Pumpkin Puree

Simplicity.  Food doesn't have to be complicated.  This application can be done with two ingredients, pumpkins and salt.  The result will leave you never wanting to reach for a can again.


I always get a little rush of excitement when I see the pie pumpkins hit the store shelves.  I have been making my own pumpkin puree for several years now, and let me tell you, it will elevate your pumpkin pies and pumpkins breads to levels you could only imagine with the canned stuff.  I even added some pumpkin puree to my last batch of beef and noodles, and I couldn't believe how good it was, but that's another post.


The flavor added to the pumpkin from the roasting and salt, make it delicious enough to eat by the spoonful.  So, when you start with a product that tastes so good on it's own, you can't go wrong when making your favorite pumpkin recipe.


Pumpkin Puree
Recipe inspired by Alton Brown


Ingredients
1 (4 to 6-pound) baking pumpkin, rinsed and dried
Kosher salt


Directions


Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.


Remove the stem from the pumpkin and split the pumpkin in half from top to bottom, using a large knife.  Scoop out the seeds and fiber. Sprinkle the inside pumpkin flesh with kosher salt and lay the halves, flesh side down, on a half sheet pan lined with parchment paper.


Roast the pumpkin until a paring knife can be easily inserted and removed from the flush, about 30 to 45 minutes. Test in several places to ensure doneness. Remove the half sheet pan from the oven to a cooling rack and cool for 1 hour.


Remove the roasted pumpkin flesh from the skin and place in the bowl of a food processor. Process until the flesh is smooth, about 3 to 4 minutes. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

 

My great-grandmother made pineapple upside-down cake all the time when I was a kid, and I absolutely loved it. I loved it so much, it is one of the first recipes I tried when I was first learning how to bake. It was not an easy one to start out with, though. I remember countless times flipping the cake only to find that some of the cake stuck to the pan, or the brown sugar/butter mixture didn't absorb into the cake and ran all over the counter top. I still ate it, and I'm sure I gained a few pounds in the process.

Thinking back on it now, I'm not sure my great-grandmother turned the whole cake upside-down before serving it. I remember the cake staying in the pan, with her flipping the individual pieces over as they were served. I was always anxious to see how much pineapple I got, or if I was lucky to get a cherry. I did a write-up on my great-grandmother's recipe over on Family Tree-Eats if you'd like to check it out, but this is the Alton Brown version I went to after failing on hers so many times.

The recipes are pretty similar, except this one uses cornmeal and is baked in a cast iron skillet.  Baking a cake in a cast iron skillet!?  That's what I'm talking about! The finished product is perfectly crispy around the edges and moist and fluffy on the inside.  The cake is sweet, but the pineapple helps cut the sweetness considerably.  The original calls for nuts, but I omitted them because my great-grandmother never used nuts in hers.  The cake is very rich, so a little bit goes a long way, but it is absolutely delicious!

Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Printable Recipe

Ingredients
3/4 cup whole milk
1 cup coarse ground cornmeal
4 ounces unsalted butter
8 ounces dark brown sugar, approximately 1 cup
6 slices canned pineapple in heavy syrup
6 maraschino cherries
3 tablespoons juice from canned pineapple
3 whole eggs
4 3/4 ounces all-purpose flour, approximately 1 cup
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 3/4 ounces sugar, approximately 3/4 cup
1/2 cup canola oil

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a small saucepan, bring the milk to a boil, turn off the heat, and immediately add the cornmeal. Stir and let stand for 30 minutes. 

Melt the butter in a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the brown sugar to the butter and stir until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes.

Turn off the heat.  Place one slice of pineapple in the center of the pan and arrange the other 5 slices around it. Put the cherries in the centers of the pineapple.  Pour pineapple juice over top.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt and whisk to combine. In another mixing bowl, add the sugar to the eggs and whisk to combine; then add the canola oil and whisk. Add the cornmeal and milk mixture to the egg mixture and whisk to combine. Add the wet mixture to the flour and gently stir until just combined.

Pour the batter into the skillet and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. After removing it from oven, let the cake cool for 30 minutes before inverting. Set a plate on top of the skillet and carefully flip the cake.

Slice and devour. 

Alton Brown's Homemade Soft Pretzels

 

There is nothing like a warm soft pretzel.  There is also no time I realize this more than when I get one at a sporting event that's rock hard and dry.  They always look good, golden brown and salty, slowly rotating in a glass walled metal box.  But, the execution is sorely lacking, at least at the venue's I've been to.  Definitely not good eats. 

 

Thankfully, Alton Brown and Good Eats is here to save the day.  Sure, it's not very practical to make and take these to the stadium, but you could save that pretzel craving for when you get home and get a hot dog or nachos at the game.  Don't get me wrong, ballpark food has come a long way, maybe they'll work on a better pretzel next, but for now, we have our ovens at home!

 

These pretzels have it all.  Crispy and salty on the outside, and soft and chewy on the inside.  They come together very quickly, too, much like a pizza dough, needing only one rising.  The most time consuming part, is rolling out each pretzel individually, but that's when the fun begins.

 

I don't know why, but I think there is something whimsical about making the pretzel shape out of ropes of dough.  Maybe because it's such a familiar shape that I've seen my whole life.  Watching each pretzel take shape, each one a little different, is just so much fun.

 

Then you get to boil them! In baking soda water, no less.  Why baking soda water?  Two reasons.  First, dropping each pretzel into boiling water for about one minute makes the interior of the pretzel quickly puff and begins the crust formation. If the pretzel isn't boiled, it wouldn't have the chewiness we all know and love from a soft pretzel.  Second, the baking soda is what gives the pretzels their brown and shiny crust and distinctive flavor.  The baking soda moves the water from neutral over to the alkaline or basic side of the scale. When this happens, the browning reactions that happen more rapidly. Without this step, the pretzel would lose out on the texture, flavor and appearance of the pretzel.  So it is very important.  Plus, if some of the baking soda water spill onto the cooktop, it cleans off any caked on grease rather nicely.

 

After boiling, brush the pretzel tops with some egg wash and top them to your hearts content.  Pictured above are pretzels with Hawaiian black lava salt and fleur de sel.  You could also top with regular pretzel salt, jalapeno and cheddar, or go sweet with cinnamon and sugar.  The possibilities are endless.

 

There you have it.  Homemade soft pretzels.  Worth it?  Yes!!

 

 

Alton Brown's Homemade Soft Pretzels

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups warm (110 to 115 degrees F) water
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 package active dry yeast
22 ounces all-purpose flour, approximately 4 1/2 cups
2 ounces unsalted butter, melted
Vegetable oil, for pan
10 cups water
2/3 cup baking soda
1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Pretzel salt

Directions
Stir together the water, sugar and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. Let the yeast sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture starts to foam.

Using the dough hook attachment and the mixture on low speed. add the flour and butter; mix until well combined. Increase the mixer to medium speed and knead the dough until it is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl, then coat the bowl with vegetable oil. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let it sit in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line 2 half-sheet pans with parchment paper and lightly brush with the vegetable oil. Bring water and the baking soda to a boil in an 8-quart saucepan or roasting pan.

Then, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope. Make a U-shape with the rope, holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U in order to form the shape of a pretzel. Place onto the parchment-lined half sheet pan.

Gently drop the pretzels into the boiling water, 1 by 1, for 30 seconds each. Remove them from the water using a large flat spatula. Return to the half sheet pan, brush the top of each pretzel with the beaten egg yolk and water mixture and sprinkle with the pretzel salt. Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Alton Brown's Baked Meatballs

 

If I want meat in my pasta sauce, I usually just go for the ground beef.  It's so easy to just plop a hunk of ground beef in a pan and start browning it and breaking it up.  Add a few seasonings and some marinara and, BAM!, dinner is ready in 30 minutes.  Sometimes, though, it's fun to get fancy.  And when I think fancy, I think meatballs.

 

For a while it seemed that every time a new Good Eats episode aired, I rushed out and got whatever I needed to make the featured recipes at home.  I think it's because, at least it seems to me, those first few seasons focused on the basics, and the classic no frills way to make a lot of dishes we all know and love.  I learned to make a lot of things that I still make to this day, these baked meatballs being one of them.

 

The recipe is very straight-forward.  I adapted it a little, though.  The original calls for ground lamb, and I do love lamb.  It's just that it is so expensive here.  If I do get ground lamb, I usually end up making gyros, but that's another post.  I usually just go for beef and pork when making these meatballs and it turns out just fine.

 

As far as assembly goes, it's just a matter of putting all the ingredients together and mixing them up.  Simple.  Then, I get to use my digital scale.  The 1.5 ounce portions make for just the right size meatballs that fit perfectly in mini muffin cups; thus, allowing the meatballs to retail the shape of a ball.  Brilliant!

 

They taste amazing, too.  The meatballs have a firm, but not tough texture.  I also like that fact that I can use dried herbs, too, as they give the meatballs the right amount of Italian flavor.  The spinach is also a nice tough for cleverly hiding a vegetable for the picky eaters in your group.  And juicy, these meatballs are delightfully juicy.

 

Pile them on top of a nest of noodles or even use them for meatball subs, these meatballs are sure to please.

Baked Meatballs

Ingredients
1 pound ground pork
1 pound ground beef
5 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and drained thoroughly
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan
1 whole egg
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 1/2 teaspoons dried parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3/4 cup Panko bread crumbs, divided

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Combine the pork, beef, spinach, cheese, egg, basil, parsley, garlic powder, salt, red pepper flakes, and 1/4 cup of the bread crumbs in a mixing bowl. Gently mix all of the ingredients until they are well incorporated.

Place the remaining 1/2 cup of bread crumbs in a smaller bowl. Using a scale, weigh meatball mixture into 1.5-ounce portions, and shape into rounds, roll the meatballs in the bread crumbs, and place in a miniature muffin cup.

Bake the meatballs for 20 minutes or until cooked through and golden brown and delicious.

Who Loves Ya Backyard Baby Back Ribs

 

When it comes to barbecue, I think of pulled pork, brisket and ribs.  The problem is, my favorite way to prepare ribs is not by barbecuing them, but by braising them.  I cheat a little at the end by using the grill to caramelize the glaze, just so I get the feeling that I did do some of the cooking outside.  No matter the method, these ribs will make you look like a real barbecue pit master.

 

I know, I know, another Alton Brown recipe.  What can I say, the man knows what he's doing.  I've got to the point where I don't follow some of his recipes to a T, and add my own little variations.  So I am making progress, especially with the non-baking applications.  One doesn't want to mess with the baking formulas.  Now that's science!

 

This recipe is kind of a combination of AB's Who Loves Ya Baby Back Ribs and Backyard Baby Back Ribs.  I like the use of the grill to finish the ribs for the Backyard Baby Back Ribs, but I feel the braising liquid for the Who Loves Ya Baby Back Ribs is far superior.  I also tweaked some of the spices used in the dry rub and replaced white wine with beer in the braising liquid.

 

So, does combining two AB recipes make it my own?  I doubt it, but it doesn't really matter, these ribs are finger-licking delicious!

 

Who Loves Ya Backyard Baby Back Ribs
Recipe inspired by Alton Brown

Ingredients
2 whole slabs pork baby back ribs

Dry Rub:
8 tablespoons light brown sugar, tightly packed
3 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon rubbed thyme
1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Braising Liquid:
1 cup beer
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon honey
2 cloves garlic, chopped

Directions
Combine all dry ingredients and mix well. Place each slab of ribs on a large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, with the shiny side down (the foil should be 4 inches longer than the ribs on either end). Sprinkle each side of the slabs generously with the dry rub and pat into the meat. Close the foil around the ribs, almost making a pouch and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 225 degrees. Combine all ingredients for the braising liquid in a glass bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute. Place the ribs on a baking sheet and open one end of the foil for each slab and pour half of the braising liquid into the foil pouch. Slowly tilt the baking sheet to equally distribute the braising liquid. Place the ribs in the oven and braise for 2 1/2 hours.

Transfer the braising liquid into a medium saucepot and bring to a simmer.  When the liquid is reduced by half or when it has a thick syrup consistency brush some onto the ribs.

Set a gas grill to medium-high. Cut each slab in half and place them on the grill, flesh side down, close the lid and decrease the heat to medium.  Cook the ribs on each side until the glaze is caramelized.  Remove the ribs from the grill to a cutting board and slice each slab into 2 rib bone portions. Add the ribs and the remaining glaze to a large serving bowl and toss to thoroughly coat.  Serve and devour.

Alton Brown's Fudge Cake

 

Okay, so I am just copying this post over from one of my other blogs, Family Tree-Eats.  I feel it is too good not to share here on latent chestnut.  So, I apologize if you've read this before, but if you haven't, make this cake!!

 

This is the best chocolate cake I have ever made, and it is my 'go to' chocolate cake recipe.  It comes from Alton Brown's I'm Just Here for More Food, and I think it is one of the first recipes I tried from the book.  I don't even need to look up the page number for the recipe anymore because the book is so worn in that section, I can find it just by shuffling through the pages.

 

The steps to make this cake and frosting are a bit unconventional (pulverizing chocolate, mixing the frosting over a bowl of ice), but the end result is well worth it.  The cake is, for lack of a better word, meaty, but not too dense or rich.  The chocolate is the star of the show and there are bits of chocolate speckled throughout that didn't get pulverized as much.  It is not too sweet, and leaves you begging for more.

 

The frosting is light, airy, and full of flavor.  I like to add a pinch of fine sea salt to the mix because I think it really compliments the chocolate.  The frosting is almost the consistency of dense whipped cream only with an intense chocolate flavor, and just melts in your mouth.  I'm not usually a fan of frosting, but this one is just as good as the cake.  Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go bake a cake...

 

Alton Brown's Fudge Cake
Printable recipe

3 oz unsweetened chocolate
10.75 oz (2 1/4 cups) plain flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 oz (1 stick) butter
13.5 oz (2 1/4 cups) brown sugar
8 oz (1 cup) full fat sour cream
8 oz (1 cup) boiling water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a 13 x 9 cake pan.

Pulverize chocolate in a food processor until fine, then add the flour, baking soda, and salt, and pulse to combine.  Combine the eggs and vanilla and lightly beat to combine.

In the bowl of a stand mixer or mixing bowl cream the butter and sugar.  Then add the egg and vanilla mixture.  Alternate adding three doses of the chocolate flour mixture and two doses of the sour cream.  Slowly add the boiling water and mix to combine, the batter will be loose.

Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees, then 15 minutes at 300 degrees. Internal temperature should reach 175-180F. Cool for 15 minutes, then remove to rack and allow the cake to cool completely before frosting.

Chocolate Frosting
6.5 oz (1 cup) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
4 oz (1/2 cup) whipping cream
8 oz (2 sticks) butter
10 oz (2 1/2 cups) powdered sugar
Bowl of ice

Melt butter, chocolate and cream in a saucepan (preferably with curved edges) over medium heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and neat in the powdered sugar with a hand mixer.  Once the sugar is dissolved, place the pan into a bowl of ice.  Continue to beat until the frosting lightens and holds its shape.

Grilled pizza

 

 I've done a few blog posts about pizza over the years here on latent chestnut.  In fact, one of my very first posts was about pizza.  Ah, memories.  I've posted about my deep dish pizza, brick oven pizza, and Nonna's pizza.  I even took to Family Tree-Eats to talk about pizza once or twice.

 

Needless to say, I like pizza, and even though I love the classics, I like to change it up a bit every now and then.  Hence, my foray into the world of grilled pizza.  I got the idea from Alton Brown when he did a Good Eats episode on grilled pizza.  He gives instructions on how to make the dough and what toppings to use, but since I already have a 'go to' pizza crust recipe, I was really just more interested in technique.

 

Here's how I did it, based on AB's cooking instructions.  First, ignite all heating elements and pre-heat your gas grill to high, making sure the grill grates are clean and free of debris. Then, oil the grill grates and decrease all heating elements to medium. Brush one side of the dough with 1 to 2 teaspoons of olive oil and flip onto the hot grill. I can do two crusts at a time on mine.  Close the grill lid and cook until the bottom of the crust is golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes. Brush the raw side of the dough with 1 to 2 teaspoons of olive oil, then flip using a peel. Top with your desired sauce and toppings, then sprinkle with cheese. Close the lid again and cook until the bottom of crust is golden brown and the cheese has melted, another 1 to 2 minutes. Using the peel, remove the pizza to a cooling rack and let it rest a couple minutes before slicing.

Things happen really fast when grilling pizza.  The crust can begin to burn very quickly, so I stage my sauce, toppings, and cheese at the grill prior to putting the dough on the grates.  The oil is really the key because you don't want the crust to stick to the grates; so make sure to brush the crust and grates with enough oil to fully coat each. 

Even though it's a frenetic pace, the results are well worth it.  The grill gives the dough a wonderful crunch and crispiness I have not experienced with any other cooking method, and you can almost taste the fire and smokiness from the grill.  The inside of the dough still has the soft chewiness that we all know and love, too, so there is that element of the pizza that's familiar. 

I've enjoyed experimenting with this new cooking technique for my pizza and I have tried some toppings I may not have reached for if I was just cooking it in the oven.  Not that pizza could ever be boring, but it is nice to shake things up a bit every now and then.

Alton Brown's French Toast

 

French Toast. Egg bread. Gypsy toast. Payn purdyeu. Not matter how you say it, this is Valerie's favorite breakfast.  And her favorite dinner, for that matter.  I don't think we've ever have never had French toast for lunch, but it would probably be her favorite lunch, too.  Oh, and brunch.  Wait.  Does this mean French toast is her favorite food?  I would dare to say, YES!

 

Growing up, I was never a fan of French toast.  The middle was always soggy, and it just was very underwhelming.  Queue Alton Brown and the Toast Modern episode of Good Eats.  After learning AB's fail proof cooking method, never would I have to endure soggy French toast again. 

 

The biggest secret of this French toast is to finish cooking it in the oven.  Basically, the skillet cooking serves to get a nice lovely golden brown crunchy layer on the outside of the bread, while the oven allows the custard to finish cooking and set up nicely within the structure of the bread.  I also always buy my bread in a whole loaf, usually from Panera Bread, and slice it myself.  Country loaf is my bread of choice.

 

I don't know why, but I am a fan of cinnamon in my French toast.  I don' know if it's traditional or not, but I love the little spicy kick that cinnamon brings to the party in this dish.  Though, not in AB's original recipe, I have included it in mine below.  The best way I have found to incorporate the cinnamon in the custard mixture is by beating it in with the eggs right off the bat.  Otherwise, it just seems to float on top of the mixture and most of it sticks to the first slice.

 

There you have it, my version of French Toast, heavily inspired by AB.  It is a little bit more labor intensive than just frying up slices of eggy bread in a skillet, but the end result is more than worth it. 

 

French Toast

recipe inspired by Alton Brown

 

Ingredients

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup half-and-half

2 tablespoons honey, warmed 

1/4 teaspoon salt

8 (1/2-inch) slices day-old or stale country loaf

4 tablespoons butter

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 

In a large pie plate, whisk together the eggs and cinnamon until frothy.  Next add the half-and-half, honey, and salt and whisk to combine.

 

Place a slice of bread into mixture, and soak for 30 seconds on each side.  Remove the bread to a cooling rack that is sitting in a sheet pan or over the sink, and allow to rest for 1 to 2 minutes.

 

Over medium-low heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a 10-inch nonstick sauté pan or cast iron skillet. Place 2 slices of bread in the pan and cook until golden brown, approximately 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from pan and place on rack in oven for 5 minutes. Repeat with the rest of the bread. Serve immediately with maple syrup, whipped cream, fruit, or bacon.

Pulled Pork - Alton Brown's Barbecue Pork Butt (AB-BQ)

 

Yes, there is life after Good Eats.  Altonbrown.com has done a nice job of churning out new AB applications over the past few years, and the AB-BQ application is my favorite.  The simplicity of the method produces incredible results.

 

Brine, smoke and bake, that's all there is to cooking it.  Water, salt, and molasses, that's all there is to the brine.  Charcoal and wood chips, that's all that's needed for the smoker.  Aluminum foil and a sheet pan, that's all that's needed for the oven.  Oh, and about 10 hours.  That's all that's needed until it's done.  Accounting for brine time, it does take about 24 hours from start to finish, but the end result is more than work it. 

 

Time and patience.  I have become pretty good at getting my smoker regulated and can maintain 225 degrees for about an hour or so at a time before I need to adjust the charcoal or wood chips.  This allows me to get a lot of other stuff done around the house while the pork is smoking, like playing basketball or sipping iced tea on the glider.  I'm almost sad when I see the meat reach 150 degrees.

 

The 4 to 5 hours of smoke time is really nice, though, and I am happy to finish cooking it in the oven.  I have done 10-12 hours on the smoker, and that starts to take its toll after a while.  In my opinion, finishing it in the oven produces better results and there is still plenty of smoke flavor in the meat.

 

So, the question remains, is it worth it?  The time, the energy, the patience?  The answer:  a resounding YES!  This is the best pork I have ever had, maybe even the best meat.  No joke.  The meat is moist, tender, smoky, salty, you name it, it's got it.  The definition of lip-smacking good. 

 

I like to serve it with a little east Carolina barbeque sauce (mmmm....vinegary) and coleslaw on top.  We were already out of coleslaw by the time I got around to taking the picture, or it would be on there.  On the other hand, it is good enough to stand alone, just a plate full of pork and your fingers.  I could go for that, too.

 

Alton Brown's Barbecue Pork

Ingredients
3 quarts water
12 ounces kosher salt
8 ounces molasses
8-10 pound boneless pork butt

Special Equipment: Smoker and 4 ounces hickory or oak wood chunks

Procedure:
Add the water, salt, and molasses into a 12-quart container and stir until the salt dissolves.  Place the pork butt into the brine.  Cover the container and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, remove the pork from the brine, and pat dry. Then, heat the smoker to 225 degrees F. Add the wood chunks, and place the pork into the smoker.  When the pork reaches an internal temperature of 150 degrees F, remove from the smoker, about 4 to 5 hours.

Allow the meat to rest until it reaches 140 degrees F, then heat the oven to 300 degrees F. Wrap the pork in aluminum foil and place on a half sheet pan. Cook until the pork reaches an internal temperature of at least 200 degrees F, about 3 to 5 hours.  It should be tender and pulling apart easily. Remove from the oven, keep it covered, and allow it to rest for 30 minutes before serving.

Cheesecake

 

 

Finding the perfect cheesecake recipe has been elusive for me.  I like Alton Brown's version in "I'm Just Here for More Food", but I usually crave something more rich and dense when I think of cheesecake.  His version almost has more of a soft custard quality.  But, I love the crust and I love his technique.  It never fails.

 

So, looking for the rich, dense, style cheesecake, I came across a recipe that seemed to fit the bill on allrecipes.com.  I made this cheesecake a few times, and while it was always good, it usually cracked on top and the sides browned and rose up over a sunken middle.  The crust left something to be desired, too.  The filling had good flavor and texture, so it had potential.

 

I decided to combine the things I liked best about both recipes to create my own version.  The crust and technique from AB's cheesecake combined with the filling recipe from the allrecipes.com cheesecake.  To my delight, this resulted in the best cheesecake I have ever made.

 

The filling set up beautifully.  It was smooth yet dense and not grainy at all with a nice rich flavor.  The crust had so much flavor, too, with just the right texture and a nice subtle crunch.  It is a beautiful cheesecake to look at, with no cracks along the top and a nice shiny flat surface.  It was also nice to not need to cover cracks with whipped cream and leave it optional.  Though is it ever really?  I think I may have cracked the code to my perfect cheesecake!

 

Cheesecake

 

Crust:

25 graham cracker squares

3 ounces unsalted butter, melted

1 tablespoon sugar

 

Filling:

4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1 cup sour cream

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

4 eggs

3/4 cup milk

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

 

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F and grease a 9 inch spring form pan.  Put a double layer of heavy duty aluminum foil along the bottom and up the sides of the pan.

 

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the graham crackers, melted butter, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and pulse until combined. Press the mixture into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of the pan. Blind bake the crust for 10 minutes, then cool.

 

Increase oven temperature to 350 degrees F and place a pan of water on the middle rack large enough to hold the spring form pan.

 

In a mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and sugar and on low for 30 seconds and then turn it up to medium. Scrape the bowl two times during this process to make sure the sugar and cream cheese are fully integrated. 

 

In a separate bowl, combine sour cream, flour, eggs, milk and vanilla and whisk until smooth. With the mixer on medium, slowly pour the liquid mixture in. When half of it is incorporated, stop the mixer and scrape the bowl. Continue adding the mixture until all the ingredients are incorporated. Once completely combined, pour into the cooled crust.

 

Place cheesecake into the preheated water bath and bake in the oven for 1 hour. Then, turn the oven off and do not open the oven door for two more hours. Remove the cheesecake from the water bath and place in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours before serving. 

Mac and Cheese Toast

 

Leftover mac and cheese?  Fry it up!  I have wanted to make this since I first saw the Good Eats episode air back in 2002.  Well, here we are in 2013 and I finally got around to it.  Let me tell you, I should have tried it sooner and I am tempted to make some mac and cheese just to cube it up and fry it the next day.

 

Mac and Cheese Toast

An Alton Brown application
Printable recipe

Ingredients
Leftover baked macaroni and cheese, refrigerated for at least overnight
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 egg beaten with 2 ounces water
1 cup panko bread crumbs
Oil for deep frying, preheated to 375 degrees

Directions
Cut refrigerated macaroni and cheese into bite size pieces, about 1.5 inches. Season the flour with salt and pepper. Dredge each piece through the flour and tap off excess. Dip in the egg mixture and then coat with the panko bread crumbs. Rest the cubes for 5 minutes so the crust can set. Carefully drop into the oil and fry until golden brown, 3-4 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack and rest for 2 minutes before serving.

Alton Brown's Chocolate Chip Cookies

The Chewy.  This could be my favorite Alton Brown recipe.  I know it is my most requested.  The Good Eats episode had three versions of chocolate chip cookie recipes, but only this one made it into the Good Eats book.  For good reason, these cookies are superior than any I have ever baked, or even eaten.  These cookies could build an empire.

I like my cookies soft and chewy, so this is the recipe for me. The slightly browned crispy edges leading into warm, chewy, melt-in-your-mouth center is exactly what I want in a cookie, and the chewy delivers.  This recipe is also what caused me to buy a digital scale, and I now prefer measuring by weight instead of volume in all my recipes.

The dough also freezes incredibly well.  So much so, that when I make them, I usually freeze them for an hour instead of putting them in the refrigerator.  By freezing them, the cookies don't flatten out as much, and the middle is just a little bit gooier. 

 

To do this, just dish the dough out in cookie size portions and freeze on a baking sheet. Once the cookies are frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag for storage.  This way, you can have fresh baked cookies whenever you want them without doing all the work.  

 

 

The Chewy
An Alton Brown recipe

Ingredients
8 ounces unsalted butter
12 ounces bread flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 ounces granulated sugar
8 ounces light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 ounce whole milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

Directions
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat, then into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the sugar and brown sugar and beat with the paddle attachment on medium speed for 2 minutes.

Next, add the whole egg, the egg yolk, milk and vanilla extract.  Continue to mix on slow until thoroughly combined.

Sift together the flour, salt and baking soda.  Slowly add the dry ingredients, until all the flour is worked in.  Lower the speed to "stir" and add the chocolate chips.

Scoop the dough into 1 1/2-ounce portions onto a parchment-lined half sheet pans and refrigerate for an hour.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Place 6 cookies per sheet and bake 2 sheets at a time for 15 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through.

Remove from the oven, slide the parchment with the cookies onto a cooling rack and wait at least 5 minutes before serving.

If not baking all the cookies, freeze the remaining cookie for later use following the same baking instructions.

Blueberry Soda

 

My dad got me a SodaStream soda maker for my birthday this year and I couldn't wait to get started on making my own syrups. This blueberry soda recipe immediately came to mind, so I patiently waited for blueberry season. When we finally had enough blueberries, I got to work.

Making the syrup is very simple. It's basically like making a simple syrup, except you make blueberry juice first. So, the syrup was done in no time. The hardest part was waiting for it to cool. Once it was completly cool, I made myself some carbonated water and slowly added the blueberry syrup. Just like that I had blueberry soda! 

This first thing I noticed was how beautiful the color was.  The soda is such a deep purple, and the bubbles are a delicately lighter color.  A treat of the eyes as well as the taste buds.  Speaking of taste, drinking the soda is like have a mouth full of blueberries.  As expected, the blueberry flavor shines, and the sweetness is not overpowering.  The lime juice adds a nice tartness, to make it a well rounded beverage.

Blueberry Soda
An Alton Brown Recipe

Ingredients
20 ounces fresh blueberries, approximately 4 cups, rinsed and drained
2 cups water
7 ounces sugar
1 lime, juiced
Carbonated water

Directions
Put the blueberries and water into a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and pour the blueberry mixture into a cheesecloth lined colander in a large bowl. Allow the mixture to cool for at least 15 minutes or until it is cool enough to handle.

Gather up the edges of the cheesecloth and squeeze out as much of the liquid as possible. Discard the skin and pulp. Put the blueberry juice back into the saucepan and add the sugar and lime juice. Bring to a boil over medium high heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved, then cook for an additional 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a glass container.

Place the syrup in the refrigerator, uncovered, until completely cooled. To Serve: Combine 1/4 cup of the liquid with 8-ounces of carbonated water and serve over ice.

Alton Brown's Fried Chicken

Fried chicken is hard to get right, at least in my experience.  I don't remember the first time I attempted Alton Brown's fried chicken, but the Good Eats episode that featured the recipe, "Fry Hard II: The Chicken", first aired on April 25, 2001.  I imagine that I tried to make it shortly after, since I was trying just about every new Alton Brown application back then.

The road to success was daunting, and it was the breading that gave me fits.  It was hard to get it just right, and I was inconsistent at best.  Sometimes it would be perfectly crispy, golden brown and delicious.  Other times, the breading would be soggy and greasy, or sometimes almost mealy with too much flour.

The chicken was always delicious, though; tender, juicy and flavorful.  The spices are just right, too.  One teaspoon of cayenne pepper may seem like a lot, but it adds just the right amount of heat.  It really is subtle, because the kids eat it up, too.  So, the struggles I had with the breading was made up for by the chicken itself.  But, when I got the breading right, it really sent it over the top. 

I don't know what led me to try it, but a couple years ago, I finally found the secret to the perfect breading.  A brown paper bag.  By putting the flour and chicken in a brown paper bag and shaking it up, it created a perfect coating of flour on the chicken.

Since I have adopted this method, I get perfect fried chicken every time.

Fried Chicken
Printable Recipe

Ingredients
1 broiler/fryer chicken, cut into 8 pieces
2 cups low fat buttermilk
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons Hungarian paprika
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Flour, for dredging
Vegetable shortening or oil, for frying

Directions
Marinate the chicken pieces in buttermilk and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.  Add enough shortening or oil to come 1/3-inch up the side of a 12-inch cast iron skillet. Heat oil to 325 degrees.

Drain chicken in a colander or on wire rack. Combine salt, paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Season chicken with this mixture liberally.

Add flour to large paper bag then add all the chicken.  Shake the bag to thoroughly coat the chicken.  Then remove the chicken from the bag and place skin side down into the pan. Put the thighs in the center of the pan, and breast and legs around the edge.

Cook the chicken until golden brown, approximately 10 to 12 minutes per side; the internal temperature should be right around 180 degrees.  Drain chicken on a rack over a sheet pan.

Peanut Butter Pie

What good is making your own peanut butter if you don't have a fabulous peanut butter pie recipe to go with it?  I have been making my own peanut butter for about three years, and I love to make this pie every once in a while.  I say 'every once in a while' because this pie is so rich; a little bit goes a long way.  That said, I usually take this pie to parties because it would be too much for my family to eat by ourselves in a reasonable amount of time.

If you are going to make this pie, I would recommend using AB's peanut butter recipe that can be found on Food Network's website.  If you click the 'printable recipe' link below, the peanut butter recipe will be included.  Also included in the link is AB's roasted peanut application.  I have never roasted my own peanuts for this pie, mainly because I can't find raw in-shell Spanish peanuts anywhere.  I buy roasted salted Spanish peanuts from The Sunspot, and they never fail to produce a scrumptious peanut butter.

This peanut butter pie recipe is fairly straightforward.  There are a lot of steps, but the end result is well worth it.  The hardest part is waiting for the pie to cool, which you have to do a couple times during the process of making it.  The wait is well worth it as the reward is a smooth pie, that's not too sweet, where the peanut butter is actually the star.

Peanut Butter Pie

Recipe Courtesy Alton Brown

Printable Recipe

Ingredients
6 1/2 ounces chocolate wafers
1 tablespoon sugar
5 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
1 batch homemade peanut butter
3 ounces powdered sugar, approximately 3/4 cup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ounces good quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the wafers and 1 tablespoon sugar. Process until the wafers are fine crumbs. Melt 3 ounces of the butter and drizzle into the crumb mixture. Pulse to combine. Press this mixture into the bottom, up the sides and just over the lip of a 9-inch metal pie pan. Place in the oven on the middle rack and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely.

After the crust has cooled, place the peanut butter and remaining 2 ounces of butter into the bowl of the food processor. Process for 1 minute. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and process for another 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until smooth. Carefully spread the mixture into the pie shell and return to the oven to bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool while preparing the topping.

Place the heavy cream into a heat-proof bowl and microwave on high just until simmering, approximately 30 seconds. Remove the cream from the microwave and add the chocolate. Make sure the chocolate is completely submersed in the cream. Allow to sit for 2 minutes. Gently whisk until the chocolate is melted and combined with the cream, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.

Spread the chocolate mixture over the pie and chill in the refrigerator for 1 1/2 hours before serving.

Pickled Lemon Cucumbers (AB's B&Bs)

My goal before summer started, and before my garden was even planted, was to pickle something.  I had cucumbers in mind as the season started.  Much to my surprise, I ended up with lemon cucumbers, and since they taste almost exactly like conventional cucumbers, I figured they will be perfect for pickling. 

I hoped to pickle my cucumbers whole, but the round shape of the lemon cucumbers were a bit intimidating to me, so I looked for a pickle recipe that called for sliced cucumbers.  I looked to Alton Brown first to see what was in his repertoire and found a recipe for bread-and-butter pickles, AB's B&Bs.

The pickle prep was short and sweet, and they were sent to the refrigerator for their week long pickling process.  After the week was over, I was excited to try my yellow pickles.  Since they are bread-and-butter pickles, I expected them to be sweet, and I was not disappointed.  They were almost too sweet to eat by themselves, but they are quite delicious on hamburgers.  I imagine they would also be good made into relish, or on other hearty sandwiches like sloppy joes. 

I enjoyed my first attempt at pickling.  I really like the novelty of using lemon cucumbers as well.  Their large circumference made it so that all I needed was one pickle to cover my entire burger.  I do want to make a pickle that isn't so sweet, though.  With a number of lemon cucumbers ready to pick, I think I may try a recipe that calls for whole cucumbers.

AB's B&Bs

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced

2 medium cucumbers, thinly sliced

1 cup water

1 cup cider vinegar

1 1/2 cups sugar

Pinch of kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard seed

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/2 teaspoon celery seeds

1/2 teaspoon pickling spice

Directions

Combine the onion and cucumber in a 1-quart glass jar.  Combine the rest of the ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer for four minutes.  Then, pour the pickling liquid over the onion and cucumber until the jar is completely full.  Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for one week before serving. 

Strawberry Cream Pie

When I was young, I loved the strawberry cream pie from Moore's Pie Shop.  In fact, I even had one for my birthday one year instead of a cake.  The strawberries have been wonderful this year, so I decided to try my hand at making a strawberry cream pie of my own.

The components of the pie seemed simple enough; pie crust, cream filling, and strawberries.  So, first I made and blind baked a pie crust, then I made a batch of AB's pastry cream, then halved and macerated some strawberries.  I let the pastry cream cool and strawberries macerate overnight in the refrigerator, and the next day I was ready to assemble my pie.

The strawberries released a lot of their juices overnight, so I put the juice in a small saucepan and let it reduce to a syrupy consistency.  I then poured the strawberry syrup over the strawberries to act as a glaze.  Yum!  I spread the pastry cream on the pie crust, then placed the strawberries on top of the cream, and my pie was complete.

The strawberry cream pie was simply delicious.  The strawberries and cream go together so well, and the tender, flaky crust is the perfect vehicle to bring it all together.  It's a cool, sweet flavor wonderland.  A perfect summer treat!

Rhubarb Peach Cobbler

Whenever I'm in the mood to consume an entire cobbler by myself, I make rhubarb peach cobbler.  I am the only one in the house who will eat rhubarb, but I usually share a couple servings with Michael, who also enjoys its tartness.  I have been making this recipe since it first aired on Good Eats in 2005. 

I have three versions of this recipe.  One from the Good Eats episode, "Cobbled Together" printed off foodnetwork.com, one from I'm Just Here for More Food, and one from Good Eats 2: The Middle Years.  I mainly use the printed recipe, but I really enjoy using the Good Eats books, so last time I made the cobbler I reached for Good Eats 2.

I noticed right away the recipe was different because it called for lemon zest instead of lime zest in the crust, yet the filling still called for lime juice.  I decided to still use lime zest since that what I was used to for this recipe.  Then, I entered bizarro world, the measurement for lard was labeled in tablespoons.  I have never seen an AB application measure lard in anything other than by weight.  I was so baffled by it, I didn't realize the recipe called for nine tablespoons!  That's a lot of lard, especially when the recipe calls for only nine tablespoons of butter.  It didn't hit me that it was way too much until I started to measure it out.  Once I saw how much nine tablespoons was going to be, I got another copy of the recipe and checked.  Indeed, the correct measurement for lard was 1.5 ounces, or three tablespoons.  I'm glad I know butter to lard ratios or I would have had one lardy cobbler.

The cobbler turned out absolutely delicious.  The rhubarb and peaches work so well together in this dish and the crust is out of this world.  The crumbled bits of crust on the bottom are soft, tender and filled with the juices from the peaches and rhubarb.  The top crust is very pie-like; tender, flaky, and delicious.  This could very well be my favorite cobbler.  I just wish I had more people to share it with.

Rhubarb Peach Cobbler
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown
Printable Recipe

Ingredients
9 1/2 ounces all purpose flour, approximately 2 cups
1 ounce sugar, approximately 2 tablespoons, plus 1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon freshly grated lime zest
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus 1/4 teaspoon
4 1/2 ounces unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces, plus extra for dish
1 1/2 ounces lard, chilled and cut into small pieces
1 1/2 ounces ice water, approximately 3 tablespoons
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 pound rhubarb, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
1 pound sliced peaches, peel on and sliced into 1/2 to 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place a piece of aluminum foil on the bottom rack to catch any drippings. Butter a 9 by 9-inch glass baking dish and set aside.

Place the flour, 1-ounce sugar, lime zest, and 1 teaspoon salt into the bowl of a food processor and pulse 3 to 4 times. Add the butter and lard and pulse until the mixture just becomes crumbly. Sprinkle or spritz the mixture with the ice water a little at a time and process just until the dough holds together when squeezed in a fist. Place the dough into a 1 gallon zip top bag and form into a disk. Place the dough into the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, while you prepare the filling.

In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the 1 cup of sugar, cornstarch, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Stir in the rhubarb, peaches, and lime juice.

Remove 1/3 of the dough from the bag, pinch into pieces and distribute evenly in the bottom of the prepared dish. With the remaining dough still in the bag, roll it out to a sheet large enough to cover the top of the dish. Pour the fruit mixture into the dish and top with the dough that has been removed from the bag, pressing the dough into the corners of the dish. Bake, uncovered, for 60 minutes or until the dough is cooked through and starting to turn golden.

Change the oven setting to broil and continue to cook until golden brown, approximately 3 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to stand for 15 to 30 minutes before serving.

Good Eats 3: The Later Years - Task Manifestation

As I eagerly anticipate the latest Good Eats book, I have come to the realization that I am going to have to clean out some of my homemade recipe binders.  I have a couple binders full of recipes I have printed from the internet, mainly from foodnetwork.com, and mainly Alton Brown recipes.  Preferring to use the recipes from the Good Eats books, my binders have seen less and less use.

The Good Eats books are wonderful resources, and I am sure Good Eats 3: The Later Years will not disappoint.  Sure, I could go online and print every recipe from the show, but with all the photographs, drawings, science-of-food facts, cooking tips, and food trivia, AB does a phenomenal job making it feel like you are holding a Good Eats episode in your hands.

As for my binders, they will still get some use, and I am thinking about making a new binder, too.  Not every recipe from Good Eats is included in the books.  Stove Top Mac-n-Cheese, Avocado Buttercream Frosting, The Thin, and The Puffy didn't make the cut.  Excluding The Thin and The Puffy is understandable because The Chewy is the only chocolate chip cookie recipe anyone would need.

Back to my original point, I am thinking about making a binder that includes all the Good Eats recipes that are not included in the books.  I have not gone through the books to see how many recipes that includes, so I don't know if I will print all the recipes or just the ones I use.  I just think it would be neat to have every Good Eats recipe at my fingertips.

Baba Ghannouj

We are big fans of grilled eggplant in our household, so I was excited to make baba ghannouj for the first time.  I couldn't decide whether to use Alton Brown or Aarti Sequeira's recipe; so I combined the two, using what I liked best from each one. 

For the preparation of the eggplant, I sliced and grilled it before removing the skin.  I added the grilled eggplant to the food processor along with some garlic, lemon juice, tahini, parsley, salt and pepper, and pulsed to combine.  It was ready in no time.

The baba ghannouj was good.  It had a nice smokey flavor, though it was a little bitter.  I added some honey as AB's recipe suggested, but it didn't do much to counteract the bitterness.  It was probably the eggplant I used just wasn't sweet enough, so I might make it again in the future.  I may have to grow some eggplants in the garden next year!