No Lemon Juice

Hearty Baked Beans

While I'm not a huge fan of beans in general, I do love me some baked beans.  I've never made them though that didn't include basically doctoring up a can of pre-made baked beans.  I saw this recipe in Southern Living and gave it a try.

Hearty Baked Beans

• 3 bacon slices, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 (16-ounce) cans pinto beans, drained
• 1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup molasses
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 2 1/2 tablespoons prepared mustard
• 1/2 medium0size green bell pepper, chopped
• Cook bacon slices in a large skillet until crisp; remove bacon; reserving drippings in skillet.
• Saute onion and garlic in reserved drippings until tender.
• Combine bacon, onion mixture, beans, and remaining ingredients in an electric slow cooker.
• Cover and cook on HIGH 2 1/2 to 3 hours or on LOW 5 to 6 hours.  Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

What I changed:
I left out the green pepper because I just don't like it.  I also cooked it more like 8 hours on low.

What I'd change next time:
When they say 5 to 6 hours on low, they mean 5 to 6 hours on low.

Disasters:
I burnt it.  You can see how dark it was in the picture.  I was SO disappointed because it smelled amazing cooking all day.

Overall Impression:
Judging by the smell alone, you know, pre-burning, this would be great.  Post-burning?  Not so much.  It's definitely worth another try though.

Refrigerator Yeast Rolls

Bread has always been challenging for me, so I've been facing my fears and really working on my baking.  This recipe didn't come from a cookbook, but from about.com. 

Refrigerator Yeast Rolls

• 1 3/4 cups warm water
• 2 packages active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 egg, unbeaten
• 1/4 cup soft butter
• 6 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• Pour warm water into a large bowl (first rinsed well in hot water). If possible, check temperature with thermometer. The water should be warm, not hot, on underpart of wrist. Sprinkle yeast over water; add sugar and salt; stir to dissolve completely.
• Add egg, soft butter, and 3 cups flour. With wooden spoon, or electric mixer at medium speed, beat very hard 2 minutes, or until smooth. Gradually add 1 cup flour, beating hard after each addition. Using hands, work remaining 2 cups flour into the dough. Continue working dough, with hands, until smooth and elastic. Brush top of the dough with melted butter; cover with a double thickness of saran or with a damp towel. Let rise in refrigerator at least 2 hours, or until double in bulk.  Punch down dough, and refrigerate. Store in refrigerator 1 to 3 days, punching it down once a day.
• Remove a third of dough from refrigerator. On lightly floured surface, roll 3/8 inch thick. Cut with 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter. With dull edge of knife, press a crease just off center of each round. Brush lightly with melted butter or margarine. Fold over, so that larger part overlaps; press folded edge. Place, 1 inch apart, on lightly greased cookie sheet. Cover with towel; let rise in warm place (85F), free from drafts, until double in bulk-----about 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400F. Brush rolls lightly with melted butter or margarine. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden-brown. Serve hot.

What I changed:
I did NOT add the salt in with the yeast.  Salt can change the pH or something and make yeast not work.  (See, I'm learning!)  Instead, I added it in after I had mixed in some flour. 

What I'd change next time:
I didn't really get the whole way these were supposed to be shaped.  I actually did make these a second time and just formed them in ball shapes (like my picture).  MUCH easier.

Disasters:
Besides the mutant rolls I created the first time with the odd shaping, I tried baking two baking sheets in the oven at the same time and burned one on the bottom. 

Overall Impression:
They were good!  I surprised myself.  They didn't have quite as much of a yeasty flavor as I had hoped, but were still really good, especially hot out of the oven and dripping in butter.  They also reheated well in the oven for a big family dinner the next day.

Daring Cook Challenge- Crab Potstickers

This month's challenge was given to us by Jen from use real butter.  She chose Chinese dumplings/potstickers.  I have to confess: I've never actually had potstickers before so I was a little worried about this one.  We got to choose our cooking method between boil, steam, or pan fry.  Frying was my obvious choice because...well do I really need to explain?  We also got to   I live in Maryland so crab for a filling was also pretty obvious choice too.  I'm not reposting the recipe here because it's long and because you can see it beautifully photographed step by step here.

Crab Potstickers

What I changed:
I only made half a recipe of the dough because I wasn't sure how this was going to go and whether or not I'd like them.  I envisioned the filling a lot like a crabcake mix.  But I must make another confession: I've never made a good crabcake in my life.  I know, I KNOW.  A Marylander that loves to cook and can not make a crabcake.  It's my secret shame.

But it's the daring cooks challenged, so I tried again.  I used some crab, seasoned breadcrumbs, an egg, mayo, mustard, Old Bay, and my secret ingredient, Parmesan cheese.  The dipping sauce I made was mayo, lemon juice, and Old Bay.

What I'd change next time:
I'm not 100% sure I did the dough right.  It was a little bland and tough.  I ended up using almost twice as much water as the recipe called for.  I doubt I'll make these again, mostly because if I want crab, I'm just going to eat the crab.  Yum.

Disasters:
I went to the pantry to grab the Old Bay and for a moment I couldn't find it.  Little known fact: If you live in Maryland and cannot produce a can of Old Bay at any given moment, they kick you out.  Luckily I found mine hiding and went to town.  That was really the only panic moment.  Everything else worked out pretty well.

Overall Impression:
I CAN MAKE CRABCAKES!!!  They were good!  I didn't feel guilty that crabs had given their lives for my crabcakes like I have previously.  After I filled the dumplings I had a little crab mixture left over and used it to make a few crabcakes and fried those up after the dumplings.  William was not impressed, but Nick and I gobbled them up. 

What?  Oh the potstickers?  Yeah they were actually pretty good too.  The filling obviously was good.  I wasn't crazy about the wrapper, but it wasn't bad.  The dipping sauce went nicely with it.  I was expecting the pleating to be harder, but it really wasn't (although mine may not be the prettiest dumplings).

Pecan Chicken

Who doesn't need a new way to make chicken every now and then?  This sounded delicious to me when I came across it in Southern Living.  Dave doesn't like chicken (or any meat) with bones in it (he's weird) and I find boneless skinless chicken breasts boring, so it sounded like a good compromise for us.

Pecan Chicken

• 4 skinned and boned chicken breast halves
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped pecans
• Place chicken between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap, and flatten to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin.
• Stir together honey and mustard; spread on both sides of chicken, and dredge in pecans.  Arrange in a lightly greased 8-inch square baking dish.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes or until done.  Yield: 4 servings.

What I changed:
Well, I didn't mean to change it, but I could not flatten those chicken breasts down to 1/4 inch no matter how hard I beat them.

What I'd change next time:
Use a bigger pan.  Allow more time to cook.

Disasters:
Since I couldn't get them flatter, they took a loooooong time to bake.  I had only three chicken breasts, and my pan was a little bigger than 8x8 and I couldn't fit them all in that pan.  I have NO idea how you are supposed to fit 4 flattened chicken breasts into an 8x8 pan unless you stack them.  Chicken Napoleons.  Bleh.

Overall Impression:
I was so frustrated with flattening and trying to get in the pan and taking forever to get done, that it just kinda ruined it for me.  It was a little sweet, but with less honey I don't know that the pecans would stick to the chicken.  They kept falling off as it was.  For a recipe with only four ingredients, it sure was a pain.

Couscous with Pine Nuts

This was with the real recipe for lamb kabobs in Barefoot Contessa at Home , not the made up lamb kabob disasters I made.  Couscous is one of those things I like, but hardly ever make.  I have no idea why, it's so easy there's no reason not to.  I can't even blame being lazy because, come on, heat water/stock/whatever, add couscous, put lid on.  The end.  This one was a little more involved, but not much really.

Couscous with Pine Nuts

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup chopped shallots (3 to 4 shallots)
• 3 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups couscous
• 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
• 1/4 cup dried currants
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• Melt the butter in a large saucepan.  Add the shallots and cook them over medium-low heat for 3 minutes, until translucent.  Add the chicken stock, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil.  Turn off the heat.  Stir in the couscous, cover the pan, and set aside for 10 minutes.  Add the pine nuts, currants, and parsley and fluff with a fork to combine.  Serve hot.

 

What I changed:
I used homemade chicken stock (I really hate canned stock.  There is no flavor in that stuff; you might as well use water).  My last batch of chicken stock came out a little salty so I had to watch the extra salt I put in this.  I also didn't have currents (and don't particularly care for them), so I left those out.

What I'd change next time:
I was so careful with the salt that it ended up being a little bland.  I also was a little light on the parsley and it could have used the extra color.

Disasters:
Almost every time I toast nuts, I burn them.  So I told myself I was going to be extra careful and really watch the pine nuts and then they were taking so long to toast and oops burnt.  I was able to salvage most of them.

Overall Impression:
I just found this a little bland overall.  I know I didn't use enough salt, but it seemed to be missing some other flavors.  Maybe garlic or shallot or something.  Couscous is such a blank slate; it was crying out for MORE anything...except burnt pine nuts.

Zucchini with Parmesan

Zucchini is one of the few veggies I actually like, so I'm always looking for new ways to make it.  This one comes from Barefoot Contessa Family Style.

Zucchini with Parmesan

• 8 medium zucchini
• Good olive oil
• 2 large yellow onions cut in half and sliced 1/2 inch thick
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Remove the ends of the zucchini and cut in half lengthwise.  Slice the zucchini diagonally in 1/2-inch slices.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large (12-inch) saute pan and add the onions. Cook for 10 minutes on medium-low heat, until they start to brown.  Add half the zucchini, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to the pan and cook, tossing occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes, until just cooked through.  Sprinkle with Parmesan and cook for 30 seconds more.  Remove to a serving platter and repeat with the rest of the zucchini.  Serve immediately.  Serves 6 to 8.

What I changed:
I like zucchini, but we don't need that much zucchini.  I only cut up two zucchinis and tried to adjust the rest of the recipe down.

What I'd change next time:
It was just missing something.  I'm not sure what and I don't know how to fix it.  I also used a bit too much olive oil I think and it ended up a bit greasy.

Disasters:
None really, just the over use of olive oil.

Overall Impression:
I just wasn't impressed.  I usually saute zucchini in a little olive oil, salt, pepper, and sometimes some red pepper flakes.  I like my way better.  The onions were a little overpowering to me, but that may just be my tastes.

Garlic & Herb Tomatoes

I love tomatoes.  Sweet, thick, sun ripened slices of tomatoes sprinkled with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper are one of my favorite parts of summer.  This is Ina's recipe from Barefoot Contessa at Home.

Garlic & Herb Tomatoes

 

• 3 tablespoons good olive oil
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)
• 2 pints cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Heat the olive oil in a saute pan large enough to hold all the tomatoes in one layer.  Add the garlic to the oil and cook over medium heat for 30 seconds.  Add the tomatoes, basil, parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper.  Reduce the heat to low and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to lose their firm round shape.  Sprinkle with a little fresh chopped basil and parsley and serve hot or at room temperature.

 

What I changed:
I only had parsley as far as herbs go, so I used that. 

What I'd change next time:
I bet the flavor is a bit better with all the herbs, so I'd try that.

Disasters:
Sigh.  I had the brilliant idea to make lamb/tomato kabobs after seeing a lamb kabob recipe and since we had a leg of lamb earlier in the week (which was delicious and I totally forgot to take pictures and by the time I remembered, it was decimated) and had leftovers.  I didn't need to cook the lamb so I thought I'd cook the tomatoes separately then heat the lamb up and THEN thread it onto the skewers.

Guess what?  Hot tomatoes just pop and ooze tomato-y goodness everywhere when you poke them with a sharp stick.  Then the thought popped into my head, what with all the popping and poking and oozing that it was a lot like a wound that was being lanced and drained and with that, dinner was over.

Overall Impression:
I don't like hot tomatoes.  I don't like my spaghetti sauce chunky and I just don't like warm tomatoes.  Tomatoes are meant to either be pureed or eaten raw with salt and pepper and yum I wish it was summer.  They smelled delicious while cooking, however, and the flavor was good.  Hard to go wrong with tomatoes, garlic, and herbs. I just couldn't get past the texture/mental image I imposed on myself. 

Sauteed Broccoli with Garlic and Parmigiano

I'm not a veggie eater.  But with two little kids, I know I need to do better and we can not live solely on green beans (the ONE green vegetable I actually enjoy).  Dave likes broccoli and this meal was for him so he got to pick the vegetable.  I thought with the garlic and Parmesan Ted Allen's cookbook, I might be able to get down a few pieces of broccoli.

Sauteed Broccoli with Garlic and Parmigiano

• 1 1/4 pounds broccoli crowns
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus a little extra for drizzling
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• Juice of 1/2 lemon (1 to 2 tablespoons)
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigano-Reggiano
• Cut the broccoli into little florets, about 2 inches long.  In a large, deep frying pan over medium-high heat, combine the oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes, if using.  Cook the garlic and pepper, stirring, until the garlic sizzles, about 1 minute.  Add the broccoli, sprinkle with the salt, and stir for 1 to 2 minutes.  Add 1/2 cup water, cover, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the broccoli is just barely tender.  Uncover the pan, raise the heat, and cook until the water evaporates, 1 to 2 minutes longer.  Spoon the broccoli into a bowl and give it a squeeze of lemon juice.  Drizzle with a little olive oil, sprinkle with the Parmigiano, and serve.

What I changed:
I don't think I changed anything.

What I'd change next time:
It needed a little more acid.  And less water.

Disasters:
Besides me having to eat broccoli?  None, I guess.

Overall Impression:
It's broccoli!  The water took for-ev-er to cook off and by the time it did it was a little mushy.  Mushy broccoli is even worse than plain broccoli.  The Parmesan and garlic did not disguise that we were still eating broccoli and the kids weren't fooled ether despite however many times I told them they were little trees.  Dave enjoyed it though. 

Apple Strudel -Daring Bakers Challenge

The May Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Linda of make life sweeter! and Courtney of Coco Cooks. They chose Apple Strudel from the recipe book Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague by Rick Rodgers.

I wasn't sure I had even had strudel before and definitely never made it before.  I was worried about making the dough and almost skipped this one, but finished just a couple of days before I had to post.

Apple Strudel

Skip to the recipe.

What I changed:
I made a full recipe of the dough, but then I cut it half and did two different flavors.  The apple and I also did a cherry almond.  For the apple the only change other than halving the recipe was using amaretto instead of rum (it was what I had) and I used twice as much cinnamon as it called for. 

For the cherry, I used about half a bag of frozen cherries, chopped in half.  I used slivered almonds and added some cream cheese.  I added a little sugar and amaretto to the cream cheese for sweetness and flavor.  Then I added a little flour to it because I was worried that the juice from the cherries would leak everywhere.

What I'd change next time:
More amaretto.  I couldn't taste it.  No flour in the cream cheese.

Disasters:
Actually this went a lot smoother than I was anticipating.  The only real snag was the flour in the cream cheese.  Sure the cherry juice didn't run everywhere, but the cream cheese just turned into a gummy mess.  I wanted creamy and a little gooey from the cream cheese.  In the words of Charlie Brown, I got a rock.

Overall Impression:
I ended up liking the apple more than the cherry which surprised me.  Probably because of the cream cheese brick, but the flavor of the apple was better.  It was good, but not good enough that I'd try it again.  It was lacking something.  Maybe more spices in the apple, definitely could have used more cinnamon, maybe some nutmeg or cloves.  The cherry probably could have used some vanilla in the cream cheese. 

Recipe below the break.

Baked Chips

This is the other half of the recipe from yesterday. 

Baked Chips

• 4 large baking potatoes, unpeeled
• 4 tablespoons good olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Scrub the potatoes, cut them in half lengthwise, then cut each half in thirds lengthwise.  You'll have six long wedges from each potato.  Place the potatoes on a sheet pan with the olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, and rosemary.  With clean hands, toss all the ingredients together, making srure the potatoes are covered with oil.  Spread the potatoes in a single layer with one cut side down.
• Bake the potatoes for 30 to 35 minutes, turning to the other cut side after 20 minutes.  Bake until they are lightly browned, crisp on the outside, and tender inside.  Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately.

What I changed:
I had cut each half of the potato into four pieces since they were really big.

What I'd change next time:
Spray the cooking sheet with Pam.  (Oooh, foreshadowing).

Disasters:
Almost everyone stuck completely to the pan.  I should have sprayed the baking sheet with cooking spray or a thin layer of olive oil.  Also, I baked these for 35 minutes and they were nowhere near done.  Another 15 minutes and they still weren't done as well as I thought they should be.

Overall Impression:
The flavor was good with the rosemary, if a little dry.  They just didn't get brown or crispy.They went well with the chips.