Ending the year on a sweet note

I read a quote the other day by the author Judith Viorst, that said: "Strength is the capacity to break a chocolate bar into four pieces with your bare hands-and then eat just one of the pieces". The truffles and orangettes I'm about to present to you require no manual labor to dive into as they are already individually portioned. However, they require a great deal of restraint to not eat the whole batch. I'm a firm believer in always ending things on a sweet note: a bad day, an amazing meal, a difficult task, a rainy afternoon, a long run, and of course the last hours of the year.

 

The Cripple Bakes Cookies

A Day in Ina's Shoes- Pecan Bars & PBJ Bars

 

I have a slight obsession with Ina Garten. This woman has impeccable taste. She is the hostess with the mostest. She manages to be both elegant but understated at the same time. Her kitchen has everything a cook could ask for but is not pretentious. Her entertaining style is flawless but not showy. Her food is always classic comfort food that is elevated to the next level.  As a cook, and a woman, it’s hard to watch her show without envying her. After following her show for years, I think I have her day down to a tee now (at least the day I picture her having).

Dessert Party

I invited my girlfriends over recently to catch up and to watch a certain movie where Channing Tatum, along with a few other gentlemen, take their shirts off. Since my girlfriends and I usually are quick to skip to dessert, I figured that this gathering would involve around just sweets (ok maybe one savory dish, but only because I came across a cute mini mac and cheese recipe). There was an abundance of pink bubbly (ok a lot), cute little meringues made by my trusted sous chef, and mini brownies brought by my other fellow baker. I may have gone over the top and baked a whole red velvet cake, along with mini cheesecakes with caramel sauce, and rice krispies with marshmallows. And not to forget popcorn with white chocolate and sprinkles to pop in your mouth during those scenes where everyone was just screaming at the tv. Two of my girlfriends arrived early and while waiting for me to finish up, took it upon themselves to create name cards for all the dishes and arrange all the platters. Sometimes all you need to is some sugar, a DVD, and an abundance of your best girlfriends to have an amazing night.

Breakfast

You probably don’t know this about me, but my favorite meal of the day is breakfast. Yet, I almost never make it at home. And with the exception of Saturdays, I usually eat the same boring things over and over again every day.

Just What The Doctor Ordered {Thanksgiving Special}

 It’s that time of year when dishes that aren’t smothered in cheese, butter, and heavy cream don’t make it on the menu. I try to resist the urge to start baking gratins or casseroles or savory soufflés until Thanksgiving, when I’m pretty sure it’s against the law not to. The trouble is once you’ve had scalloped potatoes or a spinach gratin, there’s no going back. They have a way of warming you up, lifting your spirits, and actually excite you about dreary old winter. Thanksgiving is an enabler, and casseroles are like the gateway drug, because the truth is we don’t have many weapons to deal with winter blues in the city . Can you imagine how unbearable winter would be if it wasn’t for these comfort meals? What else would we have to carry us through winter? You can only go ice skating, or shopping for christmas decorations a few times until you choose the comfort of your home over the cold weather. Caribbean getaways do the trick, but hey you can only have one of those a year if you’re very lucky, and winter is all the worse afterwards.

I don’t know about you, but I’m going to load up on all the comfort food I can get if I’m forced to deal with winter atrocities such as: being forced to stepping in puddles on certain street corners on my way to work every morning and getting my pants wet, getting hit by weird drops of water or snow or god-knows-what and have it land on my face, constantly struggling to push doors against the wind , never having an umbrella when I need one, and getting splashed by taxis and buses even when I am standing five feet away. And don’t get me started on the wind, waiting around every corner like a mugger. If I’m forced to deal with these crimes against humanity from now until March, then I will make these dishes not just on Thanksgiving, but every time the winter strikes. Who’s with me?

Sweet Potato Gratin with Marshmallows and Chile-Spiced Pecans:



Isn’t this the cutest dish ever?? I changed the portions a little bit since the original recipe made A LOT, and adjusted the seasonings, too. The pecans are so good, you're going to eat most of them straight from the pan. And, yes, the chipotle chile powder is totally worth purchasing. I’m thinking about making popcorn with it next.











Sweet Potato Gratin with Marshmallows and Chile-Spiced Pecans: Adapted from Sweet Potato Gratin with Chile Spiced Pecans Recipe by Jose Garces from Food and Wine


CLICK FOR A PRINTABLE VERSION OF THIS RECIPE HERE

Ingredients:

3 sweet potatoes
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
½ cup pecans
1 teaspoon brown sugar
½ teaspoon chipotle chile powder
Salt
2 tablespoon honey
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
¼ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
Pepper
1 cup mini marshmallows

Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 400°. Prick the sweet potatoes with a fork, and roast on a large baking sheet lined with aluminum foil for 50-60 minutes.
2) Meanwhile, in a skillet, melt the butter. Add the pecans, brown sugar and chipotle powder and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the sugar starts to caramelize and the pecans are well-coated, 8 minutes. Spread the pecans on a parchment-lined baking sheet, sprinkle with salt and let cool.
3) Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop the flesh into the bowl of a food processor; discard the skins. Add the honey, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves to the processor and puree. Add the cream, butter, and puree. Season with salt and pepper.
4) Scrape the potatoes into a small casserole dish; scatter the marshmallows on top. Bake in the top third of the oven for 25-30 minutes, until the marshmallows are golden. Sprinkle with the pecans and serve.

Make Ahead: The sweet potato puree can be refrigerated overnight. Bring to room temperature and top with the marshmallows before baking. The spiced nuts can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Collard Greens and Leek Gratin



I have been trying to figure out what to do with my collard greens from my CSA share. I don’t know why a gratin wasn’t the first thing that came to my mind. I love spinach gratins so this really was a no-brainer. The leeks are a revelation when they are cooked to softness. Parmesan doesn’t add much to hearty gratins like this when combined in it, so I just sprinkled some on top for crunch. I also added fontina along with the gruyere to give it more of that cheesy flavor.






Collard Greens and Leek Gratin: Adapted from Swiss Chard and Leek Gratin Recipe by Michael Symon from Food & Wine
CLICK FOR A PRINTABLE VERSION OF THIS RECIPE HERE


Ingredients:


1 bunch collard greens

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

3 medium leeks, white and tender green parts only, sliced 1 inch thick

Salt

1 garlic clove, minced

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups whole milk

1/2 cup shredded Gruyère cheese

1/4 cup shredded fontina cheese

3 tablespoons parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Freshly ground pepper


Directions:

1. In a large pot of boiling water, blanch the collard greens in batches until wilted, about 1 minute. Drain the chard, squeeze dry. Remove the tough stem and chop it.

2. Heat the oil in the pot. Add the leeks and a pinch of salt. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring a couple times, until tender, 7 minutes. Uncover, add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the collard greens, season with salt and remove from the heat.

3. Preheat the oven to 425°. Butter an 8-by-8 inch baking dish. In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Warm the milk in a small pot, but make sure it does not boil. Stir in the flour to the butter over moderate heat to form a paste. Cook for a couple minutes. Gradually whisk in one-third of the milk and cook over low heat, whisking, until the mixture starts to thicken. Repeat two more times with the remaining milk. Cool until the sauce coats the back of a wooden spoon and no floury taste remains, about 10-15 minutes. Whisk in the gruyère and fontina cheeses along with the nutmeg; season with salt and pepper. Mix the sauce into the leeks and collard greens. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese. Bake in the upper third of the oven for about 25 minutes, until bubbling and golden brown on top. Let rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Note: The unbaked gratin can be refrigerated overnight. Bring to room temperature before baking.

Individual Sweet-Potato Soufflés



You can eat these small souffles like a pudding lying down on the couch. They make a great appetizer or a side dish or a snack.








Individual Sweet-Potato Soufflés: Adapted from Savory Sweet-Potato Soufflés Recipe by Martha Stewart

CLICK FOR A PRINTABLE VERSION OF THIS RECIPE HERE

Ingredients:


3 sweet potatoes

2 tablespoon butter, plus more for baking dishes

1/4 small onion, finely chopped (1/2 cup)

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Salt and ground pepper

1 tablespoon flour

1/2 cup milk

1 tablespoon honey

3/4 cup coarsely grated Gruyere cheese

3 large eggs, separated


Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 400°. Prick the sweet potatoes with a fork, and roast on a large baking sheet lined with aluminum foil for 50-60 minutes.

2) Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop the flesh into the bowl of a food processor; discard the skins. Add the honey, butter, salt, and pepper to the processor and puree.

3) Lower the temperature in the oven to 375°. Butter four 3/4-cup ramekins; set aside.

4) In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add onion, garlic, cayenne and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is softened, about 8 minutes. Stir in flour; cook, stirring, 3 minutes.

5) Gradually whisk in milk; simmer, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in ½ cup cheese, salt and pepper. Whisk in sweet-potato puree, and then egg yolks, one at a time.

6) In a clean mixing bowl, beat egg whites with an electric mixer at a slow speed for 1 minute. Add a pinch of salt, and increase the speed to medium-medium/high. Beat until stiff peaks form (stop as soon as you see stiff peaks, if you continue beating they deflate again). Whisk 1/4 of whites into cheese mixture. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the rest.

7) Place ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour mixture into ramekins; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake until puffed and golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

CSA-The Element of Surprise {Thanksgiving Special}

I am a planner. And a list-maker. I plan my dinners in advance every week. I compile piles and piles of "candidates" for weeknight dinners and Sunday dinners. And then I eliminate, and group meals together, and assign dates. And then comes the grocery shopping lists, organized by categories, and even by which aisle comes first at the store.

So it probably doesn't come as a shock that at first I struggled with the "surprise box" that comes as a part of my CSA share. CSA stands for “Community Supported Agriculture.” It is a direct way for you to buy seasonal produce from the farmer. You buy a share at the beginning of the season, and each week you get a variety of vegetables. Yes, it is locally and organically grown. Yes, it tastes way better than anything I could find at a grocery store. It is so freshly harvested that you can literally smell (and see) the soil on the vegetable. But what happens when you find an awesome recipe for green beans and an even better recipe for asparagus, but you get spinach and eggplant?

When my CSA share first started last spring, I struggled with the element of surprise. CSAs are volunteer organizations, which means the delivery schedule can change at a moment’s notice and so can the week’s vegetables. Since they wouldn't post what you were expecting until the very last minute, or at all, you can imagine what this does to a person who has spent all of Wednesday night searching for recipes on epicurious.com, and is dying to know if she will be able to make them or not. The CSA share I receive is huge, so I can’t justify buying additional vegetables. In fact, at the beginning I had to throw out a few things that never got cooked, and I felt guilty about it.

But the more the weeks passed, the more I started feeling excitement about each week’s upcoming surprise. Can I cook kale the same way as I do spinach? What do I do with that weird looking root? Did you know brussel sprouts grow on a stalk? Or yellow summer squash comes in all different sizes, and colors, and shapes? And what the hell is cerliac? Since nothing is labeled, I had to determine which vegetable and herb was which by shape, color, taste, and smell (and occasionally Google). Every Monday I found myself impatiently waiting to get my box like a little kid on Christmas morning. I was curious to see whether or not I was ready to step out of my comfort zone, improvise with what arrived, or try something completely new.

This November, my CSA is coming to a close, and I'm really sad to see it go. It has made me a better cook, a healthier person, and above all a more spontaneous cook. So I'm dedicating my post this week to meals that involve fresh vegetables, whether or not they come out of a box. Oh, and these work wonderfully as thanksgiving side dishes for next week.

Buttermilk Mashed Kale, Turnips, and Potatoes

 

I saw Giada make kale mashed potatoes once, and when I got potatoes and kale from my CSA last week, it was the first dish I thought of. She uses mascarpone cheese to thicken the mash, but I had buttermilk left over in the fridge and thought, “Hey Ina Garten has a great buttermilk mashed potato recipe!” Turnips are root vegetables, so they work great here as well. And I couldn’t help adding some of the amazing smelling fresh sage from the share to perfume the whole dish.

 

 

Buttermilk Mashed Kale, Turnips, and Potatoes (Inspired by Giada De Laurentiis’s Mashed Potatoes with Kale Recipe and Ina Garten’s Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes Recipe)

CLICK FOR A PRINTABLE VERSION OF THIS RECIPE

Yields 3-4 servings

Ingredients
 

Potatoes and Turnips:

• 7-8 small-medium sized potatoes (any kind will do here, I used small from my CSA share, you can use 3-4 large russet potatoes) peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
• 2-3 medium sized turnips
• 1 teaspoon salt

 Kale:

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Half a bunch kale, stemmed and chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 1 shallot, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth

Assembly: 

• 1/4 cup milk
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• Few sage leaves, chopped
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

     Directions

For the potatoes and turnips: Combine the potatoes,turnips, and salt in a saucepan with enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the milk and butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until warmed through. Add the buttermilk. Set aside until you are ready to assemble.

For the kale: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sautee kale with salt for 5 minutes. Add the shallot, cook for a minute until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the chicken broth. Cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, for 8-10 minutes.

To assemble: Drain the potatoes and turnips and place in a large bowl. Pour the milk-butter mixture in a slow stream as you mash them with a potato masher. Add only enough to get a thick consistency, I don’t like the potatoes to be pureed. You may not need the whole thing as I didn’t. Add the kale mixture, sage, Parmesan, salt and pepper to the bowl, and stir until smooth

 

Lemony Brussel Sprouts
 

 

I am a big fan of brussel sprouts with bacon, but I wanted to make an alternative side dish that is still hearty but a little more refreshing. Lemon does the trick in this recipe. Since my brussel sprouts were small, I didn’t need to add water to cook them through. If you find that they are not softening enough add a small amount of water during the cooking process.

 
 

Brussel Sprouts with Lemon Vinaigrette and Walnut –Bread Crumb Topping (Inspired by Shredded Brussel Sprouts with Walnuts and Spiced Bread Crumbs Recipe from Food & Wine, and Brussel Sprouts with Warm Lemon Vinaigrette Recipe from Martha Stewart)

CLICK FOR A PRINTABLE VERSION OF THIS RECIPE

Yields 2-4 servings

Ingredients:

• Walnuts, 2 tablespoon, chopped
• Panko bread crumbs, 2 tablespoon
• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• Brussel Sprouts, About 2.5 cups (I received tiny ones from my CSA share, if you have larger ones just quarter them. Make sure to remove the outer yellow leaves)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Pinch freshly ground pepper
• 1 small shallot, peeled and sliced thinly
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 lemon, quartered
• Zest of half a lemon
• Parsley, chopped, about 1 teaspoon
 

Directions:

 

1. Spread the walnuts in a small frying pan , and do not add any oil. Cook, stirring frequently, over medium-high heat, until walnuts starts to brown and they smell toasted, about 4 minutes. Add the bread crumbs and red pepper flakes, and cook stirring constantly for another minute. Set aside.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet pan over high heat. Add Brussels sprouts to the skillet. Cook for about 8-10 minutes, stirring constantly, until it caramelizes. If you find that the brussel sprouts are not tender, add about ¼ cup of water, and cook for a minute or two. Add salt, pepper, and shallots, and cook for 30 seconds more. Add the garlic, cook for about 15 seconds as you stir.

2. Place the brussel sprouts in a serving platter. Squeeze the juice of a quarter of a lemon, more according to taste. Drizzle with oil if it feels dry. Sprinkle the top with the bread crumb mixture, lemon zest, and parsley. Garnish with lemon quarters.

Butternut Squash Soup

 

 

 Whenever I see butternut squash, I immediately think of soup. It is the perfect balance between hearty and healthy. I changed a few things about the recipe; 1 decreased the amount of apples and apple cider as I didn't want it to be too sweet. I decreased the amount of onions, as 3 seemed like a lot to me since I was using smaller butternut squash. I used chicken stock instead of water to give the soup more flavor and depth. I saw that a Food & Wine recipe had used crispy pancetta on the soup, I only had prosciutto and it provided the perfect crunch and salty bite.
 

 

Butternut Squash And Apple Soup with Crispy Prosciutto (Adapted from Ina Garten's Butternut Squash and Apple Soup Recipe and Butternut Squash Soup with Crispy Pancetta Recipe from Food and Wine

CLICK FOR A PRINTABLE VERSION OF THIS RECIPE

Yields 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons mild curry powder
• 2 medium butternut squash
• 1 apple
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 quart chicken stock
• 1 cup apple cider
• 4 slices prosciutto

Directions

Warm the butter, olive oil, onions, and curry powder in a large stockpot uncovered over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until the onions are tender. Stir occasionally, scraping the bottom of the pot. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and spread the prosciutto slices in a single layer. Bake for 10-12 until crispy. Let cool.

Peel the squash, cut in half, and remove the seeds. Cut the squash into chunks. Peel, quarter, and core the apple. Cut into chunks.

Add the squash, apple, salt, pepper, and chicken stock to the pot. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook over low heat for 30 to 40 minutes, until the squash and apple are very soft. Puree the soup with an immersion blender in the pot. Alternatively process the soup in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade.

Pour the soup back into the pot if you used a food processor. Add enough of the apple cider to make the soup the consistency you like; it should be quite thick. Check the salt and pepper. Crumble the prosciutto on top, and serve hot.

How Ya Like Dem Apples? I Like Dem Baked.

For the past few years, I have been reminiscing about this apple cake I remember my mom used to make when I was a kid. There is only one problem, my mom doesn’t remember it.

I remember being excited about coming home after school to have this cake. I remember the exact place I would find it in the kitchen. I even remember the glass cake dome it would sit in. But I don’t remember what it exactly looked like. It was a cake, it had apples in it, and it was delicious.

My mother claims it was an apple tart, as my mom is famous among friends for her apple tart. But no, I insist it was a cake. She asks me if the apples were in it, or on top of it…I don’t remember. She asks me, was it a Bundt cake or a loaf? I don’t remember.

So last time she came to visit me, I made her dig in to her recipe book (calling it a “book” is generous, more like a “pile”). Her recipes are covered in pencil scribbles with titles like, "Dessert I got from a friend," and, “Strawberry thing I made at a dinner party once". She found an apple cake recipe, brought it with her, made it, and even though it was delicious, it wasn’t the cake I remembered.

I assumed her apple cake recipe was lost until few weeks ago, when two things happened. First, I stumbled upon Dorie Greenspan’s apple cake recipe. Even though the picture wasn't that clear, it immediately reminded me of my mom’s cake. If the recipe belonged to Dorie Greenspan, I mean, how could it be bad? Second, I got the latest delivery of my farm share. More about this in another post, but here’s the gist: every week I pick-up fresh and organic veggies and fruit locally, all sourced from a nearby farm. And recently I’ve been getting a lot of apples. Too many apples.
 

So with Dorie’s recipe and a surplus of apples, I made this cake, and the second I tasted it, I remembered the feeling I craved. It was the moistness that I had been reminiscing about. Not only were the apples so moist they melted in your mouth, but the cake was, too. So moist that I hardly covered it with plastic wrap, like Dorie suggested, and it was just as moist three days later.

 

After devouring the cake, I realized I still had like five pound of apples left! I have been itching to try out a recipe from the new pie book I bought at my corner cookbook store (along with a cute pie chicken I immediately bought when I saw one at the cover). I walked in to browse cookbooks on different cuisines, and when the person at the cash register said "I guess you don’t have a gluten allergy!" I realized I had bought three cookbooks: one about pies, one about pizzas, and one about bread making.

The apple pie turned out delicious. The sweetness of the apples was balanced out by the cheddar on the crust. And I mean crust, not that soggy bite you get at most apple pies, a real crust that stands up to the apples. And the dough was so easy to make! I have been put out by pie dough before, since I don’t have a big food processor to make one in. But this recipe comes together by just using your fingers. And you are allowed to leave big chunks of butter in the dough, the author actually suggests not to break them up too much to get that flaky crust (phew less work!).

After the pie, I thought I was done baking with apples for good, until I received, what do you know, more apples in my farm share! I didn’t want another pie or anything resembling it. Every recipe I browsed seemed too similar--tarts and strudels, etc.--until I saw a recipe for apple brownies in the October issue of Martha Stewart magazine.

 

They are fudgy like chocolate brownies, the brown sugar caramelizes on the apples. You can warm them up, and it turns into almost like a pudding, and it’s yummy with a scoop of ice cream and sprinkled with extra cinnamon. Or you can eat them cold, running out of the door as breakfast, replacing boring old granola bars.

 

So there you go, just when you thought you were finally done with apples, I leave you with three more recipes to try. Enjoy!

Apple Cake by Dorie Greenspan-Click for Recipe

Apple Pie from "How to Build a Better Pie" by Millicent Souris. Cheddar Cheese Pie Crust Recipe here with step-by-step picture instructions on how to make it, Apple Pie Recipe here

Apple Brownies by Martha Stewart- Click for Recipe