Cooking with Anne

Choucroute Garnie

2012-01-02T13:52:00.000-05:00

Living in Pennsylvania, one is nearly forced to have pork and sauerkraut on New Year's Day or face the threat of being shunned. It's kind of like football; don't claim to love another football team but the Eagles, or else (ahem, we all know I'm a Steelers fan - rule breaker that I am).

I get away with liking the Steelers because they're a Pennsylvania team, so I figure I can get away with pork and sauerkraut any way I like as long as those 2 ingredients are in it - right? Of course.

My very favorite way to have pork and sauerkraut is in a dish I found many years ago that hails from the Alsace region of France, which is located on the Eastern border of France adjacent to Germany and Switzerland. The dish is choucroute garnie, which in French means "garnished sauerkraut". At its most basic it's simply sauerkraut and pork with potatoes, but the region itself adapted those simple ingredients by adding to them making a truly spectacular preparation.

At first glance things like junpier berries and cloves might scare one away from trying this, but you must trust me that without them, it's just not the same. There's a depth and complexity of flavors here that meld together and make the sauerkraut mellow and rich.

I typically make this with the potatoes right in the pot with everything else, but I find everyone likes this better over mashed potatoes, so I now make them separate. It also gives the pickiest of the kids something else to eat in the event they aren't wanting the rest that day.

First, though, what are juniper berries? Well, one whiff of their pungent aroma will give a clue. Juniper berries come from trees, specifically junipers, a species of conifer. They give gin its characteristic flavor and are used in many food preparations. If you are not able to find juniper berries (Penzeys.com is always good) then a shot of gin will do for this.

Though I've made this in a heavy pot on the stove, I've taken to putting it all in a slow cooker and I actually think the flavor is better that way. If you don't have a slow cooker, the usual stove top method is fine as well.

Choucroute Garnie
Serves 8 - 10

1 medium onion-sliced
5 slices bacon-diced
3 cloves garlic-sliced
1 lb kielbasa cut in 2" lengths
1 lb boneless pork ribs cut in 2" cubes
1 lb sweet sausage - like country style - cut in 2" lengths
2-16 oz bags sauerkraut-rinsed and drained
2 cooking apples peeled-cored and cut in thick slices (I like Granny Smith for this)
2T brown sugar
6 whole cloves
6 juniper berries-or 1 shot of gin
1 bay leaf
1t freshly ground pepper
1c white wine
Hot cooked mashed potatoes for serving

Saute bacon and onion with garlic until onion is tender but not browned.
Add meats and saute until no longer pink.
Add remaining ingredients and simmer until meats are tender-about 45 min.
Remove bay leaf, cloves and juniper berries before serving over potatoes.

If using a slow cooker, layer sauerkraut, onion, garlic and apple in the bottom of the pot. Pour over wine and add cloves, juniper berries, bay leaf and brown sugar. Grind pepper over all and add meats to the top. Lid securely and cook on high for 3 hours. Stir once to combine ingredients and cook until meats are completely done, about 1/2 an hour longer. Remove bay leaf, juniper berries and cloves before serving over potatoes.

Savory Breakfast Rolls

2011-10-23T12:48:00.001-04:00

Once again, I'm still here. Just in case you were worried. Life has gone and taken a complete 180% turnaround, though, and that's good. That's very good.

I've moved again recently and am still getting settled. I'm pretty sure that will take the next year or so, but the kitchen (the most important room in the house) is almost finished and getting quite the workout already.

I made these savory breakfast rolls today and the kids devoured them almost before I could grab a couple good ones for photos. Luckily for you, I was quick enough. The recipe is sort of whatever you'd like as a filling, but I'll tell you what I did and you can change it up to your heart's desire. I made one batch with sausage and bacon and the other with sausage, bacon and peppers.

Savory Breakfast Rolls
Makes 8

One batch of biscuit dough for 8 rolls (or a can of 8 LARGE biscuits)
2 Tablespoons butter - melted
8 ounces breakfast sausage cooked and diced
4 ounces bacon cooked crisp and crumbled
1 cup prepared Alfredo sauce
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Heat oven to 375 degrees FRoll biscuit dough to a 12 x 8 rectangle.
Spread with butter followed by 3/4 cup Alfredo sauce.
Sprinkle evenly with sausage, bacon and cheese.
Roll up from short end and cut evenly into 8 slices.
Place into a round baking pan that has been lined with parchment or otherwise greased.
Flatten each roll slightly.
Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool for 5 minutes and top each roll with remaining Alfredo sauce.

*If using peppers or peppers and onions, dice small and cook first until soft. Use approximately 1/2 cup.Add with meats and cheese.

Chive Blossom Vinegar

2011-06-11T11:20:00.006-04:00

Years.

It took years for me to finally get a chive plant to bear blossoms. I'm not sure why I had such a difficult time, but my best guess (along with a bit of investigation) is that chives don't bloom until their second year. At least mine didn't. I had planted year after year in various locations and many times didn't even get basic chives. I was told often that they grew "anywhere, like weeds", without having proof of that at all.

Last year I grew chives in a container, but only the chives themselves grew. I put them to bed with the rest of the garden in the fall and this spring, sure enough, they grew with blossoms attached. Finally! My reasoning for attempting to grow them all these years was solely for the blossoms to make chive blossom vinegar with.

I was a happy camper this year.

So, here is a photo or two of the blossoms, the vinegar making, and a final usage in chive blossom mayo. Click on the photos to view them larger.

The method is as simple as it looks: Harvest the chives with blossoms intact. Rinse well and trim blossoms from stems. Set chives aside for another use. Toss blossoms into a glass jar with a non-metal lid. Add vinegar to cover, lid tightly and set in a cool, dark place for 2 weeks. Strain blossoms and keep vinegar in the dark to prevent the color from fading.

Vinegar on the first day, one day later and two weeks later. The strained and finished product on the bottom.

Homemade mayo is far easier than you think. I always make mine by hand, but feel free to search the web for blender and processor recipes - there a re quite a few out there.

Here is 1 egg yolk, 1 Tablespoon of chive blossom vinegar, a pinch of white pepper and salt to taste. Blend well and pour 1 cup of oil into the egg mixture in a VERY thin and slow stream while whisking continuously until mayonnaise forms. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if necessary. Keep covered tightly in the refrigerator and use within 1 week.

I Still Make Dinner

2011-06-10T19:03:00.004-04:00

Everything from the grill: flank steak with crema (Mexican sour cream, because sometimes the usual just doesn't cut it), cliantro and lime. Corn in the husk, zucchini, green onions and shrimp. Dessert? Double-berry milkshakes.

I haven't been absent from here on purpose, and it hasn't been for anything bad, just busyness on my part. Back in March I started another job working nights. That's all well and good, and the original purpose was to work at night so I would still have my days open for children and food blogging. My life seems to be so very different from others in many respects, but usually it's the glitch-factor with me. The Murphy's Law sort of bent that's usually only reserved for cursed Irishmen.

I don't only work 40 hours a week, my weeks are more often than not 63 to 75 hours in length. That's a whole lot of time NOT for myself. Getting home in the morning is odd, sometimes several of the kids are awake and or gone from the house to school already and I miss the standard goodbyes before their school day more than I thought I would. Everyone is home from school now, though and it's a bit easier to come back to the house and find them sleeping instead of gone.

I actually like my job quite a bit. It's not without moments that make a person want to run the other way (I work at a group home for two mentally and physically disabled women), but there are rewards you don't get elsewhere. It's a bit like mothering, in that respect, much of the reward is not monetary or tangible, but things like silent hugs or silly sideways smiles go pretty far for me.

I do cook, of course; all seven kids are still roosting at the nest and need to be fed the same several times a day as always, but I find now that the time it takes to set up a photo or write a paragraph or two are lost in the sheer run-around that is my day. I miss doing what I love - cooking and photographing and especially writing. I can write a full first chapter of a book in my head at night when I'm just about to drift off. I just can't seem to find the time to get it to paper or computer screen.

So, without a recipe attached or a lengthy and menu-worthy description, I thought I'd share tonight's dinner; as-is without any fluff. See? I'm still cooking - they're still eating.

Eggland's Best Brunch

2011-04-05T09:12:00.006-04:00

This past Sunday I was able to host an Eggland's Best Brunch at my house. We had a packed house and an equally packed table featuring recipes from both Eggland's Best and Fabio Viviani's ebook, "Did I Really Make Breakfast?"

Why Eggland's Best eggs? Well, take a look at the stats for yourself. Eggland's Best eggs, compared to typical eggs have:

Click to make larger

And just in case you didn't know, it's safe and healthy to eat up to 6 eggs a week!

Not only are there more nutritional benefits to EB eggs, but they also use a special patented hen feed, a more strict quality assurance program than any other, and EB eggs are fresher than other eggs, being shipped to the store no later than 48 hours after laying.

The flavor is also better than ordinary eggs and it's actually quite noticeable even in recipes where the eggs are combined with several other ingredients. I chose to use 3 of my own recipes, 3 from Eggland's Best and 3 from Fabio Viviani. Every single recipe was a hit with every age range at the brunch. Of course, the kids loved the Deviled Eggs and Breakfast Pizza with Hash Browns and Sausage from Eggland's more than any others, but the adults hit up Fabio's Eggs Baked in Cheese Fondue until there was nothing left. I changed up the recipe in the tiniest way, I served the eggs and cheese sauce over steamed asparagus rather than toasted bread and nobody could get enough.

Of course, Fabio's Cheese Bomb Biscuits and Cheddar and Vidalia Onion Pie were also devoured completely (the biscuits were the first thing gone!) and the remainder of recipes including EB's Mexican Fiesta Breakfast Bake, my own Angel Food Cake with blueberries and peaches in cream, Mini Quiches and JoAn Henry's Strawberry Muffins were as well liked as any. Overall, everyone went away fully FULL and happy and several guests left with EB shopping bags, aprons, egg plushies, egg turners and coupons for a FREE dozen of Eggland's Best eggs!

Check out this short video of the food and one of the happy little guys.

Full Disclosure: Eggland's Best provided me with VIP coupons for free product, a $100 gift card to use for supplies, a flip video camera, information, recipe cards and prize packs to give away to guests.

Baked Ham and Cheese Sandwiches

2011-03-20T18:42:00.007-04:00

There's nothing like a versatile recipe to make my day. Add to that affordable and quick and you have a real winner for me. With so many picky eaters in this household, it's difficult to make something that everyone will like. This sandwich can be made with any meat or cheese and come out just as good so experiment a little like we do. Switch out the ham for turkey or the provolone for Swiss or cheddar. There really is no end to the combinations with this recipe.

The original recipe (this is actually quite old) most often calls for a sweeter roll like Hawaiian, but the miniature Portuguese rolls I used were perfect as well. I still think the glaze could be a little sweeter, but everyone else here was fine with them as-is.
Baked Ham and Cheese Sandwiches
Makes one 9x13 pan

1 stick butter or margarine (to heck with cholesterol, we all know butter is better)
3 Tablespoons honey mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
12 - 16 small rolls such as King's Hawaiian
3/4 pound thinly sliced ham
1/2 pound sliced provolone

1. Melt butter and stir in honey mustard and Worcestershire sauce.
2. Brush the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan with glaze.
3. Split rolls in half horizontally and layer the bottom of the pan with the bottom halves of rolls.
4. Brush the cut sides of the rolls with glaze and layer ham and cheese on each roll.
5. Place top halves of rolls on the sandwiches and brush with remaining glaze.
6. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Rice Pudding and Raw Milk

2011-03-07T08:22:00.008-05:00

Just about a year ago I began buying raw milk. Not for daily or even weekly consumption, but for a once-in-awhile thing. I'm not completely sure what my motivation was beyond the fact that it's a bit controversial and from much that I've read, if conditions are right, it isn't all together unsafe. In fact, for many people with lactose intolerance, raw milk can be a Godsend.

Nobody here has lactose issues, and for the most part I'm fully happy with the pasteurized 2% that I buy for daily use, but the crunchy/hippie/farmer type in me had to go out and give it a try. I wrote about the first couple excursions at Blog Catalog, so I won't repeat myself, but I will add that the scene changes ever so slightly each time I visit the farm. Sometimes it's laundry day, sometimes there's nothing going on; this time it was ... meat grinding day?

Saturday was rather gray and blah, and the farm looking austere from the lack of foliage on the trees only added to it. Once I walked into the garage however, the air took on an almost sinister feel when I caught sight of a young Mennonite man pushing meat into a grinder. Add to it the fact that he had a strange grin on his face and the whole scene became a bit "Children of the Corn".

I'm hopeful the meat was for personal consumption and not for sale, because thinking of eating anything from that farm other than milk, eggs or honey safely ensconced in plastic jugs, cardboard egg containers and glass jars makes me feel a little queasy. No matter, I grabbed what I'd come for and left without looking back (except to look at the chickens, can't help myself).

Then came the question of what I'd be making with these 'less-than-usual' ingredients I'd traveled nearly 30 miles for. No idea, as usual, it's just something I like to do and I usually figure it all out later. This time it turned out to be rice pudding. I have several kids who can never get enough of this, and my step-father always gets a container, but it takes a few hours to make, so I don't tackle it too often.

Raw milk is perfect for this. The original recipe uses 8 cups (half a gallon) of milk to a single cup of rice, so the result is ultra rich and creamy and raw milk, with its full-fat content from the layer of cream atop can only add to it. I don't care how bad it is, it's not something we have frequently, so we'll counter it with steam for dinner a couple nights this week.

It may seem a waste to cook with raw milk, but there's more to using raw milk than the mere fact that it hasn't been pasteurized or homogenized, just like there's a point to buying milk directly from a farm that produces it: flavor. I could well purchase whole milk for this right at the local grocery, but there is no denying that the flavor of fresh milk, raw or otherwise, is far superior to that found in the standard dairy case. Besides, only half is used to make this recipe, the rest is consumed straight-up or in cereal where everyone gets the most benefit from it.

If you have the time to do this (a lazy Sunday would be good) give it a try. It takes frequent checking and stirring, but the end result is so worth it, you'll be glad you took the time to make it. This was also posted at Family.com a couple years ago.

Rice Pudding
Serves 8-12

1 cup long grain rice
2 cups water
8 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 beaten egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean split and seeds scraped - set aside seeds

Cook the rice in the water following package directions -- this usually means adding the rice to the water, bringing to a brief boil, reducing heat and simmering, covered tighly for 20 minutes until the rice absorbs all the water and is tender.

In a large pot combine the cooked rice, milk and scraped vanilla bean if you're using it. Cook over a very low flame, stirring from time to time (every 10 minutes is good), until all the milk has cooked into the rice. This can take an hour to an hour and a half. You'll also have to skim the top 'skin' that forms each time you stir.

Once the milk is absorbed, remove from the heat, remove the vanilla bean if used and quickly add the beaten egg, stirring constantly so the egg thickens the pudding but does not cook. Stir in the sugar and vanilla seeds or extract until well combined.

Pour into a large flat pan like a 9x13 baking pan. Cool in the refrigerator, covered, for several hours before serving.

Prevention.com Announces Winners of 2011 Best Packaged Food Awards

2011-03-01T12:07:00.002-05:00

New York, NY, March 1, 2011 — Prevention.com put packaged foods to the test once again this year, revealing 21 winners of the website’s “Best Packaged Food Awards.” Winners were divided into categories, including best cereal, best pasta sauce, best yogurt, best soup, and best ice cream. To determine the winners, Prevention.com asked registered dietitians and food bloggers to recommend their favorite new and healthy packaged foods. Each product was tested and tasted by our editors and then narrowed down to the final list of the top 21 choices.

Said Deborah Wilburn, Executive Editor, Prevention.com, “Packaged foods have a bad reputation, but cooking from scratch all the time can be unrealistic. We want to give our readers the healthiest, most delicious options for the meals they’re actually cooking on a daily basis. Each of our winners not only tastes terrific, but all are trans fat-free, lower in sodium and sugar than their competitors, and are chock-full of key nutrients.”

Here is the complete list of Prevention.com’s “Best Packaged Food Awards” winners for 2011. A feature on the award winners can be found at www.prevention.com/packaged-foods-2011

· Best Cereal: Ambrosial Venetian Vineyard Granola
This sweet and crunchy organic granola wowed editors’ taste buds with the combination of walnuts, dates, and raisins. It packs in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, 28 grams of whole grains, and has no added oil. Though it’s a little caloric, at 230 calories and 7 grams of fat per half-cup serving, it contains 5 grams of fiber, 6 grams of protein, and 10% of your daily dose of iron.

· Best Oatmeal: Country Choice Organic Instant Oatmeal With Flax
With just two ingredients—whole grain rolled oats and flaxseed—you know you’re starting the day with a healthy, fiber-filled breakfast.

· Best Yogurt: Chobani Lemon 0% Greek Yogurt
The new flavor of this uber-popular yogurt brand boasts a delicious, not-too-sweet citrus taste that still provides all the nutritional benefits of Greek yogurt. This nonfat yogurt contains 140 calories and provides you with nearly one-third of your daily intake of protein as well as 15% of your daily calcium.

· Best Cheese: Sargento Sliced Reduced Sodium Pepper Jack Cheese
It’s hard to cut down on salt without cutting down on flavor, but this reduced sodium cheese has a deliciously bold taste. With 70 calories, 6 grams of fat, and 90 mg of sodium, this cheese is diet-friendly.

· Best Wrap: Tumaro’s New York Deli-Style Wraps in Pumpernickel
Get the distinctive taste of your favorite bread in a low-cal wrap. With just 80 calories per serving, the pumpernickel variety is made from whole-wheat flour and has a delicious deli flavor you don’t find in many wraps.

· Best Pasta: Annie Chun’s Pad Thai Brown Rice Noodles
This 100% whole grain pasta is a delicious substitute for brown rice, with none of the grainy texture some whole-wheat pastas can have. It’s a gluten-free alternative that’s delicious in stir-fries, soups, or pasta salads, and each serving boasts 4g of fiber.

· Best Deli Meat: Applegate Farms Organic Roasted Turkey Breast
This organic meat has a wholesome and delicious flavor and is free of preservatives, antibiotics, and nitrates. Though a serving contains 360 mg of sodium, it is comparatively lower than other packaged sliced turkey breast.

· Best Meat: Coleman Natural’s Chicken Meatballs Spinach, Fontina Cheese, and Roasted Garlic
These 100% natural pre-cooked chicken meatballs are free of fillers and preservatives, but full of savory flavor. Even though they contain a good bit of sodium—470 mg—they got RD and ADA spokesperson Sari Greaves’ seal of approval. “Stick to one serving and balance them with a side of steamed vegetables or a salad dressed with olive oil and vinegar/fresh lemon juice,” she advises.

· Best Fish: Wild Planet Canned Wild Albacore Tuna
This canned fish is sustainably caught using environmentalist-approved fishing methods. It's far lower in mercury and much higher in omega-3s than other canned tuna.

· Best Vegetarian Entrée: Amy’s Light and Lean Black Bean and Cheese Enchilada
The filling entrée contains only 240 calories, but our tasters said it kept them full for hours, and they loved the rich and bold Southwestern flavors. Added bonus: it’s 94% organic.

· Best Soup: Trader Joe’s Organic Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup Low-Sodium
Thick and savory, this boxed soup is so delicious, you’d never know it was low in sodium.

· Best Kid-Friendly Dish: Dr. Praeger’s Sweet Potato Littles
These adorable sweet potato bites will be devoured in seconds. Plus, with just a few ingredients, your family won’t be getting any unwanted extras.

· Best Chips: Laurel Hill Multigrain Chips
Brown rice, quinoa, flax seeds, and stone ground yellow corn combine to add fiber to this snack, and the light, crispy texture and perfect hint of salt will keep you coming back for more.

· Best Nuts: Planters Jalapeño Pistachios
Tasters loved the spicy taste of these nuts, and pistachios are rich in heart-healthy fats, a good source of protein, and studies show they may help lower cholesterol.

· Best Bar: KIND Bars Pomegranate Blueberry Pistachios
One look at this bar and you can actually see the almonds, cashews, blueberries, and raisins, packaged into an on-the-go bar. Testers liked the tart and tangy bar that wasn’t “too sweet.” With 50% of vitamins A, C, and E, you can be sure you’re getting health boost in each bite.

· Best Juice: Apple & Eve Fruitables Tropical Orange Juice
Although it’s always better to get your vitamins from whole fruit, these drinks are refreshingly light. Juices from fruits and veggies, including oranges, butternut squash, and carrots, are combined with water in a portion-controlled 6.75 ounce container, with one-third less sugar than other fruit drinks.

· Best Milk: Almond Breeze Original Unsweetened Almond Milk
This rich and creamy beverage is gaining popularity not only for its taste, but also its nutrition. With fewer calories than skim milk, you can get 20% of your calcium and 50% of your recommended intake of vitamin E in a to-go package.

· Best Tea: Numi Tea NUMI Monkey King Jasmine Green Tea (certified organic)
Green tea is full of antioxidants and has powerful disease-fighting capabilities. This jasmine-flavored caffeinated tea was a hit with our tasters.

· Best Nut Butter: Barney Butter Almond Butter Snack Packs
These 90-calorie portable packets offer easy portion control, which is crucial for this category since nut butters can be high in calories.

· Best Marinara: Lucini Rustic Tomato Basil Sauce
Each bite of this marinara sauce is bursting with authentic Italian-flavor. The ingredient list is full of whole foods—tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, onions—and it is sweetened with carrot puree, not processed sugar.

· Best Ice Cream: Talenti Argentine Dulce De Leche Gelato
This all-natural ice cream is made with milk that’s free of hormones and real Argentine dulce de leche, luxurious flavors that make it worth the splurge.

This list of winners is a featured part of Prevention.com’s new Healthy Eating Center, which also boasts the new Prevention.com recipe finder – an online tool that allows visitors to explore editor and reader favorites and search by categories from meatless main dishes to make-ahead meals.

# # #

Prevention is the nation's leading healthy lifestyle brand, with a U.S. magazine audience of 10.2 million readers, 3.5 million readers internationally of 16 international editions, and a top digital destination http://www.prevention.com that has 2.6 million unique visitors each month, 22 million page views, and 1.3 million newsletter subscribers. Each year, nearly 50 million Prevention products are sold, including books, special-interest magazines and bookazines, and DVDs. Prevention's Twitter handle is @PreventionMag and Prevention can be found on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/preventionmagazine. Prevention magazine and its apps are available on the iPhone and iPad.

Release provided by Rodale.com

Prevention Magazine Best Easy Healthy Eating LIVE Chat

2011-03-01T11:00:00.002-05:00

Prevention Magazine Main Page:
http://www.preventionmagazine.com

Chat Page:
http://www.prevention.com/easy-healthy-eating/index.shtml

Facebook Page:
http://www.facebook.com/preventionmagazine

Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/preventionmag

Prevention Magazine Best Easy Healthy Eating LIVE Chat

2011-02-25T14:09:00.002-05:00

Are you like me, a busy mom, who wants healthy food for their family? Prevention Magazine has chosen their Best Packaged Food Awards 2011. I am partnering with them to host a LIVE Q&A about how to eat healthy, and live well. Join us March 1st, 12:30 pm ET. Bring your friends & your questions!

Thursday Night Pizza

2011-02-24T11:51:00.004-05:00

In our house Father Dominic has become known as "The pizza making monk", my fault of course, but everyone now knows exactly who I'm talking about when I bring him up. There is so much more to Father Dominic than pizza, and that is evidenced by his first six books and public television show Breaking Bread with Father Dominic which ran for several years beginning in 1999. He's not only the chief pizza maker at the monastery and baker extraordinaire, he teaches religion and directs the plays at the academy and has also authored two plays. Very busy, very talented, very blessed.

His most recent book, however, is all about America's favorite food; pizza. The first question that came to mind when I saw the title of the book was, "Why Thursday night?" In our house, like so many others across the country, Friday night is the usual pizza night. The explanation is a rather easy one. Friday is a day of fasting and abstinence from meat when the monks at Saint Bede consume only one meal. While pizza can fit the meatless menu, it isn't very fun without the plethora of toppings available, so on Thursday night, or haustus night, they indulge a bit more knowing that the fast is coming the next day. It's also a community night when the monks get together to fellowship through conversations or games, whatever strikes their fancy that evening.

I read through this book rather quickly, it's a very easy read and I found myself drawn to the stories of Father Dominic's monastic life. The recipes are straightforward, but don't expect to see the usual pizza recipes here. Father Dominic feels very much the way I do about pizza, after the crust anything goes! He provides not just recipes for dough, but full explanations of the differences between them and exactly how they are to be prepared without being boring or tedious. Likewise, there is a chapter all about sauces before moving on to the pizzas themselves. In the monastery there is large garden tended by one of his fellow monks, Father Ron. The garden provides pizza topping inspiration and the pizza sauce is made from the heirloom tomatoes grown within. Now I'm looking forward to my own garden this year and can't wait to harvest and bake.

I took the opportunity to speak with Father Dominic about his newest book and would love to some day have to chance to meet and cook with him. I believe his closing sentiments to our conversation were the same. He was very fun to talk with and I really wish we both had more time to spend on the phone, I have a feeling we'd have talked for an hour or more easily. We talked a bit about his family and growing up baking, about drama and the fact that I have children who have been in theater and plays for quite some time. We even have similar loves for antique recipes and books.

Of the twenty pizza recipes offered (two are desserts!) I asked which was his very favorite. He did one better and gave me not just his favorite from the book, but his favorite all-time. His favorite from the book is the Four Cheese Tomato pizza and his favorite all-time is one from a pizza parlor in St. Louis named Thats'a Nice'a Pizza where they serve up a pizza called The Powerhouse which consists of a thin crust topped with sausage, pepperoni, extra cheese, hamburger, onion, jalapeno and chopped tomato. Wow! Father Dominic makes this pizza at the monastery as well with a few slight additions and variations. Either way, it's one I want to try for myself.

I have plans to make each and every pizza in this book, but for this post I made the Asparagus Mornay (see photos) and fell in love immediately. The flavors were so perfectly paired it was hard not to think that a gourmet chef had come up with the combination. I had three slices and don't feel guilty at all. If the rest of the pizzas in this book are as good as that one, we're in for some very delicious pizza nights at our house.

Pick up your copy of Thursday Night Pizza, Father Dominic's Favorite Pizza Recipes
by Fr. Dominic Garramone, O.S.B. at:

Amazon.com

Reedy Press

Guest Post: Top Five Reasons Caviar is Awesome

2011-02-07T00:00:00.001-05:00

Top Five Reasons Caviar is Awesome

by Anthony Portz of CaviarGalore.com

I find that everyone knows what caviar is, but so few people have tried caviar, and even fewer people actually consume it on a semi-regular basis. I’ve pondered this phenomenon for some time and have found that people are immediately put off by caviar for two main reasons:

1) it’s too expensive, and

2) so few people are even exposed to caviar, therefore, they don’t try it due to Fear of The Unknown.

It is my hope that I can dispel these two myths while also giving you info on caviar no one will tell you, mainly, that it’s delicious, affordable and versatile. What follows is a list of my Top 5 Reasons to Love Caviar!

1. Caviar is a versatile ingredient in food preparation

Traditionally, caviar has been served with hors d’ oeuvres or as a garnish in continental cuisine. From early on the caviar market has been dominated by Russian or Iranian black caviar from the black sea basin. Did you know, however, that caviar is also widely produced and eaten in countries ranging from Greece and Italy to Sweden and Japan? In Greece, for instance, caviar is made from carp roe and made into a paste that is typically eaten with bread, called Tarama. In Japan salmon roe is used in many types of sushi preparation. And, in Italy, caviar is even used in a dish called Bottarga.

2. There are many types of caviar for many tastes

Some people, I’ve found, try one type of caviar one time and decide they hate all caviar. This need not be so because there are many types of caviar made from many types of roe from many different fish. The various types of black caviar, Beluga, Sterlet, Ossetra and Sevruga, come from the black sea basin from the various sturgeon species that live there. There are, however, many types of fish roe used for caviar production, such as salmon roe, lumpsucker roe, cod roe, whitefish roe, carpe roe and other roe from sturgeon species not of the black sea basin.

3. Caviar is more affordable and available than you think

Traditionally, black caviar and its high market value, which is mostly due to the early Iranian and Russian control of the market, has fueled the mythos of caviar’s hefty price tag. True, Russian and Iranian black caviar, and even some Italian fish roe, can be very expensive, however, there are many other caviars from many other places that are more affordable. And, don’t think that just because it’s cheaper it must be inferior, because caviar from various other fish and other countries can be just as good (if not better) as black caviar from the black sea basin. Golden caviar from the N. American great lakes region, for instance, is widely consumed while also enjoying a relatively low market price.

4. Caviar has health benefits

Due the fact that most caviar enjoys little processing it retains most of its vitamins and minerals while also remaining low in calories. Many say, as well, that caviar is also healthy for your heart and skin because it’s full of omega-3 fatty acids. Though caviar can be healthy it is unhealthy to consume too much of it, as well as other fish, due to the trace amounts of mercury present in virtually all commercial fish products.

5. Caviar makes for the perfect hors d’ oeuvre

It’s healthy. It’s affordable. It’s versatile. It’s delicious. What else is there to say? Caviar is the perfect non-fried appetizer so you won’t feel heavy and weighed-down after eating it. Caviar is also affordable so no matter what your budget you should be able to find fine caviar for your event. And, caviar is so versatile that you’ll be able to find the perfect kind for your hors d’oeuvres, whether it be Mediterranean, Russian or even Japanese-themed cuisine. There are also many new ideas for using caviar in various fusion dishes these days; it only takes a little research. For more info on caviar and it’s amazing character check out CaviarGalore.com!

Post text and images property of by Anthony Portz of CaviarGalore.com

Harry Potter and the Stuff of Dreams

2011-02-02T13:47:00.000-05:00

In July, 2007 the entire world was gripped in Potter-mania. Not only was the final book in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, due out, it was also the month the 5th movie, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was released. For any Potter fan it was pure Potter bliss.

I was caught up in it as well; hard to miss with seven children and all the older ones being HP fans at that point. My editor at Disney Family.com and I were discussing it all in a phone call one afternoon and the idea to come up with my own versions of Harry Potter themed foods and post about them hit us.

I was more than willing and as I have a habit of looking for food references in everything I read, I already had several ideas. I chose the usual suspects that everyone knows about and two others that weren't so well-known. Writing up the posts was very fun and something I didn't think I'd get the chance to do, so I threw myself into it and came up with several posts and recipes. Being asked to do something like that was truly a dream come true for a recipe developer. The posts, sadly, have had to be removed from Family.com for legal reasons, but I was given permission to share the recipes here.

The first I'll share is the recipe for onion soup served by Molly Weasley in the middle of the night when Dumbledore drops Harry off at the Burrow in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

"She tapped the pot again; it rose into the air, flew toward Harry, and tipped over; Mrs.Weasley slid a bowl nearly beneath it just in lime to catch the stream of thick, steaming onion soup.

"Bread, dear." "Thanks, Mrs. Weasley." She waved her wand over her shoulder; a loaf of bread and a knife soared gracefully onto the table; as the loaf sliced itself and the soup pot dropped back onto the stove, Mrs. Weasley sat down opposite him."

English onion soup is not French onion soup, though it can be similar. It may be served with the typical crouton and melted cheese on top, or, as Molly Weasley likely did, without. I'm assuming this because directly after pouring Harry's soup, she offered him bread, and the thickness of the soup being mentioned also led me to believe it is more a creamy onion soup than the standard beef-stock-based type.

I also drew from the fact that the Weasley's are quite poor. Most creamy English versions of onion soup contain an equal mixture of Stilton and cheddar cheeses. The Weasley's would most likely not be using the more expensive Stilton, so I made this recipe with cheddar only. They also had a large garden and would have had onions growing of various types. Try to use as many varieties as possible for the best flavor.

Harry Potter-Inspired Onion Soup
Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

3 large onions, peeled and sliced thinly

2 large leeks, white only - cleaned well and sliced thinly
2 cloves garlic, minced

1 bay leaf
6 cups beef, vegetable or chicken stock
1 cup half and half
4 oz. finely shredded white cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat a large pot over medium-high heat and add a tablespoon or so of oil.
Add onions and leeks and cook until wilted and just beginning to brown.
Add garlic, stock and bay leaf. Simmer until onions are softened, about 30 minutes.
Add half and half and thicken well with a *beurre manie.

Stir in shredded cheese just until melted, remove bay leaf and serve.
Season with salt and pepper once the soup is thickened to your liking.

*Note- Beurre Manie is French for "kneaded butter". It consists of equal parts four to butter. Combine flour and butter and knead until well combined. Add a small amount at a time to a simmering liquid and whisk until smooth. Add more as needed.

Harry Potter books and movie references are the intellectual property of J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros. I am not nor will be compensated in any way for this post.

Super Bowl Worthy: Chicken and Cheese Dip

2011-02-01T00:00:00.000-05:00

This was a happy accident I needed to share. Getting food ready for the playoffs this year, I had a few ingredients on-hand that I wanted to whip into something easy to serve. This dip was just the ticket. It was devoured faster than I thought it would be, and it will most certainly be on the menu for the Super Bowl this year (Go Steelers!).

Chicken and Cheese Dip

Makes 2 cups

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

3 cups water

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 can (4 ounces) diced green chiles - undrained

1/2 cup salsa

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1. In a small skillet combine chicken, water, cumin, garlic powder and salt. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low.

2. Cook until chicken is easy to shred, about 45 minutes. If water cooks out, add more, a cup at a time.

3. Remove chicken from water and shred or chop fine. Reserve 1 cup of cooking water. If there is not enough, add water to make 1 cup.

4. Mix chicken with salsa, green chiles, cooking liquid and cheese. Cook over low heat until cheese is completely melted.

5. Serve with corn chips, keep warm or reheat as needed.

Lawhorn's Signature Seasonings

2011-01-27T09:56:00.006-05:00

Children are picky. Let's face it, clothing, hair, FOOD - it's all something kids can be very particular about. In this house the food issue can be huge and there are several reasons for it, but in a nutshell the kids are very discerning about what seasonings I use.

One of their favorites is a well-known national seasoning blend that they like on bagels, no matter what they're topped with. It so happens that we were out of that particular one when Lawhorn's Signature Seasonings All-In-One Professional Seasoning Blend showed up at the door.

Everyone's favorite use, up-close and personal.

My oldest son grabbed it from the shelf and used it, then the next child used it and the next and the next (and you do know I have 7 kids, right?) until everyone had tried it without my knowing. They were hooked and I've had to fight them off so I can effectively test it for myself and deliver results to my readers.

Lawhorn's was developed by Tim Lawhorn, then Executive Chef and Assistant Food & Beverage Director of the Innverary Hilton Hotel in Ft. Lauderdale. Trying to help cut costs for the hotel, he began toying around with herbs and seasonings to come up with a blend that could be used on virtually anything and he hit the jackpot. The blend that he cam up with was so unique that it tasted different on everything it was used on.

Skeptical as I am, I tried it for myself on everything I could think of. Pork, chicken, beef, shrimp, fish, veggies (zucchini with Lawhorn's is to-die-for). Yep, Tim Lawhorn is right, it really does have a different effect on each food. My personal favorite is Lawhorn's on pork, but the hands-down winner here (beyond the kids' cheese bagels) is mixed into ground chuck for just about the best burgers you'll ever eat.

Worried about sodium? Don't! Lawhorn's contains 65-7-% less sodium than most 'seasoned salts', is made from 100% natural ingredients and is certified Kosher, as well.

Give it a try, you absolutely must, because my telling you won't sell it, it really sells itself. Pick up a bottle at the stores listed here, or buy it directly from the website.

While you're there, check out the blog, recipes, testimonials, history of Lawhorn's and even the commercial. Also give them a follow on Twitter and Facebook and tell them Anne sent you.

Almond Cake

2011-01-24T12:38:00.003-05:00

Moist and rich in almond flavor, this is the perfect ending to any meal. Dust with powdered sugar, sliced almonds or even a chocolate sauce for an extra delicious dessert.

Almond Cake
Hands-On Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Serves: 8

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup almond paste
1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter - softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1/4 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch round cake pan.
2. Combine flour and baking powder and set aside.
3. Mix together almond paste and butter until smooth. Add sugar and beat until fluffy.
4. Add eggs and vanilla extra and beat until well combined. Add flour mixture until just blended.
5. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes or until the top springs back when touched in the center.
6. Cool in pan for 5 minutes then turn out onto a rack to finish cooling. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

While you're here check out Sweets for Saturday at Sweet as Sugar Cookies. Sweetness overload you won't want to miss!

Tyler Florence Family Meal

2011-01-18T08:26:00.004-05:00

I wrote in October of my trip to the New York City Wine & Food Festival sponsored by ShopRite and how I was able to meet Tyler Florence at a signing of his newest cookbook, Family Meal. The event was hosted at Abe & Arthur's and it was the first book signing I've ever been to.

When I entered the restaurant I was handed a name tag and a hard bound copy of the cookbook. If you've read here long enough you'll know that I read cookbooks like any other book; from start to finish like a novel. I sat in the crook of a large booth, settled in with my water and began to read over the book. First, page by page, scanning and taking in the photos, then back to the start to read in earnest. I didn't notice much going on around me (except the flurry of activity when Tyler Florence was ushered in to his seat at the book signing table) and kept reading.

I really couldn't pull myself away. We think alike about food and family on so many levels that I felt I could have written much of what I was reading. The recipes were at once familiar and different and I was intrigued. His fearless use of taboo fats and love for organic and fresh ingredients may not seem to go hand-in-hand, but it works very well and it's something I applaud him for.

When it came time for my book to be signed I didn't close it, rather I stood in line still engrossed with reading and when I stood before Mr. Florence, I think I actually said something completely stupid about not wanting to stop reading long enough to have him sign it. I vaguely recall mentioning the 7 kids and the fact that we'd thoroughly test the recipes. Not sure whether that was a complete failure or not, but it was the truth and I would hope that he'd take it as a compliment.

Kiki's Famous Coconut Cake - Perfection!

I did read it through - several times now - and have made many of the recipes. It's full of tried-and-true favorites from his childhood, from his grown-up family life, from the potlucks shared with neighbors and even recipes from his restaurants. Don't miss the story about El Paseo, the restaurant he and Sammy Hagar opened together. Yes, Sammy Hagar of VanHalen fame is quite the foodie.

The stories throughout give a glimpse into Tyler Florenece's life that you don't get in other books, something you'll be glad you read about. He's far more down-to-earth than most and his love and passion for food are shiningly evident in this tome. The photographs are elegant and homey at the same time, conveying the diversity of Mr. Florence's repertoire.

I took it upon myself to serve up a Sunday Dinner completely composed of recipes from this book and my family responded so well to it that it's now on the permanent dinner roster. What did I make? Chicken-Fried Steak with Southern Milk Gravy (perfectly seasoned), Buttermilk Biscuits (absolutely airy), Parmesan-Roasted Green Beans (my favorite part) and Kiki's Famous Coconut Cake (Divinity!).

Chicken-Fried Steak with Southern Milk Gravy, Buttermilk Biscuits and Parmesan-Roasted Green Beans

The verdict? Oh, well ... let me just say this, the next morning the 6 year-old and 4 year-old were asking if we could have steak and biscuits for breakfast, and the night before the 9 year-old wanted seconds at bedtime! Take note, those are my pickiest eaters. And you know, I have to say, I felt exactly the same way.

Pick up a copy of Tyler Florence Family Meal at the following book sellers:

Amazon
Barnes & Noble

See more of Tyler Florence at:

TylerFlorence.com
Food Network
Twitter

Flavors of Malaysia

2011-01-14T00:00:00.000-05:00

While Asian cuisine is something I am particularly fond of, Malaysian cuisine isn't something I've delved into too deeply. Flavors of Malaysia: A Journey through Time, Tastes, and Traditions by Susheela Raghavan is just the right book for initial exposure to the world of Malaysian food. It's packed with stories and facts about Malaysia and the food culture there. It's a colorful book in many ways; history, recipes and a beautiful center section of photographs.

The author's own history and the history of Malaysia could be a book in itself, but having it added to this cookbook makes it that much more interesting and useful when confronting Malaysian cuisine for the first time.

I tackled many recipes from this book including Lime Rice, Stir-fried Sambal Shrimp, Chicken Soup - Malay Style and Pineapple Tarts and each one was so flavorful and delicious even the youngest child in our home dove in and asked for seconds.

Many areas of the country are coming along and now have markets offering foodstuffs from across the globe, but if you aren't so fortuitous, the spices necessary for these recipes can be found on the author's own website, Taste of Malacca. Have a look at the site and please do check out this book, you'll be very glad to know Malaysian food the way that Susheela shares it and so will anyone you eat it with.

Buy your copy of Flavors of Malaysia from:

Amazon

Hippocrene Books

Bread Pudding with Vanilla Custard

2011-01-03T12:50:00.004-05:00

Bread Pudding with Vanilla Custard

Serves 8

1 loaf Italian bread - about 8-10 cups cubed
4 large eggs
4 cups milk1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 baking dish.
2. Lay bread cubes in an even layer in prepared pan.
3. Mix together milk, eggs, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg until smooth and well blended. Pour over bread cubes.
4. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 30 minutes or until puffy and golden.5. Remove from oven and keep warm.

Vanilla Custard

2 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream or half and half
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Beat eggs and sugar together until pale and lemon yellow with no streaks.2. Bring cream just to a boil in a heavy saucepan.

3. Remove from heat and temper the eggs with the cream-adding a quarter cup at a time-1/2 cup total- and whisking quickly so the eggs do not cook.

4. Put the cream back on the stove over a low flame and add the egg/cream mixture in a thin stream, whisking the entire time, until the sauce forms and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

5. Remove from heat as soon as it thickens and add the vanilla, mixing well to combine. Serve immediately over the pudding. Makes about 2 1/2 cups.

Happy New Year

2011-01-02T11:56:00.005-05:00

A couple days late with that sentiment isn't so bad, is it? I've been busier than I hoped I'd be this past year and the amount of posts I had is evidence of that. I don't do resolutions, but I do promise to try and be a bit more vigilant in 2011.

I think I got caught up in wanting to write what I thought others wanted to read. That's all well and good because artists want to please their fans, but I also need to get back to why I started this in the first place and that was simply for me and my kids.

This coming year looks to be filled with positive changes for us and I'll try and keep those of you who are loyal readers in the loop, but it's all good things, not easy and some rather difficult, but all for the best in the end.

Here's a typical Southern recipe for the New Year, one that actually comes from my own upbringing. We aren't Southern, but the influence in the area of Indiana where my mother grew up was heavily Southern and many of her recipes reflect that.

You can chill out some with the bacon here, but it really is necessary for the right flavor. Try and get organic produce when you can and feel free to substitute canned black-eyed peas if you like.

Black-Eyed Peas and Collard Greens
Serves 8

1/2 pound bacon - cut into small dice
3 cloves garlic - minced
1 small yellow onion - chopped
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
15 large collard leaves - rinsed, dried and chopped
1 pound dried black-eyed peas
1 bay leaf

1. Pick over beans and rinse. Cover with cold water and soak overnight.
2. Drain water from beans and place in a heavy pot. Cover with 1-inch of water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and add 1 clove minced garlic, 1 bay leaf and 1 Tablespoon salt (the salt will NOT make the beans tough, that's an old wives' tale). Cook 45 minutes to 1 hour or until beans are cooked through. Remove bay leaf, drain well and set aside.
3. Heat the same large pot over medium heat and add bacon. Cook until crisp and add onion and garlic. Cook just until onion turns translucent. Drain grease and add chopped greens. Stir well and add 1 cup water, vinegar and cayenne. Lid tightly and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 45 minutes or until greens are tender.
4. Add drained beans and heat through before serving.

Lucky Leaf Pot-A-Cakes

2010-12-22T00:01:00.001-05:00

I admit to being a baker who uses canned pie filling. It's not anything I'm ashamed of, on the contrary, I think it makes me a smarter baker. While fresh cherry pie is lovely, pitting cherries is not, and while fresh blueberries are the bomb, some days I just need them ready to go. I will admit that using apple pie filling from a can is something you'll almost never see me do, but I've slipped there on occasion, too.

Lucky Leaf recently sent along a few recipes for me to try along with cans of their pie fillings to make them with. The first was a clear winner in our house. Lucky Leaf Pot-A-Cakes was the Grand-Prize Winner of the Lucky Leaf Blue Ribbon Recipe challenge, submitted by Gloria Herdman of Pomeroy, Ohio. A combination of streusel bread, blueberry pie filling and cheesecake, they were absolutely yummy.

Pot-A-Cakes

Ingredients

1 21-ounce can LUCKY LEAF ® Premium Blueberry Pie Filling
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 4-serving size package (3.4 ounces) French vanilla instant pudding mix
1 1/3 cups whipping cream
1 17.4- to 18.3-ounce package cinnamon streusel quick bread mix
2/3 cup water
2 eggs
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Divide pie filling among eight 10-ounce custard cups or ramekins (for one dish recipe see below). Set cups on a large baking sheet; set aside.
2. In a large bowl beat cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat in pudding mix. Gradually beat in whipping cream until well combined (mixture will be thick). Spoon evenly over pie filling in cups.
3. In another large bowl combine quick bread mix, water, eggs, and oil. Stir until combined but slightly lumpy. Spoon 1/4 cup of the batter over the cream cheese mixture in each cup. Sprinkle evenly with all but 1/4 cup of the packaged streusel mixture. Spoon remaining batter over the streusel (batter won't cover the streusel layer). Sprinkle with reserved streusel. (Note: Cups will be full.)
4. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into top portion comes out clean. Cool slightly. If desired, drizzle tops of cakes with icing* before serving. Serve warm.

*Icing: If your quick bread does not contain an icing packet, in a small bowl combine 3/4 cup powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons milk, and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla. If necessary, stir in additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, to make drizzling consistency.

One Dish Method: Prepare batters as above. Spread pie filling in a 3-quart rectangular baking dish. Dollop pudding mixture atop. Spoon on about 1/2 of the batter and sprinkle with all but 1/4 cup of the streusel. Spoon on remaining batter and sprinkle with reserved streusel. Bake in a 350°F for 40 minutes. Cool slightly and drizzle with icing.

Servings: 8

Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Lucky Leaf products provided free of charge. This post and resulting opinions are my own and have not be influenced by free product.

Sweet Potato Pound Cake with Dulce de Leche

2010-12-20T00:01:00.002-05:00

Leftovers are a fact of life, especially during the holidays. I'm a straight-up kind of girl when it comes to them so it's rare that I make anything different from a leftover holiday food. This cake, though, is something I'd make extra sweet potatoes for any day.

When this was done, still warm from the oven and topped with thick dulce de leche, the result was something that can really only be described as foodgasmic. There were no words for just how good that cake was. I made it again with the same delicious results and expect it to stand the test of time here.

Sweet Potato Pound Cake with Dulce de Leche
Serves: 12

Ingredients:

2 cups leftover mashed sweet potatoes
1 cup unsalted butter - softened
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup unpacked light brown sugar
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2 cups prepared dulce de leche

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 12-cup bundt pan and set aside.
2. Mix together butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add sweet potatoes, vanilla, eggs and milk and stir until smooth.
3. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice and add to wet ingredients slowly. Batter will be thick.
4. Spoon batter into prepared pan and bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
5. Cool for 10 minutes and invert onto a clean serving platter.
6. Heat dulce de leche until smooth and warm and serve over slices of cake.

*Notes: If you don't have pumpkin pie spice on-hand you can use 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger and 1/4 teaspoon each ground nutmeg and cloves.

Timpano

2010-12-18T19:54:00.012-05:00

Ever see Stanley Tucci and Tony Shalhoub in Big Night? If not, and you are anywhere near a serious foodie, or even just a fan of either actor, you must watch it. The story is that of 3 brothers who own a flailing restaurant and are in need of financial assistance. Their search for funding leads them to believe they will be serving a famous musician at their restaurant and they plan a 'big night' with an even bigger meal for the musician and the friends they've invited.

The pièce de résistance of the huge meal is Timpano. Watch here:

I scoured the web and found Stanley Tucci's mama's recipe for Timpano and tackled it over three day's time. It was just as good as the guests in the clip make it out to be. I had children making noises that rivaled the dinner scene from What About Bob? It really is that good.

I won't share the recipe here, but it can be found in Cucina & Famiglia: Two Italian Families Share Their Stories, Recipes, And Traditions by Joan T. Tucci, Gianni Scappin and Mimi S. Taf

Here, however, is the building of a Timpano:

You need a very large pan. The usual is a 14-inch enamel coated basin, but I have a 6.9 quart caldero on hand from IMUSA which I used. The end result doesn't look the same on the outside, but I promise it tastes just as good.

Adding pasta tossed with Ragu Tucci to the first layer.

Layering salami, provolone, hard-boiled eggs, Romano cheese and tiny meatballs to the layer.

More Ragu to top the first layer. Repeat.

Top the second layer with a last layer of just pasta and Ragu before closing up and baking.

The baked Timpano. Mine looks more disc-like than drum-like, so if you can get the right pan, do so.

One HUGE slice of Timpano. This serves up to 16 very easily. Be prepared for leftovers if you don't have a crowd to feed.

Salt-Crusted Turkey

2010-11-16T12:45:00.005-05:00

Each year that I host Thanksgiving I brine my turkey. Usually it's a simple salt and water solution that the turkey soaks in overnight. The salt pulls the moisture to the surface of the bird and keeps it that way, resulting in a very delicious bird.

This year, I'm switching things up a bit. Rather than soak the bird in brine, which calls for a large enough vessel to completely cover the turkey, I'm salt-crusting. There are many recipes out there for a salt-crusted turkey, but they are for a crust which bakes around the bird and is then broken away once baked. My own thoughts were to crust the bird with salt and herbs, marinate for several hours in the refrigerator, and then roast as usual.The ending was pure bliss. The turkey was moist and delicious and the salt and herbs wasn't overpowering. The gravy was even wonderful after augmenting with salt-free stock and water.

I suggest trying it beforehand with a smaller bird like a roasting chicken, but do try it, my whole family loved this and there's no way I'll be able to have Thanksgiving this year without it.

First thing's first, though, and you need to start with a quality turkey. I prefer Butterball, I've never had one yet that wasn't perfect and I know each time I purchase one I'm getting the best there is. So, I started with the right turkey and the recipe goes a little something like this:

For a 10-12 pound turkey, combine 1 cup Kosher salt, 2 teaspoons ground sage, 2 teaspoons crushed thyme and 1 teaspoon crushed tarragon. Mix well and coat the washed and dried turkey with the mixture, inside and out, leaving a crust surrounding the bird. Refrigerate, covered lightly, for 4 hours or up to 8.

Properly crusted bird

Roast the turkey according to directions and when it's done, break away and excess salt crust, being careful not to let it fall into the drippings in the pan, and discard. baste the finished turkey with pan drippings or extra salt-free stock.

Perfectly roasted

Carve as usual and make sure to add enough water or salt-free stock to the drippings, tasting frequently, to lower the heavy salt content, if you choose to make gravy that way.

Now, here's the fun part of this post - I have 2 FREE BUTTERBALL TURKEY CERTIFICATES to give away and all you need to do is post here in the comments about your favorite turkey preparation or holiday memory and I will choose 2 winners on Friday the 20th of November.

**Turkey for this post and turkey certificates were given to me free of charge. this post contains my unbiased opinions of Butterball and I was not sent compensation in any other way.

Cookies!

2010-10-22T10:25:00.002-04:00

Once again, we all know I don't like to bake cookies. It's tedium to me and I'd much rather make (and eat!) a large-ish chocolate cake smothered in even more chocolate ganache, but I make cookies for my dear children.

One thing that makes the whole task easier is to have pre-made dough on-hand. I will often whip up a batch of whatever strikes my fancy and stow it away in the freezer for later. However, I don't always have the time and will once in a great while resort to dough from the grocer's freezer. The only problem with that is the iffy ingredients often involved.

Enter the perfect solution for moms who are not only in short on time, but looking for products that aren't chock-full of preservatives and the like, Ice Box Bakery. Created by mom and pastry chef, Jen Bush, the Ice Box Bakery line covers it all; fresh ingredients and ease of use.

Not only are the cookies preservative-free and simple to bake and slice, they're absolutely delicious. Our test batches went from parchment-lined baking sheet to tummies in no time flat. And with 8 fabulous flavors to choose from, there's sure to be a cookie for everyone! Check them out: Gluten Free Chocolate Chip, Deluxe Chocolate Chip, Classic Sugar Cookies, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip, Double Dutch Chocolate, Chewy Ginger Spice, Tart Cherry Pie, and Old Time Peanut Butter.

Ice Box Bakery Deluxe All-Natural Cookie Doughs can be found at retailers nation-wide by searching here: http://www.iceboxbakery.com/store-locator .

Ice Box Bakery Samples Provided free of charge through Ice Box Bakery.

ShopRite and the New York City Wine & Food Festival 2010

2010-10-16T09:06:00.008-04:00

I haven't been M.I.A. on purpose, oh no - I realize my last post was cut short, but there really is a wonderful reason and I'm going to share it with you: ShopRite and the New York City Wine & Food Festival are responsible, in part, for my absence. No sooner had I decided to blog our food for a week then I realized I had so much to do before heading off to NYC for 2 days. I do have photos and I promise to share, but until then you need to hear about the fun time I had!

I have been chosen as one of a select group of bloggers to be a ShopRite Blogger Panelist. What does that mean for me? Well, I get to sample ShopRite products, develop recipes and share with my readers here and on the ShopRite blog. Having been a ShopRite shopper since my own mother bought our groceries there, I am more than equal to the task and really look forward to this.

The most important part about the NYCW&FF are the hosts and beneficiaries of this. While it may seem pricey to some, the festival benefits Share our Strength and the Food Bank for New York City, two organizations I am behind 110%!

ShopRite kicked off the Blogger Panel by sending us all off to the NYCW&FF 2010 where we saw the ShopRite brand in action, sampled until we glutted ourselves and were fortunate enough to meet food executives, fellow bloggers and even a celebrity or two (Fabio Viviani and Tyler Florence)!

Chef Fabio Viviani - Yes, I was taking covert photos of him, but not because I'm a stalker! I honestly wasn't sure it was him. I approached him after Chef Faith's presentation and told him how much our family loves him. He sent kisses to the kids and when I told him we stopped watching Top Chef after his season (our hearts were broken!) he reminded me to watch Season 8 as he will be back! Don't miss it!

We started at Pier 54 Hudson River Park, where we were able to sample wines from just about everywhere (which I passed on as a teetotaler) and food from the ShopRite stores. We also watched ShopRite's Executive Chef Faith Alahverdian cook up a feast of beef and share her infectious passion about food.

Chef Faith Alahverdian

The ShopRite Culinary Workshop Chefs doing their thing.

The food! This is just part of what all those wonderful chefs were cooking up at the tasting.

After that Val of From Val's Kitchen and I traipsed off to Chelsea Market as Val had never had the chance to see it and it's one of my favorite stomping grounds in NYC. Once we shuffled out of there (feet a little sore at this point) we sat with Bob Clare, one of the owners of the Oakland, NJ ShopRite and his friend Janice. We chatted for a bit before heading to Abe & Arthur's for Tyler Florence's signing of his newest book, Family Meal. How cool is that? Full review up & coming for this book, by the way.

We stayed at A & A for dinner (impeccable service and wonderful food - highly recommended) and had the best time laughing and eating together. After that I trucked back to my room at the Tribeca Grand Hotel and Skyped with Marty and the kids for a little as they were all so excited about mommy going to NYC.

The ShopRite team, the gals from Coyne PR and the other bloggers were the highlight of the weekend, though and I look forward to getting to know them all better throughout the year. I came away with so many great products, food ideas and memories and I can't wait to blog about them all!

There are more photos of the Festival here: New York City Wine & Food Festival

What Do We Really Eat?

2010-10-03T17:07:00.004-04:00

I am questioned fairly often about what a larger family eats for dinner each day. Mostly what we're eating is what I've posted either here, at A Thousand Soups, at Disney's Family.com or even at Half Hour Meals.

This week, however, I'm going to share what we're eating each day. This will be the good, the bad and the ugly - I'm sure. There is no way to have a family this size without having a snag here and there and I'm planning on sharing what our schedule is and what other extenuating circumstances, if any, there are each day.

So, are you ready? This evening for dinner I've done the very bad: Pancake Breakfast Sandwiches. I went uber easy with prepared and frozen pancakes and sausage, deli American cheese and fresh eggs.

My preference would be to make the pancakes myself from homemade and sausage myself as well, but feeling as I have been, and having wiped myself out yesterday going to the kids' first parade of the year, I'm doing simple and not-so-good-for-you.

Line up!

I don't have a real recipe for these - but it's very simple, cook one egg and one sausage patty (or a strip of bacon if you prefer) for each sandwich and layer together with a slice of cheese between two small pancakes. Serve up with hashbrowns or potato pancakes and orange juice. Easy even for 9 people, just get an assembly line going and you'll be done in no time.

Project Food Blog - Keep Watching!

2010-10-01T15:34:00.003-04:00

No, not for me, but for everyone else still involved, because the competition will surely be heating up very soon! Continue to check out Foodbuzz's Project Food Blog to see who the next Food Blog Star will be - there are some fabulous bloggers still in the running and you won't want to miss it.

I want to thank all of my awesome friends for voting for me, but anyone who knows me well knows I'd rather make it on merit over popular vote any day. I also want to thank Kathy Lauer-Williams of the Morning Call for her post urging everyone to vote. I love her and she's done a great job of getting the word out about me since her first article in the paper a year and a half ago. Thanks, Kathy!

Also, my family helped quite a bit last week with the second challenge and I wouldn't have gotten it posted without them. Love you guys!

As for me, last week was quite possibly the worst week ever for me to have been in a competition. I spent Monday morning in the emergency room rather ill and the doctors there discovered some things I need to address. No worries - you know I can't be kept down! So, onward and upward! Hope you'll all keep stopping by.

Project Food Blog Challenge #2 : Time to Vote!

2010-09-27T09:56:00.002-04:00

Voting for the Foodbuzz Project Food Blog Challenge #2 is now open from 6AM Pacific Time September 27th through 6PM Pacific Time September 30th.

Click the link to my profile below and vote ~ thank you!

Project Food Blog: Adventures in Moussaka

2010-09-26T16:36:00.005-04:00

Moussaka

Moussaka is one of those dishes that I always felt was rather common, but once I made mention of it to friends and family I realized it may not be as common as I thought. I was met with reactions like, "Moose what?" and "Moose caca?" (you can't have 7 kids and not hear that one at least once), but most often it was simply, "What's that?"

What's that, indeed. I myself wasn't 100% sure, having never eaten it and only having read about it or heard of it the same way most Americans have, by watching "My Big Fat Greek Wedding". I knew it was eggplant and bechamel, but hadn't the foggiest notion how it was put together or what it tasted like.

At one time during my adolesence I was surrounded by Greek-Americans that were all friends of my mother's. She owned a small re-sale boutique and right next door to her shop was Nick's. Oh yes, funny as it sounds because of the commonplace moniker, there really was a Greek restaurant named such right there. My mother and the proprietors, the Bozakis family, became fast friends and mom, who also loved to cook, was taught much about Greek cuisine from the real deal, but never moussaka.

I'd thought about making it from time to time, but it seemed out of reach and difficult and far too time-consuming for a person as busy as myself. Triple layers meant triple preparations and the question as to authenticity always plagued me. I don't like making dishes from other cultures that aren't true to tradition and I wanted to be certain.

I set out to research as in-depth as possible, first with the cookbooks I own and secondly on the internet. What I found only confused me further. Greece isn't the only country responsible for moussaka, in fact, the true origins are Arabic in nature and many countries across the Middle East seem to have a version all their own. What I was looking for, though, was the Greek version.

After I found several recipes I liked among a veritable plethora of them, I was still not satisfied that I'd never had it so I scoured the phone book and started making calls to local Greek restaurants. Each call left me wondering if I would ever find it locally. Finally I hit on Yianni's Taverna, and I struck gold. They whipped up some and I sent my husband off to bring it home to me.

Yianni's Taverna, Bethlehem, Pa

My first taste of real moussaka was a lightbulb moment ... an "Ohhh, so that's what it is!" Pure bliss. The way it was made was exactly as I'd decided I would make mine, a layer of potato on the bottom, topped with rich meat sauce and covered in thick and creamy bechamel. I nearly wanted to photograph it and pass it off, but it was so good there was no stopping myself. My 6 year-old son ate with me and he loved it every bit as much as I did. This part means if you're in the Lehigh Valley, you need to stop by Yianni's Taverna for beautiful atmosphere and fabulous, authentic Greek food.

Having finally had moussaka and and understanding then for what I was really making, I set off to duplicate it. The recipes, though, were a challenge. There were differences of opinion on which cheese to use, whether or not to include potato, how to layer the ingredients and so on. I compared and read and compared some more and then finally decided on how best to prepare it.

My first batch used ground lamb and canned tomatoes. I don't cook with lamb and haven't since culinary school so the odor was something to get used to, but the flavor was divine. I paired it with spices and wine and fresh herbs and cooked it until the tomatoes were tender and falling apart. I salted and drained the eggplant slices and whipped up a bechamel worthy of its origins. Layered together and baked for an hour, the result was absolute perfection; I know because my 6 year-old told me so. He said it was just as good as the one we'd brought home.

Not convinced that I knew exactly what I was doing, I made it again; this time with ground beef and tomatoes from the garden and a blend of Kefalotyri and Kasseri cheeses. I repeated the potato on the bottom because I enjoyed it so much. The thin layer of potatoes soaked up the rich juices from the meat sauce and were so tender and delicious they would almost be enough by themselves. The second batch, with nutmeg laced bechamel and lighter flavored ground beef was every bit as wonderful as the others had been.

Now that I've eaten it thrice and cooked it twice I can say with complete certainty that I will be making it again and again. Even if it's time-intensive, it really is so worth it. Here is the recipe I settled on:

Perfect Moussaka

Moussaka

Makes 1 9x13 pan

6 tablespoons olive oil - divided

1 medium onion - chopped
3 cloves garlic - minced

2 pounds ground lamb or ground beef

1 large eggplant (aubergine if you live outside the U.S.A.) - evenly and thinly sliced lengthwise - do not peel

3 medium potatoes - peeled and thinly sliced

1 teaspoons salt plus more for sprinkling on eggplant
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
15 ounces tomato puree
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 Tablespoon freshly snipped oregano
1/4 cup freshly snipped parsley
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour

4 cups milk
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
8 ounces Kefalotyri cheese - shredded (or Romano or Parmesan)
2 Tablespoons bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly oil a 9 x 13-inch baking pan and set aside.

Salt eggplant slices well and set aside in a colander to drain. The salt will help the eggplant lose any bitterness and will also keep it from absorbing too much oil during frying.
Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat and add oil. Stir in onion and garlic and cook until onion begins to turn translucent. Add ground beef or lamb and break up as you cook so it is very finely minced. Drain grease well.
Add tomatoes, wine, spices, herbs, salt and pepper and stir well. Cook over low heat for half an hour or until sauce begins to thicken. Set aside and clean pan.
Squeeze out eggplant and pat dry with paper towels. Heat oil in the same frying pan and add 3 Tablespoons oil - fry potato slices until very lightly browned and drain well. Fry eggplant slices until very lightly browned and drain well. *You can alternately bake or grill the eggplant for a healthier version.
Layer the potato slices in the bottom of the prepared baking pan and top with another layer of eggplant. Spread the meat sauce evenly over the eggplant and top with a last layer of eggplant. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of shredded cheese and set aside.
Make the bechamel: Heat milk until just hot and set aside.
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over low heat and add flour. Stir until smooth and cook several minutes.
Pour milk into roux in a thin stream and whisk constantly until milk starts to thicken.
Whisk eggs until light and add a cup of hot milk sauce to them and stir briskly so the eggs do not cook.
Pour into milk and roux and continue cooking until sauce is thickened.
Add nutmeg, salt and 1 cup shredded cheese and stir until cheese is melted.
Pour bechamel over top eggplant layer and spread evenly over all to cover completely.
Sprinkle with bread crumbs and remaining cheese and bake for one hour.
Let stand for 20 to 30 minutes before cutting.

Project Food Blog Challenge #1 : Get the Vote Out!

2010-09-20T09:00:00.002-04:00

Yesterday was my post for the first Project Food Blog challenge and today, we vote! The popular vote helps contestants move forward in the event they are not pushed ahead by the judges, so every vote counts!

Visit my profile at Foodbuzz'z Project Food Blog and click to vote!

Thank you!

Project Food Blog: Cooking with Anne in 7 Easy Steps

2010-09-18T23:29:00.008-04:00

In the 5 years I’ve been officially blogging about food, I’ve been asked time and again why I blog and exactly what I blog about. I’ve answered a time or two, but I don’t believe I’ve ever really gotten into that here.

The ‘why’ is very much the same as many food bloggers; I love food and, even more so, I love to share food. Cooking is cathartic to me and when I need a pick-me-up, the pantry is the first place I turn. I also love to create, but it’s sharing those creations and having others enjoy them that brings me true happiness.

Beyond that, and the original reason I began food blogging, was the desire to have my own family food history written down for my kids. I loved our family recipes, the ones handed down from generation to generation, and always wanted to know where each recipe originated or when it was eaten and why it was made so often, but was left instead with a stack of yellowed index cards held together with a rubber band and no history at all attached to the food my ancestors shared. It was a void I didn’t want my own children to have, so I started writing it all down - in a pen & paper journal first, then on the internet.

Once I started meeting other bloggers, I was totally hooked, and adding regular readers to the mix only made it that much more fun and challenging.

So, as an official contestant of the Foodbuzz Project Food Blog I will answer the first challenge, which is to share how my blog is unique and why I should win the grand prize of $10,000 and the coveted title of the next ‘Food Blog Star’ in 7 short points:

1. I’m informative: I am a person plagued with a ‘must-know-why’ attitude that pervades nearly every aspect of my life, and food is no exception. From where things are grown to who was the first to decide to eat them to how to best cook and serve them, I aim to know it all and I try to impart that to my readers.

Posts about growing black beans, cooking fiddleheads, which zucchini blossoms are which and step-by-steps to making stocks and sauces or crafting homemade pasta riddle this blog and always will with one exception over some others - I don’t know it all and I love to learn more!

2. Personal family stories: One of my favorite foodie things is reading stories about food and recipes and the history behind them, so I tend to share my own food connections with others. After all, that’s what blogs were intended to be, yes? A personal web log of whatever one had a mind to log. I try and keep it real here, and the family stories are not only fun for others to read, but also wonderful for me to re-live while writing. Grandma’s Confetti Cookies, Great Grandma’s Rabbit and Mom’s Fried Chicken are just a few of the tales I’ve had the pleasure to re-tell.

3. Original recipes or twists on classics: I try very hard not to re-post recipes from elsewhere. I have done it, and always give credit where credit is due, but I like to offer up something that you can’t find just anywhere, so I develop my own recipes or spin classics on their heads to keep things fresh and different. Banana Pear Bread, St. Andrè Dessert Tart and Simon and Garfunkel Roast Chicken are 3 of my favorite originals.

4. I am tenacious: When life gives me lemons, I don’t just make lemonade, I make 5-layer lemon chiffon cake topped with chocolate ganache and crumb-coated with hazelnuts - and why not?

In 2007, just after my second year of blogging and 6 months into blogging for Disney at Family.com, absolute disaster struck our family when my husband fell 3 stories from the roof of the building he was working on. It was a very dark and difficult time for us that continues to this day and my blogging outlet, though it was about food, proved to be an invaluable source of solace and the perfect outlet for all the many feelings I was going through. I kept blogging here making the most of things and came out stronger as a result.

5. Attention to detail: I am a bit of a perfectionist, so if there is a misspelling or grammatical error, an incorrect ingredient amount or a link that’s not working, I try my best to fix it and make things as accessible and easy to read as possible. While I love to write and love to talk, I know the best way to keep a reader is to keep it short and sweet, so my posts often reflect that with a simple header, photo and recipe.

6. Humor: Life is funny, and even when it isn’t I can somehow draw the humor out of any given situation. I try to fit that into my blog as often as possible without being offensive, and I’m pretty sure most times I hit the mark fairly well. If not, oh well, at least I got a laugh out of it.

7. The last thing I have in my corner is also the best thing: I do all of this blogging here, on A Thousand Soups and recipe development at Family.com, with 7 children still at home. They were the impetus for this whole blogging career I’ve begun and they continue to be the thing that motivates me. Whether it’s because I spend a lot of time simply cooking for and feeding them or because they are my finest critics and biggest fans, they will forever be the reason I do what I do and the driving force behind my always wanting to be better.

So, there you have it, Cooking with Anne in 7 Easy Steps. I look forward to the remainder of this competition and wish all my fellow contestants the very best!

Mini Hiatus

2010-08-24T13:05:00.001-04:00

I'm back! Did you even know that I was gone ... ? That's OK, it was unintended, but I have posts ready and waiting for you. Summertime here is always so busy that I've barely time to breathe let alone write or cook.

No worries, the kids are back to school next week and I've got goodies to share with you then!

See you soon.

Growing Black Beans

2010-07-21T23:06:00.006-04:00

Boy, oh boy - the photo of my homegrown black beans in my last post has caused quite the stir so I thought I would share the very little I know about growing black beans with you.

Dried beans seem to be one of those things that nobody really thinks about growing. You head to the store or the co-op and buy them bagged or in bulk, take them home, clean through them, soak, and cook. It's pretty simple that way, really, but when I saw the packet of black beans for sale at my local gardening spot, I had to grab them.

GROW my own black beans? The hell you say. Really. I didn't know what to expect. The back of the package gave the usual spacing and depth instructions along with watering and light recommendations, but as any gardener knows, the packet tells so little.

I set them to seed in trays with the rest of my plants and then set them in the ground when it was time. The first surprise I had was the plant itself. It looks exactly like a blue lake bush bean and I had to be very careful about labeling so I would know which were which. Bush beans are one of the first successful vegetables I had ever grown and I look forward to them each year. No matter what else I'm growing, I must have green beans in the garden. The difference is, and I found this out quickly, black beans are like pole beans because they climb. I jabbed stakes into the ground and let them wind their way up.

I watered as I did my green beans, not too much, not too little. I set them in a sunny, but not too sunny, spot (vague enough for you?) and watched them grow.

The second surprise was the flower. Again, they look exactly like bush beans, but PURPLE! The first sight of one of those flowers was a truly breathtaking moment. As soon as I caught my breath I said, "Of course! Black beans have purple flowers!" Because, in reality, black beans aren't really black, they are a very deep purple. This can be seen any time they are soaked.

Then came the pods, which - again - looked like bush beans. Ever so slowly, though, they changed color and nearly looked like they were rotting. I was concerned. What if they were too done? WHEN were they done? Did I need to dry them once they were picked? Of course, I knew where the answer was: Google.

Sure enough I found that black beans are not ever really "fresh" because they are left on the plant to fully dry and darken. I popped open a pod and to my horror the beans within were snow white except at the very edge, where they were beginning to turn purple. Aha! They TURN black as they dry!

Those pods aren't rotten, they're purple!

Black beans in the pod.

So, I mustered up all the patience I could and let them alone. Sure enough, before I knew it each pod was full of hard black beans. Wow. Just wow. Now I have bushes full of drying black bean pods and once I harvest them and cook up something splendid I'll be sure and post it!

Garden Interlude

2010-07-20T11:04:00.011-04:00

I'm taking a moment today to share photos from my garden. These range in date from first planting in May to today. This isn't everything we have growing, just some of the photos I wanted to show you. Enjoy!

Catnip flowers - very pretty and something you'd miss if you didn't look closely enough.

Black beans have purple flowers! How very pretty.

Once the beans are fully grown, they are left on the plant to dry. Check occasionally to see if the beans have turned black. Once they have, they are done.

Black beans in the pod.

Wild mint - my favorite type. I also have spearmint but don't like it nearly as much.

Johnny Jump-Up that belongs to my oldest daughter.

Basil ready to flower.

Forget-Me-Nots This is my second year with them. The seed was from last year's crop.

Cilantro Flowers.

Whenever I see these mimosa blossoms I think of Horton Hears a Who!

Nemesis - Japanese Beetle. He was far flung right after the shot was snapped.

Strawberries.

Soon-to-be tomatoes.

Grape tomatoes ripe for the picking.

Better Boys coming along nicely.

Zucchini blossom.

Cosmos - one I grow each year.

Can't recall what these are, but we had them planted with small purple flowers and the effect was very pretty.

French Lavender.

Pumpkin vine curl.

Yes, but What do You Really Use?

2010-07-06T00:10:00.000-04:00

In each person's personal life there comes a time (or two or three) when others bring your profession into play by asking for advice. For me, it's always welcome. I love to share with others and if I can help someone in their food life it makes me happy. Often I'm asked about brands and types of foods that I purchase for my own use. Mostly I redirect everyone to my usual stomping grounds, ALDI and leave it there.

As much as I love ALDI (and love is so small a word for my feelings there), I can't always get what I'm looking for and I sometimes have to turn elsewhere to fulfill my needs. It's not cheating, I swear.

There are brands I purchase elsewhere or simply prefer elsewhere. I'd like to share a few here. This is NOT a review in any way, shape or form. These are products I really use on a day-to-day basis with no compensation or otherwise thrown in there.

Olive Oil - I am not brand loyal with this. I stand in the aisle of any given grocery and find clear bottles of extra virgin olive oil to peruse. I hold them up to the light and the clearest and greenest of them wins. I shy away from green bottles because I can't see what I'm getting. This isn't the way you're 'supposed' to buy olive oil (not like sniffing melons or squeezing avocados), it's just the way I do it and I am never dissatisfied with the oil I get.

That being said, when I was in NYC with my cousin, we stopped by O & Co. and I purchased a rather expensive bottle of olive oil there - Il Fornacino, peppery finish and lovely flavor - I can only seem to find it on the UK website now. I absolutely love that oil and wish I could afford it all the time. I am also very partial to Sorelle Paradiso olive oils. They are the smoothest and most flavorful oils I've tasted - really.

Guacamole - When I'm not making my own, I can eat Wholly Guacamole by the bucketful. I can't get enough of that stuff. Just the right amount of garlic and perfect little chunks of avocado throughout. I wish I had some on hand right now.

Pasta Sauce - I make my own absolutely killer version of marinara that is to-die-for. It starts with a base of carrot, celery, onion and bacon and builds with smoked ham hock, garlic and just the right amount of herbs. When I don't have time for that bad-boy, I honestly adore ALDI's Mama Cozi meat sauce. It's got just the right amount of sweetness, nice chunks of tomato and perfect seasoning. I would go out of my way to buy it - I love it that much. I know - I said I was sharing things I can't get at ALDI, but I can't leave this one out!

Flour - For all-purpose, again, I buy the ALDI brand, but my very favorite flours are the King Arthur brand. The bread flour is awesome and I love the white whole wheat. Some day soon I'll order up a batch of French bread flour and let you know what I think of that. You really do get different results with KA flours, trust me on this one!

Parmesan Cheese - Just like any other busy mom, I routinely purchase round paperboard containers of pre-grated Parmesan for every day use, but I don't prefer or even recommend it. For the real deal I am partial to BelGioioso. I can find it in chunks, grated or shredded (my favorite) and the flavor is just over the top for a mass-produced cheese.

Yogurt - For the kids I purchase whichever yogurt has the least food coloring and sugar, which is almost always Stonyfield. For myself, and I do mean myself because I hate to share this - it's Fage. Simple ingredients, thick and rich and the flavor is like eating something you really shouldn't have. Yes, it's that good!

Salt - Diamond Crystal Kosher or Morton Coarse Kosher in a pinch. Sea salt from anywhere - I'm not picky about that.

Herbs and Spices - Well, this is a toss-up. I like the large boxes I can find at Wegmans very affordably (the Original Bulk Packed Spice Company), but I also love Penzey's. I use fresh herbs whenever possible and whole spices when available. I can also find bulk herbs, spices, grains and nuts at Elias Market in Bethlehem. One thing I buy without fail at least once a month is Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb. I can NOT live without that stuff! So good - really. I also am smitten with Amazing Taste packets (which I've written about here and here) and pick up several a month.

Soy Sauce - This may not be a staple anywhere else, but it sure is here. I buy, without fail, Kikkoman. I buy it in large tins which are half a gallon each. Brewed soy sauce is completely different than the nearly-synthetic type you can buy. The aroma and flavor are smooth and full and it's something you don't want to skimp on. Once I started using real brewed soy sauce, my dishes changed completely. It really isn't worth it to buy the other.

Hot Sauce - Well, this one is varied depending on who is buying it. Marty likes hot-hot-hot and has tried so many different brands over the years. Honestly, it usually comes back to Tabasco, but he also likes Tiger and Cajun Sunshine. Me? Sriracha all the way! Not just hot sauce, garlicky deep flavored hot sauce like no other. You can literally eat this on just about anything. Scrambled eggs and ketchup? No way - try them with Sriracha and see if it doesn't convert you.

Want to know about anything else? What do I wash my dishes with, or what pans do I like? Feel free to ask!

Substituting Ingredients

2010-06-25T15:54:00.003-04:00

When it comes to essential kitchen reference books, there are several I wouldn't be without. Substituting Ingredients, 4th Edition by Becky Sue Epstein and published by Sourcebooks, is now in that stack of books.

I can't count the times I've gotten excited to make a dish only to find that I was missing a necessary ingredient. Frustrating! Even with all of my culinary experience I found I was still scratching my head in wonder and eventually throwing in the towel.

Enter Substituting Ingredients. From A to Z there are more than 1,000 substitutions for all types of ingredients. So, whether you need to substitute because of allergies, the need to find more affordable alternatives or just the lack of time to get to the market, this book provides viable and brilliant answers to your ingredient dilemmas.

This being the 4th edition means that there are more ingredients included and more substitutions available than ever before. There are also sections for measurement equivalents, solutions to your most common culinary disasters, green and nontoxic cleaning solutions and a handy herb and spice guide.

This is a book that will make its way to your kitchen counter and most likely never leave! Order a copy today at Amazon.com and never be without the ingredients you need to create perfect meals.

Ile De France Fol Epi Cheese

2010-06-21T14:59:00.005-04:00

About six months ago I learned that one of my great-grandfathers was a cheese maker. I was thrilled at this information for obvious reasons, the least of which is my love of cheese. I've tried so many types of cheese, some memorable and others not so, but I rarely find a cheese that I dislike. Ile De France produces many of my favorite French cheeses and I'm always happy to try new ones.

French cheeses are so different in nature than others and I find that each has a quality to it that pairs well with certain foods; sort of like I fine wine. Fol Epi is a cheese with a distinctive flavor likened to Emmental. Nutty and smooth, it doesn't have quite the bite that a Swiss would have and is milder in flavor, but equally delicious.

My favorite grilling cheese is of the Swiss variety, so I knew exactly what would become of this lovely sampling. The sandwich was so good, and the flavor of the cheese so mild, that my 3 year-old daughter couldn't get enough ... thankfully the other kids were out for the day.

The Fol Epi Grilled Sandwich

Serves 1

2 teaspoons grainy brown mustard

2 teaspoons honey

1 Naan bread

4 ounces smoked turkey breast slices

1 ounce sliced Ile De France Fol Epi cheese

red pepper slices

tomato slices

leaf lettuce

1. Slice Naan in half crosswise. Spread both halves with mustard and honey on one side only.

2. Layer one side with turkey, red pepper and cheese. Top with other half.

3. Cook in a non-stick grill pan, flipping once, until cheese is melted - about 3 -4 minutes.

4. Carefully remove one half and top with tomatoes and lettuce - replace top and serve.

8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back

2010-06-15T12:02:00.003-04:00

Several weeks ago I was approached to review a book about back health. Now, we all know this is a food and cooking blog, but anyone who reads regularly also knows that my husband had a very serious accident nearly 3 years ago.

With that accident came a multitude of health problems for Marty including herniated discs in his thoracic back and the severe pain that accompanies it. So, I agreed to take a look at the book and see what I thought.

8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back by Esther Gohkale with Susan Adams, published by Pendo Press, is an extension of the method developed and taught by Esther Gohkale for 17 years. The easy step-by-step instructions include plenty of photos, simple to understand commands and ample background on back pain causes and cultural differences in posture that can lead to or eliminate back pain.

After suffering with her own back problems, Esther looked into and became certified in Aplomb®. She then spent years in other countries interviewing and photographing people who lived without back pain. She then devised the Gokhale Method^SM based on her field research and other methods she had learned.

The first thing that surprised me was learning that we in the United States especially have been taught incorrect posture touted as correct. How many times have you been told to 'tuck tail' and 'stand straight'? Did you know that in itself can cause back pain? I was intrigued from the start.

I've tried each and every step of this method from stretchsitting (an immediate 'Aaahhh') to glide walking and felt an immediate difference with each one. I am far more aware of my posture throughout the day and even when settling down to sleep at night.

What about Marty? Well, he's been reading the book (slowly but surely, like most things for him these days), but hasn't practiced any of the method. I'm anxious for him to start because I'm confident it will ease a good portion of his pain. I plan on keeping this where I can put my hands on it at all times.

So, while there are still a few days left before Father's Day, why not pick one up for the man in your life. After all, the most common health complaint among dads is backache. Pick up a copy and see if he isn't feeling better in no time. After all, you have nothing to lose but pain!

Esther Gohkale Wellness Center

The French Women Don't Get Fat Cookbook

2010-06-02T00:01:00.001-04:00

Mireille Guilliano, businesswoman extraordinaire and author took time out of her busy schedule recently to speak with me. Yes, me. I behaved myself rather well and didn't fall apart despite the fact that I was beyond nervous to speak to such an icon. I think I blathered on a bit too much about how I'd love to live in Provence, but she was gracious enough to listen to me.

I had read her first book, French Women Don't Get Fat, several years ago and, forgive the pun, absolutely devoured it. I, like so many American women, was searching for the answer to my expanding waistline and the best way to manage it. I thought then, and still think now, that Mireille hit the proverbial nail on the head with her book.

She espoused a more austere form of eating that had more to do with enjoying what one eats than how much one eats. There was no calorie counting or strict rules, just a common sense approach that was a sort of forehead slapping moment once I'd read it. Rather than the whole chicken, why not just a breast - and slowly consumed at that?

We are so busy and unfocused in America that eating has gone from pleasurable and deliberate to haphazard and as fast as we can get it. Mireille gently but effectively redirected us and has now expanded on her first book with a perfectly sensible and wonderfully delicious cookbook.

We chatted about college and the 'freshman 15', how food choices away from home are often difficult to make wisely (she knew this all too well from her own college days) and how getting to know your food can help to make better choices.

Her advice to parents wanting to make a family-wide change is to take your children to the market and helping them to connect with their food and where it comes from. Letting them help prepare is also a great way to help them want to eat better.

Over at Half Hour Meals we like to ask our interviewees which ingredients they can't live without. Mireille shared hers with me:

Dairy - especially cheese. Mireille has cheese every day.
Eggs - for their versatility and thrift. They're also quick to prepare for unexpected company.
Fresh fruits and vegetables.
Bread
Chocolate
Lemon
Vinegar
Olive oil

There are 150 recipes in the The French Women Don't Get Fat Cookbook - several from her other books because they were requested so often - and each one looks divine.

I'm completely smitten with her Miracle Breakfast Cream and I prepared the Caramelized Chicken with Vegetable “Pancake” and it was one of the best chicken dishes I've ever eaten and so quick and easy to prepare that it's become a regular dish here. In fact, you can watch Mireille prepare it here: http://mireilleguiliano.com/content/mireille-cooks-on-nbcs-today-show

Caramelized Chicken with Vegetable “Pancake”
• S e r v e s 4 •

For the Vegetable Pancake

1 carrot, washed and grated
2 medium potatoes, peeled
and grated
1 small zucchini, washed
and grated
1 garlic clove, peeled and
minced
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground
pepper

1. Place the grated carrot, potatoes, and zucchini
in the center of a large, clean kitchen towel. Wrap
tightly and squeeze as much liquid as possible
from the vegetables. Unroll and place the grated
vegetables in a large bowl. Add the garlic, thyme,
and 1 tablespoon olive oil and mix well.

2. In a large, nonstick sauté pan, heat the remaining
2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat.
Add the vegetable mixture to the pan, pressing
down so the pancake is about 1/2 inch thick and
cook until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Carefully
flip the pancake over (you can invert onto a
plate first and slide back into the pan if you are
nervous about the pancake falling apart) and continue
cooking until the other side is crisp and
golden and the vegetables are cooked, another 8 to
10 minutes. Remove from the pan and keep warm.
Season to taste.

For the caramelized Chicken

1 lemon, rinsed, dried, and
quartered
12 small green olives, pitted
and cut in half
1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper
flakes
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 (6- to 8-ounce) skinless,
boneless chicken breasts
Salt and freshly ground pepper

1. In a large bowl, combine the lemon, olives, red
pepper flakes, honey, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon
olive oil. Add the chicken breasts, season to
taste, and stir to coat.

2. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a
large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the
chicken-lemon-olive mixture and sauté until the
chicken is cooked through and slightly caramelized,
about 8 minutes per side. Serve the chicken
with lemon and olives and accompanied by a
wedge of the vegetable pancake.

I so appreciate Mireille speaking with me and enlightening me about her books and her way of life - I love this cookbook and highly recommend it - there are no overly fussy recipes, just quick, delicious food that will satisfy more than your tummy.

Book provided by and interview arranged through Simon and Schuster.

Fiddlehead Ferns

2010-05-26T21:38:00.006-04:00

Fiddlehead ferns, so named for the shape they grow into, are a delicious addition to your spring vegetable repertoire. Similar in flavor to asparagus, with a slightly bitter finish akin to broccoli rabe, they have a wonderful texture and bite to them and have become something I look forward to each year.

Before you dive head-first into a patch of sprouting ferns, there are a few bits of information that will be beneficial to you.

Some fiddlehead ferns are classified as 'toxic' and supposedly the ostrich fern is the least so. The general consensus is that they can cause gastrointestinal upset if too many are eaten. I haven't had problems with them, though, so I feel that the ostrich ferns are just fine. Go easy if you're trying them for the first time just to be on the safe side.

One thing you don't want to do is forage for them yourself unless you are very skilled at foraging. Look at Whole Foods or local farmers' markets during the month of May and you will likely find decent specimens. They can sometimes come with a sort of covering on them that resembles very fine garlic skin, but brownish in color. Simply give them a good rinse in clear water and you should be good to go.

Although they can be eaten raw in salads, I've not done so, preferring the change of texture once cooked. If you boil them, do so for 5 to 8 minutes only, any longer renders them mushy and flavorless. I like them sauteed in butter and garlic with a bit of sea salt and a squeeze of lemon juice, but I've also had them in a quiche with ham and cheese. Gently coddled by the cooking egg and cream, they are kept from overcooking and still have a nice crunch not unlike that of a lightly cooked fresh green bean.

Whatever you do with them, don't limit yourself - they are really something everyone should try once and I promise you it's worth it.

Minnie Rose Lovgreen's Recipe for Raising Chickens: The Main Thing is to Keep Them Happy

2010-05-25T21:01:00.005-04:00

From the time I first read any one of the Little House on the Prairie books I've wanted to live on a small farm and raise chickens (and goats and bees). As fate would have it, I never left the city my family moved to when I was 4 and the only glimpses of farm life I had as a child were the summers I spent in Indiana and Michigan.

Recently when I picked up raw milk at a farm nearby I saw a very large fenced yard filled with chickens. They were scratching at the dirt and clucking at one another. Once in a while one would take off running and stop just as abruptly as she'd started. It reminded me of how much I wanted to raise my own birds.

When my copy of Minnie Rose Lovgreen's Recipe for Raising Chickens came in the mail, I promptly sat down and read it from cover to cover. It turned out to be one of the most entertaining how-to books I've ever read. I giggled many times at the thought of Minnie saying these things to Nancy Rekow, who wrote them down and created this book to share Minnie's invaluable advice with everyone.

Straight-forward and to the point, but with a very sweet and witty tone, Minnie teaches how to raise chickens from which are best for laying to what they should be fed and how to treat the chicks when they find their way out of their egg homes.

This book takes the reader back to a simpler time when antibiotics were not used and chickens were fed what they wanted and raised in a gentle and wholesome way. It renewed in me the desire to raise my own brood of hens!

Even if chicken raising isn't something you've thought about doing, you just might feel differently after reading this. Pick up a copy and share it with your children, too - the simple line drawings are quaint and dear and the entire book was written by hand - no fancy modern typeface here!

Minnie Rose Lovgreen's Recipe for Raising Chickens, Edited by Nancy Rekow & Chaya Siegelbaum, Illustrated by Elizabeth Hutchison Zwick and published by NW Trillium Press is available in bookstores nationwide and online.

Book provided by NW Trillium Press.

Must-Have Summer Cookbooks

2010-04-26T17:35:00.005-04:00

If you aren't aware by now that tomatoes are about my absolute favorite food on the planet (and probably off the planet, too) then you don't read this blog often enough. Let's just say, a day without tomatoes is a day without air. I have two cookbooks on-hand that I've been reading through for the past month or so and they have become books that I know I'll be using often.

The first is Tomatoes, Garlic, Basil written by fellow Pennsylvanian, Doug Oster and published by St. Lynn's Press, Pittsburgh. Come on, with a title like that, what's not to love? There's no way I'd walk by this one and not pick it up. These three ingredients are so key in many, many recipes and cuisines and this book delves into all three, but not just in recipes, in terms of growing and caring for all three, as well.

Planting, growing, harvesting and storing are covered for all three plants and the recipes run the gamut from old family favorites like Savory Tomato Sauce with Bacon (there's a must-read story behind that one!) to simple and quickly prepared dishes like the Simple Perfect Tomato Sandwich.

This book is also filled with personal stories and anecdotes that make it really worth the read. Whether you're looking for a recipe or a tip for keeping pests away from your tomatoes, you'll want to get your hands on this book.

The second is simply titled Tomato by Lawrence Davis-Hollander published by Storey. Yep, there's a cookbook I wouldn't pass up in a million years. Think tomatoes are all sauce, salad and salsa? Wrong ... and deliciously so. There are 150 recipes featuring ones from Daniel Boulud, Alice Waters, Rick Bayless and many more world-renowned chefs.

The recipes begin with Sauces & Salsas and end with Desserts - Green Tomato Chocolate Cake, anyone? There are special chapters on Cooking with Heirloom Tomatoes and Preserving the Harvest and if you'd like to know of a Tomato Festival in your neck of the woods, there's a spot for that, too. There are fun tomato facts dotted throughout the book, as well that make it flat out fun to read.

I'm not sure which recipe I want to try first, but I do know that this book will get lots of play in my kitchen. There are recipes in here that I never would have thought of despite my fierce love for tomatoes. Check it out today and be prepared for the harvest this summer!

Jersey Diner Coffee Cake

2010-04-26T10:21:00.006-04:00

I'm not sure where the title of this recipe came from, but if you've ever had an Entenmann's Ultimate Crumb Cake, this is nearly identical to it. Dense crumbs top a moist, buttery cake and the result is pure joy.

This uses a boxed cake mix and margarine - both taboo these days, it seems - but we so enjoy this cake that I make it with both anyway. There's no reason to eat a whole cake in one sitting, and if you stick to one piece (I dare you!), then you're not ruining your health completely.

I know I found this online somewhere about 11 years ago, but I didn't save that information and I'm clueless as to the author. There are different versions of this floating around, though, so I don't feel as if I'm stepping on any toes. Whoever you are, here's to your delicious creation.

Look at all that butter, cinnamon, sugar and vanilla.

Perfectly crumbed cake.

Jersey Diner Coffee Cake

1 pkg Duncan Hines Butter Cake mix (or any other brand)
4 large eggs
2/3 cup milk
2/3 cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Blend together until lumps disappear - do not over mix.
Bake in a greased 11x15 jellyroll pan for 20-25 minutes.

Crumb Topping:

4 cups flour
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract (I use Floridian Gourmet [see photograph] - this guy knows his stuff! Check the website and see if you can still get your hands on some)
2 sticks of margarine
1 stick of butter

Melt butters and let cool slightly. Add vanilla.
Mix flour, cinnamon, sugars then add the liquid mixture.
Crumble with hands and place on warm cake. Bake again for 20 min at 350 degrees F.
Let cool and dust with powdered sugar.

Poaching Eggs

2010-04-23T00:00:00.001-04:00

When I posted Poached Eggs on Ratatouille Bruschetta, I received comments far and wide (here, Twitter etc.) about the poaching of eggs. It seems that many find it to be a daunting task, so I thought I'd offer a short tutorial about making them.

Fresh eggs are best - the white will become watery and more likely to 'thread' with older eggs. Crack the egg into a small bowl, using one bowl for each egg you intend to cook.
A pot of water is not necessary, rather two inches or so of water will suffice when cooking the eggs. Fill a small pan with two to three inches of water and bring to a simmer only - do not boil! Using a wider pan will allow you to cook more eggs at a time.
Add a teaspoon to a tablespoon of vinegar to the pan. The vinegar will help the whites stay together and usually does not affect the taste. Lower a bowl with an egg just to the edge of the water and gently slip into the water.
Some will say to turn off the heat and cover for 3 minutes, I say it's not necessary and have never lost an egg yet.
Simmer gently for 3 minutes, skimming the surface of the water to remove whites and foam that accumulate.
Remove eggs carefully with a slotted spoon and serve as desired.

Eggplant Spread

2010-04-21T00:00:00.000-04:00

I'd noticed recently that I was eating far more bread than a person should. After all, what's not to love about the eggshell crisp crust and tender insides of a freshly baked French baguette? No one person needs to consume 18 inches of bread all by themselves, though, so I needed to scale back. This veggie-full spread, which is neither caponata nor ratatouille, but reminiscent of both and just as delicious, served on fresh zucchini rounds was just the ticket.

This recipe calls for tomatoes concassè. Just what is that? Here is a quick tutorial to help you understand the method.

Tomatoes concassè is peeled, seeded and chopped or crushed tomato. The easiest way to peel a tomato is to heat it briefly in boiling water. Follow the photos here and description below. (Click the photo to enlarge.)

Cut the core from a tomato and turn in upside down.
Cut a small 'X' in the bottom of the tomato and drop into boiling water for 30 seconds.
Remove from water and cool in ice water or very cold water. The heat will cause the peel to separate from the flesh of the tomato and the 'X' will aid in peeling quickly.
Remove the peel and cut the tomato in half crosswise.
Seed by gently squeezing the tomato, cut side down, over a bowl. Crush with your hands (as I did for this dish) or dice with a knife.

Eggplant Spread
Makes 6 cups

2 Tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic - minced
1 cup red onion - chopped
2 small eggplants - diced
2 cups baby bella mushrooms - sliced
1 Tablespoon sea salt
6 plum tomatoes concassè
2 Tablespoons capers - drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon anchovy paste
basil, oregano and parsley - 1 teaspoon dried, each
1 cup pitted Nicoise olives
1/2 cup shredded fresh Parmesan

In a large skillet heat olive oil over medium heat and add onion and garlic.
Cook just until onions begin to sweat and are translucent. Add eggplant and mushrooms. Sprinkle salt over all and reduce heat to low. The eggplant and mushrooms will leach their juices and aid the cooking process this takes about 20 minutes.
Once eggplant is softened, add tomatoes, capers, anchovy paste, herbs and olives. Cook for another 20 minutes until all vegetables are soft and flavors are blended.
Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan cheese.
Serve hot or cold with your favorite dippers or bread.

Cherries in Winter by Suzan Colón

2010-04-19T00:00:00.001-04:00

Suzan Colón's Cherries in Winter: My Family’s Recipe for Hope in Hard Times, published by Doubleday is just over a baker's dozen of recipes, countless family stories and personal experience woven together to form one of the most comforting books I've read in a long time.

Suzan was working at her dream job at a large magazine when she was laid off and forced to scale back in many areas of her life. She came from a long line of family who lived through lean times and came through it seemingly no worse for the wear. With her own lean times looming large, she put her ancestors' experiences to work for her and tells the tale in this book.

Expensive dinners, posh lunches and anything unnecessary took an immediate backseat and out came tried-and-true family recipes, with stories included, of a more frugal nature.

The recipes each have a story attached, something I thoroughly enjoy. When I wasn't laughing, I was crying - the similarities between several of her family members and several of mine are uncanny and I was often overwhelmed with emotion while reading. That's a good thing - I like stories that make me feel - and this one does just that.

Not to be ignored are the many tips for saving money that are dotted throughout the book, and the simple yet powerful wisdom of Suzan's grandmother is priceless.

I finished this several weeks ago, but I'm already thinking of reading it again - it's just one of those books you don't want to end, but end it did, so I'll just restart it.

Here is one of the recipes from the book, nearly identical to my own great-grandmother's brown sugar cookies, which makes it very special to me.

Suzan's Favorite Butter Cookies

Yields 4 dozen

1 1/2 sticks of butter (room temperature)

1 1/2 cups of flour

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup light brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

Pinch of salt

1. Sift baking soda with flour and salt.

2. Separately, beat egg and sugar until light.

3. Add butter and vanilla to egg and sugar.

4. Combine with flour mixture. (You may also add 1/2 cup of coarse walnuts.)

5. Divide dough into two parts and roll in wax paper.

6. Keep in freezer overnight.

7. Slice and bake 10 - 12 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Buy the book: Amazon - Barnes & Noble
Visit Suzan: Suzan Colón

Fat Free and Low Fat Snack Options

2010-03-29T10:24:00.008-04:00

I have to admit, when I think about snacking (or any food, for that matter) I don't usually consider fat content. If it's obvious, like lots of mayo or drowned in butter, I'll think twice, but the average day has me eating for flavor more than anything.

Most snacks that are low fat aren't very flavorful or interesting, especially the fat-free varieties. I adore vegetables, but apart from that, I tend to seek out snacks with too much fat - but not on purpose.

I had been seeing kale chips all over the place lately and decided to give them a try. They aren't anything new - in fact I found mentions of them several years old, but they seem to be a big deal right now. Along with kale chips I also made two snacks from my favorite legume - chickpeas. I made roasted chickpeas and a fat free 'hummus'. I can say for sure that each of these had so much flavor that I'll be making them again and again. See what you think.

1) Kale chips are nothing but clean, dry kale leaves roasted in an oven until crisp. You can salt them or spray with olive oil before toasting, but I found that I really liked them just plain - and even better, my kids loved them! The two youngest got their hands on them and demolished an entire sheet tray! That's one awesome snack. These are totally fat-free if you toast them without olive oil and have a small amount of fat if you mist them first with oil.

Kale Chips

This is for one pound of kale, which makes several baking sheets of chips.

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

2. Wash kale and remove large stems and veins. Dry completely with a salad spinner or paper toweling.

3. Tear into bite-sized pieces and lay on parchment lined baking sheets. Mist with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt - or leave plain.

4. Roast for 7 to 10 minutes and remove before they brown. Cool and enjoy!

You MUST tear these into bite-sized pieces unless you want a big mess each time you bite one. I made the mistake of leaving them larger and they fall apart when you bite into them.

2) Roasted Chickpeas are so good. Garbanzos have a small amount of natural fat to them and there's no way around that, but you don't need to add any at all for this recipe. I used Moroccan spice from my Moroccan Spiced Beef Roast and Sweet Potatoes recipe and it was awesome. This was another one the kids couldn't get enough of ... me, either.

Moroccan Spiced Roasted Chickpea Snack

Makes 2 cups

1 can chickpeas, drained
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Toss beans with seasonings and lay out on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Roast for 45 minutes stirring every 15 minutes so they don't burn and cook evenly.

Check for doneness (they should be crunchy and not soft at all) and put back into the oven for 5 minute intervals if they are not ready).

3) I have a hard time calling this one hummus as it is missing a vital ingredient to hummus - sesame paste (tahini). It is very good as-is and, just like the chickpea snack, there is a small amount of natural fat. No matter, add whatever you like to this basic recipe to up the flavor if you like.

Fat-Free 'Hummus'

1 can (2 cups) chickpeas - drained

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 cloves garlic - minced

1 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt

Whir everything together in the blender or food processor until smooth. Serve with chips or crackers - or kale chips! I like this with some red pepper or green onion added in.

Caramelized Onion, Artichoke Heart and Goat Cheese Turnovers

2010-03-23T14:48:00.004-04:00

Before I get to the recipe today, I have to let you know about a small article about me at The Meal Planning Mom. I was asked to send in a recipe for possible inclusion in one of the weekly menus at MenuForTheWeek.com, so I did. They liked it and are using it in this week's menu!

On to these delicious little turnovers. I had several spring vegetables on-hand that I was unsure what to make with. I finally decided on these handheld pies and they are far more delicious than I thought they would be.

Caramelized Onion, Artichoke Heart and Goat Cheese Turnovers
Makes 8 turnovers

10 cipollini onions - peeled and sliced
1 bunch green or spring onions - sliced
1 large shallot - sliced
2 cloves garlic - minced
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 cup artichoke hearts in brine - drained and chopped
4 ounces goat cheese
1 recipe double-crust pie dough (I like pate brisee)
1 egg and 1 Tablespoon water beaten to make egg wash

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Roll dough to 1/8-inch thickness and cut into 8 circles 3-inches in diameter. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.
3. Combine olive oil and all onions in a small pan - cook over a low flame until caramelized. This can take up to 15 minutes.
4. When onions are done, place a spoonful in the center of each pastry circle. Top with artichoke hearts and goat cheese. Brush the edges of pastry with egg wash.
5. Fold over and press to close. Brush each with egg wash and bake on parchment lined baking sheets until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

Chocolate Gravy

2010-03-14T09:48:00.004-04:00

I just finished off a plateful of Saveur 100's #48 - Chocolate Gravy with biscuits. It was hard for me to imagine a breakfast that combined a rich, velvety, buttery chocolate sauce as a component (unless I were I 5 year-old), so when I first saw the recipe I was intrigued.

In our home savory has ruled as the Queen of Breakfast and every one of my 7 children knows that I don't embrace the idea of chocolate or sugar as the first meal of the day. But, the recommendation did come from Saveur, and the woman who submitted it is from the South, so I figured it had to be good. And I was right. And I apologize to my children for denying them chocolate for breakfast for so long.

I think I'm in love - the dark chocolate sauce on top of flaky biscuits is nearly sinful. I'm not sure I should have been making it for Sunday breakfast. I did, though - and I don't apologize for it. If you've never had chocolate gravy for breakfast, please do go and make up a batch - you can find the recipe at Saveur.

It's Not Even Spring Yet!

2010-03-09T22:02:00.005-05:00

I couldn't help it. I tried to restrain myself, really, but this stretch of warmer weather had me champing at the bit to grill something. Anything. So, after spending the morning zesting citrus for various things (Dorie Greenspan's Perfect Party Cake was one) I felt the need for fresh flavors on my dinner plate.

I had already thawed chicken breasts and was planning on fried chicken with a tomato based sauce, but I caught sight of the grill outside and made a last minute executive decision: the chicken must be grilled.

I had also been cooking beans to have on-hand. The beans were cooking with dried arbol chiles, bay leaves and garlic, and after tossing the lime shells (limes sans zest and juice) into the beans I felt like they needed to come to play in our dinner somehow. I scratched the tomato sauce idea and instead made a quick salsa with beans, avocado and tomato. It was the perfect complement to the grilled chicken. It was so good, in fact, that I had to keep from finishing it off myself. There are no herbs added and it doesn't need any at all - the combination of crunchy onion, tender avocado and tangy lime juice is terrific as-is.

Our dinner was a thrown-together delight. The chicken was topped with the salsa and I made a simple side of linguine tossed with olive oil, dried lemon zest and basil. It was divinely delicious and even the kids liked it. Not quite summer, but so close I could almost taste it.

Simple Tomato, Bean and Avocado Salsa
Makes 3 cups

1 1/2 cups seeded and diced tomato
1 1/2 cups cooked and drained beans (I used kidney and pinto)
1 small Hass avocado, peeled, seeded and diced
1/2 cup white onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 limes, juiced
1 teaspoon Kosher salt

Combine all in a small bowl and toss well. Let stand for several minutes to blend flavors before serving.

Adopt a Blogger: Round 4

2010-03-02T11:57:00.001-05:00

I've adopted a food blogger! Kristin of Dine & Dish has successfully paired veteran bloggers with newer bloggers for the past 4 years and this year I jumped on board and offered to be an adoptive blogger. I figured with 4 years under my belt and being halfway through my 5th year that it was high time to give back.

I've been paired with a wonderfully precocious young blogger named Lauren. She has written Celiac Teen for nearly 2 years (and she's only 17!) about her disease and how she manages to eat well despite it.

She's got quite the following for someone so young, and she is SO good at what she does that I'm afraid I won't have much to offer her. In fact, I can easily see Lauren being the adopter for Round 5 of Adopt a Blogger.

Even if you're not gluten-free, you must see this blog ... for the recipes, the photos, the writing and the general yumminess of it all. Brazilian Cheese Bread or Gluten-Free Tiramisu, anyone?

But, wait - there's more! More? Yes, yes, there's more! She created an ebook specifically to provide help to Haiti titled, Help for Haiti. A compilation of 87 recipes from 71 bloggers, the book was made to raise funds for Haitians in the aftermath of the recent earthquake there. The Red Cross matched donations, as have Lauren's parents (up to $1,000) and the book costs whatever you'd like to donate. Please go check that link, and every link leading to Lauren's blog, she is one fantastically talented young woman and I am so proud to be her adoptive blogger.

Poached Eggs on Ratatouille Bruschetta

2010-02-24T08:46:00.004-05:00

Ratatouille has been one of my favorites for over twenty years. The first reference I had ever come across was in a Sunset publication that I picked up at an Atlantic Books warehouse that long ago. I recall thinking then that it was one of the most delicious sounding dishes I'd heard of. It was billed as a salad in that book and included no background whatsoever.

As the years passed I learned more about its origins and the slight differences and variations, but I always came back to making it close to the way I first learned. My own recipes can be found here and here and it is those I used to make this breakfast.

I've taken to eating ratatouille bruschetta-style, on toasted thick bread and there's nothing so satisfying to me at the moment. Until this particular craving is fully sated, I expect I'll find more new and interesting ways to consume this thick French stew.

Poached Eggs on Ratatouille Bruschetta
Serves 1 or 2

2 slices French batard
1 cup prepared ratatouille, warmed through
2 large eggs

1. Toast bread rounds until desired crunch is achieved.
2. Top toasted bread with ratatouille.
3. Poach eggs (slide gently into simmering water from a small bowl or plate - one at a time - and cook until whites are just firm and center is still soft). Remove with a slotted spoon and set atop ratatouille. Grind fresh pepper over the eggs. Serve.

Dear Michael Ruhlman, This is Why I Cook

2010-02-21T21:28:00.003-05:00

Food writer, Michael Ruhlman wrote about why he cooks and asked of bloggers to share as well why they cook. This is my response.

The first, and I'll admit-seemingly conceited, thing that comes to mind for me is, "I cook, because I can." That's true and not so arrogant as it comes off ... really.

I cook because I love to eat.

I cook to nourish my family in the best way possible. Letting someone else do it removes me from the process of knowing exactly what goes into our meals.

I cook to earn money. I develop recipes and take photos for a living 9and write about the process), and that end of it is ever fascinating and ever educational. I learn something new each day by doing.

I cook to remember. There is nothing so memory provoking as the aroma or flavor of a food loved as a child. Nothing. I make my grandmother's brownies or my great-grandmother's brown sugar cookies or my mother's fried chicken to recall all that was good and pure and wonderful about my childhood - even if it wasn't all good or pure or wonderful.

I cook to create new memories. Yes, the common thread here is that food is central to my feelings of well-being and health and I aim to continue building those feelings in my children and their children. I want them to have memories of love and home and nurturing all rolled into one loaf of bread or layer of cake. The more I cook, the more chances they have to watch and learn and begin to cook for themselves.

I cook to live. Eating is truly secondary for me to the creation process that takes place each time I make a dish. I tell people often that cooking is an art like no other with an instant gratification (or let-down, whichever the case may be) that you can't get by creating with any other medium. Paintings can take days to months to complete. Books are the same. Recordings, movies, sculptures - they all take much more time to create and to be appreciated. With food, the 'yay' or 'nay' are immediate - you know if your creation was loved or liked or hated before the creation is gone.

I cook to bring others happiness. There's nothing else to say about that.

So, I echo Michael Ruhlman - what are your reasons for cooking?

The Amazing Parents and Their Daring Adoption Feat

2010-02-12T22:30:00.006-05:00

I have a very dear friend, whom I have written about before, that is one of the most amazingly amazing people I have ever had the pleasure to know. Her name is Kate. I call her Katiepooh, but that's besides the point.

She and her fantabulous husband are raising a bunch of children just as wonderful as they are. Now, in case you think that's an easy feat, let me shed a little light. Firstly, they are raising 7 children. Having 7 of my own, I know how trying and tiring and utterly wonderful such a thing can be. The only difference is, while I have special needs kids of my own (I don't really see Asperger's as a special need, but hey - that's the label), I don't have children with the needs that hers do.

Kate being the amazing mom that she is keeps in all in check; homeschooling, doctor's appointments, surgeries, therapists and daily life. She does this without batting an eyelash. In fact, many times I've talked with Kate on the phone and she's laughing about life rather than wallowing in pity.

When Marty was injured, Kate was the first person on the phone to me checking in and keeping others updated for me. Kate was the one who set up a PayPal account to help our family get by while Marty was in the hospital. Kate was there in more ways than that and continues to be someone I can lean on and talk to about life, putting her own needs on hold to listen to me ramble.

See, pretty amazing, huh? Guess what? She and her husband Charley are even more amazing than all that. They are now on the road to adopting two very special and precious baby girls from the Ukraine. Not just any baby girls (this is Kate we're talking about) but baby girls with Down Syndrome. They are the sweetest babies ever and even though they will have many issues and many needs, Kate and Charley are up for it and I can't think of any family better suited to take these children in and raise them.

They do need help to reach this goal, however and I want to share with you how you can help.

Money is always welcome and the one thing that they need to most to get these girls home to the U.S. Right now they are looking at is $36,000. Kate's PayPal link can be found HERE if you are so led to help.

Donations of Goods or Services: Kate will be holding raffles on her blog for goods or services donated by friends and family. If you have something you can donate for her to raffle or would like to enter a raffle, please see her blog, Room for More for details.

Prayers - This is the best way to get them where they need to be. Offer up whatever you can on their behalf and the rest is Faith.

Blogging or any other way you can get the word out is fabulous. Even if you can't help, others may be able to and bringing it to light would be terrific. You can add Kate's button to your blog or web page as well:

Thank you so much for reading this and considering my dear friend and her family.

The Art of Making Garlic Bread

2010-01-25T21:28:00.005-05:00

Like so many children of the 70's I was exposed to one type of garlic bread: thick slices of white bread slathered with margarine (butter if we were lucky) and topped with garlic salt and dried parsley flakes before being run under the broiler for a quick browning. This usually resulted in garlic bread that was soft on the bottom, too crunchy on the top and overpowered with pungent dried garlic flavor. There didn't seem to be a lot of thought to it; the bread didn't matter much, the garlic didn't matter much and the whole thing was made as more of an afterthought.

When I married and started making my own garlic bread, I was guilty of using the same method and turned out some not-so-good garlic bread in my time. Fast forward to post-culinary school and I still wasn't very good at it. I changed the granulated garlic or garlic salt to the real deal, but I still used butter and browned the bread the same way.

Finally, I settled on a garlic bread that my whole family loves and devours. Rather than using fresh garlic - which can be too spicy when it's not fully cooked - or butter, I switched things up by using olive oil and roasted garlic with a bit of good cheese to top it all off.

Here's my method - see if it doesn't turn into a favorite in your own home.

Start with roasted garlic. One whole head wrapped in foil or brushed with olive oil and placed in a small dish and roasted in a 350 degree oven for 35 to 45 minutes or until soft.

The bread. We have local bakeries that make very good Italian hoagie rolls. I like this size for individual servings. Four rolls will give you eight good-sized servings.

Slice the bread horizontally.

Brush the cut sides of the bread with good extra virgin olive oil.

The roasted garlic. I use this on one of two ways; mashed together with Kosher or sea salt and then spread on the bread, or spread directly on the bread and then salted. Either way works well.

Roasted garlic spread atop the olive oil.

Sprinkled with sea salt.

Topped with a good quality cheese - not too much, you're not making pizza! This is a six cheese Italian blend - Asiago, Provolone, Parmesan, Romano, Fontina and Mozzarella.

Lay the halves on a parchment lined baking sheet and pop into a 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until browned and bubbly. Baking them rather than broiling surrounds the bread with heat and crisps up the outside and melts the cheese without leaving the bottom too soft. Cut into pieces for service.

ShopRite Bloggers in Caring and Expressions of Hunger

2010-01-24T23:20:00.004-05:00

Back in August I wrote a blog post about hunger detailing the partnership between bloggers (Blog it Forward to Fight Hunger), ShopRite Partners in Caring and General Mills and their effort to shed light on hunger and bring about a way to help. The deal was that ShopRite and General Mills would donate a box of Honey Nut Cheerios to a local food bank for each comment we received (3,000 boxes!). As a way of thanking the bloggers that participated, Partners in Caring and General Mills created a mosaic for the back of the Honey Nut Cheerios box that uses the faces of the bloggers within the mosaic.

The front of the box.

The mosaic on the back.

Right in the center - one of the photos of me. It was a repeating pattern and my kids thought counting my picture was rather fun.

So, if you head to a ShopRite anytime soon, look for the Bloggers in Caring/Partners in Caring logo and check out the back of the box. There are many bloggers that participated and it's a fun way to be thanked for something that took very little effort or time.

I stated in August that I would match the Partners in Caring and General Mills gift and I did. Over the holiday season and more recently the Haiti crisis, I donated food and money for food to several different charities. One was LifeChurch in Allentown who runs an orphanage in Haiti, and another was Second Harvest Food Bank of Lehigh Valley. I won't divulge what was given, but I did stay true to my word.

Right now through March 1, 2010 Partners in Caring is running a contest to find artwork that portrays the plight of the hungry or a solution to it:

Sharing emotions, thoughts and feelings through music, poetry, performance, art, and storytelling has long been a way of communicating and enlightening others about an issue.

ShopRite Partners In Caring is asking for your help in fulfilling its mission to increase the awareness of hunger in our community.

Please submit an original video that depicts how you perceive the plight of the hungry or what a solution to hunger might be in the "Expressions of Hunger" video contest.

Share your most creative, original expresssion about hunger. It may be a song, a poem, a dramatically read story or a performance that you capture on video.

If you head to Expressions of Hunger, you will find details on entering.

PRIZES:

Up to six winners will have their picture featured and their video summarized on a September, 2010 Cheerios® box*, sold exclusively at ShopRite, and the video will be featured on the ShopRite Partners in Caring Website ("SRPIC") (ARV:$400.00-based on a total of 15 winners pictured on Cheerios box)

Up to 10 additional winners will receive a video camera (ARV $200) and their entries will be featured on the ShopRite Partners In Caring website.

Roasting Radishes

2010-01-24T21:12:00.004-05:00

One of my favorite ways to prepare vegetables, just about any vegetable at all, is to roast them with a simple drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of Kosher or sea salt. Roasting a vegetable allows the natural juices to caramelize and add a sweetness and depth of flavor that isn't achieved by any other means of cooking.

I've roasted everything from the usual potato to the not-so-usual bunch of broccoli rabe, but radishes? Never. Radishes, whose tiny French specimen is perfect with butter and a baguette, or the more common variety-filled with spice and crunch and a staple on any salad bar in North America, were never anything I had even remotely considered roasting.

Along came the Saveur 100 issue for 2010 and the mention of roasting radishes by Donna Long. The moment I read the words on the page, "roasted radishes" I had a light bulb sort of experience - an, 'of course!' moment. COOK radishes. Why, yes - it made perfect sense, and why wouldn't it? Cooking a radish would yield a mild and tender bite.

So, I set out to cook them, but not by roasting-yet. I instead braised them, simmering the little red globes in chicken stock until it reduced to a sauce and the radishes began to caramelize. Once done, I finished them with a pat of whole butter and a sprinkling of salt. They were perfection on a plate.

Although I haven't roasted them, I plan to, and the best part is, I was so inspired that there's no telling where the veggie roasting will end ... and I don't think I'll want it to.

Homemade Egg Noodles

2010-01-20T13:35:00.005-05:00

Pasta making isn't anything new to me (see here and here) and something I love doing, so dog-earing the page on Homemade Egg Noodles in the Saveur 100 was a given. This time, however, I went back to the old-school way of rolling and cutting by hand rather than the method I'd become accustomed to as of late - using a pasta maker.

Up until a little over a year ago, I was hand rolling and cutting pasta each time the desire to make it fresh hit. Going back to basics this time proved to be very satisfying. My oldest daughter sat at the table while I worked and we chatted as I rolled and cut.

I had already decided what the noodles were to go into before I started - classic chicken and noodles. My family loved every last morsel, even the pickiest exclaiming how good it was. I had several of them come back for seconds (and one for thirds!) and they all left more satisfied than I'd expected. True bliss for a mom of seven.

The recipe for Jeannette Lander's Homemade Egg Noodles can be found at Saveur.com.

Classic Chicken and Noodles

One 3 to 3 1/2 pound chicken
2 stalks celery
2 medium carrots
1 small onion
3 cloves garlic
several sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper
1 batch Homemade Egg Noodles

Clean the chicken inside and out, rinsing well. Place in a large pot.

Scrub and roughly chop veggies and add to pot with garlic, thyme and bay leaf.
Cover with water and set over a high flame.
The moment the pot starts to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes.
Remove the chicken and veggies from the pot to a large bowl, saving broth.
Once chicken is cool enough, remove skin and bones and cut meat into chunks.
Chop carrot if desired and add to chicken. Set aside.
Boil a large pot of salted water and add noodles. Boil until al dente, about 4 minutes for fresh noodles. Remove noodles from water and keep warm.
Heat 4 cups of leftover chicken stock and thicken slightly with beurre manier (equal parts butter and flour kneaded together and added by whisking small amounts in until thickening occurs) before adding back in chicken and noodles.
Stir well, add salt and pepper to taste and serve hot.

Bloggers Unite for Haiti

2010-01-14T09:36:00.007-05:00

The other night when I first heard of the devastating earthquake in Haiti, my first thought was that they were so poor to start with, I just didn't see how they would be able to survive such a catastrophic loss.

The key to any country or peoples overcoming any type of loss is for them to band together with the strong and fight. We are the strong, they are the weak and it's our responsibility to help the lesser people of our earthly home. Whether they are 5 miles or 10,000 miles away, they are our neighbors and are in desperate need of help.

Several ways to help:

1. Join with Bloggers Unite for Haiti and make sure to share the link to any post you create in the effort to raise awareness and funds.

2. Text YELE to 501501 to contribute $5 to Yele Haiti.

3. Text HAITI to 90999 to contribute to the Red Cross.

4. Check local news for sources close to your home where you can drop donations other than money. Yesterday we were able to drop food off to Lifechurch in Allentown to help them with the orphanage they run in Haiti. Do likewise, even if you don't think it's much - every small bit adds up and makes a difference.

Saveur 100 - My Favorite of All

2010-01-07T23:40:00.006-05:00

The Saveur 100 for 2010 is quite possibly my favorite issue of Saveur ever. Back in July I read of the upcoming issue and the call for submissions from readers, something Saveur had not done when compiling past issues of the 100. I was immediately interested and thought I might send something in to them, but the realization of what exactly my 'favorite person, place or thing in the world of food' was halted me.

I've eaten foods that are pure bliss; been to restaurants I think everyone on the planet should visit at least once; shopped at article-worthy farmer's markets and shared ovens with some of the finest cooks and chefs ... and yet, the one thing that is my very favorite is Saveur itself.

Trite as it sounds (and no, I'm not kissing any literary tush here) Saveur is the one 'food world' thing I can't live without. As sad as I was at the passing of Gourmet (and I still am), if Saveur were to close its doors, I can gurantee there would be tears - and quite possibly gnashing of teeth and tearing of clothing.

Saveur takes me on culinary journeys that I can scarce afford. They sneak me off to obscure hole-in-the-wall spots for delights I'd never otherwise know of. They share the world of food with me in a way that deepens and cultivates my already unfathomable love for it.

This 100 issue, their 12th, is like no other. They have collected, from around the globe, others' food loves and compiled them into one bounteous and delicious magazine. I started reading - on the very first page, from cover to cover as always - and the dog-eared pages piled up. The double-dog eared pages were almost as bad (you know, when there's something on both sides of a page that you want to be sure and re-visit) and soon the whole magazine had a chunk missing from the corner and I knew I was in deep.

Double dog-eared deep.

While much of the food blogging world is pulling a Julie Powell and cooking up entire tomes of recipes in a year or less, I'm satisfied enough to fit as many 100s into my year or so as I can.

While many of the foods are ones I have already eaten or cooked, and while I will most likely never visit the E. Dehillerin Cookware Shop in Paris, or even the Glass Onion in Charleston, South Carolina, and though I may already have known how to properly crack an egg so as to avoid tiny shards of shell (I love you, Jacques Pépin, but my favorite professor taught me that!), I will be trying as many of the 100 foods, gadgets and tips printed within the pages of this Saveur - and I will share them with you - along with all of my other food aventures - one by glorious one.

The Year of Living Simply

2010-01-03T22:46:00.003-05:00

At the beginning of last year I set out to slow things down a bit in my cooking life. Contrary to my desires, things got a bit out of hand and I did more work than I had planned and made many things that were far from 'slow food' (or, slow -er as I'd called it).

This year, however, I have a renewed sense of needing to simplify. I don't mean dumbed-down dishes or 3-ingredient casseroles, I mean simple as in, REAL. The less real ingredients, the better.

Gone from my vision are laundry-lists of ingredients with arm-length dissertations on preparation. In are the dishes like simple roast potatoes with garlic and rosemary or French bread made with no more than yeast, flour, water and salt. Desserts like flour-less chocolate cake fill the bill as well as stove-cooked puddings and custards with a handful of fresh ingredients and topped with fresh fruit.

Less is more in this instance, and I wholeheartedly and longingly embrace it. No more guessing about what is in a specific dish; I'll know and be able to recite each one to anyone inquiring. Moreover, I'll be helping the health and well-being of my family by providing food that remembers where it came from.

What is more delicious or comforting than a well-prepared stew contrived of meat or poultry, fresh potatoes, carrots and onion and a stock made yourself with the simplest of ingredients and freshest herbs? Add to that a loaf of egg bread made by hand and butter churned in a jar from fresh cream. I dare you to dream for yourself of a meal made completely of foods that are not processed or added to. I know you can, and if you can't you'll be able to turn to this blog for inspiration and recipes. Please come along - and bring your appetite.

A Year of Yum

2009-12-30T19:45:00.005-05:00

2009 turned out to be a rather light blogging year for Cooking with Anne, but with good reason. With some of my duties stepped up at Family.com, A Thousand Soups doing fairly well and a new staff writing position at Half Hour Meals, there was a lot of food going on, just not all in one spot.

The year started of with a real high as I was featured in our local newspaper and the story then spread literally world-wide. There is no longer a link to the original story at The Morning Call, but there are links elsewhere. Two of those links are at The Seattle Times and The Philadelphia Inquirer.

I was also fortunate enough to have some of my work for Family.com chosen to be displayed at The Princess and the Frog website. Click HERE for the site and when the site loads (I really love the background music!), click on 'Community' and then 'Cooking' to find seven of my favorite Cajun recipes (the ones tagged with 'Recipe provided by Disney Family.com') on site!

This is also the year that I started a Facebook Fan Page for Cooking with Anne - be sure to stop by!

I'm hoping this next year will be a bit fuller here at Cooking with Anne, and until then these are my favorite posts from this past year:

Homemade Hummus and Wheat Pita

Bacon Pie

St. Andrè Dessert Tart

Foodbuzz 24, 24, 24: There's No Place Like Home

Chocolate Crusted Chocolate Tarts

Wacky Cake: Frugal, Vegan, Delicious

To Pea or Not to Pea

2009-12-29T15:48:00.005-05:00

Part of a recipe developers job, beyond the creation of recipes for a specific client, is also sometimes the 'creation' of tried and true mainstays. A publisher wants their own versions of the recipes we all know and love to help fill out their database.

It was just such a circumstance that led to revamping my own chicken pot pie recipe. That, in turn, led to several funny and opinionated discussions via Twitter and Facebook about whether or not peas should be added to a pot pie.

Living in Pennsylvania, one must first get past the bounds of which pot pie you're cooking; the P.A. Dutch version, or the comfort food classic that we all know. My own recipe has always been the equivalent of a chicken stew cooked in a pie crust. No pomp and circumstance, no muss, no fuss. My own mother made hers the same way, lots of chicken and potatoes, no peas.

Every single pot pie I'd ever seen anywhere else, including within the grocer's freezer, contained those little green spheres, but not mom's. Search as I may, I couldn't find a single instance in a cookbook or online without the inclusion of peas. So, I thought I'd poll my corner of the world and ask which it was; Peas or No Peas.

Some of the answers I received were downright hysterical:

Patrick N: I've never known a CPP that didn't have peas

April Jean: peas!

Louise Lenner: sometimes with...sometimes without depends on the tastebuds..I like ANY chicken pot pie lol

Rhonda Jenkins: I don't always eat the peas but I've never seen one without them! If I were making it though, I'd probably leave them out since Stephen is allergic to them. Speaking of which, how about a good recipe? I have chicken out for dinner tonight! lol

Trinette Stowell: Yes, please! Or not. Either way is fine with me.

Dave Baun: YES! PEAS! PLEASE!

Ryan Boudreaux: Hello....peas and carrots are a must! lol

Krista Foster: That you would even contemplate not adding peas makes me question your culinary integrity (LOL!!!!)

Daniel East: I have to say it: Give peas a chance! (there, I said it)

Drheckle MrGibe: Only a neophyte wouldn't add peas to pot pie

Jennifer Koenig Wilson: peas.·

Cassidy Coleman: EWWWWW!!!! NO FREAKING PEAS!

Jenn DiPiazza: PEAS!

Reese Badman: Peas! If they're nice and fresh when you put 'em in, they're like little explosions of goodness when you bite into them. Peas all the way!

Joan Nova: peas pls

Duane Foster: You have to have peas.

Heather Cohen: YES! PEAS!

Audrey Michael-smith: Even though I do not like them they do add a little color.. my vote is YES

Bruce Sarte: Peas -- definitely!

Paul Landis: No Peas??? Epic fail.

Yvonne Freitas- Garcia: no peas............. blah! Was never a fan. Chicken Pot Pie. *drools

Kate Parker: Absolutely add peas, YES YES YES!!!!!!!!·

Morgana Kennedy: This is a very serious question. My kids hate peas and would get out of eating dinner if they were in there. You could always be a "sneaky chef" and puree the peas so no one will know they are there. Something I do a lot. Good luck!

Jason Sturdevant: Just tell them its peas or brussell sprouts...

Kerri Koch: oooh ~ no peas in my pot pie please!

Wendy Mikko-Wood: A pot pie without peas? No way!

Toontz Okara: Peas!!!!

Caroline Kahikina McCloud: Coming in late on this, but PEAS yes! Mushrooms are the debate in our household. I generally make one with mushrooms and without.

Paula Dancho-Moffo yes!

Mickie Connor Young: Peas, definitely.

Jennifer Buckner Atkinson: Peas!

Faith Bond: of course..always had it in that i knew

Rachel Zenhausern: No! No peas! It's the one reason I avoid chicken pot pies when other people make them. I hate the peas. I've always hated peas. Just the smell of them makes me gag! Please no peas. My chicken pot pie is a creamy mix of mushrooms and broccoli topped with a homemade biscuit crust.

Kristine Grampo McNerney: No Peas! Please: )

Jenn DiPiazza: PEAS!

Tom Pierce: whirled peas

Julie Pleiness Liedke: peas.... for sure:-)

Anok Kropotkin: Peas!

Hannah Rittenhouse: peas..sure and little diced carrots too..yummo! that other one with the broccoli sounds yummo but is not a traditional chicken pot pie..actually they're ALL chicken PIES..if it's made in a pot a "la pa dutch" THEN it's a pot pie! AHAHAHA!

Virginia Tadrzynski: peas, definitely, that is unless you go to put peas in the potpie and 'sob' and 'alas' (you toss your head back and cover your forehead with your arm) THERE ARE NO PEAS in the freezer. Then...no peas.

I had several answers on Twitter, as well - from simple 'yes' to 'No peas. Ick! Pa-tooey.' It does seem that the peas won out, so in re-doing my recipe, I added peas. I have to say, though - when making this for my own family, the peas are out.

You may also notice that I've done another controversial thing - added potatoes. I've never had a pot pie at home that didn't contain potatoes and I love the flavor and texture they add.

Whichever you choose, Peas or No Peas, one thing is for sure, pot pie is one of the best things going.

Anne's Chicken Pot Pie
Serves 8

1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced potato
1 cup diced carrot
1/2 stick butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken stock
1 Tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 cup frozen peas
4 cups cooked and cubed chicken
1 double pie crust rolled to 1/4" thick and cut into eight 4.5" circles

Melt butter in a large pot and add onion, celery, carrot and potato.
Cook over low heat until vegetables begin to soften - about 10 minutes.
Sprinkle flour over vegetables and stir well. Pour stock into the pot in a thin stream, stirring all the while until the sauce begins to thicken. Add thyme, salt and pepper. Stir in chicken and peas. Cook for another 10 minutes until bubbly and completely heated through.

Ladle filling into 1 cup capacity ramekins or other suitable vessel - even oven-proof coffee mugs work well for this! Top each cup with a round of pie dough and set on a baking sheet.

Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 20 - 25 minutes or until pie crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling out the edges.

Lindsay Olives - Perfect for Any Party

2009-12-29T11:04:00.003-05:00

I love olives. Next to tomatoes they are my very favorite food and I could eat every variety known to man every minute of every day. That's serious love, folks. What I don't enjoy too much is opening cans. I like black olives as much as the next person (although Nicoise are my favorite) but wrestling cans open (you have to know my can opener to understand) just isn't fun.

Lindsay Olives have come up with a brilliant solution; re-closeable containers. While I admit that I could finish off an entire can of olives myself, not everyone has such fortitude and the need to store the little black gems is necessary.

Pitted ripe olives (medium or large size) and Italian Seasoned are the three products that come in handy little resealable bowls. Eat what you want, pop the lid back on and stow them in the fridge until the next time you need them - which would be every 5 minutes for me, but may be longer for other individuals. The Italian Seasoned olives are my favorite of the bunch - they taste nearly identical to my favorite baked olive, but with the added bonus of being ready from the jar! Those were gone in 15 minutes flat.

Try them for yourself by checking out the Lindsay website for a store near you, a valuable coupon and a complete list of Lindsay olive products. See if you don't think these are the next best thing to sliced tomatoes, too.

Christmas Cake

2009-12-26T21:26:00.005-05:00

The top of this year's snowflake cake.

I think the first year I started blogging, which was 2005, I went into great detail about our Christmas celebrations and food. Not much changes from year to year in the department, but there are differences. Usually it's something one of the kids has requested or a recipe I caught from a magazine that I had to try. This year one of the desserts was something I haven't made for about 12 years - a snowflake cake.

I can't remember what magazine I found this beauty in, but I thought it was one of the prettiest cakes I've ever seen and had to tackle it. Back then I had 3 children and lots more time, so it wasn't so taxing to get it done. Over the years, as we added 4 more kids and lost some time I let it slide and intended to make it, but never got 'a round tuit'.

This year I wanted to make that cake come Hell or high water, and I did. I was amazed at how easily it went together and quietly scolded myself for not having done it earlier. It was a show stopper - as it was meant to be - and the cake itself was so good that my mother-in-law called (on behalf of my brother-in-law) to ask if we had any left.

My first snowflake cake from 1997.

The cake itself is one of my newest favorites, Dorie Greenspan's Perfect Party Cake, which I first made with the Daring Bakers almost 2 years ago. I have since come to love that cake and use it as a base for many, many desserts. This time I made 4 layers of the cake and sandwiched ALDI's Fruits of the Forest Spread between the layers (this spread is to-die-for and you must find an ALDI and seek this out) and topped the cake with a basic buttercream icing.

Once assembled, I piped 'snowflakes' (which were really more star-like because they have more than 6 sides) out of melted white chips and added pearlized dragées to them. I usually use silver or gold dragées, but they were hard to find this year.

Once the snowflakes are set, I add them in a pile to the top of the cake and sprinkle the whole top with large crystal sugar to give it extra sparkle. Give it a try sometime - it's a good cake for all winter long, not just Christmas.

What are the food traditions your family can't live without? What is something new you've tried this year?

Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies

2009-12-19T14:34:00.003-05:00

I got this recipe from a dear friend of mine, Hannah who I met over 10 years ago in an AOL chat room. No, it wasn't "Single and Looking", it was "Food Chat" where I met a ton of great people and talked about food (and silliness) all day. I met several of them face-to-face, but Hannah is the only one I've met up with more than once.

I haven't seen her for some time now (my fault), but I do get to talk to her just about daily on Facebook. This is a recipe she sent through to a few of us and the only change I made was to add white chips in with the cranberries and the kids devoured these in no time!

Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies

Preheat oven to 350º and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper (this may be reused for baking more than one batch and your cookie sheet stays clean). I mix all cookies by hand because I think it really makes a more tender dough.

1 stick margarine or butter at room temperature. If margarine make sure that it has at least 60% fat content.
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar NOT packed in a measuring cup
Cream above ingredients until well incorporated and fluffy then add and mix:

1 large egg (also at room temperature)
1/2 t. vanilla

Mix dry ingredients:
1/2 scant t. baking soda
3/4 c. all-purpose flour (Note: I made these on a humid day and needed 1 cup flour)
1 c. old fashioned oats (not instant - the ones that take about 5 minutes to cook)

Add to the 'liquid' mixture to form a fairly stiff dough.

Chop about 1/3 c. craisins (dried cranberries) and mix into the dough. There should be enough so that every cookie has a few pieces of the fruit.

Drop by rounded teaspoons on cookie sheet about 1 1/2 - 2 inches apart.

Bake for about 12 minutes until the bottom is lightly browned and you can smell the cookies ... if you time the first batch all batches will be consistently baked and not too dark.

Remove to cooling racks and cool completely. Keep well in a tin or plastic container.

Local Holiday Fare

2009-12-15T12:37:00.004-05:00

These three local spot are personal favorites of mine. Get to know them better and check out their sites for more info:

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Balasia is offering our Very Vegan Christmas Feast!

For those of you who may be Vegan or know or love someone who is, Chef Wendy is preparing a Vegan Christmas/Holiday Feast with all of the fixings!

Available for 1-100 People (gluten-free available)

There will be:

Homemade Whole Grain Bread Stuffing with Rosemary and Garlic
Parsley and Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Butternut Squash soup with Ginger
Homemade cranberry sauce with clove and orange zest
Roasted Sweet potatoes with carmelized walnuts
Roasted Vegetables with garlic, soy butter and herbs
And your choice of homemade seitan with baby bella mushroom gravy, Coriander mustard baked tofu, or pineapple baked vegan ham
Finished with a Pumpkin Dessert of your choice (pie, cake, or cheesecake)

Call 484-330-6405 to place your order!

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Black Forest Deli

Week before the big Holiday - Haven't Ordered your catering platters from us yet?
Well, what are you waiting for? Place your orders Today!
Check out Our full menu bethlehemdeli.com

Need a gift for someone ? Get them a Gift Certificate from BlackForest Deli.
Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/blackforestdeli or become our fan on Facebook: BlackForest Deli & Catering You can get our daily updates, specials, and a chance to win a FREE lunch! We deliver - Try our food - you wont regret it!

Soups of the Week: chicken noodle / russian borsch / minestrone / halupki

HALUPKIS ARE BACK - PLACE YOUR ORDERS QUICK as they go way too fast - 2 for $6

MOB Special is back - as this was our very popular sandwich a few months ago, its back as a triple decker with turkey, crispy bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, avocado and honey mustard - $7
Reuben Wrap - a mix of fresh corned beef and pastrami with saurkraut, swiss cheese and russian dressing - warm of course - YUM - $6.50
R u hungry sub? - roast beef, ham, turkey, coleslaw, russian dressing and lettuce - $6
Salad of the Week - mixed greens, crunchy apples, mandarin oranges, pineapple chunks, tomatoes, nuts, cucumbers topped with our homemade tuna salad - $7
Hot Sand Of the week : Homemade Meatball Parmesan - $5
Panini of the week: thinly sliced roast beef, horseradish spread, hot peppers, tomatoes,
onions, spinach grilled to a crunch - $6
Veggie Sand of the week - Egg Salad Sand - with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers - $5
Yummy Sides : macaroni / coleslaw / potato salad / deli pickles / yogurt w/fruit / brownie

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We’re excited to announce a new product – Sustainable Business GIFT BASKETS!

Promote the “Eat Fresh, Buy Local” concept - just in time for the gift-giving season. Our baskets feature Back Door Bakeshop goodies, Tallarico’s chocolates, Counter Culture coffee from Wired Cafe, and more.

Available in three sizes: petite $18, mid-size $25 and colossal $55!

And a reminder: whether you’re entertaining at home, visiting family and friends, or whooping it up at the workplace, you’re gonna be looking for something sweet to go with that fabulous meal. You know we’ve got you covered!

A quick call or email is all it takes to order apple and pumpkin pies, chocolate cake, carrot cake and all the amazing goodies you’ve come to expect. Party trays feature cookies, dessert breads, lemon squares, magic squares, cappuccino brownies and the stars of it all - espresso shortbread! We can gift wrap any tray - a fabulous end-of-year giving idea!

The full updated menu is available on our Web site – www.backdoorbakeshop.com
Follow us on Twitter: @backdoorbakeshp or become a fan on Facebook: Back Door Bakeshop
To order, call 610-625-0987, or send us an email: info@backdoorbakeshop.com

Cookbooks You Don't Want to Miss

2009-12-13T20:46:00.005-05:00

Da Cajn Critter

What would you do if your home was taken away and you were displaced, with no real place to go and nothing but time to fill your days with? If you were Pamela Lyles, you'd pull yourself up by your bootstraps and make the most of it. Pamela and her family lost their home to Hurrican Katrina and were relocated to Houston, Texas where Pamela started writing down in earnest the recipes she had been storing up for years. She took a life-altering situation and made the most out of it and Da Cajn Critter is the delicious result.

With a slower paced look at life and food, Da Cajn Critter is more than just recipes, its a guide book to planning, shopping and cooking in the most efficient and family pleasing ways possible. Real NOLA and family Recipes like Aunt Bea's Cheese Cookies, Creole Pork Chops and Spicy Rice, Shrimp Po' Boys and Brownie with Double Chocolate Icing will keep you coming back for more and more. Don't miss grabbing your copy at Da Cajin Critter website.

Dollars to Donuts

Route 66, the American icon and home to Rock Cafe, owned by Dawn Welch is the backdrop for Dollars to Donuts, the companion cookbook to one seriously fabulous diner. Did you catch her spot on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives? No? Go have a look and I'll wait for you.

Awesome, no? All those recipes along with tips galore on how to save money while feeding you family well are tucked between the covers of this book and you'll want to grab a copy for yourself just as fast as you can. Not only is this insanely delicious food, but Dawn Welch was named Oklahoma's Woman of the Year for 2009!

True to its Eat Big on a Dime and Save Time, 150 recipes like Paella with Spicy Sausage and Pot-Roasted Chicken with Saffron, Chickpeas, and Lemon, and decadent desserts like Chocolate-Chip Oatmeal Pie are just what the family ordered. Find a copy of Dollars to Donuts at Amazon.com.

The Baking Answer Book

Ever bring a cake out of the over that could have been used as a frisbee? Ever wondered why? How about a fruit crisp topping that never gets crisp, but stays soggy and pale? What if there were a book that addressed these and many other vexing problems the everyday baker faces?

The Baking Answer Book is that book. Filled with questions and answers from the common to the more obscure, this is a book you will turn to again and again for help with your daily baking needs. From ingredients to equipment to specific baked goods, this book covers it all in an easy to understand way that even the most novice baker can follow.

Not only are there tips for every scenario, there are delicious recipes for cookies, cakes, pies, cobblers, yeast breads and pastries. Find your copy of The Baking Answer book at Amazon.com.

Strawberry Bread with More Fruit - Lucky Leaf Premium Pie Fillings

2009-12-13T20:41:00.006-05:00

I've been baking for many, many years now - I was at least 10 when I started making sugar cookies and I'm not quite sure how old I was when I started making apple pies, but I know it was more than 25 years ago. I've used all sorts of fillings for pie, mostly homemade, but there are times I've relied on canned pie fillings.

I've not been disappointed, really, but it's not the same as the real deal. There's always more 'gunk' than fruit and sometimes the fruit itself just isn't very appetizing. Lucky Leaf recently revamped their fillings to be less 'gunky' and more fruity, and I think they've succeeded.

I was sent two cans of filling - one apple and one strawberry - along with a cookbook for recipe ideas. I couldn't find a better use for the apple pie filling than the apple and ginger tart in the cookbook, so I made that and it was gone so quickly that I never got a chance to take a photo.

The strawberry filling was a bit of a challenge for me. I find it hard to know what to do with strawberries when they aren't in season, so I had to think a bit. I took a recipe I already had for Strawberry Bread and altered it slightly to use the pie filling instead of the usual frozen strawberries.

This time the kids were at school so I had a chance to get a photo or two, but once they were home, the bread was gone instantly. In other words, there really is a lot of fruit in those cans and it's not lacking in flavor or overprocessed.

Strawberry Bread
(the unaltered version is linked above)

1 can Lucky Leaf Premium Strawberry Pie Filling
4 eggs
1 c cooking oil
1 1/2 c sugar
3 c all-purpose flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 c chopped nuts

Stir first 4 ingredients together well then add dry ingredients and stir until combined. Fold in nuts and pour into 2 9x5 inch greased loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

*I top ours with cinnamon sugar.

You can find Lucky Leaf Premium Pie Fillings at your local grocer, and for a FREE copy of the cookbook, you can find it here: http://luckyleaf.com/RecipeBook.aspx

Peppermint Bark

2009-12-09T23:21:00.004-05:00

I inquired of my Twitter followers the other day what they might like to have a recipe for and @lisahanockjasie asked for peppermint bark. I'd never done it before that, but I can tell you it's so very easy that there's no need to ever buy it.

You need very few ingredients and even less time to get this one done. I made one with white coating and one with chocolate and the kids liked both equally well. Be careful when melting chocolate or coating - you need absolutely dry equipment to start with and add the room temperature extract only after the chocolate or coating is already melted and still quite hot.

The candy can be added after the extract or, as I did - after the chocolate is spread onto parchment. Adding the extra drizzle of the opposite flavor helped adhere the candy to the bark, as well.

Crushing candy canes can be a challenge. I used a hammer to gently crush mine. I originally tried the food processor, but wound up with inconsistently crushed candies - some were powder and some too large. I laid them on a baking sheet and gently hammered them until they were the size I needed.

Peppermint Bark
Makes 2 sheets (approx. 15x15) of candy

12 ounces chocolate chips or chocolate candy melts
12 ounces white chocolate chips or white candy coating
1 teaspoon peppermint extract or several drops peppermint oil
4 candy canes, crushed

1. Set aside 1/4 cup of both types of candy melts.
2. Melt each color of chocolate separately either in the microwave or in a double boiler. If using a double boiler the water in the bottom pot should NOT be boiling, but simmering. Even steam from the bottom pot can cause the chocolate to seize.
3. Once the chocolate is melted, add a teaspoon of peppermint oil to each color and stir thoroughly but very gently. Once the extract or oil has been successfully added (it doesn't seize the chocolate) stir it a bit more vigorously until it cools a bit. This will help to temper the chocolate and it will set up better than if you simply melt and pour.
4. Pour the chocolate onto the parchment and spread to desired thickness.
5. Top with chopped candies.
6. Melt reserved chips or coating and drizzle alternate colors over each. Drizzle white over chocolate and chocolate over white.
7. Let cool and dry completely before cutting with a very sharp knife or breaking into pieces.

National Brownie Day

2009-12-08T09:25:00.006-05:00

Did you know there is a National Brownie Day? Well, there is and today is it. Grab yourself a brownie and feel no guilt. I love an excuse to have chocolate and I wholeheartledly embrace this celebration!

Embrace it with me and leave a comment with contact information here for a chance to win a $30 gift set from Cheryl&Co.. That's right - thirty dollars to spend on thick, rich brownies or decadently iced cookies or any number of delectable treats offered up by Cheryl&Co. If you need more convincing, visit the website and if you don't rush right back to comment, then there's no help for you.

In the meantime, this recipe is a favorite at our house - rich and gooey brownies the kids can never get enough of.

Decadent Brownies
Makes one 9x13 pan

2 sticks unsalted butter
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs - slightly beaten
3/4 cup dark cocoa powder
1 cup flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Put butter into 9x13 pan and place in oven until butter is melted.
Pour butter into a large bowl and add sugar. Stir until well blended. Add vanilla and eggs and stir well. Add cocoa powder and blend until smooth.
Sift in flour and stir gently until combined.
Pour into prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until set but not stiff - don't overbake!

**Contest ends 12/15/2009 at 11:59 PM