Dawn – Page 30 – First Look, Then Cook

Indonesian Avocado Milkshake (Jus Alpukat)

Published on March 17, 2012March 17, 2012 by Dawn12 Comments

You would think we were Irish with the way the kids have been acting today. They are fully decked out in green – they even found green beads to wear around their neck, and green hair accessories. They pretty much hate green every other day of the year. Last night they asked if I would make them green pancakes for breakfast with green milk – why not? I told them if they made their beds in the morning, I would – now, call me crazy, but I actually think a leprechaun came in and did it for them – I found notes on their night stands…

After making green shamrock pancakes for breakfast and turning their milk green, I started getting in the spirit – and looked at that ripe avocado on the counter. I asked the girls if they wanted green smoothies in the afternoon, and of course I got a resounding “yes.” I remembered a while ago I saw some recipes in the Pacific Northwest Magazine about Avocado Milkshakes – so I went searching. It was hard to decide which one to make, but I went with the Indonesian version – boy does an avocado make a smooth milkshake – it was velvety. If you like avocados, these milkshakes were delectable with just the right amount of sweetness. You would have sworn you were eating ice-cream it was so good. The kids on the other hand were not too impressed. They are not big avocado fans, so I wasn’t expecting much – but they at least had a few sips. This was definitely my treat. I didn’t add the espresso since I don’t drink caffeine, but I am sure it would be delicious.

So – I hope you are all celebrating your inner-Irish today – whether you are Irish or not – and this milkshake will put a little hop in your step, just like a little leprechaun.

Ingredients

1 medium avocado
1 cup crushed ice
1/3 cup cold espresso and/or a drizzle of chocolate syrup
2/3 cup milk, or as needed
1/3 cup superfine sugar or simple syrup, or as needed
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

Halve the avocado lengthwise and scoop the flesh into a blender, discarding the pit. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until completely smooth. Taste and add more sugar if desired, and/or a little more milk for a thinner consistency. Serve immediately, with a straw and spoon.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Indonesian Avocado Milkshake

Mini Bacon and Egg Tarts

Published on March 14, 2012March 16, 2012 by Dawn4 Comments

Today I was invited to lead a “book group” discussion at work for an early in career rotational program we have in my division. I was actually surprised they asked me to do this, until I started reading the book, then it all started to make sense. I use the other side of my brain when I am at work, which is why I love to come home and cook – it forces me to use my creative side. Don’t get me wrong, I have to be super creative at work – but in a completely different way. Between my family, my job and my blog, I feel very fullfilled – even too much sometimes, which explains a lot.

We spent quite a bit of time discussing the book, and they also asked me excellent questions on the work I do. That was all great, until someone asked me a question that started, “When you are reading the news…” I immediately pictured myself in my office reading the newspaper, like my father does each day. Nope, I don’t do that. Then I pictured myself sitting down every night and turning on MSNBC to catch up on the days events. Nope, I don’t do that either. From the time it took the person to ask me the question, to the time I answered it – I realized that the world is so different today. I don’t spend time reading the paper or watching the news, but somehow I know what it going on in the world, the latest technologies out there, and what our competitors are doing. I am not sure how – but it is integrated into my day here and there, and it seems to work. If I ever sit down and actually read something, it is usually about food. And even that doesn’t come as often as I would like. It is amazing these days how easily you can get information – even when you don’t sit down and pick up a newspaper.

Today I read about Pinterest – and the phenomenal growth it has had recently. Did you know that people spend more time on Pinterest these days than Facebook? Think about how Pinterest is having an impact on the food blogging world – it is amazing. The majority of my hits used to come from Tastespotting and Foodgawker…now Pinterest is bringing more people to my site, and I love it. It is just incredible to think how quickly things change.

So – please enjoy these mini bacon and egg tarts that I saw in Cooking Light. It is a whole new way to eat your bacon, eggs and toast. Who knows, maybe it will take off through Pinterest and be a massive hit. They were as delicious as they were adorable. The girls couldn’t get over them…my only mistake was not making more. My husband and I quickly ate ours, and then started eyeing the girls. We must have asked them at least 4 times if they were going to eat theirs…and sure enough they did, they were just taking their time. New things pop up all the time that change the way we do things….and what I love about food, is that is an understatement. The possibilities to use your creative side are endless – I can’t wait to see the next best dish on Pinterest.

Ingredients

8 (1-ounce) slices whole-wheat white sandwich bread, crusts removed
Cooking spray
1/2 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons chopped green onions (optional)
2 slices smoked bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425°.

Lightly coat both sides of bread with cooking spray. Press each bread slice into the cup of a muffin tin. Bake at 425° for 10 minutes or until bread is lightly toasted. Cool slightly.

Reduce oven temperature to 350°.

Combine milk and eggs, stirring well with a whisk. Divide the egg mixture evenly among bread cups. Sprinkle onions, if desired, and bacon evenly over tarts; top each tart with 1 tablespoon cheese. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until set.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Mini Bacon and Egg Tarts

Peanut Dacquoise with Peanut Butter Mousse

Published on March 10, 2012March 11, 2012 by Dawn4 Comments

Auction time!! Remember last year when I made the Tower of Treats for an auction? Well, this year I decided to stick to just one dessert – I am trying to simplify my life, not overly complicate it at the moment. Give me a few months, I will get back to infusing chaos whenever I can…but for now, the word simplify is my motto. Of course, I couldn’t just make anything, it had to be something somewhat involved to get people to want it. I chose a recipe from Bon Appetit that I found a while ago – but never had the opportunity to make. I was pretty excited about making it, until it was time – and then the stress kicked in.

It took a couple of days to make – not that it was so time-consuming, but with the chilling, and the waiting, I just didn’t have a block of 7 hours straight dedicate to the project. Along the way, my younger daughter and I sampled everything. The meringue was sick – the best meringue I have ever had. The mousse – oh my, I could have easily eaten the entire bowl, but I kept reminding myself that it would not be a dacquoise without it – and the ganache on top was rich and decadent. I put it together, and I was proud, it was a perfect auction dessert. There was only one problem…I wasn’t going to the auction this year. Remember my motto? Well, I just couldn’t add another event to the weekend, so I declined. My neighbors brought my dessert to the auction, and unfortunately they lost track of it when the dessert dash ended – and I will never know if it was a success. So – take my word for it – if the pieces were all perfection, how could it be anything less than that when stacked together? I guess I just have to make it again…but there is that word again, haunting me…and I will have to politely decline for now.

Ingredients

meringue layers

1 1/4 cups roasted Spanish salted peanuts with skin (6 to 6 1/2 ounces), divided
3/4 cup sugar, divided
6 large egg whites
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
Pinch of coarse kosher salt

mousse

1/2 cup chunky natural-style peanut butter
1/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
Pinch of coarse kosher salt
1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream, divided
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

glaze

1/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 1/3 cups bittersweet chocolate chips
Pinch of fleur de sel (optional)

Preparation

meringue layers

Preheat oven to 275°F. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper. Draw three 10 x 4 1/2-inch rectangles on parchment; turn parchment over. Finely grind 1 cup nuts with 1/4 cup sugar in processor. Coarsely chop remaining 1/4 cup nuts and set aside.

Using electric mixer, beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and coarse salt in large bowl until foamy. With mixer running, gradually add remaining 1/2 cup sugar, beating until meringue is stiff and glossy. Add ground nut mixture and coarsely chopped nuts; fold gently just to blend.

Spoon 2 cups meringue onto each rectangle on parchment; spread evenly to fill rectangles (any remaining meringue can be baked as cookies).

Bake meringues until golden brown all over and dry to touch but still slightly soft, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool completely.

mousse

Using electric mixer, beat peanut butter, brown sugar, and coarse salt in medium bowl to blend. With mixer running, gradually beat in 1/4 cup cream. Add another 1/4 cup cream and beat just to blend. Beat remaining ½ cup cream, sugar, and vanilla in another medium bowl until peaks form; fold into peanut butter mixture in 3 additions. Chill until ready to use.

glaze

Whisk cocoa powder and sugar in medium saucepan to blend well. Gradually add 1/4 cup water, whisking until smooth. Gradually whisk in heavy cream. Bring to boil over medium heat, whisking frequently. Reduce heat to low. Add chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Let stand at room temperature until cool and slightly thickened, stirring occasionally, about 2 hours.

Leaving meringues on parchment and using large serrated knife, trim edges of each meringue to original 10×4 1/2-inch size. Slide thin knife between meringues and paper to loosen. Spoon 1/4 cup glaze evenly over top of 2 meringue rectangles and spread to cover. Chill until chocolate sets, about 30 minutes. Place 1 glazed meringue rectangle on plate. Spoon half of mousse over (scant 1 1/4 cups); spread out in even layer. Place second glazed meringue rectangle atop first; spread with remaining mousse. Top with unglazed meringue rectangle. Pour 1/2 cup glaze down center of top meringue. Using icing spatula, spread glaze over top meringue, allowing glaze to drip down sides. Smooth top and sides to cover evenly with thin layer. Refrigerate until glaze is set, about 30 minutes. Pour remaining glaze over top of dacquoise and quickly smooth over top and sides in even layer. Sprinkle fleur de sel lightly over top, if desired. Chill at least 3 hours.

DO AHEAD Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover with cake dome and keep chilled.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Peanut Dacquoise with Peanut Butter Mousse

Chicken with Olives and Lemons

Published on March 7, 2012March 7, 2012 by Dawn3 Comments

Lately I haven’t had as much time to make dinner. Work has been keeping me very busy, and keeping me from getting home at my usual time. I am still managing to cook almost every night, although I have had to dig into my freezer stash a little more than I would like – for some reason I feel a lot better when the freezer is completely full of frozen meals that I have made – just in case I happen to need them. Well, when I get home at 6:30pm and the kids are starving, isn’t that what the meals are there for? I guess I am afraid of the day when I go downstairs, and the freezer is bare. Unfortunately that is going to happen fairly soon…

I have been behind in pretty much everything lately, including my magazines. I think this recipe from Cooking Light is a couple of months old, but it is a perfect dish to make when you get home from work late, but you want to cook something quick. I loved the lemons on top, and the salty olives were a perfect accompaniment. The kids were not crazy about the chicken only because they thought the flavor was a little strong – but with some rice, my husband and I thought it was a great weeknight dinner, that I was able to serve within 45 minutes of coming home. Now if only I could figure out how to get more food into that freezer downstairs…

Ingredients

2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, halved crosswise
Cooking spray
2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
15 oil-cured olives, pitted and sliced
1 large shallot, sliced
1 lemon, thinly sliced

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°.

Combine first 4 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken to bag; seal. Shake to coat chicken. Marinate 15 minutes at room temperature. Arrange chicken mixture in a broiler-safe 11 x 7inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle chicken evenly with oregano and the next 4 ingredients (through shallot); top with lemon slices. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes.

Remove chicken from oven. Preheat broiler to HIGH.

Place chicken 3 inches from broiler element; broil on HIGH for 3 minutes or until chicken is browned and done.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Chicken with Olives and Lemons

Meyer Lemon-Infused Vodka

Published on March 4, 2012March 5, 2012 by Dawn10 Comments

Well, the results are in, and I came in second in the Girl Scout Cookie Recipe Contest! I was hoping for first, although when I found out exactly what that meant, I have to say I am just a little relieved that I came in second. I found out last Thursday that the winner would go on television with their creation, and hand out samples to the audience – that meant 80 mini cheesecakes that I would have to make. My weekend was already booked baking for an auction, so I must say I was a little stressed about the whole thing. As much as I like to win, that really would have set me over the edge. Now my team will have enough Girl Scout Cookies to snack on to last a year – and I plan on giving half to a local shelter!! 48 boxes is a lot of Girl Scout Cookies. Thanks everyone who voted – there is always next year!

My pantry…it is my favorite room in the house. When we decided to build a house almost 9 years ago, I remember talking to the architect about the kitchen and the fact that I needed to have a pantry. I wasn’t sure at that point why I needed one so badly, I just did. When my kids were young, it was like a play room for them, they would close the door and play with everything inside. It provided hours of entertainment. Now that they are older, I am starting to fill the pantry with all sorts of fun stuff – especially glass jars. I bought these Weck Jars recently, and I am in love. They are beautiful, functional, and makes me want to fill them with beautiful and colorful things. My kids don’t eat a lot of candy, which is why we always have a lot lying around from birthday parties, Halloween, and baking. Once I ran out of candy, my mind went to infusions. I had a bunch of Meyer lemons in the refrigerator that I wasn’t sure what to do with, and it hit me. Meyer Lemon-Infused Vodka – perfect for cocktails. I found a recipe from the Martha Stewart website, and in less than 15 minutes the infusion began. I still have another week or so before I can test it out, but it looks wonderful, and in a few days, the vodka has already begun to take on a nice yellow color.

You can find these jars online – they are selling them everywhere these days. So, I just have to ask – what’s in your pantry?

Ingredients

1 750 mL good quality vodka
4-5 Meyer lemons

Directions

Peel Meyer lemons using vegetable peeler. Add vodka. Let steep for at least 2 weeks.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Meyer Lemon-Infused Vodka

Cheese and Chive Challah Rolls

Published on February 29, 2012February 29, 2012 by Dawn1 Comment

Ok, there is only ONE DAY LEFT to vote in the Girl Scout Cookie Recipe Contest!!! Please go here for all the information, and please vote – if you have already voted, consider voting again. I just found out that the winner is also going to be on TV, do you believe it?? That is really the last thing I need right now, but it would be an experience I would never forget, and my girls would go NUTS!!

I was talking to one of my favorite people at work today. I won’t go into more details to protect their identity, but this person was asking me if I ever felt like one of those chinese acrobats that spins plates. That analogy never occurred to me, but YES, all the time – in fact I am doing it as I write this right now. Lately this person has felt like that quite often, and boy do I understand. I am constantly focussing on the plate that is just about to stop, and it is a hard game, let me tell you. I didn’t know what to tell the person other than, hang in there. Eventually the plates will start spinning on their own, at least that’s what I keep telling myself…

Every once in a while though, and only when I can see the forest through the trees – I decide to make bread. I saw this recipe in Cooking Light at least a year or so ago, and it has been sitting in my pantry ever since, just waiting for me to see that forest. When I finally made it, I had every intention of following the recipe exactly and making a Challah. Unfortunately I don’t see the forest that often, and the bread flour I used was probably past it’s prime. During the first rising, it hardly rose at all. So, I quickly decided instead of chucking the dough all together, I would try making rolls, and see if I could salvage the ingredients. Luckily for me, it worked. They ended up rising during the second round, and in the oven, and they were excellent. Nice and fluffy on the inside, a little crusty on the outside, and just all around a good recipe. So – the next time you see that forest, treat yourself to some bread making. Maybe while you are waiting for the dough to rise, you can spin some of those plates that stopped a while ago. I know it alway makes me feel better.

Ingredients

1 cup warm 2% reduced-fat milk (100° to 110°)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
5 large egg yolks
3 large eggs
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded aged fontina cheese
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh chives
10 7/10 ounces bread flour (about 2 1/4 cups)
13 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour, divided (about 3 cups)
Cooking spray
1 large egg
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Preparation

Combine first 3 ingredients in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes or until bubbly. Stir in butter, salt, 5 egg yolks, and 3 eggs. Stir in fontina and chives. Weigh or lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add 10.7 ounces bread flour (about 2 1/4 cups) and 12.4 ounces (about 2 3/4 cups) all-purpose flour to yeast mixture, stirring until a soft dough forms (dough will be sticky).

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, adding remaining 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands. Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, for 45 minutes or until doubled in size. Punch down dough; cover and let rise 50 minutes or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, dough has risen enough.)

To make Challah, follow these instructions: Divide dough into 6 equal portions. Roll each portion into a ball. Roll each ball into a rope about 15 inches long. Place 3 ropes parallel to one another; braid ropes. Pinch ends together, and tuck under loaf. Repeat procedure with remaining 3 ropes. Place loaves on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper; coat with cooking spray. Cover and let rise 30 minutes or until doubled in size.

To make rolls following these instructions: Cut dough into 24 equal portions. Create a round ball out of each portion by tucking it under itself. Place the balls into two 12 cup muffin tins. Cover and let rise 30 minutes or until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 375°.

Combine 1 egg and 2 tablespoons water, stirring well with a whisk. Brush loaves (or rolls) gently with egg mixture. Sprinkle loaves (or rolls) evenly with Parmigiano-Reggiano (which I didn’t do, and they were still amazing). Bake at 375° for 25 minutes (or less if making rolls) or until golden. Remove from baking sheet; cool on a wire rack.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Cheese and Chive Challah Rolls

Smoked Leg Quarters with Fresh Herbs

Published on February 26, 2012February 26, 2012 by Dawn4 Comments

For the most part, I am not really a superstitious person. I have never really liked Friday the 13th, although my father was born on one, so he claimed it was his lucky day. I hated when a black cat would cross my path, but I would usually find something about the cat that was not all black, or say that a street is not really a path, so it doesn’t count. The one superstition I have never really been able to get away from is that things seem to happen in threes, especially when it comes to death. I try to convince myself otherwise, but time after time, it seems to hold true. This week was no exception. My heart goes out to my friends and family that are grieving right now.

So what does this have to do with smoked chicken? Well, when my kids were young, they went to bed really early – and so I fed them before my husband got home from work, just so they wouldn’t fall asleep at the dinner table. Sunday nights was usually the one night we could count on where we would all sit down together – and we would call it “family dinner.” As they got older, we have transitioned to eating together each night – which I love, but for some reason Sunday night dinners will always be my favorite. It is the one night a week that I can really focus on food. Recently, Sunday night dinners have taken a new spin in our house, they have turned into “Egg Night.” I cook the sides, and my grill-master husband smokes something on the Big Green Egg. We have been doing this for months, and he is getting better and better. This chicken that he smoked was AMAZING!! It fell off the bone, and had the most delicious smoked herb flavor, it was just a party in my mouth. This came from the Big Bob Gibson’s BBQ Book – thank goodness Amazon screwed up during the holidays and sent us this book by accident, the recipes are incredible! Well, the girls cannot get enough of the egg, and neither can I.

I remember many Sunday night dinners when our friends would come over, we traded houses every Sunday – and we did this for years while our kids were young. Now that they are older, we have grown apart, but I used to love when my friend’s mother would visit and join us for dinner. She was hilarious, and had a great sense of humor. She would say things under her breath, but I always heard them, and laughed. She passed away this week, and will definitely be missed. Sonya, this chicken is for you – I know you would have loved it, along with banana bread baking in the oven…

Ingredients

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
6 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
6 chicken leg-thigh quarters

Preparation

Mix the marinade ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until well blended. Reserve 1/2 cup of marinade for basting and then pour the remainder into a shallow dish or a resealable plastic bag. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Cover the dish or seal the bag and marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for 8 to 12 hours.

Build a fire (wood or combination of charcoal and wood) for indirect cooking. When the temperature is approximately 300 degrees F, remove the chicken from the marinade and place on the grill, skin side up, away from the coals. Cook for 45 minutes, then flip the chicken, baste the reserved marinade, and cook for an additional 45 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 175 degrees F.

For a printer-friendly version of the recipe, please click here: Smoked Leg Quarters with Fresh Herbs

Lavender Honey Madeleines

Published on February 23, 2012February 23, 2012 by Dawn5 Comments

If you have not been following along the last couple of weeks, don’t worry, you still have time to vote! You can get all caught up here. In addition, the Seattle Times decided to write about this little contest going on and I was thrilled to see my picture was used. Hopefully this generated some votes as well…

I love Madeleines, they are definitely one of my most favorite french treat. I have to say though, there is really nothing better than popping them into your mouth right out of the oven, once you have eaten them that way, it is hard to go back. I recently read about a new bakery in NYC where you can order them and they will make them fresh for you while you wait. I can’t wait to go there this summer and try them.

This holiday season one of the people on my team surprised me with some wonderful treats that he mail-ordered from Fouchon – one of the most amazing food stores in Paris. He gave me some to-die-for caramels, and some lavender honey… I wanted to open the honey right there and dig in, but I knew I needed to wait for something…although I wasn’t sure what. One day I was flipping through my recipe pile in the pantry, and found one out of Bon Appetit for Orange Honey Madeleines. That’s when it hit me, wouldn’t they taste better made with lavender honey instead?? I whipped out the honey and started baking. The great news about madeleines is the batter can sit in your refrigerator overnight – and they are so easy to pop in the oven, so there is no excuse not to make them fresh. These came out wonderfully, with a subtle taste of lavender. They were crisp on the outside, tender and moist on the inside, they were perfect. So, the next time you are looking for a special treat to serve your guests after dinner, look no further. Make the batter the day before, and then pop these in the oven after dinner. Your guests will think you are a brilliant – and you can package up some leftovers for them to take home, that is if there are any left…

Ingredients

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons lavender honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, cooled, plus more for molds

special equipment

One 16-cookie madeleine pan with 3×2″ molds

Preparation

Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar in a large bowl until pale yellow and thick, about 4 minutes. Beat in honey, vanilla, and orange zest. Gently fold in dry ingredients. Add 5 Tbsp. melted butter; gently fold into batter. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface of batter; chill for at least 3 hours.

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

Position a rack in center of oven; preheat to 400°. Lightly brush madeleine molds with butter. Place pan on a baking sheet. Drop 1 scant Tbsp. batter into each mold. Bake until golden and a tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 10 minutes.

Remove pan from oven, invert, and quickly knock madeleines out of pan. Serve warm with some powdered sugar dusted on top.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Lavender Honey Madeleines

Forked Oven-Roasted Potatoes

Published on February 19, 2012February 19, 2012 by Dawn5 Comments

If you did not see my last post, you still have plenty of time to vote and let me know your charity of choice, just in case I happen to win. I am keeping my fingers crossed, but with the way the voting works, I am not that optimistic. I would assume that most people’s strategy will be to vote for the person you want to win, and then your next two votes will go to people who you don’t think will win – well, if everyone does that, and everyone agrees on the recipes least likely to win, they will actually win. I guess I will just have to wait and see what happens.

The potato challenge in my house has gotten easier and easier, we are now to the point that almost all the potato recipes I make, both of my girls will at least eat a small portion. A month of so ago, Bon Appetit highlighted a number of wonderful potato recipes, of which I have been trying a little at a time. This one really caught my eye, mostly because I have been eyeing these baby potatoes in the market that I have been wanting to try for a while. I actually cut the recipe in half, and didn’t even use all the oil that was specific below, and my potatoes came out wonderfully. They were a little more involved than making normal roasted potatoes, but boiling them first and then roasted them really made all the difference. They were super crispy on the outside, and soft and creamy on the inside – they were excellent. Both my girls liked them, so I will definitely be making these again. Next time I might serve them with some sour cream and chive sauce on the side…just for dipping. I can’t wait!

Ingredients

6 pounds small Yukon Gold potatoes (1 1/2″–2″-diameter), peeled
1 tablespoon kosher salt plus more
1/2 cup olive oil

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425°. Working in 2 batches, cook potatoes in a large pot of boiling salted water for 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer potatoes to a rimmed baking sheet. When cool enough to handle, firmly scrape the tines of a fork up and down potatoes, creating a rough, grooved surface.

Pour oil onto another rimmed baking sheet; bake (to heat oil) for 5 minutes. Add potatoes; turn to coat. Season with 1 tablespoon salt. Roast, turning 3 times during cooking and occasionally basting with oil, until browned and tender, 60–70 minutes.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Forked Oven-Roasted Potatoes

Swedish Meatball Stoup

Published on February 16, 2012February 17, 2012 by Dawn26 Comments

I found out today I am a finalist in the Girl Scout Cookie recipe contest with my Chocolate Peanut Butter Tag-A-Dos Cheesecake!!! I am thrilled, but now I really need your help – the winner is determined by who gets the most votes, so I really need you to go here and cast your vote. Now for the fun part…so if I win, I get $250 (plus Girl Scout Cookies, for my team at work). I have never done a give-away on my blog before, so I am going to try something new. Please leave me a comment on the charity you think is most deserving of the money – and as a bonus, the wonderful company that I work for is going to match my donation, which means $500 to a deserving organization. The only rule is that it must have a valid 501 (c) (3) public charity status. My daughter will pick a random comment, and if I win – that charity will be given $500. So please send this blog post to your friends, ask them to vote, and leave a comment with a the charity of your choice – and better yet, post a link on your Facebook account or Twitter – this is a great cause!!

On a completely different topic – I have some milestones that I would like to acknowledge – I just posted my 300th recipe – can you believe it? I certainly can’t – but again, I do cook a lot. I love looking back to the first few posts, to see how much the blog has changed. In addition, I am one person away from having 500 subscribers – now that is even more amazing to me than the number of blog posts! When I started this blog, I never imagined that anyone would ever read it, outside of my family and friends. Then I discovered Foodgawker and Tastespotting, and now I have Pinterest to thank. It is amazing how these sites can get people to your blog – so thanks to all those sites that have helped me reach these milestones.

It must be my lucky day, because my blog friend Kirsty just posted her Banana Bread recipe contest, and my mother’s recipe came in a tie for second. I am thrilled, and so should you Mom!! She had a lot of great recipes, so I am honored to have come out almost on top. Thanks Kirsty!!

And, I almost forgot – Kristi from Necessary Indulgences awarded me a Liebster’ed Award – this is my first blog award! Thanks very much Kristi – I really appreciate it, and what a surprise that was!! Kristi has a lovely blog, so please check it out…

Now, I think I have used up my blogging time tonight…so I leave you with this recipe for Swedish Meatball Stoup, which I adapted from Rachael Ray. Normally, I am not a huge fan, but I must say – she makes some great dishes with meatballs. I made this for a crowd of people the other weekend, and it was a huge hit – for the kids and the grownups. It will take you longer than 30 minutes to make this, but it is worth it – and while you are waiting for it to cook – maybe you can vote for me again…

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) (once around the pan)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 pound white mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 celery ribs, finely chopped
1 large carrot, cut into rounds
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 bay leaf
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups beef stock or broth
1 quart chicken stock or broth
1/3 pound ground veal
1/3 pound ground beef
1/3 pound ground pork
2 rounded teaspoonfuls Dijon mustard
1 egg, beaten
1/2 to 2/3 cup plain bread crumbs (about 3 generous handfuls)
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated or ground nutmeg
1/2 pound medium or wide egg noodles
1 cup sour cream
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or fresh dill, your choice

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat a medium soup pot over medium to medium-high heat. Add the EVOO and butter and when the butter melts into the EVOO, add the mushrooms, celery, carrots, onions, and bay leaf. Cook until the mushrooms are tender and the celery, carrots, and onions begin to soften, 7 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and add the flour. Cook for another minute. Whisk in the beef and chicken stock to combine. Cover the pot and bring to a boil.

While the soup comes to a boil, mix the meat with the mustard, egg, bread crumbs, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Roll the meat into small balls, 1 inch in diameter, tops. Place on a cookie sheet covered with parchment, and bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until slightly browned.

Remove the lid from the soup and add the balls. After 2 to 3 minutes, stir in the egg noodles and cook for 6 minutes more. Turn off the heat and stir the sour cream into the stoup. Adjust the salt and pepper and fish out the bay leaf. Serve the stoup with a generous sprinkle of either chives or dill.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Swedish Meatball Stoup

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