Saturday, December 31, 2011

resolutions

Dear Mom,

I'm sitting here enjoying a rather strong beer while my cookies are baking away in the oven.  That is what the holidays are all about.  "Beer and cookies???" you may ask, no-no not just beer and cookies, but everything I've been eating the past week, a.k.a. over-indulgence.  Yes, spending time with the family is great, chestnuts roasting on a open fire and jack frost nipping at your nose and all, but what it's really about is the fact that I ate some type of pork for the last 6 days in a row.  Bacon, slow-roasted pork shank, all-day Italian-style pork, pulled pork (from two different restaurants) and, of course, ham! 

So now it is time for the sweet stuff, and considering that John and I have made a resolution to eat healthier in the New Year, I have to get it all out now!  So that means beer and cookies.  Right now I've got a batch of cowboy cookies in the oven.  (You know that cowboys would not have milk with their cookies, they would have beer!)  I went with cowboy cookies because I wanted to prepare us for the upcoming year of healthy eating, so we get the sinfulness of the chocolate, but the heart-healthy oats at the same time.  Also, this is my reduced-fat, reduced-sugar cookie recipe, which as any cookie-lover knows, you can eat twice as many! (Three-times as many on a holiday!)



cowboy cookies

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup quick oats
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup apple sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. molasses
1/4 butter, softened
1 tbsp. vanilla
1 large egg
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375.

Place the 1/2 cup apple sauce in a strainer over a bowl and stain the liquid from the apple sauce for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine flour through cinnamon in a bowl with a mix.

In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the drained apple sauce and the rest of the ingredients through the egg.  Blend together in the mixer until combined.  Slowly add dry ingredients. 

Place cookie dough in the fridge for 15 minutes.  Scoop rounded tablespoonfuls on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.  Bake cookies for 10 minutes, until almost set.  Let cool on the baking sheet 2-3 minutes and then transfer to wire racks.

Monday, December 12, 2011

crazy for casseroles

Dear Kristin,



The thing I like about casseroles is that they are best eaten slowly, so that you can enjoy the whole of the dish while pondering each ingredient that went into its making. They also make great leftovers, so you can reheat them quickly and enjoy a hot, satisfying home-cooked meal even on the busiest of days. Casseroles also help rid your fridge of that last piece of yesterday’s chicken or that stalk of celery that is just about to lose any sense of rigidity and slither to the bottom of the vegetable crisper, never to be seen again in a solid state.
This particular casserole is one of my favorites. It’s just the right mix of savory and creamy, and is totally addicting.


 
chicken and wild rice casserole

2 cups cooked chicken, cubed
½ of a large red onion, roughly diced
3-4 stalks celery, roughly diced
2 Tbsp. butter
1 6 oz. package wild rice mix (I use Uncle Ben's)
1 10 ¾ can cream of celery soup
¾ cup sour cream
¾ cup grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Cook rice mix according to package instructions.

Melt butter in a large skillet. Sauté onion and celery in the butter until slightly tender, about 5 minutes.

Butter a 9x13” baking dish.

Mix all ingredients except parmesan cheese in a large bowl. Pour mixture into prepared dish.

Bake for 30 minutes. Top with parmesan cheese and bake an additional 10 minutes, or until top is slightly browned and bubbly.

Saturday, December 3, 2011

leftovers, take two!

Dear Mom,

I too love a good leftover Thanksgiving sandwich, although I prefer to put all of the side dishes on the sandwich itself.  This probably stems from when as a child, I'm sure you remember, instead of leaving the stuffing, mashed potatoes and veggies in neat little piles on my T-day plate, I would pile everything in layers in the middle of my plate and then mix it all up until I had one big pile of Thanksgiving-goodness.  I imagine it would have been difficult explaining my behavior to most family members, but if I remember correctly, I got the idea from Grandpa, so my methods were not questioned. 

I still occasionally will scoop up my mashed potatoes and stuffing together, but for the most part I've been keeping my sides separated.  John and I visited his family's place this year, and his mother made a whole turkey and an additional breast as well.  We were sent home with a lot of leftovers, and as much as I love the leftovers, sometimes they get a little boring after the 8th or 9th dinner.  So when I started getting eye-rolls from John in response to "So what's for dinner" - "Turkey" I figured it was time to switch things up.  It was mid-week so I didn't want anything overly complicated, stuffed manicotti with turkey, artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes and kale sounded different enough.



baked manicotti with turkey, artichokes,
sun-dried tomatoes & kale

1 8oz pkg. manicotti shells
1 8oz pkg. frozen artichokes, thawed and chopped
1-1/2 cups shredded cooked turkey
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, rinsed, drained & chopped
1 16oz container part-skim ricotta
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt & pepper
1 bunch kale (or spinach) chopped
cooking spray
1 jar prepared marinara
1-1/2 cups shredded mozzerella or italian blend cheese

Preheat oven to 400.  Cook manicotti according to package directions. 

Meanwhile, in a large bowl mix together all ingredients from the artichokes through the parmesan cheese.  When the pasta is finished cooking remove from the water, but keep the cooking water boiling.  Add the kale (or spinach) and cook until wilted.  Drain and add to the other ingredients.  Stir to combine and season to taste. 

Spray a 9x13 dish with cooking spray.  Coat the bottom of the dish with a thin layer of marinara.  Carefully take each manicotti tube and cut open, place a heaping 1/4 cup of the filling in each tube, roll it back up and place seam side down in the 9x13.  Place all filled tubes in a single layer in the bottom of the dish.  Spread any leftover filling over top, and cover with the rest of the marinara.  Cover dish with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.  Remove foil and cover with shredded mozzerella, and bake an additional 15 minutes uncovered, until golden and bubbly.  Allow to cool slightly before serving.

Friday, November 25, 2011

black friday

Dear Kristin,
While some people wait anxiously for black friday to see what kinds of bargains can be had at the mall, I wait anxiously for black friday for an entirely different reason...leftovers! Is there anything better than a hot turkey sandwich with lots of gravy, stuffing on the side, and a sweet piece of pie for dessert? Well, okay, maybe it's not a gourmand's idea of culinary bliss, but it comes pretty close for me.

Our Thanksgiving was pretty traditional, turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and vegetables and, of course, pie. Back when your grandparents and aunt would share our Thanksgiving table, I would always make at least two or three pies - there would always be pumpkin and either mincemeat or apple. This year, since I was only cooking for two, I really couldn't justify making two pies. (Hmm...a pie a piece? Maybe that's not such a bad idea!) Well, I really should clarify - I did make two pies - just not at the same time. We had mincemeat pie with our Thanksgiving dinner, but that was only because I've already made two pumpkin pies this year.

This pumpkin pie recipe comes from my mom. While we all know that my mom was not the greatest cook, she did make a wonderful pumpkin pie. This pie is lighter than most I've had - almost, but not quite mousse-like rather than heavier like custard. Topped with a generous dollop of whipped cream, it makes a fine ending to one of the best meals of the year. Oh - and if you can keep pie pilferers out of the refrigerator, it keeps really well, making for great leftovers!


pumpkin pie

1 unbaked 9" pie crust
1 1/2 c. cooked or canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/4 c. white corn syrup
2 eggs
1/2 c. evaporated milk
2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tblsp. pumpkin pie spice

• Preheat oven to 425 F.
• Heat butter and milk together just until butter melts.
• In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, corn syrup, eggs and evaporated milk.
• Add brown sugar, salt and pumpkin pie spice to pumpkin mixture. Stir well.
• Add milk/butter mixture to pumpkin/brown sugar mixture and stir well, making sure mixture is smooth.
• Pour mixture into prepared pie shell.
• Bake at 425 F. for 15 minutes.
• Reduce oven to 350 F. and continue baking 35 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. (Pie may still jiggle a little, but if the knife is clean, the pie is done)

Friday, November 18, 2011

misunderstood

Dear Mom,

In your last post you forgot to add a note to your fried sweet potatoes recipe: "Immediately refuse any offers of help from family members during the frying process."  Because chances are you will loose half of those wonderful potatoes due to "quality control."  Any one who has tried them knows exactly what I'm talking about, they're quite addictive.  (Oh, and don't forget to sprinkle with salt.)

Your last post got me thinking about another vegetable.  It's not necessarily tortured, but I think its misunderstood.  (Well, I think a lot of veggies are misunderstood, brussel sprouts and celeriac also come to mind.)  I'm talking about squash.  I actually start day-dreaming about squash mid to late summer, when I know fall is right around the corner, just as the leaves are starting to turn you start seeing squash in the farmer's markets and featured in the grocery store.  I've had a lot of friends tell me that they've never made any type of squash before.  I think maybe it has the opposite complex from the sweet potato.  They look too pretty.  People too often use them in flower arrangements and decorate their homes with the little gourds, and they completely miss out on this fall delicacy.

The other night it was still relatively warm here, considering its November, so I figured why not fire up the grill.  It was probably one of the last decent nights for grilling, but I still wanted to get some squash on the table.  So why not throw it on a cedar plank with some chicken, and to get us in the Thanksgiving Day mood, top it all with a little bit of cranberry gastrique. 



cedar-planked chicken with butternut squash
& cranberry gastrique

1 cedar planked, soaked in water for 15-20 minutes
1 small butternut squash, cut into 1/2" cubes
2 large shallots, sliced
1 tsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper
1/2 cup 100% cranberry juice (not cocktail)
2 bone-in, skinless chicken breasts
1 orange, four thin slices and the juice

for the gastrique
1/2 cup cranberry juice
1/2 cup white wine
3 tbsp. white balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp. brown sugar
salt

Preheat grill.  In a large deep dish pour 1/2 cup cranberry juice on chicken and let marinate. Meanwhile, in a large bowl toss together squash through olive oil (enough oil to lightly coat squash), and season to taste.  Spread mixture on the prepared cedar plank, place on grill over low heat and cook for 10 minutes.  Add the chicken over the squash and top with 2 orange slices per breast.  Cook over medium-low heat until chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. 

While the chicken is cooking, prepare the gastrique.  Combine all ingredients and the orange juice in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.  Bring to a simmer and continue to cook until sauce is reduced by half and coats a spoon.

Serve chicken over squash, drizzled with the gastrique.

Sunday, November 6, 2011

nature vs. nurture?

Dear Snookie,

Really? Jersey Shore? After your father and I strove our hardest to instill in you an appreciation for the finer things in life? Where did we go wrong? Maybe we didn't start early enough. Maybe we should have held a tv up to my stomach while I was carrying you and played endless reruns of Masterpiece Theatre. Would that have helped? Maybe not.



Maybe some things are best left in their natural state, allowed to be themselves, however unrefined as that might be. Take the lowly sweet potato. (Now, don't get all defensive - I'm not comparing you to a sweet potato.) Let's face it. Sweet potatoes aren't very elegant in their natural state. Cooks have been trying to fancify them for decades. Every November, all of the cooking magazines and blogs seem to have at least one recipe for the ubiquitous sweet potato casserole. You know the one. Sweet potatoes are cooked, whipped to a frenzy, insulted with the addition of additional sugars or orange juice, and then, just when you think they have been degraded beyond any point of redemption, they are put in a dish surrounded by marshmallows! This is kind of like putting a pink tutu on a bull mastiff. It just shouldn't be done.

I would rather let the tormented tuber shine on its own. That's why you will never find sweet potato casserole on my Thanksgiving table. I prefer a simpler, kinder treatment; just boil them, then slice and fry them in butter. The sugars in the potato caramelize on the outside, resulting in sweet buttery disks of delight.

Preparing sweet potatoes this way is simple, but a little tedious. The potatoes can be boiled early in the day, then peeled and fried just before serving. They have to be watched carefully as they are frying, because they will burn easily. The goal here is to fry them just until they start to develop a dark crust, and then remove them from the heat.

Well, I will sign off for now - your dad and I are going to sit down and watch reruns of The Beverly Hillbillies.



fried sweet potatoes

4 medium sweet potatoes
1/2 stick butter (add more as necessary)

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
2. Add washed sweet potatoes to the boiling water, and boil until fork-tender. This will take anywhere from 25 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes.
3. Remove potatoes from water and cool until they are easy to handle.
4. Peel potatoes, and slice 1/4" to 1/2" thick. (make sure all slices are the same thickness so that they will cook evenly)
5. Melt butter in a large skillet.
6. Add potatoes to skillet and fry over medium heat. Do not overcrowd the pan. When they start to brown, flip them over and fry on the other side. Watch them carefully as they fry to avoid burning them.  (Fry them in batches if necessary, removing them to a warmed serving platter when done.)

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

da motha-land

Dear Mom,

I have a little confession to make (brace yourself because I think you will be disappointed in me): I like Jersey Shore.  If you're unfamiliar with the show, its this really terrible reality t.v. show on MTV about eight Jersey-Shore-loving-Guidos (I'm not trying to be derogatory, they call themselves that).  Sadly, I'm not the only one addicted to the show, my husband follows it as well, in fact I kind of blame him for getting me hooked.  The first season they were given a house to live in on Jersey Shore, a very low-responsibility job, and lots of cash to spend on going out to bars, alcoholic beverages, and of course the three cornerstones of any Guido's life: GTL (gym, tanning and laundry).  In following seasons, they were given a change of scenery.  They were sent to live in Miami Beach, then back to the Shore, and this season they were in Florence, Italy ("da motha-land").

Florence, Italy....  I never thought I would be jealous of the Vinny, Pauly, Ronnie, Snookie, Jenni, Sammy, Deena and The Situation, but now I am.  While I have no desire to run around the Jersey Shore in a drunken haze for six weeks, I would gladly make the sacrifice if MTV would send me to Italy for free...  I've been dying to go for years now, I don't know why I'm so in love with the country, I'm not Italian, but it just looks so beautiful... And the food!  At least I married a guy who is half Italian, so when we are ready some day our babies will be one-quarter Guido.  But for now, since I'm not Italian, at least I can try to cook some yummy Italian-American food like my Italian Flag Soup. 



Italian Flag Soup

1/2 lb. uncased Italian sausage (I used 1/4 lb. mild and 1/4 lb. hot)
1 small onion, chopped
2 small carrots, chopped
4-5 red gypsy peppers, chopped (or 2 red bell peppers)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup white wine (such as pinot grigio)
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 bunch spiagrello, coarsely chopped (or kale or spinach)
1 16 oz. can white beans, drained
extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper
parmesan cheese (for garnishing)

Heat about 1 tbsp. olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.  Brown sausage, crumbling and stirring as you go, remove from pan and set aside.  If your sausage does not leave behind too much oil, heat some additional olive oil in the pan, add onion, carrots, peppers, garlic and a good pinch of salt.  Cook over medium heat until beginning to soften (about 10 minutes).  Add white wine, scrape browned bits off of the bottom of the pan.  Cook for 5 minutes.  Add chicken broth, bring to boil and simmer for an additional 10 minutes or until carrots are cooked through.  Add sausage and spiagrello to soup, cook until spiagrello is wilted and tender.  Add white beans and cook an additional 5 minutes, or until beans are heated through.

Check for salt, and serve with parmesan cheese.

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Just desserts

Dear Kristin,

I just spent a most enjoyable "soup and sweets" afternoon with some dear friends. We try to get together for a meal every couple of months or so, and usually our meals are "themed" in one way or another. This month's gathering was originally going to be just desserts, but reason prevailed, and it was decided that a bit of soup would make our decadent indulgence a little less guilt-ridden.



As you can see, the dessert table was set beautifully - definitely worthy of a magazine shoot. After bowls of hearty chicken noodle and butternut squash soup we were ready to tackle the dessert buffet. Apple pie, chocolate torte, white chocolate key lime cheesecake squares, and my contribution of pumpkin roll were enjoyed while we shared some good conversation and a lot of laughter. All in all, a lovely way to spend a gloomy and chilly Saturday afternoon.

Maybe our next gathering should be "all things diet". But, then again...



pumpkin roll

3 eggs
1 c. granulated sugar
2/3 c. canned pumpkin
3/4 tsp. vanilla, divided
3/4 c. flour
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2 Tbsp. butter, softened
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 c, confectioner's sugar (plus more for dusting)

1, Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Line a 10" x 15" jelly roll pan with parchment paper. Spray with cooking spray, making sure all of the paper is coated in spray.
2. Beat eggs in a large mixing bowl. Add granulated sugar and mix well. Add pumpkin and 1/2 tsp. vanilla. Stir until combined.
3. In a separate bowl, mix flour, pumpkin pie spice, salt and baking soda.
4. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture. Stir to combine.
5. Pour cake mixture into prepared jelly roll pan, spreading evenly. (Your layer of batter will be very thin.)
6. Bake 15 minutes, or until cake springs back slightly when touched. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly, just until it is cool enough to handle.
7. Invert cake pan onto a cotton (not terrycloth) kitchen towel. Carefully remove the parchment paper.
8. Starting from one short end, gently roll the cake jelly roll style with the towel inside. Allow cake to cool completely.
9. Thoroughly beat cream cheese, butter and 1/4 tsp. vanilla in a bowl until completely blended. Add 1 c. confectioner's sugar and beat well.
10. Unroll cake. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over the cake, leaving a 1" edge all around.
11. Re-roll cake jelly roll style. Place seam side down on serving platter. Chill at least one hour. Dust with confectioner's sugar before serving.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

a vegetarian attempt

Dear Mom,

John and I had an absolute blast hanging out in good old Rochester this last weekend.  Although we are in desperate need of detox after the "taste of Rochester" that we embarked on.  Between Tom Wahl's burgers, Salena's Mexican, a wine tour in the Finger Lakes, wings at Buffalo's Duff's, and a massive prime rib dinner at The Red Osier, we are still stuffed!  We've been wanting to get a little healthier, trying to eat vegetarian a couple of nights a week and maybe eating more fish and chicken, less beef; so now's as good a time to start as any. 

Despite the absolutely perfect grilling weather outside, I decided to stick to my guns and cook vegetarian last night.  This of course usually leads to my husband kicking and screaming and having a complete temper tantrum, but I think I made something that has convinced him that vegetarian is not so bad. 



vegetarian enchiladas

For the Sauce:
1 tbsp. canola or veggie oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup low sodium vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
1 cup fire-roasted green chilis
1 tsp. cumin
2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
1 tbsp. corn starch (dissolved in 2 tbsp. water)
salt & pepper

For the Filling:
1-2 cups mashed sweet potatoes
2 small leeks, sliced
1 15 oz. can black beans
1 cup frozen corn
1 tsp. chipolte hot sauce (such as Tabasco brand)
salt & pepper

cooking spray
6 whole wheat flour tortillas
1 cup light mexican shredded cheese
light sour cream, for serving

Preheat oven to 350.

For the sauce, in a medium saucepan saute onion until softened and browning slightly.  Add all sauce ingredients through cilantro.  Stir to combine over medium heat until warm.  Add dissolved corn starch, and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.  When the sauce is thickened and coating the back of a spoon, remove from heat. 

In a large microwavable bowl, combine all filling ingredients.  Add salt and pepper to taste, add more hot sauce if you dare.  Warm in the microwave. 

Spray a small baking dish with cooking spray and ladle 1/2 cup sauce on the bottom. Into each tortilla scoop about 1/2 to 1 cup filling, roll and place in baking dish, seam side down.  Slowly pour remaining sauce over filled tortillas, try to cover them completely.  Cover dish with foil and place on a baking sheet in the oven for 30 minutes.  Remove foil and cover with cheese, return uncovered to oven for another 10 minutes until cheese is melted. 

Serve with sour cream.

cosmo's cooking notes:  Spinach would also be good in these.  If you have left over mashed sweet potatoes this is a great opportunity to use them. 

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Truth in advertising

Dearest Kristin,

While it is true that I live in Rochester, home of the Garbage Plate and anything prepared "French", (I'm just waiting for someone to come up with a 'garbage plate French', or, translated, 'plaque ordures francais') I am also one who likes to know what I'm getting when I set myself down to dinner. My Lemon Chicken is what it is and I am proud of it. It's chicken. It tastes strongly of lemon. It's Lemon Chicken. Do the math. I think food should be dubbed honestly, so there are no nasty surprises awaiting you after consumption.

Seriously, if you gave a five year old sweetbreads and she later found out that she was eating the thymus gland of a cow, she would be scarred for life. Rocky mountain oysters? No sailor I know would eat such a thing. Deviled eggs? One would think that they are so loaded with cayenne that the fires of the underworld would seem a cool oasis in comparison. Oh, and what about jumbo shrimp? It's enough to confuse the greatest minds on earth! Hamburger? Now there's false advertising if ever I saw it!

You get my drift.

I'm just getting started. There are also foods that are named after things they resemble; Mississippi mud pie, floating islands, and rocky road ice cream, to name but a few. If you are a picky eater, just think of the delights you would be depriving yourself of just because they don't sound all that appetizing. Really, if you have the choice between consuming a sweet, moist, soft, cake-like cookie or a ladyfinger, what would you choose? Cannibalism?

It is with all of this in mind that I offer "Slow-Cooker Chicken Cordon Bleu". I will not claim that it is true Chicken Cordon Bleu because it is not baked, as is the classic. Instead, chicken breasts are pounded thin and wrapped around a filling of deli ham and Swiss cheese. After an egg bath and a dip in some seasoned flour it is cooked in a slow cooker, resulting in a moist, saucy dish that goes well with a green salad and a crusty loaf of bread.

The recipe is a bit labor-intensive for something that goes into a slow-cooker, so I admit that the name could be misleading. Oh, and there's nothing blue in the list of ingredients either. Oh dear, maybe you better turn me in to the culinary captioning police!

Okay, I'll get off of my soapbox now and go and make myself some devils on horseback.



slow-cooker chicken cordon bleu

1 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 c. grated parmesean cheese
1 egg
1 Tbsp. water
4 large boneless, skinless breast halves
6-8 slices deli ham
4 large slices swiss cheese
1/2 c. white wine (I use Pino Grigiot)
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 10.75 oz. cans lower sodium cream of chicken soup
3/4 c. sour cream (do not use "lite" sour cream)
crispy bacon pieces for garnish (optional)

Prepare dredging station; Mix flour, salt, pepper and parmesean cheese in a large shallow dish. Whisk egg and water together and place in a second large shallow dish.

Pound chicken breasts as thinly as possible without tearing the meat - about 1/4" thick.

Place 1 chicken breast on work surface with the smooth side down. Place 1 to 2 slices of ham on top of the chicken breast. Place 1 slice of swiss cheese on top of ham. Tightly roll chicken jelly-roll style, tucking in the ends as best you can. Secure roll with kitchen twine or toothpicks. Set aside, and repeat with remaining 3 breast halves.

Dip chicken breasts in egg wash, covering all sides and allowing excess to drip off. Generously dredge chicken in flour mixture.

Chill chicken breasts in refrigerator for at least one hour.

Place soup in slow-cooker. Set aside.

Place olive oil in a large, non-stick skillet and bring up to medium to medium high heat.

Brown chicken on all sides in preheated olive oil. Do not overcrowd the pan. Brown in batches if necessary. Once the breasts are nicely browned, place them in the crock pot on top of the soup.

Once all the chicken breasts have been browned, deglaze the pan with the white wine. Allow the wine to reduce by 1/2. Pour the pan drippings over the chicken in the crock pot.

Cook on low for 4 hours.

Remove chicken from slow-cooker and place on a warmed serving platter. Mix sour cream into soup in the slow-cooker, and continue cooking until heated through.

Garnish chicken with bacon pieces, if desired, and serve with a generous amount of sauce.

comfy's cooking note: Don't worry if your chicken bundles aren't hermetically sealed. Even if the cheese oozes out, it just adds to the flavor of the sauce, so there is really no loss in flavor. Either way, this makes for a nice, rich chicken dish.

Sunday, September 25, 2011

chicken FRENCH

Dear Mother,

A couple of weeks ago you posted a recipe for Lemon Chicken.  Lemon chicken???  Later in your post you mention your recipe by its true name "Chicken French," yet you do not give the famous Rochesterian dish its due credit by titling the actual recipe Chicken French!  As a former resident of Rochester, NY, having been born there and enjoyed my youth in the snowy city, I am very disappointed in you...  Granted you were not born there, but you've lived there for quite some time and raised a very happy family there, and I thought that you considered yourself a Rochesterian.  

We Rochesterians are a proud people, we shovel lake-effect snow like all good Western New Yorkers and we relish our short lived summers. We still buy Kodak film... well if we needed film we would.  We enjoy baking with flour (like our good city used to be famous for producing) and we love our flowers, especially lilacs.  And what do we eat besides baked-goods with flour and an occasional garbage plate?  We eat Chicken French!  

So as a former proud Rochesterian, I present to you my recipe for Chicken French.  That delightful local dish from my hometown, that blends pan-fried chicken with a light lemon-white wine sauce.  My version isn't completely traditional because I add prosciutto, but that's ok, the addition was completely inspired by one of my favorite little restaurant/bars in town, Lola Bistro.  Lola Bistro actually has a special place in my heart, on John's first visit to Rochester I took him to here for dinner, drinks and to see an amazing local band.  The band so impressed John that he assumed I had good taste in music, and reportedly "fell in love with me more."  (Awwwwe!  How cute.)  He also fell in love with Chicken French, and when he found out that I could make it, well lets just say the rest is history...  (By the way, our dog's name is Lola.)

In the picture below it looks a little like that's raw chicken, its not.  That's just the prosciutto.  I would highly recommend serving the dish with steamed broccoli, asparagus or sauteed spinach and a starch.  Pasta or rice is good, but what's really good is Gruyere mashed potatoes (recipe below). 
Also I should mention that I'm not working for the Rochester board of tourism or anything, its just home-town pride!  :) 




chicken french
(serves two)

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp. granulated garlic
1 egg, lightly beaten
extra virgin olive oil
2 thin slices of prosciutto
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. salted butter
juice from 2-3 large lemons
1/2 cup white wine (like pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc) 
salt 
fresh ground pepper
fresh lemon slices

In a bowl combine the lemon juice and white wine.  Set aside.

In a shallow dish whisk together the flour, granulated garlic and salt and pepper.  In another shallow dish mix together the beaten egg and about 2 tbsp. water.  Rinse and pat dry the chicken.  Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-medium high heat until oil is hot and shimmering.  Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture, then into the egg mixture, and then back again into the flour mixture.  Place the chicken in the pan, and cook until its golden brown on one side (about 10 minutes).  Flip chicken, and lay one piece of prosciutto over each chicken breast.  When the chicken is done (about another 10 minutes) remove from pan and keep warm. 

In the same pan over medium heat, combine the 2 tbsp. butter and 2 tbsp. flour stirring until it combines into a dry, crumbly paste.  Cook, stirring lightly, 1 minute.  Whisk in the lemon juice and white wine.  Continue lightly whisking over medium heat until sauce is thick and bubbling. Remove from heat and strain sauce through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any lumps.  

Transfer the chicken to the serving plates and pour the sauce over top.  Garnish with lemon slices.


cosmo's cooking notes:  As mentioned in the post I highly recommend serving this with broccoli, asparagus or spinach, and Gruyere mashed potatoes (or pasta or rice), because the sauce is very good on all of these things as well as the chicken.  So when your plating, if you've made any of these side dishes, just go ahead and pour that sauce over everything! 

gruyere mashed potatoes

1 lb. yukon gold potatoes, skins on, washed and quartered
2 tbsp. butter
1/2 cup milk (I usually use 2%)
1/4 cup light sour cream
1 cup shredded gruyere cheese (packed lightly)
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 tbsp. chopped flat-leaf parsley
salt
fresh ground pepper

Place potatoes in a large pot of salted water, and bring to a boil.  Boil until potatoes are soft, and can easily be poked with a fork.  

While the potatoes are boiling, in a large bowl put all of the other ingredients.  When the potatoes are done remove from the water with a slotted spoon and add to the other ingredients in the large bowl.  Mash with a potato masher until desired consistency, add extra milk or butter for additional creaminess, and season with salt and pepper.

cosmo's cooking notes:  I always try to make mashed potatoes for two, but it usually ends up being mashed potatoes for twelve.  I can never get the portions right, so if my measurements look off, feel free to add or subtract where ever necessary.

Monday, September 19, 2011

I broke my cake!

Dear Kristin,

Shoulda, woulda, coulda taken a picture of this cake before I played Godzilla and smashed the top!

I wanted to make a light and airy yet flavor-filled cake today. I was inspired by Giada DeLaurentiis's Lemon-Mint Cake with Lemon Syrup. Since I'm not really a fan of mint in desserts, I wanted to omit the mint and use another fruit. My original thought was peach, since they are in season right now. I thought I could infuse the batter with peach flavor with some cut up peaches. Since they are so delicate, though, I thought that I would need some kind of peachy infusion to really bring out a peach flavor. A trip to the grocery store yielded no peach extract or peach nectar, though, so I had to come up with Plan B - pineapple.

Basically, I just used Giada's cake batter recipe, substituting 2 Tbsp. pineapple juice for the lemon juice, and making a pineapple studded simple syrup instead of a lemon one.
The cake came out nice and light, with a crispy almost meringue-like top. It is quite sweet, so adding some tart berries as a garnish really enhances the depth of this dessert. Don't be skimpy when spooning the sauce on the cake - it absorbs a lot, and the sauce adds a needed touch of moisture.

Since the top of the cake is delicate and crispy, be careful when transferring the cake to your serving plate. I was in a hurry to consume this masterpiece and crushed said crispy top when I tried to move it from pan to plate. As you can see, the cake ended up looking something like a Lunar road map!



pineapple simple syrup

4 oz. water
4 oz. pineapple juice
1 c. sugar
1 c. fresh pineapple, cut into 1/2 " dice
tart berries for garnish (I used blackberries)
toasted coconut for garnish

Mix water and juice in a small saucepan. Add sugar, and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Continue cooking until all sugar is dissolved. Add fresh pineapple and cook for an additional 2 minutes.

Transfer mixture to heat resistant glass container, and allow to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate mixture until ready to serve.

comfy's cooking note: I think this recipe would work well with a variety of flavor variations. I might try an orange-cardamom version next time.

 


 

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

the waiting game

Dear Mom,

So, I'd like to say that due to the recipe I've been working on I haven't been able to post for the past few weeks.  Instead, my terrible excuse is that I have been "too busy."  I know what you will say, that "too busy" is simply not a good excuse because you know that these posts just do not take that long to write.  I did make a very legitimate attempt last week at getting in a post, it was my first attempt at cheesecake.  I should have known better.  For change the pictures that I took of the dessert looked lovely, but the taste?  Eh, not so much.  It was really a texture issue, which I believe I can correct and I will make a second attempt at a later point in time.

This week I did find some time to make ice cream.  John and I received an ice cream maker as a wedding present, and I just love the thing.  I would recommend to any one who likes frozen desserts to get one.  There is something enchanting about homemade ice cream that no store bought product can touch.  And with the ice cream maker there are so many options!  So today I present to you a "lower" fat (yet still delicious) vanilla-nutella ice cream.  The ice cream is very versatile and comes out quite good considering it is a low-fat variety, if you don't like nutella you can add anything your heart desires, fruits, nuts, chocolate, peanut butter, etc.  Just remember to put your add-ins during the last ten minutes of freezing time.



"lower-fat" vanilla-nutella ice cream

1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1/8 tsp. salt
2 cups 2% milk
1 cup half & half
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup nutella

Whisk first three ingredients together in a medium saucepan.  Slowly add milk and half & half whisking to combine.  Stir constantly over medium heat until slightly thickened (8-10 minutes).

In a separate bowl whisk egg yolk until slightly thickened.  Remove saucepan from heat.  Slowly pour 1 cup of hot milk mixture into egg, whisking constantly.  Slowly pour egg mixture back into saucepan, whisking constantly.  Pour custard through a fine-meshed sieve, discard solids.  Chill at least one hour, stirring occasionally, until custard is cold.

Pour custard into the bowl of an electric ice cream maker.  My ice cream maker takes approximately 30 minutes to freeze ice cream, so I will usually add my add-ins in the last 10 minutes, your machine may vary.  Warm the nutella in the microwave, so that it is pourable.  With the machine running slowly drizzle the nutella into the ice cream.  You want to have drizzles of frozen nutella still intact in the ice cream (instead of fully incorporating into the ice cream). 

cosmo's cooking notes:  If you want to go down this road and never come back, its worth it:  put this ice cream on warmed chocolate brownies.  I'm warning you though, this is dangerous.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

a happy marriage

Dear Kristin,

Two things that I love about your dad. He knows how to use a mop (and does!) and he always cleans up after me when I've gone on a cooking frenzy and dirtied every pot and pan we own. He also knows that if he sees me in the kitchen with an apron on that I've got a serious case of culinary fever, and anyone entering my kitchen domain is risking serious injury. My contribution to this happy state of matrimony is to serve him meals he likes. His wants are few - some protein, some starch, and at least a nod to some sort of greenery.

I wanted to try your risotto recipe, and thought that the sweet, smoky rice would marry well with my version of lemon chicken. I was going to serve this with wilted spinach, but ended up running out of time, pots and burners (not to mention energy!).

My version of Chicken French is kind of a blend of Lemon Chicken, Chicken French, and in some ways, Chicken Parmesan. Chicken breasts are pounded until thin, coated in a combination of flour and Parmesan cheese, then dipped in a lemon juice and egg wash. After another dip in the flour, they are browned in a skillet, then coated with pan drippings that have been enhanced with white wine, butter and more lemon juice. The result? You guessed it - a happy marriage of a nicely crusted piece of chicken with a buttery, lemony sauce.



lemon chicken

1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast halved
2 lemons
1 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 c. grated parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
1 egg
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
4 Tbsp. butter (divided)
1/2 c. white wine (I use Pinot Grigio)
1/2 c. low-sodium chicken broth

Place chicken between two sheets of waxed paper and pound to 1/4-1/2" thickness.
Whisk juice of 1 lemon with egg in a large, shallow dish.
Mix flour, salt, pepper and 1 c. parmesan cheese in a separate large, shallow dish.
Heat olive oil and 2 Tbsp. butter in a large skillet.
Dredge 1 chicken breast in flour, then in egg mixture. Allow excess egg mixture to drip off. Dredge once more in flour mixture, making sure chicken is very well coated.
Place chicken in pan, and cook over medium to medium high heat until underside is golden brown. Do not allow liquid in the skillet to turn brown. (If it does, immediately remove the pan from heat and lower temperature before continuing.) Turn chicken over. Squeeze the juice from 1/2 lemon over chicken in pan. Continue to cook until golden brown. Remove to a warmed platter. Cover with foil.
Dredge and cook second chicken breast.
Deglaze skillet with 1/2 c. wine and 2 Tbsp. butter. Allow liquid to thicken slightly.
Return both chicken pieces to skillet and continue cooking over medium heat until no longer pink when tested with a knife.
Remove chicken from skillet and place on a warmed serving platter.
Deglaze pan with chicken stock. Pour pan drippings over chicken.
Sprinkle chicken with generous amount of grated parmesan cheese and serve.

Sunday, August 28, 2011

full disclosure

Dear Kristin,

I returned from my visit with you and Lola to a garden full of vine ripened tomatoes. While this might be a welcome bounty to most people, I must admit that sometimes a bowl of ripe tomatoes can bring back some painful memories for me. After all, I was not always the culinary goddess I am now, and some of my beginning attempts at cooking were, well, in a word, disasters!

Case in point - my first attempt to make homemade spaghetti sauce. This was actually a collaborative failure, as it took both my college roommate and me to create a sauce that had the texture of gummy oatmeal, the color of an over-ripe pumpkin and the taste of wallpaper paste.

Laura (the roommate) and I were sophomores, and enjoying our first month of living off campus in our own apartment. We invited a couple of guys from MIT over for dinner, and decided that spaghetti was about the only thing we could afford to make that would feed four people. How hard could spaghetti be? We had both watched our moms make it hundreds of times, so we were pretty sure we knew what we were doing. Oh, and it looked so easy - just put some tomatoes in a pot with some seasonings, and you're done, right? Ah, the cockiness of youth! We may have watched our moms make sauce hundreds of times, but evidently neither of us was really paying much attention.

We started out with the right idea, putting some canned tomatoes into a pot with some oregano and crushed red pepper. We heated it up, and waited for it to thicken into that rich, sweet tomato-ey sauce that clings passionately to each strand of pasta. We waited, and waited and waited. (With the impatience of youth, we probably waited about 20 minutes, if truth be told.) Well, the sauce wasn't thickening up. What to do? How did our moms thicken sauces? Oh, of course - FLOUR! We stirred in some flour, and were rewarded with a lumpy orange mixture that would make nice bricks once it cooled.

Luckily, there was an Italian restaurant right down the street that served take-out, so as Laura greeted the boys at the front door, I ran out the back, picked up four orders of spaghetti to go, and ran back to the apartment. After barricading the kitchen door, Laura and I put all of the spaghetti into a big bowl and sliced up some bread. We presented this dinner to our dates, who declared that it was the best spaghetti they had ever had.

But I digress. Now I'm excited by a harvest of ripe red tomatoes and am not afraid to slowly coax them into a sauce that I can be proud of. Not only do I make the sauce from scratch, but I make it with ingredients that I've picked right out of my own back yard - roma tomatoes, green peppers, and fragrant green basil.

This is a pretty rustic sauce, with big chunks of sweet tomatoes and tangy green peppers. The amount of seasoning you use will definitely vary depending on the ripeness and sweetness of the tomatoes. It makes a quick weeknight supper, as once you assemble the sauce, it cooks and thickens in about the time it takes to cook up a pot of pasta. Add a salad and a crusty loaf of french bread, and you're all set.



summer harvest pasta sauce

6 to 8 large, well-ripened roma tomatoes
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 of a large red onion, roughly diced
1 large green pepper, cut into 1/4 to 1/2 inch strips
2 cloves garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 Tbsp. sugar (or to taste - the amount you use will vary with the ripeness and sweetness of the tomatoes)
2 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
Fresh basil for garnish

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Remove pot from heat and place tomatoes in the water to loosen the skins.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Lightly saute the onion, green pepper and garlic in the oil until the vegetables just begin to soften. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3. While the vegetables are sauteing, peel and coarsely chop the tomatoes.
4. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar and Italian seasoning to the skillet. Reduce heat to medium or medium low, and simmer slowly until sauce thickens, about 15 to 20 minutes. (now is a good time to cook your pasta)
5. Serve sauce over pasta of your choice - I like farfalle, but you can use linguine or spaghetti just as well. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and grated Parmesan cheese.

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

a late summer love affair

Dear Mom,

Some of my absolute favorite recipes are the ones that can easily translate into different variations.  Once you learn how to make a good pizza dough, you can easily make any kind of pizza you want.  Same thing for pasta or quiche, once you learn the basics you can make all different kinds, and use up any combination of items that may be hanging out in your fridge.  About a year ago I learned how to make ristotto, and it truly has changed my life! 

Just thinking about risotto makes me happy...  I wish I had discovered it sooner, but like so many people I was frightened off of it because of the "long and laborious" cooking time.  But believe me, it is worth it.  Once you master the technique you will probably want to eat it every day of the week.  It's really not hard to make, but it is a little time consuming.  Contrary to popular belief you do not need to stir it constantly, which may quell some nerves out there, but an attentive eye is required.  Ultimately, its going to take you approximately 45 minutes to an hour, but that includes prep time. So its not really that much worse than any other recipe out there.  And, again, its so great because once you master the technique of cooking the rice, you can add any additional veggies or protein that you've got in the fridge. 

This recipe I'm sending you was recently developed with the delivery of our CSA produce box and my desire to do something with the plethora of corn other than corn on the cob (although I do adore some good old grilled corn on the cob). I'm calling it "late summer risotto," and I really think its my new favorite.  I served it with some seared sea scallops which I seared off in some of the leftover bacon fat, and it was a scrumptious accompaniment, but this risotto is so good you can just make it by itself. 



late summer risotto

3 ears fresh corn
1 box low-sodium chicken broth
extra virgin olive oil
2 slices apple-wood smoked bacon
2 shallots, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
extra virgin olive oil
1 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
2 tbsp. butter
1 1/2 tbsp. fresh thyme
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. paprika
groung cayenne pepper (to taste)
freshly ground pepper
8 oz. white button mushrooms, quartered
chopped scallions, for garnish

Preheat grill to medium-low.  Remove husks and silk from corn, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.  Place corn on grill and cook until lightly charred on all sides, rotating them every few minutes.  This should take about 15 minutes.

Empty the chicken broth into a 3-4 quart sauce pan and bring to a low simmer.  Meanwhile in another 3-4 quart sauce pan add about 1 tbsp. olive oil and the 2 slices of bacon (cut bacon in half to fit in pan).  Cook bacon until crispy, remove from pan and drain on paper towels.  Drain into a separate skillet about 2 tbsp. of the rendered bacon fat.  Set aside. 

Leave about 2 tbsp. of the bacon fat in the sauce pan and lower heat to medium-low.  Add the minced shallots and garlic.  Cook about 5 minutes stirring occasionally, until softened and fragrant.  (If it starts to brown, turn down the heat.)  Add the rice and cook another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the 1/2 cup white wine, stir occasionally until the wine is mostly absorbed into the rice.  Add about 1/2 cup of the warmed chicken broth to the rice mixture, and stir.  Continue adding about 1/2 cup of the broth to the rice mixture, allowing each addition to absorb into the rice before adding the next.  Stir after each addition and occasionally stir or lightly shake the pot in between additions.

When the broth is gone your risotto should be ready, this will take about 30 minutes.  It should be slightly soupy. 

While you are adding the broth and stirring/shaking, prepare the remainder of the ingredients: When the corn is cool enough to handle, remove the corn from the cobs and set aside.  Heat the skillet with the reserved bacon fat over medium heat and add the mushrooms and a little salt.  Cook the mushrooms until golden, set aside.  Finely chop the bacon, set aside. 

In a small bowl add the parmesan, butter, thyme, 1 tsp. salt, pepper, cumin, paprika and as much cayenne as you dare.  When your risotto is ready (all the broth is absorbed) empty this bowl into the risotto and stir vigorously until butter is melted and all ingredients are incorporated.  Add the mushrooms and corn, stir to combine.  Top with chopped bacon and scallions. 


cosmo's cooking notes:  Ok, fine, I know this sounds difficult!  But again, you'll just have to trust me on this one, it's worth it!!!


Monday, August 15, 2011

new york vs. chicago round two!

Dear Dennis,

It's really too bad you didn't come with me to visit Kristin. You missed out on some really good eats & some fun times. Yes, we ate a lot, but we did try to burn at least some of it off with a five mile run/walk on Saturday and a kayaking stint on the Chicago River on Sunday. While it might have been tempting to catch our dinner while kayaking, we thought it might be a little unwise to consume something from a river that has been known to catch on fire.

Since pizza is always on the menu when we visit Chicago, we decided to keep the tradition going. However, instead of going to one of our favorite chi-town pizza joints, we decided to stay in and have a nice little kitchen competition instead. Pizza Throw-Down!

Kristin's challenge was to create a Chicago style deep dish/stuffed pizza. My challenge was to come up with a thin, foldable New York style pizza. So, create we did. Kristin's windy city pizza was good, with two crusts surrounding a filling of ricotta, and then topped with peppers, onions & mozzarella. A side of sauce added the finishing touch. The New York style pizza was a thin crust affair, topped with a thin layer of sauce, fresh tomatoes, mozzarella and fresh basil. Cooking the pie on the grill gave the crust an authentic brick-oven type finish.

After the flour settled, we both agreed that the visiting team won this challenge. Go New York! I think we'll continue to work on the stuffed pizza, though, because it definitely shows some promise.

new york style grilled pizza margherita

dough for a 12" pizza
1/2 c. jarred pizza or spaghetti sauce
1 tomato
6 oz. fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
fresh basil leaves

Preheat grill to 400F.
Remove pulp and seeds from tomato. Slice tomato as thinly as possible. Dry slices on paper toweling to remove excess moisture.
Roll pizza dough on floured surface as thinly as possible, while still being able to move it without tearing.
Place dough a pizza pan that will withstand direct heat from grill.
Prebake crust on grill for approximately 2 to 3 minutes, or until bottom just begins to brown.
Remove crust from grill.
Spread pizza sauce on crust, going all the way to the edges.
Place sliced mozzarella over sauce.
Top pizza with sliced tomatoes.
Carefully slide the pizza from the pizza pan directly onto grill over indirect heat.
Cook pizza over indirect heat for about 2 minutes, or until cheese melts, being careful not to burn the bottom of the crust.
Carefully remove pizza from grill. Top with fresh basil leaves and allow to rest a few minutes before serving.


new york vs. chicago - round one!

Because Comfy & Cosmo got together this weekend in Chi-town we are writing to our respective husbands instead of each other.  What do you expect?  We're sick of each other, we hung out all weekend...  Just kidding!

Dear John,

I miss you!  You've been gone so far away on this business trip for nearly two and a half weeks!  My Mom came to town though this weekend, so at least I've had some one else to keep me company besides the dog.  Lola is great and all, but she really needs to work on her conversational skills!  So you're probably wondering what us two girls have been up to.  Well while she was here we ate, then we ate some more, then we cooked, then ate, and ate.  Needless to say I'm still full and our fridge is stocked with leftovers, its been a good weekend.

For our major cooking extravaganza, we decided to attempt to create a "New York-style" pizza and a "Chicago-style" pizza, and yes, in one night!  This was as much an experiment as it was tasty entertainment, because neither of us had attempted a Chi-town pie or the technique we employed for the NY-style.  For the NY-style we strove for a thin crust, foldable pizza margarhite cooked on the grill, considering that many famed NY-style pizzerias use a coal-fired, wood-fired or brick oven with rather extreme temperatures.  The Chicago-style was a deep dish, stuffed pan-style pie with sausage, peppers and onions.

Who won you ask?  New York, hands down.  I know, I should be ashamed of myself!  I suppose I am no longer allowed to call myself a Chicagoan.  With some work, my Chicago-style pizza will be great, but as of right now the NY-style won because of the grill.  I never thought that grilling my pie would make that much of a difference, but it did!  The dough comes out perfect!  Slightly chewy, lightly crisped on the outside with a smokey note from the light charring, yum!  I'm very excited, and I cannot wait to make it for you!

 Anyway, here is the recipe for the Chicago style with notes for improvement included.  We will revisit this again in the future!

chicago-style deep dish pizza

pizza dough (see notes)
1/2 cup ricotta
1/4 parmesan
1 egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup jarred pizza sauce (plus extra for dipping)
2 links italian sausage
3/4 cup shredded mozzerella
1/2 cup sliced green pepper
1/2 cup sliced red onion

Preheat the oven to 400.  Divide dough into two pieces and roll thin.  Oil and flour a 8" cake pan with 2" sides.  Push one of the pieces of dough into the bottom of the cake pan, allowing the edges to drape slightly over the sides.  Polk several holes into the dough with a fork.  (I didn't do this, but I would recommend using pie weights to prevent the dough from building up too much along the sides.)  Bake the dough for 7-8 minutes.

Meanwhile, brown the italian sausage and mix the ricotta, parmesan, egg and salt & pepper (to taste) until well combined.  Leaving the par-baked pizza dough in the cake pan, fill the middle of the dough with ricotta and smooth over.  Place the other piece of dough over the ricotta and trim the edges.  Prick again with fork, and bake for anther 7-8 minutes. 

Remove the dough/ricotta combo from the oven, and build as you would a normal pizza.  Add sauce, cheese, sausage and the veggies.  Bake again until the cheese is melted, bubbling and browned.

Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing.

cosmo's cooking notes:  We used Mario Batali's Pizza Dough recipe which yields a soft and workable dough that you can get pretty thin.  This seems to work well, but again its a work-in-progress so there may be a better dough out there for this.

Sunday, July 31, 2011

What do you do with 42 eggs? Add a pound of bacon!

Dear Kristin,

You ask what to do with 42 eggs, and quiche is definitely a worthy use of these little orbs of delight. When I discovered quiche back in the 70's, there used to be a saying that "Real men don't eat quiche." Well on a recent hectic weeknight, I enlisted your father's help in the kitchen. The result? Not homicide, not divorce, not even a heated discussion over whether to beat eggs with a whisk or a fork. No, we came up with a quiche that no man would be too proud to eat.

As I prepared the pie crust, whisked the eggs and shredded the cheese, your father cooked the bacon and onions. He asked if he should cook the whole pound of bacon, and not knowing exactly how much I would use, I said - "sure, cook the whole pound - whatever we don't use we'll just keep for another day." When the bacon was done, I asked him to put it into the crust. Well, being a guy who always follows my directions to a letter (yeah, right), he put the whole pound in the crust. Not wanting to hurt his feelings and risk future kitchen cooperation, I just swallowed hard and proceeded to assemble the quiche as if a pound of bacon was totally within the American Heart Association's dietary guidelines.

Well, let me tell you. This quiche turned out to be one of our best kitchen successes. Surprisingly, the bacon was not all that overwhelming. The smoked gouda chunks sort of melt into smokey little pockets of goodness that meld nicely with the bacon and cheddar. The gruyere on top? It adds a nice thin crispy top to the quiche that browns beautifully.

Well, I'll close now - I'm off to the store to buy more bacon!




Man Quiche

1 9" pie shell
6 eggs
1 cup plain yogurt (non-fat is ok, but heck, with a pound of bacon, who cares?)
1 lb. bacon
1/2 cup diced onion
1 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup smoked gouda cheese, cut into 1/4" cubes
1/4 cup shredded gruyere cheese

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Whisk eggs and yogurt together until smooth.

Cut bacon into 1" pieces and cook until slightly crispy. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels  Leave about 2 tblsp. drippings in pan. Sautee onion in the drippings until it just begins to get tender.

Sprinkle bacon and onion over the bottom of the pie crust.

Sprinkle first the cheddar, and then the smoked gouda over bacon and onions.

Pour egg mixture over cheese and bacon-onion mixture.

Top with thin layer of shredded gruyere.

Bake at 400 F. for 40 minutes, or until knife inserted half way between edge and center of pie comes out clean. Remove from oven, place on cooling rack and let rest 5-10 minutes before serving.

Sunday, July 24, 2011

too many eggs, too little time

Dear Mom,

So this is what happens to your fridge after you host a party and get your delivery from your CSA box.  
Note the three cartons of eggs.  Three...  And not just three cartons of a dozen eggs, but the clear carton at the bottom actually has 18 eggs in it!  Yes, indeed, that means our fridge currently is housing 42 eggs!  I'm sure you have already guessed what is going on here.  My husband and I have decided to quit our jobs and become urban farmers.  We have installed the closest urban chicken coop to Chicago's Loop! 

Just kidding, although I think I had you going there for a minute.  We ended up with all of these eggs after a recent egg drought in our fridge, which happens quite infrequently considering my husband insists on eggs prepared some way or another almost every weekend morning.  It started a week ago, a Friday evening when he stopped at his favorite butcher shop, and sensing the impending doom of waking up Saturday morning sans eggs, picked up a dozen locally raised, organically fed eggs.  Then, Sunday, we were at Costco, where we usually purchase eggs, and I suggested purchasing the 18 pack considering we may blow through the current dozen residing in the fridge.  And, finally, Wednesday's CSA box arrives at my front door with, you guessed it, the final dozen.  Voila, 42 eggs.

And what does one do with 42 eggs you ask?  You make quiche of course.  A very logical and fridge depleting endeavor I believe, and boy, does my fridge need depleting, stat.  Of course I adore, and grew up on your lovely Quiche Lorraine, but I have recently invented my own quiche that was inspired by a recipe that my husband discovered on Epicurious.  Truffled Cauliflower, Gruyere & Prosciutto Quiche is laborious, but well worth it.  With a nice green salad dressed in a light vinaigrette to help cut the richness of the quiche it makes a wonderful dinner.  If, however, you are hosting a fancy brunch, I think this would be killer with mimosas or just plain Champagne.  At any rate, whomever you serve this to, will leave impressed, I guarantee it.
The original recipe from Epicurious was actually a tart and it was extremely rich, but in a decadently, delicious way.  To lighten it up, I took the basic ingredients added more eggs and nixed the cream, sub milk, and ta-da: a stellar quiche.  Oh, and I added prosciutto, inspired by the bacon of your Quiche Lorraine and the fact that pork fat makes everything better.  I do have to say that the prosciutto was a bit of a stroke of genius, you just add a single layer to the top of the quiche which allows it to get a slight crisp/chew that adds some texture and a nice salty, almost crust-like top to the quiche.


truffled cauliflower, gruyere & prosciutto quiche

1 small head Cauliflower, florets only, broken into bite sized pieces
2 tsp. Truffle Oil
1 medium Onion, sliced
Pinch Sugar
1 Pie Crust
2 tsp. Dijon Mustard
1 cup Gruyere, shredded
2 slices Prosciutto
5 Eggs
2 tblsp. Milk
1/4 cup Marscarpone
Salt & Pepper
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Cooking Spray

Preheat oven to 400. 

Spray baking sheet with cooking spray.  On baking sheet mix together cauliflower, salt & pepper, and enough olive oil to lightly coat each floret.  Spread cauliflower out on sheet and roast in oven 10 minutes, stir, and return to oven for 10 minutes.  Cauliflower should be slightly browned.  Toss roasted cauliflower with truffle oil.  Set aside.

Prepare pie crust according to package to pre-bake crust, put the crust in for about 3/4 of the recommended time so that it is under baked.  Brush crust with dijon mustard.

Lower oven heat to 375.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tblsp. olive oil in a pan over medium heat, add onions.  Cook onions, stirring occasionally.  Add salt to taste and pinch of sugar.  Continue cooking until carmelized, about 20 minutes.

Whisk together eggs, milk, marscarpone, and S & P.  Keep whisking until eggs and milk are blended, and marscarpone is broken up into small chunks in the mixture, like small curd cottage cheese.

Assemble the quiche:  layer the carmelized onions at the bottom of the crust, then top with the cauliflower, and shredded gruyere.  Tear the prosciutto into strips and cover the top of the quiche in a single, loose layer of prosciutto.  Slowly pour the egg mixture over the other ingredients, allowing it to percolate to the bottom.  Be careful not to go over the edges of the pie crust and onto the underside of the crust.  
Place quiche on baking sheet and bake for 30-45 minutes, until set in the center (check with a butter knife).  Allow to cool for 5 minutes before slicing.

cosmo's cooking notes:
A lot of this recipe is in the preparation, but its worth it.  If you can find prepackaged cauliflower florets, it will save time.  If you want to make your own pie crust, it will not, but more power to you if you want to! 


Sunday, July 17, 2011

Easy as (peach) pie


Dear Krisitn,

Ah, the lazy, hazy days of summer. I wish.

I can usually gauge my stress levels by the amount of chocolate consumed. One or two Hershey's miniatures a day means life is wonderful, the birds are singing, and I'm feeling carefree. Five or six in a day means I'm a little busy but still sane, the birds have begun to squawk, and while life is not carefree, at least I can still take time to smell the proverbial roses.

Let's just say that I bought a four pound bag of miniatures last week and half of them are gone. Life has gone from carefree to chaotic, the birds are screeching, and I can't even find those darn proverbial roses let alone smell them.

So, I need a break from chocolate. Still craving something sweet, I decided to grab some peaches from the produce section and whip up a peachy summer dessert. This pie is super simple and quick, getting you in and out of a hot summer kitchen in no time. And, unfortunately, that is exactly what I have this week - no time!

So until next week, here's a little something to enjoy.







Peachy Custard Pie

1 9" pie shell
3 T. flour
3 T. brown sugar
2 1/2 lb. peaches (about 5 or 6), peeled and sliced
1 T. lemon juice
1 12 oz. can evaporated milk
1 egg
2/3 c. granulated sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 T. flour

Preheat oven to 425F.
Mix 3 T. flour and brown sugar in a small bowl. Spread over bottom of pie shell.
Toss peaches with lemon juice.
Arrange peaches on top of flour/brown sugar mixture.
Whisk evaporated milk and egg together. Pour this mixture over peaches.
Mix remaining ingredients in a medium bowl. Sprinkle this mixture over peaches.
Bake at 425F. for 30 to 40 minutes, or until knife inserted 1/2 way between edge and center of pie comes out clean.
Cool on wire rack, then refrigerate.

Cook's tip: To easily peel peaches, cover them with boiling water for about a minute. Drain. Peels will now slip off easily. (This tip only works if you have ripe peaches.)