“Smashing” Peanut Noodles and Thai Crunch Salad

Posted on by
5

Subee is a nickname I’ve had since 10th grade, when I decided to turn out for the Curtis High School tennis team. Our coach, Mr. Webb – a revered biology teacher who used to give extra credit for turning in “mutant” M&M’s® – had a strict policy that everyone on the team have a nickname. My maiden name is Benveniste, so you can see how I quickly became Sue B., or Subee.

That's me, front & center with the big hair.

Mr. Webb did all kinds of things to make his “tennis ladies” feel special, but one of the highlights was his match day morning ritual. If you were starting in a match that day, you would be “surprised” by a varsity football player interrupting your homeroom class, getting down on one knee and delivering a long-stemmed rose and a kiss (on the cheek). Talk about motivation!

After high school I shelved the tennis racquet (yet oddly kept the big hair and perms going well past college). Last year my love for the sport was rekindled, and with nary a football player in sight. After 8 straight years of childrearing, I think I just needed to get out of the house and do something that didn’t revolve around kids. (Precious as they may be.) Plus, the women on my league teams (indoor winter and outdoor spring) are supportive as well as fun. I think they put up with my less-than-stellar record because I bring tennis ball cookies and good post-match lunches when it’s my turn. Since today was my turn, I broke out the racchette pasta that I found in a grocery store months ago. Normally I make peanut noodles with spaghetti, but I couldn’t resist the racquets for this occasion. Along with some grilled chicken and a “Thai Crunch” salad, it was an ace of a meal. If only my matches could be as successful!

To make all the components for this is a bit of a process (and you’ll feel like your entire pantry is out on your countertop), but  a) it’s worth the effort, and b) you don’t have to do everything every time. For example, use shredded rotisserie chicken instead of grilling your own. Or use crunchy rice noodles instead of frying wonton strips. (Though the crispy wonton strips are usually everyone’s favorite part, and they’re very quick to make.) Or make only the salad, or only the peanut sauce and noodles. You get the idea. If you’re going to make the marinated chicken, salad dressing and peanut sauce, get out all of the ingredients and try to assembly-line the process since many of the same ingredients are called for. The good news is that everything can be made well in advance and then just assembled prior to serving. (I made everything for today’s lunch yesterday.) And if you have an immersion blender, making the 2 sauces is a snap.

Continue reading →

Chocolate Buns

Posted on by
Reply

At the Thomas Jefferson School Science Fair earlier this week, students had the opportunity to make their own “Gak” – or polymer made from Elmer’s glue and Borax. It’s fun to play with for a while, until it ends up stuck to the car floor or buried at the bottom of a backpack.  At least with homemade bread dough and these magic chocolate buns, you get to play with your dough and eat it, too.  For a fun activity and tasty snack all in one, kids can help form the dough balls and stuff them with chocolate chips.  (Easy enough for a 7-year-old – see below.) Or for a special breakfast or brunch item, you could make the dough and form the buns the night before; in the morning, just bake for 20 minutes and serve hot and oozy.

Usually I make the dough for these buns in a bread machine – fast and foolproof. Just dump all the ingredients (except for the chocolate chips) into the bread machine bowl, set to “Dough” cycle and walk away. After about 90 minutes, the dough’s ready to form into balls or be refrigerated until ready to use.  Since not everyone has a bread machine lying around, this morning I tried making the dough with an electric mixer and dough hook. It took a little more “active time”, but the results were just as good. And for a fully unplugged and highly therapeutic version, you could mix and knead the dough entirely by hand, using the week’s frustrations to power the process. (Trying to get blue Gak out of beige carpeting comes to mind.)

Chocolate Buns

  • 1 Recipe multi-purpose Bread Dough (below)
  • Bittersweet chocolate chips (approx. ½ package)

Multi-purpose Bread Dough

  • ½ cup warm water (approx. 110-120ºF, like bathwater)
  • ½ cup warm milk
  • 1 package yeast (preferably RapidRise)
  • 1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened or melted
  • 1 egg
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt (not kosher)
  • 3 ¾ cups flour

Continue reading →

Prize-Winning Chile Verde

Posted on by
62

Verde Vidi Vici! Amid a highly competitive field of entries, my prophetically titled chile verde took top honors this past weekend at the second annual Chili Cook-Off fundraiser for MS. I promised to post the recipe if I won, so here it is – secrets and all. (Guess I’ll have to come up with a new chili recipe and bad pun title for next year.) 

One of my secrets for prize-winning chile verde is freshly roasted poblano chiles – a green and relatively mild type of chile that still delivers a nice amount of heat as well as flavor.  You can make this recipe without them, but the chile verde won’t have the same zing. I usually roast a whole grill-full of chiles at one time, and then freeze the extra in little packets for future use. Another secret for my chile verde: jarred (gasp!) green salsa; I use Xochitl brand, which is made from tomatillos, onions and jalapenos. If you’re morally opposed to using shortcuts such as this, go ahead and make your own roasted tomatillo salsa. (But I bet you won’t taste the difference in the end.)  Finally, for this winning recipe I used pork tenderloin – which I know some people will find crazy since pork tenderloin is pricier and leaner than the pork roasts typically used for slow cooking. Allow me to defend (or at least explain) myself: a) I found a 4-pound value pack at Costco, and b) I simply prefer the lean, uniform taste and texture of pork tenderloin. (I make this recipe with turkey breast as well.) So call me crazy if you want, but now I have a trophy so I can’t be that far off my rocker.

Some chili tasters at the cook-off may have been swayed (as was the plan) by my dish-enhancing garnishes: diced avocado, homemade corn tortilla crisps, and a drizzle of my no-longer-secret cilantro lime sauce. (I featured the cilantro sauce recipe in my Almost Famous Turkey Burgers post, but have reprinted it here below.) The avocado and cilantro sauce lend cooling, fresh notes to the spicy, slow-cooked chile verde, and the tortilla crisps provide textural contrast (something I’m always striving for). If you don’t feel like making homemade tortilla crisps, a handful of crushed tortilla chips would deliver similar results.

Roasted Poblano Chile Verde                         Click Here for Recipe Only

  • 3* poblano chiles, roasted, skinned/seeded and chopped (see below) [*double this amount to make a freezer stash]
  • 3 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 3-4 lbs pork tenderloin, pork loin or turkey breast, trimmed and cut into 1½” cubes
  • 2 large yellow or white onions, finely chopped (approx. 3 cups)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 Tablespoon dried cumin
  • 1 Tablespoon dried oregano
  • 2 jars (15 oz. each) salsa verde (Xochitl brand, preferably)
  • 1 box (14 oz.) chicken stock
  • 1 chicken bouillon cube
  • 1 squeeze (approx. ½ teaspoon) agave nectar or honey
  • Kosher salt

Roast the Poblanos

Heat a gas grill to medium-high. Place the whole chiles directly on the grill grates and close the lid.

After 5 minutes, check the chiles; if they are nicely charred on the bottom, turn them over using tongs.  Check again after a few more minutes. Repeat until chiles are charred on most sides; then remove from grill and set them on baking sheet or large plate. Cover with plastic wrap and let cool. [Note: you can also char the chiles on a baking sheet under a broiler.]

When chiles are cool, slip off the burnt skins (wearing gloves if you have sensitive skin), then pull off the stem tops and seeds. (Use a spoon to scrape off seeds, or give the chiles a quick rinse under cold water.) Be careful not to touch your eyes during this process! Slice the chiles into strips and then chop into pieces.

Prepare the Chile Verde

Trim most of the fat and silver skin from the meat and cut into approx. 1½” cubes.

Heat oven to 325ºF or set out slow-cooker/crock pot. Place a very large, heavy pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 1 Tablespoon (a splash) of olive oil to the pan. Working in batches to prevent pan overcrowding, add the meat to the hot oil and let sear for 5 minutes. Resist the urge to stir; the meat will release from the pan when it’s nicely browned and ready to turn.

When at least 2 sides of the meat cubes have browned, remove from pan and repeat with the next batch of meat (adding more olive oil as necessary). The meat cubes will not be all the way cooked. To keep dirty dishes to a minimum, you can place the browned meat back on the same platter/baking sheet with the uncooked meat cubes since it’s all going back into the pot anyway.

Once all the meat has been browned and removed from the pot, add the diced onions and sauté a few minutes until softened, adding another splash of olive oil if necessary. Note that in this batch I got lazy and just added the onions to the pot with the meat. Since the chile verde cooked for so long in the oven, it didn’t matter in the end. Sautéing first is safer, though; the texture of not fully cooked onions would detract from the dish. Then add the browned pork and any accumulated juices back to the pot.

Add the garlic and cumin and sauté another minute. Add oregano, salsa verde, chicken stock, bouillon cube and chopped poblanos.

Cover pot and bake in oven at 325ºF for 3+ hours (or place in crock pot and set on low for 8 hours or high for 3-4 hours), until sauce has thickened and meat is falling-apart tender. (It should flake apart with a fork.)

Stir and then taste for seasoning; add a small squeeze of agave nectar or honey (this helps round out the flavors), and then a few pinches of kosher salt only if necessary. If mixture seems dry or overly salty, add a cup of chicken stock or water. 

Serve in bowls with desired garnishes. (Shown here with corn tortilla crisps, diced avocado and a drizzle of my Cilantro Lime sauce.) Can also be served over rice or with warmed tortillas.

Serves 8-10

Corn Tortilla Crisps

  • 1 package white corn tortillas, cut into ¼” slivers
  • Vegetable oil
  • Kosher salt

Cut tortillas into ¼” slivers.

Set a large tray or baking sheet covered with paper towels next to the stove. In a large cast iron pan or Dutch oven, pour in approx. ½” – 1” vegetable oil. Heat on medium high until shimmering. Fry tortilla slivers in batches, about a handful at a time. Using a strainer or tongs, stir the tortilla slivers around a little until they are golden brown. (You don’t need to turn them.) Remove slivers from oil and let drain on paper towel tray. Sprinkle with kosher salt while still hot. Repeat with the next batch until all strips are fried. Store in an airtight bag or container. Will keep for several days if you hide them from kids or other snackers.

Cilantro Lime Sauce

  • 1 small bunch cilantro, washed & dried (roots and thick stems twisted off) (approx. 2 cups packed)
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • 1 small clove garlic, pressed or minced
  • ½  teaspoon ground cumin
  • ¼  teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup reduced fat sour cream or fat-free plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • Few drops agave nectar or honey

Add all ingredients to food processor or beaker if using stick/immersion blender. Pulse and puree until smooth. (Add a little more olive oil to aid pureeing, if necessary.) Adjust seasoning to taste (i.e., another pinch of salt or drop of agave/honey) Refrigerate until ready to serve; will keep for several days.

See original recipe here for photos of steps. (Scroll down to end of post.)

You might also like:

Turkey & Roasted Poblano Empanadas

 

Can’t We All Just Get Along?

Posted on by
1

So I was wearing orange today to show support for my friend Vicky, who’s helping raise awareness for MS. And the color orange always reminds me of my time as a witness in Federal Court. (I was not wearing orange then.) I was a junior brand manager working on the “M&M’s”® Brand’s lesser-loved stepchildren – Baking Bits, Almond and Peanut Butter. Peanut Butter “M&M’s”® were – and still are – a fantastic product, but it’s hard living in the shadows of successful older siblings. Our ad agency account team used to call me Sue “What about Peanut Butter” because I was constantly advocating for more media support.  The next thing I knew I was in Federal Court, taking the stand to defend the brand’s recently redesigned packaging color. It seems our confectionery archrival (no need to name names) felt they owned the color orange. The case was settled, but the two companies still get ornery over orange to this day.

With St. Patrick’s Day tomorrow, I should be talking about green – not orange. So that got me thinking about the Irish flag, which sparked the idea for this recipe symbolizing peace and Pantone harmony.  (I owe my friend Jennifer D. for the idea of using Peanut Butter M&M’s® as a topper for these Hershey’s Kisses treats; truly inspired thinking!)

St. Patrick’s Day Treats

  • Mini pretzels (Snyder’s Snaps are ideal)
  • Hershey’s Kisses
  • M&M’s® Peanut Butter Chocolate Candies

Arrange pretzels on a microwaveable plate.  Unwrap Kisses and place on top of pretzels.

Microwave for about 90 seconds, in 30-second intervals, until Kisses are glossy and the tips collapse when pressed.

Use the Peanut Butter “M&M’s”® to smash down the melted Kisses. (Wait – let’s try that again: Gently press Peanut Butter “M&M’s”® onto the melted Kisses tips until a peaceful union is achieved.) Refrigerate until firm, or eat warm and melty.

 

 

Gelato Break

Posted on by
2

My first real job was in high school, at the University Place Baskin Robbins.  It came with a brown, pink and white polyester striped uniform shirt (we had to buy our own brown polyester pants) and a below-minimum wage. That was all fine with me – I would’ve worked there for free.  I learned how to decorate ice cream cakes (quickly!) and how to scoop ice cream correctly (in an “S” pattern across the tub). By the end of the summer I thought I knew all there was to know about frozen desserts. But I was cold wrong.

It was the summer after college graduation, and I was backpacking my way around Europe solo. (And these were the Dark Ages, before cell phones, digital cameras, email and Facebook.) Traveling alone really forced me out of my shell, and I met people I never would have spoken to if I had been traveling with friends. While sojourning for a few days at the Cap d’Ail youth hostel in Southern France (you can only take so many churches and museums before needing a beach break), some of my new friends and I decided to take an overnight train to Venice for the day. Unfortunately, most of that day is now a blur (canals, bridges, gondolas). But one memory still rings clear: my first gelato. Che buono! It was pistachio, and even though it was smooth and creamy, it completely confused my mouth because the nut flavor was so intense. (Mouth: “Do I lick this or chew it?”) How could I have missed out on gelato for all these years??

Ever since that enlightening experience, I have a hard time passing a gelateria without stopping in for a little cup.  Even if the gelateria happens to be in the middle of a parking lot next to a CVS pharmacy, as was the case yesterday.

Angelato is a little gem of a gelateria, though most people I talk to about it have never been inside. Now that I have a blog, I can spread the word much more efficiently.  As a special offer for Subee’s Kitchen readers, just print out the last page of this post and bring it in to Angelato for 20% off your gelato order.

I’m still partial to pistachio, though Angelato also makes a hot chile chocolate flavor that I’m now addicted to. (It goes really well with coconut as well as pistachio; you can get two flavors combined if you order a medium cup.) It’s a little pricey, but the portions are generous and I think the small-batch quality is worth it. Plus, did you know that gelato is made from whole milk, vs. heavy cream – which means it has less fat than ice cream?? (2-8% fat, vs. 16-20% with ice cream, according to Angelato’s brochure and a quick Wikipedia search – which is all the research I need to justify the medium size.)

I wonder if they’re hiring.

Florham Village, Columbia Turnpike, Florham Park, NJ

Angelatoheavenlyicecream.com

Offer valid through May 31, 2012; not to be combined with other offers.

Trefoil Chocolate Pudding Pie

Posted on by
2

While I believe in a well-stocked pantry (see my Pantry Staples page for details), one thing I try NOT to keep on hand is packaged cookies. It’s just too easy to get carried away with them during a moment of weakness. (Which is typically every day around 4 p.m.) Sure, I usually have all the ingredients to make homemade cookies, but that process allows more time for introspection and self-intervention. In the time it takes to get 2 sticks of butter soft enough for cookie-making, one could easily rip through an entire sleeve of Oreos.  So I avoid the cookie aisle, and generally keep afternoon cravings under control with some fruit or a few chocolate chips. And caffeine.

For the past week, however, there’s been a new foe in town: The Girl Scout Cookie. How could I resist the deftly-crafted sales pleas of sweet angelic Girl Scouts (who happen to be my daughters)? Even though we donated boxes to the troops’ chosen charities, I still ended up with a pantry full of Trefoils, Thin Mints, Samoas and Tagalongs.

Fortunately, abundance is the mother of invention when it comes to my cooking.  I love the challenge of using up leftovers or overstocked ingredients in a creative way. My sparse-pantried mother would say, “Just buy less food!” But then I might never have come up with Trefoil Chocolate Pudding Pie – and that would be a shame.

This is more of an ice box cake than a pie, but you get the idea. Shortbread cookies layered with chocolate pudding and refrigerated, so that the cookies turn soft and cake-like. Then topped with whipped cream before serving. (The Nilla wafer banana pudding and chocolate wafer whipped cream cake classics were the inspiration.) Retro-chic comfort food at its best! If it’s not Girl Scout cookie season, any kind of shortbread-style cookie could be used – Lorna Doone’s, Pepperidge Farms Chessmen, Nilla Wafers, etc. And while I’m all for shortcuts, the “semi-homemade”angle should end here. You really owe it to yourself (I mean, your family) to make homemade chocolate pudding.

This streamlined recipe for chocolate pudding maximizes “chocolatiness” while minimizing steps and other ingredients.  No eggs, no double boilers, no straining; just delicious, seriously chocolately pudding in about 5 minutes.  I make it with organic 1% milk, so it’s practically health food! Once you see how easy it is to make – and how much better it tastes, you may never buy boxed pudding again.

Trefoil Chocolate Pudding Pie

  • 1 box Girl Scout Trefoil cookies or other shortbread cookies (Lorna Doone, Chessmen, Nilla Wafers)
  • 1 recipe Real Chocolate Pudding (below)
  • Whipped cream for topping (1 cup heavy cream, 1-2 Tablespoons powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract)
  • Chocolate bar/shavings for garnish (optional)

In a 9×9 pan or small casserole dish, arrange cookies in a single layer.

Make pudding recipe (below); pour warm pudding over cookies. Add a few additional cookies on top.

Allow to cool; then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve. (If you cover it right away, you’ll get a lot of condensation on the plastic  wrap.)

For serving, top with fresh whipped cream. (In a cold bowl, beat heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form.) 

(Sorry for the blurry photo; I think the anticipation was getting to me.)

For chocolate shavings garnish, use a vegetable peeler and shave a chocolate bar directly over the whipped cream.

Serves 6-8

 

Real Chocolate Pudding

  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
  • ¼ teaspoon salt [I use table salt (vs kosher) here and when baking]
  • 2 cups milk (any kind: nonfat, 1%, 2%, whole)
  • 1 generous cup bittersweet chocolate chips or chopped bittersweet chocolate (approx 6-7 oz) [You could use semisweet chips, but cut the sugar down to 1/2 cup]
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, add sugar, cornstarch, salt and milk. Whisk to combine.

Whisk/stir gently until mixture comes to a boil. Pudding will start to thicken just before boiling. (It will look like Elmer’s glue.)

Let bubble/boil for a minute or so, and then remove from heat. Stir in vanilla (which will bubble up) and chocolate chips. Whisk until smooth.

Pour into a serving dish or individual bowls, or proceed with Trefoil Pudding Pie assembly.

 

 

 

 

Green Eggs & Ham (Auntie Jo’s Spinach Frittata)

Posted on by
4

Setting:  Our kitchen, this morning

Sophie:   I do not like Green Eggs and Ham.

Mom:  Try them, try them – I’ve got the cam.

Sophie:  Say – I do like these Green Eggs and Ham! (especially the ham)

Dr. Seuss’s birthday is getting a lot of play this year (thanks to “The Lorax” release today), so I expect there will be quite a few green eggs and ham on breakfast menus this weekend. Food coloring’s one way to go, but this morning I thought I’d capitalize on all the marketing to help sneak some spinach into my kids’ diet. Auntie Jo’s famous spinach frittata was the perfect, all-natural Green Eggs vehicle. It also happens to be a great lunch, brunch or open house dish, because it can be served hot, cold or at room temperature. This recipe is sort of a hybrid between a frittata (open-faced omelette) and a strata (casserole made with bread & eggs); I think it’s easier to make than both. Auntie Jo’s frittatas always seem to taste a little better than mine – most likely because recipes that are passed along from person to person sometimes suffer from the “telephone game” fate. (That, or she has accidentally omitted a secret ingredient . . . ) Nonetheless, this is an easy and tasty recipe worth trying.

Auntie Jo’s Spinach Frittata

  • 1 10-oz package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
  • 3-4 slices bread, torn or processed into crumbs (about 1 ½ cups)
  • 3 large (or extra large) eggs
  • ¼ cup grated kasseri or romano cheese (I used romano; can never find kasseri)
  • ¼ cup grated Monterrey jack cheese or cheddar/jack mix
  • 2 Tablespoons cottage or ricotta cheese (I used a single-serve container of cottage cheese)
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • Few grinds black pepper
  • Additional grated cheddar, parmesan, romano or jack for topping

[For a spanakopita-flavored variant, sauté 1/2 cup chopped onion in a little olive oil; add spinach and 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh dill. Substitute feta for the cottage cheese.]

Heat oven to 350ºF. Squeeze most of the water out of the thawed spinach. Pulse bread slices in a food processor, or tear into small pieces.

In a mixing bowl, beat 3 eggs.

Stir in breadcrumbs, cheeses, salt and pepper.

Then stir in spinach.

Pour mixture into a 9”x9” baking dish or small casserole. (Auntie Jo says to heat casserole with oil first; I don’t do this and don’t have any problems getting the fritatta out of my Pyrex baking dish.)

Sprinkle a small amount (less than ¼ cup) of grated cheese on top; this gives the frittata a nice golden brown color. (I used the cheddar/jack mix with a little bit of additional romano.)

Bake for 40-45 minutes. Let cool a few minutes before cutting into squares or shapes.

This morning I used a biscuit cutter to cut a few pieces into circles; you could also get crazy and scoop some into cleaned out egg shells. [The ham is Canadian bacon, quickly warmed/browned in a nonstick skillet.]

Serves 4 for a main course or 8-10 as an appetizer or side dish. Can be refrigerated for several days.

 

Cakewalk This Way

Posted on by
5

This is a busy week for me and many other mom-unteers, with major fundraising activities at both kids’ schools: a Read-a-Thon starting this Friday at one and a Fun Fair this Saturday at the other. (Add a comment to this post or email me for more information on either!)

Sure, the kids have fun and we earn important funds for the schools, blah blah. But what I’m most excited about is the return of the Fun Fair Cakewalk – the musical chairs-like game where you walk around in a circle (with numbers taped to the floor) while the music plays, and when the music stops you hope and pray that your number gets called. If it does, you get to pick a cake or treat from the cake table!  I still remember the heart-pounding thrill of winning five cakes at Sunset Elementary’s Fun Fair (many many years ago); I don’t think I left the Cakewalk room all evening.

Gumball Machine Cake

Making the cakes for the Cakewalk is almost as fun. I’ll be making mine this Friday (freshness is important!); I’m not sure what the design inspiration will be yet, but I have a big bag of JellyBelly jelly beans to use up so those might be incorporated somehow. I’m not going to go crazy, though; I’ve learned from past Cakewalks and Bake Sales that the most elaborate creations are not necessarily the ones that go first. (Kids tend to choose the treats that look homemade.) In full disclosure, I usually use boxed cake mixes – they’re quick, easy and reliable. (My friend Angela asserts that if you bake it it’s homemade – boxed mix or not.) I usually make my own buttercream frosting, however; the results are worth the minimal effort. You can find frosting recipes on boxes of confectioner’s (powdered) sugar, or here: http://www.dominosugar.com/baking-tips-how-tos/advanced-baking-tips/frosting-recipes

For anyone else with a Cakewalk or Bake Sale coming up this spring, here are some ideas based on things I’ve made in the past. Most are original concepts, but some (i.e., slider cupcakes) are blatant knock-offs. For more inspiration and detailed instructions on making Cake Pops and other really cute treats, check out http://www.bakerella.com/.

“M&M’s” ® Brand Cake

“M&M’s” ® Pretzel Cake Pops

Daffodil Cookie Bouquet (marshmallows cut in half form the 3-D effect)

Dessert is Served

Fruity Pebble Treats

Cake Pops with Sprinkles (the white ones went first, surprisingly)

Sliders (vanilla cupcake “buns”, brownie “burgers”)

Gingerbread Girl Scout Daisies

Baked Campanelle with Mushrooms (and Chicken)

Posted on by
1

While my 9-year-old has always had a taste for adventure, she’s not been known for her adventurous tastes. No sauces, limited vegetables, no comingled ingredients – you get the idea. Then one day she blew me away by asking if she could please have a salad. A few days later when I was sautéing mushrooms for this recipe, she asked if she could try one of those things in the pan that smelled so good. What?! Aliens have abducted my firstborn and replaced her with a vegetable-craving clone! Fortunately, my 7-year-old is still subsisting on bread, butter and milk products so all’s right with the world.

 

Back to the mushroom pasta. The inspiration for this dish was all the stuff in the fridge that needed to get used up before a President’s Week ski trip: a box of crimini (baby portabella) mushrooms, half a block of cream cheese, a little cream, and half a box of chicken stock.  If I had had some rotisserie chicken, I would’ve added it for a complete meal-in-one. (Meal-in-one = fewer dishes to wash!) For those of us happy with vegetarian meals, this dish is already a meal-in-one. With or without the chicken, I’d serve it with a simple green salad (and perhaps a glass of pinot noir). It reheats well for leftovers and probably would freeze well also.

Every time pasta goes on sale, I stock up in all shapes and sizes. One of my favorite shapes is campanelle, aka bells or lilies. I’m a sucker for the little ruffles, which get nice and crunchy on the top layer of a baked dish. I also love how the bell shape traps the sauce or filling. Feel free to use any shape pasta – even spaghetti would work.

Baked Campanelle with Mushrooms (and Chicken)

Serves 6-8

  • 1 box (16 oz.) campanelle (or any shape dried pasta)
  • Kosher salt
  • 2 large shallots or 1 small onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
  • 3-4 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 lb. white or brown (crimini) mushrooms, sliced (stems trimmed or removed)
  • ½ teaspoon dried or 1teaspoon fresh thyme (optional but complements the mushrooms nicely)
  • 1 clove fresh garlic, minced
  • Splash (¼ cup) dry sherry (or white wine)
  • ½ block cream cheese (optional)
  • 2 cups chicken broth (16 oz. or ½ box)
  • 1 chicken bouillon cube or 1teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 ½ cups finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, divided
  • Optional: 2 cups (+ / -) rotisserie or leftover chicken, shredded or cubed
  • Kosher salt and black pepper

Cook the pasta according to package directions (using 1-2 teaspoons kosher salt in the pasta water). Drain and set aside. (Reserve some plain pasta for picky eaters.)

Preheat oven to 375ºF. In large nonstick skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, sauté shallots in butter until softened. (2-3 minutes)

Add sliced mushrooms; stir to coat and then let sit in the pan for a few minutes to develop some color. (This really does make them taste better!)

Stir in thyme and garlic and cook 1-2 minutes more.  Add sherry or wine and stir to deglaze the pan. Stir in cream cheese (if using), chicken broth, bouillon cube or salt and cream.

Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and stir in chicken, if using, and 1 cup parmigiano cheese. Taste and season with salt and pepper if necessary.

Combine sauce with cooked pasta and pour into an ungreased casserole dish or lasagna pan. Sprinkle remaining parmigiano cheese over top. Bake 20-30 minutes, or until top is lightly browned and sauce is bubbling.

Can be made up to a day ahead (though add about ½ cup more chicken stock if you do). Reheats well for leftovers.

As a side dish side note, the sautéed mushroom mixture would be delicious on its own – even without the pasta and cheese. Omit the chicken stock and reduce the cream to 1/4 cup or omit altogether. Serve as a vegetable side dish, or as a topping for steak, burgers or chicken.

 

Molten Chocolate Love

Posted on by
4

If I had to pick the easiest, most universally crowd-pleasing dessert in my repertoire, it would hands-down be these molten chocolate cakes.  They take only minutes to make, can be made well ahead of time, and never fail to elicit “oohs” and “ahhs” from diners of all ages when the magic molten chocolate centers are discovered.

If you happen to have a supply of chocolate or chocolate chips on hand (does anyone not??), you most likely have all the ingredients necessary to make these for Valentine’s dinner tonight. In a pinch, any type of semisweet or bittersweet chocolate will do – chips, baking bars, secret-stash candy bars. I typically use either Ghirardelli 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate chips or chopped Valrhona bittersweet chocolate. If you’re chopping chocolate, a serrated knife makes it a little easier. I love the ease of the bittersweet chocolate chips; semisweet chips will work as well, but the cakes won’t have the same intense chocolate hit as with the bittersweet chocolate.

Makes 4 cakes; recipe can be doubled. Batter can be made up to 2 days ahead and baked just before serving.

  • 4 oz. good-quality bittersweet chocolate (chips, or chopped; approx. 1 cup)
  • 6 Tablespoons (3 oz. or ¾ stick) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing ramekins
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour

Heat oven to 400ºF. In the top of a double boiler or bowl set over (not in) hot water, combine chocolate, butter and sugar until just melted; whisk smooth.

Remove chocolate mixture from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.(Alternatively, you can temper the eggs by whisking some of the warm chocolate mixture to the beaten eggs; this will prevent the hot chocolate mixture from prematurely cooking the eggs.)

In a separate bowl (especially if a 7-yr-old is helping you), crack eggs and whisk. Add beaten eggs to cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until smooth. Add flour and whisk to incorporate.

Generously grease four 4-oz. ramekins or custard cups (Pyrex custard cups are available in the bakeware section of many supermarkets.) Distribute chocolate batter evenly among the four dishes. (A spring-release ice cream scooper can help with this.)  Set filled dishes onto a baking sheet. [Cakes can be made up to this point and kept in the refrigerator (covered with plastic wrap) until ready to bake. Set out for at least 30 minutes prior to baking.]

Bake cakes for exactly 12 minutes. (Thick-sided ramekins may require an additional 1-2 minutes.) The sides of the cakes should be set but the centers should still be soft. Do not overbake! The molten center will disappear if you do. (Though you’ll still be left with the richest, most delicious brownie you’ve ever had.)

With a paring knife, cut around edges of cakes to help them release from the ramekins. Now for the tricky part: inverting the cakes onto serving plates. (Tricky because the ramekins are very hot.) I’ve found that wearing rubber gloves is a good way to protect your hands but still provide a good grip on the ramekins.

Serve immediately with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. (Fresh raspberries or strawberries also make a nice garnish, but good vanilla ice cream is all you really need. Shown here is Vanilla Swiss Almond, which was all we had; plain vanilla or vanilla bean would’ve been better.)