Extra Schmaltz!

 This is the style of rice pudding that mom would make us growing up. It's a great way to use that small bit of leftover rice that's too little for fried rice or whatever. It's also really, really easy to make. The secret for maximum deliciousness is to err on the side of using less rice, or to add a bit more milk and egg to compensate if you add a bit too much rice.  It's all about that cross-section of custard on top and dense sweet rice on the bottom. Ingredients 1-1.5 c. cooked white rice, but less is better 2 c. milk, or increase if you have more rice 2/3 c. sugar (part brown sugar makes it extra tasty) 1/4 c. raisins or to taste 5 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1/4 tsp. cinnamon (honestly I just shake and eyeball this)  Preparation Grease an casserole dish. Preheat oven to 350.  Beat the eggs in a big bowl, then add literally everything else and whomp thoroughly.  Pour into the casserole dish, and cook probably about an hour or longer - it takes more tim...

Somehow we don't have a recipe for these on the blog, and they're one of my favorites. Think of them as operation icebox muffins - that old apple way too soft to eat? Got a can of pinneaple around? Bam, you probably have what you need for these. I'm also putting this online because the recipe I'm using is printed out and I'm afraid I'll lose it since it turns out fabulously every time. The veggies/fruits in the recipe are subject to what you have and your whims. Personally, I think the pinneaple and coconut are essential to the recipe, and we like the raisins a lot. Otherwise, you can tinker - I've replaced the apple with ripe pear to great effect, I've added a peach, and you can play around further. Ingredients Dry 2 1/4 c. white flour (don't mess with whole wheat, these have plenty of fiber) 1 1/4 c. sugar (don't short this or they'll taste way too healthy. The fruit doesn't make them too sweet either) 2-3 tsp. cinnamon ...

I was invited to a dinner party with rather short notice, and asked to make dessert, which isn't really my specialty. Luckily, I got this ginormous, very British cookbook "1000 Classic Recipes" for $2 at a book sale. Being British, probably half the recipes are for cakes, pies or tarts, and flipping through I found this recipe which was ludicrously easy and required very few ingredients. It's low fat (for the gallbladderless among us), it could probably be made with gluten free flour, it takes maybe half an hour to make from start to finish, and it's really tasty - a nice, light summer dessert. The one caveat is that it's best to serve fairly soon after making, otherwise it gets a bit mushy from the berry juice. Also, it doesn't make a huge amount - I'm not sure how amenable it would be to doubling, though it sufficed for six people for a light dessert.  It's best served with vanilla ice cream. 2 c. worth of berries (I used raspberries, stra...

This dish is from Brazil, where it is often served after a heavy, meat-laden churrasco meal (primarily to tourists), with the idea that the papain enzyme will help dissolve the pile of meat you just consumed. Don't know if it works, but it is definitely delicious. Typically it is made with vanilla ice cream to a pudding-like consistency, but I like this lighter, zingier, smoothie version. 1 c. ripe papaya chunks 1 c. plain yogurt 2-3 Tbsp. sugar 1-2 Tbsp. crème de cassis or Ribena 1 pinch salt 1/4 milk (optional) Wait until your paypaya is super-duper ripe--I wait until it is on the verge of developing mold and attracting an armada of fruit flies. Peel it and take off some flesh with the peel to get rid of the bitter outer edge. Cut into chunks. I get the big red papayas from the Mexican grocery, but you can use the smaller pear-shaped ones too. Blend together the papaya, yogurt, sugar, salt, and a dash of the  crème de cassis. Add the milk if you want it to be a smoothi...

These cookies are super simple, and quite healthy for cookies! Ingredients: 2 c. almond butter (or any nut butter)* 2 c. chopped dates (I like to buy whole dates and chop them myself so they become very sticky) 2 c. oats (I prefer quick oats because they are smaller) optional: coconut, honey, maple syrup, vanilla extract, seeds Method: Mix well with a spoon and/or with hands. The mixture should stick together well. Use a tiny amount of water if too dry. Add more oats if too wet. If the mixture is too sticky to work with, but you don't want to change the consistency, you can leave it (preferably covered) in the refrigerator up to one hour before rolling the dough into balls. I store these in plastic airtight containers. If you are concerned about them sticking together, you could use wax paper to separate layers of cookies. These keep well in the refrigerator for at least one week. A similar cookie that is also delicious: Form balls out of mushed dates and crushed wal...

I really like ice cream. When I am trying to remain virtuous, I tend to get pretty creative. Tonight I had an inspiration: I always keep frozen blueberries on hand because they are really delicious. I also usually have one or two sliced bananas in the freezer, because they are great in protein drinks or smoothies. Here is what I came up with: Combine in food processor or blender: 1 cup frozen blueberries 5-6 slices frozen bananas ¾ cup milk 1 TBSP maple syrup (or sweetener of your choice) Blend until smooth and consistent. Serve immediately. Makes two sensible or one awesome portion. Another insane thing to do with frozen blueberries is this: Put berries in deep cup or parfait glass Drizzle with maple syrup or honey (not much) Cover with whipping cream (not whipped) or half & half Wait about 10 minutes (this is the hard part). The berries will freeze the syrup and cream into an unholy blast of deliciousness. Dig in.  If this doesn't keep you from runnin...

These could be made with any berry, or even rhubarb. They yield a tender, moist muffin with medium sweetness and a tender crumb. I used raspberries and blackberries for the ones in the picture. Instead of lemon and vanilla you could go with a cinnamon spice approach instead, and add a streusel topping. 1/4 c. unsalted butter, softened 1/2 c. packed light brown sugar 3/4 c. buttermilk + 1/4 c. heavy cream OR 1 c. sour cream 2 eggs 1/2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. Meyer lemon zest 1 tsp. vanilla 1 1/2 c. flour 1/2 c. granulated sugar 3/4 tsp. baking soda 1 1/2-2 c. berries or rhubarb cut into 1/4" pieces Preheat oven to 375. Place 12 paper liners into a muffin tray. Spray the top surface with non-cook spray for easy muffin removal. Cream together the butter and brown sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Mix together the buttermilk, cream, eggs, vanilla, lemon zest, and salt. Mix into the butter and sugar mixture until well combined. Stir together the flour, 1/2 c....

After a recent visit to North Carolina, where strawberries are already ripe, I was inspired to make this simple but wonderful dessert. Makes six. 1 pint strawberries 1 c. heavy whipping cream, divided 1 tsp. vanilla 1/2 c. sugar, divided 3/4 c. flour 1 egg 3 Tbsp. cold butter 2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the strawberries into a bowl and sprinkle with2-3 Tbsp. sugar. Add a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon, if you have it. Allow to rest for an hour. Use a fork to crush some of the strawberries. Sift the flour together with the baking powder and salt. Stir in 3 Tbsp. of sugar. Cut the butter in with a fork until it is the size of small peas. Whisk the egg in a cup and reserve a couple spoonfuls of it for later. Add 1/4 c. of whipping cream to the cup and stir. Pour into the flour mixture and mix until the dough comes together. Turn onto a flour board and cut into circles or squares. Brush the remaining egg on the cakes and ...

I don't know what people did with pumpkins before they baked them into bars and topped them with delectable frosting, but I'm sure it was a sad era for humankind. Fortunately we have these bars! Super moist, autumnal spices, tangy-sweet, rich frosting. No better way to plump up for winter. Note: these would also be very good (dare I say better? ) with Cooked Flour Frosting , which is not as rich as cream cheese frosting and doesn't require you to remember to buy cream cheese. Preheat oven to 350°. Grease the bottom only of a 10 x 13" pan (allows cake to climb up the sides). 15 oz. pumpkin puree (1 can) 1 c. vegetable oil 1 c. granulated sugar 2/3 c. light brown sugar 4 eggs 1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour 2 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. garam masala 1 tsp. salt 1 stick unsalted butter, softened 1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened 2 c. powdered sugar, sifted 1 tsp. vanilla If you are using whole pumpkin, be sure to p...

These cupcakes are completely bonkers. Moist, springy, flavorful, but not overly rich. They are based on my Apple Cupcakes recipe with a vanilla-bean version of Frances Frosting.  The basic principle could be used with any flavor--and I've had it as a sheet cake with orange jello and mandarin oranges, which was fantastic. You can go 100% trailer trash and frost it with Cool-Whip, but I recommend the frosting variation below. You can see the incredibly moist strawberry interior of a completed cupcake in the lower right. 1 recipe Apple Cupcakes (or other white or yellow cake) 1 package strawberry Jell-O 1 c. boiling water 12 strawberry fruit snacks for garnish foil cupcake liners with paper lining pink sprinkles ~2 c. frosting (see below) Place the paper liners in the cupcake pan, saving the foil liners for later. Fill each cup to within 1/4" of the rim. Bake as directed (22 minutes). Allow to cool to about room temperature in the pan. Poke 10-12 holes in each c...

These are based on a Texas sheet cake recipe and turn out unbelievably moist and springy, ready for whatever frosting tickles your fancy. They have the added advantage of not needing the tiresome butter-creaming step. This recipe also makes a great sheet cake, but may need a couple more minutes. Makes 12+ cupcakes. Preheat oven to 350° 1/2 c. unsalted butter (1 stick) 3 apples, peeled 1.5 c. sugar 1/2 c. buttermilk or sour cream 2 eggs 1 Tbsp. vanilla 2 c. all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. baking powder 3/4 tsp. salt Grate the apples into a bowl. Squeeze them dry, retaining the juice in a measuring cup. Add water (if needed) to reach 1 c. liquid. Place the juice and the butter into a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. While mixture is still warm, whisk in the sugar, then buttermilk and vanilla. Allow the mixture to cool while you sift together the dry ingredients. When it is cool enough not to cook the eggs, whisk in the eggs. Mix in the flour gradually, bl...

I found this recipe partly by experimentation, partly by accident. Baking while distracted, I accidentally added too much flour, which gave the cookies more body and kept them from spreading out too much. I intentionally used part shortening to further prevent spreading, and some corn syrup to keep them moist. I drizzled them with leftover chocolate glaze from Chocolate Meringue Gondolas . If you click to enlarge this picture the cookies look more delicious. Preheat oven to 375° and place parchment paper on two baking sheets. 1 lb. all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. salt 4 oz. unsalted butter, softened (1 stick) 4 oz. shortening, softened 3/4 c. white sugar 1/2 c. brown sugar 1/4 c. light corn syrup 2 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla extract 12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used half white chocolate) 1/2 c. roasted walnuts, finely chopped Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, beat the butter and shortening until they ar...

This recipe is from Great Cookies by Carole Walters. The results are light, delectable, and wheat-free. Great for after a heavy meal when you want a touch of sweetness, and perfect for Passover. Preheat oven to 275°, with racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Meringues 2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, broken into pieces 4 large egg whites at room temp 1/8 tsp. salt 1 c. superfine sugar, divided 1/2 tsp. vanilla For the meringues, chop the unsweetened chocolate in the food processor until fine. I found putting the chocolate in the freezer for 15 minutes helped keep it cool. Place the egg whites in a large bowl and beat at medium until frothy. Add the salt, increase the speed, and beat until it forms firm peaks. Add 2/3 c. sugar, 1 Tbsp. at a time. Add the vanilla and beat 1 minute more until it forms stiff peaks. Fold in the remaining 1/3 cup sugar in four additions, then fold in the chopped chocolate. Form 'quenel...

As a kid I loved day trips to the tourist-trap known as Solvang , for one big reason: æbleskiver! These Danish goodies are little eggy puffs of air, made in a specialized cast-iron pan. Lucky me, Alex got me just such a pan! This dough would also make fantastic pancakes or waffles if you don't have the pan. I used this æbleskiver recipe from a Danish enclave in MN at Lutsen, but I cut it in half for two people. They recommend allowing 7 puffs per person, which is handy because that's how many fit in a pan. The recipe below makes ~18 puffs. For the technique, watch this video from Solvang: 1 c. buttermilk 2 eggs, separated 1 Tbsp. sugar 1 Tbsp. oil 1 pinch salt 1 c. flour 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. baking soda Beat the egg whites until stiff. Whisk together the yolks, sugar, oil, and salt in a large measuring cup with a pour spout. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda and then add it to the liquid ingredients. Whisk until very smooth...

Making pumpkin pie from scratch is all well and good (I see I have a very elaborate recipe for it in my notes), but sometimes you just need/want an easy pie. This is my version of a basic recipe using canned goods. It is for a deep-dish pie crust, so you will have extra if you are using a standard pan. Before... ...After! Preheat the oven to 425° 1 unbaked pie crust 1 can pumpkin 1 can evaporated milk 2 whole eggs + 2 egg yolks 1/2 c. plain yogurt 3/4 c. light brown sugar 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. garam masala 1/2 tsp. salt Roll out the crust and place it in your pie pan. Blend together the pie filling ingredients. Pour the ingredients into the crust. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350° and bake for another 40-50 minutes, or until it looks mostly set. Cool on a rack for at least 2 hours before slicing. I love pie!

Or, as I like to call them, Blueblerry Blars! This recipe is based on one from the Lunds & Byerly's free magazine, Real Food . These make a great breakfast or post-gym snack. Soon I will work on some other fillings, like apple or cherry. ~2.5 c. blueberries, fresh or frozen (or a whole 12 oz. bag) 1/4 c.white sugar 2 teaspoons cornstarch 1 tsp. lemon zest 1 c. walnuts, whole or in pieces 1.5 c. AP flour 1 heaping cup old-fashioned rolled oats 1/3 c. white sugar 1/3 c. packed brown sugar 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar 1/2 tsp. salt 12 Tbsp. melted, unsalted butter (1.5 sticks) Preheat oven to 350°. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. Trust me--this recipe will be a lot easier if you use the paper. Place the walnuts on the baking pan and put them in the oven to toast for 5-10 minutes. They will become fragrant and make squealing noises. Make sure they don't start to burn. Remove from the oven to cool when they are done. ...

A bit thick, but very, very yummy :) This is an aromatic stovetop-simmered style (like kheer ), instead of the baked, eggy Occidental style. I made this using cooked rice. You can certainly start with uncooked rice (look up a recipe online), but be prepared to spend a lot of time stirring. The recipe is flexible: you can adjust the liquid amount for the desired consistency, add different flavorings, additions such as raisins or nuts, and even different sources of liquids. I recommend using whole milk and adding cream or evaporated milk. The recipe can be served warm or cold. 3-4 c. cooked basmati or jasmine rice 2 c. whole milk 1 can evaporated milk ~1 c. boiling water 1/2 c. sugar 1 Tbsp. rose water 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom 1 pinch salt 1 Tbsp. butter (optional) crushed pistachios for garnish Heat the whole milk and evaporated milk (or whatever types of milk you are using). Add the rice, sugar, salt, and cardamom. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, stirring frequently for 25 min...

I baked this at the same time as a loaf of zucchini bread because they both used buttermilk and because if you're heating up the kitchen to bake one thing you may as well go on a baking spree. Buttermilk pie is a traditional Southern dish, basically a custard pie, and it's ideal for when the larder is bare. Since it's the height of summer I decided to add in some seasonal fruit, but this is a perfectly respectable pie without the berries. This pie is literally simple as pie, and there's no fiddly top crust to deal with. I got the basic recipe from the NPR website . Preheat oven to 350 1 unbaked pie shell 4 eggs 1 c. sugar 1/2 c. melted butter 1 1/2 c. buttermilk 1 tsp. vanilla extract lemon zest (my addition) Blend together the ingredients, but not so much that they start to foam. Pour the mixture into the unbaked pie shell. Cover the crust with foil so it doesn't burn. Bake for 1 hour, or until a knife comes out clean. The pie will puff up a bit, and the surface s...

How can we have so many recipes, and yet not have a family zucchini bread recipe? Part of the reason may be that it's a fairly modern phenomenon--I can't find a recipe for it in any of our older cookbooks. Another possibility is that the version in The Melting Pot is made entirely with whole wheat flour and honey instead of sugar--yuck! Another reason is that Aunt Etties recipe was ~90% nuts, which is also yuck in my book. Whatever the reason we don't have one yet, here's a good recipe that is unapologetically full of refined carbohydrates: Preheat oven to 350 1 1/2 c. flour ~2-3 c. grated zucchini (one 12" zuke) 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. baking flour 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. cinnamon 1/4 tsp. garam masala 2 eggs 3/4 c. sugar 1/2 c. buttermilk 1/4 c. oil 1 tsp. vanilla Sprinkle the zucchini with the salt and place it in a colander in the sink. Sift together the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Blend the wet ingredients together in a quart measuring cup. Squeeze the z...

I remember getting this bread, or something like it, at Turtle Bread. It was absolutely fabulously delicious, especially when schmeared with mascarpone. The recipes ( here and here ) I derived this from are pretty complex, and give the measurements in weight and traditional cups/tbsps. I prefer the latter, so that's what I'll use primarily. If you want weights, feel free to look at those links. The Night Before: You need to mix "biga naturales" which are a form of starter. I think they recipe would be fine without this, but you might want to increase the yeast later: 1/4c. flour 1/8c. water pinch of yeast Mix, and then let sit covered at least 8 hours (or overnight). Day Of: Biga Naturales, cut into small pieces 3 c. flour 1 1/8c. water 1/4 c. honey 1 Tbsp. vanilla 1/4 c. cocoa powder 1/2 tsp. yeast 1 Tbsp salt 1/4-1/2 c. chocolate chips Mix all ingredients, then knead for 5-8 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes. Knead in chocolate chips. Let rest until doubled in covered li...