Extra Schmaltz!

Yeah, my pie pretty much owns. Hot water pastry was mentioned in this Leftover Pot-Pie recipe . Inspired by a discussion about baking ratios and receiving some leftover turkey and stock from Thanksgiving, I decided to refine the crust recipe and write it out more explicitly. This crust is more suited to hot savory pies than a regular flaky pie crust, and the hot water technique is much faster than cutting in cold butter. It's traditionally made from lard, but you can use shortening with some butter mixed in. I added a couple of tablespoons of bacon grease for flavor. 1 lb. all-purpose flour 1/2 lb. (scant) fat 1 c. half water, half milk 1 tsp. salt The ratios are essentially 2 flour: 1 fat: 1 liquid, with salt. This recipe makes 1 very large double-crust pie. The dough will be cooked first at 450 for 15 minutes and then, when filled, at 350 for 1 hour. Combine the milk, water, and fat in a saucepan and bring just to a boil. Allow to sit until the fat is fully melted. In a large bow...

UPDATE! Here is an improved salad dressing recipe and a detailed description of making the cutlet from scratch. The dressing below is still good, but not quite as good as the miso style! Technically tonkatsu is a breaded pork cutlet, but you can make chicken-katsu or veal-catsu or chickenmcnugget-katsu (as pictured). It's traditionally served as a full meal with rice, shredded cabbage, miso soup, and some pickles. The cutlet is generally sliced so that it can be eaten with chopsticks and dressed with Japanese-style Worcestershire sauce ('sosu'). I forgot to take a picture of rice, so don't forget to include it! For the meal pictured I used salad with ginger vinaigrette instead of the cabbage. Here's how to put together the meal: Make the Sosu: 1/2 c. catsup 1/4 c. Worcestershire sauce 1/4 c. rice wine 3 Tbsp. sugar 1 Tbsp. ginger, minced 1 Tbsp. garlic, minced Combine all ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes. Rice : Make some short-grained w...

This recipe isn't much different from Porky Kraut , but I thought I'd post it anyway, since it's a little faster (you don't have to cut up the meat) and more colorful, and it reminds us all to use our beloved slow-cookers. ~6 raw bratwurst 2 lbs. sauerkraut 1 large carrot 1 large turnip (optional) 1/4 c. white wine 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. thyme 1 tsp. white pepper 1 tsp. paprika 1/2 tsp. sugar 1 pinch cayenne 2 bay leaves water Brown the brats in a pan. Place them in the slow-cooker. Use some water or broth to deglaze the pan and add that to the cooker. Drain and rinse the kraut. If you like it zingy, only rinse it a little. Add to the cooker. Grate the carrot and turnip (if using) and add to the cooker. Stir in the spices and wine and add water so that the contents are 3/4 submerged. Cook all day. Serve with mashed or roasted potatoes. *** Feel free to experiment with the spices. I add a mix I got from Penzey's called Krakow Nights. You can go the caraway route if you l...

This is a very simple variation on Pumpkin Pie, and it turns it into another fabulous Dessert for Breakfast item. Preheat oven to 450. Using your favorite pumpkin pie recipe, substitute for the pumpkin a mixture of cooked yellow squash, sweet potatoes, and turnips . I increased the eggs by 2 as the mixture seemed a little watery. I use Lillian's most fabulous pie crust recipe, which is around here somewhere I'm sure. Assemble pie and bake at 450 for 10 minutes, then at 350 for 45-50 minutes. It should be non-wiggly when you take it out. The surface will probably split when cooled. Mine made an interesting 4 pointed star shape. Delicious warm or cooled and a totally guilt-free snack or dessert.

This meal is hearty, chock-full-of-nutrients, and fairly quick. The meat recipe is one I picked up along the way and the bulghur recipe is from the Almost Turkish blog. The yogurt sauce on the side is optional but it adds a nice balance to the meat. If you want to make the recipes separately, the meat sauce can be served over rice or macaroni, and the bulghur would make a nice side to any meat dish. Feel free to get creative with spices on the meat sauce--I used a seasoning mix from Morocco last time I made it. Afghani Meat Sauce 1 1/2 lb. ground lamb or beef 1 medium onion, diced 3 Tbsp. tomato paste 1/2-3/4 c. hot water 2 tsp. salt, or to taste 1 Tbsp. ground coriander 1 tsp. black pepper 1 pinch red pepper flakes 1 clove garlic, crushed oil for cooking If you have a pressure cooker, use it to cook the meat. If not, a regular frying pan with a lid will work. Heat a little oil in the pan and add the meat. Break it up thoroughly while browning. Cook until excess moisture is gone. Add t...

This is one of those surprise recipes that emerged from what I had on hand and turned out both delicious and beautiful, much to my surprise. It's a hybrid of a few of my favorite Thai recipes. If you're able to find Kaffir lime leaf, you can keep it in the freezer and it still tastes great. In fact, many Asian groceries keep it in the freezer already. Thai basil is optional, but I had some on hand (if you leave it out, use more lime leaf). 1.5-2 lb. ground beef 4 cloves garlic, minced 2-3 hot Thai peppers, sliced 1/2 red bell pepper, diced (optional but pretty) 4-6 Kaffir lime leaves, julienned very finely 1 small handful Thai basil leaves, chopped (optional) 1tsp. salt 2 Tbsp. fish sauce a couple of dollops of oyster sauce 4 green onions, cut into 1" pieces oil for cooking Brown the meat in a frying pan and break it up as finely as possible. (OR if you have a pressure cooker, cook it for 12 minutes--this makes it extra tender). Place a colander over a bowl and dump the me...

This soup gets its name from the dubious observation that the meatballs look like a lion's face and the greens look like its mane. I don't see it, but it's a pretty badass name. It's also a pretty badass soup and easy to make. I based my recipe on this one at Melting Wok , which includes Spam in the meatballs. This is optional, but highly recommended, as it gives a nice texture and smoky flavor. You can use various greens in the soup. Napa cabbage is traditional, but you can also use mustard greens or baby bok choy. Meatballs: 1 lb. lean ground pork 1 can Spam 1 egg 1 Tbsp. cornstarch 2 shiitake mushrooms, chopped very fine 1-2 Tbsp. ginger, minced 2 tsp. sesame oil 2 Tbsp. oyster sauce 3 green onions, minced 1 tsp. white pepper 1 tsp. salt 1 Tbsp. Chinese cooking wine or dry sherry Combine all ingredients, making sure to break up the Spam completely. Form into meatballs and set aside. Traditionally these are served with one giant meatball in each bowl, but I think it...

So the Great Dane Pub in Madison, Wisconsin, has amazing beer, but also amazing beer bread. It's dark, moist and delicious. I've been wanting to figure out how to make something like it for a while, and finally realized it's a bit like a Russian black bread. This was my first attempt to make it. I think what I needed was a different variety of beer (I used Leinie's Oktoberfest, which is all I had around, which was a bit too hoppy/bitter - their menus says they use a stout combined with a light beer, but anything dark with good carmel flavor would be good). I've adapted the recipe from here . Ingredients: 1/2 c. water 1 c. dark carmely beer (stouts are probably best here - best if room temp) 1 Tbsp. cider vinegar 2-3 Tbsp. molasses (you can substitute 1 Tbsp. brown sugar here for crispier crust) 1.5 tsp. yeast 2.5 c. bread flour 1 c. rye flour 1 tsp. salt 3 Tbsp. cocoa powder 2 Tbsp. butter (room temp) 1 tsp. instant coffee crystals (optional - or use a coffee porte...

Not a recipe so much as a suggestion. Replace half of your potatoes with cauliflower when you're making mash for more flavor, texture, and a less heavy meal. Here it is in recipe form: 2 lbs starchy potatoes 1 large cauliflower head, cut into pieces lots of salt 4 Tbsp butter 1/3 c. milk or cream freshly ground black pepper (optional seasonings include: paprika, roasted garlic, seasoned salt, etc...) Peel and boil the potatoes in a large pot of well-salted water as you normally would for making mashed potatoes, but add enough water so that there's space for the cauliflower. Add the califlower 5-7 minutes before the potatoes will be done and continue boiling. Drain and mash with the remaining ingredients, season to taste.

I just returned from Ithaca and my thesis defense (I passed!), so hopefully I will be able to get back to cookin' and postin'. While I was there I stayed with my wonderful friend Chris. He spent time in Niger in the Peace Corps, where he learned (among other things) how to cook the various goopy glops of the local cuisine. Here is one such recipe, using okra and squash, which is very hearty and satisfying. The ingredients are flexible, but the okra is important for thickening. Chris also recommends adding a pinch of sand or goat dung for that authentic, gritty touch (optional!). 1 onion, diced 3 Tbsp. tomato paste 2 c. winter squash, cut into thin slices 2-4 c. okra, chopped (frozen works fine) 2-3 c. boiling water 1 Maggi or other boullion cubes 2-3 fresh hot peppers (jalapenos or hotter), chopped salt to taste dash of Maggi sauce or soy sauce oil for cooking Use an iron cauldron or dutch oven. Heat the oil and add the onions, cooking until they begin to soften and brown. Add ...

It's our 200th recipe! (Or at least the 200th post). Things have slowed down a bit since our family doesn't have as much free time at the moment, but I think that with the winter weather the blog posts will pick up again. Here's an easy, flavorful, and inexpensive recipe that deserves to be part of our family's canon. This is Filipino dish based on soy- and vinegar- and garlic-marinated meat (not the Mexican seasoning blend also known as 'adobo'). You can use any meat you like and it works especially well with cheaper cuts, like chicken leg pieces or pork shoulder. You can also alter your technique for how much time and patience you have--it's kind of like choose-your-own-adventure. 3-4 lbs of meat (bone-in chicken or pork chunks work well) 1 c. light soy sauce 1/2-1 c. water 1/2 c. white vinegar 1 entire BULB garlic, chopped 3 bay leaves 2 Tbsp. ground black pepper 2 Tbsp. salt Combine all the ingredients in a shallow dish. If the marinade doe...

This is Mom's standard dumpling recipe, excellent with chicken soup. Drop them in, put the lid on, and enjoy. Ingredients: 2 cups flour 4 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 scant cup milk or water Preparation: Mix the dry ingredients, stir in the milk or water gradually to make a soft dough. Drop by spoonful into boiling salted water or simmering stew. Cover tightly, cook 10-15 minutes before lifting cover. Test for doneness, drain. Serve at once. Well, once they cool off so you don't burn your tongue. PS - This is post 199! Hope someone does something special for #200!  

I recall making this very simple recipe many times as a young'un, when Mom was really busy working and herding us kids around. It was a bit of a standard, along with noodle kugel, that was easy enough for kids to make (and explains why it is not quite as complicated most of the recipes on this blog.) I just made it now, and remembered why it was great - you can go from zero to dinner in about half an hour. It's a bit of an operation ice box recipe - you use more or less the cans you have around, and you can replace some of the ingredients. I'm just giving a basic idea below. It always turns out deliciously, but I'm sure you could do some other things to make it even more delicious (add pork products, beer, etc). Ingredients: 1 onion 1 green bell pepper 2 cloves garlic 1 pound ground beef (optional for vegetarian style) 2 cans stewed tomatoes (not drained of liquid) 2 cans beans (one should be chili beans, but you could have black beans as well) (don't drain these) 1...

I sort of invented this salad tonight, but I feel like I may have had something very similar before. It's very refreshing and light. All ingredients below are approximate and should be adjusted to taste. I gave the measurements for the dressing just for an idea of proportions. Combine: Carrots, grated Raisins, blanched and cooled (Optional) walnuts, crushed slightly Add dressing: 1 lemon 1/2 tsp white wine vinegar 2 tbsp salad oil or light olive oil a bit of pomegranate molasses (or balsamic vinegar and some brown sugar) a very tiny pinch of ground cloves salt a small amount of pepper Enjoy!

So I was making omelets the other day, and I was thinking it might be fun to have a list of interesting omelet fillings, for those days when you want to try something new. Since I can't figure out how to let us all edit this post, we should add more ideas in the comments. Tomatoes with Browned Garlic, Mozzarella, Parmesan and Basil: Dice tomatoes, garlic, and optionally green onions. Brown garlic in olive oil, add green onions briefly, then add tomatoes - remove from heat, but keep stirring. Add the mix to the omelets with mozzarella, Parmesan and fresh basil leaves. Mushrooms in Wine, with Basil and Rosemary: Cut mushrooms into small chunks (I liked to leave them a little chunky). Brown in lots of butter (again, optional green onions), salt, add white wine. Cook down. Add basil and rosemary to the eggs. You could do this with or without cheese. I think I used Parmesan, cause that's what I had. Za3tar: Mix za3tar spice mix with olive oil until it makes a liquidy paste, then ad...

This is a recipe for the basic bread used in Morocco in the same way flatbread is used in the eastern Mediterranean, i.e. to pick up food items, especially from very liquid dishes such as tajines. It's a somewhat trickier technique - you want to get larger pieces that are flatter than the loaf as a whole, so I generally take a piece from the top or bottom. It's also traditional to score it with a cross on the top so it can be easily torn into 4 pieces. This recipe is based mostly on the one from here This recipe calls for a bit of wheat flour, but you can make it only with white if you want: Ingredients: * 2 cups whole wheat flour (I think it would be better to use less of this, so it's not a 1-2 ratio) * 2 cups white flour * 2 teaspoons salt * 1 tablespoon yeast * 2 tablespoons vegetable oil * 1 or 2 tablespoons honey * 1 1/4 cup warm water * additional flour for kneading * Optional: 2 tsp. anise seeds * Optional: 2 tsp sesame seeds...

Bastilla or Pastilla (pronounced "ba-still-a" in Arabic) is sort of the national dish of Morocco. It's a sweet-savory pastry - some people are put off by the idea of powdered sugar on a savory pastry, but it's much much more delicious than it sounds. This is a complicated recipe, but it's good if you want something fancy for a party that's sure to impress. One thing that you MUST remember is to thaw the phyllo dough before you do this. There should be instructions on how to do so on the package. We had some success using a short trip to the nuke, but it's better to think ahead. Ingredients: Phyllo dough 1 small chicken (4# or so) 5 medium onions, diced Oil Butter, melted for the phyllo dough. Cinnamon Saffron Dried Safflower for color (or a small amount of turmeric) 1 bunch parsley, minced (I recommend a food processor for that) 8 eggs (+ 1 yolk) 1# blanched peeled almonds Lots of powdered sugar Rosewater (optional if you really don't like it - you can...

This recipe is for 6 chicken breast halves, which will make good planned-overs, but you can scale it back for 2-4 breasts. 6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves Stuffing: 1 large onion, minced 2 ribs celery, minced 2 medium carrots, minced 3 c. cooked wild rice 10 mushrooms, chopped (optional) 1/4 c. roasted sunflower seeds (optional) 4 Tbsp. butter 1 Tbsp. salt 1 tsp. pepper 1 tsp. thyme 1 tsp. rosemary 1/2 tsp. sage 2 Tbsp. chopped parsley additional salt and pepper Gravy: 1 can Cream of Something soup 1 can milk or water 1/4 c. dry sherry or vermouth Pat the breasts dry with paper towels. Preheat the oven to 350. In a skillet, cook the onions, celery, and carrots in 2 Tbsp. butter until the onions are translucent and begin to brown. If you are using mushrooms, add them and cook them until tender. Add the seasonings and cook 1 minute. Stir in the wild rice and sunflower seeds (if using) until it is well combined with the other ingredients. Check the seasonings and then allow the...

While I was trying new things with new ingredients I figured I'd go for what is often mentioned amongst foodies in a hushed, reverent whisper: pig cheeks, especially smoked. So, pig face #2, rather than being rolled up with seasonings, was butchered into its constituent parts. I only have a humble Weber sphere grill, so smoking means placing a big pan of boiling water underneath the meat and continually feeding wood chips to the fire which is off to the side. Here is a pretty good setup which is far more sophisticated than what I used, using only tinfoil. I will not attempt here to give a thorough overview of smoking meat on a grill, when so many already exist online. Long story short, pig cheeks are not unlike a very fatty bacon in their composition, and are delicious. Dip them in BBQ sauce and enjoy.

Continued from here After curing the face overnight, cooking time arrived. I rolled the face up, resulting in this somewhat grim device:

A standard of Tex-Mex cuisine, migas are a great way to use up old, stale corn tortillas. The ingredients are mostly up to you, but this is sort of the standard: Old corn tortillas, cut into squares Onion, minced Bell peppers, diced (this is optional, but I like it) Jalapenos (if you don't like this too hot, use pickled jalapenos, they're not normally too hot) Tomatoes or chunky salsa Cilantro Eggs Cheese (cheddar, pepper jack,whatever) Saute tortillas in some oil until they get a bit more transparent (they're gonna get cooked a lot more, so don't overdo it too much), then add onions and cook until halfway to transparent, then add peppers. I like to add some of the cilantro here. When everything's pretty well cooked, add tomatoes or salsa, cook for a bit. Eggs should be beaten with s&p, cilantro and some milk if possible. Pour eggs over everything, stir, and towards then end add cheese. I like to brown the whole mass a bit. Serve with lots of salsa on top. Tradi...

I wasn't sure if we needed another refrigerator cookie recipe posted, since mom posted her Jam Thumbprints recently. But, as you can see, the cookies look quite different and the recipes also differ substantially. I got mine from The Joy of Cooking. Since it's a refrigerator dough, chilling it for several hours is key, so plan ahead. My variation on it was using Orange Blossom Water instead of vanilla, which mingled nicely with the black raspberry jam (you could also use rose water). The basic dough can be used for all kinds of different cookies. 1/2 c. brown sugar 1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened 1 tsp. orange blossom water 1/4 tsp. (seriously, just a tiny drop) vanilla 2 eggs 2 1/2 c. sifted AP flour 2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt ~1/4 c. jam powdered sugar Preheat oven to 375. Cream together the butter and sugar. Beat in the orange blossom water, vanilla, and eggs. Sift the dry ingredients together and mix in thoroughly. The dough should be stiff and only sligh...

This recipe was an improvised fusion between Szechuan spices, Korean japchae technique, and some rice noodles I had sitting around. I raided my cupboard and crisper for the ingredients and came up with deliciousness. It's another dish that uses Chili Black Bean Sauce, like Ma Po Tofu. (Amusingly, the last post in the blog features chilis and black beans, but in a completely different way). It's a true stir-fry, with each ingredient cooked separately and removed from the pan, so be prepared with a nice slotted spoon or 'spider'. In the end the ingredients are combined in a large bowl (pick one that you can cover with some kind of lid to keep things warm), so you don't have to worry about fitting the noodles into your wok or frying pan. 1 quart rice noodles, soaked in hot water until tender 1 lb protein, cubed (I used tofu) 2 c. stir-fry vegetables, cut into small pieces or slivers, such as: carrots blanched greens onions 1.4 c. water 3 Tbsp. chili black bean sauce 3 ...

I say: you can never have too many bean recipes! They're cheap, filling, flavorful, and, um...euphonious. This one is enhanced by serving it with brown rice that has been roasted, to release the nutty flavor. Some hearty avocado slices make a nice addition too. This is based off a Whole Foods (gasp!) recipe. I have discovered that I only like brown rice if it has been cooked for a very long time, which is not possible on the stovetop without scorching. I use the 'brown rice' setting on my rice cooker, but you can accomplish the same thing by cooking it for an hour in a very slow oven. Roasted Brown Rice, oven style 2 c. brown rice 4 c. water 1/2 tsp. salt Preheat the oven to 225. Heat the rice on the stovetop in a Dutch oven, stirring constantly until it is lightly roasted. Add the water and salt and bring to a boil. Put the lid on and place the pot in the oven for one hour. Fluff before serving. Chili Black Beans 1 lb. black beans, soaked overnight 1 large ham hock (or sm...

What would our family's cool-weather menu line-up be without Shepherd's Pie? Thank you, Tina! Over the years I've found that it turns out best if you use a combination of ground beef and lamb and make sure to use lots of meat, so you don't wind up with too much potato on top. I like to season the meat well so that it stands up to the potatoes. 2-3 lbs. ground meat, ideally beef and lamb 4-5 strips bacon, cooked and chopped into small pieces (optional) 2-3 lbs. potatoes, made into mashed potatoes using your usual approach 1 large onion, diced small 2 stalks celery, diced small 1 can beef broth 3 Tbsp. dry sherry or vermouth (optional) 1 c. frozen peas 2 Tbsp. flour 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce 2 Tbsp. ketchup 1 Tbsp. ground yellow mustard 1 Tbsp. salt 1 tsp. dried thyme 1/2 tsp. black pepper 1/2 tsp. marjoram (optional) sprinkling of paprika Preheat the oven to 350. Cook the bacon in a large frying pan, then remove it and chop it into small pieces. Brown the meat in the ...

I always keep a turkey kielbasa on hand for weeknight desperation dinners. The turkey kielbasa aren't as greasy as the regular ones, and they keep forever in the fridge or freezer. This recipe is more to serve as inspiration than as something to follow in great detail. You can add the noodles to the pan or serve them separately. I have also used potatoes or pierogies as a starchy substrate. For veggies just use what you have on hand. Adding fresh herbs at the end is a nice touch if you have some on hand. 1 turkey kielbasa, sliced 2-3 c. veggies, in this case: colorful bell peppers, sliced 1/2 lb. pasta, potatoes, or pierogies, cooked 1 c. broth (any kind) 2 Tbsp. cornstarch or potato starch 2-4 tsp. spices, in this case: sage, red pepper flakes, and and white pepper 1 handful fresh herbs, chopped (optional) oil for cooking Heat 2-3 Tbsp. oil in the skillet. Cook the noodles (or potatoes or pierogies) on medium high, tossing frequently, until the edges are crisp and browned. Remove...

This combination of dishes makes a nice meal and great leftovers. I like to use paneer when I can get it easily, but the recipe works well with firm tofu or even chicken (though then I guess it's a different dish). These recipes are based around Manjula's Kitchen , though I altered them a little to avoid hard-to-find ingredients. Check out the videos if you want step-by-step instructions or more recipe ideas. My most recent attempt. I didn't have cilantro to add to the aloo gobi, but it's still delicious without it. Palak Paneer 1 1/2-2 c. paneer, cubed (or extra-firm tofu, cubed and patted dry) 1 box frozen spinach, thawed, drained well, and chopped 2-3 plum tomatoes, pureed, or 1/2 can tomato puree 2 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 Tbsp. salt 2 tsp. whole cumin seed 1/2 tsp. turmeric 1/4 tsp. cayenne 3 Tbsp. flour 1/4 c. water + more water 1/2 c. heavy cream or half and half 2 Tbsp. butter oil for frying tomato slices for garnish Fry the paneer or ...

This is a favorite of Melanie's and is definitely an example of something that is greater than the sum of its parts: Cucumbers, skinned and diced Tomatoes, skinned, de-seeded and diced as well White vinegar Vegetable oil Salt Combine. Enjoy.

Here is our classic summer barbecue cucumber salad recipe. The recipe is pretty approximate, but here goes: Cucumbers, peeled, and slices into rounds White onion, chopped into 1.5" or so long chunks. Sour Cream Salt Pepper Sprinkle a large amount of salt on the cucumbers and onions, let them sit for a little while, then add sour cream, and possibly more salt, and pepper. Let sit for a couple hours for best results. Use more salt than you think.

Watching lots of Anthony Bourdain will definitely give you a hankering for some odd cuts, so here's the first in what will hopefully be a series of snout-to-tail classics.

Kabsa is a Gulf/Saudi recipe, yet another variation of meat and rice, but it's pretty damn tasty. Wikipedia has an entry on it, for further background information. The quantities were pretty approximate, so take them with a grain of salt. Ingredients: Chicken pieces (I used two giant breasts, but I think it would be better to use a breast and a couple thighs) Large Onion, cut into thin slices 5 or so garlic cloves 1 can pureed tomatoes 2 medium tomatoes 2 medium carrots, grated Grated peel of 1/2 orange and 1/2 lemon, OR 2 black/dried lemons 2-4 whole cloves 2-3 whole cardamom pods (or 1/2 tsp ground) 1-2 cinnamon sticks Pinch saffron Pinch cayenne pepper Black peppercorns Salt 3 c. liquid (water or broth) 1.5 c. rice (preferably basmati) Raisins (option) and slivered almonds and/or pine nuts (optional, but much better with) for decoration. Directions: 1. Sautee the onions until they start to carmelize, then add chicken pieces and brown. Add tomatoes, cook for 1 minute. 2. Add 3 c...

Had a hankering the other day for some cookies. Since I am wheat intolerant, I can't just reach up into the cupboard and raid Jeff's, so it takes some thought and planning. I found a recipe in the King Arthur Flour Cookbook that makes enough for 3 batches of refrigerated dough. I substituted spelt flour for the wheat flour and it worked just fine. Refrigerating the dough ripens it, which means that it changes its nature to make cookies that are thin and crisp rather than thick and chewy. These cookies are best made small. The beauty part of this scheme is that you can cook a batch on three separate nights, and add different flair to each batch. They are all baked at 400 degrees for 8 minutes. The first batch I just did was plain;I sliced pieces off from the roll of dough and baked them. They were very good, and excellent vehicles for milk-dipping behavior. (I think I made them too big, as they were thick and chewy). The second batch is fabulous - I pinched off pieces, rolled ...

Edit: I just re-tested this recipe 9 (!) years later and made a few changes: There's a time for thick, doughy pizzas and a time for thin, crispy pizzas. This is for when you have a hankering for the latter. It takes some forethought, since the dough rises overnight in the fridge, but is well worth the patience and planning. I got the dough recipe from this site and it works great if you follow the recipe just the way it's written (makes 2 pizzas). The sauce recipe is my own. The day before: 1 lb. high protein unbleached white flour (ie bread flour) 3/4 c. warm water (or more*) 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil 1 1/2 tsp. dry yeast 1 1/2 tsp. sugar 1 tsp. salt Combine all the ingredients and mix by hand or with a stand mixer. The dough will be extremely stiff and a bit lumpy. Do not knead any more than necessary to combine the ingredients. Place the dense dough ball in a lightly oiled bowl and allow to rise for 24 hours in the refrigerator. It will not get much bigger, but ...

This is a meat tajine (the kind of meat, as long as it's red, is up to you) from a cookbook I got in Morocco. You're kind of free as to what you serve it with - in Morocco, I think you'd mostly eat it with Moroccan bread , but I had it with couscous, prepared American style (boiling water and couscous). It was very delicious. Ingredients: 2 large onions 1 cinnamon stick 3 cloves garlic 1 tsp ground ginger Pinch turmeric or dried safflower (for color) Pinch saffron 1.5 pounds meat, preferably bone in. 2-3 cups warm water Salt 1 tsp ground cinnamon 3 Tbsp powdered sugar 1 c. (approx.) golden raisins Preparation: Saute onions, garlic, cinnamon stick, salt, ground ginger and coloring agent agent for a minute, then add the meat. Mix the saffron into the water. When the onions have turned transparent, add the saffron water, then cover. I cooked it for 40 minutes in the pressure cooker - the directions aren't clear as to whether you should cook it in a pressure cooker or a nor...

Copied shamelessly from TableTalk, the Salon.com blog: For those who've jumped on the fizzy water bandwagon, here's a new soda. Rhubarb Soda: 1.5 c chopped rhubarb, 1.5 c water, 1 c sugar -- bring to boil, simmer for 15 minutes. Strain into a jar. Let cool. Pour a couple of ounces over ice in a tall glass and fill up with fizzy water. Delish.

These are a great thing to keep around for a nosh with some cheese and olives or a spread. I started experimenting with them to have a non-wheat alternative to potato chips. I have added cocoa powder and extra sugar for something between a cracker and a cookie, and it is great with coffee for a little pick-me-up in the afternoon. You can also stir in some finely grated cheese when combining the dry ingredients. Makes enough to last a week or so. If they get limp, bake em again for a few minutes. Sailors lived on things like this. Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! From King Arthur Flour cookbook. Preheat oven to 400. (prepare for a couple rest periods during process) 2 cups flour 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp baking powder 1 tsp sugar 4 TBSP butter 1 egg beaten into 1/2 cup milk (or 3/4 cup milk and no egg) stuff for sprinking on top (salt, herbs, seeds, etc) Mix dry ingredients together. Blend in the flour quickly until it resembles corn meal. Add milk and egg mixture, 1/2 at a time, stirring quickly with f...

This evoked an OMFG from a complete stranger - it is mouth-wateringly delicious, and not too sweet for breakfast. (I have considered making it again with a thin layer of apricot preserves between the layers) Lifted directly from Prairie Home Cooking , a must have cookbook. Preheat oven to 375. 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter 3 cups all-purpose flour (bleached spelt worked great) 3 eggs 1/2 tsp almond extract Glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar (sift first) 1 TBSP butter, softened 1/2 tsp almond extract Light cream or something In medium bowl, cut 1 stick of the butter into 2 cups of the flour until pea sized. Sprinkle 1 TBSP of cold water over 1/3 of this mixture, and gently toss with a fork. Push this to the side of the bowl. Repeat with the other 2/3. When all the dough is moistened, shape it into a ball and divide in half. On an ungreased baking sheet, pat or roll each piece of dough into a 12" x 4" strip. It will not look right, but trust me. This is where I might add a laye...

So I'm posting already! Lillian gave this dressing a thumbs-up, so here is the recipe. (I think the Russian lady in the photo could use a little more dressing). It was combined from a couple recipes in the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook: 1 TBSP paprika 2 tsp sugar 1 tsp salt dash cayenne 1 1/2 tsp celery seed Combine dry ingredients in blender or with food processing device. Add: 1/3 cup (vinegar and lemon juice mixture) 1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce 1 egg 1/2 cup ketchup (or catsup, depending) 1/4 cup grated onion Drizzle in slowly, beat until thick: 1 cup salad oil Chill. Delicious on Reuben/Rachel sandwiches

This is mostly just an illustration of Lillian's (adapted) meatloaf recipe, which is indeed pretty awesome. Whats interesting about the recipe is mostly the cooking technique, which involved forming the loaf on a rack wrapped in tinfoil, with a sheet underneath to catch the grease. A picture is worth a thousand words: As for the contents of the loaf, I mostly didn't use the recipe, since I had neither crackers nor gelatin on hand. It held together fine with corn meal however. Mine contains equal parts beef and pork.

This is a great salad for when you've just pulled some beets out of the garden, and have both beets and greens. I've adapted it from here. Ingredients: Salad: 4 or so beets (maybe more if you have small garden beets) The greens from those beets (or 1 bunch beet greens) 2 scallions Optional: Some sort of crunchy nuts or seeds (sunflower, slivered almonds, roast pumpkin seeds) Feta or other pungent tasty cheese (I used shanklish since it keeps more or less forever and I have some in the fridge.) I also grated a carrot on top of the salad. Dressing: 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 3/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil (not sure if this is really necessary) 1 tablespoon+ of the beet juice for a bit of sweetness Cook beets until you can poke a fork in them easily. Skin using your fingers once they've cooled. Slice into rounds. Blanch greens for 20-30 seconds in boiling water. I r...

These dumplings are a nice addition to stewy meals, especially for example goulash . The way I had them in Prague was sitting in the broth of the goulash in thin(1") slices. The recipe is adapted from here. Note that I've mostly halved the recipe - I left the yeast high, since it'll rise faster. This is a yeast bread, so it needs time to rise - plan ahead! 1 pk yeast (or 2.25 tsp yeast) 1 ts sugar 1/4 c milk; scalded and cooled 1/2 c milk; warm 1 egg 1/2 ts salt 1.5 c flour 1 slices white bread; cubed Mix first three ingredients, let stand 10 minutes. Mix in everything else but bread cubes. Once mixed, add bread cubes, knead like bread. Let rise until doubled. Knead again, divide into equal sized logs (they suggest three in the original recipe - it depends on how wide you want the resulting circles.) Let rise again, for about half an hour. Boil gently for around 15 minutes. Now, when done, what you're supposed to do is use a piece of thread to loop around the resultin...

There's a zillion recipes for bolognese sauce, but this one worked well for me. Some people add cream at the end, but I find I don't like that as much. This one's really good if you can find hot pepper paste (usually associated with Hungary, but I have a Peruvian brand that's excellent). You can make it entirely un-spicy if you like, too. 2 large cans whole tomatoes, ideally Red Gold brand (or you can use 1 can puree and 1 can crushed if you don't have a blender) 1 lb ground beef 1 c. red wine 1/2 c. beef broth 1 onion, minced 1 tsp. red pepper flakes 2 tsp. oregano 1 tsp. dried basil 1 tsp. ground black pepper 1 tsp. fennel seeds (optional) 3 Tbsp. salt 3 Tbsp. olive oil 2 Tbsp. red pepper (or tomato) paste 2 Tbsp. flour 1/2 c. water from boiling pasta 2 cloves garlic, crushed Brown the ground beef and chop it up with your stirring device so that it's finely textured. If you have a pressure cooker, add 1/2 c. red wine and the 1/2 c. beef broth and cook for 15 m...