Just Like The Number

King Arthur Flour Lemon Squares

I had a few lemons hanging around my produce drawer for the last couple of weeks.  For some reason, Eli was quite taken with them.  Like a cat hearing a can of tuna being opened, every time I opened the fridge he came running.  He'd make a beeline for the produce drawer and pull out the lemons.  Only to him, they're not lemons, they're "lemonades." He would then commence lemonade playtime: rolling the lemons, "cooking" the lemons, trying to smash the lemons in the potato ricer.  The lemons were hanging on for dear life, and it was high time I put them out of their misery.

I pulled out my brand-spankin' new cookbook The King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion.  It's a hefty book: 500 pages of cookie recipes along with tips, hints and troubleshooting advice for nearly every cookie imaginable.  I won the cookbook through a contest on one of my favorite food blogs, Serious Eats.  One of their recurring features is a series called "Cook the Book," where they choose a popular cookbook and cook several recipes from the book.  I love how it gives you a peek into a cookbook along with real experiences of using the cookbook.  Raise your hand if you've ever purchased a cookbook and then realized the recipes were impossible to execute or terribly impractical.  You too?  Anyhow, whenever they feature a cookbook, they also giveaway a few copies of the book.  Lucky me, I was the winner-winner-chicken-dinner.  

There's an entire chapter dedicated to Bars & Squares.  I don't know about you, but I'm a big fan of bars and squares.  Sometimes I want to make something cookie-like, but I lack the motivation to go the extra mile and actually, like, roll out the dough or drop it onto a cookie sheet.  Sometimes the option to throw the dough into a bar pan is the only thing that prevents me from just whipping up a batch of dough and eating it raw.  So let's pause and give thanks for Bars & Squares.

By now I imagine you'd like me to just shut up already and tell you what I made with the pitiful lemons.  Behold the Lemon Squares:

Please make these.  They were wonderful, like biting into sunshine in the middle of winter, and came together in less than 45 minutes.  And that's 45 minutes with a toddler helping me, which means you could probably whip them out all by yourself in no time flat.  My helper is a disaster in the kitchen, but he sure is cute.

I hate to be a snob about these kind of things, but this is a recipe where you'll only want to use actual lemons.  The lemons are the star here, so bottled lemon juice just won't do the trick.  Don't worry about using the prettiest or freshest lemons - my old, abused lemons were more than fine.  The recipe also calls for lemon zest, for which there is no substitute as far as I'm concerned.  If you don't have one of these handy Microplane zesters, please go get one now.  They're cheap and fabulous and everyone will think you're the next Iron Chef when you whip one out.  I've had mine for five years now, and just the other day I came across Pioneer Woman's tip to run the Microplane upside down over whatever you're grating or zesting.  That's life-changing advice right there.

Lemon Squares 

Adapted from The King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion

Makes 16 squares

These can be served immediately after cooling.  Any leftovers should be stored in the refrigerator.  If you can summon enough willpower, these taste even better the next day.  And probably even better the day after that, but I wouldn't know.  They were long gone by then.

Crust

    1 1/2 cups (6 1/4 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour

    1/4 cup (1 ounce) confectioners' sugar

    1/4 teaspoon salt

    1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

Topping

    4 large eggs

    1 1/4 cups (8 3/4 ounces) granulated sugar

    1 1/4 cups (4 ounces) lemon juice

    1/4 cup (1 ounce) unbleached, all-purpose flour

    1/2 teaspoon salt

    2 tablespoons grated lemon rind (zest)

    Confectioners' sugar

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF.  Lightly grease a 9 x 9-inch, 11 x 7-inch, or similar-sized pan (I used an 8 x 8-inch pan and it worked just fine)
• To assemble the crust:  In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt.  Using a pastry blender, your fingers (or a toddler's fingers), or a mixer, cut in the butter, mixing to form coarse crumbs.  Press the crumbs into the prepared pan.  Bake the crust for 20 minutes, or until it's light brown.
• To make the topping:  In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the eggs, granulated sugar, and lemon juice until smooth.  Stir in the flour, salt, and lemon zest.
• Pour the topping over the hot crust, return the pan to the oven, and continue baking for about 25 minutes, or until the top of the squares appears set.  Remove from oven and cool in the pan.  Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar just before cutting and serving.

Brazo de Gitano

I posted this picture of the birthday cake my  mother made for me the other day on 3(six)5, and as a result, several people asked me for the recipe.  My mother is from southern Spain, and it's always a treat when she whips out her Spanish recipes.  This cake is called Brazo de Gitano, which translates into "arm of a gypsy."  Let's just call it by its prettier name from here on out, shall we?  Otherwise it makes me think of something your mob boss uncle would bring for your birthday.  It's fairly easy to make, even easier if you go my mother's route and use a box of lemon pudding (the kind you cook, not instant) in place of making the filling from scratch.  I've included the instructions for making the filling as well, in case you like to make things more difficult for yourself as I do.  Either way, you'll be happy with the end result!

If you're at all interested in cooking more Spanish food, I highly recommend the cookbook The Foods and Wines of Spain by Penelope Casas.  It's filled with very traditional recipes and gives you lots of background on the foods and wines of the vastly different regions of Spain.  

Brazo de Gitano (Custard-Filled Cake Roll)

CAKE:

6 eggs, separated

6 tablespoons  sugar

pinch of cream of tartar

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

6 tablespoons sifted flour

Powdered sugar and cinnamon, or cocoa,  for dusting (my mother dusted hers with cocoa)

FILLING: (If you opt to use a boxed pudding mix instead, you'll still want to fold in the whipped cream before filling the cake.  It just helps to lighten the filling a bit.)

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

2 1/2 cups milk

3 egg yolks, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons lemon zest

Pinch of salt

1/2 cup lemon juice

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1 cup of whipped cream

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and preheat oven to 375 F. Line a 10 x 15 rimmed cookie sheet (also known as a jelly roll pan) with parchment paper, then grease parchment with cooking spray.

To make the cake, beat egg whites with an electric or stand mixer until foamy.  Add the cream of tartar and sugar and beat until whites form soft peaks.  In a separate small bowl, lightly beat egg yolks with a fork.  Fold egg yolks and  lemon zest into egg white mixture.  Lightly fold in flour.  Pour batter into prepared pan, distributing evenly.  Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until cake is done, but only lightly golden on the bottom.  If you over-bake the cake, it will be difficult to roll.

While the cake is baking, slightly dampen a kitchen towel.  When cake is done, invert the cake onto the cloth while still warm.  Peel off the parchment paper and roll the cake in the cloth.  Cool and leave wrapped until ready to fill.

While the cake is cooling, make the filling.  Place sugar and cornstarch in a small, heavy-bottomed sauce pan.  Whisk to combine.  Gradually add milk, whisking until smooth.  Add egg yolks, lemon zest and salt.  Cook, stirring, over medium-high heat, until thickened and pudding coats the back of a spoon.  Remove pan from heat and stir in lemon juice and butter.  Pour through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl.  Allow to cool to room temperature.  Just before spreading filling onto the cake, fold in the whipped cream.

When the filling is ready, unroll the cake, leaving it on the cloth.  Spread with filling.  Re-roll, using the cloth to aid in rolling.  Transfer to a serving dish.  Dust with powdered sugar and cinnamon, or cocoa.  Serves 8.

Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

The Gift That Sparked a Craving

One of my favorite things about Christmas is the sweet surprises.  This beauty came to me from my friend Jen.  You can't really tell the scale from the photo, but it's a ginormous rice crispy treat topped with oreos.  It's from a cute little company known as The Crispery, and they have all kinds of variations on the good ol' rice crispy treat.

For the record, I didn't eat the whole thing myself.  I was good and shared a few bites with my kids and husband before I hid it the pantry for safe, late-night solo enjoyment.  And enjoy it I did.  In fact, it seems to have sparked a whole new craving for rice crispy treats around here.  If you find yourself craving them too, give this recipe for Salted Brown Butter Crispy Treats from Smitten Kitchen a whirl.  You won't regret it.  At least not until bathing suit season.

Angie & Ana's First (But Definitely Not Last!) Annual Cookie Exchange

At the beginning of every holiday season, I like to take some time to think about how I want to spend these few magical weeks.  It's a yearly reevaluation of sorts - what did we do last year that we loved?  What have we always talked about doing but never attempted?  It's essentially trying on traditions and seeing which ones fit and become part of your family story and which ones become the equivalent of an itchy wool sweater passed on to Goodwill.  

For a few years now, my sister Suzan has hosted a cookie exchange that's become quite the envy of Coppell, Texas.  Unfortunately, we've yet to make Texas a Christmas tradition, so every year I miss out on the extravaganza.  This year I decided to take matters into  my own hands and host my own Cookie Exchange.  Seeing as how there seems to be a genetic predisposition to becoming a cookie diva, I enlisted my other sister, Ana, to co-host the cookie exchange.  With our fearless Texan sibling as our mentor, we went for it.

This Cookie Exchange tradition? It's no wool sweater.  It's cashmere, baby.  As long as cashmere sweaters go with elastic waist pants.  Because when you're done eating all the wonderful cookies our 19 guests baked? Those skinny jeans won't fit anymore.  Look at the pictures, though.  So worth it.  I'll work on my waistline in January.  For now, I'll just work on the six dozen cookies I scored when all was said and done. 

Happy nom nom nom Holidays nom nom nom!

El Bodegon: Spanish Food Comes to Fishers

I greeted the news of a new Spanish restaurant and gourmet shop opening in Fishers with a lot of excitement and a little trepidation.  Excitement because, well, Fishers isn't really known for it's variety of locally owned restaurants.  And it's really not known for a variety of ethnic restaurants.  Excitement because there is only one other Spanish restaurant that I know of in Indy.  It happens to be downtown, and it happened to get the big thumbs down from my mother.  I kind of trust her opinion on Spanish cooking since she's from Spain and all.  And that's where the trepidation comes in. 

I knew the first time I visited this new restaurant I'd want my mom to come with me.  She's notoriously hard on restaurants.  She doesn't like to waste anything, especially money, and nothing gets her knickers in a knot like paying good money for bad food.  I've eaten out with her hundreds of times.  I can count on one hand the times we've walked out of a restaurant and she's been satisfied with her experience.

And so a few weeks ago we ventured out to El Bodegon with high hopes.  We chatted with the manager, Victor Diaz, who is originally from Madrid.  We ordered a few dishes and I eyed my mom nervously as she took her first bite.  I'm happy to report that everything passed her highest standards. 

I didn't have my camera with me that day, but I did the other day when I made a return trip with my mom and sister.  We had another excellent meal.  

My sister and I each had Bocatas - Spanish-style sandwiches.  The bread is amazing - crusty on the outside and chewy on the inside.  Mine had Serrano ham (a thinly-sliced dry-cured ham) with Manchego cheese.

My sister had the tortilla española bocata, a sandwich filled with a Spanish-style potato omelet.  It was equally delicious.

We ordered a few tapas as well.  Tapas are small plates, just enough to try a few bites of something.  We had the paella and the gambas al ajillo (shrimp sauteed in garlic).  We ate every last bite.  The paella is delicious, with lots of fresh seafood.  The sauteed shrimp have excellent flavor, with a yummy garlic sauce that begs for extra bread to sop up every last bit. 

We were too full for dessert, but if you have room I highly recommend the flan.  We had it last time and it was excellent.  I'm a sucker for custard-based desserts, and this one is great - creamy with a deep caramel flavor.  You can't argue with his grandmother's recipe.

The three of us walked out of there fully satisfied for under $30 total (drinks included).  I'm always willing to pay extra for good quality food at a local establishment.  I love that you can get that quality and get it for a great price. 

If you're anything like me, you love the idea of trying new cuisines but the thought of walking into an unfamiliar restaurant serving unfamiliar foods makes you nervous.  I worry about not being able to decipher the menu on my own.  Even though I'm familiar with Spanish food, I can assure you that if you aren't? You won't have to worry about that here.  Victor and his staff are super-friendly, and they love nothing more than walking you through the entire menu if you wish. 

If you're here in Indy, I hope you'll venture up to my side of town and give El Bodegon a try.  They'd love to have you.  And I'd love to have them around for a long, long time.

El Bodegon is located at 8510 East 96th Street, Suite D in Fishers (across from Meijer and next to Wal-Mart).  You can contact them via their website or at 317-841-3350.

C is for Cookie

Looking for me?  I'm not here today, but you can find me over at Inexpensively.  They asked me to do a guest post about my upcoming Cookie Exchange, and I was happy to yammer on and on about the big event and why you should host your own.  Come on over and say hi!  Extra points if you leave a comment over there about your favorite holiday cookie and the story behind it.

The Best Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever. The End.

Everything about this recipe told me I probably wouldn't like them.  Not a whole heck of a lot of butter or sugar, ingredients I consider crucial for a pleasant eating experience.  ALL whole wheat flour, not an easy-going mix of whole wheat flour with the more palatable, un-PC white flour.  One measly egg.  And then, get this: a whopping 3 cups of oats.  Cookies for horses, I tell you!

Two things convinced me to give this recipe a try. Number one: chocolate chips.  I would eat tofu encrusted in flax seed if it had a few chocolate chips sprinkled in there.  Number two: this recipe came from Lisa, the genius behind the blog Homesick Texan.  She is single-handedly responsible for my gluttonous addiction to homemade ranch dressing (it's crack disguised in buttermilk. For real).

So here's the short version of what could be a long and rambling post: I made them.  They were out of this world. I took them to a party. They were gone in 15 minutes.

I love to read cookbooks, and love to look at food blogs filled with gorgeous photography as well.  While I could wander through those kinds of blogs all day (can anyone say food porn addiction?), there are a handful of blogs that I've grown to love and trust.  They have beautiful, mouthwatering food, and the recipes behind them actually work.  I'll try highlighting those trusty favorites in the next few weeks, but for today the spotlight shines on Homesick Texan and her trusty Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Make them now!  You won't be sorry!

Mom’s oatmeal cookies 

Courtesy of Homesick Texan

Ingredients:
3/4 cup of butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup of brown sugar
1 egg, at room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla
3 cup of oats (I used the nice, thick oats from Whole Foods, but I think any kind would work here. Just don't use instant oatmeal from packets.  That would be disgusting.)
1 cup of whole-wheat flour (I recommend King Arthur flour for any and all baking. It's a bit pricier than your typical flour, but I can tell a difference in the quality of my baked goods.)
1 tsp. salt (I recommend organic sea salt harvested by small children.  Not really.  It's salt, people, use whatever you have.)
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 cups of chocolate chips

Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Cream together the butter, sugar and egg. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
Place 1 teaspoon-sized balls of dough on a greased or parchment-paper lined cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes.
Makes four dozen.

If Only They Tasted Like Chicken

As much as I love food - the eating of it, the reading about it, the pictures of it - you would think that I would be surrounded by a family of foodies as well.  Instead, in what has become my own personal cross to bear, I sit down to each meal with my family and wait for the whining and cajoling to begin.  Unless, of course, it's macaroni and cheese or chicken nugget night.  Then it's my turn to whine.

Still, I refuse to give up.  I have no problem making something that not everyone loves some nights.  I am the head chef around here, after all.  I try to save the really crazy stuff (like tuna salad - the horror! or pasta with salmon and pesto - what's that green stuff?!) for my own personal lunches, and offer something a little less scary at dinner, like adding some roasted red pepper to a pasta dish or a new sauce to go with the chicken. 

Tonight, though, I had the audacity to serve Brussels sprouts at dinner.  Oh, I wish you could have seen them.  They were in our Farm Fresh bin the other day - perfect little bright green orbs, so cute I could just, well, eat them up!  I pan-roasted them and sprinkled them with parmesan and they were fabulous. 

We abide by the "Polite Bite" rule around here, so Elena found herself with one little leaf from one teeny Brussels sprout on her plate.  She's been around long enough to know there's no getting around it, so she dutifully took her bite.  The next thing we know, she's bolting for the bathroom next to the kitchen.  And then we hear the retching.  One bite of Brussels sprout and she's nearly tossing up the rest of her dinner.  When she was done, she calmly walked back to the table and announced:

"I didn't like them."

I'm glad we have that clarified.

Peterson's: Eating Well on a Budget

In the last few weeks I've been working on an editing program from Blurb that turns your blog into a book.  As part of the process I've been going through each and every post from day one of this blog.  It's been entertaining (embarrassing at times), and eye-opening as well.  Reading through all the posts I realized that certain places get mentioned over and over again.  One of those places is our favorite grown-up restaurant, Peterson's.

Peterson's is a locally owned and operated restaurant that specializes in steaks and seafood.  We paid our first visit there on my birthday two years ago.  It's no secret that I love to read about food, and that includes keeping up on Indianapolis restaurants.  Peterson's was consistently ranked among the best places in Indy for steak, and their pastry chef at the time was racking up his own accolades right and left.  I had high hopes for it, especially since it's right around the corner from our house.  I love Fishers and all, but it's not exactly known as a mecca for locally owned, unique restaurants.  It's more like a sea of chains around our part of town. 

So with high hopes and all, we went to Peterson's to celebrate my birthday.  And oh my.  We were impressed.  And full.  And happy.  And broke.  Peterson's is not cheap.  So we thereby proclaimed it our special occasion restaurant and dreamed of the next occasion that would bring us back to filet, au gratin potatoes, lobster bisque and dark chocolate cake.

On one visit, I vaguely remember signing up for their e-mail newsletter.  Every month or so I would get an e-mail from them, listing menu changes and upcoming events.  Around the first of the year, though, the newsletter changed ever so slightly.  I'm not sure if it has to do with the recession, or just a new direction for the restaurant, but they started offering specials via the newsletter. 

In the spring we were treated to a customer appreciation dinner that included half-off entrees and free dessert.  In the summer they offered a coupon for half-off an entree.  When your entrees are between $20-$40?  That's a big deal to us.  In that same newsletter, this little tidbit caught my eye: Peterson's was on twitter.  Of course I began following them right then and there. 

Peterson's is one of those small business who uses twitter superbly.  They tweet often, and they offer great information and deals to those who follow them.  I've been treated to a free jumbo lump crab cake appetizer (normally $13) for mentioning a secret word they put out on twitter.  Last night we opted to have dinner in the bar to take advantage of half-price cocktails and appetizers.

Peterson's also participated in the 92.3 WTTS Half-Price Radio Mall.  The Half-Price Radio Mall is another excellent way to find great deals on things that are local to Indy.  In this instance, we were able to purchase $50 gift certificates to Peterson's for $25.

So that brings us to last night.  My mom had offered to take the kids off our hands for an evening.  We never turn down an offer like that!  It seemed like a perfect evening to visit Peterson's.  Here's how it went down:

I checked twitter on our way to the restaurant and saw this tweet:

When we see Patron and margarita in the same sentence?  We get very happy.

Instead of sitting in the dining room, we opt for the bar (which is a different atmosphere, but just as pleasant as the dining room). Instead of my normal glass of wine (which usually runs around $10) I opt for one of the half-price cocktails.  Mike does the same.  I normally get the lobster bisque to start off, which is $8.  This time I chose a crab cake from the half-price appetizer menu ($6.50).  Mike and I chose full-price entrees (they're just too good to pass up).  He got a double filet and his favorite au gratin potatoes ($49) and I chose the Scottish Organic Salmon Steak ($29).  I saved half of it to bring home, because I can't pass up the phenomenal dessert menu.  I ended my meal with caramel apple and walnut bread pudding with vanilla ice cream ($9).  It's big enough to share, but Mike doesn't care for bread pudding.  What a shame.  At some point during the meal we both snuck in another half price cocktail.  The grand total for the night, using our gift certificate and half-price deals? $95, including tip (Another touch I love? They always bring you two homemade truffles along with the bill.  I guess to sweeten the blow, I suppose).

I realize that $95 for a dinner out is by no means a cheap date.  It's not something we could afford to do every date night.  When I compare the meal I enjoyed last night to the countless sub-par meals that we've eaten at chain restaurants, though, the real value of the experience trumps the price.  A meal at a nicer chain restaurant that included appetizers, cocktails, entrees and dessert would easily cost us $50 or more.  And for what?  Mediocre meal made with processed ingredients, poor atmosphere, and money that goes to corporate headquarters.  I would easily forgo a few of those poor meals, eat better food at home, and save my  money for a night at Peterson's.  We'd spend more, yes, but we'd be guaranteed a meal of high quality food from a restaurant that strives to use local whenever possible.  We'd be guaranteed a pleasant and attentive atmosphere from a staff that is truly glad we're there.  And our money would stay here in the community, sending a message that we prefer and are willing to support local restaurants.

My main message here is that it is possible to be frugal and stick to a budget and yet still enjoy some of the nicer experiences out there.  If there's a restaurant you love, seek them out on-line.  Are they on twitter?  Do they have a newsletter or a facebook page?  Keep an eye out for special offers in your community that can make that special place just a bit more affordable.  Consider swapping a few visits to an unmemorable restaurant for some meals at home and put the money you save towards a really special evening out. 

If you have any similar experiences I'd love to hear them.  After all, you know how I love to read about a good meal!

Ohio

I have a special place in my heart for Ohio.  My alma mater, Miami University, is in Oxford.  It's where I met my husband.  Mike is from northeastern Ohio.  Painesville, to be exact.  It's also the only place where you can get this stuff:

 

I've had an on-going love affair with Malley's for just about as long as I've been in love with Mike.  The first time he took me home to meet his family included a trip to Malley's.  I can't remember a single trip back to Cleveland that hasn't included a visit to Malley's.  We sit and have ice cream sundaes with famous fudge sauce.  You must order your sundae in a flat dish (more ice cream, we're sure of it), fudge sauce on the side.  You must request a side of pretzels (Mike) and a side of almonds (Angie) to dip in the extra fudge sauce.  We never leave without a case(!) of Pretzel Crunch Bars.  I love that this place hasn't changed one bit since the first time I set foot in there 15 years ago.  I love seeing the look on Eli's face when he comes face to face with more chocolate  in one place than he's ever seen in his lifetime.

 

Yes, we took a little trip up to Cleveland for Labor Day.  It was a whirlwind trip, but filled with big stuff.  Mike's step-dad remarried last winter, and we hadn't met his new bride.  She is from Belarus.  She'd heard a rumor that Mike was a picky eater, so she was accommodating and didn't prepare anything crazy.  She did make some fabulous eggs for me in the morning, with butter and sour cream.  Next time I'm hoping for some borscht. 

There was another addition to Grandpa Paul's house on this trip, and that was the kitten, Milashka.  That poor, poor kitty.  She spent a good deal of energy trying to dodge Elena, but that girl takes persistence to a new level.  Once the cat was caught, she would just melt into a lifeless heap of fur, no longer a cat but merely a little girl's accessory.

 

We also met Mike's half-sister and her family for the first time.  I'll bet you didn't know he had a sister.  Neither did he until six years ago.  It was only last year that he found out her name.  It's a complicated history, and not really my story to tell.  I can tell you this, though: it was really amazing meeting her and her family.  We had a lovely visit together and I hope that they become a bigger part of our life.

We finished off our visit in Akron, visiting Mike's grandmother and aunts.  I remember when Mike and I first started dating, there were piles of his cousins underfoot.  Now they're all grown up, going to Miami (the cool ones, anyways), getting married, buying houses and expecting babies.  Elena and Eli adore their "big" cousins, and have to be physically removed from them at various points in time during our visits.  Who doesn't love cousins that let you help them was their car?

 

That would be Mr. Brian Egan, cousin, fellow Miami grad, and kid entertainer extraordinaire. 

We'll be back in Ohio in December to see one of the cousins get married.  Hopefully our case of pretzel crunch bars will last us until then.