Pro Bono Baker Giving Thanks in Ohio  I spent Thanksgiving in eastern Ohio. Despite being firmly planted in the Great Lakes snowbelt, this area of the country welcomed the holiday with sun and unseasonable warmth.  We took advantage of the weather by hiking through nearby Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Just minutes from busy towns and factories, the Cuyahoga River cuts through the state creating rocky hills and deep forests.  A blanket of snow highlighted the vegetation and made the air head-clearing and crisp. (Which was welcome after a raucous night of Clue and Great Lakes beer.)
Jerry and Christi, our hosts, made a delicious Thanksgiving feast for us. I contributed two dishes from other food blogs: The Pioneer Woman's Whiskey Glazed Carrots and Orangette's Cream Braised Brussels Sprouts.
Both dishes were delicious, but in hindsight, I should have paired one of these vegetable sides with a less-rich partner. Though, what would the holidays be without a bit of decadence? December 04, 2008 in Dinner, Travel | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0) Thanksgiving Recipes  I'm off to Ohio after work today. Nick, Jerry and I rented a car and have a 7 hour drive ahead of us. The Midwest roads are, so far, mercifully clear of snow. I am trying two new recipes this year from two talented women: Orangette's Cream Braised Brussels Sprouts and The Pioneer Woman's Whiskey Glazed Carrots. For anyone still looking for menu ideas, I dug through nearly four years of Pro Bono Baker archives and have selected a few recipes that I think would be a welcome addition to any Thanksgiving table. Have a great holiday!DrinksCynar NegroniLemon and Rosemary SpritzerSide DishesBrussels Sprouts with Cannellini BeansBrussels Sprouts with Pecans and PecorinoColcannonDave's Broccoli SaladHerb-Roasted Hasselback PotatoesSquash and Spinach GratinVegetarian MainsFried EggplantRed Pepper, Spinach and Feta QuicheSpinach PieBreadsCheddar BiscuitsLorie's Squash Dinner Rolls (pictured)Potato and Cheddar BiscuitsDessertsAudrey's Raspberry Chocolate TorteClassic Pumpkin PieHoney, Pistachio and Rum PalmiersPetrie Family Applesauce Cake November 26, 2008 in Booze, Bread, Dessert, Dinner, Recipes | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0) Classic Pumpkin Pie  I don't know about you, but my Thanksgivings don't feel quite complete until I am sinking my teeth into a slice of pumpkin pie. There are dozens of recipes out there, but this delicately spiced version is an old favorite that is easy to come back to.  Classic Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients
1 pie crust, rolled out and chilled in a pie dish
2/3 C brown sugar
1/2 C white sugar
2 Tbl flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp each of: allspice, cloves and ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 C canned pumpkin
2 Tbl molasses
1 tsp vanilla
3 large eggs
1 C whipping cream
Method
Place a baking sheet in the oven and preheat to 450F. Combine
sugars, flour, spices and salt in a large bowl. Add the pumpkin,
molasses, vanilla and eggs and incorporate the cream last.
Pour batter into chilled pie crust and bake for ten minutes.
Reduce oven heat to 325F and bake for another 40 to 45 minutes. The
middle should be set and the sides of the pie should puff up a bit.
Allow pie to cool and serve at room temperature or chilled.
I usually whip any excess cream with a touch of vanilla to serve
along with each slice. This pie can be made up to a day ahead, making
it easy for large holiday dinners. Have a happy Thanksgiving everyone (and happy belated Thanksgiving to my Canadian readers). Nick, Jerry and I are renting a car and driving out to see some of their family in Ohio. I'll be sad to miss my family this year, but I'll be seeing them this weekend. I hope you are all lucky enough to find yourselves in a warm house filled with family, friends, and plenty of food. November 19, 2008 in Dessert, Recipes | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBack (0) Brussels Sprouts with Pecans and Pecorino 
I first began cooking with Brussels sprouts a few years ago. Since that time, no holiday meal seems complete without a side of these whimsical, miniature cabbages. I grew up thinking there was good reason to dislike Brussels sprouts, without ever having the occasion to try them. As far as I can tell, these childhood rumors were entirely unfounded. Perhaps this recipe will coax a new sprouts eater out from your Thanksgiving table.When selecting Brussels sprouts, choose the smallest, firmest, and brightest. The trick is to cook them just enough. Overcooking can cause sulfur compounds to be released from the vegetables, creating an unappealing odor. Cooking the Brussels sprouts until just tender will give them a delicious, nutty flavor.Brussels Sprouts with Pecans and PecorinoIngredients1/2 C pecan halves, roughly chopped1/2 Tbl butter2 Tbl olive oil1/2 tsp salt1 and 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts2 garlic cloves, minced1 C Pecorino cheese, freshly gratedMethodPrepare Brussels sprouts by rinsing under cold water. Cut off the base and remove any leaves that come away during the process. Cut each lengthwise. (For fussy eaters, it may be best to shred the Brussels sprouts in a food processor.) Toss into a large bowl and coat with 1 Tbl of the olive oil.In a frying pan, heat the pecans over medium heat until fragrant and a few shades darker. Add 1/2 Tbl of butter and a pinch of salt and toss to coat. Set aside.In a large frying pan, over low-medium heat, place the Brussels sprouts in a single layer, along with a pinch of salt, cut side down. Cover and cook for 5 minutes (until slightly browned and tender). If there isn't enough room, work in batches. Raise the heat to medium-high and combine the Brussels sprouts, the remaining olive oil, garlic and some salt and pepper. Toss around until the sprouts caramelize and the garlic is fragrant. Add the pecans and salt and pepper to taste. Move to a serving dish and toss with the grated cheese. Serve warm. November 14, 2008 in Dinner, Recipes | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0) Cynar Negroni On Friday Nick and I played host to my brother and our favorite bartender, Parker. The weather had taken a dive and we didn't feel much like hiking to the liquor store after work. We ended up improvising with some items we had on hand and came up with a delightful fall cocktail. 
Ever since a boozy night in Venice with my uncles a few years ago, I have been a big Negroni fan. The addictive bittersweet taste of Campari led me to seek out similar bitter apéritif liqueurs. Lately I've been enjoying Cynar, which is made from artichokes and other herbs and plants. Ordinarily, I simply drink Cynar over ice, but we decided to try it out in place of Campari in a Negroni. The results were delicious.
Cynar NegroniIngredients1 oz Cynar 1 oz gin 1 oz sweet vermouth Dash Angostura bitters 2 orange slicesIce MethodPour the first four ingredients over ice in a tall cocktail glass and stir. Squeeze the juice from one orange slice into the drink and garnish with the other slice. November 10, 2008 in Booze, Recipes | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0) Homemade Potato Gnocchi  Pasta has always been a staple in my pantry. Tossed with vegetables and garlic, drizzled with olive oil, and topped with any cheese I have on hand -- it makes for an inexpensive and easy weeknight meal. Nick, however, is not a fan. As a result, our mutual appreciation for gnocchi has grown over the last few years. We generally keep a package of the dehydrated stuff and a jar of pesto around for sleepy, uninspired nights.When we are feeling more ambitious, homemade can't be beat. We've experimented with a variety of recipes that have produced mixed results. The biggest foe to our gnocchi efforts often seems to be too much moisture. If the balance isn't correct, the little pillows risk breaking apart in the boiling water or producing gummy forkfuls.  How is a cook to avoid this? We've found that recipes that call for baking, not boiling, the potatoes work best. The other secret to light and silky gnocchi is a potato ricer. You can get away without one by mashing the potatoes well, but to ensure a smooth dough, a ricer can't be beat. Elise of Simply Recipes posted a great (baked) potato gnocchi recipe last year that I would recommend trying first (though, be warned, it makes a lot). To complete the meal, buy a crusty baguette and make this simple, rich sauce:Gorgonzola Cream SauceIngredients2 garlic cloves, minced1 Tbl butter1 C whipping cream (or 3/4 C milk and 1/4 C cream)A few ounces Gorgonzola cheese (we use about 3 oz)MethodMelt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute 1 minute.Add cream and cheese and bring to a gentle boil. Whip 2 minutes, or until cheese is melted and the sauce is slightly thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste (careful, the cheese is a bit salty to begin with) and toss with the gnocchi. October 30, 2008 in Dinner, Recipes | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBack (0) Syrian Onion Bread  Today is World Bread Day. Kochtopf is hosting the third annual World Bread Day baking round up, and I made a batch to help celebrate. In the spirit of the event, I decided to make something that I hadn't tried before and from another part of the world. I came across a version of this recipe in Bread by Christine Ingram. I made a few adjustments in order to achieve a smooth dough and account for dehydrated yeast. This bread is light and yeasty. It expertly soaks up pasta sauce or gravy, but can also be split to use like pita bread. The flavor combination in the topping is quite unique, but it works well. Syrian Onion BreadAdapted from Bread by IngramIngredients4 C bread flour1 tsp salt1 package yeast1.25 C lukewarm water (plus extra as needed)4 Tbl finely chopped onion1 tsp ground cumin3 tsp ground coriander2 tsp chopped fresh mint2 Tbl olive oillightly flour 2 baking sheetsMethodSift flour and salt together in a large bowl.Mix the yeast with the water and cover with plastic film. Let it rest in a warm place for ten minutes. You should see bubbles/froth on the top if your yeast is active.Add the yeast mixture to the center of the flour and mix to a firm dough.Turn out on a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Slowly add more water after several minutes of kneading, if necessary. Place in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with clear film. Leave to rise in a warm place for one hour or until doubled in bulk.Punch down the dough and turn on to a lightly floured surface. Fold the dough over on itself once or twice and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll each out to 5-6 inch rounds, making them slightly concave. Prick each round all over with fork tines and space well apart on the sheets. Cover and leave to rise for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 400F.Mix the remaining ingredients in a small bowl.Brush the breads with olive oil and sprinkle the topping evenly over each round.Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden. Serve warm. October 16, 2008 in Bread, Events, Recipes | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBack (0) Squash and Spinach Gratin  Over the past three weeks, I've been getting to know our new oven and fantasizing about the hearty fare that will take us through the fall and winter. Our apartment has an open layout with a somewhat outdated kitchen, but items like a trusty oven thermometer, a lovely island from Craigslist, and the bold colors of my mother's vintage Fiestaware are quickly making it home.I have also jumped head-first into the daunting task of organizing all of my recipe clippings. So far, I have organized the bulk of my recipes (a pile of pages four inches thick) into hanging files with no less than 16 categories. The recipes that I have tested and enjoyed are in a second pile that will eventually be stored in a three-ring binder with cooking notes and suggestions.To initiate my fall cooking endeavors, I pulled a recipe from the November 2006 Gourmet out of the stack. It turned out so well that it was quickly upgraded to the "three-ring binder" pile. Squash and Spinach GratinAdapted from GourmetIngredients3 (10-oz) packages frozen, chopped leaf spinach, thawed 5 tablespoons unsalted butter plus additional for greasing pan1 small Vidalia onion, finely chopped 4 garlic cloves, minced 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 3/4 teaspoon black pepper Rounded 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 1 cup heavy cream 4 lb butternut squash (2 large), peeled, quartered, and seeded2 oz finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano MethodThoroughly squeeze spinach in smallhandfuls to remove excess moisture and transfer toa bowl.Melt 3 tablespoons butter in an 8-inch heavy skillet over moderatelylow heat. Cook onion and garlic, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5minutes. Add onion mixture to spinach along with salt, pepper, nutmeg,and cream and stir to combine.Preheat oven to 400F. Buttera 3-quart shallow baking dish.Cut squash to separate bulb section from solid neck section, then cut pieces into 1/8-inch-thick slices. An adjustable blade slicer is extremely helpful here.Layer squash and spinach mixture in baking dish, using about one fifthof squash and one fourth of spinach for each layer, beginning andending with squash. Top each layer with a portion of the grated cheese. Sprinkle top layer of squash with cheese anddot with remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Cover with tin foil and bake until squash is tender andfilling is bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake gratinuntil browned in spots, 10 to 15 minutes, or broil 3 inches from heat,2 to 3 minutes.------------------------------------------------------------------I've been playing around with the site a bit. I hope you don't mind. One day my brother will help me design a fancy site, but he is busy with people who actually pay him for web design at the moment. Feel free to offer your input as I screw around with things like the banner and the picture format. I have received fairly universal, "It looks too harsh" feedback from the opinions I solicited thus far.This weekend I will be covering a portion of the Chicago Gourmet festival for Gapers Block. I'll be attending two seminars tomorrow: Pairing Fine Cheese With Craft Beer Greg Hall, Brewmaster, Goose Island Beer Company Baking Techniques: Molecular Gastronomy vs. Artisan BakingMindy Segal, Hot Chocolate and Pichet Ong, P*ONG September 26, 2008 in Dinner, Events, Recipes | Permalink | Comments (10) | TrackBack (0) Snapshots of Portland Without taking up too much of your time, I wanted to share a few more photographs from my August trip to Portland. Matt and Anastasia's rehearsal dinner was held at Mother's Bistro. This charming restaurant was the perfect venue. The late afternoon light made the chandeliers sparkle. I really like this photo of my grandfather, Landon Petrie, and his amused expression.  Matt and Ana were married at the Hoyt Arboretum. The weather was perfect. Oh, how I miss Stumptown Coffee. Matt and Ana's wedding reception was held at the fabulous Kennedy School, a converted elementary school that now hosts restaurants, bars, a hotel, a movie theater, reception halls and a hot tub. The Kennedy School is owned by McMenamins, a company that also happens to brew Terminator Stout. They will make this formidable beer into a heavenly stout-chocolate milkshake. The next day we met my friend Kenna's beautiful new daughter, Isadora, and ate brunch at the Cup and Saucer Cafe. We spent one afternoon wandering around Reed College. I found this noble chair in the faculty lounge The staircase leads to the old chapel in Eliot Hall that is used for small musical acts and author readings. The blue bridge connects the two sides of campus that are divided by a small river canyon. The lights that illuminate the bridge at night are blue. This giant tree sits in the middle of our quad. I somehow spent many hours in the Reed Pool Hall, without playing much pool. This door with the inspired decoration leads to my old Renn Fayre office, which had a similar decorating scheme. Laney, my grandmother Schwab's best friend growing up in Chicago, now lives in Portland. She is a wonderfully sweet, intelligent, and startlingly energetic woman. She was sort of a proxy grandmother to me during my time at Reed, even attending my graduation. Here we are sitting on the steps of Eliot Hall with my parents. And finally, we made a stop at Otto's Sausage Kitchen, just up the street from my alma mater. They grill sausages outside and have a delicious deli and beverage section as well.To Portland, with love. September 18, 2008 in Beer, Breakfast, Events, Information, Restaurant | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0) Ken's Artisan Bakery  Ken's Artisan Bakery in Portland, Oregon is largely responsible for my obsession with high quality breads. This was the first good U.S. bakery I encountered that branched out from whole grain loaves to stunning European-style breads and pastries. Ken's brioche and cafe au lait became common study partners for me over those years, and I was truly sad to leave this wonderful bakery behind when I moved back to Chicago. When Nick and I arrived at the Portland train station, we made our way directly to Ken's for lunch. Though we had decided on sandwiches, I couldn't resist purchasing one of their mouthwatering croissants. While explaining to Nick the reasons behind this addition to our lunch menu, the woman in front of us turned around to agree saying, "I lived in France for five years and I keep a vegan diet, but when I am back in Portland I always come here for one. They are the best." Nick ordered the Pulled Pork Barbecue on a ciabatta roll with fennel coleslaw (pictured first). I ordered the Croque Portabello with bechamel, fresh thyme, and Gruyere on country bread. While the train food was better than we had expected, devouring these divine sandwiches helped remind us that good food should taste fresh and satisfying.  Anyone who may fancy themselves a bread nerd should look at the "Essays" section on the Ken's Artisan Bakery website. With titles like, "What is Good Bread" and " Preferments for Better Living," Ken's essays are not only endearing, but full of first-hand advice from a baker that very clearly loves good bread.Ken's Artisan Bakery338 NW 21st AvenuePortland, Oregon 97209---------------------------------------------------Tonight we are going to see Heart (You stay away from "Barracuda", Sarah Palin!) and on Sunday, after months of fundraising and training, I run the Chicago Half Marathon. Wish me luck! September 12, 2008 in Bread, Lunch, Other Bakery Reviews, Restaurant | Permalink | Comments (10) | TrackBack (0) Next » 
 Giving Thanks in Ohio Thanksgiving Recipes Classic Pumpkin Pie Brussels Sprouts with Pecans and Pecorino Cynar Negroni Homemade Potato Gnocchi Syrian Onion Bread Squash and Spinach Gratin Snapshots of Portland Ken's Artisan Bakery Joelen on Giving Thanks in Ohio Joelen on Cynar Negroni Joelen on Thanksgiving Recipes Joelen on Classic Pumpkin Pie Joelen on Brussels Sprouts with Pecans and Pecorino Culinary Resources on Classic Pumpkin Pie Gemma on The Petrie Family Applesauce Cake Sophie on The Petrie Family Applesauce Cake gemma on Cheddar Gougères gemma on Classic Pumpkin Pie  Milwaukee Journal SentinelMarch 2008 (PDF) Akron Beacon JournalJanuary 2008 (PDF) Sacramento BeeNovember 2007 (PDF) Northwest HeraldJuly 2007 (PDF) Chicago TribuneJuly 2006 (PDF)
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