Floating Ghost Cupcakes

As a grand finale to my Hallo-week of special treats, I have saved the best and (perhaps) trickiest treat for last. These ghostly cupcakes were inspired by a slideshow of Halloween cupcakes on Martha Stewart's website (see the original below!). The cupcakes, which use cupcakes topped with fondant to create ghostly little desserts were too cute not to make.

The original Martha recipe calls for homemade Devil's Food cake, suggests using cupcakes topped with marshmallows as the base for the ghost bodies, and uses store-bought fondant. After reading a variation of the recipe on "Not So Idle Hands," another cooking blog, I decided to combine the two and add some of my own tricks.

I have slightly simplified the recipe by using Devil's Food cake mix, and mini cupcakes instead of marshmallows. I also decided to follow Emily's advice from "Not So Idle Hands" and make my own marshmallow fondant rather than buying expensive fondant from the store.

The recipe below is my own interpretation of the Martha and Emily combination.

The Recipe:

1 box Devil's Food cake mix
1 pound of marshmallows
1.5 boxes of confectioner's sugar
1/2 cup of shortening (to grease your hands and the counter)
2-5 Tablespoons of water
24 chocolate-candy-coated sunflower seeds, for eyes

First, make your marshmallow fondant several hours before the cupcakes.

Take your marshmallows and put them in a very large bowl. Sprinkle them with 3-4 Tbsps of water and microwave them 30 seconds at a time, stirring vigorously between heatings, until they are melted and smooth. Then, add the majority of your sugar and stir as much as you can. Grease a surface with lots of Crisco to prevent sticking. Also make sure you grease your hands, as you will be kneading the dough. Plop the mixture down and knead it until well incorporated. As you go along, add the rest of the sugar and as much Crisco as you need to keep it tame. Then, wrap the fondant in plastic and refrigerate for several hours.

In the meantime, carve some pumpkins, finish your costume, and start baking your cupcakes.

Make your cake mix as directed. To make the ghost bodies, you will need an equal number of large and mini cupcakes. The large cupcakes will be the bases, and the mini cupcakes will be attached for the upper part of the bodies. Let the cupcakes cool.

Once they are cool, cut the puffy tops with a sharp knife to make them level. Then, you can glue them together with either frosting or a toothpick.

After it has chilled, roll the fondant out on your counter, using cornstarch to keep it from sticking. Roll it as thin as you can without it tearing (you don't want it to be too heavy for the cupcakes). You might try breaking it up into 4 sections while rolling, to prevent them from drying out. (If it dries, microwave it for 10 seconds at a time and knead in a tiny bit more shortening.)

Now, it's time to cut out circles for the ghost capes. Use a bowl, cup, or circular object to cut circle shapes. Take the circles of fondant and drape them over the cupcake towers. Arrange it so that the folds of the cape look flowy and polished. Once done arranging the fondant, give the ghosts eyes and mouths by pressing sunflower seeds to them or by using icing to draw faces.

Let fondant harden slightly at room temperature before serving.


Check out another attempt / variation on these ghosts at :
http://www.marthastewart.com/333111/ghost-cupcakes?czone=holiday/halloween-center/halloween-center-desserts
http://notsoidlehands.blogspot.com/2009/10/spooky-cupcake-ghosties-plus-easy.html

The Buzz : The Wall Street Journal goes hunting for the best Pumpkin Beers

Last week, I posted about my one and only experience with Pumpkin Ale, specifically Smashed Pumpkin Ale. To my disappointment, it was not very tasty or very pumpkin-y for that matter, and left a bitter aftertaste.

Yesterday in the cooking section of the Wall Street Journal, there was an article that voiced the same concerns that I had raised with pumpkin ale--its bitterness, acidity, and disconcerting medley of spices.

William Bostwick's article, "Gourd Lovin'", from the October 29th edition of the Journal gives the history of pumpkin ale, which has been brewing since the 17th century, and proposes some ales that stand out of the crowd.

I have reproduced the article below. You can look at the original at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204644504576651132079347592.html?mod=googlenews_wsj . Once again, this is William Bostwick's article from the Journal, and I do not take credit for it.

Gourd Lovin': A new batch of pumpkin beers is proving they're not just a seasonal gimmick

William Bostwick

When the leaves change color, beer store shelves turn orange to match. It's pumpkin beer season, and the trap is set. Each year, we can't resist plucking a bottle or two, but like a bowl of candy corn, their festive hue belies their taste: too sweet, too sour and sodden with perfume-y spice.

It doesn't have to be this way. The best pumpkin beers are the most unexpected. Far from pie-in-a-bottle, they blend in maple syrup, dark chocolate and the vanilla smoothness of oak barrels—dressing the humble gourd in elaborate costumes that buck almost 400 years of tradition.

Long considered the candy-corn of seasonal beers (colorful, but not so tasty), pumpkin beers are starting to prove otherwise. William Bostwick reviews some of his favorites on Lunch Break as Wendy Bounds and Connor Doughtery taste test the brews.

Pumpkin beer is as old as American beer itself. The first settlers from Europe, having braved the wild Atlantic for a strange and tavern-bare land, can't be faulted for slapping beer together from whatever scraps they could find. Into Colonial brew kettles went corn stalks, molasses, tree bark, persimmons and lots and lots of pumpkins. "We have pumpkin at morning and pumpkin at noon," a 1630s ditty ran. "If it was not for pumpkin we should be undone." To some, homegrown beer was not just necessity, but rebellion, a thumbed nose at British imports. But that doesn't mean it was any good.

In fact, it was—and too often still is—awful. Here's why: Sweet and nutty when roasted, pumpkins turn sour when their sugars ferment into beer, giving off an unpleasant cidery tang. In fact, one of the first published recipes for pumpkin beer (from 1771) included an ingredient that was more akin to pumpkin cider: pressed, fermented gourd juice. Brewers hid that taste with a mix of boiled spices like cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. And that's where it all went wrong.

A brewer I know says that if you can taste a single ingredient in a beer, there's too much of it. Beer is a tippy boat: paddle too hard and it flops into the deep. Belgian wheat beers are regular offenders, tasting occasionally like coriander or orange-peel soup. With pumpkin beers, the opposite happens. Few are one-note—no nutmeg soup here—but their pumpkin-pie potpourri can be even more intense than a single, overemphasized spice. Call it the Candle Shoppe Gestalt: The blend of scents is worse than any individual offender.

And yet that pumpkin-spice canon, established centuries ago, has persisted ever since, analogous now with the season itself. Thankfully, that's changing, as brewers bring new ingredients, wild yeasts and, yes, a subtler spice rack to this style of brew. It's high time for another rebellion in beer: a pumpkin ale that actually tastes great. Here are five that are leading the way.

1. Dogfish Head Punkin Ale, 7% ABV: Named after the bizarre tradition of Punkin Chunkin, in which catapults hurl gourds across a Delaware field, Dogfish Head's classic is a dry, meaty brown ale. The pumpkin provides body-building starch, the spices are restrained and a touch of brown sugar dries the beer out so it snaps like brittle toffee and crunching leaves.

2. Jolly Pumpkin La Parcela, 5.9% ABV: The American masters of wild yeast live up to their name, finally, with a pumpkin beer. Of course, it's so much more than that: a nose of mulled cider, dusted at the finish with cocoa; a sour bite, not from pumpkin but from wild bacteria; and toasted, even slightly burnt, spice to tie it up.

3. Uinta Oak Jacked, 10.31% ABV: Part of Uinta's Crooked Line series of special releases, Oak Jacked takes the Salt Lake City brewery's Punk'n Harvest Pumpkin Ale, bumps up its strength to 10.31% (get it?) and ages it in oak barrels for six months. The originally perfume-y beer bulks up and mellows out, its spices hidden behind a velvet wave of vanilla-streaked liquor.

4. The Bruery Autumn Maple, 10% ABV: The best pumpkin beer in the patch isn't a pumpkin beer at all. Fall tradition for these SoCal brewers means staying up all night to roast 600 pounds of sweet potatoes for every batch. They bring a nuttiness and yes, a slight cidery sourness, but it's wonderfully offset by earthy molasses, maple syrup and a fruity Belgian yeast.

5. Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale, 5.6% ABV: More spicy than spiced—this ale from Portsmouth, N.H., is bracing and bitter. Less aromatic than most, with more noticeable hops, it's not an obvious pumpkin beer, but not quite anything else. Who says autumn can't also be refreshing? This is the only pumpkin beer that rightly comes in a six-pack.

Mixed Messages

So, for those of you who are not in the New York metropolitan area, it's snowing. It's also October 29th and before Halloween.

My pumpkin made this face when he looked at the weather out the window. I made a similar face.

Talk about a Halloween fright!

A New York City Halloween: Chocolate Rats

It's Halloween time in the city, and that means all kinds of spooks and scares. If you're throwing / going to a Halloween party this weekend, you might consider these ironic and creepy treats--chocolate covered strawberries made to look like rats.

They're easy to make, and promise to spook your guests.

This recipe and photo come from Kitchen Daily.

The Recipe:

20 large strawberries
40 sliced almonds
2 3.5-oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate bars, coarsely chopped and melted
40 slivered almonds
20 2-inch pieces of black licorice laces

Line a baking sheet with waxed or parchment paper. Trim a small piece from one side of each strawberry so they can rest flat on waxed paper. Insert 2 sliced almonds about 1 inch from pointed end of strawberry to make the ears on the rat. Repeat with remaining strawberries.

Insert a fork into the wide end of a strawberry. Holding the strawberry on fork, spoon the melted chocolate over the fruit to coat, allowing any excess chocolate to drip off. Place on baking sheet. While chocolate is still wet, arrange 2 slivered almonds to create eyes, then place licorice pieces at the bottom of the wide end of the strawberry to form a tail. Repeat with remaining strawberries, chocolate, almonds, and licorice. Chill until firm.

Boo!


Read more: http://www.kitchendaily.com/recipe/chocolate-dipped-rats-149369/#ixzz1c5utlmhD

Quick, Easy, and (Decently) Healthy Lasagna

My mom has been away on business and my dad can't cook. That means that, if I'm planning on not being home for dinner, I have to cook him something ahead of time so that he doesn't go to bed crying after realizing that there are no more cold cuts.

Yesterday, upon realizing that I was going to be gone all day--from 8 am until 11 pm--I knew that I needed to cook that night. Now, the last thing you want to so after preparing, cooking, and eating one dinner is to start making another, but that's just what I did. After finishing up my potato and leek soup, I set to making the next day's dinner for when my father got the grumbles and my mom stumbled off the plane.

This lasagna is an adaptation from the one of the back of the Barilla box of noodles (super classy, I know), which I made a little healthier. Instead of using marinara sauce, I used Newman's Own garlic and pepper sauce for more flavour, and replaced the ground beef or sausage with ground turkey. In 30 minutes (as I finished the dishes from dinner #1), my lasagna was ready and could go to sleep knowing my father wouldn't starve.

The Recipe:

1 package Barilla lasagna noodles

2 jars Marinara--or whatever suits your fancy--sauce

1 pound meat (turkey, beef, or sausage)

16 oz shredded mozzarella cheese (divided into 10 and 6 oz)

1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

15 oz ricotta cheese

2 eggs

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Cook the noodles as directed on the package in a big pot. Meanwhile, brown and cook the meat. Once cooked, add one can of pasta sauce and let cook gently.

In a large bowl, mix together the eggs (lightly beaten) and cheeses (only 10 oz of mozzarella) so that they are coated.

Line a 13"x9" lasagna or baking pan with tin foil and put a thin layer of sauce on the bottom. On top of the sauce layer, lay down the noodles so that they are slightly overlapping. If they do not reach the entire length of the pan, put a noodle width-wise to cover the gap.

Smooth down half of the cheese mixture and cover that layer with the meat sauce. Then, place down another layer of noodles. Repeat these layers until you run out of ingredients. Finish with a layer of noodles topped with sauce and sprinkled with mozzarella cheese.

Bake in the oven at 375 degrees F for half an hour. Let set for a little while, and either serve, refrigerate, or freeze.

Potato and Leek Soup

I went to the Farmers' Market this weekend to take advantage of the last fresh produce of the year and picked up some lovely leeks. My dad suggested that I make leek and potato soup.

I was looking for a simple recipe, with a lot of flavor, that I could make quickly and found one that fit the bill: it uses relatively few ingredients, doesn't take much time, and requires no complex kitchen skills. So, chop those vegetables, peel some potatoes, and prepare for a warm and comforting dinner.

The Recipe:

2 tablespoons butter
2 large leeks (see my note below on how to clean leeks)
2 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into small chunks
1 quart low-sodium chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp thyme
Chopped fresh chives, for garnish

First prepare the leeks: Feel the outside skin of the leek and cut off the leaves where they start to feel tough. If the portion attached to the white part feels tough cut it until you have the white part and a bit of the light green part left. Cut off the roots and cut the leek lengthwise. Then slice into thin slices. Rinsing leeks is important, but is also a pain. Put your leek slices in a collander, and rinse them thoroughly to get the dirt and sand out from between the thin layers.

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter and saute the leeks until soft, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the potatoes and stock and cook until the vegetables are cooked through and beginning to fall apart, about 15 to 20 minutes. Using a blender, ladle the soup into the blender and blend until smooth but with some small chunks remaining. You may have to do this in 2 batches. Add the cream and blend to combine, then check for seasoning and add salt and pepper, to taste. Serve hot ladled into soup bowls and topped with some of the chopped chives.

The Buzz : Shipyard Smashed Pumpkin Ale

With the onset of the chill fall weather, I saw more and more ads popping up for various pumpkin-flavored ales. Mostly, I was curious--what did pumpkin ale taste like? was it a good thing for ale to taste like pumpkin? would it even taste like pumpkin anyway?

I went to Whole Foods at Columbus Circle last week, and asked their beer stocker what he would recommend. Whole Foods had a good selection of 6 or 8 different pumpkin options. I opted for a large bottle (to share) of Shipyard Brewery's Smashed Pumpkin Ale. It's presumably called "smashed" because of it's very high alcohol content--9.5% for ale.

I was excited to see what the flavor would be, and so a friend and I cracked one open and took a go.

It was a very full and heady beer with a strong taste, that was almost spiced. It had good foam, and did, indeed, give a good buzz. The pumpkin taste, however, was different than I anticipated: there was definitely a pumpkin aftertaste (in a good way), but it fell short of my expectations.

So, in conclusion: good, tasty beer, but not very pumpkin-y.

The gentleman at Whole Foods also recommended Pumpking Ale, which he said had a good flavor. So, perhaps it's time to try that next!

Alice's Teacup Pumpkin Scones

You read that correctly. This is the recipe for Alice's Teacup Pumpkin Scones. As in, the actual Pumpkin Scone recipe from the famed New York bakery and tea-parlour, Alice's Tea Cup.

I love Alice's Tea Cup. I am pretty sure that every woman loves Alice's Tea Cup. What's not to love? As an Alice in Wonderland lover, I love not only the spectacular creations that come from the kitchen--from their famous scones to crisp tea sandwiches, tea-infused cocktails, and grilled items-- but also love the decor, ambiance, and whimsy of the place, which welcomes children of all ages for tea, parties, lunches, and dinners. It is a decidedly feminine environment, great for a girls' night or tête-à-tête with a friend, but it's also lovely for couples' lunches and brunches, as well as drinks. I have brought members of the male sex to Alice's and, despite their apprehensions, they survived and emerged pleased and well-fed.

The standard order from Alice's is a pot of tea and two scones. You choose from any of their hundreds of varieties of teas and from their daily selection of scones, which includes standard and novelty flavors. Old-faithfuls include buttermilk, pumpkin, ham and cheese, and some kind of berry, whereas novelties range from coconut to oatmeal cranberry and various chocolates.

Pumpkin is one of my, and everyone's, favourites. It's just so good. And here it is, courtesy of my friend Liz who obtained it by clandestine measures (or perhaps just read the Alice's Tea Cup Cookbook which I should have bought ages ago).

Just in case you're interested, here's the Amazon product page:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0061964921/?tag=googhydr-20&hvadid=8537715684&ref=pd_sl_j1i67kwfs_b


Tea and scones from a recent Alice's visit.

The Recipe:

The scones:

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
2-1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp kosher salt
2 tbsps ground ginger
2 tbsps ground cinnamon
1-1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1-1/4 cups buttermilk
1 cup canned pumpkin puree (all pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling)
2 tbsp pure vanilla extract

The glaze:

2 sticks unsalted butter
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ginger, and cinnamon. Then, with clean hands, work the butter into the dry mixture until it is thoroughly incorporated and has the consistency of fine breadcrumbs. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and pour the buttermilk, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract into the well. Still using your hands, combine the ingredients until all the dry mixture is wet, but do not knead!

I am warning you now: you might want to get some disposable latex gloves for when you're handing the dough. It is, without exaggeration, the most unruly dough I have ever encountered--very sticky, impossible to work with without having it attach itself to you, and hard to flatten into a disk in the next step.

Turn the mixture onto a floured surface and gather the dough together, then gently pat the dough to make a disk about 1 1/2 inches thick. Make sure you four the surface well, or it will be hard to work the dough. Using a 3 or 3 1/2 inch biscuit cutter (or an upside down glass or cup), cut out as many scones as you can and lay them on a nonstick baking sheet. Gather the remaining dough together lightly to cut out more scones--just don't knead the dough too much, and make sure to keep it floured. You will be rewarded with the lovely scone texture when they're done!

Bake the scones for about 12 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let the scones cool slightly on the baking sheet (about 20 minutes) before glazing them.

While the scones are cooling, prepare the caramel glaze: Place the butter, brown sugar, lemon juice, and salt in a saucepan over medium head and whisk gently until the mixture is smooth. Just as the mixture comes to a light boil, add the heavy cream and reduce the heat to low. Whisk well for 2 minutes, or until the glaze is thickened and smooth; then remove the pan from the heat.

To glaze a scone, hold it by the bottom, dip the top in the warm caramel glaze, and place it back on the baking sheet.

Spooky Meringue Ghosts

Last year, I was invited to a Halloween party hosted by my boyfriend's childhood friends who I had never met. In short, I was going to a party with a bunch of people who I did not know, but wanted to impress. I decided that the best way to get to the hearts of a crowd of strangers was to seduce their stomaches with clever and delicious Halloween desserts. (This is not how I make friends usually). I needed something Halloween-y but that didn't look like I tried too hard, something simple to make with a big impact.

I settled on these adorable ghost meringues, which were a snap to make and a big success. Not only were they fun, easy, and economical, but they were also a huge hit.

This recipe, from joyofbaking.com uses few ingredients and can be whipped up--literally!--in a hurry. So, when you're looking for finger food for your guests this Halloween, look no further; these little ghosts will spook their way into stomachs and hearts.

The Recipe:

4 large egg whites (120 grams)

1/2 tsp cream of tartar (or 1/2 tsp white vinegar)

1 cup (200 grams) superfine sugar (if you don't have superfine sugar simply take 1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar and process it for about 30 seconds in a food processor)

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F and place the rack in the center of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

If you are lucky and have a pastry bag, fit it with a 1/2 inch plain tip. If you're doing this budget-style, take a gallon ziploc bag and cut a small hole in one of the corners. It's cheap, disposable, and you can enlarge the hole if you need to.

Use your electric mixer to beat the egg whites on low-medium speed until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue to beat the whites until they hold soft peaks. Add the sugar, a little at a time, and continue to beat until the meringue holds very stiff peaks. Beat in the vanilla extract. You will know it is ready when it holds stiff peaks and does not feel gritty when rubbed between your fingers ("grit" is undissolved sugar).

Before placing the meringue ghosts on the cookie sheet, place a little of the meringue on the underside of each corner of the parchment paper, which prevents the paper from sliding. Transfer the meringue to the pastry bag and, holding the bag perpendicular to the baking sheet, pipe 2 inch high mounds of meringue. Working in a beehive shape is best. You can also make your ghosts smaller if you like.

For eyes, you can use candy eyes, mini chocolate chips, or icing. If doing candy or chip eyes, place them in now. If doing icing, wait until cooled.

Bake the meringues for approximately 1 - 1 1/2 hours or until they are dry and crisp to the touch, but not so that they brown. Turn off the oven, open the door, and leave the meringues in the oven to finish drying several hours, or even overnight.

The Meringue Ghosts will keep several days at room temperature--if they last, that is!



Read more: http://www.joyofbaking.com/halloweenrecipes/MeringueGhosts.html#ixzz1bZv6pkiF

Hallow--eek Treats!

If the chill in the air and the strange tombstones in your neighbors' front yards hasn't tipped you off yet, Halloween is getting close. I didn't realize how close until this evening, when I noted my lack of a costume or preparation for a fun fall holiday.

To make up for my lack of preparation, I will be gearing myself, and perhaps you, up throughout this week with ideas for spooky sweets and terrific treats to celebrate Halloween. So, get on your costume, whip out the mixer, and get cooking!

Herbed White Bean and Sausage Stew

As I mentioned in a previous post (i.e. the Butternut Squash in Puff Pastry), I went through a phase where I religiously made the New York Times' Dining Section recipe on Fridays when I got out of class, and had the time to challenge myself in the kitchen.

The following recipe for a hearty bean and sausage stew comes from the October 29, 2010 edition of the Times. This recipe combines filling Great Northern beans with sweet sausage in an aromatic and warming stew that is sure to keep the fall and winter chills away. My apartment had yet to have heat (the outdoor temperature is now a balmy 47' F), and so I was in need of something to take the chill from my bones and warm my stomach. This did the trick.

The nice thing about this recipe is that you do not need to soak the beans due to the long cooking time. Also, if you're short on time, try using white beans from a can instead. This cuts the cooking time and preserves most of the flavor. In addition, while the original recipe calls for Italian sweet sausage, you can also make this leaner by using turkey sausage or by using vegetarian meatballs. The beans and herbs provide more than enough flavor, and allow for variation!



Make sure to check out the original recipe and article on the New York Times site: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/03/dining/03appe.html?ref=dining

The Recipe:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, sliced 3/4-inch thick
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 medium carrots, finely diced
2 celery stalks, finely diced
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 pound dried Great Northern beans, rinsed
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 thyme sprigs (or 1 tbsp dry thyme)
1 large rosemary sprig (or 2 tsps dried rosemary)
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

In a very large stockpot, head the olive oil over medium heat before adding the sausage. Brown until cooked through, about 7 minutes, and transfer to a plate.

In the remaining oils, add the tomato paste and cumin, and cook until dark golden, about 2 minutes. Add the carrots, celery, onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the beans, 8 cups water, salt, thyme, rosemary and bay leaf. Bring to a boil before reducing the heat to low and simmering gently until the beans are tender, about 2 hours. You can add more water if needed to make sure the beans remain submerged.

When the beans are tender, return the sausage to the pot. Simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the vinegar and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. Ladle into warm bowls and serve drizzled with additional vinegar and olive oil.

Now that doesn't sound too bad, does it?

Photo credit of NYT

What to do, what to do...

Today, I went to the store and bought a 2-pack of pie crusts. When I got home, I discovered that I had, in fact, bought two 2-packs of pie crusts. What to do? Make more pies! QED

Prepared...at Home: California Roll

I think that it's safe to assume that most people would not be comfortable with the idea of making sushi at home. Sushi is one of those foods that holds a certain mystique: it's almost universally liked, comes in infinite varieties, and involves a certain ritual of preparation and eating. Sushi is something that you go out for, as opposed to staying in for.

Last year, I was at a used book sale, where I stumbled across a sushi cookbook for a laughably low price. I bought it, thinking, "How much can I lose?" and got reading.

A few days later, I made my sushi attempt with Alex assisting me. We washed and prepared the rice, making sure to cook and prepare it carefully, before slicing all the ingredients for California Rolls: avocado, cucumber, and imitation crab meat. Then, very, very carefully, we assembled, rolled, and sliced our rolls before digging in with a great deal of satisfaction and pride.

Recently, I purchased some inexpensive sushi making tools from my grocery store; I bought a combination paddle and bamboo mat set and then a fresh pack of nori (seaweed) sheets. Last time, in lieu of a bamboo mat, I had used my placemats wrapped in plastic to roll my sushi (too industrious for words, I know), so I was very excited to have a real mat.

Tonight, I tried again. I once again made the simple California Roll, but this time using my new tools. It all worked out really well, and I had five whopping sushi rolls to show for my efforts.



The Recipe:

Sushi Rice:

2 cups short grain sushi rice

2 cups water, in addition to water for draining

2 tbsps rice vinegar

2 tbsps salt

2 tbsps sugar


Before beginning, you will need to rinse your rice. Put it into a large bowl and cover it with cool water. Swirl the bowl around and pour the water out. Repeat rinsing and swirling until the water is clear.

Put 2 cups water into a medium saucepan. Add the rice and bring to a boil, then put on lowest heat setting. Cook covered and undisturbed for 15-20 minutes, then remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the vinegar, salt, and sugar and heat them in a small saucepan so that they combine. Pour the vinegar mixture over the rice, folding in with a paddle or large wooden spoon so that all the grains are coated. Let sit until room temperature.

To make the California Roll:

1 avocado, halved, pitted, and sliced

1 small cucumber, sliced into long thin slices

1 pack imitation crab meat sticks

1 pack nori sheets

sushi rice from above

Cover your bamboo mat with plastic wrap and place a nori sheet shiny side down. With the paddle, take a heap of rice (about 1/2 cup) and place it in the center of the sheet. Then, using the paddle, spread it out up to the edges of the sheet (like buttering toast). Then, near the edge closest to you, place a piece of cucumber, avocado, and crab meat in a row. Then, pick up the mat side closest to you and flip it over quickly to roll the sushi in a tight cylinder. keep rolling and collecting the mat in your hand until the roll is complete.

Slice your rolls with a very sharp knife, and serve with soy sauce and pickled ginger!

Potluck Pizza Puffs

My friend, Sophie, was hosting a potluck dinner for her birthday party, and I had no clue what to bring.

After spending quite a bit of time looking through recipes for various lasagnas, enchiladas, frittatas, chilis, and chowders, I stumbled upon a recipe for pizza puffs, individual pizza muffins. Not only did they sound tasty, but they were also already divided and ready to serve upon completion--perfect!

These were not only very easy and inexpensive to make, but easy to transport. It wasn't long before all the puffs had gone up in smoke!

This recipe comes from "Plain Chicken":

The Recipe:

3/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
3/4 cup whole milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
2 oz mini turkey pepperoni, (about 1/2 cup)
4 oz low-fat sausage, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup pizza sauce (for dipping, if desired)

Pre-heat the oven to 375° and grease a 12 cup muffin pan. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, garlic powder and baking powder; whisk in the milk and egg. Stir in the mozzarella, sausage and pepperoni; let stand for 10 minutes.

Stir the batter and divide among the muffin cups. Bake until puffed and golden, 25 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, microwave the pizza sauce until warmed through. Serve the puffs with the pizza sauce for dipping.



Images courtesy of Plain Chicken.

Elegant Autumn Desserts : Spicy Maple and Pumpkin Flan

For those of you who did not read my post from this past weekend, I had the real treat of taking a cooking class at the Institute of Culinary Education in the Flatiron District of Manhattan. The class, entitled Elegant Autumn Desserts and taught by executive pastry chef, Vicki Wells, covered many sophisticated autumn desserts that look fantastic but are relatively simple to make.

As promised, I am re-making each of the desserts from the class at home to (a) see if they work in a non-magical cooking class setting, (b) eat them again, and (c) share them with you.

The first of these desserts in this series is the Spicy Maple and Pumpkin Flan, which was probably my favorite.

This flan is not difficult or time consuming, but does take a few tricks to make it work. The result is an incredibly smooth and subtle maple and pumpkin flavor that is to die for.

The Recipe

For the flan molds:

1 cup sugar
1 tsp heavy cream
1 tbsp butter
2 tsps rum

First, set up about 8 small ramekins in a deep baking pan so that they are ready when you pour in the caramel.

You will now need to caramelize the sugar. This can be a tricky task, especially if you have not made caramel before. I will give you one warning I wish I had had when I first made caramel last year: DO NOT TOUCH IT. EVER.* Put your sugar in a saucepan and add just enough water to moisten it. This will not be much. You do not want to bathe the sugar, just to make it damp. Then put it on the stove over medium heat and let it warm. You will not want to stir it with a spoon because the sugar will solidify. Just make sure to swirl the pan often, to move the mixture around. The mixture will soon start to develop big bubbles and will then very suddenly start to turn color. While the sugar is cooking, prepare your cream, butter, and rum and have them on standby. As soon as the sugar turns a caramel brown, remove it from heat and add the other ingredients. Swirl and let it combine. Then, pour a small amount into the ramekins (about 1/2") and let them cool and set.

For the flan:

1-1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
5 egg yolks
5 tbsps sugar
1-1/2 ounces maple syrup
3-1/2 ounces canned pumpkin
1/8 tsp Green Mountain maple extract (available at Fairway!)
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 300' F.

Dry roast the spices in a medium saucepan. You will just need to heat them for a few seconds, until they release an intense aroma. As soon as this happens, add the cream and milk and whisk. Add half the sugar and bring to a boil, whisking. Then remove from heat and let cool 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the yolks very well with a whisk. Add the other half of the sugar, the maple syrup, and the maple extract.

Temper the cream to the yolk mixture. Pour in a little of the cream and whisk well before adding another small amount. Do this until it is all combined. Add the pumpkin and stir very well, until smooth. Strain and remove the foam.

Pour into the caramel filled molds. Now, create a water bath with boiling water. The water should go 1/3 of the way up the ramekin sides. Bake them until they are set and no longer jiggle. Let them in room temperature and transfer to the fridge when cooled slightly.

When ready to serve, turn the ramekin over a plate and tap to release the flan.


*Sugar's boiling point is much higher than water, so not only is it scalding, but it will also solidify, while still scalding you, which makes it impossible to get off before severe damage is done. I was dumb. Learn from me.

Butternut Squash Risotto

Last night, I made homemade risotto for the first time. But, as a twist, I decided to make not just any old plain risotto, but a butternut squash risotto (for those of you who are keeping count, this is 6 squash down, 2 to go). Isabelle had recommended this to me, and I was very excited to give it a shot.

This risotto is very simple to make, but takes a little time. Don't worry, though, it's most definitely worth it!

The Recipe

1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 cup Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) chicken broth, mixed with 1/2 cup water and heated
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage

First off, melt your butter in a medium to large saucepan (you will be adding both rice and many cups of chicken broth to this, so make sue you have room) over medium heat and add your squash, along with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until te edges of the squash start to soften and they become very slightly mushy.

Add rice and stir so that it is mixed in well with the squash. Add wine; cook until almost all liquid has evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Now, reduce the heat to medium-low or low and add 1/2 cup hot broth mixture. Cook, stirring, until almost all liquid is absorbed. Add remaining broth mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until liquid is absorbed before adding more, 35 to 40 minutes total.

Right before you serve, add the Parmesan, sage, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Serve immediately.

It's that simple!

This was a really lovely risotto, though I think that next time, I would perhaps try adding some paprika instead of pepper. That might give it a really nice touch. Other than that, this was a great risotto with a lot of texture and flavor, spicy but subtle. I would definitely make it again!

Elegant Autumn Desserts at the Institute for Culinary Education

Yesterday morning, I had the pleasure of attending my first class at the Institute for Culinary Education, located on 23rd street between 5th and 6th avenue. As I had been getting more interested in baking and cooking, and as I had been devoting more time to it recently, I became interested in finding recreational cooking or baking classes in the city that would (a) get me out of the house, (b) let me meet new people, and (c) let me learn some very valuable kitchen skills.

But where was I going to find these cooking classes that I had in mind? I Googled it.

The Institute for Culinary Education offers a full range of recreational cooking classes for those interested in cooking, baking, wine and bar-tending, and cheese.

The class that caught my eye was "Elegant Autumn Desserts" taught by chef Vicki Wells, the Executive Pastry Chef at Buddakan who has worked with Sarabeth’s Kitchen, Hotel Plaza Athenée, Maxim’s, Montrachet, Rakel’s, Metro, El Dorado Petit, Le Bernardin and Trattoria Dell’Arte.

The class was limited to 10 people and was spread over four hours on a Saturday morning. The price was reasonable, considering the time in the kitchen, the price of the materials, and the fact that you got to take bags of goodies home.

Within our four hours we made a Warm Apple Cider Cake with Bourbon Vanilla Ice Cream, Spicy Maple Pumpkin Flan with Gingersnaps, Pears Poached in Pinot Noir, Double Chocolate Shortcakes with Oven-Roasted Cranberries, and a Warm Greenmarket Apple Charlotte with Clove Molasses Ice Cream.

Each one was relatively simple to make, and came out looking and tasting divine. Each used tools and ingredients that are easily available and that shouldn't be too much of a drain on the budget.

The Cider Cake was built on a great basic recipe that takes a normal spice cake and adds onto it with variations of the liquid used. While we used bourbon, you can substitute any alcohol or even coffee as the liquid. The cake was filled with a tangy cider reduction and topped with bourbon vanilla ice cream, which was so good that I might invest in an ice cream machine.



The Pumpkin Flan might have been my favorite of all the desserts. It incorporated the welcome fall flavors of maple syrup and pumpkin into a smooth flan topped with a caramel layer and sauce. The flan was served with a dollop of fresh whipped cream and a gingersnap as garnish.



The Chocolate Shortbread tasted very similar to a chocolate mousse that Alex makes. It took a chocolate shortbread biscuit which was then topped with cranberries and chocolate pastry cream. This was another dessert that I could never tire of eating.



The Apple Charlotte was a variation on a French apple upside-down tart, which was made with a brioche crust and filled with caramelized apples and apple compote. A perfect version of an apple tart for fall.



I will undoubtedly be attempting these recipes again over the next few weeks, and with each attempt, I will post the recipe for the desserts I have described above. So, stay tuned, and get hungry!

Also make sure to check out ICE's list of classes at : http://rec.iceculinary.com/

Prepared...at Home: Ricotta

I was gearing up for a homemade butternut squash gnocchi recipe that called for some ricotta cheese, and was inspired to try and make my own.

Now, I didn't just think of this. That's not a thought that pops into my head. I don't saunter down the cheese aisle and say, "Hey, it would be a great idea to make my own [insert cheese name here]."

I was watching a short program on the Channel 4 NYC Foodie show, and watched a clip by the "Working Class Foodies," instructing how to make delicious and inexpensive ricotta cheese from scratch for use in zucchini and lemon zest pancakes.

"Not too shabby," I thought.

The next day, I bought something I never buy--whole milk--and headed home with my ricotta and my gnocchi on my mind.

I tried to make my own cheese yesterday, and all I can say is that it was an epic failure for reasons that still do not understand.

The recipe called for 1 quart of 2% or Whole milk, and 2 tbsps of lemon juice.

You're supposed to bring the milk to a boil, stirring and whisking all the while, and then add the lemon juice to curdle it--which separates the curds from the whey.

You then strain the mixture through a strainer or cheesecloth to drain out the whey. What is left is your ricotta which you season with lemon zest, salt, and pepper.

I had whole milk. I had lemon juice. I did the steps.

My milk would not curdle. It refused. I added more lemon. Still nothing. I whisked and whisked and boiled and boiled until I realized that something was wrong.

I was really excited to make this, and perhaps I will try again, but all I can say is that this was not as I had hoped, and I will very well have to get some storebought ricotta for my darling gnocchi.

Vegetable Quiche à la Vati

I was first introduced to this delicious quiche two years ago by my former roommate, Marisa, who is a vegetarian. Marisa had first seen the recipe in an English vegetarian cookbook, but had altered the recipe over the years until she and her family had found a perfect variation. The recipe below is the Vati family variation, for your enjoyment.

The quiche combines roasted butternut squash and red onions with a sprinkling of spinach and a flavorful filling. It's fairly quick and easy to make, and can be served fresh out of the oven or as a leftover.

This will serve 6-8 people.



The Recipe:

1lb butternut squash
1 red onion, cut into small wedges
2 Tbl olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp salt
3 eggs
1/2 cup cream
1/2 cup milk
1 Tbl parsley, chopped
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp rosemary
1 premade pie crust
1 3/4 oz spinach, blanched
1 Tbl grated parmesan cheese

Preheat your oven to 375' and line a baking sheet with tin foil. Take your squash and cut it lengthwise, then cut it into fairly thin horizontal slices. Place them in a single layer on the sheet and add the coarsely chopped red onion. Season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with olive oil. Toss to coat. Cook for 30 minutes on one side, and then turn for the final 30 minutes.

Whisk together the eggs, cream, milk, and herbs, and season with salt and pepper. Grease a loose-based fluted flan tin or 9inch cake dish. Place pie crust inside and press to sides.

Arrange the vegetables over the base of the crust, and pour the egg mixture over the vegetables before sprinkling with parmesan.

Bake for 35-40 mins or until the filling is golden brown and set.