Monthly Archives: February 2009

Tuesdays With Dorie: Caramel Crunch Bars

Leave a reply

Well, once again, we–The Tuesdays with Dorie we–do a shortbread-based cookie. My favorite. I’ve learned some basics for this: namely, don’t overmix. I wanted to be lazy and not chop the chocolate, but I look at the Dorie photo and the bits of chocolate are really tiny. I pull out the processor.

Tell me this isn’t the best line EVER in a recipe: With a spatula and your fingertips, cajole (the batter) into a thin, even layer.

I do my best, Dorie, I do my best to cajole.I actually made a market run specifically to get Heath Toffee bits. And came home without them. Luckily, my inner sugar-fiend made me buy True North nut clusters yesterday–these are chunks of nuts held together with a tiny bit of toffee. Works for me. I throw a bunch of the cluster right into the food processor and get my topping.Chop the chocolate for the topping? Nah. I’ve actually made toffee bars from Silver Palate before where you just sprinkle the chips on top. Pop it back in the oven, let them soften and spread. I use up what I have: some milk chocolate, some bittersweet. Smooth it over my cajoled batter, press in my toffee/nut crunch. Let cool.

Eat.

Well done, Dorie. Well done.
Go have a look at what the other TWD bakers are doing.

Tuesdays With Dorie: Caramel Crunch Bars

Leave a reply

Well, once again, we–The Tuesdays with Dorie we–do a shortbread-based cookie. My favorite. I’ve learned some basics for this: namely, don’t overmix. I wanted to be lazy and not chop the chocolate, but I look at the Dorie photo and the bits of chocolate are really tiny. I pull out the processor.

Tell me this isn’t the best line EVER in a recipe: With a spatula and your fingertips, cajole (the batter) into a thin, even layer.

I do my best, Dorie, I do my best to cajole.I actually made a market run specifically to get Heath Toffee bits. And came home without them. Luckily, my inner sugar-fiend made me buy True North nut clusters yesterday–these are chunks of nuts held together with a tiny bit of toffee. Works for me. I throw a bunch of the cluster right into the food processor and get my topping.Chop the chocolate for the topping? Nah. I’ve actually made toffee bars from Silver Palate before where you just sprinkle the chips on top. Pop it back in the oven, let them soften and spread. I use up what I have: some milk chocolate, some bittersweet. Smooth it over my cajoled batter, press in my toffee/nut crunch. Let cool.

Eat.

Well done, Dorie. Well done.
Go have a look at what the other TWD bakers are doing.

Tuesdays with Dorie: CAKE!

Leave a reply

Got Milk?

Good. Because this cake needs an ice cold glass of milk. Classic chocolate and marshmallow-y frosting. I LOVE that you get to crumble a layer and plaster is all over the outside. It hides a multitude of assembly sins. But really? No sins here, because it all tastes great.

I love this frosting…Swiss meringue? Italian? What’s the difference? Silky smooth. Even I can’t mess it up.

Mmmm.
Have some sugar.

Tuesdays with Dorie: CAKE!

Leave a reply

Got Milk?

Good. Because this cake needs an ice cold glass of milk. Classic chocolate and marshmallow-y frosting. I LOVE that you get to crumble a layer and plaster is all over the outside. It hides a multitude of assembly sins. But really? No sins here, because it all tastes great.

I love this frosting…Swiss meringue? Italian? What’s the difference? Silky smooth. Even I can’t mess it up.

Mmmm.
Have some sugar.

Visualize World Peace…Cookies, That Is.

Leave a reply

Yes, folks, the good news is that I am actually going to post a Tuesdays With Dorie on a Tuesday. The bad news? There is none! We are eating chocolate, so it’s all good.

I have high hopes for these..I made chocolate cookies with some salt a few years ago…LOVED them..and cannot remember the recipe. This could be the one.

I love it when I have all the ingredients. Isn’t flour sifted with cocoa pretty? And I just happened to have a sample tin of Fleur de Sel (Thanks, The Meadow…)

So is chopped chocolate…pretty, I mean.

I am rushing (what else is new) …I want to take the cookies to a Super Bowl party…so I can’t let the cookies chill. I did follow Dorie’s light touch instructions, though–mixed until only just combined…I have Scharffen Berger chocolate…lucky me (and lucky people who are eating these..

I rolled them into small balls and flattened them to about the 1/2 inch Dorie wants…I baked one minute longer than she says, too…maybe they are a smidge over 1/2 inch…Mmm. Love these, and yes, I do believe this is the recipe–the salt is there, detectable, but not overwhelming. They are so delicate, too–they melt in your mouth, which, I believe after these weeks of baking, is a result of Dorie’s instructions to mix lightly…

Go get yourself some World Peace…I’ve got mine.

Visualize World Peace…Cookies, That Is.

Leave a reply

Yes, folks, the good news is that I am actually going to post a Tuesdays With Dorie on a Tuesday. The bad news? There is none! We are eating chocolate, so it’s all good.

I have high hopes for these..I made chocolate cookies with some salt a few years ago…LOVED them..and cannot remember the recipe. This could be the one.

I love it when I have all the ingredients. Isn’t flour sifted with cocoa pretty? And I just happened to have a sample tin of Fleur de Sel (Thanks, The Meadow…)

So is chopped chocolate…pretty, I mean.

I am rushing (what else is new) …I want to take the cookies to a Super Bowl party…so I can’t let the cookies chill. I did follow Dorie’s light touch instructions, though–mixed until only just combined…I have Scharffen Berger chocolate…lucky me (and lucky people who are eating these..

I rolled them into small balls and flattened them to about the 1/2 inch Dorie wants…I baked one minute longer than she says, too…maybe they are a smidge over 1/2 inch…Mmm. Love these, and yes, I do believe this is the recipe–the salt is there, detectable, but not overwhelming. They are so delicate, too–they melt in your mouth, which, I believe after these weeks of baking, is a result of Dorie’s instructions to mix lightly…

Go get yourself some World Peace…I’ve got mine.

Lobster Bisque (or: I Like My Friends)

Leave a reply


Go Steelers…oh, this is about food, isn’t it? Well, as we were wondering where we should watch the game, G was thinking a bar with a big crowd, I was thinking my couch with a big TV in front of me…a text came through from the T household: Super Bowl, their place, did we want to join them and another couple or two?

Of course we do. This is an event, after all.

Then comes the next text:
Can you make lobster bisque.

Yeeessss, I think, wondering if he is going to make fun of me for something or if he really wants to know…Yes, I text back.

DT: I have 4 (Florida lobster) tails. Can you make it for the game?

Oh, is THAT all? So K comes over with six tails (even better), luckily still in the shell–and I head out for ingredients. That’s how I spent my Saturday evening. Well, that and cleaning, as you will see if you read on.

My go-to is Best Soups and Stews from the publishers of Cook’s Illustrated…looks delish. And it IS delicious…but man, what a lot of steps.

And you know the part where they want you to process the shells into a paste? Imagine the lid of the processor getting knocked off by those hard shells and lobster schmutz flying All. Over. The. Place. I need to shower before bed tonight. I was wiping down walls for about 20 minutes.

Those shells went into the stock WHOLE.

Maybe the flavor is more intense with the paste, but this will have to do. Bourbon instead of brandy, too, because I am a Kentucky girl at heart..(oh, that and the fact that there was no brandy in the cupboard).

In the meantime, the tool toll: one stockpot, a cast iron skillet, a small bowl, a large bowl, a second stockpot, kitchen shears, a veg cutting board, a fish cutting board, a large measuring cup, a ladle, a fine mesh strainer, one large chef’s knife, one pair spring-loaded tongs, the food processor (and a sponge to wipe down the walls after my topless accident) and a spatula. Oh, my shirt. My hair…I hope crunched up lobster shells don’t hurt dogs too much, too.

Everyone had better LOVE this soup.

This, some empanadas and cookies for dessert? Nice start to a Super Bowl meal.

Here is the host enjoying the fruits of my labor/his inspired idea. He looks happy to me…

Go Steelers. (Later that night: Way to go, Steelers…Best. Game. Ever.)

Lobster Bisque (or: I Like My Friends)

Leave a reply


Go Steelers…oh, this is about food, isn’t it? Well, as we were wondering where we should watch the game, G was thinking a bar with a big crowd, I was thinking my couch with a big TV in front of me…a text came through from the T household: Super Bowl, their place, did we want to join them and another couple or two?

Of course we do. This is an event, after all.

Then comes the next text:
Can you make lobster bisque.

Yeeessss, I think, wondering if he is going to make fun of me for something or if he really wants to know…Yes, I text back.

DT: I have 4 (Florida lobster) tails. Can you make it for the game?

Oh, is THAT all? So K comes over with six tails (even better), luckily still in the shell–and I head out for ingredients. That’s how I spent my Saturday evening. Well, that and cleaning, as you will see if you read on.

My go-to is Best Soups and Stews from the publishers of Cook’s Illustrated…looks delish. And it IS delicious…but man, what a lot of steps.

And you know the part where they want you to process the shells into a paste? Imagine the lid of the processor getting knocked off by those hard shells and lobster schmutz flying All. Over. The. Place. I need to shower before bed tonight. I was wiping down walls for about 20 minutes.

Those shells went into the stock WHOLE.

Maybe the flavor is more intense with the paste, but this will have to do. Bourbon instead of brandy, too, because I am a Kentucky girl at heart..(oh, that and the fact that there was no brandy in the cupboard).

In the meantime, the tool toll: one stockpot, a cast iron skillet, a small bowl, a large bowl, a second stockpot, kitchen shears, a veg cutting board, a fish cutting board, a large measuring cup, a ladle, a fine mesh strainer, one large chef’s knife, one pair spring-loaded tongs, the food processor (and a sponge to wipe down the walls after my topless accident) and a spatula. Oh, my shirt. My hair…I hope crunched up lobster shells don’t hurt dogs too much, too.

Everyone had better LOVE this soup.

This, some empanadas and cookies for dessert? Nice start to a Super Bowl meal.

Here is the host enjoying the fruits of my labor/his inspired idea. He looks happy to me…

Go Steelers. (Later that night: Way to go, Steelers…Best. Game. Ever.)