White House Honey-Oat Muffins

I used to have so many cooking magazines.  Then I had Quinn.  Cooking changed from a labor of love to relying on old stand-by recipes that would get dinner on the table quickly.  Now Quinn is a touch older, I'm starting to find more time to cook for the joy of it.  I recently re-subscribed to Food and Wine, and this recipe caught my eye as I flipped through the July 2010 magazine.  I haven't even sat down and fully read the issue, but I've already made these muffins.

My little boy seems to suffer from a dairy intolerance (and possibly soy as well) so I'm constantly scouting for recipes that are either dairy-free or easy to adapt in that direction.  I find when I look for dairy-free/soy-free recipes, I often get discouraged and overwhelmed by how few there are.  But if I just go about life, the recipes sometimes find me.  This was one such a recipe.  I made it with rice milk instead of buttermilk, and I added about a teaspoon of vinegar to the rice milk to curdle it a bit.  I also added blueberries, because I had them and I think every muffin is better with a blueberry in it!

The muffins were surprisingly tasty.  Despite my modifications, they came out soft and moist (although a bit flat on top).  The flavor is definitely honey-like, so not overly sweet.  But I liked the addition of the oatmeal, and I think I will definitely make them again.  I can't say they were an overwhelming success with the small man, however breakfast is not his favorite meal so the fact some was consumed is considered a success in my book.  I'm thinking next time I might try this recipe with fresh peaches....

The original recipe can be found here, on the Food and Wine website.

CSA Farm Share Quiche

CSA season is in full swing, and I am loving the challenge of so many vegetables and greens to get through each week.  We were away this weekend, and so lost two precious days to work on this week's haul.  With Friday looming, I needed something quick that would also work on our well stocked fridge to make for lunch.  

I zoomed onto facebook quickly in that "the toddler isn't currently in danger so I have 30 seconds to see what's happening" way that I'm sure most parents are familiar with, and am so glad I did.  A high school friend has recently started a blog, and had updated it with a quiche recipe.  I recalled some frozen crusts lounging in our downstairs freezer, did a quick tally of various greens and veggies I could use in the quiche, calculated the likelihood of getting the quiche made while making and feeding the cranky toddler his lunch ... and decided it was worth the gamble.  I'm not going to lie - it was one crazy hour and the kitchen looked a little worse for wear when all was said and done.  But the quiche made it into the oven before Q's nap, and was ready for lunch right on time.

Quiche is nothing groundbreaking, but I liked the proportions in this recipe.  I used 2 garlic scapes, one and a half small zucchinis and a handful of dandelion greens.  Otherwise I followed the recipe as written, although I did add some salt and pepper to the cooked veggies.  I did have a little too much filling (aka a little spillage) but that could have been due to my haste and or ingredient adjustments.  The flavor was creamy, cheesey and seemed well balanced by the inclusion of the greens.  I think this will definitely be a repeater recipe as I'm sure there will be more occasions when I need to use up produce while creating a delicious and not too heavy meal.  

EASY BASIC QUICHE 

Aroz@lettuceeatlocally.blogspot.com

Pie crust, frozen or home made
4 eggs
2/3 c. half & half/milk or 1/3 c. plain yogurt & 1/3 c. milk
1 c. cheddar cheese
FILLINGS:
1/2 c. chopped broccoli
1/2 c. chopped zucchini
1/4 c. onion
1 garlic scape, finely diced 

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whip eggs until fluffy and add milk. Meanwhile, saute filling ingredients in olive oil in a pan on medium heat, adding salt & pepper to taste. Add filling mixture to the pie crust and then add egg mixture. Sprinkle cheese over the top and season with salt and pepper. Bake at 375 degrees 35 to 40 minutes. Top will be golden brown. Allow to cool some before serving. 

Garlic Scape Pesto

M. and I have been members of CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) organizations several times in the past.  Now we've left New York City and live in the Hudson Valley, we've joined a local, organic farm.  It's kind of fun going to the actual farm where the produce is grown to pick it up.  And there are nice perks like freezers with grass fed meats for purchase (for M. and the little sprout), delicious whole grain breads for purchase as well as flowers for picking and the farm's herb garden to raid.  And Little Sprout loves to watch the chickens in their chicken coop, which makes a trip to the farm a fun family outing.

We purchased a full share, but are clearly going to have to be on our game to keep up as this week's share was quite substantial.  Two pounds of mesclun - two pounds.  That can be measured by putting a ton of mesclun into the scale, and then when you find yourself cringing at how much mesclun there is realizing you're only at a pound!  Two heads of Napa cabbage, two large bunches of greens, two bunches of spring onions, two bunches of mystery greens, two bunches of baby carrots, two bunches of beets (with greens attached - yum!) and a quarter pound of garlic scapes.  Oh, there were also 2 pints of strawberries as well.  Those we had no problem polishing off.

I had lofty ambitions for the garlic scapes, however time got the best of me. As I switched into "CSA day is coming up - time to empty the fridge" panic last night, I went with the old standby of garlic scape pesto.  Now that we are the proud owners of a chest freezer, I planned on freezing most of it for a treat later in the summer using only what we needed for dinner last night.  I worked off of this recipe from the Washington Post (which was the first one that came up in my google search that sounded appealing) but I did make a few changes. I eyeballed about a half cup of pignolis instead of using the walnuts called for in the recipe due to (my) personal preference.  And I made a batch and a half of the recipe so as to use up all of my scapes. I also discovered myself perilously short on olive oil, and mixed the pesto with a blend of olive oil and pasta cooking water which made for a nice light texture.

The pesto was definitely pungent though - not for the faint of heart (or faint of garlic).  I froze some without cheese, as it freezes better that way.  And I added enough cheese to our dinner portion to make it taste "right" without really measuring.  I served the pasta with a big pile of the sauteed mystery greens, and a mesclun salad.  I'd say we've gotten through a pound of the mesclun so far, only a pound to go!

Garlic Scape Pesto

Ingredients:
1 cup garlic scapes (about 8 or 9 scapes), top flowery part removed, cut into ¼-inch slices
1/3 cup walnuts
¾ cup olive oil
¼-1/2 cup grated parmigiano
½ teaspoon salt
black pepper to taste

Method:
Place scapes and walnuts in the bowl of a food processor and whiz until well combined and somewhat smooth. Slowly drizzle in oil and process until integrated. With a rubber spatula, scoop pesto out of bowl and into a mixing bowl. Add parmigiano to taste; add salt and pepper. Makes about 6 ounces of pesto. Keeps for up to one week in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.

For ½ pound short pasta such as penne, add about 2 tablespoons of pesto to cooked pasta and stir until pasta is well coated.

Creamy Tomato Soup

As I contemplate a summer with minimal air conditioning, this week's cool weather has been a delightful opportunity to get some "warm" cooking in.  Turning on the oven doesn't affect the temperature of the house of hours, and cooking stovetop doesn't result in extra sweating.  There may not be too many of these days left, so I've been making the most of it.  


Yesterday was particularly cool and rainy, and just cried out for tomato soup.  I reached for a recipe I've never tried before (but heard good things about) and was pleased to see I had most of the ingredients on hand.  Living 20 + minutes from a grocery store these days is making me appreciate recipes that can be prepared from my well (over?) stocked pantry more and more.  
I did make a few changes.  I used spring onions from our farm share as I didn't have any leeks.  And I made a half recipe as I only had 1 can of whole tomatoes in the pantry.  We got two adult servings, and two boy sized servings from the recipe. It made a nice lunch when paired with a sandwich and a small salad with farm fresh mesclun greens.  


Overall, I really enjoyed this soup.  I liked the ease of the preparation, as well as the creamy taste minus a ton of cream.  I think my tomatoes could have roasted longer, I pulled them at 35 minutes because I needed to finish the soup.  I think they were not quite caramelized enough, but the resulting soup was still very enjoyable.  While it doesn't compare to a tomato soup made from fresh tomatoes, it was one of the better recipes utilizing canned tomatoes that I've tried. 


And, while I didn't get a perfect food blogger shot of the soup, I did get a picture of my boy shortly after tucking into a bowl of the soup.  I suppose that'll have to do.... :)


Creamy Tomato Soup
A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen by Jack Bishop

2 28-ounce cans whole tomatoes
1 tablespoon light or dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium leeks, white and light green parts, halved lengthwise, washed, and sliced crosswise into thin strips
Salt
1 tablespoon double-strength tomato paste (the kind in the tube)
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups vegetable broth
Cayenne pepper

1. Move an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 475 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil.

2. Drain the tomatoes in a strainer set in a bowl to collect the juices. With your fingers, carefully open the tomatoes, one at a time, letting the juices and seeds drop into the strainer. Place the seeded tomatoes on the foil-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with the brown sugar and roast until the liquid has evaporated and the tomatoes are just beginning to color, about 20 minutes. Discard the seeds in the strainer and reserve the juice in the bowl. You should have about 2.5 cups strained tomato juice.

3. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. When the foaming subsides, add the leeks and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring often, until the leeks have softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and nutmeg and cook, stirring often, for 1 minute. Add the flour and cook, stirring often, for 1 minute. Whisking constantly, add the vegetable broth until the mixture is smooth (without lumps of flour). Add the reserved tomato juice and roasted tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer to blend the flavors, about 10 minutes.

4. Puree the soup in batches until perfectly smooth. Return the soup to a clean saucepan and adjust the seasonings, adding salt and cayenne pepper to taste. Warm and serve, or refrigerate in an airtight container for several days and then warm over low heat before serving.

Serves 4.

Hello Blog.

I've missed you so. I miss documenting the recipes I make (although new recipes are fewer these days). I miss having the time to take pictures of the final result. I miss having a "food diary" to flip through when I'm needing inspiration.

I told myself that this was the year I'd get back into blogging. Doesn't seem to be going so well, does it? My little veggie boy has gotten so big these days - and he's always on the move. We spend our days at playgrounds, playdates and on the go. Cooking has slipped to the side, and I find I use my slow cooker more then any other appliance in the kitchen these days. Occasional bouts of necessitated dairy-freeness (if that's even a word) have encouraged me to head for vegan recipes much more then in the past. And leaving New York City and moving upstate has changed life even more.

Yes, big changes have been afoot in the Veggie Kitchen since last summer. I haven't forgotten about my little blog, and I do hope to come back to blogging regularly soon. Perhaps even this week....

Light Brioche Burger Buns

I've been wanting to make bread for some time. I've been sitting on the floor playing blocks with my son and dreaming of making foccacia, or rosemary sandwich buns. Weird, i know. But I never found time to work it into my day until now. This recipe caught my eye on Smitten Kitchen, so I dropped what I was doing and got to it! The recipe was published in the New York Times dining section last week.

The recipe was straightforward and easy to follow, although I did end up adding a little extra flour to the dough to make it easier to manage. I tried making the dough in my kitchenaid mixer, however there simply weren't enough ingredients for the dough hook to get around. I think it might work if the recipe were doubled, but otherwise I'd make it by hand. And be prepared for super sticky dough! I also let mine overrise by mistake while running to the grocery store, so my buns were a little flatter then they might otherwise have been. Still, the sweet buttery taste of the buns was worth all the hassle! I don't know if this will become a regular due to the tricky dough (Moomie's recipe is easier to work with) but I will definitely make it again. The taste was truly spectacular, and has inspired me to make more bread!!

I did not photograph my buns (what a surprise!) however Deb at Smitten Kitchen has plenty of gorgeous pictures so I urge you to take a peek. You can find her post about this recipe here.

Light Brioche Burger Buns
Adapted from Comme Ça restaurant in Los Angeles, via the New York Times

Go! Make these! What are you waiting for?

Makes 8 4 to 5-inch burger buns

3 tablespoons warm milk
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
2 large eggs
3 cups bread flour
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
Sesame seeds (optional)

1. In a glass measuring cup, combine one cup warm water, the milk, yeast and sugar. Let stand until foamy, about five minutes. Meanwhile, beat one egg.

2. In a large bowl, whisk flours with salt. Add butter and rub into flour between your fingers, making crumbs. Using a dough scraper, stir in yeast mixture and beaten egg until a dough forms. Scrape dough onto clean, well-floured counter and knead, scooping dough up, slapping it on counter and turning it, until smooth and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes. The dough will be on the sticky side so it can be a bit messy, but keep in mind that the more flour you knead in, the tougher the buns will get. Try to leave them tackier than you would a round loaf.

3. Shape dough into a ball and return it to bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, one to two hours. (In my freaky, warm apartment this only took an hour.)

4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using dough scraper, divide dough into 8 equal parts. Gently roll each into a ball and arrange two to three inches apart on baking sheet. Cover loosely with a piece of plastic wrap lightly coated in nonstick spray and let buns rise in a warm place for one to two hours. (Again, this only took one hour in my apartment and I suspect, you’ll also only need an hour for a second rise.)

5. Set a large shallow pan of water on oven floor. Preheat oven to 400 degrees with rack in center. Beat remaining egg with one tablespoon water and brush some on top of buns. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, if using. Bake, turning sheet halfway through baking, until tops are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Wacky Cake

How has it been almost a month since my last post? The veggie kitchen has actually been quite busy these days, but the taking pictures and typing up recipes piece of blogging hasn't been going as well. And since that's a key part in keeping a blog going, things have been slow. Hopefully one day soon I'll be able to tell you about the roasted potato gruyere tart we've made, or the brownies, or there was the lemon pasta Mike created...

But this was something I made just this past Friday. One of my mommy friends has a baby with a dairy/soy allergy. Needless to say this means she must pass on most baked goods that come out of my kitchen. Since it was her birthday last week, I decided to make something she could enjoy. And this cake sprang to mind. I made it once years ago, but remembered it as being tasty and EASY. The glaze posed a bit more of a problem for this particular situation. I subbed rice milk for the dairy milk, but was a bit stumped by the butter. My first thought was to buy vegan butter, but when I had it home I realized it contained soy which wouldn't do. As it turned out butter is okay for this friend, and so I did just use regular butter.

The cake was rich and chocolatey. Mike thought the texture was a bit different from a standard cake, however we both enjoyed the pieces I snuck home from the gathering. And the cake was quite a big hit at the social event to which it was taken. No one could believe that it was dairy free (mostly) and easy.

I think this cake's value lies in its versatility. Need an easy vegan cake for a vegan friend? This cake fits the bill. Need a chocolate fix readily filled by ingredients likely to be on hand? Again, this cake will definitely do. I was quite glad only a slice or two came home, as more would have been quite dangerous for Mike and I both! :)

Wacky Cake

From Simple Vegetarian Pleasures by Jeanne Lemlin

"Wacky" cake is so called because it has no eggs in it, and is mixed together in an unusual way. Because it only takes a few minutes to make this cake batter (you don't even have to butter the pan beforehand) you must turn on your oven at least 10 minutes before you begin so it has time to preheat.

1 1/2 cups unbleached flour

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup warm water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon distilled white or apple cider vinegar

The Chocolate Glaze

1/2 cup sugar

4 tablespoons unsalted butter (or vegan butter)

2 tablespoons milk (I used rice milk for our situation, soy milk would also work)

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. If using a glass baking dish, heat to 325. A good ten minutes later, begin to make the cake. Place flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in an 8x8 inch cake pan. Using a fork, stir the dry ingredients together until completely blended and uniform in color with no visible streaks.

2. Pour on the water, vanilla, oil, and vinegar and immediately stir with the fork until completely blended. Using a spatula at this point is helpful for getting batter out of the corners.

3. Put cake in oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cake completely on a wire rack, about 2 hours. This cake is meant to be served out of the pan, not unmolded.

4. To make glaze, combine sugar, butter, milk, and cocoa in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove pan from the heat, and stir until cool (about 5 minutes). Add vanilla extract, then pour onto cake. Let cool completely before serving (about 1 hour).

For a 9x13 cake, use 1.5 times the recipe and cook about 25 minutes.

For a 9 inch round spring form pan, use 1.5 times the recipe and cook about 50 minutes. (butter and flour the pan before hand, mix batter in large bowl and pour into pan. Unmold after baking).

For a sheet cake, use a 17x11 inch jelly roll pan that has been buttered and floured beforehand. Mix 3 times the batter in a large bowl, and pour into prepared pan. Bake 35 minutes, unmold after baking.

For cupcakes, this recipe as above will make 1 dozen. Place 12 paper liners in a muffin pan. Mix batter in a bowl, then fill liners. Bake 22 minutes.

Brazilian Black Beans - Every Day Food

I am a big fan of beans. Particularly black beans - I love the versatility of cooking once and having beans to use in a variety of ways for the next few days. These days that quality is key as it relieves the pressure of daily cooking. Cooking dinner every night just isn't going to happen now that Quinn goes to bed at 7 pm on a daily basis. But, recipes like this mean I have something to work with after he goes down.

This recipe caught my eye in a recent Every Day Food issue. I'm pretty faithful to my favorite black bean recipe but I was intrigued by the step of cooking the beets in the beans. It seemed simple enough, but I would have never thought to do it. So I deviated from the norm, and gave the recipe a whirl.

This recipe was simple enough, and yet the taste belied the basic ingredients. There was no discernible beet quality to the beans (we wouldn't have minded if there were), and I liked having a vegetable side ready to go as the beans were done. I ended up mixing beans bought in two different stores which ended up with some beans underdone, but that was my mistake and not terribly detrimental to the dish as a whole. I served the beans with brown rice, sprinkled with the recommended sides seen above in a picture from the Every Day Food website. We also enjoyed simply braised collard greens to round out the meal.

I'm not sure I would make this particular recipe again because I think it is simple enough that I can create something like it in the future without following a recipe. But Mike and I both liked the idea of cooking the beets in the beans, and plan to tinker with that again in the future. And, with some planning ahead (and cooking beans ahead) the final steps in this recipe definitely made it weeknight worthy.

Great Grains Muffins

I'm really digging muffins these days. They're easy to make, quick and easy to eat in the mornings between wakeup time and first nap time and they give me the feeling that I'm back in the kitchen. Or, back in the kitchen without spending hours and hours slaving over a hot stove.

Last night I decided to whip up a batch of Great Grains muffins from Dorie Greenspan's Baking:From My Home to Yours. This is big for me. They contain no chocolate. None. Not even a bit. And they were quick and easy to throw together. I even made it through assembling the dry ingredients wearing Quinn. But then he'd had it with baking, and it was time to start bedtime. So I recommend this recipe for its ease and simplicity, as well as being baby wearing friendly.

The muffins were sweet, but not overly so. They had a nice crumb, and both M. and I enjoyed one with our breakfasts this morning. I had a feeling M. would really like these muffins (as he is not as big a fan of chocolate as I am) and he was quite pleased with the finished result. I added raisins and sliced dried apricots to my muffins, and thought the combo was good. But cranberries would work, as would any other dried fruit (or nut if you like nuts in baked goods) combo. I also used fat free buttermilk.

Great Grains Muffins
from Baking From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan
1 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup cornmeal
1/3 cup old-fashioned oatmeal
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 large eggs
1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3/4 cup quartered, moist, plump prunes or other dried fruit and/or nuts

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter or spray a muffin tin.

In a large bowl, whish together the flours, cornmeal, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a large glass measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk, maple syrup, eggs, and melted butter. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry and gently, but quickly stir together. Don’t worry about being thorough — if the batter is lumpy, that’s fine. Stir in the fruit or nuts, if you are using them. Divide batter evenly among the muffin cups.

Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the tops are gold and a thin knife inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes, then carefully lift each muffin out of its mold and onto the rack to cool.

Root Beer Bundt Cake

One of my favorite things about going to Baked is never knowing what cakes will be offered that day. There are usually three cakes available for purchasing by the slice, and the offerings change daily. I can go craving one cake, but if isn't available that day then I'm FORCED to try something new. Which, as a creature of habit is probably a good thing for me. :)

On one of our trips, M. tried the coca cola bundt cake. He was really taken with it, and asked me to research a recipe so we could make it at home. Well, that never happened. But when I saw the root beer bundt in the Baked cookbook, I decided it would be the perfect dessert for a dinner party we had this weekend. It could be made in advance, and ready to go at the conclusion of the meal. I learned the hard way recently that this is key, particularly these days with babies being a baking factor. I did debate swapping the root beer for coke (which I will do in the future) but we both decided we'd try the "authentic" version first.

The cake was easy to prepare, although it doesn't use a mixer. The wet ingredients (including the root beer) are heated on the stove, and then the dry ingredients are mixed in. The recipe cautions over-mixing. Accordingly, I was very careful not to over-mix. So careful that I actually undermixed and my cake was studded with pockets of flour. Oops. Next time I'll mix a little harder, and not worry so much about it. But the results were still delicious, if a little unusual to the eye. There was also a lot of frosting to this cake. I happen to LOVE frosting, but if you are not such a big fan then I would recommend cutting the glaze recipe in half. I also really liked how easy the glaze was to make - the recipe called for making it in the food processor. A bit unconventional, but oh so quick and easy to whip up!

Overall, the cake was well received by all and the leftovers are still sitting and taunting me as I write. Very very dangerous. :)

Root Beer Bundt Cake
for 1 (10-inch) Bundt cake
From Baked: New Frontiers In Baking by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito

for the cake:

2 cups root beer (do not use diet root beer)
1 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs

for the frosting:
2 ounces dark chocolate (60% cacao), melted and cooled slightly
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup root beer
2/3 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

For the cake:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Generously spray the inside of a 10-inch bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray; alternatively, butter it, dust with flour, and knock out the excess flour.

In a small saucepan, heat the root beer, cocoa powder, and butter over medium heat until the butter is melted. Add the sugars and whisk until dissolved. Remove from the heat and let cool.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together.

In a small bowl, whisk the eggs until just beaten, then whisk them into the cooled cocoa mixture until combined. Gently fold the flour mixture into the cocoa mixture. The batter will be slightly lumpy–do not overbeat, as it could cause the cake to be tough.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until a small sharp knife inserted into the cake comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Gently loosen the sides of the cake from the pan and turn it out onto a platter.

For the frosting:

Put all the ingredients in a food processor. Pulse in short bursts until the frosting is shiny and smooth.

Use a spatula to spread the fudge frosting over the crown of the Bundt in a thick layer. Let the frosting set before serving, with the ice cream on the side.

Banana Espresso Chocolate Chip Muffins

I won't tell you when I actually made these muffins. We'll just leave it at it wasn't yesterday, or even this week. Sigh. Getting back into the swing of blogging is harder then I thought. But I am determined to get there ... one day.

All the internet is abuzz with the recent publication of Baked:New Frontiers in Baking. I'm quite spoiled, the bakery Baked is about a twenty minute walk down the road from my apartment. Strolling down to choose a treat has become a new favorite weekend activity. As a result, I'm continually expanding my repertoire of tasty treats and am thrilled so many are included in the cookbook. Their layer cakes are delicious, and I look forward to trying a few at home in the near future. We sampled a slice of the Lemon Drop last weekend, and were quite pleased with the results.

I made this recipe pretty much as is. I did measure espresso from a cup of espresso, but added a bit more. I usually do that as I'm too lazy to stock espresso powder when we have an espresso machine at home. I thought the coffee taste was present but subtle in these muffins, so if you like a stronger flavor you might want to amp the flavor up a bit. These muffins are moist and sweet, and I've kept a few in the freezer for those mornings when I need a bit more of a boost. I got a yield of 16 muffins, however I noted these muffins didn't rise overly much. When I make them again, I might get 12 as I will know I can fill the cups a little bit more then I did this time. And there will be a next time I make these muffins. Banana, chocolate, coffee - how can you go wrong?

Banana Espresso Chocolate Chip Muffins

From Baked: New Frontiers in Baking by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito

1 1/2 cups mashed, very ripe bananas (about 4)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup whole milk
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp instant espresso powder (I used liquid espresso, and increased to 1 tablespoon)
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, stir together the bananas, sugars, butter, milk, and egg.
In another medium bowl, whisk together the flour, instant espresso powder,baking soda and salt. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the well and stir just until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Fill each cup about 3/4 full. Bake in the center of the oven for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffin comes out clean.
Let the muffins cool on a cooling rack for 15 minutes. Then remove the muffins from the pan and allow them to finish cooling on the cooling rack. Store up to 2 days in an airtight container.

Smitten Kitchen's Mushroom Bourguignon

Continuing the Smitten Kitchen recipe roll, we will now discuss the mushroom bourguignon. This recipe grabbed me the second I saw it on the website.  The sauce looked luscious, the mushrooms delicious and the bed of pasta - perfection.  You can find the blogger's fantastic photos and the recipe here.  Beef Bourguignon suddenly became a dish that I didn't know I'd missed until I saw this mushroom alternative.  I believe the recipe came out on a Thursday, and I put it on Saturday's menu.  

We had company that evening, company I deemed worthy of sharing what I hoped would be mushroomy deliciousness.  M ended up making the dish (that whole baby tag-teaming effect again) and reported that the preparations were straightforward.  A little chopping, a little braising.  And the results?  Oh, the results contained the deliciousness I'd hoped for.  The sauce was rich, the mushrooms tender and winey and the bed of pasta provided the perfect compliment to the saucy stew.  M. did follow the directions on the pearl onions, but our general consensus was that they were too firm.  Next time we would parboil them before adding them to the stew, or perhaps try frozen.  Ours were fresh, and were just too firm and spicy to meld with the softness of the stew. 

Needless to say there were no leftovers that night.  I look forward to making this recipe again, perhaps on a night when M. and I are without guests so that there WILL be leftovers we can enjoy on another occasion.  In fact, we haven't planned our menu for Valentine's Day yet... 

Smitten Kitchen Chocolate Pudding

Signs I need to post more often:

My last post was on the first day of this year (okay, it is only February but STILL).

It took me a minute to remember how to create a new post.  I went to the website first, and was puzzled for a second about how to log in and write a new post.  

Ah, lack of sleep. It boggles the mind.  

The veggie kitchen has actually been a'cookin these days.  Maybe not every day, but at least several times a week.  Still, the whole photography blogging piece has been lagging.  I'll keep working on it, but in the meantime I want to start sharing what I (we ... cooking is often a tag team event round here) have been up to.  

Starting with  ... chocolate pudding.  Yes, be very impressed.  

This week I had a crazy craving for chocolate pudding.  Homemade, of course.  This was puzzling to me as I didn't grow up with chocolate pudding in a regular dessert rotation at my house.  In fact, I don't think we EVER had chocolate pudding.  As a young adult, my only concept of chocolate pudding was the small brown JELLO box.  It would do from time to time, but nothing to get excited about.  But this week, I wanted pudding and I wanted it to be real.  I googled for a recipe, and up popped Smitten Kitchen's.  I've made several recipes off of her site lately, and figured this would be good place to start.  

I was stumped by the lack of whole milk in the house.  It isn't something we keep around, and I was afraid that if I made the pudding with skim it wouldn't set.  Several of the commenters on Smitten Kitchen seemed to have that problem.  But, I plucked up my courage, threw in a half a cup of heavy cream lying around for one half cup of the milk and held my breath.  And it worked.  Perhaps the pudding would have been richer and lusher had it been made with whole milk, or even 2%.  But it was plenty rich and chocolatey for my taste buds, and I like to think that it was perhaps a touch better for me as a result of the lighter milk.  A touch.  

M. thought the pudding was just okay.  When making the pudding, I added 3 oz from a Trader Joe's bittersweet chocolate, and planned on adding 3 oz of semisweet chocolate chips.  M. had to take over for me, and he misunderstood my directions and added 3 oz of milk chocolate chips instead.  I thought the results were tasty, perhaps milder then had we used the semisweet but still rich and silky smooth.  M. thought the quality of the chocolate could have been better and wasn't quite as impressed.  Apparently when it comes to chocolate I'm an easy sell!  

Still, the recipe came together inside of a half hour, and kept very well for several days in the fridge.  Served with a dollop of whipped cream on top, this customer was quite happy and has spent the past couple days in a chocolate cloud of anticipation of the evening's pudding dessert. 

You can find the recipe here... along with amazing photographs. 

Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Glaze

I've always thought it would be fun to host the holidays.  We've alternated going to my parents or my husband's family for years, and I've always thought it would be great to have everyone come to us.  That way we could plan our menu, serve what we want to serve and just put our spin on the holiday celebration.  

Of course, when I had these thoughts I did not think we would take the holiday hosting plunge three weeks after having our first baby.  But we did!  And it was a ton of work for my husband who did most of the planning, preparing and cooking. But I managed to contribute cinnamon rolls for breakfast Christmas morning.  I've always thought cinnamon rolls (or some equivalent "special" breakfast food) should start a holiday.  And this year cinnamon rolls popped into my head as the perfect start to the day.

Making them was an experience.  I drifted into the kitchen, made part of the dough before going back out to pick up a freshly awakened baby.  A short time later I came back in wearing the baby, and finished the dough.  The dough rose for a bit longer then the 2 hours called for in the recipe, although it seemed no worse for wear.  And after cutting the rolls, I put them into the fridge overnight for their last rise before baking the next day.  

I used this recipe from Bon Appetit, and I was really pleased with the results.  The glaze made plenty - I am a frosting lover and these were perfectly iced in my book.  The rolls were best the first day fresh from the oven, but oven heated leftovers disappeared the next two days as well.  I did not get the rolls photographed... I will have to work on that important step in my next recipe, but I will say it felt good to be back in the kitchen.  My motivation which abandoned me during pregnancy seems to be back, so hopefully my baby-juggling/cooking skills will continue to develop and I will be posting more regularly soon.  

Happy New Year everyone!

Crickets chirping.....

Hello anyone still out there!!!  I'm sorry it's been so long.  Here we are looking at the holidays with Christmas quickly looming.  My plans to spend the fall busily baking and cooking while awaiting the arrival of my son didn't quite work out.  The pregnancy wiped me out more then I expected, and I spent little time in the kitchen.  Still, baby boy arrived on November 30th, and M. and I are delighted to be spending lots of time getting to know him.  So far Q seems to be a happy little baby, and we both melt at his little smiles.  

I hope to get into the kitchen more in the months ahead.  Right now I'm being spoiled by both M. and my mom cooking for me (and even more importantly doing laundry!) as I recover and begin to figure out my new routines.  We've made some delicious cookie recipes recently, so hopefully those will be a good jumping off point for posting in the future.  

So, once again, please check back.  I do hope to get back into the swing of posting again soon! 

Happy Holidays! 

Pomodori al Forno

Here we are, staring October straight in the face.  I've neglected my poor little blog ... again... but there has been a lot of activity in the Veggie Kitchen of late.  We've been cooking up a storm - yes, both M. and I have been busy.  But, we've been cooking seasonally using fresh ingredients procured from local farmers' markets and haven't really been following recipes.  As a result, I've been too lazy to track ingredients, keep measurements recorded or even take pictures of the final result.  Bad blogger, I know.  

But now that we're moving into fall, I'm beginning to seek recipes and be inspired to keep better track of what I'm doing.  Recently I was inspired by Stephanie's post about a recent Molly Wizenberg column in Bon Appetit.  The column caught my eye when I read the issue, but it took Stephanie's raves about the recipe to really get me to the farmer's market to buy some tomatoes to try it for myself.  

We really enjoyed this recipe.  We enjoyed it as recommended at first, and served it on french bread slices over a bed of goat cheese.  The creaminess of the goat cheese complimented the tomatoes nicely, and we had to work hard to remember that there were supposedly eight servings in the recipe.  Then I used it in a tried and true pasta recipe in place of sundried tomatoes.  The leftover Pomodori al Forno worked perfectly, and added a depth of flavor that I don't remember previously.  So that experiment was considered a success in my book!

I also reserved the flavored olive oil from the Pomodori al Forno, and have used it in numerous recipes where I thought it would compliment the dish.  And so far, the tomatoey taste of the oil has done just that.  So the versatility of this one recipe has really impressed me.  And it's simple (although time consuming) and tasty to boot!  What could be better?

So I will join the ranks of those encouraging everyone to try this recipe.  Tomato season is almost over - but there is still time!  Hurry!  And I apologize for the lackluster picture accompanying this post - we were so busy scarfing down the tomatoey cheesey goodness that taking a picture was an afterthought.  :)

[Recipes for pomodori al Forno and Angel Hair with Sund-dried Tomatoes and Goat Cheese can be found by clicking the links above.]

Moomie's Beautiful Burger Buns

A few weeks ago we held a barbecue to celebrate my belated birthday.  M decided he wanted to serve sliders, but we weren't sure where to get small buns.  I checked out a local grocery store but was not impressed by what I found.  So I decided to try making my own.  This recipe has floated around the web with so many different variations that I figured it was a good place to start.  It was incredibly easy (especially using the bread machine to make the dough) and I was able to get about 20 or so slider sized buns out of each batch of dough.  

The rolls were soft and tender with a nice yeasty flavor.  I will definitely tinker with adding fresh herbs and whole wheat flour to future batches to experiment.  I think this will be our new "house roll" and I am determined to try other homemade breads using the bread machine in the future.  

Moomie's Beautiful Burger Buns

Makes 8 full size burger buns (or approximately 20 miniature buns)

1 cup of water

2 tablespoons of melted butter

1 egg

3 1/4 cups of flour

1/4 sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon of instant yeast

1. Place ingredients in order in bread machine.  Select dough cycle, and allow to run to completion.  

2. Dump dough onto lightly floured surface.  Divide into 8 pieces (or smaller pieces if making miniature buns).  Slap into shape (dough is pretty sticky).  Place on greased cookie dough sheets, cover with a towel and allow to rise for 30-40 minutes.  

3. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 12-15 minutes.  Cool on wire racks. 

We toasted the buns on the grill lightly before serving.  I also froze leftovers with great success - the buns toasted nicely coming out of the freezer.  

Red Lentil-Chickpea Patties

When I'm off from work, one of two scenarios unfolds.  I'm either very motivated in the kitchen, or very lazy.  I will have to work hard on falling into the former in the months ahead as I enjoy a little time off before the baby comes.

Last week I had a day off, and was extremely motivated.  I decided to make M. a healthy feast for dinner, and picked a recipe I've often looked at but never tried.  These patties were great!  The filling was really tasty - I found myself scooping little bits as I worked on other components of the dish.  I did totally blank on the chilling step - our patties did fall apart a bit so I think chilling them before cooking would have been a good idea.  Oh well, next time!  The flavor was partly Indian, partly fusion (when paired with the peanut sauce) and had a good blend of both fresh and dried spices.  The peanut sauce was quick to prepare and very tasty - I wasn't sure about the maple syrup sweetener but there was no discernible mapleness in the final sauce.  I paired the patties with a simple chopped salad.  

We both enjoyed this meal, and I will definitely make it again.  I think I might try a bun instead of the pita bread next time.  Both M. and I felt there was a bit too much pita and not quite enough patty.  But we did end up with extra patties, so perhaps ours were a bit small.  But overall, a tasty (although not quick!) meal that will definitely be repeated in the future.  

Red Lentil - Chickpea Patties

The Healthy Hedonist by Myra Kornfeld

Serves 6 

3/4 cup red lentils, sorted and rinsed

1 3/4 cups water

salt

1 15 oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

3/4 pound carrots cut into small dice (1 cup)

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1 cup of peas, fresh or frozen

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

pinch of cayenne pepper

1/4 cup bread crumbs

6 whole wheat pita breads

shredded romaine lettuce

chopped fresh tomatoes

Spicy Peanut Sauce (recipe below) 

Combine the lentils and the water in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil.  Add 1 tsp salt, reduce the heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender, about 20 minutes.  The lentils should lose their individual shape and cook into one mass.  Cook them as dry as possible without sticking.  Stir the cooked lentils with a spoon to break them up, and pour them into a medium bowl.  Stir in the chickpeas. 

Warm the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.  Add the shallots, carrots, and 1/4 tsp of salt, and cook until the carrots are tender, about 3 minutes.  Add the cumin, coriander, and peas, and cook until the peas are tender, 2 minutes.  Stir the vegetables into the lentils along with the parsley, lemon juice, and cayenne.  Stir in the bread crumbs.  Let the mixture sit for ten minutes, or until it is cool enough to handle. 

Using your hands, form the lentils into 6 tight patties and place them on a plate.  Cover and chill in the refrigerator until very firm, at least 30 minutes.

Warm a tablespoon of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add the burgers (they are a bit delicate so do not crowd pan).  Saute until golden, about 2 minutes.  Turn over and saute on other side until golden.  

Serve each burger in a pita with Spicy Peanut Sauce, topped with lettuce and tomatoes.

Spicy Peanut Sauce

Makes 3/4 cup

1/3 cup smooth peanut butter

1 tsp curry powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 Tbsp maple syrup

1 Tbsp chopped fresh ginger

1/3 cup water

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp cayenne

1 Tbsp thinly sliced scallions or chives

Combine everything except scallions in a blender, and blend until smooth.  Stir in scallions.  Store covered and refrigerated.  

Chocolate Chip Cookies - New York Times Recipe 7/9/08

I've already mentioned my love for chocolate chip cookies.  Here.  Here.  And I'll even count here, even though these cookies happen to also contain oatmeal. So, when the New York Times dining section contained a recipe for reportedly fabulous chocolate chip cookies, I knew it was only a matter of time before I would try them.  It took me a little time to collect the flours (cake and bread), as well as find the time to make the dough and allow it to sit for the full 36 hours.  This is not the cookie recipe to make for instant gratification (although the two I baked up on the first night for scientific purposes were very tasty indeed).  No, this is the recipe to make for an event.  An event 36 hours from the time of making the batter.  These cookies are delicious, probably my favorite to date.  They have crisp edges, soft and tender centers and are positively littered with chocolate chippy goodness. Although maybe that's because my hand slipped just a bit when adding the chocolate chips.  

M. prefers the cookies sprinkled with a touch of sea salt, but I prefer them plain. I think this recipe is our new hands-down favorite, and will definitely be repeated.  But, as mentioned before, only when there's time or an occasion to plan ahead.  When you need a cookie right now, then another recipe will serve you better. But when you can plan ahead, then I urge you to try these cookies.  And then if you're like me, you'll quickly freeze balls of dough (see above) in the freezer so as to reduce the temptation to eat cookies for breakfast, lunch and dinner while they're around.  Yes, they're really that good. 

I think I made my cookies a bit smaller then the recipe calls for, even though I made them bigger then I would usually.  I do think the size is somewhat important, as a smaller cookie might not develop the crisp/chewy texture that makes the recipe so delicious.  I used Ghiardelli 60% bittersweet chocolate chips (with a handful of regular Toll House chips for good measure). And, as I mentioned, I also froze much of the dough into pre-formed balls for easy baking for future chocolate chip cookie cravings.  These cookies are way too deliciously dangerous to leave lying around!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

adapted from Jacques Torres

New York Times 7/9/08

Time: 45 minutes (for 1 6-cookie batch), plus at least 24 hours’ chilling

• 2 cups minus 2 tablespoons
  
• (8 1/2 ounces) cake flour
  
• 1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour
  
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
  
• 2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter
  
• 1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar
  
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar
  
• 2 large eggs
  
• 2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract
  
• 1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate disks or fèves, at least 60 percent cacao content (see note)
  
• Sea salt.
  

1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.

2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.

3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.

4. Scoop 6 3 1/2-ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day. Eat warm, with a big napkin.

Yield: 1 1/2 dozen 5-inch cookies.

Baked Thai-Style Tofu

Sometimes I make a recipe, really enjoy it but don't make it for years.  This recipe is one such favorite.  I first made it years ago living uptown with three other roommates.  I can distinctly recall being impressed by the tangy, nutty flavor and the sweetness of the roasted peppers but yet years passed before I made the recipe again.  I made it again recently, and was again appreciative of the simplicity of the recipe in contrast with the freshness of the end result.  Trust me, the picture above doesn't do the dish justice!  

I find this recipe to be flexible.  With bigger pieces cooked longer, the recipe makes a delicious sandwich stuffer.  With the tofu cut smaller (as depicted above)  it makes a nice side dish or component of an Asian meal.  We rushed this particular batch - the tofu could have done with a little more pressing and the tofu could have baked longer.  Still, even though quickly prepared, the dish was delicious and one that will be repeated again before more years pass.  

Baked Thai-Style Tofu

Jeanne Lemlin

Serves 3

This method of baking marinated tofu gives it a crispy coating and intensifies all the flavors in the "sauce".  You'll also love the ease with which this dish can be put together.  A side portion of rice,  or plain couscous is the best accompaniment.  Don't hesitate to serve this dynamic tofu dish cold; it would make a great lunch to take to work.

The Marinade:

2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce

1 tablespoon oriental sesame oil

1 tablespoon canola oil

1/2 teaspoons minced gingerroot

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 pound extra firm tofu, cut into 3/4 inch cubes and patted very dry

1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips, 1/4 inch by 2 inches

The Sauce

1 tablespoon natural-style peanut butter

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 scallion very thinly sliced

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh basil, or 1/4 tsp dried

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh mint, or 1/2 tsp dried

1. Combine the marinade ingredients in a large bowl.  Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the tofu and red pepper to coat them evenly with the marinade.  Let sit 30 minutes at room temperature, or up to 8 hours chilled.  Toss occasionally. 

2. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place the tofu mixture and any remaining marinade in a large shallow baking dish so that the tofu rests in one layer.  Bake 15 minutes, tossing once with a spatula after about 7 minutes.

3. Meanwhile make the sauce by stirring all its ingredients together with a fork.  Remove the tofu from the oven. Spoon on the sauce, then, using a spatula toss the ingredients together until everything is well coated.  Return the dish to the oven and bake undisturbed for 10 minutes.  Let the tofu sit for at least 10 minutes before serving for it is better when warm, and not piping hot.