Month: October 2012

Pear Butter

Published on by Dawn3 Comments

Fall fruit is here, and I am just LOVING it!!  But, there is actually something else that I am loving right now…and it doesn’t have anything to do with food – although I am using it to post this entry right now.  It is my new Surface.  As you know, I try to keep my blogging life separate from my work life, but occasionally the paths do cross.  Aside from my family and food – I have another passion – it is my work.

When I graduated from High School, my father told me he would buy me a computer for my graduation gift.  This was 1987.  This was long before the internet, and before there was a computer in every home and on every desk.  This was quite a gift.  At this time, most people my age were going for the Macs – they were cute, a nice rectangular shape – and they were starting to pop up everywhere.  I didn’t want a Mac though – I wanted a PC.  I read about Windows, and Microsoft’s vision for computing – and I was sold.  I loved my computer – and if I wasn’t so focused on majoring in mathematics, I probably would have switched to computer science – instead I took a few classes as electives.  When it was time for me to start thinking about what I was going to be when I grew up – I decided I wanted to work for Microsoft.  I went to the library to look up where Microsoft was located, and it was in Redmond, Washington.  Well – at that point – living my entire life on the east coast, I didn’t think I would ever visit Washington, let alone live there.  So I decided that becoming an Actuary would be more realistic.

At first I liked my job – but it soon became boring.  I couldn’t imagine spending my life calculating the ROI on insurance products.  The only thing that got me excited was being able to get into the actuarial software and program my own solutions.  I loved Microsoft Excel – when I wasn’t programming, I would create elaborate spreadsheets to calculate premiums using formulas in Excel.  I remember staring at my computer one day wishing I worked somewhere that produced a tangible product – like Microsoft.  Everyone used it – Windows was popping up everywhere as PCs became more and more mainstream.  I knew what I had to do – I just had to figure out how I was going to do it.

In 1996 my husband and I were deciding where to move next – he had to do his post-doctoral work, and we had narrowed it down to two cities – Seattle and Boston.  Secretly I wanted to move to Seattle so I could work for Microsoft – but I sent them my resume, and didn’t hear back.  I had a job offer with an insurance company, so I resigned to continuing my actuarial work.  That only lasted 18 more months, before the opportunity fell into my lap to go work for Microsoft.  They were looking for accountants, and I convinced them that I was good enough with numbers that I could figure it out.  Ok, so I had never taken an accounting class, but I could learn quickly – and I did.  It was amazing – my job was exciting, and the career opportunities were endless.  I switched jobs every year and a half for the first 5 years, and loved every minute of each of them.  15 years later, I am still at Microsoft, and as passionate as ever about our products.  I know we are the underdog now.  I know we are considered old and stodgy – but I believe in what we can do – and that things will turn around.  The last few years have been tough – it has been hard to watch (some of) my family turn and support our competitors.  I take it personally.  I have put my heart and soul into this company.  Well – with Windows 8 and Surface, I believe we have a new opportunity.  I am extremely proud of what we have been able to accomplish, and I hope the world will give us another chance.

I had to find something really special to post using my new Surface, and this is just about as good as it gets.  The bonus is it makes your entire house smell like fall.  I think I am going to be making this Pear Butter every weekend until the Pears are gone, yes, it is that good.  My husband is completely addicted, and the girls eat this with a spoon.  It is like a very thick applesauce, but so much better.  It spreads so nicely and is perfect on an English muffin – or just spread on more fruit.  Thanks Food in Jars for yet another amazing recipe!  Now I have to go get myself another spoon of this stuff, while I play with my Surface some more…oh, and did I tell you about the touch keyboard??  Magical…

Ingredients

  • 10 cups cored and chopped pears (about 5 pounds)
  • 2 to 3 cups of sugar, or as needed
  • 1 lemon, zested and juiced
  • 3 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Preparation

Place the pears in a 4-quart slow cooker.  Cover and cook on low for 1 hour.  If you have an older slow cooker, they cook cooler, so you may need to cook on high.

Remove the lid and give the pears a stir.  From this point forward, you will want to keep the lid slightly cracked.  I have found that propping it open with a wooden spoon or chopstick gives just enough room for the evaporating steam to escape.

Continue to cook the pears down for an additional 5 to 7 hours, checking every hour and stirring.  After it has cooked for 4 hours, blend the butter for a smoother texture.  For a chunkier consistency, use a potato masher to help break down the pears.

In the final hour of cooking, taste the pears and add 2 to 3 cups of sugar.  Use your judgment and taste buds to determine the correct sugar level.  Add the lemon zest and juice and the spices and stir to combine.

If you need to speed up the process of cooking the pears down, remove the lid and turn the slow cooker to high.  Stay close when it’s on high and stir often.

When the butter is nearing completion, fill your canning pot with water and begin to bring it to temperature. Wash your jars and rings in warm soapy water and set aside. Put your lids in a small pot of water and heat (but do not boil) in order to soften the sealing compound.

When it has reached a consistency that is thick and spreadable, ladle the butter into the prepared jars. Wipe rims and apply lids. Screw on the bands and lower into the water. Process in the hot water bath 15 minutes. When time is up, remove from water and cool on the counter. When the jars are cooled, check the seal by pressing on the top of the jar. If there’s no movement, the jar has sealed. Store up to one year in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months

Makes 3 pints (yield varies depending on width of pot, cooking length and juiciness of fruit).

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here:  Pear Butter

Honey-Lemon Custard with Fruit

Published on by Dawn6 Comments

I am back from my quick trip to China – and what an amazing experience it was.  I really had no expectations – it was a work trip, and I was focussed on the content I was there to present.  I loved getting to know the employees in our Beijing offices, I loved the food, the silk market – and I loved getting a Chinese foot massage (that is really like a body massage) where they kick the crap out of you, and it actually feels amazing – if you can control yourself from laughing.

So when I go to new cities, there is one place I always want to see – the super market.  I know it sounds crazy, but that is how I really embrace the culture.  I was a little afraid to tell the people I was travelling with about my quest – so I decided to keep it quietly to myself.  I was pretty sure I wouldn’t find one, since I had very little time to explore – so I told myself not to be disappointed.  After the first few meals, I was so impressed, I almost stopped thinking about trying to find one.  The dumplings kept me happy enough – oh, and the breakfast at the hotel – it was a global breakfast dream.  They had everything and anything you can think of – the highlights were the pork dumplings, honey yogurt and the watermelon smoothies.  Believe me when I say, you could get ANYTHING.

The weather in Beijing could not have been any better – it was blue sky, high 60s and clear as can be.  I could see the mountains, and again, I had no idea how beautiful it was going to be.  I finished my meetings at 3:00 in the afternoon, and decided to take a little walk around the office building.  I heard there was a shopping mall not too far down the road, and I needed a little adventure.  On my way there, I saw a sign – for Carre Four – I found it!!!!  That is a French super market that I love going to in Paris – I couldn’t believe it!  I had to go down a big escalator, and then walk quite a bit through these subway tunnels – but I finally found it.  They had a big dollar section right when I walked in – but in China, it was like the penny section – I bought some noodles for pennies.  I loved walking around and seeing all the packaged and fresh foods – the flat chickens were really the most unusual.  They were hanging with the salami – and they looked like they had been flattened and then dried.  Wow.

I could go on and on about the food – like the night we went for Peking Duck, and after they carved the meat off the bones, they crushed the bones, and deep-fried them.  The man sitting next to me just went to town – crunching away.  Or, the night we went to a 4.5 star dumpling place that looked like a fast food joint.  The food was pretty good (although the first dumpling place we went to was better), but they brought this mango custard that was amazing.  We weren’t really sure what it was, but I had to try it – and I was so glad I did – it was my favorite part of that meal.

I found this recipe in Bon Appetit, and had made it before I left for China.  It was not as sweet as what I ate there, but this was also amazing.  Let it sit for a day or so before eating, so the flavors really have a chance to develop.  I put mango on the top, but really any fruit would be excellent.  If you like a lemon custard, this is your dessert – and you don’t have to travel thousands of miles to try some!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 4 tablespoons honey, divided
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
  • 3 2-inch strips lemon peel
  • 6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided
  • 1/4 cup light rum
  • 1 cup berries or sliced mango

Preparation

Place ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet. Heat cream, 2 tablespoons honey, and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat until just beginning to simmer. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Add lemon peel; remove from heat. Let steep for 5 minutes (cream should register about 160°F on an instant-read thermometer). Remove vanilla bean and peel. Gently stir in 5 tablespoons lemon juice.

Divide custard among ramekins and chill to let set for at least 1 hour or, covered, up to 1 day.

Whisk remaining 2 tablespoons honey and 1 tablespoon lemon juice with rum in a small bowl. Stir in fruit; let sit until juicy, about 1 hour. Serve with custard.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here:  Honey-Lemon Custard with Fruit

French Apple Cake

Published on by Dawn7 Comments

It is apple season, and in the state of Washington, it is a wonderful thing.  The farmer’s markets have more varieties of apples than you can imagine.  There is one podcast that I listen to called SpilledMilk – and last year at this time they played a little game, Mathew read names of apples to Molly (some of which were real, some of which he made up) and she had to guess which ones were real.  It was hilarious listening to these names, and would you believe that I got most of them wrong?  That is how many varieties there are.

As I am sitting here in the airport writing this, I am wondering what is in season where I am going.  Fortunately I am going with a few people who have been there before, and they know I love food – so I am excited.  It is funny how things change – when I little, I was always so focused on the food I would get on the airplane – I could really care less about what I would eat when I landed.  Even today,  my little one commented on the food that was served on a flight we were on last year – it was disgusting, but to her, it was such a special treat.  Unfortunately for them, they don’t really serve food on the airplanes anymore – because that was definitely my favorite part of flying when I was their age.

So – I am leaving you tonight with this delicious apple cake – a Cook’s Illustrated classic recipe – it was really outstanding.  The recipe didn’t come out like it was supposed to – and I was really glad it didn’t.  This was more like an apple pudding cake – rich and delicious – perfect for this time of year.

Ingredients

  •  1/2 lbs granny smith apples, peeled, cored, cut into 8 wedges, and sliced 1/8 inch thick crosswise
  • 1 tablespoon calvados
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour (5 ounces)
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup sugar (7 ounces)
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • confectioners’ sugar

Preparation

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Spray 9-inch springform pan with vegetable oil spray. Place prepared pan on rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Place apple slices into microwave-safe pie plate, cover, and microwave until apples are pliable and slightly translucent, about 3 minutes. Toss apple slices with Calvados and lemon juice and let cool for 15 minutes

Whisk 1 cup flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt together in bowl. Whisk egg, oil, milk, and vanilla together in second bowl until smooth. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and whisk until just combined. Transfer 1 cup batter to separate bowl and set aside.

Add egg yolks to remaining batter and whisk to combine. Using spatula, gently fold in cooled apples. Transfer batter to prepared pan; using offset spatula, spread batter evenly to pan edges, gently pressing on apples to create even, compact layer, and smooth surface.

Whisk remaining 2 tablespoons flour into reserved batter. Pour over batter in pan and spread batter evenly to pan edges and smooth surface. Sprinkle remaining 1 tablespoon granulated sugar evenly over cake.

Bake until center of cake is set, toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, and top is golden brown, about 1 1/4 hours. Transfer pan to wire rack; let cool for 5 minutes. Run paring knife around sides of pan and let cool completely, 2 to 3 hours. Dust lightly with confectioners’ sugar, cut into wedges, and serve.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here:  French Apple Cake

Crunchy Eggs with Piquillo Peppers

Published on by Dawn4 Comments

There are two phrases that always seem to stick in my mind that have to do with cooking and bakeing – “It’s better with butter” and “You can basically fry anything and it will taste good.”  I think the latter really has to do with deep fat frying, but if you know what you are doing, and you get the pan to the right temperature, you can make it happen without the fryer.

I have done a lot of frying in my day.  In fact, my husband is pretty good at it himself.  When we were dating and living in Colorado, one of his most favorite things to make was…wait for it…fried mozzerela.  I remember the day he figured out how to make these morsels – without a deep fat fryer.  It was genius, I must admit.  He took a mozzarella stick, dipped it into an egg batter, then covered it in bread crumbs.  He got the pan nice and hot with some oil, and started browning each side.  They were delicious.

We don’t pan fry as much as we used to – but I am always looking for new and interesting ways to make things crispy.  As you know, poached eggs are my absolute favorite – especially when they are served over a savory hash or rice.  I saw this recipe in Bon Appetit, and I was intrigued immediately.  I couldn’t get past the crunchy eggs.  At first, it freaked me out a little – were they crunchy because of the shells?  There was no picture, so I had to read the recipe.  Ah, a breaded egg – this is amazing!!  Well, I was right – what an incredible texture – and the piquillo pepper mixture with ham was the perfect pairing.  My husband, who hates eggs for dinner, LOVED this – he would have eaten twice as much as the recipe called for.  So – the next time you are in the mood to fry something, why not try crunchy eggs (without the shells) – and if you get really adventurous, you can serve them with the fried mozzarella sticks.  Could life get any better – maybe with just a little bit of butter…

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
  • 4 extra-large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 2 ounces thinly sliced Serrano ham or prosciutto, cut into 2×1/4″ strips
  • 1/2 cup canned piquillo peppers or roasted red peppers from jar, cut lengthwise into 1/2″-wide strips
  • 1/2 cup dry Sherry
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh marjoram
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more for seasoning
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
  • 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
  • 2 large egg whites
  • 3/4 cup olive oil

Preparation

Line a rimmed baking sheet with plastic wrap. Pour water into a large skillet to a depth of 2″. Bring water to a boil; lower heat to maintain a simmer. Add vinegar. Break 1 egg into a small ramekin or bowl. Partially immerse cup in water and quickly slide egg into water. Repeat with remaining 3 eggs. Cook until whites are firm but yolks are still runny, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer eggs to prepared sheet. Trim eggs’ ragged edges with a knife. Slide eggs into a medium bowl filled with ice water. Cover bowl; chill until cold.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.

Heat extra-virgin olive oil in a medium heavy skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; sauté for 1 minute. Add ham; sauté for 1 minute. Add peppers, Sherry, and marjoram; simmer until almost all liquid evaporates, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer eggs to a kitchen towel to drain. Mix panko, thyme, and 1 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Place egg whites in another medium bowl; whisk to loosen. Gently roll 1 poached egg in egg whites, then in panko mixture (some bare spots may remain). Place on plate. Repeat with remaining eggs, egg whites, and panko.

Heat 3/4 cup olive oil in a medium heavy skillet over medium heat. Gently slide eggs, one at a time, into oil; cook until crumbs begin to brown, about 2 minutes per side. Using slotted spoon, transfer eggs to paper towels to drain. Sprinkle lightly with salt.

Divide pepper mixture among 4 plates. Top each with 1 egg and serve.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here:  Crunchy Eggs with Piquillo Peppers

Damson Plum Jam

Published on by Dawn4 Comments

There is something to be said about making something out of nothing.  I know what it is like to be completely bombarded with fruit from your trees.  It stresses me out.  I find my self force feeding it to the family, and then no one is really enjoying it.  I don’t want to waste a single bit – and that’s why canning is just such a gift.  I have found my calling.

The other week I happened to see my neighbor outside.  It was just after I finished making the fig jam from my other neighbor’s bounty.  He mentioned that his plum-tree was exploding with fruit this year.  Little did he know who he was really talking to…not all of my neighbors know about my little hobbies.  I am not a big fan of plums, but that was before I started jamming.  My eyes got bigger, as I almost burst with excitement.  He asked if I wanted some – and boy did I ever.  I asked if he could spare about 5 pounds, and he looked at me like I was crazy.  I told him that I recently became obsessed with making jam, and I was dying to try this Damson Plum Jam (slightly adapted below) that I found in the Food in Jars book.  I promised I would bring some over for them afterwards.

I had no idea that plum jam could taste so good.  I was also shocked that it came out such a beautiful purple color – especially when the flesh is basically a golden-yellow.  I guess just a little of the purple skin goes a long way, even though all the fruit was peeled.  I decided to add a little cinnamon because my family loves that spice – and it was amazing.  It was so good that I actually called up my neighbors and asked if they had another 5 pounds to spare.  It was like a win-win for both of us – they gave the plums to someone who was going to put them to good use, I got to make jars and jars of delicious plum jam, and they got some as well.  My husband was so proud – who would have thought that plums would give us all so much joy!

Ingredients

  • 8 cups of damson plum pulp, from about 4 1/2 pounds
  • 4 cups of sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 lemon, zested and juiced
  • 2 packets (1 box) liquid pectin

Preparation

Fill your canning pot with water and begin to bring it to temperature. Wash your jars and rings in warm soapy water and set aside. Put your lids in a small pot of water and heat (but do not boil) in order to soften the sealing compound.

Put plums in 1 cup of water, and simmer until the skins pop.  Then peel and pit the plums – and squish in your hands until you make pulp.  Add plums and sugar to a large, non-reactive pot. Bring to a boil and cook for about 10-15 minutes, until the jam begins to look molten and syrupy. Add the pectin, cinnamon and lemon juice/zest and bring to a rolling boil for a full five minutes.

Turn off the heat under the jam and fill jars. Wipe rims and apply lids. Screw on the bands and lower into the water. Process in the hot water bath 10 minutes. When time is up, remove from water and cool on the counter. When the jars are cooled, check the seal by pressing on the top of the jar. If there’s no movement, the jar has sealed. Store up to one year in a cool, dark place.

Makes 4 pints (yield varies depending on width of pot, cooking length and juiciness of fruit).

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here:  Damson Plum Jam

Brookies

Published on by Dawn12 Comments

Remember this commercial?  I actually don’t, but the saying is something I will never forget.  Each one is delicious on its own, but when you put them together – WOW!

When I started this blog, I was taking a leap.  I was doing something that was bottled up in my head for years, and I was finally getting it out.  As I have written before, most of my good friends enjoy their food, in fact I can even go as far as to say that many of them LOVE their food.  But there is a difference – I am consumed by food, and in a good way.  I have not let it affect my life in a negative way, but it brings me an immense amount of joy.  I love cooking and baking for my family – and with my family – and I love sharing what I make with others.

I remember when I started the blog, people started to find me.  I started to find people who were like me – they had regular jobs and families, but who loved food – they were obsessed like me.  I remember going to one of my first food photography classes at The Pantry, and finding out that there were a ton of people just like me.  It was great to be able to bond with them.  One of the people who found me was Keren Brown.  Her story is amazing – she was new to Seattle, and created a blog to connect with the Seattle food scene – and what a scene there is.  I had no idea.  I was so flattered that she invited me to one of her food events, it was like a dream come true.  Unfortunately I don’t get to participate as much as I would like to – my job is just slightly demanding (ha!), and when I am not working, I am spending time with my family – but occasionally I do something just for me – and it is pretty incredible.  She calls her events Foodportunity  – and they are just that – they are an opportunity to be surrounded by food.  Food to eat, food to discuss, and people to meet who are obsessed with food.  It is food attached to people who love it – getting them eating and talking about food, the perfect combination.

My mother sent me this recipe, and I was hitting myself for not thinking of this myself.  This recipe comes from the Brooklyn bakery Baked – and boy have they got a winner here.  Two great tastes that taste great together – is it a cookie or a brownie, no wait – it is both!!!  It was almost like someone dropped chocolate chip cookie dough onto a brownie, and it was genius – just like those Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups were.  Personally, I prefer a Brookie.  In a way, it was like a Foodportunity.  An opportunity to be surrounded by two of the most classic american baked goods, and opportunity to taste two favorites as one, and boy will this get people talking about food…

Ingredients

chocolate chip cookie dough

  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 6 oz. semisweet chocolate chips

brownie batter

  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes, plus more for muffin tin
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon dark cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
  • 5 oz. dark chocolate (top quality, 60 to 72 percent cacao), coarsely chopped
  • 3/4 cup white sugar
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Using butter or nonstick spray, grease the bottom and sides of a 24 cup mini-muffin tin.  Set aside.

chocolate chip cookie dough

Add flour, fine grain sea salt and baking soda to a large bowl, whisking to combine. Set aside.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together butter, white sugar and dark brown sugar on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Using a spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the egg and beat until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and mix until just incorporated. Add half of the flour mixture to bowl. Mix for a few seconds on low then increase the speed to medium. Beat until just combined (15 – 20 seconds). Add the remaining flour mixture and repeat the process above. Do not overmix here. Gently fold in the chocolate chips.  Cover bowl, transfer to the refrigerator and chill for at least 3 hours before using.

brownies

Add flour, fine grain sea salt and cocoa powder to a medium bowl, whisking to combine. Set aside.

Bring a large pot filled with 2 inches of water to a simmer. Set a heatproof bowl on top of the pot, but make sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the simmering water. Add butter and chocolate to the bowl, stirring until melted and combined. Turn off the heat, but keep the bowl on the pot. Whisk white sugar and light brown sugar into the chocolate mixture. Remove the bowl from the pot and let cool to room temperature.  Add eggs to the chocolate mixture, whisking until just combined. At this point, switch from a whisk to a spatula. You want to avoid adding extra air to the batter. Add vanilla and stir until just combined. Gently fold flour mixture into the chocolate mixture until just incorporated. Do not overmix here.

Fill each well of the muffin tin halfway with batter. Transfer muffin tin to the refrigerator and let chill for at least 1 hour. Both the cookie dough and brownie batter must be well chilled before baking to insure even cooking.

Preheat your oven to 375°F and place a rack in the center of the oven (please see notes above regarding cooking times and temperatures).

Once thoroughly chilled, take the muffin tin from the refrigerator. Using a small spoon, scoop out a small amount of chilled cookie dough. Using your hands, shape dough into ball then slightly flatten it into a disk. The disk should be a bit smaller than the top of the muffin tin wells. Gently press the disk into one of the wells of batter. Repeat this process with remaining 23 wells.*

Place the muffin tin in the oven and bake until the cookies are golden brown ( 11 – 13 minutes), rotating the muffin tin halfway through.

*You will have extra chocolate chip cookie dough leftover. Don’t throw this out. Make cookies. Roll remaining dough into balls. Slightly flatten the balls into disks and place on a cookie sheet lined with a silpat or parchment paper. Bake in a 375 oven until golden brown (9 – 11 minutes depending on the size of your disks). Let cool for a minute on the baking sheet then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Or enjoy warm.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here:  Brookies

Nectarine Lime Jam

Published on by Dawn5 Comments

I know that nectarine season is just about ending, but I had to get one more jam in before moving onto the apples and pears.  Before I talk about this jam though, I have recap my culinary adventures over the past few days – nothing too outlandious, but definitely some highs and lows.  Just another fun week.

Last Thursday evening, I was invited to a work event by an external collegue.  I almost never go to these types of events, but this one really caught my attention.  It was an evening with Tom Douglas.  He was going to do a couple of demos, and serve food from his array of restaurants in the Seattle area.  I had to really think about this though – I couldn’t take my husband, so I would have to do this alone.  I am an introvert – I get anxiety thinking about entering a room of people I don’t know, or people I don’t know well.  My husband is the same way – so we are a perfect match.  Most of the time, we stick to ourselves, have a great time, and leave.  If we end up meeting a couple of people along the way, it is not because we approached them.  So – I got to the event, and actually had to sit in my car for about 30 minutes before mustering up the courage to enter.  I kept reminding myself why I was doing this – I love food.  It would be worth it.  Boy was I right, it was spectacular.  He is quite an amazing person – he was so approachable, and it was a pretty small crowd.  I ended up finding a few people who I knew, which also helped.

Fast forward to Saturday night.  My husband and I love our date nights – we love going out for dinner, being able to talk to each other (with two girls, we don’t have a lot of opportunities) and to try new restaurants.  The last new restaurant we tried was a HUGE winner – in fact, we went back a couple of weeks later, it was that good.  So last night we rolled the dice again, and went to another new place.  It wasn’t entirely new, but they moved to a new space.  We were only at the old space once, but we both had a good meal there, so we were excited to try it again.  When our cocktails came, we were a little disappointed – but then again, we have high expectations in that area.  Most of our friends know wine, we know alcohol – good alcohol, and this was not up to par.  Moving onto the salad, I knew we were in trouble when I couldn’t find the roasted beets in the beet salad.  The main course was a complete disaster – we shared one (since the waiter told us it was a huge portion), and it was almost inedible.  We were both trying to stay positive though, but we finally couldn’t do it anymore.  By the time they brought us the desert menus, we were done with that place, never to return again. We paid the check and ran out as fast as we could.  What a dissappointment.  I guess you win some and you loose some – we had a wonderful smoked chicken for dinner tonight – which wiped out all the bad memories of last night.  For those of you who live in Seattle and want to know the name of this place, feel free to leave a comment – and I will email you back.  Maybe it was just last night – but we won’t be trying it again to figure that out.

So back to this jam.  I wanted to try a completely different recipe in Food in Jars (like my love of trying new restaurants), but this one came through – even though I love stone fruit with vanilla and cinnamon, the lime in this recipe really gave the nectarines a punch.   This is not the type of jam I would serve for breakfast, this is more of an appetizer jam with cheese.  I let my younger daughter eat the samples from this picture, and she was on top of the moon.  She especially loved licking every bit of jam off the spoon.  The best part about this jam?  You don’t need to peel the fruit – what a time saver.  So – if you are looking to try something new – give this one a try.  It won’t cost you as much money as we spent on our dinner last night – and if you don’t like it, give it to a friend, I know someone will love this jam.  I promise.

Ingredients

  • 5 cups pitted and chopped nectarines (about 3 pounds)
  • 3 cups of sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 2 limes, zested and juiced
  • 1 packet (3-oz) liquid pectin

Preparation

Fill your canning pot with water and begin to bring it to temperature. Wash your jars and rings in warm soapy water and set aside. Put your lids in a small pot of water and heat (but do not boil) in order to soften the sealing compound.

Combine the nectarines and sugar in a large pot.  Bring to a boil and let the jam boil for about 15 to 20 minutes over high heat, until the fruit softens and can be mashed with the back of a wooden spoon.

If you prefer a smoother jam, use a potato masher or immersion blender (taking care not to burn yourself with hot jam) to break down the chunks. If you prefer a chunkier jam, just leave as is.  Add the lime zest and juice and stir well.  Add the pectin and bring to a rolling boil for a full five minutes, until it looks molten and syrupy.

Turn off the heat under the jam and fill jars. Wipe rims and apply lids. Screw on the bands and lower into the water. Process in the hot water bath 10 minutes. When time is up, remove from water and cool on the counter. When the jars are cooled, check the seal by pressing on the top of the jar. If there’s no movement, the jar has sealed. Store up to one year in a cool, dark place.

Makes 3 pints (yield varies depending on width of pot, cooking length and juiciness of fruit).

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here:  Nectarine Lime Jam

Grilled Chicken Florentine Pasta

Published on by Dawn6 Comments

If you are a regular on this blog, you know that we don’t eat a lot of pasta in our house.  Believe me, if I could have pasta every night I would – but since my husband is not a huge fan, I have created a special place for pasta in our house.  My husband has to travel from time to time, and my girls hate it when he goes away – they definitely love their Daddy.  So, a while ago I decided that as a treat when he is away, we have pasta for dinner.  There are no more tears when he is away now – all because of a little pasta – wow, I bet you never knew pasta could be that powerful.

Needless to say, we have a lot of pasta recipes cut out of various magazines that my daughters are waiting for me to make.  It used to be that they would only eat plain pasta – no sauce, no vegetables, no nothing.  Just noodles.  Slowly I have broken them out of this mold.  Now, remember my story about the Spinach Bites, and how I got my older daughter to eat spinach, not just eat, but LOVE spinach?  Well, it was time to try something new – and see if that carries over to other dishes.  I found this recipe in Cooking Light and figured that it was basically like a mac-n-cheese with chicken and spinach – well, not only did my older daughter devour this, my younger one ate her entire helping, and asked for more!  Success!!  I was seriously impressed – but this was a pretty delicious dinner, I had three helpings.  So – if your kids hate spinach, don’t try this first – go for the Spinach Bites.  But if you have moved past that, and are ready for something a little more risky – I have got the recipe for you.  Go on, give it a try, what’s the worst that can happen, you have to eat the chicken and spinach remnants from their bowl?  You will still thank me…

Ingredients

  • 2  (6-ounce) bone-in chicken breasts, skinned
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 3/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
  • Cooking spray
  • 8 ounces uncooked linguine
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh garlic
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
  • 3 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 3/4 cup)
  • 4 cups fresh spinach leaves

Preparation

Prepare grill to medium-high heat.

Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray, and grill for 8 minutes on each side or until done. Let stand 10 minutes. Carve chicken off bones, and thinly slice.

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain well; keep warm.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add flour and garlic; cook until garlic is browned (about 2 minutes), stirring constantly. Add milk and broth, stirring with a whisk; bring to a simmer, and cook 2 minutes or until thickened. Add cheese, stirring until cheese melts. Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and spinach; stir until spinach wilts. Add pasta and chicken; toss to combine.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here:  Grilled Chicken Florentine Pasta