Holiday Cookies

I love the holiday season, the lights, colors, and warm holiday spirit in the air. As I walk down the streets I see moms hurrying to finish holiday shopping, husbands buying cards for their wives, and I hear Christmas music playing in shops. Even for those such as myself who don't actually celebrate Christmas or Hanukkah, you can't help but join in the festive mood.

I decided to go to an all time favorite tradition my mom used to do with my siblings and I, and probably the most delicious way to get into the festivities, bake holiday cookies. I cracked open my new and absolute favorite pastry book, Milk Bar by Christina Tosi, and chose three cookie recipes to try. The first recipe was her classic Corn Flake Cookie with Chocolate Chips and Marshmallows, needless to say this cookie taste like the best s'more dessert! Don't be fooled by the way the look - not the most beautiful cookies and pretty time consuming to make. So I put on my apron and listened to my favorite holiday music while I baked away for the next 8 hours! Yes, 8 hours of pure fun and enjoyment.

The second cookie recipe is a Corn Flake Cookie with Chocolate Chips, Marshmallows, and Candy Canes. Pair this cookie with some homemade hot chocolate and mini marshmallows and you will be in the holiday spirit pretty quickly. When you bite into these cookies you get a nice crunch from some of the caramelized marshmallows, stickiness from the others that didn't melt, and then a very balanced taste of melted chocolate with crunchy peppermint pieces. 

 

 The third cookie was not the most festive in flavor, but looked like the colorful lights on Christmas trees, the Fruity Pebbles Crunch and Marshmallow Cookie. They taste exactly like their name, a combination that your mom probably never let you eat as a kid, but absolutely my favorite cookie of the bunch.
 

I love baking, otherwise I wouldn't spend 8 hours making cookies, or days making cakes. One of the easiest ways for people to show others how much they love or care about them is to give them something made with a lot of love and joy.


Season's Greetings to All.

Pasta Week - Day 2: Lasagna with Besciamella Sauce and Beef Ragout

On day two I decided to make something a little heavier than the Veal Orecchiette. I've made lasagna before, but they always feel so heavy. This recipe won't make you feel like you ate a bag of marbles and still keeps that creamy element we all love about lasagna.

Ingredients for beef ragout:

1 pound ground beef
3 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp oregano 
1-2 garlic cloves minced
1 yellow onion finely chopped
1 can diced tomatoes
Splash of red wine
1 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

• In a pot, heat olive oil on medium high heat.
• Add onion, sprinkle some salt, and cook until translucent.
• Add garlic and stir for about 30 seconds.
• Add thyme, oregano, and bay leaf and stir until fragrance begins to release.
• Add beef, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook making sure beef has a fine texture and is fully cook.
• Add a splash of red wine and allow to cook for 1 minute.
• Add diced tomatoes with juice to pot and season with salt and pepper.
• Cover pot and reduce heat to low to allow sauce to simmer for around 2-3 hours.
• Once sauce flavors have matured, remove bay leaf and any thyme sprigs, and set aside.

Besciamella Sauce:

3 Tbsp unsalted butter
3 Tbsp flour
2 cups whole milk
Salt and pepper to taste

• Heat butter in a saucepan over medium low heat.
• Whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly until it begins to bubble, about 3 minutes.
• While whisking, add milk and bring to a simmer.
• Whisk occasionally until sauce thickens, about 10-15 minutes.
• Season to taste and set aside.

Assembling Lasagna:

Heat oven to 450F. Cook pasta in salted boiling water until tender. Set aside.

In a baking dish, spread beef ragout on the bottom; cover with evenly with 2 sheets of pasta, cutting to fit if necessary. Spread beef ragout over pasta, spread some besciamella sauce, then sprinkle with grated cheese. Start another layer repeating the same sequence. Top with pasta layer, beef ragout, remaining besciamella, and remaining cheese. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350F and cook for an additional 15-20 minutes.



Let the lasagna cool for about 15-20 minutes before serving. 

Pasta Week - Day 1: Veal Orecchiette

If any of you are like me, you probably recycle the same old pasta recipes week after week. I tend to always make a very delicious beef bolognese with cappellin or mac 'n cheese. Delicious, but after a while you get bored and want to try something new. So I am making an effort to try pasta recipes I haven't tried before. I won't be making my own pasta this time around, but maybe next time I will.

I am starting out the week with a veal orecchiette dish. I've never really had orecchiette before, and other than veal parm, haven't had veal with pasta. What I liked about this dish is that it's easy and fast to make, and the flavors are just so perfectly balanced making this dish a keeper.

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
1 Medium onion chopped finely
1 Garlic clove minced
1 pound ground veal
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 tsp chopped thyme (preferably fresh)
1/2 tsp chopped rosemary
2 Tbsp capers drained and rinsed
3/4 pound orecchiette
1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
Salt and pepper to taste

• In a large deep skillet, heat olive oil.
• Add the onion and garlic; cook over medium high heat until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Add the veal and season with salt and pepper.
• Raise heat to high.
• Cook veal until it's no longer pink and any liquid has evaporated, about 8 minutes.
• Add wine and boil over high heat until nearly evaporated.
• Add chicken stock, thyme, rosemary and capers; simmer over medium heat until liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook orecchiette in boiling salted water until al dente.
• Drain cooked orecciette and add to skillet along with cheese, parsley, and butter.
• Stir over medium heat until sauce is thick and creamy, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Serve in bowl and enjoy!

Chocolate Macarons with a Chocolate Filling

Okay, I will admit I'm going through a crazy macaron phase. I can't seem to turn away from them. In my opinion, they are one of the most delicate, and beautiful desserts. You can basically make any flavor you can imagine into a macaron, but I had a chocolate craving when I made these. If you happen to have these basic ingredients laying around in your pantry you should definitely take a stab at making these.

Let me first note that you can't make macarons without a basic kitchen scale (preferably digital). Also, you should separate the egg whites at least 24 hours in advance to "age".

Macaron Batter:

1 cup (100 gr) powdered sugar
½ cup powdered almonds (about 2 ounces, 50 gr, sliced almonds, pulverized)
3 tablespoons (25 gr) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder (I used Valrhona Cacao)
2 large egg whites, at room temperature
5 tablespoons (65 gr) granulated sugar

Chocolate Filling:

½ cup (125 ml) heavy cream
2 teaspoons light corn syerup
4 ounces (120 gr) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 tablespoon (15 gr) butter, cut into small pieces

1. Preheat oven to 350º F (180º C).
2. Place metal bowl in the fridge so it is cold enough for the egg whites.
3. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and have a pastry bag with a plain tip (about 1/2-inch, 2 cm) ready.
4. Grind together the powdered sugar with the almond powder and cocoa so there are no lumps. (use a blender or food processor since almond meal that you buy isn’t quite fine enough.)
5. In the metal bowl, beat the egg whites until they begin to rise and hold their shape. While whipping, beat in the granulated sugar until very stiff and firm, about 2 minutes.
6. Carefully fold the dry ingredients, in two batches, into the beaten egg whites with a flexible rubber spatula. When the mixture is just smooth and there are no streaks of egg white, stop folding and scrape the batter into the pastry bag (standing the bag in a tall glass helps if you’re alone).
7. Pipe the batter on the parchment-lined baking sheets in 1-inch (3 cm) circles (about 1 tablespoon each of batter), evenly spaced one-inch (3 cm) apart.
8. Rap the baking sheet a few times firmly on the counter top to flatten the macarons 
9. Leave the macarons out for about 15-20 minutes.
10. Bake them for 15-18 minutes. 
11. Let cool completely then remove from baking sheet.

Chocolate Filling:

Heat the cream in a small saucepan with the corn syrup. When the cream just begins to boil at the edges, remove from heat and add the chopped chocolate. Let sit one minute, then stir until smooth. Stir in the pieces of butter. Let cool completely before using.

Gently frost the macarons with the chocolate filling and sandwich with another macaron half. Be careful when frosting. You don't need to put too much filling because you don't want the filling to spill out of the macaron.

After frosting, place macarons in the fridge for at least 24 hours...Okay, I know you will cheat and have a couple, but the true flavor and texture of the macaron won't reveal itself until they have rested in an air-tight container in the fridge.

This recipe was adapted from The Sweet Life in Paris (Broadway) by David Lebovitz

Food Frenzy in NYC II

So today we decided to take a walk up to Central Park. On the way there we stopped at Bouchon Bakery in Columbus Circle and got some yummy treats.

Blueberry Cheesecake Macaron

Rice Krispy Treat with Caramel, Chocolate, and Sea Salt.

TKO (Big Oreo-Like Cookie)

Nutter Butter

Food Frenzy in NYC

My sisters were visiting NYC the past week, and so I decided to take them on an eating tour of the city. To make up for all we ate I made sure we got enough walking.

Cereal Milk Soft Serve and Birthday Cake Truffles from Milk Bar:

Breakfast at Doughnut Plant: Peanut Butter and Jelly Doughnut, Coconut Creme Doughnut, Crème brûlée Doughnut, and Lavender Glaze Doughnut:

We were walking on the High Line and ran into Melt Bakery and couldn't resist getting this delicious Mango and Cardamom Yogurt Sandwich:

Crispy and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

I made these nice cookies from The Sweet Life by Kate Zuckerman. It is a very simple recipe that makes the cookies slightly crispy on the outside and delightfully fluffy and chewy on the inside.

Ingredients:

16 TBSP (8 oz.) of room temperature butter
1.5 cups of light brown sugar
1 egg at room temperature
1 egg white at room temperature
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1.75 cups of flour
8 oz. semisweet chocolate chips (or 61 to 66% chocolate chopped) and white chocolate chips
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1.5 cups chopped walnuts (optional)

• Preheat oven to 350F 
• Spray cookie sheets lightly with non-stick spray or line with parchment paper or foil
• Cream butter
• Place butter in a bowl and beat with a mixed (preferably with a paddle attachment) on medium speed for 1 minute
• Add sugar and beat on medium-high speed for 6-8 minutes until mixture becomes light in color and fluffy (make sure you scrape the sides of the bowl)
• Add the egg and egg white and continue to beat until the batter looks smooth and glossy 1-2 minutes
• Assemble dry ingredients in a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt
• Add the dry ingredients all at once to the wet ingredients and mix on slow speed
• Add vanilla, chocolate chips, and nuts and mix for another minute
• Using two teaspoons portion the mix onto the baking sheet in small mounds
• Bake for 12-15 minutes depending on how crispy you like your cookies
• Cool on a cooling rack
• Enjoy!

Lemon Yogurt Cupcakes

I love citrus fruits, and one of my absolute favorite desserts (and sometimes substitute breakfasts) is lemon yogurt cake. It's light, fluffy, and perfectly sweet and tart. I have out-of-town family coming to visit for the holiday weekend and decided to make cupcakes instead of a loaf style cake to make it easier for everyone to enjoy.

This recipe is super easy and quick. I followed Ina Garten's recipe and made a few changes of my own that I think enhance the flavors.

Cake Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
1 1/3 cups sugar, divided
3 extra-large eggs
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Glaze Ingredients:

1 cup confectioners' sugar 

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a cupcake/muffin pan

2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into 1 bowl
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup sugar, the eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla
4. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
5. With a spatula, fold the vegetable oil into the batter until it's well incorporated
6. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pan
7. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until a cake tester placed in the center of the loaf comes out clean


While the cupcakes are in the oven cook the 1/3 cup lemon juice and confectioners sugar in a small pan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Set aside.


When the cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Carefully place on a baking rack over a sheet pan. While the cake is still warm, brush or spoon the lemon-sugar mixture over the cake and allow it to soak in.

You can leave them as is, or garnish them with sprinkled powdered sugar, berries, or icing if you like.

Grilled Cheese Two Ways

I made two delicious combinations of grilled cheese today. The top is a black truffle cheese with some sliced sun dried tomatoes, and the bottom is Gruyere with melted leeks both grilled to melty perfection!

Summery Corn Soup with Chive Oil

I love summer for many reasons, but mostly because it brings a wide variety of fruits and vegetables that I enjoy like watermelon, peaches, and corn. So I decided to make a bright and cheery corn soup with a drizzle of chive oil.




Soup Ingredients:

• 4 Ears of Fresh Corn (Kernels Removed)
• 1 Onion Diced
• 2 Cloves of Garlic
• 2 Sprigs of Fresh Thyme
• 3 Bay Leaves
• 1 Cup of Heavy Cream
• 1 Cup Chicken Stock

Place cobbs in a pot with cream and 1 bay leaf. Bring cream to a light simmer over medium high heat then switch off and cover to steep for 20 minutes.

In a second pot pour a little canola oil and heat over medium high heat. Put onions in the pot and sprinkle with salt to sweat. Once onions are translucent, add the corn kernels, herbs, chicken stock, and salt to taste and bring to a simmer. Once stock is simmering turn down heat to low and cover until kernels are tender.

Once the corn kernels are tender, puree using either an immersion blender or a standard food processor adding a little stock and cream.

Pour soup through a mesh strainer.

Ladle soup into a bowl and garnish with your choice of toppings such as chopped chives, chive oil (as seen in picture), or a dollop of creme fraiche. Enjoy!

Rick Bayless at NRA Giving a Demo

Me and Kevin from Top Chef at the NRA Show in Chicago

Happened to run into Kevin from Top Chef at the NRA Show in Chicago.

In The Mood for Something Melty

You are sitting at home watching TV, playing video games, reading, working, or studying when all of a sudden you feel your stomach calling out for food. You begin to think of how you can satisfy this hunger the easiest and quickest way possible. Most of us will pour a bowl of our favorite cereal or make some eggs, while others will make something else...something in between two slices of bread that is satisfying...GRILLED CHEESE!

Whether you just like straight up American on white or you like to be adventurous with your cheeses and bread we all love this classic childhood filler. I happened to have this very craving the other day and wandered over to a place that was said to be serving up variations of the classic grilled cheese. This place is Melt Shop in New York City.

As I walked up to this little shop on Lexington Ave. I was greeted by a very friendly young man who offered me the menu. What a selection! How will I choose? I ended up ordering their cheesiest sandwich, the Three Cheese Melt with gruyere, fontina, and goat cheese. I know you're thinking this was probably very rich, but to cut the richness they added homemade roasted tomatoes and put all of that on sourdough bread.

I also ordered their shop tots, which were delicious and crispy, served with their melt sauce. These tots were topped with parsley and pecorino romano, which I thought really brought out the flavor in the melt sauce.

In addition to grilled cheese, Melt Shop serves breakfast items like PB&J and for dessert they serve ice cream sandwiches. All in all, a solid place to relive some of your fondest childhood memories while also satisfying your hunger so be sure to stop by.

The Mini Mini

We have all fallen victim to the cupcake craze. I know I have tried dozens of different cupcake shops and even more flavor combinations. So when I first heard of Baked by Melissa I thought it would be just like all the other places I had tried.

Yesterday I decided to check out the location on Lexington Avenue. The tiny store's interior was nicely decorated and had a very clean and modern feel to it, and there in the glass display were the tiniest and beautifully decorated minis I had ever seen. I must have stood in front of the display for five minutes trying to talk myself out of getting one of each of their flavors, but couldn't resist the temptation. I ended up getting each of their standard flavors and their flavor of the month strawberry.

As someone who enjoys baking and has tasted enough cakes and cupcakes I was afraid that these minis would be dry or average tasting, but oh what I wrong. Not only are these tiny delicate cupcakes moist and delicious, they are actually stuffed! The result: tiny morsels of flavor exploding in your mouth. I recommend trying the peanut butter and jelly, cinnamon, and chocolate chip pancake.

If you happen to be at work or just wandering the streets of NYC and you have a sudden craving for cupcakes then look no further. There are currently four locations in NYC, so find your closest branch and go try all their flavors. If you happen to live far away from the area do not fear because you can still get your fix by ordering your favorite flavors on their website.