6 hour slow roasted pork shoulder

main courses | serves Serves 4 to 6
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 6 hours

This is a proper old-school Sunday roast with crackling. Leaving the bone in adds a bit of extra flavour and having a layer of fat helps to keep the meat nice and moist as it roasts. This isn’t the kind of joint you carve into neat slices. If you’ve cooked it right, it should pull apart into shreds with a couple of forks. If you’re worried about scoring the crackling yourself, ask your butcher to do it for you, that’s what he’s there for.

• 2kg bone-in shoulder of pork, skin on
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 red onions, halved
• 2 carrots, peeled and halved lengthways
• 2 sticks of celery, halved
• 1 bulb of garlic, skin on, broken into cloves
• 6-8 fresh bay leaves
• 600ml water or vegetable stock


Preheat your oven to 220°C/425°F/gas 7.

Place your pork on a clean work surface, skin-side up. Get yourself a small sharp knife and make scores about a centimetre apart through the skin into the fat, but not so deep that you cut into the meat. If the joint is tied, try not to cut through the string. Rub salt right into all the scores you’ve just made, pulling the skin apart a little if you need to.

Brush any excess salt off the surface then turn it over. Season the underside of the meat with a few pinches of salt and pepper. Place your pork, skin side-up, in a roasting tray and pop in the preheated oven. Roast for 30 minutes, until the skin of the pork has started to puff up and you can see it turning into crackling. At this point, turn the heat down to 170°C/325 F/gas3, cover the pork snugly with a double layer of tin foil, pop back in the oven and roast for a further 4 and a half hours.

Take out of the oven take the foil off, and baste the meat with the fat in the bottom of the tray. Carefully lift the pork up and transfer to a chopping board. Spoon all but a couple of tablespoons of fat out (save it for roast potatoes!)

Add all the veg, garlic and bay leaves to the tray and stir them into the fat. Place the pork back on top of everything and return to the ove sithout the foil to roast for another hour. By this time the meat should be meltingly soft and tender.

Carefully move the meat to a serving dish, cover again with tin foil and leave to rest while you make your gravy. Spoon away any fat in the tray, then add the water or stock and place the tray on the hob. Bring to the boil and simmer for a few minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to scrape up all those lovely sticky tasty bits on the bottom of the tray. When you’ve got a nice, dark gravy,pour it through a sieve into a bowl or gravy boat, using your spoon to really push all the goodness of the veg through the sieve. Add a little more salt and pepper if it needs it.

Serve the pork and crackling with your jug of gravy and some lovely roast potatoes (As a treat you can try roasting them in the fat you spooned out of your roasting tray. Some stewed red cabbage and a dollop of apple sauce will finish this off perfectly).

Limoncello Cupcakes

Here's another recipe using limoncello. I still have a bottle in the freezer!

The cupcake is light - love it. I'm not into frosting, but my husband is, and I don't like confectioner's sugar so I didn't use it, and my husband gave it a thumbs up.

1/2 cup plus 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 stick plus 1 tablespoon butter, softened
2 eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel, no pith
2 teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons limoncello
1 tablespoon milk
1 batch cream cheese frosting, recipe follows
a variety of organic edible flowers, see resource guide

equipment: 16 bun muffin pan lined with cupcake papers

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In the bowl of a food processor, combine all ingredients except for 2 tablespoons limoncello and milk. Pulse until the batter is smooth. As the food processor runs, slowly add in remaining limoncello and milk through the funnel and mix until completely incorporated into the batter.

2. Divide the mixture up into the 16 bun muffin pan and bake for 15-20 minutes until the cupcakes have risen and are golden brown on top. Remove from the oven and cool the cupcakes for a few minutes in the tin before removing from the tin and cooling completely. Once cool, frost and top each with a flower. Serve with chilled limoncello. Makes 16 cupcakes.

Cream Cheese Frosting (use half-recipe)

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 stick butter, softened
2 teaspoons limoncello
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 cups sifted confectioners sugar

In a large mixing bowl beat the cream cheese, butter, limoncello and lemon zest at medium speed until smooth. Slowly add the confectioners sugar and beat at high until full incorporated and the frosting is light and fluffy, about three minutes.

Notes:

This amount of frosting will exceed the amount needed for the cupcakes but the remainder can be refrigerated for up to two weeks and used for additional recipes.

Baba Limoncello with Lemon Cream

Here's a more complicated baba recipe.

Adapted from Felidia Restaurant

Time: 2 1/2 hours, plus cooling

For the babas:
1/2 cup (1 stick) melted unsalted butter, plus additional for tins
1/2 cup milk
1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) dry yeast
2 cups plus 3 tablespoons bread flour
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the lemon cream:
1 cup milk
5 tablespoons sugar
Grated zest of 1 lemon
Pinch of salt
3 tablespoons corn starch
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream

Limoncello syrup:
Grated zest of 10 lemons
3/4 cup sugar
5 tablespoons limoncello (recipe below)

1. Butter a 12-cavity muffin tin and set aside. To prepare the babas, in a saucepan over low heat, gently warm the milk. Pour it into the bowl of an electric mixer or other large bowl and sprinkle in the yeast. Stir until the yeast dissolves. Whisk in 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons of the flour and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until the mixture has doubled, about 30 minutes to 1 hour.
2. Using an electric mixer set with the paddle attachment or a food processor fitted with the dough blade, beat the eggs, sugar, salt, and the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour into the yeast mixture until very smooth. Gradually mix in the melted butter and continue to mix until smooth.
3. Spoon the dough into the muffin tin, filling each cavity halfway. Grease a piece of plastic wrap and cover the muffin tin. Let rise until the dough has risen just above the level of the muffin tin, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
4. Remove the plastic wrap and bake the babas until they are dark golden brown on top and the bottoms sound hollow when tapped, about 20 minutes. Transfer the tin to a wire rack to cool.
5. To prepare the lemon cream, in a saucepan over medium heat, bring the milk, 3 tablespoons of the sugar, the lemon zest and salt to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
6. Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar, the egg and yolk. Whisking constantly, pour the hot milk mixture gradually into the egg mixture. Whisk to combine, then transfer the mixture back to the saucepan.
7. Warm the liquid over medium low heat, whisking constantly, being sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the saucepan. As soon as the liquid reaches a boil, take the saucepan off the heat. Whisk in the butter, a tablespoon at a time. Transfer the mixture to a shallow bowl and lay a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the lemon cream. Refrigerate until well chilled, about 2 hours.
8. To prepare the syrup, in a saucepan, combine the lemon zest, 2 cups water and sugar and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Simmer until the liquid is yellow, about 2 to 3 minutes. Strain the liquid through a fine sieve into a bowl. Stir in the limoncello. Let cool.
9. Just before serving, whip the heavy cream until it forms soft (not stiff) peaks. Whisk the chilled lemon cream well to loosed it, then gently fold in the whipped cream.
10. Slice the babas in half vertically. Submerge each baba in the limoncello syrup for 10 seconds. Arrange the babas on plates cut sides up, and drizzle them with some more of the syrup. Top the babas with large dollops of lemon cream and serve immediately.

Yield: 12 servings

Limoncello
Adapted from Lemon Zest by Lori Longbotham (Broadway Books 2002)

Time: 30 minutes, plus 15 days resting

6 lemons
One 750-milliliter bottle vodka (preferably 100-proof)
1 1/2 cups sugar

1. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest from the lemons, being careful not to include any of the white pith. Put it in a half-gallon jar with a tight-fitting lid and add the vodka. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 10 days, or until the zest is pale and the vodka is a deep yellow.
2. Strain the liquid into a large glass bowl or measuring cup, leaving the zest in the strainer.
3. In a saucepan, bring 3 cups of water and the sugar to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Boil for 3 minutes. Pour the hot sugar syrup over the zest in the strainer, into a heatproof bowl and discard the zest. Let cool.
4. Add the syrup to the vodka. Pour the liqueur into bottles with tight-fitting lids. Let stand for 5 days. Store in the freezer.

Yield: 2 bottles

Timpano di Maccheroni (Mystic Pasta Dome)

From Mario Batali's Holiday Food. I plan to try this for my birthday.

Anyone who has seen Stanley Tucci's cinematic masterpiece, Big Night, will remember Primo's rendition of this classic, which takes its name from a large drum. My version differs from that one in many ways, but like it, it makes for a dramatic presentation. Surprisingly, it is not nearly as tricky to prepare as it looks. Except for the rigatoni, you can prepare the whole thing the day before; just blanch the pasta and assemble the dish in the afternoon before your guests arrive. It can then rest in the refrigerator for several hours before the final cooking. You will need a 4 quart metal mixing bowl for the final assembly.

Dough

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 6 ounces lard or butter or vegetable shortening
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt ((end of dough ingredients)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups toasted breadcrumbs (4 ounces)
• 2 lbs rigatoni pasta or ziti pasta
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

For the assembly

• 2 1/2 cups ragu napoletano neapolitan meat pasta sauce (I use Ragu Napoletano (Neapolitan Meat Sauce))
• 2 cups freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
• 1-1 1/2 cup bechamel sauce (I use Besciamella Sauce)
• 1/2 lb prosciutto, crudo cut into 1/4 inch dice
• 3 gratings nutmeg
• 12 polpette alla napoletana neapolitan meatballs (use Polpette Alla Napoletana (Neapolitan Meatballs)
  

1. To make the dough: Place the flour on a wooden work surface, make a well in the top.
2. Cut the lard or other fat into ¼-inch pieces and place in the center of the well with the yolks, ½ teaspoon salt, and a teaspoon of ice water. Mix well with the tips of your fingers to form a lumpy mass. Bring together as a dough and knead for 4-5 minutes. Wrap in plastic and set aside.
3. Preheat oven to 375-degrees. Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil in a spaghetti pot and add 2 tablespoons of salt.
4. Roll out pasta to a large circle ¼-inch thick. Butter the metal bowl and dust thickly with the toasted bread crumbs. Lay the pasta in the bowl to line it completely, with a 1 ½-inch edge hanging over the rim.
   
5. Cook the rigatoni/ziti in the boiling water, 3 minutes less than the package instructions. Drain and refresh under cold running water, or an ice bath, until cold, 2-3 minutes.Toss with olive oil, and set aside.
6. Mix half of the cooked rigatoni/ziti with 2 ½ cups meat sauce and ½ cup of Parmiagiano, and set aside. Mix the remaining cooked rigatoni with half of the Besciamella, ¼ cup of Parmigiano, the prosciutto, and nutmeg.(Cook's Note: I probably didn't add quite as much sauce as the recipe suggests, just added enough until it looked right.) Place this besciamella-sauced rigatoni/ziti into the bowl, and press lightly. Sprinkle with some of the grated Parmigiano, I added a good layer.Arrange the meatballs on top in an even layer, and press down carefully. Sprinkle with more Parmigiano. Spread the meat-sauced pasta over the meatballs and press down gently.
   
7. Fold the extra pasta over the whole thing, and press gently to seal. Cover the open top with foil and bake for 1 hour 20 minutes.
8. Remove from the oven, remove the foil, and invert onto a large serving platter, without removing the bowl.Allow to rest 10 minutes, then carefully loosen the pasta around the sides with a knife and knock with your knuckles to release the bowl. Serve immediately with the remaining shredded Parmigiano on the side, cutting the timpano into wedges to serve.

No-Bake Chocolate Cookies

This looks like an interesting recipe from Mario Batali's Holiday Food.

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup whole milk
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
3 cups rolled oats
1 cup flaked coconut
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup mini marshmallows

Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper and set aside.

In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar, milk, cocoa, and butter and stir to combine. Cook over high heat and bring to a boil. Allow to boil for 1-1/2 minutes, remove from heat, then add the oats, coconut, vanilla, and marshmallows and stir well to combine. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheet and chill.

Baba (Yeast Cake Doused with Limoncello)

Limoncello is the digestif of choice in southern Italy. It's a simple concoction of lemon peels steeped in vodka to which sugar syrup has been added. When served in a chilled glass, at the proper temperature - almost freezing - limoncello is a refreshing, almost slushy drink.

I had my first taste of limoncello in Venice, while watching the World Cup at the hotel lobby. I thought I was just drinking lemon juice, not knowing that my drink was laced with vodka. Since I almost gulped down the drink, I thought I couldn't walk straight afterward!

Here's a recipe from Mario Batali's Holiday Food cookbook. I should make the recipe in half next time as this is too much for us.

In Amalfi these cakes are made small enough to fit into a soup spoon. In place of the more expected rum-flavored syrup, they are soaked in limoncello, the sweet lemon liqueur from the giant lemons of the Amalfi coast. A shop at the top of the Via Dei Mulini, near the town of Amalfi's lemon groves, sells baba from jars, all ready to eat.

Cake
1 envelope active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
2 tablespoons cake flour flour 4-1/2 cups
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
5 eggs plus 2 yolks

Bathing liquid
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup limoncello or other lemon or orange liqueur

2 cups heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 375F. Butter then flour a 12-cup Bundt pan and set aside.

In a small mixing bowl, stir together the yeast and warm water until dissolved. Add 2 tablespoons of flour, stirring until a paste is formed. Set aside for 10 minutes.

In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until a ribbon forms when the beaters are lifted, 5 to 6 minutes. Place the dough hook attachment on the mixer. Add the yeast mixture, the remaining flour, the salt, and eggs and yolks to the butter mixture, and mix well, 10 to 15 minutes, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

With floured hands, remove the dough from the mixing bowl in one piece. Place in the prepared pan, smoothing it into the ring shape. Cover with a towel and set in a warm spot to rise for 1 hour, until doubled.

Bake the cake for 30 minutes until cooked through, or when a skewer inserted halfway in exits clean. Remove and allow to cool on a cake rack for 20 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan and place in a large bowl.

In a small saucepan, heat the water and sugar to boiling and stir to dissolve the sugar. Lower heat to a very high simmer and cook for 15 minutes to form a simple syrup. Remove from heat, stir in the limoncello, and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Poke the top of the cake all over with a thin knife to form 20 to 25 slender holes. Spoon the lemon syrup over the cake top and into holes. Pour off the syrup that drains out the bottom of the cake and repeat twice. Cool.

Whip the cream to soft peaks. Serve the baba with whipped cream piled high in the center hole.

Serves 8-10.

Sautéed Green Beans With Bacon

This recipe was the second dish I made for our Christmas Day lunch. Instead of green beans, I used half a bag of mixed vegetables (corn, peas, beans) since I didn't want another green vegetable dish. I also added oregano and basil.

This simple side is a classic crowd-pleaser. You can cook the green beans and bacon up to two days ahead; refrigerate them separately until you're ready to assemble the dish.

Yield: 12 servings (serving size: about 2/3 cup)

• 2 1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed
• 3 bacon slices
• 1/2 cup chopped shallots
• 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cook green beans in boiling water for 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and plunge beans into ice water; drain.

Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan; crumble. Add shallots to drippings in pan; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Add beans, juice, salt, and pepper to pan; toss to combine. Cook 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring often. Remove from heat. Sprinkle bacon over bean mixture; toss.

Calories:

46 (22% from fat)

Fat:

1.1g (sat 0.4g,mono 0.5g,poly 0.2g)

Protein:

2.5g

Carbohydrate:

8g

Fiber:

3.3g

Cholesterol:

2mg

Iron:

1.1mg

Sodium:

93mg

Calcium:

38mg

Melissa Williams, Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2007

Creamed Spinach Gratin

I prepared two vegetable dishes for our Christmas Day potluck lunch. This was one of them.

Placing the creamed spinach in a casserole and topping it with sliced tomatoes gives the dish a bright, festive touch of red and green.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup)

• 1 (10-ounce) bag fresh spinach (I used two packs of chopped, frozen spinach)
  
• Cooking spray
• 2/3 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup tub-style light cream cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup (1/4-inch-thick) sliced tomato
• 1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons finely grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375°.

Remove large stems from spinach. Tear spinach into 1-inch pieces; place in a colander. Rinse spinach under cold water; drain. Set aside.

Place a large Dutch oven coated with cooking spray over medium heat until hot. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes. Add spinach; cover and cook 2 minutes or until spinach wilts. Add cream cheese, oregano, salt, and pepper. Uncover and cook an additional minute or until cream cheese melts. Spoon spinach mixture into a 1-quart gratin dish or shallow casserole coated with cooking spray. Arrange tomato slices in a single layer on top of spinach,and sprinkle with breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Nutritional Information:

Calories:

72 (35% from fat)

Fat:

2.8g (sat 1.4g,mono 0.3g,poly 0.3g)

Protein:

4.2g

Carbohydrate:

8.5g

Fiber:

2.8g

Cholesterol:

7mg

Iron:

1.8mg

Sodium:

265mg

Calcium:

105mg

Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 1997

Sweet & Sour Chicken

I had a can of pineapple chunks in the pantry and a tub of chicken cubes in the freezer and I wanted to cook something different tonight, not my usual Chicken Hula. I stumbled upon this recipe while looking for a spinach gratin recipe for tomorrow's Christmas lunch. You can substitute pork for chicken.

• 1 pound of boneless and skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1" chunks
• 1 egg white
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (1/4 teaspoon table salt)
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 10-ounce can pineapple chunks (reserve juice)
• 1/4 cup juice from the canned pineapple
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (1/4 teaspoon table salt)
• 2-3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon cooking oil
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch chunks
• 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1 inch chunks
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

1 In a bowl, combine the chicken with the egg white, salt and cornstarch. Stir to coat the chicken evenly. Let sit for 15 minutes at room temperature or up to overnight in the refrigerator.

2 In the meantime, whisk together the pineapple juice, vinegar, ketchup, salt, and brown sugar.

3 Heat a large frying pan or wok over high heat until a bead of water instantly sizzles and evaporates. Pour in the 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and swirl to coat. It's important that the pan is very hot. Add the chicken and spread the chicken out in one layer. Let the chicken fry, untouched for 1 minute, until the bottoms are browned. Flip and fry the other side the same for 1 minute. The chicken should still be pinkish in the middle. Dish out the chicken onto a clean plate, leaving as much oil in the pan as possible.

4 Turn the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 teaspoon of cooking oil. Let the oil heat up and then add the bell pepper chunks and ginger. Fry for 1 minute. Add the pineapple chunks and the sweet and sour sauce. Turn the heat to high and when the sauce is simmering, add the chicken pieces back in. Let simmer for 1-2 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Timing depends on how thick you've cut your chicken. The best way to tell if the chicken is done is to take a piece out and cut into it. If it's pink, add another minute to the cooking.

Taste the sauce and add more brown sugar if you’d like.

Serves 4.

Hepburn's Brownies

There are several versions about this recipe's origins.

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Butter and flour an 8 inch (20 cm) square baking pan.

Melt the chocolate and butter in a stainless steel bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water (or in a heavy medium saucepan over low heat). Remove from heat and stir in the sugar. Next, stir in the vanilla extract and eggs and whisk until well blended. Finally, stir in the flour, salt and chopped nuts (if using).

Pour into the prepared pan and bake for about 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out sticky, with just a few crumbs clinging to it, but is not wet. Do not overbake. Remove from oven and let cool completly on a wire rack. Chill if you have the time, then cut into squared. If chilled, let stand at room temperature before serving.These freeze very well.

Makes 16 brownies.

Cranberry-Orange Loaf Recipe

This is not your usual fruit cake.

Photo and recipe from Better Homes & Gardens.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 3/4 cup coarsely chopped cranberries
• 3/4 cup chopped pistachios or walnuts, toasted
• 1/2 cup chopped dried figs and/or dried apricots
• Orange Butter (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the bottom and 1/2 inch up sides of an 8x4x2-inch loaf pan; set aside. In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir in orange peel. Make a well in center of flour mixture; set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, beat eggs with a fork; stir in milk and melted butter. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy). Fold in cranberries, nuts, and figs and/or apricots.

3. Spoon batter into prepared pan; spread evenly. Bake for 65 to 70 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. If necessary to prevent overbrowning, cover with foil for the last 15 minutes of baking.

4. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack. Wrap and store overnight before slicing. If desired, serve with Orange Butter.

5. Makes 1 loaf (14 servings)

6. Orange Butter: In a small bowl, stir together 1/3 cup butter, softened; 1 tablespoon powdered sugar; and 1 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel until combined. Makes about 1/3 cup.

Nutrition Facts

• Calories 245,
• Total Fat (g) 11,
• Saturated Fat (g) 5,
• Cholesterol (mg) 48,
• Sodium (mg) 179,
• Carbohydrate (g) 34,
• Fiber (g) 2,
• Protein (g) 5,
• Vitamin A (DV%) 0,
• Vitamin C (DV%) 2,
• Calcium (DV%) 5,
• Iron (DV%) 7,
• Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Notes: One recipe of nut bread batter can be baked in pans of many different sizes. If you want to bake smaller loaves or muffins instead of a single large loaf, use this chart to figure the baking time. Do remember that no matter which pan(s) you use, fill them only two-thirds full. If you have batter remaining, use it to make muffins.

Pan Size Baking Time
9x5x3-inch loaf pan 1 to 1-1/4 hour
8x4x2-inch loaf pan 50 to 60 minutes
7-1/2 x 3-1/2 x 2-inch loaf pan 40 to 45 minutes
4-1/2 x 2-1/2 x 1-1/2 inch loaf pans 30 to 35 minutes
2-1/2 inch muffin cups 15 to 20 minutes
1-1/4 inch mini muffin cups 7 to 12 minutes
Jumbo muffin cups about 30 minutes

Baking times are approximate and may vary with the recipe.

Chocolate Cashew Bread

Nut breads are perfect for making ahead. In fact, before they are sliced, nut bread loaves should be cooled, wrapped, and stored at room temperature overnight so the flavors mellow. This also makes them easier to slice. For longer storage, tightly wrap the cooled loaf in foil or seal it in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw the wrapped loaf in the refrigerator overnight.

Photo and recipe from Better Homes & Gardens.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup cooking oil
• 1-1/3 cups semisweet chocolate pieces
• 1 cup chopped cashews or hazelnuts
• 1/2 teaspoon shortening
• Coarsely chopped cashews or hazelnuts (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease bottom and 1/2 inch up sides of an 8x4x2-inch loaf pan; set aside. In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in center of flour mixture; set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, beat egg with a fork; stir in milk and oil. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy). Fold in 1 cup of the chocolate pieces and the 1 cup cashews.

3. Spoon batter into prepared pan; spread evenly. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

4. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack. Wrap and store overnight.

5. Before serving, in a small saucepan, combine remaining 1/3 cup chocolate pieces and the shortening. Heat and stir over low heat until melted and smooth. Drizzle chocolate mixture over loaf. If desired, sprinkle additional coarsely chopped cashews or hazelnuts on top. Let stand until chocolate is set.

6. Makes 1 loaf (14 servings)

7. *Use artifical holly leaves and berries to embellish food gifts. Real holly can be poisonious so it shouldn't come in contact with food.

Nutrition Facts

• Calories 301,
• Total Fat (g) 18,
• Saturated Fat (g) 5,
• Cholesterol (mg) 16,
• Sodium (mg) 148,
• Carbohydrate (g) 33,
• Fiber (g) 2,
• Protein (g) 5,
• Vitamin A (DV%) 0,
• Vitamin C (DV%) 0,
• Calcium (DV%) 5,
• Iron (DV%) 11,
• Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Brownie Muffins

They're muffins in the morning and brownies by night. Overbaking kills brownies. Check for doneness by pressing on their tops - they'll spring back when ready. Makes one dozen 2-1/2 inch muffins.

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
10 tbsp unsalted butter
4 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350; line 12 muffin cups with foil liners and coat each with nonstick spray.

Melt semisweet chips and butter together in a large in a microwave at 50% power for 1 minute;stir. Microwave another minute and stir again. Repeat until mixture is smooth; let cool slightly.

Whisk eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt into melted chocolate. Be careful that the chocolate isn't too hot, or it will scramble the eggs.

Fold in flour just until incorporated. Add 1 cup milk chocolate chips and nuts.

Scoop about 1/3 cup batter into prepared foil cups. Then mound the top with an additional heaping spoonful of batter.

Top each with additional milk chocolate chips. Bake 35-40 minutes, remove from the pan, and cool on a rack.

Green Beans with Mushroom

Here's a side dish to with the ham.

1 lb haricot verts or green beans, trimmed
4 strips thick-sliced bacon, diced
1/2 lb button mushrooms, quartered
1/2 cup minced shallots
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Blanch beans in a pot of boiling salted water, 3 minutes. Drain and plunge beans into ice water to stop cooking. Drain well and set aside.

Saute bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, shallots, and sugar;cook until mushrooms and shallots begin to brown, 5 minutes. Deglaze with vinegar, scraping bottom of the pan. Add beans and cook until heated through. Serve immediately.

Baked Ham with Rum & Cola Glaze

Fresh ham comes from the pig's hind leg. Because a whole leg is quite large, it is usually cut into two sections. The sirloin, or butt, end is harder to carve than our favorite, the shank end.

Makes one 6-8 lb ham and 1 cup of glaze
Total time: 2 hours + resting

For the ham:
1 butt half, bone-in ham (6-8 lb)
2-3 cans cola (12 oz each)

For the glaze:
2 cans cola ( 12 oz each)
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup prepared yellow mustard
1/4 cup lime juice
2 tablespoons dark rum
1 tablespoon dry mustard
Dash of salt

Preheat oven to 325F. Place the ham, cut-side down, on a rack inside a roasting pan. Add 2-3 cans cola to cover bottom of roasting pan, but not touching ham.

Bake ham, loosely tented with foil, for 1 hour. The foil tent and cola keep the ham moist while baking. Meanwhile, prepare the glaze.

Reduce 2 cans of cola for the glaze to 1/2 cup over medium-low heat, about 40 minutes (watch carefully to prevent it from over-reducing). Whisk in remaining ingredients and simmer to dissolve.

Uncover ham after 1 hour and begin glazing, brushing every 15 minutes during the last hour of baking. (Check to make sure there is still some cola in the bottom of the pan; add more as needed.) Remove ham once an internal temperature of 110 degrees is reached. Rest at least 15 minutes before carving.

Look at the face of the ham - you see distinct muscle groups. Cut where the muscles join, separating the ham into 3 major portions. To slice, hold the piece in place with a carving fork and cut perpendicular to the face. Slice against the grain of the meat.

Dark Chocolate Brownies

I'm still looking for the ultimate brownie recipe. I had one years ago, but can't seem to find it. Here's one I will try soon.

Photo and recipe from Better Homes & Gardens.
Ingredients

• 7 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 3/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Unsweetened cocoa powder and/or powdered sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9-inch square by 2-inch deep baking pan; set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine chocolate, butter, and the water; cook and stir over low heat until chocolate is melted. Transfer to a large bowl.
2. Add granulated sugar and brown sugar to chocolate mixture; beat with an electric mixer on low to medium speed until combined. Add eggs and vanilla; beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add flour, salt, and cinnamon. Beat on low speed until combined. Spread batter in prepared pan.
3. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Sprinkle with cocoa powder and/or powdered sugar.
Makes: 20 to 25 brownies
To Bake Ahead: Prepare brownies as directed; do not cut into bars. Cover pan. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, cut brownies into bars and layer between waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw brownies; sprinkle with cocoa powder and/or powdered sugar.

Pot Roast With Cranberries

I borrowed several holiday-themed magazines, and haven't decided what to prepare for the holidays. Here's a recipe from Mark Bittman to consider for Christmas dinner.

Of all the recipes I’ve introduced at this time of year, this one has become the most popular. I think it’s the combination of richness, sourness, and blatant seasonal link.

A cut that cooks faster, like tenderloin, works perfectly here, and it reduces the usually lengthy cooking time to just over an hour, especially if you cook the meat medium-rare, which in itself is a nice touch. The only disadvantage is that tenderloin is much more expensive than brisket, but there is so much less shrinkage that it's not as painful as you might think. In fact, two pounds of tenderloin will serve four or even six quite nicely; you would need more than that with brisket or chuck.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter or extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 2-pound piece tenderloin, or 3-pound piece chuck or brisket
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup sherry vinegar or good wine vinegar
• 1 12-ounce bag cranberries
• 1 orange
• Cayenne to taste

Method

• 1. Put butter or oil in a casserole or skillet with a lid, and turn heat to medium-high. Put sugar on a plate, and dredge meat in it on all sides; reserve remaining sugar. When butter foam subsides or oil is hot, brown meat on all sides, seasoning it with salt and pepper as it browns.
• 2. When meat is nicely browned, add vinegar, and cook a minute, stirring, then add cranberries and remaining sugar, and stir. Strip zest from orange (you can do it in broad strips, with a small knife ovegetable peeler), and add it to pot; juice orange, and add juice also, along with a pinch of cayenne. Turn heat to low, and cover pan; mixture should bubble but not furiously.
• 3. Cook, turning meat and stirring about every 30 minutes. Tenderloin will be medium-rare in about 1 hour, or when its internal temperature is 125 to 130 degrees; cook it longer if you want it more done. Chuck or brisket will take 2 hours or longer; it is done when tender. Taste, and adjust seasoning if necessary. Turn off heat, and let roast rest for a few minutes, then carve and serve, with sauce.

Source: The New York Times

Sweet-and-Spicy Bacon

My son loves bacon. I wonder if he will like it cooked this way.

8 strips thick-sliced bacon
Fresh coarsely ground pepper
2 tablespoons brown sugar

Saute bacon in a skillet over medium heat. Grind pepper to taste directly onto the bacon (finely ground pepper will be too "dusty" and peppery). Turn bacon over and pepper the other side.

Cook bacon almost to desired degree of doneness and sprinkle with brown sugar. Cook until sugar melts but doesn't burn or stick, 1 minute.

Il Tost (Grilled Cheese ahd Ham Sandwich)

Here's a recipe from Alone in the Kitchen with an Eggplant.

Four thin, square slices white bread (Pepperidge Farm's Very Thin Sliced White/Wheat)
1-1/2 tablespoons butter
2 oz imported Italian fontina cheese, or aged Swiss or Gruyere cheese sliced thin, or slivers of Parmigian-Reggiano cheese
Two slices cooked, unsmoked ham, preferable imported cooked Parma ham, but not prosciutto
A baking dish

1. Turn on the oven to 500F.
2. Butter each slice of bread on one side only.
3. Cover the buttered side of each of two slices with cheese and top with one slice of ham.
4. Cover with the remaining slice of bread, buttered side facing in.
5. Place in the baking dish without overlapping.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 5 minutes. If after 5 minutes the bread is not yet fully browned, bake for an additional minute.
7. Serve hot, cutting the tost diagonally in half if desired.

Black Beans for One

Alone in the Kitchen with an Eggplant is a collection of essays from cooks, chefs, writers, and others, all on the theme of eating alone. This is one of the recipes by Jeremy Jackson that I'd like to try.


1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 15-oz can black beans
Salt and freshly ground pepper

In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat, then add the onion and garlic. Cook them, stirring frequently, until they've started to brown. Add the beans and their liquid, stir, and lower the heat.

Simmer the beans, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until the liquid thickens a bit and is smooth - about 20 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. At this point, the beans can be served immediately or removed form the heat, covered, and kept warm for up to 15 minutes.

Beef in Mushroom Sauce Casserole

Here's a simple casserole dish I tried a few weeks ago from Reader's Digest "One Dish Meals" cookbook.

Preheat oven to 350.

Saute the following in 2 tablespoons oil, butter or margarine in a deep 12-inch skillet over moderate heat until slightly softened - 3 to 5 minutes:

1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed and drained
2 cloves garlic, minced

Add:

1 lb lean ground beef, or 8 oz each lean ground beef and pork
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon each salt and black pepper

Cook, stirring until the meat is no longer pink - 3 to 5 minutes.

Mix in:

10-3/4 oz can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup milk
8-oz can sliced mushrooms with liquid
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Bring to a simmer, then stir in:

4 oz uncooked medium-wide egg noodles

Spoon mixture into a greased 11 x 9 x 2 baking dish or shallow 2-1/2 quart casserole.

Sprinkle with:

1 cup coarsely shredded Gruyere cheese or 1/2 cup each shredded Gruyere and grated Parmesan.

Bake, uncovered for 35-45 minutes or until bubbling and lightly browned.

50 Ways to Never Waste Food Again

Simple ideas that make a big difference in your budget and help save resources too.

By Colleen Vanderlinden

"Use it up, wear it out, make do, or do without" is a favorite adage in both frugal and green circles, and it is something I strive to live by. One of the best ways to "use it up" is to think differently about our food and ways to avoid wasting it. Lloyd wrote a great post a while back about the statistics for how much food we waste in the U.S., and the numbers are, frankly, appalling. On average, we waste 14% of our food purchases per year, and the average American family throws out over $600 of fruit per year. Most of the food we waste is due to spoilage; we're buying too much and using too little of it.

We've all had it happen: half the loaf of bread goes stale because no one wants to eat sandwiches today, and the grapes we bought as healthy snacks for the kids' lunches languish in the crisper. With a little creativity, and an eye toward vanquishing waste in our lives, we can make use of more of our food before it goes to waste. Here are a few ideas for you.

Using Up Vegetables

1. Leftover mashed potatoes from dinner? Make them into patty shapes the next morning and cook them in butter for a pretty good "mock hash brown."

2. Don't toss those trimmed ends from onions, carrots, celery, or peppers. Store them in your freezer, and once you have a good amount saved up, add them to a large pot with a few cups of water and make homemade vegetable broth. This is also a great use for cabbage cores and corn cobs.

3. Don't toss broccoli stalks. They can be peeled and sliced, then prepared just like broccoli florets.

4. If you have to dice part of an onion or pepper for a recipe, don't waste the rest of it. Chop it up and store it in the freezer for the next time you need diced onion or peppers.

5. Roasted root vegetable leftovers can be turned into an easy, simple soup the next day. Add the veggies to a blender, along with enough broth or water to thin them enough to blend. Heat and enjoy.

6. If you're preparing squash, don't toss the seeds. Rinse and roast them in the oven, just like you would with pumpkin seeds. The taste is pretty much the same.

7. Celery leaves usually get tossed. There's a lot of good flavor in them; chop them up and add them to meatloaf, soups, or stews.

8. Use up tomatoes before they go bad by drying them in the oven. You can then store them in olive oil in the refrigerator (if you plan on using them within a week) or in the freezer.

9. Canning is always a good option. If you're doing tomatoes, you can use a boiling water bath. If you're canning any other type of veggie, a pressure canner is necessary for food safety.

10. Before it goes bad, blanch it and toss it in the freezer. This works for peas, beans, corn, carrots, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and leafy greens like spinach and kale.

11. Too many zucchini? Make zucchini bread or muffins. If you don't want to eat the bread now, bake it and freeze it, then defrost when you're ready to eat it.

12.Pickle it. Cucumbers are the first veggie most of us think of pickling, but in reality, just about any vegetable can be preserved through pickling.

Ideas for Cutting Down on Fruit Waste

13. Make smoothies with fruit before it goes bad. Berries, bananas, and melons are great candidates for this use-up idea.

14. Jam is really easy to make, and will keep for up to a year if you process the jars in a hot water bath. If you don't do the water processing part, you can keep the jam in the refrigerator for a month, which is a lot longer than the fruits would have lasted.

15. Dry your fruit and store it in the freezer or in airtight containers.

16. Make fruit leather.

17. Make a big fruit salad or "fruit kebabs" for your kids. For some reason, they seem to eat more fruit if it's in these "fancier" forms.

18. Use up the fall bounty of apples by making applesauce or apple butter.

19. Don't throw out those watermelon rinds! Pickled watermelon rind is a pretty tasty treat.

20. Make a fruit crumble out of almost any fruit you have on hand. Assemble and bake it now, or leave it unbaked and store it in the freezer for a quick dessert.

Putting Extra Grains to Good Use

21. Make croutons out of day-old bread.

22. Turn day-old bread into homemade bread crumbs.

23. Freeze leftover bread. This way you'll have day-old on hand whenever you need bread crumbs, or croutons rather than using fresh bread.

24. All of those little broken pieces of pasta in the bottom of the box? Collect them and mix with rice and veggies for a simple side dish.

25. A few tablespoons of leftover oatmeal isn't enough for a meal, but it is great sprinkled on top of yogurt.

26. Add chopped bread to a soup. It will dissolve and thicken the soup.

27. Made too many pancakes for breakfast? Put them in the freezer, then toss in the toaster for a fast, tasty weekday breakfast. Ditto waffles.

28. If you make plain white or brown rice with dinner, use leftovers for breakfast the next morning by adding them to oatmeal. This provides extra fiber and allows you to use up that rice.

29. If you our your kids don't like the bread crusts on your sandwiches, save these bits and pieces in the freezer to turn into bread crumbs later. Just throw the crusts into a food processor or coffee grinder to make them into crumbs. Season as you like.

30. If you have just a smidge of baby cereal left in the box, and it's not enough for a full meal, add it to your babies pureed fruit. It adds bulk and fiber, and keeps baby full longer.

Make the Most of Meat

31. Don't toss those chicken bones after you eat the chicken. Boil them to make chicken stock.

32. Ditto for bones from beef and pork.

33. The fat you trim from beef can be melted down and turned into suet for backyard birds.

34. Turn leftover bits of cooked chicken into chicken salad for sandwiches the next day.

35. Use leftover roast beef or pot roast in an easy vegetable beef soup the next day by adding veggies, water, and the cooking juices from the meat.

Use Dairy Before It Expires

36. If you've got a few chunks of different types of cheese sitting around after a party, make macaroni and cheese.

37. Eggs can be frozen. Break them, mix the yolks and whites together, and pour into an ice cube tray. Two frozen egg cubes is the equivalent of one large egg.

38. You can also freeze milk. Leave enough room in the container for expansion, and defrost in the refrigerator.

39. Use cream cheese in mashed potatoes or white sauces to give them thickness and tang.

40. Put Parmesan cheese into the food processor with day-old bread to make Parmesan bread crumbs. This is excellent as a coating for eggplant slices, pork, or chicken.

Herbs and How to Get the Most Out of Them

41. Chop herbs and add them to ice cube trays with just a little water. Drop whole cubes into the pan when a recipe calls for that type of herb.

42. You can also freeze herbs by placing them in plastic containers. Certain herbs, such as basil, will turn black, but the flavor will still be great.

43. Make pesto with extra basil or parsley.

44. Dry herbs by hanging them by their stems in a cool, dry location. Once they're dry, remove them from the stems and store them in airtight containers.

Don't Waste a Drop

45. Leftover coffee in the carafe? Freeze it in ice cube trays. Use the cubes for iced coffee or to cool down too-hot coffee without diluting it. You can do the same with leftover tea.

46. If there's a splash or two of wine left in the bottle, use it to de-glaze pans to add flavor to whatever you're cooking.

47. If you have pickle juice left in a jar, don't pour it down the drain. Use it to make a fresh batch of refrigerator pickles, or add it to salad dressings (or dirty martinis).

48. You can also freeze broth or stock in ice cube trays, and use a cube or two whenever you make a pan sauce or gravy.

49. If there's just a bit of honey left in the bottom of the jar, add a squeeze or two of lemon juice and swish it around. The lemon juice will loosen up the honey, and you have the perfect addition to a cup of tea.

Finally....

50. If you can't think of any way to use that food in the kitchen, compost it. Everything except for meat and dairy will work in a compost pile, and at least your extra food can be used for something useful. Such as growing more food!

Cran-Crazy Cookies

It's been raining the last few days so going out is not really a good idea and since I signed up to bake cookies for the school's Christmas Fair next week, I thought I'd give this new recipe a try. I'm sick of baking Chocolate Chip Oatmeal cookies all the time. I love the smell - and taste of the lemon peel. I used slivered almonds instead of walnuts and added some chocolate chips, as requested by my son.

Makes: 50

Prep: 30 min.
Bake: 10 min. per batch
Cool: 2 min. per batch

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2-1/3 cups whole wheat flour
• 1-1/2 cups chopped toasted walnuts*
• 1-1/2 cups dried cranberries**

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Beat butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar, lemon peel, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping side of bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Beat in as much flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. Stir in walnuts and cranberries.

2. Drop dough by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are lightly brown. Cool on cookie sheets on wire racks for 2 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks and cool completely.

3. *Note: To toast nuts, spread them in a single layer in a shallow baking pan. Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 5 to 10 minutes or until nuts are slightly golden brown, stirring once or twice. Cool completely. Chop nuts and set aside.

4. **Test Kitchen Tip: To add a slightly different flavor to these cranberry-nut cookies, use orange- or raspberry-flavor dried cranberries.

5. To Store: Place cookies in layers separated by pieces of waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw cookies, if frozen, before serving.

Image and recipe from Better Homes and Gardens.

Glazed Baked Ham

With Christmas just around the corner, I'm looking for a ham recipe that I can prepare during the holidays. I saw this book while doing my morning exercise (walking five flights of stairs, actually escalators, instead of taking the elevator). There are several interesting recipes (such as Polvorones, but it isn't like the Polvoron that we know) and the recipe below is something that I might try for Christmas, although I would buy a smaller ham as the size in this recipe will feed a crowd!

1 15-18 lb ham, uncooked
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons dry mustard
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon whole cloves
Orange or apple slices, for garnish
1 24-oz jar spiced red apples, for garnish
1 bunch parsley, for garnish

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Unwrap ham and run cold water over it. Dry with a cloth and place in a roasting pan. Insert meat thermometer on fat side, into thickest part of ham. Bake uncovered, allowing 20 minutes per pound, until the thermometer registers 160 degrees.

Remove pan from oven, Cut rind off ham and score fat diagonally, in diamond shapes. In a bowl, combine brown sugar, mustard and vinegar; spread over top of ham. Insert cloves at points where diamond lines intersect.

Return ham to oven and increase heat to 425 degrees. Bake 15 minutes, or until sugar forms a glaze. Remove from oven and place on a large platter. Garnish with fruit slices and parsley. Serve with raisin sauce. Serves 20-25.

Raisin Sauce

Mix 1 cup raisins, 1/4 cup butter, and 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice in a saucepan and simmer until raisins are tender. Add 1 tablespoon cornstarch, about 1 tablespoon sugar, 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/2 cup apple juice; continue cooking to desired thickness. Serve over ham slices.

Bibingka

This recipe doesn't look like the bibingka I know, but it's worth a try. As one commenter said, this is more like buco pie than bibingka.

Makes 48 pieces

1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
6 eggs
2 (12-ounce) jars macapuno coconut strings in heavy syrup*
1 (10-ounce) box mochiko sweet rice flour*
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup wheat germ (or finely chopped almonds for a gluten-free recipe)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 13" x 18" x 1" baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, beat coconut milk, condensed milk, and melted butter until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until combined. Do the same with both jars of macapuno strings. Gradually beat in mochiko flour (do not pour all at once or it will get clumpy). Follow that with the brown sugar and wheat germ. Once you achieve an even consistency, add vanilla extract and beat until combined.

Pour batter into lined cookie sheet. Bake until lightly browned, about 45 minutes. Sprinkle cinnamon evenly over the cake. Continue to bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, between 2-15 minutes longer.

Remove from pan and let cool on the parchment paper. Once cooled down, cut into to 2-inch squares. A long ruler and pizza cutter work nicely.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks.

*Available at Filipino and many Asian markets.

Ultimate Chocolate Brownies

My sister had this small cookbook from Hershey's that had a good and simple Brownie recipe that made use of cocoa instead of chocolate squares. This isn't the same recipe, but I'm glad I found this by way of Apartment Therapy.

• 3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2/3 cup butter or margarine, melted and divided
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Chocolate Chips or HERSHEY'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• ONE-BOWL BUTTERCREAM FROSTING(recipe follows)

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 13x9x2-inch baking pan or two 8-inch square baking pans.

2. Stir together cocoa and baking soda in large bowl; stir in 1/3 cup butter. Add boiling water; stir until mixture thickens. Stir in sugar, eggs and remaining 1/3 cup butter; stir until smooth. Add flour, vanilla and salt; blend completely. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into prepared pan.

3. Bake 35 to 40 minutes for rectangular pan, 30 to 35 minutes for square pans or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Frost with ONE-BOWL BUTTERCREAM FROSTING. Cut into squares. About 36 brownies.

ONE-BOWL BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
2-2/3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat butter in medium bowl. Add powdered sugar and cocoa alternately with milk, beating to spreading consistency (additional milk may be needed). Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

Here's another gem from Apartment Therapy:

How to Get a Crunchy Top on Brownies

We love the glossy wafer-thin top crust that sometimes appears on brownies almost as much as we love the fudgy layer underneath. We always thought this was phenomenon was random or particular to specific recipes, but then we discovered that there's a way we can get it all the time! Here's how:

We consulted one of our favorite cookbooks, BakeWise, and found that this crispy top crust is actually a layer of meringue. That's right - whipped egg whites and sugar! It happens in recipes where the the butter and sugar are creamed together and then the eggs are added. The more the mixture is beaten once the eggs are added, the more prominent this crust.
If you're like us and you love the crispy top, just beat the batter as much as possible after adding the eggs and before adding any other ingredients. We tried this by hand using a whisk in with our recent batch of Hershey's Ultimate Chocolate Brownies and got a decent, though fairly thick crust. We expect that we'd get an even more impressive crust if we used a standing or hand mixer instead.
This recipe from Martha Stewart has you beat the eggs and sugar for a full 10 minutes!
• Chocolate Brownies from Martha Stewart
Conversely, if you're not a fan of crusts, just mix the batter as little as possible once you add the eggs. You might even whisk the eggs before adding them to the batter so they'll blend in more quickly and smoothly.
This method also works for cookies and cakes. Now that we know the secret, we're excited to experiment with all our baking!
What do you think: crispy crust, yay or nay?
(Image: Martha Stewart)

Chocolate Chunk Blondies

It's been a while since I baked, and last week my son wanted me to make cookies, but I only had 2 eggs left in the fridge, so I had to look for a recipe that made use of 2 eggs and found this at Better Homes and Gardens.

• 2/3 cup butter
• 2 cups packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup chopped semisweet or white baking chocolate
• 3/4 cup sliced almonds or chopped pecans, or cashews

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13x9x2-inch baking pan; set aside. In a medium saucepan heat and stir butter and brown sugar over medium heat until smooth. Cool slightly. Stir in eggs, one at a time. Stir in vanilla. Stir in flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir in chopped chocolate.

2. Spread batter evenly in the prepared pan. Sprinkle with almonds. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool slightly in pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars while warm. Makes 36 bars.

To store: Cover pan and store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Facts

• Servings Per Recipe 36 bars
• Calories 137, Total Fat (g) 7,Saturated Fat (g) 2,Monounsaturated Fat (g) 3,Polyunsaturated Fat (g) 1,Cholesterol (mg) 21,Sodium (mg) 50,Carbohydrate (g) 18,Total Sugar (g) 12,Fiber (g) 1,Protein (g) 2,Vitamin A (DV%) 0,Vitamin C (DV%) 0,Calcium (DV%) 3,Iron (DV%) 5,Other Carbohydrates (d.e.) 1,Fat (d.e.) 1.5. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Chicken a la King Sandwich

I don't remember - again! - where I got this recipe, but Miss Llonie used to make this for our merienda.

Take about 6 slices of ordinary white bread. Stack four slices then place a large mug, upside down, on the topmost slice of bread. Press down then cut around the rim using a small serrated knife.

Take the remaining two slices of bread and place one on top of the other. Use a narrow drinking glass to cut smaller circles of bread. You can make four with just two slices of bread. Set the bread trimmings aside–you can make pudding out of them. Take the bigger circles of bread and press them lightly into muffin pans. DO not bake them yet.

Prepare the filling. I used a mixture of shredded boiled chicken breast meat, chopped carrots, celery and cheese (cut into small cubes). I tossed everything together and stirred in a tablespoonful of milk. You can season the filling lightly with salt and pepper–just remember that cheese is salty so you don't want to go overboard with the salt.

Fill the prepared "crust" with the mixture. Arrange the smaller circles of bread on top to cover the filling. Brush some softened butter on the "cover" and the exposed parts of the "base". Bake in a preheated 170oC oven for about 5-7 minutes or until the tops are lightly browned by which time, the cheese in the filling would have melted.

Serve with a light vegetable salad and enjoy.

Kir Royale

I love this drink. My sister introduced this to me years ago. Hope to have this during the holiday season.

MAKES 2 SERVINGS

4 teaspoons creme de cassis (see Note)

1 bottle (375 ml) Brut Champagne

Fresh raspberries, lemon twists (optional)

Pour 2 teaspoons creme de cassis into each of two tall Champagne flutes. Pour Champagne into each glass. Garnish with a raspberry and lemon twist.

Note: The finished drink should be tawny pink. Creme de cassis is black currant liqueur, available at liquor stores and some supermarket liquor departments. Chambord is sometimes used instead of creme de cassis.

Nutrition facts per serving: 169 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 8 g carbohydrates, 0 g protein, 1 mg sodium, 0 g fiber

Sesame bok choy, yellow peppers and onions

I don't remember where I got this recipe. It must have been from Chicago Tribune.

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 6 minutes
Yield: 6 servings

2 tablespoons peanut oil
6 heads baby bok choy, each cut in 2-inch pieces
2 yellow bell peppers, cored, ribbed, cut in strips
1 red onion, sliced
1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup chopped cilantro


Heat oil in a wok over high heat. Add bok choy; stir-fry 2 minutes. Add the bell peppers and onion; stir-fry 2 more minutes. Add soy sauce, sesame oil and pepper to taste; cook, tossing to coat vegetables. Transfer to a platter; garnish with cilantro.

Nutrition information per serving: 181 calories, 30% of calories from fat, 7 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 23 g carbohydrates, 14 g protein, 1,218 mg sodium, 10 g fiber

Pork Stir-Fry

I bought about two kilos of ground pork a few weeks ago and still had about half a kilo in the freezer. I didn't want to make Arroz a la Cubana again so I was trolling the internet for ground pork recipes and found this at the Whole Foods website. I did not have all the ingredients on hand, such as lettuce and cilantro so I made my own version of the recipe and served this with rice. I wasn't too sure how it would taste, but my family loved it, so it's now been added to our family favorites.

Serves 4

Try this Chinese pork and veggie stir-fry spooned onto crisp lettuce leaves and topped with fresh cilantro and green onions.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon peanut oil
2 teaspoons finely chopped ginger
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 pound ground pork
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 pound sliced button mushrooms (I used shiitake mushrooms)
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons dry sherry (I used rice wine)
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon sweet chili sauce, plus more for dipping
1 small red bell pepper, cored, seeded and thinly sliced
1 large carrot, cut into matchsticks
1 cup mung bean sprouts (optional)
2 ribs celery, thinly sliced
1/3 bunch cilantro, chopped (I used basil)
12 leaves iceberg lettuce
2 green onions, thinly sliced

Method

Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over medium high heat. Add ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add pork, salt and pepper and stir-fry until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and red onion and stir-fry until just softened, about 2 minutes. Add sherry, soy sauce and chili sauce and stir-fry for 2 minutes.

Add peppers, carrots, sprouts and celery and stir-fry until just tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer pork mixture to a large platter. Arrange cilantro, lettuce and green onions alongside pork and serve with extra chili sauce on the side, if you like.

Nutrition

Per serving (about 11oz/317g-wt.): 390 calories (250 from fat), 28g total fat, 10g saturated fat, 80mg cholesterol, 660mg sodium, 11g total carbohydrate (3g dietary fiber, 6g sugar), 23g protein

Catalan Chickpeas with Sausage

I was ready to make Fabada, but it turns out I used up all the meat in the freezer so I had to make something quick for dinner where I could use the Italian sausage. I found this recipe from Martha Rose Shulman.

1 pound chickpeas, soaked in 2 quarts water for 6 hours or overnight and drained
1 bay leaf
Salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 plump garlic cloves, minced
1/4 to 1/2 pound fresh mild Italian sausage, sliced or crumbled
2 tablespoons diced cured ham, such as prosciutto
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 pound fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped, or a 14-ounce can, lightly drained
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Freshly ground pepper

Combine the chickpeas with enough water to cover by 2 inches in a large soup pot or Dutch, add the bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and skim off any foam. Cover and simmer for 1 hour. Add 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste, and simmer for another hour, until tender. Drain over a bowl and retain 2 cups of the cooking liquid. Set aside.

*Advance preparation: You can cook the beans up to 3 days before doing the next step. Keep in the refrigerator.

While the beans are cooking, heat a large, heavy casserole over medium heat and add the sausage. Cook, stirring, until the sausage has browned lightly and rendered its fat. Remove from the heat, remove the sausage from the pan and pour off all but about 1 tablespoon of the fat. Add the olive oil to the pan, heat for a moment, and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until it begins to soften, and add the garlic, sausage, ham, and green pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the onion and green pepper are tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, thyme, pepper, and salt to taste, cover and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring often, until the tomatoes have cooked down slightly. Add the chickpeas and the 2 cups of their liquid that you set aside. Bring back to a simmer, stir together, turn the heat to very low, cover and cook gently for 30 minutes to 1 hour, until the beans are very tender and the broth fantastically fragrant. Taste, adjust seasonings, and serve.

*Advance preparation: You can make this right through to the end a couple of days before you wish to serve it. Time will only improve it.

Keeping time / Leftovers
The dish will keep for about 4 days in the refrigerator. With pasta, this becomes a scrumptious Pasta e Fagiole. It’s also great with couscous.

Apple Custard Tart

Years ago, while visiting my sister in New York, she enrolled me in Nick Malgieri's Techniques of Pastry classes at what was then known as Peter Kump's New York Cooking School (it is now called the Institute of Culinary Education). The classes were held for three Saturdays and I would ride the bus to West 23rd Street for the five-hour classes. We learned the best methods for creating doughs by hand or machine and making filling for luscious tarts and pies and pâte à choux desserts, including éclairs, profiteroles, Paris-Brest, and cream puffs. This was one of my favorites.


1 10-inch pate sucree (sorry Nick, but I bought 9-inch pie crust. Too lazy to make one!)

1 Golden delicious apple
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 cup heavy cream
4 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons Calvados (apple brandy)
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Roll the dough into a 14-inch disk and line a 10-inch tart pan with it. Chill the dough several hours or overnight.

2. Peel, core, halve and slice the apple into 1/8-inch thick pieces, arrange on pastry, overlapping. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

3. In the meantime, combine cream, eggs, sugar, Calvados or vanilla. Beat by hand until well blended; strain and reserve.

4. Bake tart at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes or until apples and crust are cooked through. Open oven; pour custard cream over, being careful not to let it overflow. Return tart to oven for 5-10 minutes, or until custard is set but not colored or puffed.

For other fruit and custard tarts, omit Calvados.

Roasted Potatoes

This sounds like a good snack.

Cut up potatoes with skin on, toss with salt and olive oil and shove them under the broiler at 450 degrees for about 15 minutes. Yukon gold are best.

Moroccan Chicken Tagine

Recipe from Faye Hess

1 whole chicken, skin removed and chopped into pieces

1 large onion, chopped into large pieces

5-6 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp ginger, minced

1 large eggplant, cut into chunks

4 tomatoes, chopped into small pieces

1 can chickpeas

1 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken broth (I use yeast-free vegetable stock cubes + hot water)

1 tsp paprika

1 1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground oregano

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (more, if you prefer things a little spicier)

1/2 tsp tumeric powder

1/2 tsp ground coriander

salt to taste

1. Mix all the dry spices in a bowl and split into 2 portions.2. Marinate the chicken with salt, about 1tbsp of the minced garlic and 1 portion of the mixed spices. Leave the chicken to marinate as you chop and prepare the rest of the ingredients.

3. Heat about 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large pot. Once hot, fry the chicken pieces until almost cooked through. Remove the chicken pieces and set aside.

4. After removing chicken, do not clean pot. Use the same pot to fry the garlic, onions and ginger till onions are slightly translucent.

5. Add the tomatoes, broth and the other portion of the spices. Bring to boil.

6. Add the eggplant and salt to taste.

7. When the eggplant is half-cooked, add in the chicken pieces.

8. Simmer to reduce the liquid to get to a stew-like consistency.

9. While simmering, open can of chickpeas, drain, rinse well, then drain.

10. Add in the chickpeas, and allow the stew to simmer for another 5-10minutes.

Bok Choy with Shiitakes and Oyster Sauce

Bok choy and mushrooms are two of our favorite foods and oyster sauce is a one item we always have in our pantry so this recipe from Mark Bittman is perfect.

Photo and recipe from New York Times.

OYSTER sauce, the gooey brown condiment often used as the only seasoning for steamed greens in many Chinese restaurants, can taste pretty good. Admittedly this isn’t the most nuanced way to cook Chinese-like food at home, but buying the right stuff really helps.

The idea is to avoid oyster sauce made entirely with artificial ingredients. Look for one that contains at least a hint of oysters (“oyster extract” is common) and no MSG.

Decent oyster sauce can lend a strong, briny taste to almost anything, especially greens like steamed bok choy or gai lan (Chinese broccoli). I’m partial to adding mushrooms, especially with bok choy, whose stems become creamy when cooked long enough. For flavor’s sake, I’d also rather stir-fry than steam.

Here, I’ve paired both dried and fresh shiitakes; I cook the dried along with the bok choy (and garlic, of course) while crisping the fresh separately and serving them as a garnish.

Nothing is wasted: I use the mushroom soaking liquid to give the bok choy a flavor boost. Still, what really pulls this together is the oyster sauce, added at the end of cooking. It’s a not-so-secret ingredient that turns a simple dish into something more.

Time: About 20 minutes

1/4 cup dried shiitake mushrooms

1 1/2 pounds bok choy, trimmed

1/4 cup peanut oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic (optional)

1 cup fresh shiitake mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed and sliced

1/2 to 3/4 cup commercial oyster sauce.

1. Soak shiitakes in one cup of very hot water until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, reserving liquid. Trim mushrooms and chop. Separate leaves and stems of bok choy; cut stems into 2-inch lengths and slice leaves into ribbons.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. When oil is hot, add bok choy stems, garlic if you are using it, reconstituted mushrooms, and about 1/4 cup reserved mushroom water. Cook, stirring frequently, until stems are crisp-tender, about 4 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in a small skillet heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil; sauté fresh shiitake mushrooms over medium-high heat. Continue cooking until they begin to brown and crisp on edges.

4. In large skillet or wok, add bok choy leaves and oyster sauce and toss gently to combine; continue cooking until greens wilt, about 2 more minutes. Serve immediately, topped with crisp mushrooms.

Yield: 4 servings.