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Yearly Archives: 2010

Dark Chocolate Orange Cake with Cannoli Filling

Posted on October 28, 2010 by amydeline

Early each morning, sometime before the sun rises, our three year old crawls out of his bed and taps his tiny bare feet along the hardwood floors as he finds his way into our bedroom. He climbs into bed between me and my husband, snuggles up under the heavy down comforter, and quietly falls back to sleep. This has been his routine for most of his perfect little life.

As such, on the day of my birthday, he made his way to his space in the bed and snuggled up with his head nuzzled into my back. With his tiny hand, he touched my cheek for just a moment. And then he whispered, Mommy? Is today the day of your birthday? I replied affirmatively. He continued, Mommy? What sweetie? Happy Birthday Mommy. Thank you baby. Go to sleep now. Mommy? What is it buddy? I’m going to make you delicious treats for your birthday. I can’t wait, sweetie. Now, go to sleep.

Then we went back to sleep, at least until my other little guy came charging into the room. He doesn’t tap across the floor; he charges. And he doesn’t snuggle up and go back to sleep; he pounces, giggles, and makes animal noises. But, by this time, the sun had risen and it was time for our day of delicious treats to begin.

If you ask my kids, no birthday of delicious treats is complete without cake. And I have absolutely no problem with baking myself a cake on my birthday. The best part is being able to custom design the cake of your birthday dreams! And on my special day, I decided to make a moist dark chocolate cake, accented with fresh orange zest, filled with chocolate-chip cannoli cream, and smothered with chocolate ganache. Doesn’t that sound dreamy?

I went back to my favorite chocolate cake recipe, which you’ve seen here before. It’s truly fantastic; moist, rich, and delicious. With a few little modifications, I incorporated a hint of orange flavor. The orange in the cake is intended to complement the sweet, delicious candied orange peel I’ll be mixing into the cannoli filling. You can skip the orange completely, in the cake and filling, but it really does add an interesting depth of flavor.

Candied Orange Peel is a cinch to make and stores well at room temperature, in the fridge or freezer. So, make a big batch and save the extras for throwing in brownies, cookies, and breads or simply dipping in dark chocolate for a decadent treat.

Dark Chocolate Orange Cake

(Adapted from Hershey’s Deep Dark Chocolate Cake recipe)

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Sugar
  • 1-3/4 cups All-purpose Flour
  • 3/4 cup HERSHEY’S Cocoa or HERSHEY’S SPECIAL DARK Cocoa
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons Baking Soda
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 cup Milk
  • 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
  • 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
  • Zest of 1 Orange
  • Juice of 1 Orange (about 1/4 cup)*
  • Boiling Water (about 3/4)*

*The combined total of juice and water should be 1 cup.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease and flour two round cake pans.

In a large bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Beat for a couple minutes until well combined. Stir in the orange zest. Add the boiling water, orange juice and stir. The batter will be thinner than you might expect. Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake for about 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely before filling and frosting.

Cannoli Filling

Ingredients

  • 1 15 ounce container Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese, strained*
  • 3/4 cup Confectioners Sugar
  • Dash of Cinnamon
  • 1/3 cup Mini Chocolate Chips
  • 2-3 Tbsp Candied Orange Peel, finely diced

* If the ricotta cheese seems even a bit runny, strain it by placing it over a piece of cheesecloth, in a colander set over a bowl, for a few hours in the fridge to remove the excess liquid. This will ensure a thick cannoli filling.

Directions

Beat together the ricotta and sugar until smooth. Stir in the cinnamon, chocolate chips and candied orange peel.

Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients

  • 6 ounces Semisweet Chocolate
  • 1/2 cup Heavy Cream

Directions

Give the chocolate a coarse chop. Place the chocolate pieces in a bowl. Heat the cream, just to a boil. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and stir until smooth.

 

Candied Orange Peel

Ingredients

  • 4 Navel Oranges
  • 3 cups Sugar
  • 1 cup Water
  • 1/2 cup Sugar for rolling (optional)

Directions

Clean the oranges. Cut off the tops and bottoms of the oranges. Use a knife to remove the orange peel and pith in large chunks. Set the oranges aside for another use. Slice the orange peel into thin strips.

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the orange peel and boil for about 2 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.

Bring a fresh pot of water to a boil. Add the orange peel again. Cook for another 2 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.

Combine the 3 cups Sugar with 1 cup Water in a saucepan. Stir to combine. Bring to a simmer. Add the orange peel. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the peels are tender and slightly translucent. Strain. *If desired, you can keep the orange accented syrup for another use.

When the orange peel is cool enough to handle, take a few pieces at a time and roll in sugar to coat. Then, arrange the orange peel onto a drying rack to dry for one to two hours. *If desired, you can skip the sugar-rolling step and simply arrange the peel on the drying rack.

The same procedure can be applied to lemon and lime peel. Dried candied orange peel can be store in an air-tight container at room temperature, refrigerated or frozen.

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Sausage, Bean, and Rapini Soup

Posted on October 26, 2010 by amydeline

I’d be lying if I claimed to love soups. It’s not that I don’t like soup. There are several soups that I enjoy quite a bit, most notably French onion soup (smothered with cheese, of course) and New England Clam Chowder. Homemade chicken soup with orzo or any type of seafood bisque are high on my soup list too. I guess I just don’t really think too much about soup. I never crave it. I rarely get the itch to make it. This is my own loss.

But, on a rare and sudden impulse, I got it in my head that yesterday was a perfect day for soup. I went back to a recipe which I shared with you a few months ago; a Ragout of Sausage, Beans and Rapini. With a few simple adjustments, I turned that ragout into a simple and insanely flavorful soup. I’m pretty sure they should put a picture of this soup next to the definition of comfort food.

This quick and easy soup is bursting with flavor and oozing in nutritional value. You can really feel good about eating this soup. Rapini, also known as Rappi or Broccoli Raab, is one of those bitter greens which is dripping in vitamins and minerals. Combined with savory, spicy sausage and creamy cannellini beans, this simple soup will have you singing.

Sausage, Bean, and Rapini Soup

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 Onion, chopped
  • 1 Tbsp Garlic, minced
  • 1.5 pound Spicy Italian Sausage, removed from casings
  • 1 1-pound bunch Rapini/Rappi
  • 2 15-ounce cans Cannellini Beans
  • 1 quart Chicken Broth
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • Crushed Red Pepper
  • Parmesan Cheese

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic. Cook for 4-5 minutes, until the onion is tender. Add the sausage meat. Cook for 7-8 minutes, until the sausage is fully cooked, using a spoon to break up the pieces as it cooks. Pour in the liquid from the cans of beans. Cut off the tough ends of the rapini, then chop the stalks and leaves into small chunks. Add the chopped rapini and chicken broth to the saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes, until the rapini leaves are wilted and the stalks are slightly tender. Add the beans to the soup and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and crushed red pepper, as desired.

Serve with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese and a hunk of doughy French bread.

4 Comments

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The Gourmand Mom has a Bun in the Oven

Posted on October 25, 2010 by amydeline

You know how real estate agents recommend throwing a batch of cookies in the oven just before an open house to fill the house with a warm, welcoming scent? Well, they should scratch that idea and throw these in the oven instead. Perspective buyers will be practically licking the walls.

I’d originally planned on making apple cinnamon buns. Then, I ran across a recipe for pumpkin buns and the idea of an autumn harvest bun came to mind. I made a few adaptations to the pumpkin bun recipe, then whipped up a little apple, pear, and walnut filling; similar to a thickened pie filling. Next, I rolled the sweet pumpkin dough with the apple, pear, and walnut filling, baked them, and drizzled the whole batch with a sugary glaze.

The entire process takes a little time, but the result is well worth it. You’re not going to get buns like this out of any can. And just wait until your home is filled with the aroma of warm cinnamon, pumpkin, and apples. Who needs seasonal scented candles anyway??

These buns are moist, doughy, and bursting with fall flavors; an autumn harvest, indeed! The best part is that the reheat really well the next day. So, make them a day ahead of time and reheat in the morning for a special breakfast treat! A few seconds in the microwave should do the trick.

Autumn Harvest Buns

Ingredients

For the Buns:

  • 1 packet Dry Active Yeast
  • 1/2 cup Warm Water (about 110 degrees)
  • 3 3/4 cups Flour (plus additional flour)
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup Milk
  • 1/2 stick Butter, melted
  • 1 tsp Cinnamon
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Nutmeg
  • 3/4 cup Pumpkin Puree

For the Filling:

  • 3/4 cup Water
  • 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
  • 1 large Granny Smith Apple, diced
  • 1 Pear, diced
  • 3 Tbsp Sugar
  • 1 Tbsp Cornstarch
  • 1 tsp Cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp Nutmeg
  • 1/3 cup Walnuts, chopped

For the Icing:

  • 3/4 cup Confectioner’s Sugar
  • 1 Tbsp Water, plus more if needed
  • 1/4 tsp Vanilla

Directions

In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water. Stir to combine. In a large bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg. Create a well in the center of the flour mixture. Pour in the milk, butter, egg, and yeast mixture. Add the pumpkin puree. Stir until well combined. The dough should be sticky, but manageable.

Place the dough onto a generously floured surface. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes, gradually incorporating more flour until the dough is smooth and elastic. Periodically, add more flour to your work surface, as necessary, to prevent the dough from sticking.

Spray a large bowl with cooking spray. Place the kneaded dough into the bowl. Cover with a towel and allow it to rest at room temperature for about an hour, until the dough has double in size.

Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Combine the water and lemon juice. As you dice the apple and pear, place the pieces into the water mixture. Add the cornstarch, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Toss to combine. Place the mixture in a pan over medium/medium-low heat. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until the liquid thickens and the fruit becomes tender, about 10-15 minutes. Stir in the walnuts. Set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Spray a small baking sheet with cooking spray.

After the dough has risen, remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a well-floured surface. Roll the dough into a rectangle about 10″x12″. Spread the fruit mixture over the dough.

Then, starting with the long end, tightly roll the dough. Cut the dough into 1″ slices. Place the slices onto the prepared baking sheet. Pack them in, if necessary. Let the buns rest for another 20 minutes before baking.

Bake for about 20-25 minutes.

As they cool, prepare the glaze. Combine the confectioners sugar with the water and vanilla extract. Add additional water, a few drops at a time, until the glaze has the consistency of a syrup. After the buns have cooled for about 10 minutes, drizzle with the glaze. Serve warm.

**The dough portion of the recipe is adapted from the Cooking Light recipe for Pumpkin-Cinnamon Streusel Buns, found here.

One more little thing… I’ve been keeping a teeny-tiny secret from you all. I’m extremely delighted to announce that I’ve got a bun of a different sort baking in the oven. Our third baby is due to arrive early May 2011!

Coming in May 2011!

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Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Bread

Posted on October 22, 2010 by amydeline

The kids and I cook together quite a bit. In fact, I can’t enter the kitchen these days without my three year old on my toes, shouting, I want to help! I want to help! As you may imagine, the more we cook together, the more smoothly our cooking adventures tend to go. The boys understand the lay of the land in the kitchen. Mostly. Wildly running their hands through a floured table is still irresistible to them. But, for the most part, our cooking moves along smoothly. They mix, they measure, they stir, they smell, they taste. We move along like a well-oiled kitchen brigade. Until I handed my three year old a ramekin of eggs, mistakenly assuming that he’d pour them into the mixing bowl, as he’d poured in the oil and water. Rather, he inserted his hands into the dish of raw eggs and attempted to pick one up. I’ve never seen such an adorably puzzled reaction. I guess we’ve still got a few things to work on.

This recipe is a little unplanned extra for the week. I ended up with a bunch of leftover pumpkin puree, which would have been a pity to waste. So, I stuck it in the fridge while I waited for pumpkin inspiration. Then, after passing a loaf of pumpkin bread in the grocery store, it occurred to me that I could use my leftover pumpkin in exactly the same way I use my leftover, over-ripe bananas! I went straight to my favorite banana bread recipe and made a few tiny adjustments; a little extra sugar to account for pumpkin not being as naturally sweet as bananas, a little extra cinnamon and a touch of nutmeg. Adding chocolate was a no-brainer for me. The resulting bread is sweet, delicious, and seasonly perfect.

We’ll be making this recipe again next week, in muffin form, for my little guy’s nursery school Halloween party! To make as muffins, follow the same recipe, but reduce the cooking time to about 30 minutes.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Bread

Adapted from my recipe for Banana Bread

Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 cups Flour
  • 1 1/3 cup Sugar
  • 3/4 tsp Baking Soda
  • 3/4 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1 tsp Cinnamon
  • 1 tsp Vanilla
  • 1/8 tsp Nutmeg
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1/3 cup Water
  • 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
  • 1 cup Pumpkin Puree
  • 3/4 cup Chocolate Chips or Chocolate Chunks

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a loaf pan by greasing and lightly flouring the bottom and sides. Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

12 Comments

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Spaghetti and Meatballs in Homemade Tomato Sauce

Posted on October 21, 2010 by amydeline

My husband can’t sit down at an Italian restaurant without ordering Spaghetti and Meatballs. It could be the finest Italian restaurant with a menu dripping in tempting options and all he wants is Spaghetti and Meatballs, preferably with garlic bread. It’s truly one of his favorite meals and he craves it the way that I crave a good piece of dark chocolate or wedge of brie with baguette. So, when I decided to make this simple, classic dish for dinner yesterday, I knew he’d be thrilled.

My timing was impeccable. By the time my husband walked through the door, the sauce had been simmering away on the stove for three hours. The meatballs had been baked and added to the sauce. The garlic bread had been prepared. Our house was bursting with the warm, delicious aromas of tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil. Upon stepping into the house, out of the chilly autumn air, my husband took one breath before his eyes lit with joy. What are you cooking? I told him to take a guess. Spaghetti and Meatballs??? His reply was dripping with eager anticipation. I nodded. And garlic bread?? Yes, of course. And I could see him physically buzzing with excitement. Such joy from such a simple meal.

And in that moment, as he stood there, still removing his jacket and shoes, with a child-like grin on his face, it occurred to me that I could profit from this glee. Maybe I should ask for something. Perhaps those fuzzy winter boots I’ve had my eye on. Or a Mercedes E320! No, no! A pony! I’ve always wanted a pony. Yes, that’s what I would ask for.

Then, as fast as it arrived, the moment was gone. The kids began climbing his legs while the dog anxiously communicated his desire for a walk in his typical brutish manner. So, no pony for me. Though, my husband’s evident joy was sufficient reward.

During the hot summer months, when tomatoes have reached their glorious peak of flavor perfection, it would be a pity to use canned tomatoes in your sauce. (Click here for my Fresh Tomato Marinara Sauce recipe.) But, right about now, when tomatoes have become mealy and bland, you’d be silly to use anything other than canned tomatoes. Most canned veggies have a justifiably bad rep for being loaded with salt and drained of their nutrition. But, tomatoes may be one of the rare exceptions. I actually read an article once, which claimed that tomatoes may actually benefit in both flavor and nutrition (lycopene content) from the canning process. Just look for tomatoes which don’t contain extra sodium.

Both my sauce and meatball recipes are simple, classic preparations. No fancy ingredients or interesting twists. Just basic, delicious spaghetti and meatballs, cooked the way I remember from my childhood. The sauce is slow cooked for about 3 hours to allow a rich tomato flavor to develop. Onions, garlic, basil, parsley, and crushed red pepper provide just the right amount of seasoning. The meatballs are basic beef meatballs, blended with a bit of cheese and a few seasonings, then bound together with an egg and a touch of bread crumbs. You can use any type of ground beef or other ground meats in your meatballs, but as with hamburgers, the higher the fat content of the meat, the juicier and moister the resulting meatball will be.

Classic Slow-Cooked Pasta Sauce

Ingredients

  • 2 Onions, chopped
  • 6 cloves Garlic, smashed
  • 3-4 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 3 28-ounce cans Crushed Tomatoes
  • 1 6-ounce can Tomato Paste
  • 1 6-ounce can Water
  • 5-6 sprigs Fresh Parsley, leaves only
  • 6-8 Basil Leaves, chiffonade
  • 2 Bay leaves
  • Salt and Crushed Red Pepper, as desired

Directions

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and smashed garlic cloves. Cook for a few minutes until the onions are tender and translucent. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. Fill the tomato paste can with water and add to the saucepan. Stir in the fresh parsley leaves, basil, and bay leaves. Cook over low heat, partially covered, for about three hours, stirring occasionally. Taste and season with crushed red pepper and salt, as desired.

*This recipe makes a great big batch of sauce, perfect for leftovers or freezing!

Classic Baked Meatballs

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds Ground Beef
  • 1/2 cup Bread Crumbs
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1/3 cup Parmesan Cheese
  • 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
  • 1 tsp Garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 Tbsp Dried Parsley
  • 1/2 tsp Crushed Red Pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place all ingredients in a bowl. Use your hands to blend, until all ingredients are evenly combined. Using your hands, roll 12-15 meatballs with about 1 1/2″ diameter each. Place the meatballs in a baking dish and bake for 20-25 minutes until fully cooked. Set aside or add to the sauce as it cooks.

Makes 12-15 Meatballs

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Taco Salad with Homemade Spicy Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

Posted on October 19, 2010 by amydeline

I saw a picture of tacos yesterday. I’m highly suggestible when it comes to food stimuli. Immediately, I needed tacos. Though, after a weekend of gluttonous eating, I was in the mood for something a little lighter, greener, and fresher. I set my sights on taco salad.

Now, it probably wouldn’t make for very interesting reading if I sat here and told you about how I picked up a bottle of dressing and a packet of taco seasoning and whipped up a taco salad. Admittedly, that would be the fastest approach to building a taco salad and I’m sure the result would be pretty delicious. But, if you’ve got the time to do it, building the pieces from scratch will give you a fresher, healthier, and tastier result. And you can rest easy in knowing that you’ve eliminated all of those hard to pronounce food additives from your meal. Who wants to eat shelf-life extenders, stabilizers and anticaking agents anyway?? I know I’d much rather eat food.

The hero of this dish is the Spicy Buttermilk Ranch Dressing. I started with a basic buttermilk ranch, but with a little twist. Many ranch dressing recipes call for mayonnaise, which, as you may know, is on the short list of ingredients I avoid. Without naming names, I recently ran across a recipe, authored by a certain mayonnaise-loving Food Network celebrity chef, which called for mayonnaise as an ingredient in a layered cranberry sauce dish. I cringed. I’m still cringing. She seems to seek out opportunities to incorporate mayonnaise into dishes. I suppose that’s a positive for people who enjoy mayonnaise. But, I am on the polar opposite end of that spectrum. With that in mind, I created a mayo-free buttermilk ranch dressing. Once I was satisfied with the basic ranch dressing recipe, I added a few more ingredients to spice it up for our taco salad. You’ll notice that in the recipe, I italicized the final four ingredients. Without those ingredients, you can use the recipe as a basic buttermilk ranch dressing. Add the final four ingredients for a kicked-up Mexican-style ranch, perfect for a taco salad!

Taco Salad

Ingredients

  • 4 10″ Tortillas
  • 1 Head Iceberg Lettuce, chopped
  • 1/2 cup Black Olives, sliced
  • 1 cup Mexican Blend cheese, shredded
  • 2 Tomatoes, diced
  • 1 Avocado, chopped
  • 1 pound Seasoned Taco Meat (recipe below)
  • Spicy Buttermilk Ranch Dressing (recipe below)

Directions

To Make the Tortilla Shells: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place a 10 ” flour tortilla inside of a medium-sized oven-safe bowl. Push the tortilla down to the bottom of the bowl. Place the bowl into the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown and crispy. Repeat with all tortillas.

To Assemble the Salad: Fill the baked tortilla shells with chopped iceberg lettuce. Top each salad with about 1/4 cup shredded cheese. Top with 1/4 of the seasoned meat. Sprinkle with tomatoes, olives, and avocado. Drizzle with the spicy buttermilk ranch dressing.

Spicy Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup Sour Cream
  • 1/2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
  • 3/4 tsp Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Pepper
  • 1/4 tsp Dry Mustard Powder
  • 1/4 tsp Onion Powder
  • 1/4 tsp Paprika
  • 1/8 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 5-6 Chives, chopped (about 2 Tbsp)
  • 2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
  • 1 Tbsp Diced Chiles, fresh or canned
  • 1/4 tsp Chile Powder
  • 1/4 tsp Cayenne

Directions

Whisk together the buttermilk and sour cream, until smooth. Add the lemon juice, salt, pepper, dry mustard powder, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika. Stir in the chopped chives. (At this point, you’ll have a tasty, homemade buttermilk ranch dressing.) Add the final four ingredients and stir to combine. Refrigerate for at least an hour before using. The dressing can be made a day or two ahead of time.

Seasoned Taco Meat

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Lean Ground Beef or Turkey
  • 1 tsp Chile Powder
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Onion Powder
  • 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1/4 tsp Cayenne
  • 1 Tbsp Tomato Paste
  • 2 Tbsp Water
  • 1/8 tsp Cumin

Directions

Cook ground beef or turkey in a skillet over medium heat, until fully cooked. Add the chile powder, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, and cumin. Stir to combine. Add the tomato paste and water. Stir until evenly combined. Taste and adjust seasonings, as desired.

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Italian Mac and Cheese

Posted on October 18, 2010 by amydeline

This recipe comes by request of my sister. After trying out my Spicy Bacon Mac and Cheese, her brain went into mac and cheese overdrive. (It’s a very common side effect after consuming tasty mouthfuls of ‘ronis oozing with cheese.) Moments after her first bite, I received a message which read, Italian Mac and Cheese…mozzarella, provolone, prosciutto, and roasted red peppers. Go! My sister’s wish is my command. So, away we went.

Just like with my Spicy Bacon Mac and Cheese, I started with a basic base of thickened milk; a roux made of 3 tablespoons of butter and 3 tablespoons of flour, then 2 cups of milk. Skim milk works perfectly fine for this step. You might as well save yourself the calories and fat where you can in this indulgent treat. To this basic thickened milk base, we’ll add the cheese. Here’s where you can have fun! For our Italian-style mac and cheese, I used a blend of smoked mozzarella, provolone, and parmigiano-reggiano. Mozzarella has got some major gooey-factor going on. Delicious! Finally, we’ll throw in a few extras; homemade roasted red peppers, prosciutto, julienned sun-dried tomatoes, and a little basil chiffonade.


Italian Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Pasta
  • 3 Tbsp Butter
  • 3 Tbsp Flour
  • 2 cups Milk
  • 1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano, grated
  • 1 cup Smoked Mozzarella, shredded*
  • 7 slices Provolone
  • Salt and Crushed Red Pepper
  • 5-6 Basil Leaves, chiffonade
  • 8-10 Sun-dried Tomatoes, julienned (thinly sliced)
  • 1 Roasted Red Pepper, diced
  • 5 slices Prosciutto, chopped

*You can substitute regular shredded mozzarella if smoked mozzarella is not available.

Directions

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Strain and set aside. In a saucepan, combine butter and flour over medium heat. Cook for a couple minutes, until it forms a thin paste-like consistency. Add the milk and whisk to combine. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for a few minutes until the milk thickens. Turn the heat down to low and add the cheese. Stir until the cheese has melted into the sauce. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a bit more milk. If the sauce is too thin, add more cheese. Season with salt and crushed red pepper. Pour the hot sauce over the cooked pasta and toss until evenly coated. Stir in the basil, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red pepper, and prosciutto. Garnish with a bit of extra basil and parmigiano-reggiano cheese. Serve immediately.

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How to Roast Peppers

Posted on October 18, 2010 by amydeline

Roasted peppers are a sweet and delicious addition to many meals. My favorite thing is to build a little sandwich of roasted red peppers, fresh mozzarella, and a drizzle of balsamic reduction on ciabatta. Then, I wrap it up in foil and pop it in the oven until the cheese gets a bit warm and melty. Mmmmm! I’m drooling just thinking about it.

Roasted peppers are a cinch to make at home, so save yourself the money and make your own, rather than buying those jarred peppers. Here’s a little photo guide on how to easily roast your own peppers. Then, check out my Italian Mac and Cheese recipe (coming up later!) for a tasty way to put them to use!

Start with firm, fresh peppers. You can use any kind of pepper. My favorite variety for roasting are Red Bell Peppers.

Cut the pepper in half. Use the edge of a spoon to remove the seeds and ribs.

Pour a drizzle of oil over the pepper halves and rub to evenly coat the skin side. Place the peppers, cut side down, on a baking sheet.

Cook in a 425 degrees oven for 15-20 minutes, until the top appears lightly browned and the skin begins to pucker.

Remove from the oven and place the hot peppers in a sealed ziploc bag. Allow to cool for 15-20 minutes. This step will help the skins to release from the peppers.

Peel the skin away from the peppers. If necessary, use the tip of a paring knife to release an edge, then simply peel the skin away.

Enjoy your homemade roasted peppers!

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A Better Caramel Apple Cake

Posted on October 16, 2010 by amydeline

You may remember a couple weeks ago, when I shared a recipe for a Caramel Apple Cake, which I’d found in the Food Network magazine. I baked the cake for the dessert table at my little guy’s birthday party. In theory, the cake was inspired genius; the gooey, fruity top of an upside-down cake; oozing with homemade caramel. In execution, it was less than perfect. While the cake up near the apples and caramel was sweet and tender, the bulk of the cake struck me as a bit too dry and bland.

But the idea was too good to let go. So, I reworked the recipe a bit. The result was a definite winner; a better Caramel Apple Cake. I don’t want to insist that you ignore the Food Network on this one and listen to little ol’ me. But, well… Listen to me!

My adjustments are as follows. I reduced the amount of flour and increased the cinnamon. I halved the entire caramel recipe since, as written, it produces WAY more caramel than necessary. I eliminated the center apple, which seemed unnecessary and did little for the finished appearance. Finally, borrowing the idea from my favorite, super-moist chocolate cake recipe, I added 2/3 cup of boiling water to thin out the batter. The result was a significantly moister, more flavorful cake with less fat and calories than the original! An all-around win!

Caramel Apple Cake

Adapted from Food Network Magazine’s Caramel Apple Cake

Ingredients

For the Caramel:

  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 2 1/2 Tbsp light corn syrup
  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream

For the Cake:

  • 2 Apples (Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, or Crispin)
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/3 cup fresh orange juice
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2/3 cup Boiling Water

Directions

Butter a 3 inch deep, 8 or 9 inch diameter cake pan.

Prepare the Caramel. In a deep saucepan over medium-medium/high heat, combine the sugar and corn syrup until the sugar melts and the mixture turns a deep amber color. Be careful, because the mixture will be extremely hot. Turn down the heat to medium and carefully add the butter and cream. Be prepared that the mixture will bubble up vigorously. Stir with a long-handled spoon for about 3 minutes, until combined.

Allow the caramel to cool for  a minute. Reserve 1/2 cup of the caramel in a container. Pour the remaining caramel into the cake pan. Allow the caramel to set for 20-30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Slice both apples into thin pieces. When the caramel has cooled, arrange the apple slices in an overlapping ring around the edge of the cake pan. Chop up the remaining apple slices and set aside.

Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.

In a separate small bowl, mix together the sour cream, orange juice, and vanilla. Set aside.

Use a hand mixer to beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. One at a time, beat in the eggs. Then, add half of the flour mixture, followed by half of the sour cream mixture. Continue beating to combine. Add the remaining half of the flour mixture and remaining sour cream. Beat until combined.

Stir in the 2/3 cup of boiling water, until the batter is smooth.

Pour the batter into the pan. Sprinkle the top of the batter with the chopped apples.

Bake for about 1 hour and 20 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the cake springs back when gently pressed. Cool completely in the pan.

To serve, bring about an inch of water to a boil in a large saucepan or skillet (with a wider diameter than the cake pan). Turn off the heat and place the bottom of the cake pan in the hot water. Allow the pan to sit in the hot water for 5-7 minutes to soften the caramel. Then, run a knife along he edges of the cake to loosen and invert the cake over your serving plate. Microwave the caramel for a few seconds at a time until it is softened. Drizzle the remaining caramel over the top of the cake. Serve immediately.

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Posted in Baking, Cakes, Cooking with Kids, Desserts, Food, Fruit, Recipes and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

How to Make a Basic Chicken Soup

Posted on October 14, 2010 by amydeline

So, you’ve roasted a chicken for dinner. You’ve carved the breasts and removed the drumsticks and now you’re left with a mound of bones, skin, and some other inedible remnants. But there’s also a lot of good, tasty chicken hanging around too. Well, I’m almost positive that best part of cooking a roasted chicken, is using the leftovers for chicken soup! Doesn’t a big, hot bowl of fresh chicken soup sound great right about now??

Here’s a little guide on how to turn that leftover roasted chicken carcass into a pot of flavorful chicken soup. It’s not a specified recipe, but rather a basic process, which you can customize to your tastes. By the way, you can use this same process with your turkey carcass after Thanksgiving!

Here’s what you do:

Step 1: Take the whole carcass mess, throw it in a big pot, and fill the pot with enough water to cover the chicken. Bring the water to a gentle boil. Cover and let it simmer for a few hours. You can get it started right after you carve the pieces you’ll be serving for dinner that night!

Step 2: Give the chicken about 3 hours to simmer. Then, set a colander over a large container. Pour the chicken and broth through the colander. Save everything. Allow the chicken parts and broth to cool. Then, cover the container of broth and refrigerate. Place the chicken parts in a ziploc bag and refrigerate to cool. *If you haven’t prepared to make the soup, you can complete this step right away, then refrigerate overnight and pick up the remaining ingredients the next day!

Step 3: When the soup has thoroughly cooled (the next day), use a spoon to remove the excess fat, which will have risen to the top. Reheat the remaining broth, which will probably have thickened into a gelatin-like consistency.

Step 4: Add a bunch of rough chopped vegetables to the broth; celery, carrots, and onions. Don’t worry about cutting them nicely. They will be discarded after we’ve used them to add another delicious layer of flavor to the broth. These are your aromatics or mirepoix (pronounced meera-pwa). Simmer the broth with the vegetables for about an hour in a covered saucepan.

Step 5: While the broth is simmering with the vegetables, pick through that mess of chicken, which you strained the night before. Find and save any good bits of chicken. Discard the remaining bones, skin, and inedible parts. Also, cut up any leftover chicken breast or drumstick meat.

Step 6: Nicely chop the vegetables you’d like in your soup. I’m not a big fan of tons of mushy veggies in my soup, so I only added a handful of sliced carrots. But, celery, leeks, onions, or tomatoes would all be good additions. Cut these veggies small and even, since they will be remaining in your soup.

Step 7: After the rough-chopped veggies have simmered for about an hour, strain and discard the vegetables. Return the hot broth to the saucepan. If too much water has reduced during the simmering, add a little more. Taste your broth. It should have a rich, delicious flavor, but will be in need of salt and pepper. So, season with salt and pepper, as desired. I also like to add a dash or two of hot sauce. *If your soup tastes too watery, try simmering it without a lid for a little while to reduce the liquid and concentrate the flavors.

Step 8: Add the chopped chicken and your nicely chopped veggies. Bring to a simmer and cook for a few minutes, until your veggies are tender, but not mushy.

Step 9: Prepare some rice or pasta to serve with your soup. I prefer Orzo pasta.

Step 10: Serve a big ladle of hot, yummy soup over your rice, noodles, or pasta. Enjoy!

*Store the soup separately from the rice or pasta. If you mix them together, the rice or pasta will drink up the broth. Chicken soup freezes great!

**If you want to make chicken soup from an uncooked chicken, there’s no need to roast it first. Just remove the giblets, rinse the chicken, and throw it in a pot. Cover with water and bring to a gentle boil. Simmer for a three to four hours in a covered saucepan. Then, proceed from Step 3.

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Posted in Culinary Techniques, Food, Main Course, Poultry, Recipes, Vegetable and tagged , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.
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