Bickford’s Apple Pancake

THE Bickford's Apple pancake brings only good memories. Actually Bickford's in general brings back great memories. I have spent many mornings there with family and many late nights there with friends. Bickford's is the North East's Cracker Barrel. I have to say though Cracker Barrel is realllly good. Thank goodness I don't live near one…

The apple pancake is called a Dutch baby and the German apple pancake. I really don't care what they call it I LOVE it! You can easily put it over the top and add warm maple syrup….mmmmm. I do think that cooking this in a cast iron pan is essential. It took 25 minutes from start to table which is great for me for a weekend breakfast. For the pancake shown below it was for a dinner, which, having breakfast for dinner is always a fantastic ending to a day.

I think that the recipe is for a 6-8" pan, I did this in a 10" pan and I think it came out a bit too thin. Other than it being a little thin this tasted VERY much like what I remember at the restaurant.
I cut the apple really thin and it was cooked perfectly.

The source for this recipe is supposed to be from Bickford's restaurant and I have to say I believe it!

Gadget: While this really isn't a gadget I feel that it's a tool that's absolutely necessary in your kitchen. I use this as much as I use my nonstick sauté pan. I bought it onsale for about 12$ at Cost Plus World Market. https://secure.lodgemfg.com/storefront/product1_new.asp?idProduct=3924

Bickford's Apple Pancake

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup milk

2 eggs

1 large medium size apples

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Mix sugar and cinnamon.

Mix flour, milk and eggs together.

Melt butter in cast iron skillet (this is essential). Remove from heat. Pour mixture into skillet.

Peel and slice thinly the apples. Place on top of mixture.

Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar mixture. Bake 20 minutes. Serve from cast iron skillet.

The Fishwich

I was reading one of several blogs that I follow and noticed a fish sandwich and WOW that was such a blast from the past! I knew instantly that was on the menu as quickly as possible.

I was not the normal kid who went to McDonalds and got the happy meal and was thrilled with the free toy. Sorry Dad, you were not going to get off that easy…NO, I was the kid who at the fish sandwich or as time went on the PLAIN cheeseburger before it was "make it your way" time. The poor guy had to stand there for 10 minutes while everyone else ate their meals while they "made" my fish sandwich (because I didn't like condiments…then). There are only two fish sandwiches that have rocked in my adult life. The first was a salmon sandwich I had in Alaska and the second is THIS cod sandwich. Two VERY different meals but the outcome was amazing. An honorable mention is the crab cake sammi at Cheesecake Factory but is that really a fish?

SO, when I saw this blog post I got really excited! Not to mention I have been baking my own bread lately and was ready to make some homemade rolls (that's another post). SO off to the store to pick up some white fish…

Now, for all you Bostonians get either haddock or scrod. All you west coasters, its all about the Cod. Basically any white flakey mild fish you can find would be good for this. Because the fish is delicate you should get a soft roll with a soft crust. Brioche would be fantastic.

You can make the batter, rolls and tarter sauce (if you make that homemade) several hours ahead of time. Unfortunately you need to fry and eat these babies up quickly. Since I only made these for myself and my husband I heated the oil in my wok. After you fry them put them on a cooling rack or something where air circulates around them. If you put it directly on a paper towel then the bottom will get soggy.

Sorry peeps, no pictures they were gone THAT fast! My husband keeps asking me when I will make them next…

Fishwich
1 lb white fish cut into 4 pieces to match your roll size (check for bones)
1 cup dark beer (I used Newcastle)
1 ½ t baking powder
1 cup flour
4 slices cheese (I used cheddar)
Sea salt
Pepper
Peanut oil

Combine flour, beer, baking powder, pinch of salt and pepper, blend (I used my immersion blender). Store in fridge until ready to fry fish)

Heat up oil, enough to immerse fish in. you want this to be a pan fry (not a sauté or a deep fry). 365 degrees

Dip fish in batter then fry in oil about 2 minutes on each side (depending on how thick the fish is)

Arrange sandwich: Roll bottom, cheese, fish, and tartar sauce, roll top -EAT!

Slammin SuperBowl Sustenance

Throwing a super bowl party has been a tradition of mine for about 12 years now. As soon as I got my own place I used every excuse to throw a party. The place wasn’t big so the parties were pretty intimate which is really what you want anyway. I mean, everyone needs to have a comfy seat to watch the game right? Well, this year, I just wasn’t in the mood to do it. Not sure what it was, but our dear friends came to the rescue and decided we should hang together at their house that day. Well, I certainly wasn’t going to go over empty handed and just because I wasn’t in the mood to entertain certainly didn’t mean I wasn’t in the mood to cook! Between me and my gracious hosts we put out a spread that was INSANE! Thank goodness the neighborhood came! Below are a few recipes, some old, some new and certainly not to be enjoyed ONLY on game day!

Spinach and Artichoke Dip

This recipe was given to me by my sister’s friend from Vermont who is quite a cook. It makes a lot and is fine to make the day before and reheat. Remember though, it’s a hot dip. These types of dips get kind of lame after an hour or two sitting around. If you have a hot plate it would be fantastic to use for this. This is a pretty thick dip so use a chip/cracker that can “hold” it. There is nothing lamer than going in for a scoop and having your chip break all over the place. I usually do this in my giant 6qt sauté pan. Remember NO DOUBLE DIPPING!

3 T butter
½ C minced onions
1T + 1 t minced garlic
2T flour
1 ½ C heavy cream
3-10oz boxes of frozen spinach (thawed and drained)
1-14 oz can artichoke hearts (drained and chopped)
6 oz havarti or fontina cheese (Shredded or cubed small)
½ C grated parmesan
¼ t nutmeg
¼ t salt
¼ t white pepper
¼ t black pepper
½ t cayenne pepper

Melt butter in saucepan
Add onions and sauté until soft, do not brown
Add garlic, sauté 1 minute stirring
Sprinkle flour and stir and cook for 1 minute
Add ¾ C cream stir constantly until thick
Then add remaining ¾ c cream and stir until thick and smooth
Add rest of ingredients and stir until cheese is melted
Adjust seasoning and “heat” to your liking
Serve HOT with toasted crostini or tortilla chips

Tip: to drain spinach I have a tea towel that I ONLY use for spinach. (Its lightweight and dark green). Put all the spinach on the towel and twist the water right out of it. Remember to separate the spinach a bit so it’s not added to your recipe in one big ball.

Buffalo Calzone

OK so you know by now that my husband and I LOVE buffalo wings AND Calzone. This recipe (is it really even a recipe?) does not have MY “wings” in it but if I had the time I totally would put them in. I got the idea MANY years ago back in Boston and it was actually served at a Valentine’s Day party! The hostess used buffalo tenders from Mario’s in Lexington, MA. I loved that place but until that night didn’t know about them. Since then I only make this for Super Bowl although if you substituted the dough for some sub rolls filled it with chicken and spread the blue cheese on top…WHO DAT is right!

1 lb Pizza Dough
1 bag Tyson buffalo chicken tenders cooked according to package

Roll out dough, add wings, wrap up dough, spray top with Pam or EVOO and bake.
Oven temp should be about 425. I like to use my convection.
Bake on a foil lined sheet sprayed with Pam. If you have a seasoned baking stone use that.
Someone suggested adding Provolone cheese to it…

Serve with my Blue Cheese Dressing

Tip: I have been getting my pizza dough from Trader Joes lately in those plastic bags. To have the best crust you can with this prepackaged dough, cut it out of the bag and onto your floured pastry board or wherever you plan on rolling your dough out. Cover the dough with flour so it won’t stick, shape into a ball and let it rest for about 20-30 minutes if you have the time. The dough will stretch better and it raises better in the oven.

Potato Skins

This was a new venture for me and after finding many recipes I came across one on Allrecipes that looked good, easy and as healthy as one would get with tater skins. I don’t know why but these and twice baked potatoes seemed like a daunting experience for me. I also figured that if they were a disaster we had enough back up. I baked the potatoes the day before. Let them cool completely and then stuck them in the fridge. When scooping out the filling DON’T scoop it all out! You want there to be a nice layer of potato still formed around the skin, kind of like a boat. I am using the “insides” for baked potato soup, YUM! This is also another recipe that loses its luster when they get too cold although not sure if it will take that long to get them to disappear. These freeze well and I had 2 leftover and they reheated beautifully in the toaster oven the next day.

4 large baking potatoes, baked
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon Lawry’s seasoning
1/8 teaspoon pepper
8 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Cut potatoes in half lengthwise; scoop out pulp, leaving a 1/4-in. shell (save pulp for another use). Place potatoes skins on a greased baking sheet. Combine oil, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, Lawry’s and pepper; brush over both sides of skins. Bake at 475 degrees F for 7 minutes; turn. Bake until crisp, about 7 minutes more. Sprinkle bacon and cheddar cheese inside skins. Bake 2 minutes longer or until the cheese is melted. Top with sour cream and green onions. Serve immediately.

Streusel topped Apple Pie
click here for recipe

I LOVE this pie! I wanted to let you know I baked it for this day because it’s an all American pie for an all American event! We served it with some praline ice cream…WOW!

My Indian Food Experiment

I have started to read some really great blogs and I am learning so much and getting a wee bit more daring in the kitchen. I had always considered myself to be a pretty cultured cook…well, not really. So many different foods scare the daylights out of me. Let's see, Indian and Asian food along with Bread is pretty much at the top of my list. Well, I am the type to confront my fears. To give you proof, on my 30^th birthday I told myself I was going to get over my fear of the ocean. I was a great swimmer but stick me in the ocean and I would probably drown. It was always the unknown for me. I turned to my (then boyfriend) now husband and asked him to join me on this venture. We took the classes near my home back in Boston and booked a trip to St. Lucia for our check out dives. The day came for me to hurl myself into the water…the clear blue, can see every speck of sand 100 feet down with little bright fish and cute turtles all around, water. It wasn't so bad, actually I got hooked. I am no way near feeling like a mermaid but I am glad I faced my fear because I would have never thought I would have enjoyed….Indian food!

I went to Allrecipes, my best resource so far and found a recipe for Chicken Tikka Masala and some Naan. The Naan is SO easy and worth making! I was never a fan of curry and never have had a good Indian food experience until I went to my good friend's parent's home for dinner. It was spectacular. EVERYTHING this woman made was amazing. I still have no idea what I ate but I really don't care. Not sure this is worthy to go on her dinner table yet but a few more times and I might just have to have them over to my place for dinner!

Chicken Tikka Masala
You can easily do this recipe ahead of time and reheat or feel free to cook the chicken one day and then add to the sauce the next.

1 cup yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-size pieces
4 long skewers

 1 tablespoon butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped seeds removed (only ½ if you don't like heat)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. In a large bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, cumin, cinnamon, black pepper, and ginger. Stir in chicken, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour min or overnight.
2. Preheat a grill or broiler for high heat.
3. Lightly oil the grill grate or foiled baking sheet. Thread chicken onto skewers, and discard marinade. Grill until juices run clear, about 5 minutes on each side.
4. Melt butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Sauté garlic and jalapeno for 1 minute. Season with 2 teaspoons cumin, and paprika. Stir in tomato sauce and cream. Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Add grilled chicken, and simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, and garnish with fresh cilantro.

 Naan Bread
I did this in my Kitchen Aid with the dough hook. I also proofed it in my oven. To do this turn your oven on to 200°F then right before you are ready to proof your dough turn the oven off and put in your dough. Also during step 4 I rolled out the dough in my kitchen and layered them on a tea towel then took them to the grill. They cook faster than you can roll them out. These freeze well and can keep for several days. This recipe probably makes 30 6-8" breads.

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast

1 cup warm water (100°F)
1/4 cup white sugar

3 tablespoons milk
1 egg, beaten
2 teaspoons salt
4 1/2 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons minced garlic (optional)
1/4 cup butter, melted (add garlic to this)

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand about 10 minutes, until frothy. Stir in sugar, milk, egg, salt, and enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes on a lightly floured surface, or until smooth. Place dough in a well oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and set aside to rise. Let it rise 1 hour, until the dough has doubled in volume.
2. Punch down dough. Pinch off small handfuls of dough about the size of a golf ball. Roll into balls, and place on a tray. Cover with a towel, and allow rising until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
3. During the second rising, preheat grill to high heat.
4. At grill side, roll one ball of dough out into a thin circle. Lightly oil grill. Place dough on grill, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until puffy and lightly browned. Brush uncooked side with butter, and turn over. Brush cooked side with butter, and cook until browned, another 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from grill, and continue the process until all the naan has been prepared.

What came first the chicken or the shroom?

This is one of my husbands favorite chicken dishes. Its simple, meaning few ingredients and on the table in about 30 minutes with few dishes to clean up. YUP my type of meal after working and working out. I like eating this after exercising (I usually do it after work) because its not heavy, and its low fat. I found this recipe about 7 years ago in Everyday Food and I have adapted it to the point I really don't need to have the recipe in front of me. I also like cooking with chicken thighs, although you can easily do breast meat (you should pound it relatively thin). My husband will not eat dark meat, he has no idea I have been feeding him dark meat for 7 years…shhh…
Of course as the night wears on our sweet tooth kicks in and we HAVE to have something sweet. Whenever I have sour cream in the house this cake always makes its way to my cake dish. Other than the sour cream I usually have everything in my pantry. AND its another use for all that cake mix that's always on sale.

Braised Chicken and Shrooms4 boneless. Skinless chicken thighs fat removed
Salt/pepper
EVOO
1 pound mushrooms (cremini are my favorite for this) sliced
2 garlic cloves
½ cup white wine
1 ¾ cup chicken stock
2 T chopped fresh parsley


Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 1 T EVOO in large skillet over medium high heat and add chicken and cook until browned on both sides. Transfer to plate and keep warm.
Add 1 T EVOO to skillet and add mushrooms and ¼ t salt. Cover and cook until juices are released. Remove lid and cook over high heat stirring occasionally until mushrooms are almost cooked. Add garlic and wine and cook until evaporated. Add stock and parsley until liquid has reduced by half.
Return chicken to skillet, and simmer over low heat until chicken is cooked through.
Tip: I buy a large bulb of garlic and whirl it in my mini cuisinart and store in the fridge. It stays for a few weeks and you always have fresh chopped garlic on hand.

Marbled Chocolate Cake1 Cup semi sweet morsels
1 package yellow cake mix
4 eggs
¾ C sour cream
½ C oil (vegetable)
¼ C water
¼ C sugar


Preheat oven to 375. Grease pan of choice. I use a Bundt pan.
Microwave chocolate in a medium bowl for 1 minute. Stir and repeat at 10-20 second intervals until melted and smooth.
Combine cake mix, eggs, sour cream, oil, water and sugar in large bowl. Beat on low speed until incorporated, then on high speed for 2 minutes
Stir 1 ½ cups batter into melted chocolate. Alternately spoon batters into prepared pan, beginning and ending with yellow batter.
Bake 35-45 minutes until done. Cook in pan 20 minutes then invert on wire rack to cool completely.
As for the cake "dressing". I leave it bare because we cannot come to an agreement in my house. I like caramel and coconut, he likes chocolate syrup and ice cream. Simple powdered sugar will do too.

Syrian Spinach Pies~~aka Fatayir

This is yet another fantastic recipe I have had the pleasure of cooking with my grandmother. Although for some reason they never come out EXACTLY like hers when it comes to the look and taste. She very rarely measured anything and I think that her patience in the kitchen is something that was not passed down to me. Syrian cooking is very laborious, certainly a labor of love. She formed each pie so it was perfectly round dough with the exact amount of filling and then forming the triangle was with a precision that I just don’t have.

Speaking of “love”, I love the freshness of the lemon with the spinach and the crust is amazing with almost a sweetness to it. I have always preferred these cold. They are great to snack on during the week. They are baked not fried so they are not “that” bad for you.

You can also make these with a meat mixture and I will be making and blogging about it in the near future.

If you want to serve these as an appetizer then make them as small as you want and in any shape you feel like forming. You can make them ahead and preheat them in the oven to crisp up the dough and heat the filling.

6 months ago I was given the Kitchen aid 600 professional for my birthday from my husband. I honestly had no idea what I was missing. I have always been terrified of yeast, I think because it means that you actually have to knead something and that’s way too much energy for me in the kitchen. WELL now that I have my KA I can still make a yeast dough and not have to exert all that kneading energy!

Syrian Spinach Pies

1 1/2 C+2T flour
½ t dry yeast
2/3 C warm water
Salt
¼ C EVOO
1small onion sliced very thin
Pinch of Syrian pepper (optional)
Juice of 2 lemons
Pepper
2 lbs spinach cooked and squeezed dry (or 2 10 oz frozen)

1. In your mixer with the dough hook combine the flour yeast, water ½ t salt and 3 T of the EVOO. Mix at medium speed until a soft dough forms 5-10 minutes. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and proof for about 1 hour*.
2. Put remaining 3 T EVOO in pan and sauté onion until soft 5-10 minutes. Add Syrian pepper, pepper, and lemon juice. Stir in spinach and let cool completely. 
3. Preheat oven to 450 link baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat. Divide dough into 10 pieces and form into ball. Let rest for 10 minutes. Roll out into circle about 5” and place filling in middle. Bring up sides of dough to form a triangle and pinch ends to seal. Brush tops with EVOO and bake 18 minutes or until golden brown. 

Note: When I proof I usually do it in my warming drawer. If you do not have one turn on your oven and preheat to 200 then shut it off and put the dough in.

GADGET: The Silpat—I have to admit I was NOT a believer. It just seemed like it would not work, or burn. I received a mat for the holidays and I use it ALL the time! Can be used for sweet and savory items like pizza, cookies, anything, mostly for cookies though. There has been many times where I am in the middle of baking cookies and my roll of parchment paper runs out…not anymore! Check it out, you can find them anywhere.