Tag: Micro Apartment

Hark! The Cookie

Common name: White chocolate chip mint chocolate cookies.

This was my younger daughter’s idea for a holiday cookie, based on her love of peppermint bark, that we cobbled together from various cookie recipes.

6.5 ounce bag of starlight mints or box of candy canes
8 ounces of butter (two sticks), I used regular salted butter this time because that was all I had
1/4 teaspoon salt if using unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
2/3  cup dark brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
2 cups of flour (I used Gold Medal)
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa (I used Guittard Cocoa Rouge)
1 teaspoon baking powder
12 ounces of white chocolate chips (I used Guittard Choc-Au-Lait)

Get the butter and eggs out to soften and get up to room temperature (this usually takes a half hour or so).

Get the oven going at 350˚.

Line cookie sheets with parchment or silicone mats (such as Silpat) if needed.

Bash the candy into something around the size of Red Hots or M&M Minis. Careful here. The first time I used a rolling pin and now it is covered in pock marks. I had better success placing the candy between two layers of heavy duty zip lock bags and using the flat side of a meat mallet on a plastic cutting board. I have also used a food processor, but that just turns it to mostly dust (it also gets the machine really hot and etches the bowl).

Combine 2 cups of flour, 2/3 cup cocoa, and 1 teaspoon baking powder. Set aside. I don’t usually sift the dry ingredients together unless it’s a cake or cupcake.

With a stand or hand mixer, cream together 8 ounces of butter, 1 cup sugar, and 2/3 cup brown sugar. Scrape down as needed. Add the eggs. Mix until all mixed together.

Scrape down the bowl and begin adding the dry ingredients in three additions. Scraping down between each addition. This is to help incorporate the dry ingredients and also to keep you from having a flour bomb go off.

Once everything is thoroughly mixed, fold in the crushed candy and white chocolate chips. Don’t worry if the batter seems ridiculously thick.

Now you can decide what size you want the cookie. I used a large ice cream scoop that holds a ⅓ of a cup. I baked 5 cookies at a time on a large baking sheet. This made a ‘monster’ size cookie between 4 and 5 inches across. I baked these for 14 minutes (17 in new convection spaceship range). I did one sheet at a time, although if I would have turned the convection on, I could have done three sheets at a time.

Makes 17 cookies.

Let cool slightly and eat.

Copyright © 2016 MRuesen • All rights reserved

Thai Beef and Basil

3 cups basil total

For this four person version, you’ll need:
1 to 1/2 pounds ground beef
2 cups Basmati rice
6 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup beef broth or water
2 cups basil leaves
1 tablespoon of canola oil (if cooking rice in pot)
1/2 cup rice wine
Salt and pepper

For the sauce:
1/4 cup of soy sauce
1/4 cup of fish sauce or oyster sauce or hoisin
1 tablespoon of sugar (optional)

To finish:
1 cup basil leaves (torn if big)
2 or 3 carrots julienned or shredded (I use this Japanese julienne tool)
4 to 6 scallions
1 lime cut into four wedges
Chili garlic sauce

Cooking equipment I used:
10 inch frying pan for beef and basil
Pot for rice—I used a 3 quart saucepan, or use rice cooker

If using frozen beef, get that started in the pan, breaking it up as it browns. Then make the rice how you want. I usually heat the rice up in a tablespoon of canola oil, stirring to coat, and then add 1 1/2 cups of water for every cup of rice. Here, I used two cups of rice and three cups of water. Add salt to water if desired. Bring to a boil and cover for 17 minutes before fluffing. Put your bowls on the stove to warm up.

While the beef is browning, julienne the carrots, remove stems from basil, finelly slice the scallions, and take skins off garlic cloves. Stir the soy sauce, fish sauce, and sugar together. When the beef is browned, add the garlic. You can slice, finely mince, or put the garlic through a press and add to the beef. Let this work together for a minute. Deglaze the pan with a half cup of rice wine and let that almost burn off. Then add the beef broth and two cups of basil. When the basil is wilted and the sauce is bubbling, it’s ready! Put some rice in the bowls, top with the beef and basil, then divide the the basil and carrots, then drizzle over the sauce, and finally, sprinkle the scallions. Serve with lime wedges and chili garlic sauce.

Copyright © 2016 MRuesen • All rights reserved

Salmon Teriyaki

Broccolini options: You could use any greens here. I have made this with something called ‘Chinese broccoli’ and also with baby bok choy. All steamed. But stir frying the vegetables would work too.

Salmon options: I have been seeking out wild Sockeye, King, or Coho salmon because they have the deepest color. I’m not sure what goes on with farmed salmon, but they look like I do after a long winter—pale. I might try arctic char the next time. Also you can either pan fry the salmon or bake it at 275ºF until it reaches 140º (about 30 minutes for a one pound piece.)

Rice options: Instead of brown rice, you could use white rice, quinoa, couscous…

Sauce options: I have been using bottled teriyake sauce. The Whole Foods brand has a pretty good one.

Time note: If you do the baked rice, it will take about 10 minutes to prep and boil the water and 50 minutes in the oven. Everything else will come together within that time. I usually manage to clean up the kitchen and check messages, email, etc. while things are cooking.

For this four person version, you’ll need:
Around a 1/4 to a 1/3 of a pound per person for the salmon
3 cups of medium grain brown rice
2 bunches of broccolini
Around a 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
Around 4 or 5 spring onions finely sliced to garnish
Salt, ground pepper, olive or canola oil
Optional: sea salt flakes, fresh cracked pepper

Cooking Equipment I used:
Frying pan for salmon (I used a 12″ pan for four pieces of salmon)
4 quart pot with steamer insert
Anchor Hocking 11 cup covered baking dish or 9×13 baking dish with foil to cover for the rice
Four cup Pyrex measuring cup for boiling water

Get the oven going at 375º.

Next, get the rice going. This is my big, hoping for leftovers portion, but you can cut it in half or thirds:
• Mix 2 cups medium grain brown rice and 3/4 tsp table salt in the baking dish
• Bring 3 cups water to a boil in a pot or microwave in a four cup Pyrex measuring cup or other microwave safe bowl.
• Add the boiling water to the rice
• Stir in 1 tablespoon of canola olive oil
• Cover and bake for about 50 minutes.

Once the rice is in, put the bowls on the stove to warm up and cut up the broccolini in roughly 3 inch pieces. Discard (or compost) any really woody ends. Set aside until you get the salmon in the pan. Prepare the pot and steamer. Add about 1 cup of water and set on low.

When the rice has about fifteen minutes left, set a pan or a griddle on the stove and let it get good and hot. Prepare your salmon: rinse, dry, remove any bones, season with a little table salt and ground or fresh cracked pepper. You can cut into serving sizes or leave whole.

Turn the steamer up to high. Put the broccolini when the salmon has about four minutes to go.

Sear the salmon flesh side down, turning after it releases from the pan and has a little crust to it; I don’t find that I need any oil here, I just have to wait for the pan to let it go after a few minutes. Sear the other side a few minutes and let the skin crisp up, someone at the table will probably love a side dish of crispy salmon skins. Turn the heat down and let it finish cooking, anywhere from 3 to 5 minutes depending on how thick it is and how done you want it to be. Sneak a peek with a sharp knife at the thickest part if you’re not sure. I always do this because I’m never sure. When the salmon is almost done, take out the rice and uncover the broccolini

It’s ready. Remove the skins from the salmon if you want. Or leave them on. Coat the salmon with the teriyaki. Assemble your little bowl with as much or as little as you want. Top with spring onions.

Notes: For olive oil, I use Columela, for sea salt flakes, I use Maldon, and for pepper, I use the Tellicherry variety. I use table salt for anything mixed in or cooked and save the sea salt flakes for finishing or roasting. Using these ingredients adds a little extra flavor to the dish and they’re getting much easier to find now.

Copyright © 2016 MRuesen • All rights reserved

Tamogoyaki

A very loose version of the Japanese rolled omelette.

Potato options: You don’t even have to use potatoes, you could just do just vegetables— maybe peppers, eggplant, and onions? They wouldn’t need as much time to roast. You can also add other root vegetables, like carrots or parsnips, different onions, any color of peppers— I think I will try orange peppers next time.

Egg options: Any kind of cheese or herbs that you like would work. I find that I like it without the cheddar cheese, but everyone else wants it so I leave a little strip uncheesed.

For this four person version, you’ll need:
6 large or extra large eggs (organic ones usually have better color and flavor)
1 tablespoon of butter for greasing baking dish
1 cup of whole milk
1/4 cup of all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
6 or 8 or so Yukon Gold potatoes (depending on size)
1 large yellow onion
1 large red pepper
1/2 cup of parsley leaves (I don’t like the stems, so I pluck the leaves)
1/4 cup chives finely chopped
1/2 shredded/grated cheddar cheese
Salt, ground pepper, olive or canola oil
Optional: sea salt flakes, fresh cracked pepper

Cooking equipment I used:
10×15 Pyrex baking dish
Parchment paper
13×18 sheet pan for the potatoes and vegetables (I use a non-stick one)

Arrange the shelves in the oven so one is just below the center and one above with enough room on the center shelf for the baking dish with the eggs. Get the oven going at 375º. Put as many potato cubes—I use Yukon Gold and leave the skin on—yellow onions, and red pepper as you want in a bowl. I have been cutting everything into cubes somewhere around a half inch, but larger or smaller would work fine just the timing would be a little different. Toss the vegetables in some olive oil—or oil of your choice— and spread out on your baking sheet. Sprinkle with a little sea salt and fresh cracked pepper. Put in the oven on the top rack so it can get started. The potatoes will take around 45 minutes including browning. Set the bowls on the stove to warm.

Grease some sort of pan or oven-proof dish that is around 10×15 with butter and line with parchment paper. I use a Pyrex baking dish and I usually cut one piece of parchment about ten inches by twenty-three or four inches so it hangs down the sides. This will help you roll the omelette. In a large bowl, whisk together one cup of whole milk— soy or almond milk may work here but I’m allergic to them so I can’t say— with a quarter cup of flour by adding the milk slowly to the flour until it is blended. I used basic all-purpose flour but I’m sure other flours, such as rice flour, would work as well. Add six large eggs, a tablespoon of Dijon mustard, and around half a teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Whisk everything together. Pour the egg mixture into the parchment lined baking dish. When the potatoes have been in around 25 minutes, place the eggs on the middle rack. The eggs will go in for ten to thirteen minutes or so depending on how runny or firm you want your eggs to be. While the eggs are cooking, finely chop a bunch or handful of chives and then a similar amount of parsley. Shred the cheddar cheese if using.

When the eggs are ready, take them out and put the oven on broil to finish the potatoes. Here too it depends on your taste, I like to get them browned to the point where another thirty seconds or so and they would be ashes. And sometimes they do get burnt when you play it close like that. While this is happening, sprinkle the hot eggs with most of the chopped chives and grated cheddar cheese. Then you can lift the parchment up on one end to help you start to roll it. Don’t worry if it’s not tight enough— you can just re-roll it or leave it loose. Wrap the parchment around the roll to hold it together and let it rest. When the potatoes are ready, put some in each bowl and top with parsley. Then remove the parchment and slice of the egg like you would a jelly roll, put the egg on top of the potatoes and top with remaining chives; you can add other toppings if you want: more cheese, scallions, sriracha, ketchup, anything you can think of. If you have a bunch of people, you can put toppings out for folks to choose.

Copyright © 2015 MRuesen • All rights reserved

Southwesterly Salad

Rotisserie chicken or baked chicken breasts dusted with a salt, pepper, and smoked paprika.

For this four person version, you’ll need:
Dressing:
Small plain Greek yogurt (usually around 5 ounces)
Juice of one lime
1/4 cup or so of olive oil
2 tablespoons of minced cilantro
1/2 teaspoon each of cumin and garlic powder
Salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

Salad:
Around 2/3 a cup of cubed chicken per person (1 small breast each)
2 cups roughly cut romaine lettuce per person
Around a 1/4 of an avocado per person
Sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, red pepper, and red onion

As always everything can vary. The chicken could be turkey, or maybe smoked turkey, maybe scallions instead of red onions…corn kernels…a hit of Ancho chili peppers or Siracha in the dressing…

Copyright © 2016 MRuesen • All rights reserved

Summer Sole

For this four person version, you’ll need:
2 medium or 1 large filet of sole for each person (cut large ones in half lengthwise)
2 cups of orzo
2 crowns of broccoli
3 carrots
1 or 2 yellow squash (depending on size)
Garlic cloves (I used 4 cloves vegetables and 4 in the sauce)
1 lemon
2 cups of parsley leaves (I don’t like the stems, so I pluck the leaves)
Salt, ground pepper, olive oil (or other mild oil)
Optional: sea salt flakes, lemon wedges, fresh cracked pepper

Cooking equipment I used:
Saute or frying pan for the vegetables (I used a 12″ frying pan)
Sheet pan lined with parchment if needed for the fish (I used a 13×18 because that’s what I have, but it could be smaller, even a toaster oven pan)
3 qt saucepan for the orzo

Get the oven going at 400°F.

Start with the the sauce so it can have a little time for the flavors to come together. Combine about two cups of finely chopped parsley with the zest and juice of one lemon, around a third of a cup of olive oil, a teaspoon of salt, and one to four or more garlic cloves —finely chopped or run through a garlic press. I use the zest and juice of one lemon to be economical and as many a four cloves of garlic and enough olive oil to give it the consistency of a sauce. You could also blitz it in a small food processor or one of those bullet things.

Next, get a pot of water going on high for the orzo and set your bowls on the stove to warm.

While the water’s heating up, rinse and dry the sole. On a baking sheet, with parchment paper if needed, brush the fish with olive oil and sprinkle with fresh cracked pepper and sea salt flakes; then roll the fish up bow to stern and repeat with olive oil, salt, and pepper on the outside. Put fish on baking pan.

Then set to work on your vegetables. Get the pan warming up on medium with a teaspoon or so of olive oil and a little salt. I cut the carrots and squash into thin half-moons and the broccoli into small half-florets (you can save the stems for slaw).

The water for the orzo should be ready now, so that can go in. It usually takes around nine minutes, but go with whatever the box says.

Then saute the vegetables. I turn the pan up to medium-high and put the carrots in first for a minute or so, then the broccoli, and then the squash. If you want to avoid using a pan, you could also boil the vegetables in with the orzo by adding the carrots the last four minutes and the broccoli and squash for the last three to two depending on the thickness. When the vegetables are almost ready, add one to four of more garlic cloves—finely chopped or run through a garlic press.

Once the orzo is in and the vegetables are sauteing, the fish can have its turn in the oven. The fish is ready when an instant read thermometer says 145ºF or when a fork or knife can easily go through the thickest part. This is somewhere around seven minutes.

Finish with lemon and sea salt.

Copyright © 2014 MRuesen • All rights reserved

Lemon Polpette with Spinach

I never thought I would like meatballs with lemon in them.

Options: The lemon goes really well with spinach and probably other greens too— maybe chard or kale. I’ve been alternating between two sauces: one is Marcella Hazan’s classic with the onion and butter and the other is a kind of basic sauce with a little wine kick. These meatballs are all beef, but you can make them with a combination of beef, veal, and pork, or you can make them with ground chicken or turkey— maybe even tofu. I make this with a panade of Tuscan bread soaked in milk if I have it, but I use whatever I have:  Panko, bread crumbs, or saltines. I usually make this with gemelli pasta but I could only find strozzapreti this time. Any pasta could work here; wagon wheels could be fun.

Timing note: It takes me about 10-15 minutes to make the meatballs and then they take around a half hour in the oven. Once the meatballs go into the sauce, I like to let them simmer for 20-25 minutes, but you can skip this step and have the meal done in less than 45 minutes. I usually check email or clean up while they simmer.

For this four person version, you’ll need:
1 to 1 1/3  pound of 90% lean organic grass-fed beef
1 pound of gemelli pasta
1 large slice of Tuscan or Italian bread (around 1″ thick)
1/2 cup or so of whole milk
1 large egg
1 tablespoon each of lemon zest and juice (or more, or less to taste)
8 cloves garlic (I used four cloves in the meatballs and four in the sauce)
Salt & pepper
Olive oil (or other mild oil)
1 small yellow onion (or half a large one)
1/2 cup of red wine
28 oz can of crushed tomatoes (I used Muir Glen Organic)
8 oz fresh baby spinach (or other greens)— save a few leaves to garnish
1 teaspoon crushed rosemary
Optional: fresh cracked pepper, Parmesan or Romano

Cooking equipment I used:
Saute or saucepan (I used a 3 qt All-Clad lidded saute pan)
13×18 sheet pan for meatballs (or toaster oven pan)
4 qt stock pot for pasta and spinach

Put a rack in the upper third and get the oven going at 400ºF.

Start with the meatballs.  I like this recipe best when I make a panade with a large slice of Tuscan or Italian bread in milk. If you want to do this, you need to get this going first. In a small bowl, break the bread into small pieces and add about a half cup of milk and then use a fork to kind of smush the bread and milk together; you’ll need to keep coming back and smushing it while you work on the other stuff. You may need to add more milk. If you don’t want to use bread, you can use a half cup of Panko or bread crumbs or even eight smashed-up saltines. You can soak these in milk or just add to the rest of the mix dry.

Next, line your sheet pan with parchment or foil if needed. In a large bowl, beat up one egg. To this you add around a tablespoon of lemon zest, around a tablespoon of lemon juice, a teaspoon of crushed rosemary, minced or pressed garlic (I ran four cloves through the garlic press last time I made this but you may want to start with one), and around a teaspoon of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Add the bread mixture or crumbs and the meat and mix everything together. Now you can make the meatballs. I have been making them a medium size, around two inches giving me 16 meatballs. Once you have them done put them in the oven. They’ll take around twenty-five, maybe thirty minutes to get nice and brown.

Set your bowls on the stove to warm.

Next up is the sauce. In a large saute or saucepan (you’ll need room to put the meatballs in later if you want) add a few tablespoons of olive oil and get that warming up on medium while you finely chop a small yellow onion or half of a large one and add to the oil. Turn the heat up to kind of sizzle but not brown the onions. Add a teaspoon of salt. Finely chop or put through the press however many cloves of garlic you want (I used four again). Add the garlic to the onions and saute until the onions are sort of translucent. Now deglaze the pan with a half cup of red wine and let it reduce to about half. Then add one 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. You can taste it now and see if it needs more salt or some pepper. If you think you want more sauce, you can add a 14.5 oz can of tomato sauce. Let this kind of simmer/bubble on medium/low with the lid slightly ajar.

When the meatballs are done, add them to the sauce.

There’s a little bit of a lag here depending on how you want to do this. I like to let the meatballs simmer in the sauce for 20-25 minutes, so I usually don’t start the pasta water until the meatballs go in the sauce. I use the time to clean up the prep area or go through the mail, whatever.

So, depending on your timing— gemelli usually takes 12-13 minutes— once the meatballs are in the sauce, get your pasta water started on high, salting it if you want, and get out the colander. Also get the spinach out. When the pasta is three minutes from finished, add the spinach, mixing it with the pasta as it wilts— if you try kale or chard, they may need an extra minute. You could probably add the spinach to the sauce— and I may try that— my worry is it will make the sauce taste bitter.

Once the pasta and spinach are drained, it’s ready. You can top with some Parmesan or Romano or both or none.

Copyright © 2016 MRuesen • All rights reserved