Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

Before I dive headfirst into the Christmas season, I wanted to include one last Thanksgiving/harvest-related post.  First, the post-Thanksgiving notes:

• The Caramel Apple Pie recipe I used for Thanksgiving is IT, folks.  It was incredible.  My final apple mix was three large Honeycrisp and five medium Granny Smith apples to get the nine cups of apples required for the recipe; it hit the “mostly sweet with a barely-there hint of tart” flavor balance I had been trying to achieve.  I may eat my words after the Christmas pie clinic with Dr. O’s grandmother, but for now, this is the only apple pie recipe I’m going to use.
• The Broccoli and Gruyere Gratin recipe produced perfect results.  The broccoli was tender but not one bit mushy, and the cheese sauce and cheesy top were absolutely delicious.  I especially like this recipe because you can assemble it up to one day ahead, bring it to room temperature, and bake it whenever you’re ready.  It’s going to become a staple in my house for entertaining for sure.

Second, I wanted to post the last Thanksgiving-related dish I’ll put on the site until next year: Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal.  I discovered this recipe a few weeks ago when a blog visitor checked out my instructions for making pumpkin puree and mentioned that she planned to use the puree to make this particular oatmeal.  I still have some leftover pumpkin puree from the Chocolate-Pumpkin Tart I made for Thanksgiving and could think of no better use for it than making a warm, comforting breakfast for Dr. O and myself.  (Note: I made a half recipe of the oatmeal since it was just the two of us; see the posted recipe for original ingredient quantities.)

First, I preheated the oven to 375F and greased two individual-sized ramekins.  (Since the recipe didn’t offer a specific recommendation for ramekin size, I used 8-ounce ramekins; I probably would have been better off with 4- or 6-ounce ramekins.)

In a small bowl, I stirred together 1/2 cup of old-fashioned oats, 1 1/4 tablespoons of packed brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon of allspice, 1/16 teaspoon of nutmeg, and 1/8 teaspoon of table salt.  In a separate small bowl, I whisked together 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla, 1/4 teaspoon of lemon zest, 1 teaspoon of softened unsalted butter, 3/8 cup of pumpkin puree, and 3/8 cup of milk.  I poured the pumpkin mixture into the oat mixture and stirred until everything was combined.

I divided the oatmeal mixture evenly between the two ramekins, placed the ramekins on a baking sheet, and baked them for 10 minutes at 375F.  Meanwhile, I made the topping.  I combined 1/8 cup of chopped pecans, 1 teaspoon of softened unsalted butter, and 1/2 tablespoon of packed brown sugar.  After the oatmeal had baked for 10 minutes, I divided the topping evenly between the two ramekins and returned them to the oven for an additional 7 minutes.  I let the oatmeal cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Texturally, the oatmeal was out of this world.  It was warm and creamy, and I loved the crunch from the pecan topping.  In terms of flavor, it was good, but I thought it was a bit too spiced.  I think this was intended to be a healthy recipe, so my “improvements” would take away from that a bit; I’d double the amount of brown sugar and butter in the oatmeal part of the recipe.  (The topping was just fine as is.)  I would also cut the amount of nutmeg and allspice to a quick sprinkle each to create a more balanced flavor.  With the changes indicated, I would definitely bring this one back next year.

TIPS:  Feel free to substitute canned pumpkin for the fresh pumpkin puree.

Recipe link: Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

How to Make Pumpkin Puree (the Easy Way)

Sometimes I hate to admit it, but as many concluded in the much-discussed Martha Stewart vs. Rachael Ray dustup last week, nobody does it like Martha.

When I first made pumpkin puree a few weeks ago, I mentioned that I had originally intended to use Martha Stewart’s method but decided to go with the instructions on the pumpkin sticker instead.  I got great results, but I really struggled to cut open my pumpkins.  (At this point, I’m not sure if the sweat was from pure exertion or the completely rational fear of losing a finger.)

Since I’m making the Chocolate-Pumpkin Tart again for Thanksgiving, I needed to whip up some more puree.  For comparison’s sake, I decided to use Martha’s method today and (of course) it totally trumped the pie sticker method.  Martha says to peel and seed the pumpkin (I used a really sharp Y peeler), cut it into 2-inch pieces, and then steam it (covered) on the stove for 15 minutes.  As I had hoped, cutting through the pumpkin was easy peasy once the skin had been removed.  I actually skipped the step of cutting off the top and bottom of the pumpkin (I didn’t want to struggle!) and then sliced the flesh off in quarters after I finished peeling the pumpkin.  All I had left was this little pumpkin “sandwich.”

The results were identical to the other method once I pureed the steamed pumpkin in the food processor – smooth, creamy pumpkin puree with no difference in flavor.  For me (and for the sake of safety and energy conservation), Martha’s way is now the right way to make pumpkin puree.

Recipe link: Sugar-Pumpkin Puree

Caramel Apple Pie

So I tested the Caramel Apple Pie recipe that I mentioned yesterday and it’s a winner!  Hallelujah.  In my quest for pie proficiency this fall, I’ve tried three different apple pie recipes (two different crusts, three different fillings).  This recipe wins both the crust and the filling contests, so I’m confident that it will go over well at our Thanksgiving celebration.

I experienced two “firsts” while trying this recipe:

1.  I worked with lard!  This was my first time buying it, in fact.  One of my best friends is from New Mexico, and I remember being shocked at my first visit to the supermarket in Las Cruces when I saw shelf after shelf (after shelf!) of lard in containers of all sizes.  I never even considered the existence of lard as a grocery product until I met this friend, but I’ve also never consumed better fried tacos than I have during the course of this friendship.  And let me tell you, lard makes one heck of a pie crust.  It almost had a bit of a snap to it when I cut the first piece and it held its shape well during serving.  It was also exceptionally delicious, of course.

2.  I made my own caramel!  It was ridiculously easy and pass-out-freakin’ delicious.  Have you ever had those little log-shaped, individually-wrapped soft caramels?  The ones that are so soft they aren’t really even chewy?  The pie caramel was too soft to be formed into candies (which makes sense since it’s supposed to be drizzled over the pie), but the taste was spot on.  You’d better believe that Dr. O and I scraped that saucepan clean.

The recipe for this pie is a bit long, so I’m not going to do the play-by-play today; you can check out the full original recipe here.  What I will do is give you a rundown of the few things I did differently along with the tips I have to offer.

Let’s begin!

• I really didn’t feel like making pie dough with my hands yesterday, so I used my food processor instead.  I put the flour and salt in the smallest bowl of my food processor and pulsed it a few times to mix.  Then, I added the lard and (very cold) butter and pulsed until the mixture resembled coarse meal.  I added the ice water little by little through the food processor tube, pulsing with each addition until the dough came together.  (Try not to overprocess it.)  The recipe called for 1/2 cup of ice water, but I had about 4 teaspoons left when I felt like my dough was moist enough.  I wrapped the dough in plastic and chilled it for a couple of hours in the refrigerator before I rolled it out.
• I do love this recipe, but some of the language connected to rolling out the dough is unclear.  The first part of the recipe tells you to “roll the dough to a 12-inch round about 1/8-inch thick” and line the pie plate.  Notice that this says “the dough,” not “half of the dough.”  There’s no mention of dividing or halving the dough in either the main recipe or the pie dough recipe.  Halfway through the recipe, though, we’re told to “roll out the remaining dough to a large round.”  What??  I had already lined the pie plate and stuck it in the refrigerator before I realized there was a problem, so I had to pull out the dough, divide it in half, re-roll it, and set the other half aside for later.  Maybe the “remaining dough” is supposed to be the scraps from lining the pie plate, but the recipe doesn’t say anything about trimming excess dough.  Maybe I was supposed to roll out that dough to exactly 1/8 inch and know that anything beyond the 12-inch round was scrap dough.  Who knows?  When I make the pie tomorrow, I’ll just use half in the pie plate and half on top again.
• I did a rough chop of my apples and I thought the pieces would be small enough, but the apples were still slightly firm in the center of the pie.  Tomorrow, I’m going to cut my apples into thin slices and then cut those slices into thirds.  I think I’m also going to bake my pie for an extra 10 minutes at 300F (and I’ll probably tent it with foil during the extra baking time to prevent it from browning any further).
• I can’t say I understand why the pie has to go back into the oven after you put the caramel on top.  The heat from the oven just made mine run off of the pie and pool at the crust.  It’s not like the caramel needs to cook any longer, so I’m just going to drizzle mine on the pie next time and let it set while the pie cools.

There may be better apple pies out there (like Grandma Ozenbaugh’s pie), but this recipe is definitely the best of my experiments.  The filling was still a bit tart (from the Granny Smith apples, I’m sure), but not overpoweringly so.  It probably helped that this recipe has a bit more sugar in the filling and a little less lemon juice than some of the other recipes I’ve tried.  The amount of cinnamon in the filling was just right, and the pie wasn’t runny at all (thank you, tapioca).  This crust wasn’t as flaky as Martha Stewart’s Perfect Pie Crust, but I actually liked it better.  The flavor and texture were fantastic, and I loved that the pie pieces didn’t collapse into a heap when they were served.  This one’s a keeper!

TIPS:  Don’t forget to put the pie on a rimmed baking sheet before you stick it in the oven.  I had a small amount of filling and caramel bubble over, and I’d rather clean a baking sheet than the oven any day.

Recipe link: Caramel Apple Pie

Thanksgiving Menu

Hello, everyone!  I’ve survived the crazy, wonderful birthday weekend of one of my dearest friends, and now it’s time to go into Thanksgiving overdrive.  Dr. O and I are staying here in Colorado for the holiday; this is the first time we’ve spent Thanksgiving without either of our immediate families.  Luckily, though, I have extended family here in the Denver area and we’re able to celebrate with them.  My cousin is hosting, and she and I are splitting the cooking duties right down the middle.  Here’s a list of my meal contributions:

Cranberry-Grape Compote
Green Bean Casserole
Broccoli and Gruyere Gratin
Chocolate-Pumpkin Tart
Caramel Apple Pie
Sugar Cookies (for the little ones)

My cousin is handling the turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, rolls, and probably anything else that will please a trio of adorable little girls.

I haven’t actually made everything on my list before; the Broccoli and Gruyere Gratin and Caramel Apple Pie recipes are new to me.  I’m hoping to try them for dinner tonight, though, since I’m so into practicing recipes before I serve them for big occasions.  Hopefully, I’ll be able to post them before the big day.

What are you serving for Turkey Day?  I’d love to hear about your plans and any favorite recipes!

Seven-Layer Salad

Does anyone else have a Costco cookbook problem?  I should just avoid the book section altogether, really, but the pull is always there.  I’ve gotten better at checking cookbooks out from the library to give them a spin, but it always seems like cookbooks at Costco are such a good deal.  (Sigh.)  Inevitably, my cookbook collection grows.

Anyway, my most recent Costco cookbook acquisition is the Cooking Light’s Cook Smart Eat Well cookbook.  I usually don’t buy cookbooks that are collections of recipes that were already published in a magazine, but my Cooking Light subscription is pretty new still.  I’ve missed a lot.  And I know I could find most of the recipes online, but I just really like having a book in my hands instead of piles of printed recipes.

As I was flipping through the pages of my new book, I spotted the Creamy Stove-Top Macaroni and Cheese recipe.  It looked really yummy and much healthier than most homemade mac and cheese, so I decided to give it a go.  One thing that I really like about Cooking Light is that they often give suggestions for rounding out your menu; one of the suggested accompaniments for the pasta was Seven-Layer Salad, which looked ridiculously easy and chock-full of tasty ingredients.

Long story short: We loved the salad and the macaroni and cheese was just OK.  I didn’t really care for the Dijon and Worcestershire flavors in the sauce (I wanted to taste cheese), and the pasta congealed way too quickly.  As a mac and cheese connoisseur, I suppose I should realize that it’s a rare “healthy” version that can stand up to gourmet versions, but you never know until you try, right?

Back to the salad: It tastes great, it’s colorful, there’s plenty of dressing (thanks to a great sour cream trick!), and I think kids would like it.  Plus, it only takes 10 minutes to put together, although you can assemble it up to a day ahead, cover it, and stash it in the refrigerator if you want.  Here’s how I made it.

In a large bowl, I layered 6 cups of torn iceberg lettuce, 1 (15-ounce) can of kidney beans (drained and rinsed), 2 cups of diced tomatoes (I used fresh tomatoes), 1 cup of diced cucumbers, and 1 cup of julienne-cut carrots.  In a separate small bowl, I combined 1/2 cup of reduced-fat sour cream with 1/2 cup of light ranch dressing.  I spread the sour cream mixture over the carrot layer and then topped it with 1/2 cup (2 ounces) of shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese.

That’s it!

This certainly isn’t a gourmet salad with a complex flavor profile, but it was really good.  You get some crunch from the romaine, cucumbers, and carrots, and I love the addition of beans for protein.  Mixing the sour cream and ranch together really stretches the dressing without adding a ton of calories; for someone who is normally a “fork dipper” when it comes to dressing, being able to enjoy a bit more was a nice change.  Plus, since this isn’t a tossed salad, you really can make it ahead (or enjoy leftovers the next day) without worrying about things getting soggy.  This was especially nice for Dr. O and me because the full recipe salad is HUGE; next time I’ll cut things in half if it’s just the two of us.

TIPS:  The recipe actually called for fat-free sour cream, but I refuse to use fat-free versions of ingredients that really should have some fat in them.  I find that the texture and flavor are usually off with the fat-free options, so it’s not worth it in my book.

Recipe link: Seven-Layer Salad

Red Onion, Potato, and Goat Cheese Pizza

I really enjoy making homemade pizza, especially now that I’ve found a crust recipe that is super easy but still has good flavor and texture.  I realize that pizza is one of those things where you can really just slap some sauce, cheese, and other ingredients together on a crust, bake it, and probably end up with something good, but my favorite cooking magazines keep sending these irresistible pizza recipes my way.  I decided to try the recipe for Red Onion, Potato, and Goat Cheese Pizza from the November 2009 issue of Cooking Light yesterday so we would have something yummy to eat during our football game (go Huskers!).  Admittedly, this particular pizza is a bit dressed up for game day, but we absolutely loved it.

I’ll share my crust recipe first; it’s adapted from an Emeril Lagasse recipe with a tip from Mario Batali.

Basic Pizza Dough

Ingredients:
¾ cup of warm water (105 to 115 degrees F)
¼ cup of light-bodied white wine
1 (1/4-ounce) package active dry yeast
1 teaspoon of honey
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon of coarse salt

Method:

In a large bowl, combine the water, wine, yeast, honey and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, stirring until combined.  Let stand until the mixture is foamy, about 5 minutes.

Add 1 ½ cups of the flour and the salt, mixing by hand until everything is incorporated and the mixture is smooth.  Continue adding the flour, ¼ cup at a time, working the dough after each addition, until the dough is smooth but still slightly sticky.  You may not need all of the flour.  Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth but still slightly tacky, 3 to 5 minutes.

Oil the mixing bowl with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil.  Place the dough in the bowl, turning to coat with the oil.  Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 ½ hours.  Punch down the dough before rolling out the crust.

If you don’t want to make your own dough, you can certainly use the refrigerated kind.  I just can’t do it anymore, though.

Now for the toppings…  First, I put 7 ounces of fingerling potatoes (about 5 potatoes) in a saucepan, covered them with water, and brought them to a boil.  I cooked them until they were just tender (12 minutes up here at altitude; 10 minutes is probably fine if you’re at sea level) and drained them.  Once they were cool enough to handle, I sliced them into 1/4-inch slices and set them aside.

While the potatoes were boiling, I sliced a medium red onion into 1/2-inch rings.  I heated 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and sautéed the onion until it was tender (8 minutes).  (Note: I turned the heat down to medium at about the 4-minute mark because my onion was charring pretty quickly.)

Once the potatoes and onions were ready to go, I rolled my dough out to a 14-inch circle on a lightly floured surface.  I sprinkled my pizza stone with cornmeal and transferred the dough round to the pizza stone.  Next, I sprinkled 1 cup (4 ounces) of shredded part-skim mozzarella over the crust.  I arranged the potatoes and onions over the mozzarella and then evenly topped the vegetables with 4 ounces of soft goat cheese and 1 minced garlic clove.  (The recipe only called for 3 ounces of goat cheese but mine came in a 4-ounce package; I knew it would go to waste if I didn’t use it all.)  Even though the recipe didn’t say to do this, I gave the entire pizza a sprinkle of coarse salt and ground pepper; I think sometimes Cooking Light recipes go too easy on the seasoning (probably because many of their readers are trying to cut things like salt – and sugar, fat, etc. – from their diets).

I baked the pizza in the lower third of my oven at 450F until it was browned (15 minutes), and then sprinkled it with 1 1/2 teaspoons of fresh thyme leaves before serving.

Man, was this ever good.  I loved the sweetness of the charred red onion, the tanginess of the goat cheese, and the bright flavor of the fresh thyme.  Texturally, I thought the tender potatoes, creamy goat cheese, and chewy crust were just perfect together.  I know one online reviewer of this recipe indicated that the pizza was “flavorless” beyond the goat cheese, so maybe the homemade crust and the sprinkling of coarse salt and pepper really does make a difference.  (I’d like to think so!)  The one thing I think would make a good thing even better in this case is BACON…  Granted, it takes a nice vegetarian option and turns it into something different, but that addition would really send the flavors of this pizza over the edge.  I can’t wait to try it!

TIPS:  If you can’t get fingerling potatoes or don’t want to pay for them, you could absolutely get away with using red or white new potatoes.  You might have to adjust the boiling time if the potatoes are on the large side; just make sure they’re tender (but not mushy or falling apart) before you drain them.

Also, as always, feel free to substitute a different kind of cheese if you don’t like goat cheese.  I think 3 to 4 ounces of part-skim ricotta (distributed in teaspoon-size dollops, maybe?) would work well with this recipe.

Recipe link: Red Onion, Potato, and Goat Cheese Pizza

French Onion Soup

How do I love thee, Pioneer Woman?  Let me count the recipes.

For those of you unfamiliar with Ree Drummond (aka Pioneer Woman), she’s an “accidental country girl” who blogs about life on an Oklahoma ranch with her cowboy husband and four children.  Cooking is one of the central themes of her Web site, and every single thing she makes looks abso-freakin’-lutely delicious.  Every.  Single.  Thing.

I’m a relative latecomer to the Pioneer Woman party, so I haven’t actually made all that many of her recipes yet.  (OK, I’ll admit it.  I’ve only made one.  But that Vanilla Bean Ice Cream might be the most delicious thing to ever come from the marriage of a saucepan and a freezer.  Plus, I just bought her cookbook, so surely more will come!)  I’ve been lucky enough to have things made for me, though.  One of my best memories from last winter was the day my friend Christopher brought all of the ingredients for Pioneer Woman’s French Onion Soup over to the old condo and spoiled Dr. O and I with dinner.  (What friends I have!  I tell you.)  It’s absolutely to die for, and I’m sure the stick of butter and cup of wine have a lot to do with it.

I’ve been meaning to make it for well over a week now, but The Sickness took me down before I could get to it.  Thankfully, my ingredients survived the delay.  I’m not even going to put you through the paces of step-by-step instruction today because nobody does it better than Pioneer Woman herself.  Visit her site to check out the recipe (with a photo for each step!).

This soup is just so, so good.  Make it!  It takes some time (about 2 hours total), but most of that is just sitting around waiting for things to happen.  If you can melt butter and slice onions, success is sure to be yours.

One thing, though…  I’m used to using unsalted butter in all of my cooking, and Pioneer Woman uses salted butter in hers.  Plus, she suggests using regular-sodium beef broth with the low-sodium chicken broth; silly goose over here bought all low-sodium.  Due to the combination of unsalted butter and low-sodium broth, I did end up having to add several healthy pinches of kosher salt to my soup to get it to taste the way I wanted it to taste.  So, either go with the salted butter and regular-sodium beef broth or be prepared to season.

Recipe link: French Onion Soup

Almond Torte

Here’s another test recipe from The Dinner Party That Wasn’t Meant To Be…  At least I’ll be prepared when we’re able to reschedule.

Several years ago, I was a bit less resilient in the kitchen than I am now.  If a recipe failed, I’d be likely to toss it aside rather that make adjustments and try again.  I just wasn’t an experienced enough cook to know how to do a better job the next time.

When I first tried the Almond Torte recipe from the January/February 2004 issue of Everyday Food (actually back in 2004, I believe), it was a spectacular failure.  The cake was dry, and I think I managed to peel off the entire almond layer when I removed piece of parchment that had lined the bottom of the pan.  Somehow, though, this recipe stuck with me through the years.  I would think back on it because I had wanted it to work so badly (it’s a gorgeous, potentially delicious cake with only four Weight Watchers points per serving – seriously!), but I was never really motivated to give it another shot.

Until recently.

I have a very dear friend here in Denver who doesn’t eat wheat or dairy, and I’ve had her over for dinner and such several times since we moved back to Colorado.  As I’ve said before, she never expects any kind of special treatment, but I’ve really enjoyed the challenge of coming up with delicious dishes that everyone at the table can enjoy when she comes over.  In the beginning, I was more focused on taking “regular” dishes and making them gluten and dairy free by omitting certain ingredients or using things like gluten-free flour or specific brands of rice or soy milk.  I’ve discovered, though, that I much prefer making dishes that are naturally gluten and dairy free.

I was scanning my dessert recipe spreadsheet for options when I realized that the Almond Torte was exactly what I needed.  It had a short list of naturally gluten- and dairy-free ingredients: almonds, powdered sugar, egg whites, salt, and almond extract.  I just needed to be brave enough to give the recipe a second try.  The most recent Daring Bakers’ challenge actually helped me feel more prepared; I know way more now about what almond flour and/or meal should look like.  Five more years in the kitchen have also exponentially increased my comfort level when working with egg whites.  I was ready to kick this one in the tail.

There are some very important differences between the recipe as it is printed in the magazine and as it is posted online, so I’m going to provide you with the printed version.  Afterwards, I’ll discuss the techniques I used for getting it right this time.

Almond Torte
Serves 8
Prep time: 20 minutes | Total time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Note: Cut the paper liner before making the batter, but do not spray and line the pan until the batter is ready; this will prevent the spray from pooling in the bottom of the pan.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups plus 1/4 cup sliced almonds
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
4 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon almond extract
Nonstick cooking spray

Method:
Preheat oven to 325F.  Cut a piece of wax or parchment paper to fit the bottom of an 8-inch round nonstick cake pan; set aside.

Process 1 1/2 cups almonds with 3/4 cup sugar in a food processor until finely ground; set aside.

With an electric mixer, beat egg whites and salt until soft peaks form.  Gradually add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar; beat until peaks are stiff and glossy.  Beat in extract.  With a rubber spatula, gently fold in almond mixture in two additions.

Coat cake pan with cooking spray; line with reserved paper round.  Spray lined pan; sprinkle evenly with remaining 1/4 cup almonds.  Gently spread batter in pan; tap pan on counter to eliminate air bubbles.

Bake until golden brown and firm in the center, 40 to 45 minutes.  Cool completely in pan; invert onto rack.  (Gently remove parchment before serving.)

Source: Everyday Food, January/February 2004

Here are my tips for perfect results:

• I’m not sure if it makes a difference, but I used parchment paper – not wax paper – to line my pan.
• The printed recipe says to use “sliced almonds,” while the online recipe says to use “sliced blanched almonds.”  I didn’t want the almond skins in my homemade almond meal, but I could only find slivered blanched almonds, not sliced.  My compromise was to use 1 1/2 cups of slivered blanched almonds to make the batter, while I used regular sliced almonds for the top layer of the cake.  Everything worked out beautifully.
• I actually processed my almonds in three batches to get almond meal that I thought was ground finely enough.  I processed 1/2 cup of almonds with 1/4 cup of powdered sugar, pulsing until the mixture was pretty finely ground.  Using a fine-mesh sieve, I sifted the almond meal into a medium bowl and then put any chunks that didn’t make it through the sieve back into the food processor with the next batch of almonds and sugar.  In the end, there were still some bits that were too big to be sieved, but a large percentage of the meal was as fine as flour.  Just don’t get overzealous with your processing or attempt to process any almonds without powdered sugar; you’ll end up with almond butter.
• Neither recipe mentions this, but I always bring my egg whites to room temperature before beating them for better volume.  Letting them sit (covered) on the counter for about 30 minutes will do it.  (If you’re short on time, nest the container of egg whites in a larger container of warm – not hot! – water, but don’t get any water in the whites.)  Eggs separate better when they’re cold, though, so separate them before bringing them to room temperature.  Also, be sure to use a copper, stainless steel, or glass bowl when you beat your egg whites.  Plastic bowls can hang onto residual fats, which will interfere with your egg whites reaching maximum volume.
• I didn’t even realize I had done this until now, but I actually used 2 tablespoons of superfine baking sugar when I beat my egg whites instead of 2 more tablespoons of powdered sugar.  Since I was happy with my results, I would do this again next time.
• The printed recipe says to use 3/4 teaspoon of almond extract, while the online recipe cuts it back to 1/2 teaspoon.  If you like a strong almond flavor, use the full 3/4 teaspoon of extract.  I’ll probably try the 1/2 teaspoon the next time I make the torte to see if we enjoy a more subtle flavor.
• Both the printed and online recipes have suggested baking times of 40 to 45 minutes, but my cake was done in 35.

If you love almond flavor, this torte is straight from heaven.  And despite the fact that it doesn’t contain any flour, oil, or butter, the recipe actually does make cake!  It’s really moist with a delicate crumb, and the crunch from the top layer of almonds is a terrific textural accent.  This recipe is a winner, especially for those looking for a light treat (only 184 calories per slice!) or a gluten- and dairy-free treat.

TIPS:  Many of you already know this, but if you’re going to cook or bake for someone with gluten or dairy allergies (or any kind of allergy for that matter), double-check the packaging of your ingredients to make sure the ingredient has not been exposed to trace amounts of the allergen.  Bob’s Red Mill, for example, sells a variety of products that are certified gluten free.

Recipe link: Almond Torte

No-Knead Dinner Rolls

I’m a bit disappointed that I missed posting yesterday in accordance with my anniversary commitment, but I’ve been completely consumed by The Sickness.  I felt like I got hit by a truck yesterday, and I think I spent approximately 30 minutes of the entire day upright with my eyes open.  Yuck.

I was actually supposed to have a dinner party tonight, but I had to cancel it because of my illness.  (I know I wouldn’t want someone with flu-like symptoms preparing my food, never mind that I couldn’t work up the energy to go to the grocery store.  I’m also not talking at this point because my throat hurts so bad.  Wah, wah.)  I did spend the earlier part of my week experimenting with a few recipes I intended to use for the dinner party, though, including Martha Stewart’s No-Knead Dinner Rolls.

Back in 2006, there was all this hullabaloo about “no-knead bread.”  (Mark Bittman then created some residual hullabaloo in 2008 with his Faster No-Knead Bread recipe.)  Apparently, some people hate kneading bread so much that it’s the one thing stopping them from making it.  I actually love kneading bread; I think it’s therapeutic (and a good mini workout).  When I was looking for dinner roll recipes (kneading allowed) earlier this week, though, most had a yield much greater than what I needed and they weren’t easily halved.  (While it is possible to reduce recipes that call for only one egg, I can’t say that I enjoy weighing and dividing one; I never feel like I get a good white-to-yolk ratio.)  The No-Knead Dinner Roll recipe, though, had quantities that were easily reduced.  The half-yield was still a bit too much (9 rolls), but I couldn’t deal with the waste that making two or three dozen rolls would create.  Plus, they’re super easy, which is always a plus.

Note: The ingredient quantities mentioned below are for a half recipe; click on the recipe link at the end of the post for the original amounts.

First, I put 1 cup of warm (105F to 115F) water in a large bowl.  I sprinkled it with 1 packet (1/4 ounce) of active dry yeast and let the mixture stand until it was foamy (about 5 minutes).

Next, I added 2 tablespoons of sugar, 2 tablespoons of melted butter, 1 large egg (lightly beaten), and 3/4 teaspoon of table salt to the yeast-water mixture, whisking to combine.  I added 3 cups of all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), stirring with a wooden spoon until everything was incorporated and a sticky dough had formed.  Using a pastry brush, I brushed the top of the dough with more melted butter, covered the bowl with plastic wrap, and set it aside until the dough had doubled in bulk (about 1 hour).

After the hour had passed, I turned the dough out onto my well-floured kitchen counter.  With floured hands, I rolled the dough into a thick log and cut it into 9 equal pieces.  (I cut the log into thirds, and then cut each third into thirds.)

To prepare for baking, I brushed an 8 x 8-inch pan with melted butter.  I used my hands to flatten each piece of dough individually, then folded the edges towards the center, pressing to secure, until a smooth ball formed.  I put the dough balls in the prepared baking pan (smooth side up), covered the pan loosely with plastic wrap, and let them rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk (about 30 minutes).

After the rolls had risen adequately, I removed the plastic wrap from the pan and baked them at 400F for 35 minutes.  The recipe said to tent the rolls if they were browning too quickly.  I tented them when I checked them at the 20-minute mark, but I probably would have tented them at the 15-minute mark if I had checked them sooner.  (The ended up a bit more brown that I would have liked.)  I pulled the rolls apart and served them warm.

Considering that this was just about the easiest bread recipe ever, the rolls were pretty good.  The “shell” was a bit firmer than I like and I already mentioned that they were a bit too brown, but the bread really was delicious.  Plus, I could take the credit for making them from scratch (with hardly any work, seriously) and the house smelled heavenly.  I think this recipe would be absolutely perfect for “beginner” bread makers; it’s pretty straightforward and hard to screw up, but the results are worthwhile.

TIP:  The recipe says you can skip the second rise and refrigerate the rolls for 4 hours or up to 1 day instead.  That way, you could make the dough and form the rolls the night before or the morning of, and then just move them directly from the refrigerator to the oven when you’re ready to bake them.

Recipe link: No-Knead Dinner Rolls

Tie-Dye Cookies

My little brother absolutely adores tie-dye.  Every time my parents or I go on vacation, we’re always keeping our eyes peeled for that perfect tie-dyed t-shirt to bring home.  (We’ve had good luck at the St. Arnold Brewery in Houston and the Left Hand Brewery in Longmont, CO; what is it with breweries and tie-dye?)

Anyway, I was trying to decide what to send my brother for his birthday (today!) and I thought tie-dye cookies would be perfect.  (I sent some cookies iced like gift boxes to my dad for his birthday last month and they all arrived intact, so I figured I might as well make a habit of it.)  I wasn’t sure how to go about accomplishing the tie-dye effect, though.  After some online inspiration and a bit of messy experimentation, I managed to come up with a technique that I think conveys tie-dye pretty well:

Aren’t they cute?  I just base-iced the cookies in one color, used a spoon to swirl two other colors of icing on top, and then dragged a toothpick from the center to the edges.  Like real tie-dye, they all end up a bit different.

Happy Birthday, little brother!  Hope you enjoy your treats.