Cook's, Interrupted

Whole Grain Cranberry Apple Scones

2011-04-18T23:06:00.000-07:00

One of the things I'm learning as a mom is that kids think they are very clever. When C helps me bake, she is always finding some way to get her fingers in something sweet. I let her wipe up "drips" of muffins and cupcakes, clean up "spills" of sugar or honey, and of course lick the beaters and spatulas. Coincidentally, there are a LOT of drips, spills, and a careful count of each and every utensil used. In this recipe, we sprinkle sugar onto the tops of the scones before baking, and she has discovered that if she "accidentally" sprinkles sugar on the baking mat, or the counter, or anywhere other than the scones, she gets to eat it. As a result, we use a lot more sugar than you might otherwise. She truly believes I don't know what she's up to. Makes one wonder how much we actually got away with as kids.

So, scones. We absolutely adore scones. They are so simple and so good. I generally make them once per week, for a weekend breakfast, and I've tried dozens, maybe hundreds of different recipes over the last several years. This is our current favorite, featuring oat flour and whole wheat flour for a healthy twist (well, as healthy as a whole stick of butter can be). I'm not into buying specialty ingredients, so I simply whir rolled oats in a food processor to make oat flour. In fact, this entire recipe is made in a food processor, which this dishwasher in the house (oh, wait, that's me) loves. In addition to sprinkling sugar at the end, the kiddos can cut butter into cubes, add butter to the processor, pat the dough, and brush the tops.

Whole Grain Cranberry Apple Scones

Makes approximately 12 round scones.

Ingredients

1.5 cups rolled oats
2 cups whole wheat flour, plus more for board
1/4 cup sugar
2 t baking powder (non-aluminum)
1/2 t baking soda
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t salt
1/2 cup butter, cut into cubes and chilled (tip: cut it and then place in the freezer while you mix the dry ingredients)
1/2 cup buttermilk, yogurt, or cream
2 large eggs
2 t vanilla extract
1/4 cup apple juice (or for more flavor, use 1/4 cup frozen concentrate)
1/2 cup chopped apple (about 1/2 apple)
1/2 cup dried cranberries
cream
turbinado sugar

Method

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2) Whir oats in food processor fitted with steel blade until finely ground. Add remaining dry ingredients and whir until well mixed.

3) Add butter and process until mixture resembles coarse sand (this is quick).

4) Mix all wet ingredients together in separate bowl.

5) Add wet ingredients to food processor and whir until mixed. Don't overmix. Mixture will be wet.

6) Dump out onto floured board and sprinkle top with additional flour. If the mixture is too wet to handle, fold in some additional flour, up to 1/2 cup.

7) Fold in apples and cranberries and just enough additional flour to make the dough stay together.

8) Press or roll into large disc, approximately 1 inch thick. Cut into rounds with biscuit cutter and arrange on baking sheet. If you prefer wedge-shaped scones, move dough to baking sheet, press into a round, and then cut into wedges.

8) Brush the tops with cream and sprinkle lightly with turbinado sugar.

9) Bake at 375 or approximately 20 minutes. Don't overbake. You want the bottoms to be just brown, the tops just dry.

10) Serve warm with butter, clotted cream, jam, etc.

Jamie Oliver's Tomato Sauce

2011-04-18T06:05:00.000-07:00

Jamie Oliver has been doing guest spots in Parenting Magazine, which I've been getting for 4 years and have never paid for (maybe if you have more kids than hands you get a free lifetime subscription?). Last month he featured his veggie-filled tomato sauce, which looked wonderful. Now, I'm not a fan of hiding veggies in food (Black bean brownies? No thanks! Just give the kids beans, for Pete's sake!), but this seemed like a delicious and decidedly non-sneaky way to get some extra veg in. I immediately made up a batch but, unfortunately, we didn't like it. At all. Far too much red pepper flavor and not enough tomato for us. The dog, however, loved it, after it was flung from the table with great force by the twins, at the same time, too quickly for me to catch their plates. A second batch was much better received. The original recipe calls for 2 bell peppers, which I've eliminated, and I've made a few other variations noted below. In addition to spaghetti, we've used it on pizza, Pasta with Tomato Sauce, Spinach and Goat Cheese, and in a baked pasta-cheese-deliciousness I concocted the other night. I think I'll also try it as a tomato soup (thinned with broth), and with ground meat for a lasagna. In other words, it's versatile. Final verdict? I'll be making a batch every couple of weeks!

Ingredients

2 small onions, peeled and diced
1 leek, thoroughly washed and sliced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 carrots, grated (I use a food processor for all this grating)
2 zucchini, grated (or use broccoli stems!)
1 small butternut squash, peeled and grated
1 T olive oil
1 t dried oregano
2 bay leaves
4 14.5 oz cans plum tomatoes, with juice
1 small can tomato paste
1 cup water
1 t sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Method

1) In very large saucepan, heat olive oil and add veggies, oregano, and bay leaves. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes with the lid on, or until veggies are soft but not starting to brown.

2) Add tomatoes with juice, water, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and let simmer for about 30 minutes.

4) Spoon out bay leaves and blitz with stick blender until smooth.

Makes approximately 13 cups. You can freeze the extra in quart-sized freezer bags (lay flat so they store well), or can the extra in hot, sterilized jars (tomatoes are acidic so you can just do hot sauce + hot jars).

Pasta with tomato sauce, spinach and goat cheese

2010-11-10T21:28:00.000-08:00

This is a recipe I adapted from Jamie Oliver's fabulous book, Jamie's Dinners. Love the format of it - he takes one staple thing, say, a roast chicken, and tells you how to do several things with it. I also adore the way he writes his recipes, with a "glug" of this and a "knob" of that. That's my kind of cooking. I also love that the food is "real" family food - nothing fancy here - although my kids, being decidedly non-British, won't touch curries, so that takes about half of the recipes out of play. This creamy, gooey, tangy pasta dish has become one of my go-to weeknight dishes. Fast, easy, and the kids eat it without fail (which is saying a lot in this house). I generally use a jar of TJ's marinara sauce and tagliatelle pasta, but I've also made it several times with my homemade tomato sauce and a short, semolina pasta such as Cellentani.

Pasta with tomato sauce, spinach and goat cheese

Ingredients

1 lb pasta
25 oz Marinara or other basic tomato sauce
Approximately 1/8 cup each olive oil and balsamic vinegar
3 T butter
2 oz parmesan cheese, finely grated
Salt
Pepper
About 2 cups spinach leaves, coarsely chopped
large handful basil leaves, coarsely chopped
5.5 oz Goat Cheese

Instructions

1) Boil pasta in heavily salted water per package instructions.

2) Meanwhile, combine tomato sauce and next 5 ingredients (through pepper) in a saucepan and stir until heated through and cheese is melted. As you can see, I don't actually measure the oil and vinegar - a few turns around the pan are about right!

3) Add spinach and basil to sauce and stir until wilted.

4) Drain pasta and toss with sauce/spinach/basil.

5) Crumble half of the goat cheese and stir gently. Pour into serving dish (or leave it in the pan if that's how you roll - I serve at the stove most nights) and crumble remaining goat cheese over the top.

Banana Bread

2010-09-11T13:43:00.000-07:00

A classic, with some nutritious adjustments. It's also super easy, and comes out delicious even if you aren't exactly precise with your measurements (like, for example, when you have that extra banana turning black in the fruit bowl, or when the interrupters insist on stirring the dry ingredients and get what seems like about half of the flour out of the bowl and onto the counter). And this is a great starter recipe for the kids. Let them squish the bananas with their (thoroughly washed) little hands! I usually double it and make two loaves or one loaf plus 16 muffins to freeze.

Banana Bread

Ingredients

2 large, very ripe bananas
1/4 c vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1/2 cup yogurt
1/4 cup milk
1 t vanilla
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup All Purpose flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1/4 c toasted wheat germ
1/4 c ground flax seed
1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional, or add more or less to your family's taste)

Method

1) Preheat oven to 350 and grease one loaf pan or 16 muffin tins.

2) In large bowl, mash bananas with a fork, potato masher, or clean hands. Add other liquid ingredients and brown sugar and stir to combine completely.

3) In separate bowl, mix all dry ingredients including nuts, if using.

4) Add dry to wet and mix thoroughly. Don't over-mix.

5) Our into prepared pan and bake at 350 for 1 hour for loaf, about 20 minutes for muffins, or until top is golden brown and toothpick comes out clean.

Salmon with Tomato Basil Quinoa

2010-08-19T14:15:00.000-07:00

We love quinoa! Sometimes. Almost mostly. Well, it's really more like I feel that we're supposed to love it. It's everywhere these days. But actually, despite its trendy-ness, we don't really like it all that much unless it's flavored up. If it is, though, it's great. Sticks to a spoon better than rice and couscous, so the little ones don't have too much trouble, and of course it is so good for you. This is a great combo for when you have good, fresh tomatoes in season.

Salmon with Tomato Basil Quinoa

Ingredients

4-5 shallots, finely diced
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 cups quinoa
3 cups chicken stock (or veg. stock, or water)
2 salmon fillets, with skin
2 lemons, zested
Salt and Pepper
2 cups small tomatoes, halved or quartered
large bunch fresh basil, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (optional)

Method

1) Rinse quinoa and drain in fine mesh strainer (you definitely don't want to skip this step).

2) In large saucepan, saute shallots in olive oil, salt and pepper, until soft and translucent.

3) Add quinoa and stir to coat with oil.

4) Add liquid, salt, pepper, and bring to boil.

5) Meanwhile, salt and pepper salmon on both sides.

6) Place salmon, skin side up, on top of quinoa, and top with lemon zest.

7) Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, for about 20 minutes or until quinoa has absorbed liquid.

8) Remove salmon, stir in tomatoes, basil, and cheese, and serve.

Asian Cucumber Salad

2010-08-19T14:03:00.000-07:00

This is such a simple, refreshing side dish or starter or snack. It is tangy and crunchy and addicting, perfect for a hot late summer day. Trader Joe's always sells a package of Japanese Cucumbers that are perfect, and we grow cucumbers in our garden too, which of course never make it to full size. My kids love this - but they also love pickles, and it is in a similar taste family. Serve it next time you bring sushi home or alongside grilled fish, soba noodles, or ramen.

Asian Cucumber Salad

Ingredients

4-5 Japanese Cucumbers (or very thin, small cucumbers - maybe fresh from the garden)
1 cup seasoned rice vinegar
Handful fresh basil, julienned
1/2 t salt
black sesame seeds

Method

Slice cucumbers thinly (I use a mandoline - so easy) and toss in bowl with remaining ingredients. Chill in refrigerator for an hour, or up to several days.

Fish Fillets with Lemon Caper Sauce

2010-07-18T22:16:00.000-07:00

An easy, healthy weeknight supper - 15 minutes start to finish! I usually serve it as pictured, alongside couscous with tomatoes and basil (cook couscous in chicken broth, add fresh tomatoes, finely chopped basil, and grated parm while hot and before serving). WARNING: DO NOT FEED COUSCOUS TO TODDLERS IMMEDIATELY AFTER CLEANING YOUR FLOORS.

With regard to fish choices, I follow the Monterrey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Guide and use Cod, Rockfish, Halibut, or Tilapia. Any will work, although we prefer fresh-caught rockfish or Halibut.

Fish Fillets with Lemon Caper Sauce

Ingredients

1-2 T olive oil
White fish fillets, approximately 4 oz per person
Salt and pepper
2 whole lemons, zested and juiced
3 T butter
1/4 cup capers

Method

1) In non-stick or well-seasoned pan over medium-high heat, add oil and heat. (Get your couscous in the boiling water now)

2) Salt and pepper fish fillets on both sides.

3) Add fish fillets and cook approximately 3 minutes or until a good crust forms. DO NOT TURN until your three minutes is up, to avoid sticking.

4) Turn and cook on the other side for another 3 minutes.

5) Remove fish from pan and set aside, covered in foil to stay warm.

6) Pour lemon juice into pan and scrape up any browned bits. Add butter and stir until melted. Add capers and stir. Pour sauce over fish and serve immediately.

Breakfast Idea: Brown Rice "Pudding"

2010-06-17T15:28:00.000-07:00

This is something I made up one morning when C was on an oatmeal strike but we wanted something warm and quick. To be honest, I have no idea what rice pudding is. It sounds very British. And I imagine it takes a long time and a lot of effort. So I'll stick with this. All three kids love it and will eat it in shocking quantities. It's great for letting the kids help - they can measure, pour (who knew there could be such pleasure in successfully pouring something into a pan?), crack eggs, cut butter, and learn how things change when we add heat to them. It also has a wonderful texture with sufficient "stickiness" for the littlest ones learning how to use a spoon.

Brown Rice "Pudding"

Ingredients

2 Cups cooked brown rice (I often freeze my extra but also love TJ's frozen brown rice)
2 cups milk (I use whole because that's what I have on hand for my little ones)
1/2 inch piece of vanilla bean or 2t good vanilla extract
1 cinnamon stick or 1 t ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
2T butter (optional)
2T brown sugar (optional)
2 eggs

Method

In medium saucepan, combine rice, milk, vanilla bean pod and seeds scraped from inside, cinnamon stick, and salt, and bring to low boil. Don't bother defrosting rice if it's frozen.
Reduce heat to low and simmer until hot.
In separate bowl, beat eggs lightly and temper by slowly adding spoonfuls of hot rice/milk combination and beating with a fork - add one spoonful, beat, another spoonful, beat, etc. I usually use 4-5 spoonfuls. The idea is to warm up the eggs so that they don't scramble when you add them to the rice pan. You don't want chunks of scrambled eggs.
Add tempered eggs to rice pan and stir. If it is not thick enough for you after a few minutes on very low heat, you can repeat the process with another egg.
Add butter and brown sugar, stir to combine.
Serve warm.

Pea Pesto Crostini

2010-06-15T10:50:00.000-07:00

This is the freshest crostini. It blends some of my favorite ingredients and then liberally spreads them upon tiny toast. Not much could better or more satisfying.

As with most bruschetta and crostini the ingredients are few so it is of utmost importance that they are of the best quality since you can really taste each flavor--none are concealed.

I love frozen organic green peas. They are harvested at peak season and frozen promptly after harvest. You really can't get much fresher than that.

In Seattle I haven't been able to find really tasty little tomatoes until at least May. I found these lovely and delicious heirloom cherry tomatoes at my co-op. The kids eat them like candy.

This is a great recipe to whip up on short notice since the ingredients are staples you are likely to have on hand. And it really, really is beautiful, bright and ever so delicious.

Pea Pesto Crostini

very slightly adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

1 (10-oz) package frozen peas, thawed
1 garlic clove
1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/4 c olive oil
1/2 inch thick slices of whole-grain baguette or ciabatta bread (day-old works best)
1/2 c. cherry tomatoes, halved

For the pea pesto: Pulse together in a food processor the peas, garlic, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. While running the processor, slowly add the olive oil (this could take more or less than the 1/4 cup--so blend until a nice spreading consistency is formed--use your good judgement). Mix until well combined but not pureed.

For the crostini: Brush both sides of crostini with more olive oil and grill bread on griddle, grill pan or even an outdoor grill until golden (about 1 to 2 minutes per side). Transfer the bread to a platter and spread 1 to 2 Tbl of the pesto on each crostini slice. Top with tomatoes and eat!

Inspiration: Jim's Pancakes!

2010-06-07T10:55:00.000-07:00

I just stumbled upon Jim's Pancakes today. Jim is a dad who applies his unbelievable creativity to pancakes! And I thought I was good because I use cookie cutters on the griddle to make shapes. WOW.

Breakfast Idea: Egg in a Hole

2010-06-03T11:30:00.000-07:00

This is one of our favorite breakfasts. All three girls will eat every bit of it, including crusts, and love sopping up the "egg sauce."

I use Ezekiel low-sodium bread and cookie cutters. You simply cut holes in your bread, melt some butter in a skillet, put the bread on the skillet, crack an egg in each hole, flip after about 2 minutes, and remove after another 1 minute. I usually also fry the "holes" and serve with jam.

Roasted Tri-Tip with Leeks and Mushrooms

2010-06-03T11:00:00.000-07:00

I am loving leeks and all the other spring onions right now. I am not a fan of raw onions but adore them when they are cooked to smithereens in as much butter as is reasonable (is there such a thing as an unreasonable amount of butter?). I had planned to grill this tri-tip but we had one of our gray May days a couple of weekends back and wanted something warm and cozy. I served this with polenta. Another great preparation for the tri-tip is to sub rosemary for the thyme and serve with roasted potatoes with garlic and rosemary.

Roasted Tri-Tip with Leeks and Mushrooms

Ingredients

Tri-Tip:
1 Tri-Tip, trimmed of excess fat (leave some)
3-4 sprigs Fresh Thyme, leaves removed and crushed with fingers
3 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and Pepper
Olive Oil

Leeks and Mushrooms:
3-4 large leeks
4 T butter
2 T olive oil
1 pint crimini mushrooms, sliced (or 1 pkg sliced crimini's from TJ's)
2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed and crushed
Salt and Pepper

Method for Tri-Tip:

1) Place tri-tip ingredients in a large ziplock, smush around, and set it on the counter for up to an hour, or in the fridge for 8-12 hours. If you don't have time, just smush it and skip to the roasting.

2) Heat oven to 450.

3) Place meat in dish that will hold it without too much room around the sides (I use either a large cast-iron skillet or a Le Cruset baking dish).

4) Roast for 25 minutes and then begin checking the temperature every 7-10 minutes. Remove from oven when meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 120 degrees. This will ensure that the thick parts are med-rare and the thin parts are medium.

5) Let rest for 10 minutes then slice against the grain and serve.

Method for Leeks:

1) Prepare leeks by cutting off root end and the toughest part of the green end, then slicing length-wise through approximately 2/3 of the leek (don't slice through the root end yet). Wash thoroughly and then slice width-wise into 1/3 inch thick slices.

2) Combine butter and olive oil in med-large saute pan and melt over medium heat. Add leeks, sprinkle generously with salt and pepper, and saute until soft, about 10 minutes.

3) Add mushrooms and thyme and saute until mushrooms are soft, about another 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Granola

2010-06-02T12:16:00.000-07:00

This is my recipe for granola, a wonderful thing to have around to eat with milk, on yogurt, on ice cream, on baked fruit, or just on its own as a snack. It makes the house smell divine. It seems like it has a lot of sweetener, but it makes 18 half-cup servings, so you get very little (less than 1/2 tablespoon) of sweetener with each serving. Fat is the same, and of course these are good fats. You can use this as a template to create your own.

Granola

Ingredients:

6 cups old fashioned rolled oats (not quick or instant)
2 cups nuts and seeds, raw, if possible

I use sliced or slivered almonds, pepitas (pumpkin seeds - a superfood!), flax seeds, and sesame seeds.

1 cup coconut (unsweetened flaked is best but any kinds works)
1/4 cup grape-seed, canola, or other neutral oil

this is totally optional, but I find it adds some depth

1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup honey

Or add/sub sweetener of your choice - I think 1/2 cup (total) is about right, but you could certainly use more (up to 1 cup) or less, especially since the coconut adds a nice sweetness

2t vanilla
1T cinnamon
1t salt
1 cup dried fruit

I use cranberries or cherries

Method:

1) Pre-heat oven to 350 and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper

2) Mix all dry ingredients except for fruit in large bowl

3) Mix all wet ingredients in separate bowl, add to dry, and mix well

4) Pour into two baking sheets and spread in an even layer

5) Bake approximately 30 minutes, stirring once half-way through. Do NOT let it go until it looks toasty (if it looks brown in the oven, it's too much) - it will crisp up as it cools.

6) Mix in fruit and allow to cool completely. Store in airtight container for as long as it lasts - I honestly can't say how long it stays good because it's always gone in a few days in my house.

Teaching the Little Ones how to handle knives

2010-06-02T11:28:00.000-07:00

We've been working with C on knife skills for a while now, starting with play knives and easy-to-cut things like bananas and softened butter (who knew it could be so fun to cut butter?), and moving on to a table knife and more complicated things to cut, like her own food at the table, pasta for her little sisters, spinach leaves (which I chop and add to tuna wraps, pasta, etc - all three will devour it when it's cut, and refuse it completely if it's not), softened carrots, and other fruit. Like all "help" in the kitchen, I've found that the #1 most important thing is patience, or perhaps deep breathing, or maybe a dog to clean up quicker than the littlest ones can make an even bigger mess, or, well, all of the above. Does it say something about me that safety isn't #1? Probably. But I do think about it, I swear.

The primary safety challenge is getting C to keep her little fingers away from the cutting board while mommy is chopping things. I'm obsessive about my knives being sharp (just ask my mom, who is so terrified of my regular knives that she refuses to use anything other than my paring knife, no matter what she's chopping) and I've nearly taken my own finger off with my trusty santoku, so it's just a bit dangerous for C, and her ability to remember that I told her not to do something for about, oh, 10 seconds, to be near the cutting board. Sure, she's aware of "sharp" and "we don't touch sharp things" and even will point out the sharp things in her books (horns, farm machines, teeth, ice-skates) but it doesn't seem to translate when there is so much good stuff to grab on a cutting board. Despite this, I'm thinking seriously of moving on to sharp knives with her, and today at "Simple Bites" they posted an article about Knife Skills for Toddlers,which has four simple rules:

No Hands on the Cutting Board
Do Not Take the Knives out of the Knife Block
Use Two Hands When Cutting
Keep the Knife on the Cutting Board

I like these - simple, straightforward, and (particularly the last two) encouraging safety and proper technique at the same time. Do you have any tips to share?

Pizza

2010-06-01T20:11:00.000-07:00

Friday nights in our house is pizza night. I love the tradition of it, and of course, the kid-friendliness. Not only do they ADORE pizza, but it's a great way to get them helping with food prep. C helps to stretch dough and spread ingredients and thinks eating something she created is the best thing ever. Now that we have tomatoes in the garden and summer squash making its appearance at the Farmer's Market, I'm looking forward to making a fresh tomato-Gruyere-thyme and a lemony-zucchini pizza (below) this Friday .

A word on dough. It's incredibly easy to make your own whole wheat pizza dough, and I've posted my recipe below, based on Mark Bittman's method from How to Cook Everything. But you know what's even easier and completely fabulous in both taste and texture? Trader Joe's Refrigerated Whole Wheat Pizza Dough.

And my thoughts on sauce. I don't use it. Don't need it, and don't miss it. Obviously, you can put anything on top of your dough, including sauce, and as long as you do it VERY THINLY, it will work. But beware of adding too much liquid, else you'll end up with a soggy, underdone in the middle and burned on the outside mess.

Quick Basic Pizza Dough

Makes 2 pizzas, takes about 15 minutes for prep, two hours for rising

Ingredients

1 teaspoon instant or rapid-rise yeast
1 cups unbleached all-purpose flour plus more as needed
2 cups whole wheat flour

Or sub 3 cups whole wheat bread flour for both of these flours

2 teaspoons coarse kosher or sea salt, plus extra for sprinkling
1 to 1 1/4 cups water
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil

Method

1) Combine the yeast, flour, and 2 teaspoons salt in the container of a food
processor.

2) Turn the machine on and add 1 cup water and the 2 tablespoons of oil
through the feed tube.

3) Process for about 30 seconds, adding more water, a little at a time,
until the mixture forms a ball and is slightly sticky to the touch.
If it is dry, add another tablespoon or two of water and process for
another 10 seconds. (In the unlikely event that the mixture is too
sticky, add flour, a tablespoon at a time.

4) Turn the dough onto a floured work surface and knead by hand a few
seconds to form a smooth, round dough ball.

5) Grease a bowl with the remaining olive oil, and place the dough in it.

6) Cover with plastic wrap or a damp cloth and let rise in warm, draft-free
area until the dough doubles in size, 1 to 2 hours (I put it on the hood of my
car in the garage). You can cut this rising time short if you are in a
hurry, or you can let the dough rise more slowly, in the refrigerator, for up
to 6 to 8 hours.

**You can wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to a month.
Defrost in a covered bowl in the refrigerator or at room temperature.

Basic Pizza Method

1) Preheat oven to 450 degrees

2) Prepare toppings

3) Roll and press pizza dough into a thin 12-inch circle and lay it on a tray or stone that has been dusted lightly with cornmeal or lightly oiled.

4) Add toppings - cheese first (or sauce if you're using, then cheese), herbs, and then the rest (you want your herbs to be slightly buried so they don't overcook. If you're adding fresh tender greens - arugula or spinach are nearly always lovely - don't add them at this step - wait until the pie is out of the oven, then add greens and let the heat wilt them)

5) Bake for 10 to 15 minutes (baking time will vary,depending on your oven and your desired done-ness), or until the edges of your pizza are golden brown.

Grilled Pizza

Grilling brings pizza to a whole new level. Smoky and wonderful.

1) Pre-heat your grill to 450-500 degrees or, if using coals, prepare as you normally do and spread them for even heat.

2) Prepare toppings and set aside.

3) Before adding any toppings, slide rolled out pizza dough onto grill - no oil necessary, and grill for 3-5 minutes

4) Turn dough carefully and quickly add toppings to grilled side of dough. Grill for another 3-5 minutes or until underside of pizza is nicely done and toppings are melty. YUM!!

Ideas for Pizza Toppings

Fresh tomatoes, thyme, and Gruyere cheese
Roasted bell peppers, fontina cheese, and sausage
Mozzarella, Basil, and fresh or roasted tomatoes
Pesto, peccorino-romano cheese, and pine nuts
Broccoli rabe, fontina cheese, and Italian sausage
Ricotta and fontina cheese, thinly sliced prosciutto, and sage
Fontina, ham, and pineapple
Carmelized shallots and Gruyere cheese
Sauteed potatoes and leeks, Gruyere cheese
Mozzarella or fontina, prosciutto, and arugula (added after baking)
Cheddar cheese, black beans, and tomatoes

Lemony Zucchini Goat Cheese Pizza

Courtesy of Smitten Kitchen

Makes one small pizza.

Ingredients:

1 batch pizza dough
1 lemon
4 ounces goat cheese, at room temperature
Few leaves of fresh basil, cut into thin slivers
1/2 medium yellow zucchini, sliced as thinly as you can pull off with a knife or your mandoline (I went for 1/8-inch thick with mine)
1/2 medium green zucchini, sliced as the same as above
Drizzle of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1) Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2) Roll pizza dough into a thin 12-inch circle and lay it on a tray or stone that has been dusted lightly with cornmeal.

3) In a small bowl, stir together the goat cheese with the juice of half your lemon. Season it with salt and freshly ground pepper, and spread it over your pizza dough.

4) Scatter fresh basil slivers over the cheese.

5) Arrange your zucchini coins in concentric circles over the goat cheese spread, overlapping them slightly. I used way, way too many here and it was too heavy in the middle. Later attempts were more successful with about half the amount pictured.

6) Squeeze the juice of the second half of your lemon on top of you zucchini, then drizzle with olive oil and finish with more salt and freshly ground black pepper.

7) Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes (your baking time will vary, so please watch carefully), or until the edges of your pizza are golden brown and the zucchini looks roasted and a little curled up at the edges.

Lovely Ladies

2010-04-22T07:29:00.000-07:00

Ever since I was a very little girl (3 years old to be precise), I have had a Ladybug cake for my Birthday. So naturally, when I had my own daughter I adopted my Mom's approach to a Ladybug cake tradition. One thing I love about the "tradition" component is that there is never any question about what kind of cake there will be at the party--regardless of the party theme. My Mom always made a pound cake (from a box) and made her own indulgent cream cheese frosting. As odd as this combo sounds it truly is perfect. I have tried numerous pound cake recipes over the years and a few years ago settled on a sour cream pound cake recipe adapted from the Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book. It has less butter than most pound cakes and that portion of the fat seems to be made up for with the addition of sour cream which maintains a bit more lightness than most pound cakes. I also make a cream cheese frosting and whip it up to a nice fluffiness. The cake is baked in a glass (heat tempered) bowl then flipped out and frosted after cooling.

There are numerous ways you can decorate the cake--spots can be made with any form of licorice (favorite among the girls in this particular family) or Jr. mints for those non-licorice fans out there.

One year we had a little extra fun and made some babies! hmmm, that sounded odd...

Sour Cream Poundcake

Oven 325

1 c. butter (room temp)
6 eggs
1 c. sour cream
3 c. white flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 c. sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Allow eggs and sour cream to stand at room temp about 30 minutes. Butter 2.5 & 1 qt pyrex glass bowls. Combine flour, baking powder & soda and set aside.
In mixing bowl beat butter on high for 1/2 minute and then gradually add sugar, beating about 10 minutes or until very light and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs one at a time. Add in dry ingredients and sour cream alternately beating at a low speed till just combined. Pour batter into prepared bowls.
Bake at 325 for a looooong time. Sometimes it can take 90 minutes or so to bake through. Tops will be golden and form a crack and when toothpick is inserted it will come out clean. Cool cake on rack in pan for 20 minutes. Remove from bowl, cool, and frost with this perfect Cream Cheese Frosting.

What's the "rule" in your house?

2010-04-21T11:46:00.000-07:00

Speaking of interruptions, one of the realities of having kids at your feet in the kitchen is that they are a lot closer to the floor than you are. And they put everything in their mouths. Before I had kids, I would watch babies on the beach picking up whatever they could find and putting it in their mouths and I would wonder "how do those parents stand it?" Three kids and one dog later...

We don't usually let him help with cleanup of faces, just floors and high chairs, but he does come in handy.

Now, we keep our floors relatively clean, and the dog usually gets to anything we drop before a kid can, but the truth is that when I see my kids grab something off the floor, in the split-second before it gets to their mouth, my question has become "will that make them very sick?" In other words, the "five second rule" has gone out the window. It's really more of a "less than a minute" rule, but every now and then they'll find something that has been on the floor for who knows how long. So I was very happy to see this justifying a "30-second rule." But even better is this decision tree, created by two bloggers at SF Weekly. What's the "rule" in your house?

Spring

2010-04-17T10:47:00.000-07:00

People say we don't have seasons here in San Diego, but we do! Spring here just happens to be a lot like winter. And Summer. Still, every April, I get the same feeling of lightness and renewal as I did growing up in Northern California, only instead mud and dirty snow clinging to the side of the road, we enjoy the 80 degree weather with our

Asparagus

Butterflies

And baseball

I always roast asparagus. Not very creative, I know, but it is so simple and quick, and it brings out everything that is good in this oft-ruined vegetable. One recent guest called it a revelation. A revelation! I'm not sure about that, but it is really delicious. Even better when dipped in compliments and garnished with feelings of superiority.

I buy the thinnest asparagus I can find and try to eat it within two days. Preheat oven to 450. Rinse and snap off the ends. Place asparagus on lined (or not, your choice) baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle generously with sea salt and freshly ground pepper, toss with your hands to coat, and pop into the oven for about 15 minutes. The time will vary depending on the thickness, but you want the ends to get just brown and crisp. That's it!

Home Improvement & the "Interubbers"

2010-04-16T13:05:00.000-07:00

Indeed we have moved into a new home! In order to get cooking we just need to have a few things in order. The knives. My ever-blossoming, in-house handyman came up with this perfect solution. I love how they are handy, and out of reach to kidos and truly take up no usable work space whatsoever. Brilliant. We'll be using your services much more in the future, dear handy-man.

So here I am --with my first official entry into the world of blogging and I must tell you how it came down this morning. I mentioned it to my 2nd grade daughter--that I was going to be doing a blog about cooking with my sister--our own "website" as I described it to her. "It's called Cooks, Interrupted" I told her. She pondered this for a few seconds and then very innocently asked, "am I the interrupter?" The conversation then moved into a debate (which is just a nice way to say disagreement) over who was the "interubber" as my Boy argued he should get the title. Hands down, little fellow, you are the prime interubber in this home.

Carrot Cake

2010-04-15T20:23:00.000-07:00

This is the best Carrot Cake out there. Period.

The recipe is a family classic, and in my humble opinion, should not be messed with in any way. The coconut and pineapple are essential, but the flavors aren't overwhelming. Even my coconut-hating husband loves this cake. And I've managed to last 12 years without him figuring out what's in it (granted, he's not the most perceptive when it comes to cake), and I don't plan to spill those beans any time soon.

The only modification I've ever made is to omit nuts from 1/2 of a batch when serving to a group of kids. While all of my kids have eaten nuts and nut butters starting before 1, it seems like there are more and more parents out there holding off on nuts until well into the second year, and more and more kids suffering from nut allergies (I have my theories about how those two things - limiting exposure and a rise in allergies - are related, but that's a subject for another time). I made the mistake of serving them all with nuts on C's second birthday and one mom had to explain to her poor little guy that he had to wait till he got home to have a treat!

Carrot Cake

2 Cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
2 cups granulated sugar
2 t cinnamon
1t salt
1t soda
3 cups shredded carrots (about 4 large or 6 small) (use a food processor to make it easy)
2 t vanilla
1 small can crushed pineapple
1 cup vegetable oil (I use canola but any mildly flavored oil will do)
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
5 eggs
1 cup chopped nuts (roughly chopped for cake, finely for cupcakes)
Cream Cheese Frosting

1) Preheat overn to 350.

2) Mix all dry ingredients thoroughly in bowl.

3) Mix all wet ingredients thoroughly in large bowl -or-if you're making cupcakes, place all wet ingredients except eggs in bowl of 11-cup food processor and process until finely chopped, then add eggs and vanilla and process to mix completely.

4) Combine wet and dry ingredients.

5) If you're making cake, prepare two 8-inch cake pans or 1 bundt pan by buttering and flouring and placing a circle of parchment paper in the bottom of each (not for bundt). If you're making cupcakes, line 24 regular or 48 minis.

6) Pour (or scoop, for cupcakes) the batter into your pan and tap on counter to remove air bubbles.

7) Bake at 350 degrees until tester comes out clean, approximately

1 hour for bundt
40 minutes for cake
30 minutes for regular cupcakes
20 minutes for minis

8) Cool completely on wire racks, then frost with cream cheese frosting

Cream Cheese Frosting

16 oz cream cheese, at room temp
1/2 cup butter, at room temp
2t vanilla
4 cups confectioner's sugar

1) Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in mixer with paddle attachment until fluffy, scrape down sides.

2) Add 1 cup sugar at a time, mixing thoroughly and scraping down sides between each addition.

3) If you want to pipe it onto your cupcakes or cake, add a bit more confectioners sugar, up to 1/2 cup, and then place frosting in gallon ziplock, zip it up, and cut a corner. If you want to do something fancy, put a tip in the bag before the frosting. If you want to just slosh it on there, I wholeheartedly approve of that too:

Chili

2010-04-14T12:34:00.000-07:00

This is a great quick and easy "pantry" meal. I just experimented one day with the idea of Chili and, since everything is better with bacon, decided to throw some in along with my standard chili ingredients.

I suppose that chili purists will think this is sacrilegious because it has both meat and beans and tomatoes. I have it on good authority meat is evil. Or beans are blasphemous. Tomatoes? How DARE I!! Seriously, there are people out there who elevate chili to biblical status. I am not one of them. Beans - good. Meat - good. Tomatoes - good. Bacon - good.

Chili with Meat, Beans, and Bacon

Ingredients:

4 slices humanely-raised, uncured bacon (I like Nieman Ranch), cut into small pieces
2 T olive or other oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 lb organic ground beef
1 clove garlic, diced
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground chili powder (less or more, to taste - this gets hotter as it cooks, so be careful!)
1 t dried oregano or 2T fresh, chopped
2 cups prepared kidney beans (or 1 large can)
2 cups diced jarred or canned tomatoes and their juice
Approx 1 cup beef broth (I use "Better than Bullion")
Flat-leaf parsely, chopped

Method:
1) Saute bacon in large skillet until soft and starting to crisp
2) Add oil, onion, and ground beef, and saute until beef is cooked and onion is soft
3) Add garlic, cumin, and chili powder and saute for another minute or so
4) Add beans, tomatoes, and broth and stir
5) Simmer for 10 minutes until beans are heated through - you can make this WAY in advance and keep it warm on very low heat, covered, or in a slow cooker.
6) Garnish with parsely and serve with bread or chips.

This is great for kids, parties, and cold winter or spring days. But mostly, this is man food:

Baby Food...and Belinis

2010-04-13T21:10:00.000-07:00

Part I

Ok, I'm energized, motivated, ready to go

Seriously. On a roll. Not tired at all.

Ok, almost done. Thank God.

Ohmygod it's midnight, what am I doing?

Phew, done! I AM SUPERMOM!!

Oh, wait, now I have to fill 100,000 ice cube trays....Please just let me go to sleep...

Part II

Ok, little one, yummy! Pears!! Open wide!!!! Please open wide? Please?

No seriously. THE SPOON IS NOT BETTER THAN THIS FOOD!! Do you have any idea how hard I worked to make this?

*sigh* didn't think so. At least you're cute.

THE END

Updates

2010-04-05T12:09:00.000-07:00

Well, in the chaos that has been life for us over the last few months, what with a new home for P, new job for me, the Holidays, sick kids, etc. etc. etc., we've been terrible about updating this notebook. I just published a bunch of photos and will set about posting the recipes over the next couple of weeks. Between that and the 40 or so other meals for which I've yet to upload pictures, I'm looking forward to inundating all 3 of you who are reading.

Stewed Kumquats

2010-02-15T09:50:00.000-08:00

I am a big fan of sweet and sour flavors, and was pleased to discover kumquats this winter when I tried one at the farmers' market. They are beautiful little bursts of flavor that taste a bit like an orange, but with an edibly, deliciously tart peel. I asked the seller how to eat them and he suggested stewing them with prunes, apparently a classic Southern preparation. I didn't have any prunes and wasn't sure how to stew something, so I did a bit of research and a bit of improvisation and came up with this. It was lovely

Stewed Kumquats

Ingredients

1 pint ripe kumquats, sliced and de-seeded
1 c sugar
1 c water
1/4 vanilla bean
1 cinnamon stick

Method

Combine sugar, water, vanilla and cinnamon in med. saucepan and cook over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Add kumquats (and prunes if you're using them) and simmer on low for 30 minutes. Serve over yogurt, ice cream, scones and cream or plain cake.

Keeps for several weeks in an airtight container in fridge.

Corn Chowder Salad

2009-11-18T11:15:00.001-08:00

While we still have corn and bell peppers at the market, I decided to put together this Corn Chowder Salad. Unfortunately I can't recall where I read the recipe, and I'm sure I didn't duplicate it exactly.

* 2 t olive oil

* 3 slices bacon, cut into 1/2 in pieces

* 1 med-sized potato, cut into 1/2 in dice

* 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2 in dice

* 6 ears of corn, shucked and kernels removed, or 3 cups frozen corn

* 1 small (or 1/2 large) red onion, thinly sliced

* Kosher salt

* 2 T cider vinegar

* red pepper flakes

1) In large skillet, cook bacon until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove to paper towel.

2) Add olive oil to skillet to make approx 2T fat. Add potato, cook until golden brown. Add bell pepper and onion, season with salt, and cook until tender, approx 5 additional minutes. Add corn and cook until hot. Transfer to bowl.

3) Toss with vinegar, salt to taste, and red pepper flakes to taste.

4) Serve warm, at room temp, or chilled.