Macrina Bakery's Squash Harvest Loaf

Let me admit this up front: This was not my idea.



When it comes to dessert, things like lemon, raspberry, or chocolate attracts me. Not ... squash. Also, I would have been put off by the pumpkin seeds, not because I don't like them (I do), but because they're not something I'd find readily in my pantry.

Baking this loaf was all my cousin's idea, and she's the one I need to thank for introducing me to a hearty, tasty, and simply wonderful sweet bread.

It all started with a bitter butternut squash that she'd dry roasted. The kids didn't want to have anything to do with it unless it was generously doctored with butter and syrup (but really, few things aren't made better with those two things). That's when she decided she'd make this bread, which she had at Macrina and loved. But she also needed my stand mixer, 2 eggs, and another loaf pan. That's where I came in.



We used 2 cups of sugar instead of the 3 the recipe calls for, with no negative results to the texture (it was quite lovely and moist). It was also still plenty sweet; if we made it again we might try to cut down on the sugar even more. This recipe makes 2 loaves of bread, so it's great for a family or for pastry gifting, which is always appreciated!

Macrina Bakery Squash Harvest Loaf (from Leslie Mackie's Macrina Bakery Cookbook)

Ingredients

• 2 cups roasted butternut squash purée (use a 1-1/2 lb medium-sized squash)
• 1/2 cup walnut halves
• 1/2 cup pecan halves
• 1 cup pumpkin seeds
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
• 1 cup canola oil
• 3/4 cup buttermilk

Method

Roasting the butternut squash

1. Wash and cut the squash in two halves, remove the seeds and place the halves in a rimmed baking sheet, face up, with 1 cup of water in the pan. Cook in a preheated oven at 375°F for 1 hour minimum, until the flesh is fork tender.
2. Remove and let cool down before scooping the squash out.
3. Place in a food processor and mix smoothly.
4. Let cool down and use 2 cups for 2 loaves. Keep the rest in the fridge for 3 days max, or freeze it for future use.

Making the loaves

1. Place the nuts and seeds on a rimmed baking sheet and toast for 15 min. Remove from the oven and let cool down before grinding them to medium-sized pieces. Keep 1/4 cup on the side, for decoration.
2. Turn the oven temperature down to 325°F.
3. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a bowl.
4. Add the seeds, minus 1/4 cup. Mix with a wooden spoon.
5. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the oil and two types of sugar and use the paddle attachment to mix on medium speed, for 4 min.
6. Add the roasted butternut squash and continue to mix for 2 min.
7. Add one egg at a time, mixing until fully incorporated.
8. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and add the flour and the buttermilk alternatively, until the liquid is absorbed each time.
9. Transfer the mixture into 2 oiled 9-in loaf pans, filling each about 2/3 to the top.
10. Sprinkle with the reserved seeds.
11. Bake in the oven for 1 hour, or until a skewer comes out dry when inserted into the loaf. Remove and let cool for 20 min before unmolding onto a cooling rack.

Tomato Tart

This is one of my new favorite recipes. It's one of those recipes that leave you with little excuse as to why you need to order takeout for dinner. If you use Trader Joe's puff pastry, which contains limited ingredients and no preservatives, it's even sort of good for you.



The recipe comes from one of the Canal House Cooking volumes, which are full of serious food porn. They're full of recipes for high-cost ingredients (lobster, foie gras, saffron, and fresh truffles, to name a few), but they also have some great down-to-earth recipes as well. This is one of them.



Defrost 1 sheet of puff pastry (or you can be like me and defrost both because they're too stuck together :P). Score a border in the pastry with a sharp knife. Poke holes all over the area inside the border with a fork. Layer thin tomato slices on the pastry in a single layer. Sprinkle with fresh or dried thyme and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake in a 375°F oven for 30-40 minutes, or until the pastry is a deep brown. Season with sea salt.

Acme's Herb Slabs

While the word "slab" doesn't exactly make me think of fragrant, delicious bread, these slabs are exactly that. If this is any indication, a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.



This is the only recipe I've ever made from instant yeast that yields results similar to artisan bread made from a sourdough starter. Usually, bread made from instant yeast is fairly flavorless, with a dense, closed-crumb texture. I thought it was impossible to create the wonderful flavor, texture, and complexity of artisan bread using instant yeast.

I was wrong. Maggie Glezer, author of Artisan Baking, has shown me the light. It is possible to make wonderful artisan bread with instant yeast -- but it's not magic. It takes time and effort, just as it does with wild yeast. To achieve the same results, long, slow fermentation is necessary with instant yeast, just as it is with wild. As Ed Wood, author of Classic Sourdoughs explains, "All bread was "sourdough" until bakers' yeast was developed to produce fast rising (short fermentation). With this fast rising yeast, the flavor of bread was essentially lost. Long fermentation is the secret to flavor in sourdough baking."



With Glezer's method, that long fermentation time is still there -- but using instant yeast, which saves the trouble of having to care for a living sourdough starter. Wild yeast takes a long time to do its work because there's fewer yeast cells by volume, whereas one little granule in a packet of instant yeast contains millions of yeast cells, which is why it works so quickly. BUT it's a long fermentation time that gives artisan bread its wonderful flavor -- good things do come to those who wait! The trick with using instant yeast, then, is to use very little and let what little you use have a good long time to do what those yeast cells were born to do (be fruitful and multiply).

We begin with a poolish (a spongy pre-ferment dough). This poolish is made from 1/16th of a teaspoon of instant yeast and takes 12 hours to mature. The total process to make the Acme herb slabs takes 23 hours, but only 40 minutes or so of active time (Maggie says 20, and maybe experienced bakers can do it in that time, but it took me closer to 40). Unfortunately, it's not like a slow cooker where you can set it and forget it. The active time is spread out in intervals, so you do have to plan to be around at certain points to do things. This makes it very difficult for those such as myself who work 9-5 hours at the office to make this bread on the weekdays, even with the long times between each rise.



It helps to have breadmaking tools: a stand mixer, a baker's couche, a pizza stone. I don't think the first two are strictly necessary -- the dough can be mixed/kneaded in a food processor or by hand, and you can knock together a faux couche fairly easily. The pizza stone, however, may or may not be required. The crust of the bread may not turn out quite as nicely without one. There's also a spray bottle, which I find very useful to create steam, and which can be easily obtained for little investment. A thermometer is also helpful to measure the temperature of the water.

When I cut into the bread for the first time, I was delighted by the crisp crust. But I didn't want to get my hopes up too high, because I've been tricked before (an online recipe for "French bread" using instant yeast -- it was terrible, but had many rave reviews; I can only feel sorry for those who actually consider that to be good bread). I could feel my hopes rise when I saw the crumb -- a fairly open crumb (holey), resembling my favorite kinds of sourdough. I was still skeptical when I took my first bite, fearing that I would get that same bland, instant-yeast flavor from the bread. I was ecstatic that instead, I tasted nothing but wonderful, yeasty bread. I didn't use enough rosemary so that particular flavor was fairly subtle. I think these slabs can be made with or without the addition of herbs.



Given the time investment, I probably won't be able to make this bread very often, but store-bought bread just can't compare. It's worth the time though if you're going to be staying in anyway; there's nothing quite like fresh, home-baked bread. It's satisfying to make, and even more satisfying to eat. It's best about 10 minutes out of the oven, when the crust is crisp and the middle is warm and chewy. Once you store it, the crust will soften. Just stick it back in a toaster oven for a few minutes to crisp up the crust again before eating -- it makes a big difference. My two favorite ways of enjoying this bread -- first, by dipping it into a mixture of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and kalamata olives, and second, by placing thin slices of white Irish cheddar on top to make open-faced sandwiches. Few things in life taste as good.

Acme's Herb Slabs (from Artisan Baking by Maggie Glezer)

[My notes are in brackets, like this.]

Yield: 2 large flatbreads, just over 1 pound each
Time: About 23 hours, with 20 minutes of active work [It took me closer to 40 minutes.]

A stylized version of focaccia, this rosemary-flecked bread has an unusual crust. Just before baking, it is stippled all over, then baked for five minutes on one side. It is then flipped over to finish baking on the other side. This keeps the bread very flat and squared off, like a stone tablet.

The dough is based on a poolish and undergoes a stately fermentation and proof, giving it a very rich flavor. It is uncomplicated to make, and if started the evening before, it can be ready for dinner the next day.

Ingredients:

Poolish

1/4 tsp instant yeast
1 cup water, 110° to 115°F
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, preferably organic
1 1/2 cups water, lukewarm

Whisk the yeast into the 110° to 115°F water and let it stand for 5 minutes. Add 1/4 cup of the yeasted water to the flour (to measure 1/16 teaspoon yeast), then beat in the lukewarm water. This will be a very gloppy batter. Cover the poolish with plastic wrap and let it ferment overnight for 12 hours, or until its bubbles are popping and the top is just starting to wrinkle and foam.

Dough

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, preferably organic
1 tbsp plus 1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
1/4 tsp instant yeast
3/4 cup water, lukewarm
2 tbsp olive oil
Fermented poolish

For the dough (by stand mixer): Combine the flour, salt, rosemary, and yeast in the mixing bowl. Add the water and oil to the poolish and stir to loosen. Pour the poolish into the flour mixture. Mix with dough hook on low speed until a rough dough forms. Cover the bowl and let it rest for 10 minutes. Mix the dough another five minutes, until very smooth.

For the dough (by hand):
By hand, combine the flour, salt, rosemary and yeast in a large bowl. Add the water and oil to the poolish, stir to loosen it, and pour it all into the flour mixture. Stir the mixture with your hand until it forms a rough dough. Turn it out onto your work surface and knead it briefly, without adding extra flour, until it is well combined. Cover the dough with a bowl and let it rest for 10 minutes to allow the yeast to rehydrate. Knead the dough, without adding extra flour, until it is very smooth, about 10 minutes.

For the dough (by food processor):
Combine the flour, salt, and yeast in the workbowl fitted with the steel blade. Add the water and oil to the poolish, stir to loosen it, and pour it all into the flour mixture. Process the dough just until it forms a ball, about 30 seconds. Remove the dough from the workbowl, set it on your work surface, cover it with a large bowl, and let it rest for 10 minutes to allow the yeast to rehydrate. Process the dough in four or five 30-second intervals, hand kneading it to cool it off between intervals. Remove the dough from the workbowl and knead in the rosemary by hand.

Fermenting and turning the dough:
Place the dough [it will be rather wet and sticky] in a container at least 3 times its size and cover it tightly with plastic wrap. Let the dough ferment until light and doubled in bulk, about 6 hours. Turn the dough [This means: take the dough out of the bowl and put it on a work surface dusted with flour. Sprinkle flour on top of the dough. Spread it into a rectangle. Fold the left side to the center, then the top, then the right, then the bottom, then flip it over so that the seam side is down, and place it back in the bowl.] 3 times in 20-minute intervals, that is, after 20, 40, and 60 minutes of fermenting, then leave the dough undisturbed for the remaining time. [Since the dough is so wet/sticky, be sure to be pretty generous with the extra flour when you're handling it.]

Shaping and proofing the dough:
Cut the dough in half. Round the pieces and let rest for about 20 minutes. Lightly press one piece of the dough into a rectangle. Loosely fold it into thirds like a business letter by folding the bottom short edge up and the top down. Place it seam side down on a couche [this is a sheet of linen that dough resists sticking to] and cover it with a flap of the couche. Repeat with the other piece. Let them proof for about 1 1/2 hours.

Cover a peel or rimless baking sheet with a large piece of parchment paper. Remove the dough from the couche and gently press each piece into a 12 x 6 inch rectangle with your hands (the workers in the bakery use a small wooden ruler to get the dimensions just so). Press your fingertips deeply into the dough to stipple it all over. [Since the dough is so wet and sticky, I found it MUCH easier to do this by putting some olive oil in my hand and rubbing it all over my fingers, so that I could sink my fingers in the dough w/o it sticking to me.] Move the rectangles of dough to the parchment paper and resquare them. Cover them with plastic wrap and let proof until very soft and well expanded, about 2 hours more. The total proof time is about 3 1/2 hours.

Preheat the oven: About 45 minutes before the bread is fully proofed, arrange a rack on the ovens second-to-top shelf and place a baking stone on it. Clear away all racks above the one being used. Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Poke the dough all over with a toothpick or a skewer, pushing all the way through. If desired, just before baking, fill the oven with steam. [I did this by spraying the oven with water every time I had to open the door. It's not a requirement but steam helps give the bread a crisp crust.] Slip the breads, still on the paper, onto the hot stone and bake for 5 minutes. Carefully flip the breads over onto the stone and remove the paper. Continue baking until they are well browned, about 20 minutes more, rotating them after 10 minutes. Let the breads cool on a rack.

Mak Kimchi (Homemade)

Making kimchi was something I never really thought I'd do, so I feel pretty accomplished now that I've done it, regardless of the fact that it was a lot easier than I'd been anticipating. I've always been intimidated by the idea of making kimchi, possibly because my only exposure to it was when I was watching this one Korean drama, and in it they made so much kimchi they used bathtubs and were dressed in like, riot gear.

It turns out that when you're not making enough kimchi to feed a family of four to last through the winter, it's actually quite manageable with two large bowls and a little patience. I made mine from one large napa cabbage just over four pounds, which resulted in about three quarts of kimchi. Start to finish, it took me about two and a half hours. Of course, there's still fermentation time, but that just happens magically on its own.

A lot of the work can be done concurrently, which is a circumstance I always welcome. I wish more dishes were the same way. Essentially, once you get your cabbage brining, you have a lot of wait time, which you can use to prepare everything else. No mise en place necessary when it comes to kimchi making!

I halved Maangchi's recipe for mak kimchi, in which the cabbage is pre-chopped rather than whole. All the other ingredients are the same. Maangchi says the flavor is the same. That being the case, it's a whole lot easier to stuff pre-chopped kimchi into jars than figure out how I'm going to store whole cabbages. She also uses fresh, salted raw squid in her recipe, which I was going to do also, except H-Mart was out of them today. Just as well, as the salting process would have delayed the kimchi making for another week. (Clean the squid, mix it with 1 1/2 tbsp salt per 1/3 pound of squid, then keep it in a clean jar for about a week. When ready to use, rinse well, then chop up and add to kimchi paste.)

And now, onward to the kimchi-at-home pictorial!



Start with fresh napa cabbage. This one was a little more yellow than I would have preferred, but there wasn't a whole lot of choice at the store today. Also it makes no difference whatsoever in the final product. Chop the cabbage into bite-sized pieces, soaking them in a bowl or sink full of water as you go. Soaking helps with the brining process. When all the cabbage has been chopped, start layering it in a large bowl, salting each layer as you go. (Use about 1/2 cup of salt per 5 pounds of cabbage.) Every 30 minutes, turn the cabbage so that the mixture gets salted evenly. Do this twice; the cabbage will brine for a total of 1 1/2 hours.



While the cabbage is brining, make the sweet rice flour paste, which basically serves as an adhesive for the seasoning to stick to the cabbage. In a small pot, combine water with sweet rice flour and mix well from the start. Learn from my mistake... I didn't mix it well from the beginning and let it get too hot too quickly, which resulted in lumps in my paste that I had to pick out. >< When the mixture has thickened, add sugar. Stir to combine, then cook a little while longer, until the mixture has the consistency of a very thick syrup. Cool the paste by either placing the pot in ice water, or sticking it in the fridge.



Next up, blend together some garlic, onion, ginger, and fish sauce. Blend for at least a minute, to ensure that there are no big lumps left.



When the sweet rice flour paste has cooled, stir it together with the fish sauce mixture.



While waiting for the cabbage to brine and/or waiting for the sweet rice flour paste to cool, chop your vegetables. The carrot and Korean radish should be julienned, while the scallions and leek should be finely chopped.



Now, take a cup or two of gochugaru -- Korean red pepper flakes (also labeled as coarse red pepper powder). One cup for mild, two cups for spicy. I used 1 1/2 cups, cuz that's how I roll.



Add the gochugaru to the fish sauce/sweet rice flour mixture. Blend well, and you'll end up with a lovely bright red paste.



Now add the vegetables you chopped to the kimchi paste and mix well.



All that's left to do is combine the kimchi paste with the cabbage! But wait! There's one last thing you need to do. You have to drain the cabbage of all the salty water it's now accumulated, then wash it three times. No, that's not some kimchi superstition. You just want to clean the cabbage well of any extra salt so that it's not too overwhelming, which would ruin the kimchi.



Okay, NOW you can start combining. Maangchi and the people I saw in the K-drama I mentioned earlier use thick dishwashing gloves to do this; since I don't plan to make kimchi often enough to set aside a pair of gloves just for this purpose, I used a spatula. It's probably more satisfying to get your hands all in it, though. :D



Once it's well mixed, it'll look something like this. Look, real kimchi!



Now, pack tightly into jars. I prefer to use glass -- one's an old pickle jar while the other is a glass cannister. If you have one really big container, feel free to use that. It'll ferment more slowly due to volume, while smaller containers will ferment faster. I actually prefer less-sour kimchi, but I alas, don't have any giant containers. Keep your kimchi in the refrigerator. After a day or two, you may see bubbles and liquid appearing, and the kimchi may start to smell sour. The longer it's kept, the more it will continue to ferment. Kimchi should last for months in your fridge!



Some people love strongly fermented kimchi and find fresh kimchi uninteresting. I, on the other hand, love fresh kimchi, so I ate some as part of my dinner right away. And by the way? My kitchen smells awesome now.

Mak Kimchi (recipe adapted from Maangchi)

Ingredients

• 4-5lbs napa cabbage
• 1/2 cup salt
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 cup sweet rice flour (chapssal garu)
• 1/8 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup fish sauce
• 1/2 cup whole garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 2-inch piece ginger, chopped
• 1-2 cups red pepper flakes, aka coarse powder (gochugaru)
• 1 cup Korean radish, julienned
• 1 cup leek, chopped
• 5-8 scallions, chopped
• 1/4 cup carrot, julienned
• 1/3 fresh, raw salted squid (optional)

Method

1. Clean and trim the cabbage.  Slice it in half, then in quarters, then in eighths if necessary.  Slice into bite-sized pieces, placing them into water to soak while you're slicing the rest of the cabbage.  When all the cabbage has been sliced, drain the water.  Layer the cabbage into a large bowl, salting each layer.  Let it sit for 30 minutes, then turn/mix the cabbage.  Repeat.  Let the cabbage brine for 1 1/2 hours, with two turns.
2. Meanwhile, heat the sweet rice flour with the water, mixing well and stirring constantly.  When the mixture has thickened, add the sugar.  Stir and cook for a few minutes longer, until the mixture has the consistency of a very thick syrup.  Remove from heat and cool with an ice bath or in the fridge.
3. In a blender, combine the fish sauce, garlic, onion, and ginger.  Blend for at least a minute, until all the pieces have been pureed to a smooth consistency.
4. When the sweet rice flour mixture has cooled, combine with the fish sauce mixture in a large bowl.
5. Add the red pepper flakes (amount is to your preference) and stir until the mixture is well blended.
6. Stir in the Korean radish, leek, scallions, and carrot.  If you are using the squid, add it at this stage as well.
7. Drain the salty water from the cabbage.  Wash the cabbage with fresh water, three times.  Drain again.
8. Add the cabbage to the kimchi paste and mix until all the ingredients are well combined.
9. Pack the kimchi into jars and seal.  Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Creamy Tomato Bisque

Homemade tomato soup is one of those things that is a hundred, no, a thousand, times better than any premade stuff you can buy at the store.  It's a bit involved to make, true, especially for something that seems so deceptively simple.  I mean, a tomato soup -- what could sound easier?



Don't get me wrong, it is easy.  It's just more dishwashing than I would like. :D  Still, the results are so spectacular that I can't really complain.  Start with good tomatoes.  I used tomatoes from my garden -- a few of the larger ones that actually ripened during our cold Seattle summer.  The garlic and basil were also from my garden, I'm proud to say!



Start by roasting the tomatoes, garlic, and onion with salt, pepper, and olive oil.  Once the tomatoes are nice and soft, puree them with the garlic, onion, and some basil.  I used my new immersion blender, but this can also be done in a regular blender or a food processor.



This next step, in my opinion, is not really optional.  After the tomato mixture has been pureed, strain it through a fine mesh sieve.  All the little bits of tomato skin and things that didn't get finely pureed get separated out, making the resulting soup wonderfully smooth in texture.  To this I added soy milk (substituting for heavy cream with no ill effect, though I'm sure it would have been even more delicious with the cream), a splash of white wine, and a pinch of sugar.  I like my soups very hot, so I strained the soup into a small pot and kept it on low heat while I prepared the other part of dinner -- what's tomato soup without grilled cheese?



In this case, it was a grilled cheese sandwich made from a plain bagel and Irish white cheddar.  It was the only kind of bread I had, but it worked great.  Excellent dunkability.  A fantastic complement to the deep, rich flavor of the soup. :-)  The recipe I provide makes one large bowl, or two smaller ones.  If you decide to double or even triple it, to make all the dishes worth it, keep in mind you'll probably have to puree and strain in batches.



Creamy Tomato Bisque

Ingredients

• 4 large tomatoes, cored
• 4 cloves of garlic, peeled
• 1/4 of an onion, chopped
• salt
• pepper
• olive oil
• 1 tbsp basil, sliced or chopped
• a splash of white wine (optional)
• a big pinch of sugar
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup heavy cream (can be substituted with milk)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Line a baking sheet with foil.  Place the cored tomatoes on the sheet.  Partially wrap garlic and onion in some foil.  Sprinkle salt and pepper over the tomatoes, garlic, and onion.  Drizzle with olive oil.  Close the foil over the garlic and onion to make a pouch.
3. Roast in the oven for 35 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft and starting to brown on top, but not falling apart.
4. Place the tomatoes, garlic, and onion (be careful opening the pouch!) in a container (bowl, blender, food processor).  Add the basil, reserving some for garnishing if you wish, and the wine, if using.  Blend to a fine puree.
5. Strain the mixture into a small pot or a large bowl.
6. Add the sugar and stir.  Taste and adjust seasoning.
7. Add the milk or cream, enough to achieve the desired color and texture, and stir until combined completely.
8. When soup has reached the desired temperature, divide into bowls, garnish, and serve.

Simple Kimchi Jigae

This is a post I should have made awhile ago -- back in May, to be exact, when I first made the dish.  Actually, if I remember correctly, I made it practically every day for a week, because it was so easy and yummy, and I had the ingredients on hand.



This is probably not the best time to be posting a recipe for a soup/stew, given that many parts of the country seem to be experiencing an autumn heat wave right now, but hey, this will come in handy for when the weather turns cooler, or for those folks who live in colder areas!

The first thing to know about this particular recipe for kimchi jigae is that it's very customizable.  You can use or not use or substitute just about anything... except for the kimchi.  That part is sort of necessary for it to be kimchi jigae.  What I provide below is a super basic recipe for 1 serving that you can adjust to your own taste and requirements.  The kimchi provides all the seasoning the stew requires, but you can get really fancy and use chicken broth instead of water, or add extra salt and pepper, etc.

If you're like me, you bought a huge tub of kimchi during your last trip to the Korean grocery store, because it's the most economical, and it's preserved so it'll last forever, right?  Well, yes and no.  It's like sticking things in the freezer.  It might still be safe to eat 2 years later, but will it taste any good?  The thing with kimchi is that it just keeps fermenting.  And eventually, it gets to a point where it's too fermented, and it doesn't taste good on its own anymore (unless, of course, you are the sort who likes super-fermented kimchi).  When it gets to that point, it's perfect for making kimchi jigae!

Simple Kimchi Jigae

Ingredients

• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 2 strips of pork belly, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup packed kimchi, with some juice
• 1/4 tsp crushed garlic
• 1 1/2 -2 cups cold water
• 1/2 cup tofu, cubed
• sliced scallions

Method

1. Heat the sesame oil in a small pot.
2. Add the pork belly and fry until the pieces start to get brown spots.
3. Add the kimchi and garlic, then stir fry everything together for a few minutes.
4. Pour in the water, enough to cover by about 1/2 inch.
5. Add the tofu and bring the soup to a boil.  Simmer for 15 minutes.
6. Garnish with the scallions and serve hot.

Honey Walnut Cream Cheese

Flavored cream cheese is one of those things that is so simple and obvious it has, of course, never occurred to me to try and make my own.  Well, I am pleased to say that that time has now passed.



It's just as easy as you might think.  Soften up some cream cheese at room temperature, then add your flavorings -- sun-dried tomato, chives and herbs, ground up lox, whatever might take your fancy.  For my first attempt I chose to make a sweet variation, mostly because I had the ingredients on hand.

I toasted some walnuts, waited until they were completely cool, then chopped up a small handful.  I added that to my softened cream cheese along with a large, heaping tablespoon of honey that had started to crystalize.  I decided that the crystalized honey might make for an interesting dimension to the end result, so I chose not to warm it to smooth it out.



I tasted it afterward to see if I needed to adjust the flavoring, but it was actually just right.  Since I didn't have any bagels around, I decided to test the cream cheese on some plain sourdough.  Wonderful!  It could only be better if it were on a perfectly toasted bagel.

I've provided a recipe below, but you should taste and alter the seasoning as suits your own preferences.  That is the beauty of making your own flavored cream cheese at home, isn't it?



Honey Walnut Cream Cheese

Ingredients

• 4oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
• 1 heaping tablespoon honey

Method

1. Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl.  Blend well with a fork.  Firm back up in the refrigerator, then use as normal.

Espresso-Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

These. cookies. are. AWESOME.



This is a bit embarrassing to admit, considering I write a food blog, but I'm out of granulated sugar at the moment.  I haven't needed to go to the store recently, and I try to avoid going for just one item.  Yet I've been craving cookies.  When I saw the recipe for these sables (shortbread in French), which called for confectioner's sugar, I saw it as a sign that I had to make them.

And boy am I glad I did.  I halved the recipe, both because I wasn't sure I'd like the cookies and because I don't need to be eating that many cookies, period.  They were fantastic, though -- flaky, crisp, not too sweet, and full of coffee flavor and chunks of dark chocolate.  If you want to make the full batch, simply double the recipe below.

The recipe calls for instant espresso powder, but I don't usually keep that around and I don't use it enough to warrant buying it.  Instead, I ground up some espresso beans really fine and used that instead.  Once incorporated into the dough, the grounds disappear texture wise, but flavor wise they're unmistakeable.



Dorie Greenspan has some tips for making successful shortbread.  First, use softened butter, but not too soft and definitely not melted.  You want to avoid oily greasiness.  Second, you don't want fluffy batter.  Thus, do not overbeat the butter and sugar.  Third, once you add in the flour, do not overmix the dough.  Mix until just incorporated, and don't handle the dough too much.  Fourth, chill the dough for a good long time, preferably overnight.  And finally, no matter how good they might smell (and they will smell really, really good), do NOT eat the cookies until they have cooled completely.

When I was a little girl, my favorite cookies were Girl Scout shortbread cookies -- but these cookies are decidedly for adults.

Espresso-Chocolate Shortbread Cookies (recipe adapted from Dorie Greenspan's Baking: From My Home to Yours)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
• 1/3 cup confectioner's sugar
• 1/2 tbsp finely ground espresso beans (or instant espresso powder)
• 1/2 tbsp boiling water
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup flour
• 2oz dark or bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Method

1. Combine the boiling water and ground espresso beans and let sit.
2. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together until very smooth, 2-3 minutes.
3. Beat in the vanilla extract and espresso mixture, scraping down as necessary.
4. Add the flour and mix just until it disappears into the dough.
5. Gently fold in the chocolate pieces.  Don't overwork the dough.
6. Scrape the soft and sticky dough into a gallon-sized plastic bag.  Do not seal, and use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a rectangle 1/4-inch thick.  Seal and chill in rthe efrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours or overnight; longer is better.
7. When ready to bake,  preheat the oven to 325°F.
8. Cut the plastic bag away from the chilled and hardened dough.  Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into 1 1/2-inch squares.
9. Place the cookies on a baking sheet lined with Silpat or parchment paper about an inch apart (they shouldn't spread while baking).  Use a fork and pierce each cookie twice all the way through the dough.
10. Bake for 18-20 minutes, turning the baking sheet about halfway through.  The shortbread will stay fairly pale and will not change color much if at all.
11. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and serve when completely cooled.

Chicken Curry in a Hurry

This is one of those dishes that gets in your blood.



The first night I made it, I had it for dinner.  It was nothing spectacular, and it wasn't as easy as its name suggests (I didn't name it!  It's a Cook's Illustrated recipe).  But the next day I found myself thinking about it at work as the day was ending, eager to have it again.  I couldn't understand why, because I'd been less than impressed with my first meal.  The same thing happened the next night.  Each time I ate it, it tasted better and better!

A strange phenomenon, particularly with such marked results, but there's no doubt about it.  I think the flavors need time to meld, to join, to have food sex and create lots of great new flavors.  So this is one dish that I recommend making in advance.  Make it two, even three, days before you plan to eat it.  It only gets better with age.



Despite its name, however, I wouldn't say that this is quick to make.  Maybe if you're a Food Network cook, and have kitchen peons doing your chopping, slicing, and mincing for you, preparing your mise en place, then you can actually prepare this "in a hurry" (a phrase that makes me think 10-15 minutes; maybe you think I'm even being generous).  Certainly it's faster than proper curries I've made, which involved overnight marinating and what not, but don't plan to start making this dish last minute.  The "quickness" comes from precooked chicken (this is a great dish to make when you have leftover chicken meat, say from a rotisserie chicken from the store), canned chickpeas, frozen peas, and pre-made curry powder (I bought mine from an Indian grocery store -- if you can do the same, I'd recommend it).  To make it even faster, you could use pre-minced garlic and ginger.

The recipe calls for whole milk yogurt; I used nonfat and it was just fine.  Instead of raisins I used cranberries, because I prefer them and happened to have them on hand.  I used a full tablespoon of curry powder.

Also, be forewarned that this dish makes a lot more than you might think.  With rice, it would serve 4.  With accompaniments, it could serve 6 or even 8.  It'd make a great pot luck dish -- it's best made in advance and serves a lot of people!

Chicken Curry in a Hurry (Cook's Illustrated)

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 onion, sliced thin
• 1/2 to 1 tbsp curry powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh grated ginger
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 cups shredded or thinly sliced cooked chicken
• 1 15oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
• 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

Method

1. Build curry base: Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion, curry powder, and salt and cook until onion is browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
2. Add water, meat, vegetables, and cook: Stir in water, meat, chickpeas, peas, and raisins. Cook, stirring frequently, until heated through, 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Garnish and serve: Off heat, stir in yogurt and cilantro and serve.

Cheesecake Brownies

These cheesecake brownies are a sure crowd pleaser. After all, they're brownies! They're cheesecake! They're two great tastes in one! Plus, they have that fanciful swirlyness going on that people can't help but be drawn to. And when you're trying to avoid eating every bit of the sinful things you make yourself, it's a good thing when people want to eat them for you.



These brownies talk a good talk, but in reality they are quite easy to make. There's a brownie layer, followed by a cheesecake layer, followed by another brownie 'layer.' Two batters, and they're both very simple.

I ran into a little trouble with the brownie batter being very thick while the cheesecake batter was very thin. But that could also be because I softened the cream cheese by nuking it in the microwave for 30 seconds rather than waiting for it to soften to room temperature. In any case, the final step of dolloping on some reserved brownie batter onto the cheesecake layer, then making the swirl patterns was a bit challenging, as the brownie batter didn't want to move much, and I didn't want to over mix it with the cheesecake.



I also used the microwave for the brownie batter step of melting the butter and chocolate together. You can, of course, use a double boiler if you like, but after discovering how I can bend technology to my culinary will, I can't resist the convenience. In this case, I broke the chocolate into pieces, put them into a bowl along with a stick of butter, and nuked it for 1 minute. It was long enough to melt the butter entirely, while softening up the chocolate. You don't want to microwave too long and risk burning the chocolate. At this point, I stirred until all the chocolate was melted and the resulting mixture was glossy and smooth.

I think I've mentioned this before, but I don't like my desserts super sweet. I adapted the recipe to use less sugar, and substituted some brown sugar for the white in the brownie batter. I thought this made the chocolate flavor stand out more. The resulting brownies are very moist, somewhere between cakey and fudgy. The cheesecake adds a bit of tang, but the brownie flavor definitely overwhelms it. In my view the cheesecake layer adds more aesthetic appeal than flavor appeal, but others may disagree.



Part of the ease of making these is because there isn't any special equipment required (unless you count the double boiler -- but I really recommend using the microwave) -- just a couple of handy bowls and a trusty wooden spoon. It's nice to know that great desserts can be made the old-fashioned way.

Cheesecake Brownies (adapted from Cookies and Brownies by Alice Medrich)

Ingredients:

For the brownie batter

• 1/2 cup (8 tbsp or 1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 4oz dark or unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp salt

For the cheesecake batter

• 8oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup granulated white sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 large egg

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Place a rack in the center of the oven.
2. Prepare a 9-inch square baking pan. Create a foil sling (the idea is to help you lift the brownie out of the pan after baking) and fit it into the pan. Spray with cooking oil.
3. Melt the butter and chocolate together, either by using a double boiler or in the microwave. Stir until glossy and smooth.
4. Stir in the sugar and vanilla extract.
5. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
6. Add the flour and salt, stirring for about a minute, until the ingredients are well incorporated and the batter is smooth.
7. Reserve 1/2 cup of the brownie batter and set aside. Pour the rest of the brownie batter into the reserved pan and spread it out as evenly as you can; it's not super critical.
8. Process the cream cheese until smooth (you can use a hand mixer or food processor if you like, but I just used a fork after softening the cream cheese in the microwave). Add the sugar, egg, and vanilla and stir until just incorporated.
9. Carefully pour the cheesecake mixture over the brownie mixture in the pan.
10. Next, place small dollops of the reserved brownie batter over the cheesecake layer. Use a table knife to swirl the two without overmixing.
11. Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes, or until the brownies have started to pull away from the pan and the edges are starting to brown.
12. Cool the brownies until firm enough to cut (cool completely to room temperature, or after cooling a bit after taking them out of the oven, place the pan in the fridge to cool), then lift them out using the foil sling. Cut them into the desired number of squares with a sharp knife.

Fresh and Refreshing

I love this very simple salad.  It takes no time at all to pull it together, and it's delicious, with the crisp crunch of English cucumber and the biting tang of fresh tomatoes.  There are two ways to dress this salad.  My favorite method involves fragrant sesame oil and seasoned rice vinegar.  Another good method is to add a bit of feta cheese and dress the ingredients with a light vinaigrette.  Both are quick and easy to prepare, but have very distinctive flavors -- one with Asian notes, while the other has a Mediterranean flair (especially if you also add kalamata olives).



I like to use English cucumbers.  They're the long ones wrapped in plastic.  Their skins are thinner and less waxy, so they don't need to be peeled.  They also have fewer seeds.  Tomatoes fresh from the garden are best to use, but as an alternative firm, ripe tomatoes on the vine from the store are just fine.  Sweet cherry tomatoes would work as well.  This isn't a fussy recipe.



The brand of seasoned rice vinegar my mother likes to use in this recipe (I know it from her) is Marukan, so that's what I use, but I'm sure other seasoned rice vinegars would work as well.  If you choose to use unseasoned rice vinegar, just know that you'll have to add your own sugar, salt, mirin, etc., in order to achieve the same flavor, otherwise it'll be rather bland.



Because of the tomatoes, this salad is best consumed the same day it's made.  Refrigeration makes the tomatoes mealy and the whole salad becomes unpleasantly watery.  Besides, the vegetables taste their best at room temperature.

I don't have a specific recipe, because there are so few ingredients and the amount of vegetables used as well as preference dictates the seasoning.  Use more tomatoes, use fewer tomatoes.  Add a little rice vinegar or add a lot.  Use a whole cucumber or only use half.  Drizzle the seasonings over the vegetables modestly, then taste it.  If it needs more of anything, add it.  Serve and enjoy -- I guarantee you will eat a lot more than you think you will!

Slow Cooker Potatoes Au Gratin

When Trix picked potatoes au gratin for our weekly slow cooker meal, I agreed readily because... potatoes and cheese, what's not to love? The problem was, the recipe served 10-12 (!!!). I decided to cut it in half, but I really should have quartered it. It's lucky I decided on half, at least, because it turns out that my Crock Pot was just able to fit that amount. I can't imagine the size of the Crock Pot needed to make the entire recipe. O.o



Some people are able to have just potatoes for a meal; for me it's more of a side dish (though believe me there was plenty to have made an entire meal on its own). But in order to adhere to the spirit of a hot meal without spending too much time on preparation, I bought a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store and also quickly stir fried some broccoli. Not very upscale, maybe, but quite yummy just the same.

As for the star of today's show, the potatoes were great. Maybe not as cheesy as I expect from potatoes au gratin, but the dish makes up for that by being surprisingly sophisticated in flavor. Not very salty, a bit tangy, with surprising heat -- or maybe I added a little too much pepper. Or mustard. Or both.

Dishes like this are why I have a mandoline. Actually, I have two. One full-sized mandoline, which I love, but am loath to drag out and actually use, because it's a chore to clean. Then there's my little OXO hand-held mandoline, which I got only recently, and it is a DREAM. It works incredibly well, and is convenient, small, and easy to wash. It's not good for very wide items, but it worked perfectly in this case.



I should also mention that I didn't have the heavy cream that the recipe called for. I actually deliberately went to Trader Joe's on Labor Day (thank goodness they were open), with the EXPRESS PURPOSE of buying heavy cream, but I somehow got home without any whatsoever, and I didn't realize it until late at night. How a person can go to the store to buy a specific item and walk out with practically everything BUT that item, is still a mystery to me. Sigh. It could have been more of a disaster, I suppose. I substituted 1 1/4 cups of half & half and 1/2 cup of soy milk. The half & half made things decently rich. The sauce came together beautifully, and while I don't know what the dish would have tasted like made with heavy cream, it tasted just fine to me. Plus, it helps that after the dish is done you're adding cheese to it.

Warning, if you're like me and with work and travel time, are gone from the house for longer than 8 hours or so, the potatoes may overcook a tad on the edges. I had to leave mine in (on low, of course) for about 10 hours, and the potatoes on the outside were already starting to darken too much. They weren't burned, but texture wise was extra chewy somehow, not great. I know it kind of defeats the point of a slow cooker to have to watch the dish, but in this case of these potatoes it would probably be a good idea if you were able to check on them once in awhile, or know for sure how long you'll be gone.

I think this would be a great dish to make for a big family dinner, or maybe as a contribution to a pot luck. :D

Slow Cooker Potatoes Au Gratin (adapted from A Year of Slow Cooking)

Ingredients

• 3 large Russet potatoes, thinly sliced
• 1 parsnip, thinly sliced
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 4 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp flour
• 1 3/4 cups heavy cream
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 2 tsp dried mustard
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Method

1. Place prepared vegetables in the slow cooker.  Combine haphazardly.
2. In a small saucepan, melt the butter.  Add the flour and stir to create a roux.  Cook the roux for 3-5 minutes, until it turns golden in color.  Slowly add the cream.  Cook until heated through and the sauce has the texture of a slightly thickened sauce (not thick like gravy).  Add thyme, sea salt, dried mustard, and black pepper.  Stir until everything is well incorporated into the sauce.
3. Pour the sauce on top of the vegetables and turn on the slow cooker.  Cook on high for 5-6 hours or on low for 8-9.
4. Just before serving, stir in the cheese until melted.

The Pioneer Woman's Restaurant-Style Salsa

I loved this salsa, as did those who tasted it.  It's very, very good.  I won't say it's the definitive way to make salsa, since salsa's one of those wonderful things that has many variations, and it's hard to make a salsa I won't eat.  BUT, there are some salsas that definitely rise above others, and I'd say this is one of those.  It's a blended salsa, no big chunks, so if you only like chunky salsa this may not be for you.  I like both.  Of the blended salsa variety, this one is excellent.



The recipe comes from Ree Drummond.  I halved her recipe, which makes nearly 2 quarts.  While I'm sure I could eat 2 quarts of salsa given enough time, I'd rather make a fresh quart every time I feel like having some.  Since I'm one of those people easily susceptible to suggestion, well at least when it comes to food, I also couldn't help but make simple nachos to eat the salsa with.  I also had it plain with chips and in a bean and cheese burrito.  It was wonderful in every case.

I'm one of those people who doesn't like cilantro.  But when it's been pulverized, and if I use the leaves only, I find that I can not only tolerate it, but even enjoy it.  If you're also someone who doesn't normally like cilantro, don't shy away from using it here; put less into the salsa, perhaps, but don't omit it entirely -- I do think it adds a unique flavor that makes salsa and guacamole taste as good as they do.



As for spiciness level, I'd call this mild to medium, but that's because I kept the jalapeno seeds in; if you prefer mild salsas, seed the jalapeno.

Restaurant-Style Restaurant (adapted from The Pioneer Woman)

Ingredients

• 1 14.5oz can of whole or diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 10oz can of diced tomatoes with green chilies (like Rotel), undrained
• 1/8 cup chopped onion
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• 1 small jalapeno, quartered and thinly sliced
• 1/8 tsp sugar
• 1/8 tsp sea salt
• 1/8 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4-1/2 cup cilantro
• juice from 1/4 of a lime, or about 1 tsp

Method

1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender.  Blend until you get the consistency you desire.  I probably let mine go for about 10 seconds.  Taste the salsa and adjust the seasoning if needed to your preference.

Strawberry Sour Cream Pie

This is one of those pies you dream about taking to a gathering -- it looks beautiful, tastes great, and leaves the impression that you must've spent ages on it.  Depending on how good you are with pie crusts, if you make your own or buy it from the store, that may or may not be true.



You know, I've never actually understood the phrase "easy as pie."  Making pies has never been particularly easy for me, because making pie involves making crust, and if you're like me, the crust is everything.  So if the crust comes out mediocre, or worse, actually bad, it ruins the entire pie.  Yet for a pie crust to come out well, it's a rather careful and involved process, as least for those of us who only make it every so often.  Cold fat (butter and/or lard) is necessary for that flaky texture that makes eating pie crust such an unforgettable experience when it's done well.

Over the years, I've made my share of pie crusts, more than some, far less than others.  After nearly every effort, I came away with the frustrated thought that it simply wasn't worth the time and effort.  I just couldn't seem to keep the dough cold enough, or roll it out thin enough, or whatever the problem might be.  Or if it came out well, the stress and energy I'd put into it just didn't seem worth it when I could buy perfectly acceptable (if not mouth-wateringly delicious), time friendly, ready-made pie crusts.  Then my tastes became more sophisticated, and the store-bought ones stopped being acceptable.  That fact, plus my lack of skill at making a good pie crust, combined to equal no homemade pies for me for a loooong time.

Those days may be over.  Okay, I still haven't perfected making pie crusts.  But now I've found a pie crust recipe that at least makes the effort worthwhile, it's so good.  What is this amazing recipe that has changed my outlook on homemade pie crusts?  It's none other than Rose Levy Berenbaum's own favorite, her flaky and tender cream cheese pie crust.  It's delicious -- just as sinful tasting as something called "flaky and tender cream cheese pie crust" would taste -- and, while a bit involved to make, is quite doable by the home baker.



This wonderful pie crust in combination with the incredibly easy-to-make creamy strawberry filling, results in a superb pie.  You don't need to prebake the crust.  You simply mix up the filling, roll out the pie crust, fill it, and bake it.  In the last few minutes you broil the pie for a few minutes to caramelize the top -- as you can tell from the photos, I'm still trying to get used to the broiler function on my oven.  Unfortunately it was a bit too hot or I put the rack up one level too high, and it ended up making the top look rather more burnt than golden, but that flaw is mine and not the recipe's.  The top of the pie should be as golden as the crust.

Another reason this pie is great to take to a gathering is because unlike many other pies, a single slice holds together very well, making for an attractive helping.  Unfortunately I don't have photos of this, as single slices were devoured too quickly to photograph, but you can see for yourself.

Strawberry Sour Cream Pie (crust by Rose Levy Berenbaum, filling by Worth the Whisk)

Ingredients (Crust):

• 8 tbsp unsalted butter, frozen and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 1/3 cups + 4 tsp pastry flour
• 3oz cream cheese
• 2 tbsp heavy cream
• 2 tsp cider vinegar
• 1/8 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
• 1/8 tsp sea salt

Method (Crust):

1. In a food processor, pulse flour, salt and baking powder to blend.
2. Add the cream cheese and process until coarse, resembling corn meal.
3. Add the frozen butter cubes and pulse until the mixture is roughly peanut sized.
4. Add the cream and vinegar and pulse until mixture is the size of small peas.
5. Scrape dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Use latex gloves or cover hands with plastic bags and press dough until it holds together in one smooth flat disc.
6. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate at least 45 minutes, preferably overnight, before rolling out.

Ingredients (Filling):

• 1qt fresh strawberries, rinsed, hulled, and sliced
• 1 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tbsp reserved
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup sour cream (any kind but nonfat)
• dash of salt

Method (Filling & Assembly):

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. Into a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, sugar and salt. Add sour cream and blend just until creamy (it will look like wallpaper paste).
3. Gently fold in the berries; don’t overmix.
4. Pour the filling into your unbaked pie shell.  Using a spatula, gently spread to edges but do not pack down; there should be some air holes throughout.
5. Sprinkle the top with reserved 1 tbsp of sugar.
6. Bake the pie for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350°F and bake an additional 30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.
7. The center of the pie may still look undercooked.  Broil the pie for a few minutes, until the sugar on top has caramelized and the top is as golden brown as the crust.

White Chicken Chili

I've known of the existence of white chicken chili, peripherally, for years, but had no desire to try it myself, whether homemade or otherwise.  See, I'm a big fan of chili, or what I know of as chili, with ground beef, onion, kidney beans, lots of chili powder (I've even made my own), and tomato sauce (which is what would make it not chili to some folks).  "White" chili held no appeal for me; it sounded so... bland and uninteresting.

Boy, was I ever wrong.

White chicken chili, where have you been all my life?!



Maybe I was lucky to find a really great recipe right off, or maybe all white chicken chili is this delicious.  All I know is that now that it's in my life, I'm never letting it go again!  Like regular chili, this version is easy to make, even if it uses different ingredients.  Reading the recipe, I thought the results would be quite spicy, but in fact it's not.  It's fairly mild, actually.  Lovers of spicy food should use more chilies or include the seeds (I didn't), or use more cayenne than the recipe calls for.  I used leftover chicken from a grocery store rotisserie chicken, Trader Joe's chicken broth and Great Northern beans in the chili, and topped it with a Mexican blend of shredded cheese.

This recipe is also very flexible in that it can be made in both a slow cooker (which is what I did) or on the stovetop.  The former takes 6-12 hours; the latter 20 minutes.  Perfect for if you want to come home to a hot meal, or if you decide to make dinner at the last minute.  How great is that?

White Chicken Chili (adapted from Serious Eats)

Ingredients

• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups diced, cooked chicken
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 seeded jalapeño pepper, chopped
• 1 15.25oz can corn, undrained
• 1 15oz can white beans (such as cannelloni or Great Northern), undrained
• 1 4oz can chopped green chilies
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 3/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano or Italian seasoning
• pinch ground cloves
• pinch cayenne pepper
• grated white (or mixed) cheddar cheese

Method

1. Combine everything into a slow cooker and cook on low for 10-12 hours or on high for 5-6 hours.  If cooking on the stovetop, heat the olive oil.  Saute the onion until soft and translucent.  Add all the other ingredients and simmer for about 20 minutes.
2. Spoon chili into bowls and top with as much or as little cheese as desired.

Slow Cooker French Onion Soup

French onion soup is one of those foods that captured me utterly as a child and I've loved it since the first moment I tasted the hot, salty beef broth full of tender onions, gooey cheese, and soup-soaked bread. It quickly became one of those items that, if I saw it on a restaurant menu, I had to order it. Maybe it's that childhood memory, but even after having had it countless of times at many varied dining establishments, from the modest to the highbrow, I still think Mimi's Cafe, the location of that first taste of heaven, serves some of the best French onion soup around.



Over the years, however, I've become more conscious of my salt intake, and French onion soup everywhere tends to be oversalted. Being able to control the amount of salt is a very good reason to try and make it at home, but for whatever reason, I never have. It's not supposed to be a difficult dish to make, but on some level I found it intimidating (or the fear of failure intimidating).

Recently, Trix and I decided to resurrect our "Friday Night Dinners," except we're no longer going to adhere to any strict schedule, and our efforts are going to primarily focus on the slow cooker. This is to accommodate Trix's limited and often unpredictable schedule, but still allow us to do something we enjoy.

Trix loved this French onion soup recipe. I just found it OK, a bit too sweet (next time I probably won't add the sugar). However, the key to this dish is the broth. If you don't start with a broth you love, the results aren't going to be something you love, either. She used Better Than Bouillon; I used Trader Joe's organic beef broth. The soup cooking in the slow cooker all day made the house smell WONDERFUL. It smelled better than it tasted, actually -- but I can't wait to try this again with homemade beef broth. I'm betting it will make a huge difference.

The best thing about this experience is that I've gotten over my intimidation of making this dish!



Slow Cooker French Onion Soup (recipe adapted from A Year of Slow Cooking)

Ingredients

• 32oz beef broth
• 3 tbsp butter
• 2 yellow onions, sliced thin
• 1/2 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 cup sherry
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 slices of French bread
• 4 slices of Swiss cheese (or gruyere cheese)

Method

1. Heat the slow cooker to high and add the butter; it will start melting.
2. Add the onions, beef broth, sugar, salt and sherry.
3. Cook the soup on high for 6-8 hours or low for 10-12.
4. Ladle soup into oven-proof bowls or crocks.  Layer bread onto the bowls of soup and add a slice (or two) of cheese on top.  Don't worry if it hangs over the edge, it'll melt and stick to the bowl, a true French onion soup experience!
5. Place under a hot broiler for a few minutes, or until the cheese has melted and turned a lovely golden brown.

Cocoa-Nana Bread

A few days ago I found myself in a position that people who buy bananas from time to time find themselves in: with having a few overripe bananas on hand that weren't appetizing to eat on their own.  My first inclination was to make regular banana bread, but after perusing my baking books I decided to try Dorie Greenspan's cocoa-nana bread instead.



On first glance at the recipe, I thought I read coco-nana bread, and figured coconut was involved (a coconut-banana bread still sounds yummy to me).  However, I soon realized that we were talking about a dark and rich chocolate banana bread, dotted with small chunks of chocolate.  Well, that sounded pretty darn good, too.



The only change I made to the recipe was to use 1/2 cup of granulated sugar rather than 3/4 cup (the amount of light brown sugar was unchanged).  Oh, and I used dark chocolate rather than bittersweet.  Also, it should be noted that when I was searching for this recipe online, I realized that someone had posted a mis-transcribed copy of the recipe, which then got disseminated over and over.  I don't know if my posting this "correct" version (as double checked with the book) will do any good to help with the misinformation out there, but I'll try.  Basically, the recipe calls for unsweetened cocoa powder, not semisweet cocoa powder (I've never even heard of such a thing, which might all be for the good, as people can't use something they can't find).



I loved how moist and soft this bread was.  It has a very intense flavor, so chocolatey that it's possible some would want more of the banana flavor to come through.  Next time I'm going to try it with 3 bananas.  Also, for me, one slice goes a long way.  Dorie suggests eating it for breakfast, and it is great with a hot cup of strong coffee (if you're sensitive to caffeine this combo might be too much for you!) or a glass of cold milk.  But I also find that it's a lovely late afternoon pick me up as well.

Cocoa-Nana Bread (recipe from Dorie Greenspan's Baking: From My Home to Yours)

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 8 tbsps (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 3 oz bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (or 1/2 cup store-bought chocolate chips)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9x5-inch loaf pan and place it on an insulated baking sheet or on two regular baking sheets stacked on top of the other. (This extra insulation will keep the bottom of the bread from over baking.)
2. Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt and baking soda.
3. Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter at medium speed for about a minute, until softened. Add the sugars and beat for 2 minutes more. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for a minute after each addition. At this point, the batter may look a little curdled. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the mashed bananas. Add the dry ingredients in 3 additions, mixing only until they disappear into the batter. Still on low speed, add the buttermilk, mixing until it is incorporated. Stir in the chopped chocolate. Scrape the batter into the pan.
4. Bake for 30 minutes. Cover the bread loosely with a foil tent to keep the top from getting too dark, and continue to bake for another 40 to 45 minutes (total baking time is between 70 to 75 minutes) or until a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for at least 20 minutes before running a knife around the edges of the bread and unmolding. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up.