Annie’s Eats

Last night was a relaxing rainy Friday evening at home, perfect for baking cookies. Unfortunately, by the time I had gotten all the ingredients, I was too exhausted to bake since I had woken up at 4:15 am. Luckily, this morning has been a relaxing rainy Saturday morning so I didn’t miss my chance

I saw these cookies on Tara’s blog and decided I wanted to try them, but I made several of my own modifications. The recipe with my changes is below. Scroll down for a link to the original recipe. I am a relatively experienced baker, but these cookies were a bit tricky. The first couple sheets taught me a few things. First, watch these cookies carefully. One minute can make the difference between just right and brown enough that I wouldn’t feed it to anyone besides Ben. Second, don’t flatten out the dough balls. When I did, the cookies spread out too much and were very big and thin. When I left the dough in non-flattened ball form, they came out much better. Third, I decided I didn’t like the idea of pressing the M&Ms into the already formed dough balls - they looked too planned or symmetrical that way. I ended up stirring the rest of the M&Ms into the dough and was much happier with that result. I’m a little disappointed in the dough I wasted on the first few sheets, but I still got a lot of really good cookies once I figured out how I wanted to do things. Thankfully, the end result was delicous!

Peanut Butter M&M Cookies
Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup reduced-fat creamy peanut butter
2 tbsp. milk
2 eggs
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 lb. milk chocolate M&Ms

Directions:
Combine butter, sugar, brown sugar, peanut butter and milk in a large bowl. Beat until well blended. Beat in eggs. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add gradually on low speed. Gently stir in the M&Ms.

Preheat the oven to 375° F. Shape the dough into 1 ¼” balls and place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes, checking frequently to avoid over-baking. Allow to cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to a cooling rack and cooling completely.

Source: Sarah’s Cooking Escapades

Yesterday evening I decided to continue my endeavors into bread baking, and continue to take advantage of my awesome KitchenAid mixer by making this brown sugar raisin bread. I thought this would be great in the mornings, toasted and with a glass of OJ. I started my OB/GYN rotation today and I can definitely say that I think it is going to be a great rotation. I will still have pretty early mornings, especially since the hospital I’m at is a 30-50 minute drive depending on traffic, so hopefully this yummy bread will help start my days out right.

This may look complicated but it was really very simple. My only change to this recipe was to use all regular raisins instead of half dark and half golden. Otherwise, I don’t mess with bread recipes It’s also nice because it makes two loaves so you can freeze one for later or give it to someone special. This turned out great, and tastes even better than the cinnamon-raisin bread from the store.

Brown Sugar Raisin Bread
Ingredients:
1 Tbs. active dry yeast
3 Tbs. granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups warm water (105° to 115°F)
1 cup warm milk (105° to 115°F)
3 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted
1 Tbs. salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
6 to 6 1/4 cups bread flour, plus more as needed
1 ½ cups raisins

For the filling:
2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar mixed with 4 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Directions:
In a bowl, sprinkle the yeast and a pinch of the granulated sugar over 1⁄2 cup of the water and stir to dissolve. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, combine the remaining 3/4 cup water, the milk, butter, the remaining granulated sugar, salt, egg and 2 cups of the flour. Beat on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the yeast mixture and 1⁄2 cup of the flour and beat for 1 minute. Add the raisins, then beat in the remaining flour, 1⁄2 cup at a time, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

Switch to the dough hook. Knead on medium-low speed, adding flour 1 Tbs. at a time if the dough sticks, until smooth and elastic, about 4 minutes. Transfer the dough to a greased deep bowl and turn to coat it. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk, 1 to 1 1⁄2 hours.

Lightly grease two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board. Divide the dough in half and roll or pat each half into an 8-by-12-inch rectangle. Lightly sprinkle each rectangle with half of the filling, leaving a 1-inch border on all sides. Beginning at a narrow end, tightly roll up each rectangle into a compact log. Pinch the ends and the long seam to seal in the filling. Place each log, seam side down, in a prepared pan. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until the dough is about 1 inch above the rim of each pan, 1 to 1 1⁄2 hours.

Preheat an oven to 350°F. Bake until the loaves are golden brown and pull away from the sides of the pan, 35 to 40 minutes. Turn the loaves out onto wire racks and let cool completely. Makes two 9-by-5-inch loaves.

Source: Williams Sonoma

I love soup. That is all there is to it. I have not always loved soup, but that is probably because “soup” used to mean something from a can that didn’t have much taste or nutritional value. Now that I’ve made several types of soup myself, I have come to realize what a great food soup can be when it is homemade. Tonight I decided to try this new recipe, another one from my Barefoot Contessa Cookbook. Like every other recipe I have tried from this book, it was delicious! Ben even says it now takes the place of his favorite soup - pretty good, if you ask me.

The only thing I dislike about Ina’s recipes is the huge quantities they make. This recipe serves 10-12 people normally, so I made a third of the regular recipe (not easy to do with these dimensions, by the way). Also, to make it a bit healthier, I used turkey bacon and reduced fat white cheddar cheese. I don’t have any real changes of my own, and I don’t think I’ll change anything next time either. This is good just as it is

Cheddar Corn Chowder
serves 10-12

Ingredients:
8 oz. bacon, chopped
¼ cup olive oil
6 cups chopped yellow onions (4 large onions)
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
½ cup flour
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. black pepper
½ tsp. ground turmeric
12 cups chicken stock
6 cups medium-diced white boiling potatoes, unpeeled (2 lbs.)
10 cups corn kernels, fresh (10 ears) or frozen (3 lbs.)
2 cups half-and-half
8 oz. sharp white cheddar cheese, grated

Directions:
In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, cook the bacon and olive oil until the bacon is crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and reserve. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onions and butter to the fat, and cook for 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent.

Stir in the flour, salt, pepper and turmeric and cook for 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock and potatoes, bring to a boil, and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. If using fresh corn, cut the kernels off the cob and blanch them for 3 minutes in boiling salted water. Drain. (If using frozen corn you can skip this step.) Add the corn to the soup, then add the half-and-half and cheddar. Cook for 5 more minutes, until the cheese is melted. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve hot with a garnish of bacon.

Source: The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook by Ina Garten and Martha Stewart, Clarkson Potter, 1999

So, I realize that salsa may not seem like that big of a deal or even “blog-worthy”, but this is a huge leap for me. Why? Because I chose the ingredients and threw them together with no recipe to guide me!! This may not seem such a feat for some (some people rarely use a recipe) but for this girl with a B.S. in biology, this is huge progress. I have taken waaaay too many chemistry and biology labs (*shudder*) where it was very important that I measure things exactly, and follow the instructions. I really think this has had a huge effect on the way I cook. Ben is always saying he thinks I could come up with some great recipes, but I haven’t had the courage or time yet. The more food blogs and websites I read, and the more experienced I become at cooking, the more confidence I have in my ability to create something of my own. This salsa was my first step, and I must say, it is awesome. This is a pretty mild salsa but that is how I like it best. I really wanted to try to make this before the end of summer, and I’m so glad that I did. Paired with some baked Tostitos, this is a pretty healthy snack or side. The “recipe” is below and all measurements are approximate. Enjoy!

Summer Salsa
Ingredients:
6 vine-ripened tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/3-1/2 red onion, chopped
½-1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced
3 tbsp. cilantro, finely chopped
splash of lime juice
salt and pepper, to taste
dash of cumin

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl; mix well. For best flavor, place in an air-tight container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Source: me

In celebration of another day off, and therefore having time to cook, I made dinner and dessert. Since dinner was pasta and salad, I wanted something light for dessert and this recipe seemed like a great choice. I’m still trying to take advantage of summer berries while they are in season and on sale. I just can’t get enough berries! This is a great summer dessert recipe.

This recipe is super easy and very tasty. It definitely has a strong citrus note to it but the berry flavor comes through well too - it is a nice blend of flavors. I made a half batch myself, but the original recipe is below. I didn’t really make any changes but I did find that it took me two oranges to get 1/2 cup of orange juice (the website says you can get 1 cup from two oranges). I think they must be using a juice extractor or something, but I just used my hands.

Fresh Berry Granita
Serves 6-8

Ingredients:
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
¾ cup cold water
½ cup agave nectar or honey
¼ cup sugar
2 tsp. orange zest
1 pkg. (16 oz.) fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered
2 pkgs. (6 oz. each) fresh raspberries
additional berries or mint sprigs for garnish (optional)

Directions:
In a blender, combine the orange juice, water, agave nectar, sugar, zest and about half the strawberries and half the raspberries. Pulse, and then puree the mixture until almost smooth. Add the remaining berries and puree until completely smooth. Taste and adjust the sweetness with additional agave nectar if needed.

Pour the mixture into a 13 x 9 x 2-inch nonstick metal baking pan. Place the pan in the freezer insuring the pan remains level. Freeze until the edges become icy and the center is slushy, about 1 hour. Using a fork, stir the icy edges into the middle of the pan, repeating this step every 30 minutes, until the granita becomes solid, about 3 hours.

Using a fork, scrape the granita down the length of the pan, forming flaky ice crystals. Cover tightly and freeze. (Can be prepared a day ahead. Keep frozen.) Scrape granita into bowls. Garnish and serve immediately.

Source: Whole Foods

Another great dinner with ingredients straight out of my own herb garden. I realized tonight that back when I was first teaching myself to cook, more than half of my cooking repertoire was pasta dishes. Now that I have become more adventurous and actively sought out more variety, we don’t eat pasta nearly as often as we used to. That doesn’t mean I love it any less - it is still one of my most favorite foods This is an awesome dinner…really, really good. I am so glad I finally tried it. I don’t really know what else to say, except that you should try it!

I made a few of my own changes to the recipe. The original calls for 2 pints of cherry tomatoes, but that seemed like a lot to me and I only had one on hand, so I just used one pint and quartered them. I also doubled the amount of garlic. Below is the recipe with my changes. Scroll down for a link to the original.

Pasta with Five Fresh Herbs
Ingredients:
1 lb. penne rigate
4 tsp. extra virgin olive oil, divided
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
½ tsp. chopped fresh oregano
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
1 pint fresh cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp. chopped fresh chives
½ tsp. chopped fresh thyme
½ cup low sodium chicken broth
2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
½ cup (about 3 oz.) goat cheese, crumbled

Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Place in a large bowl. Add 2 tsp. olive oil, basil, oregano, salt and pepper to hot pasta, and toss well to combine.

Heat remaining 2 tsp. olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add chives and thyme; sauté 1 additional minute or until tomatoes are slightly charred and skins are just beginning to burst. Add broth; bring to a boil. Cook over high heat 1 minute. Add tomato mixture and parsley to pasta; toss gently to combine. Sprinkle with cheese; serve immediately.

Source: Cooking Light

At the beginning of the summer I planted an herb garden in our backyard. I have gotten quite a lot of use out of it, and I really love being able to just walk outside to get ingredients rather than to have to pay for the expensive fresh herbs at the store. Tarragon was the only herb I planted that I hadn’t tried yet, so I made this chicken dish. WOW, it is goooood. I served this with roasted asparagus and sauteed mushroom orzo. This was a great dinner.

Chicken in Tarragon Sauce
Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (I used 2 whole chicken breasts and just cooked them a little bit longer)
1 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 Tbs. chopped shallot
1 Tbs. chopped fresh tarragon
1/2 cup heavy cream
Fresh lemon juice, to taste (optional)
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish

Directions:
Trim any excess fat from the chicken. Rinse and pat dry with paper towels. One at a time, place a chicken breast half between 2 sheets of waxed paper or plastic wrap. Using a rolling pin, flatten to an even thickness of about 1⁄2 inch.

In a large sauté pan or fry pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter with the olive oil. When hot, add the chicken, season with salt and pepper and sauté gently, turning once, until the chicken is golden and opaque throughout and the juices run clear when the meat is pierced with a knife, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a warmed plate and keep warm.

Pour off any excess fat from the pan and place the pan over medium-low heat. Add the shallot and sauté, stirring, until translucent, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tarragon and cream, increase the heat to medium and stir with a wooden spoon, scraping up any browned bits from the pan bottom and blending well. Cook, stirring, until bubbling and thickened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice. Return the chicken to the pan and turn each breast several times in the sauce until well coated and hot. Transfer the chicken to a warmed serving plate or individual plates and spoon the remaining sauce over the chicken. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.

Source: Williams Sonoma

Mmmmm, these are very nice to wake up to in the morning. I had some buttermilk leftover from making the pumpkin scones and decided to make these for breakfast this week. Both the look and the taste of these remind me a lot of the kind of donuts that are covered with cinnamon and sugar, except that I like these muffins even better (I’m not much of a donut person). The buttermilk helps give these a lighter, more fluffy texture.

If I could, I would rename these “Sugar and Spice Muffins” because that sounds better I could definitely see these being great for a baby shower brunch for a baby girl (you know, “Sugar and spice and everything nice, etc. etc.”) My only comments as far as the recipe goes is that you definitely don’t need as much melted butter or cinnamon/sugar mixture for the topping as they recommend. Also, I got 10 muffins out of the batch as opposed to the 9 that the recipe is supposed to yield.

Cinnamon Buttermilk Muffins
Ingredients:
7 Tbs. unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

For the topping:
2/3 cup sugar
1 Tbs. ground cinnamon
6 Tbs. (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Directions:
Preheat an oven to 350°F. Grease 9 standard muffin cups with butter or butter-flavored nonstick cooking spray; fill the unused cups one-third full with water to prevent warping.

To make the muffins, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, combine the butter and sugar and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat well until pale and smooth.

In another bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. Add to the butter mixture in 2 additions, alternating with the buttermilk and vanilla. Stir just until evenly moistened. The batter will be slightly lumpy.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each three-fourths full. Bake until the muffins are golden, dry and springy to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Unmold the muffins and let stand until cool enough to handle.

To make the topping, in a small, shallow bowl, stir together the sugar and cinnamon. Put the melted butter in another small bowl. Holding the bottom of a muffin, dip the top into the melted butter, turning to coat it evenly. Immediately dip the top in the cinnamon-sugar mixture, coating it evenly, then tap it to remove excess sugar. Transfer the muffin, right side up, to the rack. Repeat with the remaining muffins. Let cool completely before serving. Makes 9 muffins.

Source: Williams Sonoma

Yesterday I had the day off from surgery (YAY!) so Ben and I went down to Bloomington to visit with our families. We had brunch at his parents’ house which is always a good time because his dad makes the best omelets ever. I always like to bring something for brunch if I can and this time I thought I would make a tart. I went to the store with a totally different tart in mind, but when I saw Driscoll’s “three berry packs” on sale, I knew this was the tart to make. This was very easy to make, especially with the help of my trusty Kitchenaid mixer for the crust. This was definitely a hit with everyone at brunch. I especially liked it because it is something sweet but definitely on the lighter side as desserts go. What a great way to take advantage of the abundance of summer berries while they are still in season!

Mixed Berry Tart
Ingredients:
1 basic tart dough (see recipe below)

3 Tbs. granulated sugar
1 Tbs. all-purpose flour
1 Tbs. cornstarch
2 egg yolks
2/3 cup milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

2-4 cups mixed berries, such as blueberries, raspberries, strawberries and blackberries
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Directions:
Make the tart dough according to recipe below. (I rolled mine out, lined the tart pan, covered with foil and filled it with baking beads. I baked it at 375 until it was done, and I’m not sure how long that took - maybe 25 minutes?)

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the granulated sugar, flour, cornstarch and egg yolks on medium speed until thick and pale yellow, 2 to 3 minutes.

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk and vanilla and bring to a simmer. While stirring, pour half the milk into the sugar mixture until combined. Then pour this mixture back into the pan with the remaining milk and place over medium-low heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and starts to bubble, 1 to 2 minutes. Be sure to scrape the sides and corners of the pan while whisking to prevent scorching. Pour the pastry cream into a clean bowl and cover the surface with parchment paper. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for 1 hour.

Basic Tart Dough
Ingredients:
1 egg yolk
2 Tbs. very cold water
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
8 Tbs. (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes

Directions:
In a small bowl, stir together the egg yolk, water and vanilla; set aside.

To make the dough by hand, in a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar and salt. Using a pastry cutter or 2 knives, cut the butter into the flour mixture until the texture resembles coarse cornmeal, with butter pieces no larger than small peas. Add the egg mixture and mix with a fork just until the dough pulls together.

To make the dough in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, stir together the flour, sugar and salt in the mixer bowl. Add the butter and beat on medium-low speed until the texture resembles coarse cornmeal, with butter pieces no larger than small peas. Add the egg mixture and beat just until the dough pulls together.

Transfer the dough to a work surface, pat into a ball and flatten into a disk. Use the dough immediately, or wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, about 30 minutes.

To roll out the dough, on a lightly floured board, flatten the disk with 6 to 8 gentle taps of the rolling pin. Lift the dough and give it a quarter turn. Lightly dust the top of the dough or the rolling pin with flour as needed, then roll out until the dough is about 1⁄8 inch thick. Use a small, sharp knife to cut out a round or rounds 2 inches greater in diameter than your tart or larger tartlet pans. Use a small, sharp knife or a cookie cutter to cut out rounds 1⁄2 to 1 inch greater in diameter than your miniature tartlet pans. If using a rectangular tart pan, cut out a rectangle 2 inches larger on all sides than the pan. Makes enough dough for one 9 1⁄2-inch tart, six 4-inch tartlets, twelve 2-inch miniature tartlets or one 13 3⁄4-by-4 1⁄4-inch rectangular tart.

To serve, spoon the pastry cream into the crust, arrange the berries on top and dust with confectioners sugar. Serves 8.

Source: Williams Sonoma