Sunday in the kitchen

Meg and I have a bad habit when we go to do our grocery shopping over any given weekend: most people will draw up a list of what they're out of, a few things they need for any meals that they're planning ahead for, and head off to the grocery store. They go to their local Kroger-themed franchise, Fareway, Safeway-themed franchise, Dahl's, or what have you and knock out what they have on their shopping list and go home.

This, at least, is what Meg and I think as we make our way from store to store, collecting various meats, vegetables, spices and sauces in order to replenish our cupboards and prepare for any recipes we've eyed for the coming week. On any given weekend, I'd guess we hit three to four different grocery stores on average. We hit one of the big chain grocery stores - Carr's or Fred Meyer, make a quick run by Costco to pick up bulk items and meat, a quick run to Natural Pantry or New Sagaya Midtown Market to pick up a few organic or specialty items, and finally through one of the smaller ethnic markets, to grab some Asian ingredients, or to Red Apple for dulce de leche or other odd items. Plus a trip to Target, if our better senses don't hold us back. Maybe everyone is this way and it just never comes up in conversation, and we're not as crazy as we wonder if we are.

Crazy or not, we made our usual rounds today, returned home and dove right into our vague plans for cooking domination. A couple of weeks back whilst wandering through Costco, Meg saw The Food of India: A Journey for Food Lovers and picked up a copy. Thus far, our results have been quite good. We've made naan, lamb kofta, chapati, pork tikka and more. Today was the chapati (indian tortillas?) and the pork tikka. Additionally, Meg made up tandoori chicken from the January issue of Cooks Illustrated. I made up about ten pounds of baked ziti with sausage from another of the Cooks Illustrated books, The Best Make Ahead Recipe, and we got through with peeling our big bag'o'turnips to make this. Meg also cranked out some Pumpkin Spice Muffins yesterday from the pumpkin we roasted and froze from my office Halloween festivities.

(side note - still greatly enjoying having a full sized food processor. makes quick work of everything)

The year in food - a belated review

So we've dropped the ball here for a while. I, for one, apologize for that. The past year has been a bit of a blur. Meg and I haven't managed to keep the blog updated (as noted above), but we did get the gourmet group together a number of times. Cocktails, favorite foods, and more made up the schedule. We'll update the gourmetnight.org website in short order with details and pictures.

Travel plans were cut short this summer with both our work schedules and subsequently, unrelated injuries. Meg's ankle is on the mend, though it (and the 9th circuit court of appeals) did keep us from visiting Montreal.

Random ongoing projects:

We recently mixed up some grapes and flour to bring a sourdough starter of our very own to life. Thus far, it's done little more than ooze some colorful fluids and, just today, come up with a distinctively sour smell. Combined with one of my christmas gifts from Meg, a ceramic pizza stone, we may have some fine bread here soon. If you want to make your own starter, we cribbed some notes from here - Grape Starter Procedure - which is more or less the starter made famous by Julia Child.


Recent readings and ongoing cookbooks:

Roast Chicken and Other Stories - tried a few recipes from this one - the roast potatoes are fantastic. Roast Chicken at Amazon.

The Essential Cocktail: The Art of Mixing Perfect Drinks - nary a complaint here. Finding uses for raw eggs and rye in drinks makes, er, for some tasty results. Worth every penny. Cocktails by Mr. Degroff.

More details to follow.

Blog Name Change

In case you noticed the title of the blog has changed to "Anchorage Gourmet" from "Anchorage Gourmet Night." The name change comes after one of the gourmet night participants pointed out that the blog has expanded much beyond just covering the gourmet night group and recipes. We'll still post the goings on of the Anchorage Gourmet Night group, but continue to post all things "gourmet" that we find interesting and tasty.

In Honor of the Caucuses

Tonight Zach and I ate like we were in Iowa. A dinner of salad, pork chops, sweet potato fries and applesauce.Yes, people in Iowa do eat like this, however, I hope its only occasionally.

Easy Pork Chops from The New Best Recipe
Serves 4

4 bone-in rib or center cut pork chops, 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick (about 7 ounces each), patted dry with paper towels and scored - Using a sharp knife, cut two slits about 2 inches apart, through the outer layer of fat and connective tissue. [We used some slices from a larger pork roast we bought over the weekend so we had no bones and didn't do the additional cutting.]
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
Salt and ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar

1. If using an electric stove, turn the burner to medium heat. Rub both sides of each chop with 1/8 teaspoon of the oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle the meat portion on one side of each chop evenly with 1/8 teaspoon of the sugar, avoiding the bone.

2. Place the chops, sugared side down in a nonstick 12-inch skillet. [We used a cast iron one and it worked great!] Position the chops so that the ribs point to the center of the pan. Using your hand, press the meat on each chop into the pan. Set the skillet over medium heat; cook until lightly browned, 4 to 9 minutes. Using the tongs, flip the chops, positioning them in the same manner as before. Cover the skillet, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the center of each chop registers 140 to 145 degrees; the chops will be barely brown on the second side. Transfer the chops to a platter, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for 5 minutes.


All in all a quick and tasty meal. We just took applesauce from the jar, poured it in a pan and put it on low heat while the chops and fries cooked.

My favorite, however, are the sweet potato fries. They're really simple to make.


Sweet Potato Fries

4 yams or sweet potatoes or a combination
2 tablespoons olive oil
Sea Salt

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Cut the potatoes into sticks. I usually get about 8-10 sticks per potato. Toss with oil or use a spray bottle and spray the oil on the potatoes once they're on the foil lined baking sheet. Bake 30 minutes. Be sure to keep an eye on them since they cook at such a high temp. If you prefer them more crispy, turn the broiler on at the very end, but really watch them closely as they will burn quickly. It only takes a minute or two.

A Post About Parsley

As we are working our way through the recipes in The New Best Recipe, parsley has been an ever present ingredient. So, we are really getting some use out of the parsley mill my mother gave Zach for his birthday this past fall. I must admit when Zach received this gadget, I thought, great another piece of kitchen equipment that will clutter the shelves and go unused. I was so wrong. It works really great for mincing parsley. You just put the parsley in the top, secure the lid and then turn the handle. Cleanup is easy too; just give it a rinse.

Another word on parsley. When you buy a bunch of parsley, but perhaps don't need all of it at once, just cut the bottoms of the stems and put the parsley in a cup of water in the fridge. It'll stay fresher longer. We do it with all our bunch herbs, like cilantro.

Fresh Herb and Parmesan Frittata

Waking up and apparently ambitious in the new year, I cooked breakfast. This is maybe a three to four time a month event. I was frying up some sausage and Zach said he wanted eggs as well. So, I was getting ready just to scramble some up, but took a minute to look at The New Best Recipe, which we are working through to see if there was something I could knock off the list. Alas, almost as easy as just scrambling some eggs, we had this tasty frittata for our first breakfast of 2008.

Serves 2 to 4
(We halved the recipe and it was just enough for two with a sausage patty a piece and some toast for Zach)

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 small onion
2 tablespoons mined herb leaves, such as parsley, basil, dill, tarragon, or mint
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 large egg, lightly beaten

1. Adjust an oven rack to the upper-middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Heat the oil in an 10-inch ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium heat. Swirl the skillet to distribute the oil evenly over the bottom and sides (Note: This is important, you can see in the picture above where ours stuck in the front). Add the onion and saute until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the herb (We used parsley).

3. Meanwhile, beat the Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper into the eggs with a fork in a medium bowl.

4. Pour the egg mixture into the skillet and stir lightly with a fork until the eggs start to set. Once the bottom is firm, use a thin plastic spatula to lift the frittata edge closest to you. Tilt the skillet slightly toward you so that the uncooked egg runs underneath. Return the skillet to the level position and swirl gently to evenly distribute the egg. Continue cooking about 40 seconds, then lift the edge again, repeating the process until the egg on top is no longer runny.

5. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the frittata top is set and dry to the touch, 2 to 4 minutes, removing it as soon as the top is just set.

6. Run a spatula around the skillet edge to loosen the frittata. Invert the frittata onto a serving plate. Serve warm, room temperature or chilled.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Serves 6 to 8

2 tablespoons of chicken fat (reserved from making stock) or vegetable oil
1 medium onion, cut into medium dice
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 celery rib, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 recipe Chicken Stock (note: and the left over meat)
2 cups (3 ounces) wide egg noodles
1/4 cup minced parsley leaves
Ground black pepper

1. Heat the chicken fat in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery; saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the thyme, along with the stock and shredded chicken meat (note: don't forget to do this unless you did it when you finished making the stock); simmer until the vegetables are tender and flavors meld, 10 to 15 minutes.



2. Add the noodles and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the parsley and pepper to taste, adjust the seasonings, and serve.

When I first read this recipe, I didn't realize it took the entire recipe of chicken stock from the previous post. Good thing I just stuck it in the fridge and didn't get it bagged and put in the freezer.

Once the stock is made, this is a quick 20-30 minute recipe. Perfect for a weeknight dinner.

Starting with the basics.

It's fitting that the first soup recipe was a basic chicken stock. Tomorrow the stock will be turned into Chicken Noodle Soup.
Chicken Stock
makes about 2 quarts
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, cut into medium dice
4 pounds of chicken backs and wingtips or whole legs hacked with a meat cleaver into 2-inch pieces
2 quarts boiling water
2 teaspoons salt
2 bay leaves

1. Heat the oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven. Add the ionin, saute until colored and softened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the onions to a large bowl.



2. Add half of the chicken pieces to the pot; saute until no longer pink, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the cooked chickent to the bowl with the onion. Saute the remaining chicken pieces. Return the onion and chicken pieces to the pot. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the chicken releases its juices, about 20 minutes.



3. Increase the heat to high; add the boiling water, salt, and bay leaves. Return to a simmer, then cover and barely simmer until the stock is rich and flavorful, about 20 minutes.



4. Stain the stock into a container and discard the solids. Skim the fat and reserve for later use in soups or other recipes, if desired. (The stock can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for several months.)

Information Overload

Ever feel like there's just too much information out there and not enough time to read or absorb everything. Well, Zach and I were kind of feeling that way with our cookbooks, cooking magazines and all the online cooking resources. We felt that perhaps we were missing great recipes in our cookbooks or vice versa depending on what we decided to cook. Thus, our latest endeavor was born - to work our way through a cookbook. One caveat is that we don't plan to cook from one source, but will make a conscious effort to get through the first cookbook.

We decided to start basic. We are working through The New Best Recipe from the editors of Cooks Illustrated. In the interest of having meals, we are starting with soups, plan to pair those with salads and then alternate those with the entrees paired with the vegetable recipes. We figure along the way we'll pick up the rest of the recipes, like appetizers and desserts.

If it was you, what cookbook or source would you choose to cook your way through? Perhaps next up for us is the new African cookbook I received for Christmas.

So, check back often and we'll post our progress and the recipes.

A Thanksgiving Favorite

Vegan Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients:

• 1 can French cut green beans
• 1 1/2 canisters vegan French fried onions
• 1 1/2 cups soymilk
• 1 cube veggie bouillon
• 2-3 Tbs corn starch mixed with 2-3 tablespoon cold water
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 3/4 cup chopped mushrooms (button, crimini, or portabella)
• 1-2 Tbs vegetable oil
• 1/2 tsp each of garlic, salt, pepper, basil, oregano, sage, marjoram, thyme, and any other herbs to taste

Directions:

Heat soy milk and veggie bouillon in a saucepan, stirring until bouillon cube disintegrates. Do not boil or scald the soy milk. Just heat it.

Sauté onions, carrots, and mushrooms in the veggie oil in a skillet. Add salt, pepper, and herbs and spices.

Mix the starch and water well, and pour into the soymilk/bouillon. Stir well, because this will coagulate pretty quickly. Quickly add the can of green beans, the sautéed veggies, and about half of your French fried onions, and stir well.

Pour that mixture into a casserole dish or pan and top with remaining French fried onions. Bake in oven at about 350° for 10-15 minutes, until the onions begin to brown. Remove from oven.

From: mercyforanimals.org

Vegan Pumpkin Risotto Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 onion. diced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cups arborio (risotto) rice
• 1 cup white wine
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated or minced
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
• 1 tbsp margarine
• salt and pepper to taste

PREPARATION:

Sautee the onion in olive oil over medium heat for three to five minutes, or until soft. Add the rice. Allow to cook, stirring, for a minute or two. Slowly add the wine.

Start to add the vegetable broth, 1/2 cup at a time.

Allow the moisture to cook off before adding the next 1/2 cup. Stir frequently.

Add remaining ingredients, stirring well, and cook for just a few minutes, until heated through.

From vegetarian.about.com

Tasty Fall Soup Recipe

Butternut Squash and Pear Soup

This comes from "The New Vegetarian Epicure" by Anna Thomas

Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

1 pound butternut squash (or acorn squash), (about 10 ounces trimmed and seeded)
1 large yam
2 cups vegetable broth
1 1 2 cups water (should read "one and one-half cups water")
1 stick cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
2 medium onions, sliced
3 large Anjou or Bartlett pears
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup half and half
white pepper to taste
chives or cilantro (optional)

Directions:

Peel, seed, and dice the squash. Peel and dice the yam. Put them both in a pot with the vegetable broth, water, cinnamon stick, and salt, and simmer until tender, about 40 minutes. Discard cinnamon stick.

Melt the butter and gently cook the onions in it, stirring occasionally, until it begins to carmelize. Peel, core, and thinly slice the pears, and add them to the onions. Continue cooking for about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the wine, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the pear mixture to the soup, and puree everything in a blender in batches. Add the cream and some white pepper. Heat the soup again just to a simmer, but do not boil. Serve plain, or garnished with chopped chives or sprigs of cilantro.

(Thanks! Charlee)

File under: tasty

Random thought for a theme - wine & cheese. All dishes have to have wine or cheese as a component (or wine & cheese as a component?).

October Recipes - Round 2

They say that hindsight is 20/20. This morning, with the delicious dishes prepared for last eve only a lingering memory on the palate, I'll do what I can to post the recipes and offer discussion. Though the group was a few short, with Chris combating wild-fires, Kelly tending to the infirm, and Meg at a kegger for her mother's 50th birthday, those in attendance persevered and produced some fantastically tasty treats.

Our kind host for the evening, Patti, set the theme for the evening as Vietnamese food. Without further ado, the recipes:

Banh Bung (warm noodle salad with beef)
Prepared by Suzy & Nigel. Recipe from Cooking Light Magazine. Yields 4 servings.

Ingredients:
1 (3/4-pound) beef tenderloin
1 tbsp. oyster sauce
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. sugar
8 oz. uncooked fine rice vermicelli or spaghetti
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 tsp. vegetable oil
Cooking spray
1 cup yellow onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings
4 cups bean sprouts
2 cups cucumber, julienne-cut and peeled
1 cup green cabbage, thinly sliced
1 cup carrot, julienne-cut
20 basil leaves
2/3 cup Lime-Vinegar Sauce

Lime-Vinegar Sauce:
1 cup hot water
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 tbsp. white vinegar
1 tbsp. fish sauce
1 lg. garlic clove, minced

Directions:

1. To make Lime-Vinegar Sauce, combine first 3 ingredients in a small bowl; stir well. Cool completely. Stir in juice and remaining ingredients. Yields 1 1/4 cups.
   
2. To make the salad, first trim fat from beef. Cut across grain into thin slices; set aside.
3. Combine oyster sauce, soy sauce, and sugar. Stir well; set aside.
4. Bring 3 quarts of water to a simmer in a large Dutch oven. Add rice vermicelli; simmer 2 minutes or just until tender. Drain and return rice vermicelli to pan. Add coconut milk; toss well. Set aside; keep warm.
5. Heat oil in a wok or large nonstick skillet coated with with cooking spray over medium-high heat until hot.
   
6. Add onion; stir-fry 2 minutes.
7. Add beef; stir-fry 3 minutes.
   
8. Add oyster sauce mixture; stir-fry 30 seconds. Remove from heat. Set aside; keep warm.
9. Combine bean sprout, cucumber, cabbage, carrot and basil in a large bowl; toss gently. Spoon bean sprout mixture into each of 4 large shallow bowls; top with beef mixture and 1 cup rice vermicelli mixture. Drizzle with Lime-Vinegar Sauce.

Spring Rolls (er, spring rolls)
Prepared by Kim & Leit using the following recipe.

Ingredients:
1 package spring roll papers
1 package vermicelli rice noodles

Fillings:
Halibut, cooked
Tofu, marinated & fried
Fresh cilantro
Fresh mint
Daikon radish
Blanched yam
English cucumber
Red leaf lettuce
Carrot
Bean sprouts

Dipping Sauce:
Sweet chili sauce - find in any grocery store international aisle
Peanuts, crushed / chopped

Directions:

1. Prepare all your fillings by chopping into matchsticks. Set aside in close proximity to your roll wrapping assembly line.
2. Boil water then cook rice noodles ~6min or until soft. Drain. Rinse with cold water and set aside.
3. Submerge your chopped yams into boiling water for 3 minutes to soften.
4. Boil a pan of water and reduce to medium-high heat. Submerge one wrapper at a time into the water. Cook for 10 seconds. Use spatula to pull out wet wrapper and lay flat on a clean plate to fill your rolls.
5. Stuff each wrapper like you would a mini burrito. Wrap it like a burrito too by tucking the short ends in before you roll it closed and sealed. Place finished rolls on a serving plate or on saran wrap for stage. Do not let rolls touch or they will stick and rip.
6. Crush peanuts and sprinkle on dipping sauce.
7. Rolls will last 1-2 days as long as they’re in Saran Wrap.

Cha Que (cinnamon paté)
Prepared by Zach from the recipe listed at vietnamese-recipes.com.

Ingredients:
1 lb. lean leg of pork, cut into 1 inch cubes

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

3 tbsp. Vietnamese fish sauce

1 tsp. Palm or golden granulated sugar

1 tsp. corn flour (I substituted all purpose flour)

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. pepper

1 1/2 tsp. groundnut oil (I substituted olive oil)

Handful basil and coriander leaves, finely chopped for garnishing

Directions:

1. Oil the loaf tin. Put all the ingredients into a food processor and process until they are very finely ground. You can add 2-3 tablespoons of cold water if the mixture is difficult to process.

2. Pour the mixture into the loaf tin and bake in a preheated oven, 350^oF for about 45 minutes until cooked through and firm to the touch.

3. Allow the pate to cool in the tin, then turn it out on to a plate. Sprinkle the top with the chopped herbs.

4. Serve the pate in thin slices, with salad leaves and French bread.

Dau Phap Voi Toi Nghien (french beans with crushed garlic)
Prepared by Zach from the recipe listed at vietnamese-recipes.com.

Ingredients:

3 tsp. vegetable oil

1 onion, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

3 lg. green chilies, deseeded and sliced thinly diagonally

1 tsp. Ground coriander

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

2 ripe tomatoes, blanched, skinned,

1 lb french beans, washed, trimmed and halved

1/2 tsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

2 tbsp. fresh coriander, chopped

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a wok and stir fry the onion, garlic and green chilies, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.

2. Add the coriander and cumin, stir vigorously and add the chopped tomatoes and French beans.

3. Stir and cover the wok for 5 minutes.

4. Remove the cover, add the sugar and a little salt, and stir again for 1 minute.

5. Add the coriander, stir for 30 seconds and transfer to a warm serving dish.

Pumpkin Soup with Lemongrass & Cilantro
Prepared by Patti using a recipe from Regent Seven Seas Cruises.

Ingredients:
2 tbsp. peanut oil
2 tbsp. shallots, minced
2 tsp. ginger, minced
2 hot Thai chilis, minced
4 cups chicken stock
3/4 cup coconut milk
1 tbsp. lemongrass, finely chopped
2 tbsp. fish sauce
2 cups pumpkin puree
1/2 tsp. palm sugar
1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
1/3 cup cilantro root or stems and leaves, chopped
3 tbsp. roasted peanuts, chopped (for garnish)
3 tbsp. scallions, sliced (for garnish)
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Heat oil in medium sauce pan.
2. Sautee shallots, ginger and chiles over moderate heat, stirring, for three minutes.
3. Add the stock, coconut milk, lemongrass, fish sauce, pumpkin and sugar. Bring to a simmer, then cook, uncovered, over low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes.
4. Add lime, cilantro, salt and pepper. Puree with a stick blender until creamy (strain if you want it with no chunks).
5. Serve immediately and sprinkle with peanuts and scallions.

Mango Cheesecake (soufflé?) with Vietnamese Coffee
Recipe forthcoming. Prepared by Karen.

I daresay that every dish served at the meal was fantastic (certainly better than the borek I attempted last month). Hopefully, pictures will be on the way from Karen at some point soon, so until then, happy eating and please offer your comments.

Sunday, Bloody Sunday

How do you start your Sunday mornings off?

Fill highball (or pint glass) half-way with ice
Add vodka
Add 2-3 dashes Worcestershire sauce
Add celery seeds
Add heat (cayenne pepper, chili garlic sauce, tabasco, etc..)
Add sliced pickles
Add tomato/clamato/V8 juice
Garnish with celery / olives / more pickles / as you see fit.

Drink and enjoy!

A couple of great dessert blogs and a recipe

If you have some spare time, check out this great cupcake blog (thanks! Karen) and the Joy of Baking link on the right. I know with temps beginning to drop I have the urge to bake more and more, or at least ask Zach to whip up some tasty baked goods. Yum, the house smells so good while making the treats from these websites.

Here's another great recipe. Good ol' fashioned peanut butter cookies. The recipe is adapted from The New Best Recipe from the editors of Cooks Illustrated. Definitely one of our go to cookbooks.

2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened but still cool
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup extra crunchy unsweetened all natural peanut butter
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
3. Either by hand or with an electric mixer, beat butter until creamy. Add sugars, beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes, stopping to scrape down sides of the bowl. Beat in peanut butter until fully incorporated, then the eggs one at a time, and then the vanilla. Gently stir the dry ingredients into the peanut butter mixture.
4. Working with generous 2 tablespoons each, roll the dough into 2-inch balls. Place on baking sheets spacing them 2 1/2 inches apart. Press each dough ball twice with a dinner fork dipped in cold water to make a crisscross design.
5. Bake until the cookies are puffed and slightly browned around the edges, but not the top, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the baking sheets front to back and top to bottom half way through. Cool cookies on the baking sheets until set, about 4 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Good fall comfort food

Zach's birthday was about a week ago and I made a Spiced apple, carrot cake with goat cheese frosting from the Sunset Magazine October 2007 issue, a recipe Karen was kind enough to share. It was delicious, so I thought I would pass on the recipe. Here's a picture as well and as you can see the frosting had some trouble staying on the sides of the cake. As a result, see the edits to the recipe that will hopefully give you more success in frosting your cake.

Prep and cook time: 2.5 hours, including cooling and chilling time.

Makes 10 servings

2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup vegetable oil

4 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten

1 1/2 cups packed coarsely grated carrots (about 3 medium)

1 1/2 cups packed coarsely grated tart apples, such as Granny Smith (about 2 medium)

1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, plus more for garnish

Frosting

10 ounce fresh, mild chèvre (goat cheese), at room temperature

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease three 9-in. round cake pans and set aside. In a large bowl, combine flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder, spices, cocoa, pepper, and salt. Whisk to combine, then stir in oil and eggs. Stir in carrots, apples, and 1 cup walnuts.

Divide batter among pans and bake until cakes pull away from pan sides and a cake tester inserted in each center comes out clean, 25 minutes. Transfer cakes to cooling racks and let cool 10 minutes. Turn out onto racks and let cool completely.

Beat goat cheese, cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Gradually add powdered sugar and mix until combined. (Note: Make frosting ahead and chill so its thick, that way it will stick to the sides of the cake when applied)

Once cakes are cool, arrange first layer on a large plate or platter. Spread some frosting over it, then top with second layer. Frost second layer and top with the third. Generously frost top and sides of cake with remaining frosting. Chill cake at least 1 hour. Before serving, press walnuts lightly into sides of cake.

Ready to drink coffee in a can

Zach and I while at Sagaya couldn't help ourselves and bought three iced coffees in cans to try. We typically buy the Hello Boss brand, but decided to branch out. It's now three months later and we still haven't tried the new coffees, but Zach did take this picture of the cans. I love the illustration on the American Coffee can.

Thoughts about Food

In the past year I have read two books about food that have really impacted my thinking about the way I eat. The first was The Omnivore's Dilemma and most recently The Year of Eating Dangerously: A Global Adventure in Search of Culinary Extremes. While the first examines the way we eat and at least to me the ethics behind our food choices, the other does as well in a more oblique fashion by examining local foods and customs but all the while illustrating the dilemmas faced in making food choices. I highly recommend both books.

As a result of reading these books, I am seriously questioning my omnivore status and wondering if there is any ethical way to eat meat. Going to the grocery store with Zach over the weekend was for him putting up with my hemming and hawing over whether buying even the organic chicken was okay, knowing that it still may not have been treated in a humane manner. On the other hand, buying a pot roast that was neither guaranteed to be organic or cruelty free. So, as I continue to face my own omnivore's dilemma, I invite you all to think about the food you buy and choose to eat. I think that pondering these issues not only improves our overall culinary experience, but in the end may just lead to better eating.

Share with others how you buy your food and choose your meals.
Click Here to take survey

September Recipes - Round 1

Our first gourmet night was a great success. The theme was appetizers. Thanks to all you foodies who turned out to enjoy good food, good spirits and good company.

Here are the recipes I have received so far:

Spent Grain Bread

When you make all grain beer save the grain. Use sandwich size zip lock bags. Fill up 3 or 4 bags. Then freeze them until you bake bread.

2 cups Spent Grain (put the grain in a coffee grinder or food processor and grind them up)
4 cups Bread Flour
1 cup Wheat Flour
1 1/2 tsp. Salt
1/4 cup of Sugar
1/2 Stick of Butter
1 Egg (Beaten)
2 cup of Warm Water
1 TBS. of Olive Oil
1/2 cup of warm water & 2 1/4 tsp. Bread yeast

Mix together and knead with 1 more cup of flour.

Let rise and flatten down divide into 2 or 4 pc. Depends on how big you want your bread loafs or roll little balls to make rolls. Freeze the rest and take out when you want more bread.

Let it rise again and bake. Bake at 350F for 35 min. for loafs or 10-12 min. for rolls. Use corn meal on cookie sheet so loaf does not stick to pan. 1 tsp. Olive Oil to brush the top of the bread when it comes out of the oven.

Wild Honey Roasted Vegetables

1 big sweet potato
3-4 little parsnips (or turnips, beets, yams or any root vegetables)
4 carrots
1/2 cup of wild honey (any honey will do)
2 tsp olive oil

1) Go to your garden or the farmer’s market for local roasting vegetables and honey. Any vegetables will do.
2) Preheat oven at 375
3) Peel Vegetables and cut into lengths. I thought french-fry size worked well.
4) Mix Honey and oil together and pour into a roasting dish
5) Heat at 375 for 5 minutes
6) Remove from oven and add vegetables to roasting dish
7) Turn vegetables in honey and oil mixture to coat them
8) Bake at 375 for between 35-40 minutes, turning regularly, until vegetables are golden and cooked.

Vegetarian Dolmades from Meze, Mediterranean-style eating, Anne Wilson, 1999
1/2 cup olive oil
6 green onions chopped
3/4 cup long grain rice
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
2 tblsps chopped fresh dill weed
2/3 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup dried currants
1/4 cup pine nuts
8oz (about 50) grape leaves
2 tblsps olive oil, extra

1) Heat oil in the saucepan. Add the green onions and cook over medium hear for 1 minute. Stir in the rice, mint, dill weed, half of the lemon juice and season to taste. Add 1 cup of water and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the lid, toss in the currants and pine nuts, cover with a paper towel, then the lid and allow to cool.
2) Rinse the grape leaves under water and gently separate. Drain, then dry on paper towels. Trim any thick stems with scissors. Line the base of an 8 inch skillet (with a lid) with any torn or misshappen leaves. Choose the larger leaves for filling and use smaller leaves to patch up any gaps.
3) Place each leaf shiny-side-down. Spoon a tablespoon of filling into the center, fold in the sides and roll up tightly from the stem end. Place seam-side-down with the stem end closest to you in the base of the skillet, tightly in a single layer.
4) Pour in the rest of hte lemon juice, the extra oil and about 3/4 cup water to just cover the dolmades. Cover with an inverted plate and place a can on the plate to firmly compress the dolmades. Cover with the lid.
5) Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Allow to cool in the pan. Serve at room temperature.

Date Ramaki
Buy pitted dates, stuff with goat cheese(optional), wrap with bacon and bake at 350 until bacon is crisp.


Bruchetta with Brandy Tapenade
1 1/2 cups mild brined olives, pitted
3 tblsps capers, rinsed
1 1/2 tblsps coarse chopped parsely
3 cloves finely chopped garlic
1 1/2 tblsps cognac or brandy
3 tblsps fresh lemon juice
freshly ground white pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
24 baguettes

1) Coat baguettes with olive oil, toast at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes
2) Mix other ingredients to make tapanade. Serve immediately

Tomato and Eggplant Borek from Meze, Mediterranean-style eating, Anne Wilson, 1999

Pastry:
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Filling:
8 oz tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
10 oz eggplant, cut into 3/4 inch cubes (this is important! - ed.)
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 egg, lightly beaten

1) Place the butter, oil and 1/3 cup water into a bowl. Season well with salt. Gradually add the flour in batches, mixing with a wooden spoon, to make an oily, lumpy dough that leaves the side of the bowl. Knead gently to bring the doug together, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. (I did not mix these in the proper order, possibly resulting in the pasty texture of the cooked pastry - ed.)
2) Core the tomatoes and cut a small cross at the base. Plunge into a saucepan of boiling water and let stand for 1 minute. Drain, plunge into cool water, then remove the peel. Halve the tomatoes, squeez over a bowl to remove the seeds, and finely chop the flesh.
3) Heat the oil in a skillet, add the onion and cook, stirring, over low heat for 2-3 minutes, or until soft. Add the cumin, cook for 1 minute, then add the eggplant and cook, stirring for 8-10 minutes, or until the eggplant begins to soften. Stir in the tomatoes and paste. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, or until the mixture becomes dry. Stir occasionally. Season and stir in the cilantro. Cool.
4) Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two baking sheets.
5) Roll out half the pastry on a lightly floured surface to 1/8th inch thick. Using a 3 1/2 inch cutter, cut rounds from the pastry. Spoon 2 level teaspoons of the mixture into the center of each round, lightly brush the edges with water, and fold in half over the filling, expelling any air. Press firmly and crimp the edge with a fork to seal. Place on the baking sheets and brush with the beaten egg. Bake in the top half of the oven for 25 minutes, or until browned and crisp.