America's Test Kitchen- The Best Chocolate Chip Ever?

Being a big Twitter fan has led me to following many cooking sites- including America's Test Kitchen. Previously, I had known little about the company, but in the past few months, I have learned quite a bit about the company, especially when I had started receiving Cook's Illustrated in the mail. My first impression of the magazine was that it had wordy articles that took me days to read, and I was not an immediate fan. However, in reflecting upon what I had read, and what I am continuously reading in the magazine, my opinion has changed. I LOVE the magazine. I was especially in love with the Greek Yogurt comparison in the most recent issue.

America's Test Kitchen makes many claims about their recipes, and are offering bloggers the chance, via a Tweet on Twitter, to bake their "Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie," and possibly win a chance to visit the actual Test Kitchen. When I saw this opportunity, I nearly jumped in my seat! What a great opportunity to visit the foodie scientists themselves!

I must admit I was skeptical about the recipe at first because I am a huge Tollhouse cookie fan- they are nostalgic for me. More recently, I became a Flour chocolate chunk cookie fan too. I wasn't sure if this cookie would outdo the others, especially because it involved more work with an extra step of browning the butter...

Friends, I am here to tell you, that this recipe ROCKS! The browning of the butter really makes these cookie delicious, and in the words of my taste tester Jack, there will never be another cookie recipe made in our house again. I think we have a clear winner in the chocolate chip cookie race!

Here's how to make these fantastic cookies, courtesy of CooksIllustrated.com.

Ingredients
1 3/4cups unbleached all-purpose flour (8 3/4 ounces)
1/2teaspoon baking soda 14tablespoons unsalted butter (1 3/4 sticks)
1/2cup granulated sugar (3 1/2 ounces)
3/4cups packed dark brown sugar (5 1/4 ounces) (see note)
1teaspoon table salt 2teaspoons vanilla extract 1large egg 1 large egg yolk 1 1/4cups semisweet chocolate chips or chunks (see note)
3/4cup chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted (optional)

Instructions
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 large (18- by 12-inch) baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.

2. Heat 10 tablespoons butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and, using heatproof spatula, transfer browned butter to large heatproof bowl. Stir remaining 4 tablespoons butter into hot butter until completely melted.






3. Add both sugars, salt, and vanilla to bowl with butter and whisk until fully incorporated. Add egg and yolk and whisk until mixture is smooth with no sugar lumps remaining, about 30 seconds. Let mixture stand 3 minutes, then whisk for 30 seconds. Repeat process of resting and whisking 2 more times until mixture is thick, smooth, and shiny. Using rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture until just combined, about 1 minute. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts (if using), giving dough final stir to ensure no flour pockets remain.







4. Divide dough into 16 portions, each about 3 tablespoons (or use #24 cookie scoop). Arrange 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets, 8 dough balls per sheet. (Smaller baking sheets can be used, but will require 3 batches.)





5. Bake cookies 1 tray at a time until cookies are golden brown and still puffy, and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft, 10 to 14 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack; cool cookies completely before serving.




**A Few Notes:**
Avoid using a nonstick skillet to brown the butter; the dark color of the nonstick coating makes it difficult to gauge when the butter is browned. Unfortunately, I only have nonstick pans, and I just watched the butter very carefully, and was successful
Use fresh, moist brown sugar instead of hardened brown sugar, which will make the cookies dry. This recipe works with light brown sugar, but the cookies will be less full-flavored.
For our winning brand of chocolate chips, see related tasting at CooksIllustrated.com

A Brief Hiatus

Sometimes life takes control of your free time, aka blogging time, as has been the case with me. I typically cook and write my blog posts on weekends, however, the past few have been crazy busy with guests, Easter, house hunting, dog walking, and half marathon training. While my cooking has certainly not stopped, my picture taking certainly has, due to an overloaded brain.

Finally though, life is slowing down, so you will get to see loads of posts soon, many involving my cooking extravaganza this past weekend, and my excitement for all spring veggies.

In the meantime though, check out a few of my current favorite things...
1. Food & Wine Magazine
2. Le Creuset 10.25 inch cast iron skillet
3. Sugar Bakery in Roslindale
4. Red Barn Dog Treats
5. Fage Greek Yogurt
6. The Inspired Bride
7. Olive Kitteridge

Boston Brunchers visit the Biltmore Bar & Grill

I have been following the Boston Brunchers on twitter for about 3 months, and have finally had the opportunity to join the lively bunch for brunch this past weekend. I was lucky enough to win a seat at the table from a contest run by Recipe Can, and boy am I glad I won! Not only did I get to sit next to Katy of Recipe Can, but I also was able to enjoy 5 courses of delicious brunch provided by Biltmore Bar & Grill in Newton.

Every single course was unique and scrumptious. I was certainly glad that I wore my big girl pants, because I had a LOT of food to eat!

The first course was a Lobster Frittata with sauteed pea tendrils on top. Biltmore did not skimp on the lobster, which made the frittata that much more tasty.



Next up was a chive buttermilk biscuit topped with a poached egg and cheese hollandaise sauce. This was my favorite savory dish because the biscuit was so moist and warm, and I love poached eggs. I will be trying to recreate this at home!



Thirdly, we had Biltmore's version of Pigs in a Blanket. A homemade pancake was wrapped around house made sausage, and topped with maple syrup. Let me first say that I have not eaten sausage in abut 15 years, and I dared myself to try this sausage. I was not disappointed, in fact, I wanted more!



Fourth up was Fried Chicken and Waffles served with a maple apple syrup. This dish was quite different from the chicken and waffles that I am familiar with- I am used to seeing the chicken served in a gravy rather than a fried chicken piece on top of the best tasting waffles ever. Unfortunately, I cannot eat fried chicken, but I did devour the entire waffle. The waffle was actually grilled after cooking, which caramelized all of the sugars in the batter.



Lastly, Biltmore served us granola and berry parfaits topped with fresh made whipped cream. Like pretty much everything else, the granola was house made, and delicious! I ate the entire thing!



I loved the Biltmore Bar & Grill. The staff was friendly, the service was timely, and the food was to die for. I will definitely be going back- as soon as I wake up from the food coma that I am still in!

Peachy Pork Chops

Pork, the other white meat, and I have never been friends because it only came to me in one way growing up, with cream of mushroom soup and white rice. I believe it was either the Tuesday or Wednesday meal in my parents house- nestled in between spaghetti night and leftover night. I swore I would never eat pork again, and then, I tried it at a restaurant, and fell in love again.



I decided to try to make a pork chop recipe at home after that one meal, and selected something that would allow me to use a jar of the peaches I had canned in the summer, along with a few other seasonal ingredients. I picked out the pork chops from the farmer's market, and let them thaw for a day. These pork chops were incredibly thick though, so it actually took two days to fully thaw.



The recipe originally came from Real Simple magazine, from which I occasionally cook. I love the simpleness of their meals; they test really great recipes that are quick for weeknight meals. One of the caveats that I ran into though in this recipe was the cooking time. As my pork chops were extremely thick, my cooking time doubled. However, the recipe was originally created for typical supermarket chops that are thinner.



All in all, I really enjoyed the peachy pork chops as they were sweet, yet salty enough to keep me wanting more. It was a great way for me to try out my first pork recipe!



Peachy Pork Chops
adapted from Real Simple

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 bone-in pork chops (3/4 inch thick; about 2 pounds total)
kosher salt and black pepper
2 peaches, cut into wedges- I used canned peaches from last summer
1 small red onion, cut into thin wedges
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
Drizzle of Honey-I added this
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves-I omitted basil

Directions
Heat oven to 400° F.
Heat the oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat.
Season the pork with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook until browned, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
Add the peaches, onion, vinegar, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper to the skillet and cook, tossing, for 1 minute.
Return the pork (and any accumulated juices) to the skillet. Drizzle with honey if you so choose.
Transfer to oven and roast until the pork is cooked through and the peaches are tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
Sprinkle the pork and peaches with the basil if you like

Sugar Raised Doughnuts

Every year, on Fat Tuesday, the Pennsylvania Dutch celebrate a farewell to sweets and treats by eating loads of fausnaughts, which are doughnuts to everyone else. The difference between a fausnaught and a typical doughnut, is the main ingredient, which happens to be mashed potatoes. The reason for this all out feast is to rid the home of items that are traditionally not be eaten during the Lenten season.




The Polish, also celebrate this day by eating their own version of the doughnut, which is aptly named the paczki (pronounced punch-kee). While not made with mashed potatoes, paczkis are stuffed with creams or jellies to make a breakfast treat even more delectable.




Being so far away from either of these cultures, I decided that this year, I would start the doughnut making tradition in my own house, however I did not follow the standard recipe. Instead, I chose this as the perfect opportunity to try out Joanne Chang's vanilla filled doughnuts from the Flour cookbook!




I was pretty nervous about frying up some dough as I had never fried anything before. Using canola oil, really had me distraught too, as I typically stick with olive oil for most recipes. Everything turned out perfectly fine though! Doughnut frying is not at all difficult, as long as you realize that you are not eating these for your health! I will most certainly be making them again, even though the oil does make your house smell like a carnival...

Also, I did not end up putting the vanilla cream in the middle, simply because my piping equipment broke. I made sure to use a lot of sugar to cover the outside of the doughnut, and put about 1/4 cup of additional sugar into the dough.



Vanilla Creme Doughnutsadapted from Flour --> This cookbook should definitely be added to your collection!

Doughnuts

•1 package (2 1/2 teaspoons) active dry yeast
•2/3 cup milk, room temperature
•3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for baking sheet
•1 1/3 cups sugar (I added 1/4 cup more)
•2 teaspoons coarse salt
•3 large eggs
•7 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into 6 to 8 pieces
•Canola oil, for frying- at least 1 container
•6 tablespoons heavy cream
1 recipe, Pastry Cream

1.In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, stir together yeast and milk; let stand until yeast is dissolved, about 1 minute. Add flour, 1/3 cup sugar, salt, and eggs; mix on low speed until dough comes together, about 1 minute. Continue mixing on low 2 to 3 minutes more. Add butter, a few pieces at a time, mixing after each addition and until butter is fully incorporated and dough is soft, 5 to 6 minutes.
2.Remove dough from bowl and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 6 hours and up to 15 hours (I kept mine in the refrigerator for 24 hours).
3.Lightly flour a baking sheet; set aside. On a well-floured work surface, roll out dough into 12-inch square about 1/2 inch thick. Using a 3 1/2-to-4-inch round biscuit cutter, cut out 9 doughnuts. Transfer to prepared baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap; let stand in a warm spot until they've doubled in height and feel puffy and pillowy, 2 to 3 hours. I actually let mine rise overnight because my home is chilly.
4.Fill a large heavy-bottomed saucepan with oil to a depth of 3 inches; heat over medium-high heat until it reaches 350 degrees on a deep-fry thermometer. Working in batches, place doughnuts in the hot oil, taking care not to crowd them. Fry until golden brown on one side, 2 to 3 minutes; turn and continue frying on remaining side until golden, 2 to 3 minutes more. Using a slotted spoon, transfer doughnuts to a paper towel-lined baking sheet until cool enough to handle.
5.Place remaining cup of sugar in a small bowl. Toss doughnuts in sugar, one at a time, to evenly coat. Return doughnuts to paper towel-lined baking sheet to cool completely, 30 to 40 minutes.
6.Meanwhile, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in pastry cream; you should have 3 cups of filling. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a small round tip; set aside.
7.Poke a hole in the side of each cooled doughnut and fill with about 1/3 cup filling; serve immediately.


Pastry Cream

1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cake flour
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
4 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1.In a medium saucepan, heat milk over medium-high heat until bubbles just start to form around the edges but milk is not yet boiling. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together sugar, flour, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks until well combined; slowly whisk in flour mixture until thick and pasty.
2.Remove milk from heat and slowly add to egg mixture, whisking constantly. Transfer egg mixture to saucepan and place over medium heat, whisking constantly until mixture thickens and comes to a boil, about 3 minutes. Boil, whisking, for 10 seconds, and immediately remove from heat.
3.Pour mixture through a fine mesh sieve set over a small heatproof bowl; stir in vanilla. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing down on the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours and up to 3 days.

Sauteed Chicken a la Julia Child

When I lived in the suburbs of Boston, I had joined a group called Slow Food. There are many chapters of this organization throughout the US and the world, and in Mass, there are at least 2 chapters that I know about. Slow Food is really a great group that focuses on "good, clean and fair food." They really are near in dear to my heart because I feel the same way.




Upon moving to Boston, I switched Slow Food chapters, and became involved with Slow Food Boston. This group is much more active due to a larger number of members and resources. Recently, one activity that I participated in was a potluck paired with a book club. We all were to read Fannie's Last Supper, by Chris Kimball. Chris happens to be well known for his magazine's, Cook's Illustrated and Cook's Country. The book focused on Chris' desire to recreate a holiday meal of the Victorian era with all Fannie Farmer Recipes. You can read about my review of the book on the Edible South Shore Magazine website later this week.




We were to provide a dish for the potluck that was a recipe of the Victorian era if possible,and I was to provide an entree specifically. I scoured the Internet for Fannie Farmer recipes that did not involve oxtails and calves' brains, however, I fell short and ended up turning to my dear Julia Child cookbook. I figured she was as good a substitute as any because her recipes were referenced several times throughout Fannie's Last Supper.



I chose to make sauteed chicken, and substituted chicken thighs for a broken down chicken, due entirely to my lack of knowledge of how to break down a chicken (is there anyone that can teach me?). The recipe is pretty straight forward and involved lots of butter, but what Julia Child recipe doesn't? The chicken turned out better than I expected, as for the first time, I did not overcook it! This would make a great weeknight meal as the chicken takes roughly 30 minutes to prepare and cook. Paired with a few veggie sides, the meal would be fairly healthy too!

Julia Child's Sauteed Chicken

2 1/2 to 3 pound frying chicken parts or chicken thighs
2 to 3 tablespoons clarified butter or olive oil,
or 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
A big pinch of tarragon or thyme, optional

Optional deglazing sauce
1 tablespoon minced shallots or scallions
1/2 cup chicken stock (see Special Note)
1/2 cup dry white wine or dry
white French vermouth

Browning the chicken – about 5 minutes. Be sure the chicken is well dried or it will not brown properly. Set the frying pan over moderately high heat; add the oil and/or butter. When it is very hot but not smoking, lay in the chicken pieces skin side down. Turn the chicken after 3 minutes or so, allowing it
to color a fairly even walnut brown on all sides.

Finishing the cooking. Cover the pan, lower the meat to moderate. Baste the chicken pieces with the accumulated fat and juices in the pan; season the chicken lightly with salt, pepper, and optional herbs. Cover the
pan again and cook another 6 minutes. Turn the chicken, baste again, and continue cooking 7 to 8 minutes more, basting once again.
The chicken is done when the thickest parts of the drumsticks and thighs are tender when pressed, and when the juices of any piece of chicken pricked with a fork run clear yellow with no trace of pink –it should still be juicy.

Deglazing sauce – 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the chicken pieces to hot plates or a platter. Rapidly spoon all but a tablespoon of fat out of the sauté pan.
Stir in the tablespoon of minced shallots or scallions and cook for a few seconds over high heat, stirring. Pour in the 1/2 cup of chicken stock and 1/2 cup
of wine, and boil, scraping up coagulated juices from the bottom of the pan; continue boiling and swirling the pan for a moment until the liquid has boiled down to about a 1/2 cup. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the sauce over the chicken, strew on the optional herbs, and serve as soon as possible.

St Patty's Day Sugar Cookies

St Patrick's Day for me, as I am not Irish, seems to always get lost in between fasnacht day and Easter for my heritage. However, this year I decided to be on the ball with it. Some might say proactive even!

I had seen a recipe that I wanted to try from Sprinkle Bakes involving spiral sugar cookies, and thought it would be perfect for St. Patty's Day. While I used her idea, I did not use her sugar cookie recipe, because we already have a favorite one in our house, and nothing compares.



To make the spiral cookies, you will need to first make a full batch of regular sugar cookie dough. When it is complete, divide in two, place one half in the refrigerator wrapped in saran wrap, and keep the other half in your mixing bowl, because you still need to add green food coloring! Drop about 10 drops of green into the dough, and mix on medium until fully incorporated. Depending on your desires, add more food coloring.



The rest of the recipe is easy, roll out both doughs and place one on top of the other, and roll together to create the spiral shape. To add sprinkles to the outside, I first had to add milk to the outer layer of the dough, and then dip in the sprinkles, otherwise they did not stay attached.



The cookies tasted like any other sugar cookie recipe, but they were much prettier! Try them out as I am sure they will impress your friends!

Spiral Sugar Cookies
adapted loosely from Sprinkle Bakes

Ingredients
Your favorite sugar cookie recipe- I used a BH&G sugar cookie recipe
Food Coloring
Sprinkles

Mix together your sugar cookie dough. Divide in 2. Place one half in saran wrap in the refrigerator. Keep the other half in the mixing bowl. Add food coloring to your taste (I used about 10 generous drops of green). Place the colored dough in the refrigerator too. When the dough has been chilled for a about an hour, you can take it out and start rolling it out in rectangular shape. Roll both colors, and then place one on top of the other. Pinch together the ends, and roll into a spiral shape. You can either chill your dough again, or begin to cut the cookies. Roll the outer edge of the cookies in a thin layer of milk. Immediately dip in the sprinkles, and then place on cookie sheet. Once the cookie sheet is full, bake at the recipe's time and temperature. Remove from oven and enjoy!