Crazy Englishwoman Cooks!

Cranberry Upside-Down Cake

2009-12-21T09:25:00.003-05:00

This will be my last post of the year so I shall leave you with something festive: a cranberry upside-down cake. Cranberries are full of wonderful vitamins and antioxidants, and in this recipe the sugar forms a sweetening syrup to counteract their sharp tang

1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 3/4 sticks (14 tbs) butter
1 cup minus 2 tbs sugar
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
2 cups cranberries
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350F. Put a round pan on a baking sheet. If you're using a springform pan, as I did, the baking sheet is necessary to catch any syrup that leaks out.

Mix the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

Melt 6 tbs of the butter in a small pan. Sprinkle in 6 tbs of the sugar and cook until the mixture comes to a boil. Pour this into the bottom of the pan then scatter over the nuts and top with the cranberries.

Beat the remaining butter until smooth. Add the remaining sugar and beat until creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating one minute between each. Pour in the vanilla. Add half the dry ingredients, mixing only until they disappear. Mix in the milk, then the rest of the dry ingredients. Spoon the batter over the cranberries, and smooth the top.

Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a knife comes out clean. Carefully turn out onto a serving platter and there is your very pretty cake.

Enjoy, and have a very merry festive season.

Glittery Lemon Sandwich Cookies

2009-12-14T13:27:00.005-05:00

Yes, you're being spoiled to another recipe today since my OCD is insisting I organize my desktop and get rid of the photos waiting to be published.

This recipe comes from the now sadly defunct Gourmet magazine. Last year, they ran a special with some of their most popular Christmas cookie recipes from the past 50 years. These little glittery treats looked so delicious I had to make some. They were surprisingly simple too and are definitely a keeper.

For cookies

* 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
* 2/3 cup cornstarch
* 1/4 tsp salt
* 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
* 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
* 1 tbs grated lemon zest
* 1 tsp vanilla
* White or colored sanding sugars

For filling

* 1 cup confectioners sugar
* 1 tbs grated lemon zest
* 1 tbs fresh lemon juice
* 2 tbs light corn syrup
* 1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Whisk together flour, cornstarch, and salt. Beat together butter and confectioners sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, then beat in zest and vanilla. At low speed, mix in flour mixture just until a soft dough forms.

Put sanding sugars in different bowls. My advice here is to not use the ultrafine sanding sugars. I used some gold and silver that I had but it was much too fine and the resulting cookies looked oddly grubby. Those made with the coarser sugars from the grocery store looked much more festive.

The recipe calls for a tsp of dough but I found it easier to use my melonballer because you really do want teeny little balls of dough. Roll the dough into a ball and drop into sugar, turning to coat. Reshape if necessary and transfer to a baking sheet. Repeat, spacing balls 3/4 inch apart, until baking sheet is filled. Having now tried this recipe, I would also suggest pressing the balls ever so slightly to flatten them a little.

Bake until tops are slightly cracked but still pale (bottoms will be pale golden), 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer cookies on parchment to a rack to cool completely.

Form and bake more cookies on second baking sheet.

Beat together filling ingredients in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until combined well. Spread a small amount on half of the cookies. Sandwich with remaining cookies, pressing gently.

YUM!!!

The great thing is that you don't have to make these lemony. Next time I think I'll try peppermint flavor ones instead.

Pear and Parmesan Stuffed Mushrooms

2009-12-14T11:38:00.003-05:00

To be honest, when I made these it was because they were quick and easy, and I needed something to take with me to a Christmas gathering. I had no idea that they would be so popular, or that everyone I mentioned them to since then would be so disappointed that I hadn't made them any.

Pear and Parmesan Stuffed Mushrooms:

* 1 package (16 oz.) white mushrooms
* 1/4 cup butter
* 1 large pear, peeled, cored and finely chopped
* 1 small onion, finely chopped
* 1/4 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
* 1/4 tsp salt
* 1/8 tsp black pepper

Preheat oven to 400° F. Remove and finely chop mushroom stems; reserve mushroom caps.

Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and cook chopped stems, pear and shallot, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until tender.

Stir in cheese, salt and pepper.

Evenly stuff mushroom caps with pear mixture, then arrange on baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Garnish, if desired, with Parmesan cheese shavings.

Yule Log Cookies

2009-12-13T11:47:00.003-05:00

Christmas parties and cookie swaps this past weekend so I'll be sharing a few of the goodies I made, starting with these chocolaty Yule Log Cookies:

You need:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup butter softened
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup chocolate sprinkles or jimmies

Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, and salt. In another bowl, beat the butter
and vanilla together, until fluffy. Beat in the flour mixture until it's
very well-blended. Cover and chill the dough for at least 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350º F. Roll the dough into one-inch balls and then roll
them into logs, set 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake about 12 minutes (or until they're set), and let them stand on the sheets for a couple minutes before transfer to wire racks for complete cooling.

Microwave the white chocolate chips and stir them, then pour some
jimmies into a bowl. Dip each cooled log first into the white chocolate,
then into the jimmies. Let them sit until the chocolate hardens, about half
an hour.

Rescuing a Bundt

2009-12-09T10:13:00.002-05:00

Ever since I watched My Big Fat Greek Wedding, I feel the need to emphasize the word "bundt". I"m also strongly tempted to stick some flowers in the middle but I digress....

This is the story of how to rescue a cake that goes wrong and still have a good final result.

I decided it had been a while since I had made a cake for hubby's coworker Bruce, so yesterday made a Lemon Cornmeal Cake. The picture in the magazine showed a very nice bundt. It didn't mention the possibility of the cake sticking in the tin! Read on.

To make the cake, you need:
Baking spray
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 tbs grated lemon zest (optional)
1/4 cup lemon juice
4 eggs
1 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt.

Sugar glaze:

1 cup sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 325F and spray a Bundt pan.

In one bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.

In another bowl, beat the butter, sugar, lemon zest and juice until fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Alternate between adding the flour mix and the buttermilk, beating as you go. Mix until smooth, then pour into the cake tin.

Bake for about an hour. Cool the pan on a wire rack for about 5 minutes.

Now you can make the glaze - simply mix the sugar and lemon juice together.

Turn the cake out of the pan and this is where the best laid plans went wrong. The nice tips of my cake stayed firmly in the Bundt pan. If this happens, DO NOT PANIC. Turn your cake back over (CAREFULLY) and you still have a very nice looking ring cake.

Brush with the glaze and leave to cool completely. The result is a cake with a wonderful lemony glaze and a very happy Bruce.

No Stilton in Stilton?

2009-12-08T11:51:00.000-05:00

Today I share a news story from the Wall Street Journal:

STILTON, England -- This small hamlet shares its name with a famous curd. But under European Union law, it's illegal to make Stilton cheese in Stilton.

The bar on producing Stilton cheese here is a curious consequence of EU efforts to protect revered local foods by limiting the geographical area where they can be made.

To read the full story, click here.

Spicy Thai Meatloaf with Cilantro Lime Dip

2009-12-07T12:07:00.005-05:00

This is what happens when I give my husband options for dinner:

"Would you prefer meatloaf or Spicy Thai Burgers?"

"Spicy Thai Meatloaf."

And thus it was created. Actually it was a pretty simple adaptation of a burger recipe I'd been dying to try.

For the meatloaf, you need:

• 2 lbs ground beef
• 2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup bottled Thai sweet chili sauce
• 4 green onions, sliced
• 1 cup Spicy Thai Kettle Chips, placed in a bag and smashed slightly

For the Thai sauce, I decided to go less for sweet, more for heat. With this in mind, I used Sriracha, a spicy red sauce that can be found in most grocery stores.

Since our grocery store had no Kettle Chips in, I used Chili Doritos which, by the way, are yummy.

Mix everything together, slap in a loaf pan and bake at 350F for about 50 minutes.

Meanwhile, whip up some Cilantro Lime Dip:

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tbs lime juice
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Serve the meatloaf with the dip on the side and a salad and you're ready to go. Be warned - if you use Sriracha, be prepared for fire breath! Plus we have enough for leftovers tonight!

PS. We found it actually had a better taste and consistency when we ate it as leftovers so I recommend making it one day in advance and letting it sit.

Whole Grain Bread

2009-12-04T09:42:00.002-05:00

If you have soup, you have to have good crusty bread, so in a fit of Martha Stewart craziness, I made whole grain bread on Wednesday to accompany my Butternut Squash Soup. Complete with oats, wheatgerm, and sesame seeds, it is wonderful on its own with just a sliver of butter. The recipe is from Pauline & Dan Campanelli's book Ancient Ways: Reclaiming Pagan Traditions.

Whole Grain Bread

In a large mixing bowl combine:
2 cups milk (warm to the touch)
2 packages of dry baking yeast
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup dark brown sugar

Cover this mixture and set aside in a warm place until it has doubled (about half an hour). Add to this mixture:

3 tbs softened butter
2 eggs
1 cup of unbleached white flour

Stir until bubbly. Now mix in:

1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup of rolled oats
2 cups stone ground wheat flour
2 tbs sesame seed

You are now supposed to turn this out to knead but I found it needed another cup or so of flour before it was sturdy enough to do that.

With floured hands, turn this dough out onto a floured board and gradually knead in more unbleached white flour until the dough is smooth and elastic and no longer sticks to your fingers. (If you're a bit on the OCD side, like me, the doughy fingers is the worst part).

Place this dough in a greased bowl, turning it so that the dough is greased. Then cover it with a clean cloth and keep it in a warm place to rise until it is doubled (about an hour).Then punch it down and divide it into two or more elongated loaves, and placed on greased cookie sheets. Cover these and return them to a warm place until they double again. Bake the loaves in a pre-heated oven at 350 degrees for about an hour, or until they are done and sound hollow when tapped.

Delicious.

Butternut Squash Soup

2009-12-03T10:25:00.001-05:00

Never one to give in to a challenge, I gave the failed Butternut Squash Soup another try (with the correct type of molasses) and I'm pleased to say it was a success. So now I can share the recipe with you all.

* 2 lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 2" pieces
* 1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into 2" pieces
* 2 cans (13 3/4 oz each) chicken broth
* 2 tbs light molasses (REMEMBER: this can make or break your soup)
* 2 tbs chopped fresh tarragon or sage
* 1 tsp ground cinnamon
* 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
* 1 large onion, chopped
* 1 apple, sliced
* 2 cloves garlic, sliced
* salt
* ground black pepper

Cover the squash and sweet potatoes with cold water and bring to a boil. Cook for 25 to 35 minutes, or until very soft. Drain and return the vegetables to the pan. Stir in the broth, molasses, tarragon or sage, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Remove from the heat.

Spray a medium no-stick skillet and place over medium heat. Add the onions, apples, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, or until soft. Add to the squash mixture.

Working in batches, puree the squash mixture in a blender or food processor. If you have an immersion blender, even better! You can puree the whole amount or do as I did and puree most but still leave a few nice chunks. Season with the salt and pepper.

Heat through until warm.

I recommend serving it with a hearty crusty bread. I made a wonderful wholegrain bread which I will share with you tomorrow.

Tricky Sticky Stuff

2009-12-01T11:32:00.002-05:00

It is inevitable when you like to experiment with recipes that there will be mistakes. I've had a few doozies that were so bad they had to be thrown out. The lemon curry when we were first married - I halved everything except for the amount of lemon juice. Ouch! The banana bread I tried making a few months ago that had far too much clove in it.

And then there's last night's disaster. Butternut Squash Soup. It sounds so simple, doesn't it? Fresh butternut squash, sweet potatoes, apple. All blended into a delicious, creamy soup. Not at all like the dark, bitter concoction that ended up in the waste disposal as Nic took over cooking (ie. ran for take-out from Cracker Barrel).

So what was the problem?

Molasses.

I was not familiar with molasses until I moved to the US. I always keep a jar in the cupboard for gingerbread.

Guess what? There's more than one kind. Who knew? It turns out that the dark, unsulfured type I used was not the right one. I should have used light instead. Apparently there's quite a difference!

So last night I dined on chicken fried steak and fried okra instead of butternut squash stew. I still have half a squash left so I may try again tomorrow. Either way, check back later for the recipe.

No Recipe but Tips

2009-11-23T11:21:00.001-05:00

No recipe today but a couple of quick tips to pass along.

1. For those of you who end up buying spices for one recipe, never use them again, and end up with a cupboard full of stale spices... and who live in the UK (sorry!)... my mum brought some Schwartz spice packs with her on her most recent visit. Each one is a sachet of spices and herbs, just enough to serve 4 for a specific recipe. They're great. We had Mexican Chili Chicken last night and Cajun Chicken last week. Tonight I'm going to try the Spicy Meatball mix. Highly recommended.

2. Why oh why did I never think of freezing tomato puree before? I'd always buy one of those little tins, need all of a tablespoon and the rest would go off before I could use it. Now I scoop it into an icecube tray. Each cube is about 1 tbs so just pop what you need into a recipe and you're ready to go. Saves time and waste.

On a completely non-food related tangent, anyone wanting to send letters from Santa to kids in their family, my deadline this year is December 15 to make sure they arrive in time. Fully personalized on Santa's own letterhead all the way from the North Pole. $10 a pop so email me for more info: fiona@fionayoungbrown.com.

Writing, Writing

2009-11-18T23:30:00.001-05:00

I haven't been doing as much cooking lately because (ironically) I've been writing about food. In addition to researching the origin of the groom's cake, I've also been working on a personal essay about childhood memories and cupcakes.

Speaking of cupcakes, watch this space. I have some recipes for chocolate avocado cupcakes and gingerbread latte cupcakes that I'm dying to try. Coming soon....

Fudge Brownie Cookies

2009-11-15T10:41:00.002-05:00

Last night I was visiting some friends and needed to atone for some horrifically spiced gingerbread a few months ago. They are my tester guinea pigs.

I decided to try making some Fudge Brownie Cookies, from a recipe I first found at Life's Ambrosia. The result is some of the richest, chocolatiest cookies I have ever had.

You need:

1 package fudge brownie mix
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 stick butter, melted, cooled
3-4 tbs cold water
1 cup dark chocolate chunks

Combine the flour, brownie mix and brown sugar.
Stir in eggs one at a time. Add the butter and 2 tbs water. The batter will probably be really thick and floury still so add 1 more tbs of water. Batter will be very thick.
Fold in chocolate chunks
Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease a cookie sheet.
The recipe then called for heaping tablespoons on a sheet. I'll be honest, I found the mix too thick for that so I used my hands. Press down slightly. Don’t flatten completely. Bake for 8-10 minutes.
Remove from oven, allow to cool 2 minutes on cookie sheet. Transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.

Chocolate perfection!

A Simple Feast

2009-11-12T10:05:00.001-05:00

Last night, I made an incredibly delicious dinner consisting of just 3 ingredients I happened to have in the kitchen. It served as a useful reminder that fancy doesn't have to mean complicated or time-consuming.

So what did I have?

Salmon, grilled in pineapple chipotle salsa on a bed of soba noodles.

It could just as easily have been chicken or tofu... on pasta or rice... with frozen veggies or soy sauce.

The point is, you may be surprised by what you can whip up when you think you haven't got enough to fix a proper meal but don't want to go to the store or mess around preparing something more involved.

A Dear John Letter to Spaghetti Squash

2009-11-11T10:47:00.002-05:00

Dear Spaghetti Squash,

We met a few years ago but you didn't seem like the other squash in my life... butternut, acorn, pumpkin. They were so reliable, dependable.

Not you. You were different with your long strands of rebellion. I was intrigued. And there was your name - Spaghetti. So full of promise.

I've tried to love you. I've tried to walk on the wild side. But it's just not working out. It's not me. It's you.

You're just like spaghetti you said. You can eat me instead of pasta you said.

Lies. All lies!

I tried you with pasta sauce. It wasn't the same. Within an hour I was running for ice cream and begging forgiveness from my linguine.

I tried you with cheese and bacon. What isn't improved by cheese and bacon! Yet all you did was sully their wholesome deliciousness.

I tried to make this work but it's time to move on.

Spaghetti squash, there's no room for you in my life anymore.

Goodbye.

Acorn Squash Soup

2009-11-09T10:16:00.003-05:00

Fall is the perfect time for soup. Not the stuff that comes from a can and you add water (sorry Campbells!). I mean proper homemade soup that's thick, warming, and nutritious, like this Acorn Squash Soup.

You need:
1/4 cup celery (you can also add some onion if you like)
2 tbs butter
2 tbs flour
1 tsp chicken bouillon granules
1/2 tsp dill weed
1/4 tsp curry powder
dash of cayenne pepper
2 cups chicken broth
1 12oz can evaporated milk
3 cups mashed cooked acorn squash*
salt and pepper
5 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled

* I used 2 small acorn squash. Cut them in half, place face down on a baking sheet and bake at 375F for 30-40 minutes. When cooked scrape the flesh into a bowl.

In a large saucepan, melt the butter and saute the celery for a few minutes until it softens. Stir in the flour, bouillon, dill weed, curry powder and cayenne pepper. Slowly add the broth and the milk, stirring well. Bring to a boil and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add the squash and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Heat through and serve, with crumbled bacon sprinkled on top.

If you prefer a smooth soup you can run it through a blender first, but it's not a particularly chunky soup to begin with.

We had some left over and will finish it tonight with some added chicken and broth to stretch it out a bit.

Butternut Squash and Orzo Pasta

2009-11-03T12:10:00.002-05:00

I love butternut squash - that beautiful orange color, the texture, the flavor. There's so much you can do with it, like this Butternut Sage Orzo dish:

1 cup onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbs olive oil
4 cups butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped into small pieces
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup orzo
1/2 cup Parmesan
2 tbs fresh sage

Start by peeling and chopping your butternut squash, and let me tell you, peeling it is not an easy task. (Of course, I'm secretly hoping someone will now email with an incredibly easy technique!)

Saute the onion and the garlic in the oil for 5-7 minutes. Add the squash and broth and simmer for 10 minutes or longer, until the squash is tender.

Meanwhile cook your orzo pasta. Drain the pasta and mix with the squash. Stir in the cheese and sage and serve.

The flavor is very subtle which I liked. Nic added hot sauce for more kick and asked that I add a spicy sausage next time (actually a pretty good suggestion).

This is nice either on its own as a main dish, or as a side.

Eureka!!!!

2009-10-08T10:53:00.004-04:00

If Archimedes had eaten the same dessert as we did last night, he'd be saying "Eureka" too!

I thought my recipe for Spiced Apple Cheesecake was pretty darn good but this Caramel Apple Cheesecake Pie leaves that in the dust. I made a few tweaks to a recipe I found for Candy Apple Pie, leaving out pecans because Nic doesn't like them, (in fact, he launched into an entire diatribe in Meijers on the evils of the pecan), and substituting a spiced apple pie filling because... well partly to save time and partly because I know you all are busy people. (I do this all for YOU).

OK, so here is the recipe for my Caramel Apple Cheesecake Pie:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tbs sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup caramel ice cream topping

1 large can of apple pie filling (or you can make your own if you're feeling like Martha Stewart)
8 oz. cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 tbs lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup heavy cream, whipped
2 tbs sugar
1/2 cup caramel ice cream topping
1/4 cup chopped nuts - pecans if you like them. I used chopped peanuts.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In a medium bowl, mix the crumbs, sugar, cinnamon and melted butter. Press into the base and up the sides of a 10-inch pie plate. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes until golden in color. Remove from oven and cool completely. Pour caramel into pie shell.

Pour the apple pie filling into the base.

Combine cream cheese and sugar for about 1 minute until smooth. Add egg, lemon juice and vanilla and beat for 1 minute or until fully blended. Pour over apple filling in pie shell. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove pie from oven and let cool. Refrigerate for 4 hours.

Beat the cream and sugar together until nice and thick. Top the cheesecake with whipped cream, caramel and nuts.

So to recap we have 1 crumb base + 1 layer caramel + 1 layer apples + 1 layer cheesecake + 1 layer of creamy caramel goodness! which should look something like...

Dig in. Enjoy. Worry about the gym tomorrow.

Sushi - It's Not What You Think

2009-10-07T15:57:00.003-04:00

From yesterday's beets and horseradish to today's sushi. What can I say? I have eclectic taste in food. I just came across this piece I wrote for a now defunct magazine and figured I'd share it.

Sushi: It’s Not What You Think

If I ask you to think of Japanese food, the first thing that comes to mind is probably sushi. Now if I ask what sushi is, I’m guessing that at least half of you will say it is raw fish. Try again.

Although sushi has become the catch-all phrase for a variety of seaweed-wrapped rolls and slices of fish with rice, technically sushi refers to the rice itself and the way it is prepared.

Sushi rice is a short grain rice with a high gluten content which is why it sticks together so well. If you’ve ever tried eating good old Uncle Ben’s with chopsticks, you’ve probably had great difficulty, not to mention made quite a mess, and you no doubt wonder how on earth other people manage to make it look so simple. The truth is they don’t…, at least not with that kind of rice. Glutinous rice, such as the varieties used in a lot of East Asian cooking, is much easier to eat with chopsticks because it sticks together in clumps. To prepare the rice for sushi, it is mixed with rice vinegar, mirin (a sweet Japanese wine) and sugar to give it a certain sweetness.

OK, so sushi may refer to the rice but there are a number of different accompaniments for it and together they form what we all know as sushi. (Incidentally, raw fish by itself is known as sashimi).

The most popular form of sushi as we know it is Nigiri Zushi, ie. little blocks of rice with a dab of wasabi and topped with a sliver of fish (often raw).

Inari-zushi is probably the type that Westerners are least familiar with. The sushi (remember we’re just talking about the rice here) is stuffed into little bags of fried bean curd and looks like a little package. Moms, this one is often popular with kids.

Fukusa Zushi looks much like Nigiri Zushi but is made with the rice either wrapped in or topped with omelette. Strictly one for egg lovers.

Finally, we have Norimaki Zushi: the rolls of seaweed most of us are familiar with. The fillings can be as simple as a piece of cucumber, or the elaborate combinations which we see at many local restaurants. One of our nearby restaurants even makes a fruit sushi with strawberries and fish eggs!

If you have never tried sushi in its various forms, it can be very intimidating to order it at a Japanese restaurant. While supermarket sushi is often nowhere near as delicious as that prepared fresh by a trained chef in a restaurant, it can be a more comfortable way to try it and see what you like.

I'll leave you with the advice one of my Japanese hosts gave me when I tried it for the first time: don’t worry about chopsticks. Sushi is the ultimate finger food. Simply dip in a little soy sauce and enjoy.

Roasted Beets with Horseradish Cream

2009-10-06T10:40:00.005-04:00

Beets seem to be something of an acquired taste. I know very few, if any, people who rush out dancing for joy because it's beet season. But since I receive them in my CSA basket from time to time, I like to find new ways of cooking them.

You might be surprised to learn that not all beets are that deep purple color that stains everything. The beets I had recently varied from a creamy white to a mottled red.

I was also interested to find some horseradish root in my basket. Sadly, I really haven't been able to find any recipes other than horseradish sauce or the horseradish cream below, so if you come across anything, send it this way!

Roasted Beets

Peel and quarter your beets, remembering to be very careful if they are the typical dark variety as they will stain everything they come into contact with.

Preheat your oven to 400F. Make little packets of foil, containing beets and a drizzle of olive oil and honey. Roast in the oven for about an hour.

Horseradish Cream

Peel and grate your horseradish root. Whip 5oz cream until it's fairly thick but not TOO thick. No peaks. Fold in 2tbs grated horseradish, 2 tsp lemon juice, a pinch of sugar and a pinch of salt. (Be sure to add enough horseradish as you want the cream to have a good kick to it).

Serve either with beef or over the roasted beets.

Jalapeno Cheese Cornbread

2009-10-02T10:37:00.002-04:00

What goes better with chili than homemade cornbread? This one is also loaded with cheddar cheese and jalapenos. (When making it in future, I may add a teensy bit of sugar for added sweetness).

1 1/4 cups yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup cream-style corn
1/4 cup minced seeded jalapeño peppers
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup light sour cream
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Stir in all the remaining ingredients. Stir until JUST moistened. Pour the batter into a greased 9-inch square baking pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately.

Turning Cold so Time For Chili

2009-10-01T11:10:00.003-04:00

Fall definitely fell this week and there's a distinct chill in the morning air... which means it's time to start making soups and chili again.

The following recipe is for a regular dark chili but substitutes turkey instead of beef. The person who sent it to me claimed it's good for fibromyalgia. I can't comment one way or the other on that but it's pretty good. The recipe made enough for us to have dinner last night and still have plenty to freeze for two more days.

Tailgate Chili

2 cups small dried red beans (14 oz)
2 tbs olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 green bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 jalapeño pepper, finely chopped
1 tbs chili powder
2-1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1 can (28 oz) tomatoes, chopped with their juice
1/4 cup tomato paste
1-1/2 tsp salt
1-1/3 lb ground turkey

In large saucepan, combine beans and water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until beans are tender, about 1-1/2 hours, adding more water if necessary to keep beans covered. When beans are tender, drain, reserving 1 cup of cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, in 4-quart Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, 10 minutes or until onion is tender. Add bell peppers and jalapeño and cook 10 minutes or until bell peppers are tender.

Stir in chili powder, cumin, and coriander and cook 1 minute. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, beans, and reserved bean cooking liquid and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered 30 minutes or until chili is flavorful.

Crumble in turkey and cook, stirring frequently, 10 to 15 minutes or until turkey is cooked through and chili is lightly thickened.

Come back tomorrow for the jalapeno cheese cornbread I made to go with the chili.

Moroccan Eggplant with Couscous

2009-09-29T11:07:00.004-04:00

After a three day weekend at a movie festival in Indiana, where meals consisted of Cracker Barrel (breakfast), Pizza Hut (lunch) and Taco Bell (dinner), I was ready for veggies. Time to pull out my trusty new favorite, The Produce Bible: Essential Ingredient Information and More Than 200 Recipes for Fruits, Vegetables, Herbs & Nuts.

Regular readers know that I have been building a relationship with eggplant this summer. Yesterday, I added a new recipe to my eggplant repertoire: Moroccan Eggplant with Couscous.

For 2 people you need:
1/2 cup couscous
olive oil
1/2 onion, sliced
1 eggplant
3 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cloves
butter

Put the couscous in a bowl and pour boiling water over it. Leave for about 10 minutes and fluff with a fork.

Meanwhile, heat some oil in a frying pan and cook the onion for about 10 minutes.
Once the onions are browned, remove them from the pan.

Cut the eggplant into 1 inch thick slices and then quarters. Put in a bowl with the spices and a little salt and toss to make sure the slices are well coated. Add a little more oil to the pan, then add the eggplant. Cook for 25 minutes over a medium heat, turning once.

When the eggplant is cooked, remove from the pan and set aside with the onion.

Melt a little butter in the same pan, add the couscous and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the onion and eggplant and warm through before serving.

I'll be honest, I really wasn't sure how this was going to turn out but it was delicious. Even Nic, a die-hard meat lover, told me it was a keeper and went so far as to say that the eggplant took on a nice meatiness.

Fajita Bowls

2009-09-16T10:14:00.002-04:00

Yesterday's dinner was courtesy of a Betty Crocker recipe. One of the things I like about this is that you really get to control the heat and flavor with your choice of salsa. I used a habanero lime salsa for some real zing. If you like something less spicy, use a milder salsa.

Fajita Bowls (to serve 4)

1 cup uncooked rice
1 lb boneless beef
2 tbs vegetable oil
1 tortilla, cut into thin strips
1 lb sliced peppers and onions
1/2 cup corn
1 cup salsa
2 tbs lime juice
2 tbs chili sauce
1/2 tsp cumin

Cook the rice as directed on the package.
While the rice is cooking, heat a large skillet over a medium high heat and add the oil. Coll the tortilla strips for a couple of minutes until crispy. Drain on a paper towel.
Add the beef (cut into thin strips) tot he skillet and stir fry until no longer pink. Remove from the skillet.
Put bell peppers, onions, and corn in skillet. Stir fry for a minute then cover and steam for about 3 minutes. Stir in the beef, salsa, chili sauce, lime juice, and cumin. Cook for a few minutes until hot then serve over rice and topped with crispy tortilla strips.

Chocolate Stout Cheesecake

2009-09-03T12:44:00.004-04:00

For my dad's birthday last week, I decided to make a chocolate cheesecake with a little something extra.

* 1 cup crushed chocolate cookies
* 1/4 cup butter, softened
* 2 tbs sugar
* 1/4 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
* 3 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
* 1 cup sugar
* 3 eggs
* 1/2 lb semisweet chocolate chips
* 2 tbs heavy cream
* 1 cup sour cream
* 1 pinch salt
* 3/4 cup Irish stout (Guinness, Beamish, etc)
* 2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Prepare a 9 inch springform pan with butter.
Combine the crushed cookies, butter, 2 tbs sugar, and cocoa in a small bowl; mix; press into the bottom of the prepared springform pan.
Place the cream cheese in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer set to low speed until smooth. While beating, slowly add 1 cup sugar and then the eggs, one at a time. Continue beating until smooth.
Combine the chocolate chips and cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in the microwave until the chocolate is completely melted, stirring every 30 seconds. Beat the chocolate into the cream cheese mixture. Add the sour cream, salt, beer, and vanilla; blend until smooth. Pour the mixture over the crust. Place the pan into a large, deep baking dish. Fill the dish with water to cover the bottom half of the springform pan.
Bake the cheesecake in the water bath in the preheated oven for 45 minutes; turn oven off; leave the cheesecake in the oven with oven door slightly ajar another 45 minutes; remove from oven. Run a knife along the edge of the cheesecake to loosen from pan. Chill in refrigerator at least 4 hours.

The result was a little surprising. When I added the stout to the mix, it smelled incredibly strong. Once it was cooked, however, you end up with a wonderfully rich, but not overpowering, chocolate cheesecake.

Definitely a keeper.