Cookbooks I Heart

So because I have work, school, a private student, some semblance of a social life, and trees, I haven't had much time for baking. It’s even more tragic when you consider the fabulous cookbook Jill got me for Christmas.

How cool is organizing a cookbook based on color?? It was always meant for me. I do have to give into Thomas in admitting that it is not exactly the most practical organization, but it does justify the hours I’ve spent pouring over each chapter. I now know roughly what recipes are included and where to find them. I was so infatuated with the book that I carried it with me everywhere over Christmas. During a family function, Anna took a peak and almost immediately exclaimed, “when you make these you have to share them with me!” And of course I was going to make them! How could you not? They have the perfect combination of buttery shortbread and sweet fruit flavors, oh and they’re totally cute.

The cookies haunted me for weeks. Every time I made a peanut butter and jam sandwich, I was pained by how much jam was actually left in the jar. It had not yet been unleashed and allowed to lay peacefully, sandwiched in layers of shortbread. But they haunt me no more! Last week, I finally gave up and made cookies instead of doing homework (it really wasn’t a difficult decision when I finally thought hard about it).

I think I cooked them too long, or maybe too fast. They shortbread texture was spot on, but it was hard to use the cookie cutters to cut out shapes. The shortbread tended to crack and the jam made the cookies stick to the cutter. I think it would be best to cut them in the 5 – 10 minute window after they’ve been removed from the oven. You have to let them cool some or the jam will spread everywhere, but too long, and the jam is too sticky.

Of course, it ended up best to simply leave one huge cookie on the counter and cut off pieces as you walk by J.

Aside from these cookies and some “quick-hour-long” brownies I made, there has been no baking…. And really, no blogging.

I can’t promise more baking, but I’ll work on the blogging!

Lavish Chicken Dinner

My sister is a part-time wedding photogrpaher in Northern California (jilliankayphotography. blogspot.com) and I do the design layout for her albums. I say all this to explain why I fell behind on posting so quickly! Well, my first big project is out of the way and I celebrated by cooking a huge dinner for Thomas. On a whim during the first 6 months of marriage, I bought cornish hens, because, well, when you're young, in love, have a little extra grocery money, cornish hens seem like a fantastically lavish idea. Then they sat in my freezer for oh.... over 8 months. After much discussion and reassurance from Thomas that the chickens were not rotten, I decided to try a few recipes from Martha Stewart Living.
The recipes were so simple, but looked and tasted so good that I felt like a master of the kitchen! (hahaha)

Mediterranean Panzanella
Serves 4

Coarse Salt
1 lb green beens, trimmed
½ cup shaved fennel bulb
½ red onion (4 oz), thinly sliced
½ cup pitted black olives
4 oz feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
Freshly ground pepper
2 slices (about 1 inch thick each) rustic bread

1. Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil over medium-high heat; add salt. Add beans; simmer until just tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Plunge beans into ice-water bath to stop the cooking; let cool completely in water. Drain.
2. Toss together green beans, fennel, onion, olives, feta, oil, vinegar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl; season with pepper. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes.
3. Preheat broiler. Place bread on a baking sheet. Broil, turning once, until bread darkens, about 3 minutes per side. Cut bread into 1-inch cubes, add to salad, and toss to combine.

So I used goat cheese instead of feta cheese cause that's what I had. It coated everything and it looked pretty unatractive. This recipe is not for the faint of heart- the vinegar makes it spicy!

Cornish Hens with Lemon and Herbs
Serves 4

2 Cornish hens (about 1 3/4 lbs each), room temperature, rinsed well and patted dry
1 bunch fresh thyme (about ½ oz), plus more for garnish
2 lemons, halved, plus wedges for serving
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Preheat oven to 450. Place hens in a roasting pan, breast sides up. Place 2 thyme sprigs and 1 lemon half in cavity of each hen. Loosen skin from breast, and place remaining thyme and the parsley underneath. Squeeze remaining lemon halves over hens. Rub butter all over hens. Season generously with salt and pepper.
2. Roast hens, rotating pan halfway through, until skin turns golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 180, 45 to 50 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes. Cut hens in half lengthwise. Garnish with thyme sprigs, and serve with lemon wedges.

Blackberry Crumbles

Serves 4

4 cups fresh blackberries (about 14 oz)
4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for ramekins
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
6 store-bought sugar cookies (about 2 oz), coarsely crushed
1/4 cup rolled oats

1. Preheat oven to 375. Stir blackberries, 1/4 cup sugar, 2 ½ tablespoons flour, and the lemon juice in a bowl; set aside.
2. Put butter, cinnamon, salt, and remaining tablespoon sugar into a small bowl. Stir vigorously with a rubber spatula until creamy. Stir in cookies, oats, and remaining 1 ½ teaspoons flour. Work mixture through fingers until it forms coarse crumbs ranging in size from peas to gum balls.
3. Butter four 5-ounce ramekins (about 3 ½ inches in diameter). Divide blackberry mixture among ramekins; transfer to a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with crumb topping. Bake until juices are bubbling and topping is golden brown, 20 - 25 minutes. Let cool on rack 20 minutes before serving.