tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61098328421438104722024-03-13T08:13:33.326-07:00creamcheeseandfeelingsCream Cheese and Feelings is a blog about food in all it's incarnations: cooking it, eating it, drooling over it, sharing it, and loving it.Bettinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134336297374772259noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6109832842143810472.post-59633464642262062382012-03-29T10:10:00.004-07:002012-03-29T15:40:50.457-07:00Smitten Kitchen's apple tart: Something special<i>I am not the kind of person who looks at many recipes and thinks, "let's make that exactly as it's written!"I either eyeball amounts, change the spices, change some ratios, taste and edit as I go. When I find a recipe that is an exception to this, I know I've found <b>something special</b> I have to share with you.</i><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9X92bHlfWTY/T3Oq6trLPxI/AAAAAAAAAbE/4AguHyV9T9g/s1600/appletartcloseup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9X92bHlfWTY/T3Oq6trLPxI/AAAAAAAAAbE/4AguHyV9T9g/s400/appletartcloseup.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready for my close-up, darling</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
I am the only person in my immediate family who loves pumpkin pie. As such, I am always in support of inviting others to our Thanksgiving celebration, because it means I can justify baking this traditional dessert, for the sake of our guests you know. Still, there has to be another dessert, and my mother asked for an apple pie.<br />
<br />
Want to know a secret? <br />
<a name='more'></a>I don't really like apple pie.<br />
<br />
Considering that we only have one pie pan (and my pumpkin pie was going in it, dammit!), and all the other cooking I needed to do, I thought about doing a free-form apple tart, sometimes called a galette, and came across a recipe the fabulous Deb at <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/">Smitten Kitchen</a> wrote about, calling it the "<a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2007/11/simplest-apple-tart/">simplest apple tart</a>," a recipe from <a href="http://www.chezpanisse.com/about/alice-waters/">Alice Waters</a> of Chez Panisse fame.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9RGcNafQTS4/T3Oq_fVl4mI/AAAAAAAAAbM/lofeTc9MDLI/s1600/peeled+apples.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9RGcNafQTS4/T3Oq_fVl4mI/AAAAAAAAAbM/lofeTc9MDLI/s320/peeled+apples.jpg" width="300" /></a>Want to know another secret?<br />
I honestly think this apple tart was the first time no one in my family suggested a change or criticism to something I had cooked. The pastry was perfect, the apples were not too tart nor too sweet. That's how I knew I had a winner. Oh, and I liked it too.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VkhyJQXmdy8/T3Oqvq0nchI/AAAAAAAAAa8/Ak585Pf5kyM/s1600/appletart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VkhyJQXmdy8/T3Oqvq0nchI/AAAAAAAAAa8/Ak585Pf5kyM/s320/appletart.jpg" width="300" /></a>It was such a winner that less than a month later I was making three more apple tarts, two to be served after Christmas dinner, and one that went straight into the freezer for my mom to enjoy at her leisure. And I made every one exactly according to Deb's recipe.<br />
<br />
Here's why I love <i>making</i> this tart in addition to <i>eating</i> it: I can make the pastry dough with a mixer instead of a food processor; I don't need a special pan to bake this, a baking sheet works just fine; and, the ingredients are easy to find and simple: apples, sugar, butter, flour, and salt.<br />
<br />
Do the apple-lovers in your life a favor and check out <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2007/11/simplest-apple-tart/">this recipe </a>(and many other treasures!) at <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/">Smitten Kitchen</a>.<br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 14px; text-align: justify;"></div><br />
<ul style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 14px; text-align: justify;"></ul>Bettinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134336297374772259noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6109832842143810472.post-29011104077327414232012-03-28T08:44:00.001-07:002012-03-28T20:12:55.382-07:00Light & creamy mashed potatoes: Classic comfort food dinner pt 3<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fFBMgq18lk4/T3KNiQ803HI/AAAAAAAAAa0/OzQu_BMR07o/s1600/IMG_2188.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fFBMgq18lk4/T3KNiQ803HI/AAAAAAAAAa0/OzQu_BMR07o/s400/IMG_2188.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Similar to the <a href="http://creamcheeseandfeelings.blogspot.com/2012/03/loaded-meatloaf-classic-comfort-food.html">meatloaf</a> I grew up with, I learned to make mashed potatoes differently than I do now. My mom taught me to "whip" the potatoes, breaking them apart and mixing them with cold milk and margarine with a hand mixer. Then, for several years I was a hand-mash devotee, heating my milk and butter together first then mashing the potatoes into a paradox of chunky smoothness.<br />
<br />
Over those years, I've seen and read about using a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004OCJQ/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=creacheeandfe-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00004OCJQ">Potato Ricer</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=creacheeandfe-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00004OCJQ" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> for mashed potatoes, and generally never tried it because 1) I liked my hand mashed potatoes so much, and 2) I didn't really feel like buying a ricer. Recently though, I realized I could push the soft cooked potatoes through a metal sieve with the same effect as a ricer, and haven't looked back since. This yields a fluffy, creamy texture that other methods don't produce. (Basically, a "ricer" extrudes the potato through small holes, similar to a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000CDVD7/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=creacheeandfe-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0000CDVD7">garlic press</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=creacheeandfe-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0000CDVD7" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> if you are familiar with those, or heck, the Play-Doh Fun Factory. The potatoes come out in small pieces resembling rice).<br />
<br />
Now, in my trials and errors, there is more to perfect mashed potatoes than ricing.<br />
<a name='more'></a> The first is the potatoes: I use Yukon Gold, which have a suitable starch content for boiling and mashing (whereas common Russets are more suited to baking or frying). The second is making sure the potatoes aren't watery before mashing, which is simply achieved by returning the drained, cooked potatoes to the pot for a few minutes to dry off. To avoid gluey potatoes, ricing significantly helps, as does heating your liquid (whether it's milk, half and half, or cream) before adding it to the potatoes. <br />
<br />
<b>Light and creamy mashed potatoes</b><br />
3 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes<br />
8 oz sour cream<br />
1 cup whole milk or half and half<br />
1/4 cup butter (1/2 a stick or 4 Tbsp), softened<br />
salt and pepper<br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xduD_Rid4V8/T3KNQ_Oj8jI/AAAAAAAAAak/5xg9RVPsqTA/s1600/IMG_2183.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xduD_Rid4V8/T3KNQ_Oj8jI/AAAAAAAAAak/5xg9RVPsqTA/s200/IMG_2183.jpg" width="200" /></a>Peel potatoes and cut in half, for equal sized pieces to cook evenly. Put in a pot and cover with cold water, and salt the water generously (about 1 Tbsp of salt).<br />
<br />
Bring to a boil, and cook until potatoes are tender. Check for doneness by piercing a potato with a knife or fork; they are done when the potato slides off (don't just trust one, check a couple). Drain potatoes, then return to the pot over low heat, letting the extra moisture evaporate (1-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until they stop steaming).<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vQmCEo_GTI0/T3KNZcx62YI/AAAAAAAAAas/DEdm7Dij5eA/s1600/IMG_2184.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vQmCEo_GTI0/T3KNZcx62YI/AAAAAAAAAas/DEdm7Dij5eA/s200/IMG_2184.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
Before you begin ricing the potatoes, put milk in a small saucepan and heat over medium-low heat (careful not to let it boil).<br />
<br />
Rice the potatoes into the warm pot, or, if you don't have a ricer like me, put them into a metal sieve and push through the holes with a wooden spoon. (If you don't have a ricer OR a metal sieve, and don't want to get one, you can use a hand masher but you won't get the same smooth fluffy results.)<br />
<br />
Fold in the softened butter and sour cream. Fold in half of the warm milk, letting the potatoes absorb it, then adding more if needed. Taste, and season with salt and pepper.<br />
<br />
<i>*This post contains affiliate links</i><br />
<br />
<a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcreamcheeseandfeelings.blogspot.com%2F2012%2F03%2Flight-creamy-mashed-potatoes-classic.html&media=http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F-fFBMgq18lk4%2FT3KNiQ803HI%2FAAAAAAAAAa0%2FOzQu_BMR07o%2Fs400%2FIMG_2188.jpg&description=Light%20and%20creamy%20mashed%20potatoes%20from%20Cream%20Cheese%20%26%20Feelings" class="pin-it-button" count-layout="horizontal"><img border="0" src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/PinExt.png" title="Pin It" /></a><br />
<script type="text/javascript" src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script>Bettinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134336297374772259noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6109832842143810472.post-63709235661850363472012-03-27T09:00:00.002-07:002012-03-28T23:45:27.858-07:00Lemony green beans w/ crispy shallots: Classic comfort food dinner pt 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_HzkCIjyP3M/T3FJlVOSEgI/AAAAAAAAAac/Iknz1mM9p0o/s1600/IMG_2187.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_HzkCIjyP3M/T3FJlVOSEgI/AAAAAAAAAac/Iknz1mM9p0o/s400/IMG_2187.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
I LOVE vegetables--I realize thus far looking at this blog you'd think I only love baked goods and pasta, but I really truly love vegetables. Except for green beans. I don't hate them, but they just don't make my heart flutter the way butternut squash and spinach and onions and brussels sprouts do, or the plethora of other vegetables I'll eat every which way I can.<br />
<br />
That is, until recently.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
I discovered a green bean dish that I'd say I love as much as roasted cauliflower (I really like roasted cauliflower). A combination of tender sweet green beans, the acidic tang of lemon, and slightly-greasy-in-a-totally-good-way fried shallots is pure vegetable magic.<br />
<br />
Dig in.<br />
<br />
<b>Lemony green beans with crispy shallots</b><br />
Serves 4-6<br />
<br />
1-2 Tbsp corn starch<br />
1 large or 2 small shallots<br />
cooking oil for frying (peanut, vegetable, canola, etc.)<br />
<br />
1 lbs green beans<br />
1 Tbsp salt (for boiling water)<br />
2 Tbsp butter<br />
Juice and zest of half a lemon<br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RvAmSRAt_K0/T3FJL1o6CRI/AAAAAAAAAaE/FmaGbQn4z9k/s1600/IMG_2176.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RvAmSRAt_K0/T3FJL1o6CRI/AAAAAAAAAaE/FmaGbQn4z9k/s200/IMG_2176.jpg" width="200" /></a>Peel shallots and slice very thinly. Mix with 1 tablespoon of corn starch, more if needed, to coat each slice.<br />
<br />
Heat an inch of oil in a wok. Once it starts to shimmer, test that it's hot by putting a pinch of corn starch in (if it just sinks, the oil isn't hot enough). Add all the corn starch coated shallots and fry until golden brown (keep them moving so they cook evenly, I like to use chopsticks so they don't stick). Remove with a spider spatula or slotted spoon, and drain on paper towels. Set aside until ready to serve*.<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vaMx9RqbB-E/T3FJTZwHnaI/AAAAAAAAAaM/UfaxJyXav8o/s1600/IMG_2181.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vaMx9RqbB-E/T3FJTZwHnaI/AAAAAAAAAaM/UfaxJyXav8o/s200/IMG_2181.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
Trim the ends off of green beans, and rinse clean.<br />
<br />
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil (large enough to fit all the beans). Add a tablespoon of salt, and all the beans. Cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes (a little less for very crunchy beans, a little more if you prefer them softer). Drain beans.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Zh_ysszcIek/T3FJbrtjA5I/AAAAAAAAAaU/qqu4mhSyvgM/s1600/IMG_2185.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Zh_ysszcIek/T3FJbrtjA5I/AAAAAAAAAaU/qqu4mhSyvgM/s200/IMG_2185.jpg" width="200" /></a>In the pot, over low heat, melt butter with lemon juice and zest. Toss in green beans, and season with salt and pepper to taste, making sure it's evenly coated.<br />
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Transfer to serving dish, and sprinkle crispy shallots over top.<br />
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*If you tend to snack while cooking, or have snackers wandering through your kitchen, definitely make extras of these.<br />
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<script type="text/javascript" src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script>Bettinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134336297374772259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6109832842143810472.post-12476182929521361122012-03-26T08:00:00.002-07:002012-03-28T23:45:27.859-07:00Loaded Meatloaf: Classic comfort food dinner pt 1<i>My friend Sam over at <a href="http://riggedup.blogspot.com/">RiggedUp!</a> asked me to share my meatloaf recipe with him, so since I was typing it up, I'm sharing it with all of you too. I've decided to make a theme out of it, and this week, I'll be posting my takes on recipes for a classic comfort food dinner.</i><br />
<br />
What's the meatloaf you remember from childhood? For me, it was basically a giant baked meatball, ground beef mixed with little more than some egg and breadcrumbs, overly meaty and greasy from being baked in a loaf pan.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q0AqvcfVv2U/T2-uzm6vgWI/AAAAAAAAAZ4/S0gQ9APRmxM/s1600/meatloaf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q0AqvcfVv2U/T2-uzm6vgWI/AAAAAAAAAZ4/S0gQ9APRmxM/s400/meatloaf.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<a name='more'></a>When I started to cook for myself, I explored a lot of recipes and food items that varied vastly from what I was raised on (I remember a phase of peanut butter rebellion early in college where I tried almost all the brands the grocery store had before finally realizing I did in fact like the kind my mom always bought best). The first meatloaf I made was with <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/good-eats-meat-loaf-recipe/index.html">Alton Brown's Good Eats recipe</a>--I almost couldn't believe there were supposed to be so many ingredients in meatloaf, but trusted Alton to guide me, and as always, I wasn't disappointed.<br />
<br />
His recipe is amazing as is, really. I feel a little silly posting the link to his and then sharing mine, but I have made adaptions for a higher vegetable to meat ratio (thus the "loaded"), a smaller recipe (serving 4-6 instead of 6-8) and slightly smaller portion of meat, and to adjust for what I tend to have on hand in my pantry. I'd call my version simplified, but I do add the step of sauteing the vegetables, which I think adds a bit more depth of flavor, especially necessary if you are using ground turkey instead of beef.<br />
<br />
<b>Loaded Meatloaf</b><br />
<i>Serves 4-6</i><br />
<br />
1 1/2 lbs ground beef (or ground turkey)<br />
1/2 yellow onion<br />
1 carrot, peeled<br />
1 large rib of celery<br />
1/2 red bell pepper<br />
2 cloves garlic<br />
1 Tbsp olive oil<br />
1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
1/2 tsp black pepper<br />
1/4 tsp cumin<br />
1/4 tsp cayenne<br />
1/2 cup barbecue sauce (I like <a href="http://www.sweetbabyrays.com/">Sweet Baby Ray's</a>)<br />
<div><br />
</div>Preheat oven to 325°F.<br />
<br />
Chop (but don't puree) onion, carrots, celery, garlic and red bell pepper in a food processor. Heat olive oil in a sauce pan, and saute vegetables until golden and softened. Season with the black pepper, cumin, and cayenne. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.<br />
<br />
In a large bowl, gently combine ground beef or turkey with the vegetables, bread crumbs, and salt using your hands or a spatula. Beat the egg in a small bowl, then gently mix into the meat mixture, combining thoroughly (you want everything mixed together well, but still kind of "fluffy," not dense).<br />
<br />
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Put the meatloaf mixture in the middle of the pan and form into a loaf (I like mine sort of short and wide, for a larger exterior surface.<br />
<br />
Bake 20 minutes, then spread barbecue sauce over the top. Bake another 25-40 minutes (total time 45 minutes to an hour), or until internal temperature reaches 160°F.<br />
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<a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcreamcheeseandfeelings.blogspot.com%2F2012%2F03%2Floaded-meatloaf-classic-comfort-food.html&media=http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F-q0AqvcfVv2U%2FT2-uzm6vgWI%2FAAAAAAAAAZ4%2FS0gQ9APRmxM%2Fs400%2Fmeatloaf.jpg&description=Loaded%20meatloaf%20from%20Cream%20Cheese%20%26%20Feelings" class="pin-it-button" count-layout="horizontal"><img border="0" src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/PinExt.png" title="Pin It" /></a><br />
<script type="text/javascript" src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script>Bettinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134336297374772259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6109832842143810472.post-32285652549793763112012-03-23T08:42:00.004-07:002012-03-28T23:44:17.596-07:00Best thing you aren't* eating: avocado toast<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="background-color: #e4f2eb; line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.5193696587812155"><span style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*A “Best thing you aren’t eating” post, in which I share recipes that are so easy you can barely call them recipes, for things so simply delightful that I don’t know why I didn’t eat them before or why I’m not eating the</span></b><b><span style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">m everyday, and on the off chance you haven’t eaten them, it would be very very rude for me not to share.</span></b></span></i></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EHaG9XlJljM/T2vuP3kiSdI/AAAAAAAAAYY/epl-MOaR6HU/s1600/P3010040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EHaG9XlJljM/T2vuP3kiSdI/AAAAAAAAAYY/epl-MOaR6HU/s400/P3010040.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Snack, breakfast, part of a lunch, there's really no time that's not a <i>great</i> time to eat avocado toast. I was first inspired to try this after <a href="http://weightmaven.org/2010/01/05/alton-browns-live-and-let-diet/">an episode of Good Eats</a> where Alton Brown talked about the foods he ate to lose 50 pounds (if you're a fan, it wasn't hard to notice he both gained some weight and then lost it again). One recipe was <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/sherried-sardine-toast-recipe/index.html">toast with avocado and sardines</a>, a healthy combination of carbs, protein and good-for-you fats.<br />
<br />
While I've admittedly not tried Alton's version (though nothing's ever made me want to try sardines so much), and I can't say anything about it's taste, I can say that the simple combination of toasted bread with ripe avocado is one of my life's simple pleasures.<br />
<br />
<b>Here's your non-recipe:</b><br />
-Toast a piece of bread (I like high quality wheat bread or sourdough).<br />
-Cut and pit a ripe avocado. Scoop out 1/4-1/2 of the flesh (I usually do 1/4 but hey, live it up if you like!), and mash directly onto the bread (if the bread is more fragile, mash the flesh in the shell then spread gently).<br />
-Sprinkle with a pinch of kosher or sea salt OR sugar (both are great compliments, just depends if you want something sweet or salty).<br />
-Eat. Eat eat eat.<br />
<br />
I'm so glad I live in California again.<br />
<br />
<a class="pin-it-button" count-layout="horizontal" href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcreamcheeseandfeelings.blogspot.com%2F2012%2F03%2Fbest-thing-you-arent-eating-avocado.html&media=http%3A%2F%2F1.bp.blogspot.com%2F-EHaG9XlJljM%2FT2vuP3kiSdI%2FAAAAAAAAAYY%2Fepl-MOaR6HU%2Fs400%2FP3010040.JPG&description=Avocado%20toast%20from%20Cream%20cheese%20%26%20feelings"><img border="0" src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/PinExt.png" title="Pin It" /></a><br />
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</script>Bettinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134336297374772259noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6109832842143810472.post-65431981403151359652012-03-20T16:08:00.001-07:002012-03-21T10:58:54.506-07:00Recipe testing for a new cookbook<span style="text-align: center;">Earlier this month I was selected to test recipes for a new cookbook from </span><a href="http://www.steamykitchen.com/" style="text-align: center;">Steamy Kitchen</a><span style="text-align: center;"> blogger Jaden Hair. The cookbook is all about healthy, simple Asian recipes, which is a bit of a diversion from my usual style of cooking.</span><br />
<br />
It's been an awesome opportunity to be a part of this behind the scenes process (well, that makes it sound a bit more glamourous than it is, but ok!). I've even had some dreams about it... like meeting Jaden, and shopping for mangoes. One of the challenges of food blogging for me is writing recipes that are easy to follow--so following someone else's recipes as closely as possible has been a valuable experience for me as a writer.<br />
<br />
Understandably, I can't share the recipes with you (for that, you'll have to get the book!), but here's some food porn (food porn-y because of Jaden's delicious recipes, certainly not my photography "skills") for you (click on photos to enlarge):<br />
<div style="text-align: left;"></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EA-W44VgCaA/T2gDRZ2s80I/AAAAAAAAAWI/4OF9zI5V5Bk/s1600/IMG_2536.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="126" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EA-W44VgCaA/T2gDRZ2s80I/AAAAAAAAAWI/4OF9zI5V5Bk/s200/IMG_2536.JPG" width="168" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scallion dipping sauce</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cBNHHcnj5bQ/T2gDgpA_pAI/AAAAAAAAAWY/q-7rkRrZDpQ/s1600/IMG_2527.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="126" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cBNHHcnj5bQ/T2gDgpA_pAI/AAAAAAAAAWY/q-7rkRrZDpQ/s200/IMG_2527.JPG" width="168" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Edamame noodle salad</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nolfiCLZlQU/T2gJcmreFsI/AAAAAAAAAXA/EzVwshK2Sj0/s1600/P3190001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="126" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nolfiCLZlQU/T2gJcmreFsI/AAAAAAAAAXA/EzVwshK2Sj0/s200/P3190001.JPG" width="168" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carrots w/ sesame & ponzu</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eh4X4rGob6A/T2gJfJkeDxI/AAAAAAAAAXI/j9HaLJt8uwA/s1600/P3190006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="126" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eh4X4rGob6A/T2gJfJkeDxI/AAAAAAAAAXI/j9HaLJt8uwA/s200/P3190006.JPG" width="168" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crispy rice patties</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PGZRekibe3M/T2gJg01omqI/AAAAAAAAAXQ/kAbJW24FM04/s1600/P3190008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="126" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PGZRekibe3M/T2gJg01omqI/AAAAAAAAAXQ/kAbJW24FM04/s200/P3190008.JPG" width="168" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom's pow-pow sauce</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TU5fmsk3ZvU/T2gJjKnZaKI/AAAAAAAAAXY/3XGAWDLQ4gI/s1600/P3190010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="126" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TU5fmsk3ZvU/T2gJjKnZaKI/AAAAAAAAAXY/3XGAWDLQ4gI/s200/P3190010.JPG" width="168" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A combination for lunch!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zdqvHONBU-Q/T2kMcSLK4PI/AAAAAAAAAYI/Sga4B-yhzho/s1600/chicken+soup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="126" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zdqvHONBU-Q/T2kMcSLK4PI/AAAAAAAAAYI/Sga4B-yhzho/s200/chicken+soup.jpg" width="168" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Healing chicken ginger soup</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dSBw91XZMB4/T2gJnuMTfNI/AAAAAAAAAXo/SiZjZRZa-hY/s1600/P3190023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="126" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dSBw91XZMB4/T2gJnuMTfNI/AAAAAAAAAXo/SiZjZRZa-hY/s200/P3190023.JPG" width="168" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roasted squash</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p4pn64-Tq38/T2gKjHw2F4I/AAAAAAAAAXw/UX4Ad4CyNic/s1600/photo+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="126" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p4pn64-Tq38/T2gKjHw2F4I/AAAAAAAAAXw/UX4Ad4CyNic/s200/photo+(1).JPG" width="168" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carrot ginger juice (& pulp)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VCfdo8xtfOE/T2gDmUBDwSI/AAAAAAAAAWo/6JEyhjhLAHE/s1600/IMG_2539.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="126" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VCfdo8xtfOE/T2gDmUBDwSI/AAAAAAAAAWo/6JEyhjhLAHE/s200/IMG_2539.JPG" width="168" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roasted chestnuts</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F5Kf4tJcyD8/T2kMV5CvdQI/AAAAAAAAAX4/5NJaH6XZ51g/s1600/P3200007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="126" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F5Kf4tJcyD8/T2kMV5CvdQI/AAAAAAAAAX4/5NJaH6XZ51g/s200/P3200007.JPG" width="168" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eggs w/ pow-pow sauce</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FVOJaJy_H74/T2kMYPF693I/AAAAAAAAAYA/Se3N-XsqZsE/s1600/P3200018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="126" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FVOJaJy_H74/T2kMYPF693I/AAAAAAAAAYA/Se3N-XsqZsE/s200/P3200018.JPG" width="168" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mango brulee</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Bettinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134336297374772259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6109832842143810472.post-11101351068176113702012-03-12T16:43:00.003-07:002012-03-28T23:45:14.646-07:00Simple shrimp pasta<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oOyd5K3PrPA/T16HHc3CYSI/AAAAAAAAAS8/cvdHPHbPYhs/s1600/pasta2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oOyd5K3PrPA/T16HHc3CYSI/AAAAAAAAAS8/cvdHPHbPYhs/s400/pasta2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>I've been asked by a handful of people if I would teach them to cook. It's always an adventure teaching someone something, especially if you aren't used to being a teacher.<br />
<br />
This is the recipe I wish I had thought of during those times. There must be thousands of recipes for shrimp pasta littering the internet, but with good reason. It's simple but covers several techniques that are useful for many dishes. As a meal, this can also come together in well under 30 minutes.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>I should say that a few times I tried to teach people to cook, it didn't end very well, so I'm not going to try to explain all the techniques, but rather offer this recipe as a good one to try if you're learning to cook. There are much better resources on the internet for how to do the techniques required (which I'll emphasize in bold below), that I recommend searching for the ones that make sense to you, or referencing a really great, well-worn traditional cookbook for tips.<br />
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To make a complete meal, I like to serve this with a green salad or grilled asparagus and mushrooms on the side, but you could certainly toss vegetables in with the pasta. Peas (with or without asparagus) would be nice as well, or diced tomatoes.<br />
<br />
<b>Simple Shrimp Pasta</b><br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qvSKnUNo_Rc/T16GtquBt_I/AAAAAAAAASc/5SGhWuGxtBs/s1600/boiling+pasta.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qvSKnUNo_Rc/T16GtquBt_I/AAAAAAAAASc/5SGhWuGxtBs/s200/boiling+pasta.jpg" width="200" /></a><i>Serves 4-6</i><br />
<br />
1 lb large shrimp<br />
1 lb pasta<br />
2-3 cloves of garlic, to taste<br />
1 tsp red pepper flake<br />
1 Tbsp olive oil<br />
1/2 cup white wine<br />
juice of 1/2 lemon<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0I36aJYPg7I/T16G5WpxuYI/AAAAAAAAASs/Qcas0nn36iY/s1600/garlic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0I36aJYPg7I/T16G5WpxuYI/AAAAAAAAASs/Qcas0nn36iY/s200/garlic.jpg" width="200" /></a>1 Tbsp butter<br />
1/4 cup chopped parsley<br />
<br />
<b>Peel and devein</b> the shrimp if you didn't buy it already peeled and deveined. Rinse.<br />
<br />
Bring a pot of water to <b>rolling boil</b> (cover for it to boil faster), and add a generous amount of salt (about 2 Tbsp, but you can eyeball it). Cook pasta according to the box. Drain and reserve cooking water for sauce.<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZjOcSM9pt-8/T16GzhuY43I/AAAAAAAAASk/S1FAz9KQQIw/s1600/cooking+shrimp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZjOcSM9pt-8/T16GzhuY43I/AAAAAAAAASk/S1FAz9KQQIw/s200/cooking+shrimp.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
Meanwhile,* <b>crush</b> garlic cloves for easy peeling, then <b>chop</b> into small pieces.<br />
<br />
Heat olive oil over medium heat, and add chopped garlic and red pepper flakes. <b>Saute</b> for about a minute (careful that the garlic doesn't burn!), then add shrimp.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Hs5AA2X45QE/T16HAa36ldI/AAAAAAAAAS0/iW8-r9To5jg/s1600/pasta+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Hs5AA2X45QE/T16HAa36ldI/AAAAAAAAAS0/iW8-r9To5jg/s200/pasta+1.jpg" width="200" /></a>When shrimp just starts to turn pink, reduce heat to low and add lemon juice, white wine, and 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally until sauce has slightly <b>reduced and thickened</b>, and shrimp has cooked through. Swirl in butter to finish sauce.<br />
<br />
<b>Toss</b> in drained pasta with the shrimp, and top with <b>chopped</b> parsley. Serve hot, with a few cracks of fresh black pepper.<br />
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*N.B. To save the most time, cook everything else while while the pasta cooks.<br />
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</script>Bettinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134336297374772259noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6109832842143810472.post-1334616912921942852012-02-28T14:43:00.004-08:002012-03-29T21:35:33.958-07:00Best thing you aren't* eating: brownie bites<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xTO6DR9K8kQ/T00cbA8XcLI/AAAAAAAAARk/9wJorTCoXvI/s1600/P8200009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="295" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xTO6DR9K8kQ/T00cbA8XcLI/AAAAAAAAARk/9wJorTCoXvI/s400/P8200009.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><i><b id="internal-source-marker_0.5193696587812155"><span style="font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
*A “Best thing you aren’t eating” post, in which I share recipes that are so easy you can barely call them recipes, for things so simply delightful that I don’t know why I didn’t eat them before or why I’m not eating the</span></span></b><b><span style="font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">m everyday, and on the off chance you haven’t eaten them, it would be very very rude for me not to share.</span></span></b></i></div><div><br />
This post is a bit of a two-fer, a simple recipe that led to the discovery of the true "best thing you aren't eating." Looking for something to bring to a family party, I decided on making brownie bites (you can call them brownie truffles if you're feeling fancy).</div><r><br />
</r><br />
<div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z3COnbbdAxc/T00cRPQXRYI/AAAAAAAAARM/z1z7SGDgH-A/s1600/P8200004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z3COnbbdAxc/T00cRPQXRYI/AAAAAAAAARM/z1z7SGDgH-A/s200/P8200004.JPG" width="200" /></a><b><span style="text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Brownie bites/truffles</span></span></b></div><br />
-Bake your favorite brownie recipe or box mix according to directions, let cool completely.<br />
<br />
-Trim the crunchy edges (bonus snack!) and cut brownie into small squares (mine were a little smaller than 1x1inches)<br />
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-Roll squares into balls (this will get messy)<br />
<div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q_O_ttusv8Q/T00cXo58hqI/AAAAAAAAARc/AEKRl5Yifaw/s1600/P8200006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="148" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q_O_ttusv8Q/T00cXo58hqI/AAAAAAAAARc/AEKRl5Yifaw/s200/P8200006.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
-Freeze for at least 30 minutes<br />
<br />
-To coat, melt chocolate in a double boiler or the microwave (zap in 30 second intervals, stirring after each, until melted)</div><br />
-Stick a skewer in each ball to dip in the chocolate, shake off the excess and set on wax paper and let harden (either in a cool room or the freezer). Leave plain like to the left, or add sprinkles like above.</div><div><b><span style="font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
I was worried about transporting them during the hour drive. This led to some research on how brownies would freeze (the answer is GREAT) and reading several comments from people addicted to eating brownies straight out of the freezer. </span></span></b></div><br />
Here's the bonus part. I was skeptical but I cannot emphasize this enough: <b>eat a frozen brownie</b>. Try just one. And then tell me you don't want to do it again, I dare you. They don't freeze solid, but instead get intensely chewy and fudgy and heavenly.<br />
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</script>Bettinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134336297374772259noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6109832842143810472.post-56346447698162775622012-02-20T14:37:00.000-08:002012-03-28T23:43:45.929-07:00Bettina bakes all the things: yogurt cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A9Q4ZvTT2GQ/TztWlGryDhI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/ZUCK8FWVEG0/s1600/yogurt+cake+whole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A9Q4ZvTT2GQ/TztWlGryDhI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/ZUCK8FWVEG0/s400/yogurt+cake+whole.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
In my last job, I took on the role of office birthday baker. It was a nice opportunity for me, who lived alone, to try new recipes and not worry about eating entire cakes or batches of cookies on my own. Sometimes though, when a birthday was in the middle of the week, or when I had to work late the night before, it was helpful to have a recipe I could rely on to come together quickly, easily, and deliciously.<br />
<br />
For those times, that recipe was a yogurt poundcake. One bowl, no electric mixers, and one pan.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
This is still a favorite in my recipe arsenal, and it's super adaptable. I start with this <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Yogurt-Cake-with-Marmalade-Glaze-231588">recipe</a> from Epicurious and change it based on what I'm feeling or have on hand. Last week, I decided to whip up a cake when my sister came over for dinner, and this orange version got rave reviews (I wasn't allowed to have any of the leftovers!). This cake is moist, dense, almost custardy in the middle, but gets the same nice brown edges as a more sinful poundcake.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i9U7L98OVFQ/TztWke7E35I/AAAAAAAAAQw/_J0Q2zQ0hSs/s1600/yogurt+cake+slice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i9U7L98OVFQ/TztWke7E35I/AAAAAAAAAQw/_J0Q2zQ0hSs/s400/yogurt+cake+slice.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See that beautiful custardy cross-section?</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
The biggest differences between the recipe below and the original is 1) after making it so many times, you really don't need to put the dry ingredients in a separate bowl, and 2) since I used flavored yogurt, I reduced the sugar; you might want to increase the sugar to 3/4 or 1 cup if using plain yogurt.<br />
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I really think the possibilities are near endless with this recipe. Switch out the yogurt flavors or the zest, add extracts, and fruit chunks or chocolate chips or nuts, dust with powdered sugar instead of a glaze, spread with jam, or drizzle with melted chocolate. Double the recipe to make a bundt. I've even used mashed ripe bananas in place of the oil, which cuts a significant amount of fat. What flavor combinations do you think would be best?<br />
<br />
<b>Orange Scented Yogurt Cake</b><br />
1 1/2 c flour<br />
2 tsp baking powder<br />
1/4 tsp salt<br />
1 c light vanilla yogurt<br />
1/2 c sugar<br />
3 large eggs<br />
finely grated peel of 3 oranges (about 3-4 Tbsp)<br />
1/2 c vegetable oil<br />
<br />
<b>For glaze</b><br />
1c powdered sugar<br />
juice of 1 orange (or less, as needed)<br />
<div><br />
</div>Preheat oven to 350 degrees.<br />
<br />
Butter or spray a loaf pan or 8-inch round pan.<br />
<br />
In a large bowl, beat eggs, and mix in yogurt, sugar, and orange zest, whisking until thoroughly blended. Sift in dry ingredients, and carefully whisk together. Using a spatula, fold in the oil gradually until blended. <br />
<br />
Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake until the cake pulls away slightly from the sides of the pan, and knife or toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 50 minutes.<br />
<br />
Cool the cake on a rack for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides if needed, and invert onto rack (if using a loaf pan, turn it back upright, for the round it's up to you), and cool completely.<br />
<br />
To make the glaze, mix orange juice 1 tablespoon at a time into powdered sugar until smooth and at desired thickness, and drizzle or spread over the top of the cake.<br />
<br />
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</script>Bettinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134336297374772259noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6109832842143810472.post-42777649997759800602012-02-05T13:43:00.000-08:002012-03-28T20:13:22.622-07:00Super (spinach salad in a) Bowl<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uylBvOrNnPg/Ty7h8Qm6iDI/AAAAAAAAAQQ/EOrCcuC7XXE/s1600/spinach+salad.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uylBvOrNnPg/Ty7h8Qm6iDI/AAAAAAAAAQQ/EOrCcuC7XXE/s400/spinach+salad.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
When you're done eating wings, nachos, and other delicious things no one invited me to bring to their Super Bowl party today, you might want something a little lighter, but still delicious, to eat this coming week.<br />
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Here's a simple recipe for a spinach salad. The instructions below are for four side servings or two entree servings. At the end I've included some suggestions of add-ins, especially to bulk it up or change it up, as this salad and dressing is a great starting point for whatever your heart desires.<br />
<br />
<b>Basic Spinach Salad</b><br />
4 c spinach<br />
4 strips turkey bacon<br />
1/2 medium red onion<br />
<br />
<b>Honey Dijon Dressing </b>(makes enough for another salad)<br />
1tbsp dijon mustard<br />
juice of 1 lemon<br />
1/4 c olive oil<br />
1/2 tbsp honey<br />
a few turns of fresh ground pepper<br />
<br />
Fry bacon according to package, until crisp. Drain on a paper towel and let cool. Crumble or chop into small pieces when cool enough to touch.<br />
<br />
Slice onions thinly. In the same pan as the bacon, using the bacon drippings (if it isn't sufficient, add up to 1 tsp of olive oil), cook onions over low heat until deep in color and caramelized, about 20 minutes (if you're short on time, sprinkle a pinch of sugar over it and watch carefully, but that will cheat the right color a bit, though it won't have the same flavor). Once caramelized, remove from heat.<br />
<br />
To make honey dijon dressing, add all ingredients to a small jar or lidded container, and shake vigorously, until combined.<br />
<br />
Toss 4 cups of spinach with half of dressing (more or less to taste) and all of onions and bacon, just before serving.<br />
<br />
<b>Some superfood additions:</b><br />
-sliced strawberries or blueberries<br />
-toasted walnuts, sliced almonds, or unsalted sunflower kernels<br />
-orange or grapefruit segments<br />
-artichoke hearts or hearts of palm<br />
-halved grapes or grape tomatoes (you don't <i>really</i> need to half them, but I like it more that way)<br />
-roasted beets<br />
-shelled edamame or roasted corn<br />
-grilled, roasted, or poached salmon or chicken<br />
<br />
<b>Some superdelicious additions:</b><br />
-candied or spiced walnuts or pecans<br />
-dried cranberries or raisins<br />
-sliced hard boiled egg<br />
-fresh chèvre (soft goat cheese) or chèvre croutons (chèvre sliced, breaded, fried, and served warm)<br />
-shaved parmesan cheese<br />
-chunks of bleu cheese<br />
-sliced medium-rare steak<br />
-my <a href="http://creamcheeseandfeelings.blogspot.com/2012/01/macaroni-and-easy-cheesy.html#more">Macaroni and Easy Cheesy</a> (on the side though!)<br />
<br />
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</script>Bettinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134336297374772259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6109832842143810472.post-33845781656492277572012-01-28T09:40:00.001-08:002012-03-28T23:45:04.231-07:00Macaroni and Easy Cheesy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BKu3TQrayM4/TxOsvfhT0jI/AAAAAAAAANM/sF3kGbWyCts/s1600/IMG_2385.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BKu3TQrayM4/TxOsvfhT0jI/AAAAAAAAANM/sF3kGbWyCts/s400/IMG_2385.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>I have a friend I've known since I was six years old, who before a few weeks ago, had only eaten one of my home-cooked meals. Nonetheless, that single meal, macaroni and cheese, was enough to get her testimony that she thinks I'm a great cook. Unfortunately, it's not often anymore that we are both in the same area, and when that overlapped earlier this month, we decided to have another macaroni and cheese date.<br />
<br />
The first time I had cooked for her, several years ago, I used a mac n cheese recipe from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0517452502/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=creacheeandfe-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0517452502">Campbell's Creative Cooking with Soup</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=creacheeandfe-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0517452502" style="border-bottom-style: none !important; border-color: initial !important; border-image: initial !important; border-left-style: none !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-top-style: none !important; border-width: initial !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px !important; margin-right: 0px !important; margin-top: 0px !important;" width="1" />, which used cheddar cheese soup as the base for the sauce. Since then I've made many variations of macaroni and cheese totally from scratch, but I wanted to do something that met a bit in the middle for my friend, as to not totally stray from the original dish, but to step up the taste and texture a little. Thus, I'll call this my shortcut, weekday, <i>they'll-never-know-if-you-don't-tell-them</i> macaroni and easy cheesy: quick to pull together with a few shortcuts, but satisfying, creamy, and of course cheesy.<br />
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<br />
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<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FdDTaXKtBPA/TxOsnVTZRfI/AAAAAAAAAM8/EO1o4bTanIg/s1600/IMG_2376.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FdDTaXKtBPA/TxOsnVTZRfI/AAAAAAAAAM8/EO1o4bTanIg/s320/IMG_2376.JPG" width="320" /></a><b>INGREDIENTS</b><br />
1/2 lb elbow macaroni or other shaped pasta<br />
1/2 tbsp olive oil<br />
1/4 onion, diced fine<br />
16oz Alfredo sauce<br />
1/2 c milk<br />
2c shredded sharp cheddar (about 1/2 lb)<br />
1 tbsp butter, divided<br />
salt, only if needed to taste<br />
1/2 tsp pepper<br />
1/2 tsp paprika<br />
1/4 cup bread crumbs, plain or seasoned<br />
<br />
<b>DIRECTIONS</b><br />
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.<br />
<br />
Cook 6 oz elbow macaroni just past al dente, according to instructions on box. Drain and set aside.<br />
<br />
Rub 1/2 Tbsp of softened butter on the bottom and sides of 1 1/2 quart casserole. Set aside<br />
<div><br />
</div>Sweat the onion in olive oil over low heat until translucent. Add Alfredo sauce, 1c of cheese, and milk. Heat until cheese is just melted and combined. Stir in pepper and paprika. Toss sauce with pasta and 1/2 cup of cheese.* Transfer into buttered casserole, and bake 20 minutes or until hot.<br />
<br />
<i>*If you prefer stovetop macaroni or don't have time to bake it, don't add any milk, and finish here, serving hot.</i><br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XiyKz-QjsAs/TxOsrJRqEPI/AAAAAAAAANE/AhZtOFGWKSI/s1600/IMG_2378.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XiyKz-QjsAs/TxOsrJRqEPI/AAAAAAAAANE/AhZtOFGWKSI/s320/IMG_2378.JPG" width="320" /></a>Meanwhile, melt remaining 1/2 Tbsp butter over low heat, and stir in 1/4 cup bread crumbs, tossing until golden and toasted. Remove from heat until needed (for next step).<br />
<br />
Stir macaroni, then sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese, and toasted bread crumbs. Bake 5 more minutes, or until cheese is melted. Let sit 5 minutes before serving (it'll be hard, but it will stave off visits to the emergency room for tongue burns).<br />
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Serves 4-6 (but I won't judge ya if it's 1-2)<br />
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<i>*This post contains affiliate links</i><br />
<br />
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</script>Bettinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134336297374772259noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6109832842143810472.post-45569838661225547532012-01-26T17:07:00.000-08:002012-01-28T09:21:20.766-08:00About that feelings part<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DNQ5wlVADRw/TxslXbph4jI/AAAAAAAAANg/LvDgWYx5OQo/s1600/IMG_2397.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DNQ5wlVADRw/TxslXbph4jI/AAAAAAAAANg/LvDgWYx5OQo/s400/IMG_2397.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Welcome to Cream Cheese and Feelings, my food blog baby.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">As the subtitle above says, yes, this is yet another food blog. I know I've thrown my hat into the massive rodeo of food blogs, and I'd be honored to get even the status equivalent of the rodeo clown.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Still, if you're a friend, you know how important food is to me and my life. If you're not a friend, I hope you'll not only become one, but also learn about my passion for food. <b id="internal-source-marker_0.46414913586340845"><span style="font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I believe food plays an important role in culture and people’s lives--it’s comfort, nourishment, energy, community. I like to cook food, eat food, look at food, share food, read about food and write about food. You can expect original recipes, adaptations of others, my opinions about food and the future of food, book and blog recommendations, and stories about people and life coming together around food. </span></b></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thanks for coming by, and I hope you'll come back </span><span style="text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Saturday</span><span style="font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for the first new recipe!</span></b></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">-Bettina</span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*I can't publish this post without crediting the fabulous name of this blog to my fabulous friend. Thank you, <a href="https://plus.google.com/102263297926592781332/posts">Leah</a>!*</span></b><br />
<br />
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<script type="text/javascript" src="http://assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script>Bettinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134336297374772259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6109832842143810472.post-20600047804901435582011-12-31T23:48:00.000-08:002012-03-28T23:43:45.929-07:00Farmers' Market Friday : peach & blueberry cobbler<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Originally posted September 9, 2011 on <a href="http://bettinawrites.blogspot.com/2011/09/farmers-market-friday-peach-blueberry.html">Bettina Writes</a>. </i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br />
</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FWy9aMWaAKs/TmpDwg1_tII/AAAAAAAAAHw/_VuK0r-wvV0/s1600/IMG_0847.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FWy9aMWaAKs/TmpDwg1_tII/AAAAAAAAAHw/_VuK0r-wvV0/s400/IMG_0847.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
One of <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/caramel-peach-upside-down-cake-recipe/index.html">my favorite cakes I've made</a> features caramelized peaches with a buttery cake textured with the addition of cornmeal. I've made it as is with just peaches, or added blueberries to the peaches, or switched them out for nectarines or plums. It's delicious, but a little time consuming to make, so I was looking for a way to get the same flavors together in an easier format, when I came across <a href="http://www.freshfarmmarkets.org/recipeviewer.php?RecipeId=488">this recipe</a> for peach cobbler with cornmeal biscuit topping, from the website for the same farmers' market from where I bought my peaches and berries.<br />
<br />
I've adapted the recipe slightly--the one on Fresh Farm's website sounds great as is, but I love the combination of peaches with blueberries (and I like to make cobbler topping with powdered sugar for the texture). I made a large version for a Labor Day BBQ to say goodbye to summer; I had to leave before the cobbler was served, but I was assured it was "scarfed down"... which is exactly what I did with the individual portion I ate for breakfast this morning.<i> (NB: don't miss the bonus recipe at the bottom!)</i><br />
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<h2 class="kv-ingred" style="margin-bottom: 7px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">INGREDIENTS</span></h2><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DOhVlTJfH9s/Tmo_Tozqy-I/AAAAAAAAAHo/Q-4KQaJMYOA/s1600/IMG_0698.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DOhVlTJfH9s/Tmo_Tozqy-I/AAAAAAAAAHo/Q-4KQaJMYOA/s320/IMG_0698.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">You'll notice I forgot to peel my peaches.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>2 pounds peaches<br />
2 cups blueberries<br />
1/4 cup sugar<br />
3 tablespoons cornstarch<br />
2 tablespoons lemon juice<br />
<br />
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour<br />
1/2 cup cornmeal<br />
2/3 cup powdered sugar<br />
1 teaspoon salt<br />
2 teaspoons baking powder<br />
1 1/2 cups heavy cream<br />
2 tablespoons melted butter<br />
1 tbsp granulated sugar<br />
<br />
<h2 class="kv-ingred" style="margin-bottom: 7px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">DIRECTIONS</span></h2>Preheat oven to 375 degrees.<br />
<br />
Using a vegetable peeler, peel the peached and cut into cubes. Mix peaches, blueberries, sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice in a bowl (or right in the 2-quart dish you'll bake this in, at least 2 inches deep--or individual ramekins as pictured above).<br />
<br />
For the cobbler topping, combine all dry ingredients (except granulated sugar). Stir in cream to make stiff dough (like a biscuit*). If you can, let the dough rest 10-15 minutes (but for the large cobbler I made I did no such thing and it turned out fine).<br />
<br />
You can roll the dough out into a 3/4 inch thick rectangle, then use a straight edge to cut the dough into cubes carefully arranged on top of the fruit. Or, you can pat it out to the shape of your dish/dishes and cover the entire dish in one go, or pat the dough out and tear off pieces and drop those on top of the fruit. It will taste delicious no matter what.<br />
<br />
If you cut the dough into cubes, before cutting it, brush with melted butter and sprinkle with the granulated sugar. If you use one big piece or a couple of big pieces, you can wait to do this until putting the dough on top of the fruit, but you'll want to make sure you do this, for crunch (from the sugar) and color (from the butter).<br />
<br />
Bake until the juice the fruit has rendered is bubbling (the blueberries will turn that deep purple they tend to once they've cooked), and the biscuits are golden brown, at least 30 minutes but possible more. Make sure the biscuits are baked through.<br />
<br />
Let the cobbler cool a bit before eating--and definitely serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream if you have it.<br />
<br />
*Bonus recipe: reduce the sugar to 1/4 cup and add some fresh rosemary or thyme, sprinkle with more herbs or cheese before baking, and this makes a killer savory biscuit or pot pie topping!<br />
<br />
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<script type="text/javascript" src="http://assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script>Bettinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134336297374772259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6109832842143810472.post-27143352282197228552011-12-31T23:46:00.000-08:002012-03-28T23:44:17.597-07:00Farmers' Market Friday : figs & ricotta<div><i>Originally posted September 2, 2011 on <a href="http://bettinawrites.blogspot.com/2011/09/farmers-market-friday-figs-ricotta.html">Bettina Writes</a>. </i></div><div><i><br />
</i><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nqt6FZEqf-s/TmA2892yQxI/AAAAAAAAAHU/NhpdKnnZnAg/s1600/IMG_0589.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nqt6FZEqf-s/TmA2892yQxI/AAAAAAAAAHU/NhpdKnnZnAg/s400/IMG_0589.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">One weekend's farmers' market bounties</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">So, the title of this post is a little misleading. My <a href="http://freshfarmmarkets.org/markets/dupont_circle.html">local farmers' market</a> is actually on Sundays, but 1) posting this on Friday gives me time to cook, eat and write, and 2) I like alliteration. Here's something I put together using mostly ingredients from said market. Call it a tartine, a crostini, an open-faced sandwich--whatever you call it, it makes a tasty <span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">hors d'œuvre</span>, snack, breakfast or lunch. But first, a little bit more on farmers' markets.</span><br />
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</div><div>I've mentioned the farmers' market before, and there's a reason I'm mentioning it again. Farmers' markets bring together several of my favorite things:<br />
<br />
<dd>-<i>small businesses</i>: often times, I'm buying food from the same person who grew or raised it, not after it's passed 20 hands to get in my cart</dd><dd>-<i>environmental sustainability</i>: the food doesn't travel very far, and even farms that aren't certified organic tend to use organic practices</dd><dd>-<i>community</i>: you meet and see the same people each week, both selling and buying</dd><dd>-<i>and of course, food</i>: really, really good food<br />
<br />
</dd></div><div>For a while I didn't frequent the farmers' market because I thought it was outside my budget, but I've since learned that if you let the season be your shopping list (that is, buy what's abundant and in season), it's barely any more than going to my local grocery store, and tastes so much better. (And as far as the cost of meat and dairy goes, <a href="http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/08/safe-organic-animal-foods-too-expensive-eat-less/">this piece by Michele Simon</a> sums up my exact feelings far more eloquently than I could.)<br />
<br />
</div><div>As with my <a href="http://bettinawrites.blogspot.com/2011/08/sunday-eggs-with-swiss-chard-and.html">previous farmers' market inspired recipe</a>, this doesn't need to be terribly exact. However, the amounts below are for approximately four pieces (which I think makes a nice sized lunch for one if you add a salad or side, or an appetizer/snack for two), but adjust to your preferences.<br />
<br />
<h2 class="kv-ingred" style="margin-bottom: 7px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">INGREDIENTS</span></h2>Four 1/2-3/4 inch slices of baguette, sliced on a bias<br />
2 figs<br />
4 Tbsp ricotta cheese<br />
2-4 tsp honey, to taste<br />
salt and pepper, to taste<br />
<br />
<h2 class="kv-ingred" style="margin-bottom: 7px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">DIRECTIONS</span></h2><h2 class="kv-ingred" style="margin-bottom: 7px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></h2></div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mYQfxSfJa5Q/TmA26o55uNI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/kaGgQ4w2fuw/s1600/IMG_0593.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mYQfxSfJa5Q/TmA26o55uNI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/kaGgQ4w2fuw/s200/IMG_0593.JPG" width="200" /></a>Preheat grill or grill pan.<br />
<div><br />
Slice each fig into quarters (either slices or quarter wedges).<br />
<br />
Grill baguette slices and figs, until bread is toasted and figs are soft (bonus if you can get grill marks, but my grill pan is finicky and my tummy was hungry).<br />
<br />
</div><div>Place grilled bread on your serving plate. Top each slice of bread with about 1Tbsp of ricotta. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with 1 or 2 slices of the fig, as desired. Drizzle with honey. If desired, sprinkle with chopped walnuts (or pecans, or pistachios).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-avfaPvBL-hc/TmA2kC4bmeI/AAAAAAAAAHM/gfN5l8ooUCA/s1600/IMG_0617.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-avfaPvBL-hc/TmA2kC4bmeI/AAAAAAAAAHM/gfN5l8ooUCA/s400/IMG_0617.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
If you want to serve a bunch of these, grill the bread and figs in advance--even if they are room temperature (as opposed to hot off the grill), the grilling still imparts nice flavor. </div><br />
<a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcreamcheeseandfeelings.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F12%2Ffarmers-market-friday-figs-ricotta.html&media=http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F-avfaPvBL-hc%2FTmA2kC4bmeI%2FAAAAAAAAAHM%2FgfN5l8ooUCA%2Fs400%2FIMG_0617.JPG&description=Figs%20%26%20ricotta%20from%20CREAMCHEESEandfeelings" class="pin-it-button" count-layout="horizontal">Pin It</a><br />
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script>Bettinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134336297374772259noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6109832842143810472.post-59598005035066932182011-12-31T23:40:00.000-08:002012-03-28T23:44:55.714-07:00Quick tip: grilled cheese<i>Originally posted August 18, 2011 on <a href="http://bettinawrites.blogspot.com/2011/08/quick-tip-grilled-cheese-question.html">Bettina Writes</a>. </i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
Here's just a quick cooking tip that's new to me: when making grilled cheese, coat the bread with mayo instead of butter.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8acsZzALijA/Tk2Zqo2VTCI/AAAAAAAAAGI/tDEmext1BmA/s1600/IMG_0215.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8acsZzALijA/Tk2Zqo2VTCI/AAAAAAAAAGI/tDEmext1BmA/s400/IMG_0215.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<br />
I've only started to hear this recently--the first time I heard about it was my sister's boyfriend, and to be honest, didn't really give it a lot of merit at the time. However, as it kept popping on food tv and blog circles, it started to make more sense: mayo is mostly oil, so it will brown and crisp like butter, but the emulsification with eggs lowers the burn/smoke point so your sandwich gets sufficiently melty inside but not burnt on the outside (and for those mayo-haters, it does NOT make the sandwich taste like mayonnaise).<br />
<br />
I'm pretty sure I'll be making all my grilled cheese sandwiches (including grilled ham, egg and Jarlsberg sandwiches like pictured above--yum) this way from now on.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcreamcheeseandfeelings.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F12%2Fquick-tip-grilled-cheese.html&media=http%3A%2F%2F1.bp.blogspot.com%2F-8acsZzALijA%2FTk2Zqo2VTCI%2FAAAAAAAAAGI%2FtDEmext1BmA%2Fs400%2FIMG_0215.JPG&description=Quick%20tip%3A%20grilled%20cheese%20from%20CREAMCHEESEandfeelings" class="pin-it-button" count-layout="horizontal">Pin It</a><br />
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script>Bettinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134336297374772259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6109832842143810472.post-67902761793851475142011-12-31T23:38:00.000-08:002012-01-28T09:17:57.991-08:00Sunday eggs with swiss chard and ricotta<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Originally posted August 14, 2011 on <a href="http://bettinawrites.blogspot.com/2011/08/sunday-eggs-with-swiss-chard-and.html">Bettina Writes</a>. </i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One of my favorite things about living in D.C. is the access to beautiful produce at<b style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"> </b><a href="http://freshfarmmarkets.org/" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">local farmers' markets</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">, especially in the summer. The one I most frequent happens to be today, on Sundays. Really I should call this "Sunday scrambled eggs with garlic swiss chard and ricotta on fried potatoes," but that's a little wordy, isn't it? Plus, I think these eggs would be just as delicious on potatoes as they would with some rice or a nice piece of crusty bread (hell, even some spaghetti... I don't know why but in my mind the only noodle that would work is spaghetti).</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8OD43k24BzE/TkfcxMeBbjI/AAAAAAAAAFc/TCJO6ZELLrc/s1600/IMG_0108.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8OD43k24BzE/TkfcxMeBbjI/AAAAAAAAAFc/TCJO6ZELLrc/s400/IMG_0108.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
This dish is the result of a weekend trip to one of the aforementioned farmers' markets. I cooked this up just for myself, so it serves one but could easily be multiplied (and that also explains the less than specific directions).<br />
<br />
<h2 class="kv-ingred" style="margin-bottom: 7px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">INGREDIENTS</span></h2><ul class="kv-ingred-list1" style="margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><li class="ingredient" style="line-height: 23px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">1 small potato (yukon gold sized)</li>
<li class="ingredient" style="line-height: 23px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><ul class="kv-ingred-list1" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><li class="ingredient" style="line-height: 23px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">1 Tbsp butter</li>
<li class="ingredient" style="line-height: 23px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">1 clove garlic</li>
<li class="ingredient" style="line-height: 23px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">2 big leaves swiss chard (yielded about 3/4 c chopped)</li>
<li class="ingredient" style="line-height: 23px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">1 egg</li>
<li class="ingredient" style="line-height: 23px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">2 Tbsp ricotta (my favorite is from <a href="http://keswickcreamery.com/">Keswick Creamery</a>. I highly recommend it if they sell in your area!)</li>
<li class="ingredient" style="line-height: 23px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Salt and pepper to taste</li>
</ul></li>
<li class="ingredient" style="list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><h2 class="kv-ingred" style="margin-bottom: 7px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">DIRECTIONS</span></h2></li>
</ul><div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Slice or dice potato thin or small (whatever you prefer). Melt 1/2 Tbsp butter in pan over medium heat, and fry potatoes until cooked through (or, do like I do and whenever you boil potatoes, cook extra so the frying only takes a couple minutes). </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3940e2A5akg/TkfdTOJqLFI/AAAAAAAAAF0/zl9A0nzzkoU/s1600/IMG_0110.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3940e2A5akg/TkfdTOJqLFI/AAAAAAAAAF0/zl9A0nzzkoU/s400/IMG_0110.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Meanwhile, finely chop a clove of garlic. Remove tough ribs from swiss chard and chop. When potatoes are done, remove from pan (put them right on your eatin' plate and cover to keep warm), add another 1/2 Tbsp butter, melt, and cook garlic lightly before adding swiss chard. Cook until soft and wilted. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Beat egg in a small bowl with a little bit of water (maybe a Tbsp). Add to pan with swiss chard, and scramble together. Keep the eggs moving so they don't get tough. When almost completely set, mix in ricotta. Add salt and pepper to taste. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BeZ1uraS2Os/TkfdNOak4_I/AAAAAAAAAFk/H401HjcCLe0/s1600/IMG_0123.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BeZ1uraS2Os/TkfdNOak4_I/AAAAAAAAAFk/H401HjcCLe0/s400/IMG_0123.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Dump on top of potatoes. Eat.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZmjXzz5lI8k/Tkfj4sMy0UI/AAAAAAAAAGA/TsKC_W0sPnc/s1600/IMG_0128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZmjXzz5lI8k/Tkfj4sMy0UI/AAAAAAAAAGA/TsKC_W0sPnc/s400/IMG_0128.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
</div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span id="goog_381309761"></span><span id="goog_381309762"></span></div></div><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcreamcheeseandfeelings.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F12%2Fsunday-eggs-with-swiss-chard-and.html&media=http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F-8OD43k24BzE%2FTkfcxMeBbjI%2FAAAAAAAAAFc%2FTCJO6ZELLrc%2Fs400%2FIMG_0108.JPG&description=Sunday%20eggs%20with%20swiss%20chard%20%26%20ricotta%20from%20CREAMCHEESEandfeelings" class="pin-it-button" count-layout="horizontal">Pin It</a><br />
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script>Bettinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134336297374772259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6109832842143810472.post-4868994796078601862011-12-31T23:34:00.000-08:002012-03-29T21:35:33.959-07:00Bacon chocolate chip cookies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iKnQGtXl1c0/TiJIrn--u0I/AAAAAAAAAE4/6OGLrvxdOxA/s1600/IMG_7374.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Originally posted August 9, 2011 on <a href="http://bettinawrites.blogspot.com/2011/08/nothing-says-welcome-like-smell-of.html">Bettina Writes</a>. </i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br />
</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One day, I'll have a blog named "Bakin' with Bacon," and it will all be recipes that include my favorite porcine product, and when it makes me wildly famous, I'll get to spend quality kitchen time with Kevin Bacon, because in this fantasy he loves a pun as much as I do. That day is not today, but that doesn't mean pig candy can't make a guest appearance here every now and then. And what better grand entrance than with bacon chocolate chip cookies?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iKnQGtXl1c0/TiJIrn--u0I/AAAAAAAAAE4/6OGLrvxdOxA/s1600/IMG_7374.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iKnQGtXl1c0/TiJIrn--u0I/AAAAAAAAAE4/6OGLrvxdOxA/s400/IMG_7374.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><a name='more'></a><br />
(Recipe adapted from <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/the-chewy-recipe/index.html">Alton Brown's "The Chewy"</a>)<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 15px;"></span><br />
<h2 class="kv-ingred" style="margin-bottom: 7px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-style: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Ingredients</span></h2><ul class="kv-ingred-list1" style="margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-style: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><li class="ingredient" style="line-height: 23px; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-style: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" style="line-height: 23px; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-style: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">2 3/4 cup all purpose flour</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" style="line-height: 23px; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-style: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 teaspoon kosher salt</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" style="line-height: 23px; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-style: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 teaspoon baking soda</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" style="line-height: 23px; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-style: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 1/4 cup light brown sugar</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" style="line-height: 23px; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-style: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 large egg</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" style="line-height: 23px; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-style: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 large egg yolk</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" style="line-height: 23px; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-style: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 ounce whole milk</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" style="line-height: 23px; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-style: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" style="line-height: 23px; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-style: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">10 ounces semisweet chocolate chips</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" style="line-height: 23px; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-style: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">6 strips bacon</span></li>
</ul><h2 style="margin-bottom: 7px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-style: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Directions</span></h2><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Fry bacon until crisp, drain on paper towels and crumble or chop when cool. Save drippings for another use. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div class="instructions" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-style: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div class="instruction" style="line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-style: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Melt the butter over low heat. Set aside to cool slightly.</span></div><div class="instruction" style="line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-style: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Sift together the flour, salt and baking soda into medium bowl (or add to bowl and whisk to remove clumps). Pour the cooled, melted butter into large mixing bowl, add the brown sugar and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.</span></div><div style="line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-style: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div style="line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-style: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">In a measuring cup or small bowl, whisk together the egg, egg yolk, milk and vanilla extract. Reduce mixer speed and slowly add the egg mixture to butter and sugar. Mix until thoroughly combined, about 30 seconds.</span></div><div style="line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-style: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div style="line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-style: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Gradually add the dry ingredients, scraping down the sides of the bowl as need. Once the flour is worked in, stir in chocolate chips and bacon. Chill the dough for 1 hour.</span></div><div style="line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-style: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div style="line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-style: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Using a mini-ice cream scoop or two soup spoons, scoop the dough onto greased and/or parchment-lined sheet pans, Bake 12-15 minutes, rotating the pan(s) halfway through, or until golden brown.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Let cool on a rack. </span></div><div style="line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-style: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-un-WpJ5v_FY/TiJI6NymodI/AAAAAAAAAE8/xCTfQIM3Ovs/s1600/IMG_7401.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-un-WpJ5v_FY/TiJI6NymodI/AAAAAAAAAE8/xCTfQIM3Ovs/s400/IMG_7401.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div></div></div></div><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcreamcheeseandfeelings.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F12%2Fbacon-chocolate-chip-cookies.html&media=http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F-un-WpJ5v_FY%2FTiJI6NymodI%2FAAAAAAAAAE8%2FxCTfQIM3Ovs%2Fs400%2FIMG_7401.JPG&description=Bacon%20chocolate%20chip%20cookies%20from%20CREAMCHEESEandfeelings" class="pin-it-button" count-layout="horizontal">Pin It</a><br />
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