cramped kitchen

Cramped Kitchen on Hiatus

2010-04-04T21:57:00.002-04:00

I am doing most of my food blogging over at Two Coast Table right now. I've moved recently and have been using my parent's large kitchen. Please check it out.

Thanks,
Steven

The Garlic Zoom

2010-02-14T12:56:00.000-05:00

One of my new favorite kitchen tools is the Garlic Zoom from Chef’n. I got this in the swag bag from the We Are Not Martha 2 year Blogiversary. This is super easy to use and what I think is the best part is how easy it is to clean. The blade pulls out and you can just rinse everything. I use garlic in almost everything I cook. Granted I could just use a knife to cut the garlic, but what fun is that?

(posted originally on Two Coast Table)

Peanut Butter Cookies

2010-01-13T23:44:00.003-05:00

My family & I went sledding this past weekend and when we came in I made some hot chocolate and these cookies. Nothing is better than coming inside from the cold to have a nice cup of hot chocolate, Swiss Miss, of course!

The recipe is adapted slightly from the Magnolia Bakery Cookbook.

Ingredients & Directions:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup peanut butter at room temperature (I like smooth better, but you can use chunky too)
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For sprinkling: 1 tablespoon sugar, regular or superfine

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the flour, the baking soda, the baking powder, and the salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and the peanut butter together until fluffy. Add the sugars and beat until smooth. Add the egg and mix well. Add the milk and the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat thoroughly.

Place sprinkling sugar — the remaining tablespoon — on a plate. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls into the sugar, then onto ungreased cookie sheets, leaving several inches between for expansion.

Using a fork, lightly indent with a crisss-cross pattern (I used the back of a small offset spatula to keep it smooth on top), but do not overly flatten cookies. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Do not overbake. Cookies may appear to be underdone, but they are not.

Cool the cookies on the sheets for 1 minute, then remove to a rack to cool completely.

Banana Blueberry Lemon Muffins

2010-01-05T09:20:00.002-05:00

My favorite thing to make with really ripe bananas is banana bread, but this time I wanted to make something different. I was going to make plain banana muffins, but then came across this recipe on Dragon’s Kitchen and knew what had to be done. Fortunately, I had all the ingredients for these muffins, because who wants to go to the grocery store in a snow storm?

Ingredients & Directions:

2 1/4 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 large ripe bananas, mashed
2 eggs
2/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup blueberries
2 tablespoons grated lemon rind
3 tablespoons sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line muffin pan with muffin liners. Grate your lemon now if you don’t already have some in your kitchen and set aside. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of the lemon rind. Stir in dry ingredients until blended.

Beat together bananas, eggs, brown sugar, butter, lemon juice and vanilla until blended.

Fold in blueberries just until combined.

For the topping, combine sugar and remaining lemon rind in small dish.

Fill muffin liners almost to the top. Sprinkle Lemon Sugar mixture evenly over the muffins. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden.

These muffins were delicious. I warmed one up the next morning on a griddle with a tiny bit of butter for breakfast. Seriously, these are some of the best muffins I have ever made.

This is from my other blog Two Cost Table.

Vanilla Peppermint Cupcakes

2009-12-25T23:47:00.002-05:00

I found this on Oprah’s website while searching about how to become a guest on her show. Just kidding (not really). I brought them to my Aunt & Uncle’s house for Christmas Eve dinner and everyone loved them, or at least they told me they did.

Ingredients & Directions:

Vanilla-Peppermint Cupcake:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour , sifted
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. coarse salt
1/2 cup whole milk , room temperature
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 tsp. peppermint extract
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter , room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 large egg , room temperature
2 large egg whites , room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In a small bowl, mix together milk and extracts; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until well combined and fluffy. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and slowly add egg and egg whites until just blended. With the mixer on low, slowly add half the flour mixture; mix until just blended. Add the milk mixture; mix until just blended. Slowly add remaining flour mixture, scraping down sides of the bowl with a spatula, as necessary, until just blended.

Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Transfer muffin tin to oven and bake until tops are just dry to the touch, 22 to 25 minutes.

Transfer muffin tin to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool completely in tin before icing.

Vanilla-Peppermint Frosting:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter , firm but not cold
1/8 tsp. salt
3 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar , sifted
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
1/2 tsp. milk

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the butter and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to low, gradually add the confectioners’ sugar and beat until incorporated. Add the extracts and milk and beat until smooth and creamy.

Do not overmix or the frosting will incorporate too much air; it should be creamy and dense, like ice cream. Add additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, if frosting does not have a spreadable consistency.

Top with crushed candy canes!

This is from Two Coast Table, where I am doing most of my food blogging these days. Check it out! Hope you had a great Christmas.

Steven.

Pumpkin Creme Brulee

2009-11-30T15:00:00.000-05:00

Every year on Thanksgiving I make Pumpkin Creme Brulee for dessert. I only make once a year to keep it special and it is always my favorite dessert I eat on Thanksgiving. This recipe is super simple and I recommend it to everyone.

Ingredients & Directions:

2 C heavy cream
2 tsp vanilla
8 egg yolks
1/3 C sugar
1 C pureed pumpkin
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 C sugar (for caramelized tops)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together heavy creme, vanilla, egg yolks, pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Blend well. Strain into a large bowl to remove foam or bubbles.

Divide mixture among ramekins (I usually use 6-8 ramekins). Place in a water bath, and bake until set around the edges, but still loose in the center. Approximately 35-45 minutes.

Remove from the oven and leave in water bath until cooled. Remove ramekins from water bath and chill for at least 2 hours, or up to 2 days. When ready to serve, sprinkle about 2 teaspoons of sugar over each custard. Caramelize sugar (I used my little torch, but you can place in broiler). After caramelizing, re-chill for a few minutes before serving.

I wrote an entire post about my Thanksgiving dinner at my other blog Two Coast Table. Check it out!

California Chicken Club Bites

2009-11-23T22:57:00.003-05:00

Occasionally I take something out of the freezer without knowing what I’m going to make for dinner. Last night I took chicken and bacon out with the idea of doing some play on a California Chicken Club Sandwich, without bread (since I didn’t want to go to the store). I decided to make California chicken club bites instead of a sandwich. If I were to make these again I would definitely add some tomato and use fresh mozzarella probably resting on top of the chicken.

Ingredients:

Chicken breasts or tenders, sliced into bit sized pieces
1/2 C Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
Bacon
Avocado Spread (see below)
Salt
Pepper
Olive Oil

I started cooking the bacon first, then placed the chicken in the electric frying pan with a little garlic, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Cook the bite sized pieces until they are full cooked and lightly browned on each side.

Avocado Spread:

1/4 C extra-virgin olive oil (plus more if needed)
1 ripe avocado-halved, peeled and pit removed, and chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 onion diced
2 tsp salt
1/4 C mayonnaise

This one is simple. Place all ingredients into a food processor (I used the magic bullet) mix until it is smooth or desired consistency.

You may need to add more olive oil to make it smoother. Set aside if using right away, otherwise refrigerate.

Putting together the bites:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Once the bacon and chicken is cooked you can start the process of making the bites. I sliced the chicken in half lengthwise. Placed some avocado spread on one piece and then bacon on the other.

Repeat for each piece of chicken you have. Put the two halves together and then place on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with some mozzarella cheese and cook in the oven for about 3-5 minutes, or until cheese melts.

You can serve these as an appetizer or with your favorite side for a meal. I ate some brown rice with these.

Stepping Out of My Kitchen: Cupcake Class at the BCAE

2009-11-15T11:03:00.001-05:00

This past Wednesday night I helped out at Dustin's 'How to Bake the Perfect Cupcake" class at the Boston Center for Adult Education. If you know me, you know I love cupcakes, and I would never pass up an opportunity to bake and eat them for three hours. We made 13 different cupcakes and eight different frostings. Amazing, right?

The class was broken up into stations and each of the stations worked on a different cupcake and frosting. While the cupcakes were cooking, Dustin talked about different tips and answered questions.

One of my favorite tips is his use of the ice cream scoop to fill the cupcake tins. You get the same perfect amount in every cupcake without the mess you might get when using a spoon.

The best frosting of the evening was the peanut butter frosting. I included the recipe.

Peanut Butter Frosting Recipe:

1 C Butter Flavored Vegetable Shortening
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
4 C Confectioners' Sugar
2 T Milk
1 C Peanut Butter

In large bowl, cream shortening and butter with electric mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add peanut butter and mix thoroughly.

Another fun tip I loved was using white chocolate to make spiderwebs (or other shapes depending on the season) to decorate the cupcake. Simple ideas like that really add to the presentation.

Here are a few of the sample cupcakes Dustin made. The Necco wafer flower cupcake was really cute, but my favorite was the peanut butter and strawberry jam cupcake (use jam instead of jelly because it holds up better and will not run like jelly).

If you are in Boston check out some of the other classes Dustin is teaching at the BCAE. I am looking forward to the Cupcakes & Cocktails class!

Two Coast Table

2009-11-06T13:26:00.007-05:00

Recently, my friend Meg & I started a new blog called Two Coast Table. Here's an excerpt from our 'About' section:

We want this blog to be about many things. We want it to contain recipes that we really make, that are easy & simple to follow. We want to talk about our favorite things, whether it be a restaurant, our favorite kitchen gadget, our favorite places to go in Boston (Steven) or Portland (Meg), and many other things we love. We want it to be about us, cause we love us and know that you will too. We want this to be a place where you will come to to laugh, cry, cook, and tell us secrets (we promise not to tell anyone, beside the few 1000 people that visit our site daily…fingers crossed!). We want to be your Paula Deen, your Oprah, your Tyra, your Mo’nique, but most of all we want you to sit at our table and enjoy the company.

Check it out won't you & tell your friends. We are also running a contest that you should participate in with some Nasoya products, like the wraps I used in my Chicken Egg Rolls.

We also love to twitter and have a twitter page.

I will still be posting here, but definitely more so at Two Coast Table. Let me know what you think.

Thanks, Steven

Chicken Egg Rolls

2009-08-21T08:44:00.004-04:00

Ingredients & Directions:
1 pound chicken breast or frozen chicken strips
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 clove garlic
Olive Oil
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons water
1 bag of Coleslaw mix (saves time!)
Egg roll wrappers (I used Nasoya, they're my favorite)
Salt
Pepper
2 tablespoons sesame seeds (optional)

Season chicken with ginger, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly. Heat mixture in a medium skillet, stirring, until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink. Set aside. In another large skillet heat oil to about 375 degrees or medium high heat. While oil is heating, combine flour and water in a bowl until they form a paste. In a separate bowl combine the cabbage, carrots and reserved chicken mixture. Mix all together. Lay out one egg roll skin with a corner pointed toward you. Place about a 1/4 to 1/3 cup of the cabbage, carrot and chicken mixture on egg roll paper and fold corner up over the mixture. Fold left and right corners toward the center and continue to roll. Brush a bit of the flour paste on the final corner to help seal the egg roll. Place egg rolls into heated oil and fry, turning occasionally, until golden brown. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels or rack. Put on serving plate and top with sesame seeds if desired.

I served these with some steamed broccoli, white rice, and a sweet soy sauce. These are one of my favorite things to make.

Crab Cakes Benedict

2009-11-02T07:40:00.005-05:00

I happen to be searching the internet for recipes the other day and came across one for crab cakes benedict. I knew instantly that I would be eating this for dinner that night. I generally like to keep my dinners simple & easy, not too many steps, and something I can cook while doing other stuff. Crab cakes benedict at least fit most of those requirements (I had to stay focused on this meal so my bacon wouldn't burn and my poached eggs wouldn't get too hard). IN the vain of keeping things simple, I stopped at the store, Harvest CO-OP, and bought pre-made crab cakes. I have been eying those for sometime and today was just the day. It cost $2.00 for two crab cakes. How can you go wrong for that price? I had everything else at home that I needed, so in my mind my dinner cost $2.00 and there is nothing better than that feeling.

Ingredients & Directions:

Crab Cakes (Pre-made saves time, but you can make your own)
Eggs (One for each crab cake)
Vinegar
Bacon
Blender Hollandaise Sauce
Fresh Parsley, chopped
Cooking spray or Olive Oil

You should start by cooking the bacon. While the bacon is cooking, put the crab cakes in a pan to heat thoroughly and brown a little (they come pre-cooked, but you will need to warm them through). Keep the crab cakes on a low heat so they can come off the pan and on the plate once everything is ready to be plated. Also, make sure you flip them over every so often, you don't want to burn them and waste that $2.00. Continue to check the bacon, cooking until your desired readiness. Follow the instructions for a blender hollandaise I made before (you could always make this first and then warm it up if you want). See directions below for poaching eggs, but you should start this process now too. Once the bacon is done cooking, set on some paper towels to soak up the grease.

Directions for poached eggs:

First bring water in a saucepan to almost boiling. If the water is already boiling, lower the heat until it is no longer boiling. At this point, you can add one or two teaspoons of vinegar to the water, if you want. The vinegar will help the egg whites to congeal more easily. I used rice vinegar. Working with the eggs one by one, crack an egg into a small cup, then place the cup near the surface of the hot water and gently drop the egg into the water. With a spoon, nudge the egg whites closer to their yolks. This will help the egg whites hold together.Turn off the heat. Cover. Let sit for 4 minutes, until the egg whites are cooked. Lift eggs out of pan with a slotted spoon.

Place the crab cakes on the plate, bacon will rest on top of the crab cakes, place the eggs gently on top of the bacon, and then drizzle the hollandaise sauce over the entire thing. Sprinkle with a little fresh parsley.

Apple Pancakes

2009-10-27T10:51:00.001-04:00

Seriously, who doesn't aspire to be like the Smitten Kitchen? Consistently beautiful photographs, delicious recipes, and story-like blog posts all make this one of my favorite food blogs. I went to Smitten Kitchen determined to make something for make breakfast on Sunday morning. I also had one requirement, it had to contain apples; I hate to waste my freshly picked apples. The apple pancakes stood out to me simply because they were easy and I had all the ingredients. Pancakes, beside my all time favorite eggs benedict, are my favorite breakfast food. Blueberry and chocolate chip pancakes are two of my favorite versions, separately of course (although together I bet it would be delicious!).

Ingredients & Directions:
(from Smitten Kitchen)

2 Eggs
1 1/2 C Milk
2 C Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 C Sugar
3 Apples, peeled and coarsely grated (I used a grater, but may use a food processor next time for speed)
1/4 tsp Cinnamon
Vegetable oil, for frying
Confectioner’s Sugar, for dusting

Mix the eggs with the milk in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar together. Combine the wet and the dry ingredients and stir in the apples and cinnamon. Heat a thin layer of oil in a skillet over low to medium heat. Drop large spoonful of batter into the pan and flatten it out a little (otherwise, you might have trouble getting them to cook in the center) and cook until golden brown underneath. Flip the pancakes and cook them for an additional two or three minutes.

The original recipe uses a cast iron pan and that is one kitchen item I am putting on my Christmas list. I am dying to make corn bread in a cast iron pan, just one of those things that I have always wanted to do. I should really compile my mental list of things I want to try cooking on paper. Do other people do that?

I dusted the pancakes with confectioner's sugar and a little more cinnamon, before a drizzled a little maple syrup over them.

Squash Cream Sauce

2009-10-25T22:20:00.001-04:00

I love making different types of sauces for pasta and with it being fall I wanted to make something fall-like. I had a butternut squash in the refrigerator and decided I would use that, but wasn't sure what to do. I went to the trusty internet and googled squash sauce. I found a recipe that I have adapted here, but I will be revisiting this recipe and making the whole thing, not just the sauce. Check it out!

Ingredients & Directions:
(recipe adapted from here)

1 butternut squash
2 T butter
1 Onion, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1 C heavy cream
1/2 C grated parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 C apple juice

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Place on a greased cookie sheet cut side down and roast for about 45 minutes or until tender. Set the squash aside to cool. Melt butter in a saucepan. Add onion, salt, and pepper and sauté until onions are translucent. Once squash has cooled, pureé in a blender with cream. Add the squash & cream mixture to shallots along with apple juice, cinnamon, and parmesan cheese. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low, simmering for 10 minutes. Makes roughly 3 cups of sauce, depending on the size of your squash.

I think this sauce would be great with some fresh made pasta, but I was not in the mood to make any, nor did I have any fresh pasta in the house.

Apple Tart

2009-10-16T22:43:00.001-04:00

I had so many apples left over from apple picking that I needed to start cooking them and the best way (and my favorite way) I know how is in pies, cakes, or tarts. I now feel like I have been making apple pies and apple tarts every day for a week now, but I could never tire of eating them, so it's all worth it.

Ingredients & Directions:

1 Pre-Made Pie Crust, thawed
3 Apples (your choice), peeled, cored, sliced thin
2 T butter, melted
3 T Cinnamon Sugar
1/4 cup raspberry jam, melted (or use whatever you have at home)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or grease a pie pan (which is what I did here). Arrange apples in pie crust, overlapping apple slices and leaving border clear. Brush apples with melted butter; sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven. Brush melted jam over apples. Bake tart until golden, about 8 minutes longer. Serve warm or at room temperature.

I waited until the pie had only five minutes left before I started melting the raspberry jam. Once it was melted I set it aside in a dish to cool a little. I used the pastry brush the apply the jam and then returned it to the oven to finish cooking.

This tart was easy & delicious. I am really interested in trying it with different jams to see what I like the best. I think blueberry or apricot may be next!

Stepping Out of My Kitchen: Russell Orchard in Ipswich, MA

2009-10-14T12:00:00.001-04:00

I have been going to Russell Orchards in Ipswich, Massachusetts for many years now. I started going here with my family to pick apples, get pumpkins, check out the farm animals, and most importantly get fresh apple cider doughnuts. One of my favorite things about this farm is the short hayride out to the middle of the orchard; I love seeing all the rows of apples beforehand so I know which rows look the best.

Picking apples with my family is always one of my favorite things to do in the fall and it's a great family tradition.

Here is a gratuitous picture of me in the orchard.

The bags they provide for $15.00 a peck fit so many apples (it is $13. Monday through Friday) . Obviously, it's a lot more expensive to get apple here than in the grocery store, but for the experience alone, it's worth it.

This year we started out picking apples, moved on to the farm animals, and then went inside to get the apple cider doughnuts. You have to walk around inside the barn/store. There are wine tastings from their winery, which I hear is delicious, but I didn't get to sample. They also have a small ice cream stand and I sampled their delicious pumpkin ice cream. I really wanted to try the apple pie ice cream too, but felt too greedy asking for more free samples.

Then we went over to where they make the apple cider doughnuts. I love standing there watching the delicious dough drop into the hot oil and go through the entire process. My favorite part of the process is eating the fresh doughnuts of course. Thinking about the smell alone makes me crave them. Of course I had to bring a dozen home with me...What? They are small and I shared one or two.

They also have a great selection of pumpkins and mums to choose from. We got a few and will be carving them soon!

The biggest pig on the farm is called Big Boy and he weighs close to 1000 lbs. I remember some years ago there used to be an even bigger pig (see below), or at least I thought it seemed bigger, on the farm, named Inga.

Here are a few of the apple cider doughnuts that lasted only minutes after this photo was taken.

Stepping Out of My Kitchen: Saving Money in Chinatown

2009-09-23T13:57:00.003-04:00

Lately, I have been spending a lot of time in Boston's Chinatown drinking. No, not alcohol, but boba. Haven't heard of boba, maybe you've heard of bubble tea? Same thing. It seems like most people drink the milk tea version, but my favorite is green apple. I am allergic to fresh apples, so anytime I can have apple flavored anything I jump right on it. I have been introduced to quite a few places in Chinatown that are fairly inexpensive, which is why I believe I have been spending lots of time there. I'm just being budget-conscious. Two of my favorite affordable places to go to are The New Dong Khanh and 163 Vietnamese Sandwiches & Bubble Tea.

The New Dong Khanh has recently been remodeled and it is such an improvement. The interior is bright and inviting and the new boba counter is up front and bigger and better. I had been in a few times and just had the green apple boba, but recently I went there for dinner with my friend Alison. We both got boba, obviously, and then we got Pho. I got the chicken pho and she got the seafood pho. The total meal with tip was $12.00 (or $24.00 altogether), that included a boba ($3.50) and the meal. My pho was delicious and the serving size was huge. I have been back many times since then and have even become the "mayor" of the Dong, as we affectionately call it, on foursquare. I am looking forward to going back there and trying more items on their pretty extensive menu and of course getting the best green apple boba in the city of Boston.

The other place that I have been to a few times, mostly for green apple boba, is 163 Vietnamese Sandwiches & Bubble Tea. The real appeal of this place is their $3.00 sandwiches. Seriously $3.00 sandwiches. I believe there are four choices: Cold Cut, BBQ Beef, Pork, and Chicken. The first time I ate here they were out of the sandwiches, they run out of all their bread quickly, which is a sure sign that I am not the only one who has discovered this place. I had the chicken and lo mein the first time I was here and it was decent, not great, but not the worse I've ever had either. I think the real reason was the chicken was a little chewy. I was not swayed by the lack of sandwiches and returned to finally try one. I ordered the pork sandwich and a green apple boba. The sandwich was huge and was filled with pork, veggies, and a sauce; it was delicious. I can see now why the sandwiches are always sold out. Trust me if you've never been, go! If you are coming to Boston and want a cheap meal this is the place. My entire meal (sandwich & boba) cost about $6.00, without a tip because this is more like a sub shop than a restaurant. Seriously, why aren't you there now?

Stepping Out of My Kitchen: Wiffle Ball

2009-08-27T10:49:00.012-04:00

I realized upon reading many, many blogs daily that my favorite ones are those that give you a little glimpse into the life of the blogger. Whether it be about food, music, fashion, politics, when the blogger infuses their personal life & views into their writing I almost always pop that blog into my google reader. I have decided I need to do more of that here, because while I may love food, love writing the recipes, and photographing the food, I want this blog to be more. So here goes.

I enjoy the summer, the humidity not so much, but being outside in the sun is something I like very much. Not to let the summer pass by without doing something fun with friends, I decided to organize a wiffle ball game. Of course this wiffle ball game escalated into something a bit competitive, but all in good fun really.

We met on the Boston Common the other night after work. Of course, we had to follow regulation wiffle ball rules to begin with, but it loosened up as the night went on. We broke apart into two teams. Team Shark & Team Cat. Team Shark, led by Ryan, eventually beat Team Cat, led by me, in a 3 to 2 victory. What mattered most was that this was fun, not that we lost and they won, but it was a fun summer time game that reminded us playing something as simple as wiffle ball can make you feel young again. Oh, and kickball is going to be next. I will win (I mean in a totally non-competitive way, of course.)

Pumpkin Banana Bread

2009-10-09T11:44:00.003-04:00

Once the fall starts cooking with pumpkin becomes almost like an obsession. You will see in the next few weeks some of my favorite pumpkin desserts & more. I love the rich taste pumpkin adds to things like bread and creme brulee (two of my favorite pumpkin dishes) The pumpkin creme brulee is always part of my Thanksgiving Day dessert menu, so stayed tuned for that. I will be attempting to make a pumpkin creme sauce for a simple pasta dish. I am always on the lookout for new and interesting ways to use pumpkin, so if you see anything let me know. I love a challenge when it comes to cooking. Susie, from We Are Not Martha, recently took a class at Stonewall Kitchen and made pot pies in a pumpkin which looks like so much fun; i might even try making those.

Ingredients & Directions:

2 Mashed Ripe Bananas
1 C Pumpkin Puree
2 T Canola Oil
2 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla
2 C Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
2/3 C Sugar
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
1/2 tsp Ginger
1 tsp Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease loaf pan and set aside. Combine mashed bananas, pumpkin, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Mix thoroughly. In a separate bowl, add remaining ingredients. Add the dry ingredients in about 3 parts. Beat the batter after each addition until smooth. Sprinkle cinnamon & sugar mix into bottom of greased pan. Pour batter into loaf pan and bake for 1 hour or until toothpick placed in center comes out clean.

I made my own cinnamon & sugar mix, since I didn't have the pre-made kind. Just mix 1 tsp of cinnamon for each 1/8 C of sugar or just eyeball it and taste it.

One of the fun things about baking bread for me is using different loaf pans. The one that I used here, with leaves and pumpkins, is great for the fall. It is still available at Williams Sonoma. I also love making mini loaves of bread which are perfect to bring to work for breakfast, a mid morning treat, or even an after school snack.

Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes

2009-10-03T16:09:00.012-04:00

Ingredients & Directions:
(adapted from Martha Stewart)

Peanut Butter Cupcakes

1/3 C Butter, softened

1/3 C Creamy Peanut Butter

1/2 C Sugar

1/4 C Brown Sugar

2 Eggs

1 tsp Vanilla

1 3/4 C Flour

1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1/4 tsp Salt

1 1/4 C Milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 18 standard muffin pan cups with foil baking cups. Beat butter and peanut butter in large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until smooth; beat in sugars until mixed. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Add flour mixture to peanut butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling 2/3 full. Bake about 20-25 minutes or until cupcakes spring back when touched and toothpicks inserted in centers come out clean. Remove cupcakes to racks to cool. Once completely cool, remove from foil baking cups.

I was snacking on a few (ok many) Reese's peanut butter cups and had already planned on spending the rainy Saturday baking. So, when I finally decided I wanted to make cupcakes I had the inspiration in my stomach. I've made peanut butter cupcakes before, but never the delicious combination of peanut butter & chocolate. I was going to change that today. Here is my attempt at recreating Reese's peanut butter cups in cupcake form. Try them and let me know what you think.

Chocolate Ganache

8 oz Chocolate Chips
1 C Heavy Cream

Bring the cream to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat. Add chocolate chips and stir until all the chocolate is melted, about 2 minutes. It may look done after 1 minute of stirring, but keep going to be sure it's emulsified.

Once the ganache is cooled a little, dip the cupcakes covering the tops. Set back on the wire rack until the ganache is set and then eat.

I think the next time I make these I might dip the entire cupcake in chocolate, but other than that these were really tasty and satisfied my craving for peanut butter cups.

Bananas Foster Cakes

2009-09-16T11:58:00.000-04:00

Ingredients & Directions:
(adapted from Cooks Illustrated)

14 T butter, cut into 14 pieces and softened
2/3 C packed dark brown sugar
5 T dark rum
3 ripe, firm bananas, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/2 C whole milk
3 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 3/4 C unbleached all-purpose flour
1 C granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease (6-8) 6oz ramekins & place on a cookie sheet. Melt 6 tablespoons of the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add 1/3 cup of the brown sugar and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture is thoroughly combined, about 2 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in 2 tablespoons of the rum. Spoon a generous tablespoon of the sauce into the bottom of each ramekin. Place the banana slices on top of the sauce inside each ramekin. (I only put four in because it seemed like a lot, but trust me you will want about 8). Whisk the remaining rum, the milk, eggs, and vanilla together in a medium bowl.

In another large bowl, whisk the remaining 1/3 cup brown sugar, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, & cinnamon. Use an electric mixer on medium-low speed, beat the remaining 8 tablespoons butter into the flour mixture and continue to beat the mixture until it resembles moist crumbs, 1 to 3 minutes. Beat in all but 1/4 cup of the milk mixture, then increase the speed to medium and beat the batter until smooth, light, and fluffy, 1 to 3 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and slowly beat in the remaining 1/4 cup milk mixture until the batter is smooth. Spoon the batter evenly into the ramekins. Bake the cakes on the cookie sheet until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out with a few crumbs attached, 25 to 30 minutes.

Bananas Foster has been on my must make list forever (everyone has one of those right?). I recently was introduced to the wonders of Paula Deen's blog by Dustin and his attempts to win her weekly cooking contest. I didn't sign up for the contest, but I did participate. The contest for this past week was to use bananas and reinterpret a classic banana dish. Well, I think they came out delicious and super tasty, but it definitely has not quelled my desire to make the traditional bananas foster, I think it has to do with the ability to flambé something.

Remember to put a few more bananas in here than I did, the bananas shrunk down a little while cooking.

Remove the cakes from the ramekin by sliding a knife around the edges and then flip it over on a serving plate. Serve them with some vanilla ice cream and be the envy of all your friends (or not).

Milano Cookies

2009-09-08T15:45:00.000-04:00

I came across the Daring Baker challenge, albeit from July, to make homemade Milano cookies and I stopped in place. I knew immediately that these must be made and eaten within hours. Alas, I had to wait one day before making them since it was a busy weekend helping family move. Once the moving was over, the baking began. The recipe I originally used failed; it made basically weird looking cookies that were as flat as paper. I modified it a little and I think they were really successful, or at least that's what everyone told me.

Ingredients & Directions:

12 T butter, softened
2 1/2 C powdered sugar
7/8 C egg whites (from about 7 eggs)
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp lemon juice
2 C flour
8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream the butter and then mix in the sugar. Add the egg whites gradually and then mix in the vanilla and lemon juice. Add the flour in thirds and mix thoroughly. With a small (1/4-inch) plain tip, pipe 1-inch sections of batter onto a cookie sheet (you could line it with parchment paper if you have it), spacing them 2 inches apart as they spread. Bake for 10 minutes or until light golden brown around the edges. Let cool on the pan.

Cookie Filling: Melt chocolate in either a double boiler or in the microwave. Set aside to cool (the mixture will thicken as it cools). Spread a thin amount of the filling onto the flat side of a cookie while the filling is still soft and press the flat side of a second cookie on top. Repeat with the remainder of the cookies.

I am so excited that I tried this and can't wait to try it again, but this time I want to try making Mint Milano Cookies.

Purple Basil Pesto

2009-09-03T14:36:00.000-04:00

I went to the Farmer's Market near my work the other day for the first time this season. It is always a little overwhelming deciding which tent to go to, what I want, what looks the best, and on and on. I decided to only bring ten dollars with me to buy a few things, otherwise I could have splurged on stuff that may have gone to waste. One of the things I bought was purple basil; it smelled so good I couldn't refuse it. Immediately I thought of making pesto. I know it's a simple common thing to make, but you can do so much with it and get so much from so little.

Ingredients & Directions:

2 C Fresh purple basil leaves, packed
1/3 C Parsley
1/2 C Grated Parmesan-Reggiano or Romano cheese
1/2 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/3 C pine nuts
2 Shallots, chopped
3 Garlic cloves, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine the basil & parsley in with the pine nuts, pulse a few times in a food processor or I used the Magic Bullet again (I need one of these for myself). Add the garlic & shallots, pulse a few times more. Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on. Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor. Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

I decided to try this purple basil pest two different ways. The first thing I did was serve it as a spread with some toasted French loaf sliced as a snack. This was a great way to eat it and definitely held me over until dinner time. I also made some pasta and added the pesto to the past with some feta cheese (my fave!). I served this cold and it made a delicious lunch for a few days. My coworker also told me about how he freezes pesto in ice cube trays, puts them in plastic bags, and then has them available in small amount whenever he needs them. I will be trying this next time I make pesto.

Chicken Picatta Sandwich

2009-08-30T11:20:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite Italian foods is Chicken Picatta. What makes it my favorite you ask? Capers! They add just the right amount of tangy lemony flavor that I love. When I first had them a long time ago I was afraid they would be disgusting, like olives (sorry olive lovers), but was I wrong. So very, very wrong. I decided to add a twist to the traditional chicken picatta dinner that I was going to make and try to make a slightly sophisticated chicken picatta sandwich with some sides.

Ingredients:

Boneless Chicken Breast (as many pieces as you want sandwiches)
2 Eggs
1 C Flour
Salt & Pepper
2 T Butter
1 1/2 C White Wine (I used White Zinfandel)
Fresh Mozzarella (Cut in slices)
Rolls or Bread (Your choice, but I used Portuguese Rolls)
Olive Oil
1 T Garlic, minced
2 T Fresh Lemon Juice
2 Zucchini
2 Summer Squash
Pasta (Your choice)

The first thing you should do is prepare the zucchini and summer squash. Simply cut the vegetables in half, cutting off the ends, and place in a large bowl with a lid. Drizzle 2 T of olive oil over the veggies and then season with salt and pepper. Cover bowl, shake, and set aside. You can choose to grill these like I did or simply roast them.
To prep chicken you should trim off fat and pound chicken a bit. Dip chicken in an egg/water mixture, then cover both sides in flour. Pour 2 to 3 T Olive Oil and minced garlic in skillet heating up until garlic starts to turn golden. Place chicken in a skillet (I used an electric skillet, a must have kitchen appliance) and cook on both sides until golden, about 4-5 minutes a side. You should boil water and cook pasta once the chicken starts cooking.
While the chicken is cooking you can prepare the lemon caper spread.
Ingredients & Directions:

Lemon Caper Spread
(adapted from here)

1 C Mayonnaise
1/4 C chopped fresh parsley
2 T minced shallot
2 T fresh lemon juice
2 T drained capers

Mix first 6 ingredients in processor until pale green and well blended. Transfer to small bowl. Stir in capers. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and chill. (Can be made 1 day ahead.)
Once chicken is finished cooking set aside on a plate covered in a paper towel to soak up some of the olive oil. While chicken is set aside scrape up all the extra bits left in the skillet, leaving oil. Pour wine in skillet, lemon juice, and then butter. Stir until butter is melted and liquid starts to boil a little. Place chicken back in lemon wine sauce. Cook on one side for a minute and then other side for another minute.

Once chicken is completed you can make your sandwich. The lemon caper spread should go on top of bread, add lettuce, and freshly sliced mozzarella. You could always add other ingredients to spice up the sandwich if you'd like, but this is as close to a traditional chicken picatta as possible, in sandwich formation.

I served the sandwich with the grilled veggies and pasta. Not until seeing the pictures I realized that this meal was pretty, but colorless. I am usually cautious about making sure the meal has a wide variety of colors. Next time I will be sure to adding maybe grilled red peppers. What might you add to this meal/sandwich?

The one thing I am definitely going to do is make some of the lemon caper spread and leave it in my refrigerator so I can have it anytime I want.

Eggs Benedict with Blender Hollandaise

2009-08-16T11:08:00.014-04:00

One of my favorite foods is Eggs Benedict. There is just something so comforting and delicious about it (I mean as long as it's prepared well). I think the thing that makes it my favorite is the hollandaise sauce; the sauce has to be good or there is just no hope for the meal. I am at my parent's house again this weekend spending time with my family and decide to make breakfast. On my list of things to try is a blender hollandaise sauce. I accomplished this using my mother's Magic Bullet. My attempt to counter the buttery deliciousness that is hollandaise sauce, I have chosen to use a turkey bacon and a whole wheat mini bagel.

Ingredients & Directions:

Blender Hollandaise

3 egg yolks
1/2 tspn salt
Dash of Pepper
Dash of Dill (I used parsley here, but please use dill it's so much better)
1 T cream
1 C (1/2 pound) melted sweet butter, heated until bubbling but not brown
1 T lemon juice

Place egg yolks, salt, pepper and cream in blender, blend for a few seconds at high speed until you have a smooth frothy mixture. Still at high speed, start adding hot butter in a thin, steady stream, not too slowly. As you add butter, the sauce should thicken. When half the butter has been added, add lemon juice or vinegar. Continue blending until all butter is used.

Eggs Benedict (without sauce)

Eggs (as many as needed)
Turkey Bacon
Whole Wheat Mini Bagels

You can poach your eggs or as I have an Eggs Benedict pan, which saves so much time and energy. One of my favorite cooking pans. While your eggs are cooking you should cook your bacon until it's cooked to your desired doneness. Toast whole wheat mini bagels. Place bagels on a plate, rest two pieces of bacon on the bagel, and then place poached egg on top of bacon. Pour Blender Hollandaise over eggs and serve hot.
I was so excited when my mother got a blender attachment for her magic bullet. She usually uses it to make smoothies, but since I noticed she had it I have been dying to use it to make something. Slowly pour butter into the removable portion of the magic bullet (or blender) while it is still blending. It should come out creamy. If it is too thick add a little lemon juice (or water if you don't want it too lemony). I like to serve Eggs Benedict with fresh fruit. I served it with a nice fresh piece of watermelon, cubed. Could there be a better summer fruit to serve with one of my favorite meals on one of the hottest summer days?

Glazed Raspberry Scone

2009-08-25T13:25:00.003-04:00

Ingredients & Directions:
(adapted from here)

2 C Flour
1/3 C sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
5 T chilled butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 C plus 3 tablespoons whipping cream
1/3 C (about) raspberry jam (do not use seedless)
1/2 C powdered sugar
About 4-5 Fresh Raspberries

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in large bowl. Add butter rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles fine meal. Gradually add 1 cup cream, mixing until dough comes together. Make small balls of dough and flatten each one with your hand, or rolling pin if you prefer. Make sure you make a top and bottom for each scone; fill with 1 generous teaspoon jam (jam will show at edges). Transfer to baking sheet. Bake scones until brown, about 18 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool scones until slightly warm.

Meanwhile, mix powdered sugar, and remaining 3 tablespoons cream, and raspberries in bowl to blend. Spread glaze over scones. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

I felt a bit like Paula Deen, y'all, with all that butter running through my fingers.

I used a piece of aluminum foil on the counter, lightly floured to flatten the balls of dough.

While the scones are cooking you should make the raspberry glaze. I thought of adding the fresh raspberries to the glaze after I made the glaze base. It just looked so plain. I really liked how it turned out and will definitely try it again with other fruit.

I glazed the scones on a wire rack, while resting the wire rack over the baking sheet, that way I kept the mess contained to one place.

I hate to toot my own horn, no I don't, but these were delicious. I seriously ate four scones right after I finished taking all the pictures.