Pork Chops with Figs and Thyme

November 21, 2024

Pork Chops with Figs and Thyme

Deliciously seasoned and cooked until just done, Pork Chops with Figs and Thyme is a warm, savory meal. Enjoy with a tangle of egg noodles and pan gravy. The dish is a nice balance of salty and sweet.

Meat and Fruit Pairings

Most of us have heard of pork chops and applesauce being served together (anyone else remember the Brady Bunch episode where Peter says "pork chops and applesauce" in his best impersonation of Humphrey Bogart?). It is a traditional American combo that dates back to the 19th century and possibly even further. Pork and apples go well together because of the savory and sweet elements playing off each other.

Other classic meat and fruit pairings include

Chicken and mango
Duck and orange
Ham and pineapple
Prosciutto and melon
Shrimp and lemon
Turkey and cranberry

In this dish, dried figs add caramel-y sweetness that complements the savory meat.

Onion, dried figs, pork chops, and thyme.

And of course, add herbs of all kinds to amp up the flavor! Here I've used fresh thyme but equally good additions could be oregano, parsley, rosemary, or sage. Fresh herbs, while pungent, don't always carry the intensity of flavor that dried herbs do. When herbs (or fruits for that matter) are dehydrated, the water content is reduced and the flavor becomes more concentrated.

A good measure to remember: 1 Tablespoon fresh herb = 1 teaspoon dried.

Lessons Learned

If you don’t have or like figs, sub in another dried fruit like apricots, cherries, currants, peaches, or prunes.
Don't like egg noodles? Good options are mashed potatoes, cauliflower mash, or German spaetzle.
Like the idea of meat and fruit? Some other delicious recipes to try include Ginger Cashew Chicken Salad and Tzimmes Chicken with Apricots.

Hat Tips

Many thanks to Inspired Taste for the skillet pork chop recipe inspiration!

A pan of pork chops and noodles with an individual plate.

Pork Chops with Figs and Thyme

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x

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Ingredients

Units Scale

4 bone-in pork chops, 1-inch thick (about 2 lbs total)
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp olive oil for cooking onions
1 onion, cut into slices
1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
½ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp ground black pepper
1 to 2 tablespoon olive oil for cooking chops
½ cup dried California Black Mission figs, diced
12 to 16 oz dried egg noodles

Pan Gravy Ingredients:

¼ cup butter
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
Fresh thyme sprigs (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)

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Instructions

Pat the chops dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the salt on both sides of each chop and allow to rest for 10-ish minutes.
In the meantime, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Sauté the onions for 5 to 7 minutes until they are soft and translucent. Remove the onions to a bowl and set aside.
Pat the pork chops dry again. Combine flour, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and black pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle the mixture on both sides of the chops, using all of the mixture.
Heat the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining oil to the pan. Place the chops in the pan (may need to do this in 2 batches so you don’t crowd the pan) and cook for 5 minutes. Flip and cook the other side for 2 or 3 minutes. The chops should be golden to deep brown on both sides. Move the chops to a plate and cover to keep warm.
Cook the egg noodles according to the package directions. Drain and keep warm.
Make the pan gravy by melting the butter over medium heat in the skillet. Add the flour and stir to make a roux. It will be clumpy, but don’t despair. Tip in the broth and whisk everything together until it is smooth. Throw in the fresh thyme sprigs and the figs.
Serve the pork chops over the egg noodles and drizzle with pan gravy.

Vanilla Latte Pie

November 20, 2024

Vanilla Latte Pie

Rich, creamy, and so so dreamy! Vanilla Latte Pie appeals to both coffee and non-coffee lovers alike. A friend who is an avowed “tea only” drinker loves this.

Vanilla Latte

Whether hot or iced, vanilla latte is a very popular order at cafes and coffee houses. It is in the list of top drinks that folks order at Starbucks, clocking in at number 10.

For those who don't know, a latte consists of one shot of espresso (or two if you didn't sleep well the night before), steamed milk, and a layer of frothed milk on top. It is similar to a cappuccino but with more milk so it is creamy and mild.

Extracts and syrups are added to change up the flavor, producing drinks like pumpkin spice latte, chestnut praline latte, gingerbread latte, and of course the quintessential vanilla latte.

The combination of coffee, vanilla, and cream is delicious and not-too-sweet, so why not make it into a pie?

Dairy-Free and Gluten-Free Variations

Vanilla lattes are also made with plant-based milks. How to make this pie dairy-free? Friend, I’m not entirely sure. This is a very dairy-filled pie, after all.

But!

My best guesstimates are:

Sub in plant-based butter for the dairy butter in the crust.
Use full fat coconut milk to sub for the whole milk in the custard, but be aware that the custard will not be totally silky smooth (even after straining) once it’s chilled because coconut fat coagulates when cold. There will be tiny bits of coconut fat, but that might not bother you.
Use non-dairy whipped topping like CocoWhip to sub for the whipped cream.
To make this gluten-free, sub in GF Oreos (they exist!) in the crust. Also, double check that you have pure cornstarch without added gluten.

If you make a dairy-free or gluten-free version, please be sure to leave a comment and let us know.

Lessons Learned

All the components can be made a day ahead, if necessary, leaving the assembly of the pie until the day of serving.
Even though this pie is light and fluffy, it is rich. You can cut it into 10 or even 12 slices rather than the 8 mentioned in the recipe.
Another delicious pie based on a warm drink? Mexican Hot Chocolate Pie!

Hat Tips

Many thanks to Dough Eyed for the coffee cream pie recipe.

Vanilla Latte Pie

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Chill Time: 2 hours or overnight
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes plus chilling

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Ingredients

Units Scale

Crust Ingredients:

25 Oreo cookies
4 Tbsp butter, melted

Custard Ingredients:

⅔ cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup cornstarch
2 Tbsp instant espresso powder
¼ tsp salt
2 cups whole milk
4 egg yolks
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract

Topping Ingredients:

2 ½ cups heavy cream
3 Tbsp powdered sugar

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 F/175 C. Make the crust by placing Oreos in a blender or food processor and blitzing until fine crumbs. Pour into a bowl, add the melted butter, and stir until combined into a wet sand-like mixture. Press the mixture into a 9-inch deep dish pie plate evenly on the bottom and sides. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
Make the filling by tipping the sugar, cornstarch, espresso, salt, and milk into a medium saucepan. Whisk together and heat over medium-low heat. Allow the mixture to heat slowly.
Combine the egg yolks and 2 tablespoons sugar together in a small bowl. Add about ½ cup of the heated milk mixture to the eggs to temper them (to avoid curdling). Pour the egg mixture into the saucepan, whisking constantly. Whisk as the mixture heats and starts to become thick. A spatula dragged across the bottom of the pan should leave a clear trail. It should take about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla extract.
Now you have a choice to make. If you like your custard to be absolutely smooth with no lumps, press the custard through a fine mesh strainer into a medium bowl. Any lumps or small bits of cooked egg will be filtered out leaving you with a silky smooth custard. If those things do not bother you, skip straining but instead just transfer to a bowl.
Cover with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap directly on top of the custard so that no skin forms. Place in the fridge and chill for 2 hours or overnight.
Whip the heavy cream and powdered sugar together until medium-firm peaks happen. The volume will almost double and the mixture will look billowy with soft tips. It should take 3 to 4 minutes. Don’t overbeat or the cream will split and you will regret everything.
Remove the custard from the fridge. Break it up with a spatula into smaller blobs. Add a heaping spoon of whipped cream and incorporate it into the custard. You can be slightly aggressive here because you want to loosen things up.
Now, add about ½ of the whipped cream to the custard and this time fold in gently to avoid deflating the cream. Fold just until the mixture is the color of a vanilla latte. Tip the mixture into the prepared crust and lightly even it out.
You have another choice to make: serve the pie as is with the whipped cream on the side or plop all the whipped cream on top like I did. It’s up to you.
If you’re feeling fancy, dust with ground cinnamon, cocoa powder, or chocolate sprinkles just before serving.

Cherry Whiskey Sour

November 19, 2024

Cherry Whiskey Sour

Cherry Whiskey Sour is a fruity twist on a classic drink. With just four ingredients (and one of them is jam!), it's an easy-to-make cocktail to enjoy at home with family and friends.

A Classic Cocktail

The Whiskey Sour is a classic cocktail that’s been around a long time. It started appearing in bartending guides in the mid-19th century but it's likely that the drink goes even farther back in history. In the age of sea explorers and long voyages, spirits and citrus fruit were kept on ships to help sailors avoid scurvy, a vitamin C deficiency.

While the classic recipe includes just three ingredients, spirit, citrus juice, and sweetener, there have been numerous riffs that add other flavors and ingredients. For instance, a New York Sour adds a float of red wine while Vodka Sour with Elderflower swaps out the spirit.

In this one, cherry and whiskey go along to get along and make a fabulous drinkie.

While sours will often include an egg white to give the drink an extra layer of smoothness, I've left it out here but feel free to add it.

Double straining with a fine mesh strainer.

Lessons Learned

No cocktail jigger? No problem. Use measuring spoons. Two Tablespoons equals one ounce.
Use whatever cherry jam or preserves you have, either store bought or homemade. I used one made by Divina but use what you like.
Fresh is always best when it comes to lemon juice! One small lemon yields about one ounce of juice.

Hat Tips

Many thanks to Cooking Up Memories for the cherry whiskey sour recipe inspo.

Cherry Whiskey Sour

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 1 serving 1x

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Ingredients

Units Scale

2 oz whiskey
1 oz lemon juice
½ oz triple sec
1 Tbsp cherry preserves or jam
lemon peel for garnish

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Instructions

1. Tip the whiskey, lemon juice, triple sec, and cherry preserves into a cocktail shaker. Add 4 or 5 ice cubes. Put the top on and shake for 20 seconds until cold.

2. Plop 3 ice cubes into a glass. Strain the drink into the glass using a fine mesh strainer to remove all the preserve/jam bits.

3. Garnish with a lemon peel and enjoy responsibly!

Mushroom Loaf

November 15, 2024

Mushroom Loaf

Warm and savory, Mushroom Loaf is a vegetarian version of meatloaf. It brings all the cozy vibes, filled with brown rice, mushrooms, and other veggies.

If you think this loaf sounds like something your hippie aunt who owned a health food store in the 1970s would serve, you aren’t wrong. Brown rice contributes chewy texture and fiber while sun-dried tomatoes bring the 70s vibe.

Meatless Meatloaf

Plant protein loaf bakes go back hundreds, maybe even thousands of years. But it was during World War I and World War II that meatless meatloaves became popular out of necessity. Civilians were restricted to a share of meat (two and a half pounds per week for adults) to help conserve the meat supply for soldiers serving in the war effort.

Eggs, celery, garlic, onion, mushrooms, brown rice, and spinach.

Things like lima bean loaf, baked bean loaf, and mock meatloaf were the home cook's answer to wartime rationing. But how did they taste? Well, they aren't very popular anymore so I think that answers our question.

In 1971, the book Diet for a Small Planet by Frances Moore Lappé was published and it created an interest in the U.S. regarding vegetarianism. Meat-free recipes, health food stores, and a concern for food policy in the country were some things that became part of our culture.

Today's recipe is a nod to all the above. This savory loaf combines whole grains, eggs, and all sorts of veggies into a yummy meal. It's delicious served with mashed potatoes and Baby Kale Salad with Apples and Walnuts or Zucchini Ribbon Salad.

Lessons Learned

Feel free to play around with the spices in this. If you aren't a fan of smoked paprika, sub in cumin or curry instead.
If you are using sundried tomatoes packed in oil, be sure to blot dry with a paper towel before chopping.
Frozen spinach can be used instead of fresh, just be sure to thaw and give it a good squeeze to extract all the liquid.

Hat Tips

Many thanks to Things I Made Today for the mushroom loaf recipe.

Mushroom Loaf

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x

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Ingredients

Units Scale

½ cup uncooked brown rice (or 1 cup cooked)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 ½ cups onion, diced
1 cup celery, chopped
1 Tbsp garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika
2 cups white or brown mushrooms, sliced thin
5 oz fresh spinach (about ½ bag of washed spinach)
4 eggs
¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp broth, white wine, or water
Fresh chopped parsley or other herbs for garnish

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 400F/200C. Move the oven rack to the middle of oven position.
Grease a 9x5 loaf pan with oil on the bottom and sides, then set aside.
If the rice is raw, cook according to package directions, then set aside to cool.
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Tip in the olive oil, onion, and celery. Cook for 5ish minutes or until onions are translucent. Add the garlic, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and mushrooms. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes or until mushrooms have released their liquid. Add the spinach and stir until the spinach wilts. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool.
Whisk the eggs, sun-dried tomatoes, mustard, and broth in a large bowl. Add the rice and the onion mixture and stir everything together.
Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake for 45 minutes or until the middle is set when tested with a knife.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Run a knife around the edges. Cut the loaf into slices while it is still in the pan, or turn it out onto a platter and slice. Serve warm, garnished with chopped fresh herbs.

Nutty Noodles with Shrimp

November 1, 2024

Nutty Noodles with Shrimp

A delicious nutty, garlicky, gingery sauce bathes the noodles, tender shrimp, and stir-fried veggies in this Nutty Noodles with Shrimp recipe. This uses yakisoba noodles but you can use whatever noodles you prefer.

Noodles vs Pasta

What is the difference, really? I’ve always thought that noodles leaned toward Asian cuisine while pasta veered into Italian territory. And upon doing a little Google research (the world has really come to this, hasn’t it?), it seems my assumption isn’t too far off.

Traditional Italian pasta contains semolina, a type of flour made from durum wheat and is coarsely ground. When combined with water (and sometimes egg), the flour comes together in a dough that can be cut, shaped, and cooked immediately or dried for later use. Pasta is almost always served hot.

Noodles can also be made from wheat flour, but that is where the similarity ends. Asian noodles are also made from buckwheat, konjac, mung bean, rice, sweet potato, or tapioca. Just like pasta, the dough is cut, shaped, and either cooked or dried for later use.

However, noodles can be served hot or cold depending on the dish. A good example of this is naengmyeon, a popular cold noodle dish that originated in North Korea where my mom is from. She, along with so many others, fled the north during the Korean War and brought what they could to the south. Thankfully that included recipes and ways of preparing food. After the war, naengmyeon became popular in South Korea and is now served in many Korean restaurants all over the world.

Cilantro, garlic, ginger, baby bok choy, shrimp, and Japanese eggplant.

For this week’s recipe I used wheat noodles (because I happened to have them on hand), but you can use whatever noodle you prefer.

Lesson Learned

The dish is naturally dairy-free and can be gluten-free too by subbing in GF noodles.
Don’t like eggplant or bok choy? Substitute other veg or leave them out altogether. You’re an adult, so you can do what you want.
You can use already cooked shrimp if you prefer. Just throw them in at the last minute to warm.

Hat Tips

Many thanks to NYT Cooking for the sauce inspiration.

Noodles, shrimp, and veggies in a one-pan meal.

Nutty Noodles with Shrimp

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x

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Ingredients

Units Scale

Noodles:

1 lb yakisoba or other noodles
2 Tbsp neutral-tasting oil
1 Japanese eggplant, trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 baby bok choy, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 lb frozen shrimp, thawed
Fresh cilantro for garnish
Sambal oelek or garlic chili crisp for serving

Sauce:

½ cup low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
4 Tbsp sesame oil
4 Tbsp. rice vinegar
3 Tbsp tahini
3 Tbsp peanut butter
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
1 Tbsp minced fresh garlic

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Instructions

Prepare the noodles according to package directions. Drain, reserving a cup of noodle water, and cover.
Add the oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Throw in the eggplant and bok choy and stir fry for 5-ish minutes or until the veggies are tender but still have a bite to them (don’t overcook or they will be mushy). Remove the veggies to a bowl and cover to keep warm.
In the same skillet, stir fry the thawed shrimp. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Cook for 3 or 4 minutes, until they are just turning pink (don’t overcook or they will be rubbery and you will regret everything). Add the shrimp to the bowl with the veggies and cover.
Whisk together the sauce ingredients in the same skillet over medium heat. Add in the cooked noodles and toss until the noodles are coated in sauce. Add a little of the reserved noodle water if needed to loosen things up. Tip the cooked veggies and shrimp over the noodles.
Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with sambal oelek or garlic chili crisp.

Mexican Pasta Verde

October 30, 2024

Mexican Pasta Verde

Creamy with mild heat, Mexican Pasta Verde is unlike anything you’ve had before. Roasted chilis, tomatillos, garlic, and bulb onions bring some smoky char to the sauce while fresh cilantro and lime juice brighten things up!

California Cuisine

California Cuisine is what I mainly cook. It is bright, fresh, and delicious, with lots of local in-season produce and flavor combinations that reflect our state’s diverse ethnic population. I wrote an article for FoodStack Library if you want to read more about it.

One of the main influences in Southern California cuisine is Mexico. I live a little over an hour from the U.S.-Mexican border so our local area is filled with not only restaurant chains that feature Mexican food but also mom-and-pop shops. Mexican cuisine isn’t just tacos, as delicious as they are, but varies from region to region in Mexico.

For instance, in El Norte, which runs along the U.S. border and stretches for 2,000 miles, you will find all sorts of grilled meats (goat and beef, sometimes pork), cheeses and cheesy dishes, and seafood on the coast (hello, fish tacos!). The Bajio area is on the inland plains of Mexico where rice dishes are popular as well as pork. Central Mexico is where the foodie scene is, mainly in Mexico City, and where you’ll find trendy street food. The Gulf and South regions are closer to the Caribbean so their food reflects Carib, Spanish, Mayan, and even Middle Eastern influences.

Cilantro, garlic, jalapeno, bulb onions, tomatillos, and poblano.

Espagueti Verde

When my children were toddlers, I used to attend a Mothers of Preschoolers group (MOPS!) at the local church. Each meeting we had a potluck and that is where I was first introduced to espagueti verde, or green spaghetti. A mom named Ileana frequently brought it and I always looked for it on the buffet table. She learned how to make it from her mom in northern Mexico and said it was a staple at holidays and family parties.

As much as I love the original dish, I adapted Ileana’s recipe for espagueti verde to my family’s need. The majority of my peeps are dairy-free (not by choice but necessity) so I subbed in coconut milk for the cow’s milk. And you know I can’t help but tinker around, so I also added tomatillos, jalapeno, and Mexican bulb onions to give the dish a little more zip. I think you are going to love it.

Lessons Learned

Leave out the jalapeno if your tummy says no to spicy.
Sub in parsley if you don’t like cilantro.
Use any pasta you like. You’re an adult so you can do what you want.

Hat Tips

Many thanks to my friend Ileana for her espagueti verde recipe.

Mexican Pasta Verde

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x

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Ingredients

Units Scale

6 medium tomatillos
3 Mexican bulb onions
2 poblano chiles
1 jalapeno
1 head garlic
Olive oil for drizzling
1 bunch cilantro (about 1 cup loosely packed leaves)
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 can (14 oz) full fat coconut milk (or other milk)
2 cups chicken or veggie broth
1 lb. penne or other pasta
1 lime, cut into wedges
extra cilantro for garnish

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 F/220 C. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet and set aside.
Remove the papery husks from tomatillos and discard. Halve the poblano peppers and jalapeno, and remove the stems and seeds.
Cut the top off the garlic head, exposing the cloves inside. Place the head in foil or parchment, then drizzle with olive oil and seal the foil closed.
Place the tomatillos, bulb onions, poblanos, and jalapeno on the prepared baking sheet. Lightly drizzle with 1 or 2 tablespoons of oil and using your hands, distribute the oil evenly over all the veggies. Turn the peppers cut side down. Add the wrapped garlic to the sheet.
Roast for 35-ish minutes until the veggies are soft and charred in spots. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes.
Scrape all the roasted veggies and any pan juices into a blender or food processor. When the garlic is cool enough to handle, squeeze out the roasted cloves into the blender. Throw in the cilantro, salt, and cumin.
Blitz for 10 to 20 seconds, then add the coconut milk and broth. Blitz again until everything is pureed and smooth. Pour the mixture into a large pot or Dutch oven and place it on medium-low heat on the stovetop.
Prepare the pasta according to package directions (don’t forget to salt the pasta water!). Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water to the side.
Tip the cooked pasta into the verde sauce and stir to coat. Add some pasta water, if needed, to loosen things up.
Add a squeeze of lime and garnish with extra chopped cilantro.

Skeleton Key

October 25, 2024

Skeleton Key

Fizzy, floral, and fun to look at, the Skeleton Key might become your new favorite cocktail. It's built with just four ingredients at the base. The fifth ingredient? Bitters.

Angostura Bitters

What are bitters? They are very concentrated extracts of herbs, roots, and spices that have been steeped in an alcohol base. Yes, they taste bitter!

In the ages past, they were like medicine to help with digestion (sometimes called digestifs) and other gastrointestinal ailments. And along the way, someone decided they'd be great in a drink, maybe to make them more palatable.

One of the most commonly used bitters today in the cocktail world is the Angostura brand. Originally crafted in 1824 by Dr. Siegart, a German living in Venezuela, these bitters were used as a medical elixir for the Venezuelan army. He eventually began selling and exporting the bitters all over the world.

Once the family moved to Trinidad, his three sons took over the growing business. At the beginning of the 20th century, cocktails came into popularity and the use of bitters played a role in their development. The result: cocktails like the Old Fashioned, Manhattan, and Sazerac.

Companies all over the world produce a large range of bitters today. I tend to come back to Angostura bitters time and again because I like the classic taste.

Normally it's just two or three dashes of bitters in the crafting of a cocktail, but this one uses double that amount as a float. It's delicious!

Lessons Learned

Use your favorite whiskey or bourbon (a specific type of American whiskey) in this.
Don't have a cocktail jigger? No worries. Use your kitchen measuring spoons. For example, 2 Tablespoons = 1 ounce.
Ginger beer is a non-alcoholic beverage with carbonation. It is similar to ginger ale but with more ginger-y flavor.

Hat Tips

Many thanks to Tasting Table for the skeleton key cocktail recipe.

Skeleton Key

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 1 serving 1x

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Ingredients

Units Scale

1 oz whiskey
1 oz St Germain or other elderflower liqueur
½ oz lemon juice
4 oz ginger beer
6 to 8 dashes Angostura bitters

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Instructions

Add 5 ice cubes to a tall glass. Pour whiskey, elderflower liqueur, and lemon juice into the glass.
Tip in ginger beer and stir with a bar spoon (a chopstick works, too).
Sprinkle six to eight dashes of Angostura bitter over the drink. They will gradually seep down into the drink. Sip and enjoy responsibly.

Bordeaux Cherry Mezcal

October 11, 2024

Bordeaux Cherry Mezcal

Pair smoky mezcal with the sweet fruitiness of real maraschino cherries to get Bordeaux Cherry Mezcal! It's deliciously good with dark cherry flavors. Plus, it only needs a handful of ingredients.

What are Maraschino Cherries?

Old World maraschino cherries are from Croatia and Italy. The cherries steep in a cherry liqueur yielding a luxurious concoction. Italian Luxardo cherries are the gold standard for cocktails and their continuous quality and delicious flavor have stood the test of time. During Prohibition, these European cherries were banned in the U.S. because of their alcohol content.

To compensate, American-made maraschino cherries were made without alcohol to replace the boozy European ones. They became the "cherry on the top" for ice cream sundaes, Shirley Temple drinks, and even Old Fashioned cocktails. Neon red, over the top sweet, and almost waxy in texture, they taste nothing like real cherries, thanks to the calcium chloride, sulfur dioxide, sugar syrup, and red food coloring added to them.

Recently, I found a jar of delicious Oregon-grown Bordeaux cherries. Made by Royal Harvest, they cost less than one-third of the price of Luxardo. No red food coloring here, just deep dark cherry flavor. They are perfect for this smoky cocktail!

Bordeaux cherries, agave syrup, fresh lime, and mezcal.

What is Mezcal?

Many people see mezcal as a smokier version of tequila. They are both agave spirits but that is where the similarity ends. Mezcal production includes any kind of agave but tequila comes from only the blue agave. Because the core of the agave is roasted in the production of mezcal, the final product has a smoky, earthy flavor.

The production of mezcal is all done by hand by workers called mescaleros. The labor intensive methods and small batch production are part of why mezcal is a higher price point than many other agave spirits. Each bottle contains many hours of labor.

Lessons Learned

If you have room in the budget for Luxardo, go for it! You will not regret buying them.
Looking for a less pricey option? There are several good quality maraschino cherries including Royal Harvest, Trader Joe's Amarena Cherries, and Peninsula Premium Cocktail Cherries.
Mezcal range in price from $30-ish up into the $100-ish per bottle. If you are new to drinking mezcal, start with a small, more reasonably priced bottle like Madre Mezcal. Or visit a bar that does a mezcal sampling to determine which one you like best.

Hat Tips

Many thanks to Hip Cooks for the blood-red cherry margarita recipe inspiration.

Bordeaux Cherry Mezcal

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 1 serving 1x

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Ingredients

Units Scale

1 oz lime juice
1 oz agave or simple syrup
1 oz cherry syrup from the jar of cherries
3 oz mezcal
Bordeaux cherry for garnish

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Instructions

Add lime juice, agave, cherry syrup, and mezcal to a cocktail shaker.
Add 4 ice cubes, put on the top, and shake until cold.
Strain into a class and garnish with a cherry. Enjoy responsibly!

Vegan Curry

October 8, 2024

Vegan Curry

Warm, hearty, and plant-based protein at its best! Vegan Curry is a combination of flavor-filled tofu, cauliflower, carrots, and onion all baked in a creamy coconut curry sauce. Delicious for vegans and non-vegans alike.

The secret: extra-firm tofu.

Extra-Firm Tofu

Tofu comes in several different styles and they are all used in different ways. Block tofu is what we see in most grocery stores today. The blocks come packed in water, so drain the water before adding to recipes.

Cauliflower, cilantro, garlic, onion, carrots, tofu, and spices.

Tofu types include

Silken. Very delicate and falls apart easily. Use it in dressings, smoothies, and desserts.
Soft. Firmer than the silken variety. Spoon-able and easy to add to hot soups.
Medium. A step up in firmness, you can cut this tofu and add it to salads or stir-fries.
Firm. The most popular type of tofu! Use it in a wide variety of dishes: baked, pan-fried, stir-fried, and even boiled.
Extra-Firm. Best in hearty dishes, this tofu can do it all. It has the firmest texture.

Other variations include dry tofu and smoked tofu which come in vacuum sealed pouches.

Because extra-firm tofu has a denser texture, you can play around with it without fear of it disintegrating. A good technique is to tear the extra-firm block with your hands into bite-sized pieces. The first time I made this recipe I couldn’t get over how the pieces looked so much like chicken once baked.

An quick and yummy side with this? Easy 30 Minute Flatbread.

Lessons Learned

Don't have garam masala? Sub in 1 teaspoon cumin mixed with ¼ teaspoon allspice.
This is not a spicy dish but you can turn up the heat by adding a teaspoon of cayenne or serving with a chili sauce garnish.
Be sure to use full-fat coconut milk for the creamiest sauce.

Hat Tips

Many thanks to Minimalist Baker for the coconut curry inspiration.

Vegan Curry

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 4 servings 1x

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Ingredients

Units Scale

16 oz. extra-firm tofu
1 Tbsp soy sauce or tamari
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp curry powder
1 ½ Tbsp cornstarch
3 cups cauliflower florets
2 cups chopped carrots
1 cup diced onion
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp curry powder
1 can (14 oz) unsweetened full-fat coconut milk
Chopped cilantro for garnish

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 425F/220C. Move the oven rack to the center position. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Tear the tofu with your hands into bite-sized pieces. Tearing instead of cutting gives them the craggy texture you want. Add them to a mixing bowl and sprinkle with the soy sauce, garam masala, salt, and curry. Stir gently to coat the pieces. Sprinkle on the cornstarch and stir again to evenly coat.
Place the pieces on the prepared baking sheet so that none of the pieces are touching each other. They need their space. Bake for 20 minutes.
While the tofu bakes, tip the cauliflower, carrots, onion, and garlic into a 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle on the salt and curry powder evenly. Pour on the coconut milk.
Remove the tofu from the oven and lower the heat to 400F/200C. Arrange the tofu over the veggies and coconut milk. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes or until carrots are tender. Garnish with lots of chopped cilantro. Serve with hot steamed rice or naan.

New York Sour

September 27, 2024

New York Sour

The New York Sour is a layered, lovely cocktail that is easy to shake together, tastes delicious, and looks like a million bucks. It has a deep crimson float of dry red wine on top, but at it's base this drink is a riff on a traditional whiskey sour.

Whiskey Sour

The family of cocktails called sours normally consists of a spirit + citrus + sweetener. Many times egg white is added to smooth out the combo of liquor and citrus juice, plus it adds a velvety mouthfeel to the drink.

Here, the base spirit is whiskey. Combine that with fresh lemon juice (fresh is always best!) and a viscous sweetener. Best options for a sweetener are simple syrup, pure maple syrup, or agave.

And the egg white? Again, fresh is best. Crack a fresh egg and carefully separate the white from the yolk (reserve the yolk for another use). Fresh egg white has proteins that when shaken billow into a white foamy head. Egg whites in a carton are normally pasteurized and might not yield the same result.

Red wine, bitters, whiskey, maple syrup, egg, and lemon.

Shaken, not stirred, and strained into a glass.

Lessons Learned

The red wine float looks fancy but isn't too hard. Pour the wine over the back of a spoon onto the cocktail. The overturned spoon helps it distribute evenly. Even if you mess it up, the drinkie still tastes great.
Use any dry red wine that you like. Traditionally, it's Cabernet Sauvignon but I've seen Merlot and Syrah used as well.
Does using a raw egg white give you the ick? You can leave it out altogether or sub in an equal amount of aquafaba (the liquid from a can of garbanzo beans) instead. Doing this also makes the cocktail vegan.

Hat Tips

Many thanks to Liquor.com for the New York Sour recipe.

The drink from above. See the red wine dribbles?

New York Sour

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 1 serving 1x

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Ingredients

Units Scale

1 oz lemon juice
2 oz whiskey
2 dashes of bitters
1 egg white
1 oz maple or simple syrup
1 to 2 tablespoon dry red wine

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Instructions

Pour lemon juice, whiskey, bitters, and egg white in a shaker tin. Put the top on and shake for 30 seconds until frothy. This is called a "dry shake," meaning without ice. This allows the egg white to froth up nicely and gives the drink a silky smooth texture.
Plop in 3 or 4 ice cubes. Shake again for 20 seconds or until cold.
Strain into a glass.
Pour the red wine slowly over the back of a spoon and into the glass, trying to cover the entire surface area.
Admire your handiwork and enjoy responsibly!

Lentil Meatballs with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

September 25, 2024

Lentil Meatballs with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Tender, meat-free, dairy-free, and delicious! Lentil Meatballs with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce features plant-protein, thanks to lentils. The easy roasted red pepper sauce is blitzed in a blender and comes together in minutes.

Meatless Meatballs

Yes, meatless meatballs is an oxymoron. But how else do we describe something that we know and love (meatballs) that don't contain the meat? Lentil balls doesn't quite have the same cachet.

The point here is that something shaped like a meatball, served like a meatball, and sometimes tastes like a meatball, might in fact be meat-less!

Garlic, spices, egg, parsley, couscous, red pepper, lentils, and oats.

Plant proteins like vegetables, legumes, nuts, and even grains form the base. Mushrooms, lentils, beans, rice, oats, and walnuts are all common ingredients in meatless meatballs. The secret is to cook ingredients until they are tender, add a binding ingredient, and season with spices.

Once baked, meatless meatballs can be served just like regular ones: alongside a pasta dish, tucked in a hoagie roll, or with veggies. Today's recipe is delicious garnished with plenty of fresh herbs or some Homemade Zhoug.

Lessons Learned

Need this to be vegan? Easy! Swap out the chicken broth and egg and use veggie broth and flax meal instead.
Red lentils are actually orange and lend a warm color to the meatballs. You can use brown or green lentils if you prefer but be aware that the meatballs will take on a different hue.
A fresh, crunchy salad is delicious with this! Try Marinated Zucchini and Yellow Squash or Zucchini Ribbon Salad.

Hat Tips

Many thanks to Dishing Out Health for the Moroccan lentil meatball recipe inspiration!

Lentil Meatballs with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings 1x

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Ingredients

Units Scale

Meatballs:

¾ cup dried red lentils
1 can (14.5 oz) chicken or veggie broth
1 cup uncooked old-fashioned rolled oats (not steel cut)
1 shallot, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 egg (or 1 Tbsp flax meal with 2 ½ tablespoon water)
¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp ground black pepper

Sauce:

1 jar (15 oz) roasted red peppers, drained
¼ cup olive or avocado oil
1 tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp granulated garlic

Side:

1 ½ cup Israeli (pearl) couscous
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups water or broth
Fresh chopped parsley or cilantro for garnish

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Instructions

Make the meatballs by pouring the broth into a medium saucepan. Bring the broth to a boil. Rinse the lentils in a fine mesh strainer, discarding any small stones or wrinkled lentils, and tip them into the broth. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 20-ish minutes or until lentils are soft and water is absorbed.
While the lentils cook, add the remaining meatball ingredients (oats, shallot, garlic, egg, parsley, tomato paste, oregano, salt, and pepper) into a blender or food processor. Pulse for a few seconds to combine.
Once the lentils are done, drain off any water, then add them to the blender. Blitz for a few seconds until everything is combined. Allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes to hydrate the oats. The mixture will be slightly loose but should be cohesive enough to hold together. If it is still too loose after 10 minutes, stir in another ¼ cup of rolled oats and blitz again. At this point, you can transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight if you are prepping ahead of time.
Preheat the oven to 425F/220C. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Use a 1 ½-inch cookie scoop to scoop out the lentil mixture. I got 18 meatballs using this size cookie scoop. If you don’t care how they look, use a large spoon to portion them out. Place scoops on the baking sheet evenly spaced. They will not spread so you can place them fairly close together. Spray or brush the tops with olive oil. Bake for 20 minutes.
Make the sauce by adding all the sauce ingredients (red peppers, oil, paprika, salt, garlic) into a blender or food processor. Blitz until smooth. Pour into a bowl and set aside.
Make the Israeli couscous while the meatballs bake by heating the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the couscous and stir to coat in the oil. Cook for a few minutes to toast the pearls until they are light brown. Add the water or broth and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to low, cover, and allow to simmer for 15 minutes or until the water is absorbed and couscous is tender. Remove from the heat.
Serve the lentil meatballs and couscous together, drizzling the sauce over the top. Garnish with fresh herbs.

Homemade Fig Simple Syrup

September 18, 2024

Homemade Fig Simple Syrup

Made with fresh California Black Mission figs, Homemade Fig Simple Syrup is sweet, figgy, and delicious! Pour it into cocktails, salad dressings, marinades, and desserts. And it's incredibly easy to make.

How to Make Simple Syrup

Simple syrups are basically liquid sweeteners. Typically an equal amount of water and sugar are boiled together and slightly reduced. The result is an easy to use sweetener for beverages like coffees, iced teas, lemonades, sparkling water, and your favorite cocktails.

The beautiful thing about homemade simple syrups is that you can play around with the flavors. Infusing the syrup with fruits, herbs, and even flowers yields delicious aromas and tastes, like in this Rose Simple Syrup.

Fig simple syrup is easy to make and is a two-fer. For your efforts, you get a delicious figgy syrup but you also come away with jammy fig pieces that are fantastic over yogurt, ice cream, soft cheeses, and savory appetizers. Tuck some into a chicken dish for something different.

Make an easy appetizer: layer those jammy fig pieces over crumbled feta or goat cheese, drizzle with honey, and serve with crackers. Yum!

Lessons Learned

There are many different types of figs including Adriatic and Brown Turkey. Use whatever is available in your area.
Use a fine mesh strainer to rid the syrup of any stems and seeds.
Need a cocktail idea? This Fig Margarita uses fig simple syrup and is delish!

Hat Tips

Many thanks to Cocktail Contessa for the homemade fig syrup recipe using fresh figs.

Homemade Fig Simple Syrup

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 1 ½ cups syrup 1x

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Ingredients

Units Scale

2 cups quartered fresh figs
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 tsp lemon juice
½ tsp vanilla extract

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Instructions

Dump all ingredients into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
Strain to separate liquid and solids. Pour the syrup into a jar and store covered in the fridge for up to 4 weeks. Store the cooked figs in a covered container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Fig Margaritas

September 18, 2024

Fig Margaritas

Deliciously autumnal, Fig Margaritas are the perfect drinkie for the fall months. They are so pretty, thanks to fresh fig syrup that you can easily make or purchase. Plus, they are simple to shake together at home, saving you time and money.

Everything has gotten more expensive lately, but have you seen the price of cocktails? Whoo-ee. It’s well into the double-digit range. A margarita at one of my favorite Mexican restaurants in Laguna Beach is anywhere from $15 to $25, depending on the brand of tequila. Ouch. What a damper on date night when the price of drinks is nearly equal to the cost of the entrees.

But! We don’t have to go out for drinks.

Make Cocktails at Home

In another life, I used to be a ghostwriter of other people’s blogs and cookbooks. It was while I was working on a cocktail and home mixology book that the lightbulb went off in my head—I can make these drinks at home!

The caveat, of course, is we won’t enjoy the ambiance and luxury of someone else shaking together our liquid sanity saver. But if it means I don’t have to drive anywhere and can enjoy a cocktail while watching The Great British Baking Show in my jammies, then I am very happy to make my own cocktail, thank you very much.

Cost

For fun, let’s price out how much it is to make a margarita at home. These costs are all approximations based on the price of 750mL bottles at my local BevMo. It may be cheaper or more expensive in your area. And if you get your liquor at Costco, the price per ounce is probably going to be less.

As reference, a 750mL bottle is approximately 25 ounces. If we use 2 ounces per drink, we can make 12-ish drinks per bottle. I chose two tequilas, one considered value-priced and the other top-shelf.

Warning: lots of numbers ahead. And they are all loosey-goosey, not scientific, and rounded to the nearest cent.

Value-priced:

Cazadores Reposado Tequila is $21.99 at BevMo = around 88 cents per ounce
Triple Sec is $10.99 at BevMo = around 44 cents per ounce
Limes are 33 cents and yield around 1 ounce
Cazadores (2 oz) + triple sec (1 oz) + lime juice (½ oz) = $2.36 per cocktail

Top-shelf:

Patron Silver is $39.99 at BevMo = around $1.60 per ounce
Cointreau is $37.99 at BevMo = around $1.52 per ounce
Limes are 33 cents and yield around 1 ounce
Patron (2 oz) + Cointreau (1 oz) + lime juice (½ oz) = $4.88 per cocktail

Compare that to the $25 margarita at the Mexican restaurant. Excited? Me too.

Lessons Learned

Fig simple syrup is easy to make (recipe is here) and is a two-fer. For your efforts, you get a delicious figgy syrup to use in cocktails, salad dressings, marinades, and desserts. You also come away with jammy fig pieces that are fantastic over yogurt, ice cream, and savory appetizers.
If you are saying to yourself “That sounds delicious but I’m never going to make fig syrup in a million years,” then you will be happy to know you can purchase 8 ounces fig syrup on Amazon for $19.75.
Quality ingredients are key to a good cocktail! Buy the best that you can comfortably afford.

Hat Tips

Many thanks to Kasey, my supplier of fresh figs, for giving me the idea for fig margaritas.

Fig Margaritas

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 1 serving 1x

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Ingredients

Units Scale

2 oz tequila
1 oz fig syrup
1 oz lime juice
1 oz orange juice

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Instructions

Rub the cut half of a lime around the rim of a glass and dip in coarse salt.
Pour the tequila, fig syrup, lime juice, and orange juice into a cocktail shaker.
Plop 4 or 5 ice cubes into the shake, cover, and shake for 20 seconds until cold. Strain into the prepared glass.
Garnish with a slice of fresh fig if you want to feel fancy. Enjoy responsibly.

Pizza on the Grill

September 16, 2024

Pizza on the Grill

Delicious crust with char and melty cheese from your outdoor grill? Yes, yes, and yes with Pizza on the Grill!

I know this can be intimidating. I mean, floppy dough on hot grates, dripping cheese flame-ups, and toppings falling into the abyss. A lot can go wrong.

However, there are some tricks to achieving a crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside crust with melty cheese and savory toppings.

Tips for Grilling Pizza

Plan ahead. Putting together from-scratch dough will require a couple of hours but it is so worth it. But even if you aren’t making dough, plan your toppings and grate the cheese ahead so everything is ready. Once the dough hits the grill things move quickly.
Start with the right dough. Sure you can grill most doughs (including store-bought), but one made with bread flour or Italian 00 flour is sturdier and easier to work with. Plus, a nice chew is achieved with these flours.
The grill needs to be hot. This is the eleventy-eth time we’ve talked about the grill needing to be hot, but the caveat here is it shouldn’t be too hot. 350 to 400F/180 to 200C is just right for grilling pizza.
Oil the grates. A light brush with oil will help to prevent anything from sticking to the grates.
Tools are your friend. If you have a pizza peel, great, use that. But I don’t, so I use a large metal spatula and a pair of tongs to move the pizza off the grill in one piece.
Don’t overload. Keep it simple when it comes to toppings. Too much and the cheese doesn’t completely melt, the dough becomes soggy, and items start falling off.

Next, let’s talk about making the dough.

Homemade Pizza Dough

If you’ve never worked with yeast before you might think this is too hard, but I assure you it is not. There are a few ways to make pizza dough and some require overnight proofing (have you tried my cast iron pizza recipe?). But the one we are making today is an easy peasy, stir it together dough.

Bread flour and 00 flour are both higher in gluten and protein than all-purpose flour. And so what? Because of this, the webby gluten network that forms from them keeps the dough stretchy and helps it to proof up bubbly so that when it hits the heat the crust develops a crispy, crackly exterior and a soft and chewy interior.

Perfectly delicious!

Lessons Learned

Grate all your cheeses and chop all the toppings ahead of time and set up a work station. It makes assembly of the pizzas quick and easy!
The dough recipe makes two 10-inch pizzas, 3 to 4 mini pizzas, or one giant pizza for those who are brave like that.
Leave out the toppings you don't like and replace them with ones you do. Anchovies? Go for it. You're an adult so you can do what you want.

Hat Tips

Many thanks to King Arthur Baking for their grilled pizza recipe.

Pizza on the Grill

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Proof Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes plus proofing

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Ingredients

Units Scale

Dough:

2 ½ cups Italian 00 or bread flour
1 cup water
1 ½ tsp instant yeast
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp olive oil

Toppings:

Olive oil for brushing
1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese
1 ½ cups marinara sauce
1 cup pepperoni, shrimp, or other cooked meat
1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms, olives, or zucchini
Freshly chopped basil or parsley

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Instructions

Tip all the dough ingredients into a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer. Mix with a large spoon or the paddle attachment until the ingredients come together into a sticky ball of dough. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes. This allows the flour to hydrate and soak up liquids.
After 30 minutes, use a spatula or a wet hand to scrape the dough from the bowl on one side, lift it up, and then press it down into the middle of the dough ball. Turn the bowl 90 degrees and repeat, working your way around the bowl until the dough has been lifted and pressed into the middle 8-ish times. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest again for 30 minutes (or up to 3 hours if you are preparing this ahead).
Deflate the dough and pull all the edges into the center of the dough. Flip it over and divide it into two equal pieces. Shape both pieces into a ball, cover with plastic and let rest again, last time, I promise, for 20 minutes (or up to 2 hours) so it will stretch nicely when you roll it out.
Preheat the grill to 350F/180C. Scrape any residue from the grill grates and lightly oil the grates with an oily paper towel or rag.
Now is the time to prep all the toppings. You want everything ready and in place once the dough hits the grill. I like to place each topping in a small bowl then place the bowls on a rimmed baking sheet for transport to the outdoor grill.
Dust parchment paper with flour. Place one dough ball on the parchment and sprinkle with flour. Start pressing the dough with your fingertips as you depress it and stretch it into a 10-inch round. Repeat with the second dough ball on a separate sheet of parchment.
Lightly brush the dough rounds with olive oil. Transfer to to the grill, oiled side down. Close the top and cook for 4 minutes or until the bottom is golden brown.
Remove partially cooked dough from the grill to a cutting board or baking sheet and flip it over so that the cooked side is facing up. Add the sauce, cheese, meat, and veggies.
Return pizzas to the grill, close the top, and cook for 4-ish minutes until the bottom is golden brown and cheese is melty.
Brush the outer edges with more olive oil, if desired, then slice and eat!

Cosmopolitan with St Germain

September 13, 2024

Cosmopolitan with St Germain

A sophisticated twist on a popular cocktail: the Cosmopolitan with St Germain. It's somewhat tart, mildly sweet, slightly floral, and 100% delicious!

Do you think Carrie Bradshaw would approve? I'd like to think so.

Cosmo

The Cosmopolitan was invented by a bartender in the late 1980s in New York City. A few years later the cocktail became extremely popular with young 20-something women when the TV show Sex and The City made it the cool drink to order on girls' night out. Even though I have never seen an episode of SATC (strange, but true), I have always associated the show with the pink cocktail.

The original Cosmopolitan cocktail contained Absolut Citron vodka, Cointreau, lime juice, and cranberry juice, a sweet and sour combination that also happened to be pretty and pink. Usually served in a martini glass, it was lovely to look at and lovely to sip while visiting with friends.

The cocktail also just happens to be an easy one to make yourself. My friend Lisa is a Cosmo fan and always orders it when we are out to dinner. But she also knows how to make a fantastic one at home, like we are doing today.

A cocktail is only as good as the ingredients that go into it, so purchase your ingredients wisely. Fresh lemon juice, mid-range (or top shelf) vodka, and quality sweetener makes a difference in the final product. Compared to the cost of ordering a cocktail in a restaurant or bar, you are still getting a bargain by making it at home!

Lemon, St. Germain, vodka, agave, and cranberry juice.

Lessons Learned

No cocktail jigger? No problem. Use measuring spoons. Two Tablespoons equals one ounce.
While St Germain is popular, there are other European elderflower liqueur brands that are equally good including Bols (Netherlands) and Fiorente (Italian).
It's important to use unsweetened cranberry juice, so check the ingredient label! Already sweetened cranberry juice will yield a cocktail that is way too sweet.

Hat Tips

Many thanks to A Couple Cooks for the St Germain & cranberry cocktail recipe.

Cosmopolitan with St Germain

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 1 serving 1x

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Ingredients

Units Scale

2 oz vodka
1 oz unsweetened 100% cranberry juice
1 oz agave or simple syrup
½ oz St Germain or other elderflower liqueur
½ oz lemon juice
Garnish: lemon slice

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Instructions

Tip all the ingredients (except garnish) into a cocktail shaker.
Add 3 to 4 ice cubes, put the lid on, and shake until chilled.
Strain into a pretty glass, garnish with lemon slice, and enjoy responsibly.

Vodka Sour with Elderflower

September 13, 2024

Vodka Sour with Elderflower

Refreshing, sweet-tart, and botanical! The Vodka Sour with Elderflower is a balanced and sublime cocktail made from just four ingredients, including liqueur made from elderflower.

What is elderflower?

Elderflower

When I first heard of these tiny flowers, I mistakenly thought they were the same thing as edelweiss. You know, the bloom that Christopher Plummer sang about in The Sound of Music. Well, they're not.

Elderflowers are blossoms of the elderberry tree that flower each spring. While these trees grow all over Europe, they also grow in the U.S. My friend who lives in Tennessee sees them on her rural walks and picks some to make into tea and simple syrup.

The fragrant blossoms are also made into cordials and liqueurs.

How to Use Elderflower Liqueur

With it's subtle floral aroma and citrusy, pear, and lychee notes, elderflower liqueur brings an elegant flavor to a variety of foods and drinks. One of the most popular and widely available elderflower liqueurs is St Germain. I find it at my local BevMo but some grocery stores carry it as well.

Tip the liqueur in:

cake, muffin, and pancake batters
jams and jellies
ice creams and sorbets

And, of course, mocktails and cocktails like this one.

Fresh lemon, St. Germain, vodka, and agave syrup.

Lessons Learned

St Germain, like other liqueurs, is quite sweet. Adjust the amount of agave or other sweetener in the cocktail to suit your taste.
Fresh lemon juice is best! If you don't have any lemons on hand, bottled juice is okay in a pinch.
A cocktail is only as good as the ingredients used. Because there are only four ingredients in this one, don't use a cheap vodka if you can avoid it. Mid-range vodkas like Tito's or Kirkland Signature from Costco are perfect. If you can afford Grey Goose, go for it.

Hat Tips

Many thanks to St Germain for the flower drop cocktail recipe and to Corina Rainer on Unsplash for the elderflower photo.

Vodka Sour with Elderflower

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 1 serving 1x

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Ingredients

Units Scale

1 oz elderflower liqueur, such as St Germain
2 oz vodka
1 oz lemon juice
½ oz agave or simple syrup

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Instructions

Tip all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker.
Add 3 to 4 ice cubes, place the lid on top, and shake until chilled.
Strain into a coupe or other pretty glass and enjoy responsibly.

Green Goddess Chicken Cobb

September 9, 2024

Green Goddess Chicken Cobb

A mashup of two California classics! Green Goddess Chicken Cobb features herby, creamy dressing drizzled over a non-traditional Cobb salad. It's fresh, bright, and delicious.

Two California Classics

In this salad, two California classics get married and have a baby. Green Goddess dressing originated in San Francisco in the 1920s. Cobb Salad appeared a decade later in Los Angeles.

Let’s look at a short history of both.

Green Goddess Dressing

The Palace Hotel was San Francisco’s first grand hotel when it opened its doors in the late 19th century. And it was in the hotel kitchen that Green Goddess dressing was first stirred together.

More than 80 percent of San Francisco, including the Palace Hotel, was destroyed by the 1906 earthquake and the fires resulting from it. Once rebuilt, the hotel resumed its stature as a luxury hotel that hosted dignitaries, opera stars, and international actors like George Arliss.

Cilantro, basil, parsley, mayo, lemon, green onion, and garlic.

Arliss was starring in the play The Green Goddess which was on tour in the U.S. in 1923 after having great success in England. Famous guests of the hotel often had dishes named in their honor, like singer Luisa Tetrazzini who inspired the pasta dish Chicken Tetrazzini. And so it was with George Arliss except the salad dressing wasn’t named for him but for the play. Womp womp.

Regardless, 100 years later the Palace Hotel is still an upscale luxury hotel and the dressing remains on the hotel menu. It is full of fresh herbs, lemon, and garlic resulting in a bright green dressing.

Cobb Salad

Now we head down the coast to Southern California where Cobb Salad originated at The Brown Derby restaurant. Although The Brown Derby was actually a chain of restaurants in Los Angeles with locations in Beverly Hills, Los Feliz, Hollywood, and Wilshire Boulevard, it is the Hollywood branch on North Vine Street that gets the credit for inventing the main dish salad in 1937 that has become an American classic.

Rumors and legends tend to be part of the Hollywood landscape, and stories surrounding The Brown Derby restaurant are no exception. Holding court at the restaurant were movie studio execs, theater owners, and celebrities. It became a place to see and be seen.

Romaine, hard-boiled eggs, cucumber, tomatoes, and avocado.

The creation of the Cobb Salad has two differing legends attached to it. The first one tells of owner Robert Cobb looking through the restaurant kitchen for a midnight snack. Pulling a little of this, a little of that, he pilfered some bacon from a busy line cook, chopped up the whole shebang, and voila! The Cobb Salad was born.

Another rendition involves the head chef concocting the chopped salad as a way to cheer up Mr. Cobb, who came straight to work after a dental appointment, hungry and irritable (as we all are after dental appointments).

Will we ever know the real story? Probably not.

Looking at an old Brown Derby menu dated September 1953, I had to marvel at the prices. Baja California Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail for $1.50. Derby Lamb Stew with Vegetables and Potatoes was $1.85. A pot of coffee for 25 cents. And Cobb Salad? $2.25. Order a Cobb in any restaurant today and you will pay 10 times that price.

It’s so much cheaper to make it at home, so let’s do that now.

Lessons Learned

Because chicken breasts can sometimes dry out when grilled, the mayo-based marinade helps keep them moist. Once the salad is assembled, drizzle the reserved portion of the herby dressing over everything.
Traditionally, Cobbs include bleu cheese and bacon but this one doesn’t. The salad ingredient list is flexible, of course. Leave out what you don’t like or add more of what you do.
And bread? This Ligurian Focaccia would be so delicious alongside the salad!

Hat Tips

Many thanks to Lillie Eats and Tells for the Green Goddess grilled chicken inspiration.

Green Goddess Chicken Cobb

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x

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Ingredients

Units Scale

Green Goddess Marinade/Dressing:

2 cups parsley, loosely packed
1 cup cilantro, loosely packed
½ cup basil, loosely packed
2 green onions, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 large garlic cloves, peeled
½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup lemon juice
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt

Salad:

4 chicken breasts
1 large head romaine lettuce, rinsed and chopped
4 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
1 ½ cups cucumbers, sliced
1 ½ cups grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1 or 2 avocadoes, sliced

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Instructions

Make the marinade/dressing by placing all ingredients into a blender or food processor. Blitz for 30 seconds or until completely smooth. There should be about 1 ⅓ to 1 ½ cups of marinade. Measure out ¾ cup of the mixture into a small bowl, cover, and put in the fridge to use later as the salad dressing. The remainder is used as the marinade.
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Slice the breasts in half lengthwise to butterfly them into eight thinner filets. Place the chicken in a 9x13 baking dish. Pour the marinade over the chicken and turn to coat each piece. Cover and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour. You can also let this sit overnight if making ahead.
Heat the grill to high and lightly oil the grates. Once the grill is ready, place the chicken on the grates and turn the heat down to medium-high. Cook on one side for 5 minutes. Flip, and cook on the other side for a minute or two. Don’t overcook! If using a probe thermometer, check the temp and pull it off the grill at 160F/70C. Remove the breasts from the grill. Rest the chicken for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing into bite-sized pieces.
It’s time to assemble the salad! Evenly divide the romaine, sliced eggs, cucumbers, tomatoes, and avocado onto four dinner plates. Top with sliced chicken breast, then drizzle on the dressing.

Easy Chicken Liver Pâté

September 4, 2024

Easy Chicken Liver Pâté

Easy chicken liver pate being spread on a cracker.

Deliciously smooth and creamy, Easy Chicken Liver Pâté is a welcome addition to any appetizer plate. Serve it spread on toasted baguette, crackers, or crunchy veggies.

What is Pâté?

Have you wondered what exactly is pâté? It is meat or seafood that is cooked, ground up, and combined with seasonings and herbs along with some fat. Blended together, either coarsely or finely, the mixture is molded into pots or a terrine.

Pâté can even be made with vegetables only. A popular type includes mushrooms, walnuts, and garlic.

Celery, onion, butter, chicken livers, garlic, and seasonings.

It seems that pâté has fallen out of fashion with certain people. You don’t see a lot of social media posts for it. Maybe because it isn't eye-catchingly colorful but is just so…tan. However, a classic smooth chicken liver pâté is a wonderful snack or appetizer with drinkies.

Plus it is so simple to make! After cooking the chicken livers, throw it along with the rest of the ingredients in a blender or food processor and you’re done. Easy peasy.

Serve pâté spread on a baguette or toasted bread. Call me suburban middle-class, but I think it tastes best on saltine crackers. It would also be delicious on these Gourmet Crackers.

Cover and store in the fridge for up to two weeks, but I bet it won't last that long.

Lessons Learned

Chicken livers are in the fresh meat section of the grocery store. Where I live, the price is around $2 per pound.
Don't overcook the chicken livers! Simmering just for 10 minutes leaves them tender and perfect. Any longer makes them turn rubbery and you will regret everything.
Play around with the seasonings and choice of alcohol (can omit if you like) to adjust the pâté to your taste.

Hat Tips

Many thanks to the classic The Silver Palate Cookbook for the recipe inspiration.

Easy Chicken Liver Pâté

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Chill Time: 4 hours or overnight
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes plus chilling

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Ingredients

Units Scale

2 celery stalks with leaves
4 whole black peppercorns
6 cups water
1 pound chicken livers
8 oz butter (2 sticks)
¼ cup chopped onion
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
½ tsp ground nutmeg
⅛ tsp cayenne
¼ cup brandy

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Instructions

Place 5 or 6 cups of water in a saucepan along with the celery and peppercorns. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat and let simmer for 10 minutes. Throw in the chicken livers and continue to simmer for another 10 minutes. Drain the water and discard the celery and peppercorns.
Add the livers to a blender or food processor along with the rest of the ingredients. Blitz until smooth, scraping down the sides a couple of times to ensure everything is blended.
Scrape the pâté into a bowl or two ramekins and level off the top. Cover and place in the fridge to cool for 4 hours or overnight.
To serve, allow the pate to sit at room temp for 15-ish minutes before serving with bread, crackers, or crunchy veggies.

Balsamic Tomato Toast

August 29, 2024

Balsamic Tomato Toast

Tangy, salty, and full of tomato-y flavor, Balsamic Tomato Toast makes for a delicious appetizer, snack, or brunch item! Ripe in-season cherry tomatoes are perfect, but this even works with sad, out-of-season ones thanks to the addition of balsamic vinegar.

Balsamic Vinegar

It's rich, slightly sweet, and sometimes syrupy, but what one notices right away about balsamic vinegar is the color. Dark, dark brown, nearly black. But what makes a vinegar balsamic?

True balsamic vinegar is made in Italy and only in Modena or Reggio Emilia. It is produced using traditional methods that are centuries-old. Whole pressed grapes (called grape must) are cooked down until concentrated, left to ferment for a few weeks, then aged for 12 to 25 years in wooden barrels. Its texture is glossy and viscous while the flavor is complex.

Like other European products made according to certain specifications, balsamic vinegar has a regulating agency. Balsamic from Italy is labeled with a special stamp (DOP or "Denominazione di Origine Protetta") to show its authenticity. True balsamic vinegars can be quite expensive starting at $50 a bottle and going up from there.

These traditional Italian balsamics are not meant for cooking purposes. Heat destroys its aroma so it is instead drizzled over fresh fruit, cooked meats and risottos, and drunk before or after a meal as an apertif or digestif.

Most of the balsamic vinegar produced outside of Italy are imitations of the real thing. They consist of grape must plus other vinegar and coloring. There are good quality imitators and they are more than adequate for salad dressings and marinades. Use them in cooking, reduce them to make syrups, or deglaze a pan.

Garlic, oregano, olives, tomatoes, basil, and capers.

Lessons Learned

Use any kind of tomato you like or have on hand. Little bitty ones like grape or cherry tomatoes look cute when cut in half, but they aren't necessary.
This tastes equally delicious with or without cheese. Sub in vegan cheese, if desired.
Want a delicious and refreshing side dish? This Zucchini Ribbon Salad fits the bill.

Hat Tips

Many thanks to the old school Italian nonnas who know how to use up summer produce in a delicious way! I've seen many iterations of this on social media, but we know it was the grandmas who thought of it first.

Balsamic Tomato Toast

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 toasts 1x

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Ingredients

Units Scale

2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes
⅓ cup pitted Kalamata olives
2 garlic cloves
1 Tbsp capers
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
4 slices sourdough bread
½ cup shredded Mozzarella or melting cheese (optional)
Garnishes: flaky salt, fresh chopped basil and oregano

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Instructions

Cut tomatoes in half. Cut olives in half. Mince garlic. Pat the capers dry with a paper towel.
Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes, olives, garlic, and capers. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes, just until the tomatoes start to soften but still hold their shape. Tip in the balsamic vinegar and cook for another minute or two. Remove pan from the heat.
Toast the bread slices. If you are using cheese, place the cheese on the bread as it toasts in a toaster oven or under the oven broiler. Top each slice with some of the balsamic tomato mixture. Garnish with flaky salt and freshly chopped basil and oregano. Serve immediately.

Quick Cucumber Kimchi

July 1, 2024

Quick Cucumber Kimchi

Crunchy, zingy, and mouthwatering, Quick Cucumber Kimchi is a great side salad to any grilled meat or Asian-inspired meal.

Full disclosure: it's not fermented so technically it's not kimchi. By the way, yes, you can make homemade kimchi. However, this salad brings all the flavors of traditional kimchi onto your plate with less time and effort.

The star ingredient here is cucumber.

Cucumbers

Have you noticed that there are many types of cucumbers? Most common is the garden cucumber which is dark green and contains seeds. They are easy to grow in raised garden beds, as I found out last year.

Along with the common garden variety, seedless English cucumbers are available at most grocery stores. Lately, I've seen more varieties offered at my local supermarket and farmers market. These include Persian cucumbers, which are shorter with thinner skins, and lemon cucumbers, which resemble a tennis ball.

Cucumbers, garlic, carrots, green onions, white onions.

All cucumber varieties provide a cool, refreshing crunch to salads, sandwiches, and fresh veggie platters. For this recipe, I used a combination of garden and Persian cucumbers because that is what I had on hand, but you can use what you like.

The combination of cucumbers with other veggies, namely carrots and onions brings irresistible crunch. Season with Korean red pepper flakes, garlic, sesame oil, sugar, and rice vinegar for a flavorful but not-too-spicy sauce, and now you've got a salad that is tangy and refreshing.

Gochugaru, garlic, sugar, sesame oil, and vinegar.

Lessons Learned

Gochugaru, or Korean red pepper flakes, are at Asian grocery stores or online. Be sure to get the red pepper flakes rather than the powder.
This salad is perfect for vegans! Unlike traditional kimchi, this one has no fish sauce or animal products.
Serve quick cucumber kimchi with Korean BBQ Ribs, Miso-Caramel Salmon, or Asian Pork and Mushroom Burgers. Delish!

Hat Tips

Many thanks to Stella ‘n Spice and Korean Bapsang for the cucumber kimchi recipe inspiration.

Open wide! Cucumber kimchi between chopsticks.

Quick Cucumber Kimchi

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings 1x

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Ingredients

Units Scale

Salad:

4 cups cucumbers, sliced or cubed
1 cup carrots, shredded (or thinly sliced)
½ cup white onion, sliced
¼ cup green onions, sliced
2 tsp kosher or coarse salt

Sauce:

2 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean red pepper coarse flakes)
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
2 Tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar
1 Tbsp sesame oil
½ Tbsp minced garlic

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Instructions

Place cucumbers, carrots, white onions, and green onions in a colander or salad spinner insert. Sprinkle with salt and toss to combine. Allow to sit for 10 minutes in the sink to let juices drain off.
Spin the veggies in a salad spinner to remove excess water or use paper towels to pat dry. Tip the veggies into a large bowl.
Mix the sauce ingredients until thoroughly combined. Pour the sauce over the cucumber mixture and gently toss to coat.
Serve immediately. Cover leftovers and keep in the fridge for up to one week.

Homemade Zhoug

June 24, 2024

Homemade Zhoug

Green, herby, spicy, and delicious, Homemade Zhoug is a green dynamo condiment! Spoon it over grilled meats, veggies, and dips like homemade hummus. Prepare to be addicted!

What is Zhoug

Yemenite in origin and served in some form all over the Middle East, zhoug is kind of like the chili paste of the East. It has some kick to it but is more herby than anything else. Traditionally, it contains chopped herbs, garlic, chilies, and toasted spices.

How is it pronounced? I've heard zhoug pronounced many ways, but I say the "zh" like a soft "j" sound. Similar to how you pronounce the "s" in the words vision or pleasure. Yes, the English language is weird.

How is it used? It's delicious as a saucy drizzle over falafel, pita sandwiches, and chopped salads. But zhoug also complements dips, soups, and just about any dish that needs a green punch of flavor. Lately I've been spooning it over my morning eggs or stirring it into my plain yogurt for a savory breakfast.

Garlic, spices, jalapeno, parsley, and cilantro await the blender.

While you can certainly hand-chop all the ingredients, a quick and easy way to make zhoug is in the blender or food processor. Just place the ingredients in the blender, pulse a few times, and it's ready.

Allowing the prepared sauce to sit for an hour-ish before serving is a good idea. It lets all the different flavors talk to each other and meld into one.

Lessons Learned

My middle-aged tummy says one jalapeno is enough but you might not think so. The key here is to blend, taste, and make adjustments until you like it.
Don't go crazy with the blender. You don't want a puree, but rather a sauce with some texture and small chunks. Over-blending causes the sauce to be watery.
Once refrigerated, the olive oil in the zhoug will harden. To bring it back to a spoon-able consistency, allow the sauce to sit at room temperature for a few minutes.

Hat Tips

This recipe is adapted from many including the one from New York Times and Simply Recipes.

A spoonful of zhoug makes the medicine go down.

Homemade Zhoug

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Yield: ⅔ cup 1x

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Ingredients

Units Scale

1 ½ cup of cilantro, leaves and stems
½ to ⅔ cup flat-leaf parsley, leaves and stems
1 jalapeno, stemmed and seeded
½ tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp ground cardamom
¼ tsp granulated sugar
¼ tsp salt
1 garlic clove
¼ to ⅓ cup olive oil

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Instructions

Dump all the ingredients into a blender or food processor. Blitz for 5 or so pulses. Scrape down the sides and blitz again a couple of times.
Taste and adjust the seasonings. Add more salt, jalapeno, or garlic until it is to your liking. If you like a looser consistency, add a little more oil by the tablespoon.
Serve with any meat dish, as a dipping sauce for bread/pita, or drizzle over soups. Keeps for 1 week in the fridge. Allow to come to room temperature to let olive oil reconstitute.

Homemade Rose Simple Syrup

June 19, 2024

Homemade Rose Simple Syrup

A rose by any other name is…a simple syrup? Yes, you can make Homemade Rose Simple Syrup to flavor cocktails and drinks, hot or cold. It’s easy, economical, and delicious!

Plus, can you say homemade rose latte?

What is Simple Syrup

We’ve talked previously about making homemade vanilla extract and how it takes some pre-planning because extracts take months to steep. But what if you need some instant gratification? While your vanilla extract is watching Netflix and chillaxing, make a simple syrup.

Simple syrups are basically liquid sweeteners made of sugar and water boiled together. Plain or flavored, they sweeten coffee, tea, cocktails, lemonade, iced tea, and sparkling water.

Premade simple syrups are found at grocery stores and liquor stores. Have you seen the Torani syrups used to flavor coffee drinks? Those are simple syrups. What about Rose’s or Monin syrups for cocktails? Those also are simple syrups.

Store bought simple syrups include grenadine and orgeat.

I first learned about simple syrups while ghostwriting a cocktail and mixology book for a client. There is a “golden ratio” that is 2 parts alcohol, 1 part sour, and 1 part sweet, sometimes in the form of a simple syrup. This combo is what makes a cocktail taste good. Any other cocktail ingredients add another layer of complexity while a garnish is nose or eye candy.

A good example of the golden ratio is the cocktail my neighbor Byron makes. It’s a great little drinkie with White Claw, of all things, as the base. Now neither my neighbor nor I are the target market for White Claw (it is 20-something Gen Zers) but he doctors it up and turns it into something delicious.

He uses a non-mathy formula of vodka/tequila (alcohol) + White Claw (sweet) + lime juice (sour) = yummy drink. By employing the golden ratio, my neighbor transforms a mediocre, sweet, grain alcohol drink into a bright, refreshing cocktail that I am happy to imbibe at their Super Bowl and July 4th parties.

How to Use Simple Syrups

Homemade simple syrup can be used in so many creative ways.

Cocktails and mocktails. Bring sweet complexity to mixed drinks.
Desserts. Drizzle syrup between cake layers, over ice cream, or into frosting.
Hot or iced coffee and tea. Add a teaspoon or two to sweeten and flavor your morning cup.
Lemonade and sparkling water. Stirs into cold drinks easily because the sugar is already dissolved.
Whipped cream. Whisk into whipped cream to add a hint of flavor.

I did not calculate the price breakdown for purchased simple syrup versus homemade syrup. But as a reference, Torani syrups cost between $11 to $20 per bottle. Monin syrups are about the same. Their primary ingredients: sugar and water, plus some artificial flavorings. Given that a two-pound bag of sugar can be bought for less than $5, we can safely assume that homemade syrup costs way less than bottled ones.

This project is fast and easy, ready to use immediately. It makes a nice gift, too.

Lessons Learned

Be sure to use food-grade dried rose petals which have not been sprayed with pesticide. I found mine on Amazon. If you grow roses, friend, you have hit the jackpot because you can dry your rose petals for free.
To semi-sterilize a clean jar, add boiling water to it and let sit for 15 minutes. Dump out the hot water and let the jar dry upside down.
Make a rose latte by adding 1 or 2 teaspoons of the simple syrup to hot milk and coffee.

Hat Tips

Many thanks to Liquor.com for their simple syrup recipe.

Homemade Rose Simple Syrup

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Steeping Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

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Ingredients

Units Scale

¾ cup sugar
¾ cup water
¼ cup food-grade dried rose petals

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Instructions

Dump all the ingredients into a small saucepan. Place the pan on the stove and bring to a boil. Then remove the pan from the heat, cover, and steep for 15 minutes.
Pour the syrup through a fine mesh strainer and into a clean jar. Allow to cool to room temperature, then screw on the lid and refrigerate. Syrup keeps for several weeks in the fridge.

Homemade Vanilla Extract

June 17, 2024

Homemade Vanilla Extract

Homemade Vanilla Extract is easy to make, tastes delicious, and is budget-friendly. Yes it's perfect for all your home baking but it has a secret second life as a thoughtful holiday gift.

Not many folks make vanilla extract from scratch but pick it up during a grocery haul because it is easy and convenient. But convenience costs money.

The Cost of Extracts

If you’ve purchased extracts recently, you know they can be expensive (imitation and artificial vanilla are not part of this conversation because I don’t like them). Good quality brand-name genuine vanilla extract costs anywhere from $12 to $20 for a 4-ounce bottle. This is between $3 to $5 per ounce.

Normally vanilla extract is doled out in teaspoons, so there are 24 teaspoons in a 4-ounce bottle, each teaspoon costing between 50 and 83 cents. I know what you are going to say: Costco.

The enemy, I mean, store bought vanilla.

Yes, Kirkland vanilla is definitely more reasonable at $16.99 for a 16-ounce bottle or $1.06 per ounce. And if that’s what you would rather do, no one is going to fault you. I occasionally buy Kirkland vanilla as well because it’s convenient and reliable.

Another option is Mexican vanilla, which is very inexpensive. But don’t be duped like I was. On my last trip to Ensenada, I picked up a very popular brand of Mexican vanilla for what I thought was such a deal.

When I got home, I noticed it didn’t taste quite as strong as McCormick or Kirkland brands. Upon reading the label, I found that it was a “vanilla blend” meaning, yes, it was part extract but it was also a blend of a bunch of other things including artificial flavoring. So disappointing.

The Savings of Homemade Extract

Are there actual savings in making your own vanilla extract? Yes, and here is where it gets math-y.

To make your own vanilla extract, you need to:

Purchase vanilla beans. Amazon is an easy and inexpensive resource for this. Either Grade A or B beans are good. Grade A is typically used fresh for pastry cream and ice cream, something you are going to eat soon. Grade B is most often used for extracts and pastes and has a more concentrated flavor. Really, either type is fine. While Madagascar vanilla beans are the most common for vanilla extract, you can experiment with Tahitian (fruitier notes) or Mexican (warm spice notes like clove) vanilla beans.
Buy vodka. Don’t buy the cheapest but don’t buy the pricey Grey Goose. The 1.75 liter (59-ish ounces) bottle of Kirkland Signature brand at Costco is a good price at $20. You know, the ginormous bottle that once you put in your shopping cart, you pray that you don’t run into anyone you know. You will only use 16 ounces of it, leaving plenty of vodka for making Cosmos later with your besties. If you don’t want a gargantuan bottle hanging around, buy a 750ml bottle (25-ish ounces) which runs around $25 for a brand like Tito’s.

The cost breakdown:

$9.99 vanilla beans (Amazon) + $5.42 for 16 oz of Kirkland Signature = $15.41 or $0.96 per ounce, or 16 cents per teaspoon.

$9.99 vanilla beans + $16 for 16 oz of Tito’s = $25.99 or $1.62 per ounce, or 27 cents per teaspoon.

Something that I have not factored into the cost savings and that may tip the scale in favor of making your own extract is that the bottle is refillable.

What does this mean?

When you are running low on homemade extract, just top off your bottle or jar with more vodka. You can do this two or three times before having to add or replace the vanilla beans. That makes your cost per ounce even cheaper.

Another Benefit of Homemade Extract

Extracts need months before they are ready, so you do need to plan ahead. If you made vanilla extract today (it's currently June), it will be ready for use by December, just in time for holiday baking. Maybe you don’t use a lot of vanilla, or don’t bake like you used to. This project might not be for everybody, and that’s okay.

But! This can also make for a casually genius holiday gift. I know, you’re thinking, “Are you serious right now? It’s summer.” Friend, I’m with you on this. I’m not a holiday prepper at all and I kind of despise people who are.

However, if you had a few bottles of homemade vanilla sitting in the back of your pantry, how awesome would that be in the middle of December when you forgot to buy a gift for the gift exchange? I may or may not be speaking from personal experience.

Think about it. Wouldn’t it be great to reach into your pantry and pull out a homemade gift just when you need it? I think so, too. If you like the homemade gift idea, then take a look at Strawberry Vinegar.

Pouring vodka into mason jars filled with vanilla pods.

Lessons Learned

Choose the size of bottle or jar you want to use. I like 2 half-pint (1 cup) mason jars because they are smaller and easier to store in my pantry, but use the larger pint jar if you prefer.
Can you use rum or bourbon? Absolutely, but they will add their own flavor to the extract, which you may or may not love. Vodka adds no flavor so all you taste is the vanilla.
The bean-to-booze ratio is 5 vanilla beans to 1 cup alcohol.

Hat Tips

Many thanks to Zoe Bakes for the homemade vanilla extract recipe inspiration.

Homemade Vanilla Extract

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Steeping Time: 6 months or more
Total Time: 10 minutes plus steeping

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Ingredients

Units Scale

10 vanilla beans
2 cups vodka 80 proof

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Instructions

Clean whatever bottles or jars you are using with hot soapy water. To ensure they are somewhat sterilized, I like to fill the jars with boiling water and let them sit for 10 minutes. Empty the jars and allow them to air dry upside down.
Cut a slit down the length of each vanilla bean. Don’t cut them all the way through, just enough to expose the paste inside. Add the vanilla beans to the jars. If you are using half-pint jars you will need to cut the beans in half to fit.
Tip in the vodka until the beans are fully submerged. Screw on the lid tightly and gently shake.
Place the jars in a cool, dark place like the back of your pantry. Leave them alone for 6 months, or if you are a patience superstar, 12 months, before using. Once you start running low on extract, refill the jar with more vodka and allow it to steep again for several months.

Easy Green Peasy Hummus

May 7, 2024

Easy Green Peasy Hummus

Bright and spring-y, Easy Green Peasy Hummus is a dip for pita and veggies, a schmear inside wraps and sandwiches, or part of an appetizer platter. Plus, plant protein!

Plant Protein

What are plant proteins? They are lean, green, cost-effective machines, and an alternative to traditional protein sources like meat, poultry, and seafood. Plant-based proteins are easy to digest, easy to keep stocked, and easy on the budget.

Plus, they taste good.

I recently watched Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones on Netflix. This documentary looks at five global communities where people routinely live 100 years or longer and maintain active lifestyles. The premise is that these areas share some common elements including family first, natural movement, and a plant-based diet. While some of these communities do eat meat, they get the majority of their protein from plants.

Peas, garbanzo beans, lemon, and cilantro.

This is not surprising if we think about what our parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents ate. Depending on where your roots lie, your ancestors may have eaten beans and quinoa, chickpeas and lentils, or tofu and rice. They were eating these things not because plant-based diets were popular but because that’s what was available. And it just so happens that these foods provided the nutrients they needed.

My mom is from North Korea. She grew up eating tofu, rice, and kimchi. Meat was only eaten on special occasions like New Year’s Day and maybe birthdays. After she escaped to South Korea, it was much of the same. When she lived there, tofu and fish were the main protein sources for meals in her home. Today, my mom lives in New York and her breakfast is surprisingly unchanged: tofu, rice, and kimchi.

It is interesting and reassuring all at the same time that people in the centuries before us knew the right things to eat before Netflix came along to remind us. As an aside, does anyone remember waiting for those red envelopes to arrive in the mail? My husband used to say, “It be great if we could just watch the movies instantly instead of waiting for these things in the mail.” Look at us now.

Sources of Plant Protein

Protein is found in a variety of plants, grains, and seeds. The main categories of non-animal protein include cereals, grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, and soy. Since we are looking at legumes in this recipe, here is a sample of some and the protein they provide.

Beans (black, kidney, pinto, white), 1 cup cooked, 15 grams
Chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans), 1 cup cooked, 14 grams
Green peas, 1 cup cooked, 8 grams
Lentils (black, brown, green, red), 1 cup cooked, 18 grams

I find that plant-based dishes benefit from a hit of acid, which depending on your past or current lifestyle, may mean something different from what I’m talking about. A hit of acid here means lemon juice, vinegar, or a fermented something. The acidic component lightens, brightens, and brings some freshness to what can be a claggy, dense dish.

So, don't be afraid to add extra lemon juice to this hummus!

Lessons Learned

The easiest way to thaw green peas: tip them into a bowl, pour hot water over them, and let them sit for a few minutes.
If you aren't a cilantro fan, sub in parsley instead or do a 50-50 mix.
Not into green peas? You might like this classic hummus or a carrot lentil hummus instead.

Hat Tips

Many thanks to Tending the Table for the green pea hummus recipe.

Easy Green Peasy Hummus

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 2 cups 1x

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Ingredients

Units Scale

1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
1 cup garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro
3 Tbsp tahini
3 Tbsp lemon juice
3 Tbsp olive oil
½ Tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
Garnishes: crushed red pepper flakes, whole garbanzo beans and green peas, finely chopped parsley

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Instructions

Add all the ingredients (except the garnishes) to a blender or food processor. Blitz until smooth, about 30 seconds to one minute. Taste and add more of whatever you think it needs for your taste (lemon juice, garlic, salt). Adjust the consistency to your liking by adding a little water if needed and blitz again.
Scrape the hummus into a serving bowl. Top with any or all of the garnishes. Serve at room temp. Store any leftovers covered in the fridge.

Carrot Lentil Hummus

March 13, 2024

Carrot Lentil Hummus

Creamy, dreamy, and protein-y Carrot Lentil Hummus is a delicious snack, appetizer, or sandwich spread. Plus, it's so pretty! I know, I know, hummus is supposed to be made with chickpeas. Rename it if you want, but this version uses red lentils instead.

Red Lentils

We’ve talked about lentils before and how they are a good source of protein not just for vegans and vegetarians but omnivores as well. People around the globe have relied on lentils for centuries to meet their need for protein because they are inexpensive and readily available. While green and brown lentils are more common, red lentils are a favorite of mine.

These little powerhouse legumes cook quickly and are subtle in flavor. No dirt-tasting lentils here! Because red lentils are hull-less, they do not need to be soaked and break down easily into a mushier consistency. This makes them perfect for creamy dishes like curries, soups, stews, dips, and this hummus recipe.

Lessons Learned

You don't have to peel your carrots! I like the cleaner orange color of peeled carrots, but this might not be a thing for you. They will roast perfectly fine unpeeled.
Yes, draining the mushy cooked lentils is a pain. But a fine mesh strainer makes quick work of this task. If you'd rather not mess with draining, use slightly less than 2 cups of water and pray that the lentils don't burn towards the end of the cook time. You can always add more water if needed.
Add more garlic, lemon juice, spices, tahini, or water for the taste and consistency that suits you. If you are looking for a more traditional version made with chickpeas, there is a deliciously easy hummus recipe here.

Hat Tips

Many thanks to Blissful Basil for the carrot, walnut, and red lentil hummus recipe.

Carrot Lentil Hummus

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 2 cups 1x

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Ingredients

Units Scale

4 cups carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 Tbsp olive oil
½ cup red lentils
⅔ cup tahini
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup lemon juice
½ cup fresh cilantro
2 cloves garlic (about 2 tsp minced)
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
Garnishes: ¼ cup toasted walnut pieces, chopped cilantro

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400F/204C. Lightly grease a rimmed baking sheet or line with parchment. Toss the carrots with 1 tablespoon oil and dump on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 30 minutes until tender. Pieces should be easily pierced with a fork.
While the carrots roast, bring 2-ish cups of water to boil in a saucepan. Add the rinsed lentils, reduce the heat to a medium simmer, and cook uncovered for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain excess water using a fine mesh strainer.
Dump the roasted carrots, cooked lentils, and all the remaining ingredients (except garnishes) into a blender or food processor. Blitz for a minute or two until everything is smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings. Add a little water if you want a looser consistency.
Scrape the hummus into a bowl or onto a serving platter. Garnish with toasted walnuts, cilantro, and a drizzle of olive oil. Store any leftovers covered in the fridge for up to one week.

Grapefruit Olive Oil Cake

March 6, 2024

Grapefruit Olive Oil Cake

Plush and tender, Grapefruit Olive Oil Cake is a deliciously citrusy snack or dessert. If you are like me, you’ll enjoy it with a cup of coffee and call it breakfast.

What makes this cake so perfectly moist with the right texture? Oil.

Oil Cakes Versus Butter Cakes

When I was a kid, all the birthday cakes my mom baked for me and my brother were from a boxed mix. She took a Wilton cake decorating class, so the cakes were beautiful too. They were light, tender, and what I thought cake was supposed to taste like.

Once I had children of my own there was no question that I would do the same: bake and decorate their birthday cakes. But I took it a step further and baked the cakes from scratch rather than use a boxed mix.

I’m not as talented as my mom in the cake decorating department but tried my best. The cakes were fun to look at but tasted dense and dry. What happened?

It all comes down to fat. Boxed cake mixes typically call for oil while from-scratch recipes use butter. These two fats behave differently when mixed with cake ingredients yielding very different results.

Cake ingredients include flour, sugar, oil, yogurt, eggs, and grapefruit.

Oil Cakes

Since oil is lighter than butter and one hundred percent fat, it results in a cake that is lighter and moister than one made with butter. Oil cakes are loftier and spongier.
Oil is liquid. When it is mixed with flour, it completely coats the flour and prevents any gluten development from happening.
Cakes made with oil keep well at room temperature (up to a week, if they last that long). If they are refrigerated, they can be eaten straight from the fridge and will still be tender.

Butter Cakes

Butter is heavier by weight than oil and contains about 15% water.
Because water is present, when the butter is mixed with flour gluten can develop giving the cake a chewier, denser texture. If you are making a multi-tiered cake, this could work in your favor because it isn’t as likely to topple over.
Butter-based cakes will become firmer if kept in the fridge and will need to sit at room temp to soften up. Again, this isn’t always bad especially if you enjoy cold cake with a hot cup of coffee.

The oil used in this citrus loaf cake is olive oil but not EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil). While EVOO is great in salad dressings and dips, the flavor is too overpowering for a cake like this. The best type for cooking and baking is light olive oil which is golden in color and more neutral in flavor.

If you like citrusy goodies, you will also love Coconut Lime Zucchini Bread and Preserved Lemon Loaf Cake.

Because once citrus is cooked it can lose some of it's punch, this cake gets a grapefruit flavor hit at every step. First, the zest is rubbed with sugar to release the citrus oils. After baking, the cake is doused with grapefruit syrup. And finally, the loaf is drizzled with a grapefruit glaze. It's so yummy!

Lessons Learned

Store-bought grapefruit usually is waxed, so wash the outside in hot water or use a fruit and veggie cleaner before zesting. If you are lucky enough to grow grapefruit in your backyard like I do, you don’t need to do this, just zest away. I use a microplane grater.
Measure your vanilla extract carefully and resist the temptation to add more. Vanilla can easily overpower the delicate citrus notes and result in a vanilla-heavy flavor.
Don’t like grapefruit? I’m surprised you’ve read this far. The recipe works equally well with other citrus like lemon, lime, and orange.

Hat Tips

Many thanks to Smitten Kitchen for the grapefruit yogurt cake recipe.

Peekaboo! An inside look at the loaf cake.

Grapefruit Olive Oil Cake

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 12 slices 1x

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Ingredients

Units Scale

Batter:

1 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp finely grated grapefruit zest
1 cup unsweetened Greek yogurt
½ cup light olive oil
3 large eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt

Syrup:

⅓ cup freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed grapefruit juice

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F/176C. Position the oven rack to the center slot. Lightly grease an 8 ½ x 4 ½-inch loaf pan, line with parchment paper, and set aside.
Make the batter by tipping the sugar and zest into a large bowl. Rub the zest into the sugar with your fingertips to release the citrus oils and scent the sugar. Add the yogurt, oil, eggs, and vanilla, stirring to combine well.
Tip in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk everything together until no dry pockets of flour remain. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and level off the top so it is smooth. Bake for 50 minutes or until it passes the clean toothpick in the center test.
Make the syrup while the cake is baking by stirring together the grapefruit juice and sugar in a small bowl. Zap it in the microwave for 30 seconds then stir until the sugar is dissolved.
Remove the cake from the oven but leave it in the loaf pan. Place it on a wire rack. While the cake is hot, brush the top with the syrup and allow it to absorb. Use a toothpick to poke tiny holes all over the surface and brush again with more syrup. Repeat until all the syrup is absorbed into the cake. Carefully lift the cake out of the pan using the parchment paper and place it directly on the cooling rack.
Make the glaze by combining the powdered sugar and juice in a small bowl until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the cake and allow it to run down the sides. Slice and serve. Cake can be stored at room temp for two or three days if it lasts that long.

Easy 30 Minute Flatbread

February 19, 2024

Easy 30 Minute Flatbread

Warm, soft, and drizzled with garlicky-herby oil, Easy 30 Minute Flatbread is beckoning you right now. No yeast, no kneading, and no proofing. No kidding!

Say buh-bye to store bought flatbread.

What is Flatbread

Flatbread is an unleavened bread traditionally requires just a few ingredients like flour, salt, and liquid. It is a staple in many cuisines all over the world. Think pita, naan, roti, lavash, focaccia, and tortillas; all breads that are vertically challenged.

Flour, baking powder, yogurt, garlic, and parsley.

Baking powder, yogurt, or a small amount of yeast can be added to some types of flatbread to give them an airier texture. But these are simple breads that are easy to make and come together quickly. So they are PERFECT for weeknight dinners.

How to eat them? Dunked in stews, soups, and saucy dishes. Wrapped around grilled meats and vegetables. As an appetizer with dips and hummus. Or by themselves slathered in butter or oil. Delicious!

These flatbreads are especially good with Za'atar Chicken with Green Lentils, Israeli Salad with Chickpeas, and Easy Vegan Hummus!

Lessons Learned

Depending on the brand of Greek yogurt you purchase, you will need to adjust the amount used in the dough. Some yogurts are more liquidy and some are less so.
After stirring in the yogurt, I use my hands to help the ingredients come together. It is a wetter softer dough, so don’t overmix.
Yes, freeze them! Cook the flatbreads, cool completely, then put in a Ziploc freezer bag. Lay them flat in the freezer.

Hat Tips

Many thanks to Donna Hay for the no fuss flatbread recipe.

Rolled up and ready to be shoved in the mouth!

Easy 30 Minute Flatbread

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 6 flatbreads 1x

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Ingredients

Units Scale

Dough:

2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 ¼ to 1 ½ cups plain unsweetened Greek yogurt
¼ cup olive oil, for brushing

Drizzling oil:

½ Tbsp minced garlic
2 Tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
⅓ cup olive oil

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Instructions

Tip the flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl and whisk together. Dump in 1 ¼ cups of the yogurt and stir until combined. Add the remaining ¼ cup of yogurt if the dough seems too dry. Be sure there are no dry pockets of flour.
Liberally flour a flat surface. Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Dust each piece with flour. Use a rolling pin to roll each ball into a flat round, about 6 or 7 inches across.
Heat a skillet over medium-high to high heat. Once the skillet is hot, brush one side of a flatbread with olive oil and place it oil-side down in the pan. As it cooks for 45 seconds to 1 minute, brush the top with oil, then flip and cook the other side. Both sides should be brown and charred in places. Remove to a plate or wire rack and cover with a tea towel to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining flatbreads.
Make the drizzling oil by stirring together the garlic, parsley, and oil in a small bowl. Brush the oil over the warm flatbread and serve.

Cast Iron Pizza

February 7, 2024

Cast Iron Pizza

With a no-knead dough that bakes up crisp on the bottom and pillowy on the top, Cast Iron Pizza is the pan pizza of your childhood dreams. It’s surprisingly easy to make and you don’t have to log minutes in a reading program to enjoy one.

Pizza Hut Book It Program

When my kids were in elementary school, they participated in a program sponsored by Pizza Hut. It was designed to encourage kids to read by setting reading goals, tracking their reading time, and rewarding them with a certificate for a personal-sized pan pizza.

I loved this program because Pizza Hut made it available to homeschoolers, which we were for 17 years. My kids loved the program because every month they got a whole pizza to themselves. Never mind that it was the size of a small salad plate, this pizza was theirs and theirs alone.

When I was a kid, there was no Book It program, unfortunately. This was when Pizza Huts were still a popular place for families to eat. They were instantly recognizable with their angular red roof and all-you-can-eat pizza/pasta/salad buffet.

While the rest of my family liked the hand-tossed crust, I was on team pan pizza all the way. Occasionally my mom would relent and order a whole pan pizza for the family. The greasy, crunchy bottom and cheesy edges were my favorite part.

What makes this pizza so good? A cast iron skillet.

Cast Iron Cookware

Cooking in cast iron pots and pans has been around for a long, long time. My mom remembers her North Korean grandmother cooking rice in a cast iron or earthenware pot as they did centuries prior. In America, cast iron skillets were popular in the 19th and early 20th centuries because they were inexpensive and long-lasting.

Because cast iron can withstand high temperatures and retain heat, it is perfect for cooking over a fire, on the stovetop, or in the oven. Cast iron is great of course for stews and braises, but it is also ideal for baked items like breads, cakes, and cobblers.

My husband’s grandma gave us a cast iron skillet when we were first married. It rusted and I thought I ruined it, so I threw it out. Yikes.

I didn’t know that although cast iron is nearly indestructible, it needs to be cared for in specific ways.

How to Care for Cast Iron

Cast iron cookware can last for many decades if cared for properly. Here are a few tips that I wish I had known earlier.

Determine if your cast iron cookware is already seasoned. If you are buying from a company like Lodge Cast Iron, then chances are it is. A seasoned pan has been sprayed with vegetable oil and baked at a high temp to create a non-stick surface. You will want to re-season your pan from time to time by scrubbing it, applying a thin layer of cooking oil, then baking it upside down at 450F/230C for 1 hour.
Cleaning cast iron does not require soap but you can use a small amount if you’d like. Scrape out any food residue and rinse with warm water. Some folks use a scraper or chain mail scrubber to get all the crusties off. Dry thoroughly and rub a small amount of oil onto the surface before storing.
Never place your cast iron cookware in the dishwasher or soak it in the sink. This will cause it to rust. Air drying also can cause rust. If this happens, all is not lost! Just scour all the surfaces with a metal scouring pad and soap to remove the rust. Once the rust is gone, follow the steps above to season your pan.

Cast iron skillets range in price from very reasonable to outrageously expensive. You can sometimes find them in thrift stores and at garage sales. The Lodge Cast Iron brand is widely available and a good value. My husband and kids gave me a 12-inch cast iron skillet over 10 years ago as a Christmas gift. It has cooked many meals including this week’s recipe for pan pizza.

Easy Pan Pizza

What I really love about this recipe is that you don’t have to do everything in one day. The dough is prepared the day before and allowed to rest overnight. It is crucial to do this as it is a no-knead dough that needs time to develop flavor, hydration, and a strong gluten network. All the things needed for a delicious crust.

Pizza dough proofed in the cast iron skillet.

Another thing that makes this pizza easy is that after the overnight rise, the dough is proofed right in the cast iron skillet. No transferring unwieldy dough discs into a hot oven. The pizza is proofed, topped, and baked all in the same pan.

The hardest part about this pizza: choosing the toppings.

Lessons Learned

Don’t have time for the overnight rest? Start the dough in the morning and allow it to rise 8 hours during the day (in the fridge if your kitchen is over 70F/20C). It will be ready in time for dinner that night.
Make the dough up to 3 days in advance and store it in the fridge. Place it in a Ziploc bag to prevent it from drying out. It can be frozen in a Ziploc bag for 6 months.
A fresh salad with fried goat cheese makes for an amazing side!

Hat Tips

Many thanks to Serious Eats for the foolproof pan pizza recipe.

Cast Iron Pizza

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Proof Time: 8 hours to overnight
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes plus proofing
Yield: Two 10" pizzas 1x

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Ingredients

Units Scale

Dough:

2 ½ cups bread flour
1 tsp instant dry yeast
2 tsp salt
1 ¼ cup water
2 tsp olive oil

Toppings:

1 ½ cups pizza sauce
1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella
Handful of pepperoni, sliced mushrooms, broccolini spears

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Instructions

Tip the flour, yeast, salt, water, and olive oil into a large bowl. Stir together until everything is combined and no dry bits remain. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and allow it to rest overnight in the fridge. If your kitchen is cool (under 70F/20C), you can leave it on the counter overnight but no more than 24 hours.
After the overnight rest, flour your hands and divide the dough into two equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball.
Pour 2 tablespoons of oil each into two 10 or 12-inch cast iron skillets. If you don’t have two cast iron pans, you can place the other dough into a 10-inch cake pan but the results won’t be quite the same.
Place the dough into the prepared pans and turn it once to coat it with oil. Press the dough flat so it is a disc. Cover the pans with plastic wrap and allow to rise on the counter for 2-ish hours or until it nearly fills the pan to the edges. Uncover the dough and lightly press the dough from the center outwards to the edges of the pan so it is evenly spread.
Preheat the oven to 550F/290C. Top each dough with equal amounts of pizza sauce and mozzarella, taking it to the edges. Add the pepperoni, mushrooms, and broccolini (or whatever toppings you desire).
Bake for 15 minutes or until the bottom is crisp golden brown and the cheese is bubbling. Remove from the oven. Transfer the pizza to a cutting board and cut into slices.

Nordic Salmon Soup

January 30, 2024

Nordic Salmon Soup

Inspired by the simple and hearty soups of Northern Europe, Nordic Salmon Soup is easy and delicious. It is warm and comforting on shivery days like we’ve had recently. Plus, it comes together in less than an hour!

That’s about the length of a TV reality dating show episode.

Love is Blind

My husband and I were poking around on Netflix to find something to watch together. A suggestion popped up for us: Love is Blind: Sverige (Sweden). We had just recently finished watching a Korean dating show that I talked about previously.

Do you know the premise for Love is Blind? Couples meet in pods, unable to see each other but able to hear and talk to one another. Over several days, they decide whether or not they are a match, become “engaged,” and then meet face-to-face. After spending time on a short vacation and a month living with one another, they make their final decision to get married or not. It’s speed dating taken to the nth degree.

While we were interested in the relationship drama (plus the chance to be judge-y about people we don’t know), what really took our breath away were the outdoor shots of Stockholm. Absolutely gorgeous.

We had been contemplating where to go for an upcoming trip this spring. Sweden and its neighbor, Finland, were considered. The Northern Lights is on our bucket list of things to see in our lifetime. And even though it did not work out for this year’s trip, we are so intrigued by Nordic culture and food.

Lohikeitto is the quintessential Finnish soup that keeps turning up on my radar so I decided to make it.

Lohikeitto

Composed of simple and fresh ingredients, this soup is exactly the type that appeals to me. No condensed cream of anything and no hard-to-find ingredients. A mirepoix-like veggie combo of carrots, celery, and leeks (standing in for the traditional onion) starts the soup’s foundation. The plant (or cow) milk adds creaminess and the salmon chunks add protein. It’s practically perfect in every way.

Salmon soup ingredients include salmon, leek, carrots, celery, butter, and potatoes.

Even though this soup comes together in less than an hour, the sum is more than the parts so don’t be deceived by its simplicity. This is a nourishing and cozy bowl that will keep you happy, regardless of what the weather looks like outside.

Lessons Learned

This easily becomes dairy-free by using olive oil instead of butter. If you are subbing in half and half or regular milk for the coconut milk, gently simmer until it is heated through but do not bring it to a boil because it may curdle.
It is so easy (and common) to overcook fish, making it hard and unappetizing. Poaching is the technique used in this soup to cook the salmon. Placing the salmon chunks in the hot soup, covering it, and letting it sit will perfectly cook the fish so it is tender and luscious.
The best sidekick to this soup: Nordic Rye Bread.

Hat Tips

Many thanks to Cooking the Globe for the Lohikeitto Finnish salmon soup recipe and Oscar Nord on Unsplash for the Stockholm photo.

Nordic Salmon Soup

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x

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Ingredients

Units Scale

¼ cup butter
1 ½ cups chopped leeks (white and light green parts)
1 ½ cups chopped celery
1 ½ cups peeled and chopped carrots
1 ½ cups peeled and chopped potatoes
1 tsp minced garlic
5 cups fish or vegetable broth
1 cup full-fat coconut milk or heavy cream
1 lb salmon, skinned and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
Garnish: chopped fresh dill or parsley

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Instructions

Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Melt the butter, then add the leeks and celery. Cook them until they are softened, about 5 minutes.
Tip in the carrots, potatoes, garlic, and broth. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-high and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until the carrots and potatoes are tender. Add the coconut milk or heavy cream and bring back to a boil.
Sprinkle the salt and pepper over the salmon cubes and mix. Remove the pot from the heat. Gently place the salmon chunks into the hot soup, put the cover on, and let the soup sit for 5 to 10 minutes to allow the salmon to poach. Serve with garnishes.

Nordic Rye Bread

January 25, 2024

Nordic Rye Bread

This dark and hearty Nordic Rye Bread is similar to the loaves found in Iceland, Finland, and Scandinavia that are delicious on their own or with soup. It comes together quickly, with no kneading required! Plus, it uses rye and only rye flour.

What is Rye

Rye is a type of cereal grain. It's grown all over the world, especially in the European Union where it is an ingredient in bread, medicines, beer, and rye whiskey. It is higher in fiber and lower in gluten than its cousin, wheat.

When milled into flour, rye falls into a few different categories depending on what from the rye kernel is left in or sifted out. The bran is the outer skin, the endosperm is the center, and the germ is the tiny core. White rye is the lightest flour containing just the endosperm, medium rye contains the bran and endosperm, while dark rye contains all parts of the kernel.

Honey, molasses, baking soda, baking powder, buttermilk, an rye flour.

Rye Bread

Central, Northern, and Eastern European countries each have their versions of rye bread. You’ve probably seen Americanized versions of these at your local grocery store.

German Pumpernickel. Dark rye flour and a sourdough starter make up this bread. It is very dark brown.
Jewish rye bread. Americans are most familiar with this style of rye bread. Yeast and a combination of wheat and rye flour are ingredients. It is often flavored with ground or whole caraway seeds and is popular for deli sandwiches.
Russian rye bread. Made with dark rye, wheat, molasses, and a sourdough starter, this bread is very dark brown. It has a tangy flavor because of the sourdough starter and is often baked in round loaves.

Packing the bread dough into a loaf pan.

The Nordic countries, Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Norway, and Sweden also bake rye breads. For the most part, these Nordic versions are dense, mildly sweet breads that may or may not contain yeast or a sourdough starter. Finland even has a special rye bread day celebration every February 28 called ruisleivän päivä.

This recipe is based on the Icelandic rye bread, rúgbrauð, which uses only baking powder and baking soda for leavening. The resulting bake is a deliciously dense loaf with a tight crumb that does not fall apart when slathered with butter or dipped in soups like this one.

Lessons Learned

You don’t have buttermilk? Boo. If you need a sub, add one tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to one cup of milk and let it sit for 10 minutes.
Why the baking sheet on top of the loaf while it’s baking? It helps keep the bread from rising too much. This is a dense loaf that bakes low and slow. If you have a lidded Pullman loaf pan, you are a baking superstar and can use that.
Because this bread is dense, it cuts nicely when cool. Thin slices are best!

Hat Tips

Many thanks to King Arthur Baking for the Icelandic rye bread recipe.

Rye bread slice topped with a schmear of cream cheese and cucumber slices.

Nordic Rye Bread

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
Yield: 20 slices 1x

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Ingredients

Units Scale

4 ½ cups medium rye flour
2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp baking powder
¾ tsp baking soda
2 cups buttermilk
½ cup honey
½ cup molasses

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325F/163C. Move the rack to the center slot of the oven. Lightly grease a 9x5 loaf pan and set aside. Have a baking sheet available next to it.
Stir the rye flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together in a large bowl.
In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, honey, and molasses, stirring until combined.
Pour the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture and stir until no dry areas remain. Scrape the dough into the loaf pan and level off the top. Lightly grease the underside of the baking sheet just on the rectangle area where it will sit on top of the loaf pan. Place the loaf pan in the oven and put the baking sheet on top of it, greased area down covering the loaf pan.
Bake for 2 hours (yes, really). After 2 hours, turn off the oven. Remove the baking sheet but leave the bread in the oven to sit for 15 minutes. Turn the bread out of the loaf pan onto a wire rack. Allow to cool completely. Once cool, cut with a serrated knife into thin ¼-inch thick slices. Serve with soups, cucumber slices, cheese, or tinned fish.
Bread stays fresh stored in a Ziploc bag at room temperature for a week or in the freezer for three to six months.

Crusty French Bread

January 17, 2024

Crusty French Bread

With a crunchy crust and a soft middle, Crusty French Bread brings the European bakery vibes. It’s formed and cut into the shape of the sun, which we all want more of this shivery month.

This bread is different from the best ever challah or Japanese milk bread. While those are soft and pillowy yeast breads, this one has the characteristic crunch of a baguette.

What Makes French Bread Different

If you have been to France, you probably were astonished at how good the bread was there. My mom and I went on a girls’ trip to Paris a few years ago. We ate our body weight in bread.

It was that delicious.

Why? I mean, we’ve eaten plenty of baguettes here in the U.S. The long, thin, crunchy batons of goodness can be purchased at most grocery stores and even Costco. But bread tastes different in France.

Some possible explanations:

French wheat flour. It is different from the flour we use in America. Their gluten and protein content are lower. That may explain why some folks with gluten sensitivities who cannot eat bread in the States have no problem eating it in Europe.
Longer fermentation. French bakers allow a yeast and water mixture to ferment overnight before incorporating it into bread. This mixture, called poolish, brings flavor and texture to the baked loaf.
You’re on vacation. In France.

Bread ingredients include flour, salt, yeast, molasses, and water.

In France, there are laws regarding bread. The French Bread Law stipulates what bread can be comprised of, as well as the weight and length of baguettes. They may only contain flour, yeast, salt, and water as ingredients. Baguettes weigh 8 to 10 oz and are usually 21 to 26 inches long.

In this recipe for French-style bread, we are breaking all the laws. But the good news is the resulting bake is a delicious consolation prize for not vacationing in France.

Lessons Learned

I love the aroma and slight bitterness of molasses. It is such a tiny amount used so if you don’t have it and don’t want to buy a bottle, sub in brown sugar instead.
Shape the dough into two baguettes, if you prefer. All other instructions and bake time are the same. You’re an adult, so do what you want.
This tip is in the recipe but bears repeating. Do not use a glass or Pyrex dish for the ice cubes. It will shatter and you’ll regret everything.

Hat Tips

Many thanks to Natasha’s Kitchen for the wreath bread recipe.

A closer look at the crunchy goodness of this bread.

Crusty French Bread

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Proof Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 20 minutes x 2 loaves
Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes

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Ingredients

Units Scale

1 ¾ cups warm water (100F/38C)
½ tsp molasses
2 tsp salt
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 ⅓ cups bread flour
1 ¼ tsp instant dry yeast

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Instructions

Stir together the warm water, molasses, and salt in a bowl or large measuring cup to loosen the molasses and dissolve the salt.
Tip the all-purpose flour, bread flour, and yeast into a large mixing bowl. Whisk the dry ingredients together to combine. Pour in the molasses mixture and stir to incorporate everything.
Using your hands, knead the dough for 5-ish minutes. It will be soft and slightly tacky. Add a little flour if it sticks to your fingertips.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 90-ish minutes or until doubled in size. Once it has doubled, punch down the dough and divide it into two equal pieces.
Place two pieces of parchment on the counter and sprinkle liberally with flour. Put each piece of dough on a prepared sheet of parchment and turn to coat in the flour. Poke a hole in the center of the dough and gently stretch the dough into a large circle 10 inches across. The hole in the center should be 5 inches across. Repeat with the other piece.
Let the dough rise again for 30 minutes.
While the dough rises, preheat the oven to 450F/232C. Move the two racks to the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Place a large baking sheet, upside down, on the upper rack and a metal or cast iron pan on the bottom rack while the oven preheats. DO NOT USE GLASS or PYREX because it will shatter.
Dust the dough circle with flour. Cut the dough at an angle using scissors. Make deep cuts around 1 ½ inches apart but leave the center area still attached. Rotate the parchment as you make the cuts all the way around. Pull the pointy ends outward so that the shape resembles the sun. Or a flower. Or a sunflower.
Slide the bread and parchment paper onto the hot baking sheet in the oven. You will hear a sizzle as the bottom dough comes into contact with the hot sheet. Quickly place 4 or 5 ice cubes (about 1 cup) into the metal or cast iron pan which will generate steam.
Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown and remove from the oven to cool on a wire rack.
Repeat with the second circle.

Best Ever Challah

January 10, 2024

Best Ever Challah

A classic and well-loved bread, Best Ever Challah is a bread lover’s dream. Pillowy and yeasty with just a hint of sweetness. It is one of my favorite things to bake.

It all starts with yeast.

The Goldilocks Ingredient

People shy away from making yeast bread. “Too hard,” they’ll say. Or, “I don’t have the patience for that.” But along came the pandemic and suddenly everyone was trying to make their own sourdough starter.

Yeast is temperamental, I’ll give you that. It’s the Goldilocks of the baking world. The temperature is too hot! Or too cold! Leave me alone for two hours! Or where have you been for the last hour, I’m done!

Everything must be just right. And even then, it may decide that it doesn’t want to perform like it is supposed to that day. Sigh.

However, don’t despair. There are some basic points about making yeast bread that will help you turn out a beautiful loaf.

Types of Yeast

First, let’s talk about the types of yeast you will find in your grocery store. We won’t address fresh yeast here since it isn’t as commonly found. These are all granulated dry yeasts that come in quarter-ounce sachets or one-pound bags.

Active dry yeast. This type of yeast requires you to dissolve it in warm water to activate it. When you see a recipe call for “proofing” the yeast, this is what that means. Look on the package for the expiration date and heed it. This type of yeast is perishable and many times active dry yeast will not activate because it is dead.
Instant dry yeast. This yeast is 100% active and is the best performer. Because the granules are tinier, there is no need to dissolve it in warm water before using. You can add it directly to the other dry ingredients without rehydration or proofing. Once you’ve opened a bag, store it in the freezer where it remains stable for a long time (like years).
Rapid rise (fast-acting) dry yeast. This is a type of instant yeast. It is stable, like instant dry yeast, and always up to the task. The difference here is the way it performs. It is designed to work more quickly and is best for breads that only require one rise time.

When reading yeast bread recipes, take note of what type of yeast it is specifying. The directions will reflect what steps to take for the type of yeast required. For instance, a recipe that lists active dry yeast should have a step to prove the yeast before adding it to the other wet ingredients while one that calls for instant dry yeast will not.

Bread ingredients include flour, eggs, sugar, oil, and yeast.

Steps for Making Yeast Bread

So, how do we make those beautiful loaves of golden brown? Here are some tried and true steps to help you on your yeast bread journey.

Choose your flour. Bread flour is best for yeast bread. It has a higher gluten and protein content than all-purpose flour, giving the finished loaf a nice chew. You can substitute it for all-purpose flour but may need to adjust the amount by a half cup or more.

Don’t kill the yeast. Using water that is too hot will kill off the yeast. Water should be under 115F/46C.

Keep the salt separate. Don’t add the salt and yeast at the same time as salt can inhibit or kill off the yeast development.

Knead the dough. Kneading builds the gluten network that allows the dough to rise. So knead the dough by pressing down with the heels of your hands and stretching it forward. Fold it in half, give it a quarter turn, and repeat for the next 10 minutes of your life. Or place the dough in your stand mixer and let the dough hook do the work for you. The goal is dough that is smooth and stretchy.

Proof it. Place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Allow it to rise for anywhere from one to two hours. Yes, very unscientific, I know. So much depends on the temperature of your kitchen. The optimal temp is around 75F/24C. Look for dough that has doubled in size as the indicator that it is ready.

Shape the dough and proof again. Do your best Jackie Chan move and punch down the dough. Divide and shape the dough, then place it on the baking sheet. Allow the dough to rise and double again. This could be 45 minutes or an hour and a half.

Bake! It helps to have an oven temperature gauge to see if your oven runs hot or not. An oven that routinely runs hotter than the set temp will turn out dry, overbaked bread even when you follow the baking directions.

Lessons Learned

Prepare to spend a few hours on this recipe. Much of it is waiting, but it is best to make it on a day when you are not rushed.
If you want to add raisins or nuts to your challah, wait until after you have punched down the dough and are ready to shape it for the second proofing. Adding them too early can slow down the initial rise.
Traditionally, challah is braided into a 3-strand braid but you can get fancy and do 2, 4, 5, or 6 strands.

Hat Tips

Many thanks to the Kosher Baker for the classic challah recipe.

Bread with internal thermometer reading 195F.

Best Ever Challah

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Proof Time: 2 to 3 hours
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour plus proof time

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Ingredients

Units Scale

Dough:

4 ½ teaspoons (2 packets ¼ oz each) active or instant dry yeast
¼ cup warm water
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp honey
½ cup olive oil
1 Tbsp salt
1 ½ cups warm water (105 to 115F/40 to 46C)
3 eggs, lightly beaten
6 to 7 cups bread flour

Egg wash: 1 egg lightly beaten with 1 teaspoon water

Toppings: sesame seeds, black sesame seeds, or poppy seeds

Sweet crumb topping:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
5 Tbsp butter, softened

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Instructions

If you are using active dry yeast, pour the yeast and ¼ cup warm water into a small bowl and let dissolve. Set aside for 10 minutes to proof and thicken. If you are using instant dry yeast, you will add it in step 3.
Tip the sugar, honey, oil, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Pour in the water and stir to dissolve the sugar and salt.
Add the yeast mixture or the yeast and the 3 beaten eggs to the sugar and oil mixture. Whisk everything together. Start adding the flour, one cup at a time, stirring with a large spoon after each addition. Gauge the stickiness of the dough after each cup of flour is added. You may need barely 6 cups or closer to 7 depending on how your flour absorbs the liquids. Yeasted dough has a mind of its own and is never the same every time you make a recipe.
Knead the dough on a flat surface for 5 to 10 minutes, until it is no longer sticky and the surface feels smooth and elastic.
Lightly oil the large mixing bowl and place the dough in it, turning to coat it in oil. Cover and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 hour.
Divide the dough into either 2 or 3 equal pieces. These will make either 2 large challahs or 3 medium-sized ones.
Take one of the pieces and divide it into three pieces. Roll each piece into a rope, then braid them together. Repeat with the other dough. Place the loaves on separate baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Allow to rise for 45-ish minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350F/176C. Move the oven racks to the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Brush the loaves with the egg wash and add the toppings.
To make the sweet crumb topping, rub the flour, sugar, and butter together using your fingertips to form coarse crumbs. Pat the crumbs on top of the egg-washed loaf.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until deep golden brown. The bread should sound hollow when tapped and read 190F/88C when tested with a thermometer. Place on a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes before slicing.
Baked loaves can be wrapped in plastic, placed in a Ziploc bag, and frozen for 3 months. Thaw at room temp before serving.

Spinach and Goat Cheese Tarte Soleil

December 27, 2023

Spinach and Goat Cheese Tarte Soleil

It’s beautiful to look at and beautiful to eat. Spinach and Goat Cheese Tarte Soleil has all the flavors of spanakopita tucked into puff pastry and baked to perfection. While it looks like the sun, you don’t have to be solar-powered to enjoy it.

What is Tarte Soleil

Thinking back upon your high school French class, you may remember that soleil means sun. This is a tarte that is shaped like the fiery orb that gives light to our planet. Most recipes I’ve seen use puff pastry cut and twisted to look like sun rays.

Tarte soleil is stunning as an appetizer, snack, or main with a side salad. It is pastry rolled out, filled with savory or sweet filling, topped with more pastry, then cut and twisted before baking.

Tarte ingredients include spinach, green onion, egg, garlic, lemon zest, dill, goat cheese, and parsley.

When it comes time to eat, grab one of the crunchy ends, pull, and devour. I will admit it shows beautifully at a party or potluck, but who says you can’t make this just for yourself?

And in case you are wondering, yes, I regret not taking Spanish instead of French. I live in Southern California so Español would have come in incredibly handy. Tant pis.

Tarte soleil would pair nicely with a glass of white wine and this salad.

Cut in quarters, then into quarters again.

Lessons Learned

Want to use fresh spinach instead of frozen? Saute two pounds of fresh spinach in a pan (might have to do this in batches) with a couple of teaspoons of olive oil for 5-ish minutes. It will wilt and shrink considerably. Two pounds will cook down into what is the equivalent of two packages of frozen spinach.
You can absolutely use feta instead of goat cheese in this recipe.
If you are subbing in dried herbs for fresh, remember that 1 Tablespoon of fresh herbs equals 1 teaspoon of dried.

Hat Tips

Many thanks to Olive & Mango for the spanakopita tarte soleil recipe inspiration.

Spinach and Goat Cheese Tarte Soleil

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 8 servings 1x

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Ingredients

Scale

17.3 oz box (approx 1 pound) frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed
2 pkgs (10 oz each) frozen chopped spinach, thawed
2 Tbsp green onions, finely chopped
2 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped (or 1 Tbsp dried dill)
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (or 1 Tbsp dried parsley)
1 egg
1 Tbsp garlic, minced (or 1 tsp dried granulated garlic)
1 Tbsp lemon zest
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
⅔ cup goat cheese, crumbled
1 egg, beaten lightly for egg wash

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Instructions

Unfold and roll out one sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. Cut a 12-inch circle. Use a plate or pan as a template. Place the circle on a sheet of parchment paper and refrigerate. Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry. Allow to chill in the fridge while you make the filling.
Make the filling by squeezing as much moisture as possible from the thawed spinach, then place it in a medium bowl. The spinach should not have any liquid pooling around it. Tip in the green onions, dill, parsley, egg, garlic, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Dump in the goat cheese and gently stir to incorporate.
Place one of the dough circles on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread the filling evenly, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges. Dab some of the beaten egg around the border. Put the second dough circle on top and press the edges lightly to seal.
Set a 2-inch glass upside down in the center (a shot glass is perfect for this). Use a sharp knife, pizza cutter, or kitchen shears to cut the tarte into quarters, leaving a solid center where the shot glass is placed. I like to imagine a clock and make cuts at 12, 3, 6, and 9 o’clock, stopping at the shot glass. You now have four quarters. Cut each quarter into two strips, then half again so that there are four strips within each quarter. In total, you will have 16 strips or rays and a solid center circle. Remove the shot glass. If the dough has gotten soft, place it in the fridge to rest and chill for 20 minutes to firm up.
Preheat the oven to 400F/204C.
Take one strip of the dough and gently twist it three or four times. Repeat with the remaining strips. Brush all over with the beaten egg.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the pastry is golden brown. Allow to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before serving. It can be eaten warm or at room temperature. Store leftovers covered in the fridge. To reheat, place in a toaster oven or 350F oven for a few minutes. Don’t reheat in the microwave, sad, I know, because the pastry will go soggy.

Roasted Vegetable Galette

December 19, 2023

Roasted Vegetable Galette

Tender veg nestled in crispy pastry: Roasted Vegetable Galette is a wonderful way to get in your five a day and eat the rainbow all at the same time. It is delicious as an appetizer, side dish, or entree, especially with a glass of vino.

Root Vegetables

You might think that root vegetables are just that, roots that grow underground. You’re right. They are the edible bulb, root, or tuber that grows unseen, absorbing and storing nutrients from the earth.

Most of us eat root vegetables regularly without thinking too much about it. Carrots, garlic, onions, and potatoes are staples in the North American diet. These veggies are filled with fiber, minerals, and vitamins.

Sweet potato, shallots, beets, and acorn squash.

Traditionally, root vegetables are considered starchy. They are complex carbohydrates that your body takes time to process. Because of these traits, they take longer to digest and can help to keep you fuller longer.

Common and not-so-common root veggies include beets, carrots, cassava, celeriac (celery root), daikon radish, fennel bulb, garlic, ginger, jicama, kohlrabi, onions, parsnip, potatoes, radish, rutabaga, shallots, sweet potatoes, and yams.

Some root veg can be eaten raw, but most will need to be cooked. They can be prepared in many ways including boiling, grilling, roasting, sauteing, and steaming.
My favorite way to prepare them is roasting.

When these veggies are roasted, the excess moisture evaporates during cooking and their flavors are concentrated. Drizzled with a little olive oil and maybe balsamic vinegar, they are so delicious.

I love the clean, uncomplicated flavor of these root vegetables with the pastry in this galette. But it might not be enough for you. To change up the flavor profile, spread a very thin schmear of pesto, marinara, or chimichurri to the dough before layering on the veggies.

Looking for a fruit galette? There is an apple one here.

Lessons Learned

Can you swap out the veggies? Yes! Good subs are white or purple potato, butternut squash, rutabaga, sweet potato, and other root vegetables.
Some vegetables like tomatoes, bell peppers, and mushrooms release a lot of moisture as they cook. If you put them raw on the dough it will make for a soggy bottom on the galette. Veggies like these need to be cooked before including them.
Want more cheese? Go for it. Laying down a thin layer of mozzarella, parmesan, or other cheese before layering on the veggies will give you more cheesy goodness.

Hat Tips

Many thanks to Trail Sisters for the roasted vegetable tart recipe and Southern Living for the single-crust pie pastry recipe.

Roasted Vegetable Galette

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Yield: 8 slices 1x

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Ingredients

Units Scale

Dough:

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp salt
½ cup butter, cubed
4 to 6 tablespoon water, vodka, or a mix of both

Toppings:

1 sweet potato
½ acorn squash
1 shallot
1 or 2 small beets
4 oz goat cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
Garnish: fresh chopped parsley, oregano, sage

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Instructions

Make the dough by stirring together the flour and salt in a bowl. Cut in the cubed butter with a pastry cutter or use your fingers to rub it in until it is the size of peas. Tip in your liquid of choice (I always use 50/50 water and vodka) and stir until the dough starts to clump together.
Use your hands to gather the dough and knead it a couple of turns. Flatten it into a disk and wrap it in plastic wrap. Allow to chill in the refrigerator while you prep the veggies or up to 2 days. You can also freeze the dough for 3 months.
Prepare the veggies. Cut the beets last to avoid staining the other veggies.
Peel the sweet potato, shallot, and beets and slice into ¼-inch thick slices with a mandoline slice or a sharp knife. Set aside. Scrape out the seeds from the acorn squash and slice the squash into ¼-inch thick slices.
Preheat the oven to 350F/176C. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Unwrap the dough. Roll it out on a lightly floured surface with a rolling pin into a 14-inch circle. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet.
Arrange the veggies in a concentric circle on the dough, leaving a 2-inch border all the way around. Make it pretty. Or not. Crumble the goat cheese over the veggies and sprinkle on some fresh chopped herbs.
Fold a portion of the dough over the vegetables and work your way around until all the dough edges are folded over to form a rustic border. Brush the dough with the beaten egg and sprinkle with salt, if desired.
Bake for 50 to 55 minutes. The crust should be golden and the vegetables tender. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Easy Vegan Hummus with Toppings

December 13, 2023

Easy Vegan Hummus with Toppings

Perfect for gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan peeps, as well as everyone else: Easy Vegan Hummus with Toppings. It is creamy, garlicky, and garnished with fresh herbs and veggies. So yummy!

Yes, it is a great dip, appetizer, or snack. But I will occasionally have it for girl dinner.

Hummus

Just about every supermarket in America today stocks hummus in the refrigerated section. But that wasn’t always the case. It wasn’t too long ago that if you wanted hummus then you made it yourself.

The early 2000s saw a surge in the popularity of items like Greek yogurt, kombucha, and hummus. Food trends are always interesting to watch and reflect upon, and I am amused that each of these was once considered exotic.

Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans.

Hummus, which is the Arabic word for chickpea, is popular all over the Middle East, especially in the eastern Mediterranean. The dip is a staple in Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. It consists of smashed chickpeas, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and tahini.

Nutritionally, hummus is a great source of plant-based protein thanks to the chickpeas. It also serves up good fiber and essential minerals like iron and magnesium. Olive oil is a key ingredient in hummus and contains heart-healthy fats.

While I love making hummus from scratch by soaking and boiling the chickpeas, it does take some doing. And during busy holiday months, ain’t nobody got time for that. So, the easy shortcut: canned chickpeas, aka garbanzo beans.

Lemon, tahini, cilantro, chickpeas, cucumber, garlic, tomato, parsley, and spices.

The creamy dip pairs nicely with pita bread, falafel, and veggies. Serve it alongside Roasted Chicken with Sumac or Sheet Pan Meatball Gyros.

Lessons Learned

Adjust the consistency of the dip by modifying the amount of olive oil and water.
Think of the hummus ingredients as suggestions. Like your hummus to be extra garlicky and lemony? Add more of each. Don’t like cumin? Leave it out. You’re an adult, so do what you want.
Ditto on the toppings. Although pine nuts are a common topping, they aren’t included in this recipe. Add or subtract what suits you.

Hat Tips

Many thanks to Taste Love and Nourish for the loaded hummus recipe.

Easy Vegan Hummus with Toppings

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings 1x

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Ingredients

Units Scale

Hummus:

2 cans (15 oz each) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 Tbsp minced garlic
¼ cup lemon juice
½ cup tahini
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup water
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp black pepper

Toppings:

½ cup diced cucumber
½ cup diced tomato
1 tsp salt
¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley, mint, and oregano
⅓ cup Kalamata olives, halved
⅓ cup Castelvetrano olives, halved

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Instructions

Make the hummus by dumping the rinsed chickpeas, garlic, lemon juice, tahini, olive oil, and water into a blender or food processor. Blitz until the mixture is smooth. Add ¼ cup more water if needed to adjust consistency to your liking. Tip in the cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper and blitz again to mix. Taste it and adjust any seasonings.
Prep the toppings by placing the cucumber and tomato in a colander. Add the salt and toss to combine. Allow the mixture to sit for 10-ish minutes and let excess moisture drain. Transfer the cucumbers and tomato to a bowl and toss with the chopped herbs.
Assemble the dish by spreading the hummus onto a serving platter. Pile the cucumber mixture on one side of the hummus and top with the olives. Lightly drizzle the hummus with more olive oil if desired. Serve with soft pita bread or crispy pita chips.

Easy Vegan Gourmet Crackers

December 8, 2023

Easy Vegan Gourmet Crackers

Crunchy, crisp, and better than anything you can get from the store: Easy Vegan Gourmet Crackers! They are delicious and a cinch to make. These crackers are more economical than a package of bougie $7 crackers.

Plus, they look so pretty on a charcuterie board.

Charcuterie Boards

Trays of cured meats have been around for a very long time. Charcuterie is a French word that refers to cooked and cured meats such as dry-cured sausages, salamis, and ham. In medieval times, the shops that sold cured meats, also called charcuterie, could sell only pork products.

Today, charcuterie is still a term for meat that has been air-dried, cured, salted, or smoked. We’ve all picked up a salami and cheese tray, kind of a very basic charcuterie board, at the grocery store on our way to a party. These boards now include not only cured meats but also various cheeses, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and crackers.

Brie, gourmet crackers, grapes, Boursin, and pomegranates.

Something good to come out of the pandemic lockdown was the rise in charcuterie board popularity. Peeps, including myself, longed for something positive, something beautiful, and something delicious. Assembling and eating a charcuterie board was the answer.

I like that they are so versatile. Planning a party? A big charcuterie board is splashy, eye-catching, and has something for everyone. Enjoying a night in by eating alone and watching the final season of The Crown? A mini charcuterie board and a cocktail add to the self-care experience.

You certainly can purchase crackers for your board, but you will pay a pretty penny. Artisanal flatbreads and gourmet crackers have risen in price because of the popularity of charcuterie boards. Thankfully, you can make your own that are just as delicious, if not more so, and considerably cheaper.

Two types of flour, oats, pepitas, spices, dried cranberries, and brown sugar.

And they keep for a month!

Another fun crunchy thing to include on a charcuterie board? These.

Lessons Learned

Allow the loaf to completely cool before wrapping it in plastic wrap and freezing. I made the mistake of wrapping it while the loaf was still warm and had to re-wrap it because of the trapped moisture.
It is essential to freeze the loaf, so don’t skip this step! It doesn’t have to be completely frozen all the way through but about halfway is good. This helps when slicing the loaf into thin slices.
You can play around with the dried fruit and nut mixture. Sub in what you prefer, just keep the amounts roughly the same as listed in the recipe.

Hat Tips

Many thanks to Recipe Tin Eats for the homemade gourmet crackers recipe.

Easy Vegan Gourmet Crackers

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Chill Time: 3 hours or overnight
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes plus chilling
Yield: 40 crackers 1x

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Ingredients

Units Scale

1 cup almond, coconut, or oat milk
1 Tbsp lemon juice
¼ cup brown sugar
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ cup rolled oats
1 tsp dried thyme
½ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp salt
⅛ tsp black pepper
½ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup raw pepitas

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Move the rack to the center position. Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment.
Combine the milk, lemon juice, and brown sugar in a small bowl and set aside.
In a large bowl, tip in the flour, whole wheat flour, soda, oats, thyme, turmeric, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper. Whisk to combine the dry ingredients. Add the cranberries and pepitas, then toss to coat them in the flour mixture.
Add the milk mixture to the dry mixture and stir until combined with no dry patches remaining.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 30-ish minutes or until a toothpick test in the middle comes out clean.
Remove the loaf from the oven and cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Peel off the parchment and continue to cool the loaf on a wire rack. Once completely cool, wrap the loaf in plastic wrap and freeze.
If making the crackers the same day, remove the loaf from the freezer after 2 or 3 hours. The outer edges will be slightly frozen, but the middle may not be. Freeze the loaf up to 3 months in advance if making the crackers another time,
Preheat the oven to 250F/120C. Move the racks to the two central slots in the oven. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
Slice the loaf very thinly using a serrated knife. You want the slices as thin as possible, around ⅛” thick. Place the slices on the prepared baking sheets side by side.
Bake both sheets for 55 to 60 minutes, switching positions halfway through the bake time. Remove the sheet pans from the oven and allow the crackers to cool in the pans. They will continue to crisp up as they cool. Keep in an airtight bag or container at room temp for up to one month.
If the crackers need re-crisping, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet in the oven at 350F/180C for 5 to 10 minutes or toast in a toaster oven.

Glazed Ginger Citrus Shortbread

December 6, 2023

Glazed Ginger Citrus Shortbread

Buttery shortbread, but make it zippy. Glazed Ginger Citrus Shortbread brings lemon and orange zest into the picture, making these cookies mouthwatering. Just mix, slice, and bake!

What are Slice-and-Bake Cookies?

Sometimes called icebox cookies or refrigerator cookies, these are the ultimate plan-ahead treats. They became popular in the 1930s when refrigerators became more widely available and women started to work outside the home.

Fresh homemade cookies any time you want? Not a problem if you had a premade cookie dough log in your refrigerator. It was easy and convenient to just slice and bake cookies for after-school treats or a quick dessert.

Crystallized ginger, lemon, orange, butter, egg, and sugar.

Along came Pillsbury. They stuffed cookie dough into a plastic tube and stocked it in grocery store refrigerator cases all over the nation. It’s what many people think of when they hear the term “slice and bake” cookies.

But! It is easy to have homemade slice-and-bake/icebox/refrigerator cookie dough in your fridge or freezer. You add whatever ingredients and flavors you like. The dough logs can be refrigerated for up to a week or frozen for up to three months.

Tips for Perfect Slice-and-Bake Cookies

Making slice-and-bake cookies is easy, I’ll admit. If you can stir together butter, sugar, egg, and flour, you can make these cookies. It is a simple recipe.

Cookie dough wrapped in parchment and nestled inside an empty paper towel roll.

Here are a few helpful tips that I learned along the way.

Decide what shape you want the finished cookies to be, then form the dough logs accordingly. Round, square, or triangular? Shape the logs before chilling them. Avoid a fat middle and tapered ends because the cookies will be different sizes once sliced.
Wrap the dough log in parchment paper. If refrigerating for several days or freezing, place it inside a Ziploc bag to prevent the dough from absorbing other smells and protect it from freezer burn.
To get perfectly cylindrical logs, allow the wrapped dough to sit inside something that will keep the edges from slumping over as the dough chills. An empty paper towel tube or empty stainless steel water bottle can serve as a nest for the dough log.
Let the dough chill for several hours. We want the dough to be solid before slicing. Otherwise, the log will not hold its shape and the cookies will be wonky.
Use a serrated knife and rotate the log a quarter turn after each slice. This helps keep the slices even and the log to maintain its shape.

Now, all you have to do is bake and enjoy!

Lessons Learned

Rubbing the sugars and the zest together before incorporating them into the butter allows the zest to release the citrus oils. It makes the sugar more fragrant and zesty!
Crystallized ginger can be difficult to dice. Use a sharp knife, pizza cutter, or kitchen shears to get it the size you want.
Looking for a cookie with lime zest? I have one here.

Hat Tips

Many thanks to King Arthur Baking for the recipe and the trick on making perfectly round cookie dough logs.

Glazed Ginger Citrus Shortbread

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Chill Time: 3 hours or overnight
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes plus chilling

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Ingredients

Units Scale

Cookie Dough:

½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup powdered sugar
½ Tbsp lemon zest
½ Tbsp orange zest
1 tsp salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp lemon juice
2 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp crystallized ginger, diced small

Glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar
3 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp lemon zest

Garnish:

Crystallized ginger, diced small
Additional lemon zest

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Instructions

Make the dough by stirring the granulated sugar, powdered sugar, lemon zest, orange zest, and salt. Rub in the zest with your fingers to release the citrus oils.
Add the butter to a bowl or stand mixer bowl and beat on medium-low until creamy. Tip in the sugar mixture and beat together until combined. Add the egg, vanilla, and lemon juice and beat again. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat for 30 seconds.
Add the flour a cup at a time and beat on medium-low until it is incorporated. Sprinkle in the crystallized ginger and beat again until combined.
Divide the dough into two equal parts. Roll one part into a log that is around 8 inches in length and 2 inches in diameter the entire length. Avoid a fat middle and thinner ends because your cookies won’t be the same size once you slice them. Repeat with the second part of the dough. Wrap the dough in parchment and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight. If you are freezing the dough, also wrap it in plastic or place it in a Ziploc bag before placing it in the freezer. The dough will need to thaw before slicing and baking.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400F/204C. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment or reuse the parchment in which the dough logs are wrapped.
Cut one log into ¼-inch thick slices. If you are good at eyeballing it, great. Otherwise, use a ruler for the first few slices to see what ¼ inches looks like. Rotating the log a quarter turn each time you slice helps to keep the log cylindrical and the slices even.
Place the slices 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
Bake for 11-ish minutes, rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom halfway through the baking time. The edges should be just barely light brown. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes, then move them to a wire rack.
Repeat with the second dough log.
Make the glaze by placing the powdered sugar in a bowl. Tip in the lemon juice and whisk to incorporate. Add more lemon juice or water if needed. The glaze should be the consistency of honey or molasses.
Place the rack of cookies over the parchment-lined baking sheet to catch any drips. Dip the tops of 3 or 4 cookies one by one into the glaze, either halfway or the entire top. Sprinkle with garnishes like chopped crystallized ginger or lemon zest before the glaze sets. Repeat with the rest of the cookies. Store the cookies for up to one week at room temperature in a covered container.

Jam-Swirled Meringue Cookies

December 5, 2023

Jam-Swirled Meringue Cookies

Light and crisp on the outside, marshmallowy on the inside, Jam-Swirled Meringue Cookies are like delicious edible clouds. What makes these cookies so white and fluffy? Meringue.

What is Meringue?

When we think of meringue, many things come to mind. The billowy white topping on a lemon meringue pie. Light-as-air crisp pavlova topped with whipped cream and fruit. Or delicate macaron cookies sandwiched with buttercream.

All of them are meringue.

At its core, meringue is just egg whites and sugar whipped together. But, the kind of sugar and the temperature of the egg whites make a difference between the resulting types of meringue.

The three types include

French. This is the most common one. Egg whites are beaten and granulated white sugar is gradually added until the mixture becomes glossy white with soft or stiff peaks. It is the lightest and least stable type. Cream of tartar or lemon juice may be added to stabilize it. French meringue is baked into cookies, pavlova, or folded into souffles.
Italian. Egg whites are beaten and a hot sugar syrup is gradually beaten into them until a stiff meringue is formed. It is the most stable of all the types because it is partially cooked. Italian meringue is used in Italian buttercream frosting, to cover Baked Alaska, or incorporated into semifreddo.
Swiss. Both egg whites and sugar are heated in a double boiler and beaten until a certain temperature is reached. It is then beaten until cooled and silky smooth. Swiss meringue is used as a base for meringue decorations or frostings because of its density.

How to Make French Meringue

Meringue has a reputation of being finicky and difficult to make. I’ve had my share of failures with it, but have learned there are a few tricks to ensure meringue success.

The easiest trick is to always start with a squeaky clean bowl and beaters. Washing them in hot soapy water, drying everything, and then wiping it down with a paper towel that is dampened with white vinegar guarantees that your tools are up to the task.
Use room-temperature eggs. Carefully separate the whites from the yolks (use the yolks for another recipe), then allow them to sit out of the fridge for 30-ish minutes on the counter. Your meringue will have more volume if the egg whites aren’t fridge cold.
Add the sugar very slowly, about 1 tablespoon at a time. We need the sugar to dissolve and incorporate into the egg whites before adding more sugar. If we add the sugar too quickly, it does not fully dissolve and we wind up with a gritty texture. It will require all the patience you can drum up, and then some more.

The payoff is a bowl of white, billowy goodness that make up these delicious cookies.

Lessons Learned

Absolutely do not store these cookies in the fridge. They will go soft and weepy like a first-time grandma. Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature. You can also freeze them.
Use any kind of jam you'd like. Nutella and tahini are good options, too.
Meringue is not hard to make, but does take some monitoring and patience. If you like meringue, try Cape Gooseberry Pavlova for a real treat.

Hat Tips

Many thanks to Country Hill Cottage for the meringue cookies recipe without cream of tartar and to Driscolls for the jam swirl technique.

Jam-Swirled Meringue Cookies

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Yield: 10 large meringues 1x

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Ingredients

Units Scale

4 large eggs, at room temperature
¾ cup granulated sugar
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ cup strawberry jam

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Instructions

Move baking racks into the two central positions of the oven. Preheat the oven to 200F/95C. Place parchment paper on two baking sheets and set aside.
Carefully separate the egg yolks and whites, being careful not to get any yellow into the whites. Use the yolks for another recipe.
Beat the egg whites in a bowl with either a hand mixer or a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. Whisk at medium-high speed for 2 minutes. It should be foamy and opaque white.
Continue beating and slowly add the sugar, a tablespoon at a time as the mixer is whisking. Add the salt and lemon juice and beat on high speed for 4 or 5 minutes. Tip in the vanilla and beat for 30 seconds to combine. The mixture should be shiny with stiff peaks. Test to see that there is no graininess and that the sugar is fully incorporated.
Using one large spoon and one smaller spoon, scoop up some of the mixture and plop it on the prepared baking sheets. Make 10 large meringues or 16 smaller ones.
Place one teaspoon of jam in the center of each meringue heap. Use a chopstick or knife point to swirl the jam a few times through the meringue.
Bake large meringues for 1 hour 20 minutes (smaller meringues for 1 hour). Turn the oven off but leave the cookies inside the oven for another hour or overnight. Don’t open the oven door or all your meringue dreams will be shattered.
Once completely cool, gently peel away the parchment paper from the cookies. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for a week or in the freezer for 3 months. Do not store them in the fridge because they become soft and sticky.

Iced Chai Oatmeal Cookies

December 4, 2023

Iced Chai Oatmeal Cookies

Spiced, soft, and chewy, Iced Chai Oatmeal Cookies bring all the cozy feels! A slick of vanilla icing makes them look snowcapped. Plus, a bevy of chai spices brings warm flavors.

Chai

Indian tea, or chai in Hindi, is a mix of black tea and spices steeped together in hot milk and hot water. Spices used include a mix-and-match combination of cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, and black pepper. For chai purists, only whole spices or freshly ground spices will do. Sugar or jaggery, a type of unrefined cane sugar, sweetens the tea.

Cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, cloves, and black pepper.

This popular way of making tea jumped the Pacific from India to America in the 1990s. Once Starbucks introduced its version, called chai tea latte, chai became popular with coffee and tea drinkers. You can order a chai latte (with steamed milk), dirty chai (with steamed milk and espresso), or vanilla chai (with vanilla syrup) in just about any coffee shop today.

Are you inspired to make your own chai blend? There are some good recipes here and here.

Cookie ingredients include molasses, oats, flour, sugar, butter, and egg.

In this cookie recipe, a mix of preground spices, widely available in grocery stores, give it chai flavor. In addition to white and brown sugar, molasses is the stand-in for jaggery. The result is a sweet and spicy, moreish treat.

Like spiced cookies? You will also like gingerbread cookies with rum-butter glaze!

Lessons Learned

If you made or have a chai spice blend (without sugar), you can sub in 4 teaspoons of it for the spices listed in the recipe.
Freezing the dough for later use? Scoop the dough balls and freeze on a baking sheet in the freezer. Once frozen, place the balls in a ziploc bag and seal until ready to bake. No need to thaw the dough, just bake for an additional minute or two.
Don’t be afraid of the black pepper! It adds a tiny bit of heat and floral notes to the flavor.

Hat Tips

Many thanks to Sally’s Baking Addiction for the iced gingerbread oatmeal cookie recipe and to Minimalist Baker for the caffeine-free chai spice mix recipe.

Iced Chai Oatmeal Cookies

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Chill Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 12 minutes

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Ingredients

Units Scale

Cookie dough:

2 cups rolled quick oats
1 ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
2 tsp ground ginger
1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground cardamom
¼ tsp ground cloves
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp cracked black pepper
12 Tbsp butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 egg
¼ cup unsulphured molasses

Icing:

1 ½ cups powdered sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp milk

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Instructions

Blitz the oats in a blender or food processor for 10-ish pulses. The texture will be a mix of large and small oat pieces. Pour oats into a bowl and add the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, and black pepper. Whisk together and set aside.
Dump the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar into a bowl and cream together with a mixer (use the paddle attachment if using a stand mixer). Mix for 2 minutes on medium speed or until uniform in color and cohesive. Scrape down the sides with a silicone spatula.
Add the egg and molasses and beat together until combined, about 2 minutes. Tip in the oat mixture and mix on low speed until no dry spots remain in the dough. The dough will be thick and slightly stiff. Cover and refrigerate for 30-ish minutes. If you are making this in advance, the dough is good in the fridge for 4 days or shaped into ball and frozen for 3 months.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350F/177C. Position the oven racks to the two central slots. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Portion out 1 ½ tablespoons of cookie dough per cookie using a #40 cookie scoop or spoon. Plonk the dough balls 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
Bake for 12-ish minutes, swapping the sheets halfway through the cooking time. Cookie edges will be set and lightly brown with centers set but soft. Once out of the oven, allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5-ish minutes before transferring to cool on wire racks.
While cookies cool, make the icing. Whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk. The icing will be thick but able to be stirred with a spoon. Dip the top of a cookie into the icing and set on a wire rack to dry. Repeat with the remaining cookies. Icing will set in a couple of hours but you certainly don’t have to wait that long to eat them.

Mexican Hot Chocolate Pie

November 16, 2023

Mexican Hot Chocolate Pie

Dark chocolate and warming spices? Yes, please! Mexican Hot Chocolate Pie brings it. Plus, it is easily modified to be dairy-free or vegan.

The crust is extra delicious because it is made from the cookie of the skies.

Biscoff

The spiced cookie known as Biscoff appeared as an in-flight snack on Delta flights starting in the mid-1980s. Come fly with us, the cookie seemed to say, because you won’t get these anywhere else in North America. They became an airline staple and soon American and United were serving the little red packages as well.

The crisp, cinnamon-y, temperature-resistant cookie makes it a perfect travel snack. Delta now serves over 80 million of them each year!

What dreams are made of: Biscoff cookies and butter.

Before their appearance on airlines, these cookies were only available in Northern Europe. You may have seen them labeled speculoos. I recently discovered there is a difference between speculoos and speculaas.

Speculaas is a popular spiced cookie from the Netherlands that uses the speculaas spice blend of anise, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, and white pepper. However, Biscoff is a speculoos cookie that is popular in Belgium that uses just Ceylon cinnamon instead of a spice blend.

Biscoff is now available at many grocery stores and Target. They are perfectly delicious on their own and with a cup of coffee. But crush them and combine them with butter, and you have a super yummy pie crust.

The filling? Why, chocolate, of course.

Millk, vanilla, dark chocolate, egg, and spices.

Mexican Hot Chocolate

Have you had the warm and chocolatey drink from Mexico called champurrado? It contains bittersweet chocolate, sugar, cinnamon, and sometimes other spices like chile or cayenne. Corn flour and hot milk are blended in to make a steaming mug of goodness.

Cacao is chocolate in its rawest form and is something that has been around for centuries in Central America. The Mayans and Aztecs drank a cacao concoction considered the drink of the gods. Its ingredients are similar to the Mexican hot chocolate of today: crushed cocoa, chile pepper, and cornmeal.

It’s easy to make your own, but there are also several brands to purchase. Abuelita, Hernan, Ibarra, and Taza are all popular. The chocolate comes in tablets that you break into pieces and dissolve in hot milk.

The cinnamon and spice flavors of Mexican hot chocolate marry well with Biscoff crust to make one of the best chocolate pies!

Looking for a chocolate tart instead? I got you: Chocolate Tart with PB Pretzel Crust.

Lessons Learned

The filling is already dairy-free. To make the crust dairy-free, swap out the butter with coconut oil, vegetable shortening, or vegan butter.
Want to make this vegan? I know someone will ask. Sub out the egg in the filling for one of the following: either ¼ cup of aquafaba (liquid from a can of chickpeas) OR a cornstarch roux (one or the other, not both). To make a cornstarch roux, combine 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 3 tablespoons water and whisk into a solution. Use this to replace 1 egg in the filling recipe.
This pie slices nicely if left to sit overnight. If you are eating this the same day that you baked it (like I did), the slices will not be as neat but it will still be every bit as delicious.

Hat Tips

Many thanks to The Subversive Table for the Mexican hot chocolate pie recipe and Salt & Baker for the Biscoff pie crust recipe.

Mexican Hot Chocolate Pie

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 10 slices 1x

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Ingredients

Units Scale

Crust:

2 ½ cups Biscoff cookies, crushed
½ cup butter, melted
½ tsp salt

Filling:

1 cup full-fat coconut milk
1 cup bittersweet (60 to 70%) chocolate chips
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp chile powder
¼ tsp salt

Garnish:

1 cup mini marshmallows

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F/177C. Move the oven rack to the center slot.
Make the crust by plonking the cookies in a food processor or blender and blitzing for 30 seconds or until they are fine crumbs. Pour the crumbs into a large bowl. Add the salt and the melted butter. Stir to combine. It should look like wet sand.
Tip the mixture into a 9-inch pie pan. Press using the bottom of a measuring cup (or your fingers) to cover the bottom and sides of the pan evenly.
Bake the crust for 8 minutes, then remove from the oven and let cool.
Make the filling by pouring the milk into a medium bowl. Heat in the microwave until it is hot but not boiling, about 1 minute. Tip the chocolate chips into the hot milk and let them sit for a few minutes to melt. Whisk the chocolate and milk together until it is smooth and shiny.
Now, whisk in the egg, vanilla, cinnamon, chile powder, and salt. Stir until well incorporated. Pour the filling into the prepared crust.
Bake for 25-ish minutes or until the edges are set. The center will still be slightly jiggly but not overly so. Remove from the oven. Allow the pie to cool completely on a wire rack for about 2 hours before slicing.
Just before serving, pile on the marshmallows. Use a kitchen torch to brown the tops or place the pie under the broiler in the oven just until the marshmallows are melty.