playgroupsarenoplaceforchildren

I waffled back and forth about whether to share this recipe with you or to be a selfish wench and keep it to myself.  Since it’s the holidays I thought I’d be nice for once and share it with you.

Also, it’s already on the Internet, so it’s not exactly a secret.

I’m particularly proud of this recipe because it was originally published in Gourmet Magazine.  When I first got interested in cooking, I subscribed to that magazine for a year and made exactly ze-ro of the recipes.  They were all too hard and had too many ingredients and too many of the ingredients were things I’d never even heard of.  But this recipe!  Oh THIS recipe has ingredients that are easily found in any market and it was very simple to make.

Since it’s not blueberry season, I used frozen blueberries and they all sunk to the bottom of the bundt pan, despite the fact that I followed the directions in the recipe to toss them in flour and alternate blueberry and batter layers.  I think fresh blueberries would have stayed put.  Still?  Delicious.

I made this Blueberry Lemon Pound Cake to be both a dessert AND a breakfast bread.  Two birds with one stone!  Perhaps this would be a lovely dessert for your Christmas Eve dinner and then as your quick breakfast on Christmas morning??!! Good idea, huh!

A helpful baking hint that I *think* I learned from Casey/Moosh in Indy, is to be sure to get all your ingredients up to room temperature before baking.  I don’t know why, I just do as I’m told.  If you’re curious about the reason, either Google it or find a nerd to ask.  I’ll ask my chemical engineer husband when he gets home.

This was THE BEST POUND CAKE I EVER HAD THE PLEASURE OF EATING.  As someone who doesn’t even love sweets that much, this was perfectly sweet, but not rich.  The cake was moist (MOIST!) and even three days after baking, it is still moist.

Enough jabber, eh?  Let’s bake!

Here’s what you’ll need for Blueberry Lemon Pound Cake, recipe courtesy of Epicurious and Gourmet Magazine.

For the cake

1/3 cup milk
6 large eggs
1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup freshly grated lemon zest
3 cups thawed, frozen blueberries, tossed with 1 1/2 tablespoons flour

For the syrup

1/3 cup lemon juice (Fresh is ALWAYS best)
1/2 cup sugar

Mmmm, cake:

In a small bowl whisk together the milk, the eggs, and the vanilla. In a separate bowl sift together the flour, the baking powder, and the salt. In a large bowl with an electric mixer cream the butter with the granulated sugar, the brown sugar, and the zest until the mixture is light and fluffy, add the flour mixture alternately with the egg mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and beating the batter after each addition until it is just combined, and fold in 1 1/2 cups of the blueberries. Spoon 1/3 of the batter into a greased and floured 10-inch (3-quart) bundt pan, spreading it evenly, and sprinkle 1/2 cup of the remaining blueberries over it. Spoon half the remaining batter into the pan, spreading it evenly, and sprinkle 1/2 cup of the remaining blueberries over it. Spoon the remaining batter into the pan, spreading it evenly, sprinkle the remaining blueberries over it, and bake the cake in the middle of a preheated 350°F oven for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until it is golden and a tester comes out clean.

Remove the cake from the oven, poke the top immediately all over with a wooden skewer, and brush it with half the syrup. Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes, invert it onto the rack, and poke it all over with the skewer. Brush the cake with the remaining syrup.

Mmmm, syrup:

In a small saucepan combine the lemon juice and the sugar, bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved, and remove the pan from the heat.

Head on over to Rachel’s place for more recipes!

I know that conventional wisdom would dictate that if I’m going to post a recipe on the Monday before Thanksgiving, that the recipe would be Thanksgiving-ish.  Well I’m going to buck conventional wisdom and pour some hoisin sauce down her gullet.

So this is a recipe for great beef stew.  To be perfectly honest, I don’t really like beef stew.   Actually I didn’t really like beef stew until I met Mahogany Beef Stew and we began a torrid love affair.  He’s so meaty and hearty, there’s plenty of him to share.

This would be a perfect thing to fix, say, today or tomorrow, then reheat and serve on Saturday when you’re really sick of turkey or have already run out.

Let’s put on our aprons.

(Recipe adapted from Bon Appétit) (Fancy!  I know!)

4 tablespoons olive oil
3 1/2 pounds boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed, cut into 2 1/2-inch pieces (or pre-cut stew meat)
1 medium-large onion, chopped
2 cups red wine (pinot noir, cabernet, zinfandel…whatever you like)
1 can reduced-sodium beef broth
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes with Italian herbs, undrained
1/2 cup hoisin sauce (can be found in the Asian aisle)
2 bay leaves
1 pound carrots, peeled, cut diagonally into 1-inch lengths
1 package of baby portabella or white button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 1/2 cups of peas (frozen or canned)
1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over high heat. Sprinkle meat with salt and pepper. Add meat to pot; sauté until brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove meat from the pot and place on a plate to add back later. Allow the pot to cool or the onions will burn.  Once cooled, set the heat to medium-low; add 2 tablespoons oil to pot. Add onions; sauté until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add carrots and mushrooms.  Cook for 7-8 minutes.  Mix meat into vegetables. Add 1 cup wine, beef broth, peas, tomatoes with juices, hoisin sauce, and bay leaves. Bring to boil.

Reduce heat to low, cover pot and simmer 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the remaining cup of wine. Cover; simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover, increase heat to high; boil until sauce is slightly thickened, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes longer. Reduce heat to medium, add cornstarch mixture and simmer until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Season stew with salt and pepper.  Serve sprinkled with parsley.

Head on over to Rachel’s place for more recipes!

MONTHS, people!  MONTHS ago I mentioned these Sichuan Green Beans and how they were delicious and what a great side dish they were for Korean Beef Lettuce Wraps and how I was going to post the recipe, but I couldn’t get a good picture and then…I completely forgot.

I still can’t get a great picture, this one is too blue, but frankly I don’t feel like messing with the white balance.  I’m tired tonight and I feel like you will be just fine with my too blue picture.  

These are so easy!    From the September 2008, Cooking Light

1  lb  fresh green beans, trimmed and snapped (I have a little secret.  I used frozen green beans and they are FINE.)
1  TB  canola oil, divided
1/4  cup  chopped shallots
1 1/2  TB  minced garlic
1  TB  minced peeled fresh ginger
1/2  tsp  crushed red pepper
1  TB  Chinese black vinegar (I can’t find it in my grocery store and I refuse to traipse all over town for 1 measley tablespoon) or balsamic vinegar
1  TB  soy sauce
1/2  tsp  salt

I know that I’m becoming a food snob because of my disdain for delivery pizza.    Sure, Dominoes and the like are great when you’re too tired to cook and just need food and it doesn’t matter what it is.  I’ll still order pizza occasionally, but honestly I’d rather just eat leftovers or PB & J.

I DO very much like GOOD pizza,though, like those cooked in wood-fired ovens or the pizza from a local pizzeria that’s been around since the 40’s.  Tate and I recently found a decent pizza place called Brixx Wood-Fired Pizza.  Their Cajun Andouille Shrimp Pizza and Wild Mushroom Pizza are our two favorites.

Since going out to dinner with our two children usually involves wrestling and spilled milk and generalized UNFUN, I decided to try to replicate their Wild Mushroom Pizza at home.

I’ve declared myself a Recipe Mimicking Genius and my recipe Tres Magnifique!  (I don’t know what that means, but it sounds very fancy and my pizza IS very fancy.) (Don’t worry, it may be fancy, but it’s incredibly easy!)

Behold:

Pizza crust, I use Naan, but you can use homemade, store-bought, ready made crusts… The naan I buy comes two to a package and I find it in the bakery section of my grocery store.

2-3 tsps olive oil

pinch or two of kosher salt (it’s just better!  trust me.)

1 TB butter

1 package of fresh baby portabello mushrooms and 1 package of shitake mushrooms, cleaned and sliced.  You may use any type of mushrooms you like, however.

Fresh Arugula, cleaned (optional)

8 oz package of shredded swiss cheese

8 oz package of mozzarella cheese

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.  In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat, add the cleaned and sliced mushrooms.  Cook for 3-4 minutes, add salt and cook for another minute or two.

On a baking sheet, place both naan, drizzle the olive oil on each piece and spread around with the back of a spoon or a pastry brush, lightly sprinkle with salt.

Evenly spread the cooked mushrooms on the naan.  Place arugula leaves, to taste, over the mushrooms.  Spread each pizza with both the shredded swiss and shredded mozzarella cheeses.  (I like really cheesy pizza, so I usually use all of the swiss and about half a package of the mozzarella.)  Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes or until the cheese is lightly browned and melted.

Slice and eat.  Send expensive gifts to Jennifer as a token of appreciation.

This pizza kicks Papa John’s pizza in the ‘nads.

There, there now.  I know how it is, how you feel, how you struggle during sweet corn season.  Remember, I once lived in Indiana.

On Saturdays at the Farmer’s Market or at the grocery store, you’re unable to resist the starchy, sugary goodness of sweet corn.  Your family has nearly foundered on corn on the cob, they crave a new way to eat their corn.  Trust me.  I KNOW.

I’m here to help with this recipe for Corn and Salsa Tortilla Soup from the June 2008 issue of Everyday with Rachael Ray. I realize the word “soup” is not typically welcomed and sought after in the summer months, but I assure you that this is worth the extra heat.

Let’s head to the kitchen!

3 poblano chiles (could also use a green pepper for a less spicy soup)
6 corn tortillas, cut into 1/2-inch-thick strips
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt
6 ears fresh sweet corn, kernels scraped from the cob
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
Pepper
One 32-ounce container (4 cups) vegetable broth
One 14.5-ounce can fire-roasted diced or crushed tomatoes
1 avocado, chopped,  for garnish
1 lime for garnish
2 tablespoons cilantro for garnish
Sour cream for garnish

Preheat the broiler. Coat the poblanos in a teaspoon of canola.  Broil the poblanos until blackened, 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, cover and let cool. Peel, seed and chop the poblanos.  This can also be done over a gas flame if you’re one of those lucky people with a gas cooktop.

Preheat the oven to 400°. On a baking sheet, toss the tortilla strips with 1 tablespoon oil and the cumin. Bake until golden, about 10-14 minutes; season with salt.

Meanwhile, in a large, deep skillet or soup pot, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Add the corn and cook until charred at the edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the red onion and garlic, season with salt and pepper and cook until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the broth, tomatoes and chopped poblanos.

Ladle the soup into bowls.  Top with a avocado, a squeeze or three of lime juice, add cilantro, and sour cream.

I’ve been thinking about ways you could modify this recipe and already mentioned that green peppers could be substituted for the poblanos.  Roasted red, yellow, or orange peppers would also be a delicious substitution.   To add some protein, you could add cooked, shredded chicken or drained and rinsed black beans.

No longer do you have to feel alone and scared during sweet corn season.   I’m glad to have helped you in your time of need.

**Note:  I first introduced you to this recipe last summer when Rachael Ray lied to me and said this recipe only took 30 minutes to prepare, which is a BALD-FACED LIE.  I also discussed my deep devotion to cilantro and said that cilantro haters could suck and egg.

I’ve made this recipe so many times in an effort to get a decent picture to post that I’m {this close} to being sick of it.  It’s pretty damn good, though, and even my kids eat it (minus the kimchi), so I’m pretty sure it’s going to stay in our menu rotation.  Maybe just a little less frequently.

Wow, with THAT kind of introduction, you are probably cannot wait for this recipe for Korean Beef Lettuce Wraps with Kimchi. (Adapted from the September 2008  Cooking Light)

3/4  pound  flank steak
1/4  cup  thinly sliced green onions
1  tablespoon  sugar
2  tablespoons  soy sauce
1  tablespoon  minced garlic
1  teaspoon  dark sesame oil
2  tablespoons  canola oil, divided
1  tablespoon  toasted sesame seeds
2  cups  hot cooked jasmine rice
1/2  cup  kimchi
lettuce leaves

1. Cut steak across grain into thin slices. Combine steak pieces, green onions, sugar, soy sauce, garlic, and sesame oil.

2. Heat a wok over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon canola oil to wok, swirling to coat. Add half of steak mixture to wok; stir-fry 3-4 minutes or until browned. Spoon cooked steak mixture into a bowl. Repeat with the remaining 1 tablespoon canola oil and remaining steak mixture. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Spoon 1/8 cup of rice, about 2 tablespoons steak mixture, and 1 tablespoon kimchi onto each lettuce leaf; roll up. Serve immediately.

This recipe is really simple and is a great alternative to stir-fry.  If you really aren’t a big beef eater, you could always substitute chicken.  Maybe if you’re a vegetarian, you could substitute tofu, but, well, I , uh, don’t really know (or want to know.)

I always serve my Korean Beef with Sichuan Green Beans.  As soon as I get a decent picture, I will post that recipe soon.  (It might be awhile.)

A few weeks ago I mentioned this recipe for Parmesan Pilaf from the Spring ‘09 issue of Schnucks Cooks!   Sorry to leave you hanging.

Now go forth and gather your ingredients.

1 TB butter (Yes, BUTTER.  NOT margarine, it’s too watery and just not GOOD.  Your hips won’t thank you, but your taste buds will.)
1 TB olive oil
1 medium shallot, minced
1 C of orzo
1 can of reduced sodium chicken broth
1/4 C water
6 TB of freshly grated Parmesan cheese (I ALWAYS use more.)
2 TB of flat-leaf Italian parsley, chopped
1/2 tsp of black pepper

1.  In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and oil over medium heat.  Add the shallot and cook until softened, about 2-3 minutes.

2.  Stir in the orzo, slowly add the broth and the water and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium-low.  Cook for 9-10 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed and the orzo is tender.

3.  Remove saucepan from the heat and add the Parmesan cheese, parsley, and pepper.

4.  Enjoy with family and friends while they ooh and aah at your simple and delicious creation.