Homemade Chili Powder

If you want a fresh, custom chili powder, make you own! This is adapted from Alton Brown’s recipe. For medium heat, use ancho peppers. For more spice, use arbol or cayenne. Use a combination for a more complex flavor. Wear gloves when handling hot peppers.

Ingredients
5-6 Dried chilies, stemmed, seeded and sliced, use any combo
2 tablespoons whole cumin seeds
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon smoked paprika

Method

  • Place the chilies and the cumin into a medium sauté pan. Cook on medium-high for about 3-4 minutes. You want the chilies and cumin to get slightly toasted, this releases more flavor. Set aside and cool.
  • Place all ingredients in a blender or spice grinder. Process until a fine powder is formed. Wait for the powder to settle before you remove the lid. Chili powder isn’t anything you want to breathe in. Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

This post is part of Monday Mania. and Pennywise Platter

Secret Ingredient Black Bean Chili

When the weather is cold and snowy, I find comfort in a big pot of bubbling chili and hot-out-of-the-oven cornbread with lots of butter. It almost makes the latest snowstorm tolerable … almost.

There are endless variations of and opinions on what goes or does not go into a good bowl of chili. Some think that there is no place for beans in chili. In fact, I’m pretty sure it is illegal to add beans to chili in the state of Texas. Others insist on using red kidney beans and nothing else will do. What I like about all the variations is the assortment of “secret” ingredients. Any chili chef worth his/her salt has a secret ingredient or two in their pot.

In the January/February issue of Cook’s Illustrated, the test kitchen looked into many chili secret weapons, including red wine, peanut butter, cola, prunes, coffee, cornmeal, beer, molasses, cocoa powder, anchovies and mushrooms. They gave the boot to all but beer, molasses, cocoa powder and cornmeal. While I was tempted to try them all (yes, all the winners and losers in the same pot), I refrained and only used a few.

I usually make chili with ground beef. My husband recently made a delicious pot with sirloin steak (coffee is his secret ingredient). Since I had lots of beans in my cupboard, I decided to go the veggie route. I always use dried beans. They do take time, but don’t require much effort.

I use dried beans for several reasons.

-They are more flavorful than canned beans.
-I have fewer cans to recycle.
-They are cheaper. Canned beans are pretty cheap, but organic beans can be around $2 a can. The dried, organic equivalent is about 60 cents.

A big reason I go for dried beans is that I try to avoid cans in general. Most cans are lined with Bisphenol A (BPA). The FDA assures us that it is safe, but I’ve read enough studies to think this endocrine disrupter isn’t anything I want touching my food.

Luckily, if you are in a hurry, there are a couple of options for beans. Eden Foods beans are packed in Bisphenol A (BPA) free cans. Amy’s Kitchen is going to start rolling out BPA free cans this year.

Unfortunately, canned tomatoes are the worst offenders because their acidic nature causes more of the BPA to leach into the food. I have yet to find canned tomatoes free of BPA. Don’t be fooled by thinking that organic canned tomatoes are BPA free, most, if not all are not (I’ve called and asked). Supposedly Muir Glen (owned by General Mills) has BPA free cans of tomatoes on the shelves, but they are being a bit cagey about it. If you buy a can today, it may or may not be BPA lined and there is no way to tell by the date canned. I’m assuming when all of their cans are BPA free, they will send the all-clear signal. Until then, I use home-canned tomatoes in glass, store-bought tomatoes in glass or those packed in aseptic packaging (the waxy-looking box).

My favorite part of chili is all the fixings. Sour cream or plain yogurt, cheddar cheese and raw chopped onions are a must for me. I also like to throw in avocado and cilantro if I have them hanging around.

And, of course, probably the best garnish for chili is a cold mug of beer!

Stay warm!


Black Bean Chili

This is a vegetarian recipe but, if you fancy, by all means, add some meat!

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons molasses
1 large box (26 ounces) chopped tomatoes, undrained
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 cups vegetable stock
4 cups cooked black beans
2 cups fresh or frozen corn
1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt (more to taste)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon black pepper (more to taste)

For garnish:
Cilantro, chopped
Cheddar cheese, grated
Sour cream or plain yogurt
Onions, chopped
Avocado, chopped

Method:

  • In a large pot, add olive oil and onions, sauté over medium-high heat for a couple of minutes. Add peppers and garlic and sauté another minute.
  • Add spices, cocoa powder, tomatoes, vinegar and stock; bring to a boil. Add black beans and corn.
  • Reduce heat to low and simmer for at least 30 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add salt and pepper to taste. Ladle a hefty serving into each bowl and top with garnishes.

How to cook dried beans:

  • Decide on the amount you want to cook. One cup of dried beans equals 2.5 cooked. While you are cooking beans, you might as well make extra. You can freeze the leftovers and grab them when you want a quick meal.
  • Sort through the beans, rinse and pick out any little pebbles. Most of the time I don’t find any, but that time or two that I do, my teeth are happy I took the extra step.
  • There is a big culinary debate about whether to soak or not to soak beans. Apparently it is a toss up on whether you save time and reduce the bean’s gas-producing properties. I always soak unless I forget, then I just cook them.
  • To soak, place beans in a large bowl or pot and cover with cold water. If any beans float to the top, remove them (they are too old). Soak for at least six hours, but preferably overnight. I keep them out on the counter.
  • Drain the beans and discard the liquid.
  • Place the beans in a heavy-bottomed pot and cover them with water. Add enough so that there are a couple inches of water above the beans. Bring to a boil, cover and turn the heat to low. Add more water if the water level dips below the beans. Stir occasionally. Cook until bite-tender. This will take one to two hours, depending on the beans.
  • Drain and use now or freeze.

Slow-Cooking variation: Place beans in slow cooker, cover with water and soak overnight. Drain; add fresh water to cover with two additional inches. Cover and cook on low for eight hours.

This post is part of  The Nourishing Gourmet’s Pennywise Platter Thursday and Fight Back Fridays and The Healthy Home Economist Monday Mania.

How I was deprived of grits…

The first time I remember eating grits was in Boulder, Colorado. After college, I worked at a fancy-pants restaurant called Q’s in the Hotel Boulderado and we served pan-seared pork chops with blue cheese grits. It was the perfect, albeit not traditional, introduction into the corn-mush dish.

If you are wondering how I, as a southerner, made it until my 20s before I had grits, you aren’t alone. I wondered this, too. I asked my sister about it. Like me, she didn’t have grits at home growing up. I would say her first grits experience was a little more true to our southern roots since she had them in Columbus, Georgia, with our grandfather, aka, Poppa Gus.

I also asked my mom. She first said, “What? Are you going to write about how I deprived you of grits growing up?” I would never do such a thing. Then she said that she and my dad did indeed eat them often but “You guys just weren’t interested in them.” Yes, my mother, who was born in Mississippi, says “you guys” instead of “y’all.” Go figure.

My brother could not be reached for comment, at least not by my deadline. I do know that at least now, he eats grits. He recently sent me a pound of stone ground grits from McEwen & Sons Gristmill in Wilsonville, Alabama. They mill excellent organic corn products.

Let me back up a bit. Though the package was clearly labeled “grits,” my brother didn’t really send me a pound of grits, he sent me a pound of coarse, stone-ground cornmeal. I can turn the cornmeal into grits, polenta, cornbread or hamburger corn pone (Southern fare my family did eat).

What’s in a name? With grits and polenta, not much. Grits and polenta are both made with the same thing — ground dried corn kernels. The terms grits and polenta really just refer to the dishes made from ground corn. Some food companies, Bob’s Red Mills for one, label their coarse cornmeal with both “grits” and “polenta.”

To make matters more complicated, southern grits are often made from white corn hominy, so you will often see hominy grits on menus.

Hominy grits are a bit different. Hominy is hulled corn kernels, stripped of their bran and germ and nixtamalized. Nixtamalization is a process of treating the corn with an alkaline solution, such as lye. This makes the kernels swell to several times their natural size and increases the bioavailability of niacin (a fancy way of saying it’s easier for your body to use). When ground, the hominy grits are, well, grittier, than regular grits. They have more of a tooth to them.

For some people, it’s hominy grits or nothing. For me, I prefer yellow stone ground grits, but then, what does a late grits bloomer like myself know!

Blue Cheese Grits

Ingredients
4 cups water
3/4 teaspoon salt (more to taste)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup coarse stone-ground grits
1/2 cup whole milk
1 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/4 teaspoon black pepper (more to taste)

Method

  • Bring water and salt to a boil in a large heavy saucepan. While stirring, gradually add grits. Stir often with a wooden spoon.
  • Reduce heat and cook at a bare simmer, uncovered, stirring frequently. Cook until the water is absorbed and grits have thickened, about 25 minutes. As the grits start to thicken, be sure to scrape the bottom of the pan (they have a tendency to stick).
  • Stir in butter, milk, blue cheese and pepper. Continue to heat on low until it is the right consistency, which for some is on the thin side but, for me, is more like mashed potatoes.
  • Salt and pepper to taste. I almost always need more pepper.

Serves 6-8.

Participating in Monday-Mania.

Homemade Butter…in a jar!

My Kitchen Aid stand mixer has started to sound a little like a jet taking off. I’ve taken to wearing ear plugs when mixing.

I was reminded of a somewhat quieter time of butter making. It was pioneer day at elementary school. We used a jar. Add cream to a jar and pass it around a roomful of school kids and soon enough you’ll have butter. Pretty cool. In the interest of peace and quiet, I decided to give the jar a go again.

I poured cream into a mason jar, screwed the lid on tight, noted the time and started shaking. After what felt like an inordinate amount of time, my cream had reached the whipped cream stage. I though about stopping there, since my husband would be happy eating whipped cream even if it was on cardboard. I glanced at the clock and noticed that only three minutes had slipped by. Surely I could give it another three minutes or so. The next five minutes went by fast. The whipped cream suddenly gave way to a solid mass of butter sloshing around in buttermilk, no earplugs required.

Cows munching on grass produce milk that is particularly high in conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). CLA wasn’t identified until the mid 80s, but quickly piqued many nutritionists’ interest. CLA is purported to have anti-cancer properties and helps fight inflammation. Meat and dairy from grass-fed animals can produce 300-500% more CLA than cattle on a typical fed-lot diet of corn silage grain/corn.

I am not one to shy away from using butter. It seems that after the trans-fat debacle, good, old-fashioned butter is back in favor with many health experts, though most still say that you should enjoy it with moderation. I’m in the camp that butter from grass-fed cows is actually healthy for you, so I eat it with impunity!

Ingredients
Heavy cream (from grass-fed cows, preferably)
Salt (optional)
Note: a pint of cream will yield 1 cup of butter

Method

  • Dump the cream in the jar with a tight fitting lid and start shaking.
  • First the cream will turn into whipped cream. Keep shaking.
  • Then it starts to get stiff and looks like whipped butter. Keep shaking.
  • The butter will turn a pale yellow, and liquid will separate from it.
  • Drain the buttermilk and reserve. The buttermilk isn’t cultured so it isn’t the delicious thick kind my granddad drank, but you can use it in baking recipes in place of milk.
  • Next, the butter needs to be washed. Any buttermilk left in the butter will cause it to go rancid quickly. Place the butter in a bowl with cold water and knead using a wooden spoon or your hands. Press the butter against the side of the bowl to squeeze out the buttermilk. Drain and repeat the “washing” until the liquid is clear.
  • Salt to taste, if desired.

I find that homemade butter spoils quickly (I may not be washing it enough). When I make a batch, I only keep out what I plan to use in a day or two. I store the rest in the freezer. In both the fridge and the freezer, I make sure it is wrapped up tight.

This post is part of The Healthy Home Economist Monday Mania.

Make your own…

My friend Bill doesn’t claim to be much of a cook. He told me that once in college he wanted to make a white sauce, or béchamel, if you want to be fancy. He mixed the flour, melted butter and milk. He stirred and stirred and it wasn’t thickening. He called his mom for guidance. She suggested that he add a little more flour. He did, but it still wasn’t thickening. He called her back to say that it still wasn’t working. She then suggested that he turn up the heat a bit. Bill said, “Heat?”

So when this non-cook tried his hand at making yogurt, granola and bagels, I took note. Apparently Slate Magazine had posted an article about how cost-effective it is to make certain pantry staples and it convinced him to give these a whirl.

As far as being cheaper, the article reported that yogurt and bagels are indeed cheaper to make at home (bagels check in at around 23¢ each and yogurt is around $1.75 for 4-cups). Granola is a toss up ($1.45 per cup). Bill said that he would definitely make yogurt and granola again. The jury is still out on making bagels. Bill wasn’t thrilled with his results.

These are easy, but require a little patience. No worries though, we all have a little patience to spare, right?

Homemade Yogurt
Bagels
Granola

Spicy Chai

My Aunt sent me a chai recipe. She makes hers with a chai masala spice and black tea. If you can find the chai masala spice, mix it with black tea and your work is done. If not, follow this recipe.

I always buy spices in bulk. They are a fraction of the cost and you can get just the quantity you need. Cardamom is a good example. A 1.75 ounce jar runs about $12. In bulk, the same amount is a little over $3.

While it is tempting to use ground spices for this, don’t. The chai will get sort of slimy and will be hard to strain (yes, this I know from experience).

Ingredients
1/2 of a star anise star and/or 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon whole cloves
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon of cinnamon bark (or 2 short sticks)
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
2-3 cardamom pods opened to the seeds or 1 tablespoon ground cardamom
3 cups water
2 heaping tablespoons loose black tea
3 cups whole milk
Sugar or honey

Method

  • In a 2-qt saucepan, add spices to 3 cups of water.
  • Boil for a few minutes then remove from heat and let steep for 5 to 20 minutes. The longer it steeps, the stronger it will be. I steep it for the full 20 minutes.
  • Add 3 cups of whole milk to the water and spices. Bring just to a boil and remove from heat.
  • Add the loose tea and let steep for 5 minutes. Strain and sweeten with honey or sugar.

Makes four 12oz cups.

What I will do for a good ginger scone and hot cup of chai

chaiI will brave Washington, DC traffic in rush hour to get a ginger scone and hot cup of chai from Teaism, one of my favorite DC cafes. I also love their cilantro scrambled eggs with naan and never leave without getting one of their salty oat cookies. But their chai and scones are worth the agony of sitting on the beltway.

Chai is an Indian spiced tea. It’s become quite popular and you can find it in many coffee shops and markets. While I’m not a picky eater in general, I am a picky about my chai and there are few places that meet my high standards. I don’t like it overly sweet and I don’t like it with a cloying vanilla flavor. I don’t want it to taste like a ginger snap. I like it complex, slightly sweet but with a nice bite. Teasim makes the perfectly balanced chai. Since I live six hours away, it was necessary for me to learn how to make my own perfect cup.

If you must be lazy, you may order both chai and ginger scone mix from Teaism’s website.

Ginger scones

These are a snap to make. I altered this recipe from the blog, Orangette. I used honey and white whole-wheat flour and was very happy with the results. If you want to be decadent, use white flour and sugar.

Crystallized ginger can be found in better food markets. If you can’t find it, ask your grocer to pick it up for you or make your own.

These are best served warm with a pat of butter.

Ingredients
2 cups white whole-wheat flour (or whole-wheat pastry flour)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger
1/2 cup milk
1 large egg

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the butter. Using your fingers, blend the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. You may also use a pastry knife or a fork. The goal is to incorporate the butter into little pea-sized or smaller pieces. This will give you a flakey scone.
  • While gently stirring the mixture, drizzle the honey over it. Add the ginger and stir to mix.
  • In a small bowl, beat the egg and milk together. Save a tablespoon for the glaze and pour the rest into the flour mixture, stir gently to just combine. Using your hands, press and knead the dough into a rough ball. It will be a little dry. If it isn’t holding together, add a little water.
  • Turn the dough out onto a floured board, and knead it. Do not overwork the dough, a half dozen kneads should do it. Pat it into a round disc about 1 inch thick. Cut into 8 wedges.
  • Place the wedges on an ungreased baking sheet. Brush them with the reserved milk/egg mixture.
  • Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden. Cool briefly on a rack, and serve.

Makes eight medium-size scones

Up next, spicy chia…

Chicken and Spinach Burritos

It’s perfect weather for roasting a chicken and one of the best things about cooking a whole bird is the leftovers.

I look at cooked chicken as fast food. I can knock out a meal in a few minutes with minimal effort. Throw it in pasta with some vegetables; add some cauliflower, curry and cooked rice for a quick Indian meal and of course you can always make soup, especially if you made stock from your roasted bird. And as with most leftovers, you can throw it into a burrito.

Chicken and Spinach Burritos
This is a good dish to make when you don’t feel like cooking. It’s quick and healthy. You can add whatever you have on hand. Add a can of black beans if you want to stretch your dollar a bit more.

Ingredients
2-3 cups of cooked chicken
1 tablespoon of olive oil
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 small onion, chopped
3 generous handfuls fresh baby spinach
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon chopped jalapeno (optional)
3 ounces of cream cheese
1/4 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoon salsa
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
4 Whole-grain flour tortilla
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

  • Heat olive oil in large skillet.
  • Wrap tortillas in foil and place in a 350° oven to heat for 10 minutes.
  • Add onions, garlic, jalapeno and chicken to skillet. Cook over medium heat for a few minutes.
  • Mix in chili powder, salsa, yogurt and cream cheese. Cook until cheese has melted and sauce has thickened.
  • Add spinach. Cook on low just until spinach starts to wilt.
  • Remove from heat, add cilantro.
  • Spoon about 1/2 cup of the chicken mixture onto each tortilla; roll tightly and place seam-side down.
  • Top with salsa and plain yogurt or sour cream. Serve with a salad.

Serves 4

The Best Collard Greens, Ever

I am certain that my husband makes the best collard greens in the state of New York, if not the world. He was sweet enough to share his recipe. Keep in mind that the word recipe is used lightly here. Collard greens are one of those things that most Southern cooks don’t use a recipe to make. You get the basic concept and improvise. I’ve never seen him use a measuring spoon when making greens.

Ingredients:
1 large bunch of collard greens (Well washed. My Aunt Georgia once washed a particularly dirty bunch in her washing machine.)
6 slices of thick-slab peppered bacon
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
2 to 3 teaspoons salt
Cayenne pepper and hot sauce to taste


Method:

  • Fry bacon in a large soup pot, remove and set aside, leaving bacon fat in the pot.
  • Add onions and garlic and sauté over medium heat until onions are tender.
  • Chop collard greens and cook until wilted.
  • Add vinegar, sugar and salt.
  • Add chicken stock and bacon, cover and simmer for at least 1 hour. My husband, like a true Southerner, cooks it for at least three, since the flavor deepens with time. Stir greens occasionally, adding water if needed (you don’t want the greens to stick to the bottom of the pot). Season to taste.

Hoppin’ John

I love the name of this dish. There are many differing accounts of where the name came from. My favorite is that a man named John came “a-hoppin” when his wife took the dish from the stove.

Ingredients:
1 cup dried black-eyed peas
4 cups water or chicken broth
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 hog jowl sliced (or a few strips of bacon or a ham hock)
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup long- grain white rice
Salt and black pepper to taste

Method:

  • Wash and sort the peas, making sure to remove any small pebbles.
  • Place in large bowl, cover with water and soak overnight. (If you want to skip this step, you will need to increase the cooking time.)
  • Place onions and garlic in small sauté pan and cook until onions are tender.
  • Place peas in the large soup pot, add water or broth. Bring to a gentle boil .
  • Add onions, garlic, red pepper and hog jowl.
  • Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until peas are tender, about an hour (two if you didn’t soak them).
  • Add the rice, cover, and simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and season with salt, pepper and hot sauce.

Serves four to six.

Happy New Year!

In Spain, they eat 12 grapes for good luck on New Year’s Eve. In the Southern United States they eat a slightly more caloric good luck trifecta of greens, blackeyed peas and hog jowls. I didn’t catch on to this good luck charm until college and hog jowls never sounded like anything I ever needed to eat. Personally, I think it has an image problem more than anything; neither “hog” nor “jowls” are particularly nice sounding words. But hog jowls are a lot like bacon; they are smoked and cured. Call them by their Portuguese name (bochechas de porco) or Italian name (guanciale) and the stuff would cost three times as much and fly off the shelves.

My Granny was very experienced with this Southern New Year’s Day tradition. She grew up in the mountains of northern Georgia. In the 1920s, when she was a young girl, it was customary to go out in the front yard with pots, pans and spoons and “make a big noise” to ring in the New Year. The next day she always ate greens and Hoppin’ John. She told me that blackeyed peas and hog jowl bring good luck in the New Year. The greens, usually turnip, collard or mustard, bring money. Granny said, “If you eat greens on New Year’s Day you are supposed to get rich.” She added that although she was often disappointed that her wallet wasn’t fat the next day, the meal still tasted “mighty good.”

So get out your pots, pans and spoons, go out to your front yard and make a big ruckus for the New Year. Then eat some greens and Hoppin’ John and enjoy a prosperous year!

Next post: Hoppin’ John recipe.

Now Bring Us Some Figgy Pudding!

The other day as I was procrastinating, I mean doing research for this column, I came across a quiz that tested one’s knowledge of food in holiday songs. Here are a few questions that I remember (see answers below):

1. What did Grandma drink too much of before she got run over by a reindeer?

2. In “Let it Snow,” what is the food item and how are they going to prepare it?

3. In “The Christmas Song,” what’s roasting on an open fire? What other food item is mentioned?

4. The quiz left out some of my favorite food references from the “Grinch.” Name three food items.

And, of course, we have the following:

We wish you a Merry Christmas; We wish you a Merry Christmas …

Now, bring us some figgy pudding! Now, bring us some figgy pudding! Now, bring us some figgy pudding and bring some out here!

We won’t go until we get some!

We won’t go until we get some!

We won’t go until we get some, so bring it right here!

So people come to your door, wish you a merry Christmas, then demand figgy pudding and don’t plan to leave until you bring it. That’s flat out holiday extortion. You know they are serious because they repeat it three times. The gall!

I’ve never been exactly sure what figgy pudding is, but have always loved the lengths that people purportedly go just to get some. I pictured people clad in winter gear, holding a cup of pudding and trying to maneuver their spoons while wearing mittens. Turns out figgy pudding is more of a cake, so may easily be eaten by bundled up, caroling extortionists.

Figgy pudding is a nice break from all the cloyingly sweet treats that I certainly eat quite a bit of this time of year. It’s a moist, spiced, bread-like cake. The flavor deepens as it ages; so make it a couple of days before you plan to eat it. For an extra treat, top each slice with a dollop of whipped cream.

Ingredients
2 cups dried figs (about 1 pound), stems removed, chopped fine
1/4 cup bourbon
1/4 cup water
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
2 eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup molasses
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 cup milk
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Method

  • Chop dried figs and place in medium-sized bowl. Pour bourbon and warm water over fruit and let sit, preferably overnight, but an hour will do.
  • Grease and flour a bunt pan or loaf pan. This cake has a tendency to stick, so grease it well. You can also line the pan with parchment paper.
  • In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg; set aside.
  • Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs and molasses and beat again. Mix in the dried fruit (with liquid if any), lemon peel, milk and walnuts.
  • Mix in dried ingredients.
  • Bake at 325º F for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

    • Makes 12 to 14 servings.

    Answers to the above quiz:

    1. Eggnog.

    2. Corn for popping.

    3. Chestnuts; turkey.

    4. Bad banana with a greasy black peal; garlic; dead tomato splot with moldy purple spots; three-decker sauerkraut and toadstool sandwich with arsenic sauce.

Mini Dark Chocolate Melts

There is only one word for these cookies, decadent. They are modified from BakeWise: The Hows and Whys of Successful Baking with Over 200 Magnificent RecipesShirley O. Corriher’s recipe in Bakewise. I like to make these bite-sized because they are super rich.

Ingredients
7 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter
4 ounces (one bar) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 ounce (1/4 of a bar) unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs

Method

  • Preheat oven to 350º F.
  • Melt chocolate and butter together. This can be done using a double boiler or in the microwave on 50 percent power for about a minute.
  • Beat eggs and sugar. Stir in the chocolate-butter mixture and vanilla and almond extract.
  • In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt.
  • Add the flour mixture to the batter. The batter will be slightly runny.
  • Spoon a teaspoon of dough onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. These cookies will spread, so don’t crowd them.
  • Bake on center rack in the oven for eight minutes.
  • Let them cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer them to a wire rack.

Makes three dozen mini cookies

Almond Biscotti with Orange Zest and Fennel

I’m told that biscotti means to bake twice. That is how these delicious cookies get their satisfying crunch. This is another great one to give as a gift. They will last for weeks.

Ingredients
1 cup whole almonds
3 cups flour, plus flour for work surface
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
4 large eggs
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
zest from one orange
2 teaspoons almond extract

Method

  • Bake almonds 10 minutes at 350° F, let cool, roughly chop and set aside.
  • Sift together the flour, salt, sugar and baking powder into a large bowl.
  • In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, fennel, orange zest and almond extract.
  • Mix to incorporate the ingredients; the dough will be a little sticky.
  • Flour your hands and a clean kitchen surface and lightly knead the dough. Lightly grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper. Form the dough into two large logs. The loaves should be relatively flat, only about half an inch high and three to four inches wide.
  • Bake for 20 to 22 minutes at 350º F, until the center is firm to the touch.
  • Let biscotti cool for 15 minutes and then, using a serrated knife, cut into 1 inch wide pieces.
  • Turn the oven down to 300º F and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes or until crisp. Cool completely.
  • Let sit uncovered overnight in a dry space.

Makes about 36 small biscotti.

Roasted Root Vegetable Pizza

I used to be a thick crust pizza gal. I liked a Chicago-style, deep-dish pizza. Most of the thin crust pizza that I had eaten tasted like cardboard. When I moved to New York, I had heard about the famous New York style pizza. Sure, there is a pizzeria on every other corner and you can pick up a slice for a few bucks most hours of the day. But that pizza was just okay, some better than others, but certainly nothing to write home about.

Then I went to Grimaldi’s pizza in Brooklyn. My pizza world was forever changed. Grimaldi’s is one of many pizzerias in New York with coal-fired ovens, any of which could have been the first to rock my pizza world.

Pizza from a coal-fired oven is different. The intense heat works magic on the crust. The thin crust is crispy on the outside yet somehow remains tender and chewy. It is often dotted with delightful, giant dough bubbles. The coal imparts a slightly smoky flavor. In my opinion the way to order it is with few toppings, too many and the thin crust can get soggy. I like just tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella and basil.

There are many factors that go into making a great pizza. One, which the home cook may find challenging, is heat. To get that perfect combination of chewy and crisp crust, you need heat. 700 degrees should do it, which is a couple hundred degrees above the highest setting on most home-kitchen ovens.

People will go to great lengths to work around this limitation.

One way is to build an outdoor brick pizza oven. A grill can also reach staggering temperatures. Seeing how there is a chill in the air, I’m more interested in people who’ve tricked out their indoor oven to achieve intense heat.

In It Must’ve Been Something I Ate,Jeffrey Steingarten, food critic at Vogue magazine, details his pursuit of heat hot enough to make a proper pizza at home. (Let me first say that I want his job. Steingarten decides to write about pizza and gets sent to Naples, Italy, the birthplace of Neapolitan-style pizza. I, on the other hand, pay for my own flour.) Steingarten tried such things like covering the heat sensor on his oven and cooking (or rather burning) a pizza using the self-cleaning setting (which locks the door and imprisons your pizza).

The LA Times has another DIY indoor pizza oven idea. You take some firebricks and make a little box in your oven. Then you heat it on its highest setting for about an hour. The bricks hold the heat and increase the heat inside the brick box. Pretty cool.

The only pizza equipment I have is a pizza wheel. I would love a pizza stone and a pizza peel (yes, this is a hint to any gift buyers). The pizza stone retains heat and helps give the pizza a nice crisp crust. The pizza peel is that fancy paddle thing you see pizza makers skillfully use to slide pizzas in and out of a hot oven. For now, I make due with a plain old baking sheet.

Steingarten had a good tip. He suggested that if you have a gas stove, place the pizza stone directly on the bottom of the oven. I placed my pizza on a baking sheet then placed it on my oven’s floor. With a leery eye, I peered in every couple of minutes. I was hungry and didn’t want to risk burning the bottom. While I love a crisp crust with maybe a couple of chard spots, I don’t like burnt pizza one bit. Luckily, it worked beautifully. Though not as good as Grimaldi’s, I did end up with a darn fine pizza with a near perfect crust.

No-knead pizza dough

This is adapted from Sullivan Street Bakery’s Jim Lahey’s recipe. It takes a day to make, but don’t fret, the hands on time is only about 10 to 15 minutes.

Lahey’s version uses all white flour. I added whole wheat and buckwheat flour. I’m a little obsessed with buckwheat flour these days. I love its slightly nutty, complex flavor. If you are trying to replicate a Grimaldi’s pizza, use all white flour.

Makes four 12-inch pizza crusts

Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose white or bread flour, more for dusting
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup buckwheat flour (substitute white or wheat flour)
1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
11/2 teaspoons salt
1 3/4 cups water
cornmeal for dusting

Method

  • In a large bowl, mix the flour with the yeast and salt. Add the water and stir until well mixed. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave in a warm spot for 12 to 24 hours. If your house is cold in the winter like ours is, plan to leave it out for 24 hours.
  • Place the dough on a floured work surface and sprinkle the top with flour. It will be sticky, so flour your hands. Fold the dough over on itself a few times. Divide the dough into four pieces. Shape each piece into a ball. Set each ball in an oiled bowl (or plate). Cover with plastic wrap (oil the wrap if it might touch the dough when rising) and let rise for two hours.
  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees. If using a pizza stone, place it on the floor of your oven if it is gas, or on the bottle rack if it is electric.
  • Stretch or toss the dough into the desired shape. I roll the dough out on a piece of floured wax paper. If you are using a pizza stone, assemble the pizza on a pizza peel or flat baking sheet lightly dusted with cornmeal, then carefully transfer the uncooked pizza to the hot pizza stone. If using a baking sheet, lightly dust with cornmeal, then transfer the rolled out dough to the sheet and cover with toppings (see below).
  • Place baking sheet on the floor of your oven if it is gas, or on the bottle rack if it is electric.
  • Bake at 425 degrees for about 10 minutes or until the bottom is crisp, but not burnt and the toppings are bubbly.

Roasted root vegetable pizza topping

This pizza was inspired by the Isabella Pizzarella at Baba Louies in Hudson.

Ingredients
2 medium-sized beets
1 medium sweet potato
2 small onions
3-4 garlic cloves
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
8-10 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced into thin rounds

Method

  • Heat oven to 400 degrees.
  • Slice the beets, onions and sweet potatoes about 1/4 inch thick. Crush the garlic cloves with the back of a chef’s knife and remove peel, leaving the clove whole.
  • Toss vegetables with olive oil to coat well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
    Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet.
  • Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, turning at least once.
  • Remove and let cool enough to handle before adding to pizza.
  • Lightly brush prepared pizza dough with olive oil. Arrange vegetables in a single layer, covering the whole pizza.