HAPPY VALENTINO

It's Daring Bakers' time again.


The February 2009 challenge was hosted by Wendy of WMPE's blog and Dharm of Dad ~ Baker & Chef. They chose a Chocolate Valentino cake by Chef Wan; a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Dharm and a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Wendy as the challenge.

Flourless chocolate cake has been a favorite dessert since I first tasted it in the 70's. One particular restaurant used to serve it slightly warmed with clotted cream--yum! Raspberries are a standard garnish, but such decadence can really stand on its own. Not being much of an ice cream fan, I made a simple Irish cream whipped cream to go with this rich, moist, mouthful of heaven.

Many flourless cakes rely on nuts for their texture, but this recipe was more like a souffle, depending on whipped egg whites for its texture. I baked it in a 10 inch springform pan, shortening the baking time to 22 minutes. It was perfect. Thanks Wendy and Dharm for a straightforward pick. I believe that less is more and a 3-ingredient recipe really challenges one to focus on technique.

Chocolate ValentinoPreparation Time: 20 minutes
16 ounces (1 pound) (454 grams) of semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
½ cup (1 stick) plus 2 tablespoons (146 grams total) of unsalted butter
5 large eggs separated

1. Put chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water) and melt, stirring often.

(I had to include a photo of my double boiler. One of the attendant benefits of aging is that you inadvertently become a collector of antiques. This double boiler was a wedding present to my parents--that makes it 61 years old, so maybe it isn't technically antique, but vintage. Mom passed away last June and it is one of the mementos that I kept. While she didn't bake often, she was a great cook and passed on the "food" gene. Happy Valentino, mom.)

2. While your chocolate butter mixture is cooling, butter your pan and line with a parchment circle then butter the parchment.

3. Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and put into two medium/large bowls.

4. Whip the egg whites in a medium/large grease free bowl until stiff peaks are formed (do not over-whip or the cake will be dry).

5. With the same beater beat the egg yolks together

6. Add the egg yolks to the cooled chocolate.

7. Fold in 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and follow with remaining 2/3rds. Fold until no white remains without deflating the batter.

8. Pour batter into prepared pan, the batter should fill the pan 3/4 of the way full, and bake at 375F/190C9. Bake for 25 minutes until an instant read thermometer reads 140F/60C. Note – If you do not have an instant read thermometer, the top of the cake will look similar to a brownie and a cake tester will appear wet.

9. Cool cake on a rack for 10 minutes then unmold.



Irish Cream Whipped Cream
1 half pint whipping cream
2 tbs strong coffee, cooled
1 tbs Irish cream liqueur
2 tbs confectioners' sugar


Begin whipping the cream. As it begins to thicken, add the liquids and sugar. Continue whipping until soft peaks form.

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT. I LOVE TO HEAR FROM OTHER FOOD BLOGGERS.

RASPBERRY CRUMB COFFEE CAKE (LITE)

My friend and faithful foodblog follower, Pat, recently gave me some past issues of Taste of Home's Healthy Cooking magazine. I've seen other Taste of Home publications, but never this particular one. I leafed through the back issues and bookmarked a number of recipes to try. When I saw this recipe for raspberry crumb coffee cake, it was a no-brainer. There's a bakery outside Lake Wallenpaupak that Larry and I have stopped at numerous times. I love their almond horns, though after I've eaten one I always vow that it's the last. They are cloyingly sweet and it's really the first 2 or 3 bites that are the best. The rest I eat because I was brought up a member of the "clean plate club." Maybe I should buy one, eat half and freeze the rest. Ya think? But I digress. Larry's favorite is a raspberry crumb thingy that to me tastes more like a pastry/cookie than cake. I find it a bit dry, but he loves the things and generally carts a few home. The photo that accompanied this recipe looked remarkably like his favorite thing, so I decided it was first up at bat.

I tasted one and liked it about as well as I like the ones he buys, which is to say it's just not my favorite thing. He thinks they're good, though, so it was worth trying them. I would cut the sugar substitute if I make them again. I used Splenda, as editors noted they did. I have to confess that I've never liked baking with this substitute. It's supposed to be used in the same proportion as sugar, but I find it overly sweet with a bit of an aftertaste. I'm guessing I could have gone with just the regular sugar and these would have been sweet enough. I will also mention that you can't "pour" this batter. It has the consistency of cookies before it is baked, so needs to be spread. Baked, it is cake, not cookie.

So, if you're watching your calories--as who doesn't seem to be--and you have a sweet tooth, I recommend these. You get 20 generous servings for just under 200 calories each. That's a whole lot better than many of the costly prepared "lite" desserts that are out there, less expensive and better tasting.

Prep: 35 min

Bake: 30 min

1/4 cup sugar

sugar substitute (Splenda, for example) equivalent to 1/4 cup

1/4 cup cornstarch

3/4 cup cold water

2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries

1 tbs lemon juice

BATTER:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

sugar substitute equivalent to 1/4 cup sugar

2 1/4 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 cup cold butter

1/4 cup cold reduced-fat butter

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup fat free milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

TOPPING

1/2 cup all purpose flour

sugar substitute equivalent to 1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup cold butter

1/4 cup slivered almonds

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13 X 9 inch baking dish with cooking spray (I like the one for baking with flour in it).

In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, sugar substitute, and cornstarch. Stir in water until smooth. Add raspberries and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the first 8 batter ingredients. Cut in the butter and the reduced fat butter until the mixture is crumbly. In another bowl, combine the eggs, milk, and vanilla. Stir into the crumb mixture. Batter will be thick (like cookie dough).

Spread half the batter into the prepared baking dish. Spread evenly with the cooled raspberry mixture. Drop the remaining batter by tablespoons over the filling.

For the topping: combine the flour and sugar substitute in a small bowl. Cut in the butter until crumbly. Stir in the almonds. Sprinkle evenly over the batter.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.

Cut into 20 pieces.

CHICKEN IN VINEGAR

I still remember when I bought the first volume of what would become a rather extensive cookbook collection. I was visiting the Coop in Harvard Square, a favorite side trip on a visit to my favorite city, Boston. It was 1982 and the book in question was Jacques Pepin's Everday Cooking with Jacques Pepin. These were pre-Food TV days, but Jacques Pepin had a cooking show and I watched it whenever I was able. For a budding culinista, preparing French-inspired food was a first step in expanding my repertoire of kitchen skills. I still have that volume, though I haven't made my favorite recipe from it--chicken liver mousse--in many years.

A few years ago I came across a recipe in the Sunday magazine section of the newspaper that was adapted from one of Jacques Pepin's classics--chicken in vinegar. It's surprisingly easy to make and the dish is always well-received. I've cut back on some of the fat and increased the herbs to make the dish healthier. I've served the chicken with everything from garlic mashed potatoes to egg noodles to plain white rice. Leftovers are delicious either reheated or eaten at room temperature.

While this is something I make for a weeknight dinner, it is elegant enough to serve for company.

Serves 4

1 frying chicken, 4-4 1/2 lbs, cut into 8 pieces

1 tsp Kosher salt

freshly ground pepper

4 tbs butter, divided

1/2 cup red wine vinegar, divided

1/4 cup water

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbs tomato paste

2 tbs each chopped fresh parsley and tarragon

Sprinkle the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Melt 2 tbs of the butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken pieces, skin side down, and cook, turning often, until golden brown (10-15 minutes).

Add 1/4 cup of the vinegar and the water to the skillet and cover. Cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Turn pieces over halfway through cooking. Transfer the chicken to a plate.

Add the garlic to the skillet and cook, stirring, for one minute. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of vinegar. Increase the heat to medium high and heat to a boil, scraping up any browned bits in the skillet. Add the tomato paste, incorporating well; correct for seasoning.

Remove the skillet from the heat and whisk in the remaining 2 tbs butter, a teaspoon at a time. Pour the sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with the parsley and tarragon.

From start to finish, this fragrant chicken entree takes about 35 minutes. Promise!

FOODIE FRIENDS' FRITTATA

If you're reading this, chances are you already know that Foodie Friends are among the best. My friend Gloria from Cookbook Cuisine (http://www.cookbookcuisine.blogspot.com/) is celebrating the publication of her latest cookbook, Foods and Flavors of San Antonio. I'm looking forward to submitting one of my favorite Tex-Mex dishes to her blog of the same name. A real sweetie, Gloria graciously sent along a "Foodie Friend" award, which I've proudly displayed on my sidebar.

Larry had Presidents' Day off, so I thought I'd make him one of his favorite breakfasts, a frittata AKA a tortilla. Once you've made a few of these, you realize how fast and easy they are and how open to an abundance of creativity on your part. Today's frittata featured potato, bacon, red bell pepper, and shallots along with eggs, of course. My favorite seasoning is a packet of Sazon. I decided to finish the frittata in the oven today instead of flipping it and I think the results are far better. This will be my plan of attack from now on.

Serves 4

1-2 tbs olive oil

2 large potatoes

1 lg shallot, minced

1/2 lg red bell pepper, chopped

6 slices bacon, chopped

8 eggs

salt and pepper

1 packet Sazon seasoning

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Wrap the handle of a large, nonstick skillet with aluminum foil (this will keep it from burning in the oven).

Peel the potatoes and slice them very thinly. Heat the olive oil in a nonstick skillet and place the potato slices in a single layer. Brown on one side, carefully turn over and brown on the other side. Remove from the skillet.

Cook the chopped bacon in the same skillet. When the fat has rendered, remove the bacon to a sheet of paper toweling and saute the shallot and red pepper in the bacon fat (about 5 minutes). Remove the bacon and vegetable mixture.

Place the cooked potato slices in a single layer to cover the bottom of the skillet. Sprinkle the bacon and vegetables evenly over the potatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Beat the eggs with the Sazon. Pour over the other ingredients and place the heat on medium high. As the eggs begin to set around the edges, use a spatula as you lift and rotate the pan so that the uncooked egg slips below the cooked portion. Continue to do this until almost all the egg is set, about 3-5 minutes (the top will still be wet).

Place the skillet in the preheated oven and cook for 5 minutes.

Remove from the oven. Use a spatula to carefully remove the frittata to a plate or board. Cut into 4 servings.

If you have any leftovers, this reheats beautifully in the microwave. Larry has his piece tucked into his lunch bag. It is great as is or on an onion roll or hard roll.

A LIGHTER CARBONARA

I've subscribed to Cooking Light from its inception and I am almost always pleased with the recipes I try. From time to time I consider canceling my subscription because I feel there are too many non-cooking articles, but then I think of the good dishes that I would miss. This recipe, which I've tweaked over the years, comes from that magazine.

I adore spaghetti carbonara, but almost never order it out. The reason is that most restaurants serve up something that is almost an Alfredo sauce and call it carbonara. Carbonara sauce does not have any cream in it. It is, in fact, a dish eaten in the wee hours of the morning, a breakfast dish almost. The "sauce" is the egg and cheese mixture that cooks from the heat of the pasta. It is a perfect food in my mind. This version is made healthier by reducing the amount of sauce and adding in some vegetables. This is not a pasta that reheats well, in my opinion, so the fact that it makes 4 small or 2 hearty servings is a good thing.

While we're on the subject of pasta, let me say that I have tried a plethora of whole grain and whole wheat pastas. I would rather give up pasta than eat any of them. And that's all I'm going to say about that.

Spaghetti Carbonara with Leeks and Pancetta - Serves 4

8 oz uncooked spaghetti

1/2 cup (2 oz) finely grated cheese (I love locatelli and asiago, but parmigiano will do)

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp salt

1 large egg plus 1 large egg white

2 oz pancetta, chopped

2 cups thinly sliced leeks (about 2 large leeks)

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tbs chopped parsley

1/3 cup pasta water

Cook the pasta according to package directions for al dente. Drain, reserving 1/3 cup of the water.

As pasta is cooking, cook the pancetta in a large, nonstick skillet until crisp. Add the leeks to the drippings and saute 4 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute more.

Combine the cheese, pepper, salt, egg, and egg white in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Gradually add the reserved 1/3 cup of cooking liquid, tempering the egg mixture by stirring constantly with the whisk.

Add the pasta and the cheese mixture to the pancetta, leeks, and garlic; reduce heat and cook for 1 minute, tossing well to coat. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve immediately.

If you haven't used pancetta before, it is an Italian bacon that is cured with salt and spices. It is more readily available in supermarkets these days, prepackaged in the deli section. If you can't find it, you can substitue 6 slices of chopped, center-cut bacon, but it won't have the same wonderful flavor.

I like to have a glass of a good Barolo or Chianti with this dish and remember: red wine is good for your heart. Mangia bene!

GUILT-FREE SCONES

It's been a while since I posted. Just got back from a wonderful week on the Gulf Coast. It was 78 degrees on Tuesday. Thank heavens it's warmed up a bit here. It's hovering in the 40's, though the forecast is for a windy day and a cold front moving in.

Focusing on healthy eating doesn't have to mean doing without your favorites. It just means you may have to find a way to rework those favorites. While I won't try to say that these scones are as flaky and flavorful as the "real deal," they are quite good toasted and spread with a bit of jam. I like them for a snack with a cup of tea. Each one is just under 100 calories, so if you're in the mood for a small extravagance, give them a try.

Classic Scones - 8 servings

1 cup plus 2 tbs all purpose flour

1 tbs sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup plain lowfat yogurt (I like Greek)

1 large egg

1 tbs butter, melted and cooled

fat free half and half and sugar for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a snall bowl, combine the yogurt, egg, and butter. Add the yogurt mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just blended.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a 1/4 inch thick round. With a sharp knife, cut the dough into 8 wedges. Arrange the wedges on the baking sheet.

Reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees and bake the scones until golden brown, about 12-15 minutes. Brush with fat free half and half and sprinkle with sugar. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

These can be split and toasted.

THE ONLY LEMON CAKE RECIPE YOU'LL EVER NEED

I love all things lemon. This love of lemons did not begin in childhood; rather, it sneaked up on me as I got older. But it's only recently that I've begun to hoard lemons so that I'm able to add zest to everything from drinks to entrees to desserts. As a child I thought lemon meringue pie was revolting. That assessment was based on looks alone; I never tasted it until I reached my 40's. Now it's my hands down favorite.

Over the past few months I've begun to appreciate the subtle nuances of foods enhanced with lemon zest. In a wet rub it adds flavor and succulence. In a dessert, it plays counterpoint to the sugar. I'm amazed and awed by the lemon's ability to heighten flavor without taking over the taste.

Half paying attention to to the Barefoot Contessa's Sunday program on Food Network, I heard the words "lemon yogurt cake with blueberry sauce" and my ears immediately perked up. Ina poked fun of herself as she noted that instead of beginning with a pound of butter as she has been accused of doing on many occasions, this reworking of Dorie Greenspan's recipe used plain yogurt in place of fat. That is not to say that Ina eschewed the use of sugar and eggs and vegetable oil, but small steps.

I knew that I had to make this cake even if all I got to eat was one piece. I decided to use one of my new favorite foods: Greek yogurt. If you haven't tried this, I highly recommend it. It has the consistency of sour cream and is so much better than regular yogurt. I usually eat a low fat version, but Ina's recipe called for whole milk, so I deferred to her in this.

The cake is so easy to make. t's enhanced with a lemon syrup. Ina also served hers with a blueberry sauce. At first, I thought I'd skip the blueberry sauce, but then I decided to go for broke. I'm so glad I made it. This simple sauce would be incredible over vanilla ice cream, too. It provided just the right amount of contrast for the cake.

I know this recipe will be a favorite. I can't wait for an occasion to make it for friends and family.

Recipe - 10 servings

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp Kosher salt

1 cup plain whole milk yogurt

1 1/3 cups sugar, divided

3 extra-large eggs

2 tsp grated lemon zest (1 large or 2 small lemons)

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice

For the cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8 1/2 X 2 1/2 inch loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Grease and flour the pan.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt in 1 bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup of the sugar, the eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla. Slow whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. With a rubber spatula, fold the vegetable oil completely into the batter. It's important to make sure all the oil is incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes.

For the syrup:

Cook the 1/3 cup of lemon juice and the remaining 1/3 cup of 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 10 minutes. Unmold it and carefully place it on a baking rack set over a sheet pan. While the cake is still warm, brush it all over with the lemon syrup. Allow the cake to cool as the syrup soaks through it.

Blueberry Sauce

1 1/2 pints fresh blueberries

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

1 tbs freshly-squeezed lemon juice

Place all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and simmer for 15 minutes. Pour the sauce into a bowl and press the solids through a sieve. Stir the thickened sauce.

Serve slices of the lemon cake topped with blueberry sauce. Refrigerate leftover sauce.

CHICKEN FLORENTINE LASAGNA

Growing up, we didn't eat lasagna very much. I'm guessing it had something to do with those thick noodles that broke during boiling and required a great deal of counter space to lay out. I think, too, manicotti made from homemade crepes or ravioli--back in the day we had Star Ravioli right in Englewood Cliffs--held greater appeal. When I began making my own pasta and then later when I discovered places that sold wonderful homemade pasta sheets, I began to make lasagna on the holidays. What really revolutionized lasagna and made it a weeknight meal, however, was the introduction of the no-boil noodles back in the 90's. I much prefer the taste of these thin sheets of pasta to those thick, curly-edged noodles of my childhood.

While I've frequently "lightened" lasagna made with tomato sauce, I haven't tried too many lightened versions of bechamel-dressed lasagna. In an old Cooking Light annual review, I found this recipe for chicken florentine lasagna. I've made a bechamel-like sauce before using evaporated skimmed milk and was generally pleased with the results. This lasagna was very tasty. I will make it again but will add some mushrooms and some part skim ricotta to fill in those layers. It would be equally tasty as a vegetarian dish; just eliminate the chicken and add some roasted red peppers and mushrooms to the spinach.

This is a great weeknight meal. It goes together in about 10 minutes and cooks in 30 minutes. It is also light in calories and fat, so fits into my more healthy eating commitment.

Serves 41 1/2 tbs butter

3 tbs flour

2 (12 oz) cans evaporated skim milk

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp nutmeg

cooking spray

6 no-boil lasagna noodles

1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken (about 6 oz)

1 (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry

3/4 cup (3 oz) part skim mozzarella, shredded

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, for about 30 seconds. Gradually add the milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Stir in the salt and nutmeg and cook until thickened. This could take from 5-8 minutes,

Spray an 8 inch square baking dish. Spread 1/2 cup of the sauce in the bottom. Arrange 2 noodles on top of the sauce. Top with half the chicken and half the spinach and 3/4 cup of the sauce. Repeat layers, ending with noodles. Spread remaining sauce over the noodles, covering them completely. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the cover and top with the mozzarella. Bake 5 minutes more. Let stand about 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

SHOYU CHICKEN AND VEGETABLE FRIED RICE, THE HEALTHY WAY

To turn a phrase of Dr. Oz's, "Me on a Diet" is the name of the game. It's not my first attempt to shed some weight and will likely not be my last. It may, however, be my smartest since at the ripe old age of 59, I finally believe that it won't come off as fast as it went on. Sparkpeople.com has been a wonderful (free) tool to analyze what I eat and how and when I exercise. My own common sense and large collection of cookbooks enables me to cook and eat delicous food while shedding pounds.

Losing weight doesn't have to be painful if you stay away from processed and pre-packaged food. My attempt to jump start my weight loss a few years back lead me to what I affectionately called the dog food diet. That's because I wanted to howl and bark each time I opened one of the packets. I never ate the soup packets as soup; rather, I made "chips" out of them. The "delicious" shakes were like chocolate snow cones--yuk! The chili truly smelled like canned dog food. It called to mind the scene in The Prince of Tides when mom, chastised by her brutish husband for her high-falutin food, opens a can of dog food and heats it up and Voila! hash.

With pre-packaged food firmly behind me, I decided to try a recipe I had seen prepared on the Food Channel in combination with a recipe from Weight Watcher's New Complete Cookbook. I'd never seen the show Ask Aida before and probably won't tune in again, but she was preparing shoyu chicken, something I lived on each time I visited Hawaii. I cut her recipe in half since I'm only feeding 2 and I still have plenty of leftovers. For the vegetable fried rice, I made a few substitutions and added a shot of low sodium soy sauce.

Both recipes are very straightforward. There is prep work, which is typical of any Asian meal, but the actual cooking time was minimal. Both recipes got a "10" (and, yes, I do score each new recipe I try and write down my comments and scores; it helps me remember what to put in the rotation and what to ditch permanently).

Recipe for Shoyu Chicken

3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

3/8 cup mirin

4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

3 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled, cut into 1/2 inch pieces and smashed

3 tbs corn starch dissolved in 3 tbs water

3 thinly sliced scallions, for garnish

Combine all ingredients except cornstarch and water and scallions in a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to low and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Turn occasionally.

Remove the chicken to a serving platter. Remove the garlic and ginger and discard. Bring the sauce to a boil, skim off any excess fat, and cook about 10 minutes, until slightly reduced. Mix the cornstarch and water together, then whisk into the pot and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, dd the chicken, and turn to coat. Serve with the sauce and the scallions.

Recipe for Vegetable Fried Rice - 6 servings (3/4 cup each)

1 cup thinly sliced carrots

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1/4 cup water chestnuts, sliced into small matchsticks

3 cloves garlic, minced

12 scallions, thinly sliced

3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth

3 large eggs, slightly beaten

3 cups cooked and cooled brown rice

1-2 tbs low sodium soy sauce

Spray a large nonstick skillet or wok with nonstick spray and heat over medium high. Stir-fry the carrots, mushrooms, water chestnuts, garlic, and scallions about 5 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Transfer to a bowl.

Spray the skillet with more nonstick spray. Add the eggs and cook, stirring until eggs are set, about 2 minutes.

Add the vegetables, rice, and soy sauce to the eggs and toss to combine. Cook, stirring frequently, until heated through.

Meatballs and Spaghetti the Barefoot Contessa Way and Stuffed Artichokes

Those of you who visit The Food of Love regularly know that I have been drawing on two of Ina Garten's cookbooks for a great many of my recent posts. Up to this point, she'd been batting a thousand. While her recipe for meatballs and spaghetti wasn't bad, it just couldn't compare to my usual Sunday gravy and meatballs. She is upfront about the fact that this isn't something her mother made and goes on to reveal that she did some research for her recipe. She discovered an old trick that we use to keep the meatballs moist and fluffy--the addition of water. Unfortunately, no one told her that you need to use some grated onion and minced garlic to give the meatballs some flavor. Her meatballs used the same proportions of beef, veal, and pork that I always use. While she used fresh white bread crumbs, she neglected to soak them in milk for added richness. The addition of a scant amount of nutmeg really didn't affect the taste one way or another. If you don't like onions and garlic, you may prefer Ina's meatballs.

Her sauce recipe was a bit more successful, but only as a quick sauce. I also believe the good result was for two reasons. First and foremost, I never use any canned tomato unless it is from San Marzano. Second, I had no other red wine in the house other than a port. This turned out to be a happy thing because it imparted an additional sweetness to the sauce which, otherwise, would have been rather bland.

So, while I wouldn't condemn Ina for her attempt at Italian food, I'd recommend that you go to my sidebar and use my own recipe for meatballs and tomato sauce (located under Pasta Recipes and within "Never Say Basta to Pasta).

Ina's Meatballs - 16 meatballs

1/2 lb ground veal (I had to grind my own since no markets around do it)

1/2 lb ground pork

1 lb ground beef

1 cup fresh white bread crumbs--4 slices, crusts removed

1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs

2 tbs fresh chopped parsley

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (I prefer Locatelli)

2 tsp salt (I recommend using just 1 tsp because of the cheese)

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1 extra-large egg, beaten

vegetable oil

olive oil

Place the ground meats, both bread crumbs, parsley, cheese, salt, pepper, nutmeg, egg, and 1/4 cup warm water in a bowl. Combne very lightly with a fork. Use your hands to lightly form the mixture into about 16 meatballs.

Pour equal amounts of vegetable and olive oil int a large skillet. Heat the oil, then carefully place the meatballs in the oil, in batches, and brown well on all sides. Remove to a plate covered with paper towels to drain. Discard the oil, but don't clean the pan.

Ina's Tomato Sauce

1 tbs olive oil

1 cup chopped yellow onion

1 1/2 tsp minced garlic

1/2 cup red wine

1 28 oz can plum tomatoes, chopped

1 tbs chopped parsley

1 1/2 tsp salt (I prefer 1 tsp)
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Heat the 1 tbs olive oil in the same pan in which the meatballs were fried. Add the onion and saute about 8 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the wine and cook on high heat, scraping up the brown bits, until almost all the liquid evaporates. This step is critical to get some flavor. Stir in the tomatoes, parsley, salt, and pepper. Return the meatballs to the sauce. Cover and simmer on low heat for about 30 minutes. Serve hot over cooked spaghetti and pass the grated cheese.

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The sauce had a decent flavor and is something I would make again for a quick mid-week meal. With the spaghetti and meatballs, I served some stuffed artichokes. Again, I used a new recipe and it was tasty, but not as good as using a stuffing similar to what I use for my Thanksgiving bird. The recipe was on the side of the can of artichoke bottoms.

Stuffed Artichokes

2 cans artichoke bottoms (I used Cento)

1 cup yellow onion, diced

1 tsp butter

4 oz pancetta, diced

3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 cups flavored bread crumbs (these are drier than freshly made)

3/4 cup grated cheese

4 tbs garlic

3 tbs freshly chopped parsley

2 tbs freshly chopped basil

1 tsp freshly grated black pepper

juice of 1 lemom

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Soak the artichoke bottoms in cold water.

Saute the onions in the butter until tender. Set aside. In a small sauce pan, cook the pancetta in 1 tbs olive oil.

In a large bowl, combine the onion, pancetta, and all the remaining ingredients EXCEPT the olive oil and 1/4 cup of the grated cheese.

Remove the artichoke bottoms from the water and pat dry. Put a drop of oil in the center of each and stuff generously with the mixture. Place bottoms in an oven-proof casserole and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.. Drizzle with remaining olive oil and bake for 15 minutes.

Cook the Books Reads The Language of Baklava

What can be better than having friends who share your passion for books and food? Thanks to Cook the Books (http://www.cookthebooks.wordpress.com/), a food blog created by Debbie of Kahakai Kitchen (http://www.kahakaikitchen.blogspot.com/) , Rachel, The Crispy Cook (http://www.wheat-free-meat-free.blogspot.com/) , and Jo of Food Junkie not Junk Food (http://www.jodimop.wordpress.com/), I have been introduced to several wonderful texts that I might otherwise have missed. Our current selection, The Language of Baklava by Diana Abu-Jaber, is one of those books that I just can't let go of. Unlike most of my books which I donate when I'm finished reading them, this volume is stashed away among my cookbooks.

"...my dad says cooked cabbage should be like a lady's skin," I say, then catch myself, distressed that I've actually quoted Bud.

But Mr. Basilovich is pleased by these thoughts of a kindred spirit. "Yes, of course, like the softest skin. The butter, how it works through the cabbage leaves! And the taste of the lamb comes next--he looked delicately at his wife--"like a kiss."

Olga looks away, embarrassed by her father, who has gone in one moment from intellectual and aloof to too sensual and nakedly emotional. "Dad, come on, don't talk about food like that," she says, and folds her arms. "It's just food."

This passage, and so many others in Diana Abu-Jaber's memoir The Language of Baklava, resonated with me. They immediately called to mind passionate, emotional conversations I have shared with family and friends about the foods we love. Our unabashed moans and squeals of delight as we've licked the spoon clean of dark, creamy voluptuous chocolate or described a meal or a particular food as better than sex belie Olga's belief that "it's just food." These visceral emotions about tastes and smells and cooking and food weave throughout the stories that Abu-Jaber spins about her brash, but lovable father Bud, a Jordanian immigrant for whom food evokes the memories of his homeland.

As I read about first one and then another of Bud's schemes, most revolving around opening a restaurant, I remembered my maternal grandmother and the wonderful, if short-lived restaurant she opened. Too used to feeding family, it was difficult for her to treat the restaurant as a business instead of as an extension of her kitchen.

The scene where Bud and his brothers struggle to butcher the lamb reminded me of stories of my paternal grandmother, who died when I was just 3. She would don an old fur coat that hung inside the chicken coop before wringing the chicken's neck and plucking it clean for dinner. No one ever explained to me why she wore the fur coat or if it were only during the winter that she wore it. It was just another of our family's many tales of remembrance, many of which revolved around food.

By the time I'd read halfway through the book, I felt as if Bud were another of my many cousins or uncles and I dreaded the time when I'd get to the last story.

On a different note, Abu-Jaber's memoir made me realize more fully how incredibly brave people must be to emigrate from their homeland. Being a third-generation American of Italian descent, it is difficult to imagine having to give up everything that is familiar and to replace it with that which is different or strange or, at the very least, inexplicable. The struggle between the lure of his new country and the memories of all that was dear to Bud could only be quieted by his recreating the scents and tastes that he grew up with in his new land. Food is the tie that binds most of us to our family traditions and memories.

Initially, I worried about what dish to cook from this wonderful memoir. I don't eat lamb and I haven't prepared many middle eastern dishes. I wanted to recreate something from the book itself instead of just a dish reflective of the Jordanian culture. I finally decided upon Bud's special rice and grilled chicken. I confess that I was thinking these would be rather pedestrian dishes, so I figured I'd spice things up by making maple-roasted butternut squash as an accompaniment.

I needn't have worried. Larry took one bite of the chicken and pronounced it fantastic. I had to agree. As for Bud's special rice, although I lightened it up a bit, it was still incredible. I felt like a doubting Thomas for having wondered if cinnamon and rice in anything but rice pudding could work. I can guarantee that both dishes will be included in my rotation and that I will serve them both next time I host a buffet.

Bud's Special Rice (with some healthy alterations) - Serves 4-6

4 1/2 cups water

1 tsp salt

2 cups brown rice

3 tbs butter, divided

1/4 cup pine nuts

1 tsp ground cinnamon

freshly ground pepper

In a medium saucepan, bring the water, 1 tbs butter, and salt to a boil, add the rice, and boil for 2 minutes. Turn to low, cover the saucepan, and simmer for 25 minutes, until the water is absorbed. As the rice cooks, melt the remaining butter and saute the pine nuts until they are golden. Place the rice in a serving dish, sprinkle with the toasted nuts and butter, and sprinkle with the cinnamon and pepper.

"Distract the Neighbors" Grilled Chicken - Serves 4

2 tbs olive oil

3 garlic cloves, crushed

juice from one lemon

3 tsp brown sugar

3 sprigs rosemary, chopped (must be fresh, not dried!!)

1/4 tsp ground cumin

salt and pepper to taste

2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken thighs

In a gallon bag, mix the oil, garlic, lemon juice, brown sugar, and spices. Add the chicken, stirring to coat with the marinade. Seal bag after removing the air and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, turning occasionally.

Place the chicken on a hot grill and grill 6-7 minute on one side. Turn over and grill an additional 3-5 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. Serve with Bud's special rice.

If you love to read and love to cook, please drop by Cook the Books. I can't wait for our next journey.

Bubble, Bubble, Toil, and...Double

With apologies to the Bard for taking license with his verse, today I have a double post. First, I'd like to share some exciting news about a must-have cookbook that is in the making. If you don't know about BloggerAid (http://www.bloggeraid.ning.com) click on their logo on my sidebar, it's a wonderful venture by 3 dedicated food bloggers--Ivy of Kopiaste (http://kopiaste.org/ ), Giz of Equal Opportunity Kitchen (http://www.eatfordinner.blogspot.com/ ), and Val of More Than Burnt Toast (http://morethanburnttoast.blogspot.com/) to bring attention to world hunger. Among their many projects is an incredible fundraising venture whose profits, 100% of them, will be donated to the World Food Program, A U.N. Frontline agency. They are being assisted in this worthy cause by Gloria of Cookbook Cuisine (http://cookbookcuisine.blogspot.com/) and a cadre of like-minded food bloggers. There are many ways to help out as you will discover when you visit BloggerAid. One of them is to submit an original recipe that has not been featured on your blog to date. All the information for participating is laid out at BloggerAid.

My own recipe submission is a favorite cold-weather dish, one that we enjoyed earlier this week, Slow-cooked Tuscan Pork with Beans. This ain't your daddy's pork and beans. It's a hearty, earthy dish that is as flavorful as it is economical. It can easily serve 8, but if you're lucky enough to have leftovers, it reheats well with the addition of some broth, or just shred the pork and add some of your favorite sauce for a great sandwich. Please visit BloggerAid to see how you can help this wonderful initiative.

AND NOW FOR THE OTHER HALF OF THIS POST:

I have a wonderful recipe to share that produces 2 completely different soups. I can live on soup in the fall and winter and try to make a pot every week or so. This beef soup is simple, but has an incredible flavor thanks, in part, to the soup bones and marrow. The vegetable puree is made with the vegetables that simmer in the beef broth so nothing is wasted. The beef soup will serve 6 generously; the vegetable puree serves 4. Both soups freeze well, but why would you want to?

Recipe

2-3 beef soup marrow bones, sliced (see photo)

1 lb beef chuck

1 (8 oz) can tomatoes, squeezed to break into small pieces

3 large carrots, peeled and halved

1 large onion, peeled and quartered

1 large potato, peeled and quartered

3 celery stalks with leaves, halved

3 parsley sprigs

salt and pepper to taste

8 cups water

1/2 lb acini di pepe, cooked and drained just before soup is ready to be served

freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese for garnish

Place the soup bones in cold water and bring to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes. Drain and rinse well.

Place the washed bones, beef, vegetables, and seasonings in a large soup pot. Add 8 cups of water and slowly bring to a boil, skimming off any foam

Simmer, covered, for 3 hours, stirring from time to time.

Remove the bones, meat, and vegetables. Shred the meat and reserve. Strain the vegetables and set aside. Strain the broth into another large pot** and return to the heat.

Cook the pasta and strain. Add the shredded beef and the pastato the broth and heat through. Ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle with grated cheese.

**in truth, I like to make this soup the day before or early in the day and place the strained broth in the refrigerator. Chuck has more fat than most beef and in this way the fat solidifies and I can scoop all of it off the broth before continuing; it's delicious with the fat, but more healthy without it

Vegetable Puree

You can make this at the same time so the flavors can meld or refrigerate the vegetables and make the next day. Place all the vegetables (even the parsley) in a blender or food processor. Add 1-2 cups low sodium chicken broth--I prefer a thicker puree so used just one. Blend until completely smooth. The flavor of the beef with the pureed vegetables is just wonderful.

Lemon Artichoke Chicken

We all know that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Nowhere is that truer than here in food blog territory. The other day I was longing for taco hamburgers for dinner when I discovered that I'd neglected to buy ground round. Nor did I even have ground chicken or turkey in the freezer. As we all know, when the going gets tough, the tough go blog-hopping and off I went. It wasn't too long before I popped into Debi's Kahakai Kitchen(http://www.kahakaikitchen.blogspot.com/) where I saw this recipe for Lemon Artichoke Chicken. Debi had found it in a magazine called Clean Eating, one I hadn't heard of before. If the recipe hadn't already sold me, her photo of the chicken served with pasta would have. Fortunately, I had everything on hand and dinner was saved. (One unfortunate speed bump was that my bunch of fresh parsley had died; next time I will definitely have this on hand as dried parsley just doesn't do it for me.) I made virtually no changes to the dish other than to use some leftover flour mixture to further thicken the sauce.

This dish is extremely low fat and low calorie, but it definitely gets high marks for taste. In fact, the next day I heated a portion just enough to take the chill off and served it over a tossed salad and it was equally delicious. I served it with rice, but next time will try it with pasta "Kahakai Kitchen" style. Oh, and did I mention it takes about a half hour to prepare? This is definitely in the rotation and I think it would be delicious with shrimp or fish as well as chicken.

Serves 4

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 tbs dried oregano

freshly grated black pepper

1/4 cup Kosher salt, plus additional to season to taste

1 lb thinly pounded chicken cutlets

olive oil cooking spray

1/2 tbs extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, cut lengthwise and thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth

1 (14 oz) can artichokes, drained and cut into bite-sized pieces

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 lemons)

1 tsp lemon zest

2 tbs fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Combine the flour, oregano, pepper, and 1/4 tsp salt

Dredge each chicken cutlet in the mixture and place on a plate (save any remaining flour mix)

Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray

Heat on medium to medium high so skillet is hot, but not smoking

Add 1/2 the chicken cutlets at a time and cook 3-5 minutes on each side, until browned

Cover plate to keep cutlets warm (I put them in a 200 degree oven)

Heat oil and saute onion for 5-6 minutes, until golden

Add garlic and saute 1 minute more, stirring to keep garlic from burning

Sprinkle remaining flour mixture over veggies and saute 1 more minute (I added this step)

Pour in chicken broth and bring to a simmer (the flour thickens it a bit more)

Add artichokes, lemon juice and zest and simmer another 2-3 minutes to heat through

Season to taste

Pour over warmed chicken cutlets

Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve

(N.I. for 4 oz chicken and 1/2 cup artichoke mixture is 220 cal, 4.5 g total fat, 1g sat fat, 65 mg chol, 20g carb, 2g figer, 2g sugar, 27 g protein)

This is a very zesty and flavorful dish and one that I will be making again very soon. Thanks again, Debi.

And the Winner Is...

Dragon. Thanks to those of you who commented. Dragon, if you'll e-mail me your snail mail address, I'll put the trio of little black books in the mail to you. I can't wait to buy a new box of aluminum foil so I can try out the roll blocker.