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0 January 1, 2013 Food

A New Year (and Butter-Roasted Cinnamon Chicken)

Happy 2013, everyone! I’m back from a lovely, restful long weekend in Maine with my family and Trevor, and am feeling refreshed and ready to start up some new projects. Maine is so beautiful at this time of year – we had 18 inches of snow, and spent many hours trekking about “exploring” like little kids, tracking the deer and snowshoe hares, and reveling in being able to be outside in such a pristine and quiet place. And once the sun went down, we had board games and reading by the fire, and warming meals of lamb curry and seafood lasagna. I was out like a light by 9 every night. Of course, I think I undid some of the restfulness last night… but it was completely worth it. We started off the evening by having tapas and cocktails at Dali with one of my oldest and best friends and her boyfriend, and then met up with some of my favorite people from high school for a relatively mellow but very fun night of board games and beer pong and excessive drinking. It was just right.

And now it’s 2013! By this point, you’ve probably seen dozens of New Year’s posts – round-ups of the best recipes of 2012, recaps of years both good and bad, hopes for the future, lists of resolutions, and rants about the futility of resolutions. It may seem a little silly for there to be so much fuss about reflection on just one day, but the truth is it’s nice to have a natural time to take stock of your world, to think back on what you accomplished in the past year, and to set goals for the future.

2012 was a good, stable year: nothing bad happened, and a lot of good things happened. You can’t ask for much more than that. At my real job, I worked on a series of interesting projects with interesting people – I traveled to Spain to hob-nob with CEOs, learned a great deal about terrorism risk, and became close friends with several of my co-workers. Then just a few weeks ago, I was promoted – a really positive way to move into 2013! On the blog, things moved much faster than I expected. Last year, I quietly set two goals which I felt were very ambitious – one, to have 500 subscribers, and two, to host a giveaway. I’m so pleased to have exceeded both, with over 1,000 of you out there reading on a regular basis, and two book giveaways this fall (and several more giveaways scheduled for the not too distant future!). So, thank you, everyone, for reading – it means so much to me that you enjoy this space. On a more personal level, the things that define this year for me include completing my first two half-marathons ever, starting adult ballet classes and totally falling in love with them, building a vegetable garden with Trevor, really settling in to life in Boston, and throwing a few really fun parties.

As for 2013, I have a good feeling about this year. I can see the possibility of being in a very different place in 12 months than I am right now, and I’m excited to see what the year brings. I definitely want this year to include more travel, with trips to Montreal and Italy in the works already. I also really feel the need to get serious about having healthier eating habits. Food blogging is a blast, but I indulge far too often. Trevor and I have grand plans for the Andover garden and orchard – I already can’t wait to start our seedlings. In general, I just want to do more – go camping, finally break in those ice skates, host more dinner parties, make more of an effort to see friends, etc. Oh, and I’m pretty set on going to adult ballet camp. Which is going to be awesome.

With all that introspection done, let’s get back to food. January to me always calls for simple recipes, food that is wholesome and restorative without being fussy. When I saw a recipe in Maria’s Ancient Grains for Modern Meals for Bulghur with Butter-Roasted Almonds and Cinnamon, I was immediately brought back to a meal I had on a cold, winter-y day at the Lebanese restaurant in my hometown. It was similar to Maria’s recipe, but included shredded chicken, cooked until crispy in cinnamon-butter. I knew it would be the perfect meal for a cold day, so I recreated it, using Maria’s recipe as the base, and then threw in some pomegranate seeds at the end for a dash of color and sweetness. It was warm, nutty, buttery, and crunchy – a perfect first meal of 2013!

Bulghur with Butter-and-Cinnamon-Roasted Chicken and Almonds

Inspired by Ancient Grains for Modern Meals. Serves 2-3.

1 large boneless skinless chicken breast
1 large shallot, peeled and sliced into quarters
10 whole peppercorns
1 cinnamon stick
3/4 c. bulghur [with 1 1/3 c. water]
1/4 tsp salt
2 TBS salted butter
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch cayenne pepper
1/2 c. whole skin-on almonds, toasted lightly
1/4 c. pomegranate arils (optional)

Place the chicken, shallot, peppercorns, and cinnamon stick in a shallow pan, such as a dutch oven, and fill with water to cover the chicken by about 1/2 an inch. Bring to a boil over medium heat, boil 3 minutes, then remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 15 minutes for the chicken to finish cooking. Remove the chicken, check to ensure that it is cooked all the way through, and rinse under water to cool. Tear the chicken into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
Bring 1 1/3 c. water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add bulghur and salt, stir, return to a boil for 1 minute then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer on low for 15 minutes, until bulghur has absorbed all of the water. Fluff with a fork.
While bulghur is cooking, melt the butter over medium heat in a large frying pan. Once it has melted, cook for 2-3 minutes, until it smells nutty, is foamy on top, and has brown flecks at the bottom. Scrape the brown flecks up from the bottom with a wooden spoon, then add the cinnamon and cayenne powder and stir to combine. Add the shredded chicken and almonds (they will sizzle!) and cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes, until everything is fully coated in the cinnamon butter and the chicken is beginning to crisp around the edges. Add the bulghur to the pan and stir just to coat. Remove from heat.
Serve warm, garnished with pomegranate arils if desired!

1 December 27, 2012 Cookbook

The Great Meat Cookbook: Pomegranate-Glazed Lamb Chops and Carrots

The last time I saw my Grandpa Archie was this summer, at my cousin Danny’s wedding. My grandparents (and most of the rest of my family) all live out in Colorado, so I see them infrequently, at best. Grandpa Archie, who is 100% Onondaga Indian (I know, cool, right?), and not the most verbose man, is hilarious to hang out with, and the wedding was no exception. Being from Colorado, he’s also a true meat-lover, and as we were driving from the ceremony to the reception, six of us packed into a five person car in the pouring rain, he turned around and said to me: “So, Katie. On that blog of yours, you ever cook any meat?” I tried to explain that I eat a lot of vegetarian food because it’s cheaper and I mainly use meat as a flavoring, to which I got the response “Just give it to me straight. Do you cook meat?”

I had to admit that, no, I don’t really cook much meat. And it’s not because I don’t like it – when I go out to eat, I frequently order lamb and duck and burgers, and when I’m at my parents, one of my favorite meals is grilled steak tips and baked potatoes. But besides a little bit of chorizo or bacon, or the occasional beef stew, meat doesn’t typically enter my weekly cooking rotation. The biggest reason for this? I don’t really know how to cook meat, and it makes me nervous to think about how badly I might ruin a $20 steak if I tried to cook it at home.

So when I received Bruce Aidell’s The Great Meat Cookbook, I flipped through it with a mix of excitement and trepidation. My first instinct was to bookmark recipes I felt comfortable with, which basically fell into two categories – things made with ground beef, and things where you cook a tough cut for 3 hours until it’s super tender. But as I did so, I realized that cooking things I already knew how to cook wasn’t the point – I wanted to learn how to put an impressive roast on the table! So I began to dig into Bruce’s explanations, which are thorough and straightforward. I think this book could teach you most of what you need to know about meat: some of the topics covered include how to judge meat quality while shopping, how to tell when meat is done cooking, the label choices we have today (grass-fed vs. organic vs. natural, etc.), and dozens of cuts and how best to cook each one for each animal covered (beef, bison, pork, lamb, goat, and veal, plus a section on various cured meats). For a meat newbie like myself, there’s a lot to absorb.

Once I had convinced myself that I needed to try something new, I fell to the task of choosing a recipe to make. Not an easy choice, given all the delicious-sounding contenders! High on my list were Roasted Ginger-Orange-Glazed Prime Rib Bones, Grilled Pork Chops Stuffed with Fontina, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, and Prosciutto, and Butterflied Leg of Lamb with Olive Crust. In the end I chose to make Turkish Pomegranate-Glazed Lamb Shoulder Chops and Carrots. Not quite a show-stopping roast, but a cut and cooking technique that was new to me. Even though I scaled down the recipe quite a bit, and accidentally bought the wrong type of lamb chop (even after all that reading about the cuts), this recipe was really good. Sitting down to a plate of tender lamb with a sweet pomegranate molasses glaze and a pile of carrots and parsnips sprinkled with pomegranate and mint, I felt like I had really accomplished something.

I’m going to keep working with this book, and maybe by next Christmas I’ll be able to put the Standing Rib Roast with Bacon and Rosemary Jus and Yorkshire Puddings on the table to oohs and ahs!

The bottom line: The Great Meat Cookbook is a straightforward and complete guide to cooking beef, bison, pork, cured meats, lamb, goat, and veal. It covers the entire process of preparing meat in detail, from choosing a cut and picking out the best pieces in the grocery store, all the way to what to serve with it. The recipes themselves are appealing and clearly explained, with plenty of globally-inspired preparations alongside American classics. For any meat-newbie, this book is a valuable and non-intimidating introduction to preparing dishes that will impress!

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary review copy of The Great Meat Cookbook, but was not otherwise compensated and all opinions are my own.

Turkish Pomegranate-Glazed Lamb Chops and Carrots

Recipe from The Great Meat Cookbook. Serves 6.

6 lamb blade shoulder chops (about 3 pounds total)
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
2 TBS olive oil
1 TBS butter
2 TBS grated or finely chopped fresh ginger
1/2 c. finely chopped shallots
1 c. finely chopped onions
1 c. chicken broth
1 c. pomegranate molasses
2 lbs medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch lengths
1/2 lb parsnips, peeled and cut into 1 inch lengths
1/2 c. fresh pomegranate arils
1/4 c. toasted pine nuts
2 TBS fresh basil chiffonade
2 TBS fresh mint chiffonade

Cut each chop into two pieces by cutting between the flat side of the blade bone and the meat. Combine the red pepper flakes, salt, cumin, pepper, cardamom, and nutmeg in a small bowl, then rub over the chops on both sides. Let sit for 30 minutes at room temperature, or wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Heat the oil and butter in a large, deep frying pan over medium high-heat. Once completely melted, add the chops and brown for 2-3 minutes per side. You may need to do this in two batches – try not to crowd the chops or they won’t brown as nicely. Remove the chops to a plate and set aside.
Add the ginger, shallots, and onions to the pan and saute, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Bring to a boil, then add the pomegranate molasses and reduce to a simmer. Return the chops to the pan, cover, and cook for 40 minutes, or until the chops are tender. Skim any fat floating on the top and discard. Move the chops back to the plate and set aside.
Add the carrots and parsnips to the pan and stir to coat with the braising liquid. Cover the pan and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Place the cooked vegetables on the plate with the chops, and bring the remaining liquid to a boil. Reduce until it thickens and becomes syrupy, 5-10 minutes. Return the vegetables and the chops to the pan, lower the heat to very low, and cook, turning everything frequently, until the chops and vegetables are reheated and covered with a thin glaze.
Place the vegetables and chops on a platter and sprinkle with the pomegranate seeds, pine nuts, basil and mint. Serve warm with a side of rice or bulghur.

1 December 26, 2012 Dessert

Peppermint-Mocha Ice Cream Sundae

I think Peppermint-Stick might be my favorite flavor of ice cream. At least, it’s up there with Coffee Heath Bar Crunch and New York Super Fudge Chunk (and all the other Ben & Jerry’s flavors…). I think I partly like that it’s so girly and pink, and that it tastes like it looks – sort of simple and sweet and refreshing. This is certainly the time of year that peppermint is all the rage, but I love this ice cream regardless of the season – it actually brings up very vivid memories of standing on the lawn at the Bagaduce Lunch, eating a quickly melting waffle cone of the sweet, pink stuff and soaking up the sun. Mmm, ice cream in the summer. So good.

But ice cream in the winter is also good! Since I worked today and I’m working tomorrow, and since resolutions don’t need to start for almost another week, I thought I’d make a little treat to reward myself for working during the holidays. And since Starbucks has already proved to us that peppermint, chocolate, and coffee are an excellent combination, I decided to throw a few scoops of this on top of an espresso brownie, and then drizzle it with mocha sauce for good measure. Voila! A Peppermint-Mocha Ice Cream Sundae. Because that’s just what we all needed the day after Christmas. (Don’t worry, this year’s cleanse is coming up soon, and then this blog will be sorely lacking in sugar and heavy cream).

This sundae was pretty perfect, in my book. If you’re looking for something to do with extra candy canes and/or you’re not ready to give up all the sugary goodness of Christmastime, definitely give it a try!

P.S. It’s National Candy Cane Day! How timely!

Peppermint-Mocha Ice Cream Sundae

1 large scoop peppermint-stick ice cream (recipe below)
1 espresso brownie (recipe below)
1/4 c. mocha hot fudge sauce (recipe below)
whipped cream
crushed candy canes, for garnish

Assemble all ingredients and dig in!

Peppermint-Stick Ice Cream

Recipe from Dawn’s Recipes. Makes 1 quart.

1 c. whole milk
2 c. heavy cream
3/4 c. sugar
1/4 tsp salt
6 large egg yolks
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
3 drops red food coloring (optional)
10 candy canes (about 5 oz.), crushed into small pieces

Whisk together the milk, 1 c. of the heavy cream, the sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Place over medium-low heat and heat, whisking occasionally, just until milk begins to simmer.
While milk is heating, prepare three other bowls – in one bowl, whisk together the six egg yolks. In the second bowl, pour the remaining 1 c. of heavy cream, and set a fine mesh strainer over the top. Fill the third (largest) bowl halfway with ice water.
Pour the hot milk slowly over the egg yolks, whisking the egg yolks vigorously as you do so, to temper the eggs. Pour the custard mixture back into the pan and return to the heat, whisking the whole time. Cook over low heat, whisking constantly, just until the custard has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Pour the custard through the strainer into the bowl with the heavy cream, and stir to combine. Add the peppermint extract and food coloring, and place bowl into the ice bath. Stir until the custard has cooled.
Cover the custard and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Once thoroughly chilled, pour into prepared ice cream maker and process according to directions. Just before the ice cream has finished thickening, pour in the crushed candy canes and let churn for 1 minute more to incorporate. Freeze the ice cream until ready to serve.

Espresso Brownies

Recipe adapted slightly from Crustabakes. Makes 16 small brownies.

5 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
2 oz. bittersweet chocolate chips
1 stick salted butter, cut into quarters
3 TBS cocoa powder
2 TBS instant espresso powder
3 large eggs
1 1/4 c. sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1 c. flour

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-in baking pan with tin foil so that the foil hangs over the edges (for easy removal of the brownies).
Heat a large, half-full pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Place chocolate and butter in a smaller saucepan and place over the boiling water. Stir until chocolate and butter are melted. Remove from heat and whisk in the cocoa powder and espresso powder. Let cool slightly.
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Pour in the warm chocolate mixture and whisk to combine. Fold in the flour until just incorporated, then pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the top of the brownies are beginning to crack and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few crumbs attached to it. Allow the brownies to cool in the pan, then lift out using the foil.

Mocha Hot Fudge Sauce

Prepare this recipe, adding 2 TBS of espresso powder when you add the cocoa powder.

5 December 23, 2012 Breakfast

Christmas Morning Brunch

The week before Thanksgiving I was chatting with my friend Veronika about food traditions. She was headed to her boyfriend’s family’s for Thanksgiving and was nervous about missing her favorite dishes – a fear I 100% understand. We quickly segued into talking about Christmas, a much more important food holiday for her (she’s Bulgarian – remember her? – so Thanksgiving kind of takes a back seat), and we traded stories about what we eat before, during, and after Christmas. And amidst all the talk of Swedish meatballs and phyllo-wrapped cheese pies and fondue, I thought of this brunch, which my mom has made every Christmas morning for the past four years, and knew I had to share it with you.

I know at this point (only two more sleeps ’till Christmas!) that it’s highly unlikely that any of you will run out to the grocery store to get the ingredients to make this for Christmas morning. And that’s OK. I just wanted to take a morning to indulge in the scents and flavors of Christmas and to slowly enjoy it with Trevor, since we’ll be waking up separately on the 25th. Truth be told, all of these dishes would be good at any brunch, not just once a year. Plus, it’s remarkably simple to put together, given the result (utter deliciousness).

The original menu from Gourmet, which serves eight, has nine dishes: Pomegranate Mimosas, Cafe au Lait, Citrus Salad with Star Anise Syrup, Baked Egg Custard with Gruyere and Chives, Crisp Oven-Browned Potatoes, Turkey Sausage Patties, Maple and Black-Pepper Bacon, Honey Almond Granola, and Cranberry Vanilla Coffeecake. The first year we made everything, but now we skip the bacon and the granola, because they seem a bit extraneous amongst all the other goodies. The potatoes, also, are really nothing special – they need a little more flavor, or cheese, or crispness or something – but I’ve included them here since we do usually serve some sort of potato. Just feel free to doctor the recipe up with fresh herbs or a little cheese or to turn them into your favorite gratin.

That means that the recipes that really define this meal for me are the mimosas (doubly appropriate today since I’m celebrating the fact that I got a big promotion this week!!), the citrus and star anise salad (which I’ve actually written about before), the eggs, the sausage, and the cake. All of these recipes are tried and true – and everything is easy. The eggs are just a matter of grating some cheese, chopping some chives, and blending eggs and milk, yet they’re puffy and flavorful and perfect. The sausages have nutmeg, cinnamon, cayenne, and cloves to make them really taste of Christmas. And the cake has a tender vanilla-scented crumb with a beautiful stripe of cranberry running through the middle. All festive, all perfect.

So, like I said, maybe this menu isn’t for this year, but consider it for New Year’s, or for some chilly morning in February when you want your house to feel cozier, or even bookmark it for next Christmas. But trust me that each of these recipes is worth making, on it’s own or all together. And that’s all from me until after the big day! Have a merry, merry Christmas.

“Merry Morning” Christmas Day Brunch from Gourmet

This entire menu has been adapted very slightly from Gourmet Magazine’s 2008 December issue. Menu serves 8. If you’re making the whole menu and want to do some prep before-hand, here are my tips: The night before, peel and segment the oranges and grapefruits and reserve in a bowl in the refrigerator. Peel and thinly slice the potatoes, place in a large plastic bag, and reserve in the refrigerator. Make the turkey sausage mixture and refrigerate overnight. Last, make the coffeecake and, once cool, wrap in plastic wrap and leave on the counter overnight. If you do all these things ahead of time, in the morning you will simply have to mix the drinks, drizzle the citrus with a quick simple-syrup, pop the eggs and the potatoes in the oven, and fry the sausage. Done this way, you’ll only need about an hour to finish preparing the meal on Christmas morning.

Pomegranate Mimosas

2 c. chilled pomegranate juice
1 c. chilled fresh orange juice
1/2 c. orange-flavored liqueur, such as Cointreau
1 bottle well-chilled Cava or Champagne
pomegranate arils for garnish (optional)

Stir all liquids together in a large pitcher. Pour into champagne flutes and sprinkle a few pomegranate arils on top, if desired.

Cafe au Lait

8 cups hot milk
4 c. very hot brewed espresso
sugar, to taste

Heat milk to steaming in microwave or over low heat on stove. Use an aero-latte foamer to froth milk in two batches. Divide espresso between 8 mugs and top off with foamed milk. Stir in sugar to each person’s taste. (P.S. We love using the stove-top Bialetti to make espresso at home).

Citrus Salad with Star Anise Syrup

1/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. water
3 whole star anise
5 grapefruits
4 oranges, a mix of navel oranges and blood oranges

Cut the peel, including the white pith, off the grapefruits and oranges. Cut the segments free from the clear membranes and place in a bowl. This is tedious but worth the effort! In a small saucepan, mix the sugar, water, and star anise. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from heat and let steep for 30 minutes. Pour star anise syrup over fruit, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Baked Egg Custard with Gruyere and Chives

2 c. coarsely grated Gruyere cheese (about 6 oz.)
1/2 c. chopped chives
10 large eggs
1 1/2 c. whole milk
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Preheat the oven to 350°F and butter a 2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle gruyere and chives evenly over bottom of dish. Place eggs, milk, cream cheese, nutmeg, salt, and pepper in a blender and blend until smooth, then pour over the cheese and chives. Bake until the eggs are puffed and golden, 35 to 40 minutes

Crisp Oven-Browned Potatoes

3 lb large Yukon Gold potatoes
1/2 stick salted butter, melted
3 TBS olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Peel potatoes and slice as thinly as possible. Add to a 4 quart baking dish and toss with melted butter, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Cover baking dish tightly with foil and bake 20 minutes. Remove foil, turn heat up to 450°F, and bake for another 20-25 minutes, until the top is browned and crisp.

Turkey Sausage Patties

1 small onion, very finely chopped
5 TBS olive oil, divided
1/2 c. coarse, freshly ground bread crumbs
3 TBS milk
2 lb ground dark-meat turkey
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp cayenne powder
1/8 tsp ground cloves
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 egg yolks

Heat 1 TBS of the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Saute onion until golden brown, 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. While onions are cooking, soak bread crumbs in milk and let sit for 5 minutes. Add cooked onions, turkey, nutmeg, cinnamon, cayenne, cloves, salt, pepper, and egg yolks to bread crumbs. Form turkey into small, relatively flat patties. Heat 1 TBS of remaining olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Cook patties in batches until browned and cooked all the way through, about 4 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels. Cover with tinfoil to keep warm until serving.

Cranberry Vanilla Coffeecake

1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 3/4 c. sugar
2 c. fresh cranberries (6 oz.), rinsed
2 c. plus 1 TBS flour, divided
2 tsp baking powder
1 stick plus 1 TBS unsalted butter, softened, divided
2 large eggs
1/2 c. whole milk

Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a 9-by-2 inch pan and line the bottom with a round of parchment paper. Add sugar to a food processor. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into food processor and pulse a few times to blend. Remove the sugar to a bowl. Add 1/2 c. of the vanilla sugar and all the cranberries back to the food processor and pulse a few times until cranberries are coarsely chopped but not pureed. Set aside.

Stir together 1 c. of the flour and the baking powder. Take 1 c. of the remaining vanilla sugar and beat together with 1 stick of the softened butter until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add half of the flour mixture to the batter and stir to incorporate. Stir in the milk until incorporated, then add the remaining flour and stir to incorporate. Spread half of the batter into the prepared pan. Spread the cranberry mixture on top of the batter, not quite reaching to the edges. Spread the remaining batter over the top of the cranberry mixture. Use a fork to press together remaining 1 TBS flour, 1 TBS butter, and 1/4 c. sugar to form a crumble topping. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the cake. Bake for 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean and the edges have begun to pull away from the sides of the pan. Cool in pan for 30 minutes, then remove and cool completely, crumb side up.

0 December 19, 2012 Breakfast

Greatist Collaboration: Baked Stuffed Apples with Maple Cream

On Monday, I posted the richest, most decadent dessert in my repertoire – Bailey’s Chocolate-Chip Cheesecake. It’s one of my all-time favorites, which shouldn’t be a surprise, coming from a girl who has been known to order a blue cheese salad, followed by pasta carbonara, followed by creme brulee when out to dinner. (Read: I don’t know what I’d do with myself if I were lactose intolerant). But even I have limits, and as I was making that cheesecake and actually seeing what 2 pounds of cream cheese looks like in a bowl, I knew I’d have to exercise some self-control. And then atone for my gluttony.

Enter these baked apples. Stuffed with dates and pecans and drizzled with just a touch of maple-flavored mascarpone cream (yes, there’s still dairy…), they are significantly lighter than most of the desserts of this season, yet still delicious, festive, and elegant enough to serve to company. And, dare I say it, these might even be healthy enough to have for breakfast. At least on a special occasion. Like a Tuesday.

Head on over to Greatist for the recipe, and check back here on Friday for more Christmas-time treats!

108 December 17, 2012 Dessert

Bailey’s Chocolate-Chip Cheesecake

No new Monday morning resolution this week. I’m still going to stick with all the resolutions I’ve created so far, but I’m not adding any new ones for a while. This is partly because of Christmas coming up, but also because I already have six resolutions going, and it’s a lot to keep up with! I figure it’s better to take a break and let these six truly become a part of my daily routine then to keep adding new resolutions, get overwhelmed and end up backtracking on the progress I’ve already made. I am planning on doing another winter cleanse during the first few weeks of January, so maybe I will pick up the new resolutions again after that.

We had a lovely Christmas party at my house on Saturday night. The house looked pretty and festive, the food was yummy, the drinks were free-flowing, and everyone seemed to have a great time. I made a few of my childhood Christmas favorites – a fancified holiday trifle (the recipe for which you can find on Life’d), punch with sherbet, and this Bailey’s Chocolate-Chip Cheesecake.

This cheesecake is one of my all-time favorite desserts, and every bite tastes like Christmas to me. It’s super rich, creamy, and the Bailey’s flavor makes it totally addictive. It does require some planning ahead, however, since it has to sit in the oven for 5 hours after it’s done baking (to allow it to set) and then chill for a few more hours. I should also admit that I didn’t splurge for real Bailey’s this time, I used the knock-off stuff… it still tasted great, though. Maybe next time I’ll just make the liquor myself too!

Bailey’s Chocolate-Chip Cheesecake

Adapted from the Bailey’s website. Serves 16-20.

10 whole graham crackers
4 TBS salted butter, melted
32 oz. cream cheese (four 8-oz packages), at room temperature
1 1/2 c. sugar
3/4 c. Bailey’s Irish Cream liquor (or other Irish cream liquor)
4 eggs
1 c. sour cream
1 TBS vanilla extract
1/4 c. flour
1 1/2 c. bittersweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease the sides of a 9-inch round springform pan. Place the graham crackers in a heavy-duty plastic bag and crush into small pieces with a rolling pin. Mix with the crumbs with the melted butter, then press the crust into the bottom of the pan. Place the pan on top of a rimmed baking sheet, and set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and the sugar until smooth. Beat in the Bailey’s, then mix in the eggs one at a time. Mix in the sour cream and vanilla, then the flour, stirring just until smooth.
Stir half of the chocolate chips into the batter, then pour the filling into the prepared pan (careful, it will be very full!). Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on top of the cake, gently folding into the top half of the cake with a spatula. Place the cake (still on top of the baking sheet, in case of leaks) carefully into the oven.
Bake for 1 hour, then turn off the oven and leave the door closed. The cake will still be jiggly in the center at this point, but it will continue baking in the closed oven. Let the cake sit in the oven for 4-5 hours, to finish baking and setting. Remove from oven, then chill for 3-4 hours before serving. Serve cold, with whipped cream as a garnish.

0 December 15, 2012 Dessert

Gingerbread 2012: Italian Country Villa

Well, it took over a week to complete, but our 2012 gingerbread house is complete – let Christmas begin! And none too soon, as our holiday party is in a few hours, and the gingerbread house is a crucial element of the decorations. Really.

For those of you who weren’t around last year, Trevor and I build a gingerbread house worthy of our dual civil engineering degrees every year. It’s really more Trevor’s thing than mine, but I whip up a batch or two of frosting and stand-by supportively while he makes it, so I like to take partial ownership. The first year we did one (pre-blog!) we made a Romanesque cathedral, in 2010 it was a gingerbread treehouse (complete with tree), and last year it was a to-scale model of the Zakim bridge. This year, in anticipation of our trip to Italy this spring (YAY!), we went for an Italian country villa, complete with a hilly landscape (made of rice krispies), cypress trees, and outdoor terraces. Enjoy! And my Christmas baking season began today, so look forward to lots of yummy festive recipes over the next 10 days.

0 December 12, 2012 Cookbook

Caramel-Banana Bread Pudding with Butterscotch Sauce

As promised, I’m back with the amazing cajeta-banana bread pudding recipe from Tacos, Tortas, and Tamales. While the duck tacos we made from the book last weekend were a great treat for a special dinner (duck is expensive!), this bread pudding is the kind of thing I want to make on a weekly basis. I won’t, because I value my ability to support my own body weight, but know that I want to. Why? Because caramel, cinnamon, custard, challah bread, and banana, baked up all warm and soft and topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a little extra caramel sauce for good measure is about as close to the perfect comfort dessert as you can get.

This recipe is also pretty easy for such a crowd-pleaser. If you choose to go the fully homemade route, making the cajeta – Mexican goat’s milk caramel – takes a bit of effort, but once you have it on hand, making the rest of this recipe is a breeze. It’s also a new and different way to use up overripe bananas. Or challah that’s going stale. Or milk that’s going to expire. And even if you don’t have anything stale or overripe or expiring, it’s worth rushing to the store to get all new stuff to make this recipe. I think you probably get the picture, so I’ll stop gushing (side-effect of midnight blogging?) and let you get cooking!

Cajeta-Banana Bread Pudding

Recipe from Tacos, Tortas, and Tamales. Serves 8-10.

Note: I only made 1/4 batch of the cajeta recipe, which yielded 1 c., but immediately wished I had made a full batch so I had some leftovers. Making the cajeta from scratch takes 45 minutes to an hour.

1 lb. brioche or challah, torn into 1/2-inch chunks
1 c. whole milk
1 c. cajeta (homemade is best)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
1 c. heavy cream
3 large eggs
3 ripe bananas, peeled and thinly sliced

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a shallow baking dish (a 9 inch pie pan would work well) and set aside.
Place the torn bread pieces in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Toast in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until dry on the outside but not colored. Let them cool.
In a small saucepan, combine the milk, cajeta, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt. Bring to a gentle simmer, whisking, until cajeta is completely melted, then remove from heat. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and heavy cream until smooth. Slowly drizzle in the hot milk mixture, whisking the eggs the whole time to keep from scrambling.
Toss the bread and the banana slices together in a large bowl. Add half of the custard to the bowl, stir to coat the bread, and let sit for 15 minutes to absorb the liquid. Add the remaining half of the custard and let sit for another 15 minutes. Pour the bread pudding into the buttered baking dish and bake for 30-35 minutes – the top should be browned slightly and a knife inserted into the center should come out clean. Serve hot with vanilla ice cream and leftover cajeta or butterscotch sauce (see recipe below).

Butterscotch Sauce

Recipe from the Food Network. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

1/2 c. salted butter
1/2 c. heavy cream
1 c. light brown sugar

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan or saute pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil gently until mixture has thickened, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and serve over bread pudding – refrigerate leftovers.

0 December 10, 2012 Breakfast

Monday Morning Resolutions: Healthy Christmas Muffins

I’m pretty pleased with how these Monday morning resolutions are going. What I started on kind of a whim I’ve actually been able to stick with! I haven’t eaten a single piece of chocolate from the chocolate box at work for 5 weeks now (huge accomplishment), and I haven’t skipped a day of walking the extra 15 minutes to my office in at least one direction, rain or shine. I’ve been slightly less consistent with some of the eating stuff – getting four green salads in per week has been surprisingly difficult. But what I think I’m proudest of is the strength training. Although I got off to a rough start during Thanksgiving week, over the past two weeks I’ve actually started to look forward to my daily 10 minutes of strength and stretching, and some nights, I’ve even managed to do 20 minutes. While I haven’t lost any weight in pounds, I definitely feel stronger and more flexible – last night I did 25 push-ups in a row (probably an all-time high for me), and I’ve been holding my balances much longer in ballet. It’s really encouraging.

So, as promised, I’m sticking with it. This week’s new resolution is inspired by Hannah of All Things Lovely‘s comment last week: to have a hearty, healthy breakfast at home each day. To kick things off, I made a batch of healthy whole wheat muffins from Maria Speck’s Ancient Grains for Modern Meals. With dates, apricots, orange, and pistachios, they remind me very much of Christmas sugarplums (which I need to make a batch of soon…). They’re packed with good stuff, and have plenty of natural sweetness and flavor, but I did find them a little dry. I’m going to tinker around a bit with adding buttermilk or Greek yogurt to see if that moistens them a bit – until then, I’m leaving you with the original recipe. Let me know if you try it out! And as usual, please share your resolutions in the comments if you want to play along.

That’s all for now. I’ve got a bunch more Christmasy recipes to share with you over the next few weeks, so stay tuned! Also, Trevor and I are halfway through this year’s gingerbread house (see last year’s model of the Zakim bridge, and 2010’s gingerbread treehouse to get a taste of what your’e in for). I’ll hopefully be back with pictures of the finished product by the end of the week!

P.S. Other healthy breakfast recipes from Katie at the Kitchen Door:

Healthy Orange-Date-Apricot Muffins with Anise

Adapted slightly from Ancient Grains for Modern Meals by Maria Speck. Makes 12 regular muffins.

Note: As mentioned above, I found these muffins a little bit dry as written. I’m still tinkering with the recipe, but the original (below) still makes a very healthy muffin with great flavor and natural sweetness. I’ll update the recipe below if I find a way to make them less dry. Also, Maria calls for a topping made of 2 TBS sugar, 1/2 tsp ground anise, and 3 TBS chopped pistachios – I opted to top these with pistachios only.

2 c. white whole wheat flour
1/4 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground anise seeds
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c. chopped dried dates
1/4 c. chopped dried apricots
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 c. honey
1/3 c. olive oil
2 tsp freshly grated orange zest
3/4 c. freshly squeezed orange juice (from ~2 medium navel oranges)
1/2 c. + 3 TBS chopped roasted pistachios

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a standard-sized muffin tin with muffin cups or grease the pan itself.
Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, anise, and salt. Add the chopped dates and chopped apricots and stir briefly to coat the fruit with flour.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs. Add the honey, olive oil, orange zest, and orange juice, and whisk until smooth. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Use a spatula to fold the two together until just combined – do not overmix. Stir in the 1/2 c. chopped pistachios, and add a heaping 1/4 c. of batter to each muffin cup. Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with the remaining 3 TBS chopped pistachios. Bake for 15-17 minutes, until domed and golden brown. Let cool on a wire rack.

1 December 9, 2012 Cookbook

Tacos, Tortas, and Tamales: Duck Tacos in Habanero Cream Sauce

Apparently I have a thing for Latin cuisine. First, I couldn’t stop singing the praises of Antojitos, then, last month, I reviewed (and loved) Gran Cocina Latina and The Latin Road Home, and now, I’m reviewing yet another Latin American cookbook – Tacos, Tortas, and Tamales, by Roberto Santibanez. And what’s not to love about Mexican food? It’s full of sweet veggies like corn and peppers and tomatoes, foods wrapped in bread, spicy tender meats, and no one is ashamed to smother anything with cheese.

I kind of love this little book: it’s cute, fun, and approachable. Of the three books mentioned above, it takes the narrowest focus, looking mainly at, well, tacos, tortas (Mexican-style sandwiches), and tamales, as interpreted by the “street-side kitchens of Mexico.” There are also a handful of recipes for salsas, drinks, and desserts, just to round out your meal. This book doesn’t delve too deeply into techniques or histories behind the foods presented, but the colorful photographs and evocative recipe notes still manage to bring the street-food culture to life.

The recipes are enticing and non-intimidating – most of the recipes would qualify as comfort food in my book. The taco chapter is my favorite, with recipes for Potato and Chorizo Tacos, Pork and Pineapple Tacos, the amazing Chipotle Duck Tacos shown here, and even some more exotic choices, like Cactus Tacos and Beef Tongue Tacos. I also can’t wait to try some of the yummy agua frescas and margaritas, and I made the Cajeta-Banana Bread Pudding last night to go with the tacos – it was incredible; keep your eye out for the recipe here later this week.

The tacos here are a mash-up of three different recipes in this book: first, you cook duck legs in orange juice and cinnamon until it’s falling off the bone, to make Duck Carnitas. Then, you cook the duck in a tomato-chipotle sauce to make Tomato-Chipotle Duck Stew. Finally, you roll the duck in fresh corn tortillas and smother them with Habanero Cream Sauce, then bake them enchilada-style. Having tasted the recipe at all three stages – carnitas, stew, and habanero-cream sauce covered – I can say with confidence that doing any of the three versions is well worth your time.

The bottom line: Tacos, Tortas, and Tamales is a cute little book focused on comforting Mexican recipes, street-cart style. The recipes are approachable, the photos are bright and colorful, and the stories behind the three styles of street food are engaging. If you’re already well-versed in Mexican cooking, it probably won’t offer much new knowledge or inspiration, but for a relative newbie it offers many new ideas, simple and accessible enough to add to your weeknight dinner rotation.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary review copy of Tacos, Tortas, and Tamales, but all opinions are my own.

Duck Tacos in Habanero Cream Sauce

Recipe adapted slightly from Tacos, Tortas, and Tamales. Makes 12 tacos, enough for 4-6 people.

Note: The habanero cream sauce recipe presented here is different from the original in that it doesn’t roast the tomato before adding. Since tomatoes aren’t in season now, I used canned tomatoes and still loved the sauce. If you make this in the summer, replace the canned tomatoes listed in the sauce recipe below with 1 medium, ripe, cored tomato, roasted at 500°F for 25 minutes (until blackened), then chopped and added to the sauce with the peppers.

For the duck filling:

4 1/2 lbs duck legs (6-8 small legs)
1 large or 2 medium white onions, peeled
1 medium head garlic
1 stick Mexican cinnamon
2 TBS kosher salt
1 medium orange, peel left on, quartered
2 TBS reserved duck fat
1/2 c. reserved duck cooking liquid, fat skimmed off
1 dried chipotle chili
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1 1/2 c. canned, diced tomatoes

For the habanero cream sauce and tacos:

2 large red bell peppers
1 small fresh habanero chile
1 TBS reserved duck fat
1 small white onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 medium garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 c. canned, diced tomato
8 whole allspice berries
1 1/2 c. heavy cream
salt, to taste
12 small corn tortillas

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Take one of the onions (or half of the large onion) and thinly slice. Remove one clove from the garlic, peel, and set aside. Slice the remaining head of garlic in half horizontally, peel left intact. Add the duck legs, skin side up, sliced onion, head of garlic, and cinnamon stick to a large dutch oven or oven safe-pot with lid. Sprinkle the duck with the 2 TBS salt and rub gently into the skin, then squeeze the orange quarters over the duck. Add the squeezed orange quarters to the pot, cover with lid, and place in the oven.
Roast the duck for 2 1/2 hours, shuffling the legs around a bit after 1 1/2 hours. Remove the duck from the pot and let cool slightly. Remove the skin from the duck and discard, then use a fork or your hands to tear the duck meat off the bone into bite-sized pieces.
Strain the liquid and duck fat out of the pot into a bowl. Discard the duck bones and cooked vegetables. Let the liquid sit for a few minutes to separate the fat from the juices. Finely chop the remaining onion (or half of the large onion), and the reserved 1 clove peeled garlic. Pour a small amount of very hot water over the dried chipotle in a small bowl, and let sit for 5 minutes to soften, then remove the stem and seeds from the chipotle and finely chop the pepper.
Skim 2 TBS of duck fat from the top of the liquid and heat in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, garlic, chipotle pepper, bay leaf, and thyme, and cook for 3-5 minutes, until the onion is translucent. Add the diced tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes longer, then add the duck and the 1/2 c. cooking liquid (with as little fat as possible). Simmer for 10 minutes, and taste for seasoning, adding salt as needed. Remove from heat and set aside.
Make the sauce: Set the oven to broil, and place the two peppers on a baking sheet. Broil, watching closely and turning the peppers every minute or two, until the skin is blistered and blackened, about 5-7 minutes. Place the peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit for 20 minutes, then rub off/peel off the skin, cut out the stems and seeds, and roughly chop the roasted pepper flesh.
Using gloves, remove the stem and seeds from the habanero. Place the pepper in a dry saute pan and toast over medium-low heat, turning frequently, until softened and beginning to blacken, about 8 minutes. Use tongs to remove to a cutting board and chop finely, wearing gloves if you’re touching the pepper directly.
Heat the duck fat in the saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and allspice berries and cook for about 5 minutes, until the onion is translucent. Add the chopped red pepper, the habanero, and the chopped tomatoes to the pan and cook for 5 minutes longer. Add the heavy cream, bring to a simmer, and simmer for 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt. Carefully blend the sauce until fully smooth, then strain through a fine mesh strainer (to remove any large chunks or allspice berries).
Preheat the oven to 350°F (if you’ve turned it off after roasting the duck). Divide the duck filling equally among the 12 tortillas, then roll up and place in a baking pan, seam-side down. Pour 2-3 cups of the habanero sauce over the tacos, and bake for 10 minutes. Serve warm.