Categories
Passion Projects
Month: March 2014
Categories
Slice of the Party
Slice Of The Party
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
12 crostini
13 min
13 min
20 min
https://d3d127vhjgkwcw.cloudfront.net/images/articles/2019_01/Four_Great_Crostini_Recipe.jpg
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
We may not have the fever yet, but it’s high time to start dreaming of spring entertaining. Plus, it’s always wise to have a few great appetizers in your arsenal for when guests are headed your way. We’re firm believers that classic crostini–crispy toast with toppings–is the way to go. Here are our four favorites–all tiny nuggets of deliciousness. Most require little cooking, just assembly. Make the whole bunch for your next shindig and you may be crowned queen of the spring fling.
Crostini
18 calories
0g fat
3g carbs
1g protein
0g sugars
Salty Butter and Radish
52 calories
6g fat
0g carbs
0g protein
0g sugars
Baby BLT
105 calories
11g fat
1g carbs
1g protein
0g sugar
Zesty Ricotta Harissa
38 calories
3g fat
1g carbs
2g protein
0g sugars
Hot Pepper Jelly and Goat Cheese
39 calories
1g fat
6g carbs
1g protein
4g sugars
Crostini
¼ baguette
1 garlic clove, halved
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Salty Butter and Radish
6 tablespoons (¾ stick) Irish butter
6 radishes, cleaned, trimmed and sliced into thirds
Flaky sea salt (such as Maldon Sea Salt)
Baby BLT
6 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
6 sun-dried tomatoes, quartered
1 cup arugula
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 strips cooked bacon, cut into quarters
Zesty Ricotta Harissa
1 cup ricotta cheese
4 tablespoons harissa
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 tablespoons lemon zest
Hot Pepper Jelly and Goat Cheese
⅓ cup hot pepper jelly
⅓ cup goat cheese
3 tablespoons chives
1. Make the Crostini: Cut the baguette into slices (see Finishing Touches). Rub one side of each slice with the garlic and brush lightly with olive oil. Season lightly with salt. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake in a 400° oven until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Cool completely.
2. Make the Salty Butter and Radish Crostini: Spread 1½ teaspoons of butter onto each crostini and top with a piece of radish. Sprinkle generously with flaky sea salt.
3. Make the Baby BLT Crostini: In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise with the black pepper to combine. Spread 1½ teaspoons onto each crostini and top with 2 pieces of sun-dried tomato. In a small bowl, toss the arugula with the olive oil, then place 1 to 2 tablespoons of dressed arugula on top of the tomatoes. Finish with a piece of bacon.
4. Make the Zesty Ricotta Harissa Crostini: In a small bowl, combine the ricotta with the harissa and lemon juice. Spread 2 tablespoons onto each crostini and top generously with lemon zest.
5. Make the Hot Pepper Jelly and Goat Cheese Crostini: Spread 1 to 2 tablespoons of jelly on each crostini, then top with a generous sprinkling of crumbled goat cheese. Garnish with chives.
Categories
Mini Baked Doughnuts with Chocolate Glaze
Mini Baked Doughnuts With Chocolate Glaze
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
2 dozen mini doughnuts
2 hr
2 hr
2 1/2 hr
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Lupita Nyong’o dethroned Jennifer Lawrence. Midi skirts replaced miniskirts. Doughnuts overthrew cupcakes. That’s right: The cupcake’s 15 minutes are up, and now a new treat is taking its turn in the limelight. We love this baked mini doughnut recipe, which couldn’t be easier to make at home. To create the signature shape, simply use a small round cookie cutter or even a shot glass (just coat the rim in flour before cutting into the dough). Dip ’em in chocolate glaze, add a few sprinkles and it’s official: We’re addicted. You will be too.
Dough
81 calories
3g fat
10g carbs
2g protein
0g sugars
Chocolate Glaze
20 calories
0g fat
4g carbs
0g protein
4g sugars
Dough
¾ cup whole milk
¼ cup water
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 egg
2½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
Pinch of cinnamon
1½ teaspoons active dry yeast
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Chocolate Glaze
¾ cup confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons whole milk
1 tablespoon heavy cream
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Sprinkles (optional)
1. Make the Dough: Warm the milk, water and butter over medium heat until slightly warm to the touch (about 95° to 100°). Whisk in the egg.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, mix the flour with the salt and cinnamon.
3. Add the yeast and the milk mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough begins to come together, 3 to 4 minutes. Increase the speed to medium and continue to mix until the dough is smooth (it will be pretty sticky), 5 minutes more.
4. Transfer the dough to a large bowl lightly greased with nonstick spray. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until double in size, about 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 350° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
5. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a ½-inch-thick rectangle. Using a small round cookie cutter or the rim of a small glass, cut out circles of dough. Use a smaller cookie cutter or glass to cut another hole in the center of each circle.
6. Transfer the doughnuts to the prepared baking sheet. Brush lightly with melted butter and bake until golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
7. Make the Glaze: In a small bowl, whisk the confectioners’ sugar with the cocoa powder, milk, cream and vanilla to combine. Dip each doughnut into the glaze so that it’s coated about halfway up the side. Shake off excess glaze and place the unglazed side on the baking sheet. Top with sprinkles, if desired. The glaze will set in about 5 to 6 minutes.
Categories
The Ultimate Chicken Noodle Soup
The Ultimate Chicken Noodle Soup
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
6 servings
40 min
40 min
1 1/2 hr
https://d3d127vhjgkwcw.cloudfront.net/images/articles/2019_01/Ultimate_Chicken_Noodle_Soup_Recipe.jpg
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Our ultimate chicken noodle soup has a little bit of spice for your sinuses (that’s the serrano chile) and a whole lot of rich comfort (you haven’t slurped soup until you’ve put a poached egg on top). Finally, lots of veggies, chicken and egg noodles bring the whole thing back together. It may look familiar, but the taste is a far cry from that stuff in a can.
288 calories
9g fat
25g carbs
26g protein
10g sugars
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 sweet onion, finely chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and finely chopped
3 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 serrano chile, seeded and minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
8 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
2 thyme sprigs
2 cups chopped cooked chicken meat
1 cup egg noodles
6 eggs, poached or fried, for garnish
Roughly chopped parsley, for garnish
1. In a large pot, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery, and sauté until tender, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and serrano; continue to cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute more.
2. Stir in the tomato paste and cook, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pot, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then add the chicken broth, bay leaf and thyme. Bring the soup to a simmer. Simmer until a good flavor has developed, 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Stir in the chicken and noodles. Continue to simmer until the chicken is heated through and the noodles are tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
4. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and top with an egg. Season the egg with salt and pepper, and garnish the soup generously with parsley. Leftover soup will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
Categories
Fettuccine Carbonara
Fettuccine Carbonara
Erin McDowell
6 servings
5 min
5 min
25 min
Erin McDowell
Every person needs a few go-to pasta recipes. Add this creamy, eggy Fettuccine Carbonara to your dinner rotation.
598 calories
30g fat
62g carbs
18g protein
4g sugars
1 pound durum wheat pasta, either linguine or spaghetti (found in the Italian section and in gourmet markets)
8 to 10 egg yolks
3 to 4 ounces grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
5 to 8 ounces pancetta, cut into small cubes
1 cup chicken stock
2 small shallots, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender, 8-10 minutes (or according to the packaging instructions).
2. While the pasta cooks, combine the egg yolks with the Parmesan in a medium bowl. Set aside.
3. In a large sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the diced pancetta and cook until the fat renders and the pancetta is crispy on the outside but still soft in the middle, 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Remove and discard about half the fat from the pan. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus the shallots and a pinch of salt. Cook the shallots until they become translucent, 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Remove the pan from the heat and add the chicken stock. (Be careful: If the oil is too hot, the chicken stock will splatter.) When the pasta is fully cooked, drain it.
6. Increase the heat under the sauté pan to high. When the stock starts to simmer, turn off the heat, add the pasta using tongs and then pour in the egg-yolk mixture. Coat the pasta with the egg mixture and toss until creamy. (It’s best to keep the egg mixture cold before tossing it in the sauce. The heat in the pan will cook the yolks, but if the pan is too hot, they will curdle.) Season the pasta with salt and pepper.
7. To serve, portion the pasta onto plates and top with more Parmesan. Serve immediately.
Financier Patisserie’s Chocolate Flourless Cookies
PureWow Editors
15 cookies
20 min
20 min
30 min
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
This French Patisserie has been making decadent, sweet goodies since 2002 and now you can make their signature chocolate flourless cookies! They are dense and deliciously packed with chocolatey goodness, which is hard to resist. Live delightfully with this French-inspired treat, or as Financier Patisserie would say, “Vivre Délicieusement!”
324 calories
21g fat
33g carbs
6g protein
27g sugars
3⅓ cups confectioners’ sugar
¾ cup cocoa powder
⅓ teaspoon salt
2 cups chopped pecans
2 cups chopped walnuts
5 egg whites (from large eggs)
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1. Preheat the oven to 325° and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine the confectioners’ sugar with the cocoa powder, salt and nuts. Add the egg whites and vanilla to the dry mixture and combine until the dry ingredients are moist (do not over beat, as the batter can stiffen).
3. Drop spoonfuls of batter onto the baking sheet in evenly spaced mounds. Bake the cookies until the tops are slightly cracked and glossy, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Categories
Tate’s Bake Shop’s Chubby Tates Cookies
Tate’s Bake Shop’s Chubby Tates Cookies
PureWow Editors
36 cookies
30 min
30 min
50 min
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Some days, all you want is a good ol’ chocolate chip cookie. This is the cookie you want to make. It is thick, soft, chewy and really hits the spot. It’s a signature of Tate’s Bake Shop, Southampton NY, but now you can easily make the classic cookie in your own kitchen.
149 calories
7g fat
21g carbs
2g protein
14g sugars
2¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1. Position the oven racks in the top third and center of the oven and preheat to 325°. Line two large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, beat the butter with the brown sugar, granulated sugar and corn syrup using an electric mixer on high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Beat in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, mix in the flour mixture, just until combined. Mix in the chocolate chips.
3. Using 2 tablespoons per cookie, drop mounds of dough about three inches apart onto the prepared baking sheets. The dough can be frozen on the baking sheets until hard, then transferred to a ziplock plastic bag and stored in the freezer for up to one month. Bake without thawing.
4. Bake, rotating the positions of the sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking, until the cookies are lightly browned on the edges, about 18 minutes. (If using frozen cookie dough, bake about 20 minutes.) Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough, using cool baking sheets.
Categories
Breakfast Hand Pies
Breakfast Hand Pies
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
12 hand pies
1 1/2 hr
1 1/2 hr
2 hr
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Let’s be honest: The best part of eating those toaster pastries as a kid was waiting for them to pop up warm and ready–not their taste (cardboard, anyone?). So we thought, why not take this classic breakfast treat into grown-up territory? Our version is really a handheld mini pie, plus frosting (everything’s better with frosting).
Hand Pies
312 Calories
16g fat
40g carbs
3g protein
15g sugars
Frosting
42 calories
1g fat
8g carbs
0g protein
7g sugars
Hand Pies
2½ cups all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2 sticks cold butter, cut into cubes
⅓ cup cold water
1 cup jam, jelly or preserves
Frosting
¾ cup confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Sprinkles (optional)
1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Make the Hand Pies: In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour with the salt and sugar. Add the cubed butter and pulse until the butter is the size of peas, about 2 minutes.
3. Gradually add the water through the top spout, and pulse just until the dough comes together. Remove the dough and wrap it in plastic. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes.
4. Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to ¼-inch thickness. Cut into 2-by-3-inch rectangles.
5. Place 2 tablespoons of jam in the center of half the rectangles. Dip your finger into cool water and run it around the edges of the dough. Place the remaining rectangles on top of the jam-covered ones, and press the edges with a fork to seal. Use a knife to cut a tiny vent into the center of the top piece of dough.
6. Place the pies on the prepared baking sheet and bake until golden brown, 10 to 13 minutes. Cool completely.
7. Make the Frosting: In a small bowl, whisk the confectioners’ sugar with the cream and vanilla. If the frosting is too thick, add more cream 1 tablespoon at a time until it is easily spreadable.
8. Frost each hand pie with about 1 tablespoon of frosting, and top with sprinkles, if desired.
Categories
Baked Fish and Chips
Baked Fish And Chips
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
4 servings
20 min
20 min
1 hr
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Crispy, crunchy, salty, vinegary (in a great way)–fish and chips are kinda the best. But frying seems like such a hassle, not to mention the way it makes your house smell like a burger joint. So when we heard we could get the same results in the oven, we were sold. This recipe requires just a few ingredients and bakes for only 25 minutes. Plus, unlike frying, it actually leaves your house smelling amazing.
Fish
337 calories
4g fat
34g carbs
38g protein
1g sugars
Chips
488 calories
18g fat
75g carbs
9g protein
3g sugars
Fish
1½ pounds cod or pollack, cut into 3-by-1½-inch strips
¾ cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1½ cups panko bread crumbs
Chips
4 or 5 large Russet potatoes, washed, dried and thinly sliced
⅓ cup olive oil
Kosher salt
1. Preheat the oven to 425°. Place a baking sheet in the oven. Grease another baking sheet generously with nonstick spray.
2. Make the Chips: Toss the potatoes in the olive oil to coat, then pour onto the preheated, ungreased baking sheet. Bake until golden and crisp, 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle generously with salt after you remove them from the oven.
3. Meanwhile, Make the Fish: Dry the fish with paper towels. In a medium bowl, mix the flour with the salt, pepper and paprika. Place the beaten eggs in a small bowl, and the bread crumbs in another small bowl.
4. Dredge the fish in the flour, then dip it into the egg, then dredge it in the bread crumbs to coat. Place onto the greased baking sheet. Bake until the crust is golden and the fish is cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes.
5. To serve, line a plate with parchment paper and top with a few pieces of fish and a mound of fries. Serve with malt vinegar for dipping.
Categories
Chocolate Stout Cake
Beer Our Guest
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
One 9-inch cake
30 min
30 min
2 hr 15 min
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
One of Valentine’s Day’s most redeeming qualities is the copious amount of chocolate you’re encouraged to consume. (Calories don’t add up on February 14, right?) But why should that one holiday have all the fun? What about St. Patrick’s Day?
Here to save us all from soggy cabbage and overdone corned beef is a chocolate cake recipe made with bitter stout beer. It goes double-duty on the good stuff (chocolate cake plus melty chocolate chunks) and gets topped off with lightly sweetened whipped cream. Luck of the Irish, indeed.
Cake
678 calories
36g fat
85g carbs
9g protein
51g sugars
Whipped Cream
94 calories
9g fat
4g carbs
0g protein
4g sugars
Cake
3 sticks butter
¾ cup stout beer
¾ cup cocoa powder
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
¾ cup whole milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chunks
Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy cream
¼ cup confectioners’ sugar
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1. Make the Cake: Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease a 9-inch cake pan with nonstick spray, then dust with flour to coat.
2. In a medium pot, bring the butter and stout to a simmer, stirring until the butter is melted. Whisk in the cocoa powder. Cool slightly.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the flour with the baking soda, salt and sugar.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk and vanilla. Gradually add the butter mixture to the egg mixture, whisking well to combine.
5. Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, whisking until the batter is well combined and totally smooth. Gently fold in the chocolate chunks.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake until a toothpick or knife inserted into the center comes out clean (or with just a few moist crumbs), 60 to 75 minutes.
7. Let the cake cool for 30 minutes in the pan, then run a knife or spatula around the edge to loosen the cake from the pan; gently invert the cake onto a wire rack. Cool completely.
8. Make the Whipped Cream: Whip the cream to soft peaks in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add the sugar and vanilla, and continue to whip until combined.
9. To serve, mound the whipped cream on top of the cake. The finished cake (before adding whipped cream) will keep for up to a week in an airtight container. With whipped cream topping, it will keep in the refrigerator for up to two days.