Twist and Shout!

Soft pretzels are an awesome Sunday afternoon “snacktivity” to do with kids of all ages.

The twisting was a little challenging at first, but the shouting obscenities came easy when I added the baking soda to the hot water too quickly and had a 3rd grade baking soda volcano explode all over the stove (and floor, and myself, etc.). The pictures of the mess are entirely too embarrassing to post here, but the pretzels were worth the clean up effort.

The pretzels are great right out of the oven but they also store well in the freezer. The frozen pretzels make a fun accompaniment to a quick weeknight dinner salad.

Soft Pretzels:
1½ cups warm water
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 package active dry yeast
3 ounces butter, melted
2½ teaspoons kosher salt
4½ to 5 cups all-purpose flour

3 quarts water
¾ cup baking soda
2 whole eggs, beaten with 1 tablespoon cold water
Coarse sea salt

Line 2 half sheet pans with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Combine the water, sugar, yeast, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix with the dough hook until combined. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Add the salt and flour to the bowl and mix on low speed until combined. Increase the speed to medium and continue mixing until the dough is smooth and begins to pull away from the side of the bowl, about 3 to 4 minutes. If the dough appears too wet, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Remove the dough from the bowl, place on a flat surface and knead into a ball with your hands.

Oil a bowl with a little bit of vegetable oil and add the dough to the bowl, turning to coat it with oil. Cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm spot until the dough doubles in size, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Bring the water to a boil in a small roasting pan over high heat and add the baking soda SLOWLY!!!!!!!

Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a flat surface. Divide the dough into about 10 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope measuring about 18 inches and shape pretzels by shaping each rope into a “U”, crossing the two sides of the “U” over each other and twisting and pressing the ends down on the pretzel.

Boil the pretzels in the water/baking soda solution, 2 at a time for 30 seconds, splashing the tops with the warmed water using a spoon. Remove with a large flat slotted spatula.

Place 4 pretzels on each baking sheet and brush the tops with the egg wash and season liberally with the salt. Place into the oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes until golden brown.

Remove to a baking rack and let rest 5 minutes before eating. Dip into desired sauces.
To reheat: Place frozen pretzels in a 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes, or until heated through.

Buried in Berries

Picking berries is one of my favorite summer activities. I’ve been doing it for as far back as I can remember with my mom, grandma, and even my great-grandma. I didn’t have any help picking from the old folks (sorry, mom!) this year but I had a record harvest nonetheless….22 pounds of strawberries and 16 pounds of blueberries!

I made some fresh jam with some of the strawberries and froze the rest of the strawberries for my favorite breakfast treat, smoothies, and pancakes and muffins in the fall.

Easy Strawberry Jam

2 cups crushed strawberries
4 cups sugar, measured into separate bowl
3/4 cup water
1 box Sure Jell Fruit Pectin
5 (1-cup) containers (washed and dried thoroughly)

Crush strawberries thoroughly, 1 cup at a time. Measure exactly 2 cups prepared fruit into a large bowl. Stir in sugar and let stand 10 minutes (stirring occasionally).

Mix water and pectin in a small saucepan. Bring to boil on high heat, stirring constantly. Continue boiling and stirring 1 minute. Add to fruit mixture and stir for at least 3 minutes or until sugar is dissolved and no longer grainy.

Fill the containers immediately to within ½ inch of tops. Wipe off top edges of containers and immediately cover with lids. Let stand at room temperature for 24 hours. Jam is now ready to use. Store in refrigerator up to 3 weeks or freeze extra containers up to a year. Thaw in refrigerator before using.

With some of the blueberries, I made the Husband’s favorite, Blueberry Turnovers.

Blueberry Turnovers

1½ cups flour
¼ cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
2/3 cup shortening, solid vegetable, chilled, cut into small pieces
4 Tablespoons ice water

2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon water
1½ cups blueberries
1 Tablespoon sugar

1 egg, slightly beaten

In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, and salt together. Using a pastry blender, cut shortening and butter into the flour mixture until coarse crumbs form. Stir in water, 1 Tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork until a soft dough forms. Shape into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for 1 hour.

To prepare filling, dissolve the cornstarch in the water. In a medium saucepan, heat the blueberries and the sugar over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture comes to a boil. Add the cornstarch mixture, stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from heat and cool .

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

On a floured surface, using a floured rolling pin, roll dough to a 1/8" thickness. Cut out about 5-6 6" circles. Spoon the filling evenly into the center of each circle, careful not to overstuff the pastry rounds. Fold the dough over the filling and then press the edges together with a fork to seal.

Place turnovers on baking sheet and brush with the beaten egg. Sprinkle pearled sugan on top if you have it. Bake the turnovers until golden brown about 30 minutes. When done, transfer the turnovers to a wire rack to cool.

Garnish with fresh blueberries and mint sprigs.

No Freedom Fries Here

In Paris, crepes are basically street food, but here in Baltimore a few nights ago, they were a delicious dinner for deux.

I’ve been on a quasi-vegetarian kick recently so I sautéed some baby Portabella ‘shrooms and onions for my crepes and made the Husband Turkey, Cheddar and Apple Crepes. Oui, oui, oh la la, Bon Apetit…Whatever the French say, I don’t know, but I do know that these were a quick and easy meal.

Finally, despite the French-themed dinner, we complimented the meal with some good California Chardonnay. We try to Buy American as often as possible and encourage you to do the same!

Savory Crepes Deux Ways

1 cup milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon cooking oil
¼ teaspoon salt

Assorted Fillings:
Turkey Breast (Turkey Cold Cuts from the deli are fine)
Sharp Cheddar Slices
Apple Slices (sliced very thin)
Sautéed Mushrooms and Onions
Swiss Cheese Slices

Combine all ingredients in a blender container. Cover and blend until smooth.

Heat an 8-inch skillet over medium-high heat and when hot, spray with cooking spray. Next, pour 3 Tablespoons of the batter into the center of skillet. Lift the pan up and rotate and tilt it to spread the batter over the bottom of the pan (work quickly). Return to the heat and cook for about 1-2 minutes (until light brown and ends lift up easily). Turn over with a spatula, (or by hand if you have tough fingers) and cook the second side for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Slide the finished crepes onto paper towels while you’re cooking the rest of the batter. When all crepes are done, layer the fillings into center and roll/fold the crepes and sprinkle the crepes with salt and freshly cracked pepper. Makesabout 8-10 crepes.

Fava Beans and a Nice Chianti

I saw these giant beans in the store the other day and knew that these were something I wanted to try.
The beans were time consuming to prepare-- you need to peel them, boil them and then peel them again--but in the end, they were worth the effort. Thanks for the inspiration, Hannibal Lecter, but we didn’t eat a Census Taker’s liver with the beans--Salmon sounded a little more appetizing.

Seared Salmon with Sauté of Fava Beans, Fresh Corn and Tomatoes

2 Wild-Caught Salmon Filets
Spice blend made from ¼ teaspoon paprika, ¼ oregano, ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder and 1 dash of cayenne pepper.

¾ cup of fresh, shelled, fava beans (from about 10-12 pods)
1 ear of fresh white corn, kernels cut off the ear
2 ripe Roma tomatoes, diced
1 small onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375. Dry the salmon filets with paper towels, and sprinkle them with the spice mix.

Meanwhile, heat about 1 Tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat and sauté garlic and onions until onions are lightly browned.

While onions are cooking, heat an oven safe sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add some olive oil, and when the oil is almost smoking, add the salmon filets, skin side up. Let cook for about 2-3 minutes, or until the salmon easily lifts from the pan. Using a metal spatula, gently turn salmon filets over and place the pan in oven for about 5 minutes.

Next, add corn, fava beans, tomatoes, and a few dashes of salt and pepper to the sautéed onions and garlic, and stir mixture gently until heated through.

Serve with some crusty bread, and of course, a nice Chianti. Hannibal Lecter sucking noises optional.

It's Officially Summer!

I don't care that it's not June 21. It's Memorial Day Weekend, which means that it is officially summer in my book. Also, in my book, summer is synonymous with burgers, and in a water city like Baltimore, it was fun to kick off the summer season with a Fresh Tuna Burger and Mini-Corn Cakes.

Tuna Burgers with Green Curry, Ginger and Mango Dipping Sauce

1 pound fresh tuna steaks, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/4 cup diced red and green bell peppers
2 scallions, sliced (green and white parts) 1 small carrot, grated
2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons Soy Sauce 1 teaspoon Toasted Sesame Oil 1 teaspoon Ginger Oil 1 egg, slightly beaten
Salt and pepper
Pulse tuna cubes in a food processor about 8-10 times (do not over process or you will end up with a nasty tuna paste). Add ground tuna to bowl of chopped veggies and gently stir until everything is well-distributed. Form mixture into patties and grill on a flat-top griddle for about 4-5 minutes per side.

Green Curry, Ginger and Mango Dipping Sauce
(Inspired by Bobby Flay)
1 red onion, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
1 Serrano pepper, coarsely chopped (seeds and white pith removed for less heat)
2 tablespoons Thai green curry paste
3 ripe mangoes, peeled, pitted, and coarsely chopped
1 cup water
3 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 Tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
1 Tablespoon honey
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat a small amount of vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, and Serrano chile and cook for 1 minute. Add the curry paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add mangoes and water, stir well, and cook until the mango is soft, about 15 to 20 minutes. Let mixture cool slightly and then transfer it to a blender. Add the lime juice, cilantro, and honey and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Spoon a dollop of the sauce on each tuna burger.

Save the leftover sauce for topping tacos, scallops, chicken, fish or even use it as a salad dressing. This sauce lasts in the fridge for weeks.

Mini-Corn Cakes

1 15 oz can sweet corn

1/3 cup milk

1 large egg

2 Tablespoons sugar

3 scallions, sliced (white and green parts separated)

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 cup yellow corn meal

1/4 cup flour

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and coat a mini muffin pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients until they just come together and drop rounded tablespoons of the batter into the greased muffin tin. Bake for 9-11 minutes. Remove from pan and serve with a tiny dollop of reduced-fat sour cream and green parts of scallions.

Back to Basics

March has been a crazy month for me so I've been looking for some easy things that I could prepare that don't require alot of time or make alot of dishes. These three recipes to follow fit the bill.

Curried Israeli Cous Cous Salad and Grilled Romaine

1 cup Israeli Cous Cous (Look in the Kosher section. Once you find it, you'll be hooked. It is sooooo good. I currently have 4 boxes in my pantry so I always have some on hand.)

1/4 white onion, minced
1/4 cup dried apricots, diced
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1/4 cup dried currents
3 scallions (green parts only)
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon curry powder (depending on the strength of your curry powder)
2 Tablespoons plain, low fat yogurt
dash garlic powder
dash onion powder
salt and pepper to taste

Preapre Israeli Cous Cous according to package directions. If your package is in Hebrew and you can't read the directions, just cook it as you would pasta omitting the salt. Drain and rise it slightly when done. Add all the other ingredients to the drained and rinsed cous cous and stir until mixed through. Place it in the refrigerator in a covered bowl for about 30 minutes to take the edge of the heat off. This dish is best served at room temperature to slightly chilled. Serves 4.

Grilled Romain is a favorite at my house. It sounds weird but it is awesome and takes alot less time to prepare than a salad.

Slice a Romaine Lettuce Heart in half lengthwise. Drizzle the cut side with olive oil and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Place the cut side down on a heated grill pan (or outside grill) and let it sit for about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese and diced Roma tomatoes. Delish! Serves 2.

Serve the two above dishes with a garlic and rosemary crusted grilled chicken breast. mmmmmmm.....

Finally, here's a French onion Soup Recipe that I SWEAR tastes better than any French Onion Soup I've had in Paris.

French Onion Soup



4 White Onions
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Butter
1 teaspoon sugar
6 cups Beef Broth
1/2 cup dry red wine
Dash soy sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

4 slices French bread
1/2 cup mozzarella or fontina cheese (grated)

Heat butter and oil in a pot over medium heat. Slice the onions into thin strips and add them and the sugar to the heated pot.



Turn the heat to medium-high and stir the onions until they're slightly covered with the oil and butter. Let them sit in the pot and begin to caramelize. (Stir them every 10 minutes or so until they're done. This should take about 25-30 minutes.)



Once the onions are really caramelized, add the broth, red wine, soy sauce and salt and pepper. Heat through.



Toast the French bread and top it with the shredded cheese.



Broil the cheese-topped toasts for about 2 minutes, until gooey and bubbly.



Place in soup bowl and ladle the soup over the toasts. Oh la la...perfect for a rainy Sunday.

Apologies and News

So I have been a major slacker for a while. Sorry!! I do have a few excuses though...

First was the vacation in Mexico (check out my pics here)....

Next, I got really busy at my day job.....

Finally, the Husband tore his Achilles tendon and required alot of my attention. (He hasn't revovered yet but is getting better)

However, loyal readers and decdicated cooks, I will be back in the swing of things shortly.

In the meantime, it seems that I have won a recipe suggestion contest at Birches, a restaurant in my neighborhood that was bestowed the honor of one of the 12 Exceptional Restaurans in the Mid-Atlantic by Gourmet Magazine . Birch's will be featuring my modern take on Spaghetti and Meatballs on their menu tomorrow through next Friday.



Birch's is located at 641 South Montford Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland 21224. Their phone number is 410.732.3000. BE THERE! (Reservations are suggsested)

Happy Easter!