Madhu Knits and Cooks

Recipe, knitting, and sewing project notes

  • Cook’s Illustrated Molasses Spice Cookies – Fluffy and Rich Winter Cookies

    Molasses has been on my mind for most of this winter.  And while I could re-make gingerbread cake or gingerbread cookies, as always, why not try something new?  I turned, naturally, to Cook's Illustrated and chose their Molasses Spice Cookies with Orange Essence recipe for my new bottle of molasses.  The recipe was really easy to follow, and I made just a few modifications:

    • 1.5 tsp. of orange zest
    • no allspice, instead maybe 1/4 tsp. of nutmeg
    • baked for 10 minutes total
    • cookies were probably slightly smaller than the original recipes because I ended up with 26 instead of 22

    I also had a good 1/2 cup – 3/4 cup of leftover orange/sugar mix, and instead of throwing it away, I put the remainder in the freezer which I have no idea if that is a good idea or not.  We'll see when I try to re-purpose it, but for this recipe, I would recommend reducing the sugar mix so you don't end up with waste at the end.

    The cookies were pretty light and fluffy, though maybe a tad on the dry side.  I will probably make the recipe again, though gingerbread cake is definitely more winter-esque, just to use up the sugar mix.

    Molasses Spice Cookies

  • Indian Spiced Cauliflower – As Many Recipes Here Are Described, Simple, Flavorful and Healthy

    I'm not going to provide much backstory to this recipe – just that I wanted to eat some Indian-spiced cauliflower and this is the successful recipe I used 🙂  It is a pretty hands off, simple recipe so perfect to add into a dinner party or a quick weeknight meal.  In the picture below, cauliflower is on the right and mutter paneer is on the left.

    Indian Spiced Cauliflower
    Indian Spiced Cauliflower

    Ingredients:

    • One head cauliflower, cleaned, trimmed and florets chopped into roughly 1 inch pieces
    • 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
    • 1 tsp. black mustard seeds (available in Indian grocery stores)
    • 2 dried red chilis, broken in half
    • 1 tsp. whole cumin seeds
    • 1/2 tsp. urad dal (available in Indian grocery stores)
    • 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
    • 1 tsp. minced fresh ginger
    • 2 large cloves garlic, minced
    • 3 thai green chilis, chopped
    • 1 yellow onion, chopped
    • 1/4 cup water
    • 1 tbsp. chopped cilantro

    Directions:

    • In a medium-to-large skillet, heat the vegetable oil on medium-high heat.  When warm, add the mustard seeds and dried red chili peppers to the pan.
    • When the mustard seeds begin popping, add the cumin and urad dal.  Stir the skillet and simmer for 30 seconds.
    • Add the ginger, garlic and chilis and saute until the ginger and garlic is fragrant (and before the garlic browns).
    • Add the onions and saute until translucent.
    • Add the cauliflower, 1/4 cup water and turmeric.  Stir to coat the turmeric over the cauliflower, cover the skillet and steam the cauliflower for approximately 5 – 7 minutes (or until your liking).  Add more water as necessary to avoid the cauliflower sticking to the pan.
    • When cauliflower is cooked to your liking, add taste to salt, garnish the dish with cilantro and serve.

  • Very Simple Rosemary-White Bean Dip/Spread

    Perhaps in anticipation of the upcoming holiday season, a few months back I became focused on eating a delicious white bean dip.  I didn't have parsley on hand to make my standard white bean dip, so I checked on CooksIllustrated.com and found a white bean spread that they recommend using on bruschetta.  The white bean spread is paired with arugula, balsamic and red onions, but because I was trying to stick to ingredients on hand, I decided to just make (and eat) the spread without those accompaniments.  

    The dip/spread turned out wonderfully – very flavorful and incredibly simple to make.  I ate the dip with pita chips and toast, which was a fine (could be improved upon) pairing.  I will definitely be making this dip again.

    Cooks Illustrated White Bean Spread

  • Chewy Gingerbread Cookies – and Ruminations on Why Baking is Not Just Chemistry

    I recently made the Cook's Illustrated Thick and Chewy Gingerbread Cookie recipe and while assembling the ingredients, I realized that I did not have the exact measurements the recipe called for.  Unfortunately, many people I know would have told me to stop there.  I have been told time and time again that "baking is chemisty" and that to get a good baked good result, one needs to follow a recipe EXACTLY.  I really dislike having those conversations because I don't think that baking is or needs to be more precise than cooking.  I make modifications frequently to baked goods, and although the result may not be perfect (just like most of my cooking isn't perfect), nothing is actually perfect to everyone.  We all have different palates and making baking modifications, like making cooking modifications, isn't wrong to achieve the outcomes we want.  I don't mean substitute baking powder for baking soda (there is certainly chemistry in baking), but I think people should treat baking like cooking – experimenting to find something you like, and using the recipe as a guide and not a fail-safe scientific formula.

    So, in any case, modifications I made.  I only had around 1/2 a cup of molasses (probably btwn. 1/3 and 1/2 cup of molasses), so I just used that.  I added more liquid in the form of adding maybe 3.5 tbsps. of low-fat milk.  The dark sugar I used was also a bit dry and old, so I warmed it up in the microwave with some water to make it more moist.  I reduced the baking time to about 7 – 8 minutes to avoid too dry cookies and to adjust for making much smaller cookies – in the form of Star Wars cutouts.  

    The result was great – soft, chewy and thin cookies, which were rich in flavor.  I look forward to making more in the coming winter months!

    Thick and Chewy Gingerbread

  • Another Summer Knit for Me – Cap-Sleeved Lattice Top

    Over the summer, I completed a wonderful new summer knit top for me, thereby perhaps firming up the trend of actually completing summer knits during summer?  Let's hope that this trend carries over into next year, and that I will actually finish my lightweight, raw silk sweater that I started knitting 10 years ago!

    This summer, I chose the Cap Sleeve Lattice Top pattern from Purl Soho.  It was a wonderful pattern, though it took a few tries to get the sizing right.  I ended up significantly reducing the number of cast-on stitches for the smallest size and redoing the back after almost completing it.  I also reduced the lattice top so that that mesh-like portion wouldn't sink too low and increased the straight knitting to make up the difference.  The lattice portion is offset, but that doesn't seem noticeable when the top is worn.  Full details follow the picture below.

    Cap Sleeve Lattice Top Flat

    Cap Sleeve Lattice Top for Me

    Pattern:  Cap Sleeve Lattice Top by Purl Soho, scaled down to 88 cast-on stitches for both the front and back, and cast off 36 stitches for the neck for a smaller neckline.

    Yarn:  Cascade Yarns Ultra Pima, 1.9 skeins in colorway 3729 and 0.7 skeins in colorway 3719

    Needles:  US4 throughout the pattern

    Measurements:  Pre-blocking measurements of a 30-inch bust circumference, 13 1/2-inch long main body, 4 1/2-inch long lattice portion, and 9-inch wide neck opening.  Post-blocking measurements of 29-inch circumference, 14-inch long stockinette portion, 5 1/2-inch long lattice stitch portion, and 8 1/4-inch neck opening.  

    Cap Sleeve Tunic Modeled

  • Simple Roasted Cabbage – Easy Way to Use Up Leftover Cabbage

    For some reason, I have never thought about roasting cabbage even though I have roasted a good number of other vegetables over the years.  Thankfully, I recently tried roasting cabbage in an attempt to use up a 1/2 head of leftover cabbage from a recent Indian cabbage preparation.  I had searched for cabbage recipes online, and ended up finding references to a Cook's Illustrated roasted cabbage wedges recipe though I couldn't find the actual recipe on the CI website.  The "recipe" though is pretty simple and basically the standard recipe for roasting any vegetable – cut into uniform pieces, cover with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.  I put the cabbage in an oven at 450 degrees, and roasted for approximately 20 minutes or until the cabbage started to brown.  The roasted cabbage that resulted makes a perfect, low-calorie side to any fall/winter main course.

    Roasted Cabbage

  • Gorgeous Blanket for Baby Giselle

    I recently had the honor of completing a baby blanket for baby Giselle, a beautiful, not-so-newborn at this stage, who was born over the summer.  Prior to Giselle's birth, I had been thinking about her blanket for months – baby G has very stylish parents, so I felt there truly was a premium on me getting this blanket done right!  With the input of friends, I settled on the Harvest Moon pattern by Aimee Alexander and a neutral, mid-weight yarn.  I decided on a neutral, off-white color so that the blanket could be an accessory not only in Giselle's nursery, but also when she is on the go.  Full project details follow the image of Giselle loving her blanket!

    Giselle on Blanket
    Blanket for Baby Giselle

    Pattern:  Harvest Moon by Aimee Alexander, Stroller Size

    Yarn:  Spud and Chloe Sweater in the Ice Cream (7500) color

    Needles:  US7

    Measurements:  Pre-blocking measurements of 27 inches wide by 31 1/2 inches long, and post-blocking measurements of 26 inches wide by 31 inches long.

    Giselle Blanket Folded

  • Failed First Attempt at Preparing Eggplant – Sichuan Eggplant

    I purchased my first eggplant at the local farmers market this summer.  I was excited for the purchase because not only was I looking forward to trying Madhur Jaffrey's Hot and Spicy Sichuan-Style Eggplant recipe from World Vegetarian, but also I recently discovered I actually enjoy eggplant.  I have long disliked eggplant – mostly because of its texture – and I feel that finally eating it is part of the process of me becoming an "adult" eater (though mushrooms continue to escape my fancy).  

    So in any case, when I started to prepare the eggplant, for some reason I decided it would be best to forgo the steaming of the eggplant called for in the recipe and instead saute the vegetable instead.  Unfortunately, that step seemed to be the first and most important in leading to a pretty inedible dish (I made some other recipe modifications – e.g., substituting onion, chili garlic sauce, etc. – that I will omit here).  I looked up eggplant sauteing online, and then kept cooking it until it seemed both under and overcooked at the same time.  There was also a slightly charred, unpleasant flavor that developed as I was cooking the eggplant.  Ultimately, I had a few bites of the dish and ended up throwing it away.  So until I learn how to actually saute eggplant, I think I will stick to steaming and roasting it, which seem to be the most common – and most foul-proof – ways to prepare this vegetable 🙂  

    Sichuan Eggplant

  • Very Easy and Very Tasty Crispier Chocolate Chip Cookies

    The Cook's Illustrated Thin, Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe is incredibly easy (a rarity, sadly, for Cook's Illustrated), uses ingredients that I often have on hand, and makes a decent number of cookies (though not the 4 dozen cookies promised in the recipe!).  I enjoyed the cookies so much after making the recipe a first time that I ended up making them again within a few days.  If you have a bake sale, office potluck or barbeque to bring something to, I would definitely recommend checking out this recipe.  I think it does appeal to all cookie lovers as well, despite the title, because the cookies aren't THAT crispy, especially when serving them the day-of baking.

    Thin Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies

  • Summer Corn Soup – Very Light Opening Course

    Several weeks ago, when summer corn was at its apex, I decided to use some leftover ears in the fridge to make a corn soup.  I didn't fully know what I was doing, but with a parmesan rind on hand (that is supposed to be a good soup additive, right?), I thought I could figure something out.

    The result was pretty good – perhaps a little light for the soup I was trying to achieve, but still pretty flavorful despite its thin consistency.  I think this soup would be an excellent summer meal starter, and is definitely a good way to get through any extra summer corn (which sadly has passed us by this year!).

    Corn Soup

    Summer Corn Soup

    Ingredients:

    • 1 tbsp. vegetable/olive oil
    • 1 leek, white and light green parts washed and diced
    • 1/4 tsp. garlic powder (would substitute 2 cloves minced garlic – unfortunately I did not have garlic the day I made this soup)
    • 1 piece parmesan rind (I used a 5 inch by 1 inch piece, broken in half)
    • Corn kernels from 2 ears of corn
    • 3 cups water
    • Salt
    • Lime or lemon juice (optional)
    • Fresh herbs (optional)

    Directions:

    • Heat oil in soup pot until shiny on medium-high heat.
    • Add leeks, garlic powder and 1/2 tsp. salt.  Cook until leeks are tender.
    • Add 3 cups water and bring to a boil.
    • When boiling, add corn kernels and lower heat to a simmer.  Cook for at least 5 minutes, adding salt, citris juice, and/or fresh herbs to taste.
    • Remove rind and serve warm.