Helen’s Artichoke Dip

This has been a favorite at our house, and it’s so easy to make!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 can of artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 1 jar (smaller than the artichokes) roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
• 1-2 green onions, chopped
• 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella
• generous handful of parmesan
• 3 TBSP mayonnaise
• pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine all ingredients into a swallow baking dish.  Add enough mayonnaise to ensure that the ingredients are well combined and moist

Season to taste

Top with additional parmesan cheese

Bake in the oven at 350 degrees, just untill warmed through, about 20 minutes.  Top should not be too browned

Serve warm or at room temperature with crackers or bread

Red Velvet Cupcakes

An oldie but a goodie!  Seems like the red velvet craze has died down, but I still love this cake flavor. I still remember the first time I tasted a red velvet cake.  A co-worker of mine brought in a cake to share, but refused to divulge her grandma’s recipe.  Here’s the one I’ve used in the past.

Yields 2 dozen cupcakes

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 c cake flour (or 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour minus 3 TBSP + 3 TBSP cornstarch)

2 T cocoa

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 c sugar

1 1/2 c oil

2 eggs

1 oz red food coloring

1 tsp vanilla

1 c buttermilk (or add 1 TBSP of lemon juice or vinegar to 1 c milk, let sit)

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp vinegar

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine cake flour, cocoa and salt together in a bowl

In a separate larger bowl, whisk together the eggs (one at a time), sugar, food coloring and vanilla

Add the flour mixture to the egg/oil mixture in thirds, alternating with the buttermilk

In a separate small bowl, combine the baking soda with the vinegar, then add to the batter.

Spoon into cupcake tin and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Let cool and top with your favorite cream cheese frosting.

Optional additions:  chopped walnuts sprinkled on top or chocolate chips added to the batter.

Holiday Baking – Grandma Corrado’s Butterscotch Icebox Cookies with Cranberry & Pecan Squares

Nothing new to the holiday baking repertoire, just a little tweak to Grandma Corrado icebox cookies and pecan squares:

Grandma Corrado’s Butterscotch Cookies with Cranberries

INGREDIENTS
3 1/2 cups flour
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 TBSP vanilla
handful walnut halves                                                                                             2/3 cup dried cranberries                                                                                                                 1 tsp cinnamon

INSTRUCTIONS

Cream butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla in a mixer
Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl
Add dry ingredients to sugar mixture                                                                           Add cranberries and mix until ingredients are just combined (the dough will not come together while mixing)
Roll out into a rectangle
Add a row of walnuts in the middle long-ways
Roll the dough into a log
Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for a couple hours
Cut into 1/8th inch rounds
Bake at 325 degrees for 9 min until crisp

Pecan Squares (dad’s and Uncle’s Phil’s favorite:)

INGREDIENTS-CRUST

• 1 c flour
• 1/3 c light brown sugar
• 1/4 c pecans
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 6 TBSP cold butter

Pulse the following ingredients in a food processor till crumbly.  Press into a parchment-lined and greased 8X8 glass baking dish.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes till golden brown.

INGREDIENTS-FILLING

• 1/3 c heavy cream
• 1/2 c brown sugar
• 1/3 c maple syrup
• 3 TBSP butter
• 3/4 tsp vanilla
• pinch of salt to taste
• 1 1/2 TBSP bourbon
• 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

Bring the first 4 ingredients to a boil in a small non-stick saucepan.  Turn of the heat, then add the vanilla, bourbon, salt.  Stir in the pecans then top the warm crust evenly.

Bake at 350 degrees until the center is barely bubbling (20-25 minutes)

Let cool for a few hours and cut into small (or big!) squares.  These actually taste better the day or two after.

French Macarons and Korean BBQ

Macorons are the most ambitious dessert I have ever attempted. My friend, A, took a class and offered to teach us We made a little party out of the evening, with the girls beating, folding and whisking and the boys watching football.

On the menu for dinner: grilled flank steak with Korean BBQ marinade. I asked my mom for her recipe, and she faxed me a page out of a cookbook published in both Korean and English…..back in 1976! The directions weren’t the most stellar, so B only used it as a guideline. The steaks were beautiful and B got lots of complements. I was very proud of him! He did all the prep and cooking himself since I was suffering from the worse bout of sciatica that morning. I wasn’t able to walk let alone make it to work on time that morning.

Note the publisihng date!

FLANK STEAK

INGREDIENTS

2 while flank steaks (about 3 pounds total)

1/2 c sugar

1 Korean pear, pureed

1 TBSP pepper

1/2 c soy sauce

6 TBSP sesame oil

3 TBSP sesame seeds

1/2 cup green onions, chopped

2 TBSP fresh ginger, minced

1 TBSP fresh garlic, minced

INSTRUCTIONS

Marinade for about 4 hours, turning occasionally.  Grill about 4 minutes on each side

Take remaining marinade and bring to a boil in a small saucepan.  Strain and serve over rice and meat.

Now for the macrons!  They are infamous tor being very particular and precise technique is key for them to rise, to have feet and to have their pillowy chewy texture.  A and V painstakingly followed everything to a tee, and every singe batch was a success.  I really can’t argue with the necessity to not use a spatula if its wooden handle is wet, but I’m really tempted to prove the macaron myths wrong.  I’ll have to save it for another day.

We ended up making 3 different batches which took about four and a half hours!  In my opinions, we had some great fillings:  PB&J and PB & Nutella.  We also made a batch of spiced macarons with dulce de leche and gingered mascarpone.

I’m thinking about revisiting the macaron effort for the holidays.  They would make great little stocking stuffers, but for now I’ve got a fridge full of macarons and condiments!

MACARONS with PB&J and PB&NUTELLA

Yields 2 dozen 2 inch macarons

INGREDIENTS

4 egg whites, room temperature

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2 cups powdered sugar

2 cups of almond flour

1 pinch of salt

INSTRUCTIONS

Place dry ingredients EXCEPT granulated sugar in food processor to mix well

Beat eggs in a completely dry stand mixer bowl until white and foamy.  Then slowly add granulated sugar and continue to beat until stilff peak form (like refrigerated Crisco)

Using a flour sifter, add the dry ingredients to the egg whites in three batches, gently folding in between (don’t push down on the eggs).  Fold until a consistent ribbon of batter drips from the spatula

Add coloring at with the last batch of dry ingredients is adding (gel coloring is preferred)

**A trick A taught me is that you can’t overbeat the eggs, but you can certainly overfold which will result in flat macarons, so better to overbeat!

Pipe onto parchment paper and let set for 30 minutes at room temperature

Bake at 300 degrees for 15 minutes on the center rack

Allow to cool on pan for 10 minutes before removing the macarons

Carefully spread the fillings and assemble

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator

SPICED MACARONS with MASCARPONE and DULCE de LECHE

Add 1 tsp each of cinnamon and ground ginger along with a pinch each of ground cloves and ginger to the dry ingredients

Mascarpone Cream:

Combine 2/3 cups mascarpone cheese + 2 TBSP dulce de leche + 1 tsp fresh grated ginger + 1/2 tsp cinnamon and a pinch of salt till smooth

Another Try At Painting

Before Thanksgiving, my sister and I attended a class held in a restaurant space in the suburban community of Carmel Valley (I am so glad that I don’t have to commute from there. It took me and hour to drive there from the hospital)

We had a cozy booth set up with easels, paints and an apron. My sister sipped sauv blanc and we shared truffled fries and flatbreads.

I thought the painting we selected was ambitious: a night sky and featuring an animal. But, I surprise myself once again! Everyone’s paintings looked great. So interesting to see the different intensities of color, brush strokes and blending technique (or rather lack thereof). The biggest tip the instructor provided us: don’t worry about the details. Take a step back and take a look. Paintings are supposed to be admired from a distance!

My sister’s and my painting were relatively similar, especially compared to others in the class. I guess it’s we’re more similar than we thought!

The Countdown Continues

Four months from today marks the expected arrival of our little sweet pea (we’ve been calling her that for quite some time).  I have to say that the pregnancy was going very smoothly in the beginning.  No nausea or weird food cravings.  I had a few weeks of increased appetite that forced me to eat lunch at 10:30 every morning, but that has subsided.

The 8 week ultrasound revealed her little fingers and legs and a pretty clear side profile that mom and dad were excited to see.  She was situated with her head on my right side.

We revealed that we were pregnant to many of my friends on week 13 by hosting make-your-own grilled pizza and sundae party.  Some of our closer friends found out very early, including our friends who we saw at M&P’s wedding in August

By the 18th week ultrasound, sweet pea had done a 180 with her head on my left side.  It was at that ultrasound that we found out that we were going to be having a little girl (although it wasn’t that apparent to us based on the images).  B was right in that we were going to have a little girl.  He told me that day that he didn’t know anything about little girls since he had never lived with one.  I reassured him by saying that daddies have it easy with little girls.  They love their daddies and save the arguing for moms!

Towards the end of the first trimester, I wasn’t feeling tired, but I slept whenever I would lie down.  Regardless, I tried to stay active as much as I could, although I was easily winded.  I was very proud that I was able to conquer Angel’s Landing again, but this time 15 weeks pregnant.  Trekking upstream through The Narrows was also quite a feat with the extra weight.

15 weeks pregnant

On the Tuesday before Thanksgiving week at week 20, I first felt sweet pea kick.  I was sitting at work when I suddenly felt 3 pokes on the left side of my belly.  I was certain that it was sweet pea!

Thanksgiving weekend was very special for B since it was the first time he felt her kick.  You could also see her poke out of my belly.  That was when B really started to talk to her, play music and even read her Paddington Bear, a book that her auntie bought her.

20 weeks pregnant

The following weekend at week 22, I was awoken by sweet pea in the morning.  I was lying on my right side, and she was kicking my right side.  I rolled onto my back, and over the course of a few minutes, she kicked in the middle of my belly, then on he left side.  Later that morning, B could feel her making circles, and I could see her swirl around my belly button.

Later that same week, I started suffering from sciatica which limited my mobility.  I have started walking more gingerly since it hurt to step onto my right foot.  I’m hoping that as sweet pea moves, it will alleviate the pain.

I have enjoyed being pregnant and I feel like I’m already bonding with my little sweet pea.  I love curling in bed to spend quiet time with her when I can.  B and I are spending a lot of time together at home which I appreciate.  And as much as I am enjoying our time together as a couple, I am trying to patiently wait for the day I finally get to meet sweet pea face to face.

Apple Maple Puff Pastry

This was a new edition to the Thanksgiving table this year.  It was a big hit!

Ingredients (makes two pieces, serves 12):

12 apples

4 TBSP butter

4 TBSP maple syrup

1/2-1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 tsp cinnamon

Pinch salt

Directions:

Put apples, butter, sugar, maple syrup and cinnamon in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender and slightly soft. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 400F or according to instructions on puff pastry packaging. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Place one piece of puff pastry on the first sheet, and spoon the half of  the apple mixture to one side of the pastry. Fold the puff pasty over to cover the mixture. Seal the edges with a fork. (Note: try to pile on the filling as the puff pastry cavity will expand as it bakes)  Repeat on the other puff pastry.

Brush the tops of the puff pastries with the beaten egg and sprinkle a generous amount of coarse sugar.

Cut a few little slits with a sharp paring knife on top of the pie to let the air out while baking.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until pastry puffs up and turns golden brown.

Serve warm or at room temperature.