Dessert, To Try
December 24, 2016 Leave a comment

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup cream cheese, softened (use cream cheese in a block or spreadable, don’t use fat-free, light or whipped)
  • 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt, optional and to taste
  • 2 1/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks (I used 1 cup chips and 1 1/4 cups chunks)

Directions

  1. To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, cream cheese (measure it by smooshing it into a 1/4-cup measure), sugars, egg, vanilla, and beat on medium-high speed until well-creamed, light and fluffy, about 5 minutes (or use an electric hand mixer and beat for at least 7 minutes).
  2. Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, optional salt, and mix until just combined, about 1 minute.
  3. Add chocolate chips and chunks, and beat momentarily to incorporate, or fold in by hand.
  4. Using a medium 2-inch cookie scoop, form heaping mounds (I made 28). Place mounds on a large plate, flatten mounds slightly with your palm, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 5 days, before baking. Do not bake with warm dough because cookies will spread and bake thinner and flatter.
  5. Preheat oven to 350F, line a baking sheet with a Silpat Non-Stick Baking Mat or spray with cooking spray and place mounds on baking sheet, spaced at least 2 inches apart (I bake 8 cookies per sheet). Bake for 8 to 9 minutes, or until edges have set and tops are just beginning to set, even if slightly undercooked, pale and glossy in the center. Do not bake longer than 10 minutes as cookies will firm up as they cool (The cookies shown in the photos were baked with dough that had been chilled overnight, allowed to come to room temp for 15 minutes, and were baked for 8 minutes, with trays rotated at the 4-minute mark. They have chewy edges with soft, pillowy centers). Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing and transferring to a rack to finish cooling.
  6. Cookies will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Alternatively, unbaked cookie dough can be stored airtight in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, so consider baking only as many cookies as desired and save the remaining dough to be baked in the future when desired.

YIELD: about 28 medium-small cookies

Pastas & Breads, Sauces & Dips, To Try
December 22, 2016 Leave a comment

Ingredients

  • 3 fresh red poblano chiles
  • 4 cloves garlic, unpeeled
  • 1 small (2 pound) butternut squash, peeled
  • 1 cup heavy cream, Mexican crema or crème fraîche
  • 8 ounces fettucinne
  • 1 cup freshly grated Mexican queso añejo or other garnishing cheese such as Romano or Parmesan, divided use
  • About 1/4 cup (loosely packed) coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

Note: We only get red poblanos in the fall when our local farmers leave them on the plants long enough for them to turn that saturated shade of lipstick red.  They can be roasted, peeled and frozen to use through the winter in this and other delicious dishes.

Directions

  1. Turn on the broiler and adjust the rack so that it’s about 4 inches below heat. Lay the poblanos and garlic on a baking sheet and roast, turning occasionally, until they have softened and blackened in spots, about 10 minutes for the chiles and 15 for the garlic. Set aside to cool.
  2. Meanwhile, prepare the squash: Slice through the squash widthwise, separating the rounded bottom from the skinnier “neck”; reserve the bottom for another use. Cut the neck in half lengthwise and, using a mandolin, slice each half into thin, 1/8-inch-thick sheets. Slice the sheets lengthwise into ¼-inch-wide strips. You should have about 2 cups of butternut “pasta.”
  3. Peel the poblanos, pull out the stems and seed pods, then quickly rinse to remove stray seeds and bits of skin. Cut 1 poblano into ¼-inch strips to match the butternut; roughly chop the other 2 poblanos and scoop into a blender.
  4. Warm the cream (or one of its stand-ins) in a glass measuring cup in a microwave for 1 minute at half-power. Pour into the blender jar with the poblanos. Peel the garlic, roughly chop, add to the blender and blend until completely smooth. Taste and season with salt (usually about a teaspoon). Pour into a large (10-inch) skillet set over low heat.
  5. In a large (8-quart) saucepan, bring 6 quarts water and 2 tablespoons salt to a boil. Drop in the squash strips and cook until al dente, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, shaking off the excess water, and add to the skillet with the poblano cream. Add the fettuccine to the boiling water and cook until al dente, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain, reserving ¼ cup pasta water. Add the pasta, reserved water and poblano strips to the sauce. Turn the heat to medium-high and bring the sauce to a simmer, all the while tossing the pasta, squash and poblanos together. Stir in ½ cup of the queso and divide the pasta among four bowls. Divide the remaining ½ cup of the queso among the bowls, and sprinkle each one with cilantro.
Meats
December 22, 2016 Leave a comment

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 pounds flank steak, cut into thin strips
  • 1 cup carrot, shredded
  • 3/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4->3/4 cup packed brown sugar (depending on your taste)
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 tablespoon garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon red chili flakes

Directions

  1. Coat steak strips in corn starch (use ziplock bag for faster coating/shaking).
  2. Brown the coated beef.
  3. Stir together soy sauce, brown sugar, water, olive oil, garlic, and chili flakes in the bottom of slow cooker, then add beef and stir until covered with sauce.
  4. Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours, or on low for 4-5 hours. 30 minutes before the beef is done, stir in grated carrots.
Meats
December 22, 2016 Leave a comment

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 10 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tablespoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
  • Salt
  • 1 tablespoon pepper
  • 5-7 pounds boneless Ribeye roast, trimmed
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 2 cups beef stock

Directions

  1. Season roast generously with salt and pepper up to 4 days in the fridge, uncovered for seasoning to penetrate and outside skin to dry.
  2. Mix together the butter, garlic, herbs, and pepper in a bowl until evenly combined and rub on roast.
  3. Preheat oven to lowest possible temperature setting, 150°F (66°C) or higher if necessary. (Some ovens cannot hold a temperature below 250°F/121°C.)
  4. Place roast, with fat cap up, on a V-rack set in a large roasting pan.
  5. Place in oven and cook until center of roast registers 120-125°F (49-52°C) on an instant-read thermometer for rare, 130°F (54°C) for medium-rare, or 135°F (57°C) for medium to medium-well. In a 150°F oven, this will take around 5 1/2 to 6 1/2 hours; in a 250°F oven, this will take 3 1/2 to 4 hours.
  6. Let it rest for a good 30 minutes – 1.5 hours covered with foil (loosely) at room temperature.
  7. Heat the oven to as high as it can go of 500-550 degrees.
  8. Put roast back in and sear for 10-15 minutes until it’s crisp and brown then serve.
  9. Remove the roast from the pan and pour the pan drippings into a saucepan over medium heat. (you can do this before you sear so the butter does not burn)
  10. Add the flour, whisking until there are no lumps, then add the beef stock, stirring and bringing the sauce to a boil.
  11. Remove from heat and strain the sauce into a gravy dish.

Notes

  • Get the chuck end of prime rib cut for better flavor
  • Bones is good, keep it
  • 1 lb of meat per person with bone in
  • Minimum of 2-rib size prime rib, maximum of 6 rib size prime rib.
  • You can reheat the roast before searing if the timing is off for 45 minutes in 200 degree oven (best to do it before serving)
Pastas & Breads, Salads, Sides & Starters
December 21, 2016 Leave a comment

Ingredients

  • 1 (1-pound) box Israeli couscous or orzo
  • 1 head cauliflower, florets broken into pieces
  • 1 tablespoon curry powder
  • 1 tablespoon turmeric
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon ground coriander
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, more to taste
  • 3 tablespoons light brown sugar, more to taste
  • 3 tablespoons oil
  • 2 small carrots, peeled, finely diced
  • 1 cup vegan mayonnaise (or mayonnaise)
  • 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
  • 1/2 lime, juiced

Directions

  1. Cook the couscous according to the instructions on the package. Rinse in cold water, drain well, put in a bowl and set aside. Heat the oven to 450 degrees.
  2. In a separate bowl, toss the cauliflower with the curry powder, turmeric, cumin, coriander, salt, cayenne, brown sugar and oil. Spread out on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and roast in the oven until cauliflower is browned around the edges but still crunchy, about 10 minutes. Remove just the cauliflower and put it in the bowl with the pasta.
  3. On the same rimmed baking sheet, place the carrots and, using a spatula, toss the carrots with the leftover spices and oil. Roast the carrots until brown around the edges but still crunchy, about 8 minutes. (If you find that the spices and oil are a little overly browned from roasting the cauliflower, toss the carrots using the same proportion of new spices, salt, sugar and oil.) Add to the couscous.
  4. Fold in the vegan mayonnaise, cilantro and lime juice with the pasta. Taste, and adjust spices and seasoning if desired. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve.
Seafood
December 21, 2016 Leave a comment

Ingredients

  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • ½ cup white wine (I used Sequoia Grove Napa Valley Chardonnay)
  • 2 oranges, divided
  • 2 lemons, divided
  • 2 limes, divided
  • 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  • 2 fresh dill sprigs, plus 1 tablespoon chopped dill, divided
  • 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
  • 4 (5 oz) salmon fillets, skin removed
  • coarse salt, to taste
  • freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon whole-grain Dijon mustard
  • ½ tablespoon (1½ teaspoons) smooth Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon agave nectar

Directions

  1. Before beginning, juice one of the oranges, one of the lemons, and one of the limes into a small bowl. Slice the remaining orange, lemon, and lime into wheels.
  2. Pour the vegetable broth and white wine in a wide, shallow skillet or pot. Add the orange, lemon, and lime juices, the sliced fruit, garlic, dill sprigs, and peppercorns.
  3. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove the lemon, lime, and orange slices and dill sprigs and reserve.
  4. Season the salmon with salt and pepper.
  5. Add the fillets to the saute pan; the liquid should come up halfway.
  6. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat (you don’t want it to boil) until the salmon is barely opaque in the center, about 6 to 8 minutes.
  7. Remove the salmon and add to a large serving dish.
  8. Take one cup of the poaching liquid into a separate small pot, discarding the rest of the liquid. Simmer over medium heat until it reduces by half, about 10 minutes.
  9. Whisk in the butter, whole grain and smooth mustard, agave, and chopped dill.
  10. Pour the mustard sauce over the salmon before serving add the reserved lemon, orange, and lime slices to the plate.

Note: You can sous video this recipe by making the sauce in advance, letting it cool and putting it in bags with the salmon; follow the remaining recipe to thicken the sauce.

Brining: You should always brine the salmon beforehand for 30 minutes to up to an hour with ¼ cup kosher salt
1-quart ice water in the fridge. Rinse thoroughly before cooking to remove the excess salt.

Dessert, Pastas & Breads
October 25, 2016 Leave a comment

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cup Sugar
  • 2 cups Flour
  • ¾ teaspoon Baking Soda
  • ¾ teaspoon Nutmeg
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp Baking Powder
  • 3 Eggs
  • 4 overripe Bananas
  • 14 tbsp Browned Butter (let cool)
  • Optional: Orange or Lemon Zest

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, butter and flour 10″ x 5″ x 3 ½” loaf pan for batter when done.
  2. Put dry ingredients in the food processor and pulse to mix. Transfer to a bowl.
  3. Put wet ingredients in the food processor, including butter.
  4. Mix with dry ingredients.
  5. Pour into loaf pan and bake until cake tester comes out clean from the center of the loaf.  Approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes.
September 6, 2016 Leave a comment In Sauces & Dips

My feeble attempt at trying to reproduce The Cheesecake Factory’s ranch dressing. This makes about 2.5 cups of dressing.

  • 1 cup Sour Cream
  • 1/2 cup Mayonnaise (homemade preferably)
  • Buttermilk (1/2 cup – 1 cup depending on consistency you’d like)
  • 1/4 cup Fresh Parsley
  • 1/2 cup Fresh Chives
  • 1 clove Garlic (if you love Garlic, make it 5-6 cloves)
  • Salt & Pepper to taste
  • Squeeze of a small Lemon to taste
  • 1/2 tsp of dried Dill (fresh is preferred and it can be a small handful of fresh)
  • 1 Tbsp of Worchestershire Sauce

Optional Additions

  • Garlic Powder
  • Tabasco Sauce

Directions

Puree all ingredients except for buttermilk and Lemon. Remove and place in a bowl, stir in buttermilk and lemon until desired consistency and flavor is achieved.

Add any additional ingredients like tabasco sauce, garlic powder and dill. Taste and adjust ingredients to taste.  Let sit for 4 hours before serving in the refrigerator.

Dessert
April 26, 2016 Leave a comment
  • 2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon of salt
  • 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter
  • 1 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon plain greek yogurt
  • 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
  • 1 jar of Nutella, chilled in refrigerator
  • Coarse sea salt for sprinkling

Directions: Prep

  1. Whisk dry ingredients: Flour, Baking Soda & Salt.
  2. Brown the butter until nutty aroma.
  3. Cream butter and sugar; add egg yolk, vanilla and yogurt.
  4. Add the dry ingredients slowly and beat on low speed until incorporated.
  5. Fold in chocolate chips.
  6. Chill dough for 2 hours.

Directions: Bake

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Take chilled dough and measure 1 1/2 tbsp of dough into a ball.
  3. Flatten on the palm of your hand and place a tsp of chilled Nutella in the middle of the cookie. Fold the dough on top of the Nutella ensuring it’s properly sealed.
  4. Place in sheet 2 inches apart and flatten very gently and only slightly.
  5. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until edges turn golden brown.
  6. Remove and sprinkle with sea salt.
Dessert
April 26, 2016 Leave a comment
  • 1 cup Mochiko (sweet rice flour)
  • 3/4 cup Sugar
  • 1/4 cup high quality Cocoa Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1 teaspoon of Kosher Salt
  • 4 tablespoons Butter
  • 1/2 cup Chocolate Chips or Nutella
  • 1 (12 oz) can Evaporated Milk
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Vanilla
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1/2 cup Chocolate Chips for Topping

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8×8 pan with buttered parchment.
  2. In a saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and chocolate chips and stir to combine. Set aside and let cool slightly.
  3. In a bowl whisk together the mochiko, sugar, baking soda and salt.
  4. Add the melted chocolate mixture, evaporated milk, vanilla and the egg. Mix until combined.
  5. Pour the batter into your prepared pan. Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top of the batter, then bake for 35-40 minutes until the center is cooked through.
  6. Let cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then using the overlapping parchment, pull the brownies out of the pan and let cool on a wire rack.
  7. Cut the brownies into squares to serve.

Note: You can also make it in cupcake tins, higher likelihood that your center will cook thoroughly.

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