Author Archives: Janis Chanin

Bacon Cheddar Cornbread

20 Monday Oct 2014

Posted by in Bread, Side Dishes

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Bacon Cheddar Cornbread

This cornbread would make a great accompaniment to a steaming pot of chili on a crisp autumn evening.  The trick to getting the cornbread perfectly crispy on the edges without burning is to cook it in a screaming hot cast iron pan.  Since I don’t have a shallow cast iron pan or skillet, I use my 6-quart pot and it works just as well.

Bacon Cheddar Cornbread
Yield:  8 servings
Time:  Active: 15 min;  Total: 40 min

1 cup yellow cornmeal
½ cup flour
1½ tsp. salt
1 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1¼ cups buttermilk, shaken
¼ cup skim milk
1 egg
½ tsp. baking soda
½ cup butter
1 jalapeño, finely diced
¼ cup scallions, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 shallot, finely diced
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
8 slices of bacon, cooked to be crispy*, and diced into small pieces

1.  Rub 1 tbsp. of butter into a cast iron pan.  Place the pan in the oven and preheat the oven to 450°F.

2.  Place the jalapeño, garlic, shallot, and EVOO into a small sauté pan.  Cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes.  Add scallions and ½ tsp. salt, cooking for another minute.  Set aside to allow to cool slightly.

3.  In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and 1 tsp. of salt.

4.  In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk, milk, and baking soda.  Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients and whisk to incorporate.

5.  Melt 6 tbsp. of butter and whisk into the batter.  Fold in the cheddar cheese, sautéed veggies, and crispy bacon.

6.  Carefully remove the hot cast iron pan from the oven.  Rub remaining 1 tbsp. of butter into the bottom of the pan to coat.  Pour batter into hot pan and spread to smooth out the top.  Bake at 450°F for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown and the edges are crispy.
* I find that the easiest way to cook the bacon is to microwave it.  Line a microwave-safe plate with paper towels, place the bacon in a single layer and cover with another paper towel.  Microwave for 5-7 minutes, until cooked to desired crispiness.

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Bacon Cheddar Cornbread

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

15 Wednesday Oct 2014

Posted by in Chocolate, Dessert, Holiday

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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe was a mistake.  I never should have attempted to make these cookies because now all I ever want to do is bake them and eat them.  And repeat.  Over and over again until you rescue me by coming and forcefully rolling me out of my kitchen.

Bake them at your own risk for this year’s Halloween party.  Because they’ll vanish so quickly, they’re sort of a trick and a treat all wrapped up in one.

 

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Yield:  5 dozen cookies
Time:  minutes prep; 12 minutes baking per batch

1 cup butter, softened to room temperature
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
3 cups flour
1½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1½ tsp. cinnamon
¾ tsp. ground ginger
2½ cups chocolate chips

1.  Preheat the oven to 375°F.  Grease two cookie sheets and set aside.

2.  Place the sugar, brown sugar, and butter into a large mixing bowl.  Using a pastry blender, cut the butter into both sugars.  Mix in the eggs and vanilla extract.  Fold in the pumpkin.

3.  In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger.  Beat the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until combined.  Stir in the chocolate chips.

4.  Drop heaping teaspoons of batter onto the prepared cookie sheets.  Bake for 9-12 minutes, until golden brown.  Remove from the oven, allow to cool for 1 minute, then transfer to a wire rack and allow to fully cool.  Be sure to sample one while they’re warm!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

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French Onion Soup

07 Tuesday Oct 2014

Posted by in Boozy, Dinner, Soup

≈ 2 Comments

French Onion Soup

With the fall chill coming a little stronger every day, this hot and savory soup ought to warm you up in no time!

When slicing the onions for this recipe, slice them with the grain.  This means cutting them from pole to pole, as opposed to against the grain which would be parallel to the onion’s “equator”.  Slicing with the grain will allow the slices of onion to retain their shape better after sautéing, giving you the characteristic strips of sautéed onion in the finished soup, instead of mushy bits and pieces of onion floating throughout.  I read recently that cutting onions with the grain produces a more mellow onion flavor, whereas slicing onions against the grain brings out a stronger flavor, but don’t worry–this soup is chock full of savory onion-y flavor!


French Onion Soup
Servings:  8
Time:  2 hours

4 tbsp. butter
4 sweet onions, thinly sliced with the grain (pole to pole)
4 Spanish onions, thinly sliced with the grain (pole to pole)
1 tsp. salt
1½ tbsp. flour
1/3 cup cognac (I use Hennessey)
1/8 oz. (about 1½ tbsp.) chopped fresh thyme
3 whole bay leaves
½ tsp. freshly cracked pepper
1 tbsp. lemon juice
3 cans (each 10½ oz.) Campbell’s beef consommé
3 cans (each 10½ oz.) Campbell’s beef broth
¾ cup chicken broth
3 cups shredded Gruyère cheese
1 baguette, sliced into ½-inch thick slices

1.  Melt the butter in a Dutch oven over low heat.  Add the onions, and sprinkle them with salt.  Gently toss to coat then place a lid on the Dutch oven and allow to cook for 1½ hours over low heat, stirring every 20 or 30 minutes.

2.  (Preheat oven to 375°F.)  Sprinkle flour over the onions and toss to coat.  Add the thyme, bay leaves, fresh pepper, and lemon juice.  Gently stir.  Turn the heat up to medium and cook for another 2 minutes.

3.  Stir in the cognac, beef consommé, beef broth, and chicken broth.  Simmer for 10-15 minutes.  Meanwhile, place the sliced of baguette on a lightly greased cookie sheet.  Spray the tops of the bread with cooking spray and bake at 375°F for 5 minutes, until lightly toasted.

4.  (Set oven to broil.)  Ladle the soup into serving bowls.  Float two or three baguette slices in each bowl of soup (enough to cover the surface) and top with shredded Gruyère.  Place the bowls under the broiler until the cheese is bubbly and begins to turn golden brown, about 2 minutes.  Serve immediately.

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Pumpkin Pancakes with Caramelized Apples

30 Tuesday Sep 2014

Posted by in Bread, Breakfast, Vegetarian

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Pumpkin Pancakes with Caramelized ApplesThese pancakes are a treat for breakfast in the fall with or without the caramelized apples.  Make yourself a homemade pumpkin spice latte while you’re at it!  (Mix two shots of espresso into steamed skim milk.  Stir in 1 heaping tbsp. canned pumpkin puree, ¼ tsp. cinnamon, 1/8 tsp. ground ginger and a drizzle of caramel sauce.)  Yum!

Pumpkin Pancakes with Caramelized Apples
Yield:  24 pancakes
Time:  30 minutes

For the pancakes:
3 cups cake flour
¼ cup sugar
1 heaping tbsp. baking powder
1½ tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
½ tsp. salt
2 cups skim milk
2 eggs
¾ cup canned pumpkin puree
2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 tbsp. melted butter

For the apples:
2 apples, thinly sliced
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
2 tbsp. light corn syrup
2 tbsp. heavy cream
2 tbsp. brown sugar

1.  In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the cake flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, and salt.

2.  In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the 2 cups of milk and eggs.  Stir in the canned pumpkin, vanilla, and melted butter.  Gently beat the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, whisking out any lumps.  Cook the pancakes over medium-low heat on a greased skillet until cooked through, roughly 3 minutes per side.

3.  Meanwhile, prepare the caramelized apples:  Toss the apple slices with the brown sugar, cinnamon and ginger.  Place in a lightly greased medium sauté pan and cook over medium-low heat until slightly tender, about 10 minutes.  Whisk together the corn syrup and heavy cream, then pour over the apples.  Simmer over medium heat for another 3-5 minutes.  Turn heat to low and stir occasionally until ready to serve over pumpkin pancakes.

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Pumpkin Pancakes with Caramelized Apples

Chicken Saltimbocca Florentine

24 Wednesday Sep 2014

Posted by in Boozy, Dinner

≈ 3 Comments

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Chicken Saltimbocca Florentine

One of my favorite parts about cooking with wine is that it forces you to open a bottle that you can then enjoy as dinner is in the oven (…or with your meal if you’re the patient type!)  I love this dish paired with a nice bottle of Italian wine, such as Montepulciano, Sangiovese, or Chianti, and a side of sautéed fresh spinach with roasted garlic.  Yum!

Chicken Saltimbocca
Yield: 4 servings
Time:  15 minutes active, approximately 70 minutes total

4 chicken breasts
1 tsp. dried crushed sage
1 tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
8 thin slices of prosciutto (or ham)
8 slices of provolone cheese
2 handfuls of fresh spinach
40 oz. tomato sauce
½ cup red wine
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
16 toothpicks

1.  Preheat the oven to 375°F.  Spread 4 tbsp. of tomato sauce into the base of a 9×13″ baking dish.  Set aside.

2.  Trim any visible fat off the chicken.  Cut each breast in half crosswise.  Pound to tenderize.*  (See bottom for note.)

3.  Lay the chicken on a flat surface, such as large cutting board.  Sprinkle with sage, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.  Top each piece of chicken with one slice of prosciutto, followed by one slice of provolone cheese.  Distribute the fresh spinach between all of the pieces of chicken.

Chicken Saltimbocca Florentine

 

 

 

 

 

4.  Next, you’ll need to roll each piece up, lengthwise.  Start at the skinny end (if one end is more narrow then the other) and work your way toward the wider end, rolling in a manner that is fairly tight and containing all of “fillings” (meat, cheese and spinach) within the roll.  Secure with two toothpicks and place in the prepared baking dish.  Repeat with all pieces of chicken.

5.  In a large measuring cup, mix together the remaining tomato sauce, red wine, and EVOO.  Pour over the rolled-up chicken.  Bake at 375°F for 45-55 minutes, until cooked through.

 

*I find the easiest and cleanest way to tenderize the chicken is to line a cutting board with plastic wrap, place the chicken down, and cover with another piece of plastic wrap.  Pound using a meat mallet or the base of an aluminum can, such as a can of black beans.  I know it’s probably not the best idea in the world to literally hammer plastic wrap into raw chicken (my graduate thesis focused on the endocrine-disrupting properties of BPA), but I figure that it’s safer then spewing salmonella all over my kitchen.  Life is full of tough decisions!

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