Sweet Corn Chowder

I realized on Sunday that is already August.  August!  As usual, this year has flown by and I have no idea where the time went.  As a kid, I remember it taking forever for Christmas to come, but now it seems to sneak up on me every year.  August means that we only have one more month of summer produce before the fall bounty starts coming in.  But I'm not quite ready!  I didn't use the summer flavors to their fullest.  So before apple season is upon us, I am going to share with you some awesome recipes to use up all of those summer fruits and vegetables before they go away.  First up: corn.  This recipe comes from Ari who runs both Baking and Books and The Vegetarian Family Table.  I lover her sites.  This is a tasty and very low fat recipe considering how creamy the end product is.  My husband described this as creamed corn soup, and he's pretty much dead on.  Sprinkle some cheddar cheese on top and you have a perfect summer meal.

Sweet Summer Corn Chowder

by Ari on The Vegetarian Family Table

4 tablespoons olive oil

3/4 cup diced scallions, white and light green parts only (I omitted this)

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/4 cup flour

4 cups skim milk (use what you have, I used 1%)

2 cups vegetable stock

Kernels from 6 ears of corn

1/2 cup cheddar cheese

In a large soup pot or dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add the scallions and sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, until the scallions are soft, about 2-3 minutes.  Turn the heat down to medium and add the flour, stirring constantly until the mixture turns a light golden brown and smells cooked.

Add the milk and vegetable stock, stirring until it has combined with the flour mixture, about 2-3 minutes.

Add the corn kernels and bring to a boil.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the corn has cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Remove 1/4 cup of the kernels, then puree the chowder.  To do this: Remove the soup from the burner, and puree with a hand blender or a regular blender.  If you use a regular blender be sure not to create an airtight seal with the lid by closing the top entirely.  If you do, heat from the chowder will cause hot air to expand and splatter chowder all over you. (Believe me, it will.  I've done it before.  Not fun.  I have a hand blender now though, and it's much easier.)  If you have a hand blender, it's definitely the easier way to go.

Stir in the cheddar cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Ladle the chowder into bowls and top with the reserved corn kernels.  I topped it with more cheddar too.

Note: For a thicker chowder, you can add 1 large peeled and diced baking potato to the pot when you add the corn kernels.

Chicken Pasties, or Chicken Hand Pies

One of my food blogging idols is Jaime on Sophistimom.  If you have not visited her site, please, go visit it and revel in her beautiful pictures and wonderful recipes.  I saw this amazing recipe on her site and just had to try it.  Not the least of the reasons why is because while reading Harry Potter my mouth always waters at the mention of pasties, and here is a recipe for one!  But that's a story for another time.  Today I'm paying tribute to Jaime and her beautiful blog.  These are essentially a chicken pot pie wrapped in a pastry, making it easily transportable.  And was it ever delicious.  I think I needed to use a little bit more of the chicken broth in the filling, and I think a little bit too much flour got into my pastry, but it was heavenly nonetheless.  When you see the method, please don't let it turn you off from making it.  It looks long, but it's not hard and doesn't even take up all that much time.  In fact, the pastry and the filling can both me made as early as the night before and then refrigerated until needed.  Make them for someone special for an extra treat.  Make them for a picnic or a camping trip.  They really are fabulous, and you will not regret it.

Chicken Pasties, or Chicken Hand Pies

by Jaime on Sophistimom

1 medium potato, peeled and diced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, finely diced (I omitted this and added more celery to replace it)

1 stalk celery, finely diced (I added 1-2 stalks)

2 large carrots, chopped

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon flour

1 14-oz can chicken stock

1 bouillon cube or 1 tablespoon Better than Bouillon

Salt and pepper to taste

1-2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Pastry dough (recipe follows)

1 egg, plus a teaspoon of water, beaten

Place potatoes in a medium saucepan, and cover with water.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Cook until potatoes are tender to the point of a knife.  Drain and set aside.  While the potatoes cook, set a large skillet over medium low heat and add in the olive oil, onion, celery, and carrots.  Cook until onions are very tender, about 12-15 minutes.

Melt butter into the mixture and stir in flour.  Let cook for 2 minutes or so, just to let the flour taste cook out.  Pour in about half of the can of chicken stock.  Add the bouillon and potatoes.  Let simmer for a few minutes and taste for flavor.  Add salt and pepper if needed.  Add in chicken and simmer until cooked through.  The mixture should be thick, but not too dry.  Add more chicken stock until you achieve the desired consistency (she used the whole can).  Store mixture in refrigerator until ready to use (the pies are easier to make if the filling is cold).

Preheat oven to 425.  Place a piece of parchment paper in a baking sheet and set aside.  Roll out the pastry dough on a floured surface 18x22-inch rectangle.  (A note on rolling: I have no idea how people get perfect circles or rectangles when rolling.  I never can.  So don't worry if some of your pies are misshapen - they will still taste good!)  Cut in half, then cut each half in thirds, to make 6 equal smaller rectangles.

Spoon 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture onto one of the rectangles of dough, placing it slightly off center.  Wet the edges of the dough with a pastry brush and water, and fold the longer end of the pastry up and over the filling.  Press the dough down to seal it, and then crimp with the edges of a fork.  Place on the prepared baking sheet.  Make two incisions in the top of the pastry with a sharp knife, and brush with the beaten egg and water.  Repeat with remaining 5 pastries.  Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and puffed.

Pastry Dough

2 1/4 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon sugar (optional)

1 stick (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 egg, slightly beaten

1/3 cup ice cold water

In a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, pulse together the flour, salt and sugar.  Add in the butter, and pulse a few times until the mixture is crumbly and resembles coarse meal.  Combine the egg and water in a container (remove all ice pieces).  While the processor is running, pour the water/egg mixture in and pulse until mixture just comes together.

Pour mixture out onto a floured board and knead a few times to bring all the ingredients together. (I think this is where I got too much flour in the dough.  Be careful!)  Dough can be rolled out immediately, or it can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 2 days.

Peaches and Cream

This dish truly is simple summer perfection.  I happened to have all of the ingredients on hand the other day (since I have been gorging myself on peaches the last couple of weeks) and realized that I had never had peaches and cream.  It could not be simpler or more delicious, and I have been craving it ever since.  Ok, I'll admit it - I ate this 3 times last week.  It's that good!  It could easily be done for breakfast as well as dessert.  This is definitely going to become a summer tradition at my house.

Peaches and Cream

1 ripe peach, pitted and cut into slices

Heavy cream

Sugar

Put the peaches in a bowl, pour some heavy cream over the top, and sprinkle with sugar.  Enjoy on the patio or with a good movie!

Classic Bruschetta, First Trial

When I saw the movie Julie and Julia, my reaction to the food was mixed.  Some of the items made me feel a bit queasy, and I don't think I would touch them with a 10 foot pole.  On the other hand, the other half of the recipes in the movie made me so hungry and I was just craving them for the longest time.  One of those is the bruschetta that Amy Adams makes at the very beginning of the movie.  Oh. My. Gosh.  I just about died when I saw that bread going in the oil and getting crispy and brown.  So I took it in my own hands to figure out how to make this delectable dinner.  I served this to my husband along with plain pieces of French bread that we dipped in a garlic dipping sauce and butter and honey.  It was delectable.  I say first trial because this one wasn't 100% perfect.  There's not quite enough basil, and the bread, although delicious, wasn't exactly what I had imagined.  I think the skinny baguette that I used wasn't wuite what I had in mind for a dinner of bruschetta, but it would be perfect for an appetizer.  This meal could not be easier, more delicious, or more satisfying.

Classic Bruschetta

4 tomatoes, chopped in large chunks

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/8 cup basil, torn into small pieces (I would definitely add more next time - at least 1/4 cup)

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for frying

Baguette, sliced into 1 inch pieces

Combine tomatoes, garlic, basil, salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a bowl.  Let marinate in the refrigerator all day.  (I made it that morning after breakfast.)

Put a medium pan over medium-high heat.  Pour enough olive oil in the pan to cover the bottom.  Once it is hot, using tongs and working in batches, put the bread in the oil.  Fry until golden brown and crispy, which will take a few minutes.  Flip the pieces over and let fry until golden and crispy on the other side, an additional few minutes.  Remove from pan.  Cover the bottom of the pan with olive oil again and repeat the process with the rest of the bread.

Top the bread with the tomato mixture and enjoy!

Orange Julius

I got this recipe from my friend Kristen over at Homemade Made Easy.  This is the simplest drink in the world - if you can push a button, you can make it.  It's sort of like a smoothie, but not quite.  It's more like orange juice on steroids.  It would be so easy to pull together in 2 seconds if you want to have company for breakfast or brunch, and is totally refreshing on a summer day.  You may even have everything you need right now, in which case, you should go into your kitchen and make it.

Orange Julius

from Homemade Made Easy

12 oz frozen orange juice

12 oz water

2 teaspoons vanilla

3/4 cup sugar

3+ cups of ice cubes

Put in a blender and blend.  Enjoy!

Raisin Swirl Bread

I'm not usually one for process shots, but I had to with this bread.  Scroll down to see the finished product.  I have always had trouble cooking with yeast until this summer.  I have been making all kinds of breads and other things that require it so that I can practice, and it has been a huge success.  It is amazing to me that yeast it the difference between flat dough and a puffy loaf of bread.  And this bread was so worth the effort.  Here is what it looked like before the oven:

Here is what it looked like after:

While it was cooking it filled my apartment with the most heavenly smells.  I could barely wait for it to cool down enough to touch it before eating it.  It was phenomenal.  Dorie Greenspan, who I had never heard of about a year ago, is the author of this recipe.  She has some fantastic recipes, and this is no exception.  The bread is thick and chewy with just the right amount of sweetness.  I should have tried it as french toast.  I bet it would have been to die for.  As it was, it was wonderful just plain or toasted with butter.  Please don't be afraid of the yeast.  Use it.  It makes delicious food that makes your tummy happy.

Raisin Swirl Bread

from Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

Bread:

1 packet active dry yeast (if you buy the jars like me, that's 2 1/4 teaspoons)

1/4 cup sugar, plus a pinch

1 1/4 cups just-warm-to-the-touch whole milk (I used 1%)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional, I used it)

Grated zest of 1/2 orange (optional, I didn't use it)

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg (optional, to be honest, I don't remember if I used it)

3 1/4 to 4 cups flour

Swirl:

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder (optional, I used it)

1 cup moist, plump raisins (dark or golden)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to a spreadable consistency

To Make the Bread - Put the yeast in a small bowl, toss in the pinch of sugar and stir in 1/4 cup of the warm milk.  Let rest for 3 minutes, then stir - the yeast may not have dissolved completely and it may not have bubbled, but it should be soft (mine did bubble).

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the remaining 1 cup milk, the butter and the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and mix on low speed for a minute or two.  Add the salt, egg and vanilla, if you are using it, as well as the zest and nutmeg, if you are using them, and mix for a minute.  In all likelihood, the mixture will look unpleasantly curdly (it will look even worse when you add the yeast).  Add the yeast mixture and beat on medium-low speed for 1 more minute.

Turn the mixer off and add 2 3/4 cups of the flour.  Mix on low speed just until you work the flour into the liquids - you'll have a sticky mix.  If you've got a dough hook, switch to it now.  Add another 1 cup flour, increase the mixer speed to medium and beat the dough for a couple of minutes.  If the dough does not come together and almost clean the sides of the bowl, add up to 1/4 cup more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time.  Keep the mixer speed at medium and knead the dough for about 3 minutes, or until it is smooth and has a lovely buttery sheen.  The dough will be very soft, much too soft to knead by hand.

Butter a large bowl, turn the dough into the bowl and cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap.  Put the bowl in a warm place and let the dough rise until it is doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.

Scrape the dough onto a large piece of plastic wrap, wrap it and put it in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm enough to be rolled easily.  (At this point, you can instead refrigerate the dough overnight if that's more convenient.)

To Make the Swirl and Shape the Loaf - Butter a 9x5 inch loaf pan.  Whisk together the sugar, cinnamon and cocoa, if using.

Put the dough on a large work surface lightly dusted with flour, lightly dust the top of the dough and roll the dough into a rectangle about 12x18 inches.  (I can never seem to get a perfect rectangle.  If you can't, don't worry about it.)

Gently smear 2 tablespoons of the butter over the surface of the dough - this is most easily done with your fingers.  Sprinkle over the sugar mixture and scatter over the raisins.  Starting from a short side of the dough, roll the dough up jelly-roll fashion, making sure to roll the dough snugly.  Fit the dough into the buttered pan, seam side down, and tuck the ends under the loaf.

Cover the pan loosely with wax paper (or a towel) and set in a warm place; let the dough rise until it comes just a little above the edge of the pan, about 45 minutes.

Getting Ready to Bake - When the dough has almost fully risen, center a rack in the oven and preheat to 375.  Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.  (I didn't use the baking sheet.)

Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter, and brush the top of the loaf with the butter.  Put the pan on the baking sheet and bake the bread for about 20 minutes.  Cover loosely with a foil tent and bake for another 25 minutes or so, until the bread is golden and sounds hollow when the bottom of the pan is tapped.  Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes, then unmold.  Invert the bread and cool to room temperature right side up on the rack.

Ebelskivers, or Danish Filled Pancakes

I first heard of these cute little round pancakes when Williams-Sonoma started advertising their ebelskiver pans a couple of years ago. I immediately wanted one (of course I did - all I ever want is new kitchen stuff). Whenever I get some extra money, I generally head to Williams-Sonoma first to see if there is something I want. Usually there is. And one of these such times, I very unpractically, decided to buy one. And then I didn't use it until very recently. But oh goodness, these were worth the wait. They are beautiful, delicious, and can be made in tons of different ways. You can pretty much put whatever you want in the middle - let your imagination run wild. Peanut butter, jams, nutella, chocolate chips, pumpkin, and any number of fruits. Here there are just some fresh blueberries in the middle. Unfortunately, you do need a special pan to make them that looks like this.

It is so worth it to own the pan though. You can look at them here. These are easy and fun, and would be great for any number of occasions: brunch, sleepovers, etc. If you can, please make these sometime soon! This, and other ebelskiver recipes can be found at williams-sonoma.com.

Blueberry-Filled Ebelskivers
from williams-sonoma.com

1 3/4 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs, separated
1 3/4 cups buttermilk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 pint fresh blueberries
Powdered sugar, for dusting
Maple syrup, for serving

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, sugar and salt. In a small bowl, lightly whisk together the egg yolks and buttermilk. Whisk the yolk mixture into the flour mixture until well combined; the batter will be lumpy.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on high speed until stiff but not dry peaks form, 2-3 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the whites into the batter in two additions.
Put 1/2 teaspoon butter into each well of a filled-pancake pan. Place over medium heat and heat until the butter begins to bubble. Pour 1 tablespoon batter into each well and cook until the bottoms are golden brown and crispy, 3-5 minutes. Put 5-6 blueberries in the center of each pancake (I only did 3-4) and top with 1 tablespoon batter. Using 2 wooden skewers (I used forks, which takes some practice) flip the pancakes over and cook until golden and crispy, about 3 minutes more. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining batter and blueberries. Makes about 40.