January 30, 2010: Grilled Flank Steak

I'm not much of a meat eater -- my diet is primarily made up of fresh produce, grains, nuts, and a little dairy. However, every now and then, a bite of steak tastes super good. I prefer to buy natural free-range, grass-fed beef over commercially-raised, corn-fed beef from factory-farms. Although it's more expensive, it's healthier for you because the cows themselves lead healthier, happier lives, consuming the grass that their ruminant stomachs were meant to. Besides, we shouldn't be eating as much meat as the packing industry would like us to believe. So, the occasional extravagance shouldn't be a budget-buster.

So, tonight I had a few ounces of grilled flank steak with a big, fresh salad for dinner. Here's how easy it is:

GRILLED FLANK STEAK

1 flank steak*

Marinade
1 to 3 cloves of garlic, pressed
1 or 2 T Dijon mustard
1 t dried oregano
2 T fresh rosemary leaves
Juice of 1 lemon
A few splashes of soy sauce
A few glugs of olive oil
Freshly ground pepper

Rinse the flank steak then pat dry with paper towels. In a glass dish large enough to hold the steak, mix together the marinade ingredients. Add the steak, making sure it's been completely coated with the marinade. Marinate for at least two hours. Prepare the grill and when the coals are hot, grill the steak about 5 minutes per side for a rosy medium rare (timing will depend on the heat of coals and the thickness of the steak). Let the meat rest 5 minutes before slicing. I like slicing it on the diagonal. Serves 3 to 4.

*Trader Joe's sells an excellent Black Angus flank steak. I'm not sure why it is so tender and tasty, nor if the cows are the happy breed, but the meat melts in your mouth.

January 29, 2010: Polenta

Yesterday I forgot to mention that this evening I am using the cornbread recipe I shared yesterday to bake corn muffins for the elementary school where I am office manager. Tomorrow is our big fund raiser, the Winter Faire, and my corn muffins, along with contributions from other volunteers, are going to be the perfect complement to the pots of chili Chef Ted is cooking up for the food station.

All this musing upon cornbread has induced me to develop a sincere hankering for polenta. When my mother was a little girl in Oslo in the early part of the twentieth century, polenta was considered a dessert. Farina-like, cornmeal was cooked with milk on top of the stove and served with sugar and cinnamon or, in the summer months, with berry puree. I don't remember her ever preparing it when I was growing up. When I first had polenta, it was served on a dinner plate with a rich osso bucco. A match made in heaven! The smooth and creamy polenta is a perfect vehicle for sopping up the savory sauce of any stew. When you're bored by having potatoes, rice or pasta at dinner, try serving polenta instead. Here is the basic recipe:

POLENTA

3 cups milk, stock or water (or any combination)
1 T butter
1 t sugar
1/2 t sea salt
1 cup stone-ground yellow cornmeal
2 T unsalted butter, melted

Combine the liquid, 1 tablespoon butter, sugar, and salt in a heavy saucepan; heat to a simmer. Slowly add the cornmeal, constantly whisking the mixture to keep it smooth. Lower the heat and continue to stir with a wooden spoon, until the polenta has thickened and leaves the sides of the pan, about 10 minutes. Serve with melted butter.

*Polenta is a blank canvas for your creativity. You can add grated cheese or chopped fresh herbs; or chopped sauteed wild mushrooms with fresh thyme leaves; crumbled cooked Black Forest bacon, Italian sausage or diced pancetta... you get the idea. We'll get into fried and grilled polenta on another day. The variations on basic polenta are only limited by your imagination.

Janaury 28, 2010: Cornbread

When I was little, one of the reasons I looked forward to the family trips we made from New York City to Boston was the corn cakes. Traveling by car on I-95, my father would make a rest stop just north of New Haven, Connecticut, at one of the thruway service islands. Savarin ran the restaurant concession and they sold what I thought were the most delicious toasted corn bread in the world. Maybe it was because we never ate out that made it all the more alluring, but the joy of eating that round, toasted cornbread has stayed imprinted in my happy memory bank.

My mom never baked corn bread. It was when I was a young wife and expanding the spectrum of my own oeuvre, that I added it to my repertoire of baked goods, The recipe that follows became a popular mainstay in the days of my catering company, Karen's Kitchen.

CORNBREAD

1 1/2 cups yellow (or blue) cornmeal
1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
3 t baking powder
1/2 t sea salt
3 eggs
1/4 to 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup milk
3/4 cup butter, melted


Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees F.

In a mixing bowl, blend together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt. In another large mixing bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar. Add the milk and butter, then stir in the dry ingredients until thoroughly blended. Pour into an oiled 9" by 9" square baking pan. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean and dry. Let cool a bit before cutting into squares.

*Try substituting blue corn for a little variety. A basket laden with both yellow and blue corn muffins is quite attractive. The batter also works well in muffin form. You can also add sliced scallions, jalapenos, shredded cheese, chopped rosemary or thyme, blueberries... you get the idea. The cornbread is absolutely delicious served plain, but don't be shy to dress the recipe up with your own twists!

January 27, 2010: My Daily Salad

I've never been a big eater at lunchtime, especially during the week. For years it was a carton of yogurt sprinkled with wheat germ. These days, before I leave for work, I compose a colorful salad with ingredients that were gathered at that week's visit to the farmers' market. I start with a baby lettuce mix, sometimes adding wild arugula or frisee. The rest of the ingredients are dependent on the ebb and flow of the seasons in rhythm with Earth's orbit around the Sun. Here's what I added today: shredded purple cabbage, roasted beets, and slices of cucumber (not first-class, I must admit), and slices of sweet carrot. Before it's time to dig in, I drizzle the salad with olive oil (or flax seed oil) and Bragg's amino acids and sprinkle it with my toasted seed mixture (all from the stash I keep at work). With summer on the distant horizon, I look forward to a reunion with its succulent heirloom tomatoes, rosy bell peppers, sweet corn, zesty basil, and crunchy-crisp cucumbers.

The health benefits of the fresh vegetables, especially locally grown, cannot be overlooked. The brilliant diversity of colors, alone, represents a wide variety of nutrients that I seriously doubt you will find in a convenience or fast-food sandwich. (I often get comments from co-workers on how gorgeous my salads look. It's all because of the amazing palette of Nature's colors.) Whenever I add a meat, it is something I've cooked myself, like grilled chicken. If I add a cheese, it's not a commercially processed product that's filled with additives, but a naturally made cheese, such as shavings of Parmigiano-Reggiano or crumbled feta. I don't use bottled dressings; it's so easy to make a vinaigrette or to drizzle olive or flax seed oil and Bragg's (or apple cider vinegar or lemon juice or seasoned rice wine vinegar). Keep it fresh; keep it local; keep it free from chemical additives; keep it homemade; keep it simple. Your salad will help keep you healthy.

MY DAILY SALAD

Baby lettuce mix or torn leaves from other varieties, such as romaine, butter or red leaf
Fresh seasonal vegetables and fruits, such heirloom tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, radishes, carrots, jicama, corn, cabbage, spinach, apples, pears, orange segments, roasted beets, red onion, et cetera
Fresh herbs, such as basil, dill, cilantro, garlic, et cetera
Oil, such as extra virgin olive oil, flax seed oil
Vinegar, such as apple cider, balsamic or seasoned rice wine vinegar OR Bragg's amino acids
Karen's Salad Topping (toasted pine nuts, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds) or toasted nuts
Meat, such as grilled chicken or flank steak, optional
Cheese, such as Parmigiano-Reggiano or feta, optional
Salt and freshly ground pepper, as desired

Dive in! These are your ingredients. Your salad bowl is your blank canvas. Be creative (and colorful!). You can't go wrong.

January 26, 2010: Poppy Seed Cake

Readers, this cake is truly a sensation. Whenever I serve it, the reviews are stellar. I baked it just the other day to help celebrate a co-worker's birthday. After the candles were blown out and the birthday wish was made, the Mmmmm's started to be uttered. Another success!

The cake is moist and light; the poppy seeds lend a nutty flavor and have a delightful, "poppingly" crunchy texture. When I was mixing the batter, I was instantly reminded of the days when my girls were little and loved to "help Mommy" by licking the batter from the mixing bowl and beater. In fact, I think they almost preferred the batter to the finished cake because they began to ask for bowls of it! Now that they're adults, they are doing their own baking and licking their own mixing bowls. When my older daughter, Claire, was studying abroad in Sweden, it was one of the cakes she baked and served to her fellow international students. What a tribute!

Maida Heatter, the magnificent "queen of desserts", got this recipe from San Francisco pastry chef, Sheila Linderman.

POPPY SEED CAKE
From "Maida Heatter's New Book of Great Desserts"

8 ounces butter
1 1/2 cups sugar (reserve 1/4 cup of sugar for the egg white mixture)
5 eggs (graded large), separated, plus one additional egg white
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup poppy seeds
1 1/2 t vanilla
2 cups flour
1 t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
Pinch of salt
1/4 t cream of tartar

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Have ready a plain, loose-bottomed tube pan.

In the large bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter with 1 1/4 cups of sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, mixing well with each addition. Scrape the bowl as necessary with a rubber spatula. In a small bowl, mix together the sour cream, poppy seeds and vanilla. On low speed, add 1 cup flour, the baking soda and baking powder to the butter mixture. Mix in the sour cream mixture, scraping the bowl as necessary. Then add the remaining flour, beating only until smooth and well-blended. In another bowl, beat the egg whites and salt until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat until the whites hold soft peaks when the beaters are raised. Gradually add the reserved 1/4 cup of sugar to the whites and beat until they hold definite peaks but is not stiff and dry. Gradually, fold the whites into the batter using a large spatula. Turn into the ungreased pan. Place in the bottom third of your oven and bake for 50 to 55 minutes. It is done when a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and immediately turn the pan upside-down to allow the cake to cool completely. To loosen the cake from the pan, use a knife with a sharp, firm blade. (I use a boning knife.) Insert the knife between the cake and the side of the pan. Pressing the blade against the side of the pan (not against the cake!), saw around the cake cake with short up-and-down motions. Then, do the same around the tube. Remove the sides of the pan. Remove the bottom of the pan by inserting the blade between the cake and the pan, making sure you press against the pan. Place right-side-up on your serving plate.

* While Poppy Seed cake is perfectly fine served with nothing more than a cup of tea, you might want to dress it up with a side of berries and a dollop of fine vanilla-bean ice cream

January 25, 2010: Butternut Squash Soup with Sage

On a typical Sunday morning, I shop for the week's produce at the farmers' market in Studio City. Yesterday, however, at the suggestion of my friend, Lori, (who, by the way lives in Studio City) I decided to be adventurous by driving down to Hollywood with her, instead. The market off Sunset and Vine is a veritable cathedral devoted to local produce, nursery plants, artisan food products, and crafts... and probably more! Mostly, though, there is stall after stall set up by local farmers and the choices are dazzling. In all, it must be four times bigger than Studio City. I missed seeing my usual vendors, but I came home with a satisfying cornucopia of delicious seasonal fruits and veggies. Lori was mesmerized every time she spied Swiss chard. She held back because she has it growing in her home garden. But, finally, she surrendered and bought a vibrant bunch with multi-colored stems because she realized her own wouldn't be ready to harvest for a few weeks yet.

When I dropped Lori off at her house before heading back to Thousand Oaks, she said, "C'mon, let me snip some fresh sage for you from the garden." So, I left with a bunch of the fragrant herb and then went home to wash and store my day's purchases. The question arose, "What do I do with Lori's sage?" I still had a butternut squash in the pantry from last week, so it came to me in a flash, Butternut Squash Soup with Sage! This recipe is inspired by Molly O'Neill's book, "A Well-Seasoned Appetite," where she takes you through the calendar with recipes inspired by the seasons.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP WITH SAGE

2 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeds and pulp scooped out, cut into 1/2-inch dice
6 cups broth, preferably chicken
1 t sea salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Freshly group nutmeg, to taste
2 T heavy cream
Olive oil
12 fresh sage leaves
Freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese (optional)

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.

Place the squash on an oiled baking sheet (rimmed) and roast until tender, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a saucepan. Add the broth, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 3o minutes. Transfer, in batches, to a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Stir in salt, a few grindings of pepper and nutmeg, and the cream.

In a small skillet, add olive oil to the depth of about 1/2 inch. Heat until the oil is hot enough to crisp the sage. Add a few leaves at a time and fry until they have crisped, about 10 to 20 seconds. It doesn't take long at all. Remove with tongs to a paper towel or brown paper to drain. Crumble the leaves over the surface of the soup. I like my butternut squash soup with a little cheese grated on top. The saltiness of the cheese complements the sweetness of the squash.

January 24, 2010: Mom's Pot Roast

My mother's pot roast was perfection. Like everything else she made, she took her time with every detail. Pot roast is pretty simple to prepare, but she had "the knack," as she would say. The meat was always fork-tender, the dark brown gravy always the right consistency and the flavor was aromatic with onions. Frankly, I don't know where she found "the knack." I'm still looking for it. The roast I braised in the oven this afternoon for tonight's dinner was passable, but it wasn't Mommy's, by a long shot.

I pulled the recipe from my recipe box. It is written on an index card in the carefully rendered penmanship she learned in the Old Country (Oslo, Norway), not copied from a cook book, but put down in her own words. I'm going to share it with you exactly as my mother wrote it. As you'll see, there may very well be reason for my inability to duplicate it... yet! There seems to be a cryptic and mystical secret I just haven't discovered yet that lies somewhere between the lines.

POTROAST.BOTTOM ROAST

Brown on all sides. 1 onion sliced 1 bay leaf + hole black pepper after water is poured in, let it cook for 2 hour on low heat. Take the meat out and strain the juice for gravy

For gravy. Mix 1 tblspoon flour with water until smooth and add slow to boiling meatstock.

P.S. Salt and pepper to tast + little flour to cover the meat.

Good luck.

*That is it -- Misspellings and all! One thing I would like to add is that I remember my mother buying a bottom round rump roast for this. I have used that cut and it works quite well and resembles what she made. Let me know if you want to try this and have any questions.

January 23, 2010: Mrs. C.'s Pancakes

In the early years of marriage, Sunday mornings used to mean making homemade breakfasts with the works, especially the sweet stuff: variations on pancakes, waffles and French toast. What pleasure I got from succeeding in getting a new recipe right while also putting a smile in my husband's tummy.

I just took out the dog-eared and splattered recipe card for Mrs. C.'s Pancakes from my ancient recipe box. I cut it out of the New York Times Sunday Magazine circa 1980... I think. On one side I taped the ingredients and directions; on the other side I taped the accompanying photograph which shows an old-timey flowered plate with a stack of the golden pancakes resting in a puddle of maple syrup and crowned with an ample pat of butter. Mrs. C. is Kathleen Claiborne, Craig Claiborne's mother. And, Craig Claiborne is none other than the late venerable food editor for the Times. His roots were in the American South which is reflected by the cornmeal base in his mom's recipe.

MRS. C.'S PANCAKES

1/2 cup cornmeal
1 T sugar
1/2 t salt
1 cup boiling water
2 eggs, SEPARATED
1 cup flour
1 T baking powder
1 cup milk
1/4 cup peanut oil

Combine the cornmeal, sugar and salt in a saucepan. Add the boiling water, stirring constantly with a whisk. Cook, stirring, about 2 minutes. Let cool. Add the egg yolks. Stir in the flour and baking powder, then the milk and oil. Beat the egg whites until stiff, then fold them into the batter. Lightly oil a griddle. Ladle about 1/3 cup of the batter for each pancake. Cook until browned on one side. Turn and cook on the other side. Continue ladling and cooking until all the batter has been used up. Serve with pure maple syrup, preserves, jams, or fresh berries. As for me, I love eating my pancakes with lingonberry preserves.

(Nowadays, having an extravagant breakfast is a rare treat. So, when I go for it, I go all out. The butcher at Whole Foods sells a Black Forest Bacon that is perfect with Mrs. C.'s and other pancakes. I even cop to using the fat rendered by the cooked bacon to grease my griddle. The smokey flavor absorbed from the bacon adds another dimension to the pancakes. Plus, they seem to have even crispier edges! Please note: I do not advise this as a frequent practice; just as a once in a while indulgence.)

January 22, 2010: Lasagne Bolognese

Lasagne is a versatile dish. The most popular version is built from layers of lasagne noodles, a meaty tomato sauce and ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. It's a winning combination of flavors playing off each other, particularly the savory sauce against the mellow cheeses. When baked, they melt into each other while maintaining their distinct profiles.

There could possibly exist as many variations of lasagne as there are cooks who serve it. All that is needed is a substitution of one ingredient or the addition of an herb or spice, and another original has been created. The recipe I'm sharing today, however, comes from the "Old Country." It is made from fresh pasta (January 19th post), a slow-cooked ragu (January 18th post) and melded together by a creamy bechamel sauce. Finally, imported parmigiano brings it all together. If you take the time to prepare this from scratch, I think you'll appreciate the the rich, yet simple, bouquet of the flavors that is layered between the delicately thin sheets of pasta. Buon appetito!

LASAGNE BOLOGNESE

1 full recipe Ragu (from January 18th post), gently reheated
2/3 freshly grated imported parmigiano-reggiano cheese
2 T butter

Bechamel Sauce
3 cups milk
6 T butter
4 1/2 T flour
1/4 t salt
A few grindings of fresh nutmeg

Heat the milk in a saucepan until just before it reaches a boil. Take off the heat. In another heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for 2 minutes. Gradually add the hot milk to the butter and flour mixture, whisking all the time. Add the salt. Cook over low heat until the mixture is thickened. Remove from the heat. Stir in the nutmeg.

Lasagne Noodles
1 recipe of pasta dough (from January 19th post)

Using a manual pasta machine, roll the pasta out as thin as possible. (I usually stop at the number 5 setting.) Cut into lengths to fit your baking dish. Set a bowl of cold water near the stove. On your counter, lay out a towel for drying the cooked pasta. Bring 4 quarts of salted water to the boil. Slip a few sheets of pasta into the water and let cook just a few seconds. Remove the pasta sheets with a slotted spoon, plunge them into the cold water, then rinse under cold water gain (to wash off the starch on the surface of the pasta), then place them on the towel to dry. Repeat until you have used all the dough.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.

Smear some of the butter on the bottom of your lasagne pan (typically 9-inches by 12-inches), then spread it with a small amount of the bechamel. Line the bottom of the pan with a single layer of cooked lasagne noodles. Spread a thin layer of ragu over the noodles, then spoon a thin layer bechamel over the ragu. Sprinkle with some of the grated parmigiano-reggiano. Repeat building layers of pasta, ragu, bechamel, and cheese, making sure the top layer is spread with sauce and sprinkled with parmigiano. Dot with the remaining butter. Bake on the uppermost rack in your oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until the top is a golden, crusty brown. Take out of the oven and give it ten minutes to settle before serving.

January 21, 2010: Chocolate-Oatmeal Cookies

It is nearly impossible to find a person who would say "No" to the offer of a chocolate chip cookie. This cookie is a mainstay of American culture. You could even say, "As American as a chocolate chip cookie" (but I wouldn't want to downplay the role of apple pie in our national image!) There are many variations on this humble cookie, Toll House Cookies being the most famous of all.

Today, I want to share a recipe given to me over thirty years ago by a dear friend and I'm still making them. In fact, just yesterday, I baked up a batch at our school to add to the Pizza Day menu. As the saying goes, they went like hotcakes. I am certain you and yours will find them equally irresistible!

CHOCOLATE-OATMEAL COOKIES

3/4 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup water
1 t vanilla
1 cup flour
1/2 t salt
1/2 t baking soda
3 cups quick-cooking oatmeal
12 ounces chocolate chips*
1/2 cup chopped nuts, if desired

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and the sugars. Beat in the egg. Add the water and vanilla. Stir in the flour, salt and baking soda. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips and optional nuts.

Cut parchment paper to fit your cookie sheets. Drop the cookie dough by teaspoonfuls onto the parchment paper, about 9 to 12 per sheet. Place 2 sheets at a time into oven. Bake for about 7 minutes, then change the position of the cookie sheets from top to bottom, back to front, to ensure even baking. Bake for another 5 to 8 minutes. Let the cookies cool on baking sheets for 2 to 3 minutes before removing to a wire rack to finish cooling.

*I don't use commercial chocolate chips anymore. I prefer to buy a fine chocolate bar and cut it up into chunks myself. Sometimes, I like to mix up different types of chocolate in a recipe, such as a milk chocolate and a dark chocolate. The end result is divine.

January 20, 2010: Vinaigrette

Bottled dressings do not have a place in my larder. I eat a salad almost every day and making the dressing fresh and from scratch is part of the routine. I don't measure out the ingredients anymore as I have acquired an instinct for how much oil to add to the vinegar. In my small household, it starts with pressing a single clove of garlic into the salad bowl.

A simple vinaigrette is not only the foundation for a superb salad, it coats the tender lettuce leaves with vibrant flavor and brings the salad to life! The dressing also contains health benefits, such as the omega 3's in the olive oil and immunity boosters in the garlic. And... there is the satisfaction of using the finest ingredients to produce a natural product that is free from chemical additives.

This recipe is a basic vinaigrette from Julia Child's 1975 book, "From Julia Child's Kitchen." The vinaigrette that I whisk together today is a little different, but this is where I first started.

SAUCE VINAIGRETTE

1 clove garlic
Salt
1 T each, lemon juice and wine vinegar
1/2 t dry mustard
1/2 to 2/3 c best-quality olive oil
Freshly ground pepper
Fresh or dried herbs, such as basil

Puree the garlic through a press into a small mortar or bowl, add 1/4 teaspoon salt, and mash vigorously with a pestle or wooden spoon to make a very smooth paste. Beat (using a whisk) in a tablespoon of each of the lemon juice and wine vinegar, and the dry mustard. Beat (using a whisk) in gradually 1/2 cup olive oil-5 to 6 parts oil to one of the vinegar/lemon juice is about right, because too tart a dressing will spoil the taste of any wine you are serving. (Julia thinks about everything!) Beat in a grind or two of pepper, a big pinch of herbs, taste carefully, and correct seasoning, beating in more oil, salt, pepper, or herbs as necessary.

*You can see from this most basic of recipes, that YOU, the cook, are an active player the balance of oil to vinegar/lemon juice. The more you cook, the more you will rely on your instincts to bring a dish to the table with delicious success. And, the more you rely on YOUR senses, the more a recipe becomes your own! It's sort of like wearing in a shoe -- before long, it beomes your own and fits only your foot!

January 19, 2010: Homemade Pasta Dough

After writing yesterday's post featuring ragu, I strode directly to my kitchen to cook it. Then it occurred to me that if one takes the time to make such an excellent sauce, only the freshest pasta will do. Decent fresh pasta can be found in the market; there are also quite good artisan and/or imported choices for purchase. However, I think pairing the homemade ragu with a pasta made on your kitchen counter is a marriage made in heaven. (You see, cooking has a lot to do with love!)

I recommend using a food processor and a hand-crank pasta roller to make the job easy. I haven't made all the fanciful tubular shapes, such as rigatoni, fusilli and penne, which require special machinery, but I think this year I will experiment with the many ways to manipulate the dough at home by hand. I'll definitely let you know how it goes!

HOMEMADE PASTA DOUGH

1 cup unbleached flour
Salt
1 egg
Water, if necessary

Put the flour, a little salt and the egg in the bowl of your food processor. Pulse the ingredients together until it starts to hold together. It will not be one big mas of dough but rather resemble tiny pellets. With your fingers, press a small portion together to see if it holds together. If not, gradually add droplets of water and process again until it does. Remove the dough from the processor bowl and put it on a lightly floured board. Knead for about 10 minutes. Then, cover in plastic wrap and let rest for 45 minutes.

After the dough has rested, it is ready to be rolled and formed into the shape you want. It is best when cooked immediately, but you can let it dry to cook later. Note: fresh pasta requires gentle simmering and doesn't take nearly as long as the dried varieties.

January 18, 2010: Ragu (or Bolognese Sauce)

Ragu is not necessarily a jar of commercial pasta sauce that you pour into a saucepan to reheat for a few minutes, then ladle atop your spaghetti. Authentic ragu is a rich meat sauce from Bologna in Italy that simmers for hours on the stove; it fills your kitchen with a fragrant bouquet that portends a lusty pasta dinner!

The first time I made the recipe from Marcella Hazan's "The Classic Italian Cookbook," I was confused by the density of meat and the scarcity of tomatoes in the sauce. But that is the essence of a fine ragu: it is a meat sauce in the truest sense. Most importantly, though, the heart of the sauce lies in technique. It is the slow cooking that allows the meat to not only stand out but meld together in perfect harmony with the other ingredients.

Buon appetito!

RAGU

1 T olive oil
3 T butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
2/3 cup chopped celery
2/3 cup chopped carrot
3/4 pound ground beef chuck
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup whole milk
Nutmeg
1 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes, with their juice

In a heavy pot, such as enameled cast-iron, heat the oil and butter. Add the onion and cook over medium heat, until translucent. Add the celery and carrot and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Add the meat, a pinch of salt and few grindings of pepper. Crumble with a fork and cook until the meat loses its red color. Add the milk, let it simmer, stirring frequently, until it has completely evaporated. Add about 1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg, preferably, freshly grated. Add the wine and let it simmer until it has evaporated. Stir in the tomatoes. When the tomatoes start to boil, turn the heat down to a very slow simmer. Cook the ragu, uncovered, for at least three hours, stirring occasionally. If the sauce starts to dry out during cooking, add a little water to prevent it from sticking. When done, correct the seasoning by adding a little salt, if necessary.

This recipe serves 6 people, using 1 1/2 pounds pasta. Serve with freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano.

January 17, 2010: Roast Pork Loin with Poached Apples and Prunes

The sun was shrouded behind rain clouds today. Happily, I got a ten-mile run under my belt before the sky opened up to deliver the much-needed water to the parched Southern California landscape. I decided it would be a perfect afternoon to put a roast in the oven for an old-fashioned Sunday dinner.

This Scandinavian-style pork roast recipe is a cinch to prepare. If you have enough lead time to add the Poached Apples with Prunes and Port Wine, I highly recommend you take the effort.

PORK ROAST

1 4 1/2 to 5 pound boned pork loin roast
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 T butter
3 T vegetable oil
3/4 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 T currant jelly

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Salt and pepper the roast. Melt the butter with the oil in a heavy casserole (one that has a lid). Brown the meat on all sides. Remove the meat from casserole and drain the fat. Add the wine and cream to the casserole and return it to the stove. Heat until the liquid comes to a simmer. Return the roast to the casserole, cover and place in the center of the oven. Cook for 1 1/2 hours, or until an internal meat thermometer reads 170 degrees F. Remove the roast and let it rest on a platter. Skim the fat off the surface of the liquid and return it to the stove. Bring it to a boil; cook until it has reduced to one cup. Whisk in the currant jelly. Carve the pork into 1-inch slices. Pass the sauce separately and serve with poached apples.

POACHED APPLES WITH PRUNES AND PORT WINE

16 medium prunes
2 t sugar
2/3 cup port wine
8 baking apples, such as Rome Beauties
1 cup sugar
1 quart water
Additional butter, optional

Marinate the prunes with the 2 teaspoons of sugar and port wine for six hours. Then, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the prunes with the marinade in a small baking dish and bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

Pare the apples, cut each in half length-wise and scoop out the core with a melon baller. Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan, put on the stove, bring to a boil, and boil for 3 minutes. Lower the heat, add 8 apple halves and simmer approximately 10 minutes, until tender but not soft and mushy. Transfer to a heated platter. Repeat with the remaining 8 halves. Drain the prunes from the marinade and place one prune in the core of each apple half. If desired, whisk some butter to the marinade, cook a couple of minutes and drizzle over the prune-stuffed apples.

January 16, 2010: Risotto with Porcini Mushrooms

It was with eager expectation I thumbed through my cookbooks for a risotto recipe that I thought would be molto bene. That first venture produced an inedible, gluey glop. I can't remember where I went wrong, but I lost my desire to serve risotto from scratch. That is, until I discovered the amazing Marcella Hazan and she became another one of my mentors through her excellent cookbooks. I got the technique down and now risotto is something I can whip up on a whim.

Risotto is Italian comfort food. What's so wonderful is its flavors easily match the seasons. You can add a rainbow of different ingredients to the basic recipe, such as tomatoes and basil in summer, pumpkin with Black Forest bacon in autumn, asparagus in the springtime, and dried wild mushrooms in winter. But, there are two essential ingredients in a successful risotto that must remain constant. First, you must use Arborio rice for it is the variety that has the particular starch that produces the creamy texture which binds the rice kernels together. Patience is the second; it is the gradually addition of the cooking liquid, one ladleful at a time, stirring until it is absorbed, then adding the next ladleful, then the next, that allows the starch to slowly transform the risotto into its signature creaminess.

Serve it as an entree or as an accompaniment to a rich stew or osso bucco. It's delicious all times of the culinary year. Herewith, I share with you Risotto with Porcini Mushrooms.

RISOTTO WITH PORCINI MUSHROOMS

5 cups stock
2 T butter
2 T olive oil
2 T minced shallots
2 cups Arborio rice
1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms, soaked in warm water for 30 minutes, then drained and dried
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/3 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano
Fresh thyme or chopped sage, if desired
Additional grated parmigiano-reggiano

Place the mushrooms in a small bowl and cover with warm water. Soak for 30 minutes; drain, filtering and reserving the soaking liquid. Dry the mushrooms on paper towels, then finely chop.

Heat the stock in a saucepan on the stoveand keep at steady, slow simmer.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter with the olive oil in a heavy sauce pan. Add the onions and cook until softened. Add the chopped mushrooms and cook an additional couple of minutes. Add the rice and stir until it is well coated. Start adding the hot stock, about 1/2 cup at a time, cooking and stirring until the liquid has been absorbed. Continue adding the stock in this fashion for about 10 minutes. Then, add the mushroom liquid, continuing to stir and resume adding stock until the rice is smooth and creamy.

Taste for salt and add as needed. Add a few grindings of pepper. Blend in the remaining butter and all of the grated cheese. Stir in herbs, if desired, or sprinkle then on top before serving. Serve with additional grated cheese on the side.

January 15, 2010: A Barbecue Sauce

Rather than relying on the supermarket shelf, I prefer to make my own sauces and dressings because it gives me freedom to customize and experiment. Here is a recipe for barbecue sauce that I find tasty just the way it is. However, I like to whimsically exchange ingredients. Plus, one of my goals for this year is to finally make ketchup from scratch (I'll let you know the outcome), but a nice organic store-bought bottle will do when you make this. Not only perfect when grilling in the summer months, this barbecue sauce comes in mighty handy when a stew, for instance, turns out a little blander than expected. It adds the missing zest in a flash!

A BARBECUE SAUCE

1 T butter (or bacon drippings!)
1 medium onion, minced
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 12 ounce bottle organic ketchup
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice)
2 T brown sugar (or maple syrup or honey)
1/4 t cayenne pepper
1 t Worcestershire sauce (or Bragg's Amino Acids or soy sauce)
1/4 t allspice

In a small saucepan, melt the butter (or drippings). Add the onion and garlic; saute until softened and golden. Add the remaining ingredients;cook over medium heat for about 30 minutes, stirring frequently, until sauce is reduced by about one-third. Pour into a recycled, covered jar and store in the refrigerator.

*Experiment with spices!
*Add freshly grated ginger!
*Add a teaspoon or so of minced jalapeno pepper to the onions and garlic!

January 14, 2010: Karen's Brownies

We're still in the "New Year," a time when a l0t of folks are turning over a new leaf by dieting AND I shouldn't be tempting you with sweets! But, these brownies are highly delectable and super-easy to prepare. Just keep them in mind and save the recipe for later; like, if you have a last-minute request to bring something sweet to a gathering, or a sudden urge for chocolate.

KAREN'S BROWNIES

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
4 ounces butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup chopped nuts, if desired

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan.

Melt the chocolate and butter over hot water in a double-boiler or bain-marie. When melted, remove from the heat and beat in sugar, then the eggs, one at a time. Stir in the vanilla. Stir in the flour, then the nuts, if desired. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake in the middle of the oven for 25 minutes. Cool in pan, then cut into 16 squares. Note: The brownies from the middle of the pan will be fudgier than the outside squares.

*For a little surprise, add 1/4 teaspoon of cardamom or cinnamon with the flour. It adds a whole new dimension.

*Instead a using a square baking pan, use a muffin tin to make separate brownies. This allows all your brownies to have crispy edges. I quite like them this way.

*For cakier brownies, add more flour.

January 13, 2010: Roasted Root Vegetables

Winter is the time to consider root vegetables, that is if you want to remain true to what the season offers in fresh, local produce. I have to admit, my mind has been wandering and day-dreaming about the zucchinis, bell peppers and sweet tomatoes of the summer garden. Although summer produce is readily available in our supermarkets from farms in another hemisphere, each mile it has to travel to get to my kitchen diminishes its taste and quality.And need I mention the uneasy feeling I get in my gut from the carbon footprint made by this jet-set commerce?

So, let's get back to winter and rejoice in the hearty vegetables harvested from local farms during these months of shorter days. They are fresh, full of nutrition, flavorful, and reminders that the Earth never forgets to provide for us. Beets, parsnips, carrots, yams, sweet potatoes, white/red/purple potatoes, onions, turnips, and rutabagas. What a colorful spectrum they produce! Sliced and drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with salt, pepper and herbs, then roasted, they make a lovely side dish for a stew or could be the centerpiece of a vegetarian meal.

ROASTED ROOT VEGETABLES

1 bunch beets, peeled and diced
2 to 3 parsnips, peeled and sliced
2 to 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 to 3 potatoes (any variety or combination thereof), peeled and diced
2 to 3 turnips or rutabagas, peeled and diced
1 or 2 yellow or white onions, peeled and cut into wedges
Olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Chopped fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, sage), if desired

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the vegetables in a baking dish large enough to hold them without crowding. Drizzle olive oil over the vegetables. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and chopped herbs. Toss to mix. Put in oven and roast, stirring a few times during the baking, for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.

*Sometimes I add a sprinkle or two of raw sugar before roasting to caramelize the vegetables.

*By the way, use whatever combination or amount of vegetables you desire. Simply use the recipe as a guide to create your own dish!

*I have one last idea to share. Shave some Reggianno Parmigiano over the vegetables before serving. The saltiness of the cheese perfectly complements the sweetness of the vegetables.

January 12, 2010: Just About the Best Lemon Cake Ever

The plain-Jane appearance of this cake belies the richly intense lemon flavor you'll experience with your first bite. There are folks in my acquaintance who may not remember my name, but they remember the time they indulged in "that was just about the best lemon cake I ever ate!" It's not a fancy-looking cake, but you could dress it up a bit by baking it in a decoratively patterned bundt or rumtof pan instead of the standard, straight-sided tube pan. Next time I bake this gem, I'm going to experiment with using Meyer lemons instead of standard-issue. I'll let you know if this cake can get any better!

JUST ABOUT THE BEST LEMON CAKE EVER!
From Maida Heatter's New Book of Great Desserts

Cake
Finely grated rind of 2 to 3 lemons (juice will be used below and later in the glaze)
3 T lemon juice
3 cups flour
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
8 oz. butter
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 cup buttermilk

Glaze
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup sugar

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter a tube pan, line the bottom with waxed paper, butter the paper, and dust all over with bread crumbs. Shake out excess and set the pan aside.

Combine the lemon rind and juice; set aside. Cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, until well mixed. Mix in 1 cup flour, the baking soda and salt; mix until well blended. Blend 1/2 cup buttermilk into the mixture, then another cup of flour, then the remaining cup of buttermilk, then finally the last cup of flour. Make sure the batter is evenly blended after each addition. Stir in the lemon rind and juice. Turn into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Place on a rack in the bottom third of your oven. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean and dry.

While the cake is baking, mix the juice and sugar together in a small bowl, stirring occasionally.

When the cake is done, let it stand in the pan for 5 minutes. Then, cover it with a rack, turn it over onto another rack. Remove the pan and the paper lining. Place the rack over a piece of foil. Using a pastry brush, brush the lemon glaze over the top, sides and tube of the hot cake. Let it stand until completely cool.

This is lovely to serve with afternoon tea!

January 11, 2010: Banana Bread

One of my favorite adages goes something like this: "When you have a bowl of lemons, make lemonade." It's easy to figure out that it means to make the best of what you have; turn it around! Following the same logic, when you have a bunch of over-ripe bananas, make banana bread... literally!

This banana bread recipe is soooo simple to make and is equally delicious. It'll help you make friends! If you didn't get to that bunch of bananas soon enough, this is the way to go!
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BANANA BREAD

2 cups sugar
1 cup butter
6 ripe bananas (the spottier, the better!) mashed with a potato masher
4 eggs
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup wheat germ or ground flax seeds
1 t salt
2 t baking soda
1 cup chopped nuts, if desired

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, making sure they are evenly blended. Stir in the bananas. Add one cup of flour, the wheat germ or flax seeds, salt, and baking soda until evenly blended. Stir in the remainder of the flour, then stir in the nuts, if desired. Pour batter into 2 buttered 9x5 loaf pans. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the loaf comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes then carefully remove from the pans to cool completely on a rack.

January 10, 2010: Karen's Salad Topping

The New York Times recently re-released an item from about a year ago telling us of the eleven best foods we aren't be eating... and probably should. Among them was the modest pumpkin seed. Halloween season is probably one of the only times when fresh pumpkin seeds are considered for consumption. We scoop out and carve the bright orange globes for jack-o-lanterns to scare or amuse trick-or-treaters. We sometimes toast the seeds for an autumnal snack.... once a year.

After reading the NYT article, I decided I would add pumpkin seeds, also known as pepitas, to my diet. Packed with magnesium, they are known to prevent an early demise. It was suggested to toast them for sprinkling atop a salad. Mmmmm, I tried it and was delighted with the results. Raw, the seeds are bland but toasting brings out their flavor. Then, I added pine nuts and sunflower seeds to the mix, and voila, my salad topping was created.

A lover of croutons, I have changed my allegiance to toasted seeds and nuts. They are healthier and have more nutritional benefits per calorie than a piece of sauteed bread.

KAREN'S SALAD TOPPING

1 handful of raw pumpkin seeds
1 handful of raw sunflower seeds
1 handful of raw pine nuts

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Mix seeds together in a shallow metal pie pan. Place in the middle of the oven and toast for 5 minutes. Stir and continue baking until the seeds are a nice toasted color. Be careful not to burn!

January 9, 2010: Roasted Cauliflower

One of my favorite discoveries was that vegetables don't have to be cooked by boiling or steaming. That's the way my mother did it, meal after meal. Except for the potatoes she roasted perfectly with the Sunday standing rib roast or the savory onions she sauteed for minute steaks, I remember boiled carrots, string beans, broccoli, corn, or peas at dinner. Like mother, like daughter, that's what I did when I first cooked for myself and my husband. Then, my culinary tastes and experiences expanded. I learned vegetables could be grilled, sauteed, braised, baked, and finally, I started roasting them in the oven.

Roasting brings the flavor out in a husky voice; not as clear as steaming yet more subtle than grilling. After tasting a floret of roasted cauliflower from my first venture, I became hooked by the hearthy warmth it imparted and richness of the olive oil it absorbed. Add a little seasoning and garlic cloves, and the dish becomes completely satisfying. Following is a simple recipe for Roasted Cauliflower which goes perfectly with a hearty stew and polenta.

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER

1 head cauliflower
4 (or more) cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
Olive oil
Fresh herbs, such as rosemary and thyme leaves
Salt* and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Clean the cauliflower and cut the head into florets; cut each floret in half. Add to a baking dish with the garlic. Sprinkle with a few slugs of olive oil. Sprinkle with herbs and season with salt and pepper. Bake in the middle of the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until cauliflower is tender and starts to gently brown.

*Lately I've been using applewood smoked salt, which successfully adds a another layer of flavor to the bouquet of the dish.

January 8, 2010: Mushroom Barley Soup

The chill of the SoCal winter continues to steer the appetite toward a comforting soup. Mushroom Barley Soup, combines the heartiness of a grain with the earthy palette of mushrooms and the fragrance of fresh sage. Even after a day at the office, I enjoy entering the kitchen to prepare the evening meal. Like a cocktail or meditation, the practice has a satisfyingly calming effect. The hoopla of the day is forgotten and is superseded by the expectation of the wonderful repast I'll soon be consuming.

This recipe is simple and quick enough to make and serve within an hour and a half.

MUSHROOM BARLEY SOUP

8 cups stock
1/2 cup pearl barley, rinsed and drained
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 T chopped fresh sage leaves
1 T butter
1 T olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
10 ounces cremini mushrooms, peeled and sliced
2 gloves garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup chopped parsley

In a stock pot, combine the stock, barley, carrots, and sage; bring to a boil. Stir, cover and simmer for 40 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the butter and oil in a saute pan. Add the onion and cook until softened. Add the mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes. Using a garlic press, add the garlic and cook another 5 minutes. Stir the mushroom mixture into the soup; season with salt and pepper. Cook, partially covered, for 20 minutes. Stir in the parsley and serve.

January 7, 2010: Swiss Chard

What I once regarded as an "exotic" vegetable, Swiss Chard in now a staple in my diet. Almost every week, I buy a bunch or two of of these large, lovely, dark green leaves. Often, I pick out a bunch bearing stems of different colors: golden, red, white, and purple. I discovered chard for myself when I wanted to try a new pasta dish. Looking through one of Alice Water's Chez Panisse cookbooks, there was a simple Linguine (I think) with Swiss Chard. I was hooked and now cook this mineral-rich, leafy, green vegetable.

Last night, I sauteed a bunch with yellow stems for my dinner. Chard is slightly tedious to prepare for cooking (cleaning and removing the stems), but is well worth the extra few minutes!

SAUTEED SWISS CHARD

1 bunch Swiss Chard
Olive oil
1/2 small onion, chopped
2 gloves garlic, peeled
Salt and pepper

Rinse the chard thoroughly under cold water, making sure all the dirt is removed (especially if you procured it from your farmers' market). On a cutting board, using a sharp knife, remove the stems from the leaves. Put the leaves in a salad spinner and rinse again, just to make sure all the dirt has been removed. Chop the stems. Add olive oil to a large saute pan. When hot, add the chopped stems and onion. Using a garlic press, add the garlic and saute until softened. Meanwhile, chop the chard (I roll a handful of leaves together, then cut through into a rough chiffonade). Add to the pan, stir to mix, add salt and pepper to taste. Cover the pan and let the chard steam for about 5 minutes, or until tender.

January 6, 2010: Chicken-Vegetable Soup

It's winter and even in sunny Los Angeles, it gets cold. We don't experience arctic cold fronts, but the shorter days and Mother Earth's tilt towards the Sun can make for chilly temps when late afternoon approaches and, finally five-o'clock darkness. Even in SoCal, we love our soup!

Chicken-vegetable soup is practically a staple for most Americans. There are many versions hailing from the diversity of cultures in our neighborhoods. I'll bet there is a chicken soup recipe unique to almost every ethnic group living here. The recipe I'm sharing is good-old American with roots in Jewish cooking. It makes a hearty pot that warms not only the body, but the soul. (Did I borrow that notion from someone?!)

CHICKEN VEGETABLE SOUP

1 chicken, quartered
4 cups chicken stock
2 to 4 cups water
1/2 cup split peas, soaked in water 30 minutes and drained
1/2 cup pearl barley, soaked in water 30 minutes and drained
2 onions, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and cut into rounds
3 parsnips, peeled and cut into rounds
3 stalks celery, sliced
6 cremini mushrooms, peeled and quartered
Salt and pepper, to taste
Chopped fresh dill

Place the chicken and the liquids into a large stock pot on the stove. Turn the heat to medium high and cook until it comes to a boil. Skim off the scum that rises to the surface. Add the peas, barley and vegetables. Bring back to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Partially cover the pot and simmer for about 1 hour. Remove chicken from soup. When cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones and return to the soup. (You may want to add only white breast meat or you may also want to add the dark meats. It's up to you! Whatever you don't use, save for chicken salad, for instance.) Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in chopped dill.

January 5, 2010: Simply Roasted Beets

How lucky are we city- and suburb-dwellers for the resurrection of the Farmer's Market? Every Sunday morning, I make my way to the one in Studio City, CA to buy my produce for the week. Buying fresh, local and seasonal fruits and vegetables is not only more delicious, but it has to be healthier. Right now, I'm a little miffed for the lack of summer salad ingredients, such as rosy tomatoes, crisp cucumbers and sweet, crunch bell peppers. Winter and Fall, however, have their own bounties. Pears! Butternut squash! Apples! Persimmons! Root vegetables!

I love beets. Growing up, they of course came from a can, already sliced into rounds swimming in their red liquid. I wasn't quite a fan, yet. My mother always served them on Friday with fish. Who knows why, but she determined beets and delicate Atlantic flounder fillets are an eternal match. I digress... One day in the eighties, while visiting my best friend, Laurie, at her home outside Orlando, FL, I had fresh beets for the first time. She steamed them in her pressure cooker and served them with a memorable chicken pot pie. The first taste of the deep, earthy beet had me hooked. It took me a while to buy a fresh bunch for myself to cook up. Now, they are a weekly staple as long as I can get them fresh.

Here is the basic method I have been using most recently to cook beets. I keep the finished product in a container the fridge, then dip into it every day to sprinkle my salad with the deep, earthy sweetness (rich with antioxidants!) of this amazing root vegetable. Or, you can make a wonderful salad or side dish... or, what about a creamy Beet Risotto?

ROASTED BEETS

Fresh beets
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Peel the beets and cut into one-inch chunks. Place in a baking dish; toss with a few slugs of olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast for about 40 minutes, or until desired tenderness. Cool, then put into a container for later indulgence or use in a recipe right away.

January 4, 2010: Granola

I love producing foods from my kitchen that I took for granted always came packaged and labeled by one of the corporate conglomerates that we find on the shelves of our grocery stores. It's fun to discover these foods started out in a home kitchen, very much like yours and mine. It's even better to find out that most often what we make from scratch is often tastier and healthier than the convenience brand. I found this to be true with granola.

I came across this recipe when looking for a "health store" type of cookie in one of Maida Heatter's dessert cookbooks. I have adapted it slightly to my own liking and I'm sure you will tweak it likewise to suit yours! By the way, I never go back-packing or camping without a supply of this most delicious granola.

GRANOLA
From Maida Heatter's Best Dessert Book Ever

1 cup old-fashioned oatmeal
3/4 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup whole unblanched almonds
3/4 cup raw cashews
1/3 cup hazelnuts
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/3 cup sesame seeds
1/3 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/3 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 cup sliced almonds
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup pure maple syrup

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, stir together the dry ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients. Add the liquids to the dry ingredients and stir to mix.

Grease a large shallow baking dish; add the granola ingredients. Put in oven. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, stirring every ten minutes for the first 30 minutes, then every five minutes until the granola is golden brown and evenly toasted.

When done, store in an airtight container. This is great served with yogurt and fresh fruit!

January 3, 2010: Lemon Squares

On New Year's Day I was invited to Sharon and David's annual open house and left with a bounty of Meyer lemons from their backyard tree. After the feeding frenzy of the holidays, I didn't think I wanted to bake anything sweet... any carbohydrate at all! But, the lemons spoke to me and the Lemon Squares are baking in the oven as I'm writing this. Here is the recipe:

LEMON SQUARES

Crust
1 cup flour
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup cut-up butter

Filling
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 t grated lemon
3 T lemon juice
2 T flour
1/2 t baking powder

powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the crust ingredients (flour, sugar and butter) in your food processor and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Press evenly into a buttered 8-inch square baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes.

Combine the filling ingredients (eggs, sugar, lemon rind and juice, flour, and baking powder) in your food processor. Process until well-combined. Pour over baked crust and bake for 20 minutes, until top is browned and set. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Let cool on wire rack. When cool, cut into 16 squares and store in an airtight container.

January 2, 2010: Oopsie

Just letting my reader know that I had issues formatting the previous post. Please be patient whilst I do battle with the blogspot formatting wizard.

Ciao!

January 2, 2010: Dedication; Cardamom Apple-Almond Cake

My Kitchen Diary is dedicated to my daughters. To Claire, because she is my inspiration to put into writing my thoughts, adventures, experiences, musings, and recipes. To Ingrid, because she is the one who appears to have inherited the cooking gene from me. I will pass to her the Julia and Maida books, spotted and stained with the likes of olive oil, butter and cake batter. They both, however, share the legacy of my cooking and surely appreciate a fine table.

Today's recipe takes me back to my mother's kitchen. Not the recipe, but the delicate scent of one of its ingredients: cardamom. My olfactory clearly remember the distinct aroma of cardamom seeds being crushed by Mommy on the forties-style kitchen table on 144th Street in Queens, NY. She would take the seeds out of their papery pods, put them in a small pile on a piece of brown paper from a grocery bag and mash them with her rolling pin until they were fine enough to put into her dough. (I thought it was miraculous when, later on and I started baking, cardamom could be purchased already in a powdery form.) She used it in her baked goods such as Weinerbrod, Norwegian-style Danish pastry, and Julekake, another Norwegian bakery specialty that translates simply to Christmas Bread. Uff, when I make Julekake during the holidays and have a slice, I find myself living inside a bit of heaven.

Always having thought cardamom was unique to Scandinavian baking, how humbling was it to find out that cardamon grows in India and flavors the chai and curry I love so much! Not to mention, Middle Eastern and Oriental cuisines!

The following recipe has a cookie-like cake crust rather than a yeast-based dough. Although I buy my cardamom ground, not in pods as my mother had to, the sensual pleasure of the aroma is as evocative as ever!

CARDAMOM APPLE CAKE

From Tea Breads and Coffeecakes by Elizabeth Alston


Crust
1 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 t baking powder
1/4 t ground cardamom
7 T butter
1 egg

Filling
1/2 cup almonds
1/2 sugar
3 T flour

1 egg
2 T butter
1/4 t ground cardamom
3 or 4 Golden Delicious apples



Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.




Crust: Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, and cardamom into your food processor. Pulse a few times to mix. Cut up and add the butter. Process a few seconds, until the mixture is crumbly. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Break the egg over the mixture. Pulse until a soft dough forms.

Butter a 9-inch spring-form pan. Spread the crust mixture evenly over the bottom and about 1 1/2 inches up the sides of the pan. Put in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.

Filling: Put the almonds, sugar and flour in the food processor. Process for 1 minute, until almonds are finely ground. Add the egg, butter and cardamom and process until well blended.

Peel, quarter and core* the apples. One at a time, hold each quarter on a cutting board with the cut side down. With a small sharp knife, slice each quarter thin, working from stem to blossom end, BUT NOT CUTTING ALL THE WAY THROUGH to where the core was. (Each quarter will be sliced but the slices won't come apart.)

Pour the almond mixture into the unbaked cookie crust. Arrange the apple quarters side by side, slightly overlapping, in the almond mixture, core sides down. Bake for about 1 hour, until the crust is golden and the apples begin to brown. Cook on a wire rack. Loosen the edges of the cake with a thin knife and remove the sides of the pan. Cool for about an hour before serving.

*Tip: To core an apple and similar fruits, I cut the fruit lengthwise in half then use a melon baller to remove the core from each half.

January 1, 2010: Liz's Pancake Non-pareil

Happy New Year! First recipe of the year: Liz's Pancake Non-pareil. This gem was handed down to me from my best friend's mom. First, it was a favorite Sunday breakfast item for my husband. Later, the children would get it on school days (my friends were enviously amazed that I would give my kids something prepared from scratch, not something out of the freezer to pop into the microwave). The husband dropped out of the picture but the girls are blessedly with me. Now in their early twenties and not living at home, when I take a pancake non-pareil out of the oven, golden-brown and puffed like a pop-over, they travel back to the softer and gentler times of their childhood. The current man in my life is now the beneficiary of this marvelously simple, yet sophistocated, pancake. This New Year's morning I made it for my daughter and her friend before they shoved off to live out their versions 2010. I did not partake as I'm on a diet after last night's feast that would make Julia C. tingle -- Julia's French Bread, Fondue au Fromage, Souffle au Chocolat. Mmmmmm!

LIZ'S PANCAKE NON-PAREIL

2 tablespoons butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup flour
salt
grated nutmeg

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a 9-inch cast-iron skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter (you can do this in the oven while it is pre-heating). In a small bowl, vigorously whisk 2 eggs. Whisk in 1/2 cup milk, then 1/2 cup flour. Stir in a little salt and a few grindings of nutmeg. Pour into the hot skillet and put in the middle of the hot oven for 15 minutes, until puffy and golden brown. You can squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the pancake and sprinkle it with powdered sugar, if you like. Serve with any of the following: maple syrup, lingon berries, sliced strawberries, chopped up apples, fresh fruit salad...

Serves two.