Farmers Market to Table

After reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver the family has been very excited about growing and making our own food items. Obviously, we are not perfect, but we do make our effort. Not only is it ecologically responsible and what not, but it's fun. Not to mention, often times cheaper. I gave Ma a cheesemaking kit from New England Cheesemaking for Mother's Day. So, when Sister came home last weekend we made cheese! We got our milk straight from South Mountain Dairy at the Baltimore Farmers Market and made our very own pizza with it that night. It took less than an hour to make a pound of mozzarella!

While my dad took care of composing the pizzas, I composed a salad. Now, not everything was from the market, and the dressing wasn't even homemade. But I just made some cheese, so I get some liberties here. The point is, this could be made entirely from the market if you go on the right day.

Obviously for a salad, the quantities are left to individual tastes. I, of course, go heavy on the cheese. The lettuce is from the market and it's a mix. Next time, it will probably come right from the garden!

Since it's getting close to summer and the salad had fruit in it, I went with Annie's Mango Dressing. I believe a cider or basalmic vinegar type dressing would be excellent as well.

Pear & Cheddar Salad

Lettuce (I used a mix of red leaf bibb and romaine)

Bosc Pears, diced

English Cheddar Cheese, diced

Tomato, seeded and diced

Cucumber, diced

A Tardy Tart

It seems I've not been on here in quite some time . . . I also made today's feature recipe almost a month ago, so I'm a bit tardy in reporting on it. But I would like to share with you a most delicious tart, found in the Boston Globe last November. It's not dreadfully hard to make, but it does require some patience. As with any tart, ingredient temperature is important - make sure that butter is at room temperature! I used Bosc Pears because those are my favorite. They also don't fall apart during baking. I also found that the pears I bought were big enough that I only really needed two. It's never tragic to have leftover pears though.

Another secret? I added a splash of pear brandy to the frangipane.

**You can make the tart shell and fill it with the frangipane the day before and refrigerate this overnight. I wish I had known that when I was making it!

Pear Frangipane Tart
Serves 8

CRUST

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1 1/2 cups flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
Extra flour (for sprinkling)


1. Have on hand a 9-inch tart pan with removable base.

2. In an electric mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk, cream the butter and sugar until soft and light. Add the yolk, and when the mixture is smooth, beat in the cream. With a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the flour and salt. Mix until the dough forms large moist clumps (it should not form a ball). Turn them out onto a lightly floured counter. Shape the dough into a flat disk and wrap in foil. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

3. On a lightly floured counter, roll the dough to a 10-inch round. Lift the pastry onto the rolling pin and lay on the tart pan. Ease the dough into the pan, pressing it firmly into the edges. Roll the pin over the top to cut off excess dough. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

FRANGIPANE

4 tablespoons ( 1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup ground almonds
1 tablespoon flour
Pinch of salt
1. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until soft and light. Add the egg and mix well. With a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl.

2. Beat in the almonds, flour, and salt.

FILLING

4 ripe Bosc pears, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons apricot jam
1 teaspoon water
1. Set the oven at 375 degrees. Using an offset or rubber spatula, spread the frangipane evenly in the pastry.

2. Arrange the pear slices overlapping, pointing the narrow ends toward the center and pressing the slices lightly into the frangipane.

3. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, rotating from front to back halfway through baking. The filling will be firm and golden; if the crust is browning too quickly during baking, cover the edges with foil.

4. Remove the tart from the oven, and place it on a wire rack.

5. In a small saucepan, combine apricot jam and water. Stir over high heat for 1 to 2 minutes or until the jam loosens. With a pastry brush, brush the top of the tart with the glaze.

6. Cool the tart completely. Set it on a bowl so the rim falls off. Cut into wedges.

Times Table

This post is going to feature recipes from the Times that I put on my table. The last week has left me with little to do but cook because of . . . snow! Last night I made myself some white bean burgers, which were rather good. I'm not sure I would eat them on a regular basis, but they are a nice change of pace. They were also more sastisfying than I expected. I topped mine with some mustard and tomato . . . some cheese probably would have been a good addition. Cheese makes everything better! I give these 3 stars.

Next we move on to breakfast for dinner. This was a mushroom omelet with chives. I didn't have any gruyere (sadly), so I used mozzarella. It was still very good, but the gruyere certainly would have given it that little burst of exoticism. It was also rather filling for a snowy dinner. You could easily add any herbs you like to this. It only calls for chives and parsley, but what doesn't go with mushrooms and cheese?! 4 stars for this one.

Now, the omelet won't use up your whole box of mushrooms, so you can use the rest (as I did) for oven-steamed salmon with pan-cooked mushrooms. I wasn't overly excited by this before I made it . . . but it was easy, I had all the ingredients and I do have a special affinity for mushrooms. Needless, to say I was pleasantly surprised and would certainly make this again. I like roasted tomatoes with my salmon, so next time I plan to put some cherry tomatoes in the pan while the salmon is steaming in the oven. 4.5 stars.

Lastly we move on to my personal favorite: leek bread pudding. I found this to be a rather original creation. It's similar to stuffing and could easily be used as a snazzy substitute. I make homemade brioche in advance for this bread pudding and you can use the leftover chives from your omelet too! I also adapted this recipe into a mac & cheese, using cheddar, emmenthaler, and gruyere cheeses. Definite 5 stars for this savory treat.

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.