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Chocolate Mousse
2008-02-04 02:09:00
This chocolate mousse is a part of Love and Death by Chocolate , but it's also great on its own.Chocolate Mousse(makes approximately 1 ½ cups)2 ounces semisweet chocolate1 teaspoon butter½ cup heavy cream1 egg white2 teaspoons sugar***************Place the chocolate in a small bowl and microwave on low power for 3 minutes, stirring every minute. Set aside.Whip the cream until it holds peaks that are not too stiff (but past soft) about 1 minute.In a stainless steel bowl, whip the egg white until it holds soft peaks. Continue whipping and add gradually add the sugar, whipping until the mixture holds stiff peaks.Add half of the whipped cream to the chocolate and fold to combine. Add the chocolate mixture and the remaining whipped cream to the egg white and fold to combine.

Cocoa Meringues
2008-02-04 02:01:00
This meringue is piped into discs for Love and Death by Chocolate. You can also pipe it into small spirals to make meringue kisses.Chocolate Meringuesadapted from Cook’s Illustrated(makes 8 discs and approximately 15 kisses)¼ cup + 2 tablespoons sugar1 teaspoon cornstarch2 egg whites¼ teaspoon vanilla extractPinch of salt1 tablespoon cocoa, sifted**************Heat oven to 225° F. On a large piece of parchment paper, trace 8 2 ¼” circles. Turn the paper over and place it on a baking sheet.Sift the sugar and cornstarch into a small bowl.In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites, vanilla, and salt at high speed until very soft peaks form – this will take 30-40 seconds. Reduce the mixer speed to medium, and slowly stream in the sugar mixture down the side of the bowl. Once all the sugar has been added, scrape down the sides of the bowl, then beat on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 40 seconds.Transfer the meringue to a pastry ...
More About: Cocoa

Pink Peppercorn Ganache
2008-02-04 01:54:00
This ganache is a part of Love and Death by Chocolate.Pink Peppercorn Ganache(makes about 2 cups)¾ cup heavy cream2 teaspoons pink peppercorns, crushed12 ounces semisweet (70%) chocolateCombine the cream and peppercorns in a small saucepan. Bring the cream to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 2 minutes.Put the chocolate in a stainless steel bowl and pour the cream through a sieve onto the chocolate. Let the cream sit on the chocolate for 3 minutes, then stir well until all the chocolate is melted.
More About: Nach

Fudgy Brownie Rounds
2008-02-04 01:35:00
These brownie rounds are part of Love and Death by Chocolate. You can also pour this batter into a small pan, or double the recipe for an 8"x8" pan.Fudgy Brownie Rounds for Love and Death by Chocolate(makes 8 two-inch brownie rounds)2 tablespoons unsalted butter3 ounces semisweet (70%) chocolate2 tablespoons flour4 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa¾ teaspoons espresso powder½ teaspoon baking powderPinch of salt1 egg1 egg white¼ cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar2 tablespoons dark brown sugar½ teaspoon vanilla extract2 tablespoons sour cream1 ounce semisweet chocolate chunks***************Heat oven to 325° F. Lightly butter 8 muffin cups, place a parchment paper round in the bottom, and butter the parchment.Place the butter and unsweetened and the chocolate in a small glass bowl. Microwave on low power (3) for 3 minutes, stirring every minute.In a small bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, espresso powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.Put the egg, egg white, sugars, and ...

Earl Grey Cake with Kumquat Marmalade and Almond Meringue Buttercream
2008-01-30 06:29:00
My brother celebrated his birthday last weekend, and, of course, I offered to make him a cake. He loves Earl Grey tea, so he requested that the cake somehow incorporate this flavor. After some brainstorming, I came up with the idea to flavor the cake itself with the tea. I like to make my cakes such that they have some sort of fruit filling and, if it works, some sort of nut on top of a flavored frosting. For this cake, I picked kumquats because their tart citrus flavor would complement the bergamot in the tea, and almonds for their mild nuttiness.My brother celebrated his birthday last weekend, and, of course, I offered to make him a cake. He loves Earl Grey tea, so he requested that the cake somehow incorporate this flavor. After some brainstorming, I came up with the idea to flavor the cake itself with the tea. I like to make my cakes such that they have some sort of fruit filling and, if it works, some sort of nut on top of a flavored frosting. For this cake, I picked kumquats b...
More About: Cake , Almond , Marmalade

Butternut Squash, Leek, and Chickpea Stew with Lemon-Parsley Couscous
2008-01-28 19:07:00
This past weekend was another one that found me away from Baltimore. The bf’s friend invited us to his parents’ cottage in PA to go skiing, and, seeing as how I had never been, we jumped at the offer. We drove to PA Friday night, skied in the morning and afternoon, drove to DC in the early evening to go to my brother’s place to help him celebrate his birthday (for which I made an awesome cake which will be posted here in a few days), and then back to Baltimore late Saturday night. Not only did I not cook this past weekend, but I ate horrible food on Saturday – a frozen personal pizza for lunch and trail mix and Combos for dinner. Gross, I know. I can’t wait to get back into the kitchen this week and make some food that is not only real, but also really good.I made this stew a few weeks ago – it was inspired by this recipe that a friend of mine had made a few weeks back. I wanted my version to be more hearty and less gratin-like, so I decided to add chickpeas and l...
More About: Lemon , Couscous , Squash , Leek

South Indian Baby Eggplant Curry
2008-01-24 18:56:00
I don’t think I need to reiterate my love for eggplant. My mom has been making this dish for many years, but I never bothered to learn how to make it. When I was home this past weekend, I noticed some small eggplants in the fridge and my mom told me to take them with me and make this curry with them. I had never made it before, but she assured me it was incredibly easy to make. She was right – the whole thing took under 20 minutes to make, there was minimal cleanup (courtesy of microwave cooking), and the best part is that it tasted exactly like my mom’s version of it. South Indian Baby Eggplant Curry (serves 2-3) 10 small egg-shaped eggplant2 tablespoons canola oil1 tablespoon sambar powder1 tablespoon chickpea flour1/8 teaspoon turmeric powderDash of asafetida3 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut*1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste1 teaspoon tamarind paste * I use frozen shredded coconut, which is available at Indian grocery stores.***********...
More About: South Indian

Linguini with Vegetarian Puttanesca Sauce
2008-01-23 16:34:00
I had no idea that last post would generate such a strong reaction! Maybe I should just stick to posting recipes… I was in NY this past weekend visiting my parents (and celebrating my brother’s birthday), which means that I came back to Baltimore with some of my mom’s awesome food, which also means that I’m not doing much cooking this week. So I’m posting something I made a week and a half ago and saved for a time just like this (i.e., when I’m not doing much cooking).I absolutely love salty food: I adore olives, I think capers should be in just about everything, and firm salty cheese absolutely needs to be grated on top of pasta. So of course I love puttanesca sauce – it’s packed with olives and capers is also slightly spicy, which I also love. But the problem is that puttanesca sauce is always made with anchovies, which clearly do not fit into my vegetarian diet (I think that anchovies creepy regardless of whether or not I eat animals). If I wanted to part...
More About: Vegetarian , Sauce

An unfortunate cupcake incident, or, how do you turn down bad baked goods?
2008-01-22 20:42:00
Those of you who know me well know that I don’t have much of a sweet tooth. Most people (myself included) find that odd, considering that I love to bake. I have always been this way – my aversion to sweets is definitely not something that I developed as an adult in order to avoid calories. On those rare occasions I do eat something sweet, it is something that is amazingly good - chocolates from Jacques Torres, homemade cakes and cupcakes, or confections from Citizen Cake or Pix Patisserie.Now that you know that about me, let me tell you a little story…Today at work, we belatedly celebrated the birthday of a coworker. Our office manager brought in some cupcakes: a tray of 12 supermarket cupcakes, of which half were vanilla, half were chocolate, and all of them were topped with crusty plain American buttercream frosting that was airbrushed with fluorescent color (I'm not kidding) and topped off with pastel confetti sprinkles; and 12 homemade chocolate cupcakes (and by home...
More About: Baked , Goods , Incident , Turn

Review: Pazza Luna
2008-01-20 22:29:00
The bf and I have been meaning to go Pazza Luna on a Wednesday night for some time now. Why a Wednesday night? 1. Wednesday night is pasta night: you can choose from 4 different pastas and it's only $10 per plate (as opposed to the regular cost $15-$20 per plate). They offer two from their regular menu as well as two specials. 2. Every day from 5-6:30 is happy hour. They offer discounted drinks (including $2/$3 beers and half price wines by the glass that regularly cost $8 or $9), and $4.50 special appetizers or $5 appetizers from the regular menu. The only catch is that you have to sit at the bar, which only seats 8 people, so you can't get there too late. Last week was not the best for me, so the bf suggested that I take a night off and that we go out to dinner, and we made a reservation at Pazza Luna for 6:30 on Wednesday. We got to the restaurant at 5:50 and the bar was almost full – there were only two seats available, and they weren't next to each other...
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Goodnight Rose Cupcakes (Pistachio Cardamom Cupcakes with Rosewater Meringu
2008-01-15 06:05:00
I was kind of bored the other night and decided that I was going to make interesting cupcakes despite the fact that my beloved KitchenAid mixer has been dead for the past month and its replacement is nowhere in sight. I’ve been on a bit of a rose water kick lately, so I decided to use a combination of flavors that are very common in Indian and Middle Eastern sweets: rose water, pistachio, and cardamom. Because the flavors are so delicate, I decided on a chiffon cupcake, but coming up with the recipe took me a while because I couldn’t find anything decent on which to base mine. After much scientific analysis (ha ha, not really) and studying of other recipes, I came up with these. (The cakes are best within 2 days of baking them – their texture is very delicate and light but they start to lose that quality after a few days.) These might be my favorite cupcakes that I have made to date - the silkiness of the floral meringue buttercream beautifully complements these del...
More About: Cardamom , Rose

Bánh Mì Chay - Vegetarian Vietnamese Sandwich
2008-01-14 16:54:00
One of my favorite places in NYC is Nicky’s Vietnamese Sandwich es. It’s a tiny storefront in the East Village and they only serve bánh mì, which are awesomely delicious Vietnamese sandwiches. Banh mi are traditionally made with pate and pork, but Nicky’s makes a few other versions using different meats, including a vegetarian version with marinated portobello mushrooms. I used to get one about once a month, sometimes eating it in the tiny store at one of the two small tables, sometimes taking it home with me to my apartment just a few blocks (and later, a few subway stops) away. They were so simple, but so so so so good – the combination of a crunchy baguette, pickled carrots, cilantro, and magically marinated mushrooms was divine. Sadly, I haven’t had one in the year and a half I’ve lived in Baltimore – it isn’t quite the culinary mecca that NYC is (although I recently learned that Red Emma’s, which is just a block away from my building, has a veg...
More About: Vegetarian

Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes
2008-01-10 09:13:00
My supervisor at work - who is awesome for many reasons - gave me a sweet holiday present last month – a jar of wild Maine blueberry jam that she had made in August while she was vacationing in Maine with her family. I didn’t want to just put it on toast; I was saving it for something really good. Last weekend, I came up with it: super-fluffy pancakes. I haven’t made pancakes in years, and I recall that my previous attempts were flat and kind of blah. I know that I’m much better in the kitchen these days, so I decided to revisit them. I love using buttermilk when I bake – the end result is always seriously moist and fluffy – so I decided to use it in my pancakes, too. And, as I had hoped, the pancakes turned out exactly the same way. Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes (makes 4-5 pancakes – serves 2) 1 cup flour2 tablespoons sugar1 teaspoon baking powder¼ teaspoon baking soda¼ teaspoon salt1 egg1 cup buttermilk1 tablespoon butter, me...

Highbrow Cocktails (my own and my love for others')
2008-01-08 16:05:00
Although they were one of the big trends of 2007, I have always liked creative handcrafted cocktails. I think the infamous Milk and Honey in Manhattan’s Lower East Side was the first place to offer such libations, and, because I’m sooo cool, I used to have their phone number and have been there a few times – of course, this was a number of years ago, before they got really popular and started changing their number like every month because people were posting it on the internet. The owners of M&H then opened Little Branch, for which you don’t need a phone number to get in, and, although I’ve only been once, I think it’s just as good as – if not better – than the original (probably because it is stripped of all pretenses). There are now a handful of other bars in NYC that specialize in such cocktails, but I think my favorite handcrafted cocktail bar of the moment is Bramble. It’s in Edinburgh. Scotland. I read about this place in some magazine I found on ...
More About: Love , Cocktails

Spicy Black Bean, Corn, and Potato Soup
2008-01-05 21:05:00
This is totally one of my favorite soups – it’s insanely easy to make but stands on its own as a meal. I first made this for my parents a few years ago, and they both loved it. But I think the best testament to how good this soup is is the fact that my friend Rick, the world’s pickiest eater, likes it. ‘Nuff said. Spicy Black Bean , Corn , and Potato Soup (serves 3-4) 2 tablespoons canola oil1 small white onion, finely chopped1 small jalapeño pepper, seeds and ribs removed, finely chopped (about 1 tablespoon)1 teaspoon cumin powder1 teaspoon coriander powder1 clove garlic, minced1 medium Yukon gold potato, cut into ½” chunks1 quart vegetable broth1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed1 cup frozen corn kernelLarge handful of cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped (about ¼ cup)½ lime, cut lengthwise into wedges½ avocado, cut into chunksA few handfuls of blue corn chips***************Heat the oil in a pot set over medium heat. A...

Linguini with Mushroom Carbonara Sauce
2008-01-04 13:43:00
I've never heard of or seen a vegetarian version of carbonara sauce, which is really strange to me - how hard is it to just leave out the bacon? I guess the bacon is the main element, but it seemed pretty obvious to me to replace it with mushrooms, which are frequently used as a substitute for meat. I first made this a few years ago as a little experiment and clearly it worked. And since I was desperately craving it last week, I decided to make it last night. I won't lie and say it's good for you, but it certainly does make you feel good when it's freezing cold in your apartment!Mushroom Carb onara(serves 1) Scant ¼ pound dry linguini2 teaspoons butter½ small shallot, minced1 small garlic clove, minced¾ cup sliced crimini mushrooms (I used 4 large criminis and 1 chanterelle)¼ teaspoon chopped fresh sage2 tablespoons dry white wine1 egg yolk2 tablespoons heavy cream2 tablespoons (packed) freshly grated parmigiano reggiano cheeseLarge pinch of sa...
More About: Sauce

Israeli Couscous with Kale, Butternut Squash, and White Beans
2008-01-03 05:01:00
It's very obvious that I haven’t been home much in the past few weeks. Between going to my parents’ house for the weekend of Christmas and then back up to NYC the following weekend for New Year’s Eve, I’ve barely been home. And that means that I haven’t gone grocery shopping and that I kind of sort of have the same things in my fridge that have been there the past two weeks. (Thankfully such things last a long time in the fridge.) I came home from work tonight and realized that I had slim pickings in the fridge, but I refused to order food because I’ve been eating out for the past 5 days and I couldn’t bring myself to do so yet again. I remembered I had an unopened box of Israeli couscous in the pantry that I had bought too many months ago, and, because I really only had vegetables from the pizza I made a while back, I had no option but to revamp said pizza into some sort of Mediterranean warm salad type thing. (This is what happens when you're cooking for one!...
More About: Beans , White , Couscous , Squash , Kale

Mushroom Risotto
2007-12-27 23:41:00
I was in a blah mood yesterday – the cold, gray, rainy day certainly didn’t help – and I wanted something creamy and comforting for dinner. What I really wanted was linguini with mushroom carbonara sauce (hold the bacon), but I was out of eggs and had no intention of going out into the rain to more. I had my mind set on something creamy and mushroomy (and no, cream of mushroom soup was not even close to what I wanted, I've never even eaten the stuff), and then it came to me: risotto! Risotto is totally easy to make, it’s just a little time consuming because of the slow addition of the liquid to the rice, which is why I think people are afraid of it. Normally I wouldn’t make risotto for myself (I’m really lazy when it comes to cooking for myself and frequently resort to frozen veggie burgers and strange foods which I dare not mention on here for fear of sullying my good name), but it was the perfect comfort food for a dreary day. Mushroom Risotto(serves 1) ...

Candy Cane Cupcakes
2007-12-26 17:15:00
I made these mini cupcakes last week - they were supposed to be taken to my department's holiday party, but I ended up giving them to the bf and his coworkers because I ended up going home due to my not feeling so hot (I''m totally better now, save the for minor congestion).The cupcakes are simple vanilla cupcakes, recipe courtesy of Amy Sedaris. I don't have the recipes for the frostings with me, but all I did was grind up candy canes in a spice grinder and replace some of the confectioners sugar in the frosting with the candy cane powder (the pink frosting is a vanilla cream cheese frosting, the chocolate frosting is a cocoa frosting made with Ghirardelli cocoa powder). After piping the frosting onto the cupcakes, I topped them off with a sprinkling of crushed candy cane.
More About: Candy , Cane

White Bean, Kale, and Butternut Squash Pizza
2007-12-21 21:00:00
I’ve always liked the combination of white beans, kale, and butternut squash, but I’ve only seen it as a stew – kind of boring. My recent culinary solution to everything is pizza, so I figured that these ingredients would be great on a pizza. I made a version of this a few weeks ago, and while it was good, it wasn’t quite right. I thought about it for a while, came up with a solution, and, being the easily distracted person I am,never got around to it. Well, I finally did the other night, and this second version of it is really really good. All of the flavors shine – nothing gets lost like it might in a stew. And it’s a pizza. Who doesn’t like pizza? (Weird people, that’s who.) White Bean , Kale , and Butternut Squash Pizza (makes two 10-inch pies) 2 balls of dough, each for a 10-inch pizza (I always have some in my freezer)½ cup white beans2 cloves roasted garlic1/8 teaspoon saltPinch of freshly ground black pepper4 teaspoons extr...

Quick Tofu Green Curry
2007-12-20 19:01:00
The fever finally broke last evening, leaving me with a seriously stuffy head and a congested chest. Not so fun, but a major improvement from the sweats and chills (gross). I couldn’t breathe very well, and I wanted something really spicy to clear out my sinuses. I had been craving Pad Thai in the afternoon and was contemplating ordering some from the place on my corner, but the reviews on the place were very mixed and it seemed that the Pad Thai was not so good. After eating only my leftover tomato soup for lunch, I was seriously starving and needed something tasty and spicy – and quick. I rummaged in the fridge and freezer and found that I had everything I needed to make a Thai green curry, and so I did just that. It was better than what I presume the Pad Thai would have tasted like, and it helped me breathe easy, if only for a little while. Quick Tofu Green Curry (serves 1)½ cup coconut milk1 cup water3.5 – 4 ounces extra-firm or firm tofu (¼ o...

Sick Day: Easy Creamy Tomato Soup
2007-12-19 03:43:00
I’ve been really sick the past few days, so I haven’t had the energy to cook. Last night I really wanted tomato soup and grilled cheese – my comfort food when I’m sick and feverish – but I didn’t have any so I had to make it myself. The soup was totally easy to make and made me feel better – mentally, at least. Instead of making grilled cheese (I didn’t have any sandwich bread), I sliced up ciabatta, topped each slice with mozzarella cheese, and stuck them in the toaster oven. As for the dishes that are still in the sink…I don’t quite have enough energy to tackle those yet. Who wants to do them for me? Easy Creamy Tomato Soup (serves 2-3) 1 tablespoon canola oil½ small yellow onion, finely chopped (about ½ cup)1 14-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes1 cup vegetable brothLeaves from 2 small sprigs of thyme½ teaspoon dried basil, crushed¼ teaspoon light brown sugarPinch of salt, plus more to tasteFew grinds black pepper2 cloves r...
More About: Sick , Tomato Soup

Pipette with Romanesco
2007-12-14 03:49:00
One of my favorite things to do is to go to the Sunday Market – for some reason it reminds me of NYC (probably because I used to go to the Union Square Greenmarket all the time). Although the pickings become slim as the weather gets colder, there’s still plenty of good stuff to be had, such as this item that I picked up this past Sunday:Romane sco is a member of the species to which broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower belong, but it totally looks like it’s from another planet because of its bright green color and because the buds on its florets are arranged in an awesome fractal pattern – ok, I just revealed how nerdy I am. On the plate, it tastes similar to regular cauliflower (it’s actually more tender and slightly sweeter than the regular kind), so it’s really nothing to be afraid of. Pipette with Romanesco(serves 2-3) 1 tablespoon capers1 small head Romanesco broccoli, cut into florets (about 3 cups)4 tablespoons olive oil, divided¼ teaspo...

Spiced Parsnip Apple Soup
2007-12-12 16:55:00
I’ve never been a fan of parsnips, but I sort of changed my mind about them a few weeks ago after using roasted cubes of them in a version of this stuffed pumpkin that I served at Thanksgiving. They’re slightly sweet, earthy, and sharp, and, if they’re in the right company, they’re pretty good. On their own, though, I just can’t eat them. I’ve had them cubed and oven-roasted in a hash (don’t like the texture – they’re sort of dry and mushy), fried as chips, and shaved into salads; none of these preparations impressed me. I had some parsnips left over from Thanksgiving (they keep very well, apparently), and I didn’t want to be wasteful and throw them out, but I really didn’t know what to do with them. I decided to turn them into soup, because that would get rid of the whole gross texture thing, but who else was I going to invite to the party? I had lots of Fuji and Macoun apples from the market, so I invited them, because I knew their mild sweetness woul...
More About: Apple , Soup

Vegetable and Cheese Soufflés
2007-12-10 20:17:00
I don’t know why people are so intimidated by soufflés. They’re actually really easy to make, and they’re also incredibly versatile. I guess a soufflé is really just a glorified omelette, but it’s so much prettier and the texture is just wonderful – the inside is still a little soft and custardy, and the towering dome makes for a great presentation. This recipe can be easily multiplied to make more than one (but it’s nice to have a recipe for just one when you live alone and frequently are cooking for one), and it’s totally amenable to a variety of vegetables and cheeses, as evidenced by my dinners for the past few days. Vegetable and Cheese Soufflés(recipe is for 1, but it can easily be multiplied) 2 teaspoons butter, plus more for greasing the ramekin1 tablespoon flour, plus 1 extra tablespoon for dusting the ramekin¼ cup milk1 egg, separated¼ cup vegetables*1/3 cup shredded cheese*¼ teaspoon salt, plus more to tasteFreshly ground ...

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Hazelnuts and Pomegranate
2007-12-07 21:46:00
And another recipe for brussels sprouts. They have gotten a bad rap for so many years because they haven’t been cooked the right way. These little green guys deserve better treatment than being dunked in or suspended over boiling water. A little coating of oil and a hot oven is what they need, and they will shine if you do so. Once you’ve done that, the possibilities are endless. They’re great on their own, but they can take on a whole new persona with the addition of a few extra ingredients. I love a traditional treatment of walnuts and parmesan, but I’ve recently experimented (and with success, I think) with some different dressings. I had just de-seeded a pomegranate, so I decided to add the arils to roasted Brussels sprouts, figuring that the little bursts of tart sweetness would complement the crunchy caramelized outer layers and the inner earthiness of the brussels sprouts. I also threw in some hazelnuts for a little extra crunch and another layer of sweet/savory flav...
More About: Pomegranate , Brussels Sprouts , Hazelnuts

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with a Soy-Sriracha Dressing and Spiced Puffed Ric
2007-12-06 21:21:00
I always serve roasted Brussels sprouts at Thanksgiving, and this year I wanted to change them up from my usual treatment of toasted walnuts and shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. I decided to stick with the vaguely Asian theme I had going, so I dressed them up with a spicy and savory Asian dressing, fresh herbs, and toasted puffed rice for crunch instead of nuts. My family loved them (or so they told me!). Roasted Brussels Sprouts with a Soy-SrirachaDressing and Spiced Puffed Rice(serves 2-3 as a side dish) 1 pound Brussels sprouts2 tablespoons canola oil¼ teaspoon salt¼ cup soy sauce½ teaspoon sriracha sauce, to taste¼ teaspoon freshly grated ginger1 teaspoon chopped fresh mint1 teaspoon chopped cilantro leaves¼ cup puffed rice1 teaspoon canola oil¼ teaspoon salt¼ teaspoon ground coriander*************** Heat an oven to 450° F. Toss the Brussels sprouts with the olive oil and salt. Spread in a single layer on a foil-lined baking shee...

Spiked Apple Cider Cupcakes
2007-12-05 18:58:00
It’s that time of year when everyone starts pulling out special holiday flavors for their drinks – pumpkin and gingerbread lattes and hot apple cider are practically ubiquitous these days. One of my favorite holiday drinks is spiced and spiked apple cider. (I love Red Jacket Orchards cider, but I obviously can’t get it down here, so Reid’s Orchards is my very able local substitute.) Good apple cider is wonderful on its own, but one cinnamon stick, a few cloves, a dash of nutmeg, a splash of rum, and a quick trip through the microwave later, it turns into a delicious drink for a cold night. And here it is all dressed up as a cupcake. Spiked Apple Cider Cupcakes(Apple Cider Cupcakes with Spiced Rum Buttercream Frosting)(makes 10 regular cupcakes) For the cupcakes:7 tablespoons butter, room temperature¾ cup light brown sugar1 egg1 teaspoon baking powder¼ teaspoon baking soda¼ teaspoon salt1¼ cups flour1 cup apple cider ...
More About: Pike

Penne with Kale and White Beans
2007-12-04 13:38:00
This is seriously one of the easiest meals to make. I bought a ton of kale from the market on Sunday and was planning on turning some of it into a soup along with some white beans (a classic combination), but I didn’t really have plans for the rest of it. I hadn’t made anything for lunch yet (and yes I always make my lunch and take it to work with me because, well, don’t we all know why it’s better to do that?) and the mountain of kale in my fridge was staring at me. So that’s how I got the idea for this quick and hearty lunch. Penne with Kale and White Beans (serves 2) 1 ½ cups dry penne pasta6 cups tightly packed chopped kale (cut into bite size pieces)2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided2 small or 1 large garlic cloves, thickly sliced¼ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes, to taste1 15 ounce can white (cannelini) beans, drained and rinsed¼ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley1 ounce parmigiano ...

Maple, Coriander, and Pomegranate Glazed Acorn Squash
2007-12-02 21:51:00
This is another side dish I served for my family’s Thanksgiving dinner. I had a lot of fun with taking traditional Thanksgiving ingredients and putting a twist on them. In this one, acorn squash (which I think is boring) gets a sweet, tart, and smoky glaze: the rich maple syrup keeps things traditional, and the pomegranate molasses and coriander provide a great foil to the sweetness of the syrup. Maple , Coriander , and Pomegranate Glazed Acorn Squash (serves 4 as a side dish) 2 medium-sized acorn squash1 tablespoon canola oil, divided1/3 cup grade B maple syrup2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses½ teaspoon ground coriander½ teaspoon salt2 tablespoons unsalted butter½ cup fresh pomegranate arils**************Heat an oven to 350° F. Wash the squash well and slice them into ½” thick rings. Scoop the seeds out of each ring, and then cut each ring in half. Rinse the squash and pat them dry with a paper towel. Heat half the oil over medium high heat in ...