Escape to the Kitchen

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

noreply@blogger.com (stop) — Fri, 13 Dec 2013 16:09:00 +0000

I love these cookies. They are a little unique and always a favorite around the holidays. I was inspired by a recipe I clipped out of the Washington Post many years ago. After many changes and tweaks, I think it's just about perfect. These sandwich cookies are best eaten the same day, but if you're not going to eat them, refrigerate them as the center can get kind of goopy if left out for too long.

Makes about 36 sandwich cookies

For the cookies:

1 C. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 C. packed brown sugar
1 C. canned pumpkin
½ C. milk
2 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract

4 C. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. ground ginger

For the filling:

8 oz. whipped cream cheese, at room temperature
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 ½ C. powdered sugar

To make the cookies:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.

In a stand mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter and brown sugar at medium speed for about 3 minutes or until creamy. Add the pumpkin, milk, egg, and vanilla, and mix on low speed until all ingredients are combined.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.

With the mixer running on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture, mixing until just combined. The dough will be sticky.

Use a tablespoon to drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets in evenly sized rounds, spaced about 1 inch apart. Bake one sheet at a time, for about 10 minutes, until set.

Cool for 2 minutes on the baking sheet and then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Repeat to use all the dough, making about 72 cookies.

For the filling:

Beat the cream cheese, butter, cinnamon, and vanilla for about 3 minutes on high speed, scraping down the side of the bowl as necessary.

Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar until the mixture is creamy.

To assemble the whoopie pies, spread the bottom of one cookie with some of the filling, then top with another cookie to make a sandwich.

Cranberry-Orange-Almond Pie

noreply@blogger.com (stop) — Wed, 11 Dec 2013 18:27:00 +0000

We've had a little wintry weather here recently, and I was itching to do some baking. I'll be starting on my Christmas cookies at the end of the week, so I wanted to make something different.

I had extra pie crust dough in the freezer left from Thanksgiving, as well as some leftover whole fresh cranberries, so I came up with this pie. I like the combination of orange and almonds, but you could probably substitute another nut here if you wish.

Ingredients:

For the crust - pate brisee - makes enough dough for 2 crusts:

2.5 C. all purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 C. (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
up to 1/2 C. very cold water

In a stand mixer or food processor (or by hand), mix the flour, salt, and butter, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Slowly add the cold water until the dough comes together in a ball. The dough should not be sticky.

Divide the dough into 2 equal portions and pat into disks. Wrap the disks in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Remove one disk of dough and roll into a circle large enough to fit your pie plate. Press the dough into the pie plate, trimming the edges if necessary. Put the pie plate into the refrigerator for at least an hour to re-chill the dough.

For the filling:

2 C. fresh whole cranberries
1/4 C. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 C. granulated sugar
1/2 C. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. corn starch
1 C. sliced almonds
zest of 1 orange
3 eggs, beaten

In a large bowl, combine the cranberries and melted butter and stir to coat evenly. Add the sugars, the corn starch, and the almonds and stir until combined. Add the orange zest and beaten eggs and stir to combine.

Pour the filling into your chilled pie crust and bake at 350 for an hour, until browned and mostly set in the middle.

Allow to cool completely before cutting. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Salmorejo - Tomato and Bread Soup - Spanish Cooking Club

noreply@blogger.com (stop) — Mon, 11 Nov 2013 17:41:00 +0000

Our latest cooking club found us preparing traditional foods from Spain. Although I have had my fair share of tapas, I was excited to try some other traditional dishes.

I definitely have prepared gazpacho many, many times - it's one of my summer favorites. I was intrigued to learn of another traditional Spanish chilled tomato soup, salmorejo. It is a very simple soup, consisting of just 5 ingredients (plus seasoning). Since there are so few ingredients, they need to be high quality. Do not skimp. The addition of bread helps make the soup creamy; there is no dairy at all in the dish! It is very refreshing, even on a cool autumn day.

This recipe is based on one from noted local Spanish chef, Jose Andres. I am obsessed with his restaurants (such as Jaleo, Zaytinya, and Oyamel), so if you are from the DC area and haven't been to any of them, look him up!

Because tomatoes are not in season, I used canned whole plum tomatoes. If your grocery store carries them, look for tomatoes in a carton, rather than a can. They don't have the metallic taste (and no BPA either). Be sure to drain the tomatoes of their juice and then rinse lightly. Since you're not cooking the tomatoes, this will help them taste fresher.

Ingredients:

2 lbs. whole plum tomatoes, skins removed and any seeds discarded
2-4 cloves garlic, skinned and smashed with a knife
1/2 loaf of hearty bread, crusts removed and torn into pieces - the bread will enhance the flavor of the soup, so don't skimp here - I used a freshly-baked multi-grain loaf from the grocery store's bakery
2 Tbsp. sherry vinegar - this contributes to the Spanish flavor, so best not to substitute a different vinegar
1 C. good quality olive oil - see if you can find Spanish olive oil and splurge on good quality oil, it is worth it
salt and pepper, to taste
hard boiled eggs, for garnish
serrano ham (or prosciutto), for garnish

Put the tomatoes, garlic, bread, and vinegar in a blender (or food processor). Blend on high speed and puree until smooth. Add the olive oil in a drizzle. This will help the soup emulsify. Taste the soup for seasoning. Add salt, pepper, and more vinegar and oil as desired.

Chill for several hours in the refrigerator before serving. Best served the same day. Garnish with hard boiled egg wedges and serrano ham.

Here are some other photos from our Spanish feast!

Appetizers:

Jamon and Cantaloupe; Banderillas; Gambas al Ajillo (Shrimp with Garlic Sauce) - by Emmy

Canapes of Manchego Cheese and Caramelized Onion - by Nehal

Roasted Red Bell Peppers; Chickpeas and Spinach - by Sherry

Tortilla Espanola - by Susanne

Ensalada de Endibias con Frutas - by Prassu

Entrees:

Albondigas - by Terri

Patatas Bravas - by Kristin

Esofado de Vaca Aragones (Spanish Beef Stew) - by Maria

Paella - by Jennifer

Desserts:

Flan - by Angie

Almond Orange Cake - by Maliha

Arroz con leche - by Prassu

Curried Tofu with Butternut Squash and Kale

noreply@blogger.com (stop) — Tue, 29 Oct 2013 15:41:00 +0000

Since September, I have been cooking only vegetarian food at home. We are still eating meat, poultry, and fish occasionally, when dining out at restaurants or others' homes, but here at home, we have been strictly vegetarian. I made this decision for health, environmental, and economic reasons, and so far, it's going great!

This meal is actually vegan, and wow, was it delicious. Perfect for the cooler weather we've been having recently.

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. vegetable or coconut oil
1 onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into cubes
1 package extra-firm tofu, drained and cut into cubes
1 Tbsp. curry powder
2 tsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. ground cumin
salt and pepper, to taste
cayenne pepper, to taste
1 small bunch of kale, washed and torn
1 C. coconut milk (can substitute lite coconut milk, but it will be less creamy)

In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for a few minutes until softened. Add the garlic and saute for one minute, until fragrant. Add the squash and saute 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned on all sides. Add the tofu and season all ingredients with the curry powder, ginger, cumin, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tofu is browned on all sides. Add the kale and cook until slightly wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the coconut milk and heat through. Taste for seasoning. Serve over rice or another grain, like bulgur, wheat berries, quinoa, or farro.

Cooking Club #5: German - Kartoffelpuffer (Potato Pancakes) with Homemade Applesauce

noreply@blogger.com (stop) — Mon, 30 Sep 2013 16:18:00 +0000

Our cooking club continues its culinary tour around the world; after tastes of India, France, England, and Italy, our next stop was Germany.

I typically make latkes for Hanukkah every year, so I was happy to make the German version, called kartoffelpuffer. Since it is prime apple-picking season around here, I also made some fresh homemade applesauce to serve with them.

The potato pancake recipe makes about 2 dozen large pancakes and the applesauce makes about 4 cups. Both recipes can easily be cut in half.

For the potato pancakes:

12 medium russet potatoes
2 large yellow onions
4 eggs
2/3 C. flour
1 tsp. salt
vegetable oil, for frying

Scrub and peel the potatoes. Place a large colander in the sink and line with a clean dish towel.

Grate the potatoes and onion directly into the dish towel. Try to work quickly as the potatoes will begin to oxidize and turn brown. If you have a food processor, you can save yourself a lot of time.

Twist the dish towel into a ball and squeeze as much moisture as possible out of it.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Add the potatoes, flour, and salt and stir to combine.

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in one or more large cast-iron or other heavy duty frying pans. You want a good coating of oil on the bottom, maybe about 1/4" or so.

To see if the oil is hot enough, I take a small amount of batter and put it in the pan. If it sizzles, then you are ready to cook. Your pancakes will be greasy if the oil isn't hot enough.

Scoop the batter into the pan (use a 1/3 cup for large pancakes or 1/4 cup for smaller ones). Use the back of the measuring cup to flatten the pancakes.

Fry for 2 minutes on each side.

Then drain on a paper towel and serve immediately, or place in a warm over (200-250 degrees) until ready to serve. Serve with applesauce and/or sour cream.

For the applesauce:

8-12 sweet apples - I used Gala, but you can use a mix of your favorites, cored and quartered - leave the skin on
1.5 to 2 C. water

Notice there is no sweetener needed for this applesauce, as long as you use sweet apples.

Put the apples and water in large stockpot. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes, until the apples are soft. Most of the water should have evaporated during the cooking.

Pour the apples and remaining water into a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. If you have a high-powered blender like a Vitamix, don't use the highest setting unless you want a baby-food like consistency. You can also use a food-mill, if you don't have a blender or food processor.

You can taste and add vanilla, cinnamon, and/or nutmeg, but I prefer mine plain.

Here are some other photos from our German feast...

Appetizers, including herring salad (prepared by Maliha), carrot salad and cucumber salad (prepared by Sherry), and Abendbrot ("evening bread"), homemade German farmer's bread topped with various cold cuts, cheeses, and pickled vegetables (prepared by Kristen).

Sauerbraten with Kartoffelkloesse (potato dumplings) and Rotkohl (red cabbage), prepared by our hostess Susanne.

Cauliflower in cream sauce and Spaetzle (prepared by Nehal).

Sauerkraut (prepared by Terri)

Rouladen (prepared by Jennifer)

And wienerschnitzel (prepared by Laura)

That's a lot of food!

And finally, dessert!!

There was bienenstich (bee sting cake), prepared by Emmy.

Hazelnut cake, prepared by Terri.

German apple cake, prepared by Prassu.

And Rote Gruetze (red berry pudding), served with vanilla sauce (prepared by Laura).

I'm still full the next day!

Easy Cinnamon Rolls Made With Pizza Dough

noreply@blogger.com (stop) — Sun, 22 Sep 2013 14:36:00 +0000

The other day I had planned to make homemade pizza, so I defrosted some pizza dough. Then, life intervened (my older son got a black eye running into a classmate on the playground), and the pizza never got made. The dough went into the fridge, and I forgot about it until this morning.

It occurred to me that I could potentially make cinnamon rolls with the dough. I did a quick Google search, and sure enough, people have done it. They were very tasty and took less than 30 minutes to make.

Makes about 12 small cinnamon rolls.

Ingredients:

1 recipe pizza dough, at room temperature
4 Tbsp. butter, cut into small pieces, plus more for greasing the pan
2 Tbsp. cinnamon-sugar (ratio of about 1:3, cinnamon:sugar)
1/4 C. confectioner's sugar, for the glaze
1 Tbsp. milk, for the glaze

Once the dough is at room temperature, stretch it into a rectangle about 1/4 in. thick. I would guess it was about 12 inches long.

Dot the surface with about 3/4 of the butter, then sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar.

Tightly roll the dough, long-ways, into a log shape.

Use a knife to cut about 12 slices from the log. Put the rolls in a buttered 8" square baking dish. Dot with the remaining butter.

Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes, until light golden brown.

Meanwhile, whisk together the confectioner's sugar and milk to form a glaze.

Once the cinnamon rolls have come out of the oven, drizzle the glaze over the top.

Serve warm.

Curried Chickpea Salad

noreply@blogger.com (stop) — Thu, 19 Sep 2013 16:06:00 +0000

I typically eat leftovers for lunch, but today there were none, so I whipped up this simple vegetarian lunch. It's not exactly a mock chicken salad - my friend Emmy has an excellent one that holds together better for a sandwich - but it has a lot of the same flavors.

Makes 2 servings.

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked chickpeas - if using canned, be sure to drain and rinse well
1/4 C. diced celery
1/4 C. dried cranberries (or currants, raisins, or dates)
1 tsp. spicy brown mustard
2 Tbsp. pickle relish
1/4 C. Greek yogurt
1 tsp. curry powder (or more to taste)
salt, ground black pepper and/or cayenne, to taste

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Taste for seasoning. If you are using canned chickpeas, you probably won't need any salt.

Chopped nuts would also make a nice addition. If you omit the relish, you'll want to add some lemon or lime juice for acid.

To make this a vegan dish, omit the yogurt and add additional mustard and lemon or lime juice to taste.

Serve it with some crackers and cut up veggies, or on a bed of greens.

Pumpkin Banana Muffins

noreply@blogger.com (stop) — Wed, 18 Sep 2013 16:03:00 +0000

It's finally feeling like fall around here, which means I can pull out all my pumpkin recipes! Normally, my go-to recipe is my simple pumpkin muffins, but I had some very overripe bananas that I wanted to incorporate, so I tweaked the recipe a bit, increasing the flour and decreasing the sugar and oil.

Makes about 12 large muffins.

Ingredients:

2 very ripe bananas, mashed
1 C. pumpkin puree
1/2 C. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. each of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and/or all-spice
1/4 C. vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 C. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda

In a mixing bowl, add the bananas, pumpkin, brown sugar, and spices.

Stir until blended. Add the oil, eggs, and vanilla and stir again.

Finally, add the flour, baking powder, and baking soda, and stir to combine.

Do not over-mix. There will be lumps of banana in the batter.

Divide the batter evenly into 12 greased muffin tins.

Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes, until the muffins are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then move to a wire rack to cool completely.

Fresh Almond Milk

noreply@blogger.com (stop) — Mon, 16 Sep 2013 15:00:00 +0000

At our cooking club recently, my friend Maliha mentioned that she had been making her own almond milk at home. This intrigued me. Although we drink regular milk, I do enjoy the taste of almond milk on cereal, especially steel-cut oats, and in coffee. It is very creamy and has a nice nutty flavor.

Making almond milk from scratch turned out to be surprisingly easy. You do need a good quality blender and some cheesecloth. For the best results, you'll need to soak the almonds for 2 days prior to blending.

Ingredients:

1 C. good quality whole almonds
cold water for soaking
2 C. filtered water for blending

Place the almonds in a bowl and cover with cold water. Leave on the counter for up to 2 days.

The longer the almonds soak, the creamier the milk will be. As the almonds soak, the water will become cloudy. This is normal. It is not necessary to change the water, although you certainly can.

When you are ready to make the almond milk, drain the almonds and rinse with cold water until the water runs clear.

Place the almonds in a blender with 2 C. of filtered water.

Begin blending slowly so that the almonds are able to break up.

Bring the blender to its highest setting and blend for 2 minutes.

Place a strainer over a bowl or large measuring cup. Line the strainer with cheesecloth. Slowly pour the almond milk over the cheesecloth.

Use a spoon to push the milk through the cheesecloth.

Then, make the cheesecloth into a ball and squeeze the remaining milk out.

There should be about 2 C. almond milk.

The remaining paste in the cheesecloth is called almond meal. It can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days or dried in a low oven for several hours. It can be used in recipes for breads, muffins, granola, etc.

I like the almond milk plain, but you can easily flavor it with vanilla or sweeten it with honey or maple syrup.

Store the almond milk in the refrigerator. It will only keep for a few days (but that's not a problem in our house).

Tiramisu with Homemade Ladyfingers (Cooking Club #4: Italian)

noreply@blogger.com (stop) — Mon, 22 Jul 2013 18:56:00 +0000

Our cooking club is so wonderful. We have about a dozen devoted home cooks who are ready to cook for each month's theme. Previously, we've done Indian, French, and a traditional English tea. Next up: Italian.

I really wanted to try making ladyfingers from scratch, so I was happy to choose Tiramisu for my dish. I got the recipe for the ladyfingers from The Cupcake Project. That blog is great for from-scratch recipes for lots of different things, like graham crackers, oreos, and fig newtons.

For the tiramisu itself, I relied on personal experience and research into traditional recipes. For example, I discovered that it is traditional to use marsala wine, rather than rum or coffee liqueur.

Read down to the end of the post for photos from the rest of the feast and links to some other recipes that our club members used.

For The Ladyfingers:

4 egg yolks
2/3 C. granulated sugar
4 egg whites
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1 C. AP flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder

First, separate the eggs. I have found that using 3 bowls works best. Separate the egg over the middle bowl, so that the white falls into the middle bowl. Then put the yolk in one bowl and transfer the white to the other one. By separating over the middle bowl, you prevent having to start over if you accidentally break the yolk into the white (ahem, not that I speak from experience, ahem.)

Transfer your yolks to a large mixing bowl. Add the 2/3 C. granulated sugar and whisk until the mixture is thick and light yellow in color.

Add the whites to the bowl of a stand mixer (you could also use a hand mixer) fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip the whites on high speed until soft peaks begin to form.

Add the 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar and whip on high speed until stiff peaks form.

Add half the egg white mixture to the egg yolk mixture and carefully fold it in using a spatula. Work very gently to avoid deflating the whites.

Add the flour and baking powder to the bowl and carefully fold it in. This is the trickiest part.

Now add the remaining egg whites and fold them in slowly until the batter is nice and smooth.

Carefully spoon the mixture into a pastry bag or large zip-lock bag.

Pipe the mixture in finger-like strips onto 2 sheet pans lined with parchment paper.

Bake at 400 for 8 minutes until the edges are beginning to brown. Allow them to cool on the pan for a few minutes, then carefully remove them to a wire rack to cool completely.

For The Tiramisu:

6 egg yolks
3 Tbsp. granulated sugar
16 oz. mascarpone cheese, softened at room temperature
1/2 C. marsala wine, divided
1/2 C. strong brewed coffee or espresso, divided
cocoa powder

Put about one inch of water in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Place a metal (or other heatproof bowl) over the simmering water to make a double boiler. Add the egg yolks and sugar and whisk constantly for about 10 minutes, until the mixture has thickened.

Set the mixture aside to cool. Once cool, add it to the bowl of your stand mixer (or use a hand mixer) fitted with the whisk attachment. Add the softened mascarpone and whip until smooth. Slowly add 1/4 C. of the marsala wine and 2 Tbsp. of the coffee/espresso and continue mixing until combined.

If you are not serving the tiramisu the same day, refrigerate the egg/mascarpone mixture and store the ladyfingers in a sealed container.

Several hours before you plan to serve the tiramisu is the best time to put it together.

In a 9x9 pan, put one layer of the ladyfingers. In a small bowl, mix together the remaining marsala wine and coffee/espresso. Use a small measuring spoon to drizzle the wine/coffee mixture over each ladyfinger. You want them to be saturated but not soggy.

Spoon one half of the egg/mascarpone over the ladyfingers, then layer the other half of the ladyfingers on top of that.

Repeat the process of drizzling with the coffee/wine mixture and then spread on the other half of the egg/mascarpone mixture.

Sprinkle the top of the tiramisu with cocoa powder, then cover and keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve. It's best when eaten the same day.

Now, for some photos of the rest of our feast. I'll put links to any recipes as I get them.

The Appetizers

Antipasti platter with crackers, salami, prosciutto, cheeses, almond-stuffed olives, and marinated artichokes, mushrooms, and peppers. (by Jennifer)

Panzanella salad; homemade sausage and peppers; arancini (by Angie)

Bruschetta (by Susanne); caprese salad (by Nehal).

My appetizer plate.

What was left after we ate the first round!

Friend and hostess Angie showing us how to make fresh pasta, from her family's secret recipe. I need those Kitchen Aid attachments now.

Fresh fettucine

Focaccia (by Terri)
Note: She substituted half the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour; halved the salt in the recipe; and formed the bread on a regular cookie sheet, not a jelly roll pan. So, it was probably much thicker than focaccia normally is. She also added fresh rosemary snipped on top.

Herbed Polenta (by Prassu)

Chicken Cacciatore (by Prassu)
Note: She omitted the capers and added more fresh herbs.

Vegetable Lasagna (by Angie)

Vegetarian Cannelloni (by Maliha)

Fish with Lemon Caper Sauce (by Susanne)

Roasted Eggplant Parmigiana (by Emmy - check out her cooking blog)

Fresh Pasta with Homemade Marinara and Homemade Pesto (by Angie)

A ridiculous plate full of all of the main dishes - and I'm not ashamed to say I ate it all. :)

Homemade limoncello to cleanse the palate after the main course (by Angie).

Homemade Cannoli Dipped in Chocolate Chips (by Prassu)
Note: She purchased the shells at the local Wegmans. For the cannoli cream, she blended strained ricotta with mascarpone, powdered sugar, orange zest, almond and vanilla extract and a touch of heavy cream.

Tom Kha Gai (Thai Chicken Galangal and Coconut Soup)

noreply@blogger.com (stop) — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 15:21:00 +0000

We've been fighting colds in our house, and this spicy and delicious Thai soup just hits the spot.

There are definitely some specialty ingredients required for this recipe. Our grocery store carries most of the items, but we also have a lot of Asian groceries nearby. I have tried to list substitutes when possible.

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2-3 Tbsp. Thai red chili paste (not the same as red curry paste), to taste
4 C. unsweetened coconut milk (2 cans - I used one can full-fat and one can low-fat)
2 C. chicken stock
1 large stalk lemongrass, finely sliced (our grocery store sells it in a jar in the international aisle, if you can't find fresh)
1 small piece of galangal, peeled and finely chopped (or substitute ginger, if you can't find galangal)
1 green Thai chili and 1 red Thai chili, seeded and thinly sliced (you can substitute a jalapeno or other chili pepper), to taste
1/4 C. lime juice
2-3 Tbsp. fish sauce, to taste
1 lb. chicken thighs or breasts, cut into small cubes
2 C. sliced mushrooms, any variety
8 oz. rice or other Asian-style noodles (optional)
1 bunch of cilantro, removed from the stems, for garnish

In a large soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the chili paste and cook for about one minute, until fragrant. Add the coconut milk, chicken stock, lemongrass, galangal or ginger, chili peppers, lime juice, and fish sauce. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Add the chicken and cook for 5-10 minutes more. If you want to make a hearty main dish, add the noodles and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently so they don't clump. Add the mushrooms and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and serve immediately.

Cooking Club: Mango Ice Cream

noreply@blogger.com (stop) — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 15:07:00 +0000

My friend Prassu had a great idea to form a cooking club. Every month or two, one of us will host the group at our house and choose a theme. Then, everyone cooks a dish to share. Our inaugural meeting had an Indian theme.

I got an ice cream maker for Christmas, so I was excited to contribute mango ice cream as my dish. We served the ice cream with gulab jamun - a delicious fried milk ball with rosewater syrup - and traditional Indian chai.

Ingredients:

1.5 C. mango puree (I used frozen mango, but if you can find good fresh ones, use those - simply puree the peeled, chopped mango in a blender until smooth)
1/2 C. sugar
3/4 C. whole milk
1.5 C. heavy cream
pinch of salt
1 Tbsp. lime juice

Whisk together all of the ingredients until the sugar is dissolved and all ingredients are well combined. Chill in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours, then proceed with the instructions for your ice cream maker.

I have a Cuisinart ice cream maker, which is a snap to use. The machine comes with a freezable bowl, which speeds up the process - I keep it in my freezer at all times, so it's ready to go. When I'm ready to make ice cream, I simply mix the ice cream base and chill it, then put the frozen bowl in the machine, turn it on, and pour in the chilled ice cream mixture. In 15-20 minutes, the ice cream is ready! You can eat the ice cream as soon as it's finished - it will have the consistency of soft serve - or you can scrape the ice cream into a freezer-safe container and freeze for several hours. Then, it will have the consistency of hard-packed ice cream. Simply let the ice cream soften for 10-15 minutes, scoop and enjoy.

Note: My ice cream maker yields 1 to 1.5 quarts of ice cream - the ice cream base can be no more than 4-5 cups of liquid. You may need to scale the amounts of the recipe for your particular ice cream machine.

Here are some other photos from the evening. Our menu included an appetizer of zucchini and onion pakora (sort of like Indian tempura) with coriander and tomato chutneys; undhiyu (a Gujarati curried vegetarian dish with different varieties of potato); palak paneer (spinach and paneer cheese); Bengali-syle fish curry (with a unique mustard sauce); roti (Indian flatbread); spiced whole-roasted caultiflower; chicken biryani (chicken, rice, and spices), two types of daal (lentil stew); vegetable curry; and cucumber raita (a yogurt sauce that helps cool the palate).

Yummy!

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

noreply@blogger.com (stop) — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 18:46:00 +0000

Here's another great fall recipe, perfect for these cold rainy days we seem to be having. Sweet potatoes make a great substitute for the squash, if you don't have any on hand. Serve with crusty bread.

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 onions, diced
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
4 stalks of celery, chopped
1 large butternut squash, peeled and chopped (use a sharp knife!)
2-3 apples, cored and chopped (use whatever type of apples you have on hand - I don't bother peeling them)
1 Tbps. curry powder
4 C. vegetable stock
salt and pepper to taste
sour cream or nonfat greek yogurt, for serving
chopped green onions, for garnish

In a large soup pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, and celery, and saute for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add the squash, apples, and curry powder, and saute for 5 more minutes until lightly browned.

Add the vegetable stock and cover the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer the soup for about 20-30 minutes, until the squash and apples are very tender.

Move the soup to a blender to puree (I love my Vitamix) or use an immersion blender. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and a few chopped green onions.

Baked Steel Cut Oats with Pumpkin

noreply@blogger.com (stop) — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 18:33:00 +0000

I first got this recipe from my sister Karen, who actually made it for me over the summer with blueberries and coconut. But since it's fall now, pumpkin is the perfect ingredient. This makes 6-8 servings, so it was easy to reheat some of the leftovers for a quick, filling breakfast on a busy weekday morning. Karen loves to have hers with a splash of almond milk on top, but regular milk also makes a nice compliment.

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. butter
1.5 C steel-cut (Irish) oats
1 C. pureed pumpkin
1/2 C. brown sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cloves
pinch of salt
2 C. milk
2 C. water

Heat a dutch oven, or other large oven-safe saucepan with lid, over medium heat. Add the butter and melt. Add the oats and saute about 1 minute, until they begin to smell a little nutty.

Add the pumpkin, brown sugar, spices, and salt, and cook for a minute or two. Add the milk and water and stir to combine. Cover and place in an oven heated to 350 degrees. Cook for about 25-30 minutes in the oven, until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the oats are tender. Serve hot, with a splash of milk on top.

Pumpkin-Filled Crepes

noreply@blogger.com (stop) — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 18:19:00 +0000

I made these crepes for breakfast on a chilly fall morning. The filling isn't too sweet, but it does sort of remind me of pumpkin pie!

Ingredients:

for the crepes (based on Emmy's recipe):

1 C. AP flour
1 Tbsp. sugar
pinch of salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. each of nutmeg and cloves
1 C. milk
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. butter, melted (plus a little extra melted better for the pan)

for the filling:

1 C. pureed pumpkin
1/4 C. nonfat Greek yogurt
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. each of nutmeg and cloves
cinnamon sugar, for garnish

To make the crepe batter: In a medium bowl, mix the flour, sugar, salt, and spices. In a smaller bowl or measuring cup, mix the milk, eggs, and melted butter. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, whisking continuously to be sure there are no lumps. Set the batter aside while you make the filling.

To make the filling: mix the pumpkin, yogurt, maple syrup, and spices in a small bowl. Set aside.

To make the crepes: Heat a small saute pan over medium heat. Brush the bottom with melted butter. Add 1/4 cup of batter to the pan and swirl it evenly around the bottom. Allow to cook 1-2 minutes, until the edges begin to lift up from the pan. Use a spatula to flip the crepe.

While the second side cooks (about 30-60 seconds), spread 1 Tbsp. of filling over the crepe.

Fold the crepe into quarters and remove to a plate. Cover to keep warm. Sprinkle the crepes with cinnamon sugar before serving.

P.S. My first crepe never turns out pretty, so I just sprinkle it with sugar and eat it while I make the rest. :)

Makes about 8 crepes.

Quick and Easy Tofu Salad with Summer Vegetables

noreply@blogger.com (stop) — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 23:37:00 +0000

I typically use tofu in an Asian-style stir-fry, so I decided to switch things up and use it as the protein in a salad instead. For this salad, I used what I had from the CSA and garden, but you could easily substitute whatever you have on hand. For a completely vegan meal, leave off the goat cheese.

Ingredients:

1 package of extra-firm tofu, completely drained and diced into cubes
2 zucchini, diced
2 tsp. olive or vegetable oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (or to taste)
corn kernels from 2 ears of fresh corn
2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
juice of 1 lemon
salt, to taste
salad greens, for serving
crumbled goat cheese, for serving

Dice the tofu and drain in a kitchen towel for 5-10 minutes. Squeeze the towel to remove excess moisture. Heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds. Add the tofu and zucchini and cook for 5 minutes.

With a sharp knife, cut the corn off the cobs and add to the pan with the tofu and zucchini. Cook for about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add tomatoes, parsley, and lemon juice.

Taste for seasoning and add salt as necessary. Serve warm or cold over salad greens, with a crumble of goat cheese on top and a crusty loaf of bread on the side.

Zucchini Coffee Cake

noreply@blogger.com (stop) — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 17:38:00 +0000

I find that I am making something with zucchini (or other summer squash) just about every day. The zucchini makes this coffee cake moist - you can barely taste it in there, and since I used yellow zucchini, you can't really see it either!

Ingredients:

1/4 C. unsalted butter (1/2 stick), melted
1/2 C. brown sugar
1/4 C. granulated sugar
3/4 C. skim milk
1 egg
2 C. grated zucchini (about one medium)
2 C. flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

For the streusel topping:

1/4 C. unsalted butter (1/2 stick), melted
1/3 C. flour
1/3 C. brown sugar
1/4 C. sliced almonds (or use other chopped nuts or substitute rolled oats)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg

In a large bowl, mix the melted butter, sugars, milk, and egg. Add the zucchini, flour, baking powder, and salt, and stir until just combined. Pour into a greased 9x9 pan.

In a small bowl mix the ingredients for the streusel topping: melted butter, flour, brown sugar, nuts, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Use your fingers to crumble the topping over the top of the batter in the pan.

Bake for 40 minutes at 375, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

Fresh Melon and Cucumber Salad

noreply@blogger.com (stop) — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 17:27:00 +0000

We eat a lot of salads, both as a side dish and as an entree. I especially love making salads in the summer since it means I don't have to use the stove or oven, and I can include whatever farm-fresh produce I happen to have on hand.

I love using fruit in savory salads (see this Watermelon Salad) - the juicy, sweet flavor enables you to skimp on the dressing, which can be the most caloric part of a salad.

This salad is meant to be a side dish. I used musk melon, which is like cantaloupe. If you've never had a locally grown summer melon, you have no idea what you're missing. You will never buy one in a grocery store again!

Makes 4 side dish servings

Ingredients:

1 small, fresh summer melon, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 small cucumber, halved and thinly sliced
1 small shallot, finely diced
salt and pepper, to taste (be generous)
1 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. lime juice
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Divide the melon, cucumber, and shallot between 4 salad bowls. Season each generously with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, lime juice, and olive oil. Drizzle the dressing over each salad and toss to combine. Serve immediately.

Refrigerator Pickles

noreply@blogger.com (stop) — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 18:03:00 +0000

Have you ever made homemade pickles? They are so easy to make and taste so much fresher than the store bought variety. It's a great use for the abundance of locally grown cucumbers that are popping up here on the east coast. These can be kept in the refrigerator for 1-2 months, although I doubt they will last that long!

Ingredients:

2 C. water
1 C. cider vinegar
3 large cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. dried dill
1 tsp. pickling spice (or use a combo of mustard seeds, coriander seeds, and black peppercorns)
1/2 tsp. celery seed
1/2 tsp. dill seed
2 medium cucumbers, thinly sliced

In a medium saucepan, combine the water, vinegar, garlic, salt, and spices. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 5 minutes, until the salt has dissolved and the spices are fragrant.

Meanwhile, slice the cucumbers and place them in a quart sized mason jar (or you can use several smaller jars). Take the vinegar mixture off the heat and slowly pour it over the cucumbers, making sure to scrape the spices into the jar. You might have a little liquid left over, depending on how tightly you filled your jar. Allow to cool slightly, then cover and refrigerate.

I think these taste best after a week in the refrigerator, but there's no harm in tasting them before that. :)

Apricot Jam

noreply@blogger.com (stop) — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 16:43:00 +0000

Summer is in full swing, and that means lots and lots of fresh fruits and vegetables from our CSA. We got a small container of apricots this week, and while they are delicious out of hand, my favorite thing to do with them is make jam.

What's great about apricots (and plums) is that their skins have plenty of pectin, which means that making jam with them is so easy. It's also easy to scale the recipe, depending on how much of the fruit you have. So feel free to double or triple or quadruple, depending on your quantities. One of these days, I'll do some full scale canning and write that up for you, but this time, I only had enough fruit for one jar of jam, which will keep for a few weeks in the fridge (if it lasts that long).

The important thing to remember is that you need 3/4 of a cup of sugar for every cup of fruit.

Ingredients:

2 C. diced fresh apricots (leave the skins on, just remove the pits)
1 1/2 C. sugar
1 Tbsp. lemon juice

In a small saucepan over medium heat, stir the apricots, sugar, and lemon juice. When it begins to bubble, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for about 15 minutes. The apricots will mostly disappear as the mixture reduces. It will be nice and syrupy.

Pour the hot jam into a mason jar. Screw on the lid and refrigerate. The jam will set as it cools.

I had a little extra hot jam left, which I used as a sauce for crepes.

Homemade Ranch-Style Dressing

noreply@blogger.com (stop) — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 22:07:00 +0000

As I have mentioned before, I like to make my own salad dressing. I was never a fan of ranch dressing, at least not the type you could buy at the store. A local restaurant makes a great homemade version, however, and this is my attempt to replicate it. You could easily use fresh herbs if you have them.

Makes 4-8 servings, depending on how much dressing you like

Ingredients:

1/4 C. mayonnaise
1/4 C. fat-free Greek yogurt
1/2 tsp. dried dill
1/2 tsp. italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. water

Mix the mayo, yogurt, and spices in a small bowl. Slowly add the water to thin the dressing to the desired consistency.

Keep any extra dressing in a sealed container in the refrigerator. You may need to allow it to sit out for a few minutes, then shake or stir before serving.

Healthy Chocolate "Shake"

noreply@blogger.com (stop) — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 18:10:00 +0000

This is technically not a milkshake, because there isn't any ice cream in it. It has the consistency of a smoothie, and the peanut butter and bananas make it a filling and healthy snack. Perfect as a cool treat after getting home from an afternoon at the pool!

Makes 2 large shakes or 4 child-sized shakes

Ingredients:

2 ripe bananas
2 Tbsp. smooth peanut butter
2 Tbsp. chocolate syrup
2 C. skim milk
handful of ice

Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Serve cold.

White Bean Cucumber Soup

noreply@blogger.com (stop) — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 22:11:00 +0000

So sorry I disappeared for a few weeks. First, we had an insane heat wave and a crazy storm called a "derecho", which caused much of our area to be without power for a week! And we just said good-bye to some house-guests yesterday, so I'm now catching up.

Our CSA is having a bumper year, and we have been inundated with so much produce, especially squash and cucumbers. I'm compiling a list of new summer squash recipes to try, so be on the look out for some of those soon.

In the meantime, I decided to use some of those cucumbers in a soup. It is sort of like a gazpacho without tomatoes, cool and creamy - perfect for a hot summer day!

This makes just 2-3 servings, so you'll need to double it if you're feeding a crowd.

Ingredients:

2 regular sized cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and roughly chopped - reserve 1/2 C. for garnish
2-3 cloves of garlic, halved
1/2 a medium onion, chopped
juice of 1 lemon (about 2 Tbsp.)
1 can of white beans (cannelloni or great northern), drained
1 C. greek yogurt or sour cream
black pepper, to taste (I don't add salt because I use canned beans)
homemade croutons, for garnish

Add the cucumbers, garlic, onion, lemon juice, beans, and yogurt to a blender or food processor, and blend until smooth. Taste and season with pepper. Chill until ready to serve.

Garnish with the reserved cucumber and with homemade croutons. If it is too hot to turn on the oven, you can use a toaster oven. Or just toast some bread in a regular toaster, then drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper.

If you can, make it the night before. I think it tastes even better the second day.

Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

noreply@blogger.com (stop) — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 15:29:00 +0000

These are almost like a less-sweet version of a chocolate cupcake. The zucchini keeps them so moist, you don't need any frosting or glaze. If you want to pretty them up, you could sprinkle with a little powdered sugar before serving, but I think they're perfect the way they are!

Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients:

1 1/4 C. AP flour
3/4 C. sugar
1/4 C. cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 C. grated zucchini (about one medium zucchini)
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Mix the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Add the zucchini and stir to distribute evenly. Add the melted butter, beaten egg, and vanilla, and mix until just combined. Pour into 12 greased muffin cups. Bake for 17-20 minutes at 350, until the tops spring back and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for 10-15 minutes before removing from the pan. These are great warm!

Individual Cherry Crisps

noreply@blogger.com (stop) — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 00:56:00 +0000

I love my ramekin set. I think I bought them on Amazon for about $10. They are great for portion control and also make a nice presentation. A lot of people think ramekins are for making creme brulee, but they are also great for making little baked desserts like this one.

I used tart cherries to make these, so if you happen to have sweet cherries, you'll want to cut down on the sugar.

This recipe is for 4 individual servings.

Ingredients:

2 C. cherries, pitted and chopped
4 Tbsp. sugar, divided
4 tsp. flour, divided
1/2 C. oats
1/2 C. brown sugar
4 Tbsp. butter, melted

Divide the cherries between 4 ramekins. Add 1 Tbsp. sugar and 1 tsp. flour to each ramekin and stir to coat the cherries. In a small bowl, mix the oats, brown sugar, and melted butter. Divide it between the 4 ramekins and press down lightly to form a crust on the top.

Bake at 400 for 15 minutes. Serve warm, with ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.