Posts Tagged ‘butter’

Unrecipe of the Week: Easter-over

April 8, 2012

Today we are celebrating “Easter-over”, a non-denominational hybrid of Passover and Easter. The beginning of the meal features classic matzoh ball soup, leading up to a salad of mache and figs, herb roasted leg of lamb, roasted new potatoes and vegetables, and ending with an array of Passover desserts.

This year, in addition to the sponge cake, made from my grandmother’s recipe and cooled upside down on a glass bottle, there are homemade coconut macaroons with a tiny chocolate center, and chocolate matzo brittle.

Matzo brittle is a fairly recent concoction, and not the type of thing I would normally make. I balk at things that start with processed ingredients, and with no disrespect to our state’s acting first lady, the idea of “Semi-Homemade” is unappealing. Yet, something made me want to try this one, and I am glad I did!
It is easy, yet a little messy, and absolutely addictive, regardless of what your heritage might be!

Matzo Brittle

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Cover 2 baking sheets with aluminum foil, including the edges.( you will thank me for this later) and then lay a piece of parchment paper on each pan.

Lay out sheets of plain matzo, using broken pieces to fill any gaps.

In a heavy sauce pan, melt 2 sticks of butter, and 1 cup of brown sugar, stirring until melted together. Allow the mixture to bubble up for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly.

Remove it from the pan and pour it over the matzo, covering each piece evenly.

Put the pans in the oven, and bake for about 15 minutes. The mixture will bubble up.

Remove the pans from the oven, and sprinkle each one with a bag of chocolate chips. Pop back in the oven for about 5 minutes, and then use a spatula to spread the chocolate evenly over the matzo.

Allow to cool, and then break into pieces.

Try not to taste it, or there won’t be any left for the guests.

To all of our readers around the world,Happy Easter-over! May you enjoy a wonderful celebration of the Spring season surrounded by friends and loved ones.

Enjoy!

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Fat Chance

January 19, 2012

Celebrity chef Paula Deen has recently announced that she has type II diabetes, a condition that is related to obesity and a lack of physical activity in 95% of the cases diagnosed.

Ms. Deen is known and loved for her style of home cooking and comfort foods that are high in calories and fat.  Butter, cream and sugar are key ingredients in her signature dishes.

With recipes like Fried Mac ‘n Cheese, Fisher Nutter Bacon Cheese Ball and Deep Fried Cheesecake, it seems that it was just a matter of time before her eating habits affected her health.

What is most surprising, is that Ms. Deen was diagnosed over 2 years ago, and kept doling out creations like her Lady’s Brunch Burger; an egg, bacon and a hamburger patty sitting between 2 glazed donuts, without batting an eyelash over what the consequences of eating like that might be.

This week, she came out of the proverbial pantry about her condition, when she announced a deal to endorse a diabetes drug.

She has claimed that diabetes will not influence the way she cooks in the future. Seriously?

Here is a woman who should be using her notoriety to show people how to eat more healthfully, rather than endorsing a drug to treat a disease she is perpetuating among her fans.

We are not saying that Ms. Deen caused her own condition, or that she is single handedly causing a diabetic epidemic. We are stating that diet and exercise play a major role in the cause and treatment of many cases of type II diabetes and Ms. Deen has an opportunity to embrace a healthier lifestyle and show others how to do the same. How about a cooking show where she does healthy makeovers of her own fat bombs?

Wouldn’t it be great if instead of hearing her say, “ Add a stick—a buttah,” she told us to “ Add a dollop of fat free yogurt” instead?

photo: The Guardian

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Posted in Food, fitness | 5 Comments »

Unrecipe of the Week / Holiday Edition

November 14, 2011

The grand finale of any Thanksgiving dinner is pie. In our house, pumpkin pie is a seasonal treat that everyone looks forward to. This year, in addition to the traditional pumpkin pie, there will be an apple pie for my nephew Will, and a yummy chocolate cheesecake to celebrate Walter’s birthday.

Any great pie begins with the crust. I make a classic French pate brisee that is flaky and buttery.  If you have a food processor, it practically makes itself!

Pate Brisee:

In the bowl of a food processor, place 1 ½ cup flour, a pinch of salt, a pinch of sugar and 1 stick of cold butter, cut into small pieces.

Pulse the machine for several seconds until the mixture resembles a course meal.

With the machine running, add ice water SLOWLY through the feed tube. Use just enough to get the dough to stick together and start to form a ball. This should only be about 2 or 3 tablespoons or so. Be careful not to over process the dough or it will become tough. The dough should not be crumbly or too wet.  If you need to, add a little flour or water to get the desired consistency.

Flatten the ball of dough into a disc and wrap it in plastic. Refrigerate briefly.
Most recipes require the dough to be chilled for a few hours. I find it is easier to roll when it is cold, but still very soft and pliable.

I roll out the dough on a clean kitchen towel or a piece of wax paper. Flour the surface, and the rolling pin to prevent sticking.

Roll the dough gently in all directions until it is about 3/16” thick and slightly bigger than the pie dish or tart pan.

Carefully fold the dough right on the cloth or paper and transfer it to the pan, with the excess hanging over the edges. Remove the cloth and gently smooth the dough into the pan. Trim the excess. In a tart pan, just roll your rolling pin across the top to get a nice even edge. For pies, there are a variety of crimping techniques.

The easiest, is to use a fork to score the dough all along the rim of the pan.

Use a fork to pierce the bottom and sides of the crust to prevent air bubbles when baking.
Place the crusts back in the refrigerator until you are ready to fill and bake them.

This recipe makes one crust. If you are making a double crust pie, you will need to double the recipe.

Happy Baking!

photo: Spencer Jones / Glasshouse Images

Food Styling: Shari Hershon / Indigo Jones

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Butter Balls

October 9, 2010

Just when you think it’s impossible to come up with the ultimate artery clogging confection, we stumble upon this year’s State Fair sensation: Fried Butter!
Yes, you can actually fry butter!

The Food Network’s resident butter lover Paula Deen has created her own recipe for fried butter balls, incorporating a little cream cheese into the mix.

Intrigued? We’ve printed the recipe, just in case you want to try them yourself.

Let us know how they are…

Paula Deen’s Fried Butter Balls

2 sticks of butter

2 oz. cream cheese

Salt and pepper

1-cup flour

1 egg beaten

1 cup seasoned bread crumbs

Peanut oil, for frying

Cream the butter, cream cheese and salt and pepper in the electric mixer until smooth. Use a small ice cream scoop or melon baller to form 1” balls. Arrange them on a sheet pan lined with wax paper and freeze until solid.

Coat the frozen balls in flour, egg and then bread crumbs and freeze again until solid.

Preheat the oil in a deep fryer to 350 degrees.
Fry balls for 10-15 seconds until golden brown. Drain on paper towels before serving.

Enjoy!

photo: Glasshouse Images

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Posted in Food | 1 Comment »

Unrecipe of the Week

January 6, 2010

This is our go-to dinner option when we want it fast, want it delicious, and want it vegetarian. In the time it takes to boil the water and cook most dried pasta, the sauce is done. Want a yummy fast dinner? On your mark, get set, GO!

Pasta with Quick Rustic Tomato Sauce

Finely dice a couple of cloves of garlic and quickly saute them in olive oil

Add several diced fresh tomatoes (4 or 5) to the pan and continue to cook on medium heat, stirring often

Season liberally with salt and pepper.

The tomatoes will soften quickly and create a chunky sauce in about 10 minutes or so.

When the tomatoes are ready, add about a tablespoon of butter to the sauce and stir it in. (yeah, butter..it really makes a difference!)

Sprinkle in a large handful of chopped, fresh basil leaves.

Mix the cooked, drained pasta into the sauce until it is completely coated, and serve with freshly grated parmesean cheese.

Enjoy!

photo: Glasshouse Images

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