Cheese Freeze – Gougeres!

So when I actually had money to spend, being in NYC, delivery for anything is just a given. Take out, Dry Cleaning, Laundry, Drug Store (inlc. sundries), and most of all groceries. I tell you, I had quite the pampered life for a little while.

There is one major On-line grocer in NYC that I was very loyal to, until I lost my job and to be honest, a few of my orders that included fresh herbs were a bit disappointing and I had started to order less and less from them. However, what I did and still do trust with them is their Meat, Fish, Cheese and Bakery departments. They offer a lot of options and the quality is fantastic. I just wish their fresh produce was better and more consistent.

Another major positive for this on-line delivery grocer is they have amazing and I do mean amazing “ready to cook” meals from great restaurateurs around the city and also offer great local frozen options from bakers and artisanal retailers. As for general groceries, they do lack a bit with new items, but they do have what you need overall.

Most specifically for this post, it’s about a product I ordered when it was available, frozen Gougeres, made from a cheese/restaurant retailer called Artisinal Cheese. They were expensive ($10) and if I remember correctly, only 15 per box. Regardless of the expense they were such a lovely treat, popping one or two in my mouth were just so heavenly.

Not until I was broke and craving gougeres, was I thinking about how to make them on my own and store them in the freezer (hey, I am single, most recipes call for 30-40 gougeres…Cooking isn’t the issue, but eating them all for myself, the quantity is a bit too much in one sitting). I want the convenience of taking out what I need when I want it.

I looked up various recipes and found only 3 that seemed to be most authentic from the frozen version I became accustom to. One from Jacques Pepin for Food & Wine Mag, the other from Epicurious and the final from Artisinal Cheese via Fresh Direct (my on-line grocer).

After reading these recipes, it actually brought me back to my early teen days when I wanted to make homemade éclairs and cream puffs. The trick is to understand how to make a Choux, which is a no more than a thick doughy roux if you think about it. My Mom encouraged me to figure out how to make these sweet treats and with her help, I knew at a young age how to make such sweet gastric delights.

Because I had previous knowledge and understanding of how to make“choux” dough, following and making the gougere recipe was a simple task and really, really quick to put together. The trick this time was not only to make the cheese puff treats, but to freeze them prior to cooking, like the frozen packages I bought from FD, then figure out the actual cook time from a frozen status as it will differ from the recipes.

The following recipe I used as a test, yields about 30-40-1 inch radius (or a tad less than half a dollar size) gougeres. One thing I did not like about this recipe is that there was way too much paprika. My next attempt, I will use less. Although, my hat is off to Jacques Pepin, as he is my male French chef hero and regardless of the overwhelming paprika, these came out delicious!

Before I list the recipe I used and other recipes to consider using, I want to give you explicit instructions to “pre-freeze” and store these treats, so that when you are ready to serve, you can just pop them in the oven when you are ready.

When you make any of the gougere recipes I have provided, if you decide to freeze instead of cooking immediately, make sure you have enough room in your freezer to accommodate a sheet pan (mine is 13x17).

When you complete your choux dough, pipe onto your sheet pan (with a parchment lining) as per the recipe instructions (NOTE: you can pipe them closer together to fit more on the pan if you are not baking them immediately). But rather than putting in the oven, immediately put in the freezer for about 2 hours. Once frozen, remove the frozen choux from the sheet pan to a proper freezer bag.

When ready to cook, preheat your oven to 400 degrees, place your frozen gougeres approximately 2 inches apart and bake for 20-25 minutes. However, and this is important!!!! After 5-10 minutes in the oven, sprinkle Fluer de Sel and additional cheese on top. Continue cooking until golden brown. Remember, each oven temp is different, so it is ultimately up to you to decide when these treats are done.

Pour votre santé et profitez-en! (To your health and enjoy!)

Recipe 1: http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/aspen-2002-gougeres
The Recipe I used in the Pics Above.
Recipe 2: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Gougeres-102306
Recipe 3: http://www.freshdirect.com/ (Below)

GOUGERES (FRENCH CHEESE PUFFS)

From "Artisanal Cooking" by Terrance Brennan and Andrew Friedman
Makes 55 Gougères

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 1/4 teaspoons course sea salt
• 2 pinches cayenne
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, sifted with 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons grated Gruyère (from about 4 ounces cheese)
• 3 eggs, at room temperature

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Put the butter, 1/4 cup milk, water, 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, and the cayenne in a 2-quart saucepot and set over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then add the sifted flour and baking powder. Remove from heat. Stir well with a wooden spoon and return to the heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the dough pulls away from the side of the pot, approximately 4 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat again and transfer the dough to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add 3/4 cup of the cheese and paddle on low, until just warm, about 2 minutes.
2. Add the eggs to the mixer, 1 at a time. Continue to mix the dough until smooth and shiny, about 10 minutes. The mixture should be cool.
3. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the dough into a pastry bag fitted with a #6 tip.
4. Pipe the dough into 1-inch rounds, each about 1/2-inch high. Allow about 1/4-inch of space between each gougère. Each tray should fit about 28 gougères.
5. Brush the top of each gougère with the remaining 2 tablespoons milk and sprinkle with the remaining Gruyère and some sea salt.
6. Place the baking sheets in the oven and bake for 5 minutes. Turn the trays around and continue to bake until the gougères take on a deep, golden-brown color, approximately 7 minutes more. Serve hot from the oven or keep the gougères, loosely covered, at room temperature for up to 2 hours, then reheat at 400°F for 2 1/2 minutes.
7. Bake until golden brown, approximately 7 to 10 minutes.
8. Serve hot from the oven or keep the gougères, loosely covered, at room temperature for up to 2 hours and reheat in a 400°F oven for 2 1/2 minutes.

Basil Bliss

Basil is another one of my favorite foods/herbs; the perfect complement to my personal red/orange/yellow/green or multi color Tomato bliss. I think you might imagine my next favorite, but that’s another blog, but I will say it’s always white and should be consumed fresher than fresh. ;)

There is nothing that I can think of, except maybe…hmmm, I can’t think of anything, Basil can’t go with. Now keep in mind, there are several varieties of Basil, so if you want to challenge Basil's infinite use, use it as a desert garnish, choose the right variety, like sweet or lemon basil. Choose the right basil for cooking and/or drinking liquids.

I realize that Sweet is the most common, but if you have access to the various types, use them accordingly.  How tasty would a Lemon Basil sorbet be?  I quiver with enjoyable passion of the amazingly tasteful exotic flavor.

I can tell you if you choose Sweet (which is most commonly found) or Lemon Basil, this is excellent in mixed drinks that may generally call for Mint; if you are serving a spicy drink, more spicy Basil is appropriate, like Spicy Globe or Purple Ruffles.

About a year or more ago, I went out with my co-workers after I was recently let go and we met up at this bar that served a mean Pear and Basil Martini. The bar treated the drink like a Mohito, by muddling sweet basil instead of mint, served up in a martini glass. I remember that I kept asking the bartender to add more basil to my drink until it became more basil than pear and vodka because I love Basil no matter what! The Bartender thought I was crazy!

One suggestion is a twist on the tried and true Bloody Mary-We all think that Celery is a great munch, and that should not go away as the primary green for the Bloody Mary, but if you are a spicy person, muddle in some spicy Basil as an extra special addition to give your Bloody Mary a more special kick your guests will be talking about.

Hey, a Bloody Mary is essentially Tomato Based, so adding its herbal significant other can’t hurt and not make it taste like spaghetti sauce. Remember, you’re not adding oregano or marjoram and garlic, which would ultimately make a drinkable tomato sauce concoction (which wouldn't really be that outlandish and very tasty).

But, today is about Pesto, an amazing mash of Basil, Parsley, Olive Oil, nuts, cheese and additional herbs. I learned to make Pesto the old school way, originally in a mortar, but now that I own a food processor, it makes life so much easier. So I won’t subject any of you to that old world method.

There are several ways to make pesto, and not all of them need to be basil centric, but to me, the best pestos are basil dominant. Not all pesto’s need to have cheese either; my recipe this round/post is dairy free, although my pics do show slivers of cheese as a garnish only.

The one thing to note is that this is so easy to make and if you’re a person that buys that store bought stuff, you’re really missing out on the true taste of homemade fresh pesto. I will admit, on short notice, store bought pesto’s are for just that, last minute-short notice, but honestly, if you compare freshly made to store bought, you will notice the difference. For the time it takes for you to pick out pesto ingredients to the “Pre-Made Brand”, you could have made your pesto at home 2 fold.

One major difference is that homemade, you can mix it up. You can add more or less of each of the ingredients. You are not bound to what the store bought brand has sold you. You can add different herbs for different flavors and taste that will compliment your meal or appetizer. This is why I highly suggest you start and learn to make your own.  Remember, making Pesto homemade will cost you much less than if you purchased it for a quicky to get out of cleaning extra dishes or save time on your overall meal prep.

Let's just say you are making boxed pasta, the cook time is about 8-9 minutes for "aldente".  Within the 8-9 minutes, you can make pesto in about 3-4 minutes, while the pasta is cooking.  A min or 2 to peel/crush the garlic, set up the Blender or Food Processor, add the rest of the ingredients and 1-2 min to process.

Homemade Pesto, will last in your fridge for about 5 days or more and is also freezable up to 1-2 months (honestly I’ve kept homemade pesto for 2 weeks in a tight lid container in the fridge).

BTW: The cracker in the pics are a multigrain brown rice “thin cake”. I found these in my local organic market a week or so ago…Again, I am not one to promote, but these snacks are better than the thick Rice Cakes we all think and are familiar with at the supermarket. They are a product of Belgium; Suzie’s Thin Cakes. Gluten, Cholesterol, Fat and Sugar free and they are quite yummy.

Basil Mint Pesto

• 1 Bunch Fresh Basil
• ¼-1/3 bunch Fresh Italian Parsely (about a handful)
• ¼ bunch Fresh Mint (about a ¾ handful)
• 3 Cloves Garlic (medium sized) If you are a garlic freak like I am, add 1 more.
• 6 oz of Pine Nuts or about a handful
• About 1/8 to ¼ cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Please use the good stuff for this)
• S&P to Taste
• Optional: ¼ cup Grated Parm Cheese 

Add Basil Leaves, Parsley, Mint Leaves, Garlic and Pine Nuts, and Cheese (Optional) to Food processor or Blender; Pulse until a medium rough chop. Slowly drizzle in Extra Virgin Olive oil (you may not need all of it)…you should process until ingredients are well blended; pesto should not be too “wet” and should have a consistency of say, a thickened vinaigrette minus the vinegar. Do not over process! You do not want a Puree! You want to see the herbs!

Ideas on mixing it up with Pesto:

• For Nuts Try: Almonds or Walnuts or Pecans or Cashews or hazelnuts
• For Herbs Try: Tarragon or Marjoram or multiple varieties of Basil or Cilantro or Lavender
• For Cheese: Any Hard Grating cheese will work; Grana Padano or Pecorino Romano or Asiago
• Other Thoughts: Sun Dried Tomatoes or Flavored Olive Oils or Roasted Garlic or Roasted Shallots or Roasted Peppers. 

Pesto for simple and quick dishes:

• Mix in with your favorite Pasta or even Rice as a primary sauce
• Mix in with your favorite Tomato Sauce for an extra kick!
• Replace Mayo or Mustard on Sandwiches, Pasta and Potato Salads
• As per the Pics above, use as a base spread for Appetizers
• Use as a “Dip”
• Add to Mashed Potatoes for extra flavor
• Even mix in with soups

 As Lidia would say “Tutti A Tavola A Mangiare!”

Corn & Shrimp Chowder: Completely on the Cheap!

I was sitting on the couch the other day on my computer; it was about 5pm when the local news was starting up. Usually at this time, I end up doing the dishes, as the local station I watch has 3 half hour sessions and each generally triplicates all the top stories that were aired at noon time (remember, I’m still not working). So doing chores for the first session isn’t a huge deal as I can catch up on the next 2 until World News with Diane Sawyer (whom I love as much as seeing/listening to Charlie Gibson and RIP Peter Jennings).

 

So, my local NYC station I watch does have a “local eats” segment (I think it’s the 5:30-6 show), which I sometimes find interesting. This particular day, it was about a restaurant in I think Brooklyn (wasn’t really paying attention to the area or restaurant for that matter) that makes exceptional Corn Chowder with Shrimp.

 

So that gave me an idea…and a major craving! ;). Most of my food exploits come from cravings, just so you all know!

 

Now, I love chowders, all kinds of chowders, but give it to me thick! Like NE Clam Chowder…Thick as Thieves or a Rich and succulent Lobster Bisque! My feelings and cravings for this is either the New Englander in me or the fact that I love dairy and white foods which are not all that healthy if you eat it on a regular basis (which I don’t anymore), but to me this kind of food is my sweet tooth and it is hard to turn away when put in front of me.

 

I’ve seen and eaten many “Chowda” recipes in my day, TV definitely has given overkill and restaurants are not as authentic as they claim to be. I must admit that Chowder Soups don’t necessarily have to be thick as what I was used to, but to me “Chowda” has to be rich in something and that is still a Dairy Product. Though, I will admit, if you want to trim the dairy, to maintain the richness and even thickness, a starch is necessary in my book, like using potatoes as a thickening agent as well as an overall chunky ingredient with much less dairy.

 

To get back to the news story I was half paying attention to. The story focused on a Corn/Shrimp Chowder recipe. I haven’t had corn chowder in so long and seeing the soup on TV gave me such a craving. So, I decided I needed to make Corn Chowder with Shrimp!

 

The killer here is that I don’t have a lot of money these days and even though those will say corn chowder is cheap to make, and it really can be, the bottom line is that you still have to plan to make this recipe, because when you buy the required ingredients, you have a lot left over (ingredients and final product) which may or may not store well for a long period of time, which ends up costing more if you don’t use them in another planned recipe or freeze.

 

I looked on the internet and found really great recipes for Corn Chowder and found one that I could definitely modify for really cheap eats and still have great taste and NO LEFT OVER INGREDIENTS (well the Half and Half can be used for Coffee)!

So if you have a craving for Corn Chowder with Shrimp, I have a great and cheap recipe for you! It only costs about 5-7 bucks for 4-6 servings (NYC Costs-other USA areas it’s probably even cheaper). If you are single or a college student looking to impress, this is an extreme bargain, as you can freeze 2 -3 servings for about 6 months!

Keep in mind, if you don't want the Shrimp, you can omit it.  This recipe is modified from another, which means, you can modify mine or the original recipe I used as a base.  I encourage everyone, that no recipe is set in stone and that you CAN make it your own and make it work based on any circumstance.  This Post is intended to show those who think they must follow a recipe step by step and think they cannot afford the ingredients that they can make a positively great recipe, on a budget by modification to their means.

So here is the link to the Original Recipe I modified from: Creamy Corn Chowder

Cheap Eats: Corn Chowder-Just the Basics-By Have A Seat

Serves 4 to 6.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 Medium White onion Chopped Finely
• 1 pound potatoes (about 3 medium), peeled and diced into 1/2-inch-thick pieces
• 4 cups Canned Corn (not Creamed Corn), Approx 3-4 – 15oz Cans ( I used 3 cans)
• 3 bay leaves (Dried) If Fresh 2 bay Leaves
• Juices/Water from 2 ½ Cans of Canned Corn (keep in mind the juice has salt in it)
• 2 Cups Water
• 1 ½ cups Half and Half
• ¼ Tsp Cayenne Pepper
• Salt and pepper
• 1 Can “Tiny” Shrimp

Instructions:

1. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion start to soften, about 5-10 minutes. Stir in the potatoes, 2 cans of the corn, bay leafs, and 2 Cups Water.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and keep it at a simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally (Timing really depends on how thick your potato cubes are).
3. Puree the 3rd can of corn and half and half in a blender or food processor, and then stir it into the soup. Simmer the soup until it thickens slightly, 5 to 10 minutes. Then add Cayenne Pepper to Taste and Canned Tiny Shrimp and simmer for another 2-3 minutes. Remove the bay leafs (optional) and add salt and pepper to taste.

The wait is over!

For those who have been anticipating and waiting a long, long time for me to make my cheesecake again, the wait is over!  My run for Olympic Gold will never happen, but my run to make the best cheesecake ever has been completed.

I spent most of the week, mentally preparing for this long awaited treat, because honestly, it has been more than several years since I baked my last cake. Why so long? Well, I had put my career first and gave up cooking and baking for at least 7 years or more. There was just no time for me to spend in the kitchen and I subjected myself to microwave meals, take out and dining out.

So when my friend Sweetpeasurry (K) blogged about my new blog site and mentioned my cheesecake a few weeks back, the door had been opened for the challenge and I happily accepted.

I must say, it was like riding a bicycle, you never forget. I pulled out my dusty spring form pan from the back of the cupboard and I was good to go.

So, here is my recipe-Modified-as I will not divulge my secret ingredient, but this one is just as tasty as mine. One secret I will give away is that my recipe uses less sugar than other classic recipes. I do make other flavorful cheesecakes, which eventually down the road I will make the more complicated ones for all to see and try out.

Classic Cheesecake

By Have a Seat

Special Equipment: 8" Round Spring Form Pan; Electric Beaters or a Stand Mixer; Parchment Paper; Heavy Duty Tin Foil; Rubber Spatula; Roasting Pan*Roasting pan must be large enough to hold the Spring form pan and must be 2 1/2" deep.

 
Ingredients:

• 24 oz. Cream Cheese 
• 3/4 c Sugar + 2 Tbls* (2 Tbls is for Crust) 
• 1 Teaspoon Real Vanilla Extract 
• 3 Eggs
• 2 Teaspoons Fresh Lemon Juice 
• 1 c Sour Cream 
• 4 Tbls Butter* (1 Tbls if no Crust )
• 1 ¾ - 2 c of Shortbread Cookies-Crust 
• Fruit Topping (any kind you like) 
• 6 small amaretto cookies 

Equipment Preparation:

Prepare the 8" Spring form pan by taking a sheet of Parchment paper and placing it on top of the Spring form plate (disc.) Take the "form" and fit it around the "plate" and tighten. There will be some overlapping parchment paper if done correctly. Turn the pan upside down and cut the paper so that there is about an inch of paper fanning out of the bottom of the spring form pan. Carefully, butter the paper and the inside rim making sure the butter covers every inch of the pan. Set aside in the refrigerator.

Take the roasting pan and fill with warm water to 1". Place tin foil over water. Do not secure tin foil around edges. This is what is called the "water bath." Since water can only reach 220 Degrees, it creates even cooking temperature for the inside of the cake, while the oven temperature cooks the outside of the cake. The "water bath" technique, also works well with other recipes, such as; soufflés, custards and even regular cake mix.

Preheat oven to 375 Degrees.

Cake Preparation:

For bottom Crust (Optional):

Take shortbread cookies and crush into a sandy texture. A food processor will help with this. If you do not have a food processor, place cooking in a plastic Ziploc bag and crush cookies with your hands or use a rolling pin. Again, the crumbs should have a consistency of sand. Place crumbs in small to medium bowl, add 2Tbls of sugar and the 3 Tbls of melted Butter, then mix. Get your Spring form pan from the fridge and add shortbread mixture and evenly coat the bottom of the pan. Take the back of a measuring cup and pack the mixture in the pan so that surface is smooth. Place pan back in the refrigerator for about an hour.

For Cake:

In a large bowl place cream cheese and beat until soft. Once the cheese has softened, add sugar and vanilla and beat until well incorporated. Continue to mix and add one egg at a time. Do not add all 3 eggs at once. Again, continue to mix while adding the sour cream and lemon juice (I also like to add Lemon zest). Scrape the bowl with the rubber spatula and continue to mix until all ingredients are well incorporated or until the batter is smooth and looks like it’s almost doubled in volume. I fiddle with the speed settings during the initial mixing process and after my last spatula check let it mix untouched on med high for about 5 minutes. This allows for an airy consistency vs. a dense one.

Remove the spring form pan from the refrigerator and pour the cheesecake batter in the pan. Carefully, place the pan on top of the tin foil in the roasting pan. Lightly secure the tin foil around the roasting pan, leaving a small gap open, allowing the steam to escape.

Carefully, transfer cake to oven. Let cook about 1 hour or until middle of cake jiggles firmly. Allow cake to cool in oven, with the door slightly open to allow the heat to escape (about an hour or 2). Take cake & roasting pan out of oven and let cool for another 2 hours (Do not disassemble cake and roasting pan). Once cake has cooled, remove from roasting pan and refrigerate cake overnight, still in the spring form pan.

Remove cake from the fridge, and then remove the spring form carefully. Add your favorite fruit topping…Crush Amaretto cookies sprinkle on top and enjoy heaven!

Sweet Comforts and the Smells of Winter

It’s Snowy, cold and windy in NYC and what a great day to stay in and bake for comfort and some sweetness. There is nothing like homemade hot cocoa and the aroma of cinnamon permeating throughout the house.

I do love when I stink up the entire apt building with wonder aromas of fresh baked bread, sweet & savory spices, and cakes and of course when I cook with garlic! Ahhh, the smell of something cooking that hits all senses in an eye rolling; mouthwatering temptation is just delicious heaven. No fishy smell here!

I’m sure the neighbors in my building are wondering what I am baking today and if any of them are home, I will knock on their door, show some neighborly love and offer them my sweet of the week.

About a year ago, when I was laid off from a company I gave over 9 years of my life to, I decided, since I had to cut back on costs to use some of my Credit Card points and get me a bread maker. It was one of the best decisions I made! Not only do I not buy bread from the store anymore, I am also making healthier breads with no crazy chemicals in them. I do save a lot of money believe it or not. It also got me cooking again and wanting to branch out a bit more in my cooking capabilities.

But today is not about bread, it’s about Cinnamon Rolls/Buns using my bread machine! You never forget the smell and taste of a Cinnamon Roll/Bun even if the years have passed since the last gooey bite. I’ll be honest, I don’t usually eat these that often, actually I think the last time I had one was about 8 or more years ago. I have heard that there is a chain out there, in which these lovely breakfast/brunch treats are the main attraction and people go crazy for them (I personally have never had one from this chain and never will).

So, since I am using my bread machine and the recipe that came with it, all instructions are machine only (I don’t feel like translating out of machine today). But if you are a savvy baker, then you know how to make the dough outside of the machine (It’s really not that hard). I’ve made some personal adjustments to this recipe, specifically to the filling and topping. This will yield approx 24 rolls/buns depending on how thick you cut them.

Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients: Makes2 1⁄2 pounds dough = 24 cinnamon swirl rolls

• 2⁄3 cup Lowfat milk, warmed to 80°–90°F
• 3 Eggs, large, at room temperature
• 6 tbls Unsalted butter, cut in 1⁄2-inch pieces, at room temperature
• 1⁄2 cup Granulated sugar
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
• 4 cups Bread or AP flour
• 2⁄3 cup Cornstarch
• 2 1⁄4 teaspoons Yeast, active dry, instant or bread machine

-Place the milk, eggs, unsalted butter, granulated sugar, salt, vanilla, flour, cornstarch, and yeast in the bread pan fitted with the kneading paddle in the order listed. Place the bread pan in the Bread Maker. Select

Dough option. Select dough size. Press Start to mix, knead and rise. When cycle is completed remove dough and punch to deflate. For large and medium recipes, divide into 2 equal portions. Let rest 10 minutes.

-Roll the dough out into rectangles 12 inches wide and 1⁄2-inch thick. Brush each rectangle with melted butter to within one inch of one long side and to the ends of the other 3 sides, and sprinkle evenly with sugar/cinnamon mixture. Roll as for a jelly roll, ending with the unbuttered side. Pinch along long side to seal.

-Cut with a serrated knife into 12 equal portions. Arrange in prepared pans, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise 35 to 40 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F.

-Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until puffed with golden tops, and hollow-sounding when tapped.

-Let cool 20 to 25 minutes before frosting. Spread or drizzle cream cheese frosting to taste.

Filling

• 1⁄2 cup Brown sugar, packed
• 1⁄4 cup Granulated sugar
• 2 1⁄2 tbls Cinnamon
• 1 tbls Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 6 tbls Butter, unsalted, melted –Reserve 2 Tbls for brushing Dough.

-Place the filling ingredients in a small bowl and stir with a whisk until well blended; reserve.

-Lightly coat 2 ten-inch round/2 nine-inch round/1 ten-inch round cake pan(s) with cooking spray and reserve.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 4 oz Cream cheese
• 1⁄4 cup Unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• 1 1⁄2 cups Powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 tablespoon Milk

-Combine frosting ingredients and stir with a whisk until smooth (this may also be done in a food processor fitted with the metal “s” blade, or with a hand mixer).

Pounding the Pavement and Getting Lemons

My job search goes on, still with no real success. I seem to attract lots of recruiters, but the jobs I'm either not qualified for or nothing seems to pan out. It's all been lemons!

Don't get me wrong though, I love lemons. So I thought in honor of me still "pounding the pavement", I thought why not take all the lemons from my job hunt and make Lemon Pound Cake (It's too cold for Lemonade)!

I am a "pound cake" newbie, so there are no alterations to the recipe I chose. I picked this one from a Bon Appétit Mag-July 1993 by Darren DiPietro: State College, Pennsylvania. The instructions are very well done, but I do have a bit more advice.

Now, I have a Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer (These last forever!) and I would not recommend using a general electric mixer, but if that's all you have then make sure you use a very large bowl. Also, make sure your Mise en place is within your reach, it will make your life so much easier. Plan this recipe to ensure your eggs and butter are at room temperature.

So all went well, but I would have liked a heavier lemon flavor and I think the pan that I had was a tad too small or I just needed to add a bit less batter than what was yielded. I also think for my oven, I will need to drop the temp to 300 degrees vs. 325 degrees as recommended. The end result was that the cake baked with a slight overflow on the edges of the pan and got a little darker than I would have liked. But that can all be fixed anyway. Note that this recipe makes 12 Servings, I do know that Pound Cake does freeze well. So if you can’t use all of it, freeze the rest-Just cut in slices beforehand.

 

Sour Cream and Lemon Pound Cake

Bon Appétit: July 1993; by Darren DiPietro: State College, Pennsylvania. Yield: Serves 12

• 3 cups cake flour

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

• 3 cups sugar

• 6 eggs, room temperature

• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

• 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel

• 1 cup sour cream

Cooking Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease 16-cup tube pan. Dust pan with cake flour; tap out excess flour.
• Sift flour, baking soda and salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl at medium speed until fluffy. Gradually add sugar and beat 5 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating just until combined after each addition. Beat in lemon juice and peel. -Using rubber spatula, mix in dry ingredients slowly. Mix in sour cream. Transfer batter to prepared pan.
• Bake cake until tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Let cake cool in pan on rack 15 minutes. Cut around cake in pan. Turn out cake.
• Carefully turn cake right side up on rack and cool completely. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Wrap in foil and let stand at room temperature).

Potatoes with Style

Poor in NYC? Need a way to feed yourself and others on the cheap? Well, if you don't have alot of bucks and are willing to put a little time and effort into this next adventure, this meal is for you!

Gnocchi, Gnocchi, Gnocchi, Gnocchi!

Just 3-4 plain old russet or idaho potatoes (depending on size), 1 large egg, 1 cup of flour and a dash of salt will feed a party of 4 or even more! in NYC that adds up to approx $5-$7. I say $5-$7, because you can't just buy 1 egg or just 1 cup of flour. Most traditional recipes don't even need egg.

Yes...Make it homemade! There are plenty of recipes out there on the web that will show you how to make it. There is no special equipment needed except your hands, a fork and a little time. But if you have a food mill or potato ricer, an Gnocchi paddle, these can help but really don't speed up the process.

Now, I'm new to making Gnocchi from scratch, but not new to making my own pasta, so most of the On-line Tutorials were easy for me. Once you get the knack for making any kind of dough, it's a quick process. I recently made my own batch-took me about 60 minutes after the potatoes were cooked and cooled.

Sauce options:

• Simple Marinara Sauce (Cheap!)
• Pesto
• Gorgonzola Cream Sauce
• Alfredo Sauce
• White or Black Truffel Olive Oil and Fresh Sage and Rosemary
• Fresh Sage and Butter (Cheap!)
• Putanesca
• Wild Mushroon or Porcini

...the list can go on and on...just think out of the box

Here are some links to sites that I found extremely helpful in my quest to make homemade Gnocchi:

http://underthetuscangun.com/cookingvideos/cookingvideos.php

http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/how-to-make-gnocchi-like-an-italian-grandmother-recipe.html

YUMMY and Satisfying! I encourage anyone and everyone to make Gnocchi from scratch...You know what goes in it. You know who made it and you know it will taste better than if you bought it.