Two Coast Table

Homemade Bagels

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 11:10:53 -0500

These are probably the most complicated thing I’ve made. Yeast and two different risings and boiling dough and ahhh!! Though it took a lot of careful reading and re-reading and nervous peeking into the oven, these bagels turned out awesome. This recipe makes about 10 (random number, right?) but one of my bagels had an accident when it was time to boil, so I had 12 (9 bagels, three nubbins). I’m really proud of how they came out but also a little weary because I know soon my inbox will fill with “MAKE MAKE MAKE” emails from Justin.

Ingredients & Method (adapted from Melinda Lee):

3 1/2 C bread flour (or sub regular)
2 pks dry yeast
3 T sugar
1 T salt
1 1/2 C hot water (120-130 degrees)
1 1/2 t barley malt syrup (or sub sugar)
3 quarts water
1 egg white, beaten with 1 t water
cornmeal for sprinkling
toppings of your choice (sesame seeds, poppy seeds, garlic, rosemary, anything!)

In a mixing bowl (or the bowl of an electric mixer) measure 3 cups of the flour and stir in all the remaining dry ingredients. Pour in the hot water, and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon (or with the flat paddle attachment of the electric mixer at low speed) and beat for about 2 minutes.

Add the remaining half-cup of flour, a little at a time, stirring by hand. When the batter becomes thick and heavy, attach the mixer’s dough hook (if using) or lift the dough from the bowl and place it on a lightly floured work surface for kneading by hand.

Knead the dough at medium low speed on the mixer – or by hand (using a push, turn and fold motion, energetically) for about 10 minutes – or until the dough is firm and solid when pinched with the fingers. Add flour as needed if the dough is sticky in your hands, or sticks to the sides of the mixing bowl (if using electric mixer).

When dough is kneaded enough, place it in an oiled mixing bowl, cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and set aside at room temperature until it has doubled in volume – about 1 hour.

Near the end of this rising time, bring the 3 quarts of water to the boil in a large saucepan. Add the malt syrup or sugar; then, reduce the heat and leave the water just barely moving – at a slow simmer.

When the dough has doubled in volume, turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface and punch it down with extended fingers to remove excess gas.

Divide the dough into 10 pieces (each will weigh about 3-4 ounces). Shape each piece into a ball. Allow the balls to stand and relax for a few minutes – then flatten each one with the palm of your hand.

With your thumb, press deep into the center of the bagel and tear the depression open with your fingers. Pull the hole open, pull it down over a finger and smooth the rough edges. It should look like a bagel! Form all of the bagels and place them on your work surface.

Cover the shaped bagels with wax paper or parchment paper. Leave them at room temperature just until the dough has risen slightly – about 10 minutes (this is called a “half proof”).

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a baking sheet with shortening or line with parchment paper or Sliplat and sprinkle the baking sheet with cornmeal.

Into the gently simmering water prepared earlier, slip one bagel at a time (use a large skimmer, and gently lower them into the water ( I used the handle of a wooden spoon. I don’t even know what a skimmer is.)). Simmer only 2 or 3 bagels at a time – do not crowd the pan. The bagels will sink and then rise again after a few seconds. Simmer gently for one minute, turning each bagel over once during that time. Lift each bagel out of the water with the skimmer, drain briefly on a towel, then place each bagel on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat until all bagels are simmered, drained and on the baking sheet.

(Look how bagel-y they look!)

If toppings are desired, now is the time to add them, by sprinkling the desired topping over the bagels. Brush each bagel lightly with the egg-white-water mixture first, then sprinkle the topping if desired – or leave unadorned, for plain bagels.

Place the baking sheet on the middle rack of the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes. When the bagel tops are a light brown, turn them over to complete baking. This turning-over step will keep the bagels in a rounded shape, instead of their being flat on the bottom. When brown and shiny, remove the finished bagels from the oven.
Place the bagels on a metal rack to cool.

I was so proud of myself for making these that I think I’ve told every person I’ve talked to since Sunday afternoon. I even called my mom to tell her how good they were. They take about 8 years to make though, so will certainly be special occasion things.

Dark Chocolate Raspberry Muffins

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 19:33:00 -0500

Sometimes my boyfriend asks me why I’m not more like Steven. I guess I haven’t been making enough sweet things for him lately since he emailed me a link to Steven’s homemade peanut butter cup recipe with the subject MAKE MAKE MAKE MAKE!!

I searched a few of my favorite recipe sites, and saw that Sues over at We Are Not Martha made these muffins for Valentine’s Day and thought they’d be delicious for breakfast this week. I made a few changes to her recipe and they came out perfect.

Ingredients & Method (adapted from We Are Not Martha):

2 C flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 C sugar
14 Tbs butter, softened (cookin’ like Paula y’all!)
3/4 C plain yogurt
1/2 C water
2 eggs
4 oz. dark chocolate, chopped (I used 60% cacao, but next time I think I’ll go darker)
5 oz raspberries
2 T granulated sugar

Preheat the oven to 375.

Cream the butter and sugar - there is a GREAT slideshow about proper technique over at Serious Eats - and add the yogurt and eggs, mixing until smooth. Combine with the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Fold in the chocolate and raspberries and mix until well incorporated.

Pour the batter into muffin tins - fill almost to the tippy top. According to the recipe, this is supposed to make only 9 muffins, but I wound up making double, so I guess it’s all about the amount you put in the cups.

Bake for 30-40 minutes and let cool. You’ll probably eat at least 3 right away. Save the rest.

For extra deliciousness, pop them in the microwave or toaster oven for a few moments to get the chocolate all melty - they’re seriously delicious and I guarantee won’t last long wherever you keep them.

(meg)

Irish Soda Bread

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 11:27:52 -0500

As someone who grew up in Boston in a very Irish neighborhood, St. Patrick’s Day has always been a celebrated holiday. The best part about it is that in Boston it’s also an actual holiday, Evacuation Day, and not having school when I was growing up was the best. Now that I’m older I have to work, but that doesn’t stop me from eating good food and drinking good beer on that day. This year I decided to try making my own Irish Soda Bread as opposed to buying it from my favorite bakery.

Ingredients & Directions:

4 to 4 1/2 cups flour
2 Tbsp sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 Tbsp butter
1 cup craisins (You can use raisins, but I love craisins so I substitued them)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 3/4 cups buttermilk
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Whisk together 4 cups of flour, the sugar, salt, and baking soda into a large mixing bowl. Using a pastry cutter or two knives (can also use your fingers), work butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal, then stir in craisins.

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add beaten egg, buttermilk, and cinnamon to well and mix in with a wooden spoon until dough is too stiff to stir.

Dust hands with a little flour, then gently knead dough in the bowl just long enough to form a rough ball. If the dough is too sticky to work with, add in a little more flour. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and shape into a round loaf. If you over-knead, the bread will end up tough.

Transfer dough to a large, lightly greased a baking sheet. Using a serrated knife, score top of dough about an inch or so deep in an “X” shape. Transfer to oven and bake until bread is golden and bottom sounds hollow when tapped, about 35-45 minutes.

Remove pan or sheet from oven, let bread sit in the pan or on the sheet for 5-10 minutes, then remove to a rack to cool briefly.

I sliced the bread and toasted it with a little butter for my breakfast during the week.

(Steven)

Homemade Peanut Butter Cups

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 14:27:34 -0500

When it comes to making desserts there is nothing better than chocolate, but what’s even better than chocolate? That would be chocolate & peanut butter. I saw this recipe for homemade Reese’s peanut butter cups the other day and knew immediately I needed to make them.

Ingredients & Directions:

12 Mini Foil Cupcake Liners
1 C Chocolate Chips
1/2 C Peanut Butter, plus 2 heaping T to mix in with chocolate
1/4 C Powdered Sugar
1/2 tsp Vanilla

Melt chocolate chips in microwave or a double boiler (microwave is much easier). Heat in short intervals (20-30 seconds at a time and mix in between) so you do not burn them. Let cool for a minute and then add in the 2 heaping T of peanut butter until thoroughly mixed together.

Put 12 liners into a cupcake pan to make this next step easier. Drop a large teaspoon of the melted chocolate mix in to the foil liners. Spread the chocolate all over the sides and bottom of the liners. You should have about 1/3 C of chocolate left over for the tops (set this aside). Place the pan in the freezer for a minutes until chocolate hardens.

Stir together peanut butter, vanilla, salt, and sugar.

The chocolate shells should be ready. Drop a a little bit of the peanut butter mixture into the center of the shell and spread around.

Top each cup with a bit of the remaining melted chocolate (you may have to heat it again). Be sure to cover all the peanut butter with chocolate.

Chill in refrigerator or freezer until ready to serve.

These were so good and definitely didn’t last as long as it took for me to write this post.

(Steven)

Workday Breakfast vs. Weekend Breakfast

Sat, 27 Feb 2010 15:36:50 -0500

On the occasion that I muster up the energy to make breakfast in the morning before work I usually like to eat eggs. One of my favorite things I own is the Egg Poacher Pan from Crate & Barrel. Sure, I can poach eggs the regular way in a pan with water, but with this pan it’s simple fast and I can do other things at the same time and not worry about it.

I will poach one egg and throw it on an english muffin or a mini-bagel with a piece of cheese. Sometimes when I am feeling ambitious I will make Eggs Benedict, but I usually save that ambition for Sunday morning.

(Steven)

Chocolate Chip Scones

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 11:02:39 -0500

I have been reading cookbooks as part of my reading goals for 2010 & Karen DeMasco’s Craft of Baking was the second cookbook I read from cover to cover. The very first recipe from that book is this recipe here.

Ingredients & Directions:

1 3/4 C Flour, plus some extra for rolling
1 T & 1/2 tsp of Baking Powder
1/4 C plus 2 T Sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
6 T Chilled Butter (cut into small pieces)
1/2 C Chocolate Chips
1 C Heavy Cream, plus 2 T for brushing scones
1 tsp Vanilla extract
1 T Sugar for topping (original recipe called for Demerara sugar, but I didn’t have any)

Mix flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Add the butter. Put bowl in freezer for 5 minutes. The beat the mixture (on a low speed if using a mixer) until the butter is broken up into pebble-sized pieces, about 3 minutes.

Add the chocolate chips & mix. Pour in the heavy cream and vanilla and mix until the dough comes together. Using hands knead dough until it comes together completely.

Turn out the dough on to a floured surface and roll into a 7” round shape, about 3/4” thick. Using a sharp knife cut into wedges (I cut it into 8 wedges, but you could cut them smaller if you wanted).

Place wedges on a baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Place in freezer for 15 minutes. While chilling preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Brush the scones with with remaining heavy cream and sprinkle with sugar. Bake the scones, rotating baking sheet once half way through, until they are golden on the edges and bottom, about 20 minutes.

Sprinkle with a little powdered sugar and serve warm.

(Steven)

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 11:35:48 -0500

Today was a gorgeous day in Portland, and as I traipsed around the city in my sunglasses and t-shirt, I thought I should make something yummy to celebrate the good weather. I’ve been wanting to try out Alton Brown’s carrot cake for a while, and I’m glad I did today because it was incredible! As far as baked goods go, Alton Brown can do no wrong, and this cake is surprisingly simple to make.

Ingredients & Method (adapted from Alton Brown)

2 1/2 c flour
6 medium-sized carrots
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/3 c sugar
1/4 c brown sugar
3 eggs
6 oz. yogurt
6 oz. vegetable oil (I subbed, as usual, applesauce to make the cake a bit lighter)

Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease a 9x3 circular pan with butter, then dump a teeny amount of flour in and kind of tap it around until the pan has a light layer to prevent sticking. Put parchment paper over the pan and set aside.

Shred the carrots; I used a peeler and listened to MGMT which provided an excellent metronome for my peeling rhythm. This isn’t in Brown’s recipe, but I definitely recommend getting some music to peel to. In a food processor, mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices until they’re well blended. Pour the mixture over the shredded carrots and toss until the carrots are well coated.

In a deep mixing bowl, mix the sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and yogurt on a medium speed until well blended. Add the oil (or applesauce) while mixing. Don’t be afraid of the consistency - it looks really soupy, but Alton Brown knows what he’s doing, okay?

Combine the two mixtures and pour them into your pan. Stick it in the oven and bake at 45 minutes at 350°, then drop the temperature to 325° and cook for another 20 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then pop out and leave it on the rack until fully cool or until your boyfriend starts saying “caaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaake” “caaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaake” under his breath.

The recipe for the frosting is really easy, and I totally forgot to take photos of it, mostly because I was trying my hardest not to just eat the frosting with a spoon.

Mix an 8 oz container of cream cheese with 2 tbs of softened, unsalted butter and 1 tsp vanilla until smooth. Add 2 c powdered sugar in increments of 1/2 c, mixing well after each addition. Refrigerate for 5-10 minutes before using.

This cake is so good and really moist, and I have a feeling it won’t last long in the house.

(meg)

Arancini

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:10:00 -0500

You know how sometimes you go out to eat and think, “Oh, that would be so easy to make at home. I should just do it.” Then you get home and think, but that seems like so much work and remember the last time you made risotto & how well that turned out?

Anyway, I have been out to eat a few times in the past few months and one thing I keep seeing everywhere is Arancini. It’s basically a ball of rice/risotto, some cheese in the middle, covered with breading (typically panko) and then fried. It’s like that SNL sketch, Delicious Dish, where all you want to do is talk about how good these balls are while you are eating them. The first time I had them they were bite-sized & served with nothing. The next time I had them they were large and served with truffle honey. I found a recipe online that served them with marinara sauce and I thought that would be a great accompaniment with the Chicken Marsala that I was going to make for dinner.

Ingredients & Directions:

3 C cooked mushroom risotto, cooled
12 mozzarella cubes, 1/2 inch
1 C all-purpose flour
2 eggs, beaten
1 C Panko bread crumbs
Vegetable oil for frying
1/2 C of marinara sauce
2 T of Parmesan Cheese (I actually used Asiago)

I made the mushroom risotto beforehand following this recipe (without peas..I hate peas!).

Grab a small handful of risotto and roll into a ball. Make a small hole in center of each ball with your finger and insert a piece of the mozzarella, add a little more risotto to close up the hole and form back into a ball.

Place the flour, eggs and panko crumbs in 3 separate bowls. Dredge a risotto ball in flour, shaking off excess, dip in egg, and then roll in the panko.

Fry the balls in a pan of vegetable oil on medium high heat. in small batches, carefully place the risotto balls into the oil. when one side is golden brown, turn the ball so all sides are cooked evenly, about 4 minutes total. Remove from oil with a slotted spoon and let dry on paper towels to remove some of the excess oil.

Serve on a small dollop of marinara and top with a little cheese.

These really have become an obsession for me. I check restaurant menus before going out to eat. “Hmm, no Arancini here? Let’s try somewhere else.” I already have a dinner planned with Alison to get some soon and I will be making these again.

(Steven)

The Garlic Zoom

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:03:53 -0500

One of my new favorite kitchen tools is the Garlic Zoom from Chef’n. I got this in the swag bag from the We Are Not Martha 2 year Blogiversary. This is super easy to use and what I think is the best part is how easy it is to clean. The blade pulls out and you can just rinse everything. I use garlic in almost everything I cook. Granted I could just use a knife to cut the garlic, but what fun is that?

(Steven)

Peach Ice Cream

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 11:52:00 -0500

I don’t know what possessed me on the coldest weekend we have had in Massachusetts this winter to make ice cream, but I did. My parents have had this ice cream maker in their basement for about a year and I thought it might be a fun thing to do with my boys. The ice cream maker comes with instructions on how to make different kinds of ice cream and that’s where I got this recipe.

Ingredients & Directions:

1 quart Half & Half
2/3 Cup Sugar
2 T Vanilla
1/2 C Peaches diced (I used canned, fresh would better)
Ice
Rock Salt

Put the rock salt in to the maker. (Sea salt or kosher salt will work too you may just need to double the amount)

Simply pour the half & half, sugar, and vanilla into the maker. Shake for ten minutes.

Dice the peaches up into small cubes. I used canned peaches here because the peaches at the grocery store didn’t look too good.

After shaking the maker for the first 10 minutes open it up and put the peaches in. Continue to shake for 5 more minutes. Open the maker up, scrape the sides, close and shake for another 15 minutes. It took approximately 35 minutes of shaking to get really solid ice cream.

I packed all the ice cream up into containers and put it in the freezer to eat later. It was delicious. Next time I will probably puree some of the peaches as well as leaving chunks of peaches in for a more overall peach flavor.

Also if you don’t have an ice cream maker I have made it using plastic storage bags before and it works great.

(Steven)

Burgers, Drinks, & Exercising: A Night Out with Yelp

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 11:06:26 -0500

This past Friday night Yelp put on another Yelp Elite Event at Revolution Fitness in the South End of Boston. I was not sure what to expect since most of their events are at restaurants or places seemingly more suited for events. I was quickly comforted that this was a Yelp event thanks to being served a cocktail seconds after checking in at the door. That’s how it’s done.

I can not stress it enough how amazing Yelp is to its members, especially its Elite members! If you are unfamiliar with Yelp (please say you’re not) or if you don’t know what a Yelp Elite member is check out their website for more info.

The drinks were all made with Rain Organic Vodka and served by Jackson Cannon of Eastern Standard.

Here is a list of the cocktails & ingredients (exact directions were unavailable):

Survivor: Rain Organic Cucumber Lime, maraschino, fresh lemon
The Circuit: Rain Organic Lavender Lemonade, blood orange, angostura, ginger beer
Forest Yoga: Rain Organic Red Grape Hibiscus, bianco vermouth, Regan’s no. 6, flamed medjool date essence
Helixing: Rain Organic Honey Mango Melon, agave nectar, fresh lime

Code Blue was also passing out samples of their Recovery Drink which was definitely helpful on Sunday morning after spending the night out with friends.

Food is customary at Yelp events and since it was at a gym all the food served this time was healthy. B.good served mini hamburgers and I was pleasantly surprised since I usually don’t eat hamburgers unless they are from McDonalds. I have never been to an actual b.good location, but I am definitely going to try it out now. Veggie Planet also served the passed apps, my favorite was the Sweet Potato Crostinis. They also served a veggie wraps that I enjoyed. I didn’t eat the Red Pepper Jelly & Goat Cheese made with Bonnie’s Jams (don’t hate me I don’t like Goat Cheese), but I heard they were delicious.

The location itself, Revolution Fitness, was fabulous. I would recommend joining this gym if you live in this neighborhood. I would be there in an instant it I could afford to join any gym. The equipment is brand new, it’s clean, and I even met the owner who was friendly and informative. Leighann, the Yelp Boston community manager, never ceases to amaze me with all the work that goes into planning these events. I look forward to the next Yelp Elite event.

Here is Sara (from Yelp), Dustin, and the delicious Sweet Potato Crostinis.

(Steven)

Spanakopita

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 17:02:24 -0500

A few days ago, I came across a blog whose title quickly caught my eye - Closet Cooking - because my kitchen is little more than an afterthought; an alcove in the living room that just happens to have a stove in it. Kevin’s exploration into Greek food sounded better and better with each recipe I read, and when I finally reached his Spanakopita post, I knew I needed to make it. I think next time I might add a bit more cheese, probably ricotta, but otherwise it was perfect - when it came out of the oven the crust was light and flaky and the filling was amazing. This is definitely being added to my “Yums” folder!

Ingredients & Method (adapted from Closet Cooking)

2 lbs of spinach - steamed, squeezed, drained and chopped
1 c crumbled feta
1/4 c chopped dill
1/4 c chopped parsley
1 bunch of green onions, sliced
3 eggs, lightly beaten
Phyllo Dough
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil

Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large bowl, mix together the first 6 ingredients.

Brush a light sheen of oil on the bottom of a baking pan. Brush a light sheen of oil onto the top of a sheet of phyllo and gently (!!) place it in the pan. Continue until you have 6 layers in the pan, then cover the whole mess with the spinach mixture. Then lay down another 6 layers of olive oil-brushed phyllo.

Bake 30-50 minutes, until the crust is a nice golden brown. We served ours with an array of olives and potatoes mixed with dill, garlic, parsley, and onion; the leftovers probably won’t last long!

(meg)

Pumpkin French Toast Bake

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 10:54:00 -0500

I know pumpkin season is over, but I had an extra can and felt like I needed it just one more time. I definitely made the right decision on that one.

Ingredients & Directions:

1 loaf wheat bread cut into squares (you can use whatever kind of bread you want)
6 large eggs
1 C milk
3/4 of 16oz can of pumpkin
1 T vanilla
2 T brown sugar
pinch of ginger and nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
Cinnamon Sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut bread into small cubes.

I greased my baking dish and then poured a little maple syrup in the bottom. You could use a brown sugar & butter mix too which is delicious.

Add all ingredients (except bread cubes) into a large bowl and mix well.

Add bread cubes and moisten well. Pour into 8×8 baking dish, dot with butter. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar over top.

Bake for an hour, if the top is browning fast then cover halfway through with foil.

Serve with a little syrup. I’m just thinking of this now, but I bet a sprinkle of powdered sugar would have been just perfect too. Next time.

(Steven)

Peanut Butter Cookies

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 21:34:00 -0500

My family & I went sledding this past weekend and when we came in I made some hot chocolate and these cookies. Nothing is better than coming inside from the cold to have a nice cup of hot chocolate, Swiss Miss, of course!

The recipe is adapted slightly from the Magnolia Bakery Cookbook.

Ingredients & Directions:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup peanut butter at room temperature (I like smooth better, but you can use chunky too)
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For sprinkling: 1 tablespoon sugar, regular or superfine

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the flour, the baking soda, the baking powder, and the salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and the peanut butter together until fluffy. Add the sugars and beat until smooth. Add the egg and mix well. Add the milk and the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat thoroughly.

Place sprinkling sugar — the remaining tablespoon — on a plate. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls into the sugar, then onto ungreased cookie sheets, leaving several inches between for expansion.

Using a fork, lightly indent with a crisss-cross pattern (I used the back of a small offset spatula to keep it smooth on top), but do not overly flatten cookies. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Do not overbake. Cookies may appear to be underdone, but they are not.

Cool the cookies on the sheets for 1 minute, then remove to a rack to cool completely.

(Steven)

Mediterranean Tuna Salad on Ciabatta

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 22:35:09 -0500

Sometimes I just don’t feel like turning the stove on to make dinner, but that doesn’t mean there should be sacrifices in flavor and complexity. After perusing Serious Eats, one of my favorite resources for inspiration, I stumbled upon a recipe they had adapted from Whole Foods. The combination of Kalamata Olives (my favorite!) and tuna (my favorite!) was the deciding factor and tonight I dove in and tried it.

Ingredients & Method (adapted from Serious Eats)

2 6-ounce cans solid white tuna, drained
1/2 14-ounce can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
1/4 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
3/8 cup kalamata olive, seeds removed, sliced thinly
1/4 red onion, diced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
Salt and black pepper
4 sandwich sized sliced of focaccia

The recipe is really easy - just combine everything but the Salt, Pepper, and Focaccia. I used more olives because I love them, and couldn’t find foccacia in my cursory search of the Fred Meyer’s “boulangerie”, so I picked up a Kalamata Olive Ciabatta loaf instead.

I loved the color and unique flavor profile the various ingredients added. I served it with a simple salad of mixed greens with a sherry vinagrette and Ommegang Abbey Ale.

This dish would work really well in the summer when you’re just too hot to cook, or for a night you’re feeling less than motivated.

(meg)

Banana Blueberry Lemon Muffins

Sun, 03 Jan 2010 21:20:53 -0500

My favorite thing to make with really ripe bananas is banana bread, but this time I wanted to make something different. I was going to make plain banana muffins, but then came across this recipe on Dragon’s Kitchen and knew what had to be done. Fortunately, I had all the ingredients for these muffins, because who wants to go to the grocery store in a snow storm?

Ingredients & Directions:

2 1/4 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 large ripe bananas, mashed
2 eggs
2/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup blueberries
2 tablespoons grated lemon rind
3 tablespoons sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line muffin pan with muffin liners. Grate your lemon now if you don’t already have some in your kitchen and set aside. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of the lemon rind. Stir in dry ingredients until blended.

Beat together bananas, eggs, brown sugar, butter, lemon juice and vanilla until blended.

Fold in blueberries just until combined.

For the topping, combine sugar and remaining lemon rind in small dish.

Fill muffin liners almost to the top. Sprinkle Lemon Sugar mixture evenly over the muffins. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden.

These muffins were delicious. I warmed one up the next morning on a griddle with a tiny bit of butter for breakfast. Seriously, these are some of the best muffins I have ever made.

(Steven)

Limoncello

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 12:18:36 -0500

I saw a video on How2Heroes a few months ago about making homemade Limoncello and thought to myself “hm, that’s really pretty cool…” Fastforward to right before Christmas, and I’m hemming and hawing over what to get Justin as a gift - I wanted something original and meaningful - and a lightbulb went off… Limoncello!

Ingredients & Method (adapted from How2Heroes)

zest of 6-8 lemons - I chose to buy the expensive organic kind because I didn’t want to scrub them.
1 quart vodka - other recipes say to use a Neutral Grain Spirit, like Everclear, but since it’s illegal in 11 states, I opted for a high-proof Vodka.
1-1/2 cups simple syrup (1:1 mix of sugar dissolved in water over heat)

First, zest the lemons. Trust me, it’s not as easy as it sounds. I used a variety of tools (potato peeler, box grater, microplane, and paring knife) and determined its easiest to use a very sharp knife. You want to get as much of the rind as possible without any of the pith (white stuff) because that’s where the bitter flavor will come into play.

Pour the vodka into an airtight container and add the zest of the lemons. Let it sit for 4-5 days in order for the lemon zest to infuse to the taste you like. If it isn’t lemony enough for you, let it sit for a few more days.

Once you get the right taste, strain the liquid into a bowl, pressing down on the peels to get all the delicious liquor. Discard the peels and set the liquor aside. In a small saucepan, mix a 1:1 ratio of sugar to water, and reduce until the liquid is clear and slightly viscous. It should wind up being about a cup, but if you like your limoncello sweeter, feel free to add more simple syrup.

Mix the liquor and simple syrup and pour into a bottle with a cap or cork, tie with a festive bow, and stick it in the freezer for the best taste.

(meg)

Vanilla Peppermint Cupcakes

Fri, 25 Dec 2009 14:47:00 -0500

I found this on Oprah’s website while searching about how to become a guest on her show. Just kidding (not really). I brought them to my Aunt & Uncle’s house for Christmas Eve dinner and everyone loved them, or at least they told me they did.

Ingredients & Directions:

Vanilla-Peppermint Cupcake:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour , sifted
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. coarse salt
1/2 cup whole milk , room temperature
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 tsp. peppermint extract
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter , room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 large egg , room temperature
2 large egg whites , room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In a small bowl, mix together milk and extracts; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until well combined and fluffy. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and slowly add egg and egg whites until just blended. With the mixer on low, slowly add half the flour mixture; mix until just blended. Add the milk mixture; mix until just blended. Slowly add remaining flour mixture, scraping down sides of the bowl with a spatula, as necessary, until just blended.

Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Transfer muffin tin to oven and bake until tops are just dry to the touch, 22 to 25 minutes.

Transfer muffin tin to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool completely in tin before icing.

Vanilla-Peppermint Frosting:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter , firm but not cold
1/8 tsp. salt
3 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar , sifted
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
1/2 tsp. milk

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the butter and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to low, gradually add the confectioners’ sugar and beat until incorporated. Add the extracts and milk and beat until smooth and creamy.

Do not overmix or the frosting will incorporate too much air; it should be creamy and dense, like ice cream. Add additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, if frosting does not have a spreadable consistency.

Top with crushed candy canes!

We hope everyone has a Merry Christmas!

(Steven & Meg)

Feta Spread

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 13:06:00 -0500

I found this recipe in a finger foods cookbook that I have been reading nightly to get some new ideas. I also happened to be having a small holiday party and needed to try this spread. At first I was a little apprehensive about adding mint to the two cheeses, but it was delicious and I will definitely be making it again.

Ingredients & Directions:

1 C Crumbled Feta Cheese
1/2 C Ricotta Cheese
4 T Oil (I used Canola, but Olive Oil would probably be better)
1 T Fresh Mint, chopped (add more if wanted)
Crusty Bread or Crackers

Combine feta, ricotta, and oil in a bowl and mash with a fork until well combined. The mixture should still contain a few small lumps of cheese. Add the mint. Mix. Serve with crusty bread (I used French bread) or crackers.

(Steven)

Gingerbread Cookies

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 13:19:00 -0500

I was going to my aunt & uncle’s house for a family holiday party and wanted to make some cookies. Gingerbread cookies around the holidays seemed like the perfect thing to make and it would help satisfy my craving for gingerbread at the same time. This recipe is one of my favorites!

Ingredients & Directions:

2 3/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup solid vegetable shortening, room temperature
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsulfured (light) molasses
1 large egg

Sift flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon and cloves into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat shortening and butter in large bowl into light.

Add sugar and beat until fluffy. Beat in molasses, then egg. Add dry ingredients. Using spoon, stir until mixture forms dough (dough will be very soft). Divide dough into thirds.

Gather each third into ball; flatten into disks. Wrap each disk in plastic (I only had wax paper and that worked) and refrigerate until firm, about 4 hours. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously flour work surface and rolling pin. Place 1 dough disk on work surface (keep remaining 2 dough disks refrigerated). Press rolling pin into dough several times to flatten slightly for easier rolling. Roll out dough to 1/8- to 1/4-inch thickness, frequently lifting and turning dough to prevent sticking.

Using assorted cookie cutters dipped into flour, cut out cookies. Transfer cookies to ungreased nonstick baking sheets, spacing 1/2 inch apart. Gather dough scraps together and reserve.

Bake until cookies turn brown on edges, about 10 minutes, some cooked in even less time so keep an eye out. Let cookies stand on sheets 1 minute. Using metal spatula, transfer cookies to racks and cool completely.

Repeat rolling, cutting and baking with remaining 2 dough disks as described above.

Then for decorating I used a simple white frosting (you can use a canned frosting, it saves time!) and melted chocolate and drizzled each in a cross-shaped pattern. It really added so much extra flavor.

I served the animal cookies plain with cute cookies cutters I bought at IKEA.

I was eating these cookies for lunch the next day and I really need to make some more soon, maybe for a party I am having this weekend.

(Steven)