Switching sites

I've moved my site to:
www.anhourinthekitchen.com.
I've placed an rrs feed at the top of this site to my new one so you are just a click away!

Spicy-Sweet Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

If you ask my friend Eric, I’m not the one to give anyone advice on how to roast seeds. One fall, years ago, in Eric’s West Virginia cabin dubbed “The Shack,” we roasted pumpkin seeds. For the record, I wasn’t the one who turned the oven to broil, which ignited the seeds, sending flames up through the burners. Yes, cooking can be dangerous.

Luckily, while six adults stood around debating what you throw on a kitchen fire (water=bad, wet towel=good), Eric quickly donned heavy-duty potholders, reached in the oven, grabbed the flaming pan and shouted, “Get the camera!” and “Get the door!” (in that order) as he headed outside to the grill, a perfectly safe place for flames.

Click here...

Butternut Apple Soup with Gorgonzola and Bacon

This combines two of my favorite fall things — butternut squash and apples — with two of my all-year-round favorites — blue cheese and bacon.

Click here...

Be Like The Squirrel

Experts from my Friday, September 18, 2009 column in the Register Star.

As I've said before, I think that I was a squirrel in a previous life. All summer, I somewhat lackadaisically picked fresh vegetables from my garden or bought them at the farm stand. I got what I needed for the week and maybe a little extra to freeze. Now, with a chill in the air, I know the days of catch-as-catch-can are drawing near. The squirrels and I know this. We get a little panicky and start to hoard.

Read more.

Pita Bread

I made another big batch of baba ganoush. Nothing suits it better than homemade, hot-out of-the-oven pita bread. Seriously.

Click here for recipe.

Amy's Cake

I made a cake for our friend Amy’s birthday last year and her husband Yves asked for an encore this year…Silly, boy. I can never make the same cake twice, mainly because it's near neigh impossible for me to follow a recipe. This year's cake had two layers of chocolate cake (straight from the recipe on the box of Hershey’s cocoa mix, only with butter in place of the oil) and two layers of yellow cake. The yellow cake layers were topped with a soft chocolate ganache and the chocolate cake layers had a caramel sauce. The whole shabang was topped with a mixture of whipped cream, sugar, cream cheese and almond extract. A bit over the top you say?

Baba Ganoush & Ratatouille

I like eggplant. I like the taste and look of them. They come in all kinds of cartoon-like balloon shapes and sizes. They can be purple, elegantly striped or creamy white. Historically, eggplants and other nightshade vegetables, have suffered from bad press. Sometimes called "mala insana" or “mad apple,” it was thought that eggplants caused many ailments including fever, epilepsy and insanity. It’s no wonder that Northern Europeans mainly used them ornamentally until the 1600s.

The PR for eggplants in Spain was certainly more favorable. Prizing eggplants for aphrodisiac qualities, the Spaniards dubbed them, “Berengenas” or “The Apple of Love.” It’s all in the branding.

For the recipes, click here to go to my column in the Register Star.

Dark Chocolate Zucchini Cake

I’m going to come right out and say that this cake is good for you. And why not, it has zucchini, which has a good amount of vitamin C, the dark chocolate is full of antioxidants, and it has less sugar per serving than I put in my morning coffee. That being said, this cake isn’t super sweet. Too satisfy a particularly sweet tooth, top it with a cream cheese frosting.
Click here for the recipe.

Grilled Cubano & The Sandwich for Bleu Cheese Fans

While eating various types of food on bread has been around practically since the Stone Age, the term sandwich is more of a relatively recent appellation. Rumor has it that, in the 18th century, the fourth Earl of Sandwich liked to eat while playing cards. He didn’t like getting grease on the cards, so he started requesting that his meat, which he would normally eat with his fingers, be served between two pieces of bread. People, maybe other grease conscious card players, started to request the same, possibly saying, “I’ll have what Sandwich is having.” And a new term was born.

It wasn’t until the invention of sliced bread in 1928 that sandwiches comfortably took a seat at America’s dinner table and made their way into the country’s lunch pails. Since then, virtually everything has been tried on a sandwich, including Elvis’ infamous peanut butter, banana and bacon sandwich.

In a recent article in the New York Times Magazine, “Out of the Kitchen, Onto the Couch,” Michael Pollan laments that people are spending more time watching people cook on TV rather than actually cooking. He states, “The most popular meal in America, at both lunch and dinner, is a sandwich; the No. 1 accompanying beverage is a soda.”

While I am, of course, a big advocate of spending more time in the kitchen, I don’t see anything wrong with eating a sandwich for dinner, especially if it’s a good one and not just a piece of cheese thrown between two pieces of white bread (which I fear is what Pollan is referring to).

I bet you can whip out one of these sandwiches during the commercial breaks of Iron Chef. Be sure to trade in the soda for a seltzer with a splash of juice.

Go to the articles for recipes.>

Peaches

New column up at the Register Star.

While Georgia is known as the “Peach State,” I’ve tasted some darn good peaches here in New York. The local peach crop is now in full swing, so be sure to grab some.

The best place to get a peach is to pick one right from a tree. My friend Douglas said that he never buys supermarket peaches (unless they are local) because they go from being rock hard to mushy.

Peaches bound for the supermarket are cultivated for a long shelf life and a pretty red color. Flavor gets a back seat. They are also refrigerated, which can turn an unripe peach mealy.

Apparently we’ve been having that problem since the late 19th century. This from a New York Times editorial dated Aug. 23, 1895, written in response to an article claiming California peaches were of poor quality: A defense of California peaches – those sent to New York are poor because picked too soon, by Charles Vogelgesang:

The fruit is picked only half ripened, thus, in the first place, depriving it of the nourishment and sunshine necessary to give it its full flavor and sweetness. Consequently, it ripens without those essentials and, as I will admit, with very poor results as we usually find it in New York markets and thereby the fruit is placed at a sorry disadvantage when compared with that allowed to ripen on the trees and shipped comparatively few miles before reaching the consumer.

I always search out organic peaches. The Environmental Working Group, a not-for-profit research organization, has a list of the most pesticide contaminated fruits and vegetables, called the “Dirty Dozen.” Peaches top that list. They have the highest pesticide residue out of the 42 fruits and vegetables they tested. Pesticides easily migrate into the fruit through the soft skin of the peach. Since local peaches don’t have to travel far, farmers can get by with using less pesticide. Ask your peach farmer about his/her pesticide practices and/or shop for the organic variety.

Go to the Register Star for Peach Cobbler and Grilled Shrimp with Peaches and Bok Choy in a Spicy Peanut Sauce recipes.

Ellen Cooks: Panzanella

Please welcome guest author Ellen Simpson of "Ellen Cooks."
*****
I first learned of Panzanella, an Italian bread salad, from my Uncle Bob. My mother’s garden was overrun with tomatoes, and we had been devouring tomato and mayonnaise sandwiches for weeks. Bob, having arrived from L.A. in time for the thickest, most sweltering days of August, could only manage enthusiasm for one thing: panzanella. He had read about it in one of his favorite Italian cookbooks and was determined to give it a try. I was in my early 20s, living at home with my parents for the summer, and the idea of a salad built around soggy bread sounded revolting. Of course, Bob would correct me by saying, “its not soggy bread, my dear niece, it is bread that has already absorbed all the juices that we would otherwise be sopping up anyway.” I took one bite and fell in love. And he’s right. The bread in a panzanella shouldn’t be soggy at all. The bread should still hold its form, but be so laden with tomato juice and olive oil that the juices burst in your mouth when you take a bite. It’s a rustic dish that has no rules. Just add what you like. My family tosses the bread with grilled peppers, eggplant, onions, and squash. Olives, basil, and anchovies round it out.

The genius of a panzanella is that it is the ultimate Clean Out the Fridge meal. Day old bread, veggies left hanging around the bottom drawers, the last few olives and capers in a jar. If planned right, you can have a cleared out fridge and a delicious dinner. Okay, in reality, that’s never happened for me, but a girl can dream…

Cut day old bread (ciabatta, baguette, miche) into 1 inch cubes. If you don’t have day old bread you can cheat by cutting the bread into the cubes and sticking them in the oven at a low temperature until the cubes of bread start to dry out.

Squeeze out the juice of 5 large tomatoes into a mixing bowl, and then add extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper, to taste. Add a tablespoon of minced garlic to the juice mixture.

Slice, oil, and grill your vegetables.

Take a handful of the bread cubes and dunk them into the tomato juice concoction. Make sure all the cubes have a chance to soak up some of the juice, but remove them from the juice before they get soggy. Place them into a salad bowl. Repeat this step until either all the bread is gone, or all the juice is gone. Top the tomato-soaked bread with the grilled vegetables, black olives, capers, anchovies, and fresh basil. Done!

Ellen lives in Brooklyn with her husband John, who will eat anything. She works at Buttermilk Channel Restaurant and recently received an advanced certificate from the Wine and Spirit Education Trust.

Tomatoes

As a kid, I had to do chores. If my siblings and I fought, we had to do extra chores. We often fought. I don’t know why my parents thought it would be a good idea to make fighting siblings do chores together, especially if one of the chores was gathering rotten tomatoes from the garden to feed to my brother’s pigs.

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Grilled Pizza

Anyone who has come to our house for a summer dinner in the last couple years has had grilled pizza. It’s easy, everyone loves it and it’s as close as you can get to a wood-fired/coal-fired pizza at home. Pizza is also one of those easy, go-to dinners. The toppings are endless so you won’t likely get bored. Plus you can custom tailor each pie (or even each slice) to every diner’s taste. Read More...

Picnic on the Hudson with Trixie

Since the weather finally feels like summer, my Mom suggested that I write an article about picnics. Good idea, Mom. Some of my favorite meals have been picnics. This spring, we had a sprawling one in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park. Friends kept showing up with food and blankets. It certainly captured the spirit of casual outdoor dining.

Aside from the ants, one of the challenges of picnics is transporting the goods. My takeout containers and tinfoil don’t always do the trick. As luck would have it, I ran into Trixie Starr showcasing Tupperware at the opening of Clear Massage Studio. Who better to go on a picnic with than someone who is an expert in food storage?

Trixie has the envy of any kitch-collecting diva, a Tupperware picnic set from the ’70s. One look at it and the whole picnic took shape in my head.
Read more...







Trixie will be showcasing her Tupperware at a benefit for The Second Show Community Thrift Store from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Jason’s Upstairs Bar, 21 Warren St., Hudson. Twenty-five percent of all sales will benefit The Second Show.

Zucchini Lemon Bread, Squash Blossoms & Sesame Ginger Zucchini Salad

Ahh, zucchini … the ubiquitous vegetable of summer. Its prolific nature has given it kind of a bad rap. People seem to search out ways to get rid of the vegetable. Garrison Keillor jokes that people in Lake Wobegon have to lock their cars in the summer so neighbors don’t leave their extra squash in the back seat. Several Web sites claim that Aug. 8 is “Sneak some zucchini onto your neighbor’s porch day.” I hope someone sneaks some onto our porch!
Keep reading...

Quick Pickles

Biting into a chilled cucumber is like biting into ice water...

Biting into a chilled cucumber is like biting into ice water. The taste is cool and clean. It’s no wonder because they are made up of 95% water.

While cucumbers don’t pack as much nutritional value as some of their garden neighbors, they do have a bit of vitamin A, vitamin C, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, and potassium. Plus with skin intact, they provide a healthy dose of fiber.

Cucumbers are often used topically for skin problems. The oft shown cliché of two slices on each eye actually will help lessen the damage from a night out on the town. The coolness of the cukes can sooth tired, puffy eyes. Plus eating one will help re-hydrate you.

I love these pickles. They are quick, easy and delicious. I see no need to buy store-bought pickles again!

Ingredients
2-3 cucumbers, trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch round slices
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup cider vinegar (or enough to cover the cucumber slices)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup onion, sliced thin

Grilled Meat Loaf, Mashed Potatoes & Green Beans

Growing up I went through a phase of requesting meat loaf for my birthday dinner. My Grandmother’s recipe with a tangy tomato sauce was the perfect accompaniment for a chilly winter evening. We always had it with mashed potatoes and home-canned green beans. I’ll admit the green beans were not my favorite part. As we were a clean-plate family, I begrudgingly ate the five or so that were put on my plate.

I usually don’t make meat loaf in the summer, mainly because we don’t have air conditioning in our kitchen. Happily I stumbled on a recipe for grilled meatloaf in a magazine (it was a “special advertising section” for a grill). It sparked my imagination to try a family favorite—meat loaf, mash potatoes and green beans—all on the grill.

As luck would have it, my husband and I were in Virginia last weekend visiting family. Who better to try a redux of a family standard?

I believe the first response to my proposed meal was, “That sounds interesting” with “interesting” stretched out and the last syllable raised like a question. Then it was “That will take FOR-EVER” followed by “Have you USED Mom’s grill lately?”

“Pish-posh,” I replied as I mixed the meat with my hands. My sister then began busying herself making her kids a separate meal. I’m not sure if it was taste preference or time concerns. To be fair, the later is legitimate. I’ve been known, to my Mom’s chagrin, to sit down for dinner at 9 or 10 at night.

Mom has a gas grill. The ignition switch has long been broken, but with a quick strike of a match we were off and grilling. I set the heat to medium and carefully set the loafs on the grates and closed the grill. In no time, the bottom of one was chard pitch black. Oops. My sister was right about the grill; apparently it has quite a hot spot. She was also right about the time. Aside from the uber-well-done bottom, the meatloaf was coming along nicely but the potatoes were rock hard. My quick-thinking husband popped them into the microwave then returned them to the grates for a grilled finish.

The green beans were the least trouble, if you don’t count loosing a few through the grill grates. The whole meal was on the table in about an hour. The kids still preferred the cheese quesadillas but the adults were all quite happy with the grilled feast, burnt meat and all.

Grilled Meat Loaf
Adapted from a Weber grill advertisement.

Ingredients
2 lbs ground beef (local and /or grass fed preferred)
1/2 lbs ground pork sausage (local and nitrate-free preferred)
2 slices whole wheat bread, torn into small pieces
1 cup onion, chopped fine
2/3 cup green pepper, chopped
2 eggs
2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2-3 garlic cloves minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1/2 cup ketchup

Method
-In a large bowl, mix ground beef, sausage, bread, onion, green peppers, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, 1/4 cup ketchup, salt and pepper. Mix
well, using your hands is the best way.
- Divide into three loafs.
- Mix the ketchup and barbecue sauce and generously brush each meat loaf with it. Reserve the remaining sauce to serve with the meatloaf.
-Prepare the grill for indirect heat medium-to-medium low heat, about 300ºF. Spray or wipe grates with oil to prevent sticking.
-Gently place the meatloaf onto the grate. I found it easiest to use my hands, but a metal spatula would work also.
-Grill with the lid closed until the interior meat temperature is155ºF or until the juices run clear. This will take around 35-45 minutes. If your grill has a hot spot, watch it and move things around accordingly.
-Remove from grill and let rest for 10 minutes. Add the remaining sauce equally on each loaf, cut into 1/2 inch slices and serve with mashed potatoes.

Serves 8



Grilled Mashed Potatoes
These tasted like smoky baked potatoes with all the good stuff on them already.

Ingredients
8-10 medium-large potatoes, washed, skin on (any type will do)
1 stick of butter
1/4 cup of milk
1/4-1/2 cup of plain yogurt or sour cream
Salt and pepper to taste

Method
-If potatoes are large, cut in half. Rub each potato with butter and place on in a microwave safe dish. Microwave for five minutes.
- Spray or wipe grates with oil to prevent sticking and prepare for medium heat.
-Close grill lid and roast for about 15 minutes or until soft, turning often.
- Place grilled potatoes in a large bowl and add the remaining butter, yogurt or sour cream, milk, salt and pepper and mash.

Serves 8


Grilled Green Beans
Double this recipe and have grilled beans on hand to toss in a salad.

Ingredients
1 pound fresh green beans, ends trimmed
1/8 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Method
-In a large bowl, toss beans with olive oil, garlic salt and pepper.
- Place beans on medium-hot grill. Set bowl used to mix aside. Grill for about 10 minutes turning them often (try not to loose too many through the grates). The beans should be bright green and slightly charred in spots.
-Return grilled beans to the bowl and toss. Add more olive oil, salt and pepper if needed.
-Serve warm or cold.

Sour Cherry Pies To Go

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Excerpt from my July 10, 2009 column in the Register Star and Daily Mail:
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I look forward to the first weeks of July. Not for the fireworks or summer cookouts, but for the sour cherries. I patiently wait for the sweet cherries to come and go and keep my eye out for the sour ones. Once they are ready, I pick as many as a person can reasonably haul. I pit them, divvy them up into Ziploc bags, freeze them and hoard them for the rest of the year. They are, by far, my favorite fruit.

Growing up, we had three cherry trees on the farm. There was a black cherry tree a few yards from our back door and two sour cherry trees on the far side of the field beside the garage. I would happily climb through the barbed-wire fence and cross the field to fill my pail with cherries. Then, with little supervision, I would make a sour cherry cheesecake, using a pre-made gram cracker crust, sweetened condensed milk and cream cheese. My recipes have changed since then, but my fondness for sour cherry desserts certainly hasn’t.

I could eat sour cherry pie filling with a spoon, though it is a little more civilized to eat it in a pie. Here’s a version you can throw in a lunch box. The recipe is adapted from a cherry turnover recipe from www.recipegirl.com who adapted it from The Art & Soul of Baking, which probably adapted it from some place else.

Ingredients
For Crust
11/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar
pinch of salt
1 stick cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
8-ounce package of cold cream cheese, roughly cut into pieces
I teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar

For Filling
2 cups pitted & halved fresh sour cherries
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 Teaspoon salt

For Assembly:
1 large egg yolk
2 Tablespoon milk
Sugar

Method
Crust-
You can make this either using a pastry blender or a food processor
-Place the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl, mix for a few seconds.
- Cut in the cold butter pieces with pastry blender and mix, until the mixture looks like crumbs (or pulse with food processor).
-Add vinegar and cut in the cream cheese and mix until a ball forms ( or pulse quickly with food processor until a ball has formed).
-Turn the clump of dough onto floured surface and knead gently to bring dough together. This dough is forgiving but try not to over work it.
-Flatten into a 7-inch square.
-Wrap with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes or up to 2 days.

Filling
-Pit cherries and place in medium saucepan.
-Mix cherries with sugar, cornstarch and salt.
-Heat over medium until juices have thickened.

Assemble
-Heat oven to 375°F
-Place the dough on a lightly floured surface.
- Roll into a square that is roughly 15x15 inches. The dough will be stiff and a little hard to work.
- Using a pizza cutter, cut into nine 5-inch squares.
- Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly grease with butter.
- Place the dough squares onto prepared baking sheets. Place a couple of tablespoonfuls of the cherries onto each square.
- Whisk the egg yoke and milk together
- Brush edges of pastry square with egg wash. Carefully fold into a triangle, keeping the cherries enveloped in the dough. Use the tines of a fork to press the edges together and seal them.
-Brush the tops of the pies with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.
-Using a sharp knife, carefully cut two-three slits in the top of each turnover to allow steam to escape during baking.
-Place baking sheets in oven and bake for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown. Rotate the sheets halfway through.
-Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool. Serve warm with ice cream or at room temperature. I like mine plain. I want as little as possible getting between me and that sour cherry pie filling!

Yield: 9

Grilled Meat Loaf, Mashed Potatoes & Green Beans

A family favorite — meat loaf, mashed potatoes and green beans — all on the grill.

Finally, my column is online! Click here to read more.

Cherry Garcia Knock-off

I’m pretty sure I’ve cracked the Cherry Garcia code with this one.
I’m pretty sure I’ve cracked the Cherry Garcia code with this one.
Click here.

Sour Cherry Ketchup

This is my new favorite ketchup.
Click Here.

Aussie Burgers

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Excerpt from my July 3, 2009 column in the Register Star and Daily Mail:
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After visiting Australia, my cousin Leslie asked me if beets because she wanted to put them on a burger. Apparently, if you are Down Under, it is customary to add a beet slice to your grilled burger…and a fried egg, pineapple or whatever else you fancy.

Get both hands and plenty of napkins ready for this one.

Click here for more.

Sugar Snap Pesto

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Excerpt from my June 26, 2009 column in the Register Star and Daily Mail:
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Pesto means “to pound.” Traditionally it was made with a mortar and pestle. I will occasionally make regular pesto that way. For this recipe, a food processor makes quick work of “pounding” the pea pods. The result is a beautifully green, bright tasting pesto. Perfect for tossing in pasta or serving with grilled fish or chicken.
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Sweet Pea Ice Cream with Orange Zest

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Excerpt from my column in the Register Star and Daily Mail:
*******

This is for the adventurous ice cream eater. The flavor is a combination between orange sherbet and green tea ice cream. It makes a nice bright ending to a summer meal. You will need an ice cream maker for this recipe.

Click for more.

Grilled Strawberry Salsa

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Excerpts from my column in the Register Star and Daily Mail:
*******

Grilling the strawberries brings out their sweetness and adds a nice hint of smokiness. It’s a tasty, colorful topping for grilled chicken, fish or pork.

Ingredients
12 large strawberries
Juice from 1/2 lime
1/4 cup chopped Vidalia onions
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped jalapeno
1 tablespoon of sugar
Salt and pepper to taste

Method
-Wash and remove caps from strawberries and place onto skewers (if using bamboo skewers, soak in water for 20 minutes before using to prevent burning).
-Place skewered strawberries on grill over a medium-hot heat for about 6-7 minutes, turning once. Set aside.
-Place chopped onions, chopped jalapeno in lime juice, let sit for 10 minutes.
-Chop strawberries and add to lime mixture.
-Add sugar and cilantro, mix lightly. Salt and pepper to taste.
-Let flavors meld for at least 10 minutes.

Serve over grilled chicken, fish or pork.

Crispy Seaweed Snacks

Ever since our friend Melanie visited a few weeks ago and told us about snacking on seaweed, I’ve been intrigued. I decided to give this healthy snack a go. I tried two types. Nori and alaria. The nori chips were a little too, well, seaweedy for me. The alaria chips were nice, light, crisp and only slightly reminiscent of the sea.

If it is humid where you live (believe me, it is humid here) you’ll need to eat the chips shortly after you make them or they will get a bit soggy.

Crispy Alaria

Ingredients
2-3 strips of Alaria
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

Method
- Using kitchen shears, cut the seaweed into bite-sized pieces.
- Place in skillet with toasted sesame oil and cook over medium heat. The color will change from black to a dark to mid green.
- Let cool, then eat!


Crispy Nori

Ingredients
2-3 sheets of nori
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
sea salt

Method
- Using a pastry brush lightly coat the nori with toasted sesame oil
- Cook nori in skillet over medium high heat 15 to 20 seconds each side.
- Sprinkle with crushed sea salt.
- Cool, cut into bite-sized bits and enjoy.

Sesame Ginger Chicken with Roasted Radishes on Radish Greens

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Excerpts from my column in the Register Star and Daily Mail:
*******

I love a good spicy raw radish, but I only think of them as just nice crunchy additions to my salad. Turns out, I had a very myopic view of radishes. Not only are there endless salad variations for the brightly colored globes, but you can also cook them. To be frank, cooking a radish never crossed my mind. I just didn’t think it was done. Thank goodness for the Internet to broaden my culinary horizons.

Radishes are a member of the cruciferous family, which includes health-star siblings like cabbage, kale, broccoli and Brussels sprouts. Radishes are a good source of vitamin C, they are high in antioxidants, high in dietary fiber, and low in calories. Radish greens pack even more vitamin C than the globes. Radishes are purported to be beneficial for respiratory problems, digestive disorders, asthma, bronchitis and liver and gallbladder troubles. All of that in a pretty pink little package.

Our radishes are still growing. I have pulled a few very tasty gumball-sized one. The radishes at the farmer’s market give ours something to which to aspire. They are beautiful indeed. So I grabbed several bunches and decided to experiment.

Sesame Ginger Chicken with Roasted Radishes on Radish Greens
I like this recipe because it satisfies my frugal nature by using all the parts of the radish. In fact, the radish greens in this dish are my favorite part.

Ingredients
4-6 pieces of chicken, skin on (plan on 3 ounces per person)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger root
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup sake (optional)
1/4 sesame seeds
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup water
2 bunches of radishes (with greens)
Dash of Cayenne pepper

(Serves 2-4)

Method
-Rinse chicken pieces in water and pat dry.
-Mix soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, sesame seeds, honey, ginger, garlic, sake, lime, rice vinegar and water. Set aside 1/4 cup and pour the rest over the chicken. Let marinate for 20 minutes (or longer if you have the time).
-Preheat oven to 400°F.
-Wash radishes and radish greens well. Remove greens and set aside.
-Cut radish globes into fourths and toss in the reserved 1/4 cup of marinade until coated.
-Brush the bottom of a roasting pan with olive oil.
- Arrange chicken pieces skin-side up in roasting pan. Pour marinade over chicken.
- Add radishes around the chicken.
-Cook for 30 minutes at 400°F. Then lower the heat to 350°F and cook for 15-20 minutes more until juices run clear or until the internal temperature reads 170° F.
-Remove and chicken and radishes from the roasting pan and set aside leaving the liquid in the pan.
-Toss the washed radish greens in the pan.
-Return pan to oven for 3-4 more minutes or until the greens are wilted.

To serve, place the greens on a plate, top with the chicken and radishes. Drizzle the pan drippings over everything. Coconut rice from last week’s column will go nicely with this dish.

Crispy Kale

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Excerpts from my column in the Register Star and Daily Mail:
*******



I am a late bloomer to kale. In my mind I used to lump all greens together as something you cook all day in a big pot with a hambone. Maybe that’s just my Southern roots showing. As a kid, I steered clear away from anything green stewing in a pot. As a health conscious adult, I started to get interested in greens but didn’t have a clue how to cook them.

Several years ago, while visiting Washington, D.C., I was standing in front of the produce section trying to figure out which greens to choose. They had mustard greens, collard greens and kale. I happened to overhear a lady say something to her husband and was happy to hear a melodic southern drawl. I thought that she would be a good one to ask. So I did.

She said, “Well, some people like kale because it is mild. Some people like the collards because it’s more flavorful. I like mustard greens because they have a bit of bite.” She paused then continued, “But you really almost have to be Southern to cook them right.”

I grew up in Virginia. To my Deep South relatives, I am a Northerner and to my Northern friends I’m Southern.

I tried to impress her with my Southern lineage. “I’m from Virginia and most of my relatives are from Georgia.”

“Well” she said as she turned to walk away, “maybe you ought to get them to cook them.” Clearly, to her, Virginia wasn’t far enough south.

Maybe I’ve been on a vendetta to prove the Southern lady in the grocery store wrong, because since then, I put kale in everything. Everything… soups, meatloaf, tomato sauce, mac and cheese, scrambled eggs, smoothies. It’s not the taste I’m going for, since kale is rather innocuous and blends in with the other flavors, it’s the nutritional boost. It is a true superfood.

Crispy Kale

Vegetables that taste like potato chips…what’s not to love? This recipe is adapted from Bon Appétit. I experimented with different greens, including Swiss chard, collard greens and radish leaves. I liked kale the best, though all variations were interesting. The radish leaves tasted like crunchy, salty air (but tended to burn easily).

Ingredients
Kale leaves, rinsed, dried, cut lengthwise into 2-inch strips, center rib and stem removed
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt, pepper, cayenne pepper to taste

Method
-Preheat oven to 300°F.
-Toss kale with oil in large bowl.
-Sprinkle with salt, pepper and a dash of cayenne pepper.
-Arrange leaves in single layer on a baking sheet.
-Bake for 10 minutes; flip and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until crisp. When done they will be light and airy.
-Transfer leaves to rack to cool, then serve.

Dress that Salad

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Excerpts from my column in the Register Star and Daily Mail:
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The salad days are here. The garden is young, green and hopeful. Our salad bed is quite jubilant. We’ve been harvesting our dinner salad almost everyday. Though I rarely get tired of freshly plucked greens, it helps to have an extensive salad dressing repertoire to ward off potential boredom.

I usually quickly whip up a salad dressing fresh for each salad. Most of the recipes listed are just enough to dress a salad for four. A couple of the recipes will make enough extra to keep on hand.

Balsamic Vinaigrette
Everyone should have a solid vinaigrette recipe in his or her arsenal. This is a nice one from my friend Dori. You can substitute other herbs for the thyme. Rosemary and basil both make excellent substitutions.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1-2 garlic cloves
1 - 2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Squeeze of fresh lemon (about 1/2 tablespoon)
Fresh thyme - 3 fresh sprigs, stripped (or 1/2 palm dried)
Freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Method:
Place all ingredients it in a mini-prep or blender. Blend until it creates a nice emulsion and let sit for at least 1 hour.

Makes enough for several salads. Keep refrigerated for up to two weeks. Bring to room temperature before using.

Simple Lemon Dressing
I’m particularly excited about our arugula crop. The peppery leaf is by far my favorite salad green. To dress it, I like to keep it very simple, allowing the flavor of the leaf to shine through.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1-2 teaspoons sugar or honey
Salt/pepper to taste.

Method
Mix all ingredients well and toss with salad.

Yogurt Blue Cheese Dressing
This is a good one to make on the fly. It’s a nice creamy change from the vinaigrettes we usually have.

Ingredients
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Dash or two of cayenne pepper
Salt, pepper to taste.

Method
-Mash the blue cheese with a fork. Mix all ingredients until the consistency is creamy. Toss with salad.

Lemon Vinaigrette
My friend Jan made this one day last summer. We are both from Virginia but now she lives in California and I live in New York. We met at Bonnie and Earl’s farm in Wake, Virginia. I’m not sure if it was the idyllic setting or the toasted cumin that made this dressing so delightful.

This goes traditionally on a Fattoush salad but toss it with any fresh greens and vegetables, throw in some feta cheese and you have a winner.

Ingredients
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic (about 1-2 cloves)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon white rice vinegar
3/4 teaspoon toasted ground cumin
5 ounces extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method
-Toast cumin in heavy small skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. You can toast the ground cumin, or toast whole cumin seeds and then grind them.
- Whisk the remaining ingredients together and toss in salad.

Lemon Tahini Dressing
I love this simple dressing on a spinach salad tossed with chic peas.

Ingredients
2 tablespoon Tahini
2-3 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon sugar or honey
1 tablespoon water
Salt/pepper to taste

Method
-Mix all ingredients well and toss with salad.

Vanilla-Pear Vinaigrette
My friend Sydney first made this vinaigrette for me a couple years ago. I was hooked at first bite. Luckily she gave me a bottle of it and the recipe so I could eat it to my hearts content. This dressing is great tossed with mixed field greens, thinly sliced red onions, walnuts and goat cheese.

Ingredients
1- 15 oz can pear halves in natural juice, undrained
1/3 c. white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dash ground red pepper

Method
-Drain pears, reserving 1/3 cup juice
-Combine pears, juice, vinegar, and remaining ingredients in a blender, process until smooth
-Makes two cups and will keep for a couple months refrigerated.

Rhubarb Soda and Rhubarb Ice Tea

I’ve been lucky enough lately to get two armloads of rhubarb. I picked the second bunch from my friend Hudson’s ancient rhubarb patch. What a beauty!

Rhubarb Soda
Ingredients
4 cups rhubarb, roughly chopped
1 to 2 cup sugar (depending if you want a sweet or tart soda)
3 cups water
Seltzer or other fizzy water

Method
-Place rhubarb, water and 1 cup of sugar in saucepan. Bring to a boil.
-Turn heat down and cook until rhubarb falls apart. Taste and adjust the sweetness.
-Strain and chill the syrup. (I keep the cooked down rhubarb and throw it in muffins.)
-Serve over ice with seltzer.


Rhubarb Ice Tea
-Follow the recipe for rhubarb soda.
-Add three tea bags to the syrup while it is cooling. I like to use Earl Grey.
-Dilute with 2 quarts of water.
-Serve over ice

Refreshing!

Rhubarb Sorbet

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This first appeared in the Register Star and Daily Mail.
*******

I was very excited when Otto from Otto’s Market gave me a big bunch of rhubarb. I had been asking him every week whether his rhubarb was ready. Finally it was. Spring is here indeed! The stalks were a beautiful crimson and green. I was especially happy about the windfall because the rhubarb I planted last year in my shady backyard is currently all leaves and no stalk…not what you want in rhubarb (see below).

I love rhubarb for two reasons. One, I love anything tart, and rhubarb is indeed tart. Two, I love it because it’s unexpected. Botanically, rhubarb is a vegetable but it is used like a fruit. It looks like celery, but sure doesn’t taste like it.

To prepare, wash well, cut the tops and bottoms off (as you would with celery). The leaves are mildly toxic, so don’t eat them! (Yes, this is why my rhubarb plant is rather unfortunate). You’ll notice that it has a stringy outer layer. If you chop it finely, there is no need to peel this layer but you can peel it if the stalk is particularly thick.

Whenever I see rhubarb at the market, I pick up enough to make a few dishes now and extra to freeze (wash and chop before freezing). There is nothing better than a spring-like pie in the dead of winter!

Rhubarb Sorbet
This is a nice refreshing sorbet with a pretty dark pink color. The tartness of rhubarb and sweetness of strawberries is a classic combination. The fresh mint adds a refreshing layer. This sorbet is more sweet than tart. Adjust the sugar to taste. If you want a light and fluffy sorbet, whip an egg white and fold it into the mixture before freezing.

Ingredients
2 cups water
1 cups sugar
3-4 cups rhubarb, chopped
1/4 cup sliced strawberries
5-10 fresh mint leaves plus extra for garnish

Method
-Combine the water, sugar, rhubarb, strawberries in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil, and simmer for 5 minutes, or until rhubarb is tender.
-Add the mint leaves.
- Refrigerate and let cool completely.
-Puree in a blender.
-Transfer to an ice cream maker and churn until frozen (note, if you don’t have an ice cream maker, place mixture in lidded container and freeze.



Boo & Bing: Not ready for their close-up

Naan

I’ve been experimenting with naan recipes. Some of my batches would be great for pizza dough, but tasted nothing like naan. This recipe is close to restaurant-style naan, but I think you need a tandori oven to really pull it off. Apparently if you have a pizza stone, you can get close to tandori-made naan. I don’t have a pizza stone, so I just used a baking sheet.

Ingredients
2 cups of flour (white or whole wheat)
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
3/4 cup lukewarm water
1 teaspoon melted butter or ghee

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 500ºF with pizza stone or baking sheet on the lower rack.
1. Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water and let it sit for about 5 minutes.
2. Sift together sugar, salt, baking soda and flour.
3. Add the oil, water/yeast mixture and yogurt and mix well.
4. Knead until the dough is smooth, about 5-6 minutes. Add more flour if the dough is too sticky.
5. Place dough in an oiled bowl, cover and let rise until doubled in size, 3-4 hours.
8. Gently knead the dough for a couple minutes and divide it into six equal parts.
9. Take each piece of dough, and hand-flatten to a disk about 1/2 thick. Don’t worry if it isn’t even, that gives it character.
10. Place two pieces on the pizza stone/baking sheet at a time. Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until puffy and light golden brown.
11. Allow the stone/baking sheet to heat back up for a few minutes before making the next batch. Since I am impatient, I use two baking sheets. One sheet is heating up while the other is cooking the naan.
11. Remove naan from oven and brush with butter or ghee.
Serve hot.
Yu-umm.

Grilled Blue Cheese Portobello Burgers

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This first appeared in the Register Star and Daily Mail.
*******

Last Saturday I was doing yard work in our backyard when I noticed a mushroom that looked suspiciously like a morel. Let me say that I know nothing about foraging for wild mushrooms. The real potential of picking a poisonous one has, to my Mom’s relief, scared me off. But THIS one, was too tempting to ignore. I did some research and determined that it was indeed a true morel…so we cooked and ate it (apparently it is wise to thoroughly cook wild mushrooms).

Eating wild mushrooms isn’t something to do wily-nily. If you want to go mushroom-hunting, do lots of research, find a guide and/or join a mycological club.

Luckily, you can get a variety of interesting mushrooms in the grocery store, no guide book or bug spray needed.

Mushrooms are an excellent source of B and D vitamins and a good source of many minerals including selenium, copper, potassium, phosphorus, and zinc. They are low in calories and are purported to have cancer prevention properties, so eat up!

Now I love a good burger, but I’ve been reading Mark Bittman’s “Food Matters” and want to incorporate less meat into my diet. Bittman encourages people to be “Lessmeatarians.” Bittman notes that global livestock production is responsible for more greenhouse gasses than transportation. He believes that small changes in people’s diet can help decrease global warming while improving your health. Eating less meat is one of the changes he recommends (cutting junk food out of your diet is another one). Bittman states “simple lifestyle choices (can) help you loose weight, reduce your risk of many long-term or chronic diseases, save you real money, and help stop global warming.” Sounds good to me.

A large portabella mushroom has about 30 calories. A 6-ounce hamburger patty weighs in at around 350 calories (more or less depending on how lean the ground beef is). Easy to see how the mushroom burger is a healthier choice. I won’t be swapping fungi for meat all summer, but once in a while it’s an inexpensive, flavorful, healthy substitute. Save the planet, slim your waist, and get a delicious meal all at the same time. That’s hard to pass up.

Ingredients

4 large Portobello mushroom caps, 4-5 inches in diameter
4 whole-wheat buns
4 thick slices of onion
1 cup Blue cheese (substitute your preferred cheese)
Few handfuls of arugula (or other greens)

Marinade:
2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon honey
1-2 garlic clove, minced
Dash cayenne pepper

Method

-Select burger-sized, plump, firm mushrooms. Avoid limp, dried or slimy looking ones (if not using right away, store in the refrigerator wrapped in a paper towel).
-Clean mushrooms with a mushroom brush or damp cloth and remove their stems (I save the stems in a freezer bag for stock).
-Place in a dish, stem/gill side up.
-For the marinade, whisk together the vinegar, water, honey, garlic, cayenne pepper and olive oil and drizzle the marinade over the mushrooms.
-Cover and marinate for 30 minutes or more, turning mushrooms once.
-Prepare a charcoal grill or heat a gas grill to medium high heat.
-Brush the grill with oil.
-Grill the mushrooms on medium heat for about 5 minutes on each side. The longer you cook the mushrooms, the meatier they get, just be sure not to burn them.
-With the gill side up, place blue cheese on the mushroom and cook until melted
-Place each mushroom on a bun and top with an onion slice, arugula, a tomato slice (if in season) and whatever condiments you prefer (like homemade mayo, ketchup, and mustard).

Wheat Hamburger Buns

These are not quite as fluffy as store-bought ones, but are delicious and quick…only 40 minutes from start to burger.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons active dry yeast
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water (110° F to 115° F) 1/3 cup olive oil or melted butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon ground flax seeds
3 to 3-1/2 cups wheat flour (for a lighter bun, use white flour or a combination of wheat and white)

Method:
In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add oil/butter and sugar; let stand for 5 minutes. Add the egg, salt and mix enough flour to form a soft dough.

Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 4-5 minutes. Do not let rise.

Divide into 8 pieces; shape each into a ball. Place on greased baking sheets and flatten. This dough tends to rise upward not out, so be sure the diameter is the size you want the bun. My first batch looked like golf balls.

Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Bake at 425° for 8-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. Makes 8 buns.

Homemade Ketchup

Ketchup is one of those condiments that doesn’t excite me but it is very much required for my hamburgers and French fries. Homemade ketchup changed this myopic view. It has a wonderful, complex flavor and you can make endless variations. Knowing me, I will most likely never make the same version twice.

This version is made with strained tomatoes, so the cooking time is short. In the summer I hope to try it again with fresh tomatoes. (I can’t wait for tomato season!)

I large can or box of strained tomatoes (I use Pomi in a box, which is 26.5 oz)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 small onion
2 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup carrots
1 garlic clove
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon molasses
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon of cayenne
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon turmeric

Saute the garlic, onions and carrots in olive oil until soft.
Add the remaining ingredients.
Simmer uncovered over medium-low heat for 30-40 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.
Let cool.
Puree in a blender.
Store in the fridge.

Let me know if you come up with any interesting variations!

Spicy Mustard

In the next three blog entries, I’m going to cover the trifecta of condiments– mayo, ketchup and mustard.

I’ll start with mustard because it's super easy. You just need mustard seeds or mustard powder, water, a little vinegar and a blender. The rest is optional.

My friends Ellen, Christine and I made mustard for gifts one year. With three cooks adding various things, we came up with an interesting, delicious combination. Too bad we’ll never be able to replicate that recipe.

This time, I took notes.

I threw in ground flax seed (omega 3) and turmeric, (an anti-inflammatory) because I like sneaking healthy things in wherever I can.

This is spicy mustard. If you want it less spicy, add less whole mustard seeds, more vinegar and more honey.

Here’s what you’ll need:

2 tablespoons of brown mustard seeds
2 tablespoons of dry mustard powder
1/4 cup of water
1 teaspoon of sea salt (or more to taste)
2 tablespoons of honey or sugar (or more to taste)
2 tablespoons of lemon juice, vinegar or wine (or more to taste)
1 tablespoon of turmeric (optional)
1 tablespoon of ground flax seed (optional)
1-2 tablespoons of whey (optional)

Soak the mustard seeds for a few hours (or overnight)
Place all ingredients in the blender and blend until it looks like mustard.
That’s it.

It will be quite spicy and maybe even a little bitter at first. It will take a few days for the flavor to fully develop and for the spice to mellow.

Store in the refrigerator in a glass jar. The mustard should keep for several months. It’s getting to be BBQ season and my husband IS the 2008 Hot Dog Eating Champion of Columbia County, so our jar might not make it through May.

Maple Marshmallows

My friend Virginia asked me if I had ever made marshmallows. She was looking for marshmallows without “all that junk” the store- bought varieties have and didn't want to shell out 10 bucks for the artisanal ones. I hadn’t made them before, but Fairlight, the awe-inspiring baker at Otto’s Market, makes them about every week. She assured me that they were easy, so I decided to give them a whirl.

Even though corn syrup was invented in 1882 (so it falls within my 19th century ingredient criteria), I decided to use maple syrup instead. I also tried a batch substituting honey for the syrup. I thought the honey flavor was over-powering. You can substitute corn syrup or use any combination of syrups. I have some Steen's cane syrup I want to try next.

Historically, marshmallows were made from the marsh mallow root, which has properties similar to gelatin. I would love to try to make them using the root, but today I’ll keep it simple.

You’ll need a candy thermometer and a stand mixer. You could use a hand mixer but you’ll need to hold it for about 15 minutes. Marshmallows have been being made since before the invention of electricity, so I suppose you could also use a whisk and get a good forearm workout.

I used these sites for references:
Cooking for Engineers (love this site!), Martha Stewart and this nifty blog, Brownie Points (this site has a nice pdf of a recipe).

Ingredients
4 envelopes unflavored gelatin (one box)
3 cups granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups cornstarch (or powdered sugar)

Directions

1. Line 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish with parchment paper, be sure the sides are covered with the paper. Lightly oil it then generously coat with cornstarch or powdered sugar. Fairlight suggests using cornstarch if you plan to store them for any length of time.

2. Put 3/4 cup of water into a mixing bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin into the water and set aside to let soften (this is called blooming the gelatin, which must be named after Mr. Oscar Bloom who invented a device for measuring the rigidity of gelatin).

3. Put sugar, maple syrup, salt, and 3/4 cup water into a saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar.

4. Once the sugar is dissolved, cook, without stirring, until mixture registers 238 degrees on a candy thermometer, about 9 minutes.

5. Using a whisk attachment on your mixer, start to mix the blooming gelatin. With the mixer on low, slowly add the hot syrup to the gelatin mixture. Remember that stuff is 238º so be careful!

6. After you have all of the hot syrup mixed in, gradually raise the speed to high. Beat until the mixture is very stiff, about 11 minutes.

7. Pour into the prepared dish and smooth with a lightly oiled spatula. Leave uncovered until firm (about 3 hours but overnight is ok).

8. Sift cornstarch (or powered sugar) on a cutting board. Turn the marshmallows onto the board. Dust a pizza cutter or knife with cornstarch and cut them into 1 inch squares (bigger or smaller if you want).

9. Toss the squares in cornstarch (or confectioners' sugar). Be sure they are well coated. They will be very sticky if they aren’t. Store in an airtight container for several weeks.

Hot chocolate anyone?

Garlic Roasted Beans

A few weeks ago my friend David made a delicious snack by roasting Garbanzo beans. They were tasty, salty, and crunchy—the three things I look for in a good snack. I ate them with impunity, knowing I was getting protein and folic acid along with my snack-food fix.

Roasted garbanzo beans are a traditional Spanish tapas— but why stop at garbanzo beans? I had a jar of beautiful anasazi Beans so I tried them. I also tried white beans. The garbanzo beans held their shape the best; they went in the oven looking like garbanzo beans and came out looking like garbanzo beans. The other beans opened up as they cooked. This gave them a delicious, airy crunch.

2 cups of cooked beans, drained (I start off with dried beans. Click here for bean-cooking details.)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon of sea salt (or more to taste)
1/2 teaspoon of pepper (black or cayenne, I use both)
1 Tablespoon of olive oil (you can actually omit this if you want)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Toss all ingredients until well coated.

Spread out in a single layer in a baking sheet with sides (if you omitted the olive oil, lightly grease the pan).

Bake for 40-50 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes or so. When done, they should be crispy.

Experiment with different spices/herbs. Cumin and Rosemary? Wait until after the beans are roasted before you add fresh herbs (or cheese…ymmm). Buen apetito!

One of my New Year’s resolutions is to eat pudding every day. Like my other resolutions, I’ve already slacked off, but today, I’m getting back on track…at least on the eating pudding part.

I don’t know why anyone would ever bother with pre-packaged pudding. Homemade pudding is easy, delicious, and you most likely have everything you need in your cupboard.

2 cups of milk
3/4 cup of cocoa powder
1/2 cup of sugar
1 tablespoon of cornstarch
1 teaspoon of vanilla (or almond extract)
1/2 cup of dark chocolate bar chopped-up (or chocolate chips)
1/8 teaspoon of salt
1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (optional, this will make it noticeably spicy, if you only want a hint of spice, just add a pinch)

-Add the milk, cocoa powder, sugar, cayenne pepper, salt and cornstarch to pan.
-Heat over medium heat until it boils (about five minutes). Stir constantly.
-Continue to heat for another minute or two, until it starts to thicken.
-Remove from heat, stir in vanilla extract and the chocolate bar.
-Pour into four containers. Eat warm or chill. If you chill it, place either plastic wrap or wax paper directly on the surface to keep a skin from forming on it.

This version makes a rich, dark pudding. You can make it more of a milk chocolate pudding by decreasing the cocoa powder to 1/4 cup, increasing the cornstarch to 2 tablespoons and using milk chocolate instead of dark.

If you want something really special, top it with fresh whipped cream. One of my husband’s New Year’s resolutions is to eat more whipped cream…it’s going to be a great year…

Happy New Year!

Granola

Maybe it’s just me, but I’ve been seeing granola recipes all over the place. One of my favorite food magazines, EatingWell had one in their October issue. Martha Steward had one in her November issue. My sister and good friends Ellen and Christine have all been making it. Who am I to buck the trend? Especially when it is so darn good.

Granola also makes a nice gift (see a recurring theme here?)...and it's cheap. What more could you want?

My sister makes granola in her crock-pot slow-cooker. Click here for a recipe.

Ellen has a good recipe on her site, Ellen Cooks.

Eating Well has a tasty recipe and includes a pdf gift tag.

Here’s my version. Note, I’m using coconut oil, but if you don’t want to adhere to 19th-century ingredients, you can use canola oil. Canola oil was not used in food until well into the 20th century (1974 in fact).

5 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup unsweetened coconut chips or flakes (Click here for using a fresh coconut, something I highly recommend and isn't as difficult as you'd think)
1/2 cup sliced almonds or other nuts
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup unsalted sunflower seeds
1/2 cup maple syrup or honey
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup dried fruit
1 Tablespoon of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of vanilla or almond extract

1. Preheat oven to 275°F.

2. Combine oats, coconut, almonds, brown sugar, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds in a large bowl.

3.Heat coconut oil until melted, combine with maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla extract and water in a medium bowl. Pour over the oat mixture; stir until well combined. Spread the mixture into a large roasting pan or large rimmed baking sheet.

4. Bake for 35 minutes. Remove from the oven, stir, and bake about 35 minutes more until golden brown and it begins to crisp. It will become more crisp as it cools.

5. Stir in dried fruit. Let cool completely before storing.

Crystallized Ginger & Syrup

Here’s another idea for a homemade gift. You can knock out two gifts with one recipe—crystallized ginger and ginger syrup.

Peel one to two medium sized fresh ginger roots.

Slice into pieces about 1/8 inch thick. You should have about a cup of ginger.

Bring three cups of water and two cups of sugar to boil. Stir until sugar has dissolved.

Add the ginger and turn the heat down. Simmer over medium-low heat for about 30 minutes, until the ginger is tender and translucent. Be sure to watch it. If the heat is too high, the syrup can burn quickly.

Drain all but about a tablespoon of the syrup (be sure to keep it!). Return ginger to pan and heat while constantly stirring until all the water evaporates.

Remove from heat and toss with a cup of sugar.

Place ginger on wax paper and let cool. Be sure to separate the pieces or you’ll have a giant ginger blob.

Store in an airtight container and keep at room temperature.

Crystallized ginger is tasty in most baked goods. Epicurious has a slew of recipes.

Keep the syrup refrigerated. Add a splash of it to tea or any beverage you want to spice up.

Ginger martinis anyone?