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truffled mushroom lasagna.

February 15, 2012 — 5 Comments

Allow me to introduce to this truffled lasagna, also affectionately known as “sink lasagna.”

No, it doesn’t mean that this lasagna bears an ingredient list including everything but the kitchen sink. It means that this lasagna was so good, that I proceeded to eat it after dropping it…face-first…into the kitchen sink.

Not only did I eat it, but I actually served it to a friend. A poor, defenseless friend….I mean, really – what could she have said when I asked her if she minded eating it, once the laughter subsided and we got over the fact that yes, we just watched this lasagna plop right into the sink as I was trying to pour off the liquid that had accumulated in the dish from being refrigerated overnight?

Poor thing didn’t even like truffles.

This might be a good time to point out that I like to keep my sink super-clean. It’s true that Daniel’s the neat freak in the house but I get on his ass probably four times a week about the sink. My sink must be totes spotless, at all times. I don’t get why he refuses to understand this. It’s like, for someone who insists on cleaning the coffee table every time as much as a coaster has been placed on it – true story – how the hell can you not care about the fact that there is crusted food stuck to the side of the sink!? I don’t care if it’s the size of an earring back and no one can see it but me. It needs to go, and it needs to go now.

Thank goodness for my complete insanity, because I had just squeaky-cleaned my sink mere minutes before the incident. A bit of it fell too close to the garbage disposal for comfort, and so I had to part with it, but most of it was salvaged.

In Dinner Party Worthy, Main Dishes fall recipes, italian recipes, lasagna, meatless, mushrooms, pasta, truffle, vegetarian, winter recipes, worth the effort

homemade twinkies.

July 10, 2011 — 1 Comment

Oh, hi.

I’m the girl who’s still posting recipes from a dinner party that occurred over a month ago.

Sure, I’ve been busy – but that’s neither here, nor there. The problem we’ve got going on here is that I’ve got a whole load of recipes all waiting to be posted from meals I’ve made since then. Meals you deserve to see. Meals you deserve to experience yourself, if you’re so inclined.

I’ve got an amazingly easy and fun beer shrimp boil paired with a perfect arugula salad and an even more perfect dish of lemony artichokes au gratin. Or how about a simple summer meal of peach sangria, tomato-olive salad, pasta with cremini mushrooms and chives… I’ve got a Cuban spread with – my personal favorite – fried tostones, authentic black beans and rice, anytime mojitos (meaning, mojitos you can make when you’re fresh lime-less and mint-less, because everyone should be able to make a mojito at the blink of an eye), a delightful avocado salad, and traditional Cuban sandwiches. And we can’t forget about the craziness I just did for the 4th of July, my favorite summer celebration: Watermelon sangria to make your head spin (literally), deviled eggs, caramelized onion dip, pulled pork sliders with blue cheese slaw (!!!), dill macaroni salad, and s’more brownies.

I suppose we’ve been eating well.

But, it doesn’t mean that these homemade Twinkies don’t deserve some love. They deserve your attention. So, please – stop dreaming of multiple fresh-fruit sangrias, and let’s focus for a minute.

I won’t lie and tell you these little guys aren’t a pain to make. They kind of are. Not in a way that makes you not want to do it, but in a way that you’ll probably want to make them when you’ve got some time on your hands. You’ll be making your own little foil “boats” that will create Twinkie-shaped cakes. All you’ll need is a spice jar, plenty of tin foil, some pans to set them in – and time.

I see them as the perfect rainy day type of activity.

Homemade Twinkies

Adapted from King Arthur Flour

2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup cold water
7 unbeaten egg yolks
1 teaspoon 1 teaspoon vanilla
7 egg whites, beaten very stiff

Filling:

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
4 tablespoons salted butter
4 tablespoons shortening
1/2 sugar
Dash of salt

Click here for the video tutorial on how to make your foil “boats” that you will place into pans.

Once you’ve got all of your pans ready to go, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray your pans with cooking spray. Place all ingredients except beaten egg whites into a large mixing bowl. Beat until smooth. Working in thirds, fold the beaten egg whites into the batter. Be gentle here; you don’t want to deflate those egg whites.

Fill each foil “boat” about 2/3 full with batter. Bake for 12 – 15 minutes, until golden brown. Remove pans from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Carefully remove cakes from foil and place on racks (flat side down) to cool completely.

In a small saucepan, cook flour and milk over medium heat until a paste forms. Stir constantly and do not allow mixture to brown. Remove from heat and let cool 1 minute. Add vanilla and stir until smooth. Press a piece of plastic wrap down on the surface of the paste to avoid a skin forming and set aside to cool completely. In the bowl of your mixer, beat butter, sugar, and shortening until fluffy, scraping the bowl to fully incorporate ingredients. Add cooled flour/milk mixture and continue to beat 5 minutes on medium-high heat until smooth and creamy.

To fill the cakes, place about a cup of filling into a pastry bag with a round tip. Gently insert the tip into the underside of the cake, about halfway through. Using gentle pressure, squeeze a small amount of filling into the cake. You will feel the cake expand – don’t add too much, or the cake will burst! Repeat for a total of 3 times per cake. Wrap cakes individually in plastic wrap and store cakes covered at room temperature for up to 4 days.

{And if you choose to give them as parting gifts to your dinner guests in bags filled with mini bottles of liquor, I don’t think anyone will mind}

In Sweets + Treats childhood classics, cookies + cakes, cream-filled, sponge cake, worth the effort

truffled tater tots.

June 30, 2011 — 1 Comment

If you thought truffles and tots didn’t go together, think again.

When I was planning this dinner party menu, I knew something truffled was on the agenda. I also knew tater tots were on the agenda. And because the flavor of truffle goes so perfectly with potatoes, the decision to make truffled tots was an easy one.

Fried potatoes + shallots + truffle oil. How can this be a bad idea?

Yes – these require some work. It’s worth it, as I’m sure you can imagine. If you’re using a food processor to shred your potatoes – highly recommend! – it’s really not that bad. You can make little square-shaped tots like I did by pressing the warm, starchy potatoes into a cookie sheet, letting them cool, and then cutting into squares. Or, you can shape the potato mixture into balls with your hands. Either way you go, it’s a win.

Move over, truffled mac ‘n cheese. You’ve got some competition.

Truffled Tater Tots

Adapted from The Standard Spa and Hotel, Miami Beach

2 large Russet Potatoes, washed thoroughly
2 shallots, peeled
Handful fresh parsley, minced
3 tablespoons white truffle oil
Black truffle salt (sea salt will also do) and freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil for frying

Carefully read the directions and complete the processes from start to finish without letting the potatoes get cold. It is the warm starch from the barely cooked potatoes that holds the tater tots together.

Preheat oven to 350° F. Place potatoes on baking pan and cook for 20-25 minutes or until when squeezed the potatoes barely give. Remove from oven and set baking pan on top of oven to keep warm for another 20 minutes. (This will allow the center of the potatoes to barely cook so they will not turn brown after shredding. The goal is to have the potatoes barely cooked but not to the point that they turn to mashed potatoes when grated.)

Peel the potato skin back using a butter knife or vegetable peeler. Try not to remove any of the flesh underneath the skin as it will help bind the tater tots.

Using either a shredder attachment on a food processor or a hand grater, shred the potatoes into a bowl. Then press the shallots through the shredder attachment or if doing by hand, finely dice.

Add the shallots and the remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix thoroughly. The mixture should still be warm and sticky to the touch. At this point, the potatoes can either be pressed into a cookie sheet to a 1-inch thickness or hand formed into balls of the same 1-inch thickness. Wet your hands or rolling pin so the starch will not stick. Once formed allow to cool.

If making squares, cut potatoes that have been pressed into a cookie sheet into 1-inch by 1-inch squares after the potatoes have cooled.

Heat deep fryer or sauté pan with half inch of vegetable oil to medium-high heat and carefully place the tater tots in the oil. Turn the potatoes so all sides are cooked evenly to golden brown. Season lightly with a pinch of truffle salt and serve. Enjoy!

{To increase the truffle flavor, you may also opt to lightly drizzle your cooked tots with truffle oil before salting}

In Dinner Party Worthy, On the Side fried, potatoes, shallots, truffle oil, worth the effort

rib-eye steaks with herb-shallot butter + onion rings.

March 24, 2011 — 10 Comments

Do yourself a favor. Whatever plans you had in your head for cooking up a healthy dinner this weekend – forget them.

Seriously. You owe it to yourself to make this steak. Take it from me – I don’t normally even like rib-eye. I proudly consider myself to be a filet-only girl.

But this rib-eye has converted me. There’s something about a rib-eye that feels so much more rugged, and more appropriate with these beer and vodka battered onion rings. The filet still has my heart – don’t get me wrong. But once in a while, you need something fattier. I’m not talking about those globby, excess pieces hanging onto the edges of the steak; cut those off and forget about them. I’m talking about marbling – beautiful, flavor-packed marbling. If you can get a good cut of rib-eye with lovely marbling throughout, it doesn’t get much better.

It’s up there with butter. And bacon. The sacred food groups.

Speaking of butter… The original recipe called for a blue cheese butter, which I would have totally made except for the fact that we also enjoyed yesterday’s wedge salad with our steaks, and the butter seemed that it would have brought us into blue cheese overload – that is, if such a place exists. So instead, I opted to whip up this herb-shallot butter based on the ingredients I had on hand. So good, and so versatile – you could use this butter on anything from fish to veggies.

And then, there were the onion rings. The onion rings were so shockingly good, and they made me proud, as it was my first attempt and they came out so perfectly that I couldn’t even believe I’d made them. Part of this was because I toyed with the recipe, adding buttermilk when the recipe seemed dry as it was. I love the feeling I get when a recipe doesn’t seem right and I actually know how to fix it, or improve upon it. Pure satisfaction.

Rib-Eye Steaks with Herb-Shallot Butter + Walla-Walla Onion Rings

Adapted {loosely} from Bon Appétit

2 1-pound rib-eye steaks (each about 1 to 1 1/4 inches thick)
Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Herb-shallot butter:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 shallot, minced
Squeeze fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Freshly ground black pepper and kosher salt

Onion rings:

1 cup cake flour
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup beer
2 tablespoons vodka
1/4 cup (or more) buttermilk
Canola or peanut oil (for deep-frying)
1 large sweet onion, cut into 1/3-inch-thick rounds, separated into rings

As soon as you can (preferably overnight), sprinkle steaks on both sides with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place on plate; cover and chill until about 30 minutes prior to cooking.

For the herb-shallot butter:
Using a fork, mix all ingredients in small bowl. Season with freshly ground black pepper and kosher salt. This can be made a day ahead; cover and chill, but let it come to room temperature before serving.

Make onion rings:
Whisk flour, coarse salt, and baking powder in medium bowl. Add beer and vodka; whisk just until blended. Add buttermilk gradually until you get a nice and creamy, thick but still liquid-like consistency. Add onion rings to bowl. Pour enough oil into heavy large pot to reach depth of 2 inches. Attach deep-fry thermometer to side of pot; heat oil over medium heat to 350°F. Working with 2-3 onion rings at a time, dip onion rings into batter; shake off excess. Gently drop onion rings into hot oil; fry until deep golden, adjusting heat to maintain temperature, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer onion rings to paper towels. Repeat with remaining onion rings.

Cook steaks:
Heat large heavy skillet (not non-stick; I used my cast iron Le Creuset) over medium heat. Add one tablespoon vegetable oil or other cooking fat (I used bacon grease since I had just made bacon for a wedge salad) until hot. Add steaks, cook for about 5 minutes on each side for medium-rare. My steaks were on the thinner side so I did about 4 minutes each. Remove from skillet, place on plate, and loosely tent with foil for about 5 minutes.

Cut steaks in half across grain. Place 1 steak half on each of 4 plates. Top with herb-shallot butter and onion rings.

In Main Dishes flavored butters, onion rings, steak, worth the effort

the ultimate {crunchy} pork chop.

August 24, 2010 — 4 Comments

I figure now’s as good a time as any to tell you about the most delicious pork chops ever to exist.

Seriously. That good.

We’re talking crunch. Not just your average crunch, though. There’s nothing average about this crunch. This is the kind of crunch that can only be achieved through homemade bread crumbs. But, not your average homemade breadcrumbs.

These are the kind of breadcrumbs you toast first. In the oven, on a baking sheet. With oil. And shallots. And garlic.

Still not convinced? Let me just tell you – something magic happens when you toast breadcrumbs before using them. After baking them into a deep golden brown loveliness, you toss them with Parmesan. And thyme. And parsley.

I know I’ve got you now.

I think the other key step in achieving the ultimate crunch is how they’re baked: on a wire rack placed over your baking sheet. This allows the underneath of the chop to feel the same love from the oven as the top.

If this still isn’t enough to entice you, maybe you should think about trying this wilted spinach salad with warm bacon dressing. All you do is fry up some bacon, cook some shallots in your bacon grease, and whisk in some balsamic at the end. Toss that up with your spinach and bacon, and all will be well.

Crunchy Baked Pork Chops

Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated, via Smitten Kitchen

This recipe was developed using natural pork, but enhanced pork (injected with a salt solution) will work as well. If using enhanced pork, eliminate the brining in step 1. The bread crumb mixture can be prepared through step 2 up to 3 days in advance. The breaded chops can be frozen for up to 1 week. They don’t need to be thawed before baking; simply increase the cooking time in step 5 to 35 to 40 minutes.

Table salt
4 boneless center-cut pork chops, 6 to 8 ounces each, 3/4 to 1 inch thick, trimmed of excess fat
4 slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into 1-inch pieces
1 small shallot, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Ground black pepper
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
1/4 cup plus 6 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
3 large egg whites
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Lemon wedges

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Dissolve 1/4 cup salt in 1 quart water in medium container or gallon-sized zipper-lock bag. Submerge chops, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 30 minutes. Rinse chops under cold water and dry thoroughly with paper towels.

Meanwhile, pulse bread in food processor until coarsely ground, about eight 1-second pulses (you should have about 3 1/2 cups crumbs). Transfer crumbs to rimmed baking sheet and add shallot, garlic, oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss until crumbs are evenly coated with oil. Bake until deep golden brown and dry, about 15 minutes, stirring twice during baking time. (Do not turn off oven.) Cool to room temperature. Toss crumbs with Parmesan, thyme, and parsley.

Place 1/4 cup flour in pie plate. In second pie plate, whisk egg whites and mustard until combined; add remaining 6 tablespoons flour and whisk until almost smooth, with pea-sized lumps remaining.

Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees. Spray wire rack with nonstick cooking spray and place in rimmed baking sheet. Season chops with pepper. Dredge 1 pork chop in flour; shake off excess. Using tongs, coat with egg mixture; let excess drip off. Coat all sides of chop with bread crumb mixture, pressing gently so that thick layer of crumbs adheres to chop. Transfer breaded chop to wire rack. Repeat with remaining 3 chops.

Bake until instant-read thermometer inserted into center of chops registers 150 degrees, 17 to 25 minutes. Let rest on rack 5 minutes before serving with lemon wedges.

Serves 4.

In Main Dishes, Recipe Arsenal homemade breadcrumbs, pork, smitten kitchen obsessed, warm bacon vinaigrette, wilted spinach salad, worth the effort

turtle ice cream pie.

June 22, 2010 — 9 Comments

{It’s pretty ridiculous}

I have my BFF Jess to thank, because it was her love for everything turtle that inspired me to make this for her birthday. Sure, everyone loves a good old-fashioned cake or cupcakes for their special day – but I think it’s fun to change it up once in a while, and give them something totally personalized.

This was relatively easy – the only thing you need to know is that it takes a while. You have to spread a layer of softened ice cream, drizzle caramel overtop, and then freeze it for an hour. 3 times. Then freeze overnight before making the topping. So, it’s a bit of prep work – but I promise you, the end result is worth it. I cheated a little bit, and didn’t let it freeze an entire hour each time. I guess that’s why my layers are a little sloppy looking; if you want a picture-perfect slice, then by all means follow the directions to a T – but I can promise you it’s just as delicious this way.

Turtle Ice Cream Pie

Adapted from Bon Appétit

The crust:

1 1/2 cups pecan halves or pieces (6 to 7 ounces), toasted, divided
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 5 whole graham crackers, finely crushed in resealable plastic bag)
1/4 cup sugar
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted {I use Smart Balance, as always}

Easy homemade caramel and ice cream filling:

3/4 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
3 tablespoons dark corn syrup {I only had light corn syrup and it turned out just fine}
3 tablespoons unsalted butter {Smart Balance}
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 pints (4 cups) premium vanilla ice cream, divided {I used light}

Ganache:

5 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 tablespoons dark corn syrup {again, only had light}
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Make the crust:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Using on/off turns, finely chop 1 cup pecans in processor; transfer to medium bowl. Mix in graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Drizzle butter over; blend until evenly moistened. Press mixture firmly over bottom and up sides of 9-inch glass pie dish (not on rim).

Bake crust until golden brown, about 12 minutes (if crust puffs, press firmly back into place). Cool crust completely. Wrap in foil and freeze at least 1 hour. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep frozen.

Make the caramel sauce and filling:
Bring first 3 ingredients to boil in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat, whisking until sugar dissolves. Boil caramel 5 minutes, whisking occasionally. Turn off heat; whisk in butter, vanilla, and salt. Cool completely.

Slightly soften 1 cup vanilla ice cream in microwave on low in 10-second intervals. Spread ice cream evenly in frozen pie crust; spread 1/4 cup caramel over. Freeze pie until ice cream and caramel are firm, about 1 hour. Repeat with remaining vanilla ice cream in three 1-cup portions and caramel in two 1/4-cup portions. Freeze pie overnight. Cover and reserve remaining caramel at room temperature.

Make the ganache:
Combine chocolate, cream, and corn syrup in medium metal bowl. Place over saucepan of simmering water and whisk until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Whisk in vanilla and salt. Cool ganache at room temperature until thick but still pourable, about 30 minutes.

Pour ganache evenly over frozen pie. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup pecans. Freeze until ganache is firm, at least 45 minutes. Drizzle decoratively with 1/4 cup reserved caramel. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep frozen. Cover and chill remaining caramel.

Let pie stand 10 minutes at room temperature. Rewarm remaining caramel, stirring over low heat. Cut pie into wedges and serve with caramel.

In Sweets + Treats caramel, chocolate, ganache, graham cracker crust, ice cream, pecans, pies + tarts, worth the effort

truffled cauliflower + caramelized onion tart.

June 7, 2010 — 6 Comments

Allow me to introduce to you to the best tart I’ve ever made.

{Or eaten}

Truth be told, this is the first tart I’ve ever made – and what a delicious introduction it was.

Now when you think of a tart, you might first think of those fabulous little confections of fruit and custard that frequent the counter of your favorite pâtisserie or bakery; but here – we’re talking savory tarts. I made this particular one for a couple of extra-special girlfriends who were down visiting me from NYC last month. I had some mascarpone and store-bought pie crust in the fridge that I needed to use, and after carefully scouring the web for the perfect recipe, I found this tart.

And it was just that – perfect. From the roasted cauliflower drizzled in truffle oil, to not one – but three fabulous cheeses {mascarpone – which is an Italian cream cheese, Gruyère – one of my favorite cheeses ever, and Parmesan}, to those perfectly sweet + slow-cooked caramelized onions…do I need to say anything more?

YOU.JUST.HAVE.TO.MAKE.IT.

On the side, I served Ina’s green salad and creamy vinaigrette. This is my favorite go-to salad to serve alongside a more complex main dish. The dressing is light and creamy, and coats the greens so beautifully. The champagne vinegar does give it some bite, which I love – but be careful because there are raw egg yolks in it, so if that freaks you out, you may want to go with something else. If, however, you’re anything like me – and you tend to eat high quantities of any type of cookie/cake/brownie batter – you shouldn’t be too worried about it, right?

Cauliflower and Caramelized Onion Tart

Found on Smitten Kitchen, adapted from Bon Appetit, March 2007

1 small head of cauliflower (about 1 pound) or 1 pound of a larger head of cauliflower, cut into 1-inch florets
3 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon truffle oil or a few pinches of truffle salt – I used oil
1 refrigerated pie crust {worked out great, though next time I’ll likely make my own – it’s not that difficult – see the Smitten Kitchen link above}
1 large onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 large eggs
1 (7- to 8- ounce) container mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/4 teaspoon ground white or black pepper
Pinch of ground nutmeg
1 cup grated Gruyère cheese
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese

*I caramelized my onions and roasted my cauliflower at the same time, the night before. If you have some free time, I recommend doing it this way – it broke everything up nicely. Have a glass of wine {or two} and make a little night of it. Just make sure to store the cauliflower and the onions in different containers in the fridge. You can also bake the entire tart up to one day beforehand, reheating in a warm oven the day of.

Position rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 425°F. Toss cauliflower with 2 tablespoons olive oil in large bowl. Spread on rimmed baking sheet, sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast 15 minutes before turning florets over and roasting until brown and tender, another 15-20 minutes. Cool cauliflower then chop or slice and drizzle with truffle oil or sprinkle with truffle salt. Reduce temperature to 350°F.

Press your pie crust dough onto the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Line crust with foil, fill with pie weights (I use uncooked rice or beans – you just need something to weigh it down) and bake 20 minutes. Remove foil and weights then bake until crust is golden, about 5 additionally minutes. Press crust back with the back of a fork if bubbles form. Cool crust and maintain oven temperature.

Heat remaining 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion, sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook until onion is a deep golden brown, stirring occasionally. This should take between 30 to 40 minutes – and for that reason, I recommend doing it the day before.

Use a knife or brush to spread the bottom and sides of crust with mustard. Spread onion over crust. Arrange cauliflower over the onion. Set the tart on a rimmed baking sheet (to protect against leaks). Whisk eggs, mascarpone, cream, pepper, and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Stir in Gruyère. Pour mixture over filling in tart pan, sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake until tart is golden and center is set, about 40 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool 15 minutes before serving.

Makes 8 servings.

In Dinner Party Worthy, Obsessed caramelized onions, cauliflower, creamy vinaigrette, mascarpone cheese, roasting veggies, smitten kitchen obsessed, store-bought pie crust, tart, truffle oil, worth the effort

sugar donut {coffee} ice cream cupcakes.

May 27, 2010 — 27 Comments

It’s time.

I know you’ve all been dying to know what I conjured up for the 2010 Ice Cream Cupcake Roundup.

Or – maybe I’ve just been dying to show you. Either way.

When I first learned about this contest being sponsored by the Cupcake Project and Scoopalicious, I knew I had to enter. I had never made ice cream cupcakes before – and I was intrigued. I started by browsing through all of the previous years’ entries, and I was beyond impressed. I knew that if I was going to take a stab at this, my entry would have to stand out. I needed a perfect combination that hadn’t been done before. Immediately, the sugar donut muffins I had recently seen over at Baking Bites popped into my mind. These could easily be transformed into sugar donut cupcakes, I thought.

Sugar.Donut.Cupcakes.

Does it get any better than that?

Yes, it does. When you add coffee Häagen-Dazs – and top it off with some freshly whipped cinnamon-sugar cream.

What’s that? You want to get really crazy? Okay, fine. We’ll serve some sugar-coated donut holes on the side. Now, we’re there – pure and unadulterated ice cream cupcake bliss.

I have to tell you, I wish these cupcakes could be judged based on a taste test. Because these are hands-down one of the most delicious things to ever come out of my kitchen. And they’re not even that difficult to make. The only downside (or upside, depending on how you look at it) is they’re best when eaten right away – and thus, no saving for later.

Sugar Donut Cupcakes

3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups cake flour
2 tsp baking power
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp butter, melted
3/4 cup sugar, for rolling

To make the cupcakes:

Preheat your oven to 350F. Lightly grease your muffin tin with cooking spray or vegetable oil. In a large bowl, beat together the sugar and egg until nice and light in color. In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Since I never have cake flour on hand, I make it myself using all-purpose flour and cornstarch. Just replace 2 tablespoons of flour with cornstarch, for each cup you need. Sift together a few times – I probably went for 5; the more you sift, the closer to cake flour it becomes. Now pour the flour mixture into the egg mixture and stir to combine. Pour in vegetable oil, buttermilk and vanilla extract – stir until just combined. Don’t overmix, lovelies.

Divide batter evenly into 10 cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

While your cupcakes are baking, melt the butter and pour the remaining sugar into a small bowl. When the cupcakes are done, remove from the pan and let them sit for a few minutes. Now, roll them in the melted butter and then in the sugar. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Time to make some freshly whipped cream:

Making whipped cream is so super-easy that once you’ve done it once, it can be a little dangerous. All you do is beat some heavy cream in a bowl, and add a bit of sugar – like this. I also added a bit of cinnamon.

Now, for the ice cream:

First, take your ice cream out of the freezer and let in soften for about 10 minutes. I used Häagen-Dazs because I find it to be the best coffee ice cream ever made, but you could use something else or make your own.

{The grand prize for the contest happens to be an ice cream maker, so if I happen to make it to the second round of voting – and you happen to vote for me during the second half of June – I could win it, and make the ice cream for you next time. Just sayin’.}

Cut your cupcakes in half. First, add a dollop of your cinnamon-sugar whipped cream to the top half of the cupcakes. You can do this with a pastry bag and a large tip, or by cutting a little hole in a plastic bag. Here is a fab tutorial on working with a pastry bag – and don’t feel bad if you make a mess and hate life when you’re using it. I still can’t seem to figure the damned thing out.

Now, take a small scoop of ice cream and place onto the bottom half of the cupcake. Place your frosted top on your ice creamed-bottom, and you’re good to go. Just sprinkle with some cinnamon-sugar and D.I.E.

A long, slow, and delicious death in ice cream-cupcake-donut heaven.

In Sweets + Treats cinnamon-sugar, cupcakes, fresh whipped cream, how to make cake flour, ice cream, pastry bag, worth the effort

chicken with forty cloves of garlic.

April 20, 2010 — 7 Comments

This is one of the meals that I’ve been wanting to cook for *who knows* how long. I first saw the recipe from the Barefoot Contessa, but over time I’ve seen different versions pretty much everywhere. All I really have to say is, if the idea of 40 cloves of garlic scares you…

Don’t let it.

Please. Because the cooking of the garlic mellows it out in such an unbelievable way – I honestly wish I’d put more in there. And the sauce – the sauce is just so absurdly decadent and delicious – and it’s not even all that bad for you, considering you’re only using a couple tablespoons of cream. The rest is just white wine and a splash of cognac – and if you’ve never cooked with cognac, you simply must. It brings such an amazing dimension to the dish. And really, the shining star here is also the chicken itself – which can be tricky to do, since chicken doesn’t have much flavor on its own. Leaving the bone in helps with flavor, of course, and the brown-then-braise method is always a surefire way to ensure perfectly moist chicken. Still, I think this may just be the moistest chicken I’ve ever had.

Chicken with Forty Cloves of Garlic

Adapted from Barefoot Contessa

3 whole heads garlic, about 40 cloves
2 (3 to 3 1/2-pound) chickens, cut into eighths (I used 1 whole chicken and 2 more breast halves)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons good olive oil
3 tablespoons Cognac, divided
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 loaf good bread, I used French bread

*Don’t be afraid of the whole chicken! If you don’t want to cut it yourself, you can usually find it already cut and packaged in the grocery store, and if not, you can ask the butcher to do it for you. And as far as this sauce goes, it is the most heavenly stuff in the world – so if you’re a sauce person {like I am} you may want to double the wine, heavy cream, and flour so you can double to sauce! It’s that good.

For the garlic, I’ve actually been buying those big containers of pre-peeled garlic. I’ve heard they can sometimes be more fresh than the heads, as those heads can sometimes sit there in the grocery store forever. So, I just counted out 40 cloves from there. If, however, you want to do it the old-fashioned way, use this trick to peel them easier: Separate the cloves of garlic and drop them into a pot of boiling water for 60 seconds. Drain the garlic and peel away.

Brown your chicken:

Dry the chicken really well with paper towels. Season liberally with salt and pepper on both sides. I like to salt it as far in advance as possible to get the chicken more flavorful (and I do this with all meats). I also take my chicken out of the fridge about 30 minutes to an hour before I want to start cooking so that it comes to room temperature, which helps the meat to cook evenly and keeps it nice ‘n moist.

Heat the butter and oil in a large pot or Dutch oven {I use my Le Creuset, of course} over medium-high heat. In batches, saute the chicken in the fat, skin side down first, until nicely browned, about 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Turn with tongs or a spatula; you don’t want to pierce the skin with a fork. If the fat is burning, turn the heat down to medium. When a batch is done, transfer it to a plate and continue to saute all the chicken in batches. Remove the last chicken to the plate and add all of the garlic to the pot.

Now for the {love} sauce:

This is where it gets fun! Lower the heat and saute for 5 to 10 minutes, turning often, until evenly browned. Add 2 tablespoons of the Cognac and the wine, return to a boil, and scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Return the chicken to the pot with the juices and sprinkle with the thyme leaves. Cover and simmer over the lowest heat for about 30 minutes, until all the chicken is done.

Remove the chicken to a platter and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup of the sauce and the flour and then whisk it back into the sauce in the pot (I’m not sure why this extra step is necessary, but I always listen to Ina!). Raise the heat, add the remaining tablespoon of Cognac and the cream, and boil for 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper, to taste; it should be very flavorful because chicken tends to be bland. Pour the sauce and the garlic over the chicken and serve hot.

I served this with good French bread and roasted broccolini.You can really serve it with anything – rice, pasta, roasted potatoes would be nice – but really you’re just looking for something else to soak up more of that delicious love sauce.

Yum.

In Dinner Party Worthy, Main Dishes chicken, cognac, cooking with wine, french bread, garlic, ina garten, le creuset, worth the effort

dan’s favorite vodka sauce.

February 22, 2010 — 1 Comment

For the main course of our Valentine’s Day dinner at home, I decided to copycat one of Dan’s favorite recipes from a nearby restaurant we love. I had a lot of fun making my own version of the dish, and I’ll probably do this again soon with some of our other faves. Hello, truffle mac n’ cheese from Prime 112.

Penne with Vodka Sauce, Prosciutto, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, and Peas

Partly adapted from recipe courtesy of Chef Carla Pelligrino of Rao’s in Las Vegas.

Serves: 8-10. I made a big batch because it’s Daniel’s favorite. Feel free to cut in half.

1/2 pound prosciutto, chopped into pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large white onions, finely chopped
2 28oz cans canned peeled Italian tomatoes, blended into sauce
3/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packaged in olive oil
3 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley
1 quart heavy cream reduced by half (1/2 quart)
3/4 cup vodka
1 cup peas, fresh or frozen and thawed
Salt and pepper
2 pounds penne liscie # 40 (recommended: De Cecco), cooked al dente
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (this is the good stuff, buy a block and grate it yourself – so worth it)

Place a heavy pan or Dutch oven on medium heat. Add the olive oil and the butter. When the butter melts and becomes foamy add the chopped onions, let them saute until crispy, and do not let them brown.

As you start cooking the onions, put a small large pot over a burner on medium to medium-high heat and pour in the cream. This way it can reduce down as you are cooking. When it reduces by half, remove from heat and set aside. Learn from my mistake: Make sure to use a large enough pot for this, otherwise it will boil over and you will end up with a big mess (especially bad if you don’t have your own ridiculously amazing cleaning machine named Daniel to pick up the pieces).

Add the prosciutto to the onions, lower the heat and let it sweat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season the mixture with salt and pepper. (Note: I like to season dishes at different stages as I am cooking. I find it adds much more flavor to the dish than seasoning once at the end – just be careful not to overdo it.)

Add the tomato sauce and sun-dried tomatoes and simmer for another 30 minutes. Then add the parsley, simmer for a few more minutes, add the reduced heavy cream and the vodka, and let simmer for 20 minutes. Add the peas. Check the consistency and simmer it for longer if necessary. As with any great tomato sauce, the longer you let it simmer, the better.

Mix the cooked penne into the sauce, check the seasoning, and let it simmer a couple more minutes. Serve with some good bread and freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano at the table.