Month: March 2012

Honey Cake

Honey Cake

For cake:2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour2 teaspoons baking powder1/2 teaspoon baking soda1/2 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons cinnamon1/4 teaspoon ground ginger1/4 teaspoon ground clove3 large eggs1 cup sugar1 1/4 cups vegetable oil1 cup pure honey3/4 cup lukewarm coffee (brewed, or instant dissolved in water)1 1/2 teaspoons packed …

Cake, Dessert, To-Do List
Panzanella on a Stick

Panzanella on a Stick

Ingredients For Salad Sticks12 cocktail picks1 loaf French bread, cut into 24 (1-inch) cubes 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil1 tsp. garlic powder½ tsp. saltPinch of black pepper24 cherry tomatoes24 small fresh mozzarella balls (ciliegine)24 basil leaves1 English cucumber, sliced into 1-inch pieces, then quartered …

Appetizer, Salad
Momofuku Crack Pie

Momofuku Crack Pie

Ingredients


Oat Cookie Crust

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

9 tablespoons (1 stick plus 1 tablespoon) unsalted butter, room temperature, divided

5 1/2 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar, divided

2 tablespoons sugar

1 large egg

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons old-fashioned oats

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon (generous) salt


Filling

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar

1 tablespoon nonfat dry milk powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, cooled slightly

6 1/2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

4 large egg yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Powdered sugar (for dusting)


Preparation

Oat Cookie Crust

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper; coat with nonstick spray. Combine 6 tablespoons butter, 4 tablespoons brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons sugar in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat mixture until light and fluffy, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl, about 2 minutes. Add egg; beat until pale and fluffy. Add oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and beat until well blended, about 1 minute. Turn oat mixture out onto prepared baking pan; press out evenly to edges of pan. Bake until light golden on top, 17 to 18 minutes. Transfer baking pan to rack and cool cookie completely.

Using hands, crumble oat cookie into large bowl; add 3 tablespoons butter and 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar. Rub in with fingertips until mixture is moist enough to stick together. Transfer cookie crust mixture to 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Using fingers, press mixture evenly onto bottom and up sides of pie dish. Place pie dish with crust on rimmed baking sheet.


Filling

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Whisk both sugars, milk powder, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Add melted butter and whisk until blended. Add cream, then egg yolks and vanilla and whisk until well blended. Pour filling into crust. Bake pie 30 minutes (filling may begin to bubble). Reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Continue to bake pie until filling is brown in spots and set around edges but center still moves slightly when pie dish is gently shaken, about 20 minutes longer. Cool pie 2 hours in pie dish on rack. Chill uncovered overnight. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover; keep chilled.


Sift powdered sugar lightly over top of pie. Cut pie into wedges and serve cold.



Dessert, Pie
Barbecue Shrimp

Barbecue Shrimp

My friend Melanie made this for dinner one night, and my husband and I have been hooked on this shrimp recipe ever since.  It is a super simple way to prepare shrimp, and the flavor is amazing. Soaking up the sauce with a piece of …

Easy, Seafood
Caramel Cake

Caramel Cake

iNGREDIENTS:FOR THE CAKE:16 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pans 3 cups cake flour, plus more for pans, sifted2 1/2 tsp. baking powder1 tsp. kosher salt1 cup milk2 tsp. vanilla extract1 1/2 cups sugar4 eggsFOR THE ICING:3 1/2 cups sugar12 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted2 …

Cake, Dessert
Buttermilk-Lemon Chess Pie

Buttermilk-Lemon Chess Pie


Ingredients:

Crust

2 cups all-purpose flour plus more

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon sugar

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter cut into 1/2” cubes

1/2 cup (or more) cold buttermilk


Filling

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

5 large eggs, beaten to blend

2/3 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1 3/4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Pinch of kosher salt


Special equipment:
9 1/2”-diameter deep-dish pie pan


Preparation

Crust

Mix flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor. Add butter; pulse until pea-size pieces of butter form. Add 1/2 cup buttermilk; pulse until moist clumps form, adding more buttermilk by tablespoons if too dry. Form into a ball; flat into a disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 1 hour.


Preheat oven to 350°. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to a 14” round. Transfer to a pie pan; gently press onto bottom and up sides of pan. Trim dough leaving a 1” overhang; tuck overhang under. Crimp edges decoratively. Line with parchment paper or foil; fill with pie weights or dried beans.


Bake crust until edges begin to brown, 30–35 minutes. Remove paper and weights; bake until golden brown, 25–30 minutes longer. Let cool completely.


Filling

Preheat oven to 350°. Whisk first 4 ingredients in a medium bowl until well combined. Whisk eggs and remaining 6 ingredients in a large bowl (mixture may look curdled). Slowly whisk in dry ingredients. Pour filling into a cooled crust and bake until custard is set around edges but jiggles slightly in center, 1 hour–1 hour 15 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.


Dessert, Lemon, Pie
Beef Stroganoff

Beef Stroganoff

I use filet tips when I make beef stroganoff because I just don’t like the possibility of having tough meat.  Quality does matter when it comes to food.  Don’t skimp!  This recipe is excellent, and I promise you will never think of using a stroganoff …

Beef, Comfort Food, Easy, Pasta
Sloppy Joes

Sloppy Joes

Ingredients: 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan 1 1/2 pounds ground beef  1/4 cup brown sugar 1 tablespoon Montreal Steak Seasoning 1 medium onion, chopped 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 2 cups tomato sauce 2 tablespoons tomato …

Comfort Food, Easy, Ground Meat
Easy Mushroom Risotto

Easy Mushroom Risotto


Ingredients

5 to 6 cups chicken broth

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 12 ounces assorted mushrooms, wiped clean and thinly sliced, stems removed
  • 2 cups arborio rice
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup finely grated Parmesan
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

  • Directions
In a medium saucepan, bring the stock to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to very low to keep hot.
In a large heavy saucepan, heat the oil and melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic, and cook, stirring until fragrant and soft, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until wilted and their liquid is evaporated, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, until the grains are opaque, about 1 minute. Stir in the thyme. Add the wine and cook, stirring, until nearly all evaporated. Add 3/4 cup of the stock, the salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until the stock is nearly all evaporated. Continue adding more stock 1/2 cup at a time as the previous addition is nearly absorbed, until the rice is tender and the risotto is creamy, 18 to 20 minutes. Stir in cream, 1/2 cup of the cheese, and the parsley and mix well.
Remove from the heat and adjust the seasoning, to taste. 
Serve immediately, topping each portion with a sprinkling of the remaining cheese.

Adapted from Emeril Lagasse

Easy, Mushroom, Risotto
Fresh Lemonade

Fresh Lemonade

When you have lemons…make this yummy lemonade!  I have a lemon tree that gives us the best Meyer lemons, and this lemonade recipe is super simple and quick to make.   When I have extra time and too many ripe lemons, I squeeze lemons and freeze the …

Beverages, Lemon