I am so excited for Thanksgiving this year! I have my very own kitchen for the first time during Thanksgiving and two families my husband and I will be visiting. I know it might seem risky, but everything I plan on making is something I've never made before. I am in charge of bringing desserts, so here are the things I'm planning on making and bringing. I plan on making them tomorrow, so I will present the menu and then tell you how it went!
Cranberry-Chocolate Tart: http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2007/11/cranberry_chocolate_tart
Pumpkin Banana Meringue Pie: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/pumpkin-banana-meringue-pie-recipe/index.html
Chocolate & Peanut Butter Bundt Cake from mybakingaddiction.com
And I have to make something Alton this year, so I'll make his chocolate or apple pie. I'll let you know when I finally decide. Tomorrow-in this kitchen cooking away!
I hope you all have a happy Thanksgiving!
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
American Chop Suey
I made this recipe without really knowing what it was, but I had all the ingredients and have not had anything bad from my America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook. I love this book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a variety of recipes that are almost full proof. I'm going to try changing the trinity used because my hubby isn't a big fan of onions, but I haven't tried it yet. I was thinking of making it carrots, bell peppers, and celery. If I try it, I'll let you know how it works out. In the meantime, here's the recipe:
American Chop Suey
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 1/2 pounds (90 percent lean) ground beef
1 onion, chopped medium
1 bell pepper
1 rib celery, chopped medium
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt
1 (25-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
8 ounces elbow macaroni (2 cups)
pepper
1. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown the meat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Then transfer to a medium bowl.
2. Heat the other tablespoon vegetable oil to the empty skillet and return it to medium heat until simmering. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic, and 1 teaspoon salt and cook until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the tomato sauce, tomatoes with their juice, the broth, and the browned beef, scraping up any browned bits. Cover, reduce the heat to medium low, and immer until the beef and vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
4. Stir in the macaroni and continue to cook over medium low heat, covered and stirring occasionally, until the macaroni is tender, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Recipe adapted from America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook
American Chop Suey
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 1/2 pounds (90 percent lean) ground beef
1 onion, chopped medium
1 bell pepper
1 rib celery, chopped medium
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt
1 (25-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
8 ounces elbow macaroni (2 cups)
pepper
1. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown the meat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Then transfer to a medium bowl.
2. Heat the other tablespoon vegetable oil to the empty skillet and return it to medium heat until simmering. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic, and 1 teaspoon salt and cook until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
Recipe adapted from America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Lemon-Poppyseed Muffins
I am a huge fan of muffins, but I have always enjoyed poppyseed muffins for some reason. I am not picky about my muffins, but have one request-don't give me one with a mushy top! The top of the muffin should have a crunchy exterior and yummy soft bread in the middle. I find this recipe accommodates my needs. It also calls for making a drizzle that goes over the top after the muffins come out of the oven. I find it unnecessary and therefore am not including it in my post. :-) Hope you enjoy!
Lemon-Poppyseed Muffins
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons poppyseeds
1 1/2 cups lowfat plain yogurt
2 large eggs
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1. Adjust an oven rach to the middle position and heat the oven to 375 degrees. Generously coat a 12-cup muffin tin with vegetable oil spray.
2. Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and poppyseeds together in a large bowl. Whisk the yogurt, eggs, and lemon zest together in a medium bowl. Gently fold the yogurt-egg mixture into the flour mizture with a rubber spatula until just combined. Fold in the melted butter.
3. Use a large ice-cream scoop or measuring cup to divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out with just a few crumbs attached, 25-30 minutes.
4. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minute, then flip out onto a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
(FYI- I normally get more then 12 muffins out of this recipe, but I think it depends on how full you make your muffin cups. I also just scoop the batter into the cups using a normal spoon. No measuring cup or ice-cream scoop required, but not a bad idea.)
Lemon-Poppyseed Muffins
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons poppyseeds
1 1/2 cups lowfat plain yogurt
2 large eggs
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1. Adjust an oven rach to the middle position and heat the oven to 375 degrees. Generously coat a 12-cup muffin tin with vegetable oil spray.2. Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and poppyseeds together in a large bowl. Whisk the yogurt, eggs, and lemon zest together in a medium bowl. Gently fold the yogurt-egg mixture into the flour mizture with a rubber spatula until just combined. Fold in the melted butter.
3. Use a large ice-cream scoop or measuring cup to divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out with just a few crumbs attached, 25-30 minutes.4. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minute, then flip out onto a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
(FYI- I normally get more then 12 muffins out of this recipe, but I think it depends on how full you make your muffin cups. I also just scoop the batter into the cups using a normal spoon. No measuring cup or ice-cream scoop required, but not a bad idea.)
Recipe from America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook
Brown Sugar Banana Bread
I have eaten much banana bread in my life and have decided that although it may seem like a simple recipe, many bakers get it wrong. I have had banana bread that has no hint of banana flavor, or too dry to want to eat it. It could be that these recipes do not include much banana or tell you to bake it until it no longer tastes like the moist banana bread it is supposed to be. I have made several recipes and have tried many others. While I have a banana snack cake recipe I really like, I have an all-time favorite banana bread recipe.
I must add that there are some things I think everyone should know and be careful of when they are making banana bread. Most recipes call for an hour of baking. Once you get to know your recipe and your oven, you will be able to get a good gauge on the timing, but rarely do I go less than an hour, or longer than an hour. If anything, it's no more than 10 minutes either way. Another thing I learned from being disappointed with the tops of the bread cooking nicely but the bottom staying a gooey mess is that you're supposed to cook banana bread on the lower middle rack of your oven. That way, you don't completely dry the bread trying to cook the gooey bottom.
I'm not sure where my mother found this recipe, but here it is to share with you all:
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2 eggs
1 1/2 sups mased bananas (3-4)
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup finely chopped walnuts (optional)
Cream together sugar and butter. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in bananas. Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Stir into creamed mixture. Mix in nuts. Spoon into greased loaf pan. Bake in 350 degree oven for one hour or until bread tests done. (A toothpick inserted in center will come out clean.) Cool on rack. Makes one loaf.
I must add that there are some things I think everyone should know and be careful of when they are making banana bread. Most recipes call for an hour of baking. Once you get to know your recipe and your oven, you will be able to get a good gauge on the timing, but rarely do I go less than an hour, or longer than an hour. If anything, it's no more than 10 minutes either way. Another thing I learned from being disappointed with the tops of the bread cooking nicely but the bottom staying a gooey mess is that you're supposed to cook banana bread on the lower middle rack of your oven. That way, you don't completely dry the bread trying to cook the gooey bottom.
I'm not sure where my mother found this recipe, but here it is to share with you all:
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2 eggs
1 1/2 sups mased bananas (3-4)
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup finely chopped walnuts (optional)
Cream together sugar and butter. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in bananas. Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Stir into creamed mixture. Mix in nuts. Spoon into greased loaf pan. Bake in 350 degree oven for one hour or until bread tests done. (A toothpick inserted in center will come out clean.) Cool on rack. Makes one loaf.
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