lacey

Applesauce with Brandy and Vanilla

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Applesauce is OK. Homemade applesauce with brandy, vanilla bean and cinnamon stick is way, way better. This stuff is like eating apple pie filling. Maybe add some pastry crust for a mock apple pie? I like mine chunky, so I just use a potato masher. But if you like it smooth, use a stick blender. This is based off a recipe I found in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel a few years ago.

Applesauce with Brandy, Vanilla and Cinnamon

6 lbs firm, tart apples; I use Jonagold
1 whole vanilla bean
1/2 c apple cider
lemon or lime juice to taste, about a couple teaspoons
3 large cinnamon sticks
brown sugar to taste, about 1/2 cup
1/4 c brandy

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1. Peel, core and roughly chop your apples. If you have one of those apple peeler/corer/slicer things, now’s the time to use it. Just take off the little corer/slicer thingy so it just peels them. You’ll end up with apple skin garland!

2. Split the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds out. Throw the seeds, the pod and everything else into the pot and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring every couple minutes, making sure to smoosh the cinnamon and vanilla bean into the liquid.

3. The apples are done when they’re still holding their shape. Mash with a potato masher or stick blender. If you’re worried about the sauce being too thin or watery, reserve some of the liquid and add it back in as necessary as you mash.

Chill if you like, but this sauce is great warm or at room temperature as well!

Herbed Roast Chicken

chix

I don’t roast chickens much, but this was a pretty good one that I might do again when the roast chicken bug bites. It’s adapted from a Cook’s Illustrated recipe.

Herbed Roast Chicken

1 whole chicken, about 5 pounds, cleaned and trimmed of excess fat
1 T fresh thyme leaves, minced
6 scallions, green parts only, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 T butter, softened
zest of 1 lemon
1/4 t salt

For the pan sauce:
1 c chicken broth
2 t flour
juice from half of a lemon

1.Preheat oven to 450 F.  Butterfly the chicken by cutting out the backbone, then flattening the breastbone. Make 3-4 shallow cuts on legs and thighs.

2. Mix butter, scallions, thyme, garlic, zest and salt in a small bowl. Slip fingers between muscle and skin of the chicken, forming a pocket. Smoosh half of butter mixture under the skin and spread around. Rub more on the skin of the chicken, reserving 1 T of the mixture.

3. Heat vegetable in ovensafe 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Place chicken skin-side down in skillet and reduce heat to medium. Cook until lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer skillet to oven and roast chicken 25 minutes.

4. Using tongs, flip chicken so skin-side is facing up. Using spoon or spatula, evenly coat chicken skin with remaining softened herb butter and return to oven. Roast chicken until skin is golden brown and chicken breast registers 160 degrees and 175 degrees in thickest part of thigh, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer chicken to carving board and let rest, uncovered, 20 minutes.

5. To make the sauce, return the pan to medium heat. Whisk in the flour. Add the chicken broth and simmer to thicken, about 5 minutes, while scraping the brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and reserved herb butter. Serve over chicken.

Carrot Cake

carrot2

This is my favorite carrot cake. No nuts (yuck!), no superfluous ingredients like pineapple, and lots of cream cheese frosting. It’s also “light”, or as light as a cake with frosting can be. Thanks, Cooking Light magazine.

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Cake:
Cooking spray
9 tablespoons butter, softened
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I usually double this)
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
2 cups finely shredded carrot

Frosting:
1 cup (8 ounces) block-style fat-free cream cheese
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 3/4 cups powdered sugar, divided (Taste before you add it all if you like less sweet frosting like me)

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. To prepare cake, coat a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray; line bottom of pan with wax paper. Coat wax paper with cooking spray; set aside.

3. Place 9 tablespoons butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed 5 minutes or until well blended. Add eggs and egg whites, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition until pale and fluffy. Beat in 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract.

4. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon salt, stirring with a whisk. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix after each addition. Stir in carrot. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Sharply tap pan once on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Carefully peel off wax paper; cool completely on wire rack.

5. To prepare frosting, place the cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, 2 teaspoons of vanilla, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Gradually add 2 cups powdered sugar, beating at low speed until smooth (do not overbeat). Stir in the remaining 3/4 cup powdered sugar. Cover and chill 30 minutes. Spread frosting over top of cake. Garnish with sprinkles. Store cake loosely covered in refrigerator.cake2small1

This cake keeps in the fridge for at least 3 or 4 days
without drying out. I’ve also made it with an orange
cream cheese frosting using the same recipe. Just add
in a large orange-worth of zest, along with a bit of the juice.
Hope you enjoy this cake as much as we do!

Chicken Tequila Fettuccine

tequila

Yes, some of you may recognize this dish. It is a rip off of a California Pizza Kitchen dish. And it’s pretty good. Though, Nick didn’t like it much, because he’s got an issue with onion and bell pepper textures, and thought the flavors were too subtle. He likes flavors that hit you over the head. But don’t listen to him, it’s good.

Chicken Tequila Fettuccine

1 lb fettuccine
1/2 c chopped cilantro
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large jalapeno, minced
1 c chicken stock
1/4 c gold tequila
juice of 1/2 lime
1 lb chicken breast
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
2 assorted bell peppers, thinly sliced
1 c heavy cream

1. Cook pasta in salted water until al dente. Time is so it’s finished around the same time as the sauce.

2. Clean and chop chicken. Saute until browned and cooked through in a large skillet, about 6 minutes. Remove from pan.

3. Add  jalapeno and garlic to same pan, cook 2 minutes. Add bell peppers and red onion, saute for 2 minutes until veggies wilt slightly. Add tequila and deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits (fond). Add chicken stock, reserved chicken, and cream, and simmer until veggies are tender. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Toss sauce with pasta, cilantro and lime juice before serving.