'Vegan cookie' doesn't have to mean dry and tasteless. These little morsels sweetened with fresh tangerine or mandarin juice and topped with coconut are as lovely as the spring flowers they resemble. (The Garden of Eating)

Meatless Monday: Vegan mandarin coconut cookies

By Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating / 04.07.13

I've been known to make disparaging remarks about vegan baked goods so for me to say that these cookies are delicious means they are truly delicious.

Our friend, Karen who is the innkeeper at the lovely Woodstock Inn on the Millstream in Woodstock, N.Y., had made a batch of these the last time we stopped by to let my son Will move sand in his dumper and throw rocks into the stream.

Karen was very generous with her cookies and we sat around in the inn's kitchen/office enjoying them. When I asked for the recipe, she told me that it was from Whole Foods. So I Googled "Whole Foods mandarin coconut cookies" when we got home and, sure enough, there it was.

I've adapted their recipe slightly below as there were a couple silly / inefficient things in their version. For example, instead of removing the skin of the tangerines with a vegetable peeler and then chopping it to obtain enough zest, I've changed it to just zesting the tangerines. Time is precious, after all.

We happened to have a small pile of tangerines that were not getting any younger sitting on the counter so the timing was perfect. And I had the rest of the ingredients: coconut oil (which is great to cook with!), flour, sugar, baking powder, vanilla, salt, and coconut flakes, too.

Will "helped" me make them. His favorite part was drinking the freshly squeezed tangerine juice and eating the sweetened coconut – and eating the cookies, of course. He told me recently in a very solemn and proud little voice, "Mama, I can eat SO much sweet things." Which is true.

Since we usually use eggs in our cookie dough (this vegan recipe is a real anomaly for me), he assumed that this dough was also off-limits for eating. And I saw no reason to tell him otherwise.

The dough is kind of fun to handle – the texture is soft and marzipan-like with a delicious sweet smell from the coconut oil and the tangerine juice.

I also enjoyed smushing the cookies with the bottom of a glass dipped first in water and then in the coconut flakes to flatten them out for baking.

I think the cookies end up looking a little bit like flowers. Seems fitting now that it's spring and the warmer weather is on its way. Enjoy!

 Mandarin Coconut Cookies
Adapted from Whole Foods' recipe
 Makes roughly 3 dozen
 
2 mandarin oranges, such as satsumas or clementines

1-1/4 cup sugar 

3/4 cup organic, virgin coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup finely grated dried, sweetened coconut, divided

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
 
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Use a microplane zester to obtain 1 tablespoon zest. Juice the mandarins to obtain 1/4 cup juice. Set aside.
 
2. In a large bowl, beat 1-1/4 cups sugar and oil on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the tangerine juice, zest, and vanilla and beat again. Add flour, 1/2 cup coconut oil, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt and beat again until combined.
 
3. Form the dough into 1-1/2-inch balls. Arrange the balls two inches apart on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet (I used my Silpat but it's worth noting that  both parchment paper and Silpat contain silicon so, if you're concerned about that, my guess is you could also just grease a cookie sheet with equally good results.)
 
4. Dip a flat-bottomed glass in water and then in the sweetened coconut flakes. Press down firmly on each cookie, re-dipping the glass as needed. Bake until golden brown and just firm, about 15 minutes.
 

In this June 2011 file photo, first lady Michelle Obama tends the White House garden in Washington, with a group of children as part of the 'Let's Move!' campaign. (Evan Vucci/AP/File)

Michelle Obama invites kids to submit recipes for a state dinner

By Stir It Up! Editor, Kendra Nordin / 04.06.13

Calling all kids who like to stir things up in the kitchen....

Building off the success of the inaugural Healthy Lunchtime Challenge & Kids' State Dinner in 2012, Michelle Obama is teaming up with Epicurious, the US Department of Education, and the Department of Agriculture to host a nationwide recipe challenge to promote healthy eating among America’s youth.

 “Last year’s Kids State dinner was one of my favorite events we’ve ever done for 'Let’s Move!' because it perfectly captured how young people, parents, community leaders and businesses can come together for innovative, healthy solutions,” said Ms. Obama.  “Last year’s young chefs impressed and inspired me with their creativity, and I can’t wait to welcome a whole new group to the White House this summer and taste their creations.”

The second Kids' State Dinner invites parents or guardians and their children, ages 8-12, to create and submit an original lunch recipe that is healthy, affordable, and tasty. In support of Ms. Obama's "Let’s Move!," program designed to tackle childhood obesity, each recipe must adhere to the guidance that supports USDA’s MyPlate (at ChooseMyPlate.gov). Entries must represent each of the food groups, either in one dish or as parts of a lunch meal, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and low-fat dairy foods, with fruits and veggies making up roughly half the plate or recipe.

All US states and territories are invited to participate. Fifty-six children and their parent/guardian will be flown to the nation’s capital where they will have the opportunity to attend a Kids’ “State Dinner” at the White House this July or August, hosted by Ms. Obama. A selection of the winning healthy recipes will be featured.  

Recipes can be submitted April 3 through May 12, online at recipechallenge.epicurious.com, or via mail at “The Healthy Lunchtime Challenge c/o Epicurious.com,” 1166 Avenue of the Americas, 15^th  Floor, New York, NY 10036. 

Winners will be notified at the end of June.

For more information and contest rules visit recipechallenge.epicurious.com.

Ham and mushrooms in a creamy, cheesy spinach ricotta sauce served over a bed of fresh pasta. (The Gourmand Mom)

Pasta with ham and mushrooms in a creamy ricotta sauce

By Amy Deline, The Gourmand Mom / 04.05.13

If you celebrated Easter last weekend, it’s likely that you may still find yourself with an excess of boiled eggs, some ham, and maybe even some candy. With that in mind, I’ve gathered up a few tasty ideas on how to make delicious use of those leftovers on TheGourmandMom.com, including this super-simple recipe for pasta with ham and mushrooms in a creamy, cheesy spinach ricotta sauce.

Pasta with Ham and Mushrooms in a Creamy Spinach Ricotta Sauce

Ingredients

1-2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more if necessary

2 cups baby bella mushrooms, sliced

1/2 medium onion, finely diced

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

2 cups ricotta cheese

1-1/2 cups milk

1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

2 cups leftover ham, diced

1 6-ounce bag baby spinach leaves, chopped

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 pound pasta, cooked al dente

Additional Parmesan cheese and crushed red pepper, for garnish

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms. Cook for 7-10 minutes until tender and lightly caramelized. Remove the mushrooms from the pan and set aside.

2. Add a touch more olive oil to the pan, if necessary, then add the onion. Cook for 5-7 minutes until tender and golden. Add the garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Add the ricotta cheese, milk, and Parmesan cheese. Cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until hot and well blended.

3. Add the mushrooms, ham, and spinach. Gently simmer for a few minutes until the spinach is wilted. Taste and season with salt and pepper, as desired.

4. Pour the sauce over cooked pasta and toss to combine. Garnish with crushed red pepper and additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.

There's nothing more comforting than chicken pot pie. Try this new take on an old favorite. (Blue Kitchen)

Deconstructed chicken pot pie

By Terry Boyd, Blue Kitchen / 04.05.13

I recently had lunch at Dine, the restaurant of the Crowne Plaza Chicago Metro hotel. I wasn’t there because of my food writing credentials. Marion’s sister Lena works in the travel industry. The hotel had invited her to lunch; I was her plus one.

Historically, hotel restaurants have offered safe, if less than inspired meals to weary business travelers and wary tourists afraid to play restaurant roulette in a strange city. That’s beginning to change, though. Increasingly, hotels are bringing in new chefs and inviting them to play with their food.

You won’t find culinary high wire acts in most hotel restaurants; they still have to appeal to a broad range of customers and palates. But you will find more focus on freshness, more attention to sourcing and inventive flavor combinations and presentation. What hotels are finding is that this approach can make them appealing to local diners, too.

At Dine, executive chef Erik Dybvik has created breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner menus of “high-style comfort food,” as the hotel website describes it. Menu elements such as onion marmalade, duck fat roasted potatoes, farro, rapini, smoked trout mousse, caramelized fennel and white bean ragout bear out that description.

The grilled ahi burger I had, served with red onion, oven roasted tomato, arugula and roasted garlic mayo, was delicious and generous. But it was Lena’s lunch that caught my attention, chef Erik’s take on chicken pot pie, served not in a crust, but on a scallion biscuit. For some time, I had been thinking about making something close to traditional chicken pot pie, but replacing the crust with a layer of drop biscuits. Chef Erik’s approach – preparing the biscuits and filling separately, then plating them together – was a revelation, not only easier to prepare, but easier (and more attractive) to serve and eat. I left our lunch with a full belly and a recipe idea to make my own.

Meat pies date back to the Roman Empire, but the pot pie is distinctly American – hearty, comforting farm food. Biscuits share that same rural American heritage. Combining the two seemed a natural. It also offered the opportunity to play with them a bit.

When I was a kid, almost any meal that included gravy ended with me putting a slice of white bread on my plate and smothering it in gravy. Whatever else had been served, this was the star of the show to me. Then when I started to cook, I learned that if you added herbs and wine, gravy suddenly became sauce. An aha! moment.

That’s what I did with my deconstructed pot pie. I added garlic, herbes de Provence and wine to the filling, giving everything a vaguely French quality. And I added fresh thyme to the biscuits, which delicately flavored them throughout. Many herb biscuit recipes include chives (chef Erik used scallions in his), but I wanted the extra biscuits to be at home with butter or jam.

The drop biscuits are in keeping with the rustic roots of pot pies and are far easier to make than rolled biscuits. You can prepare the filling a day or more ahead and gently reheat it while you make the biscuits. Or you can get the filling started on the stovetop and then make the biscuits as it simmers.

Deconstructed chicken pot pie
Serves 4, with extra biscuits

For the filling:

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into polite bite-sized pieces

salt and freshly ground black pepper

olive oil

unsalted butter

4 ounces button mushrooms, sliced (or cremini)

1 medium yellow onion, copped (or 2 shallots)

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon herbes de Provence

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth (or homemade stock)

1 cup dry white wine [may substitute cooking wine]

1/2 cup half and half (or whole milk)

2 carrots, peeled and sliced

1 cup frozen peas

For the biscuits:
Makes about 9 biscuits (this recipe owes a great deal to America’s Test Kitchen)

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)

1 cup buttermilk

1. Make the filling. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large, lidded sauté pan over medium flame. Add the chicken to the pan and season lightly with salt and pepper. Very lightly brown the chicken, stirring frequently, about five or so minutes. You don’t want to brown it completely – just get rid of all the pink on the outside. Transfer chicken to a bowl with a slotted spoon. Add a tablespoon of butter to the pan (and a drizzle of oil, if needed) and sauté the mushrooms, stirring occasionally, about 4 or 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl with chicken.

2. Melt a generous 2 tablespoons of butter in the pan, swirling to coat. Sweat onion in the butter until it begins to soften, just 2 or 3 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid browning. Add garlic and herbes de Provence and stir to combine. Clear a space in the center of the pan and sprinkle in flour. Whisking constantly (this tool, a DIREKT Whisk, is awesome for the job), lightly brown the flour, incorporating the onions into the mix. Cook the mixture a good 5 minutes, continuing to whisk constantly (this will cook out the raw flour taste, creating a blond roux or thickening agent).

3. Add the broth, wine, and half and half to the pan, scraping up any browned bits. Return the chicken and mushrooms to the pan and add the carrots and peas. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Toward the end, you may want to only partially cover the pan to allow the sauce to thicken. Taste and adjust seasonings.

4. Make the biscuits. Once the filling is simmering and doesn’t need your attention, preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or else lightly grease a baking sheet). Melt butter in a small saucepan, then transfer to a small bowl to cool slightly. Mix dry ingredients and thyme in a large mixing bowl.

5. Measure the chilled buttermilk into a 2-cup measuring cup. Add melted butter and stir until clumps form. Stir buttermilk mixture into  flour mixture with a rubber spatula just until the ingredients are incorporated. At first, it will seem as if you need more liquid; just keep scraping the bottom of the bowl until you’ve worked all the flour into the dough.

6. Using a greased 1/3-cup measure, scoop mounds of dough and drop them onto baking sheet, spacing about 1-1/2 inches apart. Press on them with your fingers to slightly flatten. Bake biscuits until the tops are golden brown, 12-14 minutes (mine were done in 12, but that could be our screwy oven). Remove from oven and let rest on the baking sheet for a few minutes.

7. Assemble the pot pies. Slice four still-warm biscuits in half, placing the bottoms in shallow bowls. spoon the filling over the biscuit bottoms and top each with a biscuit top. Serve, offering additional biscuits with butter and preserves.

If, either by chance or incredible self control, you have some extra Girl Scout cookies, this moist, rich, chocolate cake would make them an excellent companion. (Eat. Run. Read.)

Girl Scout cookie upside down cake

By Mollie Zapata, Eat. Run. Read. / 04.03.13

When I was growing up, the cookie tin in the corner of my family’s kitchen was rarely empty and usually full – chocolate chip, biscotti, molasses ginger, or oatmeal raisin were our favorites. But of course, to my elementary school self, there was nothing cool about homemade anything. In my silly little head, my wildest dream lunch included a lunchable, or those yogurts with the sprinkles in them, “store-bought” cookies, and a soda. All I wanted was to open my lunch box to a package of Oreos, or Nutter Butters or Girl Scout cookies.

By now my lunch fantasies have matured. At this point I would be psyched out of my mind if anyone packed me any kind of lunch. And cookie-wise, well, well well, I can eat any kind of cookies I want!

So since it's the season, let’s talk Girl Scout cookies. I did not grow up with them, and therefore have far less experience than most, but I know that people get crazy excited the second spring rolls around and little girls all over the city sit at tables covered in tantalizingly colorful boxes.

My roommate SpeedyKate volunteers with the Girl Scouts, so now I have direct access. We have a very safe and controlled three boxes to eat (Thin Mints, Samosas, and Tagalongs), but then she also produced a couple boxes leftover from last year. What do you do with a surplus of stale Girl Scout cookies? You bake with them!

On Saturday I went to yoga, which is the ideal time to daydream up delicious treats to try. So I pondered my options (Do-Si-Dos), and what I was in the mood for (chocolate), and came up with this Girl Scout cookie upside down cake.

This would work with any Girl Scout cookies, stale or otherwise. It’s a Texas sheet cake recipe, which is super-moist and much less crumbly than regular cake, plus a sleeve of Do-Si-Dos. The cookies rose into the cake while baking, so it wasn’t quite as upside-down-y as I anticipated, but then I covered it all in frosting and trust me, no one is complaining!

Girl Scout cookie upside down cake
Click here for a printable recipe from Eat. Run. Read.

Cake ingredients:

 1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa  

3/4 cup lightly packed premium unsweetened natural cocoa

1-1/2 tablespoons canola oil  

1/2 cup water

1 cup all-purpose flour  

1 cup sugar  

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/4 cup buttermilk (or soured milk – add a splash of vinegar to milk and let it sit for 10 minutes)

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 sleeve Girl Scout cookies, chopped (I used Do-Si-Dos)

Frosting ingredients:

 1/4 cup unsalted butter

1/8 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 tablespoons milk

1-1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 cookie for garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan. 

2. Melt 1/2 cup the butter in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the cocoa (1/4 cup). Add the oil and water and bring to a rolling boil for 30 seconds. 

3. Remove the pan from the heat and set it aside to cool slightly. 

4. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.

5. Pour the warm cocoa mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk until just combined. 

6. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk (or soured milk), egg, and vanilla. 

7. With a rubber spatula, stir the buttermilk mixture into the batter. 

8. Spread chopped cookies evenly in the bottom of your prepared pan. Pour the batter over the top and place in the center of the oven. Bake until the top is firm and the cake starts to pull away from the sides of the pan – about 30 minutes. 

9. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack to finish cooling. 

Make the frosting: 

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the cocoa and bring the mixture to a rolling boil; boil for 30 seconds. 

2. Remove from heat and whisk in the milk and vanilla. 

3. Add the confectioners’ sugar 1/2 cup at a time while whisking continuously.

4. Immediately pour the frosting over the cake (the cake should be bottom-side, i.e. flat-side, up), spreading with a spatula. The frosting will harden pretty quickly. Sprinkle an extra crumbled cookie on top. 

Your pasta may be feeling a bit lonely without fresh tomatoes this time of year. Try a white bolognese sauce instead. (The Runaway Spoon)

White bolognese sauce

By Perre Coleman Magness, The Runaway Spoon / 04.02.13

It is that time. My stock of frozen sauce made from summer’s freshest tomatoes is dwindling, and I am hoarding those last little bags. Hey, I do like a sauce made from quality canned tomatoes as well (my standard Bolognese uses them), but after a steady diet of the fresh stuff, it’s hard to switch over. 

That’s where this comes in. A bridge Bolognese if you like, between the deep cold of the winter and the tomatoes of summer. This sauce is hearty and warming, but somehow brighter than a rich, deep red Bolognese.

And this recipe represents what I think home cooking is all about. Blending and creating and combining until you find the taste that suits you. I first saw white Bolognese on a menu at an Italian restaurant, but I couldn’t picture what that meant, so I didn’t order it. But a friend at the table did, and ate every bite. That made me curious.

So I researched and read a lot of recipes and figured out this version that features the flavors I like; the combination of veal and fennel-laced Italian sausage, mild leeks and the punch of fresh fennel. White wine instead of red gives the characteristic zing. I shy away from traditional Bolognese ingredients; this doesn’t need onion or garlic or carrots, basil, or oregano. This is not some kind of substitute for red sauce, but a creation all to itself. What this lacks in looks, it more than makes up for with punchy, bright flavors.

White bolognese sauce
Serves 4 

1 pound ground veal (or pork)

1 pound Italian sausage meat

1 medium fennel bulb

2 stalks celery

1 leek, white and light green part only

1/4 cup olive oil

1 bottle (750-ml) dry white wine (may substitute cooking wine)

4 cups chicken broth

6 large fresh sage leaves

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle

1 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed

1/2 cup heavy cream

Crumble the veal and sausage meat into a large Dutch oven and cook over medium high heat until cooked through, but not deep brown. Break up the pieces into small bits as you cook. Pour the meat into a colander and drain off the fat and juices. Wipe any brown bits from the bottom of the pot.

While the meat is cooking, cut the vegetables. Cut stalks of the fennel and set aside, then cut the fennel bulb in half and cut out the hard core. Dice into very small pieces. String the celery and cut into very small pieces. Cut the leeks into quarters, rinse thoroughly and cut into small pieces. The key here is that no bite is overwhelmed with a huge piece of any one flavor.

Put the oil into the pan, add the vegetables and cook, stirring frequently, until they are soft, and wilted, and translucent. Add 1 cup of the wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until the wine is evaporated. Put the meat back in the pot with the vegetables and stir to combine. Add the remaining wine and cook until it has all evaporated, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.

Finely chop the sage leaves and a small handful of the feathery fronds from the fennel. Add the chicken broth, sage and fennel fronds to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken broth has evaporated, a good 20 minutes. Give it a good stir a few times. When the broth is almost all gone, stir in the fennel seeds.

When the broth is evaporated, stir in 1 cup of milk and the nutmeg and bring to a nice bubble. Cook until the milk has reduced slightly and just coats the meat.

The sauce can be made several hours ahead and kept covered in the fridge. Reheat gently over medium-low heat.

Before serving (after keeping or if serving immediately), stir in the heavy cream until heated through. Spoon over pasta.

Try a new take on pizza. Keep the recipe meatless by using vegetarian beans, or for carnivores add chopped chorizo. (The Gourmand Mom)

Meatless Monday: Huevos rancheros pizza

By Amy Deline, The Gourmand Mom / 04.01.13

Last spring I strong-armed a couple of my friends into taking Irish step dancing lessons with me. (I actually didn’t need to twist their arms too hard.) We three became the unlikeliest bunch of dancers you could imagine. It was a blast. We clobbered away through a few classes, along with an (almost) equally novice classmate, before the weather became too hot to continue in our dance space. At that point, we broke for the summer, with the intention of resuming classes come fall.

Well, fall rolled around and I sent an email to our instructor expressing our eagerness to continue. But we never heard back. After a few months with no reply, we’d become fully convinced that we’d been silently dumped as a result of our utter hopelessness in the field of Irish dancing. We couldn’t really blame her. We truly are a hopeless bunch. But then, just as we were about to pack away our dancing shoes, I received a message explaining an email switch, along with an invitation to resume classes. We accepted, of course.

This time though, there are a few other adults in our class and a second instructor. Apparently, our new classmates danced all throughout their childhood and teen years. They’re just picking up where they left off, which is someplace lightyears ahead of the rest of us. While we practiced basic skips, intently concentrating on not running into each other, one of our new classmates gracefully danced circles around us, quite literally.

It feels oddly like being stuck in the ‘guppies’ group, aside out advanced classmates in the ‘shark’ group. They’re reading War and Peace, while we struggle through Ted in a Red Bed. Us four clumsy guppies stick as close together as we can without kicking each other. It’s a level of comfort thing. We huddle close together, executing every drill as a unified group, in a fruitless attempt not to draw too much attention to ourselves.

It’s a ridiculously fun time, swimming in our guppy group. I haven’t laughed so hard in a long while. Graceful, we are not. Skillful, we are not. Coordinated, we most definitely are not. But for all we lack in ability, we more than make up for it with enthusiasm. We will probably never have the graceful, swift-footed skills of our river-dancing role models, but we’re certainly having fun with it. And that’s what it’s all about, isn’t it??

The added bonus is that our weekly lesson and all the practice in between burns a bucketload of calories. Now, if I were smart, I’d save those burned calories and let them work their magic on a bit of weight loss. Oh, but I love food too much and the dancing leaves me ravenously hungry. So, I choose to ‘spend’ my burned calories on fun food, like this Mexican-inspired huevos rancheros pizza. Truth be told, this pizza is fully inspired by nothing more than my desire to cook a pizza with eggs baked into it. It starts with a cornmeal crust, in place of the corn tortillas which would typically be used in huevos rancheros. The homemade crust is then topped with beans, taco sauce, Mexican cheese, chiles, and tomatoes. Fresh eggs are then carefully cracked on top of the pizza before baking for a stunning and unique twist on pizza.

Focus on Technique – Cooking with Baker’s Yeast

Baker’s yeast is a single cell organism, commonly used as a leavening agent in many breads, pretzel doughs, and pizza doughs. As the yeast feeds on the sugars in the dough, it releases carbon dioxide, which becomes trapped within the dough, causing it to rise and expand. The most common types of yeast used in baked goods are active dry yeast and rapid rise yeast. Rapid rise yeast is made up of smaller particles, which touch a greater surface area of the dough and typically require half as much time to rise. Many people feel that the long rise time required for active dry yeast recipes results in a more flavorful dough.

Typically, many yeast dough recipes begin by proofing the yeast. Proofing is simply a process of dissolving the yeast in lukewarm water. After a few minutes, the yeast should begin to foam, proving that it is alive and ready to work its leavening magic. If the yeast doesn’t foam, it’s time to buy some new yeast. The magic temperature for proofing yeast is somewhere between 110-115 degrees F. To assure you’ve got the right temperature, it’s helpful to use an instant-read thermometer. I usually stick the thermometer in hot water from the tap, then wait until it reduces to the right range before adding the yeast.

Yeast doughs rise best in a draft-free area, on the warmer side of room temperature (around 70 degrees F). If your house is chillier than that, allow extra time for rising. If time is an issue, I sometimes find it helpful to preheat the oven for a bit, then place the bowl of rising dough on top of or near the oven. You don’t need to keep the oven on throughout the rise time; just long enough to release a little extra heat near the rising dough.

Lots of other interesting information about yeast can be found HERE.

Huevos Rancheros Pizza

Ingredients

2/3 cup vegetarian refried beans

1/3 cup taco sauce

2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese

2-3 tablespoons red onion, finely diced

2-3 tablespoons green chile (fresh or canned), finely diced

5-6 grape tomatoes, thinly sliced

3 eggs

Additional taco sauce or hot sauce for drizzling (optional)

Cornmeal Pizza Dough (recipe from www.marthastewart.com)

Not doing Meatless Monday? Try adding 1/3 cup chopped chorizo

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Prepare the cornmeal pizza dough according to the recipe found HERE, except do not divide the dough into smaller portions. Roll the entire dough into one large (approximately 12-inch) crust. Transfer the rolled dough to a baking sheet, which has been sprinkled with a bit of cornmeal.

Spread the refried beans onto the crust, leaving a 1/2 to 1-inch lip around the edge. Drizzle the taco sauce over the beans. Scatter about 1/2 of the cheese over the sauce, then sprinkle with the onion, chile, tomatoes, and chorizo, if using. Scatter with the remaining cheese.

Use your fingers to create three shallow wells in the pizza toppings. Carefully crack an egg into each well.

Bake for approximately 15 minutes, until the toppings are hot and melty and the eggs are cooked to your desired doneness.

*Be aware that the egg whites and yolks will maintain a bright, glossy appearance as they bake. In this case, touching the eggs to check for doneness is a more reliable indicator than their appearance. (I made the mistake of relying on appearance and cooked my eggs past the cooked white/runny yolk I was aiming for. The yolks in the photos with this post are actually fully cooked, even though they appear runny.)

It may not the first time someone thought of combining carrot cake and cheesecake, but this recipe is delicious nonetheless. (The Gourmand Mom)

Cheesecake-swirled carrot cake

By Amy Deline, The Gourmand Mom / 03.28.13

Every so often, I get an idea for a recipe which I’m certain is so genius that no home cook or master chef has thought of it yet. 99 percent of the time, it turns out that someone else has already covered that ground. It’s really challenging to come up with something truly novel and unique in the culinary field…at least for me it is.

Such is the case with this cheesecake-swirled carrot cake. The idea came to me as I was brainstorming for some interesting twist on carrot cake to share as Easter approaches. The way I figured it, if carrot cake and sweet vanilla cream cheese frosting are delicious together (and they are), and cheesecake is also made with cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla (which it is), then carrot cake and cheesecake would be delicious together. If A and B, then C sort of logic… or something like that anyway.

I initially contemplated stacking layers of carrot cake with cheesecake, but the idea seemed too similar to a basic carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. That was the point where I decided I’d bake the two cakes together in one pan, intermingled to create one grand cheesecake-swirled carrot cake. It was in my research phase of concocting this delicious confection that I discovered The Cheesecake Factory already beat me to the punch. Having been to The Cheesecake Factory a grand total of one, maybe two times in my life, probably about 10 years ago, this was news to me.

So, turns out my grand idea isn’t nearly as revolutionary as I’d initially thought, but it is spectacularly delicious, nonetheless. Rich, moist carrot cake gets twisted with a creamy classic cheesecake to create a treat which is sure to be the hit of the Easter dessert buffet. Ol’ Peter Rabbit might even forego his basket of candy in favor of a slice of this carroty beauty.

Cheesecake-swirled carrot cake

For the carrot cake

 1 3/4 cups flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ginger

pinch of nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened to room temperature (plus more for greasing pan)

2/3 cup dark brown sugar

1/3 cup white sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

1/3 cup water

2 cups finely grated carrots (approximately 4 medium-sized carrots)

3/4 cup golden raisins (optional, but recommended)

For the cheesecake

3 8-ounce bars of cream cheese, softened to room temperature

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 10-inch springform pan with butter.

For the carrot cake: In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and the eggs, one at a time, beating between each addition. Add the water, then beat for another minute. Add the carrots, then beat for another minute. On low speed, gradually beat in the dry mixture until well blended. Stir in the raisins.

For the cheesecake: Using an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese and sugar until well blended. Add the vanilla and the eggs one at a time, beating until well blended.

To assemble the cake: Spread about 1/2 of the carrot cake batter over the bottom of the prepared springform pan. Drop large spoonfuls of about 1/2 of the cheesecake mixture on top of the carrot cake. Drop large spoonfuls of the remaining carrot cake mixture on top of and around the cheesecake. Pour the remaining cheesecake mixture over the top. Use a spatula to smooth the cheesecake on the top. Bake for about 55-65 minutes, until set.

Cool at room temperature for about an hour, then refrigerate for a few hours until completely chilled.

There's no meat in this breakfast bread pudding, so it's perfect for a vegetarian brunch, or served with a side of bacon or ham. (The Runaway Spoon)

Leek and brie bread pudding

By Perre Coleman Magness, The Runaway Spoon / 03.28.13

Spring is the perfect time for brunch. With Easter starting things off, there always seems to be an explosion of daytime events. Graduations and weddings and all the celebrations that go with them. 

And I love a good family brunch. You can wear a nice dress, but don’t have to worry about high heels and punitive undergarments and retouching your lipstick every 10 minutes. I still look forward to finding my fun spring dress like I did when I was kid. And the food. A generous buffet spread, with everyone roaming around and eating and chatting – and eating some more. This may be my favorite form of entertaining.

This dish fits the bill perfectly. It is rich and elegant, but with a light, fluffy texture that will amaze. And you can make it ahead and just pop it in the oven before the brunch, so no early morning scrambling in the kitchen. Leeks, brie and wine bring up the sophistication level, and it is a happy change from a typical egg-cheese-sausage morning casserole. And it also has no meat, which is great if there is a ham, bacon or sausage on the table, too. 

Now, I have given you lots of reasons this is a perfect brunch dish, but in the recipe testing process, I served it to my book club for dinner and it was a hit. A little green salad on the side and you’re in for a treat.

Leek and brie bread pudding
Serves 8 – 10 

16 ounce loaf soft Italian bread (no hard crusts)

3 medium leeks, white and light green parts

4 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup white wine or vermouth, plus 2 tablespoons [may substitute cooking wine]

8 ounces brie

10 eggs

1 tablespoon salt

generous grinds of black pepper

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons chopped parsley

1 tablespoon chopped marjoram or thyme

4 cups milk

1. Cut the bread into rough, bite-sized cubes and spread out on a baking sheet or tray. Leave to dry for a few hours (but not until crisp or hard).

2. Meanwhile, slice the white and palest green parts of the leeks in half, then into thin half-moons. Place in a colander and rinse very well under cold running water. Melt the butter in a sauce pan with a lid, shake most of the water off the leeks and add them to the pan. Stir to coat, then add 1/4 cup wine, cooking wine, or vermouth and 1/4 cup water. Stir well, cover the pan and cook the leeks, stirring frequently, until they are wilted and soft, about 20 minutes. Make sure the leeks don’t brown – you can add a bit more water if needed. When the leeks are soft and jammy, leave them to cool.

3. Trim the rind off the brie, removing as much of the white rind as possible without sacrificing too much cheese. I find a long serrated knife works best, and the cheese needs to be very cold and firm. Cut the brie into small pieces. Grease a 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Spread the bread in the dish. Spread the leeks out over the bread, tucking them in between the cubes and distributing them evenly. Distribute the brie pieces throughout the bread and leeks, tucking them down between the cubes of bread and leeks.

4. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs thoroughly. Add the salt, pepper, the remaining 2 tablespoons wine, [or cooking wine], or vermouth, mustard, and herbs, and whisk well. Add the milk and whisk until completely blended. Pour the milk mixture over the bread cubes slowly, making sure it is evenly covering the bread cubes. Push them down under the liquid if needed. Cover the dish with foil and refrigerate eight hours or overnight.

When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Take the dish out of the fridge to take the chill off while the oven is heating. Cook the bread pudding, covered, for 50 minutes to an hour until it is set and puffed up.

Serve warm.