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.