My Tidy Kitchen has moved to Colorado! As a part of the Leadership Development Rotational Program I’m in for work, I’ve been relocated to Colorado for a one-year assignment in our office here in CO. We left Sunday night and arrived on Monday afternoon (with a brief overnight stay in Des Moines). The trip was long and boring, and rather uneventful. I have this week off from work and have basically been unpacking and making expensive trips to Target. I did venture out to the Cherry Creek Mall in Denver yesterday.
Since I haven’t done much cooking here in the new kitchen, here are some pictures of my kitchen in not-so-tidy form to hold you over until my next post.
The kitchen: before unpacking…
During… (please, no one buy me anymore kitchen stuff!)
And after! Back to being tidy.
And the first meal in our new place: beef tenderloin on the grill, corn on the cob, ciabatta rolls, and fruit.
In less than two months, I will need to learn to make high-altitude adjustments to my baking skills… For those of you that have not heard, we are moving to Colorado in June for my job. This is a huge change for John and me, since we both grew up in Minnesota and all our friends and family are here. It’s been a bunch of mix of emotions so far: stress, excitement, sadness, but we’re excited for what this adventure will bring.
Thanks to King Arthur Flour on Twitter, I found this article that sums up what you need to know about high-altitude baking. Seems intimidating, but practice makes perfect! I will need to find some new friends to test recipes on.
Here’s a picture of our new home that we’ll be moving into in June. We’ll have a guest room, so you are welcome to come visit us!
I’ve been MIA lately. John started a new job and he travels a lot now, so I don’t have anyone to cook for. I did cook my dear friend Kelly dinner for her birthday, and I’m hosting my parents for dinner on Friday, so hopefully I’ll get some new posts up soon!
I made this fondue a while back when our friends Nate and Laura hosted a fondue party and I needed to bring something other than the traditional cheese or chocolate fondue. You can serve this in tortillas or with tortilla chips. Here’s a link to the recipe from Martha Stewart (her recipes never let you down!), and I’ll include the steps below.
Take a big block of monterey jack cheese. I love Fancy brand cheese.
Whenever I get the cheese grater out, here comes my buddy Olive to clean up anything that happens to fall on the floor!
Grate all the cheese and reserve for later. It’s a good arm workout to grate a pound of cheese.
Next, preheat your oven to broil. Place two poblano peppers on a sheet pan on the top rack. Broil them, turning approximately every 5 minutes until each side is blackened. Remove them from the oven and place them in a ziploc bag and seal. When cool, remove them from the plastic bag and peel off the blackened skin. Remove the ribs, seeds, and stem and dice.
Dice a red bell pepper.
Remove the chorizo from it’s casing and saute over medium heat. When it’s almost cooked through, and the red pepper.
Add the cheese and diced poblano peppers, stir to mix all together. Serve warm in tortillas.
Here’s a meal that is easy and delicious, but fancy enough for a special occasion.
Roasted Beef Tenderloin
Serves 2 – inspired by The Joy of Cooking
2 – 8 ounce pieces beef tenderloin
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Pat the meat dry, and season all sides with salt and pepper. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the meat on all sides until brown, then transfer the skillet to the oven to cook through. Cook for about 30 minutes for medium-well. Remove from oven and cover with foil. Let the meat rest for about 15 minutes before serving. Transfer to plate to serve.
I recently purchased a food thermometer which comes in handy for all sorts of things. It makes it much easier to tell if your meat is cooked to your desired doneness. The Joy of Cooking book gives these guidelines: 125-130 degrees for rare, 135-140 for medium-rare, 150-155 for medium. I also learned that inserting the thermometer into the side of the meat gives a more accurate temperature than inserting it into the top.
Roasted Haricots Verts Serves 2
2 handfuls haricots verts (french green beans) – or substitute green beans
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees (these can go in the oven at the same time as the beef tenderloin). On a sheet pan, drizzle the beans with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Spread into an even layer then cover with the parmesan cheese. Place sheet pan in oven and roast beans for approximately 15 minutes, or until tender and the cheese is crispy and golden brown. Transfer to plate to serve.
Pasta with Truffle Butter
Serves 2 – Adapted from the Barefoot Contessa
8 oz fettucine
1.5 oz truffle butter (I found it at Kowalskis in the deli section)
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain the pasta, reserving a small amount of pasta water. Return the pasta to the pot, add the truffle butter, cream, and parmesan cheese, stir to combine. Add a bit of the pasta water if the sauce is too thick. Add salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to plate to serve.
I had been craving french toast for about a month and finally got around to making it for breakfast on Valentine’s Day. I think the key to awesome french toast is good bread! I used challah bread, and would also recommend brioche – both are buttery and chewy. If you can’t find those breads, french bread or cinnamon bread work fine too. I think thick slices of bread work best because thin slices get too soggy and mushy. Adding vanilla and cinnamon makes my version of french toast…
French Toast Serves 2
5-6 slices challah bread, cut into 1-inch thick slices
2 eggs
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of salt
Maple syrup, for serving
Powdered sugar, for serving
Butter, for skillet
Beat together the eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt in a shallow dish or pie plate. Heat a skillet over medium to medium-high heat, melt 1/2 to 1 tablespoon butter (depending on how big your skillet is). Coat the bread slices on both sides in the egg mixture. Add to the skillet and cook for a few minutes on each side until golden brown. Transfer to a plate and sprinkle with powdered sugar for a little extra sweetness. Serve with maple syrup.
This is an original recipe, inspired by the fried ravioli I loved to eat in the dining center (the “DC”) during college at Bethel University. These probably contributed to my gaining the “Freshman 15″ but they are so delicious. Just don’t eat them once a week and you’ll be fine.
Fried Ravioli Serves 2 or 3
1 package cheese ravioli from the refrigerated section of the grocery store. Recommended: Buitoni Riserva Quattro Formaggi Agnolotti
1/2 cup flour
3 eggs
1 cup italian bread crumbs
Marinara sauce, for serving. Recommended: Classico 4-Cheese
Vegetable oil, for frying
In a large saucepan, heat enough oil to be a few inches deep in your pan over medium to medium-high heat until it reaches 350 degrees (a candy/frying thermometer is helpful to have). Note: you can test the temperature of your oil but dropping a little piece of bread into the oil. If it bubbles and floats to the top and starts to fry, the oil is ready.
Make an assembly line with three bowls. Place the flour in the first bowl. In the second bowl, beat the eggs with a small splash of water. Place the bread crumbs in the third bowl. Lastly, line a large plate with paper towels.
Dip the ravioli in the flour and coat completely. Then coat the ravioli in the eggs, then in the bread crumbs, coating completely. Next, coat in the egg and bread crumbs again. This second layer is key to getting a nice thick crust that will stay attached to the ravioli. Repeat with all ravioli.
Place 2 or 3 ravioli gently into the oil and fry until golden brown. Don’t add too many ravioli at once, or you will decrease the temperature of the oil leading to soggy ravioli. Remove the ravioli from the oil and let cool on the paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with remaining ravioli.
Warm the marinara sauce to serve with the ravioli. Serve with a salad to make a meal. Enjoy (in moderation)!!
I admit, I messed up when making these this time! I forgot to add the sugar. But, since I’ve made them before (the right way) and they were delicious, I am going to share this recipe with you.
Now I’m not one to shy away from complicated recipes, but I saw Alton Brown make baklava on Good Eats on the Food Network once and it was really time consuming, not to mention that I have no idea where you would find the rose water his recipe calls for. If you love baklava like me, but don’t want the hassle, try this recipe. You could make it even simpler by buying those phyllo dough mini cups they sell in the freezer section of the grocery store.
1/2 cup almonds
1/2 cup walnuts
1/4 cup chopped dried apricots
1/4 cup plain bread crumbs
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Pinch of salt
1 stick of butter, melted, divided
3 tablespoons honey
12 sheets phyllo dough
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Finely chop the almonds, walnuts, apricots, bread crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, ground cloves, and salt in a food processor. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of the melted butter and the honey and stir to combine.
(You can skip this step if using the pre-made phyllo dough cups) Place 1 sheet of phyllo on your work surface. Using a pastry brush and the remaining melted butter, brush the entire sheet of phyllo with melted butter. Cover the first sheet with a second sheet of phyllo and brush with melted butter. Continue until there is a stack of 6 sheets of phyllo. Cut the stacked phyllo rectangle into 12 equal pieces.
Gently press each cut piece of phyllo into a mini-muffin pan. Press 1 tablespoon of the nut mixture into each of the phyllo cups. Gather the ends of each of the phyllo squares and twist to make a sachet shape. Continue shaping the remaining sachets in the other mini-muffin tin. Bake until the edges of the phyllo are golden, about 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in muffin tins.
Aren’t we all looking for ways to use up those bananas that didn’t get eaten in time and now they’re overripe? This recipe comes from my sister, Ashley, who is quite the baker too! I put my own spin on the recipe by making them into mini-muffins. I also added a little dash of cinnamon to spice it up a little bit (mainly because I’m obsessed with this Vietnamese Cinnamon I got at Penzeys Spices).
Iced Banana Muffins Makes 10-12 muffins, or 24 mini-muffins
3 ripe bananas
1/3 cup melted butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of sea salt
1 1/2 cups flour
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mash bananas by hand and mix with the melted butter. In a separate bowl, beat the egg, then mix in sugar, vanilla, and nutmeg. Add in banana mixture. Add flour, salt, and baking soda and fold in. Grease a muffin or mini-muffin pan and fill the cups with batter. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes (about 15 minutes for mini-muffins) until light golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Make icing:
1 tablespoon melted butter
1/2 to 3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon milk
Mix ingredients together (either add more milk or more powdered sugar if icing is too thick or thin). Place icing into a piping bag or plastic baggie with corner cut off, and drizzle over cooled muffins.
If you love baking like I do, you seriously have to buy this book. Everything I have made from it turned out awesome, plus it’s really fun to look at (and I highly recommend the brownie recipe). I’ve been a little hesitant about oatmeal cookies because the last few times I’ve made them, they haven’t held together. This wasn’t the case with this recipe, they turned out pretty good! Note that the book says not to leave out the corn syrup. So, if you’re thinking it’s a little weird to put corn syrup in cookies, just go with it. This makes A LOT of cookies. I froze about 1/3 of the dough and then baked them off at a later time.
Monster Cookies from the Baked cookbook, makes A LOT
1/2 cup flour
1 tablespoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
5 3/4 cups oats
3/4 cup butter, cold and cut into cubes
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
5 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups creamy peanut butter
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup M&Ms
Mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the oats and stir until combined.
Cream the butter until smooth and pale in color, then add the sugars and mix until just incorporated. Scrape down the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time (scrape the bowl after each addition). Add the corn syrup and vanilla, beat just until incorporated.
Add the peanut butter and mix on low speed until just incorporated. Add the oats in three additions. Fold in the chips and M&Ms. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 5 hours.
Heat the oven to 375. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a Silpat. Use a large ice cream scoop or two tablespoons and drop onto cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake for 12-15 minutes (rotate pans halfway through) until just beginning to brown. Let cookies cool on the cookie sheet for 8-10 minutes, then cool completely on wire rack. Enjoy with a big glass of milk, or if you’re out of cereal, eat them for breakfast like John did. (Hey, they have oats in them)
Today is my dad’s birthday (Happy Birthday, Dad, if you’re reading this!!) so here’s a perfect birthday dessert recipe I think he would like. Here’s a picture of my dad and me at our family birthday celebration. He’d probably eat one of these cupcakes for breakfast the next day, justifying it with his favorite catch phrase, “It’s kinda like a roll.”
According to her book, this was one of the most famous menu items at Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa store. To impress your friends, pipe the frosting on in a circular motion using a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. Note: I did cut this recipe in half to make 10 cupcakes, but I’ve included the original recipe below.
3/4 lb butter at room temperature
2 cups sugar
5 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
14 oz sweetened, shredded coconut
Cream Cheese icing (see below)
Heat oven to 325. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes) then add the eggs one at a time. Scrape the bowl frequently. Add the almond and vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking soda and powder, and salt. In 3 additions, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter. Mix until just combined (you don’t want to overbeat cake batter!). Fold in the coconut.
Line a muffin pan with liners and fill each cup with the batter (an ice cream scoop works will for this). Bake 25-35 minutes until light golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Cool completely on a baking rack. Make the icing.
