by jphilo | Apr 4, 2012 | Recipes
My daughter Anne loves chai tea. I’ve tried it a few times at my favorite coffee shop. Though I love it’s spicy, mellow flavors, most chai teas are too sweet for my taste. But when USA Weekend Magazine (Jan. 20-22 edition) published Pam Anderson’s recipe for chai tea concentrate, I decided to give it a try.
The biggest challenge presented by the recipe was finding all the spices. Thankfully, we have a bulk food store nearby, and I was able to find everything there. (Did you know cardamom costs $70+ a pound? Thankfully, they sell it by the ounce!) Other than gathering the ingredients, this recipe was easy to follow.
Compared to the cost of specialty drinks at the coffee shop, this recipe is a bargain, even with the price of cardamom. Not only that, Hiram gave the hot chai drink his coveted seal of approval. The ingredient list for the recipe below matches the original one exactly. But, I added more details to some of the directions.
DYI Chai Tea Concentrate
4 teaspoons each ground ginger and cinnamon
4 teaspoons fennel seeds, ground (I ground them in a coffee grinder)
2 teaspoons each ground black pepper, cardamom and corriander
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup loose black tea such as Earl Grey
3/4 cup blue agave
2 tablespoons molasses
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Heat spices in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until fragrant and smoke starts to rise, a couple of minutes. (This sounds so weird, but it works!) Add 1 quart of water and tea; bring to a simmer.
Remove from heat, cover and let steep for about 10 minutes. Strain out tea and spices. (I strained out the tea and ground spices by lining the strainer with a cloth.) Stir in agave, molasses, vanilla, and lemon juice.
To serve, combine 1/4 cup concentrate with either 3/4 cup hot or cold milk or water. The rest can be covered and refrigerated up to a couple weeks until ready to use. (The photo shows the concentrate in the background and a cup of tea made with 1/4 cup concentrate and a 3/4 cup mixture of equal amounts of water and milk.)
by jphilo | Feb 8, 2012 | Recipes
In last Wednesday’s recipe post, I shared a sweet version of an eggy, fluffy pancake called a Dutch Baby. It was my adaptation of the Dutch Baby featured in Pam Anderson’s CookSmart column in USA Weekend Magazine‘s December 23-25 issue. Today, you get my rendition of the savory version also featured in the column.
I substituted onions for the leeks in Pam’s recipe and turned it vegetarian by leaving out the ham. Believe it or not, despite my sweet tooth I preferred this savory variation over last week’s sweeter one. If you try them both, leave a comment about which one is your favorite. Or, share your adaptations for this way easy breakfast treat.
Dutch Baby with Onion and Sharp Cheddar
1 cup skim milk (original recipe calls for whole milk)
4 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
1 cup grated, extra-sharp cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons butter
Adjust rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Whisk milk, eggs and salt in a medium bowl; vigorously whisk in flour until mostly smooth with a few small lumps; let stand for a few minutes and whisk again. Or use a blender for instantly smooth batter. (I used the blender method – super easy.)
Meanwhile heat butter in a heavy-bottom 10 inch skillet (cast iron works well) over medium heat. Add onions and saute until transparent. Add tarragon; cook a minute or so longer. Pour milk mixture into skillet. Transfer to oven and bake until puffed and golden brown, 15-17 minutes.
Without removing Dutch Baby from oven, sprinkle with cheese and turn oven to broil. Broil until very puffy and golden brown, a couple minutes longer. (Careful on this step. As the picture shows, it goes from golden brown to that’s-not-burned-it’s-nicely-browned-now-shut-up-and-eat-it in a flash.) Serve immediately from the skillet.
by jphilo | Feb 1, 2012 | Recipes
According to the calendar, this is the first day of February. According to the pile of grease-spatted notes on my desk, all the new recipes from our family Christmas celebration still haven’t be shared with y’all. So it’s time to look at another of the delicious treats we sampled when the kids were home.
Today’s recipe for Dutch Baby with Cranberry-Orange Syrup comes from Pam Anderson’s CookSmart column in USA Weekend Magazine‘s December 23-23, 2011 issue. I’d never heard of them before, but knew it would make a hearty, vegetarian breakfast treat. So see what you think of the sweet version of this eggy, puffy pancake and come back next week for its savory companion.
Dutch Baby with Cranberry-Orange Syrup
1 cup skim milk (original recipe calls for whole milk)
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup marmalade
1/4 cup dried cranberries
2 tablespoons butter
Adjust rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Whisk milk, eggs and salt in a medium bowl; vigorously whisk in flour until mostly smooth with a few small lumps; let stand for a few minutes and whisk again. Or use a blender for instantly smooth batter. (I used the blender method – super easy.)
Bring marmalade, cranberries and 1/4 cup water to simmer over medium heat; continue to simmer to light syrup consistency, just a few minutes; cover and keep warm.
Meanwhile heat butter in a heavy-bottom 10 inch skillet (cast iron works well) over medium heat until light golden brown. Pour milk mixture into skillet. Transfer to oven and bake until puffed and golden brown, 15-17 minutes. Turn oven to broil and broil until very puffy and golden brown. (Careful on this step. As the picture shows, it goes from golden brown to that’s-not-burned-it’s-nicely-browned-now-shut-up-and-eat-it in a flash.) Serve immediately from the skillet and drizzle with sauce.
by jphilo | Feb 3, 2011 | Recipes
Does anybody know how to pronounce the name of this Greek pasta dish? The recipe was in the Cook Smart column Pam Anderson writes for the USA Weekend newspaper magazine. (www.usaweekend.com – January 21-23 edition) Though I can’t pronounce it correctly, my husband and I can tell you this. It is absolutely delicious.
As always, I messed with the recipe a bit, so this is my version of Pam Anderson’s version of pastitsio. I can’t wait to serve it to company or when our kids visit again. Give it a try and see what you think. If you create your own version, leave a comment about what you did. That’ll give me excuse to make it again!
Pastitsio
1 pound lean ground beef or lamb (I used ground beef)
6 garlic cloves
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon (you read that right, 4 teaspoons)
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
Salt and ground black pepper
1 can (28 ounces) crushed or ground, peeled tomatoes
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1 pound penne
1 can (12 ounces) regular or low-fat evaporated milk (I used low fat)
1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth (I used chicken)
3 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 large eggs (whisk in a small bowl)
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Heat a large sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add ground meat. Brown, then crush 4 cloves of garlic and add them to meat, along with the cinnamon, oregano, pepper flakes, and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper. Cook for 1 – 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and sauce. (You can also add 1/4 – 1/2 cup water or red wine if you like a juicier sauce. I didn’t add either.) Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until sauce is thick and richly flavored, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring two quarts of water and 1 tablespoon of salt to boil in a large pot. Add penne and stir frequently at first to prevent sticking. Follow cooking directions on the back of the box, then drain pasta and return it to the pot. Stir in a generous cup of the meat sauce.
Meanwhile, microwave milk and broth in a covered Pyrex bowl or measuring cup until steamy hot (the mixture, not you), about 8 – 10 minutes. Heat butter in a large sauce pan. Crush remaining two cloves of garlic and add to butter. Whisk in flour until well-blended, then slowly add hot milk mixture, whisking vigorously until sauce is smooth and starts to bubble and thicken. Stir in 1/2 cup of cheese, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste. Add a few tablespoons of hot mixture to eggs, while stirring eggs with a fork. Then add eggs to hot mixture, whisking vigorously. Remove from heat. (If you aren’t using white sauce immediately, place plastic wrap directly on surface to keep a skin from forming.
Spread 1/2 of pasta in the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. Top with meat sauce, and 1/2 cup of cheese. Add the remainder of pasta, then the white sauce, and the rest of the cheese. Cover with foil and bake on middle rack until very hot, about 30 minutes. Remove the foil and turn oven to broil. Watch carefully, 2-3 minutes, until the top is spotty brown. Remove from oven and let stand for 10 – 15 minutes. Cut and serve.
