My Baking Adventures

Happy Turkey Day to all! May your day be filled with love, laughter, and most importantly – lots of food!

I missed this weeks’ BB Mexican Chicken Soup – sorry Judy, this was your pick and I really wanted to make it but…….. the week ran away from me. On a happy note, Alexander got an “A” on the book report that took us all week to do – I’m celebrating that project being finished. (trust me, if you saw this project, and how complicated it was, you’d be happy for me too)

I’m missing something, I can feel it……………oh yes – on the menu – tonight it’s soup. Escarole soup. I’ve made it a million times (ok, maybe 15) so for the recipe, click here. I’m going to add spicy sausage to the soup, since the kids don’t like pancetta. I’m also going to start my cheesecake (ummmm, cheesecake) and I’d like to make an apple tart/pie something or other. I’m still on the fence about that one. Hmmm.

Come back tomorrow for a fabulous cookie to get the holiday season rolling. Just think – Christmas is only 29 days away!

Since my husband is away (and doesn’t have internet access), I have spent most of today working on 2 surprises for him. Yes, they both involve food. I am re-doing the babka, and am experimenting with a rye bread recipe.

So tonight, I am pulling the brisket from the freezer that I made here, but I also made something special for the kids – CHOCOLATE PUDDING!

I used the recipe from the October issue of Everyday Food, halved it, and had enough for 2 nice cups for the kids, and a little quality control portion for me. It’s good – reeeaalllly good.

Double Chocolate Pudding – adapted from Everyday Food

2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa (spooned and leveled)
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups whole milk
4 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped, plus shavings

Place a fine-mesh sieve over a medium bowl; set aside. In a medium saucepan, whisk together sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt. Gradually whisk in milk, taking care to dissolve cornstarch. Whisk in egg yolks.
Whisking constantly, heat over medium until the first large bubble sputters, about 8 minutes. Reduce heat to low; cook, whisking, 1 minute. Remove from heat; immediately pour through sieve into bowl. Add butter, vanilla, and chocolate; stir until smooth.
Place plastic wrap on surface of pudding (to prevent a skin from forming); chill at least 3 hours (or up to 3 days). To serve, whisk until smooth; divide among serving cups, and garnish with shavings.

I didn’t post on the menu earlier, because I wasn’t sure what I was actually making for dinner. I was going to try a new pineapple chicken recipe, but the chicken wasn’t thawed, the kids were hungry and it was getting late (for dinner, I mean).

So I pulled out the leftovers from Sunday’s dinner – if you like barbecued beef, you MUST try this. So fast and easy to put together – just throw the ingredients in the crockpot and walk away. It doesn’t get any better than that! Minimal effort, and tons of flavor. Sounds like a commercial, doesn’t it?

The picture isn’t the greatest, but you get the idea – tender shreds of beef, beans and onions on a soft roll. It was a fantastic dish,and I am so glad we tried it! Thanks to Steph, another great dish in the slow cooker!

I’ve modified Steph’s directions to show the way I actually made it.

Crockpot Barbecue Beef and Beans -adapted from  A Year of Crockpottting

3 pound chuck roast
1 yellow onion, sliced
2 cloves chopped garlic
1 can (16.5 oz) barbecue baked beans
1/4 cup prepared barbecue sauce

Cheese and jalapenos, optional

You will need at least a 4 quart crockpot for this meal.

Spray inside of crockpot with nonstick spray. Place roast inside crockpot. Add onion and garlic. Pour beans over meat, then pour barbecue sauce over beans.

Cover and cook on low for 8-12 hours, or until meat shreds easily with a fork.

Serve on rolls, buns, rice cakes, or over rice. Add slices of your favorite cheese and sliced jalapenos.

We are in the midst of a cold front here in Vegas. Yesterday it was 57 degrees outside. And while I realize most of the country is acclimating to this type of weather, it hit us like a brick. Friday, the high temp here was 91. Then on Saturday, it rained and the high was 47.

It’s been slowly warming back up, in fact today it’s going to be a blistering 68. Yes, heavy sarcasm here.

Anyways, in celebration of this cold weather, on the menu tonight, we have:

Minestrone Soup
White Cheddar Panini

Minestrone Soup - adapted from Williams Sonoma

1/2 cup dried small white beans or 1 can (15 oz.) white beans
Salt, to taste
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 yellow onions, diced
1/2 cup diced pancetta
3 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, if large, and thinly sliced
2 celery stalks, diced
3/4 lb. tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced
5 to 6 cups water or chicken broth, or as needed
4 small new potatoes, unpeeled, diced
2 zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced
1/4 lb. green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths
2 cups chopped Swiss chard (optional)
1/4 lb. macaroni or small shells
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

To make the soup, if using dried beans, pick over and discard any misshapen beans and stones. Rinse, drain and place in a pot with water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, boil for 2 minutes, then cover, remove from the heat and let stand for 1 hour. Drain and return to the pot with fresh water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until tender, 45 to 60 minutes. Add salt during the last 10 minutes of cooking. If using canned beans, drain and rinse well.

In a large soup pot over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until softened and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes more. Add the carrots and celery and cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, just a few minutes. Add the tomatoes and enough water to cover amply. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until the tomatoes break down, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, if desired, place half of the white beans in a food processor or blender with a little of the cooking liquid or, if using canned beans, a little broth. Puree until smooth.

Add the potatoes, zucchini, green beans, white beans (including pureed, if using), Swiss chard (if using) and pasta to the pot and simmer until the vegetables and pasta are cooked, about 15 minutes. Stir often to prevent sticking. Swirl in the 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Remove from the heat, and ladle into warmed bowls and serve immediately. Pass the Parmesan at the table. Serves 4.

I had grand plans for dinner this evening – I was going to make Chicken and Dumplings. A very fancy-pants dish that takes about 3 hours to make. Really. But it’s Saturday, I had time, and I was really looking forward to it. **notice the word “was” being used**

However, after being up with Daisy half the night, and Halloween shopping with the kids today, I am too tired to even attempt it. So I’m going to a familiar standby, Beer Can Chicken. It’s easy, and I know it will come out great. Since we will be dumpling-less, I’m going to make Dorie’s Buttermilk Biscuits, and cook the sugar snap peas that I didn’t cook last night.

Oooh, last night! I forgot – I tried a new dish in the crockpot – because somehow, I ended up with a large container of spinach that was threatening to turn bad on me. If you like spinach, try this recipe. It was so good, I almost ate the whole thing myself. And I had the stomachache to prove it.

However, before I go any further, on the menu tonight, we have:

Beer Can Chicken
Buttermilk Biscuits
Sugar Snap Peas

Here’s my version of Stephanie’s spinach dish. Since I had such a large amount of spinach, I kind of doubled the sauce ingredients. Kind of, but not exactly. I also left out the nutmeg because in my world, nutmeg is only good in sweet dishes. I think I will make this as a side dish for Thanksgiving – although maybe I’d better not, unless I get a handle on self-control by then!

Crockpot Creamed Spinach -adapted from  A Year of Crockpotting

1 ½ cup milk
8 oz cream cheese
2 T butter
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 lb. fresh spinach

Pour the milk, cream cheese and butter, into crockpot–cook on high for 1 hour, stirring every now and then. When everything is hot and melted, add all of the spinach. Don’t bother to stir yet. Cover, and set to high for 20-30 minutes, or until spinach is wilted. Stir.

Buttermilk Biscuits – Dorie Greenspan – BFMHTY

2 c. all purpose flour
2 tsp sugar
1 tbs. baking powder
¾ tsp baking soda
6 tbs. butter
¾ c. buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a medium sized bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda. Add the cold butter and using a pastry blender or your fingers, quickly work the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Pour the buttermilk over the dry ingredients, and using a fork, toss and blend the ingredients until you’ve got a nice soft dough. Lightly dust a work surface with flour and turn out the dough. Pat or roll the dough until it is about ½ inch high.
Use a biscuit cutter to cut out as many biscuits as you can. Transfer the biscuits to the baking sheet. Gently press the scraps together, pat out to ½ inch thickness, and cut out as many additional biscuits as you can. Transfer these to the baking sheet. Bake for 14-18 minutes, or until they are puffed and golden brown.

I got up earlier than usual today (4:30 a.m.!!), as I have several things on my to-do list that I need to get accomplished before I pick up Daisy from the vet this morning. But it gave me extra time to get dinner prepped and get organized for the day.

So on the menu tonight, we have:

Brisket
Mashed potatoes
Sautéed sugar snap peas

I have been making this brisket for 6 years now, it is simply the best one I’ve ever made. It never fails, and everyone that tries it loves it. Leftovers freeze well, and the best part is you just put it in the oven and forget about it for several hours. Don’t be put off by the beer, it gives the gravy an unbelievable flavor and doesn’t taste “beer-ish”.

Brisket - adapted from the Food Network/Irene Wolpin

4 pounds beef brisket
1 onion, sliced
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup chili sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
5 to 6 cloves garlic
1 (12-ounce) can beer

Season meat with salt and pepper and place in a 9 by 13-inch pan, and cover with onion. Combine ketchup, chili sauce, sugar, garlic and beer and pour over meat. Cover with foil and bake at 300 degrees for 4 hours. Remove foil and bake uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove meat from pan. To make gravy, with an immersion blender or a blender blend all liquid from the pan. Cook and stir until thick. Cool meat and slice cross-grain. Lay in baking dish and reheat. Serve with gravy

I’m sitting here waiting for the vet to call, to let me know how Daisy’s surgery went. I had to drop her off at 7:30 this morning, but the surgery wasn’t scheduled until 10:30.

Waiting, waiting, waiting. I’ve already done 4 loads of laundry, washed the kitchen floor, made a trip to Costco, washed the dogs beds, picked up the kids rooms, and cleaned up the backyard. Hmm, what else can I do? Oh, wait, Sasha needs a bath!!

On the menu tonight, we have:

Pork Chops alla Pizzaiola – Giada De Laurentiis

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 (1-inch thick) bone-in pork loin center-cut chops (about 12 ounces each)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, in juice
1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes, or more to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle the pork chops with salt and pepper. Add the pork chops to the skillet and cook until they are brown and an instant-read meat thermometer inserted horizontally into the pork registers 160 degrees F, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the pork chops to a plate and tent with foil to keep them warm.Add the onion to the same skillet and saute over medium heat until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juices, herbes de Provence, and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Cover and simmer until the flavors blend and the juices thicken slightly, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Season the sauce, to taste, with salt and more red pepper flakes. Return the pork chops and any accumulated juices from the plate to the skillet and turn the pork chops to coat with the sauce.

Place 1 pork chop on each plate. Spoon the sauce over the pork chops. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve.

Sabrina chose this evening’s dinner selection – she was watching the Food Network yesterday morning and Rachael Ray was preparing stuffed chile rellenos. I actually made this dish last Superbowl Sunday, and it was a hit. So I am all too happy to make it again. But this time, I am going to try and roast the peppers myself, instead of using canned peppers. We’ll see how that turns out – the kids will have a ton of homework plus Sabrina is building the Pyramids of Giza for her Social Studies project, and she needs to spray paint them tonight. Oh what fun!

I was also hit with a bit of bad news this morning – I found out why Daisy isn’t getting any better – she has bladder stones – LOTS of stones. And this will require surgery to remove them. I needed oxygen after the technician gave me the estimate. $1,300 to be exact. Yikes! Maybe I’ll have a bake sale to raise funds? Hey, there’s an idea!!

So on the menu tonight, we have:

Charred Chile Rellenos with Green Rice

I’ll also cook taco meat for Alexander, since chile rellenos aren’t that high on his top 10 favorite foods list.

Charred Chile Rellenos with Green Rice – Rachael Ray

4 cups chicken or vegetable stock, divided
1 bay leaf
2 cups white rice
4 large poblano peppers
6 ears corn on the cob or 3 cups frozen corn kernels
3 tablespoons corn, peanut or vegetable oil, divided
1 red onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (15-ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes, drained well
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1/2 palm full
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, eyeball it in your palm
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 pound spinach leaves, deveined and coarsely chopped
4 scallions, coarsely chopped
2 limes, zested, juiced
1 cup shredded Chihuahua cheese, Asadero or Monterey Jack

Preheat broiler or grill pan to high.
Heat about 3 1/2 cups stock in a sauce pot with a bay leaf to boiling. Add rice, cover pot reduce heat to low and simmer 18 minutes until tender.
Place poblanos under broiler or on hot grill and char evenly all over, 15 minutes.
While peppers and rice are working, scrape the corn off the cobs or defrost frozen corn and dry by spreading out on clean kitchen towel. Heat 2 tablespoons light oil in a skillet over high heat. When the oil smokes or ripples add corn, onion, jalapenos and toss until the vegetables char at edges and onions are tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-high and add in garlic, fire roasted tomatoes and season with cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook another minute or 2 then turn pan off.
Place the cilantro, spinach, scallions, lime zest, half a cup of stock and a tablespoon of oil in food processor and process into coarse green paste. Stir into your rice pot in the last 3 to 4 minutes of its cooking time.
Sprinkle the lime juice over the corn mixture.
Split the charred peppers open but not in half with small sharp knife then scoop out the seeds with a small spoon. Place peppers in a shallow baking dish and stuff each split pepper with lots of the corn mix, top each pepper with 1/4 cup cheese and place back under broiler to melt and char the cheese.
Serve peppers on beds of green rice.

Taking a cue from Dianne of Dianne’s Dishes, I decided to try and cook a turkey breast in the slow cooker.

And today, I am so glad that I did – the cold/flu thing that David has had for the past week hit me like a ton of bricks yesterday. Yuck. My head feels like one of those bobble toys you see on car dashboards – if I turn too fast I’m afraid my head will roll off!

But back to the turkey – I followed Dianne’s directions and put the whole turkey breast in the slow cooker yesterday morning, and by 1:00 p.m., it was done! We are going to have it for dinner tonight, so all I have to do is warm up the turkey! Perfect!

Here is a picture from yesterday – I seasoned it with olive oil, Mrs. Dash Poultry Seasoning, and black pepper.

The only difference between this way and a conventional oven is that you don’t get the crispy browned skin on the top. But I always pull that off anyways, so it doesn’t matter to me. This way was easier, and it didn’t heat up the house!

So on the menu tonight, we have:

Roasted Turkey
Potatoes au gratin
Roasted Brussels sprouts