Can you believe that I’ve never made barbecue chicken before? I’m fully aware that it’s a summer BBQ staple, ensuring a grill wafting with delicious smells and a table full of people with sticky hands and sauce-smeared grinning faces. Which of course, makes them the perfect centerpiece for my Summer’s-Last-Stand BBQ Menu (components of which I’ll be posting about each day this week).

But barbecue sauce has never been my thing. I think a certain fast-food chain is mainly to blame for that: those little rectangular vessels of the stuff seemed to accompany all my childhood friends’ Happy Meals, a dunking pool for McNuggets and French fries—and a constant source of nose-wrinkling on my part. Growing up, I also eschewed the barbecue-flavored chips, much to my friends’ dismay. The sauce was just too sweet, too cloying, too overpowering for me.

(Click “more” for the rest of the story, more photos & the recipe.)

I always knew, though, that there was a way to do it right. And I also suspected that the way didn’t involve popping open a squeeze-bottle from the grocery aisle. I wanted to make a homemade sauce and I turned to Ina, she who I trust when it comes to finding a failsafe version of a classic recipe.

As it turned out, the sauce was absolutely delicious. But it also turned out that, instead of popping open just one super market-aisle bottle, I popped open no fewer than a dozen jars (see below), emptying most of them in the process. I’ll warn you now: this is a recipe that is certain to (a) empty out your refrigerator door shelves, (b) clean out your pantry, (c) put a significant dent in your wallet, (d) make way more than necessary (you could definitely cut the recipe in half and still have plenty to sauce enough chicken for six to eight people), (e) require a mid-recipe trip to the market because you will inevitably run out of something along the way (thank you, Kevin), and (f) completely, totally blow any other store-bought barbecue sauce out of the water.

It’s the item listed in (f), of course, that will have me making this sauce for summers to come and that has me thanking my lucky stars that I’ve got a significant amount of it stashed in the freezer. I used the sauce on skin-on, bone-in chicken breasts, thighs and drumsticks (using two-thirds of the sauce to marinate it overnight, reserving the other half for brushing the chicken pieces as they grilled), but the variations are endless: ribs, pork chops, firm tofu, salmon, shrimp. And, since we have a gas grill rather than a charcoal one, I baked the marinated chicken in a 350-degree oven for 20 minutes before finishing them off (and swabbing them with additional sauce) on the hot grill for another 20 minutes, where they smoked and sizzled and crisped up.

Summer’s Last Stand: We’re making the most of one of the last weeks of summer by meandering through the Canadian Rockies. As such, comment moderation and email responses will be slow this week. But, while we’re away, daily posts will highlight components of a Summer’s-Last-Stand BBQ Menu. Up tomorrow: grilled corn on the cob and smoked paprika butter.

Barbecued Chicken
The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook via Food Network

Serves 6-8

2 chickens (2 1/2 to 3 pounds each), quartered, with backs removed*
1 recipe Barbecue Sauce, recipe follows**

Marinate the chickens in 2/3 of the barbecue sauce for a few hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

Heat the coals in a charcoal grill. Spread the bottom of the grill with a single layer of hot coals and then add a few more coals 5 minutes before cooking, which will keep the fire going longer. Place the chicken quarters on the grill, skin side down, and cook for about 45 minutes,*** turning once or twice to cook evenly on both sides. Brush with the marinade as needed. The chicken quarters are done when you insert a knife between a leg and thigh and the juices run clear. Discard any unused marinade.

Serve with extra barbecue sauce on the side.

Barbecue Sauce:
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion (1 large onion)
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup tomato paste (10 ounces)
1 cup cider vinegar
1 cup honey
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 cup hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes

In a large saucepan on low heat, saute the onions and garlic with the vegetable oil for 10 to 15 minutes, until the onions are translucent but not browned. Add the tomato paste, vinegar, honey, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, chili powder, cumin, and red pepper flakes. Simmer uncovered on low heat for 30 minutes. Use immediately or store in the refrigerator.

* I used skin-on, bone-in chicken breasts, thighs and drumsticks.
** You can easily halve the sauce recipe and have enough to sauce the 5-6 pounds of chicken, brush the chicken while it grills and serve additional sauce on the side. If you make the entire batch, be prepared to freeze some leftovers (which is not a bad thing).
*** We have a gas grill, so I baked the chicken in a 350-degree oven for 20 minutes and finished them off on the grill for about 20 minutes, brushing often with some of the reserved sauce.

When I originally proclaimed Wednesday night to be “leftovers night!” I feared that Kevin would revolt. We had a lot of Leftovers Nights when I was growing up and they were usually met with reactions that ranged from mild groans of dissatisfaction to downright tantrums of refusal (those were the nights that Ali or I (why couldn’t we ever coordinate, I wonder, because it would have been a lot more fun together) would remain at the table until we ate two/three/four more bites. We’d be there for hours, in some cases. Funny, I have absolutely no recollection of how those stand-offs resolved themselves. Did I really eat the bites? Did my mom cave? I’ll have to ask her.

Anyway, back in 2008, it turned out that Kevin was thrilled with the idea. He was delighted to heap a stack of leftover pizza slices next to a dollop of refrigerated-for-two-days risotto. He was more than happy to nestle in a few forkfuls of Monday’s chicken cacciatore (the clear winner among the leftovers, by the way). And, quite expectedly, he had no problem capping the whole thing off with a remaining wedge of chocolate almond torte.

(Click “more” for the rest of the story, more photos & the recipe.)

Before I knew that leftovers night would be such a hit, though, I figured I better follow it up with something especially special the next night. So, while Kevin was probably still fondly reminiscing about leftovers night, I made a gorgeous, stewy pot of Ina Garten’s coq au vin (a recipe I’d been eying for a while and knew I had to make after seeing it here).

This recipe is very similar to The Barefoot’s beef bourguignon recipe, in terms of method (brown some bacon; sear the meat; saute the vegetables; pour in a half-bottle of wine; simmer away with a bundle of herbs; slide in some frozen pearl onions and sauteed mushrooms at the last minute … as Ina would say, “How bad can that be?”) and ingredients (merely swap beef tenderloin out for chicken pieces). Unsuprisingly, the result is very similar too. The coq au vin was equally earthy, tender and comforting, just not quite as rich as the beef bourguignon. Last night also happened to be Family Dinner, so I sent the leftovers home with Ali. Too bad for Kevin, because now he’ll have to wait a while for the next Leftovers Night(!).

Coq Au Vin
Ina Garten via Food Network

2 tablespoons good olive oil*
4 ounces good bacon or pancetta, diced*
1 (3 to 4-pound) chicken, cut in 8ths**
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound carrots, cut diagonally in 1-inch pieces
1 yellow onion, sliced
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1/4 cup Cognac or good brandy
1/2 bottle (375 ml) good dry red wine such as Burgundy
1 cup good chicken stock, preferably homemade
10 fresh thyme sprigs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided*
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 pound frozen small whole onions
1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, stems removed and thickly sliced

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Add the bacon and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove the bacon to a plate with a slotted spoon.

Meanwhile, lay the chicken out on paper towels and pat dry. Liberally sprinkle the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. When the bacon is removed, brown the chicken pieces in batches in a single layer for about 5 minutes, turning to brown evenly. Remove the chicken to the plate with the bacon and continue to brown until all the chicken is done. Set aside.

Add the carrots, onions, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper to the pan and cook over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the Cognac and put the bacon, chicken, and any juices that collected on the plate into the pot. Add the wine, chicken stock, and thyme and bring to a simmer. Cover the pot with a tight fitting lid and place in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is just not pink. Remove from the oven and place on top of the stove.

Mash 1 tablespoon of butter and the flour together and stir into the stew. Add the frozen onions. In a medium saute pan, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and cook the mushrooms over medium-low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until browned. Add to the stew. Bring the stew to a simmer and cook for another 10 minutes. Season to taste. Serve hot.

* I got away with using, at most, half the amount of oil, bacon and butter listed in the recipe.
** I used boneless/skinless chicken breasts and thighs, cut in large chunks.

When I got my tube pan, I thought it would be one of those kitchen implements that would live in the nether regions of the cupboard. I foresaw it being overshadowed by more useful (9×13), less cumbersome (the regular old 10-inch cake rounds), and oh-so-pretty (tart tins in, I confess, all sizes) pans. So, I was surprised last summer when I used it to make angel food cake quite a few times. No matter how deeply stashed away it was, I continually found myself plucking it out.

So, I figured it would be a seasonal thing. Once the days shortened and temperatures plunged, this pan would fall into disuse and neglect. Because, who wants angel food cake in the winter? This is the season for hearty-richness, clearly. Not light-and-airiness. Well…that’s not quite true. My friends who have had the angel food cake I’m writing about are probably laughing at the light-and-airiness description. The cake—Ina Garten’s Black and White Angel Food Cake—is draped in chocolate, after all.

(Click “more” for the rest of the story, more photos & the recipe.)

I guess it should come as no surprise, then, that it was another Ina Garten recipe that had me excavating my tube pan this January. I’d been looking for a reason to bake her coffee cake and I figured last Sunday’s brunch would be the perfect opportunity. Freezing temperatures be damned, that pan of mine is apparently meant to be used.

And this cake can pretty much guarantee that the tube pan will now become a non-Angel-food-cake-season staple as well. “Coffee cake” doesn’t begin to capture how delicious the cake was. The cake was moist and dense (but still somehow light?) and, best of all, bisected with a thin layer of streusel. The streusel re-appeared on the roof of the cake too, where it took on a more crumbly, crusted texture. Last, but certainly not least, the whole thing was drizzled with a maple glaze. The glaze was insanely easy to make and even more fun to strew atop the cake:

The only hiccup with the cake was the fact that Kevin’s dad arrived for the brunch bearing…a coffee cake. Our eyes slowly slid between the cake in his hands and the cake perched on the counter. I did the sensible thing: suggested a taste test. And my father-in-law did the gracious thing: shoved his cake into the freezer. A kind man, indeed.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Ina Garten

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sour cream
2 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

For the streusel:
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3/4 cup chopped walnuts, optional

For the glaze:
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons real maple syrup

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for 4 to 5 minutes, until light. Add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla and sour cream. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Finish stirring with a spatula to be sure the batter is completely mixed.

For the streusel, place the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and butter in a bowl and pinch together with your fingers until it forms a crumble. Mix in the walnuts, if desired.

Spoon half the batter into the pan and spread it out with a knife. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup streusel. Spoon the rest of the batter in the pan, spread it out, and scatter the remaining streusel on top. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.

Let cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Carefully transfer the cake, streusel side up, onto a serving plate. Whisk the confectioners’ sugar and maple syrup together, adding a few drops of water if necessary, to make the glaze runny. Drizzle as much as you like over the cake with a fork or spoon.

Okay, I’ll be brief today, because …. Well, because I’m busy. As I’ve told you way too many times, I’ve been delighting all week in cooking for two parties this weekend. And, can I just tell you, when you’re planning for two parties, the last thing you want to happen is for a recipe to totally, completely flop. That’s what happened with the rolls I had planned for tonight’s mini-burgers, the centerpiece of the Guitar Hero Party 2008 menu. What’s that? You think those rolls above look great? Well, that’s because they were my second attempt. The first ones—Ina Garten’s mini brioche rolls—are pictured below:

(Click “more” for the rest of the story, more photos and the recipe.)

See, I told you. I had envisioned perfect little golden domes, much like the vehicles for my favorite mini-burgers ever, which I enjoyed way too often when we lived down the street from their purveyor—Matchbox—in D.C. Instead, I got the mottled, lifeless masses I just showed you. Well, that would not do. So, instead of doing the sensible thing and heading to the grocery store for a suitable store-bought replacement, I foraged for a new recipe.

Apparently, I didn’t learn the lesson the first time that one should not attempt a brand spanking new recipe in the midst of a week’s worth of baking and chopping and roasting, oh my. Lucky for me, the second attempt was much, much more successful. For round two, I opted for Bobby Flay’s Parker House rolls, which I made in a miniature form.

And Mr. Flay didn’t disappoint. These little rolls came out puffed and golden brown, looking burger-worthy with their dusting of sesame seeds (which I adhered with a quick brush of melted butter before baking). I’m not sure where I went wrong with Ina’s recipe. I have to think it was my fault because I’ve never, ever had a problem with any of her recipes before. But no time to dwell on that now. I’ve got tiny burger patties to mold. Kevin’s promised to grill them up tonight despite the low, low temperatures here. And I can’t wait to slice into these rolls and stuff them with bite-sized burgers. Oh, and white cheddar and caramelized onions too, if you must know.

Parker House Rolls
Bobby Flay

1 1/2 cups milk
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus more for brushing
1/2 cup sugar
1 package active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
6 cups all-purpose flour

Place milk in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat, stir in the butter and sugar and let cool. Dissolve yeast in warm water and let sit until foamy. Combine milk mixture, eggs, yeast, salt, and 1/2 of the flour in a mixer with the dough attachment and mix until smooth. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, and stir until a smooth ball forms.

Remove from the bowl and knead by hand on a floured surface for about 5 minutes. Place in greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 60 to 70 minutes. On a floured surface, punch down the dough and shape into desired shapes. Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Cover again and let rise until doubled, about 30 to 40 minutes.

Preheat the oven 350 degrees F.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and brush with melted butter before serving.

Lest you think that the only food we served on Saturday night was the fruit in the sangria, I’ll be writing today about Saturday night’s line-up of hors d’oeuvres.  First, and by far the favorite of the night were the mini meatballs.  The meatballs themselves are very good, though there is not much novel about the blend of meats, cheese, herbs and egg.  The sauce, however, made this particular recipe a standout.  And not only are you able to make them ahead of time (I made them on Friday, refrigerated overnight and slowly simmered them back to life before the party on Saturday), but I think they were even better on the second day.  This was my first time making these meatballs and I can assure you that it won’t be the last.

Next, we have the antipasto platters.  I’ve played around with various combinations of meats, cheeses, vegetables and olives and I’m finally satisfied.  I love having at least one of these platters at cocktail or dinner parties, because they come together in a matter of minutes (if you pre-roast the vegetables, which I recommend—another example of something that tastes better on day two) but they look spectacular.  They are also sure to please (even the pickiest eater is bound to find something on this platter that they’ll love) and perfect for all-night-long grazing.

Unlike the meatballs, this was far from the first time I’ve made these roasted rosemary cashews.  To be honest, I usually add them to a menu for the simple reason that I personally love them.  And if no one else likes them, it just means more leftover for me.  (I’m sure you want to nominate me for hostess of the year after reading that line.)  These nuts are equal parts sweet, savory and spicy–together in perfect harmony.  And it’s an Ina Garten recipe, and I’m sure it’s already clear that I love her recipes (in case you missed them, I’ve written about her recipes here and here).

These mushrooms (mushroom caps stuffed with fromage blanc) were the biggest disappointment of the night.  My husband hates mushrooms (after very vigorous efforts, I have realized that I will never win this battle) so I relish the opportunity to cook with them.  And those occasions arise only rarely—usually when Kevin’s on a business trip (in such cases, I have been known to incorporate mushrooms into breakfast, lunch and dinner) and when there menu is large enough to allow Kevin to avoid them (so: cocktail parties).  My mom makes some delicious stuffed mushrooms and my attempts to re-create them always fall short, so I thought I’d try a different tactic this time.  I wish I hadn’t.  My version of my mom’s stuffed mushrooms are definitely better than these were.  They were just sort of lackluster.  The filling didn’t stand up to the flavor of the mushrooms and they became soggy as they sat (unlike other stuffed mushrooms, which make great hors d’oeurvres precisely because they can hold up for a few hours).  Unlike the meatballs, I won’t be making these again.

These Three-Cheese Mini Macs are a great idea.  Everyone loves mac-and-cheese and who wouldn’t want to have a bite-sized version?  The recipe called for American cheese and as I indicate in my notes below, I just can’t bring myself to use the stuff.  I knew when I made the substitution (using gruyere instead) that I was taking a risk.  I doubted the recipe creator was calling for American cheese because of its exceptional taste; I suspected that it was a cheese that helped these mac morsels to hold together.  I was right.  Don’t get me wrong, they were really good, but they were fussy to get out of the muffin tins (which is catastrophic when they happen to be the last thing you’re baking off right before guests arive) and they definitely fell a bit on their platter.  But almost all of them were gobbled up, so the jury is out on these.

Mmmm.  I liked these a lot.  I’ve been wanting to try polenta canapes for a while, mainly because I like the presentation.  And it doesn’t hurt that I like polenta a lot (especially when it comes with our entree at one of favorite Chicago restaurants: Terragusto).  In a menu full of some heavier items (meatballs; mini macs), these were a lovely lighter selection.  I’m excited to make them again and to experiment with different toppings.

Rounding out the menu were another perennial favorite (and my sister’s request, which I was happy to accommodate): spicy shrimp and chorizo kebabs.  Unfortunately, I didn’t get a great picture, but they’re in the photo above, in the back.  And the picture on Food & Wine‘s Web site will give you a better idea of what to expect (though, unlike the kebabs in that photo, I thread only one shrimp and sausage on each toothpick-sized skewer).  I think people really love shrimp at cocktail parties, and this is a much more exciting option than a simple shrimp cocktail.  Very flavorful–spicy, smoky and succulent.  And the caraway seeds lend a very unique background flavor.

So, there you have it.  A couple old favorites, a couple new “keepers” and a couple that probably won’t be invited to our cocktail parties of the future.  I’ll be writing about the cake (yes, the birthday cake I baked myself) tomorrow.

Meatball Sliders
Bon Appetit 

Ingredients:

1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 pound ground veal
1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/2 cup water
8 tablespoons freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese, divided
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
1 14.5-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes

Arugula leaves (optional)*
18 small soft rolls, split horizontally*

Instructions:Mix all meats, panko, 1/2 cup water, 6 tablespoons cheese, egg, egg yolk, 1/4 cup parsley, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper in large bowl. Form into eighteen 2-inch-meatballs.** Heat vegetable oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, fry meatballs until brown all over. Transfer to plate. Pour off drippings from skillet. Reduce heat to medium. Add olive oil to skillet. Add onion, garlic, basil, and fennel seeds. Sauté until onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Add all tomatoes with juices. Bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Reduce heat to low, cover with lid slightly ajar, and simmer, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.

Puree sauce in processor until almost smooth. Return to same skillet. Add meatballs. Cover with lid slightly ajar and simmer until meatballs are cooked through, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes longer. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. 

*  I served these with toothpicks, rather than sandwich sliders.

**  To make these bite-sized, I made mini-meatballs (about 1 inch balls

Antipasto Platter  

Ingredients:
5 Roma tomatoes
1 bunch asparagus
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 jar roasted red peppers
1 c. mozzarella bocconcini
One log herbed goat cheese
Assorted Italian cold cuts (such as Genoa salami, capicola, and sopressata)
Pepperoncini
Assorted olive
Baguette
3 cloves garlic Instructions: 

Up to a day in advance, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Quarter the Roma tomatoes (making spears) and trim the asparagus.  Arrange the asparagus and tomato spears on a baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil, salt & pepper.  Roast for 30 minutes.  Cool and refrigerate.  

Prior to serving, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Slice the baguette into thin crostini.  Arrange the bread slices on a baking sheet and toast for 10 to 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. 

Meanwhile, arrange the tomatoes, asparagus, peppers and olives on a platter.  When the bread is done toasting, allow to cool slightly and rub the surfaces with the garlic cloves.   Serve crostini alongside the platter of vegetables, olives and cheese. 

Spicy Rosemary Cashews
Ina Garten

Ingredients:
1 lb. roasted, unsalted cashews
2 T. minced fresh rosemary leaves
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
2 tsp. light brown sugar
1 T. kosher salt
1 T. unsalted butter, melted 

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spread the cashews on a sheet pan.  Toast in the oven until warm, about 5 minutes.  In a large bowl, combine the rosemary, cayenne, sugar, salt and butter.  Thoroughly toss the warm cashews with the spiced butter and serve warm. 

Mushroom Caps Stuffed with Fromage Blanc
Delores and Jack Cakebread via Leite’s Culinaria 

Ingredients:
1 large leek, white part only, julienned (2 cups)*
2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
½ tsp. kosher salt, plus additional for seasoning
4 oz. fromage blanc**
2 T. finely grated Parmigano-Reggiano
Freshly ground black pepper
18 large crimini mushrooms, wiped clean and stemmed
White truffle oil (optional) Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Brush a baking sheet with olive oil.  Heat the leeks and olive oil in a small sauté pan over medium heat.  Add the ½ tsp. salt.  Cook, stirring often to prevent browning, for 8 to 10 minutes, until wilted and tender, but not browned.  Transfer to a small bowl and let cool. Add the fromage blanc and Parmigano to the leeks and stir to mix well.  Season with salt and pepper. 

Scoop up about 1 heaping teaspoon of the mixture and spoon into the bottom of the mushrooms.  Set on prepared baking sheet. Bake in the top 1/3 of the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cheese mixture begins to brown and the mushrooms become tender to the bite.  Transfer to a serving plate & drizzle with a few drops of truffle oil. 

*  To me “julienned” means long thin strips.  That didn’t seem right, but I did it anyway (giving me about 2 inch long thin strips).  This made the filling a little hard to deal with because of the long tangles of leeks (especially for the smaller mushrooms).  In the unlikely event that I make these again, I think I would mince. 

**  I used well-drained ricotta in place of fromage blanc, mainly because I had some on hand that I wanted to use up, rather than buying another cheese. 

Three-Cheese Mini Macs
Food & Wine

Ingredients:
½ lb. elbow macaroni
1 ½ T. unsalted butter, plus more for brushing
¼ c. freshly grated Parmigano-Reggiano cheese
2 T. all-purpose flour
¾ c. milk
4 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded (one packed cup)
4 oz. deli-sliced American cheese, chopped*
1 large egg yolk
1/4 tsp. smoked Spanish paprika** Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 425°. In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the macaroni until al dente, about 5 minutes. Drain, shaking off the excess water.  

Brush four 12-cup, nonstick mini muffin tins with butter. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of the Parmigiano; tap out the excess.

In a large saucepan, melt the 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter. Whisk in the flour over moderate heat for 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk and cook, whisking, until boiling, about 5 minutes. Add the cheddar and American cheeses and whisk until melted. Off the heat, whisk in the egg yolk and paprika. Fold in the macaroni.  

Spoon slightly rounded tablespoons of the macaroni into the prepared muffin cups, packing them gently. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmigiano on top.*** Bake the mini macs in the upper and middle thirds of the oven for about 10 minutes, until golden and sizzling. Let cool for 5 min­utes. Using a small spoon, carefully loosen the mini macs, transfer to a platter and serve.  

*  I substituted grated gruyere, because I’m not really sure what American cheese is.

** I have the hardest time finding this spice.  I just need to order it from Penzey’s.  I tried three grocery stores with no luck.  So I substituted a pinch of cumin and cayenne.

*** Instead of additional Parmigano, I sprinkled panko bread crumbs (tossed in melted butter) on top. 

Arugula- & Parmesan-Topped Polenta Canapes
Gourmet

4 cups water
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 cup instant polenta
2 large shallots
1 large garlic clove
3 cups arugula leaves
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan (about 1 1/2 ounces)   

Line an 11- by 7-inch baking pan with foil, leaving a slight overhang on all sides. In a heavy saucepan bring water with salt to a boil and add polenta in a thin stream, whisking. Cook polenta over low heat (it should be barely boiling), stirring constantly, until very thick, about 10 minutes. Spread polenta evenly in pan. 

Separately mince shallots and garlic and chop arugula. In a non-stick skillet cook shallots in oil over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, arugula, and salt to taste and cook, stirring, a few seconds, or until arugula is just wilted. Spread arugula mixture evenly over polenta and cool to room temperature. Chill polenta, covered, until firm, at least 2 hours, and up to 1 day.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Sprinkle arugula topping evenly with Parmesan, pressing gently to make it adhere, and, using foil, transfer polenta to a cutting board. Cut polenta lengthwise into thirds and cut strips crosswise into 3/4-inch-wide canapés. Arrange canapés on a large baking sheet and bake in upper third of oven 10 minutes, or until just heated through. Change oven setting to broil and broil canapés 2 minutes, or until tops just begin to brown. Serve canapés warm or at room temperature.

Spicy Shrimp & Chorizo Kebabs
Food & Wine 

Ingredients:
2 large garlic cloves, thickly sliced
2 tsp. sea salt
2 tsp. caraway seeds
2 T. pure chile powder, such an ancho
¼ c. extra virgin olive oil
2 lbs. large shrimp, shelled & deveined
8 small chorizo (about ½ lb. total), sliced ½ inch thick* 

Instructions:
On a cutting board, using the flat side of a chef’s knife, mash the garlic and salt to a coarse paste. Add the caraway seeds and finely chop them. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the chile powder and olive oil. Add the shrimp and toss to coat. Meanwhile, bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Add the chorizo and cook over high heat for 5 minutes. Drain and pat dry. Let cool slightly. Tuck a chorizo slice in the crook of a shrimp and thread onto a skewer; the shrimp should be attached at both ends. Push it to the end of the skewer and repeat with 2 more shrimp and chorizo slices. Using more skewers, repeat with the remaining shrimp and chorizo. Grill the kebabs over a hot fire, turning once or twice, until charred and the shrimp are cooked through, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately.  

*  I used smoked turkey sausage this time, because the menu was already pork heavy (meatballs; antipasto meats) and I didn’t want the non-pork eaters to go hungry.

 I’m not a huge dessert fiend (except for ice cream, which I’ve already mentioned).  However, I do love making desserts.  I find that if I follow the recipes exactly, I am generally met with success.  And most desserts end up looking gorgeous (not always the case with the average, every-night dinner).  But, by the time I’m done mixing the batter, baking the layers, cooling the layers and icing the layers, I have a hard time getting all that excited for a slice of cake.  Same goes for cookies (I mean, how many batches can one recipe possibly call for?), tarts (I generally have to physically restrain myself from trying to pop the thing out of the pan immediately out of the oven), pies (of course I have to make my own pate brisee) and the list goes on and on.

So I tend to get unreasonably excited for the opportunity to bring a dessert to a party, dinner or, heck, even a bakesale.  A recent weeknight dinner with two of our friends (make-your-own pizzas, a theme I highly recommend) provided the perfect opportunity to try my hand at Tiramisu.

I scanned scores of recipes in search of the perfect one (another element of the dessert-creation process that I love).  I ultimately settled on Ina Garten’s recipe for two reasons: (1) every recipe of hers I’ve tried has come out well above average (especially in the dessert category — perhaps because of the copious amounts of butter and cream) and (2) it called for a lot of mascarpone.  I wish I could tell you my mascarpone motivation stems from a culinary reason, but–truth be told–I had several containers of the stuff in my fridge, periously close to expiring (how did they get there, you ask?  stay tuned for a future post that will tell the sordid tale!).

Once again, Ina did not disappoint.  This tiramisu was creamy and had a wonderful, strong coffee flavor.  And the ladyfingers were flavorful without being mushy.   The recipe (to which I made a few small tweaks, see below) was also incredibly easy.  You do need to build in plenty of time for chilling, but beyond that, the recipe comes together extremely quickly.

And this one certainly satisfied my penchant for presentation.  It was a beauty.  And, best of all: we got to leave the leftovers with our friends, who happily ate them up!

 Tiramisu
Ina Garten 

Ingredients:
6 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup good dark rum, divided*
1 1/2 cups brewed espresso, divided
16 to 17 ounces mascarpone cheese
30 Italian ladyfingers, or savoiardi
Bittersweet chocolate, shaved or grated
Confectioners’ sugar, optional** 

Instructions:
Whisk the egg yolks and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on high speed for about 5 minutes, or until very thick and light yellow. Lower the speed to medium and add 1/4 cup rum, 1/4 cup espresso, and the mascarpone. Whisk until smooth.

Combine the remaining 1/4 cup rum and 1 1/4 cups espresso in a shallow bowl. Dip 1 side of each ladyfinger in the espresso/rum mixture and line the bottom of a 9 by 12 by 2-inch dish. Pour half the espresso cream mixture evenly on top.*** Dip 1 side of the remaining ladyfingers in the espresso/rum mixture and place them in a second layer in the dish. Pour the rest of the espresso cream over the top. Smooth the top and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.  

Before serving, sprinkle the top with shaved chocolate and dust lightly with confectioners’ sugar, if desired.  

* I used Kahula, instead of dark rum.
** As you can see in the photos, I included chocolate shavings, but omitted the confectioners’ sugar. 
*** I included a dusted layer of chocolate (using a Microplane) between layers. 

I’m hardly the first person to believe that the kitchen is the soul of a home—a hub of activity, creation and, of course, sustenance.  Many of my fondest memories have emerged from kitchens—those of friends, family and my own.  I rarely remember the specific features of all those kitchens (aside from my mother’s Le Crueset collection; my mother-in-law’s sprawling, granite-topped island; my friend Andy’s Viking range; my grandparents’ selection of straight-from-the-garden produce, or the sight of my friend Brynn’s refrigerator, brimming with the preparations for her next great BBQ).  But I always seem to remember the kitchen sink. 

Perhaps that’s because I spent the better part of my kitchen days as a dishwasher.  Growing up, washing the dishes was a party not to be missed, complete with singing and dancing (yes, Aunt Kathy, I’m talking about you) amid the steam rising from the scalding water.  In college, dishwashing was more an act of trepidation, sorting through sticky beer mugs and mountains of God-knows-whose dishes (from God-knows-when).  By contrast, the sink in my post-college, tiny D.C. studio apartment, allowed for no more than one plate and one (small) pot to stack up at time; doing the dishes there was simply imperative, unless I wanted to render the kitchen utterly useless.  These days, as my role has evolved from dishwasher to cook, I’ve lucked into a live-in dishwasher.  And after our wedding in August, I’m fairly confident the position is filled for good. 

But I remember more than just soapy sponges and damp dishtowels when it comes to the sinks of my life.  They have ranged from the familiar (my grandparents’ sink, with a view out to their greenhouse, garden, bird feeders and, of course, those up-to-no-good neighbors) to the fancy (here’s where I could brag about the gorgeous undermounted sink in our new condo’s kitchen—but I won’t); from the useless (after nine months in the aforementioned studio, I’m quite sure that a garbage disposal is a kitchen’s most under-appreciated feature) to the utilitarian (the sink in a family cabin in northern Minnesota features a giant red pump for a faucet).  And there’s the sink in my parents’ home—with its funny drinking water spigot, its collection of wine corks atop the backsplash and, for much of the Minnesota winter, snow drifts and frost crystals lining the window. 

In all of these sinks, I’ve piled dishes after satisfying meals.  Sometimes the stack is staggering, leaving me to doubt whether the meal was worth its disaster-zone wake.  But then there are the meals that are worth every single dirty utensil, pot and plate.  Like this recipe—Ina Garten’s Roasted Tomato Basil Soup (dishes for which include: a baking sheet for the roasting, a cutting board and knife for the onions, a dutch oven for the soup itself and a food processor bowl and blade—let alone our own soup bowls).

This soup ramps up the classic tomato soup with the addition of oven roasted tomatoes (which lends a concentrated tomato flavor) and earthy herbs.  On a cold early winter night, it certainly satisfies.  For a light, pre-Thanksgiving meal last week, we made this soup (topped with a swirl of pesto) and served it with toasts lathered with a thin layer of ricotta cheese and a drizzle of white truffle oil.  Yes, I’d say it was worth every dirty dish.  I’m pretty sure even my dishwasher would agree! 

Roasted Tomato Soup
Ina Garten 

3 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, cut in half
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 (28-ounce) canned plum tomatoes, with their juice
4 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 quart chicken stock or water  

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss together the tomatoes, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread the tomatoes in 1 layer on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes.

In an 8-quart stockpot over medium heat, saute the onions and garlic with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the butter, and red pepper flakes for 10 minutes, until the onions start to brown. Add the canned tomatoes, basil, thyme, and chicken stock. Add the oven-roasted tomatoes, including the liquid on the baking sheet. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Pass through a food mill fitted with the coarsest blade.* Taste for seasonings. Serve hot or cold.

*  I don’t have a food mill, but pulsing the soup in batches in a food processor works just fine.