Birthday Barbecue

Last weekend was my husband's birthday. To celebrate we went to our country house. When I write "country" I mean Westchester (Goldens Bridge to be exact). And when saying "our house" I mean my in-laws' place.

After an afternoon spent with friends at their indoor pool (hey - everyone needs a break from 3 days with the in-laws no matter how well you get along) we had a great barbecue for dinner that night followed by vanilla cupcakes with a super easy whipped milk chocolate ganache.

I have recently developed a love affair with boneless, skinless chicken thighs. We're a dark meat family so I tend to buy chicken parts. And, by accident, I bought a package of the boneless, skinless thighs from Trader Joe's a few weeks ago. Eureka. They're incredibly flavorful, pretty much impossible to over cook and take way less time to cook than bone-in meat. For us city-folk without access to a grill the broiler works well for cooking them. But they're much better when cooked outside on a grill. Really - what doesn't taste better cooked on a grill. Outside.

My MIL had planned on making some form of noodles for Mike's birthday (in Chinese culture (or maybe just my in-law's culture) traditionally eating long noodles on birthdays and the New Year are said to grant you longevity) so I went with an Asian theme for the marinade and threw this together that morning. I let the thighs marinate for about 10 hours but a shorter time would work as well. I brought them up to room temperature while the grill heated up and about 20 minutes later they were grilled to perfection. After eating one for lunch today I can also truthfully say they are quite delicious cold as well.

And, of course, I don't have any pictures. Sigh.

Ginger, Garlic, Soy Chicken Thighs

Yields 4-6 servings

1 cup soy sauce
3 TBS hoisin sauce
1 tsp dark sesame oil
1 TBS rice wine vinegar
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 6)

• Combine first 6 ingredients in a small bowl and whisk well to combine. Taste and adjust flavors to your liking (sweeter - add more hoisin; saltier - add more soy, etc.).
• Place chicken and marinade in a Ziploc bag and marinate in refrigerator for at least 4 hours, up to overnight.
• Broil for 5-6 minutes per side or grill for approximately 10 minutes per side. Cooking time really depends on your oven/grill.
• Allow to rest for 10-15 minutes before cutting into the meat so the juices don't run out.

Whipped Chocolate Ganache
Yields approximately 2 1/2 cups - enough to ice 18-24 cupcakes depending on how generous you are with icing

10 oz (just shy of one bag) milk chocolate chips
8 oz heavy cream

• Place chocolate chips in a bowl large enough to accommodate both the chips and the cream.
• Bring the cream just to a boil (either on stovetop or in microwave oven).
• Pour the cream over the chocolate and allow to sit for 5 minutes.
• Whisk to combine well and be sure all chips are melted. The ganache will be thin but shiny.
• Cover and chill until ready to use.
• Just before you are ready to ice the cupcakes whip the ganache with an electric mixer until it is light and fluffy and the consistency of icing (think peanut butter consistency).

I Am a Baaaad Blogger

So much for that. I promised myself I would put something up here at least once a week.

Last weekend I had a blast teaching a cooking lesson for a great group of women: a mother and her 3 adult daughters. After the lesson I had a lot going through my mind - the complex and beautiful relationships between sisters and between mothers and daughters; what cooking together means; how food unites us; how people come to cooking and what it means to cook for someone, etc.

Basically a bunch of thoughts that are *waaaay* too deep for my superficial little vanity project (this here blog o' mine).

Since I can't really make sense of what I originally planned on writing, I'll share with you some of the recipes we made that day. This will be the first of 5.

I came up with this recipe a few years ago for Thanksgiving. I had finally managed to wrestle the holiday from my mother's grubby paws (well, they had to be in town for a wedding so instead of the annual trip to mecca, er, I mean Florida, we celebrated Thanksgiving in NYC). After a lovely morning at the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade I knew we'd be hungry long before dinner was served. We always make so much cranberry sauce and I figured this was a good way to put the extra to good use. And, really, what doesn't taste good with melted brie on top? Every time I make this cranberry sauce I have to remind myself to make it more often. The crystallized ginger adds a nice kick and is an unexpected flavor. It's delicious as a spread for sandwiches (try it with curried chicken salad), on pancakes, or drizzled over ice cream as well. It also freezes nicely.

If you don't have the urge to make cranberry sauce you can substitute raspberry preserves or a fig spread in its place.



Puff Pastry with Cranberry Ginger Sauce and Brie
Yields 30 single bite portions

1 12-ounce bag cranberries
3/4-cup sugar
1/3 cup orange juice (the juice of one orange - Valencia work well in this recipe)
1/3-cup water
1 tsp grated orange zest
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 cup (about 2 ounces) minced crystallized ginger (easily found in health food stores)
2 packages pre-made puff pastry/phyllo cups - Athens Foods Mini Phyllo tart shells (do not thaw)
8 oz Brie, rind removed, cut into 1” cubes

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Combine first 6 ingredients in heavy medium saucepan.
• Bring to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Boil until cranberries pop, stirring occasionally, about 10-12 minutes.
• Cool mixture entirely. If you're in a rush place it in a bowl and place that bowl in a larger one filled with ice and cold water and stir until chilled. Mix in crystallized ginger. (Can be prepared 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Place shells on a baking sheet.
• To assemble – place a dollop of cranberry sauce into each shell. Top with a cube of brie and cook for 8-10 minutes, until cheese melts.

Who You Callin' Shrimp?

While I'm no longer a WOHM (work out (of) home mom), it's still a challenge to get a nutritious and delicious dinner on the table on a weeknight. As a SAHM (stay at home mom), with my lunch dates, spa visits, manicure appointments, bon bon eating and the other assorted trappings associated with my life of leisure, cooking sometimes falls by the wayside*.

Although pasta gets a bad wrap (Carbs! Carbs! OHMYGOD THE CARBS!) it still falls in the nutritious category in our home. If you add a lot of other 'stuff' to the pasta, the pasta itself is almost secondary to the dish. It is also quick, easy and (ding, ding, ding!) recession friendly.

This recipe became a weeknight staple early on in our marriage. It started out as a vegetarian meal (Did I mention I used to be a vegetarian? Yeah - more on that another time) but evolved into this dish a few years ago. It's extremely simple to make, requires only one pot and is very versatile. Don't like shrimp? Leave it out. Don't have tomatoes? Use another vegetable. And so on and so forth. Throw together a simple green salad and you've got a meal in about 25 minutes. Take *that* Rachael Ray!

*Written with tongue planted firmly in cheek

"Mediterranean Pasta" aka Pasta with Shrimp, Tomatoes, Olives and Feta

Yields 4 entree sized portions

8 oz (1/2 box) of pasta (any shape will do - we like whole wheat rigatoni)
1 tsp olive oil
1 clove of garlic, sliced or chopped
3/4-1 lb shrimp, deveined and with the shell off (leave the tail on - it helps prevent the shrimp from shrinking)
1 pint grape tomatoes sliced in half
1/4 -1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, sliced or chopped (use more or less if you want - we like it super briny)
1/3-1/2 lb feta cheese, crumbled (I use French feta as it tends to be less salty)
salt and pepper to taste

• In a pot large enough to accommodate the finished dish, cook the pasta in salted boiling water until it is al dente (or to your desired degree of doneness).
• While pasta is cooking chop garlic, de-vein shrimp (if you don't buy them de-veined like I do), slice olives, crumble feta.
• When pasta is done, drain, reserve about 1/4 c of the water, rinse in cool water and set aside.
• Heat the oil in the pasta pot over medium heat and toss in the garlic. Cook for about one minute - don't let it burn.
• Toss in the shrimp, raise the heat, and allow the shrimp to cook until just about cooked through (mostly pink on both sides - about 3 minutes over high heat).
• Add in the tomatoes and cook for about a minute (until they start to burst).
• Remove from heat and add in the olives and the feta. Stir to combine well. Add in some of the reserved pasta water if the mixture gets too thick.
• Season with salt and pepper.

In Praise of the Humble Muffin

Finding a school-day snack that is quick to eat and remotely healthy has become a big challenge. Apparently if snack takes "too long to eat" my daughter doesn't get to play at "snack recess" and that makes me the worst mother ever for "ruining everything." Her words, not mine.

One morning, in a fit of laziness (or was it desperation?), I tossed a frozen banana muffin into her snack container. I tend to have a variety of muffins in the freezer at any given time - banana and corn are among the favorites around these parts. I figured it would defrost in time for snack. Worst case scenario she wouldn't eat it like countless school snacks that came before it. She isn't exactly wasting away.

Imagine my surprise when all that came home in the snack container was the empty wrapper. I tested my luck the rest of that week and gave a muffin every day. Lo and behold - the muffins were eaten. Hallelujah and Amen. I was back to "best mommy ever" status. All it took was a frozen muffin.

I put this recipe together basically by accident. Little Miss Muffin requested blueberry muffins and I didn't have any blueberries in the freezer. I did, however, have frozen strawberries from our strawberry picking excursion last summer. They held up surprisingly well over the winter. I also didn't have any butter. Or enough milk. So I improvised. Feel free to substitute another fruit for the strawberries (blueberries, raspberries, cranberries, etc.).

Strawberry Muffins

Yields 1 dozen

*Very* loosely adapted from "How to Cook Everything" by Mark Bittman

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (you can substitute up to 1/2 of the flour with whole wheat)
1/2 cup corn meal
1/2 cup sugar (can reduce to 1/4 c if you prefer your muffins less sweet)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
1/4 tsp ground cardamom (optional)
1/2 tsp grated fresh lemon zest (optional)
1 TBS melted butter or neutral oil (I had canola, I used canola)
1 egg
1 1/4 c low fat sour cream or yogurt (plain or vanilla)
2-3 TBS milk
1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries, chopped (if using frozen do not defrost before stirring into batter)
2-3 TBS turbinado or demerra sugar (ie. Sugar in the Raw) to sprinkle on top

• Preheat oven to 375 F.
• Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper or foil cups.
• Combine dry ingredients, including lemon zest, in a bowl and mix well.
• In a separate bowl mix together the oil, egg, sour cream and milk.
• Using a spoon or rubber spatula add the wet ingredients to the dry. Do not overmix. Just mix until the ingredients are combined. The batter may be lumpy. It will also be thicker than you think it should be. As long as it's moist you're in business. If it isn't add in some more milk 1 TBS at a time.
• Gently stir in the strawberries and combine.
• Spoon the batter into the muffin tin. I like to use an ice cream scoop - it makes for muffins that are uniform in shape. Fill the tins about 2/3 full.
• Optional: top with a sprinkle of turbinado sugar (it adds a great crunch to the muffin tops).
• Bake for approximately 20 minutes (they take 18 minutes in my oven) until nicely browned and they spring back slightly when lightly touched.
• Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Can be eaten warm. They also freeze well for great school-day snacking. :)

The Media Gets It!

Have I not been saying this all along?

The New York Times and food magazines have figured it out too. Article here.

The kiddo has a snow day today. I'll be back tomorrow with some original content.

Back to Your Regularly Scheduled Posting

I have been cooking a lot lately but nothing really "blog-worthy." Tonight's dinner will remedy that: Chicken "tagine" with lemon and olives, couscous pilaf with dried apricots and toasted almonds, beet salad with lemon vinaigrette, and, according to Cook's Illustrated "The Best Chocolate Bundt Cake."

Of course I didn't take any pictures while I was making the cake but I'll try to take some before we devour it. Ditto on the salad. Although I'm doubtful it will be gobbled up. Beets are an iffy selection for entertaining. People are very black and white about them - you either love them or hate them. But the salad is pretty so I'll snap a few pics.

The "tagine" and couscous are another story. I'll try to take pictures while making them but I'm also multi-tasking and hosting a playdate for the kiddo and a friend today so I'm not making any promises. Once they're cooked it's way easier to photograph them. The dishes that is, not the 5 year olds.

The chocolate cake smells divine as it bakes right now - hopefully it will taste half as good. Recipes and pictures to come, promise.

Musings and Meringues

I am very fortunate to have a child who is not only a great eater and who doesn't have any food allergies. Well, unless you count fish. It's not an allergy per se but a deep and utter HATRED of all things from the sea other than canned tuna (mercury be damned), fried calamari or New England clam chowder. Let's not discuss that she used to gobble up my soy glazed salmon until one day she realized it was salmon and "not chicken!!!!????" and proceeded to spit it out, despite having eaten most of her portion that evening and at countless dinners in the past.

Where was I? Allergies. Right.

Now that I have a school-aged child I have been introduced to the confusing world of childhood food allergies. In 2 1/2 years of school we have encountered allergies to: peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, gluten, dairy, eggs, shellfish, pineapple, strawberries and a few I am probably forgetting. I really feel for parents who have to confront these issues and fear for their child's health on a daily basis. I couldn't imagine...

The reason I bring up the allergies is that I had originally planned on making heart shaped cut outs and icing them in varying shades of red and pink for a kindergarten Valentine's Day party (recipe). But I then discovered a student in our class had both a wheat and dairy allergy. So I decided to come up with a treat he and everyone else could have at the party since someone else was supplying cupcakes (which he wouldn't be able to eat).

Fortunately I was with my friend Sarah (a walking font of culinary knowledge) when I found out about the allergies. What on earth could I make? "Simple," said Sarah. "You can make meringues." Freakin' brilliant. A quick e-mail to the child's mother revealed that eggs were indeed OK and pink meringue cookies were on the agenda.

I usually bake meringues a few times a year. Every time I make them I'm reminded of how unbelievably simple they are to make. Plus, they're fat free. And, they're great for Passover because they contain no dairy (no worries about kosher dietary rules) and no flour. They also pair really well with lemon curd (a great use for the yolks since this recipe calls only for egg whites). That of course negates the whole fat free and kosher thing due to the addition of copious amounts of butter. But that's another blog entry. Why get ahead of myself?

If you can, avoid making meringues on damp and rainy days. The moisture in the air will be absorbed by the sugar and it will effect the consistency of the end result.

Meringue Cookies

Yields approximately 7 dozen 1 1/2 inch kisses


4 egg whites
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
food coloring (optional)

• Preheat your oven to 200 F.
• Combine the egg whites and sugar in a glass or metal bowl (the bowl of a standing mixer is preferable).
• Place the egg and sugar mixture over a lightly simmering pot of water but do not allow the bowl to come in contact with the water or your eggs will cook. Pieces of cooked egg white are not all that tasty in meringues.
• Whisk the mixture together until the sugar is dissolved; 3-5 minutes. Add in the vanilla.
• Using either a standing mixer with the whisk attachment or an electric hand beater being whipping the egg whites on low speed. Add in a few drops of food coloring at this point if you want. I prefer the gels to the liquid.
  
• Increase the mixer speed to high and beat until the egg whites are shiny and form stiff peaks. Tip: when you stop your mixer and pull up on the top the egg whites that were attached to the attachment should remain standing in the bowl and not flop over.
• Using a small dollop of the meringue affix sheets of parchment paper or aluminum foil to your baking sheets (you'll need 2). Some recipes call for masking tape here. Use the meringue - I learned the tip working in a bakery.
• Using either a spoon or a pastry bag drop dollops or pipe kisses onto the sheet leaving about an inch in between each cookie.
• Bake for about 2 hours in the 200 degree oven. Check periodically to make sure the meringues aren't browning. If they are, lower the temperature to 175 F. You're not baking these as much as allowing them to dry out.
• After 2 hours turn off the oven and DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN DOOR. Allow the meringues to remain in the oven for at least another hour. They will continue to dry out in the residual heat of the oven. I usually leave mine in overnight as I like my meringues to be very light and crispy on the inside.