tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90609242567346228562024-03-21T16:19:24.510-07:00Chocolate Chip TripsMs. Meaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224824282422922472noreply@blogger.comBlogger79125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060924256734622856.post-5554351319715403522010-12-02T19:11:00.000-08:002010-12-05T19:07:49.146-08:00Sweet Potato Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/5236228861/"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5127/5236228861_b09082a967.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Is it bad that I am <span style="font-style: italic;">extremely</span> excited about the fact that I have only ONE more day of classes left for this semester? I am literally counting the days until this semester is over. To any students reading this: you think <span style="font-style: italic;">you're</span> excited about winter break? Hah! I'll bet you anything that your professors/teachers are even <span style="font-style: italic;">more</span> excited.<br /><br />This semester has been an eye-opening experience: challenging and interesting to say the least. Today, I had a student cry in my office. Now before you start thinking that I'm a ruthless professor, I should point out that this student has stopped submitting assignments after the 3rd week of classes. Every few weeks he would send me an email about how he was sick, or his mom was sick, or how work was very busy, and how I shouldn't worry, because he he will submit everything within the next two days, really he will, he promises this time. Never happened. So of course, when he came to my office today, I told him that since he had not submitted 90% of the assignments and had not shown up to class, he would fail both courses.<br /><br />I knew he'd be upset, but I was not prepared for the next part.<br />He began to explain to me that his mother had a stroke and paralyzed the left side of her body, so he spent this semester taking her to the doctor and to physical therapy. Also, his step father was a cruel man who treated them very badly and he was now helping his mother look for a divorce lawyer.<br /><br />Honestly, I didn't (and still don't) know what to say. I want to believe him, I really do, but I have spoken to other professors in my department about this student and they tell me that it's always the same story with him: 3 weeks or so into a class, he ceases to submit any assignments or show up to class. He is in his third year of college, so is it possible that he's had these problems at home this entire time? Or is he just pulling out the waterworks in my office so he can later go home, drink a forty, and congratulate himself on once again fooling another newbie professor?...I'm not sure. If it's the former, how can I be sure he's telling the truth, and more importantly, should I be doing something to help?<br /><br />It was hard for me to see him cry and wipe his tears in my office, and I sat there not really knowing what to do or say. I tried my best to show support, but couldn't help but think that I wasn't not prepared for this kind of thing. Sure, I can plan lectures, present material, and create assignments. But grad school did not teach me how to be a therapist, and more and more, I'm starting to wish that it sort of did.<br /><br />Earlier this semester, I had a student email me about why she couldn't submit an assignment on time: earlier week, for the first time, she had met the man who had sexually abused her as a child. Within the same week, her suicidal ex had contacted her and needed her help. Of course I gave her an extension, but I wasn't sure how to do more than that. I assured her that she could talk to me about her problems, but she never did. And that was that. I really don't know how to bring this topic up with her, or if she even wants me to.<br /><br />Wow. This is becoming a very serious (and long) post. Let me get to the most crucial matter...this cake. ;) I made it a few weeks ago when my parents and grandmother came to visit and they loved it. Me? I thought it was good but slightly on the dry side. This is probably not a fault of the original recipe, but my modifications (I always try to healthify the desserts I make for my parents). I replaced some of the oil with applesauce and some of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat pastry flour. Next time, I will up the oil to applesauce ratio and hope for a moister cake.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/5236820546/"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5042/5236820546_5cda1c6202.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Sweet Potato Cake (adapted from <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Spiced-Sweet-Potato-Cake-with-Brown-Sugar-Icing-104322">Epicurious.com</a>)<br />Cake<br /><br />* 4 8-ounce red-skinned sweet potatoes(yams)<br />* 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour<br />* 3/4 cup all purpose flour<br />* 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon<br />* 1 1/4 teaspoons ground allspice<br />* 1 teaspoon baking powder<br />* 1 teaspoon baking soda<br />* 1/2 teaspoon salt<br />* 2 cups sugar<br />* 1/2 cup applesauce<br />* 1/2 cup vegetable oil<br />* 4 large eggs<br />* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract<br /><br />Frosting<br />Recipe <a href="http://chocolatechiptrips.blogspot.com/2009/09/i-remember-growing-up-in-new-york.html">here</a> (without the dulce de leche)<br /><br />For cake:<br />Pierce sweet potatoes with fork. Microwave on high until very tender, about 8 minutes per side. Cool, peel and mash sweet potatoes.<br /><br />1. Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 325°F. Generously butter 2 9in cake pans.<br />2. Sift flours, cinnamon, allspice, baking powder, baking soda and salt into medium bowl.<br />3. Measure enough mashed sweet potatoes to equal 2 cups. Transfer to large bowl. Add sugar, applesauce, and oil to sweet potatoes; using electric mixer, beat until smooth. Add eggs 2 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture; beat just until blended. Beat in vanilla. 4. Transfer batter to prepared pans. Bake cake until tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 1 hour 5 minutes.<br />5. Cool cakes in pans on rack 15 minutes. Using small knife, cut around sides of pans to loosen cake. Turn out onto rack; cool completely. Frost with cream cheese frosting.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/5236251199/"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5244/5236251199_2cff5ed315.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Ms. Meaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224824282422922472noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060924256734622856.post-5773454593894981622010-11-17T18:41:00.000-08:002010-11-19T08:09:09.608-08:00Baklava<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1299/5188254475_01212d69a8.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1299/5188254475_01212d69a8.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Wow oh wow. Words cannot even begin to describe how incredibly touched I was to see all the supportive comments on my previous post. Thank you so much everyone for all your kind words. Reading your comments really helped lift my spirits during a time when I was feeling very lost.<br /><br />Apparently I worried a few people with my last post, and I want to apologize. I may have been a bit dramatic. I was going through a very rough patch with my teaching and I may have made it seem worse than it really is. In all honesty, I do enjoy teaching - for the most part. It's frustrating when my students slack off and show little interest in their work, especially when I think about all the effort I put into my classes - I work about 9-10 hours per day during the week and at least 6 hours per day during the weekends. Of course, I have some amazing students, who are engaged and appreciative, but it's difficult to ignore the ones who aren't. Here's an example...<br /><br />A few weeks ago, I gave a midterm exam for my Operating Systems course (yes, I teach Computer Science and yes, I am a nerd). Here is one of the questions on the exam:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">In the context of Operating Systems what is atomicity?</span><br /><br />And here is the response from one of my "less-engaged" students:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Atomicity probably has something to do with how processes work with eachother</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">(?? I dunno, maybe? I got nothing).</span><br /><br /><br />Uhm...OK?<br /><br />Let me mention that this student comes to class everyday, sits in the front row, and...falls asleep. EVERY DAY. EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. I don't mean dozing off every few seconds. I mean full on sleep. Frustrating, is all I can say. Why would you even write "<span style="font-style: italic;">I dunno, maybe, I got nothing</span>" on an exam? Why oh why?<br /><br />Then there are the excuses. The (what seems like) thousands and thousands of excuses. I've been teaching for less than a semester and I feel like I've heard them all already:<br /><br />-"<span style="font-style: italic;">I wanted to come to class, </span><span style="font-style: italic;">really I did</span><span style="font-style: italic;">, but I accidentally set my alarm for 8pm instead of 8am</span>"<br />-"<span style="font-style: italic;">I meant to submit the homework, but somehow I just totally forgot</span>"<br />-"<span style="font-style: italic;">I really wanted to hand in this assignment, but I just fell asleep instead</span>"<br /><br />These are not jokes. These are actual excuses I have gotten from students. Actual excuses. From real-life students. Frustrating.<br /><br />OK, I'm done ranting for now. There will be more later, I promise.<br /><br />I know I'm complaining a lot, and really I shouldn't be. There are so many wonderful things going on in my life and I too often let myself lose sight of them. Remember the BF? Well, he isn't a BF anymore, he's now an F - as in fiancé. And he's officially moving here in January. :)<br /><br />Here are some random pictures...<br /><a href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1021/5188258203_565d0797b4.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1021/5188258203_565d0797b4.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4089/5188257667_3f0bc04077.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4089/5188257667_3f0bc04077.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1034/5188856772_9e5617d5ec.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1034/5188856772_9e5617d5ec.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I'm also extremely blessed to have the most amazing family in the world. Despite my everlasting grumpiness they've made the long trek from their little pockets in the country to visit me here in the middle of nowhere (Ok, it's not really in the middle of nowhere, I'm just being dramatic again). Which finally brings me to this baklava. I cannot take credit for this dish, because I didn't make it or even help make it. My sister did all the work when she visited me a few weeks ago, and I'm so glad she did. This is an amazing dessert made with wonderful ingredients: walnuts, honey, lemon, and delicate sheets of phyllo. Use a pastry brush to apply thin layers of butter or olive oil, and you actually have a (somewhat) guilt-free dessert. Thanks Didi. :)<br /><br />Baklava (adapted from <a href="http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/easy-baklava/Detail.aspx">allrecipes</a>)<br /><br />Ingredients<br /><br /> * 1 pound chopped walnuts<br /> * 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon<br /> * 1 (16 ounce) package phyllo dough<br /> * 1/2 cup butter, melted or olive oil (may not even need this much, see below)<br /> * 1 cup white sugar<br /> * 1 cup water<br /> * 1/2 cup honey<br /> * 1 teaspoon vanilla extract<br /> * 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest<br /><br />Directions<br />1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish.<br />2. Toss together cinnamon and nuts. Unroll phyllo and cut whole stack in half to fit the dish. Cover phyllo with a damp cloth while assembling the baklava, to keep it from drying out.<br />3. Place two sheets of phyllo in the bottom of the prepared dish. Brush with thin layer of butter. Sprinkle 2 to 3 tablespoons of the nut mixture on top. Repeat layers until all ingredients are used, ending with about 6 sheets of phyllo. Using a sharp knife, cut baklava (all the way through to the bottom of the dish) into four long rows, then (nine times) diagonally to make 36 diamond shapes.<br />4. Bake in preheated oven 50 minutes, until golden and crisp.<br />5. While baklava is baking, combine sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Stir in honey, vanilla and lemon zest, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.<br />6. Remove the baklava from the oven and immediately spoon the syrup over it. Let cool completely before serving. Store uncovered.Ms. Meaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224824282422922472noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060924256734622856.post-69971848451669781792010-10-22T19:24:00.000-07:002010-10-22T20:46:06.176-07:00Moroccan Chickpea Stew<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4025/5106616766_b9ff44c488.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 440px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4025/5106616766_b9ff44c488.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Have you ever watched Ruth Reichl's Gourmet Adventures on PBS? What an awesome show. Ruth goes all over creation trying some very unusual and interesting foods in different locations. Back when I actually had a television and the time to watch it, her show was a regular on my Saturday morning must-see lineup - right after Rick, Lydia, and 1 hour of Mr.Kimball.<br /><br />In one episode, Ruth traveled to Morocco and watched the locals make an assortment of traditional Moroccan dishes. The episode inspired me - the following weekend I made this stew. This was several months ago, when I had the energy and time to cook elaborate meals, when cooking was fun and exciting, and not the stressful chore that it is now.<br /><br />Do I sound bitter? It's because I am and I'm just going to say it. I'm going to bitch and whine and complain because I can. It's something I've never really done on this blog because in the past, I've always been too worried about pleasing my readers and attracting new ones...I mean who wants to read a bitchy blog, right? So my motto has been to always show a happy face.<br /><br />But I don't care anymore. If I can't complain on my blog, then I can't complain anywhere. So here goes: I'm sad. I don't like teaching. I hate being away from people that I love. It's Friday night and I'm sitting at home. Very few things excite me nowadays. I feel hopeless and helpless all the time. I feel like a weakling for feeling this way, but I can't help it. I cry at least 3 times a week and usually more than that. I'm not sure what I'm doing here. Have you had enough? Good, because I'm done, for now that is.<br /><br />Well, except for the recipe part, which is below. Make this stew. It's amazingly good - I made it in April and I can still remember how good it was. I have 2 butternut squashes sitting in my quiet kitchen waiting to be turned into this stew. Pray for me that they're not sitting for too much longer.<br /><br />A preserved lemon that went into the stew.<br /><a href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1081/5106616776_04203944a7.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 382px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1081/5106616776_04203944a7.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Stew ingredients in pot.<br /><br /><a href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1171/5106616770_d590598095.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 346px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1171/5106616770_d590598095.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Finished stew.<br /><a href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1092/5106048169_c56dccd527.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 356px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1092/5106048169_c56dccd527.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Squash and Chickpea Moroccan Stew (adapted from Aida Mollenkamp)<br /><br />Ingredients<br /><br /> * 1 tablespoon unsalted butter<br /> * 1 tablespoon olive oil<br /> * 1 medium yellow onion, small dice<br /> * 4 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced<br /> * 2 teaspoons ground cumin<br /> * 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick<br /> * Salt and freshly ground black pepper<br /> * 1 pound butternut squash, large dice<br /> * 3/4 pound red potatoes, large dice<br />*1 bunch swiss chard, chopped<span style="font-style: italic;"> (my addition)</span><br /> * 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth<br /> * 2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained<br /> * 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juices<br /> * Pinch saffron threads, optional<br /> * 1/2 preserved lemon, finely chopped<br /> * 1 cup brined green olives<br /> * Steamed couscous, for serving<br /> * Fresh parlsey leaves, roughly chopped, for garnish<br /> * Toasted slivered almonds, for garnish<br /><br />Directions<br /><br />Heat butter and olive oil in a 3- to 4-quart Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed saucepan with a tight fitting lid over medium heat. When oil shimmers, add onion, garlic, cumin, and cinnamon, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until spices are aromatic and onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.<br /><br />Add squash, potatoes, and swiss chard, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, stir to coat, and cook until just tender, about 3 minutes. Add broth, chickpeas, tomatoes and their juices, and saffron, if using. Bring mixture to a boil then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer until squash is fork tender, about 10 minutes.<br /><br />Remove from heat and stir in preserved lemon and olives. Serve over couscous garnished with parsley and almonds.Ms. Meaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224824282422922472noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060924256734622856.post-84284886245680459932010-09-26T15:29:00.000-07:002010-09-28T13:11:53.833-07:00Swiss Roll Bombe<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4104/5027729276_d14cc19612.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 352px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4104/5027729276_d14cc19612.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Wow. It has been a loooong time. Ready for my sob story? Because here it comes...<br />Over the last few months I've come to realize how precious is this thing that we call <span style="font-style: italic;">time</span>. Time! What a sneaky thing you are. A few months ago I had so much of you -- almost too much. It was March and I had an offer for a job that didn't start until the end of August. I had 6 whole months to relish California while I slowly finished up my thesis. And now look at me...I barely have enough of you to sit down and write a post.<br /><br />The last few months have been some of the craziest in my life. I went from being a graduate student on the verge of completely losing all motivation to an assistant professor. Sounds like a big change, but honestly, I don't think much <span style="font-style: italic;">has</span> really changed. Sure, I'm in a different location, with a (dare I say it) real job, and a real (non-stipend) salary. But inside, I am still the same grad student -- stressing over deadlines, working late hours, and trying to hold on to every last bit of motivation I can find. It's been a challenge to say the least.<br /><br />The hardest part is being away from those I love. I am in the middle of the country (literally) thousands of miles from anyone I love and sometimes I can't help but wonder if it's really worth it. Honestly, I'm still not sure. But this is what I've got myself into, so I might as well savor it while I've got it.<br /><br />OK, enough rambling. I'm ready to talk food. I'm almost embarrassed to post this, but I'll do it anyway. This was supposed to be my submission for some past Daring Bakers challenge -- so long ago, I don't even remember the month, and right now I'm too lazy to look it up. The challenge was to create a Swiss bombe: basically cake-covered ice cream. That's right: Cake. And. Ice Cream. Together. Dessert doesn't get much better than this.<br /><br /><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/5027729232_b2eb3698c8.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 324px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/5027729232_b2eb3698c8.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>The swiss roll cake was really fantastic. Of course mine looked less than perfect, but the taste was phenomenal. Light and moist with the perfect amount of sweetness. I made two flavors of ice cream: vanilla bean and french vanilla (sorry, forgot which recipes I used), and added a layer of chocolate ganache. I made a mini bombe and a deconstructed version. Personally, I liked the deconstructed version better. But that's just me sometimes: disorganized and random (sshh...don't tell my students).<br /><br /><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4083/5027729256_70c4e35397.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 366px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4083/5027729256_70c4e35397.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>I also want to thank all my readers who left me the most endearing comments on my last post. After not blogging for so many months, I missed it terribly, and now I know why. Reading your comments and knowing that someone out there actually (somewhat?) cares about what's going on in my kitchen means so much to me. Seriously, your comments really touched me.<br />I really hope to be blogging regularly again soon.<br /><br />Here are the recipes for the <a href="http://thedaringkitchen.com/recipe/swiss-swirl-ice-cream-cake">cake</a> and <a href="http://www.ourbestbites.com/2010/03/super-easy-chocolate-ganache.html">ganache</a>.Ms. Meaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224824282422922472noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060924256734622856.post-14160051796890718212010-07-31T05:19:00.000-07:002010-07-31T05:32:03.707-07:00A Quick NoteLovely readers -- I know I've been away for a while. Things have been crazy busy around here. I've been packing, planning, and preparing for my big move across country, and it's been taking an insane amount of time. I miss cooking, posting, and reading and commenting on all my favorite blogs. I'll be moving mid-August, then starting my new job about a week later, so things will be hectic for a while. It's hard for me to say right now when I'll be blogging like the good ol' times again, but hopefully it won't be too long. I'm looking forward to catching up with you all soon.<br /><br />-<span style="font-style: italic;">ms. meanie</span>Ms. Meaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224824282422922472noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060924256734622856.post-18914888574008161622010-07-11T21:19:00.000-07:002010-07-16T12:16:04.069-07:00Île Flottante (Floating Islands)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4799317385/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4075/4799317385_ef54071a9a.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>I'm too cheap to pay for cable, but I always say that if the people at Comcast made me a deal where I just pay for one channel, they would have me sold. Of course, that one channel would be FoodNetwork and the one show I'd be sure to watch is Barefoot Contessa.<br /><br />A few months ago when I visited my parents (who apparently are not to cheap too pay for cable), I watched Ina Garten make an Île Flottante. The dessert looked so elegant and different than anything I'd ever made, I was instantly intrigued. Fluffy meringues that are ever-so slightly baked floating on top of a rich and boozy sauce? Yes please!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4799977590/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 323px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4114/4799977590_82599dfd5c.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>This dessert was definitely interesting. I know that's not the most appetizing word to describe a dessert, but it seems the most accurate to me. The crème anglaise was fantastic: I spiked it with a touch of Pisco (a <a href="http://chocolatechiptrips.blogspot.com/2009/09/guess-where-ive-been.html">Peruvian</a> brandy) which complemented the vanilla extract very nicely. The caramel was tasty as well, albeit somewhat tricky to work with. The meringues were a different story. They baked up beautifully, but me being the idiot that I am, decided to refrigerate them until I was ready to assemble this dessert. Yes, I know Ina would want to rip out her hair (or maybe mine) if she knew I committed this cardinal sin against meringues, but I really had no choice. I simply did not have enough time to make the entire dessert, plate it up prettily, and take pictures before the sun went down.<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="nobrtable"><br /><table style="width: 510px; height: 232px;" border="0"><tbody><tr><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4799016959/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 173px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4143/4799016959_319e25e343.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td><td><br /><br /><br /><br /></td><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4799017087/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 173px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4100/4799017087_8bf373cc24.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td><td><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></td><br /></tr><tr><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4799650318/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 173px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4139/4799650318_426490fd51.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td><td><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></td><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4799649870/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 173px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4142/4799649870_d0f4fb4764.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td><td><br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4799016711/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 173px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4115/4799016711_19ed45ae29.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td><td><br /><br /></td><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4799650158/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 173px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4098/4799650158_430b4f89eb.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td><td><br /><br /><br /></td><br /></tr></tbody></table><br /></div>Despite the chewy and cold meringues, I enjoyed this dessert. I'm also pretty confident that had I not chilled the little meringues to death, it would have been the luscious dessert Ina intended it to be. Maybe the next time I have enough time (and sunlight), I will make this dessert again. In the meantime, anyone out there work for Comcast? Make me a deal, and I'll make this dessert for you (sans the chewy meringues, of course).<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4799317677/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 341px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4077/4799317677_b3d7dafa05.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Île Flottante (adapted from <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/ile-flottante-recipe/index.html">Ina Garten</a>)<br /><br /><u> For caramel </u> (about 1 cup):<br />*1 1/2 cups sugar<br />*1 cup water<br />*1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract<br /><br /><u> For meringues </u>(the recipe says this will make 12 meringues, but I got more than twice this amount):<br />*8 extra-large egg whites, at room temperature<br />*1/8 teaspoon kosher salt<br />*1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar<br />*1 cup sugar<br /><br /><u> For crème anglaise </u>(2 cups):<br />*4 extra-large egg yolks<br />*1/2 cup sugar<br />*1 teaspoon cornstarch<br />*1 3/4 cups scalded milk<br />*1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract<br />*1 1/2 teaspoons Cognac or brandy<br /><br />Directions:<br />1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper or a baking sheet.<br /><br />2. <u> For the caramel </u>, heat 1 1/2 cups of the sugar and 1/2 cup water in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan until the sugar dissolves. Cook over medium heat until the syrup turns a warm caramel color. Don't stir, just swirl it in the pan. Off the heat, add 1/2 cup water and 1/2 teaspoon of the vanilla; be careful, the syrup will bubble violently. Stir and cook over high heat until the caramel reaches 230 degrees F (thread stage) on a candy thermometer. Set aside.<br /><br />3. <u>For the meringues </u>, beat the egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on medium speed until frothy. Turn the mixer on high speed and sugar. Beat until the egg whites are very stiff and glossy. Whisk in the vanilla. With dessert spoons place 12 mounds of meringue on the parchment paper and bake for 20 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.<br /><br />4. <u>For the crème anglaise </u>, beat the egg yolks and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed for 3 minutes, or until very thick. Reduce to low speed, and add the cornstarch. With the mixer still on low, slowly pour the hot milk into the eggs. Pour the custard mixture into a saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until thickened. The custard will coat the spoon like heavy cream. Don't cook it above 180 degrees F or the eggs will scramble! Pour the sauce through a fine strainer, add the vanilla extract, Cognac or brandy, and chill. <p>For serving, pour creme anglaise on the bottom of individual plates. Place a meringue on top of each serving, drizzle with caramel sauce, and serve.</p> <p>To make a day or two ahead, leave the caramel at room temperature and refrigerate the creme anglaise. Reheat the caramel and <span style="font-weight: bold;">bake the meringues before guests arrive and assemble the desserts just before serving.</span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;"> </p> </div> <h2 style="font-weight: bold;"> </h2>This dessert is also my attempt to make up for missing last month's Daring Bakers challenge. I know it is not the Chocolate Pavlova challenge hosted by Dawn, but it does consist of a few of the same components: baked meringues and creme anglaise. Click <a href="http://thedaringkitchen.com/">here</a> to see the actual Daring Bakers creations for June.<br /></div>Ms. Meaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224824282422922472noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060924256734622856.post-27211789660921681522010-07-07T11:33:00.000-07:002010-07-07T12:00:29.357-07:00Garlic Hummus<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4771577301/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4118/4771577301_ce9f876e1a.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Homemade Hummus. Did you see this coming? After making tahini sauce, it was only natural to use it in a hummus recipe.<br /><br />As a vegetarian, I always find it a challenge to come up with different fillings for sandwiches. Hummus, my friends, is the ultimate solution. It is easy to make, delicious to eat, and packed with protein. I made a big batch of this stuff almost 2 weeks ago, and I've been eating it ever since. Just freeze it in portions and let it defrost the day before.<br /><br />The raw garlic in this recipe gives the hummus a nice kick. Be warned however, that this means you will have garlic breath. I have garlic breath almost every single day, so I'm now used to it, the BF is too. Not having to worry about garlic breath -- one of the best things about a long-term relationship.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4772215258/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 433px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4077/4772215258_a65f81a599.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>The measurements here are estimates. The great thing about this recipe is you can add more of this and less of that depending on your tastes. Add some heat with a bit of cayenne, richness with more oil, or (my favorite) an extra kick with more garlic. Mmm...garlic breath.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4772215584/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 397px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4117/4772215584_d6341c64b8.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Hummus Recipe (adapted from Simply Recipes, makes about 2 cups)<br /> * 3 garlic cloves, minced and then mashed<br /> * 1 15-oz cans of garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed, OR about 2 cups cooked garbanzo beans (keep can or cooking liquid)<br /> * 1/3 cup of <a href="http://chocolatechiptrips.blogspot.com/2010/07/homemade-tahini.html">tahini</a><br /> * 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice<br /> * 1/4 cup liquid from can of beans or cooking liquid from beans (I threw this out by accident so just used water)<br /> * 3 tablespoons olive oil<br /> * 1/4 teaspoon of salt<br /><br />In a food processor, combine all ingredients. Process until smooth. Add more olive oil if necessary to achieve desired consistency.Ms. Meaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224824282422922472noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060924256734622856.post-11053942991503108122010-07-01T13:44:00.000-07:002010-07-01T14:47:21.615-07:00Homemade Tahini<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4121/4753157308_5f3f5c8066.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4121/4753157308_5f3f5c8066.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Some things just do not photograph well. Let me rephrase that -- there are some things which <span style="font-style: italic;">I </span>just cannot photograph well. Like homemade tahini. I know this looks like a pile of slop, but try not to focus on that part. Instead, direct your attention to my brand new mortar pestle (oooh, ahhh). You like?<br /><br />I've used store-bought tahini once in the past for making hummus. Although it was tasty and all, I had to buy a whole can of it when I needed only a few tablespoons. Sadly, much of it went to waste, which pains me because this stuff ain't cheap.<br /><br />So this time, I decided to make it myself and it was surprisingly simple. Yes, mashing it up in the mortar pestle requires a bit of elbow grease...but that's why we work out, no? To be better cooks, right? Of course!<br /><br />Step 1. Get out some sesame seeds and toast them until nice and well, toasty.<br /><div class="nobrtable"><table style="width: 510px; height: 232px;" border="0"><tbody><tr><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4753157050/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 166px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4134/4753157050_b457d52ce6.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td><br /><td> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4752515417/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 166px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4073/4752515417_2ce8e9117b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a> </td><br /></tr></tbody></table>Step 2. Put them, along with some olive oil, in your lovely new mortar pestle. No picture here, sorry, got a bit anxious.<br /></div><br />Step 3. Mash the bejeezus out of them.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4122/4752516787_10aa153ac0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4122/4752516787_10aa153ac0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Since I used a small amount of sesame seeds (about 1/4 cup) I made this in a mortar pestle. For a larger batch, you could certainly save some time and effort and make this in a food processor.<br /><br />Homemade Tahini (adapted from Joy of Cooking and <a href="http://mideastfood.about.com/od/dipsandsauces/r/tahinirecipe.htm">here</a>)<br />* 1/4 cup sesame seeds<br />* 3 1/2 tablespoons olive oil<br /><br />1. Preheat oven to 350. Toast sesame seeds for 5-10 minutes, tossing the seeds frequently with a spatula. Check often and make sure they do not burn!! Cool for 10 minutes.<br />2. Mash the seeds and oil with a mortar pestle until mixture is somewhat smooth and thick. The mixture will still be slightly lumpy.Ms. Meaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224824282422922472noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060924256734622856.post-41495359539997122032010-06-26T16:32:00.000-07:002010-07-16T12:16:29.589-07:00Homemade Crème Fraîche<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4737141760/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4114/4737141760_9b0b21a3f5.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>This will be a quick post with a simple recipe. Crème Fraîche is a thickened cream that has recently gotten much press throughout the food blogosphere. It is similar to sour cream, but less tangy with an amazing but subtle nuttiness. Grocery stores like to overcharge you for this stuff, which is silly to me, since it is very simple (and kind of fun) to make at home. After making this recipe and tasting how delicious the homemade version is, I will never consider buying this from a store.<br /><br />I have also tried this <a href="http://www.joyofbaking.com/CremeFraiche.html">other recipe</a> that calls for heating the heavy cream, and it did not work for me. Instead of crème fraîche, I ended up with sour heavy cream - definitely not good eats. Below is the simplest recipe I have found for homemade crème fraîche, and it comes out beautifully. No heating, no fear of burnage, just mix, wait, and enjoy.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4736505643/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4118/4736505643_8f66ae72ce.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Homemade Crème Fraîche (from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Baking-Home-Yours-Dorie-Greenspan/dp/0618443363">Dorie Greenspan</a>)<br /><br />1 cup heavy cream<br />1 tablespoon buttermilk or plain yogurt (I used yo<br /><br />1. Put the cream and buttermilk or yogurt in a clean jar with a tight-fitting lid. Cover the jar and shake for a minute or so.<br />2. Put the jar on a counter in a warm location (I placed it on top of my water heater) and leave it for 12 to 24 hours, or until the cream thickens slightly.<br />3. When the cream thickens, place the jar in the refrigerator and let it chill for 1 day.Ms. Meaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224824282422922472noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060924256734622856.post-2795151067190634352010-06-21T14:59:00.000-07:002010-06-24T08:55:59.251-07:00Applesauce Spice Cake<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4725835778/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 421px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1346/4725835778_710300af4d.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Can you tell I've had some free time on my hands? After making all the edits on my thesis, filling out a hundred forms about my graduate school experience, and setting up my meeting to officially submit my thesis (tomorrow at 10am!), I spent a few hours pimping up this blog. You like? Suggestions anyone?<br /><br />I also thought and thought about what to write for this post. I know I have been trying to advocate local and seasonal recipes here on CCT, and as much as I try to eat locally and seasonally, I have a little confession everyone. Here goes...I eat apples. Every. Single. Day. Of the year. Just about. Fall? Yes, of course. Winter? Sure, cold storage apples are pretty awesome too. But then, I also eat apples in the spring...and summer (gasp!). Not sure why -- just trying to keep the doctor away, I guess.<br /><br />And hence, the apples in the background of this picture. But here's the thing about this recipe...it doesn't call for apples, it calls for applesauce. So even if you abide by all the local and seasonal rules, you can still enjoy this cake all year long.<br /><br />I'm not sure what prompted me to make this very autumn-esque cake in the middle of June. I was craving something sweet and spicy and nutty, and this just fit the bill. Maybe it was the countless number of yummy looking cake recipes I've been seeing on <a href="http://asoutherngrace.blogspot.com/search/label/cakes">Grace's lovely site</a>. Maybe I was just longing for Fall. Maybe I'm trying to use up what seems like hundreds of jars of Trader Joe's applesauce before I prepare for my big move across the country. Whatever the reason, I made this cake, and it made me happy.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4725824106/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1329/4725824106_aef3bfabcb.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Applesauce Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting (adapted from Joy of Cooking, makes about 12 servings)<br /><br />*This cake was very spicy and moist, but a bit dense. I think next time I will increase the oil to 1/2 cup and reduce the flour by about 1/4 cup.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">For cake:</span><br />1 cup sifted all-purpose flour<br />1 cup sifted whole wheat flour<br />1 teaspoon baking soda<br />1 teaspoon ground cinnamon<br />1/2 teaspoon ground cloves<br />1/2 teaspoon ground allspice<br />1/2 teaspoon salt<br />1/3 cup oil (I used canola)<br />1 cup packed brown sugar<br />1 large egg<br />1/4 cup buttermilk or yogurt (I used a mix)<br />1 cup unsweetened applesauce<br />1 cup chopped walnuts<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">For Cream Cheese Frosting:</span><br />1 8oz package cream cheese<br />2 tablespoons softened butter<br />1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted<br />1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">To make cake:</span><br />1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour an 8-inch square baking pan.<br />2. In a large bowl, whisk together the sifted flours, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and salt.<br />3. In a separate bowl, using a mixer on high speed, beat together the oil and sugar for about 3 minutes.<br />4. Set the speed to low, and beat in the egg. Stir in the flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with the applesauce. Do not overmix. Finally, stir in the walnuts.<br />5. Scrape batter into pan and spread evenly. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Once cool, top with cream cheese frosting.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">To make frosting:</span><br />In a large bowl, cream together cream cheese and butter until creamy. Gradually beat in the sugar until smooth. Beat in vanilla extract.Ms. Meaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224824282422922472noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060924256734622856.post-52012586763963768942010-06-13T22:50:00.001-07:002010-06-14T10:05:17.520-07:00(Lighter) Spinach Artichoke Dip<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4700523968/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4056/4700523968_9f9243fc69.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>I can't even remember the last time I've had spinach artichoke dip at a restaurant - it must have been at least 10 years ago. So I guess I can't completely attest that this version of the popular dip will be exactly like the kind you find at the restaurants, but I will say that this dip is truly delicious.<br /><br />The flavors of this dip are so robust. The tart from the sour cream and the salty from the cheeses create a delicious contrast; the spinach and artichoke play so well together, you almost want to give them an award.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4700523228/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4050/4700523228_06b5c7b5e0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Below is my lightened version of this classic dip, which I think is just as good as the full-fat version. I say "lightened" instead of "light" because this dip is still rich, creamy, and cheesy. Use it as an accompaniment for bread, crackers, and carrot sticks, or do what I do: slather it on two pieces of good <a href="http://chocolatechiptrips.blogspot.com/2010/06/whole-wheat-focaccia.html">wholesome</a> <a href="http://chocolatechiptrips.blogspot.com/2009/07/100-whole-wheat-bread.html">bread</a>, add some sliced tomato, and call it lunch.<br /><br />(Lighter) Spinach Artichoke Dip<br /><br />* 1 1/2 cups thawed, chopped frozen artichoke hearts<br />* 1 cup thawed, chopped frozen spinach<br />* 1/2 cup sour cream (I use low-fat)<br />* 1/2 cup cream cheese, softened<br />* 1/4 cup grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese (or combination of the two)<br />* 4 cloves garlic, chopped<br />* 1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese<br /><br />1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).<br />2. In a 8x8 inch baking dish*, mix together artichoke hearts, spinach, sour cream, cream cheese, parmesan and pecorino cheese, and garlic.<br />3. Bake until heated through and bubbly, about 20 minutes.<br />4. Remove dish from oven and set oven to broil. Spread an even layer of mozzarella cheese over the top. Return to oven and broil until top is lightly browned and bubbly.<br />5. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.<br /><br />*I baked this is a 8x8 inch dish and <span style="font-style: italic;">later</span> transferred some to ramekins shown in the photos.Ms. Meaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224824282422922472noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060924256734622856.post-25239935572585072032010-06-09T12:52:00.000-07:002010-06-14T10:01:43.366-07:00Whole Wheat Focaccia<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4686501934/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1282/4686501934_ccb0e60fbe.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I think I've had this blank document up for about 2 hours now, trying to write this post. In the meantime, I've read the <a href="http://global.nytimes.com/">news</a>, listened to a Christmas <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEvGKUXW0iI">song</a>, bought new running <a href="http://www.kellysrunningwarehouse.com/">sneakers</a>, and watched an episode of <a href="http://www.free-tv-video-online.info/internet/sex_and_the_city/season_4.html">Sex and City</a> (why, oh why can't the movies be as good as the show??). But write this post I did not. So since I could not come up with anything to write, I decided to write about how I could not come up with anything to write.<br /><br />Truth is, I think I'm all writed-out. Yesterday, after <strike> weeks </strike> months of writing, editing, writing, editing, and even more writing and editing, I FINALLY submitted my thesis. Hallelujah is all I can say. For now that is. Until my committee members read it, find a million things wrong with it, and ask me to re-write it, edit it, rewrite it and edit...(please pray for me that this doesn't happen).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4685869565/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1308/4685869565_6f24be87c7.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I now have a new respect for book writers and editors. How do they do it? More times than I'd like to admit, I'd get ready to proofread, red pen in hand, only to find myself...asleep. Face down. On my thesis. With a red ink stain on my cheek.<br /><br />Don't get me wrong, I am in no way putting down my writing or my research, it's all very interesting (to me at least), but I find few things more boring than reading and re-reading something that I have written, read and re-read about a gazillion times. I'm just saying.<br /><br />I have been wanting to post about this recipe for a while now - ever since <a href="http://chocolatechiptrips.blogspot.com/2010/05/daring-bakers-piece-montee.html">Nancy</a> was here (yes, that long!). It's probably the simplest yeast bread you can make and super tasty. The best thing about it, is the countless ways to flavor it with various combinations of herbs, cheese, and other fixin's: thyme and roasted garlic, caramelized onions and gruyere, or whatever else you fancy. This bread is a palette for your culinary imagination. Start painting!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4685869875/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4071/4685869875_e7c76f3578.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Whole Wheat Focaccia Bread (adapted from <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Michaels-Foccacia-Bread/Detail.aspx">allrecipes</a>)<br /><br />1 tablespoon honey<br />2 cups warm water<br />1 tablespoon active dry yeast<br />1 tablespoon kosher salt<br />1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil<br />1/2 cup diced onion<br /> <br />3 cups all-purpose flour, plus a bit more as needed<br />2 cups whole wheat flour<br />3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil<br />2 tablespoons fresh chopped rosemary<br />1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese<br />1 tablespoon kosher salt<br /><br />1. In a large bowl, dissolve honey in the warm water, then sprinkle yeast over the top. Let stand for 5 minutes until the yeast softens and begins to foam. Stir in 1 tablespoon of salt, 1 tablespoon olive oil, onions, and flour and form into a dough. Knead on a well floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.<br />2. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 20 minutes.<br />3. Preheat oven to 415 degrees F (215 degrees C).<br />4. Place dough onto oiled baking sheet, and flatten to cover the whole sheet evenly. Use the tips of your fingers to make indentations all over the dough spaced about 1 inch apart (I forgot to do this). Drizzle the focaccia with 3 tablespoons olive oil, then sprinkle rosemary, Parmesan cheese, and remaining 1 tablespoon of kosher salt over the top. Let rise for 10 minutes.<br />4. Bake in preheated oven 20 minutes until golden brown.Ms. Meaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224824282422922472noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060924256734622856.post-75296606739596406652010-05-27T16:46:00.000-07:002010-07-16T12:16:51.161-07:00Daring Bakers Piece Montée (Croquembouche)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4646487222/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 368px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3399/4646487222_37ede7a3c2.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>The May 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Cat of <a href="http://www.littlemisscupcakeparis.blogspot.com/">Little Miss Cupcake</a>. Cat challenged everyone to make a piece montée, or croquembouche, based on recipes from Peter Kump’s Baking School in Manhattan and Nick Malgieri.<br /><br />I wanted to make this dessert for one of my best friends (hi Nancy!) who was visiting a few weekends ago and my goal was to minimize the amount of work I had while she was here. Since there were several steps to this recipe, I started early -- made the pastry cream 3 days in advance, baked the pâte à choux<i><b> </b></i>the day before, and filled and froze them overnight. The next day, I assembled the Croqembouche while the choux were still frozen. I think freezing them actually made the assembly easier. The choux were much easier to handle, and the glaze hardened quickly which helped them stick together. Nancy is a fan of fruity desserts and chocolate, so I filled the choux with a banana pastry cream and assembled the Croquembouche with a chocolate glaze.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4646526618/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 358px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4065/4646526618_a2c2141833.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I had never made a pâte à choux before but had been longing to try it for some time. Cat's recipe for the choux was absolutely perfect. These little babies puffed up so beautifully I almost couldn't believe I actually made them. I ate one right out of the oven - no filling, no frosting, completely unadorned, and it was simply amazing. Like the most delicious fluffy little pillow you could ever eat.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4645932339/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4033/4645932339_6ecd24b0a7.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />For the pastry cream, I started with Kat's recipe for vanilla pastry cream, reduced the sugar a bit, and added a mashed banana. The cream was good but not spectacular. It was a bit too sweet and not very flavorful. I scraped in some vanilla beans, which helped enhance the flavor a bit, but I still wasn't in love. I would have preferred a creamier, maybe even gooier, filling for the choux.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4646527170/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4013/4646527170_2589fc7a66.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Assembling the Croquembouche was probably the step I was most intimidated by, but it actually turned out to be much simpler than I had imagined. As I mentioned, I think working with frozen choux made it much simpler, and my Croquembouche came together pretty easily.<br /><br />All in all, I really enjoyed making, and even more so eating, this dessert. Cat's pâte à choux recipe has opened up a world of possibilities -- I've been dreaming about eclairs, cream puffs, and profiteroles<b>. </b>This will be my go-to recipe the next time I want to make a pâte à choux, and there definitely will be a next time.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4645872551/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 316px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3657/4645872551_b0f5d8eea3.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Piece Montée (Croquembouche)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">For the Banana Crème Patissiere</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">:</span><br />*1 cup (225 ml) whole milk<br />*2 tablespoons cornstarch<br />*6 tablespoons (100 g) sugar<br />*1 large egg<br />*2 large egg yolks<br />*1 small banana, mashed<br />*2 tablespoons (30 g) unsalted butter<br />*1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />*1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise<br /><p>Dissolve cornstarch in ¼ cup of milk. Combine the remaining milk with the sugar in a saucepan; bring to boil; remove from heat.</p> <p>Beat the whole egg, then the yolks into the cornstarch mixture. Pour 1/3 of boiling milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly so that the eggs do not begin to cook.</p> <p>Return the remaining milk to boil. Pour in the hot egg mixture in a stream, continuing whisking.</p> <p>Continue whisking (<em>this is important – you do not want the eggs to solidify/cook</em>) until the cream thickens and comes to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in the mashed banana, then beat in the butter and vanilla extract. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and stir in to combine. Finally, for a smooth consistency, strain the creme through a sieve.<br /></p><em style="font-weight: bold;">For the Pate a Choux </em><em>(Yield: About 28)</em><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span>*¾ cup (175 ml.) water<br />*6 Tbsp. (85 g.) unsalted butter<br />*¼ Tsp. salt<br />*1 Tbsp. sugar<br />*1 cup (125 g.) all-purpose flour<br />*4 large eggs<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">For Egg Wash:</span><br />*1 egg and pinch of salt (<span style="font-style: italic;"> Instead of egg wash, I brushed the choux with a bit of milk)</span><br /><p>Pre-heat oven to 425◦F/220◦C degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.</p> <p><span style="font-style: italic;">To prepare batter:</span> 1. Combine water, butter, salt and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and stir occasionally. At boil, remove from heat and sift in the flour, stirring to combine completely. Return to heat and cook, stirring constantly until the batter dries slightly and begins to pull away from the sides of the pan. Transfer to a bowl and stir with a wooden spoon 1 minute to cool slightly. Add 1 egg. The batter will appear loose and shiny. As you stir, the batter will become dry-looking like lightly buttered mashed potatoes. It is at this point that you will add in the next egg. Repeat until you have incorporated all the eggs.</p> <p><span style="font-style: italic;">To Pipe:</span><br />Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a large open tip (I piped directly from the bag opening without a tip). Pipe choux about 1 inch-part in the baking sheets. Choux should be about 1 inch high about 1 inch wide. Using a clean finger dipped in hot water, gently press down on any tips that have formed on the top of choux when piping. You want them to retain their ball shape, but be smoothly curved on top.<br /></p><p>Brush tops with egg wash (1 egg lightly beaten with pinch of salt) or milk.<br /></p> <p><span style="font-style: italic;">To Bake:</span><br />Bake the choux at 425◦F/220◦C degrees until well-puffed and turning lightly golden in color, about 10 minutes.</p><p>Lower the temperature to 350◦F/180◦C degrees and continue baking until well-colored and dry, about 20 minutes more. Remove to a rack and cool.</p><p>Can be stored in a airtight box overnight.</p> <p><span style="font-style: italic;">To Fill:</span><br />When you are ready to assemble your piece montée, using a plain pastry tip, pierce the bottom of each choux. Fill the choux with pastry cream using either the same tip or a star tip, and place on a paper-lined sheet. Choux can be refrigerated briefly at this point while you make your glaze.</p><style type="text/css">.nobrtable br { display: none }</style><br /><div class="nobrtable"><br /><table style="width: 510px; height: 232px;" border="0"><tbody><tr><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4646381682/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 173px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3507/4646381682_884b37f6eb.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td><td><br /><br /><br /></td><br /><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4646381344/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 173px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4013/4646381344_5a73367a94.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td><br /></tr><tr><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4645766363/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 173px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4023/4645766363_a2b8b9882e.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td><td><br /><br /><br /></td><br /><td> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4646382078/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 173px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4004/4646382078_0a773fe1ab.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td><br /></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">For Chocolate Glaze:</span><br /></div><br />*8 ounces/200 g. finely chopped semi or bitter sweet chocolate (use the finest quality you can afford as the taste will be quite pronounced) <p>Melt chocolate in microwave or double boiler. Stir at regular intervals to avoid burning. Use immediately.</p><p><span style="font-style: italic;">Assembling the Piece Montée:</span><br />You may want to lay out your unfilled, unglazed choux in a practice design to get a feel for how to assemble the final dessert. For example, if making a conical shape, trace a circle (no bigger than 8 inches) on a piece of parchment to use as a pattern. Then take some of the larger choux and assemble them in the circle for the bottom layer. Practice seeing which pieces fit together best.</p> <p>Once you are ready to assemble your piece montée, dip the top of each choux in your glaze (careful it may be still hot!), and start assembling on your cake board/plate/sheet. Continue dipping and adding choux in levels using the glaze to hold them together as you build up.<br /></p><br /><style type="text/css">.nobrtable br { display: none }</style><br /><div class="nobrtable"><br /><table style="width: 510px; height: 232px;" border="0"><tbody><tr><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4645792443/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 173px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4040/4645792443_feee1e59e0_m.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td><td><br /><br /><br /></td><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4646407080/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 173px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3399/4646407080_ff5a26f9a1_m.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td><td><br /><br /></td><br /></tr><tr><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4645791811/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 173px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3399/4645791811_614f41e3ae_m.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td><td><br /><br /><br /></td><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4645791483/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 173px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4009/4645791483_235643a1cf_m.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td><td><br /><br /></td><br /></tr></tbody></table><br /></div>Ms. Meaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224824282422922472noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060924256734622856.post-51871578395040362402010-05-26T13:30:00.001-07:002010-06-14T10:00:38.812-07:00Panzanella Salad<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4643108276/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 498px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4006/4643108276_140bd8a237.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />My lovely readers, I know I have been away for a while. I have been traveling on a road trip for the last week with no internet access and therefore have been unable to update this site and read up on all my favorite blogs. I finally have internet access (woot!) now and I promise I will catch up on all the posts I have missed.<br /><br />I also have some news...I got a job! Yes, in a few months, I will be finishing up graduate school and moving to the Midwest to teach at a small liberal arts college. I am excited and terrified at the same time. Happy and sad. Relieved and nervous. I'm definitely feeling a mix of emotions right now and this is only the start. It is crazy for me to think about how remarkably different my life will be in a few months, how so many changes are about to take place. And as excited as I am about this opportunity, I sometimes wish things wouldn't change.<br /><br />I've spent the last 5 years of my life in California, and although I'm ready for a change, I know there are many things I will miss about this place. I've mentioned before how great the local farmer's market is here, and I feel almost at a loss when I think about not being able to have fresh and local produce all year long. The best thing about this farmer's market is the variety of produce stands avaialble. Sure there are the ridiculously pricey vendors who try to sell you a tiny basket of organic strawberries for $7, but there are also several vendors that sell pesticide-free produce at prices that are reasonable even for a cheap and poor graduate student like me.<br /><br />Shopping at the farmer's market gives me opportunities to make things like this panzanella salad which was inspired by one of my favorite <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/">food sites</a>. The original recipe called for asparagus and leeks, but I substituted spring garlic for the leeks and added fava beans. That is the beauty of this salad. It can be easily tweaked to accommodate whatever vegetable you're craving or, in my case, happens to be on sale!<br /><br />Spring Panzanella Salad (adapted from <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/04/spring-panzanella/">Smitten Kitchen</a>)<br />For the croutons:<br />1/4 cup olive oil<br />2 cloves garlic, finely chopped<br />5 cups day-old bread, crust removed, cubed (I used whole wheat)<br />6 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese<br />Salt and freshly ground black pepper<br /><br />For the vinaigrette:<br />Half a red onion, finely diced<br />2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar<br />Juice of half a lemon<br />1/4 cup olive oil<br />1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard<br /><br />For the salad:<br />2 cups shelled fava beans (from about 2 lbs of unshelled beans), steamed or blanched<br />1 pound asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces<br />2 bulbs spring garlic (optional)<br />1 19-ounce can of white beans, rinsed and drained or 1 1/2 cups cooked white beans<br /><br />Preheat oven to 400°F.<br /><br />To make bread cubes:<br />Mix the bread cubes with the garlic, olive oil, cheese, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Toss to coat well. Transfer bread to a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake stirring once or twice, until the croutons are crisp and lightly colored on the outside but still soft within, about 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside and let cool.<br /><br />To make vinaigrette:<br />Whisk together red onion, vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, and mustard in a small bowl.<br />Set aside.<br /><br />To prepare salad:<br />Combine the beans, asparagus, spring garlic (if using), and white beans in a large bowl. Mix in bread cubes, pour in vinaigrette, and toss well.Ms. Meaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224824282422922472noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060924256734622856.post-80563528401246541322010-05-16T21:29:00.000-07:002010-06-14T10:00:04.478-07:00Classic Yellow Cupcakes<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4620448973/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4048/4620448973_d4ee7429ba.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Oh goodness me. Can someone teach me how to frost a cupcake? Apparently, I suck at this. These cupcakes were so cute out of the oven, and then I pulled out my piping bag, tips and all. Next thing you know, there I was, "piping" globs of frosting on them, desperately trying to maintain some coherent design, but really just creating what I can only describe as poo-like piles. Sorry for the description, but I need some pointers! Fellow bakers, how do you frost your cupcakes so beautifully, and why do mine always look so...strange? I read all the tips in Joy of Baking, even watched some videos, but something always goes astray. Either I pull away too quickly and end up with skinny tubes, or pipe for too long and end up with big puddles. Maybe I just need a different piping tip. Yup, that <span style="font-style: italic;">must</span> be it. Blame it on the tools, not the handy <strike> man </strike> woman.<br /><br />Luckily, I was able to somewhat salvage these cupcakes by using the frosting as more of a glue and sticking on some little chocolate chips (another reason why I love chocolate chips!). And in all seriousness, these cupcakes were rich, moist, and just sweet enough with a subtle hint of vanilla. Utterly delicious - botched-up frosting and all.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4620442069/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 352px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3338/4620442069_ccc3ebd93d.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Yellow Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting (adapted from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hummingbird-Bakery-Cookbook-Tarek-Malouf/dp/1845978315">Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook</a>, makes about 18 cupcakes)<br /><br />*2 cups all-purpose flour<br />*1 1/2 cup sugar<br />*2 teaspoons baking powder<br />*1 teaspoon baking soda<br />*pinch of salt<br />*6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature<br />*1 cup whole milk<br />*2 eggs<br />*1 teaspoon vanilla extract<br /><br />Chocolate Buttercream Frosting<br />* 2 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar<br />* 8 Tb cocoa powder<br />* 6 Tb butter, at room temperature<br />* 1 tsp vanilla<br />* 2 Tb milk<br /><br />1. In a large bowl, sift together the confectioners sugar and cocoa, and set aside.<br />2. In another large bowl, cream butter until smooth. Gradually add in one quarter of the sugar mixture, 2 Tb at a time. Add in all of the vanilla, then another quarter of the sugar mixture, two tablespoons at a time. The mixture should be firm. At this point, gradually add the milk, about a 1/2 tablespoon at at a time, alternating with 2 tablespoons at a time of the rest of the sugar mixture.<br /><br />1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.<br />2. Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter in an electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a hand-held electric whisk) and beat on slow until you get a sandy consistency and everything is combined. Gradually pour in half the milk and beat until the milk is just incorporated.<br />3. Whisk the eggs, vanilla extract, and remaining milk together in a separate bowl for a few seconds, then pour into the flour mixture and continue beating until just incorporated (scrape any unmixed ingredients from the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula). Continue mixing for a couple more minutes until the mixture is smooth. Do not over-mix.<br />4. Pour the mixture into a muffin pan lined with paper cases until two thirds full and bake in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes, or until light golden and the sponge bounces back when touched (smaller cupcakes will need 3-5 minutes less baking time).<br />5. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean. Leave the cupcakes to cool slightly in the tray before turning out on to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.<br />6. When the cupcakes are cold, frost with chocolate buttercream frosting. ToMs. Meaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224824282422922472noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060924256734622856.post-21259719541211443252010-05-12T16:43:00.000-07:002010-07-16T12:18:25.477-07:00Vegetarian Cassoulet<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4603776457/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3414/4603776457_e29762bc35.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>One of the most rewarding perks of living in California is the amazing produce we can get pretty much all year round. Many Californians are fortunate enough to have year-long farmers markets that are fully stocked with fresh and local fruits and vegetables. So it's not surprising that one of my main goals for this blog was to post recipes for foods prepared with these seasonal ingredients. Sounds simple right? Maybe for some, but for me? Not so much. Things come up. Interviews, presentations, deadlines. A certain advisor sends a certain angry email regarding a certain thesis that should have been finished some three weeks ago. See, things come up, and although I made this cassoulet a while back, when it was more probable to find fresh local leeks, here I am weeks later finally posting about it, and guess what?...my thesis is <span style="font-style: italic;">still </span>not done (ssh...don't tell the advisor!)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4603776129/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3394/4603776129_ed535839af.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I have been fascinated by cassoulets ever since I saw a Julia Child recipe in her <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Julia-Childs-Menu-Cookbook-Child/dp/0517064855">Menu Cookbook</a>. Julia's recipe is definitely not for the faint of heart. It requires 3 types of meat- pork, sausage, and goose (I'm not even sure I know <span style="font-style: italic;">where</span> to buy goose from). The recipe also states that it requires more than 4 hours of cooking time (plus more for preparation). That's the required time for <span style="font-style: italic;">normal</span> people, so for someone like me, this recipe would take oh, roughly...4 days. Yup, that sounds about right.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4604390002/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 389px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1132/4604390002_27eafda819.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>One of these days (I'm thinking maybe sometime around retirement?) I'll try Julia's recipe, but until then I will definitely be making this simpler vegetarian version often. It takes about 2 1/2 hours from start to finish - including preparation (and yes, even for me!) and is so delicious and hearty that even my carnivorous BF didn't miss the meat. Although I'm sure a few chunks of chicken or <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/03/vegetarian-cassoulet/">sausage</a> wouldn't hurt a thing, and would certainly bring you one tiny step closer to Julia's version.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4604390168/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1227/4604390168_26dc188498.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Vegetarian Cassoulet (adapted from <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/03/vegetarian-cassoulet/">Smitten Kitchen</a> and <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Vegetarian-Cassoulet-241753">Gourmet</a>)<br />For cassoulet:<br />2 medium leeks (spring leeks work well, white and pale green parts only)<br />1/2 large onion, diced<br />4 medium carrots, halved lengthwise and cut into 1-inch-wide pieces<br />3 celery ribs, cut into 1-inch-wide pieces<br />4 garlic cloves, chopped<br />1/4 cup olive oil<br />4 thyme sprigs (I used home-dried thyme sprigs)<br />4 parsley sprigs<br />2 Turkish or 1 California bay leaf<br />1/8 teaspoon ground cloves<br />3 (19-ounce) cans cannellini or Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained or 4 1/2 cups cooked dried beans<br />1 19-ounce can diced tomatoes, with their juice<br />3 tablespoons tomato paste<br />1 quart vegetable broth<br /><br />For garlic crumbs<br />4 cups coarse fresh bread crumbs<br />1/3 cup olive oil<br />1 tablespoon chopped garlic<br />1/4 cup chopped parsley<br /><br />To make cassoulet:<br />Halve leeks lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces, then wash well and pat dry.<br /><br />1. Cook leeks, onion, carrots, celery, and garlic in oil with herb sprigs, bay leaves, cloves, and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a large heavy pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden, about 15 minutes.<br />2. Stir in beans, tomatoes, tomato paste, then stock, and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until carrots are tender but not falling apart, about 30 minutes.<br /><br />To make garlic crumbs while cassoulet simmers:<br />Preheat oven to 350°F.<br /><br />Toss bread crumbs with oil, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a bowl until well coated. Spread in a baking pan and toast in oven, stirring once halfway through, until crisp and golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool crumbs in pan, then return to bowl and stir in parsley.<br /><br />To finish cassoulet:<br />Discard herb sprigs and bay leaf. Mash some of beans in pot with a potato masher or back of a spoon to thicken broth. Season with salt and pepper. Just before serving, sprinkle with garlic crumbs.Ms. Meaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224824282422922472noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060924256734622856.post-74736980872712814282010-05-05T17:39:00.000-07:002010-05-13T09:31:14.819-07:00Swedish Visiting Cake<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4584471500/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4019/4584471500_b5e73aa976.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>I'd seen this cake made by the <a href="http://tuesdayswithdorie.wordpress.com/">Tuesdays With Dorie</a> group a few weeks ago, and I just could not resist. Maybe it was the simplicity of the recipe, or the rustic but oh-so-pretty pictures in Dorie's book, but something about this cake just called out to me.<br /><br />This cake is seriously one of the most delicious cakes I have ever made and it probably took me about 15 minutes tops to prepare. Am I tooting my own horn? Sure, maybe a little, but not really, since the deliciousness of this cake is not a reflection of the baker, it is a reflection of the recipe. It is so simple to make and just wonderful to eat. Butter, flour, sugar, vanilla, and almonds...how can you go wrong? Plus, the batter is easily prepared in one bowl and doesn't require a mixer.<br /><br />Best of all, this cake is just a blank canvas for so many variations I have in mind - maybe adding a touch of cinnamon and nutmeg, or topping it with a fruit compote, or folding in a handful of... chocolate chips (bet you didn't see that one coming). So rebellious yet so delicious too. The possibilities are seriously endless.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4584510990/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3306/4584510990_5be5a37d06.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Swedish Visiting Cake (from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Baking-Home-Yours-Dorie-Greenspan/dp/0618443363">Dorie Greenspan, Baking: From My Home to Yours</a>)<br /><br />*8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for pan<br />*1 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling<br />*Grated zest of 1 lemon<br />*2 eggs<br />*1/4 tsp salt<br />*1 tsp vanilla extract<br />*1/2 tsp almond extract<br />*1 cup flour<br />*1/4 cup sliced almonds (blanched or not)<br />*powdered sugar (optional, for serving)<br /><br />1. Center a rack in oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Butter a seasoned 9-inch cast-iron skillet or other heavy oven-proof skillet, a 9-inch round cake pan or even a pie pan.<br /><br />2. Pour sugar into a medium bowl. Add lemon zest and blend zest into sugar with your fingers until sugar is moist and aromatic. Whisk in eggs, one at a time, until well blended. Whisk in salt and vanilla and almond extracts.<br /><br />3. Switch to a rubber spatula and stir in flour. Finally, fold in melted butter. Scrape batter into prepared skillet or pan and smooth top with rubber spatula.<br /><br />4. Scatter sliced almonds over top and sprinkle with sugar. If using a cake or pie pan, place pan on baking sheet. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden and a little crisp on outside; the inside will remain moist. Let cook slightly, and sprinkle with a bit of powdered sugar before serving.Ms. Meaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224824282422922472noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060924256734622856.post-50607073520967203312010-05-03T09:59:00.000-07:002010-05-06T09:02:42.758-07:00Chocolate Chip and Pecan Oatmeal Cookies<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4575561448/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3346/4575561448_975ef33f9c.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Boyfriends are fun to mess with. Especially mine. I have a simple trick that I like to play on him: I take some of our favorite dessert recipes, make some healthy substitutions (without him knowing of course), and innocently watch him to see if he notices any differences. Yes, he is the official guinea pig of MsMeanie's Test Kitchen.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4067/4572476733_58efa94fdd.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4067/4572476733_58efa94fdd.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>I'll admit it though, some recipes don't fool him, and he can detect a hint of healthy, but these oatmeal cookies? They get him - every, single, time.<br /><br />The first time I made these cookies, I followed the recipe exactly and they were amazing - rich and chewy and just sweet enough. A few weeks later I made them again, this time with a few healthy tweaks, and guess what? They were STILL amazing. Deliciously rich from the chocolate and pecans, with a balance of crispy on the outside and chewy in the center. My tastebuds loved me, my arteries thanked me, and my test kitchen guinea pig devoured them without suspecting a thing. Now, <span style="font-style: italic;">that</span> to me is cookie perfection.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4574963363/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4033/4574963363_aec2d1403b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Chocolate Chip and Pecan Oatmeal Cookies (adapted from <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2007/11/oatmeal-chocolate-chip-and-pecan-cookies/">Smitten Kitchen</a> and <a href="http://www.davidlebovitz.com/archives/2006/11/nick_malgieris.html">David Lebovitz</a>, makes about 36 cookies)<br /><br />*4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature<br />*4 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce<br />*3/4 cup white sugar<br />*1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed<br />*1 teaspoon salt<br />*1 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />*2 large eggs<br />*1/2 cup all purpose flour<br />*3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour<br />*1 teaspoon baking soda<br />*1 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats<br />*2 cups chopped pecans<br />*12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips<br /><br />1.Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter a large cookie sheet or line with parchment paper.<br />2. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and applesauce in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add both sugars, salt, and vanilla, and beat until well mixed, about three minutes. Stir in eggs, one at a time.<br />3. Sift together the flour and baking soda in a separate bowl. Stir in half of the flour mixture to the butter. Once the flour has been incorporated, add the second half. Stir in the oats, pecans, orange zest, and chocolate chips.<br />3. Place a small piece of plastic wrap over the dough and chill in the refrigerator for a few hours (at least 1 hour). This step gives the cookies a great texture and really enhances the flavor. The longer the cookies are chilled, the chewier and more flavorful they will be.<br />4. Allow the dough to sit at room temperature for a few minutes, then drop the dough, by the tablespoon, onto the cookie sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven and cool the cookies on a rack.Ms. Meaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224824282422922472noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060924256734622856.post-46016204621247324342010-04-28T13:43:00.000-07:002010-05-06T09:02:21.400-07:00Palak Paneer (Indian Spinach and Cheese)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4561818864/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 346px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3325/4561818864_5755653205.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Palak Paneer. Funny sounding but yummy tasting. Palak paneer (or spinach and cheese) is a quintessential vegetarian dish of North India. It is the vegetarian dish that even meat-lovers crave. My mother makes some of the best palak paneer I have ever had. Unfortunately it is almost impossible to get the recipe from her since, well, she doesn't have one. Her technique is to add some of 'this' and 'that' until the taste and texture is perfect. Measurements are a mystery. See, my mother doesn't use measuring spoons for adding spices. I don't even think she uses spoons. She uses her hands and her fingers and her tastebuds. As I stand in my kitchen, measuring out ingredients, desperately trying to replicate her "recipes", I imagine what she'd think if she saw me there. She'd be proud for sure, but she'd probably be laughing too.<br /><table style="width: 510px; height: 232px;" border="0"><tbody><tr><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4561152041/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 173px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3261/4561152041_7ee9dcd284_m.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td><td><br /></td><br /><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4561781584/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 173px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4041/4561781584_9b62975ff6_m.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td><br /></tr><tr><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4561152519/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 173px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4043/4561152519_5655fa2433_m.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td><td><br /></td><br /><td> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4561781324/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 173px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3368/4561781324_206975a415_m.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td><br /></tr></tbody></table><br />My (many) previous attempts to replicate her palak paneer have left me with a dish that was either too bitter, too sour, or lacking of a robust spinach flavor. Until now. This palak paneer has a great creamy spinach flavor, without the bitterness that many spinach dishes tend to have. The addition of spices also gives it a nice kick, so you know you're not just eating creamed spinach. The paneer is firm enough that it won't lose its form but soft enough that it almost melts in your mouth. I think Mama would approve.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3296/4561170263_5faed982c7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3296/4561170263_5faed982c7.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Palak Paneer<br />*10 cups of chopped fresh spinach or 10 oz of frozen spinach<br />*2 tablespoons tomato paste<br />*2 teaspoons grated ginger<br />*3 cloves garlic<br />*1 tablespoon oil<br />*1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds<br />*1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds<br />*1 teaspoon coriander powder<br />*1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder<br />*1/2 teaspoon red chili powder<br />*1 teaspoon sugar<br />*1/3 cup heavy cream or (not skim) milk<br />*2 tablespoons flour<br />*salt and pepper, to taste<br />*1 1/2 cups of <a href="http://chocolatechiptrips.blogspot.com/2010/04/homemade-paneer.html">paneer</a>, cut into 1/2 inch cubes<br /><br />1. Place the spinach, tomato paste, ginger, and garlic in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.<br />2. In a large pan, heat the oil until hot, then add the cumin and caraway seeds. Fry the seeds for about 30 seconds. Add the coriander, turmeric, and chili powder, and cook for about 2 minutes.<br />3. Add the spinach, sugar and milk. Stir to combine. Stir in the flour and season with salt and pepper. Cook, covered, for about 10 minutes.<br />4. Remove from heat and (with a rubber spatula) gently fold in the the paneer.Ms. Meaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224824282422922472noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060924256734622856.post-90837866062996314222010-04-27T10:20:00.000-07:002010-04-27T19:11:28.852-07:00Homemade Paneer<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4558439601/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3483/4558439601_2f7de8ef47.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I have been meaning to post about making paneer pretty much since I started this blog, more than a <a href="http://chocolatechiptrips.blogspot.com/2009/03/spring-is-here.html">year</a> ago. Paneer is traditional Indian cheese, similar in taste and texture to ricotta. While ricotta is traditionally made from whey, paneer is made from the curds produced from adding an acid to boiling milk. It is a very mild cheese that is popular in many savory and sweet Indian dishes. It is also not very difficult to make at home.<br /><br />Here are the two most helpful tips I can give about making paneer. (1) Milk is not as innocent as it seems: it can go from hot, to boiling to burnt in a matter of seconds. (2) To achieve a nice, firm, paneer like the kind you can buy in Indian grocery stores, you must drain out ALL of the water from the cheese. The easiest way is to press the paneer under heavy weight.<br /><br />To prepare, place a colander lined with cheesecloth in the sink.<br />Then begin heating a gallon of milk in a large heavy-bottomed pan. The milk must be heated slowly and stirred constantly until it comes to the boil. Be very careful to heat the milk slowly, and stir constantly to prevent it from burning.<br /><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigS6k_O33KxJ5d7UqTO-F1QBAKXc2mxQ453bpDt2_K44HnhDkSatig9ixuwzRPvieDEO30C6_UdGT7wt-XtXjr7fbhA-Bbm72UbjQ2S4SKuMUMjCmZe47g846mBMSFgdFDEFT6aRzvNWs/s400/paneer-heat.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464921895686711426" border="0" />Once the milk reaches a boil, stir in a half cup of lemon juice or vinegar. The milk will immediately begin to separate into a liquid (whey) and curds. Continue stirring for another minute or two.<br /><br /><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIlaJPJ2xoRuEbV1jSjvYxyBXdti5gf2iBlAFCy6a1e-BIXYEFgvOo-jwPGjbPMHLW28SqHIgmQACjpkUcnzdp9W7KNrSOMo5OE0__Wtvlh-qZ2OGqO4OjdkFx7n34a15K4qQ3Z_5UVMU/s400/paneer-curds.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464918696000961010" border="0" />Now carefully pour the contents of the pot into the lined colander. Be very carefully since the liquid will be extremely hot. Every time I do this step, it breaks my heart a little to have to throw out the whey. But even after lots of google searching, I still have not found a use for it.<br /><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWSSEJP2_j4-2aeSPKxSmdIyT9UrmTDfAdEEBoK3KR7BmPXguwNNN800HXcsX7hESO2GYvT5KCzuMLlLBV3-_qhh8nQYRyniXaTQPe2lmmho2XwLg10eLwDi1eQzyyQswOdJxc-hrnw8g/s400/paneer-pour.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464917914590421122" border="0" /><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgATW1ecqyzYTCoD2X7nciU8rJSBdxhU53OpIXmPMcc4JLUDSaLHbbhSeF172UFoXVrrwa8cZF3CQajLq3QR7kPUmwI4BbBYtwW-_2zq9gKl0ml3O-22URi_4v0O_TjUs2nw-7PiRpHVx8/s400/paneer-strain.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464916663134030402" border="0" />Rinse the paneer with a bit of cold water just so it is warm enough to handle. Then try to squeeze out as much of the liquid as you can using your hands.<br /><br /><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiADj5pORQmzNV3S3Y1afyUm0Ejc1wpku98SCSV9HwZ2vR1AjXW_FoWhVX9OiX_4P73VXDCowu7dMAE90wnjcfxkQdk9CW_h-lkXFjlqep0w_AoyCOx4gH0076mPbJI9p0Au-TeEHR_tOU/s400/paneer-squeeze.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464915688589108914" border="0" />The paneer needs to be drained of its liquid, and depending on how firm you'd like it, this could take anywhere from 2 hours to overnight. Most savory Indian dishes require a firm block of paneer, but many desserts call for a softer paneer that can be achieved with 2-3 hours of draining.<br />My go-to method for draining is to place the paneer (still in the cheesecloth) on a cutting board that is slighty hanging over the sink. Then on top, I place as much weight as possible as I can -- some iron skillets, cans of tomato sauces, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Algorithms-Second-Thomas-Cormen/dp/0262531968">textbooks</a> that I don't feel like reading, etc.<br /><br /><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD6FOQlBGT3NLS7zu2Ttgd4yvU3BeIJ1MCbai-mufU6o5V1lc87-ViBjsatakRoTW1uNgre1b0l2ymhwtPRPy8rSos5skw2_2CWl7Kl_YIhZBQEw-TEvJ9_HA9hCoQS-h63eiG6rJzUfU/s400/paneer-drain.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464915206151274706" border="0" />This is what the paneer should look like after being drained overnight. The texture will be just like the kind you find in the Indian grocery stores, but the taste will be at least 10 times better.<br /><br /><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiycmc2XUb_vHu8zm-bsaTYOzVQ2eMbUKM8b1qzSlDFV9s2Cpja585O-Com3HYq78xHvhge4m9DHj7HfymYgkzfA-7dRcrqJLSD-e-lrlCpjXstL9tFbFkzcyeNYhubbI6ZuKVsD_HsXec/s400/paneer-done1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464914797634251330" border="0" /><br /><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ETUc1_kv6Sd0wrglCmC5EhtLuAMKj3dHQcaHZgIPo1lyhHHKF90DRcLgIabBP2MqGTu-QOWyV83t7Lohmq6pgoVdLDBv5u7QKC7sH5jy2_gRSwpqpYHF-3c-MkHsGWKXj-LHbXmuCP4/s400/paneer-done2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464914384175356242" border="0" />Here is what it looks like cut up. Anyone want to take a guess as to what I made with this?<br /><br /><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnc0FLLvjVjypk2MSkdseaTXRtW8yc1Y3BK12ZpUI6BAa8XgWYA9xsVcvphRZlddIXJWJaLcELX-S_WtHSmuLpwJtKAya9poSbnmCGaTZRYH9dBlVb3Eshpq5Bx6AEMkgiy5XEINbsFXo/s400/paneer-cubes.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464914196475169410" border="0" />Homemade Paneer<br /><br />* 8 cups (half gallon) milk<br />* 1/2 cup lemon Juice or vinegar<br /><br />1. Place a colander in the sink and line with a large piece of cheesecloth.<br />2. In a heavy bottomed pot, over medium heat, cook the milk, stirring occasionally, making sure not it does not burn.<br />3. As the milk comes to a boil, gradually stir in the lemon juice or vinegar. The curd will begin separating from the whey. Cook for an additional minute, then remove the pot from the heat.<br />4. Pour the liquid into the prepared colander. Wrap the curds in the cloth and gently rinse under cold water for a few seconds. Then, using your hands, squeeze the cloth to remove the excess water. This also helps to remove some of the sourness from the lemon juice/vinegar.<br />5. To drain the liquid, place the curds wrapped in the cheesecloth on a cutting board. Place a heavy pan (cast iron works well) on top. Then place a few cans in the pan. Drain for at least 2 hours and at most overnight. The longer the cheese is drained, the firmer the final product.Ms. Meaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224824282422922472noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060924256734622856.post-78515612791050002092010-04-20T15:42:00.000-07:002010-04-21T17:21:41.258-07:00Artichoke and Mushroom Pasta<img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ-8OTRWyWE8zyJCuddQZT5FXvKGVcC-A6LbadAftxNHw3hixQrAFwVvBY77M5yXUArXSleYJuCm9Lg2oRTYPyc9i7LJeRkx9hdtUAji0cWzmeMnBgDZdhPXSnfMoYvjgOhoycrqYuYgE/s400/pasta3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462748476057081346" border="0" />This post was supposed to contain a lovely display of photos from my local farmer's market. Photos of the dozens of colorful produce stands, appetizing baked goods, fresh cheeses, and local wines. Photos of the energetic bands performing, the happy food vendors, the strangely-dressed man making balloon animals, and the tons of smiling families enjoying their Saturday morning. See, last weekend I had this great idea of bringing my camera to the farmers market to take a bunch of photos and post them on this site. Instead, my morning went like this: Spend 30 minutes safely packing camera for bike ride to market, arrive at market, unpack camera, point, focus, click. Nothing. Camera. Battery. Dead. Oof.<br /><br />So although I can't share photos of the Farmer's Market, I can share photos of a pasta - made with ingredients <span style="font-style: italic;">from</span> the farmer's market. That's almost the same, right?<br /><br /><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQU-183I3CQUiG5XA6hwk9pP2M-kRL1Bz0NEw-hi5PVyGG6KxCvo7gdGzai79OTgIie38da2uPiYkJuFIeD9hDneookkdxoVh9oU6HdGRP2MltOsk1WszLntSP_tsJDay-abkvYfzXBKE/s400/chokes1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462354352635019410" border="0" /><br />As much as I love all things artichoke, I've always had a lingering fear of using fresh artichokes. Maybe it's their thorns or their shell-like exterior, or their hefty price tag, but something always scared me away.<br /><br /><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq03hwCESDRbmCtUL8nNy3aMDANLQuHJej1OKa1NmYDe6oz1K3ujCJW8NPh_ZFNKDVng-9JwFPkylSzOd1dBP7esE_4NRBXLBNxQ75IxI6NP6CEOnRSzhdqJA9hu23u194EbC6IvFS_MM/s400/chokes2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462356882029377538" border="0" />But I've now discovered that there's no reason to be afraid - fresh artichokes are super simple to prepare. And although I'm in no way surrendering my lovely canned and frozen artichokes, I do love how fresh artichokes taste so, well...fresh.<br /><br />Sorry, I think all this thesis writing has erased my culinary vocabulary. All I can think of are words like 'methods', 'results', 'significant'. And "I love how fresh artichokes taste so significant" just doesn't sound right to me.<br /><br /><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrYx5Vxrmkl3YN14hN-EhzC_hvH-VwIyerS_hKZF8gVKaPuVUVwOqPFBKi6scMqSgZTU90LK3CEa6DnNz854_xzrpJ9gfSetgRq_XdWpy39hCfdtiQLwzGKHazvBo4aqgDmnKsL7Lc9kk/s400/chokes3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462359370181022306" border="0" /><br />For this pasta, I used about a pound of baby artichokes, which are much better suited for pasta-type dishes since the entire leaf can be eaten. Preparation is simple: rinse the artichokes, cut off the stems, and remove the outer (tougher) leaves. Ideally, you should keep the cut artichokes in a bowl of lemon water to prevent browning. As you can see, I forgot this step, hence the already browning artichokes.<br /><br /><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgykNmvI37fXLe8XNQeBZMQs3F8kVRKeADC9jMG9MdhogAOzEvrhnfPE5XKpL1GpVmk619nDkgIGkqhJ4p89LO29EiVaNJhy_WGKyaFPF9fFf5-PwbQtfwLhYo52EylE6QtzsDFQEQWvSM/s400/chokes4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462356964318393170" border="0" />There are many ways to cook the artichokes. They can be boiled, grilled, sauteed, baked, or steamed. I steamed mine before adding them to this pasta.<br /><br /><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAgUwJaIfUtxO-1QbS7mYP4FRwG_NmNmzT-qf9fjDfYPW9aU_0rqOHe3bUluk5LgSZVCBFvAY63rT__QCJ7q-5PhJjXkJx64yp11PeUAFb7XNp9q7jozhWXcaAtT4hJ5eRrYDxXgqowx0/s400/pasta2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462354047314406594" border="0" /><br />Artichoke and Mushroom Pasta<br />*1/2 lb linguine, fettuccine, spaghetti, or other pasta (I used whole wheat spaghetti)<br />*2 Tbsp olive oil<br />*1 shallot, minced<br />*1/2 lb crimini mushrooms, chopped<br />*3 Tbsp prepared basil pesto (I used this <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/pasta-pesto-and-peas-recipe2/index.html">recipe</a>)<br />*1 cup frozen peas<br />*1 lb baby artichokes, quartered<br />*salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste<br /><br />1. Cook pasta as directed on package. Keep it slightly al dente since it will cook a bit more with the other ingredients.<br />2. In a large pan, heat the olive oil. Add the shallots and cook until slightly translucent (1-2 minutes).<br />3. Add the mushrooms and cook until slightly softened.<br />4. Add the pasta, pesto, peas, and artichokes, and gently (tongs are great for this) toss everything together. Add salt and pepper to taste.Ms. Meaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224824282422922472noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060924256734622856.post-76473984103227289152010-04-12T13:26:00.000-07:002010-04-28T15:31:14.254-07:00The Baked Brownie<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4515955922/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2696/4515955922_b51696cbe0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Firstly, I want to thank you all for your well wishes and kind words in my last post. I was amazed at the amount of support I received in the comments and I have come to realize that I have the BEST blog readers ever! :)<br /><br />Now, let's talk brownies. I know what you're thinking - "another brownie recipe? Doesn't this girl get tired of chocolate, like ever?". The answer is "No. I don't." I am on a mission to find the best brownie recipe, even if that means baking a new batch every month and posting about them. A few weeks<a href="http://chocolatechiptrips.blogspot.com/2010/03/king-arthur-brownies.html"> ago</a>, I made the highly coveted King Arthur Flour brownies, and although I really enjoyed the texture of these - dense and fudgy, I felt they were a bit lacking in chocolate flavor. But since so<span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span> many of my favorite <a href="http://www.mangiodasola.com/2009/12/kaf-brownies.html">fellow</a> <a href="http://www.barbarabakes.com/2010/04/king-arthur-flour-fudge-brownies.html">food</a> <a href="http://pixie-baker.blogspot.com/2009/04/peppermint-patty-brownies.html">bloggers</a> love this recipe, I blame myself, and not the King, for their shortcomings. I will definitely try these brownies again, with a few changes, but in the meantime, I wanted to share another brownie recipe.<br /><br />This one is the famous Baked brownie, created by the people at Baked bakery in Brooklyn, New York. These brownies were AMAZING. I brought one of these to work for an after lunch treat; one bite and I almost fell out of my chair - they were that good. They are rich, dense, and fudgy, and the brown sugar and espresso powder give them an unbeliveably delicious chocolate flavor. If you are looking for the perfect brownie, I highly recommend you try this one. You will not be disappointed!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4515956174/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4035/4515956174_62f4e72cd0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Baked Brownie (from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1584797215?ie=UTF8&tag=smitten-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1584797215">Baked – New Frontiers in Baking</a>)<br />*1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour<br />*1 teaspoon salt<br />*2 tablespoons dark unsweetened cocoa powder<br />*11 ounces dark chocolate (60 to 72% cacao), coarsely chopped<br />*1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces<br />*1 teaspoon instant espresso powder<br />*1 1/2 cups granulated sugar<br />*1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar<br />*5 large eggs, at room temperature<br />*2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract<br /><br />1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the sides and bottom of a 9 x 13 glass or light-colored metal baking pan.<br />2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, salt and cocoa powder. Put the chocolate, butter, and instant espresso powder in a large bowl and set it over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and smooth. Turn off the heat, but keep the bowl over the water and add the sugars. Whisk until completely combined, then remove the bowl from the pan. The mixture should be room temperature.<br />3. Add 3 eggs to the chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Add the remaining eggs and whisk until combined. Add the vanilla and stir until combined. Do not overbeat the batter at this stage or your brownies will be cakey.<br />4. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate mixture. Using a spatula (not a whisk), fold the flour mixture into the chocolate until just a bit of the flour mixture is visible.<br />5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake in the center of the oven for 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs sticking to it. Let the brownies cool completely, then cut them into squares and serve. Tightly covered with plastic wrap, the brownies keep at room temperature for up to 3 days.Ms. Meaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224824282422922472noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060924256734622856.post-45005594987651399512010-04-07T19:14:00.001-07:002010-04-08T09:21:29.692-07:00Crustless Asparagus Quiche<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4503161352/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 343px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2794/4503161352_fed9d7749f.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Phew...finally, I'm back! I know I haven't posted in a while, and it's because things have been pretty busy here. After 5 long years, I am (finally) getting my PhD, so the last few months have been: applying for jobs, interviewing, and now waiting for offers. In the middle of all this, I am writing my thesis and still working on papers and presentations. I know, I know...none of this is as important as blogging about food, but unfortunately I can't convince my thesis committee of that.<br /><br />Maybe they would be convinced, however, if they tried this quiche. Full of asparagus and mushrooms, and a combination of three cheeses, it is amazingly tasty and very satisfying. It almost makes you forget about nerve-wrecking interviews, impending deadlines, and (what feels like) the thousands of hours of writing and editing that await you. Almost.<br /><br />This recipe is for a crustless quiche, and it so simple to make, it can easily be a weekday dinner. Perfect for days full of nerve-wrecking interviews, impending deadlines, and lots of writing. Yup, I think it’s pretty clear I will be making this dish often in the months to come.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4503161548/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 376px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4056/4503161548_95da6fbf34.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Crustless Asparagus & Mushroom Quiche (adapted from <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/09/spinach-quiche-revisited/">Smitten Kitchen</a> and <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Crustless-Spinach-Quiche/Detail.aspx">allrecipes</a>)<br />*1 tablespoon olive oil<br />*1/2 shallot, diced<br />*1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces<br />*1/2 pound mushrooms, chopped<br />*4 large eggs<br />*1/4 cup milk<br />*1/2 cup Swiss cheese, grated<br />*1/3 cup gruyere, grated<br />*1/3 cup Pecorino, grated<br />*1 tablespoon flour<br /><br />1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Heat the oil in a skillet, add shallots, and cook until just translucent.<br />2. Add the asparagus and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes. Pour into pie pan.<br />3. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, cheese, and flour. Pour over asparagus mixture.<br />4. Bake for 25 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.Ms. Meaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224824282422922472noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060924256734622856.post-22121658907473534472010-03-26T16:04:00.000-07:002010-03-31T10:47:38.726-07:00Sooji Halwa<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4476852593/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 380px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2682/4477627290_f44376290a.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>"<span style="font-style: italic;">Everything in moderation, including moderation</span>." --<span style="font-style: italic;">Julia Child</span><br /><br />This is my favorite quote from one of my favorite chefs, and pretty much sums up my attitude towards food. Yes, I know that moderation is the key to staying healthy and still being able to enjoy rich foods and sweet desserts, and I'm all for it. But sometimes a girl (and by girl I mean me), just needs to sit down and pig out on dessert, and not feel like she's committed a sin. I know they say to eat until you are just satisfied, but sometimes I'm not satisfied until I know I'm <span style="font-style: italic;">over-satisfied</span>. Sometimes I'm not full until I'm <span style="font-style: italic;">over-full</span>. Sometimes moderation just does not cut it.<br /><br />Sooji halwa is a very popular Indian dessert, often translated as 'semolina pudding'. It is the kind of dessert that you can eat a whole lot of without feeling the need to throw up or run a marathon afterward. It is light but extremely satisfying, sweet but not overly so, creamy but not too rich - all in all, the perfect dessert for assuaging all those sweet cravings that beg for more than just a few little bites.<br /><br />Sooji Halwa (Semolina Pudding)<br />*1/4 cup butter<br />*1 cup semolina (cream of wheat)<br />*2 bay leaves<br />*1 cup sugar<br />*pinch of salt<br />*1/2 cup water<br />*1 cup milk<br />*1/8 teaspoon ground cardamon<br />*1/2 cup raisins<br />*1/2 cup chopped walnuts, almonds, pistachios, or cashews (or a combination)<br /><br />1. In a large skillet (cast iron works well), melt the butter over medium heat.<br />2. Add the semolina and bay leaves, and cook for about 7-8 minutes until the semolina is reddish-brown in color but not burnt! Stir constantly, being careful not to burn it.<br />3. Add the sugar, and stir for about 15-20 seconds. Add the salt, water, milk, cardamom, raisins, and nuts, and stir for about 2 minutes. The mixture should still be somewhat wet.<br />4. Remove from heat and serve.Ms. Meaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224824282422922472noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060924256734622856.post-13055278424020949072010-03-24T20:53:00.000-07:002010-03-25T09:39:21.737-07:00Creamy Buttermilk Coleslaw<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4462072895/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2708/4462072895_e06da53f81.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>I can't believe it has taken me this long to discover the greatness of cabbage. It is so versatile, extremely <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabbage#Medicinal_properties">healthy</a>, and amazingly cheap. Last week I found cabbage for 33¢ a pound. 33¢!! I was very excited. I made a Indian-style cabbage and potato curry, and this tri-color coleslaw.<br /><br />The original recipe is from Cooks Illustrated, and although the texture was great, I felt it was lacking a bit in flavor. So I increased many of the ingredients -- a few more spoons of mustard, vinegar, and sugar, and used a mix of green and purple cabbage, and ended up with a deliciously creamy, flavorful, and colorful coleslaw.<br /><br />I think this recipe begs to be tweaked according to taste. My suggestion is to start with the original and add more of this and that depending on how flavorful you like your slaw. Since I made so many changes to the original recipe, below I give both the original and note my changes.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36549444@N07/4462073207/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2760/4462073207_af4b95463d.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Creamy Buttermilk Coleslaw (adapted from Cooks Illustrated) <p>Serves 8-10</p><p>Ingredients</p><p>*2 pounds cabbage (about 1 large head), red or green <span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">(I used a combination of the two)</span>, shredded fine<br />*salt, to taste<br />*2 medium carrots, shredded<br />*1 cup buttermilk<br />*1/4 cup mayonnaise<span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"> (I used low-fat)</span><br />*1/4 cup sour cream<span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-style: italic;"> (I used </span><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">½ </span><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-style: italic;"> cup yogurt)</span><br />*2 small shallot, minced<span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-style: italic;"> (I used red onion)</span><br />*4 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves<br />*1 teaspoon cider vinegar <span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">(I used 4 teaspoons)</span><br />*1 teaspoon granulated sugar <span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">(I used 4 teaspoons)</span><br />*1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard <span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">(I used 4 teaspoons)</span><br />*1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper<br /></p> <p>1. Toss shredded cabbage and 1 teaspoon salt in colander or large mesh strainer set over medium bowl. Let stand until cabbage wilts, at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours. Rinse cabbage under cold running water. Press, but do not squeeze, to drain; pat dry with paper towels. Place wilted cabbage and carrot in large bowl. <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-style: italic;">(The folks at CI recommend doing this to prevent a watery coleslaw. Unfortunately, I was in a rush so I skipped this step, but will probably do it next time as my coleslaw was a bit watery the next day)</span>.<br /></p><p>2. Stir buttermilk, mayonnaise, sour cream, shallot, parsley, vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt (to taste), and pepper together in small bowl. Pour dressing over cabbage and carrots, and toss to combine; refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.<br /></p>Ms. Meaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224824282422922472noreply@blogger.com17