Moveable Feasts

50 Women Game Changers in Food: # 32, Tracey Ryder and Carole Topalian

2012-01-27T06:49:00.000-05:00

OK, I'll fess up and admit my ignorance: I'd never heard of either of these women. This is a first for me with our 50 Game Changers and it's why I decided to join Mary's group. Culinary Education 101. If they're new to you too, I hope you'll enjoy reading and learning.

Tracey Ryder and Carole Topalian had a graphic design firm doing things like visitor's guides for Ojai, California and tourism websites. But outside work, the two were interested in organic, seasonal gardening and cooking. Ryder has degrees in graphic design, journalism and psychology, and graduated from a professional chef school in Los Angeles. Topalian is an acclaimed photographer. After her father's death about 10 years ago, Ryder reevaluated her life and she and Topalian decided to launch a locavore print publication...much against the advice of others. (Locavore defined means anyone who is interested in eating food that is locally produced, not moved long distances to market.)

Ryder grew up in a farming family and had just read “Coming Home to Eat: The Pleasures and Politics of Local Foods” and “This Organic Life: Confessions of a Suburban Homesteader,” so starting a local magazine called Edible Ojai focusing on local food felt like a good fit.
(Ryder is on the left in the photo, Topalian on the right.)

Their initial 16-page, one-color quarterly magazine was a hit. In a town of 8,000 people, they were printing 10,000 copies and running out within a few weeks. Ryder feels that although the food magazine niche was already crowded, most focused on cooking in or dining out, not on local food production, distribution and politics, in addition to what tastes good.

And then in 2004, Saveur magazine included Edible Ojai on its Saveur 100, a list of food trends and trend setters to watch — the exposure prompted more than 400 people to call saying they wanted something similar in their communities.
And the two decided to change their concept to a licensing model, slightly different from a franchise, because they believed local ownership would lead to more authentic quality. They worked up a concept like a niche Associated Press, where individual publications are independently owned but share resources via the cooperative.

Four months later, Ryder and Topalian made the cross-country drive to Cape Cod to help launch the first licensed addition to the Edible group, published by Doug and Dianne Langeland.

While they are passionate about promoting local food, Ryder and Topalian are equally committed to profitability. By the end of 2006, Edible Communities was turning a profit. In 2007, it hit $1 million in revenue. Edible is adding about 10 new magazines a year, with about 70 operating in North America and a total readership of about 15 million, most picking up the magazine for free but some getting it delivered by mail with paid subscriptions. They were profiled by Inc. magazine in 2010.

Headquarters sells a small number of national ads, but most magazines sell about 90 percent of their ads locally. The publications are required to maintain a balance of at least 51 percent editorial content, and they manage their own content, ads, printing and distribution.

While they continue to add magazines, Ryder and Topalian have other ideas for expanding the Edible empire. Today the pair spend their time on corporate projects. While Topalian is still very much involved with guiding Edible into its next phase as well as doing all of the food and location photography for the cookbooks the company is producing, she is semi-retired from day-to-day operations. Ryder misses writing: “I do miss writing very much. These days, all I write are emails ...and I used to be a good writer. My writing skill feels like a muscle I’ve let atrophy. Hopefully, in the near future, there will be opportunities for me to write again!”

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I've always loved corn fritters and jumped all over these when I saw the recipe. The egg white addition resulted in light and airy fritters, filled with lovely sweet fresh corn. But, as good as these were, I still prefer Faith's take on fresh veggie fritters.

Fresh Corn Fritters
Originally published in Edible: A Celebration of Local FoodsEdible: A Celebration of Local Foods by Heart of Green Award-winners Tracey Ryder and Carole Topalian.

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh corn kernels (from about 3 ears of corn)

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 eggs, separated

1/4 cup finely chopped spring onions or scallions

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling

1/4 teaspoons paprika

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil or grapeseed oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Method:

In a large bowl, stir together the corn, flour, egg yolks, onions, salt, paprika, pepper and cayenne. Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Stir one-quarter of the beaten egg whites into the corn mixture. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the remaining egg whites into the corn mixture in three additions.

In a large skillet, heat the oil and butter over medium heat until the butter has melted. Carefully drop some of the corn mixture by tablespoons in to the hot oil, taking care not to crowd the pan. Cook each fritter until browned, about 2 to 3 minutes. Turn each fritter over and brown the other side, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the fritters to a platter lined with paper towels. Sprinkle lightly with salt, if desired. Repeat until all of the corn mixture has been used. Serve hot with some broiled tomatoes, a salsa made with chopped avocado, mango, lime and cilantro, and sour cream, if desired.

To serve: layer three with sour cream and add garnish of tomatoes and cilantro.

Join Mary from One Perfect Bite and all the other participants in this fun series.

Val - More Than Burnt Toast
Joanne - Eats Well With Others
Taryn - Have Kitchen Will Feed
Susan - The Spice Garden
Claudia - A Seasonal Cook in Turkey
Heather - girlichef
Miranda - Mangoes and Chutney
Jeanette - Healthy Living
April - Abby Sweets
Katie - Making Michael Pollan Proud
Mary - One Perfect Bite
Viola - The Lif e is Good Kitchen
Sue - The View from Great Island
Kathleen Van Bruinisse - Bake Away with Me
Kathleen - Gonna Want Seconds
Martha - Lines from Linderhof
Amy - Beloved Green
Linda - Ciao Chow Linda

Nancy - Picadillo
Mireya - My Healthy Eating Habits
Veronica - My Catholic Kitchen
Annie - Lovely Things

Claudia - Journey of An Italian Cook
Alyce - More Time at the Table
Amrita - Beetles Kitchen Escapades

Roasted Sweet Potatoes & Yams with Smoky-Sweet Dipping Sauce

2012-01-24T07:16:00.002-05:00

Here's the last of my Super Bowl snacks this season. I loved this idea from Noble Pig (Cathy posts the best appetizers!) as it's a reasonably healthy appetizer. And contrary to what Cathy says in her recipe, Fry Sauce is NOT available in every grocery store. Certainly not in South Florida and I have a feeling it's something available only in the western U.S. I learned a lot about Fry Sauce this week, which I had never heard of before and three different grocery store managers (including Whole Foods) merely looked blank and kept trying to send me to oils for use in woks.

Of course I finally discovered you can order it HERE, but rather than go to these drastic measures, a reasonable facsimile is Thousand Island Dressing. Sort of....well anyway, close enough. So I made a small amount: 3 tablespoons mayo to 1 tablespoon chili sauce. I would have added some other seasonings, but there are plenty already in this dip. You could also use light mayo and light sour cream to cut back on the calories. Can you tell I like my roasted potatoes brown and crunchy?
BTW: do you like hot? This dip is HOT!

Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Yams with Dipping Sauce
From Noble Pig

Ingredients:

5 medium sweet potatoes and yams, peeled and cut into 3" pieces

Olive Oil

Kosher salt & black pepper

1/4 cup sour cream

1/4 cup mayonnaise

3 T Fry sauce (in every grocery store in the condiment aisle)

1 T fresh oregano, finely chopped

2 tsp onion powder

1 tsp chipotle chili powder (chipotle gives the smoky flavor)

1 tsp garlic, finely minced

1/4 tsp cayenne

Method:

Preheat oven to 450. Place sliced potatoes into a bowl and coat with some olive oil. Use your hands to rub the oil into each piece. Sprinkle with Kosher salt and pepper. Place them on baking tray that has been coated with cooking spray. Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until edges are brown and potatoes are fork tender. (Baking time is really going to depend on your oven.)

While the potatoes are baking, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, Fry sauce, oregano, onion powder, chili powder, garlic, cayenne, 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.

Serve the potatoes on a platter with the sauce.

Chuck's Chicken Wings

2012-01-21T12:03:00.000-05:00

Chef Chuck Hughes. Name sound familiar? I first discovered him on The Cooking Channel with a show called "Chuck's Night Off". He's a Canadian chef, restaurateur and the chef/co-owner of Garde Manger and Le Bremner, both located in Old Montréal.
I watched him defeat Bobby Flay on Iron Chef America a while back and more recently, you might remember him from The Next Iron Chef: Super Chefs competition, but he was defeated in the third round. I've enjoyed watching his show from time to time and thought you'd like his wings recipe. We sure did. Don't they look sticky and divine? Just in time for the Super Bowl.

Balsamic Chicken Wings
Recipe courtesy Chuck Hughes

Ingredients:

18 chicken wings

1 cup honey

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons peeled and grated fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, minced

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Lemon zest, for garnish

Method:

Remove the tips from the wings by cutting between the joints. Transfer the wings to a large resealable plastic bag.

Combine the honey, brown sugar, vinegar, ginger, garlic and lemon zest and juice in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Pour half the marinade into the bag with the chicken. Squeeze out most of the air and seal the bag. Shake gently to distribute the marinade. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Working in batches if necessary, sear the chicken wings, flipping once, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook for about 30 minutes, flipping the wings often to prevent them from burning. Remove the skillet from the oven and add the remaining marinade. Continue to cook the wings on the stovetop until the sauce is thick and coats the chicken wings evenly.

To serve, arrange the wings on a platter and garnish with lemon zest.

Gourmet's 50 Women Game Changers in Food: #31, Donna Hay

2012-01-20T06:45:00.002-05:00

Donna Hay is a household name in Australia. She's a hugely popular cookbook author (She's authored 14 bestselling cookbooks), has her own glossy Donna Hay Magazine (which I subscribe to) and a weekly cooking column in News Ltd newspapers across the country. As long ago as 2001, The New York Times ran a glowing story on the Australian headed, "Look Out, Martha Stewart: A Rival from Down Under".

She is reportedly a perfectionist at work. Friends and associates speak with awe of her drive and ambition. "I want it all," she says. "What do they say? You're a long time dead." Hay is said to be better at pastry-making than people management. Critics and fans agree that Hay is formidably talented and hard-working but she is tough and she can be difficult for those who work with her.

After graduating from high school, she failed to qualify for a physiotherapy course, so she enrolled in home economics and loved it. The youngest of three sisters, and given free rein in the kitchen and her grandmother's vegetable garden, she also attended cooking classes in school holidays and by the age of 14 had assumed the role of head chef in the family.

Hay worked in the Women's Weekly test kitchen, then as a freelance food stylist before becoming food editor of the Australian edition of Marie Claire magazine. During this time, she produced four cookbooks. The recipes were short, the layout clean and the food photographed in natural light on white plates against white backgrounds.

In 2001, she persuaded Rupert Murdoch's News Ltd to finance Donna Hay Magazine in return for running her cooking column in the group's Australian newspapers. Hay, whose title is editorial director, has creative control of Donna Hay. In March 2011, Hay's first television series, Fast, Fresh, Simple, began on The LifeStyle Channel. It's a 13-part series that features many of the recipes from her book of the same name.

Ms. Hay rises early and works marathon hours - partly because she has difficulty delegating. Hay's life partner, Bill Wilson, is painted as "saintly and long-suffering", but everyone says he adores her. They have two sons. "Having a child has really chilled me out a little bit," she says. "A lot. It's given me another dimension to my life." Others are amazed at this comment. When Hay returned from maternity leave, half a dozen people, including the magazine's co-founder, Vanessa Holden, left the magazine.
Holden was seen by some as the mastermind behind Donna Hay. While Hay was the culinary wizard, Holden was the inspired designer and wordsmith who pulled everything together behind the scenes. Holden says she eventually left because she felt used. She was fine with the fact that Hay was the face of the magazine but felt she deserved more credit for her own contribution. Hay believes almost all the unhappiness at the magazine stemmed from the conflict between her and Holden. "Because Vanessa and I were best friends, it was like going through a divorce for everyone," she says.

Nonetheless, the magazine continues (as does Ms. Hay's success) and is an absolute delight visually. I look forward to each issue.

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The salad I chose appealed to me because I love crispy polenta and teaming it with chorizo, tomatoes, spinach and mozzarella is brilliant. It's a simple salad to make and really a meal in itself.

Polenta, Mozzarella and Tomato Salad
Donna Hay Magazine, Issue #50

Ingredients:

3 cups chicken stock

1 cup instant polenta

4 tablespoons butter, chopped

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

sea salt and cracked black pepper

EVOO, for drizzling

15-20 cherry tomatoes

2 chorizo, sliced

2 1/2 cups baby spinach leaves

350 grams buffalo mozzarella, torn

For the dressing:

2 tablespoons white balsamic or white wine vinegar

2 tablespoon olive oil

1 clove garlic, crushed

Method:

Preheat oven to 425. Place the stock in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Gradually whisk in the polenta and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the butter, Parmesan, salt and pepper. Pour into a lightly greased 9 by 13 baking pan. Refrigerate for 45 minutes or until set. Turn out on a cutting board and cut into wedges. Place on a greased baking tray and roast for 15 minutes or until golden and crisp. Set aside and keep warm.

While the polenta is roasting, make the dressing. Combine the vinegar, olive oil and garlic and stir to combine.

Place the tomatoes and chorizo on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and roast 3-5 minutes in the oven until chorizo is crisp and the tomatoes are tender.

Serve with the polenta, spinach and mozzarella. Spoon the dressing over everything to serve. Serves 4.

Join Mary from One Perfect Bite and all the other participants in this fun series.

Nancy - Picadillo
Mireya - My Healthy Eating Habits
Veronica - My Catholic Kitchen
Annie - Lovely Things

Claudia - Journey of An Italian Cook
Alyce - More Time at the Table

Lentils Like Baked Beans

2012-01-16T07:01:00.001-05:00

Have you heard about this recipe? Take my advice and don't wait for summertime to make this wonderful side dish, even though we always think of baked beans as a picnic dish. These lentils would be perfect with a pork chop, although I had it next to a piece of chicken. I couldn't stop eating it. Addictive. Would you believe later that night I was spooning it out of the fridge cold?

Some bench notes from the original recipe: when....and notice I said when, not if....you make it, rinse the lentils until the water runs clear. And use red lentils. I happened to have some thick cut bacon and used that, so did not add the extra oil that's on the ingredient list. The only thing I changed in the original recipe (why bother messing with perfection?) was taking the lid off the baking dish the last 15 minutes so the liquid would cook off before it became mush. It took an additional 5 or 10 minutes. This will all depend on your oven. Check after about 40 minutes and if you still see a lot of fluid, remove the top and bake until it's nearly gone. I also used some toasted whole wheat naan for serving.

Lentils Like Baked Beans
From The Art of Living According to Joe Beef via Seven Spoons

Ingredients:

4 slices bacon, finely chopped

1 yellow onion, finely diced

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

2 cups red lentils, rinsed and picked over

4 cups water

1/4 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons maple syrup, plus more as needed

2 tablespoons neutral oil

2 tablespoons Colman's mustard powder

1 tablespoon cider vinegar, plus more as needed

1 teaspoon ground pepper, plus more as needed

1 bay leaf

Salt

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350°F

In oven proof pot with lid, fry bacon over medium-high heat until crisp. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for about 4 minutes, or until softened. Then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer.

Add the lentils, water, ketchup, maple syrup, oil, mustard, vinegar, pepper and bay leaf. Stir well and season with salt. Bring to a boil. Cover, place in oven, and bake for 45 minutes, or until lentils are tender.

Taste and correct the seasoning with salt, pepper, maple syrup, and vinegar. Serve hot now or later. Serves 4.

Gourmet's 50 Women Game Changers in Food: #30, Barbara Tropp

2012-01-13T07:03:00.001-05:00

Barbara Tropp grew up in Springfield, N.J. and while taking a high school class on Asian culture, she discovered what she wanted to do with her life. She studied Chinese in college and then spent two years in Taiwan improving her language skills and immersing herself in food. Luckily, her host family had a fine cook; Tropp watched and learned.

When she returned to Princeton, her fellowship was running out so she began giving cooking lessons and cooking Chinese dinners. Her thesis was soon forgotten and she moved to San Francisco and Chinatown. She soon had a book contract for "The Modern Art of Chinese Cooking," her attempt to present the authentic Chinese food she remembered from Taiwan.

By the early 1990s, Tropp was a sought-after teacher and from 1986 to 1996, she ran a very successful Chinese restaurant named China Moon Cafe in a 1930s era coffee shop in San Francisco.

In 1994, she and her sister decided to have their ovaries removed as their mother had died of ovarian cancer. During the surgery, it was discovered that both of them already had ovarian cancer. Tropp underwent chemotherapy and also sought alternative treatment from a local Chinese doctor who had run a cancer clinic in Shanghai. She took his advice and drank a mystery concoction and also avoided certain things in her diet. She went into remission and stopped the chemo.
During this time, she sold China Moon.

Unfortunately, on a trip to China with her husband, the cancer flared up again. "I learned that Chinese medicine offered me no protection at all," she says. "I threw the herbs out the window. I went back once or twice for acupuncture, but I found it so painful that I simply threw in the towel. I did strictly the Western chemotherapy regimen and, miraculously, I survived."

Gradually, Tropp came to believe that diet didn't make her sick and a restricted diet wouldn't make her well. She would eat what she felt like eating, without guilt.
"When I went into remission the second time, people would look at me and say, 'Golly, what saved you?' and I'd say, 'Starbucks ice cream.' "

Barbara fought her battle with cancer for 7 years but finally passed away in 2001.

Chef Tropp broke ground not only in combining California and Chinese cuisines, but also as a leader for women chefs and restaurateurs. It was Barbara along with others like Joyce Goldstein and Lydia Bastianich who spearheaded a now-thriving organization which promotes and lends guidance to women in the restaurant industry: Women Chefs and Restaurateurs (WCR).
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As I searched through Tropp's recipes, I found one common theme: ginger. And because I love ice cream, when I read about her ginger ice cream, I knew I had to try it, especially since ice cream is rather an unusual dessert in China. It just never caught on much.
I must say, I didn't expect to love and adore this ice cream, but I did. It's so elegant, really. There's lots of ginger but it's quite subtle and I found it delicious. It's amazingly difficult to take a photo of an ice cream like this....it just looks like plain old vanilla. But you know you can trust me on ice cream issues...this is one divine dish of ginger ice cream.
You really don't need the candied ginger on top, but I happened to have some so added it for presentation purposes only.

Ginger Ice CreamFrom The Modern Art of Chinese Cooking by Barbara Tropp

Ingredients:

For the ginger syrup:
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 - 3 packed tablespoons food-processor-minced or grated, peeled fresh ginger

Milk mixture:
1 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons finely minced ginger in syrup (available at Asian markets), drained before mincing

Custard mixture:
3 large egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup heavy (whipping) cream
1/2 - 3/4 teaspoon freshly squeezed, strained lemon juice

Method:
To make the syrup, heat the water and 1/4 cup sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. When the sugar is dissolved, add the fresh ginger. Stir to disperse, then bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer the syrup uncovered for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.

In another pan combine the milk, 2 tablespoons sugar, and the minced preserved ginger. Stir over medium heat until the milk comes to a scalding temperature, just short of a simmer, then remove the pan from the heat. Scrape the fresh ginger syrup into the milk mixture, and stir well to blend. Cover and steep 20 minutes to infuse the milk.

In a small bowl beat the egg yolks and 1/4 cup sugar until the mixture is pale yellow, thick, and falls in ribbons from the beater.

Put the heavy cream in a medium-size bowl. Nest the cream bowl in a larger one lined with ice cubes and place in a large, fine mesh strainer alongside.

When the steeping time is up, bring the milk mixture to scalding again, stirring. Slowly add 1/4 of the scalded milk to the egg mixture, whisking constantly to temper the eggs, then pour the egg mixture back into the remaining milk, continuing to whisk. Cook over moderate heat, whisking slowly but steadily until the mixture reaches the custard stage, thick enough to coat and cling to the back of a spoon, 180 degrees on an instant-reading thermometer. Do not let the mixture boil lest the eggs scramble.

Immediately pour the custard through the strainer and into the bowl of cream set over ice. Scrape the pot clean, then slowly stir the liquid trapped in the strainer in order to coax it through the mesh. Press firmly and repeatedly on the ginger to extract all the liquid, then finally scrape the bottom of the strainer to claim every last drop for the cream. Discard the ginger solids. Allow the cream mixture to cool completely, stirring occasionally.

Once cool, the mixture may be sealed airtight and refrigerated for 1 - 2 days before freezing.

Freezing the cream:
Just before freezing, adjust the mixture with 1/2 - 3/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, stirring and tasting after every several drops just until the ginger flavor is perceptibly heightened by the lemon.
Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. When the freezing process is completed, pack the ice cream into a clean plastic container, poking deep into the mixture, then pressing it with a spoon or spatula to eliminate any air bubbles. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the ice cream to prevent the formation of ice crystals, then return the mixture to the freezer for at least 2 hours to firm up and "ripen."
If frozen solid, allow the ice cream to soften slightly in the refrigerator before serving. For the full flavor and bouquet, it should be eaten slightly soft.
The ginger flavor is keenest for the first 24 hours. It is still sprightly after 2 days, but then gradually begins to fade.

Join Mary from One Perfect Bite and all the other participants in this fun series.

Nancy - Picadillo
Mireya - My Healthy Eating Habits
Veronica - My Catholic Kitchen
Annie - Lovely Things

Claudia - Journey of An Italian Cook

A note: something weird has happened to many of my older blog photos. They've disappeared from past posts. I have no idea if this is Blogspot's problem or mine after I fiddled around with Picassa, my new iPad or a combination of these things. So if you see an old recipe and want the photo, email me and I'll dig it out of my files.

Carnitas

2012-01-10T07:06:00.003-05:00

Such a simple recipe resulting in so much flavor! Carnitas (which translates "little meats") may take a few hours to cook, but everyone in the family loves to eat them. Adding all sorts of toppings, they're sort of like a Mexican pizza, using a corn tortilla as the base. I love the tang of lime in this recipe and the barely-there orange is just right. Serve these with slaw, avocado, salsa, limes, tomatillos..... even sour cream. Any way you want, but I personally love the simplicity of a nice hot and crunchy corn tortilla with the caramelized pork on top, letting that pork flavor shine through. Even better the next day.

Carnitas
A combination of recipes

Ingredients:
3 pounds pork butt, with plenty of fat, cut in 2 inch cubes
1 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
3-4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Method:
In a large Dutch oven, mix the pork, both juices, garlic, cumin and salt. Add enough water to just cover the meat. Bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer. Simmer without stirring for 2 hours.
Then, raise the heat to medium high and cook another 45 minutes, stirring frequently so the meat doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. Most of the liquid will evaporate and all that's left is pork fat. Brown the carnitas in the fat until caramelized. Serve over a corn torilla with any fixings you like.

The Stairs of Anse Chastanet, St. Lucia

2012-01-07T18:01:00.003-05:00

309. That's how many steps we counted from the beach to our room at one of our favorite resorts and where we went for Christmas.
Several times a day too. No need to worry about gaining weight here; buns of steel by the time we left.

Let's start down at the beach. Dip your feet in the water to wash off the sand and then here we go....

Still climbing.....

Aha! A place to rest.

Rest over already?

Looking back at the rest area....

Finally, we're half way there. This is a multi-layered area for reception, bar and two dining rooms.

And we start climbing again. This time to our room. Photo looks back down to reception area.

Hang in there!

That's my daughter...I make her haul the water (and everything else). See the tiny red arrow? That's where we turn in for our room.

Finally, the turn off on the right. Thought we were through? NOT. We have 55 more steep steps to go.

The last 16 steps, gasp... Tracy has reached our door.

Collapse in chairs on the deck and look at these two views at dusk. The Pitons in one direction and the ocean on the other. Are the steps worth it? Absolutely.

Here is Anse Chastanet:

Gourmet's 50 Women Game Changers in Food: #29, Betty Fussell

2012-01-06T07:11:00.002-05:00

Betty Fussell is first and foremost a writer. She has been writing articles and books for 50 years on the subject of what it is to be an American, first looking at movies and theater and then at food. I really like what interviewer Cheri Sicard had to say about Betty:
"Fussell is a writer who is also a home cook, one who loves the sensuousness of words as much as the sensuality of foods. As a writer, she sees food as a window into the culture, past and present, of America. As an historian, she sees any meal as a way of eating history on the plate. As a cook, she likes recipes that are simple, improvisatory, fresh, and tasty, something anyone could do with no more than a sharp knife and a skillet and a few good fresh ingredients."

Betty was born in Southern California in 1927. She ended up with a PhD In English lit, married her childhood sweetheart Paul Fussell and taught literature and film at Columbia University. In the 1980s she left teaching to write full time. Her first book was a biography of Mabel Normand. Since then, she has won fellowships to MacDowell Colony, Millay Colony for the Arts, Yaddo, Villa Montalvo, Hawthornden Castle International Retreat for Writers and Djerassi Resident Artists Program.
Moving on to food writing, Betty is best known for the book I Hear America Cooking and she authored The Story of Corn, an in-depth study of the plant as a crop, religion, and culture. She considers corn the basis of American cuisine. Betty says: "I didn't know how complex, how ancient, how complicated this subject was. I am still immersed in it years afterwards because there's no end to it---corn is in everything". This book won her the International Association of Culinary Professionals' Jane Grigson Award.

Her latest book, Raising Steaks: The Life and Times of American Beef, takes a stab at how America's past and future is inexorably linked with its iconic beef dish of choice.

In 2007 she won a James Beard Foundation Award for Journalism for “American Prime” in Saveur’s Steak Issue of July. She was recently celebrated, along with other winners of the Silver Spoon Award, by Food Arts Magazine

Unfortunately, she also wrote a book called My Kitchen Wars, about her decades-long marriage and its breakdown. To be frank, I have no interest in reading it. (Let me know if you've read it and what you thought.)

Over the decades, her essays on food, travel, movies, theater and the arts have appeared in scholarly journals, popular national magazines and major newspapers. Critical and scholarly essays have appeared in literary publications She has lectured at museums, universities, cooking schools, food & wine associations, state fairs, corn festivals and steak workshops all over the country

For a complete list of betty's books click HERE.

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When I did the recipe search for Betty, I was thinking in terms of the holidays, so Betty's famous recipe for Popcorn and Venison Sausage Stuffing would have been quite timely. Sorry about that! Well, you can save it for next year. :)

Anyway, I was intrigued when I read about a stuffing recipe made with popcorn. As it turned out, it was an excellent stuffing, but the popcorn part is a tad gimmicky don't you think? (Perhaps the recipe was a result of Fussell's obsession with corn?) The stuffing was a bit chewier than I cared for and you can see the bits of white in it which does make for interesting table conversation. I doubt I would make it again. In addition, I should have contacted D'Artagnan to get some venison sausage but instead I used some fine pork sausage I found at Whole Foods.

Popcorn and Venison Sausage Stuffing

(for a 12-15 lb turkey, or about 8 to 10 cups stuffing)

Ingredients:

Turkey giblets and neck plus water to make about 3 cups stock

1 tablespoon olive oil

2/3 cup unpopped popcorn kernels (to make 4 cups popped popcorn, to be ground in a blender)

8 to 10 slices dried day-old white or wheat peasant bread (to make 4 cups toasted bread cubes)

1 pound venison sausage (or well-seasoned loose pork sausage)

¼ pound (1 stick) butter

2 cups white onions, chopped medium fine

1 ½ cups celery, chopped medium fine

2 tablespoons dried Herbes de Provence, or mixed dried sage, rosemary, thyme.

Salt & black pepper to taste

1 cup dried cranberries

Method:

Place neck and giblets (except for liver) in cold water in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce to simmer, season to taste, and cook slowly 45 minutes to an hour. (Cook liver in the broth 3-4 minutes only; remove gizzard and heart after 20 minutes cooking). Chop giblets and set aside. You’ll need about 2/3 to 1 cup chopped giblets. Discard (or chew on) the neck.

Film the bottom of a heavy cast iron skillet with the olive oil and heat over a medium flame. Add the popcorn kernels and cover loosely with a large (wok) lid until the kernels begin to pop. Shake the skillet slowly over the flame as the kernels pop until they stop popping (5 to 7 minutes). Uncover the skillet so the kernels don’t “steam” because you want them dry as possible.

Scoop popped kernels a cup or two at a time into a blender and pulse until they are finely chopped. Set aside.

Cut bread (leave crusts on) into small cubes and toast them in a low oven (300-325) about 10 minutes, or until golden brown.

In the same cast-iron skillet, quickly sauté the loose sausage (no more than 2-3 minutes) in 2 tablespoons of the butter, chopping the meat with a spatula so it cooks evenly. Remove meat and set aside.

Add remaining butter to the same pan, sauté the onions and celery and season them with the dried herbs and salt and pepper. Cook 5-6 minutes until the vegetables begin to brown but are still crunchy.

Add to the pan the cranberries, chopped giblets, ground popcorn and bread cubes. Add 2 cups of the turkey stock. Taste for seasoning and moisture. For a wetter stuffing, add more stock.

Pack the stuffing into a casserole dish and bake at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes to make a slight crust on top.

Helpful Notes: This stuffing cooks separately from the turkey as a side dish. It is meant to be crunchy, with a lot of texture. For those who want a really soft dressing, add stock.

Giblets & stock can be done ahead, with leisure to distinguish cooking times between heart, gizzard and liver. You want to retain the soft texture of the liver and keep the heart and gizzard from turning to rubber.

Popping the corn kernels can be done the day before. You want it to be dry and crisp. If it’s not, just dry it in a big baking pan in a low oven (225 degrees) for an hour. Unless you’ve got a superpowerful blender, you’ll need to grind it in small batches so that it’s like coarsely ground nuts.

Join Mary from One Perfect Bite and all the other participants in this fun series.

Nancy - Picadillo
Mireya - My Healthy Eating Habits
Veronica - My Catholic Kitchen
Annie - Lovely Things

Claudia - Journey of An Italian Cook

Coconut Chocolate Chip Tea Cakes

2012-01-03T11:30:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year everyone! I hope you all had a marvelous holiday season and I wish each of you a happy and healthy 2012. Once I get unpacked and organized, I'll be checking in with you in the next few days to see what you've been up to. In the meantime, I wanted to share a recipe I've had in my draft folder since before Christmas and never had time to post. Enjoy!

When I saw this recipe on El's blog Fresh, I thought what fun it would be to serve these mini bundt cakes for dessert. Fully expecting them to be pound cake density, imagine my surprise to find them light as air. Perfect for tea. Not that we didn't eat them for dessert anyway, but I fully intend to serve them at my next Garden Club meeting with tea and coffee. Unfortunately, the only chocolate chips I had in the house were left-over bittersweet féves. The result really wasn't delicate enough for such a light cake and I'll definitely buy the mini bittersweet chips next time. Still, I'm not complaining. :) They were gone in a flash!

Coconut Chocolate Chip Tea Cakes

From Fresh New England

Ingredients:

125 g unsalted butter, softened

1 1/3 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. coconut extract (not required but good)

1/2 cup (4 oz) milk

1 1/3 cups flour, sifted

2 teaspoons baking powder

Scant 1 cup shredded coconut
Scant 1 cup good quality mini bittersweet chocolate chips

powdered sugar, for dusting

Method:

Butter and flour mini-bundt pans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In bowl of stand mixer using a paddle attachment, beat butter for about 30 seconds. Add

sugar and beat until pale, light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time and beat just until mixed in. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add extracts (if you're not using coconut extract, double the amount of vanilla extract) and milk and mix until just blended. Add the flour and mix slightly. Add coconut and chocolate and mix until just blended.

Spoon batter into pan until each opening is half full. Bake 18-22 minutes or until inserted

toothpick comes out clean. Cool and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Dear Friends!

2011-12-20T07:03:00.000-05:00

I'll be back the first week of 2012!

Susan's Mustard Puffs

2011-12-18T06:17:00.000-05:00

What we need now is something brilliant and fast, so I turned to Susan from Savoring Time in the Kitchen. She's one of my favorite people and I love her blog. Quite a while back I saw this recipe and thought: I'm going to use that next Christmas at a party.....or make them and take them as a hostess gift. And that's exactly what I did. Twice. Have you made them yet? Quick, easy peasy and everyone will love them. I always try to keep some puff pastry ready to go in the fridge during holidays, whether I suddenly need to make a dessert or an appetizer. No need to go to the store to make these puffs.

Mustard Puffs

Adapted by Susan from Mustard Batons from Around My French Table by Dorie Greenspan

Ingredients:

2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed

All purpose flour, for rolling out puff pastry

½ cup Dijon mustard

1 large egg

Coarsely ground pepper

Sea Salt

Method:

Place the racks inside the oven so that the oven is divided into thirds. Preheat oven to 400F. Place a silicone baking mat or parchment paper on two large baking sheets.

Take one pastry sheet out of the package and keep the other refrigerated until ready to use. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough until it measures 12 x 16 inches, approximately, with the shortest end facing you. Find the middle and mark it lightly. On the lowest half, spread about ¼ cup of mustard, stopping about 1/8 inch from the side and bottom edges. Fold the top of the dough over the bottom. Mark the pastry every ¾ inch or so, then cut into strips using a pizza/pastry cutter or sharp knife.

Carefully, transfer the strips to one of the lined baking sheets (keeping about 2 inches between them since they will puff up) and chill or freeze while you work on the second sheet of puff pastry. At this point, you can freeze them on the sheets and then wrap air-tight until ready to use for up to 2 months.

When ready to bake, beat the egg with a little cold water and brush the tops of the strips. Sprinkle them with coarsely ground pepper and sea salt (Dorie suggests poppy or sesame seeds).

Bake for 8 minutes, rotate and transfer the sheets, then bake for another 7 to 8 minutes until golden brown. Cool slightly before serving.

Gourmet's 50 Women Game Changers in Food: #28, Anne-Sophie Pic

2011-12-16T05:53:00.001-05:00

Enfin! We have a Game Changer who was born in a family of famous chefs. Although she rebelled a bit at first. Anne-Sophie Pic grew up in a Michelin-starred kitchen, "dipping her fingers into copper pots of simmering crayfish and sampling the pastry chef's choux à la crème as a girl." The restaurant, Maison Pic, received its third Michelin star under her grandfather in 1934 for the first time. Since then, all three generations, including her father Jacques Pic, have received three Michelin stars for the restaurant.

But just for a while, Sophie chose not to lead that life. She studied business management and traveled from Paris to the United States via Japan, which left its mark on her taste. It was also in Japan that she met her future husband, David Sinapian.

But in 1992 at the age of 23, she returned to the family kitchen where she informed her father she wanted to indulge her "real passion", cooking. Her father wanted her to attend hotel school, but his death that fall put an end to his plan. For a while, Anne-Sophie took care of other aspects of the restaurant business, always keeping in mind she preferred to be in the kitchen. Her husband and mother Suzanne were very supportive of her and in 1998 with their backing, and to the amazement of everyone, Anne-Sophie walked into the kitchen and started her apprenticeship.
Her last name was Pic for good reason and Sophie, a self-taught cook, assembled a young team that shared her vision. Thanks to her husband David Sinapian’s managerial role, she could fully devote herself to cooking and develop her style, which is characterized by pairings of subtle flavours. Anne-Sophie won three Michelin stars as well and she is only the fourth woman in history to achieve that honor. The restaurant is listed on the Relais & Châteaux website as: "Restaurant of a Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux and hotel in town."

Maison Pic, with Sophie at the helm, is located in Valence, France and is a century-old. "The restaurant exudes a hushed elegance that's on par with her cooking, described as being creative, light and refined." The restaurant's successive rooms are lit by French windows open onto the patio or the adjacent gardens. Bright colours and “period” furniture provide unexpected notes thanks to their colour and size. Enormous frames without pictures, tables dressed with bursts of light and simplicity, the gentle murmur of conversation, and the discreet presence of the waiters and sommeliers all add to the atmosphere.
Here's a wonderful video: (I hope it works for you!)

Anne-Sophie believes that everything begins with the product and she works with fishermen, market gardeners and farmers who provide her with knowledge that she can draw on at will. She recently was recognized as the World's Best Female Chef, chosen by a panel of 837 voters around the world that included food critics, journalists, chefs and restaurateurs representing 27 different international regions. In 2004, she published “Au nom du Père” (“Like father, like daughter”), which describes her journey and her gratitude towards her family, particularly her father to whom she dedicates with great emotion this third star.

The year 2006 saw the opening of the bistro “7 by Anne-Sophie-Pic", a sign of the modernity that is sweeping through Maison Pic. In 2007, Anne-Sophie Pic opened “SCOOK,” her cooking school, near the Maison Pic, to share her passion with a larger audience.

The restaurant website: http://www.pic-valence.com/
***********************************************

To represent Anne-Sophie Pic, I chose an unusual recipe. It's a pudding and was included in her book: Entertaining: Kitchen Lesson by Anne-Sophie Pic in a section for children. Are you familiar with Carambar? It's a caramel candy, a cross between the American Sugar Daddy and Tootsie Roll. These little caramel sticks, each about 4 inches long, crack when cold and are soft when warm. They are really quite delicious and I had never tasted them before. This is a very basic pudding recipe and using the Carambars made it fun and different.

Creamy Carambar

Ingredients:

8 Carambar bars

20 cl milk (6 3/4 fluid ounces)
2 eggs
40g caster sugar
20g cornflour (I used cornstarch)
200g unsalted butter, room temperature

Method:
Pour the milk into a saucepan, add the Carambars and melt.Mix the eggs with the sugar in a bowl. Add the cornstarch to the eggs, temper with a little of the carambar/milk mixture and then add everything to the saucepan, whisking all the while. Heat over low heat, stirring until the mixture thickens like a custard.

Pour the sauce into a container and stick a sheet of cling film in contact with the cream to prevent a crust forms. Let cool until the mixture is at room temperature, about 15 minutes.
When the correct temperature is reached (about 40 ° C), add the soft butter into small pieces. Mix with an electric device to obtain a smooth cream. Place in the fridge.
You can serve it plain in small pots or in glass dishes. I added 6 small pieces of Carambar cut with scissors to decorate. Serves 4.

Join Mary from One Perfect Bite and all the other participants in this fun series.

(We're taking a Christmas break and will be back with another Game Changer January 6th!)

Val - More Than Burnt Toast
Joanne - Eats Well With Others
Taryn - Have Kitchen Will Feed
Susan - The Spice Garden
Claudia - A Seasonal Cook in Turkey
Heather - girlichef
Miranda - Mangoes and Chutney
Jeanette - Healthy Living
April - Abby Sweets
Katie - Making Michael Pollan Proud
Mary - One Perfect Bite
Viola - The Lif e is Good Kitchen
Sue - The View from Great Island
Kathleen Van Bruinisse - Bake Away with Me
Kathleen - Gonna Want Seconds
Martha - Lines from Linderhof
Amy - Beloved Green
Linda - Ciao Chow Linda

Nancy - Picadillo
Mireya - My Healthy Eating Habits
Veronica - My Catholic Kitchen
Annie - Lovely Things

Claudia - Journey of An Italian Cook

Madeleinesau Roquefort, Poire & Noix (Walnut, Pear and Roquefort Madeleines)

2011-12-13T05:56:00.005-05:00

Several weeks ago, our 50 Women Game-Changers group did a post on Clotilde Dusoulier and her Chocolate and Zucchini blog. I'm delighted to be a part of this series for a number of reasons: 1) whether you agree with the list or not, it's been an amazing learning experience getting to know these talented 50 women; 2) I've met lots of bloggers I might never have discovered; and 3) I love checking the other posts each Friday to see the wide range of recipes we've chosen to represent the chefs.

For instance......I took one look at Nancy's (from My Picadillo) recipe from Clotilde and my eyes lit up. Savory madeleines. Just had to get these posted before Christmas because they make a terrific first course or hors d'oeuvre. Take a look at the photo at the bottom of the page....you can practically taste by looking. One of my favorite salads is made with these three ingredients + chicken, greens and a light vinaigrette. So I knew I'd love these madeleines. My suggestion is to make them in madeleine pans (truly unusual and most unexpected) but if you don't own the right pan, let your imagination take wing and make any shape you like.

Thanks Nancy, for introducing us to Clotilde's unique recipe!

Madeleinesau Roquefort, Poire & Noix
(Walnut, Pear and Roquefort Madeleines)
From "Chocolate & Zucchini: Daily Adventures in a Parisian Kitchen" by Clotilde Dusoulier via My Picadillo

Makes 24 madeleines

Ingredients:
A pat of unsalted butter for the molds
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 large eggs
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup buttermilk
3 ounces Roquefort or another blue cheese
1 ripe pear, about 8 ounces, peeled, cored and diced
1/3 cup shelled walnuts, roughly chopped (not too fine)

Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter a tray of madeleine molds or mini-muffin tins. (With the madeleine molds I use softened butter using a small brush so the mold is well-covered.)

Combine flour and baking powder in a small mixing bowl. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, salt and pepper. Add the oil, buttermilk and cheese, and whisk again.

Sift flour mixture into egg mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until incorporated— the batter will be thick. Don't overmix. Fold in pear and walnuts and stir. (The batter can be prepared up to a day ahead and refrigerated.)

Spoon batter into the molds, filling them by two thirds.Bake 12 to 16 minutes, until puffy and golden. Transfer to a rack to cool for a few minutes, unmold and serve warm.

Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies: More Cookies for Christmas

2011-12-10T14:37:00.000-05:00

I do love shortbread cookies! Especially since you can refrigerate or freeze them and bake them as needed. I always try to have something like this in the freezer. This particular recipe is from Hannah at Honey and Jam and it's perfect for the holidays....studded with cranberries. The orange zest stands out, as does the almond flavor. Truly a lovely shortbread and an easy-to-make cookie, too. Love that during such a busy time, don't you?

Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies
From Hannah at Honey and Jam

Ingredients:

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest

1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

Method:

Beat butter with a mixer on medium speed until creamy and smooth, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating until smooth. Add vanilla, almond extract, orange zest and dried cranberries and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low.

Mix flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to butter beating at a low speed until blended.

Form dough into 2 logs, each about 1 1/2 inches in diameter; wrap in parchment, and refrigerate 1 hour (up to 3 days) or freeze.

Preheat oven to 350.

If frozen, let the logs stand at room temp for 10 minutes. Remove parchment. Slice logs into 1/4-inch-thick rounds, and space about 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment. Bake until pale golden, about 12 minutes. Let cool.

Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Gourmet's 50 Women Game Changers in Food: #27, Anne Willan

2011-12-09T05:38:00.004-05:00

We're now more than half way through Gourmet's list of Game Changers and while choosing a recipe to feature, once in a while you happen upon an absolute gem, one that really stands out.....one you're going to make again and again. For me, this tart is IT. And don't for a minute think it's your ordinary tomato tart. Oh no. It was slightly time consuming to make, but after that first bite, it was one of those roll your eyes moments...Mmmmmmm....savoring the ambrosial flavors. A drizzle of vinegar highlights the caramelized tomatoes and garlic in this, yielding an intense, savory tart to serve with crisp greens as a first course or light main dish.
Just to make it easier, Anne suggests using frozen puff pastry.
It's always rewarding when you tell me you've made one of these recipes and loved it, but this time, you've simply got to make this tart at the first opportunity. It is perfection.

But first, let me tell you a little about Anne Willan.

British-born Anne Willan was raised in a life of privilege. She graduated from Cambridge in 1959 with a master's degree in economics. But that life was not for her. Encouraged by an early employer while teaching at a finishing school, she took classes at London's famed Cordon Bleu cooking school. Then, after graduating from that school, she went to Paris to finish her studies, earning the coveted Grand Diplome in 1963.

Ms. Willan put an ad in the International Herald Tribune: "Cordon Bleu cook will give lessons and cook for dinner parties". One of the replies was on embossed stationery from the Château de Versailles. Willan remembers that it said: "I have Mexican cooks. I am starting to entertain at the Château de Versailles so I want my cooks to learn French cooking. Please come to see me." The note was from the American-born philanthropist and socialite Florence van der Kemp, whose husband was the curator of Versailles. Willan started out by giving twice-a-week cooking classes and wound up living at Versailles,in an attic over the servants' quarters.

While working for Van der Kemp, Willan cooked for the duke and duchess of Windsor, Prince Rainier and Princess Grace of Monaco and the flamboyant Countess Mapie de Toulouse-Lautrec. At one party, a guest was Cherniavsky, a young World Bank economist. The two fell in love and when Cherniavsky was transferred to Washington, D.C., Willan followed him and moved to New York. With the assistance of Van der Kemp, she landed a job as an editor at Gourmet magazine. She married Cherniavsky a year later and moved to Washington. For the next decade, the two went back and forth between the U.S. and France.During this time, Ms. Willan edited Cordon Bleu's 20-volume Grand Diplome Cooking Course encyclopedia.

In 1975 she opened La Varenne in Paris. In 1982, she and Cherniavsky bought Château du Feÿ, near the town of Joigny in Burgundy and in 1991 they moved the school there. Her intention for La Varenne, she says, was to offer the culinary equivalent of a college education. Willan became an authority on the cooking of France and its' history.

Willan's husband's poor health prompted a move back to the US, to Los Angeles. "We always thought we'd end our days in France. But I think we'll be fine. This is such a great place for food. It's a wonderful place to cook. The ingredients are outstanding, and there is so much going on. I do miss the cheese, though."

Ms. Willan has written a couple dozen well-received cookbooks, including two that have become culinary bibles: "La Varenne Pratique" and "French Regional Cooking." To read about Anne's books, click here.
Anne was elected to the Who's Who of Food and Beverage in America in 1986 and was honored in 1995 as Grande Dame of Les Dames d'Escoffier International. In 1999, the International Association of Culinary Professionals recognized Anne with their prestigious Lifetime Achievement award.

Anne Willan's Tarte Tatin à la Tomate
Excerpted from THE COUNTRY COOKING OF FRANCE

Ingredients:
6 ounces/170 g store-bought puff pastry
2 pounds/900 g plum tomatoes, cored and halved lengthwise
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup/60 g sugar
1/4 cup/60 ml red wine vinegar
1/4 cup/60 ml olive oil, more for the pan
2 or 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 or 3 dried bay leaves
1 head garlic, divided into cloves, unpeeled
1/4 cup/60 ml red wine
Few leaves arugula or frisée, for garnish

Method:
Heat the oven to 275°F/140°C. Sprinkle the cut sides of the tomatoes with salt and pepper and set them aside. Sprinkle the sugar in a large frying pan with an ovenproof handle and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar melts and toasts to golden caramel, 3 to 5 minutes. Take the pan from the heat and at once add the vinegar, standing back as it will sputter and fume. Return it to the heat, stir to dissolve the caramel, and then stir in the oil. Again take the pan from the heat and add the tomatoes, cut side down, packing them tightly so they all touch the bottom and pushing the rosemary and bay between them.

Roast the tomatoes until they are very tender and wrinkled, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Forty-five minutes before they are done, add the unpeeled garlic cloves to the pan. If liquid remains at the end of cooking, evaporate most of it by cooking the tomatoes briefly over high heat, taking care they do not scorch.

Oil a second frying pan with an ovenproof handle and transfer the tomatoes to it, arranging them snugly cut side down in a pattern. Discard the herbs and leave the garlic behind, along with any juices, in the first pan. Add the wine to the garlic and heat it, stirring to deglaze the juices and boil them down to 2 to 3 tablespoons. Pour the liquid and garlic through a strainer over the tomatoes, then push through the garlic pulp. Set the tomatoes aside to cool. The tomatoes may be cooked up to a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator.

Heat the oven to 400°F/200°C. On a floured work surface, roll out the puff pastry to a 10-inch/25-centimeter round and prick the dough so it rises evenly. Transfer it to the pan to cover the tomatoes and tuck any excess dough down around the fruit. Bake the tart until the dough has risen and is crisp and golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Let the tart cool for 5 minutes, then turn out it onto a platter and garnish with the arugula. Alternatively, let it cool in the pan, then turn it out and serve it at room temperature. Tarte Tatin à la Tomate may also be cooked up to 8 hours ahead and kept in the pan. Warm it briefly in the oven before turning it out.

Join Mary from One Perfect Bite and all the other participants in this fun series.

Val - More Than Burnt Toast
Joanne - Eats Well With Others
Taryn - Have Kitchen Will Feed
Susan - The Spice Garden
Claudia - A Seasonal Cook in Turkey
Heather - girlichef
Miranda - Mangoes and Chutney
Jeanette - Healthy Living
April - Abby Sweets
Katie - Making Michael Pollan Proud
Mary - One Perfect Bite
Viola - The Lif e is Good Kitchen
Sue - The View from Great Island
Kathleen Van Bruinisse - Bake Away with Me
Kathleen - Gonna Want Seconds
Martha - Lines from Linderhof
Amy - Beloved Green
Linda - Ciao Chow Linda

Nancy - Picadillo
Mireya - My Healthy Eating Habits
Veronica - My Catholic Kitchen
Annie - Lovely Things

Claudia - Journey of An Italian Cook

The Two Fat Ladies and Spatchcocked Game Hens

2011-12-05T07:09:00.002-05:00

Are you all familiar with The Two Fat Ladies? They starred in a BBC cooking program in the late 90's. Their names were Clarissa Dickson Wright (on the right in the photo below) and Jennifer Paterson. The show ran for 4 seasons and several channels picked it up. I think it's now showing on the Cooking Channel.

Here's how someone online described them:
They promoted the use of lard. They looked like men in drag. They were old and badly dressed. They were a bit like bag ladies but with more jewelry. One of them smoked and drank and wore bright red nail varnish and diamond rings as she plunged her fingers into all manner of food. (The other was a recovering alcoholic.) Almost surreally they drove a vintage Triumph Thunderbird motorcycle and sidecar wearing goggles and old leather bike jackets.
Yes I know, amusing, and spot on, as the British say. Obviously (using lard, for example), their show disregarded health issues. And the animal activists weren't pleased either as these two fat ladies loved meat and game and had no patience with vegetarians. Frankly, I found their show totally entertaining, delivered in their posh accents. There's no denying they both led fascinating lives. You should Google them, just to read about their backgrounds. Here and Here. Fascinating stuff, really.

Jennifer passed away in 1999 from lung cancer. She did enjoy imbibing and kept smoking and drinking right up to the end; a friend of hers phoned her at the hospital to ask how she was and Jennifer nonchalantly replied: "I'm dying dear."
Clarissa, who was twenty years younger than Jennifer, is still going strong and still on the wagon.

During the series, Clarissa made a Mustard/butter Spatchcock Chicken in one show and I could never quite get it out of my mind. She mentioned it was her mother's recipe. They didn't "do" recipes, (although I think a cookbook based on this show was published somewhere along the way) never measured anything that I remember, so I replayed the episode and jotted down ingredients. It's pretty simple to spatchcock a chicken or game hens. If you've never done it, here's a video.

I used two Cornish game hens, didn't use quite so much butter (which melts to the bottom of the pan anyway and merely leaves a nice mustard flavor to the chicken), didn't dot butter on top of the bread, but I did sprinkle some fresh herbs on top so it tasted more like stuffing. This recipe was regarded as a bad influence on the British diet. No doubt it's a bad influence on the rest if us too, so I figured I better post this before January when we'll probably all be on a diet!

Deviled Spatchcocked Game hens

Ingredients:
1 stick soft butter
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
dash Tabasco
3 Tablespoons dry mustard
3 cups bread crumbs, crusts removed
2 game hens, spatchcocked

Method:
Spread the mustard butter on the chicken, thickly. Top with the soft bread crumbs.
Dot with butter. Bake 375 for 40 minutes.

Marion Cunningham's Christmas Bread

2011-12-03T06:35:00.000-05:00

This was an unusual recipe....not a cake, but not really bread, either. I'm so glad I tried it because as Ms. Cunningham suggests: "this splendid but easy recipe will soon become a Christmas tradition in your home." Marion plumps the raisins in amaretto and then it's all added to the batter, which results in a nice moist crumb. This would make a perfect brunch offering for the holidays as the flavors are lovely for Christmas.

I made both muffins and one round panettone-type loaf. It freezes nicely, although eating this warm right out of the oven was hands down delicious. No butter needed. This is the kind of bread that will appeal to the adults in your family. Kids? Maybe not so much. I found it rather strong of amaretto.....this is not a bad thing. You know me, boozy ice cream and now boozy bread. :) Bring on the holidays!

Christmas Bread
From The Breakfast Book by Marion Cunningham

Ingredients:
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup currants
grated rind with a little white pith of 1 orange
grated rind with a little white pith of 1 lemon (orange and lemon together should make about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup almond liqueur (or brandy, rum or bourbon) I used more as it should be enough to cover the fruit
1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup milk

Method:
Preheat oven to 325. Grease two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 3 inch loaf pans or muffin tins. (I made muffins and one round loaf)
Put the raisins, currants, rinds, and liqueur in a small bowl. Add the sugar and stir. Allow to sit at least 30 minutes.
Put the eggs and oil in bowl and whisk until creamy. Add the remaining ingredients and stir vigorously until well blended. Add the raisin mixture, liquid and all. Mix well.

Spoon batter into the loaf pans or muffin tins. Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes for the loaves and 45 for muffins or until a wooden skewer comes out clean. Let rest 10 minutes in the pans, turn out on a rack to cool. Allow to cool before slicing. If making muffins, you may serve them hot.

Gourmet's 50 Women Game Changers in Food: #26, Ruth Rogers and Rose Gray

2011-12-02T06:01:00.003-05:00

Ruth Rogers was born in America and Rose Gray in Great Britain. It's always fascinating to learn how two women, neither of them trained chefs, got together to open such a fabulous restaurant. Their backgrounds certainly didn't point in that direction.
Ruth attended Bennington College and the London College of Printing where she got a degree in graphic design. Later, she moved to Paris with her husband and worked on exhibitions at the Pompidou Center. Rose attended Guildford College of Art, where she gained a BA in Fine Art. She taught art at a state-run school in East London and then started a business making paper lampshades.

The two first met in 1969 when 21-year-old graphic artist Ruth turned up at Rose's home with her husband. Although they saw each other occasionally, Rose and Ruthie's extraordinary partnership still lay almost 20 years in the future.

In the early 80's, Ruth and her husband moved to Tuscany. It was here that Rose began to take a serious interest in Italian cuisine. Then, in 1985, while her husband's exhibition was shown in New York, Rose received an invitation to cook there at a newly opened fashionable Italian-style restaurant, Nell's Club. She found she loved it.

On her return to London, she worked a while at Carluccio's and it was at this time that Rose and Ruth's paths crossed again. The story is that Ruth's husband had set up his office in Hammersmith, and he wanted someplace for everyone in this area to eat. Rose said: "From the beginning we had huge ambition for the River Café, it was just restrictions on the premises that forced us to start small."

No matter how it began, Ruth proposed the idea of a restaurant to Rose. And so The River Cafe was born in 1987. (Ruth on the left, Rose on the right)

Their partnership was close; their uncompetitive and generous spirits became the guiding force of the restaurant. Ms. Gray was a maternal presence and a dynamo in the kitchen; a number of well known chefs passed through their kitchen on their way to celebrity. They focused on fresh ingredients and authentic Italian country dishes; their wine list was entirely Italian.
Both Rose and Ruthie were self-taught. Ruth said: "Women who used to want to cook went into catering or they gave dinner parties for rich businessmen. The chefs and the managers in the River Café are 50% women. I'm really proud of that."
The River Cafe earned a Michelin Star in 1998. And kept it.
Ruth and Rose published their first cookbook in 1995 which led to a TV series. They have published 10 cookbooks since then. Both were awarded MBE's in 2010.

Sadly, Rose was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2001 and passed away in 2010.

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I chose to make Chocolate Nemesis. The exact definition of nemesis is: one that inflicts retribution or vengeance and truer words were never spoken. How The River Cafe manages to plate it (I've eaten there but for some reason did not order the "nemesis") I don't know, but there are lots of problems with this cake and I can only tell you how I got it to work.

First of all, a little bench note: the full recipe below easily makes enough for two cakes. So halve the recipe and you'll have plenty for one. (Although as it turned out, I was relieved to have enough batter to make the second one......as I truly messed up the first one!)

When the cakes had fully cooled, which is done while the cakes remain in the bain marie and in the oven, I removed them and cut into the first one. It collapsed into a puddle (a rather delicious puddle, but a puddle nonetheless) and I partially blame the foil liner. If I make it again....which I doubt 'cause I'm not a chocoholic....I will line the bottom of the pan only. It resembled a pudding/cake rather than a cake and we enjoyed eating it, but still, it was nearly impossible to cut into any kind of neat wedge.

So I turned to the Internet and did some research on this cake. One person inverted it onto a platter. I can't imagine how that would work, considering the puddle problems I had with the first cake and wondered if her recipe was different in some way. Perhaps she cheated and added flour? Another refrigerated the cake over night. Now that sounded like a sensible plan so that's what I finally did.
When it was fully chilled, I cut the cake in wedges, placed them on serving plates and let them come to room temperature before serving. It worked. It's unbelievably rich and you need the creme fraiche or some unsweetened whipped cream to cut the sweetness. It's rather like eating candy, so don't cut big slices!

The River Café’s Chocolate Nemesis

Ingredients:

675g dark chocolate 70%

450g butter

10 whole eggs, room temperature

675g caster sugar (I weighed this to be accurate)

Method:

Melt the chocolate and butter together in a bain marie. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Preheat the oven to 160 C or 320 F and line a 27cm springform cake tin with foil.

Beat together the eggs and sugar with an electric mixer for five to eight minutes until they’ve quadrupled in volume. Fold the chocolate and butter mixture into the eggs and sugar and stir thoroughly. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin. Either I beat this too long or my springform wasn't large enough because I had too much batter and made one regular spring form pan and one small one and still had a little batter left.

Place the cake in a large roasting tin in the oven, then pour enough boiling water into the tin to rise 3/4 up the side of the cake. Cook in the preheated oven for over an hour, then turn the oven off and allow to cool completely before removing. Serve with crème fraiche and raspberries

Nancy - Picadillo
Mireya - My Healthy Eating Habits
Veronica - My Catholic Kitchen
Annie - Lovely Things

Claudia - Journey of An Italian Cook

Chocolate Sparklers for Christmas

2011-11-29T07:06:00.001-05:00

You know how much I love to visit Pastry Studio. One fantastic recipe after another. This particular one doesn't need to be for the holidays, but as it turns out, I've offered to bring a cookie tray to our Garden Club Christmas party. I think it's a super idea that we each bring food to this event and then pay a small sum for drinks. Another holiday party I usually attend is my Antique Club's annual celebration. This year, they are charging $60 per person! Yes, it's being catered and this includes food and drink, but don't you agree that's a little over the top? I'm skipping that one, much as I love the women in that group.
So I've been having fun making all sorts of new cookies the past month for the Garden Club do. These "sparklers" don't have a deep, dark chocolate flavor like a lot of Christmas cookies, but are elegant and subdued. They'll be a super addition to the cookie tray and the raw sugar on the outside adds that all important sparkle.

Chocolate Sparklers
Adapted from Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Herme and Dorie Greenspan by Pastry Studio

Makes about 30 cookies

Ingredients:
2 3/4 cup flour
1/3 cup unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of salt
10 oz (2 1/2 sticks) butter, room temperature
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 large egg yolk
raw sugar, for coating

Method:
Sift the flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon and salt together.

Beat the butter on medium speed to soften. Gradually add sugar and continue mixing, until the mixture is smooth and creamy, but not airy. Add vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as you go to ensure thorough mixing. Turn down the speed to low and add the flour mixture, mixing just until ingredients are just about blended. Remove the bowl from the mixer and finish mixing with a rubber spatula to avoid overmixing. Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a log about 1 1/2” thick and 7 1/2” long. Wrap the logs in plastic and chill for 1 to 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silpats. Whisk the egg yolk with one teaspoon of water. Place a piece of parchment or wax paper on a work surface. Spread out a good handful of raw sugar on it. Working with one cookie log at a time, unwrap and brush lightly with egg wash. Roll each log in the sugar, pressing gently.

Use a sharp thin knife to slice each log into cookies about 1/2” thick. Bake for 15 - 18 minutes, rotating the pans front to back and top to bottom at the midway mark, until the cookies are just firm to the touch. Transfer to wire racks and cool completely. Repeat with second log.

Damson Plum Cake

2011-11-26T18:58:00.000-05:00

Aha! You probably thought this cake was going to use fresh plums. So did I when I first saw the title. But surprise...it uses plum jam. And it's yet another seasonal cake with lovely fall flavors. It was created by Bill Yosses as the cake version of Sticky Toffee Pudding, a British favorite. I wish you could have smelled this while baking....warm spices wafting through the house. The cake calls for some tart dried cranberries and the plum jam melts into sticky pockets while baking; the walnuts add a lovely crunch.

Damson Plum Cake
From The Perfect Finish by Bill Yosses and Melissa Clark

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon allspice

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs, room temp

1 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup canola oil

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 cup dried cranberries

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup damson plum jam

Method:

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9 by 5 loaf pan with some canola oil and sprinkle a bit of flour over it. (I lined it with parchment paper as well and then greased the paper. The jam is likely to stick to the pan if you don't.)

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon and salt.

In your mixer, beat the eggs and sugar until combined. Add the canola oil. Slowly beat in the flour mixture. Stir in the buttermilk. With a spatula fold in the cranberries and walnuts. Swirl in the jam in three to four strokes. (This is important because you want the cake to have sticky pockets of jam.) Pour into the loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes or until a cake testor comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 25 minutes, then turn it out onto a rack. Allow to cool for 5 minutes or so, then serve warm. This cake lasts a week well covered.

Gourmet's 50 Women Game Changers in Food: #25, Paula Wolfert

2011-11-25T06:33:00.001-05:00

Would you believe, when she was first married, Paula Wolfert couldn't boil water? Determined to change, she decided to take cooking classes at Dione Lucas's Cordon Bleu and found her calling.

In 1959, Paula moved to Morocco for 10 years with her husband. While there, she became fascinated with the local dishes and Mediterranean ingredients. As a result, she has written several cookbooks on the subject of Mediterranean cuisine. She moved to Tangier in 1971 and stayed for five years, during which time she wrote Couscous and Other Good Food from Morocco (1973) and Mediterranean Cooking (1976). Both books were enthusiastically received by curious cooks who were searching for unfamiliar ethnic fare.

Ms. Wolfert was criticized for using hard to find ingredients, but remained adamant about using them. "Ingredients from a given region have amalgamated gracefully over the years, and if you change them, you simply won't get an authentic taste," she says. "When people return from their travels they want to replicate what they have tasted. It is my job, as a food writer, to explain how to integrate unusual tastes. Most of the ingredients are now readily available, at least by mail order. But you have to be romanced into searching them out. That's part of the fun."

Wolfert set out to write The Cooking of South-West France in the late 70's after traveling around the region in search of the perfect cassoulet. (And that book is where I found today's recipe.)
More recently Wolfert has been addressing concerns about the benefits of a balanced, healthful diet. When meat is used, Wolfert has a lot of tricks to maximize its flavor while cutting fat. Then, when Wolfert traveled across the Euphrates, she came back with a new daily routine that gets her eating vegetables in the morning in what she calls her Biblical Breakfast Burrito. As a result of healthier eating, she's lost over 30 pounds, slowly---a pound a month over the past couple of years.

Paula Wolfert has won the Julia Child Award (twice), the James Beard Award (three times) the Tastemaker Award, the M. F. K. Fisher Prize, the Cooks Magazine Platinum Plate Award, and the Perigueux Award for Lifetime Achievement. A regular columnist for Food & Wine, Wolfert lives in Sonoma, California.

I read an interesting article about Paula's favorite lunch when she's eating alone. It's called Pa amb Tomàquet (In the Catalan language this means “Bread with Tomato ... and Ham.” ) which she says sums up all that is best in the Mediterranean, an area whose cuisines and flavors she's been studying her entire adult life. So here's a bonus second recipe today:

"Pa amb Tomàquet
Cut a rustic style bread with a serrated knife into ½-inch slices. Lightly toast the slices on a grill or in a toaster-oven on both sides. Slather the toasted slices with freshly crushed ripe tomatoes. The layer must not be too thin—or too thick—more like a thin, even red sheen. Sprinkle with fine salt. Slowly drizzle a light, golden extra-virgin olive oil on top on one side.
If you like, you can top the bread off with paper-thin slices of Serrano ham or large, fat fillets of anchovy, preferably imported from l’Escale.
You may want to rub some garlic on the bread as well, but I’ve yet to meet a Catalan gastronome who would approve. Eat with a knife and fork."

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Does everyone love a boozy ice cream as much as I do? Especially around the holidays. Now I know Ms. Wolfert is best known for her Mediterranean cooking, but don't forget she also wrote "The Cooking of Southwest France". And in that gem this recipe for Prune and Armagnac Ice Cream is to be found.

The prunes have to macerate in Armagnac for a couple weeks in advance, but the wait is worth it. I just kept the jar in the fridge for two weeks and when I opened it to make the ice cream, I took a sniff and was in heaven. My spoon was in that ice cream maker frequently...tasting....tasting. I could barely wait for it to be done. Serving it with extra prunes was suggested, but frankly, in this case, less is more.

Paula Wolfert's Prune and Armagnac Ice Cream

Ingredients:
For the prunes
2 pounds extra large prunes
3 cups warm brewed tea, preferably linden, orange pekoe or camomile
1 cup superfine sugar
3 cups Armagnac (or enough to cover the prunes)

Method:
For the prunes:
Soak the prunes in the tea overnight so that they swell up.
The following day, drain the prunes, discarding the tea. Roll each prune in paper towels to dry well. Place them in a sterilized 1 1/2 -quart wide-mouth canning jar.

Make a syrup with the sugar and one-half cup water; bring to a boil, stirring. Boil undisturbed for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Pour the syrup over the prunes. Completely cover the prunes with Armagnac; stir. If the prunes rise above the line of liquid, add more Armagnac. Let the prunes soak a minimum of 2 weeks in a cool, dark place or in the refrigerator. Use clean wooden tongs or a wooden spoon to remove the prunes as needed (keeps up to one year).

Ingredients:
For the ice cream

1 quart milk
1 small piece of vanilla bean, split down one side, or 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
10 egg yolks
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon superfine sugar
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup heavy cream
30 cup sugar prunes in Armagnac, pitted, plus 1/4 cup of the syrup, plus extra prunes for garnish, if you have them (15 prunes)

Method:
For the ice cream

A day before serving, in a heavy enameled saucepan, scald the milk with the vanilla bean; set aside, covered, to keep warm.
In a mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks and sugar together until thick and pale and a ribbon forms when the whisk is lifted. Whisk in a pinch of salt.
In a heavy enameled or stainless steel saucepan, warm the beaten eggs and sugar over very low heat, stirring constantly. Gradually stir in the hot milk. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon, the froth on the surface has disappeared, and the custard registers about 165 degrees on a candy thermometer. Do not boil. Immediately remove from the heat.
Strain the custard into a chilled mixing bowl set over ice. Cool down quickly, stirring constantly. If using vanilla extract, stir it in at this point. Pour into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Meanwhile, coarsely chop the prunes with a large sharp knife or by pulsing in a food processor. When the ice cream is half frozen, add the prunes and the Armagnac syrup. When almost frozen, add the cream. When the ice cream is done, transfer it to an airtight container and set in the freezer overnight.
To serve, place a whole, soaked prune on top of each portion and drizzle with a teaspoon or so of the syrup.
Makes 2 quarts

Nancy - Picadillo
Mireya - My Healthy Eating Habits
Veronica - My Catholic Kitchen
Annie - Lovely Things

From our house to yours......

2011-11-22T06:38:00.000-05:00

Cranberry-Cherry Icebox Ribbons: Holiday Cookies (and Giveaway Winners!)

2011-11-20T05:54:00.006-05:00

The four vintage Christmas Apron winners (chosen with the random number generator) are:

Bonnie from From a Writer's Kitchen
Teresa from A Blog About Food
Stevie from Weird Combinations
Susan from Schnitzel and the Trout

Please contact me at bsmithw@gmail.com and give me your mailing addresses.

My second cookie for this holiday season is a lovely ribbon cookie. Fairly easy to make, pretty to look at and delicious to eat. The layers of a vanilla almond shortbread-like dough sandwiched in between the tangy cranberry and cherry filling makes this cookie a perfect foil to the holiday chocolate and spice cookies on your tea tray. They keep beautifully in your cookie jar, if indeed they don't disappear in a day! And they make super hostess gifts too. This was my first time making these ribbon cookies but I'll be making them a few more times this season.

Bench notes: next time I'll trim them better so the corners look neater (I hated wasting the dough by trimming too much) and because it's such a large cookie, I'll cut the dough slices in half before baking. If you do that, keep your eye on the cooking time.
I'll also try to get the cranberry-cherry layer more even. Practice makes perfect, so take advantage of my mistakes!

Cranberry-Cherry Icebox Ribbons
From Nancy Baggett’s The All-American Cookie Book

Ingredients:
About 3 ounces dried cranberries
Generous 1/3 cup sour cherry preserves
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
2 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Method:
For the filling:
Combine the cranberries, cherry preserves, and sugar in a food processor. Process until coarsely pureed.
Transfer the mixture to a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring to avoid burning, until the mixture comes to a boil.
Remove from heat and add almond extract. Cover and refrigerate for an hour.

For the dough:
Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and set aside.
In a mixer, combine the butter and sugar and blend together until smooth and creamy.
Add the egg, vanilla, and almond extract and beat until combined. Add the flour mixture and beat just until incorporated. Let the dough stand for about 10 minutes to let it firm up.

Line a 4 1/2 x 8 1/2 inch loaf pan with foil, letting the foil overhang the long sides so you can easily remove the dough from the pan. On top of the foil, line the pan with two sheets of plastic wrap laid crosswise and overhanging the longer sides as well.

Divide the dough into quarters. Shape one portion into roughly the size of the loaf pan ( pre-shaping each layer is an important step and will make it easier to layer the cookie) and pat into the bottom. It may even help to have a dough tamper to get the dough in evenly. Spread one-third of the cranberry filling over the dough with a small spatula. Repeat with the remaining three portions of dough and two portions of filling.

Fold the plastic wrap over the dough, completely covering it. Freeze the dough in the pan for at least 1 1/2 hours, until firm.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line several baking sheets with baking paper.

Take the loaf out of the freezer and unwrap the dough. You can allow it to warm up a bit for a few minutes, but don't let it get too soft or it will be difficult to cut neat slices and the filling will start squishing out.

Using a sharp knife, trim the sides so that the sides of the loaf are straight up and down. Wipe the knife off between cuts. Cut the loaf into thirds on its long side. Cut each third into 1/4 inch slices that are about 2 3/4 inches long. Transfer the slices carefully to the baking sheets, placing them about 2 inches apart.

Bake one sheet at a time for about 9 to 14 minutes, until the edges are just starting to darken and firm up. Transfer the cookies to wire racks and let them cool completely.
Store cookies between layers of parchment paper in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Makes about 30 cookies.

Gourmet's 50 Women Game Changers in Food: #24, Paula Deen

2011-11-18T06:03:00.001-05:00

It's hard to believe someone as successful as Paula Deen suffered from panic attacks and agoraphobia when she was younger. She's certainly one of the most gregarious personalities on TV.

Paula's story is a true American success story. She started out with nothing. After moving to Savannah, her divorce from her first husband in 1989 left her with only $200 and her two teenage sons. But Paula was known as an excellent southern cook and soon began a catering business (called The Bag Lady), with her two sons doing the delivering as she was still afraid of public places.

Her business quickly outgrew her house so Paula took a job at a Best Western Hotel in Savannah to cook. Working there helped her overcome her agoraphobia and within 5 years, she opened a restaurant, Lady and Sons, with her two sons, which is still going strong. (She's also since opened a restaurant at a casino in Mississippi.)

Paula self-published her first cookbook in 1997 which was noticed by a literary agent and she has now published many more, all highly successful. Amazon has pages of them to choose from.

Deen's reputation grew and she was signed on the Food Network for a show in 1999, which parlayed into three shows, now taped in her home in Savannah. Her sons appear frequently on her shows and have had a show of their own. Paula appeared on Oprah and told her story which was an inspiration for many. She has also appeared in several movies and won an Emmy for Paula's Home Cooking.

Cookbooks, magazines, restaurants, TV shows....you can't get more successful than that! She did good.

Now this recipe is definitely NOT a celebration of the coming holidays, but if I'm going to represent this game changer typically, here's what I say: Southern + Fried = Paula Deen. Save the recipe for next summer!

Fried Green Tomatoes
Recipe from Paula Deen

Ingredients:

Vegetable oil, for frying

1 tablespoon bacon renderings, for frying

1 large green tomato, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices

Salt

1 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup self-rising cornmeal

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons Paula Deen House Seasoning (salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder)

Method:
Slice the tomatoes 1/4-inch thick. Lay them out on some paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Allow time for salt to pull the water out of the tomatoes, approximately 30 minutes.

In a medium nonstick skillet, pour the oil to a depth of 1/4-inch, add the bacon renderings and melt over medium heat.

In a small bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour and House Seasoning. Dip both sides of each tomato slice in the flour mixture. Add the tomatoes to the hot oil and cook until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Nancy - Picadillo
Mireya - My Healthy Eating Habits
Veronica - My Catholic Kitchen
Annie - Lovely Things

Last chance to check out my Christmas apron giveaway HERE. I'll be drawing the 4 winners on the 20th.

Two sides: Ina's Rosemary Roasted Potatoes and Rutabega with Crispy Shallots

2011-11-15T16:01:00.001-05:00

What can I say? Ina is the best. And of course, these sides are divine. They went perfectly with our roasted turkey roulade and gravy last year. Even if you don't make these with your turkey, be sure to try these lovely potatoes sometime soon. I'm seeing them everywhere online. There's nothing simpler, it makes a super presentation and who doesn't love a crunchy potato? Or as Ina puts it: "How easy is that?"

Rosemary Roasted Potatoes
2010, Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients:
3 pounds baby Yukon Gold potatoes
1/3 cup olive oil
4 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary (divided)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Slice the bottom off each potato and cut crosswise at 1/8-inch intervals, cutting to within 1/4 inch of the bottom. (You can place the potato on a large spoon so the edges of the spoon prevent you from slicing completely through the potato.)

Place the potatoes in a large bowl, add the olive oil, salt and pepper and 1 tablespoon of the rosemary and toss well, working the salt mixture in between the slices. Arrange the potatoes on a sheet pan cut side up.

Bake the potatoes for 30 minutes, until they are tender and golden and crisp on top.
Sprinkle with remaining rosemary and serve.

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This is the end of my recipes from last year's Thanksgiving. Aside from a couple old favorites, I tried all new dishes. A lot of people don't care for rutabega. I love it. It's also known as a yellow turnip.

It's got a waxy outside, so you peel it and inside is a hard orange/gold vegetable which you can roast, boil, mash, whatever. My mother served it to us a lot when I was a child so we grew up loving it. Oddly, I don't remember serving it to my kids very often, but they really enjoyed this side dish last Thanksgiving.

Mashed Rutabega with Crispy Shallots
1994, The Union Square Cafe Cookbook, by Danny Meyer and Michael Romano, All Rights Reserved and as reprinted in Barefoot Contessa Family Style, by Ina Garten, by permission of HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups light olive or vegetable oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 to 6 shallots, peeled and sliced into thin rings
2 large rutabagas, about 4 pounds total
Kosher salt
1 cup whole milk
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) salted butter
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Method:
Heat the oil and unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat until it reaches 220 degrees F. Reduce the heat to low, add the shallots, and cook until they are a rich golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. The temperature should stay below 260 degrees F. Stir the shallots occasionally to make sure they brown evenly. Remove them from the oil with a slotted spoon, drain well, and spread out to cool on paper towels. Once they have dried and crisped, they can be stored at room temperature, covered, for several days.
Peel the rutabegas to remove the waxy skins and cut them into generous 1-inch chunks. Place them in a saucepan with water to cover and 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, until easily pierced by a paring knife, about 35 minutes. Drain.
In a separate saucepan, heat the milk and salted butter over low heat until the butter has melted and the milk just begins to simmer.
Puree the rutabega in several batches in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. With the motor running, add the melted butter and milk in a steady stream. The turnips should be smooth.
Return the puree to the saucepan, season with 1 teaspoon salt and the pepper, and reheat, stirring, over medium heat. Serve piping hot, sprinkled generously with crispy shallots.

Check out my Christmas apron giveaway HERE.

Caramel Apple Toffee Fruit Dip

2011-11-12T15:21:00.000-05:00

This was such a super find! Don't you love recipes like this during the busy holidays? Ridiculously simple and quick to make, unusual and with a delicious fall flavor. Our Best Bites suggested it for Halloween and put it into hollowed out baby pumpkins. They made some adorable little Halloween cookies to serve with it too. You can check it out at the link. A bit late for that (although I'm going to remember it for next year), but you could use it when you need to take a dessert someplace or when friends and family come over during the holidays. You're going to love this and good luck keeping everyone's fingers and spoons out of this when it's in the fridge.

Caramel Toffee Fruit Dip
From Our Best Bites

Ingredients:
1 8 ounce package of cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 a bag of Heath toffee bits (there is only one size, find them next to the chocolate chips)

Method:
Beat cream cheese, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg until smooth. Stir in toffee bits. Place in a serving bowl and serve with Granny Smith apples or fruit of your choice. This can also be pre-made and placed back in the refrigerator, it will not stiffen up.

Check out my Christmas apron giveaway HERE.

Gourmet's 50 Women Game Changers in Food: #23, Nancy Silverton

2011-11-11T05:54:00.003-05:00

Ms. Silverton, who admits she wasn't much of a student, dropped out of Sonoma State in her senior year. After studying at Cordon Bleu in London, she went to work at Michael’s in Santa Monica, in 1979. There she was inspired by Jimmy Brinkley, their pastry chef. “Unlike when I studied at Cordon Bleu and they said don’t be creative, Jimmy was a wild man, tasting, changing, and I saw how much flexibility there was in desserts,” she said. She learned fast. When Spago opened in 1982, Wolfgang Puck hired her as head pastry chef, but in the back of her mind, Nancy was giving a lot of thought to making great bread.

After a brief stint at Maxwell’s Plum in New York, she returned to Spago while she and her then-husband, Mark Peel, were looking for space to open restaurant Campanile. Her mother discovered a great building for lease that was large enough to have a bakery. So La Brea Bakery opened six months before Campanile, in 1989.

To study bread baking, Ms. Silverton enrolled at Lenôtre in Paris. “I thought I’d learn some foolproof recipes,” she said. “But I don’t speak French, and I didn’t know about adapting recipes. They were all failures. I had to start from the beginning, a tablespoon of this and a teaspoon of that. It took hundreds of tries.” Nancy immersed herself into starters, yeasts, and doughs, and quickly became L.A.'s leading lady of bread baking.

She sold her interest in La Brea in 2001, entrusted it all to an investor and he, in turn, entrusted it all to Bernard Madoff.
Nancy remained a consultant and worked at Campanile until 2005. She opened Pizzeria Mozza in 2007 and Osteria Mozza in 2008, before discovering she was broke. Because of Madoff, she lost everything. Fortunately, she still co-owns (with with Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich) those two restaurants, two of Los Angeles’s most popular restaurants. Silverton just published her eighth book, “The Mozza Cookbook” She guest chefs at two local restaurants (Jar and La Terza) for the sheer fun of it.

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Silverton's bran muffins got rave reviews from David Lebovitz so I couldn't resist trying the recipe. They are very light, full of flavor and not as sweet as most bran muffins. I raised the oven temperature to 375 degrees on the advice of another blogger who had made these. She also suggested mounding the batter into the liners, but as you can see, I filled them too full. Overflowing is good sometimes (love those tops) and these tasty muffins are pretty much guilt-free.

Nancy Silverton's Bran Muffins
From Pastries from La Brea Bakery by Nancy Silverton

Ingredients:
2 cups wheat bran
1 cup, plus 1/2 cup dark raisins
1 cup, plus 1/2 cup water
1/2 cup buttermilk or plain low- or non-fat yogurt
a few swipes of fresh orange zest
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Method:
Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin (with 1/2-cup indentations) with paper liners.
Spread the wheat bran on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for six to eight minutes, stirring a few times so it cooks evenly. Let cool.
While the bran is toasting, heat 1 cup (135g) of the raisins with 1/2 cup (120ml) of the water. Simmer for ten minutes, or until the water is all absorbed. Puree the raisins in a food processor or blender until smooth.
In a large bowl, mix together the toasted bran, buttermilk or yogurt, 1 cup (250ml) water, then mix in the raisin puree, orange zest, and brown sugar.
Stir in the oil, egg and egg white.
Mix together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and sift directly into the wet ingredients. Stir until the ingredients are just combined, then mix in the remaining 1/2 cup (55g) raisins.
Spoon the batter into the muffin tins, making sure the batter is mounded slightly in each one. Because muffin tins can very in size, if your tins are larger, make fewer muffins. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the muffins feel set in the center.

Check out my Christmas apron giveaway HERE.

Nancy - Picadillo
Mireya - My Healthy Eating Habits
Veronica - My Catholic Kitchen
Annie - Lovely Things

Happy Veterans Day!

Happy Veterans Day to each of you who have served our country. Thank you for your courage and dedication. And for our freedom.

Cranberry-Caramel Upside Down Cake and a Holiday Giveaway!

2011-11-07T11:58:00.000-05:00

You'll find this such an easy cake to make for the holidays. And the color is amazing. The cake is light and the sweetness of the brown sugar offsets the tartness of the cranberries. The only suggestion I have is mentioned below in the bench note. The photo of the cake in the cookbook shows juice running down the sides. Very pretty. As you can see, mine didn't do that and it was because I took the cookbook's word for the pan size. Wrong. But still, it tasted wonderful even if my oven was a mess!

Bench note: The minute I added the batter to the cranberries, I suspected a normal cake pan would not be deep enough, so I put some foil under the pan to catch any overflow. Unfortunately, it still spilled over. My suggestion is to use a deeper than normal cake pan. That way, the juices will remain in the bottom and when you turn it out, they will run down the sides of the cake and not all over your oven.

Cranberry-Caramel Upside Down Cake
From The Perfect Finish by Bill Yosses and Melissa Clark

Ingredients:

2/3 cup packed light brown sugar

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 tablespoon unsulphured molasses

2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

3 large eggs, room temperature

1 cup sour cream

2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries

Method:

Preheat oven to 375. Grease a 9" cake pan with butter and cover the bottom with parchment paper, cut to size.

In a saucepan, combine the brown sugar, molasses, 4 tablespoons of the melted butter and 1/4 cup water. Bring to a boil, stir and pour into the cake pan.

Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt and set aside.

Beat the eggs and sour cream until well blended. Add the remaining butter and mix, scraping down the sides. Add the flour mixture and beat until smooth.

Add the cranberries to the cake pan, making certain they are evenly distributed and cover the syrup with no gaps. Pour the batter over the cranberries, smooth out with a spatula and bake for 45 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 15, then run a thin knife around the edges and invert the pan onto a serving dish.

Now for the Holiday Giveaway!
I have a bunch of adorable Christmas aprons. Vintage. Such fun! And you can keep them for yourself or share them with friends and family for holiday or hostess gifts. Most are halves, but two are full. Here's a photo of the 10 half aprons (on the right) and the 2 fulls:

I'll pick four winners and each winner will get three aprons. They are in excellent condition, but the taffeta one has a slight pull, barely noticeable. They are vintage, after all. So leave me a comment and if you want a second chance to win, become a follower. I'll draw the names on November 20th.
Be sure to leave an email address if it's not on your website! Sorry, U.S. only. :(

Thanksgiving Dinner: Roasted Turkey Roulade

2011-11-05T06:41:00.000-04:00

Last year I watched The Barefoot Contessa put together a Thanksgiving dinner, the main course being a turkey roulade. There were only three of us that year so I thought I'd try something other than a whole turkey. I couldn't remember what she did about gravy, so I made the one I've been making for years. You can find the recipe HERE (It's worth taking a look as it's partially made the day before, an amazing time saver.). I also served two cranberry sauces; I posted them HERE. Along with the turkey, I made Ina's Rosemary Roasted Potatoes. They were fabulous. I'll post that recipe next week, along with Mashed Rutabega and Crispy Shallots. And for the grand finale, I made my Pumpkin Flan.
After this dinner, there were some happy campers and the leftovers were terrific! I do love Ina, don't you?

Roasted Turkey Roulade
2008, Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics


Ingredients:
3/4 cup large-diced dried figs, stems removed
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup Calvados or brandy
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups diced onions (2 onions)
1 cup (1/2-inch-diced) celery (3 stalks)
3/4 pound pork sausage, casings removed (sweet and hot mixed)
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
3 cups herb-seasoned stuffing mix (recommended: Pepperidge Farm)
1 1/2 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
1 extra-large egg, beaten
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 whole (2 halves) turkey breast, boned and butterflied (5 pounds)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Directions:
Place the dried figs and cranberries in a small pan and pour in the Calvados and 1/2 cup water. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, then lower the heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and celery and saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the sausage, crumbling it into small bits with a fork, and saute, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes, until cooked and browned. Add the figs and cranberries with the liquid, the chopped rosemary, and pine nuts, and cook for 2 more minutes. Scrape up the brown bits with a wooden spoon.

Place the stuffing mix in a large bowl. Add the sausage mixture, chicken stock, egg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and stir well. (The stuffing may be prepared ahead and stored in the refrigerator overnight.)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place a baking rack on a sheet pan.

Lay the butterflied turkey breast skin side down on a cutting board. Sprinkle the meat with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Spread the stuffing in a 1/2-inch-thick layer over the meat, leaving a half-inch border on all sides. Don't mound the stuffing or the turkey will be difficult to roll. (Place the leftover stuffing in a buttered gratin dish and bake for the last 45 minutes of roasting alongside the turkey.) Starting at 1 end, roll the turkey like a jelly roll and tuck in any stuffing that tries to escape on the sides. Tie the roast firmly with kitchen twine every 2 inches to make a compact cylinder.

Place the stuffed turkey breast seam side down on the rack on the sheet pan. Brush with the melted butter, sprinkle generously with salt and pepper, and roast for 1 3/4 to 2 hours, until an instant-read thermometer registers 150 degrees F in the center. (Test in a few places.) Cover the turkey with aluminum foil and allow it to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes before carving.

50 Women Game Changers in Food: #22, Amanda Hesser

2011-11-04T05:53:00.000-04:00

Amanda grew up in a family where everyone cooked so it was something that came naturally. While in college getting a degree in economics and finance, she realized she still needed food to be part of her life. She took a job at Michaela's Bakery in Cambridge (now called Rialto) and after graduating from college, ended up With a grant from Les Dames d'Escoffier, working in bakeries and restaurants in Germany, Switzerland, Italy and France.

While in France, Amanda worked for Anne Willan (#27 on our list of game changers and the founder of Ecole de Cuisine LaVar), living in her house and helping her write cookbooks. During this time, Hesser's writings began to appear in newspapers and magazines. There was a gardener at Anne's house she befriended which gave her the idea to write her first book, The Cook and The Gardener and she returned to the states and finished the book.

Following publication, Hesser was hired as a food reporter for The New York Times. Since, she has written the award-winning books Cooking for Mr. Latte (really a memoir about her courtship with her husband Tad Friend) and edited the essay collection, Eat, Memory. Then came a New York Times bestseller (which took 5 years to test and write) and the winner of a James Beard award: The Essential New York Times Cookbook, which Merrill Stubbs, chef and food writer, assisted in writing.

During the entire time Amanda and Merrill were cooking and writing the Essential New York Times Cookbook, they had conversations about what was happening on line and how wonderful it would be to crowd source recipes. They decided to do an experiment and create a contest for the best 52 recipes of the year by the week. (Hence the name Food52) Amanda and Merrill have created a real business with the best home chefs across America under the umbrella of Food52. They recently published The Food52 Cookbook.

Amanda and her husband live in Brooklyn with their twins, Walker and Addie.

I've already posted a fabulous Hesser recipe...Lemon Chicken....and had been tempted by a photo of her mac and cheese I'd seen around the same time. This post finally gave me an excuse to make it. Wow. The calories. But it was the best (and simplest) mac and cheese I've ever eaten, especially if you love it crunchy around the edges the way I do. :)

Amanda Hesser's Baking Sheet Mac and Cheese

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons butter
12 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
12 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
1 pound pasta spirals (or other small shape)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
Salt
2/3 cup whole milk

Method:
Heat oven to 475 degrees. Use one tablespoon butter to thickly grease a 11-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet. Combine the grated cheeses and set aside 2 heaping cups for topping.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for 6 minutes. Drain.
In a large bowl, toss together the pasta, cheeses, cayenne and salt to taste. Spread the mixture in the baking sheet and evenly pour the milk over the surface. Sprinkle the reserved cheese on top, dot with the remaining butter ( I didn't use this extra butter on top...insult to injury) and bake, uncovered, until golden and crisp, about 15 minutes.

Nancy - Picadillo
Mireya - My Healthy Eating Habits
Veronica - My Catholic Kitchen

Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

2011-11-01T06:08:00.003-04:00

Would you just look at that date? November 1st! Where did October go? And all of you in the northeast U.S. are probably wondering where fall went. Snow before Halloween. Amazing.

Thank heaven we don't have snow, but it hasn't stopped raining here in South Florida for days. And I mean a near-constant deluge. It's all remnants of Hurricane Rina. Well, weather like this has made me do some organizing around the house and some cookbook and magazine reading; and it's gotten me thinking about the (coming sooner than we think) holidays.

I was glancing through Fine Cooking Magazine and came across an intriguing sweet potato recipe. Every Thanksgiving, I invariably serve them in some form or another, sometimes savory, sometimes sweet, sometimes an old fashioned southern sweet potato pie. (I remember my mother used to make those mashed sweet potatoes with orange juice and topped with marshmallows back in the 50's. Anybody else remember that?)

So I decided on a test run, which I do when company's coming. Not so much when it's family. They're forgiving. :) It was fabulous! Creamy sweet potatoes with sour cream, divine browned leeks and sweet sausage. And because I had some left over, I refrigerated them without the Gruyère and the next night, grated some on top and reheated them in a hot oven. Tasted great, so you could make these ahead....a real plus for a holiday dish.

Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes with Leeks and Sausage
From Fine Cooking Magazine, December/January Issue

Ingredients:

4 small sweet potatoes (about 8 oz. each)
1 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 lb. bulk sweet Italian sausage (or link sausage, casings removed)
1 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 lb. leeks, white and light-green parts only, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
1 tsp. chopped fresh sage
1/4 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
Kosher salt
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup grated Gruyère

Method:

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 375°F. Line a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet with parchment or foil.
Poke the sweet potatoes a few times with the tip of a knife and arrange them on the baking sheet. Bake until completely tender when pierced in the fattest part with a skewer, 35 to 60 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage, reduce the heat to medium, and cook, breaking it into small bits with the edge of a slotted spoon, until no longer pink, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Pour off all but 1 Tbs. of the fat and add the butter. When it melts, add the leeks, sage, thyme, and 1-1/2 tsp. salt. Cook, stirring stirring, until the mixture just starts to sizzle. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, until the leeks are very soft and starting to turn golden, 10 to 15 minutes.
When the sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, carefully cut them in half lengthwise and gently scoop the flesh into a medium bowl, leaving about 1/8 inch of flesh in the shells. Mash the scooped flesh with a fork or potato masher until smooth. Stir in the sour cream and 1 tsp. salt. Fold the sausage and leeks into the mashed sweet potato and season to taste with salt.

Position a rack 6 inches from the broiler element and heat the broiler on high. Mound the filling into the potato skins and top with the cheese. Put the potatoes in a 9x13-inch baking dish and broil until the cheese is golden, about 4 minutes. Serve immediately.

Mini Triple-Treat Cupcakes: Happy Halloween!

2011-10-29T05:57:00.001-04:00

Aren't these fun? I thought you might like to try them if you're having a Halloween party. Cathy at Noble Pig posted them and I believe the recipe is from Everyday Food. I used half Reese's and half Hershey's dark chocolate Bliss bars. (as I prefer dark chocolate with a pb cookie.) But as you can see, Reese's works better 'cause you can push it deeper into the batter. (But the Bliss was sheer bliss!)

Mini Triple-Treat Cupcakes
From Everyday Food and Noble Pig

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon table salt

1/2 cup peanut butter

6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 large egg, plus 1 large egg yolk

1/4 cup buttermilk

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

48 miniature chocolate peanut butter cups, such as Reese's (or anything else you'd like to try)

48 pieces of candy corn or M & M's, for decorating

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 F, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Line two 24-cup mini muffin pans with paper liners. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together peanut butter, butter and brown sugar on high until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg and egg yolk, scraping down bowl as needed. With mixer on low, beat in flour mixture, buttermilk and vanilla until combined.

With the large end of a melon baller or a spoon, place 2 teaspoons batter into each muffin cup, then press a peanut-butter candy into each center until batter aligns with top edge of candy. Bake until puffed and set, about 10 minutes, rotating pans halfway through.

Immediately place a piece of candy corn on top of each cupcake; let cool completely in pans on wire racks.

And here's my Garden Club Halloween Table. I've already posted Monique's Little Acorns and will post the other three recipes soon. (I think the witch must have gotten into some hard cider. :) )

50 Women Game Changers in Food: #21, Ree Drummond

2011-10-28T06:34:00.001-04:00

Do I really need to say anything about The Pioneer Woman? After all, her blog has more than 23 million page views per month and 4.4 million visitors! But if you'd like some extra skinny on Ree, check out this lovely article about her in The New Yorker.

Briefly, Ree grew up in Oklahoma and after college in California, planned on moving to Chicago to study law. Her plans got interupted when she met and married a cattleman and found herself right back in Oklahoma, this time on a cattle ranch in Pawhuska.
A familiar refrain, Ree started her blog for fun, not expecting it to lead to anything. She's a writer, photographer and home-school teacher to her four children; telling us all about her experiences on the ranch has led to a cookbook: The Pioneer Woman Cooks and to top it all off, Ree is about to star in her own Food Network show.

I confess, I am not among the 23 million who regularly visit her blog. But someone gave me her cookbook a while back so I had already perused it. I completely agreed with a comment about it in a New York Times article: "Vegetarians and gourmands won’t find much to cook here, but as a portrait of a real American family kitchen, it works."
And I think that's exactly what Ree wanted to do with her highly popular blog AND her cookbook: she wanted it to be the story of a real American family kitchen.

I chose a basic fruit crisp recipe from her cookbook to highlight our blogger game changer Ree. It's a nice recipe using lovely fresh peaches but what drew me in was the maple cream topping. I had some left over and used it over some baked apples (yum!), but what I'm going to pour it over next are Hannah's Whole Grain Pumpkin Pancakes!

Peach Crisp with Maple Cream Sauce
From The Pioneer Woman Cooks by Ree Drummond

Ingredients:

5 to 6 whole fresh peaches

1 cup flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 stick butter (1/2 Cup)

1/2 whole lemon

7 tablespoons real maple syrup, divided

1-1/2 cup whipping cream

3 tablespoons light corn syrup

Method:

In a medium bowl, mix flour, sugar, light brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt using a

fork or pastry cutter. Cut butter into small pieces and gradually add to flour mixture until evenly mixed.

Peel peaches into a bowl. Add the zest from half a lemon. Squeeze juice from lemon half and stir in with peaches and zest. Add 2 tablespoons real maple syrup to peaches, stir well.

Pour peach mixture into a small pan (8” or 9” square) and cover evenly with crumb topping.

Cover with foil and bake at 350ºF for 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 20 to 30 minutes or until crisp and brown on top.

Maple Cream Sauce:

Pour whipping cream into a saucepan. Add 5 tablespoons real maple syrup, 3 tablespoons corn syrup and stir over moderate heat until thickened and reduced by about one-third, approximately 15 minutes. Refrigerate mixture until it is cold and thick, or set the saucepan into a small bowl of ice (the ice will melt and turn into ice water). Stirring your mixture, it will cool and thicken in about 15 minutes. Drizzle sauce over peach crisp.

Serve warm.

Join Mary from One Perfect Bite and all the other participants in this fun series.

Val - More Than Burnt Toast
Joanne - Eats Well With Others
Taryn - Have Kitchen Will Feed
Susan - The Spice Garden
Claudia - A Seasonal Cook in Turkey
Heather - girlichef
Miranda - Mangoes and Chutney
Jeanette - Healthy Living
April - Abby Sweets
Katie - Making Michael Pollan Proud
Mary - One Perfect Bite
Viola - The Lif e is Good Kitchen
Sue - The View from Great Island
Kathleen Van Bruinisse - Bake Away with Me
Kathleen - Gonna Want Seconds
Martha - Lines from Linderhof
Amy - Beloved Green
Linda - Ciao Chow Linda
Nancy - Picadillo
Mireya - My Healthy Eating Habits
Veronica - My Catholic Kitchen

Monique's Little Acorns

2011-10-26T07:22:00.003-04:00

Monique from La Table de Nana posted this super little fall recipe a while back. I knew I was having my Garden Club for coffee this week and thought this would be perfect on the table. Don't they look great in my pumpkin bowl? And they're delicious, too. (Find the acorn mold HERE. Or HERE.)

A bench note: my first batch turned out too light. I raised the oven temp to 370 and increased the time to 12 minutes. Don't take them out until they get golden brown on top; then the bottom will be the perfect color. Luckily, there's lots of batter so you can experiment with oven temps and time a bit.

They were a hit at the coffee!

Acorn Pound Cake
From King Arthur Flour via Monique

Ingredients:
14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter
3-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups All-Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
5 eggs

Method:
Preheat oven to 350. (I heated to 370)
In a mixer, beat the first two ingredients until there are no lumps left.
Add the salt, sugar, flour and baking powder. Mixture will be quite thick. Add the extracts and the eggs, one at a time. The mixture will now be light and fluffy.
The key for perfect acorns, according to Monique:
A combination of cooking spray and flour. The cooking spray coats all the nooks and crannies and the flour adds a thin layer of non-stick protection that results in a smooth as silk finish on the outside of your baked goods. In this case, less is definitely more. Filling the wells too full will result in acorns that puff and flow over the sides of the well. Surprisingly, just 2 to 3 teaspoons of batter is plenty. A teaspoon scoop proved to be just the right size and made scooping a breeze.
Bake the acorns for 8 to 10 minutes ( I baked longer) or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the nuts comes out clean.
Cool in the pan for about 2 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Caribbean Coconut Muesli from The Four Seasons, Nevis

2011-10-25T06:04:00.000-04:00

Someone from Four Seasons read my recent post on coconut yogurt and noticed I mentioned my kids liked the Caribbean muesli as well as the yogurt. I neglected to ask for the recipe when we were there so the chef at Four Seasons was nice enough to email the recipe to me recently. Four Seasons has been very generous in sharing their recipes. Thank you Chef Andreas Donnerbauer!

Let me warn you, this is sweet. Coconut creme is very sweet and frankly, I only added a very small amount of honey. As far as I'm concerned, it really doesn't need any honey at all. Taste before you add it. I do remember now my kids mentioned how sweet it was and said they could never have eaten an entire bowlful, but I noticed they sure made inroads!

I also toasted my sliced almonds AND added some dried cranberries. This would be fabulous with fresh fruit which would certainly help cut the sweetness. You muesli lovers can add or subtract anything you want.

Caribbean Coconut Muesli
Courtesy Andreas Donnerbauer, Executive Chef, Four Seasons Nevis

Ingredients:
1 generous cup quick cooking oats (I used McCanns)
1 1/2 cups skim milk
1/2 cup yogurt (I used Fage)
4 ounces coconut cream
2 tablespoons coconut, toasted until golden brown (add more for garnish)
2 tablespoons raisins
3 ounces honey (I really don't think you need this)
1 tablespoons sliced almonds (I toasted these; hazelnuts would be good too.)

Method:
Soak oats in the skim milk overnight. The next morning add the yogurt and the coconut cream. Add the toasted coconut, raisins, almonds and honey, if using. Mix well and serve cold. Garnish with toasted coconut on top.