Limited Counter Space, Revisted; Pt.2 : A Solid Purchase

Waaaay back in the fall, I found myself back at The Brooklyn Kitchen to browse.

With little in the way of cash, it seemed unlikely that I'd make a purchase.
But, there it sat on the bookshelf. Beard on Bread. And, after much consideration, and finally, an approving nod from addROC, who was still sifting through the cocktail toys, I decided that, even when extremely poor, a good book is always a good idea.

And, the ladies at The Brooklyn Kitchen seemed to agree, stating "A solid purchase," as I paid at the checkout line.

So, I splurged. I got the book by the infamous James Beard, which contains his 100 favorite bread recipes, both hearty and sweet.


So, I took my maiden voyage into the abyss of Beard Loafdom and made his recipe for Lemon Bread.

Here's the loaf, pre-bake:


And, post-bake:


Now, this bread did not turn out quite as lovely as I'd hoped. It was a little dry, perhaps because I over-baked it a bit. And, the lemon flavor was off. addROC and I decided that this was probably due to some pith getting mixed in with my lemon zest.

So, I must try this again...maybe soon. The oven in our new apt. is almost exactly to temperature! Huzzah!

Limited Counter Space, Revisited; Pt.1: The Best News EVER!

So, I think the most noteworthy thing to happen in recent times, also happens to be the BEST thing to happen in recent times.

Um, OBAMA!

Believe it or not, these cookies actually weren't made on election day. These pics are so fucking old, they are actually from the evening of the last debate! But, they looked so fabulous that, I said to myself, how could I NOT show you people?

So, I give you what I have labeled: The Great Debate Cookie.

Here, I paint excitedly:


This was before any of us were SURE that all our Obama dreams would come true, so, please excuse the red cookies. But, before anyone had won the good fight, I felt compelled to make sure that all parties were fairly represented.



Hooray for Obama! And hooray for the ever-versatile frosted butter cookie! And hooray, of course, to The Brooklyn Kitchen, for the awesome U.S.A. cookie cutter!

The Need for No-Knead

Here's just a little nibble'n'nosh that I made recently.

I've made two loaves of Cook's Illustrated's No-Knead Bread 2.0 Recipe.

It's easy to make, albeit time consuming, and it tastes great.

Mmmm...fresh baked bread.


I made a loaf a few nights ago and addROC and I bought a ton of cheese. We practically killed the whole loaf for dinner alone.

It was classy, in that filthy, cheesy way.

Oh-so-easy and delicious.

And, did I mention: CHEAP as hell!

Oh, Those Scrumptious Southerners

To me, great biscuits are the epitome of southern cooking.

Simple, high calorie eats that you can mix and match to almost any meal.
They're good at breakfast stacked high with eggs, cheese, and bacon.
They're good at dinner lathered up in gravy, beans, slaw, and juicy pulled pork.

Heck, they're just freakin' good.

So, when I tried Paula Deen's Cream Biscuit recipe from "Paula's Home Cooking," I nearly croaked.

These biscuits are easy, delicious, and perfect. And, while you'll probably want to ignore the calorie count, after one bite, I'm guessing you won't give a damn.


These biscuits are da bomb!


Paula Deen's Cream Biscuits

2 cups self-rising flour, plus more for dusting
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, and cream until the dough forms a ball. Turn the dough out onto a surface dusted with additional flour. Fold the dough in 1/2 and knead 5 to 7 times, adding just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to your hands. Gently roll out dough to 1/2-inch thickness. Using a 3-inch biscuit cutter coated with flour, cut dough into biscuits. Place on baking sheet coated with cooking spray, leaving at least 1-inch between each biscuit. Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden brown.

The Good Ship, Lollipop.

I've never liked Lollipops all that much.
Even less so, are small, high-pitched children who sing about them.

But, I recently tried a new recipe that is changing my tune.

Cheesecake Lollipops.

These charming, little treats were easy enough to make, tasty, and a very pretty addition to our Mother's Day dinner party spread, indeed.

Start off by baking some cheesecake! Awww yeah!



Then, prepare to get messy. 'Cause you're gonna rip that cheesecake apart after its cooled and form nice, little balls.



Then, impale the the balls like you're fighting in Braveheart and freeze the little guys solid. Once they're good to go, dip them in your favorite chocolate flavor combinations!


What chocolaty flavors did I pick, you ask?:

Milk Chocolate and Peanut
Milk Chocolate and Andes Mints
White Chocolate
White Chocolate and Dark Chocolate

Yup, it sure is a sweet trip to the candy shop!

The Easiest Way To Be The Best-Girlfriend-Ever

Go ahead.

Break out the unitard, frillies, and lace.

It's all well and good.

But, I'll let you in on a little secret. When your Mom said that the way to a man's heart was via his stomach, she wasn't too far off.

My super-hero specialties are my little secret, but, when my boo, addROC, was coming home after a long and snack-less day, I knew where my ass belonged.

The kitchen.

Ladies, throw on your sexiest teddy and heels.
We're making snacks.

Quick and Easy Crostini and Red Pepper Dip

First, I baked a fresh loaf of my famous, and nearly perfected French Bread. But, if you're not into baking, or pressed for time, just pick up a French loaf at your local supermarket.



Next, I cut up that bad boy into thin, round slices.



Heat up your oven to 450 degrees, paint the tops with olive oil and toast these guys until they are golden brown. It should only take around 10 minutes. But, keep a constant watch to prevent burning.

Now, onto the Red Pepper dip!

First, assemble your ingredients:


Yup, that's it:
1 Cup Roasted Red Peppers
4 oz Cream Cheese
8-10 Fresh Basil Leaves
2 Cloves Garlic (Medium to small size)

Now, just throw that stuff into a food processor or fancy-schmancy blender and whip it up!



Voila! Crostini and Red Pepper dip!



Now all you have to do is, lay out the goods...and wait for your lover to take the bait.

Then, take the time to revel in your Best-Girlfriend-Ever glory!

2 Cakes To Rule Them All

addROC and I are now both officially ONE birthday away from landmark ages.

I turned 24 in early April, and addROC, or as I like to call him, Gramps, turned 29 just last night.

While I will, on occasion, search for crow's feet, I'm still far, far more concerned with birthday snacks.

There's nothing like celebrating with a big ol' birthday cake.
So this year, with both addROC and I clinging to our dear youths, as the ever-approaching, fat ol' round numbers edge closer, we decided that there is no time like the present to, as Marie Antoinette so fervently declared, "Let Them Eat Cake!!!"



addROC is the best. So, when I came home from work on my birthday I had this bad boy waiting for me!!! And, yes, it was a Funfetti Cake. It was awesome and mammoth. We ate it for days and days. It was glorious.

For addROC's birthday, I knew I had to make his favorite: Boston Creme Pie.

It was my maiden voyage with this cake, addROC's Mom provided me with the recipe that she used to make him every year, for every birthday.

I was intimidated. In the past, I have purchased said Boston Creme Pies at fine baking establishments. But, I did it, and it was reeeal good. Maybe not as good as his Mom's, but, I still get an A for effort. Right Gramps?

The Boston Creme Pie:

1. Make Cake.


2. Make Custard.


3. Combine Cake and Custard.


4. Drown Cake and Custard with Chocolate Glaze.


5. Feed the Birthday Boy!!! Happy Birthday addROC!!!


Frikkin' Yummy.

One Funfetti Cake. One Boston Creme Pie.
Two Cakes to Rule Them All.

Happy Birthday!!!

The Freaking "To-Go" Box

For Thanksgiving this year, my mother asked me to bring dessert.
And, of course, I brought, like, 3 pies.
So, because I knew addROC and I would be traveling from our neck-of-the-woods to my folks place out in Bay Ridge, I went to the The Broadway Panhandler and invested in a set of Assemble-It-Yourself cardboard pastry boxes.

Obviously, Thanksgiving has come and gone. And, let me tell you something: No matter what I do, no matter how hard I try, I cannot get rid the these freakin' pastry boxes.

So, in a valiant effort to get the f#*kin' boxes out of my life, and into someone else's kitchen to take up inordinate amounts of truly invaluable space: I brought a cake to Reid's.

My Caramel Cake, inspired by the genius that is Smitten Kitchen, was a light, white, fluffy, delicious cake before it was corrupted by filthy, sticky, sweet and creamy caramel.

1. 100% Naked...and we think she's been working out. Lookin' reeeal good, Cake.


2. Caramel. Hot, hot Caramel.


3. Cake, Caramel, and a "To-Go" box. Classy and functional!


SUPER HELPFUL TIP:
Do yourself a frikkin' favor.
Buy your "To-Go" Boxes on a need-to-need basis.
Heed my advice or be stuck with a shit load of boxes that have no apparent purpose other than to remind you of the food you're not making, and to deplete precious, precious cupboard space!

Do You Know the Muffin Man?

The Muffin Man?

The Muffin Man.
Do You Know The Muffin Man,
Who Lives on Drury Lane?

Yes, actually, I do.
He invaded my apartment, raided my cabinets, and demanded that I make muffins. Lots of muffins.

It all started at the MET Supermarket in Greenpoint. Strawberries are on sale for $1.99. To me, this can only mean one thing, Spring! So, I snatched up my berries and high-tailed it to the check-out.

Upon returning to my apartment, there he sat, the little imp.
Yes, The Muffin Man.

And, I knew what to do.

1. Wash my Spring Cheap-O berries!


2. Dice berries and the use a Microplane to get the zest of one lemon.


3. Mix fruit into my versatile muffin batter-base, portion, and bake.


4. Devour.


5. Thank The Muffin Man for making a long trip from Drury Lane, creepy as he may be.

The Bitch's Strawberry-Lemon Muffins

INGREDIENTS
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup diced Strawberries
Zest of One Lemon

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Mix the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.
3. In a small bowl, beat egg. Stir in milk, oil, and lemon zest.
4. Pour wet ingredients into the well of the flour mixture. Mix quickly and lightly with a fork until moistened, but do not beat.
5. Fold in strawberries gently, until just incorporated.
6. Portion batter evenly into 12 muffin cups or a muffin tin.
7. Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden.

St. Paddy's Day Celebrations

Hi-Ho Nesters!!!
I know it's been awhile, but, I'm back with a special, beef lover's, St. Patrick's Day Special!!!

Fun times started over the weekend.

My Irish blood was boiling, so we decided to make it a culinary celebration!

Saturday it was a traditional boiled Irish supper.

We got to boiling some Chuck Steak in the slow cooker with: Guinness, Peppercorns, and a few Bay Leaves...


Later we added Potatoes, Cabbage, and Carrots. Mmmm....

But, the best was saved for the actual night of St. Patrick's Day.
addROC made a ridiculous Guinness marinated steak.
Which was cooked to perfection.



Then, we moved on to a traditional Irish treat that is so delectable and delightful, that its consumption with a beverage like Guinness or Jameson is ABSOLUTELY necessary, and really, just plain common sense.

The One...The Only....


IRISH SODA BREAD!!!!

We ate, drank, and were oh-so-very-merry.
Just as St. Paddy would have wanted it himself.

Cheers to the Irish!
Erin Go Bragh!!!

Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread

My mother gave both addROC and I gift certificates to the hot new kitchen store in SoHo, Sur La Table.

Naturally, addROC and I went apeshit.

After going to the store twice, contemplating this and that, checking out the SILPATS and bar spoons...we got a few very choice items.

addROC's favorite: The Cast Iron Skillet.

While, at first, this little toy just reminded me of cowboy eggs and French people, I've found that I've become quite fond of this heavy-ass pan.

So, when addROC made chili, we had to make cornbread. Off I went, mixing up the dry ingredients, like so:


Then, the wet ingredients:


And then, POP, into the oven, pan and all!

So fun, right? A pan, that goes in the oven and doesn't melt?!
And, it produced this gem-of-a-hunk-of cornbread:


Holla!

Now, all's I need is to make cowboy eggs and to find some French people to enjoy them with me!

But, for now, cornbread will have to do.

Tart Smarts

It's plainly obvious that I adore Christopher Kimball and everything and anything that has to do with America's Test Kitchen.

So, when I found myself in the dessert-y mood, I went straight to the Best of America's Test Kitchen 2008.

And there they were...calling my name. Rustic Free-Form Apple Tartlets.

So, I hopped-to and whipped up a new kind of pastry dough (one that requires no shortening, but uses cream cheese). Let it chill and rolled out my tiny tarts.

The apple filling was simple, leaving the fruit to speak for itself, which is always more satisfying then adding ooodles and ooodles of sugar and other crap.

It really couldn't have been easier.

Just make the dough, wrap it around some fruit, bake, and you're done.


The result?

The closest thing to buying awesomely awesome tarts from a swanky bakery.

These were phenomenal. And so frikkin' easy.

So, I was able to escape my pie obsession for a few days, only to become obsessed with Rustic Free-Form Tartlets. I am definitely going to make these again and experiment with other fruits.

OMG like Strawberry....

Chris Kimball...yet again you have proven that you are a God among us mere mortals.

Let Them Eat Cake(s): Valentine's Aftermath

Last night I decided to continue my tradition of making cupcakes for Valentine's Day.

I was stoked on the L train just thinking about the little suckers.
I'm not really much of a cake person, but, there is something just wonderful about little, self-contained cakes.
A single serving, a dainty treat, so darling.
Such a cute little snack was meant to be baked on the most lovey-dovey day of the year.

But, after much anticipation, I realized I forgot the frosting when I finally got to the apartment. I had too many things to get together, so, out of frustration, I almost scratched the idea all together.

Then, I saw the food coloring in the cupboard.

If they can't be frosted, then damn it, they will be pink. So, off I went.

First: Pink batter.



Next: Into the oven, just like Hansel and Gretel. Only, if these cakes had been those children, they totally would have died.


Finishing Touches: Making these cupcakes as cheesy as possible for addROC, because, what would Valentine's Day be without a sickeningly sweet message to send him into the throes of passion?

Yes. I made a heart out of baby-cakes that reads: "I <3 U BABY CAKES."

Does that make me a loser?
Probably.

But, in the end, loser or not, I made some cute-ass cupcakes. Delectable for zee munchin'!

Enjoy your weekend Nesters!
Happy President's Day!

And, Happy 100th Post to us here at The Brooklyn Nester!!!