Posted by Becka on January 3rd, 2010
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Totally Bamboo

I have been pointed to this site: www.totallybamboo.com

If I had the opportunity, I would change a lot of my kitchen over to bamboo. Not only is it easier on the environment, it is very attractive and can be used in many kitchen applications. I can go from cutting boards to flat wear to sink basins. I already have some bamboo cooking utensils and I love them. Bamboo don’t absorb moisture, a very strong “wood” and easy to maintain.

This site has a lovely assortment of cutting boards, with reasonable prices.

Categories: Reviews
Posted by Becka on December 31st, 2009
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Roasted Pear Tarte Tatin

I had big plans for making Christmas dinner at my mom’s house, but it didn’t happen. There was so much food left from Christmas Eve, that we didn’t bother making a big meal. We just snacked on what was there. So, I thought I could do some of it, but the mother-in-law had her own plans for dinner. I made risotto anyways, and a dessert, Roasted Pear Tarte Tatin.

The dessert was relatively easy to make, I would make some changes to the recipe though.

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, cut into small cubes
2 tbsp light corn syrup
4 large Bosc pears (2.25 to 2.5 lbs), peeled, halved, cored
1 pie crust, pre-baked
1.5 tbsp pear nectar

Sprinkle sugar evenly into bottom of a 9″ round cake pan with at least 2″ high sides. Scatter butter cubes over sugar and drizzle corn syrup over that.

Arrange pear halves, cut side up and narrow end pointing toward center, snugly in cake pan (pears may not lie flat, but will shrink during cooking)

Bake at 375F until pears are tender and dark brown in spots, this could take up to 2 hours or more. When the pears are sufficiently soft, remove pears and place cut-side down onto pre-baked pie crust.

Place pan with syrup over medium-high heat (I moved it to a sauce pan). Boil until syrup turns dark amber color, whisking occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add pear nectar (mixture will bubble up). Whisk until caramel is smooth, then spoon over pears.

The pears and crust can be made up to 4 hours beforehand, keep at room temp.

Serve with ice cream!

Categories: Food
Posted by Becka on December 27th, 2009
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Semester 1 is over!

The last day of this semester was December 21st, and I have been busy getting ready for Christmas instead of spending hours on my computer and writing posts. I am going to miss Chef Jones and we now move onto the cafeteria with Chef Sartain. I’m not sure what to think of him, he is very blunt and expects a lot of you. It will be interesting to see how our class preforms under this pressure.

The first day of the 2nd semester we will be thrown to the wolves and open the cafeteria 1 1/2 hours after we arrive to class. No special treatment, which I think should be considered; perhaps starting the class earlier that day or opening later would be nice.

What will be a perk of this semester is that we will not have to do our own dishes! Hooray!

Categories: School
Posted by Becka on December 27th, 2009
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Rosemary Artichoke Spread

For my practical exam, finishing this semester I was left with making a dip or spread. After going back and forth, wasting precious time, I decided on artichoke dip with flat bread. We were not allowed recipes so I had to think back to the one time I had made it before and try to recreate it. We could only use supplies found in our kitchen, so that forced a few changes in my recipe. There wasn’t quite enough cream cheese, so I made some mayonnaise to bulk it up. Here is an approximate recipe of what I did the second time around when I made it for family the following week.

8oz Cream Cheese
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp minced rosemary
8oz Monterrey Cheese divided (usually parmesan is used, but this is what was available and it turned out awesome)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Let cream cheese soften and mix with artichokes and seasonings.

Shred cheese and use about 6oz to mix into spread and top with more cheese.

Bake at 400F in a shallow crock until it is golden brown and bubbly. (Somewhere around 20-30 minutes)

Serve with crackers, bread, or maybe some crustinis!

Categories: Food
Posted by Becka on December 21st, 2009
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Tons -o- Fudge

I have been making fudge at Christmas time for the last few years, but this year I think I went overboard. Usually it a batch with and without walnuts and a peanut butter one. Here are the types I made this year.

  • Walnut (two 9×9 pans)
  • Peanut Butter (two 9×9 pans)
  • White Chocolate/Cookies and Cream (one 9×9 pan)
  • Cherry (one 9×9 pan)
  • Maple Nut (one 9×9 pan)
  • Mocha Nut (one 9×9 pan)

Unfortunately the walnut and peanut butter didn’t turn out, it never set, but the mocha one didn’t have enough coffee in it to be able to taste it, it had a small amount of nuts, so my plans weren’t too ruined. Either way, I have tons. I brought almost half to school with me and it got  gobbled up. At home we are slowly chipping away at what is left.

The basic fudge recipe (in which you can make the walnut, peanut butter, mocha and cherry) is as follows:

Yield two 9×9″ pans

  • 4 cups sugar
  • 10 oz (1 1/3 cups) evaporated milk
  • 1 cup butter
  • 12 oz (2 cups) semi-sweet chocolate pieces
  • 7 oz dark or milk chocolate candy bar (optional)
  • 7 oz marshmallow cream
  • 1 tsp walnuts

Butter the sides of a 3 qt saucepan

Combine sugar, milk and butter in saucepan, stirring  constantly bring the temperature up to 234F.

Remove from heat and add the chocolate, marshmallow cream and vanilla. Stir until melted.

This point is where you add walnuts, or if you want cherry, add 1-2 tsp of juice from a jar of maraschino cherries.

Pour the fudge into buttered foil lined pans and allow to cool. If you are adding cherries, gently push one into the fudge, stem side up, so that it stands up, one for every piece you plan on cutting.

For peanut butter fudge, substitute the butter for peanut butter and omit the optional candy bar.

Store in sealed container in the refrigerator, or freeze.

Categories: Food
Posted by Becka on December 17th, 2009
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Mini-Tiramisu

Using appetizer spoons, assemble ladyfingers soaked in a simple syrup, topped with Marscarpone mousse, and a drizzle of chocolate.

Simple Syrup

1 cup water
1 cup sugar
2 tsp instant coffee
1 tsp amaretto liqueur

Put sugar and water in saucepan and bring to a simmer, dissolving all the sugar. Remove from heat and add coffee and liqueur.

Marscarpone Mousse

3/4 lb Marscarpone cheese
4 egg yolks
4 oz sugar
1/2 tbsp vanilla
2 1/2 oz water
1/2 tbsp gelatin
1 cup cream, whipped into stiff peaks

Wisk yolks and sugar until creamy.

Paddle marscarpone until soft, add egg mixture and vanilla.

Dissolve gelatin in one ounce of the water. Bring the rest of the water to a simmer, remove from the heat and dissolve gelatin.

With mixer, slowly add gelatin into cheese mix, when fully mixed, fold in whipped cream.

Ganache

8 oz semi or bittersweet chocolate pieces
3/4 cup whipping cream
2 tbsp butter

Melt the chocolate and butter on a double boiler.

Add the whipping cream slowly or you will cool the chocolate too fast.

Stir well until smooth.

Categories: Food
Posted by Becka on December 14th, 2009
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Chocolate Lava Cake

This dessert is meant to be partially under-cooked. When testing with a toothpick, the top should be set, but the middle come out still wet with batter.

10 oz bitter/semisweet chocolate (chips or chopped)
4 oz butter
1 tbsp coffee liqueur

Melt in a double boiler and cool slightly

4 eggs
4 yolks
5 oz sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
1 oz flour

With electric mixer, beat eggs, yolks, sugar, vanilla and salt until it becomes a thick mixture and ribbons fall from the side of the bowl.

Fold in chocolate thoroughly, sift flour over the mixture and fold into batter.

Pour 1 3/4 ounces into a well buttered ramekin or foil baking pans. For mini cakes, use 2 ounce pans or foil souffle cups.

Bake for 8-12 minutes until top is set, remove from oven and let cool 3-5 minutes, invert onto plates and  garnish.

Categories: Food
Posted by Becka on December 11th, 2009
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A Basic Emulsified Vinaigrette Dressing

By using various vinegars and oils, you can create your own vinaigrette to fit your menu!

1 shallot, minced
1 1/2 tbsp dijon mustard
1/2 cup vinegar (including champagne, balsamic, red wine and others)
1 1/2 cup salad oil or mixture of salad oil and olive oil
1 tbsp water if needed
salt and pepper

Combine the shallot and mustard in a blender and mix until smooth.

Very slowly add the oil until it starts to thicken, increase to a light, steady stream, if it gets too thick, add some vinegar to thin.

Continue adding oil and vinegar until it has been used up.

Salt and pepper to taste, keep refrigerated

If the emulsion breaks, re-blend it.

Categories: Food
Posted by Becka on December 9th, 2009
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Skillet Corn

Here is a recipe for a potentially spicy corn side dish. The proportions and types of peppers are as you desire.

These are approximate:

4 slices bacon
1-1/2 cup onion, small dice
1 cup red bell pepper, small dice
1/4 cup jalapeno peppers, small dice (or other spicy pepper)
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups corn frozen or canned

In large skillet, render bacon and set aside.

Saute onion and garlic 1-2 minutes, add peppers and cook until everything is soft.

Add corn and cook until heated thoroughly, fold in bacon (diced)

Season with salt, pepper and a little cayenne.

Categories: Food
Posted by Becka on December 5th, 2009
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How to Blind Bake

Here are two methods to help keep your pie crust from bubbling up and becoming uneven.

Beans:
Cover your pie crust with parchment paper and fill with dried beans. I have also seen a product on Amazon that is small ceramic balls that do the same job.

Tin and Beans:
Place parchment paper on the pie crust, put another pie tin on top, fitting into the first one, then put dried beans on top of that to weight it down.

Note that after you have used beans for this purpose, they can not be eaten. A lot of people keep a jar of “pie beans” for this purpose and use the same ones over and over again.

Categories: Food
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