Achieving Cookie Nirvana...

When I saw the recipe for these cookies, I was intrigued. It said for perfect chocolate chip cookies that stay moist and chewy, you need to melt the butter first before you mix it with the sugar and eggs:

"...when butter is melted, free water and fat are separated from each other. When this melted butter is combined with flour, the proteins in the flour grab the water and each other to immediately form elastic sheets of gluten. This creates a product with a chewy texture. At the same time, the sugars and fats are working to inhibit gluten formation, which prevents the cookies from getting too tough."

Ok, science is fun! The other tips were to add an extra egg yolk, and - very important - let them cool completely on the cookie sheet - do NOT move to a wire rack!

I used sucanat (dehydrated cane juice) in place of all the sugar, and used a quarter cup less than what was called for (some of the reviews said the cookies were too sweet,) other than that I followed the recipe to the letter. (If you use sucanat, note that it doesn't mix as creamy as regular brown sugar.)

Being the good foodie that I am, I want the best ingredients I can find. That's not important to everyone, but I'm pretty sure I've said before on this blog that I'd cut back on electricity before I cut back on the quality of my food. It's one of my passions...


If you've never used real vanilla, spend the extra few bucks and try it. You'll never go back to imitation.

Melting the butter. Yes, that's the old Visions cookware. I love it! They don't make it anymore, but I find it on ebay or at Goodwill.

Cookie dough bliss!!!

Letting them cool on the sheet. As promised, they stayed soft and chewy and are the best chocolate chip cookies I've ever tasted anywhere in my life. Cookie Nirvana has been achieved!

Cookie-face here was an accident. I think the oven mitt brushed against a hot chip or something. You can see the sucanat. It looks rustic. Or, in this case, like freckles. I couldn't stand the way this cookie was giving me the stink-eye. He was the first to go.

Here is the entire recipe, pretty straightforward, maybe a little more vanilla than the norm, but that's another plus. Chewy and Thick Chocolate Chip Cookies If anyone tries this recipe, or even tries the tips (melting the butter and leaving the cookies on the sheet to cool) with their old standby choc chip recipe, let me know how it turns out!

Chocolate Gingerbread

I had to rave about this dessert I made. It's from the January 2009 issue of Better Homes and Gardens - chocolate gingerbread baked in a cast iron skillet! (I do love my cast iron skillets.) I didn't make the orange sauce that went with it, but I did do homemade whipped cream and a garnish of crystallized ginger, but I honestly think it tastes best all on its own. It's so rich and moist with a perfect balance of spice and chocolate...so satisfying this time of year. I went all out and used a Green and Blacks organic dark chocolate bar for the chocolate chunks. I also used sucanant instead of the white sugar it called for - so it's probably even tastier than the original recipe (I like to improvise!) And good butter (of course!) This is the best dessert I've had in a long time and I highly recommend it!

Impulse buys prompt feasting and revelry...

Well, feasting anyway. I had two appointments in Omaha this morning, so between them I went to Whole Foods. Just to pick up "a few things I couldn't get here..." You can see where this is going. In the spice section I found saffron, which I hadn't seen there before. The worlds most expensive spice. For only 3 bucks and some change...I've always wanted to try it... In the end it was the color that sold me - deep and rich and russet. Some of you may remember this post about color, and it was one of those moments... Into the cart it went.



At the meat counter I spied lamb shanks. Not only are they one of the most economical cuts of lamb, they are also (in my opinion) the tastiest if cooked properly. They are full of gelatin which makes them very moist and nutritious.

Ok, I have a confession to make. I am a freak about butter. Not just any butter, but really good butter. I have no qualms at all about paying 13 dollars a pound for good butter. Maybe I need help. But hey, I don't buy expensive shoes or purses. I buy expensive butter. It's my thing. So I found this Italian butter, made from the production of Parmigiano-Reggiano:




If you aren't familiar with Parmigiano-Reggiano, do yourself a favor and find some. Cut yourself a thin slice. Taste. You will throw out that stuff in the green can faster than you can say, "WhatwasIthinking,eatingthatcrapinthegreencanforalltheseyears!"



First I marinated the lamb shanks in a half cup of merlot. Seeing as it was a new bottle, I had to taste if first to make sure it wasn't poisoned or anything. Yeah. It was fine. You can't be too careful...



After marinating for a couple hours, pat the shanks dry and brown in some oil in your cast iron skillet.




Remove the shanks and put in a glass baking dish with a tight fitting lid. De-glaze the skillet with the marinating wine and a cup of stock (preferably beef or lamb. I used chicken - it was what I had.) Add 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, a tablespoon of tomato paste, a quarter teaspoon each of oregano, thyme and cumin, an 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (or less!) and 2 minced cloves of garlic. I also added a pinch of the saffron, just because I had to try it in something. Pour mixture over the shanks in the baking dish.



Cover and bake at 300 degrees for about 3 hours. It should be falling off the bone. Remove shanks to a warm platter. Add salt to the sauce and boil down until nice and thick, reduced by at least half. Pour over the shanks.



I made my favorite squash but added a pinch of cayenne in addition to the other seasonings. Just when I thought that recipe couldn't get any better! Steamed red chard with loads of the Italian butter and another glass of wine rounded out the menu. If you can't tell, I love good food. I really, really do.
Cheers!

Soups on!

It's definitely soup weather here - windy, cloudy and downright cold! I stockpiled a bunch of pie pumpkins and squash from a roadside farm stand before his season was over, to have on hand for this and this. So what to do with all that wonderful orange pumpkin flesh? I've been adding it to one of my favorite soup recipes, a Southwest style chicken soup. The result is excellent - thicker and heartier, real 'stick to your ribs' fare.

First I half and seed a pie pumpkin, then brush the inside with a thin layer of olive oil. Bake at 350 until nice and soft, about an hour and 20 minutes (for my oven.) Cool slightly then scoop out the flesh and mash with a 'tater masher. So pretty!





In your soup pot saute half a chopped onion and 2 - 3 cloves minced garlic in some butter until soft (don't burn!) Add two cans chopped tomatoes (I like the Muir Glenn organic fire-roasted ones,) about 3 cups of chicken stock, half a cup of your favorite salsa, a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, a teaspoon (or less) of cumin and a couple teaspoons of chili powder (more or less to your taste). Salt to taste. Add two cooked chicken breasts, sliced. Bring to a boil and then simmer for at least 10 minutes to blend the seasonings. Stir in the cooked mashed pumpkin a little at a time until its as thick and pumpkin-y as you like (keep tasting.) Depending on the size of the pumpkin you may have some left over. Adjust seasonings (you'll probably need to add more salt.) Ladle into bowls and garnish with cheese, chopped avocado, chopped fresh cilantro and a lime wedge. This soup will make you very, very happy.




As you can see I didn't have the cilantro or lime for the photo shoot. My bad.

This makes 4 servings. Optional ingredients are a can of black beans and/or corn. Enjoy!
You can easily make this vegetarian using veggie stock and no chicken.

Tastes of the season

Last night I made the best acorn squash I've ever had. I halved, seeded and sliced the squash, then tossed with a glug (about 2 tablespoons) of extra virgin olive oil and a mixture of about a half teaspoon of cinnamon and quarter teaspoon each of nutmeg, cumin and salt. Then I spread it out in a glass baking dish and baked at 350 until it was tender, about 35 minutes. It was caramelized and sweet as candy, with no added sweeteners! This will grace our table often this Fall and Winter for sure!



To round out the menu of comfort foods last night (meatloaf and the above squash) were fried green tomates. If you haven't tried these you are missing out! Slice them thick, then dip in egg and breading and fry until golden. Darn good eating. And movie, by the way... :-)

Chili Pumpkin Seeds

I've been craving pumpkin seeds lately and made this batch of chili seeds yesterday. It was so easy, first I soaked fresh pumpkin seeds in a brine of 1 tablespoon of salt to about a cup and a half of water overnight. The brine soak makes them 'just right' salty, and softens the hulls so after you bake them they are easy to eat - no peeling! Then I drained and patted them dry and tossed them with a mixture of melted butter and chili powder. Then spread out in a glass baking pan and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes. Oh, they are so good! I've been buying pie pumpkins like crazy for the seeds and to make pumpkin puree for stews and Thai curries.

Speaking of curry, last week I made Curried Pumpkin Seeds - Melt a tablespoon or two of butter in a skillet and add some finely minced garlic and a tablespoon of curry powder. Saute for a minute or so, then toss with your brine-soaked and towel dried pumpkin seeds. Spread out on a baking sheet and bake at 350 for half hour. So good! I'll be making these again for sure!