Off The Shelf: Apples

With our focus on apples this week, it is appropriate to highlight a few apple cookbooks.



 My favorite was Apple Cookbook by Olwen Woodier. This book gives a history of apples and plenty of helpful information on cooking with apples before delving into the recipes.

Chapter titles include: Breakfast and Breads, Drinks and Snacks, Salads and Sides, Apples Make the Meal, Apple Pies and Cakes and Apple Desserts.

Thumbing through a book like this every so often reminds me just how much variety is possible with one ingredient. There are all the expected items: apple bread, apple crisp, apple pie, etc. But then you run across something like Apple Ratatouille or Curried Apple Meat Loaf and it makes you think. Even if you don't fancy that particular recipe, it spurs your mind onto new horizons.

I decided to try Apple Pancakes. They were delicious, especially paired with real maple syrup and some sauteed pears I put on the side. The children gave them two thumbs up.



APPLE PANCAKES

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 cups sour cream or 1 1/2 cups plain yogurt (I used yogurt)
1/4 cup apple juice or cider
1/4 cup sugar or honey (I used honey)
1/4 cup melted butter
2 eggs
2 medium apples (McIntosh, Golden Delicious, Empire)

Place the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl, blender, or food processor. Add the sour cream, apple juice, sugar, butter, and eggs. Beat or blend until smooth. The batter will be very thick. Allow the batter to rest for 30-60 minutes (I only had 15 minutes).

Core and grate the apples. Stir into the batter.

Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat and grease with approximately 1 teaspoon vegetable oil. Drop the batter onto the hot griddle a few tablespoons at a time (for large pancakes, measure 1/4 cup batter).

When bubbles appear on top, turn and brown the other side. (Note: these pancakes took a lot longer to cook than regular pancakes. Just make sure the inside is cooked before you remove it from the skillet!)

Yield: 4-6 servings

I also found it a mind-expanding exercise to look through Apple Pie Perfect by Ken Haedrich. While I tend to like my apple pie the same way each time, it was fun to imagine what it might be like to try an apple and pear pie, or an apple cheesecake pie, or maybe a maple apple pie. I did try the apple-raspberry pie and the taste combination was wonderful, although the method for making it seemed more complicated than it needed to be. I'll be trying my own version next time.

 
Another book that just happened to cross my path is one entitled The Magic Apple Tree: A Country Year by Susan Hill. This is a sweet little memoir of seasonal life in the English countryside some thirty years ago. It is not a fast-paced book, but is filled with descriptions of nature, hearth and home, and local customs. It's a book to read by the fire with a hot cup of cider.

 

 

Our Apple Treeby Naslund and Digman and The Apple Pie Tree by Hall and Halpern are two lovely childrens' books that describe the life cycle of the apple tree and would be perfect to read to young ones at this time of the year.

Off The Shelf: River Cottage Family Cookbook

For those of you looking for a nice cookbook to give to a budding young cook in your family, let me suggest The River Cottage Family Cookbook by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Fizz Carr.

What I love about this book is that it doesn't attempt to water down cooking. It takes real recipes and real concepts and begins to teach children the very basics of cooking in a very inspiring way. I was so excited about the book when I first saw it that I ordered a copy for my then 8-year-old daughter and we immediately began reading and cooking from it.

Take a look at the contents: Flour, Milk, Eggs, Fruit, Vegetables, Fish & Shellfish, Meat, The Cupboard, Sugar & Honey, and Chocolate. Each chapter begins with an introduction, giving helpful information about the topic and how to use it. This is followed by numerous recipes. For instance, the chapter on Eggs talks about what an egg really is, how to crack and separate an egg, what does an egg white do and how to fold it into something, how to know an egg is fresh (it will sink in a bowl of water), and what kinds of eggs to use.



Now, have a look at the recipes included in the egg chapter: Custard, Pancakes, Soft-boiled eggs, Omelette, Eggy Bread (French Toast), Meringues, Sponge Cake, and Drop Scones. Each chapter is filled with beautiful, inspiring photos and easy-to-read type. And while this book hails from the UK, it has been translated into American English and cooking terms to make things easy!



Rachel and I decided to make the Baked Apples from the Fruit chapter. This is a simple recipe for a child to help make and the result is a delicious, comforting food on a cold winter night.



BAKED APPLES
(The River Cottage Family Cookbook)

butter
Granny Smith or Golden Delicious apples, 1 per person (or use whatever apples you have)
soft brown or granulated sugar

Preheat the oven to 350F. Smear a little butter over the inside of a baking dish.

With a sharp knife, carefully cut a line completely around the waist of each apple to give it a sort of thin belt. This stops the apple from exploding as the flesh foams and expands in the heat of the oven.

Remove core and seeds of each apple. Cut a small slice off te bottom of the apple so it will sit in the baking dish without rocking from side to side. Stand the apples in the dish slightly apart from each other, so they don't join up and get stuck together while they cook.



Pour sugar into the well of each apple right up to the top. (At this point we stuck a few dried cranberries in with the sugar -- raisins are good too!). Dot a generous knob of butter on top of the sugar. Spoon a tablespoon of water for each apple into the base of the dish.

Place the dish in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes (other varieties of apples may take longer). The apples should be puffy and the skin a little split. Stick a sharp knife into the flesh of the apple at the thickest part near the core. If the flesh feels hard, let the apples cook for 5 minutes longer. Turn the oven down a little if they are getting too brown.

Serve everyone an apple and a good spoonful of the delicious syrupy sauce poured over the top. Some people adore the skin of a baked apple; others prefer to push it to one side. But whatever you do, eat with plenty of cream, Greek yogurt, or English custard.

Preservation 101: Applesauce & Apple Butter

*THE GIVEAWAY WILL CLOSE AROUND 3 p.m. TODAY!*

Apples are prolific right now but won't be in season in just a few short months. One of my favorite fall projects is making applesauce and apple butter. We enjoy the results of the preserving throughout the winter. I make an unsweetened applesauce and a sweetened apple butter.  This is a project that I usually do with my mom and or sisters.

Start with several bushels of apples - we use seconds which are less expensive and work very well. Seconds are the apples that may be bruised, funny looking, or a different shape; you can ask your local orchard if they have some available for purchase.

Wash and quarter the apples and put them in a large pot (8-10 quart) with a little bit of apple juice concentrate (about 1/2 c. undiluted) in place of sugar. Cook until the apples are softened and then pour them into a Victorio Strainer (if you do not have access to one of these, you would want to peel and core your apples before cooking them down and then you could mash them by hand or use a food mill).

The beautiful result - bowls and bowls of applesauce ready to be canned or frozen. We sweeten it with a little apple juice concentrate but no sugar.

This water bath canner holds 11 - 1/2 pints, 9 - pints, or 7 - quarts.

The apple butter bakes in the oven for several hours before being canned. We do use brown sugar in this delicious treat!

I love hearing the pop of the jars sealing and to see the rows of completed jars. But it works to freeze them as well - there are now plastic freezer jars made specifically for preserving or you could use freezer bags. If you do use jars, you must be careful to leave enough room for expansion when they freeze.

APPLE BUTTER

This makes about 1 qt. of apple butter - we adjust the recipe to decrease sweetness but it's great with full sugar, too!

32 oz. applesauce
2 c. brown sugar (can do 1/2)
1/2 c. vinegar (if 1/2 sugar, 1/2 of this)
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Combine ingredients in 2 qt. casserole and bake uncovered at 350 for 2 1/2 hours or until mixture is thick and almost transparent/translucent.

I use a variety of apple including Jonathans, Golden Delicious, Jonagolds, Fuji, and Winesap. The different batches are various colors based on the random mix of apples.

Off The Shelf: March Magazines

(Heather) - Now that we are well into 2010, the food magazines have begun to arrive en masse. First up this month is Food Network. The March issue encompasses 140 pages. Along with all the normal features (such as Food News, Star Kitchen, Fun Cooking, He Made-She Made, and Copy That), there are a number of great feature articles which include: cooking with orange juice concentrate, 11,375 stir-fry possibilities complete with some amazing photos, easy green snacks for St. Patrick's Day, Weeknight Cooking and Weekend Cooking -- all of which have very appealing recipes, a Ravioli how-to, and a pull-out booklet on 50 Pizzas. The magazine ends with a lengthy spread devoted to the upcoming Oscars, including Hollywood-specific recipes.

I chose a recipe from the On The Road feature -- Green Apple-SourDough Pancakes. I love the smell and taste of sourdough and these pancakes were lovely. And my kids ate them right up too!



GREEN APPLE-SOURDOUGH PANCAKES
(Food Network Magazine March 2010)
Print this recipe

For the sourdough starter:
1 cup whole milk
1 tsp. active dry yeast (1/2 packet)
1/2 cup apple cider (I had to substitute apple juice with 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar)
3 Tbsp. packed light brown sugar
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 cup all-purpose flour

For the pancakes:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 large egg, slightly beaten
1 tsp. baking soda
1 small tart green apple (such as Granny Smith), unpeeled and diced
1-2 Tbsp. butter
maple syrup or honey, for serving
chopped pecans, for garnish (optional)

Make the sourdough starter: Warm the milk in a small saucepan over low heat to about 110F. Transfer to a medium bowl, sprinkle with the yeast and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the cider, brown sugar, butter and 1 cup flour until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature overnight.

The next morning, make the pancakes: whisk 1/2 cup flour, the egg, baking soda and apple into the sourdough starter. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a cast-iron griddle or non-stick skillet over medium heat and swirl to coat. Pour about 1/4 cup batter onto the griddle for each pancake. (Alternatively, cook on an electric pancake griddle.) Cook until the tops are bubbly and the edges set, about 3 minutes, then flip and cook until golden and cooked through, 1 to 2 more minutes. Repeat with the remaining batter, adding more butter as needed. Drizzle with syrup and garnish with pecans, if desired.

Makes about 12 pancakes.

(Heather) - Next up is Everyday with Rachael Ray which boasts 462 easy recipes, tips & deals. The magazine opens with a number of regular features and this month includes a section on beating the winter blahs. There are focus pages on cauliflower, coffee, slow cookers, supermarket traps. My favorite section of this magazine is the five-page Meet the Grains feature, introducing us to brown rice, millet, barley, farro, buckwheat, and quinoa. I hope to obtain most, if not all, of these grains and begin to incorporate them into our diet. (Perhaps you'll read about the results on this blog!)

As always the magazine includes some great suggestions for 30-minute meals, as well as a section on classic dishes (think chicken noodle soup, chocolate cake, apple pie, lasagna). Recipes for Oscar night fill several pages and, wouldn't you know, there's a lengthy article on the nation's best pizza and how to make it (do magazine editors consult each other?).

I will mention that my biggest pick with this issue was from their Supermarket Traps article. The article actually encourages you to "save produce shopping for last; this will prevent overbuying." Their argument being that produce has the highest profit margin and supermarket owners want you to buy a lot. In my opinion, fresh produce is what you should be filling the bulk of your cart with. The more fresh food we eat the more likely we are to have good health.

The Spaghetti Squash with Sausage and Greens from the $10 Dinners caught my attention. The recipe worked well and tasted great and one could even substitute regular pasta for the spaghetti squash.



SPAGHETTI SQUASH WITH SAUSAGE AND GREENS
(Everyday with Rachael Ray March 2010)
Print this recipe

1 spaghetti squash (about 3 1/2 pounds), halved lengthwise
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
1 1/2 tsp. olive oil
12 oz. sweet Italian sausage
1 bunch spinach, stems discarded and leaves coarsely chopped (I used a 10 oz. bag of fresh spinach)
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper

The magazine has you cook the spaghetti squash in the microwave. Because I try to avoid microwave cooking I placed my halved squash in a baking pan, added about 1-inch of water and baked it at 350F for 45-60 minutes until tender.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook until no longer pink, about 6 minutes. Add the spinach and crushed red pepper and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes; season with salt and pepper.

Using a fork, comb the cooked squash into strands into a bowl. Toss with the parmesan and season with black pepper. Serve the spinach and sausage over the squash.

Serves 4.

(Alaina) - Everyday Food is focused on spring! It has some wonderful looking salad recipes, a whole section on poaching eggs and recipes for them, five different uses for homemade pizza dough (which all look amazing!), as well as their usual meal plan with grocery a list. I continue to be impressed with this magazine. They make gourmet food easy! The Beer-Braised Sausages with Warm Potato Salad, Almond Torte with Pears and Whipped Cream, and the Swiss Chard Pie are just a few of the recipes I would love to try!

I decided to try the Orecchiette with Bacon and Tomato Sauce - Orcchiette is a small shell-like pasta which I didn't happen to have on hand so mine was actually Orzo with Bacon and Tomato Sauce. Orzo is a small pasta that looks a little like rice. It worked well. This was a little spicy for my kids, so I would reduce the red-pepper flakes to 1/4 tsp. The smoky bacon is so good in this simple dish!



ORECCHIETTE WITH BACON & TOMATO SAUCE
(Everyday Food, March 2010)
Print this recipe

1 Tb. extra-virgin olive oil
4 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium red onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp. red-pepper flakes
1 can (28 oz.) whole peeled tomatoes
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 lb. orecchiette or other short pasta
Grated Parmesan and chopped fresh parsley, for serving

In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium-high. Add bacon and cook until browned and almost crisp, about 4 min. Add onion and cook until softened, 3 to 5 min. Add garlic and red-pepper flakes and stir until fragrant, 1 min. Add tomatoes, breaking them up as you go, and season with salt and pepper. Bring sauce to a boil; reduce to a simmer and cook until slightly reduced, 15 min.

Meanwhile, in a large pot of salted water, cook pasta 1 minute less than package instructions. Reserve cup pasta water; drain pasta and return to pot.

Add sauce and pasta water to pasta and toss to combine; cook over medium-high until sauce thickens and coats pasta, about 2 min. Serve pasta topped with Parmesan and parsley.

(Alaina) - Cooking Light has a wide variety of recipes including many different proteins and vegetarian dishes. The photos are inspiring and the articles interesting. I especially enjoyed the article on 25 Most Common Cooking Mistakes - and yes, I'm definitely guilty of some of them! The Lentil-Barley Burgers with Fiery Fruit Salad, Apricot-Ginger Bellinis, Pear & Prosciutto Pizza, and Braised Short Ribs with Egg Noodles all look amazing.

I decided to try the lightened up Sour Cream Coffee Cake which was actually one of the Cooking Light staff favorites! And I agree - it was surprisingly delicious! I used yogurt which is the perfect substitute for sour cream if you don't have any and since mine was fat-free plain, it reduced the fat in this recipe even more!



SOUR CREAM COFFEE CAKE
(Cooking Light, March 2010)
Print this recipe

3/4 c. old-fashioned oats, divided
1 c. flour
1/4 c. whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. packed brown sugar, divided
1/3 c. butter, softened
2 lg. eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 (8-oz) carton light sour cream (I used fat free plain yogurt)
2 Tb. finely chopped walnuts (I used pecans because we love them!)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 Tb. chilled butter, cut into small pieces

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Spread oats in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 6 minutes or until oats are barely fragrant and light brown. Coat a 9-inch springform pan (I used a regular 9-in. round glass baking pan) with cooking spray; set aside. Reserve 1/4 c. oats; set aside. Place remaining oats in a food processor; process 4 seconds or until finely ground. Combine flours, processed oats, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; stir with whisk.

Place a granulated sugar, 1/4 c. brown sugar, and 1/3 c. butter in a lg. bowl. Beat with a mixter at medium speed for 3 min. or until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture. (Batter will be slightly lumpy because of oats.) Spoon batter into prepared pan; spread evenly.

Combine remaining 1/4 c. oats and 1/4 c. brown sugar, nuts, and cinnamon in a bowl. Cut in 1 Tb. butter with a pastry blender until well blended. Sprinkle top of batter evenly with nut mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 38 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, top is golden, and cake begins to pull away from sides of pan.

Cool cake in pan for 10 min. Serves 10.

Weekend Fare: Apple Cheesecake & Pie

Cheesecake is one of those desserts that always impresses, always gives the impression of difficulty, and nearly always tastes very good!  They are, however, fairly easy to make from scratch.

This is one of my favorite seasonal cheesecakes and it turns out beautifully every time.  I make sure to slice my apples very thin so they are not too crunchy. The addition of the nuts on top (which you can omit if you have an allergy or dislike of nuts) adds the perfect texture and flavor.

Apple Cheesecake is a wonderful ending to a fall meal and great for weekend entertaining. You can make it ahead at least 24 hours - just make sure you wrap it completely so it does not absorb any flavors from the refrigerator.

Impress your friends with your culinary abilities and enjoy this delightful and easy fall treat!



APPLE CHEESECAKE

CRUST *:
1 c. graham crackers crumbs
3 Tb. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 c. butter, melted

FILLING:
16 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. sugar
2 lg. eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon

TOPPING:
4 c. thinly slice apples**
1/3 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 c. chopped pecans (opt. but definitely recommended!)

Combine crust ingredients and press onto bottom of 9-in. springform pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 min.

Combine cream cheese and sugar, mixing until well blended. Add eggs one at a time. Blend in vanilla and pour over baked crust.

Toss apples with combined sugar and cinnamon. Spoon apple mixture over cream cheese. Sprinkle with pecans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Loosen cake from rim of pan, cool before removing rim of pan. Chill for a minimum of 4 hours before serving.

10 servings. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

*Crust Variation:
1 c. cinnamon graham crackers, crushed
1/4 c. butter

**Use an apple variety that bakes well like granny smith, jonathan, or gala.

Another seasonal favorite is apple pie. It is so delicious and is probably the national pie. Sometimes I make a crumb crust on mine and sometimes just a regular double crust. I like to use a couple of varieties of apples because I think the textures and flavors blend well together. Some of my favorites are granny smiths, jonagolds, jonathans, and winesaps but you can use whatever you prefer.



APPLE PIE

DOUBLE CRUST:
2 c. flour
1 c. butter
1 Tb. sugar
1 tsp. salt
6 Tb. ice water

Combine flour, butter, sugar, and salt. Cut in butter.

FILLING:
8 c. apples, thinly sliced
2 Tb. flour (omit if doing gluten-free or use cornstarch)
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Combine filling ingredients and pour into prepared crust. Brush edge with water or milk and place second crust on top, pushing together to seal the edge. Crimp edges. Cut slits (or a design) on top of pie to vent the steam. Brush with milk and sprinkle with 1 Tb. granulated sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until apples are tender and pie is bubbling. (May need to cover edges with pie guard or aluminum foil if getting too brown. Cool slightly and serve warm with ice cream or fresh whipped cream or serve at room temperature.

Off the Shelf: Nigella Lawson's "Feast"

Nigella Lawson's book Feast is a book I like to check out of the library at this time of year. Nigella is an anomaly to me and for years I've been trying to figure her out. She is one of the most talented food writers I know and her writing never ceases to inspire me. In fact, I find Nigella's cookbooks most useful just for her incredible word pictures that make you say, "yes, yes, yes, that's exactly what (said food) is like."

However, I have a hunch that many of Nigella's recipes are made up on the fly, and don't really conform to normal cooking standards or methods. Nigella doesn't care. She's all about the moment and what tastes good now. However, her books are filled with lovely photos and so many recipe ideas, not to mention her descriptions. Her books are worth browsing and then, if you don't quite like the sound of her recipe, you can go online and find something similar.

Just listen to some of Nigella's descriptions:

Pumpkin and Apple Crumble: "Sweet, grainy cubes of pumpkin turned, with wincingly sour apples, in spiced butter and topped with a brown-sugar rubble of sandy crumble: this is the most cozy, warming dessert you could imagine."

"You don't have to be a vegetarian to appreciate the pleasure to be gained from dipping raw vegetables into untraditionally lemony guacamole, followed by griddled slices of eggplant, wrapped around a minted, garlicky easy cheese filling and doused in sweet tomato sauce, and then for dessert, a sugar-dusted pyramid of ricotta fritters. Anyone who doesn't want to eat this, doesn't deserve dinner in the first place."

"This is not so much a recipe, more an enthusiastic suggestion: a scented, simple salad with which to greet a turquoise-skied summer's day."

"There is something about muesli, real muesli, that makes me feel I am some intellectual, beautiful free spirit, throwing pots and writing poetry or political diatribes in 1960's Hampstead. And it's a feeling I quite like."

Now look at some of the chapters in Feast:
Thanksgiving and Christmas
New Year
Meatless Feasts
Valentine's Day
Easter
Passover
Breakfast
Kitchen Feasts
Chocolate Cake Hall of Fame
Midnight Feasts
Wedding Feast
Funeral Feast

I opted to try the Pumpkin and Apple Crumble and the Maple-Roasted Parsnips. Unfortunately, I substituted butternut squash in the pumpkin and apple crumble, which left me with chunks of meaty squash instead of melt-in-your-mouth lumps of soft pumpkin (so don't substitute in this recipe!). And, the parsnips were disappointing -- more because I think they were not fresh and therefore dried out in the oven rather than crisping up and becoming candied morsels of delight. But you can have a go yourself:



PUMPKIN AND APPLE CRUMBLE
(Feast)

3 lbs pumpkin, to give 1 lb 14 oz when peeled and de-seeded, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tart cooking apples (2 lbs)
4 Tbsp. butter
1/2 c. sugar
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 c. golden raisins
vanilla ice-cream for serving

Topping:
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
10 Tbsp. butter
1/2 c. light brown sugar
2 Tbsp. raw cane sugar or demerara sugar

Preheat the oven to 375F.

Put the peeled and chunked  pumpkin into a large pan, and peel and core the cooking apples. Cut them to a similar size to the pumpkin and add to the pan with the butter, sugar, lemon juice, spices, and sultanas.



Cook over medium heat for about 10-20 minutes, partially covering with a lid until the pumpkin and apple have softened. Tip the pumpkin and apple into a dish.

Put the flour, baking powder and baking soda into a bowl and rub in the cold butter to resemble rough oatmeal. Fork in the light brown sugar, and then tip the crumble topping evenly over the pumpkin and apple in the dish. Finally, sprinkle over the raw cane sugar. Bake for 45 minutes, turning the dish once in the oven to color evenly.

Let the crumble stand for about 20 minutes before serving, with some good vanilla icecream.

Serves 8-12.



MAPLE-ROAST PARSNIPS
(Feast)

2 lbs parsnips
vegetable oil
1/3 c. maple syrup

Preheat oven to 400F.

Peel the parsnips and halve them crosswise, then halve or quarter them lengthwise. Put into a roasting pan and coat with vegetable oil. Dribble over the maple syrup and roast until tender and sticky brown (30-45 minutes).

Serves 8-10.

Black Beans and Rice with Fresh Apple Salsa

I love black beans and was excited to find this recipe in the most recent Bon Appetit magazine, which takes the humble bean and ups the ante with a fresh apple salsa. The original recipe called for topping the dish with shredded chicken, but I wanted a vegetarian dish. This was full of flavor and I didn't miss the meat. Plus this is a cinch to throw together, so you can enjoy this healthful, seasonal, naturally gluten-free, vegetarian meal on a busy weeknight.



BLACK BEANS AND RICE WITH FRESH APPLE SALSA
(slightly adapted from Bon Appetit, January 2012)
Print This Recipe

1 c. chopped apple (I used Fuji because that's what I had on hand, though Granny Smith was the original suggestion)
1/2 c. chopped fresh cilantro, divided
1/3 c. finely chopped red onion, divided
1 1/2 tsp lime juice
1/2 c. finely chopped bell pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp dried oregano
dash of red pepper flakes
3 c. chicken broth or water
2 15 oz. cans black beans, rinsed and drained
4 c. cooked brown rice

For the salsa: combine apple, 1/4 cup cilantro, 2 Tbsp onion, and lime juice in a small bowl. Toss to coat. Set aside.

Combine remaining onion, bell pepper, and oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until completely softened, 6-7 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and red pepper flakes; stir constantly for 2 minutes. Stir in broth or water and beans; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer briskly, mashing about half the beans with a potato masher or the back of a spoon, until sauce is thickened, 8-1o minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

On plates layer rice, beans, and apple salsa. Top each with cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

Holiday Feast: Christmas Dinner

Christmas dinner is for many the major food attraction of the entire holiday season. Every family has their own tradition -- some may prefer a day of finger foods and snacks, while others go all out and prepare a second Thanksgiving feast. The important thing is choosing a menu that is best for your family and your circumstances. We thought we'd each share some of what is traditional in our families.

In my family (Heather), Christmas dinner is a big event. Its menu is planned for weeks ahead and thought is given to setting the table with  festive tablecloth, napkins and a centerpiece. It is not set in stone what our menu will be. Creative reign is given to the host to decide if she would like to cook a turkey, ham, or some other form of meat. Why all the fuss? Our family loves sitting around the table sharing good food, enjoying lovely surroundings and one another's company.

Last year I decided to make a stuffed pork loin for Christmas dinner. It was not difficult and provided a stunning centerpiece to the Christmas dinner. This year I'm thinking ham, accompanied by a potato/parsnip gratin (recipe yet to be created), spinach salad with grapefruit and maybe spiced pepitas, rolls, savory roasted sweet potatoes (if I have oven room), and chiffonade of Brussel sprouts. Dessert will be cookies, eggnog and Christmas pudding (a simple recipe will appear on Dec. 24).



STUFFED PORK LOIN
(Heather)

1 boneless half roast pork loin (mine weighed about 5 pounds)

Stuffing:
4 Tbsp. butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1 apple, peeled and finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh sage, chopped (or 1 tsp. dried)
1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped (or 1 tsp. dried)
1 Tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped (or 1 tsp. dried)
salt & pepper
3 c. fresh white bread cubes (1/4-inch cubes)
1/8 c. dried cranberries
1/2 c. water or broth

Glaze:
apricot jam
fresh rosemary, sage, thyme (about 1 Tbsp. each or 1 tsp. dried)

Gravy:
pan drippings
1/4 c. port or red wine (use water or apple juice as a substitute)
1/2 c. chicken broth
2 Tbsp. apricot jam (or apple jelly)
2 tsp. cornstarch

Melt butter in a saute pan and tip in onions and celery. Cook until onions are translucent. Add apple and cook until apple is beginning to go soft.

Meanwhile, cube bread and place in a large bowl. Add dried cranberries and chopped herbs. Mix in cooked apple and onion mixture and pour on enough broth to make the mixture come together.



Lay the pork loin on a cutting board and carefully begin cutting the loin in a spiral so that it unfolds to be flat.





Place kitchen twine at intervals underneath the pork loin and carefully pat on the stuffing.



Roll the pork loin up slowly, stuffing bits of bread back in as it falls out. Enlist the help of someone close by to help tie the twine as tightly as possible.



Place the pork loin in a roasting pan with the knots of the twine underneath. You can either cover and refrigerate up to one day, or bake the roast immediately.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350F. Spread apricot jam on top of the pork loin and sprinkle with chopped herbs.



Roast uncovered in the 350F oven until instant read thermometer reads 160F (mine took about 2 hours). Remove the roast from the oven, transfer to a cutting board and cover with foil to keep warm while it rests.

Meanwhile, mix the pan drippings with the port, chicken broth and apricot jam. Bring to a boil. Mix the cornstarch with 1/4 cup water and add to the gravy. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until thickened and keep warm until ready to serve.

Slice the pork roast and lay on a platter, pouring the gravy over top or serving alongside.

Christmas dinner for my family (Alaina) can be anything from lasagna or soup to ham or beef. Traditionally, my grandparents have made ham and I'll admit that is probably my favorite. I like to buy the spiral cut, semi-boneless, half ham. It's usually fully cooked and I just heat it in the oven for a couple of hours depending on the size.



HONEY MUSTARD HAM GLAZE
(Alaina) 

1/4 c. honey
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. dijon mustard
2 Tb. prepared yellow mustard

Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pan and heat. Brush glaze over the entire ham about 30 minutes before it is finished in the oven. Carve & enjoy!

Finding the perfect side dishes can be a challenge. Here are two side dishes that we really enjoy with ham! The first is a twice baked potato recipe that is a beautiful presentation and tastes so wonderful!



TWO-TONE TWICE BAKED POTATOES
(this is a recipe my Mom first made - Alaina)

4 lg baking potatoes (8 servings)
vegetable oil
2 Tb.butter
½ c. sour cream
¼ c. milk
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1 Tb. Chives (opt.)

Rub potatoes with oil and place in baking pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour or until tender. Cool completely. Cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out pulp leaving ¼ in. shell; set shells aside.



In mixing bowl combine pulp, butter, sour cream, & milk; beat until creamy. Stir in salt, pepper, and 1 Tb. Chives. Spoon or pipe filling into half of each prepared shell.

SWEET POTATO FILLING
4 medium sweet potatoes
¼ c. sour cream or plain yogurt
2 Tb. Butter
2 Tb. Brown sugar
½ tsp. nutmeg
¼ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. salt

Bake or peel and boil sweet potatoes until tender. Put pulp in large bowl and add sour cream, butter, brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt. Whip until creamy and smooth. Pipe sweet potato in the other half of the prepared potato shells.

Return potatoes to baking pan – bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until lightly browned.

*These can be made ahead and refrigerated overnight or frozen for up to a couple of months.*



THREE CHEESE SPINACH BAKE
(adapted from Taste of Home - Alaina)

1 c. flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 c. milk
1/4 c. butter, melted
1/2 med. onion, finely diced
2 Tb. Parmesan cheese
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 package (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 c. monterey jack cheese, shredded
1 c. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

In a lg. bowl, whisk the flour, eggs, milk, butter, onion, Parmesan, garlic, salt and cayenne until combined. Fold in spinach and other cheese. Transfer to a greased 1 1/2 qt. dish.

Bake, uncovered at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes of until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings.

The final recipe is for an appetizer. I came up with this because it combined flavors that I love.



CHERRY ALMOND BRIE EN CROUTE
(Alaina)

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
1 20 oz. wheel of brie
1/2 c. cherry jam
1/4 c. slivered almonds, toasted
1 egg, beaten

Roll out the puff pastry into a square (about 12x12 or a little smaller). Cut the wheel of brie horizontally. Place half of the brie rind side down on the puff pastry. Top with cherry jam, sprinkle with the almonds.



Place the other half of the brie on top (cut side down). Pull the puff pastry up around the brie. Brush the top with the beaten egg.



Bake at 400 degrees for about 20-30 minutes or until puff pastry is golden and cheese is soft. Serve with crackers.

Pumpkin Dutch Apple Pie

Pie is probably my favorite dessert. And I love that the typical Thanksgiving dessert is an array of pies. I always want a sliver of each kind, which likely works out to be at least two slices! :) However, if your Thanksgiving celebration is on the small side and you don't need to make more than one kind, how do you decide which flavor makes the cut? Well, here's a pie that does double duty as both pumpkin and apple pie. This just might be your solution for Thanksgiving this year.

While browsing online, I found a recipe for this pie, but I didn't stick with the original, instead I decreased the sugar and increased the spices. The original version lacked the pumpkin pie spice element.

I tried this pie both warm from the oven and then cold the next morning. The chilled slice was definitely my preferred  way as the chilling time allowed the complexity of the spices and flavors to develop. So, if you decide to make this for your celebration, make it Wednesday and pop the pie into the fridge for your next day festivities.

This pie can easily be made gluten-free by substituting your favorite all-purpose gluten-free flour blend for the regular all-purpose flour. And by making a gluten-free pie crust. The version you see below is 100% gluten-free, so it works out quite well!



PUMPKIN DUTCH APPLE PIE
Print This Recipe


1 unbaked 9-inch deep-dish pie shell (use your favorite gluten-free recipe for a gf version)

Apple Layer
2 c. peeled, cored, thinly sliced apples
2 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Pumpkin Layer
1 1/2 c. pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 c. evaporated milk
1/2 c. sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp salt

Crumb Topping
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/3 c. chopped pecans
1/4 c. sugar
3 Tbsp butter

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Roll out pie crust and place into a 9-inch deep dish pie plate.

In a bowl, combine all of the apple layer ingredients. Pour into the pie shell. In another bowl, combine all of the pumpkin layer ingredients. Pour over the apple mixture in the pie shell.

For the crumb topping, combine the flour, pecans, and sugar in a bowl. Cut in the butter using a pastry blender or two butter knives until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Before adding the crumb topping, bake for 30 minutes. Then remove from the oven and sprinkle with the crumb topping. Lower the oven to 325°F and bake for an additional 20-30 minutes until the custard sets. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Enjoy cold with whipped cream!

Holiday Feast: Turkey

So, last week I made my very first turkey. I had made turkey breasts before but never a whole turkey. It will not be my last. This recipe made an amazingly moist and deliciously flavored turkey. I'm including the gravy recipe which I did not strictly follow but I'm sure is just as delicious.

Heather is also contributing turkey soup which is a perfect way to use up leftover turkey and to cook up the carcass.

SAGE BUTTER-ROASTED TURKEY with Cider Gravy (Alaina)
(Bon Appetit, November 2009)

For the Turkey:
3 Tb. coarse kosher salt
1 Tb. dried rubbed sage
1 16- to 18-lb. turkey, innards removed and bird is rinsed and patted dry (save the neck, heart, and gizzard  if you are making turkey stock - I did not do that)
1/4 c. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 c. chopped fresh sage
3/4 c. fresh refrigerated apple cider or fresh refrigerated apple juice

Rub salt and dried sage together in small bowl. Place turkey in roasting pan; sprinkle all over with sage salt. Cover pan with plastic wrap; chill turkey overnight (I chilled for about 6-8 hours).

Set rack at lowest position in oven and preheat to 375°F. Pat turkey dry. Tuck wing tips under; tie legs together loosely (mine were already tied). Stir butter and chopped sage in small saucepan over low heat until butter melts. Brush all over turkey; sprinkle with pepper.

Roast turkey 1 hr.; baste with any pan juices. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Roast turkey 45 min. Pour 3/4 c. apple cider over; turn pan around. Continue to roast turkey until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 165°F, basting and turning pan occasionally for even cooking, about 1 1/4 hrs. longer. Transfer turkey to platter; tent loosely with foil and let rest 30 to 45 min. (internal temperature will rise 5 to 10 degrees).

 

For the Gravy:
2 c. (or more) turkey stock or low-salt chicken broth (I used broth)
3/4 c. fresh refrigerated apple cider or fresh refrigerated apple juice
2 Tb. all purpose flour
2 to 3 Tb. Calvados (apple brandy) or applejack brandy (I did not have either)
1 Tb. chopped fresh sage

Pour all pan juices into large measuring cup. Spoon off fat that rises to surface. Transfer 2 Tb. fat to heavy large saucepan; discard remaining fat. Place turkey roasting pan over 2 burners. Add 2 c. stock or broth and 3/4 c. cider. Bring to boil over high heat, scraping up browned bits. Boil liquid until reduced to 1 1/2 c., about 6 min. Add mixture from roasting pan to degreased pan juices. If necessary, add enough stock to measure 3 1/2 c stock mixture.

Place saucepan with turkey fat over medium-high heat. Add flour; whisk 2 min. Whisk in stock mixture. Boil until gravy thickens enough to coat spoon thinly, about 6 min. Whisk in  Calvados, or more to taste, and sage. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve turkey &  gravy together.

Here are a few of my turkey tips:
- Allow time to thaw.
- Check the neck as well as the cavity for innards.
- Make sure your thermometer is accurate or that the turkey comes with one that pops up.
- Don't stress - it's really not that hard!

The taste of homemade turkey soup is deeply satisfying. After all the work and effort of the Thanksgiving meal, this soup can be put on the stove and nearly forgotten for most of the next day, with just a few additions just before serving.

HOMEMADE TURKEY SOUP
(Heather)

STOCK:
1 turkey carcass
1 onion, peeled and quartered
3 carrots, peeled and halved
2-3 stalks celery, cut in 6-inch pieces

SOUP:
1 pound carrots, shredded
1/2 bunch celery, chopped
noodles

Place the turkey carcass in a large pot and fill with water (ideally to cover the carcass, but if that's not possible, as far up the pot as safe for cooking). Add the onion, carrots and celery. Bring to a boil and simmer for several hours (I covered my pot and left it for 3-4 hours). Turn off the heat and let the soup cool some.



When cool enough to handle, strain the broth into another pan and pick all the meat of the carcass. Put the meat in the pot with the strained broth and add the grated carrot and chopped celery. Bring to a boil and add noodles of your choice (I chose thin spaghetti broken into 1 1/2-inch pieces). You can also throw in cooked rice or barley instead of noodles. Simmer until the noodles are finished cooking. Season with salt and pepper.

Off the Shelf: October Magazines

The weather is cooling and filling the house with good smells is one of the best activities! Our October magazines arrived and fall is officially ushered in - at least in our kitchens. We talked about magazines we would review and we have chosen four but the reality is - you can't go wrong with any of the fall magazines. I have Bon Apetit and Cooking Light in my menu plan ideas with several recipes marked. All of the magazines have wonderful, seasonal recipes and there is a good chance you will see a few more recipes featured here during October and November.

Everyday with Rachael Ray (Alaina) - This magazine has a great variety of recipes. It was such a tough choice of what to make. The Pear & Goat Cheese Crostini, Spiced Squash with Browned Butter Glaze, Maple-Walnut Chicken Thighs & Cheddar-Apple Rice, and Apple Tart Tatin were all tempting. I think I'm just ready for the fall fruits and vegetables!

Mini Meatloaves Smothered with Onions finally made the cut and they were delicious. The combination of beef, dates, bacon, and onions with worcestshire sauce and balsamic vinegar made for flavorful and moist meatloaves.



MINI MEATLOAVES SMOTHERED with ONIONS
(Everyday with Rachael Ray, October 2010)
Print This Recipe

1/2 cup pitted dried dates, chopped
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 1/3 pounds ground beef
3 onions, 2 thinly sliced and 1 finely chopped
3 slices cooked bacon, chopped
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons butter, melted

Position racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 375°. In a bowl, combine the dates and breadcrumbs, working the mixture through your fingers to separate. Mix in the beef. Mix in the chopped onion, bacon, egg, worcestershire and vinegar; season with salt and pepper. Divide into 4 mounds and, on a baking sheet, shape into loaves. Place on the upper rack and bake for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, on another baking sheet, toss the sliced onions with the butter and season with salt; spread out evenly. Bake on the lower rack, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 30 minutes. Serve the meatloaves with the onions.

Food Network Magazine (Alaina) - I love this edition of Food Network. The recipes all look wonderful and again it was such a hard decision. How can you go wrong with a pull-out full of 50 delicious Panini ideas?! And the use of fall ingredients is impressive.

I'm still planning to make the Pumpkin Waffles with Trail Mix Topping and the Slow-Cooker Squash Stew and perhaps a few more!  The Caramel Apple Cake, Pumpkin Pie Parfaits, Honey-Mustard Chicken & Apples, and Portabella Fries all sound so good.

After many requests for more side dish recipes, I decided to try a couple of the recipes included in this magazine. So, we enjoyed Sweet Potato Mash and Sesame Broccoli. We really liked both dishes.



SWEET POTATO MASH
(Food Network, October 2010)
Print This Recipe

Pierce 4 sweet potatoes with a fork; microwave 8 minutes. Scoop the flesh into a bowl, then mash. Brown 3 tablespoons butter in a skillet, then add 8 sage leaves and fry until crisp; transfer to a plate. Cook 4 chopped scallions with salt and pepper in the browned butter. Drizzle over the sweet potatoes; top with the sage.


SESAME BROCCOLI
(Food Network Magazine, October 2010)
Print This Recipe

Cook 1 bunch broccoli spears in a steamer set over simmering water, 10 minutes. Pulse a 1-inch piece peeled ginger, 1 garlic clove, 2 tablespoons each water and sesame oil, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, and a pinch each of sugar and salt in a mini food processor. Drizzle over the broccoli and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.

Midwest Living (Heather) -- Although Midwest Living is not technically a food magazine, the Sept/Oct issue included a huge spread focused on cranberries. The article was so beautiful and inspiring that I felt it was worth mentioning here.

The cranberry article included things such as cranberry scones, cranberry layer cake, and cranberry apple sweet potatoes. I chose to try the Crimson Slaw and it was delicious. The color, taste, and texture were right on and paired perfectly with my baked ham, roasted sweet potatoes, and steamed green beans.



CRIMSON SLAW
(Sept/Oct Midwest Living 2010)
Print this recipe

1/3 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. dry red wine (optional -- but added a great depth)
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
4 cups shredded red cabbage (1/2 of a medium head)
1  6-ounce package dried cranberries (I used half this amount)
1/4 to 1/2 of a medium red onion, thinly sliced

For vinaigrette: in screw-top jar, combine oil, sugar, vinegar, wine (if you like), salt, pepper, and mustard. Cover and shake well.

In a large bowl, toss together cabbage, cranberries and onion. Pour the vinaigrette over cabbage mixture; toss gently to coat. Cover and chill for 2 to 24 hours. (I had to serve it immediately and it was great.)

Serves 6.

Victoria (Heather) -- Victoria has always been my favorite magazine. The beauty and romance of its pages capture my heart. I enjoyed flipping through this magazine while on our recent "staycation". Since I am a devoted Anglophile (more precisely a UK-phile), I particularly enjoyed this issue.

Page 38 contains a beautiful photo of an amazing cake: who knew it was gluten-free?! I had to make it. The result was beautiful, but strangely tinny. After some reflection I realized the recipe had been altered in translation and the "tablespoons" should be read as "teaspoons", especially where baking powder is concerned!!! So, if you're going to make this cake, be sure to follow the recipe below, or remember the proper translation when you read the magazine!



APPLE AND CINNAMON CAKE
(Victoria Magazine, Sept/Oct 2010)
Print this recipe

1 1/2 cups butter, softened (margarine can be used if you can't use butter)
1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
1 1/2 cups all-purpose, gluten-free flour (I used Bob's Red Mill with great results)
4 tsp. gluten-free baking powder
2 tsp. xanthan gum
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
6 large eggs
4 apples, peeled and coarsely grated

garnish: 1/4 cup walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped; 1/4 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 325F. Grease and line two 9-inch cake pans.

Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment at medium-high speed, beat together butter and sugar until smooth.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, xanthan gum, and cinnamon. Add to butter mixture, and mix at low speed until combined and smooth.

In a medium bowl, combine eggs and grated apple; fold into butter mixture.

Divide batter between prepared pan, and bake for 40 minutes, or until wooden pick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Cool cakes in pans for 15 minutes. Transfer cakes to a wire rack to cool completely.

To assemble cake, place one cake layer on plate and spread half of the icing over top; top with second cake layer, and spread remaining icing over top. Garnish with walnuts and dried cranberries, if desired.

ICING
(Heather's Recipe)

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups heavy whipping cream

Place all ingredients in the bowl of a mixer and whip (slowly at first) until cheese is thoroughly mixed in and mixture has thickened.