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What's Cooking at Slashfood

partysugar — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 04:00:33 -0700

We love Slashfood so much that every Thursday we round up their most delicious stories. Here are this week's finds:

Learn how to get free drinks at your local watering hole.
75 percent frosting, 25 percent cake!
Do you write notes in your cookbooks?
The New York Yankees and Dallas Cowboys want you to eat better when at the ballpark.
Radicchio is in season; it pairs perfectly with raisins and pine nuts.
How important is it to preheat your oven?
It's a great time to enjoy pumpkin ale.

Simple Tip: Cook Bacon in the Oven

partysugar — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 10:15:14 -0800

A couple of years ago I watched the Barefoot Contessa roast bacon in the oven. She was making a BLT and didn't need the bacon fat. I had never thought to bake bacon, and the idea has changed my life! Now, I roast bacon all the time. It's an easy, convenient, and splatter-free way to cook it. Here's what you do:

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cover a large cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil.
Place the raw bacon in a row on the parchment paper.
Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes until bacon is crisp and cooked.
Remove bacon to paper towel lined plates, pat dry, and use however you want.

Do you ever cook bacon in the oven?

Reader Recipe: Sour Cream Coffee Cake

partysugar — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 10:35:15 -0800

This story was written by member suziryder and comes from the Kitchen Goddess group in the YumSugar Community.

Yesterday, I had a crummy, stressful day at work. It was one of those days when the higher-ups are freaking out about an impossible deadline at the end of the week, getting everyone else all stirred up and anxious, only to find out later that the deadline is actually two weeks away. It was frustrating and tiring.

My cure? Baking, of course. My husband had an even worse day, not coming home until 9:30 p.m. (we usually leave work around 5). He had asked me over the weekend that my next baking project be a coffee cake, so I wanted to surprise him with a fabulous coffee cake when he finally got home. I knew just the right one: Michelle of Brown Eyed Baker blogged about an amazing coffee cake from Ina Garten a while back, and I'd been waiting for a chance to make it.

To continue reading her experience and to get the coffee cake recipe, read more.

My hubby is a big fan of streusel topping, so I knew this cake would make him happy. Not only does it have piles of cinnamon-y, nutty streusel on top, and a layer on streusel in the middle, it's topped off with a maple glaze. Seriously. How does it get any better than that? I was surprised that the recipe calls for cake flour rather than all-purpose, and that you sift it too. I'm used to dense coffee cakes with a texture more like pound cake.

The light texture, the slight tang from the sour cream, the cinnamon-y streusel and the yummy maple glaze definitely make this a coffee cake with "the volume turned up," as Ina likes to say. It's awesome when it's still slightly warm, too. Oh, and when hubs came home from work, the first thing he did was exclaim about how yummy the house smelled.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake
(Source: Barefoot Contessa by way of Brown Eyed Baker)

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
1½ cups granulated sugar
3 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1¼ cups sour cream
2½ cups cake flour (not self-rising)
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt

For the streusel:

¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
½ cup all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
¾ cup chopped walnuts, optional

For the glaze:

½ cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons real maple syrup

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for 4 to 5 minutes, until light. Add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla and sour cream. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Finish stirring with a spatula to be sure the batter is completely mixed.

For the streusel, place the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and butter in a bowl and pinch together with your fingers until it forms a crumble. Mix in the walnuts, if desired.

Spoon half the batter into the pan and spread it out with a knife. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup streusel. Spoon the rest of the batter in the pan, spread it out, and scatter the remaining streusel on top. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.

Let cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Carefully transfer the cake, streusel side up, onto a serving plate. Whisk the confectioners’ sugar and maple syrup together, adding a few drops of water if necessary, to make the glaze runny. Drizzle as much as you like over the cake with a fork or spoon.

Don't Have Day Old Bread? Make It Yourself

partysugar — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 04:00:28 -0800

Recently, I decided to try a recipe that called for day-old bread. I wanted to make the dish that night and headed to the grocery store hopeful that I could find a loaf of day-old bread. Although I was out of luck, I chatted with the baker about my dilemma. How could I turn new bread into stale bread? Here's what she told me to do:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Slice the bread into 1/2-inch cubes. If your recipe calls for no crusts, remove them now.
Place the cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Do not season or coat with oil.
Bake for 15 minutes or until the bread cubes are toasted and dry, but not browned.

Use the dried out bread to make your recipe. This technique worked perfectly for me! How do you dry out bread?

View 5 Photos ›

How to Roast Beets

partysugar — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 03:30:52 -0700

Last week my sister and I had a delicious beet and wheat berry salad at A16 restaurant. While we were munching on the juicy beets and pop in your mouth berries, she wondered how she could prepare beets in a similar manner at home. Well, Patricia - and anyone else who wants to know how to make beets - here's what you do:

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Trim the top and stems off the beets.
Place the beets in a small baking dish and add 1/4 inch water (or you could use fresh orange juice for more flavor).
Cover with foil and roast for 35-50 minutes, or until the beets are tender (like a baked potato).
Cool slightly. Working quickly and using your fingers, peel off the skin and discard.
Slice into wedges or chunks. Voila! The beets are ready for salad.

What's your favorite way to enjoy beets?

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How To Be A Success In The Kitchen

partysugar — Thu, 31 May 2007 01:18:51 -0700

Twenty seven years ago on May 31 Christopher Kimball, a prominent figure in the culinary world, founded Cook's Magazine. In 1993, he relaunched the magazine as Cook's Illustrated, the only non-glossy food magazine of its kind - all of the images are illustrations rather than photographed pictures. Kimball is the author of many cookbooks including The Cook's Bible and host of the television show "America's Test Kitchen". Here are his tips to being a success in the kitchen:

1. Read the recipe carefully. Read before you start so that you are adequately prepared.

2. Be prepared: Pull all the ingredients/tools you need BEFORE you start cooking, so that you know you have everything you need.

3. Follow the directions: Be sure to prepare the food as instructed in the ingredient list. Food that is uniformly and properly cut will not only cool at the same rate, but will also be more visually appealing.

To read the rest of his tips, read more

4. Pre-heat your oven. Most ovens need at least 15 minutes to preheat fully. So plan accordingly. If you don't pre-heat your oven properly, your food will spend more time in the oven and, therefore, your food may be dry and overcooked.

5. Keep substitutions to a minimum. There are certain substitutions that are acceptable but, in general, try to use the ingredients called for in the recipe.

6. Monitor the dish as it cooks. The cooking times in our recipes are meant as guidelines only. It is important to follow the visual clues provided in the recipe because there are always variations in ingredients and equipment.

Now that you've seen Cook's Illustrated tips for culinary mastery, why not share your recipe for success in the kitchen: what do you do to ensure a successful dish?

Source: CBS The Early Show

'Wich of the Week: Italian Pork With Goat Cheese

YumSugar — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 14:00:14 -0700

Though I love making sandwiches from scratch, some of the best sammies are the ones thrown together using the previous night's leftovers, don't you agree? In fact, when I sat down to eat this delicious stuffed pork the other night, I was already thinking about the sandwich I'd make with the leftovers.

So, if you decide to whip up Tuesday's Fast & Easy Dinner, I highly recommend saving at least one pork chop for the next day. That's all you need to make two of these yummy sandwiches; the filling is so decadent and creamy, I didn't even use condiments. To see how I made them, read more.

Here's what you'll need:

One pork chop stuffed with sundried tomatoes and spinach
Four slices of multigrain bread, toasted (I used my fave from Alvarado Street Bakery)
Four leaves of butter lettuce

To make the sandwiches:

Preheat oven to 300°F.
Slice the pork chop horizontally, so the filling is exposed, to produce two thinner slices of pork. Distribute the filling evenly on the two halves of the pork chop.
Place the pork, cheese side up, on a baking sheet and heat until warmed through, for about 10 minutes.
To make each sandwich, place two pieces of butter lettuce on one slice of bread. Top with pork, cheese side up. Top with remaining slice of bread and serve.

Makes 2 sandwiches.

Is the Jennie-O Oven-Ready Turkey Really Worth It?

YumSugar — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 07:01:33 -0800

A few days ago the folks at Jennie-O sent us one of their Oven-Ready freezer to oven turkeys. According to their website these turkeys - which have been around for the last four years - require, "No Thawing. No Mess. No Prep. No Apron." That's right, no thawing. You literally take it out of the freezer and you stick it in the oven. In fact, you don't have to touch the bird ever.

I must admit, upon learning how it works - cooked in "Fool-Proof" bag - I was more than just a little skeptical. However, in the name of tasty eats, I knew I had to try it.

So how did it turn out? Was it really "fool-proof" and was it tasty? To find out the answer to these questions and more, read more

When I opened the outside container, I was met with an 11.8 pound turkey vacuum sealed inside of a translucent yellow bag. I followed the directions and cut a few slits in the plastic in order to break the vacuum seal. I then pulled the plastic away from the bird, placed it in a roasting pan and tossed in to a preheated 350F oven. That was it; my hands never once made contact with the actual bird.

Fast forward several hours and I was cutting into a succulent and juicy turkey. The skin was a little on the salty side, but the flavor was classic and not overpowering. It was also tender and juicy on the inside. As someone who loves to cook, I found it to be a little bit odd; there were a few seasonings I would have liked to use. However, I know quite a few people who don't love cooking and just want to have a nice bird on Thanksgiving. If you're one of those folks, then I would recommend you give it a try.

The experience is absolutely effortless, but not totally flawless. I didn't wait for the popup button to pop up - I find that by that time, the birds are usually overcooked - so I went with the thermometer method instead. Unfortunately, due to the plastic bag that the turkey is roasting - or is it steaming? - in, it was really difficult to see exactly where you were sticking the thermometer. I also found that gravy made from the drippings was too salty with a hint of artificial flavor to it. You also can't make any stuffing in it, and it does not come with the giblets/innards pack like most turkeys.

Overall I'd say, if you love cooking, then go ahead and skip out on this one, but if you're looking for a simple way to get a pretty good Thanksgiving bird on the table, then rush out and pick one up. The turkey will come out juicy and you won't have to worry about defrosting. The price on Jennie-O's website says $57, however I saw them at my local Safeway for under $25.

Have you tried it? If so, what did you think?

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Reader Recipe: Cuckoohead Cookies

YumSugar — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 03:00:06 -0700

In honor of National Cookie Month, Sugar staffer Nancita decided to resurrect a recipe she "invented" at age 5. Since I know you guys like snickerdoodles, I thought you would appreciate this story.

Writes Nancita:

I invented this recipe when I was five, after first encountering a Snickerdoodles cookie. I thought it was a funny name and wanted to come up with my own cookie with a silly name. I called them cuckooheads and suggested the main ingredients: almonds, raisins, and caramels; my mom put together the recipe.

While it's definitely an unlikely set of ingredients - a bit cuckoo, if you will - Nancita assures me that these cookies are chock full of gooey goodness. To get the recipe, read more

Cuckooheads

2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar (light)
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 large eggs
1 cup raisins
1 1/2 cups caramels, snipped into sixths (use a pair of oil kitchen shears to cut them)
1 cup toasted slivered almonds

Preheat over to 350 degrees.

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Beat butter, both sugars, and almond extract in large bowl until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture, then raisins, caramels, and nuts.

Using a spoon, scoop out the dough and form it into tight balls, keeping the caramel away from the edges. Place balls onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes until golden brown. Let stand for two minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

How to Make Ghost Toast

YumSugar — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 10:00:28 -0700

Who says Halloween food only comes out at night? You can also start your day in a spooky way with this ghost-emblazoned cinnamon toast recipe from The Charlotte Weekly. (Thanks, Curbly.)

I haven't made cinnamon toast in ages, so I can't wait to try this super-easy project. To find out how to make it, read more

Spread soft butter or margarine on a large slice of white bread.
Carefully cut or tear a ghostlike shape out of aluminum foil.
Press the foil shape on top of the buttered bread. Sprinkle the bread generously with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar.
Place the slices on a baking sheet and slip under a preheated broiler for about two or three minutes or until the butter is hot and bubbly.
Remove the foil template to unveil spooky toast.

Source