Basic Pound Cake
The simplest of cakes is the most delicious and it goes well with everything. You can flavor your pound cake any way you like or just serve it with berries or ice cream. This truly is an easy cake to make. Make sure that your eggs are room temperature and that you beat the butter and sugar long enough so that the batter is fluffy. Once you’ve added the flour be sure not to overmix the cake. You don’t want your pound cake to be tough.
INGREDIENTS
2 Cups Unbleached Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 1/4 Cups Sugar
1/2 Pound Softened Butter
5 Large Eggs
2 Tablespoons Vanilla Extract
Juice of 1 Lemon
1/2 Cup Half & Half
Preheat your oven to 325° F. Grease and flour a loaf pan. If you don’t have a loaf pan then use a bundt pan. In a medium size bowl combine the flour and salt. Set aside. In a large size bowl beat the butter and sugar together for 5 minutes. I use an electric mixer on low for this. Add the eggs one at a time. After the third egg add 2 tablespoons of the flour mixture. Beat for 10 seconds. Add the vanilla and lemon juice. Put down your electric mixer and mix in the flour by hand. Add the flour in thirds. Alternate with the half & half. Make sure not to overmix. Pour the batter evenly in the pan and tap it on the counter to get out air bubbles. Bake for 1 hour on the middle rack. After 50 minutes check to see if the cake is done. The top will spring back when you touch it. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 20 minutes. Turn the cake out onto a rack and when thoroughly cool wrap in foil and store in a tightly sealed container. Wait 24 hours before slicing it. The good news is that pound cakes will keep in the freezer for months so this is a great “make ahead” recipe. Serves 16
Boston Baked Beans
Labor Day Weekend is coming up and you might want to round out your BBQ with my delicious Boston Baked Beans!
INGREDIENTS
2 Pounds Dry Navy Beans
1/2 Pound Salt Pork
2 Quartered Onions
1/2 Cup Dark Molasses
1/2 Cup Packed Dark Brown Sugar
1/4 Cup Pure Maple Syrup
1/4 Cup Tomato Paste
2 Tablespoons Dry Mustard
2 Teaspoons Freshly Ground Pepper
1 Quart Boiling Water
Rinse the dry beans and cover with cold water in a pot. They will need to soak overnight. Drain and rinse the beans the next day. Preheat your oven to 225° F. Cut the salt pork into 1 inch thick slices. Put 1/4 cup of the salt pork and 4 onion quarters in the bottom of a bean pot. Fill the pot half full of the beans and repeat the pork and onion. Pour in the rest of the beans. Mix the molasses, brown sugar, maple syrup, tomato paste, mustard and pepper into the boiling water. Stir until all of the ingredients dissolves and then pour over the beans. Fill the pot with enough additional water to cover. Put any leftover salt pork on top. Put the lid on and bake for 4 to 5 hours. Check the beans for water level after 2 hours. Add a bit more water if needed. After 3 1/2 hours start checking for tenderness. Cooking times for beans vary. You’ll know when they are done. The last hour of cooking remove the lid and bake uncovered. Don’t worry if the beans are tender, but still soupy because they will absorb the liquid as they stand. Remove from the oven and let cook for 15 minutes before serving. When you do reheat them as leftovers you will probably need to add more water. Serves 12
Victoria’s Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
INGREDIENTS
2 1/4 Cups Unbleached Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Cup Softened Butter
2 Eggs
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 Cups Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats
1 1/2 Cups Dark Chocolate Chips
Preheat your oven to 350° F. In a large size bowl combine the flour, baking soda and kosher salt. Set aside. In a separate large bowl mix together the butter, sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla extract. Beat until fluffy. If you are using an electric mixer then beat on medium for 1 minute. On a low speed add the flour mixture a little at a time. Mix for 1 minute. Add the old-fashioned rolled oats and dark chocolate chips and mix to combine. Cover a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper. Drop spoonfuls of cookie batter on the parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Do not over bake. These cookies are best just a touch underdone. Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing. Remove and transfer to wire racks to completely cool. Transfer to a cookie plate and just try not to eat them all. Trust me… they won’t last long. Makes about 3 dozen.
Spinach Soup
Many times spinach can get lost in soups, but not this soup as it contains 12 cups of spinach. A touch of lemon adds a little something to complete the flavor of this beautiful soup. Garnish with either croutons or bacon bits.
INGREDIENTS
1 Cup Diced Onion
4 Tablespoons Olive Oil
4 Cloves Minced Garlic
1/3 Cup Unbleached Flour
3 Cups Half & Half
2 Cups Chicken or Vegetable Broth
12 Cups Baby Spinach
1 Tablespoon Lemon Zest
2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
Croutons – Optional
Bacon Bits – Optional
In a large stock pot heat the olive oil over a medium high heat and sauté the onion for 4 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Stir in the flour and cook for 3 minutes. Slowly pour in the half & half and either chicken or vegetable broth. Stir and bring the soup to a simmer over a medium heat. Add the 8 cups of spinach and cook for 6 minutes. Reduce to a low heat. Cook for another 5 minutes. You can use one of these devices to puree: a handheld blender, a food processor or a blender. Puree all of the soup in batches, if needed, and return to the soup pot. If you are using a handheld blender then you may puree right in the pot. Stir in the remaining 4 cups of spinach. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Cook for 1 minute more. Ladle the soup into soup bowls. Garnish with croutons or bacon bits. Serves 8
*If you want to lower the fat content then use fat-free half & half.
Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake
I don’t know one person who can resist this weekend morning cake.
INGREDIENTS
1 Cup Chopped Pecans
3/4 Cup Semisweet Chocolate Chips
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
2 Cups Unbleached Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Cup Sugar
3/4 Cup Softened Butter
2 Eggs
8 Ounces Sour Cream
2 Tablespoons Vanilla Extract
Preheat your oven to 350° F. Prepare a Large glass baking pan (13x9x2) by greasing it with butter or olive oil. In a medium size bowl combine the nuts, chocolate chips, 1/2 cup sugar, brown sugar and cinnamon. This is for the filling. Set aside. In a small size bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a large size bowl combine 1 cup of the sugar and butter. Beat with an electric mixer on a medium speed for 1 minute. Add the eggs and beat for another minute. Add the sour cream and vanilla and beat for 30 seconds. Add the flour mixture and beat for 1 minute. The batter will be thick, but the consistency should be smooth. Remove 1 cup of the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Distribute the filling over the top of the batter. Finally spoon the 1 cup of reserved batter over the filling in small mounds. Bake for 55 minutes until done. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before serving. Serves 8
Onion Rings
I allow myself the treat of eating onion rings about once a year. They are so naughty, but so good. Here is a great basic onion ring recipe. I made them with grilled burgers this evening.
INGREDIENTS
3/4 Cup Unbleached Flour
2/3 Cup Milk
1 Egg
1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
4 Sliced Medium Yellow or White Onions
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
Deep Fryer or Large Skillet Filled With Vegetable Oil
To make the batter combine the flour, milk, egg and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a medium size bowl. Whisk the batter until it is nice and smooth. In a large skillet or deep fryer heat the oil to 375° F. Slice the onions into 1/4 inch thick slices and separate into rings. Using tongs or a fork, dip the onion rings into the batter. Drain off the excess batter. Fry the onion rings in the hot oil for 3 minutes. Be careful to fry only a few at a time so that you do not crowd the pan. You will want the onion rings to be golden brown. Stir once with a fork to make sure the rings stay separate. Remove the onion rings from the oil make sure to drain on a paper towel. Transfer to a serving platter and salt with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Serves 6
Spinach Salad
This is a delicious main-dish salad. For a refreshing side-dish salad, simply reduce the portions and omit the egg and bacon. This salad pairs very well with roast chicken or a thick grilled pork or veal chop.
INGREDIENTS
Salad:
2 Hard Boiled Eggs (Peeled)
3 Pounds Flat Leaf or Baby Spinach
6 Diced White Mushrooms
6 Strips Crumbled Bacon
6 Slivered Green Onions
1 Sliced Green Apple
10 Toasted Whole Pecans
1 Cup Garlic Croutons
Dressing:
1 Tablespoon Honey Dijon Mustard
1 Minced Garlic Clove
1 Tablespoon Minced Fresh Dill
1 1/2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
6 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Heavy Cream
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients together until nice and creamy. Press the egg yolks through a fine mesh strainer and finely chop the egg whites. Keep the egg yolks and the egg whites separate. Set aside. Add the spinach and mushrooms to the salad bowl and toss well to coat. Divide among 4 serving bowls. Sprinkle the egg whites, bacon, green onions and egg yolks around the top of the salad. Arrange the apple slices around the outside of the salad and layer several of the apple slices with the toasted pecans. Top with croutons. Pass around the dressing for everyone to help themselves. Serves 4
Victoria’s Risotto
This is my favorite risotto which should take only about 30 minutes to make from start to finish. My risotto is such a great dish for either a side dish or the main course.
INGREDIENTS
1/4 Cup Cooked Peas
1/4 Cup Diced Green Bell Pepper
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Minced Garlic Clove
2 Minced Shallots
2 1/2 Cups Beef Broth or Vegetable Broth
1/2 Cup Red Wine
1 Cup Arborio Rice
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
2 Tablespoon Butter
1/4 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
In a heavy saucepan, over a medium heat, heat the olive oil and sauté the garlic and shallots until they are soft. Add the kosher salt. In a separate saucepan bring the beef or vegetable broth and red wine to a fast simmer over a medium low heat. Add the rice to the olive oil pan. Stir well until all of the grains are coated and the rice becomes translucent. Add 1/4 cup of the broth mixture to the rice. Stir the rice well until the liquid is absorbed. The rice should still look moist and creamy. Add another 1/4 cup of the broth mixture to the rice and stir until the liquid is absorbed. Then pour in about a third of the remaining broth and stir well. Simmer for 10 minutes over a low heat. Stir occasionally. Add the rest of the broth and cook for another 10 minutes. The risotto will absorb the last of the liquid quickly. The risotto will be done when the kernels are soft, but with just a little bite at the center. There should be no liquid in the bottom of the pan and the risotto will be creamy and moist. If you need a bit more liquid then add a tablespoon or two of water. Stir in the cooked peas. At the very end add the butter and stir the risotto rapidly to incorporate. Transfer to a serving bowl. Top with diced green bell peppers and serve warm. Do not stir in the grated Parmesan cheese as it will make the risotto sticky and dry. Instead let each person top their own serving with Parmesan cheese if they wish. Serves 4
Weekend Coffee Cake
The perfect morning to make an easy, but delicious coffee cake for breakfast. I used apricots, plums and blueberries for the fruit, but you can use whatever you have on hand.
INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 Cups Unbleached Flour
1 1/2 Cups Brown Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Cup Butter
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
3 Beaten Eggs
1 1/2 Cups Buttermilk or Sour Milk
1 Sliced Plum
2 Sliced Apricots
2 Cups Blueberries
Preheat your oven to 350° F. Prepare a large baking plan by greasing sides and bottom. In a large size bowl combine the flour, brown sugar and salt. Cut in the butter. You want the mixture to look like coarse crumbs. Stir in the baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. In a medium bowl combine the eggs and buttermilk. If you don’t have buttermilk use sour milk by adding 2 tablespoons of either lemon juice or vinegar to regular milk and let it sit for 5 minutes. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir just until moistened. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Arrange the plum and apricot slices to the top of the batter. Finally, sprinkle the blueberries on the top of the batter. Bake for 45 minutes or until done. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm. Serves 8
Baked Chicken Topped With Fresh Corn Salsa
A light and healthy dish that is great for this hot summer weather.
INGREDIENTS
4 Large Chicken Breasts (Bone-In & Skin On)
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
2 Cups Fresh Corn Salsa
Preheat your oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Place each chicken breast on the baking sheet. Drizzle each with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 35 minutes until done. The juices should run clear. Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes. Plate each chicken breast and top with ½ cup of my fresh corn salsa. Serves 4
