a good read...

so i love cookbooks. the end. and i have to say i think i have more cookbooks than jon has photo books. but that's beside the point.

i've come to believe that a good cookbook, or even a good book about food is the quintessential gift. it's completely multi-purpose. my need to be inspired and understood is met and in turn, my friends and family are well fed!

my good friend, veeda has outdone herself of late. she and her sweet little family spent some time abroad this summer and she came back with this little treasure for me...such a nice surprise! i have yet to finish it, but so far i'm in LOVE.

and THEN after our fun little dinner party last week i discovered this wonderful gift from the bybee family...thomas keller's "bouchon". i've read about a third of it just this morning and once again, i'm in love.

i'll be the first to admit that i'm intimidated by haute cuisine. for me food is about friends and family and happiness, not formal, uptight pretention. so as soon as i'd finished the introduction to keller's book, something clicked. i felt for the first time that patroning his restaurants might need to be added to my life's "to do" list.

and veeda mentioned that the quiche is their favorite from the cookbook...i think it'll be the first thing i attempt to make. i'll let you know how it goes :)

my new favorite macaroni salad....

so i grew up with cook's illustrated. my mom subscribed to the monthly publication and she'd always buy the back issues, hard bound. it was my sunday reading...that along with a whole bunch of southern cooking cookbooks (bleh!).

later on i realized that i am a visual learner (hence learning the basics from rachel ray). so now that i have my basics down, cook's illustrated is my go to source for any recipe. so here's my new favorite macaroni salad. nothing of my own at all, pure 100% recipe following. enjoy!

BARBECUE MACARONI SALAD
serves 8-10

table salt
1 lb elbow macaroni
1 red pepper, seeded chopped fine
1 celery rib, chopped fine
4 scallions, sliced thin
2 t cider vinegar
1 tsp hot sauce
1 tsp chili powder
1/8 tsp garlic powder
pinch cayenne
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup barbecue sauce (they recommend Bull's Eye Original)
ground black pepper

1. bring water to boil in large pot. add 1 T salt and cacronin and cook until nearly tender, about 5 minutes. drain in colander and rinse with cold water until cool, then drain once more, briefly, so that pasta is still moist; transfer to large bowl.

2. stir in bell pepper, celery, scallions, vinegar, hot sauce, chili powder, garlic powder, and cayenne and let sit until flavors are absorbed, about 2 minutes. stir in mayonnaise and barbecue sauce an let sit until salad is no longer watery, about 5 minutes. season with salt and pepper and serve.

i can't wait...

so jon and i will have been married 7 years pretty soon and since it's been such an eventful year in so many ways, we've decided to celebrate. we're hosting a dinner party at our new favorite eatery...rooster dumpling and noodle bar. i can't tell you how tasty this place is.

last night we were able to meet with the owners and were surprised to find they had created a menu just for our special night. we even got to have a small little tasting of what was to come. here's what we have to look forward to :)

beef and jicama salad rolls with spicy hoisin-garlic sauce
heirloom beets, butter, sea salt
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shrimp fritters with sweet soy dipping sauce
lemongrass pork skewers with cucumber relish and satay sauce
grilled potatoes with lime mayo and sriracha
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braised lamb noodle
(wheat noodles, tomato broth,
fresh mint, basil, cilantro, chili oil)

ramen noodles
(char siu pork, spam, deep fried tofu,
soft boiled egg, greens, chicharrones)
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lava cake brownie
with Horlick's ice cream and hot fudge

Pok Fu Lam Village French Toast
with caramelized bananas and coconut ice cream

i'm sure there will be pictures to follow :)

my last supper dessert...

if there is one dessert from my childhood that i remember, this is it. i brought it to a friend's house for lunch the other day and later she told me that her mother called the leftovers a macaroon cake. that's a pretty good description. it's just a plain sponge cake with a tasty, tasty broiled coconut frosting...butter, brown sugar, and coconut. have i mentioned how much i love coconut? it's definitely one of my favorites.

and if you remember this post, this is the dessert i would have with my last meal. it's that good.

anyway, if you've already decided to bake from scratch, this is pretty foolproof and easy. i made it this morning with all the kiddos' help in just a few minutes. enjoy!

hot milk sponge cake
cake ingredients:
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk
2 T butter

broiled coconut topping ingredients:
1/2 cups brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, room temp.
2 T milk
1 cup coconut

preheat over to 350. in mixer beat eggs at high speed for about 4 minutes or till thick and lemon colored. gradually add sugar; beat at medium speed 4-5 minutes or till sugar dissolves. stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. add to egg mixture; stir till just blended.

in small sauce pan heat milk with butter till butter melts. stir into batter and mix well. pour into a 9x9 baking pan. bake for 20-25 minutes. frost while warm.

for frosting, cream brown sugar and butter till fluffy. stir in milk. stir in coconut; spread over warm cake in pan. broil 4-5 inches from heat for about 3 minutes or till golden.

the baking continues

so as long as i'm baking i thought a good, healthy wheat bread would be appropriate to add to the repertoire. i found this on smitten kitchen's fantastic blog (i think she got it from "the bread baker's apprentice"). completely foolproof. and bread baking isn't that hard. it takes like 15 minutes to whip out 2 batches and then you just have to let them do their thing, roll 'em up, let them chill out a little bit more and then into the oven. it makes me feel crazy productive and now if i ever have to really do anything with all that wheat that's out in our garage, we'll be good to go!

Light Wheat Bread
The Bread Baker’s Apprentice

Makes one 2-lb. loaf

2 1/2 cups (11.25 oz) unbleached high-gluten or bread flour
1 1/2 cups (6.75 oz.) whole-wheat flour
1 1/2 tablespoons (.75 oz.) granulated sugar or honey
1 1/2 teaspoons (.38 oz.) salt
3 tablespoons (1 oz.) powdered milk
1 1/2 teaspoons (.17 oz.) instant yeast
2 tablespoons (1 oz.) shortening or unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups (10 oz.) water, at room temperature

1. Stir together the high-gluten flour, whole-wheat flour, sugar (if using), salt, powdered milk, and yeast in a 4-quart mixing bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer). Add the shortening, honey (if using), and water. Stir (or mix on low speed with the paddle attachment) until the ingredients form a ball. If there is still flour in the bottom of the bowl, dribble in additional water. The dough should feel soft and supple. It is better for it to be a little too soft that to be too stiff and tough.

2. Sprinkle high-gluten or whole-wheat flour on the counter, and transfer the dough to the counter, and begin kneading (or mix on medium speed with the dough hook). Add more flour if needed to make a firm, supple dough that is slightly tacky but not sticky. Kneading should take about 10 minutes (6 minutes by machine). The dough should pass the windowpane test and registers 77 to 81 degrees F. Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it around to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

3. Ferment at room temperature for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the dough doubles in size.

4. Remove the dough from the bowl and press it by hand into a rectangle about 3/4 inch thick, 6 inches wide, and 8 to 10 inches long. Form it into a loaf by working from the short side of the dough, rolling up the length of the dough one section at a time, pinching the crease with each rotation to strengthen the surface tension. It will spread wider as you roll it. Pinch the final seam closed with the back edge of your hand or with your thumbs. Place the loaf in a lightly oiled 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 inch bread pan; the ends of the loaf should touch the ends of the pan to ensure an even rise. Mist the top with spray oil and loosely cover with plastic wrap.

5. Proof at room temperature for approximately 60 to 90 minutes (as in, original recipe says 90 minutes, I walked into the kitchen at 60 and said “whoa!” as it had almost risen too much; clearly final rising times vary), or until the dough crests above the lip of the pan.

6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F with the oven rack on the middle shelf.

7. Place the bread pan on a sheet pan and bake for 30 minutes. Rotate the pan 180 degrees for even baking and continue baking for 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the oven. The finished loaf should register 190 degrees F in the center, be golden brown on the top and the sides, and sound hollow when thumped on the bottom.

8. When the bread is finished baking, remove it immediately from the loaf pan and cool it on a rack for at least 1 hour, preferably 2 hours (yeah, good luck with that), before slicing or serving.

when i'm pregnant, i bake...

seriously, i think it's the only time i bake. and since i'm baking i have to document it well while it lasts. we (i) wanted something sweet last night after dinner and this sounded good. it was easy too. AND i didn't have cream so i watered down some sour cream with 2% milk and it turned out. this is from ina...seriously, everything i've cooked from her is foolproof.

OH! i forgot...this is for kat. we had a girls night a while ago and we ended up at thanksgiving point of all places and their desserts definitely surprised me. they had a pear clafouti with raspberry custard...it was everyone's favorite of the night and is why it sounded so good last night. enjoy!

pear clafouti

ingredients

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons pear brandy (recommended: Poire William)
• 2 to 3 firm but ripe Bartlett pears
• Confectioners' sugar
• Creme fraiche

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Butter a 10 by 3 by 1 1⁄2-inch round baking dish and sprinkle the bottom and sides with 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar.

Beat the eggs and the 1⁄3 cup of granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. On low speed, mix in the flour, cream, vanilla extract, lemon zest, salt, and pear brandy. Set aside for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel, quarter, core, and slice the pears. Arrange the slices in a single layer, slightly fanned out, in the baking dish. Pour the batter over the pears and bake until the top is golden brown and the custard is firm, 35 to 40 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, sprinkled with confectioners' sugar, and creme fraiche.

my last supper...

photo by melanie dunea

i'm obsessed. i know. i've already admitted this to myself and others many times. yep...you guessed it...food. this morning on NPR i listened to Radio West and Doug Fabrizio. i was soooo happy that i did.

he was speaking to a photographer who interviewed and photographed 50 chefs and asked them this question. "what would you eat for your last meal?" she asked 4 other questions, but i don't remember what they were.

the book is titled "my last supper". i just previewed the photography and some of it really sucks. but i want to read the interviews and there are recipes too.

so my question for you is...what would you eat for your last meal? and this question isn't about dying or life ending. it's about what you choose and why.

the radio show went on to talk about the varied responses...few chefs chose elaborate meals. many were simple and reminiscent of their childhoods. the host often asks this question of many guests. one guest spoke of how before death we want comfort and how many people choose comfort food, whatever that is for them.

i knew my answer in 10 seconds. it took a little bit longer to choose my dessert, but not much. i chose a meal that my mom made alot for us growing up. i don't know if there is even a recipe for and other people have never heard of it. here's my meal:

spanish steak...there's not an appetizing way to describe this meal. it's hamburger patties made with onions, oatmeal, and evaporated milk. my mom just described it as a glorified meatloaf. the sauce for the patties includes ketchup, vinegar, and sugar. don't knock it till you've tried it.

rice pilaf...the ultimate way to make this is to toast the rice and noodles in the pan the hamburger was cooked in. then cook it on the stovetop in chicken stock.

canned green beans dipped in mayonnaise...i know...you think it's gross. my mom just told me my dad grew up eating that. maybe it's a northern utah thing. i'm going to research it and let you know.

wedge salad...this isn't something i grew up with, but for me it's the quintessential salad. chilled plate, ice cold iceberg lettuce, and a chuncky blue cheese dressing...roquefort preferably.

hot milk sponge cake...i'll get the recipe from my mom and post it. it's a light sponge cake with a toasted brown sugar, butter, and coconut frosting. AMAZING!!!

so that's my meal. what's yours? comfort food? fancy and upscale? something you've never had before and so this would be the perfect time?

i'm soooooooooooooooooo interested to know your answer!