Taste Of Cooking

Pierogies and Cheddar Broccoli

2011-01-22T00:42:00.001-08:00

Pierogies and Cheddar Broccoli

It's been awhile since I made pierogies. SP got tired of them after eating them basically once a week for a few months. Then one of his work friends told him she was going to a local place that makes homemade pierogies and offered to pick some up for us to try. She got us two dozen potato and cheddar so I cooked them up with some slow-cooked onions for dinner last Tuesday:

The pierogies were lighter and tasted much fresher then the Mrs. T's variety we're used to eating. I served mine with a little dollop of sour cream, but unlike all the previous times I've made pierogies I decided not to use bacon in an effort to keep this meal somewhat healthy.

I also steamed some broccoli in chicken broth and melted cheddar cheese on top before serving:

It was a delicious meal and even tastier because we hadn't had it in awhile. I think we're spoiled now by the fresh pierogies.

Pierogies and Broccoli

2011-01-22T00:41:00.001-08:00

Pierogies and Broccoli

It's been a long time since I made pierogies and broccoli and since I'm all about revisiting old favorites right now this meal was at the top of the list.

I like to top my pierogies with bacon crumbles that I cook in a skillet to render the fat. That fat is then used to slowly caramelize the onions. Once the pierogies have been boiled they're tossed in the skillet with the onions. SP and I like a large dollop of sour cream with our pierogies.

To cook the broccoli I add the florets to a large pot with some chicken stock, cover it and allow the broccoli to steam in the stock. Once the florets are tender they're put in a bowl with some grated cheddar cheese and then I cover the bowl with tinfoil so the cheese can melt.

EDIT - Click here for a complete How-To for making this meal.

Pierogies

2011-01-22T00:34:00.000-08:00

Pierogies
We're feeling the pinch these days so we're trying to use up some of the stuff in our freezer. We bought a huge bag of pierogies awhile back and then kind of went off them. I was going to try finding a new recipe but never got around to it, so I went back to the old standby of crispy bacon and slow-cooked onions:

SP said he was tired of broccoli so since we had a whole bag of frozen corn in the freezer (and corn is one of SP's favorite veggies) I decided to doctor some up using fresh thyme and finely chopped scallions. It actually worked out rather well and was quite a tasty meal.

Homemade Cinnamon Bread

2011-01-22T00:30:00.000-08:00

Homemade Cinnamon Bread

I baked cinnamon bread last night.

I thought of it.

I wanted it.

So I baked it.

And then, this morning…I ate it! I didn’t want to be rude. To myself.

Juicy rationalizations aside, there are few things yummier than homemade cinnamon bread. Eat it sliced off the loaf, toasted and smeared with butter…or step things up and use it to make French or cinnamon toast. And take delight in knowing that no storebought version of this stuff will ever, ever compare.

Like, ever.

I left the raisins out, as I wanted to keep things simple. But I’ll tell you down below where you can add them in if you’re in the mood.

Let’s make bread, baby!

Start with 3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) butter. The salty stuff, not the unsalted stuff.

Heat the butter in a saucepan or pot with 1 cup of milk. I used 2%, but if I’d had whole milk in the fridge, I would have used that.

I love using whole milk in baking. It makes me feel like a rebel, which makes me feel dangerous, which makes me feel like a brunette.

I draw strange links between things. Bear with me here.

Now, let the milk/butter mixture cool until it’s warmer than lukewarm but not overly warm. Then grab 2 1/2 teaspoons of active dry yeast…

…And sprinkle it over the liquid. Stir it around just a little bit, then let the mixture sit for about ten minutes. That’ll wake the yeast from its deep sleep.

Active dry yeast is sold in either packets or jars; I usually go for the jars, because then I can measure whatever quantity I need. The packets are exactly 2 1/4 teaspoons of yeast, and if I need a little more than that, I have to open another packet, use just a little of it, then try to be organized and neat enough to close the packet and store it without spilling it all over the cabinet.

And who needs that added pressure?

Now throw some sugar and eggs into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. The reason I’m using the paddle attachment is that this is a dough. If it’s a dough, I use the paddle attachment.

If it’s batter, I use the whisk attachment.

Just a little rule of thumb.

Beat the egg and sugar together until it’s totally combined…

Then drizzle in the yeast mixture and give it a light stir.

It’s best if your eggs aren’t straight out of the fridge for this recipe, because if the egg/sugar mixture is too cold, it’ll stop the yeast magic from continuing. So just remove the eggs from the fridge a couple of hours before you want to make the dough, and you should be fine. (I’ll also show you another trick for helping your yeast along here in a second.)

Add in half the flour and all the salt…

And mix it up until it’s all combined.

Then scrape the sides of the bowl…

Add in the rest of the flour, and mix it until it’s just combined.

Next, switch out the paddle for the dough hook attachment. I hardly ever use this thing, but when I do, I’m always thankful for its existence.

Knead the dough on medium speed for about ten minutes. It’ll slowly slap around the bowl and make all kinds of weird noise. If, after the ten minutes, the dough seems overly sticky—as in, you even think about sticking your finger in the bowl and your fingers will be covered with dough—add in 1/4 cup of flour and knead for another 5 minutes or so. Note that the dough should be slightly sticky and should stick to your fingers just a little bit…just not overly sticky/messy.

Meanwhile, I’ve been warming up my metal bowl by filling it with hot, hot water and allowing it to sit for a few minutes. (You can also stick a glass bowl in the microwave for a couple of minutes to get it nice and warm.)

Drizzle a little canola oil in the bottom of the bowl…

Then add the ball of dough, toss it around to coat it in oil.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Sweet Rolls

2011-01-22T00:27:00.000-08:00

Chocolate Chip Cookie Sweet Rolls

I have a sweet roll problem.

I blame my original cinnamon rolls. For they are evil. And they must be destroyed.

From there I made these orange marmalade rolls. A triumph.

Then, with zero shame in my soul, I made these caramel apple rolls.

Help.

Over the weekend, I made a whole bunch of cinnamon rolls for Cookie Sunday at church. Cookie Sunday used to be called Linger Longer, and before that, I think it was happy hour, which might have inflamed the evangelicals because of its reference to discounted booze…but I’m a Presbyterian and nobody cared.

I set aside some of the cinnamon roll dough and decided to try yet another variation of sweet rolls. I steered away from anything having to do with fruit or cinnamon…and I got myself into a little trouble.

Just scroll. You’ll see what I mean.

The whole world of my cinnamon rolls begins with this: four cups of whole milk.

This is a big moment, folks.

Pour it into a dutch oven or other pot.

Add a cup of sugar…

And a cup of oil.

Stir it together and heat it over medium heat. Don’t let it boil. Turn off the heat and allow it to cool a bit. You want it to be warm, but not too warm for the yeast.

When it’s cooled enough, sprinkle in the yeast.

Let it sit on the surface of the warm liquid for a couple of minutes.

Then add eight of the nine cups of flour.

Stir it gently to combine. It’ll be super wet and stick.

And that’s what you want.

Then place the lid on the pot and allow to sit in a draft-free place for one hour.

I love using heavy cast iron pots for yeast doughs, as they tend to trap in the warmth and give the yeast more of a yeast-happy environment.

Here it is an hour later!

Groovy, man.

Time to add in an additional cup of flour…

A good tablespoon of salt (don’t skip this!)

A heaping teaspoon of baking powder…

And a scant teaspoon of baking soda.

Stir it around…

Christmas Dinner

2011-01-22T00:19:00.001-08:00

Christmas Dinner

This year SP and I hosted Christmas dinner. It's an easy meal, the same one we've had for years at my stepgrandmother's house, but when you're the one cooking it there's immense pressure to make it fantastic.

We started with delicious olives, artichokes, meat, cheese, stuffed peppers and asparagus that my aunt brought:

I hadn't anticipated how long the beef would need to cook, so I'm glad we had stuff to nosh on while we waited. Here it is resting before I carved into it:

... and a few slices for the table:

Green beans with almonds:

Mashed potatoes (I used my ricer to get them silky smooth):

Yorkshire pudding:

... which is much easier to make then I would have thought. My plate for the first round:

Everything was delicious, if I do say so myself. Next year I think it'll be even better because I know how long everything takes to cook!

Spaghetti with Artichoke Hearts and Tomatoes

2011-01-22T00:15:00.000-08:00

Spaghetti with Artichoke Hearts and Tomatoes

I love artichokes. I've always liked them but I developed a serious craving for them when I was pregnant that still hasn't gone away. When I saw the Pioneer Woman's recipe for Spaghetti with Artichoke Hearts and Tomatoes I knew I'd love it.

It was easy to make and absolutely delicious. I added 4 large mushrooms, cut into quarters, since SP isn't a big artichoke fan.

Skillet Meatballs and Noodles in Creamy Herb Sauce

2011-01-22T00:12:00.000-08:00

Skillet Meatballs and Noodles in Creamy Herb Sauce

I love easy meals and Cook's County seems to have plenty of those in their magazine. Not a lot of ingredients, but excellent flavor and easy prep are key for me these days. This meal didn't disappoint.

This is actually the second time I made this dish, but the first time I cooked it and then left it covered on the stove until I'd put Baby Girl to bed. Not a good idea, as the noodles absorbed all the sauce and the dish was rather dry. This time I made it and we ate immediately. And look - it's a one-skillet meal. Score!

Skillet Meatballs and Noodles in Creamy Herb Sauce
Cook's Country

1 pound ground beef (85% or so)
1 package garlic and herb Boursin cheese
Salt and pepper
Vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped fine
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
3 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
8 ounces egg noodles
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives

Combine beef, 5 tablespoons Boursin cheese, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl and knead gently until combined. Form mixture into 1 inch meatballs. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook meatballs until well browned all over, about 5 minutes. Transfer meatballs to plate and pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from pan.

Cook onion in reserved fat until browned, about 6-8 minutes. Stir in flour and cook until golden, about 1 minute. Add broth, noodles, and wine and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to med-low, and cook, stirring often, until pasta begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Add meatballs and simmer, covered, until meatballs are cooked through and noodles are al dente, about 4 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in remaining Boursin cheese and chives. Season with salt and pepper.