Gifts for Kid-Chefs

We have here the monkey-peeler.  This is one of the many cute tools you can find these days in kitchen stores.  It's been a while since Alessi began making household tools with faces and personalities; now the whimsical Italian inspiration has spread to mouse-shaped cheese shredders and monkey-shaped veggie peelers.

Is this good?  Well, I think that depends on the tool. 

In this case, she can hold the grip more easily than the traditional horizontal peeler and she loves using her special peeler.  So, she likes to help peel.

I'd say that's working.

When the whimsy of the tool gets in the way (oddly shaped knife handles are not as practical, for instance) it's not working for us.

If you're out there looking for some kid's gifts for the kitchen this year, here are some suggestions to start with:

•  A step-stool - if you're only going to invest in one kid-chef item, this is it!
• Child-sized apron
• Measuring spoons and scoops - look for easy-to read numbers and sturdy construction
• Glass measuring cup - 1 and 2-cup sizes
• A knife they can handle
• Non-slip cutting board
• Small bowls, lightweight metal or plastic for measuring out ingredients
• A timer
• Small silicone spatula
• Silicone rolling mat for dough

  If you've got ideas or suggestions, please comment!

Baked Apples - Not Quite There Yet....

I like the way these photos show the evolution of our baked apples:

You'll notice that these apples somehow managed to be half-firm, half-collapsed.  I'm befuddled.  We used the same recipe before and the apples were fantastic.  This time, they weren't.  And neither kid is interested in eating the leftovers (that was most decidely not the case last time around!)

We'll have to get back with you on this one.

In the meantime, back to Thanksgiving preparations!

Pie Crust - Homemade and Ready-Made

What is it about pie crust that's so intimidating?

Is it knowing that you can just buy a frozen one and be done with it?  Or all the lengthy essays about exactly how cold the butter should be and how much better your grandmother's homemade crust was?  Whatever it is, pie crust is often held up as a holy grail, unattainable by most home cooks.  And yet, it's really not all that hard.

Here are the basics:  cold butter, plan ahead, and pie weights. 

Here's what not to do: freak out because you've developed a pie-crust phobia built on unexamined notions of what a 'real' baker would do so you just can't handle it, buy a store bought pie and regret the ingestion of soggy lard-laden crust.

Here's the back-up plan: ready-made.

Let's start with the back-up plan because, really, ready-made has come a long way and we're busy people, right?

You can find ready-made crusts that are frozen, unbaked, and not full of lard or trans-fats.  Check your organic or yuppie food-store of choice or the grocery store's freezer case. Yesterday's pumpkin pie recipe calls for a blind-baked crust.  That's easy.  Let your pie crust defrost on the counter for a while until it's firm, but not as hard as a rock.  Put a piece of tinfoil over it and fill it with beans or pie weights.  Bake according to the instruction for homemade crust (below).  Voila: ready to fill.  That was easy, wasn't it?

So, now you're ready for the homemade version, and you're not freaking out.  Read this recipe a few times, get the process in your head and remember, it's all about keeping the butter cool and not working too hard at this.  After all, if your great great grandmother had time to feed the hens, milk the cow and make an occasional pie-crust, she wasn't after perfection, right?

All-Butter Piecrust (one 9" crust)


The beauty of this crust is that you can make it well ahead of time and refrigerated it over night or freeze it (in a ball or rolled flat and ready to go) for up to 3 months. If you freeze it, just put it in the refrigerator the night before you plan to make your pie, and it’ll be ready to go.  You can also make double the recipe for a pie with a lid.

1 1/3 cup (6 oz) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp granulated sugar
3/8 tsp table salt
8 TBs (1 stick - 4 oz) cold unsalted butter cut into 3/4 –inch pieces.  European style butter is denser and more tasty, but regular unsalted butter works too.
3-4 Tbs ice water

1. Put the flour, sugar and salt in a medium bowl and stir to combine. Add the butter to the bowl and get ready to use your hands. Rub the cold chunks of butter between your fingertips, smearing the butter into the flour to create small (roughly ¼ inch) flakes of fat.  Don't be a perfectionist here.  The idea is to get the butter broken down into small flour-coated pieces (like oat-meal flakes) without melting it with your hands.

2. Drizzle 3 Tbs ice water over the flour mixture, Stir with a spatula or fork, adding 1 Tbs. more water if necessary, until the mixture forms a shaggy dough that’s moist enough to hold together when pressed between your fingers.  There will be crumbly bits of flour in the bottom of the bowl and the dough may not have a consistent color or texture, don't worry.  As long as it starts to hold together like old play-dough, you're good.  It'll come together in the next step.

3. With well-floured hands, gently gather and press the dough together, and then form it into a disk with smooth edges. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill for at least 1 hour, but preferably 2 to 4 hours, before rolling.  I usually have some edges and bits that don't quite cling together.  Just put them in the ball, press it plastic wrap around it and chill.  When you roll the dough out, it'll come together.  Remember, cold butter trumps perfect looking dough at this stage.

4. Let the dough soften slightly at room temperature – it should be cold and firm, not rock hard.

5. Lightly flour the countertop and roll the dough from the center out, turning the disk of dough so you get a consistently circular shape.  Since you're going to trim the edges, go for the right size in as few rolls as possible.  The more you work the dough, the tougher it'll get.  When it’s 13-14 inches in diameter and about 1/8 inch thick, you're done.  You'll notice as you roll that the dough takes on a 'normal' pie-dough consistency and all those little bits have become part of the crust.  Congratulations!  Reflour only as needed.

6. Transfer to a 9-inch pie plate (I like the $3 metal ones with a wide lip).  Don't stretch the dough as you put it in the pan. Trim the overhanging dough to 1 inch from the edge, roll the dough under itself into a cylinder that rests on the edge of the pan. Crimp.  Look online for instructions for how to crimp.

7. Refrigerate until firm – 1 hour.  Warning: no matter how tempted you are, do not skip this step!  Remember: cold butter.

8. Bake at 425*F, lined with foil and dried beans or pie weights, for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake at 375*F another 5-7 minutes until the bottom looks dry but not quite done and the edges are light golden.

Fill according to the recipe and continue on to pie-bliss.
 
Great-great-grandma would be proud.  If she had time.  After all, she had a farm to run.
 
Happy baking!
 
Check out the pie crimping and decorative edges video at Fine Cooking (issue #101, on which I based this recipe) http://www.finecooking.com/pages/fc_onlineextras.asp
 
Also, Martha, love her or not, has some good videos online at: http://www.marthastewart.com/see-and-celebrate-thanksgiving

Best Ever Pumpkin Pie

Thanksgiving is nearly here and it's one of my favorite holidays.  No gift buying, and it's all about food.  Nearly a perfect holiday, as far as I'm concerned. 

However, there is one highly divisive issue that surfaces this time of year: pumpkin pie.  There are those for whom the holiday isn't complete without it, and those who gag down that geletanious mass pretending to be dessert.  I personally stray into the latter camp. 

But surrounded by those who love pumpkin pie, I've continue to try new variations, sampled chiffon pumpkin pie (a good alternative, thanks mom!)  and ignored the store-bought ones.

Then, last year, I ran across this recipe in Fine Cooking magazine (Oct/Nov 2009 issue) and figured I'd give it a whirl.  I test-drove it at an office party the week before Thanksgiving and it was amazing!  With a few tweaks, it was ready for our dinner on Thursday.

The pumpkin-pie-lovers and the pumpkin-pie-deniers came together over this pie.  Here's hoping it brings unity to your table too!


Coconut-rum Pumpkin Pie (originally Jamacian Spiced Pumpkin Pie)


1 15-oz can pumpkin puree (do not use pie filling, it's pre-seasoned and the pie won't turn out right)
1 ¼ cups unsweetened coconut milk, (do not use 'lite' coconut milk, shake well!)
¾ cup packed brown sugar (I prefer dark, the original recipe called for light)
1 tsp ground ginger - if you have access to fresh ginger, I recommend taking the fresh-ginger option, described below)
¾ tsp ground cinnamon (saigon cinnamon from McCormick's has a delightful kick for this pie)
½ tsp table salt
1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg (yes, it's better if you have a little grater and a whole nut, but I use the ground nutmeg from the store - no complaints!)
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 TBs spiced rum (if you don't drink rum, you can buy a mini bottle and it'll be just the right amount)
1 blind-baked all-butter piecrust - or one frozen piecrust, prebaked.  We'll get to this tomorrow.


Put a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet on the middle rack of your oven (to catch any drips), and pre-heat  to 435*F.

In a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin, coconut milk, sugar, ginger, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg until smooth. Whisk in the eggs and then the rum, until the mixture is smooth. Pour the filling into the piecrust.

*if you have freshly grated ginger, before you begin mixing the ingredients, put the ginger in a glass measuring cup with the coconut milk and heat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes until it's hot but not boiling.  Let the ginger seep into the milk for 5 minutes, then make the filling.  You may strain the ginger out of the milk, but I prefer to leave it in for texture.

Put the pie on the heated baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes and then reduce the oven temperature to 350*F. Bake another 45-55 minutes until the center of the pie is nearly firm when you nudge the edge.  It won't be completely firm, but should have the consistency of set Jell-O.

Cool on a rack before serving. The pie lasts at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Adapted from Fine Cooking, Oct/Nov 2009

Thanksgiving Warm-Up

The other night, we got a jump-start on Thanksgiving with some turkey drumsticks.

They made a super-easy and inexpensive dinner with some roasted acorn squash and cranberry jelly.  I don't know about you, but around here, the mass of cranberry jelly straight from the can is a highly-prized addition to the menu!

Here's what we did:

We put three turkey drumsticks, lightly sprinkled with kosher salt, ground pepper and ground sage, in a baking dish and covered loosely with tinfoil.  I spray the dish with Pam so it's easier to clean afterward.

The drumsticks cooked (covered) in a 400*F oven for about 30 minutes. 

Along with the turkey, we put an acorn squash in the oven.  To prepare the squash, cut it in half, scoop the seeds out with a spoon and put the sides hollow-side up it in a dish with sides (I used a foil-lined cake pan).  I like to put a small piece of butter (1/4 TB) in each half to keep it moist.  Some people season the squash ahead of time, but I prefer to let everyone season it at the table with salt and pepper since the sweetness of each squash can be different.

After 30 minutes, I removed the foil from the drumsticks, let them cook another 5-10 minutes and checked the internal temp  - 165*F and they're done!

The acorn squash is done around the same time.  If the flesh gives easily when you poke it with a fork and it has developed a darker, more moist look, it's ready to eat.

Let the turkey legs rest a few minutes while you put everything on the table, and voila - pre-Thanksgiving delights!

Freezer Tips

Have you heard about umami?  Tastyness - borrowed from a japanese word - it's the "other" flavor.  Not salty, sweet or sour, it's the savory flavor of soy sauce, sauted mushrooms, the browned bits on the bottom of the roasting pan and...tomato paste.  Which brings me to a question.  Why do they still sell tomato paste in those cans?  Rarely do you actually need a whole can, right?  We were making a chicken pot-pie recipe and it called for a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste. 

Yes, you can buy tomato paste in a tube and squeeze it out as you go (a fantastic idea!) but I was out.  A while back I'd had the same problem and after using a tad of paste put the leftover tomato paste in a ziploc in the freezer.  I didn't have a great plan, I just hated to throw out a bunch of tomato paste.

Well, it turns out this was a good idea.  The paste freezes well and I was able to break off a couple of pieces and just drop them into the pan.  They defrosted in seconds and it was easy to stir them up.

But the most important part?  Putting the label on the ziploc!  Otherwise, I'd never have identified that little frozen slab in the freezer.

Here's to instant umami!

Our Dirty Little Secret

There's a danger in learning to cook.  It can breed picky children.  There once was a day when I could crack open a can of soup, nuke it and call it dinner.  Alas, the last time I tried that the response I got was "I don't like this.  I like your soup better."  The ultimate compliment.  And yet, there are those Wednesday nights when you just don't have several hours to roast a chicken, make stock and serve up a steaming dish of homemade soup.  But we have a secret.

Here's what we had for dinner Wednesday night:

Total cooking time: 30 minutes from start to serving.

Our secret?

Rotisserie chicken and stock-in-a-box. 

Here's how we did it:

Saute 1 chopped onion in olive oil until it softens, about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally

Add to the onions:
2-3 carrots, peeled and chopped

2-3 ribs of celery, washed and chopped

12 oz of button mushrooms, cleaned and chopped into quarters. 

Continue to cook another 5 minutes.

Add 1 box of stock and bring to a boil.  Add a couple of handfuls of noodles (your choice) and cook in the soup according to the time on the pasta box.

While the soup is boiling, take the meat off the chicken bones (remove skin too) and chop into chunks.

Near the end of the noodle cooking time, add chicken to soup.  Add salt and pepper to taste; a dash of vinegar also helps liven up the soup.  You can stir in several cups of fresh spinach leaves at the last minute; they wilt instantly.

Not as good as homemade, but good enough for a week night.  That's our secret.



Tapioca with Cranberries

Tapioca Pudding.

For a long time those words made me think of two things: old British nursery stories and gelatinous snacks in my summer-camp lunch bag. So whatever possessed me to make some at home, I do not know, but I was possessed and we did and what a revelation.

Mostly milk, light on the sugar, and easy to make, it’s a great base for lots of flavors or savored on its own.

We just use the recipe on the box and I've found that stationing a kid-chef at the stove for the part that requires "stirring constantly"  is a great way to include them in the dinner prep while I'm doing something else.

Since the pudding has to chill after cooking, we dish it out into small servings and stash those in the fridge while we eat.  By the time the dishes are done, they're ready.

Cranberries are a great complement and our quick sauce is simple:

Combine in a non-reactive saucepan 1 bag of cranberries (washed and any soft ones discarded) with 1/2 cup water and 1/3 cup sugar.  Stir occasionally and cook until the berries have popped, about 10 minutes.  You can reduce the liquid further by continuing to cook a few minutes longer.  Good seasonings include cinnamon, cardamon, orange or lemon.

A couple of spoonfulls of cranberry sauce livens up poultry or pork dishes as well as granola, yogurt and....tapioca!

Falafel Chicken

Today was an uninspiring kind of day.  Rainy and busy, I pulled out of the office parking lot late, two kids at home and a pitifully empty refrigerator.  So I did what any normal person does when faced with a dinner emergency.  I called one of my sisters.

"What's for dinner?"

"Your house or mine?" (we live several states apart)

"Mine.  There's nothing in the pantry, and I've got about 20 minutes to shop, go!"
She thought for a moment then spoke these magical words: "Falafel Chicken!"

I took a few mental notes, dashed between the drizzles to pick up milk, chicken thighs and falafel mix and headed home.

My son tossed together some butternut squash chunks (worth buying pre-chunked!) while my daughter measured out and mixed up tabouleh salad.

I dipped the chicken thighs in egg, turned them over in the falafel mix and put them in a non-stick pan with some hot olive oil.  About 5 or 6 minutes per side and they were done.

The chicken stayed very moist but the crust was flavorful and crunchy.  We had a little cranberry sauce on the side and it provided a nice tart, bright note to the dinner.

Falafel chicken is something I never would have thought of, but it just skyrocketed to the top of my easy-weeknight-dinner list!  Thanks Krissy!

Now if only we were close enough to share the dishes....