Friday Recipes

Enjoy!

KATHARINE HEPBURN'S BROWNIES

This came in a recent New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. It begins, “Much like its author, this recipe is a no-fuss classic. It calls for just 1/4 cup of flour, which yields an incredibly rich and gooey brownie, and it's super easy to make. So easy, in fact, that baking a batch of these might just become part of your weekend routine.” Time: about 45 minutes; makes 12 brownies

To view this recipe online, click here.

Ingredients

1/2 cup cocoa

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup flour

1 cup chopped or broken-up walnuts or pecans

1 teaspoon vanilla

Pinch of salt

Preparation

Heat oven to 325 degrees.

Melt butter in saucepan with cocoa and stir until smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a large bowl. Whisk in eggs, one at a time. Stir in vanilla.

In a separate bowl, combine sugar, flour, nuts and salt. Add to the cocoa-butter mixture. Stir until just combined.

Pour into a greased 8 x 8-inch-square pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Do not overbake; the brownies should be gooey. Let cool, then cut into bars.

BOSTON BROWN BREAD

This comes from Jeff Gordinier in The New York Times' Cooking newsletter. Jeff writes, “Bread that slides out of a can? It might strike many Americans as a dubious culinary eccentricity, but throughout New England it is a staple, often purchased at the supermarket and served at home with a generous pour of baked beans. 'I had this growing up,' said Meghan Thompson, the pastry chef at Townsman, in Boston, where the cylindrical brown tower comes to the table as something of a regional wink. Her version, commissioned by the chef Matt Jennings, dials down the cloying sweetness and amps up the flavor with a totally different manifestation of beans: doenjang, the funky Korean paste made from fermented soybeans.” Time: about 2 hours; makes 2 coffee-can-size loaves, or 1 standard loaf

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Nonstick cooking spray

1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons white rye flour

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons stone-ground whole wheat flour

1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons dark rye flour

1 cup fine-ground cornmeal

1 cup lightly packed dark brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon doenjang (Korean soybean paste)

2 cups buttermilk

1/2 cup egg whites (from 4 to 5 large eggs)

3/4 cup (scant) blackstrap molasses

Preparation

Heat oven to 350 degrees and generously coat the insides of 2 10-ounce coffee cans or a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Place the white rye flour in a large skillet over medium heat and toast, whisking constantly, for 7 minutes. The flour will darken slightly and smell nutty.

Whisk the flours, cornmeal, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the doenjang and buttermilk until combined; set aside. With an electric mixer, whip the egg whites with 1 tablespoon of the molasses until stiff, silky peaks form, about 5 minutes. Whisk the remaining molasses into the buttermilk mixture. Gradually stir the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients until combined. Fold in the whipped egg whites in 2 additions.

Pour batter into the prepared cans or loaf pan. Coat pieces of foil with cooking spray, then cover the tops of the cans or pan securely. Set the cans or pan in a baking dish and add enough hot water to come about 1/4 inch up the side. Transfer to oven and bake until the top springs back when lightly touched, about 1 hour 40 minutes for the cans, or 2 hours for the loaf pan. Let cool 20 minutes on a wire rack, then invert and remove the bread to a cutting board. Let cool completely before slicing.

BAKED BEANS

Of course, you can't have Boston Brown Bread without a helping of Baked Beans. This comes from Sam Sifton in The New York Times' Cooking newsletter. Sam writes, “Proper Boston baked beans would have salt pork instead of the bacon. James Beard cooked them with ribs. The key is to use the little white pea beans known as navy beans, and to allow time to do most of the work. (Or to cheat: Canned white beans make fantastic baked beans in about an hour. If you use them, you'll need four 15-ounce cans. Drain and then follow the directions from step 2 on to the end. Please understand that you’ll need much less water and much less time to get them where you want them to be.) The combination of molasses and dry mustard is a taste as old as America itself, and takes well to both ham and soft brown bread.” Makes 6 to 8 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 cups navy beans

Salt

1/2 pound slab bacon, cut into cubes

1 medium onion, peeled and chopped

1/3 cup molasses

2 teaspoons dry mustard

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Preparation

Soak beans in a large bowl of water for 6 hours or overnight. Drain beans and put them in a large oven-safe pot with a heavy bottom and a tightfitting lid. Add 1 teaspoon salt and enough cool water to cover 2 inches above the beans. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the beans are just tender, approximately 30 to 40 minutes. Drain and remove beans.

Heat the oven to 250 degrees. Bring a kettle full of water to a boil on the stove. Return the heavy-bottomed pot to the stove and turn the heat to medium high. Cook the bacon in the bottom of the pot until it begins to brown, then turn off the heat and add the chopped onion and, on top of it, the beans. Mix together molasses, mustard and black pepper, and add the mixture to the pot. Pour in enough boiling water to cover beans, put the lid on and bake, occasionally adding more water to keep beans covered, until they are tender but not falling apart, 4 to 5 hours.

Remove beans from oven, uncover, stir and season with salt. With the lid off, return pot to oven and let beans finish cooking, uncovered and without additional water, until the sauce has thickened and the top is deeply crusty, about 45 minutes more.

FROZEN BLUEBERRY LEMONADE PIE

This comes from Diana Rattray, About.com's Southern Food expert. Diana wrote, “Blueberries give this frozen lemonade pie extra color and flavor, and it is a fabulous pie for a hot summer day. The pie takes just a few minutes to mix - just freeze and eat!” Prep Time: 6 minutes; Cook Time: 0 minutes; Total Time: 6 minutes; Yield: 8 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 cup fresh blueberries

1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

1 can (6 ounces) frozen lemonade

1 tub (8 ounces) whipped topping, regular or "lite," thawed in the refrigerator

1 deep dish graham cracker pie crust, homemade or purchased

Preparation

Put the blueberries, sweetened condensed milk, and frozen lemonade in a blender container. Blend until well mixed.

Pour into a bowl and fold in the whipped topping until well blended.

Spoon into the prepared crust.

Cover and freeze for at least 4 hours.

If frozen solid, take it out of the freezer 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.

Note: I used a "2 extra servings" deep dish ready crust for the pie. A smaller pie shell will leave you with extra filling.

Just freeze any excess in small ramekins or 4-ounce canning jars and serve as a frozen pudding.

ONE-POT RIGATONI WITH SPICY TOMATO SAUCE

This comes from the Tablespoon e-newsletter. It begins, “This one-pot version of the spicy Italian classic cooks the pasta in the sauce with shiitake mushrooms for even more earthy, delicious flavor.” Prep Time: 45 min; Total Time: 45 min; Servings: 8.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup sliced red onion

8 oz sliced shiitake mushrooms

3 cloves garlic, sliced

4 tablespoons spicy harissa

1 can (28 oz) Muir Glen™ organic fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained

4 cups water

16 oz uncooked rigatoni pasta

1/4 cup kalamata olives, chopped

1 cup shredded fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions

In 5-quart Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion; cook 3 to 4 minutes or until translucent. Add mushrooms; cook 5 to 7 minutes or until mushrooms are browned and liquid is evaporated. Add garlic, harissa and tomatoes; heat just to simmering. Stir in water; heat to boiling.

Add pasta; return to simmering. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until pasta is cooked to desired tenderness. Stir in olives. Top with basil and cheese. Serve immediately. Cover and refrigerate leftovers.

SHEPHERD'S PIE WITH POTATO TOPPING

This is from Kathy Kingsley, About.com's American Food expert. She writes, “Although this dish is called a 'pie,' there isn’t any pastry involved. It is simply a mix of ground turkey and vegetables in a sauce with a topping of mashed potatoes. The dish is browned in the oven for a delicious example of comfort food. For a pretty effect, pipe the topping over the filling, using a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Serve this hearty meal with a steamed green vegetable.” Yield: Serves 6 to 8.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Potato Topping

3 1/2 pounds russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inches pieces

1 cup whole milk

2 tablespoons butter

3/4 teaspoon salt

3 medium carrots, peeled and diced

1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 pounds ground turkey

1 cup thawed frozen peas

3/4 cup fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels

One 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained

1 tablespoon tomato paste

Preparation

Make the potato topping: In a large saucepan, combine the potatoes with enough cold water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes well in a colander. In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, milk, butter, salt and pepper to taste. Using an electric mixer, beat on high speed until smooth. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bring a small saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the carrots and cook for 2 minutes to blanch. Drain and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 15 seconds. Stir in the ground turkey, breaking up the large pieces with a fork, and cook until browned. Add the blanched carrots, peas, corn, tomatoes, and tomato paste. Mix well. Cook, stirring often, until the flavors have blended, about 10 minutes. Season with black pepper to taste.

Spray a 3-quart gratin dish or shallow casserole with vegetable oil spray. Spoon the vegetable-turkey mixture into the prepared dish. Top with dollops of mashed potatoes. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, until heated through. Serve hot.

Recipe Notes:

• You can mash any type of potato, but those with a high starch/low water content, such as russet and Yukon Gold, produce perfect results. The starch creates a fluffy texture, and the low water content allows them to absorb milk and butter without becoming gummy.

• Never try to whip potatoes in a food processor or you will have a gluey mess.

• Ideally, mashed potatoes should be served freshly made, but this is not always possible. Mash them up to 1 hour before serving, reserving one-third of the milk. Place them in a heatproof bowl, set over a pan of barely simmering water. Pour the reserved milk over the top. Just before serving, stir the milk into the potatoes.

• Potatoes are more fragile than you might think, so handle them carefully to prevent bruising. Keep them unwashed in a cool, dark, well-ventilated place. If stored in a place that is too hot, the sugar will convert to starch and the potatoes will lose their natural sweetness.

• Choose fairly clean, smooth, firm potatoes. For even cooking, pick potatoes that are about the same size. Do not select ones with wrinkled skins, soft dark spots, cut surfaces, or green areas. Green spots mean they have been exposed to light; cut the spot off before cooking to eliminate bitterness.