This is a couple of weeks late, but what the heck: we made snow candy. For those of you who have never heard of it, it's basically boiled maple syrup that you cool instantly by pouring over fresh, clean snow. It is marvelously yummy and is hands down the best two-ingredient recipe I've ever made. Find the recipe at my craft blog.
Showing posts with label recipes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label recipes. Show all posts
Thursday, January 22, 2009
snow candy
This is a couple of weeks late, but what the heck: we made snow candy. For those of you who have never heard of it, it's basically boiled maple syrup that you cool instantly by pouring over fresh, clean snow. It is marvelously yummy and is hands down the best two-ingredient recipe I've ever made. Find the recipe at my craft blog.
Friday, December 19, 2008
let it snow!
Back when we were having weather in the upper 50's in November, I had my doubts as to whether or not winter would ever show. Well, show it has, and just in time for Christmas too. Yippee for a white Christmas!
In honor of the snow outside, the boys and I whipped up an inside snowstorm of the warm and tasty variety. You can try it too if you'd like.
Kitchen Snowstorm: heat a stack (as many as you want) of flour tortillas in the microwave until pliable-- 30 seconds seemed to do the trick for us. Fold up the tortillas and cut like you would paper snowflakes. Fry in a bit of hot oil until lightly browned on both sides, drain on paper towels. Sprinkle generously with powdered sugar and enjoy! This yummy treat is even more perfect when eaten alongside a steaming mug of hot cocoa.
Friday, June 27, 2008
ridiculously easy pineapple sorbet
I'm a sucker for any recipe that has the words "ridiculously easy" in the title. I can't wait to try it. You can too, if you click on this link. I imagine the recipe would be really yummy with canned peaches, too.
Update: I made some last night (added some coconut milk) and it was great!
Update: I made some last night (added some coconut milk) and it was great!
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Haiku to Popsicles
my frozen heaven
it's ninety-five fahrenheiti want nothing else
It. Is. Hot. Temps here have been in the mid nineties all week (and we're without central air, mind you). Which means that not much has been happening with us except for mass consumption of popsicles, multiple trips to the library (and other random, but blissfully cool places), and a whole lot of laying around doing nothing. Things improved greatly yesterday when I figured out a very complicated system of using no less than 6 fans and a little window air conditioner to keep our house in a comfortable temperature range. I deserve some kind of honorary engineering degree or something.
Trouble is, turning on the stove will heat up the house faster than you can say fahrenheit, in spite of all my careful fan placement. And my family is getting sick of cold sandwiches. Which means that I'm in quite desperate need of some fabulous recipes for hot weather food. You know, stuff you can cook on the grill (which we do have, although we're out of "grill gas", as Lincoln says), or stuff you don't have to cook at all... I happen to know for a fact that there are some amazing cooks in my readership (you know who you are), so please share some ideas. I'm prepared to offer a prize to whomever sends in the best recipe (as judged by them crazy Hadfields), which, ironically, might turn out to be something warm and handknitted (you'll thank me come Fall).
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
recipe of the week: Skillet Lasagna
(this stuff is really tasty-- and so easy that I'm not sure I'll ever make real lasagna again)
Skillet Lasagna
serves 4-6
Meatloaf mix is a combination of ground beef, pork, and veal, sold pre-packaged in many supermarkets. If it's unavailable, use ground beef. Use a 12-inch nonstick skillet with a tight-fitting lid for this recipe.
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
Water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion , minced
Table salt
3 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 pound meatloaf mix
10 curly-edged lasagna noodles , broken into 2-inch lengths
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus 2 additional tablespoons
Ground black pepper
1 cup ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1. Pour tomatoes with their juices into 1-quart liquid measuring cup. Add water until mixture measures 1 quart. 2. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add ground meat and cook, breaking apart meat, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes. 3. Scatter pasta over meat but do not stir. Pour diced tomatoes with juices and tomato sauce over pasta. Cover and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender, about 20 minutes. 4. Remove skillet from heat and stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. Dot with heaping tablespoons ricotta, cover, and let stand off heat for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with basil and remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Serve.
Another recipe from the wonderful folks at Cook's Illustrated
Skillet Lasagna
serves 4-6
Meatloaf mix is a combination of ground beef, pork, and veal, sold pre-packaged in many supermarkets. If it's unavailable, use ground beef. Use a 12-inch nonstick skillet with a tight-fitting lid for this recipe.
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
Water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion , minced
Table salt
3 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 pound meatloaf mix
10 curly-edged lasagna noodles , broken into 2-inch lengths
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus 2 additional tablespoons
Ground black pepper
1 cup ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1. Pour tomatoes with their juices into 1-quart liquid measuring cup. Add water until mixture measures 1 quart. 2. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add ground meat and cook, breaking apart meat, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes. 3. Scatter pasta over meat but do not stir. Pour diced tomatoes with juices and tomato sauce over pasta. Cover and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender, about 20 minutes. 4. Remove skillet from heat and stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. Dot with heaping tablespoons ricotta, cover, and let stand off heat for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with basil and remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Serve.
Another recipe from the wonderful folks at Cook's Illustrated
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Recipe of the Week: Tasty Tostadas
Tasty Tostadas (serves 4 as a main course)
3/4 c. Vegetable oil
8 (6 inch) corn tortillas (white or yellow)
1 can refried beans (we like vegetarian)
8 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 c.)
3 large chicken breasts
1 can mild red enchilada sauce
Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 475 degrees.
Place chicken and enchilada sauce in a large skillet, and simmer over medium heat for about 30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken from sauce and shred with two forks. Add enough sauce back to the shredded chicken to make it nice and moist. Discard remaining sauce and set chicken mixture aside.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in an 8-inch heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat to 350 degrees, about 5 minutes (the oil should bubble when a small piece of tortilla is dropped in; the tortilla should rise to the surface in 2 seconds). While the oil is heating, line a rimmed baking sheet with a double thickness of paper towels. Using tongs, slide 1 tortilla into the hot oil. Fry until the tortilla has stiffened and is just beginning to brown, about 45 seconds. Using tongs, flip the tortilla and cook the other side until it is lightly browned, about 45 seconds. Transfer the crisp tortilla to the paper towls to drain and repeat the process with the remaining tortillas.
To assemble the tostadas, smear each tortilla with 1/4 c. refried beans, top with chicken (divided evenly among tortillas), and sprinkle with 1/4 c. cheese. Lay the tostadas in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until the cheese is just melted, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately. Delicious topped with shredded iceberg lettuce, diced avacados, sour cream, and diced tomatoes.
Note: This recipe was adapted from the Refried Bean Tostada recipe in The Quick Recipe, by the editors of COOK'S ILLUSTRATED magazine.
3/4 c. Vegetable oil
8 (6 inch) corn tortillas (white or yellow)
1 can refried beans (we like vegetarian)
8 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 c.)
3 large chicken breasts
1 can mild red enchilada sauce
Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 475 degrees.
Place chicken and enchilada sauce in a large skillet, and simmer over medium heat for about 30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken from sauce and shred with two forks. Add enough sauce back to the shredded chicken to make it nice and moist. Discard remaining sauce and set chicken mixture aside.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in an 8-inch heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat to 350 degrees, about 5 minutes (the oil should bubble when a small piece of tortilla is dropped in; the tortilla should rise to the surface in 2 seconds). While the oil is heating, line a rimmed baking sheet with a double thickness of paper towels. Using tongs, slide 1 tortilla into the hot oil. Fry until the tortilla has stiffened and is just beginning to brown, about 45 seconds. Using tongs, flip the tortilla and cook the other side until it is lightly browned, about 45 seconds. Transfer the crisp tortilla to the paper towls to drain and repeat the process with the remaining tortillas.
To assemble the tostadas, smear each tortilla with 1/4 c. refried beans, top with chicken (divided evenly among tortillas), and sprinkle with 1/4 c. cheese. Lay the tostadas in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until the cheese is just melted, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately. Delicious topped with shredded iceberg lettuce, diced avacados, sour cream, and diced tomatoes.
Note: This recipe was adapted from the Refried Bean Tostada recipe in The Quick Recipe, by the editors of COOK'S ILLUSTRATED magazine.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
New Feature: Recipe of the Week
Well, Julie, you asked for more recipes, and you got 'em. I manage to make something really tasty once a week or so, and I'm going to start posting the recipes here. And if any of you, faithful readers, have some recipes you think I'd enjoy-- please send them my way!
In our family Friday night is Party Night. That means we have homemade pizza for dinner (almost always, sometimes we make a sneaky trip to the freezer section of our grocery store), and then eat snickerdoodle popcorn while we watch a movie. I've searched many years for the perfect pizza dough and finally found it in my Best Recipe cookbook, from the fine folks at Cook's Illustrated. Here are my notes:
The recipe does work best with a baking stone, (hint hint Joe: my birthday is coming up!) but we get great results using the back of a large cookie sheet. We don't bother preheating it either.
We use a food processor to mix our dough, as suggested, but a standing mixer works well and you could even do it by hand (it would take a lot longer, though). I usually use 2 c. allpurpose flour and 2 c. of whole wheat flour.
This dough also freezes well. If you're not going to use it all, pop the remainder in the freezer after you let it rise to double and then punch it down. When you're ready to use it, let it thaw and then go ahead and shape it.
PERFECT PIZZA DOUGH
This dough can be used for any size pizza with thick or thin crust; simply adjust the cooking time to fit the pizza. Make sure you heat the oven to 500 degrees for thirty minutes before you start cooking. Your tiles or stone need at least that long to heat up; if they’re not properly heated, your pizza crust will be thin, blond, and limp. Once the dough for the crust has been topped, use a quick jerking action to slide it off the peel and onto the hot tiles or stone; make sure that the pizza lands far enough back so that its front edge does not hang off.
INGREDIENTS
1 3/4 cups water divided, 1/2 cup warm, remaining at tap temperature
2 1/4 teaspoons dry active yeast (1 envelope)
2 tablespoons olive oil , plus extra for brushing dough
4 cups bread flour
1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
vegetable oil (or cooking spray) for oiling bowl
1. Measure 1/4 cup of warm water into 2-cup measuring cup. Sprinkle in yeast; let stand until yeast dissolves and swells, about 5 minutes. Add remaining 1/4 cup warm water plus remaining 1 1/4 cups tap water and olive oil. Meanwhile, pulse flour and salt in workbowl of large food processor fitted with steel blade to combine. Add liquid ingredients (holding back a tablespoon or so) to flour and pulse together. If dough does not readily form into ball, stop machine, add remaining liquid, and continue to pulse until ball forms. Process until dough is smooth and satiny, about 30 seconds longer.
2. Turn dough onto lightly floured work surface; knead by hand with a few strokes to form smooth, round ball. Put dough into medium-large, oiled bowl, and cover with damp cloth. Let rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
3. Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface and use chef’s knife or dough scraper to halve, quarter, or cut dough into eighths, depending on number and size of pizzas desired. Form each piece into ball and cover with damp cloth. Let rest 10 minutes. Working with one piece of dough at a time, shape into rounds; see Strech, Don't Roll below. Transfer to pizza peel that has been lightly coated with semolina, brush dough very lightly with olive oil before topping and cooking.
4. Use the following guide to determine cooking time for pizza
THIN CRUST
14-inch pizzas (Master Recipe makes 2) - 7 to 8 minutes
12-inch pizzas (Master Recipe makes 4) - 5 minutes
8-inch pizzas (Master Recipe makes 8)- 3 minutes.
MEDIUM-THICK CRUST
12-inch pizzas (Master Recipe makes 2) - 9 to 10 minutes
8-inch pizzas (Master Recipe makes 4) - 5 minutes
6-inch pizzas (Master Recipe makes 8) - 4 minutes.
STEP BY STEP: Stretch, Don't Roll
1. Flatten the dough into a disk using the palm of your hand.
2. Starting at the center and working outward, use your fingertips to press the disk to about 1/4-inch thick.
3. Using one hand to hold the dough in place, use your other hand to stretch the dough outward. For a medium-thick pizza crust, repeat the stretching by turning the dough a quarter turn after each pull, until it is the correct diameter. For a thinner pizza, let the dough relax for 5 minutes, then continue stretching it until it has reached the correct diameter.
4. Carefully lift the dough and transfer it to a peel dusted with semolina; proceed with the toppings.
QUICK TOMATO SAUCE
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes, drained slightly
Table salt and ground black pepper
Heat oil and garlic over medium heat until sizzling. Remove from heat and add tomatoes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
OUR FAVORITE TOPPINGS
Lincoln & Daniel: plain cheese
Joe: sausage and olives
Steph: mushrooms, diced tomatoes, sauteed spinach w/ garlic, marinated artichoke hearts, basil
Lance: all of the above
SNICKERDOODLE POPCORN
4 quarts popped popcorn
4 Tablespoons melted butter
4 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon (more if you like)
salt (as desired)
Combine sugar and cinnamon with butter. Pour evenly over popcorn. Enjoy!!
In our family Friday night is Party Night. That means we have homemade pizza for dinner (almost always, sometimes we make a sneaky trip to the freezer section of our grocery store), and then eat snickerdoodle popcorn while we watch a movie. I've searched many years for the perfect pizza dough and finally found it in my Best Recipe cookbook, from the fine folks at Cook's Illustrated. Here are my notes:
The recipe does work best with a baking stone, (hint hint Joe: my birthday is coming up!) but we get great results using the back of a large cookie sheet. We don't bother preheating it either.
We use a food processor to mix our dough, as suggested, but a standing mixer works well and you could even do it by hand (it would take a lot longer, though). I usually use 2 c. allpurpose flour and 2 c. of whole wheat flour.
This dough also freezes well. If you're not going to use it all, pop the remainder in the freezer after you let it rise to double and then punch it down. When you're ready to use it, let it thaw and then go ahead and shape it.
PERFECT PIZZA DOUGH
This dough can be used for any size pizza with thick or thin crust; simply adjust the cooking time to fit the pizza. Make sure you heat the oven to 500 degrees for thirty minutes before you start cooking. Your tiles or stone need at least that long to heat up; if they’re not properly heated, your pizza crust will be thin, blond, and limp. Once the dough for the crust has been topped, use a quick jerking action to slide it off the peel and onto the hot tiles or stone; make sure that the pizza lands far enough back so that its front edge does not hang off.
INGREDIENTS
1 3/4 cups water divided, 1/2 cup warm, remaining at tap temperature
2 1/4 teaspoons dry active yeast (1 envelope)
2 tablespoons olive oil , plus extra for brushing dough
4 cups bread flour
1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
vegetable oil (or cooking spray) for oiling bowl
1. Measure 1/4 cup of warm water into 2-cup measuring cup. Sprinkle in yeast; let stand until yeast dissolves and swells, about 5 minutes. Add remaining 1/4 cup warm water plus remaining 1 1/4 cups tap water and olive oil. Meanwhile, pulse flour and salt in workbowl of large food processor fitted with steel blade to combine. Add liquid ingredients (holding back a tablespoon or so) to flour and pulse together. If dough does not readily form into ball, stop machine, add remaining liquid, and continue to pulse until ball forms. Process until dough is smooth and satiny, about 30 seconds longer.
2. Turn dough onto lightly floured work surface; knead by hand with a few strokes to form smooth, round ball. Put dough into medium-large, oiled bowl, and cover with damp cloth. Let rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
3. Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface and use chef’s knife or dough scraper to halve, quarter, or cut dough into eighths, depending on number and size of pizzas desired. Form each piece into ball and cover with damp cloth. Let rest 10 minutes. Working with one piece of dough at a time, shape into rounds; see Strech, Don't Roll below. Transfer to pizza peel that has been lightly coated with semolina, brush dough very lightly with olive oil before topping and cooking.
4. Use the following guide to determine cooking time for pizza
THIN CRUST
14-inch pizzas (Master Recipe makes 2) - 7 to 8 minutes
12-inch pizzas (Master Recipe makes 4) - 5 minutes
8-inch pizzas (Master Recipe makes 8)- 3 minutes.
MEDIUM-THICK CRUST
12-inch pizzas (Master Recipe makes 2) - 9 to 10 minutes
8-inch pizzas (Master Recipe makes 4) - 5 minutes
6-inch pizzas (Master Recipe makes 8) - 4 minutes.
STEP BY STEP: Stretch, Don't Roll
1. Flatten the dough into a disk using the palm of your hand.
2. Starting at the center and working outward, use your fingertips to press the disk to about 1/4-inch thick.
3. Using one hand to hold the dough in place, use your other hand to stretch the dough outward. For a medium-thick pizza crust, repeat the stretching by turning the dough a quarter turn after each pull, until it is the correct diameter. For a thinner pizza, let the dough relax for 5 minutes, then continue stretching it until it has reached the correct diameter.
4. Carefully lift the dough and transfer it to a peel dusted with semolina; proceed with the toppings.
QUICK TOMATO SAUCE
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes, drained slightly
Table salt and ground black pepper
Heat oil and garlic over medium heat until sizzling. Remove from heat and add tomatoes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
OUR FAVORITE TOPPINGS
Lincoln & Daniel: plain cheese
Joe: sausage and olives
Steph: mushrooms, diced tomatoes, sauteed spinach w/ garlic, marinated artichoke hearts, basil
Lance: all of the above
SNICKERDOODLE POPCORN
4 quarts popped popcorn
4 Tablespoons melted butter
4 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon (more if you like)
salt (as desired)
Combine sugar and cinnamon with butter. Pour evenly over popcorn. Enjoy!!
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