in home cooking blog

Cupcake Bowl

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:02:00 +0000

I modified my Car Bomb Cupcake recipe slightly to take it to a neighbor’s for the Super Bowl. First, I added 2 tablespoons of Jameson’s to the ganache, because, really, what’s a car bomb without the whiskey?

Second, I made a more kid-friendly chocolate-peanut butter version by making chocolate-peanut butter ganache for the filling and peanut butter buttercream for the top.

Finally, I made them all in miniature so everyone could try one of each.

Mini car bomb cupcakes
makes 24 regular or 48-60 mini cupcakes

1 c stout (such as Guinness)
2 c butter, divided, plus 1 T
3/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder
2 c flour
2 c sugar
1½ t baking soda
3/4 t salt
2 eggs
2/3 c plain nonfat yogurt
4 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/3 c heavy cream
1 T Irish whiskey (such as Jameson’s)
4 c powdered sugar
4 T Irish cream (such as Bailey’s, I use homemade)

Make the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°. Line cupcake cups with liners. Bring stout and 1 cup butter to simmer in saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly. Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in large bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and yogurt in another large bowl to blend. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined. Divide batter among cupcake liners, filling them 2/3 to 3/4 of the way. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 17 minutes (12-15 minutes for mini cupcakes). Cool cupcakes on a rack completely. (At this point, you can freeze the cupcakes, well wrapped, up to two weeks.)

Make the filling: In a double boiler, melt chocolate and cream together, stirring until smooth. Add 1 tablespoon butter and Irish whiskey and stir until combined.

Make the frosting: Whip 1 cup butter in the bowl of an electric mixer for several minutes. You want to get it very light and fluffy. Slowly add the powdered sugar, a few tablespoons at a time. When the frosting looks thick enough to spread, drizzle in the Irish cream and whip it until combined and fluffy.

Fill the cupcakes: Let the ganache cool until thick but still soft enough to be piped. Put the ganache into a piping bag or plastic bottle, poke the tip into the top of the cupcake and squeeze until some comes out at the insertion point. (Also, at this point, you can freeze the cupcakes, well wrapped, up to two weeks.)

Ice and decorate the cupcakes: Put the frosting into a piping bag or plastic bag. Using a decorative tip, or just cut the corner off the plastic bag, and put dollops of frosting on the cupcakes. Drizzle any leftover ganache over the tops. Filled and frosted cupcakes will keep in the fridge for a day.

Mini chocolate-peanut butter cupcakes
makes 24 regular or 48-60 mini cupcakes

1 c stout (such as Guinness)
2 c butter, divided, plus 1 T
3/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder
2 c flour
2 c sugar
1½ t baking soda
3/4 t salt
2 eggs
2/3 c plain nonfat yogurt
4 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/3 c heavy cream, plus 4 T, divided
½ c plus 2 T creamy peanut butter, melted, divided
4 c powdered sugar

Make the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°. Line cupcake cups with liners. Bring stout and 1 cup butter to simmer in saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly. Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in large bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and yogurt in another large bowl to blend. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined. Divide batter among cupcake liners, filling them 2/3 to 3/4 of the way. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 17 minutes (12-15 minutes for mini cupcakes). Cool cupcakes on a rack completely. (At this point, you can freeze the cupcakes, well wrapped, up to two weeks.)

Make the filling: In a double boiler, melt chocolate and cream together, stirring until smooth. Add 1 tablespoon butter and 2 T melted peanut butter and stir until combined.

Make the frosting: Whip 1 cup butter in the bowl of an electric mixer for several minutes. You want to get it very light and fluffy. Slowly add the powdered sugar, a few tablespoons at a time. When the frosting looks thick enough to spread, add ½ cup melted peanut butter, continue whipping. Finally, drizzle in the heavy cream and whip it until combined and fluffy.

Fill the cupcakes: Let the ganache cool until thick but still soft enough to be piped. Put the ganache into a piping bag or plastic bottle, poke the tip into the top of the cupcake and squeeze until some comes out at the insertion point. (Also, at this point, you can freeze the cupcakes, well wrapped, up to two weeks.)

Ice and decorate the cupcakes: Put the frosting into a piping bag or plastic bag. Using a decorative tip, or just cut the corner off the plastic bag, and put dollops of frosting on the cupcakes. Drizzle any leftover ganache over the tops. Filled and frosted cupcakes will keep in the fridge for a day.

cheesecake 101

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 21:14:00 +0000

I love a building block recipe that follows the same basic ingredients and instructions, but offers variations to cater to one’s own tastes.

Building block cheesecake
based on recipe from finecooking.com
serves 10 to 12

8 oz (2 c) crust option
1¼ c plus 3 T sugar
7 T butter, melted
4 8-oz packages cream cheese, at room temperature OR 3 8 oz packages cream cheese plus one add-in
2 T flour
pinch salt
1 T vanilla extract
4 large eggs, at room temperature

Make crust: Position rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 375°. In a medium bowl, stir the crust option of your choice and 2 T sugar. Mix in melted butter until the crumbs are evenly moist and clump together slightly. Press crust mixture evenly into a 9-inch springform pan along the bottom and 2 inches up the sides using your fingers or the flat bottom of a glass. Bake 9-12 minutes, until crust is fragrant and slightly browned (if you’re using lighter colored crumbs). Let cool. Reduce oven to 300°.

Make filling:In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, add-in, if using, flour, and salt on medium speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl often, until filling is very smooth and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Make sure the filling has no lumps. Add 1¼ c sugar and continue beating until well blended and smooth. Add the vanilla and any flavoring or spices, if using, and beat until blended, about 30 seconds. Add the eggs one at a time, beating just until blended. (Don’t over-beat once the eggs have been added or the cheesecake will puff too much and crack as it cools.) Pour the filling into the cooled crust and smooth the top.

Bake in preheated 300° oven 55-65 minutes, until the center jiggles like Jell-O when nudged. The cake will be slightly puffed around the edges, and the center will still look moist. Turn oven off, and prop oven door open with a wooden spoon. Cool for 1 hour. Remove from oven, set on a rack and cool completely. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 8 hours, and up to 3 days. The cheesecake can also be frozen for up to 1 month.

Unclasp and remove the sides of the springform pan and run a long, thin metal spatula under the bottom crust. Carefully slide the cake onto a flat serving plate. Add your topping and/or garnish, if using. To cut, run a thin knife under hot water, wipe it dry, and cut the cake into thin slices, heating and wiping the knife after each slice.

To freeze: Put the unmolded, cooled cake on a rimmed baking sheet in the freezer, uncovered, until the top is cold and firm, then wrap it in two layers of plastic wrap and one layer of foil.

To thaw: Thaw overnight in refrigerator.

crust options add-ins flavorings spices toppings garnishes

choose one (pulse in a food processor until crushed to fine crumbs):

chocolate wafers

gingersnaps

graham crackers

vanilla wafers
substitute one of the following for one eight ounce package of cream cheese:

crème fraîche, 1 cup

dulce de leche, 3/4 cup

fruit purée (strawberry, blueberry, or banana), 1½ cups

mascarpone, 1 cup, at room temperature

milk, semisweet, or bittersweet chocolate, 10 ounces, melted and cooled

pumpkin purée, 1 cup

ricotta, 1 cup

sour cream, 1 cup

white chocolate, 8 ounces, melted and cooled
choose up to two of the following:

creamy peanut butter, 1/3 cup

fresh or crystallized ginger, 2 tablespoons, finely chopped

instant coffee, 2½ teaspoons (or 2 teaspoons instant espresso)

lemon zest, 2 tablespoons, finely grated

lime zest, 2 tablespoons, finely grated

liqueur (amaretto, Bailey’s, Chambord, Kahlúa, Grand Marnier), 3 tablespoons

mini chocolate chips, 1/3 cup

orange zest, 2 tablespoons, finely grated
choose up to four, for a total of two teaspoons:

ground cinnamon

ground cloves

ground ginger

ground nutmeg burnt sugar

caramel sauce

ganache

glazed fresh fruit
choose up to three of the following quick garnishes:

chocolate-covered espresso beans

chocolate shavings

chopped toasted nuts

cocoa powder, sifted over cake

crushed amaretti cookies

fresh fruit

lemon curd

powdered sugar, sifted over cake

toasted whole pecans

whipped cream

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 13:59:00 +0000

I’m reading the book Fever, 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson. It’s one of those books that has an excerpt from some old work at the start of each chapter. So, at the beginning of one chapter appeared this recipe from American Cookbook (The First American Cookbook: A Facsimile of “American Cookery,” 1796, by Amelia Simmons is still available for $5.95, if you can believe it!) is printed.

I was curious about this 1796 “diet”, so I used the Nutrition Calculator from SELF Magazine’s web site. I estimated that the loaf of bread would serve 8 people. One slice of bread contains 468 calories and 5 grams of fat. According to the Weight Watchers Points Calculator, that one slice of bread would be 10 points of your daily total. Yikes!

I compared it with the nutritional label on Wonder Bread. If you use 2 slices for your sandwich, you are consuming 140 calories and 1.5 grams of fat.

I can only guess that the “diet” part comes in the exercise form, when you have to beat the sugar and the eggs together for one hour.

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 12:07:00 +0000

Fall has been weird, here in New England. For the most part, the leaves are still green, and on the trees. Those that have fallen, have turned brown right away. No pretty leaf-peeping walks this year.

All the same, it is Fall, and Winter will be on us before we know it. Are you stockpiling nuts away for the winter, like the squirrels? If so, these are some very delicious options. (And don’t wait for December, they’re a delicious—and healthy!—treat right now.)

Chile-roasted almonds

1 T chili powder
1 T extra-virgin olive oil
½ t kosher salt
½ t ground cumin
½ t ground coriander
¼ t ground cinnamon
¼ t freshly ground black pepper
2 c whole almonds

Preheat oven to 350°. In a medium bowl, combine chili powder, olive oil, kosher salt, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and pepper; add almonds and toss to coat. Transfer mixture to a baking pan. Bake about 10 minutes or until almonds are toasted, stirring twice. Cool almonds completely before serving. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Sugar-and-spice walnuts

1 egg white
1 T water
½ t vanilla
8 oz walnuts
½ c granulated sugar
1 t ground cinnamon
3/4 t salt
¼ t ground cloves
¼ t ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 300°. Lightly beat egg white with water and vanilla with a fork. Add walnuts to egg white mixture. Stir until all walnuts are coated with the egg white mixture. Combine sugar, cinnamon, salt, cloves, and nutmeg and add to walnut mixture. Stir until all walnuts are coated with sugar-and-spice spice mixture. Transfer walnuts individually to a 12-by-18-inch nonstick baking sheet coated with cooking spray, ensuring that the walnuts are separated and dispersed evenly on the baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, then transfer walnuts to a clean, flat surface to cool. These are as good on a salad as they are by the handful.

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 17:40:00 +0000

knead, [NEED] A technique used to mix and work a dough in order to form it into a cohesive, pliable mass. During kneading, the network of gluten strands stretches and expands, thereby enabling a dough to hold in the gas bubbles formed by a leavener (which allows it to rise). Kneading is accomplished either manually or by machine - usually a large mixer equipped with a dough hook (some machines have two dough hooks) or a food processor with a plastic blade. By hand, kneading is done with a pressing-folding-turning action performed by pressing down into the dough with the heels of both hands, then pushing away from the body. The dough is folded in half and given a quarter turn, and the process is repeated. Depending on the dough, the manual kneading time can range anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes (or more). Well-kneaded dough is smooth and elastic.

I recently read the novel The Baker’s Apprentice. Until then, I’d never really had the desire to bake bread. In fact, friends who know me well, know that this is way too much work for me. I need to get dinner on the table, but quick! Anyway, something about this book made me want to bake my own bread, to knead bread. I tried a few recipes, with mixed results.

Finally, I focused on breads that resembled the rosemary rolls at Annarosa Bakery, the treat that Grace and I love to pick up for 50¢ apiece. These rosemary rolls are so good. Once, in fact, when I had picked them up for a party my sisters and aunt and I were throwing for my mother’s 70th birthday, I had to pull over to the side of the road and move the bag of rolls to the back of the car, because I just kept reaching in and eating roll after roll after roll (which explains my roll after roll after roll).

The recipe that resulted is a rustic, hand-shaped loaf that has kalamata olives, rosemary, olive oil, and kosher salt. When warm out of the oven, it needs no butter, or anything else. It is dangerously simple to eat the entire loaf on one’s own, so I divided it into two loaves. That way, you can eat one, and still have one for dinner, or gifting, or whatever your original purpose for baking the bread was.

Rustic black olive and rosemary bread
adapted from Mediterranean black olive bread from allrecipes.com

3 c bread flour
1 T active dry yeast
2 T sugar
1 T kosher salt (additional may be added in when kneading)
½ c kalamata olives, chopped
1 T fresh rosemary, chopped (additional may be added in when kneading)
3 T olive oil
1¼ c warm water (about 110°)
1 T cornmeal

In a large bowl, mix together flour, yeast, sugar, salt, olives, rosemary, olives, oil, and water.

Turn out dough onto a floured board. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 or 10 minutes (with an additional teaspoon or so of chopped rosemary and kosher salt, if desired). Set dough aside in an oiled bowl, cover with a damp towel, and let rise for about 45 minutes, until doubled in size.

Punch down and knead well again for about 5 or 10 minutes (with an additional teaspoon or so of chopped rosemary and kosher salt, if desired). Place in an oiled bowl, covered with a damp towel, and allow to ruse for another 30 minutes, until doubled in size.

Line a baking sheet with parchment dusted with cornmeal and kosher salt. Divide dough into two loaves. Rub each with a little olive oil, and sprinkle with a little more chopped rosemary and salt, if desired. Let rise about 25 minutes, until doubled in size. Meanwhile, place a pan of water on the bottom shelf of the oven, and preheat to 500°. Once loaves have doubled in size, bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 375° and bake for 20 minutes longer.

Try not to eat both loaves in one sitting.

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 19:42:00 +0000

I was planning to do a leg of lamb on Sunday, but the Frenched rack of lamb (“lamb lollipops”) looked so great, that I couldn’t pass them up.

As I was shopping, I ran into a friend who had picked up the lamb chops too, and she was asking how I planned to cook them. Thought it might be beneficial to share the most basic of recipes for grilled lamb chops. This is another one of those dishes where the simplicity of it really does make the dish.

Rosemary grilled lamb chops

8 4-oz lamb chops, Frenched
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 t minced garlic
1 T finely chopped rosemary leaves
1 lemon, halved
1 t kosher salt
½ t freshly ground black pepper

Preheat grill. Rub chops with oil, garlic, rosemary, lemon, salt, and pepper, and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Place chops on the grill and cook for 4-6 minutes on each side (chops will be medium-rare). (Alternatively, chops could be broiled, about 6 inches from heat, for the same amount of time.) Place chops on a plate and cover with foil for about 5 minutes.

Serve with mint jelly or bourbon-mint sauce for an Irish finish, or with cucumber-yogurt sauce for a Greek or Middle Eastern finish. We might just serve both as a nod to our families’ combined ethnicities.

Bourbon-mint sauce

½ c sugar
¼ c white wine vinegar
2 T Bourbon whiskey
1 c fresh mint, minced

Dissolve sugar into vinegar. Mix in bourbon and mint. Serve immediately, or store in a container in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Cucumber-yogurt sauce

2 c yogurt
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, chopped
1 shallot, minced
juice of ½ lemon
1 T fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 T fresh mint, finely chopped
1 large pinch salt
ground white pepper, to taste

In a bowl, combine all ingredients. Serve immediately, or store in a container in the refrigerator until ready to serve, as a salad dressing or as an accompaniment with Greek, Middle Eastern, or Indian foods, especially spicy foods.

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 21:20:00 +0000

Here’s another item to file under: Necessity is the mother of invention. I wanted to bring scones to a morning meeting, but I was out of eggs, and I didn’t want to run to the grocery store. I googled “breakfast, no eggs” and the first recipe that came up was epicurious.com’s Bacon and date scones.

+=

I was a little nervous they’d be a little dry without the additional liquid from the eggs, but they were the perfect recipe for the day. I had all the ingredients. As a bonus, it had the sweet-and-savory combination that I love, like cranberry-spinach salad, strawberry-spinach salad with blue cheese, brie en croute with any number of sweet insides (another blog at another time), sweet hot chicken with snow peas, sweet hot shrimp with broccoli, sweet hot tofu, and last, but not least, roasted sausage and grapes with garlic mashed potatoes (also another blog at another time).

Savory bacon and dates scones
adapted from epicurious.com

10 ozs thick-cut bacon slices
2 c all purpose flour
¼ c sugar
1 t vanilla
1½ t baking powder
¾ t baking soda
½ t coarse kosher salt
¾ c coarsely chopped pitted dates
½ c (1 stick) chilled butter
2/3 c buttermilk*

Preheat oven to 400°. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Cook bacon using your preferred method (I prefer in the oven, it cooks evenly, and unattended) until cooked through, but still tender and not crisp, turning occasionally. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain; cool. Pour bacon drippings from skillet into small heatproof bowl and reserve.

Using one hand, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in large bowl. Coarsely chop cooled bacon. Add bacon and dates to flour mixture; toss to coat. Coarsely grate butter into flour mixture. Again using one hand, stir in butter and buttermilk until large moist clumps form. Continue to combine mixture until all dry ingredients are incorporated and a soft dough forms. (Scones can be made to this point and refrigerated overnight to bake in the morning for warm scones at breakfast.)

Transfer dough to parchment paper. Pat into 8-inch round. Cut into 8 wedges. Pull scones apart. Brush with reserved bacon drippings. Bake scones until golden brown, 16 to 18 minutes. Serve warm.

*If you do not have buttermilk available, you can combine 2/3 c milk and 2/3 T white vinegar and let stand for 10 minutes.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:22:00 +0000

Happy St. Patrick's Day to you all! I have one, and only one, recipe from my grandmother who emigrated from County Sligo, Irish Soda Bread, and I've made 13 loaves of it in the last 6 days, for clients, and family, and friends, and — if truth be told — I made a mini-loaf, and ate it all by myself!

Grandma's Irish soda bread

1/2 c raisins*
2 c flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1/4 t caraway seeds, optional
1 c buttermilk**
grated rind of 1/2 orange***

Preheat oven to 375°. Soak raisins in very hot water for 10 minutes to soften them.

Sift together dry ingredients, orange rind, and caraway, if using. Drain and towel dry raisins, add to dry ingredients.

Moisten with enough buttermilk to form a slightly sticky dough. Form dough into a round loaf on an ungreased baking pan. Slice a cross into the top of the loaf.

Bake at 375° for 10 minutes. Reduce oven to 300°, bake for 40 minutes longer. Cool 10 minutes before slicing. Best served warm with butter.

*My friend, Karen, said her mother used a combination of raisins and currants. I'll try this next time.

**If you do not have buttermilk available, you can combine 1 c milk and 1 T white vinegar and let stand for 10 minutes.

***My husband doesn't like the grated orange rind, so this year I substituted ¼ t orange extract and it worked perfectly.

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 23:18:00 +0000

To the fifth holiday party
I brought along with me
five homemade liqueurs
(limoncello, kahlua, amaretto, Irish Cream, and cranberry, yum!)
red & green sugar-coated popcorn
chile-rosemary infused olives,
homemade Bloody Mary mixer,
and a flavored olive oil with a fabulous loaf of crusty bread

So, instead of a recipe, I was going to tell you the story of how I will NOT be giving cranberry liqueur as gifts this year. Let’s back up to Thanksgiving weekend: I set up cranberry liqueur to cure for the three weeks. Fast-forward to Tuesday of this week: I went to have a facial and left my 5-year-old home with my 12-year-old and two of his friends. I made the decision to leave my cell phone in the car, because the last two times I had a facial, my phone rang off the hook—“emergencies” from my older two sons, not very relaxing.

When I returned to the car from my facial, my cell phone read, “18 missed calls” (17 from 12-year-old son at home; 1 from 15-year-old son who was called by 12-year-old son after I didn’t answer my phone 17 times). Problem? Yup, from what I have ascertained, 12-year-olds were getting a snack from the pantry. They returned to the video games. They heard a dripping sound in the kitchen. They walked into the kitchen.

“Jude, why is your pantry bleeding?”
“I don’t know.”
Jude opened the pantry.

Apparently when the pantry door was closed, the 2-gallon glass canister of flour banged against the 2-gallon glass canister of just 3-week-old cranberry liqueur. Guess which canister got a hairline fracture? Yup, cranberry liqueur.

Anyway, Jude is a good boy. He did a good job cleaning up the very sticky cranberry-sugar-water-vodka mixture. He called me, his brother, finally his father, to make sure he was doing the correct thing. But, boy, did that floor need a good washing the next day!

What did I learn? Next time I have a facial it is going to be while the kids are in school.

Now I’ll share another little family anecdote with you. When I was a Freshman at UMass-Amherst I bought a cookbook that had been put out by the staff and faculty as a fundraiser for my father for Christmas. In that cookbook there was this recipe for Irish cream that became a family favorite. Each of us makes batches each Christmas (and St. Patrick’s Day). Years later I found out that my brother, Brendan, will not share the recipe. He tells his friends that it’s a “secret family recipe.” Well, I don’t think it’s a secret. Try it, enjoy it.

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 17:00:00 +0000

To the fourth holiday party
I brought along with me
red & green sugar-coated popcorn
chile-rosemary infused olives,
homemade Bloody Mary mixer,
and a flavored olive oil with a fabulous loaf of crusty bread

Red and green sugar-coated popcorn

1 c sugar
1 T unsalted butter
3 T water
Couple drops red and green food coloring
6 c popped butter-flavored popcorn

In a large, heavy pot over medium heat, combine sugar, butter, and water. Stirring constantly, cook until thick, about 5 minutes. Working quickly, remove from heat, divide in two, and add red food coloring to one, and green food coloring to the other. Immediately add popcorn and stir to coat evenly. Turn onto a sheet of parchment paper to cool. Package in holiday takeout food containers.

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 17:11:00 +0000

To the third holiday party
I brought along with me
chile-rosemary infused olives,
homemade Bloody Mary mixer,
and a flavored olive oil with a fabulous loaf of crusty bread

Chile-rosemary infused olives

1¼ c olives, preferably a mixture of black and green
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 T lemon juice
1 thin-skinned orange, scrubbed but not peeled, cut into small chunks
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
1 fresh green chile, deseeded and thinly sliced

Place the olives in a large bowl and add the olive oil, lemon juice, chunks of orange, rosemary sprigs and chile. Stir together, then cover (or transfer to a jar and seal). Place in the refrigerator.

For the next 2 days take the olive mixture from the refrigerator, uncover and stir gently, every 12 hours or so. Cover again and return to the refrigerator to continue marinating.

After 2 days of marinating in the refrigerator, remove orange pieces and place in canning jars according to manufacturer’s instructions. Tie with a ribbon, and voila, a gift!

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 10:14:00 +0000

To the second holiday party
I brought along with me
homemade Bloody Mary mixer,
and a flavored olive oil with a fabulous loaf of crusty bread

Bloody Mary mixer
makes enough mixer for 8 cocktails

3 c V-8 juice
2 t prepared horseradish
1 t salt
½ t freshly ground pepper
1½ T fresh lemon juice
2 t Worcestershire sauce
½ to ¾ t Tabasco

Stir ingredients; pour into an airtight bottle. Mixer can be refrigerated up to 1 week.

For each cocktail, combine 3 ounces of mixer with 1 ounce of vodka, and pour into a glass filled with ice.

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 09:44:00 +0000

If you’ve been reading my blog for any time, you know that I like the idea of giving friends homemade food gifts, especially around the holidays. However, with holidays being what they are, I do not like the idea of adding stress to the holidays. Here are some simple and stress-free gifts for friends this Christmas.

To the first holiday party
I brought along with me,
a flavored olive oil with a fabulous loaf of crusty bread

Flavoring olive oil is a relatively easy prospect:

1. Heat your oil in a saucepan.

2. Add your desired flavorings: garlic, basil, rosemary, orange zest, or lemon zest and let sit for a few minutes until the ingredients are very fragrant.

3. Cool, strain and store in an airtight container. Add a fresh sprig of your herb or piece of your zest for a decorative touch. Add a note for the recipient that once opened the oil should be stored in the fridge and used within 10 days.

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 22:53:00 +0000

This is an excellent pie crust primer: http://www.newburyportnews.com/lifestyle/x2073119552/Pie-crust-primer-Dessert-isnt-just-about-the-filling. And just in time for Thanksgiving.

Check it out.

Nestlé® USA issues allergen alert on Raisinets® Fun Size Bags

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 11:34:00 +0000

According to nestleusa.com, Nestlé is initiating a voluntary recall of Nestlé® RAISINETS® Fun Size Bags (10 oz) with a production code of 02015748/UPC number 2800010255, which may contain undeclared peanuts. People who have allergies or severe sensitivity to peanuts run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products. Nestlé is taking this action out of an abundance of caution.

Nestlé® RAISINETS® Fun Size Bags (10oz) with a production code of 02015748 were distributed only in the U.S. to Target, Shop Rite, and Don Quixote retail stores. Three complaints have been received to date. While this product is labeled with a precautionary statement “made on equipment that also processes peanuts,” the product should not, but may contain some peanuts that are not declared on the label.

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 00:17:00 +0000

According to boston.com (http://www.boston.com/business/gallery/product_recalls/?p1=Upbox_links):
Frozen peas recalled due to possible broken glass
Recalled: Oct. 18, 2010
The Pictsweet Company is recalling packages of frozen green peas because some of the packages may contain glass fragments. The peas were sold at Wal-Mart stores throughout the US, and Kroger stores in the Southeast. Affected packages include Kroger 12-ounce Green Peas, Kroger 12-ounce Peas and Carrots, Great Value 12-ounce Steamable Sweet Peas, and Great Value 12-ounce Steamable Mixed Vegetables.
Consumers are advised to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund.

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 20:32:00 +0000

Fall is here, and it is, perhaps the most beautiful Fall I’ve seen. It has been sunny and warm with soft winds. Really perfect.

To celebrate such perfection I prepared Sautéed chicken with apples and cranberries, healthy, yummy, quick, and very, very Fall-like. Enjoy!

Sautéed chicken with apples and cranberries

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
flour
salt
pepper
butter
¼ c apple jack or brandy
¼ c apple cider, or apple juice
¼ c cranberry juice
¼ c chicken stock
½ c fresh cranberries, or dried if fresh are not available, more if you like
2 apples, preferably tart, Granny Smith
juice of 1 lemon

Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Pound chicken breasts to about ¼" thick cutlets. Dredge cutlets in salt-and-pepper-seasoned flour. Melt butter in hot skillet. Sauté in skillet about 3 minutes on each side, until golden brown, but not completely cooked through. Remove cutlets to plate, cover loosely with foil, and set aside.

Deglaze skillet with apple jack. Add cider, cranberry juice, chicken stock, and cranberries. Return cutlets to skillet. Simmer about 10 minutes, until chicken is cooked through and sauce reduces slightly. Remove cutlets, sauce, and cranberries to serving platter.

Dice apples and toss in lemon juice. Sauté in skillet until slightly golden, but not too soft. Spoon over top of cutlets and serve.

If you prepare this ahead and want to freeze or refrigerate it to serve later, let cool before packaging in airtight container in refrigerator or freezer.
To prepare and serve: If frozen, defrost in refrigerator the day before you plan to serve.
To heat in microwave: Heat at 70% power for about 3 minutes, until heated throughout. Do not over-microwave or chicken will become tough.
To heat on stovetop: Place in skillet over medium-high heat until chicken is heated through, about 7-10 minutes.

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 18:34:00 +0000

I may never make a cake with eggs and oil again.

I have been cooking all summer for a Weight Watchers client, and I have been having a blast checking out new, delicious, healthy recipes. By far, two of my favorite sources are Hungry Girl: Tips and Tricks ... for Hungry Chicks and Gina's Weight Watchers Recipes. Their recipes are lighter versions of things I want to cook anyway. They have great tips and tricks, they send email right your inbox, and their sites are easy to navigate.

Earlier this summer, I received this email tip from Hungry Girl: The Great Cake Debate (FIVE 2-Ingredient Recipes!). I love these ideas, but by far, the diet soda makes the lightest, fluffiest cakes I have ever had. I may never make a cake with eggs and oil again. Betty Crocker SuperMoist Dark Chocolate with Diet Coke, Betty Crocker Carrot cake with diet ginger ale, Betty Crocker Yellow cake with diet ginger ale ... no one can tell the difference.

Let me know which ones you try!

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 03:26:00 +0000

Once again, necessity is the mother of invention: It's hot so no one really feels like cooking, or eating; I have tons of leftovers in my fridge, but no full meal; we're eating on the run this week, we go from baseball games to Yankee Homecoming concerts at Waterfront Park. So, today I made Roasted fingerling and asparagus salad to take with us.

The fingerling potatoes had been roasted with a whole head of garlic, salt, pepper, olive oil, and asparagus. I put them together on a tray with the garlic cloves to squeeze onto the potatoes, added some roasted chicken breast, put a sprig of rosemary on top and sprinkled a little more olive oil. That's summertime, and the living is easy.

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 19:39:00 +0000

Getting dinner on the table, when you'd rather be at the beach, in the pool, in the garden, or playing with the kids, is a challenge on summer days. Not to mention the nights like tonight when it's much too hot to turn the oven on, slave over the stove, or even the grill.

While cooking for my Weight Watchers client today, I stumbled upon this easiest of yummy dinners ... Thai coconut curry shrimp over jasmine rice (for those of you counting, one serving of shrimp with one cup of rice is 7 Weight Watchers Points).

You may not have some of the ingredients on hand, Thai red curry paste and fish sauce, for example, but buy them and you will definitely continue to use them, in this recipe and other Asian specialties, even to marinate chicken, fish, and veggies for the grill.

Jasmine rice, like white rice, cooks in only 15 minutes, not like it's longer-cooking brown and Basmati cousins. Even in today's 93° (and rising) temps, I can stand cooking 15-minute rice and stir-frying for less than 10 minutes. Especially when the results taste this good.

Thai coconut curry shrimp over jasmine rice
serves 4

cooking spray
4 green onions, chopped, whites and greens separated
1 T Thai red curry paste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
salt, to taste
6 oz light coconut milk
2 t fish sauce
¼ c fresh cilantro, chopped
4 c jasmine rice, cooked

Cook jasmine rice according to package directions. Meanwhile, heat a large nonstick skillet or wok to medium-high heat and spray with cooking spray. Add green onion whites and red curry paste and sauté 1 minute. Add garlic and shrimp, season with salt, and cook about 2-3 minutes. Add coconut milk, fish sauce, and mix well. Simmer about 2-3 minutes, until shrimp is cooked through. Remove from heat, mix in green onion greens and cilantro. Serve over rice. Enjoy!

To save even more time today, I bought the shrimp peeled & cleaned, and I used already-minced garlic from a jar in the produce section.

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 19:30:00 +0000

“I am not a glutton — I am an explorer of food.”

— Erma Bombeck

This sounds good, but the waists of my pants these days might differ in their opinion. So, one of our New Year’s resolutions around Chez Habib is to eat healthier and watch our portion sizes. As a culture, we are all guilty of super-sizing. Start reading serving sizes on labels, you’ll be surprised by how many servings you and your family might actually be consuming. (My older kids recently told me that one of the best lessons I’ve taught them is to be cognizant of what the serving size really is — they don’t always follow it, but they know where to find it if they choose to ;)

One of my new favorite recipes is Sweet Hot Tofu from myrecipes.com. What I love about it is that it’s so adaptable. The first time I make a recipe, I usually try to make it as directed so I can evaluate whether it’s a “keeper” or not. When I first made it for my daughter and I for lunch, I thought it would benefit from the addition of broccoli, so I added broccoli to the leftovers and had them for lunch the rest of the week.

One of my clients loves shrimp and Asian food, so Sweet Hot Shrimp with Broccoli often appears on her menu. Another client loves chicken, voil&agrav;! Sweet Hot Chicken and Snow Peas! What are your favorites? Give it a try yourself.

Sweet hot tofu
serves 4
(modified from myrecipes.com)

1 14-oz package firm, reduced-fat tofu
1 c rice
2 c water
2 t canola oil
2/3 c fat-free, low-sodium vegetable stock(use chicken or seafood stock if you desire modifying the recipe)
1/4 c hoisin sauce
1 T dry sherry
1 t cornstarch
2 t low-sodium soy sauce
1 t honey
1/2 t dark sesame oil
dash of crushed red pepper
2 t fresh ginger, minced or grated
2 t garlic, minced or grated
1 c broccoli, cut into bite-size florets
1/3 c green onions, thinly sliced

Drain tofu, wrap in several layers of paper towels or kitchen towel, and place under a heavy plate for about 30 minutes.

Bring rice and water to a boil in a medium saucepan, cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 20 minutes. Once rice is done, add broccoli florets to saucepan and replace cover. Broccoli with steam.

In a small bowl, combine stock, hoisin, sherry, cornstarch, soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, and crushed red pepper, stirring well. Set aside.

Cut tofu into 1-inch cubes. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu and sauté for 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove from skillet.

Add ginger and garlic to pan. Sauté 30 seconds. Stir in broth mixture, and cook 1 minute, or until thickened, stirring constantly. Add tofu and broccoli to pan; cook 30 seconds, stirring gently to coat. Remove from burner and add green onions. Serve immediately over rice.

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 23:57:00 +0000

It’s June and none of my clothes fit, so I’m planning to serve a new salad every day. Today I marinated crispy “stir-fry veggies” in an Asian dressing and put them on top of field greens. I used cucumbers, sugar snap peas, snow peas, carrot shreds, celery, bean sprouts, and water chestnuts. Yum! We topped it with sliced grilled chicken that had been marinated in hoisin sauce. Double yum!

Asian ginger-sesame dressing

3 cloves garlic, minced
2 T minced fresh ginger root
½ c sesame oil
1/3 c rice vinegar
½ c low-sodium soy sauce
3 T honey
¼ c water

Combine all ingredients in a jar or bowl and mix well.

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Sun, 23 May 2010 21:37:00 +0000

The Purcell sisters have a fabulous book, Cocktail Parties, Straight Up! and e-newsletter, Sisters' Secrets to Confident Entertaining filled with tons of great recipes for food and drinks, and tips for fun entertaining. One of my favorite recipes is their Sweet Potato Spread. You’d never believe something so tasty could be so healthy! I recently served it at a Veggie Demo for the New You 2010 Healthy Lifestyle of Newburyport contestants. It was a huge hit! My kids just think it’s orange hommus. Serve it with wedges of foccacia bread, as the Purcell sisters recommend, or with pita chips, or — ultra-healthy — with cut up veggies.

Sweet Potato Spread
Makes 3 cups of spread

3 large sweet potatoes (about 2 lb), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (I baked the sweet potatoes whole, then scooped out the tender flesh (less hands-on work)
2 medium carrots, peeled and finely chopped
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
2 T tahini (sesame paste)
¾ t salt
¼ t curry powder
¼ t ground cumin

Preheat oven to 400°. Place the sweet potatoes in a shallow roasting pan and cover with foil. Roast for 15 minutes. Uncover and continue roasting until soft, about another 30 minutes.

While potatoes are roasting, combine the carrots and onion with ½ cup water in a medium nonstick skillet. Bring to a boil; reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Uncover and cook until water evaporates and vegetables are tender, about 3 minutes.

In a food processor, combine the sweet potatoes, tahini, salt, curry powder, and cumin. Process until smooth. If necessary, add water to make a spreadable puree. Add carrot-onion mixture and pulse until blended.

Serve at room temperature or chilled, with wedges of focaccia.

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Thu, 20 May 2010 18:08:00 +0000

Memorial Day is Monday, May 31st, and with it comes Barbecue Season. But while you’re hanging out in the yard, loitering over the grill, sipping a cocktail, watching the kids run around, bacteria could be contaminating your meal. A watchful eye on a few key areas will go a long way to keeping your family and friend free from food-borne illness all summer long.

Thaw safely. It’s great to have food in the freezer — a spur-of-the-moment party always at the ready! But be careful how you bring it from the freezer to the table. Food safety experts recommend thawing foods in the refrigerator or the microwave oven or putting the package in a water-tight plastic bag submerged in cold water and changing the water every 30 minutes. Changing the water ensures that the food is kept cold, an important factor for slowing bacterial growth that may occur on the outer thawed portions while the inner areas are still thawing. It is not advisable to thaw meat, poultry, or fish on the counter or in the sink without cold water; bacteria multiply much more rapidly at room temperature.

Avoid cross-contamination. Grilling adds great flavor to meals, and makes summertime entertaining both fun and easy. However, once you’ve placed your raw meat on the grill, wash the plate thoroughly with hot soapy water, or get a clean plate for the cooked, ready-to-eat foods. Cooked foods should never be placed on a plate that held raw meat. Thoroughly cook all meat, poultry and seafood, especially shellfish.

Keep cold foods cold and hot foods hot. Once ready to serve, you don’t want your food’s temperature in The Danger Zone (40°F–140°F) for any longer than necessary. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration recommends that you keep hot foods hot (use a warming tray or Sterno or votive candle under your serving dish) and cold foods cold (use a bed of ice under your food) while you serve them. Do not leave food out for more than 2 hours (this includes preparation time and the time it was in the car after you left the grocery store).

The foods that are most likely to cause illness if left unrefrigerated are:

meat, poultry, and fish (both raw and cooked;
salads made from starchy ingredients such as pasta, potatoes, rices, and other grains;
anything containing raw or cooked eggs such as mayonnaise and potato salad, cream pies; and
anything else containing dairy products.

If serving sour cream– or mayonnaise-based dips, be sure to keep the bowl on ice and avoid direct sunlight if at all possible. If holding your party at the beach, a park, on a boat, or at some other remote location, bring a cooler full of ice and keep all foods that may spoil cold until they are ready to be cooked or eaten. If possible, use two separate coolers—one for drinks and snacks, which people will be dipping into frequently, and a second one for meat and other dishes that stay closed, and therefore colder, until it’s time for the meal. Also, if possible, keep raw meats separate from cooked meats.

If you’re serving snacks and appetizers that will likely be sitting out for a while, stick to foods that don’t need refrigeration, such as fresh veggies, fresh fruit, breads with oil-based dips, nuts, and chips (tortilla chips with salsa provide a healthful addition to your menu as well).

Prepare your foods well. Thoroughly wash raw fruits and vegetables with tap water. Even those fruits and vegetables that do not have pesticides grow very close to the soil—another key bacteria-causing agent.

Cover and store leftover cooked food in the refrigerator as soon as possible. Cooked foods can also breed bacteria. Make sure you refrigerate, or place in a cooler with ice, any unused portion of cooked food (again, keep cooked meats separate from raw meats). If this is not possible, discard the leftovers.

Hot foods should be refrigerated as soon as possible within two hours after cooking. Don’t keep the food if it’s been standing out for more than two hours. Don’t taste-test it, either. Even a small amount of contaminated food can cause illness. Date leftovers so they can be used within a safe time—generally, they remain safe when refrigerated for three to five days.

If in doubt, throw it out; it’s not worth a food-borne illness for the small amount of food usually involved. Eat Well, Live Well, Be Well.

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Thu, 20 May 2010 11:23:00 +0000

I love a meal that makes itself while you tend to your life ... Enter Chicken Thighs with Balsamic Vinegar and Mushrooms. This slow-simmering meal leaves you with time on your hands, your kitchen smelling great, and lots of yummy sauce to sop up with delicious crusty bread.

Chicken thighs with balsamic vinegar and mushrooms

1 lb skinless, boneless chicken thighs
salt and pepper to taste
6 oz dried mushrooms OR ¾ lb fresh mushrooms, sliced
6 cloves garlic
¼ c balsamic vinegar
¼ c beef broth
¾ c chicken broth
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes
1 bay leaf
¼ t dried thyme

Boil water and reconstitute dried mushrooms in 1 cup hot water for 10 minutes. Drain mushrooms; strain and reserve liquid. Salt and pepper the chicken. Add chicken, mushrooms, garlic, vinegar, broth, tomatoes, bay leaf, thyme, and reserved liquid to crockpot. Cook on low for 6-8 hours (high for 4-6 hours). Serve with mashed potatoes or egg noodles or crusty bread to sop up all that yummy flavor.

crust options	add-ins	flavorings	spices	toppings	garnishes
choose one (pulse in a food processor until crushed to fine crumbs): chocolate wafers gingersnaps graham crackers vanilla wafers	substitute one of the following for one eight ounce package of cream cheese: crème fraîche, 1 cup dulce de leche, 3/4 cup fruit purée (strawberry, blueberry, or banana), 1½ cups mascarpone, 1 cup, at room temperature milk, semisweet, or bittersweet chocolate, 10 ounces, melted and cooled pumpkin purée, 1 cup ricotta, 1 cup sour cream, 1 cup white chocolate, 8 ounces, melted and cooled	choose up to two of the following: creamy peanut butter, 1/3 cup fresh or crystallized ginger, 2 tablespoons, finely chopped instant coffee, 2½ teaspoons (or 2 teaspoons instant espresso) lemon zest, 2 tablespoons, finely grated lime zest, 2 tablespoons, finely grated liqueur (amaretto, Bailey’s, Chambord, Kahlúa, Grand Marnier), 3 tablespoons mini chocolate chips, 1/3 cup orange zest, 2 tablespoons, finely grated	choose up to four, for a total of two teaspoons: ground cinnamon ground cloves ground ginger ground nutmeg	burnt sugar caramel sauce ganache glazed fresh fruit	choose up to three of the following quick garnishes: chocolate-covered espresso beans chocolate shavings chopped toasted nuts cocoa powder, sifted over cake crushed amaretti cookies fresh fruit lemon curd powdered sugar, sifted over cake toasted whole pecans whipped cream