100% Whole Wheat Bread

I needed a small job done here at the house and a friend offered for trade of a home-made 100% whole wheat loaf. I've never made one that didn't include white flour to some extent, and I scoured my cookbooks for some leads. Nothing in my library, but I have a few trusted sources for recipes online.  I use King Arthur flour exclusively (after testing I found it to be the best tasting and performing) so it made sense to look on their site first. Voila!

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/blog/2008/04/16/100-whole-wheat-sandwich-bread-searching-for-the-perfect-loaf/

Complete with photos! I made mine in the breadmaker instead of the stand mixer. I added two extra tablespoons of water since it's dry from the winter heater on. I let it do the first rise in there then did the second rise in the pan. It only took 40 minutes to get a good 3" over the top (oops - this was too high! good thing I checked on it halfway through).

I use a glass loaf pan which was a gift from my mother-in-law and it generally cooks quite evenly and quickly. However I think the over-rising extended my cooking time; half of the loaf was outside the pan!

Overall I'm really pleased and will be making this again.

Chocolate Chip Cookies (Los Rios Chocolate)

The chocolate rocks, the recipe, not so much. These are a very buttery cookie, they require rest for 2 hours before baking, and they melt down quite a bit during the baking. The result is a flat, rich, crispy cookie that dries out quickly.


12.5 oz butter
9 oz sugar
9 oz brown sugar
2 eggs
19 oz flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 Tbsp vanilla
12.5 oz chocolate chips

1. Cream together butter, & sugars.
2. Add eggs, scrape well.
3. Add flour, soda, vanilla, then chocolate chips.

4. Let rest 2 hours.

5. Bake at 325 for 20-25 min.

Summer Dinner

Some friends came over for dinner and I put this menu together from The Summer House Cookbook. I was trying to find things that took little-to-no prep time and would allow for everyone to help. Even one friend who didn't cook did a mash-up job on the guacamole! This is what I chose:

French Potato Salad
Baked black cod
Grilled fruit (peach, nectarine, plum) as fish topping
Guacamole with blue corn chips
Berries with fresh whipped cream for dessert (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries)

First, I chopped up all the guacamole fixings and threw them into a bowl for mashing. Our guac was 4 tiny organic avocados, 1 shallot (finely minced), 1 garlic clove (through the press), 1 tbsp lime juice, salt and pepper, and several tiny tomatoes from the garden.

The cod fillets were rubbed with salt and pepper (no oil; this is a very oily fish), placed on a rack and thrown into the oven at 375 for 20 minutes.

The fruit was sliced into halves, tossed with olive oil and grilled for 10 minutes. Then I sliced them into quarters and tossed with 2 tsp balsamic to serve as a topping for the fish.

The potato salad was a little more time-consuming than anticipated. Steaming that many potatoes takes at least 25-30 minutes. Then they have to cool for 10 minutes. The dressing is a two part build mixing a champagne vinaigrette with the mustard. We all ended up loving the potatoes though; they were well worth the extra time!

I made the biscuits from Cooks Illustrated but they totally fell flat and dry (what?!) so I should have just done the berries alone. Ah well.

Pork Fried Rice

I've been on a bit of a pork fried rice trip lately. I recently thawed out a hunk of Smithfield ham I had saved and I'm using it in everything. Fried rice is a comfort food, easy to make, and you can put just about anything in it. Last night I made it with a twist: Forbidden Rice. This stuff smells so amazing; it has a sweet, nutty aroma and only takes 10 minutes longer to cook. It has amazing health benefits as well as being extra tasty so I think this will be the standard for our rice from now on!

This can be served as a main course; put any leftovers you have into it! Also makes an excellent side to teriyaki chicken.

INGREDIENTS

¼ cup oyster sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
3 ½ tablespoons peanut oil
2 large eggs, beaten lightly
8 ounces small shrimp (I used frozen shrimp)
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 cup carrot, ½" dice
8 ounces smoked ham cut into ½" cubes
1 clove garlic, minced
5 cups cooked rice, cold

1/2 ounce dried mushrooms (I had cremini, but you can use shiitake)

5 medium scallions, white and green parts, sliced thin (about ½ cup)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Put dried mushrooms in a bowl and cover with 1 cup hot tap water. Let stand until mushrooms soften, about 5 minutes. Lift mushrooms from liquid, trim stems, and slice into 1/4-inch strips.

2. Combine oyster sauce and soy sauce in small bowl; set aside.

3. Heat 12" nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Add 1 ½ teaspoons oil and swirl to coat pan bottom. Add eggs and cook without stirring, until they just begin to set, about 20 seconds, then scramble and break into small pieces with wooden spoon; continue to cook, stirring constantly, until eggs are cooked through, about 1 minute longer. Transfer eggs to small bowl and set aside.

4. Return skillet to medium heat and heat until hot; add 1 ½ teaspoons oil and swirl to coat pan bottom. Add shrimp and cook, stirring constantly, until opaque and just cooked through. Transfer to bowl with eggs and set aside. If using frozen shrimp, dump out excess water from pan.

5. Return skillet to burner, increase heat to high, and heat skillet until hot; add remaining 2 ½ tablespoons oil and swirl to coat pan bottom. Add carrots and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add peas, mushrooms, and ham; cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add rice and oyster sauce mixture; cook, stirring constantly and breaking up rice clumps, until mixture is heated through, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, shrimp, bean sprouts, and scallions; cook, stirring constantly, until heated through, about 1 minute. Serve immediately.

Saturday at Surfas

I scootered over to Surfas for a "Republica del Cacao Chocolate Magic Demo" this afternoon. From the ad:

"Join us in the Test Kitchen at Surfas as we welcome Master Pastry Chef and Chocolatier Jean-Marc Viallet. Using Republica del Cacao chocolate, Chef Viallet will reveal the magic of working with this often tricky substance. For many home bakers, chocolate can be as fickle as it is delicious. For Professional chefs, they can experience the challenges daily; “One drop of water and the chocolate is dead” says Viallet."

On the menu:
-Chocolate Gelato
-Lavender Creme Brulee
-Chocolate Financier Tea Cake
-Raspberry Chocolate Ganache
-Chocolate Cookies with single origin chocolate drops, from Ecuador (made into sandwiches using the ganache!!)

Of course, we got plenty to taste as well!

Before I left I got a shaved ice to beat the heat. They served them up with Monin flavored syrups in exotic; “knock your flop-flops” off flavors. I got black cherry and mango...wow!


-------
Lavender Creme Brulee

Let infuse fresh or dried lavender flowers overnight in 4 cups of heavy cream.
Whisk 8 egg yolks, 1 whole egg, 5 oz sugar in a bowl.
Bring the cream to a slow boil, temper the yolks mixture.
Cook slowly then mix in 10 oz of chocolate "Los Rios".
Mix well, pass through a thieve, spoon into pre-prepared chocolate tart shells immediately.
Cool in the fridge for a few hours, then sprinkle tops with unrefined cane sugar for torching.

Pasta Alla Norma

I made this dish the other night using tomatoes from the garden and an eggplant from the farmer's market. Yowza!

Pasta Alla Norma
(for 2)

1 large eggplant cut into ½-inch cubes
Kosher salt
1½ tablespoons olive oil
2 medium garlic cloves pressed through garlic press
2 anchovy fillets , minced (about 1 generous teaspoon)
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
½ lb fettuccine
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
½ tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 ounces grated parmesan

1. Toss eggplant with 1 tsp kosher salt (or ½ teaspoon regular salt) in medium bowl. Line surface of large microwave-safe plate with a paper towel and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Spread eggplant in even layer over towel; wipe out and reserve bowl. Microwave eggplant on high, uncovered, until dry to touch and slightly shriveled, about 10 minutes, tossing once halfway through to ensure that eggplant cooks evenly. Let cool slightly.

2. Transfer eggplant to now-empty bowl, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, and toss gently to coat; reserve plate. Heat ½ tablespoon olive oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add eggplant and distribute in even layer. Cook, stirring or tossing every 1½ to 2 minutes, until well browned and fully tender, about 10 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and transfer eggplant to now-empty plate and set aside.

3. Add remaining ½ tablespoon olive oil, garlic, anchovies, and pepper flakes to now-empty but still-hot skillet and cook using residual heat so garlic doesn’t burn, stirring constantly, until fragrant and garlic becomes pale golden, about 1 minute (if skillet is too cool to cook mixture, set it over medium heat). Add tomatoes, return skillet to burner over medium-high heat, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 8 to 10 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook until al dente. Reserve ¼ cup cooking water; drain pasta and transfer back to cooking pot.

5. While pasta is cooking, return eggplant to skillet with tomatoes and gently stir to incorporate. Bring to simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring gently occasionally, until eggplant is heated through and flavors are blended, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir basil and extra-virgin olive oil into sauce; season to taste with salt. Add sauce to cooked pasta, adjusting consistency with reserved pasta cooking water so that sauce coats pasta. Serve immediately, sprinkled with parmesan.

Black-Bottom Coconut Bars: FAIL

It's a Martha Stewart recipe! How can it fail?!

I tried to make these for my newly retired neighbor who always brings us salsa. This afternoon I followed the recipe for what I thought would be one of the best bars yet. Instead of using foil, I buttered up a special pan that is designed to come apart after baking. There is a "fake bottom" to the pan and it just lifts out while the sides drop down. It never fails me. As I completed phase one I knew something was off; the bottom of the brownie wasn't cooking up right. There were bubbles and it wasn't pulling away from the sides. I cooked it all the way through but it just didn't look right.

However, I carried on to phase two: the coconut topping. When these were done the top came apart from the bottom, the bottom was chewy, and nothing lifted nicely apart from the pan.

My downfall was likely not using the foil. I also used an 8" pan instead of a 9" pan. However, I'm not attempting these again - they didn't taste good.

You're welcome to try Black Bottom Coconut bars by reading the recipe here.

Rösti

We have recently discovered Rösti and we're totally freaking out over here.


At Surfas' BACON DEMO last week (Chef Amy Jurist proves that everything is better with bacon. Watch as she performs culinary magic with bacon "the Candy of Meat".) We drooled over the yummy treats that were prepared before our eyes. I was frantically writing lists of new tools for the kitchen and products to try (Vegalene, pre-cut parchment paper, Thai peanut sauce...on BACON). One of the recipes made used this potato in a foil bag called Rösti. They sold it there and I picked up a couple. It's just boiled potatoes but it's so yummy and easy to prepare. You open the bag and fry (no oil needed!) for 15 minutes, then flip and fry 6 more. That's it.

Tonight for dinner I prepared a bag with the rest of the prosciutto and some melted cheese. OMG. The taste of this dish took us back overseas...the potatoes tasted so different than what we have here. Must be the water...

Dining Al Fresco featuring the new table

al⋅fres⋅co
  [al-fres-koh]
–adverb
out-of-doors; in the open air: to dine alfresco.

We arrived home from a week away to an empty refrigerator and a full bounty in the garden. While we were away, our new pergola was stained with "fresh brew" and our patio furniture from Room & Board arrived this morning. This afternoon we went to "Entertaining with Bacon" at Surfas and picked up some 8oz martini glasses (finally a normal size!). Cupboard staples of olive oil, garlic, capers, parmesan, and angel hair pasta combined nicely with basil and two kinds of tomatoes from the garden. That along with Chianti and the sunset, and our new patio table is at home.

Pickles!

I harvested cucumbers and dill from the earthbox garden for making my first attempt at pickles from this guy's recipe. Wish me luck!

My Secret Weapon: Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

People seem to like these a lot. I think they're my best cookie; they're certainly a favorite around this house. I've just made them for my family's BBQ this weekend so I hope they enjoy them as much as we do!

Here it is, the finely-honed, often baked, supremely tested masterpiece of my cookie world.

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

By Renee Tymn

1/2 C flour (King Arthur)

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 C superfine baker's sugar

1/2 C brown sugar (sometimes I use muscavado, but usually light brown is fine)

1 egg

1/2 C butter (Land O'Lakes)

1 tsp vanilla (madagascar)

1 C peanut butter (brands make a HUGE difference here...I use Jiff)

1 C quick oats

1 Tbsp honey (another surprise in flavors here...nobody can quite figure it out!)

6 oz chocolate chips (don't skimp here either...none of that tollhouse crap. Ghirardelli is my fave.)

Measure the flour and soda into a small bowl and set aside. In a stand mixer beat the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until combined, scraping the bowl if necessary. Add the peanut butter and honey and mix until combined. Add the quick oats and chocolate chips and mix until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 and move a rack to the upper third of the oven. At this point I line a baking sheet with a silpat. I use a melon baller to measure out small scoops, up to 12 to a sheet. Then I roll them each ball in my palm to smooth, slightly smash the tops with my fingers, and pop them into the oven.

Bake for 13 minutes, a single sheet at a time. Let cool on the sheet for 2 minutes and then remove to wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container. I get 40 cookies out of this!

French Country Potato Salad

Another hit from the "Summer House" cookbook!  This turned out awesome...I made teriyaki chicken to go with it for dinner. Fast, easy, and delicious. You can also find the recipe online at the foodnetwork.com.

Lemon Blueberry Muffins

I was recently given a book called "The Summer House Cookbook", which I'm really enjoying. The whole point of the book is simple recipes that don't require any special equipment or ingredients so you can make them in your "summer" or "vacation" house (wouldn't that be nice?!) Anyway, I've made several simple recipes and they've turned out well. Today I made the Lemon Blueberry Muffins. I have to say, I'm not super impressed with them. Although they were easy, they just don't have a great flavor. I did forget to sprinkle the tops with "sugar in the raw" before baking which may or may not have made them much better. They are a good, simple muffin though. I think I just prefer the richness of butter creamed with sugar in my baked goods. I did like how easy these were though - no special equipment needed! I just used a wooden spoon to do the mixing.

Peach Shortcake

I love peaches. Ripe, slightly soft, sweet smelling peaches. I look forward to them in cobblers, mostly. However I was browsing my new online subscription of Cook's Illustrated and found a recipe for a Peach Shortcake. All my taste-bud-alarms went off and I just had to make it. I wasn't disappointed and this could be my new favorite way to have peaches! This dessert is not too sweet, and I love the addition of the peach-schnapps crushed peaches that soaks into the shortcake underneath the sugared peaches on top.

 *Recipe from Cooks Illustrated (I'm not sure I have the rights to reprint here and I'm not taking any chances!)

Chocolate Chip Cookies

I recently got a subscription to Cook's Illustrated Magazine. What *took* me so long? It's like I've been living in the dark ages. Anyway, while I wait for the mailman to start delivery I picked up the current issue in the store. I was riveted; so much pertinent information! I have already made the 15 minute spaghetti sauce (yum!!) and read the review of pan sets.

Today I baked the "Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies" for a party. They are quite an undertaking; browning butter, whisking and waiting, baking and turning halfway through. Wow. And at the end of it all you do have a truly amazing Chocolate Chip Cookie, but it's just that. A perfect. Boring. Cookie. 

I guess I've moved on to more complicated things. I prefer my Chocolate Chip/Peanut Butter/Oatmeal or my Peanut Butter cookie to these any day, and they are *way* less complicated to prepare. However, I did learn some cool new techniques which I may apply to my experiments in the future!

Curtis' Crumbed Chicken Breasts

Okay these are a fabulous take on the standard Chicken Cordon Bleu.  They are from "Relaxed Cooking with Curtis Stone" and the recipe is called Crumbed Chicken Breasts. We used prosciutto & sliced swiss from the deli, didn't fry (just baked) and it was awesome. Served with Israeli couscous and wilted spinach.

Lemon Slice Bars

Incredible. Thanks for the Donna Hay book oh, so many years ago Todd!

Recipe by Donna Hay

1/2 cup caster sugar
1 1/4 cups plain flour
120g butter
1 tablespoon milk
topping
1 1/2 tablespoons cornflour
2/3 cup cream
6 eggs
1 3/4 cups caster sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons finely grated lemon rind
3/4 cup lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 330 degrees. Process the sugar, flour, butter and milk in a food processor until the mixer comes together. Press into a 9x12 (I used 8x8 since I like them thick) tin lined with non-stick baking paper. Bake for 25 mins or until golden brown.

To make the topping, whisk together the cornflour and 2 tablespoons of the cream until a smooth paste forms. Whisk in the remaining cream, then the eggs, sugar, lemon rind and lemon juice. Place in a saucepan over low heat and cook, whisking for 6 mins or until mixture thickens slightly. Pour over the base and bake for 5 mins or until the topping is just set. Cool in the tin. Cut into slices. Makes 24 slices.

After it's all set, sprinkle with powdered sugar!

Pan-Glazed Fish with Citrus and Soy

I've been missing fish in my diet and I needed an opportunity to check out Santa Monica Seafood in the new location. I headed out to gape in awe at the selection of fresh fish, bread, and *oysters* at the oyster bar at this unique so-cal fish store. I chose a nice oily black cod for the dish tonight. The recipe was initially given to me by my family but I also found it online at epicurious.com

It turned out fantastic and was really easy to make. I did sides of amaranth (our favorite grainy side dish that has forever replaced rice) and steamed green beans from a frozen Trader Joe's bag. For those of you who haven't tried amaranth, I highly recommend it. It tastes nutty and has a consistency similar to cream of wheat. It is prepared similarly to rice - start with cold water and bring it to a boil with the grain in the pot, simmer for 20 minutes. It's so yummy! I also discovered you can pop it just like popcorn. You can add it to salad dressing or have it for breakfast. The Aztecs used it to make beer. You can add it to bread or cookies. It's really healthy too - high in iron and protein, it has three times the calcium of milk.

Oatmeal Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookies

Needed to bake tonight. I had this recipe and hadn't tested it yet. Its okay, nothing special. The cookies are moist and bake out flat to a substantial, textured cookie.  I didn't use reduced-fat sour cream either. I probably wouldn't make it again but the reviews on the Cooking Light website are pretty mixed.

Recipe from Cooking Light Magazine

Ingredients

• 1  cup  whole wheat flour (about 4 3/4 ounces)
• 1/4  cup  all-purpose flour (about 1 ounce)
• 3/4  cup  regular oats
• 1  teaspoon  baking soda
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1 1/2  cups  packed brown sugar
• 1/4  cup  butter, softened
• 1/4  cup  reduced-fat sour cream
• 1  teaspoon  vanilla extract
• 2  large egg whites
• 3/4  cup  sweetened dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
• 1/2  cup  semisweet chocolate chips

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours, oats, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Place sugar, butter, and sour cream in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until smooth. Add vanilla and egg whites; beat well. Gradually add flour mixture, stirring until blended. Fold in cranberries and chocolate chips.

Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until edges of cookies are browned. Cool on pan 5 minutes. Remove cookies from pan; cool on wire racks.

Sticky Buns

Now *these* are sticky buns! I was reading a entry on a friend's Facebook page about how she made sweetbread in her bread machine...and I had never thought of using it for that. I've made plenty of dough for pizza and lots of bread over the years, but for some reason that use never occurred to me. Well it works pretty damn well. Recipe to follow...

Grandma T's Peanut Butter Cookies

On Easter Sunday I had to work for a few hours, but then we went to our friend's house to celebrate. I had just enough time to pop these into the oven to bring with us.

This is certainly the most baked cookie in our house, and X's favorite (besides the Guinness Brownies). They are dense, peanut-buttery, and not too sweet.


Makes 24

1/2 C CRISCO
1/2 C firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 C granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1C peanut butter
1 1/2C flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine Crisco, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in large bowl. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended. Beat in egg & vanilla. Add peanut butter. Beat until blended.

2. Sift together flour, soda, & salt. Blend into creamed mixture.

3. Roll into small balls about the size of a walnut. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Press with fork to flatten (but not too hard).

4. Bake for 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool 2 minutes on cookie sheet. Remove to cooling rack.

Pork Loin Gone Wrong

I was inspired by a friend's mention of a slow cooked pork loin and wanted to make it at home. I had written down some of the ingredients, but since we had been *ahem* drinking when this occurred, I'm sure I got it wrong. So I Googled, found what I thought was it, and made it. I should have just called. The recipe I made was totally different, and I managed to mess it up. It was for a pork loin with cranberries. Many of my slow cooker recipes say "7-8 hours on low, 5-6 hours on high". This one did not. But I only had 6 hours, so I cooked it on high. Mistake. I caramelized the fruit and destroyed the pork. Maybe I'll try again since it really looked good. 

Meanwhile I've called my friend and gotten the correct recipe for her "ginger spiced pork rub".

Below is what I made and messed up. And this photo is not what mine looked like!

Pork Loin with Cranberries

1 1 can whole berry sauce
1/2 C quartered dried apricots
1/2 tsp grated orange peel
1/4 C fresh OJ
1 shallot, chopped
2 tsp cider vinegar
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp fresh ginger
2 lb boneless pork loin roast
snipped chives

1. Mix cranberry sauce, apricots, orange peel and juice, shallot, vinegar, mustard, salt, and ginger in 4-quart or larger slow cooker. Add pork and spoon some of cranberry mixture on top. Cover and cook on low 7 to 9 hours or until pork is tender.

2. Remove pork to cutting board. Spoon off any fat from top of cranberry mixture in slow cooker. Slice pork into 6 thick slices. Serve topped with sauce. Garnish with chives, if desired.

$5 Brownies

I had these awesome brownies at New Year's and managed to get a hold of the recipe. These are incredibly rich, chocolatey, and over-the-top. I did a little twist and put caramel and sea salt on a couple. Yowza.  I only made a half recipe. And I cooked it 10 minutes longer than this says.

If you want a brownie that will thoroughly kick your ass, these are it. (caramel & sea salt at your own risk!)

3 sticks unsalted butter
12 oz fine quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped
6 eggs
1 1/4 C cake flour (not self rising)
1 C plus 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (not dutch process)
3 C sugar
1/2 tsp salt 1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 13- by 9- by 2-inch metal baking pan, knocking out excess flour.

2. Melt butter with chocolate in a large metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove bowl from pan and whisk in eggs, 1 at a time.

3. Sift together flour and cocoa powder in a separate bowl and stir into batter with sugar and salt. Pour batter into pan and bake in middle of oven until top is firm and a tester inserted into center comes out with crumbs adhering, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool completely in pan on a rack, about 2 hours, before cutting into 20 squares.

Experiment

This is sort of new territory for me - the cupcake. I don't make them. However, I do make the Guinness Brownie, so this is just a twist on that. 

I've made the brownies for years now but I'm still fighting with the texture and baking times along with the materials of pan (glass vs. metal). After many variations I've nailed down the ingredient brands to our taste. So I make them a lot and we enjoy them.

The other day I was cruising through Surfas and broke down and purchased a silicone cupcake pan. Tonight I made cupcakes using the recipe in that. I've been using silpats for years for cookies so I suppose it's a natural progression. What's really new is designing this as a "half" recipe. I have no idea the baking time, how much to fill them, how long to cook them, etc. I had so much batter with even a half recipe that I had enough to make 12 cupcakes. I filled some high and some low and cooked it for 4 minutes longer than I expected and I still don't think I cooked them long enough (the trouble with the other recipe!) but we'll see. At least I didn't waste as many ingredients in the process. 

And I have lots of extra Guinness to enjoy in the can while they bake!

Pork & Apples

Tonight we headed to P's house and made a meal of slow cooked pork butt with dried apple rings and dumplings. It wasn't bad and was about the easiest thing I've ever made. We made baked apples for dessert - a warm winter meal!

A break from the kitchen

We took a little trip up to Portland this past weekend and dined at some great places. We discovered some of the best pizza outside NYC at Ken's Artisan Pizza, enjoyed a great breakfast at Mother's, hit our favorite brewpub, and discovered a Sanborn's - a brunch spot with some of the best chocolate presspot coffee I've ever had. On the last night in town we went to our friend's sketch comedy and afterwards he took us to a great tapas place on Alberta St called Lolo's. All I can say is *WOW* and *YUM*!!! As usual, we can't wait to go back.

Lemon Cheese

Tonight a bunch of us got together for cheese-making fun at our friend's place. One friend made Irish soda bread while we hung out and watched from the bar stools on the other side (the kitchen space allows one person working at a time). Once that was in the oven we started tonight's recipe: "lemon cheese". It took a few hours, and the general process was to pour milk, lipase, and lemon juice into a huge pot, letting it come to temp and curdle, then strain it through cheesecloth for an hour. It comes out looking like ricotta or very soft cottage cheese. It went great with the warm soda bread!

Slow Cooker: Dublin Coddle

"The Gourmet Slow Cooker" was from a gift cookbook I got for Christmas from Dad. This was the first recipe I've made from it. The sausages turned out moist and flavorful,  and overall this is a great dish. But we're still blown away by the Boston Baked Beans at this point!

Dublin Coddle
Serves 6

Dublin Coddle is true Irish comfort food: no fancy sauces, and none of the spices found in hotter regions. Yet every Dublin pub and every Dublin mum has a version of it. It sounds simple--just bacon, sausage, potatoes, onions, carrots and water or hard cider--but the flavors meld together into a delicious stew. Note: This dish is an exception to the better-the-day-after rule. I like it hot out of the pot. (I made a half recipe, see notes in parenthesis)

4 slices lean bacon (I used 2 slices cut into 4 short strips)
1 1/2 pounds pork sausages (6-8 sausages) (I used 3)
2 yellow onions, sliced (I used 1)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large potatoes, peeled and sliced (I used 1 large baking potato)
2 carrots, peeled and sliced (I sadly forgot to pick these up at the store and therefore were omitted)
1 cup water, hard cider, chicken stock or beer (I used hard cider)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and fry for 7 minutes, or until crisp. Using tongs, transfer to paper towels to drain.

Add the sausages to the pan and cook, turning frequently, for 10 minutes, or until browned. Using tongs, transfer to a plate. Drain any excess fat from the pan. (I left the fat in!!!!)

Add the onions to the pan and saute', stirring frequently, for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Spread half of the onions in a layer in the bottom of the slow cooker. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place half of the potatoes in a layer on top of the onions and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Lay the strips of bacon over the potatoes. Lay the sausages over the bacon. Spread the carrots over the sausages and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread the remaining onions over the carrots and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with the remaining potatoes and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Add the water/stout/cider. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours, until the vegetables are very tender.

Transfer to a warmed serving dish and sprinkle with the parsley. Serve immediately.

To Drink: Harp Lager or Newcastle Brown Ale.

Boston Baked Beans with Pancetta and Irish Soda Bread

I love slow food. And bacon. And nothing compares to beans steeped in bacon for hours and hours. YUM. I made this and some Irish soda bread to feed us for the next few days. Got the bean recipe from my standby coffee table book "Heritage of America" (Better Homes and Gardens). I highly recommend you pick up a copy!

----

Boston Baked Beans with Pancetta

While Boston gets the credit for this dish, it was actually popular throughout the colonies. Since it could be made a day ahead, it was a favorite with those whose religion restricted work on the Sabbath. For a more traditional dish, use salt pork instead of pancetta or bacon.

Makes 10-12 servings

1 lb dry navy beans OR dry great northern beans (2 1/3 Cups) (I used northern)

8 cups cold water

6 oz pancetta (Italian bacon) or bacon, cut up

1 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup molasses

1/4 c maple syrup

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp dry mustard

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

4 ounces pancetta or bacon, cooked crisp and drained (optional)

Rinse beans. In a 4 1/2-quart Dutch oven combine beans and cold water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 1 hour. (OR, skip boiling the water and soak beans overnight in a covered pan.) Drain and rinse beans.

In the same pan combine beans and 8 cups fresh water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 1 1/4 hours or till tender, stirring occasionally. Drain beans, reserving liquid. In the same pan, cook the 6 oz pancetta or bacon until slightly crisp. Add onion to bacon and drippings; cook and stir till tender. Add brown sugar. Cook and stir till sugar dissolves. Stir in molasses, maple syrup, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, salt, and pepper. Add drained beans and 1 cup of the reserved bean liquid (*KEEP THE REST OF THE LIQUID FOR BAKING). If desired, transfer to a bean pot. 

Cover and bake in a 300 degree oven for 2 1/4 o 2 1/2 hours or  to desired consistency, stirring occasionally. If necessary, add additional reserved bean liquid*. If desired, sprinkle with cooked pancetta or bacon before serving.