar cheese. Enjoy!

*Vegetarian option: Use vegetable broth instead of chicken and add one can of rinsed chick peas instead of turkey.

Old-Fashioned Strawberry Preserves

2011-04-15T22:22:00.000-07:00

If you’re a graduate of the Class of 2000 (give or take a few years), you probably grew up watching, loving and quoting “Friends.” While I never got The Rachel haircut, I was a huge fan of the show. I still record re-runs even though I know almost all the episodes by heart. Don’t judge me.

One of my favorite episodes is “The One With the Jam.” In this season 3 episode, Monica had just broken up with Richard and was flailing to make the break-up mean something. So she decided to start a business selling jars of jam (and eventually have a baby). Joey ate the jam right out of the jaw with a spoon or mounded on scones. It made for great comic relief, but always left me confused as my favorite Welch’s Grape Jelly never tasted good enough to eat from the jar.

And then one day, organic strawberries were on sale at my grocery store and I bought several pints. They were a little over-ripe, so I decided to make preserves. The recipe was easy enough. I quickly realized why Joey devoured them so readily. Homemade preserves taste like the idea of a strawberry—sweet and fresh and a little tart. It is nothing like the jar of Smuckers at the grocery store. It’s luscious and fruity and gooey. I instantly started putting it on or any anything I could think of—biscuits, plain yogurt, ice cream and my favorite, grilled cheese with turkey and provolone. Sounds weird, but it’s divine.

If you have a free hour, take advantage of the spring harvest and cook up some old-fashioned preserves while you watch your favorite episodes of “Friends.”

Fresh berries.

After a quick mash, it's on the way to juicy preserves.

Old-Fashioned Strawberry Preserves
Adapted from recipe at http://www.epicurious.com/

3 1-pint baskets fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered*

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons lemon juice

Directions
Place strawberries in heavy large saucepan and mash coarsely. Cook strawberries over medium heat until beginning to thicken, stirring frequently, about 6 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add 2 cups sugar and stir until dissolved. Increase heat to medium and boil gently until mixture thickens and mounds on spoon, stirring frequently, about 24 to 30 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat. Cool. Preserves will last for at least 10 days. Refrigerate in airtight container.

Makes about 3 cups.

*NOTE: I like to quarter the strawberries because it makes smoother, juicier preserves, but it is not necessary. You can hull them and mash them directly in the pot.

Homemade Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

2011-04-01T18:55:00.000-07:00

I have another confession to make, and this one is actually juicy:

I killed the Easter Bunny.

At least I did for my eight-year-old niece, who loved the holiday so much she had adorable habit of wearing fluffy rabbit ear headbands everywhere starting March 1st. A few days after Easter last year, I mentioned shopping for a shirt she got in her Easter basket to my mother, not noticing my niece playing on the floor. Being the little genius that she is, she realized that there was no such thing as the Easter Bunny and was very upset. I mady my munchkin cry. I'm the worst auntie ever!

Since then I make sure not to bring up Santa Claus or the Tooth Fairy within a 100-mile radius of any child for fear of breaking more little hearts, and I send my munchkin little presents for the smaller holidays. Not because she needs it, simply because I feel guilty for killing the Easter Bunny! And it's really fun.

For Valentine’s Day, I sent her a package of homemade Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups. In a red box covered in glitter stickers. What eight-year-old wouldn’t want that?

These aren’t the store-bought chocolate peanut butter cups. They’re so much better. It’s a mouthful of smooth chocolate-peanut-buttery goodness and few things can top that. You can also use any type of chocolate you like, including bittersweet or even dark.

Growing up is hard, but luckily there is homemade candy to make it that much easier on the parents, aunties and the kids.

Think making them is hard? These candies can be made in a few easy steps:

Create the chocolate shell for the bottom and sides.

Pipe in peanut butter filling.

Spoon on chocolate to cover and freeze to set.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
Adapted recipe by Martha Stewart

Ingredients

2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

1 1/2 cups smooth peanut butter preferably all natural

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 pound semisweet or milk chocolate

36 1 3/8-inch paper candy cups

Directions

Combine sugar, peanut butter, and butter in an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium-low speed until combined. Transfer mixture to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip, and set aside.

Melt chocolate in a double boiler over simmering water. Keep melted chocolate over hot water near work area. Use the back of a small measuring spoon to coat insides of the paper candy cups with the melted chocolate, making sure to cover the bottom and sides in a thin layer of chocolate. NOTE: I used the round back of a ¼ teaspoon to spoon in the chocolate and spread it evenly around the cups.

Transfer cups to a rimmed baking sheet or muffin tins (which will keep the cups from sliding around). Transfer to freezer until set, about 10 minutes.

Remove cold chocolate cups from the freezer. Pipe peanut butter filling into each cup until three-quarters full. Spoon melted chocolate into each cup to cover. Return to the freezer until set, 15 to 25 minutes. The candies may be served right away, or kept tightly sealed in the fridge or freezer. Eat cold or at room temperature.

Last Braise of the Season: Portuguese Chicken

2011-03-17T20:20:00.000-07:00

It always feel like little special occasion when my favorite magazines arrive, so of course I was glad to see my plastic-wrapped February issue of Bon Appetit in the mailbox a couple months ago. But I actually let out a squeal of glee when I saw that there was an entire section dedicated to braising--my favorite cooking technique.

If there’s one thing I love, it’s a good braised chicken thigh. If you’ve been to this blog more than once, you might have figured that out.

I have plans to plow through several if not all of the recipes in that feature—who wouldn’t want some hearty braised oxtail? The first one I made and loved was the Portuguese Chicken. It is a more exotic than the other braised chicken dishes I’ve made, and that was why I gravitated towards that one. I do admit that I was skeptical about how tender the chicken would be after reading the recipe as it called for not one drop of chicken broth and the prep work was remarkable simple.

I’m happy to report that it is delicious and worth the wait. You get the smokiness from the roasted pepper and the sharp awesomeness of garlic, but there’s also the tang of Dijon mustard and the warm sweetness of the wine. Yesh, I'm channeling a judge on the Food Network’s “Iron Chef America,” but it really is that satisfying. Especially on a Sunday afternoon when the flurries the weatherman predicted turned out to be ten inches of heavy, wet snow.

Portuguese Chicken
Adapted from recipe in Bon Appetit - February 2011

Ingredients

1 cup all purpose flour

Sweet Paprika

6 to 8 chicken thighs

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice

4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped (optional)

1 ½ cup frozen pearl onions, thawed

2 large roasted red peppers from jar, halved, cut into 3/4-inch-wide strips

6 large garlic cloves, pressed or thoroughly minced

4 large fresh Italian parsley sprigs

4 large bay leaves

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup tawny Port

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon butter, room temperature (optional)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Season flour generously with salt, pepper and paprika. Repeat process with chicken. Add chicken pieces to seasoned flour and turn to coat. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, skin side down, and sauté until brown, 3 to 5 minutes per side. You will probably have to work in batches. Transfer chicken to plate; reserve skillet.

When all of the chicken is browned, arrange it in a single layer in large ovenproof pot. Top with tomatoes and juice, prosciutto, onions, peppers, garlic, parsley, and bay leaves; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon paprika. Add wine and Port to reserved skillet. Bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Remove from heat. Whisk in mustard and tomato paste; pour mixture over chicken and bring to boil. Cover; transfer to oven.

Braise chicken until very tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Discard bay leaves and parsley. Using tongs, transfer chicken and toppings to platter. Return sauce in pot to simmer. If thicker sauce is desired, stir 1 tablespoon flour and butter in small bowl until smooth paste forms. Add flour paste to sauce and whisk to blend. Simmer until sauce thickens to desired consistency, whisking often. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon over chicken and serve.

NOTE: I actually like the peels on my pearl onions, so I don’t peel them. If you don’t care for them, peel away!

Quick and Delicious: Pasta with Pancetta

2011-02-28T01:51:00.000-08:00

A few years ago, I marched into my kitchen, rolled up my sleeves and began making pasta by hand. Without a pasta marker. Bolstered by a few websites that said such a feat could be done, I forged ahead into the culinary unknown as I had done many times before with delectable outcomes.

This was not one of those times.

I rolled and I rolled until my hands hurt. I cooked it and stood over the bowl as I stared down at not an alluring plate of feathery light pasta, but something that resembled steaming slugs peppered with Italian herbs. And sadly, it didn’t taste much better.

I learned three things that day: the Internet lies; pasta making is a process and an art; and that you should always have the right tools to make food properly.

There is no better canvas to create an edible masterpiece than pasta. Smothered in a flavorful sauce or just served with butter, salt and pepper, it has always been a staple and a favorite in my kitchen. Therefore, I’ve collected a pretty extensive list of pasta recipes. I have a select few—my Holy Grail of Carbs—that I will return to again and again. Linguine with Pancetta and Parmesan has become one of them. I put leeks in everything, so I added them to this dish, too. You get the sweet tang of onions as well as the more subtle flavor of leeks. This is a perfect meal for a weekday dinner, because it can be made quickly with items most people have in the pantry or freezer. However, the pancetta, cheese and aromatics add a bit of indulgence to a Tuesday night.

Linguine with Pancetta and Parmesan
Adapted from recipe at Cooking.com

Ingredients

8 ounces of pancetta or bacon, chopped
1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 leek, rinsed and sliced, optional
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
¾ pound of linguine
½ cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
Salt, black pepper to taste*

Directions

In a large skillet, cook the pancetta or bacon until slightly crisp. Remove the pork with a slotted spoon onto a plate lined with paper towels.

Reserve two tablespoons of the pork fat and drain off the rest.

Return the pan to medium heat. Add onions and leeks, thyme and red pepper and season very lightly with salt. Cook the onion mixture, stirring occasionally, until it is brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

Cooking the linguine in boiling salted water per directions. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water. Drain pasta. Add pancetta, onions, cheese, and ¾ of reserved pasta water, and black pepper. If sauce is too thick, add more pasta water.

Serve immediately with parmesan cheese.

*Note: Salt this dish very carefully and conservatively. It is very easy to over-salt this recipe as it contains pancetta and cheese.

Saturday Chef's Cure for the Winter Blues: Creamy Potato Soup

2011-02-03T23:30:00.000-08:00

During my senior year of high school, after years of taking advanced classes and being admitted to college, I decided take a couple fun courses—one of them was a cooking class. While, I don’t use calculus or speak French in my daily life, I still make a lot the dishes I learned in that class, especially Creamy Potato Soup. It’s also where I learned the basics of cooking and how many things you can make with a roux.

Here in Wisconsin, this winter has been strangely snow-less (at one point, Georgia had more snow than we did. GEORGIA!), but this week the Midwest was finally walloped with an honest-to-goodness snowicane that made up for the lack of the fluffy stuff. It involved thunder-snow, lightning, 60 mph winds and 14 inches of snow in less than 12 hours. It was AWESOME, and gave me a perfect reason to make this creamy, velvety, delicious, easy potato soup. It’s like a foodie equivalent of your favorite warm sweater. It can be made in less time it takes to dig your car out from a four-foot snowdrift. Even if you’re stuck in the house, you probably have everything you need to make it already in your cupboard. The luscious flavor makes it perfect for garnishing, too. My dad adds canned clams and some juice for a quick chowder—I just stick with bacon and cheese.

Easy Potato Soup

Ingredients
4 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 cups milk, warmed

1 to 1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth

3 cups russet potatoes, ½’’ dice

Salt

Pepper

Directions
In a large stockpot over medium heat, melt butter. When butter is almost completely melted, but not foaming, add flour and whisk to combine. Cook for roux for 1 minute, seasoning with salt and pepper.

Slowly pour about 1 cup of warmed milk into roux and whisk to combine. Mixture should thicken and smooth out. Stir in the rest of the milk and the chicken broth. Season thoroughly with salt and pepper. Add diced potatoes. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring frequently, for about 15-20 minutes, until soup has thickened and potatoes are fork tender, but not mushy. Season to taste. I prefer lots of black pepper. If soup gets too thick, add a bit more chicken broth to thin out.

Serve immediately with a sprinkling of your favorite cheese and chopped bacon.

Saturday Chef's Heavenly Fruit Salad

2011-01-23T21:19:00.000-08:00

I’ve shared a lot of recipes with you, and I’ve done so eagerly. There are some dishes that I love so fiercely that you’ll have to pry their recipes out of my cold, dead fingers. This is one of those recipes. And I’m only sharing it because I have a feeling that if I post one more baked good or dessert bar, the people set on actually accomplishing their New Year’s resolution of slimming down might revolt. I’m stuck in a baking groove. Sorry.

So, with much selfish hesitation, I give you my most cherished recipe: Heavenly Fruit Salad. You won’t find the cheftestants of “Top Chef” banging this out in a quickfire, because it is a straightforward mixture of fruit and sour cream that is amazingly fresh and gives you a happy, sated feeling that I usually associate with heavier comfort foods with loads of butter and cheese. This recipe is open to interpretation and experimentation, add more of your favorite fruits, nix what you hate.

It was given to my mother by a relative when I was a baby and has since be a part of every celebratory meal that I could remember. I even had a bowl at my birthday dinner last week. And yes, I said BOWL. It’s traditionally a side dish, but I have been known to consume it by the pound. In college, during exams, I requested nothing but a vat of this sweet, crunchy, citrusy dish to power me through a hellish week of studying and paper-writing.

So enjoy this recipe in the spirit in which it was given, and enjoy a Saturday Chef favorite!

Heavenly Fruit Salad

Ingredients

1 ½ cup red seedless grapes, halved

1 20-ounce can pineapple tidbits, drained well

1 red apple, cored, diced

2 to 3 medium bananas, sliced thin

1/3 to ½ cup light sour cream

1 ½ cups colored miniature marshmallows

Coconut flakes and nuts, such as pecans or walnuts, chopped, for garnish

Directions
Prepare fruit. Cut grapes in half or in quarters, if they are large. Slice apples to be about the same size as the pineapple tidbits. Add the bananas last.

Mix all fruit in a large bowl. Add 1/3 cup of sour cream. Mix to combine. Add more sour cream if needed. Fruit should be covered well, but not too wet. Mix in marshmallows. Serve. Feel free to garnish with sweetened coconut and/or your favorite nuts before serving. Fruit salad will last up to three to five days in the refrigerator, depending on the freshness of the fruit.

Blueberry Muffins with Streusel

2011-01-08T22:52:00.000-08:00

It’s no secret that life isn’t always easy. You get your heart broken. You lose your job. You find yourself on a completely different path than you planned. My favorite way to de-stress is to turn on a guilty-pleasure reality show and dive into a recipe.

After a few hard weeks, I was in need of some serious culinary comfort, and there are few foods more comforting than a warm, blueberry muffin. These particular muffins, adapted from a recipe by Emeril Lagasse, can be mixed and baked in less time than it takes the “I’m Not Here To Make Friends” contestant on your reality show to get sent home. The addition of the sweet, nutty streusel topping is a great way to add some personal pizzazz. So the next time life hands you lemons (and blueberries), bake some blueberry muffins. It’s so much better than lemonade.

Ingredients

Streusel:

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons butter, softened

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons finely chopped pecans

Muffins:
2 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 large eggs

1 stick unsalted butter, melted

1 cup buttermilk

2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (optional)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.

Make topping. In a small bowl, add flour, butter, sugar, pecans and zest and mix with fingers until well-incorporated and crumbly . Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

In another large bowl, beat the eggs with the melted butter. Add the buttermilk and lemon zest and whisk to combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet. Stir by hand until just combined. Do not overmix. Batter may be a little lumpy. Gently fold in the blueberries.

Scoop into cups until two-thirds full. Crumble the streusel topping over the muffins. Bake until light golden brown and until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes.

Let cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then remove and cool on wire racks.

Saturday Chef Original: Pan-Fried Catfish Sandwich with Lemon Aioli

2011-01-01T13:31:00.000-08:00

The ball has dropped. You're finding confetti in some very strange places. The champagne is gone. It is a new year! 1/1/11! Time for a new beginning. While I’m not exactly singing about it like Jennifer Hudson on the Weight Watchers commercials (she looks great!!!!), I am starting this New Year, like many of you, with a new outlook on life, food and where I want to be in 2011. And I’d like to be a few pounds lighter, and you know what that means…

Wait. Stop. Don’t leave! I’m swear on my new baking sheets that I’m not abandoning the delicious, often decadent things that you and I love. I’m just going to make healthier recipes too, use more vegetables and fruits, maybe even some whole grain. No brussell sprouts (yet) and rice cakes here. Promise!

We’ll start with one of my favorite foods EVER: Catfish. I love it the most out of all of the fishes in the sea. Sorry, salmon. I was a picky eater as a child, but I would eat an entire catfish happily.

I’m used to eating catfish breaded in cornmeal and fried with a side of spaghetti or my mom’s famous fruit salad. To switch it up, I’d decided to riff on blackened fish and just play with a bunch of spices. The result was a flavorful, healthier sandwich that is ready in 20 minutes or less. It’s a great meal to ring in 2011 or any day of the week!

Catfish Sandwiches with Lemon Aioli

2 medium-to-large catfish filets, fresh or thawed
Salt
Pepper
Cumin
Paprika
Garlic Powder
Cayenne
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 to ½ cups wild arugula
4 hamburger buns, toasted

Lemon Aioli, recipe as follows

Directions

Rinse fish. Pat dry. Cut in half cross-wise.

Season both sides of fish with all spices. Make sure to be a bit more generous with the paprika and more conservative with the cumin and cayenne, unless you want it spicy.

Heat a cast iron and 1 teaspoon of olive oil in pan over medium heat. When skillet is very hot—but not smoking—add two filet halves. Cook until golden to dark brown on both sides, about 3 to 5 minutes per side.

While fish is cooking, toast buns if desired.

When fish is done, place it on skillet to rest for 1 to 2 minutes. Spread aioli on the bottom bun. Add fish fillet. Add arugula and top bun. Enjoy.

Lemon Aioli

½ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon garlic powder or 1 clove of garlic, minced
Salt, Pepper

Mix mayonnaise, lemon juice and garlic powder together in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If possible, chill in fridge to marry flavors.

Gingerbread Snowflakes (and More Merry Treats)

2010-12-24T12:16:00.000-08:00

Christmas is coming. The goose getting fat. Or that's just me from all the taste-testing and coopie swaps.
I spent the better part of two days in the kitchen baking a dessert basket for my family. I got a little carried away and ended up making so many delicious sweets that my kitchen resembled a buffet fit for Mr. Claus himself.

I've never made gingerbread cookies before. I've made edible houses with it (that probably were unsafe even for gumdrop people) and I've smelled the artifical gingerbread in latte and candle form around this time of year. The cookie itself is spicy and unique and not at all sweet. Rolling them out is a mini work-out for the arms. Decorating them is always a sugary good time! And the benefits? Frosting with painfully sweet icing is almost a must and your house smells like all things Christmas. It'll have even the greenest grinch singing carols in no time.

Gingerbread Snowflakes
by Marth Stewart
6 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

1 cup packed dark-brown sugar

4 teaspoons ground ginger

4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves

1 teaspoon finely ground pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt

2 large eggs

1 cup unsulfured molasses

Directions

1.Sift together flour, baking soda, and baking powder into a large bowl. Set aside.

2.Put butter and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until fluffy. Mix in spices and salt, then eggs and molasses. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined. Divide dough into thirds; wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour.

3.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out dough on a lightly floured work surface to a 1/4-inch thick. Cut into snowflakes with a 7- inch snowflake-shape cookie cutter. Space 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper, and refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.

4.Bake cookies until crisp but not dark, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks.

5.Put icing in a pastry bag fitted with a small plain round tip (such as Ateco #7). Pipe designs on snowflakes; immediately sprinkle with sanding sugar. Let stand 5 minutes; tap off excess sugar. Let icing set completely at room temperature, about 1 hour. Store cookies between layers of parchment in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days.

Royal Icing

2 egg whites
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
3 cups confectioner's sugar

Beat egg whies and lemon juice in an electric mixer until frothy. Add sifted sugar. Beat until smooth.

Sprinkle cookies with colored sanding sugars immediately after frosting.

Best. Blizzard. Ever!

Other Treats and Recipes!

Recipe for Salted Caramel Puffs is HERE.

Recipe for Chocolate Toffee Pretzels is HERE.

Recipe for Fantastic Five-Layer Bars is HERE.

Add some cellophane bags, festive ribbons and VIOLA! You have a gift for the entire family.

Perfect Holiday Breakfast: Gooey, Amazing Cinnamon Rolls

2010-12-12T01:11:00.000-08:00

I often ask people what their last meal would be before shuffling off this mortal coil. It is interesting to see what people want as the final tastes on their tongues. I've gotten everything from steak and lobster to sushi to chocolate cake and frosty, cold milk.

My answer varies from day-to-day, craving-to-craving. Right now, it would be a crunchy, golden brown plate of frites with sea salt and malt vinegar with a flame-broiled burger with cheese, bacon and roasted garlic aioli. Or maybe the salmon risotto dish I tasted at Emeril Lagasse’s restaurant at Loew’s Miami Beach years ago. The entrée always changes, but dessert never has. So when I’m 114 years old and on my deathbed, and my rich, exotic 80-year-old husband asks me want I want to eat, I’ll breathlessly ask for…*drumroll* …a gooey, decadent, buttery cinnamon roll.

This breakfast/lunch/dinner/any-time-of-the-day food is one of my carved-in-stone favorites, although I eat and make them more in the winter. Paired with hot chocolate, it’s the perfect cure for anything Jack Frost can dish out. Like The Winter of Unemployment and 100 Inches of Snow. Or the Post-Christmas credit card bill. Or cabin fever created by the blizzard that’s raging outside right now.

It’s also the perfect thing for Christmas morning. I know, I know, I hear the groans. You have to wrap the presents or go to this party or even do last minute shopping with your cousin who always procrastinates. But you can do this too because making these treats is not nearly as daunting as it seems, especially if you have the right recipe. After trying out a few different ones, this one is it!

There are just a few steps to making cinnamon rolls, but they're simple and fun!

Knead ‘N Rise

Dough has been kneaded and is ready to rise.

Roll ‘N Fill

After rising, dough has been punched down; rolled flat; and filled with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon.

Rolling is easy and fun. Any sugar that falls out, just add to empty spaces in the baking pan.

Proof ‘N Bake

Rolls have proofed and ready to to bake! Aww, they're cute, aren't they?

Glaze 'N Enjoy!

Ready to be eaten. The fruits of your labor!

(If you have to ask, then yes, these are technical names for the steps.)

You probably already have nearly all of the ingredients, except yeast. You get a gold star if you have the yeast.
Bake these little treats the day before, seal them up in an airtight container, and re-heat them in the morning, and it’s the perfect culinary present for your friends and family.

And you know how the scent of Cinnabuns lures people to the food court at the mall in a haze of need and joy? That happens when you bake these, too. You're welcome.

Oh, and don’t forget to leave one for Santa. It’ll be a nice break from all of the cookies!

Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Glaze
epicurious.com

Dough:
1 cup whole milk

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 1/2 cups (or more) unbleached all purpose flour, divided

1/2 cup sugar

1 large egg

2 1/4 teaspoons rapid-rise yeast (from 2 envelopes yeast)

1 teaspoon salt

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

Filling:
3/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

Glaze:
3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
For dough:
Combine milk and butter in glass measuring cup. Microwave on high until butter melts and mixture is just warmed to 120°F to 130°F, 30 to 45 seconds. Pour into bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add 1 cup flour, sugar, egg, yeast, and salt. Beat on low speed 3 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl. Add 21/2 cups flour. Beat on low until flour is absorbed and dough is sticky, scraping down sides of bowl. If dough is very sticky, add more flour by tablespoonfuls until dough begins to form ball and pulls away from sides of bowl. Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, adding more flour if sticky, about 5 to 8 minutes. Form into ball.

Lightly oil large bowl with nonstick spray. Transfer dough to bowl, turning to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, then kitchen towel. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.

For filling:
Mix brown sugar and cinnamon in medium bowl.

Punch down dough. Transfer to floured work surface. Roll out to 15x11-inch rectangle. Spread butter over dough, leaving 1/2-inch border. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar evenly over butter. Starting at 1 long side, roll dough into log, pinching gently to keep it rolled up. With seam side down, cut dough crosswise with thin sharp knife into 18 equal slices (each about 1/2 to 3/4 inch wide).

Spray two 9-inch square glass baking dishes with nonstick spray. Divide rolls between baking dishes, arranging cut side up (there will be almost no space between rolls). Cover baking dishes with plastic wrap, then kitchen towel. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until almost doubled in volume, 40 to 45 minutes.

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F. Bake rolls until tops are golden, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and invert immediately onto rack. Cool 10 minutes. Turn rolls right side up.

For glaze:
Combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat until smooth. Spread glaze on rolls when they are warm. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store leftovers in an airtight container and re-heat before serving.

Chef's Note: I do recommend trimming the edges of the dough so you have straight lines before filling. I did not when I made them for photos, and got some oddly shaped, cinnamony knobs after baking. Delicious but a little weird.

Chef's Note 2: I didn't have the right size glass pans as I made these for Thanksgiving morning, so I used a regular 9x13 baking pan without a problem. The rolls fit and the misshapen pieces went into a smaller pan.

The Power of Ganche: Chocolate Torte with Pistachios

2010-12-01T22:09:00.000-08:00

Sometimes, I understand how silly foodies can be. I feel it when I’m running around the kitchen, photographing chopped blueberries in natural light and artfully arranging plates of food when everyone else just wants to eat it. Maybe it’s a romantic and slightly naïve sentiment, but I truly believe in the power of good food—that it can nourish the soul as well as the body.

There’s one food that I think has the power to heal the world. Two words, say it with me, Chocolate Ganache.

It’s a painfully simple mixture of chocolate and cream, yet I’m pretty sure it has supernatural powers. It could end the war, keep Charlie Sheen sober, make M. Night Shyamalan movies good again!

It already demonstrated its powers just this Thanksgiving. I was making a Chocolate Torte for the feast’s dessert. It baked perfectly, yet when I tried to remove it from the pan, it wasn’t coming out. After twenty tense, nail-biting minutes of scraping and running over the burner, and getting my mom to help, my sister had to bang and pry it out of the pan because I was too scared to do it. It was mostly whole and still completely delicious, but it was rough around the edges. It wasn’t perfect, and I was upset. Because it was THANKSGIVING and IT NEEDED TO BE PERFECT! (Of course, the meal was anything but perfect, as most holiday meals are, but the food was excellent, and no one else cared that due to minor problems and setbacks, we didn’t eat until almost eight. Dinner was scheduled for six.)

Enter the ganache. I poured it over the cake and it covered the tears and small divots, and kept me from having to resort to cake surgery and the consequent “it looks weird, but it tastes GREAT!” dance for my family.

It was a Thanksgiving Miracle!! And the power of ganache!

Ultimately, the dessert came together winningly, the torte was dense and sweet; the ganache was velvety and robustly chocolate; the pistachios added some crunch and luxury to an already elegant dish.

So you work on making this torte and believing in the power of food. And I’ll go feed some of this to M. Night Shyamalan, and see if we can get another miracle.

Torte

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, plus more for pan
1 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk

Ganache
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup shelled, unsalted pistachios, coarsely chopped

Directions
Make cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour an 8-inch round cake pan; line bottom with parchment or waxed paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.

In a large heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, melt butter and chocolate, stirring frequently, 4 to 5 minutes Make sure the water does in the saucepan does not touch the bowl. Remove bowl from pan. Whisk in sugar and vanilla, then eggs, and buttermilk. Fold in flour mixture just until combined.

NOTE: The chocolate wasn’t too hot after melting, but tempered in the eggs by whipping them slightly with the buttermilk adding a bit of the chocolate before adding that mixture to the chocolate. I didn’t want to take the chance of the eggs cooking when added to the warm chocolate. Also, you want to make sure the buttermilk is at room temperature or close to it.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 55 to 70 minutes, depending on your oven. Let cool in pan 5 minutes; run a knife around edge, and invert onto a wire rack. Remove paper, and let cool completely, about 3 hours. (To store, wrap in plastic, and keep at room temperature, up to 3 days).

Make ganache: In a small saucepan, bring cream to a simmer, stirring often. Remove from heat. Add chocolate, and let stand 5 minutes; whisk until smooth. Let cool until mixture falls back in ribbons when lifted with a spoon. It shouldn’t take more than 5 to 10 minutes.

Set cake on a serving platter; tuck strips of parchment paper under edge of cake to prevent ganache from dripping on platter. Pour ganache onto center of cake; using a table knife, spread evenly over the top and let it drip down the sides. Let set, about 30 minutes. Remove paper from under cake; sprinkle top with pistachios.

Chef's Note: Make sure you remove the torte from the pan 5 to 10 minutes after baking. I didn't, and you know what happened. ;-)

Perfect Quick Meal: Lemony Chicken Milanese with Arugula Salad

2010-11-24T00:29:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is probably one of the foodiest days of the year as the entire tradition revolves around good eats and lots of it. Some meals are planned weeks in advance and all of the focus is on Thursday. Turkey Day (or for our family this year, Chicken and Pork Roast day!). Sadly, there has been little thought, at least on the cooking shows or in magazines, to the day BEFORE Thanksgiving.

With company arriving and the start of meal preparation, the day before Thanksgiving can be hectic with little thought to the meal served that night. Usually, we order out for chinese or pizza.

Not this year.

I found a perfect recipe for the night before Thanksgiving that simple, flavorful and always a crowd pleaser. Lemony Chicken Milanese is bright from the lemon juice, peppery from the arugula and has that satisfying, seasoned crunch of breaded, sautéed chicken. It is a wow dish that will please arriving company still miffed from TSA pat-downs and body scans.

*garnished with tomatoes and grated Parmesan cheese

Lemony Chicken Milanese with Arugula Salad
Adapted from recipe at epicurious.com

Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
Seasoning Salt
Pepper
Garlic Salt

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided
2 cups (packed) baby arugula leaves (about 2 ounces)

Directions
Using meat mallet or rolling pin to tenderize and flatten chicken. Whisk eggs in medium bowl to blend.

Season chicken to taste on both sides. Dip chicken in beaten eggs; turn to coat. Dredge in breadcrumbs, coating completely.

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and sauté until golden brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to plates; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Toss arugula with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and remaining lemon juice, season lightly with salt and pepper. Mound arugula salad ontop of chicken breasts, garnish with tomatoes and a bit of grated parmesan if you like, and enjoy!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Decadent Monster Cookies

2010-11-13T01:12:00.000-08:00

*Recipe revised on December 24th.

I’m leaving for Las Vegas—my first real vacation in six years—so it is fitting that the theme of this post be overindulgence. The most decadent thing I’ve made in recent memory has to be a recipe I adapted from Paula Deen’s Monster Cookies (Do you say Paula Deen's name in a southern accent? I do!). This cookie combines peanut butter, oats, candy, and pretty much whatever else you want into a squishy, flourless cookie dough that’s as fun to play with as it is addicting.

I started making these with my niece when she was five. Most children are masters in overindulgence. When they dress themselves, they want to wear the purple pants, the green tutu and ALL of their necklaces. When they make cookies, they want to add all of the chocolate chips and candy pieces in the WHOLE WORLD and seventy bazillion cups of whatever else they love. These cookies are designed to take it.

And it works in the way that purple pants-green tutu on an adorable four-year-old works.

These cookies are an addiction in our family to the point that we make them even without the munchkin around.

So while I’m gambling away my cash or partying all night in Las Vegas, you can have a little indulgence of your own in a flourless cookie! Hee!

Monster Cookies
foodtv.com

Ingredients
3 eggs

1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 12-ounce jar creamy peanut butter

1 stick butter, softened

1/2 cup M&Ms, optional (about two regular-size bags)

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup toffee

2 teaspoons baking soda

4 cups old-fashioned oats

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs and sugars. Mix well. Add the salt, vanilla, peanut butter, and butter. Mix well. Stir in the chocolate candies, chocolate chips, raisins, if using, baking soda, and oatmeal. Drop by tablespoons 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.

Bake for 9 to 13 minutes until cookies are light golden brown. Let stand for about 3 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool. When cool, store in a large airtight container.

Yes, it looks weird. It's supposed to!

Oh, pretty colors! Let's add MORE STUFF!

*This recipe is gluten-free if you use GF baking soda and oats.

Potato, Portabella, and Parmesan Gratin

2010-10-27T23:39:00.000-07:00

When I was a child, I had a boundless imagination. It made being grounded fun, and punishing me next to impossible. As an adult and a writer, I actively nurture my imagination and my inner child. I like to laugh make up stories, and generally enjoy myself. On special days, I play with my food. Enter the Potato, Portabella and Parmesan Gratin.

This recipe takes a bit of time to assemble, so I treated it like a culinary puzzle picking the perfectly shaped piece of potato to create the layers. I then added the cheese and even tossed in some mushrooms. The result was a filling, decadent gratin that was as simple as it was flavorful, and served with a quick salad, you have a delicious (and meatless) dinner. And I even snuck mushrooms past my inner child.

Potato, Portabella and Parmesan Gratin
Adapted from Oriana Neri’s recipe

Ingredients
4 lb medium boiling potatoes

1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt

2 to 2 ½ cups half & half

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

7 oz finely grated parmesan cheese (3 1/2 to 4 cups)*

1/2 to 1 cup baby portabella mushrooms, cleaned and diced

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Peel potatoes and cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices with a food processor or an adjustable-blade slicer. Spread slices out on a large kitchen towel. Sprinkle with sea salt.

Dot bottom of a 3-quart shallow baking dish (13 by 9 inches) with half of butter and pour in 1/3 cup of dairy. Layer potatoes in baking dish, season lightly with black pepper.

Spread 1/3 cup half & half and about 1/4 of cheese between layers. Drizzle remaining cream over potatoes and dot with remaining butter. Season with black pepper and sprinkle a bit of extra cheese and any mushrooms you have left.

Bake, uncovered, until potatoes are very tender and top is browned, about 2 hours. Let stand at room temperature 10 minutes before serving.

*Chef’s Note: I did use an imported Italian cheese from the cheese counter, but not Parmigiano-Reggiano, and the gratin was fantastic. Just use quality cheese, and you’ll be fine.

Saturday Chef's Awesome Rosemary Spice Chicken Wings

2010-10-20T01:16:00.000-07:00

*Recipe revised on October 26th.*

So many people I know LOVE chicken wings. You know, those squishy, messy, greasy, spicy little chicken arms that usually more bone than meat. I never got why they were so popular, maybe it’s all the alcohol traditionally consumed while eating them. I don’t really like them and certainly never crave them. The only time I eat a chicken wing is when I make or bring home a roast chicken. It is the first piece I taste, and that’s usually meaty and salty and delicious.

My mother has been admirably working to lose weight for months. She exercises with a determination I can admire—usually while I’m in the kitchen. (Can cooking be considered cardio?) Lately her resolve has been cracking and the fast food cravings are gaining power. Finally, she broke. “I want fried chicken wings. I want Popeye’s!” She proclaimed after an hour on the treadmill.

I promised her I’d make her some chicken wings that would settle her craving, but wouldn’t negate all of her had work.

So I set out on the ‘net, sorted through recipes with glazes and super-spicy sauces and 25 ingredients, and settled on this one with a bit of trial and error on the mix of spices. These wings are baked, not fried, yet the skin is still crispy and the meat is still tender and flavorful. Now, these are chicken wings I’d like to knock back while watching a football game and drinking beer.

And they passed not one, but two tests. First, my mother LOVED them and declared her fast food craving had been satisfied. Second, my father, who puts hot sauce on pancakes, ate these wings without it.

Mission accomplished.

Awesome Rosemary Spiced Chicken Wings

Ingredients

4 to 5 pounds chicken wings

1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for drizzling

1 ½ tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped

1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder

½ teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons seasoning salt (such as Lawry's)

½ teaspoon ground cumin

¾ teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon chili powder*

½ teaspoon cayenne*

Salt

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Line two banking sheets with aluminum foil.

Remove the tips of the chicken wings with kitchen shears or a knife. Clean wings of any stray hairs.
Thoroughly rinse wings and pat dry with paper towels. In a large bowl or large pan, drizzle chicken wings with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and mix with hands until all wings are evenly coated. Add all spices, mixing with hands to make all wings are coated.

Place skin side up in a single layer on baking sheets, allowing a bit of space between each wing. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil over the wings, and rub over the top to distribute. Finally, sprinkle each wing very lightly with salt.

Bake in the oven until wings are a deep golden brown and the skin is crispy, about 45 to 55 minutes. Rotate pans halfway through cooking process so wings will brown evenly.

Serve immediately.

*Measurements of spices and herbs may vary based on the amount of wings being prepared.
*You can make the wings as spicy as you like. I prefer just a little heat. Increase the chili powder and cayenne if you’d like more of a kick.

Umptious Spaghetti and Meatballs

2010-10-07T00:08:00.000-07:00

I’m going to put on my sparkly pink cape and become Captain Obvious for forthcoming confession. Are you ready?

I love food. (See why I needed the cape?) I love all kinds of food, from the healthy and leafy to the junk varieties.

But as much as I love it, sometimes it’s hard to wax poetic about artichokes or barbecue sauce. Lately, I have been struggling with not only writer’s block, but (Saturday) chef’s block. I haven’t made anything that I would deem blog-worthy or even been inspired by too many recipes.

Thankfully, I got the October issue of Bon Appetit in the mail, and as I flipped through its glossy pages, I found a recipe for spaghetti and meatballs, complete with a tantalizing picture. Instantly, my chef’s block was gone!

I worship spaghetti and meatballs. When made right, it’s everything one could one in a meal—meaty and tender with a delicious sauce. When made wrong, it’s as Chef Ramsay would seethe, “a dog’s dinner!”

I had the most fabulous plate of spaghetti and meatballs at a little Italian place in my small town with a girlfriend nearly a decade ago. I’ve been trying to re-create that salty, beefy, tomato-y umptiousness since that night as that little Italian place is now a big sports bar. Since then, I’ve tried every variation I could think of and literally dozens of recipes. I’ve used all turkey, all veal, even threw some bacon in the mix. I’ve pan-fried them and finished in the oven. I’ve simmered for hours in tomato sauce. I’ve had pleasing results and some meatballs that resembled beefy ping-pong balls.

This recipe is Why-Didn’t-I-Think-Of-That simple, and delivers ridiculous flavor. The sauce with San Marzano tomatoes (or Magic Tomatoes as I call them, because I’ll eat them plain and I HATE the texture of tomatoes) is vivid and bright.

If you’re on a quest for the perfect spaghetti and meatballs, it just ended here!

Spaghetti and Meatballs
Adapted from recipe in Bon Appetit, October 2010

Sauce

2 28-ounce can of diced tomatoes and juice, preferable San Marzano
1 stick butter
2 medium onions, roughly chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/2 to 1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth as needed

Directions
Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. When butter foams, add onions and sauté until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add entire can of tomatoes and juice. Season liberally with salt and pepper.

Reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered for 45 minutes.

Use an immersion blender to break up the larger chunks of sauce, but leave fairly chunky. If too much liquid has evaporated, stir in vegetable broth to thin out. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Meatballs
1 cup of plain breadcrumbs
1/3 cup milk (2% or whole)
8 ounces lean or extra lean ground beef
8 ounces pork or veal
1 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1/3 cup Italian parsley, finely chopped
Salt, pepper
2 large eggs, whisked
2 large garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 pound spaghetti, cooked al dente

Directions
While sauce is simmering, mix breadcrumbs and milk. Set aside for 10 minutes to allow the breadcrumbs absorb the milk.

Place beef and veal in a large bowl. Add cheese, parsley, salt, pepper, garlic, whisked eggs and milky breadcrumbs. Gently mix meat mixture with hands until evenly combined. Meatball mix should be moist, but hold together.

Roll meat between hands to form meatballs that are a little smaller than a golf ball. Place rolled meatballs on in a pan or cookie sheet lined with foil. Chill in the freezer for about 20 minutes.

After sauce has been simmered, blended and seasoned, gently drop meatballs into sauce. Simmer covered until cooked through, about 15 to 20 minutes, occasionally swirling pot by the handles to stir meatballs without breaking them apart.

Spoon sauce over cooked spaghetti, garnish with parsley and grated parmesan.

NOTE: The recipe in magazine calls for whole tomatoes and juice. I made it once with whole tomatoes and the sauce came out watery. The diced tomatoes work better in my opinion.

Sinful Salted Caramel Corn Puffs: The Ultimate Sweet and Salty Treat

2010-09-13T20:45:00.000-07:00

Years ago, I participated in a charity bake sale. I made some simple cupcakes as this was before my love of food conquered my fear of baking. All of my cupcakes sold. I paid it forward by buying a couple of desserts from other co-workers, including a bag of caramel puffs for 50 cents.

I tossed them in my desk and forgot about them until I was hungry and bored later that afternoon. After taking a few sinful, caramelly bites, I darted out into the lobby to buy the remaining bags. Because they were that blissful combination of salty and sweet and rich without being too heavy. I ate them all week, rationing out the last bag by the puff because I loved them that much. They are the culinary equivalent to crack, and I was addicted. Unfortunately, I never got around to finding the recipe.

A few days ago, in the mall, I browsed through a clutch of tables set up by local business owners. I bought bag of cheese and caramel corn from a local baker when I saw those decadent caramel puffs mixed in. They were the same unforgettable taste that I had all four years before, and I had to re-create it.

The entire process is ridiculously easy, albeit a bit sticky. The only difficult part of it is trying to stop eating them.

Sinful Caramel Corn Puffs

2 sticks butter
2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
A splash of vanilla
1 package butter-flavored corn puffs

Directions
Pre-heat oven to 250 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large saucepan over medium-hot heat, melt butter. Add brown sugar and corn syrup. Bring to a boil for five minutes, stirring constantly.

Stir in baking soda, salt and vanilla. Be careful as mixture with vigorously boil.

Pour the corn puffs into a large bowl. Pour the mixture over the corn puffs and stir until thoroughly coated. You may need to do this in batches.

Spoon puffs onto cookie sheets in a single layer.

Bake at 250 degrees for 1 hour. Turn and stir every 15 minutes. The puffs will get easier to turn as it bakes.

Remove from oven, and slide parchment off cookie sheets and onto counter to cool.

To store, place in a sealed air tight container.

Note 1: At first, it is a bit difficult to stir puffs while it’s on parchment. In the end, it will be easier to transfer for cooling and clean-up.

Note 2: If you have multiple sheets, rotate oven positions half-way through baking.

Chicken and Mushroom Ragu with Pasta

2010-08-31T23:20:00.000-07:00

It seems like everyone is on the search for quick dinners that require little time at the stove yet produce bold flavors on the plate, especially in a summer that seems to have no intentions of surrendering to fall. After catching a nasty summer cold that had me out of the kitchen for more than a week, I am more serious about embracing vegetables, fruits and lighter fare.

I discovered a delicious dish that is not only comes together quickly, it is flavorful and rustic. It also combines ingredients I love—chicken, arugula and pasta—with a few that I'm learning to love—mushrooms and tomatoes. Fortunately, with beautifully sweet San Marzano tomatoes and mushrooms chopped fine, I cleaned my plate and went back for seconds.

Chicken and Mushroom Ragu
Adapted recipe by Maggie Ruggiero

Ingredients

4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/4 pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 medium leek, rinsed and finely chopped

1 teaspoon dried rosemary, divided

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 (28-ounce) can dice tomatoes in juice, preferably San Marzano

3 cups of baby or wild arugula

½ pound of your favorite pasta, cooked al dente

Directions

Finely chop mushrooms and garlic. Set aside.

Finely chop leek. Set aside.

Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces.

Place a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat add ¼ cup of olive oil. When oil is hot, add chicken. Season with salt, pepper and ½ of the dried rosemary. Cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is slightly golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from skillet with a slotted spoon into a bowl.

Reduce heat to medium and add onions to pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, garlic and remaining rosemary. Season lightly with salt and pepper, stirring often, until vegetables begin to brown, about 4 to 5 minutes.

Add balsamic vinegar and cook until evaporated. Add tomatoes and juice. Use your spoon to break up tomatoes. Reduce heat to low and simmer until mixture thickens slightly, about 15 to 18 minutes.

Finally, add arugula to sauce, stir, and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes.

Serve with over your favorite pasta and a bit of grated parmesan.

Saturday Chef's Slow-Cooked Brisket with Rustic Vegetables and Jus

2010-08-31T21:11:00.000-07:00

I am like an athlete when I cook. I want to be in the paint. In the zone. In the action. While I understand it's all apart of the game, I don’t like idle time. I don’t want to be benched while the cake cools or the dough rises or the chicken marinates. For this reason, my crockpot has been collecting dust.

When I found the plastic had been punctured on a frozen piece of brisket, I had no choice but to cook it. Only problem? It’s August in Wisconsin, and it’s 90 degrees with suffocating humidity. The solution came in the form of a twenty-year-old silver and black Rival Crockpot. It could cook the meat wihtout turning the house into a sauna.

Like any braise, I seared the meat to lock in the juices, created a flavorful braising mixture with rough chopped vegetables and herbs and poured it in the crockpot. The little machine more than did its job; it also convinced me that crockpots can be a very value player.

Ingredients
4 to 5 lb brisket, trimmed if necessary

Kosher salt, pepper

Flour

3 to 5 carrots, peeled, halved

1 large leek, rinsed, rough chopped

½ yellow onion, rough chopped

2 to 3 sprigs fresh rosemary

3 fresh sage leaves

4 to 5 sprigs fresh thyme

3 to 4 dried bay leaves

1 16oz can diced tomatoes and juice

1 ½ cups red wine

3 cups low-sodium beef broth

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

1 oz dried porcini mushrooms, reconstituted per directions and broth (optional)

Directions
Cut brisket into sizeable pieces to ensure that it will fit into your crockpot. Season liberally with kosher salt and black pepper. Let rest for about 10 to 20 minutes.

Turn on crockpot to low and cover.

Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Lightly coat brisket pieces in flour, tapping to remove excess. Place brisket in pan and brown to form a golden crust all sides, about 5 to 7 minutes per side.

Remove from pan and set aside. Add vegetables, fresh herbs and bay leaves to hot oil and season with salt and pepper. Stir for a few minutes or until fragrant. You do not want to cook vegetables as they will be braising for a very long time. Add wine and stir to combine. Pour in tomatoes and juice, balsamic vinegar, and beef broth (and mushrooms and broth if using). Season liberally with salt and pepper again. Let cook until mixture begins to boil slight around the edges. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.

Using a ladle or slotted spoon, scoop vegetables and spices into crock pot. Add the brisket pieces, then carefully pour the broth mixture over the top until full. Cover.

Let cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or until meat is lusciously tender. Remove bay leaves and stems of herbs. Enjoy!

Chef’s Note: Although I didn’t bother chopping herbs, you may want to run your knife through the rosemary as the leaves are a bigger.

Fantastic Five Layer Bars

2010-07-27T01:04:00.000-07:00

It is time for another Saturday Chef Confession: I hate the heat. As much as I enjoy being free of coats and boats, and bright, colorful days, summer is my least favorite season. It is hot, humid and sticky, which leaves me grumpy, uncomfortable, and lazy. Don’t get me started on my fear of bathing suits and short shorts. I don’t want to turn on the stove to make scrambled eggs, let alone braise brisket that’s dangerously close to third-degree freezer burns.

This summer has been nothing but rolling heat waves and choking humidity. And I’m miserable.

I had to throw together a quick dessert for a work party. I was sick of boxed brownies mixes and we didn’t have a freezer to store ice cream or popsicles until party time. I also had a taste in my head, an amalgam of salty and sweet, rich and crunchy.

So I found a great recipe for Five Layer Bars. It seemed impossible to serve a dessert bar with no flour or eggs, but it all worked because of the wonders of heat. Yes, the heat that I despise thickened the sweetened condensed milk and it bounded the bar together. It reduced the chips to melty, gooey morsels and intensified the crunch and salt of the pecans.

Maybe the heat isn't so bad after all.

Five Layer Bars

Recipe by Paula Deen

Ingredients
1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 cup butterscotch chips

1 cup shredded coconut

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1 jar Five Layer Bar Mix

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine graham cracker crumbs and melted butter. Press evenly in a buttered glass 13 x 9 baking dish. Sprinkle pecans, butterscotch and chocolate chips and coconut over graham cracker crust. Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over the layers. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a light golden brown.

Allow to cool almost completely and cut into bars.

Beverly's Milestone Mac & Cheese

2010-07-15T11:40:00.000-07:00

It’s hard to plan anything with family, be it birthday, bar mitzfahs or baby showers. It is especially hard with a family that is as big as mine (I have 22 aunts and uncles). My grandmother turned seventy-five last month, and she proclaimed that she wanted “fabulous” party to mark the milestone. To this blogger that meant something that rivaled Oscar night or at the very least, a girls’ night out ala Carrie Bradshaw and friends.

To my grandmother, however, that meant family, friends and good food.

The party came together effortlessly. The menu was planned. The cake was ordered. Somehow, I was in charge of preparing a dinner worthy of Beverly’s seventy-fifth. It was a terrifying feat and exhilarating challenge. And I felt a little like a cheftestant on “Top Chef.”

We kept the food simple, which meant there was very little margin of error. The classics—roast chicken, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes—can be the hardest to master. While family trickled in from across town or across the country, I was in my element in the kitchen.

It turned out to be a party for many milestones. I was no longer Damita’s youngest girl or relegated to the kid’s table, I was one of the women I had watched my entire life, in the kitchen hugging the babies and stirring the sauce. I celebrated a quiet milestone of my own.

And there, in my grandmother’s kitchen in Indiana, I perfected my recipe for macaroni and cheese. It isn’t over-baked or dry. It is luscious, creamy, simple. Most importantly, worthy of Beverly’s birthday.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons butter plus 1 to 2 tablespoons for pasta

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 cups of milk, warmed

Salt

Pepper

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 cup grated sharp or extra sharp cheddar plus more for topping

1 cup grated mild cheddar plus more for topping

1 cup grated parmesan or Italian blend cheese plus more for topping

1 lb box of elbow macaroni, cooked al dente

Directions
Pre-heat over to 375 degrees.

Fill a large pot with water over high heat. When water boils, salt generously, and cook pasta according to directions, but leave it a bit more al dente.

Melt butter in another large pot over medium heat. Add flour and whisk to combine to make a roux. Let cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Slowly whisk in milk warmed in the microwave until it is combined and smooth. Season again with salt, pepper and a conservative pinch of cayenne. You want the spice to add bite and not heat, so start with an 1/8th a teaspoon and add needed.

Let mixture cook, whisking often, until it boils. It should be thick and creamy. Remove from heat. Add 1 cup of all three cheeses. Whisk to combine. The heat from the sauce will melt the cheese. Season to taste. Add more cheese if needed.

When pasta is done, drain and pour into a buttered 13 by 9 inch pan or large casserole dish. Season with salt and pepper. Dot with butter, add any leftover cheese if you wish. Stir. Add cheese sauce to pasta. It is better to have more cheese sauce, because the pasta will absorb some of the sauce. Stir until sauce is incorporated.

Top with an extra 1/3 cup of the three cheeses. Season with pepper.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Serve!

Chef’s Note: This recipe can be made with whatever cheese you have on hand. I generally use a sharp block cheese, a mild cheese and another to balance out the flavors. It's great fun finding the balance of flavors you love. Don’t believe those celebrity chefs. You do not need to buy expensive cheeses for a good macaroni and cheese.

I am a guest-blogger again!

2010-07-13T08:46:00.000-07:00

Hi, everyone!

I have once again had the extreme pleasure of guest-blogging for Foodies Like Us!

If you're interested in a yummy, decadent Potato, Portabella and Parmesan Gratin, please check out my entry at their website.

And be polite, and leave a comment!

Thanks!

http://www.foodieslikeusblog.com/recipes/potato-portabella-and-parmesan-gratin-comfort-in-a-casserole/

Please check back here tomorrow for a new Saturday Chef entry!

Just in Time for the Fourth: Kira's Not So Secret Dry Rub

2010-06-30T01:30:00.000-07:00

If you know anything about barbecue, specifically Southern barbecue, you know it's a method of cooking steeped in tradition, ritual and secrecy. Any barbecuer below the Mason-Dixon line preaches "low and slow" and will recite sonnets about smoke rings and brisket bark.  But there is one principle that is absolutely paramount, above anything else: You do not, under threat of death, share your recipes.  It doesn't matter if The King himself is offering his blue suede shoes. The recipe dies with you.

Well, I'm a Yankee and I like sharing.

Years ago, I started watching southern barbecue competitions, and I needed some. It was a mouth-watering, belly-rumbling need. But I'm up north, and I don't like baseball-sized misquitos and choking humidity. So f the Yankee can't go to the food, I was going to bring the food to the Yankee.

My dad was also experiementing with smoking and different types of wood chips and charcoals at the time, so I started thinking about seasonings.  As you know, I have a severe aversion to barbecue sauce (unless it is my own), so I had to think dry, as in dry rub. It's strange to admit, but I committed to this Memphis-style rub because I was (and still am) an...enuthsiastic fan of a certain Memphis-born musician who may or may not have brought sexy back. This recipe is fantastic, and I have no idea where I got it. I've been using it for at least four years with nothing less than fabulous results.

So when you're grilling this 4th of July, whip up this rub and add a little sexy to your next barbecue!

*Who wants to look at a bowl of spices? Here is a Drunk Chicken with Kira's Not So Secret Dry Rub. Chicken was washed, dried, rubbed with 2 servings of rub. It sat for about 15 minutes. Then placed on a rack with a 2/3 full can of beer. It was grilled over high heat to lock in flavors and add color, then pushed back to over indirect heat.  And turned once for even color. Expect some of the sugar in the rub to burn. Cooked for about 1 hr 35 minutes or until 180 degrees in the breast. Best. Chicken. Ever.

Kira’s Not So Secret Dry Rub
*Makes 1 slab of Baby Back Ribs

6 tablespoon packed brown sugar

1 to 2 tablespoons chili powder*

¼ to ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper*

1 tablespoon paprika

1 tablespoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons onion powder

2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Mix spices together in a bowl. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Add to ribs, chicken or meat of your choice, and let sit until meat begins to sweat, at least 20 minutes. Sear meat over direct heat for color, then move to indirect heat.

*With the Chili and Cayenne spices, start with a teaspoon or two and add as needed. The spice does fade a bit during the cooking process, but you don't want anything to be overpowering.

Chef's Note: I make four batches of this rub and store it in an airtight container.

Fish Tacos with Chipotle Cream

2010-06-20T01:23:00.000-07:00

I like a variety of different foods--fried, Italian, French, comfort--but there is nothing more delicious than a wonderfully messy plate of tacos. I usually make my tacos with ground turkey and leave those unhealthy sauce packets at the store. For my father's 55th birthday dinner, however, I changed it up a bit and went to the seafood counter for Tilapia, one of his favorites.

The fish taco is something that has intrigued me since I heard about them, and it has taken more than a few recipes to find a good, simple, healthy one that doesn't require deep frying.

This Ellie Krieger recipe, with a few Saturday Chef tweaks, is a surprisingly flavorful and filling meal that is of course a bit of a mess, but that only makes it taste better. The cabbage adds a needed heartiness while the corn supplies a pop of sweetness. The best part about it is that it can be ready in snap, making perfection for a summer weekday meal or even a birthday celebration for a guy who loves to eat his presents.

Fish Tacos with Chipotle Cream
Adapted from Ellie Krieger's recipe at foodtv.com

Ingredients

Fish:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 pound tilapia filets

Chopped parsley

Chipotle cream:

1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 to 2 teaspoons of adobo sauce

Tacos:

8 (6-inch) corn tortillas

1 1/2 cups shredded green cabbage

½ cup sweet corn (thawed if frozen)

Directions

Line a strainer with a paper towel. Place strainer over a bowl and add yogurt. Let sit for 20 minutes to drain excess moisture and thicken.

In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lime juice, salt and pepper. Pour over fish and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes.

Place a skillet over medium heat and add a few turns of olive oil. Remove fish from marinate and add to skillet, cooking about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Fish may fall apart a bit which is fine. Once all fish is done, flake with a fork and season with chopped parsley for color and season to taste if needed. I add a bit of seasoning salt and a pinch of cayenne to my fish and reheat in the skillet for 1 minute.

In a small bowl combine the thickened yogurt, mayonnaise, and adobo. You may add some chopped chipotle peppers if you like extra spice.

Heat tortillas according to package directions.

Build tacos as you wish and top with 1 tablespoon of chipotle cream.

A Saturday Chef Original: Cooking School Chicken (Braised Chicken with Leeks and Potatoes)

2010-05-26T01:07:00.000-07:00

I don’t like change. I never have. I like old towels, worn-in jeans, misshapen sweaters and old-fashioned comfort foods. I adjust, of course, but slowly, and that falls into my culinary tastes. Even when it’s 90 degrees with sweltering humidity, I still crave the delicious richness of a brasied meat and potatoes. But I started this blog as a way to broaden my tastes, change my eating habits and to learn.

There are infinite things to learn about cooking: techniques, knife skills, information on thousands of ingredients, how to salvage recipes gone wrong. Every recipe teaches me something, as does every mistake. One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that cooking is a labor of love, a gift to the senses.

Chefs on reality shows and the super-chefs of the Food Network nearly bludgeon viewers with their big idea of Cooking With Love, the use artful and creative preparation of food as a way to express affection to family and loved ones. It is a beautiful sentiment, and realistically, a fantastic and wholesomely marketable way to promote celebrity chefs and their shows, and sell Food Network cookware.

But it’s also true.

The act of cooking serves a paramount purpose: nourishing the people close to you. It is a simple task that can be incredibly profound, and it’s never more apparent than when you discover or create a recipe that inspires much more than just yummy noises. A simple meal can be the bedrock of tradition and nurture celebration. My understanding of the Cooking With Love concept has once again been reinforced by creating. It is everything I love: rustic braised chicken suspended in a rich sauce studded with potatoes. It is warming and hearty, and can be made in about just an hour.

I have dubbed this dish Cooking School Chicken as I get to practice a lot of techniques—braising, deglazing, chopping—and because it has taught me the biggest cooking lesson there is and one that will never change.

Ingredients

1 pound baby red potatoes, cut in bite-size pieces

6 to 8 chicken thighs (with bone and skin)

1 teaspoon dried thyme

Flour for dredging

Olive oil

1 ½ to 2 medium leeks, washed and finely chopped

1 cup dry white wine

2 to 3 carrots, peeled, cut in edible pieces

4 cups chicken broth

1 tablespoon lemon juice (or juice of ½ lemon)

2 tablespoons Half & Half

Salt, Pepper

Parsley Flakes (optional)

Cut potatoes into even bite-size pieces, halves or quarters for the larger spuds. Rinse. Pour potatoes into a medium pot, cover with water and place over medium-high heat to boil while you chop vegetables and prep chicken. Boil potatoes until they are soft but still a bit firm, about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain. Season conservatively with salt, pepper and a pat of butter.

Wash and finely chop leeks. Set aside.

Peel and rinse carrots. Quarter carrots lengthwise, then cut into roughly 2-inch strips (Note: You can use baby carrots to decrease prep time. I have used both. I find that larger carrots impart more flavor. And I really like peeling them).

Rinse and pat chicken dry. Season with salt, pepper and dried thyme on both sides. Dredge in flour seasoned with same spices. Be sure to tap chicken gently to remove any excess flour.

Place the biggest skillet you have (16” or bigger) over moderately high heat and add enough olive oil to coat bottom of the pan. When oil is hot, place chicken skin-side down and brown on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. You may need to work in batches as not to crowd the pan. Transfer chicken to plate.

Drain off oil, chicken juices and darkened flour and reserve in measuring cup. Carefully wipe out any burnt bits from bottom of pan.

Place skillet over medium heat. Add about 2 tablespoons of reserved oil, then leeks. Sweat until leeks are soft and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Season with salt, pepper. Deglaze with white wine. Cook until liquid begins to bubble at the sides. Add carrots and 1 teaspoon of thyme.

Add 2 cups of chicken broth and stir to combine, allow to cook until liquid is boiling and has reduced a bit. Add chicken, skin-side up, and juices from plate. Cover and simmer chicken on low until meat can be easily removed from the bone with a fork and carrots are done, about 30 to 40 minutes. Shake the pan peridocially while simmer.

When chicken is done, transfer to plate. The leftover liquid should now be thicker and even formed a brown crust in some spots (don’t panic, it’s flavor!). Increase heat to medium. Add remaining chicken broth and stir. Let sauce thicken and reduce for about 10 minutes. Season with pepper and thyme if needed. Add potatoes and two palmfuls of parsley flaskes for color.

When sauce has thickened to desired consistency, add lemon juice to brighten and Half & Half to thicken. Check and adjust seasoning if needed*. Add chicken back to skillet and leave on heat for a few minutes to marry flavors.

Serve immediately. This can be made a day ahead of time.

Recipe Notes

*Lemon juice will bring out the flavor of salt, so use it conservatively when seasoning sauce and vegetables.

*Also, I almost always use Half & Half in place of heavy cream unless I'm baking. It’s readibly available, and a bit healthier. Feel free to use cream if you wish.

*Recipe originally posted on http://www.foodieslikeusblog.com/ as a guest blog by yours truly.

Mom's Chicken with Coffee Barbecue Sauce (Grill Not Required!)

2010-05-14T00:40:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of things people will do for family, take a bullet, flip a car, walk through fire. My personal, heroic sacrifice was to make barbecued chicken for my mom's Mother's Day present. Barbecued chicken on a rainy, cold Saturday in May.

Honestly, I'd rather walk through fire.

Because I don't like barbecue sauce. It's messy and cloying and the smell of it makes me sick. However, when I started this blog, I did it with the intention to broaden my culinary horizons and even prepare things I loathe. One of my mother's favorite stories to tell is how she revived Christmas dinner in the 80s with a pan of barbecued chicken. So instead of taking her out to breakfast, I started researching barbecue sauces.

I found dozens of recipes with at least 15 ingredients...molasses, brown sugar, weird peppers I have no hope of finding. Then I stumbled upon this recipe by Michael Chiarello. It had rave reviews, and it was distubingly simple. I didn't even have to buy anything. So I started cooking, making my dad taste it. He said it was too sweet and not tangy enough. And I wanted to add all of those funky ingredients. But I didn't. I trusted the recipe, the reviewers and Mr. Chiarello. This sauce is made to be baked. It marries the flavors and it becomes something sweet and bright and amazing. I ate two pieces...and I actually dipped my chicken in it. I'm a believer in the BBQ! But only this one.

After the dinner was done, after my mom ohhed and awwed and yummed, she kissed me on the cheek and declared that this recipe was hers.

Coffee Barbecue Sauce
Adapted from Michael Chiarello

Sauce

4 tablespoons mashed and minced garlic, can use crushed garlic

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup cider vinegar

1/2 cup soy sauce

2 cups ketchup

1 1/3 to 2 cups honey

½ to ¾ cup of stronger coffee or 2 demitasse cups espresso

Mash garlic with the side of a knife and then mince finely to release oils or use crushed, jarred garlic to save prep time and weeks of garlic hands.

Add olive oil to a preheated saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until it gets light brown, about 1 minute. Add cider vinegar, soy sauce, ketchup, honey and coffee and whisk to combine. I recommend adding 1 1/3 cup of honey as mixture will be very sweet. The coffee will help curb the sweetness. You can adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper, but it honestly doesn’t need it. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 15 to 30 minutes, stirring and tasting ocassionally.

Chicken

2 lbs of chicken thighs or your favorite cut

Salt

Black Pepper

Cumin

Garlic Powder

Cayenne

Paprika

Preheat oven to 375.

Season chicken with the spices on both sides. Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add enough olive oil to barely cover bottom of pan. When oil is hot, add chicken skin-side down. Brown thighs thoroughly on both sides, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Place chicken on foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the chicken measures 150 degrees. Pour 2 cups of sauce into a bowl and submerge chicken to coat. Place chicken back onto sheet and cook for 20 more minutes, basting with sauce every 10 minutes. Thighs internal temperature sure measure about 165 to 170 degrees when done.

Let chicken rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

Use the remaining sauce as for dipping or…drinking. It’s that good. Freeze the remaining sauce.

Coconut Pavlova with Chocolate Chantilly Cream and Strawberry Coulis

2010-05-02T20:57:00.000-07:00

*This recipe was revised on November 3rd*

I wrote a novel two years ago and I need to re-start the difficult process of selling it. Yesterday, I went to a seminar on query letters. I walked in feeling extremely shy and nervous and like a misfit (because I was the youngest person in the room, probably by decades) and walked out feeling an incongruous combination of inspired and terrified. The woman hosting the seminar published a book eight years ago. While it wasn't a best-selling jaggernaut like Twilight or Eat Pray Love, she had what we all wanted: a published novel. But the speaker was breathless with angst over her currently stalled new manuscript and discouragingly candid about how hard the publishing world is.

Afterwards, I desperately needed security in my passions. I found it in both the kitchen—ironically with fire and knives—and in beautifully intriguing words like "pavlova" and "chantilly" and "coulis." I'm still nowhere closer to the perfect query letter or literally agent, but I did create something: the best dessert I've EVER had. It is light yet decadent. It is chocolatey and sweet and tangy. And it's reassuring that if I can make this tiny dream tangible, then maybe I can take on the bigger ones.

Meringues

Adapted from recipe at epicurious.com

Toasted Coconut, recipe as follows
6 egg whites (about 1 cup of egg whites)
1 ½ teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup boiling water
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment.
Using an electric mixer with a whisk attachment, beat egg whites, cornstarch, vinegar, vanilla and salt until foamy. Gradually add sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Beat in 1/4 cup boiling water, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until whites are stiff and glossy. Pipe or spoon meringue onto baking sheets in circular shapes about 4 to 5 inches in diameter and 1 inch thick. (NOTE: If you have a piping bag or piping tips, it will be easier to make the meringues uniform, but a spatula works too).
Bake meringue for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 200°F and bake until dry and crisp outside and just cooked through inside, about 1 hour, although it may take a little longer. My meringues were a dusky light brown on the outside and squishy like marshmallows in the middle. Turn off oven. Let meringue stand in oven 1 hour and leave in oven until completely cool and ready to serve.
Store between layers of parchment in an air-tight container for up to 4 days.
Toasted Coconut
1 ½ cup sweetened coconut flakes
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Spread coconut on a baking sheet. Toast until a light golden brown, stirring every few minutes to prevent burning, about 8 to 10 minutes. Do not leave the kitchen. It will burn very quickly. Cool.
This can be made the day before. Store in an air-tight container.
Chocolate Chantilly Cream
1 cup of heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
Chill metal mixer bowl in freezer for about 5 minutes. Sift sugar and cocoa together in bowl or onto parchment paper. Whisk heavy cream at high speed, gradually adding cocoa mixture while beating. You may need to scrape the bowl a few minutes to full incorporate cocoa and sugar. Whipped cream should be the consistency of shaving cream. (NOTE: Mixture should not be overly sweet.) Refrigerate any leftovers.
Red Berry Coulis
16 ounces fresh or frozen strawberries (if fresh, hulled and cut in half)
6 oz fresh or frozen raspberries
1 cup sugar plus more if needed
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
*If using frozen berries, make sure they are thawed.
Add all ingredients into a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until it boils slightly at the sides. It only takes a few minutes. Taste and add more sugar if needed. Transfer to blender and blend until smooth.
This can be made the day before. Refrigerate until ready to use and up to a week.
Chef’s Note: It won’t last a week. It makes fantastic margaritas, toppings for pancakes or base for smoothies.
Assembly
Remove a meringue from cooking sheet. Place onto saucer. Spread a generous dollop of Chocolate Chantilly Cream on top. Drizzle with Coulis. Sprinkle on toasted coconut. Repeat process. Garnish with chopped fresh strawberries, if you have them. Enjoy!

Simple Wonders: Homemade Challah Bread

2010-04-22T01:05:00.000-07:00

In the world of awesome electronics—have you seen the iPad?!—and 24-hour supermarkets, simple wonders have been lost to the ever-expanding reach of modernity and convenience. And I think that is a little sad. Yes, Amazon's Kindle is cool and playing with the iPad might make you feel like the Jean Luc Picard, but can it replace the feeling of curling up with a real book or magazine on a rainy day, feeling the grain of the pages with your fingers? For this writer, it doesn't.

I don’t consider myself a baker. My cakes are usually messy, yet tasty disasters. And I have an allergy to too much heavy cream. To my own credit, I have made pretty good soft pretzels, bagels and cinnamon rolls. So I’m not a complete novice and I'm baking more than ever. Whenever I use yeast, I am always quietly awed and exubertantly giddy when the dough rises. It is a little majesty, like the sparkle of fresh snow, that is worth the work and the patience baking requires. It seems impossible that a little packet of dry powder are actually microorganisms doing incredible things to flour and eggs and water. Tell me that's not cooler than sea monkeys?!

Challah is one of those fantastic chance buys that changed my expectations of bread. I was looking for brioche—a fancy bread that the celebrity chefs covet for french toasts and bread puddings. My local grocery store didn’t have brioche, but they had challah. I was taken by the glossy finish, festive braid and the slightly sweet taste. I buy it almost exclusively now.

So it was only a matter of time before I started looking at recipes. I spent a day blending, kneading and braiding, and I fell in love with breadmaking in the process. There is something cathartic about working the dough and seeing it take shape. It’s also great cardio. I may have jumped for joy when the loaves came out of the oven and were actually bread-like, hearty but fluffy and totally Challah-esque.

If you’re at home on a rainy day and happen to have a bucket of flour and a packet of dry yeast, let those little buggers free and behold a little culinary magic.

Challah I

By Joan Calloway
Makes 2 Large Loaves

2 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

1 tablespoon active dry yeast

1/2 cup honey

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 eggs

1 tablespoon salt

8 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Directions
In a large bowl, sprinkle yeast over warm water. I used a meat thermometer to test the temperature of the water. Beat in honey, oil, 2 eggs, and salt in a strong mixer with a large bowl. Add the flour one cup at a time, beating after each addition. By the eighth cup, the mixer—my Kitchen-Aid—could barely incorporate the last cup of flour. Remove it from the bowl and place on immaculate, floured countertop and knead to incorporate.

Knead until smooth and elastic and no longer sticky, adding flour as needed, about 5 to 8 minutes. If the dough tears or seems dry, dribble a bit of warm water over it with your fingers and continue to knead. Cover with a damp clean cloth and let rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until dough has doubled in bulk.

Punch down the risen dough and turn out onto floured board. Divide in half (my halves were about 1 lbs, 12 oz. Yes, I measured). Knead each half for five minutes or so, adding flour as needed to keep from getting sticky. Divide each half into thirds and roll into long snake about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Pinch the ends of the three snakes together firmly and braid from middle.

Either leave as braid or form into a round braided loaf by bringing ends together, curving braid into a circle, pinch ends together. Grease two baking trays with shortening and place finished braid or round on each. Cover with towel and let rise about one hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Beat the remaining egg and brush a generous amount over each braid.

Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for about 40 minutes. (NOTE: I convect baked bread, and my loaves were done in 25 minutes). Bread should have a nice hollow sound when thumped on the bottom.

Cool on a rack for at least one hour before slicing.

Chef’s Note: This bread has no preservatives and will spoil faster than regular bread. It also produces two gigantic loaves. I suggest halving the recipe or giving the extra loaf to co-workers or your boss. You might get those days off you wanted.

Challah in Pictures:

Before its first rise.

Braiding is easy.

Proofed and polished.

Ready for its close-up.

Lemon-Scented Cake with Blueberry Compote

2010-04-03T23:39:00.000-07:00

I have started many an entry professing my love for the ingredient of the week. This post is the antithesis of such musings. I hate blueberries. I love the color, and I don't even mind the flavor. I just hate the texture. It's squishy and gross and they literally make me gag.

I was at the store on Saturday, shopping with inspired glee as I normally do, and I found pints of organic blueberries ON SALE. Before I could chastize myself for not making a list and sticking to it, they were in my cart. I thought I'd make blueberry muffins or something. My mother loves blueberries and my dad will eat anything.

Then I was struck with the idea to make a cake or quickbread and a fruit compote to go with it. Spring is arriving faster than it ever has, and it seemed like a lighter, spring-y dessert. So I made it. The recipe is pretty much as is, except I nixed the lemon zest in both dishes.

I thought about halving the recipe, only making one cake, but trust me, you'll need that second cake. I promise you. And surprisingly, I loved the compote, but I still hate blueberries.

Lemon-Scented Cake

by Ina Garten

Ingredients
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided

4 extra-large eggs

3 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

¼ cup lemon juice

3/4 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 (8 1/2 by 4 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch) loaf pans. You may also line the bottom with parchment paper, if desired.

Cream the butter and 2 cups granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, combine lemon juice, the buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour. Divide the batter evenly between the pans, smooth the tops, and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester comes out clean.

Let cake cool.

Blueberry Compote
Lillian Chou

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup sugar
2 cups blueberries (10 oz)

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Boil water and sugar in a 1-quart heavy saucepan, uncovered, 5 minutes. Stir in blueberries and simmer, stirring occasionally, until blueberries begin to burst, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Serve warm or at room temperature.

NOTE: Compote will be pretty thin, but still insanely flavorful!

Saturday Chef Does Beef: Decadent Braised Short Ribs

2010-03-24T00:30:00.000-07:00

Cooking is about time and timing. Judging by the lines at the drive-thrus on any given weeknight, Americans want food quickly. Sometimes, that's a good thing--a pre-packaged salad, a bagel from Panera. But other times good food needs time for flavors to marry, for fat to render and taste to blossom.

When I started cooking, I swore I wouldn't be one of those cooks who marinated meats overnight or spent seven hours making ONE cake (that recipe coming soon, LMAO). Then I went on the search for a beautiful, exquisite, fancy recipe for this blog, and I found one for Braised Short Ribs in the February issue "Bon Appetit." I'd had a recipe before, but it didn't have that taste that justified the time invested.

Then I tried the magazine's version with cheaper wines and my own touches. The result was nothing short of amazing. I'd never thought I'd be able to make anything like this in my life. This recipe had me seriously contemplating culinary school as I was so proud of the result.

So, yes, this recipe is a lot of work and requires a lot of time. But it is amazing and more importantly, it's do-able. Make it for your man or your mother or your friends, and take the time to soak in their praises.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

4 pounds or 8 to 10 short ribs
Olive oil
Salt (both kosher and table)
Pepper
Dried Thyme
6 Fresh Thyme Sprigs
½ to 1 medium onion, chopped
3 to 4 carrots, peeled and sliced diagonally in half-inch coins
2 to 3 bay leaves
1 ½ cup of red wine (Chianti is best)
½ cup port
3 tablespoons of Balsamic Vinegar
1 ½ to 3 cups of low sodium beef broth

Season all sides of short ribs with generously with kosher salt, pepper and dried thyme. Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes.

Heat a large pot over medium-high heat and add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. When oil is hot, add ribs, fat side down and brown on all meaty sides, about 5 to 7 minutes per side. NOTE: This process can take awhile, so I usually chop my vegetables while the meat is browning as not to rush it. You should probably work in batches of 4 to 5 ribs each.

When ribs are browned, set aside on a plate. Drain off all of all of the oil and drippings from pan except for about 2 to 3 tablespoons. Toss onions into pot over medium heat and sweat until fragrant and they beginning to soften, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add carrots, fresh thyme sprigs, bay leaves and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, for a few minutes. I use the edge of my spoon and bruise the thyme sprigs to release more flavor.

Add wine and port to pot. Stir to combine, and cook until it begins to boil lightly for about 3 to 5 minutes before adding the balsamic vinegar and 1 ½ cups of broth. Let mixture come to a boil again and cook for 5 to 7 minutes to concentrate flavor. Taste mixture. It should be flavorful and well-balanced. If anything it is not to your liking, add more wine, port or broth. Adjust seasonings as you like.

Place ribs back into pan, bone side up. Nestling them together can be tricky, but try to get them into one layer. Broth should just cover the meat. If it doesn’t, add more chicken broth. Cover and simmer on low for one hour.

Check ribs. Bones may have loosened or fallen off completely. This is good! Keep them in the pot. If you can turn or flip the ribs, go ahead, just make sure bone side is still up. If the liquid has reduced a lot, add more broth. You also may want to check and adjust seasonings, sparingly. Cover and simmer for another 90 minutes.

NOTE: We’ve now entered what I call the Beef Stealer phase of this long process. This is when the house smells of delectable simmering meat, and people, like parents or even neighbors, come out of the woodwork to hover around the pot. They tell that they thought you left the pot on and IT’S GOING TO BURN! So they’ll check it and taste it for you. You know, to save it. You must guard the pot. Use your chef’s knife if you have to. The finished product will be worth it. But you, The Chef, can steal all the beef you want.

After the longest 90 minutes of your culinary life, ribs are done and braised. Taste them. They should be tremor-worthy good…so buttery soft, you can cut them with a fork. If they are still a little chewy, braise for 30 more minutes.

This is generally when you can stop for the day and put them away once the ribs have cooled—ribs in one container and the liquid and a few bones in another. I know it’s hard, but do this and your heart will thank you (If you do not want to wait until the next day, pour cooled braising liquid into a plastic container and freeze until fat solidifies. Scrape off, discard and continue).

The next day.

Remove ribs from the fridge. Pre-heat oven to 400.

Open gravy container. Here you will find an alarming layer of fat on top of the gravy. Skim off with a spoon and discard. Add the rest of the gravy to a pan over medium low-heat. Thin out with a bit of beef broth and reduce for about 10 to 15 minutes. Adjust seasonings if needed.

Place ribs onto a cookie sheet and pop into the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, turning over midway through cooking. This not only will reheat them, but it will add a light crust to the outside while leaving them succulent and juicy on the inside.

Finally, finally, serve with roasted potatoes. Drizzle with gravy.

*I've made this recipe five times and sadly, 9 short ribs serves about 3 people. It's THAT good.

Saturday Chef's Scrumptious Chicken Pot Pie

2010-03-16T01:01:00.000-07:00

I consider myself a modest person, but it flies out the window when I talk about this pot pie that is literally years in the making. As a meat-and-potatoes girl, I worship pot pies, from the buttery crust down to the slightly salty filling to the hearty potatoes. I have been making them for years. In college, I started buying rotisserie chickens and potatoes and I'd eat various preparations during the week (Ha! Does that explain the chicken obsession?). I'd make chicken and gravy over mashed potatoes, chicken soup, chicken sandwiches and then chicken pot pie. First, from an awesome Bisquick recipe. Then I tried frozen pie crusts. Finally, it morphed into this fantastically simple concoction that is as close to perfection as I will probably ever get without professional culinary intervention.

This version of the pot pie is simple with just a bit more time dedicated to the veggies, specifically the onions. I used to hate onions, but I found that roasting them changes the flavor, makes them sweeter. Honestly, I could eat these like popcorn. And I generally do while I cook the rest of the pie.

Make this meal and people with love you, thank you, and beg you to make another one. That's why this recipe makes two.

Ingredients
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk
1 cup half and half
2 to 3 sprigs of thyme leaves
2 cups par-boiled russet potatoes, 1 inch dice
1 lb bag frozen pearl onions
2 to 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken, skin removed
1 ½ to 2 cups frozen mixed veggies (carrots, peas, green beans)
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
Salt, Pepper
Eggwash (1 egg, one tablespoon water)
Kosher salt, optional

In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and whisk to combine. Let the roux cook for one to two minutes. Slowly whisk in chicken broth. Mixture will thicken quickly. Stir and season with salt and pepper.

Combine milk and half & half into a microwave-able cup. Heat in microwave until warm. Slowly whisk in warmed milk until liquid is thick and creamy. Season again with salt, pepper and the leaves of thyme sprigs.

Add potatoes and roasted pearl onions (recipe follows). Stir to combine and let sauce cook a bit until it begins to boil. Taste and adjust any seasonings. The sauce will be baked, so leave the seasoning a bit mild.

Finally, add the frozen vegetables (rinse and pat dry if there is a lot of ice) and stir. Remove from heat. Spoon into a pie plate.

Roll out thawed puff pastry sheet lightly just to remove the crease lines and stretch out dough. Carefully place over entire pie plate. Trim the extras off with a knife, making sure to leave some extra dough to accommodate for shrinkage during baking.

Brush the top lightly with egg wash, sprinkle with kosher salt. Poke a few slight in the top of pie to vent steam.
Bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Roasted Pearl Onions

Ingredients
1 lb bag frozen pearl onions, thawed
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Dried Thyme

Directions
Rinse and pat dry onions. Pour into single layer on a foil-lined cookie sheet.

Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle liberally with salt, pepper and dried thyme.

Toss to coat.

Roast in a 400 degree oven until a golden brown. After 20 minutes, check onions and turn over for more even roasting. It should take about 20 to 30 minutes.

Saturday Chef Original: Larry's Heart-y Chicken Chili

2010-03-11T00:32:00.000-08:00

When I posted my Ultimate Grilled Cheese, I jokingly laughed at the traditional New Year's resolutions to lose weight. I stand by my post, but I also know that food's first purpose is nourishment. So "fat for fat's sake" is not the best practice, and I promise you it's not one of mine. Thus, I try to shave needless calories from my cooking whenever I can.

I also mentioned that I give my father food as gifts, because it's pretty much all he'll accept. I want those edible presents to be delicious and healthy to make up for the Bears tickets and the million of other things I can't buy him. As one of thirteen children, he thoroughly appreciates a good meal.

So for Superbowl Sunday, I provided the eats in the form of chicken chili. Originally planned as a white chili, it quickly turned into a vibrant explosion or color and a cornucopia of vegetables! It has a good kick of backheat, thanks to the chipotle and adobo, and it is cleverly thickened with beans, instead of a roux. This chili is a nourishing present that is good for the heart and soul.

Oh, and apparently a good luck charm for the Saints. Hee!

Ingredients

4 chicken thighs, skinned
1 leek, sliced
½ white onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, ½’’ dice
1 yellow bell pepper, ½’’ dice
½ white onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 15 oz can white beans
1 15 oz can black beans
1 15 oz can chick peas
1 clove garlic
½ to 1 chipotle in adobo (canned, whole pepper)
1 ½ cup of frozen corn
32 oz of vegetable broth
salt
pepper
cumin
paprika
cayenne
onion powder
garlic powder
house seasoning
Olive Oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Season both lightly sides of chicken with salt, black pepper, cumin, paprika, cayenne, onion powder, and garlic powder. Pour approximately 3 tablespoons of olive oil into a large, hot skillet over medium-high heat. When skillet is hot, add chicken breast and cook for 3 to 5 minutes on both sides or until chicken is browned. Place the chicken onto a cookie sheet lined with aluminum-foil and put into the oven for 20 minutes. When chicken is done, let it cool and rest for at least 15 minutes.

Drain oil and spices from dutch oven and reserve in measuring cup. Wipe away any burned bits.

While the chicken is roasting, dice onion, peppers, garlic, leeks, and carrots. Heat a dutch oven over medium heat and add a healthy drizzle of the reserved oil. When oil is hot, add the onions and leeks and sweat until soft and fragrant, about 4 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add bell peppers, carrots, and garlic. Cook until peppers are soft, about 5 minutes. Season vegetables with salt and pepper. Add vegetable broth and chiptotle with joining adobo sauce. NOTE: You can add as much as you want, but one pepper is plenty. When liquid starts to boil, turn down low. Simmer for about 15 minutes.

After chicken has rested, pull or slice chicken off of bones and shred with fingers.

Add cans of drained and thoroughly rinsed black beans, chick peas and 1/3rd of the can of white beans to pot. Take the rest of the white beans and mash with a spoon or masher. Scrape mashed beans into the chili and stir to thicken. Add chicken and continue to cook for a few minutes to let flavors marry. Add frozen corn if you wish. Taste and adjust heat to desired tolerance.

Serve with cornbread or tortilla chips.

Chefs Note: I am aware that I post a lot of recipes with chicken. Clearly, I LOVE it. But those who love beef need not be worried. I am not a cluckatarian. Beef and vegetarian recipes are on the way. Promise.

Saturday Chef's Gold Medal Cinnamon Toffee Cookies

2010-03-03T00:49:00.000-08:00

I probably should have warned all…six (!!!) of you that I am a ridiculous, over-the-top, obsessive compulsive Olympics fan, especially the winter games. Every four years, I live to cheer on Bode Miller, Julia Mancuso and especially, Apolo Anton Ohno. Until they are over, I am useless. Instead of cooking, I watched all of the 865 hours of Olympic coverage, save a few hours for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies because not even the healthcare-lovin’, weed-smokin’ Canadians can top the awe-inspiring spectacle of China’s opening opus.

Alas, the medals have been handed out. Hockey games have been played. Dreams have been both dashed and achieved. Those stupid montages have made me cry. And all over the world, thousands of athletes are scarfing down pizza and nachos and cake. So, it’s back to all things culinary.

These little cookies deserve a gold medal of their own. I am not the biggest fan of baking as I am cooking. But a cookie is a blank canvas, a round of inspiration with its confetti of chips or nuts or candies. Chocolate chips are just the beginning of what could go into a cookie. Adding buttery toffee and spicy, cinnamon elevates a classic cookie to Olympic levels of deliciousness.

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups toffee bits

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon into a bowl. Stir the mixture with a fork to break up any lumps.

In a large bowl, cream butter, sugars, and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, scraping and mixing after each one. Beat in flour mixture in increments. Add toffee and mix until just combined. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in toffee.

Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets lined with parchment paper. The toffee is sticky and this will save you a lot of scrubbing. Also cool on racks or parchment.

Cookies will bake a bit flat. Let them bake for about 11 to 13 minutes. If cookies seem soft, leave them on the sheet for a few minutes.

Store in air tight container.

Note: The cinnamon flavor may seem subtle in the batter and immediately after cookies are baked, but it will intensify after a day or so.

Credit: Adapted from the Nestle Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

A Saturday Chef Favorite: Pasta with Shrimp and Pesto

2010-02-03T11:19:00.000-08:00

I love pasta almost as much as I love potatoes. Growing up, I was a long distance-runner, and that nurtured my love of all things carbs. If I were to go to culinary school, I would definitely move to Italy and learn how to make pasta with the little Italian grandmothers. In fact, I'm buying a hand-crank pasta maker with my birthday money and I already make my own ravioli. That recipe will come later.

This dish is a wonderful, easy but luxurious treat for the middle of the week. I usually have the ingredients on-hand and it comes together fairly quickly. If shrimp isn't on sale, chicken is a delicious substitute.

Ingredients

1 lb. raw shrimp, peeled (u31-40)

Olive Oil

8 oz. Penne Rigate or Rotini,

4 oz. Basil Pesto (preferably Buitoni)

Grated parmesan cheese

Salt, pepper, butter

While pasta water is coming to a boil, peel and thoroughly rinse shrimp. Place in bowl. Cover shrimp with a few healthy drizzles of olive oil to coat, no more than 2 tablespoons.

Season with your favorite standards. Stir. Set aside for about five minutes while preparing pasta per instructions.

In a large, hot skillet over medium-high heat, add shrimp and some of oil and juices, but not all. Cook in single layer for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Shrimp should be golden brown. Do not crowd pan. Cook in batches if necessary. Set aside.

Pour hot, drained pasta into large serving dish. Season conservatively with salt, pepper and a pat of butter. Add shrimp and pesto, adding more if desired. Sprinkle in a few hearty spoonfuls of parmesan cheese.

Enjoy immediately.

Note: I have tried this recipe with all different sizes of shrimp, but the 31-40s work the best. They are bite-sized and there are enough so that you don't have to cut them in half or no one goes digging through the pasta for them.

The Ultimate Grilled Cheese...Bon Appetit!

2010-01-27T00:46:00.000-08:00

Sometimes, I see random ingredients and get inspired. That happened a few weeks ago, after I quietly mocked the cliched New Year's Resolution to lose weight by purchasing a wedge of double cream brie. I originally was going to plop the brie on toasted piece of challah and enjoy, but then I saw lunchmeat and arugula and I got an idea. I think it's the best idea I've ever had.

This sandwich is goopey and messy and definitely not healthy. It is, however, rejuevenating for the tastebuds and the soul, especially on a miserable winter day.

My mother, who has been asking me to make her a decadent grilled cheese, gives this one 4 stars. Mission accomplished.

Ingredients

1 piece Thin Cut Steak

3 to 4 slices of Double Cream Brie, rind removed

Baby Arugula, washed

2 1/2-inch thick slices of Challah Bread

Butter for bread

Seasoning

Season steak as desired. My go-to seasonings are Lawry’s, Garlic Salt and Pepper. Tenderize lightly with rim of saucer. Let sit while you heat up a skillet over moderately high heat until very hot. Drizzle with olive oil. When oil is hot, add steak. Cook until browned, about 2 to 4 minutes per side, depending on thickness and size of steak.

When steak is done, cover in aluminum foil and let it rest for at least 10 to 15 minutes. Wipe out pan.

Once steak has rested, slice against the grain into thin strips or even bite-sized cubes. Butter each slice of bread. Place two slices of brie on unbuttered side of bread, spreading the cheese with your fingers to cover edges. Add steak, pressing firmly into cheese and place into hot pan over medium heat buttered side down. While first slice cooks slowly, repeat building process with last piece of cheese and handful of arugula. Assemble sandwich in pan.

When bread is golden brown and cheese is melted, turn over, squish entire sandwich with spatula, and repeat process.

Enjoy immediately!

Notes:

*I have tried this recipe with steak and sliced turkey and roast beef from the deli and it is awesome both ways. I tried it with the steak as a nod to the February cover of Bon Appetit. I definitely planned to do this before I saw the cover.

*If you’re a vegetarian, this sandwich is just as wonderful with just cheese and peppery arugula.

*Finally, cheese should be close to room temperature or it will not melt as easily. If that happens, just pop the entire sandwich in the microwave.

The Saturday Chef is now a Guest Blogger?!

2010-01-21T11:51:00.000-08:00

I know, I know. All five of my faithful (but quiet) followers have to be in shock over this recent turn of events. *tosses hair* I have guestblogged for a wonderful site, Foodies Like Us. Susan seemed to enjoy my quaint little blog, and asked me to contribute to hers, and I jumped at the chance.

Please amble on over to Foodies Like Us and check out not only my entry, but the entire website. I think my layout is a little jealous of hers.

http://www.foodieslikeusblog.com/recipies/cooking-school-chicken-an-edible-“i-love-you/

Don't worry, my beautiful fans, I will not let this shot of fame go to my head. New recipes are on the rapidly approaching horizon.

Coming Soon: The Ultimate Grilled Cheese

A Very Belated Foodie Christmas: Glittering Lemon Sandwich Cookies and Raisin Almond Granola

2009-12-28T01:04:00.000-08:00

Time clearly is an ever-evolving thing. It drags. It flies by. It can be lost. It seemed ludicrous that people were preparing for Christmas before Halloween. Then time bended and flat out disappeared and suddenly, Christmas was four days away. I had gifts to buy, prepare and wrap. Unfortunately I didn’t have the time to prepare the amazing blogging extravaganza I had planned for The Saturday Chef’s first Christmas. *sigh* After a snow/ice/rain storm was forecasted as a Christmas disaster, and ended up being completely lackluster, I literally spent Christmas Day in the kitchen, making cookies, braising meats, dipping Oreo truffles, and making granola because our cancelled Christmas plans were suddenly back on.

So, um, here are the next two recipes for Saturday Chef’s First Annual Very Foodie Christmas! Better late than never.

I made these delightful little gems for my grandmother, who is unabashedly obsessed with cookies. They are easy to make and will amaze anyone who is lucky enough to receive them. I must confess I’m a little OCD, so I was painstakingly careful not to get any of the pink sugar on the green cookies and green on the pink. It was a little time-consuming, but worth it in the end.

This recipe was adapted from Shelley Wiseman’s recipe in Gourmet magazine, 2008. I am not a big fan of lemon zest, so I removed it from both the cookies and the frosting. The cookies are much more versatile without it, and I can’t wait to create more fillings to put on them.

For cookies:
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Colored sanding sugars

For filling:
1 cup confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened

Equipment: a heavy-duty sealable bag

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.

Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Whisk together flour, cornstarch, and salt.
Beat together butter and confectioners sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, then beat in vanilla. At low speed, mix in flour mixture just until a soft dough forms.
Put sanding sugars in different bowls. Roll a rounded teaspoon of dough into a bowl and drop into colored sugar. I used a small round bowl, and swirled the cookie balls in it. It not only keeps the shape of the cookies, but ensures that they are evenly coated in sugar. Transfer to baking sheet and space about an inch apart.
Bake until tops are slightly cracked but still pale (bottoms will be pale golden), 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer cookies on parchment to a rack to cool completely.
Form and bake more cookies on second baking sheet. I used a different sheet for each sugar color.

Make filling and sandwich cookies:
Beat together all filling ingredients in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until combined well. Transfer to sealable bag and snip off a corner.
Turn over half of cookies and pipe about 1/2 teaspoon filling on flat side of each. Sandwich with remaining cookies, pressing gently.

*Note: I made these cookies exactly the way the recipe dictated, and they were fantastic. When I make these again (probably on New Year's Eve), however, I will not make them as sandwich cookies because they are hard to eat, and let's face it: they kind of look like little tushies. I plan to simply pipe the filling on the flat side of the cookies, and place frosting-side up so it can set. They will not only be easier to eat, but this will save a lot of time. And you can eat twice as many!

Raisin Almond Granola: The Perfect Stocking Stuffer

My father likes odd food. He loves everything from canned sardines to quinoa. I saw Alton Brown make some granola bars on “Good Eats” and was surprised by how easy it was. I decided to do the same with an Ina Garten recipe and put it in my dad’s stocking for Christmas a few years ago with wonderful results.

He liked it more than the sweater I bought him.

4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 cups sliced or slivered almonds
1 1/2 cups raisins and/or dried cranberries*
½ cup of wheat germ (optional)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup honey
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Toss the oats, wheat germ and nuts together in a large bowl. Pour the vegetable oil and honey over the mixture. Add the cinnamon, and stir with a wooden spoon until all the oats and nuts are coated. If it looks a bit too dry, add a bit more honey.
Pour onto two sheet pans so the granola will bake evenly. Do not pack it on the pan. Bake, stirring occasionally with a spatula, until the mixture turns an even golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes.
Remove the granola from the oven, and add the raisins immediately. Stir to incorporate. If you like a bit more sweetness to your granola, stir in a sprinkle of brown sugar after it has cooled.
Store the cooled granola in an airtight container. If you're giving it as a gift, pour into a festive tin and place a bow ontop. Perfect present, and no wrapping!

This can be eaten alone as a snack or with milk for breakfast. It's healthy and very filling.

*Note: I used Sunmaid’s raisin and craisin mixture. It has red raisins, golden raisins and dried cranberries, and adds wonderful favor to the granola.

A Very Foodie Christmas: Kira's Awesome Chocolate Toffee Pretzels

2009-12-18T01:20:00.000-08:00

A Very Foodie Christmas

Let's face it. Every year, Christmas has become increasingly materialized. Stores have started preparing for the holiday before the autumn leaves even fall. It is all about the gifts, gifts, gifts, and not about counting one’s blessing and being around family. But even though I’m aware of it, even I get caught up in the scramble for stuff. Just twenty minutes ago, I was upset because I couldn't afford to buy my niece a $50 video game (Really, $50?! After you pay $400 for the gaming system?!! How is that legal?!!!!!).

But I love giving gifts, sometimes more than receiving them. During an agonizing time of unemployment, when I didn't have money for big-shiny-WOW gifts, I made them: chocolate-covered pretzels, granola, truffles, fancy cookies, even skin-softening scrubs. I learned that homemade gifts can be more heartwarming that store-bought, especially in this climate. And that giving homemade cookies to your cookie-loving grandmother will actually elicit cheers of joy. Thus, I will be posting some wonderful ideas for the rapidly approaching holiday or any festive occasion.

On Deck: Kira's Awesome Chocolate Toffee Pretzels

I'm going to warn you now: this recipe is hard. To prepare the following dish, it takes a culinary fortitude I'm not sure a lot of you have. It is something I think even Julia Child or an Iron Chef couldn't master. Wait, come back! I'm kidding, just kidding! With the holidays looming like a tidal wave, no one has time for complicated, involved recipes. People need quick, easy ones they can whip up the night before a work holiday party with the kids or in a few hours before heading to a realitve's house. This is it. It's a bit messy, but that is half the fun, especially when melted chocolate is involved!

These little gems are not an entirely original idea, but they are ingenius, fun, and a wonderful addition to any holiday-themed menu. I started making these last year for a christmas party with my writer's group. They went over so well that I get requests to make them, and the guests actually squabble over the leftovers at the end of the evening. Make a batch of these, add a plastic bag and a festive ribbon and you have yourself a wonderful holiday gift for family, friends and co-workers.

Ingredients

1 Bag Salted Pretzel Rods
2 12oz Bags of Milk Chocolate Chips
2 Bags of Toffee Bits
Parchment Paper

Pour the toffee bits into a shallow pie plate or dish.
Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
In a double-boiler (or a pot of simmering water with a metal bowl on top), add the chocolate chips. Stir with a stapula until chocolate is completely melted. Remove from heat.
Dip pretzels in the chocolate, covering them about two-thirds of the way. Holding the pretzel by the end, and shake off the excess chocolate. Immediately transfer the pretzel to the shallow dish and turn and cover with the toffee. Place onto the parchment paper. Repeat.
If chocolate becomes stiff, reheat the water and return chocolate to a double-boiler.
Note: I usually start with one bag of chocolate and one bag of toffee and melt more as I need it.
When all pretzels are coated, place in the freezer until the chocolate is complete set. Serve within two to four days.
You will probably have some gooey, chocolatey morsels of toffee left over. Oh, the horror!

Saturday Chef Original: Quick Breakfast Hash

2009-12-04T02:31:00.000-08:00

When I was a child, I was a meat-and-potatoes-girl. While my friends and cousins clamored for Happy Meals and fish sticks, my favorite meal was Mary's Kitchen Corned Beef Hash, green beans and toast with grape jelly. Obviously, it was a rare treat as canned corned beef hash is an eventual heart attack in a can, but it was worth it. The foodie in me hates to admit that it still is.

Unfortunately, now it is harder to eat my beloved hash without bouts of panicked guilt and chest pains that are probably more hypochondria than physiology; thus I created a recipe that is a scrumptious substitute and thankfully anxiety-free.

This recipes is extremely versatile. I have made it with both ground turkey and ground veal. Although, since I’m sure most of you still have twelve pounds of turkey in the fridge, you probably want to try the veal.

Ingredients

1 lb. ground turkey or veal
1/3 to 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
Olive Oil
1 to 1 ½ pounds baby red potatoes, cubed
Parsley (optional)
Seasoning Salt, Pepper

Cube red potatoes in small, uniform pieces rinse thoroughly in cold water. Place in pot cover slightly with water. Add pot to heat and boil.

Chop onions. In a separate skillet over medium high heat, sauté onions in a drizzle of olive oil for about 2 minutes. Add ground meat, and use wooden spoon to stir and break apart. Season as you wish. Add a handful of fresh parsley or parsley flakes for color. Cook until meat is no longer pink. Remove from heat.

Boil potatoes until slightly soft, about 4-6 minutes. Drain thoroughly. Pour potatoes in the largest skillet you have, and add a bit more oil. Season with seasoning salt and pepper. Cook for two minutes.

Add meat mixture and a bit more oil, pressing down with the back of wooden spoon to brown. After 2 minutes, stir. Repeat process 2 or 3 more times or until meat is done and a slight crust develops. Season to taste.

Serve with over-easy egg and toast.

*Note: It is always better to have more potatoes than hash. The potatoes will degrade when they are soft. It also tastes even better the next day.

Coming Soon: A Very Foodie Christmas; Edible Gift Ideas for Your Foodie Friends!

Do-Able Chocolate Eclairs: A Saturday Chef Show-Stopper

2009-11-09T02:47:00.000-08:00

When I go to the grocery store, I almost always pick up one pristine, fantastic éclair from the bakery. I feel that this pastry alone could solve all the worlds problems—the war, the recession, global-warming, even the swine flu. With most foods I love, I had to find out how difficult it was to make at home. Surprisingly, the dough is not hard to make at all. It’s a classic pastry dough with a variety of applications and can be made with simple ingredients that we all have in our fridges and pantries—flour, water, eggs, butter. The pastry cream and icing, however, can not only be time-consuming to make, but also incredibly fattening.

Last month I had to plan a dessert party at work, and I wanted a show-stopper. So with a little culinary ingenuity and some help from a couple supermarket staples, I came up with an easy way to make eclairs that will impress your co-workers or guests--no heavy cream needed.

Pastry:
1 cup water
1 stick butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add water and heat until boiling. Add flour and stir until mixture forms a smooth ball. Remove from heat and let cool before adding the eggs, one a time. Dough should be sticky.

Drop tablespoons of dough onto a greased cookie sheet. Note: Most chef use a pastry bag and pipe dough onto the cookie sheet, but this works just as well.

Bake in oven for about 30 minutes until light brown. Set aside to let cool.

Filling:
1 3.4oz box Instant French Vanilla Pudding
6 ounces of Cool Whip

Prepare filling according to instructions. Once pudding has thickened, add Cool Whip and mix to combine.

When pastries have cooled, slice puffs open lengthwise, but not completely through. Spoon in filling.

Frosting:
1 can Milk Chocolate Frosting

Microwave frosting until warm and running. Drizzle chocolate frosting all over filled pastries.
Eat immediately or chill and serve within 12 hours.

Turkey Meatball Soup: A Collaborative Recipe

2009-11-03T01:02:00.000-08:00

In my first post, I mentioned that I learned how to cook from Rachel Ray and Giada de Laurentiis, celebrity chefs on The Food Network. One of the first things I made was Turkey Meatball and Tortelini Soup. It was a hearty meal and a bowl and something I could make to order in less than 20 minutes. It was a Giada recipe, but Rachel taught me that cooking is an inspired collaboration. Ingredients work together to make colorful flavors. And sometimes, recipes can be tweaked and swapped with others to create a wonderful meal.

Since I started this blog, I have been hit by so many food memories that I want to share, and suddenly, I wanted that soup, but didn't want to add the pasta because it absorbs the broth. I mixed a recipe for Rachel Ray's Mini Meatball Soup with from one from Gourmet Magazine found at epicurious.com, and tweaked it for my cooking style: added leeks when I didn't have enough onions; used fresh ground turkey to make meatballs instead of store-bought ones; mixed open containers of chicken and vegetable broth in the fridge; called my sister for advice when I didn't want to sautee the meatballs (she suggested broiling). Little did I know, I was stumbling on perfection, in soup form.

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1/3 cup large onion, chopped
1/2 cup leeks, sliced (pale green, white parts only)
2 cups baby carrots, sliced in thin, lengthwise strips
6 cups of low sodium chicken and/or vegetable broth
1 pound ground turkey
1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
1 egg
1/3 cup plain breadcrumbs
1 14 oz can White Beans, drained and rinsed
1/3 block frozen spinach or 5 oz of washed fresh spinach, roughly chopped
1/2 c grated parmesan cheese

Pepper

Salt

Chop and slice all vegetables. Place a large dutch oven over medium-high heat and add olive oil. When oil is hot, add onions and leeks, and sautée until you can smell onions, about 2 minutes. Add carrots and season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Add broth, season, reduce heat to medium-low and cover.

Position oven rack to the second highest position in oven. Turn on broiler.

In a separate bowl, combine ground turkey, garlic, egg, breadcrumbs, seasoning salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly with hands. Meatball mixture should be wet and loose. Form into small balls, about an 1-inch in diameter or smaller, if you wish, and place on a greased cooking sheet. Broil until lightly browned, 3-5 minutes depending on your oven. This step is just add color and keep the meatballs from falling apart in the soup. They will still be mostly raw.

Broth will eventually boil while you mix and form the meatballs, and the vegetables should be somewhat soft. Stir occasionally. Add in meatballs to broth, cover and simmer until meatballs are done, about 7-10 minutes. Add white beans and spinach. When both are heated through, add parmesan cheese, season for taste, remove from heat.

Serve immediately with bread or a nice sandwich.

Braised Chicken Thighs with Artichokes and Sweet Peas

2009-10-25T18:30:00.000-07:00

Adapted from recipe in Gourmet Magazine, January 2007 found on epicurious.com

One-pot wonders, in fall and winter especially, are my favorite things to make and eat. I’m not a big fan of soups, but cooking and then curling into a hot bowl of meat, vetables and starch is simply wonderful. This surprisingly healthy recipe was an instant favorite with my family, and will be made many, many times during the rainy fall and snowy winter.

*Recipe has been doubled
Ingredients
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
8 large chicken thighs with skin and bone (2 pounds total)
Salt
Black pepper
Olive oil
½ large leek, chopped (pale green and white parts only)1/3 to 1/2 large onion, chopped
1 cup dry white wine*
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, rinsed, drained, and quartered lengthwise
1 cup frozen baby peas

Preparation

Put flour in a shallow bowl and season lightly with salt and pepper. Pat chicken dry and season with salt and generously with pepper, then dredge, 1 piece at a time, in flour, shaking off excess. Transfer to plate.

Heat 2 to 3 tablespoons in the biggest skillet you have (12” or bigger) over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté chicken, skinned sides down first, turning over once, until deep golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes total. It will be easier to do this in batches as not to crowd the pan. The chicken will still be mostly raw. Transfer back to plate.

Add leeks and onions, and a little more olive oil to skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring, until vegetables start to brown, about 6 minutes. Season vegetables lightly with salt and pepper if you like. Add wine and scrape up any brown bits with a wooden spoon until wine begins to boil, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in broth, artichokes, and season a little more.

Return chicken to skillet along with any juices from plate and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover skillet and reduce heat, then simmer until chicken is tender, about 30-35 minutes. Test the chicken to make sure it is done and has reached desired tenderness. Stir in peas and simmer, covered for 5 minutes. Serve immediately with white rice.

*Note: I honestly do not drink a lot of alcohol, so I’m learning my Pinots from my Sauvingons. I only use wine for cooking, and I found that buying the 4-pack of Cavit Pinot works wonders for my cooking, at least. Also, this recipe needs little seasoning. I seasoned every layer, chicken, flour, leeks and oinions with a lighter hand, and I only used salt and pepper. The artichokes add a tart brightness to the dish.

Beginnings and Disclaimers...

2009-10-24T19:27:00.000-07:00

A Disclaimer of Sorts: I am not a professional chef. I have never been to cooking school, unless you count standing outside the Le Cordon Bleu in Chicago after being lured there by the delectable smells. I am what I affectionately dub a Saturday Chef—a weekend warrior of the culinary variety, fortified by the education I have gleaned from two high school cooking classes, the Food Network and my own gastronomical experiments.

During the week, I’m stuck in the 9-to-5 rat race sponsored by Burger King and Popeyes and Panera. But once the weekend arrives, I have time to make elaborate meals like Braised Short Ribs with Roasted Pearl Onions, Shrimp and Black Bean Flatbreads, Hearty Chicken Chowder and even Coq au Vin.

While I’m not ashamed to spend all day making bagels by hand, and proudly call myself a foodie, I’m not a food snob. I enjoy an Extra Value Meal as much as the next girl. “Would you like fries with that?” ALWAYS!

I was raised in the Midwest, Indiana , then Wisconsin , by parents who enjoyed “simple American food,” and I ate as such until college when I discovered two things: 1) The Food Network broadcasted until 3 a.m. and 2) College fare is unhealthy, expensive and really gross. Thus, in the little galley kitchen with slanted counters and an arthritic stove, I became a Saturday Chef, buying things like rotisserie chickens and potatoes to cook on multiple meals on Saturdays and Sundays for the rest of the week. I learned a lot about quick but healthy meals from Rachel Ray and Giada De Laurentiis. I realized that “fancy food” wasn’t inaccessible to anyone as long as you had a little skill and a lot of patience from Alton Brown and Emeril Lagasse. Finally, I discovered that my father will eat my disasters—like Turkey “Brick” Meatloaf—even if I won’t.

Cooking became a new passion as much as writing was an old one. And it also made me a few friends from the dorms. At 21 years old, I hosted a few Saturday dinner parties in my apartment, showing my friends how to make lasagna, even though I’d never done it before. That is how I fell in love with cooking as well as eating.

I’m 27 now, and finally taking the advice of a good friend and starting this blog, where I will happily share some of my own recipes as well as my take on the old standards. Unfortunately, I haven’t struck it rich yet, so my culinary escapades are still relegated to the weekends, but my love for cooking is stronger than ever, galvanized by more successes than failures, and the beautiful fact that the more I cook, the more people there are to feed. So please stay turned for fun recipes, inevitable disasters and hopefully, a lot of good food.

Coming Soon:

Braised Chicken Thighs with Artichoke Hearts and Sweet Peas