Recipe: Blue Cheese Burgers
What, when, & where: whenever you're grilling, as long as someone else will bring the plain burgers & dogs for the finicky eaters
Assessment: Excellent. I've always wanted to try the Good Dog's trademark blue cheese burgers. I came into possession of a good 2-3 lbs of blue cheese (long story) and I was freaking out about how to use it all. Burgers were the first thing that popped to mind so I called up Aaron and bam, we had an awesome barbeque that night. This was an interesting & kicky contribution to the mix; I thought they were just divine (the next day I bought another pound of meat, made up another batch and threw them in the freezer). While it was recommended to use fatty beef for juicy burgers, I thought there was nothing lacking in the lean turkey. I was told I made the patties too small because they did fall apart on the grill a bit.
Source: Simply Recipes (http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/007212blue_cheese_burgers.php)
1 lb ground meat (turkey was fine; 16-20% ground beef is recommended)
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 cloves minced garlic
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup (about 2 ounces) crumbled blue cheese
1 egg
1 Tbsp Worchester sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Put ground beef, mustard, garlic, onions, blue cheese, water, and egg into a large bowl. Use your hands to gently mix the ingredients together until just incorporated. Do not over-mix. Shape into patties, about 1/2 inch thick and larger than your bun. Chill until you are ready to cook.
Prepare charcoal or gas grill for cooking over high direct heat. Using tongs and a folded up paper towel dipped in vegetable oil, oil the grill grates. Make sure grill is hot and well oiled before laying down the patties. Season patties with salt and pepper. Place the patties on the clean, well-oiled grill grate. Grill the burgers for about 5 minutes per side. Do not press down on the burgers while cooking.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Recipe: Chard Gratin
Recipe: Chard Gratin
What, when & where: a side that's good enough for a company on a week night or Thanksgiving (also impressive & easily transported to at a potluck)
Assessment: Excellent. I did prep at my place and then took this cute little casserole over to bake at Claire's house. Overall, it was lovely and the nutmeg is ingenious, tasting homey & elegant at the same time. If I make it again, I'll try cooking the greens less.
Source: The Wednesday Chef (http://www.thewednesdaychef.com/the_wednesday_chef/2008/07/alice-waterss-s.html) cribbed this from the venerable Alice Waters
1 1/2 bunches of chard
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
2 teaspoons melted butter
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, diced
Salt
2 teaspoons flour
1/2 cup milk
pinch of nutmeg
Wash and chop the chard, separating the stems and leaves. Bring 2 quarts of salted water to a boil and cooked the sliced stems for 2 minutes. Add the chard leaves and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Drain and cool. Gently squeeze out the excess liquid.
Toss together the breadcrumbs and the melted butter. Toast on a baking sheet in a 350-degree oven, stirring now and then, until lightly brown, about 10 minutes.
Melt 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed pan and add the diced onion. Cook over medium heat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chard and season with salt. Cook for 3 minutes. Sprinkle with the flour and stir well. Then add the milk and nutmeg and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add more milk if the mixture gets too thick. The chard should be moist but not floating in liquid. Taste and add salt if needed.
Butter a small baking dish. Spread the chard mixture evenly in the dish and dot with the remaining butter, cut into bits. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs evenly over the top. Bake in a 350-degree oven until the gratin is golden and bubbling, 20 to 30 minutes. Serves 4.
What, when & where: a side that's good enough for a company on a week night or Thanksgiving (also impressive & easily transported to at a potluck)
Assessment: Excellent. I did prep at my place and then took this cute little casserole over to bake at Claire's house. Overall, it was lovely and the nutmeg is ingenious, tasting homey & elegant at the same time. If I make it again, I'll try cooking the greens less.
Source: The Wednesday Chef (http://www.thewednesdaychef.com/the_wednesday_chef/2008/07/alice-waterss-s.html) cribbed this from the venerable Alice Waters
1 1/2 bunches of chard
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
2 teaspoons melted butter
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, diced
Salt
2 teaspoons flour
1/2 cup milk
pinch of nutmeg
Wash and chop the chard, separating the stems and leaves. Bring 2 quarts of salted water to a boil and cooked the sliced stems for 2 minutes. Add the chard leaves and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Drain and cool. Gently squeeze out the excess liquid.
Toss together the breadcrumbs and the melted butter. Toast on a baking sheet in a 350-degree oven, stirring now and then, until lightly brown, about 10 minutes.
Melt 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed pan and add the diced onion. Cook over medium heat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chard and season with salt. Cook for 3 minutes. Sprinkle with the flour and stir well. Then add the milk and nutmeg and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add more milk if the mixture gets too thick. The chard should be moist but not floating in liquid. Taste and add salt if needed.
Butter a small baking dish. Spread the chard mixture evenly in the dish and dot with the remaining butter, cut into bits. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs evenly over the top. Bake in a 350-degree oven until the gratin is golden and bubbling, 20 to 30 minutes. Serves 4.
Recipe: Sage Pork Chops
Recipe: Sage Pork Chops
What, when & where: entrée for a cozy, casual weeknight dinner with company
Assessment: Delicious. The original recipe had you remove the chops when you make the sauce, but cooking them together assuaged my undercooked pork fears & made the chops more flavorful. I also doubled the amount of sauce per chop. The sage flavor was mild, and next time, I'd try cooking with more or offering it on the side as a garnish. All in all, this got rave reviews and was terribly easy to make.
Source: Martha Stewart (http://www.marthastewart.com/sage-pork-chops)
2 boneless pork loin chops
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium shallot, minced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage or 1/4 teaspoon dried
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/2 cup dry white wine
Season pork generously with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat oil and butter over medium; add pork. Cook until browned and opaque throughout. Move the chops to the edge of the pan and add the shallots. Cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Add sage, thyme, and wine. Simmer until sauce is reduced to about 1/3 cup, 2 to 3 minutes. Serves 2.
What, when & where: entrée for a cozy, casual weeknight dinner with company
Assessment: Delicious. The original recipe had you remove the chops when you make the sauce, but cooking them together assuaged my undercooked pork fears & made the chops more flavorful. I also doubled the amount of sauce per chop. The sage flavor was mild, and next time, I'd try cooking with more or offering it on the side as a garnish. All in all, this got rave reviews and was terribly easy to make.
Source: Martha Stewart (http://www.marthastewart.com/sage-pork-chops)
2 boneless pork loin chops
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium shallot, minced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage or 1/4 teaspoon dried
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/2 cup dry white wine
Season pork generously with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat oil and butter over medium; add pork. Cook until browned and opaque throughout. Move the chops to the edge of the pan and add the shallots. Cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Add sage, thyme, and wine. Simmer until sauce is reduced to about 1/3 cup, 2 to 3 minutes. Serves 2.
Back to blogging
Yuri visited Philadelphia this weekend! I found myself wanting to know all about the minutiae of her daily life in Rennes, especially about food: Butter comes in bricks, not sticks! The French think she's weird for bringing her lunch in Tupperware, instead of going to a restaurant or home to eat! It's inspired me to return to a long-abandoned project: making a little cookbook of things I make during the year to give my friends at Christmas. It's kind of like keeping a diary, since I spend most of my time (outside of work) picking recipes, grocery shopping, cooking, and having folks come over to help me eat it all.
I've got a bad track record of starting blogs, writing for two months, and then losing interest so I hoping that imposing some structure on myself will keep me at it. My goal is to try a bunch of recipes out, make notes here & choose at least 30 to codify my life in Philadelphia 2008.
I've got a bad track record of starting blogs, writing for two months, and then losing interest so I hoping that imposing some structure on myself will keep me at it. My goal is to try a bunch of recipes out, make notes here & choose at least 30 to codify my life in Philadelphia 2008.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Banana Split Brownies
Rich, kicky brownies. Look at all that butter! All those eggs!
I didn't do Martha Stewart's Recipe exactly because I didn't have the ingredients. Notable, I didn't have any bittersweet chocolate so I couldn't have the 3:1 bittersweet:unsweet ratio, so I did 1:1 unsweet:semi-sweet. Unsweetened chocolate gives baked goods power, brawn; most of the sweetness thus ends up coming from the banana part. I also added extra banana, but I think I got more liquid as well as more flavor. I imagine the original recipe is also awesome, but this seemed cafe-like.
Banana Split Brownies
4 Ounces semi-sweet chocolate chopped
4 Ounces unsweetened chocolate chopped
12 Tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) rt unsalted butter cut into small pieces
3/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cups brown sugar
4 large eggs
3/4 Cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 salt
8 Ounces cream cheese at room temperature
1 large egg yolk
Vegetable-oil cooking spray
1/4 Cup plus 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
1/2 Teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 very ripe bananas
Heat oven to 350 degrees;. Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with vegetable-oil spray. Carefully microwave the chocol Stir occasionally until completely melted.
Combine butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; beat on medium-low speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add 3 eggs; beat to combine & scrape sides of bowl. Carefully melt the chopped chocolate in the microwave, 2oz at a time, and mix in. Then add 3/4 cup flour and salt. Mix until just combined, 15 to 20 seconds, scraping sides of bowl.
Beat the cream cheese until smooth and creamy, 25 to 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl using a rubber spatula; add egg yolk, whole egg, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and remaining tablespoon flour. Beat until smooth, about 1 minute. Fold in mashed banana using a rubber spatula.
Spread chocolate batter into prepared pan. Using a rubber spatula, make three trenches in batter, and fill with cream-cheese batter. To marble the top, run the tip of a knife back and forth across the two batters.
Bake until set, about 40 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes before cutting.
I cooked these 46 minutes, because my knife wasn't coming out clean and they were a little dry on the bottom. I'd say stick to the original cooking time.
I can tell that these are awesome (my roommate concurs), but I just don't care much for brownies myself. I was hoping the bananas would lure me in, but even though these are sophisticated and seem like something you'd pay 3$ for in a cafe, I'd rather use my precious ripe bananas in something else. I recommend it, though -- they look gorgeous and everyone else says they're delicious. Wouldn't expect anything less from Martha.
I didn't do Martha Stewart's Recipe exactly because I didn't have the ingredients. Notable, I didn't have any bittersweet chocolate so I couldn't have the 3:1 bittersweet:unsweet ratio, so I did 1:1 unsweet:semi-sweet. Unsweetened chocolate gives baked goods power, brawn; most of the sweetness thus ends up coming from the banana part. I also added extra banana, but I think I got more liquid as well as more flavor. I imagine the original recipe is also awesome, but this seemed cafe-like.
Banana Split Brownies
4 Ounces semi-sweet chocolate chopped
4 Ounces unsweetened chocolate chopped
12 Tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) rt unsalted butter cut into small pieces
3/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cups brown sugar
4 large eggs
3/4 Cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 salt
8 Ounces cream cheese at room temperature
1 large egg yolk
Vegetable-oil cooking spray
1/4 Cup plus 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
1/2 Teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 very ripe bananas
Heat oven to 350 degrees;. Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with vegetable-oil spray. Carefully microwave the chocol Stir occasionally until completely melted.
Combine butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; beat on medium-low speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add 3 eggs; beat to combine & scrape sides of bowl. Carefully melt the chopped chocolate in the microwave, 2oz at a time, and mix in. Then add 3/4 cup flour and salt. Mix until just combined, 15 to 20 seconds, scraping sides of bowl.
Beat the cream cheese until smooth and creamy, 25 to 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl using a rubber spatula; add egg yolk, whole egg, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and remaining tablespoon flour. Beat until smooth, about 1 minute. Fold in mashed banana using a rubber spatula.
Spread chocolate batter into prepared pan. Using a rubber spatula, make three trenches in batter, and fill with cream-cheese batter. To marble the top, run the tip of a knife back and forth across the two batters.
Bake until set, about 40 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes before cutting.
I cooked these 46 minutes, because my knife wasn't coming out clean and they were a little dry on the bottom. I'd say stick to the original cooking time.
I can tell that these are awesome (my roommate concurs), but I just don't care much for brownies myself. I was hoping the bananas would lure me in, but even though these are sophisticated and seem like something you'd pay 3$ for in a cafe, I'd rather use my precious ripe bananas in something else. I recommend it, though -- they look gorgeous and everyone else says they're delicious. Wouldn't expect anything less from Martha.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Steak with Musard Viniagrette & Chicken with Dill & Pita
Simple dinners for busy weeks: healthier versions of Chicken Gyros from Epicurious and Steak with Mustard Vinagrette from Real Simple.
Steak with Mustard Vinagrette
Steak (I got a 4$ sirloin steak and I got three meals out of it)
1 lb of sliced mushrooms
2 TB mustard (they say Dijon; I only had spicy & it was fine)
1 1/2 tsp white vinegar
salt & pepper
olive oil
Stir up the mustard, vinegar, and a grind or two of salt and pepper (and anything else you have on hand that would be flattering -- they say tarragon, which I didn't have). Heat the olive oil and saute the mushrooms until they're starting to get soft. Salt & pepper the steak and then add it to the pan. Be sure to mix the steak juices up with the mushrooms as you cook the meat (to desired doneness). When the steak is done, cut it up into small pieces or strips and toss it & the mushrooms with the vinaigrette. You might want to add a little viniagrette a time, so you can be sure it doesn't overpower the steak-flavor, which is awesome. I roasted some brussel sprouts on the side and their greenness balanced things out nicely.
So good! So cheap! A hearty leftovers lunch.
Chicken with Dill & Pita
2 cups plain nonfat yogurt (Fage greek yogurt is best)
5 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
dash of cayanne
2 large garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 pound skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
4 pita bread rounds, warmed
cherry tomatoes
cucumber, thinly sliced
Mix the yogurt, dill, garlic, dash of cayenne, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Set about half aside; marinate the chicken in the other half (1 hr-overnight, however much time you have). Throw away the marinade when you cook the chicken.
When you're ready to eat, heat olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onions until brown, about ten minutes. Add chicken; sauté until brown and cooked through.
Put the warm pitas, chicken & onions, the half yogurt sauce that wasn't on raw chicken, and the vegetables on a serving platter so everyone can construct their own tasty chicken pitas. They fall apart so it's good to have lots of napkins at hand.
This is tasty and healthy, but does not deserved to be called Chicken Gyros. It's a disservice to compare this nice little healthy meal to the sublime greasy wonder that is, say, a Zorba's Taverna gyro at 2:45pm just before their weekend lunch special ends (when those cute boys are working, too). The first time I made it, I found the meat to be a little bland, but the chicken had only marinated an hour. After sitting in yogurt overnight, it was much tangier, and the added cayenne helped, too.
I love TV!
Exhausted this week. Lots of tv.
-Arrogant since I called the tape worm on House a few weeks ago, I was completely sure a radioactive hooker was to blame for Tuesday's "stds and tumors" GI.
-Ugly Betty needs to come back with lots of geek love, gorgeous transgender angst, and swishy strength in the face of bad parents. I love love love Henry, Alexis, and Marc. I'm also really psyched for Mrs Meade being all fabulous in jail. Would Lil Kim gueststarring be too much to ask?
-Epic! The Evolution of Homer Simpson
-My tv boyfriend Turk jams to New Edition's Poison and all is right in my life.
-I completely agree with NOW that the "battered women are sexy" photoshoot was stupid, vulgar, and competes with "let's put Xiomara in blackface" for one of the worst things they've ever done. Nonetheless, my little heart broke when I had to miss the crossdressing episode because basketball preempts.
-I am taken off-gaurd when Melrose Place has a storyline I respect. I can't wait for netflix to get me the next dvd: "Matt is the victim of an attack outside a nightclub. When an officer from the hate crimes unit comes to the halfway house, Matt's supervisor is stunned to learn that Matt is gay. He quickly devises a reason to fire him. Jake and Rhonda convince Matt to seek legal recourse" -- wow. Of course they bring me back to reality when they do supremely goofy stuff like "Billy fantasizes about Alison while under the influence of medication following a trip to the dentist." Though really, I want to get through the dvds of the sweet first season to end already and get to the sleaze.
Steak with Mustard Vinagrette
Steak (I got a 4$ sirloin steak and I got three meals out of it)
1 lb of sliced mushrooms
2 TB mustard (they say Dijon; I only had spicy & it was fine)
1 1/2 tsp white vinegar
salt & pepper
olive oil
Stir up the mustard, vinegar, and a grind or two of salt and pepper (and anything else you have on hand that would be flattering -- they say tarragon, which I didn't have). Heat the olive oil and saute the mushrooms until they're starting to get soft. Salt & pepper the steak and then add it to the pan. Be sure to mix the steak juices up with the mushrooms as you cook the meat (to desired doneness). When the steak is done, cut it up into small pieces or strips and toss it & the mushrooms with the vinaigrette. You might want to add a little viniagrette a time, so you can be sure it doesn't overpower the steak-flavor, which is awesome. I roasted some brussel sprouts on the side and their greenness balanced things out nicely.
So good! So cheap! A hearty leftovers lunch.
Chicken with Dill & Pita
2 cups plain nonfat yogurt (Fage greek yogurt is best)
5 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
dash of cayanne
2 large garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 pound skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
4 pita bread rounds, warmed
cherry tomatoes
cucumber, thinly sliced
Mix the yogurt, dill, garlic, dash of cayenne, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Set about half aside; marinate the chicken in the other half (1 hr-overnight, however much time you have). Throw away the marinade when you cook the chicken.
When you're ready to eat, heat olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onions until brown, about ten minutes. Add chicken; sauté until brown and cooked through.
Put the warm pitas, chicken & onions, the half yogurt sauce that wasn't on raw chicken, and the vegetables on a serving platter so everyone can construct their own tasty chicken pitas. They fall apart so it's good to have lots of napkins at hand.
This is tasty and healthy, but does not deserved to be called Chicken Gyros. It's a disservice to compare this nice little healthy meal to the sublime greasy wonder that is, say, a Zorba's Taverna gyro at 2:45pm just before their weekend lunch special ends (when those cute boys are working, too). The first time I made it, I found the meat to be a little bland, but the chicken had only marinated an hour. After sitting in yogurt overnight, it was much tangier, and the added cayenne helped, too.
I love TV!
Exhausted this week. Lots of tv.
-Arrogant since I called the tape worm on House a few weeks ago, I was completely sure a radioactive hooker was to blame for Tuesday's "stds and tumors" GI.
-Ugly Betty needs to come back with lots of geek love, gorgeous transgender angst, and swishy strength in the face of bad parents. I love love love Henry, Alexis, and Marc. I'm also really psyched for Mrs Meade being all fabulous in jail. Would Lil Kim gueststarring be too much to ask?
-Epic! The Evolution of Homer Simpson
-My tv boyfriend Turk jams to New Edition's Poison and all is right in my life.
-I completely agree with NOW that the "battered women are sexy" photoshoot was stupid, vulgar, and competes with "let's put Xiomara in blackface" for one of the worst things they've ever done. Nonetheless, my little heart broke when I had to miss the crossdressing episode because basketball preempts.
-I am taken off-gaurd when Melrose Place has a storyline I respect. I can't wait for netflix to get me the next dvd: "Matt is the victim of an attack outside a nightclub. When an officer from the hate crimes unit comes to the halfway house, Matt's supervisor is stunned to learn that Matt is gay. He quickly devises a reason to fire him. Jake and Rhonda convince Matt to seek legal recourse" -- wow. Of course they bring me back to reality when they do supremely goofy stuff like "Billy fantasizes about Alison while under the influence of medication following a trip to the dentist." Though really, I want to get through the dvds of the sweet first season to end already and get to the sleaze.
Monday, March 26, 2007
Speedster Peanut Butter Bars
Because a little part of me dies inside every time Reece's Cookies end up being dessert. I want to make my own damn white trash desserts.
So I found a ton of recipes on the Kraft Foods website. Basic Chocopean bars! Double Peanut Butter Bars Chocopean Frozen Layer Loaf!
Crustless Chocopean Bars! PB Brownies!
Grapenut PB Bars!. Chocopean Cream Pie!, Chocopean Swirl Pie!
I ended up doing the simplest one:
2 tbsp melted butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup confectioners sugar
3/4 cup ground up graham crackers
6 squares baker's semi-sweet choco
Mixed up the first four ingredients real well. Pressed into a loaf pan. Melted choco in the microwave and poured on top. Put it in the freezer for two hours.
It's pretty nice right out of the freezer, but it's especially good if you've moved it to the fridge and maybe it's 6:30am and you just sneak a handful with your morning coffee. The graham cracker gives the peanutbutter a meltaway texture that's pretty awesome. In my opinion, a thinner layer of chocolate would've been nice, but that's just trifling.
So I found a ton of recipes on the Kraft Foods website. Basic Chocopean bars! Double Peanut Butter Bars Chocopean Frozen Layer Loaf!
Crustless Chocopean Bars! PB Brownies!
Grapenut PB Bars!. Chocopean Cream Pie!, Chocopean Swirl Pie!
I ended up doing the simplest one:
2 tbsp melted butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup confectioners sugar
3/4 cup ground up graham crackers
6 squares baker's semi-sweet choco
Mixed up the first four ingredients real well. Pressed into a loaf pan. Melted choco in the microwave and poured on top. Put it in the freezer for two hours.
It's pretty nice right out of the freezer, but it's especially good if you've moved it to the fridge and maybe it's 6:30am and you just sneak a handful with your morning coffee. The graham cracker gives the peanutbutter a meltaway texture that's pretty awesome. In my opinion, a thinner layer of chocolate would've been nice, but that's just trifling.
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