Snickerdoodle Bread

A neighbor requested snickerdoodles, presumably cookies, but I had this recipe for snickerdoodle bread on my pinterest so I made it instead.  This recipe features a new ingredient for me:  cinnamon chips.  Funny thing - Walmart did not have any but HEB did.  They are made by Hershey's and as far as I can tell, there is no chocolate in it.  They look like little chocolate chips but instead are cinnamon goodness.

I bought disposable, mini loaf pans and this recipe did, indeed, make 4.  I had to bake it for more than the allotted time, so be mindful of that.  

This is more like a cake baked in a loaf pan than a bread.  It was moist and full of cinnamon goodness from the cinnamon in the batter, cinnamon chips and cinnamon and sugar on the top.  YUM.

January 13, 2013

Evelyn hosted at her daughter (and new member) Rina's home.  All Gourmet Gals were in attendance but for Tonya and Teresa.

Appetizer:  Mary, Jicama Salsa, Guacamole and Feta Cilantro Dip

Side Dishes:  Angie, Broccoli and Cheddar Casserole with Leeks and Winter Squash and Carrot Puree

Bread and Wine:  Carol, Flaky Parmesan Dinner Rolls

Main Dish and Cocktail:  Rina and Evelyn, Cochinita Pibil and Tequila Sunrise

Dessert:  Janet, Flan

Mary started our afternoon off with a trio of dips, served with tortilla chips.  The jicima salsa was crunchy and sweet.  Mary added some agave syrup to make it a little more sweet too.  The guacamole was creamy and perfectly seasoned and the last dip of feta and cilantro was unusual yet delicious!  Feta, being a Greek cheese, added a brightness and tang to the dip.

Rina prepared beautiful Tequila sunrises, drizzling the grenadine into the bottom and then the orange juice and tequila.  I stirred it up and ruined the layered effect.  Oops. 

I brought two side dishes, both from Food and Wine.  One was complicated and decadent and the other was very simple and pure. 

The broccoli and cheddar casserole with leeks was the BEST broccoli casserole I have ever tasted.  I was able to lighten up the recipe by using 2% milk and 1 cup of low fat cheese and 1 cup of regular cheese.  The casserole was not greasy at all and re-heated very well.  The topping of almonds and crackers was absolutely essential.  The leeks are so mild that I did not taste them at all despite using three.  Next time I will use 4.

The winter squash and carrot puree called for kabocha or buttercup squash.  I misread the buttercup for butternut so that is what I used. It turned out great and I think any winter squash could be used.  This recipe is super simple.  I roasted the squash and boiled the carrots the day before and then pureed in the morning and baked it right before serving.  I forgot to add the fresh thyme to the carrots so I used some dry when I stirred it all together.  The recipe does not make much so for a dinner party, I would double it. 

Our main dish was CochinitaPibil and Evelyn said this is "a traditional Mexican slow roasted pork dish from the Yucatan Peninsula of Mayan origin.  We can celebrate that the world did not end this past week with a Mayan dish.  Cochinita means baby pig and the Mayan word pibil means buried.  Traditionally, cochinita pibil was buried in a pit with a fire at the bottom to roast it."  Rina and Evelyn had the dish prepared prior to our arrival and Rina used chicken thighs rather than pork since she could not find the cut she needed.  

The chicken was delicious, tender and moist.  I really enjoyed the complex yet well blended flavors.  

Carol baked for us flaky Parmesan dinner rolls prepared in a clover leaf pattern.  The rolls were pull apart light and flavorful.

Flaky Parmesan Dinner Rolls by Sur La Table

Yield:  9 to 10 rolls

1 small russet potato, peeled and quartered
1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast or 1 tsp instant yeast
1/4 cup sugar, divided
1/2 stick unsalted butter, soft
1/2 cup warm whole milk (110 to 115 degrees)
1 large egg, room temperature
2 1/2 cups bread flour or unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp kosher salt

Cook potato in a small saucepan, covered with water and set over medium.  Bring to simmer and cook 15 to 20 minutes until tender.  Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of cooking water.  Return potato to pan and mash.  Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Warm the reserved potato water to between 100 and 115 degrees and pour into the bowl of a stand mixer.  Add the yeast and 1 tsp of the sugar and whisk by hand to blend.  Allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes or until yeast is activated and foamy.  Measure 1/2 cup mashed potatoes and add to the bowl.  Add the remaining sugar, butter, milk and egg and whisk by hand until well blended.  Add the flour, Parmesan and salt and knead on low speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until the dough comes together.  It will seem sticky.  With the mixer on low, add additional flour, a tablespoon at a time, until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl.  Turn the speed to medium-low and continue to knead until the dough feels firm, dense and springy, another 5 to 6 minutes.  Note:  this dough is soft and sticky and will not pull away from the sides completely.  Do not over knead or the starch from the potato will break down and make the dough gooey.

Lightly butter or oil a large mixing bowl, scrape the dough into the bowl and lightly coat the surface of the dough with a little butter or oil.  Cover with plastic wrap or a damp lint free  cotton towel and let the dough rise until doubled in size, about 45 to 60 minutes (longer if the room is cold).  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface.  Press down on the dough firmly to expel some of the air bubbles.  Chill, covered, for at least 2 hours and up to overnight or until dough is very cold.

To shape the dough, cut into 3 oz portions (about 1/3 cup) and shape each into a taut, round ball.  Press each portion into a flattened disk, then grab the edges and draw them up into the center, pinching all the edges together where they meet.  Flip the dough over so the smooth side is up.  Cup your hands around the dough and create extra tension by gently pulling the dough downward and tucking it under.  Move the dough in a small circle between your cupped hands, passing it back and forth, and gently tucking around the edges to create extra tension.

Cover the rolls loosely with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let rise until almost doubled in size, about 35 to 45 minutes. They should look like they have taken a deep breath and should pass the "thumb test".  This is proofing the rolls.

To bake the rolls, preheat the oven to 375 degrees and position an oven rack in the center of the oven.  Bake the rolls for 10 minutes.  Rotate the pan and continue to bake for 10 to 15 minutes longer until the rolls are golden brown and their internal temperature registers 200 degrees on the instant read thermometer.  Transfer to a cooling rack.  Serve warm or at room temperature.  For cloverleaf rolls divide each dough portion into 3 equal pieces and form into balls and nestle 3 balls into each muffin cup.  Proof and bake as directed.

Dessert was flan as prepared by Janet.  It was beautifully caramelized and garnished with orange chocolate.  The flan was rich and creamy.

Flan
(Janet’s recipe, it’s a combo of several)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 cup sugar
In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, melt sugar until liquefied
and golden in color. Carefully pour hot syrup into individual baking
dishes, turning the dish to evenly coat the bottom and sides. Set
aside
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Put the following in a blender and blend for one minute.  Alternately,
you can put it in a large bowl, beat eggs and add in sweetened
condensed milk, milk and vanilla and mix until smooth.
8 eggs
1 (14 ounces) can sweetened condensed milk
18 ounces of milk (when added to the condensed milk it will equal 4 cups)
1-2 tablespoons of vanilla extract (Mexican vanilla if you can find it – I used regular Madagascar)

Place ramekins in a large glass or ceramic baking dish and fill with about 1-2 inches of hot water. Pour custard into caramel lined ramekins.  If you would like, you can cover with foil (I didn’t so mine browned a bit)

Bake for 45 minutes in the water bath and check with a knife just to the side of the center. If knife comes out clean, it's ready.

Remove and let cool. Let each ramekin cool in refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

To serve, carefully invert each ramekin onto a small plate, the caramel sauce will flow over the custard.

OPTIONAL:  top with whipped cream and/or grate chocolate on the top.

Cake and cranberries

Carol made Mrs. Billett's white cake  with vanilla butter cream for her games group.  It was delicious and the winning cake in a Southern Living contest.  Jennifer prepared sugared cranberries to garnish the cake.  I bet that was beautiful - the white cake with the red cranberries. 

 

I first had sugared cranberries at Bengy's and made them for Christmas last year.  They were a huge hit and simple to make.

Turkey and Pie!

I found my go-to turkey recipe for Thanksgivings to come.  It was easy, flavorful and moist.  I bought the least expensive type of turkey (HEB $0.97 a pound) because the store was swarming with zombies and I had to get in and get out as quick as possible so I grabbed the first one I saw.  Later I found $6 a pound turkeys in a specialty store and I started regretting my less than a dollar a pound turkey.  But not after I tasted mine! While the Bon Appetit recipe is partly responsible for my delicious turkey, the most important step was a meat thermometer in the thigh while cooking so I could remove it at 165 degrees.  I then let it rest for 45 minutes before carving.  The turkey skin browned in the first 30 minutes and after that I kept it tented in foil and it stayed brown.  I love cooking with fresh herbs and citrus and that is what this recipe used.  I prepped the turkey the night before - herb butter on the skin and cavity and onion, orange and lemons inside the cavity.  I tucked the wings under the bird and tied the legs together.  In the morning, I added the water to the roasting pan and cooking began!

I did need more cooking time than the recipe stated but that is where the thermometer came in to play.  Do not judge by time, judge by temperature!  I think it took about 3 1/2 hours.

A lemon meringue pie was requested so I baked my first one EVER.  What a stressful experience.   The recipe was not that complicated but it does involve many steps.   First, I made this pie crust a few days in advance.  I stored in the refrigerator and then set on the counter about 30 minutes before I needed to use them.  I blind baked the shell (almost forgetting to use my pie weights!) and then let it cool while I made the filling.  The pie crust was incredibly easy and the only thing I would do differently is not pulse too many times (my butter blobs were a little too small) and then roll out thinner when putting into the pie pan.

As far as the filling, I faced and defeated my fear of custards.  I am always afraid I will end up with scrambled eggs.  I tempered the heck out of the yolks.  I practically added all of the custard to the yolks, a half cup at a time.  I definitely erred on the side of caution and it worked!  For the meringue, just when I thought my egg whites would never peak, they did.  And when put into the oven, they browned beautifully.  I let the pie cool completely, then gently tented with foil and put in the fridge.  The pie had a delicious, tart, lemon flavor without being overly sweet.  Everyone loved it AND the pie crust.  Now that I have done it once it will be a breeze to prepare again!

Gingerbread, Man!

I was listening to Martha Stewart Living on Sirius yesterday (because that is what you do leading up to Thanksgiving) and there were guests on the show that brought in gingerbread.  The lady chef and restaurant owner said that making gingerbread is her Thanksgiving tradition.  I had never made it so I decided to give it a go and share with my coworkers for Thanksgiving Eve.  Who knew that the secret to gingerbread is not ginger (spice) but molasses!  

This bread comes out very moist and the house smelled amazing while it baked.  I served it plain though I wish I had sprinkled some powdered sugar on top.  Also, start checking after 45 minutes... in a glass pan, mine was ready after about 50 minutes.

Sweet Potatoes and Snickerdoodles

I love snickerdoodles.  I think this is so because I love cinnamon.  Cinnamon would even be my code name should I become rich and famous and need to use an alias at hotel rooms.  But that is a story for a different blog.

This recipe for snickerdoodle bars promises a blondie that stays moist and soft.  And they do!  When I ate a bit while still warm I promise this was the best thing I had ever tasted.  Even when cooled they were delicious.  The baking time seems a little low so just check with a toothpick like you would with a cake.  The recipe says these are ready when the surface springs back to the touch but I say go with the toothpick method or these will be undercooked.

I am making a new sweet potatoes recipe for Thanksgiving.  I "tested" it on my coworkers at our Thanksgiving pot luck.  I wanted the potatoes to be warm without having to be microwaved so I cooked them in my slow cooker.  In my office.  It was awesome to smell the sweet potatoes and apple sauce wafting down my office hallway.  The recipe was super easy to put together the night before and then simply plug in the crockpot the next morning.  I cooked these on high for about 5 hours.  The potatoes were very tender and lightly sweetened without covering up the main flavor.  The toasted pecans, which you add at the end, were a nice crunch. 

October 21, 2012

Mary was our hostess this month and she set a beautiful, fall table.  All current Gourmet Gals were in attendance.

Appetizer:  Evelyn, Tomato, Cheese and Puffed Pastry

Salad:  Angie, Grape and Watercress Salad with Caraway and Granola

Bread:  Angie, Killer Garlic Bread

Side:  Janet, Sauteed Swiss Chard with Parmesan Cheese

Side:  Mary, Cauliflower Mash

Wine:  Janet, Taft Street Pinot Noir

Main Dish:  Mary, Osso Buco

Dessert:  Carol, Pumpkin Swirled Cream Cheese Brownies and Pumpkin Crunch Cake

Evelyn started our dinner off with puff pastry shells filled with tomato and cheeses.  She said the original recipe called for sheets of puff pastry and she bought the shells by mistake.  I LOVED the shells and thought it provided a prettier presentation than sheets as well as it was easier to eat as a finger food.  Puff pastry sheets look pretty until you slice it and then crumbs are everywhere.

 For the salad I found a recipe from Oxheart restaurant in Houston in an issue of Bon Appetit magazine.  The salad seemed "fancy" enough for our group as well as a feeling of fall with the arugula and granola.  All components were simple to put together and I made most of it the day before.  The caraway seeds in the dressing are a must and bring such a distinctive flavor to the salad.  I used my mortar and pestle to crush the seeds, something I have never done before.  I love a new cooking technique!!

We served the main meal family style with the Osso Buco on a bed of cauliflower mash.  Mary used veal chops as this is all her butcher had and it was delicious and a good choice.  The meat fell off the bone and the vegetables were so flavorful.  The cauliflower mash was insanely tasty and Mary promises it is guilt free and a great substitute for mashed potatoes.  I went for seconds and I cannot stop thinking about this dish and when I can make it again!

Cauliflower Mash

 

1-2 head of raw cauliflower

Evaporated milk (I normally use fat free but regular is a little richer)

Salt

Cream cheese (use the light but the FF is not so great)

Fresh parsley

 

Steam the cauliflower until very soft.  Put the cauliflower in the food processor and pulse a couple of times to break it down a bit.  Add some salt, just a bit at first.  Add a little bit of milk, pulse a time or two.  Add a tablespoon or two of cream cheese and a couple tablespoons of milk.  Do several longer pulses to start smoothing the cauliflower to a near mashed texture.  Do a taste test for salt and let it process until very smooth texture.  This recipe does not require much liquid so careful with the can milk, just add a bit at a time... same with cream cheese-- a little goes a long way.   At the very end, add some chopped  parsley and do one last pulse.  Ready to serve.

 

Super healthy, nearly guilt free side dish that everyone will love.

Our second side dish was from Janet.  She prepared Sauteed Swiss Chard with the following modifications to the recipe:

1 tablespoon of butter and olive oil (rather than 2 tbs of both)
1 shallot (rather than onion)
2 bunches of Swiss chard (rather than 1)
1/4 cup dry white wine (rather than 1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons lemon juice (rather than 1)
4 tablespoons Parmesan (rather than 2)

I loved the chard.  It tasted fresh and healthy and the shallots and cheese gave it lots of flavor.  Janet had previously made this recipe which is how she knew to modify it.  Remember, WWTD (What Would  Teresa Do) and make the recipe as is first, and THEN modify.  That is a great lesson that I wish I had learned earlier in my home cooking career!

I fixed garlic bread as our bread component of the meal.  I did bake it a little too long (I thought the oven was off!!), which made the crust slightly tough, but the flavor was nice and garlicky without being over powering.  Rather than melt the butter I softened it and stirred in all the other ingredients.  I spread it on the bread and wrapped it up and put into the refrigerator until time to bake.  I had never used Ciabatta bread for garlic bread before but I really liked it and will use it in the future.

We concluded our meal with two desserts.  Boohoo.  I HATE IT when we have more than one dessert.  JUST KIDDING!!  Carol also brought some pumpkin ice cream.  The group then spent several minutes discussing seasonal ice cream flavors such as pumpkin and egg nog.  YUM.  Those are two reasons why I avoid the ice cream aisle of the store.

The Pumpkin Crunch Cake was my favorite of the two and I brought some home and had it for breakfast.  It is super easy to prepare and when I made it and brought it to work for a Halloween baking contest, I won first place!  Hooray!  

Pumpkin Crunch Cake

1 Yellow Cake Mix

1 15 oz Can Pumpkin Puree

1 12 oz Can Evaporated Milk

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

1 cup butter, melted

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease bottom of 9 x 13 pan.  Mix pumpkin, milk, eggs, sugar, cinnamon and salt.  Pour mixture into greased pan.  Sprinkle dry cake mix over pumpkin mixture and top with pecans.  Drizzle melted butter over pecans.  Use a fork to press/lightly stir any dry cake mix.  Bake 50-55 minutes.

The second dessert was very rich brownies with swirls of pumpkin and cream cheese.  The brownies looked pretty with the orange swirl and were quite decadent.

Pumpkin Swirled Cream Cheese Brownies

3/4 cup sugar, divided

1/2 cup plus 1 tbs flour, divided

3 oz cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup plus 2 tbs canned pumpkin

1 tbs butter, melted

12 oz semisweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup salted butter

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line an 8-inch square baking pan with heavy duty aluminum foil, allowing edges to overhang pan to create handles.  Spray with cooking spray and set aside.

In small bowl, combine 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tbs flour, cream cheese, pumpkin and melted butter.  Beat at medium speed with a mixer until smooth and creamy.  Set aside.

Melt chocolate and salted butter in double boiler or microwave and let cool slightly.  

In a large bowl, combine eggs, vanilla and remaining 1/2 cup sugar, whisking well.  Set aside.

In small bowl combine remaining 1/2 cup flour, baking powder and salt, whisking well.  Set aside.

Add 1/4 cup chocolate mixture to egg mixture, stirring vigorously to incorporate and temper.  Add remaining chocolate mixture in thirds, stirring to incorporate.  Add flour mixture, stirring to incorporate.  Spread mixture into prepared baking pan, creating a smooth and level surface.

Drop pumpkin mixture by spoonfuls onto surface of chocolate mixture.  Drag a knife through batter to create a swirled pattern.

 Bake until brownie is slightly puffed and set, 57 to 60 minutes.  Let cool completely in pan on wire rack.  Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, approximately 4 hours.  Remove from pan by lifting foil handles.  Peel foil from brownies and cut into 16 squares.  Keep in refrigerator up to 3 days.

Lastly, our wine was so tasty that I wanted to document it for future reference.