Saturday, September 30, 2006

Where oh where are the recipes? I know, I know recipe blog and all. I've been so busy I never manage to get one typed up. But I have a few days off so I promise there will be some.

With my birthday coming I am reminded of how special birthday dinners were when I was a little girl. Every year my grandmother would make me lasagne, my favorite, and have a salad with lots of ranch dressing. The cake was always a Carvel ice cream cake. I waited all year for the meal and I remember it always being perfect. Just being with her, in her kitchen with what I felt was the most perfect food was the gift that I wanted. A warm and loving kitchen filled with the smells of browning ground beef and onions and tomato sauce.

I always felt at home in her kitchen. I think it's why mine is so important to me these days. All my happiest memories revolve around food.

Friday, September 29, 2006

1st Birthday Gift


1st Birthday Gift
Originally uploaded by paintedbooklady.
What would a food blog be without some chocolate. I didn't make it but I sure wish I could. It's got to be the most amazing chocolate out there. The truffles are wonderful and you should try them one day if you get the chance. I'm really looking forward to sampling the Connoisseur Collection. I love wild chocolate and this one certainly suppiles that.

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Fudge-filled chocolate chip cookies


Guard Bear
Originally uploaded by paintedbooklady.
Cookies

2C unbleached all purpose flour
2C packed light brown sugar
1tsp baking soda
1/2C(1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 large egg
1tsp vanilla extract
1C sour cream
2TBS whole milk
1 1/2C(9 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Place rack in middle of oven and preheat to 325 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and butter.

In electric mixer on low speed mix flour, sugar, and baking soda to blend. Add butter and mix until butter pieces are size of peas, about 2 minutes. Stop mixer and scrape sides. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Batter will look dry. Mix in sour cream and milk until batter looks moistened, there will probably still be lumps of butter. Mix in chocolate chips.

Drop heaping tablespoons onto prepared cookie sheet at least 2 and a half inches apart. Bake one sheet at a time until tops are still soft but firm, edges are lightly browned and crisp. You want a toothpick stuck in center to come out clean, it's about 17 minutes.

Cool on sheet about 10 minutes the transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Filling
1/2C heavy cream
2TBS unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 1/3C(8 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips

in medium saucepan heat cream and butter over low heat until tiny bubbles form on surface and butter is melted. Remove from heat and add chocolate chips, let sit to soften for 30 seconds. Whisk filling
until smooth and chips are melted.

Pour filling into a bowl and let sit at room temp until thickened, about 45 minutes. You can also do this in the fridge if you are in a rush for about 20 minutes.

To fill the cookies turn half bottom side up. Leave a bit of a border and spread filling over bottoms. You do not want it to be runny. If it is cool a little longer. Top cookies bottom side down.

You can wrap them in plastic and store at room temp or in the fridge for about 3 days. Makes 12.

From bigfatcookies by Elinor Klivans

These cookies are amazing. They are very rich. So rich that you might not be able to finish and entire one.

The entire book is wonderful. Highly recommended.

Tuesday, September 26, 2006

This year will be the first that I host Thanksgiving. Last year I held and "un-thanksgiving" feast in honor of turkey being on sale. It wasn't a disaster but it wasn't great either. The food was awesome but the timing sucked. This year I have to remember that a turkey takes longer to cook then you think and it's hard to get all the side dishes finished at the same time.

All this month's cooking magazines are featuring recipes for Thanksgiving. I've been pouring over them and everything sounds so good that I don't know how to decide. Most of the people I will be serving are not adventurous eaters so I need to mix the traditional sweet potatoes with marshmallows with the more adventurous butternut squash soup. While I can make fresh cranberry sauce there will also have to be a gelatinous tube of goop to go alongside.

So I'm making list of everything that sounds good. Then when November hits I will narrow it down. I'm thinking about wines and candlesticks and trying to remember that I need a platter for turkey. My little sister will be helping in the kitchen. We are both voracious cooks so we should be able to turn out a yummy feast.

Now I just have to decide whether to spring for the organic free range turkey or the cheaper Butterball.

Sunday, September 24, 2006

Good stuff


Dinner 8-18
Originally uploaded by paintedbooklady.
4 medium garlic cloves, minced to paste or pressed through garlic press (1 packed tablespoon)
1 tablespoon water
Salt
1 package (16 ounces) spaghetti
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 teaspoons anchovies, minced (about 8 fillets)
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained, 1/2 cup juice reserved
3 tablespoons capers, rinsed
1/2 cup black olives (such as Gaeta, Alfonso or Kalamata), pitted and chopped coarse (see note)
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, minced

Bring 4 quarts water to rolling boil in large Dutch oven or stockpot. Meanwhile, mix garlic with 1 tablespoon water in small bowl; set aside.

When water is boiling, add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta; stir to separate pasta.

Immediately heat oil, garlic mixture, red pepper flakes and anchovies in large skillet over medium heat; cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is fragrant but not brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and simmer until slightly thickened, about 8 minutes.

Cook pasta until al dente. Drain, then return pasta to pot; add 1/4 cup reserved tomato juice (from canned tomatoes) and toss to combine.

Stir capers, olives and parsley into sauce. Pour sauce over pasta and toss to combine, adding more tomato juice to moisten if necessary. Adjust seasonings with salt; serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

The brushetta is simply italian bread topped with sun dried tomatoes and thick grated parmesan baked at 400 for a few minutes.

I wasn't sure about anchovies. They scare me a little. Really, they smell bad. But in the sauce they are amazing. It's a nice simple dish that is very filling.

You could also add a green salad and bottle of wine.

Saturday, September 23, 2006

Yum


Yum
Originally uploaded by paintedbooklady.
Corn Chowder

1C chopped onions
1TBS canola or other veggie oil
21/2C diced poatoes
1/2C diced celery
scant 1/2tsp dried dill
1/4tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
3C water or stock
1C diced red peppers
4C fresh, frozen or canned corn kernels
1TBS chopped fresh basil(optional)
2C milk
salt and ground pepper to taste

In a soup pot on medium heat, saute onions in oil for about 10 minutes, until translucent, stirring often. Add the potatoes, celery, dill, thyme, bay leaf, and water or stock. Cover and simmer gently for about 5 minutes, until the potatoes begin to soften. Add the bell peppers and corn and cook 5 minutes. Stir in basil if using. Remove and discard the bay leaf.

Ladle 2C of the soup into a blender and add milk. Whirl until smooth and return to soup pot. Add salt and pepper. Gently reheat.

This is a good soup but it is a little bland. I spice it up with a little hot sauce and cheese. It's a great base soup and you could add many things to it. Off the top of my head I'm thinking chicken or maybe green beans.

I use the basil when I have it but don't buy it just for the soup.

Friday, September 22, 2006

Brown Sugar Banana Muffins


Banana Buttermilk Muffins
Originally uploaded by paintedbooklady.
2C all-purpose flour
1tsp baking powder
1tsp baking soda
1tsp cinnamon
1/4 chopped pecans(optional)
1/4tsp salt
1 large egg
1C mashed bananas(about 2 medium)
1C packed brown sugar
1/2C(1 stick) butter, melted
1C buttermilk
2tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line or grease 12-cup muffin tin, plus 6 cup if you don't want the muffins too big..

In a large bowl, sift or stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in pecans if using. In a medium bowl, beat eggs and brown sugar together. Beat in melted butter, bananas, milk and vanilla(to egg mixture). Combine dry and wet ingredients. Beat for 30 seconds, until ingredients are just combined.

Spoon batter into prepared baking cups. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle of the muffin comes out clean.

From Cooking fundamentals by Faith Heinauer.

I love these muffins. They are sweet and moist. Very nice. I never use the pecans because I don't really like nuts in my baked goods. Very yummy.

Thursday, September 21, 2006

Chicken Pot Pie


Chicken Pot Pie
Originally uploaded by paintedbooklady.
Filling
1 lb pearl onions
3/4C unsalted butter
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into small dice
3 celery ribs, cut into small dice
1 medium onion, cut into small dice
3/4c all purpose flour
6c chicken stock or broth
2 potatoes, peeled and cut into small dice
2c shredded, cooked chicken
1c frozen or fresh shelled peas
1TBS+1tsp salt
freshly ground pepper

Cornmeal Topping
1/2C unsalted butter
1 1/2C cornmeal
1 1/2c all purpose flour
1/3C sugar
4tsp baking powder
1 1/2tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 1/2C milk

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F

To make filling for pot pie: If using fresh pearl onions, fill a small saucepan with water and bring to boil over medium heat. Add pearl onions and blanch for 3 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool. Peel onions using small paring knife and set aside. If using frozen you don't have to do anything.

In large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add the carrots, curler, and onion and slowly cook vegetables for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, without letting them color. Add flour to pan and cook, stirring frequently, for 5-6 minutes. Add stock, slowly at first, stirring vigorously to incorporate the vegetables.

Add potatoes and chicken, bring to a simmer, and cook for about 10 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Add peas and pearl onions and cook for another minute or so, until heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a 13x9x2 inch baking dish.

To make topping: Put butter, cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and eggs in bowl of food processor fitted with metal blade. Pulse until just combined but still crumbly.

Add the milk and pulse until just incorporated. Pour batter over chicken filling to cover completely. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until crust is golden and filling is bubbling around edges.

Serves 10-12

From The Family Kitchen by Debra Ponzek

All in all this was very good. The sauce thickens well and the crust it amazing. The change I would make is the pearl onions. If you really like them then keep them. But if you aren't a giant fan or have kids I would take them out. Just increase the other vegetables by about 2 or 3 cups.

Also it is a good idea to put a baking sheet under the pan. This bubbles over and makes a mess in the oven.

The servings are pretty true. This is a lot of food. You could serve a salad with it but it's filling on it's own. Cold weather food for sure.

I generally boil chicken to cook it. Depending on thickness this take anywhere from 5-10 minutes. Keep checking it and take it out as soon as the pink is gone. If you don't you will end up with tough chicken.

Wednesday, September 20, 2006

I was browsing the cookbooks at the bookstore today and I noticed exactly what turns me off. If I see the words low fat or healthy I won't even look. It's not that I'm not into health. I drink my water and get my exercise. When I cook it's not about low fat though.

I will not use anything less the whole milk when cooking. I embrace heavy cream. You will not find margarine in this house, only butter. Carbs are not my enemy.

I love cooking all the time but am most excited when the weather cools. Nothing makes me happier then the smell of fresh bread or cookies baking in the oven. Heavy foods are my favorites. Buttery mashed potatoes, pot pies, stews, and roasts. It's not that I don't love a steamed vegetable or a beautiful salad. With a vegetarian daughter plenty of low fat foods make it to our table. In a cookbook, though, I look for something that is less about health and more about taste.

No sauce on the side for me. I will not look at the low fat option on the menu when I eat out. I think healthy food can be very good but I do not look at something with a high fat content and think bad. It's all about moderation and balance. When I cook a big meal you can be sure that it will not be low in calories but it will be very big in taste. If you are counting your carbs you probably don't want to eat over here.

Breakfast


Breakfast
Originally uploaded by paintedbooklady.
Pumpkin Scones
2 cups flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter
1/3 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup pumpkin (if canned, be sure there are no spices or sugar added)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix together flour, sugar, spices, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Cut butter into small pieces and cut into flour using pastry cutter or 2 knives. Mixture should look like coarse crumbs. In a separate bowl mix together the pumpkin, buttermilk and vanilla. Add to flour mixture and mix until the dough comes together (don't overmix).

Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead gently 3-4 times, and then shape/pat dough into a circle about 1 1/2 inches thick. Slice in half, and then cut each half into 3 equal pie-shaped wedges. Brush with egg glaze (1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp milk), and sprinkle with Turbinado sugar.

Bake on a cookie sheet for @ 375° for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Makes 6 scones.

Pumpkin Spice Butter
1/4 cup (half a stick) butter, softened
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp allspice
Combine all and mix till creamy.


I found this recipe on the web. All in all they were very good. The texture was much moister then any scone I have had. I liked this about them but they were more like cake or muffin. The spices were very nice, just the right amount and not overpowering.

Pumpkin butter is a nice addition but regular butter or none at all would be fine too. If you make the pumpkin butter be sure the butter you use it is very, very soft. I did not soften mine enough and the mixing was really tough.


http://coffeeworks.blogs.com/coffee_and_tea/2005/10/pumpkin_scones.html