In the Kitchen with Monica

Line Caught Alaskan Halibut with Fennel and Clementine Gremolata and Saffron Rice

2014-03-19T21:43:00.000-04:00

Line Caught Alaskan Halibut with Fennel and Clementine Gremolata and Saffron Rice

My mother in law has some friends who recently spent an extended time working and playing in Alaska. One of the bonuses of their return was a package of Halibut caught, flash frozen and shipped back for us to enjoy. In New Hampshire Halibut is hard to get and very expensive so we planned a special dinner for this treat. The saffron for the rice was a thank you gift grown 5000 miles east of Alaska in Spain. These tiny threads plucked from the crocus add a delicious scent and flavor to rice.

Boxes of Cutie Pies (Clementines) have been on our kitchen counter all winter and although they are delicious plain I have been wondering about other ways to use these sweet clementines. The gremolata is a small salad, a combination of fennel, clementines, parsley and lemon. The fish is dipped in flour, salt and pepper and quickly sautéed in a hot pan. Make sure when you slice the fennel you remove the core at the base of the bulb – it is tough and not as good for this fresh salad.

Gremolata

2 Clementines, peeled and chopped

Juice of one clementine

2 Tablespoons olive oil

¼ Cup fennel bulb thinly sliced

1/3 Cup fresh parsley – torn – not chopped

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Pinch of sea salt

Mix all ingredients and set aside.

Saffron Rice

Saute in olive oil:

¼ cup each diced celery, carrot, onion for 5 – 7 minutes

Add:

½ teaspoon saffron threads

1 Cup chicken stock

2/3 cup water

¼ teaspoon sea salt

1 cup basmati (I prefer the Indian Basmasti to the California Basmati)

Cook on very low heat for approximately 20 – 25 minutes until the rice has absorbed all the liquid.

For the fish:

Whisk a flour mixture of:

½ cup all purpose flour

½ teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Pour the flour mixture into a pie plate

Heat a large sauté pan (large enough to hold your fish). You want the pan quite hot but not smoking. Quickly dredge the fish in the flour mixture on both sides. Put the fish, skin side up in the sauté pan and brown the fish for 2 – 3 minutes. You want a nice brown crunchy crust. Flip the fish to other side and remove from heat after the other side develops a nice crust. Remember you want to cook this quickly so the fish doesn't dry out or over cook. Remove from heat immediately when the fish is done.

Scoop a portion of rice onto the plate. Lay one piece of fish over the top and finish with a generous spoonful of the gremolata. Enjoy!

Snowballs in Hell – Marzipan Filled Chocolate Snowballs and a Longing for Spring

2014-03-13T18:05:00.000-04:00

In Canto VI of Dante’s The Divine Comedy – Part I, Hell, Dante enters the third circle where he finds the souls of the Gluttonous. The sin of those souls was a single minded dedication to self-indulgence. Self-indulgence is not a sin unknown to food bloggers, chefs and foodies. We eat, sometimes with abandon and it is not uncommon to have a glass of wine or two or four along with our meals. Why Dante and the Snowballs in Hell? This 13th century poet placed the gluttonous sinners in a place that was continuously pelted by rain, hail, sleet and snow. This is the exact (except the hail) weather we experienced over the last 24 hours. Hmmm.

I have had a can of almond paste in my pantry for quite some time and although I have a nice recipe for almond macaroons I really wanted chocolate. This marzipan filled chocolate snowball is the result. The filling is very rich (and gluttonous) – I cut the sweetness of the almond paste with a cup of freshly ground almonds. One cookie is more than enough unless you want to end up with a soul continuously pelted by hail and snow and fearing the three-headed dog Cerberus who clutches and rips at the souls found there. Even the most hearty New Englanders are ready for spring and so am I.

Chocolate Snowballs with Marzipan Filling

Filling:
1 7oz can of Almond Paste
1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar
2 Tablespoons milk or ½ and ½
1 egg yolk
1 cup almonds processed in food processor until fine

Combine all ingredients in a standing mixer until they form a smooth ball. Set aside.

Chocolate Cookie:

Sift:
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup unsweetened cocoa
½ teaspoon espresso powder
Set aside.

Melt:
2 oz unsweetened chocolate
¾ cup unsalted butter
(microwave 45 seconds and whisk)

Cool chocolate mixture slightly and add:
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Then add the sifted flour and cocoa mixture to the wet ingredients. Chill for 30 minutes.

While the dough is chilling take the marzipan filling and roll into balls slightly smaller than a marble. You will have too much filling and can freeze the leftovers for another use (a great filling for croissants!).
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Put approximately ½ cup of confectionery sugar in a shallow bowl for rolling finished cookies.

Take a tablespoon of chocolate dough and roll into a ball. Flatten the ball in you palm until it forms a circle about 2”+ in diameter. Place one of the marzipan balls in the center and form the chocolate dough around it. You may need to add a small additional piece of chocolate dough to cover the last of the marzipan. Roll the dough in your palm to form a ball. Roll generously in the confectioner’s sugar.

Place cookies on lined cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes until cracks form in cookies and they are slightly firm to touch (you don’t want them to get too dry). Pour a little of your favorite beverage and wait for spring.

Apple Muffins with Pecan Crumb Topping - Exquisitely Delicious

2014-02-17T12:08:00.001-05:00

Deliciousness. Some foodies use this word to describe food that has everything going for it, layered flavors, a combination of crunch and gooeyness and perfect ingredients. What could be more perfect than bits of apple cooked into pockets of applesauce, a cinnamon infused batter and a pecan crumb topping? For apple muffins, I have found nothing that tops this recipe! It started with a base for a peach muffin recipe but adapts so well to apples or blueberries. Watch the size of your apple pieces - if they are too large they will be firm and chewy. Also make sure you mix the butter thoroughly into the crumb mix so that the butter can hold little pieces together as they bake.

The beautiful little papers that wrap these muffins have their own story. I did some work at my mom's restaurant, The Old Courthouse, last summer. I noticed an almost empty sleeve of beautiful brown parchment muffin cups in the pantry and asked if I could have some to make some blueberry muffins later in the week. The sleeve was almost empty and they needed the remaining cups for Sunday Brunch. Mom offered me the outer wrapper so I could buy them online. I wasn't able to find them, lost the wrapper and forgot all about them. When Christmas rolled around imagine my delight when I discovered my very own sleeve of these wrappers in my stocking! Thanks Mom. These Natural Tulip Cups are available at the Web Restaurant Store. They open up to create a little crumb collector, perfect for these messy but delicious apple muffins. Enjoy!

Apple Muffins with Pecan and Cinnamon Crumb

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Prepare muffin tin with paper muffin cups or spraying with nonstick spray.

For the crumb topping, mix in a small bowl:
In a separate microwave safe bowl:
In a large mixing bowl sift and set aside:
Into the remaining 1/2 cup butter add:
1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped
1/3 cup brown sugar (break up any clumps by hand before adding butter)
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Melt 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons of butter

Pour 2 tablespoons of the melted butter into the topping mixture, mix until combined and set aside.
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup milk ( I use 2%)

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

Peel and dice into pieces between 1/4" and 1/3" 1 large apple.

Combine the wet and dry ingredients until just mixed and then add the chopped apple.

Fill muffin cups (this recipe makes 10 muffins). Top with crumb mix (at least 1 tablespoon + on each muffin).

Bake for approximately 20 minutes until golden brown and if top is depressed it bounces back. Enjoy!

Snow Storm Blondies

2014-02-13T16:40:00.001-05:00

Hurray a snow day! Another winter storm is raging outside but in the kitchen the oven is still warm and the house has a pleasant sweet chocolate and vanilla smell through out. Today is a good day for comfort food and I decided to start off with a simple but delicious dessert (and snack) of blondies. In The Food Lover's Companion, Blondies are referred to as "a dense, chewie, cake like cookie" that is a vanilla or butterscotch cousin to Brownies that are flavored with chocolate. So what do you call a Blondie that has all three flavors? A delightful storm of chocolate, vanilla, pecans and butterscotch with a little espresso powder to round it all out - Snow Storm Blondies!

I've been working with a recipe from King Arthur Four and made a few adjustments (I'm on my second batch over a few days). The butterscotch chips are sweet and I decided to reduce the sugar in the recipe. I also changed the cooking time and temperature. It is important to have Blondies that are just barely cooked. You want a little crunch on the outside and some chewiness in the center.

Snow Storm Blondies

Preheat oven to 325 degrees
Lightly spray a 9 X 13 glass baking pan

In a mixing bowl sift and combine:

2 3/4 cups of flour (and of course I used King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour)
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder (I use Medaglia D'Oro)

Measure out and set aside:

1/2 cup butterscotch chips
1 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup broken pecans (I broke them by hand instead of chopping)

In a large glass bowl melt 13 tablespoons of unsalted butter.

Whisk in:

3 eggs at room temperature
2 teaspoons of vanilla
1 tablespoon white or apple cider vinegar

Add to the butter mixture:
1 3/4 cups brown sugar (packed into measuring cups)
1/4 cup white sugar

Stir until completely combined and then add the flour mixture. Stir until just combined and then add the nuts and chips. Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 325 degrees for approximately 35 minutes. You can check the Blondies with a toothpick inserted in the center. The toothpick should come out clean but not dry.

Allow to completely cool before cutting. Now it is time to start dinner. A small pork roast with a fig and port sauce - maybe a post for another day. Enjoy!

Black Bean and Corn Chili

2014-02-09T18:11:00.001-05:00

What better way to finish a cold blustery day than with a great bowl of chili? This winter has been trying for even the most hardy New Englanders. We have kept our heat intentionally low at 63 so a combination of warming comfort foods and lots sweaters are a must. This weather makes me want to stay indoors and cook from my freezer and pantry. Rummaging through the cupboards I found a bag of black beans, a 10 oz. round steak in the freezer and an odd assortment of vegetables in the fridge. Bill and I love Southwestern and Mexican flavors so I decided to try a black bean chili. You can use a can of black beans (I would recommend the cumin and chili flavor) or you can start from scratch as I did.

For the Beans:

I decided to cook the whole bag and reserve some for a black bean soup later in the week. I usually rinse the beans, put them in a large sauce pan with water to cover, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, one large carrot, one celery stick, one half of an onion quartered and for these recipes 1 teaspoon of cumin and one jalapeno pepper sliced in 4 pieces with the seeds. Simmer the beans for approximately 1 1/2 hours until they are tender. You will need to add hot water periodically if the beans peak through the liquid.

Black Bean and Corn Chili

1 12 oz round steak, cubed, and tossed with 1 T flour and salt and pepper

1/2 onion diced
1 red pepper, large dice
1 small carrot, diced
1 small stalk of celery diced (I used the leaves too)
1 jalapeno pepper, small dice
2 tablespoons tomato paste (I like the Amare brand because you squeeze what you want out and put the tube back in the refrigerator).
1 cup diced tomatoes with juice
2 cups of beef stock or broth

Spice Mix:
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1 teaspoon chili caribe (only if you have it - it is a light flavored chili)
1 bay leaf
1 1/4 teaspoons cumin
1 tablespoon minced garlic

To finish you will need:

2 cups cooked black beans
1 cup of fresh or frozen corn kernels

Garnishes:

1/4 cup of chopped fresh cilantro
Fresh lime juice wedges to squeeze over the top
1 fresh chopped tomato
Tortilla chips
Monterrey Jack Cheese (shredded)
Optional Pepitas

In a dutch oven type pan start by browning the beef cubes in 1 tablespoon olive oil. Once browned remove the beef to a bowl and deglaze the pan with 1/2 cup of beef stock. Scrape the juicy bits from the pan as the stock boils and when most of it is clear pour the stock over the reserved beef.

Add 2 teaspoons additional olive oil to the pan. Over medium heat saute the onions until limp then add carrots, celery, and peppers. Cook for about 5 minutes then add the tomato paste, spices and garlic. Stir and cook until the spices are fragrant. Then add the beef and stock back into the pan. Add the diced tomatoes and the additional 1 1/2 cups beef stock. Bring chili to simmer. Reduce heat and simmer covered for 45 minutes.

Check meat to see if it is tender. If so add the corn and beans. Allow to simmer for a few minutes for the flavors to meld. Top with a few tortilla chips, cheese, cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
Enjoy!

Gazpacho - Chill Out on a Warm Summer Day

2013-07-08T08:19:00.000-04:00

Gazpacho is one of my summertime favorites. The crisp, cool and slightly spicy flavors of a good bowl of gazpacho cannot be beat on a hot summer day. This gazpacho has a tomato base and a lot of summer vegetables. There are no set rules so if you are missing an ingredient or two don't worry - all gazpachos taste different. My husband often makes a savory watermelon or peach gazpacho at work that incorporates some of vegetables below but with different spices.

Gazpacho comes from the southern part of Andalusia in Spain. Purists favor mashing ingredients in a mortar and pestle and the recipes from Spain typically contain stale bread, wine vinegar and olive oil. The olive oil will add mouth feel to the soup allowing the flavors to linger in your mouth for a little longer. The base for the soup I make is V-8 juice. I like a combination of some smooth texture and some with the vegetables in tact. Once I add the additional minced and cubed vegetables I divide the soup and blend half of the mixture to incorporate the vegetables. You can substitute vegetable stock but may need some additional tomato added to the soup. Make sure you leave plenty of time to chill your soup - this will also allow the foam created by blended to settle - giving the soup a more appealing texture. I like to garnish my with either some of the fresh cubed vegetables found in the soup or for a special occasion a couple of jumbo chilled cooked shrimp. Enjoy!

Gazpacho

Pulse Blend:

2 - 3 Tomatoes, washed and quartered
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce OR balsamic vinegar
1 Tablespoon of minced garlic
1 teaspoon basil or 2 Tablespoons fresh basil
1 teaspoon oregano or 2 Tablespoons fresh oregano
1/2 teaspoon thyme or 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme
1 1/2 cups V-8 Juice

In a separate bowl combine:

1 small onion, diced
1 cucumber, peeled seeded and cubed (about 1/4" cubes)
1 green pepper, diced
*1 poblano pepper (roasted, peeled, seeded and diced)
1 celery stalk, diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced (a hand chopper works beautifully for this)
1 small zucchini, diced
For a spicier version you can add a few drops of tabasco - I prefer to add a fresh jalapeño pepper seeded and diced very finely.

*I roast my poblanos directly on my gas stove top burner but you can also use the broiler in the oven. Set the flame to med-low and place the washed and dried pepper directly over the flame. Turn the pepper frequently to char the outside skin. Immediately after charring remove the pepper to a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Allow the pepper to cool for several minutes while you prepare the other vegetables. Once the pepper is cool slide the charred skin off the flesh and discard (you can use a little running water but be careful not to wash away too much of the flavor!). Slice open the pepper, remove the seeds and dice.

Divide the chopped vegetables in half and put one half in the blended tomato mixture. Pulse until desired consistency. If the soup still looks to chunky you can remove some of the soup to the blender and pulse again. Fold in the remaining ingredients and add a tablespoon of olive oil. Chill thoroughly before serving.

Some of my favorite garnishes depending on what I have on hand:

Fresh cilantro
Cubed cucumber
Thinly sliced sweet mini-peppers
Pepitas
Toasted tortilla strips
Chilled Cooked Jumbo Shrimp

Maple Walnut Sticky Buns

2013-03-17T09:51:00.000-04:00

It's that time of year; warm days and cold nights in March mean the sap is running in the Sugar Maple Trees that dot our forests and streets in New Hampshire and surrounding states. I grew up on a small farm in rural New Hampshire that produced as much as 350 gallons of this golden elixir. I always become nostalgic during sugar season. My dad and godfather ran a large operation mostly using child labor (us) and Yankee ingenuity. We had a sugar house in the back yard behind the barn (no large animals after the cow fell in the well - another story) and many evenings in March were spent out in that steamy warm building. My dad loves the first draw of syrup - the fancy grade with the lightest flavor and color. This syrup is best on pancakes, waffles or drizzled over ice-cream. If you are cooking with syrup you will want to find a dark, flavorful syrup or Grade B. We keep a quart of both in the fridge.

This recipe is based on one given to me by my dad. He is one of the best bakers I know and an inspiration to all those around him - he loves sharing the bounty of his talents with others. The dough is sweet and tender and the maple sticky caramel is delicious with the walnuts and golden raisins.

Makes approximately 20 buns

For the dough, combine and scald:

1 ½ cups milk

¾ cup sugar

¾ cup unsalted butter

¾ teaspoon sea salt

Set aside to cool (approximately 20 minutes until the liquid is between 95 and 105 degrees F)

Pour cooled liquid into the bowl of a standing mixer.

With mixer running on lowest setting add:

1 teaspoon almond extract

3 large eggs

1 ¾ teaspoons yeast (this is slightly less than one package)

Gradually add (see next paragraph):

6 cups of King Arthur All Purpose Flour

Use the paddle attachment for the first 4 cups and when smoot switch to the dough hook. Then gradually add the remaining 2 cups until dough starts climbing the hook and is stiff enough to handle. If the dough seems too sticky you may need to add up to an additional ½ cup of flour.

Knead the dough approximately 2 – 3 minutes. Remove the dough hook from the dough cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm area (75 to 80 degrees is ideal) until dough is double in size. This will take approximately 1 ½ hours.

While the dough is rising make the caramel liquid as follows:

Melt:

2/3 cup butter

Whisk into the butter and set aside:

¾ cup pure maple syrup – Grade B is preferable as it has more flavor
1/4 cup brown sugar

Have ready:

2/3 cup golden raisins

1 cup walnuts – halved or chopped in large pieces

Prepare two 8” oven proof skillets. Spray with non-stick spray and put ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons of the maple syrup butter mixture in the bottom of each skillet. Spread ½ cup of the walnuts onto the bottom of each pan and set aside.

Finish the dough:

Place the dough on a large floured surface. Knead for a minute or so and form into an oblong roll. Allow the dough to rest for about five minutes. Roll the dough out into a long rectangle. This will be approximately 12” X 30” and a generous ¼” thick.

Brush a generous amount of the remaining butter/maple syrup mixture over the entire surface of the rolled out dough. Sprinkle the golden raisins evenly over the dough. If you decide to add cinnamon sprinkle lightly on the dough (you can cut it with a tablespoon of sugar to make it easier to sprinkle onto the dough). Roll the dough up lengthwise to make a long – (approximately 30” long) log. Cut the rolls into generous 1 inch slices and arrange onto the prepared skillets. Depending on the size of your roll you will have approximately 10 rolls per skillet.

Cover the skillets with a clean towel and set in a warm place to rise until the rolls approximately double in size.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Bake in preheated oven for approximately 30 – 40 minutes until dark golden brown. Turn upside down on a plate to serve. You can also add a quick maple glaze by combining:

2 Tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 - 3/4 cup confectionery sugar

Drizzle glaze over the top of the sticky buns. Serve warm.

Enjoy!

Gingerbread Biscotti with Almonds, Orange and White Chocolate

2013-02-27T13:47:00.000-05:00

Baking Biscotti at least once a week has given me the chance to do quite a bit of experimenting. Both Bill and I love spice cookies such as gingersnaps and hermits so why not spicy biscotti? I was very disappointed to learn with a quick google search that I wasn't the originator of this idea but there is always room for improvement on the recipes that are already out there. I used the spice mix from my mother-in-law's molasses cookies and added some grated orange zest and almonds for additional texture and flavor. The white chocolate adds a satiny finish and is delicious when dipped into a steaming cup of cappuccino. I used Green and Black's Organic White Chocolate. This particular chocolate does not resemble the sugary flavor of "white baking chips". It melted beautifully but required more time to set. In this case I left the cookies overnight before boxing them up. Enjoy!

Gingerbread Biscotti with Orange, Almonds and White Chocolate Drizzle

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In standing mixer combine and mix using paddle attachment:

5 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cups plus 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar

When fluffy mix in:

1/4 cup molasses

2 large eggs at room temperature (one at a time)

Zest from one orange (I used Cara Cara for this)

Combine and sift in separate bowl:
2 teaspoons ground ginger

¾ teaspoon cloves

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2-1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1-1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda

With mixer on low, slowly add the sifted dry ingredients to the egg mixture. Mixing only until incorporated and scraping bowl when necessary. Then add in:

Add 1 cup almonds. I used sliced almonds but you can also use whole.

Have on hand for drizzle after baking and cooling:

1 3.5 oz package of white chocolate. I used Green and Black’s Organic White Chocolate with Vanilla.

Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Shape the dough into approximately 3 logs that are two inches wide and the length of your cookie sheet. If you need to even out the logs you can moisten your fingers with water and pat the dough down into shape.

Bake the cookie logs for approximately 20 minutes until firm to touch and cracking slightly on top (not hard but you shouldn't be able to easily make a depression with your fingertip). BE CAREFUL because of the amount of sugar and molasses these tend to brown/burn very quickly.

Pull from oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Reduce oven heat to 325 degrees. Carefully peel the parchment away from the cookies and place the log on a large cutting board. Take a large sharp knife (I use a chef's knife but you can also use a serrated bread knife). Cut the logs into 1/2" to 5/8" slices. Depending on how large you want your cookies you can slice on the diagonal or straight across. Make sure cookies are about the same size. I usually do not re-bake the ends of each log – they are to nibble on while the others cook a second time.

Return the cookies back on the cookie sheet slice face up (or down) and bake for about 7 minutes. Turn the cookies over and bake another 7 or so minutes until they feel crisp to touch. They will crisp further once they are out of the oven.

Remove from the cookie sheet and place on a cookie rack to cool. Once they are completely cooled they can be drizzled with the white chocolate.
I set the cookies on the rack over some parchment paper. Melt the white chocolate in a small completely dry glass container for 20 to 30 second intervals in the microwave. (Any droplets of water introduced to the chocolate will cause it to seize). Stir after each interval until completely melted. Do not burn or the flavor will be off.

Drizzle the cookies with the melted white chocolate. I used a fork to get nice strands of chocolate on the cookies. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks. Enjoy!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2013-02-09T14:55:00.000-05:00

Now that the gluttony of Super Bowl Sunday is over, it's time to think about healthier foods that are fit for winter. I have a hard time getting excited about salad and cold protein shakes in the dead of winter. The thermometer has barely passed 18 degrees for days and so it's time to look for a good soup recipe.

One of my favorites is Tortilla Soup. It turns out there are a lot of variations of this soup. Some have more of a broth base and others a roasted tomato and chili base. This soup is made hearty by pureeing the vegetables and a few soft corn tortillas before finishing.. One thing all tortilla soups have in common are a variety of toppings. Monterrey Jack cheese, fried tortilla strips, pepitas, lime juice, cilantro, avocado pieces and the list goes on. Guests can make the soup their own right at the table.

This can be made vegetarian by using vegetable stock and either tofu or more vegetables in place of the chicken. It is also a delicious sauce for grilled chicken or pork when you have a little leftover. If you don't have chicken or want something simpler you can always dice some smoked turkey deli meat and add it to the soup. When reheating it may be necessary to add additional stock - the soup thickens considerably over time.

Enjoy!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Grilled chicken:
I prefer grilling the chicken to get a nice smokey flavor added to the soup.
Marinate 2 chicken breasts for approximately 1 hour in:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
1/4 teaspoon allspice
juice from one lime
1/4 teaspoon of pepper

Grill meat during final stage of soup preparation (when you add the zucchini to the soup).

For the soup:
Saute in 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil until limp:
1 cup chopped sweet onion

Add and saute until fragrant:
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
dash of dried crushed red pepper

Add and simmer until thick:
1 28 oz can of chopped tomatoes with juices

Using a stick blender or regular blender puree the ingredients until almost smooth.

Return to pan and add:
3 - 4 cups of stock (I prefer chicken)
1 cup thin sliced or diced carrots
1/2 cup diced celery
3/4 cup of diced red and yellow pepper (I used the Tinkerbell peppers and thinly sliced them)
2 CORN tortillas (torn up in pieces)

Simmer until carrots are beginning to soften and then add:
1 small zucchini thinly sliced and grilled chicken that has been diced into bite size pieces.

While the soup is simmering grill your chicken and prepare the toppings:

Freshly shaved Monterrey Jack Cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
lime wedges for squeezing juice
Pepitas (Mexican pumpkin seeds - they are smaller and usually greenish in color)
Toasted or fried tortilla strips.

For the tortilla strip garnish - cut one flour tortilla in thin strips. Spray with PAM or other spray oil and lightly salt. Toast in oven at 350 for 4 - 5 minutes until golden brown and crunchy.

Bill and I like to serve this soup over basmati rice with slices of grilled chicken and the other toppings. This truly makes an enjoyable meal.

Cara Cara Orange and Apricot Scones - For All the Downton Abbey Lovers I Know

2013-02-03T14:37:00.000-05:00

Scones are biscuits that first appeared in print at the turn of the 16th century in Scotland and have been both revered and scorned. Those that are revered are the fresh-out-of-the-oven scones and bear no resemblance to their store bought cousins. Scones are traditionally unsweetened or lightly sweetened and served with butter, clotted cream and jam or marmalade. I have two basic recipes (see my blueberry and pecan scones published a few years ago) that I tweak depending on what ingredients I have on hand. Today I have oatmeal, cara cara oranges and dried apricots. The orange zest and a little of the juice in the dough will add delicate orange flavor while the apricots will add sweetness with out too much added sugar.

When I worked at the restaurant scones were a mainstay of Sunday Brunch. We started out making everything from scratch on Sunday morning but over time realized that we could make some of the mixes the day before and add in wet ingredients and bake. If you have company coming or are planning a brunch - mix all the dry ingredients, incorporate the shredded butter and you can refrigerate this mix up to 24 hours. I like to use shredded butter and then mix gently with my fingers or in the standing mixer until the mix feels like damp sand. The egg wash puts a nice golden brown crust on the scones - watch them carefully after 14 or so minutes they brown quickly.

I've already eaten two of these while writing this post so I better finish up and put them away so I have some to enjoy tonight during the next episode of Downton Abbey.

Cara Cara Orange, Apricot and Oatmeal Scones
Makes 16 scones

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine:
2 1/2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup old fashioned oats (I used Quaker)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon buttermilk powder
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
zest of 2 oranges (reserve 1 teaspoon for the glaze)

Shred using a box grater:
1 cup of unsalted butter

In a standing mixer or gently with your fingers work the butter into the dry ingredients.

Thinly slice and set aside:
1/2 cup dried apricots

Combine/whisk:
2 eggs
2 T fresh orange juice
2 T cold water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup honey

With the mixer running on lowest speed add the wet ingredients until just mixed and then add the dried apricots until just incorporated. Turn off the mixer. You might need to take a woodent spoon and turn the dough once or twice to get apricots evenly into the dough.

Generously flour a work surface and dump half the dough onto the flour. Sprinkle additional flour on the top of the mound. Gently pat the dough into a disk that is approximately 8" in diameter and 5/8" thick. Using a sharp knife or preferable a pastry knife cut the disk into 8 wedges. Place the wedges onto a parchment lined baking sheet.

Brush the scones with an egg wash. Whisk:
1 egg
1 - 2 teaspoons cream or half and half.

If you are not making a glaze sprinkle with sugar before baking.

Bake for 15 - 20 minutes checking after 15 minutes.

When still just slightly warm glaze with:

1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon reserved orange zest

Mix glaze thoroughly - you may need to add more confectioners sugar to get the right consistency.
Enjoy!

Flourless and Nearly Fat Free Chocolate Cake with Chobani Vanilla Chocolate Chunk Yogurt

2013-01-26T20:43:00.003-05:00

This recipe is for all my friends who are either dieting or who can no longer tolerate gluten in their diets. Experimenting in the kitchen can be daunting and I'm reluctant to put a lot of time and expensive ingredients into what can turn out to be a flop. Even though I cook and bake on a regular basis I still agonize about making changes because I don't want to ruin a good dish. This cake is an exception. It started out as a chocolate souffle cake with flour and lots of butter. I accidentally omitted the flour a few months ago when I was making it and the results were delicious but not very pretty. The beaten egg whites make the cake very high and the crust formed about an inch above the rest of the cake - once I took it out of the oven and tried to cut it, the whole thing came crashing down in little flakes.

Chobani recently sent me a case of their yogurt to cook with. I knew right away that I wanted to do something baked with the Vanilla Chocolate Chunk Yogurt but it took me a while to figure out how. I decided to try to replace all the butter in my flour-less cake with Chobani Vanilla Chocolate Chunk Yogurt. This yogurt is not as sweet as you might think so I was able to use it without changing the amount of sugar in the recipe. The finished cake has a beautiful thin fragile crust. The taste is like the most delicate and fluffy fudge you have ever eaten. Slightly sour and earthy from the yogurt and fluffy and delicate from all the eggs.

I highly recommend chilling the cake before serving. Use a hot knife to slice (cleaning it each time you make a cut).

Prepare a 9" spring form pan. Butter the sides and bottom. Cut a piece of parchmant to fit the bottom and butter that too. Wrap the outside of the pan (as shown in the photo) with plastic wrap. You will be baking this in a waterbath to slow the cooking time down and you don't want any water to seep into your chocolate.

Have ALL ingredients at room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

12 oz semi-sweet chocolate
3/4 cup Chobani Vanilla Chocolate Chunk Yogurt
1 1/2 teaspoons Vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
5 large eggs separated

Melt 12 oz of semi-sweet chocolate in a microwave safe glass bowl. I do this 30 seconds at a time checking after each interval and stirring. You don't want to burn the chocolate and you don't want it to get too hot. Whisk the yogurt into the melted chocolate. This yogurt has a little bit of cream in it which is essential to preventing the chocolate from seizing when you incorporate it. If for some reason the chocolate does seize you can add a tablespoon of heavy cream to get it back. After incorporating the yogurt whisk in the vanilla and the five egg yolks - one at a time and half of the sugar (6 tablespoons). Set aside.

Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt in a standing mixer until they have soft peaks. With the mixer running gradually add the remaining 6 tablespoons of sugar and continue beating until the egg whites form stiff peaks that are glossy.

Fold about 1/3 of the egg white mixture into the chocolate to lighten the chocolate batter. Then fold the remaining egg whites in gently but completely (you don't want to deflate the whites as you incorporate them and that is why you aren't stirring).

Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan. Place the pan in another pan that is large enough for you to pour room temperature water into (about 1" if possible). You are cooking this cake in a water bath to prevent it from cooking too fast.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center has moist crumbs (not liquid) adhering to it. There will be a thin crust on the top of the cake and it will start to pull away from the sides of the pan. It will take at least 35 - 40 minutes. Cool the cake on a rack and gently remove the ring of the pan before chilling. This cake can be made a few days ahead of serving.

I serve this cake with lightly sweetened whipped cream and a fruit compote of berries. For the berry compote take approximately 1 to 1 1/2 cups of frozen berries, 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 tablespoon of water and gently simmer for about 5 minutes until the berries start to fall apart and the liquid starts to thicken. You can also blend this to make a coulis if desired.

Enjoy!

Boston Butter, Pomegranate, Orange and Fennel Salad with Orange Champagne and Pistachio Vinaigrette

2013-01-11T19:36:00.002-05:00

During the winter I'm much more likely to fire up the oven and bake then to pull greens out and make a salad and unfortunately the scales and my favorite jeans back me up. It is very difficult to make low fat cookies and cakes that taste good without all the butter and other fattening ingredients. The challenge is to make healthy foods taste better and vary the ingredients enough so that you look forward to eating that yummy salad instead.

We have had quite the time using up little bits of left over ingredients after the holidays. Every time I open the refrigerator I try to think of ways to use them up. Today it is a lovely salad with Boston Butter Lettuce, Pomegranate Seeds, Shaved Fennel, Pistachios and Blue Cheese Crumbles. I also made a very light orange champagne vinaigrette.

Orange Champagne Vinaigrette

Whisk together:
1/2 teaspoon orange rind
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon chile caribe**
2 tablespoon champagne vinegar

While whisking, gradually add:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salad for four

1 head of Boston Butter or Boston Bib Lettuce - (the outside leaves are not as tender and delicious so these usually go in the compost)
1 orange cut in the supreme style (see my directions for Cara Cara Orange Salad)
1/4 bulb of fennel shaved very thin (I use a mandolin)
2 tablespoons pistachios (it is worth shelling them - I have not had any shelled pistachios that retain their flavor and texture)
2 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese
2 - 3 tablespoons of pomegranate seeds

Assemble the salad. Lay several leaves of lettuce on the plate. Follow this with the orange supremes, fennel, and pomegranate. Drizzle with dressing and sprinkle on the cheese crumbles and pistachios. Enjoy!

** Chili Caribe is a mild crushed flaked chili with 80% skin and 20% seeds. It is available from a company in Denver called Italco. You can use a mild chili instead.

Biscotti for Three Tomatoes Trattoria

2013-01-04T17:19:00.000-05:00

Pine nut, Almond and Bittersweet Chocolate Biscotti

One of my favorite cookies to make and eat are biscotti. They stay fresh longer than any other cookie, take to a variety of ingredients with little fuss and are delicious for breakfast and after dinner. A few months ago my husband Bill Howard started searching for a new biscotti vendor. Bill, the executive chef for Three Tomatoes in Lebanon, doesn't eat a lot of sweets but really enjoys my biscotti. A year ago I made biscotti for Three Tomatoes for an Italian wine pairing dinner and they were a success but I wasn't ready to start baking for them. This fall when my husband asked me again I decided to take the plunge.

At $19.95 a pound I probably won't be able to use pine nuts in the biscotti at Three Tomatoes but I can share them with you. If you have left over pine nuts store them in a sealed container in the freezer as they tend to turn sooner than other nuts. These biscotti are wonderful because of the earthy flavors of the nuts and cinnamon and the bittersweet chocolate. Enjoy!

Pine Nut, Almond and Bittersweet Chocolate Biscotti

For Dough:

1 Cup Sugar
6 Tablespoons Softened Butter
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs

Sift:
2 Cups
1 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder

3 oz chopped bittersweet chocolate
1/2 cup pine nuts
3/4 cup sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream the sugar and butter in a mixer. Add the vanilla and eggs one at a time. Mix thoroughly. Add the sifted dry ingredients with mixer on low until just mixed. Stir in the chocolate and nuts.

Twenty Little Angels

2012-12-20T22:48:00.000-05:00

I've been thinking all week about Newtown and how profoundly this tragedy has hit all of us whether we are hundreds of miles away or thousands. I wanted to do something that we could include in our celebration of Christmas this year that would remind us of all the families who have lost loved ones. I have been baking Christmas cookies for over a week and decided to make some handmade cookie angels for our tree.

I only have one Christmas Angel Cookie Cutter and it is quite small but in the end these cookies are not about beauty or perfection but about remembrance.

My daughter Kylene helped me with some of the decorating and we will hang them on the tree as family arrives to celebrate the holiday with us. I used royal icing for the piping and threaded some satin ribbon through the tiny holes using a darning needle. Merry Christmas.

Christmas Angels

Cream in the mixer:
3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar (less 2 tablespoons) ( I made these once before and noted on the recipe there was too much sugar!)

Then add:
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
Zest of one small lemon or very small orange

Then add:
2 1/4 cups flour
large pinch of salt

Mix just until clumps begin to form. If the dough appears too dry add a very small amount of cream or milk (1/4 teaspoon at a time) just until large clumps form.

Turn the dough onto a large sheet of plastic, wrap and chill for at least 2 hours.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Roll out onto floured board or counter. Roll to between 1/8" and 1/4" but keep it consistent. Cut the cookies (if you are using several shapes keep the cookies of like size on the same cookie sheet so they cook in approximately the same time. Use a toothpick to form a hole for threading the ribbon if you plan on making ornaments. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 10 minutes until light golden brown.

Decorate with royal icing when completely cool.

Enjoy!

Nutmeg Cookie Logs - Christmas Cookies from Gram's Recipes

2012-12-15T19:40:00.000-05:00

My grandmother's Christmas cookies all include multiple steps. A variety of cookies that are either frosted, filled or rolled in something with lots of chopping and grating thrown in for good measure. I think that might be why there is a little sticker on the recipe booklet she gave us that tells us to decorate our holiday with happiness. These extra steps are what make these recipes so special. The Nutmeg Cookie Logs start out with a very simple butter dough fragranced with nutmeg that is rolled to look like twigs. The baked cookies get a very light coating of frosting and a dusting of nutmeg.

The little recipe book that my grandmother made up for us back in 1989 is carefully tied with red and green yarn. She wrote on the front "So that Gram's Christmas Cookies will live on Forever!"

Enjoy and Merry Christmas! Monica

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.

Sift and set aside: 3 cups of flour and 1 teaspoon nutmeg

Cream: 1 cup butter and 3/4 cup sugar

Blend in: one unbeaten egg and 1 tablespoon rum

Add dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.

Shape dough into long rolls like a pencil (scant 1/2" in diameter). Cut into 3" lengths. Place on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Bake 12 - 15 minutes until very light golden brown (the bottoms will brown first so watch them carefully). Cool thoroughly and spread with the frosting (recipe below). You can score them with a fork to make them look like they have bark but I just run my knife so that is creates lines.

Frosting: 3 Tablespoons butter softened, 1/2 cup confectionary sugar and 1 Tablespoon Rum. Put a very light layer of frosting on the top of each cookie and dust with additional nutmeg.

Peppermint Christmas Cookies: A Family Tradition of Spreading Holiday Cheer

2012-12-05T17:00:00.000-05:00

Peppermint Christmas Cookies

Both of my grandmothers were gifted bakers but my maternal grandmother Helen was the queen of Christmas cookies. She would often brag about how many dozen cookies she baked and gave away to her friends, brought to club meetings and had left over for us to eat during the holidays. When Grams passed away just before Christmas in 2001 she left us two precious gifts. All her Christmas cards had been carefully written and addressed to her friends and family (but had not yet been sealed or mailed) and she left all the Christmas cookies that she had baked for us to enjoy and cry over during the holidays. Of the dozen or so varieties she made every year these peppermint balls are my favorite. They have a lovely pink tint from the crushed peppermint and a sticky surprise filling of peppermint cream. I always save the few candy-canes left from the tree when I take it down with my baking material and take them out when the Christmas baking season begins.

The peppermint flavor is delicate and not too overpowering. These cookies hold extremely well and are also good to ship. Enjoy!

Dough:

1 Cup Unsalted Butter

½ Cup Confectioner’s Sugar (Powdered Sugar)

2 ½ Cups All purpose Flour

½ Cup finely chopped walnuts

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Filling:

¼ Cup Crushed (pulverized!) Peppermint Candy - such as candy canes

¼ cup Confectioner’s sugar

1 Tablespoon Cream Cheese

½ teaspoon milk

1 drop red coloring (I would not worry if you don’t have this)

To make dough: Cream butter with sugar. Gradually add flour, nuts and vanilla. Mix thoroughly and chill (1 hour should be enough).

Filling: Combine candy and sugar. Reserve ½ for topping. Blend the cream cheese and milk and add to remaining candy mixture. Mix well.

Remove dough from refrigerator. Shape into balls about 1” in diameter. Make a deep hole (I use a tiny measuring spoon to do this) in center of ball and fill with ¼ teaspoon of filling (the one with the cream cheese). Seal with a small amount of dough. Bake on un-greased or parchment paper cookie sheet 350 degrees for 12 minutes. WHILE STILL WARM roll in remaining candy mixture.

Polish Blini with Chobani Lemon Yogurt and Blueberries (Crepes)

2012-12-01T13:29:00.000-05:00

When I was a child my parents both worked. The two hours between the bus dropping us off at the bottom of the hill and the arrival of one of my parents from work was often spent with my Polish Babcia or Grandmother. She lived about 1/4 mile from our house and was an exceptional cook. During the summer she kept a large jar of fermenting raspberries from her patch that she would draw from whenever we had a cough. In winter we were often greeted with something homemade and warm such as her blinis, sometimes drizzled with her famous raspberry "syrup". These are so simple to make and so delicious with a variety of ingredients. My husband and I like them best with a simple yogurt and fruit filling.

Babcia's Polish Blini

Beat:
4 Eggs
Add
1 Cup Milk
2 Tablespoons Melted Butter
A small pinch of kosher salt
Beat in
1 Cup Flour
Allow to rest for at least 15 minutes.

Heat a skillet on medium low heat with some butter and spray oil (100% oil - no added water) such as Crisco brand. I use a 10" heavy duty Calphalon Saute Pan that has a flat bottom and rounded sides.

Once the pan is preheated pour 1/4 cup of batter into the pan. Immediately swirl it around to cover the entire bottom of the pan. Have a plastic spatula ready to flip the blini once the edges start to pull away from the pan. You should not have to reapply the oil as long as your pan is well seasoned.

I usually cook all the blinis and stack them on a plate and keep on top of the stove to keep them warm.

The blinis shown are filled with Chobani Lemon Yogurt and Fresh Blueberries. They are also great with lemon curd and raspberries or maple syrup. My son's favorite is cinnamon and sugar. Enjoy!

Holiday Entertaining – Try these make ahead Bruschetta with Pear and Apricot Chutney

2012-11-25T17:18:00.000-05:00

For some reason this Thanksgiving we ended up with a lot of leftovers. We had the same number of people, same amount of food but everyone dove into the appetizers including this chutney brushetta before we sat down for dinner.

I first made this last October for a cocktail party that featured dishes only made with apples and pears (it was in a converted school house!). It was a hit at that party too. I have my husband to thank for the toasting technique for the brushetta. These are great for all kinds of appetizers and will keep for several days.

I love the play of flavors and textures in this appetizer and especially love that all the parts can be made several days ahead of time and taken out and assembled moments before guests arrive.

Apricot and Pear Chutney Brushetta

To make the brushcetta:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a small saucepan slowly heat:

1/3 cup olive oil and one tablespoon minced garlic.

Slice one French baguette into ¼” slices. Lay these onto a cookie sheet. Brush both sides with the olive oil mixture. Sprinkle second side with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.

Roast in hot oven until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350 and roast:

1/3 cup whole pecans for several minutes until fragrant. Set aside to cool. (I like to chop them right before serving)

To make the chutney:

Chop and saute in pan with 1 - 2 teaspoons of olive oil:

¼ cup shallot (about ½ of a large bulb)

When the shallots are soft, add all at once:

1/2 cup liquid from a container of canned pears

2 Fresh Ripe Pears, peeled and chopped (no larger than 1/2 “)

1/4 cup chopped dried apricots

1.5 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

large pinch of kosher salt

1 small cinnamon stick

cook this mixture for approximately 15 mins until the pears are tender. Cool and store until ready for use (up to three days). This makes about 1 1/2 cups of chutney.

Assemble brushetta with a scoop of chutney, a sprinkle of chopped roasted pecans and a few blue cheese crumbles! Enjoy.

Strawberry Shortcake with Marscapone Cream and a Tuille Cookie

2012-03-17T20:15:00.005-04:00

Last Easter we enjoyed a wonderful dinner with my Aunt Rebecca in Montague, Massachusetts. The day was warm and beautiful so we enjoyed dinner outside. Rebecca made the same little table favors my grandmother used to make out of crepe paper and small cups. the little table favors shown below look just like old fashioned paper flowers. They filled the cups with colorful Easter eggs and the table looked beautiful. At the time I was counting my calories and came up with this healthy alternative to shortcake. I ended up making them several times over the summer as different fruit became available. Enjoy!

Spring Strawberries with Tuille Basket with Marscapone Cream

1 Quart Fresh Straberries, washed, hulled, and cut into thick slices and sprinkled with 1 tablespoon sugar

Marscapone Ricotta Cream

½ cup heavy cream whipped

½ cup marscapone
½ cup ricotta

Tuille Cookies:

These cookies require a silicone baking sheet liner. I tried it with parchment and it was very difficult to remove the cookie from the paper.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream in mixer with paddle attachment:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
7 tablespoons confectionery sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Add in and mix until creamy:

1/3 cup all purpose flour

Continue mixing and add:

2 egg whites – one at a time (not extra large – or remove a small amount)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

Refrigerate dough for about 30 minutes.

Spoon approximately 2 teaspoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheet with silicone liner. Spread the dough with the back of a spoon until it is approximately 4 – 4.5 inches in diameter (the same size as a flattened cupcake liner). You will probably be able to get about 4 – 5 cookies on the baking sheet at a time.

Have a cupcake pan handy to form the baskets. Bake for approximately 5 minutes. The cookies should begin to brown on the edges.

**Immediately after removing from the oven, carefully peel the cookie from the silicone liner and gently press into the cupcake pan, folding the cookie where necessary to make a cone or basket shape.
Allow to cool in the cupcake pan (I actually kept them there until serving so they were safe (they are very fragile)

To serve, fill the cookie with seasoned strawberries and top with Marscapone Cream. Enjoy!

Chocolate Pecan Tartlets

2011-11-27T18:44:00.000-05:00

I have been making this pecan pie recipe for years. It started as a staple for a Kentucky Derby Party and now I make it as a delicious ending for special meals. The tartlets are simply an adaptation of the pie recipe. The hallmark of this recipe is it's simplicity to make. I always have the ingredients on hand and can have one ready for the oven quickly. I baked the tartlets in 6 oz. ramekins. The same recipe will fill one 9" pie shell.

Chocolate Pecan Tartlets

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make pie crust and set aside.

Crust (enough for a single 9" crust or for 6 tartlets)

-Combine with fingers until fine crumbs are formed:
1 1/4 Cup Flour sifted with a pinch of salt\
6 tablespoons Shortening / Unsalted Butter (Chilled)
(If you use butter grate it into the flour)
-Stir in until just combined:
1/4 cup ICE water

Form dough into ball and set aside while you make the filling.

Chocolate Pecan Filling (fills 1 regular pie crust or 6 tartlets)

-Melt slowly in microwave:
4 - 5 oz. semi-sweet chocolate with
2 tablespoons butter
-Set aside to cool slightly

-In large mixing bowl combine and stir:
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs slightly beaten
1 cup Karo syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-Add the chocolate mixture and stir until combined.
Add 1 1/2 pecan halves

Roll out the pie crust on a lightly floured surface. I used a 12 oz. peanut tin with both ends taken off with a can opener to cut the rounds I needed to fill the tartlet shells. If you are making a pecan pie just roll out your dough on a floured surface and drop into the pie plate. I usually pinch the edges using my forefinger and thumb of both hands to make a zigzag pattern.

I sprinkle a little flour in the bottom of the ramekins. Gently put the rounds into the ramekin folding the dough to make it fit and pressing it up against the edges. Fill the shells to 3/4 full. Bake for 30 mins. at 350 degrees. The filling will puff up and start to crack when done. Do not overbake because the pecans will take on a burnt flavor. The pie takes at least 50 minutes to bake and sometimes longer.

Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving.

Orange, Cranberry and Pecan...Muffins for Company

2011-11-13T13:42:00.000-05:00

Bill and I just returned from a mini-vacation in Camden, Maine. We stayed at the Grand Harbor Inn right on the water. Part of the package included an in-room continental breakfast that included granola, yogurt and muffins. The muffins were commercial and sub par but it didn’t ruin the experience of being away and we made up for it with yummy dinners both nights. As soon as I got home I couldn’t wait to make a decent muffin and for me fall muffins include nuts and dried fruit. The base for this recipe comes from The Bradford, (New Hampshire) Women's Club Fiftieth Anniversary Cookbook – a blueberry muffin recipe that I have made for years.

Cranberry, Pecan and Orange Muffins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Cream:

½ cup butter

1 cup sugar

Add one at a time and blend until incorporated:

2 eggs

Combine and slowly add and mix:

½ cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

grated zest from one orange

Sift together and add to wet ingredients until just mixed:

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

Then stir in:

¾ cup dried cranberries

¾ cup coarsely chopped pecans

Fill prepared muffin tins (either paper lined or lightly sprayed with non-stick spray).

Sprinkle with 1 – 2 tablespoons King Arthur Sparkling Sugar.

This recipe makes 12 small muffins. I baked them for 26 minutes until they were a light golden brown. Enjoy!

Polish Easter Bread with Cardamom

2011-04-19T15:37:00.000-04:00

I grew up at the end of a 1/2 mile dirt road in the country. Half way between the bus stop and our house lived a wonderful Polish woman we called Bobshi (Polish Grandma). She treated us like her own grandchildren, attending our school events, babysitting when my parents needed help, pressing coins in our palms when we reached milestones and looking after us so that we weren't home alone in the afternoons. Everyday after we got off the school bus we would run to Bobshi's house and she would have snacks ready for us. Snacks could be cookies, blini pancakes, her special fermented raspberry sauce with ice cream and occasionally homemade bread. Bopshi made the most delicious Polish Easter Bread.

Happy Easter!

Polish Easter Bread

In bowl of standing mixer combine the following:

¼ cup sugar
1cup warm milk (approximately 104 degrees F)
½ cup unsalted butter melted and cooled
¾ cup flour
2 ½ teaspoons yeast

Stir and allow the yeast to begin causing the mixture to bubble.

Add and mix with paddle attachment:

¾ cup sugar

5 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon crushed cardamom (not the pods just the black seeds from inside)
1 tablespoon lemon zest

Begin adding flour (a total of 4 – 5 cups) 1 cup at a time, changing to the dough hook when the dough becomes less like batter. The amount of flour you need to add depends a lot on the humidity and other factors. The last time I made this I needed 5 ½ cups. What your are really looking for is a nice soft supple texture, similar to a woman’s breast.

Add ¼ cup white raisins after all your flour is worked in

This dough needs to rise two times. The first rise can be in the mixing bowl, lightly covered with a cloth towel until the dough doubles in size. The second rise is after the loaves are formed.

I made two large loaves with this recipe. To make the decorative braid, slash off about ¼ of the dough and divide into three pieces. Roll the three pieces into three long strands and braid together. Form the rest of the dough into the shape of your pan (only slightly smaller) and wrap the braid around your dough. Trim or tuck in to make it fit. I glazed the dough with an egg wash just before baking.

Bake at 350 degrees F for about 35 – 40 minutes depending on the size of your loaves.

African Sweet Potato and Peanut Soup

2011-04-11T22:31:00.000-04:00

My first taste of peanut soup was over 20 years ago in Middleburg, Virginia. We were visiting a horse farm and stopped to eat at a tavern on the main street in the center of town. The peanut soup was recommended to us as a local favorite and we decided to give it a try. The gluey and unappetizing soup served to us was not my favorite dish of that trip and it was many years before I tried peanut soup again.

This recipe came from our first chef at The Old Courthouse. She was a vegetarian who had the ability to make meatless meals that satiated even the meat lovers among us. This soup makes an excellent sauce for grilled chicken or over vegetables and rice. If it is too thick feel free to add a little additional vegetable stock or water.

African Sweet Potato and Peanut Soup

Heat 1 - 2 tablespoons oil in a large saucepan
Add and saute until soft:
1 cup chopped onion

Add and cook until fragrant:
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons curry or garam masala (see note below)

Slowly pour in:
3 cups vegetable stock
1 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes with juice
1 large sweet potato peeled and diced

Cover and simmer for approximately 25 minutes until sweet potatoes are soft. Remove from heat and blend (I recommend using a stick blender like the one shown in the Amazon box at left).

Stir together and then slowly add:
1 small can coconut milk (approximately 2 cups)
1/2 cup peanut butter

Gently bring the mixture back up to very hot (not boiling) and serve with the garnishes.

1/4 cup chopped cilantro
chopped peanuts or toasted coconut
Fresh lime wedge

(I made my own curry with a 3:2:1 ratio of cumin (3 teaspoons), coriander (2 teaspoons), and cinnamon (1 teaspoon), then I added about a 1/2 teaspoon mint leaves and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes - grind in a mortar and pestle).

Enjoy!

Maple Frosted Chocolate Cupcakes

2011-03-19T10:56:00.001-04:00

Tapping trees, collecting sap, and watching the evaporator all lead to the production of the sweet syrup we call maple. I grew up with a sugar bush across the field and a sugar house behind the garage. My dad and god-father produced about 350 gallons of maple syrup a year and we all were called on to pitch in. It takes approximately 40 gallons of sap, collected from a small spigot attached to the tree, to make one gallon of syrup. If you boil that syrup down further you can make other goodies such as the delicious frosting on these chocolate cupcakes and the maple candy decorations for the top.

I have lots of "sweet" childhood memories from our sugar house. Ours was a small natural wood structure with a cupola on top (to release the steam), rough lumber walls and floor and a few reclaimed windows for light. The entire center was filled with a series of stainless steel pans connected together and sitting over a large wood fired base. Many spring evenings were spent in the sugar house keeping my dad company, doing homework, eating homemade doughnuts and watching the steam swirl into the darkness above.

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

Melt carefully in the microwave and then set aside to cool:

10 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 oz very dark chocolate (I used Green & Black's Organic 85% Cocoa)

Beat in:

2 eggs plus 2 yolks
2/3 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Sift and fold in:

3 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Pour into cupcake molds lined with paper. Fill about 2/3 to 3/4 full. Bake about 10 - 12 minutes until outsides are set and inside is still a little moist (this will create a soft center). Cool before frosting.

Boiled Maple Icing

In standing mixer whip until stiff:
1 egg white (at room temperature) and
1/4 teaspoon salt

Meanwhile:

Boil 1/2 cup maple syrup in heavy sauce pan until it forms a 3-inch thread. A candy thermometer should read 230 degrees F. With mixer running slowly pour the maple syrup in and whip until the mixture cools. This recipe will frost 12 cupcakes or 1/2 of a layer cake.

Gradually beat the hot syrup into the egg whites and continue beating until the frosting is cool. This recipe makes enough to fill and frost one 9-inch double layer cake.

To make decorations. Boil a small amount of syrup (I used 1/2 cup) and bring to 300 degrees F. Remove from heat. Working quickly use a spoon to dribble decorations onto a silpat silicone baking sheet (there is one from Amazon shown here). Peel off and decorate. If you are decorating these little gems appear to absorb water quickly and melt so put them in a separate container in a dry place until you are ready to use.

Hearty Louisiana Gumbo straight from The Adirondacks

2011-03-11T18:00:00.002-05:00

What could gumbo and Winslow Homer possibly have in common? Years ago I was lucky enough to spend a long weekend at the very same hunting club that Winslow Homer used as the setting for many of his Adirondack paintings. The caretakers and our hosts were not only responsible for trails, buildings and fish, they were also responsible for doing family meals in the clubhouse. One evening Peg made the most delicious gumbo and I had to have the recipe. I will always associate gumbo with The North Woods Club even though I have been to New Orleans many times.
One of Homer's watercolors, The North Woods Club, is owned by The Art Institute in Chicago and could have been done at the time of our visit instead of in 1892. Little has changed in this beautiful area of New York. Pond boathouses still boast the beautiful wooden Adirondack boats, an abundance of deer come into the meadows looking for food and the views of the mountains remain unspoiled by modern life.

I took the liberty of making a few changes to Peg's recipe. I added some Andouille, a Cajun style sausage, made locally by the North Country Smokehouse. I also used pan roasted chicken thighs in place of cubed chicken. Pan roasting the bone-in thighs adda a lot of additional flavor and I was able to use some of the fat to make the roux. The word gumbo comes from an African derivation of the word for okra. New Hampshire is not a very popular destination for okra as Bill found out this morning when I asked him to pick some up at the grocery store. Five stores later he finally found some frozen chopped okra, a necessary ingredient for this delicious stew. Enjoy.

Louisiana Gumbo

Season 4 chicken thighs with oil, salt, pepper and a little cajun seasoning.

In a heavy saute pan, roast the thighs skin side down until the skin is golden brown. Turn and continue cooking until cooked through. You may need to remove some of the fat but reserve at least 2 tablespoons to make the roux. After chicken is cooked set aside to cool.

In the same pan (a large saucepan or dutch oven) on medium - low heat add:

2 tablespoons reserved chicken fat
6 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

This is the base of your roux. Stir frequently and cook until the roux becomes a very dark brown. This is the earthy flavor that will really make the gumbo. Cooking time can take up to 25 minutes.

Remove from heat and add:

1 cup chopped onion

1 small green pepper chopped

1 jalapeno pepper finely diced

1/4 cup sliced green onion

1/2 cup chopped celery

2 minced garlic cloves

Stir and put back on heat. Cook for about 8 minutes stirring frequently until vegetables are soft.

Add:

3 cups of chicken stock

1 1/2 cups of spicy vegetable juice

1 28 oz. can of chopped tomatoes (with juice)

2 large bay leaves

1 1/2 teaspoons thyme

2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning (I had this in the pantry and decided to add some – it contains a variety of spice including thyme, paprika, pepper, cayenne, and parsley).

10 oz package of frozen chopped okra

Continue cooking while you pan fry and brown:

2 Andouillie Sausages sliced into coins

Add these to the soup. Simmer for one hour.

Check your seasonings and add salt and cayenne to taste. Toward the end of your cooking time add the cooked chicken (in pieces) and some shrimp. I like to add only the amount of shrimp I will be eating in one sitting so it doesn't get overcooked. This recipe will easily serve six.

Serve over white rice.