Monthly Archives: October 2010
My New Cookie Cookbook
Over a month ago, I found out, there was going to be a new cookbook, out and it was all about cookies. Not only that, it was written by Alice Medrich who is known for her chocolate recipes. This new book, Chewy, Gooey, Crispy, Crunchy melt-in-your-moouth cookies has its share of chocolate cookies but it also has peanut butter, meringues, bars………..what it really has is cookies that are chewy, gooey, crispy and crunchy.
The book is divided into seven sections, crispy, crunchy, chunky, chewy, gooey, flaky and melt-in-your-mouth. Try and pick a favorite section. I couldn’t. There are also sections, chock filled with information, to help us become better bakers or perhaps, more versatile bakers. Alice seems to be a cook who goes with the flow. She does not obsess about an ingredient. She gives you options. I think my favorite is the upgrades. At the end of a recipe, she gives you these upgrades. I just opened the book to her Ginger Cookies and the upgrades are:
“Gentler Ginger Cookies Turn down the heat by omitting the fresh ginger and decreasing the candied ginger to 1/2 cup. Still a great ginger cookie.”
“Wheat Free Ginger Cookies These are superb and also gluten-free if you use gluten-free oat flour! Make My Ginger Cookies or Gentler Ginger Cookies, substituting 2 cups (7.25 ounces) oat flour and 1/2 cup extra fine white flour…………………………….”
I found these tips to be invaluable.
My problem with the book is that I can’t decide what to make. My first recipe the Bittersweet Decadence Cookies was an easy choice. I happened to open the book to the photo and that sold me, immediately. Now, I have looked at too many of the beautiful photos and I am at a loss, where to go. Actually, my only negative about this book is that there are not enough photos, for me. I don’t like baking without a picture and coming out with a surprise. I feel the lacking especially because the photos present, in the book, are wonderful. You see what you will get, in all their glory.
I am afraid that my photo above, does not do justice, to these cookies. The taste is fantastic, rich and chocolatey (is that a word?). I shared this with many people and each one loved it. An unqualified success……
I will share this recipe, on another day. It is the middle of the night and sleep is calling.
I do want to share a few examples of the recipes you get and then, I am sure you will understand, my dilemma in choosing what to make.
Crispy: Hazelnut Sticks, Wheat-free Butter Cookies, Tropical Lace Cookies
Crunchy: Chocolate Chip Biscotti with less fat, Sugar Crunch Cookies, Nut Slices (this is what I am making for hubby)
Chunky: Chunky Hazelnut Meringues, Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Cherries and Pecans, Wheat-free Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chewy: Pannelets, Black Bottom Pecan Praline Bars, Lacy Coconut-Topped Bars, Spicy Linzer Bars
Gooey: Apricot Lemon Bars with Hazelnut Crust, Vanilla Cream Cheese Sandwiches, Dairy-Free Caramel Rocky Road Bars
Flaky: Cardamom Caramel Palmiers, Wheat-Free Rugelach, Holiday Spice Batons,
Melt In Your Mouth: French Macarons, Banana or Raspberry Meringues, Coffee Walnut Cookies, Salted Peanut Toffee Cookies
In the back of this book is a section called, Components, which gives you recipes, I will call “need to knows” such as lemon curd, new classic buttercream, chocolate ganache, mock puff pastry, and more.
If anyone is interested in baking through the book with me, please let me know. I would love to bake with others. You can purchase this at here and here and other places, you buy your cookbooks from. I am off to order this for my daughter-in-laws and daughters.
I really plan to come back with my decadent chocolate cookies.
Mouthwatering Mondays
Squash that Exploded
Need I repeat, we love spaghetti squash? Use your imagination and see what you can do with it. Have some fun. The one thing you should NOT DO WITH IT is to put it in the microwave, whole. I knew that when I did it. You should cut it in half and put it in, face down.
Needless to say, at the moment of meeting, I forgot and put the squash in whole. Suddenly, I heard a “blast” and when I opened the microwave, there was a squash with its innards coming out if the microwave. Why didn’t I think to take a photo? Probably, because I wanted to salvage the beautiful squash.
Oh, I also had a difficult time getting the seeds out and I am sure we ate a ton of them but they are pumpkin seeds so they can’t be bad. It was humorous to watch me peering into masses of “spaghetti” looking for seeds, the same color. I found my share but I am sure, I missed as many as I found.
Note on pumpkin: I have been baking and cooking with pumpkin and as a result, I usually have some hanging around the refrigerator. In this case, I decided to use some up by adding it to the spinach and squash. It blends right in. I have been doing this with a number of dishes and the pumpkin always adds a bit to the flavor. It seems to go with anything.
Spaghetti Squash with Spinach and Pumpkin
- 1 spaghetti squash (Cut in half and baked in microwave. Should be done this way.)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/3 cup of low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 3 ounces fresh baby spinach
- 1/2 cup scallions, chopped
- 1/2 cup mashed pumpkin, spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger
In a pot, heat broth, spinach and black pepper. Stir until spinach is wilted. Put aside.
Using a fork, scrape out the squash into a large bowl.Combine with pumpkin, scallions and spinach. Heat again, if necessary. 
Japanese Salmon —- Regional Recipes My Kitchen My World
I wonder how it happened that both Regional Recipes and My Kitchen My World picked Japan, as their destination, this month. At first, I could not find anything that appealed to me. I did not want to make meat or even main dishes. When, I went searching for a new salmon recipe, for today, I decided to check out Japanese salmon. making the salmon, anyway, so why not kill two birds with one stone, the stone being the best salmon, I have made. I probably, say this, each week, but I mean it. This salmon is far ahead of the crowd.
1/4 cup Olive oil (I used 1/8 cup)
1/4 cup Soy sauce, low sodium
1/4 cup Sake or dry white wine
1/2 bunch scallions chopped
1″ grated ginger root (I forgot to buy ginger, yesterday so I substituted a ginger cube, which broke down in the liquids)
1 clove garlic (I used a cube for the garlic also.)
3 – 4 to 6 oz pieces of Salmon
Method:
Heat oil in saute pan.
Add scallions, garlic and ginger then place the salmon in the pan skin side down.
Add the Sake, soy sauce.
Cook until salmon is done to your liking, flipping it once during cooking.
Number of Servings: 4
Marie Helene’s Apple Cake FFWD
This week in FFWD, French Fridays with Dorie, we baked and I am ever so glad, we did. I do enjoy cooking but baking is still my preferred activity. I was thrilled when I saw the recipe. Apples are a winner, under any circumstances but this particular cake was unique, in its goodness. The chunks of apples gave body to the cake as we bit into them, soaking in the apple flavor. I plan to make this for company. How could anyone not ask for seconds? Restrain me or I would happily eat half the cake.
I made the cake, a week ago, and don’t remember the details of the baking. It was uneventful though. I did end up using what I think, is a six inch springform pan. I know that is small but it worked perfectly. I went with the punches and felt accomplished baking. This was a calm time, where I enjoyed cutting apples and mixing ingredients. It all flowed together like a beautiful symphony.
I recommend this recipe to each of you. I made it gluten-free and if want to do that, you can easily adapt the recipe. You will find the recipe on page 432-3 in Around My French Table. What a stunning book with those photos that look edible, by themselves. Variety of recipes are excellent. Plenty for each of us. We would love it, if you would join us.
If you would like to see what others have done go the page listing the bakers and their links. I linked it up, at the beginning of this post. Enjoy.
Spaghetti Frittata – Ellie Krieger
In the CEiMB group, this week, we are cooking spaghetti frittata which my family gave a good rating to. Thanks to Marthe who selected this recipe.
I forgot to put in the tomato sauce and we did not notice anything missing. We liked it so much, if I make it again, I will not add the sauce. This is perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
The egg puffed up nicely and the spinach and roasted peppers added the right flavor to the frittata. I grew up on a dish, noodles and eggs, which is similar to this so spaghetti in a frittata felt just right. This is real comfort food although, if I had put the sauce in, I would not have called it, comfort food. Food with tomato sauce does not fall into that category, as much as I like different sauces, using tomato, as a base.
Fortunately, I had bought a big bunch of fresh spinach and ended up, using it in a few dishes. I also bought a lot of cilantro and threw that in every dish. 
I did add some black pepper but I would vote for cayenne, next time. I am developing, a real liking for it.
As a post-script, never having liked a lot of spice in my food, I bought a pepper cheese, the other day. I took a bite and I felt that burn. I was taken by surprise. After the first bite, I was ready for it and I really enjoyed it. I want to put that cheese in an omelet, just not for hubby.
In a medium bowl, separate 2 of the egg whites, discarding the yolks. Add the remaining 3 whole eggs to the bowl with the whites and whisk to combine. Set aside.
I did not have a pan to put in the oven, so I fried it, very slowly.
Heat the oil in large oven-proof, nonstick skillet over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onionis softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the spinach, sun-dried tomatoes,garlic, salt and pepper and cook until the spinach is wilted, about 1 minute. Add the pasta to the pan and stir to combine.
Pour the eggs evenly over the pasta and vegetables. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until eggs are set on the edges but not in the middle. Sprinkle the top of the frittata with cheese and cook another 3 minutes.
Serve in wedges.
Balsamic Chocolate Truffles Giada I Heart Cooking Clubs
They are being naughty over at I Heart Cooking Clubs. The selected chocolate cravings for the cooking specialty. Do they realize how we will over-indulge?
If this is not bad enough, how do we select a chocolate recipe? I understand, there are about 80 chocolate recipes. I want to make them all. How do I handle this, in one week. Lucky, for me, I sort of tripped over this recipe, Balsamic Chocolate Truffles. I admit, I could not image balsamic vinegar mixed with chocolate. I had to keep talking to myself, as I made this easy recipe. I just told myself to remember that we are discussing chocolate. Of course, chocolate would be good with balsamic vinegar and in fact, it is very good.
- 36 truffles
- Ingredients:
- 8 1/2 ounces dark chocolate, chopped (recommended: Valrhona)
- 1/4 cup cream
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
Melt the chocolate and cream in a double boiler over hot but not simmering water. (I microwaved.)
Place melted chocolate in a small bowl. Stir in the balsamic vinegar.
Cool the chocolate in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Remove from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 2 hours, until firm but moldable.
Use a teaspoon to scoop out chocolate. Use your fingertips to shape into balls about the size of a cherry. Set the chocolate balls on a parchment-lined tray.
Place the cocoa powder in a small shallow dish. Place 6 truffles at a time in the cocoa powder and roll the truffles around to coat, and return the coated truffles to the baking sheet.
Continue with the remaining truffles. Place the truffles in a serving dish or airtight package.
Meatless Turns Meaty
Since, I began blogging, I don’t use my freezer for cooked food, very much. I still put in extras rather than throwing them out – no no-no!!! As a result, you can find a little bit of this and a little bit of that, usually not a full meal, though.
If you knew me, through the years, you would know that I had two full-sized freezers, filled to the brim with produce, meat and cooked foods. I had tons of soup, enough for about two months. There were always packets of meatballs, pepper steak, cooked chicken cutlets, cakes, cookies, rice casseroles, etc. On any given night, I had only to open the freezer and there was dinner. Of course, I had small children then, also. While husbands learn to wait, if necessary, we can’t expect to tell a three-year old or an eight year old, to sit around for an hour until Mommy makes dinner and then put the kids to bed, also an hour later. The flexibility is not built it, with younger kids, at least not for me. I made my own flexibility with the use of the freezer and it worked.
Now, I prefer fresh food. I can buy my veggies, on the way home from work and cook them up and they are so much better. I can decide, at the last-minute, I want fish for dinner, and that goes into the basket, too. What about a little ice cream for dinner? Another purchase. Meal almost ready to go.
Last night, I looked at the beautiful soup and saw, in my mind, meatballs, rice, and beans and presto, I made this. For the Sabbath, we had a black rice dish and I had some extra cooked rice which now went into the soup. I was lucky enough to have one of those packets of meatballs which joined the rice. A can of beans finished this off and voila we had dinner, with very little preparation.
Ingredients added soup:
1 1/2 cups any kind of cooked rice (I used black)
1/2 cup golden raisins
6 medium large meatballs
1 can black eyed peas
Method:
I don’t think there is a need for detailed instructions. Add each new ingredient and mix thoroughly. Then, go to the next new ingredient. You have the flexibility of adding anything you want here. Is there a vegetable, you think, would go well? Add it. Potatoes – Go with it. Use your imagination and you add your favorites.
Chocolate-Filled Poppy Seed Cookies
When I baked, last time, for Operation Baking Gals, I used mostly Taste of Home recipes. This is one of them which is a little bit different and probably, a little bit better.
Ingredients
Directions
- In a small bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in egg yolks and vanilla.
- Combine the flour, poppy seeds and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well.
- Roll into 1-in. balls. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets.
- Using the end of a wooden spoon handle, make an indentation in the center of each.
- Bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Immediately make an indentation in the center again.
- Remove to wire racks to cool slightly; fill with melted chocolate.
- Yield: 6-1/2 dozen.
Swirly Pumpkin Brownies _ Week 5
This is for the Fifth Week of Cookies, organized by Abby Sweets. If you go over to her blog, you will find a list of recipes from all the bakers. Delicious choices are to be had. I wanted to have a pumpkin cookie in my personal group. These brownies are delicious.
I have not made this recipe in months. I would not be surprised if it is from, last October. I don’t use pumpkin enough, during the year but perhaps, that is a positive. I won’t get sick of it.
Swirly Pumpkin Brownies
Ingredients :
1 cup Canola or Hazelnut oil
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate in squares
2 cups gluten-free flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups solid-pack pumpkin
1/4 cup Canola or Hazelnut oil
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray a 9-inch square baking pan with cooking oil . Line bottom of pan with parchment paper. Spray with additional cooking oil.
Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl in a microwave, on low temperature, checking every 25 seconds. ( I used setting 2 out of 10) . When melted, add oil.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, cayenne, and salt in a large bowl; set aside.
Put sugar, eggs, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; beat until fluffy and well combined, 3 to 5 minutes.
Beat in flour mixture. Divide batter between two medium bowls (about 2 cups per bowl).
Stir chocolate mixture into one bowl. In other bowl, stir in pumpkin, oil, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Transfer half of chocolate batter to prepared pan smoothing top with a rubber spatula. Top with half of pumpkin batter.
Repeat to make one more chocolate layer and one more pumpkin layer.
Work quickly so batters don’t set.
With a small spatula or a table knife, gently swirl the two batters to create a marbled effect.
Bake until set, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack. Cut into 16 squares.
See how fast these disappear.
Meatless Mondays Pays Off Again and Again
I love My Meatless Mondays at My Sweet and Savory. Each week, I check several times, for new recipes. Maybe, because the stress is off of meat, we are getting such interesting and quality recipes. This does not mean complicated or exotic. It can be something as simple as a muffin or as exotic as a combination of papaya, guava and mango. All I know, is that I will have some new meals, on my table, that week.
The first recipe, I am making is certainly easy and quick to make. It is cabbage soup. I was a little heavy on the cayenne and brown sugar and it well worth it. This recipe comes from Lisa of Sweet as Sugar where I have found a number of good recipes. Go over and introduce yourself to Lisa. She is the sweetest gal and I know you will like her and her blog.
I had to use the items, I had on hand so this recipe is definitely adapted. I did not have three cans of no salt – sauce, which is a staple, in our house. I did not want to use any sauce that was already seasoned. I wanted to carry the flavors we were adding to the soup. I also added herbs from my garden. I had basil and chives. It is amazing how they keep coming up. I had oregano also but I did not see that, in this soup.
Cabbage Soup (more or less like my mother’s)
3 (8 oz.) cans no-salt added tomato sauce
4 1/2 c. water
2 Tbsp. sugar (used brown sugar)
garlic powder
squirt of ketchup ( I had to leave Lisa’s wording. I love her squirt and splash. I understand that better than some exact measurements.)
splash of Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. all-purpose seasoning (or to taste)
cayenne pepper (to taste)
salt, pepper
6 c. cabbage, thinly sliced (I bought a bag of the ready cut and checked cabbage.)
Combine all the ingredients except for the cabbage in a large pot over high heat. 
Season the soup to your taste. Bring it to a boil, then add in the cabbage. Lower the heat to medium and let the soup simmer for at least 30 min. until the cabbage is cooked through and soft.
______________________________________
How is that for easy and I can tell you, it is also a delight to eat. It warms your insides.
