BB: Blue Cheese Souffle

I knew this would be in interesting recipe for me. I don't care much for blue cheese or eggy things, but I was certainly intrigued by the thought of finally attempting a souffle. I also knew that it wouldn't come out perfectly for me, as "over-mix" seems to be my middle name in the kitchen. This time, I actually don't think I overmixed, but since I cut the recipe in half and used a smaller ramekin, I wasn't sure how long to bake. I checked at 25 min and it had risen and was golden brown, so I took it out. On the way to the photo area... yeah. Deflation. The taste was good, just a hint of the blue cheese, but the eggy-ness really isn't my thing. Still, this was a fun adventure in cooking something new. See how the other Barefoot Bloggers fared, here.

Blue Cheese Soufflé
Source: Barefoot in Paris on page 50
Chosen by Summer of Sexy Apartment

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing the dish

1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan, plus extra for sprinkling

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup scalded milk

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pinch cayenne pepper

Pinch nutmeg

4 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature

3 ounces good Roquefort cheese, chopped

5 extra-large egg whites, at room temperature

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Butter the inside of an 8-cup souffle dish (7 1/2 inches in diameter and 3 1/4 inches deep) and sprinkle evenly with Parmesan.
3. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. With a wooden spoon, stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the hot milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, the cayenne, and nutmeg. Cook over low heat, whisking constantly, for 1 minute, until smooth and thick.
4. Off the heat, while still hot, whisk in the egg yolks, one at a time. Stir in the Roquefort and the 1/4 cup of Parmesan and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
5. Put the egg whites, cream of tartar, and a pinch of salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on low speed for 1 minute, on medium speed for 1 minute, then finally on high speed until they form firm, glossy peaks.
6. Whisk 1/4 of the egg whites into the cheese sauce to lighten and then fold in the rest. Pour into the souffle dish, then smooth the top. Draw a large circle on top with the spatula to help the souffle rise evenly, and place in the middle of the oven. Turn the temperature down to 375 degrees F. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes (don't peek!) until puffed and brown. Serve immediately.

BB: Cheddar Corn Chowder

Corn chowder was a perfect choice for this week’s Barefoot Bloggers recipe.  The air is just started to get chilly here, and we are primed for soups and chilis alike.   I’ve never made a chowder before, so this was a first for me.  I read some comments from the others barefoot bloggers and decided to cut down the recipe quite a bit.  I also took notes from Debby and added Old Bay seasoning (yum!).  I also decided to cut way down on the fat, because, well…that’s what I do! 

The chowder turned out really good – hearty and it hit the spot on a cold day.  I’ve listed my version below, but click the name to link to Ina’s version. 

Cheddar Corn Chowder
Chosen by: Jill of My Next Life 
Source: Adapted from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook on page 74
Serves 4

• 2 Tablespoons good olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions (1 large onion)
• 1/4 cup flour  (I used whole wheat)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 3 cups medium-diced white boiling potatoes, unpeeled (1 pounds)
• 5 cups corn kernels, fresh (5 ears) or frozen (1.5 pounds)
• 1/2 cup 2% milk
• 2 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, grated

Directions

In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil.  Reduce the heat to medium, add the onions and cook for 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent.

Stir in the flour, salt, pepper, old bay and turmeric and cook for 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock and potatoes, bring to a boil, and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender (it took a lot longer for me, I just let them simmer).  If using fresh corn, cut the kernels off the cob and blanch them for 3 minutes in boiling salted water. Drain. (If using frozen corn you can skip this step.) Add the corn to the soup, then add the milk and cheddar. Cook for 5 more minutes, until the cheese is melted. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

BB: Birthday Sheet Cake

This month, we had two cake recipes for Barefoot Bloggers. I was happy to make Beatty's Chocolate cake and share it with friends, but I didn't have an occasion for the other recipe, Birthday Sheet cake. I decided to take the recipe and try to make a clean version. It was quite a challenge, as I had to switch out butter, flour, eggs, and sugar - all the things that make cake great! Armed with knowledge I've picked up from reading Clean Eating Magazine, I set out to twist this recipe and make some clean cupcakes. (I should note that I have no idea if cornstarch is clean or not, but I kept that ingredient in the recipe).

In my first attempt, I used whole wheat pastry flour to replace the white flour, and sucanat to replace the sugar. The results were delicious, but nowhere near a white cake. The sucanat is closed to brown sugar than white, so it imparted a nice molasses flavor to the cake. I think my baking soda was a little old, causing a failure to rise properly. I blended some cream cheese, agave nectar, and lemon zest together for an impromptu frosting and it was fantastic! The recipe ended up being a start to a great carrot or apple spice cake - so I can't wait to experiment further!

For my second attempt, I set out to try and correct the recipe by switching to spelt flour and agave nectar for a lighter flavor. I got a little confusing in the grocery store, since it was my first time buying spelt flour. I got what was labeled as spelt flour, and probably should have gotten white spelt flour. The regular spelt flour looks a lot like the whole wheat pastry flour, but I was trying to go for something lighter than that. Maybe next time I'll get the white spelt flour and see how the cupcakes turn out then! Using agave nectar has it's own complications, since it's a liquid about the consistency of thin honey. To compensate, I needed to increase the amount of dry ingredients by I'm-not-sure-how-much. Luckily, my first attempt at making cupcakes with agave nectar turned out great! Armed with new baking soda, my cupcakes had gorgeous high domes. I tried a few different levels of batter in the muffin tin, and ultimately preferred the ones that were 2/3 full. Like others that made the original recipe, these are very dense cupcakes.

I wasn't sure what kind of frosting to make for these. My original vision was to use a chocolate cream cheese frosting that I'd seen in Clean Eating Magazine, but in tasting the cupcakes, that just didn't seem right. Then I tried a peanut butter cream cheese, but that wasn't right either. I ended up using the same simple frosting I'd made for the first batch of cupcakes, and it was a perfect, light complement to the dense cake.

If you aren't as crazy as I am, and want a normal sheet cake, see the recipe here, and see how the other Barefoot Bloggers fared with the recipe, here. Otherwise....

My-First-Attempt-At-A-Clean-Cupcake
Makes 12 cupcakes

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/2 cup agave nectar
• 3 egg whites
• 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
• 2 ounces greek yogurt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/3 cup spelt flour
  
• 1 3/4 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/3 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1. Add oil, agave nectar, egg white, flaxseed, yogurt, and vanilla extract in a medium bowl. Stir to combine.
2. In a separate bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, salt and baking soda. Whisk to combine.
3. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, combine thoroughly.
4. Line muffin tin with cupcake liners. Fill liners 2/3 full with cupcake batter. Bake at 350 for 18-24 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool a few minutes in the pan, then remove and cool on a wire rack before frosting.

Simple Cream Cheese Icing

• 8 ounces low fat cream cheese, softened
  
• 8 teaspoons agave nectar
• 1 tsp lemon zest

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and beat until smooth. Spread on cooled cupcakes.

Nutritional Information:
(Per cupcake, assumes 1 batch of frosting spread equally between 12 cupcakes)
Calories: 220
Fat: 7.1 g
Sat Fat: 3.1 g
Cholesterol: 13.6 mg
Sodium: 183 mg
Potassium: 83 mg
Carbohydrate: 34.4 g
Fiber: 3.3 g
Sugar: 20 g
Protein: 4.8 g

BB: Beatty's Chocolate Cake

This week for Barefoot Bloggers we had the second of two cakes. I made this earlier in the month for a party to honor a friend who is getting married. Since she loves chocolate and this cake was on my To Do list for the month, I thought it would be a great fit for this special occasion.

As I started making the cake, I was pleased to see it was one of the easy recipes... combine dry ingredients in one bowl, wet in the other, them mix together. To me, nothing is worse than having to add each ingredient one at a time to a whirring stand mixer. I love easy. At the end, as I added the coffee, I realize that this was quite similar to my favorite chocolate cake recipe, Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Cake (which I used here for S'mores Cupcakes). A quick look at the two recipes shows that they are nearly identical! Slight variations in baking soda, baking powder, vanilla extract and the use of hot coffee or hot water are all that separate these two recipes.

I made 1.5 times the original recipe because I have 9 inch cake pans and hate having flat cakes. I divided the batter between those two pans, but it proved to be too much batter as the cake rise quite a bit. Mine collapsed a little in the center, so I should have reserved some of that batter for cupcakes.

Ultimately, I loved the lift that these cakes had, but love the ease of using regular milk and water in the Hershey's recipe. I'll probably tweak the two recipes together the next time I need chocolate cake. Both recipes make truly fantastic, moist, rich, chocolatey cake. The frosting was very easy to work with, spread smoothly (even with my poor decorating skills) and was a good amount of chocolate and sweet.

I topped the cake with lazy chocolate covered strawberries and white chocolate shavings. Everyone loved it!

Beatty’s Chocolate Cake
Source: Barefoot Contessa at Home on pages 165-166
Chosen by Mary of Passionate Perseverance

• Butter, for greasing the pans
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cups good cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup buttermilk, shaken
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 2 (8-inch) round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

Place 1 layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake.


Chocolate Frosting:

• 6 ounces good semisweet chocolate (recommended: Callebaut)
• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 extra-large egg yolk, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
• 1 tablespoon instant coffee powder

Chop the chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until just melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the confectioners' sugar, then beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy. Dissolve the coffee powder in 2 teaspoons of the hottest tap water. On low speed, add the chocolate and coffee to the butter mixture and mix until blended. Don't whip! Spread immediately on the cooled cake.

BB: White Pizza with Arugula

I love pizza and my husband loves white pizza, so I knew this would be great for us! However, I don't love arugula. In fact, I hate it. I have tried many times to like it to no avail. So we skipped the arugula and vinaigrette, and topped it with artichokes, red pepper, and kalamata olives instead! It was a beautiful weekend, and heating up the oven just seemed wrong so we cooked it on the grill.



See how everyone else liked the pizza, over at Barefoot Bloggers.

White Pizza with Arugula
Source: Ina Garten Back to Basics on page 82
Chosen by Andrea of Nummy Kitchen

For the dough:
* 1 1/4 cups warm (100 to 110) water
* 2 packages dry yeast
* 1 tablespoon honey
* Good olive oil
* 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading
* Kosher salt
* 4 cloves garlic, sliced
* 5 sprigs fresh thyme
* 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

For the topping:
* 3 cups grated Italian fontina cheese (8 ounces)
* 1 1/2 cups grated fresh mozzarella cheese (7 ounces)
* 11 ounces creamy goat cheese, such as montrachet, crumbled

(For the vinaigrette:
* 1/2 cup good olive oil
* 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
* Freshly ground black pepper
* 8 ounces baby arugula
* 1 lemon, sliced)

We added roasted artichoke hearts, chopped red bell pepper, and chopped kalamata olives!

Directions

Mix the dough.

Combine the water, yeast, honey and 3 tablespoons of olive oil in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. When the yeast is dissolved, add 3 cups of flour, then 2 teaspoons salt, and mix on medium-low speed. While mixing, add up to 1 more cup of flour, or just enough to make a soft dough. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until smooth, sprinkling it with the flour as necessary to keep it from sticking to the bowl.

Knead by hand.

When the dough is ready, turn it out onto a floured board and knead it by hand a dozen times. It should be smooth and elastic.

Let it rise.

Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl and turn it to cover it lightly with oil. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and allow the dough to rise at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Make garlic oil.

Place 1/2 cup of olive oil, the garlic, thyme and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook for 10 minutes, making sure the garlic doesn't burn. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. (Be sure your oven is clean!)

Portion the dough.

Dump the dough onto a board and divide it into 6 equal pieces. Place the doughs on sheet pans lined with parchment paper and cover them with a damp towel. Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes. Use immediately, or refrigerate for up to 4 hours.

Stretch the dough.

Press and stretch each ball into an 8-inch circle and place 2 circles on each sheet pan lined with parchment paper. (If you've chilled the dough, take it out of the refrigerator approximately 30 minutes ahead to let it come to room temperature.)

Top the dough.

Brush the pizzas with the garlic oil, and sprinkle each one liberally with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the pizzas evenly with fontina, mozzarella and goat cheese. Drizzle each pizza with 1 tablespoon more of the garlic oil and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the crusts are crisp and the cheeses begin to brown.

Make the vinaigrette.

Meanwhile, whisk together 1/2 cup of olive oil, the lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

Add the greens.

When the pizzas are done, place the arugula in a large bowl and toss with just enough lemon vinaigrette to moisten. Place a large bunch of arugula on each pizza and a slice of lemon and serve immediately.

TIP Make sure the bowl is warm before you put the water and yeast in; the water must be warm for the yeast to develop.

TIP Salt inhibits the growth of yeast; add half the flour, then the salt, and then the rest of the flour.

TIP To make sure yeast is still "alive," or active, put it in water and allow it to sit for a few minutes. If it becomes creamy or foamy, it's active.

BB: Mango Banana Daiquiri

Finally! A recipe for Barefoot Bloggers that calls for booze! This is a delicious new option for our summer adult beverage repertoire.


Mango Banana Daiquiris
Source: Ina Garten, Back to Basics on page 47
Chosen by Veronica of Supermarket Serenade
Serves 4

2 cups chopped ripe mango (1 to 2 mangos, peeled and seeded)
1 ripe banana, chopped
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lime juice (4 limes)
1/4 cup sugar syrup* (I used 2-3 tablespoons of agave nectar)
1 1/4 cups dark rum, such as Mount Gay

Mango slices, for serving

Place the mango, banana, lime juice, sugar syrup, and rum in a blender and process until smooth. Add 2 cups of ice and process again until smooth and thick. Serve ice-cold in highball glasses with the mango slices.

*To make simple syrup, heat 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan until the sugar dissolves. Chill.

BB: Pasta with sundried tomatoes

I'm a little (ok, a lot) late on my Barefoot Bloggers recipes this week, but here was the first recipe from July: Pasta with sundried tomatoes. At first I thought it was a warm pasta dish, but as I read on, I realized it was more of a pasta salad - and a delicious sounding one! I finally got around to making it and I am so glad I did. Ina does not disappoint with this recipe! I loved the other pasta salad we've done - pesto, pasta, and peas, and this recipe with be another great alternative in my recipe book to the traditional pasta salads.


I found it to be plenty salty as written between the kalamatas and capers, so next time I will cut down the amount of salt in the dressing. Also, I only used 8 ounces of mozarella - there was still plenty to go around!

Pasta with sundried tomatoes
Source: Barefoot Contessa Family Style on page 58
Chosen by Cat of Delta Whiskey

Ingredients

* 1/2 pound fusilli (spirals) pasta
* Kosher salt
* Olive oil
* 1 pound ripe tomatoes, medium-diced
* 3/4 cup good black olives, such as kalamata, pitted and diced
* 1 pound fresh mozzarella, medium-diced (I used about 8 oz)
* 6 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped (I used dried, reconstituted)

For the dressing:

* 5 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained (I used dried, reconstituted)
* 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
* 6 tablespoons good olive oil
* 1 garlic clove, diced
* 1 teaspoon capers, drained
* 2 teaspoons kosher salt
* 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
* 1 cup packed basil leaves, julienned

Directions

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water with a splash of oil to keep it from sticking together. Boil for 12 minutes, or according to the directions on the package. Drain well and allow to cool. Place the pasta in a bowl and add the tomatoes, olives, mozzarella, and chopped sun-dried tomatoes.

For the dressing, combine the sun-dried tomatoes, vinegar, olive oil, garlic, capers, salt, and pepper in a food processor until almost smooth.

Pour the dressing over the pasta, sprinkle with the Parmesan and basil, and toss well.

BB: Peach and Blueberry Crumbles

One of this month's Barefoot Bloggers recipes was Peach and Blueberry Crumbles. I made half the recipe and divided it into four 7 oz ramekins for baking. These were just ok for me. I wasn't loving them, but they were good with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.



Peach and Blueberry Crumbles
Source: Barefoot Contessa at Home on pages 197-198
Chosen by Aggie of Aggie’s Kitchen

For the fruit

* 2 lbs firm, ripe peaches (6-8 peaches)
* 2 tsp grated lemon zest
* 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
* 1/2 cup granulated sugar
* 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
* 1 cup fresh blueberries (1/2 pint)

For the Crumble

* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/2 cup granulated sugar
* 1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
* 1/2 tsp kosher salt
* 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
* 1/4 lb (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Immerse the peaches in boiling water for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until their skins peel off easily. Place them immediately in cold water. Peel the peaches, slice them into thick wedges, and place them in a large bowl. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, granulated sugar, and flour. Toss well. Gently mix in the blueberries. Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes. Spoon the mixture into ramekins or custard cups.
3. For the topping, combine the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the butter is the size of peas. Rub the mixture with your fingertips until it’s in big crumbles, then sprinkle evenly over the fruit. Place the ramekins on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the tops are browned and crisp and the juices are bubbly. Serve warm or at room temperature. If you want to make these early, store the unbaked crumbles int he refrigerator and bake before dinner. Serves 5 to 6.

BB: Gazpacho

I've never really had an interest in trying gazpacho. Cold soup? Normally, I am all about soup, but HOT soup. Cold soup does not sound interesting to me at all. Reluctantly but in the spirit of Barefoot Bloggers, I made June's second recipe - gazpacho. And you know what? I love it. With the coarse chopped vegetables, it is more reminiscent of pico de gallo or salsa than the pureed smooth tomato soup I typically think of when I hear "gazpacho." I added some cilantro for flair, and while a toasty piece of crusty bread would go fabulously with this, I didn't pick any up at the store and have to settle for gazpacho, all by itself.



Gazpacho
The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook on page 79
Chosen by Meryl of My Bit of Earth

* 1 hothouse cucumber, halved and seeded, but not peeled
* 2 red bell peppers, cored and seeded
* 4 plum tomatoes
* 1 red onion
* 3 garlic cloves, minced
* 23 ounces tomato juice (3 cups)
* 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
* 1/4 cup good olive oil (I've been cutting back on this quite a bit)
* 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
* 1 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Roughly chop the cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes, and red onions into 1-inch cubes. Put each vegetable separately into a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until it is coarsely chopped. Do not overprocess!

After each vegetable is processed, combine them in a large bowl and add the garlic, tomato juice, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix well and chill before serving. The longer gazpacho sits, the more the flavors develop.

BB: Curried Couscous

I think I may have had couscous once or twice, but I have never prepared it at home, so I was excited to try making it. Now, it is totally my new favorite thing. So many ways to dress it up and SO easy to prepare! 5 minutes in boiling water, which it completely soaks up? How easy is that? I am in love. If only it weren't all carbs. We loved this dish and the raisins were a particularly welcome burst of sweetness. I was pleasantly surprised (due to a lack of knowledge of cumin) that the dish is not spicy. See how the others did!


Curried Couscous
Chosen by Ellyn of Recipe Collector and Tester
Source: The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, page 94

1 1/2 cups couscous
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup good olive oil
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup small-diced carrots
1/2 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup dried currants or raisins
1/4 cup blanched, sliced almonds
2 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)
1/4 cup small-diced red onion

Directions
Place the couscous in a medium bowl. Melt the butter in the boiling water and pour over the couscous. Cover tightly and allow the couscous to soak for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
Whisk together the yogurt, olive oil, vinegar, curry, turmeric, salt, and pepper. Pour over the fluffed couscous, and mix well with a fork. Add the carrots, parsley, currants, almonds, scallions, and red onions, mix well, and season to taste. Serve at room temperature.

BB: Outrageous Brownies

I've heard a lot about this brownie recipe, as it is a favorite of many fellow bakers. For over a year, I have loved the Chewy, Fudgy Triple-Chocolate Brownies from my copy of Baking Illustrated, and have been afraid to try anything new. I guess having brownies as the next Barefoot Bloggers recipe helped give me the chance to make them!


I used them in my husband's favorite brownie concoction - Caramel Butterscotch Brownies. I cut the recipe in half to have enough for the layered brownies, and ended up with enough leftover to make 6 lil' muffin brownies. I have to admit, this brownie recipe wasn't up to the challenge. Part of it is my fault, as I certainly underbaked them, but they definitely had too much butter. We'll be sticking with our favorite brownie recipe from here on out!

Outrageous Brownies
Chosen by: Eva of I’m Boring
Source: The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook on page 172

* 1 pound unsalted butter
* 1 pound plus 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, divided
* 6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
* 6 extra-large eggs
* 3 tablespoons instant coffee powder
* 2 tablespoons real vanilla extract
* 2 1/4 cups sugar
* 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided (1 cup for batter and 1/4 cup in the chips and nuts)
* 1 tablespoon baking powder
* 1 teaspoon kosher salt
* 3 cups diced walnut pieces

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 13 by 18 by 1 1/2-inch sheet pan.

Melt together the butter, 1 pound chocolate chips, and unsweetened chocolate on top of a double boiler. Cool slightly. Stir together the eggs, instant coffee, vanilla and sugar. Stir in the warm chocolate mixture and cool to room temperature.

Stir together 1 cup of the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to cooled chocolate mixture. Toss the walnuts and 12 ounces of chocolate chips with 1/4 cup flour to coat. Then add to the chocolate batter. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until tester just comes out clean. Halfway through the baking, rap the pan against the oven shelf to allow air to escape from between the pan and the brownie dough. Do not over-bake! Cool thoroughly, refrigerate well and cut into squares.

BB: Tuna Salad

There was definitely no way I was going to work with fresh tuna, so I used canned for this installment of Barefoot Bloggers. It was still fantastically delicious, so I don't feel like I was missing out on anything ;-) I can't wait to make it again!

Tuna Salad
Chosen by Kate of Warm Olives and Cool Cocktails

* 2 pounds very fresh tuna steak, cut 1-inch thick
* 4 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for brushing
* 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus extra for sprinkling
* 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black, plus extra for sprinkling
* 2 limes, zest grated
* 1 teaspoon wasabi powder
* 6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (3 limes)
* 2 teaspoons soy sauce
* 10 dashes hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco)
* 1 to 2 ripe Hass avocados, medium diced
* 1/4 cup minced scallions, white and green parts (2 scallions)
* 1/4 cup red onion, small diced

Directions

Brush the tuna steaks with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the tuna steaks in a very hot saute pan and cook for only 1 minute on each side. Set aside on a platter.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the olive oil, salt, pepper, lime zest, wasabi, lime juice, soy sauce and hot sauce. Add the avocados to the vinaigrette.

Cut the tuna in chunks and place it in a large bowl. Add the scallions and red onion and mix well. Pour the vinaigrette mixture over the tuna and carefully mix.

BB: Croque Monsieur

I have to admit, upon reading the title of the second Barefoot Bloggers recipe for April, I had noooo idea what it was. The lack of a photo was not helping my cause. A simple read through the directions revealed that croque monsieur is simply the devil, in ham-and-oh-so-much-cheese-sandwich form. Given we are a no ham house-sold, I decided these would have to be glorified grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato. YUM.


This definitely falls under the category of "decadent." Let's see: bread, layered with cheese, layered with more bread, slathered with cheese sauce, layered with MORE cheese.


Though I now know that I mistakenly left out the parmesan, I thought the cheese sauce itself was a little bland. Maybe I just under-seasoned it.(No worries, I added the parmesan after the final layer of gruyere - it was not left out!) I could have done without the mustard, but I get why it's there given the original concept of ham being present. We used sourdough bread, which gave it a great additional flavor. Overall, you can't go wrong with lots of cheese and bread! Very delicious!

Croque Monsieur
Chosen by Kathy of All Food Considered
Source: Barefoot in Paris on page 48

* 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 2 cups hot milk
* 1 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* Pinch nutmeg
* 12 ounces Gruyere, grated (5 cups)
* 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
* 16 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed
* Dijon mustard
* 8 ounces baked Virginia ham, sliced but not paper thin (I substituted tomato slices)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Melt the butter over low heat in a small saucepan and add the flour all at once, stirring with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Slowly pour the hot milk into the butter–flour mixture and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thickened. Off the heat add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup grated Gruyere, and the Parmesan and set aside.

To toast the bread, place the slices on 2 baking sheets and bake for 5 minutes. Turn each slice and bake for another 2 minutes, until toasted.

Lightly brush half the toasted breads with mustard, add a slice of ham to each, and sprinkle with half the remaining Gruyere. Top with another piece of toasted bread. Slather the tops with the cheese sauce, sprinkle with the remaining Gruyere, and bake the sandwiches for 5 minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the topping is bubbly and lightly browned. Serve hot.

BB: Chinese Chicken Salad

As soon as I saw peanut butter in the ingredient list, I knew this would be a chicken salad my husband could get behind. Admittedly, I don't like asparagus OR red pepper, so I left those out. I did have some leftover snow peas, so I decided to add those in. After reading some reviews, it seemed like the salt in the sauce was unnecessary, so I left it out. Ultimately, we absolutely LOVED it and I can't wait to make it again... though the next time will be a little different, I don't want to use that much oil again!

Update (04/28/09): I have made this a few times, replacing the oil in the dressing with 2% greek yogurt - it works great!!


* 4 split chicken breasts (bone-in, skin-on)
* Good olive oil
* Kosher salt
* Freshly ground black pepper
* 1/2 pound asparagus, ends removed, and cut in thirds diagonally
* 1 red bell pepper, cored and seeded
* 2 scallions (white and green parts), sliced diagonally
* 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds, toasted

For the dressing:

* 1/2 cup vegetable oil (or 1/2 cup 2% greek yogurt)
* 1/4 cup good apple cider vinegar
* 3 tablespoons soy sauce
* 1 1/2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
* 1/2 tablespoon honey
* 1 clove garlic, minced
* 1/2 teaspoon peeled, grated fresh ginger
* 1/2 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
* 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
* 2 teaspoons kosher salt
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan and rub with the skin with olive oil. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is just cooked. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove the meat from the bones, discard the skin, and shred the chicken in large bite-sized pieces.

Blanch the asparagus in a pot of boiling salted water for 3 to 5 minutes until crisp-tender. Plunge into ice water to stop the cooking. Drain. Cut the peppers in strips about the size of the asparagus pieces. Combine the cut chicken, asparagus, and peppers in a large bowl.

Whisk together all of the ingredients for the dressing and pour over the chicken and vegetables. Add the scallions and sesame seeds and season to taste. Serve cold or at room temperature.

BB: Tomato and Goat Cheese Tarts

The next Barefoot Bloggers for March was Tomato and Goat Cheese Tarts. This sounded like something we would love - and I was right! It's a great appetizer! I followed some fellow BBs and cut the puff pastry in squares. I, too, think it's a sin to waste puff pastry like that!

Tomato and Goat Cheese Tarts
Source: Ina Garten, Back to Basics, on pages 92-93
Chosen by Anne of Anne Strawberry

1 package (17.3 ounces/2 sheets) puff pastry, defrosted
Good olive oil
4 cups thinly sliced yellow onions (2 large onions)
3 large garlic cloves, cut into thin slivers
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons dry white wine
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan, plus 2 ounces shaved with a vegetable peeler
4 ounces garlic-and-herb goat cheese (recommended: Montrachet)
1 large tomato, cut into 4 (1/4-inch-thick) slices
3 tablespoons julienned basil leaves

Directions

Unfold a sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and roll it lightly to an 11 by 11-inch square. Using a 6-inch wide saucer or other round object as a guide, cut 2 circles from the sheet of puff pastry, discarding the scraps. Repeat with the second pastry sheet to make 4 circles in all. Place the pastry circles on 2 sheet pans lined with parchment paper and refrigerate until ready to use.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium to low heat and add the onions and garlic. Saute for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are limp and there is almost no moisture remaining in the skillet. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, the wine, and thyme and continue to cook for another 10 minutes, until the onions are lightly browned. Remove from the heat.

Using a sharp paring knife, score a 1/4-inch-wide border around each pastry circle. Prick the pastry inside the score lines with the tines of a fork and sprinkle a tablespoon of grated Parmesan on each round, staying inside the scored border.

Place 1/4 of the onion mixture on each circle, again staying within the scored edge. Crumble 1 ounce of goat cheese on top of the onions. Place a slice of tomato in the center of each tart. Brush the tomato lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with basil, salt, and pepper. Finally, scatter 4 or 5 shards of Parmesan on each tart.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown. The bottom sheet pan may need an extra few minutes in the oven. Serve hot or warm.

BB: Chicken Piccata

I'm back! Though I set up a few recipes to post in my absence, my husband and I just spent two weeks bopping around Europe. We visited Rome, Florence, Barcelona, Dublin, and London! It was a crazy but wonderful two weeks and we are glad to be back home for some home-cooked meals!


Consequently, here I am at the last minute with the two Barefoot Bloggers recipes for March. The benefit, I suppose, is that I had the chance to see how others faired before I made the dishes. One thing I kept reading about this particular dish is that the lemon flavor was quite strong. I'm not so in love with lemon to begin with, so I cut the amount of lemon juice in half. I served the chicken with a simple salad (pasta would be nice but that's all we ate for a week in Italy, so we needed a break!). We both thought it was delicious and will definitely make it again! I enjoyed how quickly it cooked up and how well the coating adhered to the chicken (normally a struggle for me).


Chicken Piccata
Source: Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa at Home, pages 96-97
Serves 2, adaptations in italics
Chosen by Lindsey of Noodle Nights and Muffin Mornings

2 split (1 whole) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 extra-large egg
1/2 tablespoon water
3/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
Good olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
1/6 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 lemon), lemon halves reserved
1/2 cup dry white wine
Sliced lemon, for serving
Chopped fresh parsley leaves, for serving

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Place each chicken breast between 2 sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap and pound out to 1/4-inch thick. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.

Mix the flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a shallow plate. In a second plate, beat the egg and 1/2 tablespoon of water together. Place the bread crumbs on a third plate. Dip each chicken breast first in the flour, shake off the excess, and then dip in the egg and bread crumb mixtures.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saute pan over medium to medium-low heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for 2 minutes on each side, until browned. Place them on the sheet pan and allow them to bake for 5 to 10 minutes while you make the sauce.

For the sauce, wipe out the saute pan with a dry paper towel. Over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and then add the lemon juice, wine, the reserved lemon halves, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Boil over high heat until reduced in half, about 2 minutes. Off the heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and swirl to combine. Discard the lemon halves and serve 1 chicken breast on each plate. Spoon on the sauce and serve with a slice of lemon and a sprinkling of fresh parsley.

BB: Meringues Chantilly

I loooove meringue cookies, despite the fact that when I first started making them, I was not so good at it. I've come a long way since then, and they are such a nice, light dessert - I love making them! This recipe combines an already great item with whipped cream and stewed berries - how can you go wrong? I loved it!




Meringues Chantilly
Chosen by BMK of Reservations Not Required
from Barefoot in Paris, page 176

BB: Easy Sticky Buns

I learned a few things making this week's recipe for Barefoot Bloggers.

1. These are really really good (when not burnt).

2. I should pay more attention to potentially oozing brown sugar/butter all over my oven, because airing out a smoke filled kitchen with it's 10 degrees outside is less than enjoyable. (Secondary lesson here is to copy down the ALL the instructions, since the parchment lined baking sheet would have helped. Tremendously.)

3. I do not know how to voluntarily disconnect my smoke detector. (maybe this is a good thing?)

I don't have good pictures because I definitely had some issues, and I don't think I flipped them soon enough. When I did, the bottom had already hardened. Anyway... here's a glimpse of what could have been...



Easy Sticky Buns
from Back to Basics, page 240
Chosen by Melissa of Made by Melissa
Be sure to check out how everyone else faired, here.

Makes 12
We used to make really delicious sticky buns at Barefoot Contessa, but they took two days to make because the yeast dough needed to rise overnight in the refrigerator. I was dying to find a way to make them easier, so I decided to try baking them with Pepperidge Farm puff pastry dough, instead. OMG are they good … and they’re really easy to make! Light, flaky dough filled with brown sugar, toasted pecans, and sweet raisins — my friends go crazy when I make these.

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup pecans, chopped in very large pieces
1 package (17.3 ounces/2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, defrosted for the filling
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup raisins (I used craisins)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place a 12-cup standard muffin tin on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the 12 tablespoons butter and 1/3 cup brown sugar. Place 1 rounded tablespoon of the mixture in each of the 12 muffin cups. Distribute the pecans evenly among the 12 muffin cups on top of the butter and sugar mixture.

Lightly flour a wooden board or stone surface. Unfold one sheet of puff pastry with the folds going left to right. Brush the whole sheet with half of the melted butter. Leaving a 1-inch border on the puff pastry, sprinkle each sheet with 1/3 cup of the brown sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the cinnamon, and 1/2 cup of the raisins. Starting with the end nearest you, roll the pastry up snugly like a jelly roll around the filling, finishing the roll with the seam side down. Trim the ends of the roll about 1/2 inch and discard. Slice the roll in 6 equal pieces, each about 1 1/2 inches wide. Place each piece, spiral side up, in 6 of the muffin cups. Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry to make 12 sticky buns.

Bake for 30 minutes, until the sticky buns are golden to dark brown on top and firm to the touch. Allow to cool for 5 minutes only, invert the buns onto the parchment paper (ease the filling and pecans out onto the buns with a spoon), and cool completely.

BB: Banana Sour Cream Pancakes

Pancakes are always a hit in our house, so I was really excited to see them as this week's Barefoot Bloggers recipe! I made a few substitutions, that have recently become pretty standard for me. First, I used greek yogurt (2%) in place of sour cream. I also used whole wheat pastry flour instead of all-purpose flour. I also had some frozen bananas I wanted to use up, so I chopped them and mixed them in with the wet ingredients instead of sprinkling them on the batter as it cooked. These pancakes are amazing!! I ate way too many, but we still had half the batch leftover to freeze for another day - yay!


Banana Sour Cream Pancakes
Barefoot Contessa Family Style, page 177
Chosen by Karen of Something Sweet by Karen

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk
• 2 extra-large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• Unsalted butter
• 2 ripe bananas, diced, plus extra for serving
• Pure maple syrup

Directions

Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk, eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones, mixing only until combined.

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat until it bubbles. Ladle the pancake batter into the pan to make 3 or 4 pancakes. Distribute a rounded tablespoon of bananas on each pancake. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until bubbles appear on top and the underside is nicely browned. Flip the pancakes and then cook for another minute until browned. Wipe out the pan with a paper towel, add more butter to the pan, and continue cooking pancakes until all the batter is used. Serve with sliced bananas, butter and maple syrup.

BB: Pappa Al Pomidoro

Oops! I'm a day late with this recipe (though I made it 3 weeks ago!). The end of 2008 was a little busy with a trip to California. Last week's recipe for Barefoot Bloggers was pappa al pomidoro. This is one of my favorite things we've made... easy and SO delicious, perfect for the winter months! My husband doesn't eat pancetta, so I ended up skipping the topping altogether. It was still fabulous! Definitely make this if you get the chance!

Pappa Al Pomidoro
Back to Basics on page 68
Chosen by Natalie of Burned Bits

• 1/2 cup good olive oil
• 2 cups chopped yellow onion (2 onions)
• 1 cup medium-diced carrots, unpeeled (3 carrots)
• 1 fennel bulb, trimmed, cored, and medium-diced (1 1/2 cups) (I omitted)
  
• 4 teaspoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
• 3 cups (1-inch) diced ciabatta cubes, crusts removed
• 2 (28-ounce) cans good Italian plum tomatoes
  
• 4 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 1 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

For the topping:

• 3 cups (1-inch) diced ciabatta cubes
• 2 ounces thickly sliced pancetta, chopped
• 24 to 30 whole fresh basil leaves
• 3 tablespoons good olive oil, plus more for serving
• Salt and pepper

Directions

Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, fennel, and garlic and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, until tender. Add the ciabatta cubes and cook for 5 more minutes. Place the tomatoes in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process just until coarsely chopped. Add the tomatoes to the pot along with the chicken stock, red wine, basil, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, lower the heat, and allow to simmer, partially covered, for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

For the topping, place the ciabatta cubes, pancetta, and basil on a sheet pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss well. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 25 minutes, until all the ingredients are crisp. The basil leaves will turn dark and crisp, which is perfectly fine. Reheat the soup, if necessary, beat with a wire whisk until the bread is broken up. Stir in the Parmesan and taste for seasoning. Serve hot sprinkled with the topping and drizzled with additional olive oil.