Lisa's Cocina

Gazpacho

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa's Cocina) — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 22:26:00 +0000

I'm half expecting balloons and confetti to fall from the ceiling when I post this recipe. Maybe a high school band will burst through my front door playing something loud and festive. Then they'd applaud me. If this happens, I admit I'll be stunned, and maybe even a little upset at the band for interrupting Henry's nap. But I'll just be pretend-mad, because deep down I'll really be happy (who wouldn't be, right!?). Happy because I finally got my act together and posted something tomato related IN AUGUST. Woah. See, a celebration is indeed called for.

I made this gazpacho as a first course for a dinner I cooked with my friend Philippe, but I'm not going to tell you about that now, I'll tell you about that next. But what I will share now is that when I write that I cooked with my friend Philippe, that's code for "Philippe did all the cooking and I watched. And then ate". Keep that in mind when you read what I post after this recipe.

But back to the gazpacho. If there's ever a time to be making this, it's now. Tomatoes are at their peak and it's hot and summery outside. You can call this a soup, but it's really more like a liquid salad. A refreshingly delicious one at that.

Gazpacho

A word of advice: buy the best tomatoes you can. You want quality for this.

Ingredients:

6 to 7 ripe tomatoes, peeled* and chopped

1 red onion, finely chopped

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped

1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 teaspoons sugar

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

6 or more drops of Tabasco sauce to taste

4 cups tomato juice

1) Combine all ingredients. Blend slightly in a food processor or with an immersion blender, to desired consistency. Place in a non-metal, non-reactive storage container. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight, allowing flavors to blend.

*Easy peel those tomatoes! Score an "x" on the bottom of each tomato with a knife and immerse in boiling water for approximately one minute (until you see the skin start to come loose at the "x"). Remove tomatoes and place in ice water. The tomato skin will now easily peel off.

Pizza with Red & Yellow Peppers

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa's Cocina) — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 03:53:00 +0000

If you haven't already baked a thousand and one pizza pies and become an expert at throwing your basic pizza dough up into the air like a professional, then here is the perfect reason to break out your yeast and dust off your bag of flour.

When I wrote about the shaved asparagus pizza, I mentioned that I'd make it a goal to see what else I could shave and pile on top of pizza dough. And even though my follow-through on food related promises is very laughable (stop laughing), I was serious. Really! I was *this close* to picking up my vegetable peeler, kissing the family farewell, and setting off in search of the next great pizza topping.

Luckily, my friends Mike and Stacey saved the day by showing up for dinner and mentioning what has been their pizza obsession, and it goes something like this: thinly sliced bell peppers! Red onion! Fresh herbs! Cheese!

If you don't have at least one dinner a week dedicated to pizza, as we do, you might want to try this out and see what transpires. Fridays, I've found, make great pizza nights.

Pizza with Red & Yellow Peppers
Adapted from Chez Panisse Vegetables, by Alice Waters

Ingredients:

2 bell peppers (any mix of red, orange or yellow)
1/2 of a small red onion
1/4 cup parsley
1/4 cup basil leaves
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
2 ounces mozzarella cheese
1 clove garlic
basic pizza dough, or your preferred pizza dough for one 12-inch pizza

1) Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

2) Thinly slice the peppers and onion and roughly chop the herbs. Toss in a bowl with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and the vinegar, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Mince the garlic and mix it with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

3) Roll out your pizza dough and place it on a pizza pan sprinkled with cornmeal. Using a pastry brush or your fingers, brush on the garlic/oil mixture, leaving a 1/2-inch border.

4) Sprinkle on the grated cheese and spread the pepper mixture on top of that. Bake the pizza for 10 to 12 minutes or until the dough is crispy and thoroughly cooked.

Basic Pizza Dough

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa's Cocina) — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 03:23:00 +0000

As I was about to post a second pizza recipe within a relatively short amount of time, I realized that you might appreciate a good recipe for quick, painless, delicious pizza dough first. Luckily, I have a recipe on hand that I have been using a lot lately and has become my standard go-to pizza dough.

Unless you live on the East Coast right now, where you can most likely cook a pizza on the sidewalk, I suggest you crank up your oven and try this out (perhaps with this!) knowing that a delicious pizza recipe is coming your way shortly!

Basic Pizza Dough

Makes enough for one 12 to 14-inch pizza.

1-3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon yeast*
1/2 cup lukewarm water
1 tablespoon milk
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

*I use instant yeast (Fleischmann's RapidRise yeast), but active dry yeast works as well.

Combine all of the ingredients, including the yeast, in a large bowl. When it begins to come together into a ball, dump everything out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until you've worked out your day's frustrations, or until you've got a nice ball of dough, whichever comes first.

Lightly oil a bowl and place the dough inside, turning to coat all sides. Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and set aside for an hour or two to let the dough double in size.

After the dough has risen, punch it down and roll it out. Top with your favorite pizza toppings and bake on a baking sheet or pizza stone sprinkled with cornmeal in an oven preheated to at least 500 degrees F. The pizza should be done in about 10 to 12 minutes.

Devil's Food Cake with Chocolate Ganache Frosting

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa's Cocina) — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 03:54:00 +0000

It should come to be expected that every June you will see a cake recipe posted here. It's obligatory, really, the June birthday cake.

I and several of my friends celebrate birthdays in June or around this time, so we use this as an excuse to get together to eat and chat, catch up, and, undoubtedly, laugh. And so we do, until, of course, someone finally, and usually impatiently, asks, "so when are going to cut the cake?".

No birthday is complete without a surprise, right? There aren't any trick candles here (aren't those things annoying?) the surprise is that this cake is baked with pureed beets, which is a traditional way of making devil's food that dates back to wartime rationing.

Beets in cake?

Dessert justified?

Happy birthday to me!

Devil's Food Cake

from Mother's Best: Comfort Food That Takes You Home Again, by Lisa Schroeder

I can't stress enough that you should freeze the cake layers after you've baked and cooled them, and the reason is two-fold. One, it breaks up the baking and assembling process, which, done all at once, can be quite daunting and Two, it's so much easier to assemble and frost frozen layers.

To freeze your cake layers, let them cool completely after baking. Then wrap each layer thoroughly in plastic wrap and place on a flat surface in the freezer. I stack mine on small cookie sheets placed on top of my stackable cooling racks.

For the cake:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 ounces chopped semisweet chocolate

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

2-1/4 cups packed light brown sugar

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature, divided

1 (15 ounce) can beets (not pickled!) with the juice, pureed until very smooth

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Using butter, oil, or nonstick cooking spray, thoroughly grease the bottom and sides of two 9-inch cake pans and line their bottoms with parchment paper circles.

2) Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3) Place a medium saucepan about one third full of water over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low to keep the water warm but barely simmering. Place the chopped chocolate in a double boiler or bowl that fits over the saucepan. Set the bowl over the barely simmering water and heat, stirring now and then, until the chocolate is melted. Set aside to cool to lukewarm.

4) Place the butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat on high speed, stopping to scrape down the sides now and then. Beat until light and fluffy and pale in color, about 5 minutes.

5) Reduce the speed to medium-high and add the eggs, one at a time, beating until fully incorporated after each addition. Reduce the speed to low and pour in the melted and cooled chocolate. Increase the speed to medium and beat for another minute, until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

6) With the mixer on low speed, add one-third of the dry ingredients. When incorporated, add 1/4 cup buttermilk. Repeat the process, ending with the last third of dry ingredients. When incorporated, add the pureed beets with their juice and mix on low speed until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

7) Evenly divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool cakes on a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes, then remove cakes from pans and cool completely on wire rack before frosting or freezing (see note above).

For the frosting:

1 cup heavy cream

16 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

1) Place the cream in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.

2) Remove the cream from the heat and whisk in the chocolate. Keep whisking until the chocolate is melted.

3) Let the mixture cool on the counter, stirring occasionally, until spreadable, about 2 hours (the time it should take to make, bake, and cool the cake layers, if you choose not to freeze the layers).

Assemble the cake:

1) Place one cake (bottom side up) in the center of a serving plate. Tuck a few strips of parchment or wax paper under the edges of the cake to keep the plate clean. Place one-quarter of the frosting in the center of the cake and spread to cover the surface. Place the second layer on top of the first and frost the top and sides of the cake. Remove the strips of parchment paper when finished.

Potato Salad with Whole-Lemon Vinaigrette

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa's Cocina) — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 03:33:00 +0000

When I read blog posts bashing traditional mayonnaise-based potato salad, it makes me sad, because when I summon my happy potato salad memories (we all have these, right?), the first to come to mind are those involving my grandma's salad, dressed in all its creamy goodness. In fact, maybe if you asked, perhaps you'd find out that sometimes I even thought the salad could've used more mayo, but no, I would never openly admit to that, at least not here, because it might leak back to my grandma and then I'd have some serious explaining to do.

So why then, after saying all that, am I posting a non-mayo recipe? Because when I read in the recipe that you throw a whole lemon into the food processor, I thought, "awesome", and kind of stared off into space thinking about it. I know it's just a lemon, but it sounded like a misprint to me, as if the recipe were asking me to throw in an entire watermelon, or something equally absurd. Surely, I thought, the recipe means I have to zest then juice the lemon. But no, I could find no small print or footnotes or hidden messages to be decoded with my decoder ring saying the contrary.

So it is because I became obsessed with food processing that lemon that you are now reading this post. And this is a good thing for a few reasons. The most important being that I really enjoyed this salad, but also, because a holiday that screams for backyard parties which themselves scream for potato salad is coming upon us, and while I'm not trying to tell you what to do, I'll just mention that this salad actually tastes best at room temperature and won't need to be thrown out after you forget to refresh the ice it's been sitting in out on the backyard picnic table.

Potato Salad with Whole-Lemon Vinaigrette

So, after luring you here with talk of throwing a whole lemon into the food processor, I'll admit that you do first have to cut it into quarters, or whatever size is necessary, so that the seeds can be removed. It does take some of the fun away, but it's a step I wouldn't recommend skipping. Sorry.

Ingredients:
3 pounds large Yukon gold potatoes, unpeeled
1 whole lemon
2/3 cup olive oil
2 large cloves garlic
salt
pepper
1/4 fresh mint
sliced scallions (optional)

1) Scrub potatoes and place in a large pot of salted water. Bring to a rapid boil, then lower heat and cook until tender, about 30 to 40 minutes. Drain well under cold water and refrigerate overnight, or until very cold.

2) Peel potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Place in large bowl.

3) Cut off ends of lemon and cut into quarters to remove seeds. Place lemon wedges (rind and all) in a food processor with olive oil and garlic. Process several minutes until smooth. Add salt to taste.

4) Pour dressing over potatoes and toss gently. Salt and pepper to taste.

5) Thinly slice the mint, or pulse a few times in the food processor and toss with the potatoes. Toss in some scallions if desired.

Chipotle Hummus

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa's Cocina) — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 04:14:00 +0000

I believe one of the cruelest tricks the Universe can play on someone is to make that person sick, then make that person's husband sick, and then to stick those two people in an apartment with a teething 9 month old baby boy who just learned how to crawl. I'm not complaining, but these last few days have been a bit challenging.

It all started innocently enough - we just wanted a vacation. So we packed up the wee one and his three truckloads-worth of essentials and whisked ourselves away to a rented cottage at our favorite bed & breakfast in Joshua Tree. And it was great. We lounged. We snoozed. We put on mini swim trunks and amazed ourselves with splashing (some of us did, anyway). Then all of that relaxation was forgotten as we sat in traffic on our way back to reality and wallowed in our newly acquired colds. Sigh.

Needless to say, most of the "cooking" that's been done lately has involved a can opener and some hastily purchased cans of chicken soup. However, before leaving on our trip, I made sure to stock up on the ingredients for my friend Jennica's chipotle hummus, so, in between napping and chasing after the baby, I was able to make up a batch, which made me happy, because this stuff is delicious and because, in my opinion, you can never have enough hummus around - especially when you eat it by the spoonful.

Chipotle Hummus
from Paulo Avery Wellman

This recipe can yield a pretty spicy hummus, but if you don't do spicy it's possible to dial down the kick by adding some water and lemon juice, which is what I did merely because I couldn't fathom adding as much olive oil to the recipe as it would take to reach the consistency I was going for.

Ingredients:
2 cans garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
4 cloves garlic
2 chipotle peppers from a can of peppers in adobo sauce
1 tablespoon of tahini paste
1-1/2 tablespoons of ground cumin
1 tablespoon of paprika
1 tablespoon of fresh parsley
salt to taste
extra virgin olive oil (approximately 1/2 cup)*

In a food processor or blender add garlic and pulse until finely chopped. Add remaining ingredients through parsley and blend. While blending, slowly pour in olive oil stopping periodically to scrape down the sides and check the hummus consistency. Continue adding oil until hummus reaches a consistency of your liking. Add salt as needed. Garnish with chopped parsley and paprika.

*In addition to the oil, I added 1/2 cup of water and the juice from half a lemon.

Shaved Asparagus Pizza

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa's Cocina) — Wed, 25 May 2011 02:39:00 +0000

Eggplant has heard some rumors that it may have lost its title as my most favorite pizza topping ever, and, between you and me, eggplant is a little emotional about this. I'm going to let eggplant sweat it out a little longer, and then I'll let it know that it hasn't lost any title, but it may have to share, especially now that I've tasted how amazing shaved asparagus tastes on pizza.

Last weekend we had some good friends over for dinner and in between the moment of inviting them to dinner and the moment they arrived, I swapped out a million different dinner menu scenarios in my head. One of them was several courses long, including a separate cheese course and ending with a triple layer chocolate cake (!). Delicious, indeed, and I would've loved to have made that menu happen, but I was getting in WAY over my head. And then it hit me: pizza! Everyone loves pizza, and I can make a few different ones. Throw in a salad and this, and you're set! And my sanity remains in check. A win-win for everyone!

Shaved Asparagus Pizza

from Smitten Kitchen

Pizza is already a relatively simple dinner to make, but this recipe takes simple to a whole new level. It also leaves me with one nagging question: what else can I shave and pile onto pizza dough? Sounds like a project!

Ingredients:

1 pre-made 12-inch thin crust, or your favorite homemade pizza dough

1/2 pound asparagus

1/4 cup grated parmesan

1/2 pound mozzarella, shredded

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 scallion, thinly sliced

1) Preheat your oven to 500 degrees F.

2) Holding an asparagus spear by its tough end, lay it flat on a cutting board and peel using a vegetable peeler, creating long shavings. It doesn't matter if they don't all come out thin or perfect. Discard tough ends. Toss shavings with olive oil, salt and pepper in a bowl.

3) Sprinkle pizza dough with parmesan, then mozzarella cheeses. Pile on the asparagus. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and the asparagus is slightly charred. Remove from oven and sprinkle with the scallions. Slice and serve!

Strawberry Caramel Baked French Toast

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa's Cocina) — Wed, 18 May 2011 03:09:00 +0000

When I first started dating Jason, I thought it would be a great idea to surprise him with a weekend getaway. I had never been to a bed and breakfast before but the idea of one sounded romantic. With no real clue about where to really do some good research on one (Yes...I realize a computer might've been a nice place to start...let's just skip that detail) I reached for a pamphlet I had recently stumbled upon in a hollowed-out-bus-turned-kayak-rental-office. This is how you all plan your romantic getaways, right?

After a four hour drive through Ohio we found ourselves at the end of a half mile rutted out "driveway" that wove through a mountainous hill and ended in a muddy clearing. Crossing that clearing, we came to the smallest structure I've ever seen that called itself a "bed and breakfast". The owner was lovely, but the cramped quarters made everything about being there awkward. It was not exactly the weekend I had been planning.

However, in the morning, we were treated to the most decadent fruit filled french toast I had ever eaten. It almost made the weirdness of the place worth it. Almost. Anyhow, I have always wanted to make a filled french toast like that day, but I was never keen on the idea of prepping and cooking stuffed french toast on the stovetop. Therefore, when I found a "baked" version, I jumped at the chance to make it.

Strawberry Caramel Baked French Toast

from Cooking Light

This recipe was delicious, and I will make it again, but with a few changes. One is that the caramel sauce portion of this recipe was both a bother to make and not a very prominent part of the end product. Next time, I think I will make a batch of this and drizzle over the finished french toast. Second, I would like to see how this holds up if I make it up the night before and cook the next morning, like I do with this recipe. If any of you try these suggestions, please let me know how it turns out for you!

Caramel Sauce:

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup evaporated fat-free milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

French Toast:

Cooking spray

1 (12 ounce) loaf french bread, cut into 16 slices (about 3/4-inch thick)

1 jar of your favorite strawberry preserves

2 cups fat-free milk

4 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Powdered sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

1) To prepare sauce, combine granulated sugar and water in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat 3 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Cover and cook over medium heat 1 minute. Uncover and cook until light golden (do not stir). This step took longer than the suggested 5 minutes for me.

2) Remove from heat and let stand 1 minute. Add butter and stir until melted. Add evaporated milk**, stirring constantly. Place pan back over medium heat and cook until everything melts and smooths out. Stir constantly. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and salt. (**when I added the evaporated milk the mixture really clumped up, and even stuck to the bottom and sides of the pan. Unless I did something wrong, don't panic, it will smooth out once you place the pan back over the heat).

3) Pour the caramel sauce into your 13 x 9 baking dish which has been coated with cooking spray. Spread strawberry preserves liberally on 8 bread slices and arrange in dish; top with remaining bread.

4) Combine milk, eggs, vanilla, salt and spices and pour over bread; sprinkle with pecans.

5) Bake uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes or until top is golden. Let cool 5 minutes and sprinkle with powdered sugar (if desired) prior to serving.

Braised Red Cabbage

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa's Cocina) — Tue, 10 May 2011 02:27:00 +0000

I avoided cooked cabbage for a good many years due to a run-in at the dinner table with a dish called pigs-in-a-blanket during my childhood. I'm sure the dish was prepared correctly, because it seems to match up to other chance meetings I've had with the poorly named dish throughout the years, but I couldn't stand it; the way it looked, the way it smelled, the way it mocked me from the plate. Ever since that day, there has been a huge gaping hole in my culinary world, a huge gaping cabbage-shaped hole.

Which is a shame, really, because cooked cabbage can be so very very good. I was reminded of this a few weeks ago when I was taken to lunch by my boss and she recommended the braised red cabbage for a side dish. She's French, and her dad was a chef, so if she handed me a plate of dirt and told me it was the best tasting around, I would take it with a smile. Luckily for me, this cabbage tasted nothing like dirt, and I inhaled it fearing that somehow someone was going to try to take it away from me. I have dreamed of this cabbage since that day. Does this give you any idea about how great this cabbage was?

I tried recreating it at home with a Martha Stewart recipe, and it was OK (sorry, Martha!), but it wasn't worthy of telling you about. However, a few nights ago, I stumbled upon a cookbook my mother-in-law gave me for my birthday last year and, flipping through it, discovered a recipe for braised red cabbage. Of course, all other cooking plans were shoved aside, and I tried this out immediately. The result? A braised cabbage that has made me very very happy.

Braised Red Cabbage

from Mother's Best by Lisa Schroeder

The cabbage I had at the restaurant was topped with warm goat cheese, which I didn't happen to have at home when I made this, but plan to have on hand the next time.

Ingredients:

4 large granny smith apples

3 pounds red cabbage (1 head)

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup dry red wine

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

fresh ground pepper to taste

1 bay leaf

1) Peel the apples and grate them on a grater, rotating the apple as you reach the core. Remove any damaged outer leaves from the cabbage and cut the head in quarters. Cut out the tough core and then slice the cabbage into shreds.

2) Heat the oil in a large dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat for a few minutes. Add the onions and saute until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add the apples and saute for another 3 minutes, or until a little soft.

3) Add the vinegar, red wine, and sugar, stirring to scrape up any browned bits. Stir in the cabbage and toss to coat. Add the cloves, pepper and bay leave. Stir.

4) Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until cabbage is tender. Remove from heat and serve.

Spaghetti in Tomato Apple Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa's Cocina) — Tue, 03 May 2011 03:10:00 +0000

Having a good basic pasta sauce included in your cooking repertoire is key to being able to whip up a quick meal when you've just realized you've forgotten, somehow, yet again, that dinner is a meal that happens nightly and, oh yeah, you're the one who plans/shops for/cooks/eats it.

Don't misunderstand me, there's nothing wrong with keeping a few jars of your favorite store-bought sauce in the pantry. I have a few in my own. But sometimes you might want something a little fresher tasting. A sauce with an ingredient list that doesn't include the words "dehydrated" or "natural flavor", but does include apples.

Apples?

Yes! Trust me.

Spaghetti con salsa di Pomodorie e Mele

Spaghetti in Tomato Apple Sauce

Adapted from Lidia's Italy

This sauce is great because it cooks up so quickly and tastes so fresh. Apples may seem a strange ingredient, but shredded, they create a really great texture, feel and flavor.

Ingredients:

3 cups canned Italian plum tomatoes

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 - 3 large celery stalks, cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 1 cup)

1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)

1 teaspoon salt

1 pound apples, tart & firm, such as Granny Smith

1 pound spaghetti

1 cup parmigiano reggiano cheese, freshly grated

1) Pour canned tomatoes into food processor or blender and puree until smooth

2) Heat olive oil in large skillet or pot set over medium heat. Add the chopped celery and onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until they soften.

3) Stir in the pureed tomatoes, season with salt, and heat to a bubbling simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or so. As the tomatoes cook, peel and core the apples, remove the seeds and shred with a grater.

4) Stir the apples into the sauce. Simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and the apple shreds are cooked and tender.

5) As the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil and cook the spaghetti until just about al dente. Drain the pasta and then place it into the simmering sauce. Toss the pasta until all the strands are coated and perfectly al dente (or cooked to your liking). Sprinkle with grated cheese and toss well.

6) Serve, passing more cheese at the table.

Flourless Chocolate Cupcakes

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa's Cocina) — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 02:33:00 +0000

I was reading a food blog recently that mentioned that one of the rules of blogging, food blogging in particular, is to never begin your post with an apology.

What?!

I must've mis-read my rulebook, because I was sure it said to begin every post with an apology. So, now that I know the rules, I am just going to skip the whole where-I've-been song and dance that I usually do to start these things off.

I will, however, mention that there's an almost 8 month old baby asleep upstairs as I type, who's finally got the hang of this going to sleep thing we've been working on for a bit. The moment he hits the crib, he grabs his pacifier, shoos me away, twists into a half rollover and promptly falls asleep. Leaving me with evenings, glorious evenings, full of time to just dance around and relish the fact that I have nothing to do. Except the dishes. And the sweeping. Or the laundry. Or all the sleeping I need to catch up on.

But! I've chosen to ignore all of those things and instead, I am finally writing to tell you about the cupcakes I made for, hmmm, was it Henry's 3 month-a-versary?

Oh yeah. Remember that little game I wanted to play where every month I made homemade cupcakes for Henry? You were so polite to not laugh directly in my face. My readers are so nice to me. What you're looking at are the last cupcakes I made (let me see...8 minus 3 is-- we don't really need to figure out how long I've been sitting on this post, now do we?) .

I have, however, continued the little cupcake tradition, I just now buy really elaborate and delicious ones from the gourmet cupcake store around the corner to plop the little one next to for photo time (which is getting harder and harder to do as the months go on and Henry has gained the ability to reach and grab and scoot. Again, you were all so nice not to laugh and mock my little idea....really, you were...)

Yes! That is a scoop of ice cream on your cupcake!

Flourless Chocolate Cupcakes

From: Martha Stewart Cupcakes

Yields: 22 standard cupcakes, or 12 standard + 4 jumbo cupcakes*

Think of these less as cupcakes and more as individual fudge-y sundaes. The crackly sunken tops create the perfect place to nestle a nice scoop of ice cream. Which then calls for a drizzle of chocolate sauce. And maybe a sprinkling of nuts...?

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (or 1-1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips)

6 large eggs, separated, at room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

1) Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Melt butter and chocolate in a large heatproof bowl set over (not in) a pan of simmering water. Stir to combine, then remove bowl from heat and let cool slightly. Whisk in egg yolks.

2) With an electric mixer on medium speed, which egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, beating until peaks are stiff and glossy, but not dry (do not overbeat). Which one quarter of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten; gently fold mixture into remaining whites.

3) Divide batter evenly between cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until cupcakes are just set in centers, about 25 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes (their centers will sink).

4) Top with scoops of ice cream, taunt young baby with cupcake, then promptly eat. Enjoy!

*A word on Martha Stewart's cupcake book, or any cupcake book in general. I highly recommend that you look at how many cupcakes the recipe calls for BEFORE starting to make them, so that you don't end up owning one cupcake tin, but realizing as you're about to pour the batter that you've just whipped up a recipe that yields 42. (who does that? They should be ashamed, and definitely never admit to doing it, especially on their blog...)

Applesauce Spice Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa's Cocina) — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 14:00:00 +0000

Because I'm so excited to start cooking for my new smiley little guy, I've decided that I'm going to celebrate his monthly milestones by baking cupcakes. Then, when he hits the one-year mark, I'll really go to town making what I hope will be a show-stopper of a birthday cake.

The only downside is that Henry isn't able to enjoy his cupcakes and mommy and daddy "have" to eat them all. It's tough, but you'll do anything for your children, right? I can't say any of this parenting is helping my waistline, though. But after 10 months of throwing away gourmet brownies, I'm really enjoying biting into a cupcake and really truly enjoying it.

Applesauce Spice Cupcakes

from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes

Makes 18 standard cupcakes.

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

4 large eggs, room temperature

1-1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce

1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped (optional)

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line standard sized muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.

2) With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and both sugars together until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each if fully incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low. Add applesauce and then flour mixture, beating until just combined after each. Stir in pecans by hand.

3) Divide batter evenly among cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Approximately 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes.

Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup packed light brown sugar

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat ingredients together until smooth. Ice cooled cupcakes immediately or store in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Before using after refrigeration, bring frosting back to room temperature and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until smooth.

Whole Grain Pancakes

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa's Cocina) — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 14:00:00 +0000

When I got the idea into my head to drag out my cast iron skillet and whip up stacks and stacks of pancakes, the weather outside was gloriously cold, drizzly, and gray. Just the kind of East Coast type weather that I miss because it's hard to snuggle in fleece with hot tea when it's 90 degrees out. Nice weather also usually makes me crave omelettes, though I normally just eat cereal (I'm boring in the mornings).

There's a lot of lag time now between my cravings and when they actually come to fruition, so when I finally did make these, it was a nice sunny morning, but it didn't stop them from being delicious. Or gobbled up so there weren't any leftovers. So really, these can, and should, be made any time. But you knew that. No one listens to the boring cereal eater. So go get your skillets and industrial sized jugs of maple syrup, and then please invite me over.

Whole Grain Pancakes

Not only are these fantastic pancakes, but by omitting the sugar, increasing the salt a smidge, and replacing the cinnamon with cumin, you can serve these pancakes as flatbreads with soups, stews or salads.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1-2/3 cup whole wheat flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander or cardamom

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs, separated

2 cups milk

1) Melt 3 tablespoons butter.

2) In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, spices, and salt.

3) In another bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer or a whisk until stiff peaks form, but do not overbeat.

4) In another bowl beat the egg yolks, milk, and melted butter until foamy, a couple of minutes. Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and give a couple of good stirs, but do not overmix.

5) Fold in the egg whites and stir until the batter is just evenly colored and relatively smooth; it's OK if there are some lumps.

6) Heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat until a few drops of water dance on its surface. Add butter as needed, and when skillet is hot enough, spoon the batter into the pan. Cook until bubbles form and pop, about 2 minutes. Carefully flip pancakes and cook until well colored on other side.

Serve warm and enjoy!

Special Deliveries & A Tasty Way To Enjoy Radishes

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa's Cocina) — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 21:17:00 +0000

A lot has been happening around here lately, the most important being two recent special deliveries. Well, one REALLY special delivery, and one fun, delicious one.

The big one, if you haven't guessed, has been the arrival of my little baby boy, Henry, two months ago. He's been keeping things hopping around here, and though it feels like I haven't slept in twenty years, it's all completely worth it. Baby food books have been purchased, and I am excited for the day that I am able to cook for this little guy.

The other special delivery was something I had been meaning to do for a long time. I ordered a CSA (community supported agriculture) box from a local company, and had fresh, local and organic fruits and vegetables delivered right to my door. It arrived at 5:00 am, but never mind that (I was up, after all).

As you can see above, the box was bursting with produce, but, as you can see below, I became the proud owner of more greens than I knew what to do with.

I wish I could tell you I whipped up a zillion recipes using these greens, but all I really had time to do was eat a lot of really great salads (not too shabby). I also gave away the chard, which was a tough decision, but one I had to make as I didn't want it to go bad, and I didn't have the time to make the lasagna I usually put chard into. Which reminds me, if scheduling, and cooking, permits, I have a great lasagna idea to tell you about.

So, other than eating acres of greens, I also enjoyed carrots, cauliflower, heirloom tomatoes, potatoes, cabbage and radishes.

I plan to become a frequent subscriber to the CSA box, and, not meaning to stand on a soapbox, encourage you to investigate if this is something that is offered in your area. It's a great way to support local agriculture, and what's not to love about it being delivered right to your door?

Now, about those radishes.

Besides enjoying them on salads of all sizes, I also enjoyed them a way that I hear a lot about. It goes something like this:

Cut the radishes into paper-thin slices

Butter a chunk of crusty french bread

layer on the radish slices

sprinkle with sea salt

Enjoy!

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Bundt Cake with Salted Caramel Glaze

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa's Cocina) — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 17:00:00 +0000

As promised (can you believe I followed through?!), here is what has been soaking up all of my salted caramel sauce.

I took a gamble making this. My pregnancy hasn't produced any odd cravings or caused me to wake my husband up in the middle of the night to go hunting down pickles and ice cream. Quite the contrary, actually. I've had an enormous appetite for EVERYTHING. Everything except chocolate and cake.

What?!?!

No, it's true. Chocolate and cake, together or separate, just haven't held the same appeal to me. Once, at work, someone brought in very expensive gourmet brownies. I listened all morning as people raved about them. I had memories of chocolate brownies making me happy at one point in my life, so I figured maybe these brownies will be the key through the portal back to sanity. I snuck into the lunch room, grabbed one, took a bite, and promptly spit it into the trash. Luckily, no one was around to witness this waste, and I joined in with the chorus praising the brownies (hey - I wanted to fit in, OK).

So when the time came that I needed a way to properly thank my friends who have been the ones to put together ALL of our baby furniture, throw me a baby shower, fix things around the apartment, and basically make life wonderful for me and my husband, I thought of this cake. It wasn't for me, it was for them. So I once again let chocolate back into the apartment.

The amazing thing? I love this cake. Pregnant me loves this cake! However, I think it has less to do with me liking chocolate again as opposed to me still loving peanut butter, caramel, and salt. So, you see, this cake pleases everyone. And hopefully makes a worthy thank-you to people with wicked fast furniture assembly skills.

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Bundt Cake with Salted Caramel Glaze

Ingredients:

Non-stick cooking spray

2 cups all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1-1/4 cups granulated sugar

2 eggs

3/4 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/3 cup milk

3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup Salted Caramel Sauce

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray 10-inch fluted tube/bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray; set aside.

2) In bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.

3) In large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on low for 30 seconds. Add sugar, beat until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating on low to medium speed 1 minute after each addition and scraping bowl frequently. Beat in sour cream and vanilla. Alternately add flour mixture and milk to butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition until just combined.

4) Divide batter into two bowls. Stir melted chocolate into half the batter until well combined. Stir peanut butter into remaining half until well combined.

5) Alternately drop spoonfuls of batter into prepared pan. Use a butter knife to gently swirl the batters together (do not overmix).

6) Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until wooden toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes on wire rack. Remove cake from pan; cool thoroughly on wire rack. Drizzle cake with half of the salted caramel sauce and sprinkle with sea salt.

To serve: cut into individual slices and drizzle with remaining salted caramel sauce.

Salted Caramel Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa's Cocina) — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 16:38:00 +0000

This incredibly easy-to-make Salted Caramel Sauce is to be paired with the next recipe I'll be posting in a day or so, but because I can't get enough of it, or stop thinking about other ways to serve it besides on a spoon straight out of the sauce pan, I figured I would post this separately to tempt, tease, and taunt you. And really, so you can start making it and eating it over ice cream, over pie, by yourself in a corner so you don't have to share....you get the picture.

And yes, I realize by now we all know how completely unpredictable my posting schedule has become, so I just want to say thank you for not giving up and still checking in on me. I'm two weeks from my due date and am officially on maternity leave, getting all the important stuff done before Baby arrives. Like making Salted Caramel Sauce.

So stay tuned for the sequel to this to find out what in the world I was drenching in this sauce. Seriously, I'll be posting it. This week! Honest. You can (kind of) trust me...

Salted Caramel Sauce

1/4 unsalted butter

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup whipping cream

1/2 to 3/4 tsp sea salt

In a heavy small sauce pan melt the butter over medium-low heat. Stir in the two sugars and bring to boiling, stirring constantly. Stir in the whipping cream and return to boiling. Boil 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in the salt.

Any unused sauce can be poured into a glass jar and stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. The sauce will thicken, but a good 15 to 30 second zap in the microwave will bring it back to pouring consistency.

Slow-Cooker Pot Roast

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa's Cocina) — Tue, 04 May 2010 02:12:00 +0000

Dinner time around here can be a little crazy sometimes. By the time I get home from work, I'm famished (again) and if I wasn't organized enough to cook ten tons of food during the prior weekend, I usually can be found with my head in the fridge hastily assembling a random meal out of anything healthy I can find. This "meal" is usually consumed while I'm in my pajamas, about 30 minutes before I fall asleep and am useless for the rest of the night.

So it felt nice when I recently dropped a roast into the trusty old crock pot and was able to turn out an actual well thought out meal again. Pot roast, homemade bread, a nice green salad and even a lemon tart! For a brief evening, I actually felt like I had my act together and enjoyed daydreaming about preparing a similar meal sometime in the future when there will be three of us gathered around the kitchen table (although one of us will most likely be throwing their dinner at me and giggling...)

Slow-Cooker Pot Roast

The recipe below is actually a blend of several different recipes I've used over the years, and tends to change based on what I have on hand. For example, I prefer carrots and parsnips in the vegetable mix, but I had a lot of peppers on hand, so I used those instead. Feel free to use your favorite veggies, and enjoy your own relaxing Sunday dinner.

3 pounds boneless beef roast

1 tablespoon freshly grated horseradish (if you have it)

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

1 tablespoon parsley

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon thyme (OR basil OR oregano)

1 large onion, sliced

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 to 2 pounds potatoes, quartered

1 pound mushrooms, cut into large chunks

1 cup red wine

1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes, chopped

1) Place roast in slow cooker. In a small bowl mix the horseradish, mustard, parsley and thyme together to make a paste; spread over roast.

2) Add remaining ingredients, spreading the vegetables around the roast; season with salt and pepper. Depending on the size of your slow cooker you may want to add some water if the liquid level isn't very high (I usually add 1 cup of water).

3) Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 hours; reduce heat to LOW and cook 4 to 6 hours, or until roast is tender.

Chocolate Chip Pretzel Bars

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa's Cocina) — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 00:22:00 +0000

What do you do when your piano teacher husband decides to host a recital for his students and asks you to bake cookies for about 40 people? You dust off your trusty 9 x 13" baking dish and make bar cookies, that's what you do! (After you demand a very long foot rub, that is).

I realize these chocolate chip pretzel bars are a variation of the chocolate chip & pretzel cookies, but really, how can you go wrong with chocolate and pretzels and chocolate sprinkles? Forgive me, but you can't, and I count knowing how to make one of my favorite treats in both cookie and bar form as a necessary skill that will help me get through listening to 20 variations of "Michael, Row Your Boat Ashore". (Just kidding, Jason's students are all excellent, and I don't believe this song will be played once at the recital!)

Chocolate Chip Pretzel Bars

From Food & Wine

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 (12 ounce) bag bittersweet chocolate chips

1-1/2 cups mini pretzels, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons chocolate sprinkles

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9 x 13" pan with parchment paper, allowing overhang on the two long ends.

2) In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, using a mixer, beat the butter with both sugars at medium speed until light, about 1 minute. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. At low speed, beat in the dry ingredients. Stir in the chips and pretzels.

3) Spread the batter in the pan and top with the sprinkles. Bake for 30 - 35 minutes, or until golden brown. The center will still be a little gooey. Transfer the pan to a rack to cool completely.

4) Run the tip of a knife around the sides of the pan, and life the bars out using the parchment paper. Cut into squares and serve.

These bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Asian Green Bean Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa's Cocina) — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 00:53:00 +0000

I scared you a little bit, didn't I? I disappear for three months with no warning, and then I come back and actually begin posting again on a regular basis, only to let you go two weekends in a row with nothing. Well, this time, you can blame my husband, for being wonderful and whisking me away to a surprise weekend full of bizarro trees and really delicious food (we went to a bed & breakfast near Joshua Tree National Park).

It was a great weekend and gave us both a good dose of relaxation. And lo and behold, breakfast one of the mornings was no less than a version of baked peach french toast! If you haven't made this yet, you must. You really must. And that's all I'm going to say about that.

Because I want to tell you about this here green bean salad. I stumbled upon it during a search for meals that I could make during the week when I got home from work that would be easy, fast, and really tasty. This was all three and then some. Served warm, it reminds me of great noodle salad takeout. Served cold, it's a refreshing spring salad. And because you can chop the veggies while the pasta cooks, this comes together quite fast.

Asian Green Bean Salad

Adapted from Cooking Light

A few comments. The original recipe calls for 3 ounces of uncooked linguine. You're a far better person than I am if you can measure out 3 ounces of pasta, or find it in packages of that size. I bought a 1 pound package and almost used the whole thing. Next time, I probably will. So, I've revised this recipe accordingly. I was liberal with the veggies, but feel that I was somewhat close to the recipe. I also found that, even with the extra pasta and veggies, I didn't need to adjust the amount of dressing from the original recipe measurements; the salad was still well dressed.

Salad Ingredients:

1 pound uncooked linguine

1 pound green beans, trimmed (snow or snap peas may also be a very good substitute)

2 cups celery, sliced

1 cup red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1/2 cup green onion, thinly sliced

1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Dressing:

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons dark sesame oil (I used olive oil)

2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger*

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 red jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

1) Cook pasta according to package directions; add beans during last 3 minutes of cooking. Drain. Rinse with cold water if you prefer to serve this cold. Place mixture in large bowl and mix in celery through cilantro.

2) Make the dressing: combine ingredients in a small bowl; stir with whisk until blended. Add to salad and toss well. Cover and chill, or serve warm.

*Note:

Don't use fresh ginger often? It freezes well! Just wrap what you don't use in plastic wrap and place in the freezer. When you need it next, you can peel it/grate it while it's still frozen.

Mixed Berry Granola

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa's Cocina) — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 22:32:00 +0000

Being pregnant, if I let my stomach get anywhere near empty, I grow nauseous. Therefore, I have to snack constantly. For some, this may seem a wonderful thing to be forced to do, and, well, it isn't all so bad. But because I am very aware of what I need to be eating, I try to make each snack really count.

One of the downsides of constant snacking is that I often grow tired of things fast (I still love you hummus, but we need a break. Same goes for you hard boiled eggs). During the week while I'm at work, I have what I call second and third breakfast; first being the breakfast that I eat at home. Second breakfast is usually plain yogurt with fresh fruit mixed in. Third breakfast is usually toasted homemade bread with peanut butter or some other topping. I try to only eat plain yogurt because I want to control what I flavor it with. Fresh fruit is great. However, I've reached a plateau with it recently, and wanted something different. I have no idea why I didn't think of homemade granola sooner.

Homemade granola is so simple and easy to make and a whole lot less expensive than what you purchase in a store. It's also a great way to sneak some whole grains into a snack. It's been years, years, since I've made granola, and I have no good excuse. If you've got 30 spare minutes, you can whip this up and snack during the week. As I've said, it tastes great mixed in yogurt.

Mixed Berry Granola

One of the benefits of making your own granola is its versatility; don't like coconut? then leave it out! do you love only blueberries? then only used dried blueberries for goodness sakes. But I'll tell you, the mixed berry blend I found at the store (mixed dried blueberries, strawberries and cherries) tastes great in this recipe.

Ingredients:

2 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (freshly ground, if possible)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons honey

1 cup mixed berry dried fruit (or dried fruit of your choice)

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil lightly coated with non-stick spray.

2) In a large bowl, toss together rolled oats, coconut, almonds, cinnamon and nutmeg.

3) Stir together oil and honey and pour over oat mixture; toss/stir to evenly coat.

4) Spread oat mixture on prepared baking sheet and bake, stirring occasionally, for 16 to 20 minutes (until lightly toasted).

5) Place mixture in large bowl. Stir in dried fruit. Bring to room temperature. Store in airtight container up to one month (as if it would last that long).

Southwest Chicken Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa's Cocina) — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 01:13:00 +0000

A few years ago, when Jason and I were packing the truck to move out to California, we got to a point where, after a day of lugging boxes down three flights of stairs, we just didn't want to deal with packing, moving, thinking or dealing with one more thing. Perfectly good shoes were thrown straight into the dumpster. I whispered a hasty, but emotional, goodbye to our vacuum cleaner as I slowly shut the door, leaving it in a dark closet corner for the next tenant to find. We shoved our huge, fully working treadmill into the trunk of Jason's student's car. Even though he protested the whole time; even though it didn't even really fit.

And my crock pot. Apparently, the thought of even trying to figure out where to put the crock pot in the truck was too much for me at the time, because I thrust it at my mother-in-law and begged her to take it, to give it a good home.

And now, here I am, 16 weeks pregnant, and still at the point where even the thought of prepping and cooking a meal takes the wind out of me. How nice it would be to have that crock pot back, to throw a few ingredients into it, turn the dial, and crawl back to the couch for six or seven hours while an actual meal cooks itself.

Well, mother-in-law to the rescue! She's wonderful, took pity on the fact that I was stranded out in California pregnant and crock pot-less, and sent me the means to acquire a very nice slow cooker.

Which I've put to very good use. My meal conditions are minimal ingredients and prep-time, but it still has to be tasty enough to please me and the little one growing inside me. This soup definitely passed the test, and had a little more kick to it than I thought it would, which I liked. I serve it over rice to make the meal a bit heartier, and to make the stew last a little longer through the week. And hey, it pairs really well with a nice homemade baguette, fresh out of the oven. I'm just sayin'.

Southwest Chicken Soup

from Betty Crocker Slow Cooker Meals

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (2-cups)

1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)

2 (14-1/2 oz) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained

1 (14 oz) can chicken broth

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 cup frozen whole kernel corn

1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

fresh cilantro (optional)

1) Mix chicken, sweet potatoes, onion, tomatoes, broth, oregano and cumin in a 3-1/2 to 4-quart slow cooker.

2) Cover and cook on low heat setting 7 to 8 hours.

3) Stir in corn and bell pepper. Cover and cook on high heat setting about 30 minutes, or until chicken is fully cooked and vegetables are tender.

4) Garnish with fresh cilantro, if desired.

Homemade Baguettes

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa's Cocina) — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 21:39:00 +0000

I've got some explaining to do, haven't I? As in, where the heck have you been, Lisa?! I know, I know. Last I left you, I had just returned from a whirlwind European adventure, with promises of recipes and photos and stories to come your way, isn't that right? And what did you get? Three months of silence. Oh dear.

This seems to be my mode of operation, doesn't it? I promise you things, such as, wasn't I supposed to razzle-dazzle you with a million pie crust recipes? Have I yet talked about what I baked for Christmas gifts (the ones I baked in January!)? No. And yet, you're still here! And for this, I owe you grand things, but, I've learned my lesson, and I am making no promises, just a hope and a really strong "I'll try".

Because here's the thing. We were really proud of how light we packed for our trip to Paris, but something smuggled itself over there with us, without our knowing it: a little baby! In my belly that is. As in (I'll get to the point sometime!): I'M PREGNANT!

And just now going into the second trimester. And, boy oh boy, was that first trimester a doozy. In talking with other women and new moms, I somehow feel like one of the last out there who experienced morning sickness non-stop for months. On top of that, I could not enter the kitchen, or try to prepare any food, without feeling nauseous. Not too convenient for a food blogger, but what could I do? Well, I slept a lot, ate what my kind husband cooked for me, day-dreamed about my future child, and wondered how many of you out there had given up on me.

My energy and appetite are coming back slowly. I've heard wonderful things about the second trimester, and hope they all hold true. If they do, I believe that the kitchen will once again become my good friend. And I can hopefully be a little more consistent with my posts. No promises, though!

Homemade Baguettes

from The Bread Machine Book by Marjie Lambert

That's right, this is a recipe for the bread maker! I love to knead bread, but sometimes it's nice to let a machine do all the work. For this recipe, you are only kneading and rising the dough in the bread maker, but you still get to shape and bake it in your oven (hello fresh-baked bread smells!).

Ingredients:

1 cup water

1-1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups bread flour

1 tbsp yeast (I use active dry yeast I buy in bulk, or sometimes Fleischmann's rapid rise bread machine yeast)

Put ingredients in bread pan in order suggested by your breach machine instructions (it's usually liquids, then salts, then flour, then yeast last).

Set machine to "Dough" setting. (In this setting my machine kneads the dough, and then gives it it's first rising. The total setting time takes 1-1/2 hours).

When finished, take dough out of bread pan. Sometimes I cut the dough into two pieces, sometimes I just make one big baguette.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into the size/shape you desire. To create surface tension, I'll bring one side over (lengthwise) and tuck it under the other side a few times.

Place on a baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal (I also line my sheet with parchment paper), cut a few diagonal slashes in the top of the loaf with a sharp knife, cover loosely, and let rise about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and back for about 20 - 25 minutes, until crust is golden brown.

*For a crustier bread, I will lightly spray water into the heated oven when baking begins, and one or two more times during baking.

Chocolate Chip & Pretzel Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa's Cocina) — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 17:42:00 +0000

Happy 2010! I can't believe that December and the holiday season are behind us, but I hope everyone enjoyed themselves, were surrounded by family and friends, and, most importantly, ate really well.

Jason and I got back from our travels through France and Spain last weekend, and I've been so exhausted that I've done nothing but sleep this past week. I have a mountain of photos to go through, and a long list of recipes that I want to try my hand at re-creating and telling you about, but as I mentioned in my last post, I'm still running on a time delay, which is why this weekend I will finally be doing my December holiday gift baking. But then, oh my, do I have some stories for you. So I hope you bear with me in the interim.

I chose to post this recipe not because I think the world needs a new chocolate chip cookie recipe (which it doesn't, and which this isn't; it's off the back of a Trader's Joe's bag, I just added pretzels), but because I had a craving for these back in December and for one full weekend did nothing but bake variations of the classic chocolate chip cookie. I found out a few things: 1) You really can't mess up the chocolate chip cookie. Underbaked. Overbaked. Baked just right. They all taste wonderful. 2) As is common knowledge, sweet and salty go very well together. 3) Everyone that I baked these cookies for really enjoyed them. I mean, really really enjoyed them. Because chocolate chip cookies are just one of those comfort foods that make you happy deep deep down, where we're all made up of chocolate and sugar and flour.

Chocolate Chip & Pretzel Cookies

Adapted from the back of a bag of Trader Joe's Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour *

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 cup softened butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 12-oz bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup chopped pretzels

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2) Combine flour, salt, and baking soda in a bowl and set aside. Combine brown sugar, granulated sugar, softened butter, and vanilla - beat until creamy. Add eggs and beat. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips and chopped pretzels.

3) **Drop mixture by rounded spoonfuls onto non-greased cookie sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until you feel they're done.

Notes:

*Cookie spread (how much your cookie does/doesn't spread when baking) is an often discussed cookie topic. It's affected by a few factors, one of which is the type of flour used. A high protein flour (i.e. bread flour) absorbs more liquid, thus less cookie spread. A lower protein flour (i.e. most all-purpose flours) absorb less liquid resulting in a wetter batter and more cookie spread. I experimented with my cookie batches and discovered that I liked to use 1 cup bread flour + 1-1/4 cup all-purpose for a fuller cookie.

**Chilling chocolate chip cookie dough for 24 to 36 hours prior to baking allows the dough to rest and the flavors to meld. If you have the patience to wait, you may want to try experimenting with this. Also, keep unused cookie dough in the refrigerator in between baking batches.

Meyer Lemon Squares

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa's Cocina) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 01:58:00 +0000

My Christmas baking has been very scattered. And by scattered, what I mean is, I haven't done any. At all! Time got away from me, and all those weekends I meant to reserve for baking homemade gifts...well, I baked for book club. Or I cooked a multi-course dinner for friends who, because they are wonderful, loaded our belongings into a truck and moved them to our new apartment while Jason and I were at work. Or I finished reading book 7 of the Harry Potter series (and cried on the Metro while doing so, but that's another story...). In other words, I've done no holiday baking.

When I got around to looking at the calendar, I realized I would have no time to get my gifts made and packaged prior to leaving for vacation -- Oh. Did I mention we're going away for the holidays? Just to some little place called Paris! -- so my gifts, and the corresponding posts, will come in January, accompanied by Happy-New-Year-Sorry-This-Is-Late cards. But really, who expects Christmas gifts in January? It will be a very unexpected, pleasant surprise. Like the year my mom forgot she hid some of my presents in her bedroom closet, and didn't find them until well after Christmas.

Meyer Lemon Squares

from Luscious Lemon Desserts, by Lori Longbotham

I used meyer lemons for this recipe only because my friends showed up at my doorstep with a bag of them, but you can use any lemons you wish, and these will still turn out heavenly.

1 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1-3/4 cups confectioners' sugar + additional for dusting

2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest

pinch of salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

3 large eggs

1/4 cup + 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan.

2) Whisk together 1 cup of the flour, 1/4 cup of the confectioners' sugar, the zest, and salt in a medium bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives used scissors-fashion, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Knead the dough in the bowl until it begins to come together.

3) Transfer the dough to the baking pan and press it evenly into the bottom. Bake for 25 minutes, or until light golden brown. Let cool on a wire rack while making the filling.

4) Whisk together the remaining 1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour, and the baking powder in a small bowl.

5) Beat the eggs with an electric mixer on high speed in a medium bowl for about 2 minutes, or until tripled in volume. Reduce the speed to low, add the sugar mixture, and beat just until blended, scraping down the side of the bowl. Add the lemon juice and beat just until blended.

6) Pour the lemon mixture over the warm crust and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the filling is just set in the center. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack.

7) Just before serving, lightly sift confectioners' sugar over the cookies and cut into squares. Store in an airtight container. Makes approximately 16 squares.

Cranberry Ginger Upside Down Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa's Cocina) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 02:42:00 +0000

I have a few holiday traditions that I look forward to. Such as writing holiday cards. Not just signing my name to them, but writing messages to the recipient and personalizing the card. Then there's the tree decorating. I've been collecting ornaments since I was a child and every year I enjoy unwrapping each ornament and remembering the special memory connected with it. There's also all the baking. So much baking. But it's fun, knowing I'll be able to give out homemade treats to friends and family, and maybe even eat a few myself.

And then there are the cranberries. I buy them in bulk and hoard them in my freezer to use throughout the year. Did you know they freeze well, and can be kept frozen for about a year? And that when you use them, you don't even need to thaw them, you just measure out what you need and use them frozen. When you love cranberries as much as I do (this is the girl who made her mom ship canned cranberry sauce to her in Mexico, if that gives you any kind of idea...) stocking up on cranberries now means hello homemade cranberry sauce in July! And now, it also means cranberry ginger upside down cake whenever I want it, which will be often.

I made this the other night to take to book club, because we just finished reading a murder mystery - and I won't tell you which murder mystery it was because I'm going to spoil it and tell you that the person was killed with a meat bullet! A hunk of meat, shaped like a bullet, shot out of a gun. Amazing. I can think of no better accompaniment to mayhem - or holiday gatherings - OR Mexican siestas! - than cranberries.

Hurry and go buy them - before I do!

Cranberry Ginger Upside Down Cake

from Cooking Light

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

2 tablespoons butter

1-1/2 tablespoons grated, peeled fresh ginger

3 cups fresh (or frozen) cranberries

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large egg yolks

1/2 cup fat-free milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large egg whites

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2) Heat a 9-inch round cake pan over medium heat; coat pan with cooking spray. Add brown sugar and 2 tablespoons butter to pan, stirring until melted. Stir in ginger; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; arrange cranberries on top of brown sugar mixture.

3) Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt and whisk together. In a separate bowl, combine 1/4 cup butter and granulated sugar; beat with a mixer at high speed until fluffy. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture and milk alternately to butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.

4) Beat egg whites and cream of tartar with a mixer at medium speed until stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites into batter; pour batter over cranberries in prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean.

5) Cool in pan for 15 minutes; run a knife around the outside edge, place plate or serving platter upside down on top of cake pan; invert cake onto plate.

6) Eat while guarding your stash of frozen cranberries.