Wedding Shortbread

The butter’s perfume still envelopes me even though my bake-a-thon was months ago. Seven pounds of butter, proportionally blended with flour, rice flour, superfine sugar and a hefty pinch of coarse salt, transformed into 400 shortbread cookies. 

Looking at the photos transports me back to the kitchen and the aroma from the dough clinging to my hands, then wafting its sweet scent from the oven. I can hear the laughter and chatter and the playlist provided by my baking partner.

My niece Lauren was getting married and I hesitantly offered to make the cake. Thank goodness she already had that covered! Smart girl knew to leave the cake decorating to the experts. Instead, we decided on cookies. Two per person, wrapped and ribboned, as party favors. 

I commandeered my sister’s Florida kitchen and convinced my daughter Sara to skip the beach and join me in the baking fun. Six hours later, every surface of the kitchen was decorated with delicate cookies.

It took us a while to hit our stride, but before long, we developed a method to our madness. I made the dough, slicing four sticks of cool butter, tossing it with the dry ingredients, then mixing in the KitchenAid mixer on low. It turned from butter and flour into an elegant dough in minutes.

I scraped the dough onto a big sheet of parchment, passed it to Sara, then mixed another batch. Then another, and so on. Sara rolled the dough into balls and dipped them in sugar, then pressed with a custom stamp with a three-letter monogram that the bride had ordered. Then into the oven, set the timer and press ahead. Periodically, Sara would stretch her arms to relieve her burning deltoids. 

We managed numerous math problems, hoping that we had the right equation to get our cookie count finished so we could clock out of the kitchen in time for an airport run. “Don’t forget to account for a burned pan,” Sara taunted. It’s inevitable, the pan of burnt cookies. Miraculously, not a single cookie burned. Our choreography finally measured up.

While we focused on our baking project, we wove in stories and wondered who would be the next to get married. Sara helped with some out-loud editing of my book (so nice having an editor in the family!), and we raised our lemonade glasses to my sister Lisa who is the Shortbread Queen.

Love and laughter in the kitchen, plus a little slapstick comedy made for the perfect way to start the celebration of the big family wedding. Every little flashback to this bake-a-thon puts a smile on my face and I’m surrounded with the sweet fragrance of butter.

Scotch Shortbread

My sister Lisa started the tradition of making shortbread for weddings and she reluctantly shared her secret recipe with me. It originated from Lisa’s friend’s Scottish aunt. This is my interpretation of Aunt Agnes’s classic recipe. This recipe can easily be halved for a quick baking project when the shortbread craving strikes.

Makes about 5 dozen

• 4 cups unbleached flour
• 1 cup rice flour
• 1 cup superfine sugar*
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt (I love JQ Dickinson Salt)
• 1 pound cold unsalted butter, cut into thin slices
• Additional sugar for baking the cookies

Combine the flour, rice flour, superfine sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl (preferably for an electric stand mixer) and toss in the butter slices. Mix on low speed until a dough forms, scraping bowl as needed.

Heat oven to 325. Shape the dough into balls the size of walnuts and dip in sugar. Place the balls about one inch apart on parchment lined baking sheets (do not use dark sheets which will cause the cookies to burn). Press each sugared dough ball with a cookie stamp.

Bake each sheet until cookies are light golden, about 18-20 minutes, rotating the sheets after 10 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough. Cool the cookies on a rack before packaging.

*if superfine sugar is not available, you can make your own. Blend 3/4cup granulated sugar in a blender on high speed for a minute or so, until the sugar is very fine. This will make 1 cup of superfine sugar.

Custom cookie stamps can be ordered from cookiestamp.com

Sweet Potato Sunset and Handmade Pita

Cooking is contagious. The joy spreads with each swipe of the rolling pin, the aromatherapy of a burst of lemon, the chime of the oven timer. Imagine the joy spreading to children, the sum of their ages equaling less than half of mine. I’m in heaven.

“Keep the menu simple with plenty of hands-on to keep the energetic group focused,” I reminded myself as I planned the class. Pita bread and some colorful roasted vegetables seemed like the right fit. During the growing season, these petite chefs are gardeners with the SCRATCH project, an after school “grow to eat, eat to live” program in Huntington. Their sweet potato harvest sold out at The Wild Ramp and they would be planting summer squash next. 

The dough doubled on the drive from Charleston to Huntington, a quick hour west on the interstate. Veronica unlocked the door. “Welcome to Huntington’s Kitchen!” This teaching kitchen, originally installed by Jamie Oliver in 2009 is a cooking instructor's fantasy: A full wall of ovens plus four prep areas and one for the instructor, each equipped with a cooktop and kitchen tools. I am in my element and I'm committed to the commute. I had a half hour to unpack and preheat the ovens before the tempo increased. The pizza stone and cast iron griddle needed to be blazing hot for the pita, and the second oven was readied for roasting the vegetables.

Huntington's Kitchen is now a collaborative teaching kitchen which partners Cabell-Huntington Hospital and Marshall University Department of Dietetics to enhance, promote, and improve healthy eating.

Suddenly it’s showtime and when you are surrounded by hungry kids in the kitchen, you can’t miss a beat. I show them why you have to poke holes in the whole vegetables before roasting them, then slide the sheetpan loaded with sweet potatoes and zucchini into the oven, out of sight.

Now for the dough. They saw a puffy globe flop onto the prep table. We got to discuss what it looked like before the drive. It was a softball, way down inside the bowl, now its crown reached the plastic wrap. We use a butter knife to cut it in half, then each half into two again. And again. It’s math without a worksheet. 

Each of our eight bits of dough land in a set of tiny hands and are shaped into large golfballs, pressed flat in a sprinkle of flour, and rolled out into a thin pancake. Then you take away one, more math, and you have seven -- the five second rule does not apply, but laughter prevails. In a perfect world, there would be a set of identical rolling pins, but we make do, sharing our mis-matched collection. 

Two at a time and for just three long minutes our flatbreads bake on our hot stone and griddle, puffing into a mylar balloon or blistering like a tortilla, depending. Then we wait. With wide eyes, the pint-sized bakers can witness the steam escaping from their rounds of handmade bread and it’s time to make something delicious for dipping.

We smash, then peel, whole cloves of garlic, and pass around lemon wedges for squeezing. We have to fish out the seeds, enough for the SCRATCH kids to plant an entire citrus grove. Next time we will use a strainer.

The roasted vegetables are now just cool enough to handle and we pass around the knives, butter knives, with a quick tutorial. Like a color by number, we toss them into the food processors, first green with its lemon and garlic notes, then the sweet potato with a hot pepper accent.

We spoon our concoctions into ramekins and break our bread. I watch in awe as they tear their pita and rake it through their palettes of vegetable dips. “I can’t believe we made bread and got to use a knife!” Junior, the lone 5-year old announced at the table. 

I think he caught the bug.

Pita Bread

Adapted from David Tanis First Time's the Charm with Fresh Pita

Makes 8

• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 1/2 cups unbleached flour, plus extra for rolling
• 2 teaspoons 'instant' yeast
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for the bowl

Combine the whole wheat flour, unbleached flour, yeast, salt, and sugar in the work bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times to blend. Add the water and olive oil through the feed tube and blend until a smooth ball of dough forms.

Let the dough rest in the work bowl for 10 minutes and check the consistency. Dough should be soft but not sticky. If it is sticky, add a bit of flour, 1 tablespoon at a time and pulse to blend. If the dough is too firm, add a bit of water, 1 teaspoon at a time. Blend the dough for 30 seconds and turn out into a large-ish bowl that has been lightly oiled with olive oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside to rise in a warm-ish place until doubled in size, about one hour.

Place a baking stone or large cast iron griddle into the oven and heat the oven to 475.

Lightly flour a work surface and turn the pillow of dough out onto the flour. Divide the dough into eight equal pieces, roll them into rough golfball shapes, then press each into a disk (all this handling is the kid-equivalent of kneading). Roll each disk into a 6-inch circle and feel free to discuss the merits of geometry.

Carefully place one dough circle at a time onto the heated stone (or griddle) and bake for two minutes. Turn over with tongs and bake for one minute on the second side. Remove each pita to a basket or plate while you continue baking the whole batch.

Sweet Potato Sunset Dip

a blend of roasted sweet potato and a little spice

Makes about 3 cups

• 3 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed and pricked with a fork
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespooons tahini
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 jalapeno pepper
• ½ teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
• 1/4 cup water as needed to 'thin' the dip

Heat the oven to 400. Place the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for about one hour, until soft (gently squeeze with a pot holder to check). Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes. Peel the sweet potatoes and roughly chop them, then place into the work bowl of a food processor. Add the olive oil, tahini, garlic, jalapeno, and salt. Blend until smooth, adding water as needed to achieve the desired consistency.

Transfer to a bowl and serve with pita for dipping.

Zucchini-Greeny Dip

adapted from LifeLab 'Garden Sprouts Camp Recipes'

Makes about 3 cups

• 5 medium zucchini, scrubbed and pricked with a fork
•  3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for garnish
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon salt (or more to taste)

Heat the oven to 400. Place the zucchini on a baking sheet and bake for about 45 minutes, until soft (gently squeeze with tongs to check). Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes. Trim off the stem end and roughly chop them (use a large cutting board to contain all the juice). Scoop the zucchini into the work bowl of a food processor. Add the olive oil, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, and salt. Blend until smooth with a few bits of the green skin freckling the dip.

Transfer to a bowl and drizzle with a bit of olive oil for garnish. Serve with pita for dipping.

Tremendous thanks to

• West Virginia State University Extension and SCRATCH Project Production Coordinator Valerie Bandell
•  Huntington's Kitchen  
• Tori Lavender, for quietly capturing the scene with her photos
• Elizabeth Wirts, my assistant for this class and a volunteer with George Washington High School Healthy Living Club

Croissants from Scratch, Sunshine on a Snowy Day

We interrupt the regularly scheduled simple recipes for everyday blog posts to bring you this. Anything but simple, a muscle-building, thought-provoking multi-day baking event. Croissants, from scratch. 

Looking out the window, the air is vibrating with fresh snow, falling an inch an hour into a beautiful landscape that locks everyone indoors and hopefully safe inside their well-stocked kitchens. When the Governor’s mandate comes to ‘stay home!’ I celebrate, break out the recipes from the ‘baking events’ file, and pick one. 

Croissants have been on my list since the moment my sister gave me the TARTINE cookbook ten years ago. I told her we should make them. She only laughed at me and boasted she could drive her car from Santa Cruz to San Francisco, search for a parking spot, wait with the dozens of bakery-goers, at the famed Tartine, and drive back to Santa Cruz in the time it would take to make them.

Now that I have made the leap into quasi-croissant master, I can declare her wrong. She could do this two days in a row, possibly three, and still have me ‘beat.’ I’m claiming victory, though. I conquered something outside my comfort zone without having to play in the snow, decoding a task that’s been on my list for an entire decade.

Before diving in to the croissant project, I studied the recipe, all eight pages, and pondered. I had enough butter, 5 1/2 sticks. My courage wavered. I consulted my friend Libby, our local bakery rockstar, and she answered in three words.

“Go for it!” I broke a sweat just thinking about the endeavor. I hoped that Libby would steer me away, but no such luck.

My adventure-seeking husband escaped ahead of the storm, racing to the mountains for a weekend of fresh powder. I opted to stay behind and flex my muscles in the kitchen.

Saturday afternoon, I brewed a pot of espresso and mixed the preferment, a combination of flour, yeast, and not-cold milk. It was a grapefruit sized jagged ball of dough. The book referred to it as a batter which made me question if mine was right. I stashed it in the fridge downstairs for an overnight rest and proceeded with my day, periodically inspecting my little ball of dough. I thought it might flow out of the bowl considering the amount of yeast, but it just stared back at me, unchanged.

Sunday morning brought sunshine! and with it, the temptation to head outdoors. The snow shovel outside my kitchen door caught my eye with a wink, reminding me to keep cozy inside. My mind returned to the preferment. Surely it had ballooned into an unruly mass. It was time to face my fears. Descending one step at a time to the basement, thinking about my husband winding his way down the powder-packed slopes, I reached the fridge to peek at my dough. This was the moment of truth, I might be off the hook if I discovered a disaster instead of a puffy pillow of starter.  I lifted the cover from the bowl, relieved. Just as the recipe promised, I had a soft dough that had doubled in volume. Confidence restored, I forged ahead. 

‘Mix the preferment with yeast, add half the milk...’ the instructions continue for three paragraphs which I followed to the letter, until I had a satiny ball of stretchy dough. After the yeast works its magic, the dough gets pressed out into a rectangular shape and chills again for a 4 to 6 hour rest. I had to do some math here. The steps that follow would require more hours of hands-on and off and I had somewhere to be at 6:00 and 20 inches of snow obscuring the truck and driveway (Tickets to Mountain Stage, the phenomenal radio show that is performed and recorded just minutes from my home. This one featuring The Westies, Robert Earl Keen, Rhett Miller, and Guster. Nothing was going to keep me from my coveted seat at this sold out show). I cued up The Old 97’s and kept focus on my croissants.

The French are fascinating kitchen wizards, discovering hundreds of years ago that if you wrap cold butter inside a yeast dough and fold and roll and layer and turn and roll some more, the two become one with impossibly flaky layers of crisp, buttery pastry. There is little margin of error in this process which fueled my apprehension. As instructed, I whipped my cold butter in the KitchenAid and then smeared it into a sheet on plastic wrap, covered the sheet of butter with more wrap, and into the fridge.

It was 3:00 and I was racing to get the dough and butter properly united before the show. Rolling pin engaged to the tune of the music, I did the rolling, the folding, the turning, all the while questioning if I was doing it right. My creation looked like a neat book, waiting for a title to be inscribed on the front. Just like a fairy tale, my husband appeared from his powder weekend and kept beat with the snow shovel, digging out the driveway and his truck, our way out. 

Monday morning, another snow day for my high school student and more rolling pin sessions for this intrepid baker. I messaged my friend Allison from our bakery for a last shot of courage and a few hours later, 16 croissants were born. The dough performed as promised and the kitchen boasted the perfume of browning butter. I watched them cool just long enough, selected one from the pan and uncoiled the layers, savoring my first bite. Eyes closed, the days of work validated, I recognized the danger of being snowed in with homemade croissants. I spread the cheer, inviting friends to stop by if they were un-stuck, then delivered two for Libby and Allison who responded, “Love the layers! And flavor -- the preferment adds some oomph. Good bold bake adds structure and flavor also. Big thumbs up!” 

Let it snow! When the next blizzard threatens, I’ll be ready with my butter and flour, with rolling pin and courage intact. I hope you’ll join me.

Croissants

adapted from TARTINE by Elizabeth M. Prueitt and Chad Robertson

Preferment

• 3/4 cup skim milk
• 1 1/3 cups unbleached flour
• 1 tablespoon instant yeast

Dough

• 4 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1 3/4 cups whole milk (plus extra if needed)
• 6 cups unbleached flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 4 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
•  

Roll-in Butter

• 2 3/4 cups unsalted butter, cool but pliable (5 1/2 sticks)

Egg Wash

• 2 egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• pinch of salt

Make the preferment:

Warm the 3/4 cup skim milk in a small saucepan over low heat just to take the chill off. The milk should not feel warm or cold to the touch, 80-90 degrees.

Combine the 1 1/3 cups flour with the 1 tablespoon yeast in a mixing bowl and add the milk, stirring to create a soft dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the mixture rise until doubled in volume, about 2 hours at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator.

Make the dough:

Measure all the ingredients for the dough (like the French do -- mise en place!). Transfer the preferment and the 4 teaspoons of yeast to the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the yeast is incorporated, stopping the mixer to scrape the bowl as needed. When the mixture is well combined, increase the speed to medium and mix for a couple of minutes, then slowly add half of the whole milk and mix well.

Reduce the mixer speed to low, gradually add the flour (to prevent the ‘whiteout’ flour explosion), sugar, salt, melted butter, and the remaining milk. Scrape the dough from the paddle and switch to the dough hook. Mix until well combined, about 3 minutes.  Turn off the mixer and let the dough rest for 15 to 20 minutes.

Turn the mixer on to low and mix until the dough is smooth and elastic, adding additional milk one tablespoon at a time as needed. Take care not to overmix, about 4 minutes is all it takes. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a cool place until volume increases by half, about 1 1/2 hours.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and press into a 2-inch thick rectangle. Wrap the rectangle in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill for 4 to 6 hours.

About 1 hour before you are ready to start laminating the dough, put the rolling-in butter into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until creamy, but not soft, about 3 minutes. Spread the creamy cold butter out onto a sheet of plastic wrap into a rectangle about 12 by 18-inches. Lay another sheet of wrap over the butter and place in the refrigerator to chill but not resolidify.

To laminate the dough, lightly dust a large work surface with flour. Remove the chilled dough and butter from the refrigerator. Unwrap the dough and roll it into a rectangle 28 inches long and 12 inches wide. Unwrap the sheet of butter and lay it over the dough, covering two thirds of the dough from the left side. Fold the uncovered third over the butter and then fold the left-hand third over the center, as if folding a tri-fold brochure. You now have a plaque. With your fingers, push down along the seams on the top and the bottom to seal the butter in the plaque.

Give the plaque a quarter turn so that the top and bottom seams are now to your right and left. Again, roll the dough into a rectangle 28 inches long and 12 inches wide and fold again in the same manner. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 1 1/2 to 2 hours to relax the gluten in the dough before you make the third fold, or ‘turn.’

Clean the work surface, dust again with flour, and remove the dough from the refrigerator. Unwrap, place the dough on the floured surface, and again roll out into a rectangle 28 by 12 inches. Fold into thirds in the same manner. You should have a plaque of dough about 9 by 12 inches, and about 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick. Wrap in plastic wrap, place on a sheet pan, and place in the freezer to chill for at least 1 hour. If you plan to make the croissants the next morning, leave the dough in the freezer until the evening and transfer to the refrigerator. In the morning, the dough will be ready to roll out and form into croissants, proof, and bake. Or you can leave the dough in the freezer for up to 1 week, just remember to transfer it to the refrigerator to thaw overnight before using.

When you are ready to roll out the dough, dust the work surface again. Roll out the dough into a 32 by 12 inch rectangle, about 3/8- inch thick. Using a pizza wheel or chef’s knife, cut the dough into long triangles that measure 10 to 12 inches on each side and about 4 inches along the base. Using the pizza wheel or chef’s knife, make a 3/4-inch split in the center of each base.

Line 2 half-sheet pans with parchment paper. You are now ready to shape your croissants. Starting at the split base, gently pull the base apart at the split, then roll the base toward the point. Grab the point with one hand and stretch it slightly and continue to roll, tucking the point underneath the rolled dough. Place it point-down on the prepared pan and continue rolling and shaping the remaining dough. Space the croissants evenly on the 2 prepared pans, leaving a few inches between to allow room for rising. Lightly drape a sheet of plastic wrap over each pan and set the pans in a draft-free area to let the pastries rise until they are puffy and doubled in size, about 2 to 3 hours.

Heat the oven to 425 for 20 to 30 minutes.

About 10 minutes before baking, prepare the egg wash. Whisk the egg yolks with the cream and salt until you have a pale yellow mixture. Gently brush the egg mixture onto the pastries, being careful not to allow the egg mixture to drip onto the pan. Let the wash dry for about 10 minutes before baking.

Place one pan of croissants in the oven and reduce the temperature to 400. Rotate the pan, front to back, after 10 minutes to ensure even baking. Continue baking for 6 to 10 minutes longer, until the pastries are deep golden brown on the top and bottom, crisp on the outside, and feel light when they are picked up, indicating that the interior is baked through.

Remove the croissants from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack.

Increase oven temperature to 425 and repeat baking instructions for the second pan.

Enjoy the croissants warm from the oven or at room temperature. Store any leftovers in an airtight container at cool room temperature for up to 3 days. Recrisp them in a 375 degree oven for 6 to 8 minutes.

Makes 16 to 18 golden croissants

Sweet Potato Chili

What do you get when you combine one ton of sweet potatoes and an elementary school? You get an all-hands-on-deck chili fest! When KEYS for Healthy Kids, a Charleston, WV based non-profit that focuses on children's health, received a pallet of West Virginia grown sweet potatoes from the state Department of Agriculture, they made sure the crop made it into good hands.

Principal Henry Nearman at Ruffner Elementary hosted "Sweet Potato Day," inviting children into the cafeteria to jump in for some sweet potato read aloud and a bunch of cooking fun, followed by a tasting for all. We made a 20-times batch in the cafeteria's soup kettle to rave reviews. Get your hands on some sweet potatoes and try this at home!

Sweet Potato Chili for 3 (or 300)

for our tasting, a 20-times batch made 300 sample servings. At home, a single batch will feed 3 or 4. Add a green salad accented with orange segments and avocado and it's dinner!

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 teaspoons chili powder (I prefer pure Ancho Chili Powder) 
• 1 cup water
• 1 10-ounce red-skinned sweet potato, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 (14 ½ -ounce) can diced tomatoes (I prefer Fire Roasted)
• 1 (15- to 16-ounce) can black or pinto beans, drained
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 ½  teaspoons grated orange peel 

Heat olive oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until golden, about 5 minutes. Add chili powder and stir 1 minute. Add water and sweet potato cubes. Cover pan; reduce heat to medium and simmer until potato is almost tender, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes with their juices and beans. Simmer uncovered until chili thickens and potato is very tender, about 10 minutes. Mix in cilantro and orange peel. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve. 

Serves 3 or 4, and easily doubles

Fresh Herb Primer

A little pot of fresh herbs in the kitchen window makes life better. A few leaves of fresh basil enhance everything, from fancying up a glass of water to authenticating your marinara. Green thumb or no, give it a try. Or pick some up at the farmer's market. Either way. And here's a 101 for the best herb pairings. Happy Cooking!

• Basil -- Italiano! Great with eggs, fish. and poultry. Add a sprig to your water with a lemon twist
• Chives -- A lovely addition to a cream soup. Also great with eggs, fish, and poultry
• Cilantro -- Wake up jarred salsa with a handful of chopped cilantro. Stir some into chicken soup for a taste of the tropics
• Dill -- Mix with plain yogurt and chopped fresh cucumber (plus some salt to taste) for a quick, calcium-rich dip
• Mint -- Steep fresh mint with your morning tea for a refreshing lift. Freeze mint leaves in ice cube trays and add the ice cubes to your water or iced tea
• Oregano -- Add whole sprigs to a simmering pot of vegetable soup. Add chopped fresh oregano to a roasted vegetable sandwich
• Parsley -- More than just a garnish! It elevates everything, love it on potato salad
• Rosemary -- Mince fresh rosemary and make a great dipping oil for your next baguette
• Sage -- My favorite with pork. 
• Thyme -- Stuff a few sprigs under the skin of a whole chicken before roasting 

Spicy Rice

When the invitation came to test-drive a cooking kit that makes preparing authentic Indian dishes at home “easier than ever,” I said Yes Please! I have dabbled in some simple Indian recipes at home, but Channa Masala is about the only one I have mastered. 

The kit arrived and I ripped the box open. It felt like my birthday! A collection of aromatic spices and a new cookbook, that’s worthy of celebration. A cooking party was definitely in order, so we packed up the car and the kid and headed to the country to visit my in-laws.

We gathered around the kitchen island and enjoyed a three generation chop and chat. The only difficult part of our feast was choosing which recipes to make. It feels like Neena, the kit’s creator, is right there in the kitchen guiding you through her recipes.

Crack open the book and you’ll want to assemble an entire buffet. The first one, Spicy Rice, had me sold in an instant. Spiced rice, tempered with sweet raisins and crunchy cashews and a fresh sprinkle of cilantro will be in regular rotation at our house.

Spicy Rice

Feel free to substitute curry powder and ground cumin for the seeds if you don't have them. It may not be quite as authentic, but will still be a fabulous one pot meatless meal! Here's a great reason to make a double batch of rice -- save the extra for a quick and delicious meal.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh garlic
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup cashew nuts
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup corn kernels (frozen or off the cob)
• 1 tablespoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 4 cups cooked Basmati rice (hot or cold)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 handful fresh chopped cilantro

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or saute pan over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, and garlic. Stir, then cover for 30 seconds. Reduce the heat to low and add the onions, cashews, raisins, and corn. Stir and saute for 5 minutes. Add the turmeric, chili powder, cooked rice, salt, water, and half of the cilantro, stirring to combine. Cover and cook for 5 minutes to heat through.

Serve with remaining fresh cilantro.

What's for Dinner?

Half the battle of home-cooking is the question of WHAT? Take turns choosing your weekly menus and the whole family gets engaged. WHEN in the world will you have time to cook given a busy schedule filled with late meetings and kids' activities? Choose some simple recipes and prep a little in advance, then you can put your meals together 'a-la-minute.' If you've drawn a blank, start the week with a Sunday kitchen session, whipping up a batch of 'ground beef starter' that can translate into countless meals throughout the week.

I had a fun time in the kitchen recently with our Secretary of Health, Karen Bowling, making taco salads, a healthy twist to the traditional Taco Salad Tuesday. Jump into the kitchen with us! 

Grilled Chicken Wings

The calendar says January and the mercury says first day of Spring, a perfect occasion to fire up the grill and make merry. Phone a few friends and get grilling. As everyone is tumbling home from their holidays away, it's a great time to reconnect before reality resumes. They will say 'yes! We'll be there!' Make extra just in case. 

Wings are fun and I found this recipe in This is a Cookbook, a stylish cookbook I picked up at my local bookstore. Sriracha and lime? I'm in. These are flavorful-spicy, tangy with their crispy char. The kids love them! There was lots of marinade left behind once I removed the wings for grilling, so I cooked it for a while to thicken into a fabulous dip for the finished wings.

As long as the grill is going, we like to throw all kinds of things on the fire. I pulled a rack of ribs from the freezer and gave them a dry rub while they thawed on a rack in the fridge (thinking ahead!). For good measure, we'll toss a big caesar salad (family favorite recipe in my book) and add a couple of chicken breasts, plus the remnants of a baguette for lovely 'croutons.' Something for everyone. Suddenly we have an impromptu dinner party and I'm the happiest girl in town. 

Grilled Chicken Wings

adapted from This is a Cookbook by Max Sussman and Eli Sussman

1 cup hot pepper sauce (Frank's Redhot!)

1 cup Sriracha sauce

zest and juice of 2 limes

freshly ground black pepper

3 pounds raw chicken wings, cut apart at the joint if whole, and tips removed

Stir the hot sauces together in a large bowl and add the lime zest and juice and pepper. Add the wings and toss to coat. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 4 to 24 hours. 

Build a charcoal fire or heat a gas grill to high. Reserving the marinade, remove the chicken from the bowl and grill on the grill rack for about 15 minutes, turning occasionally, until done. Chicken will be opaque with a lightly charred crust.

Heat the reserved marinade in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until it boils, then reduce heat and simmer until thickened while chicken grills.

Pile the wings on a big platter and pass the sauce separately. Serve with lots of napkins and cold drinks.

Serves 6-8

Happy Cooking!

Prosperity in a Pot

“People are so worried about what they eat between Christmas and the New Year, but they really should be worried about what they eat between the New Year and Christmas.”--unknown

Fresh food instead of fast, an attainable endeavor that reaps tremendous rewards. Kick off with prosperity-producing provisions, a gorgeous stew of fresh greens which symbolize green paper currency and black-eyed peas which resemble a handful of shiny coins.  It might not make us rich or thin, but it’s easy, aromatic, delicious, and fresh. 

The moment I started planning the New Years Day feast with black-eyed peas on the menu, the crew in my kitchen broke out into song, belting out the hits from The Black Eyed Peas and reminiscing about their performance at The Greenbrier a few summers back. It’s a full blown dance party in the kitchen, cue “Tonight’s Gonna Be a Good Night.”  After a bit of chopping and a long simmer, we have steamy bowls of satisfying soup.  And a perfect start to another great year.

Cue the playlist, gather your group and start chopping.

I hope you’ll enjoy the cooking routine.  When the next holiday season rolls around, you can enjoy and indulge without worry.

Prosperity in a Pot

Loosely adapted from a classic Persian recipe Aash, as shared by my friend Cosima Amelang.  Chop the greens once you get the black-eyed peas simmering

• 1/4 cup olive oil, plus additional for serving
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
• 3 cups dried black-eyed peas, rinsed
• water
• 1 large bunch Swiss chard, leaves chopped and stems reserved for another use
• 1/2 pound fresh spinach, chopped
• 1 large leek, chopped*
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 1 bunch fresh parsley, leaves chopped
• salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce (Sriracha is nice here)
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• *for best results with leeks: trim the ends, remove the top greens and reserve for other use.  Cut the leeks in half lengthwise, slice thinly crosswise and rinse well in water.  Lift them out into a strainer to drain.

Heat the 1/4 cup olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Saute the onion until translucent. Add the turmeric, cinnamon, and cumin and saute 1 minute. Add the chopped ginger and cook another minute. Add the black-eyed peas and enough water to cover (about 2 quarts). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes. Add the chopped chard, spinach, leek, green onions, and parsley.  Stir well to combine and add additional water if needed just to cover the greens.

Cook over low heat for one hour, until black-eyed peas are just tender. Season with hot sauce, honey and lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Continue cooking for 15 minutes to infuse with the seasonings.

Serve, topping each portion with a swirl of olive oil.

Happy Cooking!

Makes 8 servings

Bring on a Sweet '16!

The new year is knocking and I struggle to grasp how the earth spins so quickly. In my quest to slow things down just a little I turn to my kitchen. We all love instantaneous gratification, but there are few things more gratifying than home cooking. Even if it takes a little longer to get dinner on the table, it's time well spent! Invite the kids and follow along on a fun kitchen adventure. Whether you're into planning menus in advance or would rather whip something together with pantry staples, you're in the driver's seat. Break out the new calendar and start fresh. It's going to be a sweet '16! What a wonderful time to turn over a new leaf, start a new habit, break a bad one. 

Some people build long lists of things they truly want to change, while others have trouble sticking with one resolution.  As I ponder the myriad possibilities for new year’s resolutions, I concocted my own list from various sources of inspiration.  In this new year, I decided on a collection of 16 popular resolutions.  Sounds a little daunting.  But I quickly realized that this long-ish list of goals could all be accomplished with one simple action.

Want to save money?  Lose weight?  Spend more quality time with loved ones?  Cook. Cooking for yourself instead of eating out saves lots of money. Cooking for yourself, with fresh ingredients, can be instrumental in achieving a healthy weight. What better way to spend quality time with family and friends than sharing stories over a home-cooked meal? And I think we'd all agree, the family table is the perfect no-phone-zone.

Come along and discover the true joy of cooking. According to my great mentor, the late writer Laurie Colwin,“What you want is an enormous return on a small investment. Almost the only situation in which this is possible is cooking.” Count me in!

Sixteen Resolutions for a Sweet '16, a brilliant plan for bringing cooking into your daily routine

• Save money
• Travel more (cooking brings the world to your kitchen!)
• Stay happy
• Buy local
• Find your love
• Start a hobby
• Help others often
• Slow the pace
• Keep on learning
• Eat five new foods
• Grow a simple garden
• Spend more time with loved ones
• Lose weight
• Cut out processed foods
• Do something out of your comfort zone
• Plan everything

Stop in daily for ideas and recipes that will help make this year the sweetest ever.

Happy New Year and HAPPY COOKING!