TWD: It Takes a Village to Bake a Brownie

One of my favorite things about being a part of the Tuesdays with Dorie baking community is the weekly P & Q. It's an opportunity to eavesdrop (or participate, if you dare) on a conversation about the week's project. My fellow bakers are so interesting; they substitute ingredients and pans, chatter about technique and baking times, and troubleshoot the tricky recipes.

You wouldn't think that a brownie recipe would cause much of a stir with a group of accomplished bakers, but Rick Katz's Brownies for Julia (Child, that is) yielded no fewer than 47 comments. This validates a lot of my experiences in the kitchen; even with great recipes and the freshest ingredients the process for a home cook is probably going to be much different than the recipe implies. In this case, the key to success was a much larger pan than Dorie recommended (9 x 13 instead of 8 x8), a strip of parchment paper, and about 5 extra minutes in the oven.

The coolest part of this recipe was splitting the egg and sugar mixture, incorporating half of it into the melted chocolate, then whisking the other half in a stand mixer until it tripled in volume. I wouldn't call them weeknight brownies because of that step and the number of bowls and pans involved, but they are by far the best brownies I have ever made.

Since my friend Scott was turning 29 (for the first time - how nice!) I let him choose the addition of peanut butter chips. Bay-bee!

Thanks to Tanya of Chocolatechic for choosing this week's confection. Check out the recipe and her blog here.

Snow Day

It's not often that the Wine Guy has a snow day, but on Saturday Moore Brothers was closed and Paolo De Marchi's much anticipated visit was canceled because of the storm. We dug out, we puttered around in our comfy clothes, and of course, we ate.






The back of Madison Court blanketed in snow.














4th Street from our front door.














The historical marker in front of our house should say, "Most cookies consumed in any location in Philadelphia."












Finally roasted the turkey bones and made soup.













Eggs for lunch!












Goldilocks called; she wants the bears' chairs back.












Choosing the day's projects.













Trash can snowball.












French TV snacks - salty, sweet hazelnut goodness.












Roast chicken - the perfect ending to a beautiful day together.

TWD: Cocoa-Nana Bread

I'm dedicating my first post of the New Year to our dear friends Gina and Al. Today - right at this moment, to be exact - they are celebrating 11 years of being in love. For 8 of those years, Gina and I have been working at Bodine High School and Al has been off in various exotic locations (like St. Louis) becoming a doctor. Now that they are married and Al is back in Philly I have to share her, but she's so happy I can't possibly mind.

Gina is the secret ingredient in Too Many Dirty Dishes. She's my editor-in-chief, dedicated taster, and usually my only reader. She's also the friend who will come to the emergency room when I'm really, really scared. I love her for many things, but that's the one I will cherish forever.

So where is the Cocoa-Nana bread, you ask? Well, let's just say it's not the most photogenic of baked goods. Not even with the fancy new camera the wine guy got me for Christmas. Gina is much prettier, wearing her traditional Korean hanbok and enjoying her wedding cake with Al. She gave the bread a rave review this morning, so there you go.

The recipe created quite a stir on Tuesdays with Dorie this week as many bakers scrambled to find substitutions for the bananas. Apparently a lot of people have an aversion to this combination, but with Penzey's Dutch-processed cocoa and Scharfenberger and Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate chunks, it's much more chocolate than banana. It's really rich and delicious.

Thanks to Steph of Obsessed with Baking for choosing the recipe this week! It's posted on her blog, so check it out.

Happy Anniversary Gina and Al!!

On the Eve of the Feast

Today when I described our menu a co-worker asked if I had ever heard of a little company called "Stove-top." Are you kidding me?

Thanksgiving 2009
Red Bourbon Heritage Turkey with Gravy
Cranberry Orange Sauce
Ciabatta Bread Stuffing
Chipotle Sweet Potatoes
Mashed Rainbow Turnips
Slow-Cooked Green Beans with Tomatoes
Wheat and Cornmeal Goat Cheese Rolls

and (drumroll, please....)

Caramel Armagnac Pumpkin Pie
Thanksgiving Spice Cake

p.s. - the whipped cream is in a can. you can't make everything!

Bo Luc Lac - "Shaking Beef"

One of my fondest memories of San Francisco is dining at the Slanted Door. On that trip, we stayed on the Embarcadero at the beautiful Hotel Vitale, which is conveniently located at Mission Street right across from the Ferry Market. (convenient for eating, that is!)

Last month I was delighted to see this simple recipe for Shaking Beef, which we first enjoyed at the Slanted Door. Its easy preparation makes it perfect for weeknight.

I hadn't planned on writing about this meal, but a few bites in I realized it was too good to keep to myself.


Bo Luc Lac
Adapted from Michael Huynh
New York Times, October 21, 2009
Serves 2

FOR THE MARINADE:

1 pound beef filet, (I used Wegman's organic), cut into 1-inch cubes

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

FOR THE SALAD:

1 medium red onion, cut into paper-thin strips

7 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 cup rice vinegar or cider vinegar

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

most of 1 head butter lettuce, cored, leaves torn into large pieces

1 shaved fennel bulb

1 bunch arugula, chopped

1/2 cup mint leaves

8-12 cherry tomatoes, halved

2 tablespoons vegetable oil.

1. For the marinade: In a bowl, combine beef, garlic, Maggi or soy sauce, sugar, salt and black pepper to taste. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.

2. For the salad: In a large serving bowl, combine onion, 2 minced garlic cloves, sugar, salt, vinegar and olive oil. Mix well, and season with black pepper to taste. Add lettuce, fennel, arugula, mint and tomatoes. Toss to mix.

3. Preheat a large skillet over high heat, and add vegetable oil. Add remaining 5 cloves minced garlic. Add half the beef cubes and sear on all sides, shaking pan, until medium rare, 1-2 minutes. Reserve, then repeat with remaining beef.

4. Transfer beef to salad greens and toss, or serve salad and beef separately, divided among four plates. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper. If desired, serve with rice or crusty French bread.

TWD: Sugar-Topped Molasses Spice Cookies

There is nothing that says November like the perfect spice cookie, and this is it.

I really should stop photographing the baked goods and instead capture the looks of delight on the faces of my eager tasters. They loved 'em!

This is the time of the year when I take inventory in my baking cupboard and replenish my supplies for the holidays. The fresh spices I got from Penzey's in Chestnut Hill really made a difference in this recipe. I used their Vietnamese Cinnamon, which is purportedly the highest quality cinnamon available in America today. It's intensely flavored and deep in color, and combined with Grandma's Robust Molasses, ginger and allspice, made some very dark and delicious cookies. I took Dorie's advice and added a healthy pinch of coursely ground pepper. Mmmmm!

Other than over-baking the first tray a bit, I didn't have any issues with the dough. It was easier to handle the second day, and it didn't misbehave the way I'd heard it might. I loved the way the pressing the dough balls with a glass made the batch nice and uniform.

A big thank you to Pamela of Cookies with Boys for selecting this super-easy recipe. Stop by her blog and try not to fantasize about sitting at her dinner table - she makes some great food! The recipe and some baking tips can be found right here.

TWD: Cherry-Fudge Brownie Torte

This week April from short+rose made an exquisite choice for the group: this delicious brownie torte. Melted and chopped Scharfen Berger chocolate, dried cherries cooked in kirsch and a touch of fresh ground pepper combine forces in the brownie base. If that's not enough, the topping is a delightful whirl of cream cheese, mascarpone cheese, vanilla, and heavy cream. Trust me - it's even more decadent than it sounds.

Having a Trader Joe's nearby was really helpful in acquiring a few of the ingredients at a reasonable price, since I splurged on a good bottle of kirsch. Thanks to Margot at Effort to Deliciousness, that's where I found the dried cherries. While I was there I found mascarpone cheese for $2.99 for 8 ounces, too. This was one pricey endeavor, but I have no regrets.

I enjoyed working on this project over the course of three days, especially since I had a few other cooking projects underway. At one point I had beans soaking on the counter, apple chutney simmering on the stove, and a chicken trussed and ready to be baked as soon as the brownie was done. I figure if I'm in the kitchen, I might as well dirty every pan.

Some of my baking buddies had problems getting the topping to set, but I had the opposite situation. Dorie describes it as pourable mousse, but mine was so thick that it denied Gina, my decorating recruit, the opportunity to make some fancy chevrons. We had a few laughs trying to get the piping bag to cooperate, then attempting to carve in the design with a bamboo skewer. (God, I hope Dorie never reads that...) All I know is if Gina can't do it, it can't be done, so in the end I just smeared the preserves over the top and dusted each serving with some cocoa.

This is a great special occasion dessert, one that would be well received by any hostess. I got it out of the house as soon as possible before it could do too much damage. Needless to say, I had plenty of willing tasters between school and Moore Brothers. Perhaps my greatest compliment came from Rafael, an 11th grade student at Bodine and a professional baker. (yep, you read that right) He picked up a slice on his way to lunch, and halfway through my dreaded 9th period class walked by my door sporting a big thumbs up. Thanks for making my day, Rafi!

TWD: Sweet Potato Biscuits and the Phillies

Last week's Tuesday with Dorie recipe coincided with the Phillies' return to the NLCS, and we treated ourselves to tickets to Game 1. Perhaps I should begin by saying that baseball is a pretty big deal around here. Of the 162 games in the regular season, I bet we saw 150. We count down to the day when pitchers and catchers report to spring training and freeze our butts off on opening day. In fact, the two things that will lure us off our vacation deck on St. John are a tropical storm and a Phillies' game.

Now that we've reached the postseason, we've started our lucky rituals. First, there was the pre-game sign making that once again made me wonder how I ever got out of kindergarten. I managed to burn up a few seconds of my 15 minutes of fame at the game when my made-with-love (if not talent) sign made it not only to the Jumbotron, but also to a TV montage that featured the posterboy of the postseason, Bon Jovi. (That noise is not your computer. It is the thumping of my born-to-be-your-baby heart...)

Then there are the lucky shirts. I've been wearing two at a time, so that's a lot of laundry. John actually has a ritual that involves turning a shirt inside out if things look shaky, but I can't give any other details about that because, well, it may be bad luck. As Sunday night approached, the weather report indicated that lucky clothing, long underwear, and blankets would be in order.

What does all of this have to do with biscuits, you say? Well, I was right on schedule for an on-time post, didn't have the strength to write. It's tough cheering for your team into the wee hours, along with working, baking, AND blogging!

When John and I were recalling childhood biscuit memories, we realized our mothers used the same recipe: Pillsbury. A few months ago I was re-introduced to them when my mom insisted that I take some home with me. She had quite a stash of those tubes of refrigerated dough and was eager to share. Well, that's one convenience food that 21st century technology has really improved. We put aside our disdain for all things processed and devoured them.

Dorie's biscuits, however, are the real deal. The sweet potato kept them from rising too much, but they were delicious anyway. I loved another baker's suggestion to serve them with butter and honey. The mascarpone cheese left from this week's recipe would be divine with them.

A big Philly thank you to Erin of Prudence Pennywise for choosing the recipe. She put barbecued shredded beef on hers. Erin and her blog persona, Prudy, have a lovely playlist to accompany their budget-conscious culinary adventures. Go give her blog a look and a listen.

I wonder if she'd add "You Give Love a Bad Name."

TWD - Allspice Crumb Muffins

With all due respect, this post may be rather irritating.

I know it's tough to believe that the photogenic little flying-saucer-of-a-muffin smiling coquettishly at you may be evil. But according to nutritiondata.com, she's packin' a good 12 Weight Watcher points. It's a nightmare!

I personally found this week's Tuesday's with Dorie recipe to be fairly unique. At this moment in time, muffins have become another food item Americans shouldn't of stuffed with too many ingredients. Dorie's allspice crumb muffins, however, are pleasantly pure and wonderful, with a moist cake center and a delicate, crunchy topping. Mmmm! I can't imagine why one of my fellow bakers described these as "too buttery." Whatever.

Are you annoyed yet? You should be. Absolutely.

A big baking thank you to Kayte of Grandma's kitchen table for choosing such a great recipe! Check out her website for all of the details, and adorable pics of Homecoming 2009. Teenage romance - it is what it is.

Muffin making isn't rocket science. In fact, you could make this recipe 24/7, if you got up early enough. I made the topping the night before so I could send my husband to work with hot muffins for his co-workers. He didn't wait. Whatever. At the end of the day, it's all good.

A shout out to Oxford University's list of the most annoying phrases for making allspice muffins a lot more fun. I've added a few of my own favorites, too. My apologies, Mr. Safire.

John and Lynne

This weekend we went to Virginia to visit two of our favorite people - John and Lynne. We had the good fortune of sitting next to this amazing couple on the plane on our way to St. John in July. They weren't even supposed to be on our flight, and we changed our seats at the last minute. Coincidence? I don't think so.

John and Lynne were on their way to St. Thomas to celebrate their 14th wedding anniversary, and we were on what has become our annual pilgrimage to St. John. They invited us to join them for a special meal at the Lime Inn and we made plans to have some adventures together during the week. One day they picked us up in their rental boat, the Awesome, and we headed to Jost Van Dyke. The Wine Guy and I had been trying to get there for years, but the charter services are prohibitively expensive and the ferry leaves at the crack of dawn. Now it would be tough to imagine a Caribbean vacation without a Foxy's grouper sandwich or the swim to the Soggy Dollar. We made great memories at our favorite villa, Drake's Lookout, enjoyed burgers at Skinny Legs, and had lobster rolls and "Drink Right, Keep Left" drinks at the Tourist Trap. We all share a love for the reef and its inhabitants, so some of the best moments involved sea turtles and sting rays and other beautiful swimmers. They even hold hands while they are snorkeling like we do!

Getting to know John and Lynne has renewed my spirit. They are the kind of people whom you proudly call family, whether you are related to them or not. When we're together, we laugh good belly laughs and dream about the possibilities that the future holds. Yes, we've had to overlook the fact that they are Redskins fans. But they have a tricked-out Tiki bar in their yard and that is a good indicator of their idea of a good time. It's a little structure John built himself, which isn't surprising once you know that basically he can build/do anything. It's filled with cool stuff from their travels, like the Soggy Dollar ring toss game. And it's where John makes his famous Green Drink, which I'm sure he intends to name after the Eagles once they are Super Bowl Champions.

Right now, Lynne is busy beating cancer for the second time. When we met her, she was facing a couple of grueling rounds of chemo, but you never would have guessed it from her demeanor. In the next few weeks, she will be receiving her own stem cells for treatment as she goes for the cure. She's got the mind of a detective and quite possibly the most generous, gentle spirit I have ever met.

Lynne doesn't know how brave she is, which is probably a blessing or she'd be rappelling off the side of the Tiki bar. I feel like she's the sister I always knew I had out there somewhere, and I'm so glad I finally found her.