Capital Chef

Tenderloin a la Pitusa

2011-01-07T08:05:00.000-05:00

This is the tenderloin my mother has served for Christmas dinner ever since I was a little girl. This year, she gave me permission to document her for the blog as she seasoned the meat. Watching my mother cook is like watching an artist approach a blank canvas; she doesn't follow directions or measure ingredients like some paint by number coloring book. Instead, she effortlessly seasons the meat with nothing but her instinct as her guide, but for the sake of the blog, she was willing to measure as she went along. With that said, these measurements are not to be treated like a scientific formula, but merely as an estimate of how much she typically uses. You are more likely to under season than over season, so don't be afraid to really cover the tenderloin thoroughly.

Enjoy!

Here is what you will need:

Step 1. Rinse the meat and place in a large baking dish. My meat was already pretty trim (see photo), but if necessary, trim the meat.

Step 2. Sprinkle generously on all sides with salt.

Step 3. Sprinkle generously on all sides with garlic powder.

Step 4. Take the sweet Spanish paprika, and sprinkle at least 1 tablespoon on each side of the tenderloin. Massage the seasoning into the meat with your hands.

Step 5. Sprinkle a 1/4 teaspoon of the spicy paprika on top of the tenderloin.

Step 6. Pour a 1/4 cup of olive oil over the tenderloin.

Step 7. Cover in aluminum foil and place in refrigerator for 24-48 hours before cooking.

Step 8: Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Place meat in the pre-heated oven. Check after 30 minutes using a meat thermometer (check thickest part of the roast). Roast until medium-rare or medium (allowing for more cooking to take place after removing the meat from the oven) Here is a guide:

120 degrees F is medium rare
130 - 140 degrees F is medium
150 degrees F is medium well

Step 9: Remove the tenderloin roast from the oven and the pan and let stand for 5-10 minutes. Serve and Enjoy!

Ingredients
4 pound tenderloin
salt
garlic powder
2 tbsp sweet spanish paprika
1/4 tsp hot spanish paprkia
1/4 cup olive oil

Rinse the meat and trim if necessary. Place in a large baking dish. Sprinkle generously on all sides with salt and garlic powder. Sprinkle at least 1 tablespoon of the sweet Spanish paprkia on each side of the tenderloin. Massage the seasoning into the meat with your hands. Sprinkle a 1/4 teaspoon of the spicy paprika on top of the tenderloin. Pour a 1/4 cup of olive oil over the tenderloin. Cover in aluminum foil and place in refrigerator for 24-48 hours before cooking.

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Place meat in the pre-heated oven. Check after 30 minutes using a meat thermometer (check thickest part of the roast). Roast until medium-rare or medium (allowing for more cooking to take place after removing the meat from the oven) Here is a guide:

120 degrees F is medium rare

130 - 140 degrees F is medium
150 degrees F is medium well

Remove the tenderloin roast from the oven and the pan and let stand for 5-10 minutes. Serve and Enjoy!

Chocolate Winter Bark

2010-12-20T22:33:00.001-05:00

Just a few days left until Christmas! Do you have all of your presents yet? I do! But if you are running out of time (and money!) and need something quick and easy, a homemade present is the perfect way to make someone feel special without breaking the bank. This recipe took around 10 minutes of active preparation and consists of only 3 ingredients. The results look super gourmet, so your friends/co-workers will be impressed.

Step 1. Place white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and heat in microwave according to the directions on the package until smooth (approximately1 minute 30 seconds, then stir until smooth).

Step 2. Place bittersweet chocolate in microwave safe bowl and heat in microwave according to the directions on the package until smooth (approximately 1 minute 30 seconds, stir, and then an additional 50 seconds, and then stir until smooth)

Step 3. Stir peanuts into melted bittersweet chocolate.

Step 4. Spread on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet, spreading peanuts in a single layer.

Step 5. Drop spoonfuls of white chocolate on top, and swirl chocolates with a skewer.

Step 6. Refrigerate until set, about 1 hour. Break bark into large pieces.

Enjoy!

Recipe Courtesy: Martha Stewart

Makes 1 1/4 pounds

8 ounces white chocolate, chopped
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
7 ounces salted cocktail peanuts (1 1/2 cups)

Directions
1.Place white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and heat in microwave according to the directions on the package until smooth (approximately 1 minute, 30 seconds).

2. Place bittersweet chocolate in microwave safe bowl and heat in microwave according to the directions on the package until smooth (approximately 1 minute, 30 seconds, then stir, and then an additional 50 seconds in the microwave).

3. Stir in peanuts into melted bittersweet chocolate. Spread on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet, spreading peanuts in a single layer. Drop spoonfuls of white chocolate on top, and swirl chocolates with a skewer. Refrigerate until set, about 1 hour. Break bark into large pieces. Bark will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 2 weeks.

Chocolate-Mint Blossoms

2010-12-15T12:49:00.002-05:00

Is it just me or did winter really kick into gear last week? This is usually the time of year I go into hibernation, but holiday party season has forced me to remain somewhat social, but come January 1st, my outings will be mostly limited to work, the grocery store, and Georgetown basketball games. Sad but true. As a Southern Belle at heart, I was not built for cold weather.

All of these parties have kept me busy in the kitchen, and fortunately, I have been pretty good about documenting most of it. So this is day 1 of catching up on my holiday baking. So as I say goodbye to my fall pumpkin fixation, I say hello to my winter obsession with chocolate and mint flavor combinations. These cookies are so festive, incredibly easy, and they liven up any holiday cookie platter (see picture below).

Here is what you will need:

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine butter and shortening. Beat with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.

Step 2: Add sugar, cocoa powder, and baking powder. Beat until combined, scraping bowl occasionally.

Step 3: Beat in egg, milk, and peppermint extract until combined.

Step 4: Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour. Cover and chill about 1 hour or until dough is easy to handle.

Step 5: Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place balls 2 inche apart on an ungreased cookie sheet Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are firm.

Step 6: If desired, immediately press a candy kiss into the center of each cookie. Transfer cookies to a wire rack.

Recipe Courtesy: Better Homes and Garden Christmas Cookies Special

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 egg

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon peppermint extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

42 peppermint-swirl candy kisses or milk chocolate kisses

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine butter and shortening. Beat with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, cocoa powder, and baking powder. Beat until combined, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat in egg, milk, and peppermint extract until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour. Cover and chill about 1 hour or until dough is easy to handle.

2. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place balls 2 inche apart on an ungreased cookie sheet Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are firm.

3. If desired, immediately press a candy kiss into the center of each cookie. Transfer cookies to a wire rack. Makes about 42 cookies.

Brussels Sprouts with Vinegar-Glazed Red Onions

2010-11-21T22:36:00.000-05:00

Since the cold weather has yet to really kick in, I'm scared my plan to hide my Thanksgiving gut behind a large coat is not going to work, so I should probably make sure we have something other than dessert on our Thanksgiving menu. My brother has requested brussels sprouts, so I decided to do a little practice round this weekend. These turned our really well, and I am kicking myself for not trying them out sooner. This recipe, in particular, worked well because not only is the taste combination of the sweet onions and the brussels sprouts fabulous, but I love the color combination as well. And obviously, isn't color coordination the second most important criteria for any side dish?

Just a few more days until Thanksgiving! What will your family be serving alongside the turkey this year?

Here is what you will need:

My first time buying these...not so scary looking, right?

Step 1: Trim outer leaves and stems from brussels sprouts, and discard. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil, and add salt. Meanwhile, prepare an ice-water bath.

Step 2: Add brussels sprouts to boiling water, and cook until tender but still bright green, about 4 minutes.

Step 3: Remove from heat, drain, and plunge into ice-water bath to cool. Drain well, and cut in half.

Step 4: Heat 1/2 tablespoon butter and 1/2 tablespoon olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add brussels sprouts, and cook, tossing occasionally, until they are brown and crisp on the edges, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and transfer to a large bowl. Cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.

Step 5: Add remaining 1/2 tablespoon each butter and oil to the same pan over medium-low heat. Add onions, and cook, tossing occasionally, until wilted and transparent, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Step 6: Add vinegar (stand back to avoid the fumes), and stir to loosen any brown bits on bottom of pan. Cook until vinegar is reduced and the onions are glazed, about 30 seconds.

Step 7: Add onions to brussels sprouts, and toss well. Serve immediately.

Recipe Courtesy: Marthastewart.com

Ingredients

Serves 4

1 (about 10-ounce) basket brussels sprouts
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small red onion, thinly sliced lengthwise
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Directions

1.Trim outer leaves and stems from brussels sprouts, and discard. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil, and add salt. Meanwhile, prepare an ice-water bath. Add brussels sprouts to boiling water, and cook until tender but still bright green, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat, drain, and plunge into ice-water bath to cool. Drain well, and cut in half.

2.Heat 1/2 tablespoon butter and 1/2 tablespoon olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add brussels sprouts, and cook, tossing occasionally, until they are brown and crisp on the edges, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and transfer to a large bowl. Cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.

3.Add remaining 1/2 tablespoon each butter and oil to the same pan over medium-low heat. Add onions, and cook, tossing occasionally, until wilted and transparent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add vinegar (stand back to avoid the fumes), and stir to loosen any brown bits on bottom of pan. Cook until vinegar is reduced and the onions are glazed, about 30 seconds.

4.Add onions to brussels sprouts, and toss well. Serve immediately.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

2010-11-18T12:52:00.000-05:00

One week! We are exactly one week away from Thanksgiving. Are you ready? I’m not! Luckily, my mom is taking care of the big stuff (turkey, stuffing, etc.), so that makes it all a little less stressful. I’m in charge of the sweet potatoes, corn soufflé, and desserts. The desserts are still the big question mark though. My brother and I plan on making the desserts on Wednesday. We will make at least two (in an ideal world, we would aim for 3, but I am trying to be more sensible). It has pretty much been decided that there will be a pumpkin dessert---which one is the question. We could go with a traditional pumpkin pie, but I’m torn between this Pumpkin Cheesecake and my pumpkin flan. I LOVE this pumpkin cheesecake, so I have a feeling I may try and get the family on board with this one.

Unlike cheesecakes I have posted about in the past, this recipe has a little bit of flour in it to prevent it from cracking which means it does not require a water bath. The downside of this recipe for someone trying to bake several desserts is that it does take up your oven for almost 3 hours (45 minutes for cooking and then you turn the oven off and leave it in there for an additional 2 hours). BUT you can make this cheesecake 2 days in advance, so that should get it out of the way before the Thanksgiving cooking madness begins.

I’ll let you know which pumpkin dessert I decide on.

For my next debate: regular pecan pie or chocolate pecan pie??

Here is what you will need:

If you can find this box of Graham Crumbs in the baking aisle, it will save you lots of time:

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with rack in center. Assemble a 9-inch nonstick springform pan, with the raised side of the bottom part facing up. Make the crust: In a medium bowl, mix cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter until moistened.

Step 2: press firmly into bottom of pan. Bake until golden around edges, 10 to 12 minutes.

Step 3: 3.Make the filling: With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar on low speed until smooth; mix in flour (do not overmix).

Step 4: Add pumpkin puree, pie spice, vanilla, and salt; mix just until smooth.

Step 5: Add eggs one at a time, mixing until each is incorporated before adding the next. (Note: Never crack an egg directly into the mixer, so you don't accidentally drop any pieces of the shell into the batter. I crack each egg in a bowl and then I incorporate it.)

Step 6: Place springform pan on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour filling into springform, and gently smooth top. Transfer to oven; reduce oven heat to 300 degrees. Bake 45 minutes. Turn off oven; let cheesecake stay in oven 2 hours more (without opening).

Recipe Courtesy: Martha Stewart

ENJOY!

Ingredients:

FOR THE CRUST

1 1/4 cups graham-cracker crumbs (from 10 whole crackers)
1/4 cup sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

FOR THE FILLING

4 packages (8 ounces each) bar cream cheese, very soft
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
2 tablespoons pumpkin-pie spice
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs, room temperature

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with rack in center. Assemble a 9-inch nonstick springform pan, with the raised side of the bottom part facing up.

2.Make the crust: In a medium bowl, mix cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter until moistened; press firmly into bottom of pan. Bake until golden around edges, 10 to 12 minutes.

3.Make the filling: With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar on low speed until smooth; mix in flour (do not overmix). Add pumpkin puree, pie spice, vanilla, and salt; mix just until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, mixing until each is incorporated before adding the next.

4.Place springform pan on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour filling into springform, and gently smooth top. Transfer to oven; reduce oven heat to 300 degrees. Bake 45 minutes. Turn off oven; let cheesecake stay in oven 2 hours more (without opening).

5.Remove from oven; cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours. Unmold before serving.

Sweet Potato Crunch

2010-11-16T12:55:00.003-05:00

(Apologies for overly bright photo, I didn't have my 'good' camera with me)

This is one of those recipes. And what do I mean by “one of those recipes”? This is one of those dishes that if you bring it to a potluck, it pretty much guarantees you will have at least four different people track you down the next day because they MUST have that recipe. To be honest, I almost didn't post this recipe because I was kicking myself for not taking better pictures of the final product (I was in such a rush for said potluck and only had my point and shoot), but then by noon on Monday morning, I had already received three emails from friends requesting the recipe. So I decided it would be unfair to hold out on my "followers" especially because this is a perfect Thanksgiving side dish, along with my corn souffle (another household Thanksgiving favorite).

*Note: I usually make this the night before right up until the last step and then stick it in the oven right before serving.

Enjoy!

Here is what you will need:

Step 1: Peel potatoes. I slice them, so they will cook faster.

Step 2: Boil Potatoes (most likely 18 minutes)

Step 3: To save the time--while the potatoes boil, mix the topping (flour, sugar, and pecans). I wait to add the melted butter until I am ready to place it on top of the potato mixture.

Step 4: Drain the potatoes and mash with mixer.

Step 5: Then mix potatoes with white sugar, margarine, coconut, evaporated milk, and vanilla.

Step 6: Pour into buttered dish.

Step 7: Finish making the topping by mixing with the melted butter.

Step 8: Pour topping over potato mixture. If you are making this ahead of time, you can stop here, cover, and refrigerate until the next day. Otherwise, bake in a 350 degree oven for 40-45 minutes.

ENJOY!

Recipe Courtesy: My Tia Maribel

INGREDIENTS

3 cups mashed sweet potatoes (I use 3 large potatoes which makes a little bit more than 3 cups, but I think this works better to balance out the sugar and coconut)
1 cup white sugar (I don't fill it up quite to the rim, since this can feel like a lot of sugar. You can always taste and add more)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 stick margarine
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 stick melted margarine
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup sweetened coconut

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Peel, cut, and boil potatoes (around 18 minutes or until fork easily pierces potatoes). Mash the potatoes. Then mix potatoes with white sugar, margarine, coconut, evaporated milk, and vanilla. Pour into buttered Pyrex. Pour topping over mixture. Bake for 40-45 minutes.

To make topping.
Mix white flour, 1/2 stick melted butter, brown sugar, and pecans.

Apple-Butternut Squash Soup

2010-11-04T12:05:00.000-04:00

It’s me here---your delinquent blogger. My profound apologies, but this fall has been crazy hectic. It is not that I haven’t been cooking---I have been cooking A LOT and hosting dinners, supper clubs, etc., but I am so pressed for time that documenting each step of the cooking process is just not happening. But lucky for all of you, I absolutely hate cold weather and plan to go into hibernation fairly soon which means lots of staying indoors and lots of time to cook.

So as you will soon learn, I am on a soup kick. It all started a couple of weeks ago when we ate dinner at a friend’s house and had the most fabulous soup. It was a casual dinner with friends, but for some reason, starting off the meal with a nice homemade bowl of soup just kind of kicked the “gourmetness” of the dinner party up a few notches. I loved it so much, in fact, that it finally motivated me to buy an immersion hand blender, so I could also start making creamy soups. I have been trying to avoid the temptation of buying more kitchen gadgets (opening my kitchen cabinets has become hazardous at this point), but the hand blender is well worth it. If you have any creative uses for it other than soups, please feel free to share. ;-)

I was inspired to make this recipe because this past weekend, while visiting my parents in Memphis (see I told you I was busy), my husband ordered Apple-Butternut Squash soup at a restaurant. It was fantastic, and as luck would have it, Martha Stewart has a similar recipe. This soup was delicious, and the spices add a little kick to it. I think the next time I make it though I might use 3 apples instead of 4. I like to have a greater squash to apple ratio, but maybe that’s just me. I also love this soup because it looks so fancy and would make a great first course at a dinner party especially because it can be made a couple of days ahead of time.
Enjoy!

Here is what you will need:

Step 1: Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften, about 4 minutes.

Step 2: Chop the Butternut Squash (I did this the night before to minimize prep time). Add squash, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 minutes.

Step 3: Peel and dice the apples.

Step 4: Add apples, salt, cumin, coriander, ginger, cayenne, black pepper, stock, and the water (just enough to cover). Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook until vegetables are very soft, about 30 minutes.

Step 5: Puree in batches in a food processor or blender until smooth, and return to saucepan. Heat over low, thinning with more water if necessary.

This is what happens when I give my husband the camera.

Step 6: To serve, ladle into shallow bowls; garnish with diced apples, jalapeno slices, and sour cream if desired.

Recipe Courtesy: Martha Stewart

Ingredients

Serves 6

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 medium onion, diced
1 butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled, seeded, and chopped
4 red or golden apples, peeled, cored, and chopped, plus 1 apple, finely diced and tossed in lemon juice, for garnish (optional)
2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
2 1/2 cups water, plus more if needed
1 jalapeno chile, thinly sliced, for garnish (optional)
Sour cream, for garnish (optional)

Directions

1.Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften, about 4 minutes. Add squash, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 minutes.

2.Add apples, salt, cumin, coriander, ginger, cayenne, black pepper, stock, and the water (just enough to cover). Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook until vegetables are very soft, about 30 minutes.

3.Puree in batches in a food processor or blender until smooth, and return to saucepan. Heat over low, thinning with more water if necessary. To serve, ladle into shallow bowls; garnish with diced apples, jalapeno slices, and sour cream if desired.

Helpful Hint from Martha Stewart

The soup can be made ahead of time and refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen up to a month; let cool completely before storing in an airtight container. Reheat gently before serving (thaw frozen soup overnight in the refrigerator).

Pumpkin Flan

2010-10-01T19:50:00.002-04:00

Two pumpkin posts in a row? Overkill? Probably—my husband isn’t complaining though, and my house smells absolutely edible. Flan purists will turn their nose at this gringo version of flan, but I gave a piece to our Salvadorian neighbor, a self proclaimed flan aficionado, and he LOVED it. So clearly, it must be good.

Like pumpkin bread, this is one of those recipes that I really only make October through December. Obviously, there is nothing actually preventing me from making pumpkin recipes mid-July, but would the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte be as exciting if it was readily available all year round? Probably not, so I like to keep these things special. And actually, I have come to love this flan so much, I think it might make its first appearance at Thanksgiving this year since I have appointed myself head of desserts (I should probably let my family know that at some point). Don’t get me wrong, I love plain old pumpkin pie, but sometimes, it is fun to add a little variety to the typical Thanksgiving dessert spread. Last year, I brought pumpkin cheesecake, and that was a huge hit.

In terms of preparation, this can be made a day ahead (or possibly 2 if you really don’t have time the day before). Flan seems like one of those dishes that would be really difficult to make, but besides needing to move rather quickly when pouring the caramel into the souffle dish (see Step 2) there is nothing very technical about this recipe. So with that said, get baking and enjoy!

And next week, I will post something with meat…and vegetables. I think I need more balance in my life, but I suppose pumpkin could count as a vegetable too?

Here is what you will need:

I almost forgot to include the most important ingredient!

Secret Ingredient

Step 1: Heat a 2-quart souffle dish or round ceramic casserole in middle of oven. Cook 1 cup sugar in a dry 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring slowly with a fork, until melted and pale golden. Cook caramel without stirring, swirling pan, until deep golden, about 5 minutes.

Step 2: Quickly and carefully remove hot dish from oven and immediately pour caramel into dish, tilting it to cover bottom and sides. (Leave oven on.) Keep tilting as caramel cools and thickens enough to stay in place.

Step 3: Scald whole milk with evaporated milk in a saucepan and remove from heat. (Basically heat it until it is just at a boil.)

Step 4: Beat eggs and remaining cup sugar with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.

Step 5: Beat in salt, pumpkin, tequila, and spices.

Step 6: Pour milk mixture through a sieve into a bowl and beat into pumpkin mixture in a slow stream until combined well.

Step 7: Pour custard over caramel in dish and set in a water bath of 1 inch hot water. Put pan in middle of oven and lower temperature to 350°F. Bake until golden brown on top and a knife inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 1/4 hours, possibly longer.

Step 8: Remove dish from water bath and transfer to a rack to cool. Chill flan, covered, until cold, at least 6 hours.

Step 9: To unmold flan, rest souffle dish in about 2 inches of warm water for 30 seconds. This helps warm the caramel. Then take a thin knife around flan to loosen the flan from the sides of dish. Wiggle dish from side to side and, when flan moves freely in dish, invert a large serving platter with a lip over dish. Holding dish and platter securely together, quickly invert and turn out flan onto platter. Caramel will pour out over and around it.

Source: Epicurious.com

Ingredients

2 cups sugar
1 cup whole milk
2 (5-oz) cans evaporated milk (1 1/3 cups)
5 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
15-oz can solid-pack pumpkin (1 3/4 cups)
2 tablespoons premium golden agave tequila such as Herradura Reposado, or bourbon
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Place a large pot of water to boil (this hot water will be used for the water bath)

Heat a 2-quart souffle dish or round ceramic casserole in middle of oven.

Cook 1 cup sugar in a dry 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring slowly with a fork, until melted and pale golden. Cook caramel without stirring, swirling pan, until deep golden, about 5 minutes. Quickly and carefully remove hot dish from oven and immediately pour caramel into dish, tilting it to cover bottom and sides. (Leave oven on.) Keep tilting as caramel cools and thickens enough to stay in place.

Scald whole milk with evaporated milk in a saucepan and remove from heat. Beat eggs and remaining cup sugar with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Beat in salt, pumpkin, tequila, and spices. Pour milk mixture through a sieve into a bowl and beat into pumpkin mixture in a slow stream until combined well.

Pour custard over caramel in dish and set in a water bath of 1 inch hot water. Put pan in middle of oven and lower temperature to 350°F. Bake until golden brown on top and a knife inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 1/4 hours, possibly longer. Remove dish from water bath and transfer to a rack to cool. Chill flan, covered, until cold, at least 6 hours.

To unmold flan, rest soufflé dish in about 2 inches of warm water for 30 seconds. This helps warm the caramel. Then take a thin knife around flan to loosen the flan from the sides of dish. Wiggle dish from side to side and, when flan moves freely in dish, invert a large serving platter with a lip over dish. Holding dish and platter securely together, quickly invert and turn out flan onto platter. Caramel will pour out over and around it.

Pumpkin Bread

2010-09-24T09:45:00.001-04:00

Fall is here! Well, maybe not today…today it is going up to 97, but last weekend, it was fall, I swear. There was a cool, crisp breeze in the air, and it felt amazing. This time of year means 2 things in my household (1) time to put away our summer whites and try and remember where I managed to store all of our winter clothes (living in an apartment means being very creative with storage space, and sometimes I forget just exactly where I stored things 6 months ago) and (2) pumpkin bread. Actually, not just pumpkin bread—pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin flan, pumpkin soup, and the list goes on. Pumpkin bread is my favorite though. I absolutely love how the smell fills the entire apartment for days. My goal this fall is to learn how to use real pumpkin, but I haven’t seen any pumpkins at the grocery store yet, so for now, I’m sticking to the canned stuff. If anyone has any helpful tips on using real pumpkin, please feel free to share!

This recipe makes 2 loaves. Sometimes I throw in a cup of walnuts or chocolate chips, depending on the audience. I should add that this is my favorite pumpkin bread recipe, and I have my high school senior cookbook to thank. I believe this recipe was originally published in bon appétit magazine, and it became a favorite at potluck brunches.

Here is what you will need:

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 9x5x3-in. or 8.5x3.5x3-in loaf pans. Beat sugar and oil in a large bowl to blend.

Step 2: Mix in eggs and pumpkin.

Step 3: Sift flour, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, salt, and baking powder in another large bowl.

Step 4: Stir into pumpkin mixture in 2 additions.

Step 5: Divide batter equally between prepared pans Bake until tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 10 minutes.

***Now rather that divide the batter into 2 pans, I used the other half of the mixture to make pumpkin chocolate-chip muffins. I added a little less than a cup of chocolate chips and cooked the muffins for around 17 minutes (I made them small). Keep an eye on them.

Ingredients
3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1(16 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 9x5x3-in. or 8.5x3.5x3-in loaf pans. Beat sugar and oil in a large bowl to blend. Mix in eggs and pumpkin.
Sift flour, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, salt, and baking powder in another large bowl. Stir into pumpkin mixture in 2 additions. Divide batter equally between prepared pans Bake until tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 10 minutes.* Transfer to racks and cool 10 minutes. Using a sharp knife, cut around the edges of the loaves. Turn loaves out onto racks and cool completely.

*if making muffins, cook 16-20 minutes and test with toothpick.

Whole-Wheat Brownies

2010-09-02T22:34:00.000-04:00

So one of the reasons I started this blog was not only to force myself to constantly try new recipes but to also try recipes I might ordinarily shy away from. Well, this past Sunday, I finally got past my bizarre fear of yeast, and tonight, I finally tried two healthy baking alternatives that I had been curious about for a while now. This recipe substitutes whole-wheat flour for half of the white flour and applesauce for the oil. I wasn't very confident that I would be blogging about this recipe with positive reviews, but actually, the brownies turned out really well. I couldn't get over how moist they were, and the chocolate chunks sprinkled on top really add a nice touch.

Now, I'm going to break it down: these are not the ultra-rich fudgy brownies you might find at a gourmet bakery, BUT they are a great weeknight treat that you can eat without feeling super guilty. And the greatest test of all, I didn't reveal to my husband that these were made with whole-wheat flour and applesauce until after he took his second brownie. He genuinely liked them, and he never likes any of the random organic low-fat cookies I bring home from the grocery store.

The final verdict: I probably wouldn't make these for guests or a party (my mom passed on the belief that you don't invite people over to put them on a diet), but I will definitely make these again for myself...and maybe my husband if I decide to share. :-)

(and yes, I am still working on the new website....this may take a while, ha)

THE RECIPE

Here is what you will need:

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-in. square baking dish; line with parchment paper leaving a 2-in. overhang on all sides. (note: I do not have an 8-in. square baking dish, and I was running out of parchment paper....so this isn't the greatest example, but it did the trick! This makes cutting perfect brownies MUCH easier). Also, go ahead and start boiling water for Step 4.

Step 2: In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, cocoa, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.

Step 3: In a large bowl, stir together sugar, applesauce, and egg.

Step 4: Place butter and 6 ounces of chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over (not in) a pot of simmering water; stir until melted. (Note: No need for a fancy double-boiler...just a heat proof bowl over hot water.)

Step 5: Stir chocolate mixture into sugar mixture. Stir in flour mixture.

Step 6: Pour into pan and top with 2 ounces chocolate.

Step 7: Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs attached, 40 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack. Use parchment paper to lift cake from pan and cut into 16 squares.

ENJOY!

Recipe Courtesy: Martha Stewart in her Everyday Food Magazine

Ingredients
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pan
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour (spooned and leveled)
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 1/4 cups unsweetened applesauce
1 large egg
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Step 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-in. square baking dish; line with parchment paper leaving a 2-in. overhang on all sides. In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, cocoa, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.

Step 2. In a large bowl, stir together sugar, applesauce, and egg. Place butter and 6 ounces of chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over (not in) a pot of simmering water; stir until melted. Stir chocolate mixture into sugar mixture. Stir in flour mixture. Pour into pan and top with 2 ounces chocolate.

Step 3. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs attached, 40 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack. Use parchment paper to lift cake from pan and cut into 16 squares. (Store in airtight container, up to 5 days) Makes 16.

CPK's BBQ Chicken Pizza

2010-08-29T23:02:00.001-04:00

My first homemade pizza crust!

So this is not counting as my post for the week,* but I could not go to bed without posting about my meal tonight. I am HIGHLY HIGHLY recommending this recipe for California Pizza Kitchen's BBQ Chicken Pizza from Pioneer Woman. If you don't know who the Pioneer Woman is, you've been living under a rock far far away from any food bloggers. When I first came upon her website for last year, "food pornography" was the only way I could describe it. I would love to make all of her recipes, but I'm not quite sure how many hours that would require I spend on the treadmill (they are a bit butter/cream/carb heavy). She does have some "cowgirl" food that is a bit on the healthier side that I have really enjoyed, and of course, her desserts never ever disappoint.

When I saw this recipe for CPK's BBQ Chicken Pizza, I HAD to try it. I was a little bit intimidated because I have never made homemade pizza dough. The idea of using active yeast somehow seemed really complicated to me. It was so incredibly easy though. I honestly can't imagine going back to my store-bought ready-made crust.

Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed your weekend! I should add that I made this meal tonight for my husband because tomorrow is his "first day of school." Good luck, Big Guy!!

*I thought it would seem silly for me to document how to make this recipe since Pioneer Woman does such an incredible job herself. The only comment I will make is that I did not use 16 ounces of mozzarella. I just put enough to cover the entire pizza. Otherwise, it felt like it would have been way too much to use all of it.

Pork Tenderloin with Mango Salsa

2010-08-25T22:46:00.000-04:00

Hi friends!

I am sure you have been wondering where I have been, and I promise I have not abandoned my blog. Actually, exciting changes will be coming soon, so I am busy trying to work on my new website. Blogger has been good to me, but now that I feel more comfortable in the blogging world, I am beginning to feel a bit limited with blogger’s capabilities. So have patience with me because I think it will be worth it. I have also been savoring the last bits of a summer. Between weddings, baptisms, and family reunions, I am a little behind on logging all of my recent meals, but I am going to try hard to catch up.

I made this recipe for Pork Tenderloin and Mango Salsa a few weeks ago for a going away dinner that I hosted for a couple of dear friends who we were sad to say goodbye to, but HOPEFULLY they will be back soon ;-).

In the summer, I love complimenting meat and fish with fruit salsas. The mango salsa in this recipe can be made a day ahead, and the marinade can be made the morning of, so this doesn’t require too much last-minute preparation which makes it an ideal dinner party go-to recipe. I usually grill it on the stove top just a few minutes before guests are expected to arrive, and then while it cooks in the oven, people have had plenty of time to enjoy a few appetizers and sip on some wine.

For the Mango Salsa....

Step 1: Prepare the mango salsa. As I said in the introduction, this can be done a day in advance. Chop the mango, bell pepper, red onion, jalapeno, and cilantro. Combine in a bowl.

Step 2: Add lime juice, rice wine vinegar, ginger, and garlic. Season with black pepper. Allow to sit for at least 45 minutes before serving.

Next, prepare the marinade for the tenderloins...

Here is what you will need:

Step 1: Combine the lime juice, 1/2 cup of the olive oil, honey and garlic in a food processor and pulse several times to puree.

Step 2: Put the tenderloins in a large plastic storage bag and pour in the marinade. Seal the bag and refrigerate for at least 1 hour but ideally, I let it sit for 4 hours and rotate the bag ever so often (there are no pictures of this step, my camera battery died, but this is pretty simple).

Time to Prepare the Tenderloins!

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Heat a large nonstick ovenproof skillet over high heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Remove the tenderloins from the marinade and pat dry. Season the tenderloins on all sides with the salt and pepper.

Step 2: When the skillet is hot, add the tenderloins and sear, turning to ensure even browning, about 4 minutes.

Step 3: Transfer to the oven and cook for 18 to 20 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 145 degrees F.

Step 4: Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes.

ENJOY!

Recipe Courtesy: Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients for the Tenderloins

3/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 pork tenderloins trimmed (about 2 pounds total)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Combine the lime juice, 1/2 cup of the olive oil, honey and garlic in a food processor and pulse several times to puree. Put the tenderloins in a large plastic storage bag and pour in the marinade. Seal the bag and refrigerate for 1 hour (or up to 4 hours).

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Heat a large nonstick ovenproof skillet over high heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Remove the tenderloins from the marinade and pat dry. Season the tenderloins on all sides with the salt and pepper. When the skillet is hot, add the tenderloins and sear, turning to ensure even browning, about 4 minutes. Transfer to the oven and cook for 18 to 20 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 145 degrees F. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes.

Ingredients for the Mango Salsa
1 1/2 cups (1/2-inch) diced mango

1/2 cup small diced red bell pepper
1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon minced jalapeno
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 teaspoons minced ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place all the ingredients in a non-reactive medium bowl and stir to blend. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the salsa to macerate at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes. Remove the plastic wrap and serve with the tenderloins.

Easy Appetizers: Prosciutto with Figs and Mascarpone Stuffed Dates

2010-08-02T18:15:00.003-04:00

I absolutely love hosting people for dinner. I grew up watching my mother host dinner parties, and as soon as I started learning to cook, I began hosting little gatherings. They started off kind of simple in college---paper plates, red solo cups, and friends scattered over my tiny dorm using any available surface as a chair. I still remember the first time I had my husband (then boyfriend) over for dinner. I made him chicken fingers and rice-a-roni. I think I spent the entire day panicking over how to perfectly time the cooking process. Luckily, since then, I have had a bit more practice, and I don’t spend the entire day panicking. Now that I have a few solid “dinner party recipes,” I have time to think about other details like table settings (see flowers below) and of course, appetizers. I am always on the hunt for easy (emphasis on the easy) appetizers, so just in case I am running around at the last moment putting together the salad, etc., my guests have something to munch on.

Recent Flower Arrangements Using Lime Slices

If I am putting together a fancy meal, I don’t like to add any extra stress, so these two appetizers are really simple to put together and can be done in advance (just take them out of the refrigerator about an hour before serving them). The figs stuffed with prosciutto are about as straightforward as it gets. Unfortunately, figs are seasonal, so you can’t count on them being available when you need them. The stuffed dates take a few extra minutes, but they are worth it. There are several different ways to prepare dates as an appetizer—the most popular being bacon-wrapped dates—but I wanted to try something a little different, and you can never go wrong with mascarpone cheese.

Recipe for Figs Stuffed with Prosciutto

Delicious Fresh Figs

Step 1: Using a sharp knife, make a cross-shaped slit in each fig, cutting only three-fourths of the way through the fruit.

Step 2: Roll a slice of prosciutto and tuck it into the slit of the fig. Repeat until all the figs are stuffed. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Remove 1 hour before serving.

Recipe for Mascarpone Stuffed Medjool Dates

Step 1: Make a cut the length of the date and remove pit. Place pitted dates on a plate and set aside.

Step 2: In a small bowl combine cheese, honey and lemon zest with a spatula until mixed well.

Recipe Courtesy: Gourmet Girl

Step 3: Carefully fill each date with about 2 teaspoons of the cheese mixture. Place a pecan on top of each filled date. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Remove 1 hour before you are ready to serve.

Enjoy!

Ingredients for Figs Stuffed with Prosciutto

Figs (at least 2 per guest)

Prosciutto (1 slice per fig)

Directions
Step 1: Using a sharp knife, make a cross-shaped slit in each fig, cutting only three-fourths of the way through the fruit.
Step 2: Roll a slice of prosciutto and tuck it into the slit of the fig. Repeat until all the figs are stuffed. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Remove 1 hour before serving.

Ingredients for Marscarpone Stuffed Medjool Dates
1 8oz container Mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
1 lb. Medjool Dates
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 lb. toasted pecan halves ( 350F on a cookie sheet- watch carefully, about 15 min.)

Directions
Step 1: Make a cut the length of the date and remove pit. Place pitted dates on a plate and set aside.
Step 2: In a small bowl combine cheese, honey and lemon zest with a spatula until mixed well.
Step 3: Carefully fill each date with about 2 teaspoons of the cheese mixture for large dates and 1 teaspoon for smaller dates. Place a pecan on top of each filled date. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve. Remove 1 hour before you are ready to serve.

Edamame Succotash

2010-07-22T22:01:00.000-04:00

My last few posts have focused mainly on desserts, so I decided to take a step back and do as my mother says and "eat more vegetables."

I have never actually liked succotash. Lima Beans have just never really been my thing (no offense to all of the Lima Bean connoisseurs of the world), so when I saw this recipe for edamame succotash, I was intrigued because edamame is definitely my thing. In fact, my college roommate and I went through a phase in college where, instead of eating popcorn, we would steam a bunch of edamame and eat it while watching TV. I think this healthy phase lasted for about a week. In the end, the pull of Thomas Sweet was a little too strong.

I was also drawn to this salad because more than anything, I thought it looked pretty---obviously an important factor in my recipe decision-making. I love the colors in my salad, in particular, because of the color of the corn I used. If you look closely at the picture, you can see little red corn kernels. When my husband first looked at it, he asked if they were pomegranate seeds. I'm not sure sure whether or not we should be embarrassed, but neither of us had ever eaten red corn before. When I got home and started to peel the corn and saw that it was red, my first instinct was to assume that the corn had gone bad. A few google searches later, and I came to learn that red corn actually has a nuttier and richer flavor than yellow corn. I have to agree.

This would be a great salad to bring to a summer BBQ potluck because it is pretty versatile in terms of what it can be served with. We ate it with fish the first night and chicken the second, and it went well with both. This can also be served cold, room temperature, or even a little warm (I heated it up in the microwave the second night).

Enjoy!

The Recipe

Step 1: Prepare the vegetables. Chop the red pepper, tomatoes, sweet onion, basil, and corn.

Check out my beautiful red corn!

Step 2: Like all great recipes, this one starts with bacon. Cook bacon in a nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 2 teaspoons drippings in pan; coarsely chop bacon.

(I placed the bacon between paper towels to absorb the grease.)

Step 3: Increase the heat to medium-high. Melt butter in drippings in pan.

Step 4: Add onion; sauté 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 5: Add corn kernels; sauté for 3 minutes or until lightly charred.

Step 6: Add edamame, and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 7: Add red wine vinegar, salt, freshly ground pepper, sugar, tomatoes, and red bell pepper. Cook 30 seconds, stirring occasionally.

Step 8: Sprinkle with bacon and basil and enjoy! You can serve cold or warm. I think I actually preferred it slightly warm, but it was still good the next day straight out of the refrigerator

Recipe Courtesy: Cooking Light Magazine

Ingredients

1 slice center-cut bacon
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups chopped sweet onion ( preferably Vidalia)
2 cups fresh corn kernels (about 3 ears)
1 (16-ounce) bag frozen, shelled edamame, thawed
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar
3 plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons torn basil

Preparation

1. Cook bacon in a nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 2 teaspoons drippings in pan; coarsely chop bacon.
2. Increase the heat to medium-high. Melt butter in drippings in pan. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add corn kernels; sauté for 3 minutes or until lightly charred. Add edamame, and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in vinegar and next 5 ingredients (through bell pepper); cook 30 seconds, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with bacon and basil.

Pineapple Sorbet

2010-07-16T06:56:00.000-04:00

It is H-O-T!! The rain cooled things off just slightly for a couple of days, but today the high was back in the 90s. And, as usual, the heat + humidity is hitting me where it hurts most--my hair. Oh how I wish we were back in the 80s when frizzy hair was all the rage. I'm still not quite sure what the Founding Father's were thinking when they built this city over a swamp! And, of course, the other effect the heat is having on my life is that all I can think about when I step outside is cooling off with a big scoop of ice cream. Seeking out a healthier alternative, I used my ice-cream maker to make sorbet,* and it turned out really well with an incredibly smooth and creamy texture. This is a 'light' recipe, so it contains less sugar than a lot of sorbet recipes I have seen. And since the pineapple was so sweet and juicy, I could have probably even used a little less sugar.

Overall, I am pretty excited about how well it turned out. I have joked in the past that, if I am really being honest with myself, the store-bought product is probably slightly better than what I end up making, but this was not the case at all with this sorbet. There is definitely an added benefit to making it yourself using fresh fruit. Right now, given that the fruit at the market is so fresh and juicy, the possibilities are endless. Next week, I want to make a raspberry/strawberry combo!

And yes, how do I own a fancy ice-cream maker yet I still don't have a proper food processor? I'm not sure, but clearly, I have my priorities straight. :-)

* Cooking Light offers this alternative if you don't have an ice-cream maker. Use a covered metal bowl. Freeze mixture 3 hours or until it is hard on the outside but slushy in the middle. Remove it from the freezer, beat it with a whisk until smooth, and return to the freezer, covered, for 4 hours until firm.

Here is what you will need:

Step 1: Cut the pineapple into 2-inch pieces. Because my pineapple chopping job looked like a scene out of a Hollywood horror film, I am going to recommend this link for a MUCH smoother chopping scenario. http://www.howtocutapineapple.com/

This photo needs yellow police tape around it.

Step 2: Juice the lemon and place the pineapple pieces and lemon juice in a food processor; process until smooth.

Step 3: Add sugar; process 1 minute or until sugar dissolves.

Step 4: Pour mixture into the freezer can of an ice-cream freezer; freeze according to manufacturer's instructions.

Best and most impractical Christmas present ever!

It took about 25 minutes in my machine to reach a creamy consistency.

Spoon sorbet into a freezer-safe container. Cover and freeze 1 hour or until firm (we actually ate it immediately--it wasn't quite firm yet but still delicious). Garnish with mint leaves and enjoy!

Recipe Courtesy Cooking Light Magazine

Full List of Ingredients:
1 small pineapple, peeled and cored
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
Mint sprigs (optional)

Low-Fat Blueberry Crumble Pie

2010-07-08T23:13:00.002-04:00

So I am 7 months into my little blogging adventure, and I am still trying to get a feel for what people would like to see more or less of each week. I love it when people leave comments with suggestions because I like the idea of this blog being more of a dialogue than my personal cooking diary. Let's be honest, I still have a lot to learn. I also love it when I receive emails from people making special requests. In fact, I scream across the apartment for my husband to come see my "fan mail." I recently received an email from a blog reader who wanted a quick and easy healthy summer dessert, so that is the motivation behind today's blog post. So, long story short, if you email, I will respond.....mostly because I don't really get that many emails, so it is still a pretty big deal. ;-) But seriously, this blog is still very much a work in progress, so if you have any advice, I would love to hear it.

I have been making this blueberry crumble since I was in college. It isn't exactly worthy of a special occasion, although my husband did request it once for his birthday. In fact, now that I have really taken up baking, I find myself slightly apologetic that I am using a pre-made crust. I suppose you could make the crust from scratch....but the beauty of this dessert is that it is easy and casual---and best of all, low in fat. And since we are in the middle of bathing suit season, I could use more desserts like this and less desserts like this.

The recipe is pretty simple, and it really lets the natural sugars of the blueberries shine through without adding too many additional ingredients. It is best served warm, but there have been times when we eat it straight out of the fridge because it is just that good.

Here is what you will need:

Step 1: Preheat oven to 375°. Rinse 5 cups of blueberries and place in pie plate.

Step 2. Combine brown sugar, flour, vanilla, rind, and sour cream; spread over blueberries.

Step 3: Combine breadcrumbs, granulated sugar, and margarine; sprinkle over sour cream mixture.

Step 4: Bake at 375° for 40 minutes or until set and crumbs are lightly browned. Cool 1 hour on a wire rack (if you can wait that long).

Recipe Courtesy: Cooking Light Magazine

Ingredients

5 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1 (9-inch) reduced-fat graham-cracker crust
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 (8-ounce) carton low-fat sour cream
1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon margarine, melted

Dulce de Leche

2010-07-02T00:05:00.002-04:00

Can this really count as a blog post when all I did was boil a can?

This has been the debate going on in my head tonight, but honestly, the end result was kind of amazing--mostly because I really didn’t believe this would actually work. I had images of the can exploding, leaving traces of sweetened condensed milk all over my kitchen walls.

So to back track...tonight I made Dulce de Leche.

For those of you who read my recent post on “Eating My Way Through South America,” you’ll remember me mentioning Dulce de Leche as one of my favorite foods. This smooth caramel was literally like its own food group in Argentina. Every morning, we would spread it on toast and dip it in coffee---SO good. I actually brought back miniature cans of Dulce de Leche for all of my co-workers. Little did I know, it is actually really easy to make. All you have to do is boil a can of sweetened condensed milk for several hours. That's it. Really.

I had always been aware that there was 'something' you could make by boiling a can of sweetened condensed milk, but it wasn't until I began researching Dulce de Leche recipes that I connected the dots. If you google "boiling a can of sweet condensed milk," you will find several message boards discussing this topic, and there are people out there who are pretty skeptical of this method and encourage another method that uses a water bath in the oven instead with the sweetened condensed milk poured into a pie plate. Because my husband is in law school, I have been encouraged to add the disclaimer that I am not officially endorsing this method and to proceed at your own risk [happy now, husband? :-)]. The most important thing to remember, make sure the can always has at least a few inches of water above it. I boiled this can over a 2-hour period, and I added a little bit of water probably every 15 minutes.

Here is what you will need:

Step 1: Unwrap the can (blogger refuses to let me rotate my photos, so apologies).

Step 2: Submerge in a deep pot of boiling water. Do this for at least 2 hours. I think you can do it up to 4 hours.The longer you do it, the thicker the consistency. BUT REMEMBER TO ALWAYS MAKE SURE THERE IS AT LEAST 2 INCHES OF WATER ABOVE THE CAN. Check on the can every 10-15 minutes.

Step 3: Remove the can and let it cool. Open the can and step back in amazement!!

Enjoy! The possibilities are endless---you could use it on toast, ice cream, cookies, cakes....the list goes on!

Hummus

2010-06-29T22:52:00.002-04:00

So I'm not sure whether or not this is normal, but we go through a container of hummus a week in the Capital Chef household. I literally buy one every time I do my weekly shopping, and by Friday afternoon, we are scraping the barrel. I have heard a few people mention that hummus is actually really easy to make, so I decided to make this my culinary experiment this week. I was pretty excited about how it turned out. My husband even told me it tasted like the hummus at Zaytinya (favorite DC restaurant), so I decided it was blog worthy. I searched several blogs and message boards and all of the recipes were pretty similar. You can really fine tune this recipe to your own taste buds. For example, if you love garlic, you may want to use 2 garlic cloves instead of one or you could add more cumin and lemon juice if you want those flavors to be a bit stronger. My advice is to start with smaller amounts and taste and adjust accordingly.

Overall, I'm not sure that this is *that* much better than my store bought addiction brand, but in general, I do think making this from scratch is a very easy way to add a more personal touch to any casual gathering.

**The one ingredient I have never used before is Tahini, a thick sesame seed paste. I found it in the aisle of my grocery store that contains Hispanic, Asian, and Middle Eastern foods.

Here is what you will need:

(not pictured: lemon and salt. They were feeling camera shy)

Step 1: Before draining and rinsing the chick peas, set aside a 1/4 cup of the chickpea juice. Drain and rinse the chickpeas and set aside.

Step 2: Peel and smash a medium clove of garlic with the back of a spoon.

Step 3: Insert a 1/4 cup of Tahini and the smashed garlic clove in the food processor.

Step 3: Squeeze the juice of 1/2 a lemon over the bowl of the food processor. Blend until it forms a smooth paste.

Step 4: Once that paste has been formed, add the can of chick peas and 1/4 cup of the reserved chickpea juice. *I didn't add the juice all at once. I would stop the blender every 30 seconds and add a little more.

It will start to form a thick paste...continue to blend until smooth.

Step 5: Now begin to add the spices. I added a 1/4 teaspoon of cumin, a 1/4 teaspoon of paprika, and a little less than a 1/4 teaspoon of salt. I also added 1 teaspoon of olive oil. After blending this together and taste-testing, I decided to add more lemon juice and strained the other half of the lemon into the mixture. You can add more spices according to your preference, but I think that is a good amount to start with.

After well blended, serve with Pita Chips. Sprinkle with paprika for a nice presentation.

Full List of Ingredients:

15-ounce can of chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans (reserve 1/4 cup of chickpea water )
1 medium garlic clove, smashed and peeled
1/4 cup of tahini
1 medium lemon
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon paprika

Serve with raw vegetables or pita chips.

Balsamic Glazed Eggplant and Tomato Appetizer

2010-06-24T20:27:00.000-04:00

There are moments when this Southern girl feels a bit exhausted by living in the city--particularly in the hot summer months when I leave the metro completed drenched in sweat. But then, there are the little things that make it all worth it. Every spring, for example, the farmer's market down the street from my house reopens, and every Thursday afternoon, on my walk home from work, I have my pick of the freshest fruits and vegetables. It is a foodies paradise.

Today's Purchases

(This might be the most fragrant basil I have ever purchased)

Tonight, I decided to get a little fancy with my salad, since I was just heating up some boring chicken leftovers from the night before. This salad was inspired by an appetizer I recently ordered at an Italian restaurant and seemed pretty easy to recreate. While all of the ingredients I used were incredibly fresh, the key ingredient is the tomato, so be sure take advantage of them while they are still in season!

Here is what you will need:

Step 1: Heat the grill on medium high with 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Cut the eggplant into 1/2 inch slices.

Step 2: Sprinkle with kosher salt and place on hot grill.

Step 3: While the eggplant begins to cook, mix 1 tablespoon of olive oil with 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar.

Step 4. When the eggplant appears a bit translucent, spoon balsamic mixture over the eggplant.

Step 5. The eggplant will begin to sizzle, so watch out! Flip the eggplant over and spoon any excess vinegar in the pan over the pieces. (I moved the eggplant all over the grill to make sure most of the vinegar was absorbed.)

Step 6: Turn the heat down and let the eggplant continue to sizzle. Use this opportunity to cut the tomatoes and mozzarella.

Step 7: Begin to stack the salad. One piece of tomato, one piece of mozzarella, a couple of leaves of basil, and one slice of eggplant (do this twice).

Step 8: This is where I decided to get fancy. I pulled out my balsamic glaze from Harris Teeter and sprinkled it all over.

Step 9: Drizzle some olive oil over the plate as well and enjoy!!

Note: For each salad, you will need:

3 slices of tomato

2 slices of eggplant

2 slices of mozzarella

4 small basil leaves

List of Ingredients for 4 servings:

3 tablespoons of olive oil for grill

1 tablespoon of olive oil for glaze

2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar

kosher salt

8 slices of eggplant (1 medium eggplant)

12 slices of tomato (approximately 3 tomatoes)

8 slices of mozzarella (1 large ball of mozzarella)

16 small basil leaves

Balsamic Glaze

Olive Oil to drizzle

Torta de Merengue

2010-06-20T22:13:00.001-04:00

"It is like eating a piece of a cloud."--Mr. Capital Chef

I have mentioned before that my parents are originally from Spain. Growing up in Memphis, they built a tight-knit community of Spanish-speaking immigrants, and we didn't consider them "like a second family"--they were family. The family gatherings revolved mostly around food, and this dessert, Torta de Merengue, was the centerpiece (well, in my mind at least). I was thrilled when I recently learned that the local paper in Memphis did a feature on our Chilean friends, and the article included some of my favorite recipes, including the Torta de Merengue. I was surprised by how simple it sounded. As a child, this cake seemed magical. Here is the article: http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2009/may/06/chiles-catch/

The cake is essentially strawberries and whipped cream sandwiched between two meringue layers and then completely smothered in whipped cream to create a smooth texture. Once the cake is assembled, the meringue starts to absorb the cream and becomes light and fluffy. My husband couldn't have described it better: "it is like eating a piece of a cloud." As soon as I took one taste of this cake, it felt like going home. It is amazing how the texture and taste of food has the ability to transport you back in time. As I ate this last night, I remembered all of those family gatherings and even though I don't go back home as often as I would like, I felt so grateful that all of those people still remain in my life--thank God for facebook, right?

**Note: I'm not sure if it just me, but I found it kind of impossible to make the meringues into perfectly flat circles. I don't think it matters though because once you decorate it with the whipped cream, all of the imperfections are covered up.

Here is what you will need for the meringue:

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. To make the meringues, whip the 6 egg whites. **It is really important not to get any egg yolks in the egg white mixture. I break each egg into a small bowl and then pour it into the larger bowl. That way, if you accidentally break the yolk, you will have only ruined one egg, and you don't have to start all over again.

Step 2: When they begin to foam, add a pinch of salt.

Step 3: Slowly incorporate the sugar, continuing to whip until the whites hold peaks.

Step 5: Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. I traced 2 9-inch circles using a cake pan, so I had a guide for shaping the meringues.

Step 6: Spread a meringue disk the size of a standard cake on each. Bake until very dry at 200 degrees, which might take as long as 2 hours (it took me 2 hours). Cool and peel off parchment paper.

Here is what you will need for the filling:

Step 1: Whip the cream with the sugar, to taste.

Step 2: If you have a stand mixer, you can leave the cream to mix for a few minutes while you wash and slice the strawberries. Set aside 6-10 whole strawberries (depending on how many you want) to decorate the top of the cake.

The cream should get nice and thick.

Step 3: To assemble, put one meringue disk on a cake plate and spread a generous layer of whipped cream on top.

Then place a layer of strawberries....

Another layer of cream...

Then another layer of strawberries...

Put the remaining meringue on top, then frost the top and sides of the cake with remaining whipped cream. Decorate top with the reserved strawberries. **This cake must be refrigerated...it can start to melt if left out for too long.

List of Ingredients:

(serves 10)

6 large eggs whites at room temperature

Pinch of salt
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar

Filling and topping:
1 quart heavy cream
1/2 to 1 cup sugar, to taste
1 quart strawberries

Eating My Way Through South America

2010-06-08T23:05:00.003-04:00

I am back from my summer vacation to Brazil and Argentina! I apologize to any of my readers who felt abandoned, but it was nice to take a break from the dishes for a couple of weeks :-). I try and resist the temptation to turn this into some kind of personal blog, so rather than bore you with all the details of my recent trip, I'll stick to what this blog is really about--FOOD! And we ate plenty of it. I am highlighting some of my favorite restaurants from our trip, and if you plan on travelling to that part of the world any time soon, please feel free to email capitalchef@gmail.com with any questions.

Rio de Janeiro

Favorite fruit smoothie--Acai Berry from Polis Sucos (Rua Maria Quitéria 70, Ipanema). We went here for a late night snack after a rumba show, and we went back the next day for lunch. We had a smoothie with a ham and cheese sandwich---cheap, easy, and really good!

Coconut Water- I loved sitting on the beach sipping water directly out of coconuts--so delicious and fresh and apparently a huge trend in the celebrity world these days http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b172937_why_every_celebrity_drinking_coconut.html

Man preparing coconut:

Me enjoying coconut:

Porcao Churrascaria- Vegetarians, be warned, this place is probably not for you. We celebrated my birthday at this restaurant, and it was AMAZING! The servers walk around the restaurant holding up different cuts of meat. We really have no idea what we ate that night (I think at one point I thought I was eating beef but it was ostrich?), but we just tried not to think about it for too long. ***My advice--don't overload on the buffet because there will be A LOT of meat coming your way. Also, there are two locations, but the one in Flamengo is right on the water and worth the short cab ride.

You hold this up when you want the meat they are offering:

And hold this up when you can't take anymore...

Caiprinha- Brazil's national cocktail. It is made with made with cachaça, sugar, and lime. I enjoyed one at the famous bar Garota de Ipanema, the bar where the famous bossa nova song Girl From Ipanema was written.

Favorite Street Food- Churros filled with Dulce de Leche--A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!

One more restaurant worth mentioning because we went back twice (but unfortunately without a camera both times)--Doce Delicia (http://www.docedelicia.com.br/ Rua Dias Ferreira 48, Rio de Janeiro) After over-indulging in way too much meat the night before, this was the perfect place to enjoy a fresh salad. Ask for a seat near the kitchen where you can watch them prepare the most intricate pizzas I've ever seen---it was seriously a work of art.

Buenos Aires

Un' Altra Volta- Ice Cream/Chocolate store. A few people recommended Freddo, which we also tired, but I liked this one better. The Dulce de Leche flavor was by far our favorite.

La Cabrera in Palermo-- I really will never be able to say enough about this restaurant. If you go to Buenos Aires, YOU MUST GO HERE! It was unreal. First of all, I should probably remind you if you didn't already know, don't even think about trying to eat in Argentina before 9 pm. We got there around 9:30 and had a little bit of a wait, so as we waited outside, they brought us a glass of champagne. Right there, they had my heart.

For an appetizer (Lord knows we did NOT need to order this), we ordered Provoletta (grilled cheese). I highly recommend.

We ordered steak and chicken wrapped in bacon...we tried to order a third because the prices were so cheap, but our waiter kindly warned us against ordering any more food. I'm sure he was thinking "typical overeating Americans!"

Then, they brought out all of these complimentary sides. I can't remember all of them except for the pureed pumpkin, pearl onions in wine sauce, roasted garlic, olive tapenade, creamed spinach, and the list goes on...

At the end, they brought us complimentary limoncello shots and lollipops. We definitely did not need to order dessert! (also, if someone could teach me how to rotate photos in blogger, I would greatly appreciate it.)

Cafe Tortoni-- We had a 10-minute wait to get in, but despite the fact that it is a huge tourist destination, it somehow maintains its old world charm. We could have sat there for hours.

La Brigada--Another really great restaurant. What impressed me most was that they cut the steak with a spoon here! We were a little tired ot taking pictures that night after a full day of sightseeing, so here is the only photo I took--me hungry/excited for another night of steak!

Aramburu (Salta 1050 http://www.arambururesto.com/)-My final restaurant recommendation is completely off the beaten path and brand new. After attempting to eat at another restaurant that was completely full, the hostess of that restaurant took pity on us and wrote down an address of another restaurant she said would definitely take us. She told us just to hand the address to a cab driver and she would call ahead for us. Let's just say, this restaurant doesn't seem to be in the 'best' neighborhood, and we had to knock on the door to be let in. For a brief moment, I thought this might have been some huge set-up, but the meal we were served that night was unlike anything I had ever eaten before. The chef, Gonzalo Aramburu, apparently just moved back to Buenos Aires after studying with a famous Spanish chef as well as working in restaurants in both Chicago and New York. We were served an 8-course tasting menu, and unfortunately, since the waitress didn't speak ANY English and we were being served foods with Spanish names completely unfamiliar to me, we just had to trust her. Here are a few photos of the dishes we were served. I HIGHLY highly recommend. This was 5 star food at 2 star prices.

If you will excuse me, I need to head to the gym now!

Mediterranean Tuna Salad

2010-05-20T22:25:00.007-04:00

In keeping with my theme of easy summer salads and sandwiches, this is my favorite tuna salad. Unlike the typical mayonnaise/egg version, this is a healthy version packed with flavor using green onions, sun dried tomatoes, olives, and red bell peppers and then seasoned with olive oil, red wine vinegar, and Mrs. Dash garlic and herb seasoning. This sandwich works really well with a side of gazpacho (another recipe for another day...).

This would be the perfect sandwich to enjoy at my favorite DC tradition Jazz in the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden. The concert series starts back up again next Friday, May 28!

Here is what you will need:

Step 1: Chop the red bell pepper.

Step 2: Chop the green onions.

Step 3: Chop the sun dried tomatoes (or buy the pre-sliced tomatoes)

Step 4: Drain the olives.

Step 5. Mix together in a bowl.

Step 6: Add 2 tsp. Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb Seasoning.

Step 7: Add 3-4 tablespoons olive oil (sometimes I add more if it seems too dry)

Step 8: Add several dashes of red wine vinegar.

Step 9: Stir until well-combined. I tested it and decided to add a little more olive oil and sun dried tomatoes.

Full list of ingredients:
2 tsp. Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb Seasoning
12 oz. tuna
1/2 bell pepper chopped
4 green onions chopped
1 small can of diced black olives
several chopped red wine vinegar
3-4 tablespoons of olive oil
several dashes of red wine vinegar

Crunchy Curry Chicken Salad

2010-05-12T20:34:00.009-04:00

Despite the fact that I wore a coat to work yesterday, it is May, and summer is almost here--even if mother nature seems to be slightly indecisive about it. Warm weather means picnic season is upon us, so I am going to start sharing some of my favorite summer salad recipes (pasta, tuna, potato, etc.).

I am starting off with my favorite chicken salad recipe. I love the combination of curry and mango chutney, and the celery and sliced almonds give it a delightfully crunchy texture. I have seen similar recipes that call for apples and/or raisins in place of grapes, so you can play around with this a bit. Also, the measurements for the celery and grapes don't have to be exact. It is all a matter of preference.

Enjoy! I hear *knock on wood* the weather in DC is supposed to be beautiful this weekend!

Here is what you will need:

Step 1: Cook the chicken. Place the chicken in a pot and cover with water.

Bring the water to a full boil. It usually takes the chicken at least 20-25 minutes to cook.

Step 2: While the chicken is cooking, go ahead and make the curry dressing. Start with 1 cup of mayonnaise (I use fat-free). Add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce.

Then 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.

Then 1 1/2 teaspoons of curry powder.

And 1 tablespoon of mango chutney.

Stir together!

Step 3: Slice 1 and 1/2 cups of grapes.

Step 4: Chop 1 cup of celery.

Step 5: When the chicken has cooled, chop the chicken into bite-size pieces.

Step 6: Mix the grapes, celery, and chicken together.

Stir well.

Step 7: Add 1 package of sliced almonds.

Step 8: Add the dressing.

Enjoy!!

Full List of Ingredients:

1 package of chicken (3-4 chicken breasts)
1 cup of chopped celery
1 1/2 cup of seedless red grapes
1/2 cup of sliced almonds
1 cup of fat-free mayonnaise
1 tablespoon of soy sauce
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons of curry powder
1 tablespoon of mango chutney

Blueberry Coffee Cake Muffins

2010-05-05T19:41:00.008-04:00

Dear Loyal Blog Readers, I apologize for getting a little behind on posting, but between last weekend's 5k race (we raised $32,000!) and my parent's visit to the District, the blog had to take a back seat. Have no fear, I am back, and I have lots of yummy recipes to share.

I decided to post a breakfast recipe, since a lot of people may be in the midst of trying to plan their mother's day brunch. This is the first recipe I have ever tried from the Barefoot Contessa, and I really liked it. These Blueberry Muffins are really moist and not overly sweet---nothing too complicated or fancy about them. I had never made blueberry muffins before, so I thought this was a good place to start. I currently, have a lot of extra blueberries from Costco sitting in my refrigerator, so I may use that as an excuse to kick things up a notch this weekend and try making these with a streusel topping. Be on the lookout for that.

Here is what you will need:

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place 16 paper liners in muffin pans. Sort through the blueberries and pick out any stems or spoiled berries.

Step 2: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

Step 3: With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla, sour cream, and milk.

Step 4: In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Step 5: With the mixer on low speed add the flour mixture to the batter and beat until just mixed.

Step 6: Fold in the blueberries with a spatula and be sure the batter is completely mixed.

Step 7: Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pans, filling each cup just over the top, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the muffins are lightly browned on top and a cake tester comes out clean.

Enjoy!!

Full List of Ingredients:
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
8 ounces (about 1 cup) sour cream
1/4 cup milk
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 half-pints fresh blueberries

Vieras a la Gallega (Galician-Style Scallops)

2010-04-28T20:54:00.006-04:00

This is one of my favorite recipes from Spain. The scallops are cooked in a tomato-based sauce that has a sweet onion and smoked paprika flavoring. It is important that you use sweet Spanish paprika rather than the normal paprika you might find in most grocery stores. You can find this at speciality stores or online at websites like La Tienda.

I cook these scallops in actual scallop shells that my mom brought back for me from Spain. Obviously, if you don't have these, you can use individual baking tin cups or small baking dishes.

Here is what you will need:

Step 1: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Finely chop small onion.

Step 2: Place 3 tablespoons of olive oil in pan and add onion when hot.

Saute until it starts to turn just slightly golden.

Step 3: Add one can of tomato paste.

Then fill empty can from tomato paste with water and add to pan; do this twice.

Step 4: Add 1/3 cup of wine; Then add 2 teaspoons of sweet Spanish paprika, 1/4 teaspoon of hot Spanish paprika (optional), and 1/4 cup of bread crumbs.

The sauce will begin to thicken. Let it simmer for a few minutes until it has a thick consistency---if sauce does not begin to thicken, add another sprinkle of bread crumbs. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Step 5: Place scallops in shells or tiny baking dishes.

Step 6: Spoon sauce over scallops.

Step 7: Place scallops in oven. Cook at 450 degrees for 10 minutes. Then turn down temperature to 350 degrees and cook for 15 more minutes. Then, turn on the broiler and cook for 3 more minutes to give it a slight crust. Pay close attention that it doesn't start to burn (every oven is different). ***My mother says that if you buy large scallops, you may want to cook them in the oven for 5 or so minutes before adding the sauce, since they can take longer to cook.

Step 8: Enjoy!

List of Ingredients:
3 tablespoons of olive oil
1 small onion
1 can of tomato paste
water
2 teaspoons of sweet paprika
1/4 teaspoon of hot paprika
1/3 cup of white wine
1/4 cup of bread crumbs
Scallops (I bought a 12 ounce bag of scallops---this sauce is probably enough for 1 lb.)

Raspberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

2010-04-22T22:04:00.010-04:00

Today's recipe for Raspberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake comes to us courtesy my co-worker/friend, Lisa. She made this a few months ago for a morning meeting, and I have been thinking about it ever since. Although, she is quick to give credit where credit is due; this recipe actually comes from her mother-in-law, Kerry Marflak.

It is a pretty easy recipe to follow and essentially the perfect brunch dish. I especially love the crunch of the almond raspberry crust combined with the moist cake on the bottom. I made this for my friends over at LivingSocial (as advertised on this blog) because they generously donated to the Bright Beginnings 5K race I posted about last week. Just a reminder, the race is on May 1, at Hains Point. For more information, go here http://www.brightbeginningsinc.org/.

Here is what you will need:

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch or 10-inch springform pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine the flour and 3/4 cup of sugar. Cut in butter until it resembles small crumbs.

Reserve 1 cup of the crumb mixture.

Step 2. To the remaining mix, add powder, soda, salt, 1 egg, sour cream, and almond extract.

Blend well.

Spread batter over the bottom and 2" up the side of the pan.

Step 3. Combine the cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar, and the remaining egg.

Pour over the batter in the pan.

Step 4. Carefully spoon the preserves over the cheese filling.

Step 5. Combine the reserved crumb mix and the almonds.

Step 6. Sprinkle over the top of the preserves. Bake for 45-55 minutes. Serves 16.

Full List of Ingredients:

2 and 1/4 cups flour
3/4 cup plus 1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon almond extract
1, 8 oz. package cream cheese
1/2 cup raspberry preserves
1/2 cup sliced almonds
cooking spray

Santa Fe Chicken and My George Foreman

2010-04-19T20:38:00.012-04:00

While I wish every weeknight dinner could consist of home-made salad dressing, slowly cooked risotto, and 3-layer cake, the reality is something very different when life gets in the way. This post features a super easy marinade from Rosie Daley that is ideal for the grill, but in this case, my George Foreman grill works as a fine substitute. The dressing has kind of a tangy southwestern flavor, so when I want to make a more elaborate meal out of it, I serve it with slow-cooked Cuban black beans and rice. Tonight, I just served it with 5-minute couscous.

I feel I should tell the story of how I came to own a George Foreman grill for no particular reason other than as a tribute to my dad. My parents immigrated from Spain back in the 70s, and while I give them credit for how well they have immersed themselves in the American lifestyle, they have somehow managed to remain completely oblivious to cultural trends and phenomenons.

I told my dad that while I really enjoy living in an apartment in the city, sometimes I really miss being able to just grill some burgers out in the backyard on a summer night. My dad took to the Internet, determined to find a solution. He searched and searched, and finally, he found a grill that I could use indoors. This grill supposedly made burgers that tasted like they just came right off the grill. I was perplexed/amazed. When a box arrived from Bed, Bath, and Beyond for my birthday, I could not stop laughing when I opened it only to find a George Foreman Grill. This was my dad's solution to my grilling problem. In his mind, he had discovered a totally new product. I have to admit, it's not quite the same as a nice charcoal grill, but it does make a really juicy burger. That night, we even plugged the grill into an outlet on our rooftop and pretended like we were actually hosting a BBQ. Thanks, Dad!

My dad, in his "wild youth" as a Galician bagpipe player. I think they were sort of like the Spanish version of the Beatles:

(second person from the left)

Here is what you will need:

Step 1: Slice the limes

(I love this juicer)

Step 2: Start dumping in the ingredients--low-sodium soy sauce, olive oil, chili powder, cumin seed, ground coriander, minced garlic, honey, white wine, and cilantro. (The original recipe says to wait until the end to pour in the white wine right before cooking, but I include it with the marinade.)

Step 3: Cover and refrigerate for one hour or up to two days (the longer the better--I like to make this in the morning). Depending on how you are cooking this--grill, broiler, foreman--preheat as necessary.

Step 4: I cooked this on a Foreman grill, and since it keeps the chicken really juicy I didn't need to baste. I have cooked it under a broiler before, and according to the directions---Broil the chicken under a medium flame for 8 to 10 minutes, basting it with the juices to keep it moist.

The Foreman doing it's magic...

Step 5: Enjoy! Leftovers make great sandwiches or salads.

Ingredients for the Marinade:
Juice from 3 limes
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seed
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
6 cloves garlic , minced
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
2 whole boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup white wine
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves

1 packet of chicken breasts (they only had chicken tenders when I went, but I almost prefer that).

Topping Suggestions:
Sour cream
1 lime , sliced into 6 thin slices
Fresh salsa or Papaya/Fruit Salsa

Side dish:
Black Beans and Rice

Carrot Cake

2010-04-13T20:43:00.010-04:00

I made this carrot cake for Easter Sunday (yes, that means this post is 2 weeks overdue), and despite my fear that an eggshell had made its way into the batter (no one choked thankfully), it was a hit! Surprise surprise, this recipe came from Martha Stewart and is fairly simple to make despite needing to finely crush pecans for the batter. To be completely honest with myself, I'm not particularly good at icing cakes, and because cream cheese icing doesn't need to be iced on until perfectly smooth, it is ideal for those of use who have yet to take Cake Decorating 101. The border of pecans is a nice touch that doesn't require any special skills thankfully and helps distract from any imperfections (I'm pretty sure my cake was lopsided).

Forgive me for a moment, but before I go into the recipe, I am going to use my blog as a way to advertise for an exciting fundraiser I am helping organize.

I volunteer with Bright Beginnings Inc., and the 5K race I am working on to raise money for them is right around the corner on May 1 at Hains Point in DC! Please help support my efforts by registering to run/walk here . Online Registration is $25 and all proceeds go directly to Bright Beginnings Inc. You will receive a great T-Shirt, runners goody bag, and there will be raffles and prizes for the top 3 finishers in each age category!

Bright Beginnings is a free full-day preschool for homeless children ages 6 weeks to 5 years that provides a safe, nurturing, educational environment for these children in Washington, DC. BBI serves approximately 139 children from 88 homeless families across the District.

Thanks for your support and please spread the word!

Here is what you will need for the cake:
please ignore the fact that I did not include the carrots in this picture!

Step 1: Make the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter three 9-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment paper, and butter parchment. Dust with flour, tapping out excess. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, ginger, and nutmeg.

Step 2: Beat butter and sugars with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat 3 minutes.

Step 3: Add vanilla, water, and carrots. Beat until well combined, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low, and add flour mixture,

Step 4: Then add the finely chopped pecans (I think this is the secret to this recipe).

Step 5: Scrape batter into prepared pans, dividing evenly. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean, about 30 minutes (It only took me 20 minutes in my oven--and I rotated my cakes after 10 minutes). Let cool in pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around edges of cakes to loosen, and turn out cakes onto rack. Turn right side up, and let cool completely.

Step 6: Make the icing. Beat cream cheese and vanilla with a mixer on medium speed until creamy. Gradually add butter, beating until incorporated after each addition. Reduce speed to low. Gradually add confectioners' sugar, and beat until fluffy and smooth. Frosting can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days; bring to room temperature and stir well before using.

Step 6: Using a serrated knife, trim rounded top of 2 cakes (mine were kind of flat already, so I didn't need to trim them). Place one trimmed cake, cut side up, on a serving platter. Spread 1 cup frosting over cake. Top with second trimmed cake, cut side down. Spread 1 cup frosting over cake. Top with remaining cake. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides. Gently press coarsely chopped pecans onto sides of cake. Refrigerate 1 hour (or up to 1 day, covered) before serving.

Full list of ingredients for carrot cake:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup water
1 pound carrots (8 to 10 medium carrots), peeled and shredded on a box grater or in a food processor (about 2 3/4 cups)
1 cup finely chopped for batter
1 cup coarsely chopped for decorating sides of cake

Ingredients for cream cheese frosting:
16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 sticks (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and brought to room temperature
2 pounds confectioners' sugar, sifted

Shrimp Tacos with Fruit Salsa

2010-04-08T21:36:00.005-04:00

I have a short list of recipes from cooking light that have become standard weeknight fare in my home. Recently, I have been looking for some new healthy recipes to add to my repertoire though, and after perusing the cooking light website, this recipe for shrimp tacos with fruit salsa caught my eye. I was hoping this recipe would make enough for leftovers, but we ate every last bite. It was really good!

With just a few adjustments, this meal could easily go from a regular weeknight meal to "guest-worthy." Using fresh fruit rather than canned fruit would make it an ideal summer meal, and my husband suggested adding a touch of jalapeno to the salsa next time to add an additional kick (but that is pretty much his suggestion for every meal). I also used twice as much chili powder and cumin than the recipe called for to give the shrimp a bit more flavor. This meal would also be perfect with a side of fresh guacamole.

Overall, this was really easy to prepare. Between cleaning the shrimp and chopping the vegetables and stove-top time, it only took about 45 minutes (and that includes stopping to take pictures, of course).

Here is what you will need for the salsa:

Step 1: To prepare the salsa, combine the green onions, cilantro, green chiles, lemon juice, mandarin oranges, and pineapple bits in a bowl. Cover and chill. ****This salsa would definitely improve in taste with some fresh fruit vs. canned and for a bit of a kick, a 1/2 teaspoon of a jalapeno pepper.

Here is what you will need for the shrimp tacos:

Step 1: Chop the veggies.

Step 2: Place a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat until hot. Add bell pepper, onion, and garlic; sauté 2-5 minutes.

Step 3: Add shrimp, tomato, cumin, and chili powder; sauté 3 minutes or until shrimp are done.

Step 4: Stir in cilantro. ***At this point, I tasted the shrimp and added an additional 1/2 teaspoon of cumin and 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder because it need a little more flavor. I would advise testing it as well and adjusting the seasoning.

Step 5: Spoon 1/2 cup shrimp mixture over one half of each tortilla, and top with about 3 tablespoons cheese and 2 tablespoons salsa; fold tortillas in half.

Full List of Ingredients for the Salsa:
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon canned chopped green chiles
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 (11-ounce) can mandarin oranges in light syrup, drained
1 (8-ounce) can pineapple tidbits in juice, drained

Full List of Ingredients for the Shrimp Taco Filling:
Cooking spray
1 cup yellow bell pepper strips
1 cup vertically sliced red onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup chopped tomato
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin (I used 1 teaspoon)
1/2 teaspoon chili powder (I used 1 teaspoon)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
8 (6-inch) flour tortillas
1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese

Cheesecake with Blueberry Topping

2010-04-05T20:33:00.010-04:00

Warm weather is officially here!! This past weekend, I enjoyed almost every meal outdoors--from a backyard in Capitol Hill to the tidal basin surrounded by cherry blossoms to a rooftop downtown. It was fantastic. On Friday night, my friend hosted a dinner party, and I jumped at the opportunity to bring dessert (I can never quite justify baking an entire cake for just two). I decided to bring blueberry cheesecake because it is such a light cool dessert, perfect for a warm spring evening.

This dessert comes from none other than Martha Stewart. I first made it a couple of years ago, and it has been a household favorite ever since. This is a great cheesecake for "first timers" because even if it begins to crack, which the water bath should hopefully prevent, the fruit topping will hide any imperfections.

Here is what you will need for the crust:

Step 1: Make the crust: Preheat oven to 325 degrees and put a large pot of water to boil. Coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Wrap exterior of pan (including base) with foil.

Step 2: Stir together graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and salt.

Step 3: Pour in melted butter.

Step 4: Press mixture firmly into bottom and 3 inches up sides of pan. Refrigerate 15 minutes.

While the crust chills in the refrigerator, make the filling..

Here is what you will need for the filling:

Step 1: Beat cream cheese with a mixer on medium speed until fluffy.

Step 2:Reduce speed to low, and add sour cream, sugar, eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla. Beat until well combined (do not overmix).

Step 3: Pour filling into chilled crust. Set springform pan in a large, shallow roasting pan.

Step 4: Carefully ladle enough boiling water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of springform pan. Bake until cheesecake is set but still slightly wobbly in center, about 1 hour, 15 minutes. Transfer roasting pan to a wire rack. Let cake cool in roasting pan 30 minutes. Remove cheesecake from roasting pan, and refrigerate, uncovered, at least 8 hours (or overnight).

While the cheesecake cooks in the oven, make the topping.

Here is what you will need for the blueberry topping:

Step 1: Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over medium-high heat.

Step 2: Bring to a simmer, and cook until berries break down, about 4 minutes.

Step 4: Let cool, then refrigerate, covered, until cold (or up to 3 days).

FINAL STEP: Run a knife around edge of cake, and unmold. Spoon topping over cake. ENJOY!

List of Ingredients for Cheesecake:

Vegetable-oil cooking spray
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
16 ounces sour cream
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Boiling water, for roasting pan

List of Ingredients for Blueberry Topping:

1 1/2 pints (3 cups) blueberries
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Malaysian Chicken Pizza

2010-04-01T22:08:00.007-04:00

Malaysian Chicken Pizza is a weekday favorite in my house. When I make it,I feel like we are eating at California Pizza Kitchen. This recipe originally came from cooking light, but like all recipes I take from cooking light, I tweaked it a little bit. This probably makes it a little less "light" but ultimately, it became a dish my husband requests all the time--so I think the changes were worth it.

The first few times I made this pizza, I had the issue that the sauce never became very thick and would drip over the edges and burn. I realized the sauce needed to simmer for at least 10-12 minutes (the directions said 6 minutes), and extra peanut butter really helped too (3 heaping tablespoons versus 2) as well as firmly packing the brown sugar. I also started adding extra mozzarella in order to keep the sauce from running over the edges. Again, this probably makes the pizza a little less "light" but much more successful.

Here is what you will need:

Step 1: Preheat oven to 500°. Chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces.

Step 2: Heat a nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add chicken, and sauté 2 minutes.

Step 3: While the chicken is cooking, combine the first 8 ingredients in a bowl--peanut butter, rice vinegar, crushed red pepper, water, minced ginger, brown sugar, low-sodium soy sauce, and garlic; stir well with a whisk.

Step 4: Remove chicken from pan. Pour the rice vinegar mixture into the pan, and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook mixture until slightly thickened. This always takes me at least 10-12 minutes.

Step 5: Return the chicken to the pan; cook for 1 minute or until the chicken is done. (Mixture will be the consistency of thick syrup.)

Step 6: Sprinkle cheese over prepared crust, leaving a 1/2-inch border (I don't measure this, I just sprinkle it all over the pizza---if you really want to keep this light, use the measurements from the original ingredients listed below), and top with the chicken mixture. I cannot emphasize enough, just spoon the chicken onto the pizza with a little bit of sauce, and leave a decent border. If the pizza looks sufficiently covered, do not pour the remaining sauce over the pizza because it will drip over the crust and burn.

Step 7: Bake at 500° for 12 minutes on the bottom rack in oven. Sprinkle with green onions. Place pizza on a cutting board; let stand 5 minutes.

The list of ingredients:
3/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons chunky peanut butter (I find 3 heaping tablespoons makes for a much better pizza)
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
Cooking spray
1/2 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded reduced-fat, reduced-sodium Swiss cheese (I only use mozzarella because that is what I usually have on hand)
1/4 cup (1 ounce) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 (12-inch) Basic Pizza Crust
1/4 cup chopped green onions

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

2010-03-28T20:27:00.013-04:00

Last Monday I received an email that started off with the line "You MUST make this cake!!," and she went on to tell me about the most delicious peanut butter chocolate cake she made for her husband's birthday. She got the recipe off of Smitten Kitchen, and they got the cake recipe from the book Sky High: Irresistible Triple-Layer Cakes which is now officially on my birthday present wish list. The cake on the Smitten Kitchen Blog looks semi-professional, so try not to judge mine too harshly.

She was not lying about this cake. It is UNBELIEVABLE!! Next to Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth, I believe peanut butter and chocolate might be the greatest pairing of all time (apologies for the nerdy literary reference).

I liked this recipe because the steps were easy to divide up, and ultimately, it only required 3 bowls to make. I'm not particularly good at icing cakes, so the chocolate ganache did a nice job of covering up my cake's imperfections and creating an overall "rustic" look. The recipe is meant for 3 8-inch pans, but I used 3 9-inch pans. The cake probably wasn't as tall as the original, but that's all.

Both my friend and the blogger at smitten kitchen complained about the cake being difficult to ice because it was so moist and crumbly. My cakes cooled in the fridge all day, so I didn't have that problem. They both suggested creating a crumb layer. I've never actually done that, so here is a how-to link about icing cakes http://www.chow.com/stories/10046 that I found helpful.

Here is what you will need:

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottoms and sides of three 8-inch round cake pans. Line the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment or waxed paper and butter the paper.Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Whisk to combine them well.

Step 2: Add the oil and sour cream and whisk to blend. Gradually beat in the water. Blend in the vinegar and vanilla. Whisk in the eggs and beat until well blended.

Step 3: Scrape down the sides of the bowl and be sure the batter is well mixed.

Step 4: Divide among the 3 prepared cake pans.Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a cake tester or wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean. Let cool in the pans for about 20 minutes. Invert onto wire racks, carefully peel off the paper liners, and let cool completely. ( Note: I made these in the morning and kept them in the refrigerator all day, so they would be firm by the time I wanted to ice them. I had been warned that they would be very "crumbly" otherwise. The blog I took this from suggested putting them in the freezer for 30 minutes before icing them.)

Full List of Ingredients for the Cake Layers:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch process
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup neutral vegetable oil, such as canola, soybean or vegetable blend
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs

When the cakes are cool, make the peanut butter frosting.

Here is what you will need:

Step 1: Be sure to sift the sugar--it makes a difference.

Step 2: In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl often. Continue to beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes

Step 3: Add the peanut butter and beat until thoroughly blended.

Step 4: Frost the cake with the icing. Place one layer, flat side up, on a cake stand or large serving plate. Spread 2/3 cup cup of the Peanut Butter Frosting evenly over the top. Repeat with the next layer. Place the last layer on top and frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. Place the iced cake in the fridge uncovered, so it will be nice and firm before you spread the chocolate ganache over it.

Full List of Ingredients for the Peanut Butter Icing:
10 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
5 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2/3 cup smooth peanut butter (the real thing--none of this organic/low-sugar stuff)

While the iced cake is cooling, make the chocolate-peanut butter ganache.

Here is what you will need:

Step 1: In the top of d double boiler or in a bowl set over simmering water, combine the chocolate, peanut butter, and corn syrup. Cook, whisking often, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.

Step 2: Remove from the heat and whisk in the half-and-half, beating until smooth. Use while still warm.

FINAL STEP!! To decorate with the Chocolate–Peanut Butter Glaze, put the cake plate on a large baking sheet to catch any drips. Simply pour the glaze over the top of the cake, and using an offset spatula, spread it evenly over the top just to the edges so that it runs down the sides of the cake in long drips. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes to allow the glaze and frosting to set completely. Remove about 1 hour before serving.

Full List of Ingredients for the Chocolate-Peanut Butter Ganache:
8 ounces seimsweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 cup half-and-half

So the reason this cake is displayed on a random cake plate is because I needed to transport it to my husband's office for his going away party, so I didn't have a chance to cut into it at home and take photos from 20 different angles (I'm lucky my food doesn't seem to be too camera shy). I wanted a picture of the "inside" though, so I snuck off with my camera during the party and took a quick picture of the last man standing. Apologies it is not very artistic, but I didn't want to come off as the crazy wife who takes pictures of her food, so I had to act fast.

Despite the horrible lighting and bad cutting job--you get the idea--3 amazing layers of deliciousness.

Risotto with Butternut Squash, Gorgonzola, and Toasted Pecans

2010-03-25T22:41:00.007-04:00

I have already talked about my love for Oprah, but I can't emphasize enough what a great resource her website is for fabulous guest-worthy recipes. I stumbled upon this recipe a few years ago, and it has been a dinner party go-to ever since. Almost every time I make it, I receive a follow-up email the next day from someone asking for the recipe. People always seem a little hesitant when I start to add the Gorgonzola and pecans, but the tangy crunch compliments the risotto so well. We had a Gorgonzola disaster the last time I made this (and by "disaster", I mean it had gone bad well before the expiration date), and it just wasn't the same--it felt naked. So don't be afraid. Embrace the topping.

A note about preparing the dish: Risotto has always sounded intimidating to me, but it actually isn't very hard at all. It does require a bit of patience, and you can't wander off for more than a minute or two (it needs to be stirred pretty frequently). This recipe can be made with either chicken or vegetable stock. I prefer chicken, but I have made this for vegetarian friends with the vegetable stock, and it still tastes great.

Here is what you will need:

Step 1: Bring the stock to a boil in a small sauce pan and then lower the heat. In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over a medium-high flame, heat the olive oil. Add the onion. Sauté for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Step 2: Add the rice; stir until well coated, about 1 minute.

Step 3: Add the garlic and squash and continue to stir another 30 seconds.

Step 4: Lower the heat to medium and add 1/2 cup hot stock. With a wooden spoon, stir until the liquid is absorbed but the rice isn't sticking to the pan.

Step 5: Continue adding 1/2 cup stock and stirring until the stock is absorbed, about 20 to 25 minutes, or until the rice is tender.

Step 6: Remove from heat; add the sage, butter, and salt. Season with pepper. Stir to combine. NOTE: The recipe calls for 2 tsp of salt. I think that is WAY too much (maybe because I don't use low-sodium stock usually). Start off with 1 tsp, and if you think it needs more, go for it.

Step 7: Place risotto in a serving bowl and top with Gorgonzola and pecans.

List of Ingredients:
•4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
•2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
•1/2 small onion , finely chopped
•1 cup arborio rice
•2 cloves small garlic , finely chopped
•1 medium butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
•8 large sage leaves , chopped
•2 tablespoons butter
•2 teaspoons salt
•Freshly ground pepper
•1/3 cup crumbled Gorgonzola
•1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans

Maple Delight Dressing

2010-03-23T19:18:00.007-04:00

I recently had one of my best friend's from High School over for dinner. She was visiting from out of town, and this was the first time I had ever cooked for her. I wanted to go all out, so even the salad dressing was homemade. She took one bite of it and LOVED it. She asked me what the dressing was called (I got this from a family friend year's ago), and I honestly didn't have a name for it. She decided it should be called "maple delight," and I think that describes it pretty well. The dressing isn't overly sweet though, so don't let the name fool you. The combination of maple with the garlic, olive oil, pepper, etc., makes for a complex combination of flavors that will "delight."

Here is what you will need:

Step 1: Place all of the ingredients (except olive oil) in a blender---mayonnaise, maple syrup, vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, and freshly ground pepper.

Look at that yummy maple syrup...

I used a pretty large clove of garlic..

If you do not own a pepper mill, go out and buy one--it makes such a difference!

Step 2: While the other ingredients are mixing, slowly add the olive oil.

Step 3: Prepare the salad. I use baby greens, granny smith apples, dried cherries, pecans, and a little bit of red onion. If I am preparing this for just a few people, I prepare the salad on individual plates for a nice presentation. Otherwise, I just mix it in a large bowl.

Step 4: Slowly add the dressing and enjoy!

Ingredients for the dressing:
1/4 cup mayonnaise (I use fat free)
1/4 cup maple syrup
3 Tbsp champagne vinegar or white vinegar (I prefer champagne)
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup olive

For the salad:

5 oz.(8cups)baby greens
1-2 Granny Smith apples, peeled,cored, and cut into fine
matchstick strips
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup walnuts or pecans toasted
1/2 purple or red onion sliced

Molten Mocha Cakes

2010-03-16T22:12:00.008-04:00

Last week, I wrote about my anniversary dinner. Whenever I am planning a dinner party or, in this case, a special dinner for two, I am always fixated on how to time everything just right so that nothing overcooks or gets too cold while waiting. Before I discuss this decadent dessert, I thought I would share how the timing of this menu worked out.

For my anniversary dinner, I made the lobster salad the night before. The lobster salad actually tastes better when it is allowed to sit overnight. This allows the flavors to really come together and marinate. I also cut the potatoes the night before and placed them in a tightly sealed zip lock bag. The next day, when I got home from work, I prepared the dessert through Step 5 and placed it in the refrigerator. I placed the potatoes in the oven around this time since they take about 35 minutes to cook. The steak only took 15 minutes to prepare, so I saved that for the last moment. As soon as we were ready to start eating, I placed the ramekins with the chocolate cakes in the oven. Those took 11 minutes to cook and needed to cool on a rack for another 10 minutes, so by the time we finished eating, dessert was ready. Keep in mind, we are fast eaters. Normal people probably could have waited to put the dessert in the oven during the second course.

I had never made this dessert before, but for some reason, steak and chocolate desserts are synonymous in my book. Martha Stewart came up with this fabulous dessert. Definitely don't overcook it because the best part is biting into it and watching the chocolate ooze out. To quote my husband, "I feel like we are actually eating in a restaurant." It was that good.

A note about the ingredients: She calls for instant espresso powder, but I couldn't find any. I used instant coffee granules instead, and I thought it still tasted fabulous!

Here is what you will need:

Step 1: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter two 6-ounce ramekins, then dust with sugar. Place butter and chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high in 20-second increments, stirring after each, until melted. Let cool slightly.

It will be nice and smooth like this...

Step 2: Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together egg, egg yolk, sugar, espresso powder, and salt.

The mixture will have a mocha color to it...

Step 3: Add chocolate mixture; whisk to combine.

Step 4: Add flour, and whisk just until combined (do not overmix).

Step 5: Pour batter into prepared ramekins. (Recipe can be made ahead up to this point. I made this about 2 hours before dinner and then placed it in the refrigerator at the start of dinner)

Step 6: Bake until a toothpick inserted 1/2 inch from edge of ramekins comes out clean, and a toothpick inserted in center comes out wet, 10 to 12 minutes (do not overbake). Cool 10 minutes on a wire rack. Run a knife around inside of ramekins to loosen. Invert cakes onto serving plates. Dust with sugar; serve immediately.

List of Ingredients for 2 cakes:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for ramekins
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar, plus more for ramekins and serving
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, broken into pieces
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon espresso powder (I used instant coffee powder)
Pinch salt
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

St. Patrick's Day Cupcakes

2010-03-15T23:23:00.010-04:00

Happy (almost) St. Patrick's Day! I was at Sur La Table looking for green decorations and found a cute green glitter pen and some green glitter sprinkles, so I decided to use them to decorate St. Patrick's Day cupcakes. I saw that Bakerella (dessert goddess)used a red velvet recipe and replaced the red dye with green to create green cupcakes. Easy enough right?

(awkward silence)

Umm....that did not work for me. I used my own recipe for red velvet cupcakes and just tried changing the dye. Well, apparently, I needed a lot more green dye because I used an entire bottle of green gel dye, and my cupcakes STILL sort of looked more like mud.

Here is what happened:

They started off like this...

But then once I added the cocoa/flour mixture, they turned into a horrible green mud color, and I was completely out of dye at that point.

Although, they kind of looked like chocolate when cooked...either way, it was not the look I was going for.

So anyway, my recommendation is to find a basic white cupcake recipe(or box mix) and plan to use a lot of green dye. At least, it still tasted delicious. More importantly, the cream cheese icing was amazing, so it was only a semi-failure. I am not going to bother showing how to make mud cupcake batter, but I will show you how I made the cream cheese icing.

Here is what you will need:

Step 1: Beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy, 3-4 minutes.

Step 2: Add sugar, 1 cup at a time, and then vanilla; mix until smooth.

Now time to decorate!

Step 1: Frost the cupcakes.

Step 2: Using the gel pen, create the outline of the shamrock (three hearts attached at the stem).

Step 3: Fill in the outline.

Enjoy!

Full list of ingredients:
Green glitter gel pen (edible, of course)
Green sprinkles
2 sticks of unsalted butter (room temperature)
12 ounces of cream cheese (room temperature)
4 cups/1 lb. powdered sugar
3/4 tsp. vanilla

Filet Mignon with Red Wine Sauce

2010-03-13T11:19:00.000-05:00

So here is the recipe for the filet mignon with red wine sauce that I mentioned in my last post. The filet mignon was so tender that it actually didn't need the sauce, but it added a nice touch. I got the recipe for the sauce from Martha Stewart. I tested a little bit of the sauce before spooning it on top of the filet, just to make sure I liked it. I suggest you do the same.

Here is what you will need.

Step 1: Cover both sides (top and bottom) of the steaks with freshly cracked pepper and salt (more pepper than salt). Spread a generous amount on each side and then press it into the steaks. I did this twice to create a nice peppered crust. There was excess salt and pepper on the cutting board, so I kind of rolled the steaks on their sides to get a little bit of the seasoning all around it.

Step 2: Heat the grill with at least 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high heat. I don't really measure, but instead, I just make sure there is enough to spread around the pan. Cook the steaks on each side for 3-5 minutes. As you can see my steaks are a little thicker, so I cooked it for 5 minutes on each side.

Step 3: Flip the steaks over to cook on the other side. I cooked mine to medium which is about 160 degrees. (How beautiful is my new grill pan, btw? I'm so excited about it!)

Step 4: Now, I say this is "step 4" but really you can start cooking the sauce at the same time as you start cooking the steak. It is really easy. Place 1 cup of red wine in a small saucepan; boil until reduced to 1/4 cup, 8 to 10 minutes.

Step 5: Remove from heat; add 2 tablespoons cold cut-up butter, and swirl pan until butter is melted and sauce is thickened, about 1 minute. Season with coarse salt.

Step 6: Spoon the sauce lightly over the steak and serve with roasted potatoes. Enjoy!

Full List of Ingredients:
2 filet mignons (5 to 6 ounces each, about 1 1/2 inches thick)
Olive oil
Coarse salt
Peppercorns

For the red wine sauce:

2 tablespoons of Butter
1 cup Red wine
Coarse salt

Romantic Menu

2010-03-11T17:59:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I celebrated my third wedding anniversary, and I tend to make our anniversary into a big deal. If you follow my blog, you know I mention my husband quite a bit; he is by far the most important person in my life--if not for the unconditional love and companionship but because he is willing to taste-test just about anything.

On our anniversary, we take the time to look back on the past year and talk about plans for the future. Of course, I can think of no better way to do that than over a nice bottle of wine and a delicious meal! We went out to dinner over the weekend to really celebrate (the Capital Chef likes a break from the kitchen too!), but then I also wanted to cook a special meal for him at home. So here's the menu...

First Course: Salpicon (Spanish lobster salad). This was my first time making this on my own, and it turned out really well. I'm working on getting the ratios exact,so I can post the recipe on here. It is one of those recipes where I just keep adding the ingredients until "it tastes just right." All it consists of is lobster, eggs, onion, olive oil, and white balsamic vinegar.

Second Course: Filet Mignon with Red Wine Sauce and Roasted Potatoes. I wanted to make something really special for our main course, and I have never EVER cooked steak before. We live in an apartment, so without a grill, I never think to cook burgers or steak. I bought a "grill pan" though, and it turned out SO well. I would also like to give a little shout-out to Harris Teeter. The meat was so tender; it hardly required any work.

Third Course: Molten Mocha Cakes. I'll let the picture do the talking.

I will post the recipes this weekend...