mushroom heaven

Dear Kristin,

Ah-mushrooms. Well, I've only grown to love mushrooms over the past couple of years - before that? I was convinced they were something the aliens left behind on their last visit to earth. They kind of reminded me of the pods that in the sci-fi classic "Invasion of the Body Snatchers". Like those pods, mushrooms appear in dark, damp spaces & seem to blossom overnight into something quite unearthly. But that was before I discovered that when properly cooked and combined with just the right ingredients they can be downright delicious. Now, I eat them gladly - as long as they are cooked. I still can't eat them raw. Too "earthy" for my taste. But, when mixed with bacon and cheese, as in this recipe, the result is delightful.

This recipe is courtesy of your dad. Quite the scratch cook himself, when it comes down to it. These little buttons of bliss are one of the reasons I became a mushroom convert. Bacon-ey & cheesy and a little spicy, they make a great prelude to a special dinner.

Stuffed Mushrooms

6 large white mushrooms
1/2 c. olive oil (or use 1/4 c. olive oil mixed with 1/4 c. bacon fat)
1 slice bacon, fried crisp and cut int 1/4" squares
1/4 c. feta cheese (plain or flavored)
1/4 c. bread crumbs
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/8 c. grated Parmesan cheese (divided)
Pam or spray-on butter

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Break stems off mushrooms, ensure that the hole in the cap is deep enough to hold filling.

Roll mushroom caps in olive oil (or olive oil/bacon fat mixture). Coat the sides, top and bottom (but not the hole). Place caps aside on a glass or ceramic baking dish.

Fill caps at least 3/4 full with feta cheese; pack down being careful not to break the cap.

Coarsely chop mushroom stems and place into small mixing bowl.

Add bread crumbs to chopped stems in approximate proportions of 1 part bread crumbs to 4 parts chopped stems.

Add garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, and 1 tsp. Parmesan. Mix well.

Add 2 to 3 Tblsp. feta. Mix well.

Test mixture for moistness by taking a heaping Tblsp. and compress into a small ball. It should barely retain its shape without falling completely apart. Add moisture with additional Worcestershire sauce or water. Don't over moisten. Return test ball to remainder of filling.

Fill caps with a heaping Tblsp. of mixture. Stuff/cover mushroom so there is a small mound on top; compress with fingers. Mound should be large enough so mushroom and topping looks like a small round ball.

To help Parmesan topping adhere to finished mushroom, spray tops with Pam or spray butter.

Sprinkle caps with Parmesan, making a small mound on top of the stuffing.

Bake for 20 minutes. Serve hot.

oysters!

Dear Mom,

Well I completely agree with you when it comes to oysters!  I'm not a terribly picky eater, but I just cannot tolerate those nasty little boogers of the sea.  I realize I'm probably offending a lot of mollusc-munchers out there, but I just am totally repulsed by them.  I really wonder what the first oyster eater was thinking when he picked up one of those things and said "Hey, maybe if I wrench this rock open there will be something edible inside..."  Perhaps he first watched an otter eat one?  I just don't know.  I suppose the same could be said for a lot of foods, lobsters and shrimp honestly look like the insects of the sea.  Although a lot of cultures eat land insects like grasshoppers, which to me seems like more of a stretch than a shrimp. 

Don't forget about the weird fruits or vegetables that make their way on to our plates.  Things like mushrooms, rambutans, romanescu, celeriac.  I think what makes these things slightly easier to digest is that they don't have eyes and they can't really get away.  Then again I don't think oysters have eyes, nor are they capable of escape; so I guess by that logic I would love oysters.  There was a time when I didn't really care for mushrooms, they are odd, when cooked improperly they can be very slimy, and they're a fungus (as is athlete's foot).  So, ew.  But I have grown up and grown to like them. 

This was a very round about way to get to a recipe, and I realize at this point you all are totally grossed out.  But, this recipe is quite delicious and not too difficult to prepare.  I'm not going to try to salvage this post, so just check back in a day or two, skip reading the post again and just make the recipe. :)

chicken marsala

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
4 tbsp. flour
salt & pepper
extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp. butter
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pint presliced white button mushrooms
3 tbsp. flour
1/2 cup low sodium chicken stock
1-1/2 cup marsala wine (the real deal, its a fortified wine should be near the ports/sherries)

Thoroughly rinse and pat dry chicken.  Place the chicken in a zip-top plastic bag and pound to a little thinner than 1/2-inch thick.   Add the 4 tbsp. flour and salt and pepper, zip up the bag and shake until the chicken is completely coated.  Heat a large non-stick skillet, add a good amount of the olive oil.  When the pan is hot place the chicken in, turning once, cook until done (8-10 minutes).  When the chicken is done, set aside on a plate and cover with foil.

In the chicken drippings, melt the butter.  Add the onions, garlic and mushrooms, and saute over medium-high heat until the mushrooms are golden and the onions translucent.  Add the flour and cook, stirring frequently for 3 minutes.  Add the chicken stock and marsala wine, scraping the bottom of the pan and stirring.  Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until the sauce gets thick. 

Plate the chicken and divide the sauce between the two plates.

comfy goes cosmo

Dear Kristin,

I don't recognize my kitchen anymore, and I think I have you to blame. Goat cheese has replaced velveeta, I've got a bottle of both regular and white balsamic vinegar next to the old stand-by white, and what's this? A jar of sun-dried tomatoes next to - can it be?..an actual live basil plant? Where is the Chef Boyardee and Kraft macaroni & cheese?

I was recently asked whether I was comfortable with change - well, duh - just take a look at my kitchen shelves & you'll see how I have adapted to the times. I've always believed that change, whether for the better or worse, is just an opportunity to explore new things, or to correct mistakes when things don't go quite as you expect them to. If we were all afraid of change, I think that no children would ever be born, man would not have stepped on the moon, and we would all still be living in caves and eating swanson tv dinners cooked over an open fire. So I say bring it on! I for one, am up to the challenge.

This is a nice dinner when you want something for just the two of you - it is an adaptation of a recipe from Cooking Light - but I'm afraid my version is not quite so light. You can make the shallot-cheese mixture and slit the chicken breasts ahead of time. Then, just stuffing and cooking the chicken and sauce can be done really quickly right before serving.

What I really like about this recipe is how the vinegar cuts the richness of the goat cheese. Covering the skillet as the chicken cooks really helps keep it nice & moist. I like to serve this with mashed potatoes - you really want something to soak up all of the good sauce!

So - hurray for trying new things! (But I still refuse to try an oyster.)

chicken with sun-dried tomatoes and goat cheese

1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes* chopped
1 tsp. + 2 Tblsp. olive oil, divided
2/3 c. chopped shallots, divided
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
2 1/2 Tblsp. balsamic vingar, divided
2 oz. crumbled goat cheese
2 Tblsp. chopped fresh basil
3/4 tsp. salt, divided
2 large skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
3/4 c. less-sodium chicken broth
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 Tblsp. cornstarch
2 Tblsp. water

*You can use either the dry-packed or oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes. If using the dry-packed, rehydrate them in a bowl of warm water for 30 minutes. If using oil-packed, blot off as much oil as you can.

Heat 1 tsp. olive oil in small skillet over medium heat. Add 1/3 c. shallots, sugar and garlic. Cook, stirring often, for 3-4 minutes or until lightly browned. Spoon into a small bowl.  Add 1 1/2 tsp. vinegar.

Combine chopped tomatoes, cooked shallot mixture, cheese, basil and 1/4 tsp. salt. Mix well.

If chicken breasts are uneven in thickness, pound with a mallet to a uniform thickness - but don't pound them too thinly. Cut a horizontal slit in each breast, forming a pocket. Stuff each breast with 1/2 of the cheese mixture. Secure open side of breasts with toothpicks.

Heat 2 Tbslp. oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken. Cover and cook 7 minutes on each side, or until done. Remove chicken from pan and keep warm. Add broth, remaining shallots, 2 Tblsp. vinegar and thyme to pan drippings. Bring mixture to a boil, scraping all of those good bits from the bottom of the pan. Combine cornstarch with water, forming a slurry. Add this to the chicken broth and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute more, or until slightly thickened.

Serve sauce over chicken and a bed of mashed potatoes.

home-grown

Dear Mom,

Oh that tomato relish...  I will be extremely upset if you don't save a jar for me and John.  I have been telling him about that stuff since I've known him, and this is the first time in those eight years that you've made it!  It is a hard thing to describe, its definitely not something you can buy off the shelf.  I think if I had a dishwasher I would have made the stuff myself by now, but with out a dishwasher the idea of sanitizing everything just frightens me.  I know you can boil the jars and what not, but I'm still terrified of botulism!  I know that this is kind of ridiculous, but considering how much I love food (and how much I eat) I have this terrible feeling that it will be my demise some day!  (I also have fears of becoming lactose intolerant or allergic to gluten, in which case I might as well be dead.)

So making tomato relish is kind of out of the question.  Unless of course we wanted to eat the whole batch in one sitting, which it sounds like if we were Dad that would be an option.  Not only is it really not feasible from a kitchen engineering perspective, it is also not economically feasible.  Tomatoes are pricey!  When we moved to Chicago we fell in love with our apartment because of the great little third floor wood deck out back that gets the morning sunshine which streams between the leaves and branches of a beautiful old tree in our back yard.

 
I was so excited to try to grow potted tomatoes, peppers and herbs.  The herbs did great!  And that's about it.  The foodie in me though, has still not let the dream of home-grown peppers and tomatoes die.  I'm still trying.  Every year I buy a tomato or pepper plant and give it the old college try, but every year this happens:

With the tomatoes its worse.  The good thing is we have an abundance of great farmers markets in the city of Chicago, and we also subscribe to that wonderful consumer-supported-agriculture box that arrives at our doorstep every other week.  So when I spied some beautiful peaches at the farmers market, I held back the urge to devour them immediately after purchase and decided to make a cobbler.

This recipe comes from Cooking Light, and can be made with any type of stone fruit.  Apples or cherries would also be great, you could probably even mix and match different types of fruit. 

peach cobbler

for the peach filling:
5 good-sized peaches, chopped into quarters
(that sounds like Grandma-speak - how about large peaches)
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1-1/2 tsp. grated peeled fresh ginger
1/4 cup sugar
1-1/2 tbsp. flour
1/8 tsp. salt

for the dough:
1-1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 cup chilled butter, cut into pieces
1 tsp. grated lemon rind
6 oz. chilled 1/3 fat cream cheese, cut into pieces
1/2 cup cold buttermilk
2 tbsp. turbinado sugar

Preheat oven to 375.  Lightly coat 6 ramekins with cooking spray and cover a small baking sheet with foil.  Place the ramekins on the baking sheet.

Combine all filling ingredients and divide among the 6 ramekins.

For the dough, in the bowl of a food processor place flour, sugar, salt and baking powder and pulse 3 or 4 times.  Add the butter, lemon rind and cream cheese, pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.  Add the buttermilk and pulse until blended.

Drop the dough by spoonfuls over the peaches, dividing evenly.  Sprinkle with the turbinado sugar and bake at 375 for 35 minutes or until the dough is golden.

What the heck is a peck?

Dear Kristin,

Ah, summer. Here is another recipe that takes advantage of garden fresh produce. Now, this recipe comes from your great-grandmother. She could whip up the best things with the fewest ingredients. Have apples and flour? In the blink of an eye (and with no written recipe), there would be a warm apple kuchen for breakfast. Having ham for dinner? Don't throw out the bone - it will be used to make baked beans, and then re-used again to make soup! (She always told us that she would make the beans and the soup after the dog was finished with the bone, and not before!).

She also made this tomato "stuff". She called it chili sauce - but it's not, really. It's more like sweet pickled tomatoes - so we will call it tomato relish. It tastes great on hot dogs & hamburgers - but also on taco chips. Since I made this on Saturday, your dad has also been eating it straight out of the jar! The recipe I have is hand-written on a very smudged and yellowing piece of paper. No title, few measurements, and nonexistent instructions. I quote:

1 peck tomatoes
1 pt onions, chopped & ground
3 hot peppers (+3 sweet)
3 c vinegar
Sugar (brown or not)
1 1/2 tbsp. salt

Beware seeds and stems - more seeds and stems the hotter.
Peel tomatoes.
Cook 3-4 hours, 4-5 hours.
Stir frequently - low heat.
Cover jars in parafin. (sic)

Okay - thanks, Grandma! Now all I have to do translate Grandma-speak!

I had to google "peck" to find out that a peck is 8 quarts, or a quarter bushel. (So saying "I love you a bushel and a peck" says quite a lot!)
1 pt onions - I'm assuming that's 1 pint - but who sells onions by the pint?
Were the sweet peppers just an afterthought?
What kind of vinegar? Cider, white, rice-wine, champagne? Since great grandma was raised on a farm, I'm thinking the simplest - so I choose white.
Sugar - I'm assuming brown, but how much?
1 1/2 tbsp. salt - Finally - something I can measure!!!!!!

With all of that said - I will put the recipe down here, but will not give you instructions on how to preserve this summertime treat. I do not cover my jars in paraffin - I use a hot water bath instead. I won't go into the details - but there is a good video demo on YouTube here.

One word of caution. This stuff smells so good while it's cooking (and that is for the better part of a day), that you will have your husband, kids, neighbors, visiting dignitaries and perfect strangers hanging about your kitchen just to breathe in the aroma. Seriously - it smells that good.

OK - here goes:

tomato relish

12 cups peeled and chopped tomatoes (I used romas, but any good, ripe tomato will do)
2 cups finely chopped onions
2 hot peppers, finely chopped (beware seeds and stems - the more you leave in, the hotter your relish will be)
2 cups finely chopped sweet pepper
2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 cups white vinegar
1 Tbsp. kosher salt

courgettes

Dear Mom,

Zucchini as the "octomom" of the garden?  I suppose it is because the plant tends to produce a lot of zucchinis?  The more I think about that, the more it grosses me out.  I am generally not impressed with the woman they call the "octomom," and I am also slightly concerned for the well-being of her offspring.  Considering how healthy and bountiful zucchini usually is at the farmer's markets, I would assume that the zucchini plant is a far better "parent" to its little fruits than the "octomom." In other words, don't insult the zucchini!

I happen to love zucchini, its versatile, colorful, and tasty.  I even love the word zucchini, it's fun to say.  So is courgettes, by the way, which is the french term for them.  (Another random fact, is that I called them fruits above, because they are fruits not vegetables.)  Next time you're in the kitchen and you want to impress the people you're cooking for, you can refer to the lovely green fruits you're cooking as "courgettes."  You can fry, saute or grill zucchini; you can layer it into a quiche or a galette (then call it a courgette) or on top of a pizza (in that case, zucchini).  You can even bake them into bread.  I just happened to do the latter last week, with this tried and true recipe also from Cooking Light magazine for Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread.  Yes that's right, not only chocolate zucchini bread, but chocolate chip zucchini bread.  This recipe is absolutely delightful.  In fact, it is so good that when I brought it into work last week it was gone so fast, I only had the time to photograph one slice! 

I highly recommend eating a slice almost right after you take it out of the oven, when its still warm and the chocolate chips are still gooey.  It's also delish at room temperature or toasted so that the chips are gooey but the bread is a little crusty from the toaster.  I would recommend no butter, but if you are a chocoholic like me, you could spread some Nutella on it.  Unfortunately, it has never lasted long enough in our kitchen to make it to Saturday breakfast where it could be transformed into french toast.  This is such a brilliant idea I really need to strive to save a slice or two for Saturday morning, I will keep you posted.

chocolate chip zucchini bread

3/4 cup sugar
3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 cup applesauce
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
1-1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1-1/2 cups shredded zucchini (about 1-1/2 medium/small sized zucchini)
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips (I usually over flow the measuring cup a little)
cooking spray

Preheat the oven to 350.  In a large bowl stir together the sugar through applesauce.  In another bowl, stir with a whisk the flour through salt until well combined.  Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and stir until moist.  Fold in the zucchini and chocolate chips. 

Pour the batter into a loaf pan coated with cooking spray.  Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour. 

cosmo's notes:  For shredding the zucchini, I just use a cheese grater.  I have a mandolin that could make a finer shred, but I actually like seeing little bits of green in the bread (it makes me feel healthier). 

Also, I highly recommend instead of buying a big jar of applesauce, just buy those little cups of applesauce.  Just like what Mom used to put in your lunch box that you immediately traded away for a bag of chips or a Hostess cupcake...  (oops!  sorry Mom!)  Anyway, you can just leave these little shelf-stable pups in your cupboard until your ready for your next loaf of zucchini bread (or chocolate chip cookies with applesauce, which is a recipe for another day).  They're the perfect size, and you're not worrying about the science project that has started growing in the applesauce jar that has been in the fridge for 6 weeks.

summer harvests

Dear Kristin,

Summer is here, and its time to hit the local farmer's market & see what follows you home. Today? Squash and yes, everyone's favorite - zucchini - otherwise known as the octamom of the garden. I was happy to see these little gems, because I had just the recipe for them in my "must try this" list. Unfortunately, things didn't go quite as smoothly as they could have.

Once more, my attempt at pastry/pie crust ended in the trash, all crumbs and blobs. I tried - really, I did. The good news is, I had a trusty Pillsbury Pie Crust ready to do battle for me when my fancified friends failed me. And, boy, was I glad I didn't just throw down my apron in defeat and toss the entire dish into the garbage!

What dish, you ask? Well, it was supposed to be a Summer Squash and Ricotta Galette that I found in Cooking Light Magazine. I don't know where I went wrong with the crust - I probably didn't let it chill long enough, or didn't have enough liquid - but all I got was crumbs that avoided sticking together like a Kardashian marriage. So, I just pulled out my frozen pie dough & forged ahead.

I also changed up the filling quite a bit, hoping for a more Mediterranean twist,  so I added dill & feta, omitting the garlic and thyme that the original recipe called for.

The result is a light, summery side dish that we enjoyed with a nice rib-eye hot off the grill.

Summer at its best!



summer squash & three cheese galette

1 9" Pillsbury pie crust - let sit outside of the refrigerator for about 10 minutes before using(from the dairy section)

1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4" slices

1 medium yellow summer squash, cut into 1/4" slices

1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 c. ricotta cheese (I used full milk)

1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 1/2 tsp. dried dill weed (or use fresh, if you've got it - but you will need significantly more)

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1 egg white whisked with 1 tsp. water

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine zucchini, squash and olive oil in a large bowl.

Combine ricotta, Parmesan, dill weed and lemon juice in a medium bowl.

Roll pie dough into a 14" circle on a lightly floured surface.

Transfer pie crust to prepared baking sheet.

Spread ricotta mixture evenly over pie dough to within 2 inches of the edge.

Arrange zucchini and squash in circles over the ricotta, alternating slices for a pretty pattern.

Sprinkle feta cheese over the squash.

Fold dough over filling.

Brush dough with egg white mixture.

Bake at 400F for 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Comfy's note - the possibilities here are endless - sun dried tomatoes, caramelized onions with strips of steak?

simple shawarma

Dear Mom,

I agree, simple is good.  In fact, simple is great for me right now as I've been busy trying to both enjoy my summer and study for my next licensing exam.  Unfortunately this means hours of reading the most boring study material, but fortunately I can do that outside which is a much nicer study environment than couped up in our apartment.  So time is a bit precious to me right now, and I can't devote as much time to cooking as I would like.  Its pretty hot right now anyway so the idea of standing over a hot stove isn't exactly appealing either.  What's the perfect solution?  The grill!  It's fast and keeps the heat out doors, also since the hubs loves to grill it allows us to share some of the dinner preparation responsibility.  I discovered this recipe in Cooking Light magazine a few years ago, and its been a great summer-time go to ever since.  The marinade for the chicken involves only five ingredients plus salt, the tahini sauce on the side has only four ingredients and some of it overlaps the same ingredients from the marinade so preparation is quick and easy.  Serve it with shredded crunchy romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, olives, pita bread, and any other mediterranean ingredients that you like.  Delicious, light, healthy, and of course, simple.

chicken shawarma

for the chicken:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced in to 1-inch tenders
juice from 1 lemon
1 tbsp. olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. salt

for the sauce:
1/2 cup plain non-fat greek yogurt (I like Fage 0%)
3 tbsp. tahini
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp. lemon juice
salt to taste

In a large zip-top plastic bag combine chicken and remaining ingredients through salt.  Shake and massage bag until the chicken is completely coated and marinade ingredients are combined.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile preheat grill and prepare the sauce.  In a bowl stir to combine all of the sauce ingredients.

Grill the chicken over medium, medium-low heat about 4-5 minutes each side.

Serve with the tahini sauce and lettuce, tomatoes, olives, pita and anything else you like!

kiss - keep it simply sinful

Dear Kristin,

As you know, your dad & I have been busy over the past few weeks giving the kitchen and dining room a much needed face lift . As I was packing up all of the paraphernalia that tends to collect in the two hutches we have in the dining room, I started to wonder just how much of it we really needed. Wouldn't it be easier just to divest ourselves of all of the collected clutter rather than pack it away just to unpack it again when we were done? So, yes - I finally got rid of the reindeer ears you pranced around in when you were five, and all of those half-burned down votive candle nubs that seem to miraculously multiply in the dark recesses of drawers and at the back of shelves. Take-out menus from restaurants that went out of business when Bush (the senior) was president? Gone. Cassette tapes of New Kids on the Block? History. Instruction manuals for appliances that long ago went to the great scrap metal junkyard in the sky? Mere memories.

Ahh. The simple life. That is, until it starts all over again.

But for now, things are clean and simple, and we are trying to maintain a "less is more" life style. So how, you may ask, do I segue from that into a recipe?

Simple.

Cheesecake, that is. I like my cheesecakes to be cheesecakes. Don't get me wrong - all of the fancy black-bottomed, pumpkin, caramel and coffee flavored versions are wonderful, and I certainly wouldn't turn my nose up at any one of them. But my preference is for a simple cheesecake, with vanilla as the only adornment for this queen of cakes. The recipe here is the original one I got from Kraft Foods with just a few enhancements - like the cinnamon in the crust, and of course, the addition of the vanilla bean seeds.

A note on ingredients - when it comes to cheesecakes, I like to use only the best tried and true ingredients. I use original Philadelphia brand cream cheese - not a low fat or off-brand version, a full fat sour cream, and a really good cinnamon. As for the vanilla - I've been using Penzy's Double Strength Vanilla in all of my baking for the past couple of years, and this cheesecake is no exception. I just love the richness of it, and have never found it to be overwhelming. But, that's just me - keeping it simple.

vanilla cheesecake

2 c. graham cracker crumbs
6 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 1/4 c. sugar - divided
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
3 (8oz) packages cream cheese (softened)
1 c. sour cream
Seeds from 1 vanilla bean
2 tsp. vanilla*
3 eggs

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease sides and bottom of 9" spring form pan.

Make crust:

Mix graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 c. sugar and cinnamon. Add melted butter and mix until thoroughly combined. Press firmly on bottom & 2 1/2" up the sides of the pan.

Make filling:

Beat cream cheese and remaining 1 c. sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add sour cream, vanilla and vanilla bean seeds. Mix well. Add eggs one at a time, mixing just until blended. Pour filling into prepared crust.

Place cake in a large baking pan. Fill pan with boiling water about 1/2 up side of cake pan. Bake 60 to 70 minutes or until center appears almost set. Turn the oven off, and let the cake cool in the oven with the door slightly open for one hour. Remove cake from oven and cool completely on rack. Once the cake is completely cooled, refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.

Comfy's note: The really good thing about a simple cheesecake is that you can top it any way you like. Cherry or blueberry pie filling works well, or just some fresh strawberries if they're in season.

Aioli = Love

Dear Mom,

So the word around town is that your busy repainting the kitchen and cooking is just not feasible right now.  (Ahem, do you not own a grill?)  I suppose I can cut you a break, you're lucky that I've been in an exceptionally good mood lately because the hubs got a new job!  So, he's got a little time off as he transitions between jobs, and that means one thing: its time to kick back a little and celebrate!  And of course with celebration comes good food.  I think the counts are that I'm on day four of beef, day two of bacon and day three of french fries.  If you count the spinach I put on the burgers last night, I suppose I've had some greens mixed in a long the way, which is a good thing because otherwise I probably would be dead of a heart-attack at this point.

I've actually made this roasted garlic truffle aioli three times now in the past week.  The first time I made it the hubs said that he "hated my guts," I took it as a compliment because he was barely able to say anything at all as he devoured the french fries and aioli.  Let's just say its that good.  This aioli is fantastic, it also found its way onto our bacon cheddar burgers, and I could see it making its way onto chicken or even a nice grilled piece of salmon.  If you upped the lemon juice, you could probably even turn it into a salad dressing.  You could also bathe in it.  I won't judge, I promise.

oven baked fries with roasted garlic truffle aioli

2-3 large potatoes (preferably a kind with a yummy skin so you don't have to peel them)
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
fresh ground pepper, to taste
3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
chopped curly parsley, for garish

for the aioli:
4 whole cloves garlic, peeled
extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup curly parsley, loosely packed
1 tsp. truffle oil
a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce
juice from 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup good quality mayonnaise (I like Helman's Olive Oil Mayo)
salt
fresh ground pepper

Preheat oven to 450.  Make a small bowl out of tin foil large enough to hold the 4 cloves garlic and coat well with olive oil.  Roast in preheated oven for 10-15 minutes until browned.  Remove from oven and set aside to cool.  Meanwhile, slice the potatoes into 1/4-inch sticks and soak in ice water for 30 minutes.

Drain the potatoes well and pat dry with paper towels.  Place the potatoes in a large zip-top bag and add the paprika, onion and garlic powders, and salt and pepper.  Zip up the bag and shake to coat.  Add the olive oil and shake again.  Spread evenly on a large baking sheet covered in parchment paper.  Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until golden, checking frequently to be sure they don't burn.  (If some brown early, remove them as you go, you shouldn't need to turn or stir them.)

To prepare the aioli, take the cooled garlic cloves and using a paring knife scrape out the softened inside of the roasted cloves and place the scrapings in a small food processor.  Add the parsley, truffle oil and lemon juice and pulse until well combined.  Add the 1/4 cup mayo and season to taste.  Try your hardest to wait for the fries to come out of the oven before you eat the aioli with a spoon.

Serve aioli with fries on the side.  (Or serve the fries with the aioli on the side.)

summer

Dear Mom,

Well summer is officially here!  The hubs and I decided to kick it off right this year by having a good 'ol fashion bbq rib show-down.  The challenge is simple: prepare your best bbq rib recipe and two sides and see who can make the best.  Of course, the judges are a little biased considering its yours-truly and the hubs, but we have a great marriage and we're very honest with eachother so there will be no smack-talking I'm sure...  (The sarcasm did not come across in that statement, but I assure you its there.)

So that we didn't fight over the kitchen, which is bound to happen when we're both cooking in our small apartment, and so that we didn't stuff ourselves silly with too much food, we decided to each take a weekend.  I took last weekend and John is going to "wow" me tomorrow with his bbq "prowess."  My humble submission was simple, straight-forward and effective, I utilized the tried-and-true crock pot.  Yes, that's right folks: the crock pot.  I'm sure somewhere in Kansas City or North Carolia or Texas people are weeping.  You know what else is just plain un-Amercian?   I used a pre-packaged bbq rub and sauce!  Oh, no!  Pray for my soul, I'm going to you-know-where!  (Although, it does so happen to be from a fantastic place in New York, that is pretty well known for its bbq: Dinosaur BBQ.)  As I explained to my husband, the reason I do these terrible things to my ribs, is because with out a smoker (which I do not own) its a great, reliable way to make fall-off the bone tender ribs.  I actually will be sharing another recipe with you, one of the sides, but considering I'm spending all this time talking about the ribs I should share with everyone how I make them. 

Its quite simple: preheat your grill to medium.  Soak approximately 2 cups of wood chips in water, beer or apple cider (mesquite, hickory or applewood are all good).  Drain the wood chips.  Tear off 3 sheets of aluminum foil, place a pile of the wood chips in the middle of each sheet and then gather the edges of the foil so you make little pouches, but leave the tops open.  Put the foil packs on the grill and then put your favorite rub on the ribs.  Brown the ribs in the grill, with the lid closed, and the foil packs in there too.  Allowing the grill to get a little smokey.  Remove ribs to the crock pot, cover in your favorite sauce and cook 8 hours until tender.  Done, perfect, tender, finger-lickin' good ribs, with only 20 minutes of prep. 

Minimal prep time allows us to take our time with the sides.  I was recently watching an episode of No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain, and he went to Kansas City for bbq.  He unequivocably stated that when in Kansas City one should skip the sides and only eat the meat.  Well, you can do what ever you want, Anthony, at my house the sides are an integral and valuable component of the bbq dinner.  Now, I have not been to Kansas City and I'm sure they make bbq that would blow my mind, but how is one expected to get through copious amounts of charred meat with out some kind of veggie, acid or starch to break-up or soak-up all of the goodness? Lots of beer!  No, that's the cheater's way out, I think some good sides are really the only way to truly enjoy good bbq.  For my submission to the competition I made corn casserole and Thai cucumber salad.  I think that to achieve the state of nirvana that bbq can induce, one needs a starchy side to soak up the grease and a vinegary side to cut the grease, this is the one true path to enlightenment.  My Thai cuke salad is easy, just sliced cukes (predrained with some salt), sliced red onion, rice wine vinegar, a little canola oil, low-sodium soy sauce, and chopped cilantro. 

The other side?  Corn casserole.  You know this one, Mom, its out of the first cook book you ever gave me.  Fannie Flagg's Original Whistle Stop Cafe Cookbook, a collection of recipes from one of our favorite movies Fried Green Tomatoes.  This is the kind of side that would do Paula Deen proud.  Corn, which is sweet and wonderful on its own, is mixed up with a box of corn bread mix, a can of creamed corn, and a whole stick of booooder (can you hear her now?).  I add some chopped basil to the mix.  This does a couple great things: a) basil and corn are great together it adds a herbacious, fresh note to an other wise sinfully sweet and rich side dish and b) the bright green color dotted in the bright yellow cake is attractive c) that green color is to Paula Deen what garlic is to vampires, it keeps her away. 

Happy Summer!

corn casserole

1 17-ounce can cream style corn
1-1/2 cups frozen corn
1 cup light sour cream
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
1 8-1/2 ounce box corn muffin mix
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Preheat oven to 350.  Combine first 5 ingredients, add muffin mix and basil and mix to combine.  Spray a 12"x8"x2" baking dish with cooking spray, and pour in batter.  Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes.

poor man's wellington

Dear Kristin,

I have a confession. I'm in love with a flake.

Before you say "I know - you married dad!", let me clarify.

Specifically, I'm in love with those lovely, flaky sheets of divine decadence known as puffed pastry. Whether it's sweet or savory, puffed pasty has the ability to elevate even the most mundane filling or topping to levels of epicurean delight that scream "I'm special" to the eager diner. Honestly - wrap it around a homely hot dog, and suddenly you have a designer dog that could win at Westminster!

And talk about versatile! Puffed pastry can be shaped into cute little cut-outs for appetizers, layered with custard or fruit for dessert, or in this case, formed into a pouch to hold an entree special enough for Sunday dinner, but easy enough to make on a Wednesday.

I have another confession. I've never had real Beef Wellington. It's not something that appears on Denny's menu in the Senior Citizen's early bird special section, so I decided to try and make it myself, on a shall we say, somewhat less extravagant scale. Modest meatloaf is encased in pastry, and instead of topping the meat with a mushroom duxelles, the pastry packets are topped with a mushroom-wine sauce. This is about as fancy as I can get in my little comfy kitchen - but who needs fancy when dinner is just plain good?

poor man's wellington

For the meat:

1 lb. 80-20% ground beef
1 egg
2 Tblsp. Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 c. seasoned bread crumbs
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
Cooking spray
1 pkg. frozen puffed pastry

For the sauce:

8 medium sized white mushrooms
3 Tblsp. butter
1/2 c. dry red wine
1 c. plus 3 Tblsp. reduced sodium beef broth (divided)
1 1/2 Tblsp. corn starch
1 tsp. dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste

Make the meatloaves:

Spray 6 regular sized muffin cups with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 375F.
Mix ground beef and next five ingredients gently in a bowl. Divide mixture into prepared muffin cups and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until center is no longer pink. Run a knife along inside of muffin cups to loosen the
meat. Remove meat muffins from pan. Let cool while you prepare the puffed pastry.

Raise oven temp. to 400F.

Roll 1 sheet of pastry into a square approximately 12" by 12". (Or larger, if the pastry is thicker.) Divide square in half, creating two 12" x 6" rectangles.

When meat is cool enough to handle, cut each meat "muffin" into three slices. Arrange 1 and 1/2 meat muffin slices on lower third of one pastry rectangle, trying to arrange as evenly as possible, and leaving a 1" border between meat and edge of pastry. Moisten edges of rectangle with water. Fold pastry over, completely enclosing the meat, and crimp edges with a fork to seal.

Repeat with remaining pastry and meat muffins.

Bake pastry pouches for 20-25 minutes or until slightly brown.

While pastry bakes, prepare sauce:

Clean and slice mushrooms. Melt butter in a large skillet. Add mushrooms and cook on medium heat for five minutes, or until mushrooms are softened.

Add 1/2 c. wine to mushrooms and continue cooking another 5 minutes.

Mix 3 Tblsp. beef broth with corn starch, making sure corn starch dissolves completely. Add this to the mushrooms along with the remaining cup of broth and thyme. Continue cooking, stirring frequently until sauce thickens and appears rich and silky. Test for seasoning, and add salt and pepper as needed.

Remove pastries from oven, and allow to stand for 3 to 5 minutes. Top with mushroom sauce. Serve additional sauce on the side.

Comfy's note: You can use your favorite meatloaf recipe for these, as long as it is not too moist, or so highly seasoned that it competes with the taste of the sauce.

birthday

Dear Mom,

I'm starting to turn into quite the slacker myself, like mother like daughter I suppose.  For whatever reason I was having trouble finding the inspiration to write.  Not that this recipe that I'm including isn't inspiring, I think I was just suffering from writer's block (or maybe blogger's block).

I think part of my problem is that I'm getting old.  This upcoming weekend I'll be mourning the loss of something...  My twenties.  It's truly tragic, but I suppose we've all been there, or will be at some point.  Don't get me wrong, I've thoroughly enjoyed the past three decades, and to be honest I think it was more depressing when I wasn't carded at a bar for the first time.  But still, I think women especially are expected to be particularly upset by this birthday, and maybe its just social pressure, but I'm not immune to it.

At any rate, I was thinking about trying to bake my own birthday cake.  I thought it would be fun, and I've never made a cake from scratch before.  I usually just grab a box of funfetti mix and two containers of frosting.  (One for the cake and one for late night musings about things like depressing birthdays.)  Although I've been thinking that baking your own birthday cake could possibly be bad luck, and I think its just too risky for this birthday.  But I did think about your pie, and I think the very nature of pie is relatively safe and free from negative superstition.  This recipe isn't exactly "All-American" apple pie, its more a rustic French version of pie.  It might be pie's predecessor, I'm not sure, you can Wikipedia it if your interested and get back to me; I'm too old and tired right now.  I do love your apple pie, what makes it so delicious is that strudel crumble topping that goes on it.  What makes this galette recipe so good is the crust, the marscarpone cheese gives it a rich, slightly tangy taste.  I chose to top this one with pears and raspberries, but you could really substitute any combination of your favorite fruits.

pear & raspberry galette

for the crust:
1-1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. sugar
3 tbsp. cold, unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup cold marscarpone cheese
1-1/2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
3 tbsp. ice water

for the filling:
2 pears, sliced (ripe but still firm)
1 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tbsp. flour
1 tbsp. lemon juice
pinch salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon 
1 small pack of raspberries
2 tbsp. raspberry preserves
1 tbsp. honey

1 egg, beaten

In a food processor pulse to combine the flour, salt and sugar.  Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.  Add the lemon juice and marscarpone, pulse a couple times.  Add the water and pulse until the mixture is moist and crumbly.  Dump the mixture on to plastic wrap and form into a disc, place in the fridge for 1/2 hour.

Preheat the oven to 375.

Mix the pears, sugar, flour, lemon juice, salt and cinnamon in a small bowl, set aside.

Remove the dough from the fridge and place on a piece of parchment paper.  Place a piece of plastic wrap over the dough and roll out to an 11-inch disc, about 1/4-inch thick.  Remove the plastic wrap and transfer the disc to a baking sheet, leaving it on the parchment paper.

Spread the dough with the raspberry preserves, leaving about a 2-inch border.  Layer the pear mixture on top.  Dot with raspberries and drizzle with the honey.  Brush the edges of the crust with the egg.  Bake for 15-18 minutes, until the crust is golden.  Cover loosely with foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

your mom is a slacker

Dear Kristin,

Remember when I used to nag you about getting your homework done before you went out to play? And how I used to holler at you when you would go out to play without opening a book anyway? Well, it's payback time. You have my permission to berate me for being a procrastinator, slacker, lazy-lou, whatever. I haven't posted in over two months! I could give you a list of excuses, but I won't. I'll just beg your forgiveness, and move on. Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea culpa.

Not that those two months have been idle. I've actually been trying to perfect a recipe for a hand-held apple pie like the ones Hostess used to make. Remember those 700 calorie door stoppers that you felt so guilty eating, but couldn't stop? Those pockets of poundage that would sit on your stomach for about seven days before they were fully digested? Well, unfortunately, (or fortunately, depending on whether I'm speaking to your tastebuds or your waistline) I haven't quite got it yet. I'm close, but I think I have to find a way to add about 300 grams of fat, take out whatever fiber might still be lurking in them, and add as many empty sugar calories as I can - then I might come close to duplicating them.

In the meantime, I will offer you my apple pie recipe. I know it is one of your favorites, and I must admit it is one of mine as well. The secret to this recipe is first, to pick a good, firm, tart apple suited for baking. I like to use 20oz. apples when I can get them. Next, it is important to slice the apples thinly, rather than to dice them. Then you just pack them as tightly as you can into the pie crust. Doing this ensures that you get a really apple-y apple pie - one that is heavy on apples and light on sugary syrup filling.

dutch apple pie

1 9" unbaked pie shell

Streusel Topping:
2/3 c. flour
1/3 c. light brown sugar
1/2 c. cold butter, cut into small pats

Filling:
2 1/2 to 3 lbs. tart cooking apples
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. flour
2/3 to 3/4 c. sugar, depending on the tartness of the apples
1 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 F.

For the topping:
Combine flour and sugar. Add butter, and blend with pastry blender or fingers until mixture resembles coarse sand. Refrigerate topping.

For the filling:

Peel and core apples. Slice thinly and place in a large bowl. Sprinkle with lemon juice & toss.
Combine flour, sugar, salt and cinnamon in a small bowl until thoroughly combined. Add to sliced apples & toss lightly to coat.

Place filling into prepared crust, packing as tightly as possible. Cover evenly with streusel topping.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until apples are tender.

Comfy's note: This pie also makes a nice two-crust version. Just skip the streusel topping, and top pie with second crust. Brush top crust with 1 egg white that has been whisked with 1 tsp. water. Sprinkle generously with turbinado sugar. Bake as above.

too busy

Dear Mom,

Well, its been too long since either of us have posted, almost a month!  And I can't wait any longer to tell you about breakfast the other morning.  As you know, we've had an exceptionally warm March here in Chicago, and when the weather is good it always inspires me to get up and get the day going.  All that early morning activity usually needs some fuel in the form of breakfast.  This particular morning I had half of a leftover baguette from dinner the night before, and a good friend of mine recommended making french toast out of it.  And that's just what I did, except that I also had a little ricotta and heavy whipping cream leftover in the fridge, so why not french toast stuffed with honey whipped ricotta cheese?  Sounds like a great morning to me!

honey whipped ricotta stuffed french toast

6 1-inch slices day-old baguette
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tbsp. butter

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
2 tbsp honey

Maple Syrup (or Honey)

Whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon in a bowl.  Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter in skillet.  Briefly dredge each side of baguette slices in egg mixture and place in skillet.  Cook slices, turning once, untill both sides are golden brown.

Meanwhile, whip 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream and vanilla in an electric mixer until soft peaks begin to form.  Slowly add powdered sugar.  Continue whipping until stiff peaks form.  Slowly fold in ricotta cheese and honey.

Make sandwiches out of the french toast and ricotta mixture.  Drizzle additional honey or maple syrup over top as garnish.

st. valentine's day

Dear Mom,

While "cranberry gastrique" sounds "cosmo culinary chic," as you so eloquently put it, its really just a relatively simple cranberry sauce, although it will not come out in cylindrical form.  To be honest, I find myself cooking more towards the "comfy" side of things.  It could be partly because its winter, but lately soups, chilis and stews are really what I'm craving.  That and my chicken parmesan.  Conveniently, chicken parmesan was what was requested by my lovely hubby for Valentine's Day, and don't worry, I offered to cook. 

I should add that the hubs was almost named Johnny Valentine.  Why, you ask?  Because his birthday is on Valentine's Day.  God bless his mother for switching out the Valentine for his father's name.  Although it would have been hilarious, I don't think I would have married a Johnny Valentine.  Can you imagine?  Mr. & Mrs. Johnny Valentine?  I just threw-up a little. 

Alright, let's settle our stomachs so we can move on to the good stuff!  My chicken parmesan is so loved by John because a) his Italian-American heritage gives him a great appreciation for anything smothered in "gravy" (marinara) and melty mozzerella and b) because my chicken parmesan has two beautiful secret ingredients.  And because I love you, Mom (and all you readers out there), I will share those two ingredients with you:  prosciutto and ricotta. 

Happy Valentine's Day!

chicken parmesan

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3/4 cup panko Japanese breadcrumbs
2 tsp. Italian herb blend (such as McCormick's)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 egg
1 cup flour
1/2 cup ricotta
1 tsp. Italian herb blend
1 clove garlic, minced
2 thin slices prosciutto 
1/2 cup shredded sharp provolone
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
1 jar of your favorite marinara sauce (feeling ambitious? make your own)
salt & pepper

extra-virgin olive oil
cooking spray

Heat 1-1/2 tbsp. olive oil in a skillet, over medium heat.  Add the garlic, cook until fragrant and starting to brown slightly. Add the panko, 2 tsp. Italian herb blend and salt & pepper, stir so that the olive oil gets distributed in the bread crumbs.  Toast the breadcrumbs in the pan, stirring occasionally, until they are lightly browned through out.  Place toasted breadcrumbs in a wide shallow bowl and put in the freezer to cool.

Pound out the chicken breasts to about a 1/2-inch thickness.  In another shallow bowl place flour and season with a little salt & pepper.  In a third shallow bowl, beat the egg and about 1 tbsp. cold water together.  Remove the breadcrumbs from the freezer and stir in the 1/2 cup parmesan cheese.  (Make sure the breadcrumbs are cool enough, so they don't melt the cheese.)

Heat about 3 tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Working one at a time, coat the chicken in the flour, shake off excess.  Then dip in the egg, then coat in the breadcrumb mixture.  Put the chicken in the hot pan and cook until golden brown and nearly done.

While the chicken is cooking, in a small bowl combine the ricotta, 1 tsp. Italian herb blend, 1 clove garlic, and salt & pepper.

Transfer the chicken to a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray.  Lay on the top of each chicken breast 1 slice of prosciutto.  Divide the ricotta cheese mixture between the two chicken breasts and carefully spread the ricotta over the prosciutto. Top each chicken breast with shredded provolone and mozzarella. Broil on high until the cheese is melted and starting to brown.

 Heat the marinara in a microwave safe dish. 

Transfer chicken to plates, top with marinara and serve with your favorite pasta shape.

simple suppers

Dear Kristin,

Sometimes simpler is better. Not that I have anything against - what did you call it - a cranberry gastrique? (In your cedar plank chicken recipe), but I'm more of an Ocean-Spray-gelled-cranberry-sauce-out-of-the-can kind of girl. Don't forget, I was raised on Chef Boyardee.

We had a really busy weekend, and were looking forward to something quick & easy for Sunday supper. Pork chops are always quick. They can be rather bland, though, so they really need a bit of "something" to liven them up - a mustard glaze, or in this case, a topping of caramelized onions and apples. I guess this is my version of the pork chops & applesauce my mom used to make. It may not be cosmo-culinary chic, but it sure tastes good going down!

pork chops with caramelized onions and apples

2 pork chops, about 3/4"-1 " thick (I used center-cut, but I'm sure loin cut would work just as well)
1 large red onion, sliced about 1/4" thick(if you really like onions, you can use more)
1 large or 2 small apples (use apples that are crisp and tart - I used Jonagold)
3 Tbsp.. butter
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt (plus more for seasoning meat)
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper (plus more for seasoning meat)
3 Tbsp. white wine (I used pinot grigio)
2 Tbsp.. fresh sage, minced
4 Tbsp.. extra virgin olive oil, divided

Melt butter in large, heavy skillet. Add onions and cook on medium for 10 minutes. Do not brown. Add apple slices, salt and pepper. Continue cooking over medium or medium low heat for another 20 minutes, or until onions are caramelized. Add wine and cook for three minutes more.

Meanwhile, rub chops on both sides with 2 Tbsp. olive oil. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Rub sage leaves into both sides of the meat.

When onion mixture is done, remove to serving platter and keep warm. Add 2 Tbsp. olive oil to the same pan and bring to medium heat. Place pork chops in pan, and cook about 4 minutes per side, being careful not to overcook. Top with onion mixture and serve.

that resolution

Dear Mom,

So the resolution for healthy eating is going great!  We just finished a very healthy lemony spinach salad with white beans and tuna...  So since we've been so good, its time for dessert!  (Well at least we tried to be healthy.)

I came across this recipe the other day when I was completely out of any thing for dessert except for a bag of chocolate chips. Although I have been known to just sit down with a bowl of chocolate chips and a spoon, I decided to try to find something to do with them other than cookies (or said spoon).  I've had these types of cakes many times before and I always assumed they were difficult to make.  Not only are they not difficult, they're ridiculously easy to make, and most of the ingredients you'll have in your pantry.  With Valentine's Day on the way, if you're cooking at home, this would make a wonderful and easy ending to a romantic meal.

molten chocolate cakes

1 cup chocolate chips
10 tbs butter
1/2 cup flour
1-1/2 cup powdered sugar
3 eggs
3 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbs orange liquor or bourbon (optional)

Preheat oven to 425F.  Grease 6 oven safe custard cups.

Melt the chocolate and the butter together in the microwave and stir until smooth.  In a separate bowl whisk together flour and powdered sugar.  In another bowl whisk together the eggs, vanilla and liquor.  Add the flour mixture slowly to the chocolate, stirring until somewhat combined (it will be pretty thick).  Add the egg mixture and stir until mostly smooth. 

Divide batter among the 6 prepared custard cups.  Bake in the oven for 14 minutes (they should look slightly set on top).

what resolutions?

Dear Kristin,

Last week was community soup night at one of our local libraries. This is a fun night where people gather at the town park pavilion, bringing with them crock pots full of homemade soup. I decided to fill my 1970's vintage crock pot with chicken taco soup. After a quick rubber band fix by your dad to secure the top, I was good to go. Bread, dessert and beverages are provided by the library, and since the pavilion comes complete with a cozy fireplace, it makes for a nice evening of recipe sharing and post-holiday gossip.

Speaking of post-holidays, we are two weeks into the New Year. How are your New Year's resolutions holding up? If you are like me, you find that your resolutions are growing thin, and instead of blatantly eating beer and cookies (as in your last post), you find yourself looking for subversive ways to incorporate these indulgences into your diet. For example - I did keep my resolution to eat more fat free yogurt, complete with probiotics to aid my digestive process; however, this step in the right direction was foiled as I succumbed to the dark side and found myself dipping cookies into said-same yogurt. (Well, the cookies were getting a little stale, after all!)

As for the beer? Chicken taco soup to the rescue! This recipe calls for a bottle of your favorite brew, allowing you to have your hops while telling yourself that at least you are getting a healthy serving of veggies and low-fat protein!

 crocked chicken taco soup

1 large or two medium onions, largely diced
1 (16 oz.) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (16 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 cup tomato sauce
1 1/2 c. beer
1 (22 oz.) can diced tomatoes (with green chilies if you like it spicy)
1 (1.25 oz.) packet taco seasoning
2 large or 3 small boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

optional toppings:

shredded cheddar or mexican blend cheese
sour cream (light is okay)
crushed or broken tortilla chips

Place onion, drained beans, corn, tomato sauce, beer and diced tomatoes in slow cooker. Stir in taco seasoning. Add chicken breasts, submerging them until just covered by vegetable mixture. Set slow cooker on high and cook for 20 to 30 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cook and additional 5 hours.

Remove chicken from slow cooker and allow to cool until it is easy to handle. Shred chicken, and add back to the slow cooker. Continue cooking for 1 to 2 hours.

Serve soup topped with shredded cheese, sour cream and tortilla chips.

comfy's notes: This makes a very thick soup mixture - almost thick enough to qualify as a stew. It could probably be made more soup-like with the addition of chicken or vegetable stock. I usually use a dark beer. I think this soup could easily be adapted into a stove-top friendly version by dicing the raw chicken, thus reducing the cooking time.