Jar vs. Homemade

I received an email a few months ago from Patak's Original, the company that makes a variety of Indian cooking spices and sauces. The Chicken Tikka Masala recipe that I posted on January 27, 2007 apparently sparked their interest, and they asked me if I would try their Tikka Masala Curry cooking sauce (medium heat) and share my opinion.

Tikka Masala is a curry dish in which chicken chunks (tikka) are served in a rich red, creamy, lightly spiced, tomato and yogurt-based sauce. It's one of those dishes that I have to order every time I go to my favorite Indian restaurant...it's just so good.

I don't generally endorse fast food since it's loaded with sodium and other bad stuff. I actually like to be able to pronounce the ingredients that go into my belly! Plus, what if the jarred stuff is better than my recipe?! How embarrassing would that be? I replied with a hesitant "yes" and waited for my jar of cooking sauce to arrive.

I finally got around to trying the stuff out, and you know what...it was actually very good.

The ingredient list actually impressed me: water, tomato, onion, yogurt (spelled wrong, btw), cream, spices, concentrated tomato puree, sugar, corn starch, lemon juice, garlic, salt, vinegar, ginger, turmeric, paprika, cumin seeds, black pepper, coriander seeds, cilantro and dried crushed chili. Not artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. WOW! Most home cooks probably know what every single one of those ingredients are! DOUBLE WOW! (P.S. - this product is Gluten Free.)

For a complete meal all you have to do is follow 3 easy steps...1-2. Heat some oil in a large skillet and brown up some chicken breast, 3. Pour the jar of sauce over chicken and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Of course, I jazzed it up a bit with some sliced onion and green bell pepper, cut into 1 inch chunks, then served the whole thing over some steamed rice and garnished with a little fresh basil for color. Naan on the side.

This jar sauce did have a little more heat than my recipe, and it's a heck of a lot more convenient and less time consuming than cooking tikka masala from scratch...but it was missing *something* and I think that something was the tang of plain yogurt. I would probably add about a 1/3 cup of plain or Greek yogurt next time and maybe a touch of nutmeg. The jarred sauce was not as smooth as mine, but the color was gorgeous. Of course, like any curry you might make at home, the smell lasted for days. In fact, a day later I went out with some friends and one of them mentioned that it smelled like curry was seeping out of my pores. Not sure if that's a good thing!


My final verdict...if you have the time and desire to make a home cooked meal of Chicken Tikka Masala, definitely go with my recipe. However, if you want dinner in 20 minutes Patak's Original Tikka Masala Curry cooking sauce is a pretty darn good substitute. I'll be keeping a jar in my pantry.

Chunky Tomato Soup

It's soup season! Well actually...the Northeast is pretty much half way through "soup season," and I unfortunately am coming to the party a little late. As usual. Don't judge me!

I just love taking everyday ingredients, like tomatoes, potatoes, rice and pasta and making something that's tasty, healthy and easy. Soup is a great way to stretch your dollar, and for me as a singleton living alone, one pot provides many wonderful meals throughout the week. I also like that soup is filling, yet satisfying - so it's great for the waistline (as long as you don't load it with butter and cream).

This particular soup can really be steller...however, it does need a tiny bit of tweaking. So if anyone makes this, please let me know your thoughts and what you added to make it yours. There is one major shortcut that I will also make note of!

CHUNKY TOMATO SOUP

3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 large onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 lbs roma tomatoes*
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 large carton of chicken stock (use Vegetable Stock to make this Vegetarian)
1 can of cannalini beans, drained
3 tbsp fresh parsley, roughly chopped
1/2 tsp cumin
2 tsp paprika
1/4 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Halve roma tomatoes and place on baking sheet skin side down. Drizzle with 1 tbsp of olive oil and season with salt. Roast in oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Once cooled, peel skin off of tomatoes set aside. *This step can be omitted if you would like...substitute roma tomatoes with 2 large cans of stewed tomatoes.*

In a large stock pot, heat 2 tbsp oil and butter until butter is melted. Add onion and garlic, stirring until onion is translucent. Add reserved roasted tomatoes, tomato paste and chicken stock. Stir until tomato paste melts into liquid. Add paprika and cumin. Cover and bring to a boil. Cook for 20 minutes or until tomatoes fall apart completely. Add drained, but not rinsed, cannalini beans, parsley and cream. Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Serve with shaved parmesan cheese and crusty bread for dipping.


I can't even begin to imagine how sweet and robust this soup would be if tomatoes were actually in season right now! I can't wait to try it again in the summer. I also think that fresh basil should be the herb'age of choice since parsley is so mild in flavor. And maybe a little palm-ful of crushed red pepper flakes for some heat. However, even with those issues not addressed the first time, I totally enjoyed this soup. I loved how the starch in the beans slightly thickened the liquid and the addition of the cream added just a tiny bit of sweetness that was to die for.

mini Cheesecake Cookie Cups

Last year, I posted the original recipe for these awesome Cheesecake Cookie Cups. At the time I thought they were great, but this year I wanted to play around with the size of them. I really like the idea of mini, bite-sized cookies...which allows me to justify eating 2 or 3 of them without feeling *too much* guilt.

Of course, making things minature means that you spend a little more time on baking the buggers. Something to keep in mind if you have a life. Obviously, since I made 250'ish of these little delights...well, we won't go there.

Cheesecake Cookie Cups (the mini version)

1 package Nestle Toll House Refrigerated Mini Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar Dough
2 packages of cream cheese, room temp
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Paper-line mini muffin trays. Place 1/2 piece of mini chocolate chip cookie dough in each muffin cup, and press down slightly. Bake for 8-10 minutes of until cookie has spread to the edge of each cup, but is not fully cooked through. (If it doesn't spread to the edge, don't sweat it...they will still be delicious, and I promise no one will notice.) Let cool in mini muffin tray until they collapse slightly.

Meanwhile, beat cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, eggs and vanilla in a medium bowl until smooth. Pour about 1 tbsp of the mixture over each cookie in cup. Bake for an additional 15 minutes or until set. Cool completely on a wire rack. Top each cheesecake with pie filling. Keep refridgerated.

So cute! You can substitute the chocolate chip dough with sugar cookie dough, or use a traditional graham cracker crust.

Chicken with Mustard'y Mandarin Orange Sauce

Around this time of the year, I look in the refridgerator and say "Man. I have way too many jams, jellies and preserves in this place." Most are left over from The Great Cookie Bake-Off of (insert year here).

I was trying to think of when I actually purchased the peach preserves that were staring back at me. I'm pretty sure I was still with Nathan, which means that the jar and it's contents are at least 9 months old. I examined the insides of the jar, from the outside. No fuzzy stuff. I opened it. No odd smell. I tasted it and it didn't make me gag! We were in the clear!

If you like sauces that contain mustard, you will love this. I used a grain mustard, but honey mustard would be lovely. Dijon would work too. I loved the way the grain mustard made little speckles in the sauce though.

CHICKEN WITH MUSTARD'Y MANDARIN ORANGE SAUCE

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup of either orange marmalade or peach preserves (I hate orange marmalade!)
2 tbsp grain mustard
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1 small can of mandarin oranges, drained
1 tsp grated orange peel
salt and pepper, to taste

In a large skillet, heat oil and butter together until butter is melted and sizzling. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Brown chicken on both sides. Meanwhile, combine OJ, preserves, mustard and thyme in a small bowl. Don't fret if the preserves do not dissolve into the juice...they will when the mixture hits the heat. Lumps are fine! Pour mixture over chicken. Bring to a boil and continue cooking for another 5-8 minutes or until the juices from the chicken run clear and sauce thickens. Gently stir in oranges and orange peel. I plated over steamed white rice cooked in chicken stock for added flavor.

Sweet and sticky. Just like Madonna's last tour. I promise that people - adults and children alike - will be licking their fingers.

Creamy Pasta with Shrimp

Friend: "Do you have anything to eat in this house?"

Me: "Ummmm..."

I had frozen pre-cooked shrimp, a green pepper, half a pint of grape tomatoes and cream - plus some pickles, yogurt and a couple Balance Bars. There was some serious potential in my *seriously* understocked kitchen pantry/fridge!

CREAMY PASTA with SHRIMP

Pasta of your choice - I used plain spaghetti
6 tbsp butter
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
1 lb pre-cooked shrimp, de-veined and de-shelled
1 green bell pepper, cut into strips
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp flour
1/2 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved - if desired
2 tbsp fresh basil, or 1 tsp dried basil
Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Cook pasta as usual.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet. Add onion, garlic and green pepper. Cook until onion is translucent and fragrant. Add shrimp.

Combine cream and flour in a small glass - mix well to form a slurry. Pour cream mixture over shrimp and cook until it comes to a boil. Remove from heat. Add pasta, tomato and basil and combine. Grate a little fresh parmesan cheese just before service.


Dinner was done in about 12 minutes, tops. The leftovers were pretty tasty as well - still creamy, which surprised me!

Plus, I got to break out the pasta bowls I've been sitting on for 2 years, which made me very, very happy.

Coffee Cake

This coffee cake recipe is so good, and so easy, that I have already made it 5 times! It's moist and light, and the crumb topping is to die for.


(BLUEBERRY) COFFEE CAKE

1 stick butter, softened
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream
1 cup frozen or fresh blueberries (thawed and drained, if frozen)
1 cup streusel (recipe below)
powdered sugar glaze (recipe below)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8 or 9 inch tube pan, set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add 1 cup of flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda and beat until combined. Add 1/2 cup of sour cream, mixing well. Repeat process with the remaining flour and sour cream.

Spoon half of the batter into the prepared pan. Arrange the blueberries in a single layer on top of the batter - making sure to keep them away from the sides of the pan so they don't burn. Top with remaining batter, making sure it is evenly distributed. Sprinkle the streusel over the top.


Bake for 60 minutes, or until cake is golden and center is completely set. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes. Remove cake from pan, and let cool completely. Before service, spoon the glaze over the cake, letting it drip down the sides. Dig in!


STREUSEL

2 1/4 cups flour
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp coarse salt
1 1/2 sticks butter, room temperature

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Cut in butter using a pastry fork until large, moist clumps form. Makes 4 cups.


GLAZE

1 cup confectioner's sugar
2 tbsp milk

Whisk sugar and milk together until completely smooth. Immediately drizzle over cake.

Marinated Flank Steak

Hooray for the first post of 2009! I won't say that increased blogging is my New Year's resolution, because you know how those things go...but I have taken an oath to myself to cook for *me* more and this blog will most likely reap the benefits.

I now find myself looking for ingredients that will do double (or triple) duty for me. For example - flank steak. I can cook it once - then use the leftovers to make a whole new meal of fajitas with just the addition of some grilled peppers and onions! No waste, and my taste buds still can rejoice.

MARINATED FLANK STEAK

2 1/2 pounds flank steak, trimmed, excess fat removed
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 tsp black pepper*
4 tsp salt*
2 garlic cloves, bruised
2 tsp paprika
*or to taste

In a large plastic food storage bag, combine all ingredients, with beef. Marinate at room temp for 30 minutes, or longer if desired. Preheat broiler to 400 degrees. Using a meat thermometer at the very center of the steak, broil until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees - medium rare. (The ends will be more well done.) It took about 10 minutes.

Allow the steak to rest for 3-5 minutes before slicing to redistribute juices. Hold a very sharp knife at a 45 degree angle and slice the steak across the grain into thin slices. Carving this way makes the steak extremely tender!

I served the steak with some basic roasted fingerling potatoes and my own raw vegetable salad (recipe below). Of course, if you have a grill working during these winter months, go ahead and grill the steak instead of preparing it in the oven/broiler...it'll probably taste better too.


RAW VEGETABLE SALAD

1 large pepper, any color (or combination), julienned
1 small red onion, sliced
1/4 cup frozen corn, thawed and drained
1/2 cup green beans, thawed and drained
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste
fresh parsley, finely chopped

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, and let chill at least 3 hours prior to service. Wonderful color!

The Great Cookie Bake-off of 2008

This Christmas season wrapped up the third annual Great Cookie Bake-off! With just about 5,000 cookies being produced from one KitchenAide stand mixer (with one bowl and handle attachment), 4 silpats, 4 baking sheets and one oven, I say I did A-OK. It took about 3 days, start to finish, and I lost most of my sanity.

On the docket was the usual crop of tasty nuggests: cream cheese cookies, thumbprints, buckeyes, delux sugar cookies, gingerbread men and ladies, russian teacakes, cherry snowballs and bourbon balls - this time with actual boudon! This year, as I always do, I tried a couple of new recipes. Some were successful, some were not. I realized that A.) I need a cookie press and B.) I can not make a pinwheel cookie look pretty to save my life!

English Toffee Bars

1/2 cup butter, 1 cup oats
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
2 tbsp butter
2 tsp vanilla
1 6-oz pack semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup almond brickle pieces (or a couple of chopped Heath candy bars)

Melt 1/2 cup butter in a large saucepan. Stir in oats, flour, brown sugar and nuts. Press mixture firmly in the bottom of a greased 13x9 inch pan. Bake in 350 degree oven for 12-15 minutes.

Meanwhile heat sweetened condensed milk and 2 tbsp butter over medium heat until bubbly, stirring constantly. Stir in vanilla. Pour over baked crust layer. Bake 8-10 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with chocolate. Let stand for 2-3 min or until softened. Spread chocolate evenly over top. Sprinkle with almond brickle pieces. Cool. Chill for 5-10 minutes or until chocolate layer is set before cutting into pieces. Makes about 36 if you cut methodically. (I did not.)


I thought the English Toffee bars tasted like a candy bar, although there was nothing particularly Christmas'y about them. The recipe was easy and I was able to double it without a problem. The bars came out of the baking dish perfectly without any kind of hassel, which is always nice, and when the cookies were delivered to their recipients, this was the first cookie that about 75% of them went after.

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For years and years I have tried to make macaroons. Each year I adapt the recipe just a touch, and each year the recipe fails. I was just going to give up on the idea of macaroons this year but looked at all the coconut I had leftover and changed my mind. I'm glad I did, because 2008 became my year for kicking coconut macaroon's asses! The cookie had always kinda melted into a flat mess that tasted really good, but did not resemble a macaroon at all. In this go'round, I added a little flour to stabalize the batter...and it worked. I came out with an army of perfectly shapped coconut macaroons!

(no fail) Plain Coconut Macaroons

3/4 cup sugar

2 1/2 cups shredded coconut

2 large egg whites

1 tsp vanilla extract

pinch of salt

1/4 cup flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or use silicon silpats. In a large bowl whip egg whites until frothy. Mix in all other ingredients. Dampen hands with cold water. Form 1/2 inch balls. Keep macaroons about an inch apart on baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool on wire rack.

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Cheesecake Cookie Cups

1 package Nestle Toll House Refrigerated Mini Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar Dough

2 packages of cream cheese, room temp

1 can sweetened condensed milk

2 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Paper-line 24 muffin cups. Place one piece of mini chocolate chip cookie dough in each muffin cup, and press down slightly. Bake for 8 minutes of until cookie has spread to the edge of each cup.

Meanwhile, beat cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, eggs and vanilla in a medium bowl until smooth. Pour about 3 tbsp of the mixture over each cookie in cup. Bake for an additional 15 minutes or until set. Cool completely on a wire rack. Top each cheesecake with a level tablespoon of pie filling. Keep refridgerated.

You could use your own homemade cookie dough, if you so desire...but taking a little help when you can is SMART! Totally tasty and very much like the real thing.

Ooooohhhhh, aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Some photos of a very successful Thanksgiving meal. (Minus the fire I started on the stovetop the previous night...a pot with vinegar spilled over then stunk up the whole place!) Desert recipes forthcoming.

Deviled eggs, risotto rice balls with marinara for dipping and jumbo shrimp cocktail in the background. There was also a cheese platter...but it didn't make it into the shot.

I am very proud of this turkey! I basted it every 1/2 hour and foiled where I had to to make sure that the skin tanned evenly all over.

Got out the good plates!

Caramel Pumpkin Pie. Yum-my. And, I'm not a fan of pumpkin pie.

A slow drizzle of chocolate ganache for the Chocolate Torte. (A little too chocolate'y for my taste - but everyone else raved about it.)

Thanksgiving 2008

Where I ask, did this year disappear to? It doesn't seem right that it is already the end of November, especially since I just got used to writing/typing "2008" on all my business letters. My mother called me up a couple of weeks ago and tricked me into hosting Thanksgiving at my apartment. I'm pretty game for the adventure since I have been a very bad home cook lately. She tried to get me to agree that I would give her all of the leftover turkey - but funk that! I paid $44 dollars for that 20lb organic, corn-fed, farm raised piece of gold...it's going in my belly for days. Plus, I have never left her house with any kind of Thanksgiving rememberance of the meal!

Just for comparison, here is what I planned last year, and the year before.

And now...for this year's (not so) exciting offering. Or as I like to say - more of the same. There's a reason it's called "tradition."

To start:
Jumbo shrimp cocktail
Cheese and fruit platter
Risotto rice balls (because they were such a HUGE hit!)
Bacon wrapped pineapple

Dinner:
Butternut squash soup
Turkey
Stuffing
Mashed potatoes
Fall fruit salad
Roasted brussel sprouts (not everyone is thrilled about this veg)
Tossed salad
Cranberry and pitted date conserve
Sweet potato biscuits

Dessert:
Chocolate torte with a chocolate ganache
Caramel pumpkin pie
Vanilla ice cream / homemade whipped cream

My sister also requested a cranberry jell-o salad, and since I want to make her smile, I just may make a small batch of it...plus, I have that Jell-O cookbook that I've been threatening to break out.