Cape Cod

Unlike many native New Englanders, I have never been a frequent visitor of Cape Cod. My family has a beach house on the Connecticut shore, so we spent our summers there. In fact, I had never been to the Cape until I started dating Andrew. He took me there for a weekend and we had a great time. Though my heart will always be at the Connecticut shore, I can see the appeal of the Cape. I mean, they have their own drink, and not only is it easy to make, it's delicious!

A Cape Cod (also called a "Cape Codder") is just equal parts vodka and cranberry juice. Pour it over ice and garnish with a lime. What a sweet summer drink!

We have been so busy this summer - we put a new roof on our house (did the whole thing ourselves!) and have been traveling almost every weekend. We got back from our annual trip to Acadia National Park in Maine on Sunday. Here are some shots from our vacation:

Finn sitting on my lap like the baby he is!

 

Me fishing at Otter Point

An incredible moonrise over Southwest Harbor.

To see more amazing vacation shots, check out my husband's blog here. Hope you're having an amazing summer! Cheers!

Nanaimo Bars

Oh boy. Let me preface this post by saying that nanaimo bars (say it "nah-nee-moh") are completely addictive. If you're looking for a new no-bake treat, this is a surefire winner. I had all the ingredients on hand in my pantry, so when I found the recipe, I was eating Nanaimo Bars within a couple of hours!

These layered bars remind me a little bit of Brookies in that you mix the different layers separately and then combine. Also, both are very rich and chocolate-y. However, when judged by me, Nanaimo Bars would win the dessert contest anytime. They're slightly easier to make, don't require baking, keep in the fridge forever, and taste amazing. Try them!

I would suggest assembling and measuring all your ingredients ahead of time. You have time in between making each layer where the bars need to chill in the fridge, so prepping only the layer you're about to work on will be sufficient.


Nanaimo Bars
adapted from The Joy of Baking


bottom layer ingredients
1 stick unsalted butter
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1/3 c. unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa
1 large egg, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 c. graham cracker crumbs
1 c. sweetened shredded coconut
1/2 c. chopped walnuts

middle layer ingredients
1/2 stick unsalted butter
3 tbsp. milk or cream (I used skim milk)
2 tbsp. vanilla pudding powder
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 c. powdered sugar

top layer ingredients
1/2 c. chocolate chips
1 tbsp. unsalted butter


bottom layer assembly
Grease a 9"x9" (I don't have one, so I used 8"x8") pan with cooking spray or butter.
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Stir in the sugar and cocoa powder until incorporated completely.
Slowly stream the beaten egg into the mixture, stirring constantly.
Continue cooking over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens.
Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining "bottom layer ingredients".
Press the mixture into the greased pan with your fingers, then cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.

middle layer assembly
Using a KA or electric hand mixer, beat butter until creamy.
Add all other ingredients and beat until smooth.
If mixture is too thick to spread, add a tablespoon of milk/cream at a time until it reaches a thick yet spreadable consistency.
Spread over the bottom layer.
Cover and refrigerate at least thirty minutes.

top layer assembly 
In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave chocolate and butter in thirty-second increments, stirring in between, until melted and smooth.
Pour over the middle layer and smooth.
Refrigerate until chocolate has set.

Cut into squares (I did 4x4, so got 16 2"x2" bars) with a sharp knife. I prefer to serve chilled straight out of the fridge, but you can also bring them to room temperature before serving. Enjoy!

Tabbouleh

I've made a lot of new recipes lately, but finding time to blog has been difficult. There are so many delicious summer dishes I want to share with you!

Today, I'll pass on a fantastic recipe for tabbouleh. Tabbouleh is a Lebanese salad made with parsley and bulgur wheat. It bursts with simple, fresh flavors which change as the ingredients meld together. You can serve it as a condiment for simply grilled meats (try it on lamb kabobs - yum!), stuffed into pitas, or as a side dish.

If you are a backyard herb gardener, you'll love this use for all that beautiful flat-leaf parsley you're probably seeing now. Since I can't currently have an herb garden, I bought my parsley at West Side Market. The lovely lady at Judy's Oasis is always working when I stop by. She has sold me the most delicious treats, from kibbee to the irresistible feta-black olive dip, and when I asked for help making my own tabbouleh, she was happy to assist me. Her most important piece of advice: make sure the parsley is washed very well and that you dry it completely before chopping it and mixing the salad.


Tabbouleh
adapted from epicurious

3 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 c. bulgur wheat
1 c. boiling water
3 bunches fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 small tomato, seeds removed, diced
4 green onions, sliced thinly
2 tbsp. lemon juice
salt & pepper to taste

Place bulgur wheat in a small heat-proof bowl. Pour boiling water over the wheat. Stir in 1 tbsp. of olive oil and cover bowl with a lid or piece of plastic wrap. Let stand for 15 minutes, then stir with a fork to fluff and separate. Allow to cool.

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Stir with a large fork, taste for seasoning. You may wish to add more oil, lemon juice, salt, or pepper. I found that my tabbouleh required a bit more olive oil and a lot more salt.

Enjoy this delicious summery dish with the fresh parsley and tomatoes of the season!

Italian Drip Beef

My friend Adriana passed around this recipe a few months ago after seeing it on The Pioneer Woman's website, and I saved it because it got rave reviews from everyone who tried it.  I altered her original recipe a bit by adapting it for the slow cooker. If you are serving to picky kids or people who don't like spicy food, you will definitely want to reduce the amount of peperoncini you use.  

I used a smaller roast since it's just the two of us. The shredded beef is fantastic on sandwiches. I think it would be just as good over mashed potatoes, rice, or orzo. 

Italian Drip Beef

1 whole Beef Chuck Roast, 2.5 To 4 Pounds

1 can Beef Broth 

2 Tablespoons Italian Seasoning

1 teaspoon Salt

¼ cup Water

8 oz. Pepperoncini Peppers, With Juice

Buttered, Toasted Deli Rolls

Cheese (we used shredded mozzarella)

Combine all ingredients in bowl of slow cooker.  Stir lightly to combine seasoning with the liquid.

Slow cook 6-8 hours on low or until meat is fork-tender and falling apart.

With two forks, completely shred all meat, leaving no large chunks behind. Serve immediately, or keep warm in the slow cooker. 

You can make this the day before, then store in the refrigerator. Remove the hardened fat from the top before reheating.

Serve on buttered, toasted rolls. Top with cheese and melt under the broiler if desired. Serve with juices from the pot.

Homemade Pizza

Well, it's been quite a hiatus.  Chaos has reined in my household for the past month, and hopefully things are starting to calm down.  I'd love to say I'll get back to consistent, frequent blogging right away, but I'm not positive that will be the case.  For now, I'll do my best to continue sharing recipes with you.  I really appreciate you sticking around and continuing to check back - thanks for reading!

Whenever Anna gives me a recipe, I know it's going to be delicious.  (Remember her wild rice stuffed onions?)  She posted the recipe for this homemade pizza dough on her old blog.  I've made it twice now and I adore it.  It's a major savings over ordering pizza out, and best of all, you can top it exactly the way you like it.

I opted to top ours with slices of fresh mozzarella, pancetta, caramelized onions, and fresh spinach.  Delicious!

As Anna points out, if you don't have a mixer of some kind, the manual labor involved in this dough recipe is going to be excessive. You'll need a KA stand mixer or some other type of mixer with a dough hook.

Pizza Dough
from Anna

1 tsp. active dry yeast
2 tbsp. warm water +
2/3 c. water
1 c. AP flour
1 c. whole wheat flour
1-1/2 tsp. kosher salt
olive oil

In the bowl of the mixer, combine the yeast and warm water.  Let it sit for 5-10 minutes - until the yeast has expanded (or "bloomed").
 
Add the additional water, both types of flour, and salt.  Combine and knead using the dough hook attachment for ten minutes.  While the dough is kneading, lightly oil a large mixing bowl and set aside.

Turn the dough out into the bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap.  Set in a warm place (I like my oven, turned off), and allow to rise for two hours.

Punch down the dough, then replace the wrap and allow to rise at least another two hours, up to overnight.  (Place bowl in the refrigerator if allowing an overnight rise).

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Turn the dough out onto a floured board and divide in half.  Roll and stretch each half into whatever shape you'd like your pizza to be.  I usually go with funky blob shapes, but if you want to go for a circle or square, have at it!

Top the dough with whatever you like.  Last week, we did sausage, goat cheese, and thawed frozen spinach.  The pictures show prosciutto, fresh mozzarella, carmelized onion, and fresh spinach.  The pizza on the left is Andrew's and also has homemade tomato sauce on it.

Bake pizzas on the bottom rack of the 400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes, until dough is browned and cheese is melted and bubbly. 

This pizza dough recipe is easy, healthful, and delicious.  If you've been reading TPF for a while, you may know that I haven't always been confident in my ability to bake with yeast.  This is a great recipe to use if you feel the same way.  Your mixer does a lot of the work, and the directions are straightforward and easy to follow, thanks to Anna. 

The best thing about this pizza is that I always have the ingredients on hand.  Flour and yeast are staples in my pantry, and the toppings can be as varied as your imagination can handle.  I've always got some sort of cheese in the fridge and various veggies to use up.  Add in whatever meat and herbs are on hand, and fantastic homemade pizza is a snap.

Peek Into My Pantry!

Happy Friday!  It has been a long week and I have been extremely negligent of TPF lately - my apologies!  I am making Beef with Broccoli for dinner tonight - my version of the Chinese takeout classic, and a new favorite of ours.

As a fun Friday post, I thought I'd give you a peek into my pantry, seeing as how I just cleaned and reorganized it last night!  I seem to always be able to throw a meal together using ingredients from my pantry and my freezer (hmm, a future post perhaps?) so maybe I can inspire you to stock up!

Let's start with the top half!

As you can see, the top shelf is unlabeled.  All that's up there is a loaf of panettone, my KA food grinder, a cupcake tree, and a big box of Ramen noodles (hey, I like to eat them for lunch!).

The next shelf has my tea collection, plus Sweet & Low.  I also have extra boxes of raisins, oatmeal, and pancake mixes.  Behind all the food is an extra plastic pitcher and some plastic tumblers, and a plastic ketchup & mustard set.

Next you see my canned goods - most important to me are tuna, artichokes, tomato puree, and olives.  Usually I have a box or two of chicken stock, and at the moment, I also have some Campbell's condensed soup - Andrew was sick last week, and we've got to have tomato soup on hand to go with his grilled cheese!  I've also got tons of pasta - everything from egg noodles to rigatoni.  There's also piccolini, lasagne, spaghetti, and bow ties.

That red "PopCorn!" cup is the bane of my existence - we use the scoop to get cat food and the cup to get water, and then carry it to the basement to feed the kitties.  I always stick it in the cat food bin, and Andrew always puts it back on the shelf!

The fourth shelf has the usual backup baking supplies (flour, cornstarch, baking soda), plus some different baking stuff - raw nuts, anise seeds, and ladyfingers (for tiramisu!).  The "911" Desserts are cake mixes, graham cracker crumbs, and instant pudding - always ready when I need to throw something together at the last minute!  You can also see my popcorn stash - both microwave and the "real" kernels.

 Also on the fourth shelf are my "most used baking pans" - two muffin tins, two baking sheets with Silpats, and a 13x9 pan.  I keep two smaller baking sheets, a 6-cup muffin tin, an 8x8 pan, and a 13x9 in a kitchen drawer.  If those are my "first string" pans, these are the "second string"!

The last shelf has random cleaning supplies off to the left - contractor-size trash bags, vacuum attachments, etc.  In the middle is my "baking stuff" - from powdered sugar to chocolate chips, colored sprinkles to corn syrup.  I always keep yeast, extra brown sugar, sweetened and unsweetened chocolate, unflavored gelatin, and parchment paper on hand.

Also, behold the Almighty Crock Pot!  I love this thing, and use it all. the. time.  As you know, having seen my slow cooker meals.

On the floor you can see the appliances I don't keep in the kitchen, including my waffle maker and blender.  Off to the right, I store white and sweet potatoes.  And in the middle, the bin of pet food - kitty food and doggy kibble.

My pantry is in my laundry room, and I've utilized one of the cabinets next to the dryer as storage.  Here are more baking pans - on the top shelf there are two 8" cake pans, a 9" springform, and a 10" tart pan.  The middle shelf holds two pie plates and a stainless steel mixing bowl.  I also store paper goods here - cups, plates, napkins, and plasticware.  Below the cabinet, you can see my beloved recycling bins.

So, that's it!  Hopefully you enjoyed your little tour of my pantry.  Next week, I'm hoping to share my homemade Spinach-Ricotta Ravioli and my friend Adriana's Italian Drip Beef Sandwiches.

Macaroni & Cheese, Take Two

A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned that I was putting together some freezer meals, including Meatballs Stroganoff.  One of the other meals I made was Macaroni & Cheese.  At the last minute, I opted to try a new Mac & Cheese recipe, so I wanted to share my notes on that with you, as compared to my old standby.

A shot of my "usual" recipe - a take on Alton Brown's mac & cheese, this one has three different cheddars and is topped with buttery breadcrumbs.

For comparison's sake, here is a photo of the finished version I made this time.  This is adapted from the Pioneer Woman's Mac and Cheese.

Major differences between these two recipes - no breadcrumbs in the PW recipe.  I topped the PW version with bacon instead, since I had it in my fridge.  I used radiatore for this version, and I loved the way the cheese clung to every nook and cranny!  Much better than elbows, in my opinion, and this shape is stout enough to stand up to cooking in the cheese sauce without getting floppy.


Macaroni & Cheese, Version 2
adapted from The Pioneer Woman

1 lb. radiatore or your favorite pasta, cooked al dente
1/2 stick butter
1/4 c. AP flour
2-1/2 c. skim milk
2 tsp. dry mustard
1 egg, beaten
1 lb. cheddar, grated
1 c. mozzarella, grated
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper

Melt the butter in a large (I mean it, LARGE) saucepan over medium heat.    Whisk the flour and mustard into the butter and cook the roux over medium-high heat for five minutes.

Pour in the milk and whisk to combine.  Cook about five minutes, until very thick, then drop the heat to low.

In a small bowl, combine the beaten egg and 1/2 c. of the milk mixture.  Whisk vigorously to avoid scrambling your egg.  Pour mixture back into the sauce and stir until smooth.

Add cheddar cheese, salt, and pepper.  Stir slowly until cheese has melted and sauce is completely combined.  Add cooked pasta and stir to coat. 

Pour into large greased baking dish (I used cooking spray), top with mozzarella and crumbled bacon, and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

This dish is a crowd-pleaser that's easy to put together - comfort food at its best!

Check it Out: Fat of the Land

I've been following the blog Fat of the Land for a while now, and I'm a big fan.  Langdon Cook is a modern-day forager who ties stories of his family in with gourmet recipes.  I love his photography - it's a good mix of close-up food shots with fun family photos.

His first book, Fat of the Land: Adventures of a 21st Century Forager came out recently, and it's sure to be a great read.  Check out his blog and his book for some great perspective on finding great food where you might not expect it!

Bouef Bourguignon

By now, I'm sure you've seen the movie Julie & Julia.  I saw it last summer in the theaters, watched it on pay-per-view with Ann, and got the DVD for Christmas.  Though I've watched the movie several times, it wasn't until recently that I made an attempt at the showstopping star of the film - Julia's Bouef Bourguignon.  The recipe is re-created everywhere on the internet, so I'll simply credit it to Julia herself. 

I'm glad I tried this, but let me just say: it's a lot of work.  This is a good dish to put together on a lazy Sunday when you have time to wander in and out of the kitchen, time to cook each part of the dish separately, time to check the oven and stir the pot and taste for seasonings.  This is not a good dish to make the Friday of the Olympic opening ceremonies when you are working at home and taking your two 15 minute breaks plus your lunch break as your windows of opportunity to chop, saute, and stir.  Luckily, I finish working around 4, so I had plenty of time to clean up the kitchen, set the table, and brush the flour out of my hair before the in-laws showed up.  It's taken me quite a while to get around to blogging this dish; maybe because it took me so long to finally make it, I've likewise been procrastinating sharing it with you? 

I tried not to be my usual substituting self and follow the recipe closely, but I did make a few small changes.  Instead of chunk bacon, I cut strips of bacon into chunks.  Instead of an herb bouquet, I just added the chopped herbs to the pot.  Lastly, I doubled the amount of pearl onions - mostly because we love them and the bag I bought had over 40 onions in it.  I don't think any of those changes had a major impact on the dish.  I opted to serve over egg noodles and served fresh steamed broccoli as a side. 

Boeuf Bourguignon
adapted from "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" 
by Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle and Simone Beck 

One 6-ounce piece of chunk bacon
3 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
3 pounds lean stewing beef, cut into 2-inch cubes
1 carrot, sliced
1 onion, sliced
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons flour
3 cups red wine, young and full-bodied (I used Burgundy)
2 1/2 to 3 1/2 cups brown beef stock
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cloves mashed garlic
1/2 teaspoon thyme
A crumbled bay leaf
18 to 24 white onions, small
3 1/2 tablespoons butter
Herb bouquet (4 parsley sprigs, one-half bay leaf, one-quarter teaspoon thyme, tied in cheesecloth)
1 pound mushrooms, fresh and quartered

Remove bacon rind and cut into lardons (sticks 1/4-inch thick and 1 1/2 inches long). Simmer rind and lardons for 10 minutes in 1 1/2 quarts water. Drain and dry.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Sauté lardons in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a flameproof casserole over moderate heat for 2 to 3 minutes to brown lightly. Remove to a side dish with a slotted spoon.

Dry beef in paper towels; it will not brown if it is damp. Heat fat in casserole until almost smoking. Add beef, a few pieces at a time, and sauté until nicely browned on all sides. Add it to the lardons.

In the same fat, brown the sliced vegetables. Pour out the excess fat.

Return the beef and bacon to the casserole and toss with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Then sprinkle on the flour and toss again to coat the beef lightly. Set casserole uncovered in middle position of preheated oven for 4 minutes.

Toss the meat again and return to oven for 4 minutes (this browns the flour and coves the meat with a light crust).

Remove casserole and turn oven down to 325 degrees.

Stir in wine and 2 to 3 cups stock, just enough so that the meat is barely covered.

Add the tomato paste, garlic, herbs and bacon rind. Bring to a simmer on top of the stove.

Cover casserole and set in lower third of oven. Regulate heat so that liquid simmers very slowly for 3 to 4 hours. The meat is done when a fork pierces it easily.

While the beef is cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms.

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons butter with one and one-half tablespoons of the oil until bubbling in a skillet.

Add onions and sauté over moderate heat for about 10 minutes, rolling them so they will brown as evenly as possible. Be careful not to break their skins. You cannot expect them to brown uniformly.

Add 1/2 cup of the stock, salt and pepper to taste and the herb bouquet.

Cover and simmer slowly for 40 to 50 minutes until the onions are perfectly tender but hold their shape, and the liquid has evaporated. Remove herb bouquet and set onions aside.

Wipe out skillet and heat remaining oil and butter over high heat. As soon as you see butter has begun to subside, indicating it is hot enough, add mushrooms.

Toss and shake pan for 4 to 5 minutes. As soon as they have begun to brown lightly, remove from heat.
When the meat is tender, pour the contents of the casserole into a sieve set over a saucepan.

Wash out the casserole and return the beef and lardons to it. Distribute the cooked onions and mushrooms on top.

Skim fat off sauce in saucepan. Simmer sauce for a minute or 2, skimming off additional fat as it rises. You should have about 2 1/2 cups of sauce thick enough to coat a spoon lightly.

If too thin, boil it down rapidly. If too thick, mix in a few tablespoons stock. Taste carefully for seasoning.

Pour sauce over meat and vegetables. Cover and simmer 2 to 3 minutes, basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce several times.

Happy Easter!

The weather has been absolutely beautiful for the past week, so I put off making my Easter dessert until the last minute.  I'm glad I did, because I ended up also making a birthday cake for Andrew's Aunt Sammy. 

When I saw the recipe for Nigella's Fairy Cakes on "Once Upon a Plate", I knew I had to try them.  My one issue with the recipe was that Mari didn't explain how to get the cupcakes flat and iced as perfectly as hers were.  I winged it and they came out okay.  Mari's icing must have been much thicker than mine, because my cupcakes soaked up a lot of the liquid and were not as perfectly smooth as hers were.  The blue ones came out best, and they were all delicious, so no one really minded.

I added 3/4 cup cocoa powder to one batch of the Fairy Cake recipe and baked it in an 8" cake pan.  Then, using an idea I saw on the back of the Easter M&M's bag, I cut the cake in half and turned it into a butterfly.  I used Mari's easy buttercream recipe, tinted it pink, and decorated with sprinkles and M&M's.  I used candied citrus peel as antennae.  Sammy was really happy with her cake, and it tasted fantastic!