“A puffy cinnamon roll coated with thick white icing brings out the child in all of us, encouraging even the most mature person to greedily uncoil its tight swirls and dig in Some of us in the test kitchen have been know to drop in by the local mall just to worship at the shrine to calorie-laden cinnamon rolls (which shall remain nameless). As delicious as those artery-clogging rolls can be, they are too much for all of us but the rarest hedonistic fit. They are so sweet and so rich that it’s nearly impossible to finish one roll.
Our ideal cinnamon roll is a little more reserved. The dough should be soft and rich but not greasy. The filling should be slightly sweet, rather than sugary sweet, and potent with cinnamon. The icing should be creamy and thick and boast a tang sufficient to balance the richness and sweetness elsewhere in the roll.”

“Shaping the dough into pinwheel spirals could not have been any easier. The soft dough gracefully yielded to a light touch under the rolling pin as we rolled it out. We then sprinkled it with the filling and rolled it up slowly and tightly so that the rolls would not uncoil while cooking. The best tool for cutting the soft dough into rounds turned out to be dental floss. Eccentric as it seems, using dental floss (make sure it’s unflavored) lets you smoothly cut though soft dough without squeezing the filling out of place.”

“Although a few tasters liked a thin, drizzled powdered sugar and cream glaze, most tasters preferred a thick, tangy cream cheese icing. We altered a standard cream cheese icing by omitting the butter and adding corn syrup for glossiness and smoothness. A judicious smear of icing (rather than a heavy, thick coating) was appropriate on these civilized rolls.”

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“Because cinnamon is the predominant flavor in these rolls, make sure to have good-quality, fresh cinnamon on hand. While we rarely grind our own cinnamon, we try to make sure that our ground cinnamon is less than 6 months old and from a reputable source, like Penzeys or McCormick/Schilling. This dough should be very tender and soft, so be stingy with additions of flour. Only a very light dusting is necessary to prevent the dough from sticking to the work surface while rolling it.”

Dough

½ cup milk
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
½ cup warm water (about 110˚ degrees)
1 envelope (about 2 ¼ teaspoons) instant yeast
¼ cup (1 ¾ ounces) sugar
1 large egg plus 2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon salt
4-4 1/4 cups (20 to 21 ¼ ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the work surface

Icing

8 ounces cream cheese, softened but still cool
2 tablespoons corn syrup
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 cup (4 ounces) confectioners’ sugar, sifted to remove any lumps
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch salt

Filling

¾ cup packed (5 ¼ ounces) light brown sugar
3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt

For the dough:
Heat milk and butter in a small saucepan or in the microwave until the butter melts. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside until the mixture is lukewarm (about 100˚ degrees).

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle, mix together the water, yeast, sugar, egg, and yolks at low speed until well mixed. Add the salt, warm milk mixture and 2 cups of the flour and mix at medium speed until thoroughly blended, about 1 minute. Switch to the dough hook, add another 2 cups of the flour, and knead at medium speed ( adding up to ¼ cup more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, if necessary) until the dough is smooth and freely clears the sides of the bowl, about 10 minutes. Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Shape the dough into a round, pace it in a very lightly oiled large bowl, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Leave in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in bulk, 1 ½ to 2 hours.

For the icing:
While the dough rises, combine all of the icing ingredients in the bowl of a standing mixer and blend together at low speed until roughly combined, about 1 minute. Increase the speed to high and mix until icing is uniformly smooth and free of cream cheese lumps, about 2 minutes. Transfer the icing to a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate.

To roll and fill the dough: After the dough has doubled, press it down and turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Using a rolling pin, shape the dough into a 16 by 12-inch rectangle, with a long side facing you. Mix together the filling ingredients in a small bowl and sprinkle the filling evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2 inch border at the far edge. Ro;; the dough, beginning with the long edge closest to you and using both hands to pinch the dough with your fingertips as you roll. Moisten the top border with water and seal the roll. Lightly dust the roll with flour and press on ends, if necessary to make a uniform 16-inch cylinder. Grease a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Cut the roll into 12 equal pieces using dental floss and place the rolls, cut-side up, evenly in the prepared baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm, draft free spot until doubled in bulk, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

To bake the rolls: When the rolls are almost fully risen, adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350˚ degrees. Bake the rolls until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of one of the rolls reads 185˚ to 188˚degrees, 25 to 30 minutes. Invert the rolls onto a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes. Turn the rolls upright on a large serving plate and use a rubber spatula to spread the icing on them. Serve immediately.

Thank you to my friend, Mo R. for being a great model and baker. We chose not to ice our rolls, but you make the final call on your own cinnamon rolls

French Water Bread

In a large bowl, mix together:
5 cups warm water
2 PKG dry yeast or 2 scant TBSP yeast
4 Tbsp honey

Let mixture set until thick and bubbly.

Add:
2 TBSP salt
about 3 or 4 cups of flour, or enough to make a thick mixture
1 cup corn meal

Mix thoroughly and add more flour as needed to make a workable dough. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead until dough becomes smooth and elastic adding more flour as needed. Divide dough by cutting in half, kneading each section again. Cut again and knead the four balls. Repeat until there are 8 small balls of dough. Form into 8 round loaves and place in greased clay saucers or on greased cookie sheet. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until done in a 350˚ degree oven.

To season clay flowerpot saucers for baking, use the same method as seasoning iron skillets. Grease the insides of the saucer liberally with shortening and heat for 3 to 4 hours in a 250˚ oven. Rub with shortening several times during the heating period. Before using the saucers the first time, be sure to grease them well. At the Feast, the saucers are re-greased for every baking.

There is an old recipe I came across earlier this year. It was hiding in plain sight, on the inside of the cover, in a really old/loved cookbook. This recipe book, that I boroughed from my mom, was published by a group of women in our Temples Sisterhood. In this book are most of my favorite traditional recipes that we use for everything from Hanukkah to Passover. I have the same cookbook in my collection, it had been my bubbe’s copy. I don’t know why I borrowed this same book from my mom, but I am so glad I did. In the inside of the ripped, torn, stained cover that is held together with a rubber band, I found riches for my soul. In lovely old fashioned hand writing was my Bubbe’s chicken with allspice recipe. It was stained with age and wrinkled and torn, but too me it was like finding home again.

I grew up in two homes. One with my mom and dad and my brother Josh, full of gourmet food and toys, games and books. The other home was in my grandparent’s house across town. This home was full of traditions, books, movies, video games like Where in the World is Carmen Santiago and The Oregon Trail. Bubbe and Grandpa’s home wasn’t filled with toys, just a few favorite oldies (like my old jumpy horse and fake sink with plastic pretend dishes to wash) but there were so many things to do at this house other than play.

Bubbe was always teaching me to sew, and cook and bake. I learned that 1 bottle of grape jelly and 1 bottle of ketchup could make awesome Swedish meatball sauce! They had a huge bolder in the back yard to climb on and watch grampa water the basil growing in huge barrels. There was always something new and awesome to do or learn.

They say that home is where you are loved and where you feel safe and where your heart is. Well, my heart has always been in my Bubbe and Grampa’s home in Sanibel and in West Lafayette. I find myself visiting those wonderful old days in my dreams all the time. Finding this recipe is also like finding my way back home again. The funny thing is… I never liked this chicken as a child.

1 large onion, sliced
3 carrots, quartered
2 potatoes, quartered
3 to 4 chicken breasts
1 tablespoon paprika
2 garlic cloves or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon whole allspice
Oil

In a large pan sauté 1 large onion in some oil until onions are soft and beginning to brown. Remove onions from the pan temporarily. Make a paste of oil, garlic (cut up 2 cloves or use 1/2 teaspoon powdered), paprika and salt. Dip pieces of chicken in this mixture. You can if desired marinate the chicken in the paprika and garlic. Add about 1 teaspoon of whole allspice (this is very important). Sauté the chicken until a nice color (no longer pale) about 1/2 hour. Quarter potatoes and cut up carrots, add the onions back into the pan. Cover. Cook covered about 1/2 hour or until the chicken’s internal temperature hits 165˚. (This recipe can be changed for the amount of chicken or if you make thighs or drumsticks. Please check the temperature at the half way point and at 15 minutes of the remaining 1/2 hour. Enjoy!

I recommend filling your belly with this delicious, rich, sweet and down right decadent kugel. This is one of my favorite noodle kugels. The recipe was given to me by a good friend, C.R. It is sweet and warm and so delicious.

Making traditional food like this brings me back to when I was young. This food is home-y traditional and it reminds me of so many other holidays before. I know you all get that I love to cook, but my heritage and my food are very intertwined in who I am as well as how I define myself.

I am a Jewish girl… these traditional foods and these Jewish traditions are part of my soul. Part of the crazy, yummy, delicious, decadent part of my DNA. This is a perfect make ahead dish.

Batter:
1 8 oz Cream Cheese, room temp
1 cup Sour Cream
4 Eggs, beaten
1 jar Apricot Jam, warmed

1 16 oz) pkg semi-broad Noodles

Topping:
1 cup crushed Cornflakes
⅓ stick Butter
Salt
Brown Sugar

Preheat the oven to 350° Boil and drain noodles and set aside. Divide the butter in half, melt one half and set the other piece aside for later. In a large bowl, cream together the cream cheese, ½ cup of melted butter, sour cream, and eggs. Spray the bottom and sides of pan with cooking spray. Place ½ of the noodles on the bottom and cover with ½ of the batter. Use ½ of the warmed apricot jam and spread the jam over the noodles and batter. Repeat with noodle, batter and jam. Crush the cornflakes and sprinkle them over the top, sprinkle some brown sugar over the cornflakes. Slice up the remaining butter and sprinkle on top of the kugel. Bake for 1 to 1½ hours- watch closely the last ½ hour. Serve hot!
Yields: 1 9×13″ pan or 2 loaf pans. This can be reheated in the oven, covered with foil.

These are my grandmother’s silver kugel servers.


This baked kugel is a messy dish and unlike lasagna, it will almost never stay in one piece.

Where as the apple cakes can be anything from apple breads to applesauce cakes, and dried apple pieces tossed into your bunt cakes. This year I searched for a soft, light cake with soft apples (baked) and honey to make for dinner before temple.

Apple Honey Cake
Serves 10 to 12

16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces, softened but cool, plus 2 tablespoons for greasing the pan
1 1/4 cups sugar, plus 6 tablespoons for the pan
3 large eggs plus 2 large egg yolks
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons light brown sugar for the pan
2 tablespoons cinnamon
3 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/4 cups (9 ounces) plain cake flour
3/4 teaspoon salt

Apples:
2 large Granny Smith apples (about 1 pound), peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 teaspoon honey
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
The juice of 1 lemon

1. For the cake: Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat oven to 350. Grease a standard 12-cup bunt pan with the 2 tablespoons of softened butter; dust the sides with 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar then evenly distribute the remaining 4 tablespoons of the granulated sugar in the bottom of the bunt pan. Evenly sprinkle the brown sugar on top of the granulated sugar, breaking up large lumps with your fingers.

2. Whisk the eggs and yolks in a 2-cup liquid measuring cup to combine. Add the cream and vanilla and beat until thoroughly combined.

3. In a bowl of a standing mixer set at the lowest speed, combine the flour, the 1 1/4 cups sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt, about 30 seconds. With the mixer still running on lowest speed, add the butter 1 piece at a time in 1-second intervals and beat until the mixture resembles course meal, with butter bits no larger than small peas, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes ( If the butter is too soft, it will make the batter smooth and soft instead of course).

4. With the mixer still running, add 1/2 cup of the egg mixture; at the lowest speed until Incorporated, 5 to 10 seconds. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. With the mixer still running, add the remaining liquid in a steady stream (this should take about 30 seconds). Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula, then beat at medium-high speed to combine , about 30 seconds.

5. For the apples; Toss the cubed apples with the lemon juice, light brown sugar, cinnamon, honey and distribute in an even layer over the sugar in the pan. Add the batter in 4 evan portions and gently level with an offset spatula or the back of a soup spoon.

6. Bake until the cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan, springs back when pressed with a finger, and a toothpick or skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Meanwhile, place a 12-inch square of foil onto a wire rack. Immediately invert the cake onto the foil-covered rack. Cool at least 1 hour, then slide onto a serving plate; cut into slices and serve warm and drizzled with warm honey and vanilla ice cream.

The Barefoot Contessa’s Parisian Vegetable Tian
Good olive oil
2 large yellow onions, cut in half and sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound medium round potatoes, un-peeled
3/4 pound zucchini
11/4 pounds medium tomatoes
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, plus extra sprigs
2 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Brush a 9 x 13 x 2-inch baking dish with olive oil. In a medium sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and cook the onions over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Spread the onion mixture on the bottom of the baking dish.

Slice the potatoes, zucchini, and tomatoes in 1/4-inch-thick slices. Layer them alternately in the dish on top of the onions, fitting them tightly, making only one layer. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, thyme leaves, and thyme sprigs and drizzle with 1 more tablespoon of olive oil. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Uncover the dish, remove the thyme sprigs, sprinkle the cheese on top, and bake for another 30 minutes, or until browned. Serve warm.

Chicken Marbella from Silver Palate Cookbook

4 chickens, 2 1/2 pounds each, quartered
1 head of garlic, peeled and finely pureed
1/4 cup dried oregano
coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup pitted prunes
1/2 cup pitted Spanish green olives
1/2 cup capers with a bit of juice
6 bay leaves
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white wine
1/4 cup Italian parsley or fresh coriander (cilantro), finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl combine chicken quarters, garlic, oregano, pepper and coarse salt to taste, vinegar, olive oil, prunes, olives, capers and juice, and bay leaves. Cover and let marinate, refrigerated, overnight.

Arrange chicken in a single layer in one or two large, shallow baking pans and spoon marinade over it evenly. Sprinkle chicken pieces with brown sugar and pour white wine around them.

Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, basting frequently with pan juices. Chicken is done when thigh pieces, pricked with a fork at their thickest, yield clear yellow (rather than pink) juice.

With a slotted spoon transfer chicken, prunes, olives and capers to a serving platter. Moisten with a few spoonfuls of pan juices and sprinkle generously with parsley or cilantro. Pass remaining pan juices in a sauce boat.

To serve Chicken Marbella cold, cool to room temperature in cooking juices before transferring to a serving platter. If chicken has been covered and refrigerated, allow it to return to room temperature before serving. Spoon some of the reserved juices over chicken.

This recipe is adapted from many recipes.
It is really much better the next day!

4 chicken breasts or 5 chicken thighs, bone in
1 handful of green grapes, sliced in half
1 large handful of red grapes, sliced in half
1 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme
1 pinch garlic powder
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 cup pecans or almonds or walnuts
1/2 apple, diced (optional)
2 stalks celery, diced

This recipe is a favorite of mine, it is so easy to make and even easier to eat the whole bowl by yourself! There are many ways to make the chicken. I will sometimes bake it with salt, pepper and olive oil or poach it with carrots and onions. You can also grill the chicken or use a rotisserie chicken. Also, if you make too much chicken, just wrap it in foil and put it in the freezer for the next time you make this chicken salad.

Slice the chicken into small 1/2 bite-sized pieces, stir in nuts, apples (opt), celery, thyme, olive oil, grapes and garlic powder. Starting with 2 very heaping tablespoons of mayo, mix until creamy. You can add the remainder of the mayo if you need it. Salt and pepper to taste, cover tightly and refrigerate for 5 to 10 hours.

Nantucket has some of the most beautiful flowers I have ever seen, especially the hydrangeas. The bloom in multiple colors and can range in color from pink, blue, purple, white, and my favorite mixture of multiple colors.

The hydrangeas can come in many different sizes and shapes, my favorites are the cones and lace caps. The lace caps look a bit like Queen Anne’s lace with surrounded by beautiful hydrangea blossoms.

I really liked Nantucket, it was not at all what I expected. I hated to leave, but leaving on the little itty bitty plane was better than expected, by far…just ask my brother. With paper bag in hand, I boarded the 9 seater with out tears, with out total hysterics, without drugs. I did not use my bag and I actually was able to look around (not behind me) and take some pictures. I still was so claustrophobic and getting into the plane took a few minutes and a little extra breathing.

Coming home is always nice even if you weren’t ready to leave. But I am so busy now that I am home, I am working on a Not Just Vanilla surprise. However, the question I always ask myself is… when coming home after a vacation, what do you make for dinner? I ate seafood. Lobster and shrimp, clams and lobster rolls. So now that I am back in the land of meat and potatoes, what am I going to make for dinner?

When I have no ideas, I take to my freezer and my dry ingredient stash, meatloaf is for dinner! I really love meatloaf. Its rich and very fulfilling. The recipe I use makes 1 large loaf and it is chocked full of spice. Most meatloaf I have tried has been dry and tasteless, needing ketchup or gravy, but this recipe is a combination of a few of my favorite flavors and my mom’s recipe. It is not dry, but moist, nutty, rich, and very flavorful. I know there really is a season for heavy duty comfort food, but don’t you always need some comfort. I cook what I want, not for the season and not necessarily for the weather. If I want to go from clams and lobster to meatloaf and french fries, I will.
The secret ingredient in this great meatloaf is healthy, hearty, and very tasty. If you are trying to hide healthy food into your dinner, this is a great recipe to try.

Damn the Weather, Damn I am Back from Vacation Meatloaf

This recipe is easy to do and you can change or add in some of your favorite ingredient if you wish. Sometimes I make it with roasted onions and garlic or lamb. Enjoy!

2 cup oatmeal, I use old fashioned Quaker Oats, crushed in a food processor for about 1 minute until they are powder like
2 eggs
2 tablespoons ketchup or tomato paste
3/4 cup ketchup: set aside for the end
1 tablespoon Lipton’s onion soup mix
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon paprika
salt
pepper
1 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 lb. ground sausage or ground turkey

Mix together everything but the meat and additional 3/4 cup of ketchup. I whisk all the wet ingredients into all of the dry ingredients. Add in the meats and using your hands, mix the meat and the spices together lightly. If you over mix the meat if will toughen up. Spray cooking spray into a large loaf pan and put the meatloaf into the pan, try to flatten the bits on top with a damp hand so they do not burn. Bake at 375˚ for 25 to 35 minutes. About 10 minutes before the meatloaf is done, spread the ketchup onto the top of the meatloaf and return it to the oven. I love this part, the ketchup changes and gets glossy. Don’t let it burn. Enjoy this meatloaf hot or cold or on the beach. Yum!

6- seater

We made it to Nantucket! After hours traveling in a cab, a train, and then the nice big airplane, we had to endure 45 minutes of this 9 seater plane. It was not fun nor was did it give you the sense of calm comfort that I like to have when flying. As I mentioned, I am horribly claustrophobic… so knowing that i was going to get on this itty bitty baby of a plane, wow, this is the crazy stuff nightmares are born of; I had been made aware how small this plane would be weeks ago, so I had a lot to look forward too.

Josh giving the thumbs up

Of course, on a small plane like this the rules are different than a normal (large) plane. First they must know your weight, no lying about it! Also you are seated not with your travel partner, but by how they balance the weight. With my bag stored in the left wing, gripping tightly to my brown star-bucks bag, my phone and my camera, I boarded this small, tight, itty bitty plane in tears and some hysterical breathing. I know that I am safer in the sky, most of the time, but that is not what gets me though wishing that we were able to get the hell of the little plane! I sat behind the pilot, and Josh sat in front, shotgun. In a last ditch effort, I handed Josh my camera, I knew I wouldn’t be able to get any pictures taken since I was breathing into a paper bag, so this picture of Josh was taken by me after we landed and most people were off the plane. Josh also got some short movies of us taking off and flying. You can even see me, in hysterics, breathing into my little brown bag. Oy Vey!

Video #1

Video #2

Video #3

We made it to the beautiful island of Nantucket and for the next few days this is where we are living, the Wild Rose Cottage. As the only one in my family who hasn’t been here before, everyone has told me about what to expect, what they do everyday, etc. So let me tell you what is what… there is a small town with beautiful shops, the roads are a combination of paved, brick, cobblestone and dirt/sand. The roads and sidewalks are small and very uneven, you have to watch what you are walking on instead of looking around and seeing the sights, everyone has tripped a time or two. It is a larger island that I thought it would be, but everything here is very packed in, tightly. They have a very small year-round population, but a full high school. There are many beautiful beaches, each different from the next. Some have pebbly sand and others have soft, white-ish sand, all of the beaches I have been to have rocks and pebbles but no real shells have been see anywhere but the stores.

This is a picture taken from one of the beaches last year, the same beach we camped out on last night until dark, hoping to get more great pictures. I have been wanting to take pictures like this, but there were no clouds and I don’t know what I got yet, I haven’t been able to download all of my pictures yet. The one thing I have gotten alot of pictures of is … wait for it… lobster!

A bad picture but great food! I will be home early on Tuesday, so be ready for lots more pictures and stories of me on the small plane, I still have to live through the return trip on anther itty bitty plane!