Posts from the ‘Recipes’ Category

May 9

A slower, lemony breakfast

On a Saturday or Sunday morning, it’s such a delight to slow down the pace a little. Putzing a bit in the kitchen, and then savoring an extra cup of coffee or tea, with a plate of tender, lofty, lemony cakes is one sure way to do it. Maybe a game of Scrabble with your honey, and you’re home free. Not all (and maybe not many) will want to go the extra step of making their own ricotta, but I promise, it’s only slightly more complicated than boiling milk. If you want to give it a try, I’ve included some instructions that you can access by clicking on the “CONTINUED…” link below. But using a good quality store-bought ricotta will do just fine. The photos here show these cakes virtually unadorned, and they’re simply, delicately delicious that way. (A pat of soft butter, a good squeeze of lemon, a dusting of powdered sugar. A fork.) But you can also serve them with a Blueberry Sauce (recipe below) or a berry syrup, or (can we possibly wait?) heaping spoons of slightly sweetened and sliced Oregon strawberries (I’m sorry – they’re simply the best on earth.) I enjoy maple syrup, but it’s not what I’d put with these. They’re much better complimented by fruit. You’ll see.

Lemon-Ricotta Pancakes

9 ounces of ricotta cheese (1 cup + 2 Tbl.)
1/2 cup milk
2 large eggs, separated
zest of one lemon
juice of one lemon
1/2 t. vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. fine salt
Extra fresh lemon for serving, or fresh fruit or berry syrup of your choice

Get ready: Turn your oven to 200°F and put your breakfast plates in to keep warm. Turn your griddle on to medium high. Then just before ladling out the batter for your cakes, brush the griddle with a little bit of neutral oil (such as canola or grapeseed.)

The batter: Separate the eggs, putting the yolks into a medium-size bowl, and the whites into a small one. Whisk the whites until frothy. (It’s not necessary to form peaks of them, but do get them white and full of air.) Mix the egg yolks with the ricotta cheese, milk, lemon juice and vanilla extract. In a separate small bowl sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Stir in the lemon zest. Mix the wet and dry ingredients until just blended. (Don’t over-mix or your tender little cakes will turn tough and mean.) Then gently fold in the frothy whites until blended.

Griddle: Spoon out the batter onto your greased griddle. It’s best for these if you keep the size small – say, around 3 inches diameter. You may find it works best if you spoon out a little and spread it slightly so that it’s not too very thick. (Around 1/4″ inch or so.) That way, they’ll be golden brown outside and cooked fully inside. Do a test run of several cakes to see if you’re happy, and then go to town! Like all pancakes, they’re of course best straight from the griddle, but you can keep a stack of them warm in your oven under a towel for a short time without harm.

Serve: As I mentioned above, they’re perfectly flavored to my taste with just a little more lemon juice, some melting butter and a dusting of powdered sugar. But the Blueberry Lemon Sauce here is a very nice accompaniment too! Come summer though, these cakes will lose top-billing to the strawberries that will gorgeously smother them.

for a printer-friendly version of the pancakes, click here.

Spree’s Lemony Blueberry Sauce

1 cup frozen blueberries (I love the little ones for this)
1 cup fresh blueberries
3 T. water
2 T. fresh lemon juice
3 T. sugar
1 t. lemon zest

Put the water, lemon juice and sugar into a small saucepan and stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the frozen blueberries and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes. Add fresh blueberries and lemon zest and simmer for about another 3 minutes. Serve warm.

for a printer-friendly version of the blueberry sauce, click here.

To make your own ricotta cheese, please click on the “read more” link below…

May 9

It’s Official – Spring is Finally Here

It’s time to wrap up the last of the Beat the Winter Blues menu and get on to more colorful things! (And April’s going to be a very colorful and fun month for the cooking-spree!)

We served two lasagnas that winter night – one of them a Roasted Butternut Squash and Rapini lasagna; and the other a Turkey Sausage and Goat Cheese one which got raves, and rightly so. I don’t have photos of it and it was prepared very much as the recipe specified, so I’ll simply supply you the link for that one. It ranks right up there with the best lasagna I’ve ever had. I did make two little changes to the recipe though; first, instead of link sausage called for (which then requires you remove the turkey from its casings), I used bulk Italian turkey sausage. The other change was that instead of all mild or sweet Italian sausage, I replaced half the total amount called for with a hot or spicy variety. When I was recently visiting my daughter Ali and her family, we made it again, but this time with ricotta cheese we made ourselves. It was the first time we’d ever tried that, and it was remarkably easy and made us feel quite …well, puffed up and pleased with ourselves. Who knows if the lasagna tasted any better because of that extra love in the pan, but it couldn’t hurt, right? So, now that you have that background, if you’re a lasagna lover (or you know and love one) you might check out

Ina Garten’s Turkey and Goat Cheese Lasagna:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/turkey-lasagna-recipe2/index.html

(This post first appeared in March 2011.)

May 9

A Fruity, Nutty Kind of Granola

I mentioned in an earlier post that we have two granolas we enjoy for breakfast. But this is the one full of memories and sweet associations. This is the one we have a history with. It’s a rainy morning and I have a new batch baking now. The aromas floating through the kitchen take me back years and plop me down at an old wooden table, with its slightly creaky top – a table that was once “Yaya’s” and around which her four hungry boys gathered to be fed. (The third of these would one day be our Dad.) Many years later, it was the round, creaky table where my girls and I ate our meals and grew up together. Often our breakfasts would include small bowlfuls of creamy-smooth yogurt on which this crunchy granola was toppled, theirs with an extra shimmer of drizzled honey. We’d eat, planning our days, sometimes practicing spelling, finishing math or editing essays, chattering or giggling with mouths still full. There was a lot of happy around that table.

My daughters have the same honeyed aromas filling their kitchens these days, and new memories are forming in other cute little heads. In fact, today three little girls eat around that very same creaky-topped table, ambered and dented with years of living.

Even after all this time, my husband and I love when a fresh batch of granola is pulled, all crackly hot, from the oven. We can barely wait for it to cool. I suppose by now it’s obvious, this is the granola we favor.

Spree’s Golden Granola

Preheat oven to 300°F. Into an ample-sized glass or metal cake pan, scoop the following:

3 cups rolled oats (the slow-cooking, old-fashioned sort)
1 cup unsweetened coconut, shredded (see NOTE)
1/2 cup chopped raw almonds (or hazelnuts)
1/2 cup raw sesame seeds
1/2 cup unsweetened raw wheat germ
1/4 cup of ground flaxseed (optional)
To the above ingredients stir in
1/2 cup honey (or real maple syrup, or 1/4 cup of each)
1/4 cup canola oil
Stir to combine well, and then add
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds

Pop the pan into your oven and plan on cooking for about an hour (though it may be to your liking in less), stirring every 15 minutes or thereabouts to toast it evenly. When it’s the kind of crunchy that suits you, remove and cool. Once cooled, add a total of

1 cup or so of dried fruits

My favorites: 1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped raisin-size (I have a strong preference for Trader Joe’s apricots, full of tangy flavor); 1/4 cup dried cranberries; and 1/4 cup or more of raisins. But I also like dried cherries or blueberries in place of one or two of the others. Make it as fruity as you like. Like all good granolas, it’s nice on yogurt with fresh fruit, or in a bowl with milk, or out of the hand for a quick little munch.

NOTE: The coconut you’ll see featured here is from Bob’s Red Mill – these ribbons of coconut look pretty, toast up beautifully, and put a distinct bite of coconut in your mouth.

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for a printer version of this recipe, click here.

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May 9

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Spicy Candied Pecans (or Walnuts)

Here’s another one of the appetizers served at our Beat the Winter Blues Party . I’ve tried a number of recipes for candied nuts over the years, but my favorite is this. (Judging from responses to these sweet and savory bites, I’m not alone.) I’ve made it with both pecans and walnuts, and though I love walnuts, pecans definitely have the edge here – something about their sweetness offset by the savory heat of the spices is just right.

Spicy Candied Pecans

Preheat oven to 350°F.

4 cups pecans

Spread the nuts in a shallow pan (either a broiler pan or a jelly roll pan will do.) Roast for 8 minutes.

Remove from the oven and drizzle on to the hot nuts…

1/4 cup maple syrup (grade B is darker and has a bit more maple-y flavor)
1/4 cup brown rice syrup

Stir to coat well, and then pop them back into the oven to roast another 10 minutes.

While the nuts are roasting, in a small bowl mix together:

2 T. sugar
1 t. ground cumin
1/2 t. chili powder
1 t. salt (or 1-1/2 if using Kosher)
2 t. paprika
1/8 t. (to as much as 1/4 t.) cayenne pepper

Place a piece of parchment paper on the counter and wait – (have you noticed that smell in your kitchen? ah!) When the nuts come out of the oven for the second time, quickly sprinkle the spices over them and mix well to coat. Quickly spread the candied nuts onto the parchment paper to cool, breaking the clumps apart with your fingers when they’re just cooled down enough to touch. Store airtight. (These make a nice gift too, in a pretty container or vintage jar.)

Serving suggestions: These are absolutely wonderful in a salad. I’ll give a favorite salad to utilize these nuts in an upcoming post. You can chop them up and roll a log of chevre over them and serve with crackers or crusty baguette. Or chopped and scattered over green beans or yams or – . And always as they are, straight from the jar, with nothing but your fingers.

This recipe came by way of my dear friend Carolyn, and to her, from another friend. That’s the way it goes with good eats. The original recipe called for corn syrup. I’ve replaced it with brown rice syrup, and not only is their taste improved (yes, hard to believe), but they’re crunchier and healthier too!

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For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, click here.

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May 9

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Marinated Olives

My husband and I had a “Beat Them Winter Blues” party over the weekend, with about 25 or so guests. We’re thinking it might be the first of a string of annual winter blasts. We had just way too much fun, and of course we ate too much, but we went into it knowing full well we would, and we feel no shame whatsoever! Over the next several posts I’ll be sharing recipes from that night’s menu. We begin with — as my Greek YaYa would say — the Oliv-ess. These little beauties received deep moans and sighs of appreciation, so you might just want to try them yourself. The recipe is not my own, so it’s fine if I brag (right?) – I think they’re one of the tastiest plump little olive bites I’ve ever popped in my mouth. The recipe comes from Giada de Laurentiis’ Everyday Italian. Graci, Giada!

Marinated Olives

3 T. Olive oil
1 T. grated lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
1/2 t. dried crushed red pepper flakes
1-1/2 cups cracked green olives or other green olives – with their pits – (see NOTE)
1-1/2 cups Kalamata olives – with pits – (truly a combination of any olives you’re fond of will work here)
3 T. fresh lemon juice
2 T. chopped fresh basil

NOTE: About the olives. On this occasion I was unable to find cracked green olives, so chose the green olives with the least added herbs and spices, and then I rinsed them off and rolled them in paper towels before proceeding.

In a medium size, heavy skillet, warm the oil, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes over medium heat for about a minute, just until fragrant. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the olives. Add the fresh lemon juice and basil, and toss to coat. Transfer the olive mixture to a container, cover and refrigerate. Over the next 12 hours, stir from time to time, allowing the olives to soak up these lovely, bright Mediterranean flavors.

Before serving, allow the olives to return to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Put in a pretty little bowl and watch them fly out.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, click here.

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May 7

5 Comments

Ani’s Apple Crisp –

Ingredients Topping

3 T. unsalted butter, broken into several pieces
3 T. walnut oil
1/4 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 c. rolled oats (not quick-cooking)
1 handful of walnuts, chopped
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Ingredients – Filling

Approximately 2 pounds of apples (see note)
1/2 cup or so of fresh or frozen cranberries
3 T. all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar (I prefer brown, but granulated is fine)
ground cinnamon (1 t. or to taste)

NOTE: A combination of Fuji, Granny Smith, Golden Delicious and maybe one other of your choice makes for the most interesting and tasty apple dessert. About 4 medium apples should do. Though there’s lots of leeway here, it’s essential to have one tart apple (such as the Granny Smith) for flavor.

Preparing the Topping: Using your fingers, work the butter with the sugar, flour, oats and spices so that each piece is coated and you have a coarse, crumbly mixture. Stir in the walnut oil and add chopped walnuts, incorporating well. (Variation made with all butter: if you haven’t any walnut oil and the urge strikes you to make this dessert with what’s on hand, you can substitute 6 T. butter. But walnut oil is delicious in certain salad dressings too and really nice to have around. Keep refrigerated.)

The Filling: Peel and core the apples and cut into bite-size pieces. Mix with cranberries, flour, sugar and spices. Pour into a 2-inch high baking dish, and cover with the crisp topping.

Baking: Bake at 375° F until the fruit is bubbly and thickened around the edges and the crisp topping is browned. (Depending on your baking dish and the variability of ovens, this may take up to an hour, but check sooner. If it begins to brown too much before its edges get bubbly, cover with aluminum foil for the duration.)

Served warm is best. But even cold for breakfast, with plain or vanilla yogurt, is good! (In a future installment, I’ll share my recipe for Vanilla Cardamom Ice-Cream, a rather divine accompaniment to a simple, homey dessert.)