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Confections of a Foodie Bride Confections of a Foodie Bride Food and love, the real spices of life      Picky, picky, picky November 19th, 2008  My husband is a pastavore. He can live on pasta and pasta alone. That being said, he won’t touch spaghetti. He’ll eat the same marinara sauce on any other shaped noodle but he won’t touch a spaghetti noodle. Really. Flatten that noodle out a bit and he’ll eat it, no questions asked.I can’t pick at him too much about his spaghetti phobia. It’s definitely not my favorite noodle but I have a bit of a food phobia myself: I won’t touch corn unless it’s on the cob. The second you cut it off the cob, it becomes completely inedible unless you’ve buried in a bowl of soup, a chicken pot pie, or a muffin. On the cob = pass me the butter! Off the cob = headed straight for the garbage. This is a super quick & easy meatless dish and it’s made with husband-approved noodle shape. We’re talking from pantry-to-table in about 20 minutes, depending on how quick a water boiler your cooktop is. We also like to swap the tomatoes and basil for crispy pancetta for a creamy, eggless carbonara pasta. We’ve actually set aside our previous favorite carbonara recipe in favor of making it this way. Buttered Linguine with Romano, Tomatoes, and Basil1/2 lb Linguine2 Tbsp butter, melted1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped2 Tbsp basil, chopped/chiffonade3/4 cup Pecorino Romano, finely gratedSalt, to tasteCook pasta 6-8 minutes, or until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.Toss hot pasta in a large bowl with butter, pepper, tomatoes, basil, and cheese. Add 1/4 cup pasta water and toss to moisten. Add additional water if necessary. Salt to taste and serve immediately.Yields: 3 servings (entree)Source: Heavily revised from Everyday Pasta, 2007 Posted in Italian, Pasta, Veggies | 7 Comments » Crabby Patties November 15th, 2008  We get into “flavor grooves” quite a bit - I wouldn’t call it a rut since we actually enjoy it. We’ll eat something, decide we really like it, and then cook the heck out of that main ingredient until we’re tired of it. Lately it has been seafood. Specifically crab and salmon.A while back, we watched a Throwdown episode dedicated to crab cakes. I thought of nothing else for two days afterwards. Crab cakes are one of those dishes that I’ll order at 20 different restaurants but never make at home on my own. On my last trip to the grocery store, they were making crab cakes at the demo grill. I happily took a sample bite and then I more happily took the recipe card and went on my merry little way. Clearly, it was in the cards for us to make crab cakes at home.  A recipe for husband-approved crab cakes with husband-approved basil aioli follows:Pecan-Crusted Crab Cakes with Basil Aioli1 lb jumbo lump crab meat, picked over for shells4 scallions, minced1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh chives1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley1 1/2 tsp Old Bay seasoning1/4 cup plain dry bread crumbs1/4 cup mayonnaiseSalt and pepper, to taste1 large egg, beaten2 cups pecans, roasted and ground1/2 cup vegetable or peanut oil for fryingBasil Aioli (recipe follows)Gently mix the crabmeat, scallions, herbs, Old Bay seasoning, breadcrumbs, and mayonnaise in a medium bowl, being careful not to break up the lumps of crab too much. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Carefully fold in the egg with a rubber spatula until the mixture clings together.Divide the mixture into cakes based on the size you desire, making sure that each cake is about the same thickness. Place the formed cakes on a baking sheet or platter and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the crab cakes for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.Just before serving, remove the cakes from the refrigerator. Place the ground pecans in a shallow dish and dredge the crab cakes, pressing the pecans into the crab cake to make them adhere. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Gently lay the crab cakes in the skillet; pan-fry them until the outsides are crisp and browned, about 4 minutes per side. Drain the cooked cakes on paper towels and serve immediately.Source: Adapted from Central MarketBasil Aioli1 egg, at room temperature1 Tbsp lemon juice1 tsp dijon mustard1/4 tsp fleur de sel1 clove garlic1/3-1/2 cup basil leaves, washed and patted dry1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil1/2 cup canola oilAdd the egg, lemon juice, mustard, fleur de sel, garlic, and basil leaves to the bowl of a food processor. Turn on and process. Slowly stream the oils into the food processor. After adding all of the oil, process another 30 seconds. Place in a covered bowl and refrigerate up to 3 days.Yields: Approx 1 1/4 cups aioliSource Posted in Seafood | 7 Comments » Luv ya blue November 9th, 2008  I remember when I had time to cook my husband pancakes, eggs, and bacon every morning for breakfast. You can bet my husband remembers those days, too. Those were the good ol’ days. We slowly reverted to just eggs & bacon, and then alternating eggs & bacon with cereal, and then just cereal. But for the last month, I’ve baked a new batch of muffins every weekend to get us through the week. Frozen and wrapped, my husband can get his baked goodie fix every morning and I only have to deal with the dishes once on the weekend. And if I play my cards right, he’ll even do the dishes for me   With the extra lemon zest, this might be the best tasting muffin batter ever. There wasn’t a sign of batter left on the pattle, bowl, or scoop when we were d one. They’re pretty darn good cooked, too, but I didn’t get the signature pretty puffy tops. And since Cook’s Illustrated recipes are perfect (insert eye roll here), I guess we’ll blame me and my occasional over-mixing.Blueberry Muffins3 cups + 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour1 Tbsp baking powder1/2 tsp baking soda1/2 tsp salt10 Tbsp unsalted butter, cubed and softened1 cup sugar2 large eggs1 Tbsp lemon zest1 1/2 cup plain full-fat yogurt12 oz frozen blueberries, thawedDemera sugar (optional)Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix 3 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt in medium bowl; set aside.Cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add lemon zest. Beat in one-half of dry ingredients. Beat in one-third of yogurt. Beat in remaining dry ingredients in two batches, alternating with the yogurt, until incorporated. Toss blueberries in remaining 1 Tbsp flour and fold in to the batter.Spray a muffin tin with non-stick spray or line with paper liners. Divide the batter evenly among cups. Sprinkle top lightly with Demera sugar, if using. Bake until muffins are golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes, until a skewer comes out with moist crumbs. Set on wire rack to cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Yields 12 muffinsAdapted from: Cook’s Illustrated Posted in Bakery, Breakfast, Muffins, Veggies | 12 Comments » No buttons or zippers, please. Just elastic and chocolate. November 5th, 2008  What’s better than a warm, super dense, super fudgey brownie? A warm, super dense, super fudgey brownie sprinkled with sea salt. It’s my newest addiction. Sprinkling sea salt on every chocolatey thing that comes out of the oven. I think sea salt is just as good (better?) for enhancing the flavor of chocolate as vanilla.  Stretchy pants might be the greatest foodie invention ever, right after the KitchenAid Mixer. And the dishwasher. The math is simple. 1 pan of brownies + Sea salt = Stretchy pants. Just eating one brownie is like just trying to… eat one brownie. You know what I mean. An entire pan of brownies doesn’t last very long around here, even though there are only two of us. The Foodie Groom, after all, is a growing boy!And yes. I just blamed the rapid disappearance of an entire pan of brownies all on him. While I lick the chocolate from my fingers to keep it off of my keyboard The recipe below is my husband’s favorite brownie recipe, a saltier version of Cook’s Illustrated Classic Brownies. You’ve seen how I like to eat my brownies. My husband will take his warmed, buried under a mound of cookies & cream ice cream. Or cold, straight from the pan, on his way out the door to work - because it’s important that growing boys don’t skip breakfast! There’s no right or wrong way, that’s for sure.Brownies1 cup (4 oz) pecans or walnuts, chopped medium1 1/4 cups (5 oz) cake flour3/4 teaspoon Fleur de Sel, plus more for garnish3/4 teaspoon baking powder6 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped fine12 Tbsp unsalted butter2 1/4 cups sugar4 large eggs1 tablespoon vanilla extractPreheat oven to 325 degrees. Spread nuts evenly on a baking sheet and toast in oven until fragrant, 5 to 8 minutes. Set aside. Prepare a 9×13 pan with baking spray or your preferred non-stick method.Whisk to combine flour, salt, and baking powder in medium bowl; set aside.Melt butter in the microwave. Add chopped chocolate and let sit for 2 minutes. Whisk until smooth. If necessary, eat butter-chocolate mixture for an additional 20 seconds. Pour into bowl of stand mixer. On medium speed, add sugar until combined. Add eggs on at a time, until thoroughly combined and then add vanilla. Add flour mixture in three additions, mixing until well combined.Transfer batter to prepared pan; using spatula, spread batter into corners of pan and smooth surface. Sprinkle toasted nuts evenly over batter and bake until toothpick or wooden skewer inserted into center of brownies comes out with few moist crumbs attached, 30 to 35 minutes. Sprinkle with additional fleur de sel and let cool. Adapted from: Cook’s Illustrated Posted in Bakery, Chocolate, Dessert | 10 Comments » What’s not to love? November 1st, 2008  I love cheese. All by itself. In something or on something. Cold or hot. It doesn’t matter. When I was little, I went through a cheese sandwich phase. All I wanted was a slice of sunbeam, some mayo, and a slice of nuclear-orange American cheese. Throw in a glass of lip-staining red Kool-Aid and you had just made my dinner.We like our cheese sandwiches a little more grown-up now. A good crusty baguette fresh from the oven, piled high with either fresh mozzarella or spread with a creamy brie. But if the drink you’re throwing in is going to stain my lips red, it better come with a cork! This cheesy spread is a super quick fix and the flavors of smokey mozzarella, homemade mayo, and the turmeric really make it a fancy, distant relative of one of my other childhood favorite cheesy foods: Pimento Cheese. While super tasty, there is a downside: the turmeric-laced spread easily stains cute white skirts. If you keep it on the plate and off your lap, you and your skirt will be fine. If you subscribe to the ‘no white after Labor Day’ school of thought, you will also be fine. I did neither.Smoked Mozzarella Cheese Crostini Spread8 oz shredded, smoked mozzarella cheese1/2 cup mayonaisse1/2 cup roasted red peppers2 Tbsp finely chopped green onions1 tsp ground turmeric1 tsp dark brown sugar1/4 tsp fleur de selToasted baguette slicesCombine all ingredients and mix well. Place a 1 Tbsp-dollup of cheese mixture on toasted baguette slices and serve.I let it sit overnight in the fridge and then topped the crostini the next day. Yields: 1 1/2 cups (or enough topping for 24 crostini)Adapted from: Better Homes and Gardens, Fall/Winter 2008 Posted in Appetizers | 4 Comments » Halloween Favorites October 29th, 2008 Caramel apples are my favorite non-candy Halloween-y food. Okay, so they’re part candy. But they’re perfectly adaptable: you can do them quickly using store-bought caramel candies or you can make your own caramel from scratch. I can go either way… no matter which method I choose, I burn my hand and leave a gooey path of destruction throughout the kitchen.And they’re kinda healthy. Kinda. As healthy as a serving of fruit can be, coated in three layers of sugar. But it’s Halloween and that means it’s National Eat Candy Night.From the archives, some of our favorite Halloween-y foods:Loaded Caramel Apples   More fantastic caramel apples. Almost too pretty to eat. Almost.Culinary Concoctions by PeabodySimply RecipesCoconut & LimePumpkin Fudge Creepy Eyeball Cupcakes Ghost cupcakes And even more spooky, Halloween cupcakes:Annie’s EatsI Shot the Chef Posted in Halloween | 6 Comments » Hush-a-Boo Baby October 26th, 2008 I love baby showers. My favorite part is the cake. And the sherbet punch. And ooohing and aaahing over all the cute little clothes. But mostly, it’s the cake.My cousin Tabbitha and her husband Chris are expecting their first baby, a girl, in December. My aunt began planning a Halloween-themed shower and my mom called with a request - a cake for the shower. No problem, right? The request: “Something baby” (check!) and “something Halloween-y” (crickets).Dude. I was at a complete loss. I saw this a while back and fell in love with the cake. The black cake plate, the fluffy white frosting, the contrast between the two… But mostly, it was the black cake plate. (I will find it.) Either way, it caught my attention. I didn’t want to attempt the marshmallows because I know better than to assume I could replicate the superhuman level of artsy domesticity that adorn Martha’s editors. I went with fondant, inspired by this picture.Martha’s Devil’s Food Cake is one of my absolute favorite chocolate cake recipes. I topped the Devil’s Food Cupcakes with a fluffy buttercream, chocolate sprinkles, and fondant ghosts. Sugary Specters1 recipe Marshmallow fondant1/8 cup chocolate (chopped or chips)Roll fondant out on a greased surface to 1/8-inch thick. Use a circle cutter to cut the fondant - I used a 5.5-in pastry cutter. Drape fondant over… something and lightly arrange the folds. (I thought the top of a wine bottle was too wide so something more narrow than that - I used balsamic vinegar bottles.) As long as it’s not too humid, they should set nicely in 30 minutes. After all ghosts are formed and have set, melt 1/8 cup chocolate in a sealed baggie until it flows easily. Pipe a tester dot onto a plate and hold the plate vertically - if the chocolate droops/runs, let the chocolate sit for 3-5 minutes and try again. Pipe eyes onto each ghost and let dry. Place on cupcakes and enjoy!Martha’s Devil’s Food Cake1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, plus more for pan1 1/4 cups unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder1 1/4 cups hot water3 cups all-purpose flour1 1/4 tsp coarse salt1 tsp baking powder1 tsp baking soda2 1/4 cups granulated sugar4 large eggs1 Tbsp plus 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract1 cup sour creamPreheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners. Whisk together cocoa powder and hot water until smooth.Sift together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside. Melt butter and sugar in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Remove from heat, and transfer to a mixer. Beat on medium-low speed until cooled, 4 to 5 minutes.Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in vanilla and cocoa-powder mixture. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with sour cream and beginning and ending with flour. Beat until just combined.Divide batter evenly between muffin cups and bake until a cake tester inserted into centers comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Let cupcakes cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to let cool completely.Yields 24 cupcakesSource: Martha Stewart LivingSwiss Meringue Buttercream1 1/4 cups sugar5 large egg whites1 lb (4 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons, softened2 tsp vanilla extract1/4 tsp almond extractPut sugar and egg whites in the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer, and set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved, and mixture registers 140 degrees on a thermometer.Transfer bowl to the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until fluffy and cooled, about 10 minutes. Continue beating until stiff, glossy peaks form.Reduce speed to medium-low; add butter by the tablespoon, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and almond extract. Buttercream can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 3 days or frozen up to 1 month. Bring to room temperature before using; beat on lowest speed until smooth, about 3 minutes.Yields: Approx 5 cupsSource: Adapted from Martha Stewart LivingThe recipe for the top tier, Tahitian Vanilla Bean Cake, can be found here. 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