Saturday, February 27, 2016

Chocolate-Dipped Strawberry Spritz Cookies

I made these for Valentine's Day, and are they not the cutest things you have ever seen in your whole life!?  They're little pink hearts, with half of them dipped into melted chocolate.  Remind me again why I don't use my cookie press every single day?  It's such a fun and easy way to make cookies that look good.  Plus I feel like a legit chef when I am wielding that thing.

And the flavor!  These cookies are delicious.  They're flavored with strawberry jam, and add to that the chocolate on one side, and you're basically eating a chocolate-covered strawberry in cookie form. Can you imagine the greatness of a cookie like that?  I'm not normally one for baked goods but even I had to admit they were good.  My favorites were the 10 or so that I left chocolate-less.

A note about the cookie press: most presses end up making hearts with little Vs pressed into the top of them (because that's basically the shape of the cookie press pattern).  Being a perfectionist, I gently tapped down each cookie until it was a mostly flat heart shape.  You can do this if you are crazy like me, or just leave them the way they are.  They are still hearts, whether they are topped with a little V or not!

These were perfect Valentine's Day treats, and I was able to wrap some up and give them to friends and family, but there's no need to wait till next February to make them.  Hearts have no season, and neither do strawberry spritz cookies.  You could always make them in whatever shape you wanted.  Dip them in chocolate, or don't.  Tint them pink, or don't.  The options are as endless as all the people that made me feel loved this Valentine's Day.

Recipe:

chocolate-dippped strawberry spritz cookies
from Bake Love Give

Ingredients:
1 cup shortening
1 egg
2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons strawberry jam
3 - 4 drops red food coloring
1 cup dark chocolate melting wafers (I used dark chocolate chips)

Instructions:

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2) Cream together shortening and egg.  Gradually mix in the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder until well combined.

3) Add strawberry jam and mix well.  Add food coloring to desired color.

4) Put dough into cookie press and form cookies onto cookie sheets.

5) Bake for 8 - 10 minutes or until very light brown and set.

6) Microwave chocolate in 30 second intervals, stirring until smooth.  Dip half of each cookie in melted chocolate and transfer to parchment paper to set.  Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.



Sunday, February 21, 2016

Tofu Parmigiana with Fire-Roasted Tomatoes

I wish I had someone else to corroborate my claim that this tofu parm is delicious, but obviously I do not.  I made this for dinner one night when I was on my own, and brought the leftovers for lunch.

One of the perks to living alone is that every night I can make what I want for dinner with no complaints.  I don't know many people in my life who would be happy if they were invited over for dinner for anything with tofu.  Tofu gets a real bad rap, and I understand it a little.  It's mushy and more marshmallow than anything savory should be.  But if you prepare it correctly, it can be a blank canvas that soaks up all the great flavors you want it to, and it can have more texture than a marshmallow.  Hence we have here the crunchy tofu parm, smothered with a super fast and delicious sauce made from fire-roasted tomatoes, onion and garlic.

The tofu gets the true parmigiana treatment, getting dunked in egg and then a mixture of parmesan, panic bread crumbs and Italian seasoning.  I am doubling the ingredients for that part of the recipe because I ran low on the coating.  Then it gets pan fried until it's brown and crunchy on the outside, but nice and soft on the inside. Top it with the tomato sauce, and you'll be Italian heaven.  I meant to serve this with spaghetti, but I forgot to cook it, and frankly I didn't miss it.  There was enough going on.  It was great.  But unfortunately, you'll just have to take it from me.  Trust the Vegetarian ;)

Recipe:

tofu parmigiana with fire-roasted tomatoes
adapted from Quick Vegetarian Main Dishes by the Pampered Chef
yield 4 servings

Ingredients:
1 package extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, divided
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated
1 cup panic bread crumbs
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 egg
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves

Instructions:

1) Slice tofu horizontally, and then into 8 1/2-inch thick slices.  Season tofu with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper.

2) Combine 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, onion and garlic in a small saucepan.  Saute until onion and garlic are softened.  Add tomatoes, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook over medium heat until heated through.

3) Meanwhile, combine parmesan, bread crumbs and seasoning in a shallow bowl.  Lightly beat egg in a second shallow bowl or tray.  Dip each tofu slice into egg and then into bread crumb mixture, coating generously.

4) Add 1 tablespoon of the oil to a large skillet.  Heat oven medium heat for 1 - 3 minutes until shimmering.  Add four tofu slices and cook for 1 - 2 minutes until golden brown.  Turn tofu over, and sprinkle with half of the mozzarella.  Cook for 1 - 2 minutes more.  Remove from skillet.  Repeat with remaining oil, tofu and mozzarella.  Thinly slice basil.  Serve tofu with sauce and top with basil.

Friday, February 19, 2016

Nutella Banana Oat Muffins

I signed up to tutor kids in math again this spring.  I have done it for three years now, and every year, I hate it.  I wish it was after school; it is tough to get everything you need for tutoring ready while you're supposed to be preparing to teach your class!  Plus I did the math once, and I was getting like 43 cents per kid per hour.  I end up getting paid absolutely terribly (I think it came out to about $150 last year after 12 hours of tutoring, which is pathetic).  And yet I did it again!  I don't know how to say no, I guess, and I do love math.  This year I am 30% done with it already (only 6 more Thursdays and 1 more Tuesday and I'm done!).  It doesn't feel so terrible this time around, and maybe it's because Brooke signed up to do it too.  We try to make it bearable for ourselves by taking turns bringing coffees or snacks (and spending the last 15 minutes bringing our groups together to play math games!).

These Nutella banana oat muffins were my gift for week 2, and they helped wake us up.  I had inherited my mom's brown bananas and needed to do something with them, and I also found a container of Nutella in my pantry that I bought last year and never did anything with.  When I found this recipe on Pinterest, it was perfect!  The muffins themselves are a delicious banana oat flavor, and then you swirl in some Nutella on the top.  It's not too much, just enough to give each muffin a hazelnutty-chocolatey kiss.  The texture is great with the addition of the oats, and the flavor is great.  They almost made it worth getting up in the dark to make 47 cents x 6 kids ($2.82... barely enough for a coffee these days!)

Recipe:

Nutella banana oat muffins
from Chef in Training
makes 12 muffins

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 bananas, mashed
about 1/4 cup Nutella

Instructions:

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line a muffin pan with muffin cups or spray generously with cooking spray.

2) In a medium bowl, combine flour, oats, white sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Stir until ingredients are well combined.

3) In a lare bowl, beat egg. Add milk, oil, vanilla and mashed bananas.  Stir to mix ingredients until well combined.

4) Add flour mixture to banana mixture and stir until ingredients are well incorporated.  Do not over-stir.

5) Divide batter evenly among the 12 muffin tins.  Add a teaspoon of Nutella to the top of each muffin and gently cut into batter with a knife or toothpick to create swirls.

6) Bake at 375 degrees for 17 - 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Hungarian Burgers

Yes, this is  burger.  Yes, with real meat.  You see, I decided to have Hungarian night here.  What, normal people don't do that?  It's just that I really wanted to make vegetable paprikash soup, but as  have already shared, some people claim soup is not a meal.  I had had a snow day, and had to go to Gardner for physical therapy anyway, so I offered up Hungarian night to Jesse and he agreed, so I stopped by the grocery store to get the ingredients for some hamburgers for him.  Hungarian hamburgers, of course.  I hate to be boring.

What's in a Hungarian burger, you ask, to make it Hungarian?  Paprika of course, along with red onion, fresh thyme and parsley, and lemon zest.  Serve it in a kaiser roll obviously, and top it with more paprika and sour cream. Voila: you have Hungarian burgers!

I used my griddle stove attachment for these and it was so much fun.  It almost made making burgers doable.  I had used it to grill eggplant before, but never meat.

Jesse called this the best meal he had ever had at my house.  That's saying something because I make some great meals.  I gave my mom one of the leftover burgers and she loved it too.  Pair these burgers with the paprikash soup, and you have Hungarian night.  Boom.  Best meal ever.

Recipe:

Hungarian burgers
from Food52
serves 4

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon sweet red paprika
kosher salt and black pepper
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon dry red wine
1/2 cup sour cream for garnish
4 toasted kaiser rolls

Instructions:

1) Prepare your grill.  Then mix beef, herbs, spices, salt, wine and lemon zest together.  Shape into 4 burgers.

2) Grill 2 - 4 minutes per side, depending upon thickness (mine were way too thick... lesson learned), heat of the grill, and desired level of doneness.

3) Garnish with sour cream, herbs, and a sprinkle of paprika.  Serve each on a toasted kaiser roll.

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Cannoli Pound Cake

Today is one of those days on vacation when I have lots of grownup things to do.  I have to cancel my old insurance (which took literally 3 weeks because they kept not being able to find my policy! Annoying), I had a dentist appointment, and I have an MRI on my old creaky neck in an hour and a half.  Plus I left the house the teeniest bit messy after a fun dinner last night with Jesse and Emily so I had some cleaning to do (skinny baked mac and cheese with broccoli, if you were wondering, with salad and bread and wine... lots of wine. I can't keep up with those Bergerons). I have to admit, I kind of like days like this.  They aren't fun, but it feels good to check things off my list, and it reminds me that I really am a grownup, even if I sometimes don't feel like it :)

Speaking of grownup things, I made this cannoli pound cake on the day that I closed on my house!  YES this lovely little mansion is MINE FOREVER.  Ahhh.  Sometimes life works out wonderfully, doesn't it?

Okay, back to the delicious and ingenious cannoli pound cake!  I mean, who doesn't love cannolis, right?  But they're intimidating even to someone like me who enjoys lengthy recipes.  This recipe combines many of the flavors and textures of cannolis without all the work.  How smart is that?  There's obviously plenty of ricotta to keep things super moist and soft (for days!), and grated lemon and orange peel, and mini chocolate chips and pistachios.  Okay, fine, I was out of pistachios and I really regret that, but we survived.  It's also lightly flavored with allspice and cinnamon.  So it's kind of like a cannoli spice cake pound cake hybrid!

I made this cake for dessert when Mom had Anne over for dinner, and everyone loved it.  We debated whether or not it should be eaten with your hands or with a fork; I will let you be the judge of that.  Just bake it and make your house smell amazing, and you won't really care how you eat it, I'm telling you.

Recipe:

cannoli pound cake
from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients:
1 cup granulated sugar
finely grated zest from 1 orange
finely grated zest from 1 lemon
1/2 cup olive oil (it killed me to use this much olive oil but I stuck to the recipe!)
1 tablespoon sweet marsala wine, or 2 tablespoons white wine
1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 - 2 pinches allspice
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup mini chocolate chips
1/2 cup pistachios, chopped small

Instructions:

1) Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat a standard loaf pan with butter or nonstick spray.

2) Place sugar in a large bowl, and add zests.  Use your fingertips to rub the zest into the sugar, scenting it throughout.  Whisk in olive oil, wine, ricotta and eggs.  Sprinkle baking powder, salt, cinnamon and allspice over wet ingredients, then whisk to combine.  Gently stir in flour, then chocolate and pistachios until just combined.

3) Scrape into prepared loaf pan.  Bake for 55 - 65 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out batter-free.  Let cool on wire rack in pan for 15 minutes, then invert out onto rack to finish cooling.  Cake is great the first day, and even better the next couple days!  Store at room temperature covered with foil or plastic.

Saturday, February 13, 2016

Cheesy Baked Penne with Eggplant

I'm on vacation!!!  I could not be happier to have a whole week stretching ahead of me to do whatever I want to with!  I can sleep till noon (well, after I let Daisy out around 7 and then go back to bed!) and shower at 2:00 and bake cookies at midnight if I want to.  And I want to do all of these things.  I want to make interesting things for dinner and maybe some normal things too.  I am just feeling quite content today as I sit under my heated blanket with Delilah (she's here for the weekend) and Poppy next to me, Daisy at my feet.  What more can a girl ask for?

Speaking of things that are comforting and great: this pasta dish.  Believe it or not, it's from my Skinny Taste cookbook.  It's actually only 325 calories for a 1 1/2 cup serving!  And trust me, it doesn't taste healthy.  It is cheesy and decadent and full of gorgeous chunks of eggplant, dollops of ricotta mixed with super flavorful Romano, mozzarella and parsley, and a quick homemade sauce flavored with garlic and basil.  Definitely a winner.  It's comfort food but could be "fancy" enough to serve when you have company.  Plus it reheats pretty well and could be frozen (if you don't eat it all).

Recipe:

cheesy baked penne with eggplant
from Skinny Taste Cookbook by Gina Homolka
serves 8

Ingredients:
olive oil
1 cup fat-free ricotta cheese
2 cups part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, divided
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
freshly ground black pepper
3 1/2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped basil
12 ounces penne rigate pasta (use whole what, regular, or gluten-free depending on your diet!)

Instructions:

1) Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with oil.

2) In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, 1 cup of the mozzarella, 6 tablespoons of the Romano, and the parsley.

3) In a large, deep skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until golden, about 1 minute.  Add the eggplant, 3/4 teaspoon of the salt, and black pepper and cook until golden, 4 - 5 minutes.  Add the tomatoes, basil, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and black pepper to taste.  Reduce the heat to low and cook until the eggplant is tender, about 5 minutes.

4) Add the remaining 1 teaspoon salt to a large pot of boiling water.  Add the pasta and cook to 4 minutes less than al dente.  Drain, and put half of the pasta into the prepared dish. Top with one third of the sauce.  Top with remaining pasta and sauce.  Top with remaining 1 cup mozzarella and 2 tablespoons Romano.  Cover with foil.

5) Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the mozzarella is melted and the edges are lightly browned, 6-7 minutes.


Monday, February 8, 2016

Yogurt Flatbreads with Barley and Mushrooms

I know that the title of this post has a lot of words that may not sound like they go together.  For example, what on earth is a yogurt flatbread?  And how can it go with mushrooms and barley?  If that's what you're thinking, never fear.  You aren't the only one.  Here is the conversation that I had with Jesse about this meal:

I wasn't joking about the LOL, too.  How sad is that sad face about "yogurt bread?"

But I promise, this dinner sounds a lot weirder than it is.  For example, the yogurt flatbreads are kind of like a pan-fried version of naan, made from whole wheat flour, Greek yogurt, baking powder and fresh cilantro.  See?  Not so weird anymore, right?

Then there's the mushroom barley ragout that gets served over the top.  It's incredible.  Three different kinds of mushrooms (porcini, shiitake, and button) simmered with pearl barley, fresh thyme, garlic, and white wine, finished with fresh parsley and lemon juice.  It creates this super delicious, thick, hearty ragout that I would eat with or without flatbreads.

And yet, the flatbreads are a great addition.  They are rustic but flavorful, and complement the smooth mushroom barley ragout perfectly.  In the end, there were no sad faces.  Jesse and I both really liked it.  I think we were both relieved!  Lesson to be learned: don't judge a meal by its name.

Recipe:

yogurt flatbreads with barley and mushrooms
from Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi
serves 6 as a starter or 4 as a main dish

Ingredients:
for flatbreads:
1 cup plus 2 teaspoons whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
4 tablespoons clarified butter (or a mixture of melted butter and vegetable oil)
for mushroom ragout:
1/2 cup pearl barley
3/4 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
3/4 cup lukewarm water
4 cups mixed shiitake and button mushrooms, halved
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 tablespoons butter
2 thyme sprigs
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/2 cup white wine
salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons parsley, plus extra to garnish
1/2 tablespoons finely chopped preserved lemon (I skipped this)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
6 tablespoons Greek yogurt

Instructions:

1) To make the flatbreads, combine all the ingredients, apart from the butter, in a bowl, using your hands to mix them together into a dry dough.  Add more flour if needed.  Knead the dough for a minute or until it is smooth and uniform.  Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least an hour.

2) To make the mushroom ragout, rinse the barley with cold water, then place in a medium saucepan and cover with plenty of fresh water.  Simmer for 30 - 35 minutes or until al dente.

3) Place the porcini in a bowl and cover with lukewarm water; set aside.  Put the fresh mushrooms in a heavy pan with the oil over medium-high heat.  Add half the butter and the thyme, and saute for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Once the mushrooms have softened, add the garlic and wine and allow to simmer for 5 minutes.

4) Next, add the porcini and their soaking liquid - but be very careful to leave any grit in the bowl (I recommend swishing them around a bit before adding them).  Add some salt and pepper.  Simmer on low for 10 minutes.  Finally, stir in the remaining butter, parsley, preserved lemon, lemon juice, and cooked barley.  Add more water if the sauce is too thick and taste for seasoning.  Set aside and reheat before serving.

5) When ready to make the flatbreads, divide your dough into 6 pieces.  Roll into balls, then flatten them with a rolling pin into round discs about 1 inch thick.  Heat some clarified butter in a nonstick pan and fry the flatbreads one at a time on medium heat for about 2 minutes per side or until golden brown.  Add more butter as needed and keep the flatbreads warm after they are cooked.

6) To serve, fold each warm flatbread in half or in quarters and top with warm ragout, a spoonful of yogurt and a sprinkle of parsley.  I just left mine flat and topped them like that!






Friday, February 5, 2016

Big Soft and Fluffy One-Hour Dinner Rolls

I am enjoying my first snow day of the school year today!  It's my first snow day with just me and my dogs and we are loving it.  We may or may not still be in pajamas at 1:30 PM.  And yes Pop wears pajamas.  Don't judge me for any of this paragraph.  On to the food!

Jesse claims that soup by itself is not a meal.  I strongly disagree, but I can throw the guy a bone on pea soup night, I suppose.  He agreed that adding bread to the dinner counts as "not serving soup by itself," so I decided to make some dinner rolls.  I think soup and bread may be one of the most amazing combinations in history, so this was a win-win.

To add to the winning: I made these rolls so much quicker than you'd expect (although, with the words one hour in the name, maybe you did expect it).  The secret is a rising period in a slightly warmed oven after brushing them with a little water to keep them moist.  Normally I agree with the "good things take time" mantra, but these rolls are an exception.  Although they are so much quicker than many breads, they are so fluffy, soft and buttery, and just a tiny bit sweet.  They make a perfect addition to any soup (or dinner of any kind!)  I will definitely whip up another batch of these babies soon.  If you're a yeast amateur, these rolls are a good place to begin and build up your confidence; they are very easy.  Imagine - you could be eating (and smelling!!!) hot homemade rolls an hour from now.  Of course, that would require getting off the couch on your snow day, and I know that's real tough.  My goals include a shower and putting on real clothes... but baking bread is in there somewhere :)

Recipe:

big soft and fluffy one-hour dinner rolls
yields 16 rolls

Ingredients:
3 3/4 - 4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon rapid rise yeast
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup cool water
2/3 cup milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced into 1 tablespoon pieces, plus more for brushing over tops
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice

Instructions:

1) Preheat oven to 180 degrees.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk together 4 cups flour, sugar, yeast and salt.

2) To a medium microwave-safe bowl, add water, milk and butter and heat microwave on high power until it reaches 115 degrees on a thermometer, about 1 minutes 15 seconds.  Stir to partially melt butter; you want it softened but not totally melted.  For me it took a bit less than a minute and I had to wait for it to cool a little!

3) Pour milk into dry mixture in bowl of mixer, along with lemon juice.  Set mixer with a hook attachment and then set mixture on low speed.  Gradually increase to medium-low, kneading until smooth and elastic while adding additional flour as necessary.  Dough should be lightly sticky but manageable.  

4) Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and rest 5 minutes.  Meanwhile butter a 13x9-inch baking dish.

5) Drop dough onto a lightly floured surface.  Shape into an evenly level square, about 9x9 inches.  Cut into 16 equal portions.  Shape dough into 16 balls and place shaped dough balls into prepared baking dish.

6) Dampen hands with water and brush tops of dough with the water so they don't dry in the oven.  Transfer to oven, close, and turn oven off.  Allow rolls to rise for 20 minutes without opening the oven door.  Remove from oven after 20 minutes and preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Allow rolls to rest on counter while you wait.

7) Bake for 14 - 16 minutes until tops are golden brown.  Remove from oven and run the top of a stick of butter along tops of rolls just to coat.  Serve warm.  Store in an airtight container.