Monday, March 17, 2008

Brown Soda Bread

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoons baking soda
  • 3/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon butter, melted
  • 1 cup raisins
  • 1 tablespoon caraway seeds, lightly crushed in mortar with pestle
  • Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 450°.

Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Make a well in center of mixture. Add buttermilk to flour mixture; stir until blended (dough will be sticky). Turn dough out onto a generously floured surface; knead lightly 4 to 5 times. Shape dough into a 4-inch round loaf; place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Cut a 1/4-inch-deep X in the top of the dough.

Bake at 450° for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 400° (do not remove bread from oven); bake 15 minutes or until loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Cool on a wire rack.

1 loaf, 6 servings (serving size: 1 slice)

adapted from Cooking Light

Sunday, March 9, 2008

Stuffing for Dinner

  • 2 cups bread
  • 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
  • 1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed, divided
  • 1/4 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 large celery ribs, chopped
  • 1 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream, divided
  • 2 T cup turkey giblet stock (recipe precedes) or reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (2 ounces)
  • 2 T cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Generously butter baking dish. Put bread in 2 shallow baking pans and bake, switching position of pans halfway through baking, until just dried out, about 10 minutes. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then cook half of sausage, stirring and breaking it into small pieces, until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a large bowl. Brown remaining sausage in remaining tablespoon oil, transferring to bowl. Pour off fat from skillet and wipe clean. Heat butter over medium heat until foam subsides, then cook onions, celery, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, stirring occasionally, until golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Add vegetables and bread to sausage. Whisk together eggs, 1/2 cup cream, turkey stock, cheese, and parsley, then stir into stuffing and cool completely, about 30 minutes. Reserve 5 cups stuffing to stuff turkey and spoon remainder into baking dish, then drizzle with remaining 1/4 cup cream. Cover stuffing and chill. About 1 hour before stuffed turkey is finished roasting, bring dish of stuffing to room temperature. When turkey is done, increase oven temperature to 425°F and bake stuffing, covered tightly with foil, until hot throughout, about 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake until top is golden and crisp, about 15 minutes more.

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Italian Wedding Soup

  • 3/4 lb Meatball Mix for Spaghetti and Meatballs
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
  • 3/4 cup chopped white onion
  • 3/4 cup chopped carrot
  • 1 celery rib, chopped
  • salt and pepper
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 small can whole tomatoes, drained and halved
  • 1 can white beans
  • 1 cup orzo
  • 2 cups shredded kale or spinach
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for garnish

Prepare Meatball Mix according to recipe. With damp hands, shape into small balls. Cover and refrigerate until ready to cook.

Melt the butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add garlic, onion, carrot, celery, salt and pepper and cook until translucent and fragrant, about 4 minutes. Stir in chicken broth, water and tomatoes. Cover and cook 10 minutes over medium heat or until soup comes to a boil.

Add meatballs, beans and orzo to the boiling soup and stir to make sure they are fully submerged. Cover and simmer for another 15 minutes over medium heat. Stir in kale or spinach. Test a meatball and a piece of orzo to ensure that they are fully cooked. Whisk the eggs and cheese in a medium bowl to blend. Stir the soup in a circular motion. Gradually drizzle the egg mixture into the moving broth, stirring gently with a fork to form thin stands of egg, about 1 minute. Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan, if desired.

Combined recipes from Food Network, Whole Foods, and Epicurious, 3/08.