Icing on the cake

 This is the recipe for Magnolia's buttercream frosting, and wow is it sweet.  I actually had to run back to the grocery store to get another box of powdered sugar.   

I think I got a sugar contact high just mixing the 6 cups (that is nearly 2 full boxes) of powdered sugar.  

The easy part was mixing.  Just slightly more challenging was deciding which 3 color combinations to make based on the options on the back of the food coloring box.  All three colors were adapted anyway.  

I started by spreading a layer of icing on each cupcake.  Then onto the fun part- the decorating. Inspired by my new Martha Stewart icing set, I filled bag one with pink frosting and the leaf-tip fixture, envisioning delicate daisies and intricate designs.  The frosting oozed out the top of the bag.  For the yellow and teal, I sliced off a corner of a zip-lock instead, put the tip in the bag, and spooned in the frosting.

The results were not exactly Martha-Stewart pretty.  

Cupcakes a' bakin'

Vanilla cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery cookbook.  I found the recipe on the internet and even bought self-risking flower.  The batter is full of all sorts of healthy things, like organic butter and eggs, and sugar.

However, I make them the old fashioned way...mixing everything by hand.  This makes the finished cupcakes exponentially more healthy (for me, at least) once you factor in the manuel labor.  My arms are both sore.

I kind of made a mess, but I love how this picture shows my ipod speakers where I listen and repeat Russian vocabulary, my CFA calculator, and a running log/my water bottles.  My entire life is basically represented in my kitchen mess.

I would like to brag that I had zero spillage when pouring the batter.  Must of have been the perfect consistency. 

They looked nice when I took them out of the oven, which I'm still not convinced cooks evenly.  Note the guy in the back row got a little squished when I banged him on the top of the oven rack.  I burned my hand a little too, but those were our only causalities from the baking part of the adventure.

Mark Bittman, you make me wanna cook!

I love Mark Bittman's New York Times cooking column, The Minimalist.  I bought this cookbook last year after basically flipping a coin between this and Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking.  Julia, after all, went to Smith too, and well, it is Julia Childs!  However, I am confident I made the right choice... I guess you could say Mark Bittman is just a little more... user friendly.  

Date-night details

Hasselback potatoes.  I like them because they look so cool.  

London broil marinated in Red Wine and onions, and baked at 425 deg for about 20-30 minutes.

The finished hasselback potatoes with parmesan and bread crumbs.  Also not shown is broccoli sauteed with garlic and sliced almonds.  Delicious!

Caramelized Onion and Fig Pizza

I adapted this recipe from Deena Kastor's recipe featured in Runner's World.  For those who don't know of Deena Kastor, she is the American marathon record holder and Athens Bronze medalist.  

Check out my impeccable logic here:  Deena Kastor is a fast runner.  Deena Kastor eats a variation of this pizza recipe.  Eating this pizza will make you a fast runner.  

Ingredients:

• Pizza dough (Note I do not recommend gluten free)
  
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
  
• 2 yellow onions, sliced
  
• 1/2 tsp salt
  
• 1 tsp brown sugar
  
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
  
• Handful fresh basil
  
• Handful sliced mushrooms
  
• 6 dried Turkish figs, sliced
  
• 4 oz. feta cheese
  

Directions

• Heat oil and saute onion until soft and transparent. Then turn down heat very low and stir until onions are deep brown (this can take almost an hour)
•  Add salt, brown sugar and vinegar, and cook an additional 10 minutes or so
• After doctoring up the onions, preheat oven to 450 degrees and roll out pizza dough to fit baking pan
• Spread onion mixture over dough, leaving edge for crust
• Top with basil, mushrooms, sliced figs, and crumbled feta
• Drizzle a little balsamic vinegar over the top
• Bake 15-20 minutes until crust is golden brown 

Patience is a virtue

Part II of the great pizza adventure... caramelizing onions.  

I sliced 2 yellow onions and sauteed on medium low heat until they started to become soft and transparent.  

Then, I turned the heat way down (only higher than simmer so that the burner didn't click), and stirred frequently until they turned a deep golden brown.  I think it took almost an hour.  

Once they were brown, I added 1 teaspoon of brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar, turned up the heat a little more and then cooked about 10-15 minutes longer.

Where the good stuff gets made

  

This week I made my first 4-burners-at-once-meal in a long time.  Delicious.  Recipe soon to follow.

  

Every cooking adventure should include garlic, shallots, and/or onion

Herring in a Fur Coat

First of all, anything that combines sweet and salty tastes works for me.  Second, I'm easily distracted by colorful foods and fully supportive of any cooking experience that combines arts & crafts and cooking.  Third, can we take a look at the name again, "Herring in a Fur Coat?"  In Russian you can call it "Shuba."    

This is a traditional Russian salad served as a New Year's staple.  I haven't made this dish yet (recipe courtesy of all-fish-seafood-recipes) but I concur that it is darn pretty and tasty.  See comments below included in the recipe. 

Russian Salad - Herring in Shuba Recipe

Serves: 6 - 8

Ingredients:

• 2 thick salted herrings
• 5 potatoes
• 4 carrots
• 3 beets
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 4 eggs, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• Parsley and dill

How to cook:

• Boil vegetables until they are ready (you can boil vegetables in 1 pan). Boil eggs hard.
• Peel skin from herrings, cut them along the spine. Take all bones away. Cut herring meat into very little pieces and always check for bones.
• Grind potatoes, carrots, eggs, and beets. Take a large dish.
• Place a layer of potatoes whole portion. Then spread mayonnaise evenly (thin layer). Use a fork to plane the layers. Then layer of beets 1/2 of portion, then layer of carrots 1/2 of portion, then chopped onion 1/2 of portion and finally - herring meat.
• Then 2 layers backwards: onion, carrots. Place a layer of 3 chopped eggs, and then beets.
• On top pour remaining mayonnaise.
• Add 1 more layer of 1 chopped egg to make the dish beautiful and decorate with chopped parsley and dill.
• Let it soaked at least overnight.
• This herring salad must look like a cake.
• It is a very colorful and tasty appetizer...

Comments:

The Russian name is "Selyodka pod Shouboy", that means "Herring under fur coat". It is a traditional national dish for any events. You can call it, for example, Dressed Herring. Dressed Herring is loved and considered one of the most delicious salads by Russians everywhere. Different variations just will show your artistical skills, because of colorful slices

Biscotti-baking machine (yours truly)

Super easy biscotti recipe.  This one was originally adapted from Mark Bitten, as well as a New York Times article.  Very easy to make, and after 3 batches, clearly also pretty tough to mess up.  

I highly recommend baking a batch for a) your doormen and b) your bosses, especially if you bring them in on the day you have your yearly review.  Talk about good timing.  The comment elicited from each was something along the lines of "Oh, now you can get married!" or "Wow, you'll make a great wife."  Needless to say, they went quickly.

Don't forget to wear your apron while baking :)

Toasted Almond & Chocolate Chip Biscotti

TOTAL TIME

1 hour

INGREDIENTS     

1 cup whole blanched almonds (toasted)

• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 2 1/4 cups flour, plus flour for work surface
• Pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp butter, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 teaspoon anise seed

PREPARATION

1.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread the almonds on a baking sheet, place in the oven and toast for about 15 minutes.  (Or you throw them in a frying pan and toast on the stove).

2.

Meanwhile, sift the flour, salt, baking soda and anise seed together and set aside.  (I've yet to be convinced you need to sift the dry ingredients... probably because I do not have a sifter).

3.

Cream butter and sugar with a whisk. (Yeah, strong arms!  Note I do not have a mixer either. Clearly they didn't in the old days and somehow managed). Beat in eggs one at a time.  Add almond extract, and beat the sugar mixture into the remaining eggs until blended. Stir in the flour mixture (slowly) to form a soft dough.  (Yes, by hand)

4.

When the almonds are toasted, remove them from the oven and transfer them to a bowl. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper.

5.

Divide dough in half and place one portion on well-floured work surface. (Okay, to be honest, I keep the dough I'm working with in the mixing bowl, but my hands are well floured.  I don't want flour-y counters!)  With floured hands, roll into a cylinder and scatter half of the almonds and chocolate chips on the dough.  Work them in gently by stretching the dough and folding in half until toppings are evenly distributed.  Roll dough into cylinder about 2 inches in diameter and 12 to 15 inches long. (Or as long as your baking sheet!  A word of note if you have to improvise and make a snaky-shaped biscotti log... slicing them on the diagonal becomes increasingly more difficult, but I'm sure you can get creative.  You can also squish out to make the log fatter instead of longer).  Place on parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough. Dust with flour. (For that just-baked-from-an-Italian-bakery-look).

6. Place in the oven and bake about 30 minutes, until golden and firm to the touch (and ideally, when the top begins to go a little Grand Canyon and form a pretty little crevice).  

7. Lower oven temperature to 275 degrees and let biscotti logs cool about 10 minutes.  Transfer to a cutting board and cut on an angle into slices one-half-inch thick. (One great idea is to cut the really tiny little slices off the end of the loaves to maintain the "aesthetic integrity of the entire batch.  Besides, who likes to eat the little crusty biscotti heels?  That's right!  You do!)  Return the slices to the baking sheet, and return them to the oven. Bake another 10 minutes on each side, until they are crisp and dry. Allow to cool completely before storing or serving.

YIELD 60 biscotti (in theory... but let's be honest, it'll make as many pieces as you cut. Make sure to factor in the little tiny heel pieces- sacrificed to your belly for the sake of making the entire batch pretty and non-heely

Hasselback Potatoes

I made these potatoes last night... called Hasselback after a town in Sweeden. This particular recipe was adapted from Allrecipes.com.  I used drizzled olive oil, seasoned with Rosemary, and sprinkled with Servechio cheese instead of Romano.  I also prepared the potatoes a night ahead and let them soak in the water.  Next time I'll have to make sure that they cook all the way inside (in the slots), but they were pretty delicious.  And visually, they look great!

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

• 4 (8 ounce) baking potatoes
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons finely grated fresh Romano cheese
• 1 tablespoon seasoned dry bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

1. Peel the potatoes, and place in bowl of cold water to prevent browning. Place potatoes into a large wooden or metal spoon. Using a sharp knife, make slices across the potato the short way about 1/8 to 1/4 inch apart, making sure to cut down to the lip of the spoon, not all the way through the potato. The slices should stay connected at the bottom, and the spoon helps keep the depth even. Return the potato to the bowl of water, and proceed with the remaining potatoes.
   
2. When all of the potatoes are cut, place them cut side up in a shallow baking dish or small roasting pan. Drizzle with half of the butter, then season with salt and pepper.
3. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove from the oven, and drizzle with the remaining butter. Sprinkle Romano cheese and bread crumbs onto the tops of the potatoes, and season with a little more salt and pepper. Return to the oven, and bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until nicely browned.

Baked Chicken Breasts with Spinach, Pears and Gorgonzola

I adapted this recipe that I found on www.wholefoodsmarket.com, and it turned out amazing... The first time I used balsamic vinegar and browned the pears (they looked like potatoes, until you tasted it!). The second time I used apple cidar vinegar and softened them. I think I prefer the taste of balsamic. Either way, absolutely delicious... and very quick too!

· 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
· Sea salt, ground black pepper, dried rosemary
· 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
· 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
· 4-6 cups (1 large bunch) loosely packed spinach (not baby), washed, dried, stems removed
· 2 tablespoons apple cider or balsamic vinegar
· 2 ripe Anjou pears, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch slices
· Gorgonzola cheese

Preheat oven to 375°F. Generously season each chicken breast with salt, pepper, and rosemary.
In a large, ovenproof skillet heat 1 tablespoon olive oil until slightly smoking and cook breasts 2 to 3 minutes per side until lightly golden. Place skillet in oven and bake chicken until the internal temperature reaches 165°F, about 15 minutes. When chicken is done, allow it to rest (out of the oven) 5 to 8 minutes before slicing or serving.

While chicken is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat and sauté red onions until just softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add spinach and cook until just wilted, using tongs to stir spinach in the pan. Season spinach with salt and pepper and transfer to a large platter or divide evenly among 4 plates.

Wipe out pan and heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil with vinegar. Add pears and gently heat, until pears are warmed through. Place chicken breasts on spinach and top each breast with pears, spoon over gorgonzola. For a beautiful presentation, slice the chicken breasts and arrange them over spinach, then top with pears and cheese.