How have I missed this cookie perfection in Joanne Chang’s 2010 book, Flour: Spectacular Recipes from Boston’s Flour Bakery + Cafe? This buttery (of course), chewy blend of dark chocolate, coconut and nuts is exactly the kind of cookie to perk up a day.
Found on page 110, the ingredients include
Butter (lots of it)
Brown AND cane sugars
Rolled Oats
Sweetened shredded coconut
Toasted pecans
Dark chocolate
Eggs
All-purpose flour
If you aren’t fortunate enough to live near a Flour Bakery, get your hands on the book and try this out. You won’t regret the effort (or the calories).
Roast Beet, Caraway and Crème Frâiche Salad with Arugala from Melissa Clark’s Dinner in French
Today, July 9th would have been my Dad’s 104th birthday, and so, in his honor I give you… roasted beets. (Just kidding. Dad really did not like beets one bit. As kids, we sometimes threatened to “hide” them in his mashed potatoes, thereby tricking him into eating beets, Ahhh kid-logic. It never occurred to us that the bright red beets might be quite visible in those creamy mash potatoes.)
Roasting beets can be a really messy prep. My modus operandi is generally to peel the beets before roasting which always resulted in a bit of a mess: stained hands, stained cutting boards, stained EVERYthing. Despite that inconvenience, I love the darn things, raw or cooked, and so I continued to put up with the messiness.
Recently I came across an easier and foolproof way to roast beets. Here’s it is:
Preheat the oven to 400 Fahrenheit. (Also good is to oil a dutch oven with a lid – more cleanup but also more environmentally friendly)
Scrub and trim the greens from the beet roots. Use the greens as you want – but make sure to scrub those beets well.
Oil the beets (skin on) lightly and sprinkle with salt. I put a bit of olive oil on my hands and rub the outside of the beet.
Wrap the beets in foil packet OR (see above) place in a single layer in the dutch oven with the lid on. The main idea here is to keep the beets in a single layer.
Pop the pan into the preheated oven. If wrapping the beets in foil, putting them on a baking sheet makes it easier to pull in and out of the oven.
Depending on the size of the beets, roasting can take 25 minutes (small beets) to an hour (larger beets). Check for doneness from time to time – they’re ready when you can stick a sharp knife through them with no resistance.
Let the beets sit until they are cool enough to handle. I usually use a paper towel or sharp paring knife to slide the skins off the beets. (Your fingers could still sport that beautiful red color so wear gloves if you wish).
Trim away any extra root or stem and slice them up (or leave whole and refrigerate for when you want to use them).
This recipe for Roasted Beet, Caraway, and Crème Frâiche Salad with Arugala, from Melissa Clark‘s Dinner in French (pictured above) is a great way to make an elegant salad with beets as the main character.
Melissa Clark is one of my favorite food writers at the New York Times. In fact, her book, Dinner in French, is one of my go-to’s for inspiration and French cuisine.
With our granddaughter’s egg allergy, I am always looking for egg-free dishes that are delicious and appealing. This creamy potato salad, which we rolled out for our Independence Day lunch, was terrific – I’m sure no one missed the hard boiled eggs or mayonnaise.
Ingredients
1 ¾ pounds yellow potatoes, such as Yukon Gold, cut into 1-inch chunks (I used a mix of smaller potatoes and threw in some Yukon Golds left from a prior cooking experience)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 bunches scallions, trimmed
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more as needed
1 to 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
1 teaspoon ground cumin
¼ cup tahini
Ice water, as needed
½ cup soft herbs, such as cilantro, parsley, mint, dill or a combination
Method
Place the potatoes in a large pot with enough salted water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until potatoes are just tender, 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the kind of potato. Drain very well. (I did this step the day before and then rewarmed the potatoes before assembling)
Heat the broiler. Arrange 1 bunch scallions on a sheet pan. Thinly slice the other bunch, reserving the slices for serving.
Season the whole scallions in the pan with salt and pepper, and very lightly drizzle with olive oil. Broil until charred, tossing occasionally, for 3 to 7 minutes (keep your eye on these – my broiler needed only 3 minutes). Transfer to a cutting board to cool. Coarsely chop scallions and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together lemon juice, garlic, cumin and a large pinch of salt. Let sit for 1 minute to mellow the garlic and dissolve the salt.
Whisk in tahini, then gradually add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time (about 3 to 6 tablespoons total), until the sauce thickens and is smooth enough to drizzle. The sauce can take 30 seconds to 1 minute to thicken so keep whisking; if it gets too thick, thin it down with a little more water. Taste and add more lemon juice and salt if needed.
Transfer hot potatoes and charred scallions to bowl with tahini dressing. Drizzle in the remaining 1/3 cup olive oil and toss until potatoes are well coated. Taste and add more salt and lemon juice if needed.
Let cool to room temperature for at least an hour before serving, or refrigerate for up to 24 hours. The potatoes will absorb the dressing as they sit.
Just before serving, taste and add more salt or lemon juice if needed, and toss with the raw scallion slices and herbs.
While I’m not a terrible home bartender, I’ve discovered that my mocktail game really needs some work.
This morning I was in search of a refreshing mocktail that would offset the heat of Independence Day. And put to good use some of the very large watermelon that was taking up space in my fridge.
This Fizzy Watermelon Mocktail comes from All She Cooks, a food, travel, and lifestyle blog. The website is full of great recipes including this one for a refresher that uses just 5 simple ingredients.
Link to the Fizzy Watermelon mocktail here. And then take a look at some of the other offerings Nicole, the recipe creator and blogger has posted on her website, All She Cooks.
Chilled Cucumber-Yogurt Soup from Moosewood Cookbook
On this 90-plus degree day, we turned to our cherished Moosewood Cookbook for a cool, refreshing, and light summer’s night dinner. Made early in the day, the soup had plenty of time to chill. It was also simple to pull together – add everything to a blender and blend.
With grocery roulette becoming more pronounced, I’ve been looking for some new salad ideas, particularly ones that don’t involve using lettuces.
Hetty McKinnon, cookbook author and a food and recipe contributor to the New York Times, is the creative force behind this salad recently published in the New York Times. For more terrific food ideas and to become a subscriber to her veggie/salad based newsletter, click here.
This broccoli salad was a hit in our house. Unfortunately, the week I decided we should try it was the week my food store’s broccoli looks pretty awful. Undeterred, I bought some frozen florets (2 bags is more than enough for this recipe), which I thawed ahead of time. Fresh broccoli will, of course, have way more crunch to it, so I’m looking forward to revisiting this recipe when our local farmstands have the real stuff.
½cup golden or black raisins or dried cranberries (I used dried unsweetened cranberries)
½red onion, finely sliced
¼cup apple cider vinegar
4teaspoons granulated sugar
Kosher salt
3tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1tablespoon sesame oil
FOR THE SALAD:
1 ½pounds broccoli-about 2 heads(I used frozen broccoli florets)
1apple (any variety), cored and cut into ½-inch cubes
2scallions, white and green parts, finely sliced
Kosher salt and black pepper
½cup toasted sliced almonds, pepitas or sunflower seeds (I used sunflower)
1cup red or green grapes (optional), halved crosswise (IMHO, this was a great addition)
Method:
Make the dressing: Place raisins and red onion in a small bowl. Add vinegar, sugar, ¾ teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons of water, and toss to combine. Leave to pickle for 10 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Peel the woody exterior from the broccoli stalks and discard. Chop the stalks into ½-inch pieces. Chop the broccoli florets into ½-inch pieces. The pieces do not have to be uniform or the same shape. Place all the broccoli into a large mixing bowl.
After 10 minutes, finish the dressing by adding the olive oil and sesame oil to the bowl with the pickling raisins and red onion, and stir well to combine. Taste and season with more salt if needed. It should be tangy, slightly sweet and a little salty.
Add the raisin-and-onion dressing to the broccoli along with the apple and scallions. Using two large spoons, toss well so that everything is well coated. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper to taste. Taste to make sure you are happy with the seasonings, adding more if needed.
When you are ready to eat, add the almonds (or nuts/seeds) and grapes (if using), and gently toss. Serve at room temperature.
Because today, May 18, is Adrien’s birthday, I decided to bake one of his favorite breakfast treats: scones.
I really like this recipe from King Arthur Baking because it is a simple base from which to experiment. This morning, I added cinnamon bits and substituted maple syrup for the flavoring, but really, whatever the recipe accommodates any whims or cravings. By setting up the dry ingredients the night before, I had hot scones ready for breakfast in 30 minutes.
Special birthdays definitely should start with breakfast.
Preheat oven to 375°F. (Shaping options on the original recipe; however I lined a baking sheet with parchment, and pat the dough into a circle which is then segmented into eighths)
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients.
Cut in the butter just until the mixture is unevenly crumbly; it’s OK for some larger chunks of butter to remain unincorporated.
Stir in the fruit, chips, and/or nuts.
In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla or other flavor, and half-and-half or milk. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until all is moistened and holds together.
Using a muffin scoop or a 1/3-cup measure, generously filled, fill your scone pan or baking cups. Or plop the dough in mounds onto the baking sheet. Brush with a bit of milk and top with coarse sparkling sugar. (see step one for my adaptation)
Bake the scones 25 minutes to 30 minutes until lightly browned. Remove them from the oven and let them sit for 4 to 5 minutes to firm before removing them from the pan.
We hosted family for a casual lunch on Mothers’ Day this year. When picking out what to cook for our family get-togethers, there’s a lot to think about when considering the guests range in age from 3 to 98.
This simple and versatile recipe comes from Karie Houghton via Taste of Home website. It was simple to prep and, being a slow-cooker recipe, even easier to cook. We served it with a green lettuce and tomato salad (scallions, avocado and dressing on the side) and with sandwich buns for those who preferred sandwiches over salad.
Definitely a keeper for family gatherings. Use the recipe’s link for nutrition information.
1 tsp each ground cumin, seasoned salt and pepper (I used Kosher salt)
1/2 tsp each white pepper, ground chipotle pepper and paprika
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 C chicken broth
9 C torn romaine (I used a mix of green leaf and baby romaine)
Optional toppings: Sliced avocado, shredded cheddar cheese, chopped tomato or halved cherry tomatoes, sliced green onions and salad dressing of your choice
Method
Mix seasonings
Rub over chicken. Place in a 3-qt. slow cooker.
Add broth. Cook, covered, on low until chicken is tender, 3-4 hours.
Remove chicken; cool slightly. (This was done the day before serving, refrigerated, and then warmed slightly – keep a bit of the liquid from cooking so the chicken stays moist)
Shred with 2 forks. Serve over romaine; top as desired. (I also served on sandwich buns with the accompaniments)
Sometimes I feel like I don’t make enough use of my Instant Pot. However, whenever we make a bean-based dish calling for dried beans, I absolutely know that going back to the “old ways” of prepping dried beans has been made infinitely more easy since Instant Pots and pressure cooking came back into vogue.
This meal has some prep to it, as well as a somewhat long list of ingredients. I dislike dried garlic powder and dried onion powder so a) I never have them in the pantry and b) I never use them. However, if you feel inclined, I’ve included the original recipe’s ingredient list which does list them. Cook the rice about 10 minutes before the pressure-cooker cycle is completed and it should be just about perfect as you are releasing the Instant Pot’s pressure manually (cooking time about 20-25 min).
A Louisiana-style hot sauce is a key to the “Monday Red Beans” dish reminiscent of New Orleans. Luckily for us, we have a local purveyor, Craic Sauce, whose Mill City Red is the perfect addition to this dish. Check them out if you live here in New England, or order from their web site here.
½ to 1 teaspoon ground cayenne, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon ground sage (optional)
1 pound dried red kidney beans (no need to soak)
3 dried bay leaves
3 fresh thyme sprigs or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon soy sauce
Cooked rice, for serving
Sliced scallions, for serving
Louisiana-style hot sauce, for serving
Method
Turn on the sauté setting of a 6- to 8-quart electric pressure cooker and heat the oil.
Add the onion, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until limp and translucent, 6 to 8 minutes.
Add the celery and bell pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 8 minutes.
Add the chopped garlic, miso paste, smoked paprika, sweet paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne and sage (if using). Grind in a generous amount of black pepper and add 3/4 teaspoon salt. Stir well to combine all the ingredients, then turn off the sauté setting.
Add the beans, bay leaves, thyme and 5 1/2 cups water. Scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits. Cook on high pressure until the beans are creamy, 50 minutes to 1 hour.
Turn off the pressure cooker and allow the pressure to reduce naturally for 10 minutes, then release the remaining pressure manually and open the lid.
Add the soy sauce, and season to taste with salt and cayenne. Using a fork, mash some of the beans against the side of the pressure cooker to make the mixture creamy. It will continue to thicken as it sits, or you can turn on the sauté setting and let the mixture bubble for a few minutes to thicken.
Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Top the beans with hot cooked rice and scallions; serve with hot sauce.
This soup was very satisfying – not vegetarian, but could easily adapted to be so. The combination of mashed and whole chickpeas made for an interesting texture. I personally would substitute something less salty for the chicken broth (wine?) and I would never use garlic powder.
The portion sizes must be huge! I made a half-recipe and still had about 4 servings.
Mash 1 can chickpeas with a potato masher or fork. Set aside.
Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add turkey, oregano, fennel seeds, and crushed red pepper; cook, crumbling with a wooden spoon, until the turkey is no longer pink, 2 to 3 minutes. Add onion, carrots, and garlic (or garlic powder); cook, stirring often, until softened and fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Add tomato paste; cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
Add broth, the mashed and whole chickpeas, pepper, and salt to the pot. Cover and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium and cook, covered, at a brisk simmer until the vegetables are tender and the flavors have blended, about 10 minutes.
Add spinach* and increase heat to medium-high, Cook, stirring, until the spinach is heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish each serving with 1 Tbsp. Parmesan, if desired.
* if using frozen spinach, go ahead and add to the mix in step 3.
Four Nights A Week 