A New FamilyThat has been my theme this year. I’m sure last week’s Renegade Editor would even have to agree with that (thanks for the commentary, Kevin!). These last months have flown by and I can’t wait to see what the next few hold in store for us.
Which brings me to something that is hard to write. I took one other hiatus from blogging after I was in that car crash and, sadly, I think that’s what I need to do now, too. Thank you so much for being loyal readers -- and my fingers are crossed that I’ll be back to write more soon – but for now I need to take a break and spend some time with my new family.
Yesterday was Sarah’s wedding and it was really a wonderful day all around. (Although any family function where I am not stuck in the kitchen the whole time is a wonderful day in my book!) But as Kevin and I danced at the reception we both realized that we haven’t had a lot of time to ourselves lately. When we kissed it felt like we hadn’t kissed in months!
So that’s the reason for taking this blog sabbatical. I hope to be back before you know it sharing my stories and recipes. But until then, I’ll share with you something better than a recipe. Here’s a photo Kevin took of me, Daniel, Evan and Seth at the wedding. I had to laugh when I saw this photo. It looks like we could be on the cover of “Gay Parents Weekly.” J
Until next time...May 9, 2011 12:46 AM
Featuring...
Hello. This is Kevin. Scotty left this blog post unpublished on his computer so I went through and added a few small tweaks and posted it for him. I even uploaded a picture from my phone that I’m pretty sure he didn’t want everyone to see.
You’re welcome. ;)
What I write will be in BOLD….
Being a father is, without a doubt, one of the best things to ever happen to me. Besides marrying Kevin Walker, of course.
And being a father twice over in such a short time is nothing short of a miracle. But between the restaurant, the husband and the two children, I haven’t found the time to write as much as I’d like. Or kiss my husband as much as he’d like. But that’s another story for another day.
If I get an inspiration for a recipe I’ll write it down immediately no matter where I am.
Recipes have been scrawled on cocktail napkins, dry cleaning receipts and once, on my hand as I tried to change a diaper. (Gross… and I hope it didn’t inspire the recipe below.)
I had always sort of imagined this blog turning into a cookbook: “From Scotty’s Kitchen” or “Café 429 Classics.” (But you can’t leave Saul out! Let’s write a Saul cookbook!! We can call it “Saul and Oats.”)
So many dreams have come true: I’ve met the man of my dreams (he wrote that himself! Awww! How sweet!), have two beautiful kids and a restaurant of my own. Is it too much to ask the universe to give me a book deal too? (Yes, probably, but dream away, babe. I know you hate this picture, but I like it. We can use it for the book jacket cover.)
Well I can always dream… (Here comes an awkward transition. Not your best work, Scotty) And if you want to taste something dreamy, come by Café 429 and enjoy a warm and frothy mug of Mexican Hot Chocolate. It’ll make you quickly forget that instant hot cocoa.
MEXICAN HOT CHOCOLATE
Per Serving
INGREDIENTS
- ½ disc of Mexican chocolate*
- 1 cup milk
If Mexican chocolate is unavailable, substitute 1 ½ squares (1 ½ ounces) semi-sweet baking chocolate and ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon.
Cut the chocolate into wedges along the indentations. Place them and the milk in a deep saucepan. Heat over low heat until the chocolate is softened and the milk is steaming. Whisk (or blend with an immersion blender) until the chocolate is completely dissolved and the liquid is frothy. Pour into a mug and serve immediately.
May 2, 2011 3:35 AM
Tea Time!
I know that I wrote a post a few years ago about my culinary obsession of the week, bite-sized food. Forgive any light re-tread this week because – I guess I just have babies on the brain – but I wanted to share some recipes for the tiny finger sandwiches you’d get with an afternoon tea service.
We don’t do afternoon tea at Café 429. Well it’s not on the menu, anyway. Lately Saul and Jonathan have been catching up over tea in the early afternoon in that wonderful time after the lunch rush but before we open for dinner. Today while I started prepping the dinner service, I couldn’t help but watch them and remember those sweet moments when Kevin and I first started dating.
Watching Saul coach Jonathan on the finer points of teacup etiquette was incredibly sweet. Sort of like watching two teenagers on a date. (And just so there’s no confusion: tea cups with a handle are held by placing your fingers to the front and back of the handle with your pinkie up for balance… oh and “pinkie up” means slightly tilted, not straight up.)
To complete their afternoon tea I raided the fridge and threw together some finger sandwiches for them. Saul was quick to point out that afternoon tea also consists of scones with jam and clotted cream as well as a series of cookies, shortbreads and other sweets. Just as quickly I reminded him that he was more than welcome to go ahead and make as many scones as he wanted in the kitchen. ;)
If you’d like to have your own afternoon tea service try these simple sandwiches washed down with your favorite tea. Sipped with your pinkie up, of course.
FINGER SANDWICHES
** Choose a good quality, thinly sliced packaged bread. Some manufacturers make white and wheat “very thin” loaves that are perfect for these.
Cucumber-Dill Butter
Makes 16 finger sandwiches
INGREDIENTS
- 36 dime-thin slices hothouse or small Kirby cucumbers, or as needed
- Salt
- 3 tablespoons, unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill
- 8 slices bread
1) Spread the cucumber slices out in a single layer on a sheet of paper towel. Sprinkle lightly with salt and let stand.
2) Beat the butter and dill together in a small bowl. Spread the butter onto one side of 8 slices of bread. There will be enough butter to coat each slice very lightly.
3) Arrange the cucumber slices overlapping very slightly over 4 of the bread slices. Top with the remaining bread, pressing each gently. Cut off the crusts and cut each sandwich into 4 squares or triangles.
Smoked Salmon-Caper
Makes 16 finger sandwiches
INGREDIENTS
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon drained tiny (nonpareil) capers, finely chopped
- Few grinds of freshly ground black pepper
- 8 slices of bread
- 4 ounces thinly sliced smoked salmon
1) Stir the mayonnaise and capers together in a small bowl. Season to taste with pepper. Spread the mayo onto one side of the 8 slices of bread. There will be enough mayo to coat each slice lightly.
2) Arrange the smoked salmon slices to cover 4 of the bread slices in a more or less even layer. Top with the remaining bread, pressing each gently. Cut off the crusts and cut each sandwich into 4 squares or triangles.
A shock to the system
There are good surprises.
There are bad surprises.
Then there are earth-shattering surprises.
And this week Kevin and I had a surprise that falls into that latter category. Marrying into the Walker family has always meant expecting the unexpected, but Kevin and I have been walking around with our mouths open all day. I can’t really write more about it now… but you can expect to hear more in the future, for sure.
I had planned to feature a recipe for pineapple-peach smoothie this week on the blog. This was a drink that Saul came up with last summer and it sold like crazy. “So as the weather starts to warm up, make a big pitcher of these and enjoy them with your favorite fruity person.
I think Kevin and I are going to enjoy them tonight.
Oh as a side note on the photo. I asked Kevin to take a picture of me with a Pineapple-Peach Smoothie and he came across this old picture on his phone. Since I’ve been making this face all week, we thought it would be an appropriate choice for this week!
PINEAPPLE-PEACH SMOOTHIE
Makes 1 Large Drink
INGREDIENTS
3/4-cup pineapple juice or juice reserved from crushed pineapple
1 1/2-cups frozen sliced peaches
1/2-cup vanilla or plain soy milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (if using plain soy milk)
Blend the pineapple juice and peaches at low speed until the peaches are finely chopped. Increase the speed to high and, with the motor running, pour the soy milk (and vanilla if using) into the blender. Blend until smooth and frothy. Pour into a cold glass and drink right away.
Crostini
A lot has happened since I’ve last written a blog entry so I wanted to apologize for taking the time off. I promise that at least for the next few weeks I will make it a point to carve out the time to share my recipes with you.
This week my mom came to visit and I think we both really surprised each other. Our relationship has been… well… strained, but I think that we both came to understand and appreciate each other a lot more by the end of her time here. I was proud that she got to see Café 429 and finally taste the food there… and I was also glad she isn’t a food critic. J Let’s just say she no longer refers to the place as a “nightclub” and, to me, that’s progress.
I really tried to wow her with some of my favorite dishes on the menu, but the simplest things are sometimes the things you remember most. And when I asked her if I could show her a recipe she asked me to show her how to make the crostini. At first I was offended – that’s like asking for the recipe for a garnish! BUT then I came to realize… we use the crostini on everything: we float them on soups, crumble them in salads, serve them with our cheese platter. So maybe asking for THAT recipe is the ultimate compliment.
My mom and I still have a long way to go in rebuilding our relationship, but as she snapped a picture of me in the kitchen I couldn’t help but be grateful we’re working on it. You only get one set of parents.
PERFECT CROSTINI
Makes about 24 crostini
INGREDIENTS Post
- 1 small thin, firm French loaf
- Olive Oil1 peeled garlic clove, cut in half (optional)
Set a rack in the center position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Cut the bread crosswise into ½-inch slices. Bruch both sides of the bread lightly with olive oil, placing them on a baking sheet as you go. If you like, rub each slice with the cut side of the garlic as well. Bake 7 minutes. Turn and bake until very crisp and lightly browned on both sides, about 10 minutes. Serve warm or cool. Crostini can be stored at room temperature in a tightly sealed container for up to 2 days.
Easy as Pie
Anyone who says “Easy as Pie” has never made a pie from scratch.
But like I’ve said all along slow food is good food and I’m sure that frozen pies are delicious, but I’ll take one baked with love by a real woman named Mrs. Smith any day of the week. Maybe the phrase “easy as pie” came about because pie is so easy to eat….
But I know that making pies can be time consuming. If you make an apple pie, for example, I know what it’s like to face a huge pile of apples looking to be peeled and sliced.
And some friends (you know who you are Justin Walker!) have criticized my blog for featuring recipes that are too complicated. So, for Justin (and anyone else like him) here is a recipe that you can make – well perhaps “assemble” is a better word – using things you can easily buy in a grocery store. Of course I encourage you to make everything from scratch, but if you can’t do that feel free to just go to the store, buy these five simple ingredients and throw together a dessert that will dazzle. Even better? It’s a simple recipe that you can even get the kids involved with… Maybe I‘ll make this with Olivia?
(Since I am really from Mississippi – and no doubt have friends there who read this blog – my apologies in advance for bastardizing a recipe so beloved in my home state…)
EASY MISSISSIPPI MUD PIE
Ingredients
· 1 store-bought chocolate pie crust
· 1 quart coffee ice cream, softened
· 1 tub whipped cream
· 1 package slivered/sliced almonds
· 1 can chocolate syrup
Instructions
1. Put softened ice cream into piecrust and smooth.
2. Pour chocolate syrup over smoothed ice cream until the top is covered with a layer of the syrup (you will not need the whole can).
3. Place in freezer until set (approx. 20 min.).
4. Spread on whipped cream (enough to cover pie).
5. Drizzle with chocolate syrup, and sprinkle with almonds. Return to freezer to set for about 1 hour.
Banannas!
This week I thought we’d look at the phrase “going bananas” or “drive me bananas” as in: “Sometimes Kevin Walker can drive me bananas.” It’s funny because we all know what it means, but I did a bunch of research and cannot find where the expression came from. Most of the research suggests that the word popped up in 1960s, which I thought was surprising recent. But still, why do you think it was bananas and not any other fruit? I guess: “going honeydew” doesn’t really have much of a ring to it.
But bananas stand out as the most popular fruit in the US, which is surprising when you consider very few bananas are actually grown here. In fact the US isn’t even in the top ten banana producing countries. (India produces the most bananas in the world.)
So today I’m going to share with you my favorite banana pudding recipe. Now this one calls for ripe bananas because as the fruit ripens the starch turns to sugar and so the riper the banana, the sweeter the taste. But when you make this recipe be sure to throw away the peel. The last thing you want to do is slip on a banana peel – and that does happen believe it or not!
Enjoy going bananas with this tasty treat!
YUMMY BANANA PUDDING
Ingredients
· 3 cups heavy cream
· 1 box (12-oz) Nabisco Nilla Wafers
· 4 cups sliced ripe bananas
· 1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
· 1 1/2 cups ice cold water
· 1 package (3.4 oz) instant vanilla pudding mix
1. ) Beat the sweetened condensed milk and water together until well combined, about 1 minute. Add the pudding mix and beat for about 2 more minutes. Cover and refrigerate for 3-4 hours or overnight. (*This step is important for making the pudding set)
2. ) Whip the heavy cream with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the pudding mixture into the now-whipped cream until well blended. You shouldn’t see any more pudding left.
3. ) Now on to assembly! Get a large, wide, glass bowl (one that holds about 5-quarts). Arrange one-third of the wafers to cover the bottom of the bowl, overlapping if necessary, then one-third of the bananas and one-third of the pudding.
4.) It’s like lasagna! Just repeat the layering twice more, garnishing with additional wafers, wafer crumbs and/or banana slices on top.
5.) Cover with plastic wrap and allow to chill in the refrigerator for 4-8 hours (but not longer) before serving.
An Apple a day...
I thought it would be fun for the next couple of weeks to take a food-related expression and blog about it. So let’s start things off with one we all grew up with:
An Apple A Day Keeps the Doctor Away
Now I don’t know how true this is literally, but I think everyone can agree that apples are not only tasty, but good for you (especially if you eat the skin where all the fiber is!). My mom used to have an expression to steer me away from unhealthy snacks: “If you’re not hungry enough to eat an apple, you’re not hungry!”
At about 15 calories an ounce and loaded with vitamins, minerals and fiber, an apple is a convenient and portable snack. Looking for ways to sneak more apples into your life? Try some of these tips:
- Using an apple slicer is an easy way to simultaneously core an apple and cut it into 8 equal slices. Maybe it’s just me but I am more likely to eat an apple that is sliced than an apple that is whole!
- To keep sliced apples from turning brown, toss them with some lemon juice. If that is too tart, you can substitute orange juice or even a lemon-lime soda (i.e. Sprite of 7-UP).
- Apples pair well with cheese for a simple snack. Try string cheese for the kids and something more refined for yourself. A sliced Honeycrisp apple, some cubed cheddar and a handful of walnuts or almonds? A great snack! (Keep the portion of cheese and nuts small to limit the calories…)
- Chopped tart apples like Granny Smiths can be put into things like chicken salad, egg salad or other mayonnaise or mustard based “salads.”
- Make a large batch of homemade applesauce easily in a crock pot. Just chop apples (skin and all!) into bite-size pieces and cook in a crock pot for 3-4 hours. About 30 minutes before you finish, add ? tablespoon of light brown sugar for every apple used. Stir and continue cooking.
- When done, mash it with a fork or throw it in a food processor. You can even freeze any extra in ziplock bags until it’s ready to be eaten.
Homemade Mac & Cheese
It can be hard to eat healthy foods all the time, especially for parents with kids who want sugary snacks…. BUT you can do yourself (and your kids!) a favor by taking the time to make homemade versions of their favorite foods.
Have you ever looked at the ingredient labels on store-bought Macaroni and Cheese? Well, the cheese usually starts out as a powder, which even just sounds wrong . But depending on the brand, you’re likely to see a whole bunch of things in it you can’t even pronounce. Sodium tripolyphosphate? Of course, even the ingredients you can pronounce are things that you can’t buy in the grocery store. (FD&C Yellow 5 anyone?)
None of that is the kind of thing I’d want to put in my kids’s belly. My Mac and Cheese, although not the lightest in the world, at least has ingredients that your grandmother would recognize. So give it a whirl and tell me which you like better.
No matter which kind you prefer make sure that you have a big pile of veggies or a salad with a smaller serving of the mac and cheese to keep your meal as balanced as possible.
I’ve featured this recipe before on the blog before, but I just made it again this week and Kevin and I have been busy painting and decorating our spare room (girls like yellow, right??) so you’ll have to forgive the recipe recycling.
Scotty's Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
1 Box Large Pasta Shells (use whole wheat pasta for extra fiber and protein)
¼ cup butter for sauce and ¼ for top of casserole
¼ cup flour
2 cups whole milk
Salt, pepper, garlic salt, onion salt to taste
Splash Worcheshire sauce
1 8oz bar of sharp cheddar cheese cubed
1 8oz bar of extra sharp cheddar cheese cubed
2 cups Italian style bread crumbs
1.) Cook pasta as directed by box and set to the side
2.) In a medium saucepan melt butter mixing together with flour over medium heat.
3.) Gradually add milk while stirring. The sauce should get think.
4.) Add salt, pepper, onion and garlic to taste.
5.) Add Worcheshire sauce.
6.) Add sharp cheeses while stirring continuously.
7.) After all the cheese melts combine with pasta and pour into casserole dish.
8.) Sprinkle bread crumbs on top and dob butter on top.
9.) Cover and bake in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until bubbling.
10.) You can take the cover off for the last 5 minutes if you want it crispy on top.
11.) Cool and serve.
Smiley Faces
When I was a kid I would sometimes “babysit” for the kids in my neighborhood. I put that in quotes because now, looking back, it seems kind of crazy that I was left in charge of kids that weren’t that much younger than me. OK I am probably exaggerating a little bit, but to me “babysitting” generally translated into “getting paid to watch Jeopardy!” Of course there was the one time the family dog jumped on the table and ate the two large pizzas the parents had left for us to eat, but things weren’t usually that exciting. (And since the pizza looked like cardboard, I think that dog did us a favor anyway…)
Being a young chef, I also used to occupy the kids I “babysat” (there are those quotes again!) with a recipe I called Babysitting cookies. Now I’m not comparing Kevin to a child, but he does love these cookies even today. So read into that what you will! ;) I have a private chuckle whenever he asks me to them (although he calls then “Smiley Face Cookies”).
As I write this now and think about the reality of finally becoming a Dad I’m struck by how much my life has changed since my babysitting days. Back then I would watch a kid for a few hours, feed them a bunch of sugar and then leave them with their parents and get paid for it all! I’m starting to think being a dad is going to be very, very different…
Well, at least I have these cookies.
BABYSITTING COOKIES (aka “Smiley Face Cookies”)
Makes 20 cookies
INGREDIENTS
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
- ¾ cup sugar, plus more for tops of the cookies
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup smooth or chunky peanut butter
- About ½ cup chocolate chips
1.) Set a rack in the center position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper.
2.) Stir the flour and baking powder together in a small bowl and set aside. Beat the butter and ¾ cup sugar together in a medium bowl with a handheld mixer at high speed until smooth. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Add the peanut butter and beat until smooth. Stir in the dry ingredients just until no streaks of white remain.
3.) Using 2 tablespoons of the batter, form a ball and place it on the prepared baking sheet. Press with the bottom of a glass to form a 2 1/2 –inch circle. Repeat with the remaining dough, using two baking sheets if necessary. Make smiley faces using 1 chip for each eye and 4 chips for the smile, pressing the chips, point-side down, into the dough. Sprinkle sugar liberally over the tops. Bake until the edges are lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Remove and cool completely before serving. The cookies can be served in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
A New Year's Treat!
I’m not one of those people who does a good job of keeping their New Years Resolutions. Over the years I have skipped out on more than one of these annual promises to myself. Among the things I have not done: go to Yosemite (2005 resolution), learn to surf (2001 resolution) or build a roller coaster in my backyard (1984 resolution).
But that changes this year. Ordinarily I am a “locavore” – a term coined by foodies for people who always try and eat food that is local and in season. Now it’s easy to be a locavore in LA when even the winter months bring a rich bounty to the local farmers markets. I think that a tomato just tastes better when it is fresh and ripe.
But I still do miss my favorite summer foods in the cold of winter (and vice versa!) so here is my food-related resolution this year. Once a season I’ll eat my favorite food from the opposite season (I’ll eat from the Fall in the Spring and from Winter in the Summer). A little convoluted maybe, but I think it’s a resolution I can stick to because a) it involves cooking my favorite foods b) it involves eating my favorite dishes and c) I only have to remember to do it 4 times a year.
So let me start the 2011 off on the right foot with my favorite summer recipe: Strawberry-Rhubarb Crumble. The recipe calls for using a pie plate, but you can substitute ramekins if you want.
Happy New Year!
What are YOUR resolutions this year?
Strawberry-Rhubarb Crumble
Makes 6 to 8 servings.
For the topping:
1 1/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons turbinado sugar (commercially known as sugar in the raw)
Zest of one lemon
1/4 pound (1 stick or 4 ounces) unsalted butter, melted
For the filling:
1 1/2 cups rhubarb, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 quart strawberries plus a few extras, hulled, quartered
Juice of one lemon
1/2 cup sugar
3 to 4 tablespoons cornstarch
Pinch of salt
1. Heat oven to 375°F. Prepare topping: In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugars and lemon zest and add the melted butter. Mix until small and large clumps form. Refrigerate until needed.
2. Prepare filling: Toss rhubarb, strawberries, lemon juice, sugar, cornstarch and a pinch of salt in a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. (I used an oval dish this time, because they fit better in the bottom of a shopping bag.)
3. Remove topping from refrigerator and cover fruit thickly and evenly with topping. Place pie plate on a (foil-lined, if you really want to think ahead) baking sheet, and bake until crumble topping is golden brown in places and fruit is bubbling beneath, about 40 to 50 minutes.
A Wandell Holiday Delight!
The holiday season is already upon us and the signs are everywhere: Christmas songs are on the radio, Starbucks is serving out o.f their seasonal red cups, and our halls are decked with more holiday cheer than you could shake a bough of holly at.
One tradition we always had in my family was to come together and make Christmas cookies and it’s a tradition I continue in the kitchen of my restaurant. Next week, everyone at Café 429 will bring in 36 of their family’s favorite holiday cookie and we’ll share the cookies (and the recipes!) with each other before the dinner service? Dessert before dinner?! Maybe just this once…
Perhaps I’ll post some pictures of my favorite holiday cookies, but for my loyal readers I have decided to share something very special: give my mother’s famous fudge recipe. Every year she would whip up a big batch of this fudge and pack it up for everyone in my town – my teacher, her friends at work, the mail man, her hair stylist. It was the hit of their holiday season and now you can spread some holiday cheer in your town, Wandell-style!
As anyone who has read my blog will tell you, I don’t usually advocate microwave cooking, but my mother always insisted that when she gave out the recipe that she had to include microwave instructions. So, here you go…
Enjoy and Happy Holidays!
WANDELL HOLIDAY FUDGE
Makes 3 pounds
INGREDIENTS:
3 cups sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk
3/4 cup margarine
1 7-oz. jar marshmallow creme
1 12-oz. bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Traditional Method
1) Combine sugar, margarine and milk in medium saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
2) Continue boiling 4-6 minutes over medium heat, stirring.
3) Remove from heat, stir in chocolate until melted and smooth.
4) Add marshmallow creme, nuts, vanilla and mix until blended.
5) Pour into greased 13 x 9-inch baking pan.
6) Let cool and cut into 1-inch squares.
Microwave Method
1) Microwave margarine in large microwave-safe bowl on high about 1 minute or until melted.
2) Add sugar and milk; mix.
3) Microwave on high 5 minutes or mixture just begins to boil, stirring after a few minutes.
4) Mix well, being sure to scrape down the sides with a spatula.
5) Continue microwaving on high 5-1/2 minutes; stir after a few minutes.
6) Stir in chocolate chips until melted.
7) Add remaining ingredients; mix well.
8) Pour into greased 13 x 9-inch baking pan.
9) Cool at room temperature
10) Cut into squares. Makes 3 pounds.
Brownies!
All my life, my sweet tooth has gotten me into trouble. On my 8th birthday I ate so much chocolate cake that I was sick for a week.I even went trick or treating until I was 16. Come on…free candy! Can you blame me? After I was about 11 some of my neighbors said: “Scotty, aren’t you a little OLD to be trick or treating?” So for the next 5 years I made sure my costumes always covered my face so no one knew who I was. ;)
Which brings us to this past weekend when Kevin’s sweet tooth – and his emotional eating in general – got him into a little bit of trouble, too. Suffice it to say, I think he will ask around the kitchen before diving into brownies in the future. Of course, after getting sick from the “special” brownie he ate, I wonder if he’ll want to eat brownies at all. But I can promise you that if there is any brownie recipe that can reignite his passions for fudgy brownies, this is it. I like this recipe for the fine line it walks between being fudgy and cakey and they freeze beautifully too!
SCOTTY’S IRRESISTIBLE BROWNIES Makes sixteen 3x2-inch brownies
Ingredients
- 12 ounces good quality semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, broken or cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 ½ sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, plus one more for the baking pan
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for the baking pan
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼-teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
- Melt the chocolate, sugar, and butter in the top of a double boiler over barely simmering water (or in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of barely simmer water). Stir occasionally until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth, about 10 minutes. Make sure the water stays at a bare simmer; if it gets too hot, the chocolate will separate. Cool to room temperature.
- Heat the over to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter and flour a 13x9-inch baking pan.
- Stir the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl and set aside. Beat the cooled chocolate mixture with a handheld mixer at medium speed until shiny. Add the eggs one at a time, beating very well after each. Beat in the vanilla. Stir in the dry ingredients just until no streaks of white remain. Fold in the nuts, if using. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth into an even layer.
- Bake until the edges are crisp and begin to pull away from the pan and the top is set, about 18 minutes. The center of the brownies will still be slightly soft to the touch and a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center will not come out clean.) Let cool completely.
- Cut the brownies into 2x3-inch bars. This is easier if the brownies are chilled in the pan for 10-20 minutes first. The brownies may be made up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated, covered. Bring to room temperature before serving. The brownies may also be frozen, well wrapped in aluminum foil.
Homemade Hummus
It’s time for one of Kevin’s favorite foods: hummus. Sure it is one of those things you can easily (and cheaply!) buy premade in the supermarket, but if you have a food processor you can have your own delicious homemade hummus in just a few minutes. Homemade hummus will taste less like drywall compound and more like a trip to Mykonos.
Basic hummus includes garbanzo beans (also called chickpeas), sesame tahini, olive oil, garlic and salt/pepper to taste. And if you take one quick look at your refrigerated deli case, you’re bound to see many different flavors of hummus (garlic, roasted red pepper, pine nut, sun-dried tomato, etc.) or hummus made with beans other than garbanzos (i.e. white beans, etc.). Learning a hummus recipe is again about learning a technique that you can adapt for your needs.
In my experience, hummus is universally loved. Besides being a delicious side that is easily enjoyed with carrots or homemade pita chips, hummus also makes a delicious (and healthy!) spread on a vegetable sandwich. Yummmnm!
Today I’ll share a hummus recipe from Luc’s mom who was in town visiting. Apparently she redecorated Nora’s house into something more Casablanca than Pasadena but you can still enjoy hummus with nothing more exotic than pita bread!
What are YOUR favorite flavors of hummus?
HUMMUS
Makes 1 ¼ cups
Ingredients
One 15 ½-ounce can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
2 small garlic cloves, minced
¼-cup olive oil
¼-cup minced parsley
3 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Combine the chickpeas, lemon juice, sesame oil, and garlic in the workbowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Process until the chickpeas are finely chopped. Add the olive oil slowly with the motor running and continue processing until the hummus is the consistency of a coarse puree.
Transfer the hummus to a mixing bowl and stir in the parsley, scallions and salt and pepper to taste. Store the hummus, covered, in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature about ½-hour before serving.
Meet Your Asshat and Your Gay of the Week for the Week of November 05, 2010
Posted byEd Kennedy on November 8, 2010
I have to admit, the winner of this one surprised me quite a bit. Last week's voting split up Kevin (Matthew Rhys) and Scotty (Luke Macfarlane), because one was cheated on, and one was a cheater, and each had separate journeys to make as a result. I fully expected the wronged Kevin to run away with the vote, but it was Scotty you sided with.
There was something humanizing about revealing that Scotty wasn't just be perfect kitchen utensil for the Walker family, and you guys responded by giving him an astonishing 52.77% of the vote. His television husband was a distant second at 19.77%
Mitchell (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) and Cameron (Eric Stonestreet) only managed 14.48% of the vote for negotiating the power structures of their relationship, and perky Zac Young brought up the rear at 12.97%.
With Scotty reigning over all the Gays for the week, we're sure that appetizers will be served, and wine glasses will never be empty. Which is as it should be.
Soup
About a month ago I gave Kevin a soup recipe I was making and asked him to pick up some of the ingredients at the market. One thing in the recipe was chicken broth and, if Kevin ever opened our freezer to look for anything except ice cream, he would see quarts and quarts of the stuff. But instead, he was being sweet and proactive and ended up coming home with 5 cans of chicken broth for me. Blech.
You see, Nora and I agree: homemade chicken broth tastes better than canned. Not that I have never used canned chicken broth. Certainly in a pinch you can get away with it, but homemade chicken broth is just one of those kitchen staples that takes minimal effort and tastes so much better than anything you could buy in the store. And with the ability to freeze it for up to 3 months, there is really no reason not to make your own next time you make a roast chicken. Of course with Thanksgiving around the corner, you can also make a Turkey Broth with the leftover bones from that feast.
In the meantime, if anyone needs 5 cans of chicken broth from a store, just let me know. Otherwise do yourself a favor and make your own:
CHICKEN BROTH
Makes about 2 ½ quarts
INGREDIENTS
3 pounds chicken backs, neck and wings (any combination)
½ pound chicken gizzards
2 medium carrots, peeled and halved crosswise
2 celery stalk
1 medium yellow onion, skin left on, quartered
- Rinse the chicken under cold running water and drain thoroughly. Put it in a tall 8-quart pot along with the vegetables. Pour in enough water to cover by 2 inches and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Adjust the heat to a gentle simmer. Skim any foam and fat from the surface. Simmer, skimming occasionally, 4-6 hours. If the water dips below the chicken and vegetables, replenish with more.
- Pour or ladle the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate. Skim off and discard any fat that rises to the surface.
- The broth may be refrigerated for up to 4 days or ladled into freezer containers and frozen for up to 3 months. (Hidden behind the ice cream if it’s Kevin’s freezer!)
Make your own Frappe
It’s been a long week and I’m often asked: “What keeps you going?” Sure I could say the usual trite and cliché things: the support of friends and family, always wanting to outdo my previous best, blah…blah…blah.
But I’d be lying (sort of).
All those cliché things are true, but what really keeps me going is caffeine. I’ve been a coffee junkie for most of my life. I can still remember the first time – as a kid of about 8 or 9 – that my Mom let me take a sip of that brewed beverage that she seemed to suck down by the gallon. I raised the mug to my lips, breathed in the sweet smell (or as the marketing people say: “bold aroma”) and took my first sip.
BLECH!
You see, my mother liked her coffee like she liked her…ummm….tea. Strong and black. So to an 8-year old’s taste buds, coffee bordered on undrinkable. Until I realized I could add sugar and milk. Then it became almost comical: “You want some coffee with your sugar?”
Which brings me to today. Being a head chef and owning a restaurant means LONG days and nights (particularly long in the last week planning for an event we had and because, like I mentioned last week, I haven’t really been able to sleep much…). And like many chefs I appreciate coffee not only as a fine pairing to a delicious desert, but as a source of energy.
So today I offer a Coffee Frappe you can get at Café 429. I drink my coffee black now, but here’s a sweet treat that my customers seem to love. It’s the perfect way to cool down on a hot day.
COFFEE FRAPPE
Serves 1
INGREDIENTS
- 3 coffee ice cubes (see below)
- ½-cup whole milk
- ¼-cup reduced-fat evaporated milk
- 1 packet artificial sweetener or 1 Tablespoon superfine sugar
Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend at high speed until smooth. Pour into a tall chilled glass.
COFFEE ICE CUBES and RECIPE NOTES
- Next tine there is part of a pot of coffee left over, think of this refreshing pick-me-up. Pour the coffee into ice cube trays and, once frozen, transfer the cubes to a sealable bag and keep it in the freezer. (This
also can be used for iced coffee – it helps make the coffee stronger as the ice melts, instead of watering it down!)
- Take this recipe from naughty to light by substituting soymilk or skim milk for the whole milk and evaporated milk. The texture will be icy rather than smooth and creamy, but the taste is still delicious.
4AM
It’s 4am and I haven’t slept a wink. My mind has been racing all night about what my life will look like now.
Last night a lot of dark and painful things from my past came rushing to the present. It’s in these moments that you want to be supported by a loving family. Of course, if you’ve hurt the people in your family, that can be almost impossible. And while I am not typically an emotional eater I do think there are certain recipes that can invoke strong memories of better times. And when you don’t have your family around – whether they are physically (or emotionally) distant – sometimes all it takes is a taste of something familiar to bring you back home.
As some readers know, I have not really had much of a relationship with my mother. But I do love her deeply in spite of our differences; I don’t care how old you are, there are some points in your life, when there is nothing you want more than being close to your mom. So this week I am going to make her simple and delicious Buttermilk-Soaked Fried Chicken and think of happier times at home.
BUTTERMILK-SOAKED FRIED CHICKEN
Serves 4
Ingredients- 1 chicken (about 3 ½ pounds), cut into eighths
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- All-purpose flour
- Vegetable shortening or vegetable oil as needed (about 1 ½ cups)
· The simplest way to get pieces of chicken down to the right size for frying is to buy a chicken already cut into eighths, available in most supermarkets.
Technique
1) Trim any overhanging fat from the chicken pieces. If there are pieces of the backbone attached to the thigh and breast pieces, cut them off with kitchen shears. Cut off any wing tips. (Save the backbones, wing tips and giblets for broth!) Cut each breast in half crosswise with a sharp, heavy knife.
2) Stir the buttermilk, salt and cayenne pepper together in a large bowl. Add the chicken pieces and toss gently to coat with seasoned buttermilk. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
3) When ready to fry, spread the flour out in a generous layer on a baking sheet. Have ready a wire cooling rack set over a baking sheet. Lift each piece of chicken from the buttermilk, holding it over the bowl and wiping off all but a light layer of buttermilk. Lay as many of the chicken pieces in the flour as fit without touching. Clean and dry your hands. Shake the baking sheet to turn and evenly coat the chicken pieces, then turn them by hand to make sure they are lightly but evenly coated. Lift the chicken, tap off any excess flour and set, skin-side up, on the rack. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
4) Melt enough shortening in (or pour enough oil into) a wide deep skillet to fill 1 inch. (A 10-inch cast-iron skillet will hold half a chicken.) Heat over medium heat to 325 degrees F. If you don’t have a deep-drying thermometer, dip the handle of a wooden spoon in the oil. When it is hot enough, the handle will send out a steady, lively stream of tiny bubbles. Lay as many pieces of coated chicken, skin-side down, into the pan as will fit comfortably, leaving a little space between each. Don’t move the chicken until it begins to brown, or the delicate coating will stick to the pan. Adjust the heat so there is a steady, not riotous, sizzling. If there is any spattering or if the chicken starts to brown even slightly before 4 minutes, the heat is definitely up too high. Cook until the underside is a deep golden brown, about 12 minutes. Flip and cook the second side. If the heat was regulated properly, the chicken should be fully cooked. Check by inserting the tip of an instant-reading thermometer into the thickest part of each chicken piece closest to the bone. The temperature should be 165 degrees F or above.
Alternatively: Poke the tip of a pairing knife into the thickest part of each piece right down to the bone. Wait a second or two; the juices that run out must be clear, not pink, in order for the chicken to be safe to eat.
If the chicken browns before it is fully cooked, simply finish cooking the chicken, testing as above, on a baking sheet in a 375 degree F oven.
NOTE: The chicken can be served warm or at room temperature. If you’d like the serve the chicken warm, preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Fry the drumsticks and thighs first, drain them, and keep them warm on a baking sheet in the oven while frying the breast and wing pieces.
Cooper picks a recipe!In honor of my nephew Cooper’s portrayal of Romeo in his school play this week I let him pick which recipe we feature in today’s blog.When I asked what he’d like to see featured, he shrugged: “Spaghetti?”
Spaghetti?! No! We have to find some clever play on words that will tie back to your play.
Star-Crossed Lover Breakfast Strata
Montague Stew
Friar Lawrence Burrito
To Be or Nachos To Be (Oops! Wrong Play)
Rugelach & Jam“Rugelach and Jam?” Cooper asked, “
Rugelach & Jam – R&J?, Romeo & Juliet? Get it?? To which Cooper said, “Does anyone even read your blog”?
Perhaps I was putting to much emphasis on the name; to paraphrase the Bard “spaghetti by any other name would still taste as sweet. “ Which brings me to my Penne with Spiced Vodka Sauce. It’s a recipe I don’t have on the menu at the restaurant, but one I enjoy making for friends and family at home.
I tried one last time to talk to Coop: if there was a character named Vodka in the play or if Mercutio made a Rye Vodka it’d be a different story, but they don’t.And Penne with Spicy Verona-odka Sauce doesn’t have a ring to it.
But Cooper didn’t give up on me: “The play is set in Italy. Spaghetti is Italian food, right?”
He had me there. I guess my recipe for “It-Is-The-East-and-Juliet-is-the-Sun Dried Tomato Vinaigrette” will have to wait.
Although all the alcohol cooks off, I think Cooper likes to pretend he is drinking when he eats this. Of course, I like to make this because I can pretend to be cooking while I’m drinking. ;)
Enjoy!So now I turn to you, my loyal readers (who I have convinced Cooper DO exist). Can any of you come up with a good R&J-themed name for this dish??
Penne with Spiced Vodka Sauce
Serves 4
Salt
2 Tablespoon Olive Oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoons crushed hot red pepper (or less)
¼ cup vodka
1 and ¼ cups strained tomatoes*
½ cup light cream
¾ pound penne rigati or regular penne (about 4 ½ cups)
12 large fresh basil leaves, cut crosswise into thin strips
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 and ½ cups fresh mozzarella, cut into ½-inch dice* Strained tomatoes, available in “Sterile-pack” containers are lighter and fresher tasting than canned tomato puree. If canned puree is all you can find, use 1 cup puree thinned with ½ cup water.
1.Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2.Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the garlic and hot pepper and cook, shaking the pan, until you can just smell the garlic. Remove the pan from the heat and pout in the vodka – carefully; even off the heat it may ignite. When the boiling stops, return the pan to the heat and stir in the strained tomatoes. Season lightly with salt. Bring to a simmer, adjust to the head so the sauce is simmering and cook for 5 minutes.(The sauce can be prepared to this point up to 2 days in advance. Refrigerate and heat to simmering before continuing.) Turn off the heat and stir in the cream.
3. Stir the penne into the boiling water. Cook, stirring occasionally, under tender but still firm (there should be a slight ring of white in the center of the penne when one is bitten into). Reserve ½ cup of the cooking liquid and drain the pasta.
4. Return the penne to the pot, scrape in the sauce, and add the basil. Stir over low heat, adding some of the reserved liquid, if necessary, to make a sauce that lightly coats the pasta. Taste and add salt if necessary. Remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan and mozzarella, if using. Serve from a platter of ladle into warm shallow bowls.
