granola and ultimate peace

Until recently, there have been a couple things that I just can't get right. Try as I may, no matter how many times I make these things- and attempting different recipes, too, they just don't come out well. At all. In fact, they leave my kitchen in a state of colossal disaster, both physically, and for me, mentally, because the end product of the mess turns out so inedible that I have nothing to look forward to eating after I clean. But today I got a tasty snack after dutifully washing each, and every dish, leaving me with a well earned sense of peace that I could cross two more things off of my inedible list.

My first success was carrot cake. Though some may dubb it as easy to make, I just could not do it well. I must have tried over 5 recipes before I made Magnolia Bakery's carrot cake, which filled me with joy when my family couldn't keep away. 

The second, as of today, is granola. Something about it was always just off.  I admit my second granola disaster was due to me halving a recipe, and then forgetting midway and doubling the spices. But all of the other times, the honey to oil ratio was wrong, and the amount of dried fruit was disproportionate.

 Even though this recipe doesn't hold a candle to my favorite granola- Le Pain Quotidien's (which they sell in hefty bags, by the way), it's simple, easy, and versatile (as most granola is). Besides, we don't always feel like spending $7.50 for a bag of this stuff, no matter how good it is. Am I right, or what?

Power Granola

Adapted from Cooking Light 

2 cups regular oats

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup chopped slivered almonds

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/3 cup orange juice

1/3 cup honey

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cooking Spray

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1/3 cup chopped dried apricots

1 tablespoon chopped crystallized (also called candied) ginger

Preheat oven to 300 degrees 

Combine first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl

Combine orange juice, honey, and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat just until sugar dissolves, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in oil and vanilla.

Pour honey mixture over oat mixture, stirring to coat. Spread mixture in a thin layer onto a jelly roll pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 300 degrees for 10 minutes; stir well. Bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Spoon granola into a bowl. Stir in dried cranberries, apricots, and ginger. Cool completely.

Note: Store completely cooled granola in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

 

*Keeping the granola in the freezer helps preserve it's crunchiness

sugar cookies

Nowadays, chefs love to make "jazzed up" versions of classic cookies. But honestly, what is wrong with a good old fashioned cookie (with an overdose of sprinkles on top)? Every Christmas, my family makes these sugar cookies. They're from my grandma, and they're one of those timeless you-need-to-dunk-this-into-your-coffee cookies. They are simple and delicate, and very easy. There needn't be any flavored alcohol or fancy chocolate additions to this one (or, just don't let me know the end results just yet).

As a family tradition, the recipe calls for snacking at the dough (while no one is looking, of course), and then sitting in the kitchen waiting for the cookies to brown, because you're out of other sweets to snack on. Hence the lack of cooked-cookie pictures.

And then, once you eat the cookies, you're back to doing homework. Ah, if only a cookie could change the world. 

I'm thoroughly enjoying my break this week, and I hope everyone else is doing the same. Happy Holidays :)

blue cheese soufflé

Ok. I have a soufflé thing. I want to like them, I really do. The idea of sitting in Paris (and the dream of actually going there, of course), relaxing at a small little cafe, and eating some exotic souffle that is considered typical there. Ah, one can only hope. 
Perhaps it was just this soufflé, the fact that I have never made one before, or the fact that my new souffle dish had  yet to be christened, or something. Wait, scratch the last excuse. Either way, this souffle brought me back to America. It was, in my opinion, just bland. It tasted like blue cheese in a jellied-up form. And I love blue cheese, too. I have to give myself part blame- the reviews it received were all similar, but I had such high hopes, and had to try it for myself. 

I have to give Ina Garten (who is, by the way, one of my favorite chefs) some credit, though. This recipe was tremendously easy for a souffle, and the flavor was good, it was just lingering a bit too far in the background. 

Am I to eliminate all souffles from my 'to eat' list? (uh, not that I have anything of the sort). Hopefully, someone else will try this recipe, and prove me wrong. For now, though, I will just have to wonder.

Blue Cheese Soufflé

From Ina Garten/ Barefoot In Paris

Ingredients

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing the dish

1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan, plus extra for sprinkling

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup scalded milk

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pinch cayenne pepper

Pinch nutmeg

4 extra large egg yolks, at room temperature

3 ounces good Roquefort cheese, chopped

5 extra large egg whites, at room temperature

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Butter the inside of an 8 cup souffle dish (7 1/2 inches in diameter and 3 1/4 inches deep) and sprinkle evenly with Parmesan. 

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. With a wooden spoon, stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.

Off the heat, whisk in the hot milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, cayenne, and nutmeg. Cook over low heat, whisking constantly, for 1 minutes, until smooth and thick.

Off the heat, while still hot, whisk in the egg yolks, one at a time. Stir in the Roquefort and the 1/4 cup of Parmesan and transfer to a large mixing bowl.

Put the egg whites, cream of tartar, and a pinch of salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on low speed for 1 minute, on medium speed for 1 minute, then finally on high speed until they form firm, glossy peaks. 

Whisk 1/4 of the egg whites into the cheese sauce to lighten and then fold in the rest. Pour into the souffle dish, then smooth the top. Draw a large circle on top with the spatula to help the souffle rise evenly, and place in the middle of the oven. Turn the temperature down to 375 degrees F. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes (don't peek!) until puffed and brown. Serve immediately.

hazelnut brown butter cake

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday- though most kids would probably prefer Christmas. But when you think about it, where has the Christmas spirit gone? My sister and I are too old to set cookies out on the table (after we caught our parents eating them, our spirit began to go downhill), we don't put up many decorations around the house, and we no longer dare to lay out our light up village houses in the fear that our cat will devour the artificial snow- covered figurines. But really, we're not that unique. What children don't leave out requests for Santa Clause's photo ID these days?
But see, Thanksgiving requires no let downs, or wondering if you'll wake up with coal in your stocking. Instead, I always visit my family, and in a nutshell, eat a colossal meal. You know, the kind where there is a serious amount of food, and you eat way too much because you know, when you're back to eating a plain old PB&J for lunch tomorrow, that you'll regret leaving that once a year thanksgiving taste behind? So you see, this thanksgiving was another chance to contribute to the table. What to make? Oh, that could take days, even weeks, to choose.

I think I flipped through over 15 cookbooks, and was unable to find even inspiration. With only two days left until thanksgiving, I could have slapped myself on the head- I hadn't checked Smitten Kitchen. After taking a quick browse through the listed recipes, I found the recipe for a hazelnut brown butter cake. Despite how much I hate peeling hazelnuts, my feelings could not tarnish the outcome of this cake. It was good.
Hazelnut Brown Butter Cake
From SmittenKitchen
Adapted from Sunday Suppers at Lucques

5 ounces (about one heaping cup) hazelnuts, blanched to remove dark skins
1/2 pound unsalted butter (plus 1 tablespoon melted extra for greasing the pan)
1/2 vanilla bean
1 1/3 cups powdered sugar, plus extra for dusting the cake
1/3 cups all purpose flour
5 extra large (or 6 large) egg whites
3 tablespoons granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 300ºF.
Spread hazelnuts on a baking sheet, and toast 12 to 15 minutes, until they're golden brown and smell nutty. Let them cool.

Cut out a circle of parchment paper to fit in the bottom of a 10 inch round cake pan.
Brush the pan with a little melted butter and line the bottom with the paper.

Place the rest of the butter ina medium saucepan. Slice the vanilla bean lengthwise down the center, and using a paring knife to scrape the seeds and pulp onto the butter. To make sure not to lose any of the seeds, run your vanilla coated knife through the butter. Add the vanilla pod to the pan, and cook the butter until the butter browns and smells nutty (about 6 to 8 minutes). It helps to frequently scrape the solids off the bottom of the pan in the last couple minutes to ensure even browning. Set aside to cool. Remove the vanilla pod and discard.

Grind the hazelnuts with the confectioners' sugar in a food processor until they're finely ground. Add the flour and pulse to combine. Transfer to a large bowl.

Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
Add the granulated sugar and mix on high speed 4 to 5 minutes, until the mixture forms very still peaks. When you turn the whisk upside down, the peaks should hold. Transfer the whites to a large mixing bowl.

Alternate folding the dry ingredients and the brown butter into the egg whites, a third at a time. Remember to scrap the bottom of the brown butter pan with a rubber spatula to get all of the little brown bits.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour**.
Cool on a rack 30 minutes. Run a knife around the inside edge of the pan, and invert the cake onto a plate. Peel off the paper, and turn the cake back over onto a serving platter. Sprinkle it with powdered sugar or chocolate Ganache (below)

**My cake was ready at 30 minutes so keep an eye on it (SmittenKitchen's was done at 40)

Draping Ganache for 10-inch Cake

4 ounces semisweet chocolate chips or finely chopped chocolate
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon instant coffee granules

Melt the chocolate, heavy cream, and coffee in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth and warm, stirring occassionally. Drizzle over the top of the cake.

herb stuffed artichokes

Have you ever flipped through a magazine, eyed recipes hungrily, but never actually made them? I find it a habit of mine to mark off every other page in La Cucina Italiana, but I've only ever made one recipe from the magazine itself. It's like me and my Ina Garten craze.

I had a feeling that it was a reliable magazine- in my defense, the pictures just looked so darn good. They're enough to make me cry with hunger after eating two large helpings of baked ziti. That being said, I think my attempt at this recipe was justified.

This recipe was, well, it just was. It wasn't good, but wasn't awful. Ok, I'm being nice- it wasn't abysmal. I followed the recipe to a T and was left with, on top of my downtrodden excitement, tough, chewy, plain, and unpleasant artichokes. My picture didn't bear a slight resemblance to the one in the magazine. I have not, tragically, opened it since.

Would I recommend this recipe? I think it's safe to say you can pass.

apple crumb pie

As the apple picking season is drawing to an end, I felt it was, at last, the right time to go and get my apples. I went with my dad to New Paltz, and after countless complaints about our original hiking plans, a screech of tires, and a last minute U-ey, we headed in the other direction towards an apple orchard.

Well, may I say, it was quite overwhelming; which apples to get, what tree to get them from, and the constant belly-aching 'full' feeling you get from tasting the apples (er, each and every). In the end, we drove home with a hefty two pound bag that kept a bright smile on my face.

Of course, I knew just what to make. A classic- apple crumb pie. Easy to make, and not one of those you'll-have-no-clean-pots-after-this recipes, this is perfect for one of those days where you don't feel like working too hard for a good treat.

Apple Crumb Pie

Adapted from Allrecipes

Ingredients

1 (9 inch) pie shell

6 cups thinly sliced apples

1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)

3/4 cup white sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I upped it to 3/4 teaspoon- I love my cinnamon!)

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

3 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

Place sliced apples in a large bowl. Sprinkle with lemon juice if desired. In a small bowl, mix together white sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Sprinkle mixture over apples. Toss until apples are evenly coated. Stir in walnuts if desired. Spoon mixture into pastry shell.

In a small bowl mix together 1/2 cup flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter or margarine until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle mixture over apple filling. Cover top loosely with aluminum foil. 

Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 25 to 30 minutes, until top is golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. 

 

Spicy Soba Noodles With Shiitake and Cabbage

I discovered this recipe on SmittenKitchen and also on Epicurious a little while ago, and ever since, it has intrigued me. After holding out for a while (my dad insisted that "the combination of flavors just don't go"), I ran him down. And boy, I have been wanting to post it for ever, but I have been so incredibly busy. Anyway, this recipe is fantastic, in my opinion. It is incredibly versatile- you can add any vegetable you'd like, and it will still be delicious. It has just the right amount of flavor, a perfect amount of mushrooms in every bite, and it's irresistibly moist. With a perfect crunch to top it off. 

 

Spicy Soba Noodles With Shiitake and Cabbage

From epicurious.com

For sauce

1/3 cup water

1/3 cup soy sauce

2 to 3 teaspoons Korean hot-pepper paste (sometimes labeled "gochujang")

1 tablespoon packed brown sugar

For noodles

3 tablespoons sesame seeds

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 tablespoons finely chopped peeled ginger

1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic

1o oz fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced

1 1/4 pound Napa cabbage, thinly sliced (8 cups)

6 scallions

8 to 9 ounces soba (buckwheat noodles)

1 cup frozen shelled edamame

*Tip from SmittenKitchen blog....add a splash of sesame oil (I added it to the sauce)

Stir together all sauce ingredients until brown sugar is dissolved, then set aside. 

Toast sesame seeds in a dry 12- inch heavy skillet (not nonstick) over medium heat, stirring, until pale golden, then transfer to a small bowl.

Heat oil in skillet over medium- high heat until it shimmers, then sauté ginger and garlic, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds, Add shiitakes and sauté, stirring frequently, until tender and starting to brown, about 6 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, then add cabbage and most of scallions (reserve about a tablespoon for garnish) and cook, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is crisp-tender, about 6 minutes. Add sauce and simmer 2 minutes.

While cabbage is cooking, cook soba and edamame together in a pasta pot of boiling salted water (2 tablespoons salt for 6 quarts water) until noodles are just tender, about 6 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse under cool water to stop cooking and remove excess starch, then drain well again. Transfer to a large bowl and toss with sesame seeds and vegetable mixture. Serve sprinkled with reserved scallions.

Cooks' note: If you aren't able to find Korean hot-pepper paste, substitute 3/4 teaspoon Chinese chile paste and reduce the amount of soy sauce to 1/4 cup.