Saturday, January 12, 2019
Almond Roca
To be completely honest, this recipe is easy to make, but it takes patience and may take a few tries to get a good feel for where the caramel needs to be to reach hard crack stage. The good news is that even failed attempts will taste like chocolate-coated cocaine, so making several batches is no hardship. And once you get a feel for it, this is a pretty quick and very impressive candy. Great for Christmas parties or gifts (my extended family eats two recipes every Christmas eve, and begs for more).
You can use all brown sugar, all white sugar or any mix of both. Personally, I like 1 cup dark brown, 1 cup white sugar, which I think gives the caramel the best caramelly taste without being overwhelming.
Almond Roca
1 lb butter (4 sticks. I like salted for this, the salt is nice in the caramel. Use LandoLakes brand, other brands have a different butter fat content and may result in the caramel separating, which is no bueno.)
1 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
1 cup regular sugar
1/2 bag Hershey's dark chocolate chips (don't spring for great chocolate on this, Hersheys has a low cocoa butter content so you don't have to temper it before using to keep it from separating with the butter in the caramel)
1 cup almonds (I use sliced, you can use slivered or whole ones that you smash. You can roast the almonds or not beforehand. I don't roast them, I just pour them into the caramel a minute or so early and let the candy do the toasting for me.)
Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray.
Add the butter and sugar to a heavy-bottomed pan. Turn the heat up to medium, and stir. Once everything is melted, keep stirring. The mixture will gradually turn foamy, then darken. Keep stirring slowly, this is a recipe where you stir all the things. The caramel will go through a doughy stage, then will relax again. When it starts relaxing, start taking its temperature. Use a candy thermometer, and when the mixture reaches 290F, add 1/2 cup of the almonds. Stir those in while keeping a keen eye on the thermometer. When it reaches 300F, remove from heat and QUICKLY (because the caramel will set) pour it onto the cookie sheet. If you have a large cookie sheet, it may not touch the edges, this is okay. Use a spatula to spread it a bit until it's about 1/2 - 3/4cm thick. You don't want it too thin.
Wait a few minutes or so for it to set. You can touch it gently with a fingertip to see if it's set yet. Once the caramel is fairly firm (you can make a fingerprint, but your finger doesn't sink in), sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top. Wait another minute or two for those to soften, then use your spatula to spread the chocolate over the entire top of the caramel. Sprinkle the other 1/2 cup almonds over the top, and *gingerly* try to make sure the almonds are spread out and all touching the chocolate at least a little, otherwise they'll fall off later.
Put the cookie sheet in the fridge for an hour or so to let everything set.
Break the roca into uneven pieces approx 1 - 1 1/2 in square-ish. It should come off the cookie sheet easily when set, and you can snap it with your fingers or use a knife to crack it.
Mom's Favorite Apple Cake
Title says it all. This cake is WONDERFUL for breakfast, because it's only mildly sweet. I would compare the taste most closely to banana or zucchini bread.
Mom's Favorite Apple Cake
4 large apples (granny smith is traditional, I usually use Fuji)
2 cups sugar, melted
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 lb butter (2 sticks, and use butter, not margarine. I go for unsalted to keep the sodium down, but salted works also)
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice
1 cup pecans, chopped
Preheat oven to 350F.
Grate the apples into a large bowl and add the sugar. Stir, then wait 10 minutes (you can mix the dry ingredients and beat the eggs while you're waiting).
Mix the flour, soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice in a separate bowl, stir thoroughly to make sure the baking soda is evenly distributed. Add the nuts and stir.
Add the butter to the apple mix, stir it in, and add the egg. Stir all liquids together, then add dry to liquids and stir some more until all flour is incorporated. The batter should be fairly wet.
Pour into a bundt pan prepped with non-stick spray (my bundt pan is 12-15 cups and works well, a 10-12 cup bundt would also work) and bake for 75 minutes or until a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Rest for 10 minutes on a wire rack, then invert and tap to remove from the pan. Let cool the rest of the way, cut, and serve.
Servings: at least 16
Sunday, October 21, 2018
Tomato, Mushroom, Spaghetti Squash Bake
Super low-cal and really delicious, this recipe takes some prep time, but none of it is difficult. The flavor makes it worth the effort. Pair it with a protein of some sort and it's an easy meal. I've got it down for six servings, but the serving size is huge if you split it in six. You can easily make eight comfortable servings with it.
Tomato, Mushroom, Spaghetti Squash Bake
2 spaghetti squash (2-3 lbs each)
2 teaspoons olive oil
8 oz white mushrooms, sliced
1/2 videlia onion
4 cloves garlic
2 roma tomatoes, diced
.5 can diced tomatoes, well-drained (I use italian flavor, but you do you)
1 cup mexican blend cheese
1/4 cup toasted sunflower seeds or pepitas
2 tbsp fresh basil, chiffonade
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp dried basil
Red pepper flakes (to taste)
Salt
Pepper
Start by cooking the spaghetti squash. It actually works really well if you do this earlier in the day, or even the day before, and refridgerate the squash before you shred it. Gives it a more toothsome texture, I find. Anyhow, cook the squash by cutting one end off so that it will stand up straight, then slicing it in half. Scoop out the seeds, and place both halves facedown in a baking dish filled with about 1 inch of water. You can either roast it in the oven (~40 min at 357F) or microwave it on high for about 15 minutes (I find microwaving is easier). Once the squash is cooked, reserve either in the fridge or to one side.
When you're ready to cook your spaghetti bake, preheat the oven to 350F.
Use a fork to shred the spaghetti squash into strands in a large bowl or colander. Reserve. Spray a 9x13 casserole dish with nonstick spray.
In a large (emphasis on the large) saute pan, heat 2 tsp olive oil and cook the mushrooms, stirring, until partly done. Add the onions, and let them cook down. When the onions are sweated through and starting to get some color, add the garlic. Cook most of the moisture off the mushroom mixture, then add both the roma and the drained canned tomatoes to the pan. Cook until the moisture is almost wholly gone, again. Add half the reserved spaghetti squash, stir until well-mixed and heated through, then add the other half and stir again. Again, saute until much of the moisture is gone. Spoon it into the 9x13 casserole, making sure to leave any remaining moisture in the saute pan, not the baking dish. To the mixture in the dish, add 2/3 cup of the cheese, reserving the other 1/3 cup. Add the sunflower seeds or peptitas. Season with salt, pepper, oregano, basil (both fresh and dried), and red pepper flakes. Stir the whole thing together until well-mixed and gooey, then flatten it out evenly and place it in the oven uncovered to bake for 20 minutes.
After 20 min, sprinkle the remaining 1/3 cup cheese on top. Bake for another 10 minutes. Finish by placing it under the broiler on high for 2 min to brown the cheese on top. Let stand for 5 minutes, then slice and serve hot.
Servings: 6
Tomato, Mushroom, Spaghetti Squash Bake
2 spaghetti squash (2-3 lbs each)
2 teaspoons olive oil
8 oz white mushrooms, sliced
1/2 videlia onion
4 cloves garlic
2 roma tomatoes, diced
.5 can diced tomatoes, well-drained (I use italian flavor, but you do you)
1 cup mexican blend cheese
1/4 cup toasted sunflower seeds or pepitas
2 tbsp fresh basil, chiffonade
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp dried basil
Red pepper flakes (to taste)
Salt
Pepper
Start by cooking the spaghetti squash. It actually works really well if you do this earlier in the day, or even the day before, and refridgerate the squash before you shred it. Gives it a more toothsome texture, I find. Anyhow, cook the squash by cutting one end off so that it will stand up straight, then slicing it in half. Scoop out the seeds, and place both halves facedown in a baking dish filled with about 1 inch of water. You can either roast it in the oven (~40 min at 357F) or microwave it on high for about 15 minutes (I find microwaving is easier). Once the squash is cooked, reserve either in the fridge or to one side.
When you're ready to cook your spaghetti bake, preheat the oven to 350F.
Use a fork to shred the spaghetti squash into strands in a large bowl or colander. Reserve. Spray a 9x13 casserole dish with nonstick spray.
In a large (emphasis on the large) saute pan, heat 2 tsp olive oil and cook the mushrooms, stirring, until partly done. Add the onions, and let them cook down. When the onions are sweated through and starting to get some color, add the garlic. Cook most of the moisture off the mushroom mixture, then add both the roma and the drained canned tomatoes to the pan. Cook until the moisture is almost wholly gone, again. Add half the reserved spaghetti squash, stir until well-mixed and heated through, then add the other half and stir again. Again, saute until much of the moisture is gone. Spoon it into the 9x13 casserole, making sure to leave any remaining moisture in the saute pan, not the baking dish. To the mixture in the dish, add 2/3 cup of the cheese, reserving the other 1/3 cup. Add the sunflower seeds or peptitas. Season with salt, pepper, oregano, basil (both fresh and dried), and red pepper flakes. Stir the whole thing together until well-mixed and gooey, then flatten it out evenly and place it in the oven uncovered to bake for 20 minutes.
After 20 min, sprinkle the remaining 1/3 cup cheese on top. Bake for another 10 minutes. Finish by placing it under the broiler on high for 2 min to brown the cheese on top. Let stand for 5 minutes, then slice and serve hot.
Servings: 6
Sunday, July 23, 2017
Mom's Lasagna
I already have a recipe on this blog for a lasagna with bechamel, but the one I grew up eating doesn't do it that way. Here's the recipe my family ate when I was younger. I use slightly different proportions today (for example, it's virtually impossible to find 15 oz spaghetti sauce jars in stores nowadays, so I usually just use a 24 oz one. Doesn't hurt the recipe at all) but the principles are the same.
Mom's Lasagna
12 oz lasagna noodles
1 lb ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
24 oz jar spaghetti sauce with mushrooms
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
2 cup cottage cheese
2 cup shredded mozzarella
1 cup grated parmesan
Preheat oven to 350F.
Cook noodles according to package directions, drain.
In a large skillet, brown beef and onions, drain if there's excessive fat. Stir in spaghetti sauce, garlic salt, oregano, and basil. In 2 qt greased rectangular baking dish, layer 1/3 of noodles, 1/3 of sauce, 1/3 of cheeses. Repeat layers twice (ending with cheeses on top).
Bake at 350F for 45 min, until hot and bubbling. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting to give it time to set up.
Mom's Lasagna
12 oz lasagna noodles
1 lb ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
24 oz jar spaghetti sauce with mushrooms
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
2 cup cottage cheese
2 cup shredded mozzarella
1 cup grated parmesan
Preheat oven to 350F.
Cook noodles according to package directions, drain.
In a large skillet, brown beef and onions, drain if there's excessive fat. Stir in spaghetti sauce, garlic salt, oregano, and basil. In 2 qt greased rectangular baking dish, layer 1/3 of noodles, 1/3 of sauce, 1/3 of cheeses. Repeat layers twice (ending with cheeses on top).
Bake at 350F for 45 min, until hot and bubbling. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting to give it time to set up.
Saturday, June 17, 2017
Baked Chicken Breasts
A quick, easy recipe that produces fantastically tender and flavorful chicken breasts in the oven.
Baked Chicken Breasts
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or 2 large breasts butterflied in half to make 4)
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Garlic powder
Paprika
Begin by brining chicken for 15 minutes. Fill a bowl with warm water, add 1/4 cup salt, stir until the salt dissolves, and add the chicken. You can preheat the oven to 450 while the chicken is brining.
Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Lay it out in a baking dish sprayed with non-stick spray and brush both sides with olive oil. In a separate dish, combine approximately equal parts salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. sprinkle mixture over chicken and rub in, on both sides of all four pieces.
Bake at 450 for 15-18 minutes, then allow to rest for at least 5 min before cutting.
Serves: 4
Baked Chicken Breasts
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or 2 large breasts butterflied in half to make 4)
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Garlic powder
Paprika
Begin by brining chicken for 15 minutes. Fill a bowl with warm water, add 1/4 cup salt, stir until the salt dissolves, and add the chicken. You can preheat the oven to 450 while the chicken is brining.
Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Lay it out in a baking dish sprayed with non-stick spray and brush both sides with olive oil. In a separate dish, combine approximately equal parts salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. sprinkle mixture over chicken and rub in, on both sides of all four pieces.
Bake at 450 for 15-18 minutes, then allow to rest for at least 5 min before cutting.
Serves: 4
Tuesday, March 14, 2017
Chicken Salad
This is a take on the classic chicken salad with grapes and nuts. My version adds mustard and tarragon for a bit of flavor interest.
Chicken Salad
2 large chicken breasts, thawed (about 1.25 lbs chicken)
15 large red grapes, cut into 1/8ths
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1/4 cup celery, minced
1/4 cup red onion, minced
1/2 cup mayonnaise (don't substitute greek yogurt, it'll wind up too watery with the added waer from the grapes)
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tsp tarragon
Salt
Pepper
Begin by poaching the chicken breasts in boiling water for 15 minutes. I like to salt my water and add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes to try and get some flavor into the chicken as it poaches, so it won't be too bland, but what you do to your poaching liquid is totally optional. When the chicken is done, remove it from the liquid, dice it into slightly smaller than 1/2 inch cubes, then add salt, black pepper, and poultry seasoning to taste. Put it in the fridge to cool while you chop the rest of your ingredients.
Go ahead and do the rest of your chopping, then in a large bowl combine the grapes, celery, red onion, pecans, mayo, mustard and tarragon and stir. Adjust the mayo amount so that the salad achieves your desired level of creaminess, the 1/2 cup in the recipe is more of a guideline than any hard-and-fast law. Serve chilled.
This plates really well on a bed of spinach or lettuce leaves, with grape tomatoes around it for color. It's also great on sandwiches if you want to go that route.
Serves 6.
Chicken Salad
2 large chicken breasts, thawed (about 1.25 lbs chicken)
15 large red grapes, cut into 1/8ths
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1/4 cup celery, minced
1/4 cup red onion, minced
1/2 cup mayonnaise (don't substitute greek yogurt, it'll wind up too watery with the added waer from the grapes)
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tsp tarragon
Salt
Pepper
Begin by poaching the chicken breasts in boiling water for 15 minutes. I like to salt my water and add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes to try and get some flavor into the chicken as it poaches, so it won't be too bland, but what you do to your poaching liquid is totally optional. When the chicken is done, remove it from the liquid, dice it into slightly smaller than 1/2 inch cubes, then add salt, black pepper, and poultry seasoning to taste. Put it in the fridge to cool while you chop the rest of your ingredients.
Go ahead and do the rest of your chopping, then in a large bowl combine the grapes, celery, red onion, pecans, mayo, mustard and tarragon and stir. Adjust the mayo amount so that the salad achieves your desired level of creaminess, the 1/2 cup in the recipe is more of a guideline than any hard-and-fast law. Serve chilled.
This plates really well on a bed of spinach or lettuce leaves, with grape tomatoes around it for color. It's also great on sandwiches if you want to go that route.
Serves 6.
Saturday, March 11, 2017
Asian Lettuce Wraps with Teriyaki Pineapple Meatballs
These are fast, require little cleanup, and are surprisingly both tasty and healthy. Even my father, who is wary of all things Asian-inspired, loved them. It uses meatballs that I sampled at the store and liked, which is a lot faster than making your own.
Asian Lettuce Wraps with Teriyaki Pineapple Meatballs
For the coleslaw:
1/2 head red cabbage, grated
1 granny smith apple, cored and grated
1/2 cucumber with the seeds scooped out, minced
12 baby carrots, minced
1 tsp dried cilantro (fresh can also be used and is better, but dried is what I had)
Salt
Pepper
For the dressing:
3 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sriracha sauce (add more to taste)
1 tbsp lime juice
For the lettuce wraps:
6 leaves romaine or iceberg lettuce, large enough for wrapping
1 package Aidells Teriyaki Pineapple Meatballs
Coleslaw (see above)
Start by mixing all the ingredients in the coleslaw dressing into a small bowl, whisking vigorously, then setting aside. They'll meld while you prep the slaw vegetables themselves.
Grate the cabbage and the apple, chop your carrots and cucumber. Add all the ingredients for the slaw into a large bowl and pour the dressing over them, then stir well. Add salt and pepper to season to taste. Set slaw aside. If you're prepping this in advance, the slaw can go in the fridge for up to a couple days.
Prepare the meatballs according to package directions. I used the oven for 12 minutes at 375 and they came out well. Rinse your lettuce leaves and pat them dry.
Serve meatballs, slaw, and lettuce leaves and let guests assemble their wraps themselves. Sriracha sauce, sprigs of cilantro, and lime slices are optional garnishes.
Serves 3
Asian Lettuce Wraps with Teriyaki Pineapple Meatballs
For the coleslaw:
1/2 head red cabbage, grated
1 granny smith apple, cored and grated
1/2 cucumber with the seeds scooped out, minced
12 baby carrots, minced
1 tsp dried cilantro (fresh can also be used and is better, but dried is what I had)
Salt
Pepper
For the dressing:
3 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sriracha sauce (add more to taste)
1 tbsp lime juice
For the lettuce wraps:
6 leaves romaine or iceberg lettuce, large enough for wrapping
1 package Aidells Teriyaki Pineapple Meatballs
Coleslaw (see above)
Start by mixing all the ingredients in the coleslaw dressing into a small bowl, whisking vigorously, then setting aside. They'll meld while you prep the slaw vegetables themselves.
Grate the cabbage and the apple, chop your carrots and cucumber. Add all the ingredients for the slaw into a large bowl and pour the dressing over them, then stir well. Add salt and pepper to season to taste. Set slaw aside. If you're prepping this in advance, the slaw can go in the fridge for up to a couple days.
Prepare the meatballs according to package directions. I used the oven for 12 minutes at 375 and they came out well. Rinse your lettuce leaves and pat them dry.
Serve meatballs, slaw, and lettuce leaves and let guests assemble their wraps themselves. Sriracha sauce, sprigs of cilantro, and lime slices are optional garnishes.
Serves 3
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