Easter Braid

Here is my annual Easter bread--a yeast bread braid. It is a family recipe so that means it's secret. I will say I added in orange zest and crushed anise seeds. My mom adds saffron threads. I still haven't mastered the recipe yet but at least it looks right.

Tagine

Not too much going on in these parts but I will put a stop to that. I got a tagine for Christmas. It is Le Creuset and red and beautiful and cooks like a dream. I christened it by cooking a little recipe out of, what else?, the instruction manual. Beef with olives, cinnamon, and cayenne. Delicious.

I am a true convert to cast iron. Stainless steel, copper, aluminum be damned.

Meat and Cheese Loaf

This is my favorite meatloaf recipe. It's from the New York Times Heritage Cookbook. 

2 pounds ground beef chuck (or a mixture of 1/3 ground beef chuck, 1/3 ground veal, 1/3 ground pork. This comes as a package in the grocery meat case as meatloaf mix)

1 1/2 c. grated swiss cheese

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 c. chopped onion

1/2 c. chopped green pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 teaspoon celery salt

2 c. milk

1 c.  dry bread crumbs

4 slices lean bacon

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

2. Mix all the ingredients except the bacon together. Pack into a large loaf pan (glass or metal). Top with the bacon and bake one and one-half hours or until meat thermometer reads 160 degrees in the center of the loaf. Dad likes it best when you bake it with ketchup on the top.

Yield: Eight servings

Rhubarb Custard Cake

This cake is from my mom's friend Judy who is pretty much the best cook (after my mom of course). It's ridiculously easy and has been nicknamed 'crack cake' by friends of mine because once you start eating it, you cannot stop and always need more, more, more. Just like crack. So I hear, at least...

4 c. rhubarb (if frozen, thawed, I've used fresh when in season and it's great)
1 c. heavy cream
1 c. sugar
1 box of yellow cake mix

Mix the yellow cake mix according to the instructions. Spread in a greased 13x9 inch glass baking dish. Sprinkle the rhubarb over the cake batter. Then sprinkle the sugar over the rhubarb. Finally, pour the cream over the top evenly. Bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes until brown on top. Let it cool for a bit and then eat till you're sick.

What ends up happening is everything sinks to the bottom and forms this kind of rhubarb custard with a layer of yellow cake on top.

Zeppoles

Greg saw a cooking show and wanted to make Italian doughnuts called zeppoles (mostly because he liked saying the name I think). The hardest part was getting the hot oil temperature right so the doughnuts would be crispy but also done in the middle. These came out well.


Here is the recipe. I highly recommend using a thermometer in the oil. And a heavy dutch oven...

• 1 vanilla bean (substitute for 1 tsp vanilla extract in the batter)
  
• 1/2 cup sugar, plus 3 tablespoons
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1 stick butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 eggs
• Olive oil, for frying

Cut open the vanilla bean lengthwise. Using the back of a knife, scrape along the inside of the vanilla bean to collect the seeds. Scrape vanilla bean seeds into a small bowl. Add the 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon and stir to combine. Set aside. (If not using bean, just combine sugar and cinnamon).

In a medium saucepan combine the butter, salt, 3 tablespoons of sugar, and water over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Take pan off the heat and stir in the flour. Return pan to the heat and stir continuously until mixture forms a ball, about 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the flour mixture to a medium bowl. Using an electric hand mixer on low speed, add eggs, 1 at a time, incorporating each egg completely before adding the next. Add 1 tsp vanilla extract if not using bean in the cinnamon-sugar coating. Beat until smooth. If not frying immediately, cover with plastic wrap and reserve in the refrigerator.

Meanwhile, pour enough oil into a large frying pan to reach a depth of 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 375 degrees F.

Using a small ice-cream scooper or 2 small spoons, carefully drop about a tablespoon of the dough into the hot olive oil, frying in batches. Turn the zeppole once or twice, cooking until golden and puffed up, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Toss with cinnamon-sugar. Arrange on a platter and serve immediately.

Ann's Thanksgiving leftovers turkey sandwich

on a roll: mayo and/or mustard, cranberry relish (ours has horseradish and onions in it), turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, a dollop of gravy. Microwave for 45 seconds. 

A Very Boozey Thanksgiving

Booze reigned supreme this year at Thanksgiving. Attempts were made to sneak it into every recipe. That didn't quite work but here are some new classics:

Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes. Complete with "foamy" icing to imitate the head on the beer. The batter was very thin and bubbly from the stout. Baking soda made them very light and airy.


Beef Stew with Brown Ale or "Booze Stew." An adapted recipe from Bon Appetit magazine by me and John. FYI: beer makes anything delicious.