Jane's Garden

Ta-Da! Magic Bars!

2012-02-11T11:53:00.001-05:00

A few weeks ago, someone left a delicious treat in the staff room---a bar cookie with chocolate chips, coconut, and nuts. As soon as I could, I looked up these ingredients and found recipes for Magic Cookie Bars, also known as Hello Dolly bars and Seven Layer Bars. I made a batch for my adult ed chamber orchestra and they were gone in a flash! Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture, so I've used one from Eagle Brand here (mine looked just like these---well, sort of).Magic Cookie Bars

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (this should be 8 crackers)
1/2 cup butter, melted (1 stick)
1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (12 oz pkg)
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans

Heat oven to 350°F. Line a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with foil. Spray with cooking spray. This will make it easier to remove the bars from the pan.

Combine graham cracker crumbs and butter in small bowl. Press into bottom of prepared pan. Layer with coconut, chocolate chips and chopped nuts. Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over mixture. Press down firmly with fork.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Loosen from sides of pan while still warm. Cool on wire rack. Cut into bars.

*You can also add different combinations---butterscotch chips, peanut butter chips, dried cranberries, dried cherries. Use your imagination.

Eating Healthy Resolution? Skip this post.

2012-01-08T17:14:00.005-05:00

I've had a long-term goal to eat healthier this past year, so making a resolution of the same thing for 2012 didn't make any sense. Of course, if you are part of the large group of people who wish to go on a healthy eating path for the next few weeks, just pass over this post. It's not going to help you. Come back later.

But, if you've already done your cleanse for the year and are ready to satisfy your chocolate cravings, join me.

On Wednesday, I got a call that an interlibrary loan of Martha Stewart's "Pies and Tarts" book had arrived. Just like "Cookies" and "Cupcakes," it is filled with those delightful photos that make you think that anything is possible. I flipped through it, mentally marking the pies I could try in the Breville pie maker. But, the book kept opening to Crisp Coconut and Chocolate Pie on its own (obviously very popular with other readers).The pie was really easy to make. It only has four ingredients: Coconut and butter for the crust; Heavy Cream and bittersweet chocolate for the filling. It goes together rather quickly, though the cooling period for both the crust and filling does take some time. It would be perfect to make to bring to a party, or even after work if you have to entertain.

You can find the recipe on many other sites, so here is a link: http://gourmetfood.about.com/od/dessertrecipes/r/Crisp-Coconut-And-Chocolate-Pie.htm

Just so you don't think I ate a whole half a pie myself, I did share the missing half with my mother who was having guests for dinner. In fact, here is an email I received:

"I'm not normally a fan of chocolate pie, but yours was great. So good, I made your mother send the leftover piece home with me. OK, I ALLOWED her to send it, but I would have resorted to force."

2011-12-31T16:51:00.000-05:00

Happiness is a Mini Pie!

2011-12-27T17:20:00.006-05:00

My mom got a Breville Mini Pie Maker for Christmas. The thing is, I really wanted a mini pie maker, so she got a Sunbeam one for our family's grab bag with the hopes that I could grab it. Now, I don't have to discourage everyone from grabbing the largest, heaviest present in the bag when we get together on Friday. In fact, I have decided that we are going to be bringing mini pies to the get-together.Tonight, we tried out the pie maker by making two turkey pot pies and two apple pies. It is necessary to cook all the filling ahead of time, but that's good because you can have everything ready to go well ahead of time. My mom also makes the best pie crust, so she always has extra crust in the freezer.

The pies only use 1/3 cup of filling. We made a lot of extra pot pie filling to use for our party pies.
The pies only took 10 minutes to bake. The crusts were perfect and crisp on both the top and bottom.

This is one of the pot pies made with the chicken pot pie recipe blogged about earlier. The apple pie filling was found at Baking Bites.

I may have found my new baking niche. I am going to really get in touch with my English heritage and start making all sorts of meat pies. I am so excited!

Happy Holidays! Here's a log.

2011-12-23T17:34:00.004-05:00

The life of a musician is a busy one at Christmas time. I have been practicing and performing for two weeks straight and still have two more days to go. And, right in the midst of all this, my car DIED right as I was getting off the highway. Luckily, all the stars were aligned and a 2008 Volvo XC70 appeared on the cars.com website just as my car was being given last rites. Ah, life is good.

Despite my complete lack of time, I would really like to make a bûche de Noël. I hope this photo will do until I have the time to make my own.

Photo from bbc.co.uk/food. Yum!

Too many cranberries!

2011-11-25T15:05:00.002-05:00

I had an extra bag of cranberries and decided to make cranberry bread today. However, I was distracted and didn't read that I was only supposed to use one cup of cranberries in the recipe and ended up using the whole bag (12 oz). Now I have this very cranberry-y loaf of bread.

Here's a re-post of the recipe that I use:

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup whole cranberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 egg
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4 cup orange juice

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Grease one 9x5 inch loaf pan.
2. Combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Add the cranberries and chopped nuts, stir to coat with flour.
3. In another bowl, combine the egg, oil, orange juice and grated orange peel. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.
4. Bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let bread sit for 10 minutes and then remove from the pan and place on a cooling rack.

Chicken Pot Pie

2011-11-13T12:30:00.005-05:00

If I had categories, I would put this one in Leftover Chicken. My mother had a lot of leftover CostCo chicken, so she made this very yummy chicken pot pie for dinner.

Chicken Pot Pie

Pie crust ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chilled unsalted butter, diced into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup vegetable shortening, chilled
3 to 4 Tbsp ice water

Filling ingredients:
6 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 large onion, diced
3 carrots, thinly sliced
3 celery stalks, thinly sliced
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups milk
Leftover Chicken meat
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/4 cup dry sherry
2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Egg wash:
1 egg whisked with 1 Tbsp water

Directions:
1 Prepare the pie crust dough. Combine the flour and salt in a food processor. Add the chilled butter cubes and pulse to combine. Add the shortening and pulse until the dough resembles a coarse cornmeal, with some pea-sized pieces of butter. Slowly add ice water, a tablespoon at a time, pulsing after each addition, until the dough sticks together when you press some between your fingers. Empty the food processor, placing the dough on a clean surface. Use your hands to mold into a ball, then flatten the ball into a disk. Sprinkle with a little flour, wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 days, before rolling.

2 Prepare the filling. Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large skillet, melt butter on medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery, and cook until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, one minute more. Whisk in 2 1/2 cups of the chicken stock. Whisk in the milk. Decrease the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often. Add the chicken meat, thyme, sherry, parsley, salt and pepper and stir well. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Place the warm filling into a casserole dish.

3 Prepare the crust. Roll out dough on a lightly flour surface to a little less than a quarter-inch thick. Lay the dough round on the pot pie filling. Fold the excess dough under itself and use the tines of a fork to press the dough against the edge. Cut a 1-inch vents into the pie. Use a pastry brush to apply an egg wash. Line a baking sheet with foil, place the pie on the baking sheet. Bake at 400°F for 25 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and the filling is bubbling. Let cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.

My fall garden

2011-11-06T12:04:00.005-05:00

It's clean-up weekend at Fodor Farm. I am still having a very productive fall garden. I have arugula (a lot!), green oakleaf lettuce, Valentine red lettuce mix, and Renee's Stirfry Mix of pan-Pacific greens. I also have leeks that I am going to harvest and freeze for winter cooking of potato-leek soup and leek and goat cheese tart.

The garden has to be cleaned and put to bed by December 1st. I think I can get a pretty nice harvest of greens until then. It will be nice to have fresh salads for the next few weeks. I may even transplant some of the greens to my home garden so I can continue through December.

I'm looking forward to using the stir fry greens. The collection includes Red Mustard, Mizpoona (a cross between Mizuna and Tatsoi), Pac Choi and Asian red kale. When I was in college, I grew bak choi for one of the teachers. Her adopted son was from Vietnam and he loved to create stirfries. This was back when Asian vegetables were hard to get and expensive.

I'm thinking of the best stir fry to make this week to share with my mom. As many of you know, my mother has a soy allergy. We're trying to figure out how to make a stir fry without soy and I think I've found an alternative which is very similar to Pad Thai sauce:

INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons canola oil
3 red chili peppers, finely chopped (I used Sriracha instead)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons ketchup
5 tablespoons vinegar

DIRECTIONS
In a bowl, stir together olive oil, chile peppers, ginger, and garlic. Mix in sugar, ketchup, and vinegar.

*Update: I made the stir fry with shrimp, broccoli, baby corn and the Asian greens. I cut the sauce recipe in half. It was perfect, especially with the hint of ginger. I served it over rice noodles (vermicelli), which soaked up the sauce.

Tomato Jam

2011-10-08T16:55:00.006-04:00

While I love fall, it makes me sad to know that my gardening time is over. I still have greens and herbs growing, but the real summer vegetables have all but finished. I picked the last of the ripe tomatoes and they have been sitting on my counter.

I saw a photo of tomato jam on the web (go ahead and google it) and decided it was time to use those tomatoes. Trust me, you have got to make this. It is AMAZING! My house smelled wonderful and the taste is absolutely lovely. And, it's so easy. I'm definitely making more and canning it for winter...with other people's tomatoes.

Tomato Jam by Mark Bittman

1.5 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, cored and coarsely chopped (if you don't like seeds, remove them)
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon fresh grated or minced ginger
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon salt
jalapeno or other hot pepper (to taste)

1. Combine all ingredients in a heavy medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often.

2. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture has consistency of thick jam, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning, then cool and refrigerate until ready to use; this will keep at least a week.

Want to see Mark Bittman make it? Watch it here.

Banana Bundt Cake

2011-10-02T17:11:00.003-04:00

This weekend was the wonderful, semi-annual Minks to Sinks tag sale in Wilton. If you are from Fairfield County and haven't been, mark your calendars for the next one which will be the first Saturday in May. All proceeds of the sale benefit Family and Children's Agency Inc., an organization that offers counseling, educational and independent living programs throughout Fairfield County.

My first stop is always in the kitchen section to see if someone has donated a Le Creuset pot or pan. I've found three over the years. This year, there was a large French Oven, but it had a cracked lid and the inside enamel was pretty worn. It was only $3. I carried it around for awhile, but then decided against it. Later, I saw someone proudly carrying it around. Happy cooking to her!

I did buy a Nordic Ware bundt pan which looked like it had never been used. I took it home, gave it a good scrub and made Dorie Greenspan's banana bundt cake with the overripe bananas I had. You can find this recipe in Baking: From My Home to Yours.

Classic Banana Bundt Cake
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (8oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, preferably at room temperature
4 very ripe bananas, mashed (1 1/2-1 3/4 cups)
1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Generously butter a 9- to 10-inch (12 cup) Bundt pan.

Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter until creamy. Add the sugar and beat at medium speed until pale and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla, then add the eggs one at a time, beating for about 1 minute after each egg goes in. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the bananas. Finally, mix in half of the dry ingredients (don’t be disturbed when the batter curdles), all of the sour cream and then the rest of the dry ingredients. Scrape the batter into the pan, rap the pan on the counter to de-bubble the batter and smooth the top.

Bake for 65-75 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted deep into the center of the cake comes out clean. Check the cake after about 30 minutes—if it is browning too quickly, cover it loosely with a foil tent. Transfer the cake to a rack to cool for 10 minutes before unmolding onto the rack to cool completely.

If you’ve got the time, wrap the cooled cake in plastic and allow it to sit on the counter overnight before serving—it’s better the next day.

Makes 14 servings.

Plum Crumble

2011-09-26T09:52:00.002-04:00

I've been glancing at plums every time I'm at the store, but I never had the heart to buy them. I used to eat plums all the time when I was little, but I only like them now if they are the right ripeness. It's a texture thing.

But, one of my local grocery stores has a policy of reducing the price of perfectly lovely produce, the type of produce that other stores would still leave on the shelf. On Saturday, I found 6 plums in the reduced area and decided I would given this plum crumble a try.

Plum Crumble
12 purple Italian or prune plums, cut in half and pitted (I used 6 regular plums)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons plus 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon plus 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
2 heaping tablespoons finely chopped candied ginger
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 egg, well beaten
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

*Heat oven to 375 degrees, with rack in center.

*Place plums in medium bowl. In a small bowl, thoroughly mix brown sugar, 1 1/2 tablespoons flour, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, ground ginger and the candied ginger. Add to plums and mix well. Arrange plums skin side up in ungreased, deep 9-inch pie plate.

*In a small bowl, combine granulated sugar, baking powder, remaining flour and cinnamon and the salt. Mix well. Stir in egg. Using hands, mix thoroughly to produce little particles. Sprinkle over plums.

*Drizzle butter evenly over crumb mixture and bake 30 to 35 minutes. Crumble is done when top is browned and plums yield easily when pricked with cake tester. Remove from oven and cool.

* Serve crumble warm with vanilla ice cream.

Jacques Pepin's Chicken Persillade

2011-09-25T21:15:00.003-04:00

Rotisserie chicken is the most wonderful creation. It's perfect for those nights when you just don't have time (or just don't want) to cook. And, at $4.99, it's cheaper than any other ready-made food at the store. It's one of the reasons I have a Costco membership.

But, unlike the roast chicken I make with garlic and lemon when I have more time, these rotisserie chickens lack any real flavoring. I recently remembered that Jacques Pepin had a quick and delicious sauce to dress up a rotisserie chicken---persillade. You can see the original recipe here. He serves the chicken on a bed of romaine or Boston lettuce.
Chicken Persillade
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh parsley
Juice from the chicken container

Heat olive oil and butter in a skillet. When hot, add shallots and garlic. Cook for about 10 seconds. Add coarsely chopped fresh parsley, cook for 20 to 30 seconds longer, and stir in the juice from the chicken container. Spoon over the chicken pieces.

Using basil harvest

2011-09-24T19:32:00.005-04:00

My basil crop has been quite successful this year. I pinched all the flowers off early and now the plants are pretty full. Since the weather has been so weird lately, I thought it might be a good idea to harvest some more and start creating pesto ice cubes using the recipe I wrote about before.I also created creamy pesto using one of my favorite recipes. This recipe has been a family favorite since it was first published in the New York Times in 1990.

Linguine with Creamy Basil-Pine Nut Sauce
9 ounces fresh linguine
1 large clove garlic, peeled
1 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
1/2 cup nonfat yogurt
2 ounces blue cheese
2 teaspoons sherry-wine vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Salt to taste, optional
2 tablespoons pine nuts

* Turn food processor on and put garlic through feed tube to process. Add basil, ricotta, yogurt, blue cheese and vinegar. Process to blend thoroughly. Season with pepper and salt, if desired, and mix in pine nuts.
* Cook linguine, drain and serve with sauce.

Strawberry lassi

2011-09-05T17:17:00.002-04:00

I've decided that a power outage caused by a hurricane is good for one thing: cleaning out the freezer. There are a lot of things in there that have been forgotten, especially those that have not been labelled. I found a lot of freezer-burned sausages. I also took the opportunity to reorganize the drawers (I have one of those freezer-on-the-bottom refrigerators). I now know where to find desserts, vegetables and meat.

I found some frozen strawberries in among the mess. It was time to create a strawberry lassi. I actually liked this lassi better than the mango one.

Strawberry Lassi
9 ripe strawberries, rinsed
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 oz. milk
8 oz. plain yogurt
Ground cardamom if you want

In a blender, pulse the strawberries and sugar for 30 seconds. Pour in the milk and blend another 30 seconds. Add the yogurt and blend on high speed for 1 minute.

Post hurricane harvest

2011-08-31T16:14:00.002-04:00

I had a perfect Italian harvest following this weekend's hurricane: three Fourth of July tomatoes, 2 cups of Genovese basil and a head of hard-necked garlic. Pesto time!

I never grew garlic before. After tasting how mild this one was, I am going to make garlic a regular part of my garden. The hard-necked garlic creates a beautiful flower that the bees love. It's so much better than the garlic from the store, and if I grow enough, I won't ever have to buy another head again.

Pesto
• 2 cloves of garlic (use less if your garlic is really strong)
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups fresh basil, leaves picked and chopped
• 1/4 cup pine nuts, very lightly toasted
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• a small squeeze of lemon juice

Throw everything in the food processor and pulse until a nice puree.

Mango Lassi

2011-08-24T16:47:00.004-04:00

Last year, I had a goal to eat yogurt. I knew it was a good way to get protein and calcium, and it was easy to carry to school for breakfast or lunch. But, I do not like yogurt AT ALL. I have NEVER liked yogurt, even though it seems to be one of the favorite foods of almost everyone I know. When I was in high school, my mom would have plain yogurt with All Bran and blueberries for lunch every day. Yuck!

Two weeks ago, my mom and I had dinner at Masala Zone, an Indian brasserie in London. And that's where I remembered how much I LOVE mango lassis. This was the way that I was going to eat yogurt.

My first attempt was delicious! And, super easy.

Mango Lassi for Two
8 oz. plain yogurt
4 oz. milk
1 cup chopped mango (if you can't get fresh, Trader Joe's has frozen)
3-4 teaspoons sugar, to taste

Put mango, yogurt, milk and sugar into a blender and blend for 2 minutes. Makes 2 8 oz. servings.

August 23 harvest

2011-08-23T13:29:00.003-04:00

I had a nice harvest today. I found the last three beets hiding among the herbs, a single onion, about a pint of cherry tomatoes, a pint of raspberries and four zucchini flowers.

Yesterday, I roasted a large batch of cherry tomatoes that I had picked on Saturday. I must remember to plant only ONE cherry tomato plant or I am going to be completely overwhelmed.

Zucchini harvest

2011-08-18T07:48:00.006-04:00

My dad wrote me an email while I was away saying that he was leaving a large zuccchini on the vine for me. This is not just a large zucchini, this is a massive zucchini. It's a foot long and about 5 inches in diameter!

I had just watched the Great British Bake-Off and one of the contestants made a chocolate & zucchini cake. The judge Mary Berry loved it, so I decided I needed to make one as soon as I got home with this giant squash that my dad was telling me about.

I grated the zucchini using the food processor (after removing the huge seeds) and had over 3 lbs of zucchini to use. I only need 3 cups.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake III from Allrecipes.com
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
3 cups grated zucchini
(3/4 cup chopped walnuts)

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan (I used a Bundt pan).
2.In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Add the eggs and oil, mix well. Fold in the zucchini (and nuts) until they are evenly distributed. Pour into the prepared pan.
3.Bake for 50 to 60 minutes in the preheated oven, until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Dust with powdered sugar.

I still have 2 lbs of grated zucchini left. I'm going to freeze it since I know I'm going to get more before the end of the summer.

Jusqu'à mon retour...

2011-08-03T15:22:00.001-04:00

Harvest of the week

2011-07-30T09:21:00.004-04:00

This week, my garden has given me...1 zucchini and 3 yellow pear tomatoes
and 1 yellow tomato.

First tomatoes 2011

2011-07-18T21:40:00.004-04:00

I finally have ripe tomatoes in my garden. These are Fourth of July (!) tomatoes from Burpee. I will admit that the 9 ft. tall fennel that shaded the garden did not help with the ripening process. Without it blocking most of the light, the other plants in the garden are starting to really grow now. I should have some yellow tomatoes next week and a few white zucchini.

Out of control fennel

2011-07-16T21:45:00.002-04:00

I've finally had to cut down the fennel. The crazy fennel forest was blocking the tomato garden. As you can see from my measuring tape, the flowers had reached over 100 inches (I had to climb to the top of my ladder to reach!). I've left the tallest plants just for fun, but the rest have been hacked down.

A salad from my garden

2011-07-02T21:50:00.001-04:00

Butterhead, escarole, red salad bowl & red speckled romaine

Garden friend

2011-06-23T08:48:00.003-04:00

Black Swallowtail catepillar, 6/21/2011

The Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes) also called the American Swallowtail or Parsnip Swallowtail, is a butterfly found throughout much of North America. After mating, small, yellow eggs are laid on garden plants from the carrot family (Apiaceae), including dill, fennel, Queen Anne's lace, and parsley.

See, that's the reason I have all this fennel!

Fennel forest

2011-06-22T10:12:00.002-04:00

This is what happens when you let the fennel seeds blow into your yard. I now have a major forest of fennel growing next to my raised bed. It provides lovely shade for some of my delicate greens.

But, the question has been, what do I do with this fennel? Luckily, Melissa Clark had a recipe for small batch salmon gravalax in today's New York Times that uses fennel and tarragon (the other herb that is taking over my garden).

Onion 2011

2011-06-21T10:41:00.003-04:00

I picked my first onion of the year at Fodor Farm. I had left a few onion sets in the ground last fall for Spring onions. As you can see from this photo, this one grew to an impressive height!

My favorite salad

2011-06-16T07:41:00.001-04:00

I get to sit in my cathedral-like classroom today and grade papers. The kids don't even have to go to school! It will be a very quiet day.

I thought I had posted this recipe before, but I couldn't find it, so I'm posting it now. This is my favorite summer pasta salad. It lends itself to additions, like capers or grilled vegetables. And, it's a great meal for lunch.

Orzo, Feta, And Tomato Salad With Marjoram Vinaigrette

Yield: Makes 8 servings

1 pound orzo
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
6 teaspoons finely chopped fresh marjoram
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/2 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups crumbled feta cheese
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1 cup pitted Kalamata olives, quartered
24 ounces cherry tomatoes, stemmed, halved

1. Cook orzo in pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Rinse under cold water until cool. Drain well. Transfer to large bowl.

2. Whisk lemon juice, 5 teaspoons marjoram, mustard, and lemon peel in small bowl. Whisk in olive oil. Set aside 2 tablespoons vinaigrette. Add remaining vinaigrette, cheese, onions, and olives to orzo; toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and let stand 2 hours to allow flavors to develop. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate salad and remaining vinaigrette separately.)

3. Toss tomatoes with reserved vinaigrette. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix tomatoes into orzo. Sprinkle orzo with remaining 1 teaspoon marjoram and serve.

It's almost over

2011-06-15T14:33:00.003-04:00

Just two more days left of this school year. I've been enveloped in one of those fast-rolling-forward-snowballs that comes with the end of the year. I just have 45 exams to correct and I can rest.

I bought a cantaloupe the other day, and while I don't actually like cantaloupe, it can be tasty with prosciutto. I thought this would be a nice salad.

Cantaloupe & Mozzarella Salad with Mint

1 ripe cantaloupe, scooped into 1-inch balls with a melon baller
8 ounces bocconcini mozzarella
2 to 3 thin slices prosciutto, cut into strips
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup torn mint leaves

Directions
In a large bowl, combine cantaloupe, mozzarella, prosciutto, and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper. Toss with mint leaves, and serve immediately.

2011-05-29T09:44:00.001-04:00

Preaping for an early morning wedding

2011-04-28T17:10:00.000-04:00

A Royal wedding is a wonderful event. When Andrew and Fergie got married, I was staying in Keswick in the English Lake District. I sat in front of the TV for the entire day while my parents went to town.

For this Royal wedding, I am getting up early and sitting in front of the TV for the two hours before I have to go to school. And, here's what I am bringing to school to celebrate.

Proper Cream Scones:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk, half-and-half, or heavy cream

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and place the rack in the middle of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a food processor, pulse together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut the butter into small pieces and pulse into the flour mixture until it looks like coarse crumbs. In a small bowl, whisk together the milk or cream, beaten egg and vanilla. Add this mixture to the flour mixture. Pulse just until combined. Do not over mix.

Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead the dough gently four or five times and then pat into a 7 inch round. Then, using a lightly floured 2 1/2 inch round cookie cutter, cut the dough into rounds. Place the rounds on the prepared cookie sheet, spacing a few inches apart. Brush the tops of the scones with a little cream. (This helps to brown the tops of the scones during baking.)

Bake for about 15 - 18 minutes or until nicely browned and a toothpick inserted into the center of a scone comes out clean. Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool. They also freeze very well.

Makes about 10 - 2 1/2 inch round scones.

Serve with clotted cream and strawberry jam. And a cuppa tea.

Cheddar Chive Scones

2011-04-23T12:15:00.004-04:00

Whole Foods has finally published their recipe for Cheddar and Chive Scones. My recipe experiments are over (see this post). This is the perfect time to make these because all of my chive plants are now up.

Cheddar Chive Scones
Makes 12

Ingredients
1/2 cup milk (plus 2 tablespoons for brushing over scones)
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, more for rolling out biscuits
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups grated sharp or aged cheddar, divided

Directions
*Preheat oven to 425°F.
*In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup milk and eggs until blended. Stir in chives and set aside. Blend flour, baking powder, salt, and black pepper in a food processor or large bowl. Add cold butter and pulse, or quickly blend with your fingertips, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Do not over-mix. Add 1 cup of the grated cheese and pulse just to combine. Add milk mixture and process just until moist clumps begin to form.
*Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a ball. Cut dough ball in half, then flatten each half into an 8-inch round circle, about 1/2-inch thick. Cut each circle into 6 wedges. Brush tops with milk and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese. Place on a nonstick baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Celebrating the Earth

2011-04-22T17:00:00.005-04:00

Today, my mother and I went to Stone Barns Center to help map the vegetable gardens using GIS. It was a great location to really appreciate the earth on this Earth Day. Here are some photos:

Sheep to be shorn tomorrow, pigs enjoying some lunch

Male boar, lots of chickens

Sunday Morning Pancakes

2011-04-17T11:20:00.003-04:00

Sunday mornings have always been my big breakfast day. Even when I was little, I would wake up early, eat a bowl of cereal while watching a variety of Sunday morning religious programming (yes, at six I enjoyed Oral Roberts and Robert Schuller) and then move on to pancakes or scrambled eggs.

These days, I've given up on pancake mixes. Ive been using this very easy recipe for the last few years.

Pancakes from scratch

sift:
one cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
one-quarter teaspoon salt (not needed)

beat and add:
one egg

add:
1 cup milk
stir gradually to make smooth
add:
1 teaspoon melted butter or oil

cook in a hot frying pan, flip pancakes when they bubble, to brown the other side.

Tomato progress report

2011-04-08T17:53:00.002-04:00

I am pleased to announce significant growth in the Moneymaker Tomato. The Starbucks cup is obviously having a positive impact.

Spring in Baltimore

2011-04-03T17:43:00.002-04:00

I was in Baltimore this weekend for the MENC Eastern Conference. As expected, Spring is in the air there and the trees are flowering. Beautiful!

2011-03-29T05:44:00.002-04:00

I used the half-birthday calculator online to confirm that March 29th is my half-birthday. I've even made cupcakes for school! For the benefit of Auntie Nettie who is a fan of Cake Wrecks, I provide photos of the "poop" frosted and the regular version that eventually made it to school.

Growing season has started!

2011-03-27T13:32:00.003-04:00

Last week, I started my tomato seeds. I wasn't sure how they would do considering that they are two years old. They were Moneymaker variety. Now, three tomato seedlings have appeared and seem to be very happy on my sunny windowsill.

2011-03-17T07:35:00.000-04:00

“St. Patrick's Day is an enchanted time -- a day to begin transforming winter's dreams into summer's magic.”

Adrienne Cook

It's raining. You need to waste some time.

2011-03-16T08:54:00.002-04:00

Here's a fun way to waste some time today: Simon Panrucker's Screamin' Beans game. Smash screaming Heinz baked beans with a click of your mouse.

Chicken Schnitzel how-to

2011-03-12T18:03:00.008-05:00

I'm not sure when my Chicken Schnitzel phase started, but I think I was around 12. I loved making this dish, and my grandmother loved it, too, because it was so easy. I created this hand drawn how-to for her. She used it frequently (notice the cooking stains). When she died, my dad gave me my recipe back.

Strawberries

2011-03-05T13:54:00.003-05:00

Strawberries seem to be in season somewhere right now because the stores are flooded with them. Everyone is having a sale. I'm not sure if they taste very good on their own, so this may not be the best recipe to try, but I've been trying to organize my collection and needed to get this posted.

This originally appeared in the New York Times on June 3, 2009 alongside a great recipe for Chicken Schnitzel. I've been making chicken schnitzel since I was 12, so I'm not sure that I need that recipe. Some day I'll post the image of the recipe that I gave my grandmother that had drawings of pounding the meat with a hammer.

I'm off to learn how to curl! Hopefully, I don't slide the 42-pound stone over my foot!

Fresh Strawberries With Almond Crème Anglaise
(serves 6-8 people)

Ingredients:
3/4 cup chopped almonds plus 1/2 cup lightly toasted slivered almonds
1 cup milk
1 cup cream
1/2 cup sugar
4 egg yolks
6 to 8 cups strawberries, washed, hulled and quartered.

1. Put chopped almonds in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, shaking pan occasionally, until fragrant and beginning to toast, about 3 minutes.

2. Add milk, cream, sugar and egg yolks, and whisk well to combine. Cook, whisking almost constantly, until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Do not let it boil.

3. While sauce is still hot, strain it through a sieve and let cool a bit. To serve, put a cup of strawberries in each dish, drizzle with warm sauce and garnish with slivered almonds. Sauce will keep, tightly covered, in refrigerator for up to 3 days.

End of my vacation

2011-02-25T17:23:00.007-05:00

Today is the last day of my Winter Vacation and I feel as though I have done very little. A week can go by so quickly when you know each day is a day off. On Wednesday, I did see RAIN, the Beatles tribute show on Broadway. If you're a fan of the Beatles, you really should go. The guy who plays Paul is a dead-ringer---visually as well as vocally. And, George is an amazing guitarist. All of the members of the band have been at this for a long time, so they've really honed their skills. It was very impressive.

Yesterday, I went to New York again to have a delightful belated birthday lunch with Auntie Nettie. We went to Fairway Market's cafe to eat delicious BLTs with thick cut bacon and heirloom tomatoes on a brioche roll. Thanks for choosing this place, Auntie Nettie! I'm going to have add it my list of favorite restaurants on the Upper West Side.

This weekend, I want to make these Double Dark-Chocolate and Ginger biscotti from Whole Living. Supposedly, they are healthy, but I'm going to be suspicious of that claim.

Double Dark-Chocolate and Ginger Biscotti
Prep: 25 Minutes Total: 1 hour 25 minutes, plus cooling time
Makes 2 1/2 dozen

Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, plus 1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
3 ounces dark chocolate, coarsely chopped (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt until well combined; set aside. In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat egg, egg yolk, and sugar until light and fluffy; beat in the vanilla and oil until well combined.
3. With the mixer on low, beat in dry ingredients until combined. Fold in walnuts, chocolate, and ginger with a rubber spatula (dough will be stiff).
4. With moistened hands shape the dough into 2 logs, each about 9 inches long and 2 1/2 inches wide. Bake until set on top, about 20 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in pan. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.
5. Transfer logs to a cutting board and, with a serrated knife, cut each log on the diagonal into 16 slices, each 1/2 inch thick. Bake until crisp, about 20 minutes, turning the biscotti over midway through. Cool 5 minutes on a baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Flourless Chocolate Cake for Two

2011-02-23T20:18:00.003-05:00

Flourless Chocolate-Orange Almond Torte
Serves 2

Ingredients
2/3 cup ground almond meal
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon orange zest, finely grated (see below)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 medium eggs
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablspoons water
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

To make:

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 4" ramekin

2. Combine the dry ingredients and the zest in a bowl, followed by the eggs, oil, water, and extracts. Stir until well combined.

3. Pour into your greased pan and place in the oven. The baking time will vary; start checking it about 25 minutes into baking. It will be ready when the batter is set and the cake puffs up and cracks slightly. (Avoid inserting a tester)

Once it's ready, remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Dust with confectioner's sugar or top with whipped cream to serve.

Update (3/7/11): The orange is a little overpowering. I would strongly recommend limiting the orange rind or removing from the recipe completely.

Key Lime cupcakes

2011-02-22T09:46:00.001-05:00

Last week, I bought a bag of key limes for 50 cents. They were on the reduced produce cart at Stop&Shop and I felt sorry for them. Yes, some of them were hard as rocks, but others were quite useable. I also bought a pre-made graham cracker crust. When I got home, I realized that I don't really like key lime pie. Strange, I know.

I wasn't going to let them go to waste, so I squeezed the ones that were still viable and got 1/4 cup of juice. I also zested them. I put all of that in the freezer.

Now, I've found this yummy recipe that is not key lime pie: Key Lime Cupcakes. I've eliminated the neon green food coloring because I don't want them to look artificial.

Key Lime Cupcakes
(found at Epicurious)

Cupcakes:
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup self-rising flour (make your own--add 1-1/2 tsp. baking powder & 1/2 tsp. salt to 1 cup all-purpose flour)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1-1/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2-1/2 Tablespoons key lime juice (about 10 key limes) or regular lime juice
1 Tablespoon key lime zest (about 10 key limes) or regular lime zest
3/4 cup buttermilk

Sift and whisk all-purpose flour and self-rising flour in a medium bowl.

Beat butter until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add sugar and beat to blend. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add lime juice and lime zest. Continue mixing until all ingredients are well combined.

Beat in flour mixture in 3 additions alternating with buttermilk in 2 additions.

Spoon equal proportions of batter into a standard 12 cup muffin pan lined with paper liners. Place in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Bake until tester comes out clean - 20 to 25 minutes.

Remove the cupcakes immediately from the pan, letting them cool on a rack.

Buttercream Icing:

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup cream of coconut (Coco Lopez)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Shredded coconut, toasted

In a large bowl beat butter until smooth.

Add all other ingredients (powdered sugar, salt, cream of coconut, vanilla extract) and mix until smooth. (Add more cream of coconut as needed for smoother frosting.)

Frost cupcakes, and garnish with shredded coconut.

School lunch

2011-02-21T12:03:00.005-05:00

Sometimes you need to recreate a school lunch. Here is this week's blue plate special: Sloppy Joes! I don't think they actually make sloppy joes at school anymore. I did try to eat a burger recently, and could only get through about two bites. They still serve tater tots, though.

Sloppy Joes
first published on Epicurious (January 1999)
by Melinda Anderson

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, chopped
4 ribs celery, chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
6 cloves crushed garlic
2 pounds ground beef
1 cup tomato sauce
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup ketchup
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

6 hamburger buns, toasted

Heat oil in large frying pan over medium heat. When oil is hot, add the onion, celery, jalapeño, and bell pepper. Cook until soft. Add the garlic and continue cooking for 3 or 4 minutes.

Increase heat to medium-high and add the ground beef to the skillet. Cook meat until browned (about 10 to 12 minutes). Season with salt and pepper.

Lower heat back to medium and add the tomato sauce, paste, ketchup, Tabasco, and Worcestershire sauce. Cook, stirring, until the liquid is reduced and the mixture is thick (15 to 30 minutes).

Season with salt and pepper and serve on toasted hamburger buns

Valentine Baking

2011-02-11T13:14:00.003-05:00

I think this is one of the first years that we'll be in school for Valentine's Day---usually it's during the February vacation. So, I will be baking these Raspberry-Almond Finaciers by Martha Stewart for my colleagues. I hope I can get the heart decoration to work out!

Raspberry-Almond Financiers
Makes 45

Vegetable oil cooking spray
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/3 cup honey
2 cups sliced blanched almonds (6 1/2 ounces), lightly toasted and finely ground
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup sifted cake flour (not self-rising)
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 large egg whites
1 cup raspberries (fresh or frozen), pureed and strained (1/2 cup)

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat mini muffin tins with cooking spray.
2.Heat butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, whisking frequently, until golden brown, 6 to 7 minutes. Add honey, and whisk until combined. Remove from heat.
3.Using a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine almonds, sugars, flour, and salt on low speed. Raise speed to medium-high, and add egg whites, one at a time, beating after each addition until just combined. Scrape down sides of bowl. Reduce speed to low, and add warm butter-honey mixture in a slow, steady stream. Raise speed to high, and beat for 45 seconds.
4.Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling each halfway. Spoon a scant 1/2 teaspoon raspberry puree near one edge of each cup. Draw a skewer or the tip of a paring knife through puree toward opposite edge of cup to form a heart shape.
5.Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until edges are golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool slightly in tins on wire racks. Using a small offset spatula, carefully unmold financiers, and transfer to rack. Financiers are best served warm or the same day they are baked, but they can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature for up to 3 days.

From Martha Stewart Living, February 2008

Send your greetings

2011-02-06T14:50:00.005-05:00

I read in the Times Magazine about the closure of Post Offices around the country. As a regular letter writer and postcard sender, this fact saddens me. I know how important the smaller post offices are to communities. When I lived in Oxford, Connecticut, the post office was in the barber shop. It was a meeting place for all.

Of course, around here, the post offices are always busy. I try to avoid the large, main post offices and choose to go to the smaller ones, just to avoid the lines.

My request to you is this---take the time to write someone a letter or a postcard. You know how excited you are when you get something other than a bill or catalog in the mail. Make someone else's day by sending them a friendly greeting. I just sent out a little note to a woman I know is snowed in in upstate New York.

Don't have writing paper or envelopes around the house? Use this neat envelope writing sheet at JustSomethingIMade.

And, the post office has some really neat stamps. I just bought Chinese New Year stamps that feature a tangerine. Since all 44-cent stamps are now Forever stamps, you can use them forever without additional postage.

Dessert with Bacon!

2011-02-05T16:18:00.004-05:00

It's Super Bowl weekend! Time to snack on really unhealthy things that you will regret on Monday!

My mother usually hosts a Super Bowl Commercials Viewing and prepares dinner that best suits the teams playing. As it is Pittsburgh (place of my birth), I'm sure she's going with pierogies, which also incorporates Wisconsin's cheesiness. And maybe some pigs in a blanket. I'm a fan of the Costco ones.

This is what I think we should have for dessert. The apples are healthy...

Apples With Candied Bacon à la Mode
by Mark Bittman, The New York Times
4 ounces really good bacon, cut into 1/2 -inch cubes
1/4 cup sugar
3 to 4 tart apples, like Granny Smith, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch slices
Vanilla ice cream.

1. Put the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat and cook until some of the fat has been rendered and it begins to brown on the edges, 6 to 8 minutes. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pan and sprinkle the bacon with 1 to 2 tablespoons of the sugar. Turn the heat to low and cook, turning the bacon pieces occasionally, until the sugar begins to melt and coat the bacon, about 5 minutes. Adjust the heat as necessary to prevent the sugar from burning. When the bacon is dark, remove it with a slotted spoon and let it cool on paper towels.

2. Add the apples to the remaining bacon fat in the skillet, and cook until just beginning to soften on the edges, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add the remaining sugar and continue cooking until the sugar melts and the apples are very tender, 5 to 10 minutes more. Serve the apples over ice cream along with any pan juices and a sprinkle of the candied bacon.

Bread

2011-02-02T09:38:00.003-05:00

The snow-related dismissals and days off are really starting to get old. Can we switch the snow storms to the weekends when I would be okay with staying indoors all day?

Yesterday, on my way home from school, I stopped by the store to pick up the ingredients for bread baking. I don't have a fancy KitchenAid mixer, so I had to make this by hand, but it turned out really well.

Here is my mom's recipe for white bread (remember she's a chemist):

Ingredients:

Yeast (packet or 1 TB)

Water

Sugar

Milk

Salt

Bread flour

Oil

Directions:
In a separate cup, put 1 Tablespoon (or a packet) of yeast in about 1/4 cup of warmish water (under 100 F). Add 1/2 teaspoon of sugar to that mixture of yeast and water and mix together. Let it sit until it foams, about 30 minutes.

Microwave 1 cup milk until it steams - not boils. This begins to denature the proteins.
Put 1-2 Tablespoons of butter (softened) in a bowl and 1 teaspoon of salt and 2 Tablespoons of sugar (all approximate). Pour the milk in and whip it all together. Let it cool to under 100 F.

Mix the yeast mixture and buttery water mixture together.

Add flour, a little at a time until it gets too gunky to use the machine or whisk. Then, you have to knead it on the counter until it stops being sticky.

Oil a bowl and put your dough in there. I turn the oven on for a bit before - enough to make it warm (200F for 10 mins or so). A radiator is probably fine for rising the bread.

Let it rise once and punch it down. Flip it over in the bowl.

Let it rise again. Punch it down, then roll it out flat then roll it up like a jelly roll and put it in an oiled pan and let it rise AGAIN until it's about 2x what you have. Make your oven hot -400 degrees - and then put it in the oven. It should take about 25 minutes to half an hour.

Take it out and flip it out of the pan as soon as it will yield. Otherwise, it'll get mushy.

Love Food Hate Waste program

2011-01-30T22:40:00.004-05:00

Every year in the US we throw away 96.4 billion pounds of edible food. The Love Food Hate Waste program from the English group WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) shows that by doing easy, practical, everyday things at home, we can all waste less food, which ultimately benefits the environment. If we all stopped wasting food that could have been eaten, it would have the same environmental impact as taking 1 in 4 cars off US roads. lovefoodhatewaste.com has lots of delicious recipes to use up leftovers, handy hints and tips for storing food to make it last longer, a portion calculator to help you cook the right amount, and information on what food date labels mean. There is something for everyone, whether you are a keen cook, or simply want to reduce the amount of food which you throw away.

Coconut-Pineapple Loaf Cake

2011-01-30T18:22:00.000-05:00

Two weeks ago, James bought a pineapple. Today, I decided to (finally) cut it up. I found this recipe for a loaf cake from Everyday Food (June 2008). If you want to see how this can look as a decadent dessert, check out the photo at yumsugar.com. Luckily, I bought some vanilla ice cream and I have some salted caramel sauce in case James wants to eat this dessert.

Coconut-Pineapple Loaf Cake
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 can (20 ounces) pineapple chunks in juice, drained well

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread coconut on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until lightly toasted, tossing occasionally, 6 to 10 minutes; set aside. Butter and flour a 9-by-5-inch (8-cup) loaf pan; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
2.Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce speed to low, and alternately add flour mixture in three parts and sour cream in two, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix just until combined (do not overmix).
3.Using a rubber spatula, fold pineapple and 1 cup coconut into batter. Spoon into prepared pan, and smooth top; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup coconut. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 65 to 70 minutes (cover pan with foil halfway through). Let cake cool in pan 15 minutes. Remove from pan, and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

I haven't made these yet

2011-01-27T22:11:00.003-05:00

I did make blondies today, but I used the recipe already on my blog. Unfortunately, I added baking chocolate disks instead of chocolate chips because I didn't realise what they were. I also added Heath Bar bits which (kinda) counteracted the overly-bitter chocolate. My mom said they were actually quite good. I don't know if she's telling the truth, though.

I'm on an English cooking kick again. I bought a copy of BBC GoodFood magazine and I was reminded of their website. I spent a little too much time there today (it was a snow day afterall) looking at various recipes, including this one for blondies. From the comments, it seems it turns out more like cake than a brownie, but it's still worth a try. I've got a few seriously ripe bananas sitting in my auxiliary fridge (read "back porch").

Caramel Banana Blondies
250g golden caster sugar
100g butter
100g caramel , from a jar or tin (Nestlé Carnation Caramel works well) plus 2 tbsp for the top
100g white chocolate (tho I think I might use regular chocolate chips)
2 eggs
200g self-raising flour
2 ripe bananas , sliced

Directions:
Heat the oven 350 F. Melt the sugar, butter, caramel and chocolate together until smooth. Cool a little, then add the eggs and fold in the flour and banana.
Pour into a lined 8-inch square tin and add a few blobs of caramel to the top, bake for 45-50 minutes or until risen and set. (I like the use of the word blob here. I will be using blob in more of my recipes. Hey, if the BBC uses it, it must be valid.)

Apple Blackberry Crumble

2011-01-22T16:41:00.003-05:00

I purchased blackberries and apples this weekend. James wanted a blackberry crumble, but there aren't many berries in a small container of winter blackberries. This recipe by Rachel Allen uses both the apples and blackberries. (You can watch Rachel Allen's Favourite Food on PBS every Saturday. I love her recipes. I love her kitchen. I want her life!)

This recipe is done by weight. I got a new Taylor measuring cup/scale that is perfect for English and European recipes. If you want to make this recipe, I would suggest using a scale since weight conversions to standard US cup measurements are different depending on the items.

Apple and Blackberry Crumble
(from Rachel’s Favourite Food by Rachel Allen)
Serves 6

Ingredients:
3-4 large cooking apples, peeled, cored and cut into large chunks
1 tbsp water
2-3 tbsp sugar
225g blackberries (frozen is fine)

For the crumble:
175g plain white flour
75g cold butter, cut into chunks
75g demerra or light brown sugar

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Put the apple chunks, water and sugar into a saucepan over a low heat and cook until the apples are soft and pulpy – about 10 minutes. If using eating apples, they won’t break down as much, so cook them until they are soft to the point of a knife. While the apples are cooking, stir every minute or so to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Taste and add more sugar if needed, before transferring to a pie dish to cool slightly. Pop the blackberries onto the cooked apple at this point.
2. To make the crumble, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Don’t rub it in too much however, as the crumble won’t be crunchy if you do. Add the sugar into the crumble topping and mix. Sprinkle the crumble mixture on top of the apple and blackberries.
3. Bake for 30-45 minutes for larger crumbles. Remove from the oven when the crumble is cooked and golden. Serve while still warm with vanilla ice-cream or crème fraiche.

Cooking to warm the house

2011-01-22T15:16:00.003-05:00

I knew it was time to get the slow cooker going when I saw the thermometer was at 15 degrees this morning. I wanted to make something that would make the house smell great. Plus, I wanted something that I could use for lunch all week. I searched the internet for slow cooker soup recipes. Since I had leftover Costco chicken, the Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe at All Recipes was perfect. A homey, comforting soup that makes the kitchen smell warm and delightful!

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients
1 pound shredded, cooked chicken
1 (15 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, mashed
1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups water
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
7 corn tortillas
vegetable oil
Cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions
1.Place chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chiles, and garlic into a slow cooker. Pour in water and chicken broth, and season with cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir in corn and cilantro. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on High setting for 3 to 4 hours.
2.Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
3.Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with oil. Cut tortillas into strips, then spread on a baking sheet.
4.Bake in preheated oven until crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes. To serve, sprinkle tortilla strips and shredded cheese over soup.

What's the point?

2011-01-21T09:53:00.004-05:00

I saw this recipe this morning on my cream cheese box and have to ask, "What is the point of the cream cheese?" I'm sharing it with you for opinion-generating purposes only.

Spaghetti a la Philly

1/2 lb. spaghetti, uncooked
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 jar (24 oz.) spaghetti sauce
4 oz. cream cheese, cubed
Parmesan Cheese

Cook spaghetti as directed on package.
Meanwhile, brown meat in large skillet; drain. Return meat to skillet. Stir in sauce and cream cheese; cook on low heat 3 to 5 min. or until sauce is well blended and heated through, stirring frequently.
Drain spaghetti. Add to sauce; mix lightly. Top with Parmesan.

Skillet Apple Charlotte by Jacques Pepin

2011-01-17T13:46:00.003-05:00

Last week, I watched Jacques Pepin's More Fast Food My Way on WLIW-Create. I love this show because he cooks a whole meal in a half hour. Yes, I know there are edits, but it's still an amazing looking (and probably tasting) meal in a very short period of time.

I decided last night that I was going to make the apple charlotte that he made on the show (episode 220) with some apples that had been forgotten in my fridge drawer. What a wonderfully easy way to end a simple meal of roasted chicken, baked potatoes and arugula salad.

Skillet Apple Charlotte
3 Granny Smith apples (about 1 1/2 pounds)—peeled, cored and cut into sixths
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon honey
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 slices of white sandwich bread, crusts removed
1 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons apricot preserves

Preheat the oven to 400°.
In a 7- or 8-inch ovenproof nonstick skillet, arrange the apples, cored side up. Add the maple syrup, honey and 2 tablespoons of the butter and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook, gently shaking the pan occasionally, until the apples are tender, 5 minutes. Uncover and cook over high heat, shaking the pan a few times, until the liquid is evaporated and the apples are caramelized, 7 minutes.
Arrange the bread slices in a square on a work surface. Trim the corners of the slices to form a round the size of the skillet. Spread the bread with the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and sprinkle with the sugar. Arrange the bread over the apples, sugared side up.
Bake for 20 minutes, until the bread is toasted. Invert the charlotte onto a plate.
In a heatproof bowl, melt the apricot preserves in a microwave oven for 30 seconds. Spread the preserves over the apples. Cut into wedges and serve warm

What should I do today?

2011-01-12T09:11:00.001-05:00

A burst of sunshine

2011-01-08T18:58:00.006-05:00

It's a good thing that Meyer lemons are available in January. They bring a burst of sunshine into your kitchen when it's otherwise cold and miserable. Today was the perfect day to bring some of that warmth into my house (yes, the oven helped).

I recently bought 5 Meyer lemons at Whole Foods with the plan to bake a cake I had made before. But, the recipe I used before was removed from the web, so I had to find another option. I found this one on Baking Bites. It gave me the opportunity to use some of my bundt pan, which normally has a lonely existence in the basement.

Meyer Lemon Bundt Cake

3 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 large eggs

2 tbsp Meyer lemon zest

1/2 cup Meyer lemon juice (that's about 2 1/2 lemons)

1/2 cup buttermilk (remember that you can substitute milk & vinegar or lemon juice)

Glaze:

2 tbsp Meyer lemon juice (about 1 smaller lemon)
1 cup confectioners sugar

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour a 10 or 12 cup bundt pan.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, followed by lemon zest. Stir 1/3 of the flour mixture into the butter mixture, followed by the Meyer lemon juice. Add in additional 1/3 of the flour mixture, followed by the buttermilk. Stir in all remaining flour, mixing only until no streaks of flour remain visible. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake for 40-45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean or with only a few moist crumbs attached.
Let the cake rest in pan for 15 minutes, then turn out on to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the glaze, whisk together lemon juice and confectioners’ sugar in a small bowl. Drizzle over cooled cake.

2011-01-01T23:50:00.000-05:00

I'm not a regular new year's resolution maker, but during December, I ate a few too many holiday cookies, dipped a few too many chips and imbibed a few too many fizzy beverages. And, unfortunately, I have a check-up next week, and it's not going to be good.

Luckily, I'm going to be following Whole Living's 28-day Action Plan. The first week of activities doesn't look too difficult. It includes cutting out processed foods, completing a media fast, freeing up the weekly schedule and getting more sleep.

The plan starts on Monday. I've started the plan this weekend by drinking more water. The food modifications don't look too hard, except for the 5 to 6 meals a day. This was obviously written for someone who doesn't have to travel from school to school and has 10 minutes to eat. But, my other new life plan was to have lunches ready to go every day that I can grab as I leave the house.

And, I love the idea of going to bed 10 minutes earlier every day so that by the end of the week, bed time is a whole hour earlier!

Time to start thinking seeds!

2010-12-28T11:46:00.003-05:00

I've already received three seed catalogs: Burpee, Cook's Garden and High Mowing---perfect for perusing on these days when I've been snowed in. My favorite is High Mowing Seeds. They are located in Vermont, so their seeds are well-suited to my growing conditions in Connecticut.

You can view their virtual catalog on their website.

I can't really think about seeds, yet, but there are a few that I think would be a neat addition to my Fodor Farm plot this year. I really like the Black Futus Pumpkin from Japan. It's all warty and would make a neat jack-o-lantern. And, this year, I'm going to try some cauliflower, maybe a purple or orange kind.

Boxing Day baking

2010-12-26T15:33:00.003-05:00

I wasn't really expecting snow today. I know that I watched it on the weather forecast last night, but after three church services, I may have been dreaming it. Thank goodness I don't have to travel anywhere.

A snow storm is the perfect time to bake. Here's an easy one from Giada De Laurentiis and the Food Network:

Orange and Nut Squares
Ingredients
1 tube sugar cookie dough
1 cup marmalade
1 1/2 cups assorted nuts, toasted and chopped
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Spread the cookie dough out on a cookie sheet to 1/4-inch thickness (about 9 inches by 12 inches) using your fingertips. Bake for 25 minutes. Let cool.
Spread the marmalade over the cookie. Sprinkle with nuts.
In a double boiler over very lightly simmering water, melt the chocolate. Dip a spoon in the melted chocolate and drizzle on top of the cookie. Let cool. Cut the cookie into 12 bars or squares. Serve or store in an airtight container.

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-24T09:50:00.001-05:00

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

2010-12-19T12:01:00.001-05:00

As seen in the Gracious Home window. Only $399!

Look what I found!

2010-12-18T12:19:00.003-05:00

Last weekend, my mom tried to make her Spritz cookies, but her cookie press broke and she wasn't able to make them. She tried to find another cookie press, but couldn't since they seem to be made in Europe. Luckily, I was able to fix her original one and she could make her little green Christmas trees.

But, I was browsing through the DCA Thrift Shop and a brand new Pedrini cookie press was sitting there waiting for me! And, only $3! Now, I'm going to have to start making my own spritz cookies.

Here's the translated recipe from Pedrini:

Tea Pastry

9 oz. butter

9 oz. sugar

2 eggs

1 pinch salt

18 oz. flour

1/2 tsp vanilla

Pre-heat oven to 400 F.

Cream the butter and sugar together. Add eggs and vanilla. Sieve in flour and mix the remaining ingredients a little at a time until a soft dough is achieved. Form the cookies on a chilled baking tray, not greasy (which means ungreased, but I thought it sounded better!).

Bake for approximately 7-10 minutes.

Holiday Cookie Swap: recipe 2

2010-12-05T08:16:00.001-05:00

Here's another cookie in my Virtual Cookie Swap. It's too cold outside. Bake!

Toasted Almond Crisp Cookies (makes 30)
from Unsophisticook

4 T. unsalted butter
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 t. molasses
2 T. heavy cream
1/2 t. almond extract
1/3 c. finely chopped toasted almonds
1/4 c. all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1/4 t. kosher salt

Directions:
1. Combine the butter, granulated sugar, molasses, cream, and almond extract in a saucepan. Boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves, about one minute.
2. Turn heat to low and stir in toasted almonds, flour, and salt.
3. Working quickly, drop level teaspoons of dough onto parchment-lined cookie sheets. Space the cookies about 3 inches apart to allow for spreading.
4. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Rotate cookie sheets halfway through cooking. Slide parchment off cookie sheets onto wire racks to allow cookies to cool.

Staying warm with stew

2010-12-04T19:52:00.003-05:00

I had my first holiday concert today---a 20-minute musical appetizer by the Darien Chamber Orchestra at the Darien Library. We played "Sleigh Ride" by Mozart, the Catalan Carol "Song of the Birds," A Christmas fugue on "We Wish You a Merry Christmas," the tango "Por una Cabeza," a Vaughn Williams Christmas collection and "March of the Toy Soldiers" by Victor Herbert. It was a nice way to get the season started.

After, though, I really wanted to eat something warm. I'm already tired of the cold. I had printed out a recipe for butternut squash stew from The Year in Food earlier this week and decided this was the perfect night to make it. This is a Mark Bittman recipe, and I'm not always a fan of his recipes, but this one turned out great.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH STEW

1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed into 1-in pieces

1 yellow onion, diced

3 cups chicken broth

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 12 oz. can diced tomatoes

2 Tbsp ground, unsweetened chocolate

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp chipotle powder

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup toasted pumpkin seeds

feta, optional

olive oil for cooking

salt + pepper to taste

1. Warm a large, heavy bottomed pot over a medium flame. When hot, add olive oil and allow it to heat. Add about half of the butternut squash – enough to fill but not crowd the bottom of the pan. Quickly toss them in the oil and then let them sit and develop a brown crust, about 5-7 minutes per side. When nicely browned, flip the squash and repeat. When the squash are ready, remove from heat and reserve. Repeat with the remaining squash.
2. Add the onion and garlic to the pan, adding a little oil if necessary, and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent garlic from burning.
3. Add about one cup of the broth and use this to deglaze the pot, scraping anything stuck to the bottom with a wooden spoon. Add the tomatoes with their juices, along with the unsweetened chocolate, cinnamon and chipotle, and stir. Let this simmer for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Finally, return the squash to the pot, along with the remaining vegetable or chicken stock and balsamic vinegar, and simmer over a low heat for 15-20 minutes. Add salt and pepper to your liking.
I made pearl couscous to go with this. Top with the squash stew. Garnish with pumpkin seeds, and if you desire, some fresh feta as well.

(I am so full right now...)

2010-12-02T12:46:00.005-05:00

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire,
Jack Frost nipping on your nose...

One of James' favorite things...a recipe from The Year in Food
ROAST CHESTNUTS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Using a sharp knife (I usually use my Chinese cleaver), score an X into the skin of each chestnut, but don't actually cut into the meat of the nut – this allows steam to release while they are roasting.
Roast the chestnuts for about 25-30 minutes, until the skin has opened up. I've been making mine in the toaster oven and it seems to work well.

Let them rest for about 5 minutes. While they are still warm, peel both the outer shell and the inner brown skin from the nut.

Holiday Cookie Swap

2010-12-01T07:14:00.001-05:00

With the start December comes the traditional baking extravaganza. This year, I am going to have a virtual cookie swap, sharing with you some of my favorite holiday cookie recipes. Today, I'm starting with a very yummy cinnamon-swirl cookie which translates a cinnamon bun into a cookie! What could be better?

These take a bit of time since you have to refrigerate the dough twice, but I'm sure you can find something else to do around the house during that time. When was the last time you dusted under the sofa?

Cinnamon-Swirl Cookies:
FOR THE DOUGH
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
2 large eggs
FOR THE FILLING
2 ounces (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup light-brown sugar
1/2 cup dark-brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted (1 1/2 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Make the dough: Sift flour, salt, and baking soda into a large bowl. Beat butter, sugar, and orange zest with a mixer on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture gradually, and beat until just combined. Divide dough in half, wrap each half in plastic, and refrigerate for 1 hour (or overnight).
2. Turn half the dough onto floured parchment. Roll into a 10-by-12-inch rectangle, then trim edges straight. Repeat with remaining half of dough. Transfer rectangles on parchment to a baking sheet, and refrigerate until firm but pliable, about 10 minutes.
3. Make the filling: Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl until well combined. Crumble mixture evenly over rectangles. Starting on a long side, roll 1 rectangle into a log, and wrap it in the parchment. Repeat with remaining rectangle. Refrigerate logs for 1 hour (or overnight).
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut each log crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets, and bake until edges are golden brown, about 19 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks.

Chocolate treats

2010-11-30T12:43:00.002-05:00

When we were in Belgium this summer, my mother and I didn't eat a lot of chocolate even though it was on every street corner. We did stop at one chocolate shop in Ghent to buy a few mendiants, which are little chocolate disks with nuts and dried fruit on them. They look pretty easy to make, so I've decided that I will be making these as special treats this Christmas.

Mendiants
1 pound bittersweet chocolate
1 cup dried fruits and nuts (orange rind, raisins, almonds, pistachios, crystallized ginger, etc)

1. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
2. Melt and temper the chocolate.
3. Drop small spoonfuls of tempered chocolate onto the baking sheets. The chocolate should spread out into circles; use the spoon to fix any misshapen rounds.
4. Gently place some of the toppings on each chocolate round.
5. Place baking sheets in refrigerator to let mendiants set, 15 to 20 minutes.

Store in an airtight container between layers of wax paper in the refrigerator for up to one week.
*Until I create my own mendiants, I have borrowed this photo from Chow.com as a placeholder.

Gingerbread outhouse

2010-11-27T11:47:00.003-05:00

You may remember our after-Thanksgiving gingerbread house creation last year. We had a smaller group this year, but there was still excitement to create gingerbread houses. My mom bought a Wilton gingerbread mini village at Walmart so everyone got to make their own mini house this year. I chose the Gum Drop Top Cabin, which I thought looked like a mini apartment building.

First, we were lacking an electric mixer, so we used Uncle-power to mix the Royal Icing. Then, we had some difficulty learning how to use a piping bag so royal icing got all over the place. But, we had some nice creations. Unfortunately, my gum drop top cabin turned out to be an Polka-Dot Top Outhouse. I have some more work to do on it, but it's definitely a gingerbread man's outdoor toilet.

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-25T07:16:00.001-05:00

2010-11-23T22:23:00.005-05:00

Hey, you! Put that artificially-seasoned packet of onion dip down! Yes, I know it's easy, but it's not good for you. If you've really got to have that dip to go with those chips (and ruin your appetite, I might add), make your own dip from scratch. It only takes 15 minutes. Thanks, Mark Bittman!

Real Sour Cream Onion Dip
Ingredients
1/3 cup canola oil
1 medium onion, minced, about 1/2 cup
Pinch salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 cup sour cream

1.Place oil in an 8-inch skillet, and turn heat to medium-high. When it's hot, a minute or two later, add onion, salt and sugar. Cook, shaking pan occasionally, until onion browns, about 10 minutes.
2.Pour onion and oil into a fine strainer; reserve oil in refrigerator for another use (for what, I don't know). Stir onion into sour cream. If time allows, cover and refrigerate for 24 hours. Serve with potato chips or raw vegetables.

Oh, Cranberries!!

2010-11-20T20:46:00.005-05:00

You've probably been thinking, "What's up with Jane's blog? Why hasn't she been posting anything? I'm not going to keep checking back because she never puts anything up anymore. Sheesh!"

I'm sorry. My teaching life has taken over all other aspects of my life. I'm starting to become one of the people who you actually think might live at the school. Plus, I've caught one of those perpetual teacher bugs that lasts for months. No one around me has gotten sick, so don't worry, it's not contagious.

But, let's get back to doing fun things! It's almost Thanksgiving and time to start thinking about what version of cranberry sauce I am going to make this year. Luckily, the friendly people over at Craftzine posted a very-yummy-looking Cranberry Orange Walnut relish. It's almost the same as the one that Mrs. Glavin taught me in 7th grade Home Ec that's always been a hit at our family Thanksgivings.

And, then that got me thinking how much I love cranberry bread! And, more importantly, why had I not made cranberry bread in ages. Here is my favorite recipe for Cranberry Bread:

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup whole cranberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 egg
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4 cup orange juice

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Grease one 9x5 inch loaf pan.
2. Combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Add the cranberries and chopped nuts, stir to coat with flour.
3. In another bowl, combine the egg, oil, orange juice and grated orange peel. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.
4. Bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let bread sit for 10 minutes and then remove from the pan and place on a cooling rack.

I promise that I'll be back soon! Really, I will.

Closing up the garden

2010-11-08T19:59:00.003-05:00

This weekend, I pulled out the last of the vegetables from the Fodor Farm garden. There wasn't much left---a few wayward beets, a carrot and a really tiny eggplant. The herbs are still growing and I decided to leave them in the ground. I took the rosemary home to grow on the back porch. I put some onions in for next Spring.

I'm starting to rethink how to layout the garden next year. My mom and I decided that we would combine forces next year, growing lettuces, herbs and greens in my plot and tomatoes, eggplants and beans in hers. I'd like to try some carrots and beets again next year.

This is just a place holder

2010-10-29T17:43:00.001-04:00

I needed to put this recipe/menu idea somewhere. It is from Cook's Illustrated.

Menu: Butternut Squash Risotto Meal

Risotto's labor-intensive reputation is enough to turn many cooks away. But our Butternut Squash Risotto uses a method that eliminates the need for continuous stirring, which allows you to tend to the other dishes on this elegant menu: Roasted Cauliflower along with Caramelized Pears with Blue Cheese and Black Pepper-Caramel Sauce.

Bistro Roast Chicken

2010-10-24T17:25:00.002-04:00

This is my favorite roast chicken recipe. It's the perfect Sunday meal in the style of an English Sunday roast. The potatoes are roasted in the same pan, soaking up those delicious chicken juices. I made roasted fennel to go with this, but other times I've thrown baby carrots and cipolini onions in with the potatoes. The olives in this recipes are probably my favorite part, but if you don't like olives, you can leave them out.

Bistro Roast Chicken with New Potatoes and Olives

1 whole chicken (3 1/2 lbs)

1 lemon, halved

1 large garlic clove, halved

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

16 small new potatoes, unpeeled

1 cup pitted olives

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 tsp dried thyme

1. Heat oven to 450. Place rack in shallow roasting pan, spray with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Rub chicken inside and out with lemon halves. Rub with garlic cloves. Place lemon and garlic inside the chicken cavity. Sprinkle chicken inside and out with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and pepper. Place chicken breast side down on rack. Bake 20 minutes.

3. Quarter potatoes (or leave whole if they are really small) and place in a large bowl. Add olives, garlic, oil, thyme and remaining salt and pepper. Stir to coat completely.

4. Remove chicken from oven. Place chicken on plat and remove the rack from the pan. Spoon olives and potatoes into the pan. Place chicken breast side up on top of the olives and potatoes. Return pan to oven and bake until internal temperature reaches 180.

5. Remove from oven. Let stand for 10 minutes before carving.

Saffron Crocus

2010-10-23T22:00:00.002-04:00

I've been growing saffron crocuses for the last few years. I've never actually harvested the saffron. What? Am I crazy? Saffron can cost up to $300 an ounce! Well, the flowers usually got raked into great leaf piles and I could never find them again. But, this year I will be harvesting the stamens.

Penne with Creamy Pumpkin Sauce

2010-10-09T14:41:00.002-04:00

Are you feeling Fall-y yet? It's still been pretty warm, but I'm getting into the fall spirit. I've been wearing browns and oranges. And, I've been thinking of fall foods. Here is a delicious pasta recipe that uses canned pumpkin from Everyday Food.

Penne with Creamy Pumpkin Sauce

12 ounces penne rigate or other short pasta
Coarse salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
1 can (15 ounces) pure pumpkin puree
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup half-and-half
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more for garnish (optional)

*Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Reserve 2 cups pasta water; drain pasta and set aside.
*In pasta pot, heat oil over medium. Add rosemary and fry, stirring, until starting to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer rosemary to a paper towel, leaving oil in pot.
Carefully (oil is hot and will spatter) add pumpkin puree, garlic, half-and-half, Parmesan, vinegar, red-pepper flakes, and 1 cup reserved pasta water to pot. Stir sauce until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes.
*Add pasta to sauce, and toss to coat. If sauce is too thick, add some reserved pasta water. Season generously with salt. Serve pasta sprinkled with fried rosemary and, if desired, more red-pepper flakes.

2010-09-29T17:19:00.002-04:00

This is a little plug for the book I am currently reading. This book is such a delight to read. And, I keep handing it over to James to read certain passages because he, too, grew up on a goat farm in upstate New York. I'm not sure if I want to take on the life of the gentlewoman farmer, but it's nice to read about others' adventures!

2010-09-28T06:48:00.001-04:00

Wayne Thibault, Cakes, 1963

Zucchini!

2010-09-23T21:42:00.000-04:00

It has been a slow summer for zucchini at the Flax Hill Garden. I did get that really big one after I was on vacation, but then there was nothing. There were a few that started, but then shriveled up and died.

But, now the weather is perfect---warm days, cool nights, dew in the mornings. The zucchini are loving it! I got three zucchini this week. I shared one with my neighbor who didn't plant any this year. The other two were grilled with some fresh herbs. Yum!

Roasting tomatoes

2010-09-11T14:48:00.006-04:00

My dad got over 25 tomatoes from Fodor Farm while I was away. I haven't had many more since I've been back. I did get some yellow plum tomatoes from my kitchen garden this week. They don't have a lot of flavor, but they look nice in dishes.

Today, I decided to roast some grape tomatoes I got on the reduced produce rack. I cut the tomatoes in half, put them in a bowl with some olive oil, thyme and rosemary and swirled them around. Then, I put them on a parchment-covered baking sheet with a few unpeeled garlic cloves and put them in a 225°F oven.

My house smells so nice right now.

I'm not sure what to make with these treats. Should I make pearl couscous with olives and roasted tomatoes? Mozzarella s'mores? Or, will they not last long enough to be more than a snack?

My video of the Brussels Flower Carpet

2010-09-11T09:20:00.000-04:00

School lunch

2010-09-05T17:01:00.004-04:00

Making lunch before I leave for school is a pain. I would rather sleep those five extra minutes than try to create something to eat and then clean up. But, I don't want to eat the school lunch because it's expensive and the selection can be a little unusual at times. Last week, I ate Orzo, Feta and Tomato salad every day. It's a dish I could eat every day and always be happy.

But, I need to mix it up, so I'm going to go with a wrap sandwich this week. I was thinking of one with roasted vegetables and hummus, so I found the one below and made some modifications. I have two zucchini that I grew in the backyard garden---I caught them before they got too big. And, my mom has some white eggplant. Add some feta cheese and I think I've got a very yummy lunch!

Ingredients

2 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices
2 small eggplants, cut into 1/4 inch slices
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/8 teaspoon salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
1 cup store-bought hummus
4 pieces whole-wheat wrap bread (about 9 inches in diameter)
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
2 ounces baby spinach leaves (2 cups lightly packed)
1/2 cup red onion thinly sliced into half moons
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves

Directions

Preheat the grill or grill pan over medium heat. Brush both sides of the zucchini, eggplant and onions with the oil and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Grill until tender and slightly browned, about 4 minutes per side.

Spread 1/4 cup of the hummus over each piece of wrap. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of pine nuts on top. Top with 3 slices of zucchini, 3 pieces of eggplant, 1/2 cup of the spinach, a few sliced onions, and 1 tablespoon of the mint. Roll each of them up and cut in half on a diagonal.

Do I need this?

2010-08-21T16:59:00.001-04:00

I'm acquiring a lot of silicone kitchen utensils. They work really well with high heat and come in such neat colors. I saw this item in the MoMA catalog:

"Made of soft silicone with a pig face in the center, this multipurpose lid can be placed directly over ingredients in a pot to help them cook evenly, releasing steam through the pig's snout. It can also be used to cover food in the microwave, and as a grip to open lids."

Tomato & pesto tart

2010-08-21T01:03:00.005-04:00

My mom made a version of this tomato tart yesterday using a recipe from a magazine she bought in England. The recipe below is from BBC's Olive Magazine and adds marscapone cheese to the mix. I have a container of marscapone in my fridge, so I've decided that I'll be making this for dinner this weekend if it's not too hot.

1 pkg puff pastry
6-8 vine ripened tomatoes, thinly sliced
4 tbsp pesto
2 tbsp marscapone cheese

Heat oven to 400°.
Unroll the pastry into a baking sheet and score 1 cm from the edge. Prick inside the border with a form, then back for 15-20 minutes until light golden.
Gently squash down the middle. Spread the pesto inside the border, dot over the marscapone, then layer the tomato on top. Season. Bake for 10 minutes until the tomatoes are cooked and the marscapone has melted.

First zucchini of 2010

2010-08-20T15:49:00.003-04:00

While I was away, the gnome was in charge of harvesting my ripening vegetables in the kitchen garden. This zucchini was a little big for him to handle on his own. Luckily, he had a little help. I told him to keep an eye on it and not let it get too big. Obviously, he had other things going on.

Flower Carpet 2010

2010-08-13T10:50:00.003-04:00

Some of you did guess that I was going to Brussels, just in time for this year's Flower Carpet. Every two years, the entire Grand Place is given over to 800,000 begonias and grass to create a beautiful carpet. This year, they are celebrating the Belgian Presidency of the EU. It's only on for 3 days and since it rains every day, the flowers stay fresh.

2010-08-03T14:43:00.004-04:00

Special points if you can figure out where I'm going based on this photo. If I know who you are, I'll send you a postcard as a prize:Oh, and I'm also going here, but it's not in the same country:
See you back here in a couple of weeks.

Fresh tomato sauce

2010-08-03T08:34:00.004-04:00

Tomatoes were piling up on my kitchen counter. I decided that I wanted to make a quick, fresh tomato sauce that would only have ingredients that I already had in my house. Lucky for me, this one from Bon Appetit was featured on the epicurious website. I've made a few modifications.
I also got to use my new induction hot plate with this recipe. James picked it up in NYC after I told him that I thought it was perfect for summer cooking. I cooked the pasta on the backporch without having to heat up the house. It was AWESOME.

Pasta with Fresh Tomato and Olive Sauce
modified from Bon Appetit recipe, 8/99

1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup Kalamata olives, pitted, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 1/2 pounds tomatoes, chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 pound pasta, freshly cooked
1 1/2 cups coarsely grated Parmesan cheese (about 4 ounces)
1 cup chopped fresh basil

Heat olive oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add olives, chopped onion, chopped garlic and crushed red pepper and sauté until onion begins to soften, about 4 minutes. Add tomatoes and tomato paste and stir until tomatoes are just warmed through, about 2 minutes. Mix in red wine vinegar. Add cooked pasta, 1 cup Parmesan cheese and fresh basil and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to large bowl. Serve with remaining Parmesan cheese.

Tomato time

2010-07-31T14:06:00.003-04:00

I picked 3 1/2 pounds of tomatoes from the Fodor Farm plot. The big one weighed over a pound by itself. It's a Pink Brandywine and I'm not sure if it's supposed to get that big. The larger yellowish one in the front is an Amana Orange. I also have one Mountain Pride and two Golden Sunbursts (I think).

Now, the question is what to do with all of these tomatoes! Such a wide selection of recipes to choose from! Here's an easy one:

Bruschetta with Tomatoes*
(makes 6 pieces)

6 thick slices Italian or French style bread (stale if possible)
1/4 cup best olive oil you can find
2 large, ripe tomatoes, diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half
4 large basil leaves, chopped
Sprinkling of oregano and salt

Prepare the tomato mixture first to give the flavors time to blend. In a small bowl, combine tomatoes, olive oil, basil, oregano, and salt to taste. You can use either oregano or basil as well–both are not necessary. Grill or toast bread. When the bread is toasted and still hot, rub well with the “raw” side of the garlic cloves. Spoon the tomato mixture on top, and serve hot.

Quote of the day

2010-07-31T09:50:00.003-04:00

Here is my favorite quote about the July heat, found in today's New York Times:

"The heat barreled through New York this July like a snarling bully, squashing picnics, ruining gardens, wiping social calendars clean and then, just for fun, mussing hairdos and filling subway cars with animal smells."

Polenta Stacks with Eggplant, Tomato And Mozzarella

2010-07-26T16:46:00.004-04:00

Hey, it's time for another recipe to use those vegetables that I know you're busing picking right now. This one uses two items that are ripening in my garden now: eggplant and tomatoes. Try this with one of the flavored polentas, like sun-dried tomato & garlic, for some extra flavor.

Polenta Stacks with Eggplant, Tomato And Mozzarella
1 ready-made tube of polenta
2 lg Japanese eggplants, each cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
Olive oil
4 lg firm tomatoes, each cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
Balsamic vinegar
Dried oregano
1 pk fresh mozzarella
12 fresh basil leaves

Preheat broiler. Place eggplant on baking sheet. Brush with oil on both sides; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil until brown, about 4 minutes per side.

Drizzle 12 tomato slices with a few drops of vinegar. Sprinkle eggplant and tomatoes with oregano.

Preheat oven to 375F. Oil baking sheet. Cut polenta into 12 rounds and place on sheet. Top each with eggplant round. Cut mozzarella into 1/3-inch thick slices; place on squares. Top each with tomato slice. Bake polenta stacks until heated through and cheese melts, about 15 minutes. Watch the cheese, though. These can fall over and not look very nice if it melts all over the place. Top each stack with 1 basil leaf.

from Bon Appetit January 1995

Green Papaya Salad

2010-07-25T22:21:00.003-04:00

Who wants to cook when it's this hot outside? Ugh. We went out for Thai food last night and had a delicious green papaya salad that was perfect for this heat.

I've decided that I will add this recipe to my collection of Thai foods.

Green Papaya Salad (Som Tam)

Green (unripe) papaya
Garlic, minced -- 2 cloves
Thai red chilies, minced -- 2
Palm or brown sugar -- 2 tablespoons
Dried shrimp (optional) -- 2 teaspoons
Lime juice -- 2 tablespoons
Fish sauce -- 2 tablespoons
Long beans or green beans, cooked and cut int 1-inch lengths -- 1/2 cup
Tomatoes, seeded and chopped -- 1/2 cup
Roasted, chopped peanuts -- 1/4 cup

Method

Peel the papaya and cut it in half. Scoop out any seeds and the white coating on the inside of the seed cavity. Using the large holes of a grater or the julienne attachment of a food mandoline, grate or julienne the papaya.
Add the garlic, chiles, palm or brown sugar, dried shrimp, lime juice and fish sauce to a large bowl and mix together to dissolve the sugar. Taste, and adjust seasonings. You want a nice balance of sour, sweet, salty and spicy.
Add the beans and tomatoes and stir them into the sauce, pressing down on them lightly to slightly bruise the beans and release the tomato's juice.
Add the papaya, toss well and adjust seasoning. Garnish with the peanuts and serve chilled or at room temperature with a side of sticky rice.

First tomatoes at Fodor Farm (grown from seed)

2010-07-24T15:20:00.003-04:00

I picked my first tomatoes at Fodor Farm today. I grew these plants from seed, so I'm very excited to have them ripen! The one in the front is a Speckled Roman from Botanical Interest. The ones in the back are from Burpee Heirloom Mix and these seem to be Golden Sunbursts. Won't these look nice in a layered salad? I've also found a great recipe for Lebanese bread salad called fattoush that I'm going to try.

I'm now trying my best to stay cool. I can't remember a summer with so many way-too-hot days. I can't even think of anything else to do but sit in the air conditioning and not move. My mom called a hotel in London today and the girl at the desk complained that they were having hot days there right now. It's been in the 70s. Hot? Really?

Fattoush (serves 4)
3-4 white pita bread
1 head romaine lettuce, leaves separated
3 medium, vine-ripened tomatoes
medium cucumber, seeds removed, thinly sliced
4 scallions, thinly sliced
2 TBSP finely chopped Italian parsley
1 TBSP finely chopped mint

Dressing:
1 large garlic, crushed
Pinch ground cinnamon
zest of lemon
1/4 cup olive oil
2-3 TBSP lemon juice
salt & pepper

Directions:
* Cut pita in half and toast until starting to brown, but are still tearable. Let cool briefly, then tear into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
* Tear the lettuce into bite-sized pieces and put in a large bowl. Cut the tomatoes into quarters, and then cut each quarter into 4 slices. Add to bowl. Add cucumbers, scallions, parsley and mint to bowl and mix well.
* To make the dressing, put the garlic, cinnamon, lemon zest, olive oil and lemon juice to a bowl. Using a small whisk, combine ingredients. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well. Just before serving, mix in the pieces of toasted pita bread.

When life gives you zucchini...

2010-07-18T15:42:00.000-04:00

you should make zucchini cupcakes! I found this recipe for my student who has the plethora of zucchini.

Martha Stewart's Zucchini Cupcakes with cream cheese frosting

Ingredients:

Yields: 24 cupcakes

3 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

3/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest

2 cups packed light brown sugar

3 cups packed grated zucchini

1 cup walnuts (about 3 ounces), toasted and coarsely chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners.

Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. In another bowl, whisk together oil, eggs, vanilla, and zest until well blended; whisk in brown sugar until smooth. Stir in zucchini, then add flour mixture and stir until just combined. Stir in walnuts.

Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1 pound (4 cups) confectioner's sugar, sifted

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low. Add sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, and then vanilla, and mix until smooth and combined, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. If not using immediately, frosting can be refrigerated up to 3 days in an airtight container; before using bring to room temperature, and beat on low speed until smooth again.

Today's harvest

2010-07-17T15:00:00.003-04:00

I went to Fodor Farm this morning to hear Sal Gilbertie's talk on small plot gardening. He recommended three herb plants to keep insects away: lemon thyme (which has 60% more lemony stuff than citronella), rosemary, and santolina or lavender cotton.

I finally pulled out the flowering arugula. I had to make more room for other things. Not sure what those are yet, but I'm sure my dad will tell me what he would like.

I did uncover a red-tipped iceberg lettuce under the arugula. I can't wait until it becomes a much bigger plant. I wonder if home grown iceberg tastes better than store bought. I don't like iceberg lettuce.

I also pulled four beets and three onions. I think the beets want to be carrots. But, it's no matter. I'm still able to roast them and have delicious beets for dinner.

This week's harvest

2010-07-16T14:44:00.004-04:00

Here are some delightful little tomatoes that I grew. And, they weren't already on the plant when I bought it! Yay, me! They are yellow cherry tomatoes and are super sweet. I'm really glad they came on when they did. I think the addition of the WormPoo water fertilzer has been a big help in getting things to grow at home. That and the heat.

I also grew some shallots. I actually put these in last year, but they are just coming in now. I used them to saute some zucchini.

Zucchini!

2010-07-15T22:10:00.003-04:00

No, I don't have any zucchinis yet, but my student does. And, when I say zucchini, I mean ZUCCHINI---big zucchini, not those little ones you can get in the store. These are out-of-control zucchini. Every week, I get two or three of them. Wow! My mom has made stuffed zucchini, zucchini soup and zucchini bread.

Today, I read Mark Bittman's recent KitchenDaily.com post on zucchini. He has two recipes there: Zucchini pancakes and pasta with zucchini carbonara sauce.

Pasta Carbonara with Zucchini
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chopped bacon (about 4 ounces)
1 pound zucchini, thinly sliced
freshly ground black pepper
1 pound linguine or other long pasta
2 eggs
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint or basil leaves

Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Put the oil and bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until nicely browned, about 10 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and add the zucchini to the pan. Turn the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini is very tender and lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and turn off the heat.

Cook the pasta in the boiling water until tender but not mushy. Meanwhile, warm a large bowl over medium heat and beat the eggs in it. Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan and the bacon.

When the pasta is done, drain it, reserving a bit of the cooking water. Immediately combine the pasta with the egg mixture, tossing until the egg is cooked. Add the zucchini and its juices, and toss again. If the mixture is dry (unlikely), add a little pasta-cooking water. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then add black pepper (you want a lot), the herb, and some more Parmesan to taste.

(After writing zucchini so many times, I started to think that it was spelled wrong. What a funny word.)

Cinnamon basil

2010-07-11T14:28:00.003-04:00

I am having a very good herb year. I've got fennel, sage, parsley, rosemary, tarragon, oregano, cilantro, lavender, basil and cinnamon basil. I planted the cinnamon basil so that I could add more purple flowers to the herb bed. It has a wonderful fragrance which is all over my hands right now.

If you know of a good recipe that uses cinnamon basil, please let me know. Otherwise, it will just be a pretty flowering annual in my herb bed.