Happy New Year!

Goodbye, 2009. Hello, 2010!

White Chicken Chili

Florida weather is so tricky. One week it's sweltering; the next it's chilly. For example, I was wearing shorts on Christmas Eve as I walked the block, passing out cookies to neighbors. Four days later, and it's supposed to be in the thirties tonight.

At least this cooler weather gives me a chance to make heartier food - like this white chili. Most of the chiles are of the mild variety, which gives the chili lots of flavor without too much heat. And processing some of the beans thickens the chili nicely. I like serving this with cornbread, or a side of rice.

White Chicken Chili
from Cook's Illustrated
January 2007

3 lbs bone-in chicken breast halves, trimmed of excess fat and skin
1 Tbs vegetable oil
2 medium jalepeno chiles
3 poblano chiles, stemmed, seeded and cut into large pieces
3 Anaheim chile peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into large pieces
2 medium onions, cut into large pieces
6 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbs ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
2 cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
3 c low-sodium chicken broth
3 Tbs fresh lime juice (2-3 limes)
1/4 c fresh minced cilantro
4 green onions, white and light green parts sliced thin


Season chicken liberally with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add chicken, skin side down, and cook without moving until skin is golden grown, about 4 minutes. Using tongs, turn chicken and lightly brown on the other side, about 2 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate; remove and discard skin.

While chicken is browning, remove and discard ribs and seeds from 1 jalepeno. Mince the flesh. In a food processor, process half of the poblano chiles, Anaheim chiles, and onions until the consistency of chunky salsa - about 10 pulses. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl. Repeat with remaining poblano chiles, Anaheim chiles, and onions. Combine with the first batch.

Pour off all but 1 Tbs of fat from the Dutch oven and reduce heat to medium. Add minced jalepeno, chile-onion mixture, garlic, cumin, coriande,r and 1/4 tsp salt. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften, about 10 minutes. Remove pot from heat.

Transfer 1 cup cooked vegetable mixture to the food processor. Add 1 c beans and 1 c of broth and process until smooth, about 20 seconds. Add vegetable-bean mixture, remaining 2 c of broth, and chicken breasts to Dutch oven and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until chicken registers to 160 degrees, about 15-20 minutes.

Using tongs, transfer chicken to a large plate. Stir in remaining beans and continue simmer, uncovered, until beans are heated through and chili has thickened slightly, about 10 minutes.

Mince remaining jalepeno, reserving ribs and seeds, and set aside. When cool enough to handle, shred chicken into bite-sized pieces, disrading bones. Stir shredded chicken, lime juice, cilantro, scallions, and remaining minced jalepeno into chili and return to simmer. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Adjust heat by adding in some ribs and seeds.

Gingerbread Goodness - December Daring Bakers

The December 2009 Daring Bakers’ challenge was brought to you by Anna of Very Small Anna and Y of Lemonpi. They chose to challenge Daring Bakers’ everywhere to bake and assemble a gingerbread house from scratch. They chose recipes from Good Housekeeping and from The Great Scandinavian Baking Book as the challenge recipes.

This was my first attempt at making gingerbread, let alone constructing a house. It was a bit daunting. Daring baker, indeed.

I visited some of the resorts at Disney for inspiration. Not only do they construct a life-size gingerbread house, there was a gingerbread carousel with chocolate and marzipan horses, and a whole alpine village with a working train.

We were given two recipes to try, and I opted for the one with less ingredients. I liked how it came with these nifty illustrations.

The template for the house came from here. I opted for the basic one. Didn't want to be too ambitious.

I had a blast shopping for candy at Dylan's Candy Bar.

I was a little late in starting this. I baked the pieces on Christmas Eve, and decorated and constructed them today. There was a chimney for the roof, but I totally forgot about it when placing the shingles on. I figure it looks better without a chimney.

The scariest part was laying the roof. It kept sliding off, and I had trouble finding something short enough to use as a prop. I'm a little scared to move it, because I'm afraid that the whole thing will collapse.



Spicy Gingerbread Dough

(from Good Housekeeping)
http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/recipefinder/spicy-gingerbread-dough-157...

2 1/2 cups (500g) packed dark brown sugar
1 1/2 cups (360mL) heavy cream or whipping cream
1 1/4 cups (425g) molasses
9 1/2 cups (1663g) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoon(s) baking soda
1 tablespoon(s) ground ginger


1. In very large bowl, with wire whisk (or with an electric mixer), beat brown sugar, cream, and molasses until sugar lumps dissolve and mixture is smooth. In medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and ginger. With spoon, stir flour mixture into cream mixture in 3 additions until dough is too stiff to stir, then knead with hands until flour is incorporated and dough is smooth.

2. Divide dough into 4 equal portions; flatten each into a disk to speed chilling. Wrap each disk well with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight, until dough is firm enough to roll.

3. Grease and flour large cookie sheets (17-inch by 14-inch/43x36cm)

4. Roll out dough, 1 disk at a time on each cookie sheet to about 3/16-inch thickness. (Placing 3/16-inch dowels or rulers on either side of dough to use as a guide will help roll dough to uniform thickness.)

5. Trim excess dough from cookie sheet; wrap and reserve in refrigerator. Chill rolled dough on cookie sheet in refrigerator or freezer at least 10 minutes or until firm enough to cut easily.

6. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (149C)

7. Use chilled rolled dough, floured poster board patterns, and sharp paring knife to cut all house pieces on cookie sheet, making sure to leave at least 1 1/4 inches between pieces because dough will expand slightly during baking. Wrap and reserve trimmings in refrigerator. Combine and use trimmings as necessary to complete house and other decorative pieces. Cut and bake large pieces and small pieces separately.

8. Chill for 10 minutes before baking if the dough seems really soft after you cut it. This will discourage too much spreading/warping of the shapes you cut.

9. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until pieces are firm to the touch. Do not overbake; pieces will be too crisp to trim to proper size.

10. Remove cookie sheet from oven. While house pieces are still warm, place poster-board patterns on top and use them as guides to trim shapes to match if necessary. Cool pieces completely before attempting to assemble the house.

Pierogis

Merry Christmas! I was playing at a Catholic Church, and didn't get home until 1:45 a.m. on Christmas morning. Hubs wanted to open stocking stuffers, and then the squirt wanted to eat...so here I am at 3:00 a.m., still up.

Christmas Eve in our home always meant pierogis. We would have a big Polish feast of kasha, pickled herring, potato soup (stand in for borscht), more fish, and pierogis. We always were able to find a place that made them for the holiday season. My sister has found an online source for them. She orders from Millie's every year. I've made my own in the past. They are labor intensive, but no more so than ravioli.

Pierogis can be eaten immediately after boiling. They can also be pan fried for a crispy texture. Our favorite way to eat them was to bake them with lots of butter and sauteed mushrooms and onions. It was even better if they were frozen, because then they would steam in the oven. And they have to be served with a dollop of sour cream.


Pierogis
adapted from Polish Cooking
By Marianna Olszewska Heberle


4 c flour
2 eggs
5 Tbs sour cream
3 Tbs vegetable oil
Pinch of salt
¾ c water
Filling (recipe follows)

2 medium onions, sliced thin
1 stick melted butter


Lightly flour 2 baking sheets. Sift flour into a large bowl or onto a flat working surface. Make a well in the center. Break eggs into the well. Add sour cream, oil and salt. Blend ingredients. Gradually add water, working and kneading mixture into a smooth, pliable dough. Divide dough into quarters. Cover 3 portions of the dough with a lightly damp cloth. On a floured surface, roll 1 portion of the dough to a thickness of 1/16th inch. Cut 3 ½ to 4-inch circles. Place rounded tablespoon of filling into the center of each circle. Fold dough over the filling and crimp edges closed. Place crimped pierogis on the baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough portions.

Drop pierogis in boiling water in batches of 5-6. Stir gently to prevent sticking. Cook about 4 minutes, or until they float to the top. Drain in a colander.

Cheese Filling:

1 c cottage cheese
1 egg yolk
½ tsp salt
Pinch of ground white pepper

Strain cottage cheese through a cheese cloth to remove excess water. Combine strained cheese with the other ingredients.

Saurekraut Filling:

1 Tbs butter
1 small onion, chopped
12 oz sauerkraut

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute onion until soft. Add sauerkraut and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Linzer Bars

These cookies were something new that I tried this year. I love jammy cookies, but for some reason the jam usually leaks whenever I use it in baked goods. The melted jam oozes everywhere, and things end up a gooey, sticky mess. This happened a teeny bit with these bars, but the crust and lattice topping were thin enough that the raspberry flavor of the jam still came through. They are a bit labor intensive, but well worth it. I used almond flour instead of ground walnuts, and it gave the bars a very smooth consistency.


Linzer Bars
From Better Homes and Gardens
100 Best Cookies, 2005

2/3 c butter, softened
2/3 c sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground cloves
1 egg
1 Tbs cherry liqueur, or water
1 ½ c flour
1 c ground hazelnuts or almonds
1 tsp finely shredded lemon peel
2 Tbs flour
1 ½ c seedless red raspberry jam

Beat butter in a mixer for 30 seconds. Beat in the sugar, cinnamon, and cloves. Beat in the egg and liqueur. Stir in the 1 ½ c flour, hazelnuts, and lemon peel. Divide the dough in half; stir in the 2 Tbs of flour into one portion of the dough. Wrap doughs in plastic wrap and label each portion. Chill for 1 hour.

Roll the dough with additional flour between two pieces of waxed paper into a 15x10 inch rectangle. Remove the top piece of waxed paper. Cut the rectangle into 10x ½ inch strips. Slide the dough onto a large baking sheet (still on the bottom piece of waxed paper). Chill the dough strips about 15 minutes, or until firm and easy to handle.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 13x9 inch baking pan with foil, extending the foil over the edges of the pan. Grease the foil with butter. Pat the dough without additional flour into the bottom of the pan. Spread jam evenly over the dough. Using a long narrow-blade metal spatula, place the strips of chilled dough over the jam in a lattice pattern. Trim ends; piece together dough strips as necessary (they are pretty fragile, and some breaking will most likely occur).

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the crust is golden. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Once cooled, lift out using the edges of foil, and cut into bars. Carefully remove from foil.

Toffee Crackle Cookies

Cookie number 2 in my gift boxes were these toffee cookies. I made them a few years ago, and got good feedback regarding them.

These cookies are easy to throw together, and the recipe makes a large yield. I love the caramely toffee bits. The cookies spread a bit too much on some of my cookie sheets, so I lined them with parchment paper to help them keep their shape.


Toffee Crackle Cookies
From Better Homes and Gardens
Christmas Cookies 2007

1 c butter, softened
1 c packed brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 ¼ c flour
1 ¼ c toffee bits
Granulated sugar

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Line several cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Beat the butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour and toffee pieces.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll the balls in granulated sugar. Place balls 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets. Bake about 20 minutes until the tops are cracked and the sides are set. Do not let the edges brown. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool.

Orange Walnut Biscotti

This post kicks off my holiday baking. I'm in the middle of it, with an end in sight. My boxes of goodies took longer to put together this year. What was once a weekend of baking now stretched over a week.

The orange walnut biscotti is the one cookie I make every year. It has become one of my staple holiday recipes. I only make it during the holiday season. It is wonderful with a morning cup of coffee.

A friend gave me this recipe, so I don't know which exact Julia Child book it can be found in.


Orange Walnut Biscotti
Julia Child recipe

3 2/3 c flour
2 c finely chopped walnut pieces
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
3 eggs
1 1/3 c sugar
2 Tbs lemon zest
2 Tbs orange zest
1 tsp orange oil
1 stick unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper cut to fit the inside bottom of the pan exactly.

Blend the flour, walnuts, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl until the nuts are evenly mixed in. Set aside. Break 2 eggs into a medium mixing bowl. Separate the tird egg, and drop the yolk into the bowl. Reserve the egg white. Whisk the eggs, sugar, zests, and orange oil together. Gradually whisk in the melted butter. When all is well blended, pour it into the flour mixture. Fold and push all the ingredients together until the liquid is absorbed and the dry ingredients have been completely incorporated. Empty it onto a lightly floured work surface, and knead until it is quite stiff.

Divide the dough in half and roll and press each half into a 14-inch log. Press the ends in as you roll to keep them neat. Lift each log onto the parchment-lined pan, and press the top to flatten it slightly. Beat the reserved egg white with a fork until smooth and brush it lightly over the top of the logs.

Bake unil the logs are light brown but still give slightly when the tops are pressed, about 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and reduce the temperature to 325 degrees. Let the logs cool on the pan for 15 minutes.

Remove the logs one at a time to a board and cut them on a diagonal into ½ inch slices. Lay the slices on their sides and return the sheet to the oven. Bake until the cookies are light brown, about 15 minutes. Set them on a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container.

German Chocolate Cupcakes

Hubs' birthday was the same day that we attended my friend's wedding. I was pretty busy that week, and didn't have time to make him a cake. Usually at this time of the year, we are both working at Epcot a lot, and it's become tradition for him to have cupcakes for his birthday. This way, we get to eat some cake, and then can bring the rest in to share with the other musicians working with us.


Last year was the stout cupcakes, and this year Hubs requested German chocolate cupcakes. I ended up making them a week late. Normally I don't like frosting, but this topping was delicious and not too sweet. The mini-chocolate chips in the frosting was an addition of mine. The candle reflects the last number of Hubs' age.


German Chocolate Cupcakes
adapted from Cupcakes!
By Elinor Klivans


For cupcakes:
¾ c heavy whipping cream
2 Tbs unsalted butter
9 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ tsp vanilla


2 1/2 c unbleached all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
3 large eggs
2 c sugar
1 c canola or corn oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 c sour cream

For the frosting:
1 c half and half
6 Tbs unsalted butter
4 large egg yolks
¾ c sugar
1/8 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
1 ½ c shredded sweetened coconut
1 ½ c finely chopped pecans
1 c mini chocolate chips


In a medium saucepan, heat the cream and butter over low heat until the cream is hot and the butter has melted. The mixture should form tiny bubbles and easure about 175 degrees F on a thermometer. Do not let the mixture boil.

Remove the pan from the heat, add the chocolate chips, and let them sit in the hot cream to soften, about 30 seconds. Add the vanilla and whisk the sauce until it is smooth and all
of the chocolate has melted.

Position a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 24muffin tin cups with paper liners.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until thickened and lightened to a cream color. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides as needed. On low speed, mix in the oil and vaniilla until blended. Mix in the sour cream until no white streaks remain. Mix in the flour mixture until it is incorporated and the batter is smooth.

Using a large spoon, stir the chocolate mixture into the batter until no light streaks remain. Fill each paper liner to about 2/3 full.

Bake just until the tops feel firm and a toothpick comes clean, about 20 minutes. Cool the cupcakes for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Remove the cupcakes from the tin and cool completely.

For the frosting:

In a medium saucepan, stir the half-and-half and butter over medium heat until the cream is hot and the butter has melted. In a large bowl whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and salt until smooth. Whisking constantly, pour the hot mixture into the egg yolk mixture. Return it to the pan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens and reaches 165 degrees on a thermometer. It should leave a path on the back of the spoon when you draw your finger across it. Remove the pan from the heat and strain into a medium bowl. Stir in the vanilla, coconut, and pecans.

Cover the frosting loosely and chill until it is cool and thick enough to hold its shape on top of a cupcake, about 1 hour. Stir in the mini-chocolate chips. Spread a generous heaping of frosting on top of each cupcake, mounding it in the center. Let the cupcakes sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.

Swedish Meatballs

I've mentioned that Hubs' favorite recipe source is Cook's Illustrated. Anything we decide to make, he trots over to the laptop to check out the CI website for their version. Their recipes are not the most healthy, and are sometimes overly intricate, but they really do taste fantastic.

This swedish meatballs recipe was no exception. I had never thought to deep fry meatballs. They came out crispy yet moist. The blending of bread with the meat gave them an interesting sponginess. The sauce came out a little thin, and the recipe below is adjusted to make the sauce a thicker consistency. I served the meatballs on a bed of noodles, instead of the recommended mashed potatoes.



Swedish Meatballs
adapted from Cook's Illustrated
January and February 2009

Meatballs
1 large egg
1/4 c heavy cream
1 large slice hearty sandwich bread, crusts removed and bread torn into 1-inch pieces
8 oz ground pork
1 small onion, grated on large holes of a grater
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp packed brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp table salt
1 tsp baking powder
8 oz 85% lean ground beef
1 1/4 c vegetable oil

Sauce
1 1/2 Tbs butter
1 1/2 Tbs all purpose flour
1 1/2 c low-sodium chicken broth
1 Tbs packed brown sugar
1/2 c heavy cream
2 tsp fresh lemon jice
Salt and pepper

For the meatballs:
Whisk egg and cream together in a medium bowl. Stir in bread and set aside. Meanwhile,in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat pork, onion, nutmeg, allspice, pepper, brown sugar, salt, and baking powder on high speed until smooth and pale, scraping down the sides as necessary. Add beef and mix on medium-low speed until just incorporated, about 30 seconds. Using moistened hands, form a generous tablespoon of meat mixture into 1-inch round meatballs. Repeat with remaining mixture to form 25-30 meatballs.

Heat oil in a straight-sided sauce pan over medium-high heat until oil registers 350 degrees. Add meatballs in a single layer and fry, flipping once halfway through cooking. Fry until lightly browned all over and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer browned meatballs to a paper towel-lined plate.

For the sauce:
Pour off and discard the oil in the pan, leaving any browned bits behind. Return pan to
medium-high heat and add butter. When foaming subsides, add flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the flour is light brown. Slowly whisk in the broth, scraping pan to loosen brown bits. Add brown sugar and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium and cook until sauce is reduced to about 1 1/4 c, about 5 minutes. Stir in cream and return to simmer.

Add meatballs to sauce and simmer, turning occasionally until heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice, season with salt and pepper, and serve.


Swedish Pickled Cucumbers

1 lb Kirby cucumbers, sliced into thin rounds
1 1/2 c white vinegar
1 1/2 c sugar
1 tsp salt
12 whole allspice berries

Place cucumber slices in a medium heatproof bowl. Bring vinegar, sugar, salt, and allspice to simmer in small saucepan over high heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Pour the vinegar mixture over the cucumbers and stir to separate the slices. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit for 15 minutes. Uncover and cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes. Pickles can be refrigerated in their liquid in airtight containers for up to 2 weeks.

Chocolate Groom's Cake

One of my best friends got married last night. About two weeks ago, she asked me to make the groom's cake. She wanted something rich and chocolatey - nothing fancy. This was good, because it was a busy week, and I didn't have a ton of time to put something together.

Things got off to a rough start. Wednesday night, I baked the cakes. Two batches ended up looking like this.

I ended up switching from 12" cake pans to 10" cake pans, which seemed to help. Thursday night, I stacked the layers with a chocolate filling, and covered the cake with a Bailey's Irish Cream-spiked ganache.

I ended up carting the cake around town all day Friday while I taught my classes. Luckily, it was cold and rainy out, which meant the cake would be okay in the car. We cheated and my friend ordered the strawberries from a local chocolate shop.

By the time I got home, I had 20 minutes to get ready for the wedding. We made it in time, and partied it up at the reception.

Cupid's Chocolate Cake
from Taste of Home
Feb/Mar 2000

1 c butter, softened
2 1/2 c sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 3/4 c all purpose flour

1 c baking cocoa
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 c water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three 9-inch round baking pans.

In a mixing bow, cream butter and sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat on high speed until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla.

Combine dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture alternately with water, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Pour into baking pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

Bailey's Irish Cream Ganache

3 c semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 1/4 c heavy cream

1/2 c Bailey's Irish Cream

Place chocolate chips in a medium heatproof bowl. Pour the heavy cream in a small saucepan and heat until scalding. Pour cream over the chocolate chips, and let sit for 5 minutes. Stir until chips are melted and the cream is mixed in. Stir in the Irish cream. Let cool to desired consistency.

Easy Stuffed Cabbage

I love stuffed cabbage. It's a Polish staple. I remember my mom boiling cabbage leaves, and wrapping the meat up into cute squares. It was a lot of work, which is why we didn't eat it often.

My mother-in-law showed me the cheater's way to have this dish. She wadded the filling into large meatballs, and cut the cabbage into wedges. The result had all the flavors and comfort of stuffed cabbage without all the work.

I've tried to make this dish a few times before, with less successful results. One time, the cabbage was underdone and still crunchy. Another time, the meatballs dried out. Still another time, there was not enough sauce. This time, I got it right. Finally!

Easy Stuffed Cabbage

1 1/4 lbs ground beef

1 1/2 c cooked rice

2 tsp Italian seasoning

Salt and pepper

1 head green cabbage

3 cans condensed tomato soup

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the ground beef, rice, and Italian seasoning. Season with salt and pepper. Shape into palm-sized meatballs.

Tear the first 6-8 leaves off the head of cabbage. Set aside. Cut the remaining head into large wedges, omitting the stem sections. Place the meatballs and cabbage wedges in a 9x13 baking dish. Pour the tomato soup over all the contents of the dish. Lay the reserved cabbage leaves on top, covering all the meatballs and cabbage wedges. Cover the dish tightly with foil.

Bake for about 1 hour and 45 minutes, until the leaves are soft.