Never trust a skinny cook!

Krispy Kreme Cake

2012-01-17T20:37:00.000-05:00

When my dear friends Stephen and Mark came over the other day to help me with a house project, at one point we ended up in our garage. Stephen glanced around in amusement at the the bountiful collection of my catering and baking equipment stored there. "Okay, Liz," he said, "I'm lookin' around in here and all I see is cooking stuff. Where are the tools? Now I know a Jewish guy lives in this house!"

Haha, Stephen, you were right! I live with a man who admits he has 10 thumbs and he knows I will run away in terror the minute he picks up a hammer or (even worse), an electric drill. Hell, I can't even trust him with a pair of scissors (I won't talk about the time he chopped off Andy's hair when Andy was a toddler and we were about to travel to NYC to introduce our firstborn to the extended family). Tools + Henry = not a good combination. No further elaboration needed.

Unfortunately, I seem to keep adding to that cooking collection in the garage. When we moved to this house 5 years ago, I purged just about everything and vowed to keep acquired stuff to a minimum. Oops, I blew it.

Especially when it comes to cake pans.

I've written enough in this blog about retro recipes and retro bundt cake pans. Click on the cake recipes here and you will get an overload. But honey badger don't give a shit and honey badger just wants more cake pans. Honey badger went online and scoured the internet to find a bad-ass, killer cake pan. For the moment, honey badger is happy.

That's because honey badger found this fabulous cake pan. Tragically, it's out of stock right now, but keep trying. You won't be sorry. Honey badger concurs.

http://www.nordicware.com/store/products/detail/bavaria-bundt-pan-10-cup--commercial/2211DFE4-7C89-102A-B382-0002B3267AD7

Our spin instructor, Jorge, had a big birthday the other day. Unbeknownst to him, we decorated the spin room before he arrived, complete with yellow "do not enter - restricted area" tape and happy birthday banners. Ribbons and birthday horns festooned each bike and Jorge was (almost) speechless when he showed up.

My contribution was a birthday cake. Made in that fabulous pan, of course. Jorge took one look at it and exclaimed "Wow! A Krispy Kreme Cake!"

Now that wasn't my intention but he wasn't wrong. If you've ever been to Krispy Kreme (well, who hasn't?), then you are familiar with their "crullers." In fact, they could have been cloned from this cake pan.

http://www.krispykreme.com/doughnuts

So go and find yourselves one of these pans and mix up a batch of that Million Dollar Pound Cake I told you about in my last post. Leave out the cranberries and bake it up naked, omit the brown sugar sauce and brush it with a light glaze of confectioner's sugar, milk, vanilla and almond extracts instead. You will end up with a simple, luscious, beautiful cake that even honey badger might give a shit about. Well, maybe not.....

Oh, and if you are one of the two people on the planet who hasn't viewed the honey badger video on You Tube, here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIyfCtYQz6s

Who Wants to be a Millionaire?

2012-01-08T22:34:00.000-05:00

Stupid question, I know. I mean, who wouldn’t want to be a millionare?

However, since that’s not likely to happen for most of us (especially given our current economy), then let me offer an alternative:

Million Dollar Pound Cake.

I can’t lay claim to this recipe. It’s been around for more years than I can count, which means it is pretty damn old (crap, why do I know these things ? Sometimes I hate being a Baby Boomer). I remember clipping it out of a newspaper a million (no pun intended) years ago and thinking it would never work because it didn’t have leavening like baking soda or baking powder.

What the hell did I know back then, anyway?

(As an aside, I believe the name has its genesis in the idea that it is a one-in-a-million kind of cake. Not sure I would venture that far, but I will allow that it is pretty damn good).

But let me digress. How was your holiday? I did not leave any of those Toffee Crunch Cookies out for Santa (I ate them all myself), but we did entertain a few widows and orphans on Christmas Eve. Since my kosher-keeping kid and his younger brother were not in attendance, we dined on lobster mac and cheese and too many bottles of well-chosen wine. Oh, and that Million Dollar Pound Cake too, gussied up a bit for the occasion with fresh cranberries and a warm brown sugar sauce. Trust me, it was a delicious way to celebrate!

Christmas Eve table, complete with mini Christmas tree and menorah.

Equal time!

MILLION DOLLAR POUND CAKE WITH CRANBERRIES AND WARM BROWN SUGAR SAUCE

For the cake:
1 pound unsalted butter, softened
3 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt (I used kosher)
6 eggs at room temperature (I used extra-large
3 ½ cups unbleached, all-purpose flour, divided
¾ cup whole milk or half-and-half
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
2 cups fresh cranberries

Preheat oven to 300-degrees. Grease and flour a 10-cup tube or bundt pan.

In an electric mixer, cream butter, sugar and salt on high speed until light and fluffy, scraping down bowl frequently. This will take approximately 10 minutes. Add eggs one by one, beating on medium speed until each one is well-incorporated. Reduce mixer speed to low and add 3 cups of the flour in 3 parts, alternating with the milk or half-and-half. Mix only until just blended then finish batter by hand, using a rubber spatula. Fold in the vanilla and almond extracts.

Place the cranberries in a small bowl and toss with the remaining ½ cup flour. Gently fold into the cake batter. Turn batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 1 ¼ hours or until a cake tester comes out clean.
Remove from the oven to a rack and let cool for one hour. Shake to loosen or run a knife around edges and turn out onto a cake plate or serving platter. Serve with warm brown sugar sauce on the side.

For the warm brown sugar sauce:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon salt (I used kosher)
1 cup heavy cream

Place all ingredients into a medium saucepan and place over medium-high heat. Cook and stir until butter melts and mixture is smooth and sugars are dissolved.

Serves 12 - 16

* Didn't remember to leave out your butter to soften? If you have a metal bowl for your mixer and a blowtorch, you are in luck. Put the butter in the bowl and warm up the bowl with your blowtorch. This is a nifty trick I learned when I was baking at Star Provisions. http://www.starprovisions.com/

* Don't have room temperature eggs? Just place them in a bowl of hot water and let sit for 5 minutes. Next?

* This cake is great when just made, but it's even better several days afterwards (something about the massive amount of butter in it, I suppose). If you want the raw truth, I kept it on a cake plate covered with plastic wrap and it was equally good a week later. Can't believe I didn't consume it all before then.

* Same with the brown sugar sauce. Make it ahead and reheat when you are ready to use. If you refrigerate it, just put it back in a saucepan and smooth it out again over medium heat.

* I like to serve this by cutting the cake into slices, then passing around a pitcher of the warm brown sugar sauce. Comfort food!

* Don't forget to enjoy this for breakfast (sans the brown sugar sauce). Toast up a slice or two, slather with butter and start your day off right. Who needs Fiber One, anyway?

What I have given you is a basic fabulous recipe that you can adapt in a million (gotta get that word in there again) different ways. Think of it as a blank canvas. Omit the cranberries and bake it up "naked." Fold in some fresh blueberries, add lemon zest and lemon extract and glaze with a thin mixture of powdered sugar and lemon juice. Fold in some chocolate chips and drizzle the thing with a chocolate glaze and maybe some roasted, salted almonds. I'm just winging this, throwing ideas out of my head at you, but you get the idea.

Happy January! I have a lot of nerve posting a dessert recipe, I know. What the heck. Make this cake anyway and take it to your friends at the gym!

Saber wants to know why I am giving this cake away, instead of giving it to him.

Check out that face! Jewish guilt, Saber?

HO HO HO. No More Oreos.

2011-12-21T21:34:00.000-05:00

Admittedly, it’s been a few thousand years since Santa made an appearance in this household. Okay, I’ll admit that he used to show up, along with a Christmas tree or two, when the kids were little. I have fond memories of our late-night hours on Christmas Eve, scrambling to assemble everything, ably assisted by Baba and Grandpa Ed.

Henry and I still laugh over that massive GI Joe aircraft carrier which was situated next to the bucolic Care Bears village. Suffice it to say that within a couple of hours, the Care Bears were targets of the missiles next door. Oh, the joy of having boys…

Perhaps I should mention that I had not yet converted to Judaism in those days.

If Santa still visits your house, perhaps you need to cut him a break this year. I mean, how many Oreos can he face? Do him (and yourself) a BIG favor and make these toffee crunch cookies instead. I made them today and I confess that I consumed a few more than I should have. (Oh hell, I think I devoured about 6 of the damn things – so much for my 17-Day Diet). Yep, they are THAT good – crunchy, crispy, buttery and brown sugar-y. Serve a few to Santa, hoard a few for yourself and keep some of the dough in your freezer so you can bake them off whenever you need a fix. You will thank me for this!

Happy Holidays from my sweet dogs. Lucy and Roxy (top 2 white dogs) have health issues right now. I'm just happy to have them here for one more holiday.

TOFFEE CRUNCH COOKIES (adapted from Jeannie Eddy)

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs (I used extra-large)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose, unbleached flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 10-oz. bag toffee candy chips (like Heath Bar)
1 cup regular oatmeal
1 cup sweetened, flaked coconut
1 cup whole, blanched and skinned almonds, chopped

Place butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. Using the paddle attachment, beat until creamy, then add both sugars and the salt. Beat until well-combined and fluffy, about 5 minutes, scraping down bowl several times. Add eggs and vanilla and continue to beat until mixture is well-combined and creamy.

Add flour and baking soda. Mix on low speed until just combined. In another bowl, stir together the toffee chips, oatmeal, coconut and almonds. Add this to the mixer and blend briefly to combine.

Place the dough on a sheet of plastic wrap and pat into a round. Wrap well and refrigerate for at least an hour until dough is chilled. Scoop dough into balls (I used a 1-inch ice cream scoop) and place on a baking sheet. Freeze until ready to use.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350-degrees. Place balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing 2-inches apart. Bake for 12 – 14 minutes, or until just golden. Remove from oven, cool slightly, then place cookies on a baking rack to cool completely.

Yield: 100 small cookies (using a 1-inch scoop)

• These things are GREAT! Santa will love you, I promise!

• The chopped almonds are crucial to this recipe. Don’t be tempted by slivered almonds. The chopped-up ones give these cookies great texture and crunch.

So here’s the thing about Christmas and Chanukah. We sort of celebrate both. Henry was out last night at a Christmas party (first night of Chanukah) while I stayed home, lit candles and watched “A Very Glee Christmas.” Oy veh. Oh, and I also decorated a VERY small Christmas tree which now resides on the buffet in my dining room. Don't tell my kids ...

A Walk in the Park

2011-12-18T17:55:00.000-05:00

So how was your Thanksgiving? I know, I know – it’s been ages since I posted anything here and for that I apologize. For a myriad of reasons, I have been out of town more than I’ve been in it over the past few months. Fortunately it has all come to an end and I am now back to the business of cooking, baking and blogging. Thanks for sticking with me.

But before I get started, can I share our 15 minutes of fame? This article ran in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Saturday after Thanksgiving. Hilarious! If you ask me, it’s proof positive that newspapers must be having trouble coming up with good stories these days.

http://www.ajc.com/lifestyle/5-000-miles-to-1241229.html

Speaking of Thanksgiving, the real story around here is the day afterwards. No, not because it’s Black Friday (you will rarely catch me at a mall, especially on that day) but because the kids and a group of their friends all show up for an anti-turkey dinner which usually involves the Big Green Egg, ribs, mac and cheese and my killer barbecue sauce. Yeah, it’s a noisy, messy affair and by the time everyone departs (sometimes a day or two later), I’m wiped out, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s definitely my favorite day of the year!

Most of you know my dessert philosophy which goes something like “if one is good, then two are better.” This time was no different. After I made the requisite hummingbird cake (mandatory, or Andy would probably refuse to come home), I hit upon the idea of monkey bread. Forgive the analogy, but I figured that making it would be as easy as a walk in the park!

MONKEY BUBBLE BREAD (adapted from Baked Explorations by Matt Lewis & Renato Poliafito)

For the bread:
1 ¼ cups whole milk
1 package yeast
4 cups all-purpose, unbleached flour
5 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt (I used kosher)
1 egg (I used extra-large)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Generously spray the inside of a 10-inch Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, warm the milk slightly until an instant-read thermometer reads between 105 – 110-degrees. Remove from heat and whisk in the yeast. Do not warm it beyond 110-degrees or you will kill the yeast.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the flour, sugar and salt until combined.

In a small bowl, beat the egg with a fork and add it to the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until combined.
Keeping the mixer on low, slowly stream in the milk mixture until combined. Add the melted butter and mix until the dough comes together. Replace the paddle attachment with the dough hook attachment. Continue to mix on medium speed until the dough becomes silky and tacky, but not sticky, about 8 – 10 minutes. The dough should mound together and easily come off the bottom of the mixing bowl. If it is too wet, add some flour; if too dry, add a small amount of water.

Spray the inside of a large bowl with cooking spray. Place the dough in the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rest in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, 1 – 2 hours.

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Push dough down with your hands to deflate. Remove from the bowl and pat into a rough circle approximately 8-inches in diameter. Use a serrated knife to cut dough into 1- to 1 ½-inch pieces. (You should end up with about 60 pieces). Roll them into balls, place on the parchment-lined pan and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Set aside while you prepare the coating ingredients.

For the cinnamon-sugar coating:
1 ¼ cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ cup (I stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Stir the sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Place the melted butter in a separate bowl.

To assemble:
Remove the plastic wrap from the dough balls and dip one ball in the melted butter. Let the excess butter drip back into the bowl, then roll the ball in the cinnamon-sugar mixture and place it in the prepared Bundt pan. Continue this process with each dough ball, adding them to the pan in layers, as if you are building a brick wall.

Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap and set it in a warm area of the house for about 1 hour or until the dough balls have almost doubled in size and appear puffy.

Preheat the oven to 350-degrees. Remove the plastic wrap from the Bundt pan. Place the pan in the oven and bake until the top layer is deep brown and the caramel coating begins to bubble around the edges, about 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool on a rack for 5 minutes, then turn bread out onto a platter. Serve warm.

Serves 8 – 10

• If you bake this early in the day and want to serve it later, wrap the cooled bread in plastic wrap. Just before serving, remove plastic and rewarm bread in a 300-degree oven for a few minutes until just warm to the touch.

• You could also make the entire thing ahead of time. Once the dipped dough has been placed in the pan, wrap it tightly and refrigerate. Bring it back to room temperature to “proof” the dough before baking as directed.

• I used a silicone bundt pan which made it a snap to turn out the baked bread. You can, of course, use a regular tube or bundt pan, but the silicone version sure does make it easier to get the thing out of the pan.

• Don’t have any whole milk on hand? I usually don’t either (it’s 1% around here) and I hate to buy it for just one recipe because then I feel compelled to drink the rest or hide it from Henry so he doesn’t drench his cereal with it in lieu of the lowfat stuff. I usually have cream around though (for baking purposes), so I just mixed some of it up with my lowfat milk and voila! – a good substitute for whole milk.

• Monkey bread is not a new concept. I can remember my mom making it when I was younger, but she probably used those biscuits in a can (where you had to rap it sharply on the counter so it would split open). Come to think of it, probably a lot of folks use that method (why did a vision of Paula Deen suddenly appear in my head?) but it’s so easy to make your own chemical-and-additive-free dough that I highly recommend it.

• Personally, I prefer to eat this for breakfast instead of dessert. I’m thinking it would be a nice addition to your Christmas breakfast this year…..

• Obviously I have given you a sweet version, but I could also envision this as a savory bread as well. Use your imagination and get creative! Think I will test it with a garlic-herb butter and perhaps a little grated parmesan for dipping. Add a glass of wine and I could happily make dinner out of it…..

P.S. Those poor folks who pick up our recyclables must think we are raging alcoholics, based upon the quantities of beer cans and wine bottles which are placed on our curb after that Friday-after-Thanksgiving blowout. Come to think of it, the neighbors probably wonder about us as well!

Stuffed Turkey.

2011-11-21T18:50:00.000-05:00

Nope, I am not talking about what you are likely to prepare in the next couple of days. I refer instead to the way I have perceived myself since our gluttonous trip to Barcelona. The last thing I need right now is to consume enormous quantities of potatoes, bread, cranberry sauce, gravy and rich desserts. Can we please just cancel Thanksgiving this year?

Given the fact that both of my kids are coming home (yay!), this is unlikely. Instead, I will spend most of next week in my kitchen. It will be a lot of work and at the end of it, I will be exhausted, but that's what we moms do and we love it, right?

Please remind me of this at the end of next weekend.

We will do the ritual thing on Thursday and turkey will make its requisite appearance. My mom will show up, along with any other stray people I can corral, and we'll have a wonderful time and eat way too much. The one thing we will NOT do is go around the table and say what we are all thankful for. I tried that one year and my kids almost threw me out of the house. Lesson learned.

I'm going heavy on the vegetables this year, but I will still make our usual Thanksgiving desserts. (Please, oh please let me keep my distance from them). There will be Hummingbird Cake, Caramel Pumpkin Pie and Cranberry Upside Down Cake. In for a penny, in for a pound, I say. Why make one dessert when you can make three?

The Cranberry Upside Down Cake is my favorite. It's sweet, tart and has that buttery/brown sugar combination that is irresistible. I think it's better the day after it is made, which makes it a perfect Thanksgiving recipe. I've made it for years and in fact, I used to sell it during the holidays.

You don't need to buy it. It's easy beyond belief to make. Here's the recipe. Happy Thanksgiving, y'all!

CRANBERRY UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

For the topping:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of salt
2 cups whole, fresh cranberries

Melt butter and brown sugar in a saucepan. Stir over low heat until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Stir in cinnamon and salt. Pour into a 9-inch round baking pan which has been coated with baking spray. Arrange cranberries in a single layer over the brown sugar mixture. Set aside.

For the cake:
1 ¼ cups + 2 tablespoons sifted all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¾ stick unsalted butter (6 tablespoons), softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 ½ teaspoons grated orange zest
2 eggs, room temperature (I used extra-large)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ cup whole milk, room temperature

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt until blended. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter for 1 minute. Beat in the sugar and continue to beat for 2 to 3 minutes or until mixture is light in texture. Beat in the orange zest. One at a time, add the eggs, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. On low speed, beat in half the flour mixture until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat in the milk, then add the remaining flour and beat until just combined.

Scrape the cake batter over berries in pan. Spread batter evenly over berries. Bake for 35-40 minutes in oven preheated to 350-degrees or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan set on a wire rack for 5 minutes.

Run a knife around the outside edge of the cake to release it from the sides of the pan. Place a serving plate over the cake and invert cake and pan onto the plate. Carefully lift off the cake pan.

For the glaze:
¼ cup currant jelly or seedless raspberry preserves

In a small saucepan, heat jelly or preserves over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until melted and smooth. Using a pastry brush, brush the glaze evenly over the top of the cake.

Serves 8

The basic ingredients. Except for the cranberries, you probably have everything on hand already

Butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. I could eat this all by itself.

Don't be tempted by this, however, unless you want to burn your mouth off!

Careful not to let it spatter

If needed, use a small offset spatula to spread out in pan

Ready for the cake batter

Whisking the dry ingredients

Adding eggs to the creamed butter and sugar mixture

Batter finished. Don't look when I lick the beater....

Spreading batter over the cranberries. Again, an offset spatula is your best friend.

Ready to bake

Baked!

Moment of truth. Fingers crossed.

Whew!

* There is a certain amount of trepidation when you flip the cake pan over and hope like hell that it will slide out uneventfully on the plate. Help yourself out by banging the top of the pan lightly with a hammer (contradiction in terms, I realize) before you lift off the pan. If some of the caramelized sugar remains in the pan, you can spoon it over the top of the cake or just eat it yourself. I'm just sayin'......

* In the interest of full disclosure, I didn't glaze the cake when I made it. Yes, it will make it look much prettier, but if you don't have currant jelly or seedless raspberry preserves on hand, just omit this step. It will still taste just fine!

* I also didn't have an orange on hand when I decided to test this recipe. No worries. I simply used a splash of orange extract in the batter and it worked just fine. No orange extract in your house? How about orange liqueur, such as Cointreau?

* If you want to gild the lily, you can serve this with a little freshly whipped cream or a light dusting of powdered sugar. Or not.

After I made this cake, I gave it away to a dear friend who is really my gay husband (no, we are not referring to Henry here). We enjoyed a lovely lunch together, then he asked if I knew what my "porn" name was. Huh????

Here's the deal. Take the name of your first pet, then the name of the first street you lived on and... voila!... you now have your "porn" name. Holly Mercer, that's me! Henry is Breezy Serpentine and another friend (who will remain anonymous) is Candy Baby Deliciosa.

Since I'm not allowed to ask everyone at the Thanksgiving table what they are grateful for, perhaps we'll play this game instead......

Cake-O-Rama Sans the Drama

2011-11-15T18:42:00.000-05:00

Okay, I’m recovered. Well, sort of. I’m still not quite sure what month it is, let alone what day. I’ve been on more airplanes than I can count since mid-July and I’ve done everything from getting Eric moved into a new apartment in Philly, eating and hiking in Spain, attending three weddings, two funerals and one big birthday party, making and transporting the cakes for three of those events, to dealing with aging parents, sick dogs and rotting wood on the exterior of my house, plus hosting a couple of dinner parties.

Cripes, and is it really Thanksgiving next week???? Uh-oh. That means I need to get my act together and give you the recipe for my cranberry upside down cake in the next few days. It’s my favorite Thanksgiving dessert so I will make it a priority to pass it along in case you want to try it out for your holiday dinner.

For now though, we’re going to talk about coconut cake. When Andy’s best friend Anna asked me to make her wedding cake, it was a short conversation. We’ve known Anna since she and Andy were in the 4th grade and she’s part of our family. So what if her wedding was taking place in NYC? So what if I couldn’t do any advance prep since there was no way to get it there via the friendly skies? So what if I had to create the thing in Andy’s kitchen, which is about the size of my car? Minor details.

Here's the extra suitcase I had to drag with me to NYC

Here's what was in it

And here is Andy's one-ass kitchen!

But first, I had to come up with the perfect recipe. While I believe that a wedding cake should be beautiful, it’s even more important that it is moist and utterly delicious. Since the layers have to be made several days in advance, this is not an easy task. I tested several recipes which didn’t make the cut. Then I turned to biochemist and problem-solver extraordinaire, Shirley Corriher. Another short conversation.

If you ever have the opportunity to meet Shirley, you will fall in love with her immediately. She is ebullient, gregarious and flat-out hilarious. She is also smart like nobody’s business and has applied her vast knowledge to every food application known to man. She has been a trusted resource for everyone from Julia Child to Alton Brown. Her two books, Cookwise and Bakewise are volumes which no serious cook should be without. Next to Scott Peacock and Edna Lewis’ The Gift of Southern Cooking, hers are the books which receive the most use in my kitchen.

Her take on coconut cake is pure genius. Rather than incorporating coconut in the batter, she makes lovely golden cake layers and soaks them with a mixture of milk, sugar and coconut. She also eschews the usual creaming of butter and sugar for a dissolved sugar method, resulting in a velvety-soft texture. This cake came together easily, which was a good thing since I had to make the recipe times eight. Thanks, Shirley!

Dinner-on-the-Grounds Coconut Cake (adapted from Shirley Corriher)

For the cake:
1 ¾ cups cake flour
1 ¾ teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup water
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature and cut into fourths
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
½ teaspoon salt (I used sea salt)
1/3 cup canola oil
3 egg yolks (I used extra-large)
2 eggs (I used extra-large)
½ cup heavy cream

Arrange a shelf in the lower third of the oven, place a baking stone on it and preheat the oven to 350-degrees.

Spray a 9 x 2-inch round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line bottom and sides of pan with parchment paper and spray again. Set aside.

Place flour and baking powder in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed for 30 seconds. Remove to a large bowl and set aside. Add sugar to the mixing bowl and place it back on the mixer stand.

Heat the water to a simmer and add it to the sugar. Beat a few seconds to dissolve the sugar, then beat in the butter, vanilla extract, almond extract and salt. Add the oil and mix on medium to blend.

Sprinkle one-third of the flour mixture over the sugar mixture. Blend on low speed with a minimum amount of beating. Continue adding the flour until all is incorporated.

By hand, stir in the egg yolks, one at a time, then the whole eggs, one at a time.

In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Whip just a little more, just past the soft peak stage. Stir about ¼ of the whipped cream into the batter to lighten. Then gently fold the rest of the whipped cream into the batter by hand.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Drop the pan on the counter from a height of about 4-inches to knock out any air bubbles. Place in the preheated oven on the baking stone and bake until the center springs back when touched or a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean but moist, about 40 minutes. Place on a rack to cool for about 10 minutes, then shake pan to loosen the cake. Turn onto a baking rack to finish cooling completely.

Yield: 1 9-inch round layer (which can be sliced into 2 layers)

For the coconut soaking solution:
1 cup whole milk
1 cup granulated sugar
6 oz. grated coconut

In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then let cool slightly. Can be used hot or warm.

For the frosting:
I tested a lovely recipe for cream cheese buttercream, but it was a lot of work and I don't think the end result was worth it. At the end of the day, I used my standard cream cheese frosting, enhanced by a splash of pure almond extract. It was delicious and no one missed the fact that it wasn't a true buttercream. Here's the link to my frosting recipe. Just remember to add 2 teaspoons of almond extract.

http://nevertrustaskinnycook1.blogspot.com/2009/10/humingbird-cake.html

To assemble:
6 oz. shaved coconut

Place one cake layer, cut side up, on a serving platter. Spoon the soaking solution over, in small spoonfuls and let it absorb into the cake. Use enough to ensure that cake is moist but not falling apart. Spoon some of the frosting over the soaked layer and spread out evenly over the coconut, leaving a small border around edges. Place the second layer on top, cut side up and repeat the process, bringing frosting down the sides to create a very thin crumb coat. Refrigerate for 30 minutes until set, then frost completely. Press shaved coconut onto sides and top of cake. Store at room temperature.

Serves 8 - 12

First batched baked. Check!

(Note Magi-Cake strips on pans)

Baking core in place.

Think we could use a little more counter space?

Baking core did its job

All baked. Whew!

Here's the coconut soaking solution

Frosting ingredients. Think there will be enough?

Frosting done and I didn't even eat all of it!

Don't you just want to stick your finger in there?

Leveling the layers

Now for the fun part!

Crumb coat completed

Ready for transport -- to Brooklyn.

Oy veh!

* Shirley says that the use of cake flour is essential to this recipe. I would never be one to argue with her, so do as I did and follow her instructions. Yet another short conversation.

* I also did as I was told and baked my layers on top of a baking stone (in my case, it was a pizza stone). It did help to ensure nice, even layers so if you have one, by all means use it. If not, I would not race out to buy one, unless you are in the mood to make your own pizza.

* The recipe as written yields one cake layer which can be split into 2 layers. Alternatively, you could divide the batter between 2 pans and bake two thin layers. Or, you could double the recipe and divide between two pans, resulting in a higher finished cake.

* Here's a professional tip: use Magi-Cake strips when you bake your cake layers. These are long strips which you soak in water, then wrap around your cake pans. They help the cake edges bake more slowly than the middle of the cake, resulting in even layers without domed centers.

http://www.amazon.com/Magi-Cake-Set-Cake-Strips-Medium/dp/B002U0LE4O/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_2?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1321385869&sr=1-2-fkmr1

* One more tip: use a baking core if you are baking layers 10-inches in diameter or more. These are metal "cups" which you spray with cooking spray and insert directly into the batter in the middle of the pan, then fill with cake batter. When the cake is done, you remove the core (which leaves a hole in the middle of the cake), let it cool, then remove the cake inside and use it to "plug" the hole in the cake layer. These help the middle of the cake bake more quickly and also help to ensure that layers bake evenly.

AND NOW THE BACK STORY...

Anna and Jourdan held their ceremony on the roof garden of their high-rise building in DUMBO at 11:00am on a gorgeous autumn Saturday morning. We were treated to a fabulous view of Manhattan, then we walked en masse (all 75 of us) to the ferry where we boarded for a short but beautiful trip to Greenpoint, disembarked and walked a short distance to Paulie Gee's, which bills itself as a neighborhood pizza joint. We loved the place and it was the perfect spot for Anna and Jourdan's celebration. Oh, and the pizza was pretty good, too!

(Here is a 5-minute video of that wonderful day. It makes me cry. Stick with it after the toasts (that's best man Andy doing the first one) and you'll get a good view of the cake. Brief cameos of Henry and Eric, too).

http://vimeo.com/31776341

There was only one problem. Since Paulie Gee's is in a very small space, they did not have room for me to deliver and set up the cake on Friday and there was no way I could get it there on Saturday morning then make it to the wedding on time. In stepped Pola, of Tashi and Bobo, the lovely lady whom Anna and Jourdan chose to do the flowers. Andy and I managed to deliver the finished layers to her on Friday, then she transported, stacked and adorned them with flowers at the restaurant on Saturday morning. Thank you, Pola! BTW, if any of you are in need of an incredible florist/designer, check out her website. Ha, and she makes wedding cakes, too!

http://www.tashiandbobo.com/

Lest you think my work was done, think again. That evening, there was a big football game on the tube (don't even ask me what it was; remember I am not a football person) and Andy decided that everyone should watch the game at his apartment. Of course that translated into "can you make something for us to eat, Mom?" So "Mom" headed back to the city in the late afternoon, hit the grocery store and whipped up a huge pot of chicken chili. They devoured every bit of it. Go, ~~Liz~~ Mom.

We returned to Atlanta on Monday and I hit the ground running on Tuesday. Why? That's because I was making another cake - this time for a dear friend's birthday. Somehow I managed to pull it off - at least I didn't have to pack a suitcase this time!

Rich and Moist Bittersweet Chocolate Cake with Salted Caramel,

Milk Chocolate Buttercream and Bittersweet Chocolate Tiles

Back to Reality

2011-10-28T20:14:00.001-04:00

With a jolt. What I didn’t mention here was that my father-in-law’s wife passed away the week before we left for Spain, necessitating a quick trip to NYC before our departure. We returned to find Henry’s father in the hospital; sadly he passed away last week, so we headed to NYC yet once again. While we are saddened by these losses, we take comfort in the fact that they both had very long and satisfying lives.

Now you know why the hiatus lasted longer than two weeks. I’ll try to get back on track…

The athletes. Yeah, right.

As you know, we went to Spain to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary. (I’ve no idea how we’ve made it this long without killing each other but somehow we continue to have a wonderful marriage and we still actually like each other). The first week was spent hiking in La Costa Brava and the Pyrenees (can you say “unrelenting rocks and elevations?”) and the second was in Barcelona where we undid the benefits of all that exercise by eating way too much foie gras. Needless to say, we had a glorious time. See for yourself.

We hiked here

And here!

Gaudi. Genius.

La Sagrada Familia. Still unfinished.

And the food. Oh, the food! Foie gras, razor clams, Jamon Iberico, gazpacho, paella and lots and lots of Cava!

The color of the figs was unreal. Local cheese didn't hurt, either.

Local honey tasting in the Pyrenees

Goat Cheese "Mata" thickened with artichoke flower

Straight from the chef's garden

Tomato bread and Jamon Iberico

Breaking the fast (I'm not kidding) with foie gras and egg

at Bar Quim in La Boqueria

Naturally I returned home full of resolve to hone my Catalan cooking skills. I unearthed my old copy of Colman Andrews’ Catalan Cuisine and set to work. About that time, a friend showed up with a stash of locally grown apples. It looked to me like Pomes Farcides amb Crema Catalana (Apples Stuffed with Catalan “Burnt Cream”) was in order.

I made the recipe. Since I now have to work even harder at becoming a skinny cook, I made it as written (serving 4), but gave half of it away when our 12-year-old next-door neighbor unexpectedly showed up. This kid is wise beyond his years and he has a pretty sophisticated palate to boot. He’s picky, too. I wondered what he would think of this not-too-sweet dessert.

I didn’t have to wait long. Ten minutes after he left with the apples, he was back. He was beaming, but chose his words carefully – “the custard was runny, so it made a good sauce. The baked apple was juicy and sweet, but also crunchy. It was perfect.”

Alrighty, then. I take that as high praise. Apples are in season now, so it’s a good time to make this. Hope you enjoy it as much as Gabriel did!

Pomes Farcides amb Crema Catalana (Apples Stuffed with Catalan "Burnt Cream") from Colman Andrews

4 large baking apples

1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided

Crema Catalana (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350-degrees.

Core the apples, being careful not to cut through the bottoms, then pare a 1-inch strip around the top of each. Place apples in a lightly buttered baking dish just large enough to hold them.

Bring 1/2 cup of water to a boil and add 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar. Stir to dissolve, then spoon liquid over the apples.

Bake uncovered, for 30 - 40 minutes or until apples are tender, basting occasionally.. Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes, continuing to baste occasionally.

Fill each apple with the Crema Catalana, then sprinkle the tops with the remaining sugar. Use a blow torch (or broiler) to caramelize. Cool slightly before serving.

Yield: 4 servings

For the Crema Catalana:

2 cups (1 pint) half-and-half

Peel of 1/2 lemon

1 small cinnamon stick (3-inches)

3 egg yolks

1/4 cup sugar

Heat the half-and-half, lemon peel and cinnamon stick in a saucepan over medium heat until just boiling, then remove from heat immediately. Allow to cool, then discard lemon peel and cinnamon stick.

Beat the egg yoks and sugar until thick. Temper with 1/4 cup of the half-and-half mixture, then blend in the rest. Transfer mixture to a heave-bottomed saucepan.

Place over medium-low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. This will take approximately 20 minutes. When thickened, remove to a bowl and cool slightly. Press plastic wrap directly over the surface to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate until ready to use.

Yield: approximately 2 1/2 cups

Yet again, I have a few comments. So, what else is new?

* This recipe makes more Crema than you need. You could cut it in half (1 1/2 egg yolks, anyone?) or you could just make the recipe as written and enjoy the spoils. A spoonful here, a spoonful there - when consumed in such small amounts, calories don't count, right?

* If you are looking for an active vacation, look no further than Backroads. This is the second trip we have taken with them and they are just flat-out stellar. I fell in love with our guides, Vincent and Chema.

http://www.backroads.com/

* Do you need a travel agent? If so, I have "the travel agent extraordinaire." Send me a message if you want her info and I will happily share it with you. Doreen, you rock!

* Two major cakes are in my immediate future. One is a wedding cake and one is a BIG birthday cake. Oy veh! Once I recover, I will give you all of the dirty details.

Four Words

2011-10-13T12:04:00.000-04:00

No mas jamon Iberico! For that matter, no more foie gras either. I have OD'd on both since I've been in Spain. A recent dinner entree was a hunk of foie gras the size of a small filet mignon. It's served here with just about anything you can think of ... fried eggs, risotto, steak, salad and probably even cardboard. Oh, my arteries!

Headed home tomorrow and not a moment too soon. If I was something less than a skinny cook before, I am even less so now. (Can you say "porker?")

Nonetheless, I am returning with some great ideas and lots of inspiration. See you in a few days after I get over my jet lag and utter exhaustion from a week of vigorous mountain hiking.

Hasta luega! Headed out for one last dinner...

Two Words

2011-09-30T12:12:00.000-04:00

Iberian ham. I have only been in Barcelona for a few short hours, but the stuff is EVERYWHERE. Think I!m glad I had that cholesterol test before we embarked upon this trip.

Will keep you updated on all of our "porky pleasures!"

Cheers!

Off, Off and Away

2011-09-27T23:12:00.000-04:00

No, I am not abandoning you. I'm just taking a two-week hiatus from this blog.

There is good reason for this. Henry and I are about to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary (how did I get to be this old, anyway and how in the hell have we managed to stay married for this long?) so we decided to do it up right.

We are headed to Spain, first to hike for a week in the Pyrenees, then another week in Barcelona and Madrid. I'm thinking there is a lot of pork in my future.

Can we afford this? No. Should we be doing this right now, given all of the family drama that is currently going on? No. Are we doing it anyway? Yep!

We thought about canceling this trip, more than once. At the end of the day, we decided we should go for it while we are still "young" enough and healthy enough to trek through the Pyrenees.

I promise I will come back with lots of food ideas and recipes.

Let Them Eat Cake

2011-09-20T18:57:00.000-04:00

I should probably just give it up and go into the cake-making business. You may remember all those birthday cakes I’ve posted about here, as well as that wedding cake I made in July. Now it seems I will be doing another one (in NYC this time) as well as a cake for a friend’s big birthday in November.

The irony is that I just had a birthday and guess what my birthday cake was? Zip, zero, nada, that’s what. Guess it’s time for a pity party!

Well ... maybe not. Even though a cake wasn’t involved, I had a lovely day. We were in NYC, the weather was good (pre-tropical storm Lee) so we embarked upon one of our walks. We crossed the Brooklyn Bridge, came back via the Manhattan Bridge, then walked through the Lower East Side, Soho and the West Village before hitting the Meat-Packing District and the High Line. My kind of day.

Brooklyn Bridge, here we come!

Back over the Manhattan Bridge

The High Line

(Don't miss it if you find yourself in NYC)

Dinner was with Andy and his lovely girlfriend Jana (yep, sorry girls - he's taken) at Marea on Central Park South. If you’re in NYC, check it out. Here’s the link:

http://marea-nyc.com/

So I won’t hand you any complaints about the lack of a birthday cake. Instead, I’ll give you the recipes for two cakes I made recently. Nope, they’re not fancy, decorated or even particularly pretty. They're just plain good!

The first is one of those retro recipes I love so much. I was perusing my files and came across that old Tunnel of Fudge Cake recipe. (It was right next to the recipe for Better Than Sex Cake, haha!) Are any of you old enough to remember it? It took 2nd Place in the 1966 Pillsbury Bake-Off, it was baked in a bundt pan and it was submitted by a woman named Ella Helfrich. In her original recipe she used a cake mix, but the point was that the cake had a soft fudgy center which was kind of like eating underbaked brownie batter. Who wouldn't like that?

I decided to wallow in the past and make the thing. Sans cake mix, of course. Turns out there's a good reason why it won an award. I took it to a dinner party and it was a hit. Here's the recipe:

TUNNEL OF FUDGE CAKE (adapted from Pillsbury)

For the cake:
1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
½ teaspoon salt (I used kosher)
1 ¾ cups unsalted butter, softened
6 eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups confectioner’s sugar
2 ¼ cups all-purpose, unbleached flour
¾ cup cocoa powder (I used Droste)
2 cups chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Grease and flour a 12-cup fluted bundt pan or tube pan.

In a large bowl, combine sugar, salt and butter. Cream well until light and fluffy, scraping down bowl several times. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.Add vanilla. Gradually add the 2 cups of confectioner’s sugar and blend well. By hand, stir in flour and cocoa powder, then stir in walnuts.

Spoon batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 45 to 50 minutes until top is set and edges just start to pull away from sides of pan. Cool on a baking rack for 1 ½ hours, then invert onto serving plate. Cool completely before glazing.

For the glaze:
¾ cup confectioner’s sugar
¼ cup cocoa powder (again, I used Droste)
4 to 6 teaspoons milk or half-and-half

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, adding enough milk to reach desired drizzling consistency. Spoon over top of cake, allowing glaze to run down sides.

Serves 12 - 16

* This is a very heavy dough. Use a strong wooden spoon or heavy spatula when you get to the mixing-by-hand part. Don't use a spatual with a plastic handle or it will break. Trust me, I know about this.

* Spooning the batter into the pan isn't as easy as it sounds. It doesn't spoon easily. Use an ice cream scoop instead.

* You may be like me and omit nuts from most recipes. Don't be tempted to do that here. For whatever reason, the walnuts are crucial to the success of this recipe. Just do it.

* As evidence that I really am a dinosaur, I have not one, but three bundt pans. Two of them are almost as ancient as I am. The third (silicone) is the one I opted to use for this recipe.

The original

The non-stick

The up-to-date (if you can say that about a bundt pan) silicone

The next recipe comes from Gale Gand, whom I believe is the dessert goddess of our century (more about that in another post). For now, just be content with her sumptuous recipe for this cake:

Chocolate Almond Upside-Down Cake

For the topping:
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
½ cup honey
1 ½ cups sliced almonds, toasted

Generously grease a 10-inch round cake pan. Preheat oven to 350-degrees.

To make the topping, pour the melted butter into the cake pan and swirl to coat the bottom. Sprinkle in the brown sugar and drizzle with the honey. Scatter the almonds over evenly. Set aside.

For the cake:
1 ¼ cups cake flour
½ cup cocoa powder (I used Droste)
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt (I used kosher)
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
3 eggs, room temperature (I used extra-large)
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the butter until smooth and fluffy. Add the sugar and beat again until light and fluffy, scraping down bowl several times. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. With mixer on low speed, add a third of the dry ingredients and mix to combine. Mix in half of the buttermilk, then another third of the dry ingredients before adding the remaining buttermilk and the vanilla. Finish with the remaining dry ingredients and mix until smooth.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until set in the center, about 25 to 35 minutes.

Remove from oven and immediately run a knife around edges to loosen. Invert pan onto a serving platter. Let it sit with the pan still on top for 5 minutes so the caramel can soak into the cake before removing the pan. If the topping sticks to the pan, warm the pan surface over a low burner or in the oven briefly to loosen the caramel, then pour it over the cake. Let cool completely before serving.

Cut into wedges with a serrated knife.

Serves 10 - 12

A friend (who is diabetic) asked me to post some recipes he could actually make. Oops, sorry DM - I don't think these qualify! I'll work on your request, though....

Happy Chocolate Cake, y'all. I'm headed to the gym now!

Wait, Wait, Don't Go Yet!

2011-09-09T11:35:00.000-04:00

I don’t know what the weather is like where you live, but here in Atlanta it has morphed into autumn. One day it was hot and humid, then suddenly the air had that “cool” freshness to it and our sunlight became mellower and more golden. Today I saw a family of gold finches in our backyard, clearly on their migratory trail to warmer climates. Summer, where did you go?

Despite the fact that I had a crazy, busy summer, I did manage to cook a lot. I just didn’t get around to blogging about it. In a perfect world, I would post every recipe immediately for you but hey – that’s not my reality. Unfortunately, I got too distracted with things like moving kids, wedding cake and other road trips, ailing parents, flat tires, varmints in the back yard and misbehaving washing machines. You get the picture. It’s called Life.

But even though it’s the end of summer, I have to give you the scoop on some of the best seasonal salads I know. It’s not too late to make them, as all of the vegetables and herbs you will need are still in abundance. It’s not too difficult to make them, as all of these recipes are a snap. In fact, the mushroom salad is so easy, you will probably laugh at me. Just remember my mantra that sometimes the sum is greater than the whole of its parts!

MUSHROOM SALAD WITH PARMIGIANO REGGIANO

12 oz. fresh white mushrooms, wiped clean
4 oz. Parmigiano Reggiano, shaved
¼ cup best quality extra-virgin olive oil
2 lemons, juiced
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Several sprigs of Italian parsley

Trim mushrooms and cut into paper-thin slices. Arrange them decoratively on a round serving platter.

Sprinkle the shaved Parmigiano Reggiano over, then drizzle with the olive oil and lemon juice. Season assertively with salt and pepper to taste. Tear the parsley leaves into small pieces and scatter over the salad. Let sit at room temperature until ready to serve. May be made one hour in advance.

Yield: 6 – 8 servings

COUSCOUS AND BLACK BEAN SALAD

3 cups cooked couscous (I really don’t need to explain this, do I?)
1 ½ cups cooked, drained black beans (canned are fine, just rinse and drain them)
2 tomatoes, chopped
4 scallions, sliced on the diagonal
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro (if you hate cilantro, you can use Italian parsley)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine couscous, black beans, tomatoes, scallions, cilantro and cumin in a large bowl. Stir well to combine.

Whisk together olive oil, lime juice and garlic. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour over couscous mixture and stir gently. Taste to adjust seasonings.

Yield: 6 – 8 servings

DILLED CORN SALAD WITH BUTTERMILK DRESSING (adapted from food52)

For the salad:
1 shallot, thinly sliced
3 ears of fresh corn, kernels removed with a sharp knife
½ of a European (seedless) cucumber, diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
¼ cup minced Italian parsley
½ cup crumbled feta cheese

For the dressing:
¼ cup buttermilk
2/3 cup plain yogurt (I used non-fat Greek yogurt)
1 tablespoon champagne (or white wine) vinegar
½ of a Vidalia (or other sweet onion), minced
1 small clove garlic, minced
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a large bowl, combine shallot, corn, cucumber, red pepper, dill and parsley. Stir to blend.

In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, yogurt, vinegar, onion and garlic. Whisk to combine then add oil in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Pour dressing over corn mixture. Taste to adjust seasonings, then sprinkle with the crumbled feta cheese.

Yield: 6 – 8 servings

GREEK PANZANELLA (adapted from Ina Garten)

For the salad:
6 cups diced rustic bread (1-inch cubes)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 European (seedless) cucumber, halved and sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and large-diced
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and large-diced
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced

For the dressing:
¼ cup good red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
½ cup extra virgin olive oil

To assemble:
1 cup diced feta cheese
½ cup pitted kalamata olives
¼ cup drained capers

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Toss the bread cubes with the olive oil and spread out on a baking sheet. Season well with salt and pepper. Bake for 10-15 minutes, turning once, until bread is toasted and lightly browned. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

Place the cucumber, peppers, tomatoes and red onion in a large bowl and toss together.

For the dressing, place the vinegar, garlic, dried oregano and mustard in a bowl and whisk together. Season well with salt and pepper and whisk in the ½ cup of olive oil in a slow stream until mixture emulsifies. Taste to adjust seasoning.

Add the cooled bread to the vegetables in the bowl and toss to combine. Pour the dressing over and mix well. Stir in the feta, kalamata olives and capers. Taste to adjust seasoning and serve.

Yield: 6 – 8 servings

* Now I realize I'm not giving you any ooey-gooey dessert recipes in this post, but bear with me here. It's not always about sugar (and butter) in this blog! Go ahead - treat yourself to one of these lovely salads instead.

* I'm thinking I might make all 4 of these and invite some friends over for an end-of-summer salad party this weekend. I'll mix up some pitchers of sangria and pomegranate cosmos and we can enjoy an evening on the patio. Sounds like a plan - I'll just need to remind everyone to bring sweaters!

Life with a Few Cookies Thrown In

2011-08-31T17:52:00.000-04:00

Those of you who read this blog on a regular basis (I bow down in gratitude to all of you) know that I write about more than just recipes. I’m notorious at poking fun at myself because I think everything is better with a dose of humor. I’ve had lots of fun sharing things like fruit flies in my garage and rats in my backyard.

When describing my blog to those who aren’t “in the know,” I usually make the comment that it combines a slice of life with a slice of cake.

So yes, I am going to give you that recipe I promised you in the last post for Raspberry-Filled Shortbread, but not before I give you another one of those little slices of life.

It has to do with one of those marathon walks that Henry and I embark upon most every weekend. (Well, usually … but we’ve been out-of-pocket for the last six weeks, what with mobile wedding cakes, other travel and moving Eric to a new apartment in Philly). We set out recently, resolute that we could persevere, even in 95-degree heat. We forgot how hard it is after a long hiatus.

We slogged it out for about four hours (no, I’m not kidding) then finally caved and decided it was time to stop for some nourishment (that would be air-conditioning, Greek salad and a glass of wine – for me, anyway). We were hot, sweaty and looked ridiculous, but we didn’t care. Places we stop usually get this and seat us far, far away from other patrons. This is generally a good call, lest they run off their other customers.

We stopped at a mediocre Irish pub. It wasn’t our place of choice (that would have been Leon’s Full Service), but we knew we needed to stop. I ordered that wine.

Unbeknownst to me, the one waitress in the place was doing shots with folks who were seated behind me. I know this because Henry had an unobstructed view. Next thing I knew, she was approaching our table while trying to balance at least four glasses in her hands.

She attempted to set my wine in front of me. It was like slo-mo. I saw it slip out of her hand and could do nothing but watch as it sloshed all over my chest, my lap and my iPhone. Really???

Guess that’s what I get for imbibing in the middle of a walk when I probably should’ve been drinking Gatorade. To her credit, she was mortified and offered to bring me a dry T-shirt. I demurred, but she insisted. I ended up with three T-shirts. Guess guilt can be a pretty powerful weapon!

I looked at Henry. “This is blog-worthy,” I said. Even though I got to change my shirt, the bottom half of me was still wine-soaked and I’m sure I smelled like an alcoholic mess on the rest of the walk home. Gotta wonder what the neighbors thought!

RASPBERRY-FILLED SHORTBREAD (adapted from Gale Gand)

1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
4 egg yolks
2 cups granulated sugar
4 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt (I used kosher)
1 12-oz. jar seedless raspberry jam
1/2 cup confectioner's (or non-melting) sugar

Line a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with heavy-duty foil to overhang sides. Butter or grease foil well.

Place the butter into the bowl of an electric mixer and cream well, scraping down bowl at least once. Add the egg yolks and mix well.

In a medium bowl, stir together the granulated sugar, flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the butter/egg mixture and mix on medium-low speed until just incorporated and dough starts to come together. Turn dough onto a floured surface and form into 2 ovals. Wrap each one in plastic wrap and freeze at least 2 hours or preferably overnight.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350-degrees.

Remove 1 package of dough from the freezer and coarsely grate (I used a box grater). P1ace on bottom of the prepared pan and press down lightly to form a bottom crust.

Stir jam to loosen and spoon over the dough. Use a small spatula to spread evenly within 1/2-inch of the edge all the way around.

Remove second package of dough from the freezer and grate. Sprinkle it over the raspberry jam and press lightly to form a top crust. Bake until light golden brown, about 40 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on a baking rack. When cool, remove foil and cut. Dust with the confectioner's (or non-melting) sugar.

Yield: 12 to 16 bars, depending upon how you cut them

Butter? No such thing as too much.

* I know I seem to post a lot of shortbread recipes, but get over it. Shortbread rocks!

* I served these with that scrumptious Lemon Mouuse I told you about in the last post, but they are pretty wonderful all on their own. They're not bad for breakfast, either!

The Dagger Quick

2011-08-20T18:02:00.000-04:00

A long time ago and far, far away, we were much younger and had two small boys. Occasionally we wanted to get away from it all (doesn't every parent?) and escape for a random weekend. We were lucky enough to convince one of the kids' teachers to take on the task of staying with them while we were off pretending to be adults.

That teacher was one Brian Eames, who continues to educate, inspire, enlighten and motivate kids. He is married to the fabulous Jesica and they have three amazing boys. Guess all the times they babysat Eric and Andy didn't dissuade them from the challenges of male offspring.

I won't drag this out (for once). It was Brian's dream to write a children's book and so he did. (Do you know the odds of writing a book and getting it published? Just ask Kathryn Stockett, whose best-selling/now-made-into-a-movie book "The Help" was rejected 60 times). Brian didn't have that problem. Simon and Schuster decided that "The Dagger Quick" was worthy of publication. Go Brian!

http://www.thedaggerquick.com/

It was my great pleasure to host a dinner here recently to celebrate Brian's achievement. It was a hot summer night, so I went with beautiful, cool salads and and easy menu that we could all enjoy while sitting around and basking in his success. It was a lovely evening and I think my dessert was the perfect ending.

(As an aside, this recipe is from William Poll Caterers in NYC. It was reprinted in the NY Times by Alex Witchell in her column "Feed Me.")

LEMON MOUSSE FOR A CROWD

1 cup egg whites (from about 7 extra-large eggs)

2 cups confectioner’s sugar
½ cup fresh lemon juice (from 5 – 7 lemons)
1 cup light corn syrup
3 cups heavy cream
Candied lemon peel for garnish (recipe follows)
Softly whipped cream for serving, if desired

Bring 2-inches of water to a boil in the bottom of a double-boiler. In top of the double boiler, combine egg whites, confectioner’s sugar and lemon juice. Place over the boiling water. Using a large balloon whisk, whisk mixture vigorously until smooth, airy and very thick, about 5 minutes. Add corn syrup and whisk just until smooth. Remove from heat.

Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Remove from refrigerator and add heavy cream. Using an electric mixer, whisk until thick enough to hold stiff peaks, about 2 minutes. Place in dessert cups or bowls and refrigerate until ready to serve. These can be made a day ahead and will hold in the refrigerator if covered with plastic wrap.

Top with candied lemon peel and (if desired) a dollop of whipped cream before serving.

Yield: about 9 cups (18 to 24 servings)

In the interest of full disclosure, I was the recipient of some fresh shiso leaves the day I made this, so I cut them into a chiffonade and used them aa a part of the garnish on top. You could substitute fresh basil, or you could just omit anything green altogether.

CANDIED LEMON PEEL

2 large lemons
2 cups granulated sugar plus more for coating

Using a vegetable peeler, remove peel from lemon in vertical strips. Be careful to remove only the zest and not the white pith underneath, which is bitter.

Place the lemon strips in a saucepan and add 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then drain off water. Do this three times, then pour into a strainer to drain peels.

Place 2 cups of water into the pan and add 1 cup of water. Whisk to dissolve sugar, then add peels and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered until peels are tender and translucent, about 10 minutes. Drain peels and let cool.

Place enough sugar to coat peels into a small bowl. Add peels and toss to coat. Remove peels one at a time, shaking gently to remove excess sugar and place on a baking rack to set up. When dry, store in an airtight container. They will keep for a week or two.

You can use them as they are, or slice into julienned strips.

* I served this with Raspberry-Filled Shortbread and it was a perfect partner. Will post that recipe next.

* Brian was kind enough to sign our copy of his book. He wrote "For Liz and Henry - who showed us that great sons can be raised." I cannot imagine a greater compliment.

* Thanks to all of you who read this blog. It's been two years now. I appreciate all of you.

E-Z Bake

2011-08-12T18:54:00.001-04:00

Did you have one of those Easy-Bake Ovens when you were a kid? I did (of course) and I still remember those minuscule round baking “pans” and those miniature boxes of cake mix. Fortunately my baking skills have improved immeasurably since then, but the silly thing definitely helped me develop my baking chops.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easy-Bake_Ovenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easy-Bake_Oven

(btw, the first picture of that little kid in this link looks exactly like I did back then – bad bangs and all!)

Flash forward a few hundred years, and my Easy-Bake has been replaced by double convection ovens. And, while I would never let a box of cake mix grace my kitchen, I’m not adverse to “easy-bake” recipes. So when my good friend and cooking companion SW called recently about getting together to make bread and homemade mozzarella, I was on it like a duck on a junebug (we say that kind of weird stuff down here in the South).

We’ll talk about the cheese in another post; for now I want to tell you about the bread. It’s not a new recipe – it came out a few years ago and generated a lot of buzz at the time. When SW told me that’s what we were making, my heart sank. No-Knead Bread? Food snob that I am, I eschewed it when it debuted (even though I clipped the recipe) and never deigned to make it. I explained that to my friend, who looked at me like I had lost my mind.

“You don’t get it,” he said. “It’s not about the recipe. It’s about the baking method.”

Now, normally I would stick to my guns, but I totally trust SW when it comes to all things culinary. (Don’t tell him I said that). He knows his way around a kitchen like nobody’s business and I know enough to listen when he has something to say. As usual, he was right.

In the spirit of sticking to something E-Z, I am giving you the no-knead recipe. In addition to no-knead, it’s a no-brainer and it’s quite good. But the real gift is the baking method, which you can use for any yeast bread you can think of. It produces a lovely round of bread that will stand up to anything you can buy in your local bakery or grocery store. Trust me!

NO-KNEAD BREAD (from Jim Lahey of Sullivan Street Bakery in NYC)

3 cups all-purpose, unbleached flour, plus more for work surface
1/4 teaspoon dry active yeast
1 1/4 teaspoons salt (I used kosher)
Cornmeal, for dusting

In a large bowl, combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 5/8 cups of lukewarm water and stir until blended. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest at least 12 hours or preferably 18 at warm room temperature, about 70-degrees.

Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it. Sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.

Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with cornmeal and put dough seam-side down on towel. Dust with a little more cornmeal then cover with another cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than doubled in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.

At least 30 minutes before dough is ready, heat oven to 450-degrees. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in the oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up. It may look like a mess, but that is okay. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes. Remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack.

Yield: 1 (1 1/4-lb.) loaf

* Don't be like me. Read the recipe before you start this process. That's because you need to plan ahead as this needs AT LEAST 12 hours of standing time. Duh!

* Yes, I realize that the amount of water called for is 1- and 5/8 cups. This is not a typo. Just do it.

* SW, I bow down to you in gratitude. Kitchen Super-Hero, oh yes you are!

On a Roll

2011-08-04T20:17:00.001-04:00

Brace yourselves. This is going to be the longest post in history.

Those of you who are my Facebook friends are well aware of what's been going on with me and why I haven't posted anything recently. To make a veeerrry long story short, I agreed some months ago to make a wedding cake for my son, Andy's best friend Jermaine (and his lovely bride Megan, whom we love like a daughter). Now, that doesn't sound too daunting, does it? I mean, it's only cake!

Well, yes. But did I mention that the wedding was taking place in New Orleans and I live in Atlanta? As usual, what was I thinking?

My catering instincts kicked in and I spent tons of time plotting my course. As any good caterer knows, you can NEVER trust that the kitchen you're working in will have anything you need, so it's imperative that you bring EVERYTHING, even down to the potholders and paper towels. I can do that. Check.

Arrghh, but the thought of baking all of those cake layers in a foreign kitchen did not sit well with me. Too much margin for error. Since the wedding was taking place on a Saturday, I wondered if I could bake the layers on Tuesday. If so, it meant we could load up everything in the car on Wednesday and drive to New Orleans, leaving me with Thursday to make the frosting and Friday to assemble the thing. (Sorry, Henry - there goes your fantasy of taking an old-fashioned Amtrak trip. You get to drive your packed-to-the-gills car for 7 hours instead).

I spent several months testing recipes. I knew Hummingbird Cake would hold its moisture, but I was wary of the nuts in it, as some folks are allergic. Besides, I found out that they turned blue after three days. Fail. Then I tried Red Velvet, but it just didn't do anything for me and I wanted something a little more special than the usual accompanying cream cheese frosting. Lemon-Poppyseed? It didn't hold up, as the crumb was too fine and the cake dried out. I also tried a basic yellow cake from a wedding cake book I purchased. Way too dry for my taste. Another fail. Uh-oh. It was now a week from B (that would be baking) - Day.

The lesson here is that sometimes you have to get out of your own way and do what you know best. I turned to my favorite cream cheese poundcake and cha-ching! The cream cheese and butter worked together to hold in the moisture and frankly, it was better on Saturday than it was on Tuesday. Alrighty, then.

If you are one of the two people who read this blog, then you know I have a perverse sense of humor. So I will just cut to the chase, without being politcally correct. The groom is black. The bride is white. With that in mind, what could possibly be better than a marble cake????? My apologies if any of you are offended, but I knew it was the perfect cake for the perfect couple. I doubt that all of the 130 people at the wedding got it, but for those of us that did, it made us smile. C'mon, a little humor never hurt any of us!

MARBLED CREAM CHEESE POUNDCAKE

1/2 lb. unsalted butter
1/2 lb. cream cheese
3 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
6 eggs, at room temperature
3 cups sifted cake flour
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

6 oz. bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), melted and cooled slightly

Preheat oven to 325-degrees. Butter two 8-inch cake pans and line with parchment paper. Butter parchment well and set aside.

Cut butter and cream cheese into pieces and place in the bowl of electric mixer. Cream well, scraping down bowl, then add sugar and salt. Continue beating for 10 minutes, scraping down bowl several times.

Reduce mixer speed to medium and add eggs one at a time. Incorporate each egg before adding the next. When all eggs are added, increase speed to high and beat for 1 minute until mixture is no longer grainy.

Reduce speed and add flour. When just incorporated, add vanilla and blend briefly. Remove from mixer, and use a spatula to combine by hand.

Remove 1/3 of the batter to a medium bowl. Add the melted chocolate and fold with spatula until blended.

Divide the non-chocolate batter between the 2 prepared pans and spread evenly. Drop 1/2 of the chocolate batter over each pan with a large spoon in dollops. Use a knife to gently swirl in the chocolate batter.

Rap each pan sharply on the counter to remove air bubbles. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let cool slightly, then remove from pans onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

Yield: One (1) 8-inch, two-layer cake

I made the recipe X 12 in order to end up with 4 tiers plus

5 sheet cakes (a caterer's trick - make extra sheet cakes that can be cut in the

back of the house then served to the guests).

Once I got the cake part figured out, I turned my attention to the frosting. To me, this thing screamed out for chocolate frosting to enhance the chocolate swirls in the cake. My favorite recipe is incredibly good but it is also extremely temperamental as it's loaded with butter. Given the heat and humidity in New Orleans, I nixed that idea. I guess I could have done the standard butter, cocoa and powdered sugar routine, but that just didn't have the finesse I wanted. The wedding cake book I mentioned had a recipe for making frosting by combining chocolate and sour cream. That looked promising. Until I tried it. Yuck. That stupid book failed me twice, so I threw it away!

Once again, I went back to what I know. There is a local Boston bakery chain which is owned and operated by Judy Rosenberg. She published a book in 1991 titled "Rosie's All-Butter, Fresh Cream, Sugar-Packed Baking Book." Now with a name like that, how could anything in it be bad? One of the best things in it is her recipe for chocolate frosting.

This is another one of those recipes I am embarassed to give you because it's so elementary. It has just three ingredients and it is a total breeze to make. All you need are your three ingredients and a blender. I know, I know - you are going to read this recipe and say "no way." Oh, but resist your impulse and try it out. You will be stunned at the result. It's rich, shiny, chocolate-y, it holds its shape and it is absolutely fabulous. Trust me.

After Isplit and frosted the tiers, I placed them in the refrigerate to set up.

Heaven forbid they should slide!

SILKY SMOOTH CHOCOLATE SATIN FROSTING (from Judy Rosenberg)

6 oz. unsweetened chocolate

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons evaporated milk (not sweetened condensed milk)

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

Melt chocolate in a double boiler over simmering water. Cool slightly.

Meanwhile, blend the evaporated milk and the sugar in a blender on medium speed for 10 seconds. Add melted chocolate and blend on high speed until thick and shiny, about 30 - 60 seconds, depending upon your blender. The blender's sound will change when the frosting has thickened.

Spoon frosting into a bowl and let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, then cover with plastic wrap until ready to use.

Do NOT refrigerate, even if not using for several days. It will keep in a cool, dry place.

Yield: 1 1/2 cups or enough for a 2-layer cake

Is that frosting gorgeous or what?

Sheet cakes. As usual, I erred on the side of too much.

The kitchen and waitstaff were happy campers.

Now for the fun stuff. The wedding reception was held at a local barbecue joint. Gotta love that, and the barbecue was awesome. Even better? The name of the place!

We scouted the place out a few days before the wedding. We also visited the kitchen where I would be making the frosting and assembling the cake. It became immediately clear to me that we needed wheels.

In a perfect world, we would have ready access to a rolling cart. Yeah, right. So we headed to Walmart (haha, when was the first time I ever shopped there?) with Henry bitching the whole time about how it was going to cost a ridiculous amount of money to purchase something suitable. He forgot he was dealing with Liz Lorber.

I hit the ground running in that cavernous, disgusting place and immediately got my hands on a rolling television stand. The posted price was $39.99, but when I got to the cashier, it rang up at $19.99. Way to go, Liz! Now we had to deal with the scary part - ASSEMBLY REQUIRED. As a veteran of building more IKEA furniture for my kids that I care to acknowledge, I'm pretty good at it. But Henry? Not so much. And of course, it was his job to deal with it since I had to work on the cake.

He managed to put it together, but not without a lot of moans, groans and "oh shits." I could have done it in half the time!

Then it was time for the rubber to meet the road (ouch). Time to transport the cake. Oy veh.

Naked on the now-assembled TV stand

Please be careful, Matt and Henry!

In the car. I sat next to it during the trip to Squeal.

I don't think my leg has woken up yet.

Long story short (well, not really), the cake made it to the reception and was enjoyed by all. Even by me. Now that's saying something!

Two Words

2011-07-24T22:25:00.000-04:00

Bacon. Crackers.

Baked together into crispy, porky, salty, crunchy deliciousness.

How did I manage to miss this for the past twenty years?

I stumbled across this recipe recently in what's left of the weekly Food Section of our Atlanta Journal-Constitution. (Actually, calling this a recipe is somewhat of a stretch as it requires only two ingredients and is a snap to make). Since I was getting ready to host a casual dinner party, it caught my eye because it sounded easy (as in a complete no-brainer) and tasty. So I whipped up a batch, served them to my guests and watched them disappear. Quickly, I might add.

Now I don't know the origin of this (someone just screwing around in the kitchen, no doubt), but when I took a batch to one of my foodie friends and his eighty-ish-something (dynamic) mother, she talked animatedly about serving these at cocktail parties back in the day. A quick Google search revealed multiple recipes and variations with several statements that these had been around for years.

Given my interest in retro recipes, I would love to know if any of you have ever heard of these. Maybe your mom made them? Your grandmother, perhaps? Let me know, please.

In the meantime, I will leave you with the "recipe" which recently appeared in the AJC, from Mississippi author Martha Hall Foose's book "A Southerly Course." Make these for your next cocktail party, or make them just for yourself. You might feel guilty, but you won't be sorry!

Henry is neither guilt-ridden or sorry.

He's just relieved the Food Police are on vacation!

BACON CRACKERS (adapted from Martha Hall Foose)

15 strips of bacon (preferably applewood-smoked)
45 buttery crackers (such as Waverly Wafers)

Preheat oven to 250-degrees. Place a baking rack over a sheet pan and coat very lightly with cooking spray.

Slice bacon strips into thirds. Wrap each cracker with a piece of the sliced bacon, then place seam side down on the prepared rack.

Bake for 1 1/2 hours or until bacon is thoroughly cooked through. Remove from oven and cool completely.

Serve immediately or store for up to 1 day in an airtight container.

Yield: 45 crackers or enough to feed one (once you ~~devour~~ eat one, you'll see what I mean)

* When you procure your bacon, make sure it isn't thick-cut. Thinner slices will wrap more easily around your crackers.

* Speaking of crackers, make sure you avoid those with trans fats. I used Whole Foods 365 brand and it worked quite well. Also, I prefer rectangular crackers for this, but if you need to use round or oval ones, have at it. The end result will taste the same (and you will still eat too many of them).

* While you can make these ahead, I think they are better if you serve them as soon as you have made and cooled them. Nonetheless, I would happily consume more than my fair share ...even if they are a day old!

* Folks, this is trash food at its best. Please forgive me for my lack of food integrity here!

Rat-a-Tat-Tat

2011-07-13T22:47:00.001-04:00

Grrrr. It's been a bitch of a day. We are not winning the war against the rats in our back yard (I refuse to give up my bird feeders) and they keep showing up to taunt us. We tried rat poison, but one of my dogs found it instead. Fortunately I was out there with her and realized what was happening. I washed her mouth out, called my vet and the dog is fine but is now on mega-doses of vitamin K. Oh, the drama!

Henry is all about the rat traps out there. When I stumbled into the kitchen the other morning, desperate for coffee, I was greeted with his proud proclamation that he had managed to snare one of the critters. Oy veh. Too much information.

Then my computer crashed today and I lost more data than I care to think about.

To add insult to injury, I have a doctor's appointment next week AND I HAVE TO GET WEIGHED. Just kill me now, please.

Now I know this isn't cancer (been there, done that) so I really can't complain, but sometimes you just want to throw a pity party for yourself. Care to join me?

Remember that dinner party I created recently for my friend? I made amazing Salty, Crunchy Peanut Butter Brownies for him. After a day like today, I'm wondering why I didn't keep any of them for myself. I could certainly use a hit of chocolate and peanut butter right now.

Here's the recipe. I am contemplating whipping up a batch this very moment. Just sayin'.....

CRUNCHY, SALTY PEANUT BUTTER BROWNIES (adapted from Anne Thornton)

For the brownies:

Make Liz’s brownie recipe.

http://nevertrustaskinnycook1.blogspot.com/2010/06/lizs-dump-it-in-pan-quick-and-dirty.html

For the peanut butter layer:
1 cup creamy peanut butter (I used Jiff)
2 oz. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
2 T. half-and-half
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 12-oz. can salted peanuts

For the topping:
1 11-oz. bag 60% chocolate chips
4 oz. (I stick) unsalted butter

Bake brownies as directed in my recipe. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, make the peanut butter layer. Place peanut butter and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat well to blend, then add powdered sugar and sea salt. Beat well, scraping down sides until mixture is smooth. Add half-and-half and vanilla and combine.

Spread this mixture evenly over the cooled brownies. Scatter the peanuts evenly over the top, pressing down lightly. Set aside.

For the topping, melt the chocolate chips and butter together in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Cool for 10 minutes, then pour over the peanut butter layer, smoothing evenly with an offset spatula. Chill until set, at least 2 hours or preferably overnight.

Remove from pan and cut into squares.

Yield: enough to serve 16 (if you are generous) or 1 if you are stingy, self-absorbed and don't give a rat's ass about the calories and fat grams. Your call.

Do Yourself a Favor

2011-07-07T15:46:00.000-04:00

There are certain recipes that I simply cannot make. Oh, not because they are too difficult or because I can’t find the ingredients or because I can’t figure them out. Nope, it’s because if I make them and keep them in the house for more than two seconds, I will eat every last scrap with no holds barred. Stuff that falls in this category would include mac & cheese, mashed potatoes (I’ll inhale them even if they are stone-cold), those deviled eggs with capers I made recently and my favorite bacon-studded potato salad. Skinny cook, anyone?

http://nevertrustaskinnycook1.blogspot.com/2011/03/guilty-pleasure.html

http://nevertrustaskinnycook1.blogspot.com/2011/04/eggs-cheese-fat-salt-your-basic-food.html

This potato salad was part of my “Second of July” menu and it is an adaptation of the one we made at Watershed. I loved when it was my job to make it at the restaurant because, of course, you have to keep tasting until you get it right, yes?

I won’t dignify that with an answer.

This is one of those recipes where the sum is greater than the whole of its parts. It’s simple, straightforward and you won’t need a plethora of ingredients. The only difficult part will be restraining yourself from eating the leftovers in your refrigerator. If you are like me, do yourself a favor and don’t make this. Your thighs will thank you.

BACON-STUDDED POTATO SALAD (adapted from Watershed and Chef Scott Peacock)

1 # bacon (I prefer applewood-smoked)
4# new potatoes
2 T. salt
¼ cup cider vinegar
4 cups chopped scallions (about 4 bunches)
1 ½ cups mayonnaise
1 ½ cups sour cream

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Place a rack over a baking sheet and lay bacon strips over. (You will probably need to do this in two batches). Place in oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until bacon strips are crispy. Remove bacon to a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess grease, then roughly chop. Reserve bacon drippings from pan.

Slice potatoes in half (or quarters if they are large) and place in a heavy pot. Cover with water and add the 2 T. salt and the cider vinegar. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are just tender, 25-30 minutes. Drain potatoes well then place in a large bowl. Pour one half of the reserved bacon fat over (keep remaining for another use) and season with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Stir in the chopped scallions and bacon.

Whisk mayonnaise and sour cream in a bowl until smooth. Pour half of it over potato mixture and stir gently to blend. Season with salt and pepper to taste. You will probably need to add more of the mayonnaise/sour cream mixture but add only enough so that potato salad is moist but not liquid. Taste again to adjust seasonings.

Serves 10 - 12

* Use any type of small potatoes you like, but I love the combination of red and purple potatoes and yukon golds.

* In a perfect world, you would make this with homemade mayonnaise, like we did in the restaurant. If you live in my world however, you will be perfectly happy to use a good commercial mayonnaise, like Hellman's. Of course, if you do want to make your own, here you go:

http://nevertrustaskinnycook1.blogspot.com/2011/05/hold-mayo.html

* As usual, Weight Watchers is beckoning.....

Happy July 2nd!

2011-07-03T23:13:00.000-04:00

As I write this, the date is July 3rd. I’m guessing that many of you are currently knee-deep in prep for your barbecues tomorrow. I, however, am way ahead of you as we celebrated the holiday last night with friends who are unavailable on the actual Fourth. So, happy cooking tomorrow and I will think of you as I take the day off. (Well, sort of. Henry and I will be embarking on one of those 6-hour ridiculous walks in the scorching Georgia sun) . Hmmm … maybe you got the better end of this deal.

In any event, I knocked myself out for our little repast last night. Not only did I do all the cooking but I/we schlepped everything over to our friends’ house where everyone was gathering. Yikes, it reminded me of my old catering days – happy I’m not in that business anymore! Fortunately, Henry is a wizard at packing and loading up a car. We got everything over there with relative ease. He earned a well-deserved reprieve from the food police for the evening.

Pack it all up, ~~Lorbs~~ Henry!

I’m not sure I did him any favors. The food police most definitely should have been in attendance. Short of celery sticks (to accompany pimiento cheese so that cancels it out, right?) and a beautiful platter of heirloom tomatoes, there was nothing even remotely healthy about my menu. It's why we hit the gym in the morning and are embarking upon that walk tomorrow.

Pimiento Cheese

Celery Sticks, Ice Water Crackers

Liz’s Awesome Barbecued Pork Ribs

House-made Barbecue Sauce

Sweet Summer Corn Pudding

Baby Potato Salad

Applewood-smoked Bacon, Scallions

Heirloom Tomatoes from Sandee’s Garden

Fresh Mozzarella, Basil, Olio Santo

Toasted Country Bread

Garlic Butter

Salty, Crunchy Peanut Butter Brownies

Additional Details Not Required

I’m going to start by giving you the recipe for Sweet Summer Corn Pudding. I would even venture so far as to say it was the hit of the evening. Well, at least until those brownies made their appearance!

SWEET SUMMER CORN PUDDING (adapted from Edna Lewis' and Scott Peacock's "The Gift of Southern Cooking")

8 ears fresh, sweet summer corn, husked with kernels removed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons all-purpose, unbleached flour
4 extra-large eggs, beaten
2 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Butter a large baking dish (I used a 13 x 3-inch dish) and set aside.

Place corn into a large bowl and sprinkle in the sugar, salt, pepper and flour. Stir lightly to combine.

In a large bowl, whisk eggs with milk and cream. Whisk in melted butter, then nutmeg. Pour mixture into the corn and stir well. Pour into the prepared baking pan then place it into a larger pan filled with hot water.

Bake in the preheated oven for 45 - 55 minutes or until golden on top and just set in the middle. Serve warm.

Yield: 12 - 14 servings

* I have always stripped my corn by standing it up in a pie plate, slicing it down with a sharp knife, then picking through it to remove any remaining strands of silk. This has always worked for me, but I stumbled upon another way of doing it, so you might want to check this out:

http://www.food52.com/blog/2259_how_to_dekernel_corn

* Clearly I am not going to morph into a skinny cook anytime soon. Oh well. I would go so far as to say this meal was worth it. Happy Fourth of July, everyone!

Cobble this together

2011-06-28T18:35:00.001-04:00

Sorry I've been absent. As I mentioned before, life intruded in a major way recently. In spite of that, I've still been cooking and baking. I just haven't had time to blog about it.

But now I'm back and I am here to give you two ridiculously easy "cobbler" recipes. These are about as no-brainer as you can get, but either one will never fail to elicit smiles and requests for seconds. Trust me on this!

Okay, so it's summer and in my book, that means desserts laden with fresh, seasonal fruit. Since I live in Georgia, peaches are high on my hit parade. So are blueberries and I love the combination of both. In a perfect pastry world, I would make a crust from scratch, roll it out, sprinkle it with a little sugar and cinnamon and place it over a casserole of cut-up, lightly sugared fruit of choice then bake until golden.

Oh, but I can be SO lazy sometimes! That means screw the pastry-making and instead default to my mom's "cobbler." I hesitate to give you this recipe because it is so very elementary and basic, but it fits the bill when you have a plethora of frest fruit around which you have totally ignored and it is on the verge of attracting those dreaded fruit flies. Here is the perfect solution:

BABA'S FRUIT COBBLER

2 ½ cups fruit of choice (think sliced peaches, berries, sliced apples, or any other combo)
2/3 cup granulated sugar (or less, depending upon the sweetness of your fruit) plus ¾ cup
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter
¾ cup all-purpose, unbleached flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¾ cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Toss fruit with the 2/3 cup sugar and salt. Set aside.

Place butter in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Transfer to the preheated oven and let butter melt (about 5 minutes).

Meanwhile, combine the ¾ cup sugar, flour and baking powder in a bowl. Whisk to blend, then whisk in milk and vanilla to make a thin batter.

Remove pan from oven and pour batter over melted butter. Do not stir. Pour prepared fruit over batter. Again, do not stir.

Bake for 45 – 50 minutes or until puffed and golden and just set in center. Serve with ice cream, whipped cream or a drizzle of heavy cream, if desired.

Serves 8

This is ideally served warm, but I have been known to eat it straight from the fridge with no complaints. It's good for breakfast, too!

Of course, when you just can't face any more fruit desserts, it's time to cut to the chase and overdose on chocolate. Not exactly the quintessential summer dessert, but there are times when you just gotta do what you gotta do. I made this the other day for a group of friends and it was a huge hit. Hello, everytime I make this it's a huge hit. Make it yourself and you'll understand why.

"ANTI-SUMMER" BROWNIE COBBLER (adapted from Martha Stewart)

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
6 oz. semi-sweet or bittersweet (not unsweetened) chocolate chips
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs (I used extra-large)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¾ cup all-purpose, unbleached flour
½ teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350-degrees.

Butter a 10-inch baking dish. In a large, heavy saucepan, melt butter and chocolate chips. Remove from heat and whisk in sugar then eggs, one at a time. Whisk in vanilla, flour and salt.

Turn into prepared pan and bake for 45 -50 minutes or until just puffed in center. Serve with vanilla ice cream (or salted caramel ice cream or coffee ice cream, if you are like me) or softly whipped cream.

Serves 6 - 8

* If you noticed that the pictures of the brownie cobbler don't match the quantity called for in the directions, it's because I doubled the recipe when I made and photographed it.

* Admittedly, these are not sophisticated recipes. I should probably be embarassed to share them but I will sacrifice my food integrity so I can pass them on to you. Just don't tell anyone how easy they are after you've made them (and are basking in the accolades) and don't you dare tell anyone that you got them from me!

Life

2011-06-23T22:42:00.000-04:00

Yeah, it just gets in the way sometimes.

Sorry I've been absent from the blogosphere. I'll be back in a few days, I promise. Can't wait to tell you about my anti-summer cobbler!

In the meantime, prayers would be appreciated for my friend who has been diagnosed with congestive heart failure. We are all rallying as best we can.

Thanks.

Why Didn't I Think of This?

2011-06-16T11:16:00.000-04:00

Let’s be honest. Who amongst us doesn’t like chocolate chip cookie dough? Personally, I prefer it over the finished, baked cookie. I think it has something to do with that mouth-watering butter/sugar combination and the crunch of brown sugar in the raw dough. And then of course, I believe in the old adage that if you eat it straight from the mixing bowl, it doesn’t count. Yeah right, Liz.

Keep your spoon away, Liz!

In any event, when I’m whipping up a batch of chocolate chip cookie dough, I’m always happy when there is enough of it remaining in the bowl so I can actually bake the things. C’mon, can you really look me in the eye and tell me you’ve never done the same thing?

Ben and Jerry figured this out years ago when they came up with cookie dough ice cream. Someone also decided it would be a good addition to milkshakes. Now I am going to sink to a new low and let you in on a recipe for Cookie Dough Truffles.

Since my cookie-making method usually revolves around shaping the dough into balls and storing them in my freezer until ready to bake, I can’t believe I never thought to make them into truffles. I stumbled onto the concept one recent Saturday after I had been to the gym and was waiting for Henry to get home so we could go out to lunch (that doesn’t count either after an intense workout, right?) With nothing else to do, I flipped the channel to the Food Network and there was this woman making Chocolate Chip Blondies, which she was morphing into several other desserts like Cookie Dough Truffles. Well, well, well!

Are your kids hanging around the house this summer with nothing to do? Make these with them. Except for the fact that they will likely bounce off the walls after consuming one, it’s the perfect thing to make on a sweltering day when you are loathe to fire up the oven.

COOKIE DOUGH TRUFFLES (adapted from Anne Thornton, The Food Network)

4 oz. (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
½ cup dark brown sugar, packed
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon salt (I used fine sea salt)
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unbleached, all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 egg (I used extra-large)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 ½ cups mini chocolate chips or chunks
2 12-oz. bags dark chocolate chips, preferably 60%
2 oz. white chocolate
2 oz. milk chocolate

Place butter into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on high speed until butter is creamy, scraping down bowl once, about 2 minutes. Add sugars and salt and continue beating for about 5 minutes, scraping down bowl several times until mixture is smooth and well-blended. Try to resist the temptation to dip a spoon into it and shovel it into your mouth.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda. Add the egg and the vanilla to the butter mixture and blend well on medium-high speed. Scrape down bowl, then reduce speed to low. Add the flour mixture in two parts and mix only until just blended. Remove bowl from mixer stand and fold in the chocolate chips (or chunks) with a heavy spatula or wooden spoon.

Pat dough into an oval and wrap well in plastic. Refrigerate until just chilled, about one hour. Use a small ice cream scoop (I used a 1 ½-inch scoop) to shape into balls. Place on a baking sheet and refrigerate at least one hour or until firm.

When ready to assemble, line a baking sheet with parchment and have ready a long skewer. Melt the chocolate chips in a small, deep pan. Use the skewer to spear a chilled cookie dough ball and dip it in the melted chocolate. Let excess drip off, then place ball on the prepared sheet, using the skewer to smooth out the top and cover the hole it made. Repeat with remaining balls, then place tray into the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or until chocolate sets and is firm to the touch.

When ready to decorate, place chocolate covered balls on a cooling rack on top of a baking sheet to catch excess chocolate. Melt the white chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat. Place into a plastic pastry bag with a very small hole snipped from the end. Pipe white chocolate over half of the chocolate balls.

Repeat with the milk chocolate and decorate the remaining balls.

Yield: 26 1 ½-inch truffles

* You will need to store these in the refrigerator, however I recommend letting them sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before ~~wolfing down~~ serving.

* Be creative in your decorating! Use both kinds of chocolate or roll balls in cocoa, chopped nuts, sprinkles or powdered sugar. Let your kids decide....

* The original recipe called for regular chocolate chips, but I think they are too big, which is why I used minis. I think they give a better ratio of chocolate chips to dough.

* Don't have a plastic pastry bag? That's what Ziplocs are for.

* When you dip the truffles in the melted chocolate, no matter how much you let the excess drip off, you will end up with a puddle of it around the truffle, which will solidify. By all means, just leave it (means that much more chocolate) but if you are ridiculous like me, you will triim it off before decorating. And then Henry will bemoan the waste of all those chocolate scraps...

* I would be remiss if I didn't remind you there is a raw egg in this recipe. If your health is compromised, you should skip this recipe altogether. To reduce the risk of salmonella or any other food-borne illness, make sure you use only fresh, properly refrigerated and clean Grade A or AA eggs. The more you know about where your eggs come from, the less the chance of contamination.

Well, I guess I have blown my Weight Watchers regimen for this week. On trash food, no less........

Sigh.

Road Trip

2011-06-09T17:29:00.001-04:00

You’ve heard me ~~rant~~ talk before about how good parenting skills are necessary even if your kids are grown and haven’t lived under your roof in years. This proved to be true again recently when our youngest son Eric visited the ATL.

His visit was twofold. He was attending a conference at Georgia Tech (which involved a long bus ride to and from Oak Ridge, Tennessee, this is relevant later) and he was here to pick up his ~~tin can~~ car (a well-used 2000 Jetta), which was living here because he didn’t want to pay for long term parking in downtown Philadelphia where he lives as a student. He planned to leave Atlanta on Wednesday, drive to NYC for a little R & R with friends, then drive to DC on Sunday to start his summer job.

There was just one small problem. Since last fall, he’s been living with severe back pain, and in spite of a cortisone shot and physical therapy, it wasn’t improving. He limped into our house after that bus ride and could do nothing but lie on his stomach and work on his laptop in that position. Sitting was out of the question. Our parental hackles went up.

At the end of the day, despite his protests, we got him to a pain specialist and informed him he was NOT driving to New York and DC. I don’t care how old they get (he’s 27), sometimes you just have to act like parents. So we put him on a plane, fueled up his Jetta and drove to DC to deliver his car. With no working radio or CD player, I might add. At least we had air conditioning. Oh, the joys of parachute parenting!

I did manage to cobble together some speakers and a plug-in iPod connection so we could listen to a book along the way. That would be Blood, Bones and Butter by Gabrielle Hamilton, chef-owner of Prune in NYC. (Sorry, Henry. You have unwittingly become an accomplice in my never-ending thirst for culinary knowledge and good dirt. Happy driving).

I won’t give anything away, but I will tell you that Prune will certainly be on my radar screen the next time I am in NYC. If I can get a reservation, that is. For the purposes of this blog however, I thought it would be fun to make one of Gabrielle’s recipes.

Until I did a google search. Oh, there were recipes from her, but none that I thought you guys would actually cook. I mean, do you really want a recipe for rabbit?

Then I found her recipe for Roasted Pear Tarte Tatin with Brown Sugar-Balsamic Swirl Ice Cream. It got me thinking … but pears? Sure, you can easily find them right now, but it’s not their best season. Peaches seemed to be a better choice. Especially since I live in Georgia.

Now about the ice cream. Brown Sugar-Balsamic Swirl sounded better with pears than peaches. But straight up brown sugar ice cream with roasted peaches sounded pretty good. Here’s what evolved:

DECONSTRUCTED ROASTED PEACH “TATIN” (inspired by Gabrielle Hamilton)

8 peaches, peeled and halved, seeds removed
½ cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup heavy cream
Pinch of salt
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

Preheat oven to 350-degrees.

Sprinkle sugar evenly over the surface of a 9-inch round baking pan. Cut butter into small cubes and distribute them over the sugar. Place peach halves over, cut side down. Place in preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes. Baste with the cooking juices and remove from oven.

Change oven setting from “bake” to “broil.” When top element is hot, return peaches to oven and broil for 2 to 3 minutes or until browned. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.

Using a slotted spoon, remove peaches to a baking dish. Pour remaining liquid into a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil until it caramelizes and starts to turn brown. Remove from heat and add cream. Stir to blend. Return to medium heat, if necessary, to smooth out.

Meanwhile, unfold the puff pastry sheet on a silicone baking sheet or parchment paper. If necessary, use a rolling pin to lightly smooth out any creases. Place a 9-inch round pan on top and cut around edges to produce a 9-inch circle of pastry circle. Place the circle on a parchment-lined baking sheet and prick all over with a fork. Reserve pastry scraps for another use.

Preheat oven to 375-degrees. Bake the pastry for 20 – 25 minutes or until puffed and golden. Remove from oven and cool on a baking rack.

To assemble, place the pastry disk on a serving plate. Arrange the peaches on top and spoon caramel sauce over. Serve with a scoop of Brown Sugar Ice Cream.

Serves 8

BROWN SUGAR ICE CREAM

2 cups heavy (whipping) cream
2 cups half-and-half or whole milk
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
Pinch of salt
7 egg yolks
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Combine cream and half-and-half in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in ¾ the brown sugar and salt. Heat until sugar is dissolved and mixture is just warm but not simmering.

Whisk egg yolks and vanilla extract together in a separate bowl. Whisk in 1 cup of the warm cream mixture to bring up the temperature. Pour this into the remaining cream in the pan and stir well. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens and temperature reaches 165-degrees on an instant-read thermometer. Remove from heat immediately and strain into a heatproof bowl. Let cool slightly, then place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until well-chilled, preferably overnight.

Place into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s directions.

Yield: approximately 1 quart

* As you know, a Tarte Tatin is traditionally made by placing pastry over fruit and sugar in a heavy skillet, then baking and inverting it so the crust in on the bottom and the fruit (usually apples) is on the top. The point of this is to ensure a crisp crust but I have found that sometimes the fruit sticks to the pan. The deconstructed method above (thanks, Gabrielle) completely eliminates this problem.

* This is a great make-ahead dessert. The peaches and caramel can be done ahead of time and refrigerated. Bring peaches to room temperature before using and reheat the caramel over medium-low heat, then assemble. You could pre-bake the pastry and keep it for a day or two in an airtight container but instead I would recommend just cutting it out, prepping it on a baking sheet and refrigerating it. Then, thirty minutes before you want to assemble, pop it into the oven and bake.

* Obviously I recommend serving this with my Brown Sugar Ice Cream, but it's also wonderful with whipped cream or good store-bought vanilla ice cream. It's not bad "nekkid" either!

* You can buy frozen puff pastry in the frozen foods section of your grocery store, usually near the frozen pie crusts and phyllo. The Pepperidge Farm variety is perfectly fine and I have used it many times. My favorite though, is this variety from Whole ~~Paycheck~~ Foods:

* As I was putting this dessert together, I was watching "Fried Green Tomatoes" on the TV that resides on my kitchen counter. Anyone remember the movie? Not only is it one of my all-time favorites, but I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to help style some of the food for the movie. Great memories! Check out the glass plate in the first picture at the top of this post - it was one we used in the movie. I have the entire set of 12 and I use them often for desserts. Makes them that much sweeter!

No Shortbread Shortage

2011-06-02T19:56:00.000-04:00

Hope you had a good Memorial Day. For most of us, it’s a 3-day weekend, but I hope you took the time to remember all the brave men and women who have sacrificed so much for all of us. They deserve our respect and admiration. Having volunteered at the VA hospital here in Atlanta, it still slays me that the place is effectively closed on Memorial Day – including the cafeteria. I wish I was kidding.

If you want some perspective, take a look at this:

http://www.onemarinesview.com/one_marines_view/2011/06/brothers-fighting-for-brothers.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+onemarinesview%2FmZTC+%28One+Marines+View%29

That said, this is not another Liz Lorber rant.

Instead, I’m going to tell you about two stupid people who decided to go kayaking on the Chattahoochee River on Memorial Day. Now, we love kayaking and think we’re pretty good at it, having done it in frequently, even in various exotic places like Vietnam. We are no strangers to sea-kayaking either, and have battled our way through some pretty rough waters. Oh, but a river? Haha, it brought us down.

First of all, what are the odds that you encounter someone you know while paddling down a river? Not likely, but it happened to us and turns out they were experienced kayakers. They out-distanced us in no time flat. Whatever. It wasn’t a competition, right?

At the end of the 5-mile trip, we spotted the take-out point. Unfortunately, there were underwater rocks, minor rapids and shallow water between it and us. You know what’s coming. We crashed sideways into one of those hidden behemoths, tipped to the side and in came the water. Oh no! My iPhone!

Fortunately, it survived.

The irony is that I brought it along in case of emergency!

Long story short, I managed to hobble to the shore over large rocks and rushing water, iPhone held securely (yeah, right) above my head and Henry began towing our water-logged kayak to the dock. Fortunately, one of the tour folks figured out what was happening and waded in to help. Henry is yelling at him “Rescue her, not me!” and I’m yelling back “I’m fine, help him!” Yep, we’re ridiculously polite down here in the South.

We finally made it to shore and observed our friends calmly hefting their kayaks on top of their car. We slunk away, hoping they wouldn’t see us but they waved blithely as they drove off. I can only imagine what they thought about the debacle that was Henry and Liz. Actually, I choose not to think about it.

Drying it out!

The good news is we were invited to a fantastic BBQ at the home of some good friends. We hung around in their pool, ate great food, drank amazing wine and danced like idiots to Amy Winehouse’s “Rehab.” Think I'll let this be the good memory for the weekend.

As usual, I could not show up empty-handed, so I brought a ginormous platter of seven different kinds of homemade cookies (see photo above). They were a huge hit, if I do say so myself. We placed them on the food table and everyone grabbed them up along with the barbecued pork shoulder, jalepeno slaw and smoked salmon. Eat dessert first? Apparently so.

There was a spirited debate about which cookie was best. Decide for yourself.

CINNAMON SHORTBREAD

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 ¾ cups granulated sugar, divided
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
2 T. ground cinnamon, divided

Place butter into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on high speed 1 minute, then gradually add ¾ cup of the sugar and the salt. Continue beating, scraping down bowl several times, until mixture is smooth and creamy and well-blended. Beat in vanilla.

Combine flour and 1 T. of the cinnamon in a bowl and whisk to combine. Add half to the butter mixture and blend on low speed until just combined. Repeat with remaining flour, then stop mixer and finish combining by hand, using a large spatula or wooden spoon.

Place dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and roll out to ¼-inch or desired thickness. Place on a tray and refrigerate until well-chilled and firm.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 325-degrees. Cut dough into desired shapes, using a fluted cutter or knife. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes then rotate pan and bake for 6 to 8 minutes more. Remove cookies to a rack and cool slightly.

Combine the remaining 1 cup of sugar and the 1 T. cinnamon. Roll the baked cookies in this mixture, then return to rack to cool completely.

Yield: 38 3 x 1-inch rectangles (1/4-inch thick)

COCONUT MACADAMIA SHORTBREAD (adapted from Martha Stewart’s “Cookies”)

1 cup macadamia nuts, toasted
2 tablespoons plus ¾ cup granulated sugar
1 ½ cups sweetened, shredded coconut, divided
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
½ teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons cream of coconut
2 teaspoons coconut extract
2 cups all-purpose, unbleached flour
1 egg white, lightly beaten

In a food processor, combine macadamias and the 2 tablespoons of sugar. Process until finely ground and set aside. Process 1 cup of the coconut until coarsely ground and set aside.

Place butter into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on high speed 1 minute, then gradually add the ¾ cup of the sugar and the salt. Continue beating, scraping down bowl several times, until mixture is smooth and creamy and well-blended. Beat in cream of coconut and coconut extract, then add the reserved macadamia mixture and coarsely ground coconut.

Add half of the flour to the butter mixture and blend on low speed until just combined. Repeat with remaining flour, then stop mixer and finish combining by hand, using a large spatula or wooden spoon.

Place dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and roll out to ¼-inch or desired thickness. Place on a tray and refrigerate until well-chilled and firm.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 325-degrees. Cut dough into desired shapes, using a fluted cutter or knife. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet. Lightly brush each cookie with the beaten egg white and sprinkle with the remaining coconut.

Bake for 8 - 10 minutes then rotate pan and bake for 8 to 10 minutes more. Remove cookies to a rack and cool completely.

Yield: 44 2 ½-inch round cookies (1/4-inch thick)

SALTY SHORTBREAD

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose, unbleached flour
Fleur de sel (French sea salt) or other good salt for sprinkling

Place butter into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on high speed 1 minute, then gradually add the sugar and the salt. Continue beating, scraping down bowl several times, until mixture is smooth and creamy and well-blended. Beat in vanilla extract.

Add half of the flour to the butter mixture and blend on low speed until just combined. Repeat with remaining flour, then stop mixer and finish combining by hand, using a large spatula or wooden spoon.

Place dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and roll out to ¼-inch or desired thickness. Place on a tray and refrigerate until well-chilled and firm.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 325-degrees. Cut dough into desired shapes, using a fluted cutter or knife. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet. Dust each cookie with a sprinkling of the fleur de sel.

Bake for 8 minutes then rotate pan and bake for 8 to 10 minutes more. Do not let cookies brown. Remove to a rack and cool completely.

Yield: 24 2 ½-inch square cookies (1/4-inch thick)

* I have a lot of pictures of the process that I didn't post here, because I didn't think they were necessary. If you disagree and want to see it step-by-step, please let me know and I will post them.

* What I have essentially given you is a basic shortbread recipe that you can adapt according to your taste by adding cocoa powder, citrus zest, ginger, pecans or anything else you can think of. If you come up with something scrumptious, by all means please share it with me!

* One other thing: it's okay to re-roll the dough after you cut it out the first time. It's cool to re-roll it once. You can re-roll it again (I do), but be warned that those cookies will brown much more quickly.

Clockwise from top:

Reverse Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Buttery Oatmeal Lace Cookies

Coconut Macadamia Shortbread

Salty Shortbread

Cinnamon Shortbread

Chocolate Chip Cookies That Work

Butter Crisps

Here are the links to the other four recipes:

Reverse Chocolate Chunk Cookies

http://nevertrustaskinnycook1.blogspot.com/2011/04/april-showers.html

Buttery Oatmeal Lace Cookies

http://nevertrustaskinnycook1.blogspot.com/2009/08/my-favorite-cookie-recipe-well-one-of.html

Chocolate Chip Cookies That Work

http://nevertrustaskinnycook1.blogspot.com/2011/02/flat-or-fat.html

Butter Crisps

http://nevertrustaskinnycook1.blogspot.com/2010/06/retro-recipes-part-one.html

Yikes. I'm done now. Thanks for bearing with me. Here's to dry clothes and a surplus of cookies!

Spray What?

2011-05-26T21:37:00.000-04:00

If you asked me what Henry does for a living, I’d be hard-pressed to give you an answer. He has re-invented himself more times than I can count and he’s done a good job of it. In my opinion, the world would be a better place if more people had his resilience, brains and compassion. Of course, I’m slightly biased.

I watched the “Oprah” finale (oh no … Oprah, what will we do without you?) and listened one final time to her mantra about how we should all find our inner passion and incorporate it into our lives. I have managed to do that, more or less, as I am all about feeding people. But what about Henry?

If you asked him what he REALLY wanted to do, he would likely admit that he would be a butcher. Yep. He loves carving, breaking down meat and I wish you could have been there when we took a sausage-making class recently at the Pine Street Market here in the ATL. He was like a little pig in you-know-what. His sausage turned out pretty well, too.

http://pinestreetmarket.com/

In his current reality, however, he deals with the dark side of our troubled economy. He is part of a consulting firm which takes on bankrupt companies and struggling real estate. He’s good at it, but sometimes it’s a total downer, so at the end of the day, a little levity is in order.

Enter the failing company that produces “sprays” of non-sugar hits. I am not kidding. Henry brought home a box of these assorted sprays. Stuff like Sinfully Delicious Chocolate Dessert Spray, Milk Chocolate Turtle Spray, Banana Split Melted Ice Cream Spray and Key Lime Pie Dessert Spray.

I need an air sickness bag.

Are we really so debased as a society that we have to resort to this kind of garbage? I don’t mean to climb on my soapbox, but REALLY? There is something seriously wrong here if we have to rely on sugar-free, flavored sprays like this to satiate us.

Strawberry Melted Ice Cream Spray? I don’t think so! I cast my vote for a spoonful or two of the real thing, even if it means I only get to eat it occasionally and in limited portions. There is no way a quick burst of chemically flavored aerosol could ever take the place of a cool, creamy and soul-satisfying mouthful of homemade strawberry ice cream!

Here’s my recipe for the real stuff. No spraying involved. There is a batch of it in my freezer right now, just waiting for our Memorial Day cookout. I’m also thinking those “Reverse" Chocolate Chunk Cookies will be a good accompaniment...

http://nevertrustaskinnycook1.blogspot.com/2011/04/april-showers.html

THE REAL DEAL STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM

2 cups heavy (whipping) cream
2 cups half-and-half or whole milk
1 cup granulated sugar, divided
Pinch of salt
7 egg yolks
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 lb. fresh strawberries (about 18 large), stemmed and hulled

Combine cream and half-and-half in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in ¾ cup of the sugar and the salt. Heat until sugar is dissolved and mixture is just warm but not simmering.

Whisk egg yolks and vanilla extract together in a separate bowl. Whisk in 1 cup of the warm cream mixture to bring up the temperature. Pour this into the remaining cream in the pan and stir well. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens and temperature reaches 165-degrees on an instant-read thermometer. Remove from heat immediately and strain into a heatproof bowl. Let cool slightly, then place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until well-chilled, preferably overnight.

Divide berries in half. Place half in a mixing bowl along with the remaining ¼ cup of granulated sugar. Use a potato masher or fork to mash into a wet paste. Quarter the rest of the berries and slice thinly. Combine with the mashed berries. Stir this into the chilled custard.

Place into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s directions.

Yield: approximately 1 quart

* I like this recipe because it isn't too sweet, allowing the flavor of the strawberries to shine. You may need to adjust the amount of sugar, depending upon the sweetness of your berries.

* I subscribe to the theory that if you're going to indulge, it should be in the best thing possible. That's why I use half-and-half along with the cream in the custard mixture. If you absolutely must, you can substitute whole milk for the half-and-half, but your finished product won't be as good.

* Be careful not to overcook the cream/egg mixture. Eggs will cook at 180-degrees so it is wise to invest in an instant-read thermometer to avoid ending up with a mess of sweetened scrambled eggs. Also, don't skip the step of straining the cooked custard. Even if you take it off the heat at exactly 165-degrees, it is still likely to contain some pieces of cooked egg.

I rest my case.

* If you are in a big hurry and want to chill the custard mixture quickly, place the bowl into a larger bowl filled with ice cubes. Put the whole thing in the refrigerator without placing the plastic wrap over the top and stir with a spatula, scraping sides, every 15 minutes or so. It should be ready for the ice cream freezer in about 2 hours.

* After you have stemmed your strawberries, please take the time to hull them as well. That means running a small knife around the top to remove the flavorless white part just below. This gives more flavor and intensity to your strawberry ice cream.

* Lastly, I have to give myself a pat on the back. After I scooped some of the ice cream into a bowl for that final beauty shot, I PUT IT BACK IN THE CONTAINER WITHOUT EATING ANY OF IT! Way to go, Liz! Here's the proof:

See? I took a hit of the spray instead!

(Just kidding)

Southern Hospitality

2011-05-19T19:53:00.000-04:00

“Nothin’ says lovin’ like somethin’ from the oven.”

Anyone remember that old Pillsbury commercial or am I really, really dating myself here?

Don’t answer that.

Don’t worry, I’m not resorting to biscuits from one of those cans you crack open on the countertop (or anything else equally disgusting like processed cheese, garlic-in-a-jar, bottled lemon juice, canned asparagus, mint jelly or Vienna sausages). No, I'm talking about what we believe down here in the South which is “nothing says Southern Hospitality like cheese straws.”

Do you remember the movie “Annie Hall?” It’s probably my favorite film of all time because it mirrors my relationship with Henry's New York family versus my southern, wasp-y one. The best scene in the movie is when Woody Allen and Diane Keaton are seated at the dinner table with her parents and someone comments that the greatest sin in their family is to raise one’s voice at the table. Woody counters that the greatest sin in his family is to pay retail. My reality, captured on film.

We do have our share of quirkiness down here in the South. We wouldn’t say sh_t if we had a mouthful and we are notorious for keeping secrets hidden under the rugs, so to speak. We are infinitely polite and to this day, some of us still say “ma’am” and “sir.” I do not exaggerate.

But we are fanatics about our Southern Hospitality and there is nothing we won’t do to welcome you into our homes and make you feel like a rock star (or maybe a renowned gospel singer) when you walk through our front doors. It would not be a surprise if we have a big pitcher of “sweet tea” waiting in the fridge and we stand ready to rustle up something to feed you in a New York minute (sorry, couldn’t resist). We want you to feel comfortable, we want you to feel at home and we never, ever want you to think you are intruding. Even if you are.

This explains why we keep a stash of unbaked cheese straws in our freezers. You show up unexpectedly, we dash to the freezer, pop them into the oven and before you know it, these savory little morsels are placed in front of you and you can’t resist.

What, no mint juleps?

CHEESE STRAWS (adapted slightly from "The Gift of Southern Cooking" by Scott Peacock and Edna Lewis)

1 2/3 cups all purpose, unbleached flour
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
8 oz. extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated
2 tablespoons water

Preheat oven to 425-degrees.

Sift together the flour, salt, dry mustard and cayenne pepper. Put the butter and grated cheese in a large mixing bowl and mix until thoroughly blended. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter and cheese and mix until completely incorporated. Add the water and mix for one minute more.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead five or six times. Roll the dough out to a ¼-inch thickness. Cut into strips ¼-inch wide and 4 to 6 inches in length. Place strips on ungreased cookie sheets ½-inch apart and bake in the preheated oven for 12-16 minutes until golden brown and crisp.

Cool completely on a baking rack and store in airtight containers.

Yield: approximately 4 dozen pieces

* Extra-sharp cheddar is essential for this recipe. The sharper, the better. Anything less than that will result in a cheese straw with no taste.

* I use more salt and a little more cayenne than called for in Scott and Edna's recipe. Let your palate be your guide, adding more or less to suit your taste.

* In the interest of full disclosure, I doubled the recipe when I made and photographed it. That's because I was making them for that baby shower last month and I wanted extras to store in my freezer for unexpected guests. Gotta stay true to those Southern Hospitality tenets! And yes, this recipe is easily doubled.

* Speaking of freezing, these can go directly from freezer to oven. That's actually not good news because you can drag out a few, throw them in your toaster oven and have freshly baked cheese straws anytime you want them. What was that about becoming a skinny cook?

* The original recipe also doesn't specify how to mix all of the ingredients, but knowing Miss Edna as I did, I can promise you that she never used an electric mixer. I'm sure she used her trusty wooden spoon to blend everything together. I, however, have no such scruples, so I used my electric mixer. Your choice.

* Obviously you can cut these into any size or shape you want. I have been known to shape the dough into logs, wrap well in plastic, then chill and cut into 1/4-inch slices. I then top each one with a pecan half, sprinkle with coarse sea salt and bake. Dee-licious!

* Betcha can't eat just one!

Belly Up to the Bar

2011-05-14T18:27:00.000-04:00

Oh, the days when we used to frequent those singles bars!

But now that I'm an old lady (sigh), my bars these days revolve around the cookie variety instead.

Bar cookies have been around forever - in fact, I’ll bet you have fond memories of the ones your mom made when you were a kid. I certainly do. My mom’s Coconut Bars were off the charts in my estimation and her Chocolate Chip Bars weren’t far behind (sure hope I never find out she made them from a box). Oh, and do you remember those 7-Layer Bars which were made with everything but the kitchen sink, including chocolate chips, coconut, nuts, condensed milk and butterscotch chips? I have an old recipe that refers to these things as Heart Attack Cookie Bars. Yep.

That old bald man I live with has a penchant for rhubarb. I would say it ranks up there with capers as one of his favorite things (as opposed to maple syrup which he abhors). Can’t say I agree with him (except for capers) as I adore good maple syrup and am somewhat ambivalent about rhubarb. Nonetheless, when it shows up every spring, I buy it for him and sauté it with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon until it is reduced to a stew-y mess that he can eat for breakfast, topped off with yogurt. Have at it, Henry. The stuff is safe from me!

I cannot say the same for Rhubarb Crumb Bars, however. Of course, since they are made with a delicious streusel, along with cream cheese and sour cream, what’s not to like? Even if you don’t love rhubarb. Trust me, people!

RHUBARB CRUMB BARS (adapted from Mary Evans)

For the crust:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
¾ cup all-purpose, unbleached flour
½ cup rolled oats, either old-fashioned or quick-cooking
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with heavy duty foil to overhang sides and grease well.

In electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth. Add sugar and beat until fluffy and well-blended, scraping down sides of the bowl several times. With mixer on low speed, add flour, oats, salt and cinnamon and mix until just combined.

Reserve ½ cup of the mixture and press remaining firmly into the prepared pan in an even layer. Bake for 10 minutes until it just starts to firm up. Do not overbake. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.

For the filling:
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup sour cream
2 eggs (I used extra-large)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or vanilla paste
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger root
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups fresh rhubarb (4 – 6 stalks, trimmed), cut into ½-inch pieces

Wipe bowl of electric mixer clean. Add cream cheese and beat with paddle attachment until fluffy. Add sugar and beat until smooth, scraping down bowl several times. Beat in sour cream, then eggs one at a time. Add vanilla, ginger root and salt.

Layer rhubarb over cooled crust. Pour cream cheese mixture over and use a small spatula to even it out and reach the corners. Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes then remove from oven and sprinkle reserved crumb mixture evenly over top. Return to oven and bake for another 15 – 20 minutes or until just set.

Remove to a baking rack and cool to room temperature, then refrigerate several hours or overnight. Using foil handles, remove from pan and cut into bars.

Yield: 16 2-inch squares

* If you are like me, you will occasionally buy fresh ginger root and store it in the vegetable bin in your refrigerator. Then you will forget it's in there and when you finally remember, it has shriveled up and turned moldy in places and you will be thoroughly ticked off because you don't want to make a run to the store JUST FOR FRESH GINGER! Instead, store it in a plastic bag in the freezer and it will be ready when you are. Just grate up what you need and return what's left to the freezer. Works everytime!

I have never met a Lemon Bar I didn’t like. Oh sure, some are better than others; to me it depends upon the tartness of the lemon in contrast to the sweet, flaky crust. I use the recipe that we made at Star Provisions and I swear by it. Hope I don’t get in trouble by giving you the recipe! Shhhh…….

CARLA’S LEMON BARS
For the crust:
3 cups all-purpose, unbleached flour
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
12 oz. cold butter, diced

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Line a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan with heavy duty foil to overhang sides. Butter foil or coat with cooking spray.

Place flour and confectioner’s sugar in the bowl of a food processor and process briefly to blend. Distribute butter over top and process until mixture is just combined and crumbly. Press into the prepared pan, then place in oven and bake for 20 minutes until just set but not browned or cracked. Remove from oven and cool.

For the topping:
2/3 cup all-purpose, unbleached flour
4 cups granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
8 eggs (I used extra-large)
2 tablespoons lemon zest
1 ½ cups fresh lemon juice (8 – 12 lemons)

Place flour, sugar and salt into a large mixing bowl and blend with a large whisk. Whisk in eggs, then lemon zest and lemon juice until mixture is smooth. Pour over cooled crust and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until just set. Do not overbake. Mixture should be set but still slightly wobbly in the center, but not browned or cracked. Remove to a rack to cool, then refrigerate several hours or overnight until well-chilled.

To serve, remove from pan, using foil handles. Place on a cutting board and cut into squares as desired. Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar before serving.

Yield: 64 1 ½-inch small squares

* Carla Tomasko is the pastry chef at Bacchanalia and Quinones Room here in Atlanta. She is as sweet as she is talented and you won't find better desserts anywhere in this city. You can trust me on that one, too!

* By the way, if you were wondering why I haven't posted anything recently, it's because Blogger was down for several days recently. I couldn't believe it! Quite a shock to try and access the site, only to see the message "Blogger not available." Nothing like a forced "blogcation." Sorry about that!

Hold the Mayo

2011-05-04T18:59:00.000-04:00

Or not. Depends upon what you are slathering it upon. Corned beef or pastrami sandwiches on rye … well not so much, unless you are my mother. Take her into any good deli and she will inevitably order corned beef on white bread with lettuce, tomatoes and mayonnaise. You can only imagine the horrified look on my New York born-and-bred husband’s face when she does that. Really, Mom?

That aside, there’s a lot you can do with a good dollop of homemade mayonnaise. Stir it up with some chopped fresh herbs and scallions, thin it with a little lemon juice and serve it up with a nice piece of grilled fish. Combine it with a healthy dose of horseradish (preferably the homemade variety) and maybe a little sour cream and give your steak a big wallop of flavor. Add some garlic and turn it into an aioli for shrimp or grilled vegetables. Do something similar with a hit of pesto. Or, have yourself a retro little salad by blending mayonnaise and ketchup into a thousand island dressing, then spooning it over a big wedge of chilled iceberg lettuce.

What would a BLT be without mayo? Dry and boring, that’s what. Potato salad? Deviled eggs? Pimiento cheese? I'll stop ranting now.

So without further ado, here is a recipe for mayonnaise. Try it just once and you’ll never go back to those processed versions (sorry, Hellman’s). Like most of what I post here, it’s ridiculously easy and it will live for several weeks in your fridge, giving you lots of time to experiment. Oh, and just think how impressed your friends and family will be!

MAYONNAISE (adapted from Scott Peacock's "The Gift of Southern Cooking"

1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 egg yolks (I use extra-large)
1 1/2 cups peanut or canola oil
1 tablespoon hot water

Place the vinegar, lemon juice, sea salt and mustard into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Blend briefly until dissolved, then add egg yolks and whisk until smooth. While mixer is running, add the oil drop by drop at first, then in a slow stream until all of it has been incorporated and the mixture is emulsified. Beat in the hot water until mayonnaise is smooth and creamy.

Store in the refrigerator in a tightly covered container.

Yield: about 1 1/2 cups

* I always make this in my electric mixer, but you can do it in a food processor instead. You can also make it by hand with a big bowl and a balloon whisk which means you won't need to do any weight-lifting at the gym that day.

* I know I post a lot of Scott Peacock’s recipes here, but there’s a reason for that and it's because they are trustworthy. I’ve used them in both a restaurant kitchen (Watershed) and my own home kitchen for years and I can vouch for that. I would tinker with them, but instead I will stand by that old adage “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

* I also know some of you are going to look at this recipe and say “Oh no, this calls for raw eggs and I can’t go there.” That’s your choice, and I certainly respect that. I’ve made the choice to use organic, free-range eggs for my mayonnaise and have never had an issue. Farm fresh eggs are even better. It goes without saying that if you know where your eggs come from, the lesser the chances of contamination. As you know from earlier posts, I think it's well worth the trouble and expense to seek out farm fresh eggs.

http://nevertrustaskinnycook1.blogspot.com/2010/08/cake-and-eggs.html

Eggs. Cheese. Fat. Salt. Your Basic Food Groups.

2011-04-29T12:50:00.000-04:00

I'm not saying I tried to kill everyone at that baby shower I hosted recently, but I didn't exactly serve a lot of healthy food. Oh but wait, there were celery sticks with the pimiento cheese. Don't I get points for that?

Nonetheless, no one died. At least not so far. Hopefully their blood pressures are back to normal after my not-so-healthy but absolutely delicious offerings which included a healthy (no pun intended) infusion of eggs, cheese, butter and salt. You know you want to know ....so keep reading. I won't tell.

Don't laugh. Yes, I do have one of those silly egg platters!

Doesn't every Southerner?

We Southerners love our deviled eggs. Most are made with mayonnaise, usually Duke's or Hellman's (don't even mention Miracle Whip; that stuff ranks in my book as the worst product ever, maybe even worse than jarred chopped garlic or bottled lemon juice). Some also include spicy mustard or sweet pickle relish. Those basic versions (sans Miracle Whip or pickle relish) can be pretty good but they pale in comparison to a recipe I pilfered from the AJC (Atlanta Journal-Constitution) which incorporates both capers (always good, even on cardboard) and butter. BUTTER? In deviled eggs? You bet your sweet and now expanding you-know-what! Here's the recipe:

DEVILED EGGS WITH CAPERS (adapted from Margaret Anne Mitchell's recipe in the AJC)

6 eggs
1/4 cup mayonnaise (preferably homemade)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon capers
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Chopped chives or small sprigs of parsley for garnish

Bring a saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add eggs and reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 13 minutes, then remove eggs to an ice bath. Tap each one against the side of the bowl to crack lightly. This helps release the sulphur to prevent yolks from turning green around the edges. As soon as eggs have cooled, peel immediately.

Cut eggs in half lengthwise and remove yolks, reserving whites. Press yolks through a fine sieve or strainer. Stir in mayonnaise, butter and mustard, adding more if necessary to make a smooth puree. Add capers, salt and pepper and stir to blend. Taste to adjust seasonings.

Spoon or pipe into reserved egg whites. Garnish with chopped chives or small sprigs of parsley. Serve immediately

Yield: 12 stuffed egg halves

* I can be a purist about some things and one of those involves mayonnaise. As far as I'm concerned, it's easy to make and much, much better than what you can buy in a jar. I'll share my recipe with you in the next post. Of course, you don't have to emulate my OCD; Hellman's or Duke's will work just fine if you're not as crazy as I am.

* Have you ever tried peeling a hardboiled egg and the shell just doesn't want to come off, leaving you with a pock-marked egg that looks like it has acne? The trick is to use eggs that are older (yep - believe it or not, this is one time when I'm not advocating fresh farm eggs). That's because older eggs develop an air pocket at one end which makes them easier to peel. If you know you are going to make this recipe, buy your eggs a week or two ahead and let them sit in the fridge until you are ready to cook them.

*Depending on the size of your egg yolks, you may need to use more or less mayonnaise. Use enough that the mixture is smooth but still holds its shape when piped or mounded into the egg whites.

*************************

Now comes pimiento cheese which is another southern staple. Extra-sharp cheddar, homemade mayo, roasted red peppers and a healthy dose of cayenne pepper. Serve it on little toasts, scoop it up with celery sticks, tuck it into toasted brioche for a sandwich or just stand in front of the refrigerator and eat it straight out of the container with the largest spoon you can find. Fat grams be damned!

PIMIENTO CHEESE (from Scott Peacock's "The Gift of Southern Cooking")

2 1/2 cups (10 oz.) grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (or to taste; I like a little more)
3/4 cup mayonnaise (preferably homemade)
1 red pepper, roasted, skin removed and finely chopped
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Salt to taste, if needed

Mix all of the ingredients together in a large bowl until well-blended and creamy. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. Cover and chill until ready to use.

Yield: 2 cups

* I realize that I am the least likely person to say this, but resist the temptation to add too much salt. In fact, depending upon the quality of your cheddar, you may not need to add salt at all. Taste carefully!

* Speaking of cheddar, use the sharpest cheddar you can get your hands on. Since there are so few ingredients in this recipe, they need to be of the highest quality. Yes, that means homemade mayo is better!

* You can buy roasted red peppers in a jar, but why would you do that when it's so easy to do it yourself? Place the pepper over the flame on a gas stovetop or grill until skin is blistered and black in places. Turn several times to blacken all sides. Let cool slightly, then use your fingers to peel off skin and remove seeds.

* I don't like to serve this directly from the refrigerator. While I don't recommend leaving it out at room temperature all day (lest you kill someone with salmonella), I think it's best when you leave it out for an hour or so before serving. Taking the chill off enhances the level of flavor.

* If necessary, you can console yourself that this is low carb ... but only if you eat it with those celery sticks!

BTW, I did not manage to avoid The World of Coke. My shoes will never be the same after walking around in that tasting room with those sticky, sticky floors! Nonetheless, anything for those adorable and amazing nephews of mine!

See what I mean? Oh, and when it comes to food, they are willing to try anything,

even fried shrimp and mackerel heads at Nakato, courtesy of Chef Kaki.

Unlike my own kids, these two actually friended me on Facebook.

No wonder I'm so willing to walk on sticky floors for them!

April Showers

2011-04-25T21:05:00.001-04:00

Aren’t they supposed to bring May flowers? Maybe so, but in my case, that April baby shower I hosted recently brought the need to get my back yard and patio cleaned up pronto. After a long winter and a series of serious April showers, this resulted in a few day’s work, but it was oh, so worth it!

The event was held on a warm and lovely Saturday afternoon. It was my hope that guests would drift outside in the backyard and indeed they did. When I sat down to plan the menu, I decided it should be simple, yet reflective of true Southern hospitality. Here is the end result:

Pimiento Cheese

Celery Sticks, Little Toasts

Deviled Eggs

Capers, Homemade Mayonnaise

Tea Sandwiches

Smoked Salmon, Herbed Butter

Cucumber, Goat Cheese, Fresh Dill

Southern Cheese Straws

“Reverse” Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Carla’s Lemon Bars

Honey-Pecan Bars

It ended up being perfect fare for a lovely afternoon. Despite a warning from a friend and co-host that guests don’t eat much at showers, this was not the case. They mingled … they ate … they talked … they ate … they stayed … they ate. In my mind, that’s what Southern hospitality is all about!

Alrighty then. Which of these recipes should I post first? You already know about the Honey-Pecan Bars (always a hit), so I think I’ll start with the cookies. Eat dessert first, right?

http://nevertrustaskinnycook1.blogspot.com/2010/09/will-bake-for-eggs.html

"REVERSE" CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES" (adapted from Ina Garten)

1/2 lb. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 eggs, room temperature (I used extra-large)
2/3 cup cocoa powder (I used Valhrona)
2 cups all-purpose, unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 11-oz. bags white chocolate chunks (available at Whole ~~Paycheck~~ Foods)

Place butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and cream well until light and fluffy, scraping down bowl several times. Add the vanilla and beat well, then beat in eggs, one at a time. Scrape down bowl then add cocoa and mix briefly to blend.

Sift flour, baking soda and salt into a bowl. Add to the mixer bowl and beat on low until just blended.

Using a spatula, fold in white chocolate chunks. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator to chill, at least 2 hours.

When dough is chilled, use an ice cream scoop to roll dough into small balls. Place balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then place in freezer.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350-degrees. Line a baking sheet (or sheets, depending upon how many cookies you want to bake) with parchment paper or a Silpat (silicone baking sheet). Place frozen balls on pan, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake for 15 minutes (cookies will not appear to be totally baked). Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes in pan, then remove to a rack to cool completely.

* As you already know, if you wrap the unbaked "balls" well, they will keep in the freezer for up to six months and you can bake them off whenever needed. Freezer to oven! This is extraordinarily helpful when unexpected guests show up or you have to provide something sweet on a moment's notice.

* I am not necessarily a fan of white chocolate, but I happen to like it in this recipe. It needs to be in chunks, though. If you can't find them in the store, you can always chop up a couple of white chocolate bars.

* I used a 1-oz. (1 3/4-inch) scoop which yielded 10 dozen cookies. Needless to say, the overflow are resting comfortably in my freezer, awaiting the arrival of my teenaged nephews tomorrow.

More recipes to follow ... if my nephews don't wear me out, that is. The next couple of days will be filled with CNN Tours, a turn at the Mario Andretti race car facility and teaching them to drive a stick. I just hope I can avoid the Coke Museum!

Passed Out After Passover

2011-04-21T00:08:00.000-04:00

Sorry I've been absent from the blogosphere.

Between a baby shower I hosted the other day and the laborious cooking for Passover, I am pretty much passed out right now. I think I may be getting too old for this kind of intensity, especially given my crappy kitchen. With no counter space, I might add.

Maybe my new blog should be about how to cook in a cramped kitchen. With no counter space (yeah, I'm repeating myself). I'm just sayin'..... (listen up, Henry).

Despite that, I have lots to post about and lots of recipes to share with you. Things like Pimiento Cheese and Deviled Eggs with Capers. Reverse Chocolate Chip Cookies. Oh, and Cheese Straws! I made all of these for that baby shower, but I just don't have the energy to post it right now. Bear with me, okay?

I am not going to give you any Passover recipes.  Been there, done that last year, and I don't want to go there again. Next year in NYC where I can order out!

http://nevertrustaskinnycook1.blogspot.com/2010/03/passover-hell.html

For now I will just leave you with a "recipe" (if you can call it that) for a lovely beverage concoction I served the other day at that baby shower. It lends itself to both children and adults and it works well for a party because it's remarkably versatile. Just don't give the vodka version to the kids.

STRAWBERRY LEMONADE

2 pints fresh strawberries, hulled
1 cup water
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 6-oz. cans frozen lemonade, thawed
Chilled sparkling water, Prosecco or vodka

In a blender or food processor, combine strawberries, water and sugar until blended and smooth. Remove to a pitcher and add lemonade. Stir well to blend.

This is the base. I served it in pitchers, alongside opened bottles of chilled sparkling water and Prosecco, next to a bucket filled with crushed ice. Instruct your guests to fill a glass halfway with crushed ice and sparkling water, Prosecco or vodka, then top off with a very generous helping of the strawberry lemonade.

Now really, how could anyone NOT like this????

When You Just Can’t Justify Mac and Cheese

2011-04-11T20:05:00.000-04:00

I’ve maintained this blog for so long, I can’t always remember some of my previous posts. This is partly due to the fact that I suffer from CRS Disease (Can’t Remember Sh_t) and of course I’m too lazy to go back and research some of those earlier entries. So I will just assume that, at some point, I published a rant about how I abhor fast food and chain restaurants.

That said, I have to eat my words about one chain restaurant and that would be Seasons 52. Yes, it’s owned by the Darden Group (which also owns the Red Lobster and Olive Garden chains, places where I would never darken the door, food snob that I am), but it is a fairly small brand (I don’t know if they have even 20 locations) and it is really, really good. In fact, it’s one of my favorite places to go for lunch on Saturdays after an intense workout at the gym. Why? Because it is very civilized dining, I can make a last minute rez on Open Table, racking up an easy 100 points and EVERY MENU ITEM IS 475 CALORIES OR LESS. My kind of place!

http://www.seasons52.com/about_us.asp

We ventured there over the weekend and as usual, ordered one of their flatbreads to start. These are very (VERY) thin rectangular crispy crusts with various toppings. Ours included plum tomatoes, basil and provolone. It was delicious and it satisfied that “pizza craving” we sometimes experience. Ha, and for less than 250 calories each, we didn’t do that much damage.

Which brings me to the following recipe. While it won’t take the place of mac and cheese (what could?) it is nonetheless satisfying and full of cheesy goodness. I’m betting your kids will like it – even if they hate cauliflower. That’s right, I said “cauliflower.”

This is another one of those recipes that I’m embarrassed to give you because it is ridiculously easy. Ouch, and it even involves a microwave. However, just like my affinity for Seasons 52, don’t let your food snobbery get in the way of a good plate.

EASY, CHEESY CAULIFLOWER

1 large head cauliflower, leaves removed and trimmed so that it sits flat
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Place cauliflower in a glass pie plate or shallow dish. Pour water into dish and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Nuke on high for about 10 minutes, or until cauliflower is tender.

Remove from microwave and carefully remove plastic wrap (be careful of escaping steam). Drain any remaining water in pan. Spread mustard evenly over the entire head of cauliflower, then place grated cheese in a pile on top. Nuke again for about 1 minute, or until cheese is just melted.

Slice and serve. That's it!

Serves 4 - 6

* Although I am the salt queen, notice that there is none called for in this. For me to say that - well, then you can trust me.

* I will also tell you that I have been known to use reduced-fat 2% pre-grated cheddar. Ouch, again. But as long as you use sharp cheddar (don't even think about using "American cheese" ) and a good quality dijon mustard, you'll be okay here and you will save a few calories.

* The genesis of this recipe comes from Glenn Powell and Elise Griffin-Hughes of the original Peasant Restaurants a million years ago here in the ATL. They concocted a version of it at the long-lamented Country Place. I think theirs involved mayonnaise, but in the interest of caloric content, I have dispensed with that here. You'll never miss it.

* And no, don't worry. I haven't sworn off posting fat-laden, delicious recipes. Just thought we all needed a break. Here's to the Skinny Cook Quest!

A Little More Lee

2011-04-06T22:23:00.001-04:00

Perhaps you read my posts back in February when I wrote about “re-discovering” some of my old Lee Bailey retro cookbooks.

http://nevertrustaskinnycook1.blogspot.com/2011/02/hot-soup-on-warm-night.html

http://nevertrustaskinnycook1.blogspot.com/2011/02/betcha-cant-eat-just-one.html

One of my (very observant) friends read those posts also, and when I saw him shortly thereafter, he surprised me with a copy of Lee Bailey’s “Cooking for Friends.” He had noticed from the pictures I posted that this book was missing from my collection, so he (very thoughtfully) went out and bought it for me. Now, that’s what I call a friend – thanks, Kenn!

Oh, and at least I now know that someone reads this blog!

As I read through this newest acquistion, I made note of several recipes I wanted to test, including one that called for yeast in the cake batter. More about that shortly.

Fast forward to this past weekend. It was springtime in Atlanta and I was in one of those “I want to bake” moods. What I wanted to bake was a recipe in my arsenal for Rhubarb-Ginger Cream Cheese Bars (you’re welcome, Henry) but alas, there was no rhubarb to be found. Guess it’s still too early, so I had to go back to the drawing board. That’s when I remembered Lee Bailey’s Gateau Norman and those Granny Smith apples I had recently purchased.

The recipe piqued my interest because it called for yeast, but not in the normal way of proofing it, letting it rise, etc. Uh-uh, it just called for it to be dumped into the mixture and incorporated without any thought of rising or temperatures between 105 – 115-degrees. Really?

At the end of the day, it was something like a clafouti with a richer “crust.” Suffice it to say Henry liked it. So did I.

GATEAU NORMAN (Adapted from Lee Bailey’s “Cooking with Friends”)

3 tart apples (I used Granny Smiths), peeled, cored and quartered
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
¾ cup all-purpose, unbleached flour
2/3 cup sugar, divided
Pinch of salt
½ cup milk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (I used canola)
½ package active, dry yeast
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 egg, lightly beaten (I used extra-large)
Softly whipped cream or good vanilla ice cream for serving

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Butter a 10-inch tart pan and set aside.

Place quartered apples in a small bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and 1/3 cup of the sugar. Stir in the salt, milk, vegetable oil, reserved lemon juice and lemon rind. Sprinkle the yeast over and stir to blend well. Spoon into the prepared pan and arrange apple quarters over, rounded side up.

Combine remaining sugar, melted butter and egg. Spoon this over the apples in the pan. Place into oven and bake until apples are tender and cake is puffy and lightly browned, about 40 – 45 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Serve with softly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Serves 6 – 8

• Lee served this for breakfast. (Good call, I say. I could eat this for breakfast in lieu of leftovers any day of the week). Dammit, Lee, why wasn't I one of your good friends? We would have had SO much in common!

• Of course, this is also pretty good as a simple dessert. It’s not overly sweet and it’s not heavy. If serving as dessert, however, I would recommend adorning it with some softly whipped cream or a scoop of good vanilla ice cream. If you are lazy like me, then a drizzle of heavy cream over the top will suffice quite nicely.

• I will also tell you that this is better served warm. If you need to bake it ahead, have at it. Just cover it with aluminum foil and rewarm in a 350-degree oven for about 10 minutes before serving.

That's it for now. It was a good spring weekend here in the ATL and we walked our usual 10 miles today. Anything in my quest to become a skinny cook you can trust. Haha, that is SO not happening, but at least I try. Here's to another carb-less week ahead for me. Cheers!

Forbidden Fruit

2011-04-01T19:21:00.001-04:00

Bananas are a thing of the past around here. Poor Henry used to consume one every morning along with his cereal and morning coffee (unlike me, he will not eat leftovers for breakfast) until I did a little research and discovered that bananas are extremely high in both sugars (28 g) and carbs (51 g). Now granted, they are a good source of fiber, vitamin C and potassium, so I don’t want to give them a bad rap but they no longer grace our breakfast table. Sigh.

Ah, but when we find ourselves on vacation, all bets are off. Remember that trip we took recently?

http://nevertrustaskinnycook1.blogspot.com/2011/02/gone-fishin.html

We needed a quick get-a-way, so we headed for the Turks and Caicos. We had never been there, but it was a pretty straight shot from Atlanta (less than 2 hours on a plane, unless you travel in the midst of severe thunderstorms, which happened on the way back), we found a lovely, quiet place to stay (no big, all-inclusive resorts for us) and it looked like a good place for a five-day sojourn.

Indeed, it was. While Provo isn’t a hotbed of activity, it was lovely and easy to navigate. We spent time on the beach, kayaked, explored an iguana-inhabited island, relaxed and enjoyed some lovely dinners at local restaurants. As these islands are under British rule, this last one was a surprise!

Nonetheless, we found good food on the island. Our favorite restaurant was Coyaba which is helmed by Chef Paul Newman (I’m not making that up). We were lucky enough to meet him and he shared some insights as to the difficulties involved in running a successful restaurant on the island. Unfortunately he did not share his recipe for Banana Caramel Eton Mess, but I am determined to re-create it. Stay tuned.

The other memorable dessert we encountered was Magnolia’s Banoffee Pie. I stumbled across the recipe while perusing one of the local dining magazines and figured it was reason enough to have dinner there. Well, why not? We had to make up for our banana deficiency somehow, right?

BANOFFEE PIE (adapted from Chef Matt Gaynor, Magnolia Restaurant, Providenciales)

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
4 oz. (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 ½ cups dulce de leche (or salted caramel, which is what I used)
2 bananas, sliced
2 cups heavy cream, chilled
¼ cup confectioner’s sugar
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder

Preheat oven to 350-degrees.

Place graham cracker crumbs in a large mixing bowl. Add melted butter and stir until combined. Press into a 9 or 10-inch tart pan, or 6 individual tart pans with removable bottoms. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until just set; remove from oven and set aside to cool.

When crust is cool, pour the dulce de leche over and smooth top. Place in the refrigerator to set up and cool completely.

Just before serving, layer banana slices over the caramel layer. Whip the cream to soft peaks with the confectioner’s sugar and espresso powder. Spread evenly over the bananas. Cut and serve immediately.

Serves 6 – 8

• I will admit that I am a snob when it comes to graham cracker crusts. I normally eschew them in favor of some other type of cookie, as you know from my prior cheesecake posts. But, since this is a traditional British recipe, I elected to just go with it and you know what? I liked it!

• I had some leftover salted caramel from making one of those Sweet and Salty Cakes so I subbed it for the dulce de leche. This was a good decision; so much so that if I make this again, I would venture so far as to make some salted caramel specifically for this dessert. Make your own choice: here are the links for both:

http://nevertrustaskinnycook1.blogspot.com/2010/12/baked.html

http://nevertrustaskinnycook1.blogspot.com/2010/05/dulce-de-leche-vs-dulce-de-leche.html

• F.Y.I., when I made this (for that potluck recently where I took the mac and cheese), I used an 11 x 7 ½ -inch rectangular tart pan with a removable bottom. Use whatever you have.

• Yeah, we had both mac and cheese and banoffee pie that night. What was I thinking????????

A Guilty Pleasure

2011-03-28T20:25:00.005-04:00

Unfortunately, in my quest to someday become a skinny cook (which will likely never happen), I try to avoid eating stuff like that. My 5-day-a-week routine involves mostly protein, lots of veggies and of course wine, which I am incapable of giving up. Sigh. As Henry is fond of saying, he eats and I drink!

But when you are invited to a casual dinner party and asked to bring a side dish, what should that be? As far as I am concerned, this is not the time for elaborate, esotheric dishes. Who wants that? I think people would much rather sink their forks into comfort food like mac and cheese as opposed to say, curried lima beans in casserole (I did not make that up. There is actually a recipe for it in one of my retro cookbooks, complete with cans of cream of mushroom soup and French-fried onions).

Think about the plate in front of you. If it had a pile of curried lima beans next to a hunk of mac and cheese on it, where would your fork go first? I rest my case.

So for that dinner party the other night, I made my favorite mac and cheese from Scott Peacock"s brilliant book "The Gift of Southern Cooking" with Edna Lewis. It's similar to the one we made at Watershed and it's the only mac and cheese recipe you will ever need. If you're going to spring for it and make the stuff, then it may as well be the best "stuff" ever. Based on the compliments around the table the other night (and every other time I've made it), this recipe more than qualifies.

MACARONI AND CHEESE (adapted slightly from "The Gift of Southern Cooking" by Scott Peacock and Edna Lewis)

1 lb. elbow macaroni, uncooked
10 oz. (2 1/2 cups) extra-sharp cheddar, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/3 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
3 teaspoons dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 1/2 cups sour cream
4 eggs, lightly beaten (I used extra-large)
1 small sweet onion, grated
3 cups half-and-half
3 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
8 oz. (2 cups) extra-sharp cheddar, grated
1 cup panko or good breadcrumbs
Additional Kosher salt to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add macaroni and cook, stirring frequently to prevent sticking, for about 9 minutes or until just tender. Do not overcook as it will further cook in the oven.

Drain well and transfer to a large buttered baking dish (mine measured about 12 x 15 x 4). Stir in the cubed cheddar and set aside.

Place the flour, salt, dry mustard, black pepper, cayenne pepper and nutmeg in a large mixing bowl, whisking to blend. Add the sour cream, followed by the eggs and whisk again until well-blended. Whisk in the grated onion, half-and-half, heavy cream and Worcestershire. Taste carefully to adjust seasoning (it should taste somewhat salty as much of it will be absorbed by the macaroni) and pour over the cooked macaroni and cubed cheese in the baking dish.

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. In a small bowl, mix together the grated cheddar, the panko and salt to taste. Sprinkle evenly over the macaroni mixture. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes or until the custard is set around the edge of the baking dish but still a bit loose in the center. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes to allow the custard to thicken.

Serves 10 - 12

* Now here's the thing: this is a really easy recipe. The only cumbersome thing is grating the onion, but that is no big deal. You don't have to make a white sauce over the stove and you really don't have to do anything except combine a bunch of ingredients, grate some cheese and cook up some pasta. So make the effort and take the time to grate your nutmeg as opposed to using the pre-ground variety. As a matter of fact, if you have any of it in your spice cabinet, throw it away now and buy some whole nutmeg and an inexpensive nutmeg grinder (or use your trusty microplane). This will make a huge difference in anything you make or bake which calls for nutmeg.

* Also make sure to use the sharpest cheddar you can get your hands on. This is not the time for wimpy cheese, like mild cheddar. You want good, assertive cheddar so your mac and cheese has that edgy snap to it.

* Salt is also crucial to this dish, but not after it is baked. If you wait until then to add salt, it will just sit on the top and taste salty, but your mac and cheese will be bland. That's why you need to add it to the cooking water, add it to the custard and add it to the topping. I know, I know - we are all trying to limit our intake. But as I said before, if you are going to bite the bullet and indulge in this, then it might as well be to the fullest. You can mend your evil ways tomorrow.

* Another thing. Do yourself a favor and place your baking dish on a larger baking sheet when you put it in the oven. It's unlikely that it will ooze over (if it does, you added too much custard or used a too-small baking pan) but cover your bases anyway. Or your oven floor.

* I took this out of the oven an hour-and-a-half before we transported it to my friend's house for dinner and it was another hour before we served it. The key was covering it tightly with heavy-duty foil. It stayed warm and melty until we devoured it.

* I'll see you all at the gym next week........

Too Much is Never Enough

2011-03-21T18:43:00.000-04:00

Henry has said for years that he isn't afraid I will spend all of our hard-earned money. Nope, he is more concerned that I will give it away. He's probably right. You are unlikely to spot me at the mall buying shoes, clothes or jewelry (of course, that shows in the way I dress) but I'm a soft touch when someone is hungry or in need. In my next life, I hope I get to be one of those "Secret Millionaires" who pretend they are just like the rest of us, then give much-needed funds to deserving individuals and organizations, amidst flowing tears, screams of disbelief and hugs.

Since I am in this life however, I fulfill those urges by pulling a complete overload when someone asks me to bring food to a potluck dinner or bake a birthday cake. What, a simple birthday cake? As I have posted several times (most recently a week or so ago), if one cake is good, then three are better!

I held to that standard this past weekend when yet once again, I offered to bake a cake for a friend's birthday party. Luckily for me, she loves cheesecake and as we all know, I AM THE CHEESECAKE QUEEN and I could bake them in my sleep. Nonetheless, they are pretty spectacular looking and the best thing is that they require no frosting or complicated decorating. No pastry bags needed!

You already have my basic cheesecake recipe (courtesy of Glenn Powell and Elise Griffin-Hughes) which calls for 3 pounds of cream cheese, 2 1/2 cups of granulated sugar, 6 eggs and a 10 x 3-inch round (not springform) pan. In case you missed it, here's the link:

http://nevertrustaskinnycook1.blogspot.com/2010/11/wheres-my-tiara.html

For this latest birthday extravaganza, I made the Chocolate-Espresso Cheesecake as detailed in the above post. It was yummy, but you already know this.

I also made the basic vanilla version (posted there as well). For the crust, I pulverized about half a package of Vanilla Oreos and combined it with 4 tablespoons of melted butter (gotta love all that fat!) I then topped the finished cake with sliced fresh strawberries, glazed with a little melted strawberry jelly.

For the third version, I decided upon key lime. The crust consisted of 7 oz. gingersnaps, ground with 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon of lime zest, then combined with 4 tablespoons of melted butter. I then placed the 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar (as called for in the basic recipe - a little less if you want) in the food processor with 2 tablespoons of lime zest and 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh ginger. This is what I used to add to the cream cheese in the electric mixer. To the basic batter, I also added 1/2 cup of key lime juice and 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract.

I will refrain from modesty and admit that all three of these cheesecakes were fabulous. If you tried any one of them on its own, you might even venture so far as to say it was the best cheesecake you ever ate. Sampled at the same time, however, the winner for the evening was the vanilla-strawberry version. I'm convinced it had something to do with those Vanilla Oreos!

Go, Laura! You're so special, you deserve 300 cakes!

The Joys of Parenthood

2011-03-18T20:00:00.001-04:00

I'm a pretty happy camper right now since my eldest son (that would be Andy) came home recently.

Home? Who am I kidding? He left our house in 2000 and has lived in NYC ever since. He has a great apartment and a great life up there, so in all honesty, I guess that's his home, not our house here in Atlanta. Nonetheless, both he and his brother (Eric) still have their rooms in our house and I have no intention of ever, ever turning them into a gym or a library or any other such thing. In some way, I hope they always consider this as "home," even if it isn't the house in which they grew up.

Andy's desk

Eric's room (stuffed animals and all)

When they come here, I'm like a little pig in you-know-what as it means I get to cook, bake and feed everyone to my heart's content. This usually includes their friends, so there is no shortage of people around our dinner table. The more the merrier, I say!

That's the good part. Oh, but there is a bad part too, and if you have grown kids who no longer live at home, then you know exactly what I am talking about. That's the fact that they go out late at night with their friends and don't get home until 3 o'clock in the morning. Or later.

I know, I know. They are adults and they manage quite well on their own in their respective cities, without interference from parental units. What we parents don't know won't hurt us. But when they're under our roof? Ha, that's a whole different story!

It starts when they head out at 11pm. You go to bed as usual (falling asleep while trying to watch the news) and in a perfect world, you sleep soundly until 8am or so when you awaken to the sun streaming in the bedroom and the car parked in front so you know they made it home safely.

Oh, but that's not what happens! You fall asleep during the news alright, but then you wake up to turn off the TV at 2:30am and you can't help yourself. You get out of bed, pad down the hall and realize that the outside lights are still on and they still aren't home (not that you expected them to be). Crap.

You then go back to bed and pretend you are going back to sleep, but of course you don't. You lie there, imagining all sorts of horrible things until you finally hear the key in the lock and the sound of muffled voices. You breathe a silent sigh of relief, roll over and finally - FINALLY - drift off. Of course, now it's 3:30am. This will not serve you well when it's time to get up. Or for the next two days afterwards. Sigh.

So I take my joy in the fact that we are sleeping under the same roof (well, sort of, considering that they probably don't hit the bed within 3 hours of my getting up) and spending some good time together. When Andy shows up, that means good time in the kitchen.

This past weekend, he introduced me to Matbucha. He described it as a cooked salad which originated amongst Moroccan Jews. He calls it peasant food which is common to Israel and consumed at almost every meal. I looked it up and of course he knew exactly what he was talking about.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matbucha

We enjoyed it with dinner that evening and I will confess that I polished off the leftovers at breakfast for several days after he returned to New York. While you might want to enjoy it for lunch or dinner instead, I highly recommend that you whip up a batch of this stuff. It's another one of those easy recipes where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

ANDY'S MATBUCHA

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 green bell peppers, cut into large dice
1 large yellow onion, sliced
2 jalapenos (or other hot pepper), chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 28-oz. cans diced tomatoes
1 6-oz. can tomato paste
Salt and pepper, to taste
Ground cumin, to taste
Cayenne pepper, to taste
Paprika, to taste
Zhatar seasoning, to taste

Heat olive in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add green peppers, onion and jalapenos and cook, stirring frequently, for 12 - 15 minutes until soft and tender, but not caramelized. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.

Add diced tomatoes and tomato paste. Increase heat to medium-high and cook for 15 minutes more or until mixture thickens slightly. Add salt, pepper, cumin, cayenne, paprika and Zhatar to taste. Reduce heat to medium and cook for another 5 minutes to let flavors meld. Taste to adjust seasonings.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

The better the beer, the better the finished dish, right?

* I would love to give you more specific amounts, but I was lucky just to get the basics from Andy (see picture with beer). He cooks like I do - a little of this, a little of that, oh and maybe more of both. You can trust me that this recipe is delicious, but you're gonna have to trust your own judgment on the seasonings.

* You can serve this warm, cold or at room temperature. You can eat it alone, you can serve it as a side dish or you can serve it as a complement to meat, fish or chicken. Or, take a leaf from my book and eat it for breakfast which I think is a healthy and spicy way to start your day!

* One more thing. Andy learned his basic cooking skills from me, but I think the student has now surpassed the teacher....

Success!

2011-03-13T19:43:00.001-04:00

Yep, I did it. Took that Lemon-Poppyseed Cake and turned it into a fabulous three-tiered creation for my friend's birthday. As I've said here before, sometimes I manage to surprise myself.

Here's the result:

Cake layers baked.

A good start.

Layered, tiered and frosted.

Lots of drinking straws buried underneath for support!

The birthday girl and her husband.

Think she's happy - hope so!

I'll admit - it tasted pretty good.

Not dry at all!

There is a wedding cake to bake in my future, so this was good practice. In the meantime, however, I will get back to the business of posting recipes that "normal" people would make. Well, maybe.

Unfortunately, I did not get to photograph the cake from it's front. You are looking at the rear and the side (always how we want to be photographed, huh?). Use your imagination....