latkes

i made latkes. and those aren't them. but they sure looked similar!



10 idaho potatoes, peeled and grated
1 large onion, peeled and grated
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 1/2 T flour
salt and pepper
lotsa oil and butter

chewy molasses spice cookies

from martha

2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
1/4 cup molasses

1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. In a shallow bowl, place 1/2 cup sugar; set aside.
2. With an electric mixer, beat butter and remaining cup of sugar until combined. Beat in egg and then molasses until combined. Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in dry ingredients, just until a dough forms.
3. Pinch off and roll dough into balls, each equal to 1 tablespoon. Roll balls in reserved sugar to coat.
4. Arrange balls on baking sheets, about 3 inches apart. Bake, one sheet at a time, until edges are just firm, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool 1 minute on baking sheets; transfer to racks to cool completely.



this pictures does not do the cookies justice.

holiday cookies

2 for 20 on martha's holiday cookies!

lime meltaways:
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup confectioners' sugar
Grated zest of 2 limes
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, cream butter and 1/3 cup sugar until fluffy. Add lime zest, juice, and vanilla; beat until fluffy.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, and salt. Add to butter mixture, and beat on low speed until combined.
3. Between two 8-by-12-inch pieces of parchment paper, roll dough into two 1 1/4-inch-diameter logs. Chill at least 1 hour.
4. Heat oven to 350°. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Place remaining 2/3 cup sugar in a resealable plastic bag. Remove parchment from logs; slice dough into 1/8-inch-thick rounds. Place rounds on baking sheets, spaced 1 inch apart.
5. Bake cookies until barely golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool slightly, 8 to 10 minutes. While still warm, place cookies in the sugar-filled bag; toss to coat. Bake or freeze remaining dough. Store baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

earl grey tea cookies
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 tablespoons finely ground Earl Grey tea leaves (from about 8 bags)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest

1. Whisk together flour, tea, and salt in a small bowl; set aside.
2. Put butter, sugar, and zest in the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low; slowly mix in flour mixture until just combined.
3. Divide dough in half. Transfer each half to a piece of parchment paper; shape into logs. Roll in parchment to 1 1/4 inches in diameter, pressing a ruler along edge of parchment at each turn to narrow log and force out air. Transfer in parchment to paper-towel tubes; freeze 1 hour.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut logs into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Space 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets.
5. Bake until edges turn golden, 13 to 15 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks.

greek-ish

chunky salad of:
tomatoes
cucumber
celery
crumbled feta
calamata olives
red and yellow bell peppers
pepperoncini
red onion
parsley

yogurt dressing- proportions are a little bit "whatever"
greek style yogurt
cucumber
tabasco
cumin
garlic
lemon juice





i saw martha stewart make stuffed grape leaves today! maybe after i do her "12 days of christmas cookies," i'll tackle those.

REAL thanksgiving!

an honest to goodness thanksgiving, prepared in 8 hours

waldorf salad and the table settings:


the turkey:


clockwise from left: wild rice stuffing with celery and sausage (will), pearl onions with bechamel sauce (will), mashed potatoes (liza), mushroom and bread stuffing (liza), amaretto cranberries (liza)

a roast-y thanksgiving

roast! (by will) (really nice picture, right?)



potatoes!

i did it

before:



1 large red onion, cut into slices and caramelized
12 mini pastry tart shells
grated gruyere

baked at 400 for 10-15 minutes

after:

black bean soup

my mom's black bean soup

2 cans black beans with liquid
6 cups water
1 Tb. olive oil
3 c. chopped onion
10 medium garlic cloves, chopped
2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp salt
1 medium carrot, diced
1 medium bell pepper, diced
1 1/2 c. orange juice
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 8-ounce can of tomato sauce

heat olive oil in a skillet. add onion, half the garlic, cumin, salt and carrot. saute over medium heat until the carrot is just tender. add remaining garlic and the bell pepper. saute until everything is very tender, another 10-15 minutes. add the sauteed mixture to the beans.

stir in orange juice, black pepper, cayenne, water, and tomato sauce. puree all or some of the soup in a blender or food processor, and return to soup pot. simmer over very low heat 10-15 minutes more.

*i added also about 28 oz of pureed pumpkin and a can of crushed tomatoes- this served 10 people with a little bit leftover.

i served this with whole wheat quesadillas with cilantro and onion, guacamole, and a chicken dish: chicken breasts with cumin baked with diced tomatoes and a teeny bit of tomato sauce (ends up making a light sauce).

recipe updates

the first entry now has a few links to recipes...

salade nicoise

the only other pictures of food i've taken are of baked goods.

here is jenny's and my simplest and most beautiful meal.

carrot cake

i'm on a roll!

my roommate joe and i bought 25 lbs of carrots. this didn't put a dent in them. but it DID make the most delicious carrot cake ever.

butternut squash risotto

1 small butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup water
1 small onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 large garlic clove, sliced thin
1 1/4 teaspoons minced peeled fresh gingerroot
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup Arborio or long-grain rice
1/4 cup dry white wine

halve squash lengthwise and discard seeds. peel one half and cut into 1/4-inch dice. put remaining half, cut side down, in an oiled shallow baking pan with diced squash and season with salt and pepper. bake squash in middle of 450 degree oven, stirring diced squash occasionally, until tender and browned lightly, 15 to 20 minutes. scoop out flesh and chop coarse.

in a saucepan bring broth and water to a simmer and keep at a bare simmer.

in another saucepan cook onion, garlic, and ginger in butter over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened. stir in rice and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. add wine and cook, stirring, until absorbed. stir in 1/4 cup broth and cook, stirring constantly, and keeping at a simmer throughout, until absorbed. continue simmering and adding broth, about 1/4 cup at a time, stirring constantly and letting each addition be absorbed before adding next, until about half of broth has been added. stir in diced and chopped squash and continue simmering and adding broth in same manner until rice is tender and creamy-looking but still al dente. add salt and pepper to taste.

serves 2

feta walnut dip

also a potluck hit! it's really good, too, with goat's milk feta instead of regular.

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus some for drizzling
1 cup walnut halves, toasted
1 1/2 cups feta cheese, crumbles
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, a handful of leaves
black pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 large clove garlic

put it alllllll in the food processor.

this has become my "thing." parrrTY!

bruschetta

toasted baguette slices with soft goat cheese, olive oil, fresh roasted red peppers, and black olives.

a potluck hit!

rustic onion tart

i had every intention of making this today, but cleaned the fridge instead. tomorrow?

catching up

well. we will now formally keep track of all of our cooking endeavors. hurrah! after this post, we'll also include the full recipes of what we made that day.

things made to date:

1. borscht, boiled potatoes, salad (moosewood)
2. portobello burgers with pesto sauce, pasta salad
3. burritos with chorizo, chicken, and red peppers, homemade roasted salsa, guacamole
4. hamburgers, asian cole slaw, corn on the cob, bundt cake (mom!)
5. spinach risotto, feta walnut dip, roasted garlic spread
6. vicki's favorite chicken , couscous, asparagus, roasted pears
7. samosas, carrot ginger soup (moosewood)
8. grilled steak, stuffed mushrooms
9. pasta with fresh tomato sauce, pesto
10. salade nicoise, roasted tomato soup
11. pasta with vodka cream sauce -- we used white wine instead
13. cold pasta with mixed vegetables, peanut sauce, and grilled chicken, snow peas
14. french onion soup, baked goat cheese salad
15. black bean casserole (mom)
16. penne with sundried tomatoes, portobellos, and asparagus, beet chips, feta walnut dip
17. glazed salmon, mix of boiled potatoes, salad (mom)
18. couscous with veggies, yogurt cucumber sauce, roasted tomatoes, chicken
19. butternut squash risotto
20. pasta with scallops and fresh tomatoes (mom)
21. rosemary glazed chicken, rice, sauteed fall vegetables
22. pasta bolognese, salad (gwyneth)
23. portobello, sausage, and steak mix, mashed potatoes, tomato salad, asparagus
24. salmon with rosemary white wine reduction (!), roasted vegetables, tomatoes
25. seafood risotto, green beans, salad
26. herb tortellini with roasted red peppers and spinach walnut pesto
27. pumpkin soup, roasted fall veggies
28. oven fried chicken, roasted potatoes, green beans, amaretto cranberries (mom)