Tomato Chicken Stew

Last week my mother asked me if I wanted to prepare something for dinner using the chicken thighs we had sitting in the fridge. She knows that I am always looking for opportunities to bake and cook more, especially cook since I am trying to learn more about it. I decided to use a recipe that I had tried previously with chicken breasts.

The original recipe did not make the chicken into a stew, however I added so much liquid in my adaptation that the final product became quite soup/stew like. I actually enjoyed the way it turned out as opposed to my previous version because it was very flavorful and the broth was excellent for dipping some bread into. Unfortunately I did not exactly measure out how much I was using of each ingredient...I eyeballed most of it. On the one hand that makes it difficult to repeat the recipe; on the other it makes me happy because it means my cooking skills are growing, and so is my confidence in coming up with new recipes and adaptations.

Tomato Chicken Stew

• 1 lb chicken, cut into chunks
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1/2 lb mushrooms, roughly quartered
• 5 cloves garlic, sliced
• 2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1  28 oz. can plum tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp mustard
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Chopped dill and cilantro

1. In a large pan, fry onions over high heat until soft and yellow.
2. Reduce heat to medium, add mushrooms and fry until mushrooms are nice and brown.
3. Add sliced garlic and stir-fry for 30 seconds.
4. Return heat to high and add the chicken, seasoning with salt and pepper. Continue to cook until all of the chicken turns white and no pink is visible.
5. Using your fingers, gently crush the tomatoes and then add the tomatoes, together with all their juices, to the pan. At this point, you may want to transfer the mixture to a large pot because there will be a lot of liquid. 
6. Add all of the herbs and mustard and stir through. 
7. Boil the stew for 15 minutes. In the last minute, add the chopped dill and cilantro and stir through.

Frozen Chocolate Souffle

Recently my dad brought home a magazine from the liquor store featuring many delicious recipes. Each recipe was meant to be paired with a wine but I didn't look too heavily at that part. Instead, I flipped my way through the magazine until I found this easy to make frozen chocolate souffle. Souffles, in general, are pretty finicky and difficult to make. You have to time the baking just right so that your souffle doesn't fall as soon as you take it out of the oven. Since, I have no time and patience for such tedious monitoring of my baking, this no-bake souffle appealed to me. For those who are curious, this souffle is meant to be paired with either Tia Maria, a sweet Jamaican rum-based coffee liqueur, or with Fonseca Bin 27 Premium Reserve Port, a rich chocolatey wine.

I must be truthful and admit I have no idea how this souffle was actually supposed to turn out. I didn't know what texture to look for or even what consistency it should have after mixing. In the end, the finished product reminded me of ice cream though not as fluffy. My mother and brother especially loved it because it had quite a strong coffee taste mixed with the chocolate. They are both coffee and chocolate fanatics so obviously a dessert that combines both flavors is ideal for them. I deviated slightly from the recipe, using freshly made espresso instead of dissolving instant espresso granules in the hot cream, which could have accounted for the extra coffee flavor. Since there were no complaints I guess the coffee flavor was a hit, though I personally wouldn't have minded less of it.

Frozen Chocolate Souffle
Note: This recipe calls for making the souffles in 6 espresso cups. I used fairly large cups and in the end I inverted the souffle onto a plate. The souffles can also be served in the cup, though I liked my presentation on the plate.

• 1/2 cup milk
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup espresso (recipe called for 2 tbsp of instant coffee)
• 8 oz (250 g) semi-sweet chocolate (70%), coarsely chopped
• 3 large eggs
• 4 1/2 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup hazelnuts, chopped

1. If using instant coffee, place milk, cream, and coffee in a heavy saucepan over medium heat and whisk until coffee crystals dissolve. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 15 minutes. If using ready espresso, simply mix with milk and cream and set aside.
2. Using a double broiler, beat the eggs yolks into the coffee mixture until it slightly thickens.
3. Gradually add half of the chopped chocolate, stirring as it melts into the hot cream. Afterward, put the saucepan into an ice water bath to cool down the mixture completely.
4. While the mixture cools, add the salt to the egg whites and beat until stiff. Gradually add the sugar while beating until stiff peaks form.
5. Fold the egg whites carefully into the cooled chocolate mixture.
6. Pour the mixture into each cup until it reaches the top. Place on a baking sheet and freeze for at least 4 hours.
7. Once ready to serve, run a knife around the edges of the souffle and then invert onto a plate. Melt the remaining chocolate and drizzle onto the frozen souffles. Sprinkle with the chopped hazelnuts while the chocolate sauce is still warm.

Hanukkah Rugelach

The holiday season has come upon us which means two things: lots of holiday baking and studying for exams. Thankfully, the exams will be over soon but unfortunately the intense studying has taken a toll on my baking. I actually made these rugelach at the beginning of Hanukkah, when my brother and I went to go visit our old neighbors in Seattle. We spent the weekend having a great time playing with their kids and making Hanukkah goodies. Together we made latkes, little potato pancakes, and also these rugelach.

When I told my mom about the rugelach, she insisted that I not call them that. She said that when she grew up, her mom always called them "ragaliki" which translates into "little horns". I suppose since they are rolled up into the crescent shape they could resemble little horns. It was a little time consuming to make the rugelach, especially since the dough had to be chilled for a bit, but I loved the fact that there are a variety of fillings that can go inside.

The weekend was extremely fun and exactly what I needed before gearing up for exams. On a side note...the XBOX 360 kinect gaming system is so cool! We played it at their house and I must say I am extremely impressed. The sensors are so accurate and have facial recognition. The games are quite interactive and involve a lot of movement...definitely a great source of exercise. My only regret while making the rugelach was questioning why I picked a somewhat time consuming (although delicious) dessert, as it took away from my playing time with the kids. Still, everyone loved the rugelach and I had fun making them.

Hanukkah Rugelach
Note: The recipe makes enough dough for 64 little rugelach. I suggest trying a different filling for each batch of 16.

• 2 cups flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 block (8 oz.) cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1. Sift together the flour and salt and set aside.
2. Using a mixer, cream the butter and cream cheese together for about 2 minutes.
3. With the mixer on low, slowly add in the dry ingredients and mix until a dough comes together.
4. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.
5. Remove the dough from the fridge and roll it out until it is about 1" thick all over. Fold the dough into thirds, wrap it back up and chill it for at least another hour, though you can leave it in the fridge for up to 24 hours at this point.

Raspberry Chocolate Pecan Filling
Note: This is both fillings for enough for one batch of 16 rugelach.

• 1/2 cup raspberry jam (I used seedless)
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips (I used mini chocolate chips)
• 3/4 cup pecans, toasted 

Combine the pecans and chocolate chips in a food processor and pulse repeatedly until the pieces stick together. Empty into a separate bowl and stir in the jam.

Cinnamon Sugar Pecan Filling

• 1/2 cup pecans, toasted
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Chop the pecans finely using a food processor and then mix together with sugar and cinnamon.

To assemble rugelach:

1.  Divide the dough in quarters. Put three quarters back into the fridge while rolling out the fourth quarter into about a 10" circle.

2.  Spread the filling over the dough and then cover with wax or parchment paper. Use a rolling pin to go over it and get the filling spread in an even layer.

3.  Cut the circle into 16 wedges and roll up each wedge, starting at the wide end.

4.  Place rolled up rugelach onto a baking sheet and brush with the egg wash.

5.  If you want you can sprinkle a little bit of sugar on top, or just leave them plain.

6.  Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 22-25 minutes, or until golden brown.

7.  Cool for 5-10 minutes before plating and serving.

Note: There are lots of different fillings that can be made. Some ideas include:

• Walnuts
• Hazelnuts
• Different fruit jams
• Nutella
• Cinnamon Sugar (without the nuts)

Zucchini and Carrot Ribbon Salad

Most often when my family eats dinner we always make the same salad to go with it: tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, balsamic vinegar. It has become a staple salad in our family with a couple of additions at times such as pickles, avocado, feta cheese or some leafy greens. However, for the most part, it stays the same and we all enjoy it.

Last week, I decided that I wanted to try and make something different, spice up our lives a little. I tried making this ribbon salad using our vegetable peeler and random ingredients I found in the fridge. The end result was a yummy salad but my ribbons did not turn out the way I had wanted. All of my ribbons turned out thin and without a border. Perhaps if I had been using a cheese grater or a vegetable thinner that was wider I could have made those beautiful zucchini ribbons with the dark fringes. Also, the ribbons were a little long which made me wish I had cut them down a little. Still, I was happy with the taste of the salad and I think I enjoyed it even more the next day when it was cold.

Zucchini and Carrot Ribbon Salad
Note: The listed quantities are all estimations except for the zucchini and carrots; I added the ingredients until it looked right in the salad.

• 2 medium zucchini
• 4 medium carrots
• 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 cup olives, chopped
• 1/2 cup pine nuts
• Goat cheese or feta cheese chunks
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Olive oil

1. Using a vegetable peeler, cut the zucchini and carrots into long, thin ribbons and set aside. You can keep the cores to use later in something else.
2. In a large skillet, heat up some olive oil over high heat. Add the ribbons and reduce the heat to medium.
3. Toss the ribbons around in the olive oil and continue to heat until just tender, about 3-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper while heating.
4. Pour the contents of the skillet, oil included, into a salad bowl and mix in the rest of the ingredients.

Moussaka

I first tried making this recipe quite a while ago, back in September. I had found the recipe online and it was titled "Speedy Moussaka". Honestly, I didn't seem very speedy to me; it had many ingredients and it required frying and then additional baking. However after reading through other moussaka recipes, and now making it for the third time, I have come to realize that this recipe actually stays true to its name. It may not be speedy in terms of an average dinner, but it's definitely speedy for a moussaka.

The first time I made the dish, I took the time to draw out a picture for myself of how to properly layer it. Of course, in the heat of things, I misinterpreted my picture and ended up with the layers in the wrong order. To cover my mistake, I made a second batch of everything and then added it on top. It ended up being a double-layered moussaka. I suppose this is where the "speedy" comes in...I was able to make a second portion quite quickly once I had gotten my bearings the first time.

Everyone liked the moussaka and no one paid any attention to the order of the layers. My mom, a moussaka lover, was surprised to learn that it was cinnamon that gave the dish its particular taste. The next time my mom and I made the dish together, we followed the recipe with the proper layering. Oddly enough, the family agreed that they liked the first version better and that the second was not filling enough.

We have now made this moussaka three times, and have made the recipe to our liking. We doubled everything in the recipe, except for the meat which was tripled. The end result is delicious! The one thing we have yet to figure out is how to make the texture as silky as it should be, but I promise I'll post the details once I figure them out.

Moussaka

• 3 medium eggplants
• 3 lbs ground beef, lamb, or turkey
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4-5 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 2 cups red wine
• 1/2 cup tomato paste
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 15 oz (500 g) container ricotta cheese
• 12 oz (350 g) feta cheese
• 1/2 cup Greek style yogurt (plain yogurt works fine)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Olive oil

1. Cut the eggplants crosswise into 1 cm thick slices. Mix about 3 tbsp olive oil with 1/4 tsp salt and brush the mixture onto both sides of the eggplant slices. 
2. Arrange the eggplants in a single layer onto a baking dish and bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 12-15 minutes, or until tender. You want to make sure the eggplant are soft when you take them out of the oven, that way they will absorb the flavor of the meat once you arrange the layers.
3. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Crumble the meat into the skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until it is no longer pink. 
4. Transfer the meat to a bowl using a slotted spatula, draining as much fat as possible back into the skillet. Remove and discard all but 1 tbsp of fat from the skillet.
5. Heat the skillet on medium heat and add the chopped onions. Cook until golden and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one more minute.
6. Add the cooked meat, red wine, tomato paste, cinnamon, and oregano to the skillet and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Cook the mixture for about 5-7 minutes, until almost all of the wine has evaporated.
7. In a separate bowl, mix the feta cheese together with the ricotta and parsley. Set aside about 1 cup and add the yogurt to it.
8. In a large baking dish, arrange the layers as following (From bottom to top):

• Eggplant
• Meat
• Ricotta mixture (without yogurt)
• Eggplant
• Meat
• Ricotta mixture (without yogurt)
• Eggplant
• Ricotta mixture (with yogurt)

   
   9.  Bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Zucchini Fritters

Zucchinis are in season right now and therefore we always have some in our fridge nowadays. As I came home from work today, my mom pointed out that she had been craving these zucchini fritters for some time and suggested we make some. Normally, we make these fritters for breakfast and call them "aladushki". Typically aladushki are made with only flour, egg, baking soda, and sour cream...along the lines of a pancake. However my mom makes them with zucchini as well to add a special touch, as well as some healthiness. I agreed to help my mom on the condition that she teach me the recipe and allow me to try making them on my own.

We made two batches using the same recipe, but treating the zucchini differently. In the first batch, we didn't peel the zucchini and grated it, using the food processor, on low speed. This resulted in larger zucchini pieces that had green tips. As shown in the bottom picture, you could definitely tell that these fritters were made from zucchini. Texturally, the large pieces also kept the fritter more chunky and therefore chewy.

In the second batch we peeled the zucchini and grated it on high speed in the food processor. This made the zucchini pieces much more fine and also white. You can tell from the top picture that the fritter isn't green at all and no pieces are sticking out from the sides. Due to the pieces being so fine, they also blended together and allowed the fritter to melt in your mouth.

My mom preferred the second batch because they more closely resembled the real aladushki in their texture. I agreed, but I wouldn't mind grating the zucchini finer with the skins on so that the fritters still come out green.

Zucchini Fritters
Note: My mom has been making this recipe for a while so all of the measurements were eyeballed. The basic idea is to create a slightly runny batter similar to a pancake batter, but with little zucchini pieces in it.

Makes about 24 palm sized fritters.

•  4 cups grated zucchini (2 medium zucchinis should sefice)
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup sour cream or yogurt
• 1 cup flour
• Pinch of pepper

1. In a large bowl, combine the zucchini, egg, baking soda, salt, sour cream/yogurt, and pepper. 
2. Add the flour and mix well. If the batter becomes too stiff, pour a little milk until it is slightly runny.
3. Heat up just enough oil to cover the bottom of a nonstick skillet.
4. Reduce the heat to medium low and drop about a spoonful of batter into the pan for each fritter. Flatten it out so that the fritter can cook through.
5. Fry each side for about 2 minutes, or until golden brown.
6. Transfer the fritters to a plate covered in paper towels to drain the excess oil.

Tips and tricks:

• Don't be afraid to add a little oil in between additions of batter to the pan. You want to make sure the bottom is always coated in oil so that the fritters don't burn.
• Pat down the fritter once you flip it to help flatten it out and ensure even cooking.
• Enjoy them while they're hot! I personally like to eat mine with some sour cream, but I have also tried salsa and it tastes great!

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

I have decided that I really like my mini muffin tins. They are actually quite convenient if you think about it. In today's diet conscious world, everyone is concerned with eating too much dessert. The mini muffin tin allows you to make perfect bite sized desserts that anyone can sample without feeling too guilty. Also, the little size makes the dessert look cuter than a big chunk on a plate.

The reason I am blogging about mini muffin pans is because I recently made this wonderful chocolate zucchini bread but had way too much batter. I didn't want to make two loaves...that would be overkill. Instead, I used half the batter in the loaf pan and then the other half to make twenty four little mini bites. It worked out great because I brought the mini bites with me to a birthday party and everyone loved them.

This recipe is perfect for chocolate lovers...it is honestly one of the chocolatiest breads I have ever tasted. The zucchini has the effect of moistening the bread though you can't taste it at all. In fact, had I not told everyone that there was zucchini in it, no one would have known. Apart from that, knowing that there is zucchini in it can allow you to trick yourself into thinking that you're being slightly healthy as you munch down the chocolatey goodness.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Note: I got a little overexcited when shredding my zucchini and ended up with 4 cups. This recipe is for the original amount which yields one loaf or 24 mini bites.

• 2 cups shredded zucchini (1 medium zucchini should be enough)
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup yogurt or sour cream
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips

1. Beat the sugar, eggs, and vanilla together. Add in the sour cream/yogurt and then the shredded zucchini. Mix until evenly combined.
2. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until everything is incorporated. Gently mix in the chocolate chips.
4. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
5. If baking the mini bites, bake at the same temperature for 15-20 minutes.

Tiramisu

Today is my mom's birthday! I decided that as a gift to her, I would make her favorite dessert...tiramisu. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of tiramisu because it has such as strong coffee flavor and I'm not keen on the bitter taste of coffee. However, I thought she would appreciate my taking the time to learn how to make her a yummy tiramisu especially for her birthday.

Traditionally, tiramisu is made with eggs, marscapone cheese, lady fingers, and espresso. Of course other variations exist that substitute heavy cream for the eggs or some sort of fruit for the espresso. After making this cake, I realized that the technique itself is not too difficult and I think I will attempt to try a non-traditional variation next time. Also, due to my brother's concern over the raw eggs, I think I will switch to using heavy cream in the filling. For one, it eliminates the possible health hazard; he was quite worried after being extensively taught in his food class about the dangers of raw eggs and salmonella. Also, I think that using cream will give it a fluffier texture and make it more smooth.

I'm glad my mom enjoyed her birthday cake but I think I will try and make a different flavor next time to see how it tastes. Online there were many interesting variations involving fruits such as strawberry or raspberry. Also, many people like to add a little bit of liquor to the espresso. I personally chose to forgo the liquor because it creates an even more bitter taste, but I'm sure that when paired with the right liquor it can heighten the espresso flavor and coffee fanatics would enjoy that.

Tiramisu
Note: I made this for a 9" cake pan but you can use pretty much any dish you desire. Just make sure to trim the ladyfingers so that they fit into your pan. For example, I had to trim my ladyfingers to make them short enough to not stand over the top of the pan.

• 500 g marscapone cheese
• 400 g ladyfingers (I actually used 1 1/2 packages but it depends how the lady fingers fit into your pan)
• 5 eggs, separated
• 125 g (1/2 cup) sugar
• 2 cups espresso, cooled
• Chocolate bar (dark or milk depending on your preference)
• Cocoa powder

1. Beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks and set aside.
2. Beat the egg yolks together with the sugar until creamy and pale yellow in color, almost white. 
3. Mix the marscapone cheese into the egg yolk and sugar mixture.
4. Fold the egg whites gently into the creamy mixture and mix lightly until evenly combined.
5. Lightly dip each side of the ladyfingers into the espresso and arrange around the bottom and sides of the pan. Make sure you don't soak them through, just a little dip to get them moist.
6. Spread half of the filling over the ladyfingers and then grate the chocolate over top.
7. Arrange the next layer of dipped ladyfingers and then spread the rest of the filling over top.
8. Grate the chocolate and then use a fine mesh sieve to dust cocoa powder over the top. Refrigerate the cake for at least 4 hours to allow all of the flavors to come together.

Roasted Tomato and Pepper Soup

I have never made soup before...until now. The other day I was watching food network and I saw a recipe for a simple roasted tomato soup. As I watched the host prepare the soup I thought to myself "hey, this isn't so hard...I can do this". It turned out the host was right; the soup was easy to make and the only difficulty was waiting for it to cool down a little before putting it in the blender. Best of all, it had a great tomato and pepper flavor and you could really feel the effects of the roasting prior to making the soup.

Roasted Tomato and Pepper Soup

• 8 Roma tomatoes, sliced in half with insides scooped out
• 4 bell peppers, sliced in half
• 8 garlic cloves
• 1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
• 6 cups vegetable or chicken stock (I actually used Clamato juice to give it even more of a tomato flavor)
• 1 can tomato paste
• Olive oil
• Balsamic vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Optional: Chili pepper flakes
• Optional: Basil or cilantro for garnish

1. Arrange the tomatoes and peppers on a shallow roasting pan, skin side up. Add the garlic cloves and onion to the pan as well.
2. Sprinkle some salt and pepper then lightly drizzle some olive oil and balsamic vinegar over the pan ingredients.
3. Roast at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 40-50 minutes. Take the pan out once the skins are slightly charred.
4. In a soup pot, warm about 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat and then mix in the tomato paste.
5. Add the roasted ingredients to the pot, including all the juices left on the pan, and stir well to combine.
6. Add the vegetable or chicken stock and then reduce heat to low and allow the soup to simmer for 20 minutes. Optional: you can add some chili flakes to soup to give it a little kick...just don't go overboard otherwise it will overpower the actual flavor of the soup.
7. Transfer the soup to a blender and puree. *It is important that you let the soup cool slightly before blending it and do not fill the blender more than halfway.* The best way to do this is to blend 1/3 of the soup at at time and allowing each batch to cool in the blender for 5 minutes before proceeding. Pulse it a couple of times first, then continue to puree. 
8. Pour blended soup back into soup pot and reheat. Garnish with some cilantro or basil.

Two-Bite Peanut Butter Brownies

Seeing as today is Remembrance Day and a statutory holiday, my whole family spent the day at home relaxing. I decided that I would use the opportunity to bake and revisited the idea of peanut butter brownies. This was not my first attempt; previously I attempted making peanut butter swirl brownies. I don't know what went wrong last time but somehow the brownies turned out extremely greasy. Of course my brother and his friends didn't mind, and ate up the entire pan, but I personally couldn't handle more than one bite.

Even so, I decided that I would attempt to make this tasty little treat once more. This time the brownies turned out much better, although they were quite difficult to remove from the pan. I baked them in a mini muffin tin and I didn't feel like making two batches so I kind of overfilled them. I think this contributed to the difficulty in later removing them from the pan because the edges puffed out and created little muffin tops which were kind of sticky due to the peanut butter. Still, it was yummy and that's what I was going for.

Two-Bite Peanut Butter Brownies

For the brownies:

• 5 oz. (150 g) bittersweet chocolate
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt

For the peanut butter:

• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 8 oz. (1 block) cream cheese, softened
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp milk
• 1/4 tsp vanilla

1. In a double broiler, heat the butter and chocolate until evenly melted and combined. For set up of the double broiler see the chocolate covered strawberries post.
2. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder. Add the salt and mix together.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the sugar into the melted chocolate. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla.
4. Slowly whisk in the flour mixture and continue until all of the dry ingredients are well incorporated.
5. Spray the mini muffin tin with nonstick spray and then evenly divide the batter amongst the cups. I made 24, filling them quite full, but if you fill them only halfway (like you're supposed to) it actually makes close to 40.
6. Beat all of the peanut butter ingredients together until creamy. Spoon on top of the brownie mixture in each cup, covering so that you can't see any chocolate underneath.
7. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. The tops will start to crack, making it easy to slide a toothpick into the chocolate alone.
8. Cool before removing from the pan.

Note: You can also make this in a large 8 x 8 pan by pouring out the entire brownie batter and then evenly spreading the peanut butter over top. Bake for about 40-45 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cakes

I am a proud new owner of a stand mixer! My baking dreams came true last week when my mom went out and bought a Hamilton Beach stand mixer that doubles as a hand mixer as well. It's not big and fancy like the Kitchen Aids, but it's my very own stand mixer and I love it. Of course as soon as she brought it home I was dying to test it out...but I waited it out until the weekend.

Ever since our faithful hand mixer broke at the end of the summer I took to the internet to do some mixer related research. I found that overall, the Hamilton Beach hand mixers were highly rated because of their range of speeds. Not only is the mixer powerful at the highest speed but it is also gentle at the lowest, a quality that a lot of new mixers seem to be missing nowadays.

Although I have yet to test the mixer with a cake batter, my most frequent baking item, I did manage to use it to whip up some fluffy cookies. The funny thing about these cookies is that they actually don't taste much like cookies...they are so soft and fluffy that they taste like flattened little cake disks. When my brother ate one he said that it resembled eating the top of a chocolate chip muffin.

The recipe is interesting because it substitutes part of the butter with ricotta cheese, therefore giving the cookies a completely different taste and texture. The cookies tasted good but they were definitely unexpected; they felt almost like a sponge cake studded with chocolate chips all over. I would recommend them to anyone who is a fan of cupcakes or sweet muffins, but enjoys smaller portions. Also, the cookie dough is not at all like a typical cookie dough. It is extremely sticky and does not allow you to shape the cookies into balls. I used an ice cream scoop to plop down mounds of dough onto the cookie sheet and spaced them out so they would have room to spread.

In the end, I was glad I got to use my new mixer and can't wait to do so again. I hope that the standing feature will allow me to make my cake batters even faster...therefore giving me time to make even more cakes than before!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cakes
Makes about 18-20 cookies

• 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2-3/4 cup chocolate chips (depending on your preference)

1.  Mix the ricotta cheese and butter together until well blended.
2. Add the sugars, egg, and vanilla and mix again until everything is fully incorporated.
3. Add the baking soda, salt, and flour and mix again.
4. Gently fold in the chocolate chips into the cookie dough.
5. Freeze the dough for 20 minutes. Using a large spoon or scoop, plop down mounds of dough onto the cookie sheet about 2-3" apart. The cookies spread quite a bit so don't be afraid to give them room.
6. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15-20 minutes or until the edges are golden.

Baked Cheese en Croûte

I was a little upset when I looked over my blog and realized that I had only blogged three posts this month. I was going strong for a while, but then midterms took their toll on my cooking. I decided that since it was the last weekend of the month, I had to at least make something new. Due to the fact that I did not have a lot of time to spend on a recipe, I searched for one that could be done with pre-made ingredients.

As always, I went through tastespotting.com looking at beautiful pictures of food and clicking on anything appealing. Of course most of the recipes required more effort than I was willing to put in and I had to leave them for some other time. However one recipe stood out as completely do-able and it came from a blog that I have been following. I have already made some of the recipes from Annie's Eats and every single time they're a big hit. This time was no exception; the family loved the cheese and ate it all up faster than I had anticipated. In fact, my mom said that she was going to run out to the store the next day to buy another round of cheese.

The original recipe called for brie cheese, but I used goat cheese because that's what we had on hand...and because I've been addicted to it lately. You can pretty much use any soft cheese that comes packaged in a round. Also, I used peach preserves because they were in the pantry, however the original recipe used apple. Quite frankly, you can use any fruit you like because the idea is to balance the saltiness of the cheese with the sweetness of the fruit. Whatever ingredients you choose, just know that there's almost no way to go wrong and everyone will be raving about your creativity.

Baked Cheese en Croûte

• 1 package crescent dough
• 1 round soft cheese with rind (brie, camambert, goat cheese, etc.)
• 1 jar preserves (peach, apple, cranberry, etc.)

1. Combine the pre-cut triangles and roll it out to about 1/4" thickness and big enough to fold over and cover the cheese almost completely when placed in the center.
2. Cut the disk of cheese horizontally across to create two thinner disks. 
3. Place the bottom disk, rind side down, in the center of the puff pastry and cover with an even layer of fruit preserves.
4. Place the top disk, rind side up, over the fruit and cover with another layer of preserves. Don't be afraid to use a little extra on top...it will taste great.
5. Fold the remaining dough up an over the edge of the cheese and pinch into pleats. The dough should cover most of the cheese and fruits so that only a little bit is exposed in the middle.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit, or until the dough is golden brown and a little crispy. If you notice the edges are brown but the middle is still doughy use aluminum foil to cover the edge and leave the middle exposed. Cool for five minutes and then transfer to a plate with crackers.

Update: Recently I have been making this recipe in a slightly different way that makes pre-portioned individual servings rather than a large one that has to be cut.

1. Combine the pre-cut triangles and roll it out to about 1/4" thickness and then cut out 2" circles. 
2. Place the circles into a mini muffin pan and press the dough up along the slides. 
3. Cut the cheese round in across and then into walnut size chunks. Fill each well with a piece or two of the cheese and top with some preserves. 
4. Bake in the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-13 minutes.

Fig and Goat Cheese Galette

I actually made this wonderful galette a while ago, but I have been so busy with studying for midterms that I haven't had the chance to blog about it. Believe it or not, I actually tried figs for the first time this past summer while traveling in Israel. Most of the figs I encountered there were green figs, while here I find that black figs are more common. Although there are actually several different varieties, the general rule is that the darker the pulp inside, the more fig flavor.

My galette featured black figs because that is what I had on hand. I sliced the figs and arranged them in concentric circles on top of the dough. Originally, I had intended to make my own balsamic reduction but we ran out of balsamic vinegar and only had the already reduced vinegar in our pantry. It paired well with the galette because it was a strawberry reduced balsamic vinegar, so it already had some fruity flavor to it. Still, I think that next time I will try reducing my own. Overall, the galette was delicious and I'm actively searching for more figs so that I can make it again.

Fig and Goat Cheese Galette

For the dough:

• 1 3/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, cold
• 5-6 tbsp water, cold

1. If you have a food processor: Combine the flour, sugar, and salt and pulse a couple of times. Add the chunks of butter into the processor and pulse until the butter pieces are roughly the size of walnuts.
2. If you don't have a food processor: Dissolve the sugar and salt in the water and set aside. Cut the butter into large chunks and add to the flour, and continue cutting the butter through the flour until only walnut size pieces remain.
3. Transfer the dough mixture into a bowl and moisten with the water, starting with just a couple of tablespoons at first. Work the mixture until it forms a dough, adding water by the tablespoon only as needed if it feels dry.

Tip: Make sure your ingredients are cold before you start preparing your dough, as this will make the process much easier.

For the filling:

• 6-8 figs, sliced
• 5 oz. goat cheese log
• Reduced balsamic vinegar (optional but yummy)
• 1 egg yolk

1. Roll out the dough into about a 9" circle.
2. Spread the goat cheese over the dough, leaving about a 2" border all around.
3. Arrange the sliced figs on the dough in circles, covering the goat cheese.
4. Drizzle some reduced balsamic vinegar over the top of the figs. Remember, a little goes a long way.
5. Fold the uncovered border over the edges and pinch into pleats.
6. Add a touch of water to the egg yolk, to create an egg wash, and brush lightly over the exposed dough.
7. Bake for 15-18 minutes at 425 degrees Fahrenheit. The galette is done when the figs start to bubble and the crust is slightly browned.

Crème Brûlée

Currently, the Taste of Yaletown is going on in Vancouver. For those who don't know, Taste of Yaletown is similar to Dine Out Vancouver except that only Yaletown restaurants participate. Each participating restaurant features a price-fixed menu that is either $25, $35, or $45 depending on the caliber. Your meal includes a choice of appetizer, entree, and dessert. Usually each restaurant will feature two or three options for each category, though sometimes the dessert comes with only one choice. I highly recommend trying out one of the participating restaurants, especially with a group of two or three. That way, you can each order a different item and try it all.

My friend and I decided to partake in Taste of Yaletown and thus we went out last Friday night to one of the restaurants. Unfortunately, neither she nor I were impressed with the restaurant we chose. Originally we had picked the restaurant because the menu sounded delicious and each course had multiple options to choose from. However, once we sat down to eat we both found that the food was extremely salty across the board. The food was left on our plates hardly touched, which was unfortunate because it looked so good. 

Despite the salty appetizers and entrees, the desserts we ordered were quite delicious and the plates were left completely empty afterward. My friend ordered a lovely apple tart with rum raisin gelato, while I ordered a vanilla bean crème brûlée. The crème brûlée was silky smooth with a lovely caramelized sugar on top...prepared perfectly. After the meal, I was inspired to try and recreate my dessert and searched online for an easy crème brûlée recipe. It turns out that it is actually an extremely easy dessert to make, causing me to wonder why I haven't done it sooner. In the end, although our dining experience was not the best, I had a good time with my friend and also learned a valuable lesson...less is definitely more when it comes to salt!

Crème Brûlée

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 6 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
• 1 tsp vanilla

1. In a small saucepan combine the heavy cream and vanilla and heat until little bubbles begin to form.
2. Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs yolks and sugar.
3. Once the cream is heated, slowly add the cream to the yolk and sugar mixture, whisking constantly. Make sure that you don't try to rush this because otherwise you could risk cooking your eggs when the hot cream hits them, causing you to have a sweet omelet instead of a creamy custard.
4. Pour the mixture through a sieve into a container with a spout. This will help get out any chunks, ensuring the smoothest possible custard, as well as make it easier to pour into the ramekins.
5. Evenly distribute the mixture amongst all of your ramekins. This is where it gets tricky; I used 10 4 oz. ramekins, maybe 5 oz. I don't know since the ramekins were unlabeled, but I also didn't fill them to the top. I believe that the recipe is good for 6 6 oz. ramekins if you fill them to the very top.
6. Place the filled ramekins in a baking dish and fill the dish with boiling water so that it goes up the sides of the ramekins and is about level with the custard. I actually do this once I put the pans in the oven so that I don't risk spilling boiling water while I transfer them.
7. Bake the custard for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Again, this depends on how deep your ramekins are and how much you fill them. The custard is done when the edges are firm but the center is still a little wobbly, like jello.
8. Remove the ramekins from the baking dish and cool to room temperature before refrigerating for at least 4 hours.
9. Once ready to serve, sprinkle some sugar on top of each custard and place under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, or until the sugar on top caramelizes and turns brown. Unfortunately it's hard to get that perfect crispy top when using the broiler but it's the easiest way to do it if you don't own a blow torch.

Optional: I made half of the crème brûlées traditionally, and half with a strawberry glaze. Making the glaze is easy, and to assemble simply spoon a thin layer of the glaze over top of the custard before sprinkling the additional sugar on top. I made way too much glaze, so I served the extra alongside the crème brûlée and some people chose to spoon some extra onto their individual portions.

Strawberry Glaze

• 1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 lemon, juiced

Combine all of the ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer until the liquid reduces to about half. Puree the mixture and cool before applying to the custard.

Lemon Cheesecake

Although I made this cheesecake a week ago for my uncle's birthday, I have been so busy since then that I haven't had time to sit down and blog about it. Unfortunately I have been saddled with studying for midterms, and cannot wait until they are over and I can get back to trying new recipes.

This cheesecake was a combination of something old, something new, something borrowed...but no blue. I used one of my favorite cheesecake recipes and paired it with a lemon curd topping. The recipe for the cheesecake represents the something old and borrowed, since I got it a long time ago from Tyler Florence of Food Network. The lemon curd brings in the something new because I learned how to make it in my pastry class and decided to try it out on this cake. Normally the lemon curd is meant to be used as a filling, either for pies such as lemon meringue or in between a layered cake. I decided that I would simply top my cheesecake with it so that it would give an extra lemony flavor.

I must admit I was pretty busy the day that I prepared the cheesecake, and rushed through the process. As a result, my cheesecake ended up with a crack on top running almost all the way across one side. Luckily, I was able to use the lemon curd and fill in the crack as well as spread it over the surface of the cake. That's the great thing about cheesecakes...even if its cracked you can always cover it up and the cake itself almost always tastes great inside, despite any outside bumps or bruises. Taste-wise, the curd gave it a nice lemon flavor without being too overpowering for the cake itself. In the end, I was pleased with the cheesecake and everyone else enjoyed it as well...with none the wiser about the crack.

Lemon Cheesecake

For the lemon curd:

• 3 egg yolks
• 7 1/2 tbsp icing sugar (it works out to be slightly less than 1/2 cup)
• 2 lemons
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

1. Bring the lemon juice to boil in a small pot and remove from heat.
2. In a separate, heat-proof bowl, whisk the icing sugar into the egg yolks.
3. Whisk the hot lemon juice into the sugar egg yolk mixture.
4. Place the bowl over a pot of gently boiling water and continuously whisk until the mixture becomes thick.
5. Remove the mixture from the heat and whisk in the butter a little bit at a time.
6. Pour into a container, cover, and cool in the refrigerator.

For the crust:

• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup (8 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and then transfer to a 9" springform pan. Gently press down all along the bottom and sides and then bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 minutes. Set aside to cool.

For the cheesecake:

• 1 1/2 lbs (3 blocks) cream cheese, room temperature
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 cups sour cream
• 1 lemon, zested
• 1 tsp vanilla

1. Beat the cream cheese on low speed for about one minute and then beat in the eggs, one at a time, until well incorporated.

1. Slowly beat in the sugar, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
2. Beat in the sour cream, lemon zest, and vanilla and continue until well combined.
3. Pour the mixture into the cooled springform pan and bake for 55 minutes at 325 degrees Fahrenheit using a hot water bath or by placing a pan of hot water on the lowest rack beneath the cake.
4. Without opening the oven door, turn off the oven and leave the cake to cool for 1 1/2 hours inside the oven. Afterward, remove from the oven and cool to room temperature before refrigerating for at least 4 hours, though preferably overnight.
5. Once completely cooled and refrigerated, spread the lemon curd evenly over the top of the cake. You can garnish it with some lemon slices to add a nice touch.

Nutella Brownie Bites

I think that this has become one of my favorite brownie recipes. Not for the fact that it tastes great, which it does, or because it uses Nutella, and who doesn't love that, but because it uses only four ingredients and bakes in under ten minutes. I honestly can't think of a simpler brownie recipe and for that reason alone it ranks highly among the many brownies I've made.

Although the brownies tasted delicious, with a wonderful hazelnut flavor accented by the chopped nuts on top, when I served them everyone at the table said they had wished it had more of a gooey center. I supposed that naturally, people associate brownies as moist and gooey, or at least chewy. This brownie was more airy and cake like rather than fudgy. I think that in the future, I will bake it for 1-2 minutes less and see if that keeps some of the gooiness inside. Also, I'm curious as to how these would turn out if I baked the entire batter in a regular pan and then cut it into pieces. Because I loved this recipe so much, and I'm sure I will be making it again, I will definitely try experimenting with it and see what happens.

Nutella Brownie Bites
Note: A single batch makes 12 mini brownies.

• 1/2 cup Nutella
• 1 large egg
• 5 tbsp flour
• 1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts

1. In a medium bowl whisk together the nutella and egg until smooth and blended.
2. Add the flour and whisk until combined.
3. Spray a 12-cup mini muffin pan with nonstick spray or line with paper or foil wrappers. 
4. Spoon the batter into the cups, filling each cup about 3/4 full.
5. Sprinkle the chopped hazelnuts over top of each cup.
6. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes. Next time, I'm going to try 8 minutes and see how that turns out.

Tomato Spiced Quinoa

Due to my recent surgery, I have had to employ a high-protein, high-calorie diet as of late. Over the summer I had scrolled over many posts on tastespotting.com featuring quinoa (pronounced keen-wa), a high-protein grain. Given my surgeon's instructions, and the known health benefits of quinoa, I decided to try and make a dish using this versatile ingredient.

Based on others' comments who had previously eaten quinoa, I knew that it can have a slightly bitter taste. I did a little research and learned the proper way to cook the grain so that it loses its bitter taste and absorbs as much flavor as possible, while also staying light and fluffy. I tried to recreate a recipe of mine for Spanish rice except I substituted the quinoa for rice.

Since I had never tasted quinoa before, I really didn't know what to expect. By using quinoa instead of rice, the dish had mostly the same flavor profile, but with a slightly nutty taste to it. Surprisingly, the member of my family who enjoyed it the most was my brother, citing its mild flavor as his favorite aspect. My mother commented on the fact that she wished it had a stronger flavor, which my brother profusely rebutted. Since quinoa can be served both hot and cold, I tried my dish both ways. When served hot, the tomato flavor and the flavors of the individual spices were more prominent. However, the cold quinoa had a stronger nutty flavor that overpowered the tomatoes and other spices. I think that I will continue to play around with more quinoa recipes and see how different flavors pair with the healthy grain.

Tomato Spiced Quinoa

• 1 28 oz. can whole tomatoes
• 1 14 oz. can chickpeas
• 2 cups quinoa
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tbsp coriander
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Optional: 1/4 tsp-1/2 tsp chili pepper flakes (sprinkle just enough to give it a little kick)

1. Rinse the quinoa by covering it with cold water in a large bowl. Swirl it around a couple of times with your fingers and then drain off the top water. Repeat the process 2-3 times, or until the top water is no longer murky but is clear instead.
2. Pour out the tomatoes and their juice into a medium saucepan and gently, using your fingers, crush the tomatoes. Although you could use diced tomatoes right away, the canned tomatoes come with more juice. Whichever method you choose, just make sure you have a 1:1.5 ratio of quinoa to liquid.
3. Bring the tomatoes and their juices to a boil.
4. Meanwhile, toss your washed and drained quinoa with all of the spices and chili flakes. Make sure the quinoa is well coated.
5. Once the tomatoes and juice has boiled, add the quinoa and bring to a boil once again. As soon as it starts to boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cover the pot with a lid.
6. Continue to cook for 15-20 minutes, or until all of the quinoa has absorbed the liquid and bloomed. You should see little white "threads" surrounding the grains. If you're not sure, leave it to cook longer rather than taking it off the heat prematurely.
7. Turn off the heat and leave the quinoa, with the lid on the pot, for another 10 minutes.
8. Once ready, fluff the quinoa with a fork and mix in the chickpeas throughout.

Poppy Seed and Walnut Rolls

I have been wanting to make these rolls for quite some time and finally got the opportunity to do so this weekend. My grandparents just returned from a vacation to Switzerland and France, and the whole family gathered at their apartment to hear their stories and view pictures. By now, my entire family knows that no get-together is complete without my baking. As such, I'm always looking to try out new recipes on them.

I decided to go easy on myself and prepare the dough the same way I do for all of my other sweet dough creations. Although I did research other dough recipes, I wasn't sure how much they would yield and how well I could roll out the dough into a large rectangle. Since my family is quite extensive, I like to bake things big...big cakes, long rolls, etc. Therefore, I decided to stick with what I know, as far as the dough, and leave the experimentation to the filling.

The fillings were quite easy to make and I was able to use my new zester...I was not disappointed. I loved the walnut filling because it was very moist and the nutty flavor was accented by the orange and lemon zests, but not too powerful...it felt just right. The poppy seed filling was also nice in flavor, but I wish I had put about twice as much because it was a lot thinner than the walnut feeling and was therefore not as moist once baked. Next time, I might even try mixing the fillings and seeing what that tastes like; I have a feeling the moisture from the walnut filling would help the poppy seeds.

Poppy Seed and Walnut Rolls
Note: Each roll uses half of the dough from my sweet dough recipe, which can be found here.

Poppy Seed Filling

• 1 cup poppy seeds
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp butter
• 1 lemon, zested
• 1 orange, zested
• 2 egg whites (save the yolks for the egg wash) 

1. Pour boiling water over the poppy seeds. Let them stand for 5 minutes, drain them, and repeat the process.
2. In a small saucepan, cover the poppy seeds with milk and bring to a boil. Strain the poppy seeds and then grind in a food processor until the seeds release the milk and turn white. You may have to scrape down the bowl a couple of times.
3. Add the sugar, honey, and butter and cook for about one minute.
4. Once cool, add the zests and egg whites and mix it all together.

Walnut Filling

• 1 2/3 cup ground walnuts
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 lemon, zested
• 1 orange, zested
• 1/4 cup water

1. Mix all of the ingredients together and gently simmer for about 15 minutes. Cool and set aside

To make your rolls:

1. Divide the dough in half. Roll each half into a large rectangle, leaving it about a 1/4"-1/8" thick, depending on how big you want it.
2. Spread the poppy seed filling over one rectangle, the walnut filling over the other. Make sure to leave a little border so that you can seal the rolls. If you want, you can sprinkle some raisins over the fillings like I did, or you can leave them as is.
3. Carefully start rolling the dough from one long side to the other, taking care not to squeeze too hard.
4. Place the rolls onto a baking sheet, seam side down, and cover in plastic wrap. Let them sit for 30 minutes.
5. Using a fork, poke some holes all along the top of the rolls. Brush with an egg wash and sprinkle with some topping of your choice. I sprinkled sliced almonds all along the tops and sides, just to give it a little extra sparkle.
6. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 35-40 minutes. I noticed after 30 minutes that the tops were a nice golden brown and I didn't want them to get burnt, so I covered the rolls with aluminum foil and then put them back in the oven for about 7 minutes.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

When I was in seventh grade I entered junior high school and bought my lunch everyday from the school cafeteria. It took me a year of eating school lunch food to realize that I could have much better lunches, both nutritiously and taste wise, if I simply packed my own lunch. However, from time to time I still bought the chocolate chip cookies. They were the most moist, gooey, delicious chocolate chip cookie I had ever had and I couldn't help but treat myself sometimes.

Today I finally made a chocolate chip cookie that I loved, and it reminded me so much of those cookies I had back in junior high. Although they weren't gooey, they were extremely soft and biting into them left me with such a nostalgic feeling. They had the perfect amount of moisture and crumbled in my mouth. I later realized, after reading through my previous posts, that the recipe is almost exactly like that of the triple chocolate chip cookies I made in July. The only difference is that those cookies call for chocolate pudding mix instead of vanilla and also cocoa powder. After making these cookies, and recalling the soft texture of the other cookies, I have decided that I really like using pudding mix in the recipe because it makes the cookies extremely soft and crumbly. Now I wonder what other types of cookies can be made with pudding mix...

On a side note, I decided to finally learn the difference between baking powder and baking soda. Baking soda is pure sodium bicarbonate (my bachelor of science being put to good use) while baking powder is a mix of sodium bicarbonate, an acidifying agent (cream of tartar), and a drying agent (usually starch). What that means is that when baking soda is combined with some sort of acid, such as chocolate, yogurt, honey, buttermilk, etc., it releases little bubbles of carbon dioxide and causes your batter or dough to rise. Baking powder has the same effect, but without the slightly bitter taste that baking soda can sometimes leave behind. This is due to the fact that baking powder comes "built-in" with an acid and a base, therefore it is neutral tasting.

So what does all this really mean in terms of baking? It means that if a recipe calls for baking soda, you can substitute baking powder so long as you use twice the called for amount, because baking soda is more concentrated. However, if your recipe calls for baking powder and you don't have any...you're out of luck. That's because baking soda is missing the acid component that will help your cake, or whatever batter you are making, to rise. Also, since most recipes with baking powder usually use only neutral ingredients, and not acidic ones, your recipe won't help in the rising department either. After all this research, the moral of the story is...always make sure you have baking powder and don't worry so much about the baking soda, it's too bitter anyways.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 package vanilla pudding mix (you can try some other flavors...be creative)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup chocolate chips

1. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt and set aside.
2. Cream together the butter and sugars until light and airy.
3. Beat in the pudding mix, then the eggs one at a time, and finally the vanilla.
4. Combine the dry ingredients with the wet. I started by beating mine in a little at a time and then finally switched to using my hands to finish the job. It will seem like the dough is too dry because it will first be chunky but if you use your hands you can form it into a uniform dough.
5. Add the chocolate chips and work them in throughout the dough.
6. Refrigerate your dough for about 15-30 minutes. This makes it easier to shape the dough into balls.
7. Roll out 1" balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet about 1" apart. I rolled mine out a little bigger because I like big cookies and I really wasn't looking to make dozens of cookies. Don't worry about placing them close together on the baking sheet because these cookies don't spread at all. In fact, I flattened mine out so that they would have a disk shape rather than a ball shape.
8. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-12 minutes. If you make them smaller, definitely go with 10 minutes, maybe even 8. However, my cookies were quite large, about 2", so they took about 13-15 minutes to bake.
9. Take the baking sheets out of the oven and keep the cookies on there for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool.

Laughing Cow Cookies

To celebrate my brother's arrival home from his many travels, I decided to bake some cookies. Nothing too heavy, just a light little snackable cookie that I knew he would like. I turned to one of my favorite cookie recipes, and really one of my only ones because I don't make cookies too often, the laughing cow cookie.

Laughing cow is a spreadable cheese that comes in little wedges and my family loves it. When you buy a laughing cow disk box (that's probably not its name but I don't know how else to call it) it comes with a little recipe card. Usually I just look at the recipe and then throw it away, but when I saw this cookie recipe I decided to try it because I was curious as to what laughing cow would taste like in a cookie. Fortunately, I was not disappointed.

I can't say that the cheese flavor is strong and overwhelming, in fact its quite hard to tell there is any cheese in the cookie at all. However, for a sugar cookie it is extremely soft and moist and not overwhelmingly sweet, which I like. Also, the recipe is so simple and basic that you can make tweaks to it and have one recipe turn out several different types of cookies. For example, this time I sprinkled half the cookies with plain sugar, while the other half were coated in a cinnamon-sugar mixture. In the past, I have also made the cookies double layered with a jam filling, and once with cocoa powder to make them chocolaty. Really, the possibilities are endless and I'm sure I will come up with more in the future.

Laughing Cow Cookies

• 3 wedges laughing cow spreadable cheese
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tsp baking powder

1. In a large bowl, beat the laughing cow, butter, sugar, and vanilla until smooth.
2. In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking powder.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the first bowl and combine until a dough forms.
4. Roll out the dough to about an 1/8" thickness and cut out desired shapes.
5. Sprinkle cookie surfaces with extra sugar. Make sure to evenly coat the entire cookie.
6. Bake at 350 Fahrenheit for 10 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before plating.

Lemon Pull Apart Loaf

After making the challah for Rosh Hashanah, I had extra dough left over so I decided to give this recipe a try. I had actually been meaning to make it for quite some time but every time I made sweet dough my mom insisted that I make the fruit filled cream cheese braids because she fell in love with them. This time, however, I finally convinced her to let me give this recipe a try. The technique is actually really cool and it makes such a beautiful looking loaf, I just couldn't resist. My only qualm is that I wish it had a stronger lemon flavor, but that can be achieved by simply making more of the lemon filling and really slathering it on the dough.

Lemon Pull Apart Loaf
Note: This loaf uses half of the dough from the sweet dough recipe.

• Sweet dough (recipe can be found on link above)
• Zest of three lemons (use more if you want more filling)
• 3 tbsp sugar
• Melted butter
• Juice of one lemon
• 1 tbsp icing sugar

1. Mix together the lemon zest and sugar and set aside.
2. Roll out the dough into a large rectangle and cut into five strips.
3. Brush the first four strips with melted butter and then spread with the lemon filling.
4. Stack the strips on top of one another, making sure the plain strip is on top.
5. Cut the strips into six equal sized blocks and arrange them, cut side up, side by side in a pre-greased 9" x 5" loaf pan.
6. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, dry place for half an hour. Brush with an egg wash while you preheat the oven.
7. Bake the loaf at 350 Fahrenheit for about 45 minutes. If it starts to get too brown on top cover it with aluminum foil to keep it from burning while the inside keeps baking.
8. Once it's baked, transfer the loaf to a metal rack to cool. Mix together the lemon juice and icing sugar to create a simple glaze that you can pour over the top while its still hot.

Rosh Hashanah Challah

Shana Tova! That is the Jewish way of saying Happy New Year. Traditionally, Jewish families eat a special type of sweet bread on the Sabbath called challah. However, on Rosh Hashanah, the challah is even more special because it is baked in a round shape, meant to symbolize the cycle of a year.

When I searched for Rosh Hashanah challah recipes online, I came across one that had great reviews. The only complaint people had was that it seemed to take too long to rise. I decided to overcome that problem by doubling the yeast. I made sure to prepare the dough ahead of time so that I could make changes if need be...and it's a good thing I did. Even though the dough rose, I felt that there wasn't enough to make a challah big enough for the entire family.

I then decided to make a second challah, this time with a recipe I was more sure of. Although I didn't use a challah recipe, I used my sweet dough recipe instead, I filled the dough with apples and rolled it into a round shape.

Even though the first challah had great reviews online, I can't say I was that impressed with the taste. The recipe called for honey instead of sugar but in the end I felt it wasn't sweet enough. The apple challah, on the other hand, was sweet and moist and I was very glad that I had decided to make it at the last minute. Maybe the other challah wasn't great because I didn't stick to the recipe, though my only change was the additional yeast. In hindsight, maybe I should have added more honey as well...I don't know. For those interested in the recipe, I got it from epicurious...perhaps someone else will have better luck with it. I, on the other hand, will stick to the apple challah since it seemed to be a hit with the family.

Apple Challah
Note: I used only half the dough to make the challah, the other half I set aside and used in a different recipe.

• Sweet dough (recipe same as for apple cream cheese braid)
• 3-4 medium size apples, cored and peeled
• Honey

1. Cut the apples into small chunks and gently heat with some honey until nice and soft. I don't know how much honey I used, I just poured until I felt it was enough and the apples had a nice sweet taste to them.
2. Roll out the dough into a rectangle about 20" x 15".
3. Lay out half the apple chunks onto the middle third of the dough and fold the bottom third over. I recommend straining the apples to remove as much juice as possible, so that it doesn't seep out later.
4. Pat the dough down around the apples and then lay down the rest of the apple chunks on top. Fold over the top third of the dough and pat down around the apples once again. Try to seal the dough around the sides and ends, but be careful not to rip it.
5. Starting from one of the ends, carefully roll the dough into a loose cylinder. I emphasize the loose because if you press down hard, the dough will rip and apple chunks will fall out.
6. Transfer the dough, with the smooth side facing up, to a pre-greased round cake pan. I used an 11" springform pan, because it's the biggest one I have, but you can probably get away with a 9". The dough won't fill up the whole pan but you can pat it down a little very gently. 
7. Cover with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rest in a warm spot for half an hour. Afterward, brush with an egg wash while preheating the oven.
8. Bake at 350 Fahrenheit for an hour. Once the dough starts to get golden on top, about half way into baking, cover it with aluminum foil so that the top doesn't get burnt while the inside bakes.

Breakfast Frittata

Question: What do you do with a brand new oven-safe pan and lots of leftovers?

Answer: Make a frittata!

A frittata is basically an omelet that starts off on the stove and then gets finished off in the oven. I have been begging my mother for an oven-safe pan for quite some time and we finally bought one this weekend. Of course I had to try it out right away and what better way to utilize it, and clean out the fridge, than to make a fritatta. I pretty much raided our fridge for any item I thought would be delicious in an omelet, threw it all in the pan, poured over the eggs...and voila...breakfast. It was definitely fast, easy, and tasty. Best of all, I got to try out my new pan and was extremely pleased with it.

Here are 5 easy steps to make a frittata:

1. Saute all of your fritatta fillings in a nonstick skillet over medium heat until nice and tender. Really you can use anything here, that's the beauty of a frittata. Some examples include meats and veggies such as chicken, turkey, onions, mushrooms, peppers...you get the point. I added potatoes to mine and I'm sure leftover pasta would taste great as well.
2. Whisk together your milk and eggs in a separate bowl. I really don't know the proper ratio, but I would suggest about four eggs to a 1/4 cup milk. Basically, make sure you have enough liquid to cover all of your fillings once you pour the egg mixture into the pan. Add some salt and pepper for seasoning.
3. Pour the egg mixture into the pan and give it a quick stir.
4. Cover the pan with a lid and reduce the heat to a medium low. Allow the frittata to cook for about six minutes, or until the bottom is nice and set. The top will still be runny but don't worry because...
5. Put the pan in the oven under a broiler to finish cooking the top of the frittata. Five to six minutes should be plenty, but use your judgment. As soon as the top looks ready, it's done. If you're a cheese fan, sprinkle some cheese over the top right before you put it in the oven and take out the frittata once the cheese on top is bubbly and melted.

That's it...the quick and easy way to have breakfast and clean out your fridge at the same time. Enjoy!