It's always my favorite flavor growing up, whether it was in ice cream, cookies, or cake. Other people argued that vanilla was too plain, but I never agreed. It has an underlying taste to it, it gets along with almost anything, and yet it can also stand out on itself. I'm hoping I can relate the same ideas to my cooking - creating something that isn't flashy on the outside, but will still wow you when you bite into it, something that you will remember.
This week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe was selected by I Heart Food4Thought. The original recipe was for a grown-up bittersweet chocolate cupcake with a bittersweet chocolate glaze on top. I had some slivered almonds in the cupboard, so I added half a cup of those to the cupcake batter, and added 1/8 teaspoon of almond extract for a little extra flavor. The end product was a moist cupcake with great flavor.
I brought these in to work, and about half of them disappeared the first day. Keeping in mind we only had 8 or so people there that day, I'll take that as a good thing. I can never trust my own taste-buds with my baking.
Moowie is also bringing in some cupcakes today so we can have a little taste test between the two. I don't know if she's tried one of mine yet, so perhaps me sneaking in the almond extract and almond slivers can give me a little boost. That, and the Valrhona chocolate...I've taken to stocking extra Valrhona in the cupboard for baking.
Recipe: Baking: From My Home to Yours, by Dorie Greenspan, pp. 215-217
Nothing says fall like pumpkins. Well, maybe the turning of the leaves, or the weather getting cooler. Or maybe the end of daylight savings time. But when it comes to cooking, pumpkins show that fall's arrived. This week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe, Pumpkin Muffins, was picked by Sounding My Barbaric Gulp.
The mix of spices in these muffins are perfect to accompany the pumpkins. Allspice, cinnamon, ginger. I skipped on the nutmeg, because I still haven't gotten around to buying one. Biting into these muffins was reminiscent of eating pumpkin pie, but with a warm soft texture. The orange color that the pumpkins bring to the muffins definitely stands out, though it may not translate as well through pictures.
Come to think of it, that's pretty yellowish on the inside. But anyways, the outside is nicely orange. The addition of pecans, golden raisins, and sunflower seeds add to the texture, giving the muffin some good mouth-feel. These treats are perfect for any fall get together.
Recipe: Baking: From My Home to Yours, by Dorie Greenspan, p. 13
When is something so plain worth the bother of posting in a blog? When it's so simple and versatile that it could be used in a multitude of recipes. This pan-fried chicken certainly isn't a main course; its only spices are salt and pepper. However, it's the perfect addition to a salad, pasta dish, or pizza.
I had a friend in college that would never eat chicken. I'm not sure why, but she absolutely loathed it. I'm sure it was some sort of quirk from a bad chicken experience as a child (why I'm still so iffy about broccoli), but things turned around when I made a pasta with this chicken in it. I've gotten other compliments on this recipe, and I'm not entirely sure why. I think the simplicity of the flavors, along with the seared exterior guaranteeing a moist interior, help return the flavor of chicken to...chicken. There are too many recipes out there that disguise chicken in layers of spices, sauces, and cheese. This recipe returns to the basics that are too often forgotten.
Recipe: 2 chicken breasts 4 T. flour Salt and pepper Olive oil
Sprinkle freshly ground salt and pepper over one side of the chicken. Pat it down with your hand gently so it sticks in place. Flip and repeat. Be liberal - too often people are afraid of adding too much salt, and end up not adding enough. Remember it's a flavor enhancer. Dust both sides of the chicken with flour, enough for a good coating. Be careful while handling the chicken so you don't get any cross-contamination. In a medium pan, add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan, and put over medium-high heat. Once warmed, add the chicken breasts. Cook for 5 minutes before flipping, and cooking for an additional 5 minutes. Cut into the thickest part of the chicken and ensure there is no pink remaining before removing from the heat. Pat down the chicken gently with a paper towel to remove excess oil.
If you wanted to add herbs and spices, you could. However, I think just the salt and pepper bring out the flavor of chicken that's been ignored for too long. Make sure you add this austere alternative to the deep-fried variety next time you're adding something extra to a dish.
I've made this dip on several occasions, and every time it's unveiled everyone tends to turn voracious. I've never had this dip sit around for long without being completely consumed. Add the simplicity of the ingredients, and the quickness with which it's made, and you've got a great appetizer.
Recipe: 2 (8-ounce) sticks cream cheese, room temperature 1 can chili 1 1/2 c. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded 1 bunch green onions, rinsed
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. In an 8x8 inch baking dish, spread the cream cheese evenly across the bottom using a spoon. Pour the chili on top and spread evenly. Sprinkle the cheese on top - it doesn't have to be the exact amount, just eyeball it to get good coverage. I keep the green onions in the store-bought bunch (8 or so stalks) and cut them over the top of the cheese using scissors - it's a lot faster than using a cutting board. You don't have to use all of the onions, just enough to lightly cover the cheese. Cover with foil and bake in the oven for 30 minutes, or until the cream cheese is heated through. Serve with tortilla chips. Serves 6+.
The type of cheese and amount can vary, as can the types of chili. I typically go with something spicy to give the dip more flavor, but it can just as easily be mild or vegetarian. If you want the top to brown a little, you can remove the foil in the last 10 minutes of baking. And below is a picture of how everything typically looks a few minutes after being surrounded by people.
As I said, I've never had people ignore this dip. If you need a quick recipe that will please everyone, this is the one for you.
It's been a long time since I broke out my crock pot, and we had a cold weekend in San Diego, so I decided to make some soup. As with any crock pot recipe, this is a great way to throw a bunch of ingredients together and let them cook while you're at work. When you get back, dinner's hot and ready to eat, and you get a great smell moving throughout the house.
This pizza soup has just the right amount of spice, and is packed with great flavor. It has everything you could want in a pizza, except the dough.
Recipe: 16 oz. spicy chicken sausage, sliced 1 large white onion, chopped 8 oz. crimini mushrooms 1 red bell pepper, chopped 3 c. basic tomato sauce 1 c. chicken broth Mozzarella cheese, shredded (to top)
Combine all the ingredients in a slow cooker, and stir. Cook on low heat for 4-5 hours. Serve while hot, and top with mozzarella cheese. Serves 6.
It's really as simple as that. The end result is a great pizza filled with lots of different "toppings" that give it a lot of texture. This recipe is very adaptive, so you could add any sort of thing you'd normally want on a pizza instead. Instead of chicken sausage, use pepperoni. Instead of mushrooms, use hot peppers. Opt out the bell pepper. The choices are all up to you.
Wow, I've been too busy. I don't even know where the time is going, but I have several recipes with pictures waiting to be posted. I really need to get around to updating this blog more often - this Tuesdays only thing isn't enough for me. Anyways, back to this post: this week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe was almond biscotti, selected by Canela & Comino.
Almonds are always delicious, in my opinion. My almond extract is almost gone because I keep adding it into things, and I tend to have a stash of almonds somewhere in the cupboard at all times. These biscuits are packed with almond flavor, and have just the right amount of sweetness. The texture is perfect, with a lightly crisp outside and a soft chewy interior.
I ended up slicing these on a 45º angle to get longer strips - the cuts looked a little too small without doing this. I also added just a few extra almonds (1 cup instead of 3/4 cup) to make sure every bite had a little crunch.
Recipe - Baking: From My Home to Yours, by Dorie Greenspan, p. 141
What's better than brownies? Brownies with homemade caramel and nuts on top, of course. This week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe was picked by Wee Treats by Tammy.
This was my first time making homemade caramel, and it turned out perfect. The cake came out a bit dry, even though I took it out of the oven 10 minutes early. The cake itself wasn't too exciting for me, it was a plain ol' cake, but that's not the purpose of this recipe now is it? The caramel topping was perfect on top.
I poured all of the caramel/almond (did I not mention I used almonds instead of peanuts? I used almonds instead of peanuts.) on top of the cake (which was domed...never sunk back in) and when I removed the spring-form pan it ended up spilling everywhere.
As you can see, it's spilling everywhere. I just spooned whatever was left and served like that. The cake has actually been sitting at work for about a week, one of the few that hasn't disappeared the same day. I think it's the messiness of it all that's making people stray away.
Recipe: Baking: From My Home to Yours, by Dorie Greenspan, pp. 264 - 265
I brought these in to work, and about half of them disappeared the first day. Keeping in mind we only had 8 or so people there that day, I'll take that as a good thing. I can never trust my own taste-buds with my baking.
Moowie is also bringing in some cupcakes today so we can have a little taste test between the two. I don't know if she's tried one of mine yet, so perhaps me sneaking in the almond extract and almond slivers can give me a little boost. That, and the Valrhona chocolate...I've taken to stocking extra Valrhona in the cupboard for baking.
Recipe: Baking: From My Home to Yours, by Dorie Greenspan, pp. 215-217
