Insalata di Cantalopo

I like to read cookbooks in bed before I go to sleep. I mull over recipes to try, and the descriptive essays offer a buzzy account of how I imagine I’d live my life if I had that kind of money and long weekends in the renovated farmhouse in Winchester. But cookbooks can edge over into annoying when the writer asserts an Artistic Approach to Life. Case in point with Marlena de Blasi’s A Taste of Southern Italy (1999), which features recipes for wittingly earthy fare like “Suckling Lamb Braised in Milk” and “Honeyed Wild Rabbit with Spiced Chestnuts.” I cribbed her recipe for cantaloupe and fig salad, but skipped her Biblical directive to “drop olive oil in tears over the figs.” Aside from the fact that oil of any kind would be gross on fruit, that kind of poetic writing just gets in the way of the food. So let’s fix this salad and serve it with some goat cheese and crackers for lunch. Invite a friend. That’s art enough.

4 to 6 fresh Mission figs
½ of a large ripe cantaloupe or a whole small one
10-12 mint leaves
Juice from ¼ of a fresh lemon
2 Tablespoons olive oil (Optional)

Slice the melon into long wedges about ½” thick and arrange on a large pretty plate. Cut the figs in half and arrange over the melon. Roughly tear the mint leaves and scatter them over the fruit, then squeeze the lemon quarter overall.

De Blasi suggests pairing the salad with Moscato, a heavy sweet white wine. But I prefer pinot grigio or strong iced back tea.

Peach and Proscuitto Salad

This summer I've been experimenting with sweet and savory salad combinations, and this peach and proscuitto salad tastes positively Baroque. Suitably, the recipe uses hefty Italian ingredients like rich balsamic vinegar, dull-yet-sweet fresh mozzarella and plenty of olive oil. Depending on what’s in season you can substitute peaches with substantial late summer fruits like nectarines, plums or figs.

The salad hits all the nutrition high notes. Serve with a sour dough wheat bread to make dinner or a Sunday lunch.

Adapted from Alisa Barry’s La Bella Vita (2003)

Ingredients:

For the salad—

2 ripe yet firm peaches
Olive oil
Coarse ground salt
1 bunch arugela
4 slices proscuitto
4 ounces fresh mozzarella
10 fresh mint leaves
Fresh ground black pepper to taste

For the dressing—

1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 teaspoon salt
14 tablespoons olive oil

Process:

Slice peaches into ¼” wedges.
Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with rough salt.

If you have a grill pan, fabulous—get it out—this is one of the few times you’ll actually use it. If you don’t, get the thickest skillet you have and put it on high heat. Slip in the peach slices, just a few at a time, and roast for a minute or so on each side, aiming for a lightly toasted golden color.

Place peach slices on a paper towel lined plate to dry and set aside.

Next make the vinaigrette. In a wide bowl combine the honey, vinegars, orange juice and salt. Wisk in the olive oil until mixture is emulsified.

Build the salad by spreading the arugela leaves on a large plate. Layer with proscuitto, then the roasted peach slices. Next add the mozzarella that has been roughly torn into bite-sized pieces. Drizzle with the vinaigrette, then scatter the mint leaves for effect and an extra snap of flavor. Top with a round of fresh ground black pepper and serve.

Lemon Thyme Chicken

I live in Silver Spring but work in Baltimore—and by the time I get home weekdays I am done. But I am also hungry and feel the need to be rewarded with a good dinner. To be at the ready I do my major grocery shopping on Saturday and cook all Sunday afternoon. Usually I fix one meat dish, like baked chicken or pork tenderloin, make a pot of soup and a casserole. When I stagger in the door Tuesday night, all I have to do is steam some green beans or warm up a baguette and dinner is served.

Lately I’ve been relying on a recipe for Lemon Thyme Chicken from the Barefoot Contessa. The dish generates a lot of savory juices which you can spoon over cous cous or rice. I have that Sunday night with asparagus for a proper sit down dinner, then use the leftovers later in the week for a salad made with butternut squash and olives, or granny smith apples and dried cranberries.

Adapted from Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa Cookbook (2011)

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts with skin and bone still attached
(The original recipe asks for skinless, boneless and, I’d argue, flavorless chicken breasts. If you are going to eat meat, it’s best to acknowledge it’s origins upfront)

1/3 olive oil
9 cloves of garlic, minced
1/ 3 cup of dry white wine
1 tablespoon of finely grated lemon zest (The kick is well worth the effort!)
2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, plus a few sprigs for decoration
Salt and paper to taste
1 lemon, cut into wedges

Process:

Sauté the minced garlic in the olive oil for 1 minute at a high heat. Take off the burner immediately so the garlic does not brown. Add wine, lemon zest, lemon juice,
oregano and thyme along with 1 teaspoon of salt and a dash of pepper to taste. Pour into a 9" x 12" Pyrex dish.

Pat the check breasts dry, then salt and pepper them. Place the breasts skin side down into dish then flip them over so that the now-oiled skin side is up. Tuck lemon slices around the chicken and cover with aluminum foil

Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil, then let chicken brown for another 10 minutes or so. If the chicken is done but is still pale, run under a broiler for 2 minutes. Let the dish rest for 10 minutes, then serve on a bed of cous cous, rice or orzo with fresh thyme. Be sure to generously spoon the pan juices over the grains to get the full, fattening pleasure of this dish.

Watermelon Feta Salad

Rumor has it that another heat wave is on its way so we’d better face it with salad for dinner. An Iranian friend of mine loves feta and watermelon and swears she could live on it all summer long on. Here’s an adaptation of a recipe from DC’s Komi, a Greek-come- nouvelle-cuisine restaurant I hope to actually visit one day when I have enough money. Until then this salad will do. Arugula gives this sweet and salty combo an additional nutritious punch. I serve this salad with hardboiled eggs and steamed green beans—both of which were cooked the day before and have been waiting in the refrigerator with the cold melon.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
Coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups of arugula
½ half of a fennel bulb, sliced thin
2 cups watermelon cubes
4 ounces of feta, roughly crumbled

Process

Mix together the olive oil and vinegar with salt and pepper to taste. Combine the arugula and fennel with the dressing and set aside to wilt a bit. Next add the watermelon and feta. Toss and serve immediately with a sourdough baguette.

Happy Birthday, Julia!

August 15 is Julia Child’s birthday. To mark the occasion, I usually bake Reine de Saba, a dense cake full of chocolate, rum, almonds and butter. The recipe comes from Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking and was evidently one of her favorite treats.

The recipe makes a single layer measuring 8” across—and that is fine, just enough. The cake is so rich you only need a (very) modest portion to feel happy and satisfied. Sometimes it’s fun to build a dinner around dessert: have a simple tomato soup, a dark leafy green salad and a baguette and let this regal chocolate cake be the finale!

Recipe adapted from Mastering the Art of French Cooking (1983)

Ingredients

For the cake:
4 oz. semisweet chocolate (Buy the very best you can find! 4 oz is equal to a large bar of Ghirardelli’s chocolate. Scharffen Berger is also an excellent brand.)
2 tablespoons dark rum*
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter
1 pinch salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/3 cup slivered almonds, finely ground
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 cup cake flour
3 eggs, separated

For the icing:
4 oz. semisweet chocolate
1 1/2 tablespoon rum*
6 tablespoons butter
Handful of slivered almonds for decoration

*If you don’t care for rum, substitute with strong coffee.

Process, Cake

Butter and flour an 8” round cake pan and set aside.

In a double boiler over medium heat, gently melt 4 oz of chocolate. Add the rum and set aside as well.

Cream the butter and 2/3 cup of sugar together in a ceramic bowl, then add the yolks and beat thoroughly.

With a clean set of beaters, whip the egg whites in a large bowl until they begin to foam. Add cream of tarter and salt and continue to beat. When the egg whites start to hold their shape, add the 2 tablespoons of sugar, bit by bit. When at last the egg whites are very stiff and can be “dalloped” into the shape of a candy kiss, stop.

Quickly return to the chocolate and rum mixture and stir until smooth. Pour the chocolate to the butter-and-sugar bowl, then add the ground almonds, almond extract and flour. Mix thoroughly.

Next, stir a forth of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate batter to lighten the texture. Fold the remaining egg whites into the batter, turning the bowl as you go. The goal is to blend the ingredients without over-mixing so that the egg whites will make the cake rise.

Turn batter into the floured cake pan and bake in an oven preheated to 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Test for done-ness by inserting a toothpick or sharp knife 2- to 3- inches towards the center of the cake. If it is not clean, bake for an additional five minutes. The texture should be dense like a brownie.

Remove from the oven and let the cake rest for 10 minutes or so. Run a knife around the cake pan’s edge and turn onto a large plate. Cool cake completely before icing it.

Process, Icing

In a double boiler, melt 4 oz of semisweet chocolate. Add 1 1/ 2 tablespoons of rum and stir until smooth. If the chocolate “clumps,” start to add the butter and spoonful at a time and beat until you achieve a creamy consistency.

Ice the cake from the center out using long, curving knife strokes. I only ice the top and decorate with a half-handful of slivered almonds at the center to create a sort-of “sunflower.”

If there are any leftovers, securely cover with several layers of plastic wrap to keep the cake moist. Cake should keep for a day or so.

Pork Tenderloin

We’ve come to that odd phase in the year when it can get soft and springy in the afternoons but you still need a wool coat in the mornings. As the weather vacillates, so do your cravings, and the solution is pork tenderloin. Roast one up over the weekend, and when it’s cold and mean on Monday, serve it with some comforting sides like sautéed kale and baked sweet potatoes. But if it's warm on Wednesday, serve round two with something light like a salad of cous cous and baby peas. Then take a walk after dinner—it’s still light out.

Adapted from The Joy of Cooking (1997)

Ingredients:

1 pork boneless tenderloin, approximately 1.5 to 2 lbs
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon fresh coarsely ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dried thyme, rosemary or tarragon (Or use fresh if you are lucky enough to have some on hand. I’ve used a combination of “Provencal -Frenchy” spices like thyme, sage and lavender. Try some variations and see what you prefer.)

Process:

Position the baking rack to the center of the oven.

Select a Pyrex dish that will accommodate the pork loin, but is neither too snug nor too spacious. (If the tenderloin roasts all alone in a large pan, the meat will cook too quickly and dry out—never a good thing in a roast.) For a 2-pound loin, I usually use a 9” x 9” baking pan.

Rub the tenderloin with the spice and olive oil mixture. Put in an oven pre-heated to 450 for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 250 and let it roast for 65 minutes. Slow cooking keeps the pork loin tender.

Remove from oven and loosely wrap the tenderloin in aluminum foil and let it sit for 15 minutes to complete cooking. You can slice it right then or gently reheat it later. To avoid dry slices, do not carve the roast until you are ready to serve it.

Tofu Veggie Scramble

This is one of those go-to recipes that can make a quick dinner on a “school night.”A dash of turmeric and a generous handful of grated Pecorino Romano gives the dish a sunny flavor akin to scramble eggs and might persuade those who are suspicious of tofu to give it a try.

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart Living, March 2008

Ingredients:

1 container (14 oz) of firm tofu

2 teaspoons of olive oil

½ red onion, diced

1 large orange of red bell pepper cut into ½” pieces

1 ¼ cup of cherry tomatoes cut into halves

1 ½ teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped

3/4T teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon coarse ground pepper

6 tablespoons of grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese

Process:

Drain tofu and place on a couple of paper towels on a dinner plate. Remove more water by covering the tofu with second plate weighted with a small, gently heavy object like a mortar and pestle or a paperweight. Leave for 15 minuets or so. Transfer tofu to a shallow bowl and “rice” into rough chunks with a fork. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and sauté the onions and peppers until soft. Add the tofu, tomatoes and spices and cook for three minutes more. Remove from heat and toss in the grated cheese. Serve immediately with rice and a steamed green veggie like broccoli or green beans for a colorful, nutritionally balanced meal.

Berry Shortcake

Everyone agrees that the best berries come from a farmers’ market or, better yet, a pick-your-own farm. But for berry shortcake, the debate still rages from year to year: what vehicle, what kind of cake, should your berries have? I grew up with slices of Sara Lee Pound Cake as a base. I always liked to peel the brown crust that came off in one piece and eat it first. But now Sara Lee pound cake seems too sweet and, I suspect, the ones available now were baked in April and have been quietly soaking in their own preservatives in refrigerated stoarge.

Some savvy grocery stores display angel food cakes next the strawberries in the produce aisle. And while angel food is a (comparatively) low-fat alternative, that cake lacks the heft—and the indolence— to soak up the juices of over-ripe berries.

My ideal shortcake nowadays is a low-key, slightly sweetened biscuit; the buttery quality of the pastry lets the tang of the berries sing through, and sweet biscuits can absorb the juice without getting soggy.

The July-August 2008 edition of Cook’s Magazine featured a recipe for peach shortcake which can be readily adapted to other summer fruits. I made a batch of strawberry shortcakes for a recent family party. They went over so well that I plan to make another batch with a combination of late-summer fruits like blackberries, raspberries and blueberries.

For the fruit—

2 pound of berries (or other in-season fresh fruit)
3 tablespoons sugar

Wash and pat the fruit dry. Cut into bite sized positions, sprinkle with sugar and set aside. If you are planning to serve the dessert later in the day, store the fruit in the refrigerator. But be sure to take it out an hour or so before serving so that the fruit can taste its best.

For the shortcakes—

2 cups unbleached white flour
1 teaspoons baking powered
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup cold buttermilk
1 egg
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Mix the dry ingredients thoroughly in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg and buttermilk. Next, stir in the melted butter; some clumps will form as the butter hits the cold buttermilk, but, incredibly, that’s desired to create a richer shortcake.

Pour the buttery liquid into the dry ingredients and quickly pull the dough together with a spatula. Stir for only 30 seconds or so.

Line a cookie sheet with a length of parchment paper. Butter a 1/3 cup measure. Use the cup to scoop a portion of dough and turn it onto the cookie sheet to form a shortcake. You might have to re-butter the measuring cup after a time or two. Space the shortcakes two inches apart. If you are judicious with your portions, you should get about six or seven shortcakes. Sprinkle each with sugar and bake for 15 minutes until the tops are golden brown.

Let the shortcakes cool before serving. In the meantime, beat up some fresh cream:

For the cream—

1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Pour cream into medium ceramic bowl. Add a scant tablespoon of sugar and the vanilla. Beat with a mixer or, for the brave and those trying to work off some pre-dessert calories, beat by hand with a wire whisk until soft peaks are formed. Keep the cream refrigerated until it is time to build the shortcakes.

To serve—

To build a shortcake, slice one in two with a sharp knife. Cover the bottom half with a more-than-generous spoonful of berries. Add the top, a dollop of cream and a berry for garnish.

Indian Chicken Bits

The original recipe for these savory bits comes from Madhur Jaffrey, the Julia Child of Indian cookery, by way of my friend Lois, a consummate yet practical foodie.

It’s one of those gratifying recipes that tastes as if you put a lot of effort into it but is actually quite easy. And it lends itself to multiple uses—you can quickly cook up a batch Wednesday night, then have the leftovers later in the week in a dinner salad or for cocktail-hour snacks. Try them for a picnic!

Adapted from Madhur Jaffrey’s Quick and Easy Indian Cooking (1996).

Ingredients:

1.25 lbs. boneless skinned chicken breasts

1 teaspoons coarsely ground pepper

¼ teaspoon turmeric

¼ teaspoon cayenne

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon thyme

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 teaspoon paprika

¾ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons vegetable oil ( I use olive oil)

Process:

Using a sharp chef’s knife, cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Raw chicken tends to be damp and rubbery, so don’t “carve” the meat; use long swift knife strokes to cut the bits. Set the pieces aside in a chilled bowl while you prepare the spice mixture.

In a separate bowl, stir together the pepper, turmeric, cayenne, cumin, paprika, salt and thyme. Pause to appreciate the rich smell of the combined spices! Add the garlic and stir in 1 tablespoon of the oil. The mixture will form a stiff paste. Stir the spices into the chicken so that all of the pieces are evenly coated and let sit for ten minutes or so.

Heat the remaining oil in a skillet. Quickly stir fry the chicken until the surfaces are opaque; the pieces should not be fully cooked. Transfer chicken to a baking dish, spreading the bits into a single layer. Cover with a piece of foil that has been lightly coated with oil and place in an 350 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove and serve immediately, or drain and reserve for a cold dish.

I serve Indian Chicken Bits with rice or cous cous and a sturdy green vegetable like asparagus.

Theme and Variations:

For a distinctive dinner salad, mix about a cupful of Indian Chicken Bits with a small mango cut into large cubes. Toss with a bag of pre-washed arugula and two tablespoons of Sherry Walnut Vinaigrette. Top with half a handful of toasted pecans. Serve with warmed sour dough rolls or the commercial nann now available in most grocery stores.

According to Lois, the Indian spice mix is quite good on grilled chops and seafood. Marinate item in the spices for ten minutes, then grill until done.

French Green Beans

You can make this recipe using standard summer green beans. But French haricots verts do lend a certain chic—slender, expensive, a little haughty—sort of the Chanel of vegetables.

Serve this colorful side dish with some grilled chicken or broiled salmon. And the next day, combine any leftover green beans with some orzo or cous cous for a bright lunchtime salad.

Adapted from Barefoot in Paris (2004)

Ingredients:

1 pound haricots verts with ends trimmed

1 red onion, diced in large pieces

½ red pepper, diced in large pieces

½ yellow pepper, diced in large pieces

2 tablespoons olive oil

Course ground salt and pepper

Process:

Toss the diced onion and peppers with the olive oil in a large bowl. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Spread the vegetables on a foil covered baking sheet in a single layer. Place in a 425 degree oven for 15 minutes. Check on every five minutes or so and stir the veggies with a spatula to prevent burning. (I actually like a few “blackened” bits in the mix—they add flavor.)

Meanwhile, steam the green beans until they are tender but still have some “bite.” Put the cooked beans in the bowl that you used for the peppers and onions. Add the roasted peppers and onions, toss and serve.

Yay! Silver Spring’s Farmer’s Market is Open!

OK, I went to the Silver Spring Farmer's Market this morning and admittedly spent way too much money. (I fully expect Michelle Singletary to come out from behind a display of goat cheese and start chastising me, "It's not what you earn, but how you spend it...etc"). But I figure this is local produce, mostly organic, and therefore an investment in good eating and good health. Some of my favorite booths are Spring Valley Farm and Orchard for leafy greens, fruit and posies; Atwater’s Bakery for all things tempting and carbo; Groff’s Content Farm for eggs and “ethical meat;” and finally Charlie Koiner’s Farm for bunches of fresh herbs (each a dollar!)

Tonight for dinner, Dave and I will have a lovely omelet made with free range eggs; some sour dough bread; mesclun salad with a walnut vinaigrette and a slice of apple tart for dessert. Then we'll sit quietly and admire the bouquet of lilacs on the dinner table.

Cheese Soufflé

This recipe for cheese soufflé calls for a two-quart baking dish. I used to have one but lost track of it during my move from Richmond to DC. It’s probably somewhere in the storage unit amid Dave’s 80-thousand record albums. Maybe it will turn up.

In the meantime, I make do with two one-quart baking pans and bake two soufflés, an improvisation that’s now become a kitchen habit. We eat one soufflé the first night, then have the second a day or two later cold with a salad. While that sounds odd, cold cheese soufflé is actually quite good—sort of like an airy quiche.

Adapted from The Williamsburg Cookbook (1971), this recipe serves six and is ideal for a spring dinner party.

Ingredients:

½ cup butter

½ cup flour

2 cups whole milk

½ teaspoon salt

dash of cayenne

2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated

6 eggs, separated

1 ½ teaspoons dry mustard

Process:

Melt the butter over medium heat in a large saucepan. Gradually add the flour, stirring constantly to make a roux. While still stirring, slowly add the milk to make a smooth cream sauce. Turn up the heat slightly and continue to stir until slightly thickened. Remove from heat.

Stir in the grated cheese bit by bit. The heat of the sauce will melt the cheese into the mix. Set aside and let cool to almost-but-not-quite room temperature.

Separate the eggs. Beat the yokes together with the dry mustard and add to the cheese sauce. Be sure to stir thoroughly so that the warm sauce does not cook the egg yolks.

Beat the egg whites in a separate, large bowl until they form stiff peaks. Gently fold the egg whites into the cheese sauce.

Butter a two-quart baking dish and spoon in the cheese batter. For an added “chef’s touch,” try this technique to bake a “high hat” soufflé. Insert the head of a spatula upright into the batter about one inch away from the rim of the baking pan. Run the spatula around the inside parameter of the dish. The center cut section of the batter should rise up as the soufflé bakes.

Place in a preheated 375 degree oven for fifteen minutes. Then reduce the heat to 300 and bake for another 40 to 50 minutes. Serve immediately.

Roasted Asparagus

Next time you go to market, you’ll see a bunch of people dancing a little jig in the produce department. Why? The season-ripe asparagus has arrived! Known as “Knitting Needle Asparagus” at our house, these long, slender veggies are divine steamed with just a dash of salt or roasted with a drizzle of olive oil. Because their season is short, we tend to have them a little too often for dinner, or so Dave complains. But that’s like complaining that you have too many strawberries (which will we will in a few short weeks!).

Here’s a quick recipe for roasted asparagus, a great side for grilled salmon or steak.

Ingredients:

½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 pound of knitting needle asparagus

salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Process:

Wash the asparagus and trim the ends two to three inches. Put the vegetables cut end down in to a large glass water until you are ready to cook them. Asparagus are cousins of the amaryllis and should be treated like cut flowers!

When you are ready to prepare the vegetables, remove them from the water and pat them dry. Toss in a shallow Pyrex dish with olive oil, then dust with salt and pepper. Turn the asparagus onto a foil lined cookie sheet and spread them out into a single layer. Place in an oven preheated to 425 and roast for fifteen minutes. Check occasionally and stir them around a bit with a spatula so they’ll cook evenly.

Serve immediately with another twist of pepper.

Valentine Cupcakes

Valentine Cupcakes

I bake these cupcakes for my husband on Valentine’s Day. But yellow batter cupcakes with chocolate frosting can be a treat anytime of the year. The cupcakes are actually an interpretation of my Grandmother Green’s 1-2-3-4 Cake, so called for the main ingredients and their amounts—one cup of butter, two cups of sugar, three cups of flour and four eggs. The result is a dense cake that’s a perfect foil for the bittersweet chocolate frosting. That recipe comes from my Mom’s battered paperback edition of The Women’s Day Cookbook, circa 1964. Recipes that have a family history are always the best!

1-2-3-4 Cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 cup butter

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 cup milk

3 cups flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

Process:

Cream together the butter and sugar in a large ceramic bowl. Next slip in the eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each. (Evidently this step will help the cake to rise.) Shift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the butter and sugar mixture a cup at a time alternatively with the milk. Stir in the vanilla last.

Line a 12 cup muffin tin with cupcake papers. Fill each three-quarters full, then bake in a preheated 350-degree oven. After 20 minutes or so, test for “doneness” by slipping a sharp knife into a cupcake center; if the knife comes out clean, the cupcake is fully baked. Let them sit for 10 minutes to cool, then flip them out of the tin and bake another batch. Cool the cupcakes completely before icing them.

This recipe makes about 24 cupcakes.

Semisweet Chocolate Frosting

Ingredients:

1 12 oz package of semisweet chocolate morsels

3 tablespoons butter

½ cup confectioners sugar

½ cup evaporated milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

¼ teaspoon salt.

Process:

Melt the semisweet morsels and butter together in the top part of a double boiler. Remove from the heat. Beat in the confectioners sugar in small amounts alternatively with the evaporated milk. Next add the vanilla and salt and beat again until smooth. This recipe can generously frost 24 cupcakes or three 8-inch cake layers.

Decorate the cupcakes with some Conversation Hearts—or Hershey Kisses—or whatever holiday candy strikes your fancy!

Japanese Spinach

Though served cold, I think of Japanese Spinach as a savory winter dish. The piquant flavor of the steamed greens is balanced by the sweetness of gomaiso, a Japanese condiment made with toasted sesame seeds. (You can find gomaiso in the Asian foods section of most large grocery stores.) Quick to make, Japanese Spinach is an ideal dinner side on “school nights.”

Adapted from Japanese Women Don’t Get Old or Fat (2006)

Ingredients:

1 package pre-washed spinach (9 oz.)

2 ½ tablespoons of gomaiso

1 ½ teaspoons sugar

dash salt

1 12/ teaspoons tamari

Process:

Steam the spinach for just a minute until bright green. Remove from heat immediately and dump onto a large dinner plate. Using a fork or a pair of chopsticks, spread the spinach leaves around the plate to cool. Blot up excess water with paper towels.

In a small bowl, combine the gomaiso, sugar and salt. Gradually add the tamari; the mix should look like wet, course sand. Sprinkle the sesame seeds on the spinach, then transfer to a large bowl to stir more thoroughly. Divide the spinach into four modest portions. Serve with broiled salmon, rice, steamed carrots and green tea for a Japanese inspired dinner.

Panetonne French Toast

You can maintain those resolutions to eat more healthfully and save money by making a batch of Panetonne French Toast. This recipe upholds the idea that an occasional treat is necessary in a wholesome approach to cooking and eating. And the fact that you are using leftovers is thrifty—right? ( I purchased a large panetonne on sale at Whole Foods the week after Christmas, an added savings!)

Why not share these sterling virtues with your friends at brunch next Sunday? Serve the French Toast with orange slices, then fix some bacon and eggs as a side. Coffee, juice and (why not?) the bottle of champagne you didn’t open at New Year’s rounds off the menu.

Ingredients:

For the French Toast--

1 panetonne (16 oz.) (If you can’t find a discount panetonne, try raisin bread or a large brioche)

4 eggs

1 cup whole milk

½ teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon of sugar (this will help brown the toast)

butter

For the Garnishes—

3 to 4 oranges

maple syrup

pecans

raisins

Process:

Using a serrated bread knife, cut the panetonne into slices about three-quarters of an inch thick. Beat together the eggs, milk, vanilla and sugar in a wide bowl. Soak a single piece of the panetonne in the egg-and-milk for at least a minute. Melt a small pat of butter over medium heat in a large pan. Slip in the panetonne and fry until golden brown, say for a minute or so. Turn and cook for a minute more. In the meantime, soak another slice to have at the ready when the first has finished. To keep the toast warm, place in a pie pan, cover with foil and put in a 250 degree oven.

Peel and slice the oranges. Toss in a bowl with a handful of raisins and nuts to make ambrosia. Serve with optional maple syrup as a garnish for the French Toast.

Serves four.

Beef Sort Of Bourguignon

With great expectations, my Dad presented my Mom with a copy of Julia Childs’ Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Her first attempt was Boeuf Bourguignon, a complex dish that involved threading a piece of beef with lardons and simmering little pearl onions. Though it was tasty, Mom couldn’t afford the time (or the money) on such recipes. So she simplified the dish, then simplified her simplification until she had something she could easily prep on Monday and use for meals the rest of the week.

My brother T.H. and I both loved this growing up—and now we each regularly cook Beef Sort of Bourguignon for our families!

Ingredients:

1 chuck roast, weighing 2.5 to 3 pounds

Dash of meat tenderizer

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt, pepper and dried thyme

1 15 oz. can of beef bouillon

1 15 oz can of whole tomatoes

½ onion, cut into thick slices

3 cloves of garlic

2 bay leaves

½ pound of mushrooms

Process:

Tenderize the meat according to instructions on the product label. Heat the olive oil in a large stove top pot with a lid and brown the meat on both sides. Season liberally with salt, pepper and thyme.

When the meat has browned, turn the heat down and add the bouillon and half of the juice from the can of tomatoes. Cut the tomatoes into rough pieces and cover the surface of the roast with them and the onion. Add the garlic and bay leaves. Cover with the pot lid and let the meat gently simmer for an hour.

Wash and slice the mushrooms into thick pieces. Add to the roast and cook for another hour so the rich flavor of the broth will seep into the mushrooms.

After the meat has cooked for a total of two hours, remove from the stove and cool. When it has reached room temperature (or close enough to it), put the dish in the refrigerator to chill (overnight is best). Skim the excess fat and discard.

Remove the beef from the broth and slice into pieces about ¼-inch thick. The beef can be served hot or cold. To re-heat, return the skimmed pot to the stove and slowly warm over a low flame. Arrange slices on a large plate with the mushrooms, tomatoes and onions. Spoon some of the broth on top.

Theme and Variations:

Typically we have this the first night with small potatoes and steamed leafy greens.

• Later in the week, add some egg noodles to the beef and broth. Serve with a plain green salad.

•Cold beef slices make hearty sandwiches with sourdough rolls and condiments like stone ground mustard or horseradish sauce.

•Any remaining leftovers can be turned into an absolutely evil beef pot pie. Just add about a cup of cooked "mixed veggies" to the mushroom-and-meat stock. Top with a making of biscuit dough and bake until golden. Serve with steamed green beans.

Cheese Wafers

All Southern women, even those who don’t cook, have a recipe for cheese wafers. (They also all have a recipe for lemon ice box pie made with condensed milk, but that’s another post for another time). Cheese wafers are a great “little something” to have with a drink. And during the holidays they make a welcome hostess gift in contrast to all of the cookies and candy on offer.

My Mother’s recipe makes a wonderfully “sandy” wafer with a texture akin to shortbread. The secret is to use the finest holes on the grater to prep the cheese—a tedious task, but well worth the effort.

Ingredients:

1 cup butter

½ pound of sharp cheddar cheese, finely grated

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

scant dash of red pepper

pecan slivers (optional)

Process:

Set butter out in a ceramic bowl to soften. Stir in the grated cheese, preferably using an electric hand mixer to make sure that the ingredients are thoroughly combined. Mix together the flour and spices and gradually add to the cheese mixture. The dough will be quite stiff.

Cover a cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Pinch off a small amount of dough and roll into a ball about an inch round. Place on cookie sheet two inches apart. Press each gently with a finger, then top with a pecan sliver. Bake in a 425 over for about 10 minutes or until dry and slightly golden. Watch them carefully! Cheese wafers burn easily.

Remove from oven and quickly transfer to a large plate to cool. Store the wafers in a metal tin where they should keep for about a week.

Theme and Variations:

To make a gift bag of cheese wafers, let them cool completely. Purchase some cellophane bags and glittery pipe cleaners at a craft shop like Ben Franklin or Michael’s. A 12-inch bag holds about two dozen wafers. Close with a festive twist tie and take to a party.

Low Key Holiday Party

A family friend and new mom invited a small group to her place for a wonderfully low-key holiday party. She offered pie and coffee with tea lights and classical music in the background. It was great to sit and talk and take a break from the “too muchness” of the season.

Raise a pie pan and toast your friends this New Year: champagne is a treat—but warm apple pie with vanilla ice cream is even better!

Recipe adapted from The Williamsburg Cookbook (1971)

Ingredients:

Two 9-inch whole wheat frozen pie crusts (I like the Wholly Wholesome brand)

5 to 6 Granny Smith apples

1 cup of sugar

2 tablespoons flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

¾ teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon nutmeg

2 tablespoons of cold butter, cut into small pieces

½ teaspoon lemon juice

Process:

Thaw the pie crusts on a kitchen counter while you work.

Peel and core the Granny Smith apples. Cut them into slices approximately ¼-inch thick and place in a large ceramic bowl. In a smaller bowl, mix together the sugar, flour and spices. Toss into the apples and stir to coat them evenly. Prick the bottom of one of the pie crusts with a fork. Spoon the apple mixture into the crust, creating a high mound in the center. Dot the pie with butter and sprinkle with lemon juice. Invert the remaining pie crust over the first like a cap and gently pull off the aluminum pie plate. Crimp the top and bottom crusts with your fingers. With a sharp knife or cookie cutter, cut a pretty shape on the pie top. Next cover the pie loosely with aluminum foil

Place the pie on a cookie sheet lined with more foil to catch drips. Bake at 425 for 25 to 30 minutes, then remove the foil cover and bake for 20 minutes more or until the top is brown and the apples have softened.

Remove and let sit for 15 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream flavored with a dash of vanilla and sugar.

Theme and Variations:

• If you live in the Silver Spring area, try this pie with ginger or cinnamon ice cream from York Castle Ice Cream on Georgia Avenue.

• This recipe calls for Granny Smith apples which are sharp and tart; if you prefer a sweeter apple, try Courtland or Gala apples and reduce the sugar by ½ cup.

Baked Manicotti Shells

One of the many details I loved in The Sopranos was how American-born-but-Italian-bred characters would refer to their favorite foods by shortened names: manicotti was manicot; procuitto, proshute. These diminutives made what are to most of us lavish restaurant dishes into something served at home.

In keeping with that sensibility, here’s a recipe for manicot that’s both rich and simple, ideal for family celebrations during the holiday season. An added plus is that manicot can be baked ahead of time, then easily transported to your vegetarian cousin’s house.

Adapted from Leone's Italian Cookbook (1967)

Ingredients:

Pasta:

Two large boxes of pasta shells (I use Barilla Jumbo Shells)

Sauce:

Prepare a double recipe of Veggie Spaghetti Sauce found on the Kitchen Tango post dated
March 12, 2007. Let sauce cool and set aside.

Filling:

¾ cup ricotta cheese

¾ cup mozzarella, diced

2 tablespoons butter, cubed

3 eggs, slightly beaten

2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese (plus extra for garnish)

½ teaspoon salt

dash course-ground pepper

Process:

In a medium-size ceramic bowl, combine the ricotta, mozzarella and butter. Beat the eggs separately, then gently toss into the cheese-butter mix. Sprinkle with spices and the parmesan cheese, stir again and set aside.

Prep the large pasta shells according to the directions on the box. When shells are al dente, drain and put in a large buttered dish where they’ll keep reasonably moist while you work with them.

Butter an 8” x 12” Pyrex dish and spread it with about a two cups of tomato sauce. Gingerly pick up each shell and fill with two spoonfulls of the cheese mix. Eyeball what seems right; the shell should be plump, but not bursting. Line the filled shells about a quarter inch apart in the baking dish. I’ve gotten in as many as thirty manicotti into a long casserole. If there’s more, grab another dish, coat with tomato sauce, and fill with stuffed shells. (Hey, there’s no such thing as too much manicotti. If you don’t want it, a neighbor, friend or nearby working parent will).

Top each shell with a large spoonful of veggie sauce and sprinkle with more grated parmesan. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes in preheated 350-degree oven. Remove and serve at once with steamed green beans, garlic bread and Chianti. For dessert, have something simple like tangerines with biscotti or macaroons and a round of strong coffee.

Manicotti To Go:

If you plan to transport your manicotti to another holiday venue, follow these directions:

Let the casserole cool to room temperature. Cover tightly with foil and refrigerate up to a day.

To reheat, keep covered and place in a 250-oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

Cheese Note: Skim or Regular?

I’m all for cutting calories as along as flavor doesn’t suffer! I’ve prepared this dish with skim ricotta and can’t taste the difference. But there is a significant difference, I think, between skim and regular mozzarella. The first tastes pale and wimpy; the later, rich and mellow. If manicot is a dish you prepare for special occasions, why fret over fat content? Go for the real thing and add a mile to your walk the next day.

As for the parmesan, it is far tastier and worth the money to buy a hunk of the authentic stuff and grate it yourself. If you don’t use it all up for the manicot, be lavish with the parmesan on your pasta the following week. While ladies age gracefully, cheese does not.