snickerdoodles

Mmmm, snickerdoodles.
There are two different kinds of snickerdoodles out there.
Soft, cake-like, doughy.
OR
Thin, crispy, chewy.
Personally, I like the crispy and chewy version.  My brother would disagree.
But, this is my blog.
:)

Snickerdoodles

Makes about 30 big cookies.

2 3/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup Crisco
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat your oven to 350*.
Sift together the dry ingredients, except the sugar.  Set aside.
Cream the butter and the 1 1/2 cups sugar in a large bowl.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.

Sift in the flour mixture.

Mix the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and the cinnamon in a small bowl.
Take golf ball size pieces of the cookie dough and roll in the palm of your hand.

Roll in the cinnamon sugar and place on cookie sheet.
Press down a little on each cookie to flatten slightly.

Bake for 12 minutes, until barley golden.  Remove to cool and enjoy!!

minestrone with pesto

Time for a fast, summer soup!

(I won't bore you with pictures of sauteing onions...you should know how to do that by now! :) )

Enjoy!!

Minestrone with Pesto

Serves 4-6.

3 tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1 bay leaf
6 cups homemade vegetable stock (or chicken stock)
1 can cannelloni beans, drained and rinsed
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 bunch asparagus, cleaned and chopped into 1 inch segments
4 tablespoons homemade basil pesto (or storebought)
Grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish (optional)

Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add onion and carrot and saute until golden brown, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic, red pepper flakes, and bay leaf and saute until just fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add stock and beans and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and let simmer for about 20 minutes.  Add asparagus and continue to cook for about 4 more minutes.  Ladle into soup bowls and stir in about a tablespoon of pesto, per bowl, and sprinkle cheese on top, if using.  Enjoy!!

veal cacciatore

I love love love veal cacciatore.
We always had cacciatore growing up.  It's a peasant's dish - a hunter's dish - because it uses so many of the ingredients that a "hunter" would have.  A hunter, in Italy, that is.
Cacciatore literally means "hunter" in Italian and often uses tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, rosemary....anything that an Italian could forage for and gather, after he's killed a rabbit or wild rooster or something.
But, let's class things up a bit!  I'm using veal cutlets today....for taste and for ease.  Normally, you would chop up a chicken or rabbit, brown it and braise it for an hour or so.  With veal cutlets, you can brown it and serve it in less than 30.  But, feel free to use chicken cutlets or pounded beef.  Anything really!!
Let's get started!

Veal Cacciatore (or Chicken...or Beef....)
Serves 4ish.
1/3 cup all-purpose flour

Four 4-oz. veal cutlets, pounded 1/4 inch thick or have your butcher do it
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons butter
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms

1 cup canned diced tomatoes with juices
1/2 cup dry red wine

2 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary

Put the flour in a baking dish. Season the cutlets all over with salt and pepper. Dredge in the flour and shake off any excess.

Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering hot. Working in batches if necessary, cook the cutlets until dark golden-brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a large plate as they finish.

In the same skillet over medium heat, add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes.
Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they release their liquid and it reduces to a glaze, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the tomatoes, wine, capers, and rosemary. Bring back to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the sauce is thickened, about 7 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add the cutlets and any accumulated juices to the sauce and cook until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes.

Mmmm, doesn't that look awesome!  Serve over pasta or couscous and enjoy!!

grilled pouncake with strawberries

Shall we celebrate the beginning of summer?? 

I don't know that I really need to say more :)

Grilled Poundcake with Strawberries

Serves 4.

8 slices (or 4 big ones) of poundcake, homemade or storebought
1 pint of strawberries, washed and sliced
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons of Grand Marnier (or leave it out, if you happen to be 6 months pregnant ;) )

Heat a non-stick grill pan over medium-high heat. 
Combine the sliced strawberries with the sugar and vinegar.  Let sit for a couple minutes (or up to 1/2 hour) to really marinate.
Whip the heavy whipping cream until almost whipped and add Grand Marnier.  Set aside.
Grill the slices of poundcake until slightly crispy but still moist.  Place two slices on each dessert plate. 

Top the poundcake slices with the drained strawberries and dollop with the whipped cream.  Enjoy!

So easy and so satisfying....

zuppa alla pavese (i.e. italian breakfast soup)

Sounds creepy, right?

I know I know.  It is a little creepy.
But, does saying it's authentic help?

It's a really unique approach to breakfast.  But has all the elements of breakfast so don't be scared!


Zuppa alla Pavese
Serves 2.
4 tablespoons butter
2 slices Italian bread, about 1/2 inch thick, or 4 slices of French bread
2 cups homemade chicken stock
2 eggs
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and saute the bread, turning it, until it's golden brown on both sides.  Place a slice of bread (or 2 little slices) into each of two soup bowls.  Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a saucepan.  Crack the eggs, one each, into each of the bowls, over the slices of bread.  Sprinkle the eggs and bread with Parmesan cheese and pour the boiling stock directly onto the egg.  The boiling stock will poach the eggs.  Break apart the egg with a spoon and enjoy!  (Serve immediately.)

bacon-wrapped shrimp + scallion buttermilk dressing

Let's kick off Memorial weekend with a twist!

Everyone is expecting hot dogs, hamburgers, steaks, or fried fish, right?
Let's do grilled bacon-wrapped shrimp!  I mean, come on.  That doesn't sound fantastic already?  And drizzle it with some scallion buttermilk dressing?  Oh man.
Couldn't be easier, too.  It takes about 10 minutes to prep and about 3 minutes on the grill.  That's it! 
Try it - it'll be a huge hit at your Memorial Day party!

Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp with Scallion Buttermilk Dressing

Serves 4.

1 pound fresh shrimp, deveined and peeled
About 6 strips of bacon
1 scallion, chopped
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 lime

Preheat your grill to high heat.
Cut the bacon into pieces that are about the same size as your shrimp.

Wrap the bacon around the shrimp and secure onto skewers.

Grill for about 3 minutes, until done completely through but still juicy.

Meanwhile, make the dressing.
Combine the scallion, buttermilk, and mayo in a small food processor.  Pulse until mostly smooth.  Add the juice of the lime and stir to combine.

Serve shrimp over rice with a drizzle of dressing over the top.  Enjoy!!

coconut cake

I love coconut cake.
I'm gonna go ahead and say it's my very favorite cake to eat. 
I have it almost ever birthday that rolls around.
And what's not to love?  Sweet and creamy cake with an even sweeter frosting and contrast with the real coconut shavings that aren't too sugary....heaven.

Coconut Cake

Serves 8-12.

Adapted from Ina Garten.

3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
6 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
4 ounces sweetened, shredded coconut
2 fresh coconuts
Recipe for Seven Minute Frosting

Preheat your oven to 350*.
Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl.  Set aside.
Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
Add vanilla and almond extracts and beat well.

Add flour mixture and milk, alternating, beating after each addition.

Fold in the sweetened coconut.

Pour into two greased and floured 8" cake pans.

Bake for 45-55 minutes or until golden and a toothpick comes out cleanly.  Cool on a baking rack for 30 minutes, then turn the cakes out onto a baking rack to finish cooling.

Meanwhile, prep the coconuts.
Find the "eyes" of the coconut.  Place, eye-side up, in a bowl, lined with a kitchen towel.  Using a screwdriver and a hammer, open the eyes carefully.  Get your dad to do it!  :)

Once you have opened them, drain them into a clean bowl.  (You can use the coconut juice in the cake, substituting for some of the milk, or use it in the frosting, or just drink it!!)

Using the back of the hammer, pry apart the drained coconuts.  Doing this outside is easiest.

Break them apart.

Peel off the hard outer layer.  It should come off very easily.

Once you have finished this, you can grate the whole thing with a box grater.

You should have a nice, big pile!

Set aside.
Ice the cakes with a crumb coat, meaning just enough to seal in the crumbs, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Once set, dollop some more icing for the middle and stack the layers.

Frost the whole cake completely.

Carefully, press the freshly shredded coconut onto the sides and top of the cake and into the frosting.

Isn't it pretty??

And enjoy!