Sloppy Joe's = Comfort Goodness

Favorite from youth redux! Loved sloppy joe's as a kid and really wanted to make them for my daughter. Part of me being me meant that Manwhich just wasn't going to cut it. Scratch made is where it's at and here it is. I have made them with turkey, beef or buffalo and the deliciousness is quite the same:

Recipe:

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 pounds lean ground beef

1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 cup barbecue sauce

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco)

4 hamburger buns, split

Barbecue sauce, for topping

Heat oil in a large skillet with straight sides. Add the bell peppers and garlic. Saute until tender, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the ground beef to the vegetables. Stir and cook about 8 minutes, until the meat is no longer pink and fully cooked.

Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, barbecue sauce, Worcestershire, and hot sauce into the skillet. Stir. Simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Serve on hamburger bun with extra sauce.

Day Late Maybe But...

So it is that time of year and yes Hanukkah ended yesterday but I FINALLY found a recipe that I enjoy making. My issue with latkes have always been the mess and difficulty matched against the quality. FINALLY - easy, not TOO messy and delicious!

Recipe:

2	pounds Yukon Gold potatoes or russet potatoes, peeled
1	medium yellow onion , peeled and cut into eighths
1	large egg
4	medium scallions , white and green parts, minced
3	tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
2	tablespoons flour
1 1/2	teaspoons table salt
	Ground black pepper
1	cup vegetable oil for frying

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. Grate potatoes in food processor fitted with coarse shredding blade. Place half the potatoes in fine mesh sieve set over medium bowl and reserve. Fit food processor with steel blade, add onions, and pulse with remaining potatoes until all pieces measure roughly 1/8 inch and look coarsely chopped, 5 to 6 one-second pulses. Mix with reserved potato shreds in sieve and press against sieve to drain as much liquid as possible into bowl below. Let potato liquid stand until starch settles to bottom, about one minute. Pour off liquid, leaving starch in bowl. Beat egg, then potato mixture and remaining ingredients (except oil), into starch.

2. 2. Meanwhile, heat 1/4-inch depth of oil in 12-inch skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Working one at a time, place 1/4 cup potato mixture, squeezed of excess liquid and pressed into 1/2-inch thick disc, in oil. Press gently with nonstick spatula; repeat until five latkes are in pan.

3. 3. Maintaining heat so fat bubbles around latke edges, fry until golden brown on bottom and edges, about three minutes. Turn with spatula and continue frying until golden brown all over, about three minutes more. Drain on a triple thickness of paper towels set on wire rack over a jelly roll pan. Repeat with remaining potato mixture, returning oil to temperature between each batch and replacing oil after every second batch. (Cooled latkes can be covered loosely with plastic wrap, held at room temperature for 4 hours, transferred to a heated cookie sheet and baked in a 375-degree oven, until crisp and hot, about 5 minutes per side. Or, they can be frozen on cookie sheet, transferred to zipper-lock freezer bag, frozen, and reheated in a 375-degree oven until crisp and hot, about 8 minutes per side). Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

Birthday Dinner

My wife had the choice of anything for dinner tonight (her birthday), what did she choose? Waffles. Makes me smile that the simple things like breakfast for dinner are the things she loves most. Here's the recipe:

The secret to great waffles is a thick batter, so don’t expect to pour this one. Make toaster waffles out of leftover batter—undercook the waffles a bit, cool them on a wire rack, wrap them in plastic wrap and freeze. Pop them into the toaster for a quick breakfast.

1	cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1	tablespoon cornmeal (optional)
1/2	teaspoon table salt
1	teaspoon baking soda
1	egg , separated
7/8	cup buttermilk
2	tablespoons unsalted butter , melted

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat waffle iron. Whisk dry ingredients together in a medium bowl. Whisk yolk with buttermilk and butter.
2. Beat egg white until it just holds a 2-inch peak.
3. Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients in a thin steady stream while gently mixing with a rubber spatula; be careful not to add liquid faster than you can incorporate it. Toward end of mixing, use a folding motion to incorporate ingredients; gently fold egg white into batter.
4. Spread appropriate amount of batter onto waffle iron. Following manufacturer’s instructions, cook waffle until golden brown, 2 to 5 minutes. Serve immediately. (You can keep waffles warm on a wire rack in a 200-degree oven for up to 5 minutes.)

SurPies- Pumpkin

Traditional but delicious. Fave of my wife and daughter. New recipe:

PUMPKIN PIE

Makes one 9-inch pie. Published November 1, 2008. From Cook's Illustrated.

If candied yams are unavailable, regular canned yams can be substituted. The best way to judge doneness is with an instant-read thermometer. The center 2 inches of the pie should look firm but jiggle slightly. The pie finishes cooking with residual heat; to ensure that the filling sets, cool it at room temperature and not in the refrigerator. To ensure accurate cooking times and a crisp crust, the filling should be added to the prebaked crust when both the crust and filling are warm. Serve at room temperature with whipped cream. Vodka is essential to the texture of the crust and imparts no flavor; do not substitute.

INGREDIENTS

Crust
1 1/4	cups unbleached all-purpose flour (6 1/4 ounces)
1/2	teaspoon table salt
1	tablespoon sugar
6	tablespoons (3/4 stick) cold unsalted butter , cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/4	cup vegetable shortening , cold, cut into two pieces
2	tablespoons vodka , cold (see note)
2	tablespoons cold water
Filling
1	cup heavy cream
1	cup whole milk
3	large eggs plus 2 large yolks
1	teaspoon vanilla extract
1	(15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
1	cup drained candied yams from 15-ounce can (see note)
3/4	cup sugar
1/4	cup maple syrup
2	teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1/2	teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4	teaspoon ground nutmeg
1	teaspoon table salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. For the Crust: Process 3/4 cup flour, salt, and sugar in food processor until combined, about two 1-second pulses. Add butter and shortening and process until homogenous dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps, about 10 seconds; dough will resemble cottage cheese curds with some very small pieces of butter remaining, but there should be no uncoated flour. Scrape bowl with rubber spatula and redistribute dough evenly around processor blade. Add remaining 1/2 cup flour and pulse until mixture is evenly distributed around bowl and mass of dough has been broken up, 4 to 6 quick pulses. Empty mixture into medium bowl.

2. 2. Sprinkle vodka and water over mixture. With rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix, pressing down on dough until dough is slightly tacky and sticks together. Flatten dough into 4-inch disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days.

3. 3. Adjust oven rack to lowest position, place rimmed baking sheet on rack, and heat oven to 400 degrees. Remove dough from refrigerator and roll out on generously floured (up to 1/4 cup) work surface to 12-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. Roll dough loosely around rolling pin and unroll into pie plate, leaving at least 1-inch overhang on each side. Working around circumference, ease dough into plate by gently lifting edge of dough with one hand while pressing into plate bottom with other hand. Refrigerate 15 minutes.

4. 4. Trim overhang to 1/2 inch beyond lip of pie plate. Fold overhang under itself; folded edge should be flush with edge of pie plate. Using thumb and forefinger, flute edge of dough. Refrigerate dough-lined plate until firm, about 15 minutes.

5. 5. Remove pie pan from refrigerator, line crust with foil, and fill with pie weights or pennies. Bake on rimmed baking sheet 15 minutes. Remove foil and weights, rotate plate, and bake 5 to 10 additional minutes until crust is golden brown and crisp. Remove pie plate and baking sheet from oven.

6. 6. For the Filling: While pie shell is baking, whisk cream, milk, eggs, yolks, and vanilla together in medium bowl. Combine pumpkin puree, yams, sugar, maple syrup, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in large heavy-bottomed saucepan; bring to sputtering simmer over medium heat, 5 to 7 minutes. Continue to simmer pumpkin mixture, stirring constantly and mashing yams against sides of pot, until thick and shiny, 10 to 15 minutes.

7. 7. Remove pan from heat and whisk in cream mixture until fully incorporated. Strain mixture through fine-mesh strainer set over medium bowl, using back of ladle or spatula to press solids through strainer. Rewhisk mixture and transfer to warm prebaked pie shell. Return pie plate with baking sheet to oven and bake pie for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 300 degrees and continue baking until edges of pie are set (instant-read thermometer inserted in center registers 175 degrees), 20 to 35 minutes longer. Transfer pie to wire rack and cool to room temperature, 2 to 3 hours. Cut into wedges and serve.

Pie Charting Pt III - Apple

So I always make an apple pie (every year) and look for fun and different recipes. A favorite is a cranberry ribbon pie but this year I want to try to make a single crust pie with a streusel top.

Apple Pie with Walnut Streusel

Gourmet | January 1996

For topping: 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1/4 cup chopped walnuts For filling: 3 pounds Golden Delicious or Jonagold apples (about 6 medium) 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1/4 cup granulated sugar 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon 2 tablespoons milk 1 tablespoon granulated sugar To make topping: In a small bowl with your fingertips blend butter, brown sugar, and flour until smooth and blend in nuts. Chill topping, covered. To make filling: Peel and core apples. Cut apples into 1/2-inch wedges and in a bowl toss with remaining filling ingredients to coat. Preheat oven to 350°F. On a lightly floured surface roll out dough into a 15-inch round (about 1/8 inch thick) and fold into quarters for ease of handling. Unfold dough in a well-seasoned 10-inch cast-iron skillet or 10-inch deep-dish (1 1/2-quart) pie plate, easing to fit and letting dough overhang rim of skillet or pie plate. Spoon filling into shell and fold pastry overhang over filling, leaving center uncovered. Bake pie in middle of oven 1 hour (pie will not be completely cooked) and remove from oven. Crumble topping over center of pie, breaking up any large chunks. Brush crust with milk and sprinkle with sugar. Bake pie in middle of oven 30 minutes more, or until crust is golden and filling is bubbling. Cool pie on a rack. Serve pie warm or at room temperature with ice cream.

History of Pies Pt II - Chocolate S'more Pie

This recipe intrigued me as it involved the making of my own marshmallow cream. I have made marshmallows before and have always enjoyed making it.

Chocolate S'more Pie

Gourmet | November 2006

It's impossible to go wrong with layers of graham, chocolate, and marshmallow. Broiling the gooey top creates an irresistible golden crown that crackles each time the pie is sliced. Yield: Makes 8 servings Active Time: 45 min Total Time: 7 hr For crust 1 graham cracker crumb crust , baked and cooled completely For chocolate cream filling 7 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not more than 70% cacao; not unsweetened), finely chopped 1 cup heavy cream 1 large egg, at room temperature for 30 minutes For marshmallow topping 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin (from a 1/4-ounce package) 1/2 cup cold water 3/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup light corn syrup 1/2 teaspoon vanilla Vegetable oil for greasing Special equipment: a candy thermometer Make chocolate cream filling: Make graham cracker crumb crust and reserve. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Put chocolate in a large bowl. Bring cream just to a boil in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan, then pour hot cream over chocolate. Let stand 1 minute, then gently whisk until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Gently whisk in egg and a pinch of salt until combined and pour into graham cracker crumb crust (crust will be about half full). Cover edge of pie with a pie shield or foil and bake until filling is softly set and trembles slightly in center when gently shaken, about 25 minutes. Cool pie to room temperature on a rack (filling will firm as it cools), about 1 hour. Make marshmallow topping: Sprinkle gelatin over 1/4 cup cold water in a large deep heatproof bowl and let stand until softened, about 1 minute. Stir together sugar, corn syrup, a pinch of salt, and remaining 1/4 cup water in cleaned 1- to 1 1/4-quart heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then boil until thermometer registers 260°F, about 6 minutes. Begin beating water and gelatin mixture with an electric mixer at medium speed, then carefully pour in hot syrup in a slow stream, beating (avoid beaters and side of bowl). When all of syrup is added, increase speed to high and continue beating until mixture is tripled in volume and very thick, about 5 minutes. Add vanilla and beat until combined, then immediately spoon topping onto center of pie filling; it will slowly spread to cover top of pie. Chill, uncovered, 1 hour, then cover loosely with lightly oiled plastic wrap (oiled side down) and chill 3 hours more. Brown topping: Preheat broiler. Transfer pie to a baking sheet. Cover edge of pie with pie shield or foil and broil 3 to 4 inches from heat, rotating pie as necessary, until marshmallow topping is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Cool pie on a rack 10 minutes. Slice pie with a large heavy knife dipped in hot water and then dried with a towel before cutting each slice.

Pie Time USA - Crust

So it is that time of year and I am about to start baking me some pies. What follows are the recipes for the 3 pies I am making this year and the crust that I have made each year for the past 3. Easiest and flakiest crust ever.

This crust is a breeze because it uses vodka as part of the liquid which makes the dough pliable but doesn't make it gummy on baking.

odka is essential to the texture of the crust and imparts no flavor—do not substitute. This dough will be moister and more supple than most standard pie doughs and will require more flour to roll out (up to 1/4 cup).

For one 9-inch Single-Crust Pie

1 1/4	cups unbleached all-purpose flour (6 1/4 ounces)
1/2	teaspoon table salt
1	tablespoon sugar
6	tablespoons cold unsalted butter (3/4 stick), cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/4	cup chilled solid vegetable shortening , cut into 2 pieces
2	tablespoons vodka , cold
2	tablespoons cold water

1. Process 3/4 cups flour, salt, and sugar together in food processor until combined, about 2 one-second pulses. Add butter and shortening and process until homogenous dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps, about 10 seconds (dough will resemble cottage cheese curds with some very small pieces of butter remaining, but there should be no uncoated flour). Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl with rubber spatula and redistribute dough evenly around processor blade. Add remaining 1/2 cup flour and pulse until mixture is evenly distributed around bowl and mass of dough has been broken up, 4 to 6 quick pulses. Empty mixture into medium bowl.

2. Sprinkle vodka and water over mixture. With rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix, pressing down on dough until dough is slightly tacky and sticks together. Flatten dough into 4-inch disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days.

3. Adjust oven rack to lowest position, place rimmed baking sheet on oven rack, and heat oven to 425 degrees. Remove dough from refrigerator and roll out on generously floured (up to ¼ cup) work surface to 12-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. Roll dough loosely around rolling pin and unroll into pie plate, leaving at least 1-inch overhang on each side. Working around circumference, ease dough into plate by gently lifting edge of dough with one hand while pressing into plate bottom with other hand. Leave overhanging dough in place; refrigerate until dough is firm, about 30 minutes.

4. Trim overhang to ½ inch beyond lip of pie plate. Fold overhang under itself; folded edge should be flush with edge of pie plate. Flute dough or press the tines of a fork against dough to flatten it against rim of pie plate. Refrigerate dough-lined plate until firm, about 15 minutes.

If going to blind bake:
5. Remove pie pan from refrigerator, line crust with foil, and fill with pie weights or pennies. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil and weights, rotate plate, and bake for 5 to 10 minutes additional minutes until crust is golden brown and crisp.

Cookies Aren't the Only Things That Start With C

So it has been a bit of a time since I have posted any recipes so here you get 2 more of our family favorites (with stories).

First story and recipe:

The Cookies!!!! - Described by some as "The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies"

This is a recipe I have made somewhere around 1000 times (I am not entirely sure that is even an exaggeration). The recipe comes from the first cookbook I ever owned (I now own over 150) - The Betty Crocker Cookbook. I first started making this cookies in 1992 when I shared an apartment with my friend Dan. They received raves and I have used them as my staple cookie recipe since. There is a bit of an art to them and one of the measurements is haphazardly guessed but they are great.

Heat oven to 375 degrees

Ingredient List:

2 sticks butter softened (I really only keep them out for about 30 minutes at most and often forget to soften them at all - I like cold fat)

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup sugar

1 large egg

2.25 cup all purpose flour (I use the measuring cup straight so in baking terms I end up with a touch more flour than the recipe really calls for but it works)

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

~2 or so cups of chocolate chips (this is where it is art I guess. I have NEVER measured out the chips for the recipe, the recipe itself actually only calls for 1 cup. I actually use a lot, I mean a lot a lot!, basically the dough is at a point where it still binds but has a boat load of chips in it - confused yet?)

Steps:

- cream butter and sugars in mixer until smooth

- add egg and mix until incorporated

- sift remaining dry ingredients and add a bit (1/3) at a time until fully incorporated

- add chocolate chips and mix

- I then use a scoop about 1.25 tbspish and scoop all the cookies out onto sheets

- I then hand roll each of the cookies into a perfectish ball and place them on the sheets to cook

- bake until done (between 8 and 10 minutes but will depend on oven)

- remove from oven and cool

- Enjoy!

Recipe #2 and Story #2:

When the wife and I first started shacking up she came with this recipe. Originally the recipe called for meat and Kahlua. Keeping a kosher household and not having a bottle of Kahlua on hand I made a couple of adjustments. This is a recipe that I use and make often (freezes great). Definitely something that I make for parties (ALL parties).

Ingredients:

2 onions - diced

1 green or red or yellow pepper - also diced

2 tbsp oil

1 can (28oz) diced tomatoes - drained

1 can corn - drained

1 can black beans - drained

1 can kidney beans - drained

2tbsp tomato paste

3 tbsp chili powder (cut amount in third for kid friendly)

1 tsp cumin (cut amount in third for kid friendly)

1 tsp cayenne pepper (cut amount in third for kid friendly)

2 tsp oregano

2 tsp salt

- Sweat down onions and pepper.

- add rest of ingredients and bring to boil

- simmer for 30 minutes or so - works great in slow cooker

- enjoy!

Rainy Day Foods

Not just because it's raining but more because it is good. So here is the rainy day cure... Tomato soup...

CREAMLESS CREAMY TOMATO SOUP

Serves 6 to 8. Published September 1, 2008. From Cook's Illustrated.

If half of the soup fills your blender by more than two-thirds, process the soup in three batches. You can also use an immersion blender to process the soup directly in the pot. For an even smoother soup, pass the pureed mixture through a fine-mesh strainer before stirring in the chicken broth in step 2. Serve this soup with Grilled Cheese Sandwiches for a Crowd or topped with Butter Croutons (see related recipes).

INGREDIENTS

1/4	cup extra virgin olive oil , plus more for drizzling
1	medium onion , chopped medium (about 1 cup)
3	medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
	Pinch hot red pepper flakes (optional)
1	bay leaf
2	(28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes packed in juice
1	tablespoon brown sugar
3	large slices good-quality sandwich bread , crusts removed, torn into 1-inch pieces
2	cups low-sodium chicken broth
2	tablespoons brandy (optional)
1/4	cup chopped fresh chives

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion, garlic, red pepper flakes (if using), and bay leaf. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and their juice. Using potato masher, mash until no pieces bigger than 2 inches remain. Stir in sugar and bread; bring soup to boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until bread is completely saturated and starts to break down, about 5 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaf.

2. 2. Transfer half of soup to blender. Add 1 tablespoon oil and process until soup is smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to large bowl and repeat with remaining soup and oil. Rinse out Dutch oven and return soup to pot. Stir in chicken broth and brandy (if using). Return soup to boil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve soup in individual bowls. Sprinkle each portion with pepper and chives and drizzle with olive oil.

Absolute Favorite Dinner

My daughter just turned 6.5 and my wife is BIG on celebrating the half birthdays.  With this being said it was decided that daughter got her favorite dinner (which oddly enough is my wife's favorite too).  Chocolate Chip Pancakes.

Couple of hints and tricks with pancakes:

1) leave the batter lumpy - if you over mix it you will create gluten and destroy the fluffy and create chewy pancakes.  Just get all the dry incorporated and you are good to go, the lumps cook out.

2) when adding stuff (chocolate chips, berries etc...) do it after you have ladled the batter onto the pan by sprinkling them onto the pancakes.

Recipe:

Makes sixteen 4-inch pancakes; Serves 4 to 6.   Published July 1, 2009. From Cook's Illustrated.

The pancakes can be cooked on an electric griddle. Set the griddle temperature to 350 degrees and cook as directed. The test kitchen prefers a lower-protein all-purpose flour like Gold Medal or Pillsbury. If you use an all-purpose flour with a higher protein content, like King Arthur, you will need to add an extra tablespoon or two of buttermilk.

INGREDIENTS

2	cups unbleached all-purpose flour (10 ounces) (see note)
2	tablespoons sugar
1/2	teaspoon table salt
1	teaspoon baking powder
1/2	teaspoon baking soda
2	cups buttermilk
1/4	cup sour cream
2	large eggs
3	tablespoon unsalted butter , melted and cooled slightly
1 - 2	teaspoons vegetable oil

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Spray wire rack set inside baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray; place in oven. Whisk flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together in medium bowl. In second medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, sour cream, eggs, and melted butter. Make well in center of dry ingredients and pour in wet ingredients; gently stir until just combined (batter should remain lumpy with few streaks of flour). Do not overmix. Allow batter to sit 10 minutes before cooking.

2. 2. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Using paper towels, carefully wipe out oil, leaving thin film of oil on bottom and sides of pan. Using ¼ cup measure, portion batter into pan in 4 places. Cook until edges are set, first side is golden brown, and bubbles on surface are just beginning to break, 2 to 3 minutes. Using thin, wide spatula, flip pancakes and continue to cook until second side is golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Serve pancakes immediately, or transfer to wire rack in preheated oven. Repeat with remaining batter, using remaining oil as necessary.

Whatchu talkin' 'bout Fool?

Summer means berries. Dessert means yummy berries. Found a great recipe on the Cook's Illustrated for a berry fool. Had no idea what the heck a fool was but it is basically berries, whipped cream, and berries. Turned out super yummy!

Recipe:

Blueberries or blackberries can be substituted for raspberries in this recipe. You may also substitute frozen fruit for fresh, but there will be a slight compromise in texture. If using frozen fruit, reduce the amount of sugar in the puree by 1 tablespoon. The thickened fruit puree can be made up to 4 hours in advance; just make sure to whisk it well in step 4 to break up any clumps before combining it with the whipped cream. For the best results, chill your beater and bowl before whipping the cream. We like the granular texture and nutty flavor of Carr’s Whole Wheat Crackers, but graham crackers or gingersnaps will also work.

INGREDIENTS

2	quarts strawberries (about 2 pounds), washed, dried, and stemmed
1	pint raspberries (about 12 ounces), washed and dried (see note)
1/2	cup plus 4 tablespoons sugar
2	teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin
1	cup heavy cream
1/4	cup sour cream
1/2	teaspoon vanilla extract
4	Carr's Whole Wheat Crackers , finely crushed (about 1/4 cup) see note
6	sprigs fresh mint leaves (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. Process 1 quart strawberries, 1/2 pint raspberries, and 1/2 cup sugar in food processor until mixture is completely smooth, about 1 minute. Strain berry puree through fine-mesh strainer into 4-cup liquid measuring cup (you should have 2 1/2 cups puree; reserve any excess for another use). Transfer 1/2 cup puree to small bowl and sprinkle gelatin over top; stir until gelatin is incorporated and let stand at least 5 minutes. Heat remaining 2 cups puree in small saucepan over medium heat until it begins to bubble, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in gelatin mixture until dissolved. Transfer gelatin-puree mixture to medium bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours.

2. 2. Meanwhile, chop remaining 1 quart strawberries into rough 1/4-inch pieces. Toss strawberries, remaining 1/2 pint raspberries, and 2 tablespoons sugar together in medium bowl. Set aside for 1 hour.

3. 3. Place cream, sour cream, vanilla, and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in chilled bowl of stand mixer. Beat on low speed until bubbles form, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium and continue beating until beaters leave trail, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to high; continue beating until mixture has nearly doubled in volume and holds stiff peaks, about 30 seconds. Transfer 1/3 cup whipped-cream mixture to small bowl and set aside.

4. 4. Remove thickened berry puree from refrigerator and whisk until smooth. With mixer running at medium speed, slowly add two-thirds of puree to whipped-cream mixture; mix until incorporated, about 15 seconds. Using spatula, gently fold in remaining thickened puree, leaving streaks of puree.

5. 5. Transfer uncooked berries to fine-mesh strainer; shake gently to remove any excess juice. Divide two-thirds of berries evenly among 6 tall parfait or sundae glasses. Divide creamy berry mixture evenly among glasses, followed by remaining uncooked berries. Top each glass with reserved plain whipped-cream mixture. Sprinkle with crushed crackers and garnish with mint sprigs, if using. Serve immediately.

My Favorite Flavor

My favorite flavor happens to be caramel and more specifically SALTED caramel. Last week I was watching the food network this guy made a simple salted caramel. So I decided to replicate it as best I could to assist in sautéing some bananas to top the dutch baby pancakes we had for dinner tonight.

Recipe:

4 tbsp unsalted butter

1/3-1/2 cup sugar

2 tbsp heavy cream

2 tsp kosher salt

3 bananas - sliced thick

1) melt butter in pan until bubbles subside at medium

2) add sugar and heat until it begins to brown (you will be able to tell by color and smell that it is getting close)

3) add salt

4) reduce heat to med-low and add cream (it will bubble aggressively so don't be freaked) whisking constantly until incorporated

5) add bananas and cook until softened and heated through

enjoy!

Daughter's 2nd Fave Dinner

For the longest time I hated, loathed, and despised eggplant. Part of my year of change (before I turn 40) I had made the decision to start trying foods I didn't like. On the list of things I didn't like but now like, if not love are: eggplant, squash of any kind, goat cheese among others...

The dinner tonight which has fast become daughter's 2nd fave meal was eggplant parm. Really yummy, a touch complicated, but makes a wonderful dinner.

EGGPLANT PARMESAN

Use kosher salt when salting the eggplant. The coarse grains don't dissolve as readily as the fine grains of regular table salt, so any excess can be easily wiped away. To be time-efficient, use the 30 to 45 minutes during which the salted eggplant sits to prepare the breading, cheeses, and sauce.

INGREDIENTS

Eggplant
2	pounds globe eggplant (2 medium eggplants), cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
1	tablespoon kosher salt
8	slices high-quality white bread (about 8 ounces), torn into quarters
1	cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 ounces)
	Table salt and ground black pepper
1	cup unbleached all-purpose flour
4	large eggs
6	tablespoons vegetable oil
Tomato Sauce
	3 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) diced tomatoes
2	tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4	medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 generous tablespoon)
1/4	teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2	cup fresh basil leaves chopped
	Table salt and ground black pepper
8	ounces whole milk mozzarella or part-skim mozzarella, shredded (2 cups)
1/2	cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 ounce)
10	fresh basil leaves torn, for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. FOR THE EGGPLANT: Toss half of eggplant slices and 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt in large bowl until combined; transfer salted eggplant to large colander set over bowl. Repeat with remaining eggplant and kosher salt, placing second batch in colander on top of first. Let stand until eggplant releases about 2 tablespoons liquid, 30 to 45 minutes. Arrange eggplant slices on triple layer paper towels; cover with another triple layer paper towels. Firmly press each slice to remove as much liquid as possible, then wipe off excess salt.

2. 2. While eggplant is draining, adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions, place rimmed baking sheet on each rack, and heat oven to 425 degrees. Pulse bread in food processor to fine, even crumbs, about fifteen 1-second pulses (you should have about 4 cups). Transfer crumbs to pie plate and stir in 1 cup Parmesan, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; set aside. Wipe out bowl (do not wash) and set aside.

3. 3. Combine flour and 1 teaspoon pepper in large zipper-lock bag; shake to combine. Beat eggs in second pie plate. Place 8 to 10 eggplant slices in bag with flour; seal bag and shake to coat eggplant. Remove eggplant slices, shaking off excess flour, dip in eggs, let excess egg run off, then coat evenly with bread crumb mixture; set breaded slices on wire rack set over baking sheet. Repeat with remaining eggplant.

4. 4. Remove preheated baking sheets from oven; add 3 tablespoons oil to each sheet, tilting to coat evenly with oil. Place half of breaded eggplant on each sheet in single layer; bake until eggplant is well browned and crisp, about 30 minutes, switching and rotating baking sheets after 10 minutes, and flipping eggplant slices with wide spatula after 20 minutes. Do not turn off oven.

5. 5. FOR THE SAUCE: While eggplant bakes, process 2 cans diced tomatoes in food processor until almost smooth, about 5 seconds. Heat olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes in large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and garlic is light golden, about 3 minutes; stir in processed and remaining can of diced tomatoes. Bring sauce to boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and reduced, about 15 minutes (you should have about 4 cups). Stir in basil and season to taste with salt and pepper.

6. 6. TO ASSEMBLE: Spread 1 cup tomato sauce in bottom of 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Layer in half of eggplant slices, overlapping slices to fit; distribute 1 cup sauce over eggplant; sprinkle with half of mozzarella. Layer in remaining eggplant and dot with 1 cup sauce, leaving majority of eggplant exposed so it will remain crisp; sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan and remaining mozzarella. Bake until bubbling and cheese is browned, 13 to 15 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; scatter basil over top, and serve, passing remaining tomato sauce separately.

Jam Day 2009 - Pt. 2

So we are in the heart of the summer and it is certainly the peak of the fruit season. Jam Day '09 Part 1 we (daughter and I) 9 batches of jam (4 raspberry, 5 strawberry), the plan for today was apricots (amazing pickings from local farmer's market) and figs (also from farmer's market). Today I am tried recipes with less sugar and no added pectin. Hoping the jam sets. :)

So 5 total batches today and 3 different types of jam with recipes below:

Fig Jam:

2lbs chopped ripe figs

1/2 cup water

3 cups sugar

Combine all ingredients and heat until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to medium high and boil jam for about 10 minutes stirring until thick. Pour into heated/sterilized jars and pasteurize for 10 minutes in boiling water bath.

Apricot Jam:

3lbs ripe apricots

1/2 cup water

6 cups sugar (more than I would have wanted to use but figure it is a preservative... at least that is what I tell myself)

2 tbsp lemon juice

1) cut apricots into about 8 pieces each

2) in pan combine apricots and water and simmer fruit covered for 20 minutes

3) remove from heat and add sugar and lemon juice

4) return to heat and heat at medium until sugar is dissolved, raise heat and boil until jam mounds in chilled dish

5) ladle jam into heated/sterilized jars and pasteurize for 10 minutes in boiling water bath.

Apricot Pineapple Jam:

1.5 lb apricots pitted and diced

1 lb peeled cored and chopped pineapple (2 cups with juice)

1/2 cup lemon juice (reserve the seeds and pulp)

4.5 cups sugar

1) combine apricots and pineapple, place seeds and pulp in spice bag (or cheesecloth) and add to pan. Cook over medium heat covered for 10 minutes.

2) remove from heat and add lemon jice and sugar. Return to heat and heat over medium heat until sugar dissolved.

3) raise heat to med-high and bring to boil until drop of jam mounds in chilled dish (10 or so minutes)

4) remove pan from heat and remove spice bag. Ladle jam into heated/sterilized jars and pasteurize for 10 minutes in boiling water bath.

Ta Da!

Dutch Baby

In our house we enjoy breakfast for dinner very often. One of the many things we enjoy are pancakes in 2 varieties (the title of the entry gave away one of them): dutch baby, and buttermilk. Tonight's offering were the dutch baby variety. So easy, so yummy... I usually make 2 of these for our family but that allows/gives us 1 extra to keep for leftover breakfasts.

Recipe:

1 cup milk

4 eggs at room temp

1 cup flour

1/2 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 425. Mix all ingredients together until all dry are moist but still lumpy. Heat 1 tbsp butter in 12" skillet. When butter is melted pour in wet ingredients. Allow to cook for 1 minute on stovetop. Place skillet in oven and cook for approx 15 minutes. Enjoy with powdered sugar, or jam, or plain ole syrup.

Salmon Cakes

So tonight was another staple/family favorite meal, salmon cakes. Made similarly to crab cakes (I would assume since I haven't ever actually ever made it). The cakes are pretty easy to do but reasonably labor intensive (lots of steps) but well worth the effort. Enjoy:

PAN-FRIED FRESH SALMON CAKES

From Cook's Illustrated.

A big wedge of lemon is the simplest accompaniment to salmon cakes, but if you decide to go with dipping sauce, make it before preparing the cakes so the sauce flavors have time to meld. If possible, use panko (Japanese bread crumbs).

INGREDIENTS

1 1/4	pounds salmon fillet
1	slice white sandwich bread , such as Pepperidge Farm, crusts removed and white part chopped very fine (about 5 tablespoons)
2	tablespoons mayonnaise
1/4	cup grated onion
2	tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
3/4	teaspoon table salt
1 1/2	tablespoons lemon juice from 1 lemon
1/2	cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2	large eggs , lightly beaten
1/2	cup vegetable oil , plus 1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil
3/4	cup fine, unflavored dried bread crumbs , preferably panko

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. Locate and remove any pin bones from salmon flesh, (see related Quick Tip). Using sharp knife, cut flesh off skin, then discard skin. Chop salmon flesh into 1/4- to 1/3-inch pieces and mix with chopped bread, mayonnaise, onion, parsley, salt, and lemon juice in medium bowl. Scoop a generous 1/4-cup portion salmon mixture from bowl and use hands to form into a patty measuring roughly 2 1/2-inches in diameter and 3/4-inch thick; place on parchment-lined baking sheet and repeat with remaining salmon mixture until you have 8 patties. Place patties in freezer until surface moisture has evaporated, about 15 minutes.
2. 2. Meanwhile, spread flour in pie plate or shallow baking dish. Beat eggs with 1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil and 1 1/2 teaspoons water in second pie plate or shallow baking dish, and spread bread crumbs in a third. Dip chilled salmon patties in flour to cover; shake off excess. Transfer to beaten egg and, using slotted spatula, turn to coat; let excess drip off. Transfer to bread crumbs; shake pan to coat patties completely. Return now-breaded patties to baking sheet.
3. 3. Heat remaining 1/2 cup vegetable oil in large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking, about 3 minutes; add salmon patties and cook until medium golden brown, about 2 minutes. Flip cakes over and continue cooking until medium golden brown on second side, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer cakes to plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil on surface, if desired, about 30 seconds, and then serve immediately, with one of the sauces that follow, if you like.

TECHNIQUE

Salmon Size

Chop the fish by hand into 1/4- to 1/3-inch pieces. It is easy to do and provides a wider margin of error than the food processor, which can turn the fish into mush in an instant.

Cheesy Pancakes aka Blintzes

An old family recipe that I enjoy making from time to time is our family's version of a cheese blintz. Really it is just as described in the title, a cheesy pancake. These things are a big hit with the daughter and taste great with things such as: applesauce, sour cream or jam on top. Yum.

The recipe:

1/2 lb of farmers (hoop) cheese - you can get this cheese at Whole Foods

1 egg

1/2 cup flour

2 tbs

p sugar

Mix all things together and then:

I use a griddle (electric, turned up to about 375 degrees).

Scoop table spoon out onto well buttered griddle (I slather the griddle between each batch with a stick of butter, not the entire stick each time to be clear, to ensure lots of buttery goodness). An electric griddle can easily hold 12 at a time.

Once all 12 are scooped onto griddle, flip them all.

Once flipped smoosh (highly technical term, also note that you should flip ALL of them prior to starting to smoosh them) them down so they are about 1/4" thick.

Allow to cook a bit until browned on bottom then flip again. Allow uncooked part time to brown then serve.

These things are great cold, heated, breakfast, lunch and dinner. You name it. It is very easy to double, triple or even make a 6x or 8x batch (I just made a 6x with 3lbs of cheese).

Enjoy!

No food only tech... Drucker's new toy.

In my never ending search for newer and nerdier technology and the desire to have a nice small point and shoot for our upcoming trip to Hawai'i I started compact camera shopping.

Those that know me, know that I like new, bright and shiny things. I got a Flip MinoHD a while ago and have been pretty happy with the quality of the video it takes. I have been less than trilled with the lack of a good zoom, and the lack of image stabilization (although the new iMovie with the software based stabilization has helped). But again in general it has been a good camera for me to use for all of the family videos I have had to take

since I purchased it.

So where does this leave the hero in this story (aka me)? Oh yeah, searching for a good point and shoot camera to take to Hawai'i. In my research I found a great little Sony camera, and when I say little I mean TINY (smaller than a deck of cards). The one I wanted was discontinued and I noted that the new version now has 720p video capture capabilities (same as the Flip). This camera ALSO has image stabilization, a better zoom, better optics and a stereo mic. Wow I said. So I did some Druck'enomics and found that I could sell my existing flip and one other piece of tech I was no longer using (thanks eBay) and bout this:

It is the Sony DSC-T900 (sounds like a Terminator villain). The camera is light, has video, picture quality and response are decent (for a point and shoot, not as good as my primary SLR), and because memory is so darn cheap now it has 16GB of memory (which is plenty for taking on vacation and taking a gazillion photos and still having room for quite a bit of video too).

I will report back on how it works for me in Hawai'i but I am really stoked based on what I have experienced thus far. Yay me.

Pizza Party Drucker Style

Tonight is pizza night in the Drucker household.  About 1/2 the time that means we order out and the other 1/2 is us making it ourselves which is a lot of fun.  Daughter loves helping: roll the dough, dress the dough with sauce, cheese and toppings (her fave is black olive and pineapple, not a terrible combo actually) and then enjoys eating the fruits of her labors.

I made the pizza dough noted in my previous blog

post (

again using some amazing 160 year old sourdough starter that works great as a yeast replacement).  To do the pizzas it is pretty easy:

1) make the dough

2) let the dough rise (overnight is always best for flavor, especially when using sourdough)

3) prepare the dough for the pizza (roll, toss, get it into a pizza shape/thickness)

4) preheat the oven to a SUPER hot temp.  Generally I crank mine up to 500 degrees

5) dress the dough:

• don't go SUPER heavy on sauce, just makes it too soggy/tomato-e
• I generally place toppings UNDER the cheese so add toppings 2nd
• go light on the cheese as when it melts it spreads
• generally if using mushrooms or peppers or onions I pre-sautee them to add to the overall flavor profile

6) cook them and watch as they cook to ensure they are done.  I have a convective oven so I cook 2 at once usually and alternate positions in the oven 1/2 way (move the top to the bottom)

7) enjoy

Before:

After:

Tonight's menu is: daughter's fave, and a sauteed mushroom, caramelized onion, with fresh mozzarella.  Yum.  Pictures to follow.