Pear and Pomegranate Salad

 One of the best things about fall and winter is having pomegranates, the jewel of my garden. 

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Pear and Pomegranate Salad

Adapted from:  Autumn Gatherings by Rick Rodgers

Serves 4-6

Pomegranate Vinaigrette:

1 1/2 T sherry vinegar (or white wine vinegar if that is what you have)

2T bottled pomegranate juice (or 1 T pomegranate molasses)

1/4 teas salt

1/8 teas freshly ground pepper

1/3 c vegetable oil

2 T walnut oil

Salad:

2 ripe pears, cored and cut lengthwise into thin wedges (red pears are particularly pretty)

1/3 c pomegranate seeds

1/3 c walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

5 ounces mixed greens, including some lettuce

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place all the vinaigrette ingredients into a pint jar and briskly shake until emulsified. If you use pomegranate molasses you will need to shake it again just before dressing the salad.

In a bowl, place the pear slices with the walnuts and mix with about 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette.

Mix the salad greens with the remaining vinaigrette and toss well until all pieces are covered. Gently stir in the pear/walnut mixture and toss. Taste for seasonings and if needed add salt or pepper. Sprinkle with the pomegranate seeds.  This salad is best served as soon after mixing as possible. 

Notes: 

I like to compose this salad on plates since there are just two of us at most meals. If you mix the salad in a bowl, it might be better to cut the pears into chunks.

If you have a hard time finding the ingredients for the salad try to substitute with similar items. I have used raspberry juice or grape juice instead of the pomegranate. In a pinch you could use olive oil rather than walnut oil. It would be a shame if you didn't make this beautiful salad because of supply train issues.  

Pear and Spice Muffins

A bumper crop on my pear tree had me scrambling for recipes this fall. This one is a good one. 

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Pear and Spice Muffins

Adapted from The Washington Post
Yields 12 muffins

4000-5000 ft. altitude adjustments:

add 1 T flour
subtract 1 T sugar

1/3 c neutral-tasting oil, plus more for the pan
1 1/2 c whole-wheat pastry flour or white-wheat flour
2 teas baking powder
1/4 teas baking soda
1/2 teas salt
1 teas ground cinnamon
1/2 teas ground ginger
1/4 teas ground cloves
2 large eggs
3/4 c dark brown sugar
1/2 c unsweetened applesauce
1 teas vanilla extract
1 c low-fat buttermilk
1 medium, firm but ripe pear, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4" pieces
1/2 c chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

Prepare your oven by placing a rack in the middle and heating to 400F. Spray a muffin tin with baking spray or brush with oil.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. 

In another bowl, stir together the oil and eggs until well blended. Add the brown sugar, applesauce, and vanilla. Then add half of the flour mixture, and followed by half of the buttermilk. Stir until incorporated and add the remaining flour and remaining buttermilk. Don't overmix. Stir in the chopped pears and nuts gently.

Evenly portion the batter into the muffin tins. Bake for 18 minutes, approximately, and test with a toothpick  to see if it comes out clean. If so, they are finished. Cool in the pan on a cooling rack for at least 15 minutes. You may need to loosen the muffins with a knife before serving. 

Notes: 

I had some pear sauce on hand after making pear butter. I substituted that for the apple sauce and it worked beautifully. 

I believe you could skip the peeling and chopping steps by coring the pear and grating it. 

Brussels Sprout Salad with Warm Browned Butter Vinaigrette

This is a good salad recipe when brussels sprouts are in season. Any number of ingredients can be substituted with what you have in your pantry or fridge or in your time frame. In fact, the CI website has a number of variations, one with different nuts and dried fruits (apricots and almonds) and one with bacon. You can do some experimenting if you don't have access to the website.

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Brussels Sprout Salad with Warm Browned Butter Vinaigrette

Adapted from Cook's Illustrated
Serves 6-7


1/4 c lemon juice
1 T whole grain mustard
1 teas sugar
salt and pepper
1 shallot, halved through root end and sliced thin crosswise
1/4 (or more if desired) dried cranberries or sour cherries
5 T unsalted butter
1/3 c hazelnuts, toasted, skinned, and chopped, or toasted walnuts, instead
1 1/2 pds Brussels sprouts, trimmed, halved and sliced thin
1 1/2 c baby arugula, chopped, or endive, or lettuce
4 oz Manchego cheese, shaved or another cheese you have on hand

CI states that a food processor with a slicing blade can be used to slice the sprouts, but that it will be less tender. I'll have to take their word for it, since I used a knife.

In a microwave safe bowl, stir together the lemon juice, mustard, sugar, and 1/4 teas salt. Stir in the sliced shallots, and cranberries and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave 30-60 seconds until the ingredients are steaming. Stir it once again and try to submerge the shallot and cranberries in the juices. Let it sit out and cool getting close to room temperature.

In a 12-inch skillet melt the butter over medium heat (a stainless steel skillet makes it easier to see the color of the browning butter). Add the hazelnuts. Cook while stirring frequently, until the butter becomes a dark gold brown (depending on your altitude this can happen in a few minutes or may take more like 6 minutes.) Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the shallot mixture. Add the sliced Brussels sprouts and arugula. Using tongs, toss the vegetables with the dressing until it is dispersed throughout. Season with salt and pepper.  Let the mixture remain in the skillet while the sprouts darken slightly. Serve immediately topping with the cheese, or remove to a serving bowl.

Note:

When I made this a second time for my small household, I halved it because I don't think it holds well. I'm sure it could be doubled for a crowd, as well.

Spicy Italian Sausage with Polenta

Another use for all the cherry tomatoes from my garden.

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Spicy Italian Sausage with Polenta

Adapted from Cook's Country Magazine
Serves 4-5

1 batch of cooked polenta kept warm (cheesy grits can be subbed, see original recipe)

1 pd sweet Italian sausage, either in bulk or with casings removed
1 onion, chopped fine
approx 3/4 pd cherry tomatoes (the recipe calls for 10 oz but I used nearly 1 pd)
2 T chopped jarred hot cherry peppers or pepperoncini plus 1 T of the brine, see note below
3/4 c chicken broth, see note below

Over medium-high heat, cook sausage and onion in a large skillet until lightly browned. Break up the sausage as it cooks. When cooked, remove from the skillet and hold the mixture in a bowl. Retain 1 T of the fat in the skillet and discard the remainder.

Place the tomatoes in the hot skillet and cook without stirring. Allow them to start to brown and then stir in the chopped peppers. Continue cooking for a few minutes until tender. Add the broth, brine, and the reserved sausage mixture. Check for seasonings and add salt if needed. Cook approximately 5 minutes the sauce thickens until slightly and serve over the polenta. Top with basil chiffonade and/or grated parmesan cheese.

Notes:

I believe using pepperoncini will create a less spicy sauce which may be just what some diners need.

I added some crushed fennel seeds because the brand of sausage I used was light on that spice.

I used water and a few bay leaves as a substitute for chicken broth because I didn't want the added salt. 

Cranberry Lemon Bars

It's almost cranberry time. 

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Cranberry Lemon Bars

Source: New York Times Cooking

Makes a 9X13 pan of bars

For the cranberry layer:

1 (12-oz) bag fresh or frozen cranberries

3 T water

3/4 c granulated sugar

2-3 large lemons

For the crust:

1 1/2 c AP flour

1/3 c granulated sugar

1 teas fine sea salt

1 teas vanilla extract

3/4 c unsalted butter, melted and cooled

For the lemon layer:

1 c granulated sugar

1/4 c AP flour

1/8 teas fine sea salt

3 large eggs, at room temp

confectioners' sugar, optional

To make the cranberry layer, combine the cranberries, sugar and water in a saucepan. Zest 2 lemons, over the saucepan, and reserve the lemons. Over medium-high heat, bring the ingredients to a boil while stirring occasionally. Cook until the berries pop and the mixture is jam-like. Turn off the heat and set the pan aside.

To make the crust, start by preheating the oven to 350F. Use heavy duty aluminum foil to carefully line a 9X13 baking pan and make sure there are no holes or gaps. Spray generously with cooking spray. Mix the flour, sugar, and salt in bowl. Stir the vanilla into the butter and then pour the two over the flour mix. Mix together and the dough will come together into a mass. Break the dough into pieces as you place it into the lined pan. Press with your hands to ensure the dough is an even layer. Place in the oven and bake until the layer is golden brown at the edges. 

Meanwhile, mix the lemon layer. Squeeze the reserved lemons and measure. You need one half cup; if you don't have enough, squeeze a third lemon. 

In a medium bowl, mix the sugar, flour, and salt. Whisk in the eggs and mix only until incorporated. Gently stir in the lemon juice just until smooth. 

When the crust is done, remove from the oven and allow to rest on the counter for 5 minutes and then spread the cranberry mixture over the top. Then slowly and carefully pour the lemon mixture over all, creating two distinct layers as well as you can. I found that the cranberry layer peeked out in some places.

Replace the pan in the oven and bake until the filling is set, 18-22 minutes. Remove and cool on a rack, until completely cool. Then place in the fridge for a couple of hours, at least. When firm and cold, use the foil as a sling and move all to a cutting board. With a sturdy sharp knife, cut into 24 pieces (or more if you prefer). making sure you wipe your knife between cuts. If you like, sprinkle bars with powdered sugar just before serving. 

Plum Avocado Salad

I've never thought of this combination but it's very tasty.

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Plum Avocado Salad

Adapted from food52.com
Serves 2-4

2 medium avocados, ripened
5-10 plums depending on the size (I found Italian plums, which are cling free, easy to use)
1 c chopped fresh cilantro
1 small clove garlic, minced.
several pinches sea salt
juice of one medium lemon
2 splashes olive oil
a pinch or more ground dried red chile pepper, 1/2 c chopped roasted pistachios, salt free preferably

You can peel the plums if you prefer. Cut the plums into 5/8 inch cubes. Peel the avocados and cut into cubes.

Place the plum and avocado cubes into a bowl. Drizzle with the lemon juice and sprinkle with one pinch of salt. Gently toss together taking care to avoid overmixing.
In a small bowl, mix the garlic with another pinch of salt, mashing them together. Add the amount of chile pepper you wish to use and continue mashing. Add the cilantro, and mash until combined. Stir in the oil (1/4 -1/2 c) to make the dressing. Mash until incorporated with other ingredients.

Sprinkle the avocado and plums with chopped pistachios. Drizzle the dressing over the top and sprinkle with one more pinch of salt, if you like. Allow to sit on the counter for 5-10 minutes until flavors have melded somewhat and serve.

Tomato and Mozzarella Risotto

Tomato Fritatta

I'm trying to use up a fall glut of tomatoes after a fast, freezing storm compelled us to strip our tomato plants of their bounty. Of course, this can be made any time of year. If you are buying the fruit out of season, cherry tomatoes taste better than others. 

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Tomato Frittata

Source: NY Times Cooking

Serves 6-8

1 1/4 pounds ripe tomatoes, the best you can find

1 or 2 garlic cloves, minced

salt

freshly ground pepper

1 T fresh marjoram leaves or 2 teas fresh thyme leaves

8 large eggs

2 T milk

1 T extra virgin olive oil

Slice half of the tomatoes about a third of an inch thick and set aside (if you use cherry tomatoes, I advise slicing all in half). Halve the remaining tomatoes, squeeze to remove the seeds and chop. Mix these with the garlic in a bowl or retain on your cutting board until needed. 

In another bowl or large measuring cup whisk the eggs and add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the milk and half of whichever herbs you choose. Add the chopped tomato and garlic. Stir to mix well.

Place the olive oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet (oven safe) and heat over medium-high heat until you can feel heat when you hover your hand over the pan. You can test by dropping some of the egg mixture in and if it sizzles the pan is ready. Add the egg mixture to the skillet and tilt the pan until it evenly covers the bottom. Allow to cook a bit; then lift the edges with a rubber spatula while tilting the skillet again, allowing some of the eggs to seep under the cooked bottom. Do this a few times. When the eggs have set somewhat, turn the heat to low and place tomato slices on the top. Cover the pan and cook about 10 minutes; gently shake it a couple of times. You may also want to look at the bottom to ensure it doesn't burn; again use a rubber spatula to lift and check. 

Once the eggs are mostly set place the skillet under the broiler about 6 inches from the heat. Cook until the top browns slightly and puffs a little. Remove from the broiler and give the skillet a shake to ensure the frittata doesn't stick.  Allow to rest for 5 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining thyme or marjoram leaves over the top. Slice the frittata with a plastic knife while in the pan (you don't want to scratch the surface) or slip it carefully on to a cutting board. Cut into wedges and serve hot, although it tastes great at any temperature.

Leftovers are best used within a couple of days.

I'm thinking of trying this with chopped cooked bacon and/or cheese, shredded and mixed into the eggs or grated Parmesan on top. But it is good as it is.

Browned Butter Raspberries

This is one of those simple but surprisingly delicious desserts that we should serve more often because they are so easy. The recipe is more of a guide so following this precisely isn't completely necessary. 

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Browned Butter Raspberries

Source:  Amanda Hesser on Food52.com

Serves 4

1 pound raspberries, at room temperature

4-5 T unsalted butter

1/4 teas vanilla extract

raw sugar or granulated sugar if that's what you have, about 1/2 teas per bowl depending on the sweetness of the berries

Divide the raspberries between 4 bowls. Place the butter in a 10-inch skillet and heat over medium. Allow the butter to melt and begin the bubble and boil. It will spatter so you may want to put a spatter guard on top of the skillet. The sputtering of the butter will settle down somewhat and the solids will begin to brown. Swirl the pan a bit so the butter will brown evenly. When the butter begins to smell nutty and the solids turn golden brown you can remove it from the heat. Add the vanilla.

Evenly drizzle the butter over the raspberries and sprinkle with the sugar. Serve immediately because it is best when the butter is warm. Diners can stir their berries before they begin, if they prefer.

Chicken with Sausage, Tomatoes, and Black Olives in a Slow Cooker

This past summer I had huge amounts of tomatoes when I came home from a long trip in Europe. It was too hot to roast and freeze them and to complicate matters I didn't have an oven anyway. So I looked for slow cooker recipes that used healthy amounts of tomatoes. This is one. 

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Chicken with Sausage, Tomatoes, and Black Olives in a Slow Cooker

Adapted from THE MEDITERRANEAN SLOW COOKER by Michele Scicolone

Serves 6-10

2 T olive oil
6 sweet Italian sausages (about 1 pd)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
pinch of crushed red pepper
1/2 c dry red wine
1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes, or 4 cups chopped fresh tomatoes run through the food processor
6 whole chicken legs, skin removed if preferred, or 12 thighs, boneless or bone-in
salt and freshly ground pepper
1-1 1/2 c pitted Kalamata olives, halved
3 T chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, or basil sliced in chiffonade, or chopped fresh oregano 

If you are using chopped fresh tomatoes, you may want to cook them by themselves in the slow cooker for about an hour on high to help break them down more completely.

Heat the oil over medium heat in a skillet and place the sausages into the hot oil and cook them until they are brown on all sides. Place them in a large slow cooker. In the oil, cook the chopped onion until it is softened. Add the garlic and the crushed red pepper. Cook for a minute and add the wine. Bring to a boil but turn down to a simmer and cook for about a minute.

Transfer the onion mixture to the slow cooker and add the crushed tomatoes if you haven't used fresh tomatoes. Place the chicken pieces into the sauce in the slow cooker. Turn them over and spoon some of the sauce over the top. Cover and cook on high for an hour and then for approximately 3  hours on low until the chicken is very tender. The meat may start to separate from the bones. You can also test the meat with a thermometer and make sure it is at least 165F.

Check the sauce. It should be about the texture of a spaghetti sauce. If not, remove the chicken and sausage and place the sauce into a shallow saucepan or a skillet and cook over medium heat until it is reduced to your preference. Return the sauce, chicken, and sausages to the slow cooker, stir in the olives, and return to heat. Check for seasonings and add more salt and pepper if needed.

Serve the chicken and sausage garnished with one or the other of the fresh herbs. I believe it would be good accompanied by pasta or polenta, as well.  

White Peach Cardamom Crumble

I've still got a few white peaches on my tree, very few.

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White Peach Cardamom Crumble

Source: howsweeteats.com

Serves 4-6

For the fruit layer:

6 white peaches, thinly sliced (4 cups, approximately)

2 T loosely packed brown sugar

1/4 teas salt

1/8 teas ground cardamom

For the crumble topping:

1/3 c rolled oats

1/3 c loosely packed brown sugar

1/3 c AP flour, you can substitute wheat flour if you prefer (I did)

1/4 teas cinnamon

1/4 teas salt

1/8 teas ground cardamom

3 T butter, softened

1/3 c sliced almonds

Heat your oven to 375F. Place peaches into a buttered baking dish (7X10 or approximate equivalent). Sprinkle with the brown sugar, cardamom, and salt. Stir until peaches are coated and set aside.

Combine the oats, flour, sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt in a bowl. Cut in the butter using your fingers, a fork, or a pastry blender, until coarse crumbs appear. Spoon the topping over the peaches. Sprinkle the almonds over the top and place in the oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until golden. Let sit for about 5-10 minutes and serve with vanilla ice cream or yogurt (frozen or not).

Salad of Peaches and Strawberries in Orange Vinaigrette

 Last bit of summer fruit for me. Many thanks to Betsy for sharing her peaches with me!

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Salad of Peaches and Strawberries in Orange Vinaigrette 

Adapted from: myrecipes.com
Yield: 4 servings

1/3 c frozen orange juice concentrate
1T sugar
1 1/2 T champagne or white wine vinegar
1T extra-virgin olive oil
dash of salt
2 c halved strawberries
1-2 ripe peaches or nectarines, cut into wedges
1/4 c small fresh basil leaves (or large leaves cut into strips)

Combine the juice concentrate, sugar, vinegar, oil, and salt into a small jar and shake to emulsify. Place berries and peaches in a bowl and pour the dressing over all. Stir until fruit is coated. Sprinkle top with the basil leaves and serve.

Notes:

Although not listed in the title, the original recipe includes 1 1/2 c of blueberries using half a cup fewer strawberries and only one large peach. I didn't have blueberries but I believe the salad would be gorgeous, and delicious, with them. I felt like the volume of the dressing was excessive so I saved some for a later salad.   

The original recipe instructs cooks to heat the dressing and pour it over the salad warm, allowing the salad to sit for 20 minutes before serving. I haven't used this extra step but you may want to try it. 

Cucumber, Melon, and Watermelon Salad

This sweet and tangy salad was a recent kitchen synchronicity: I happily realized I had all the necessary ingredients already on site. While it's very good exactly as written, this recipe can also serve as a general flavor guide, with room for negotiation on amounts and ingredients. 

My maternal grandfather used to salt cantaloupe and watermelon, so generously that it seemed gross to me as a child. But I suppose I understand now. The salt and feta here blend so well with the sweet melons. 

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 Cucumber, Melon, and Watermelon Salad

Source: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015022-cucumber-melon-and-watermelon-salad
Serves 4

4 c mixed diced watermelon, honeydew and cantaloupe (or use just one type)
2 c diced cucumber, seeds removed (not necessary on English cucumbers)
salt to taste
1 teas lemon or lime zest
2 T freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice
1-2 teas chopped fresh mint
1 oz feta cheese, crumbled
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1/4-1/2 teas Aleppo or Turkish red pepper, or chili powder (to taste) or 1 serrano chile, minced (optional, and those of you who know me will not be surprised to know that I've never added the heat)

Place all the ingredients in a large bowl. Mix gently together just before serving.

This is best just after mixing but leftovers can sit for a day in the fridge.

Overnight Blueberry Almond Oatmeal

It's not really oatmeal season anymore, but a slight drop in temperatures for a few days recently, down into the 60s, was enough of an excuse for me to make this oatmeal again. Plus the aforementioned huge bag of frozen blueberries is still taking up space in my freezer. 

This recipe came from a cookbook that belongs to my 12 year old. Yes, it's for young chefs, but it also has some excellent recipes that are simpler than many that come from the Cook's Illustrated franchise. Not everything is a slam dunk, for me or the kids (I don't like the chocolate chip cookie recipe, they don't like the sesame noodles with snow peas and carrots), but the simplicity is certainly appealing to this adult. 

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Overnight Blueberry Almond Oatmeal

Source: The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs from America's Test Kitchen
Serves 4 

3 c plus 1 c water, separated
1 c steel-cut oats
1/4 teas salt
2-3 T packed brown sugar, depending on your sweetness preferences
2 T almond butter
1/2 c blueberries
1/2 c sliced almonds

In the evening, boil 3 c water in a large saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in oats and salt. Cover saucepan and let sit overnight. 

In the morning, stir 1 c water into the saucepan with the oats and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium, then cook, stirring occasionally, until the oats are tender but chewy and the mixture is creamy.  (Original recipe says 4-6 minutes, but at my elevation I went several minutes longer.) 

Remove from heat. Stir in the brown sugar, almond butter, blueberries, and almonds, and let it sit for a few minutes before serving.

Slow-cooker Roasted Mississippi Roast

I cooked this several weeks ago and became an instant fan; the pepperoncini make it especially tasty but not particularly hot.

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Slow-cooker Roasted Mississippi Roast

Adapted from: NY Times Cooking
Serves: 8-10

1 boneless beef chuck roast or top or bottom round roast, 3-4 pds (if you choose to use a bone-in roast add an extra 1 to1 1/2 pds to compensate for the bone)
1-2 teas kosher salt
1 1/2 teas freshly ground black pepper
1/4 c AP flour
2-3 T neutral oil
4 T unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces, (if you have a fat cap on your roast, you can cut this butter down, or remove the fat cap)
8-12 pepperoncini (I like even more since they didn't seem to retain heat in slow cooker)
2 T mayonnaise
2 teas apple cider vinegar
1/2 teas dried dill
1/4 teas sweet paprika
1 teas buttermilk, optional
chopped parsley, for garnish

Rub the roast with the salt and pepper all over. Then sprinkle the flour over all and rub it into the flesh with your fingers.

In a large sauté pan over medium-high to high, heat the oil until it shimmers and threatens to smoke. Set the roast into the pan and cook on all four sides until you have a well-browned crust. Remove from the pan and put the roast into the slow cooker. Drop in the butter and the pepperoncini peppers and turn on the cooker to low.

Combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, dill, and paprika in a small bowl. Stir in the buttermilk and pour all into the cooker spreading over the roast. Replace the lid and continue cooking for 6-8 hours without disturbing it. I found 6 hours was sufficient. At any rate, after 6 hours take the lid off to see if the roast is easily shredded by pulling it apart with 2 forks. If it isn't tender, replace the lid and continue cooking for another 1-2 hours.

When tender continue shredding and mix with the gravy in the cooker. Top with parsley to garnish and serve with buttered noodles, rice, or potatoes (my preference). I used some of my leftovers for pulled beef sandwiches.

Lazy Daisy Oatmeal Cake

One of my pandemic activities was to sort through my old recipe card file boxes as well as those I inherited from my mom. I hadn't baked this since returning to the Mountain West and higher altitudes. It's not terribly fancy but quite homey and comforting with it's oatmeal and chocolate flavors. Pouring the custard sauce over the top makes this cake reminiscent of oatmeal-chocolate chip cookies with milk, but better. 

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Lazy Daisy Oatmeal Cake

Source:  A church women's luncheon years ago

Makes a 9X13 pan

Adjustments for altitudes of 4000-5500 feet:

Reduce each sugar by 1 tablespoon

Increase the flour by 1 1/2 tablespoons

Reduce baking soda to 3/4 teaspoon

Increase vanilla to 2 teaspoons

Use room temperature eggs

1 1/4 c boiling water

1 c oats

1/2 c butter, at room temperature

1 c granulated sugar

1 c light brown sugar

1 teas vanilla

2 eggs

1 1/2 c flour

1 teas baking soda

1/2 teas salt

3/4 teas cinnamon

1 cup chocolate chips, semi-sweet or bittersweet

Preheat the oven to 350F. Prepare a 9X13 pan by greasing and flouring bottom and sides.  

Heat water, pour over the oats and cover; let stand 10 minutes. Beat the butter until creamy and add both sugars gradually; continue beating until somewhat light. There is so a high proportion of sugar it won't be as creamy. Add the eggs and vanilla.  Beat well. Stir in the oatmeal and blend well. Add sifted dry ingredients and stir until incorporated. The batter will be thick. Use a spatula to move it to prepared pan. Smooth the top and sprinkle the top with the chocolate chips. 

Place in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes. Remove from the oven when a cake tester comes out clean. Allow to cool a bit. 

Custard sauce:

1 c evaporated milk

1 c sugar

2 egg yolks

1 cube butter

1 teas vanilla

Combine the ingredients in a saucepan and cook slowly until thickened. Allow to cool 10 minutes. Pour over pieces of cake and serve. 

This cake can be served warm or cool with the sauce poured over, although I like it best with the sauce warmed up.

The cake can sit at room temperature for a couple of days but leftover sauce must be refrigerated. Use it within 4-5 days.

Sesame Blossoms

 These taste even better than peanut butter blossoms, and are, I think, prettier.

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Sesame Blossoms

Source: Washington Post

Yields about 30

Altitude adjustments for elevations from about 4000-5000 feet:

Add 2 T flour

Subtract 1 T sugar

Scantly measure the baking soda 

Generous 1 3/4 c AP flour

1 teas baking soda

7 T unsalted butter, at room temp

2/3 c packed light brown sugar

1/4  granulated sugar

1/2 teas salt

1 large egg, at room temp

2/3 c well-stirred tahini

1 teas vanilla extract

1/2 c untoasted sesame seeds, for coating

approximately 30 chocolate kisses (I highly recommend dark chocolate, if you can find them)

Stir the flour and baking soda together in a small bowl. Beat the butter, sugars and salt together on low speed in either a stand mixer or using a hand mixer and a bowl. After a few seconds raise the speed and beat at medium for about a minute, just until completely combined. However, the mixture shouldn't be fluffy.

Add the egg, tahini and vanilla, and mix at medium just until smooth. Scrape down after 15 seconds and then beat for another 15 seconds or so until the ingredients are thoroughly mixed. 

Stir in the flour mixture and mix at low until the dough just comes together. Try not to overmix and stop when there are no dry patches. Scrape the sides of the bowl down with a rubber spatula and using a folding motion, mix by hand to ensure there are no unmixed portions. Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator for between 1 and 24 hours. 

After chilling, place the oven rack in the middle and preheat the oven to 375F. Prepare 2 rimmed baking sheets by covering with parchment paper.

Measure the dough into portions using a heaping tablespoon full or a number 50 ice cream or cookie scoop. If you have a scale, the cookies should weigh about 20 grams. Roll each ball generously in the sesame seeds and roll once more to make sure the seeds adhere. Place them on the parchment paper about 2inches apart. You can place 12 on each sheet.

Cook one sheet at a time for approximately 10 minutes, just until the cookies puff up somewhat and are light brown and a little crackly. Pull the pan from the oven and set a chocolate kiss in the center of each cookie, pushing gently to embed it slightly. Return the sheet to the oven and cook for an additional 2 minutes until cookies are golden brown and somewhat flatter. The chocolate kisses will have softened but will hold their shape. 

Slide the parchment off the pan carefully and let the cookies cool on top of the counter. After a couple of hours the chocolate should have firmed up somewhat but they shouldn't be hard. 

Napa Cabbage Salad

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Napa Cabbage Salad

Source: Cook's Country Magazine Feb/Mar 2020

Serves 6-8

4 slices bacon, sliced in half-inch strips

3 oz blue cheese

1/4 c olive oil

2 1/2 T lemon juice

1 teas pepper

3/4 teas table salt

1 small head napa cabbage (1 1/2 pds) cut into 1 1/2-in pieces

8  oz grape tomatoes, halved

1/2 English cucumber, halved or quartered lengthwise and sliced thin crosswise

1/2 c thinly sliced red onion or shallot, rinsed. or to taste

1/4 c chopped fresh basil, optional

Cook bacon and allow to rest on a paper-towel lined plate or baking sheet.

Place the cheese, oil, lemon juice pepper, and salt in a large bowl and whisk for about 10 seconds until slightly creamy with chunks of blue cheese. To the bowl add the cabbage, tomatoes, cucumber, 

onion, basil, and bacon. Toss and taste for seasoning. Add salt and pepper if needed and serve.

Notes:

Crumbling the blue cheese yourself, instead of buying pre-crumbled cheese, will result in a creamier dressing,

Other vegetables can be substituted for the cucumber if you don't have one. I used celery but I'm sure you could use raw zucchini, carrot, tiny florets of cauliflower--whatever you have.

I have used some fresh oregano leaves instead of basil and that works, too.

Buttermilk Brown Sugar Waffles

You wouldn't think we need another waffle recipe (see zucchini, cornmeal, Mr. Spackman's, and chocolate). But we do! I accidentally quadrupled this new recipe the first time I made it, so I was glad that they were tasty. This waffle combines a pleasing nutty flavor with the lovely crunch of cornmeal waffles and the ease of preparation of Mr. Spackman's. 

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Buttermilk Brown Sugar Waffles

Adapted slightly from https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/9062-buttermilk-brown-sugar-waffles
Yields about 8 waffles

2 eggs
1 3/4 c buttermilk
1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
3/4 c all -purpose flour
3/4 c white whole wheat flour
1/4 c wheat germ
2 T light brown sugar
2 teas baking powder
1 teas baking soda
1 teas salt
butter, for greasing the waffle iron

Whisk eggs, buttermilk, and melted butter in a large bowl. In another bowl, mix the dry ingredients together, then add to egg mixture and whisk until just combined. Let the batter rest while you heat the waffle iron. Butter the waffle iron and cook, then enjoy! 

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Buttermilk Brown Sugar Waffles (Quadrupled)

Adapted slightly from https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/9062-buttermilk-brown-sugar-waffles
Feeds my family of 6 for several days

8 eggs
7 c buttermilk
4 sticks unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
3 c all purpose flour 
3 c white whole wheat flour
1 c wheat germ
1/2 c light brown sugar
8 teas baking powder
4 teas baking soda
4 teas salt
butter, for greasing the waffle iron

Whisk eggs, buttermilk, and melted butter in a large bowl. In another bowl, mix the dry ingredients together, then add to egg mixture and whisk until just combined. Let the batter rest while you heat the waffle iron. Butter the waffle iron and cook, then enjoy! 

Sheet-pan Baked Feta with Vegetables

I made this this past holiday season with the last of my garden tomatoes and thought it one of the most beautiful dishes I've cooked; tastes great, too.

On it's way to the oven

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Sheet-pan Baked Feta with Vegetables

Adapted from:  NY Times Cooking
Serves: 4, as a main dish; more if a starter

1 bunch broccolini, trimmed and thick stalks split lengthwise or cut in chunks or broccoli, cut into bitesize pieces
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved (about 2 c)
1 small red onion, peeled and cut into thin slices 
3 cloves garlic, peeled and halved, optional
3 T olive oil, plus more for serving
1 teas ground cumin
1/2 teas red pepper flakes, or to taste
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 lemon, zested and cut in two, one half for squeezing and one for serving wedges 
2 (6- to 8-oz) blocks feta, cut into slices, half inch to an inch thick or vertically into strips
1/2 c fresh basil leaves or cilantro leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped (optional)

Set your oven rack in the lower third and preheat the oven to 400F. Combine the tomatoes, garlic, and onion wedges on a sheet pan and drizzle with the olive oil; toss. Sprinkle with the cumin and red-pepper flakes, and some salt and pepper, and toss once more. Place in the oven and cook for 5 minutes. Pull the baking sheet out and add the broccolini and lemon zest. Squeeze one half of the lemon over all and toss to combine. Place the feta slices among the vegetables. It's all right if they break up a bit (at least one NY Times commenter prefers crumbling the feta into good sized chunks).

Place in the oven and cook for 15-20 minutes, stopping half way through to stir as well as you can while avoiding disturbing the feta. Cook until the broccolini is charred at the tips and the stems can be pierced easily. The tomatoes should break down a bit and their skin should blister.

Remove from the oven; drizzle with more olive oil. Top with herbs, if using. This can be served as is with crusty bread or over orzo, pearl couscous, or farro. Pass remaining lemon wedges.

Notes:

At my altitude (nearly 5000 feet, I had to cook this longer than the suggested time.

If you go to the NY Times Cooking website and peruse the comments, you'll find that this recipe is quite versatile. Home cooks have employed a grill for roasting, have used different seasonings (Italian herbs, for example), and have added other vegetables, including corn, red peppers, summer squash, potatoes and/or olives. There are suggestions for marinated tofu or a different cheese, such as halloumi. Commenters have added chicken thighs (cooked for 35 minutes before adding the rest of the ingredients), sausage, and shrimp (added late so they don't overcook). And some have added canned (and drained) beans. 

Ciabatta

While many folks have turned to sourdough during the pandemic, my "comfort" bread has been ciabatta (I was lucky enough to have yeast in my freezer when others were having trouble acquiring it). I often "double" this by making one batch right after the other (I get four loaves for one oven heating). These loaves freeze well; to preserve the fresh, chewy texture I recommend you freeze what you won't use on baking day.

 

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Ciabatta

Source: Cook's Illustrated

Yields 2 loaves

For suggestions on adjustments for high altitude, see below.

For the biga:

1 c unbleached AP flour

1/8 teas instant or rapid-rise yeast

1/2 c water at room temperature

For the dough:

2 c unbleached AP flour (I've used 1 1/2 c AP plus 1/2 c whole wheat)

1/2 teas instant or rapid-rise yeast

1 1/2 teas table salt

3/4 c water at room temperature

1/4 c milk at room temperature

(or use 1 c water with 2 T powdered milk)

Between 8 and 24 hours before you want to bake, mix together the ingredients for the biga and allow to sit on the counter covered. (Once I couldn't attend to the bread after 24 hours so I put the biga into the fridge for another 24 hours. It didn't seem to hurt it.)

A couple of hours before you want bake, place the biga into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook and add all the ingredients of the dough. Mix together on low speed for a few minutes to get all the flour moistened. Turn the mixer to medium and allow to knead for 10 minutes. In a few minutes the dough will gather around the dough hook and look like it is climbing up. This is a very wet dough and as it becomes cohesive it will slap around the bowl a bit and may cause the mixer to walk around on your counter. So stay close and/or place a wet wash cloth or towel under your mixer to minimize this problem. It's recommended you don't add flour even though you think the dough is too sticky. However, I've added a tablespoon when it hasn't become cohesive after kneading 5-6 minutes.

You can place the dough into a new bowl for rising but I usually just leave it in the mixer bowl and cover it. (This method may be difficult if your machine has a post in the middle of the bowl.) Let the dough rise for 1 hour; use a rubber spatula sprayed or rubbed with a bit of oil to turn the dough over itself. Place the spatula under the dough on one side and turn it, rather like folding. Rotate the bowl and repeat folding ahead of previous fold. Turn the dough a total of 8 times around the circumference of the dough. Cover and allow to rise for 30 more minutes and turn the dough 8 times again. Allow to rise one more 30 minute period.

Place a pizza stone in your oven on the lower-middle rack and preheat to 450F. It's best to give your oven 30 minutes to reach full heat. Place a sheet of parchment paper close to the top edge of a pizza peel and sprinkle a little flour where you'll place the loaves.

Generously flour the counter and turn out the dough. Use a bench scraper or a knife to cut through the dough and with well-floured hands form each piece of dough into a loaf by flattening slightly (you don't want to get rid of all those nice bubbles) into a rectangle about 12 by 6 inches. Keeping your hands floured is the key to success when working with this sticky dough. Fold the short side down and then the opposite side up, like a letter. You should now have a rectangle about 7 by 4 inches. Don't worry too much about the exact size but this is a good general recommendation. Carefully move this loaf to the parchment paper on the peel and place the dough to one side. Repeat flattening and folding with the remaining dough and place it on the other side of the peel. You should have 2 loaves about 4-5 inches apart. (You can also cut your parchment paper into 2 pieces 12 by 6 inches and set them on the peel side by side.)

Sprinkle the tops of the loaves with flour and cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise about 30 minutes. Small bubbles will appear on the top of the dough. Using floured fingers poke the dough and lengthen the loaves to about 10 inches (and about 6 inches wide). Spray lightly with water and use the pizza peel to transfer the loaves and parchment paper on to the stone, making jerky, forward moves which will shake the loaves into the oven. During the first 5 minutes of baking, open the door and spray the tops of the loaves with water two more times. 

Bake for a total of 22-27 minutes until the bread measures 205-210F on an instant read thermometer. Use the peel to slide under the parchment paper and remove both loaves from the oven at once. Place on a rack to cool completely.

Notes on higher altitudes:

I find that at my altitude (5000 feet) the lower atmospheric pressure  means loaves formed as recommended above makes for flatter loaves that I'd like (they're still tasty, though). So I have taken to rolling the dough  (instead of folding like a letter) and placing a thinner, longer loaf onto the pizza peel before the final rise. My loaves at this point are more like 8X3. In addition, when poking the dough just before placing in the oven, I try to keep the loaves more narrow and long, by manipulating the dough towards its center so I once again have a thinner loaf than called for. 

Another thing to consider when allowing this bread to rise at a higher altitude is shortening the rising times slightly (5 minutes or so). At the very least, don't let it go over the recommended time.