Simply Recipes »

[4 Mar 2010 | No Comment | 32 views]

Caraway Soda Bread

One of the things I love about making soda bread is that it is just so darn easy. With yeast breads you have to proof the yeast, knead the dough, let the dough rise, etc. But with soda breads, there’s no proofing, kneading, or waiting. In fact, because the leavening comes from mixing the base of the baking soda with the acid in the buttermilk (remember those fascinating-at-the-time childhood experiments of sprinkling vinegar onto baking soda?), you pretty much pop it in the oven as soon as you put the dough together. The trick is to use a light hand, just work the dough barely enough to bring it together. It looks like a sheep-doggy shaggy mess, but it bakes up beautifully—lightly browned and crusty on the outside, while soft and tender on the inside.

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Aapplemint »

[4 Mar 2010 | No Comment | 33 views]

Black magic and Yam are amongst the many things Ghana is famous for. “Juju”as it is called locally, is still practiced till date, and I have heard such strange stories, sometimes, I doubt if there are even real. But I know people who swear by them, and say they have witnessed such things. One really [...]

Dunkin Style »

[4 Mar 2010 | No Comment | 43 views]

My husband and I love this version of Risotto, we have been making it for years. I found it in the Classic Home Cooking Cookbook long ago. I am generally reluctant to buy the really good Parmesan Cheese (i.e. 20 bucks a pound), but in this case, it is worth it!

The Saffron lends it a beautiful golden color, and the Shallot and Parmesan give it the WOW factor! It goes great with Lamb, and in fact that is what I served it with when I made it. It is worth the time and effort, trust me!

6 tbl butter
1 medium onion (chopped)
1 shallot minced (this is not part of the original recipe)
2 cups Arborio Rice (this is a must)
5-6 cups hot chicken stock (as always homemade is best)
two pinches of Saffron Threads
Salt and Black Pepper to taste
2/3 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
Parmesan shavings for the presentation

Melt 2 tbsp of the butter in a large saucepan, add the chopped onion, and shallot and cook gently, stirring occasionally, for 3-5 minutes, until softened but not browned

Add the rice, stirring to coat the grains in butter, and cook for 1 minute. Add a ladleful of hot chicken stock to the pan, and cook gently, stirring constantly, until all the stock has been absorbed.

Add the Saffron, and salt and pepper to taste, continue to add the stock a ladleful at a time, stirring constantly, until the risotto is thick and creamy and the rice tender. This will take 25-30 minutes

Stir in the remaining butter and the Parmesan cheese and season to taste. Top with Parmesan Shavings and serve immediately.

Michael Ruhlman »

[3 Mar 2010 | No Comment | 1 views]

Brown Eyed Baker »

[3 Mar 2010 | No Comment | 27 views]

I believe in balance. For example, if I eat three massive pieces of pepperoni pizza for dinner (yum) I will try my hardest to not eat dessert. On the contrary, if I have managed to tame my eating for most of the day, I believe in a sweet reward (thus undoing that entire day of [...]

Simply Recipes »

[2 Mar 2010 | No Comment | 19 views]

Lemon Chicken

Overheard at the market, “I’m a breast girl.” “Really? I’m definitely a thigh girl,” pause…”dark meat, so much more flavor.” Had to laugh, I’m so so so much a thigh girl myself. Here is the secret to fabulous lemon chicken - use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (or legs, but thighs are easier to eat). Lemon is acidic and greatly benefits from the balance of the stronger flavor of the dark meat in thighs and legs, and the fat from the chicken skin. You don’t have to eat the skin (my father doesn’t, he gives them to me, score!), but cook with them on for the flavor.

What we most love about this recipe is that it is a classic American lemon chicken recipe without being too lemony. In other words, it doesn’t make your lips pucker, it has just the right amount of lemon flavor to it.

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