Intermittent Gourmet

Heart Tarts

2012-02-12T18:48:00.000-08:00

Heart Tarts are super cute and easy for Valentine's Day. Although I usually advocate making things from scratch, store-bought pie dough is easier for kids to work with, so that's what I used. You'll need a box of crust, or make your own double-crust recipe, jam or cinnamon filling, frosting, and decorations. You can make them any size you want, just be careful not to overfill the smaller ones.

Heart Tarts

Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut out an even number of heart shapes.
Beat one egg with one tablespoon of water in a small bowl.
Very lightly brush the egg wash on half of the heart shapes.
Put a small amount of filling in the center of the hearts you brushed with egg wash.
Lay another heart shape on top and press gently to seal the edges. *Seal the inside point of the heart first to keep the filling in.
Crimp the edges with the back of a fork.
Bake 12-15 minutes until just starting to brown around the edges.
Cool, frost, and decorate

Jam Filling:

3/4 c jam or jelly
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp water

Whisk together all ingredients in a small saucepan. Heat to boiling, reduce heat slightly, and simmer 2 minutes. Cool completely.

Cinnamon Filling:

1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

Frosting:

2 ½ cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon softened butter
2 tablespoons light corn syrup

Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl. Add additional water if needed to make a smooth, creamy frosting. Pour into a piping bag (or into a ziploc bag and snip off the corner). Pipe a heart outline on each tart, allow to dry, then fill in the center. Sprinkle with decorations before the frosting hardens.

Mommy & Me on TV!

2012-02-04T17:56:00.000-08:00

Check out the first episode of Parks and Rec TV featuring my Mommy & Me cooking class!

http://frederick.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=5&clip_id=3116

There's a profile of Zumba classes first, but keep watching for the cooking classes.

Hearts in the Driveway

2012-01-21T18:08:00.000-08:00

I walked outside today, and this was the pattern the tires made in the snow, completely by accident!

Nut Brittle

2011-12-15T16:36:00.000-08:00

I like mixed nuts in my brittle, but you can use any combination or single nut you like. This is a great recipe to fit in with your other baking, since it doesn't require the oven or the refrigerator. I have a large Pyrex measuring cup I use to make the brittle, since the handle stays cool enough to hold. If you're using a bowl, make sure to use potholders and be very careful with the mixture.

Nonstick cooking spray
1 1/2 c sugar
1/2 c light corn syrup
3/4 tsp salt
2 T butter
1 1/2 c mixed nuts, such as pecan halves, cashews, pistachios, coarsely chopped if large
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp baking soda

Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and spray with nonstick spray; set aside.

In a 2-quart glass measuring c, combine sugar, corn syrup, and salt, stirring until sugar is moistened. Microwave on high for 4 minutes. Stir in butter and nuts; return to microwave for about 5 minutes, until the sugar mixture is thick, bubbly, and very pale brown in color. Mixture is very hot; use handle when holding and pouring.

Remove from microwave, stir in vanilla and baking soda (mixture may foam up). Immediately pour onto prepared baking sheet, spreading mixture as thinly as possible with the prepared spatula. Let stand 20 minutes until hardened, then lift off sheet, and break brittle into bite-size pieces.

Chocolate Almond Bark with Sea Salt

2011-12-15T16:28:00.000-08:00

Sugar can be difficult to work with. Stir the sugar and water together to dissolve, bring to a boil, then don't touch it until it turns golden brown. Remove from the heat before you stir in the butter. Use a high quality dark chocolate, and stir frequently as it melts. Once most of the chocolate is melted, remove from the heat and continue to stir until completely melted. Overheating will cause the chocolate to get clumpy. Malden sea salt is a wonderful flaky salt to finish the candy with. You can buy it online from Amazon.

1/2 c sugar
1 T unsalted butter
1 1/2 c roasted almonds
1 pound good-quality dark chocolate (62%–70% cacao), finely chopped
Coarse sea salt (for sprinkling)

Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or foil. Combine sugar with 3 T water in a small saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil and cook without stirring, until caramel is dark amber, 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat. Immediately add butter; whisk until melted. Add almonds; stir until well coated. Transfer to baking sheet, spreading out to separate nuts. Let cool. Break up any large clumps of nuts. Set aside 1/4 of nuts.

Stir chocolate in a medium bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water until melted. Remove from heat, add nuts from baking sheet, and stir quickly to combine. Spread chocolate-nut mixture on same baking sheet, keeping nuts in a single layer. Top with the reserved nuts; sprinkle with salt. Chill until chocolate is set, about 3 hours.

Break bark into pieces and store between layers of parchment or waxed paper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Keep chilled.

2012 Cooking Classes

2011-12-13T09:30:00.000-08:00

Here is the schedule of upcoming cooking classes. I'll be teaching a few at the Kitchen Studio, in addition to the Parks & Rec program. Check out Frederick County Government cable channel 19 in January for a new program profiling specific programs. Mommy & Me was one of the first classes chosen!

Frederick County Parks & Recreation

Jan 13 - Date Night Comfort Food
Jan 14 - Daddy & Me Pizza Pizza! (full)

Jan 27 - Date Night Scrumptious Soups
Jan 28 - Daddy & Me Scrumptious Soups (full)

Feb 10 - Date Night Four Stars at Home
Feb 11 - Mommy & Me Very Yummy Valentine (full)

Feb 24 - Date Night Soups n Sandwiches
Feb 25 - Daddy & Me Soups n Sandwiches
Feb 25 - T'ween Time Cupcakes

Mar 16 - Date Night Irish Feast
Mar 17 - Mommy & Me Goin' Green

Mar 30 - Spring Feast
Mar 31 - Mommy & Me Easter Treats
Mar 31 - T'ween Time Lasagna

The Kitchen Studio

Feb 3 - Spring Rolls
Feb 4 - Kinklings

Gingerbread Cookies

2011-12-12T16:32:00.000-08:00

This recipe makes a lot of cookies, but can easily be halved if you don't want to make so many. Or, make a whole batch of dough and put half in the freezer.

6 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 sticks butter, softened
1 c packed brown sugar
4 tsp ginger
4 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp pepper (yes- black pepper!)
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 c molasses

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in spices and salt, then beat in eggs and molasses until combined. Reduce speed to low. Gradually add flour mixture; beat until combined. Divide dough in half, flatten into disks, wrap in plastic and chill at least 1 hour.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Remove dough from refrigerator and let stand 10 minutes to temper slightly (this prevents the dough from cracking). Dust a work surface lightly with flour.

Roll out dough to 1/4" thickness, rotating to prevent sticking. Cut into shapes and place on parchment lined baking sheets. If the dough is soft and warm, put the entire baking sheet in the freezer for a few minutes. Bake 8-10 minutes until crisp but not darkened, rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer cookies to wire racks and cool completely before frosting.

Royal Icing

1 lb powdered sugar
5 T meringue powder (find it at the craft store)
food coloring

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine sugar, meringue powder, and a scant 1/2 c water. Beat on low speed until fluffy. The icing hardens quickly when exposed to air. Separate into bowls and color as desired. Spoon some icing into a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip to outline the cookies. Let harden, then fill with the colored icing, thinned a bit with water to spread smoothly.

Peppermint Bark

2011-12-12T16:17:00.000-08:00

I drizzled this batch with dark chocolate (optional, but so yummy!). You will get better results with the white chocolate if you follow the directions and stir constantly. Once most of the pieces are melted, remove from heat and continue to stir until completely melted. Too long on the heat and the chocolate will get tough and clumpy.

2 lbs white chocolate, chopped (or use baking chips)
12 large candy canes
1/2 tsp peppermint oil or extract

Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper. Seal candy canes in a zipper lock bag, press out the air, and crush candy canes with a rolling pin. Place chocolate in a double boiler and melt slowly, stirring constantly. Stir candy and peppermint oil into chocolate. Remove from heat, pour onto prepared pan, and spread evenly. Chill until firm, then break into pieces. Store in an airtight container.

Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti

2011-12-11T11:26:00.000-08:00

Cranberries & pistachios are seasonal winter items, and also red and green - perfect for holiday biscotti! Biscotti means "twice baked" in Italian. After the first baking the logs will be delicate and crumbly. Make sure to use a serrated knife and cool for 10 minutes before slicing.

2 ¼ c flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1/3 c butter
¾ c sugar
2 large eggs
zest from one lemon
1 tsp vanilla
1 c sweetened dried cranberries
¾ c shelled pistachios
White chocolate melted for dipping

Heat oven to 325°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in lemon zest and vanilla. Add the flour mixture and mix until just blended. Stir in the cranberries and pistachios.

Turn the mixture out onto a lightly floured work surface – it will be a bit sticky. Divide the dough in half and roll each half into a log approximately 1 1/2” in diameter and 15” long. Flatten each log slightly. Place both logs on one prepared baking sheet. Bake 20-25 minutes until firm to the touch. Remove and cool 10 minutes.

Transfer the logs to a cutting board. With a sharp serrated knife, cut logs into ½” thick slices on a bias. Lay the slices in a single layer on the cut side on the baking sheets. Bake 6-7 minutes until dried on top and golden, then flip and bake 6-7 minutes more. Transfer to wire rack and cool completely.

Melt white chocolate for dipping. Dip 1/3-1/2 of each piece in white chocolate and lay on waxed paper to dry. Store in an airtight container.

Nut Brittle

2011-12-11T10:37:00.001-08:00

This is a basic, no frills recipe but still delicious. It can be made in the microwave, and doesn't need to go in the fridge to chill, so it's also easy to fit in with your other Christmas baking. Use your favorite mixed nuts, or just one variety. Use a silicone spatula sprayed with cooking spray for easy cleanup.

Nonstick cooking spray
1 1/2 c sugar
1/2 c light corn syrup
3/4 tsp salt
2 T butter
1 1/2 c mixed nuts, such as pecan halves, cashews, pistachios, coarsely chopped if large
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp baking soda

Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and spray with nonstick spray; set aside.

In a 2-quart glass measuring c, combine sugar, corn syrup, and salt, stirring until sugar is moistened. Microwave on high for 4 minutes. Stir in butter and nuts; return to microwave for about 5 minutes, until the sugar mixture is thick, bubbly, and very pale brown in color. Mixture is very hot; use handle when holding and pouring.

Remove from microwave, stir in vanilla and baking soda (mixture may foam up). Immediately pour onto prepared baking sheet, spreading mixture as thinly as possible with a heatproof spatula. Let stand 20 minutes until hardened, then lift off sheet, and break brittle into bite-size pieces.

Chocolate Peppermint Crinkles

2011-12-10T17:24:00.001-08:00

Thanks to everyone who came to the Christmas Cookie Swap at the Middletown Cooking Studio. I hope everyone had fun, and was happy with the cookie selection. I know things were a little hectic, but hopefully this will become an annual tradition and we'll streamline things a bit next year.

As promised, the recipe for Chocolate Peppermint Crinkles is below. Hopefully you stashed your dough in the fridge when you got home. It will keep for at least week in the fridge, so no rush to make these. You'll start with the second paragraph of instructions. You do want to bake just one sheet at a time to ensure they "crinkle." If you put two sheets in the oven, the heat doesn't circulate so well around the top of the bottom sheet.

Check back over the next few days for all the recipes from the cookie swap, including pictures!

8 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 c (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/2 c finely crushed red-and-white-striped hard peppermint candies
6 1/2 T sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp peppermint extract
1 1/2 c all purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c (about 3 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
Coarsely crushed peppermints
Powdered sugar

Combine first 3 ingredients in heavy large saucepan. Stir over low heat until chocolates melt and mixture is smooth. Remove pan from heat. Mix in finely crushed mints and 6 1/2 T sugar. Cool mixture to lukewarm, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Whisk eggs into chocolate mixture, 1 at a time, then whisk in vanilla extract and peppermint extract. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in small bowl to blend. Whisk flour mixture, then chocolate chips into chocolate mixture. Cover batter and chill until firm enough to shape, at least 3 hours and up to 1 day, or spread on a baking sheet and refrigerate to cool quickly.

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 325°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Using 1 generous T for each cookie, roll dough between moistened palms into 1 1/4-inch-diameter balls, then arrange on prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until puffed and cracked on top but still soft to touch in center, about 11 minutes. Let stand on sheets 5 minutes. Press coarsely crushed mints onto tops of cookies or sprinkle with powdered sugar. Transfer to racks; cool completely. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Store airtight between sheets of waxed paper in refrigerator.)

Spooky Snacks

2011-10-31T09:00:00.000-07:00

Snack-o-Lantern

Cut the top off a navel orange. Cut a very thin slice off the bottom so the orange sits flat. Using a paring knife, cut around the peel, then use a spoon to hollow out the shell. Cut a small slice of the lid off to accommodate the spoon. Cut out the jack-o-lantern face. Insert a green spoon and fruit salad, then top with the lid. A very small paring knife works best for the face.

Instead of fruit salad, fill the snack-o-lanterns with uncut grapes and berries - they'll stay fresh longer. Wrap in treat bags and tie with a ribbon. Snack-o-lanterns make great snacks for school Halloween parties - something healthy to counteract all the candy!

Candy Corn Sugar Cookies

1 batch sugar cookie dough
Yellow and orange food coloring (gel is best)
Colored sugar, sprinkles, melted white chocolate

Divide prepared sugar cookie dough into three equal portions. Leave one as is and color one other portion yellow and another portion orange.

Line a standard loaf pan with plastic wrap. Gently press layer of uncolored dough into bottom of pan and smooth flat, keeping it at least 1/2-3/4 inches high (you don’t have to use the whole pan if you have a small batch of dough) or larger if desired. Layer orange dough on top of previous layer and smooth. Finally layer yellow dough and smooth on top. Wrap plastic over dough and chill until firm, 30-60 minutes in freezer or 1-2 hours in fridge. Or you can store the dough in fridge for 2-3 days before baking.

Remove plastic and slice loaf into 1/4 inch slices. Trim top of slice to make straight line. Cut each slice into alternating triangle shapes and dip top side in sugar if desired. Bake according to sugar cookie directions. Cool completely and then, if desired, dip ends in white chocolate and decorate with sprinkles.

Sweet Potato Biscuits

2011-10-30T15:57:00.000-07:00

This recipe is my favorite thing to make with leftover sweet potatoes, though I'm just as likely to cook a sweet potato especially for biscuits if I have the urge. They're soft and tender, and quite forgiving - I wouldn't go crazy with kneading, but it is hard to over-work the dough. The amount of milk you add will depend on the moisture content of the sweet potatoes - you want a soft, but workable dough. Feel free to use leftover mashed sweet potatoes even if they have other ingredients added - just remember that your biscuits will have the flavor of whatever's in the sweet potatoes. I like to cut them into little squares, and bake them close together so they're nice and soft, but make whatever shape you want. Just pat the dough to an even thickness - don't bother with a rolling pin for this recipe. Serve them warm from the oven with a little homemade blueberry jam on top, and you won't be disappointed.

Sweet Potato Biscuits

1 1/4 c flour
2 T sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 c sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed
1/4 c butter, softened
2-4 T milk

Heat oven to 450°. Stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate large bowl, mix together the sweet potato and butter. Add flour mixture to sweet potato mixture and stir until all the flour is incorporated. Stir in milk 1 T at time to make a soft dough. Knead lightly on a floured surface, and pat to 1/2" thick. Cut into even pieces and bake 10-15 minutes until golden brown on top and bottom.

Fall Flavor: Maple & Caramelized Onion Sweet Potatoes

2011-10-01T08:58:00.000-07:00

Time for fall! I love the richness of this dish, and sweet potatoes always add a pretty orange touch to a fall table. This is absolutely my favorite sweet potato recipe. I never liked them much until I got some at the farmer's market a few years ago and realized that fresh sweet potatoes were a completely different animal than store-bought. Amazing the difference. Mom's organic market often carries a Japanese sweet potato with white flesh that is also quite tasty.

Anyway, I never have understood "sweet potato casserole" because it really seems to be more "sweet" than "sweet potato." But I love the caramelized onion sweetness in this dish, and I often add cayenne or crushed red pepper in place of the black pepper for a bit of heat. The potatoes do tend to cool quickly, so make sure to use hot water and serve in a warmed dish. The recipe can easily be doubled or tripled, though you may have to puree in batches. If you try to make this for Thanksgiving you may get a few frowns - people do love their marshmallows - but they'll come around.

Maple Sweet Potatoes with Caramelized Onion

2 large sweet potatoes

4 T maple syrup

2 T olive oil

2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 T butter

1 tsp dried rosemary

1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced

Heat oven to 375°. Peel and cube sweet potatoes. Toss wtih 2 T maple syrup, 1 T olive oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray. Arrange sweet potatoes on the sheet in a single layer. Roast 30-40 minutes, stirring halfway through, until potatoes are fork-tender.

Meanwhile, heat butter and remaining 1 T olive oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat. Add onion, remaining 2 T maple syrup, and rosemary, crumbled. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion begins to brown. Reduce heat and cook 15-20 minutes more, until onions are soft and caramelized. Turn off heat but keep onions warm.

Transfer potatoes to a food processor. Add 2 T hot water. Pulse until just blended, adding additional hot water as needed to create a smooth puree. Add half the caramelized onion and pulse to mix well. Spread sweet potatoes in a warmed dish and top with reserved onion.

Green Beans Galore

2011-09-29T15:44:00.000-07:00

My green beans are making up for the past two years when I've gotten none! I made pesto tonight and tossed it with green beans and pasta. No picture-honestly, it wasn't the most appealing -looking dish, but really yummy. Bella had three servings!

I have found I like green beans best when they're blanched and then cooked. They seem to stay greener and crisper that way.

Cook in boiling salted water for 5-7 minutes then dunk in icewater to chill. You can then refrigerate then for later, or go ahead and cook with them right away-they'll need 2-4 more minutes of cooking time.

Banana Bread

2011-08-21T06:32:00.000-07:00

First off, I don't like bananas - can't stand 'em. Taste, texture, smell - nothing about them I like. But I've always sort of liked banana bread. My main complaint was that my Mom's banana bread always ended up with a soggy, banana-y section on the top in the middle. I guess it was too moist, or didn't bake long enough, but the obvious banana element ruined it for me (sorry Mom!). Anyway, I do buy bananas because the kids like them, and occasionally we end up with extra, over-ripe ones, and I can't just throw them away! So I found a recipe from Cook's Illustrated, which does involve a few extra steps, but turns out to be well worth the trouble. The following recipe is my version - I omitted an additional step that added fresh sliced bananas to the top. I highly recommend adding the nuts - any nuts will do. The bread is naturally very moist, and the nuts add some welcome texture. My favorite way to eat this bread is toasted (careful getting it out of the toaster - it will crumble), spread with unsalted butter, and topped with a sprinkle of sea salt.

Banana Bread

1 ¾ c flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

4-5 large, very ripe bananas

8 T unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

2 large eggs

¾ c packed light brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ c walnuts , toasted and coarsely chopped (optional)

Heat oven to 350°. Spray 8½ by 4½-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together in large bowl.

Place bananas in microwave-safe bowl; cover with plastic wrap and cut several steam vents in plastic with paring knife. Microwave on high power until bananas are soft and have released liquid, about 5 minutes. Transfer bananas to fine-mesh strainer placed over medium bowl and allow to drain, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes (you should have ½ to ¾ cup liquid). *If using frozen bananas, skip the microwave and put in the mesh strainer to thaw and drain. Mash occasionally with a fork until completely thawed and proceed.

Transfer liquid to medium saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until reduced to ¼ cup, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat, stir reduced liquid into bananas, and mash with potato masher or fork until fairly smooth. Whisk in butter, eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla.

Pour banana mixture into flour mixture and stir until just combined with some streaks of flour remaining. Gently fold in walnuts, if using. Scrape batter into prepared pan.

Bake until toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean, 55 to 65 minutes. Cool bread in pan on wire rack 15 minutes, then remove loaf from pan and continue to cool on wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tomato Feta Salad

2011-08-11T12:08:00.000-07:00

It has been so hot most things have dried up in the garden, and the squash bugs finally did in the zucchini. I have one okra plant that came up and it has been a producer. The other success story is the tomatoes, and I have high hopes for the second round of green beans.

Shawn reminded me of this salad we used to make at the cafe. We have cherry tomatoes coming out our ears, and every time I go to my mom's house she gives me another basketful. I happened to have some feta in the fridge, so I whipped this up.

Very simple - halve cherry tomatoes, toss with feta, salt, pepper, olive oil, chopped parsley, and lemon juice. Go easy on the salt at first in case your feta is salty. I like to rinse the tomatoes after I slice them to get rid of some of the seeds. It's best fresh, but it will keep in the fridge. Since olive oil solidifies when cold, you should bring it to room temperature before serving.

Garden photos

2011-08-08T14:50:00.000-07:00

Return of the stink bugs:-(

2011-08-08T04:16:00.000-07:00

I've been wondering why the stink bugs haven't begun devouring my tomatoes. And then I found them. On the corn. Next year I will plant a sacrificial row.

Spring Cakes

2011-06-06T04:00:00.000-07:00

Here are two cakes I've make recently. The tree cake was for Bella's preschool picnic, with the names of the students in the leaves. The sandcastle cake was for Molly's bridal shower. I used a combination of graham crackers and vanilla wafers for the "sand," plus a little edible glitter to make it sparkle. The turrets are mini Lorna Dorne's.

Fruit pizza

2011-05-14T11:30:00.000-07:00

Yummy & easy! Sugar cookies with cream cheese icing and sliced fruit. Cut them into different shapes if you want. Blot the fruit dry after you cut it to keep the cookies from getting soggy too fast.

Chocolate Chip Brownies (Gluten Free)

2011-05-04T13:15:00.000-07:00

If you didn't know these were gluten free, you'd never guess. Even if you did know they might be your favorite brownies ever. The texture is the best I've seen from any gluten free baked good, and the flavor is rich and chocolaty. They'll sink a little in the middle after you take them out of the oven, but that's ok.

I used a food processor to mix the brownies because I wanted to make sure they were very smooth, but as long as your almond butter is smooth-roasted, a regular mixer should do the trick. I imagine these would not suffer from a substitution (or addition!) of peanut butter chips, or a swirl of cream cheese & peanut butter blended together.

Here's the recipe, inspired by Elena's Pantry:

1 (16) ounce jar almond butter, smooth roasted

2 eggs

1 ¼ cups agave nectar (this is slightly more than the smaller jars, but you can substitute honey for the remainder if you're a little short)

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

½ cup cocoa powder

1 teaspoon sea salt (or 1/2 tsp if your almond butter is salted)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup chocolate chips

Heat oven to 325°. Spray a 13 x 9 baking dish (preferably glass) with baking spray.

Blend the almond butter in a food processor or mixer. Blend in the eggs, then the agave nectar and vanilla until smooth. Mix in the cocoa, salt, and baking soda. Stir in chocolate chips by hand. Pour into prepared pan and bake 35-40 minutes.

Bedtime Snack

2011-04-28T03:06:00.000-07:00

This is Bella's bedtime snack - vanilla yogurt, granola, & strawberries. You might be able to spot my bedtime snack in the background: )

Happy Birthday Bella!

2011-03-27T07:40:00.000-07:00

This is Bella's 4th birthday cake. Since we had two parties, I suggested cupcakes for one, but she insisted that everyone get the carousel cake. So I made two tops, that way each party could have a complete cake.

I made 2 cakes, dividing each batch into three layers instead of two. I iced between three sets of two layers, and froze them. When they were nearly firm, I marked the center and cut two of the cakes into a dome shape for the carousel top. The bottom of the carousel was the remaining two layer cake. The pillars are Wilton cake pillars with dowel rods for support. The top is supported with covered cardboard cake circles (a little precarious!). I used a flat tip to pipe the icing on the top, and topped it all off with edible glitter, and of course, ponies. Shawn always adds a critical element to my cakes, and he was responsible for the construction portion of the carousel, and the flag on top.

Overall, I think Bella loved it, though she did ask me where the poles the ponies went up and down on were!

Date Night: Tapas

2011-02-25T14:31:00.000-08:00

Great time at Date Night tonight. We made empanadas, shrimp toast (the favorite), sweet potato crepes with cranberry sauce and turkey, plus roasted pepper pinwheels and puff pastry twists. Visit WWW.recreator.com for more info on cooking classes and videos!

Comfort Food with a Kick

2011-02-25T03:57:00.000-08:00

Here's another winner from the February issue of Bon Appetite. (Sometimes I feel like a cheerleader for the magazine, but it's the only one I get!). It is quite spicy - I made an entire box of pasta and mixed half with plain tomato sauce for the girls.

The flavor is different - the peperoncini juice definitely adds a unique element, and I really liked the crunchy pepper rings. It's comfort food with a kick. Add a green salad, and you have a perfect winter meal.

I made it just as the recipe indicates, so I'll give you the link: Pasta with Sausage, Shrimp, and Peperoncini

Easy Paprika Chicken

2011-02-25T03:19:00.000-08:00

This recipe makes enough for a crowd, or lots of leftovers. The paprika lends a smoky, not quite spicy taste - if you'd like a little more kick, add a little crushed red pepper to the spice blend. Any kind of paprika will work. I used a blend of Hungarian and sweet.

The kids were skeptical while I was cooking, but I got a high compliment at dinner: "This is better than I thought it would be!"

3 lbs chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into 1-2" pieces

2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 1/2 teaspoons black pepper

2 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

2 1/2 teaspoons dried basil

5 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large white or yellow onion, sliced

4 garlic cloves, sliced as thinly as possible

3 bay leaves

1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes

3/4 cup heavy cream or sour cream

1 T lemon juice

1 bag frozen peas

Mix together spices in a large bowl. Add chicken and toss to coat.

In a large skillet or dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high. Add half the chicken and cook 4-5 minutes, turning once, until lightly browned on all sides. Remove chicken and set aside.

Add some more olive oil to the pan if needed, reduce heat to medium, and saute onions, scraping up browned bits from the pan, until softened, 6-8 minutes. Add garlic and saute 30 seconds.

Reduce heat to low and add in the bay leaves and tomatoes and stir to combine. Return the chicken to the pan and cover. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until chicken is cooked through, then remove lid, add peas, and cook 5-10 minutes more until sauce is thickened slightly.

Stir lemon juice into heavy cream. (Omit lemon juice if using sour cream). Stir a few tablespoons tomato sauce into cream to temper, then add cream to the pan and stir to combine. Heat through, then serve over rice or pasta, garnishing with grated Parmesan.

Roasted Smashed Potatoes

2011-02-20T01:59:00.000-08:00

Bella does not like potatoes (other than French fries) and I can't say I blame her, because I've never been a big fan myself (except for French fries). But this recipe was a big hit with all the kids, and Bella even had seconds! As Aniston said, "they're like French fries but smashed!"

They really are good - the inside is creamy and soft, and the skin gets super crispy and crackly. Smashing the potatoes allows the seasonings to cover a larger surface area, so each bite has just the right amount of flavor.

They're best right out of the oven, and if you have any leftover, I'd recommend reheating in the oven, or just adding a little milk and turning them into mashed potatoes. The recipe is from Cook's Illustrated (subscription required), but I added the cheese.

Roasted Smashed Potatoes

2 lbs small red potatoes, scrubbed

6 T extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp thyme (fresh or dried)

Kosher salt & pepper

Parmesan or Asiago cheese

Heat oven to 500°. Arrange potatoes on a large baking sheet (you're going to smash the potatoes, so make sure you have extra room). Pour 3/4 c water on the sheet and cover tightly with foil. Roast 25-30 minutes until potatoes are very soft. A fork or paring knife will easily slip in and out. If any water remains on the baking sheet, blot dry with a paper towel.

Drizzle 3 T oil over potatoes and roll to coat. Use a flat bottomed heavy glass and smash each potato to 1/3 to 1/2" thick, spacing evenly on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with thyme and season generously with salt and pepper. Drizzle evenly with the remaining 3 T oil. Roast 20-30 minutes longer until potatoes are well browned. Remove from oven, sprinkle grated cheese evenly over potatoes, and return to oven for 5 minutes. Serve hot.

Treats for Sweets-Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-14T00:04:00.000-08:00

We made these for Valentine's Day in my Mommy & Me cooking class, then Bella and I made them again for her class Valentine's party. They're really cute, and really easy. I normally frown upon things like refrigerated pie dough, but these are more novelty than confection, so I made an exception.

You'll need slips of paper about 2" by 1/4". Write your fortunes in non-toxic marker, then cut them out - much easier than writing on itty-bitty pieces of paper.

Lay out a circle of pie dough and use a 3" cookie cutter to cut out 7 rounds. Brush just the edges with water, then place a folded fortune in the middle. The paper will stick to the water, so try not to get the fortune wet. Fold over and press gently to seal. Then gently pinch the corners and fold them together. Lay on a lined baking sheet.

*Older kids can help write fortunes and fold the cookies. Younger kids can brush the tops with water and decorate.*

Brush the tops very lightly with water, and sprinkle with colored sugar. Bake in a 350° oven for 20 minutes, until just beginning to brown around the edges. Remove from oven, cool, and package in Chinese take-out containers (you can find these at a craft store).

Brown Rice Risotto w Winter Squash & Pecans

2011-02-12T01:21:00.000-08:00

I found this recipe in Bon Apetite this month, and since I still have butternut squash in the basement from my garden, I thought I'd give it a try. I've been looking for meatless recipes that are still hearty enough to satisfy the family, and that aren't soup. For some reason my family equates soup with torture. Anyway, I made a few modifications, including using brown arborio rice and substituting pecans for the pine nuts.

It does take considerably longer with brown rice, but I think the brown rice is a little more forgiving - I was able to achieve that creamy risotto texture with little stirring and none of the gumminess that sometimes plagues white rice risotto. This could easily be a wonderful vegetarian dish by using vegetable stock instead of chicken stock, and of course, you wouldn't want to use bacon fat! I couldn't resist though - bacon makes everything taste better, and I keep leftovers in the fridge for recipes like this that benefit from that bit of extra flavor.

Here's my version:

Brown Rice Risotto w Winter Squash & Pecans

4 T olive oil or bacon fat, divided

1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Sea salt

1 T finely chopped fresh sage

1 T Sherry

1 onion, chopped

5-6 c low sodium chicken broth

1 1/2 c brown arborio rice

1/4 c medium-dry Sherry or Marsala

3/4 c pecans, chopped

Shaved Parmesan cheese (optional)

Heat 2 T olive oil in heavy large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add squash; sprinkle with sea salt and sauté until beginning to brown, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, add chopped sage and pecans, and cook until squash is just tender, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle Sherry over; toss to incorporate. Transfer squash to plate. Wipe skillet clean.

Heat remaining 2 T olive oil in same skillet over high heat. Add chopped onions, sprinkle with sea salt, and sauté until onions are soft and beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Bring chicken stock to a simmer in large saucepan. Cover and keep warm over low heat. (Or microwave, reheating as necessary so you are adding warm stock to the rice.)

Add arborio rice to onions in skillet. Stir until rice is slightly translucent, about 4 minutes. Add Sherry; stir until absorbed. Add 1 cup warm broth; stir occasionally until almost all liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Add three more cups of broth, letting the rice absorb each cup before adding the next, and stirring occasionally. Add the remaining cup of stock, reduce heat, and cover the pan, cooking 15-20 minutes until rice is just tender but still firm to bite and risotto is creamy. Remove lid, add squash mixture, and cook until squash is heated through and most of the liquid is absorbed, 5-10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Top risotto with shaved Parmesan.

Cooking Classes @ the Middletown Cooking Studio

2011-02-07T02:30:00.000-08:00

Jenn & Megan showing off their seared shrimp & scallops at last week's Date Night: Seafood.

We also made fish in parchment packets, shrimp & fennel pot pie, and lemon bars - yum!

Visit the Frederick County Parks and Recreation website for more upcoming classes! Click on Registration to browse programs. While you're there, check out the new page just for Cooking Classes. We've got links to cooking videos & recipes, including my newest one featuring Butternut Squash Bisque. You can also email the cooking program directly with any questions.

Sloppy Joes

2011-02-02T11:21:00.000-08:00

These are a far cry from the stuff in a can. I use ground turkey breast, so they're low in fat, and with all the veggies in the sauce, they're a perfect one-dish meal. I make them a little on the sweet side to appeal to the kids - you can cut back to 1-2 T on the sugar if you'd like, and substitute cayenne pepper for the paprika to make them spicy.

I like to use potato rolls. They're nice and soft and I pull out the inside to make a pocket for the meat - fewer carbs and less mess! Sometimes I get the smaller dinner rolls instead for the kids. Two regular sandwiches is too much, but two dinner roll size are perfect.

Sloppy Joes

1 T oil

1 medium bell pepper, diced

1/2 medium onion, diced

1 1/4 lb ground turkey breast

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 medium tomatoes, diced (or 1 can diced tomatoes)

1 T Worchestershire

1 T red wine vinegar

3 T brown sugar

pinch ground cloves

pinch ground allspice

1/2 tsp thyme

1/2 tsp paprika

salt and pepper

1 c ketchup

hamburger buns

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the peppers and onions and saute 3-4 minutes until beginning to soften. Add the turkey and break up with a spoon. Saute until turkey is fully cooked. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add tomatoes (with juice), Worchestershire, vinegar, sugar, and spices. Stir 1-2 minutes until combined. Add ketchup, reduce heat, and simmer 15-20 minutes. If the sloppy joes look too dry, add a little water or chicken stock. Adjust salt and pepper if needed, and serve.

Let Your Heart Shine

2011-01-18T07:57:00.000-08:00

Our snowy, rainy, almost Valentine’s Day project:

Here's how to make your own:

Cut a heart shape out of black or dark red construction paper. Lay on the sticky side of a sheet of contact paper, or glue to a sheet of white tissue paper.

Cut various shades of red and pink tissue paper into small shapes and glue or stick inside the heart.

Hang on a window or door and let the sun shine through your heart!

Caramel Apples

2011-01-18T06:07:00.000-08:00

These are the cutest little things! Use a melon baller to scoop out balls of Granny Smith apples, insert lollipop stick, pat dry, then dip in caramel and assorted toppings. (I forgot to dry my apples, so the caramel is sliding off!).

These are the perfect size for kids, both for making and eating. Mini chocolate chips, chopped nuts, mini M&M's, and sprinkles all make great toppings. You can also dip the apples in melted white or semisweet chocolate.

Christmas Cookies!

2010-12-15T10:43:00.000-08:00

Bella and I made cookies today for her Christmas party at school. She went a little wild with the sprinkles!

Cider Spice Chiffon Cake

2010-11-27T01:18:00.000-08:00

I really didn't think I'd care much for this cake, but I had several other recipes using apple cider, so I decided to try it. It is amazing! It's like an apple cider angel food cake. The cider flavor really comes through, but not in an overpowering way, and the spice is just right. I based it on a recipe from Cook's Country, but replaced the oil with applesauce - less fat, more apple flavor! I got fresh apple cider from McCutcheon's. Look for it in the refrigerated produce section at the grocery.

Make sure to use an ungreased tube pan - one with a removable bottom is even better. When it comes out of the oven, turn it upside down on a narrow necked bottle to cool.

Cider Spice Chiffon Cake

BATTER:

· 5 large eggs, separated

· 1 tsp cream of tartar

· 1 ¼ c sugar

· 1 1/3 c all purpose flour

· 2 tsp baking powder

· ½ tsp salt

· 1 tsp ground cinnamon

· ½ tsp ground allspice

· ¾ c apple cider

· ½ c unsweetened applesauce

· 1 T vanilla extract

GLAZE:

· 3 T apple cider

· 2 oz cream cheese , softened

· ¼ tsp ground cinnamon

· 1/8 tsp ground allspice

· 1 ½ c confectioners' sugar

Heat oven to 325°. With electric mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip egg whites and cream of tartar on medium- high speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. With mixer running, slowly add 2 tablespoons sugar and whip until just stiff and glossy, about 1 minute; set aside.

Combine flour, remaining sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and allspice in large bowl. Whisk cider, applesauce, egg yolks, and vanilla in medium bowl until smooth. Whisk wet mixture into flour mixture until smooth. Whisk one-third whipped egg whites into batter, then gently fold in remaining whites, 1 scoop at a time, until well combined. Scrape mixture into 16-cup ungreased tube pan.

Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean and cracks in cake appear dry, 50-55 minutes. Cool, inverted, to room temperature, about 3 hours.

Whisk apple cider, cream cheese, cinnamon, and allspice in medium bowl until smooth. Add confectioners' sugar and whisk until smooth. Pour glaze over cooled cake. Let glaze set 15 minutes.

Apple Cider

Winter Cooking Classes

2010-11-22T04:39:00.000-08:00

The Winter Cooking Class Schedule is live on Recreator.com. You can't register yet, but you can pick out your classes now to be ready - they fill up fast! We'll be continuing the Date Night series on Friday's through the spring - if you have any ideas for themes, email them to our new email address just for cooking classes: cooking @ frederickcountymd dot gov - we're always looking for new ideas. New this season are themes for Mommy & Me/Daddy & Me - we'll make something different each time.

We also have a new page just for cooking classes on the Parks & Rec website. You can see instructor videos, get recipes, and email us. Look for a FAQs page coming soon with tips on how to get the most out of our cooking program.

Don't forget - bring to-go containers to class so you can make sure to take home lots of delicious food!

Butternut Squash Bisque

2010-11-21T12:14:00.000-08:00

This soup is so simple, and tastes so good. Its a perfect winter comfort food, and is surprisingly filling. Even the kids liked it, and they think eating soup is practically torture. It doesn't take long at all and has a creamy, velvety texture. I got 6 or 7 good sized squash from the garden this year, so we'll have plenty of soup and Butternut Squash Lasagna this winter. I like to sprinkle a little chili powder on top to spice it up - freshly ground nutmeg would be nice too, or some homemade croutons. Use vegetable stock and skip the ham to make it vegetarian.

Butternut Squash & Ham Bisque

· 2 T unsalted butter

· 1 very large sweet onion, chopped

· 1/2 tsp dried rosemary leaves, chopped

· 2 cloves garlic, minced

· 5 c peeled, diced butternut squash - about one medium squash

· 1 c peeled, diced all-purpose potatoes - about one large potato

· 5 c chicken stock

· 1 tsp salt

· Black pepper, to taste

· 1/2 c light or heavy cream

· 1 1/2 c diced cooked ham

Melt the butter in a medium soup pot or a large saucepan. Stir in the onion and rosemary. Partially cover the pan and cook the onion over moderate heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the garlic and cook another minute.

Add the squash, potatoes, chicken stock, and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cover the pot. Cook the soup at a low boil for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are very soft. Remove the pan from the heat.

Using a ladle, transfer the soup to a food processor in batches, filling the bowl only halfway to prevent spills. Puree the vegetables, then return them to a clean pot. Stir in the pepper, the cream, and the ham, heating for several minutes without boiling before serving.

Butternut Squash

Cookies with the kids

2010-11-14T13:37:00.000-08:00

The kids and I made ginger cookies tonight. This is my first post by phone. Look for a longer one in a few days with a recipe for Butternut Squash Soup with Ham - very yummy!

Light Apple Pie Bread Pudding

2010-10-05T11:42:00.000-07:00

I'm not a big fan of "light" foods. They either use lots of strange ingredients to mimic a full-calorie version, or they don't and taste terrible. This bread pudding, however, saves a ton of calories by using low-fat yogurt instead of cream, and you'd never know the difference. I used Stoneyfield French Vanilla, which has 170 calories per cup, instead of heavy cream at 800 calories per cup. I also cut back the amount of sugar to make this dish suitable for breakfast.

You can make this the night before and pop it in the oven for breakfast - it actually gets better if it sits overnight! If you like a crustier bread pudding, bake it in a larger dish and reduce time by a few minutes. I happened to have some leftover maple-caramel sauce in the fridge, which made a perfect topping.

Apple Pie Bread Pudding

8 c cubed bread, crusts are okay if not too thick

3 medium baking apples, peeled and chopped

4 eggs

1 c vanilla yogurt

1 c milk

2 tsp cinnamon, divided

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 c sugar + 2 T

pinch salt

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 9x9 baking dish with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs lightly. Whisk in the yogurt, milk, 1 tsp cinnamon, nutmeg, 1/2 c sugar, and pinch of salt. Stir in the apples, then gently fold in the bread cubes. Pour into the prepared pan.

In a small bowl, stir together 2 T sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon. Sprinkle on top the bread pudding. Bake 30-40 minutes until puffed and golden brown. Serve warm or room temperature.

Cumin Scented Tamale Bake

2010-09-30T11:29:00.000-07:00

This is one of my new family favorites. All the ingredients are likely to be in the kitchen, and there are easy substitutions if not. If you like a thick cornbread layer, use a smaller dish (8x8 or 9x9). For a thinner layer, try a 9x13 pan. The recipe could easily be doubled and baked in two pans for a crowd.

Check your chili powder ingredients - if it doesn't list salt, you'll need to add more to the tamale filling. The toasted cumin gives the dish a great flavor, but if all you've got is pre-ground, by all means use that. To toast, add the whole seeds to a dry skillet and heat over medium 5-10 minutes until fragrant. Keep watch! They'll go from perfect to burnt in an instant.

Cumin Scented Tamale Bake

Tamale Filling:

2 T vegetable oil

1 medium onion, minced

1 medium sweet pepper, minced

2 T chili powder

1 tsp cumin, toasted and ground

salt

2 medium garlic cloves, minced

1 lb ground beef or turkey

1 can black or kidney beans

1 can diced tomatoes, drained, or 1 1/2 c fresh diced tomatoes

1 T cider vinegar

1 c shredded cheddar cheese

Cumin Cornbread Topping

3/4 c all purpose flour

3/4 c yellow cornmeal

3 T sugar

3/4 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt

1 tsp cumin, toasted and ground

3/4 c buttermilk

1 egg

3 T butter, melted and cooled

For the tamale filling: Cook ground beef or turkey in a large skillet until browned. Drain off fat and discard. Add onions and peppers to the skillet, cooking until soft. Add garlic, chili powder, and cumin, and cook 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes, beans,vinegar, and salt to taste, and bring to a simmer. If it looks dry, add a little water. Stir in the cheddar and transfer to a greased baking dish.

Heat oven to 450°.

For the cornbread topping: Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cumin in a large bowl. Whisk together the buttermilk and egg in a separate bowl. Add the buttermilk mixture all at once to the cornbread mixture and stir until just combined. Stir in the melted butter.

Spread the cornbread batter evenly over the tamale filling. Bake until cornbread is cooked through, 10-15 minutes.

Date Night: Farmer's Market

2010-09-26T12:35:00.000-07:00

Had a great time at the Date Night cooking class Friday night. The theme was Farmer's Market, and we had lots of beautiful local produce, meats, eggs, and some fresh herbs from home. Pictured are an Eggplant Napoleon with Fresh Mozzarella and Cherry Tomato Chutney; Spaghetti with Squash Ribbons, Parmesan, and Fresh Herbs; and Fritatta with Spaghetti, Sweet & Hot Peppers, and Bacon.

Our three couples did a great job - just some fresh ingredients and inspiration, no recipes - Yum!

Friday night classes are full for the fall session, but look for the Winter Recreater with old favorites and exciting new classes.

New Features

2010-09-24T06:36:00.000-07:00

New Blog Features:

I hope you like the new look. I think this is my favorite so far, and the most functional. Check out the end of posts for new sharing buttons: email, share on social networks, and print! And you can still subscribe to the RSS feed and by email.

Cooking Classes:

We're kicking off the fall season with Date Night: Farmer's Market tonight. Click here for the online Recreater with all the listings. We've got lots of new classes and returning favorites, including a series of gluten free classes.

Coming Soon:

I've got several posts scheduled over the next few weeks, plus a few more recipes I'm working on. Tomorrow's recipe is French Toast Bread Pudding - stay tuned to see if it makes the cut!

Barbecue Pork Sandwiches

2010-09-24T06:11:00.000-07:00

I've been experimenting with barbecue sauce recipes, and this one from Simply Recipes is my current favorite. I cooked it for about and hour then pureed it in the food processor. The barbecue sauce comes together pretty quickly, but this batch took awhile, because I decided to make homemade ketchup the same day. I used all the tomatoes for the ketchup, then I remembered I was supposed to same some for the barbecue sauce. So I had to finish the ketchup first, then make the sauce.

The pork is easy - season a pork shoulder with salt and pepper, add some dried hot peppers, garlic, and onions if you're feeling spicy, and cook in a slow cooker on low overnight, or 8-12 hours. Cool, then discard fat and shred the meat. If I'm feeling very motivated, I might sear the pork on all sides in a Dutch oven before slow cooking, but this involves and extra cleaning step, so it isn't a necessity.

Ketchup

2010-09-20T06:04:00.000-07:00

I realized after making ketchup that we don't really use much ketchup. I guess maybe that's a good thing, since it takes an awful lot of tomatoes to make the same amount of ketchup you could buy at the store for $1.99.

The Washington Post Food section had an article about making ketchup a few weeks ago (perfect timing). Ketchup is an easy thing to make if you like to cook and have more tomatoes than you know what to do with. It is not worth the trouble if you have to buy the tomatoes. I made two batches - the first one yielded 2 pints of ketchup, plus about a 1/4 cup. The second yielded 3 pints, plus 2 1/2 cups. (The 2 cups went into my barbecue pork) I used about 30 pounds of tomatoes.

Here's the original recipe

Here's my version: the ingredients are mostly the same, but the method is a little different.

Tomato Ketchup

I used half San Marzano tomatoes and half random regular tomatoes for the first batch, then all random tomatoes for the second batch. Romas and San Marzanos have a lot less juice, so you'll get a better yield, but regular tomatoes will work - they'll just need to cook longer. You'll need a food mill and a food processor to get the right consistency.

5 lbs Roma or San Marzano tomatoes (or 6-7 lbs regular tomatoes)

6 black peppercorns

2 cloves

3 allspice berries

1/2 tsp celery seed

2 bay leaves

1 star anise

1 cinnamon stick

1 large onion, preferably a sweeter variety, but any will work

1 clove garlic

1 sweet pepper, fresh or roasted, chopped

1 1/2 T salt

1 tsp sweet paprika

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp mustard seed

1/2 c apple cider vinegar

6 T brown sugar

Trim stems and any bad spots from the tomatoes. Cut them in half and place in a large pot. (The pot should be big enough that the tomatoes only fill it halfway to prevent splattering.) Turn heat to medium high. Combine the peppercorns, cloves, allspice, celery seed, bay leaves, star anise, and cinnamon in a piece of cheesecloth and tie to make a bag. Add to the tomatoes along with the pepper, salt, paprikas, and mustard. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 30- 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat. Fit a food mill with a fine disc. Remove the spice bag from the pot, then process the tomato mixture through the food mill. Clean the pot, return the tomato mixture to the clean pot, and place over medium heat.

Add the vinegar and brown sugar and cook 30 minutes-1 hour until mixture is thick. Then taste it! Add salt or sugar if needed. It may seem a little grainy - that's why you need a food processor. If you're not sure about the thickness, put a little spoonful on a cold plate and put in the fridge for a few minutes. If you can run your finger through it and leave a trail, its thick enough. Cool slightly, then process in a food processor until smooth.

At this point you can reheat the ketchup in a clean pan to boiling, then fill pint-size canning jars and process in a water bath for 10 minutes. Or, fill clean jars or squeeze bottles and store in the fridge up to a month.

S’mores 2.0

2010-09-17T15:24:00.000-07:00

Remember the chocolate covered grahams? They were amazing. My marshmallow making experiment - not so successful. I ended up with a pan of marshmallow creme, which really wasn't so bad. I made Rice Krispy treats with some, and Granola Krispies with some more, and then I made the best s'mores ever.

I've never been a huge fan of s'mores. I like the idea. I like the chocolate, and the toasted marshmallows, and the crackers...but they're a little clunky if you ask me. I'm not one to complain about chocolate, but it seems like such a thick slab of it when you're making a sandwich, and one marshmallow is never enough, but two don't seem quite to fit without oozing out one on side and leaving the other without.

So here's my solution: homemade chocolate covered grahams with just enough soft and melty chocolate ganache in a nice thick layer that won't go sliding anywhere and homemade marshmallow creme that you can scoop out in just the right amount.

Even better would be homemade marshmallows that actually set up properly, which you then cut into a size just right for the s'mores, and toasted over your backyard campfire.

...but we can't have perfection at every turn. These will have to do.

Pot Stickers

2010-09-12T15:41:00.000-07:00

I love potstickers. They're a pain to make, but so worth it. The whole house smells like a really good Asian restaurant, and I always eat way more than I should.

I don't have a recipe, but they're easy - take a pound of ground pork, mix it with some scallions, garlic, ginger, finely chopped broccoli, carrot, cabbage - whatever you want, just make all the bits small. Stir in some soy sauce, chili-garlic sauce, oyster sauce, maybe some rice wine, plus a little sugar, maybe 1 tsp.

Search desperately for round wonton wrappers. When you can only find square ones, use a round biscuit cutter to approximate a circle.

Watch this video to learn how to fill the potstickers and make that fancy fold around the edges. Don't fill yours as full as the ones in the video until you get the hang of it. Keep the unused wrappers and the finished dumplings covered with a damp towel.

Heat a few tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large, flat bottomed skillet until shimmering. Add the potstickers and cook until golden brown. Add water or chicken stock to come halfway up the dumplings. Cover and lower the heat, simmering for 10 minutes. Remove the lid, turn the heat up, and cook until the liquid evaporates. Remove potstickers and add oil for another batch if needed.

Serve with dipping sauce. Experiment. There are lots of recipes out there. I like a thinner sauce. Okay, here's one: mix together 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon chili-garlic sauce, 1 tablespoon grated ginger, and 1 thinly sliced scallion top.

Chocolate Covered Grahams

2010-09-05T15:24:00.000-07:00

I never considered making graham crackers until I saw this recipe. As far as I'm concerned, graham crackers are to make crust for cheesecake, and not really worth much thought on their own. But they're really easy, and really good, and when you happen to have leftover chocolate ganache in the fridge to spread on top, they are divine.

I followed the recipe just as written, except I didn't sift the dry ingredients, since I save that for special occasions. I do not have a fancy fluted pastry wheel, but used my pizza cutter to make squares and a fluted heart cookie cutter for the rest. If you cut out squares then put them on the baking sheet right next to each other, they'll bake together and make a perforation you can break apart just like the packaged grahams.

If you don't happen to keep chocolate ganache handy, here's how to make some: In a double boiler, melt 8 ounces chopped semisweet chocolate and 2 tablespoons corn syrup. Remove from heat and whisk in 1/2 cup half and half, beating until smooth. Cool to room temperature and spread on cooled crackers. Leftovers will keep in the fridge - bring to room temperature before using.

If you want to make these outrageously fancy, sprinkle some sea salt on top. I love Malden sea salt. The salt crystals are flaked, and a few grains will transform a meal. My husband and I love it on top eggs, or sprinkled on buttered bread. You can order it from Amazon - don't use it to cook with, since it dissolved just like regular salt. I keep a jar on the stove for easy sprinkling.

Philadelphia in July

2010-08-20T11:40:00.000-07:00

[gallery columns="2"]

Shawn, Bella, and I visited Philly a few weeks ago. We had a great time, especially at the Reading Terminal Market. Everything was so fresh, and very affordable. I also found my newest favorite product - Charlie's Soap. One tablespoon cleans a large load of laundry, no fragrances, phosphates, conditioners, etc. I was skeptical, but it really works.

We had an amazing view of the city from our hotel room on the 22nd floor, and Bella spent most of her time in the room standing on the window ledge looking out. She also ran all the way up the step of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and impressed the hell out of a cabbie when she hailed his cab.

Miscellany

2010-08-18T11:32:00.000-07:00

I guess I took the summer off...

Anyway, here's a selection of foods I've made, not much new, just some old favorites.

Zucchini "Crab" Cakes ~ shredded zucchini, a little mayo, dry mustard, lemon juice, an egg, breadcrumbs and Old Bay. These taste remarkably like crab cakes. I topped them with Japanese white sauce, recipe here.

I like to use just enough mayo to hold everything together - form it into a ball, roll and bread crumbs, flatten, and fry in a just a little olive oil.

Blueberry Pie - Happy Birthday Dad!

I love this recipe for Sloppy Joes from Simply Recipes. I made these with ground turkey and added some chopped zucchini - the kids tried to complain, but they just tasted too good.

Blueberry Butter ~ words cannot describe but I'll try - just sweet enough, a hint of tart, but no bitterness, cinnamon & spice, and smooth as silk.

Next year Shawn's coming with me to pick the blueberries!

New (cuter) Dirty Dozen Cheat Sheet

2010-06-01T05:30:00.000-07:00

This is a fun update to the EWG Dirty Dozen Guide. Click the link below for a printable version, and keep it with your grocery list. Its a great way to get kids involved too.

Dirty Dozen Cheat Sheet Printable

Retro Food Rules Back in Vogue

2010-05-28T05:22:00.000-07:00

From Food and Think, and interesting blog from the Smithsonian. It turns out these aren't new ideas at all, we just need to rediscover them.

Scroll to the bottom of the linked post for a link to a gallery of food posters from WWI and WWII.

Pineapple-Soy Glazed Shrimp & Broccoli

2010-05-01T02:22:00.000-07:00

1 c pineapple juice

1/4 c soy sauce

1 tsp fresh ginger, minced

1/4 crushed red pepper

1 large clove garlic, minced

1/4 c brown sugar

2 T cornstarch

olive oil

1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined

3-4 c broccoli florets

Mix pineapple juice through cornstarch in a small saucepan and whisk together. Heat over medium-high heat until it begins to boil. Reduce heat to medium how, and, whisking frequently, cook 8-10 minutes until thickened and reduced. Turn off heat and keep warm.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add broccoli and 2-3 T water and cook until broccoli is bright green and water evaporated, 4-5 minutes. Transfer broccoli to a large bowl. Add additional olive oil and shrimp. Cook until shrimp is just barely opaque throughout, turning once, about 1 minute on each side. (Cook shrimp and broccoli in batches if necessary so they don't crowd the pan). Return broccoli to the pan and add pineapple glaze. Stir to coat and cook 1-2 minutes. Serve over rice.

Mini Cheddar Biscuits - Gluten Free!

2010-04-24T12:01:00.000-07:00

I admit, when I began testing recipes for my Go Gluten Free cooking class, I expected to find some good ones, but nothing to replace wheat flour. I don't know why - there's nothing inherently special about wheat - it just happens to have become the norm. I thought biscuits would be a big challenge, but I honestly wouldn't have known these were gluten free had I not made them myself. They have a slightly chewier texture than wheat biscuits, but not enough to notice unless you were comparing the two. I based the recipe on another from Bob's Red Mill website. The original recipe calls for pressing the dough flat and cutting into rounds, but after mixing the dough, I decided to do a drop biscuit instead since it was so moist. My favorite drop biscuits have cheddar cheese, so it wasn't too much of a stretch to add some to the gluten free version. You can leave it out if you don't eat cheese or dairy. Some fresh thyme thrown in wouldn't hurt either.

Mini Gluten Free Cheddar Biscuits

1/2 c sorghum flour

1/4 c potato starch

1/4 c tapioca flour

1 tsp sugar

1 T baking powder

1/2 tsp xanthan gum

1/ tsp salt

1/4 c butter

1/2 c buttermilk

1/3 c shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 450°. Stir together dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles small peas. Add buttermilk and cheese, and stir gently until buttermilk is incorporated and dough thickens.

Drop 12 spoonfuls onto a non-stick baking sheet. Bake 9-10 minutes until beginning to brown on top. Serve warm.

Rice Flour Muffins - Gluten Free!

2010-04-18T09:48:00.000-07:00

Another gluten free test recipe, another success! This recipe is based on one I found on the Bob's Red Mill website. I've always been happy with their products, and there are lots of recipes - gluten free and otherwise - on the site. My favorite muffin recipe uses yogurt, so I decided to try it in the gluten free recipe, and was really happy with the result. The texture is a little different from a wheat-based muffin - not quite as fluffy, a little moister, and very light.

I used honey almond Greek yogurt in my muffins, but you can choose any flavor. Use lemon yogurt, omit the cinnamon, and add 1/2 c blueberries for blueberry muffins. Next time I think I'll make a gluten free streusel with white rice flour, turbinado sugar, and butter to sprinkle on top.

Rice Flour Muffins

1 c white rice flour

1 tsp GF baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp xantham gum

3 T sugar

1 egg

6 oz GF yogurt (2/3 c)

1/4 c unsweetened applesauce

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350°. Butter or line 6 muffin cups.

In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients. In a small bowl, beat the wet ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just combined. Divide batter among muffin cups and bake 16-18 minutes, until tops are beginning to brown.

Socca - Gluten Free!

2010-04-14T13:29:00.000-07:00

Well, my blog has lived up to its name.

Its been a dry spell for new, blog-worthy recipes - I've been busy and fallen back on old favorites a lot, and nothing new has been good enough to write about. Until tonight! In addition to being quick and easy, this recipe is also gluten free. I'll be teaching Go Gluten Free at the Middletown Cooking Studio at the end of the month. If you're interested in more gluten free recipes click here to sign up.

One thing that attracted me to this recipe was the short list of ingredients. Often gluten free recipes call for several different types of flour, most of which are expensive and only found at specialty stores. This one uses only chickpea flour. It has a kind of sweet flavor, and not too bean-y. Its a kind of cross between a crepe and pizza. I topped mine with some applewurst I needed to use up, hoping to fool the kids into thinking it a kind of pizza. They were wary at first - the flecks of green might have been spinach, and anything new is automatically suspect. But after tasting, they all declared it good - maybe not as good as pizza, but certainly edible.

I did not add shallots to my batch of socca - that would have ensured a revolt by the children - but I will next time. You could also leave out the rosemary, or substitute fresh thyme or oregano.

Socca (Chickpea Crepes)

1 c chickpea flour

1 c water

2 T olive oil

1/2 T chopped fresh rosemary

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 c shallot, thinly sliced

olive oil

toppings: cheese, sundried tomato, roasted garlic, roasted pepper, cooked sausage, etc.

Mix together chickpea flour, water, 1 T olive oil, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Let stand covered 3o minutes at room temperature.

Preheat oven to low broil. Brush a 9 1/2" skillet with olive oil and heat over medium low heat until hot.

Pour 1/2 the batter quickly into the center of the pan. Don't swirl it! The batter will spread out to a uniform thickness. Cook until crispy and browned on the underside, dry and set on the top. Slide onto a baking sheet, and repeat with remaining batter.

Drizzle socca with olive oil, and top as desired. Broil 6-8 minutes until toppings are hot and cheese is melted.

A Collection of Cakes

2010-04-05T05:53:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, I haven't posted anything in too long. I just haven't made anything good enough. I can't see the point of going to all the trouble to take pictures, type recipes, and write a little something about them if I don't like them enough to ever make the dish again. I have a few things in the works, but until then, I've created a collection of cakes I've made over the years. You can click on each image to make it bigger.[gallery]

Video - Best Blueberry Muffins

2010-03-10T14:37:00.000-08:00

Click here to view a video of me making Blueberry Muffins at the Middletown Cooking Studio. The Spring brochure is out for Frederick County Parks and Recreation, so don't forget to sign up for a cooking class! I'll be teaching:

Cake Basics, a 2-week program featuring everyday and special occasion recipes and decorating tips

Stir Fry Workshop, a one day workshop demonstrating techniques and recipes from a variety of cuisines

Mommy & Me, a one day workshop for Moms and kids to learn how to make meals fun with kids

Daddy & Me, a one day workshop for Dads and kids to learn how to make meals fun with kids

Everyday Organics, a one day workshop featuring recipes as well as shopping and budget tips to go organic

Go Gluten Free, a 2-week program featuring gluten-free recipes for every meal as well as shopping tips

Kitchen Basics for Teens, a 4-week program teaching basic cooking techniques everyone should master

Coconut Crème Brûlée

2010-02-26T08:07:00.000-08:00

This month's issue of Bon Appetit has several recipes I plan on making. I had a dozen egg yolks left over from making angel food cake for my grandmother's birthday, so I started with Coconut Crème Brûlée. Velvety and smooth, and just enough coconut flavor. I think next time I'll skip the brûlée and just call it custard. I don't have a fancy-schmancy kitchen torch, and the broiler just doesn't melt the sugar the same. I did use Demerara sugar on top, so even though it didn't completely melt, it did make a nice crisp layer on top.

I use unsweetened coconut in my recipe. I accidentally picked it up instead of sweetened, and the dish was just sweet enough. Sweetened coconut would have sent it over the edge. I also left out the rum, and added in a teaspoon of vanilla. The strained coconut is too good to throw out - eat it plain or stir it into some yogurt. If you don't use rum, its also kid-friendly.

Coconut Crème Brûlée

1 cup unsweetened flaked coconut, divided

3/4 cup plus 8 teaspoons sugar

7 large egg yolks

1 3/4 cups heavy whipping cream

1 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk - low fat is ok

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread 1/2 cup flaked coconut on rimmed baking sheet. Bake until light golden, stirring once, 8-10 minutes.

Whisk 3/4 cup sugar and egg yolks in medium bowl to blend. Mix cream, coconut milk, toasted coconut, and remaining 1/2 cup unsweetened flaked coconut in heavy large saucepan. Bring just to simmer over medium-high heat, whisking occasionally. Gradually whisk hot cream mixture into yolk mixture. Stir in vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Strain custard through fine strainer into medium pitcher, pressing on solids. Divide among eight 2/3- to 3/4-cup ramekins or custard cups.

Place ramekins in large roasting pan. Fill pan with enough hot water to come halfway up sides of ramekins. Bake custards until edges are set but centers move slightly when dishes are gently shaken, 45 to 50 minutes. Remove custards from water. Chill custards uncovered until cold, then cover and chill overnight.

Sprinkle 1 teaspoon sugar over each custard. Using kitchen torch, heat sugar until melted and deep amber. (Or, preheat broiler on low. Place ramekins on rimmed baking sheet and broil until sugar melts and turns deep amber, 1 to 2 minutes - watch carefully!) Chill until sugar hardens, about 15 minutes.

Lamb Stew

2010-02-21T12:03:00.000-08:00

This is one of Shawn's favorite meals - and he's not even much of a stew person. It is rich and flavorful, but comes together in just over an hour. You could make this with beef, but the Mediterranean spices pair really well with the lamb. If you can't find cubes, buy a shoulder and cut it up. I almost skipped making the mashed potatoes, but they're just the perfect accompaniment. I made mine in the food processor for the first time. Very smooth, but still a little heavy - I really need to invest in an old-fashioned food mill.

Lamb Stew

1 T olive oil

1 T flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp cumin

1 1 /2 lbs lamb, cubed

1 medium onion, diced

2 large carrots, thickly sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

6-8 mushrooms, quartered

1/4 c red wine

8 oz diced tomatoes

1 c low-sodium beef broth

1/2 c frozen peas

salt & pepper

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high. Mix 1/2 tsp each cinnamon, ginger, and cumin with the flour. Add lamb cubes and toss to coat. Brown lamb in oil, then remove from pot. Add onion and carrot and saute 6-7 minutes until softened and beginning to brown. Add mushrooms and garlic. Cook another 6-8 minutes until mushrooms begin to brown. Add wine to deglaze. Add tomatoes, remaining 1/2 tsp cinnamon, ginger, and cumin, and saute one minute. Add broth and return lamb to pot. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 1 hour.* Remove from heat and stir in peas. Serve over mashed potatoes.

* If you like a thick stew, leave the pot uncovered. If you prefer a thinner sauce, cover for the first 45 minutes.

Doughnuts a.k.a. Kinklings

2010-02-14T13:21:00.000-08:00

I'm not much for Valentine's Day, so just so we're clear: these are not Valentine's Day doughnuts, they're just doughnuts I happened to make on Valentine's Day.

My grandmother makes doughnuts every year on Fat Tuesday. I routinely eat a dozen. Luckily, Fat Tuesday is only once a year, and they're too much trouble for me to make very often. They're really not that much trouble - it just takes some time to fry them. I made the dough last night and let it rise in the refrigerator. I made some with cinnamon sugar this time, but nothing beats plain powdered sugar as far as I'm concerned.

They're only good the day you make them, and this recipe makes a lot, so invite your friends. I don't know many people that won't make a special trip for fresh homemade doughnuts.

Grandma's Yeast Doughnuts

Add 2 packages yeast to 1/2 c warm water and let sit for 5 minutes.

Mix together 2 c lukewarm milk, 1/2 c sugar, and 2 tsp salt. Stir in yeast mixture.

Add 2 eggs, slightly beaten, 1/2 c vegetable oil, and 7-8 c flour. Knead until dough is smooth and elastic. If using an electric mixer, divide the dough in half and knead half at a time. Put dough in a large, oiled bowl, and cover with a towel. Let rise in a warm place until double, 1-2 hours. Or, cover with plastic wrap and let rise overnight in the refrigerator.

Divide dough into 4 pieces. Roll out one piece at a time to about 1/4" thick. Cut out doughnuts using a sharp cookie cutter. Lay on a sheet pan, cover with a towel, and let rise again, about 30 minutes.

*I use a pastry tip for the centers. Roll out all four pieces of dough, then combine the scraps and roll one more time. Use the remaining scraps for test dough and pesky family members.

Heat 3-4" of vegetable oil in a large dutch oven to about 350°. You may need to adjust the temperature as you're frying. Test the oil with a scrap of dough. The oil should sizzle gently when you add the dough, and the dough should float quickly to the surface. Add 3-4 doughnuts at a time - don't crowd the pan. Cook 30 seconds-1 minutes until lightly browned. Flip, cook other side, and drain on paper towels.

*The doughnuts go from golden to nearly burnt very quickly. Turn down the temperature if they brown too quickly, and don't add more than you can quickly remove. I use a 2 pronged meat serving fork to flip and remove.

Add 1 c powdered sugar, or 1 c superfine sugar and 2 T cinnamon to a large paper bag. When the doughnuts are cool enough to handle, add several at a time to the bag and shake to coat. Remove and lay on clean paper towels. Lay another paper towel over the doughnuts - don't cover them tightly or with plastic.

Winter Wonderland

2010-02-10T14:13:00.000-08:00

We got out today just to experience this historic blizzard. Snow was waist deep at 3:00pm, and still hasn't stopped at 9:00! There was a good 4-5" on the road. Luckily we'd shoveled paths this weekend, and they were fairly easy to excavate, but lots more shoveling tomorrow.[gallery]

Ricotta Pancakes

2010-02-08T10:55:00.000-08:00

I don't often get excited about breakfast. If we have eggs on a weekday, you can bet we're out of milk. I do usually cook breakfast either Saturday or Sunday, but more to get the family together at the table than because I love breakfast so much. Give me coffee and the paper, and I'm set.

I had a gigantic tub of ricotta in the fridge (see Butternut Squash Lasagna and Spinach & Ricotta Gnocchi), and some blueberries in the freezer, and so I went on an Internet quest to find a recipe. Most I found called for whipped egg whites, and I'm sure they make a beautiful, fluffy, light-as-air pancake, but whipping egg whites in the morning, on a weekend, requires way too much in the way of dishes and effort for people who are just barely awake. So the quest continued until I found a recipe that did not require more than one bowl, or electrical equipment, and we were quite pleased with the results. The blueberries (or any fruit, really) are a great complement to the pancakes, but certainly not necessary. In fact, if we hadn't been out of maple syrup, there would be no blueberries.

Ricotta Pancakes w Blueberry Compote

2 c fresh or frozen blueberries

1 T lemon juice

1/4 c sugar

2 T cornstarch

1/2 c whole wheat flour

1/4 c + 2 T flour

1 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp nutmeg

3/4 c ricotta cheese

1 egg

1 egg white

1/2 c buttermilk

In a small saucepan, mix the blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Heat over medium-low heat until boiling. Boil one minute until sauce is thickened and berries burst, then reduce heat to low and keep warm until pancakes are finished.

Meanwhile, mix flours, sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and nutmeg. In a separate bowl, whip together egg and egg white, ricotta, and buttermilk. Add the liquid ingredients all at once to the dry ingredients and stir until just mixed.

Heat a griddle or saute pan over medium heat. Brush or spray with vegetable oil. Pour 1/4 c batter for each pancake, and cook until bubbles form all over the surface. Flip and cook other side. Serve with blueberry compote.

Spinach & Ricotta Gnocchi

2010-02-03T07:56:00.000-08:00

I don't advise making gigantic gnocchi like the ones I made.

I've never tried gnocchi because they always seemed doomed to failure - sodden little lumps of dough, neither airy or flavorful. This recipe captured me with its simplicity - not too much effort just in case it was awful. These may not be the most authentic or perfect gnocchi, but they are certainly good enough for a family meal. The kids didn't even complain about the spinach! Use the other half of the frozen spinach package to make curried lentils.

The base is white bread, and I used a potato bread just because that's what I had, but use any good quality white bread. I formed mine individually, but you could also roll the dough into a rope and cut it into about 1" pieces, like traditional recipes. I topped mine with tomato sauce I canned this summer - the fresh tomato and basil scent when I opened the jar was amazing! I hope the tomatoes do better this summer because 4 quarts was just not enough sauce to get through the winter. A garlic butter sauce, maybe with a little sage, would also be good.

Spinach & Ricotta Gnocchi

4 slices white bread, crust removed

1/2 c milk

1/2 package frozen spinach, thawed

8 oz ricotta cheese

2 eggs

2 oz Parmesan cheese, grated

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 c flour

Tear the bread into pieces, and soak in milk for about 10 minutes. Add spinach, then squeeze excess liquid from mixture.

In another bowl, lightly beat eggs, ricotta, salt, and Parmesan together. Add bread mixture and flour and stir with a fork to mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

With floured hands, roll heaping teaspoons of dough into dumplings. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Reduce heat so the water just barely boils, and adjust as necessary while the gnocchi cook. Add the gnocchi in batches, cooking for about 2 minutes, or until they rise to the surface. Carefully lift the gnocchi out with a slotted spoon and transfer to a warmed serving plate. Repeat until all gnocchi are cooked.

To freeze: Remove cooked gnocchi with a slotted spoon and place on a baking sheet lined with Silpat or waxed paper. Make sure the gnocchi are not touching. Cool slightly, then place in the freezer until frozen solid. Remove from the baking sheet and pack loosely into Ziploc freezer bags.

To cook: Heat a large pot of water to boiling. Drop in batches of frozen gnocchi for 45-60 seconds until heated through.

Curried Lentils

2010-01-30T01:27:00.000-08:00

I haven't made very many lentil dishes I really liked, but this one was a winner. Its a quick, healthy, and inexpensive side dish.

This recipe has absolutely no relation to curry powder, which I can't stand. Instead, it uses curry paste, which is the base for stir-fried coconut curry dishes. I used homemade red curry paste, and put in about a tablespoon. I've heard that commercial curry paste is really spicy, so if you use store-bought paste, start with a teaspoon and add more to taste. Mine turned out very flavorful but not spicy which was perfect for the kids. Make sure to cook the lentils until they're soft and creamy - any variety will work, but I used regular green lentils.

I made these twice - once with yogurt and once with coconut cream. I liked the coconut version better, but both were good, and coconut seems to be love it or hate it kind of food. If using coconut cream, get a can of coconut milk, don't shake it, and when you remove the top, there should be a thick layer of coconut cream. Scoop off what you need, then stir the rest into the coconut milk and refrigerate.

Curried Lentils

1 T vegetable oil

1/2 medium onion, chopped

2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped

2 large cloves garlic, minced

1 c lentils, rinsed

2 - 2 1/2 c low sodium chicken or vegetable stock

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp red curry paste (more to taste)

4 T plain yogurt or coconut cream

Heat oil in a saucepot over medium heat. Add onion and carrot and saute until translucent, 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and curry paste and saute 30 seconds. Add lentils, stir to coat with oil, then add 2 c stock and salt.

Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer, cover, and simmer 25-30 minutes until liquid is absorbed and lentils are cooked. Add additional chicken stock if needed.

Stir in yogurt or coconut cream.

Cooking Classes Featured in News-Post

2010-01-27T09:15:00.000-08:00

Frederick County Parks & Rec Cooking Classes are featured in the Food section of today's Frederick News-Post! Author Susan Guynn and photographer Travis Pratt joined us last week for Couples Cuisine, featuring avocados. Visit the Parks & Rec website for more information and class registration. Winter classes are available now - I'll let you know when Spring registration begins.

Indian Summer Chili

2010-01-25T01:27:00.000-08:00

This is the best chili ever, and easy too. Its based on this Rachael Ray recipe, but I've added beans, and I cook it a bit longer - I think it develops the flavors. I used a combination of black and kidney beans in this batch. Chickpeas might be good too. It is great for a crowd, but make a double batch - it goes quickly!

Indian Summer Turkey Chili

1 lb ground turkey

4 T dark chili powder

2 T grill seasoning blend

1 T cumin

2 T Worcestershire sauce

1 to 3 T hot sauce

1 large onion, diced

2 large bell peppers, chopped

1/2 bottle beer, about 1 cup

1 (14-ounce) can tomato sauce

1/2 c barbecue sauce

2 c corn kernels

1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Heat a pot over medium to medium high heat and brown the turkey. Drain the fat.

Add the chili powder, grill seasoning, cumin, Worcestershire, hot sauce, ¾ of the onion, (reserving the rest for topping the chili) and chopped bell peppers. Cook 10-15 minutes until peppers and onions are softened.

Add beer and bring to a boil. Stir in the tomato sauce and barbecue sauce. Return to a boil, lower heat, and simmer 20-30 minutes. Add corn and beans, simmer 15 minutes more until heated through.

Serve with chopped onion, cheese, sour cream, chopped cilantro, or your favorite chili topping!

Butternut Squash Lasagna

2010-01-22T00:58:00.000-08:00

This was a surprise hit with the family. Kids are never too keen on trying anything new, and I thought the husband would complain about the lack of meat, but I was pleasantly surprise. The basil is the key ingredient, so don't skimp or substitute! I was inspired by this recipe from the Food Network, but I decided to roast the squash instead, and add ricotta. I meant to add a few tablespoons of brown sugar to the squash in place of the cookies, but I forgot and I'm glad I did. I don't know whether the squash was sweet because it caramelized while roasting, or if that particular squash was sweet to begin with, but there was not a hint of bitterness and no need for added sugar. In fact, I'll probably add a little cayenne with the salt and pepper before roasting next time - I like things spicy anyway. I also added ricotta to the squash - more cheese never hurt anything. The lasagna was very rich - perfect for a cold winter day, but you could leave out the ricotta if you wanted a lighter dish.

Butternut Squash Lasagna

1 (1 1/2 to 2-pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 T olive oil

1/4 c ricotta cheese

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

3 1/2 cups whole milk

Pinch nutmeg

3/4 cup (lightly packed) fresh basil leaves

12 no-boil lasagna noodles

2 1/2 cups shredded whole-milk mozzarella cheese

1/3 cup grated Parmesan

Heat oven to 400°. Toss squash with oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Transfer to a baking sheet and roast in the oven 25-35 minutes until soft and beginning to brown. Remove and cool slightly. Lower oven to 375°.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Whisk in flour and cook 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer 5 minutes until thickened, whisking frequently. Stir in nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and cool slightly.

Add the basil to the workbowl of a food processor and pulse 2-3 times. Add half of the slightly cooled sauce through the feed tube with the motor running until well blended. Scrape the processor bowl well and return to the pot. (You can also use a blender for this step.)

Add the slightly cooled squash and ricotta to the processor bowl and puree.

Butter a 9x12" baking dish. Spread 3/4 c sauce over bottom of pan. Lay 3 lasagna noodles in the bottom without touching. Spread 1/3 of pumpkin puree over noodles, then sprinkle 1/2 c mozzarella over top. Repeat 3 times, ending with a layer of pasta and remaining mozzarella and sauce on top. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Cover tightly with foil* and bake 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake 10-15 minutes more, until cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove from oven and let sit 15 minutes.

*The lasagna can be frozen at this point. Thaw completely in refrigerator, then bake 50-60 minutes covered, 10-15 minutes uncovered.

Pumpkin Walnut Muffins

2010-01-17T11:58:00.000-08:00

I was really surprised when I bit into these muffins - they have a wonderful nutty, gingerbread-y flavor. They're quite sweet - better for dessert than breakfast, but I think you could cut the sugar by up to half without a problem. I used frozen pumpkin that I grew in the garden this summer. If you have any leftover, store them loosely covered - they're so moist they get soggy if sealed tightly.

Pumpkin Walnut Muffins

Streusel Topping:

1/3 c flour

1/4 c sugar

1/4 c packed brown sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon

pinch allspice

pinch salt

2 T butter, diced

1/4 c walnuts, toasted and chopped

Muffins

1 c sugar

3/4 c whole wheat flour

1/2 c toasted ground walnuts

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp ground ginger

1/8 tsp allspice

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 c pumpkin puree

2 eggs

1/4 c butter, melted and cooled

1/4 c unsweetened applesauce

For streusel: whisk together flour, sugar, cinnamon, allspice, and salt. Cut in butter with a pastry blender under mixture resembles small crumbs. Stir in chopped walnuts.

For muffins: Heat oven to 350°. Line or grease 12 muffin cups.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, ground walnuts, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, baking soda, and salt.

In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, eggs, butter, and applesauce. Add flour mixture all at once and stir just until moistened. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full. Sprinkle about 1 T streusel over each muffin. Bake 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Cool in pan 10 minutes.

*Toast walnuts in 350° oven on a baking sheet in a single layer 5-10 minutes. Stir once or twice while baking, then cool and chop.

Coconut Chicken Chili

2010-01-15T13:16:00.000-08:00

I've never been a big fan of chicken chili, but this recipe is great! The coconut is different and a little sweet, but doesn't overpower the chili. You could serve it over rice, and top it with fresh basil, sliced jalapenos, or chopped peanuts. It think its better without cheese, but you could add that too. This recipe is kid-friendly (not too spicy) but feel free to kick it up with more chili powder, crushed red pepper, or hot sauce.

Coconut Chicken Chili

2 T olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

1 lb boneless skinless chicken, cut into bite-size pieces

3 tsp chili powder, divided

1 1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

2 T garlic, minced

1 T flour

14 oz. can unsweetened coconut milk

1 c chicken stock

1 T peanut butter

1 can white beans, drained and rinsed

9 oz fresh or frozen corn, about 1 1 /2 c

1 bunch green onion, sliced

Heat oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add onion and saute until softened and beginning to brown. Add chicken, 2 tsp chili powder, ginger, garlic and crushed red pepper. Saute until chicken is no longer pink. Stir in flour and cook 1 minute more. Add coconut milk, chicken stock, and peanut butter. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes.

Stir in beans, corn, and remaining 1 tsp chili powder and simmer at least 15 minutes, up to one hour. Stir in green onions and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve over rice, and top with chopped fresh basil, jalapenos, shredded cheese, or chopped peanuts.

Baklava

2010-01-12T12:20:00.000-08:00

I would have posted this before Christmas, but I had a hard time figuring out how to save the diagram as an image so I could upload it!

Baklava is always a big hit. It isn't hard, but it is time consuming. I make mine with walnuts only, though I've seen recipes with all kinds of nuts. It is best if made several days in advance - even a week is fine. It will stay fresh quite a while if stored properly - cover loosely with wax or parchment paper, and store in a cool place (not the fridge though - too much humidity). Be generous with the butter - if you're going to the trouble of making it, don't skimp on the good stuff!

Baklava

1 lb walnuts

1/2 c sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

1 package filo dough, thawed

2-3 sticks unsalted butter

1 c sugar

1 c water

1 c honey

1 T lemon juice

1/2 tsp vanilla

Heat oven to 300°. Combine walnuts, sugar, and cinnamon in a food processor. Pulse 3-4 times until walnuts are coarsely chopped. Melt butter - you'll need to keep it melted while you work, so its convenient to work near the stove.

Lay out filo dough and cover with a dish towel. Brush a 9 X 13 pan with butter. Layer 6 sheets of filo on the pan, buttering each layer generously. Spread 1 c walnut mixture over filo. Layer 4 more sheets of dough, buttering each one. Brush the layer on top the walnuts gently so it doesn't tear. Repeat with remaining filo and walnut mixture. Use all the filo you have left on the top. Cut halfway through baklava in a diamond pattern before baking - see illustration. Bake 1 hour or until golden brown.

* Note the cuts are not corner to corner.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, mix sugar, water, honey, lemon juice, and vanilla. Bring to a boil - watch carefully - it will boil over quickly and messily! Remove from heat and cool. Pour cooled sauce over hot baklava. Let sit 24 hours. Cut completely through baklava.

Chicken Walnut Filo Rolls

2010-01-08T12:13:00.000-08:00

Pretty much anything is good in filo dough - I suspect its the butter. Filo is actually really easy to work with, though a little time-consuming. Its pretty forgiving - if you tear a sheet, brush it with butter and paste it to another sheet.

These have a great Moroccan flavor, and can be made in triangles to serve as a canape, or in rolls that can be sliced and served with salad for dinner. Ground chicken would work really well, but finely diced chicken works just fine too - if its a little frozen it is easier to dice. Just like most recipes, if you don't have one of the ingredients, you can leave it out, or substitue something else. I think pine nuts might be even better than walnuts, and a little scallion never made anything worse.

Chicken Walnut Filo Rolls

1/2 c walnuts, toasted and chopped

1 1 /2 T oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped, about 1 c

1 lb boneless skinless chicken, finely diced or ground

1/4 c raisins

2 T olives, finely chopped

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

salt

1 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 c shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1/2 package Filo dough, thawed

1/2 c butter, melted

Heat oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add onion and saute until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add chicken, raisins, olives, red pepper, garlic, cumin, cinnamon, and salt to taste. Cook, stirring frequently, until chicken is cooked through. Remove from heat, cool, then stir in walnuts and cheese.

Line a baking sheet with parchment or Silpat. Heat oven to 350°.

Open filo and cover with a towel to keep from drying out. Lay one sheet of filo on a flat, dry surface, and brush with butter. Layer 5 more sheets of filo, buttering each. Spread 1/3 chicken mixture in the center of the filo. Roll one long side over the filling, turn both short sides into the middle, and finish rolling up the long side. Brush with additional butter if needed to seal edges. Repeat with remaining filo and filling to make 3 logs. Brush tops and side of logs with butter.

Bake 20-30 minutes until golden brown. Cool 5-10 minutes, then slice and serve.

*To make triangles, unfold filo and cut into 6 strips lengthwise. Brush each strip wtih butter. Place 1/2 tsp filling in one corner of the strip, then fold as you would fold a flag. Brush with butter to seal, and bake 10-15 minutes.

Buckwheat Noodle Salad

2010-01-05T05:09:00.000-08:00

This is one of my favorite recipes to make with leftover pasta. I made two boxes the other night just so I had leftovers! You can find buckwheat noodles in the Asian section of the grocery, but I usually just use whole wheat spaghetti. The recipe calls for broccoli slaw, but the store was out, so I blanched a broccoli crown, and threw in some carrot shreds and grated fresh ginger. You could also add baby corn, red peppers, slivered almonds, shrimp - really anything you like. It keeps well for a day or two, but not much longer.

Buckwheat Noodle Salad

5 T soy sauce

4 T seasoned rice vinegar

1 T lemon juice

1 tsp sugar

1 T vegetable oil

8 oz buckwheat (soba) noodles, or whole wheat spaghetti

4 scallions, thinly sliced

2 c broccoli slaw

Cook noodles according to package directions, drain, and cool. Meanwhile, combine soy sauce through oil in a large bowl. Add scallions, broccoli slaw, and noodles. Toss gently, cover, and refrigerate.

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T10:36:00.000-08:00

Let in snow, let it snow, let it snow

2009-12-19T10:14:00.000-08:00

Is it gourmet playdough if you add glitter?

SOS! We ran out of milk! We have a few slices of bread, so hopefully we'll make it through - I've used up the flour to make playdough.

This is the best playdough - smooth, and not a bit sticky. It keeps for a long time too if you keep it well sealed. I made some a few months ago, and had a madeline moment while cooking it - the smell reminded me of being a kid and playing with playdough.

Last time I made a bunch of funky colors. but they blend really well, so I went with primary colors this time.

Playdough

2 c flour

2 c warm water

1 c salt

2 T vegetable oil

1 T cream of tartar

In a large saucepan, combine all the ingredients. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and comes together. If its too soft, keep cooking.

Remove from heat and cool until you can handle it. Knead until it is silky smooth. Divide dough into however many colors you want. Roll each piece into a ball, make an indentation in the center, and add a few drops of food coloring. Knead until the color is uniform. Add glitter if you want!

Keep covered tightly and it will last a long time.

Shrimp & Corn Turnovers

2009-12-14T10:13:00.000-08:00

I was stumped for dinner ideas the other night. I needed something quick, and was low on groceries. I had a pound of shrimp, a half-bag of frozen corn, one sheet of puff pastry, and a quarter jar of black bean & corn salsa, so I whipped up some shrimp & corn pastries which were really good. I mixed all the aforementioned ingredients with some cheddar cheese, rolled out the pastry to make 12 squares, filled, and baked them. I brushed the tops with egg wash and sprinkled half with chili powder before baking.

I had lots of extra filling - you really only need about a 1/3 pound shrimp - so I tossed in 3/4 c rice (all that was left!) and make shrimp, corn, and rice. Also really yummy - and, I cleaned out the cupboards!

A mild rant

2009-12-09T09:17:00.000-08:00

I watched Food, Inc. last night. No real new information, though I was surprised to learn about libel laws relating to food products. Whatever happened to free speech? I think I'll say I won't eat hamburger/corn syrup/Smithfield pork, etc if I damn well please. So sue me.

I though the movie was a little propaganda-y, what with the ominous music and hidden cameras, though I don't disagree with its conclusions.

After hearing about Monsanto's campaign to monopolize agriculture, I was heartened today to read about a victory for rice farmers over GM crops. Bayer CropScience was testing GM rice, and some of it made its way to neighboring farms, tainting crops and costing farmers millions of dollars in lost revenue (many countries don't want GM products - what's wrong with us?). I fear it will be cold day in hell before such as judgment is rendered against Monsanto.

I read an article in the Washington Post this week. The author tells us to quit "going green" - we're wasting our time. The only real change will happen if everyone is compelled - through legislation - to make significant changes. I'm not going to stop recycling, but I think the same concept applies to food. A minority can choose organic/sustainable/local foods, and make a small difference in individual diets. Or the government can end corn subsidies to agribusiness, and we can all eat better.

Shrimp & Scallion Pancakes

2009-12-08T09:57:00.000-08:00

I love Asian food. I had to make myself stop eating they were so good. I've been waiting for shrimp to go on sale to make this recipe, and I bought a pound. I had about a half cup of sauce left over, plus the other 1/2 lb pound of shrimp, so the next day I sauteed the shrimp wtih carrots, and the sauce with a little cornstarch to thicken in it, and served it over rice.

Shrimp & Scallion Pancakes

2 eggs

1 1 /2 c cold water

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp pepper

1 1/2 c flour

1/2 lb shrimp, peeled, deveined, and cut into 1/3" pieces

1 medium onion, sliced very thinly

8 green onions, white and pale green parts only, julienned

1 medium carrot, julienned

Sauce

1/2 low-sodium soy sauce

2 T water

2 T lemon juice

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Pancakes: Beat eggs in a medium bowl. Whisk in water, salt, cayenne, pepper, and flour. Add shrimp, onions, and carrots. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour.

Meanwhile, whisk all sauce ingredients together in a small bowl.

Heat 1 T vegetable oil in skillet on medium. (You'll need 1 c batter for a 10" skillet - adjust according to the size skillet you use. Use two skillets to cut cooking time in half.) Add batter, spreading quickly to edges of skillet. Cook until edges are set and bottom is golden brown, about 4 minutes. Flip and cook 4 minutes more. Increase heat to high and cook until bottom is deep brown, about one more minute for each side. Repeat with remaining batter, adding oil before each portion of batter.

Cut pancakes into wedges and serve with dipping sauce.

Feels Like Christmas

2009-12-05T15:18:00.000-08:00

Honey Thyme Carrots

2009-12-03T09:45:00.000-08:00

We spent a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend in Tennessee with my husband's family. It was great to have everyone together, and get to see baby Asa. While we were feasting on Thanksgiving dinner, though, something was feasting on my carrot tops back at home. I was a little disappointed, since the last batch I harvested was so good, and I didn't think the rest were ready yet. I had to dig them up the ground was so wet, and was happily surprised - I got 4 or 5 pounds of carrots! It turns out my last batch was all Nantes variety, and the Little Fingers were still in the ground. They really do look like little fingers - not tapered as much as other carrots, and most the length of a long finger. After much scrubbing, I sauteed them in olive oil with a little honey and thyme. Perfect. These are aptly named, since Shawn loved them. I thought I'd have some leftover for lunch the next day, but no such luck.

Honey Thyme Carrots

1 lb carrots (preferably fresh, and on the small side)

1 T olive oil

1 T butter

1 tsp thyme

1 T honey

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp salt

Cut the carrots in quarters lengthwise, then in 3-4" lengths.

Heat olive oil in a medium pan over medium-high heat. Saute carrots 10-12 minutes until soft and beginning to brown, adjusting heat if necessary. Add butter, thyme, honey, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat, and cook 5 minutes more.

Updates!

2009-11-25T04:38:00.000-08:00

You can now subscribe to the Intermittent Gourmet by email! Click on the link to the right (just below my new profile pic). You can choose to recieve new posts as they are released, or one email weekly with all new posts. Enjoy!

Brownie Thins

2009-11-15T09:30:00.000-08:00

I almost didn't post this recipe, because I wasn't that impressed at first. But the brownie thins grew on me, and they have a lot of potential. They're not very sweet, which actually worked out well because they lasted more than a day. They also stayed moist for several days. I topped mine with toasted walnuts, but pistachios (like the original recipe) would be good too. I think I'll make them with peppermint extract, topped with crushed candy canes for Christmas. The recipe I used had instructions for flattening the thins before baking, but I found the dough thin enough I didn't need this step. I used a teaspoonful of dough for each cookie. They're small, but rich.

Brownie Thins

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1/2 cup sugar

1 large egg

3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

1/4 cup finely chopped nuts

Heat to 350° and position rack in lowest third of oven. Butter 2 baking sheets, or line with Silpat.

Place butter and chocolate in medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on medium-high power until almost completely melted, about 1 minute. Whisk until smooth. Add sugar and egg; whisk until smooth, about 1 minute. Add flour, vanille, and salt, stir just to blend. Let batter stand 10 minutes.

Scoop rounded teaspoonfuls of batter onto prepared baking sheets (12 per sheet). The dough should spread out into a thin oval, but if it doesn't flatten gently with a flat-bottomed glass dipped in cold water. Sprinkle nuts over rounds. Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until slightly darker at edges and firm in center, about 7 minutes. Cool on sheet 2 minutes. Transfer cookies to rack; cool completely.

Carrots (and a stray onion)

2009-11-14T07:53:00.000-08:00

I planted two kinds, Chantenay and Little Finger. Don't know which is which, but they are both shorter varieties that did very well in my not very sandy or loose soil. The carrots were good, and a bit spicy. Not bitter, but not sweet either. They all went into a stir-fry, and I still have a bunch left in the garden.

Cooking Classes

2009-11-11T15:36:00.000-08:00

I will be teaching cooking classes for the Frederick County Parks and Recreation Department starting in January. My classes are:

10 Meals for $10

3 Meals in 3 Hours

Couples Cuisine

Dinner and a Movie

Registration starts November 30th, and each class is limited to 8 participants, so mark your calendar! I've been busy planning and testing recipes over the last few months, and I'm looking forward to good food and fun. The classes are held at the Cooking Studio in the Middletown Park. Click on the link above for more info.

Also check out the classes that chefs Carla Lemons and Buck Reed are teaching. I visited Chef Buck's Spanish Tapas class tonight, and the food was great - my favorite was the Chickpeas in Onions Sauce - look for a post soon if I can successfully recreate the recipe at home!

Eggnog Cookies

2009-11-08T13:21:00.000-08:00

These are still warm as I type this, at least the ones that are left. I have to admit when I first read the recipe I was a little skeptical - it sounded like something off the back of an eggnog carton. But, Shawn loves eggnog and cookies, so I figured even if they weren't great, it wouldn't be a total waste. They are great, and easy, and I've decided to add them to the Christmas cookie lineup.

A few notes on the recipe - I was out of nutmeg, and almost decided to hold off on making these until I got some, but figured they'd be just as good with cinnamon. And just as good with cinnamon means even better with cinnamon sugar! That's what I dusted the tops with - next time I think I'll use turbinado sugar and freshly grated nutmeg. I substituted allspice for the nutmeg in the batter, but just used 1/4 tsp so it didn't overpower the nutmeg in the eggnog.

The batter is soft and sticky, so next time I'll chill it for a few minutes, then roll the dough into balls and flatten it to make perfect circles. They really do take 20 minutes to bake, and make sure to leave them on the cookie sheet for a few minutes after taking them out of the oven - they're very soft.

These would also be good with cream cheese frosting.

Eggnog Cookies

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1 1/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup salted butter, softened

1/2 cup eggnog

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 large egg yolks

additional ground nutmeg & sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 300°. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper or Silpat (this is a “wet cookie dough” and the parchment paper or Silpat helps to keep the cookies from spreading out too much)

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and the 1/2 tsp of nutmeg. Set aside.

Using the paddle attachment on your mixer, cream the sugar and butter to form a grainy paste. Add eggnog, vanilla, and egg yolks and continue beating until smooth. Add the flour mixture and beat just until combined. Do not overmix! Chill 15-20 minutes.

Roll the dough into 1 1/2" balls and place on cookie sheet. Using a flat-bottomed glass, flatten the tops slightly. Dip the glass in cold water to keep the dough from sticking. Dust lightly with nutmeg and sugar.

Bake 22-25 minutes, rotating your cookie sheets halfway through, until the bottoms are golden brown. Cool 2-3 minutes on the cookie sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack.

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T01:31:00.000-07:00

Pear Butter

2009-10-28T05:09:00.000-07:00

I saw this recipe and knew I had to make it - I've had a bag of star anise in the cupboard for way too long, and you know how I feel about things sitting around without a recipe destiny.

It does take awhile, but it is very easy. I bought a big bag of Bosc seconds at the farmer's market and cooked it up on a rainy Sunday. My pears were not quite ripe, but I was impatient. They took longer to cook in the first step, but tasted just fine.

Make sure to taste the pear puree once its gone through the food mill! I found I needed far less sugar than the original recipe. I also skipped the lemon zest because I forgot to buy a lemon, but I'm sure it would be even better with it.

Pear Butter

4 to 5 lbs chopped pears, any variety. No need to peel or core, just remove any bruised sections. This is a great use for seconds!

1 star anise

2 Tbsp chopped fresh ginger

2 cups water

1 cup lemon juice

2-4 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon lemon zest

Combine the pears, star anise, ginger, water, and lemon juice in a large pot. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until pears are completely soft. This will take from 20 minutes to over an hour, depending on the variety and ripeness of your pears.

Remove the star anise. Process the pear mixture through a food mill into a large bowl. Measure the pear puree, and pour into a large, clean pot. Add 1/4 to 1/2 c sugar for each cup of pear puree. Add the cardamom, nutmeg, and lemon zest. Taste! Add additional sugar if needed, or, if its too sweet, a little more lemon juice.

Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture is thick. This could take up to 2 hours.

Process in a hot water bath 10 minutes in sterilized half-pint jars. You'll need 6-8 jars.

2009-10-25T12:32:00.000-07:00

There was an article in the Washington Post this morning about pigs and the swine flu. Scientists are studying pigs and pig farms to better understand flu strains, and how swine and human flu strains can combine in the animals and lead to "reassortment" - creating new and possibly more dangerous viruses.

So I'm relaxing, reading the paper, drinking coffee, just like I do every Sunday morning, when I stumble across this:

"CAFOs such as Schott's are inherently safer than backyard pig farms, where the animals mingle with people and birds fly overhead."

The CAFO in question is profiled in the article as "one of the most pathogen-free homes a pig could have." Now I'm annoyed, because CAFOs are a big part of what's wrong with our food supply, and what's so wrong with birds flying overhead? Oh - they might have avian flu. And what's so wrong with people mingling with animals - that we might actually know where our dinner comes from?

The article goes on: "But if multiple flu viruses were to get into a CAFO, the crowding of the animals would make widespread transmission, and the chance of reassortment, likely. Mathematical modeling suggests CAFOs can function as "amplifiers" of pandemic strains."

Now I'm really irritated. So CAFOs are the greatest place for pigs until they become a breeding ground for a virulent new strain of the flu? That sounds responsible.

Let's get back to reality - animals are supposed to live outside, sometimes they get sick, and most of the time, if they're healthy, they get better - just like humans! Packing them into a "sterile" environment, and inocluating to prevent infection, does not create a healthier animal. It creates animals that can't survive outside of their carefully controlled "biosecure" building. Animal science has "'eliminated or minimized so many diseases that used to be standard and common in the swine industry," said Mike Male, 57, a veterinarian who provides the medical care to Schott's animals. Influenza, however, isn't one of them." ...and now we have a pandemic.

I don't blame the pigs, and I'm not afraid to eat pork, and most of my family had the swine flu this week and lived to tell the tale. But I know where my pork comes from - Rohrer's Meats. You can find Danny Rohrer at the West Frederick Farmer's Market on Saturdays.

If you don't know where your dinner comes from, you should find out. And if you don't like the idea of eating the products of an "animal factory," you should visit the farmer's market, or your local butcher.

So, sorry about the rant, but I've about had it with the swine flu media frenzy anyway, and this was the last straw.

Lunch Box

2009-10-20T15:19:00.000-07:00

More Not-Deli-Meat Lunch Box Ideas:

Pasta salad - I always make extra when we have pasta for dinner, and toss it with some broccoli, shredded carrots, chicken, cheese - whatever's in the fridge the kids will eat!

Cheese and crackers - my favorite are Triscuit w/ a Hint of Salt - only 3 ingredients, none of which you need to sound out!

Yogurt - my kids think this yogurt is a big treat, and I intend to keep it that way.

Chicken Salad - use half tomato chutney or cranberry sauce, half mayo for a lot of flavor and not a lot of fat.

Leftover Ham & Cheese Biscuits

I'd love to hear your favorite lunches for kids - post in the comments!

Last Trip to the Deli Counter

2009-10-18T15:16:00.000-07:00

I decided to stop buying deli meat. The nitrites, sodium, preservatives, etc. don't exactly fit into my healthy eating plan. However, the kids must have something for lunch, and PB&J - even if it is natural peanut butter and homemade jelly - doesn't cut it five days a week. It's nice to bake a ham every once in awhile, but I really wanted to find an easy turkey recipe that didn't involve roasting a whole bird. The result: Spice Rubbed Turkey Tenderloin. It tastes great, took about 30 minutes to make, and at $5.39/lb, costs about the same as deli meat - what's not to love?

I had a hard time finding turkey tenderloin that wasn't already marinated, and almost gave up. I finally found it underneath all the other packaged turkey parts (doesn't that sound appetizing!). My recipe is based on this one. It has a great sweet-spicy flavor, and the rub keeps the meat from drying out. I cracked whole coriander seeds, and used turbinado sugar, and mine came out of the oven with a beautiful, carmelized crust.

Spice Rubbed Turkey Tenderloin

2 T turbinado or brown sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground coriander

1/4 tsp cayenne

1 T olive oil

2 turkey tenderloins, about 1 1/2 lbs

Preheat oven to 425°. Line a baking sheet with foil, then place a rack on top.* Mix spices together. In a shallow dish or plate, rub tenderloins with olive oil. Rub spice mixture all over tenderloins, making sure to coat the entire surface. Place on the rack and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 160°. Remove from oven and rest 10 minutes. Serve hot or cold.

*I keep and old baking sheet and a seperate cooling rack just for this purpose, but you can skip the rack if you don't have an extra one. Allowing air circulation all around the meat helps it cook evenly and get a nice crust on all sides. Make sure to the line the baking sheet with foil, unless you have an already ruined one just for this purpose (like me). The drippings will create a mess!

Pumpkin Cupcakes w Candied Pepitos

2009-10-13T19:22:00.000-07:00

You'd never guess unless you read the recipe - these cupcakes are gluten-free! I used Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Baking mix, which combines garbanzo bean flour, potato starch, tapioca flour, white sorghum flour, and fava bean flour. (If you're not sensitive to gluten, just make them with wheat flour.)

This is a great recipe to make if you've got a whole pumpkin, since you use the seeds also. This was the last one from the garden, and I've still got enough pureed pumpkin in the fridge to make something else too - stay tuned!

Gluten Free Pumpkin Cupcakes with Maple Frosting & Candied Pepitos

Cupcakes:

3 large eggs

1 3/4 c light brown sugar (not packed)

1/2 c unsweetened applesauce

1 3/4 c cooked pumpkin puree (or 1 15 oz can)

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 c gluten free all purpose mix, such as Bob's Red Mill

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground allspice

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350°. Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners, or grease and flour.

Beat the eggs with an electric mixer until frothy. Add brown sugar and beat until smooth. Add the applesauce, pumpkin, and vanilla, and mix well.

In a small bowl, mix the dry ingredients together. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture a little at a time. When all the dry mix is added, beat 2 minutes on medium speed.

Fill lined muffin cups 3/4 full and bake 20 minutes. Cool completely.

Frost with Maple Frosting and top each cupcake with 4-5 Candied Pepitos (recipes follow).

Maple Frosting

4 oz cream cheese, softened

2 T butter, softened

2 T maple syrup

3/4 tsp vanilla extract

1 3/4 c powdered sugar

Beat cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer until smooth. Beat in maple syrup and vanilla. Gradually add powdered sugar, a half-cup at a time, then beat on medium-high 3-4 minutes until smooth. Add additional sugar if the frosting is too thin.

Candied Pepitos (Pumpkin Seeds)

*The pepitos are only a garnish, so this recipe makes more than you'll need for the cupcakes

1 c pumpkin seeds, washed and dried

1/2 T butter

1 T brown sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp sea salt

Put the butter in a small bowl and microwave until melted. Add the brown sugar and cinnamon and stir until mixed well. Toss the pumpkin seeds with the butter mixture. Bake at 350 degrees (along with the cupcakes) 10-15 minutes until toasted and slightly browned (if you hear them popping, they're done).

Remove from oven, sprinkle with sea salt, and cool.

North African Meatballs

2009-10-11T19:20:00.000-07:00

I have to admit, this dish was not a hit with the kids, especially after they found out about the olives, though Aniston did (sort of) compliment the meatballs. However, I thought it was a nice change of pace from "regular" tomato sauce, and if you like olives, you'll love it.

The recipe is based on this one from Food Network

North African Meatballs

For the sauce:

2 T olive oil

1/2 small onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

zest of one lemon

1/2 c chopped olives

1/2 c white wine

1/4 c chicken stock

14 oz can tomatoes, crushed or diced

1 tsp brown sugar

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

pinch of cinnamon

salt & pepper

For the meatballs:

1 egg

2 T tomato paste

3 T chopped cilantro

1 T fresh ginger, minced

1 tsp cumin

pinch cinnamon

1 lb ground beef

1/3 c rolled oats, finely ground (use a food processor or coffee grinder)

salt & pepper

3-4 T vegetable oil

4 T fresh parsley, chopped

To make the sauce: in a large saucepan heat the olive oil over medium heat and saute the onion and garlic until soft but not brown. Add the lemon zest and olives and cook for one minute. Add the wine to deglaze the pan, and let it reduce for 1-2 minutes. Add the stock, tomatoes, sugar, red pepper, and cinnamon. Simmer over low heat while you make the meatballs.

For the meatballs: Whisk together the egg and tomato paste until smooth. Mix in the cilantro, ginger, cumin, and cinnamon. Stir in the ground beef and oats with a fork, and season with salt and pepper. Gently form 1" balls.

Heat the vegetable oil over medium heat and brown meatballs in batches. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste, and add the meatballs to the sauce as they are done. Simmer the sauce and meatballs for 20 minutes.

Serve over couscous, rice, or pasta

Rice Carbonara

2009-10-07T18:39:00.000-07:00

I've been on a rice kick lately, and this recipe makes rice the star, rather than a supporting character. I served it with sauteed chicken, but it would be just fine on its own as a simple dinner. You could probably even make it low fat if you used turkey bacon and fat free half and half, but what fun would that be?

Rice Carbonara

1 c dry rice

4 slices bacon

1/2 onion, diced

3 large egg yolks

1/2 c heavy cream

3/4 c grated Parmesan or Romano

3/4 c peas, fresh or frozen

Freshly ground black pepper

Cook rice according to package, using half water, half chicken stock.

Meanwhile, in a saute pan, cook bacon until crisp. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels. Pour off all but 1 T bacon fat. Add onion and saute 8-10 minutes until cooked through.

Microwave peas 3-4 minutes. Mix peas, egg yolks, cream, cheese, and pepper in a large bowl. Crumble bacon and add to the bowl, along with the onion. Stir in the cooked rice.

EWG Dirty Dozen

2009-10-06T14:31:00.000-07:00

Here's another pocket guide - this one for fresh produce. I keep looking this up, so I finally decided to print it out and put it with my Seafood Watch list. The guide rates fresh fruits and vegetables according to their level of pesticide contamination so those of us on a budget can get the best value in organic produce.

Grown in Frederick

2009-10-05T19:23:00.000-07:00

Visit Grown in Frederick to see my Apple Bourbon Bread Pudding, as well as lots of great posts about local food in Frederick!

Radish

2009-10-02T18:57:00.000-07:00

Radishes might be my favorite food. A few of them snuck into the salad last week, but most of the poor dears don't even make it past the cutting board.

I eat them all.

Potato Leek Soup

2009-09-30T08:54:00.000-07:00

Potato Leek Soup

Thick and creamy, but not too heavy. Since the potatoes will be pureed, the starch level doesn't matter too much, but you may need to adjust the liquid if you use high- or low-starch varieties. If you don't want to puree the soup completely, choose a low-starch kind like Red Bliss. They'll hold their shape better after cooking.

3 T butter

3 leeks

2 lb potatoes

1 bay leaf

5 c chicken stock

3 c water

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1/2 c heavy cream

Trim the leeks, keeping only the white and light green parts. Slice lengthwise, then crosswise into slices, and soak in a bowl of cold water. Swish the leeks around to rinse off any sand. Heat 3 T butter in a soup pot over medium heat until foam subsides. Carefully lift the leeks from the water, drain, pat dry, and add to butter. Saute gently 10-15 minutes, until leeks are soft but not browned.

Peel and cut potatoes into 1" cubes. Add to pot, along with water, chicken stock, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, turn heat down, and simmer, covered, for about an hour.

Carefully transfer about 2 c of the soup to a blender, and puree until smooth. Pour into a clean container. Repeat until all soup is pureed, or leave some chunky if you wish.

Add cream and stir to blend. Add additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve immediately, or refrigerate. When reheating, be careful not to boil.

Bread Pudding Update

2009-09-28T18:05:00.000-07:00

The bread pudding is even better the next day!

Apple Bourbon Bread Pudding

2009-09-27T20:14:00.000-07:00

I am not normally a huge fan of bread pudding. I also don't believe in putting bread or crackers in soup - who wants soggy crackers? However, this recipe is decadent - the bread is not dry, but not soggy, the coffee adds depth of flavor, and the bourbon sauce is rich and gooey and delicious. This is a great recipe for company, because you can make it the day ahead, and pop it in the oven right before you serve dinner.

I made homemade Challah to use in the bread pudding. If you're going to bother with the recipe, don't skimp on good, rich bread. Brioche would work well also.

I have had a can of sweetened condensed milk in my cupboard since last Christmas. It has been driving me crazy. I realize the shelf life is nearly infinite, but I just have this thing about ingredients sitting around without a plan or purpose for nearly a year. Anyway, I substituted the Christmas can for the milk and sugar. I like sweet, but my bread pudding bordered on too sweet, so feel free to cut back on the sugar. Next time, assuming no rogue cans of SCM are available, I'll use 3/4 c sugar.

The sauce looks best as soon as its finished. I made it a day ahead, and it turns grainy in the refrigerator. You need to heat it up slowly and stir frequently to get the silky texture back.

I based my recipe on this one from Food Network.

Bourbon Apple Bread Pudding

2 lb loaf Challah or brioche, cut into bite-size cubes (leave the crust on unless it is very thick or dark)

3 medium apples, peeled, cored, and sliced (use a tart, firm apple, like Granny Smith)

4 eggs

3/4 - 1 c sugar (see intro)

1 T cinnamon

1 1 /2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp ginger

1 T vanilla

1 c milk

1 c brewed coffee

Whisk together eggs, sugar, spices, vanilla, milk, and coffee. In a large bowl, toss the bread cubes, apples, and eggs mixture together. Pour into a 2" deep greased baking dish. Cover and refrigerate several hours, or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350°. Bake 45 minutes, or until top is toasty brown. If the top is browning and the filling isn't set, cover with foil to finish baking. Serve with warm bourbon sauce, recipe follows.

Bourbon Sauce

1 c bourbon

1 stick unsalted butter

1 c sugar

1 egg

Heat bourbon in a small, heavy saucepan to boiling and boil gently until reduced by half. Remove from the pan. Meanwhile, cream butter and sugar. Add egg and mix well.

Put the butter mixture in the small saucepan, and stir until melted. If your pan is still hot from the bourbon, this won't take long, if not, put the pan over very low heat. Add the bourbon back to the pan, and mix well. Cook the mixture over the lowest heat possible for two hours, stirring occasionally.

Italian Stir Fry

2009-09-24T18:22:00.000-07:00

I've decided to start eating more seafood, so I stuck the handy Seafood Watch Pocket Guide in my coupon holder so I could choose environmentally friendly seafood. Turns out its hard to find affordable, environmentally friendly seafood.  I don't know if they're Italian, but bay scallops were on sale last week, and they're on the "best" list, so they made it into the recipe.

This is a 100% original recipe. I'm sure there are others like it out there - I just haven't seen them. It was a big hit with the kids. Bella and Shawn even liked the scallops!   It made just enough for one adult and three kids, but could easily be doubled.

You could substitute shrimp or chicken, and just about any vegetable - just make sure to add veggies that cook longest first.

Italian Stir Fry

2 c green beans, trimmed and cut in half

1 c quartered mushrooms

9 oz pasta - I used Buitoni whole wheat linguine (I had a coupon)

8 oz frozen bay scallops

1 tsp dried thyme

1 c chicken stock - I buy organic Better Than Bouillion chicken base. Its a lot more affordable than chicken broth in a carton, and I'm just not into making my own chicken stock.

2 T sundried tomato paste - look for it in a tube in the aisle with pasta and sauce.

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2 T heavy cream

1/4 c fresh basil

If using dried pasta, start a pot of water, and cook according to package.

Meanwhile, in a wok or large saute pan, heat 1 T olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the green beans, and cook, stirring frequently, until beans have brown spots. Add about 2 T chicken stock, cover, and cook 1 minute. Remove cover and cook until stock has evaporated. Add a little more oil, then mushrooms, and saute until they release their liquid and brown.

If using fresh pasta, start a pot of water and cook according to package.

Rinse scallops under running water, then pat dry. Add scallops and thyme to pan, and stir just until scallops are opaque and any liquid has evaporated. The scallops will continue cooking in the sauce, so don't worry about cooking them all the way through.

Add the remaining chicken stock, salt, pepper, and sundried tomato paste. Heat to boiling, and cook 1-2 minutes until slightly thickened. Turn off heat. Chop basil. Don't do it ahead of time or it will turn black. Add basil and cream and stir to blend. Toss with pasta.

Serve with freshly grated Parmesan or Romano - from the deli, not the green can! Romano is less expensive than Parmesan, and very similar.