Friday

Homemade Pasta

I used this to make ravioli, but it could be used for spaghetti, etc. This uses the Kitchenaid which I alo use the pasta roller attachment with.
I use organic 'happy' eggs which are a little smaller so I generally need closer to 3c of flour. It's easier to add more flour than dl with dry dough.

Ingredients:
4 large eggs
0.5 c water
3-3.5 c all purpose flour
0.5 tp salt

Place eggs, eater, flour, salt in mixer bowl. Using flat paddle beater, turn speed to 2 and mix for 30 sec. Switch to dough hook and beat for 2 min on speed level 2. Remove dough and hand knead for 1-2 min. Let rest for 20 min. Cut into quarters before processing.

Thursday

Buckeyes

I made these and took them to work to rave reviews. The chocolate dipping is a bit tricky, but even if they're ugly they taste great!

Ingredients:
1/4 cup (2 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups peanut butter (smooth, but you can use chunky if you are looking for more texture)
1 cup graham cracker crumbs (from about 14 graham crackers)
Salt (optional, see note up top)
3 cups confectioners’ (powdered) sugar
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks or 5 ounces) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
12 ounces dark chocolate (60 to 72%), coarsely chopped

Make the filling: In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and peanut butter together until combined. Add the graham cracker crumbs and beat for 10 seconds. Add the sugar and butter, and mix on the lowest speed until it stops floating off everywhere, then increase the speed until the ingredients are combined. Scrape down the whole bowl well, then mix again. The mixture will be quite sturdy and a little dry — perfect for shaping. Set it aside while you prepare the coating.

Make the coating: Melt the chocolate either over a double boiler, stirring until it is completely smooth or in a microwave in 30 then 10 second increments, stirring before you start it again until it is completely smooth. Let it cool to tepid (about 100 degrees, though I’d go a little cooler next time for a thicker coating; I had a few ounces of chocolate leftover) while you shape the peanut butter centers. [Alternately, you can temper the chocolate (fairly simply instructions here) for a perfect showy finish.]

Assemble the candies: Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Scoop out slightly more than one tablespoon’s worth of filling (their suggestion; I used a scoop that made them a little smaller) and use your hands to form it into a ball. Place the ball on the prepared sheet and repeat the process until all of the candies have been shaped. They can sit close to each other but make sure they are not touching.

Using a fork or large skewer, dip each ball into the chocolate and roll it about so that almost the entire candy is coating, leaving a small circle uncoated. I found it easiest to stick the skewer in the side, angle the bowl I was using towards it and make sure it became submerged as I rolled the candy around.

Chill the buckeyes until they are set, about 30 minutes.

Recipe from Smitten Kitchen blog

Monday

Pea and Radish Salad with Chevre

A non-lettuce salad option for summer.

Ingredients:
1c frozen peas
1c frozen shelled edamame
1c fresh sugar snap peas
4 thinly sliced radishes
crumbled fresh goat cheese to taste
vinagrette to taste (I like red wine, dijon and EOO)

Cook your frozen peas and edamame in salted boiling water, transferring to ice water as soon as they're done. Blanche sugar snap peas the same way. Drain all the green things well and transfer to a medium bowl. Add sliced radishes and toss with your vinagrette. Garnish with goat cheese.

Adapted from Bon Appetit April 2011

Brown Sugar-Balsamic Swirl Ice Cream

You need some variety of ice cream maker for this one and you need at least a day to let the custard chill. Boiling the balsamic down will be roughly equivalent to making a batch of tear gas on the stove, so turn on your vent. It is, however, worth it.

Ingredients:
1.5c heavy whipping cream
1.5c whole milk
3/4c dark brown sugar (divided 1/2c, 1/4c)
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped
6 egg yolks
1/2-3/4c balsamic vinegar

Combine cream, milk, 1/2c sugar and vanilla in a heavy saucepan. Bring cream mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved.

Meanwhile, whisk yolks and 1/4c sugar for 2 minutes until very thick and pale.

Gradually whisk some of the hot cream into the eggs to temper it. Once you're sure you've not scrambled your egg yolks pour it all back into the saucepan so you can make your custard.

Stir over medium heat until custard thickens and you get a temperature of about 180* - being careful not to boil it. This only took me a couple of minutes. Ice bath your saucepan or pour custard into nested bowls to rapidly cool. Stir constantly until it's all cooled off - about 15min. Cover and chill overnight.

Sometime well before the ice cream making step, put your balsamic in a saucepan and bring to a boil. I started with 1/2c but next time I'm going to 3/4c. Bring the vinegar to a rapid boil in as soon as 3 minutes (depending on how hot your stovetop gets) you'll be to syrup. Remember, boiling hot it won't really look thick at all. If it looks thick in a hot pan, it will be like glue in ice cream and you will lose all your fillings. To test you can put a drop on something cool and check the consistency. Let cool to room temperature.

Put your custard in the ice cream maker. After it has processed entirely, pour in your balsamic syrup and let blend for 5 seconds. Any more and you'll not have a swirl, but a nice overall flavor to your ice cream.



from Bon Appetit Dec 2010

Shrimp Salad with Tarragon-Caper Dressing

You can make a poor man's lobster roll or serve this on salad greens or with crackers.

Ingredients:
1/2c lite mayo
2 Tbs capers, drained and finely chopped
1.5 Tbs finely diced sweet onion
1 Tbs chopped fresh tarragon
1/4 tsp celery seeds
1/4 tsp tabasco
1/2c finely chopped celery
1lb fresh shrimp meat

You don't need instructions. Mix it all together. It's best if it can sit in the fridge a little before diving in.


From Bon Appetit Aug 07

Marinated Chicken Kebabs with Arugula and Corn Salad

The recipe is for 1 serving, but it will expand. Just figure 1 chicken breast per person and multiply everything else accordingly. We did this on the grill initially and it worked great.

Ingredients:
1/4c low fat greek yogurt (1/2 individual container)
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp chopped fresh dill (or 1 tsp dried)
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into 1.5in pieces
1c baby arugula
3/4c (~1 ear) corn kernels
olive oil and a bit more lemon juice to dress salad
salt and pepper to taste

Combine yogurt, lemon juice, and dill. Season with salt and pepper. Add chicken and stir to coat. Cover and refrigerated 1 hour, or up to overnight.

Heat broiler with rack in top position. Tread marinated chicken on metal skewers and place on a wire rack set on a rimmed baking sheet. Broil chicken, turning occasionally, until cooked through and dark brown in spots - about 10-12 minutes.

Meanwhile toss arugula and corn and drizzle with lemon and olive oil.