For this week’s Two Spoonfuls post I’m setting Alton and his chapter on water aside.  Instead, I’m going to share a delicious dessert that Josh and I have been enjoying all summer.  It’s for Roasted Fresh Fruit.  Yeah, I know what you’re thinking:  “Roasted?? What, it’s not hot enough for you in Seattle, Jenn?!?” I know.  We are having record temperatures here in the Northwest.  But that just shows you how good this recipe is – I’m actually willing to turn on the oven in the midst of this heat.  So if I can do it here – then you can certainly make this where you are*!

(*Residents of Death Valley excepted.)

I’m using a modified recipe from Everyday Food: Great Food Fast.  I really like this cookbook.  Normally I don’t mind recipes that have loads of ingredients and take a while to make.  But sometimes you just don’t have half a day to cook, and you just want something good, fast.

There are many recipes on the internet for roasting fruit, and all are open to tweeking by the home cook.  Don’t like peaches?  Then don’t roast them.  Want to see what a pluot tastes like?  Throw it in!  You can modify this basic recipe to include many of your favorite summer fruits.

Here I’ve used: Peaches, Red Plums, Black Plums, Nectarines and Pluots.

(Note:  This is a great recipe for salvaging bruised fruit or fruit that’s gone a little soft.  Don’t throw it out – roast it!)

I use fresh rosemary from our yard.  The recipe calls for 2 sprigs of rosemary.  I take the leaves off of the stems (just run your fingers down the length of the stem from top to bottom and they’ll fall right off) and mix them right into the fruit.

The recipe calls for 2T. unsalted butter and 2-3T. sugar.  The last time I made this recipe I forgot to add the sugar – and Josh said he liked it even better!  So you can play around with how much sweetness you add to this dish, another plus.

Also add 1T. fresh lime juice. Did you know that if you gently roll a lemon or lime against your counter top (press down just a little as you roll), it will give more juice?  I’ve also read that you can microwave lemons and limes briefly and they’ll produce more juice as well.

Mix everything together in a roasting pan and roast in a 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes until the fruit is tender and there is lots of juice in the pan.  I usually give the fruit a stir about half way through.

Let cool for a bit and serve over your favorite frozen yogurt or icecream.

Usually I use 1 of each fruit and that makes just enough for Josh and I.  This time, I made a bigger batch.  I’m going to try keeping it in the fridge and warming it slightly in the microwave for desserts over the weekend.

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Here are some other Roasted Fruit variations:

1.) From Ina

2.) From Rachael Ray

3.) From Giada De Laurentiis

Hope you’re all enjoying the fruits of summer!

Now what’s that other Spoonful been up to?

Jenn : )

It’s that time again – another Two Spoonfuls post!

This time we’re sautéing along with Alton in

Chapter 4 of I’m Just Here For The Food.

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Alton’s tips for a perfect sauté:

1. Prepare all foods: cut, chop, etc…

(Chopped carrots and zucchini.)

2. Add cooking oil after the pan is hot.

3. Add aromatics (onion, celery, ginger, etc..) and toss for 30 seconds.

(Minced fresh ginger.)

4. Add firm vegetables or meats and toss until half cooked.

(Carrots.)

Then add high moisture ingredients like tomatoes, etc..

(Zucchini, salt and pepper.)

5. Add final flavors: ie citrus juice or vinegar.

6. Toss with salt and pepper.

7. Top with grated cheese, nuts, bread crumbs, herbs, etc…

(Toasted sesame seeds.)

(Done and delicious!)

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Alton’s sauté recipes can be done with a handy non-stick pan, and I was very tempted to do just that.  The reason?  Lets just say that over the years I’ve made several attempts to try this technique using a real, authentic metal sauté pan.  It’s so disappointing to prep a beautiful piece of food and gently placed it into a pan, only to have half of it stick there and fall apart.  And lets not even talk about the amount of elbow grease it takes to scrub that pan clean after the food and pan have fused into one entity.

But this time I decided to be brave, dust off my metal sauté pan and give it a go.

And, following Alton’s steps…. look!

When I was finished, that sauté pan was clean as a whistle.

: )

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Here are some fun sauté recipes that you could try:

Alton Brown’s Glazed Carrots,

Emeril’s Quick Vegetable Sauté,

Alton’s Fungal Sauté (Yum!).

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Now, how ’bout we see what’s been

happening over in Ginny’s kitchen?

Jenn : )

Well, readers, if you haven’t already figured it out,

our regularly scheduled Two Spoonfuls post has been delayed this week.

My foodie partner is neck deep in boxes, so we’ll skip this week and will post again on the 22nd.

Now unpack those pots and pans, Ginny!

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We’re enjoying a lovely sunny day here.

Josh is out for a bike ride with the guys and I’m going back and forth between the kitchen and my studio.  Yesterday I was inspired to start a new project for my shop, after receiving the latest issue of my favorite Japanese craft magazine: Cotton Time. (I’ve been stalking Superbuzzy like crazy waiting for the new issue to arrive!)

I had to get just a bit of this Matryoshka linen blend, too.

Last night I collected my scraps of Japanese linen and canvas fabrics,

gave them a good wash and ironing, and started cutting.

I’ll have more photos of what I’ve got in mind for them as I get more done.

In the meantime – here are some photos from Cotton Time that might inspire you:

The little sheep pouch…..*sigh*.

Isn’t this purse pretty?  I’d be afraid to spoil it by using it.

Have a great day!

Jenn : )

Hello readers!

For this week’s Two Spoonfuls post we’ll be exploring Chapter #4 of Alton Brown’s I’m Just Here For The Food.

Chapter #4 covers Pan Frying, Immersion Frying and Sauté.  I’ve chosen to cover each of these in a separate post, because immersion frying (deep frying) is a new technique for me, and I want to give it my full attention.

This week I made Alton’s recipe for Eggplant Parmesan, in which you pan fry the eggplant before assembling the final dish.  Yeah, I know – everybody has panfried something before, but what Alton brings to the table is a wealth of sciencey information, charts and illustrations covering every aspect of frying.  After reading this chapter, you’ll know all about: breading, batters, the anatomy of a French fry, why oil and water don’t mix, fat saturations, smoke points, you name it!

Alton’s Basic Steps For Breading and Pan Frying:

1. Season dry food with s & p.

2. Set up an assembly line to bread your food.

3. Dredge food in flour (seasoned but not salted).

4. Shake off excess flour (very, very important).

5. Coat food in eggs (beaten with 2t. water per egg).

6. Coat with crumbs.

7. Let rest for at least 30 minutes so egg has time to set.

8. Fry in fat no deeper than 1/2 height of food.

Eggplant just beginning to fry.

Nicely browned and crispy.

I layered my slices in an 8″ x 8″ dish, switching between vertical and horizontal.

The final meal – fabulous!

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So…..

……..have you ever followed a recipe and when you’re all done you think to yourself “What did they mean by that?” I’ve tried many, many recipes in my day and occasionally I come across one of these.  For me it’s usually something along the lines of “Now add anchovies”  when anchovies weren’t part of the ingredient list.  Things like that can usually be explained by an editing error or simple oversight.

Oddly enough, I found myself with that same feeling of “What the heck, Alton Brown?” after I completed this recipe.  There were minor things that can be explained by personal preference; for example, this recipe calls for a mere 1/2 cup of panko breadcrumbs.  Maybe I used a larger eggplant than Alton did… or maybe I couldn’t help myself and was a little more heavy handed with the panko than he is (I love panko!).  But I used at least twice the amount of panko that was called for.

But the big question on my mind is why (why, Alton?) does this recipe say “In a heavy-bottom pot, heat 1/2 inch oil to 350°F.” While at the same time you instruct us to “Cut the eggplant into 1/4-inch slices…” And the last of your Basic Steps For Pan Frying clearly says: Fry in fat no deeper than 1/2 height of food. ???

I don’t know the answer to that one.

All I can say is that the eggplant was quite tasty, and overall easy and fun to make.

But I’m scratching my head as to why you’ve contradicted yourself.

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Alton doesn’t share this recipe online, but there are many other Eggplant Parmesan recipes that you can try, incorporating Alton’s Basic Steps For Pan Frying.  My advice:  have a pair of tongs handy, minimize splattering by frying in your Dutch oven, and don’t use too much oil, it’s overkill.

From Tyler Florence

From Bobby Flay

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Next time: Immersion Frying (gulp!)

Now lets see what sweet things are happening over in Ginny’s kitchen!

Jenn : )

Hello, Readers!

Ginny and I are continuing our exploration of Alton Brown’s I’m Just Here For The Food and I‘m Just Here For More Food.

Technically, my next chapter should be Grilling/Broiling….but between the rain, sleet and snow we’ve been sporadically having, I’m going to save those topics for when the weather’s nicer.  Boy, have I gotten thin skinned since we moved to the Northwest. If we still lived in Chicago – I’d probably be out there firing up the grill!  But, I digress…

Instead, I’m going to talk about the deliciousness of roasting.  Mmmm… roasting.  I’m barely touching the tip of the iceberg here, because roasting can be applied to so many different foods; from the simple to the complex.  Honestly, I think I could do a month’s worth of roasting blog posts.  Can you tell it’s one of my favorite cooking methods?

About learning to roast, Alton says: “It may take some time and attention, and you might even overcook a roast or two, but in the end you will be one of the few, the proud – the roasters.”

Alton’s chapter on roasting is incredible.  He shares a great deal of knowledge, including the how’s and why’s of what roasting is and controlling temperature to achieve the best results. I couldn’t begin to summarize all the information in this chapter (which is why I highly recommend adding this book to your kitchen must-haves!) Instead, I will give you a short list of Alton’s roasting tips:

* Roasting is not about time, it’s about temperature.

* By exposing the roasting item to different temperatures at different stages of the cooking process, you can have both a crusty outside and medium rare inside.

* For the best accuracy, especially when tackling a piece of meat, “Get a digital thermometer with a probe that attaches with a length of wire.”

* Bring foods to room temperature before roasting (for up to 30 minutes).

* Lightly oil the food that you want to roast.

* Always season the food that you want to roast: use kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, don’t be shy.

* “Roast at different temperatures. Either start low and finish high, or in the case of pork and chicken, vice versa.”

* Buy big – for leftovers!

* When buying beef, look for “choice” grades.  They’ll have better marbling and will keep moist while cooking.

* Rest meats after they come out of the oven. According to Alton: “Resting gives the heat and pressure inside the meat time to subside, and that allows the juices locked inside to be absorbed back into the meat tissues.”

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Alton provides 6 different roasting recipes in this chapter.

These range from the simple (baked potato) to more complex (rib roast).

I chose to make Slow-Roast Tomatoes.

To make these, you’ll need:

20 ripe tomatoes, halved crosswise

1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil

3 T. sugar

2 T. mixed fresh, minced herbs (thyme, rosemary & sage)

1T. kosher salt

Fresh ground pepper

Preheat your oven to 170 degrees F (I actually set mine to 200 degrees). Place the tomato halves cut side up on a baking pan (one with a rack is best, if you have it), drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with sugar, then herbs and finally salt and pepper.

Roast in the oven for at least 10 hours.

These will keep well in a zip bag in the fridge, or you can freeze them.

Alton suggests: trying them on bread with basil and olive oil, adding them to salads, soups, risotto, pizza, spaghetti sauce.

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I halved this recipe and used 10 vine ripened tomatoes.

You can use any herbs that you like.

I have rosemary growing in my yard.

(And it’s a good thing we like it, because it grows like a weed!)

Mince your herbs as small as you like.

This is how my tomatoes looked before going in the oven.

And this is how they looked after roasting at 200 degrees for 10 hours.

They are delicious on a simple cracker or piece of bread, with a dollop of your favorite cheese.

Here I’ve used goat cheese.

I often find myself with a half container of sour cream, creme fraiche or ricotta, left over from another recipe.  You could use any of these to make a delicious hor d’oeuvre for your next get together.  Here I’ve mixed a bit of sour cream, a couple roasted tomatoes and sliced green onions – yum!

I hope you’ll give Slow Roast Tomatoes a try!

They really are worth making, since they are both tasty and versatile.

We’ll be happily munching on these until my next Two Spoonfuls post!

Now… I wonder what Ginny is baking over in her kitchen…

Jenn : )

Today would regularly be our Friday Two Spoonfuls post. But, since the other spoonful is livin’ it up in Florida right now on vacation, I’m sneaking in a little vacation, too. ; )

That hasn’t kept me out of the kitchen, though.

Yesterday I made some Valentine’s Day cupcakes.

My first time making red velvet. (Yummy)

I used *this* recipe for the cupcakes.

And I used the cream cheese frosting from *this* recipe to top them off.

(Double yummy)

And for the piece de resistance, tiny heart sprinkles, which I received in a wonderful little goody package from Ginny. She also gave me some of her priced cupcake liners, too – what a generous gal!

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I’ve been a very lucky girl lately, and a bit overwhelmed by some unexpected kindness from friends. Not only did Ginny share her love of cupcakes with me, but when she heard about the trouble I’ve been having with my sewing machine, she made and sent me this:

It’s a little plush sewing machine! Isn’t it the cutest?!?

Sewing something pretty with a little needle.

It’s a genuine Bernina, just like mine!

Thank you, Ginny – for cheering me up while my Nina’s been away. : )

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This morning I made a trip to the post office, and since I wasn’t expecting anything, I almost didn’t check my box. But I’m so glad that I did, because look what was waiting for me inside!

This is a lovely little wool pin that Maia made and sent to me!

It’s so pretty, and I wasn’t expecting it at all.

What a wonderful Valentine’s Day surprise! Thank you, Maia!

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I wish you all lots of Valentine’s Day love.

Share some with a friend,

it can make all the difference in the world.

Best,

Jenn : )

It’s time again for this Two Spoonfuls girl to get herself into the kitchen!

Today we’re going to explore the technique of Searing,

with some guidance from our culinary mentor, Alton Brown.

What is searing?

Searing is a method of cooking during which heat (usually high) is applied to a food’s surface, creating a flavorful brown crust on the outside.

Myth:

Searing “seals in flavors” or “seals in juices”. According to Alton, searing is a means of creating a delicious brown crust, but is not a way to seal anything in.

Need proof?  Check this out:

The best searing surface:

Cast Iron. There are many surfaces (copper, stainless steel, etc..) that can be used for searing. I’m calling Cast Iron the best one because it can get very hot, it provides even heating, it stays hot, it’s economical (I bought my cast iron pan at a hardware store, nothing fancy), and it also provides small amounts of dietary iron to foods cooked on it. The only maintenance a cast iron pan needs is to be seasoned or “cured” once a year with solid vegetable shortening, to seal it against rust.

What you’ll need:

Good air flow (there may be a little smoke.)

Some kind of splatter guard (there’s going to be some sizzling going on here.)

A pair of tongs for flipping.

A spray bottle of oil, or some Pam.

Salt for seasoning.

A flat surfaced food item to be seared.

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In I’m Just Here For The Food, Alton gives half a dozen recipes using his searing method.

Which is:

1. Decrease the difference in temperature between the pan and your ingredient

by setting your food on the counter up to 30 minutes before searing.

2. Don’t be afraid to get the pan hot.

3. Season your food with salt while your pan heats.

4. Have your mise-en-place ready, because the searing will go quickly.

5. Cook the nicest side of the food first – it will brown the quickest and look the best when flipped.

6. When you put the food in the pan – leave it alone. Don’t move it around.

7. If you’re searing meat, let it rest for 5 minutes under foil once it’s out of the pan.

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Last night I made dinner using Alton’s Seared Portobello Mushrooms* and my own Cheesy Polenta.

(* I really don’t want to make Mr. Brown angry, so I’m not going to copy his recipe here. I will tell you that the only ingredients are portobello mushroom caps, olive oil, salt and pepper, and that by using the searing method above, you too can re-create this easy and tasty dish.)

Searing sliced portobello for a nice golden brown.

Seared Portobello mushrooms with onions, Cheesy Polenta and side salad.

This dinner is easy to make and fairly economical.

Two portobello mushrooms were about $3.

I doubled the mushrooms so that I could have leftovers for a second dinner tonight.

After the mushrooms were done searing, I added chopped onions to the pan, with a sprinkle of salt, and cooked them until golden. The next time I make this dish, I’ll add chopped chive or parsley at the end – just for a little extra color.

For the polenta, I used approx. $0.35 worth of cornmeal from the grocery bulk section.

Polenta is a filling, inexpensive food that pairs nicely with many other foods.

Here’s a copy of my Easy Cheesy Polenta for you to download!

Now, how about we make something for dessert?

I have a dear friend who’s expecting her first baby this spring.

So I asked my friend Ginny if she’d make something special for me to give as a gift.

Isn’t this bootie, bib and blanket set beautiful?

The tiny booties are adorable.

Jenn : )

As many of you know, I’m a huge fan of Ina Garten. Her recipes are un-complicated, tasty and fun to make. So you can imagine how excited I was when Ginny informed me that Ina has a new cookbook out! I am now the proud owner of Ina’s latest: Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics. This cookbook is one of her best: it’s just loaded with great recipes, lots of photos and many of Ina’s notes and tips. I think her notes make this book especially interesting to read and the recipes tempting to try.

This week I made Ina’s Chive Risotto Cakes. And, true to form – they are very good! They include nine ingredients: Kosher salt, Arborio rice, Greek yogurt*, eggs, chives, Italian Fontina cheese, pepper, olive oil and panko* and they can be assembled ahead and sauteed just before serving (I love the make-ahead recipes, keep ‘em coming, Ina!)

* Greek yogurt is rich and thick, and flavored with honey.

* Panko is a course, light breadcrumb used in Japanese cooking. I find them in the Asian section of my local grocery. They will give any food a nice crunchy texture.

Simple ingredients combine to make a pleasing meal.

These were delicious – great for a light dinner or lunch.

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* Jenn’s Notes *

The rice mixture needs to cool for at least two hours before being made into patties and sauteed. Ina suggests two hours or overnight – which makes this a great make-ahead meal.

When the rice is boiled it may look over cooked – don’t worry! The Arborio will still be firm.

I thought my cooled rice mixture looked “loose”, like it might be too moist, but I was happy to find that the mixture held together once it was in the hot saute pan and the patties could be gently turned.

I ran out of panko about half way through cooking – so I substituted regular store bought plain breadcrumbs that I seasoned with a little salt, to coat the remaining patties – this worked just as well.

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If you’re looking for a new cookbook to spice up your kitchen (haha) – I highly recommend Ina’s newest. It’s so straightforward and many of the recipes can be assembled ahead. She’s even included a list of foods that can be served with drinks (like for a get-together with friends) that don’t require any cooking at all.

I look forward to trying many more recipes from this book!

Now, are you in the mood for even more comfort food?

Ginny is serving up homemade pot pies – let’s go see!

Jenn : )

One day, Ginny said to Jenn: “Let’s do a cooking blog post.”

A flurry of emails later, Two Spoonfuls was born!

We are two creative gals who became friends through our mutual love of fabric and sewing. Now, we’re bringing our energy and style into the kitchen, trying new recipes, re-vamping old favorites and sharing them with you.

We’ll use familiar ingredients to create dishes that are flavorful and easy to prepare, while adding our own helpful tips, bits of kitchen wisdom, and a little food history too. The recipes we share will be practical, with easy gourmet touches.

Look for Two Spoonfuls recipe recommendations: always in time for a weekend, to share with your family and friends.

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My second Two Spoonfuls recipe to try is Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes.

This recipe can be found on the AllRecipes website.

The recipe is for both the cupcakes and the accompanying Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting. Most of the ingredients I already had in my pantry, particularly the spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, grnd cloves, and allspice.

All you need is a mixer (hand held or stand) to make the cupcakes. They bake until golden.

Then, while your cupcakes are cooling, use your mixer again to whip up the cinnamon cream cheese frosting. After you’ve frosted these cupcakes, be sure to hide a few for yourself, because they will go quickly!

They are delicious!

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* Jenn’s Notes *

Have you ever set aside a little time to do some baking and then read through your recipe and discovered that some of the ingredients need to come to room temperature? What a buzz kill! Now, I’m not saying that I’ve never covertly placed ingredients into the microwave and “encouraged” them to come to room temperature, but ideally, we all want to make the recipe the right way. So – I’m letting you know now that the butter, cream cheese and eggs should all be at room temperature when you are ready to get started. There. I’ve just saved you some electricity! Go green!

This recipe says that it makes 24 cupcakes. I got 20 cupcakes. After you taste how good these are – you’re going to wish you had those missing 4. The only solutions I can see for this problem are either to fill your muffin cups with a little less batter than you normally would or just make a double batch. In fact, just make a double batch – you’ll be glad that you did. ; )

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Did You Know?

Target sells two different colors of stackable 36 count Cupcake Caddies! No more smooshed frosting, and you can carry all 36 cupcakes in one easy, portable carrier – they even have a handle!

“Cupcake” is the common term in the U.S. and Australia. In England a cupcake is called a “Fairy Cake”.

Ground allspice is not, as some people believe, a mixture of spices. It is actually a pea sized berry of the evergreen pimiento tree that is native to the West Indies and South America, though Jamaica provides most of the world’s supply. Allspice is also called Jamaica Pepper. The English gave it the name Allspice because it tastes like a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.

These are the dried, unripe fruits of Allspice, which will be ground and used in cooking.

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I hope you’ve enjoyed this Two Spoonfuls post!

You can click here *Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes* for the complete recipe.

I look forward to hearing from you, especially if you decide to give these a try!

We’re aiming to share our Two Spoonfuls posts every other Friday,

I’ll still be doing my usual work-in-progress posts, too!

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Now let’s see what Ginny’s been up to over in her kitchen…

Click here to find out!

*Two Spoonfuls*

Jenn : )