Brown Soda Bread and Irish Stew

After trying my hand at Indian flatbreads, I decided it was time for me to graduate to something a little bit more complicated. I found a recipe for soda bread in the March issue of Cooking Light, and I thought it sounded like it may fit the bill. I had been really wanting to make something Irish for St. Patrick's Day this year. It's funny; I've got a lot of Irish in my blood, but up until a week ago I had never made any type of Irish cuisine. I set out to change that.

To my slight disappointment, though, I realized when I actually read through the soda bread recipe that it was going to be easy to make! I was bummed. I had been looking to do something that would challenge me a little more than the flatbread had, but this was not it. My disappointment didn't last very long, though. I was still getting to bake bread, which was going to be fun, no matter what. It turns out that this bread is a quick bread. It contains all kinds of nice, healthy ingredients, such as whole wheat flour, wheat bran, and steel-cut oats. The oats in particular are something I've had on hand for a while but haven't been able to use yet. Now was my chance!


After a quick mix of ingredients, a transfer into a loaf pan, and a trip to the oven to bake for 65 minutes, it was all done. It smelled wonderful, and it tasted even better. The kids and I were snacking on it while I made dinner that night, and it was pretty addictive. Now that I've finally made a quick bread, I want to do it again sometime soon. It's such little effort, for such great reward. I could get used to having homemade bread around all the time.

The main dish that evening was Pork and Guinness Stew. I know, another recipe using beer. I've really been stepping outside my comfort zone lately. Ordinarily this wouldn't be something I'd make, but when I read through the recipe it just sounded yummy to me, and a good way to dip my toe into the world of Irish cuisine. I substituted pork for the beef in the original dish, and threw in a sweet potato while omitting a parsnip (we just don't like them around here). The result was a very delicious, very hearty meal that was well worth the length of time it took to bubble away on the stove. I have to say, we've been very happy with our monthly Cooking Light magazines; nearly everything we cook from them truly make us forget we are eating so healthy!

The recipe for the Brown Soda Bread can be found here.

The recipe for the Beef (or in our case, pork) and Guinness Stew can be found here.

Boozy Brownies

When trying to decide what kind of special treat to make for St. Patrick's Day, I turned to the March issue of Cooking Light Magazine for inspiration. They had a full menu for St. Patty's, from starters to after-dinner coffee, and I thought much of it sounded great and worth trying. However, these brownies really caught my eye. They're called Black and Tan Brownies, and they are basically two-layer bars with beer as one of the ingredients. Initially I was surprised to see a recipe like this in Cooking Light. Beer? Real butter? Pure unsweetened chocolate? All baked into a brownie? How could that be healthy? But hey, I figured if Cooking Light was telling me I could eat this, guilt-free, who was I to argue?

I really wasn't sure how this was going to go. I mean, it could either have been an ambitious kitchen experiment gone terribly wrong, or it could be my next great discovery. Only time (and my trusty taste-testing husband) would tell. So I dove in. The first step was very simple and came together quickly. I whipped together a blondie layer (the "Tan" part of the brownie) and baked it in the oven for 15 minutes.


When that part came out of the oven, I was instructed to assemble the brownie layer, or the "Black" half of the brownie. This is the part that contained beer. A whole cup of it. The recipe recommended I use Guinness Stout, but we had purchased a double chocolate stout just for this occasion.

When the finished product came out of the oven, I discovered that the blondie layer had risen too much on the sides and not as much in the center. As a result, the whole entire pan of brownies had a funny-looking border of blondie around its edges, making it look kind of like a brownie picture in a yummy frame.


This was simple enough to fix. Once it was entirely cool, I carefully sawed off the edges of the brownie and cut about 24 squares. I now had 2 dozen cute little black and tan brownies, and four long, skinny borders to taste test! And taste test I did. These are really good brownies. The beer does pair well with the chocolate, and it's not overwhelming or overpowering. I am not a fan of the taste of beer, so I didn't know whether I'd like these. But the flavors are complementary and make for an intriguing, delicious adult treat. It's a good thing my children are not brownie fans, or else this probably wouldn't be the best brownie to make and keep around the house. They were great for Andy to take to work, though! He loved them, and they were devoured quickly at his office.

Black and Tan Brownies

adapted from Cooking Light, March 2010

makes 24-36 bars, depending how big you cut them

Ingredients
Tan Layer
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4.5 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans (I omitted)
Cooking spray

Black Layer
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup Guinness Stout (I used different beer; it was fine)
4.5 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions
1. Place one rack in lower third of oven; place another rack in center of oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. To prepare Tan Brownies, place 6 Tbsp. butter and brown sugar in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in 2 eggs and 1 tsp. vanilla. Weigh or lightly spoon 4.5 oz. flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine this flour, baking powder, and salt, and stir well. Add flour mixture and pecans, if using, to sugar mixture, beating just until combined. Spoon into a 13x9-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray, spreading evenly with a knife or rubber spatula. Bake at 350 in lower third of oven for 15 minutes.
3. To prepare Black Brownies, melt chocolate and 4 Tbsp. butter in a large microwave-safe bowl on HIGH for 1 minute or until melted, stirring after every 20 seconds until smooth. Add granulated sugar, stirring until well combined. Add 2 eggs, 1 tsp. vanilla, and beer, stirring with a whisk until well combined. Weigh or lightly spoon 4.5 oz. flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine this flour with the salt, stirring well. Add flour mixture to chocolate mixture, stirring to combine. Pour mixture evenly over Tan Brownie layer.
4. Bake on the center rack at 350 for 25 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into center comes out almost clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack; cut into squares.
*Note: I lined my pan with aluminum foil, then sprayed foil with cooking spray. This worked well; the foil peeled off easily when brownies were inverted onto a flat surface.

CEIMB: Pasta Puttanesca

For my second week in the Craving Ellie in My Belly group, the recipe we were to make was Ellie's Pasta Puttanesca. This meal was chosen by Jen of What Jen's Cooking. The recipe is posted on her blog, but she cut it in half. I made the full amount, using a pound of pasta.

Okay, so first let me say that I was pretty scared to make this initially. I mean, there were ingredients in here that fall way outside of my comfort zone. It starts out innocently enough. It's got spaghetti. That's safe; that's delicious! Tomato-based sauce? You're still speaking my language. Capers? Hmm. Okay, I'm still with you. Olives? Eh....I'll try it out, but I don't generally like olives. Then came the kicker ingredient: anchovy paste. Huh? Fishy-ness? In my pasta sauce? I was dubious, to say the least. But Rachael Ray's always going on and on about how anchovies are delicious, that they taste like salted nuts, and let's face it, salted nuts really are delicious. So I reminded myself that part of the motivation for me joining this blogging group in the first place was to broaden my horizons, to try things I never would have dreamed I would try. I threw my skepticism to the wind and bought the proper ingredients for the meal, even though I was terrified just by picking up the anchovy paste at the store.

Finally, the day arrived to make the pasta. I took all the stuff out and set it on the counter that morning. I figured maybe staring at the tube of anchovy paste all day would get me used to idea of actually ingesting it. Instead it tortured me. I should have taken a picture of the thing sitting there, mocking me. I sucked it up, though. I made the meal. Here is a picture of the scary sauce simmering on the stove. Looks tasty, right?


Well, guess what? It really was! It was so good. I actually am ashamed now that I was so frightened of it. I should have known Ellie would never steer me wrong. The sauce was tangy, salty, and deep in flavor. The anchovy paste definitely adds something to it that I've never experienced before, and I liked it. The hubs loved it, too, but then I wasn't really worried that he wouldn't. If it's salty, he's in. Anyway, I am really glad that I didn't chicken out and omit the paste. I would definitely make this meal again; maybe soon! Thanks to Jen for a great pick!

Easiest Bread Ever

If there is anything that intimidates me about baking, it's using yeast. Up until now, I still haven't used it for much. I use it in my trusty bread machine. That's easy. Just dump it in and watch the machine do all the work. I have used it, or rather my husband has used it, to make Belgian waffles from scratch. Other than that, I really cannot think of an occasion where I have been brave enough to use yeast to make something. I suppose that is why, when I found this recipe for Indian Flatbreads, I actually felt brave enough to try it. By its very nature, this bread is flat and doesn't require any scary yeast to help it rise or anything. Since bread is one of my very favorite things to eat, I definitely want to work up the nerve to make it completely from scratch....someday. Until that day comes, I would be content to just eat this flatbread. Really. It is delicious.

I originally made this bread with the intention of using it for dipping, and that is what it does best. It's great on its own, but it isn't really meant to be eaten that way. We ate a chicken and chile stew the same night I made the flatbreads, and we discovered that the two were great together. I think it would be really good with a bunch of grilled meats and veggies on it. You could eat it almost like a wrap, or even top it and eat it pizza-style. The possibilities are pretty much endless. The best part? It was so easy to make, even I didn't mess it up! It didn't take that long, either.



I would definitely recommend making this bread as a sort of bread-in-training. It's a good stepping stone to the more complicated, yeast-filled stuff. It made me more confident that I could handle something a little more challenging. Hopefully that will prove true in the near future. Until then, here's the recipe for Indian Flatbreads!

Indian Flatbreads
adapted from Food Network Magazine, January/February 2010

Ingredients
3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup warm water
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing

Directions
1. Combine the flours and salt in a bowl. Make a well in the center, add 1/2 cup warm water and 1 tablespoon olive oil, and mix to make a sticky dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until soft and pliable, about 5 minutes. Brush a bowl with olive oil and place the dough in it. Cover and let rest about 30 minutes.
2. Divide the dough into 6 even balls. On a floured surface, roll each ball into an 8-to-9-inch round, then layer between parchment paper.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. One at a time, lightly brush each dough round with oil and place in the pan. Cook until bubbly on top and charred on the bottom, 1 to 2 minutes, then flip and cook 1 more minute. Remove from the skillet, brush with more oil, and season with salt. To reheat, wrap the flatbreads in a damp paper towel and microwave 45 seconds. Makes 6 flatbreads.

First CEIMB Post!

I'm very excited because this past week, I was accepted into a blogging group called Craving Ellie in My Belly. Each Thursday, a member of the group selects any recipe written by Ellie Krieger that they would like to make and blog about. Ellie Krieger, whom I have blogged about before, is one of my favorite celebrity chefs, and her cookbook is the one I turn to the most when I need a new idea. She likes to focus on healthy cooking and a healthy lifestyle, with an emphasis on portion control and good fats rather than dieting and deprivation. Her food is always good, and she has encouraged me to branch out and try new things that I've been surprised to have actually liked.

Anyway, I've been reading about this blogging group for a while now, and I always wanted to join, but was worried that I wouldn't have the discipline to cook along with the group. Finally, though, I decided that now was as good a time as any, and that this would actually help me to do a better job of updating my blog. It gives me a good reason to come back every week! The rule is that you only need to cook along with the group twice a month, so I shouldn't have any problem keeping up.

Now, on to the recipe! This week's recipe was selected by, and can be found at, Grandma's Kitchen Table, and it was Lemon Chicken Soup with Orzo. I'd made this recipe before, and we had really enjoyed it, so I knew it would be a crowd pleaser. It's kind of like a standard, basic chicken soup, but then to thicken it up at the end you add two eggs. The first time I made this the eggs scared me, but I tried it anyway and was glad I did. It's really good. It's a great way to add creaminess, without actual cream. Yummy. The recipe can be found on pages 86-87 of Ellie's book, The Food You Crave. I'm glad that my first CEIMB recipe was one I was familiar with, because it made it even easier to write about. I'm thrilled to be a part of the group and I hope to cook lots of new and exciting recipes with them in the future!

A New and Improved Chocolate Chip Cookie

There are so many different recipes for chocolate chip cookies. There is, of course, the one you get off the back of the bag of chocolate chips. That is the one I had been primarily using. There is one I've tried where they advise you to put some dry instant pudding mix in the batter, but I felt that this produced cookies with a weird aftertaste. I've done "diet" chocolate chip cookies, swapping out some of the real butter with Smart Balance Butter Blend. Yeah, that one didn't work out too well, either. It seems like some things just aren't meant to be tampered with.

Until now, that is. I had been reading all about this recipe for chocolate chippers that had been created by Alton Brown. Alton is, of course, one of the few food personalities on TV that can actually keep Andy interested and engaged. I think it's because each episode is a sort of science experiment, where Alton goes on a quest to perfect something or other, and he is super educational about food. We even got to meet him nearly two years ago at a book signing, and we were very impressed with his patience with and dedication to his fans. He just seems like a cool guy all around.

Anyway, so I found out that he had done an episode of his show, Good Eats, where he made chocolate chip cookies three different ways. He had made a thin version, a puffy version, and a chewy version. Well, I just had to try the chewy version. I don't like my chocolate chip cookies to be crunchy. I like them to be soft and tender and melt in your mouth. That is exactly what you get with this cookie. They are absolutely delicious. I don't know exactly what component of the recipe makes them so soft, but I was intrigued by the use of bread flour rather than all-purpose. Also, he has you melt the butter rather than soften it, and use an egg and a yolk, rather than 2 eggs. Whatever the cause for the chewiness, I really dug these cookies, and the boys all did too. The only complaint I would have, if any, is that they didn't rise enough for me. They spread in the oven, and the chocolate chips became these lumps that stuck out on top of the flatt-ish cookies. Didn't affect the taste, though!

One last thing. Andy became fascinated with the fact that I stored the cookies with a slice of bread. It totally keeps the cookies moist and soft while in the tin. I didn't think it was that big a deal, but he kept going on and on like it was the greatest thing since, well, sliced bread!

The recipe for The Chewy can be found on Food Network's website, here. There are about 685 reviews, and the star rating average is 5 out of a possible 5. So they are definitely worth trying!

A Success and a Kinda Failure

The above picture shows a mishy-mosh of baked goods I dabbled in over the weekend. I took a picture of both for two reasons. One, I wanted to show that I had one recipe that turned out quite successfully, and one that really turned out kinda terrible. Two, I was just too lazy to store these separately, so they went under the cake dome together and I just snapped a pic of both! It was fine, though. Anyway, the coffee cake was a recipe from my new Cooking Light Magazine.

It was for Sour Cream Coffee Cake, recipe found here, and I decided to take some liberties with it, so I didn't know what to expect when it came out of the oven. It was already made over by the magazine to be lower in fat and calories, but I lowered it even more. Where it said to use light sour cream, I used fat free. I used Smart Balance Butter Blend in place of real butter, and I omitted the nuts. Even with all those changes, this cake turned out incredibly moist, tender, and delicious. I was very happy with the results.

Those muffins, on the other hand, did not go over so well. I'd mentioned before that I've been making more baked goods because Evan loves them so much. I made these muffins specifically with him in mind. They were filled with oats, raisins, and were very low in sugar. Looking back, the small amount of sugar should probably have been a red flag, but I didn't think it seemed too odd. Turns out it was. They turned out a little weird. They look normal enough, I guess. They taste, um, okay-ish. But there is something sort of off about them. I guess if I had to sum it up, I'd say they were almost salty. Not necessarily a good thing for a muffin. I'm glad I tried out the recipe, though. Now I know what not to do!

Just as a final comment, I posted these pictures of my kids to show the stunning contrast between the one that hams it up for the camera now, and the one who has suddenly decided he hates having pictures taken of himself! Hope you enjoyed!