Madhu Knits and Cooks

Recipe, knitting, and sewing project notes

Tag: Cooking — Snacks

  • One Sesame Loaf, Two Ways: Pea Crostini and Really Wonderful Garlic Bread with Herbs

    A few months back, I bought a sesame bread loaf at the local farmer's market and decided to put it to two uses:  a pea pesto crostini from a Giada de Laurentiis cook book I checked out from the library and the Cook's Illustrated Herbed Garlic Bread.

    The Herbed Garlic Bread was amazing – really flavorful, easy to make, and wasn't too buttery or oily.  The first time I made the bread, I used half of the sesame loaf/baguette and used a combination of chives, parsley and thyme.  I used half the amount of butter called for in the recipe as well as used slightly less garlic (maybe 2 tsbp. of roasted, minced garlic).  I baked the bread for 6 minutes and it was perfectly crusty, warm and delicious.  The second time I made the bread, I used a combination of rosemary, thyme and chives.  Rosemary was definitely the standout ingredient in the second run, and I think it should be definitely used in future versions as well.

    Cooks Illustrated Garlic Bread
    The pea pesto crostini was far less exciting unfortunately.  Although very easy to make with simple ingredients usually on-hand in my house (frozen peas, parmesan, olive oil, etc.), the result was fairly bland and the pea flavor was just too overwhelming (and I like peas!).  So unfortunately, I think this recipe will not be repeated again for me.

    Pea Crostini

  • Best Banana Bread Recipe to Date

    I've experimented with many banana baked good recipes, including banana bread, banana oat muffins, and banana chocolate chip muffins, but as of a few weeks ago, I had still not found the "perfect" recipe.  I think that I can now report that I may have actually found that perfect recipe – the Martha Stewart online recipe which uses sour cream in addition to the standard muffin/cake/bread ingredients.  

    I've made this recipe twice now, and the best part of it may not just be the flavor – despite using less banana than is called for both times and increasing the amount of sour cream/greek yogurt to adapt – but also the nice crisp outside to the bread that develops after baking.  As a result, the texture is much more bread-like than other recipes I have tried, but is still very moist inside the crust.  The first time I made the recipe I used low-fat sour cream, the second time, non-fat greek yogurt – I didn't notice a difference, but Andy thought the first loaf, with the sour cream, was more flavorful.  I also substituted about 1/2 cup chocolate chips for the nuts both times, and added in maybe 1/4 tsp. cinnamon.  I still have leftover banana bread in the fridge, and I am looking forward to eating it all in the coming days – or freezing it for enjoyment later!

    Banana Bread - Martha Stewart

  • Ginger Shortbread – As Delicious as It Sounds

    Cook's Illustrated has inspired me again despite the missteps of late.  This go-round, I made a ginger shortbread, which was an online variation to the "best shortbread" from the Nov. 2009 issue.  The variations I made to this recipe were simply to correct for my lack of proper baking accessories.  First, I substituted a hand mixer for using a stand mixer with paddle attachment, so had a little bit of nervousness about whether I would know when the dough was "ready" but after blending the ingredients for slightly longer than called for in the recipe, I think I achieved the proper texture.  Second, I messed up the forming of the dough by using a springform pan that was open instead of closed, so later when the recipe said to "open" the collar, I couldn't really make that adjustment.  Third, I didn't have a biscuit cutter, so instead to remove a center circle from the shortbread, I used what I thought would be an appropriate substitute – a Storm Trooper cookie cutter.  Maybe not the best idea (that cookie was pretty overbaked as it was smaller than a 2-inch diameter), but it seemed to be fine at the time.  Finally, because the cookie cutter is not oven safe, I did not put it back in the middle of the cookie dough during baking, so the consistency was probably off from both the lack of a middle holder and from not opening the springform collar.  (Oh, and when I propped the oven door open with a wooden spatula, when I removed the spatula, of course it fell into the oven door so the door had to be disassembled to retrieve it.)

    Regardless of these technique changes though, the shortbread turned out pretty well despite potential overbaking.  The shortbread was generally pretty moist (particularly in the middle – the edges near the springform collar were noticeably drier), and the flavor was really outstanding with the crystallized ginger of course being the star.  I look forward to making this recipe again!

    Ginger Shortbread

  • Vegetarian Times Horseradish Smashed Potatoes — Really Easy and Flavorful Alternative to Standard Mashed Potatoes

    I recently went to a get-together where I was requested to bring a side dish if possible.  I wanted to use the opportunity to try something new, so I flipped through some of my winter editions of the Vegetarian Times and Cooks Illustrated to find a good, holiday/winter side dish recommendation.  The Dec. 2011 Vegetarian Times had what seemed like a few good options, including what I ultimately settled on, the Horseradish Smashed Potatoes.  The recipe required all of four ingredients, and for the seemingly most difficult to obtain — fresh horseradish root — there was a simple substitute of prepared horseradish, which can be found almost anywhere.  Not only was this dish a hit at the get-together I went to, it was also so good that I used the leftover creme fraiche and prepared horseradish from the first go-round to make the potatoes again this past week with scallions serving as an excellent substitute for chives.  The dish takes maybe 5 minutes of active time to prepare (the longest non-active time is waiting for the potatoes to boil and cook for a few minutes), so I definitely recommend it as an incredibly easy, and flavorful side dish for any get-together. 

    Horseradish Smashed Potatoes

  • Dark Chocolate Cupcakes – Great Out of the Oven, But…

    Unfortunately not so great the next day even after being sealed in an airtight container in the fridge, per the instructions.  Just a little too dry to be enjoyable the next day, though the very rich flavor of these Dark Chocolate Cupcakes were really amazing out of the oven.  In hindsight, maybe I slightly overbaked them (21 minutes instead of 18 – 20, and particularly important because these cupcakes were slightly smaller than what was called for in the recipe.  I made 13 instead of the envisioned 12).  I also used regular cocoa instead of dutch-processed, but I don't think that made a difference.  In any case, I don't think I'll be returning to this recipe anytime soon.  On to the next one…

    Cooks Illustrated Cupcakes

  • Another Cook’s Illustrated Success — and Surprisingly, a Failure as Well!

    I have really been doing good in cooking and baking from my stacks of cooking magazines and books lately, including my recent attempts at the Cook's Illustrated Creamy Chocolate Pudding and Chocolate Chip Meringues. The pudding turned out really, really well — so much so, that I even ate a small portion with some fresh fruit, even though I don't really like pudding that much.  The only alteration I made to this recipe was to substitute Ghiradelli's cocoa powder for the dutch-processed cocoa powder.

    Cooks Illustrated Chocolate Pudding

    The meringues, which I made with the leftover egg whites from the pudding, unfortunately were a complete mess. In fact, perhaps they were the worst meringues I have ever made — a shocking statement, I know. The problem with the meringues were that they were chalky, brittle, and the flavor was also a little off. I think the problem with this recipe though was not with its construction, but rather perhaps purely with my inability to follow it. I ended up halving the recipe because I ultimately had only two useable egg whites from the pudding. I also slowly poured in all of the sugar into the egg whites at once, instead of in two parts, so perhaps that is why the cookies ended up being so dry. In any case, I think I will stick to other meringue recipes in the future, including this chocolate meringue recipe.

    Cook's Illustrated Chocolate Chip Meringues

  • The Great Compost Cookie Experiment

    I have finally attempted the Momofuko Compost Cookie recipe.  I have not been to the Momofuko Milk Bar yet (though the Noodle Bar is amazing and highly recommended), but I saw their compost cookies being prepared on Regis & Kelly almost two years ago.  Upon hearing how you can really put whatever you want in them — chips, candy, and really any savory or sweet snack — I knew that I would have to make these one day.  I have to admit that when I have thought about really making these cookies in the past, I have actually become a little overwhelmed with the options — I mean really, if you could make a cookie with ANYTHING, what would you put in it?  Should you play it safe, with the pretzels, potato chips, chocolate chips, etc., or go all out with Doritos, Cheetos, and other completely unnatural food products?  

    Well, finally, I pulled myself together to make the cookies — they are just cookies, right, and not something to get completely stressed about?  Unfortunately, when I actually decided to bake them, my indecision led to day-off trips to the grocery store and lots of thinking in the kitchen about whether my mixture of ingredients was just right.  Additionally, I found a few different ways to find the Compost Cookies online — one version from the Regis & Kelly show, with a few website critiques of how to best prepare them, as well as a version from the Oprah website, which had significantly different ingredients.  Ultimately, I pulled together something based on these two blogs' versions of the Regis & Kelly-featured cookies.  

    Compost Cookies Close Up
    Per the websites' guidance, I put in slightly more flour than called for in the recipe – perhaps 1/4 cup.  I also included slightly more of the savory and sweet snacks – 1 1/4 cups of crushed potato chips (Lay's reduced sodium), 1/3 cup of blue corn tortilla chips (Xochitl), 1/2 cup of dark chocolate chunks, 1/2 cup m&ms, 1 cup crushed kit kats.  I also included 1 tsp. of kosher salt instead of 2 tsps. because I was worried about the salt from the potato chips and tortilla chips.  I also used a handheld mixer instead of a stand mixer, and creamed the butter and sugars together for less time than called for in the original recipe.

    I baked the cookies in two different batches – one had been been in the fridge for just over an hour, and then in the freezer for 20 minutes, before baking at 375 in the oven for 15 minutes.  I rotated the cookie sheet twice on the same rack during the baking.  The second batch was in the fridge for a day or two, and then in the freezer, but I did not notice a different in the outcomes between the two batches.

    The cookies were pretty good, though perhaps a little thin.  I think when I make these cookies again, I'll put in the full 2 tsps. of kosher salt, and also include thicker chunks of snacks that will withstand the baking, e.g., pretzels, pretzel m&ms, or even hard candy chunks?  The chips and chocolate pieces just softened too much while baking, so the cookies just seemed to lack both proper thickness in size and an optimal amount of crunch while eating them.  To the next round!

    Compost Cookies

  • Cook’s Illustrated Gingersnaps — Really, Really Wonderful Cookies for the Holidays

    Not enough people in this world (or at least in my social circle) like crispy cookies.  I love my cookies to be completely baked, have no ounce of mushiness, and have a nice crisp or crunch to them.  The key element though must be to firm – not overly dry, but certainly not soft.  

    For those of you who are hesitant about the superior nature of well-done cookies, I encourage you to check out the Gingersnaps recipe from a recent Cook's Illustrated issue.  The result isn't too dry or lack chewiness, but it is a wonderful crispy-type cookie.  The recipe is a bit labor intensive though — one must grate 2 tablespoons of fresh ginger — but the cookies have a great flavor that is perfect for the holiday season.  And one can freeze the dough as well, making it perfect for any on-the-fly entertaining you may have to do as guests circle in and out over the next few weeks.  Please post a comment if you try them!

    Gingersnap Cookies

  • Breakfast Baked Apples — Good for Leftover Apples, But Not Necessarily a Go-To Recipe

    Fall has of course brought an abundance of apples to the local farmers markets, and I have had little success in resisting my overally tendency to overconsume.  (Just wait until the clementines really start coming in — my apartment will undoubtedably be filled with boxes and boxes.)  Although I had hoped to make an apple tart to both use up my remaining apples as well as finally use the tart pan I bought last year, I ended up settling on a far simpler recipe from Cooks Illustrated — breakfast baked apples.  The recipe had the benefit of including ingredients that I had easily on hand at home, and would require far less work than constructing a tart.  

    I increased the baking time to fully cook all of the apples, but otherwise the recipe was pretty straightforward.  The result was definitely better when I reheated the apples later in the day because when I ate the first one out of the oven, the vanilla flavor was a bit too powerful.  Generally though, I think the baked apples were a bit "meh" and I don't know if I will actively seek out opportunities to make this recipe again.  Instead, I think it'll be a second (or maybe third) choice the next time I have some leftover apples that I need to use up.

    Breakfast Baked Apples

  • Chinni’s Brussel Sprouts — A Surprising Seasonal Delight

    I admit that I have retained my childhood fear/dislike of brussel sprouts well into adulthood.  But just as I have been trying to accomplish with other food groups (a post on that topic is forthcoming), I recently bought some brussel sprouts at the farmer's market to try to finally enjoy these healthy vegetables.  Initially, I thought I would make use of my new CooksIllustrated.com online membership, but instead I happened to bring up brussel sprouts when I saw my cousin Chinni.  She and her husband swore by a roasting recipe that she had tested to perfection (the analogy to the resulting roasted brussel sprouts was popcorn), and so I decided to try this approach. 

    The recipe turned out really well — the brussel sprouts were both caramelized and crisp.  I think the next time I make this recipe, I will try to cut the pieces more uniformly in size so they roast more evenly (some of the larger pieces weren't as tasty as the smaller halves) and also tinker with the baking time a bit (not sure if that means more or less time yet!).  I will probably also season the sprouts more generously because I think I was a little too hesitant to do so during this first go-round.  The details on my brussel sprouts attempt follows the picture of the roasted sprouts.

    Chinni's Brussel Sprouts
    Chinni's Roasted Brussel Sprouts

    Ingredients:

    • Approx. 3 cups brussel sprouts, washed and halved
    • 2 tbsps. olive oil
    • 1 clove garlic, chopped
    • sea salt to taste
    • Pecorino or Parmesan cheese, finely shredded or grated (optional)

    Directions:

    • Heat oven to 450 degrees, and line large roasting pan with foil.
    • Place the halved brussel sprouts in a medium-size mixing bowl, and pour the olive oil over the sprouts.  Sprinkle with the chopped garlic and sea salt, perhaps 1 tsp. to start.  
    • Place the seasoned brussel sprouts on the pan in a single layer with the cut sides down.
    • Bake for 17 minutes or until browned, and flip the sprouts over.  I baked the sprouts cut size up for approx. 3 – 5 minutes before then sprinkling grated Pecorino lightly over each of the tops.
    • Bake for another 3 – 5 minutes, or until uniformly browned.  
    • Remove from oven, add additional salt as necessary and serve!