Food

Stuff that tastes good.

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All About Beans

This is a pot of easy-to-make baked beans.   The recipe is from garden blogger and author Margaret Roach.  She was recently on an episode of “The Martha Stewart Show” to celebrate the publication of her latest book and she cooked these with Martha.  Given that they were vegetarian, I decided to make some.  I think it is a good idea to try and eat a meatless meal as often as you can.  I felt good that everything in the pot was fresh.  I read the side of a can of baked beans in the supermarket and there were some ingredients that I could not pronounce.  How can they be good for you?  With this recipe, you know you are getting quality food.  This recipe makes a lot of baked beans so you can freeze what is left over and eat them at a later time.  Even though this recipe is vegetarian, if you are a meat eater, try substituting thick-cut bacon for the onions.  This recipe serves six.  However, I doubled the recipe to ensure I had a lot of baked beans left over to freeze.  Join me now as I make a pot of vegetarian baked beans:  

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound dried cranberry, navy or yellow eye beans
  • 1/4 cup molasses, preferably organic
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup grainy mustard
  • 6 fresh, peeled, or canned whole plum tomatoes (a large 35-ounce can holds 12 tomatoes)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 medium onions, peeled and quartered
  • Boiling water
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

Before we begin cooking, let’s talk about the beans I used, again thanks to Margaret Roach.  In her TV segment, she mentioned a place to buy great beans.  The beans come from Rancho Gordo Specialty Foods in Napa, California.  What makes these beans special is that they are grown from heirloom seeds.  I used cranberry beans in the baked beans that I cooked.  Visit Rancho Gordo at their website, http://www.ranchogordo.com.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Place beans in a large bowl and add enough water to cover; let soak overnight.

Drain and place into a pot; add enough water to cover and simmer over medium-high heat for 30 minutes. 

Drain and transfer to a large bowl; stir in molasses, maple syrup, mustard, and tomatoes.  Set aside.

Coat the bottom of a Dutch oven or a 9-by-13-inch high-sided baking dish with olive oil.  Add onions and top with bean mixture.  Add enough boiling water to cover bean mixture by 1 inch.  Cover Dutch oven with lid or baking dish with parchment paper-lined aluminum foil.  Transfer to oven and bake until beans are softened, about 1 1/2 hours, checking water level and adding more as necessary.

Uncover beans and continue baking until thick and syrupy, about 45 minutes more.  Season with salt and pepper and serve.

These baked beans taste great.  They can be a great winter comfort food, but I also like baked beans during the summer with a grilled hamburger or hot dog.  Is there anything more American than that?  I have to tell you that you will not miss the bacon if you make the vegetarian version.  The beans I used were also much better than those found in canned baked beans.  Bigger, plumper, a little more substantial when you chew them…Rancho Gordo beans are a real find.  Thanks again to Margaret Roach for the bean find and the recipe.  You won’t be sorry you made these baked beans.  Do you have other vegetarian recipes you can share on Acorns On Glen?

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Another Great Steak Plus Fries!

This is another great steak recipe…..plus fries!  I know you will think this is a lie, but I don’t really eat that much red meat.  It really is by chance that I have posted so many steak recipes on Acorns On Glen.  I eat a lot of fish, pasta and chicken, but every so often, I crave a steak.  So the next time you crave a steak, here is a great recipe to cure your craving.  It all begins with that pretty little picture of meat above….the hanger steak.   

A hanger steak is a cut of beef steak prized for its flavor.  In the past, it was sometimes known as “butcher’s steak” because butchers would often keep it for themselves rather than offer it for sale.  Hanger steak resembles flank steak in texture and flavor.  The hanger steak is not particularly tender and is best marinated and cooked quickly over high heat and served rare or medium-rare, to avoid toughness.  Anatomically, the hanger steak is said to “hang” from the diaphragm of the steer.  The diaphragm is one muscle, commonly cut into two separate cuts of meat: the “hanger steak” traditionally considered more flavorful, and the outer “skirt steak” composed of tougher muscle within the diaphragm. The hanger is attached to the last rib and the spine near the kidneys.  The hanger steak has historically been more popular in Europe, but over the last several years, it has slowly become more popular in the United States.

What I liked about this recipe was how easy it was to prepare.  I loved the taste of the marinade and enjoyed serving the steak with Dijon mustard and carmelized shallots on the side.  The other great thing was the addition of the oven-baked fries into the mix.  I’ve never met a potato I didn’t like.  What could be bad about steak and fries?  I baked my fries into more of a hash brown looking dish versus cooking them longer so they would be crispy fries, but the choice is yours.  Here we go as we cook us up some steak and fries:

Ingredients:

For the steak:

  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup sherry vinegar
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard, plus more for serving
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 1/2 to 2 pounds of hanger steak
  • 5 medium shallots, halved or quartered
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:

Whisk together 1/4 cup oil, the vinegar, garlic, mustard and Worcestershire sauce in a large glass dish.  Place steak in dish; turn to coat with marinade.  Let steak marinate, turning often, for at least 20 minutes.  I kept my steak in the marinade for about an hour.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add shallots; cook, stirring often, until just golden, 2 to 3 minutes.  Reduce heat to medium-low.  Season with salt.  Cook, adding 1/4 cup water in batches as needed to keep shallots from sticking, until tender and caramelized, 15 to 18 minutes.  Transfer shallots to a plate.

Wipe out skillet.  Heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Remove steak from marinade; pat dry.  Season with salt and pepper.

 Cook steak, turning once, until an instant-read thermometer registers 140 degrees (for medium-rare), 10 to 12 minutes per side.  Tent with foil; let stand at room temperature 10 minutes.  Season with pepper.

Meanwhile, wipe out skillet; reheat shallots over medium heat.  Thinly slice the steak and serve with shallots and mustard.

Ingredients:

For the fries:

  • 2-3 russet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for baking sheets
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:

Using a mandolin, cut the potatoes into ultra-thin shapes (or “shoestrings”).  You can do this up to four hours ahead; to prevent discoloration, place cut potatoes in a bowl of cold water in the refrigerator until ready to use, then gently pat dry with paper towels.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Lightly coat two baking sheets with oil.  Toss together potatoes, oil, and 1 teaspoon salt in a bowl.  Dividing evenly among prepared baking sheets, arrange potatoes in a single layer.

Bake, turning potatoes with a metal spatula a few times and rotating sheets halfway through, until crisp and golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes.  Transfer potatoes to a large piece of parchment paper; let cool 5 minutes, then season with salt and pepper, and serve.

Pretty easy, right?  Both recipes feed 4 people.  Although I have posted a couple of steak recipes here on Acorns On Glen, I have found that each one is very different based on the cut of steak that we used.  See which one you like better-ribeye vs. hanger steak.  I think you’ll find that both of them are equally as tasty as the other.  Enjoy!  Have you liked the recipes we’ve posted so far here on Acorns On Glen?

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Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

This is a confession.  I love peanut butter.  I like it on toast, on a banana and sometimes I just stick a teaspoon right into the jar and eat it without anything else.  However, the number one way I like peanut butter is in a cookie.  I saw this recipe in a magazine and knew I had to make it.  Not only does the cookie itself have peanut butter in it, but the cream frosting in the center of the sandwich also contains my secret pleasure.  They are delicious!  The recipe is also pretty easy.  Just mix, refrigerate, slice and bake.  I hate recipes that are complicated and take all day.  Join us here on Acorns On Glen as we make these peanut butter delights. 

Ingredients:

For the cookie:

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
  • 1 cup smooth peanut butter
  • 1 large egg

For the filling:

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 3/4 cup smooth peanut butter, preferable natural
  • 3 tablespoons heavy cream

Directions: 

In a bowl, whisk together baking soda, salt, and 2 cups flour; set aside.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter, brown sugar, and peanut butter until light and fluffy; beat in egg.

 With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture, beating just until combined (do not overmix).

Form dough into two 8-inch-long rectangular logs. Wrap each log in waxed or parchment paper; freeze until firm, about 1 hour.  I made mine late in the evening and chilled overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. With a sharp knife, slice dough 1/4 inch thick; place on two baking sheets, 1 inch apart.

Bake until cookies are puffed, 12 to 15 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer to wire racks; let cool.

Make filling.  Beat all ingredients with an electric mixer on medium until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down side of bowl.  Use immediately, or refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days.  Bring to room temperature; stir with a flexible spatula before using.

Spread about a tablespoon of filling onto the bottom part of one cookie.  Place another cookie on top placing the bottom part on top of the filling.  Finish filling the remaining cookies and then dive in and have a couple.  The recipe makes 30 completed cookies.  What food item (like peanut butter) can’t you get enough of when it is in the house?

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iPad Brownies

This is a pan of cream cheese brownies right out of the oven.  I have never met a pan of brownies that I didn’t like.  What made these different is not the addition of cream cheese or any special chocolate.  What made these different is that this is the first time I found a baking recipe on an application from my iPad and used the iPad throughout the process to make the brownies similar to how I would have used a cookbook.  Just like it has for regular books, the iPad has brought cookbooks into  the digital tablet era. While I still like the look and feel of a book and a cookbook, a digital recipe is nice especially if you are looking for something to make in a quick fashion.  That’s the story of these brownies….I needed to make a fast dessert for dinner with friends.  Join me as I make these cream cheese brownies for my dinner party: 

Ingredients:

  • 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus more for pan
  • 1 cup plus two tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
  • 4 ounces room-temperature bar cream cheese
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 4 large eggs

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush a 9-inch square baking pan with butter.  Line bottom and two sides with a strip of parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the two sides.  Butter paper, and set pan aside.  In a small bowl, whisk 1 cup flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt; set aside.  Place 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter and chocolate in a large heat-proof bowl set over (not in) a saucepan of gently simmering water.  Heat, stirring occasionally, until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes; remove bowl from pan.

 Add 1 1/4 cups sugar; mix to combine.  Add 3 eggs, and mix to combine.  Add flour and cocoa mixture; mix just until moistened (do not overmix).

Prepare cream-cheese mixture:  Whisk bar cream cheese with 2 tablespoons room-temperature butter.  Whisk in 1/4 cup sugar, 1 egg, and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour.

Alternately spoon chocolate batter and cream-cheese mixture into pan; with the tip of a paring knife, swirl to marble.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 50 to 60 minutes.  Cool in pan for 30 minutes.  Using paper overhang, lift brownies out of pan; transfer to a rack to cool completely (still on paper).  On a cutting board, using a dampened serrated knife, cut into 16 squares.  Store in an airtight container at room temperature, up to 2 days.

Needless to say, my friends devoured the brownies.  Quick, fast, easy, delicious.  The way a recipe should be.  Try this recipe and also investigate the different baking and cooking applications available for the iPad.  Do you have a favorite quick dessert recipe you would like to share with us on Acorns On Glen?

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Meatball Mania With Sauce

This is how to make real Italian meatballs based on a recipe from a real Italian grandmother.  It wasn’t a simple task.  There are no measuring cups or spoons utilized.  There is no recipe filed away in a drawer.  It’s all done from memory and how much something weighs in the palm of her hand.  This recipe comes from the memory of a real Italian grandmother.  A Brooklyn Italian grandmother–the best kind.  She has been making these meatballs most of her life.  It is second nature to her.  She can quickly prepare this meal until I asked her if I could tag along and take pictures, write the ingredients and steps down in recipe format, measure in cups and spoons and then post the recipe here on Acorns On Glen.  Not only is the finished product delicious (I ate seven), it also illustrates a way to wear rings and bracelets while making meatballs and not get them dirty.  Go figure!  We made the meatballs and sauce at the same time, so be prepared to jump back and forth between the meatball and sauce sections.  If you follow our steps below, you will be fine….and also be named an honorary Brooklyn Italian grandmother for the day.  See how we made them:

Ingredients for the Meatballs:

  • 2 pounds of ground sirloin
  • 1/4 cup of Italian parsley, chopped (Brooklyn Italian grandma alert–it has to be Italian parsley; no curly allowed)
  • 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
  • 3/4 cup of grated Pecorino cheese (we used a lightly smoked Pecorino cheese that we bought from a local cheese shop)
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 6 cloves of garlic, minced
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Ingredients for the Sauce:

  • 1 large or 2 regular hot Italian sausages, cut into 2 inch pieces (you can use sweet Italian sausage if you prefer.  We bought our sausages from the local butcher)
  • 1 35-ounce can of crushed tomatoes
  • 1 35-ounce can of plum tomatoes in juice
  • 1 can of tomato paste
  • 6 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 3/4 cup of chopped onions
  • 1 cup of torn basil leaves (you can add more if you would like, to taste)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup of olive oil for the meat, plus 3 tablespoons for the sauce

Begin by mincing the garlic cloves for the meatballs.  Garlic is a key ingredient and some people like it finely minced, while others like it a little more course.  You decide according to your taste. 

  Jewelry optional!

In a large bowl, add the ground sirloin and eggs.  Crack eggs in a bowl one at a time to make sure they are good and don’t contain any shell and then add to the meat.

Add the chopped Italian parsley, bread crumbs, grated cheese, milk and salt and pepper to meat and egg mixture.  Now get your hands in there and mix all ingredients until well combined.  Don’t mix too much after ingredients are combined as you want lighter meatballs and too much mixing will make them too heavy.  Less is best.

 Insert fingers to the top of your rings.

After the mixture is combined, heat the 1/4 cup olive oil from the sauce recipe in a large skillet.  When it is heated, add the sausage pieces and brown them well.  When the sausages are well browned, put them on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the excess oil.

In the sausage flavored olive oil, let’s start cooking the meatballs.  With your hands, take the meatball mixture and form a meatball into a size that fits in the palm of your hand.  Have a bowl or glass of water nearby to dip your fingers into when you start to notice that the meat mixture is sticking to your fingers/palm.

See a piece of parsley on the finger right above the ring, but nothing on the ring?

Add the meatballs to the oil and cook until well browned.  Remove them from the skillet and place them with the sausage on the plate lined with paper towels.  Remember that they will continue to cook all the way through later in the process when they are added to the sauce.

Now let’s move to completing the sauce.  Begin by mincing the 6 other cloves of garlic and chopping the onions.

Wearing a ring while chopping onions will not make you cry during the chopping process (not true)!

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot.  When heated, add the garlic and onion and saute until onion is translucent.  Add the tomato paste and cook until the paste gets very dark in color.  At that time, add the two cans of crushed and plum tomatoes and stir to combine.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Now add the sausage pieces and browned meatballs and simmer on the stove on medium to medium low heat for about an hour ensuring that the meatballs are cooked all the way through.

Prepare the pasta of your choice (we used 2 pounds of linguine). 

 Notice that the ring is clean and not caked with meat or sauce.  Excellent execution!

Add the torn basil leaves to the sauce and let them cook down into the sauce.  Ladle the sauce over the pasta and make sure to put lots of meatballs and sausage on top and enjoy.  Grate more Pecorino over the top if you would like.  How easy was that?  Real Italian meatballs with gravy.  Thanks to our Brooklyn Italian grandma.  We will be bringing her back into the kitchen in the future.  She makes more than meatballs and sauce.  What Italian recipes would you like to see from our Brooklyn Italian grandma?

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One Great Ribeye Steak

This is one great steak.  Last week, all of us here at Acorns On Glen made a delicious Spring Risotto and then shared the recipe.  At the same time we made the risotto, we also tried an Emeril Lagasse steak recipe that guaranteed an end result that is as good or better than a real steakhouse ribeye.  It was beyond fantasic!  Using the Emeril’s seasoning, some great ribeyes from our butcher, the butter topping and a combination of grilling and roasting made for one delicious night of eating.  We used a grill pan on top of the stove for the grilling part and then our convection oven for the roasting part.  As you know, I am not a big citrus fan in the cooking I do.  The compound butter recipe called for some lemon juice, but I omitted it.  If you like, you can put one tablespoon back in the recipe.  If you are a steak lover (and I think most of us are), you have to try this “to die for” recipe.

For the steak:

  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup Emeril’s Original Essence (available at most supermarkets…I got mine at Stop & Shop)
  • 4 (20- to 22-ounce) bone-in dry-aged rib-eye steaks
  • 4 (1/2-inch-thick) slices Maitre D’Hotel Butter (below)
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

In a small bowl, whisk together oil and Emeril’s Original Essence to combine. Rub oil mixture all over steaks and place in a shallow dish. Cover dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to overnight.

Bring steaks to room temperature 30 minutes before ready to cook.

Preheat a grill pan to medium-high heat. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Place steaks on grill pan. Cook, turning once, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer steaks to a large ovenproof skillet or baking sheet with a wire rack inserted into it; transfer to oven and roast until internal temperature of steaks reaches 140 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove steaks from oven and set temperature to broil.

Place a slice of butter on each steak; transfer steaks to broiler and broil until butter just starts to melt, 20 to 30 seconds. Serve immediately, garnished with parsley.

For the Maitre D’Hotel Butter:

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley (I always use Italian flat)
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor; process to combine.  I just put softened butter in a bowl and mixed it together with a fork.  I didn’t think it was necessary to dirty the food processor.

Transfer mixture to the center of a large sheet of plastic wrap or wax paper; form a log about 1 1/2 inches thick. Fold the wrap over the butter and gently roll to form a smooth cylinder; twist ends to seal.

Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour and up to 1 week. Butter can be frozen for up to 1 month.

Doctors tell us that eating steak everyday is probably not the greatest thing for your health.  Everything in moderation, right?  So when you do allow yourself the treat of steak, try this recipe.  You won’t be sorry.  What is your favorite recipe that you can share with us at Acorns On Glen?

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Spring Risotto…Even Though It’s Not Really Spring Yet

 

This is a great Spring Risotto.  Even though it really isn’t Spring, we pretended tonight and made the risotto anyway.  I like this risotto because of its creaminess and that it is fairly easy to make even though it is a risotto and requires some stirring.  The marscarpone cheese and fennel make for a unique taste.  The recipe is adapted from one I found from Ina Garten of Barefoot Contessa fame.  Ina seems to really like citrus and related zests.  Me, not so much.  I have taken the zest completely out and the citrus juices down.  I also cook it until it is a little more creamy (wet) than what is called for in the recipe.  I tend to not like a dryer risotto, so just don’t add as much chicken stock if you would prefer it more dry.

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts
  • 1 cup chopped fennel
  • 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
  • 2/3 cup dry white wine
  • 4 to 5 cups simmering chicken stock
  • 1 pound thin asparagus
  • 10 ounces frozen peas, defrosted
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/3 cup mascarpone cheese
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving
  • 3 tablespoons minced fresh chives, plus extra for serving

Heat the olive oil and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add the leeks and fennel and saute for 5 to 7 minutes, until tender.  Add the rice and stir for a minute to coat with the vegetables, oil, and butter. 

Add the white wine and simmer over low heat, stirring constantly, until most of the wine has been absorbed.  Add the chicken stock, 2 ladles at a time, stirring almost constantly and waiting for the stock to be absorbed before adding more.  This process should take 25 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut the asparagus diagonally in 1 1/2-inch lengths and discard the tough ends.  Blanch in boiling salted water for 4 to 5 minutes, until al dente.  Drain and cool immediately in ice water.

When the risotto has been cooking for 15 minutes, drain the asparagus and add it to the risotto with the peas, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper.  Continue cooking and adding stock, stirring almost constantly, until the rice is tender but still firm.

Whisk the lemon juice and mascarpone together in a small bowl.  When the risotto is done, turn off the heat and stir in the mascarpone mixture plus the Parmesan cheese and chives.  Set aside, off the heat, for a few minutes, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve hot with a sprinkling of chives and more Parmesan cheese.

We love to cook and we will be sharing more recipes over time.  Tell us what you like to cook?