Matzo Crack

I saw this recipe for Matzo toffee and felt like it was easy enough to try at least once.  Any kind of candy recipe that is known as "Matzo Crack" has my attention.  Easy and addictive?  Nice.  Husband approval?  Extra nice.  Good enough that husband okays it for a work bake sale?  Winner!

The recipe is originally from Marcy Goldman, then by David Lebovitz, then by Smitten Kitchen.  I used David Lebovitz's recipe cuz it didn't require as much chocolate.  I made two batches which was perfect for one box of Matzo (which typically has 10 pieces of Matzo).  Thanks, David!  

Chocolate Covered Matzoh ToffeeMakes approximately 30 pieces of candy

This recipe is adapted from Marcy Goldman of Betterbaking.com, whose latest book is A Passion For Baking. It’s super-simple and requires no fancy thermometer, equipment, or ingredients. If you can’t get matzoh, use plain crackers such as saltines instead and omit the additional salt in the recipe.

4 to 6 sheets unsalted matzohs
1 cup (230g) unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1 cup (215g) firmly-packed light brown sugar
big pinch of sea salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (160g) semisweet chocolate chips (or chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate)

1 cup (80g) toasted sliced almonds (optional)

1. Line a rimmed baking sheet (approximately 11 x 17″, 28 x 42cm) completely with foil, making sure the foil goes up and over the edges. Cover the foil with a sheet of parchment paper.

Preheat the oven to 375F (190C).

2. Line the bottom of the sheet with matzoh, breaking extra pieces as necessary to fill in any spaces.

3. In a 3-4 quart (3-4l) heavy duty saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar together, and cook over medium heat, stirring, until the butter is melted and the mixture is beginning to boil. Boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, add the salt and vanilla, and pour over matzoh, spreading with a heatproof spatula.

4. Put the pan in the oven and reduce the heat to 350F (175C) degrees. Bake for 15 minutes. As it bakes, it will bubble up but make sure it’s not burning every once in a while. If it is in spots, remove from oven and reduce the heat to 325F (160C), then replace the pan.

5. Remove from oven and immediately cover with chocolate chips. Let stand 5 minutes, then spread with an offset spatula.

6. If you wish, sprinkle with toasted almonds (or another favorite nut, toasted and coarsely-chopped), a sprinkle of flaky sea salt, or roasted cocoa nibs.

Let cool completely, the break into pieces and store in an airtight container until ready to serve. It should keep well for about one week.

Note: If making for passover, omit the vanilla extract or find a kosher brand.

Spinach Artichoke Dip

I was trying to think of a good snack to eat during a football game and the Eng brothers' Spinach Artichoke Dip came to mind.  This isn't a healthy dish (you'll see when you read it) but at least it has spinach and artichokes!  Warning though: if you happen to reheat it, it's gonna be oily.  I would just make sure that you have enough people to eat it all on the first pass.  Between 4 of us (including two preggos) we got through 3/4 of it.  

I made it in an 8x8 glass pan so we had to increase the baking time by 5-10 minutes for it to heat properly.  Thanks to Scott for writing down the recipe and making notes on variations.  

Spinach Artichoke Dip

Ingredients
1 14 oz can artichoke hearts
1 8 oz package frozen chopped cooked spinach, defrosted
1 8 oz jar real mayonaise (no Miracle Whip!)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 2-cup package shredded jack cheese

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Drain artichokes. Cut off all remaining leaves, to get ONLY the heart meat of the artichokes. Finely chop artichoke hearts. Drain spinach.
3. Mix artichoke hearts, spinach, mayonaise, parmesan, and 1 1/2 cup jack cheese in bowl. Spread mixture in tin pie pan. Cover top with remaining jack cheese.
4. Cover with foil and bake 15-18 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 3-5 minutes. Serve hot with unsalted corn tortilla chips.

Notes
If you don't want it that cheesy, take out 1/2 cup of jack cheese. Unsalted corn tortilla chips are absolutely the best chips to serve this with. Regular tortilla chips are a far second. Sourdough bread slices are good too. Plain crackers can be used if no suitable substitute can be found. I have tried this with fresh spinach that I steamed. It worked fine, but was more work. I have not tried this with fresh artichokes or low-fat anything. And always try to use real ingredients. That means no processed cheese, or mayonaise substitutes.

Beef in Black Pepper Sauce

I love Chinese food but I think it's one of the hardest cuisines to cook because people generally don't write down ingredients or techniques.  Plus, there are so many different kinds of dishes within the genre, and there can be different variations.

Thankfully OTHER bloggers are skilled at developing recipes for Chinese dishes.  This Beef in Black Pepper Sauce totally rocked the other day- the beef was tender, it was peppery, and it was great with angel hair pasta.  I think it'd be awesome with chow fun noodles or just plain rice, too.  I only had time to marinate it for an hour (I used sirloin) but it was enough time to be tender and flavorful.

Thanks for Raymund of Ang Sarap for the recipe!

Beef in Black Pepper Sauce

Ingredients

600g Beef fillet, sliced thinly
1 onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
1 large green capsicum, sliced
4 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp Chinese wine
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp corn flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup water
peanut oil

Method

1. Marinate beef in 2 tbsp light soy sauce, Chinese wine, Worcestershire sauce, corn flour, 1/2 tbsp black pepper and baking soda for at least 2 hours.
2. Using a wok in high heat add peanut oil and toss in the beef and brown on all sides, this will take roughly 1 minute in a really hot wok.
3. Add garlic and stir fry for 30 seconds.
4. Add in the onions, remaining black pepper and green capsicums and stir fry for 2 more minutes
5. Add water and remaining light soy sauce then season with salt if needed.

A side note

I think I'm a restless cook.  As much as I like tried and true recipes, it feels like the culinary world is too vast to stick to what I know.  W and I come across this dilemma (okay, really, first world problem) when we eat out in Boston, NYC or LA/OC- do we go to the places we know and love or try new places?  Should we make a dish we've made before or try something different?

After next week I'm not going to have the luxury of deciding what recipe to try.  It'll just be survival mode- what will give me sustenance with minimal preparation?  I won't be able to spend an hour at the grocery store or go to multiple grocery stores in one day.  I won't be able to make three course meals for friends.  No more fussy baking projects that require hours with the oven.  Someday that will change back and I'll have time to cook- and not only will I get to cook and bake, but I'll get to share it with someone new.  Hopefully she'll feel loved by the food we make for her.

Beef and Leek Stew

I've tried lots of beef stew recipes and I think this is my favorite one so far.  Usually I rely on lots of reviews for recipes but this one just sounded right.  Plus, it had a popover recipe with it, and I can't say no to popovers.  I didn't have sun-dried tomatoes so I used a fresh tomato and ketchup.  I'd probably use less liquid next time, too.

Thanks to Rose Murray for posting it!

Beef and Leek Stew

Ingredients

• 1¼ lb (625 g) stew beef
• 2 tbsp (25 mL) olive oil
• 4 small leeks, thickly sliced
• 4 carrots, cut in 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks
• 2 tbsp (25 mL) all-purpose flour
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp (25 mL) balsamic vinegar
• 2½ cups (625 mL) beef stock
• 1/3 cup (75 mL) sun-dried tomato strips
• 1 tsp (5 mL) dried thyme
• Pinch hot pepper flakes
• Chive Popovers (recipe follows)

Chive Popovers (Makes 12 Popovers):

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup (250 mL) milk
• 1 cup (250 mL) all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp (25 mL) snipped fresh chives or green onions
• ½ tsp (2 mL) salt

Directions

1. Cut beef into 2-inch (5 cm) cubes. In large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat; brown beef all over, about 10 minutes.

2. Add leeks and carrots; cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Sprinkle with flour, and salt and pepper to taste; cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.

3. Stir in vinegar, then stock, 1 cup (250 mL) water, sun-dried tomatoes, thyme and hot pepper flakes; bring to boil, scraping up any brown bits from bottom of pan. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally and adding a bit more water if necessary. Taste and adjust seasoning. Split open popovers and serve stew on top.

For the Chive Popovers:

1. In large bowl, beat eggs; stir in milk, flour, chives and salt until blended. (Don’t overmix; ignore a few lumps.) Fill 12 well-greased muffin cups three-quarters full with batter.

2. Place in cold oven. Turn oven to 450°F (230°C); bake for 25 minutes. Remove and prick each popover with point of sharp knife to release steam. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes or until golden brown and puffed. (Popovers can be cooled, placed on cookie sheet, covered with clean towel and set aside at room temperature for up to 8 hours. Reheat in 350°F/180°C oven for 5 to 10 minutes.)

Steak Tips

I was commenting to W the other day that I think I'm least proficient in cooking meat.  I usually leave grilling up to him (men like fire, right?) and whenever I cook meat in the oven or on the stove it usually comes out just okay.  The slow-cooker is probably my biggest ally, but I really can't take credit for the work that she does.

Shortcomings aside, I think I'm decent at choosing marinades for meat.  I discovered this marinade four years ago and it's always my go-to whenever we want to make steak tips.  I highly recommend it.  And I also recommend having someone else grill it for you.  Hurrah for division of labor!

Thanks to allrecipes again, especially Domenici, who apparently took one for the team and ate a lot of beef to perfect this recipe.  The only thing I would change is to marinate the beef overnight instead of only an hour.

Steak Tip Marinade

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup Italian-style salad dressing
• 2 teaspoons garlic pepper seasoning
• 1 cup barbeque sauce
• 2 pounds beef sirloin tip steaks

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, mix the Worcestershire sauce, Italian-style salad dressing, garlic pepper seasoning, and barbeque sauce. Place the meat in the marinade, and turn to coat. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
2. Preheat grill for high heat.
3. Brush grill lightly with oil to prevent sticking. Place steaks on the grill, and discard marinade. Grill steaks 10 minutes on each side, or to desired doneness.

Linguine with Clam Sauce

I steal recipes sometimes.  This recipe wasn't meant for me but when I saw it on my news feed I knew I'd wanna try it.  It comes from my lovely friend Jessica who gave me permission to post it.  I used raw peeled shrimp instead of clams because I'm lazy, but I'm very confident that the clam version is delicious!

Thanks Jess!  Can't wait to see you in August!

Jessica's Linguine with Clam Sauce (in her words)

1 box linguine (I like de cecco or barilla linguine fini)
1/2 cup ev olive oil
...6 or more garlic cloves
...1/2 t red pepper flakes (spicy!)
2 lbs littleneck clams, scrubbed (or be lazy and buy geisha brand canned)
1 cup dry white wine (Pinot grigio)
1 lemon plus additional slices for garnish
3 T butter
flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Parmesan optional.. Some people frown on cheese with seafood... Not me! :)

Boil noodles in salt water (as salty as ocean water) Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a deep saute pan with a lid. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, saute but don't let garlic turn color. Add the clams, wine, parsley and lemon juice. Cover and cook until all the clams are opened. Throw away ones that don't open...
Add hot drained linguine to the pan, finish with butter and salt and pepper to your liking. Toss the pasta with the clams and sprinkle parsley, serve with lemon slices on side and drizzle of olive oil... You can also sprinkle with parm and breadcrumbs next day and put under broiler... Yum! (remove clam meat from shell before broiling) :).