Pumpkin Loaf, take two

Back when I first started my blog, about two years ago, I posted a recipe for pumpkin cranberry loaf. I used a great recipe from a little pumpkin cookbook that has since been lost in a move. Last month, I found another recipe in Gourmet magazine, and so I decided to give it a whirl. It's moist and spicy and dense and feels more cake-like than bread-like. So, to say 'Happy Birthday, blog,' make either one of these great pumpkin loafs and enjoy with a cup of tea!

You can find the Gourmet recipe here, and look back to December 2006 for the other.

Chard, Potato, and White Bean Soup

I made this recipe from the Times after spotting it last week while I was making my chard lasagna. It's really quite good. The broth is excellent. I cheated and used 2 1/2 cups canned beans instead of making them from scratch, but otherwise I followed the recipe to the letter. Today is so stormy and windy that it feels right eating soup. As an added bonus, this dish is definitely "recession friendly," or whatever (I just call it cheap).

NB 1/20/09: I made this again last week and it's still delicious. I had no parmesan rind (alas) but it still tasted pretty wonderful. It IS recession friendly soup!

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Apple

Today I made these pancakes, from Gourmet by way of Smitten Kitchen. I think this may be my new favorite pancake recipe. The lemon and sweet ricotta mix are lovely. I also feel like these must be healthier for you in some way than regular pancakes, even though they are loaded down with cheese and eggs. At least cheese and eggs mean protien, calcium, and that special enzyme that's in eggs! Regular pancakes mean carbs. Anyway, I'd highly recommend giving these a shot (especially if you have a mixer to help with the egg whites).

Chard and Ricotta Lasagna

I recently made this lasagna, from the Times healthy food column. It did turn out very savory, though I must say not as rich as most lasagnas. Is this a good or a bad thing? Depends on how hungry you are, I guess.

Lime Pie

With Independence Day behind us, it's officially summer. Time for a tart, refreshing dessert. My friend at On the Hob gave me this recipe a while ago and I've been meaning to try it ever since. Here's to July!



Lime Pie

Crust

About 10 graham crackers
5 tablespoons butter, very soft
1/4 cup powdered sugar

- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- In food processor, break up graham crackers into pieces and whir until you have crumbs. Add sugar and butter and mix until the mixture sticks together.
- Turn out into a pie plate and gently press into the bottom and up about 1 inch on the side.
- Bake at 350 for 9-11 minutes, or until the edges are crisp and the bottom is solid.

Filling

14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk
1 cup lime juice (about 4)
zest of 1 or 2 limes
1 egg

- Wisk together milk, lime juice, zest and egg. Pour into baked crust and bake for 12 minutes at 350 F or until set. Cool, then refrigerate before serving.

All-Kinds-of-Deliciousness Sandwich

Hello to the two people in the world who read my food blog! Inspired by summer produce and, for the first time in weeks, having a little time to cook, I have made the bitchin'est sandwich ever. Nothing smells as good as roasting vegetables, especially with a solid helping of olive oil to get them sizzling. I like the Mediterranean combo of zucchini, eggplant, tomato, mushrooms, pepper... yum. There's a reason so many cultures eat these foods together.

Sandwiches also have a permanent place in my repertoire, and though I eat a lot of peanut butter and jelly, there is nothing says a sandwich has to be boring. This particular 'wich can be constructed with any combination of the veggies listed above. You could also put fresh basil on there, or parsley. I like cheese - try goat or provolone, but a little thinly sliced cheddar can be fine, as can a gooey cheese like brie (the milder the better, I find, to let the vegetables' taste shine through).

Today I used thinly sliced eggplant, zucchini, baby portobello mushrooms, and sun-dried tomatoes. Spread the first three on a baking sheet; give them a good drizzle of olive oil; sprinkle with salt, pepper, and dried Italian spice blend; and pop 'em under the broiler for about 5 minutes (just until tender; the eggplant will cook fastest). Oil is key so that they don't get dry, shrively, and unappealing. Meanwhile soak the dried tomatoes in boiling water to soften them (if you're using the regular kind - drain them if you're using the kind stored in olive oil). Cut open a long roll (definitely something Italian - sorry if you don't live in an Italian neighborhood like me, where even the Met Mart has Italian meats, cheeses, and baked goods!) and give it a quick toast under the broiler, too, cut side up (if you're using a cheese like provolone or cheddar, it's nice to melt it under the broiler on one half of the bread). Then assemble and consume!

Foolproof Pie Dough

I've been told by my dear pal at On the Hob that I need to post something new. She's right - it's been almost two months. Not much has been brewing in my kitchen lately! Mostly I stick to whole wheat pasta with Whole Foods marinara sauce and zucchini... spinach and lentils with carrots... chickpea salad... a fairly boring medley. I also find myself eating out a lot, which is nice for my taste buds but not so much for my blog. 

I think the most exciting and useful recipe I can post is for pie crust. At Thanksgiving, I made a delicious apple-cranberry pie. The recipe came from Cook's Illustrated, as did the recipe for the dough. The secret ingredient is vodka, which apparently keeps the dough wet while inhibiting gluten formation (which tends to make the finished crust tough). I made the dough again at Christmas time, for an apple pie. It was absolutely delicious both times: crunchy, crusty, crackly, and very easy to work with.

So here is the recipe, for your baking pleasure.

Foolproof Pie Dough

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp sugar

12 tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter

1/2 cup cold vegtable shortening

1/4 cup cold vodka

1/4 cup cold water

1. Mix 1 1/2 cups flour, sugar, and salt together in large bowl. Cut the butter and shortening into pieces and work into the flour mixture with two knives or a pastry blender, until the pieces are the size of quarters. Add the remaining cup flour and cut it in until the fat pieces are the size of peas. (Alternately, you can do this in a food processor.)
2. Sprinkle water and vodka over mixture. With rubber spatula, using folding motion to mix, pressing down on dough until it is slightly tacky and sticks together. Divide dough into two even balls and flatten into disks. Wrap each in Saran wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or overnight.
3. Follow your pie recipe from here. This dough will make enough for one bottom and one top shell. Half it if you prefer to make just a bottom, as for custard pie.

*This recipe comes from Cook's Illustrated, November 2007.