Munching & Crunching

For any banana lovers out there, these are the muffins for you. You can really change the flavor by how you choose your granola - so choose wisely. I used maple pecan in the first batch and vanilla almond in the second batch. I preferred the maple flavor in these. I also topped one batch with granola and one batch with banana chips. To be honest, I sold the banana chip batch, so I never tasted them. I welcome any opinions if you'd like to weigh in on that matter. I do know the granola topping was very successful. Anywho, I find these quite easy to make, but they still sound somewhat exotic. The original recipe also has coconut and 1 cup walnuts (and only 1 cup granola).



Banana Crunch Muffins
The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook (Adapted from Ina Garten)
Makes 18 muffins

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 extra-large eggs
3/4 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 bananas)
1 cup medium-diced ripe bananas (1 banana)
2 cups granola
Dried banana chips, granola, or shredded coconut, optional

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Line 18 large muffin cups with paper liners. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the melted butter and blend. Combine the eggs, milk, vanilla, and mashed bananas, and add them to the flour-and-butter mixture. Scrape the bowl and blend well. Don't overmix.

Fold the diced bananas and granola into the batter. Spoon the batter into the paper liners, filling each 1 to the top. Top each muffin with dried banana chips, granola, or coconut, if desired. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool slightly, remove from the pan, and serve.

I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!

In my family, nothing says holidays like pears. We always seem to find a new recipe each year. Last year was pear upside down cake. This year we're having pear butter. Now get out that food mill! Admittedly, this recipe can get a bit pricey, depending on the stock of your spice cabinet. But, you get at least a couple jars of pear butter!

Word to the wise: I tried using a sieve and a potato ricer to remove the skins. Only the food mill worked. Since I didn't have a working one, I had to run out, leaving my cooked pears by their lonesome, and get a food mill. Again, worth the effort methinks.

Of course you can serve this on just about anything from ice cream to toast. I have an extra loaf of brioche left in the freezer, so I plan to serve it on the brioche at my Second Annual Post-Thanksgiving Brunch. I can already taste it!

PS You will want a big (i.e. tall) pot. Not just to hold all the pears, but this recipe splatters quite a bit as it heats up.

Pear Butter
Bon Appetit, December 1992
Makes about 4 cups

4 pounds Bartlett pears (unpeeled), cored, cut into 1-inch chunks
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 orange slices
1 lemon slice
4 whole cloves
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
Pinch of salt

Combine pears, wine and lemon juice in heavy large saucepan. Cover and simmer until pears are soft, pushing unsubmerged pears into liquid occasionally, about 25 minutes. Force through food mill or coarse sieve to remove pear peel. Transfer to processor and puree.
Return puree to heavy large sauce-pan. Add remaining ingredients. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium and boil gently until mixture thickens and mounds slightly on spoon stirring often, about 50 minutes.

Discard fruit slices, cloves, vanilla and cinnamon. Spoon butter into hot canning jar, filling only to 1/4 inch form top. Immediately wipe rim, using towel dipped into hot water. Place lid on jar; seal tightly. Repeat with remaining jars.

Arrange jars in large pot. Add boiling water to pot so that at least 1 inch of water covers tops of jars. Cover pot and boil rapidly 15 minutes. Remove jars from pot. Cool to room temperature. Press center of each lid. If lid stays down, jar is sealed. (If lid pops up, store butter in refrigerator.) Store in cool dry place up to 1 year. Refrigerate after opening.

Cheesey Chicken

I see I had a request for "more cheese please!" so here is an old family favorite, discovered by accident. It used to be a Christmas Eve tradition . . . it's unknown where the tradition got to. It still makes an annual appearance in our house though. The recipe is written for a clay pot, but I believe it could be done in a slow cooker.

You would never know this cheesey chicken is actually rather healthy. I always like a tortilla to mop up the extra sauce (can't stand a dirty plate you see) and I like putting the sauce on some Spanish rice as well. You will definitely be joining the Clean Plate Club if you get this on your plate.

Chicken with Cheddar & Green Chilis
Clay Pot Cookbook
Serves 6

3 pounds chicken breasts, skin removed
2 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons chili powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 rib celery, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 4-ounce can diced green chili peppers
1 jalapeno or serrano pepper, minced
½ cup defatted low-sodium chicken broth
½ cup reduced fat sour cream
1 cup reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese

Soak the top and the bottom of 3-quart clay pot in water for 10 minutes; drain.

Coat chicken pieces with mixture of flour, chili powder and cumin. Combine celery, onion, jalepeno, and garlic in presoaked clay pot. Top with chicken and green chilies. Pour in chicken broth.

Place covered clay pot in a cold oven. Set oven at 450 degrees. Bake, stirring once or twice, until chicken is tender and brown, about 1¼ hours. Remove chicken from clay pot. Skim and discard fat from cooking liquid in clay pot. Stir sour cream into cooking liquid until smooth. Return chicken to sauce. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, until cheese melts and browns, about 10 minutes.

Souper Soup

Here's a nice little soup now that colder weather is coming. You can add just about any vegetable you have on hand, or any particular favorites you may have. Don't ignore the cheese on top - it's a must. My family likes to serve this for New Year's dinner; I've also made it for lunch on Thanksgiving day. It can be made vegetarian (just cut out the bacon) and serve as a main course or a starter dish. This is no Campbell's but it is Mmmm mmmm Good!

Now, get out your crusty bread . . . you don't want to miss a drop.

Mediterranean Vegetable Soup

Serves 6-8

½ small green or savoy cabbage slivered

3 or 4 large leaves of red white Swiss chard, slivered

1 tablespoon finely minced bacon or pancetta

1 garlic clove minced

¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

¼ cup finely chopped onion

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 celery ribs, sliced

2 medium carrots, peeled and diced

1 large potato, peeled, and sliced

1 large or 2 small zucchini, diced

½ pound ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped, or about 6 canned whole tomatoes, drained and chopped

Other vegetables as desired

½ cup rice

6 cups meat or vegetable stock or water

1 cup cooked, drained white beans, like cannellini or Great Northern

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

6 to 8 tablespoons freshly grated cheese, preferably Parmigiano reggiano.

Rinse the slivered cabbage and chard. Steam for about 15 minutes in the water clinging to the leaves, adding a tablespoons if necessary to keep the vegetables from scorching. When they are tender but not falling apart set aside.

Meanwhile, combine bacon or pancetta, garlic, parsley, onion and sauté gently in the oil in a heavy stockpot or soup kettle large enough to hold all the vegetables and stock until tender but not brown - about 10 to 15 minutes.

Add remaining vegetables to the pot along with the broth. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook gently for 20 to 30 minutes, just until vegetables are tender. Add cabbage and chard with the beans. Stir and bring to a simmer. Taste and add salt and pepper if you wish. Stir in the rice and continue cooking for 15 minutes, or until rice is done. Remove from heat and serve with a spoonful of grated cheese on top.

I'm Just a Bread Machine

A nice little fall/winter treat is some homemade bread. Yes, it takes most of the day, but it's worth it and not all active time. Plus, it has the added bonus of working those arm muscles! Your house will be toasty and warm, not to mention smell so tasty.

I made brioche just a few days ago. This recipe makes 2 loaves so I froze one and used the other for toast (with apricot jam!). I'm just sure it would make a delightful French toast. Stay tuned for a savory bread pudding with brioche . . .

I made mine in 2 loaf pans. You can also use traditional brioche pans and make some hamburger rolls, or muffin tins.

Brioche

Silver Palate Cookbook

2 Loaves

2 cups Milk

½ lb (2 sticks) sweet butter

¼ cup granulated sugar

2 packages active dry yeast

4 teaspons salt

3 eggs, room temperature

8 cups bread flour

2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Combine milk, butter and sugar in sauce pan and bring to boil. Remove from heat and pour into large mixing bowl. Cool to lukewarm ( 105-115 degrees F).

Stir in yeast and let stand for 10 minutes. Stir in the salt. Beat eggs thoroughly in small bowl and add to the milk mixture. Stir in 7 cups of the flour, 1 at a time, until you achieve a sticky dough. Flour a work surface and turn the dough out onto it. Wash and dry bowl.

Sprinkle additional flour over the dough and begin to knead it, adding more flour as necessary until you achieve a smooth, elastic dough, about 10 minutes.

Pour 2-3 tablespoons of vegetable oil into the bowl. Turn the ball of dough in the oil to coat well. Set dough aside, covered with a towel, to rise until tripled in bulk, about 2 hours.

Punch dough down, turn out onto a lightly floured work surface, and knead for about 2 minutes. Return dough to the bowl, cover, and let rise again until doubled.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Dough is now ready to be formed. If you are baking it in loaf pans, use 2 pans 9 x 5 x 3 inches, lightly buttered. For traditional brioche, use muffin tins or imported brioche molds, available in varying sizes from cookware shops. Let formed loaves rise until nearly doubled.

Bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown. Loaves will sound hollow when thumped on the bottom. Cool slightly before unmolding; cool completely before wrapping.

Sweet & Savory

I found a new favorite for entertaining: roasted red pepper cheesecake. This is a mini cheesecake (you need a 4 1/2 inch springform . . . I could only find one at Williams Sonoma) with ricotta, cream cheese and goat cheese. Then it has a nice little topping of apricot jam. Mmm mmm good. People actually thought I bought this little number. The recipe is intended to be served with pita chips, but crackers are good too. Be sure to pat the peppers real dry and don't cut them too small - unless you want a pink cheesecake.

Red Pepper Cheesecake
Giada's Kitchen
Giada DiLaurentis

1/2 cup ricotta cheese (4 ounces)
1/2 cup cream cheese (4 ounces)
1/4 cup goat cheese (2 ounces)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 egg
Pinch kosher salt
1/2 cup thin strips roasted red bell peppers
4 pitas
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup apricot jam
1 to 2 teaspoons hot water
Special equipment: 1 (4 1/2-inch diameter) springform (cheesecake) pan

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Wrap the outside of the cheesecake pan with 2 layers of heavy-duty foil.

Place the ricotta, cream cheese, and goat cheese in a food processor. Pulse to mix. Add the sugar, egg and salt and pulse a few times until well mixed. Stir in the red pepper strips.

Pour the cheese mixture into the cheesecake pan. Place the cheesecake pan in a roasting pan. Pour enough hot water in the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan.

Bake until the cheesecake is golden at the edges and the center of the cake moves slightly when the pan is gently shaken, about 45 minutes (the cake will become firm when it is cold).

Transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool for 1 hour. Refrigerate until the cheesecake is cold, at least 3 hours and up to 2 days.

Pita Chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut the pitas into 8 triangles each (like a pie). Drizzle the pita with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until crisp and golden, about 12 to 15 minutes.

To serve, combine the jam and the water in a small bowl and stir until the jam is liquefied. Remove the cheesecake from the springform pan. Place on a serving plate. Drizzle the jam mixture over the top of the cheesecake. Serve with the pita chips alongside.

CORNucopia

What could be better than an abundance of corn muffins . . . with jam? Using a pastry bag to make them! These little bites of heaven don't come out dry (so long as you don't over mix) and have a little burst of raspberry in the center. Which comes from that pastry bag. I usually use Polaner Raspberry Jam when I make these. Of course, you can just eat them as plain corn muffins and they're still a treat. But why would you want to do that?

You can store these muffins in an airtight container for a few days and they also keep well in the freezer; the batter can also be made a day in advance and then baked off when you're ready to munch. I like to use an ice cream scoop for my muffins. That way they all come out the same and bake evenly.

PS You can make these with or without a mixer. You don't need Hulk type muscles to whip up this batter.

Raspberry Corn Muffins
Ina Garten
Makes 12-15 Muffins

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup medium cornmeal
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 pound unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 extra-large eggs
Raspberry Jam

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the flour, sugar, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, melted butter, and eggs. With the mixer on the lowest speed, pour the wet ingredients into the dry ones and stir until they are just blended. Spoon the batter into the paper liners, filling each one to the top. Bake for 30 minutes, until the tops are crisp and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool slightly and remove from the pan.

After the muffins have cooled, fill a pastry bag half way with raspberry jam. Using a star tip, squeeze the jam into the muffin until it overflows to the muffin top.

No 'Naise Cole Slaw

Here's another simple simple recipe for you. While on vacation, everyone was assigned to one night of cooking. Cousin and Husband did Mexican Night where they declared no recipes allowed. Somehow I got volunteered to make the one dish I don't like: cole slaw. I did a very basic one with no mayo to go with their fish tacos. While I didn't actually try it, the intention was to give the fish tacos a bit of a crunch. For that purpose I would say don't use the cole slaw mix that has carrots. We used all the limes up for margaritas, but I think for Mexican Night a spot of lime juice would have been a nice touch in this recipe.  

Oil & Vinegar Cole Slaw

2 10-oz bags shredded cabbage

1/2 cup canola oil

6 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

2 teaspoons dijon mustard

Salt & pepper to taste

Combine ingredients in a large bowl. Toss well. Chill for at least one hour. 

Girl Meets Grill

Yes, this is me trying to be like Bobby Flay. Ha! But I can grill up some asparagus. This is an extremely versatile little dish that can be served chopped up as a salad, on little toast rounds, or just left to sit and look pretty. It's one of Daddy's own.

You can just use a fruit peeler to shave the parmesan over the asparagus and it takes but a moment. As an appetizer, you can put some olive oil on toast rounds and serve it up like a bruschetta; or you can leave the asparagus whole and just put the cheese on top. Lastly, you can chop it up and toss it like a salad.

Balsamic Asparagus
Serves 4-6
1 bunch of asparagus
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon basalmic vinegar
Parmesan shavings, to taste

Break off the ends of the asparagus and shave the stocks if desired.

Toss the asparagus in a platter with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Transfer to a hot grill and cook until crispy and grill marks appear.

Remove asparagus from grill and, using the same platter with oil in it, toss in balsamic vinegar until well coated. Shave parmesan cheese on top. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Bread Basket

Here's a little twist on the traditional bread basket item (i.e. a loaf of bread): parmesan popovers! These little treats don't need any butter, they have cheese and herbs mixed right in. Not only that, but they don't take but a minute to whip up. They're a nice, unique addition to a special occassion or cocktail party. The cheese really makes these (obviously) so you shouldn't cheap on that. Get some real reggiano and grate it fresh. None of this pre-grated business. Bah. Another plus? They're good fresh out of the oven or at room temperature.

3 eggs
3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon herbs de Provence
4 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves
1 cups whole milk
3/4 cup grated Parmesan (about 5 ounces)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
In a blender, combine eggs, flour, salt, pepper, and herbs, milk, and cheese. Blend on medium speed.
Spray a mini-muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. Pour the batter into the muffin cups, filling each cup 3/4 full. Bake until puffed and golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.
Remove popovers from muffin tin and cool on a wire rack. Save in a storage container to take to the picnic.

Watermelon Magic

As my first large catering gig, I'm doing some side dishes for an upcoming wedding. Of course my new best friend is the bride (who also named this dish): she seems to be my sister from another mother and father. Anywho, I first had this dish when my cousin made it for a family potluck last summer. Some might think it's a bit of an unusual combination of ingredients (which may or may not be true), but new BFF didn't let that scare her off. Smart lady that she is, she saw it for the perfect summer salad that it is.



It's a rather simple salad, but needs the freshest ingredients possible. The feta need to come straight from the brine and the olives can't be out of the jar; it's also worth pitting them yourself if you have the time. I have my own little mint plant, which isn't essential, but just adds to that fresh taste. The dressing is created by the watermelon juice and the lime. Nothing fancy!

Watermelon, Feta & Olive Salad
Saveur (Issue # 113)
Serves 4

3 cups loosely packed arugula
1 cup loosely packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 cup loosely packed torn mint leaves
1 2-lb. piece seedless watermelon,
rind removed, cut into 1" cubes
20 kalamata olives, smashed, pitted, and halved
1 jalapeño, stemmed, seeded, and julienned
1⁄4 small red onion, thinly sliced and
soaked in ice water for 30 minutes
4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled (about 1⁄4 cup)
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 limes, halved
Coarse sea salt and freshly
ground black pepper, to taste

1. In a large bowl, toss together the arugula, parsley, and mint. Divide greens between 4 serving bowls or plates.

2. In a medium bowl, toss together watermelon, olives, jalapeño, and onion. Spoon the watermelon mixture, with its juice, evenly over the greens. Sprinkle each salad with some of the feta and drizzle with olive oil. Squeeze 1 lime half over the top of each salad and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

I Think it was the Fourth of July

And what better way to celebrate than with some (patriotic) cupcakes! I adapted this recipe from Ina's flag cake: instead of doing a sheet cake, I made 2 dozen rather large cupcakes, topped with the white frosting and some fruit. I had a fruit trauma, so I ended up using strawberries instead of raspberries, but they were still divine and kept within my red, white & blue color scheme.

I find it's best to use an ice cream scoop to fill the muffin tin with the batter. As this was originally a sheet cake, it doesn't rise too terribly much so you really do want the muffin cups to be rather full. Also, if you make the whole recipe and don't fill the muffin cups, you'll spend all day making cupcakes there will be so many! Anywho, I opted not to (because I didn't have any) add lemon zest, but you very well could. In fact, the other sheet cake recipe I use is identical to this one, but it adds lemon zest.

I will share with you the original recipe, which is really only altered by whether or not you use a sheet pan or muffin tin. I baked mine for 30 minutes at 350.

Flag Cake

Barefoot Contessa Family Stlye (Ina Garten)

Serves 20-24

For the Cake

18 tablespoons (2 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
3 cups sugar
6 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1 cup sour cream at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 cups flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

For the Frosting
1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/2 pounds cream cheese at room temperature
1 pound confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter and flour an 18 by 13 by 1 1/2-inch sheet pan.

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed, until light and fluffy. On medium speed, add the eggs, 2 at a time, then add the sour cream and vanilla. Scrape down the sides and stir until smooth.

Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda in a bowl. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture until just combined. Pour into the prepared pan.

Smooth the top with a spatula. Bake in the center of the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool to room temperature.

For the icing, combine the butter, cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mixing just until smooth.

The Art of Giving

One of my favorite hobbies is giving gifts. Therefore, food + gifts = me so happy. The first gift basket I made was for my grandpa's birthday. I made all of his favorites and presented it to him at his birthday party.

I just got a basket at the craft store, one that can stay open on it's own for presentation. I got some blue ribbon (grandpa's favorite color) to decorate the basket and to tie the treat bags. The next step is to get some sort of filling, also found in your craft store. Some sort of straw is nice: nothing heavy, but sturdy enough that food won't sink too far down. If it's a little messy (as mine was), I recommend a piece of wax paper at the bottom of the basket to keep it from falling through the wicker.

Onto the food. Some sort of pound cake or bread (banana bread, say) is nice to "ground" the basket. Just wrap in plastic wrap and pop into the center of the basket. I like symmetry, so I put flowers on each side along with peanut butter cookies in two treat bags. Next came the truffles, in a decorative bag, a jar of peanut butter, and finally, homemade strawberry jam in the center.


A basket can be made for any occasion and as simple or elaborate as you (or the recipient) desire. Craft stores have all sorts of packaging options for a fair price and can really spruce up a basket, if you will. Not to mention their lovely assortment of faux flowers, if you don't have fresh available. Next time you get stuck for a gift idea: try your hand at a basket. Or give me a ring and I'll whip one up for you!

Cranniversary

One of my oldest friends was kind enough to support my business and buy a cranberry walnut bread for her parents' anniversary. Of course, as a friend, she got the friends and family discount. I did this even though she requested cranberries (!) in the off off season. Lucky for her, I saved almost a whole bag in my freezer at Christmastime. I didn't taste it but they finished it off within a couple days. Goodness!

I think there are some changes I would make to this recipe, but I'll give to you as is, straight from the Ocean Spray Test Kitchen. I think a spot of vanilla and cinnamon would have been a nice touch, and this one didn't have either, but I stuck to my rule of making the recipe as written the first time. It calls for 3/4 cup of orange juice and I used fresh squeezed, not OJ from the carton. The recipe does not specify what type of nuts, but I used walnuts as requested. They add a nice flavor and a little crunch. Another nice thing about this recipe is that you really don't need to get out the mixer. It's simple enough that you can just mix it in a large bowl by hand if you want. A word of advice? It's much easier to chop the cranberries if they're frozen.

Cranberry Walnut Bread
Ocean Spray
Serves 8

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons shortening
2 eggs
3/4 cups orange juice
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 1/2 cups cranberries, chopped
1/2 cup nuts

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a medium mixing bowl. Stir in orange juice, orange peel, shortening and egg. Mix until well blended. Stir in cranberries and nuts. Spread evenly in loaf pan. Bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely. Wrap and store overnight.

'Tis the Season

For strawberry rhubarb! Here in Maryland, we're getting the freshest of fresh strawberries so they must be put to good use. We (belatedly) celebrated Daddy's birthday and he requested "anything rhubarb." This came about because Cousin made strawberry rhubarb pie for my aunt recently. My family is very susceptible to peer pressure . . . so I did up a little crostata. It was a hit, in case you had any doubt. For once there were no leftovers. 

If you don't feel like going to all the effort of a pie or tart crust, go for the crostata base. It's very easy to make, and you can make it ahead. All you have to do is toss everything into the food processor and give it a whirl. I added some blueberries into the fruit mix, but of course you can really choose any fruit combination you like. Not to mention, I don't think a hint of cinnamon or nutmeg, or ginger would hurt anyone. 

Strawberry and Rhubarb Crostata

Stonewall Kitchen Cookbook

Serves 6

For the Dough

2 cups all-purpose flour plus extra for rolling out the dough

3 tablespoons sugar

Pinch of salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2) sticks unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes

About 1/2 cup ice cold water

For the Filling

3 1/2 cups fresh strawberries (about 1 pound), cut into thick slices

1 cup chopped rhubarb

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar (amount will vary based on sweetness of fruit)

1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

For the Vanilla Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy (whipping) cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons sugar

To Prepare the Dough

In the bowl of a food processor, whirl the flour, sugar, and salt until combined. Add the butter and pulse the mixture about 15 times, until the butter resembles small peas. With the motor on, add enough ice water until the dough just begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl and comes together. Don't worry if it still looks crumbly. 

Pour the dough onto a large sheet of aluminum foil and close the foil up to create a ball with the dough. Refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.

To Prepare the Filling

In a large bowl, mix the berries, rhubarb, brown sugar, flour, and orange juice and stir well to make sure the fruit is thoroughly coated. Let marinate, stirring once or twice, while you roll out the dough.

Place a wrack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 450 degrees. 

Unwrap the dough. Working on a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to a circle about 12 to 14 inches in diameter. Place the circle on a large, ungreased cookie sheet. Using a slotted spoon, place the fruit into the center of the dough, leaving a border of about 2 inches. Pour any accumulated fruit juices from the bottom of the bowl over the fruit. Drape the edges f the dough over the filling and press down lightly to crimp them. The dough won't cover the filling completely; you should have a fair amount of exposed fruit in the center. (The crostata can be made several hours ahead of time; cover and refrigerate until ready to bake.) Bake for 20 to 25 minutes (or about 28 minutes if the crostata was refrigerated), or until the dough is a light golden brown, the fruit in the center looks soft, and the juices are bubbling. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 5 minutes.

To Prepare the Cream

In an electric mixer, whip the cream on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 5 minutes. Add the sugar and vanilla and whip until the cream holds its shape.

Transfer the crostata to a large serving plate and serve warm or at room temperature, with the whipped cream on the side. 

We Be Jammin'

A couple weeks ago I decided to try my hand at strawberry jam. My parents had a couple fancy jam jars from Christmas, so I wanted to put them to good use. In the future I'll be using Mason jars, which aren't as decorative, but just as useful. In these airtight jars, the jam should last a while; in a regular container it should keep about 2 weeks.

This task took less than an hour start to finish, none of this overnight business. Someone like me would get too nervous about burning down the house. Nono, this recipe cooks for about 30 minutes give or take. Make sure you use a heavy-duty pot though. Not to mention a stove with evenly distributed heat. I'm sure Le Creuset is the best, but some of us haven't made our fortunes yet so we use the grandmother's old (but darling) pot.

I won't lecture you about pectin, but I'll just let you know that's why the apple is in there. For the curious among you, you can look it up. Or not that I've learned how to read the "comments" you can leave one and I'll answer you.

Easy Strawberry Jam
Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics (Ina Garten)
Makes 3 cups

3 pints fresh strawberries
3 cups superfine sugar
2 tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur (recommended: Grand Marnier)
1/2 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and small-diced
1/2 cup fresh blueberries

Place the strawberries in a colander and rinse them under cold running water. Drain and hull the strawberries. Cut the larger berries in half or quarters and leave the small berries whole. Place the strawberries in a deep, heavy-bottomed pot such as heavy Dutch oven and toss them with the sugar and orange-flavored liqueur.

Bring the berry mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. Add the apple and blueberries and continue to keep the mixture at a rolling boil, stirring occasionally, until the jam reaches 220 degrees on a candy thermometer. This should take 25 to 35 minutes. Skim and discard any foam that rises to the top. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature and then store covered in the refrigerator. It will keep refrigerated for at least 2 weeks. To keep the jam longer, pack and seal in canning jars according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Rice is Nice

This is a nice little summer "salad" and can be made somewhat healthy if you want. Say, if you don't use cheese, or use low fat cheese. The original recipe doesn't use cheese; I used feta, but mozzarella would be good too I think. Also, I used a block of feta and cut it into a chunks instead of using the crumbles. It's a bit more fresh and looks prettier that way. 

I served this on Mother's Day and now Ma wants it on her birthday too. I'm sure it will be even better after the tomatoes sprout in the garden and we don't have to buy them. I used home-grown basil in this and once the tomatoes come up this salad will actually be rather cheap to whip up. Not to mention it's about the easiest thing to make. And now I will share with you the recipe.

Brown Rice Tomatoes and Basil

Barefoot Contessa Family Style (Ina Garten)

Serves 6

1 cup Texmati brown rice

2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

1/4 cup champagne or rice wine vinegar

2 teaspoons sugar

1 tablespoon good olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

1 pound ripe tomatoes, large-diced

1 cup chopped basil leaves, chopped

Bring 2 1/4 cups water to a boil and add the rice and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Return to a boil, cover, and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, until the rice is tender and all the water is absorbed. Transfer the rice to a bowl.

Whisk together the vinegar, sugar, olive oil, remaining teaspoon of salt, and a pinch of pepper. Pour over the rice. Add the tomatoes and basil. Mix well and check the seasonings. Serve at room temperature.

*To make a day in advance omit the basil. Add the basil just before serving. 

 

Tea Time

Not to be confused with the football players' tee time. However, this is iced tea, so maybe they'll enjoy it at the driving range. Who knows. Anywho, iced tea can be a spot dull . . . just plain old Lipton tea bags with water and sugar. Maybe some lemon for the adventurous ones. Meh. But, leave it to Ina, to "turn up the volume" and make it a bit more exotic. She uses lemon zinger and red zinger, but honestly you could probably use whatever kind of zinger you want. The apple juice (the Martinelli's is not product placement - it really does make a difference here) sweetens it so you don't need to dump in the sugar, Splenda, Stevia or whatever else you use to make it go down easy.

I served this on Mother's Day to complement the top shelf weather at cocktail hour. I put a couple lemon slices in the tea itself and one on the pitcher's rim for garnish. So, Ma could have her iced tea and cheese, crackers, and olives. I frequent the olive bar at Whole Foods and another local store and find these olives to be far superior to those things in a jar. While not as elaborate as many of my cocktail hours, the olives, served along side brie, gouda, and "entertaining crackers" created a nice little cocktail hour.

Herbal Iced Tea

Barefoot Contessa Family Style (Ina Garten)

Serves 6-8

4 Celestial Seasonings Lemon Zinger tea bags
4 Celestial Seasonings Red Zinger tea bags
4 cups pure apple juice

Steep the 8 tea bags in 4 cups of boiling water for about 10 minutes. Discard the tea bags. Combine the tea with the apple juice and refrigerate until cold. Serve over ice.

Strawberry Sunday

For Serving Up Sarah's first sale, I made a strawberry cheesecake with fresh strawberries and strawberry jelly as the topping:

The topping takes about 5 minutes to make, depending on how fast you can slice your strawberries. You can make this with pretty much any berry you choose, but since strawberries are so big I recommend at least cutting them into halves, if not thirds. This would also go well on ice cream or regular cake I'm sure.

When you heat the jelly in the pan, make sure you take it off the heat before it turns to liquid; you want a thick liquid not something watery. Basically, you want to heat it just until the jelly is smooth (i.e. no more lumpies).

Strawberry Topping

1 pound fresh strawberries, rinsed and cut into halves or thirds

1 cup strawberry jelly (not jam)

Heat jelly over medium heat until smooth. Off the heat, combine with strawberries. Top cooled cheesecake and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Birthday Weekend

But not mine. Sister's and Aunt's. Sister went wine tasting and didn't get a dessert though. Aunt stayed in town and got herself yellow cake with chocolate frosting (upon request). This is a half sheet cake (12x18) so it serves a ton. You can use the cake and frosting recipes for a smaller cake or cupcakes. The sour cream in the cake makes keeps it from drying out in the oven and there's a spot of butter in that frosting. I've made this cake once before (also for a birthday) and decorated it with M&Ms. You could easily decorate this with just about anything from candy to fruit.

I serve this one right out of the pan, but if you decide to transfer it, just grease and flour parchment paper before pouring the batter into the pan. And of course, lest you forget, let the cake cool completely before you frost it. I like to cover it overnight and frost it the next day. A couple additions that will most likely work well: lemon or orange zest in the cake and/or some vanilla bean to either the frosting or the cake.

Sheet Cake
Barefoot Contessa Family Style (Ina Garten)
Serves 20-24

Cake
18 tablespoons (2 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 cups sugar
6 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
8 ounces (about 1 cup) sour cream, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 lemon, zested
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

Frosting
24 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

For the Cake

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 12 by 18 by 1 1/2-inch sheet pan.

To make the cake, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. On medium speed, add the eggs, 2 at a time, then the sour cream, vanilla, and lemon zest, scraping down the bowl as needed. Mix well. Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir just until smooth. Finish mixing by hand to be sure the batter is well mixed. Pour evenly into the pan, smooth the top with a spatula, and bake in the center of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan to room temperature.

For the Frosting

For the frosting, place the chocolate chips and heavy cream in a bowl set over a pot of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until the chips are completely melted. Off the heat, add the corn syrup and vanilla and allow the chocolate mixture to cool to room temperature. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the chocolate mixture and softened butter on medium speed for a few minutes, until it's thickened.

Spread the frosting evenly on the cake.

PB&C

Peanut Butter and Chocolate that is. You might consider this to be the cupcake version of a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. I don't know. I made them this past weekend for a friend who came to town. She immediately took one, removed the bottom, placed it on top and had herself a cupcake sandwich. Her mom apparently snuck one or two for herself - I guess they're just that good. Meanwhile, Sister, a little more traditional, got herself 4 from the batch and ate them as they were.

This recipe made 16 rather large cupcakes; next time I'll probably make a bit more icing to stretch for all 16. As always, leave that butter out over night to bring it to room temperature. It really does make all the difference. Also use the highly emulsified, processed peanut butter (like Jif or Skippy), not that natural stuff. If you want a nice decorative touch, you can chop up some peanuts and put them on top. It looks pretty and everyone will know it's peanut butter icing.

Chocolate Cupcakes and Peanut Butter Icing
Barefoot Contessa at Home (Ina Garten)
14-16 Cupcakes

Cupcakes
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 extra-large eggs at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk, shaken, at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
2 tablespoons brewed coffee
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup good cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and 2 sugars on high speed until light and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes. Lower the speed to medium, at the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla and mix well. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream, and coffee. In another bowl. sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. On low speed, add the buttermilk mixture and the flour mixture alternately in thirds to the mixer bowl, beginning with the buttermilk mixture and ending with the flour mixture. Mix only until blended. Fold the batter with a rubber spatula to be sure it's completely blended.

Divide the batter among the cupcake pans (one rounded standard ice cream scoop per cup is the right amount). Bake in the middle of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, remove from pans, and allow to cool completely before frosting.

Kathleen's Peanut Butter Icing

1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup heavy cream

Place the confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until creamy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as you work. Add the cream and beat on high until the mixture is light and smooth.

Serving Up Sedar

I had to help out the Poppers, so I made Passover dinner last week, letting my Jewish side shine through. Admittedly, I did pull a bit of a Sandra Lee and use box mixes (upon his request). That probably won't happen again so let's move on from that quickly, shall we?

I did whip up a "perfect" roast chicken a la Ina, although in my recipe search I found that everyone claims their roast chicken is perfect. Not so interestingly, these recipes are all very similar. I will say with a long-cooking recipe like this, you will want to check your oven temperature with an actual thermometer to make sure you have it right. You never know when onions might become "deeply carmelized" as my dad calls it; however, the onions get discarded when you make the gravy, so even some extra carmelization won't kill you.

Another perk of the roast chicken? Chicken salad! I had to make lunch for five on short notice so thank heavens we had a bit of leftover. Just toss it with some mayo, mustard, and lemon juice. Ok and salt and pepper. And some cherry tomatoes if you have them.

I'll just end by letting you know that this truly is the best roast chicken. By all accounts.

Perfect Roast Chicken

Barefoot Contessa Cookbook (Ina Garten)

Serves 3 to 4

1 (5 to 6 pound) roasting chicken

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 large bunch fresh thyme (I tied it together with kitchen string)

1 lemon, halved

1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 Spanish onion, thickly sliced

1 cup chicken broth

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pinfeathers and pat the outside dry. Place the chicken in a large roasting pan. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken.

Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, both halves of the lemon, and all the garlic. Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Scatter the onion slices around the chicken.*

Roast the chicken for 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh.

Remove to a platter and cover with aluminum foil while you prepare the gravy.

Remove all fat from the bottom of the pan, reserving 2 tablespoons in a small cup. Add the chicken stock to the pan and cook in high heat for about 5 minutes, until reduced, scraping the bottom of the pan.

Combine the 2 tablespoons of chicken fat with the flour and add to the pan. Boil for a few minutes to cook the flour. Strain the gravy in a small saucepan and season it to taste.** Keep it warm over a very low flame while you carve the chicken.

Slice the chicken onto a platter and serve immediately with warm gravy.

*If you want to roast vegetables with the chicken, place 8 whole new red potatoes and 4 carrots, cut diagonally into quarters, and add them with the onions. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables for roasting.

**If you find the sauce too thick to strain simply add more broth or even plain water, while it is still over the heat. After you reach the desired consistency, strain the gravy into a saucepan.

Daddy's Dinner

Having done lunch for Mama, next came dinner for the Poppers: steak sandwiches, baked "chips," and a mache salad.

The recipe calls for searing the meat in olive oil, but we grilled instead. If you to decide to grill the steak, I suggest adding some of the steak juice to the onions for cooking; the original method cooks the onions in the steak pan while the steak is resting. I also used ciabatta because the store didn't have focaccia buns - I'm sure any good quality bread of your choice will do the trick.

Because there are so few ingredients in these recipes, I think it's really important to use the fresh herbs (thyme and rosemary). No, nothing bad will happen if you don't use fresh. Just a friendly suggestion. The potatoes will probably be just as good (according to Ina) if only seasoned with olive oil and garlic and no rosemary. I also sprinkled a spot of sea salt on them when I took them out of the oven.

Steak Sandwich
Ina Garten
Makes 2 sandwiches

1 (12-ounce) 1-inch thick New York strip boneless beef top loin steak (grass fed if available)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
2 small yellow onions, sliced in rings
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 recipe Mustard Mayo, recipe follows
2 mini focaccia buns, sliced in half
1/2 cup baby arugula

Season the steak liberally with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium satue pan over high heat until it's almost smoking, then sear the steak on each side for 1 minute. Reduce the heat to low and cook the steak for about 7 to 10 minutes, turning once, until very rare in the middle. Remove to a plate, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Slice the steak into strips.

Using the same saute pan, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and thme and saute for 10 minutes, until the onions are brown and caramelized, stirring occasionally.

To assemble the sandwiches, spread a tablespoon of Mustard Mayo on the bottom half of each bun. Place a layer of the steak on top of the mayo, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and top with the caramelized onion rings. Place the baby arugula on top of the onion rings, and cover the sandwiches with the top half of the buns.

Mustard Mayo
Ina Garten
Yield: 1 cup

3/4 cup good mayonnaise (such as Hellmans)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
2 tablespoons sour cream
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Whisk the ingredients together in a small bowl. Serve at room temperature.

Baked "Chips"
Barefoot Contessa: Family Style (Ina Garten)
Serves 2

2 large baking potatoes, unpeeled
2 tablespoons good olive oil
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Scrub the potatoes, cut them in half lengthwise, then cut each half in thirds lengthwise. You'll have six long wedges from each potato. Place the potatoes on a sheet pan with the olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, and rosemary. With clean hands, toss all the ingredients together, making sure the potatoes are covered with oil. Spread the potatoes in a single layer with 1 cut side down.

Bake the potatoes for 30 to 35 minutes, turning to the other cut side after 20 minutes. Bake until they are slightly browned, crisp outside, and tender inside. Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately.

Mache Salad

Mache
Olive oil
Tarragon vinegar
Salt
Freshly ground pepper

Place mache in a serving bowl and drizzle with olive oil and vinegar. Season generously with salt and pepper; toss well.

If making ahead, place dressing at the bottom of the bowl before adding mache. Toss when ready to serve.

Making Martha

Say what you will about Martha Stewart, but she does know her way around the kitchen. I mean, you can't hate anyone who gives the melon baller a true purpose in life (making candlesticks out of mini pumpkins) TOO much. Plus, she had Snoop Dogg on her show. And real dogs. So stop sipping on that haterade and move on.

I'm going to share with you two recipes that are probably meant for fall, but taste good any time of year. In fact, I just made the oatmeal cranberry cookies yesterday and they were a hit. The pumpkin cupcakes I made for Halloween; also a hit. I made them with the intention of having them as muffins and didn't frost them. Martha swears they would be delicious with a cream cheese frosting and she's probably right. I just haven't tried that yet. A word of wisdom: with the modern world of spices, you can substitute pumpkin pie spice for all the spices and then add the allspice.

As for the cookies, I don't see why you can't substitute raisins (or any other dried fruit) for the craisins and have yourself a batch of oatmeal raisin cookies instead.

Pumpkin Cupcakes

Martha Stewart Living

Makes 18 cupcakes

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, and eggs. Add dry ingredients and whisk until smooth. Whisk in pumpkin puree.

Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each about halfway. Bake until tops spring back when touched, and cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pans once if needed. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.

Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies

Martha Stewart Living

Makes 36 cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon table salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

3 tablespoons milk

2 large eggs

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

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3 cups old-fashioned oats

1 cup dried cranberries

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together vanilla, milk, and eggs. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter with both sugars and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low, gradually add milk mixture, and beat well. Add the flour mixture and beat until just combined. Remove bowl from the electric mixer and stir in the oats and cranberries. Place dough in refrigerator until firm, at least 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Shape 2 tablespoons of dough into a ball and set aside. Repeat with the remaining dough, placing 3 inches apart. Press with the bottom of a glass to flatten dough into 2-inch-diameter rounds.

Bake until golden, but still soft in the middle, 16-18 minutes, rotating halfway through. Remove from oven; transfer with parchment paper to a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Lunch for Mama

Sometimes my ma decides to spruce up the house a bit. This spring, she took to the living room floor: taking up the carpet (to be replaced with one from her darling daughters), sanding the floor, and staining it. Rather than involve myself in this (somewhat smelly) project I decided to make lunch instead. I stumbled upon a recipe (Roasted Pears with Blue Cheese involving all of Mama's favorites for when she took a break.

The recipe as written is meant as a side dish; when you use a whole pear person, rather than a half, it makes a nice sized lunch. I imagine it would also make a nice a side salad served with steak for dinner.

To be fair, I have to warn you this is a bit pricey to make. Especially if you do your shopping at Whole Foods. But no price is too large for Mama! However, if you want to save a few dollars, you could easily substitute the Stilton for a less costly bleu cheese.

Roasted Pears with Blue Cheese

Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics (Ina Garten)

Serves 6 (or 3 if using 1 pear per person)

3 ripe but firm Anjou pears

Freshly squeezed lemon juice (3 lemons)

3 ounces coarsely crumbled sharp blue cheese such as Stilton

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup walnut halves toasted and chopped (see note)

1/2 cup apple cider

3 tablespoons port

1/3 cup light sugar, lightly packed

1/4 cup good olive oil

6 ounces baby arugula

Kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Peel the pears and slice them lengthwise into halves. With a small, sharp parking knife and a melon baller, remove the core and seeds from each pear, leaving a round well for the filling. Trim a small slice away from the rounded sides of each pear half so that they will sit in the baking dish without wobbling. Toss the pears with lemon juice to prevent them from turning brown. Arrange them, core side up, in a baking dish large enough to hold the pears snuggly.

Gently toss the crumbled blue cheese, dried cranberries, and walnuts together in a small bowl. Divide the mixture among the pears, mounding it on top of the indentation.

In the same bowl, combine the apple cider, port, and brown sugar, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Pour the mixture over and around the pears. Bake the pears, basting occasionally with the cider mixture, for 30 minutes, or until tender. Set aside until warm or at room temperature.

Just before serving, whisk together the olive oil, 1/4 cup lemon juice, and 1/4 cup of the basting liquid in a large bowl. Add the arugula and toss well. Divide the arugula among 6 (or 3) plates and top each with a pear half (or two). Drizzle each pear with the some of the basting liquid, sprinkle with salt, and serve.

*Note: Toast walnuts in a dry saute pan over medium-low heat for 4 to 5 minutes, tossing frequently, until lightly browned.

. . . with a Cherry on Top

Oops I went MIA for a bit. Then a certain someone, who probably felt he hadn't had gotten any train treats in a while, reminded me I hadn't posted any recipes . . . he knows who he is. He also received his treats this morning.

In my family we have a habit of celebrating birthdays a bit late. We're often lucky if we have the party in the same month as the actual birthday. This time we made it by a day and did Uncle's birthday on Feb 28. When it comes to desserts, Uncle has 2 simple requests: cherries and chocolate. This year he got to have both, making for a rather decadent after dinner surprise.

First there was the cherry cheesecake (adapted from Ina Garten's raspberry cheesecake recipe), which gave me an excellent excuse to scurry over to Bed Bath & Beyond and pick up a springform pan to add to my kitchen collection. Then the white chocolate truffles (also Ina) giving me the perfect opportunity to use my new set of glass bowls.

Not to brag or anything, but both came out looking just like the ones in Ina's photos! Before you feel badly about yourself thinking your food never comes out so picture perfect, you can take solace in the fact that my first batch of truffles ended up in the trash on account of bad taste AND appearance. The cheesecake came out rather close to perfect (it didn't even crack on top) and has a nice butter-graham cracker crust. And I love me some graham cracker crust!

Cherry Cheesecake
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa Family Style (Ina Garten)
Serves 12-15

For the Crust
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (10 crackers)
1 tablespoon sugar
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted

For the Filling
2 1/2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
5 whole extra-large eggs, at room temperature
2 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the Topping
1 large jar pitted dark cherries in light syrup (best found at Trader Joe's)
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons corn starch
Note: if you use fresh cherries (about 2 cups worth) increase to 1/2 cup water and 1/2 sugar.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Crust
To make the crust, combine the graham crackers, sugar, and melted butter until moistened. Pour into a 9-inch springform pan. With your hands, press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan and about 1 inch up the sides. Bake for 8 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

Filling
Raise the oven temperature to 450 degrees.

To make the filling, cream the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Reduce the speed of the mixer to medium and add the eggs and egg yolks, 2 at a time, mixing well. Scrape down the bowl and beater, as necessary. With the mixer on low, add the sour cream, lemon zest, and vanilla. Mix thoroughly and pour into the cooled crust.

Bake for 15 minutes. Turn the oven temperature to 225 degrees and bake for another 1 hour and 15 minutes. Turn the oven off and open the door wide. The cake will not be completely set in the center. Allow the cake to sit in the oven with the door open for 30 minutes. Take the cake out of the oven and allow it to sit at room temperature for another 2 to 3 hours, until completely cooled. Wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Topping
To make the topping, drain the majority of the syrup from the cherries. Add the water and cherries to a saucepan and heat over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Mix in sugar and corn starch and continue to cook until syrup is thickened. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.

Arrange the cherries on top of the cake and refrigerate until ready to serve. Leave the cake on the bottom of the springform pan for serving.

White Truffles
Ina Garten
Makes 15-20 truffles

2 tablespoons heavy cream
7 ounces good white chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons Irish cream liqueur (recommended: Baileys)
1/2 teaspoon good vanilla extract
6 ounces bittersweet or dark chocolate, chopped (I used chips)

Place the cream in a heat-proof bowl, and set the bowl over a pan of simmering water. Cook until heated through. Using a wire whisk, slowly stir the white chocolate into the warm cream until completely melted. Whisk in the liqueur and vanilla. Cover and chill about 1 hour or until pliable but firm enough to scoop.

With 2 teaspoons or a 1 1/4-inch ice cream scoop, make dollops of the chocolate mixture and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate for about 15 minutes, until firm enough to roll into rough spheres.

Melt the bittersweet chocolate in a heat-proof bowl, set over a pan of simmering water.

Drizzle the melted bittersweet chocolate over the truffles. (I just used a spoon and let the melted chocolate drip from the bottom) Chill until ready to serve.

Barefoot and in the Kitchen

Yes, yes it's been a while. But here I am, back again. I've been so busy in the kitchen I haven't had time to post the latest recipes. Today's post is of course brought to you by Ina Garten aka Barefoot Contessa.

I've used these recipes multiple times, but most recently was for the Superbowl. For the shortbread hearts (I also did stars!) I like to dip half of them in my chocolate ganache. It provides a little visual variety on the plate, not to mention it pleases the chocolate lover in all of us. The other nice thing about the hearts and the linzer cookies is they have the same shortbread base, which has VERY few ingredients. The difference comes when you cut out the shapes. If you choose to arrange them on a plate together, you have 3 different cookies with a consistent "theme," but not too boring to look at.

As a last note: take the butter out of the refrigerator AT LEAST two hours before using; don't be afraid to leave it out over night.

Shortbread Hearts

Barefoot Contessa Cookbook (Ina Garten)

3/4 pound unsalted butter (3 sticks), at room temperature

1 cup sugar (plus extra for sprinkling)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the butter and 1 cup of sugar until they are just combined. Add the vanilla. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt, then add them to the butter-and-sugar mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a surface dusted with flour and shape into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.

Roll the dough 1/2-inch thick and cut with a 3-inch heart-shaped cutter. Place the hearts on an ungreased baking sheet and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Linzer Cookies

Barefoot Contessa Cookbook (Ina Garten)

3/4 cup good raspberry preserves

Confectioners' suger for dusting

Follow directions for shortbread hearts until you take the dough out of the refrigerator.

Roll the dough 1/4-inch thick and cut 2 3/4-inch rounds with a plain or fluted cutter. With half of the rounds, cut a circle out of the middle with a 1-inch cutter. Place all the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet and chill for 15 minutes.

Bake the cookies for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. Allow to cool to room temperature. Spread raspberry preserves on the flat side of each solid cookie. Dust the top of the cut-out cookies with confectioners' sugar and press the flat sides together, with the raspberry preserves in the middle and the confectioners' sugar on the top.

*Once you cut out the shortbread you can store them in the refrigerator for up to a week or even freeze them for longer if you need.

Mustard Mayhem

Since it's finally feeling like winter in the Baltimore/Washington Metropolitan area (sort of, anyway), I've been trying to do some things in the oven. And not just desserts this time! Now that the holidays are over I can get back to actual meals rather than just cakes, cookies and scones.

Last night I decided to whip out Barefoot Contessa's "Back to Basics," her latest cookbook. As it was a weeknight and my back is 75 years old, I decided to try one of her simpler concoctions: Mustard Roasted Fish. She calls for creme fraiche, which I didn't have so I used Greek yogurt instead; this worked JUST fine.

Tonight I'm hoping to have time to make Ina's mustard roasted potatoes, from "Barefoot Contessa at Home." I almost convinced my dad to make these on Christmas, but he changed his mind at the last second, so I haven't tried these yet. But I don't see how I can go wrong with them.

I worried that making these two items together might result in a little mustard overload, but it is convenient to have two dishes use the same oven temperature as well as many of the same ingredients.

I also feel the need to note that Ina is VERY specific in her new cookbook about the importance of the correct salt in recipes; when she says kosher she MEANS kosher.



Mustard Roasted Fish
Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics
Ina Garten



4 8-ounce fish fillets such as red snapper
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces creme fraiche
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon whole-grain Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1-2 teaspoons dried capers

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper, or prepare a baking dish. Place the fish skin side down on the baking sheet and season both sides with salt and pepper.

Combine the crème fraîche, two mustards, shallots, capers, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl.

Spoon the sauce evenly over the fish fillets, making sure the fish is completely covered. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish, until it's barely done. (The fish will flake easily at the thickest part when it's done.) Be sure not to overcook it! Serve hot or at room temperature with the sauce from the pan spooned over the top.

Mustard Roasted Potatoes
Barefoot Contessa at Home
Ina Garten

2.5 pounds small red potatoes
2 yellow onions
3 tablespoons good olive oil
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard kosher salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Cut potatoes into halves or quarters, depending on their size, and place them on a sheet pan. Cut onions into half-rounds and toss with potatoes on sheet pan. Add olive oil, mustard, 2 teaspoons of kosher salt and pepper, and toss everything together.

Bake 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until potatoes are lightly browned. Toss from time to time during baking so they brown evenly. Sprinkle hot potatoes with parsley and more salt to taste, and serve.