As I mentioned recently, I have definitely been on a soup kick lately.  When my friends and I got together for our baking day last week, my friend Sarah brought a pot of this soup for us to have for lunch.  It was fantastic!  I asked her what recipe she used and it turned out to be this one, a recipe I have had bookmarked to try for months.  That was the push I needed to finally try it myself.  This is a wonderfully hearty soup, perfect for the awful cold weather and snowy days we have been having lately.  It is similar to a vegetable soup, but the addition of Italian sausage and pasta puts it over the top – YUM!  The only issue I had with this was that it really pushed the limits of my 5-quart Dutch oven.  I was still able to stir the soup, but only very carefully.  Obviously, this makes a huge quantity.  I considered halving it, but what am I going to do with leftover half-cans of beans?  I decided to just make the full batch and freeze half for my brother Steven, since I always worry about what he is eating now that he has his own place.   I like to try to help him get better meals than the average college student :)

Pasta e Fagioli
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Ingredients:
2 tbsp. butter, divided
1 (20 oz.) package sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1/2 large (or 1 medium) onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 carrots, thinly sliced
4 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can cannelini beans, drained and rinsed
48-64 oz. reduced-sodium beef broth (depending on how much liquid you would like)
1 (28 oz.) can tomato sauce
2 tsp. dried parsley
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. salt
4 oz. small dry pasta (such as ditalini)

Directions:
Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a Dutch oven or large stockpot over medium-high heat.  Add the sausage to the pot and brown, crumbling as it cooks.  Once the sausage is browned, remove it from the pot with a slotted spoon and discard any excess grease.

Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in the pot.  Add the onion, garlic, carrot and celery, and saute over medium heat until vegetables are soft, 8-10 minutes.  Return the sausage to the pot, add the can of diced tomatoes with juices, stir briefly, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the beans, beef broth and tomato sauce to the pot.  Add in all of the seasonings, stir well, increase the heat to high and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer at least 30 minutes.

Add the dry pasta and continue to simmer on low for another 30 minutes.  Serve.

Source: adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

If you haven’t heard of the food blog event Eat to the Beat, hosted by Elly of Elly Says Opa!, you’re missing out.  It’s a fantastically creative event where bloggers post a dish related to music in any way.  (By the way, the deadline is Saturday so you still have a few days to make something musical!)  Each round, I have so many ideas for potential entries that I can barely decide on one.  This time, I was in the kitchen thinking about which entry would be best when suddenly I realized what I was making – Cherry Garcia ice cream.  DUH!  It was literally right in front of me.  Haha!  Now I have never been a Grateful Dead fan, nor do I know many of their songs, so that was a slight issue.  But I do have one story related to this.  One night a few years ago, I was out at a bar celebrating my birthday with some friends.  It was low-key and we were just sitting having drinks while a musician sang and played covers on his guitar.  Then we realized, man, that guy looks a LOT like Jerry Garcia!  So we requested the Grateful Dead song “Scarlet Begonias”…and the guy didn’t know it!  We were surprised, considering he looked like he could have written it.  And then my friends sang “Scarlet Begonias” at the table since the performer couldn’t deliver.  And that’s about the only story I have related to the Grateful Dead ;)

Now, a bit about the ice cream!  It’s no surprise, any ice cream combining cherry and chocolate is going to be delicious – and it is!  I have only had the store-bought version once maybe so I can’t comment on how similar this is, but it is definitely tasty.  I doubled the amount of cherries called for and I think next time I would consider increasing it even more.  Also, to really bring out the cherry flavor, I think a bit of the syrup from a jar of maraschino cherries mixed in to the batter could be great.  I’ll try that next time as well.  A lot of the recipes in the Ben & Jerry ice cream book call for eggs in the batter but they are not cooked as with French-style ice creams.  B&J say the eggs act as an emulsifying agent and help improve the ice cream’s whipping ability.  The eggs don’t bother me at all, but if they bother you, just substitute an egg-free vanilla or sweet cream base, or try to find pasteurized eggs (some grocery stores carry them).

Recipe Rewind: tried and true favorites I’ve made recently
American Sandwich Bread

Cherry Garcia Ice Cream
Ingredients:
1/4 cup shaved bittersweet chocolate
1/2-1 cup fresh cherries, pitted and quartered (I used sweet cherries)
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
Place the shaved chocolate and the cherries in separate bowls.  Cover and refrigerate to chill.

In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs 1 to 2 minutes, until light and fluffy.  Continue whisking and add the sugar, a little at a time.  Keep whisking until completely blended, about 1 minute more.  Add in the cream, milk, and vanilla, and whisk to blend.

Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.  After the ice cream stiffens, transfer the mixture to an airtight storage container and fold in shaved chocolate and cherries until well incorporated.  Store in the freezer until ready to eat.

Source: adapted from Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream and Dessert Book by Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, Workman Publishing Company, 1987.

If you are still looking for a quick and tasty snack item to serve at your Super Bowl party, look no further!  Of course I have no interest in the Super Bowl this year since my Colts did so poorly in the post-season (sniff, sniff).  Oh well, there’s always next year (right, Cub fans?)  These little roll-ups are simple to make and taste great.  I made these for a movie night last weekend and they were great snacking fare.  The original recipe suggests dipping in Ranch sauce, but I think often dipping sauces overwhelm the flavor of whatever you are dipping.  Instead I skipped it and decided to mix a little bit of Ranch into the cream cheese spread instead.  Try these if you are looking for a super quick appetizer!

Some other delicious bites for a Super Bowl party would be:
My Favorite Salsa Ever
Pizza Crescents
Chocolate Peanut Butter Popcorn
Roasted Red Pepper Pesto Crostini

BLT Roll-Ups
Ingredients:
3 8- or 9-inch flour tortillas
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
1-2 tbsp. Ranch dressing
6 pieces bacon, cooked and crumbled (I used turkey bacon)
1/2 cup shredded lettuce
1 large tomato, diced
Ranch dressing for dipping, if desired

Directions:
Lay all three tortillas out flat on a work surface.  Combine the cream cheese and 1-2 tablespoons Ranch dressing in a small bowl and mix until smooth.  Divide between the tortillas and spread in a thin, even layer over each.  Sprinkle a third of the bacon, lettuce and tomato over each tortilla.  Starting at one edge, roll each tortilla up tightly into a spiral shaped log.  Slice each log into 1-inch sections, and serve with Ranch dressing for dipping, if desired.

Source: adapted from Chomping the Big Apple

Normally I avoid recipes that include any boxed cake mix, but these were just too darned cute to pass up!  Of course, one of the nice things about using the boxed mix is that the cookies themselves took no time at all to prepare.  Normally it doesn’t take me long to whip up cookies from scratch either, but I have a rule in my kitchen about baking after 8:30 pm.  Any time I start baking this late, I am practically guaranteed to make a mistake and end up frustrated with a bunch of wasted ingredients.  I started this recipe around 8 pm so I knew I might be pushing it, but thankfully using the cake mix made it nearly impossible to screw up.

These fun little sandwich cookies are absolutely delicious, and they really remind me of a cookie from the mall food court that I had a slight obsession with as a child.  I think these could be a really fun project to make with kids, and they are sure to love the results.  I used a dough scoop to try to make the cookies uniform in size.  Even so, there was a fair amount of variation so I recommend pairing up all the cookies based on size before you start sandwiching them with icing, to avoid ending up with a very mismatched pair.   There is definitely room to be creative with what you dip the sides of the cookie into.  I loved the sprinkles, but you could use mini-chocolate chips, mini-M&Ms, etc.  Just have fun with it!

Recipe Rewind: tried and true favorites I’ve made recently
Restaurant-Style Hummus

Chocolate Cake Cookie Sandwiches
Yield: 10 sandwich cookies (using a medium-sized dough scoop)

Ingredients:
For the cookies:
1 package chocolate cake mix (or other flavor of your choice)
1 egg, at room temperature
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature

For the frosting:
3/4 cup butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2-3 tbsp. milk

For decorating:
multi-colored non-pareils, or other sprinkles or candy of your choice

Directions:
To make the cookies, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.  In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the cake mix, egg and butter.  Beat on low speed until just combined and all dry ingredients have been incorporated.  Roll the dough into 1- to 1 1/2-inch balls, place on the prepared baking sheets and press down to slightly flatten.  Bake for 8-10 minutes.  Allow the cookies to cool completely on the cookie sheets.

To make the frosting, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until smooth.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the powdered sugar, and beat until incorporated.  Add vanilla extract and beat on medium speed until fully incorporated.  Add 2 tablespoons of milk and beat on medium-high speed until smooth.  If the frosting too thick, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of milk and beat until incorporated.

To assemble, pair the cookies based on size on a work surface.  Frost the flat side of one cookie from each pair.  Place the other cookie of each pair on top of the frosting, flat side down.  Lightly press down so that the frosting reaches the edges of the cookies.  To decorate, place sprinkles in a small bowl.  Dip the sides of each cookie in the sprinkles, pressing down gently and rotating to cover the sides completely.

Source: adapted from The Crepes of Wrath

Last week I was looking for some sort of goody to send to my Grandma.  As I’ve mentioned before, I like to send her things every few weeks with a card and some pictures of our family since she doesn’t live nearby.  She loves it, and I love doing it.  It is always fun to figure out what things will ship well.  I thought these shortbread seemed like a wonderful idea and I was right.  She called me after she received the package and gave me some incredibly high praise – she said I am now even better at baking than my mom was.  WOW.  My mom had quite a reputation in the kitchen, so that meant a lot coming from Grandma.

These were really fun cookies to make.  I was amazed at how quickly the batter came together.  Then I had a great time rolling out the dough in the plastic bag – what a great idea!  Slicing and baking was fun as well.  I cut a 1.5-inch square of cardstock and used that as a guide for my cookies since I couldn’t find my ruler, and it worked just as well.  The perfect square shapes that I cut out of the dough really pleased my OCD side ;)  I only saved a few of these for us, and almost all of those were eaten by Ben, but the one I tasted was very good.  Buttery and with just the right texture for shortbread.  The mini chocolate chips provided just the right amount of sweetness to offset the flavor of the espresso.  For some reason my espresso powder didn’t dissolve all that well in the water, but I don’t think it affected the taste of the cookies and it lent a cool speckled appearance to the dough.

Espresso Chocolate Chip Shortbread
Ingredients:
1 tbsp. instant espresso powder
1 tbsp. boiling water
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup mini-chocolate chips

Directions:
Dissolve the espresso powder in the boiling water.  Set aside to cool to tepid.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter on medium-high until smooth.  Add the confectioners’ sugar and beat on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until the mixture is very smooth.  Add in the vanilla and the espresso and mix until incorporated.  With the mixer on low speed, add the flour and mix only until it disappears into the dough.  Fold in the mini-chocolate chips with a rubber spatula.

Transfer the dough to a gallon-sized plastic bag.  Place the bag on a flat work surface, leaving the top open.  Roll the dough into a 9 x 10 1/2-inch rectangle that is about 1/4 inch thick.  As you roll, turn the bag occasionally and lift the plastic from the dough so it doesn’t cause creases.  When the dough has reached the desired size and thickness, seal the bag pressing out as much excess air as possible, and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours, or up to 2 days.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.  Put the plastic bag on a cutting board and slit it open.  Discard the bag.  Using a ruler (or precut square of cardstock) as a guide, cut the dough into 1 1/2-inch squares.  Transfer the squares to baking sheets and carefully prick each one twice with a fork.  Bake for 18-20 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through baking 180 degrees and from top to bottom.  The cookies shouldn’t take on much color while baking.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the pan 5-10 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.

Source: adapted from Use Real Butter, originally from Smitten Kitchen

Chips and salsa is one of those snacks that some people just go crazy for.  Up until I found this recipe, I never really understood that sentiment.  I mean, sure, I’ll eat chips and salsa at a Mexican restaurant when I’m waiting for my meal to arrive, but I rarely have the urge to eat it at home.  I think this is in part due to the fact that salsa encompasses such a huge variety of different types.  Some are chunky with lots of veggies, some are practically as thin as water, some are super spicy, some not so much.  And the kinds they sell at the store – ick.  Then one night we were having dinner at another couple’s house and my friend April made this salsa to go with our dinner.  I knew right then, I HAD to have the recipe – it was my perfect salsa!

The texture is somewhere between chunky and thin.  There are lots of small pieces of veggies suspended in the liquid base.  I think what makes this really fantastic is the fresh and spicy flavor, similar to pico de gallo.  Now I keep a batch in the fridge at all times.  It makes all Mexican food taste way better.  It is also great with chips and I find myself snacking on this almost daily.  I have been told a couple of times that it is very similar to the salsa from On the Border restaurants, but I have never eaten there so I can’t comment on that.  One of the best things about this recipe is how quickly it is thrown together since it utilizes the food processor.  I like it fairly spicy, but the heat can easily be controlled by how much jalapeno you add.

My Favorite Salsa
Ingredients:
2 fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded and very coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic, halved
2 large vine-ripened tomatoes
1 (28 0z.) can diced tomatoes (drained or not, depending on how much liquid you want in your salsa)
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. cumin
1/2 sweet yellow onion, coarsely chopped
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
juice of one lime

Directions:
In the bowl of a food processor, combine the jalapenos and garlic.  Process until finely chopped.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Add all other ingredients to the food processor.  Pulse in very brief pulses until the vegetables have reached the size you desire (it does not take many pulses so don’t overdo it).  Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving to allow the flavors to blend.

Source:  adapted from a recipe passed on by my friend April E.

As I mentioned in my last post, my friends and I had a baking day last week where we each chose three recipes to make and baked all day long!  It was a lot of fun and we made a lot of yummy treats.  Unfortunately one of my recipes came out looking gorgeous but was missing a key ingredient so I ended up throwing away the final product because of the texture.  That was kind of a bummer, but I will probably give it a try again soon because I think it has a lot of potential to be great.  Another of my recipes turned out absolutely delicious, but not very pretty, so I will be remaking that again very soon as well so I can post it here.  It is not to be missed!  This is the only one of my recipes that both tasted good and looked nice enough to post :)

I used my favorite yellow cake recipe for these cupcakes, and folded chopped dried cranberries and pecans into the batter.  I cut a cone out of the top of each cupcake, filled it with cranberry sauce, and then topped each with a swirl of maple buttercream.  I normally don’t like nuts in desserts, but I think I’m learning to like pecans.  These tasted really good and looked very cute.  My main complaint is that the original recipe yielded way more cranberry sauce and frosting than I needed, so a lot of it got thrown away.  I absolutely hate wasting ingredients (especially the precious cranberries I have been hoarding) so I have modified the quantities below to a more accurate estimate of what you actually need.  Enjoy!

Recipe Rewind: tried and true favorites I’ve made recently
Chicken Marsala

Cranberry Pecan Cupcakes with Maple Buttercream
Yield: 21-24 cupcakes

Ingredients:
For the cake:
one recipe yellow cake batter (I like this recipe)
1/2 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

For the cranberry sauce:
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup sugar

For the maple buttercream frosting:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 tbsp. maple syrup
1-2 tbsp. milk

Directions:
To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Line muffin pans with paper liners.  Prepare yellow cake batter as directed.  Gently fold in chopped dried cranberries and pecans until evenly distributed.  Divide the batter evenly between prepared cupcake liners.

Bake in preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Allow to cool 5 minutes in the pans, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.  When the cupcakes are cool, use a small paring knife to cut a shallow cone shape out of the center of each cupcake.

While the cupcakes are cooling, prepare the cranberry sauce.  Combine the cranberries, water and sugar in a medium saucepan.  Heat over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar is dissolved and the cranberries start to pop.  Once all the cranberries are soft, remove from the heat.  Puree the mixture with an immersion blender (or blender or food processor).  If too thick, add a small amount of additional water to thin the sauce.  Allow to cool completely.  Spoon into the hole in each cupcake.

To prepare the frosting, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium-high speed until smooth.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the powdered sugar.  Beat on medium speed until well combined, then increase speed and beat until smooth.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl again and add the maple syrup.  Mix until incorporated.  If the frosting is too thick, add 1-2 tablespoons of milk and beat until smooth and desired consistency is achieved.  Top each cupcake with a swirl of frosting on top of the cranberry sauce.

Source: adapted from Jamie’s Green Kitchen and Beantown Baker

Earlier this week I got together with a couple great friends who share my love of cooking and baking, and we had an all-day baking extravaganza!  My friend Christy generously volunteered her amazing kitchen with double ovens and tons of counter space as the location for our fun.  Sarah and I brought over lunch since Christy donated the space.  Sarah made a fantastic soup and salad, and I contributed this bread.  It was a great meal in the midst of a fun and busy day.  (More on the baking day later – we made lots of goodies, but I think Sarah’s apple turnovers put everything else to shame.  Wow!)

This bread was wonderful.  The interior is very soft and flavorful, and it has a nice crust.  The hearty texture makes it ideal for dunking in a bowl of soup.  The recipe yields two loaves so I made one normal rectangular loaf and one braided wreath loaf.  My only complaint is that my regular loaf did not achieve the height I was hoping for – decent, but not great.  I probably should have made sure it was in a warmer location for the rise.  When I went to take these loaves out of the oven, I got preoccupied with eating dessert (haha – so like me :) ) and they baked a few minutes longer than they should have, but I don’t think it made too much of a difference.  I will definitely make this again, and it is a great way to use up buttermilk if you have some on hand without a purpose!

Buttermilk Honey Bread
Yield: 2 loaves (rectangular or free form)

Ingredients:
3/4 cup warm water (105-115 degrees F)
1 tbsp. instant yeast
1 tsp. sugar
1 1/2 cups buttermilk, warmed to take off the chill (or brought to room temperature)
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
3 tbsp. honey, warmed until runny
1 tbsp. salt
6 – 6 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp. milk or cream (for egg wash)
Sesame seeds or poppy seeds for topping (optional)

Directions:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the water, yeast, sugar, buttermilk, butter, honey, salt, and 4 cups of the flour.  Mix on low speed just until a dough has formed.  Switch to the dough hook.  Continue mixing on low speed, adding the remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time until a smooth dough is formed that clears the sides of the bowl.  Continue kneading on low speed until dough is smooth and elastic, about 4-5 minutes.  Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, turning once to coat, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap.  Let rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 60-75 minutes.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and gently punch it down.  Grease two loaf pans (if using).  Divide the dough into two equal pieces and shape as desired.  (To shape into a braided wreath, follow the instructions in this post.)  Cover the loaves lightly with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let rise until fully doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.

Twenty minutes before you want to bake the bread, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Center a rack in the oven.  Just before putting the loaves in the oven, brush the tops with the egg wash and sprinkle with topping, if desired.  Place the pans on the center rack and bake about 45 minutes, rotating 180 degrees halfway through the baking time.  If the tops brown too quickly, cover loosely with aluminum foil.  Remove the loafs immediately to a cooling rack.  Let cool completely before slicing.

Source: adapted from Rosa’s Yummy Yums

I have been all about soup lately.  I guess it’s the weather that puts me in the mood, but I also love simple meals that simmer for a long time making the whole house smell great.  This recipe has been on my list to try for a while, but I kept putting it off…I think because I just wasn’t sure how good it would really be.  Well, that was stupid.  (Note to self: always trust Ina!)  It was SO so so good.  I considered making a half batch because I wasn’t sure I would want the leftovers, but the leftovers were great and we ate every last drop of the full batch.  This will definitely make many future appearances ate our dinner table.

Taking the time to make the vegetable stock may seem unnecessary to some, but I really think it added a ton of flavor to this dish.  This was my first time ever cooking with leeks, and now I have no idea why I shied away from them before.  They are kind of like giant, mild tasting green onions, and they contributed nicely to the texture of the soup.  We had this with salad and bread a wonderful meal.

Recipe Rewind: tried and true favorites I’ve made recently
Spicy Shredded Pork

Cream of Mushroom Soup
Ingredients:
8 oz. white button mushrooms
8 oz. baby bella mushrooms
1 tbsp. olive oil
3 tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 sprig fresh thyme, plus 1 tsp. minced thyme leaves, divided
kosher salt
black pepper
2 cups chopped leeks, white and green parts
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup milk (I used 1%)
3 tbsp. minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions:
Clean the mushrooms by wiping them gently with a slightly damp paper towel.  Do not wash them.  Separate the stems from the caps.  Coarsely chop the stems.  Slice the caps, cutting in half if necessary so pieces are bite-sized.  Set aside.

To prepare the stock, heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat.  When the butter is melted, add the chopped mushroom stems, onion, carrot, sprig of thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper.  Cook over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes, until the vegetables are soft.  Add 6 cups water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.  Strain through a mesh sieve, reserving the liquid (discard the solids).  You should have about 4 1/2 cups liquid.  If not, add some water to make up the difference.

Meanwhile, in another large pot, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat.  Add the leeks and cook over low heat, 15-20 minutes, until the leeks begin to brown.  Add the sliced mushroom caps and cook for 10 minutes, or until they are browned and tender.  Add the flour and cook for 1 minute.  Add the white wine and stir for another minute, scraping the bottom of the pot.  Add the mushroom stock, minced thyme leaves, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.  Add the heavy cream, milk and parsley.  Adjust seasonings to taste and heat through but do not boil.  Serve hot.

Source: adapted from Brown Eyed Baker, originally from Ina Garten

When I first saw this recipe in Dorie’s book, I immediately thought it sounded like the sort of thing my mother-in-law would love.  This past weekend I had my med school semi-formal,  and Ben’s parents came up to babysit Andrew since we would be out all night long.  I thought the best way to repay them would be to make them a fabulous dinner (and breakfast the next morning).  So, I made them a pot roast, roasted broccoli, and Parmesan ciabatta on the side.  And for dessert, the most important meal of the day, I made these cakes!

The original recipe is for two regular loaf pans, but that sounded kind of boring.  When I first flipped through the book I envisioned these as mini-bundt cakes and I was determined to make them so.  Mini-bundt pans were one of the kitchen-related Christmas gifts I received, so I decided to break them in with this recipe.  It worked perfectly!  I halved the batter and made four mini cakes.  There was definitely enough batter for five cakes, but I only had four pans and I over filled them a bit anyway – oh well.  These were soooo good.  They have a soft, dense crumb and the rum syrup keeps them super moist.  The rum flavor was just right, definitely noticeable but not overdone.  And, I love any dessert with vanilla bean flecks so that was an added bonus for me :)  Dorie has a few variations in her book that sound fantastic as well.  I am definitely going to try the lemon and orange versions at some point.  Yum!

Recipe Rewind: tried and true favorites I’ve made recently
Black Bean and Salsa Soup

Rum-Drenched Vanilla Cakes
Ingredients:
For the cakes:
2-3 tbsp. melted butter, for brushing the pans
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
pinch of salt
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. sugar
1 plump, moist vanilla bean, split lengthwise (or 2 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract)
3 large eggs
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. dark rum
7 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled

For the syrup:
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup dark rum

Directions:
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Brush four or five mini-bundt pans with melted butter.  Flour the pans, tapping out the excess.  Place the mini-bundt pans on a baking sheet, open side up.

In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.

Place the sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.  Scrape the seeds of the vanilla bean into the bowl.  Working with your fingers, rub them together until the sugar is moist and thoroughly imbued with the fragrance of vanilla.  (If you are using vanilla extract, add it later, after you’ve added the eggs.)  Add the eggs and whisk them into the sugar, beating until they are thoroughly incorporated.  Whisk in the vanilla extract, if using.  Then whisk in the heavy cream, followed by the rum.  Continuing with the whisk, gently mix in the dry ingredients in 3 additions.  The batter will be smooth and thick.  Remove the bowl from the mixer and using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the melted butter in 2 or 3 additions.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans, filling them about 3/4 full.  Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a cake comes out clean.  While the cakes are baking, prepare the rum syrup.  Stir the water and sugar together in a small saucepan over medium heat until the sugar melts, then bring to a boil.  Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the rum.  Pour the syrup into a liquid measuring cup and let cool.

When the cakes are done baking, let cool in pans for 10 minutes.  Gently turn out onto a wire rack.  Place a plate or baking sheet below the wire rack to catch excess syrup.  Poke holes all over the cakes using a long, thin skewer.  Pour the syrup all over the cakes (you will not need to use it all).  Leave the cakes on the rack to cool to room temperature.

Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Source: adapted from Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

One of the ways I have really grown as a cook is that when a recipe does not turn out as expected, I no longer just give up but instead try again.  I research other recipes for the same dish and sometimes, I just go with my instincts.  That is what I did in this case and it turned complete disaster into a fantastic dinner!  Pasta rollers were at the very top of my Christmas list this year and I have been dying to attempt all different kinds of homemade pasta.  A couple of weeks ago, I made my first attempt and made four cheese ravioli.  The filling was wonderful (recipe to come) but the pasta left something to be desired, and was quite frankly a huge pain in the butt.  The dough was insanely dry and tough to work with and the end result was just not that great.

I was determined to make homemade pasta that tasted worth the effort.  This time, I tried a different pasta recipe but things started out much the same.  Most recipes call for little to no liquid, and this was no different.  So when I started the dough as the recipe recommended, I ended up with basically sand.  I decided to forget the recipe and just go with my gut.  I added water and olive oil a little bit at a time until I had a dough that seemed the right consistency.  I rolled it out, put it through the rollers, cut it and cooked it without issue.  This was a night and day difference from my first attempt, in difficulty and in taste.  Now I definitely think homemade pasta deserves the hype and I am eager to try many more variations.

Basic Egg Pasta
Yield: approximately 1 1/4 lb. pasta

Ingredients:
4 large eggs
1 tbsp. water, plus more as needed
1 tbsp. olive oil
3 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt

Directions:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the eggs, 1 tablespoon water, olive oil and flour.  Mix on low speed until the ingredients are well mixed and a dough begins to form.  If the mixture is not coming together add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time just until the dough is formed.  Remove the dough from the mixer and transfer it to a work surface.  Knead 1-2 minutes by hand.  Cover with a clean towel and let rest for 20 minutes before proceeding.

Divide the dough into four equal pieces.  Flatten each piece with a rolling pin until it is flat enough to go through the pasta sheet roller at its widest setting.  Run the dough through the sheet roller on its widest setting once.  Remove the sheet from the roller and lay it on the work surface lengthwise.  Bring both outside edges into the middle, folding the sheet into thirds.  Flatten with the rolling pin until flat enough to go through the sheet roller on the widest setting once again.  Pass the folded sheet through the roller, open end first.  Remove the sheet from the roller and lay it on the work surface lengthwise once again.  Fold the sheet into thirds as before, flatten with the rolling pin and pass through the roller once again.  Continue this pattern until the dough is smooth and supple, approximately six times total.

Pass the dough through the pasta sheet roller at narrowing widths (folding is no longer necessary), narrowing it one setting at a time, until the dough has reached the thinness you desire.  (If at any time the sheet becomes too unwieldy, simply cut it in half and work with each half individually.)  Set the sheet aside, cover with a towel and repeat the entire process with the remaining three segments of dough.

Once all the pasta sheets are finished, pass through a noodle cutter if desired.

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water until al dente, 2-5 minutes.  (I recommend testing a piece at a time, mine took even longer.)  Drain well and serve.

Source: loosely based on the KitchenAid Pasta Attachment Instruction and Recipe Book

No matter how many bread recipes I make successfully, I still continue to get a huge kick out of watching the dough rise and having so few ingredients become a delicious loaf of bread.  This bread turned out very well, with a nice crust and a soft interior dotted with delicious pockets of melted cheese.  Unfortunately I do think that the recent frigid temperatures and my consequently chilly house affected the rising of the sponge.  The interior of the bread did not have as many air pockets as I expected, but it was soft and delicious nonetheless.  So far I have eaten it alongside pasta, toasted and dipped into hummus, and we plan to have it with soup for dinner tonight.  I also think it would be great sliced lengthwise for a sandwich.  This would be fantastic with any number of cheeses, but Ben loves all things with Asiago cheese so I think I will try that next time.

Recipe Rewind: tried and true favorites I’ve made recently
Pot Roast – perfect for a chilly evening at home

Parmesan Ciabatta
Ingredients:
For the biga (starter):
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup whole wheat, pumpernickel or rye flour
1 cup warm water
1/8 tsp. instant yeast

For the dough:
all of the starter
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup warm water
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. instant yeast
4-5 oz. Parmesan (or other) cheese, cut into 1/4-inch dice, plus extra for grating over the top

Directions:
To make the biga, combine all of the ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and mix until well blended.  Cover the bowl, and leave it at cool room temperature (68-70 degrees F) for 12-20 hours, until the biga is very bubbly.

To make the dough, mix the biga and the remaining dough ingredients except the cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Mix on low speed just until a dough begins to form.  Switch to the dough hook and continue kneading on low speed for 6-8 minutes, until the dough is soft and slightly sticky.  Add additional water or flour as necessary, a tablespoon at a time.  Mix in the cheese; don’t worry if some pieces pop out.  Transfer to a lightly greased bowl and allow the dough to rise for 1-2 hours, until very puffy.

Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and shape it into two long loaves, about 12 x 4 inches each.  Place the loaves onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.  Cover the loaves with well-greased plastic wrap and allow them to rise for 45 minutes or until they are very puffy.  Sprinkle with additional grated cheese.

Bake in an oven preheated to 450 degrees F for 22-26 minutes, until the tops of the loaves are golden brown.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Source: adapted from Amber’s Delectable Delights

Okay, let me just say right off the bat that this picture is horrid and totally doesn’t do justice to these cookies.  From the name of this recipe, I honestly would have expected these cookies to be disgusting.  Lemon – I’m not the biggest fan.  I LOVE lemonade, but desserts with lemon as the predominant flavor are never my first (or second) pick.  And ricotta cheese is great, but in a cookie – ew!  Those were my first impressions.  But I’ll be darned if I didn’t hear raves about this recipe over and over and over again.  On cooking message boards and on the Food Network website, I have only heard good things.  Since Giada has never let me down before, I gave it a try.  And you know what – they are AWESOME!  As in, so good I ate one, and then another, and then another…and then sent them to school with Ben so I wouldn’t eat 10 more :)  I actually like to think of these as an incredibly low-maintenance version of madeleines – same great flavor, deliciously light cakey texture, but without all the fuss of chilling the batter, greasing the molds, etc. etc.  So don’t let the name or ingredients put you off, just make these cookies and you’ll be glad you did!

Lemon Ricotta Cookies with Lemon Glaze
Ingredients:
For the cookies:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 (15 oz.) container ricotta cheese (I used part-skim)
3 tbsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice
zest of one lemon

For the glaze:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tbsp. lemon juice
zest of one lemon

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Stir with a fork to combine and set aside.  In the bowl of an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.  Add the eggs one at a time and mix well to incorporate, scraping down the bowl between additions.  Add the ricotta cheese, the lemon juice, and lemon zest.  Mix to combine.  Add in the dry ingredients and mix on low speed just until incorporated.

Spoon the dough onto the baking sheets (about 2 tablespoons per cookie).  Bake for 15 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges.  Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the glaze, in a small bowl combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest.  Whisk until smooth.  Spoon a small amount of glaze onto each cookie and spread gently using the back of the spoon.  Let the cookies sit to allow the glaze to harden, about 2 hours.  Store in an airtight container.

Source: adapted from Food Network

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you are probably at least vaguely aware of the phenomenon that is the Twilight series of books (and now movies as well).  Our babysitter has three wonderful daughters of her own, and they are quite the Twilight fans – especially the eldest daughter, Cassie.  She looooves it.  In fact, her enthusiasm for it encouraged me to check it out.  I am currently in the middle of the second book, New Moon, and it is safe to say I now love Twilight too.

So, when I heard that Cassie had a birthday coming up, I knew I wanted to do something with a Twilight theme for her.  My mind immediately went to these cupcakes and I thought they would be just right.  Pure white cake (pale like a vampire, obviously), blood red (cherry) filling, and white chocolate cream cheese frosting – yes!!!   These turned out just as I had hoped and were really not difficult to make, just slightly time consuming but no more than any other filled cupcake.  I was more concerned about look than flavor in this situation and I wasn’t sure if the flavors I had chosen would really complement each other, but they definitely did.  These were very tasty, and definitely a hit with the birthday girl and her family.

Twilight Cupcakes
Yield: 14 cupcakes

Ingredients:
For the cake:
2 cups cake flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/3 cups sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 large egg whites
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk

For the filling:
1 can cherry pie filling

For the frosting:
7 oz. pure white chocolate, coarsely chopped
6 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature, cut into tablespoon-sized pieces
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into tablespoon-sized pieces

Directions:
To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Line 14 cups of muffin tins with paper liners.

In a small bowl, combine the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Stir together with a fork.  Set aside.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the sugar and butter and cream on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Mix in the egg whites one at a time, scraping down the bowl between additions.  Stir in the vanilla extract.  Add in the dry ingredients in three additions alternately with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.  Stir just until combined, being careful not to overmix.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared muffin cups.  Bake for 16-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Allow to cool in the pans for 5 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.

To prepare the filling, puree the can of cherry pie filling using an immersion blender, blender, or food processor.

Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, cut a cone out of the center of each using a small paring knife.  Cut off the point side of each cone, leaving a thin disc of cake to replace over the filling.  Spoon just enough of the cherry filling into the hole to fill it, and cover by replacing the disc of cake on top.  Repeat with remaining cupcakes.

To prepare the frosting, in a double boiler, melt the white chocolate, stirring constantly, until smooth and creamy.  Let stand until just warm to the touch.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until smooth and blended.  Add the melted chocolate and beat again until smooth.

Frost the cupcakes immediately.  Using a bamboo skewer dipped in the left over cherry filling, poke two holes into the top of each cupcake to resemble bite marks.  Trace a line of cherry filling from each hole to the edge of the cupcake to resemble dripping blood.  Repeat with remaining cupcakes.

If stored in the refrigerator, allow to come to room temperature before serving.

Source: cake adapted from (and inspiration from) Baking Bites, frosting adapted from Williams Sonoma

When I found blackberries for $0.98 per container recently, I was a little overzealous with my purchase.  I actually bought all the containers left in the store (only 7 – not that crazy!)  Anyway, I ended up with more than I needed for my sorbet.  I hate when gorgeous fresh produce goes to waste, so I considered what other things I could use them for (other than just popping them all straight into my mouth, as I have been known to do with whole containers of berries.)  My mind immediately went to this recipe.  I’ve been wanting to try it for some time now, but was always looking for an occasion so I wouldn’t end up eating it all myself.  This weekend, brunch with the in-laws was the perfect opportunity to give it a try.  It was very popular with all of the guests and there was hardly any left over.

I think this is actually meant to be a dessert pizza, but hey, it has fruit on it – that qualifies it for brunch, right?  ;)  I made a few adaptations based on the ingredients I had and the fact that I didn’t want to buy potato flour for just three tablespoons.  The dough and finished product were wonderful so I definitely don’t think it was hurt in any way by my changes.  Unfortunately I did not have a microplane (or similar) available where I prepared this, so I omitted the orange zest, but I think it would be a delicious addition.  This would be fantastic with so many different fruit toppings, just use your imagination!

Recipe Rewind: tried and true favorites I’ve made recently
Chicken and Spinach Quesadillas

Fresh Fruit Focaccia
Ingredients:
For the dough:
1 3/4 cups plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. nonfat dry milk
2/3 cup warm water
1 egg white, yolk reserved
2 tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. instant yeast
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. orange zest
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tbsp. butter, softened

For the topping:
1 egg yolk (reserved from above)
1/4 cup half-and-half
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup sugar
pinch of salt
fresh berries or other fruit for topping
chopped nuts for topping (optional)
chocolate chips for topping

Directions:
Place all of the dough ingredients except the softened butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Mix on low speed until a cohesive dough is formed.  Switch to the dough hook, add the butter, and knead on low speed for 10 minutes, or until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.  Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead briefly.  Form into a ball and transfer to a lightly greased baking sheet or pizza pan.  Shape into a 14-inch circle, being sure to leave a thicker rim around the edges.  Cover again with a kitchen towel and let rise while you prepare the topping.

To make the topping, mix the egg yolk, half-and-half, vanilla, sugar and salt until smooth.  Once the dough has risen a bit and is beginning to look puffy, dimple the dough all over with your fingers (oil them a bit if the dough is sticky). Layer with fresh berries or fruit, sprinkle with nuts (if using) and chocolate chips.  Drizzle the egg yolk and cream mixture over all.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until the crust is lightly browned and the cream mixture looks set.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.  Serve while still warm and chocolate is gooey.

Source: adapted from King Arthur Flour

Ever since realizing how easy it is to make biscotti, I have been eager to try many different flavors.  Since I don’t drink coffee or tea though, I needed to find someone to bake for…and then I realized, I have the perfect recipient – my mother in law!  She drinks quite a bit of coffee and I knew she would happily be my taste-tester.  Last week I decided to whip up a batch since I knew I would be seeing her soon, and I happened to have all the ingredients for this recipe in my pantry.  Perfect!  These were quick and simple to make, and had just the right amount of coconut flavor.

Coconut Biscotti
Ingredients:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. grated nutmeg
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. coconut extract
1 cup flaked coconut
3 oz. dark or semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, mix together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg.  Set aside.  In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the sugar, eggs, vanilla and coconut extracts.  Beat on medium-low speed until thick and smooth, about 2 minutes.  With the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.  Fold in the flaked coconut with a spatula.

Turn the dough out onto the parchment-lined baking sheet.  Divide into two equal segments and form each into a log 1-inch deep, and approximately 4 inches wide.  (Be sure to leave room between the logs as they will spread during baking.)

Bake for 40 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes on a wire rack.  Using a serrated knife, cut the logs diagonally into 14-20 slices, depending on thickness.  Lay the slices on their sides and bake for 10 minutes.  Flip the slices over and bake for 10 minutes more.

Place the chocolate into a heatproof bowl.  Microwave in 20 second intervals, stirring in between, until completely melted.  Drizzle over the biscotti and allow to cool until the chocolate is set.

Source: adapted from Elly Says Opa!

Oooh, the peaches.  I have loved making Andrew’s baby food and providing him with such a variety of fruits and vegetables.  However, because it is January, finding fantastically ripe produce to introduce to him is not always an option.  I’m certainly not going to wait until July to give him peaches though, so I just make do with what I can find.  Thankfully the peaches I found were actually fairly decent.

This was by far the most labor-intensive of any of the baby foods I have made so far.  If you have ever made a peach pie, peach cobbler, etc. then you probably know that peaches can be difficult to peel.  My usual trick for peeling them easily is scoring an “X” in the skin, then boiling for a short time and then removing the skins.  This was not the optimal method for baby food however, as I am trying to retain as many nutrients and as much flavor as possible while still cooking the fruit enough to soften it for pureeing.  I read that baked peaches have the most flavor so I knew that was the route I wanted to go, and I know boiling can cause many of the nutrients to leach out.

It is recommended that fruits and veggies have peels removed for infants younger than 8 months (Andrew is nearing 7 months), because the peels can be rough on their tummies.  If it weren’t for this fact, I would never have worried so much and simply left the peels on.   Read on to hear my methods, and the fact that in the end, Andrew ate peels with no problems at all.

Start with ripe peaches.  So pretty!

Make sure you wash them well.

Halve and pit all the peaches.

Place in a baking dish in an inch or so of water.

Bake at 400 degrees F until the fruit is tender and the skin begins to pucker.  (Doesn’t it look like tie-dye?)

Reserve some of the cooking water for thinning out the puree later, if desired.  This helps retain some of the nutrients that may have been lost during cooking.

Initally, I had such a hard time peeling the peaches that I threw a few of them into the food processor, peels and all.  I pureed them and then attempted to force them through a mesh sieve to remove any large pieces of peel in the mix.

This was quite a pain and look at all the good fruit I was wasting!

This is what the strained puree looked like.  Very thin, and we actually thickened it with rice cereal.

I decided that this wasn’t the best tactic, so with all my remaining peaches, I simply peeled as best I could using a peeler and my fingers, and left on any problematic peels.  I pureed them in the food processor until blended very finely and left it at that.  (If you have a food mill, this whole task would be much easier, but I do not so I just used what I had on hand.)  I served Andrew both the carefully strained peaches and the peaches with some peel, and you know what?  He did not notice a difference and the peaches with peels did not seem to bother his tummy at all.  In fact, these peaches are by far his favorite food so far which made all the effort totally and completely worth it.  Next time I won’t worry so much about the peels since he seems to have my stomach of steel :)

Eating his new favorite food.  So cute!

Those who have been reading my blog for a while know that I have quite a thing for cupcakes.  I don’t know exactly what it is about them – the fact that they are personalized desserts, that there are endless flavor combinations possible, that they can be made to look irresistably adorable, and also, they just make me SO happy.  Whatever the reason, I LOVE CUPCAKES!!!  Sometimes I just get a major urge to bake cupcakes.  Last week, that urge perfectly coincided with the fact that I had a lot of leftover buttermilk to use up and a whole package of Oreos in my pantry.  I whipped up these cute little confections and sent them off to work with Ben, as well as some to our babysitter.  I heard they were much enjoyed by all.  I think the airy whipped cream topping nicely countered the dense chocolate cake, and the Oreo flavor was just perfect.

The site where I got my inspiration used the whipped cream frosting for both topping and filling the cupcakes.  I thought that sounded great, and I gave it a try.  I’ve made filled cupcakes a few times before with no problems at all, but in this situation it did not work so easily.  The cake is fairly dense and the filling is incredibly light – this combination was not optimal for simply sticking the pastry bag into the cupcake and squeezing in some filling.  The cake didn’t budge, and would not make room for the filling.  I ended up just scrapping the idea of filling them, and simply frosted the tops.  However, I think these would be wonderful with the filling if you have more time than me.  If you opt to go that route I would recommend using the cone method (and be sure to double the amount of frosting so that you have enough for the insides!)

I receive weekly emails from The Fresh Market notifying me of their current sales, as well as their featured recipe of the week.  I rarely take action on any of the sales because our closest store is over 30 minutes away, but last week they were advertising containers of blackberries for $0.98 each!!  I couldn’t believe it!  Blackberries in our neighborhood stores are usually $3.99 minimum.  And of course, I knew before I even closed the email exactly what I wanted to do with them – sorbet!  The regular price of berries is usually enough to prevent me from buying a large quantity such as that needed for sorbet, but with this price – I’m there!

This sorbet was totally worth the trip.  The sweet, mellow flavor of the blackberries was nicely balanced by the tartness of the lime.  I was a bit concerned that this would freeze very hard due to the large percentage of juice or liquid in this recipe, so I added a splash of tequila to the mix (to go with the lime, of course!)  The texture turned out perfectly and was nicely scoopable straight out of the freezer.  Yep, I’m longing for warmer weather…can you tell?  ;)

Recipe Rewind: tried and true favorites I’ve made recently
Thai Chicken with Cashews

Blackberry Lime Sorbet
Ingredients:
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
4 cups blackberries, fresh or frozen
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
splash of tequila (optional)

Directions:
In a small saucepan, bring the sugar and water to a boil, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved.  Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

Puree the blackberries in a blender or food processor with the sugar syrup.  Press the mixture through a large mesh sieve to remove the seeds, then stir the lime juice into the sweetened puree.  Add a splash of tequila, if desired.

Chill the mixture thoroughly, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Source: adapted from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz

After eating a lot of heavier foods during the holidays, I was really craving some lighter fare.  This soup was the answer!  With a broth base and lots of fresh spinach and other veggies, it helped satisfy my body’s need for something nutritious.  And the meatballs – OH, the meatballs!  They were amazingly delicious.  The original recipe called for turkey sausage but I already had the right amount of Italian sausage in the freezer, so I used that instead and I think that was a great decision :)  My other modification was to use less spinach.  The original recipe calls for 12 0z. and I didn’t pay any attention to the package I bought at the store.  Only once I had started cooking did I realize I only bought 7 oz.  However, Ben and I both agreed that the amount of spinach was just right and any more would have been way too much.  Overall this was awesome, and the only thing I’ll do differently next time is add some red pepper flakes for a bit more of a kick!

Best of 2008 – Ice Creams and Sorbets
Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
Cranberry Sorbet
Milk Chocolate Ice Cream with Brownie Bits
Strawberry Ice Cream
Roasted Banana Ice Cream

Italian Wedding Soup
Ingredients:
For the meatballs:
3/4 lb. ground chicken
1/2 lb. Italian sausage
2/3 cup fresh white bread crumbs
2 tsp. minced garlic
3 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup grated Romano cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 tbsp. milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
Kosher salt and black pepper

For the soup:
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 cup minced yellow onion
1 cup 1/4-inch diced carrots
3/4 cup 1/4-inch diced celery
8 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup small pasta (I used ditalini)
1/4 cup minced fresh dill
7 oz. baby spinach, washed and trimmed

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

For the meatballs, place the ground chicken, Italian sausage, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, Romano cheese, Parmesan cheese, milk, egg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper in a bowl.  Mix gently with a fork until well combined.  Form the mixture into 1- to 1 1/4-inch meatballs and place onto the prepared baking sheet.  Bake for 30 minutes, until cooked through and lightly browned.  Set aside.

In the meantime, for the soup, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven.  Add the onion, carrots, and celery and saute until softened, 5-6 minutes.  Add the chicken broth and wine and bring to a boil.  Add the pasta to the simmering broth and cook for 6-8 minutes or until al dente.  Add the fresh dill and then the meatballs to the soup and simmer for 1 additional minute.  Taste for seasoning, and adjust salt and pepper as necessary.  Stir in the fresh spinach and cook for 1 minute, until the spinach is just wilted.  Ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Source: adapted from Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics by Ina Garten

My dad is always saying that he doesn’t really like sweets (although he certainly seems eat any baked goods I bring him).  While I think he does like sweets if they happen to be around, they just aren’t his first choice.  He has mentioned many times that my mom used to make cottage cheese dill bread that he loved – this is the sort of thing he prefers.  I did quite a bit of searching through her recipe boxes but I was never able to find that particular one.  I was thrilled when I came across this recipe.  I made a loaf for my dad months ago and he was SO happy!  At the time, I was fairly skeptical of how this would turn out.  Cottage cheese is one of those ingredients that just gives me the willies – ick!  (I can’t believe I used to eat plain cottage cheese as a kid…ewww.)   Anyway, my fears were unfounded and this bread was excellent.  Very hearty with lots of flavor, and tastes great for a sandwich or just on its own.

Last week I bought a large bunch of dill for another recipe and had lots leftover so I made another loaf of the bread, this time for us.  It tasted just as good as last time but for some reason it rose MUCH higher than during my first attempt.  The only thing I did differently this time was that I let it rise in my warmed oven since my kitchen has been so cold lately.  I went to check on it after only 40 minutes of the second rise and it was inches above the top of the loaf pan!  I did not have that kind of height when I made it for my dad, but I much preferred it this way.   This was a far better size and shape for sandwiches.  Even if you are weirded out by the ingredients, give this bread a try!  It’s a nice change from classic white or wheat bread.

Best of 2008 – Other Dessert Items
Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Brownie Mosaic Cheesecake
Blueberry Pie
Peanut Butter Crispy Bars
Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Cottage Cheese Dill Bread
Ingredients:
2 tbsp. instant yeast
1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F)
1 cup cottage cheese (full or reduced fat), at room temperature
2 tbsp. granulated sugar
1 heaping tbsp. fresh onion, finely minced
1 1/2 tbsp. fresh dill, minced
1 tbsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 tsp. olive oil
5 to 6 1/2 cups bread flour

Directions:
Combine the yeast and the water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and stir to dissolve the yeast.  Add all remaining ingredients except flour to the bowl and mix until a dough has formed.  Switch over to the dough hook and stir at low speed.  Add flour 1 cup at a time until you have a soft dough that clears the sides of the bowl.  Continue kneading on low speed for 5-6 minutes.  Transfer the dough ball to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place.  (I preheat my oven to 150 degrees F, turn it off as soon as it reaches this temp, and then put the dough in.)  Let rise until the dough has doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.

When the dough has doubled, punch it down and shape into a log the size of a loaf pan.  Place into a lightly greased loaf pan and press down gently so that the dough touches all sides of the pan.  Cover with plastic wrap and let rise again in a warm place, 30-60 minutes.

When the loaf has risen, remove the plastic wrap and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Bake for 30 minutes, then cover with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning and bake another 15-20 minutes longer.  Let cool for 5 minutes and then remove from pan and cool to room temperature on a wire rack.

Source: adapted from Culinary Concoctions by Peabody

Another one of the fantastic cooking-related gifts I received for Christmas was an awesome waffle maker from Ben.  I already had a waffle maker but it just wasn’t doing it for me – it never seemed to cook the waffles consistently and the pockets it created were very small and shallow.  Also, it only made one waffle at a time which is not the best scenario for preparing breakfast for more than two people.  I LOVE my new waffle maker.  It make four waffles at a time, and they have the large, deep pockets that I adore.

We tested it out with our usual plain waffle recipe, and then Ben asked if I could make chocolate chip waffles.  Why not?  This recipe sounded great and as an added bonus, it used up most of the mini-chocolate chips I had on hand.  We made these the morning after my brothers spent the night and they were enjoyed by all.  They were just perfect with a fresh strawberry topping and a dollop of whipped cream.  We made a double batch to ensure that we would have enough to feed five people, and ended up with a lot of leftover waffles.  We froze them and I am looking forward to having another later this week :)  I am so glad Ben suggested this breakfast, it was an excellent idea!

Best of 2008 – Breakfast Items
Homemade Bagels
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins
Cranberry Scones
Raspberry Muffins
Banana Crumb Muffins

Chocolate Chip Waffles
Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 large egg white, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups milk, at room temperature
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted, plus more for brushing the iron
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup mini-chocolate chips

Directions:
Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl.

Separate the 2 eggs and put all of the egg whites (3 total) in a large bowl.

In a large liquid measuring cup or bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, milk, vanilla and 1/4 cup melted butter.  Whisk the milk mixture into the flour mixture until a batter is formed.  Take care not to over-mix the batter.

Whip the egg whites with an electric mixer until they just begin to hold a loose peak.  Scatter the sugar over the whites and continue beating until they hold a soft peak.  Fold a third of the egg whites into the batter to lighten the base, then fold in the remaining whites.  Gently fold in the chocolate chips.

Preheat a waffle iron to medium high.  Brush the inside surface of the waffle iron with melted butter.  Pour in enough batter to barely fill each hole of the waffle iron (keeping in mind that the batter will spread once the lid is closed).  Close the iron and cook until crisp and the waffle iron stops steaming, about 5 minutes.  Serve as the waffles come off the iron or transfer to a dish in the oven heated to 200 degrees F.  Repeat with the remaining batter.

Source: adapted from Food Network Kitchens

I am very fortunate that the vast majority of recipes I try for the first time turn out just as they are supposed to, and I have no issues in the process.  Unfortunately, they can’t all be that way.  While it can be incredibly frustrating when things go awry, I usually end up learning something in the process, so it is not a complete waste.  The first time I attempted to make this ice cream, I realized I had less than half the amount of light brown sugar called for, so I decided to sub dark brown for the remaining amount needed.  I have subbed light for dark brown sugar (and vice versa) many times in the past without incident.  Well, let me tell you right now – butterscotch is NOT one of those things.  Dark brown sugar is made with a higher percentage of molasses than light brown.  Usually, I notice no difference, but when I cooked what should have been the butterscotch mixture using dark brown sugar, all I could smell was molasses and nothing resembling butterscotch.  It was an ugly dark brown color, and just didn’t seem right.  Thankfully, I trusted my nose and stopped right there.  I saved the rest of the ingredients rather than proceeding and wasting them all.

The next morning, I bought more light brown sugar and started over.  Things went much better.  The butterscotch actually looked and smelled like butterscotch – YAY!  Another trick I learned the second time around is to be sure the cream you add to the butterscotch mixture is warmed beforehand.  This prevents the mixture seizing up when the cream is added.  (Even if it does seize, you can simply cook it a bit longer over medium heat until it has melted, but I prefer to avoid it altogether.)  This ice cream was absolutely incredible and completely worth the failed attempt and giving it a second try.  As an added bonus, nearly every bite reminded me of my sweet, wonderful late grandfather who always kept butterscotch candies in his pockets and his car when we were young.  I served this as dessert the evening that my brothers spent the night and it is safe to say it was thoroughly enjoyed by all.

Best of 2008 – Yeast Breads
Herbed Focaccia Bread
Soft Garlic Knots
Whole Wheat Bread
Honey Yeast Rolls
Italian Bread

Butterscotch Ice Cream
Ingredients:
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. bourbon (optional)
1 1/2 cups whipping cream, divided
2 cups half-and-half (light cream)
6 large egg yolks

Directions:
In a small saucepan over medium heat, stir brown sugar and butter until butter is melted, sugar is dissolved, and mixture is bubbly, 4-5 minutes.  Whisk in 1/2 cup warmed whipping cream until smooth; remove butterscotch from the heat.  Stir in the vanilla and bourbon (if using.)

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine remaining 1 cup whipping cream and all of the half-and-half ; bring to a simmer.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, beat the egg yolks to blend.  Whisk 1/2 cup of the warm cream mixture into the egg yolks, then pour the egg yolk mixture back into the pan with the whipping cream.  Stir constantly over medium heat, just until mixture is slightly thickened (175 degrees F).  Immediately remove the mixture from the heat.

Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a medium bowl.  Whisk in the butterscotch mixture.  Chill until cold, stirring occasionally, about 2 hours; or cover and chill up to 1 day.

Freeze the mixture in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.  Transfer to an airtight container and store in the freezer until ready to serve.

Source: adapted from Smitten Kitchen

This certainly doesn’t qualify as a recipe, but I still feel the need to share it with my readers.  Originally I had not planned on posting about it, but in multiple conversations with friends and family when I mention that I have been feeding Andrew avocado, people say, “What a great idea!  I never would have thought to feed that to a baby.”  So just in case you might not have thought of it yourself, here you go.  This is by far the simplest of the baby foods I have prepared so far.  I simply halve and pit an avocado, scoop the flesh out of one half into a bowl, mash it up with a spoon or fork, and thin it slightly with a bit of water to achieve a consistency similar to other baby foods.  I stick the other half in the refrigerator to feed Andrew the next day.  It’s that simple!

Because it is so quick and easy to prepare, I haven’t bothered freezing the mashed up avocado, although it is certainly possible.  Just know that if you do it will become quite discolored, but that doesn’t make it less nutritious.  Avocado is a great source of “healthy” or unsaturated fats and are also high in fiber.  It’s a great option for another fruit to feed your baby, and as you can see, it has been a HUGE hit with Andrew :)

Best of 2008 – Main Dish
Orange Chicken
Spicy Shredded Pork
Perfect Pizza Crust
Shrimp Enchiladas
Penne a la Betsy
Chicken and Spinach Quesadillas