Just a quick note on styles

Folks-

I have been a bit... inconsistent in how I label measurements on this site, in a way that has confused at least one person.

To me, 1-1/2 and 1 1/2 are the same and should be read as "one and one half". I have used the dash in some instances when I thought the space might not be clear, so in this case I might be worried that it would be read as "eleven-halves". However, I know I have used both formats on this blog.

At least one person said they read it as "one to one half." Just to be clear, I would not put the larger number in front of the smaller number like this. If I mean between one half and one, I would format it "1/2-1", but I don't think I have ever used that format here (I could be wrong though.)

I may at some future date I may go through the blog and make everything consistent, but I wouldn't bet on it. Just be aware of the style issue.

Aebleskiver (Danish Pancake Balls)

Folks-

I keep figuring out that there are family recipes that I've forgotten to post here. The family recipe for aebleskiver is one of them.

Aebleskiver, also known as Danish Pancake Balls are a delicious breakfast treat served with raspberry jam and whipped cream in Solvang here in California. We've been making them since I was little.

To make them properly, you'll need a good cast iron Aebleskiver pan, the heavier the better, a cake-pop maker, or a Takoyaki maker. The ones they make in Solvang are almost the size of tennis balls, but most home pans make aebleskiver that are a bit larger than golf balls, and smaller is still tasty. Another useful tool to make these is a bamboo skewer to turn them as they're cooking in the pan, but only if you're using the cast iron pan or Takoyaki maker. A cake-pop maker doesn't need it since it cooks the entire aebleskiver at once. Regardless of the pan type, have a pastry brush handy. You need to butter the cups in the pan.

Notes on Aebleskiver pans: Non-stick is fine for electric, but avoid it for the cooktop. Avoid aluminum cooktop pans at all costs. It will not heat anywhere near evenly enough. Even for cast iron, get the heaviest one you can find/afford. I've used thinner cast iron pans and still found them heating unevenly enough to both burn some and undercook other aebleskivers at the same time. You are functionally baking them on the cooktop, not frying them, so you need even heat.

Here's the recipe!

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour (can use self-rising flour, but omit baking powder and salt)

2 3/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom and/or cinnamon and/or ground ginger and/or allspice and/or nutmeg or pumpkin spice or 1/8 teaspoon cloves (all options have tested well)

1 large egg

1 cup milk or buttermilk or 3/4 cup milk plus 1/4 cup sour cream or yogurt (if using buttermilk, reduce baking powder to 2 teaspoons and add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda to dry ingredients. No changes if also using self-rising flour.)

2 tablespoons melted butter plus more for coating the pan's cups

Jam and whipped cream for serving

Mix together all dry ingredients. Beat egg with milk, and add in 2 tablespoons melted butter. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix just until wet. Batter will be lumpy.

Place cast iron pan over medium-low heat or plug in cake-pop maker or Takoyaki maker and heat until a drop of water dropped into a cup sizzles.

Brush cups with melted butter and fill cups about three-quarters with batter. 

For a cast iron pan or Takoyaki maker, wait about 1 1/2 minutes until a crust forms on the bottom, then insert the bamboo skewer into the bottom of the cup and turn the aebleskiver a bit more than halfway, allow to cook another minute, then turn the rest of the way to close the ball. 

Close a cake-pop maker and allow to cook for about 3 minutes or until golden brown. 

Serve warm with jam and whipped cream. If using a large enough pan, you can split the aebleskiver before coating with jam.

Italian Almond Cookies aka Ricciarelli

Folks-

I first had Italian Almond cookies last year before Christmas in Rome. Zhenie, Aaron and I had spent the day at the Flavian Amphitheatre and the ruins of the old forum and Palatine Hill.

Honestly, all of that fits in a surprisingly small area. Very condensed. Imagine the downtown of a small town, not a huge city in an empire.

We spent the day snacking on roasted chestnuts and walking everywhere we could. After dinner and visiting the Trevi Fountain (which is very crowded), we stopped at a cheese and sausage shop to get some picorino romano, and before leaving I noticed they had a display case with baked good in it. I asked for descriptions and decided on some brown almond cookies, getting two to share.

They were unbelievable. Aaron and I had the same response at the same time, both of us immediately looking for the recipe online while walking down the streets of Rome.

Aaron focused on the recipe I'm posting here. It's not quite the same as what we had in Rome. Those cookies were much darker in color, but these taste the same and have the same texture to us.

If you kind of like macarons but find them too airy and sweet, you'll probably like these more. They are denser and don't have that frosting in them. They're also a bit easier to make.

If you're allergic to gluten, these are for you. They are gluten free. Note that this recipe is not vegan though and contains almond flour, so avoid if you're allergic to tree nuts.

Dang. Almost broke my vow of brevity. Here's the recipe!

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups almond flour

1 3/4 cups powdered sugar plus ½ cup for coating cookies

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon baking powder

2 egg whites

1 tablespoon almond extract

1 teaspoon orange zest about half a large orange

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon lemon juice

In a medium bowl, combine almond flour, powdered sugar, salt, and baking powder.

Add egg whites and lemon juice to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat at medium low speed until frothy (about a minute), then at medium high until stiff peaks form. Add almond extract, vanilla extract, and orange zest, and fold in until well combined.

Using a fine mesh sieve, sift almond flour mixture into the beaten egg white mixture. Add it in in about 2-3 batches, folding in each batch. Try to keep some air in the egg whites, but at this point it will form a pretty sticky dough rather than a fluffy meringue.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using clean hands, roll dough into balls about 1" to 1.5" in diameter (or 23-25g each), then roll in powdered sugar until well coated. Shape into an oval, then arrange on baking sheet with some space between them for spreading.

Leave at room temperature for about half an hour to an hour, or until the tops have dried to the touch and formed almost a little shell. (This may take longer in humid areas.)

Flatten the cookies slightly and lightly squeeze or stretch opposite corners, trying to form little cracks in the top of the dried shell to pre-crack it before baking. (Not doing this won't affect the taste, but pre-cracking them makes them much prettier if you want that beautiful white-gold contrast!)

While cookies are drying, preheat oven to 300℉ (150℃). When the cookies are ready, bake for about 20 minutes. Cool and store in an airtight container.

Piña Colada

Folks-

Today is my daughter's birthday, and I knew it would be hot, so I decided to make something cold that I could serve in a coconut.

I mean, why not?

The obvious thing was the Piña Colada.

This is a two-stage recipe, cobbled together from multiple other recipes. You have to make a bartender's Coconut Cream first, and you may have some leftover unless you multiply the Piña Colada recipe a fair amount.

Here are the two recipes!

Coconut Cream Ingredients:

1 400ml can of Coconut Milk

375g Granulated Sugar

Pour the contents of the can of Coconut Milk into a small saucepan, whisk in the sugar, and stir continuously over a low heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is a uniform translucent whitish liquid. It probably will happen soon after the temperature rises above room temp. Don't even let it reach a simmer. Seriously.

Piña Colada Ingredients:

1 cup frozen pineapple chunks

3/4 cups Coconut Cream

Juice of 1 lime

2 cups ice

1/4 cup white rum (optional)

Place all ingredients in a blender and pulse until ice is broken up, then blend at high speed until you have a nice blend. Serves 2.

Quick Breadsticks (work in progress)

Folks-

I needed a quick recipe for a side dish with the pasta I was making, and the Google AI auto completed a link to a homemade soft breadstick recipe at a recipe site that I thought I should try.

Of course I modified it.

I recommend brushing my garlic butter on them as they come out of the oven (melt it first) for the best flavor.

Here's my version of a light, fluffy, quick (less than an hour) breadstick recipe!

Ingredients:

1 package (2 1/4 tsp) Active Dry or Rapid Rise Yeast

2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar or Honey

1 1/2 cups warm water (110-120 degrees F)

3/4 Teaspoon Salt

3 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour (approx, roughly 3-4 cups)

2 Teaspoons Powdered Garlic (optional)

1 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning  (optional)

3 Tablespoons melted butter or Garlic Butter or olive oil

If you're using active dry yeast, add the sugar or honey to the warm water and sprinkle the yeast on top and let it sit about 5 minutes until it foams. If you're using Rapid Rise or Instant yeast, skip proofing the yeast. In a bowl (I recommend a stand mixer with a dough hook here) pour in the proofed yeast or water and sugar, add 2 cups of the flour, salt, and optional seasonings and mix on low. Add a tablespoon of the melted butter or olive oil. Add flour a heaping tablespoon at a time until you have a slightly sticky dough and knead for about 5 minutes. Start preheating the oven at 375-400 degrees F. Put a sheet of parchment paper in the bottom of a baking sheet or grease the sheet. This recipe makes about a dozen Breadsticks, so weigh the dough and use that calculator your teacher told you wouldn't be available to figure out how much each should weigh (probably 68-75 grams each) and roll each into a snek of about 8-10" and space them on the baking sheet about 1/4" apart (almost touching.) Allow them to rise for about 15-30 minutes (long enough to start making pasta and homemade sauce), then bake for about 12-15 minutes or until light brown. Brush them with the melted butter/garlic butter as soon as they're out of the oven. Allow to cool a bit, but serve while warm.

Speculoos (Work in Progress)

Folks-

I've been looking for a good recipe for the Dutch spice cookie known variously as Speculoos, Speculaas, or even Biscoff.

I didn't find it, but I found one I could start working on over at AllRecipes.

The problems with the AllRecipes recipe is that it's just not spice forward enough, and it honestly needs a touch of salt.

So here's my latest version of the recipe for Speculoos.

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar

1 egg

3 tsp cinnamon 

2 tsp ground ginger

1 1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 1/2 tsp cardamom 

1 tsp ground cloves

1 tsp baking powder 

1/4 tsp salt

2 1/2 to 3 cups all purpose flour 

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Cream together butter and sugar until light brown. Mix in egg, salt, baking powder, and spices. Mix in flour half a cup at a time until a stiff dough forms. Press dough into cookie molds or roll out to 1/8" and cut out using cookie cutters or a pizza cutter or similar roller. Bake on a parchment lined cookie sheet until firm but not hard (about 10 minutes). Remove from oven and cool on a cooling rack.

Note: I can't help thinking a tablespoon of molasses would be a good addition, added in with the egg.

Steak pie

Folks-

After our trip to Europe a few weeks back, I decided to make something good for a winter evening that's more inspired by the food we had there. Tonight I fixed a Steak Pie and School Cake with Custard for dessert. I'm not ready to post the recipe for the School Cake with Custard yet... that's going to take work (it's basically a wide, flat pound cake with a frosting made of powdered sugar and water and covered in sprinkles. That's...kinda not impressive). The Steak Pie though was a hit.

I started with a recipe from Taming Twins (which crashed my Kindle, thank you) and - you guessed it - modified it.

Here's my non-crashy version of a Steak Pie recipe!

Ingredients:

1.5 lbs beef stew meat

1-2 tbsp vegetable oil 

1/4 cup flour

4 carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks

3-4 celery sticks cut into smaller chunks (but still chunks, not thin slices)

1 large onion chopped into large chunks (are you seeing a pattern here?)

2 1/2 cups beef stock or broth

2 tbsp Worstershire Sauce 

2 tbsp Tomato Ketchup 

Salt and pepper to taste

A pie crust rolled flat or puff pastry 

In an electric pressure cooker, sauteed the stew meat in the vegetable oil until nicely seared. Stir the flour into the meat drippings and use some of the beef stock to degraze the pot. Add in the vegetables and the other ingredients and make sure they are evenly distributed in the bottom of the pot. Seal the pressure cooker and cook on high for 20 minutes. Allow to depressurize naturally and cool to warm, not hot. Prepare the crust in a 9x13 casserole dish or two 9" deep dish pie pans, then fill with the beef stew, top with another crust, then bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.

Notes: If you don't have a pressure cooker you can make the filling in a slow cooker taking at least 2 hours to cook on high, or on a stovetop simmering slowly for a similar time. The pressure cooker just takes a lot less time, and happens to be the method I used. If I made it without the pressure cooker, I probably would add a bay leaf and maybe a few other savory herbs. I don't think a pressure cooker would allow the flavor of the herbs to properly integrate into the stew/filling. For the beef stock, it's okay to use cheap Boullion cubes or Better Than Bouillon. You don't have to use a boxed stock or make your own. I used Better Than Boullion the first time and it was just fine.

Au Jus (Gesundheit!)

Folks-

This year for Christmas I fixed an eye of round roast in the oven (two, actually.) I really didn't go as fancy as last year, mostly because we only had one guest over.

But I did have lots of leftovers. And, honestly, I love a good French Dipped sandwich. I figured I probably had the ingredients for the Au Jus dipping sauce, and I was right! I found a version of this recipe over at This Gal Cooks, and modified it for my uses.

I fixed the sandwiches using my same day sourdough foccacia, the roast, and sliced Swiss cheese that Aaron used a torch to melt. They were very good this way!

Here's my version of Au Jus:

Ingredients:

Up to 1/2 cup beef drippings (optional)

1/4 cup red wine (optional, for deglazing the roast pan)

2 tbs butter

1/4 cup chopped onion

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups beef stock or broth (I used Better Than Boullion and water)

2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce

1/2 tsp ground black pepper 

1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt (to taste)

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and caramelize the onions. If using beef drippings, heat the pan over low heat and use the red wine and maybe a splash of the broth to deglaze, scraping up the dark bits while the onions are cooking. Add the minced garlic and drippings to the onions. Pour in the beef stock or broth and bring to a low simmer. Add the pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Taste and add salt to your preference.

You can strain it if you want before serving, but I don't.

Authentic Italian Fettuccine Alfredo

Folks-

Every time I decide to look into how to make an authentic sauce that I'm sure is going to be difficult or involve lots of ingredients it seems like I find out it's easy and I have everything on hand.

I was sure Alfredo was going to involve careful simmering of milk products, stirring the pot constantly to make sure it doesn't burn when I turn my back, and working my tail off to fix it.

As it was with my Enchilada Sauce and Tomato-based Pasta Sauce, I was very wrong.

Unless you want to make a creamy American-style Alfredo that isn't an actual Alfredo. But honestly...why would you do that?

I looked it up after a Reddit session where people were complaining about American taste buds making restaurants all taste the same, saw a complaint thread about creamy vs authentic Alfredo and decided to investigate. This recipe is the result.

Like my tomato based sauce, this lends itself to vibe-cooking. If you think adding something will make it good, do it.

Here's my base Authentic Italian Fettuccine Alfredo

Ingredients:

1 lb dry (usually 1 box) or 1 1/2 lb fresh fettuccine

3/4 cup plus 1/4 cup grated real Parmesan cheese (not the dry stuff in shakers)

1/2 cup butter, cubed (1 stick, ideally European butter)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (ideally Italian parsley)

1-2 teaspoons coarsely ground or cracked fresh black or rainbow pepper to taste

1/2 cup of the pasta water

Grind the pepper and chop the parsley and set aside. Cube the butter and place in the bottom of a large bowl with 3/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese and pepper. Boil the pasta per the package directions (unless using homemade, then boil for 1-3 minutes). Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water, cover the cheese and butter in the bowl with the drained pasta, pour the 1/2 cup pasta water on it, then mix gently, tossing as the cheese starts to melt.

Use the last 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and parsley to dress the pasta, either in the bowl, or directly on the plate, however it's served.

Yes, it really is that simple. Yay!

Jägerschnitzel and Hasselback Potatoes

Folks-

I've been meaning to add this to my blog for a while. It's really one recipe and a couple of instructions.

So, what is Jägerschnitzel? Imagine country-fried pork chops smothered in mushroom gravy and you're pretty darn close. It's a German or Austrian dish that just happens to be freaking delicious. I don't remember where I first heard about it, but I found my base recipe at Quick German Recipes, and then modified it. The full recipe here is just for the Jäger Sosse or mushroom gravy, and the added instructions are for the schnitzel and Hasselback Potatoes.

You may notice there's no sausage in this recipe. If you're from the U.S., like me, that might be a surprise, but yeah, schnitzel is basically any kind of fellet breaded and fried. Der Wienerschnitzel is a hot dog chain in the U.S., and an actual Wiener Schnitzel is a veal fillet that's been breaded and fried.

Yeah.

So, what are Hasselback Potatoes? They're fancy baked potatoes. Here's the method:

Take your clean potatoes and slice a flat spot on the bottom of each. One at a time place the potatoes between two chopsticks and using a sharp knife start at one end and make thin slices in each potato, about 2-4mm wide, across the potato. The chopsticks should prevent you from cutting all the way through. Fan your accordioned potato out and wash off the starch. Once all of the potatoes are cut up this way, cover them in olive oil or butter, getting it in between the slices. Bake at 400 degrees for about an hour. In the last 10 minutes of baking or so you can place cheese between the slices, or cover them in bread crumbs, or top with Parmesan cheese. Yum!

So, get your fillets ready, then start baking the potatoes before making the Schnitzel.

I recommend getting all of the ingredients for everything set up before continuing.

For the Schnitzel, you'll need at least four cutlets, these can be boneless pork chops, boneless chicken breasts and/or thighs, veal, beef, whatever strikes your fancy. If it's more than a quarter inch thick, pound it evenly until it's at or under that point. Dredge in flour, dip in scrambled egg, then press into bread crumbs and start frying them. Keep the finished ones warm on a rack in the oven at it's lowest setting until ready to serve. (I'm lucky enough that our house came with two ovens.)

At the same time, start making the Jäger Sosse.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter

3 strips bacon, diced

1 onion, diced

1 lb sliced mushrooms 

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 to 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar or red wine

2 cups beef broth or stock

1 tablespoon paprika 

1 teaspoon ground black pepper 

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 

2 tablespoons corn starch in 2 tablespoons water (if needed to thicken)

1/2 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt 

In a skillet over medium high heat, cook the onions and bacon in the butter until the onions are translucent and the bacon fat has rendered. Stir in the mushrooms and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Use the balsamic vinegar or red wine to deglaze (optional). Stir in the tomato paste, broth, and seasonings, bring to a boil, reduce temperature and allow to simmer for about 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently. If gravy is too thin at this point, add enough of the cornstarch mix to thicken to desired consistency. Stir in parsley and sour cream. Serve hot over schnitzel.

Note: I added some fresh thyme and chopped fresh basil with the parsley tonight, and it was quite good.