Pretending Like It is Fall Outside

I always get a bit anxious for the next season to start. One could say that I am impatient. I want to buy rhubarb in February and start grilling in May. Last week, in anticipation for fall, I made a shrimp and corn chowder for dinner and an apple pie for dessert. Even though it was 80 degrees outside.

Anyway, I was somewhat regretting my eagerness for cooler weather when it had been raining for three days straight with the temperature hovering in the 60s. Nonetheless, my apartment was finally cool enough this week, for the first time in months, to allow me to use the oven without feeling like I would faint. Or needed to take a shower immediately afterward.

While not as autumnal as apple or pumpkin pie, I distinctly think of fall when I think of oatmeal cookies. Especially if they are straight-out-of-the-oven warm.

Oatmeal Cookies with Pecans and Dried Cherries
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups rolled oats, old-fashioned
1 cup toasted pecans, chopped
1 cup dried cherries, coarsely chopped

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2-3 baking sheets with parchment paper. (Or just plan to reuse the same one over and over again, allowing it time to cool between batches).

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer at medium speed until no sugar lumps remain, about 1 minute. Scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula; add egg and vanilla and beat on medium-low speed until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds. Scrape down bowl; with mixer running at low speed, add flour mixture; mix until just combined, about 30 seconds. With a spatula or large spoon, stir in in oats, pecans and cherries until thoroughly integrated.

Allow dough to chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes. Drop spoonfuls of dough one at a time about 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets, slightly flattening the balls of dough with back of spoon. Bake until lightly golden brown, 12-14 minutes. Let cool on sheets for 3 minutes, then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Chewy Cherry-Oatmeal Cookies and more delicious recipes, smart cooking tips, and video demonstrations on marthastewart.com

A Meal of Foods I Used To Hate

Dried Calimyrna figs from Trader Joe's are my current food obsession. I especially like the ones that are sort of gooey on the inside. I eat them cut up in steel cut oatmeal for breakfast and after work as a snack with cheese and any other time of the day, just plain. So I was especially pleased to find a recipe to make for dinner that so prominently features them.

Last week the grocery store had cabbage and carrots on sale (in conjunction with St. Patrick's Day, I can only assume). My roommate had bequeathed me several beets before jaunting off to Europe and there was a bag of potatoes in our pantry leftover from the the potluck brunch slowly growing eyes and begging to be used.

So I threw together this lovely dinner only to realize that not that long ago, I really did not much care for beets, cabbage or pork tenderloin.

For most of my life, the only beets I had known were those from a can. I can't even describe what they taste like. Growing up, the smell was so offensive to me and so pervaded our house when cooked that I probably only bothered to try them once and never looked back. The cabbage in sauerkraut, I also deemed too smelly or if in coleslaw, too soggy (and mildly smelly as well). And don't even get me started on pork loin. It was this weird cut of meat that pretended to be from the same animal as ever-delicious bacon and ham. Except it had the whitish appearance of chicken and was fashioned into the shape of a small, rodent-like mammal (i.e. not appetizing...beaver, weasel, large rat).

So my point is that not only are looks (and smells) deceiving when it comes to food but also that the method of cooking as well as the supporting ingredients (clearly, I have an aversion to vinegar) play an important role in the success of a dish. And that roasted beets are a million times more appetizing than those from a can.

Stuffed Pork Loin with Figs (from New York Times)

1 cup dried figs
1 boneless pork loin, 2 lbs or so
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 or 4 fresh rosemary sprigs, minced
Red wine

Soak figs in a bowl of hot water (just enough liquid to cover). Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Insert a thin, sharp knife into both ends of the loin. Use the end of a wooden spoon (or a finger) to widen the opening and force a hole all the way through the loin. The hole should be at least the thickness of your thumb (or larger if you are using a fatter cut of meat).

Drain the figs, reserving the liquid. Stuff the figs into the opening of the loin to the center from each end.

Combine salt, pepper, and rosemary and rub it over the pork loin. Place meat in roasting pan and pour 1/2 cup of fruit-infused water over the meat. Roast for 20 minutes. Lower oven temperature to 325 degrees and continue roasting, basting the meat with pan juices or added liquid, such as the water or some red wine, every 15 minutes. When a thermometer inserted in meat (and not the fruit center) reads 145-150 degrees, remove from oven. Let sit for 15 minutes before serving. To make a sauce, scrap up the juices in the roasting pan and add some red wine, if needed. Reduce to 1/2 cup and serve over pork.

Roasted Root Vegetables

Root vegetables (potatoes, carrots, beets, turnips, onions...), cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 head of garlic, cloves separated and peeled
Assorted minced herbs/spices
Olive oil

So this recipe is very open-ended. I used four large pototoes (unpeeled), four medium-sized beets (unpeeled), and a bag (1 lb.) of carrots (peeled) as well as heaping tablespoons of both minced rosemary and thyme.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Oil two large, rimmed baking sheets. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, tossing vegetables to ensure they are thoroughly coated in olive oil.

Divide vegetables, spread evenly on baking sheets, and generously sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast until tender and brown, about an hour. Stir occasionally while cooking to prevent sticking.

Sauteed Green Cabbage with Apples and Onions (adapted from Orangette)

1/2 large green cabbage, quartered, cored and thinly sliced
2 onions, thinly sliced (I used a red and a yellow one)
2 apples, quartered, cored, and thinly sliced
Olive oil
Salt and ground pepper
Apple cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds

In a large saucepan, heat up olive oil over medium-high heat. Sautee onions until they are softened and beginning to brown. Add apples, and sautee for a minute or so. The pan should be steaming a bit. Finally, add the cabbage, salt and pepper, a dash or two of vinegar, caraway seeds, and some water, as needed. Continue cooking, but on high heat, until the cabbage is barely softened. It should still have a bit of crunch, however. Adjust seasoning accordingly.

And thus, a lovely meal with no processed ingredients that, other than the cabbage, basically cooked itself. One person is more than capable of handling this dinner. Especially if you prep some of the ingredients ahead of time (chopping vegetables, mincing herbs). I started the vegetables roasting in the oven and then prepared the pork loin. They both cook at 425 degrees for awhile, and by the time you need to turn the temperature down on the pork, the vegetables have enough of a head start to continue on at a lower heat. The cabbage takes probably ten minutes total, so it can be attended to on the stove as the other dishes finish up in the oven.

a saucy dessert (literally and figuratively)

Mark Bittman is somewhat of a hero of mine. He is the author of a very comprehensive, yet unpretentious, cookbook that I possess and frequently utilize. His blog on the New York Times is uncanny in its ability to inspire me to try new dishes and ingredients. And best yet, as the title of his column, The Minimalist, indicates, his recipes are very simple and unfussy.

This chocolate dessert, posted on his blog for Valentine's Day, has just five ingredients! It can be very depressing to stumble upon an enticing recipe only to discover that it requires three different types of chocolate and seventeen egg whites and has fifteen different steps spanning two days of cooking. Especially when you need to create something at the last-minute. Okay, so I exaggerate. But not only is this recipe undemanding, it yields quite impressive results. Adorable little cakes that ooze warm, melted chocolate. Very satisfying and perfectly compact in its deliciousness. The only downside is that they are not larger. (In fact, when I made it the second time I distributed the batter amongst three ramekins, instead of four just to up our portion sizes...)

Molten Chocolate Cake (from Bittman's Bitten blog)

1/2 cup unsalted butter, plus some for buttering the ramekins
4 ounces high-quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons flour, plus some more for dusting (alternatively, use cocoa powder, for a more appealing look)

In a double boiler over simmering water, melt chocolate and butter, whisking until smooth. Meanwhile, beat the eggs, yolks, and sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer until light and thickened.

Remove chocolate from heat. Pour in the egg mixture and then quickly add the flour, whisking until smooth.

Butter and flour three or four 4 ounce ramekins (or other similarly-sized ovenproof molds or cups). Tap out the extra flour and then butter and flour again. It is important that you do this twice. The first time I made this, I shirked at this seemingly repetitive step and the cakes suffered for it, by sticking to the bottom and collapsing a bit.

Divide the batter evenly among the molds. Bake at 450 degrees for 6-10 minutes (my oven can be eccentric and yours might be too, so just keep an eye on things). Remove from oven when the sides have set but the middle is still soft.

Invert ramekins onto a small plate. Let sit for a few seconds and then carefully remove ramekin. The cake should slide out. Eat immediately while the cake is still warm and gooey.

beef, it's what's for dinner (every night this week)

I rarely purchase, or eat really, red meat (except for making cheeseburgers!). So I don't know much about the different cuts. But I learned on Wikipedia just now that chuck comes from the neck/shoulder area of a cow. Also, it contains a lot of connective tissue such as collagen, which breaks down during cooking and gives the meat a more intense flavor.

This recipe is a bit involved. Actually, the active time is not too long, but unless you are comfortable with leaving your oven on while you are not home, you are going to need to block out about five hours to make this. Luckily for me, my roommate Jenn babysat this dish while I ran off to the gym (so that I could justify eating it twice a day until it ran out...).

So I usually don't include information for how many a recipe will feed. It never seems accurate. But Gourmet said that this would feed 12 people. I would guess even more. I mean, it has 9 pounds of meat and vegetables in it alone!

Beef Stew (adapted from Gourmet)

5 pounds boneless beef chuck (not lean), cut into 1 and 1/2-inch pieces
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 carrots, quartered
3 medium onions, quartered
1 head garlic, halved crosswise
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1 (750-ml) bottle dry red wine (about 3 3/4 cups)
2 bay leaves
2 thyme sprigs
2 rosemary sprigs
1 tablespoon cloves
3 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
3 cups water
2 1/2 pounds small boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 wedges
1 1/2 pounds carrots, peeled and sliced diagonally into 1 inch pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Season chuck with 2 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon ground pepper.

Heat olive oil in large, wide pot (one that can hold 6-8 quarts) over medium-high heat. Brown the chuck in separate batches, about 8 minutes per batch. Turn to make sure it cooks evenly. Remove from pot and transfer to large platter (one that won't allow the juices to run off).

Reduce heat to medium. Add a bit more salt and pepper to the pot. Add the first batch of carrots listed in the recipe, and also the onion and garlic, and cook, stirring every so often, until thoroughly browned, about 15 minutes.

Move vegetables to the side of the pot. Cook tomato paste in the remaining side of the pot, stirring occasionally, for two minutes. Stir into vegetables.

Add balsamic vinegar and let cook for 2 minutes, stirring.

Add bottle of wine, bay leaves, thyme, and rosemary. Let cook for about 10-12 minutes, until wine has cooked down to two-thirds.

Add broth, water, beef, and whatever juices that were on the platter. Bring to simmer. Then cover with tight lid and braise in oven for 2 1/2 hours until meat is tender (as in, it is basically falling apart).

Remove from oven and let it cool down for a few minutes, as this next step is a bit tricky (and even more so, if it's boiling hot. Set a large colander in an even larger bowl on a sturdy surface. Pour the contents through the colander so that the liquid ends up in the bowl and the meat and vegetables are left in the colander. This task might take two people since when I first attempted it, the liquid splashed out all over the place. Pour the liquid back into the pot. Pick out the meat and return to the pot. Discard the rest of the solids.

Add carrots and potatoes to the pot, making sure they are covered in liquid. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender (about 45 minutes).

squashed squash

So my roommate Sydney discovered this recipe back in October and since then, we have made it at least three or four times. I think that those recurrences alone attest to how delicious and unique it is. Butternut squash abounds during the winter months, as demonstrated by the fact that this is the second recipe to feature it in only eight posts. Luckily for me, it is one of my favorite vegetables (okay, technically it is a fruit).

Maybe you are looking at the list of ingredients and saying to yourself "What is canned chipotle chili in adobo?" In an effort to be efficient, you may even do what I did, and call the grocery store to inquire as to whether they stock this product. After being transferred around to three different departments and speaking with several confused employees, they will probably tell you that they do not carry it. But do not be deceived! They just do not know what they are talking about. Look in the "International Foods" section. It will be a very small can. Next to the other canned chilis and "Mexican" sorts of foods.

Roasted Squash, Red Pepper, and Jack Cheese Quesadillas with Chipotle Chili Lime Sour Cream (from Gourmet)

5 cups butternut squash, peeled and diced into 3/4 inch cubes
1 large onion, unpeeled and cut into eighths
2 large cloves of garlic, unpeeled
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 flour or corn tortillas, 5- to 6-inch in diameter
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup coarsely-grated pepper jack cheese
1 can chipotle chili in adobo, minced
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 cup sour cream

In a shallow baking dish, place squash, onion, and garlic in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to ensure everything is thoroughly coated. Roast in an oven at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until garlic is tender. Remove garlic and continue roasting the onion and squash for another 15 minutes. Let cool and remove peels from garlic and onion.

In a food processor, blend squash, onion, and garlic until almost smooth. Meanwhile, heat up a large skillet over medium-high heat. Melt a bit of butter in the skillet. Spread 1/4 of the squash mixture on a tortilla. Sprinkle with 1/4 of the red peppers and cheese. Place a tortilla on top but do not flatten the quesadilla too much or the contents will ooze out. Lightly butter each side.

Cook quesadillas one at a time until sufficiently browned and the cheese is melted, about 3 minutes per side. Cut quesadillas into slices and serve with chipotle lime sour cream dip (which is made by mixing together minced chili, lime juice and sour cream).


Not a picture of the finished product, obviously. But a picture of the finished product would not reveal much.