An Easy Sugar Fix

Usually for Christmas we give out homemade cookies and candy to our loved ones in lieu of store bought gifts. I hate shopping and I hate it even more when I give someone something and a year later I see it sitting, unused, on one of their shelves, near the back is the worst. Case in point, my mother just re-gifted a sampler tea set that I gave my sister last year. How did she come by it? Apparently, neither one of them was using it. Oh yes, we love tea but just never seem to have time to use the cute, little infuser mug. Right. So now I have 6 black tea tins in my cabinet. To be clear, I'm not much of a black tea drinker. I lean much more towards the green variety. Grrr.

This year we've been so busy I began looking for an easier way out early on. Very shortly after Halloween I decided on flavored sugars instead of our traditional cookie boxes. It's a super easy, relatively inexpensive gift and looks elegant to boot. You can go with any flavor and color. Zest, flowers, rose water, cocoa, on and on. I chose vanilla and lavender. Vanilla because it's pretty universally accepted and lavender because, well, I had a lot of lavender and nothing to do with it. Don't get me wrong; I love the heady floral taste of those little flowers but everyone doesn't agree. My husband feels like lavender is better left to soap but who said his opinion ever mattered for very much when it comes to my kitchen.

So I ground the lavender in my mortar, split some vanilla beans and dumped everything in an old spaghetti jar, sterilized of course, with as much sugar as would fit. Shake, shake, shake. Every 3 or 4 days, or whenever I thought about, shake, shake, shake. After about a month, I colored it. A few drops of desired food coloring is all you need. Don't freak out if it doesn't change right away. Just keep shaking. At some point I added some pearl powder to make it sparkle but it's not really necessary. The longer the sugar stands, the stronger the flavor will be. Three months gave me a nice, wafting aroma when the lid was taken off. We filled 14 jars with about 8 lbs of sugar and spent about $30 total. I think the sugar will be great in coffee or tea, especially the vanilla. My friends could also pop the lid and use it as room freshener if they decide not to actually eat it. I'm hoping at least that these little jars don't get relegated to that dusty, old shelf but, hey, we're really not out a whole lot either way.

Vanilla Sugar
1 super clean (sterilized is best) Large Jar or other air tight container (plastics aren't great here because they can sometimes leach flavors, plasticy and otherwise, into the food)
Granulated sugar
2 Vanilla Beans, split and halved
Food Coloring (opt.)
~ ½ tsp Pearl Powder or Edible Glitter (opt.)

Lavender Sugar
1 super clean (sterilized is best) Large Jar or other air tight container (plastics aren't great here because they can sometimes leach flavors, plasticy and otherwise, into the food)
Granulated Sugar
1 Vanilla Bean, split and halved
½ tsp Lavender Flowers, ground; more or less to taste
Food Coloring (opt.)
~ ½ tsp Pearl Powder or Edible Glitter (opt.)

1. Fill the jar ½ full with sugar.
2. Add the vanilla beans and/or lavender.
3. Fill the jar the rest of the way, leaving ~1" head space. This will make shaking easier.
4. Add the coloring, 3-4 drops is enough for pastel colors, depending on how much sugar you're using.
5. Seal tightly.
6. Shake, shake, shake. Continue shaking every 3 or 4 days or whenever the mood strikes you.
7. At least a week before you divide it up add the pearl powder, if desired.
8. Pour the sugar into clean, dry, decorative jars, removing any large bits as you go. You can find the little jars at most any craft store.
9. Label and gift.

Almost Gianduia Biscotti

Sitting here at work with my eyes blurry from lack of sleep I was thinking intently about biscotti. Actually, more to the point, I was thinking about dunking biscotti into a nice, large mug of steaming, hot hazelnut latte. If I were Italian then my fantasy would probably include a nice glass of wine instead of coffee. But, alas, I'm not and I'm tired so my mind refuses to even admit the substitution.

I'll just have to wait until I get home this afternoon because I'm not, repeat am not, going to go to Starbucks and throw away $8. I could probably make at least 20 biscotti for that price. Matter of fact, I have some sitting on my counter right now from several weeks ago. They quite literally will keep forever especially in a cool house like mine. Back during Roman times these hard little cookies were the staples of soldiers and adventurers. "Hard" just about sums it up too.

After baking my first batch I had to check for poison. I mean, I wouldn't want anyone else dying because I neglected to check a batch of cookies. I just picked up a small piece, the scraggly ones are always sacrificed for the greater good, and proceeded to break out my front teeth. OK, I didn't actually chip any teeth but it sure felt like it for a second. Pressing on, I proceeded to bite chunks off with my jaw teeth and crunch the rock like biscuit to bits. Don't ask why I didn't make coffee or dip it in some milk or tea. I'm just weird like that and I honestly have no idea. Needless to say, my mouth was kind of abused that day but I was satisfied that, yes, I had avoided the poison and the batch was safe.

The next day, I made some hot tea and the biscotti was only better when dunked. The hot liquid infused the bread with flavor while slightly melting the chocolate. Somehow you could taste the flavor of the almonds more strongly even though the bread was now saturated with Lady Grey. It was really good.

I'm thinking seriously of making some biscotti with dried cherries, dark chocolate and pecans for Christmas. My previous batch with almonds and dark chocolate reminded me of Gianduia, that quintessential chocolate/hazelnut combination. You can pretty much use biscotti as a tabula rasa just like shortbread. Just keep in mind that with Italian biscotti 2 c. is about the limit with add-ins, especially nuts. Otherwise, the dough becomes too crumbly and will likely fall apart on you. If you find yourself too adventurous, try adding 2 tbsp water or oil and work it in until the dough holds up.

The recipe for this biscotti base comes from The King Arthur Cookie Companion. There is an entire chapter on biscotti; 22 pages, yeah that's right, 22 pages of biscotti. This is a great book full of tips, techniques, and both American and International treats. If you're into baking you should definitely check it out.

Makes 14 - 16 biscotti

2 eggs
2/3 c. sugar
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. dark chocolate chips (opt.)
1 c. whole natural almonds, roughly broken (opt.)

1. Preheat oven 350°F.
2. Lightly grease a large baking sheet. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, all ingredients except add-ins and flour until creamy and thin as pancake batter. Add water if necessary.
4. Slowly add flour until totally incorporated.
5. Stir in chocolate and nuts.
6. Transfer dough to prepared pan and shape it into a wide log roughly 14" long, 2 ½" wide and ¾" thick.
7. Smooth the top and sides with a wet scraper or spatula.
8. Bake 25 min.
9. Let cool on pan ~20 min. Then remove to cutting board.
10. Lightly sprinkle or spritz water over log to soften crust and make cutting easier. Wait 5 min.
11. Reduce oven to 325°F.
12. Cut biscotti into ½ - ¾" slices.
13. Set the biscotti upright on prepared pan ~½" apart.
14. Bake 25 min.
15. Remove from oven and cool completely on rack.
16. Store in an airtight container.

Turkey Tips

I am fortunate enough to have many intelligent, extremely skilled men in my life. In years past, as well as this one, one or the other of those men have stepped up and volunteered to cook the main dish for Thanksgiving. That's a man's job anyway, right? The last turkey I cooked was probably 4 years ago even though we always have Thanksgiving at our house. Don't get me wrong; I did have to learn how to cook a giant bird once. I had great references, however, to help me along the almost panic attack inducing way. Butterball has a very comprehensive website, complete with time tables, videos, and tips on everything from buying a turkey to folding your napkins. They really lay it out better than I ever could. I recommended this site to one of my friends from China last year. She had never had turkey before but really wanted to try and make one. Apparently, her turkey came out beautifully and now ranks up there with Kentucky Fried Chicken as her favorite American food.

I have a few quick and dirty guidelines that will hopefully help you along the way.

• For whole turkeys, figure on having about ¾ lb per person, 1 ½ lbs per person if you want leftovers.
• For boneless turkeys and hams, count on having ½ lb per person, 1 lb per person if you want leftovers.
• A good estimate for thawing is 1 day for every 4 lbs when thawed in the fridge, which is really the safest way.
• You can store a completely thawed bird for up to 4 days, refrigerated.
• Cook at 325°F. Cooking times vary according to weight. Cook until the thigh registers 180°F and the stuffing, if using, registers 165°F in the center.

• Get you a digital temperature probe. I have one with an alarm that is great and allows me to stress much less about the food being done or not. You really don't want to worry about giving people food poisoning on top of everything else.
  
• Rub all over with oil before seasoning and baking to help prevent moisture loss. Plus, you don't really need to baste it once you seal the skin with oil.
• The breast cooks faster than the thighs so tent it with foil before baking to help prevent it from becoming dry.
• My brother-in-law is Kitchen Manager at a steak house so I never really have to worry about carving the bird myself. It is really easy to do though. You just make an incision horizontally through the breast near the bottom and then slice vertically. For full step-by-step instructions go to Butterball's site and/or watch the video below.

Savory Mexican Rice

I used to be surprised when someone told me that they couldn't make rice. It seemed so easy, one of those elementary dishes that you start making when you're a kid. Then, more and more people told me that they had difficulty and, therefore, either used instant rice or avoided it all together. I reevaluated my opinion and finally chalked up my rice knowledge to my Daddy who was somewhat of a drill sergeant in the kitchen. "You have to learn to cook or you'll never find a husband." Right...

The quick and dirty of making rice is using a 2:1 ratio, twice as much liquid as uncooked rice. For 4 servings, you'd be safe with 2 cups of water and 1 cup of rice. Then, for long grained rice (the most popular variety used at home) all you need to remember is Boil, Cover, Reduce Heat, Cook 10 min, Let Stand 5 min, Fluff. This is called the absorption method. A couple of things to know are the more water you add and the more you stir it, the mushier and stickier your rice will be. Stirring releases starch within the rice; that's why risotto is cooked slowly and stirred a lot during cooking.

There are probably more varieties of rice than you care to know. Most of the common ones are just more or less processed; for example, brown rice simply contains the hull, or bran layer, that has been removed from your standard white rice. I briefly considered outlining the varieties here but opted to direct you to a company that does that for a living. Sage V Foods contracts directly with farmers to grow specialty varieties of rice and organic rice. Their site lists the more popular varieties. If Sage V doesn't satisfy you then I promise Wikipedia will.

Instant or quick cook rice has been precooked, usually steamed, and then dehydrated. While I personally don't like the texture offered by these precooked rices, they are getting better. Look for a brand that cooks up in 10 minutes. Any less and you'll be compromising quality for convenience.

This recipe leans a little away from your standard rice dish. It's great served with fajitas and black beans, which is what I designed it for. I love jasmine rice, a type of aromatic rice. Aromatics have a nutty flavor that I savor. Generally, you need to add about ½ cup more liquid when using jasmine rice as opposed to regular long grain. This dish calls for a good bit of saffron. I usually horde mine and then never end up using it. If you find saffron too expensive, substitute turmeric but be careful not to overwhelm the dish.

Serves 6-8

2 c. jasmine rice, uncooked

4 ½ c. chicken broth

½ can Rotel tomatoes and chilies (Mexican with cilantro and lime), finely chopped

good pinch saffron, 6-8 threads

2 tsp salt, more or less to taste

1. Combine all ingredients in medium saucepan.
   
2. Bring to boil, uncovered, over med-high heat.
   
3. Stir and shake pan to settle rice.
   
4. Cover, reduce heat to low.
   
5. Simmer 15 min and then turn off heat.
   
6. Let stand 5-10 min. Fluff with a fork.

To reheat rice:

Place only amount needed on serving plate. Sprinkle rice with water and then cover completely with a damp paper towel. Heat on High in microwave 2 min, stir, repeat as needed.

Cookies and Cream Pie

Creamy, rich, smooth and cold. I have found this pie to be very crowd pleasing. This recipe can be modified for a wide variety of flavors. Change the pudding mix and extract to suit your fancy. I've made Coconut Cream, Banana Cream, Strawberry Cream, Strawberry-Banana Cream, on and on, with equally good results. For a super luscious Chocolate Cream Pie, melt 4oz of chocolate and blend it into the condensed milk before creaming. For fillings without pieces, i.e. not this particular variation, you can ensure a silky texture by forcing the filling through a sieve just before adding it to the pie shell.

Makes 1 - 9" pie, Serves ~ 8

4oz cream cheese, softened
7oz sweetened condensed milk
1 c. milk
1 (5oz) box instant cookies and cream pudding mix
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
** 1 pre-baked 9" deep dish pie shell

1 c. (½ pint) heavy whipping cream
~1 tbsp powdered sugar (more or less to taste)
* 2 tbsp white decorators gel (optional)

1. Cream together the cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk.
2. Slowly add the milk. Stir well.
3. Add pudding mix and vanilla.
4. Beat until the mixture becomes thickened. (~5 min)
5. Pour into pre-baked pie shell.
6. Chill at least 4 hours.

~2 hours before serving

1. Whip heavy cream until soft peaks form.
2. Add powdered sugar and whip until medium peaks form. Do not over beat.
3. Spread whipped cream evenly over filling.
4. Chill at least 1 hour.

* If you live in a particularly hot and/or humid area then you may want to stabilize the whipped cream to help prevent melting or weeping. This can be easily done by adding white decorators gel just before you beat the cream to medium peaks.

** You can either purchase a pre-baked pie shell or blind bake one yourself. To blind bake means simply to bake without anything in it. You usually do this for pies, such as cream pies, in which the filling remains uncooked.

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Prick the inner surface, including the sides, all over with a fork. This allows steam to escape and insures your nice shape remains nice.
3. Combine the white of 1 egg with 1 tsp water.
4. Gently brush the edges with the egg white mixture.
5. Sprinkle the rim lightly with sugar. (Skip this step for savory pies.)
6. Form a circle of aluminum foil and place inside the shell.
7. Fill the foil enclosure with either uncooked rice or dry beans.
8. Press down slightly on the filler.
9. Place the pie shell on a cookie sheet and bake 10-12 min or until the crust begins to turn golden.
10. Carefully remove the filler by grasping the edges of the foil and lifting the entire package out.
11. Continue baking the shell 2-5 min or until dry. If the edges begin to over-brown loosely cover the shell with a sheet of foil.

Three Chile Chili

I started making chili for get-togethers when I was still in high school. They were always potluck and usually everyone would be assigned something different to bring each time. I slowly realized that I was always asked to bring chili. Well, needless to say, after making only chili several times a year for several years I tried to beg off. "Please, just let me bring chips and dip this time...nope, someone has to bring chili." I guess it never occurred to my friends that someone else could make it just once.

I resigned myself and began to research chili making. I watched competitions, cook-offs, read hundreds of recipes (this is not an exaggeration), all in search of a better pot. I am still learning but I have picked up a few things over the years:

• Chili refers to a spicy meat and bean stew. Chile is a fruit of a pepper plant, normally referring to those containing moderate - high levels of capsaicin (the chemical compound responsible for that fiery mouth burn)
• Different chiles lend different depths of flavor, some sharp and biting, others more round and earthy.
• Different chile peppers issue different degrees of mouth burn and they affect different parts of your tongue. For example, jalapenos affect the sides and back of your tongue, whereas cayennes affect the tip.
• Dried spices lend more consistency from pot to pot.
• The same spice will taste differently depending on time exposure to heat (cooking time).

Most chili masters (yes, there are Chili Masters) add ingredients in what they call "dumps". The most common number of dumps is 3. I prefer the term "phase" because "dump" brings to my mind something that does not belong anywhere near the kitchen. Regardless of the name, these are different stages of cooking and, therefore, expose the ingredients to varying degrees of both heat and cooking duration. The old standby rule applies: the longer something cooks, the more it breaks down. The ingredients added in the beginning will have a much deeper, round flavor than the "pep" spices added at the very end. These final flavors will be the most prominent of your chili. While this may seem like an over-complicated method, there are really only 9 easy steps. Remember, you just won't get the same results by dumping everything in at the beginning.

Some of you may be overwhelmed by the amount of spices used in this recipe. The cost of spices can be very daunting to many cooks and for good reason. The chosen flavors, however, are very versatile. The following spices can be used for many recipes, combining them in subtly different ways to yield completely different ethic dishes. I've found that most of them have become staples in my pantry and once you make the initial investment you won't be sorry.

Just a few quick tips to mention. Chili con Carne is a product of Ziegler Meats. It is a square block of spices and ground beef, similar to a paste-based chili starter. Normally, you can find it in the refrigerated section of the grocery store near the ground beef. If you are unable to track it down just double the amount of ground beef in the recipe. The longer chipotle cooks, the spicier the chili will be as more of the capsaicin is released. For a milder chili, add the chipotle only during Phase 3, reduce the amount, or leave it out all together. If you're looking for a 3-Alarm Chili, add cayenne pepper in Phase 3, ¼ tsp at a time, until you reach your desired flame. This should give you a zippy bite. I feel that the cinnamon adds a nice, round flavor to the dish. Some people like it, others don't. If the cinnamon doesn't suit you, then simply omit it. If you accidentally make the chili too spicy, try adding granulated sugar, starting with 1 tbsp. This will help neutralize some of the excess capsaicin floating around.

My family likes to serve this chili in big bowls topped with sour cream and shredded sharp cheddar cheese. For a different taste, try it with some chopped cilantro or onion on top. Oyster crackers and hot cornbread are never lurking very far away either.

Serves 4 - 6

Phase 1
1 block Chili con Carne
1 lb ground beef
1 tsp onion powder
1 tbsp hot mexican chile powder
1 tsp ancho chile powder
½ tsp garlic salt OR ½ tsp garlic powder + ½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
¼ tsp cumin
1/8 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
½ tsp oregano

Phase 2
2 cans (15 oz) kidney beans, undrained
2 cans (15 oz) chili beans, undrained
2 tbsp tomato paste (3 oz)
29 oz tomato puree
3 tbsp hot mexican chile powder
1 tsp ancho chile powder
1 tsp chipotle chile powder
1 tsp cumin
1 jalapeno, slitted and floated
3 tsp mexican picante
1 ½ c. water, as needed

Phase 3
1 tbsp hot mexican chile powder
½ tsp cumin
¼ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp chipotle chile powder
water, as needed

Phase 1

1. Brown beef and all of Phase 1 spices.
2. Add Chili con Carne and heat thoroughly.
3. Drain excess grease.
   

Phase 2

1. Add all Phase 2 ingredients.
2. Bring to a boil.
3. Cover, reduce heat until you reach a very slow simmer. Simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
   

Phase 3

1. Add all Phase 3 ingredients.
2. Continue simmering 15 - 20 minutes covered.
3. Remove jalapeno before serving.

Not Quite New York Style Cheesecake

I thought that it would be fitting to serve cheesecake this week in tribute to the XXIX (29th) Olympic Games (Modern Era). Many historians attribute cheesecake to the Greeks, although the art of cheese-making can be traced back as far as 2,000 B.C. A form of cheesecake was served to athletes during the first Olympic Games held in 776 B.C. This cheesecake would likely have been vastly different from what we consider cheesecake today. In antiquity, bread and cake were somewhat interchangeable words with the term "cake" being used for smaller breads. The Romans conquered the Greeks around 146 B.C. This is when cheesecake begins its long voyage to becoming what we know today.

The first "modern" recipe for cheesecake was recorded in 230 A.D. and it basically consisted of a 2:1 ratio of pureed, strained fresh cheese and wheat flour, which was then sweetened with honey. Sometimes an egg was added to help leaven the bread. The Romans often used this type of cake, called libum or placenta, in their temples as an offering to the gods. In 393 A.D., the Roman emperor Theodosius I, a Christian, abolished the Olympic Games because of their pagan influences. Meanwhile, cheesecake was spreading across the continent with conquering Roman armies, all the while becoming more transformed. Around 1000 A.D. cheesecake finally made its way to Britain and western Europe. In 1035 cheese-makers in Neufchatel-en-Bray, France began producing a soft unripened cheese that would totally change cheesecake forever. This cheese became simply known as Neufchatel in 1543.

Leaps and bounds were made in 1872 when cream cheese was invented by an American dairyman named William Lawrence of Chester, New York who accidentally developed a method of producing cream cheese while trying to reproduce Neufchatel. He called his new cheese PHILADELPHIA Brand Cream Cheese. Twenty four year later, during the first week of April 1896, the first modern Olympic Games opened, bringing us full circle from that early Greek cheesecake served to the first Olympians to a new generation of Games amidst a revolution in cheesecake making. Shortly after, in 1912, Kraft invented pasteurized cheese which lead to the development of pasteurized Philadelphia Brand cream cheese, which Kraft bought the rights to in 1928. It is now the most popular cheese used for making cheesecake.

After Lawrence's discovery, cheesecakes became very popular in New York. New Yorkers referred to the cheesecakes made there as "New York Cheesecake", hence the term. True New York Cheesecake lovers will only consume it in its unadulterated form: pure cream cheese, cream, eggs, and sugar. While not truly "traditional" this recipe makes for a lovely cheesecake.

Quite a few home cooks have difficulty making cheesecakes; they crack, fall or form a crust on top. This leads many to needlessly shy away from making cheesecake at home. What you need to understand is that first and foremost, cheesecake as it's known today is a custard. Custards cannot be treated the same way as cakes. There are primarily 4 reasons why cheesecakes fail: too much liquid, cooling too fast after cooking (need 2-3 hrs cooling on counter and then 8 hrs in fridge), rough handling, and fluctuating oven temperatures. Custards and therefore cheesecakes need gentle, consistent heat when cooking. Do not open the oven door. I repeat, do not open the oven door. I know it's tempting, but just don't do it. Now, the common practice is to wrap a springform in foil and submerge it in a larger pan or springform while cooking. I have found this to be disastrous; the pans leak, the foil gets sodden and then drips all over. Not good. I have devised an easier way. Placing hot water directly underneath the cheesecake serves the same purpose of creating a moist, even heat without all of the sodden, half water/half batter dripping pan mess. I use a food processor because it makes fast, easy work of the blending. You could, however, make this recipe using a hand mixer or even a wooden spoon. This cheesecake will hold well in the fridge for at least a week before serving.

Makes 1 - 10" cheesecake, ~ 16 slices

2 c. graham cracker crumbs
½ c. granulated sugar
½ c. butter, melted
¼ tsp cinnamon

2 (8oz) packages cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
2/3 c. sour cream, room temperature
½ c. half-and-half, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 c. powdered sugar, sifted
1 tbsp all-purpose flour

1. Place oven racks nearest the middle of oven. Fill a casserole dish half full of hot water and place on lower rack.
2. Preheat oven 325°F.
3. In a medium size bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs, and next 3 ingredients.
4. Using your fingers, press the crumb mixture into 10" springform pan with removable sides. Form a thin crust, no thicker than ¼", on the bottom and about half way up the sides of the pan. Take care not to make the corners too thick. Reserve extra for another use, if needed.
5. Setup food processor with metal blade.
6. Add cream cheese to food processor and blend until smooth, about 30 seconds. Scrape down sides.
7. Add eggs, one at a time, pulsing a few times to incorporate. Scrape down sides.
8. Add sour cream, half-and-half, and vanilla.
9. Pulse until well blended.
10. Add powdered sugar and flour. Pulse 2-3 times until absorbed and smooth. Scrape sides and pulse a couple more times to make sure everything is well blended.
11. Remove blade and tap bowl a few times on counter to release air bubbles.
12. Let stand 2-3 min to allow air to escape.
13. Carefully pour cream cheese mixture onto prepared crust.
14. Bake 50 min on middle rack over water.
15. Turn off oven, without opening door. Let stand 1 hr in oven.
16. Remove to wire rack and let cool completely.
17. Chill at least 8 hrs or overnight.

Chill the cheesecake in the springform until ready to serve. About ½ hour before serving bring to room temperature. Carefully remove the springform, running a sharp knife around the edge if needed. Slice thinly. This can be done easily by using a damp, not dripping wet, knife or taunt, non-flavored dental floss. Clean the knife or floss with a paper towel between slices to keep everything neat and clean.

Most importantly, don't stress it. Someone once told me that the true mark of a home-made cheesecake is the cracking of the top. While my perfectionist nature doesn't allow me to believe this, sweetened sour cream or cherry pie filling will cover up any mishap.