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Yukon Gold Potatoes: Jacques Pepin Style

This is a really simple recipe with a few basic ingredients. Make sure to really brown the potatoes after the stock evaporates. It adds a lot of the flavor. I also added a little ground thyme and dill my boxed stock for extra flavor.

Yukon Gold Potatoes: Jacques Pepin Style

3 pounds baby Yukon gold potatoes
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 cups chicken stock
3 tablespoons butter
2 to 3 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley leaves

Place the potatoes in a deep skillet and add salt and pepper, to taste. Cover potatoes halfway with chicken stock, about 3 cups, add the butter and cover skillet with a lid. Cook the potatoes in the stock until almost tender, about 5 to 8 minutes, depending upon the size of the potatoes. Remove the lid and allow the stock to evaporate, about another 5 minutes. Once the stock has evaporated pop each potato using a ladle or large spoon, creating a small crack in each, but do not smash. Allow the potatoes to brown on each side, another 5 minutes, and re-season with salt and pepper, if necessary or desired. Remove the browned potatoes from the skillet and place onto a serving platter, garnished with the parsley.

Rachael Ray's Cinghiale and Rigatoni

2011 is all about Rachael Ray in my house. I've been burned by other cooking magazines and food blogs, but her recipes are always above average and user friendy. This is her faux version of Chingiale - a thick, savory meat sauce made with wild boar and a hint of cloves. It changed lives when I made it over the holidays this year.

Rachael Ray's Cinghiale and Rigatoni

Salt and pepper
1 pound rigatoni pasta or broken curly-edge lasagna noodles
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 pound ground pork
3/4 pound ground beef
1 carrot, finely chopped or grated
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 sprigs thyme, stems discarded and leaves finely chopped
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
2 pinches ground cloves or allspice
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup dry white wine (eyeball it)
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup whole milk
1 cup grated pecorino romano cheese

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain.

While the pasta is working, in a dutch oven or heavy pot, heat the EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat until smoking. Add the pork and beef and cook, stirring, until browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the carrot, onion, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, cocoa and cloves; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste for 1 minute, then stir in the wine. Stir in the chicken stock and milk, lower the heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaf.

Stir the pasta into the sauce and simmer for 5 minutes longer. Stir in the cheese to coat. Serve the pasta in shallow bowls.

Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy with Will Ferrell & John C. Reilly

Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy with Will Ferrell & John C. Reilly from Will Ferrell

Raspberry White Chocolate Chunk Cookies

I love white chocolate and raspberry together. I found this recipe on Food.com. I'm going out on a limb this year and trying all new holiday cookie recipies. These will add a lot of variety to the same old chocolate chip or oatmeal cookies on your Christmas cookie tray. They've been a big hit at my house.

Raspberry White Chocolate Chunk Cookies

8oz   white chocolate baking bar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam
3oz white chocolate baking bar
1/2 teaspoon shortening

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Chop 4 oz of white chocolate in small pieces and set aside. Over a double boiler, melt 4 oz of chocolate; set aside to cool. Combine the butter, sugar, salt and baking soda in a large mixing bowl; cream until fluffy. Add the eggs and melted white chocolate; mix well. Gradually add in the flour and mix well. Stir in the 4 oz of chopped white chocolate. Drop rounded teaspoonfuls of dough 2" apart on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 7-9 minutes or until the cookies are lightly browned. Cool for 1 minute on the baking sheet before moving to a cooling rack. Make a small indentation in the center of each cookie and spoon on a small amount of jam. Combine 3 oz of white chocolate and the shortening in a double boiler; melt and drizzle a small amount on each cookie. The cookies can be refrigerated 10-15 minutes to help the chocolate set.

Christmas Time for the Jews

I'm not sure what kind of goyum is so obsessed with Jews and Hanukkah so far after Hanukkah and so close to Christmas. I did worship Woody Allen as a teenager and I do relate more to liberal groups of the oppressed than conservative groups of oppressors. I guess if I belived in religion and understood Hebrew I'd probably convert.

The Maccabeats

I know Hanukkah is over and that I'm late to discover this video, but I have a collective crush on all of these cute jew boys and thank them for making a Hanukkah pop song. It was long overdue.

Sweet Potato Latkes

Hanukkah is on bitches! This recipe from Food Renegade made the best latkes that have ever come from my kitchen. Addmittedly, I have had some latke disasters in the past so the bar started pretty low. I added some extra scallions to my version and switched the buckwheat flour for all purpose. Also, I couldn't find coconut oil and didn't have any bacon grease handy so I used vegtable oil. They came out pretty great, but I think I might play around with the oil next time to get even more flavor in the latkes.

Sweet Potato Latkes

2 medium sweet potatoes, grated
2 scallions or green onions
1 egg
salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup or oil

Begin by grating your sweet potatoes and gathering your ingredients. These will come together quickly, so it helps to be prepared!

Next, chop up your scallion (I use the whole plant, minus the roots at the end). In a large mixing bowl, combine the chopped scallion with the egg.

Now, add in your salt, pepper, & flour and stir until well mixed.

Now for the fun part. Add your grated sweet potatoes to your flour mixture and mix it together well. I use my hands for this, as it helps to sqeeze moisture out of the sweet potatoes and make sure all the ingredients are evenly distributed.

In a skillet, heat the oil over a high flame until hot but not smoking. Whatever you do, don’t use a flavorless fat like lard for this. These latkes are what they are because of all the great tasting fat they soak up when frying! So use an aromatic, flavorful oil like unrefined coconut oil or bacon grease. In this example, I’m using coconut oil.

Form the sweet potatoes into patties and place in your heated oil.

Turn the flame down to medium and let cook until golden, then flip and cook the other side until golden. When done, remove to a serving plate. After they’ve cooled for a minute or so, serve them with a dollop of cultured sour cream or creme fraiche on top

Salted Chocolate-Pecan Toffee

The only thing better than rich and butter toffee pieces are toffee pieces covered in sea salt, pecans, and dark chocolate. If I can master this toffee from Sunset magazine, it's going to be my Chistmas cookie giveaway this year.

Salted Chocolate-Pecan Toffee

Prep and Cook Time: 1 3/4 hours, plus 1 hour of chilling time.

Notes: Use caution when working with sugar syrup, as it can cause severe burns. Set out your baking sheet so it's ready to use, and keep ice water nearby to cool any burns. Toffee keeps at room temperature in an airtight container up to 2 weeks; chilled, up to 1 month. Fleur de sel (French for "flower of salt") is the top layer of sea salt skimmed from seawater evaporation ponds and often has a delicious minerally flavor; find it at gourmet grocery stores.

Yield: Makes 1 pan (10 by 15 in.); 40 pieces (serving size: one 2- by 2-in. square)
Ingredients

2  cups  pecan halves
3 1/2  cups  sugar
1 1/2  cups  butter
1  teaspoon  salt
1  tablespoon  vanilla extract
12  ounces  bittersweet chocolate
2  teaspoons  fleur de sel (see Notes) or coarse sea salt

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Put pecans on a rimmed baking sheet and cook, stirring occasionally, until toasted, about 8 minutes. When cool enough to handle, chop roughly. Divide into 2 batches; chop 1 batch finely. Set both batches aside.

2. Put sugar, butter, salt, and 3/4 cup water in a 4-qt. saucepan over medium heat (see Notes). When butter and sugar are melted, increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is deep golden brown and measures 310° on a candy thermometer, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and carefully stir in vanilla (mixture will bubble up) and finely chopped pecans. Pour into a 10- by 15-in. rimmed baking sheet. Let toffee cool until set, at least 30 minutes. (For even pieces, you can score the toffee by cutting it with a sharp knife after it has set for about 10 minutes, scoring into 5 strips lengthwise and 8 strips crosswise to yield 40 pieces. Wipe knife clean with warm water after each slice for easier cutting.)

3. Chop chocolate and put in a medium metal bowl. Fill an 8- or 10-in. frying pan with 1/2 in. of water and bring to a boil. Take off heat and put bowl of chocolate in the water. Let sit about 5 minutes. Stir chocolate until melted. Pour over toffee; with a knife or offset spatula, spread evenly. Sprinkle chocolate with roughly chopped pecans. Let sit 20 minutes, or until chocolate is cool but still a bit soft. Sprinkle with fleur de sel. Chill until set, about 1 hour.

4. To remove, gently twist pan to release toffee, then chop or break into chunks. Store in an airtight container.

Praline Pecans

Pralines are the southern red headed step children of the dessert world. I would take pralines over a chocolate chip cookie any day of the week, but they get no respect from the rest of the world. When I master and tweak this recipe from Southern Living magazine, I will be adding these to my Holiday eats give away this year.

Praline Pecans

Yield: Makes about 8 cups

Ingredients
1 1/2  cups  granulated sugar
3/4  cup  firmly packed brown sugar
1/2  cup  butter
1/2  cup  milk
2  tablespoons  corn syrup
5  cups  toasted pecan halves

Stir together first 5 ingredients in a heavy 3-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring constantly, 7 to 8 minutes or until a candy thermometer registers 234°.

Remove from heat, and vigorously stir in pecans. Spoon pecan mixture onto wax paper, spreading in an even layer. Let stand 20 minutes or until firm. Break praline-coated pecans apart into pieces. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week. Freeze in an airtight container or zip-top plastic freezer bag up to 1 month.

Grilled Turkey and Cheese Sandwiches With Stuffing and Cranberry Relish

This recipe from Emeril Lagasse is just insane enough to be delicious. I plan on putting it to the test this weekend.

Grilled Turkey and Cheese Sandwiches With Stuffing and Cranberry Relish

5 tablespoons mayonnaise
8 thick slices French Batard bread (or other dense bread such as ciabatta or boule)
6 ounces Emmenthaler cheese, grated
10 ounces roast turkey breast, sliced
1/2 to 3/4 cup leftover Thanksgiving stuffing (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 tablespoons cranberry sauce
4 tablespoons butter, melted
Sweet potato chips, for serving (optional)

Lay the bread on a work surface and spread a little over 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise on 4 slices of bread.

Sprinkle the cheese on half of the bread slices, top with the turkey, and season with salt and pepper. Spread 2 to 3 tablespoons of the stuffing over the turkey, if desired, then spread the cranberry sauce on the remaining 4 slices of bread. Close sandwiches, pressing each one tightly together. Brush both sides of the sandwich with some of the melted butter.

Heat a grill pan over medium-low heat and brush the pan with the remaining butter. Place the sandwich in the hot pan and grill for 5 to 8 minutes per side, pressing the top of the sandwich with another pan. The sandwich should be hot and the cheese should be melted. Continue this process until all the sandwiches are grilled.

Serve immediately, with sweet potato chips if desired.

Amazing Product Placement

I have a healthy appreciation for both advertising and campy television. How genius/soul dead are these show writers?

Bloghungry Birthday Cake Poll

My youth has slipped away from me and I can't decide on a cake to celebrate it's passing. I'm a little uninspired this year. So far my plan for 31 is about going out for a big juicy slab of prime rib, a bread basket full of fresh buttered rolls, and some whiskey. It will also be about forcing a group of friends to endure opening weekend of than new Harry Potter movie. Saddly cake is an afterthought this year. This is what I've filed away so far. Please weigh in... 

#1: PECAN PRALINE CAKE

#2: BANANA CAKE WITH MARSHMALLOW & PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING

#3: APPLE CAKE WITH TOFFEE CRUST

#4: BANANA CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

*** I also considered ordering a cake from a bakery for the first time, but I don't know any really good bakeries in LA. Please write in any LA bakeries known to make amazing cakes.

German Apple Pancake

I've never made a German Apple Pancake before, but this recipe from Cooking With My Kid has put it on my to do list.

German Apple Pancake

Ingredients:
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons sugar
pinch of salt
1 cup low fat milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup flour

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 Granny Smith apples,  peeled and sliced
Powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Whisk together the eggs, sugar, salt, milk and vanilla. Add the the baking powder to the flour, mix together and then continue to whisk into the milk mixture until smooth. Set aside for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, toss apples in lemon juice. Add brown sugar and cinnamon to coat. Heat butter in a 9-inch cast iron pan until melted and move around with a spatula so it greases the sides.  Add the apples and cook until slightly soft, about 8 to 10 minutes. Pour the batter over the apples and place the pan in the oven. Bake until the edges are puffy, about 16-18 minutes.(Resist the urge to open the oven. Just turn the light on to check.) Serve directly in the pan (careful not to touch the sides) or slide the pancake onto a cutting board or serving platter. Dust with powedered sugar. Serves 6.

Strawberry Sour Cream Pie

I was looking for an excuse to make this pie from KCRW's Good Food all summer and never did. The strawberries aren't in season anymore, but it still might be worth trying if you can get you hands on some fresh strawberries.

Strawberry Sour Cream Pie

1 unbaked pastry shell (try this all butter shell recipe)
1 qt fresh strawberries
1 cup flour
1 1/4 cup sugar, reserve 1 tablespoon
Dash salt
1 cup sour cream (or light sour cream, but NOT fat-free)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.  Hull and wash the strawberries, slice in halves, set aside.  Into a large mixing bowl, sift flour, sugar and salt.  Add sour cream and blend just until creamy (it will look like wallpaper paste).  Gently fold in the berries; don’t over-mix.  Pour fruit into pie shell and using a spatula, gently spread to edges but DO NOT PACK DOWN. There should be some air holes throughout.  Sprinkle the top with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.

Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 degrees F. and bake an additional 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

The center of the pie may still look undercooked, so I put it under broil for about 2-3 minutes, watching carefully, to “brown off” the top.  Serves 6 to 8.

Warm Potato Salad with Goat Cheese

I usually don't like potato salad because I don't like cold mayo based salads that sit out at at picnics or pot lucks. However, when you swap the mayo for mustard and goat cheese, I'm in! I found this recipe on The Bitten Word.

Warm Potato Salad with Goat Cheese

2 pounds red potatoes, scrubbed well and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 ounces crumbled goat cheese (1/2 cup)
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 small shallot, finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1. Cover potatoes with water in a medium saucepan; season with salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 tablespoon cooking liquid. Let potatoes cool for 5 minutes.

2. Whisk together vinegar, mustard, and reserved cooking liquid. Add oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly until emulsified.

3. Transfer potatoes to a bowl, and drizzle with vinaigrette. Gently stir in goat cheese, celery, shallot, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.

Peanut Butter Banana Pie with Pretzel Crust

I saw this pie on Once A Chef Always a Chef and can't wait to try it out. I'm not sure if Elvis is responsible for the creation of the peanut butter banana movement or just its promotion, but he was clearly a visionary and well beyond his music career. Even Elvis couldn't have conceived of putting it in a pretzel crust (although I could maybe see fat Elvis eating a potato chip crust... which could be genius too).

Peanut Butter Banana Pie with Pretzel Crust

FOR CRUST:
2 1/2 cups pretzels, crushed
3 Tbspl brown sugar
3/4 cup butter melted

FOR FILLING:
3/4 cup peanut butter, creamy
1 package (3oz) cream cheese, room temp.
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 container (12oz) whipped topping, thawed
3 bananas, peeled and sliced 1/4″ thick

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine all the ingredients for the crust and mix well. Save 1/4 cup of pretzel mixture and spread the rest into a 10″ pie tin,working all the way up the sides and making sure that the crust is even. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool completely before filling. Sprinkle remaining pretzel mixture on s cookie and bake 10-12 minutes. Cool

In a large bowl, combine the peanut butter and cream cheese. Add 1/3 of the whipped topping and the sugar and beat until smooth and no lumps remain. Add remaining whipped topping and gently fold in until well combined. Fill crust with 1/2 of the filling then top with sliced bananas. Top with remaining peanut butter mousse. Garnish with remaining crushed pretzels and chill for 3 hours or overnight before serving.

Pumpkin Pie French Toast

I haven't made this recipe from Cooking With My Kid yet, but I had an amazing Pumpkin Croissant Bread Pudding with Chocolate Chips last weekend and am psyched to tinker with my own version. A version of this may end up as a Thanksgiving dessert on my table this year.

Pumpkin Pie French Toast

Prep Time: 45 to 1 hour  Cooking Time: 30 to 40 mins

Ingredients:
5 or 6 thick slices challah
4 eggs
1 cup half and half
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 cup 100% pure canned pumpkin
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
powdered sugar for dusting
maple syrup for serving

Cut each slice of challah in half and then in quarters. Set aside. Meanwhile, whisk together eggs, milk, maple syrup, pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice. Spray a 9 inch square baking pan with baking spray and assemble one layer of challah fitting it in like puzzle pieces. Then assemble another layer directly on top of the first. Pieces don’t have to fit perfectly, but it helps if they are all laying flat. Pour the pumpkin mixture over the bread being sure that it seeps into every crevice and covers each piece of bread up top. It will look like you’ve got too much liquid. Don’t worry, as long as it’s not spilling out, you’re ok. Let the bread soak up some of the liquid for 45 minutes while you clean up and then preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the baking dish on the middle rack in the oven and cook for 30 to 45 minutes or until the pumpkin is set and bread is brown. Cut into squares and then dust with powdered sugar and drizzle with maple syrup. Makes about 6 servings.

Dan Savage: "It Get's Better"

In the wake of a number of gay teen suicides, Dan Savage and his partner have sent out a call to action to gay adults to help show the next generation of gays that there is a future for them outside of their tourment. They created their own channel of videos of gay adults who survived their teen years and have full and amazing lives.

This project really struck a chord with me and I plan on making my own video and posting the videos of others soon. Growing up in a world where you are made to feel ashamed of yourself without even the understanding of your family can be hard. Looking at the ways gays are still laughed at and denied rights in this country can be even harder. It's the responsibility of the gay comuinity to show these kids that they are not alone and they can be both gay and happy.

Penne with Sweet Potato and Sausage

Sweet potatoes make an amazing cream sause with sausage and sage. I made this recently for a friend's mountain birthday getaway and it pretty much blew my tits off.

Penne with Sweet Potato and Sausage

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon
1 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage
4 cloves garlic, cracked and chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
1 tablespoon dried sage
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock, canned or paper container
1 sweet potato baked and mashed* or 1 cup canned
1/2 cup (3 turns around the pan) heavy cream
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, ground
Coarse salt and black pepper
1 pound penne rigate, cooked to al dente
Romano or Parmigiano, for grating

*If using a fresh sweet potato: Heat oven to 400° F. Pierce each sweet potato several times with the tines of a fork. Place the sweet potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Bake until tender, about 45 minutes.

Heat a large, deep nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and brown the sausage in it. Transfer sausage to paper towel lined plate. Drain fat from skillet and return pan to the stove. Add the remaining tablespoon oil, and then the garlic and onion. Saute 3 to 5 minutes until the onions are tender.

Add bay leaf, sage, and wine to the pan. Reduce wine by half, about 2 minutes. Add stock and sweet potato and stir to combine, stirring sauce until it comes to a bubble. Return sausage to pan, reduce heat, and stir in cream. Season the sauce with the cinnamon and nutmeg, and salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer mixture 5 to 10 minutes to thicken sauce.

Return drained pasta to the pot you cooked it in. Remove the bay leaf from sauce and pour the sausage pumpkin sauce over pasta. Combine sauce and pasta and toss over low heat for 1 minute. Garnish the pasta with lots of shaved cheese.