Christmas Cookies - Part 2 - The Model Clay Cookie

Christmas Cookies Part 2 - Model Clay Cookies

    I call thes model clay cookies because you can assemble them like you would clay beeds into logs and then slice them.  I know Pillsbury does this for you... but these are so much better.  I usuall make a double batch and then each batch is divided into to colors/ flavors.  Chocolate, Vanilla, Cherry, and Pistachio.  To make the Tree buttons I form a long triangle of green, attach a small roll of chcolate and then carefully wrap it in vanilla and roll.  Then slice and tadah!

Jonathan is making cherry candy canes,  two long wropes of red and white, twisted together and then cut to form candy canes.  I also made Christmas corn, spira ornaments and pistachio checkerboards.

Now, Get in the Kitchen and Cook Something!

Model Clay Cookies

Basic Dough Recipe

¾ c Butter

1 c Sugar

½ t Baking Powder

1 Egg

1 t Vanilla

2 c Flour

1. Cream together butter, sugar and baking powder

2. Add egg and mix 2 minutes

3. Add vanilla and stir in

4. Add flour until just combined

Color/Flavor Variations

Chocolate – Add 2 T Unsweetened Chocolate

Cherry - Add a few drops of cherry flavor and red food coloring

Pistachio – Add green food coloring and ¼ c Ground Pistachios

1. Form into desired shapes and patterns

2. Bake at 375º for 10 – 12 minutes

 Flour Water Salt Yeast

    I made some of the best bread ever today!   The recipe and technique is from Flour Water Salt Yeast by Ken Forkish.  If you want to make great bread this book is loaded with information.  Maybe too much but the recipes reiterate the highlights.  The two round loaves were a single batch of his Saturday White Bread.  From Start to finish was about 8 hours of time, but 6 of that was rising and 1 was baking, the loves were cooked separately in a Dutch oven  for 30 minutes each with a 5 minute Dutch oven reheat in between.

    I look forward to trying some of his other recipes, especially the bacon bread in the back of the book with chopped bacon in the dough.   Yummmm.  He starts by mixing the flour and water by hand until it is mostly incorporated, then lets it sit for about 30 minutes.  Next sprinkle the salt and yeast on top and then fold the dough by hand a couple times, wetting your hand to help dissolve the salt and keep the dough from sticking to you too much.

After folding a couple times you pinch the dough into several small pieces with one hand, turning the container with your other hand.  Then folding a couple more times.  The whole pinching and fold in process takes about 5 minutes.  Then you let it sit, folding it twice int he next hour and a half and then let it raise for 5 hours.

Form it into two loaves, preheat the oven to 475 degrees with the Dutch oven in it for 45 minutes.  Then Bake the bread one loaf at a time for 30 minutes.  Remove, cool slightly and then eat it.  It is definately worth the wait.  

The temperature can make a difference, if you start with room temperature flour, you can use about 95 degree water which will get you into the 77 degree range once the mixing, folding and pinching is done.  My house is usually a little on the cool side, so my dough temp was low and I could have let it raise longer but I went for it anyway.

Now, Get in the Kitchen and Cook Something

Based on Ken Forkish's Saturday White Bread.

    1000 g Flour

    720 g Water

    21 g Salt

    4 g Yeast

1. Combine flour and water by hand until most of the dry flour is incorporated
2. Cover and let rest 30 minutes
3. Sprinkle flour and yeast on top of the dough and then fold the dough with one hand, pulling on one side of the dough and then folding it over the top.  
4. Then turn the bowl 1/4 turn and do it again.
5. Next pinch through the dough to divide it into 2 pieces, give the bowl a turn again and split both pieces in half, do it again splitting the four in halves.  Then one more time, at this point I found it hard to keep track but managed to get most of the pieces split and turned and mixed.
6. Then I gave it two folds, because I felt like it and covered it with plastic and let it sit 30 minutes
7. Give the dough 2 to 3 pull folds, turning the bowl 1/4 turn each time, cover and let rest 1 hour
8. Give the dough another 2 -3 pull folds and then cover and let sit until about tripled in size, about 3 and 1/2 hours
9. Dust the counter with a little flour and place the dough on it.
10. Divide the dough in half and gently form it into a smooth round ball by folding it down on itself with a seam on the bottom.
11. If you have a baneton basket or bread mold you can use it as I did for one loaf.  make sure it is floured well if it is not seasoned, I have used mine about 5 times and it is finally almost seasoned.  I need to use it more. and I will.  The second I left on the counter and scored the top.
    
12. Preheat the oven with a Dutch oven in it to 475 degrees.  Let the dough raise for about 45 minutes or so until almost doubled and when you press down with a finger, it leaves a dent.
13. Carefully put one loaf in the Dutch oven, put the lid back on and bake for 30 minutes.
14. Remove from the oven and place the loaf on a rack to cool
15. Put the Dutch oven back in the oven for 5 minutes to reheat
    
16. Carefully transfer the second loaf to the Dutch oven and bake 30 minutes.
17. Remove bread and cool on a rack
18. Enjoy!

Christmas Cookies - Part 1

 Christmas Cookies - Part 1

    I don't make a lot of desserts, however when Christmas comes around I have a tendancy to over do it a little bit.  This year I went light, only about 12 differnt cookies/ bars etc.  That doesn't include the almond biscotti or hazelnut fig biscotti I made.  Nor does it include the apple strudel in the freezer or the breads I make as well.

    This year I am starting off with my favorite, the Chocolate Cordial Cookie.  It is a rich chocolate cookie, topped with a cherry and then a quick fudge frosting that is baked onto the cookie.  Thats what my elf is doing in the picture above.  This year I didn't have any of the cheap bright red cherries that I usually use but I did have some good luxardo cherries in the fridge for old fashioneds.  I used though, those are the dark bits of goodness in the bowl next to Jonathan.  I will never go back, the only thing I didn't like about the cookies before was the plastic feel of the cherries.  These were way better.

Now, Get in the Kitchen and Cook Something!

Chocolate Cordial Cookie

½ c Butter

1 c Sugar

1 Egg

1 ½ t Vanilla

1 ½ c Flour

½ c Cocoa

1/4 t Salt

1/4 t Baking Powder

1/4 t Soda

Drained Maraschino Cherries

Frosting

1 c Chocolate Chips

½ c Sweetened Condensed Milk

1/4 t Salt

1 ½ t Cherry Juice

1. Cream together butter and sugar

2. Add egg, vanilla and cocoa, mix well

3. Stir in salt, flour, baking soda and baking powder, mix until combined

4. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and press down with your thumb to make an indent, top with half of a cherry

5. Mix frosting ingredients and brush over cherry

6. Bake 12 minutes at 375º

Pomegranate Chicken with Roasted Potatoes, Beets and Broccoli

     A long long time ago, when my wife and I were first dating we bought a pomegranate.  I had had them before and we briefly discussed them at culinary school but I had never really cooked with one.  So we went home and I made Pomegranate Chicken and served with with sautéed potatoes and sweet potatoes.  It was really good and I have made it a few times over the years.  

    According to some stories, the pomegranate was the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden.  I can't imagine plucking one off a tree and taking a bite out of it, let alone convincing someone else to try it as well, but what do I know.  It is also the flavor for grenadine, I always thought grenadine was cherry syrup growing up but that is another story.  For the pomegranate molasses below is easy to make, but you can buy some at most grocery stores that have an ethnic section.  Honestly, I like the homemade version better as some store bought brands can be a little bitter.

No, Get in the Kitchen and Cook Something!

Pomegranate Molasses

    1 c Pomegranate Seeds

    1/4 c Water

    2 T Honey

    1/4 t Salt

1. Combine all in a sauce pan and bring to a boil
2. Using an immersion blender, puree the seeds to release all the juice
3. Alternatively you can put the mixture in a blender to puree
4. Strain out the solids and return to the heat
5. reduce to a syrupy consistency.
6. Set aside, can keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Pomegranate Chicken

    2 T Olive Oil

    1 Clove Garlic, sliced Thin

    1 c Onion, Sliced

    4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

    1/4 c Pomegranate Molasses

    2 Sprigs Thyme

    6 Sage Leaves, chopped

    2 c Chicken Broth

    Salt and Pepper TT

    1/2 c Pomegranate Seeds

1.  Heat olive oil in a large skillet
2. Sauté Garlic about 1 minute
3. Add Onion and cook until they just start to brown
4. Add chicken breasts and cook 3 minutes per side, to just start cooking them
5. Add pomegranate molasses, thyme, sage and chicken broth and bring to a simmer
6. Reduce liquid by half, flipping the chicken breasts to cook through and coat with the sauce.
7. Season to taste with salt and pepper and garnish with pomegranate seeds.

Roasted Potatoes

    3 Large Russet Potatoes

    2 T Olive Oil

    Salt and Pepper TT

1. Put the potatoes in the microwave for 5 minutes to par cook them.
2. Pre-heat oven to 425͒
3. Remove from microwave and cool until you can handle them
4. Cut potatoes into large pieces and toss with oil, salt and pepper
5. Roast 20 minutes, stir and roast another 10 - 15 minutes until golden

Beets and Broccoli

    2 Broccoli Crowns, quartered

    4 Beets, peeled

    1 t Salt

1. Place beets in a pan and cover with water
2. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer
3. Cook until they are soft and can be easily pierced with a knife.
4. Add broccoli and cover for 5 minutes
5. Drain, slice beets and serve    

 

 

Swedish Cube Steak with Sweet Potato Mash

    As the weather gets colder it is nice to have some comfort foods ready to go.  As I have stated previously we have been going to the Oakland County Farmers Market in recent weeks.  There are two very good beef suppliers there and I got some cube steaks a couple weeks ago.  So along with some mushroom and onions I thought I would make a Swedish style cube steak dinner with mashed potatoes, well we are out of potatoes so I am making it with sweet potatoes and then some frozen green beans to round out the meal.

    The sauce is started with onions, then a little flour and some beef and vegetable stock.  I have a lot of canned stock and sauces and jams and fruits and vegetables in the basement so I am always ready to make a good sauce or soup with dinner.

    I also hate to waste items so I roasted the peelings from the sweet potatoes with a little olive oil, salt and pepper to crisp them up to serve as a little accent.  Also I sautéed the mushrooms seperately and served on the side, one because the kids don't like them and two because they are my good wild mushrooms from the market.  For this I used piopinni, nomeko, maitake and chantrelles...

Now, get in the kitchen and cook something!

Swedish Cube Steak

    2 T Olive Oil

    4 - 6oz Cube Steaks

    Salt and Pepper TT

    Flour

    2 T Olive Oil

    1 Onion, julienned

    2 c Mushrooms, sliced (White or Crimini work fine but any variety is good)

    1/4 c Flour

    1/2 c Red Wine

    4 c Beef or Vegetable Broth 

    1 c Sour Cream

1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Season steaks on both sides with salt and pepper and dust them with flour
3. Saute steaks about 3 minutes per side, remove to a plate
4. Add two more tablespoons of flour to the pan
5. Season Sautee onions until they start to brown, 8 - 10 minutes, stirring occasionally
6. Add Mushrooms and saute about 5 minutes
7. Add flour and stir to coat onions and mushrooms and cook until it starts to brown, about 10 minutes
8. Add wine and stir to deglaze the pan, scraping up the brown bits to stir into the sauce
9. Add broth and whisk to thicken
10. Add sour cream and stir to blend
11. Reduce heat to a simmer and return the steaks to the pan
12. Simmer 30 minutes
13. Adjust seasoning and serve

Sweet Potato Mash with Crispy Skins

    2 lb. Sweet Potatoes

    2 T Olive Oil

    Salt and Pepper

    1/4 c butter

    1/4 c Cream

    1/2 t White pepper

    1 t Salt

1. Pre-heat oven to 400ᣞ    
2. Peel sweet potatoes and put in a pan of water, reserve skins
3. Heat sweet potatoes to a boil reduce to a simmer and cook until softened, about 25 minutes
4. Meanwhile, toss skins with oil, salt and pepper and roast in oven about 12 minutes, toss them and cook an additional 10 minutes until crispy, careful not to burn them.
5. Drain and return to stove, let them dry for a couple of minutes
6. Place potatoes in a mixing bowl with butter, cream, white pepper and salt
7. whip until smooth and serve

Green Beans Almandine

    1 lb. Green Beans

    2 T Butter

    Salt and Pepper TT

    1/4 c Pecans, toasted

1. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil
2. Add beans and cook 3 minutes
3. Drain beans and toss with battur, salt and pepper
4. Serve sprinkled with the pecans.    

     

Hoppin' John with Southern Grilled Chicken

Hoppin' John with Southern BBQ Grilled Chicken Breasts

 

    One of the food shows I have been trying to watch lately is "Mind of a Chef".  In Season Two, one of the featured chefs is Sean Brock.  He is known for his  southern style cooking and bringing back heirloom grains such as red corn, cow peas and Carolina gold rice.

            I have to admit when I first saw him make rice I was confused.  He used about 6 cups of water to 1 cup of rice, then drains it, rinses it, puts in the oven with a bay leaf and tosses it with butter.  What did I just see?  I had to try it.  I have made it with both jasmine rice and some Carolina Gold.  The Carolina Gold did have a better flavor, although not by that much.  It also has a slightly different texture and I over cooked the jasmine rice just a tad.

            Over all I was very happy with the rice and it pairs well with the cow peas and vegetables.  The red pea gravy is also a nice touch, almost like adding a spoonful of thick bean soup on the side.  My wife actually went back for seconds on the gravy.

            Although Hoppin' John is a meal in itself, I wanted to add some protein so I added a southern style BBQ rubbed grilled chicken breast.  It was brined over night in a maple syrup and salt brine and then marinated in canola oil and BBQ seasoning.  It was moiast and delicious and the kids really liked it.  

Now, get int he kitchen and cook something! 

Hoppin’ John

      2 qt. Chicken Stock
1 c Cow Peas (Black Eyed Peas), soaked in a pot of water in the refrigerator overnight
1 ½ c Onions, diced
1 c Carrots, diced
1 ½ c Celery, diced
2 Cloves Garlic, thinly sliced
1 Bay Leaf
2 t Thyme  
Kosher Salt

  Rice
6 c Water
1 ½ t Salt
1 c Carolina Gold Rice
2 Bay Leaves
4 T Butter, cubed

  Red Pea Gravy
1 c Cooked Cow Peas, reserved from above
2 c Pea Cooking Liquid, reserved from above    
1 T Butter
1 T Cider vinegar

1.       Soak beans in chicken stock over night in the fridge.
2.       Pour beans and stock into a large pot and bring to a boil.
3.       Add onions, carrots, celery, bay and thyme and reduce to a simmer
4.       When beans are soft, about 1 hour, remove from heat and strain out one cup of beans and 2 c of broth for the gravy.
5.       While waiting for the beans, start the rice.  Preheat the oven to 300°F.
6.       Bring the water and salt to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
7.       Reduce the heat to medium, add the rice, stir once, and bring to a simmer. Simmer gently, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the rice is al dente, about 15 minutes.
8.       Drain the rice in a sieve and rinse under cold water. Spread the rice out on a rimmed baking sheet with the bay leaves . Dry the rice in the oven, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.
9.       Scatter the butter evenly over the rice and continue to dry it, stirring every few minutes, for about 5 minutes longer.
10.       Combine the reserved cow peas and liquid in a blender and blend until smooth, about 3 minutes
11.       Stir in butter and cider vinegar
12.       Season to taste with salt and pepper
13.       To serve, place a scoop of rice in a bowl and top with Peas and then gravy

Southern Grilled Chicken

          8 c Water
    ¼ c Salt
    2 T Maple Syrup
    6 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
    ¼ c Vegetable oil

        BBQ Rub
    1 c Paprika
¾ c Sugar

          1 T Granulated Garlic
    1 T Granulated Onion
½ T Black Pepper
1 T White Pepper
½ c Salt  
2 T Dry Mustard
¼ c Brown Sugar
 

1.       Put the water in a pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from the stove, add the salt and maple syrup, and stir until they have completely dissolved. Pour the brine into a nonreactive heatproof container large enough to hold the breasts and cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until thoroughly cold.
2.       Place the breasts in the cold brine, cover, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to overnight.
3.       Combine ingredients for the rub and mix well
4.       Drain the chicken and discard the brine.
5.       Combine rub with the vegetable oil and toss the chicken to coat
6.       Heat grill or grill pan over high heat and grill the chicken until cooked through.  About 2 minutes per side.
7.       Let chicken rest for a few minutes and then slice and plate atop the Hoppin’ John

Broiled Salmon with Roasted Veggies and Polenta

Lemon Broiled Salmon

I find myself thinking about food a lot. I mean really a lot..  I know what ingredients I have in the freezer, fridge, cupboards etc.  So when my mind starts to wander I think, what can I do with what I have and then I can imagine the tastes and textures of combinations in my mind.

To make matters worse I watch a few cooking shows.   Recently I have been viewing episodes of Mind of a Chef and Chef's Table.   Great shows although some of the recipes are a little impractical for the home cook.

Then, there are ingredients... I believe if you are a good cook, you can make any ingredients into a great meal.  Well maybe not spam but I won't go there.  What I mean is get the best ingredients you can afford and make the recipe.   Don't break the bank.

Having said that I have been experimenting and trying some great ingredients.  Butcher Box an online Meat company had a promotion which was tied to Miles an app I have for tracking steps to earn points.  Your first box was $50 off and you got a free 12 pound turkey.  Ok, sign me up.  In the box you get, which you can pick and choose from a variety of options, was some farm raised salmon.   To be honest, it wasn't the best.  It could not compare with fresh salmon.  But everyone did clean their plates.

I served the salmon with the Mustard Dill Sauce and the Black Garlic Sauce from a few days ago...

Now, Get in the Kitchen and Cook something!

Broiled Lemon Salmon

    6 - 5 oz. Pieces of Salmon

    1 Lemon, sliced thin

    Salt and Pepper To Taste

    2 T Fresh Dill, chopped

1. Preheat the broiler
2. Arange salmon on a baking sheet, season with salt and pepper and arrange lemon slices on top
3. Sprinkle with dill..
4. Broil until desired doneness, 5 to 8 minutes
5. Serve with polenta and veggies

Polenta

    3 c Water

    1 c Polenta or Corn Meal or Grits

    1 t Salt

1. Bring water to a boil in a sauce pan
2. Pour in polenta while stirring and reduce heat to low
3. Stir in salt and cook about 20 minutes stirring often so it doesn't burn.

Roasted Winter Veggies with Black Garlic Vinaigrette

    2 c Red Beats, peeled and cut into large dice

    2 c Yellow Beets, peeled and cut into Large Dice

    2 c Brussels Sprouts, cleaned, large ones cut in half

    3 Carrots, peeled and cut into rounds

    3 T Olive Oil

    1 t Salt

    1/2 t Pepper

1. Pre-heat oven to 400
2. Arrange vegetables on Baking sheet
3. Drizzle with olive oil
4. Season with salt and pepper
5. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes
6. Remove and toss vegetables then return to the oven for 15 minutes.
7. Toss with Black Garlic Vinaigrette to serve

Black Garlic Vinaigrette 

      8 Cloves Black Garlic 

      2 T olive oil
      1 1/2 White Wine Vinegar
      1 T Water 

1. Remove the garlic paper/skin and remove the black garlic cloves
2. Smash the cloves with a fork and chop fine.
3. Add cloves to olive oil and vinegar. Whisk vigorously or blend in food processor till smooth.