Ah, summer. The season for grilling. I’ve recently realized that potatoes are one of my favorite foods. Roasted, mashed, fried… it’s all good! One of my favorite things in the summer is grilled veggies. I scored some fingerling potatoes (my favorite) at Cub on sale for $2.50 for a bag! I thought that grilled veggies would go great with a fun steak recipe I found on Mark Bittman’s blog, Bitten. You can visit his blog for the steak with shallot-thyme butter recipe that I made for the main course. (Note: we used filet mignon instead of skirt steak because we like that cut better.)
Fire up the grill! Here’s how you make them. There’s no actual recipe, so go ahead and add your favorites.
First, take two pieces of tin foil.
Then, wash the potatoes and cut them up so that they are similar sizes. That way they cook evenly. The smaller they are, the quicker they cook, and the sooner you can eat them!
Next, take a shallot or two and slice thinly. I prefer shallots to onions due to their milder flavor, but you could certainly add onions instead.
Now, cut up some green beans and mince some garlic. Throw it all onto the tin foil sheets. Sprinkle on some of your favorite herbs. I chose rosemary and thyme. Add salt and pepper too.
Then drizzle on some olive oil. And, then add some butter for good measure. Butter makes everything better.
Fold up the sides and close the packages tightly to seal. Throw them on the grill at medium heat for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. In the meantime, you can add the steaks to the grill. If you are lucky like me, you have an awesome grill-master husband who can get perfect grill marks on the steaks.
Look at that steak!
And here’s the finished product… it was delicious! Sprinkle a little lemon juice on the finished veggie packets to lighten up the flavor a bit.
So, it’s been a while since my last post! It’s not that I haven’t been cooking, it’s just that I finished graduate school last week, so I was busy with finals! I’ve actually been cooking more than normal, I just haven’t had time to write. Last weekend, I hosted a bridal shower for my brother-in-law’s fiance, Sarah, and then also hosted Mother’s Day breakfast for the in-laws the next day. So, I don’t think I will be entertaining for quite a while!
John and I had a little get-together at our house yesterday with friends to celebrate my graduation. We had burgers, veggies, chips and chocolate chip cookies. And for dessert: CREAM PUFF CAKE! I got this recipe from my grandma, who is a wonderful cook, and the party was a great excuse to make it. Cream puffs are always a hit, and it’s just way easier to make them in cake form.
Note: my grandma’s recipe calls for Cool Whip, but I prefer real whipped cream. So, if you don’t feel like making real whipped cream (but you should, because it’s so much better!), go ahead and substitute a tub of Cool Whip. You can refrigerate any leftovers for a day or so (although you probably won’t have any leftovers!).
Cream Puff Cake Adapted from Grandma Jurek, serves approx 15
Cake:
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1 cup water
1 cup flour
4 eggs
Spray bottom of 9×13 pan with cooking spray. Melt butter with the water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Add flour. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon or spatula until dough forms a ball. Remove from heat. Let cool slightly for 1-2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well between each addition. Stir until dough is completely combined. It should be smooth and light yellow-colored. Spoon dough into prepared pan and smooth out to coat pan evenly. Bake for 30 minutes or until puffed and golden brown and no longer wet on the inside. Cool before topping.
Topping:
1 package vanilla pudding
3 cups cold milk (or whatever the pudding box calls for)
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
Chocolate syrup, for serving (optional) Recommended: Guittard Dark Chocolate syrup
Prepare the vanilla pudding according to package directions. Once set, spread onto cooled cake. Beat the whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla together until soft peaks form. Spread on top of pudding. An offset spatula works great for this. Cut cake into 15 pieces. Top with chocolate syrup. Enjoy! (Believe me, you will!)
Try not to open the oven while the cake is baking. You will get a cream puff steam facial.
The finished cakes. They look like a cream puff mountain landscape.
Making the pudding in the Kitchen Aid mixer. Best wedding gift ever - thanks, Jeff!
The finished whipped cream.
Ta-da! The finished product! Make sure you get a piece before it's all gone!
About once every few weeks or so, I make pretzels as a late night snack. I recently came across a new pretzel recipe that called for boiling the pretzels before baking, and I was curious to see how that would change the finished product. So I invited my friend Lauren over to try out the new recipe.
The original recipe is Martha Stewart’s Hot Buttered Pretzels. The challenger recipe is also from Martha: Soft Pretzels. Side note: the Martha Stewart Original Classics and New Classics are wonderful cookbooks. I received both as Christmas gifts from my husband. Everything I’ve made from them has been a hit! Ok back to the pretzels.
After baking both recipes, there’s no clear winner. Like the Coleman-Franken senate race, maybe we’ll need a recount of the votes and an appeal. The Hot Buttered Pretzels are more bread-like, pale and more doughy on the inside. The Soft Pretzels have a darker, crustier crust (due to the poaching I believe) and chewy inside. You’ll have to make them for yourself and decide which one you prefer. Believe me, they are worth it!
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for and for work surface
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons regular instant yeast
About 1 cup warm water
Kosher or sea salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Whisk to combine flour, salt, sugar, and yeast in a bowl. Slowly add water. Depending on the humidity, I usually end up adding about 1 1/4 cups of water. Knead until soft and smooth, about 5 minutes.
Dust the dough with flour and cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Divide dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a long thin rope. Twist each rope into a pretzel. Dip each pretzel in warm water. Place on prepared baking sheets lined with parchment paper or baking mat (I use a Silpat). Sprinkle with salt. Let rest, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
Bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven, and brush with melted butter (a “butter wash” as John calls it). Serve warm. You’ll want to eat them all right away.
Waiting for the dough to rise - longest 30 minutes ever!
2 1/4 teaspoons dry active yeast
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1 cup warm water
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons baking soda
1 tablespoon pretzel salt
Mix yeast, coarse salt, sugar, and warm water in a small bowl, whisking until sugar dissolves. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
Mix flour and cayenne in a large bowl. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut butter into flour until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Pour yeast mixture over flour mixture, stirring to combine. Using your hands, gather dough together. Knead dough until it is no longer sticky, about 5 minutes. Cover with plastic, and let rise for 30 minutes.
Cut dough into 12 pieces, and roll each into an 18-inch rope. Form a U shape with 1 rope, and twist ends together twice. Fold twisted portion backward along center of U shape to form a circle, then gently press ends of rope onto dough to seal. Transfer to an oiled baking sheet, and repeat. Let rise for 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and add baking soda. Boil pretzels in batches until puffed and slightly shiny, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to wire racks to drain. Return to baking sheet, sprinkle with pretzel salt, and bake until golden brown and cooked through, about 15 minutes. The recipe doesn’t call for melted butter, but we did brush butter on top.
Are they ready yet?!??
The finished soft pretzels - see, they are darker and look more like pretzels
I’m not sure what all the hatred about Earth Day is all about. I feel like all I read about today was people joking that they would engage in earth-unfriendly activities out of spite that Earth Day is not a “real holiday.” I’m not sure why that’s necessary. What did the earth ever do to you? If you don’t think it’s a real holiday, then don’t celebrate it. That’s just my opinion.
I decided to “celebrate” Earth Day by vegging out. No, not veg out as in sitting around (I actually did a lot today), but by being a temporary vegetarian today. Not that I’m a big meat-eater by any means, but I’ve lately been thinking more about the meat I eat. I’ve read a lot about the benefits (both for you and the environment) of vegetarianism, grass-fed beef, and other organic and free range meats. I’m just finishing up Michael Pollan’s book The Omnivore’s Dilemma which is a great narrative of where our food comes from. It’s a great read and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in learning more about food and where it comes from. I don’t desire to become a total vegetarian but I am trying to cut out some meat from my diet, and reserving meat consumption for when I actually will enjoy it (like cooking it myself for my husband and me).
Since I don’t work Wednesdays, I had lots of free time to cook since grad school is slowing down a little bit (less than a month until graduation). For brunch I made lemon-blueberry pancakes, and for dinner, quinoa-stuffed peppers. Quinoa is a grain that is gluten-free and high in protein and other nutrients, which makes it a great substitute for meat. (Note: I had trouble finding quinoa – turns out, it’s next to the couscous at my grocery store).
I really enjoyed the pancakes – the lemon zest added an fresh flavor and they were so light and fluffy, due to the beaten egg whites. The warm blueberries exploded in your mouth – they were like nature’s syrup! The stuffed peppers were pretty good, although slightly disappointing because they weren’t as good as the first time I had them prepared by my good friend Sara Beth. See below for the recipes.
Lemon-Blueberry Pancakes Adapted from Bobby Flay, but I was too lazy to do the blueberry syrup and compote. Click here for original recipe. Serves 4.
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, separated
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/3 cups buttermilk
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch cream of tartar
2 cups fresh blueberries
Butter
Maple syrup
Mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set aside. In a separate bowl, combine the egg yolks, oil, buttermilk, lemon zest and vanilla extract.
Fold the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix together until flour is just incorporated.
In a small bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the batter just until incorporated. Let set for 15 minutes and gently fold in the blueberries.
Heat a nonstick pan or cast iron griddle over medium heat. Brush with the butter and heat until the butter just begins to sizzle. Scoop scant 1/4 cup of the batter into the pan or onto the griddle and cook until bubbles appear on the top surface and the bottom is golden brown, about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Flip over and cook until the bottom is lightly golden brown, about 45 seconds. Remove to a baking sheet and keep warm in a low oven. Serve with maple syrup.
Sorry for the poor quality - this was taken with the iPhone.
Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
1/2 tablespoon olive oil, plus a few drops for baking pan
1/2 shallot, diced
1/4 pound small mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
1/4 pound baby spinach
1 clove garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
4 bell peppers (any color), tops removed and reserved, seeds and cores discarded
Cook the quinoa according to package directions. Set aside.
Meanwhile, heat 1/2 tablespoon of the oil in large skillet over medium heat. Cook the shallot, mushrooms, carrots, and chopped red pepper until softened. Add the spinach and garlic and cook until spinach is wilted. Add cooked quinoa and toss gently to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Divide quinoa mixture evenly between bell peppers, gently packing it down and making sure to fully fill each pepper. Top each with its reserved top and arrange peppers, so that they’re sitting upright, in a greased deep baking pan. Cover the pan, bake for 45 to 50 minutes, then check for tenderness. Peppers are done when there is just a slight give to the flesh. Transfer to plates and serve. Serves 4.
I found this recipe on the Smitten Kitchen and just had to try it. Chocolate and caramel: what’s not to love? I have made a recipe similar to this in the past (with a cookie crust), which I will have to write about some other time. I omitted the optional nut topping from the original recipe; I thought that it might be good topped with toasted coconut (think: Girl Scout Samoa cookies).
The original recipe calls for saltine or matzo crackers, but while standing in line at the deli at Kowalski’s, I found some water crackers (Minnesota Flats brand) that looked like they’d be perfect.
About 40 saltine crackers or one package of water crackers
1 cup unsalted butter, cut into a few large pieces
1 cup packed light brown sugar
A big pinch of sea salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup toasted coconut (optional – see below)
1 cup toasted chopped almonds, pecans, walnuts or a nut of your choice (optional)
Extra sea salt for sprinkling (optional)
Line a 11×17 rimmed baking sheet with foil, then top with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread out the crackers into a single layer onto the prepared pan. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar. When the mixture comes to a boil, stir and cook for 3 minutes. Take the mixture off the heat, then add a pinch of sea salt and the vanilla (I used the vanilla my grandma brought me back from Mexico – thanks, Grandma!). Pour the caramel quickly onto the crackers, then spread evenly onto crackers with a spatula. Bake the crackers for 15 minutes (caramel will bubble) and make sure to keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn. If it starts to brown too quickly, turn the heat down. Once you remove the crackers from the oven, immediately cover with chocolate chips. Let sit for 5 minutes so the chocolate can melt, then spread the chocolate evenly over the caramel. Top with nuts or toasted coconut. Let sit until hardened (or put in refrigerator to speed up the process). Once hardened, break into pieces and enjoy! The crack will keep for a few days.
Toasted Coconut
Spread coconut onto a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes, toss, then bake 5 more minutes, until golden brown and toasty.
Everyone likes pizza, right? My favorite thing about pizza is that there are so many options! I decided to mix things up this time and make the pizza sauce from scratch. For the crust, I used Rhodes frozen pizza dough and once thawed, cut in half to make two individual-sized pizzas.
Pizza Sauce (adapted from the Martha Stewart Cookbook: The Original Classics)
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 14oz can plum tomatoes
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp kosher salt
Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Crush the tomatoes (I used my clean hands) and add to the olive oil. Add the oregano and salt. Cook at medium-low heat for 40-50 minutes until thick, stirring occasionally. Break up any tomato chunks if necessary.
Topping the pizza
Margherita Pizza (for me)
Roll out the dough (pierce with fork several times – I learned this today from my pizza connoisseur husband. It prevents the dough from rising too much during baking). Spread 1/4 cup of sauce on the dough, then top with thinly-sliced fresh mozzarella, basil, and minced garlic. Bake at 400 degrees until golden brown (about 15 minutes). Drizzle olive oil on pizza
Supreme Pizza (for John)
Spread 1/4 cup of sauce on the dough, then top with chopped green pepper and onion. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese, then with pepperoni. Bake at 400 degrees until golden brown (about 15 minutes).
