Holy Cream, Batman!

My friend, Dara, brought back Pretzel Cream Cheese ice cream one day from lunch weeks ago. It was heavenly; inspired, even. Said ice cream came from a hole in the wall shop on Ninth Avenue and 53rd street, (no website, sorry), close to our offices. Since that fated day, we've been promising to go back together. It's more than just homemade artisan ice cream, you see. Holey Cream offers something so insane, so over-the-top, so damned genius... the Donut Ice Cream Sandwich. Today was the day we went. 

*The following should be illegal.

The interior wall with instructions: 

Three of us chose two different unholy concoctions. Chocolate donut, with Guatemalan Truffle ice cream (made from Guatemalan coffee with chocolate truffles), Black and White Hotel ice cream (made with rum, dark chocolate and white chocolate bits), Dark Cookie Cream (dark chocolate ice cream with cookies), and  an array of neon sprinkles. 

Please enjoy the food porn:

The second donut was vanilla, with some more traditional ice creams. 

We topped it with Oreos, sprinkles, and mint chips.

I don't think I need to bore you with how delicious it all was. The pictures speak for themselves, no?

I will say this, Ambrosia has a run for it's heavenly money. 

The aftermath:

Craving Conquered!

I was absolutely craving Linguine alla Vongole (linguine with clams) last night. I don't know why, but sometime at around 3 P.M. the image of lovely clams, nestled in a pile of lovely pasta, covered in copious amounts of wine and garlic wouldn't stop nagging me. In fact, at 3:30 P.M., a colleague and I had a half hour long conversation about how most recipes skimp on the garlic and wine. We followed up that conversation with delightful stories of our local fish mongers... I love fellow foodies wherever they may be hiding.

Thankfully, the craving was easily fixed. In fact, besides the clams, I had everything at home at the ready. I'm guessing you might, too. Along with the pasta, we had a lovely fresh Caprese salad (tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper), and loaf of Italian bread (how else were you planning on soaking up all that amazing left over garlicky wine sauce?) It was the perfect warm weather meal and the next time we have people over, it's what I'll be making. All I'll need is some Gelato and fresh berries for dessert.

Feel free, as always, to make this recipe your own. More garlic? Sure. More wine? Yup. Crushed red pepper flakes? Go for it.

Linguine alla Vongole
1 lb linguine
8 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
Clams (2 dozen large, or 2 lbs smaller varieties like Manila, or even cockles)
1 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup clam juice
1 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
2 tbs butter (or the "fake" stuff, like Smart Balance)
2 tbs olive oil
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup flour (for clams only)

-Fill a large bowl with 1/2 cup flour and very cold water. Let the clams soak in the bowl for 15-30 minutes. They will suck in the flour and spit out any grit or sand. This works with mussels, too.
-Meanwhile, set a large pot of salted water to boil. Slice the garlic and chop the parsley, set aside. Heat oil in heavy bottom pot, like dutch oven, add garlic and sautee until cooked through but not browned. Add wine, clam juice, and half the parsley; cook until boiling.
-Rinse and scrub the clam shells very, very well to rid them of any flour, grit, and sand (there is nothing worse then grit in your pasta). While pasta is cooking, place clams in pot and cover, shaking the covered pot gently every once in a while to help open clams. Cook the pasta about one minute less than you normally would and drain.
-Once clams have opened, place pasta in the sauce pot, add the butter, salt and pepper to your liking, and cook for about one minute or so, stirring everything together. Serve immediately. Remember to have that bread handy to soak up the left over sauce!

Here Fishy, Fishy...

We rarely eat fish. It's not because we don't like it, because we do, we love it. Mostly its because we both work full time and by the time we get home, the fish mongers in our neighborhood are closed. So this past weekend, we took a chance and bought a bag of frozen Cod fillets. The chance being that after having been defrosted, the texture would be miserable. But much to my delight, since we were dealing with a firm white fish, it turned out beautifully.

So here is a classic. An incredibly quick, incredibly simple, and truly delicious recipe that you can apply to almost any seafood you like!

Q.S.D. Cod (quick, simple, delicious)
4 4-6 oz cod fillets (fresh or frozen, if frozen thawed as per package directions)
1 large shallot, finely chopped
2 medium Roma tomatoes, finely chopped
3/4 cup flat leaf / Italian parsley, finely chopped
1 heaping tbs capers (either brined or packed in salt, but well rinsed)
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup white white
2 tbs butter (or the fake stuff I use, Smart Balance or the like)
Salt & pepper

-Saute the shallots in butter until translucent in large non-stick skillet
-Add tomatoes, 1/2 cup of parsley, and capers. Saute for a minute or three or minutes until tomatoes soften
-Add wine and lemon juice, bring to boil
-Salt and pepper the fillets on both sides, then place in skillet. Cover skillet, bring down heat, and let cook for 4-6 minutes depending on thickness of fillets, until mostly opaque. Flip fillets and cook for another 4-6 minutes until completely opaque, set aside on serving dish (remember, they will continue to cook when you take them out of the pan. So err on the side of just slightly under done, instead of slightly over done)
-Let liquid boil away for 3-4 minutes, then spoon over fish. Sprinkle with remaining chopped parsley and serve.

Call Me Chicken.

For years, I had this irrational fear of roasting a chicken. Ridiculous right? The problem is, I've always seemed to muck it up in the past. Either it's pale and anemic, burnt, or something in-between. It was incredibly embarrassing. Anyone can roast a chicken right? No, not really. I'm admitting this to you now, because the spell has finally been broken... and I know why. There's no secret ingredient I used, no amazing new process I discovered. Instead, for the first time, I didn't listen to anyone else's advice and I sure as hell didn't read a recipe.

Every roast chicken recipe I've tried has turned out disastrously for me. I'm always so terribly afraid of over cooking the thing, that the very second the meat is up to temperature, I pull it out, color be damned. Color equals flavor in a roast chicken - so not only is something pale not appetizing to the eyes, it's unappetizing to the palate, too.

So, I decided it was time to face the chicken. No recipes, no suggestions. I am incredibly happy to say it came out beautifully and was delicious. I feel almost silly posting the recipe since I've just gone on and on about not following one, but I'm going to post it with this little stipulation. Please feel free to never use this recipe, ever; and please feel free to make this recipe your own. When roast chicken is concerned, besides the correct temperatures for the meat, there are no rules.

Roast Chicken
1 4-5 lb Kosher chicken
1 small onion, quartered
1 large lemon, quartered
3 garlic cloves, split
Kosher salt
fresh cracked pepper
dried thyme

-Preheat oven to 400.
-Make sure chicken is at room temperature. Thoroughly wash the skin and cavity, pat dry. Spray the bottom of an oven-safe pan with a little cooking spray, then place chicken in pan, un-trussed. (I used my all-clad saute pan). The only real tip here is, if you use a vessel that too big, the veggies will definitely burn.
-Because the chicken is Kosher, you don't need much salt, so salt the chicken sparingly. Pepper and thyme the chicken well, though. Scatter the onion, lemon, and garlic around the chicken in the pan.
-Cook for approximately an hour and fifteen minutes to an hour and a half. Dark meat should read 175, white meat 160-165.
-Turn off oven and open oven door for about 15-20 minutes, letting the chicken rest. Remove the pan and set chicken aside on craving board.
-Strain the onions, garlic, and lemon through a fine sieve over the pan, pressing lightly with a spoon to release liquid. Using a little chicken stock or white white, put the pan over high heat, and cook the au jus until boiling and thickened, scraping up any stuck bits with a wooden spoon.
-Cut up chicken and serve along side the warm au jus. Enjoy.

Age-ing is Sage-ing

The simplicity and elegance of Japanese food can be deceiving. As any woman worth her salt can attest, putting on make-up that comes across as, "natural," is more difficult than slapping on some blue eye shadow. The same can be said of seemingly simple foods. As I grow as a foodie and cook, I'm pushing myself to prefect "the natural look." It's all well and good to make a divine Coq Au Vin when you have things like bacon and red wine to make it delicious, but what about one, single, lonely shrimp? How do you strip down your foodie instincts to enhance that solitary bit o' protein? Enhance being the critical word here. Because in fact, that's the key to a cuisine like Japan's... enhancing.

It starts with the best, freshest ingredients. That doesn't mean the most expensive, either. The monetary difference between a frozen and fresh chicken breast is most likely pennies, but the difference in texture and sometimes even flavor, can be dramatic.

It's one thing to wax poetic about food philosophies and another thing entirely to cook them, however. So, in my own, informed way, I'm navigating the calm, simple culinary waters. Below is my own take on two very classic Japanese dishes that are beautiful and easy to make at home. I urge you, as always, to make your own additions and versions.

Tofu Agedashi, Duchess-Style
Firm Tofu (not extra firm or regular, but firm)
Diakon Radish
Asian Pear (sometimes Asian Apple)
Scallion
Enoki Mushroom (optional, for garnish)
Ponzu
Corn starch
Oil, for frying
Lime Zest

-The most important step is to drain and dry the tofu well. Wrap up the tofu block in either paper towel or a dish towel, then weigh it down making sure its not so heavy as to break the tofu block. Repeat this as many times as necessary to wick-away all the moisture.
-While the tofu is being pressed, using a mandolin, slice the Daikon. Core the pear and also using the mandolin, slice it. Mix together, cover with plastic wrap to retain the moisture, and set aside (you can refrigerate if you like, too). Slice scallion in thin strips or coins and set aside.
-Put about two or three inches worth of oil in a pot and heat. Slice the tofu into approximately two inch cubes. Cover in corn starch and shake off excess, then fry. This is a quick fry, no more than three minutes. The point isn't to color the tofu, but to crisp the outside.
-Compile your bowl. Place a nice pile of Daikon and pear on the bottom, then pour a tablespoon or so of Ponzu over it. Place the tofu on top, then garnish with scallion and Enoki. Zest lime directly over the entire dish. Serve.

Soba Noodle Soup, Duchess-Style
Soba noodles
Vegetable or Chicken Broth
Soy Sauce
Miso Paste (red or white. I prefer red - it has a more intense flavor)
Shrimp*, peeled and de-veined
Chicken, sliced in thin strips
Shitake mushrooms, sliced
Scallion, sliced

-Boil Soba noodles according to package. Drain and immediately rinse in cold water. Set aside.
-Dissolve two parts Miso paste to one part water in pan. Sautee the chicken and shrimp in concentrated slurry, then set aside.
-Bring the stock to boil with mushrooms and 3/4 scallions. Add soy to your liking.
-Compose soup in serving bowl with noodles, broth (containing the mushrooms and scallions), chicken, and shrimp. Garnish with a little raw scallion and serve. This can be done with any protein you like.

*Just a quick word about shrimp. Unless you live someplace where shrimp is farmed or fished daily, buy frozen. Most of the shrimp you find in fish stores or grocery stores was frozen anyway. Fresh shrimp is caught and frozen immediately, usually on the actual boats they were fished from. It's as fresh as you'll get away from the shore. 

Garlic & Soup-a-Palooza

Over the years, soups are something I've discovered that I love to make, am good at making, and enjoy immensely. That being said, an excellent soup can take time, much more time than I usually have when I get home at night. Sure I could freeze homemade chicken and beef stock to have at all times, but that doesn't happen often. When you don't have the option of homemade, there is no shame in store-bought stocks especially at 7 P.M. on a work / school night. (By the way, for my money, Kitchen Basics is the best brand on the market).

This post isn't just about soup though, it's also about garlic butter... homemade garlic butter to be exact. Having a tub of garlic butter waiting and ready in the fridge, is a blessing. Whereas, you can find decent chicken stock at a store, you can't really find garlic butter at all. What a shame, because it's perfect for bread, a quick saute of any seafood, to let melt over a steak, for basting poultry, and for a million other little tasks. And the key to the quickest, most satisfyingly garlicky butter? Garlic paste. I've touted the joys of garlic paste before and I won't quit. It's a life saver. 

So, below are two nights of incredibly easy, classic soups with a twist, and of course... garlic butter.

Garlic Butter

1 cup unsalted softened butter (or substitute, I use Smart Balance)

3 tbs garlic paste

1 heaping tsp fresh pepper

1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped

-Combine all ingredients in bowl and mix very well. Taste. Adjust pepper or garlic paste to your liking. You might have to add salt, not all garlic pastes are equally salty.

-Store in air-tight container and put in fridge. Will last as long as any other butter would. 

Garlic bread made with said butter, served alongside soups:

Tortellini and White Bean Soup

Tortellini of your choosing (about 1 cup dry, 2/3 cup fresh)

1 15.5 oz can of Cannellini beans, drained but not washed

1 cup raw greens of your choosing (I used spinach, you can use kale, escarole, etc)

32 oz. Chicken Stock

Grated Parmesan cheese

-Boil stock, add tortellini. 

-When tortellini is a minute from being finished, add greens and beans. Let cook until everything is hot and wilted.

-Serve soup with a heavy sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and garlic bread. 

Mushroom, Barley, and Sausage Soup

3/4 lbs cleaned mushrooms, sliced (I use baby bella because they have more bite, but feel free to use white button mushrooms, too)

1 tbs garlic butter

3/4 cup pearl barley

1/2 - 3/4 lbs sausage of your choosing, cut into 1/2" pieces, (I used lamb sausage from our local butcher, but use what ever you like. I've even used kielbasa in the past.)

1/2 - 3/4 cup chopped fresh dill (about one large bunch)

35 oz beef stock (slightly more than a box or large can. The barley will soak in some broth)

Sour Cream

-Saute the mushrooms in the butter until color changes and slightly softened (about 3 minutes). Add sausage, saute with mushrooms for a minute. Add broth, bring to boil.

-Add pearl barley and let boil until cooked, about 15 minutes. The pearl barley will never be fully soft and instead, will have the texture of al dente pasta.

-Add dill before taking off the heat. Serve with sour cream and garlic bread.

Stuffed Peppers

Have you seen these baby bell peppers all over the place recently? I have. Brightly colored, about 3-4 inches long, they're happy, cute, and as I found out, oh so sweet! I'd never cooked with them before and frankly, bell peppers of any size aren't something I cook with at all. But, these little gems were so appealing in their size and color, that I grabbed some on impulse, stuffed them, and threw them in the oven. The results were so good, it's a pity that I hadn't bought more and made twice as many!

This will be perfect come spring and summer, (assuming I can still find the little buggers), as an easy hors de oeuvre or appetizer. Not only are they yummy, but even cooked, they are incredibly tempting to the eye. We eat with our eyes too, remember. As my husband pointed out, this would also be wonderful if you had access to a grill and could char the peppers for a minute before stuffing and baking.

This recipe will make 8-12 peppers depending on their size.

Ricotta-Stuffed Baby Peppers
3/4 cup ricotta (whole or part skim, doesn't matter)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
Zest of one small-medium lemon
1/2 cup fresh, chopped chives
Salt & Pepper to taste
8-12 baby bell peppers
Olive oil or cooking spray

-Preheat oven to 400. Cut the stems off of the peppers and using a small spoon, scrape out all seeds and pith, (the white stuff on the pepper ribs).
-In a bowl, mix Parmesan, ricotta, zest, and chives very well. Taste before seasoning with salt and pepper.
-Spray a baking dish with cooking spray or wipe down with olive oil. Stuff the peppers with the ricotta mixture making sure to really get into every curve and crevice. Using the handle of the spoon will help with this, especially with the smaller peppers.
-Place stuffed peppers onto the baking dish and roll them around to get a thin layer of oil on the surface. The filling will ooze a bit when you bake, so be sure to give them room.
-Bake for approximately 20 minutes until you can smell the peppers and the flesh is tender.

Junky but Fabulous, a.k.a.: JBF

Not every dish needs to be sophisticated, interesting, elevated, or unique. Not every dish needs fancy ingredients, (call me guilty, dulce-de-leche frosting). Sometimes you want something junky but fabulous and you know what? Craving JBF is okay. Let's give each other permission, as foodies, to enjoy chocolate covered potato chips and corn dogs without guilt!


Amongst other things, JBF is usually cheap, plentiful, easy to make, and a wild crowd pleaser; I'm talking to you American-style tacos and pigs-in-a-blanket. Here's what I suggest when the JBF craving hits, though... make it yourself. At home, you know exactly what's going into the food, and you know exactly how deep into the calorie hole you're falling. Not entirely comforting I know, but it's better than contemplating the contents of "secret sauce."


So, with that in mind, I give you:


Honey-BBQ Popcorn Chicken
1 lb chicken tenders or any boneless, skinless chicken (cut into popcorn-sized pieces)
3 cups+ white or whole wheat flour
2 cups+ whole wheat bread crumbs (they add a nice flavor, but if you have plain white, no worries)
1/2 cup sesame seeds (optional)
2 cups buttermilk
1 large egg
Salt and pepper
2/3 cup BBQ sauce
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup ketchup
2 tbs hot sauce
2 tbs Worcestershire
Vegetable Oil (for frying)
Ranch or Blue Cheese dressing (for dipping)


-Heat oil. Combine 2 cups flour, 2 cups bread crumbs, and sesame seeds, with salt and pepper in one bowl. Whisk together buttermilk and eggs in one bowl. In plastic bag, add 1 cup flour and a generous amount of salt and pepper. 
-Place chicken pieces in plastic bag with flour and coat well. In batches, place chicken in buttermilk, then transfer to crumb mixture and coat well, before frying. You might have to replenish the crumb and flour bowl sometime in the process. Any excess dripping from the buttermilk will make the crumbs and flour too moist to coat properly. 
-The chicken will fry very quickly, no more than 4 minutes until golden and cooked through. Set aside in a paper towel lined bowl, until all the chicken is fried.
-In a small pot, heat BBQ sauce, honey, ketchup, hot sauce, and Worcestershire. Mix well and taste. Adjust to your liking; sweeter, tangier, or spicier. Bring to boil. Immediately, toss the sauce with the chicken and serve with either blue cheese or ranch dressing.

Birthday Cake

I've known D since grade school, fourth grade in fact. We've been through four or five different stages of awkward together... really, really, awkward. Together we've flown past our awkward teens, through our unsure 20's, and now are happily enjoying the start of our 30's with new found comfort in ourselves. There have been times that we haven't spoken out of annoyance, distance, or just being busy. There have been times when we needed each other and no one else would do.

Knowing D though, means knowing her specific likes and dislikes when it comes to birthday cakes. She's... picky, (and she's going to get me back for calling her that, I assure you!). She likes her cake moist, but not too moist. She doesn't like dark chocolate, only milk. Raspberries make her gag, but strawberries make her happy. So, I made her a moist, but not too moist yellow cake, with strawberries, not raspberries, in a chocolate, dulce de leche frosting. The frosting was risky... it's made with semi-sweet chocolate not milk chocolate. But thankfully, the frosting is too impossibly delicious not to love, so she did.

Yellow Cake

adapted from Martha Stewart

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced
3/4 cup Triple Sec (or other fruity liquor)
-Let Strawberries it in Triple Sec until ready to use.

-Preheat oven to 350. Butter a 10" circular cake pan or a 13x9 sheet pan. Dust the pan with flour and tap out excess.
-Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
-Beat butter with standing (with paddle attachment) or hand held mixer until softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly add sugar, and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition until well incorporated, occasionally scraping down the sides of bowl.

-Mix together buttermilk and vanilla. Slowly add the sifted flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk mixture in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Do not over-beat.

-Drain Strawberries (save liquor) and mix into batter with a spatula - do not over mix.
-Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake until a tester comes out clean, about 30-40 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes. Remove cake from pan, and cool completely on wire rack. 

-With a pastry brush, brush the top of the cake using the Triple Sec the strawberries soaked in. Do this twice, letting the liquid soak in between brushes. Don't brush more than twice though or things can get soggy.

Chocolate Dulce De Leche Frosting

1 can dulce de leche (13 - 14 ounces)

5 ounces semi-sweet or darker chocolate

1/2 stick unsalted butter

-Chop chocolate into small pieces. If butter is isn't soft, cut into thin slices.

-In double boiler, melt chocolate, butter, and dulce de leche, mixing frequently with wooden spoon or heat-proof spatula.

-Continue to double boil until everything is melted and well incorporated.

-Let cool for a few minutes before frosting the top of the cake.

-Let the frosting cool and set-up before serving. 

This isn't a traditional frosting, it's a little thick and sticky, but so worth it!

An Inaugural Lunch

My parents just finished a massive remodel of their kitchen. It's really stunning. I picked out all the appliances because they asked me to and I couldn't wait to get my hands on that new stove-top and counters. So when my Mother asked me to come over to help her unpack the kitchen and get it set up, I gladly agreed as long as I could make lunch.

I adapted this recipe from one that I found in my old recipe box. It was a long forgotten but much loved dish. Unfortunately, I never wrote down where I found it or who the recipe belongs to, so I can't thank them properly. That being said, its a wonderfully easy and elegant recipe that's pretty much fool-proof. It's perfect for a crowd and very easily doubled or tripled (I doubled it). And although the leftovers are at my parents place, we have been assured, that like so many other great recipes, this is excellent the next day, too.

Apricot Chicken

1 whole chicken, skin on, cut in 8 pieces

3/4 lb dried apricots

1/2 cup red wine

1/4 red wine vinegar

1/3 cup chicken stock

1 small / medium shallot, sliced

1 medium / large yellow or Spanish onion, sliced

1 tbs fresh thyme

1 tbs olive oil

Salt & pepper

-Place apricots, wine, and vinegar in a bowl, set aside.

-Season chicken liberally with salt and pepper, then brown in heavy bottom pot in olive oil in batches. As pieces brown, set aside on platter.

-De-glaze the pot with chicken stock (add stock to pot and scrape up all the brown bits). Add onions and shallots, let cook until tender - about 2-3 minutes.

-Add thyme. Put chicken back in pot. Pour over the apricots with the wine and vinegar, bring to boil, then lower heat. Let simmer all together until chicken is cooked, about 20 minutes.

-Remove chicken, place on serving platter. Boil apricots and liquid until reduced to a sauce (the sugar from the apricots will thicken the sauce slightly). Pour sauce over chicken and serve with some crusty bread.

PS -  the colors in the picture aren't off - the chicken and onions will take on a pink hue due to the wine.

Ricotta-Smashed Potatoes

I had an aha food moment last night. Sometimes those aha moments are utter failures, sometimes they work out beautifully. Last night's aha food moment was lovely and easy and elegant and I urge you try it!

Ricotta-Smashed Potatoes
8-10 large Yukon Gold potatoes, washed, skins on
3/4 cup Ricotta (I used part skim, but whole would work too)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4-5 large garlic cloves, quartered
1 large lemon, in wedges
1 tbs whole peppercorns
3 dry bay leaves
Salt

-Bring salted water with lemon, peppercorns, bay leaves, and garlic, to boil.
-Cut potatoes into 4-6 large chunks.
-Boil potatoes until very soft, drain.
-Discard the lemon, bay leaves, and as many peppercorn as you can.
-Add potatoes, garlic, Parmesan, and ricotta to serving bowl and "smash" until combined and potatoes are slightly broken up but not smooth or completely "mashed." You can used a potato masher for this, but  be careful to not over-do it. I used a beater attachment from a handheld mixer for the job.
-Adjust seasoning and serve immediately.

Chili for a Friend

A friend of ours was having a rotten couple of days. Of course, my first instinct was to feed her. So I did. It's been cold, wet, and generally miserable weather-wise in New York - it's the kind of weather that begs for woolen socks, cups of tea, and something hearty. Nothing is heartier, easier, or more economical than Chili.

The great part about Chili is that its really a no recipe kind of dish, (that being said, there are some serious Chili connoisseurs who have very strict recipes and methods, I'm not one of them). Take ground meat (turkey, beef or some combination of the two), some tomato paste, yellow onions, garlic, salt & pepper; cook it in a big old pot with some kidney beans, canned crushed tomatoes, and a few healthy dashes of red wine vinegar. Let it all cook and bubble, then serve. If you can wait, chili is always better the next day though.

Because of it's simplicity, Chili is a great condiment dish. I serve my Chili with shredded cheddar cheese, sliced avocados, sour cream, Fritos or Dipsy Doodles, finely chopped white onions, and hot sauce. Let your guests customize their own bowl.

Along with a big ol' pot of chili, I made some equally easy sides. Maple roasted parsnips and carrots, and fried biscuits (don't judge until you've tried them!).


Maple Roasted Parsnips & Carrots
2 bunch carrots, washed and trimmed
6-8 parsnips, washed, and quartered
Vegetable oil (or other tasteless oil)
Real maple syrup
Salt & pepper

-Preheat oven to 400.
-Place veggies in roasting pan, coat lightly with oil, then salt and pepper. Drizzle the maple syrup on, so that the veggies are well coated but not sitting in a puddle (the maple syrup will burn in the oven, try to be sure that you haven't used it in excess).
-Roast for about 45 minutes give or take depending on size of veg. You want the veggies cooked through and caramelized.

Fried Biscuits
1 package refrigerated biscuits (regular size, if you buy a "home-style" biscuit, which are much larger, make sure to cut them in half before frying, otherwise the outside will cook and the interior will remain gooey)
Oil for frying
Butter & Honey

-Fry the biscuits until they puff up and are a deep golden brown. Approx 2 minutes per side.
-Drain on paper towel and serve immediately with butter and honey.

You know you want them....

Screening Party

Sometimes you just want to get together with friends, watch some movies, and have a few drinks. You need food for these screenings. Food is essential. It always is of course, but whats the use of vegging out in front of the TV without sweet libations and sustenance? There is no use. So this was the menu:

Roasted Pork Sandwiches
Roasted Red Pepper and Ricotta Sandwiches
Cheese Straws
Crudités and Dip (a store-bought dill veggie dip, love the stuff. It's made by Marizetti)
Cajun-Spiced Popcorn (add Cajun spice mix to melted butter then toss with popcorn)
Chocolates (of various kinds)
Palmiers

Easy, yummy and very much appreciated by all!

Roasted Pork Sandwiches
To save yourself some time and work, roast the pork loin and the tomatoes one to two days ahead of time.

1 Pork Loin
2-3 Tbs Dijon
6-8 garlic cloves, sliced thickly
salt & pepper

-Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
-Using the tip of a sharp knife, cut slits all across the surface of the loin. Stuff garlic slices in slits. Salt and pepper the loin well, then cover in the 2-3 tbs Dijon. You want a thin layer of mustard over the whole loin.
-Roast for approx 35-45 minutes or until the meat registers 150-155 degrees. Let the meat rest, slice thinly before assembling sandwiches.

10-12 Roma (Plum) tomatoes, sliced in half
Dried mixed Italian herbs
Olive oil
Salt & pepper

-Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
-Arrange cut side up in a roasting pan, sprinkle generously with salt, pepper, and spices.
-Pour on olive oil until well coated. Cook for 3 hours or until tomatoes have flattened out and the bottom of each half (the skin side) had charred.

Fresh parsley
Mascarpone 
2 Ciabatta loafs (just a personal preference. Italian bread or sourdough, or anything you like works, too)

-Assemble sandwiches. Spread a layer of Mascarpone on each side of bread, half of the tomatoes (slightly smashed into the bread), thin slices of pork, and top off with parsley. Cut into slices with the aid of toothpicks. Just remember to let people know the toothpicks are there!

Roasted Red Pepper and Ricotta Sandwiches
3/4 lb of roasted red peppers (you can make them yourself, or buy them. I bought them since we have an Italian Deli near by that makes some stellar roasted red peppers)
Fresh ricotta cheese
Grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh basil
Pepper
2 Ciabatta loafs
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

-Spread the ricotta on both sides of bread, sprinkle a generous amount of Parmesan cheese, and fresh cracked pepper on top. Finish off with half the pine nuts.
-Layer on half of the red pepper and the fresh basil. Slice with the aid of toothpicks and serve. Again, remember to let guests know there are toothpicks in the sandwiches.

Cheese Straws
1 box thawed puff pastry
Shredded cheddar cheese (you can use almost any cheese you like including Parmesan)
1 bunch chopped chives

-Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
-Unroll or unfold the pastry and press as much cheese and chives as you like into the puff pastry.
-Slice into even strips, about 1/2" thick.
-Twist each strip and place on a cookie sheet lined with Parchment or Silpat.
-Cook for 20 or so minutes until cheese is melted and crusty, and the cheese straws are a light brown.

Palmiers
1 box thawed puff pastry
3/4 cup sugar PER SHEET of pastry
Melted butter

-Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
-Unroll or unfold the pastry and brush generously with melted butter.
-Sprinkle on the sugar evenly.
-Roll both sides of the dough until they meet in the center.
-Let chill slightly before slicing the pastry into 1" slices and placing on the cookie sheet, cut slice up.
-Cook for 20 or so minutes until the pastry is brown and sugar has caramelized.

The Campaign for a Better Chicken Sandwich

I was sick, really miserably sick for about 10 days. It started with strep throat, evolved to an ear infection, and just for fun, ended as a sinus infection. I was out from work, (and obviously didn't post anything either), for entire week and due to copious hours in bed, I'm pretty sure I lost bone mass too. Of course I was on antibiotics which only means that while the meds were killing the various bugs inside me, it was also killing my stomach. I couldn't stand eating much more than toast, yogurt, and plain pasta.

Yesterday was the first day in a long time I felt human again. I'd finished my course of medication and was ready for some real food. I was craving a chicken sandwich. I got a chicken sandwich.... man oh man am I sorry about that. I've said it before, but it deserves repeating: grilled chicken sandwiches are awful. I have yet to meet one that wasn't dry, boring, insipid, uninspired, dull, and any other word that means "blah" you can think of. It is never satisfying in any way unless you hide the useless bit of poultry under tons of bacon, mayo, various cheeses, and veggies.

So last night, still craving a real chicken sandwich, I made one (okay, I made two), the only way it should ever be made, with ROASTED CHICKEN. Really, why even bother with an awful grilled chicken sandwich when a roasted one is moist, flavorful, and actually tastes like something. Avocado, tomato, watercress, Dijon, low-fat mayo, salt & pepper, and I'm in heaven. And if you're worried about calories, spare me. The difference between a piece of roasted chicken and grilled chicken is minimal enough to warrant the pleasure.

I hope you'll join me in my campaign to rid the world of the grilled chicken sandwich. Together we can accomplish anything!

Apple Butter Anyone?

I've been threatening to do it for years. Every Fall I say this is the year I go apple picking and make apple butter. I think I started this little charade seven years ago. Well 2010 made me a honest woman. I made apple butter - mounds of it - towers of it.

There's no quick way of doing this. No short cuts. It takes a long time and a lot of patience. This is probably why it took me so long to actually getting around to it. However, when it's 10-something at night and you're proudly looking at a dining table filled with little jars of homemade apple butter, it's very much worth it.

I made three kinds of apple butter two ways. First, a classic cinnamon the classic way, and then a brandy flavored and a more savory rosemary flavored both in the slow cooker. Below are the various methods, recipes, and canning process.

Stove top method:
Cook apples in enough liquid to cover.
Boil until very soft.
Drain apples, return to pot.
Blend with an immersion blender (or press through sieve)
Add sugars, spices, and any flavorings.
Cook down over low heat until desired thickness, stirring often.
Can.

Slow cooker method:
Cook apples with sugars, flavorings, and liquid together on low for 6-7 hours.
Depending on the kind of apples used, you might have to drain off excess liquid.
Blend with immersion blender.
If you want or need to cook it down further, do so on high, with the cover off, stirring often.
Can.

Canning process
Boil large pot of water.
Unscrew the lids and boil with the jars for ten minutes. Remove. Be sure not to touch the insides of the jars or lids with your bare hands - you can undo the sterilizing process that way.
Set aside until ready to fill and can.
Once filled and covers are screwed on, boil again for 10 minutes making sure there is at least 1" of water covering the jars.
Remove from water and let sit. If within 24 hours the jars don't seal, (meaning they don't "pop" and the button doesn't depresses), then the canning process did not work and they need to be refrigerated instead.


Brandy Apple Butter 
(slow cooker method)
3 cups cored, peeled, and sliced apples (this will be anywhere between 4-5lbs whole apples)
3/4 cups brandy
1 tbs vanilla
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar (up to 1 1/2 depending on apple variety/sweetness)
1 1/2 tsp ground cloves
healthy pinch of salt

-Cook everything together on low for 6-7 hours.
-Drain if necessary. Blend with immersion blender.
-If needed, cook on high, uncovered to desired thickness.
-Can.
-Makes approximately ten 4 oz. jars or eight 6 oz. jars


Rosemary Apple Butter
(slow cooker method)
3 lbs cored, peeled, and sliced apples
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup rosemary leaves
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup water
Healthy pinch of salt

-Cook everything together on low for 6-7 hours.
-Drain if necessary. Blend with immersion blender.
-If needed, cook on high, uncovered to desired thickness.
-Can.
-Makes approximately ten 4 oz. jars or eight 6 oz. jars


Cinnamon Apple Butter
(stove-top method)
4 lbs cored, peeled, and slices apples (about 5-6 lbs whole apples)
1/2-1 cup lemon juice
1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar (up to 1 1/2 depending on apple variety/sweetness)
1 1/2 tbs+ cinnamon
1 tbs+ ground ginger
1 tbs vanilla
Healthy pinch of salt

-Boil apples in lemon juice and enough water to cover in large heavy bottom pot until very soft.
-Drain off water and using immersion blender, blend in pot until smooth.
-Add sugar, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, and ginger.
-Cook until sugar has dissolved. Taste. You might want to add more spices or sugar at this point depending on the kind of apples used.
-If still not the consistency you want, let simmer on low heat, stirring often until desired thickness.
-Can.
-Makes approximately ten 4 oz. jars or eight 6 oz. jars

'Cause we had the beer...

There was chicken, there was beer, and not much else. That's ok though, becuase beer just happens to be a brilliant cooking medium! Not only does it make for tasty foods, there is hardly a protein I can think of that it doesn't enhance. All manner of poultry likes being cooked in beer, although to be fair, I've never tried duck cooked in beer - maybe next time. Shrimp is especially happy when boiled in the stuff, and a beef stew begs for a dark lager.

So when faced with a fridge that has some chicken and beer in it, don't sigh and order a pizza, give this a shot instead. I served it with yellow rice and I can't tell you how truly satisfying and yummy it was.

Beer-Poached Salsa Fresca Chicken

For Salsa Fresca: (do this first and let sit so that the flavors meld)
3 large slicing tomatoes
1/2 large white onion
1 bunch cilantro
1 Poblano chili
1 tbs hot sauce
Juice of 2 limes
Salt to taste

-Cut chili in half, remove seeds and stem. Over your stove-top's burner, place half of the chili and let each side char, about 3 minutes per side. Set aside and let cool. (You can also broil them for a few minutes, flipping them half way through cooking as well)
-Dice tomatoes. Finely dice onions and chili, place in bowl. Chop cilantro finely, add. Add lime juice, hot sauce, and salt to taste. Mix well and let sit.

For Chicken:
Light colored beer (we had Corona)
Skinless chicken breasts (we had boneless, but bone in would be fine too - also, doesn't have to be white meat)
2 dry bay leaves
1 whole lime

-Pour beer into pot and let sit for five or so minutes to let the beer flatten slightly. If you boil the beer fresh from the bottle, it can bubble over. (If you don't have or don't want to use beer, use broth instead).
-Cut lime in half and add entire fruit to pot. Add bay leaves.
-Bring to boil, add chicken, and let poach until cooked through.

-Slice up the meat (it might have to be lightly salted depending on the beer) and cover in the salsa fresca, serve room temperature.

Sunday Dinner

A friend of ours just came back from a week in the wilderness. He shipped himself out to the middle of nowhere in Utah and along with ten or so others spent a week torturing himself with no clean water, miles of hiking everyday, and whatever Mother Nature saw fit to throw at him. Definitely not my bag - I'm pretty sure you couldn't pay me to do any of it. But, since he survived, and since I was so damn proud of the guy, I thought a proper Sunday Dinner was in order. Nuts and berries NOT included.

I've mentioned before how much I love my slow cooker. It's a true marvel to me. You take a hunk of a cheaper cut of meat, you throw in a some simple ingredients, set the timer, and by dinner time you have something tender and scrumptious. If you don't have a slow cooker, I'd like to try to convince you to get one. They're not expensive (mine was just about $40), and although they take up room, they are easily stored on top of the china cabinet - just like ours.

Slow-Cooked Pork Loin
3lb boneless pork loin
1 sweet or yellow onion, sliced in rounds
6 cloves of garlic, thickly sliced
3 heaping tbs Dijon mustard
1 bunch of fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1 pint of mushrooms, sliced (I used Shitake)
1 1/2 cups beef broth
Salt & pepper
Cornstarch

-Place onions in slow cooker, scatter half of the fresh thyme across onions.
-Place pork loin on top of onions & thyme, and using tip of a knife, cut little slits across the loin. Stuff garlic slices into slits. Scatter remaining garlic around pork.
-Salt & pepper the loin well. Spread mustard on top and sides of loin. Spread remaining thyme leaves over loin. Add mushrooms, bay leaf, and pour in broth around the loin
-Set on high for 1 hour, then on low for 6.
-Take out the loin, removing any loose fat from the bottom of the loin, and place on serving dish. Remove thyme and bay leaf then scatter onions and mushrooms around the loin.
-Pour off drippings into a pot. Spoon out about 1/2 cup of liquid into a smaller bowl and add 1 tbs of cornstarch - mix very well. Add cornstarch mixture back to pot, whisk well, and let heat until thickened. If you like a thicker gravy, repeat the cornstarch process.

Acorn is my favorite squash. This is a salty preparation, but you can also roast them with butter and brown sugar for something sweeter.

Rosemary-Roasted Acorn Squash
3 small acorn squash, cut into quarters, seeds removed
12 tsp butter
Salt
1/4 cup finely chopped rosemary (fresh or dried)

-Preheat oven to 425. Spray a baking dish with non stick spray or a spread a little olive oil.
-Place squash in dish, sprinkle with salt and chopped rosemary.
-Put 1 tsp of butter on each quarter. Roast for 40-45 minutes until flesh is cooked and nicely browned.

Bread Pudding
2 Brioche loaves, crusts removed, cut into about 1" cubes (you can also use Challah, but might only need 1 1/2 loaves of it)
3 cups half and half
2 whole extra large eggs
2 extra large egg yolks
1 vanilla bean
2/3 cup sugar
1 large pinch of salt
1 cup chocolate chips
Butter (for baking dish)

-Pour half and half into a small pot on stove top. Split the vanilla bean, scape out seeds into the pot, and add the entire bean as well. Heat until steaming and bubbles form at the edges, mixing occasionally. Remove from heat and let cool completely. If you don't have or can't find vanilla beans, skip this step and simply add 1 tbs of good quality vanilla extract to the half and half.
-Place rack in lower third of oven. Preheat 350. Butter a 9x13 baking dish, set aside.
-Whisk eggs, sugar, and salt until well combined. Remove the vanilla bean from the half and half, discard. Slowly add the half and half to the egg mixture, whisk well.
-Add bread to the buttered dish, then pour over the custard. Let the bread soak up the custard for about 10-15 minutes until well saturated.
-Sprinkle on the chocolate chips (I like using mini chips, but use whichever you have), then bake in oven for about 40-45 minutes or until bread is toasted, and custard is cooked.
-It is very important that you let this sit for a good 15 minutes before you cut into it. This lets the custard finish setting up and the bread pudding settle, (it will have puffed up in the oven then collapse slightly as it cools).

Comfort Food, Duchess-Style

When I invited friends for dinner over the weekend, this wasn't the meal I had planned. I was going to make a much more sophisticated, complicated, and unique meal. Then, on Friday, I got bad news and it shook me hard. I was tempted to tell my friends not to bother coming over, the wind was knocked out of my sails and I felt deflated. But my husband, the wise Jedi that he is, urged me to cook and have our friends over. He knew it would make me feel better and of course, it did.

Since my elaborate meal plans were scraped (for now, I still plan on making that meal one day), I happily shifted to comfort food - 'tis the season after all. So off to an old standby, Coq Au Vin. Don't be fooled by its fancy-schmansy name. It's a French peasant dish and should be treated as such - hence the picture below of the meal in it's pot, as it was out of the oven, and put on the table. The name literally means: Cock in Wine. Since we don't readily get those birds in Brooklyn, a normal chicken works nicely.

Along with some crusty bread, my calorie-busting Potato Galette, and a very simple herb salad of dill, mint, basil, parsley, lemon juice and salt, we had ourselves a party. For dessert I had planned on making this fabulous brioche bread pudding with vanilla bean custard and chocolate... it's as incredible as it sounds. But that very morning, we were watching the Food Channel and Sunny Anderson made something that was so simple, so gooey, so messy (see said gooey mess below), and so yummy that I had to make it instead!

Now remember, as I've said before, as long as the food is good, people won't care that they're eating on paper plates with plastic knives and forks; a theory proved yet again on Saturday.

Coq Au Vin
Adapted and tooled with from Martha Stewart

14-16 pieces chicken thighs and legs with skin on
3 cups red wine (I would suggest a nice Cabernet Sauvingon, but even a Rioja or a Chianti would work)
2 heaping tbs tomato paste
1/3 cup beef broth (this can also be Cognac, but since I never have the stuff in the house I always use stock)
10 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 - 1 1/2 cups white pearl onions (I always used the frozen ones, less peeling)
1 lb slab bacon cut in 1/4" - 1/2" cubes (if you cant find slab, use thickly sliced)
1 lb mushrooms (I use a combo of crimini/baby bella and shitake, you can't beat the smokey flavor of shitake - it really adds to the dish)
3 tbs flour
1 tbs corn starch
3 bay leaves
10+ sprigs of thyme
1 tsp whole pepper corns
Salt and cracked pepper

-Let the chicken marinate in the wine overnight or at least 4-5 hours day of.
-Preheat oven to 325.
-Cook bacon in large heavy bottom pot with lid, must be oven safe. Remove the bacon, set aside.
-Remove chicken and reserve wine. Pat the chicken dry, salt and pepper the meat, then sear in the bacon grease until skin has crisped, about 6-7 minutes per side, set aside.
-Remove all but 2 tbs of grease and cook the chopped onion and garlic until soft and translucent.
-Add pearl onions and mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes (if you need to, add one tbs of butter to help cook mushrooms, they absorb a lot)
-Add the tomato paste, flour, and corn starch, incorporate well.
-Add the stock and scrape up any stuck on bits at the bottom of the pot.
-Return bacon and chicken to pot. Add herbs, peppercorns, and cover with the reserved wine. Bring to boil, mixing everything together, then place in oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour covered until veggies and chicken are cooked. If there is excess oil on the surface, skim away before serving.

*I don't think I need to say this, but this dish the day after is not to be believed! This will happily serve 6-7 people with some leftovers.

Potato Galette
4+ cups of thinly sliced Yukon gold potatoes (I used a Benriner Mandolin for this, but you can use your food processor with the slicing attachment too)
1 cup of heavy cream
1.25 lbs of Jarlsberg, shredded
8 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
Salt & pepper

-Preheat oven to 400.
-Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray.
-Start with a layer of potatoes, cover up any large gaps with a potato slice. Salt and pepper the potatoes lightly.
-Continue with a layer of cheese. Another layer of potatoes, light salt and pepper. Cheese, potato, salt and pepper. Sprinkle on the the chopped garlic, then continue the layering and seasoning. Put the nicest sliced potatoes on the top layer, then cover with one final layer of cheese. You should have 5 layers total by the end.
-Once layers are finished, pour on the cream. Jiggle the dish gently to get the cream in all the nooks and crannies.
-Bake in oven for half hour covered with tin foil. Remove foil for last half hour. The whole thing should be bubbling, the top browned, and the potatoes cooked - if not, leave in for another 10-15 minutes.
-Serve immediately.

S'mores "Crepes"
by Sunny Anderson

Whole wheat wraps or tortillas (these are the "crepes." It is very important that you use whole wheat, the white ones don't have the right "crepe" flavor.)
Nutella
Mini marshmallows
Butter
Toasted, chopped hazelnuts (I used macadamia because I had them)

-Melt 1 tbs of butter in a flat large pan.
-Spread a tortilla with enough Nutella to come about 1 inch to the edge. As it cooks it gets gooey and melts, too much Nutella and it would ooze out while cooking.
-Place tortilla in the hot pan and cover half with the mini marshmallows.
-Fold over the tortilla and cook, flipping once. Remove once the marshmallows melt a little and the tortilla has browned slightly. Cut in half, sprinkle on the nuts and serve immediately.

* I served them with coffee ice cream - they were a wild success and will definitly be made again...

In My Godmother's Kitchen

Some places are sacred. Not always for religious reasons, but because they are so very important. My Godmother’s kitchen is one of those places.

Annie has been in my life since I was born. More than just my Mother’s friend from years ago, she was there at every birthday party, at every recital, at every holiday. I had grandmothers, I have aunts, I have cousins, but she was something more and in my mind, deserved a title – and Godmother fit perfectly.

She introduced me to worlds that I may not have appreciated without her - modern dance, water color painting, and foreign films. Through all of our amazing outings and experiences, the thing I’ll remember most, however, is her kitchen table. There were enough sugar cookies decorated, valentines made, and laughter shared at that table to last a lifetime. We used to make chutney together as holiday gifts; if I concentrate I can still smell the simmering apples…

It was around that sacred table that we once again found ourselves laughing and cooking this weekend.  My mother met Annie at a meditation center in New York. Together they traveled to India to study with a famous Jain Guru; it’s an extraordinary story involving elephants, a sacred mountain, temples, a broken ankle, lots of cilantro, and Kashmiri houseboats. During that trip, Annie became friends with Pramoda, the Guru’s wife. From her, Annie learned to perfect the art of Guajarati’s classic vegetarian cuisine. Annie has a natural gift in the kitchen and I’d like to think that she helped spark my love of cooking.

So with a happy heart, I called my Godmother once again for another kitchen adventure.

Vangi Batata Bhaji is a classic Gujarati dish made with eggplants and potatoes. It’s a little spicy, a little smoky, and like almost everything, tastes so much better the next day! A few pointers: make sure that your spices are fresh. Indian food relies heavily on them and if they are old, dishes can turn bland or worst, bitter. Also, don’t skimp on the fresh lemon juice, it’s a lovely dish that really sings once you add that splash of brightness.

Vangi Batata Bhaji

3 eggplants (the long thin kind, like Chinese or Japanese eggplants)
3-4 potatoes (We used three large Yukon Gold. If the potatoes are on the smaller size use four. You want a nice balance of potato and eggplant)
4 tomatoes

1/2 onion
Salt to taste 

2 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp garam masala (a sweet spice mixture. It’s fairly easy to find but here is a recipe)
1 tsp turmeric powder
4 tbs oil (not olive oil. Sunflower, canola, something that won’t alter the taste of the dish)
2 cups water
1 1/2 tsp sugar
3 tbs fresh lemon or lime juice

Fresh cilantro (coriander) leaves for garnish

-Dice the tomatoes and onion finely. Peel the potatoes. Cut potatoes and eggplants roughly the same size, large cubes.

-Heat oil in pan, add the tomatoes, onion, salt, and turmeric powder. Cook for 4-5 minutes until aromatic and soft.

-Add the potatoes, eggplant, the rest of the spices, sugar and mix well. Add water, mix again.

-Bring to boil then let simmer uncovered until the potatoes are tender, the eggplant is soft, liquid has absorbed into the dish, about 15-20 minutes.

-Before serving, mix in the lemon juice and adjust salt. Serve with fresh cilantro leaves over rice.

Indian rice pudding, or Kheer, is a favorite desert of mine. I’ve never made it and surprisingly, neither had Annie. We decided to figure it out together - it came out perfectly. Be sure that you rinse the rice three times (or until the water runs clearly). I know it’s a drag, but it really makes a better dish. Kheer is much thinner than European/American style rice puddings; it’s closer to a sweet rice soup or porridge. The added delight of rosewater and the surprise crunch of slivered almonds makes this even more special.

You could easily replace the rose water with orange blossom water and instead of almonds try raisins or pistachios. Be careful with either the rosewater or the orange blossom water, a little bit goes a very long way. Also, whichever nuts you use, just don’t toast them; you want them there for crunch more than anything and toasted nuts have an intense flavor which would overtake the lovely subtleness of Kheer.

Kheer

1/2 cup long grain rice (washed and drained, we used Basmati)
2 1/2 cups whole milk

1/2 cup heavy cream
3 whole cardamom seeds, smashed (if you can't find whole seeds, use 1 tsp ground)

1/3 cup blanched, sliced or slivered almonds
4 tbsp sugar or more to your liking

2 tbs rosewater

-Bring rice, milk, cream, and cardamom seeds to a boil then simmer gently until the rice is soft and the milk has thickened, about 20-30 minutes.

-Fish out the cardamom pods with a fork, discard. Add the almonds and stir in the sugar gently with a fork until dissolved. Let simmer for about five minutes, adjust sugar to your liking.

-Before serving, gently mix in the rosewater with fork. This can be served warm or cold - personally I like it kind of room temperature. We garnished it with some candied ginger, but thats not necessarily traditional.