Oven Love

Daring Bakers: Lasagna

Daring Bakers!

The March 2009 challenge is hosted by Mary of Beans and Caviar, Melinda of Melbourne Larder and Enza of Io Da Grande. They have chosen Lasagne of Emilia-Romagna from The Splendid Table by Lynne Rossetto Kasper as the challenge.

And believe me, it was a challenge. This girl has never made pasta by hand before today.. so it was a little daunting. I waited until just about the last minute possible, but it’s easy to say nice things about this lasagna with a belly full of it.

I made the pasta this morning before heading to church. The hardest part of making the dough was getting the eggs, spinach and flour together initially. The kneading was pretty normal, and I let it rest for a few hours. The rolling wasn’t too bad either, just a little time consuming. After the first square or two, I stopped trimming the edges and making them perfectly square.. you can’t tell once it’s in the pasta, so why worry?

Here are my pasta sheets, drying by the window.

When the pasta sheets were fairly dry, I began to assemble the lasagna. I decided not to pre-cook the pasta (gasp!) and do my own thing with the fillings, mostly to help clean out the fridge. The layers were thus:

1. Tomato Sauce (a mix of leftover pizza sauce, Trader Joe’s Starter Sauce and some water)
2. Ricotta Filling (light ricotta, parmesan, mozzarella, egg, salt, pepper, nutmeg)
3. The Spinach Pasta
4. Random Cheese layers (mozzarella, parmesan)

The lasagna baked (with foil) at 350 for about 35 minutes, then I turned on the broiler to brown the cheese for about 5 minutes (no foil here). I baked in a small rectangular baking dish, so more time would be necessary for the big guys.

Overall, we enjoyed the lasagna. I couldn’t really taste the spinach, so I’m not sure it was worth all the time. I do have some extra pasta sheets, so hopefully I can use those creatively and really taste the pasta. In the end, I appreciate the process, but I think I’ll stick to no-cook noodles. 🙂

*Check out the new Daring Kitchen website and join in the fun!

Wanna cook with me?

I know there are lots and lots of baking and cooking groups out there on the internet (Tuesdays with Dorie, You Want Pies With That?, Daring Bakers, Taste&Create, Iron Cupcake, just to name a few…). I think it’s a great way to get to know other bloggers, learn more about cooking, and try new things.

Now, I’m just throwing this out there, but I was thinking about hosting a blog-along, maybe once a month, focused on foods we would normally buy pre-made. I’m thinking condiments, snacks, cereals, sauces.. all of the stuff that we know we could make from scratch, but we just don’t have the time or we don’t even think about it. Some ideas:

-Granola/Granola Bars
-Pita Chips/ Potato Chips/ Snack Mixes
-Our favorite packaged cookies and sweet treats
-Ketchup
-Nut butters
-Cereals (I found a recipe for homemade Cinnamon Toast Crunch!)
-Pasta sauces

These are just some ideas.. I’d love to hear what you’d like to make, and if you’re interested in baking and cooking along with me. I think it would be a fun adventure, and pretty low key compared to some other groups. I’d like to get to know my readers a little more, and I think this would be a fun way to do it. What do you think?

My Latest Obsession: Homemade Lemon Curd

I never thought I liked lemon curd. I actually thought it was sort of a weird concept. When I started testing cupcakes, I found that I wanted to fill my lemon meringue cupcake with lemon curd, so I would have to give it a try.

I looked around for a few recipes, and they all had the same components, so I created my own recipe with those in mind. The results were better than I could have imagined. Lemon curd is both sweet and light, delicious cold or slightly warmed on fresh toast. And I just feel happy eating it.

What are your thoughts on Lemon Curd? Are you a fan?

Lemon Curd
(fills about one mason jar)

2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
8 tbs butter (1 stick)
juice of 1-2 lemons

1. Combine all ingredients with a whisk in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cook until thickened, about 3-5 minutes. Check the thickness by drawing a line on the back of a wooden spoon- if the line stays, the curd is thick enough. Empty into a glass container and refrigerate until cool.

Taste&Create: Creamy Corn Soup

Taste&Create is another fun online baking group. The premise is that you get paired up with another blogger and you have to choose a recipe from their blog to make and post on your blog. Very cool.

My partner this month is Karolcia at For the Body and Soul. She posts lots of yummy creations, so it was hard to pick a favorite! When I saw her corn soup, I was immediately drawn to the recipe and thought it would make a good lunch today.

I made a few changes to the original recipe, mostly based on what I had on hand in the kitchen. The process was a little crazy for me, since Nick and our good friend Austin were brewing beer in our little kitchen at the same time! But it all worked out. The soup was sweet and hearty. It made me excited for summer and the bounty of sweet corn that comes with it. Thank, Karolcia!

Creamy Corn Soup
(adapted from For the Body and Soul)

2 medium carrots, sliced (I used a handful of baby carrots, that’s all I had!)
1 tbs butter
1 medium or large onion, chopped
1/2 bag frozen corn (eyeball it)
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 cup heavy cream (or milk, if you prefer)
1/2 leek, sliced
salt and pepper
torn basil and grated parmesan for serving

1. Boil sliced carrots in lightly salted water until tender. Drain and set aside. (I do this in the microwave to make it easier.)
2. Heat butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for 3 minutes, just until the onion starts to soften.
3. Add corn and vegetable stock and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the corn is tender.
4. Remove from heat. Puree until smooth.
5. Return soup to the pan; add cream, leeks and carrots. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes or until the leek is tender.
6. Ladle into bowls and top with torn basil and grated parmesan cheese.

Find the original recipe here.

Tuesdays with Dorie: Blueberry Crumb Cake Muffins

Today’s TWD recipe is a real winner! Blueberry Crumb Cake, picked by Sihan at Befuddlement. It was actually a real life saver for me. The fridge was bare, my husband was coming home and we needed breakfast for the next day. By some miracle, I had blueberries, so this was perfect.

The hubby and I really enjoyed this recipe. The crumb topping spread a little, but when they cooled, they hardened into a sweet crumb that was a great compliment to the blueberries. I’m glad I made them as muffins.. a cake would be gone by now!

My changes: almond extract in the place of vanilla, and 1/2 the recipe made 12 muffins.

*For the recipe, click here.
**Tuesdays with Dorie is a group of bloggers baking through Dorie Greenspan’s Baking: From My Home to Yours.

Intro to Bread Baking: Parmesan Herb Rolls

I’ve really been meaning to make some bread. I’m pretty sure I’ll get to it this week, but you never know. (Speaking of breadmaking..) In the meantime, I had a little bread baking warm-up when I made these “quick” rolls. I guess quick is a relative word in baking, since it still took about 2 hours in all to put together. I should be happy the prep wasn’t 3 days!

To put my own twist on this recipe, I added some grated parmesan cheese, some dried herbs and olive oil in place of canola. I’d love to try this recipe again with fresh herbs, or different cheese, or something sweet.. the possibilities of a blank slate…

These little things are tasty! I baked them up in a muffin tin, but you could easily do them in a round pan for a pull-apart effect. They were the perfect mix of a crusty outer layer and a soft, dense center. We enjoyed them with two different soups (Creamy Corn Soup and Leeky Broth with Ravioli).I hope you enjoy them, too!

Parmesan Herb “Quick” Rolls
(adapted from My Wooden Spoon)

1 package RapidRise Yeast
2 tbs sugar
2 tbs olive oil
3 cups flour
1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning (or your favorite mix of herbs, fresh or dried)
salt, to taste
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 egg or egg white, if desired

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water until foamy. Meanwhile, add the rest of the ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer with dough hook attachment. Mix well, until dough forms a ball. Rub dough ball with oil and place in a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 1/2 hours in a warm place.

2. After the dough rises, cut the dough into 12 rolls. Place in a greased pan (round or muffin tin). Wash with egg wash, if desired. Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

Hooray for Groceries and Upcoming Recipes!

If you’ve noticed a lack of posts in the past few days, it’s because our refrigerator has been, well.. empty. Nick was away for the weekend, so I was fending for myself. When that happens, I usually end up getting brie, a baguette and some fruit and call it a meal.. not really a recipe I can blog about.

Thankfully, Nick and I went out to get groceries today. The fridge is no longer empty!

Roasted Corn and Goat Cheese Quesadillas

I love me some quesadillas. Quick, easy, cheesy.

These quesadillas switch it up a bit- subbing the normal mexican blend with goat cheese, which gives it a tang that pairs well with the sweet corn. I served these up with some rice and black beans to round out the meal. They’d be great as appetizers, too!

Roasted Corn and Goat Cheese Quesadillas
(from Cooking Light, March 2009)

1 cup corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
2/3 cup (5oz) goat cheese, softened
8 (6 inch) tortillas
1/4 cup chopped scallions
10 tbs bottled salsa verde, divided
cooking spray

1. Saute corn in a medium skillet over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes (closer to 4 minutes if they’re frozen). Remove from heat. Add goat cheese to corn and stir well. Divide among 4 tortillas. Sprinkle each with the scallions and 1 1/2 tbs salsa. Top with remaining 4 tortillas.

2. Heat pan over medium high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Cook each side until golden. Cut each quesadilla into 4 wedges and serve with remaining salsa.

(223 calories per 4 wedges and 2 tbs salsa)

Fun with Veggies: Cauliflower and Lentil Curry

Nick and I have been on a little bit of a veggie kick lately. Not because we don’t love meat, because we do. It’s because we found out red meat’s impact on the environment, and we’re trying to help out for a little bit. Plus sometimes veggies are cheap. And they’re good for you. And you can make curry with them!

This recipe is based on one I found in a magazine, but I ripped out the page, so it’s impossible to tell which one! (If you’ve seen a similar recipe to this one, give me the heads up.) We liked it because though it was all veggies, it was still very hearty. It’s versatile- you can’t really mess it up, and it’s flavorful. The cucumber salad on top is nice and refreshing- don’t skip it! (or skip it if you want.. no pressure.)

Cauliflower Lentil Curry
-serves a lot. maybe 6-8? we had lots of leftovers.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, minced or grated
1 medium fresh green chile, seeded and finely chopped
1-2 tablespoons curry powder (eyeball it according to your taste)
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 small can tomato sauce (just plain puree) or 1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup dried red lentils
1 russet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1/2-1 cup water
cooked white rice, for serving

1. Heat oil in a dutch oven or large saucepan. Add onion, garlic and chile and cook until onion is soft, about 4 minutes. Add curry powder and salt, and cook, stirring frequently, for about 2 minutes.
2. Stir in tomato sauce or paste. Add lentils, cauliflower, potato, stock and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until lentils and caulifloer and tender, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat, and let stand, covered, for 5-10 minutes.
3. Serve over rice, and top with Cucumber and Red Onion Salad (see below).

Cucumber and Red Onion Salad

1/4 cup thinly sliced onion
1/2 seedless cucumber, cut into 1-2 inch matchsticks
juice of 2 limes
salt and pepper

Combine in a small bowl. Let the mixture sit in the fridge while you’re making the curry.

Tuesdays with Dorie: French Yogurt Cake with Orange Marmalade

There are a few things I’ve thanked the French for in my life. Namely baguettes and berets. But this French Yogurt Cake (chosen by Liliana) has made me more thankful for the French than ever. Check out this ooey, gooey, marmaladey slice.. so moist it’s toppling over!

*Find the recipe here. Thanks, Liliana- fantastic choice!
**Tuesdays with Dorie is a group of bloggers baking through Dorie Greenspan’s Baking: From My Home to Yours.