A Cake for the End of the World: St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake

If the world comes to an end tomorrow, this is the cake I would want to eat tonight.  All this talk of  'The Rapture' this week has given me pause to think about what we should have for dinner on Friday night just in case we're not around to eat on Saturday. I mean, calories are not an issue, correct?  Since I made this cake last weekend for my husband's birthday, I'd have to be pretty certain about the calorie thing.  It is decadent enough to make you stop and think about the plaque buildup that may be happening in your arteries, but delicious enough to make you commit to a 3 mile run the next day to make up for it. It is like marshmallows and creme brulee.  So buttery. So gooey. So worth it.  So, if you're either feeling pretty certain about this whole rapture thing, or willing to go for a  run tomorrow morning if you happen to still be around, bake this cake tonight.  Either way, you will not be sorry!

St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake (from Smitten Kitchen):

For the cake:

3 tbsp milk at room temperature

1 3/4 tsp active dry yeast

6tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature

3 tbsp sugar

1 tsp kosher salt

1 egg

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

For the topping:3 tbsp  plus 1 tsp light corn syrup

2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 egg

1 cup plus 3 tbsp all-purpose flour

Confectioner's sugar to sprinkle on top

To make the cake dough:

In a small bowl, mix milk with 2 tbsp warm water.  Add yeast and whisk gently until it dissolves.  Mixture will foam slightly.

Using an electric mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter, sugar, and salt.  Scrape down sides of bowl and beat in the egg.  Alternately add the flour and the milk mixture, scraping down the sides of the bowl between each addition.  Switch to a dough hook and beat dough on medium speed until it forms a smooth dough, about 5 minutes.  It will still be sticky.

Grease a 9x13 ceramic baking dish and spread the dough, stretching it evenly.  Cover the pan with a sheet of plastic wrap and put it in a warm place, allowing it to rise until doubled, about 2 1/2 hours.

To make the topping:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a small bowl, whisk corn syrup with 2 tbsp water and the vanilla.  In your electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter, sugar, and salt until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the egg.  Beat until well mixed.  Alternately add flour and corn syrup mixture, scraping down sides of the bowl between additions.

Spoon the topping evenly over risen cake, and spread evenly with an offset spatula.  Bake 30-40 minutes, watching very carefully at the 30 minute mark. Cake will have a barely golden top when done, and will rise and fall in waves.  The center of the cake should still be quite liquidy, and will set up  while the cake is cooling.  I have made it twice, and the second time I overcooked it by a few minutes, and it made a very big difference, so don't let it go too long.  After cooling, sprinkle with confectioner's sugar.  Serve at room temperature.

It is in Giving that we Receive: Corn and Black Bean Salad

I was taught well from a young age to practice what you preach.  My parents were not only involved in the church we attended, but were active in the community in which we lived.  They both had careers that were not focused on merely gaining wealth, but on serving others.  After my father died, my mother continued in this manner.  Though she was juggling working, going to college full-time, raising two daughters, and an active social life, she found the time and energy to volunteer for many causes.  She was in tune with the community around us, and realized that there were many families in the area that struggled with putting food on the table for their families each week.  She did some research, and began working with our parish priest to begin a food pantry in the basement of the rectory of the church.  She held food drives, collected non-perishable food items, organized the space, and drummed up many volunteers to man the new food pantry.  She worked with people to spread the word, and welcomed clients with grace and dignity. I spent many hours working there with my mother, and always marveled at her energy and her commitment to those in need.  She taught me to be thankful for the abundance of blessings in my life, and to share with those around me.

The high school I attended stressed the importance of doing for others as well, and I was fortunate enough to take part in many service projects aimed at helping others.  That, coupled with the tendencies of those people with whom my parents surrounded us, my grandparents, our friends George and Ellen, and many of our aunts and uncles, set the tone for my life.  The message in how they lived was clear:  when we give, we receive. 

My own daughters and some of their friends are involved in similar projects through our church.  They have spent a Saturday morning working at a food pantry preparing packages of food for others, they have, with the junior high youth group, made sandwhiches to be brought to a shelter, and several times they have volunteered to serve a meal at a homeless shelter in the city close to where we live. They go with positive attitudes and lots of energy.  And each time they return, I know that they have gotten the message loud and clear.  They are energized by the work they have done, and have gotten far more than they gave.

Thirty five years ago today, my father died at age 38 of a sudden heart attack.  As he was a man who helped others, and helped stress upon me the importance of practicing what you preach, it is fitting that my family is spending this evening working at the shelter.  Members of the community have planned and cooked a meal, and we along with others are going to deliver and serve this meal.  It has been a crazy week.  We are tired, and looking ahead to another crazy week, and I want nothing more than to plop on the couch and relax, but I know that we will return tonight rejuvenated by our work. It is important for kids to do this kind of thing, I believe;  to see the world around them, to find some small way to be of service, to use the gifts they have been given. Tonight, we work in memory of my dad.

The recipe was given to me by the woman who organizes the meals for the shelter, and looked so good, that I wanted to share it. It makes a large amnount of the salad, and can be made for a crowd, or can be scaled back for a smaller gathering.  It goes well with barbecue, and in the summer, can be made with fresh corn.  I have made a similar saled in the past which included avocado, so add that in small cubes if you like.

Corn and Black Bean Salad:

4 15-oz. cans of black beans, drained and rinsed

4 cups frozen corn kernels (3 16-oz. bags)

3 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped

3 orange or yellow bell peppers, seeded and chopped

1 large sweet onion, finely chopped

2 large tomatoes, chopped

4 small jalapeno peppers, seeded and very finely chopped

1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

2 cloves garlic, very finely minced

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1/2 cup olive oil

Place all ingredients in a large serving bowl and fold to mix well.  Chill before serving.

Asian Inspired Green Beans

I can't believe I haven't shared this green bean recipe yet. It is another one of those recipes that I started making after having green beans like these at a Chinese restaurant. We loved them so much that we started experimenting with how to make them at home, and came up with this recipe. They are great with a roast chicken, or as a side dish with any Asian-inspired meal.  You can make them as spicy as you like, or not at all, and they are easy to cook ahead of time and reheat.  Even my mother, who really only wants to eat Italian food, loves them.  They are best when you find the really skinny french green beans, called haricots verts. Make a lot, because they are also great as leftovers.

1 pound green beans (the skinnier the better)

2 tbsp vegetable oil

4 large garlic cloves, minced very fine

3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce

1/2 tsp (or more if you want them very spicy) Asian chili paste (such as Sambal Oelek)

Depending on the thickness of the green beans, trim the ends, then wash.  Blanch them for about 3-4 minutes in a pot of salted boiling water.  Strain and run under very cold water for a few minutes.  Place the oil and green beans in a large frying pan (a cast iron skillet works particularly well, and I often split the beans up into 2 pans) over medium high heat. Cook them, moving them every several minuted, until they become brown on all sides.  This will take up to 20 minutes, depending on how many green beans you are making, and you may think you are burning them.  You can add a few tablespoons of water to the pan as the green beans are browning to help the process along.  When the are well-browned,  turn down the heat to medium low, and add the garlic.  Sautee for 2 minutes, constantly moving the green beans and garlic around to avoid burning the garlic.  Add the soy sauce and chili paste, turning the heat off, and stirring the beans to coat them evenly.  Serve and enjoy!

Happy St. Patrick's Day: Madelyn Durkin Brennan's Irish Soda Bread

I am half Irish and half Italian.  My coloring is very fair, like my father, who was Irish, whereas my sister has darker hair, eyes and skin tone, like my Italian mother. Subsequently, growing up, she was referred to as 'The Italian One,' and I was 'The Irish One.'  At the time I liked this, because it was another connection to my father, who was beloved by everyone who knew him, and who died when we were young. My mother embraced all that was Irish, and helped us to get to know our Irish heritage and celebrated it always.  As a result, she loves St. Patrick's Day better than anyone I know. 

Growing up, we attended Catholic school and wore uniforms each day.  St. Patrick's Day was the one day of the year that we were allowed to embellish those uniforms.  As there were many kids of Irish descent in our school, there was a lot of embellishing.  We wore green carnations, green socks, boys wore green ties, and just about everyone, it seemed, had a button that said "Kiss Me I'm Irish."  Imagine my surprise, when in sixth grade, Sister Francis Claire actually did just that!  It was perhaps to that point in my life, my most embarrassing moment.

My husband is 100% Irish, so our children, of course, are mostly Irish.  My cousin Kerry moved to Ireland many years ago, and was married outside Cork City in 2008.  It was kind of her to provide us with an excuse to make the trip to Ireland.  All of my aunts, uncles and every single cousin on the Irish side of my family made the trip, all of us on the same airplane.  We went to pubs together, we saw the city and the countryside, we had T-shirts made.  We were quite embarrassing, but it was the trip of a lifetime because we were all there together (more than 28 of us)! We missed those who were not with us; my Nana and Grandpa,  my Auntie Nancy, my Uncle Jimmy and Auntie Kathy, and my dad, but we toasted them well and often, and we carried them in our hearts then and always. 

When we were younger, we usually visited with my Irish Nana around St. Patrick's Day, and although I loathe corned beef and cabbage, I always looked forward to the Irish soda bread she made. As a kid, I did not appreciate the caraway seeds, but as an adult I have come to enjoy them. Here is her recipe.  It is a very moist bread, and with or without the caraway seeds, delicious. Serve with Irish butter for a real treat. These days, my husband and I have Reuben sandwiches for dinner on St. Patrick's Day (corned beef, cabbage in the form of sauerkraut), but I still make Nana's Irish soda bread.

Madelyn Durkin Brennan's Irish Soda Bread
3 cups flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tbs caraway seeds (Unless you don't like them)
1 cup of raisins (I like a mix of regular and golden raisins)
2 eggs
2 cups sour cream
2 Tbs melted butter

Hand mix dry ingredients / liquid ingredients in separate bowls. Combine and add a bit more flour to form 2 mounds. Form the mounds, smooth a bit.  Sprinkle some raw or demerara sugar on top, if desired (this will give it a bit of a crunch on the top).
Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Taste of Summer in Winter: Pappa al Pomodoro (Tomato Bread Soup)

If you have ever dipped a piece of bread in a pot of spaghetti sauce, this recipe is for you.  It is apparently the typical after school snack of children in Tuscany, and let me tell you, it beats milk and cookies by a mile. I have run across similar recipes, and have always been intrigued, but until now, have never made it.  It almost seemed too delicious to have for supper, a guilty pleasure for an adult in the same way that having pancakes for dinner might be for a child.  With the right tomatoes, it is a bright taste of summer in the middle of this drab winter, and it is exactly what we needed last week.  I used tomatoes that I had canned last summer, and they were perfect.  You could wait until summer to try pappa al pomodoro, or you could spend a few dollars extra and buy some San Marzano tomatoes, which I think would be almost as good as really good home-canned ones.  Add some fresh basil and some fresh ground pecorino romano, and it really is seriously awesome.

Pappa al Pomodoro (Tomato Bread Soup)

Adapted from Cooking with Italian Grandmothers by Jessica Theroux

1 medium loaf day old rustic Italian bread, crust removed and cut into cubes

2 pounds fresh tomatoes, or canned plum tomatoes

5 large garlic cloves, sliced very thin

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2-2 cups chicken stock

salt

1/4 cup fresh torn basil leaves

extra virgin olive oil for garnish

Put the tomatoes through a foodmill or in a blender to create a chunky puree.  In a large saucepan, saute the garlic slices in the olive oil for a few minutes.  When it is just about to turn golden, place the bread in the pot, and sprinkle about 1/2 cup of the chicken stock over the bread cubes.  Stir to coat the bread in the garlic and oil.  Add the pureed tomatoes, a large pinch of salt, and another cup of chicken stock.  Stir every five minutes or so as the soup comes to a simmer,  After 30 minutes, taste the pappa, add salt if necessary, and add more chicken stock if the consistency is not right.  It should be a mush; not too liquidy.  When ready to serve, add the basil, and serve in small bowls, sprinkled with pecorino romano cheese and drizzled with olive oil.

Better Than a TV Dinner: Chicken Pot Pie

The first pot pie I ever ate was a frozen one from the supermarket, probably Swanson's or something like that.  Shortly after my father died, my mother began working at a bank in the neighborhood, and although she was nearly always home when we got home from school, she worked until 7 PM on Friday nights.  We lived in the same house as my grandparents, so this was no problem.  We arrived home to the warm greeting of my grandmother.  My sister and I were about 10 and 11 years old, and my mother had taught us how to do a basic, decent cleaning of the house.  Our home was on one level, and we had a finished basement as well, so each week, Betsy and I would take turns: one of us would dust and vacuum the upstairs, and the other would dust and vacuum the downstairs.  The upstairs was larger, and there was more to do, but the basement, as it was our domain, was inevitably messier and dirtier, so it was really a toss up as to which one would take longer.  On the week I cleaned the basement, I could have the TV on, which made the cleaning seem to go by a little faster, but on the week I cleaned the upstairs, there was time to look closely at the beautiful pieces of china and crystal my mother had, all of which she had taken such good care of over the years.

After we had done the cleaning, our 'chores' on Friday, the deal was that we were allowed to cook a TV dinner for ourselves.  My grandmother, who was right upstairs, and had cooked dinner for herself and my grandfather, was beside herself on a weekly basis.  Why didn't we just eat with them?  Why would we want these frozen meals in an aluminum pan when she had made a homemade, delicious meal of which there was plenty? More than one argument arose out of that scenario. Now, of course, the idea of eating a TV dinner is less than appealing, but at the time, it seemed very exciting.  We got to choose our own meals when we went to the grocery store with my mother during the week.  We could each have something different.  I remember my sister being partial to the Salisbury Steak, whereas I liked the Stouffer's mac and cheese, or the turkey dinner, or eventually, I discovered, the pot pie.  Chicken (or turkey)? Gravy? Pie crust?  Why had we never had this before? 

Looking back, I understand that what we really wanted was not the TV dinners so much as the independence and responsibility that came with them.  Two almost-teen-age girls allowed to be home by ourselves (okay, Gram and Grandpa were right upstairs), given the charge of cleaning the house and then allowed to 'cook' and eat dinner together on the couch, in front of the TV at the end of the week, and enjoy the feeling of satisfaction that comes from doing a (pretty good) job.  Perhaps it is why Friday evening is still my favorite time of the week; the work week is done, and nothing but the prospect of two days of freedom lies ahead.

This recipe takes a few liberties; it is by no means a classic pot pie. I also cut a few time-saving corners, using puff pastry instead of making pie crust, so if you are a purist, by all means, make the crust.  I was looking at this as a pot pie you could make after a day at work.  Not too difficult, but still a treat for a Friday night, or any night for that matter.

Chicken Pot Pie  (makes 6 individual pot pies, or you can make 1 large one in a 9x13 inch pan)

1 box (2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, thawed
The meat from a medium roasted chicken (confession: I used a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store)
3 large carrots, chopped
1 medium onion, diced
3 stalks celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp thyme
salt and pepper to taste
4 potatoes, peeled, and chopped into  1/2 inch cubes
1 1/2 packages Green Giant petite peas (or any frozen peas that you like)
2 tbsp butter
4 tbsp olive oil, divided
3 tbsp all purpose flour
32 oz good quality chicken stock
1 tsp chicken demi-glace, optional
1 egg, beaten

Toss the potatoes in 1 tbsp olive oil and some salt, and put them in a cast iron skillet or a baking tray covered in foil. Roast at 375 degrees for about 40 minutes, until golden brown.  While they are roasting, put the celery, onions, garlic, and carrots in an oven proof skillet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sautee on medium heat until transluscent, 4-5 minutes.  Pop the whole skillet into the oven for about 10 minutes, just to get a little color on the vegetables.  In the meantime, melt the butter in a large saucepan.  Add the remaining olive oil and the flour.  Turn the heat to medium, and with a wisk, mix the fat and flour, cooking them until the roux turns a deep golden brown.  Add the chicken stock gradually, wisking constantly to avoid any lumps. Add the demi-glace, if using.  Bring the mixture up to a boil while wisking.  Return to a simmer, and add the onion, celery, carrot mixture.  Add the fresh thyme and let simmer for about 20 minutes. Taste, and add salt and pepper if needed. after 20 minutes, add the peas and stir.  Bring back to temperature.

Roll out the puff pastry and cut circles as large as the bottom of the pot pie container you are using.  I used large soup bowls, so I cut 1 small circle and 1 larger one for each pot pie.  Lay the puff pastry circles on a baking sheet, and poke several fork holes in each. Brush the beaten egg on the circles that will serve as the lid of the pot pies. Bake according to the package directions until the pastry is just barely golden.

When all the components are done, beging to assemble the pot pies.  First, put the small circles of puff pastry in the bottom of each container.  Add some potatoes and some shredded chicken.  Then pour the gravy and pea mixture.  Topwith one of the larger pastry circles.  Repeat until all the ingredients are used up.  Place the pot pies on a baking sheet and return to the 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes, or until the insides are bubbly and the top pastry is a deep golden brown.  Serve immediately.

A Birthday Cake For Mom: Orange, Almond, and Olive Oil Cake

If I learned to cook by watching my grandmother, I learned to squeeze every ounce of joy from life by watching my mother.  She truly enjoys life more than anyone I know.  This week she celebrated her birthday, and to watch her in action, you would never guess her age.  She goes to the gym almost every day, travels extensively with friends and family, attends plays, movies, concerts, and is in the stands at all the home games of the UCONN men's and women's basketball teams.  She volunteers her time for several worthy causes, she helps those in her community, and in my house, we couldn't live without her.  She runs my girls to many of their activities, attends their soccer or basketball games, picks them up after school from time to time, runs errands for us, stays home with the girls when they are sick.  She is like a third parent in so many ways.  She has taken her lead from her own mother, my grandmother, in terms of being intimately involved in the day to day aspects of our lives.  She lives with a vibrancy and joy that I admire greatly, and she passes it on to everyone around her.

My mother's life has not been easy; she was very sick as a child, in and out of convalescent homes until she was about 9 years old.  She survived a sickness that one of her friends did not.  She married my father, gave birth to my sister and to me, and after just 16 years of marriage, lost my father to a sudden heart attack.  She was faced with the task of raising two daughters on her own.  Like everything else she does in life, she faced her new role with grace and joy.  She did not feel sorry for herself, nor did she ever allow us to feel sorry for ourselves.  The message was clear:  life would go on, and we would be happy. My father would have wanted nothing less. Even as a kid, I marveled at her strength, and as I got older and became a wife and a mother of two girls myself, I was more and more in awe of this amazing woman.

One of the best decisions she made was to return to college, earning her Bachelor's degree while working and raising us.  She had lots of help; she knew the benefits of surrounding us with our extended family.  My grandmother and grandfather, who lived just upstairs from us, and my Nana, were always there to support us, as were our aunts, uncles and cousins who lived so close by (several on the same street!). When Mom finished school, she worked hard to put my sister and me through college, and she always managed to find time for fun.  She continued to travel, and spend time with her friends and family.  She was active in our church, starting a food pantry for families in need, volunteering her time and energy wherever she saw a need.  She continues to be willing to try just about anything, which is one of the secrets to staying youthful.

I have not often written about my mother, and the reason is this:  it is hard to find words to fully express the depth of love, respect, and gratitude I feel for this woman.  She is my mentor, my sounding board, and my friend, and I cannot find words adequate to express all she means to me, to Michael, and to my girls.

Though my mother claims not to be a good cook, the truth is that she just doesn't enjoy it.  She loves having people over, and is the very best at organizing and presenting a heck of a dinner party.  For her birthday this week, Michael and I had a dinner party in her honor.  We had several of her dear friends, and my Aunt Judy and Uncle Bobby.  Auntie Judy, my father's younger sister, has the same birthday as my mother, so it turned out to be quite a party. While my house is not nearly as immaculate and organized as my mother's, the food and especially the company were quite fabulous. I wanted to bake a cake as unique as my mom, and I stumbled across this recipe I had cut out some time ago from a newspaper.  I made a few changes, added some whipped cream, and it was delicious.  A great ending to a wonderful celebration!

Orange, Almond, and Olive Oil Cake
1/4 cup sliced almonds

6 ounces blanched almonds

1 cup flour
1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

4 large eggs at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

Zest of 1 large orange

Juice of 1 large orange (about 1/2 cup)

1/2 cup fruity extra virgin olive oil

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch spring form pan, and spread the sliced almonds in the bottom.  Finely grind the blanched almonds in the food processor until they look like bread crumbs.  Beat the eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer until frothy.  Add the sugar slowly, and beat the mixture until it is lemon colored. Add the ground almonds, baking powder, and salt.  Mix quickly, and then add the flour in slowly.  Add the orange juice, the orange zest, and the olive oil, and mix just until combined.  Pour batter into the prepared baking pan.  Bake until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, about 50-60 minutes.  Serve with whipped cream.

Snow Day Bliss: Michael's Black Beans

Once, several years ago after new neighbors had moved in a couple of houses up, they invited my daughters over on a snow day to play with their kids.  They indicated that they would feed the kids lunch, "Although,"  the neighbor stated, "I am not sure it will be terribly creative. I don't have a lot of food in the house.  I am just not the kind of person who heads to the grocery store when a storm is coming,"  she said derisively.  I knew instantly that she and I would not be friends.  I am the kind of person who heads to the grocery store.  It is the first thing I think to do, and the crowds never annoy me. Inevitably, I will hear a cashier say, "Everyone is freaking out because we are expecting three inches of snow."  But there I always am, at the grocery store, buying all kinds of unusual ingredients, not because I am afraid of I will be snowed in and starve.  I know that studies show that the average American family could eat for three months on just the food in their freezer and pantry alone.  We could probably go longer.  I see a snowy day, though, as an opportunity.  It is freedom to cook whatever you feel like eating, bake delicious treats, spend time in the kitchen and as a result, warm your home, create amazing aromas, and fill the bellies of those you love most.In short, it enables us to create that feeling of coziness that we are so often lacking in our hectic lives.  When I learn of a snowstorm coming, I begin to imagine what I might want to cook.  I go to the grocery store and walk slowly up and down each aisle, looking, pondering.  I am pretty sure they see me coming and put out all the expensive, specialty items, knowing that I will see them and want them.  I may make phone calls home asking my husband or daughters to look up recipes just to make sure I have all the ingredients necessary.  Then I buy extra ingredients just in case.

One of my fondest memories from when my husband and I were dating was a particularly snowy winter.  I had a little apartment not far from where he lived, and on several occasions that winter when a decent amount of snow was predicted, we'd go to a great market nearby, stock up on anything we might even be tempted to cook over the next twenty-four hours or so, and then just hunker down, pots aboil, sauces simmering, luxuriating int he comfort of being together, and creating some memorable meals.  It was during one of these storms that Michael first made his "Black Beans."  He has made it hundreds of times since, and it is a sure crowd pleaser.  Friends of ours who are avowed non-cooks have asked for the recipe and have made it themselves, assuring us it is not difficult, and our daughters ask for it regularly.  It is warm, light, filling, healthy, and even picky eaters love it (just ask our daughter Anna). It is great in the summer at a barbecue or in the winter, and it always evokes the feeling in me of being happily tucked inside with the people I love best, knowing that there is nothing I would rather be doing, even if I could.

Nowadays, snowstorms usually happen on a weekday when, although Emily, Anna, and I get to stay home, Michael has to go to work.  So my snowstorm cooking is usually with my girls.  We often bake cookies, make meatballs and sauce, or a pot of soup.  They ask me how I learned to cook, and I tell them stories of growing up  downstairs from their Nonna, who made many delicious meals for them, and whom they loved deeply. I hope they will look back on these days with the same warm memories.  I hope they will understand that it was not just about the food that we cooked, but rather, about honoring the past, tending to the needs of those we love, being together and being present to eachother.  It is luxury to have time, unexpected and uninterrupted, with those we love the most, and good food makes it both ritual and celebration.

Michael's Black Beans:

3 stalks celery, chopped

4-5 garlic cloves, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

2 large carrots, chopped

4 tbs olive oil

6 15 oz. cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1  15 oz. can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes

1/4 cup prepared green salsa

1 bay leaf

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp chili powder

48 oz chicken stock

In the bottom of a heavy pot, saute the onions, garlic, carrots and celery in the olive oil.  Reduce heat, and cover, cooking until they are soft.  Add the bay leaf, the tomatoes, and the green salsa. Stir until combined and simmer for about five minutes.  Add the chicken stock and spices.  Add all but about 1/2 cup of the black beans.  In the meantime, place the remaining black beans and all the pinto beans in a blender with a few ladles of the chicken stock from the pot.  Blend until smooth, then add back into the pot, stirring to dissolve the bean paste. This will thicken the black beans as they cook and reduce.  Bring the mixture up to temperature, then reduce heat on the pot to simmer, and leave uncovered, stirring occasionally.  The longer this sits simmering, the tastier it will be.  It will have the consistency of a thick soup or a stew.  We sometimes serve it with rice, and sometimes all by itself with a slice of dense, crusty bread or with some cornbread.  It is great with a dollop of sour cream, some chopped red onion, and a sprinkle of shredded cheddar cheese.

Perfect for a Party: Tiramisu

I must tell you there are not many things I like better in this world than a party.  It could be a dinner party, a cocktail party, a small intimate gathering with just a few friends, I am good with all of them. I like planning them,  I like hosting them, I like going to them. A party is an excellent excuse to buy a new outfit  (maybe something a little sparkly), get dressed up and enjoy the company of good friends.  Our friends Kevin and Kristine had a lovely Christmas party this past weekend.  Good wine, good food, some festive music, and great company were the trademark of the evening.  I always feel that if I am willing to help out, people will be more willing to have parties in the future, so I volunteered to bring along a dessert.  I made tiramisu, which I had never made before, and by all accounts, it came out pretty well.  I felt a little guilty, because tiramisu is not a very difficult thing to make.  In fact, it is more about the assembly than anything else.  My sister sent me her recipe, and I looked at a few others in various cookbooks before I sort of made up my own.  It involved only one actual bit of cooking.  That was the cooking of egg yolks and sugar in a double boiler on the stove top.  I even used instant espresso, since we are not coffee drinkers in my house, and I don't even own a coffee pot (when I have my own parties, I assign coffee to one of the guests, and they bring it in a lovely thermal carafe).  It was rich, not too sweet, and had a little kick from the espresso and Kahlua.  It is important to make it the night before so that the moisture seeps into the dry lady fingers, and all the flavors come together.

Tiramisu:

6 egg yolks

1 cup sugar

2 8 oz. containers mascarpone cheese

2 cups whipping cream

1 1/2 cups espresso (cold)

1/2 cup Kahlua

cocoa powder for dusting the top

dark chocolate curls for garnish

2 packages dry lady fingers

In the top of a double boiler, place the egg yolks and the sugar.  Whisk and bring up to temperature.  Once the water in the bottom of the double boiler is boiling, reduce heat and whisk continuously for 10 minutes.  Take the mixture off the heat. Add the mascarpone cheese and continue whisking until it is well incorporated.  Let the mixture cool.  In the meantime, whip the cream until stiff peaks form.  Gently fold the whipped cream into the cheese mixture.

Prepare a 9 x 13 inch pan.  Quickly dip the lady fingers, one at a time, into the espresso, then place in the bottom of the pan.  Line the pan entirely, then sprinkle the tops of the lady fingers with about half of the Kahlua.  Spoon the cheese and whipped cream mixture over the lady fingers until covered entirely.  Continue the procedure with the lady fingers, creating another layer, ending with the cheese and whipped cream mixture.  Using a fine sifter, dust the top of the dessert with cocoa powder.  Use a vegetable peeler to make chocolate curls, and place on top of the tiramisu.  Let sit overnight before serving.

Christmas Cookies: Mimi's Meltaway Horns

I have often written about my mother's lack of interest in cooking.  She loves good food and is happy to bring good wine along to a meal that we have cooked at our house.  She is excellent company and is a great help in cleaning up after a good meal, but she has no interest in actually cooking.  She is, however, quite an excellent baker, and makes the best desserts. When we were growing up, she would spend hours and hours baking wonderful Christmas cookies.  She had incredible patience in dealing with two young girls who wanted to get their hands into everything.  She always encouraged us and made the Christmas baking a festive and enjoyable event to which we looked forward.  She made a number of different kinds of cookies.  Back in the days before "cookie swaps"  were popular, my mother would regularly put out a platter of many different kinds of cookies, made all by her (and us).  To this day, I view the baking of the Christmas cookies one of the holiday festivities; it is not just the finished product that is the enjoyable part, but the process of baking the cookies, too.  In fact, that is very much the way my mother always lived her life, and does to this day.  It is not only what we accomplish that should be enjoyable.  It is important to enjoy the process as well, and if you can do it surrounded by those we love, all the better.

So, the holiday baking season is upon us, and my mom's favorite kind of cookie is the one I made first this year.  My sister and I were not terribly fond of them when we were little.  They were not very sweet, and they had nuts:  the kiss of death for young kids.  As an adult now, however, I totally get it.  These have a delicious crust, are light and flaky, subtly sweet.  The star of the show in these cookies is the cinnamon, so buy the best you can, as I did.  I splurged and ordered it from King Arthur Flour, and it was worth every cent.

Mimi's Meltaway Horns

For the crust:

3 cups flour

1/2 lb butter, very cold

1/2 pint sour cream

3 egg yolks

1 package dry yeast

In the bowl of a food processor, place flour, yeast, and butter.  Process on short pulses until the mixture resembles cornmeal.  Add sour cream and egg yolks, and process until well mixed and smooth.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

For the filling:

3 egg whites, beaten until light and fluffy

2 tbsp good quality cinnamon

3 tbsp granulated sugar

1 cup chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts)

To prepare the cookies:

Cut the large ball of dough into 4 equal pieces.  Roll each out on a floured surface to about 1/8 inch thickness.  Using a pastry brush, brush the beaten egg whites on the dough circle.  Sprinkle with 1/4 of the cinnamon sugar mixture, then the chopped nuts.  Cut each circle into 16 wedges, then roll each wedge up starting from the wider end.  Place on a baking sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.  Let cool on wire racks, then sprinkle with confectioners sugar.

Splurging on Holiday Baking Ingredients: Homemade Vanilla Extract

I always thought that someday, when I earned enough money, I would only buy the best ingredients for my recipes, shop exclusively at local markets and places like Whole Foods, buy only artisan cheese, local honey, fresh pasta.  You know, that kind of thing. Growing up, we did not have a lot of money, nor did my mother's family when she was young, but there was always good food.  My grandmother always believed it is important to eat well.  We may not have had a lot, but we always had good meals, cooked by and eaten in the company of the people who loved us most, so we never felt poor.

 I still hope that day will come that I am able to buy the finest of ingredients, but in the meantime, I am doing the best I can making good food with the best stuff I can buy.  I did, however, decide to splurge recently on some ingredients for my holiday baking.  I love to shop from the King Arthur Flour company.  The products are fresh, wonderful, and everything I have tried is very high quality.  I regularly buy their cinnamon mini chips for the scones I make.  This time, I decided to buy some real vanilla beans to make my own vanilla extract. They arrived in a plastic vial, plump and pliable, much healthier looking than the ones I had eyed at the supermarket. This falls into the category of a recipe for an ingredient, and I completely stole the idea from Ina Garten.  The problem is that I should have decided to do this a few weeks ago, as the vanilla extract will not be ready for my holiday baking.  I am consoling myself with the fact that I will have some awesome New Year baking going on in my house.  Just in time for dieting.  So after the Christmas bills are paid, I will still have my little slice of luxury:  juicy vanilla beans and delicious homemade vanilla extract made from real vanilla beans and good vodka, ready to be used in a drink recipe.

Vanilla Extract (adapted from Ina Garten)

2 or more vanilla beans

8 oz. good quality vodka

Place the vanilla beans in a mason jar.  Cover with the vodka.  Let sit at room temperature for a month or until the vodka has turned into vanilla extract and the beans are more pliable.  This can sit at room temperature indefinitely.

The Day After the Reunion: Cream of Mushroom Soup

It has been a busy weekend; all kinds of fun stuff went on.  First, there was Thanksgiving, the ultimate food holiday.  Then, we spent a fun evening with friends, eating pizza and staying out very late.  Finally, I attended my 25th high school reunion last night, which was a riot.  I graduated from a private, Catholic high school in the city where I grew up.  My high school experience was probably very typical for that time; the fun I had was relatively innocent, certainly by today's standards, and there was an amazing sense of community.

There are some people who do not enjoy reunions; I am not one of them.  Whenever I can look back on a period of time in my life and find the good memories, I am happy to do so.  I had a really fun time catching up with old friends, some of whom I had gone to elementary school with as well. It was very entertaining to recount some of the old stories, and even more entertaining to hear some of the stories of things that happened that I didn't know about at the time.  With many of the people I saw at the reunion, conversations were as easy as if we had not gone five, ten, or twenty years without seeing each other; we just picked up where we had left off.  Next to the time that my friend Lisa and I crashed my sister's 20th high school reunion, it was probably the most fun I have had at one of these things. 

Of course last night proved in many ways that I am not as young as I once was, and I am tired. The upcoming weeks will be hectic ones, as we prepare for more holiday celebrations, and  I need a day to just chill. The best way I know to do that is to make a pot of soup, and maybe a loaf of homemade bread, and lounge on the couch with my two daughters, my husband and the two dogs, and watch all the movies we taped this week while HBO was free.  So that is exactly what we are doing.  And as we have decided to eat a little more healthy in the weeks leading up to Christmas, today is sort of our last hurrah in the decadent food department.  This soup isn't so bad for you. It just has a little half and half, and it is so good, I am hungry just thinking about it.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

For the broth:

1 small handful of dried mushrooms (I used dried porcini)

3 cups low sodium chicken stock
2 cups water

Place the stock and the dried mushrooms in a stockpot and bring to a boil. Cook until the stock is reduced by half.  Let cool, and strain the dried mushrooms using a fine strainer.  Discard dried mushrooms.

For the mushrooms:

3 8-ounce containers of mushrooms, any type you like (I use a mix of cremini, baby bella, and    white), cleaned and sliced
1/2 onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken stock

Saute the mushrooms, and onions in the olive oil until they just begin to brown.  Add the garlic, stir for a minute, and then deglaze the pan with the wine or chicken stock. 

To assemble the soup:

3 tbsp butter

3 tbsp all purpose flour

2 cups half and half

salt and pepper to taste

fresh chives (optional)

In a large pot, melt the butter, and add the flour, stirring with a whisk until the mixture begins to brown slightly.  Add the mushroom stock little by little, whisking as you go to incorporate.  Bring up to medium heat, and add the half and half, continuing to stir.  Reduce heat to simmer, then add the mushrooms, onions and garlic.  Let simmer for at least a half hour, until the soup thickens just a little and all the flavors are blended.  Serve with fresh chives, if desired, and a slice of hot, fresh bread.

Cranberry Thanksgiving: Cranberry Orange Bread

My husband Michael comes from a family of savers.  They save everything.  Typically, this is problematic for me, as I am a thrower-outer.  I throw out mostly everything.  After we got married and bought our first house, my mother-in-law began to bring over the various boxes and bundles of things that Michael had saved over the years, as well as the things that had been saved for him.  There was the bowling ball and bag (had I found that earlier, it might have been a deal breaker), and the concert t-shirts, which I had previously been accused of throwing away, and a myriad of other items that were somehow crucial to his existence.  Now, I will admit that there were some things that were sentimental, and therefore, worth saving. 

One thing that Connie wisely held on to were a collection of classic children's books that Michael and his sisters had received as members of the 'Book of the Month' club, and had loved as children.  My girls were the recipients of those excellent and nostalgic books, and we read them, sometimes swooning with remembrances of these books being read to us as young children.  One of the books arrived just weeks before Thanksgiving, and not coincidentally, was titled Cranberry Thanksgiving.  It was about an old woman who had a secret recipe for the most delicious cranberry bread ever.  In the story, there is an ill-fated attempt to steal the recipe, and the culprit turns out to be the last person one would suspect.  The very valuable lesson, of course, is 'don't jump to conclusions about people.'

At Thanksgiving dinner that year, my sister in law mentioned that the recipe, which was printed on the back cover of the book (if only the thief had just bought a copy of the book!), was outstanding.  I poo-pooed the idea of a recipe, printed on a book mass produced in the late 1960s, as being spectacular.  I was soooo wrong. This recipe is tart and yummy, and utterly exceptional.  I make it every Thanksgiving now, and happily pass the recipe along, so that nobody has to steal it in order to enjoy this awesome bread.

Cranberry Orange Bread (Adapted very slightly from Cranberry Thanksgiving)
2 cups  all purpose flour
1 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup butter
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp grated orange peel
3/4 cup orange juice
2 cups fresh cranberries, chopped

Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda into a large bowl.  Using a pastry cutter, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly.  Add egg, orange juice and orange peel all at once, and stir just until mixture is evenly moist.  Fold in cranberries.

Spoon into a 9x5x3 inch loaf pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack.

Simple Weeknight Dinner: Sage, Lemon and Garlic Roasted Chicken

A recipe for a roast chicken seems kind of ridiculous, kind of like a recipe for a sandwich. I mean, you just put in whatever you like, right?  But I made a really delicious and flavorful roasted chicken this week, and was telling a friend about it, and she asked for the recipe.  A whole roasted chicken makes a weeknight feel kind of special, kind of like a mini Thanksgiving, only so much easier and less stressful. It makes your house smell wonderful.  And with a big enough chicken, and one vegetarian in the house, there is plenty leftover for some great sandwiches the next day...hmmm.  Maybe I already have my next blog entry! 

Sage, Lemon and Garlic Roasted Chicken:

1 large, whole chicken (7-8 lbs)

5 garlic cloves, peeled

I whole lemon, zested and then sliced

10 fresh sage leaves

About 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (or use the sage oil for extra flavor)

salt and pepper to taste

Rinse the chicken inside and out, and pat dry with paper towels.  Place in a large roasting pan.  Place the garlic, lemon zest, 1 tbsp olive oil and a dash of salt and pepper in the bowl of a mini food processor.  Pulse until it is a chopped paste. Take 2/3 of the garlic mixture, and using your hands, place it under the skin of the chicken.  Place the remainder inside the chicken cavity.  Place the slices of lemon under the skin of the chicken as well, and then a couple on top of the chicken.  If there are any left over, you can place them inside the cavity of the chicken.  Roast at 375 degrees until an instant read thermometer reads 165 degrees (or until the juices run clear). Delicious with roasted potato wedges.

The Taste of Fall: Sage Oil

My husband is a genius!  My favorite fall flavor is sage, and although we dug the plant out of our garden, there are only so many sage leaves, and eventually, I will run out. So Michael has started making small batches of sage oil, and I have begun drizzling it on pretty much anything I eat.  I made beautiful soft scrambled eggs with the sage oil today, and I sauteed some mushrooms in the oil for an omelet for Emily this afternoon for lunch.  I roast vegetables with the sage oil drizzled over them, and put it on meats and salads.  It is utterly delicious, and truly simple, which is why I say my husband is a genius.  I mean, he married me, didn't he?

Sage Oil:

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

handful of fresh sage leaves, washed and dried

Place oil and sage leaves in a small, heavy bottomed pan.  Put the pan on a burner, and bring it to a very low simmer.  Continue to simmer for an hour or two until the oil is infused with the flavor of the sage. Let the oil cool, then strain through a fine mesh strainer, discarding the sage leaves. The FDA recommends storing homemade flavored oils in an airtight container in the refrigerator and using up in at least ten days, so only make as much as you can use in that time. 

Sending Comfort, Remembering Dolly: Linguini Carbonara

My sister Betsy has been a dog person all her life.  As a young child, she pined for a dog.  The closest she came to having one was a scruffy stuffed dog named Murphy. My Uncle Jimmy even made an oil painting of that dog, and Betsy hung the painting above her bed.  So when she got her first dog, a black lab, she named him after that first furry friend. Murphy went everywhere with Betsy, including on the 21 hour trip from her home in Alaska to visit us in Connecticut. When Murphy was hit by a car and killed, Betsy was devastated.  Shortly after Betsy and her husband Mike were married, the first thing they did was get a dog, a black lab that Mike trained to hunt with him.  Dolly was such a friendly dog, that even my mother, an avowed dog-avoider, would take her on long walks with her when she visited Betsy and her family.  We were in Alaska a little over a year ago, and got to know Dolly very well.  Though her graying face told us of her age, she was energetic enough to jump into the Grand Central River when we stopped the car on the side of the road on our day trip out to Salmon Lake. Her tail would whip as you walked by, a little friendly greeting, and she loved nothing more than to be outside with the kids.  She was a faithful friend and a wonderful companion.

In my own family, we are fortunate enough to have two wonderful, if sometimes a little barky, dogs.  Before Chilidog came to live with us, I liked dogs, but because I had never had one, never really understood how beloved they could become.  Now, I cannot even imagine living in a home without a dog.  They are always happy to see you, never argue or talk back, and only ask for a little food and an occasional walk in return for their good and true friendship. 

So I am feeling for my sister and her family today.  Yesterday, they said goodbye to Dolly, the dog that had been part of their family for 13 years, and who had been a part of John and Sarah's entire childhood.  While my children talk about the time before Chili and Daisy came to be part of our family, John and Sarah do not ever remember a world that did not include their sweet Dolly.  If my sister lived closer, I would go to her house and make this meal tonight.  It is warm, creamy, salty, and comforting, and while it will not take one's sorrows away, it certainly makes them more bearable. With one of our favorite pasta dishes, we will toast Dolly tonight, the sweetest black lab we ever knew.

Linguini Carbonara:

4 eggs & 2 egg yolks, at room temperature

generous 1/2 cup of grated pecorino romano cheese, plus more for serving

4 oz. pancetta, sliced (regular bacon will work too, but pancetta is better)

cracked black pepper

1 clove garlic, finely minced.

Put the 6 eggs in a dish of warm water for about 15 minutes - the goal is to raise the temperature of the eggs without cooking them.  Cut the pancetta into strips, and cook in a frying pan over medium high heat until crisp.  In the meantime, crack 4 whole eggs and 2 egg yolks in a large bowl.  Add the garlic, pepper and grated cheese, and whisk together.  Add about a tablespoon of the pancetta drippings to the egg and cheese mixture (shhh!  don't tell my mother that part), and whisk again. 

Cook the pasta in salted water until al dente.  Strain the pasta, and place immediately back into the hot cooking pan.  Little by little, add the egg and cheese mixture to the hot pasta, using tongs to move the linguini around quickly.  Keep tossing to coat the strands of pasta evenly.  By keeping the pasta in the hot pan, the heat is retained, and the eggs are heated through thoroughly.  Add the crispy pancetta, and toss.  Serve with a little more of the grated cheese.

Dessert Snacks: Pumpkin Pie Dip

I decided recently that I should always order appetizers when I go to restaurants.  It has nothing to do with smaller portion sizes, or eating healthier.  What it is really about is getting to try as many different kinds of food as possible.  So of course, I like parties where there are hors d'oeuvres.  I can sample everything and then go back for what I like best.  But why do savory foods have all the fun at parties?  Sometimes, I want a sweet bite or two as well.  Enter the pumpkin pie dip.  Perfect for this time of year, it tastes like pumpkin cheesecake with a ginger snap crust. It was a big hit at a recent meeting at work, and I have brought it to parties withgreat success as well.  Serve it in a small hollowed out pumpkin at a gathering, and you have a desserty hors d'oeuvre that is also a conversation piece. 

Pumpkin Pie Dip:

1 15 oz. can pumpkin puree

2 8 oz. packages of cream cheese

2 cups confectioners sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

   1/4 tsp allspice

   Ginger snaps for dipping

Cream the cream cheese in a stand mixer until smooth.  Add the sugar, and continue to mix thoroughly.  Add the pumpkin and spices, and mix well.  Scoop the seeds out of a small pumpkin, and fill the cavity with the pumpkin dip.  Serve with small ginger snap cookies for dipping. 

Comfort Food: Pasta with Broccoli Rabe, Spinach and Feta

All the female members of my household have been sick recently.  My youngest daughter is just over strep throat, I have an annoying head cold, and my oldest daughter is suffering from a nasty sinus infection. There have been trips to the pediatrician, the pharmacy, and the grocery store, and each time, we are looking for something to soothe, comfort, and nourish.  We have picked up the saline spray and the antibiotics, the cranberry juice and the ginger ale, the cough drops and the humidifier.  But a good supper also does wonders to make everyone feel more comfortable, loved, taken care of, and pasta is just the thing in this household.  And to go along with the pasta, what could be healthier than some greens and lots of garlic.  This is one of our favorite pasta dishes, and just for tonight, we all curled up on the family room couch, with our steaming bowls of pasta, a blanket on our laps, comforted by the closeness of being together in our cozy house on this cold, rainy fall night.  We could almost feel the vitamins and minerals making us healthier and stronger, which is a good thing because the only one left to get sick is the man of the house, and ladies, we will need our strength for that!

Pasta with Broccoli Rabe, Spinach and Feta:

1 lb hot, cooked linguine

1 large bunch of broccoli rabe, trimmed and washed well

1 large bag of baby spinach

4 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped

pinch of red pepper flake

3 tbsp olive oil

1/2- 3/4 cup chicken stock

1 generous cup crumbled feta cheese

1/2 cup shredded Romano cheese

8-12 oz. chopped tomatoes or canned chopped tomatoes

In a large pot of salted boiling water, blanch the broccoli rabe for 2-3 minutes (this softens the broccoli rabe and takes away some of the bitterness). Drain and run under very cold water to stop the cooking.  In the meantime, put the olive oil and the garlic in a large skillet, and simmer for about 15 minutes until the garlic has softened and mellowed. Add the red pepper flake, stir to mix.  Add the broccoli rabe and turn the heat up to medium low.  Add the chicken stock, and stir the broccoli rabe.  When the chicken stock is very warm, add the spinach and stir until wilted.  Add the tomatoes, and let cook together for 6-8 minuted to combine flavors.  Toss the greens and tomatoes with the hot pasta in a large bowl.  Add the feta cheese and toss to coat evenly.  Serve with grated Romano cheese on top.