rugelach

The first time I tried rugelach was at my aunt's wedding; my sisters and I were bridesmaids, and, in our waiting room, there were plates of the tasty little cookies. They were flaky and sweet, as are the ones made from the recipe below.

Rugelach
Adapted from Gourmet, May 2004

2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 sticks butter, softened
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. plus 4 teaspoons sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 c. apricot preserves
1 c. walnuts, finely chopped
Milk for brushing cookies

Whisk together flour and salt in a bowl. Beat together butter and cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer until combined well. Add flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until a soft dough forms. Gather dough into a ball and warp in plastic wrap, then flatten into a roughly 7 x 5 inch rectangle. Chill until firm, 8 to 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line shallow baking pan with parchment paper.

Cut dough into 4 pieces. Chill 3 pieces, wrapped in plastic wrap, and roll out remaining pieces into a 12 by 8 inch rectangle on a well-floured surface with a floured rolling pin. Transfer dough to a sheet of parchment, then transfer to a try and chill while rolling out remaining dough in same manner, transferring each to another sheet of parchment and stacking on tray.

Whisk 1/2 c. sugar with cinnamon.

Arrange 1 dough rectangle on work surface with a long side nearest you. Spread 1/4 c. preserves evenly over dough with offset spatula. Sprinkle 1/4 c. walnuts or chocolate chips over jam, then sprinkle with 2 tbs. cinnamon sugar.

Using parchment as an aid, roll up dough tightly into a log. Place, seam side down, in lined baking pan, then pinch ends closed and tuck underneath. Use 3 more logs in the same manner and arrange 1 inch apart in pan. Brush logs with milk and sprinkle each with 1 tsp. of remaining granulated sugar. With a sharp large knife, cut at 1-inch intervals.

Bake until golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool to warm in pan on a rack, about 30 minutes.

lefkos pirgos cafe

Today, we visited my aunt in Astoria, Queens. While we were there, we went to our favorite Greek bakery, Lefkos Pirgos. Everything there looks amazing, but we always buy the same two things: spanakopita and baklava. If you are ever in the area, you must try them!
I'm convinced that this spanakopita will turn even the most vegetable-adverse into spinach-lovers! It's that good.

The baklava has been a favorite of mine since I was a little kid. Between layers of flaky pastry are cinnamon-spiced walnuts and gooey, sweet honey.

perfect chocolate-dipped things!

I have always struggled with dipping cookies and things in chocolate. The chocolate either melts, or is too goopy and thick, or is too thin. A coworker of my mom's passed along a great recipe, and it worked great!

Dipping Chocolate

8 oz. bittersweet chocolate
1/2 c. heavy cream

Combine chocolate and cream over double boiler, and stir until melted. Dip things in chocolate, and place on parchment paper-lined baking sheets to set.

best m&m cookies ever!

These m&m cookies totally beat the ones from my cookie duel. I made them a lot smaller (using a tablespoon scoop) and took them out of the oven when they were just cooked through. They were thick, soft, and chewy for days after baking.

the best m&m cookies ever

2 c. shortening
1 3/4 c. granulated sugar
2 1/4 c. brown sugar
1 tbs. vanilla extract
4 large eggs
2 3/4 c. all purpose flour
4 tbs. cornstarch
3 c. bread flour
1 tbs. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
12 oz. m&ms

In a large bowl, combine flours, cornstarch, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat shortening with sugars until light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add vanilla and eggs, and mix until well combined. On low speed, mix in flour mixture. Mix in 8 oz. m&ms, using a wooden spoon. Scoop onto cookie sheets, using a small scoop (one tablespoon of dough per cookie). Chill in refrigerator until cold, at least 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place chilled cookie dough on parchment paper-lined baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake for 6 minutes, until puffed. Remove from oven, and place 3 m&ms on top of each cookie. Return to oven for 2 to 3 minutes more, until just cooked through. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

m&m cookie faceoff

I am on the hunt for a good recipe for M&M cookies, so I decided to try out two versions tonight. The main difference between the two recipes is the type of fat used: in the first recipe, shortening is used solely, and, in the second recipe, a combination of shortening and butter is used. The first cookie tasted like Chips Deluxe M&M cookies, slightly dry and crumbly, but not unpleasantly so. What I especially liked about the first cookie was their height; they did not spread as much as a butter-based cookie. The second cookie had a crisp exterior and a moister interior. They also had a slightly richer flavor, due to the butter and the increased amount of vanilla.


M&M Cookies #1

1 c. shortening
1 c. packed light brown sugar
1/2 c. sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/4 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 c. plain M&Ms

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine flour, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. Set aside.

Cream together shortening and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat until combined. Add flour mixture and beat just until combined. Stir in M&Ms.

Drop by tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from oven, and place a few M&Ms on top of each cookie. Return to oven for 2 to 3 minutes, until light golden. Let cool on wire racks.



M&M Cookies #2

1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar
2/3 c. butter, softened
2/3 c. shortening
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
3 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
12 oz. M&Ms

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.

Cream butter, shortening, and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla, and beat until well combined. Mix in flour mixture until just combined. Fold in M&Ms.

Drop by tablespoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 6 minutes, then remove from oven. Place a few M&Ms on top of each cookie, and return to oven for 2 to 3 more minutes. Let cool on wire racks.

bratwurst panini

Tonight, I made panini, based on a recipe from Epicurious (Grilled Sausage Sandwiches with Caramelized Onions and Gruyere Cheese). I altered the recipe slightly, using bratwurst instead of sausage and sharp cheddar rather than gruyere. I started the onions first, since they need about 25 minutes to caramelize. In another pan, I browned the bratwurst whole, then removed them from the heat, sliced them diagonally, and added them to the sweet onions. Once cooked through, I began to assemble the sandwiches: I spread spicy brown mustard on one piece of bread, placed a layer of cheese slices on the other, piled on the bratwurst and onions, and grilled the sandwich in my panini press until golden and crisp on the outside.

Bratwurst, Caramelized Onion, and White Cheddar Panini

2 tbs. canola oil
1 large onion, sliced thinly
1 tsp. kosher salt
3 tbs. sugar
1 tbs. balsamic vinegar
5 to 6 bratwurst links
4 oz. sharp white cheddar
6 slices bread
3 tbs. spicy brown mustard

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onions, and toss. Salt onions, and let sweat until softened and translucent. Add sugar and balsamic vinegar, and increase heat to medium. Cook onions for 20 minutes longer, until deep golden and caramelized. Season with salt and pepper.

In another skillet, brown bratwurst. Remove from heat, and slice diagonally. Add bratwurst to onions and finish cooking.

Spread mustard on 3 slices of bread. Divide cheese among remaining bread. Place bratwurst and onions between bread, and grill in panini press until bread is toasted.

poffertjes

Our poffertjes pan came in the mail today! Poffertjes are tiny Dutch pancakes, served with powdered sugar. We enjoyed them so much while we were in Holland that we wanted to try making them at home!

Poffertjes

1 1/2 c. flour
2/3 c. confectioners sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. milk
2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast
2 tbs. butter
Confectioners sugar, for serving

Combine flour, sugar, and salt in medium bowl.

Warm milk over low heat. Combine 2 tbs. warmed milk with yeast; let stand 5 minutes, until foamy.

Add yeast mixture and rest of warmed milk to flour mixture, stirring until combined. Cover with plastic wrap, and place in a warm area for 1 hour.

Heat poffertjes pan over medium-high heat. Grease with butter. Fill wells with batter, and cook until bottom is golden. Flip poffertjes with spoon, and cook other side until golden. Transfer to a plate. Sift confectioners sugar over warm poffertjes. Serve immediately.

sausage pizza

Here's the huge pizza with sausage that I made today. As always, my little dog was delighted with the pizza crust.

quiche lorraine

Quiche Lorraine is delicious for breakfast but substantial enough for dinner, as well. If you don’t like the bacon-onion-swiss filling, feel free to substitute ingredients. My mom and I like to experiment with different flavor combinations, depending on what we have in the refrigerator.

Quiche Lorraine

1 pie crust
1/2 lb. bacon
1/2 medium onion, diced
3 eggs
1 1/2 c. whole milk
8 oz. Swiss cheese, chopped
1 tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook bacon until crisp, drain on paper towels, and crumble. Remove all but 1 tbs. bacon fat from pan. Saute onions until tender.

In a large bowl, lightly beat eggs and milk. Stir in cheese, bacon, and onion. Season with salt and pepper. Pour into pie crust.

Bake 45 to 50 minutes, until set and lightly golden.

brooklyn flea

Today, my family and I went to the Brooklyn Flea Market. Local vendors were selling a variety of products: vintage clothing, jewelry, scarves, vinyl records, and lots of food. We reluctantly passed on the thin-crust pizza from Pizza Motto and the lobster bisque and rolls, and, instead, we went with papusas and AsiaDog.

We ordered two papusas: one cheese and one pork-cheese-jalapeno.

AsiaDog specializes in hot dogs with Asian toppings, but, having run out of hot dogs, they gave us a topping-filled sandwich instead; the Chinese BBQ pork belly was tasty, but it would have been much better on a hot dog, as intended.

On our way out, we picked up muffins from a bakery in Fort Greene. The Morning Muffin was light and sweet and tasted like carrot cake!

brussels sprouts

We found fresh brussels sprouts, still on their stalk, at Trader Joe's!

pasta with broccoli and garlic

After hearing that my sister was having a rough day at work, I decided to make one of her favorite dishes for dinner: pasta with broccoli, olive oil, and garlic. It’s so simple to make that it doesn’t really require a formal recipe. Cook one pound of pasta (we prefer linguine or spaghetti) in boiling salted water, adding broccoli florets to the water for the last minute or two. Drain and save about one half cup of pasta water. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat, and add five to six cloves of minced garlic, sauteing until light golden. Add pasta, broccoli, and pasta water, toss, and season to taste with salt and crushed red pepper.

h&h bagels

While moving my older sister into her new apartment in the city, my family and I worked up an appetite. We picked up some bagels from H&H for a quick lunch.

snickerdoodles

My mom tried these snickerdoodles at work the other day, and she was amazed at how chewy they were. She picked up the recipe, and I decided to give it a try. My cookies managed to achieve the same chewiness, but they spread too much in the oven. My guess is that the temperature of the butter was not right; I started with frozen butter, grated it, and beat it for a long time, in an effort to get the butter to room temperature. Next time, I will be sure to take the butter out of the fridge ahead of time, and, hopefully, the cookies will turn out better.

Snickerdoodles

For cookies:
3 1/2 c. flour
1 tbs. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. butter
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon corn syrup
2 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

For topping:
3 tbs. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. With an electric mixer, cream butter with sugar. Add eggs, corn syrup, and vanilla; mix thoroughly. Add the dry ingredients, and mix just until blended. Chill dough 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roll tablespoonfuls of dough in cinnamon sugar mixture to coat. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until puffed and slightly cracked.

pasta with shrimp

Tonight, we had penne with shrimp. I made a basic tomato sauce, which started with some sauteed onions and garlic. Then I added a splash of red wine to the pan, followed by crushed tomatoes. I let the sauce simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, and seasoned it with salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, and dried basil and oregano. Meanwhile, I cooked penne in salted boiling water. Ten minutes before serving, I added the shrimp to the sauce to cook. Finally, I tossed the pasta with the sauce and served it with crusty bread.

banana bread

This banana bread is the best I've ever made. The recipe comes from the famous Boston bakery, Flour.

Banana Bread
From Gourmet, August 2003

3 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
4 large eggs, at room temperature for 30 minutes
2 1/3 c. sugar
1 c. vegetable oil
3 c. coarsely mashed very ripe bananas, about 6 large
1/4 c. creme fraiche (or substitute whole milk or greek yogurt)
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/3 c. walnuts, toasted and chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 9x5 inch metal loaf pans, then dust with flour, knocking out excess.

Sift together 3 1/4 c. flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt into a bowl.

Beat together eggs and sugar in bowl of electric mixer at medium-high speed until very thick and pale and mixture forms a ribbon when beater is lifted, about 10 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add oil in a slow stream, mixing, then mix in bananas, creme fraiche, and vanilla. Remove bowl from mixer and fold in flour mixture and walnuts gently but thoroughly.

Divide batter between loaf pans, spreading evenly, and bake in middle of oven until golden brown and a wooden pick or skewer comes out clean, 1 to 1 1/4 hours.

Cool loaves in pans on a rack 10 minutes, then turn out onto rack. Turn loaves right side up and cool completely.

cannoli

My mom came home with cannoli shells from an Italian supermarket. My family loves cannoli, but we have never tried making them at home before. With the shells already made, it was a super easy dessert to make.

Cannoli Filling

15 oz. fresh ricotta cheese
1/2 c. confectioners sugar
3/4 tsp. vanilla extract

Place ricotta in a cheesecloth, and let drain for 2 hours.

Using an electric mixer, combine drained ricotta with sugar and vanilla. Beat until well combined. Place in a piping bag, and fill shells.

Note: To make these cannoli more special, dip ends of shells in chocolate before filling.

apple walnut cinnamon bread

There is a nearby farmer's market that sells a sweet bread made with apples, walnuts, and cinnamon. Here, I tried to replicate it. I decided to use a recipe for cinnamon rolls for the bread base and made a swirl using apples, cinnamon-sugar, and chopped walnuts. It is best eaten warm out of the oven.

Apple Walnut Cinnamon Bread

For bread:
Adapted from Cinnamon Rolls with Pecans, Bon Appetit, October 1999

1 1/2 c. warm whole milk, 105 to 110 degrees
3/4 c. sugar
2 envelopes active dry yeast
4 tbs. butter, room temperature
1 tsp. salt
4 c. all-purpose flour

For filling:

1 stick butter, room temperature
2 apples, peeled, cored, diced
1 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 c. light brown sugar
1/3 c. walnuts, chopped
1 egg, beaten

Combine 1 1/2 c. warm milk and 3/4 c. sugar in large bowl. Sprinkle yeast over and let stand until foamy, about 6 minutes. Mix in butter and salt. Add enough flour, 1 cup at a time, to form soft dough. Turn dough onto floured work surface. Knead dough until smooth and elastic, adding more flour if sticky, about 10 minutes.

Lightly butter another large bowl. Place dough in bowl; turn to coat with butter. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, then cover with kitchen towel. Let dough rise in warm, draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 1 hour. Beat butter, cinnamon, and brown sugar in medium bowl to blend.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Turn dough onto floured work surface. Divide dough in half Roll out gently to 9 x 10 inch rectangle. Spread half butter-cinnamon-sugar mixture onto dough. Sprinkle half of apples and walnuts on bread. Roll to form loaf. Press seams closed. Place in buttered 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. Repeat with remaining dough. Brush with egg wash.

Bake until golden and cooked through, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

mozzarepas

One of my mom's favorite things about New York street fairs are the mozzarepas that they often sell. Mozzarepas are corn cakes that are filled with mozzarella cheese. They are served warm, so that the cheese oozes out of the slightly sweet corn pancakes.

I combined a couple of recipes to make my mozzarepas. I made a thick, cornmeal-based batter, and panfried them in butter. Then, I sandwiched the arepas with grated mozzarella cheese, placed them back in the pan, and cooked them until the cheese melted.

Mozzarepas

1 1/2 c. yellow cornmeal
3/4 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 c. sugar
1 c. whole milk
1/2 stick butter, plus more for panfrying
1 c. grated mozzarella

Combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Heat milk and butter in a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, and simmer until butter is melted. Remove from heat and add to dry ingredients. Let stand until batter thickens, 3 to 4 minutes.

Heat butter in a pan over medium-high heat. Drop 1/4 c. batter in pan, and fry until golden. Drain on paper towels, and repeat with remaining batter. Place 1/4 c. mozzarella cheese between two arepas, and return to pan to heat through, so that the cheese melts.

cream puffs and profiteroles

I made cream puffs and profiteroles today. The puffs themselves were light, airy, and perfectly complemented by the rich pastry cream. The profiteroles were filled with ice cream and enjoyed by my dad.

Cream Puffs
From Epicurious, October 2004

1 c. water
5 1/3 tbs. unsalted butter
1 tbs. plus 1 tsp. sugar
1/8 tsp. kosher salt
1 c. all-purpose flour
4 to 5 eggs

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Combine water, butter, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, add the flour all at once, and stir rapidly with a stiff heatproof or wooden spoon until the dough pulls away from the sides of the pan and the bottom of the pan is clean, with no dough sticking to it. The dough should be glossy and smooth but still damp. Continue to stir for about 5 minutes, adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent the dough from coloring. A thin coating will form on the bottom and sides of the pan. When enough moisture has evaporated, steam will rise from the dough and there will be a nutty aroma of cooked flour.

Immediately transfer the dough to the mixer cowl and mix for a few seconds to release some of the heat from the dough. WIth the mixer on medium speed, add 4 eggs, one at a time, beating until each egg is completely incorporated before adding the next one; scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Turn off the machine. Lift some of the dough on a rubber spatula to let it run off: It should fall off the spatula very slowly; if it doesn't move at all or is very dry and falls off in one clump, beat in the additional egg.

Place the dough in a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip. Pipe discs about 1 1/2 inches across and just under 1/2 inch thick on Silpat-lined baking sheets, leaving about 1 1/2 inches between them. Bake the puffs for 10 minutes, turn the sheet around, turn the oven down to 350 degrees, and bake 15 minutes more. Remove one puff and break it open: It should be hollow inside and not gooey or eggy; if it is still moist, return it to the oven and check it in 5 minutes. Pierce a hole in the bottom of the cream puff to let the steam escape. Cool the puffs completely on the baking sheet.

Pastry Cream
From Epicurious, December 2008

2 1/4 c. whole milk
6 large egg yolks
2/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. cornstarch
1 tsp. vanilla

In medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 c. milk, egg yolks, 1/3 c. sugar, and cornstarch.

Transfer remaining 1 3/4 c. milk to heavy medium saucepan. Add vanilla, and sprinkle remaining 1/3 sugar over, letting the sugar sink undisturbed to bottom. Set pan over moderate heat and bring to simmer without stirring.

Whisk hot milk mixture, then gradually whisk into egg yolk mixture. Return to saucepan over moderate heat and cook, whisking constantly, until pastry cream simmers and thickens, about 1 minute. Remove from heat, and whisk cream until smooth. Transfer to bowl and press plastic wrap directly onto surface. Chill until cold, about 4 hours.

linzer cookies

Linzer cookies are my dad's favorite, so I usually make them at least once a year. Usually, the cookie dough contains nuts, but they tend to make the cookie a little tough. This time, I used my favorite butter cookie recipe instead. It turned out to be a great alternative.

Linzer Cookies

2 sticks butter, room temperature
2 c. flour
1/2 c. confectioners' sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
Seedless raspberry jam
Confectioners sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine butter, flour, sugar, and vanilla until it comes together. Wrap in plastic, and shape into a disk. Refrigerate 2 hours.

Roll out dough, and use a fluted 2 1/2-inch cookie cutter to shape cookies. Use a smaller cutter to remove centers of half of the cookies. Place cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, or until edges are slightly browned.

When cool, separate the whole cookies from the cut-out cookies. Dust center-less cookies with confectioners' sugar. Spread the bottom of one whole cookie with seedless raspberry jam. Place sugar-dusted cookie on top to make a sandwich.

apple almond tartlets

Yesterday, I went apple picking, and I came home with lots of apples! I used them to make apple almond tartlets.

Apple Almond Tartlets

For cookie crust:
From Chocolate and Mixed Nut Tart in Cookie Crust, Bon Appetit, February 2002
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. sugar
1 stick plus 1 tbs. chilled butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tbs. chilled whipping cream
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine flour and sugar in processor. Add butter and cut in, using on/off turns, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 2 tbs. cream and vanilla extract. Pulse until moist clumps form, adding more cream by tablespoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough together. Press dough over bottom of six 5-inch tartlet pans. Pierce dough all over with a fork.

For filling:
1 1/4 c. blanched slivered almonds
1 c. sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1/4 tsp. salt
6 tbs. unsalted butter, room temperature
3 apples, peeled, cored, cut into thin slices
Apricot jelly

Combine almonds, 3/4 c. sugar, eggs, extracts, and salt in processor. Blend until soft paste forms. Add 4 tbs. butter, blend 10 seconds. Spread in crust. Chill until firm, about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, stir apples and remaining sugar in large bowl.

Overlap apples in concentric circles atop filling. Melt 2 tbs. butter; brush over apples. Sprinkle with sugar.

Bake tarts 25 to 30 minutes, until apples are tender. Transfer to a rack. Stir preserves over low heat until melted. Strain into small bowl; brush over apples. Cool.

Tartlets are best eaten the day after they are made.

apple turnovers

These apple turnovers are super easy to make.

Apple Turnovers

2 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
4 apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 c. granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 egg

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine apples, cinnamon, sugar, and lemon juice in a bowl.

Roll out puff pastry on lightly floured surface. Cut into 4 1/2" squares. Place heaping tablespoon apple filling in the middle of each pastry square. Place egg wash on two adjacent edges. Fold over to form triangles, and press firmly to close. Brush each turnover with egg wash. Sprinkle with sugar.

Bake until golden and puffed, about 20 minutes.

sal, kris, and charlie's

Sal, Kris, and Charlie's is a great deli in Astoria, famous for its Bomb sandwich. It has EVERYTHING on it, so it's huge. Depending on the day, it ranges from seriously spicy to mouth-burning. Whatever the heat index, it is delicious.

lemon meringue tartlets

I've never made nor tried lemon meringue pie, so I'm not sure how these tartlets compare to others, but I really enjoyed these.

Lemon Meringue Tartlets

For cookie crust:
From Chocolate and Mixed Nut Tart in Cookie Crust, Bon Appetit, February 2002
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. sugar
1 stick plus 1 tbs. chilled butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tbs. chilled whipping cream
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine flour and sugar in processor. Add butter and cut in, using on/off turns, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 2 tbs. cream and vanilla extract. Pulse until moist clumps form, adding more cream by tablespoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough together. Press dough over bottom of six 5-inch tartlet pans. Pierce dough all over with a fork.

Place tartlet pans on baking sheet. Bake until light golden, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and use 1-cup measuring cup to press down crust, if puffed. Let cool completely. Leave oven on.

For lemon filling:
From Lemon Meringue Pie, Gourmet, January 2008
5 large egg yolks
1 1/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 c. water
1/4 c. whole milk
1 tbs. grated lemon zest
1/2 c. lemon juice
2 tbs. butter, cut into tablespoons

Whisk together yolks in a small bowl.

Whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a heavy medium saucepan. Gradually add water and milk, whisking until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking frequently as mixture begins to thicken. Remove from heat and gradually whisk about 1 c. milk mixture into yolks, then whisk yolk mixture into remaining milk mixture. Add lemon zest and juice and simmer, whisking constantly, 3 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in butter until incorporated.

For meringue:
5 large egg whites, at room temperature 30 minutes
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1/8 tsp. salt
3/4 granulated sugar

Beat whites with cream of tartar and salt using an electric mixer at medium speed until they hold soft peaks. Increase speed to high and add superfine sugar, 1 tbs. at a time, beating until meringue just holds stiff, glossy peaks.

Pour lemon filling into tartlet shells and gently shake to smooth top. Spread meringue decorately over lemon filling, covering filling completely. Immediately bake until meringue is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Cool completely on a rack, 2 to 3 hours.

For meringue:

spaghetti and meatballs

The meatballs from the recipe below make for great spaghetti and meatballs. They are really flavorful.

Meatballs with Parsley and Parmesan
From Bon Appetit, June 1996

4 eggs
1/2 c. breadcrumbs
6 tbs. grated Parmesan cheese
3 tbs. olive oil
1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
2 lbs. lean ground beef
Additional olive oil, for frying

Stir eggs, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, 3 tbs. olive oil, parsley, garlic, 2 tsp. salt, and pepper in large bowl to blend. Add ground beef and mix thoroughly. Form mixture into 1 1/2 inch diameter meatballs.

Pour enough oil into heavy large skillet to coat bottom; heat over medium-low heat. Working in batches, add meatballs and fry until brown and cooked through, turning frequently and adding more oil as needed, about 15 minutes per batch. Transfer to plate.

pasta with chicken sausage and broccoli

We bought some sun-dried tomato and basil chicken sausage at Trader Joe's today, so we could try this healthy alternative to its pork counterpart. We have tried turkey sausage in the past and didn't care for it, so we weren't especially hopeful. However, we were pleasantly surprised; it was very flavorful and its texture was almost identical to that of regular sausage.

Pasta with Chicken Sausage and Broccoli

1 lb. mezze rigatoni
1/3 c. olive oil
1 1/2 lbs. chicken sausage, preferably Trader Joe's Sun-Dried Tomato and Basil Chicken Sausage
5 cloves garlic, minced
Florets from 3 broccoli crowns
1/2 c. grated Pecorino Romano

Remove casings from chicken sausage. Heat 2 tbs. olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat, and cook sausage until browned. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in salted boiling water, and steam broccoli.

Cook garlic in pan, until light golden. Add broccoli, and saute for 1 to 2 minutes. Add remaining olive oil, chicken sausage and cooked pasta, along with some pasta water. Toss with cheese, and season with crushed red pepper and salt.

peach crisp

Did I mention that my dad has a major sweet tooth? Tonight, he wanted peach crisp. I cut 4 peaches in wedges and arranged them in a single layer in an 8-inch square baking pan. Then, I covered it with a brown sugar walnut topping. (Combine 1 stick butter, 1 to 1 1/2 c. flour, 3/4 c. brown sugar, 1/4 c. chopped walnuts, 1 tsp. cinnamon, and 1/4 tsp. salt; mix until moist crumbs form.) It baked in a 350 degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes. It's best served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

homemade tkos

As promised, I baked some homemade TKOs again, this time with a vanilla buttercream filling. They were infinitely better than the cookies from my first trial, which were filled with white chocolate ganache. Next time, the only thing I'd change would be the thickness of the cookie; these ended up being a little too thin for my liking. They still tasted pretty good though!

double chocolate layer cake

For my dad's birthday cake, I made Gourmet's Double Chocolate Layer Cake. The cake was super fudgy but not too heavy. I made a chocolate buttercream to frost it.

Note: The recipe calls for two 10-inch round cake pans, but, since I don't own any, I used three 9-inch round cake pans.

Double Chocolate Layer Cake
From Gourmet, March 1999

3 oz. fine-quality semisweet chocolate
1 1/2 c. hot brewed coffee
3 c. sugar
2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/4 tsp. salt
3 eggs
3/4 c. vegetable oil
1 1/2 c. well-shaken buttermilk
3/4 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Grease two 10-inch or three 9-inch pans and line bottoms with rounds of wax paper and grease paper.

Finely chop chocolate and in a bowl, combine with hot coffee. Let mixture stand, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.

Into a large bowl, sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another large bowl with an electric mixer, beat eggs until thickened slightly and lemon colored (about 3 minutes with a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a hand-held mixer). Slowly add oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted chocolate mixture to eggs, beating until combined well. Add sugar mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined well. Divide batter between pans and bake in middle of oven until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes. (It will take between 40 and 50 minutes in 9-inch pans.)

Cool layers completely in pans on racks. Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert layers onto racks. Carefully remove wax paper and cool layers completely. Cake layers may be made 1 day ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature.

bouchon bakery

My parents and my older sister went into the city today to go apartment shopping, and they came home with cookies from Bouchon Bakery. We had been there before and sampled a TKO (Thomas Keller Oreo), a Nutter Butter, and a macaron. I was particularly fond of the TKO and the Nutter Butter, but I unfortunately did not concentrate too much on its individual components. I had trouble, then, when I attempted to make these cookies at home. I found a recipe online for the TKO, which consisted of a chocolate sable cookie and white chocolate ganache filling. After making the cookies, I tasted one, without the filling, and it was really great: tender and slightly crumbly, like the ultimate Nabisco chocolate wafer. Sadly, the white chocolate ganache completely ruined the cookie; it was cloying and practically inedible. (On the bright side, the Nutter Butter came out perfectly!)

My parents remembered my disappointment with the homemade TKO, so they brought home an original to help me produce a more accurate reproduction. Now, I know that the TKO filling is nowhere near white chocolate ganache; it is definitely a vanilla buttercream base, perhaps lightened by some whipped cream. I will certainly be making TKOs again, this time with the appropriate filling. (In the meantime, I've posted the cookie recipe below.)

Lastly, there are the two macarons. The light brown one is caramel, and the darker one is, of course, chocolate. I must start by saying that I am not crazy about macarons. Conceptually, they sounds appetizing enough: two light cookies, crisp on the outside and slightly chewy on the inside, are filled with creamy frosting. Yet, they are usually too sweet for my taste, and I find the texture to be very unusual. The only exceptions I have found were the macarons from La Maison du Chocolat; they were heavenly. Unfortunately, the Bouchon macarons hardly lived up to that standard.

Bouchon Bakery's Nutter Butter Imitators
From New York Times

For cookie dough:
2 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
4 tsp. baking soda
4 sticks butter, room temperature
2/3 c. creamy peanut butter, preferably Skippy
1 c. granulated sugar
1 c. firmly packed light brown sugar
2 egs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/3 c. coarsely chopped peanuts
2 1/2 c. quick-cooking oats

For filling:
1 stick butter, room temperature
1/2 c. creamy peanut butter, preferably Skippy
1 2/3 c. confectioners sugar

For cookie dough:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside. Using a mixer with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and peanut butter. Add sugars and beat at medium speed for 4 minutes, scraping down the bowl twice.At a low speed, add eggs and vanilla. Add flour mixture and beat at low speed until well mixed, frequently scraping down bowl. Add peanuts and oats, and mix well. Using an ice cream scoop 2 inches in diameter, place balls of dough on parchment-lined baking sheets at least three inches apart.

Bake until cookies have spread and turned very light golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool and firm up, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely before filling.

For filling:
Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter, peanut butter, and confectioners' sugar until very smooth.

To assemble cookies, spread a thin layer (about 1/8 inch) on underside of cookie. Sandwich with another cookie. Repeat.

Bouchon Bakery's TKO Imitators (cookie only)

1 1/2 c. plus 3 tbs. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. plus 1 tbs. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. salt
15 tbs. unsalted butter, cut into 3/4 inch cubes, at room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt, and mix on low speed. With the mixer running, add the butter, a piece at a time. The mixture will be dry and sandy at first, but over 2 minutes, it will form pebble-size pieces that start to cling together. Stop the mixer and transfer the dough to your board. Separate dough into 2 pieces. Roll each piece of dough between 2 pieces of plastic wrap or parchment paper to 1/8 inch thick. Using a fluted cutter, cut into rounds. Scraps can be pieced together and rolled out again. Place 1/2 inch apart on baking sheets with Silpat liners or parchment paper.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, rotating halfway though baking. Remove and cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer cookeis to a cooling rack. Cool completely.

blueberry buttermilk pancakes

I eat blueberries in my steel cut oatmeal everyday in the summer. But, when I'm in the mood for a really special breakfast, I make these blueberry buttermilk pancakes!

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes
From Bon Appetit, July 2007

1 1/3 c. all-purpose flour
3 tbs. sugar
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 c. buttermilk
2 eggs
2 tbs. butter, melted, plus more for cooking
2 c. fresh blueberries
Pure maple syrup and butter, for serving

Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk buttermilk, eggs, and 2 tbs. butter in medium bowl; stir into dry ingredients. Fold in berries.

Heat large nonstick griddle or skillet over medium heat; brush with butter. Drop batter by 1/3 cupfuls onto griddle. Cook pancakes until brown, brushing griddle with butter as needed, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to sheet in oven to keep warm. Serve pancakes with maple syrup and butter.

pizza

After we came back from Italy, my family and I thought it would be quite a while before we ate pizza again. But, somehow, I found myself making pizza five days after returning! I made a few plain cheese and a few with eggplant slices. They were especially flavorful because I brushed the dough with garlic oil (made by sauteing some minced garlic in olive oil) prior to adding the sauce, cheese, and toppings.

(To prepare the eggplant slices as a pizza topping, I precooked them. First, I brushed each slice (about 1/4-inch thick) with olive oil, seasoned them with salt and pepper, and roasted them in a 400 degree oven for roughly 10 minutes, to remove excess moisture. Then, I panfried them in olive oil until they were tender and golden.)

ristorante san trovaso

On our last night in Italy, we went to Ristorante San Trovaso for dinner. We shared three pastas and two entrees: spaghetti alla carbonara, linguine with white clam sauce, spaghetti with tomato sauce, mussels, and clams, grilled calamari, and chicken with arugula sauce.

The spaghetti alla carbonara was loaded with pancetta!

The linguine with white clam sauce was my favorite. It was light and garlicky.

The spaghetti with tomato sauce, mussels, and clams was good, but I would have preferred it with some crushed red pepper.

Unfortunately, the grilled calamari was overdone and tough.

The chicken with arugula sauce was a little too creamy for me.

antonio's

While in Siena for the day, we got salami and pecorino sandwiches from Antonio’s. The salami was much more flavorful than the kind from your local grocer in the States, and the cheese was creamy and slightly tangy. I could go for one right now!

mercato centrale

Florence’s Mercato Centrale is an iron-and-glass enclosed market, with stalls selling meat, wine, cheese, pastries, dried pastas, and more.

We bought some delicious biscotti.