Wednesday Recipes

Enjoy!

BRAIDED LEMON CHEESECAKE BREAD

This comes from The Baker Chick (otherwise known as Audra). If you haven't signed up for her e-newsletter, I highly recommend it. This recipe makes 12 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Dough:

3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup butter

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 (.25 ounce) package instant yeast (or 2 1/4 teaspoons)

1/4 cup white sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup water

1 egg

Cream Cheese Filling:

10 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup greek yogurt or sour cream

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup flour

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/2 cup lemon curd (homemade or store bought – recipe follows)

1 egg for brushing

raw sugar for sprinkling

Instructions

For the dough:

Heat the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Mix in butter; stir until melted. Let cool until lukewarm.

In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 1/4 cup flour, yeast, sugar and salt; whisk together. Add water, egg and the milk mixture; beat well with an electric mixer. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, using a wooden spoon to stir well after each addition. (dough will be too thick and sticky to use the mixers at this point.)

When the dough has just pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes, or alternately use the dough hook in a stand mixer. When ready, the dough will spring back when lightly pressed.

Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let rest on the counter for 10 minutes.

To assemble:

Roll out the dough into a 10" x 15" rectangle, on top of a piece of parchment paper. Lightly press two lines down the dough lengthwise, to divide it into 3 equal sections.

Use a bench scraper or non sharp knife (so you don't cut the parchment,) to cut crosswise strips down the length of the outside sections- making sure you have the same amount of strips on each side.

Spread the cream cheese filling down the center section, and top with the lemon curd.

To form the mock braid, lift the top dough strip and gently bring it across the filling diagonally. Repeat on the other side with the top dough strip, so that the two strips crisscross each other. Continue down the entire braid, alternating strips to form the loaf. (About 2/3 of the way through I switched and started folding the layers down instead of up and it worked well to cover all the filling.)

Transfer to a cookie sheet and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Leave to proof in a warm place for 45 minutes or until puffy. Brush with egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar.

Preheat oven to 350F. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden. Serve warm, room temperature or cold.

HOMEMADE LEMON CURD (IN A CAN!)

This also comes from The Baker Chick and goes with the Braided Lemon Cheesecake Bread. Makes 8 – 9 4 oz. jars.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup lemon zest (from about 5 lemons)

1 cup bottled lemon juice**

3/4 cup unsalted cold butter, cut into cubes

1/2 teaspoon of salt

7 large egg yolks

4 large whole eggs

Instructions

Prep your supplies:

If you plan to can, get everything prepped ahead of time. You'll need three pots: a smaller one with a bowl fitted on top or a double boiler, a large one that will fit all the jars and lids to sterilize them, and another large one with a strainer or rack inside to process the filled jars at the end. I used a large stock pot that had a steamer insert. You could also use a proper water canner.

Place the jars and lids, and a set of tongs in the designated pot and heat on high. Once the water starts boiling turn off and let them chill in the hot water until you're ready to fill them.

Fill the canning pot with water and clip a candy thermometer on the side. You want this water to be no higher than 180F when it's time to drop the jars into it, so let it heat up. You can always add cold water if needed to drop the temp down.

For the Lemon Curd!

Combine the sugar and lemon zest in a heatproof bowl (that you plan to use in your makeshift double boiler.) Work the zest into the sugar to release all the oils.

Stir in the juice, eggs, yolks and salt.

Place the bowl over the pot of simmering water and stir to combine. After a few minutes, add the butter cubes and stir until melted.

Clip the candy thermometer to the side of the bowl and stir frequently until it reaches 170F. (It will be thick and bubble like lava.)

Remove the bowl from the heat and strain it through a fine mesh sieve. (This removes all the zest and any eggy clumps.)

Use sterilized tongs to remove the jars from the hot water and set them on a clean towel. Dry them quickly and then fill them with lemon curd, leaving 1/2 inch of space at the top of each. Wipe down the rims if needed.

Use the tongs to remove the parts of the lids and dry them. Carefully screw the lids as tight as you can.

If your water is at 180F (a little lower is Ok,) carefully place the jars onto the rack and once boiling, process for 15 minutes. (Make sure all of your jars will fit before you begin. I ended up processing some in the pot I used to sterilize the jars.)

After the 15 minutes is up, remove the jars from the boiling water and place them on the counter or somewhere else safe and leave them be fore 12 hours. You'll hear the lids pop, and after the 12 hours is up you can check the lids to ensure they are on securely by pressing the tops.

Canned curd has a shelf life of 2-3 months if stored in a cool, dry, place. Or use it within a week or two of opening stored in the fridge

SPAGHETTI AND DROP MEATBALLS WITH TOMATO SAUCE

This comes from Mark Bittman in The New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. Mark wrote, “This fast version of spaghetti and meatballs with red gravy is ready in less than 30 minutes, but you’ll be chopping, stirring and monitoring heat — actively working — from start to finish. You’ll be busy, but not frantic, and rewarded not only with the twirling of pasta in half an hour, but with the satisfaction that you made every second count.” Time: 25 minutes; makes 4 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

12 ounces ground beef

6 ounces Parmesan, or about 1 1/2 cups

1 bunch fresh parsley

1/4 cup bread crumbs

1 egg

Black pepper

1 large onion

3 garlic cloves

6 cups canned crushed tomatoes (a little less than two 28-ounce cans)

3 bay leaves

1 pound spaghetti

Preparation

Bring a stockpot of water to a boil and salt it. Put the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

Put the ground beef in a medium bowl. Grate the cheese, put 1 cup over the meat and reserve the rest, about 1/2 cup. Chop 1/2 cup of parsley and add all but 2 tablespoons to the meat mixture; save the rest of the parsley for another use. Add the bread crumbs, crack in the egg, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Gently mix until everything is just combined.

Raise the heat to medium-high; use 2 teaspoons to drop rounds of the meatball mixture into the skillet without touching one another if you can help it. Adjust the heat so the meatballs sizzle but don’t burn and cook undisturbed until they’re lightly browned on the bottom, 5 to 6 minutes.

Meanwhile, trim, peel and chop the onion; scatter it around the meatballs. Peel and mince the garlic and put it on top of the onions.

When the meatballs are browned on the bottom and the aromatics begin to soften, add the tomatoes to the skillet, along with the bay leaves and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Adjust the heat so the mixture bubbles gently but steadily, then cover the skillet and cook until the meat cooks through, about 8 minutes. Remove the lid and let the sauce bubble vigorously to thicken for another 5 to 10 minutes, essentially while the pasta cooks. Stir only as needed and carefully if you do.

Add the pasta to the boiling water and stir. Start tasting after 5 minutes. When the pasta is tender but not mushy, drain it, reserving some cooking water. Return the pasta to the pot.

Move the meatballs to one side of the skillet with a spatula and stir the sauce; taste and adjust the seasoning. Discard the bay leaves and spoon about half the sauce into the pasta pot. Toss the pasta over low heat, adding a splash of cooking water to make it saucier if you like.

To serve, divide the pasta among 4 plates or bowls; top with the meatballs and the remaining sauce, and sprinkle the remaining Parmesan and parsley over the top.

BEEF CHILI WITH PINTO BEANS

This comes from Diana Rattray, About.com's Southern Food expert. Diana wrote, “This hearty chili gets extra heat and flavor from jalapeno peppers and garlic. Top this chili with a little shredded Cheddar cheese or sliced green onions and serve it along with your favorite cornbread.

“This chili can be cooked in the slow cooker or on the stovetop. The recipe is easily doubled for a crowd.” Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 300 minutes (5 hours); Total Time: 320 minutes; Yield: Makes 6 to 8 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 pounds ground beef, 85% lean, or use part ground pork

1 cup chopped onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chili peppers

3 tablespoons minced jalapeno peppers

1 large can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes

1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes

3 tablespoons tomato paste, about half of a 6-ounce can

1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans, drained

3 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon granulated sugar, optional

3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

dash cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Preparation

In a large skillet, brown the ground beef with the onion until no longer pink and the onion is tender. Add the bell pepper and garlic and continue cooking, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the canned chili peppers and jalapeno peppers and cook for 1 minute more.

Transfer to the slow cooker* and add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, pinto beans, chili powder, sugar, cumin, cayenne and black pepper, and salt, to taste.

Cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours or on HIGH for 2 to 4 hours.

Serve with fresh baked buttermilk cornbread or Tex-Mex cornbread.

*This can also be cooked on the stovetop. Use a Dutch oven to brown the meat and vegetables as above. Add the remaining ingredients, cover, and simmer over low heat for about 1 1/2 hours.

BASIC BUTTERMILK CORNBREAD

This also comes from Diana Rattray, who writes, “This is a simple, classic cornbread recipe made in a cast iron skillet with buttermilk. There's no sugar in a Southern style cornbread, but sugar or a little honey can be added if you like.” Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes; Yield: 8 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 cup cornmeal

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 egg, beaten

1 cup buttermilk

Preparation

Combine dry ingredients; add beaten egg and buttermilk, mixing well.

Pour into greased, heated 8-inch or 9-inch iron skillet. Bake at 400° for 15 to 20 minutes, or until lightly browned.

TEX-MEX CORNBREAD

One more from Diana Rattray. She wrote, “This is a moist and delicious cornbread, perfect to serve with beans, a bowl of chili, or a hearty soup or stew. Add more or less minced jalapenos to suit your taste. A cast iron skillet makes the best crust, but a heavy baking pan could be used if necessary.” Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 35 minutes; Yield: Makes 8 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1/4 cup canola oil plus 1 tablespoon for the skillet (or use a similar flavorless vegetable oil)

3 large eggs

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk, 9 ounces

1 small can (8 ounces) cream style corn, or about 1 cup

1 tablespoon finely minced onion, red or yellow

2 tablespoons finely minced jalapeno peppers**

1 1/2 cups stone ground cornmeal

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup (4 ounces) finely shredded Cheddar Jack cheese blend or a mild or sharp Cheddar cheese

Preparation

Put 1 tablespoon of oil in a 10-inch cast iron skillet* and put it in the oven. Heat the oven to 425° F.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the remaining 1/4 cup of oil, the buttermilk, cream-style corn, minced onion, and minced jalapeno peppers.

In another bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cheese. Blend well.

Carefully take the hot skillet out of the oven and set it on a metal rack.

Combine the egg and buttermilk mixture and the dry mixture. Stir just until blended. Pour into the hot pan.

Return the pan to the oven and bake the cornbread for about 20 to 25 minutes, until browned and crisp around the edges.

Cut into wedges and serve.

*A cast iron skillet will make the best crust, but a 9-inch baking pan can be substituted.

**Use fresh jalapenos or canned, minced finely.