When In Ireland....

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Even though I'm only slightly Irish (thanks to my full-blooded Italian father), and at home and NOT in Ireland today, I thought some homemade Irish Soda Bread would be an appropriate contribution to the St. Patty's Day feast we'll be attending as a family later this evening. After researching approximately 7,925 Irish Soda Bread recipes, I think I found and adapted a recipe and have, in my humble opinion, come pretty darn close to "LA ULTIMA" of all Irish Soda Breads. And yes, "la ultima" is an ancient Irish phrase, dating back to the days of yesteryear.

I've made Irish Soda Bread before, and was a bit disappointed by its dry scone-like rock-in-your-stomach texture (thanks for nothing, Barefoot Contessa) but this recipe yields a delightfully moist rustic looking loaf, and the crust---oh my heavens, the crust is AMAZING. I think it has something to do with the multiple buttermilk/melted butter basting's that are involved. Which brings me to my little baking secret: Basting with butter = buttery beautiful results.

Anyway, just make it. It took me all of 5 minutes of prep time, which is more than I can say for most recipes in my repertoire. I'm pretty sure Saint Patrick is singing its praises from heaven as I type this. Enjoy!



Easy Irish Soda Bread
Yield: 1 loaf
(liberally adapted from recipe by MP Welty via AllRecipes)


Ingredients

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 c. white sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 c. raisins (or more if you really love raisins)
• 1 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg
•  
• For basting:
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1/4 cup buttermilk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a cast-iron skillet (alternatively, you can use a pizza stone, or if you have neither, a large lightly greased baking sheet will work too).
2. Put raisins in a small bowl and add the 1 1/4 c. buttermilk- allow the raisins to soak in buttermilk for about 15 minutes.
3. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment,  mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and butter. Stir in the egg and the buttermilk/raisin mixture. Switch to the "dough hook" attachment and allow the dough hook to knead the dough slightly. If necessary, sprinkle a little flour on top. Form dough into a large round and place in prepared cast iron skillet (or pizza stone or baking sheet). In a small bowl, combine melted butter with 1/4 cup buttermilk; brush loaf with this mixture. Use a sharp knife to cut an 'X' into the top of the loaf.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Brush the loaf with the butter mixture about every 15 minutes while it bakes. To sweeten the loaf, sprinkle with sugar after each basting. Enjoy!

Cream Cheese Pie

I cannot deny that I love a good slice of cheesecake, but when it comes down to it, I actually much prefer this "spin-off" alternative-- the cheesecake's cousin, shall we say? It's called Cream Cheese Pie, and I've been eating this version since I was in diapers. Literally. There's a picture of me SOMEwhere in my half-naked glory, sporting nothing but a diaper, cream cheese pie crumbs, and a giant smile. It's been in my family as long as I can remember (the recipe, not the picture), and although I'm sure we weren't the ones who created the recipe, I've yet to find one person who has tasted it for the first time in my presence and then commented, "Oh yeah. I've totally had that before." I've loved this pie for so long that I can remember requesting it for almost EVERY birthday when I was a young girl. And I think my mom was always secretly thrilled because she may be the only person who loves it even more than I do.

There's so much to love about this pie (though I've been known to lick my plate anytime there's a graham cracker crust involved....) and I think the reason I prefer it over Cousin Cheesecake is that it's a little less dense, and therefore a little less rich. It's creamy and a bit tart (thanks to the sour cream top layer...which reminds me, did I mention the two layers?) and buttery and even better when you throw some berries on it. Also, I don't know of a SIMPLER recipe that produces such an amazing final product. Time to get baking! (Alicia, that means you!)

Cream Cheese Pie
Crust:
16-18 graham crackers
1/3 c. sugar
1/2 stick melted butter (+ more if needed)

Preheat oven to 350. Combine graham crackers & sugar in food processor and mix until crackers are crumbly (or alternatively, you could put them in a large ziploc bag and use a rolling pin to crush). Then slowly add in melted butter. If crust is too dry, add more melted butter, about 1 T. at a time. Crust consistency should be fine, sticky crumbs.  Press crust into bottom & sides of a 9 inch pie dish. Bake at 350 for about 8 min. and allow crust to cool. Turn oven down to 300.

While graham crust is cooling, mix together the ingredients for the bottom layer:
Bottom layer:
8 oz. package of cream cheese, room temperature
2 eggs
1/2 c. sugar
1 t. vanilla
Beat until lumps are gone and batter is smooth. Pour into graham pie shell. Bake at 300 for about 20 minutes or until pie is slightly jiggly (NOT soupy). Cool completely, then place in fridge to chill for at least 1 hour.

Top layer:
8 oz. sour cream
2 T. sugar
1 t. vanilla
Mix together, pour on top of chilled pie and spread evenly. Bake at 350 for about 15-20 min., or until set. Cool once again, and refrigerate until set (at least a couple hours). ENJOY!

Ode To The Pork

Oh, my people. HAVE I GOT A DINNER FOR YOU!

Those of you who know me are probably aware of my deep seeded passion for pork tenderloin.  In fact, in our household, 2009 was really the Year of the Tenderloin. Not even an entire country contaminated with swine flu can keep me away from my swine loin (and yes, I know, before I start getting comments about that statement, I'm aware that the two are actually unrelated). I'm slightly embarrassed by my strong feelings for it, because I realize after all, it's just pork. But if I'm going to be honest with you, then you should know that just writing this blog posting on this subject matter, I'm finding myself literally salivating and experiencing intense stomach hunger pangs. And I'm racking my brain, trying to manipulate a plan to have Dan swing by the grocery store on his way home and pick me up a nice juicy tenderloin and throw all current dinner plans out the window. Fortunately for me and my swine addiction, over the course of this year I've found many, many fantastic ways to sneak yet another pork tenderloin onto the dinner table. My family has graciously humored me and chowed it down each and every time. But because of this, I was nervous whether or not my family would once again embrace this new little recipe I found. And then I realized, HECK!- who can resist a slice of juicy tenderloin that's been cooked in BUTTER AND HONEY? The answer is either "no one" or "a crazy person", that's who.

I think one of the reasons I love pork tenderloin so much is that it's such a quick-cooking cut of pork, not to mention lean. So I'm able to prepare a deliciously healthy meal in a very short amount of time. Browning the meat in butter and honey before roasting is the key here...and with only a few ingredients required, it's a recipe from heaven. Ladies & Gentlemen, it is my great honor and pleasure to introduce you to:
 
Pork Tenderloin With Honey Butter
 
Ingredients:

Serves 4

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin
  
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a Dutch oven or ovenproof skillet, heat butter and honey over medium heat, stirring to melt butter. Season pork with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and place in pan. Cook until underside is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Turn pork, and cook until other side is browned, about 5 minutes more. Lower the heat if the honey begins to burn.
2. Put pan in the oven, and roast until pork is just cooked through, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer pork to a plate.
3. Add water to the pan, and stir over medium heat to scrape up all the browned bits. Add any accumulated pork juices from the plate, and simmer until sauce is reduced to about 1/2 cup. Slice pork on the diagonal, and serve drizzled with butter sauce.

Tis The Season (For Soup)

It's borderline FREEZING around here (my toes are on the verge of hypothermia, I'm just sure of it...), and of course we're on the "economically-friendly" heating plan in this house. Which means we walk around bundled in multiple layers, sporting big bulky socks and sweaters, and practically watch our breath puff out with every word we utter. Then we wait for the house to drop to 60 degrees, at which point the heater kicks in and begins defrosting little fingers and toes. So, it's not surprising that lately all I can think about is soup. And if my family would let me, I'd make a wide variety of soups all week long. But they keep insisting I focus on other foods, like breakfast and lunch, too. Luckily for me, we've got some big rain storms approaching in our forecast, so it seems appropriate to be in this soup phase. And I feel like I'm doing my family a huge favor by serving them up big steaming bowls of soup.

I thought I'd share one of my favorite and easiest go-to soup recipes-- it's incredibly delicious and easy on the pocket book, too (which is why I named it what I did)! Usually I'm not a huge fan of using canned foods because I love, prefer & encourage using fresh ingredients, but this soup is perfect for a long busy day because it can be ready as quickly as 10 minutes. And since it's paired with fresh garlic and fresh basil, you would never guess it wasn't all prepared from scratch. (Wow, that sounded dangerously close to something that goon from the Food Network, Sandra Lee, would say....)

*Fun variations: try throwing in some Italian sausage in there, or mini raviolis or tortellini. Or some sort of whole grain, such as barley. I also like to add sliced zucchini or green beans. Bottom line: use this recipe as your base, and then throw in whatever the heck sounds good to you. 

"Poor Woman Soup"

Ingredients:
1 can whole plum tomatoes (with basil, if possible- T.J.'s sells it)
1 can diced tomatoes
2 cans Cannellini beans (white Italian kidney beans)
1 large onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 cup parmesan
3 T. olive oil
1 carton low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock (about 4 cups)
1 loaf stale bread, cubed
Salt & pepper, to taste

Directions:
In a large pot, add olive oil and saute garlic and onions. Add both cans of tomatoes and stir to combine. Add chicken (or vegetable) stock. When soup comes to a slow simmer, add cubed bread and cannellini beans and half of the chopped basil. Season to taste with salt & pepper. When serving soup, top with other half of the chopped basil, parmesan cheese and shot of olive oil on top.

Happy Soup!

Must Make This!

Alright kids, gather 'round, because Mama has a treat for you! This is a (very Fall) roasted vegetable & ricotta pizza, which I first discovered 3 years ago in Martha Stewart's Everyday Food and have adored it ever since. I've adapted it and put my own spin on it just a bit, creating hands down one of the greatest pizzas I've ever had. It's a simple pizza- topping literally consists only of wonderful roasted fall vegetables (if you're into that sort of thing, and who isn't?), adorned with dollops of ricotta and mozzarella cheese, then drizzled with olive oil. Trust me, you deserve this kind of treatment. What I love about using your own pizza dough is that it allows for making your own "rustic" shape, which I find utterly charming. It just so happens that we are having this tomorrow night for the first time this year, and my mouth is literally watering just anticipating its wonderfulness. I promise you will not regret making this, and it guarantees to make you all warm and cozy inside! (And honestly, have I ever led you astray?)

Roasted Fall Vegetable & Ricotta Pizza

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• Olive oil, for baking sheet and drizzling
• Flour, for dusting surface
• 1 pound store-bought pizza dough, fresh, or thawed if frozen (we absolutely love Trader Joe's fresh whole wheat pizza dough- it yields 2 nice sized thin-crust pizzas, perfect for our family)
  
• Approx. 2 cups (more or less) part-skim mozzarella cheese, grated
  
• 1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 bunch golden beets, well scrubbed and halved (leave skin on until after done roasting)
  
• 2 red potatoes, well scrubbed and quartered
• 1 sweet potato, well scrubbed & cut into 1 1/2 in. pieces
  
• 2 leeks, rinsed well (to get rid of sand) halved lengthwise and cut in 1 1/2-in. lengths
  
• 3 medium carrots, halved lengthwise if thick, and cut into 1 1/2-inch lengths
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1-2 cups part-skim ricotta cheese (depending on your preference & how much you like)
  
• small handful chopped basil for topping (optional)
• *NOTE: This is a vegetarian pizza, but for those of you who MUST have a little meat with their meal, I'm sure this would taste amazing with some spicy Italian sausage, or even some salty prosciutto thrown on top!

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place vegetables and garlic on large rimmed baking sheet (or line with parchment paper, if desired, for easy cleanup); toss with olive oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
2. Roast until vegetables are tender and beginning to brown, 40 to 50 minutes, tossing them once halfway through. Let cool. Peel beets- skin is now soft enough to peel with your hands. Cut veggies into size of your preference- we use chunkier size veggies on this pizza, but you can make them bite size if you prefer.
   
3. Turn oven up to 475 degrees. Brush a large baking sheet with oil, or line with parchment paper, if desired, for easy cleanup. (Alternatively, you can also use a pizza stone. I lightly oil mine, place in a 500 degree oven for about 15 min., lightly flour the stone and THEN place rolled pizza dough on top and proceed with pizza directions)
   
4. On a lightly floured surface, roll and stretch dough into as large as will fit on baking sheet; transfer to sheet (if not using pizza stone).
5. Sprinkle dough with half the mozzarella. Scatter vegetables on top, and dollop with ricotta; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. Drizzle with olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Bake until bubbling and golden, 20 to 25 minutes.
   
6. Once pizza is out of the oven, sprinkle chopped basil on top (optional). Serve.

Leftover roasted veggies? Toss them with some penne pasta & parmesan, and have yourself another delicious Fall meal!


Photo courtesy of www.marthastewart.com

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You Had Me At Gorgonzola

I made a very tasty little spinach side dish last night, if I do say so myself. And of course I would never withhold this kind of information from you, my little ducklings, so let me give you the gist of what I did. But first, I should tell you that I am not usually a big fan of cooked spinach. (This is how you know it was a pretty amazing dish, without me coming right out and yelling it in your face.) I mean I don't dislike spinach or anything, and I know it's ridiculously good for you, but I usually prefer to eat my spinach in the form of a salad, maybe once every couple months. I just don't really think about spinach very often. Out of sight, out of mind. But good gracious, that Farmer's Market of ours has inspired me to do all sorts of things, and this turned out to be a very pleasant experiment.

Do it, you'll love it. I'll put my personal guarantee on that.


What I used:
1 bunch of spinach, rinsed and torn into large bite size pieces (and it's a good thing if it's still a little bit wet when you go to use it)
Unseasoned breadcrumbs (eyeball your measurement- it's really up to you. I probably used at least 1/2 cup, maybe more? Hard to tell...)
Olive oil
Toasted pine nuts
3 cloves of garlic, smashed
Crumbled gorgonzola
Salt & pepper

What I did:
Generously coat large saute pan with olive oil over medium heat. Add smashed garlic; stir it around and cook a few minutes until it's VERY aromatic and slightly golden brown and beginning to soften. Add breadcrumbs (which will absorb all the olive oil, so you may have to add a bit more), and stir. I just wanted to lightly toast the breadcrumbs and infuse them with all that garlic oil, so it only took a few minutes. Then I added large handfuls of spinach (maybe 2 at a time) and kept stirring it around until each addition cooked down (wilted). Kept doing this until all spinach had been added and incorporated. At this point, all your lightly toasted breadcrumbs and garlic should be mixed in nicely with your cooked spinach. Remove from heat.

Here's where the real fun began: season to taste with salt & pepper. While spinach is still warm, sprinkle gorgonzola crumbles on top. Toss to incorporate. Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts, and serve. The gorgonzola will be all melty- soft and delicious.

That's all there is to it. Don't you just love how gorgonzola makes EVERYTHING taste better? That and bacon. Wait! Speaking of bacon, maybe that should get thrown in here, too! Experiment, have fun, keep me posted.