Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes with Orange Maple Butter

Sometimes when flipping through a magazine, I'll see a recipe and think, "I have to make that." And sometimes, it actually happens.

I spotted this recipe for Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes in last month's Martha Stewart Living and the next morning -- a Sunday (is there a more perfect day for pancakes?) -- I was up, bright and early, making stirring, pouring and flipping.

It was well worth it. The blueberries burst lustfully with each bite of pancake, and the orange maple butter -- a concoction so delicious you'll be desperate to find uses for it if there are any leftovers -- just makes breakfast that much better.

There are two small changes I might make next time. The first is adding zest to the pancake batter itself (this is in addition to the zest in the butter). I love the bright sunshine-y flavor of orange paired with the sweet muskiness of the berries so much, I really can't get enough.

The second is eliminating orange juice from the orange maple butter. I couldn't get both the juice and the syrup to fully emulsify into the butter so while delicious, it was a bit "weepy" and unappealing to the eye.

The recipes for the pancakes and the butter appear without these changes.

Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes with Orange Maple Butter

1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar, divided in half
1 1/4 tsps. baking powder
1 tsp. coarse salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk
1/4 cup whole milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted & cooled
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 cups fresh blueberries

Orange Maple Butter (recipe follows)
Pure maple syrup

Whisk together flour, cornmeal, 2 tablespoons sugar, the baking powder, salt and baking soda. In another bowl, whisk together buttermilk, milk, butter and egg. Whisk wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just combined (mixture will be lumpy).

Preheat oven to 200 degrees (for keeping pancakes warm). Heat a griddle or large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Toss blueberries with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Brush griddle with melted butter. Spoon batter onto griddle 1/3 cup at a time. Sprinkle with sugared blueberries, about 2 tablespoons per pancake. Cook until edges are set, 3 to 4 minutes (bubbles won't appear as with traditional pancakes). Flip, and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter and blueberries, adding more butter to griddle and keeping prepared pancakes warm on a baking sheet in the oven. Serve with orange maple butter and pure maple syrup.

Orange Maple Butter

4 ounces unsalted butter, softened
1 Tbsp. fresh orange juice
1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
1 tsp. finely grated orange zest
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

Using a rubber spatula, combine ingredients in a small bowl. Orange maple butter can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to one week.

Strawberry, Pistachio, and Goat Cheese Pizza

Strawberries are in season, and in abundance! They're tempting in pies, jams, shortcakes, cookies, muffins and scores of other sweets. But perhaps this season, you'll try them as part of a savory dish.

Paired with soft cheese and fresh greens top a hot, crispy pizza crust, strawberries find a new home as dinner, not dessert. It's a light and lovely meal for a summer's evening.

Strawberry, Pistachio, and Goat Cheese Pizza

1, 12-inch prebaked pizza crust (store bought or homemade)
1/3 cup (3 ounces) crumbled goat cheese (or other soft cheese)
1 cup sliced strawberries
1 cup greens (watercress, mizzuna, arugula, etc.)
1/2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Dash of salt
Dash of freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup (1 ounce) shaved fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
3 tablespoons shelled dry-roasted pistachios, chopped

Preheat oven to 425-degrees. Place crust on a baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes or until hot.

Remove crust from oven and arrange goat cheese evenly over crust.

Combine strawberries, watercress, olive oil, juice, salt, and black pepper; toss gently to coat. Arrange strawberry mixture evenly over goat cheese. Sprinkle pizza with Parmigiano-Reggiano and nuts. Cut into wedges and serve immediately.

Serves 6.

Guest Post: Marcia Rice

From friend-of-the-blog, Mark Pescatore:



Marcia Rice: pronounced MAH-SEE-AH, not like the older sister on the "Brady Bunch."

My brother was singing the praises of his rice cooker a couple of years ago and eventually bought one for me as a Christmas present. And yes, when it comes to cook and reheating rice, it's swell. But seriously, how much plain white rice or brown rice can you eat? Then, we went to a party being thrown by Marcia and discovered her delicious rice. It's ridiculously simple to prepare, but you will be amazed at how flavorful it is.

Marcia Rice

2 cups rice
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Goya Adobo all purpose seasoning with pepper (yellow label, red top)
2 tablespoons olive oil

Rinse rice, then put in rice cooker with normal amount of water required by your rice cooker. Add in all ingredients, stir, turn on rice cooker and cook as normal.

Notes from Laura:
You can make Marcia Rice without a rice cooker; simply add the Adobo and olive oil to the cooking water before adding the raw rice, and proceed as normal.

As Adobo seasoning already contains salt, you also may want to reduce or eliminate the additional salt.

Strawberry Rhubarb Tart

If you've been looking for a recipe that shows off the bright, brilliant flavors of both strawberries and rhubarbs, that looks gorgeous on the plate and, of course, is lip-smackingly delicious, look no further.

It's so good that Kian has asked if he could have one, all to himself, for his birthday.

I think I can make that happen.


Strawberry Rhubarb Tart (source)

Pie dough (either homemade or store bought)
2 cups sliced rhubarb
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. water
3/4 tsp. cinnamon, divided
3 cups sliced strawberries
1 Tbsp. sugar


Preheat oven to 400-degrees F. Press dough into bottom and up sides of a 10-inch removable-bottom tart pan. Line bottom of dough with a piece of foil; arrange pie weights or dried beans on foil. Bake for 5 minutes, remove pie weights and foil and bake an additional 5 minutes until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.

Combine rhubarb, 1/2 cup sugar, cornstarch, water, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until rhubarb is tender, stirring frequently. Remove from heat, and stir in strawberries. Spoon strawberry mixture into prepared crust. Combine 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of sugar; sprinkle evenly over tart.

Place tart on a baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes or until filling is set. Cool on a wire rack.

Apple Strudel: A Daring Bakers' Challenge

Guess what? It's that time again -- Daring Bakers' Challenge time!

The May Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Linda of make life sweeter! and Courtney of Coco Cooks. They chose Apple Strudel from the recipe book Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague by Rick Rodgers.

Apple Strudel is not one of those desserts I'd normally think to make so, yet again, the DBers have pushed me to try new things. (Which is a good thing.) And strudel is a lot easier to make than I thought.

The dough came together quickly -- throw some flour, water, vinegar, salt and oil together, then knead -- and it was fairly easy to roll/pull out and make thin. The filling was as easy as, well if not pie, then strudel filling. And then you roll the whole thing up, put it in the oven and, presto, you've got yourself some strudel.

I would have preferred a sweeter filling; perhaps I'd add more sugar (and cinnamon) to the apples in the future, or try something else entirely (a sweet cheese filling mixed with Nutella?). The pastry, however, was just as a strudel should be: flaky and crispy.

Despite my quibbles, I had seconds with vanilla ice cream. As did Shane, Kian and my friends Jenny and Nancy, so how bad could it have been?


Apple Strudel

from “Kaffeehaus – Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague” by Rick Rodgers
2 tablespoons (30 ml) golden rum
3 tablespoons (45 ml) raisins
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (80 g) sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick / 115 g) unsalted butter, melted, divided
1 1/2 cups (350 ml) fresh bread crumbs
1/2 cup (120 ml, about 60 g) coarsely chopped walnuts
2 pounds (900 g) tart cooking apples, peeled, cored and cut into ¼ inch-thick slices (use apples that hold their shape during baking)
strudel dough (recipe below)
1. Mix the rum and raisins in a bowl. Mix the cinnamon and sugar in another bowl.

2. Heat 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the breadcrumbs and cook whilst stirring until golden and toasted. This will take about 3 minutes. Let it cool completely.

3. Put the rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with baking paper (parchment paper). Make the strudel dough as described below. Spread about 3 tablespoons of the remaining melted butter over the dough using your hands (a bristle brush could tear the dough, you could use a special feather pastry brush instead of your hands). Sprinkle the buttered dough with the bread crumbs. Spread the walnuts about 3 inches (8 cm) from the short edge of the dough in a 6-inch-(15cm)-wide strip. Mix the apples with the raisins (including the rum), and the cinnamon sugar. Spread the mixture over the walnuts.

4. Fold the short end of the dough onto the filling. Lift the tablecloth at the short end of the dough so that the strudel rolls onto itself. Transfer the strudel to the prepared baking sheet by lifting it. Curve it into a horseshoe to fit. Tuck the ends under the strudel. Brush the top with the remaining melted butter.

5. Bake the strudel for about 30 minutes or until it is deep golden brown. Cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Use a serrated knife and serve either warm or at room temperature. It is best on the day it is baked.

Strudel dough
from “Kaffeehaus – Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague” by Rick Rodgers

1 1/3 cups (200 g) unbleached flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons (105 ml) water, plus more if needed
2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil, plus additional for coating the dough
1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar

1. Combine the flour and salt in a stand-mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix the water, oil and vinegar in a measuring cup. Add the water/oil mixture to the flour with the mixer on low speed. You will get a soft dough. Make sure it is not too dry, add a little more water if necessary.
Take the dough out of the mixer. Change to the dough hook. Put the dough ball back in the mixer. Let the dough knead on medium until you get a soft dough ball with a somewhat rough surface.

2. Take the dough out of the mixer and continue kneading by hand on an unfloured work surface. Knead for about 2 minutes. Pick up the dough and throw it down hard onto your working surface occasionally.
Shape the dough into a ball and transfer it to a plate. Oil the top of the dough ball lightly. Cover the ball tightly with plastic wrap. Allow to stand for 30-90 minutes (longer is better).

3. It would be best if you have a work area that you can walk around on all sides like a 36 inch (90 cm) round table or a work surface of 23 x 38 inches (60 x 100 cm). Cover your working area with table cloth, dust it with flour and rub it into the fabric. Put your dough ball in the middle and roll it out as much as you can.
Pick the dough up by holding it by an edge. This way the weight of the dough and gravity can help stretching it as it hangs. Using the back of your hands to gently stretch and pull the dough. You can use your forearms to support it.

4. The dough will become too large to hold. Put it on your work surface. Leave the thicker edge of the dough to hang over the edge of the table. Place your hands underneath the dough and stretch and pull the dough thinner using the backs of your hands. Stretch and pull the dough until it's about 2 feet (60 cm) wide and 3 feet (90 cm) long, it will be tissue-thin by this time. Cut away the thick dough around the edges with scissors. The dough is now ready to be filled.

How To Make Broccoli Fattening: Broccoli Bacon Salad

Take fresh, chopped broccoli.

Add some raisins & red onion.

Mix with crumbled bacon.

Toss the whole thing with mayonnaise, sugar and a touch of vinegar.

Voila! Deliciously fattening broccoli.

Broccoli Bacon Salad
6 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled into bits
8 cups broccoli, chopped into bite-size pieces
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
1 cup raisins

Dressing:
1 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp. cider vinegar

In a large bowl, combine bacon, broccoli, onion and raisins; set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, sugar and mayonnaise. Pour dressing over broccoli mixture and toss until well combined. Refrigerate for at least two hours. Serve chilled.

Yields 16 servings.

Khatte Chole

Another chick pea recipe! But, this is the last one for a long while because I'm not sure how chickpeas could taste more delicious than in this dish.

This recipe comes from Madhur Jaffrey's classic cookbook, Indian Cooking. I stumbled on it via a discussion on Shapely Prose (linking to this recipe) and, not only is it delicious (bury-your-face-in-your-plate delicious), but it's inexpensive and easy to make.

I adapted it slightly from the original to use canned chickpeas rather than dried, and added a teaspoon more of Garam Masala.

Khatte Chole (Sour Chickpeas)

2 cans chickpeas, drained with liquid reserved
3 onions, chopped
2.5 tsp salt
1 green chili, chopped
1Tbsp. ginger, grated
4 Tbsp. lemon juice
6 Tbsp. oil
2 tomatoes, skinned
1Tbsp. coriander
1 Tbsp. cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 Tbsp. garam masala
1/4 tsp cayenne

In a small bowl, mix together 1/2 tsp salt, chili, ginger, lemon juice, and 2 TBS onion, chopped fine; set aside.

In a heavy skillet, heat oil over medium heat and add remaining onion. Fry about 10 minutes, until onions begin to brown. Add tomatoes and cook another 10 minutes, mashing with back of a spoon.

Add spice, stir and let cook 30 secs. Add chickpeas, salt and chickpea liquid plus enough water to equal 1 ¾ cups Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce to low heat, cover and let simmer about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove skillet from heat, and stir in reserved salt, chili, ginger, lemon, onion. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Mediterranean Chicken Sandwiches

If you look on the sidebar or at the bottom of each post, you'll notice that give recipes a grade using the standard system: A to F. You'll also notice that there are almost no Fs, Ds, or Cs and very few Bs; it's mostly As. That's because, at some point on the blogging journey, it felt pointless to post bland, boring, flavorless results. So when I test a recipe that isn't so hot, I (usually) let it fall by the wayside

Which leads me to what I do post: the OPPOSITE of bland, boring or flavorless, but fantastic, scrumptious, dream-about-it-at-night delicious food. And that's what we have here, with these grilled Mediterranean chicken sandwiches.

There are a number of elements that make this sandwich bite-worthy -- grilled ciabatta bread, fresh basil, roasted peppers, melted mozzerella -- but by far, the piece that pushes this sandwich into a category of amazing deliciousness is the sundried tomato pesto mayonaisse. So simple, so tastebud-popping wonderful.

The recipe follows below, but feel free to play with it. Obviously, you could use a grill instead of a broiler and cook it up along with some grilled veggies. Yesterday, I swapped out the chicken and mozzerella for turkey, capicola, and provolone cheese, left off the peppers, added some red onions, and ate it, chilled, as part of a picnic lunch. It was fantastic.

Mediterranean Chicken Sandwiches (source)

1/4 cup (about 2 ounces) sun-dried tomato pesto
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
3/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 (8-ounce) loaf ciabatta
12 large basil leaves (or enough to cover the sandwich)
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup sliced bottled roasted red bell peppers
1 large tomato, thinly sliced

Combine pesto and mayonnaise in a small bowl, stirring to blend.

Sprinkle chicken with pepper and salt. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, and cook for 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken to cutting board, and cool slightly. Cut chicken lengthwise into thin slices.

Preheat broiler.

Cut ciabatta in half horizontally. Place bread, cut sides up, on a baking sheet. Broil 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove bread from pan. Spread pesto mayo evenly over cut sides of bread. Arrange the chicken slices evenly over bottom half. Top chicken evenly with basil leaves, and sprinkle cheese over top. Place bottom half on baking sheet, and broil 2 minutes or until cheese melts. Arrange roasted peppers and fresh tomatoes over cheese, and cover with top half of bread. Cut into 4 equal pieces.

Orange & Vanilla Bean Cheesecake

I love being a Daring Baker, but there are some months when I LOOOOOOVE being a Daring Baker. Love, loff, LURVE.

April is one of those months. Our host, Jenny of Jenny Bakes, gave us a base recipe -- "Abby's Infamous Cheesecake" -- and let us adapt the hell out of it.

It was awesome.

I knew I wanted to serve this cheesecake as part of Easter Brunch, so I wanted to keep the flavors light and bright. Orange was a natural choice (and afforded me the opportunity to try my hand at candying oranges for decoration, too). I added the seeds from a vanilla bean, too.

The result is seriously delicious cheesecake; creamy and dreamy, with a perfect balance of orange and vanilla. (And no cracks on the top!) We devoured it.

One note: this cheesecake isn't as firm as others I've made, but I'm not sure if that simply what the recipe yields, or if I should have baked it a tad longer.

No matter: it's a delicious cheesecake, a wonderful recipe ready for endless adaptations, and one of my favorite DB challenges. Thank you Jenny for a great challenge!

Check out hundreds upon hundreds of other cheesecake variations through the Daring Bakers' Blog roll.


Orange Vanilla Bean Cheesecake

Crust:
2 cups / 180 g graham cracker crumbs
1 stick / 4 oz butter, melted
2 Tbsp. / 24 g sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Cheesecake:
3 sticks of cream cheese, 8 oz each (total of 24 oz) room temperature
1 cup / 210 g sugar
2 Tbsp. grated orange zest
3 large eggs
1 cup / 8 oz heavy cream
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed orange juice
Seeds scraped from 1 split vanilla bean

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (Gas Mark 4 = 180C = Moderate heat). Begin to boil a large pot of water for the water bath.

Mix together the crust ingredients and press into your preferred pan. You can press the crust just into the bottom, or up the sides of the pan too - baker's choice. Set crust aside.

Combine cream cheese, sugar and zest in the bowl of a stand-mixer (or in a large bowl if using a hand-mixer) and cream together until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next. Make sure to scrape down the bowl in between each egg. Add heavy cream, vanilla, and orange juice and blend until smooth and creamy.

Pour batter into prepared crust and tap the pan on the counter a few times to bring all air bubbles to the surface. Place pan into a larger pan and pour boiling water into the larger pan until halfway up the side of the cheesecake pan. Wrap bottom of pan tightly with aluminum foil to prevent leaks.

Pan note: The creator of this recipe used to use a springform pan, but no matter how well she wrapped the thing in tin foil, water would always seep in and make the crust soggy. Now she uses one of those 1-use foil "casserole" shaped pans from the grocery store. They're 8 or 9 inches wide and really deep, and best of all, water-tight. When it comes time to serve, just cut the foil away.

Bake cheesecake 45 to 55 minutes, until it is almost done - this can be hard to judge, but you're looking for the cake to hold together, but still have a lot of jiggle to it in the center. You don't want it to be completely firm at this stage. Close the oven door, turn the heat off, and let rest in the cooling oven for one hour. This lets the cake finish cooking and cool down gently enough so that it won't crack on the top.

After one hour, remove cheesecake from oven and lift carefully out of water bath. Let it finish cooling on the counter, and then cover and put in the fridge to chill (preferably overnight). Once fully chilled, it is ready to serve.

The April 2009 challenge is hosted by Jenny from Jenny Bakes. She has chosen Abbey's Infamous Cheesecake as the challenge.

Chili Garlic Shrimp

I spotted Jasmine's recipe for Chili Garlic Shrimp on her blog Confessions of a Cardamom Addict and started drooling. Oh God, did it look good and Oh God, did I have to make it.

This recipe does not disappoint. Sweet, spicy, salty, fishy (in a good way!) -- it's just too delicious. Shane and I inhaled it, fighting over every last morsel. Jasmine served it with glass noodles, though I served it over some brown rice so every little bit of sauce could be soaked up.

Mmmm, delicious.

Chili Garlic Shrimp

Spicy Chickpea & Spinach Curry

What's with all the chickpea recipes lately?

Honestly, I don't know. I'm just drawn to garbanzos right now. They taste good (or rather, they taste good when you add yummy stuff to them) and they're high in protein and fiber.

And they're easy to deal with, as in this recipe. Throw them in with some spinach, tomatoes and spices, let cook for 20 minutes and voila! Dinner (and maybe lunch the next day).

It doesn't get much easier than that.

Spicy Chickpea & Spinach Curry (adapted)

2 (15 oz) cans of chickpeas, drained
10 oz. fresh spinach leaves
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 Tbsp. ground coriander
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp. garam masala
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a large pot over medium heat, combine all ingredients and stir to combine; cover pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.

Lasagne Verdi al Forno: A Daring Baker Challenge

I really enjoy participating in the Daring Bakers because A) I get to try out recipes that I might not normally be drawn to and B) my skills as a home cook are challenged.

Some challenges are easy for me, and others make me want to run and hide.

I must admit that this month's challenge -- which asked DBers to make pasta from scratch, and create a lasagna using bechamel -- was a run-and-hide challenge.

Why? One: I'm picky about lasagna. Two: I don't have a pasta machine, so rolling out the lasagna would have to be done by hand. Three: I'm not a bechamel fan.

Let me say right here (in case anyone was experiencing recipe related suspense!) that I am so glad to have participated this month. The resulting lasagna was fabulous.

Yes, crafting pasta from scratch without a pasta machine was intimidating. But the dough was beautiful, and surprisingly easy to work with! (And, um, using the dough hook on my stand mixer made bringing the dough together a breeze...) It rolled out nicely and, as long as I kept it lightly floured, did not stick to the board.

Did I get it as thin as I could have? Probably not. Still, the lasagna was lovely, tender, and so much better than dried pasta. And a beautiful vivid green -- perfect for the dawn of Spring!

As for the bechamel, it provided a wonderful rich creaminess to the lasagna. But the most prominent flavor (aside from the oodles of freshly grated Parmesean) was the meaty ragu -- so much depth, so much flavor. (The ragu is slightly adapted from the original recipe.)

After assembling the lasagna, I had about 8 noodles left over, so I spread them with part-skim ricotta (16 oz. total) mixed with chopped fresh parsley, salt and pepper, and rolled the noodles up. I topped all this with an impromptu sauce: I sauteed 6 oz of ground sweet sausage, about two chopped onions and 3-4 cloves of chopped garlic. Then, I added the leftover canned tomatoes from the ragu, and let simmer for 5 -10 minutes to let the flavors meld. In a small casserole dish, I spread a thin layer of the sauce on the bottom, topped it with the lasagna rolls, and smothered them with the remaining sauce. Then, I baked them in a 350-degree oven for 35 minutes, topped the rolls with some shredded mozzarella, and baked for another 5 minutes before serving. Delicious!

All around, this was a great challenge and a delicious recipe. Many thanks to this month's hosts: Mary of Beans and Caviar, Melinda of Melbourne Larder and Enza of Io Da Grande.

Check out all the other DB versions of the recipe at the DBers' new home, The Daring Kitchen.

Lasagne of Emilia-Romagna (Lasagne Verdi al Forno)


The March 2009 challenge is hosted by Mary of Beans and Caviar, Melinda of Melbourne Larder and Enza of Io Da Grande. They have chosen Lasagne of Emilia-Romagna from The Splendid Table by Lynne Rossetto Kasper as the challenge.

(Serves 8 to 10 as a first course, 6 to 8 as a main dish)

Preparation Time: 15 minutes to assemble and 40 minutes cooking time

10 quarts (9 litres) salted water
1 recipe Spinach Pasta cut for lasagna (recipe follows)#1
1 recipe Bechamel Sauce (recipe follows)#2
1 recipe Country Style Ragu (recipe follows)#3
1 cup (4 ounces/125g) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Method
Working Ahead:
The ragu and the béchamel sauce can be made up to three days ahead. The ragu can also be frozen for up to one month. The pasta can be rolled out, cut and dried up to 24 hours before cooking. The assembled lasagne can wait at room temperature (20 degrees Celsius/68 degrees Fahrenheit) about 1 hour before baking. Do not refrigerate it before baking, as the topping of béchamel and cheese will overcook by the time the center is hot.

Assembling the Ingredients:
Have all the sauces, rewarmed gently over a medium heat, and the pasta at hand. Have a large perforated skimmer and a large bowl of cold water next to the stove. Spread a double thickness of paper towels over a large counter space. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius). Oil or butter a 3 quart (approx 3 litre) shallow baking dish.

Cooking the Pasta:
Bring the salted water to a boil. Drop about four pieces of pasta in the water at a time. Cook about 2 minutes. If you are using dried pasta, cook about 4 minutes, taste, and cook longer if necessary. The pasta will continue cooking during baking, so make sure it is only barely tender. Lift the lasagne from the water with a skimmer, drain, and then slip into the bowl of cold water to stop cooking. When cool, lift out and dry on the paper towels. Repeat until all the pasta is cooked.

Assembling the Lasagne:
Spread a thin layer of béchamel over the bottom of the baking dish. Arrange a layer of about four overlapping sheets of pasta over the béchamel. Spread a thin layer of béchamel (about 3 or 4 spoonfuls) over the pasta, and then an equally thin layer of the ragu. Sprinkle with about 1&1/2 tablespoons of the béchamel and about 1/3 cup of the cheese. Repeat the layers until all ingredients are used, finishing with béchamel sauce and topping with a generous dusting of cheese.

Baking and Serving the Lasagne:
Cover the baking dish lightly with foil, taking care not to let it touch the top of the lasagne. Bake 40 minutes, or until almost heated through. Remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes, or until hot in the center (test by inserting a knife – if it comes out very warm, the dish is ready). Take care not to brown the cheese topping. It should be melted, creamy looking and barely tinged with a little gold. Turn off the oven, leave the door ajar and let the lasagne rest for about 10 minutes. Then serve. This is not a solid lasagne, but a moist one that slips a bit when it is cut and served.

#1 Spinach Egg Pasta (Pasta Verde)

Preparation: 45 minutes

Makes enough for 6 to 8 first course servings or 4 to 6 main course servings, equivalent to 1 pound (450g) dried boxed pasta.

2 jumbo eggs (2 ounces/60g or more)
10 ounces (300g) fresh spinach, rinsed dry, and finely chopped; or 6 ounces (170g) frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
3&1/2 cups (14 ounces/400g) all purpose unbleached (plain) flour (organic stone ground preferred)

Working by Hand:

Equipment

A roomy work surface, 24 to 30 inches deep by 30 to 36 inches (60cm to 77cm deep by 60cm to 92cm). Any smooth surface will do, but marble cools dough slightly, making it less flexible than desired.

A pastry scraper and a small wooden spoon for blending the dough.

A wooden dowel-style rolling pin. In Italy, pasta makers use one about 35 inches long and 2 inches thick (89cm long and 5cm thick). The shorter American-style pin with handles at either end can be used, but the longer it is, the easier it is to roll the pasta.
Note: although it is not traditional, Enza has successfully made pasta with a marble rolling pin, and this can be substituted for the wooden pin, if you have one.

Plastic wrap to wrap the resting dough and to cover rolled-out pasta waiting to be filled. It protects the pasta from drying out too quickly.

A sharp chef’s knife for cutting pasta sheets.

Cloth-covered chair backs, broom handles, or specially designed pasta racks found in cookware shops for draping the pasta.

Mixing the dough:
Mound the flour in the center of your work surface and make a well in the middle. Add the eggs and spinach. Use a wooden spoon to beat together the eggs and spinach. Then gradually start incorporating shallow scrapings of flour from the sides of the well into the liquid. As you work more and more flour into the liquid, the well’s sides may collapse. Use a pastry scraper to keep the liquids from running off and to incorporate the last bits of flour into the dough. Don’t worry if it looks like a hopelessly rough and messy lump.

Kneading:
With the aid of the scraper to scoop up unruly pieces, start kneading the dough. Once it becomes a cohesive mass, use the scraper to remove any bits of hard flour on the work surface – these will make the dough lumpy. Knead the dough for about 3 minutes. Its consistency should be elastic and a little sticky. If it is too sticky to move easily, knead in a few more tablespoons of flour. Continue kneading about 10 minutes, or until the dough has become satiny, smooth, and very elastic. It will feel alive under your hands. Do not shortcut this step. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, and let it relax at room temperature 30 minutes to 3 hours.

Stretching and Thinning:
If using an extra-long rolling pin work with half the dough at a time. With a regular-length rolling pin, roll out a quarter of the dough at a time and keep the rest of the dough wrapped. Lightly sprinkle a large work surface with flour. The idea is to stretch the dough rather than press down and push it. Shape it into a ball and begin rolling out to form a circle, frequently turning the disc of dough a quarter turn. As it thins outs, start rolling the disc back on the pin a quarter of the way toward the center and stretching it gently sideways by running the palms of your hands over the rolled-up dough from the center of the pin outward. Unroll, turn the disc a quarter turn, and repeat. Do twice more.

Stretch and even out the center of the disc by rolling the dough a quarter of the way back on the pin. Then gently push the rolling pin away from you with one hand while holding the sheet in place on the work surface with the other hand. Repeat three more times, turning the dough a quarter turn each time.

Repeat the two processes as the disc becomes larger and thinner. The goal is a sheet of even thickness. For lasagne, the sheet should be so thin that you can clearly see your hand through it and see colours. Cut into rectangles about 4 by 8 inches (10 x 20 cm). Note: Enza says that transparency is a crucial element of lasagne pasta and the dough should be rolled as thinly as possible. She says this is why her housekeeper has such strong arms!

Dry the pasta at room temperature and store in a sealed container or bag.

#2 Bechamel

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

4 tablespoons (2 ounces/60g) unsalted butter
4 tablespoons (2 ounces/60g) all purpose unbleached (plain) flour, organic stone ground preferred
2&2/3 cups (approx 570ml) milk
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Freshly grated nutmeg to taste

Using a medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter over low to medium heat. Sift over the flour, whisk until smooth, and then stir (without stopping) for about 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk a little at a time and keep the mixture smooth. Bring to a slow simmer, and stir 3 to 4 minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Season with salt, pepper, and a hint of nutmeg.

#3 Country Style Ragu’ (Ragu alla Contadina)

Preparation Time: Ingredient Preparation Time 30 minutes and Cooking time 2 hours

Makes enough sauce for 1 recipe fresh pasta or 1 pound/450g dried pasta)

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (45 mL)
2 ounces/60g pancetta, finely chopped
2 medium onion, diced
4 ounces/125g pork loin, trimmed of fat

4 ounces/125g mild Italian sausage (made without fennel)
8 ounces/250g beef skirt steak, hanging tender, or boneless chuck blade or chuck center cut (in order of preference)
1 ounce/30g thinly sliced Prosciutto di Parma
2/3 cup (5 ounces/160ml) dry red wine
1 &1/2 cups (12 ounces/375ml) chicken or beef stock (homemade if possible)
2 cups (16 ounces/500ml) milk
3 canned plum tomatoes, drained
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Working Ahead:
The ragu can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. It also freezes well for up to 1 month. Skim the fat from the ragu’ before using it.

Browning the Ragu Base:
Heat the olive oil in a 12 inch (30cm) skillet (frying pan) over medium-high heat. Have a large saucepan handy to use once browning is complete. Add the pancetta and minced vegetables and sauté, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, 10 minutes, or until the onions barely begin to color. Coarsely grind all the meats together, including the prosciutto, in a food processor or meat grinder. Stir into the pan and slowly brown over medium heat. First the meats will give off a liquid and turn dull grey but, as the liquid evaporates, browning will begin. Stir often, scooping under the meats with the wooden spatula. Protect the brown glaze forming on the bottom of the pan by turning the heat down. Cook 15 minutes, or until the meats are a deep brown. Turn the contents of the skillet into a strainer and shake out the fat. Turn them into the saucepan and set over medium heat.

Reducing and Simmering: Add the wine to the skillet, lowering the heat so the sauce bubbles quietly. Stir occasionally until the wine has reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Scrape up the brown glaze as the wine bubbles. Then pour the reduced wine into the saucepan and set the skillet aside.

Stir ½ cup stock into the saucepan and let it bubble slowly, 10 minutes, or until totally evaporated. Repeat with another ½ cup stock. Stir in the last 1/2 cup stock along with the milk. Adjust heat so the liquid bubbles very slowly. Partially cover the pot, and cook 1 hour. Stir frequently to check for sticking.
Add the tomatoes, crushing them as they go into the pot. Cook uncovered, at a very slow bubble for another 45 minutes, or until the sauce resembles a thick, meaty stew. Season with salt and pepper.

Balsamic and Thyme Chickpea with Chorizo

Stephanie's blog made me hungry. I made myself nuts by not having an precise recipe. A couple of divers made a website that helped me out.

The result is lip-smackingly delicious -- sweet, tart, acidic, smoky and all-around fabulous. Sop up all the extra balsamic and chorizo oil that finds its way to the bottom of the plate with a slice of good, crusty bread.

Balsamic and Thyme Chickpea with Chorizo
1 Tbsp. thyme leaves, minced
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
Salt and pepper to taste
2 (15 oz) cans chickpeas, drained
8 oz. Chorizo sauasages, sliced

In a small bowl, toss thyme, balsamic, oil, garlic, salt and pepper with the drained chickpeas; set aside. Heat a frying pan over medium heat, add the chorizo and cook for 2-3 mins. Add the chickpea mixture and cook for a further 2-3 mins until chickpeas are warmed through. Enjoy!

Chickpea Ratatouille

From Dreena Burton's Vive le Vegan! is a hearty, filling, economical and, most importantly, delicious chickpea ratatouille.

If I were Cathy at Not Eating Out In New York I could even figure out the cost of the meal but I'm not, and I'm bad at math to boot.

I adapted it slightly, using honey versus vegan-friendly honey substitute, and served it with Pan de Sal.

Chickpea Ratatouille (adapted)
3½ - 4 cups cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
1 ¼ - ½ cups red onion, finely chopped
3 - 4 medium-large cloves garlic, minced
1 28-oz can diced tomatoes
1⁄2 cup red or orange bell pepper, diced
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
2 tsp honey (or honey substitute)
2 tsp mustard seeds
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1⁄2 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp sea salt
1⁄8 tsp allspice
freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 dried bay leaves

Preheat oven to 400-degrees. In a large, deep casserole dish, combine all the ingredients except the bay leaves. Stir through until well combined, then embed the bay leaves in the mixture. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Stir through, cover, and bake for another 35-45 minutes, until the onions are tender and translucent (stir through again once or twice through baking). Remove bay leaves and serve. Makes 4-5 servings or more, depending on accompaniments.

So close, Michelle. And yet...

There's an article in today's New York Times about Michelle Obama's vocal support of eating fresh, organic foods .

“You know, we want to make sure our guests here [at Miriam’s Kitchen] and across the nation are eating nutritious items,” said Mrs. Obama, who served lunch to several homeless men and women and delivered eight cases of fresh fruit to the soup kitchen, all donated by White House employees.

And,

In a speech at the Department of Agriculture last month, Mrs. Obama described herself as “a big believer” in community gardens that provide “fresh fruits and vegetables for so many communities across this nation and world.”

And,

Some of those who had called on President Obama to use the White House as a bully pulpit to help improve Americans’ eating habits are cheering Mrs. Obama on.

They were thrilled to learn that the White House gets fresh fruits and vegetables from farms in Maryland, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. And they delighted in the news that the Obamas had served organic wine at their first big White House dinner, a gathering of the nation’s governors last month.

It's great that eating fresh, organic and local (though NJ and Pennsylvania isn't exactly local to D.C.) is getting such attention and promotion from the White House. If you care about food, and food issues, the Obama administration has given you a lot to be happy about.

But then, Mrs. Obama goes and ruins it for me:

In the November issue of Parents magazine, she and her husband described their decision to ditch juice boxes and processed foods.

“A couple of years ago — you’d never know it by looking at her now — Malia was getting a little chubby,” Mr. Obama told the magazine.

They took action, Mrs. Obama said, when “her doctor — he really monitors this type of thing — suggested we look at her diet. So we cut out juice boxes, sweets and processed foods.”

"Malia was getting a little chubby." (If you're being interviewed about eating nutritious food, does the journalist force you -- at gunpoint -- to invoke the obesity ooga-booga-booga?)

Malia is 10 (her birthday is, I kid you not, July 4, 1998). So when she was getting "a little chubby" she was 8. Did anyone think that, maybe, she was gaining weight so that her body could use the stored energy to grow a few inches? Like lots of healthy kids do all the time? (Even if they eat all organic, non-processed food grown within a 25-mile radius of their homes, kids will do this.)

And thank god you'd never know -- now -- that Malia used to be chubby. Because, a chubby in the White House? Quelle horror!

But, let's play Devil's advocate. Why would Malia's doctor tell the Obamas to toss out the processed foods if he didn't think there was a causal relationship between these foods and Malia's increase in weight?

Maybe because doctors, like the rest of us, are inundated with the message that the foods we eat directly lead to obesity, despite research that says our weight is largely genetic and being "overweight" might not be a bad idea for long term health . (Also, many studies discussing the obesity epidemic are sponsored by diet and fitness clubs, weight loss magazines and companies with prescription drugs to sell.)


But back to my main point. I would love to read an article -- that's *not* in a foodie magazine -- where local, fresh, organic food is celebrated for its DELICIOUSNESS and/or its GOODNESS FOR YOUR BODY AND MIND, without referencing, either directly or indirectly, that eating well will help you get ready for swimsuit season. Or, get you into the skinny jeans. Or, whatever B.S. happiness becoming thin is supposed to achieve.

So my plea to Michelle Obama: please promote good food because it tastes good and is good for you. And leave the weight gain/loss out of it.

A few thoughts from other people:
And it begins… Obama girls’ diets, weight make national news
Public Health, Nutrition, and the Obama family
The Obama Girls Are Not The Olsen Twins
Is This "Healthful?"

Pan de Sal

A couple of weeks ago, I got an email from Dorothy, a blog reader, asking me to test out a recipe for Pan de Sal.

Pan de Sal is a traditional Filipino roll, usually eaten for breakfast and, despite its name, is on the sweet side.

I've never made these before, so I wasn't quite sure what I was getting into. But, the recipe is rather straightforward and, if using a stand mixer (as I did), was fairly simple to pull together. (You don't have to, of course: follow these directions to make them by hand.)

The rolls bake up nicely, are best eaten hot from the oven, and highly addictive -- pillowy soft and lightly sweet. (According to some, they should be sweeter and can be made so by increasing the sugar to 2/3 cup.)

Two other points to note:
I did not roll the dough in breadcrumbs from previous pan de sal as is traditional. The recipe below doesn't address this but if I were to try it, I'd probably roll the dough in the crumbs just before the second rise.

The original recipe calls for the dough to be divided into 4 equal pieces, rolled into logs 1/2 inch in diameter and then cut into 1/2 inch pieces. I thought this was too small (those are the smaller rolls in the picture above) so instead, I rolled the logs out into 1-inch diameter, and cut into 1-inch pieces.

Pan de Sal

2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
2 tsp active dry yeast
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup oil
1 1/2 tsp salt
6 cups all-purpose flour

Put the warm water in a small mixing bowl and add the yeast and 1 teaspoon of the sugar; stir to dissolve. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.

In a bowl of a stand mixer, combine the remaining sugar and the oil and mix until smooth using the paddle attachment. Add the salt, 1 cup of flour and the yeast mixture; stir well. Switch to the dough hook, and add the remaining 5 cups flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

Using the dough hook, continuing kneading the dough until smooth, supple and elastic; about 10 minutes. If the dough is too sticky, add a tablespoon or two of flour.

Lightly oil a large mixing bowl, place the dough in it and turn to coat the dough with oil. Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let sit in a warm place until the dough has doubled in volume; about 1 hour.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 4 equal pieces. Form each piece into a ball and roll out into a log about 1 inch in diameter. Using a sharp knife, cut each 'log' into 1 inch pieces. Place the pieces, flat side down, onto two lightly greased baking sheets. Gently press each roll down to flatten. Cover the rolls with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake rolls until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Chocolate Valentino with Blackberry Coulis: Celebrating The Blog's Birthday with the Daring Bakers

Guess what? This blog was born 3 years ago today!

Where did the time go?

How many calories were consumed?

Why has my photography only marginally improved?

In any event, I can't think of a better way to celebrate than with the Daring Bakers; today's our posting date!

The February 2009 challenge is hosted by Wendy of WMPE's blog and Dharm of Dad ~ Baker & Chef. "We have chosen a Chocolate Valentino cake by Chef Wan; a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Dharm and a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Wendy as the challenge."

A Chocolate Valentino is a flourless chocolate cake (mmmmmm) . Fortunately for me , we didn't *have* to make ice cream, just a topping to go along with the the cake. (We are still in the throws of winter in Upstate NY, and I just didn't have it in me to get creative with a cold dessert.)

So to accompany my cake, I made a simple blackberry coulis (adapted from this recipe).

I was faithful to the Chocolate Valentino recipe with two exceptions:
1) I melted the chocolate and butter in the microwave at 1 minute intervals on 40-percent power, stirring in between each go-round
2) I used a 9-inch, round springform pan.

And the result? A-MAZ-ING. It's like eating a fantastic chocolate truffle -- velvety, rich, decadent, fudgy -- and the coulis paired beautifully.

So thank you Wendy & Dharm for a fantastic challenge! This may be my favorite DB challenge thus far!




Chocolate Valentino

16 ounces of semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
½ cup (1 stick) plus 2 tablespoons (146 grams total) of unsalted butter
5 large eggs separated

Put chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water) and melt, stirring often.

While your chocolate butter mixture is cooling. Butter your pan and line with a parchment circle then butter the parchment.

Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and put into two medium/large bowls.

Whip the egg whites in a medium/large grease free bowl until stiff peaks are formed (do not over-whip or the cake will be dry).

With the same beater beat the egg yolks together.

Add the egg yolks to the cooled chocolate.

Fold in 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and follow with remaining 2/3rds. Fold until no white remains without deflating the batter.

Pour batter into prepared pan, the batter should fill the pan 3/4 of the way full, and bake at 375F/190C.

Bake for 25 minutes until an instant read thermometer reads 140F/60C. (Note – If you do not have an instant read thermometer, the top of the cake will look similar to a brownie and a cake tester will appear wet.)

Cool cake on a rack for 10 minutes then unmold.

Notes:
- Use your favorite chocolate – the finished cake will taste exactly like the chocolate you use. Be creative with your chocolate, if you like a sweeter cake use milk chocolate or a combination of the semisweet and milk chocolate. If you like bittersweet chocolate use that and add sweetness by mixing the semi sweet with bittersweet. If you are daring, try white chocolate.
A higher cocoa percentage increases the bitterness of the chocolate.

-Equipment - it is optional to use a heart shaped pan. For a real Valentino, bake it in a heart shaped pan or cut it out into a heart shape. You may use any shape pan that gives you an area of 50” - 6x8 or 7x7. An 8” spring form pan works with great results as do smaller pans or ramekins.

-An instant read thermometer highly recommended.

Heart Shaped Samoas

Do you follow Nic's Baking Bites ? It's filled with lots of tempting sweets and a week doesn't go by without a post that makes me drool.

Nic is especially good at recreating beloved recipes, especially Girl Scout cookies. She's got Thin Mints, Homemade Do-Si-Dos , Homemade Tagalongs and, Shane's favorite, Samoas.

So for Valentine's Day, I decided to follow Nic's Samoa recipe, but make the traditionally round cookies into hearts.

The verdict? YUM! With chewy caramel, toasted coconut, a buttery shortbread base, all kissed by dark chocolate, how could you go wrong? I'd say it was a spot-on recreation but this is so much better than the original. Those Girl Scouts better watch their backs...

The trickiest part of the recipe was spreading the coconut caramel topping onto the shortbread cookie base. The topping is awfully sticky and wanted to cling to almost everything it touched -- except the cookie. Eventually, I just used a spoon to spread the topping onto the cookie and, as the caramel & coconut cooled, I pressed it more firmly onto the cookie and shaped it into hearts.

Nic recommended Werther's Chewy Caramels but I was unable to find them at the store (what's up with that, Wegmans?!?) so I picked up Brach's Milk Maids instead. The end result was very tasty, but the caramel & coconut was a bit chewier than I would have liked; a softer caramel (but NOT a flowing one) would have been better.

I left the half the heart-shaped shortbread cut outs free of the coconut caramel, leaving some simply plain (for Kian's valentine gift), and others drizzeled in chocolate (for Sadie).

The unused caramel coconut topping didn't go to waste, however; it was pressed into a rectangle about 1/4-inch thick, allowed to cool, and then cut into bite sized pieces. Voila! Tasty caramel coconut chews.




Homemade Samoas from Nic's Baking Bites (slightly adapted)

Cookies
1 cup butter, soft
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
up to 2 Tbsp milk

Preheat oven to 350-degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Mix in flour, baking powder and salt at a low speed, followed by the vanilla and milk, adding in the milk as needed to make the dough come together without being sticky (it’s possible you might not need to add milk at all). The dough should come together into a soft, not-too-sticky ball. Add in a bit of extra flour if your dough is very sticky.

Working in two or three batches, roll out the dough between pieces of wax or parchement paper to about 1/4-inch thickness (or slightly less) and cut out shapes using a 1 to 1 1/2 -inch cookie cutter.

Place on a parchment lined baking sheet. If you'd like to make your rounds look just like samoas, use the end of a wide straw to cut a smaller center hole.

Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through, until bottoms are lightly browned and cookies are set.

Cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Coconut Caramel Topping
3 cups shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
12-oz good-quality chewy caramels
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp milk
1/2 tsp vanilla (optional)
8 oz. semisweet chocolate (chocolate chips are ok)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Spread coconut evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet (preferably one with sides) and toast 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until coconut is golden. Cool on baking sheet, stirring occasionally. Set aside.

Meanwhile unwrap the caramels and place in a large microwave-safe bowl with salt, milk, and vanilla. Cook on high for 3-4 minutes, stopping to stir a few times to help the caramel melt. When smooth, fold in toasted coconut with a spatula.

Using a small spoon or small offset spatula, spread topping on cooled cookies, using about 2-3 tsp per cookie. Reheat caramel for a few seconds in the microwave if it gets too firm to work with.

While topping sets up, melt chocolate in a small bowl. Heat on high in the microwave in 45 second intervals, stirring thoroughly to prevent scorching. Dip the base of each cookie into the chocolate and place on a clean piece of parchment paper. Transfer all remaining chocolate (or melt a bit of additional chocolate, if necessary) into a piping bag or a ziplock bag with the corner snipped off and drizzle finished cookies with chocolate.

Let chocolate set completely before storing in an airtight container.

Yields 3 1/2 to 4 dozen cookies.

Cinnamon Raisin Twists

When I lived on the Upper East Side, each morning I'd stop by the old Lexington Ave. location of Amy's Bread on the way to work. A tiny shop, it was filled with all sorts of goodies. Breads of course -- baguettes, whole wheat, sourdoughs, semolinas -- but what really lured me were the sweeter breakfast treats. The offerings changed daily, so a Monday might offer a French Blueberry muffin; Wednesday, perhaps a Zucchini Carrot Apple muffin; and Fridays always -- always!-- Cinnamon Challah knots.

So I would pop in and a few minutes later, I'd have my breakfast treat wrapped up happily in my hand. Already, the workday seemed brighter.

So when I realized that The Sweeter Side of Amy's Bread had been released, I had to get my hands on it. And when I got my hands on it, I baked the Cinnamon Raisin Twists.

So delicious and irresistable! Chewy, buttery, warm and sweet (but not too sweet)! I polished off most of this batch -- in fact, I hid the last twist from everyone else in the house so I could have it to myself.

Interested? Browse The Sweeter Side of Amy's Bread and even take a sneak peek at the Cinnamon Raisin Twist recipe.

Pork Chops with Orange & Fennel Salad

Where have I been? Not dead, just busy.

So it's especially nice to find a recipe that comes together easy and is delicious. The pork here is juicy, tender, and flavorful; with it's sprinkling of fennel seeds, it's reminiscent of a good pork sausage. It's made even better with the sweetness of oranges and the crunch of fennel.

All in all, a meal simple enough to make on a weeknight, but elegant enough to serve to guests.

Pork Chops with Orange & Fennel Salad (source)

3 navel oranges
1 teaspoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon cornstarch
½ teaspoon salt, divided
4, 4-ounce boneless pork chops, ½ inch thick, trimmed
2 teaspoons fennel seeds, roughly chopped or coarsely ground in a spice grinder
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large fennel bulb, cored and thinly sliced
1 shallot, chopped
3 cups watercress or arugula, tough stems removed

Remove the skin and white pith from oranges with a sharp knife. Working over a bowl, cut the segments from their surrounding membranes. Squeeze juice in the bowl before discarding membranes. Transfer the segments with a slotted spoon to another bowl. Whisk lemon juice, sugar, cornstarch and 1/4 teaspoon salt into the bowl with the orange juice. Set aside.

Season pork chops on both sides with fennel seeds, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the chops and cook until browned and just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.

Add sliced fennel and shallot to the pan and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add watercress (or arugula) and cook, stirring, until it begins to wilt, 1 to 2 minutes more. Stir in the reserved orange segments, then transfer the contents of the pan to a platter.

Add the reserved orange juice mixture and any accumulated juices from the pork chops to the pan. Cook, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Serve the pork chops on the fennel salad, drizzled with the pan sauce.