Woman with a Whisk

Giveaway and a Brief Hiatus

2010-03-21T20:11:00.001-05:00

Update -- We have a winner!

Katie, I'll be contacting you shortly. Enjoy your new pink KitchenAid!

Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the TechMunch food bloggers conference at South by Southwest. I met some awesome food bloggers -- some well-known, like Jaden of Steamy Kitchen, Babette of Bake Space, and Nichelle of Cupcakes Take the Cake; some not as well-known but I've wanted to meet for a while, like Kristi of Austin Farm to Table, Lisa of Lisa is Cooking, Natanya of Fete and Feast, and Michelle of Foodie is the New Forty; and some who I had the privilege of knowing for the first time, like Marni of Happy Go Marni, Natalie of Natalie's Killer Cuisine, and Kristin and Kelly of DeNacho Food.

Have I name-dropped enough yet? Let's get on with it then.

One of the sponsors of TechMunch was KitchenAid, and they had a pile of KitchenAid appliances to raffle off throughout the day. I never win anything, but the pile was *so* huge that I actually won! I scooped up this pink KitchenAid 3-cup Chef's Chopper:

Image from KitchenAid

Luckily for you, my kitchen is already pretty stocked with KitchenAid, so I decided to pass the loot along to one of my readers. I got mine from my dad, who loved his so much that he thought I needed one also. I was doubtful at first (I *love* my food processor!), but it turns out that I use this all the time. It's great for hummus and pesto when I don't want to haul out the food processor (because let's face it, it's awesome, but it's huge).

So leave a comment on this post for the chance to win it (US readers only, please)! I'll announce the winner next Friday.

And in other news, I'm going to step away from the blog for a few weeks. I'll still be cooking and will share a ton on Twitter, so please follow me if you aren't already!

Thanks for being such awesome readers,
Rebecca

Sweet Potato Biscuits

2010-03-13T08:26:00.003-06:00

Since living in Texas, I've been attempting to try as many Southern foods as possible. Some we loved, like the Popcorn Okra or the Corn Saute with Fried Okra, and some just didn't work (like the creamed collards experiment). Sweet potato biscuits have been on my radar for a while, and these turned out to be one of those Southern foods we couldn't get enough of.

These were light and fluffy, a bit sweet, and had a ton of flavor. I was worried that they would be greasy (I fully admit that I am a shortening n00b and haven't entirely figured out its properties yet), but these weren't at all. They were quick to make and the dough is super easy to roll out. It's also a great way to use leftover sweet potatoes (though if they're mashed and you've added sugar, I'd decrease the amount of sugar in the biscuit recipe accordingly).

Mine didn't puff up much after baking, and the final biscuit was about 3/4" thick. Despite the fact that the recipe instructs to roll the dough out to 1/2" thick, I think I might go a bit thicker next time.

From All Recipes

Ingredients:

1 c. flour
3 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. white sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. shortening
3/4 c. mashed sweet potatoes (To bake sweet potatoes quickly, put them in a casserole dish with a bit of water, cover with saran wrap, and microwave for 12-15 minutes, depending on how large the potatoes are.)
1/4 c. milk

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Stir together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.
Cut in the shortening until pieces of shortening are pea-sized or smaller.
Mix in the sweet potatoes and enough of the milk (I needed the full 1/4 c.) to make a soft dough.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and roll or pat out to 1/2" thickness (see note above).
Cut into circles using a biscuit cutter or a drinking glass.
Place biscuits 1 inch apart onto a greased baking sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.

Greenling Local Box: March 8-12

2010-03-09T14:27:00.004-06:00

This week, we're getting collards or spinach and an onion from Naegelin, shiitake or white button mushrooms from Kitchen Pride, grapefruit from G&S Groves, red leaf lettuce and arugula from Bluebonnet Hydroponics, spring onions from Acadian, cilantro and radish from My Father's Farm, and either cabbage, carrots or beets (fingers crossed for beets!).

So I'm making:

Beet slaw with radish and carrots
Linguine with arugula, pine nuts and parmesan
Veggie stir-fry with collards/spinach, mushrooms, spring onions and cilantro
Green salad
Lamb meatballs (made with onion) and orzo
Grapefruit bars

We've been getting so much grapefruit lately and I'm running out of ideas (and I'll go nuts if I have to eat any more for breakfast!). What have you been doing with grapefruit?

Chocolate-Dipped Coconut Macaroons

2010-03-09T13:56:00.000-06:00

I remember the first time I tasted a fresh macaroon. My grandma bought them for our Passover seder, and they came in a white bakery box tied with red and white bakers twine (do bakeries still use those?). Up to that point, I had only tasted the macaroons in a can, which, in my opinion, lack both flavor and texture. These, however, are perfection.

These are a far cry from the macaroons in a can. Instead, these are melt-in-your-mouth, perfectly sweet confections that I can't get enough of. They're also incredibly easy to make and are a great cooking project to do with kids.

Oh, and use high quality chocolate when making these. You want macaroons, not Mounds candies.

This recipe makes about 2 dozen macaroons. I made 1.5 batches to use up the rest of the can of sweetened condensed milk.

From Brown-Eyed Baker

Ingredients:

2/3 c. sweetened condensed milk (I used nonfat)
1 large egg white
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. salt
3-1/2 c. sweetened flaked coconut
10 oz. semi-sweet chocolate

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set them aside.
In a large bowl, stir together the sweetened condensed milk, egg white, vanilla and salt until combined. Fold in the coconut until well blended.
Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls about 2" apart onto the cookie sheets. Form the cookies into loose haystacks with your fingertips, moistening your hands with water as necessary to prevent sticking.
Bake until the cookies are light golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. The original recipe stated to bake them 1 cookie sheet at a time, but in the interest of time, I baked the macaroons on the first 2 cookie sheets at the same time. Since I had 3 cookie sheets (I made 1.5 batches), I got to compare baking 2 at a time and 1 at a time. I didn't notice a significant difference.
Cool the cookies on the baking sheets until slightly set, about 2 minutes; remove to a wire rack with a wide metal spatula.
While the cookies are cooling, melt the chocolate over a double-boiler. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper (if you baked the macaroons on silicone baking mats, you can reuse them for this).
Holding a macaroon by its pointed top, dip the bottom and 1/2" up the sides in the chocolate; scrape off the excess chocolate and place the macaroon on a prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining macaroons.
Let the chocolate set in the refrigerator (about 15 minutes) or at room temperature (about 3 hours).

Lentil Dal with Collards and Cauliflower

2010-03-08T16:12:00.000-06:00

I made this a few weeks ago after an Indian craving struck. It made so much that I froze a bunch and am still eating it now!

This dal was incredibly hearty and warm, and the scents coming from my kitchen while this was cooking were fantastic. I felt like I walked into an Indian restaurant as it was cooking! Greenling delivered some beautiful baby collards and cauliflower, and I picked up a few late-season (or is it early-season?) tomatoes at the farmer's market. I imagine that this recipe can be changed to use whatever produce you have on hand -- turnips for the cauliflower, chard for the collards, etc.

The recipe notes not to add any additional water, but I needed to add ~3/4 c. to allow the lentils to cook through. It also made it a bit "saucier," which I like (more to scoop with some flatbread!). Also, next time, I won't stir the yogurt into the mixture at the end of cooking. It didn't exactly curdle, but it was a weird texture. I preferred adding a dollop of yogurt on top of the dal right before serving.

From Nooschi

Ingredients:

Canola oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp. fresh ginger, minced
4 tomatoes, chopped (including the seeds and juice)
2/3 c. cilantro, finely chopped, separated
3 bay leaves
1 tsp. turmeric
1 Tbsp. curry powder
Cayenne pepper, to taste
1 c. red lentils (I couldn't find red lentils, so I used brown lentils)
~4 c. cauliflower florets from 1 medium head
2 Tbsp. lowfat plain yogurt (see note above)
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Saute the garlic, ginger, and onion in canola oil in a pot or large saute pan until the onions are translucent.
Add the tomatoes, 1/2 c. cilantro, the bay leaves, and all of the spices (including salt and pepper) into the pot, and cook until the tomatoes are crushed (~10 minutes).
Reduce the heat to simmer, then add the lentils to the tomatoes, and cook with the lid on for 20 minutes. At this point, I added ~1/2 c. water.
Add the cauliflower and cook with the lid on for 25 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender. I added an additional 1/4 c. water with the cauliflower.
Adjust seasonings to taste, then top with the remaining cilantro and yogurt. Remove the bay leaves prior to serving.

Greenling Local Box: March 1-5

2010-03-02T18:08:00.000-06:00

This week, we're getting green onions from Lundgren, collards from Gordon Taylor, beets and mixed salad greens from My Father's Farm, tomatoes from Village Farm, spinach from Naegelin, cabbage and broccoli from Acadian, herb from Pure Luck, and limes from G&S Groves.

So I'm making:

Rosemary flatbread pizza with tomatoes and fresh mozzerella (I made the rosemary flatbread last week, but I didn't realize that the oven needed to be cleaned before I could bake anything. So I stuck it in the freezer for another time. Looks like it's this week!)
Collard and cabbage soup
Raw beet and spinach salad with lime vinaigrette
Steamed broccoli with lime and green onions (similar to how I made this okra)
Green salad

I'm not sure how I'll use the herb yet, but I'm sure I'll have some ideas when I see what it is.

My sister was nice enough to give me a gift certificate to Williams Sonoma for my birthday (along with some pink sponges -- she knows me so well!), and I used it to purchase a new mandoline (my old one wasn't too user-friendly). I've been wanting to make a raw beet salad for a while, and a new mandoline is a perfect excuse.

Beet and Arugula Salad with Goat Cheese

2010-03-02T13:26:00.001-06:00

This is one of my favorite winter salads. The peppery arugula with the sweet beets and tangy goat cheese really is perfect, and when dressed with balsamic vinaigrette, I can't get enough! If I'm in a hurry, I cut the beets into chunks and steam them, but roasting them the night before (if I remember) is delish as well.

The method is simple: toss some cooked, chilled beets and arugula with a dressing (I like a simple balsamic vinaigrette with plenty of salt and pepper) and top with chunked goat cheese. Since it doesn't require a huge amount of goat cheese, I like to go to the cheese counter and get them to slice me a small piece of a really good one, like Humboldt Fog. They're always happy to oblige.

When I take these salads to work for lunch, I'll dress the arugula with some balsamic vinaigrette at home and store the arugula, beets and goat cheese in separate containers. When it's time for lunch, it's a snap to assemble and it's as fresh as possible.

If you've got leftover asparagus or green beans, they're wonderful in here also.

Cilantro Pesto

2010-02-25T13:15:00.000-06:00

A few months ago, I read an article about how pesto was the ultimate 90s food, though it was so good and such a crowd-pleaser that it's not going away anytime soon. I'm inclined to agree.

While basil won't be in season for a few months, cilantro is a great way to enjoy pesto during the wintertime. It's bright, vibrant green and fresh flavor makes it a great pick-me-up on a cold winter day. This pesto is also a bit lighter than basil pesto, so don't feel bad about eating it by the spoonful. I enjoy eating it not only on pasta, but also on pizzas and as a dip for veggies. Anyone have any other ideas for it?

I do have a confession to make though: Greenling has included 1 bunch of cilantro in each delivery for the past few weeks, and because it takes a few bunches of cilantro to make a batch of pesto, it's taken me a few weeks to make it. The cilantro stayed fresh and perky though because I stored it in my Prepara Herb Savor. I love that thing -- I've ruined countless batches of herbs by storing it in the crisper and I've spilled cups of water in the fridge after keeping the herbs soaking in there. It's essentially the same thing as the cup of water method, but in an airtight compartment that fits in the fridge door. I highly recommend it! (And no, they didn't pay me to write this. But I would take another one if Prepara offered. My only complaint is that it's a bit small.)

Adapted from Simply Recipes

Ingredients:

3 c. cilantro leaves, stems removed
1/4 c. almonds, roughly chopped
1/2 c. red onion, roughly chopped (I used the bottom of the red and white spring onions that Greenling also sent)
Juice of 1/2 lemon (though save the other half in case you taste the pesto and it needs more acid)
1 tsp. salt (I ended up needing more, closer to 1-1/2 tsp.)
Pepper to taste
1/4 c. olive oil

Directions:

Pulse the cilantro, almonds, onion, lemon, salt and pepper in a food processor until combined.
Scrape down the sides, then with the food processor running, drizzle in the olive oil.
Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.

Eat however you like. I spread it on a pita pocket and topped with goat cheese to make a quick "pizza" for lunch.

Greenling Local Box: Feb. 22-26

2010-02-23T11:23:00.002-06:00

This week, we're getting sweet potatoes; broccoli from Farm Patch; yellow onion and swiss chard or spinach from Naegelin; Meyer lemons from G&S Groves; salad pack with dill, cilantro, and mixed radishes from My Father's Farm; crimini mushrooms from Kitchen Pride; and spring onions from Acadian.

So I'm making:

Broccoli and mushroom casserole with onion (without a cream of whatever soup! Blech!) with sweet potato biscuits (recipe to come in the Greenling box)
Gouda and spinach-stuffed pork chops (recipe to come in the Greenling box)
Lemon and chili fresh pasta (we ended up getting oranges, not lemons last time, so I'm anxious to try this)
Green salad with cilantro, radish and green onions

Sweet Potato-Carrot Soup

2010-02-11T12:42:00.000-06:00

I hate this weather. It's been dreary, gray and cold for a few weeks now and I'm not a happy camper. Luckily, we got some bright and hearty veggies in our Greenling box last week, so I took the opportunity to make a stick-to-your-ribs, warm-your-bones soup.

Soups are insanely easy to make, and if you use stocks, don't take forever either. Saute your aromatics, deglaze the pot, then add your main ingredients and enough stock (or water, if you're in a bind) and simmer until the main ingredients have cooked through. It's a pretty standard formula that can be adapted to whatever you have on hand.

Sweet potatoes and carrots are already pretty sweet themselves, so I decided to saute the onions almost to the point of caramelization to add another underlying layer of sweetness. I also like adding ginger to my veggie-based soups. The soup is hot already, but the ginger gives the soup another degree of warmth.

I also added a dollop of plain yogurt for some creaminess. Though you could add cream to make it extra rich, I just like to puree it beyond belief and stir in a bit of yogurt. An immersion blender aerates the soup a bit, so you get that same richness of the cream without the fat. You could also use a food processor or blender to puree the soup, but I've found them to be so fickle with hot liquids (take it from me -- soup on the wall? Not fun to clean.).

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1" fresh ginger root, grated
4 c. vegetable stock
2 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2" chunks
1 lb. carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2" chunks

Directions:

Saute the onion in the olive oil over medium-high heat until the onions are just starting to caramelize. You don't need a deep brown here; just a bit of color is fine.
Add the ginger and saute for another minute.
Deglaze the pot with a bit of the vegetable stock, then pour the rest of the stock into the pot and bring it to a boil.
Once the stock is boiling, add the sweet potatoes and carrots and reduce the heat to a simmer.
Simmer the soup until the sweet potatoes and carrots are tender (about 15 minutes), then remove from the heat and puree.

Greenling Local Box: Feb. 8-12

2010-02-09T15:11:00.004-06:00

I tried making a turnip puree last week, and while the flavor was good, it seemed a bit like eating baby food. So I think I'll stick with roasting them for now. Anyone have any great turnip recipes?

This week, we're getting a huge head of Napa cabbage from Farm Patch; spinach from Naegelin; lettuce from Bluebonnet Hydroponics; meyer lemons from G&S Groves; turnips, cilantro and green shallots from Acadian; baby bok choy leaves from My Father's Farm; and mushrooms from Kitchen Pride.

So I'm making:

Dinner:

Lazy man's cabbage casserole
Pasta with meyer lemon, spinach and creme fraiche
Meyer lemon and chili fresh pasta (hopefully I have enough lemons for both!)

Side dishes:

Spinach Pasta

2010-02-09T14:35:00.001-06:00

I have awesome friends. They figured out exactly what I wanted for my birthday -- a kitchen scale!

Yes, folks, I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I didn't own a kitchen scale up until a week and a half ago. And to be honest, I have no idea how I lasted that long. Now I'm trying to find excuses to break it out at every meal. My only problem is that most of my recipes are measured in cups and teaspoons, rather than pounds and grams. So I took the opportunity to find a recipe that utilized both my new kitchen scale and a huge, beautiful bag of spinach.

I'm not sure if it was the scale, the freshness of the spinach, or the fact that fresh pasta is plain old awesome, but this pasta was the best I've ever tasted. THE BEST. The best. It wasn't heavy at all, despite the use of almost 7(!) eggs. It was tasty and flavorful, and the color (the color!) was a beautiful neon green with bright green specks of spinach running throughout each piece. And it only took an hour or so, making it do-able on a weeknight. I tossed the pasta with good olive oil (do I sound like Ina Garten yet?) and pecorino romano, as I didn't want a sauce to compete with the pasta (yes, that's how good it is).

If you're thinking of wising up like I did and getting a scale for your kitchen, mine is the Cuisinart WeighMate digital scale. It's got a digital (duh) display that converts between pounds and grams, a tare button so you can put measure all ingredients in the same bowl, and touchpad buttons so you don't have to worry about getting flour particles in the mechanics. It's also glass, so it looks pretty. Can't get much better than that! And in the interest of full disclosure, Cuisinart is not paying me for this endorsement, but I would definitely try some products if you would like to send me any (hint, hint).

From Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients:

5 oz. spinach
1 lb. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 large egg, plus 6 egg yolks
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:

Blanch the spinach by dunking it in well-salted boiling water for 30 seconds, then immediately removing it to an ice bath. Drain and set in the bowl of a food processor.
Add the flour and salt to the spinach in the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times, then turn the food processor on and add the eggs and olive oil through the feed tube. Keep the food processor running until the mixture resembles coarse, wet cornmeal (~2 minutes).
Divide the dough into 4 balls and work the pasta into the desired shape with a pasta machine according to the manufacturer's instructions (I use the pasta attachment for the KitchenAid mixer). Boil for ~3 minutes, then serve.

Home-Cured Lox

2010-01-29T10:11:00.000-06:00

There are very few things that I couldn't imagine making myself. I just feel like things like peanut butter or hot dogs wouldn't be as good if I were to make them. Until very recently, lox was on that list, too.

I love lox. Love, love, love the stuff. Put it on a lightly toasted everything bagel with a healthy smear of cream cheese, a thick slab of juicy tomato, plenty of briny capers, and a few thin slices of red onion and I'm in heaven. It just doesn't get much better than that. So when I saw a tutorial about how to make lox and realized that it was seriously easy, I jumped at the chance. I didn't have high hopes (how could it get better than the premade stuff?), but I wanted to at least give it a try.

I am so happy I did. I will never buy pre-packaged lox again. Smoked salmon, maybe, but this home-cured lox is fantastic. It's salty, but not overwhelmingly so, and it's got smoky-sweet notes also. After it cures, it's a beautiful bright reddish-pink hue and just slightly translucent. Not to mention it's incredibly easy to make.

From 17 and Baking

Ingredients:

1 lb. skinless tail section of salmon (The tail section doesn’t have pin bones.)
1/2 c. light brown sugar
1/2 c. white sugar
1/2 c. kosher salt
1/2 c. smoked salt
1 heaping Tbsp. dried dill
1 tsp. finely ground black pepper

Directions:

Place a large sheet of plastic wrap on a metal tray. Sprinkle half the cure over the wrap and place the fish on top of the cure. Sprinkle the top of the fish with the remaining cure, and wrap tightly in the plastic wrap.
Cover heavily with weights and refrigerate for 24 hours.
Drain the liquid from the tray and rinse the fish. Pat the fish dry with a paper towel and slice thinly on a bias. Keep refrigerated prior to serving.

Greenling Local Box: Jan. 25-29

2010-01-28T11:10:00.004-06:00

Better late than never, right? We're getting our Greenling box this afternoon (shoot, I forgot to put the empty box outside this morning!), and as always, it's got some nice winter-y goodies for us.

This week, we're getting broccoli, pac choi, baby collards, and turnips from My Father's Farm; lettuce from Animal Farm; oranges from G&S Groves; cilantro and red spring onion from Acadian; tomatoes from Village Organics; and white button mushrooms from Kitchen Pride.

So I'm making:

Lunch:

Tuna salad on a bed of...salad?

Dinner:

Veggie stir-fry with broccoli, pac choi and mushrooms
Lentil dal with collards, red onion, cilantro and tomatoes

Side Dish:

Turnip puree

I'll also make some fresh-squeezed OJ with waffles for Sunday breakfast.

Hot Chocolate on a Stick with Marshmallows

2010-01-20T07:32:00.000-06:00

Williams Sonoma puts out an incredible holiday catalog. After drooling over the cooks tools in the first half, I flip through to the back, where they have cheeses, hors d'oeuvres, and edible gifts perfect for the holidays. I've had the opportunity to sample their marshmallows, and they are just as good as I hoped they were. They're light, fluffy and melt perfectly in a hot cup of cocoa. The problem? They cost the earth.

Luckily, homemade marshmallows are incredibly easy (and inexpensive!) to make and yield just as decadent results as those from Williams Sonoma.

Many people haven't had the chance to experience fresh, homemade marshmallows, so I thought that for holiday gifts this year, I would give my family, friends and colleagues a gift set of hot chocolate on a stick with some homemade marshmallows. Though Cory thought the square marshmallows were a bit odd, luckily, they were a huge hit!

A few tips for the hot chocolate:

Wilton party/nut cups are great vehicles for the hot chocolate -- they're they're lined with wax so that the molded hot chocolate is shiny and it can be easily remove from the cups. They're also just over 1 oz., so it makes measuring and serving easy.
My chocolate completely seized when I added the confectioner's sugar/cocoa powder mixture and only became workable after adding a few tablespoons of canola oil.
Use wooden stir sticks instead of lollipop sticks. They're a bit studier and hold up better to hot milk. For a more festive choice, a peppermint stick would be fun also!
This recipe as written below yields ~15 servings. I doubled it and it worked fine.

Ingredients:
For the marshmallows:
From Alton Brown

3 packages unflavored gelatin
1 c. ice cold water, divided
12 oz. (approximately 1-1/2 c.) granulated sugar
1 c. light corn syrup
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 c. confectioner's sugar
1/4 c. cornstarch
Pam spray

For the hot chocolate:
Adapted from Givers Log

12 oz. chocolate, chopped into small, even chunks (I used semisweet Guittard chocolate. The chocolate should have a relatively high percentage of cocoa butter so that it melts easier.)
1/4 c. plus 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, sifted
3/4 c. confectioner's sugar, sifted
Pinch of salt

Directions:
For the marshmallows:

Add the gelatin to 1/2 c. of the water in the bowl of a stand mixer. Don't turn the mixer on yet. Spray the whisk attachment with Pam, then attach it to the head of the mixer.
In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the remaining 1/2 c. of water, granulated sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Cover the saucepan and cook for 3-4 minutes.
Uncover the saucepan and attach a candy thermometer (this is the one I use and love). Continue to cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees (this took me ~10 minutes).
Once the mixture reaches 240 degrees, remove from the heat. Turn the mixer on low speed and drizzle the corn syrup mixture down the side of the bowl, then increase the speed to high. Whip the corn syrup mixture until it becomes quite thick and fluffy, yet still lukewarm (~14 minutes). Add the vanilla during the last minute of mixing.
While the corn syrup mixture is mixing, spray a 9x13" baking pan with Pam spray. Combine the granulated sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl, then coat the baking pan with this sugar-cornstarch mixture. Reserve the rest of the sugar-cornstarch mixture.
When the corn syrup mixture is finished mixing, spray a rubber spatula with Pam and pour the marshmallows into the prepared baking pan. Dust the top of the marshmallows with the rest of the sugar-cornstarch mixture, then allow the marshmallows to sit uncovered for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
After the marshmallows have set, turn the marshmallow slab out onto a cutting board. Spray a knife or pizza cutter with Pam and slice into 1" squares. Dust each side of the cut marshmallows with the leftover sugar-cornstarch mixture (there should be a ton left in the baking pan) and store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

For the hot chocolate:

Sift the cocoa powder, confectioner's sugar and salt together in a small bowl and set aside.
Melt the chocolate over a double-boiler. To preserve a shiny finish, avoid letting the chocolate get too hot.
Once the chocolate is melted 2/3 of the way (with just some pieces of the chocolate unmelted), remove the bowl from the double boiler and continue stirring until chocolate is fully melted (to prevent the chocolate from getting too hot).
Add cocoa powder mixture to the melted chocolate and stir until fully combined. This is the point at which my chocolate seized and became quite difficult to stir. If yours does, adding a bit of canola oil little by little should loosen up the chocolate again.
Spoon the chocolate into the party cups, tapping the mold on the counter to make sure all the chocolate settles into the mold. Add a stir stick; the stir stick should stay upright in the chocolate without any trouble.
Let the chocolate cool either at room temperature or in the fridge.
Stir the chocolate into 1 c. of hot milk, then top with the marshmallows and enjoy in a festive mug!

If you're giving these as gifts, package the marshmallows and hot chocolate in cellophane bags or a mug, then affix instructions letting the recipient know how to enjoy the hot chocolate with a pretty ribbon.

Greenling Local Box: Jan. 18-22

2010-01-19T16:35:00.000-06:00

Seems like despite the deep freeze of 2010, Texas farmers are churning out lots of yummy produce! I'm really excited about this cauliflower. I hope it comes in neon colors, like the ones I've seen recently at the Pearl Farmer's Market! What can I say? I'm easily amused.

This week, we're getting cauliflower or broccoli from Home Sweet Farm; green shallots from Acadian; green garlic from Naegelin or Green Gate Farm; a salad kit from My Father's Farm; spinach from Oak Hill; red potatoes, garlic and mustard greens or kale from Naegelin; citrus from G&S Groves; a slicing tomato from Village Farms; and green or red leaf lettuce from Bluebonnet.

So this week, I'm making:

Snacks:

Winter bruschetta with white beans, tomato, garlic and green shallots

Dinner:

A steakhouse dinner with Caesar salad, creamed spinach and mashed potatoes with green garlic
Mustard green/kale gratin

Side Dish:

Cauliflower puree (recipe to come from my brand new Top Chef Quickfire cookbook -- a gift from my wonderful husband!)

Dessert:

Citrus chiffon cake

Peppermint Brownie Tart

2010-01-18T10:58:00.000-06:00

Chocolate and peppermint is one of my favorite flavor combinations, especially for the holidays. The ganache topping makes this tart especially decadent, but the icy minty flavor cut the richness perfectly. I took this to a holiday party, where the flavors were perfect for a chilly and festive night.

This is one of those desserts that are so easy to make, yet the presentation is really beautiful, making it seem like it was a ton more work to make than it actually was. Hey, good cooks impress with strong flavors and visuals, right?

I made some substantial tweaks to the original recipe: I halved it (who has 2 full-size tart pans?!), I skipped the peppermint buttercream, and I used my chocolate ganache recipe that I flavored with peppermint extract (though I did decrease the cream to chocolate ratio, as I wanted the ganache to be a bit thicker than normal).

Adapted from Southern Living

Ingredients:

2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
1/2 c. butter, softened, plus extra for greasing the pan
1 c. granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 c. all-purpose flour, plus extra for greasing the pan
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
12 oz. semisweet chocolate chips, divided
1/3 c. heavy cream
1/8 tsp. peppermint extract
1/3 c. crushed peppermint candy canes

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and flour a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom and set aside.
Melt the unsweetened chocolate in either the microwave or over a double-boiler, then set aside.
Beat the butter and sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the melted chocolate and mix to combine. Add the flour and mix until just blended. Add the vanilla extract and 8 oz. of the chocolate chips and mix to combine.
Spread the batter into the prepared tart pan, then bake for 20 minutes or until then center is set. Cool the tart completely on a wire rack.
For the ganache, melt the remaining 4 oz. of chocolate chips in the microwave or over a double-boiler. Heat the cream and peppermint extract in a saucepan over medium-high heat until just simmering, then whisk the cream mixture into the melted chocolate. Pour the ganache over the cooled tart, then sprinkle the crushed peppermint candy canes around the outer edge of the tart. Let the ganache set at least an hour before serving.

Cranberry-Oat-Pecan Muffins

2010-01-14T10:46:00.000-06:00

If you're wondering why this recipe looks familiar, you're not going nuts. It's really similar to my peach-oat muffins recipe from last summer, but I switched up the fruit and added some chopped nuts. What can I say -- I love fruit and oats in my muffins! Oats give them a nice texture, and fruit makes it seem a bit healthier.

Since we have so much local citrus around these days, you could add some orange or tangerine (even grapefruit) zest to these. I didn't want to over-complicate the flavors on this go-around though, so I didn't. If you do add zest, let me know how it turns out.

Ingredients:

1 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. whole-wheat flour
1 c. old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg, freshly grated
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 c. unsweetened applesauce
1/4 c. vegetable oil
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 c. white sugar
1 c. brown sugar
1-1/2 c. fresh cranberries (about 1/2 bag), roughly chopped
3/4 c. toasted pecans or walnuts, chopped

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a muffin tin with baking cups. (You could spray the pan with Pam, but muffin liners cut down on the fat used in the recipe.)
Combine the flours, oats, spices, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
In a separate bowl, combine the applesauce, oil, eggs, and sugars.
Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir to combine. Fold in the cranberries and the chopped nuts.
Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan (fill ~3/4 of the way to optimize the proportion of muffin body to muffin top -- everyone knows the muffin top is the best part!). Bake for ~25 minutes. Cool in the pan for ~10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack. If freezing the muffins, freeze individually for 30 minutes before storing them in a Ziploc freezer bag.

Greenling Local Box: Jan. 11-15

2010-01-12T11:09:00.004-06:00

Given the devastating freeze that afflicted South Texas last week, I wasn't hopeful that our Greenling Local Box would contain too many goodies. Luckily for us, I was mistaken! Though I expect that some of these items may change due to unpredictable quantities, I still wanted to make a plan for the things we would get.

We're supposed to get bok choy and radishes from My Father's Farm, apples from Top of Texas, tangerines from Orange Blossom, collard greens from Naegelin, Louisiana spring shallots and green leaf lettuce from Acadian, broccoli microgreens from Bella Verdi, and purple turnips from Lundgren.

So I'm making:

Snacks:

Radish and goat cheese raita (thinking this would be a nice dip for this weekend's playoff games)
Winter fruit salad

Lunches:

Collards with farro
Green salad

Dinners:

Penne with cilantro pesto
Bok choy with garlic and baby shrimp
Dumplings (made with spring shallots) with soy and sesame-dressed microgreens

Side Dishes:

Maple-roasted turnips (coincidentally, I just tweeted this article about using turnips yesterday!)

Persimmon Bread

2010-01-11T11:50:00.001-06:00

I'm never sure what to do with persimmons when they're really mushy. I used them in sorbet, and that went well, but it's been so cold that I haven't been in the sorbet mood lately. I've put them in waffles, but I wasn't as pleased as I was with the fig waffles experiment, as the persimmon flavor didn't really come through as much as I had hoped. I scoured the web for some new ideas, and found a recipe for persimmon bread on David Lebovitz's blog. His recipes have always worked out well, and since it was originally from James Beard, I had high hopes.

Besides, it called for a ton of whiskey. What could be bad!?

Let me tell you that I loved this bread. The spicy notes of the whiskey came through really nicely, and complemented the sweet persimmon so well. No one was able to pinpoint what those spicy notes exactly were though, so I had fun keeping people guessing. This was as easy to make as any other quickbread, but flavor-wise, it was so different (in a good way!) than the typical pumpkin or banana bread that I'll be keeping this in my rotation for a while (as long as persimmons are in season, that is!).

Since I only had 2 persimmons, I halved the original recipe to make just 1 loaf.

Adapted from James Beard, via David Lebovitz

Ingredients:

1-3/4 c. all-purpose flour, sifted, plus extra for greasing the pan
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. nutmeg, freshly grated
1/2 c. granulated sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature, plus extra for greasing the pan
2 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
1/3 cup Cognac, bourbon or whiskey (I used Jack Daniels, since we already had some in the house.)
1 c. persimmon puree (from about 2 squishy-soft Hachiya persimmons. I run the persimmon chunks through the food mill to preserve the consistency, but I'm sure a blender would be okay too.)
2 cups pecans, toasted and chopped

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Butter a loaf pan, then dust with flour. Tap out the excess.
Sift the flour, salt, baking soda, nutmeg, granulated sugar and brown sugar together into a mixing bowl.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, then stir in the butter, eggs, liquor, and persimmon puree. When the dry ingredients are incorporated, fold in the nuts.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for ~1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out cleanly.

Pomegranate Jelly

2010-01-06T08:15:00.001-06:00

A few weeks ago, POM Wonderful sent me a ton of pomegranate juice to sample. After making some cocktails, using it as a glaze with some molasses on pork tenderloin, and making some sorbet, I still had a ton left over. Because it was fresh pomegranate juice, I thought the best way to use so much of it would be in a jelly.

I usually spread it on an english muffin (sometimes with cream cheese!) for breakfast, but I've also used it to make baked brie and in this cookie recipe, both of which were fantastic. For the cookies, I was worried that between the sugar in the dough, the sugar on top of the cookie and the sugar in the jam that using a sweeter raspberry or strawberry jam would be overwhelming. I'll blog the results soon, but suffice it to say that the cookies went quickly!

This recipe yields ~6-7 c. of jelly, which is enough to fill 6-7 8 oz. mason jars. Canning is a bit intimidating, but here are a few tips to make it a bit easier:

The only "canning supplies" you really need is a jar lifter. Trying to get a large jar of jam out of boiling water with normal tongs is futile. Just get the jar lifter.
You'll need a canning rack to make sure the cans are not sitting on the bottom of the pot of boiling water, but if you have a steamer basket (I have this one from Oxo), just unscrew the handle and set the rack in the pot.
Once you've put the jelly in the jars, screw the lids on really tightly to avoid leakage.
If you don't hear the lid suck down after you boil the jelly-filled jars, toss it. Sorry. =( You don't want botulism!

If you have any other canning tips, please share them in the comments!

From Simply Recipes

Ingredients:

4 c. pomegranate juice
1/4 c. lemon juice
1 package powdered pectin
5 c. granulated sugar

Directions:

Sterilize the jars and lids by boiling them for 10 minutes.
Add the pomegranate juice and lemon juice to a pot and stir in the pectin. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly to prevent scorching.
Once the juice mixture is at a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down, add the sugar and boil hard for 2 minutes.
Remove from the heat, let stand for a minute and skim off the foam.
Fill the jars with the pomegranate mixture, leaving 1/2” of room at the top of the jar. Wipe the rims clean, then screw on the 2-piece lids.
Finish canning by boiling the filled jars for 5 minutes (don’t let the jars touch the bottom of the pot or each other in the boiling water). Let the jars cool, ensuring that they are sealed (the lids should suck down as the jelly cools).
Store in the refrigerator for a few hours to let the jelly set. Will last ~3 weeks once opened.

Greenling Local Box: Jan. 4-8

2010-01-05T13:58:00.002-06:00

We're back in Texas and ready to get our local produce again! According to my new iPhone app called "What's Fresh," we can expect lots of citrus and greens -- and Greenling didn't let us down this week.

This week, we're getting broccoli from either Acadian or My Father's Farm; parsley and bok choy from My Father's Farm; Mars oranges from Orange Blossom; grapefruit from G&S Groves; sweet potatoes, red potatoes, garlic, and green onions from Naegelin; oriental turnips, escarole, and red onion from Acadian; a late tomato; and crimini mushrooms from Kitchen Pride.

So I'm making:

Breakfast:

Mushroom omelette with garlic and parsley potatoes

Dinner:

Sweet potato-black bean burritos
Pizzas with tomato, fresh mozzerella and garlic

Side dishes:

Broccoli slaw with red onion
Bok choy egg rolls with green onion
Steamed turnips
Escarole with bacon and white beans

If you're at a loss for what to do with a big bunch of parsley (other than use it as a garnish, that is), you can make a fantastic dip by chopping it up with some chives or other herbs and mixing that with some ricotta cheese.

Goat Cheese and Pesto Terrine

2010-01-05T11:41:00.001-06:00

Happy new year! I hope your holidays were as relaxing as mine were. And hopefully you cooked a bit!

I first saw this recipe on one of my favorite food blogs, The Way the Cookie Crumbles. She's got a fantastic eye for food photography and the recipes are so accessible. I saw this terrine a few months ago and thought it would be perfect to take to a girls night. I was right! These flavors complement each other so well, and it's really an addictive appetizer. Besides, you only need one hand to eat it, so your other one can hold your wine. Priorities!

I know it's an extra step to toast the pine nuts, but it's really worth it. I'm not a big fan of raw pine nuts, and toasting them deepens the flavor.

If you want to make your own pesto rather than using storebought (either is fine in this recipe), my pesto recipe is here.

From Fine Cooking, via The Way the Cookie Crumbles

Ingredients:

10 oz. goat cheese, softened
1/4-1/2 c. heavy cream (I used milk instead.)
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 Tbsp. basil pesto
6 oil-packed sundried tomatoes, drained and finely chopped
1/4 c. pine nuts, toasted and finely chopped, plus a few whole nuts for garnish (after I finished making the terrine, I realized that I totally forgot to chop the nuts. It turned out okay, but the terrine will stay together much better and will look nicer if you chop them.)
Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling

Directions:

Line a 2-cup capacity bowl with tall sides with plastic wrap. Let some of the plastic wrap hang over the sides.
Whisk the goat cheese with 1/4 c. heavy cream or milk and salt and pepper to taste. If you need to soften the cheese even more, use a bit more milk or cream.
Spoon about 1/3 of the goat cheese mixture into the bottom of the bowl and press to smooth out with the back of the spoon.
Spoon the pesto on top of the first layer of cheese.
Add another 1/3 of the goat cheese mixture on top of the pesto and press to smooth out with the back of the spoon.
Spoon the sundried tomatoes and then the pine nuts (all except for those to garnish) on top of the second layer of cheese.
Add the remaining 1/3 of the goat cheese mixture, then pack it down with the spoon and fold the sides of the plastic wrap over the bowl. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
When ready to serve, pull on the plastic wrap to loosen the terrine a bit, then invert it onto a plate. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and garnish with the remaining pine nuts. Serve with crackers or crostini.

Dulce de Leche Ice Cream

2009-12-23T12:52:00.001-06:00

I love homemade ice cream. Who doesn't? The texture is completely different than the stuff you get in the stores, and it just tastes fresher. I was so surprised that this ice cream was just as rich and creamy as an egg custard-based ice cream. I'd never made a Philadelphia-style ice cream before, but this definitely won't be my last time. Not only is it quite easy to make, it doesn't require a bajillion egg yolks, which is a plus (after I've made ice cream, I'm never in the mood to make something like macarons or meringues, so my egg whites never go to good use).

While I'm lucky enough to live in an area where authentic dulce de leche is readily available (and cheap!), if you can't find it, David Lebovitz has an easy recipe on his blog that doesn't run the risk of exploding cans of hot sweetened condensed milk.

From Epicurious

Ingredients:

2 c. whole milk
1 c. heavy cream
1 can (~13.66 oz.) dulce de leche
1/8 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

Heat the milk and cream in a skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently to prevent scorching.
When the mixture is just barely at a boil, whisk in the dulce de leche until it's dissolved.
Stir in the vanilla and transfer to a bowl set over an ice bath. Let sit, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is chilled (at least 20 minutes).
Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions, then transfer to a tupperware and store in the freezer to harden.

Baked Apples

2009-12-18T12:00:00.001-06:00

I posted my mom's baked apples recipe on Twitter a few months ago. It's pretty standard until you get to the not-so-secret ingredient: diet black cherry soda.

Gross, right? It's okay to think so; the Twitterverse thought so too. But my mom swears by it. Though I try to eat whole foods as much as possible, I'm starting to swear by it too. It doesn't taste like soda at all; it just tastes like apples. And the pool of soda in the bottom of the pan makes the fruit so tender inside.

The best part of the dish? It's truly a sin-free dessert. It's an apple, cinnamon, raisins, and some nuts. Perfect for those of us resolving to keep off the pounds over the upcoming holidays!

You can adjust the servings as needed for 2 or 20 apples.

Ingredients:

6 apples, cored
6 cinnamon sticks
1-1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg, divided
3 tsp. raisins, divided (I prefer golden raisins.)
3 tsp. chopped toasted walnuts, divided (Pecans would also be nice here.)
1 can diet cherry soda (I prefer Dr. Browns.)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Set the cored apples in a 9x13" baking pan. Add a cinnamon stick, 1/4 tsp. nutmeg, 1/2 tsp. raisins and 1/2 tsp. nuts to the center of each apple.
Pour the soda over each of the apples, letting it pool in the bottom of the pan.
Bake for ~60 minutes, or until the fruit is soft.