Chicken Marsala

by Heather Harris Brady

Hopefully you all had the chance to eat, drink and be merry over the holidays – and now, if you’re anything like me, you’re in a quandry. There’s a part saying “juice, salads, cleanse” – then there’s the part that looks outside at the single digit temps and double-digit snowfall, and says “get real”. The answer, today at least, is chicken marsala.

It’s still rich and hearty enough to stand up to the cold yet it’s low in fat and high in protein. This goes fast once you get started so it’s best to have everything ready and within arm’s reach when you start cooking.

Chicken Marsala, Four servings

• One pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• One 8 oz. package sliced button or portabella mushrooms
• Half a bottle of Marsala
• Flour for dredging
• 2 T. butter
• Olive oil

Pound the chicken breasts to an even 1/2″ thickness between sheets of waxed paper, then dredge them in flour.

Heat the butter along with 2 T. olive oil in a heavy skillet. Brown the chicken well on both sides.

Take the chicken out of the pan and set it aside. It won’t be quite cooked through but that’s okay.

Add the sliced mushrooms to the pan and brown them well. Then pour in the marsala.

Turn the heat up and quickly reduce the wine by half. There will be little bits of flour in the pan and they will help thicken the sauce a bit.

When the wine is reduced return the chicken to the pan. Give each piece a turn to coat it with sauce.

Simmer for about five minutes until the chicken is cooked all the way through. I like to use my deep pasta bowls for serving to help keep the chicken and the sauce warm. I served it over spinach with a side of parmesan risotto.

Two years ago: Chocolate YOLO Grenades
One year ago: Cassoulet, Leelanau Style

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Brigadeiro

by Heather Harris Brady

When I’m in a pinch and need some hot fudge ASAP (hey, these things happen) I often melt some chocolate into sweetened condensed milk, add a bit of butter and vanilla and call it good. A few weeks ago I came across an article on these candies, and found that if I kept cooking this mixture I’d end up with brigadeiros – a favorite Brazilian candy!

While sources seem to disagree on the candy’s origin, here’s the version from Celebrate Brazil:

Brigadeiros were first made by the wife of Brigadier Eduardo Gomes, of the Brazilian Air Force. Famous for helping end a coup by the communists on Rio de Janeiro in the 1920s, he later ran for the 1946 presidency and his wife created brigadeiros as a treat for campaign fundraising events.

The legend has it that people asked if others had tried the “Brigadeiro’s’ candy” and the name stuck. It was a simple candy made with only three ingredients during a time when other food items were in short supply because of the war. Also, Nestle was introducing chocolate powder and condensed milk during this time.

And there you have it! I used low-fat condensed milk and they turned out fine. These candies are super easy (gluten free!), you could booze them up with some rum or brandy, and roll them in whatever coating strikes your fancy. If you’re looking for a unique handmade signature treat for the holidays, look no further!

Brigadeiros, Makes about 18 1″ candies

• Two cans of low-fat sweetened condensed milk
• 1/3 c. cocoa powder (I used a mixture of Ghiradelli and Hershey’s Special Dark.)
• 2 T. butter
• 1 T. vanilla (or other flavoring of your choice)
• Ground nuts, sprinkles, cake or cookie crumbs for the coating

Combine the first three ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat.

The cocoa will turn into little lumps and it will look like a disaster at first, but that’s okay! Keep stirring, and it will start to boil.

The lumps will dissolve and it will smell amazing. After about 10-15 minutes it should be reduced by half and thicken up to where your strokes leave open areas in the mixture for a few seconds – like chocolate lava.

Stir in the vanilla or other flavoring and pour it into a shallow metal pan to cool.

When it is cold and scoopable, get your work area set up with a bowl of coating crumbs. Roll the candy into 1″ balls. Then roll them in the crumbs.

I put them into these little gold petit four cups to keep them neat.

What do they look like inside? I’m glad you asked!

I think they are best described as the thickest hot fudge sauce you can imagine – smooth and sauve.

Also, cute! These will keep at room temp for two days, or a week in the fridge.

Two years ago: Candy Cane Bites
One year ago: Salted Caramel Pepitas

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Lebkuchen (Gingerbread Cookies)

by Heather Harris Brady

These cookies have been on my “to-do” baking list for a long time, for many reasons. My grandmother’s family left Bavaria for this country in 1752, and I like to think of my Shaull ancestors having these cookies at the holidays. Also, they’re so interesting from the standpoint of culinary history.

Long sacred, from the year 1000 to the 1500s the universal craving for exotic spices from the lands of paradise drove the movement around the globe. By the 1400s there were spice inspectors at the gates of Nuremberg making sure only the highest quality crossed into the city, and even English families were eating their way through seventeen pounds of ginger a year.

Another cool thing about this recipe is that it doesn’t have any shortening, butter or white sugar. Instead, it uses honey, and honeycakes trace their origins back to Greece (2400 BC). Later they were a favorite of King Tut as well.

As the dark dreary days blend into each other it’s a lovely thing to go out, buy some fresh spices and fill the house the scent of paradise to ward off the spirits of darkness – spices are as restorative now as ever! Traditionally these cookies are often glazed on top with a simple icing. I’ve opted to coat the bottoms with chocolate instead.

Lebkuchen, Makes about 36 3″ cookies
1/2 c. honey
1/2 c. molasses
3/4 c. packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 T. lemon juice
1 t. lemon zest
2 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. ground cinnamon
1 t. ground cloves
1 t. ground allspice
1/3 cup ground hazelnuts
1/2 t. ground coriander

Note: You can add 1 t. nutmeg as well if you like.

Chocolate coating: 1/2 package Ghiradelli dark melting wafers & 3 oz. Ghiradelli Midnight dark chocolate

 

To make the cookies: Warm the molasses and honey together in the microwave for one minute.

Pour it into a mixing bowl with the egg, brown sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest.

Stir in the rest of the ingredients well.

At this point you can wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate it overnight. However, I rarely have that kind of time so I just keep going. Preheat the oven to 350 and lightly flour your work surface. Turn out half of the dough and roll it out to 1/4″ thick.

Put the cookies on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes, until puffed and barely brown at the edges.

Completely cool the cookies on a rack. To make the chocolate glaze, break the chocolate bar into pieces and combine it in a bowl with the melting wafers. Microwave for one minute, then stir. Microwave for another 30 seconds, and stir until smooth.

Spread the bottom of each cookie with the glaze.

Let the cookies sit while the glaze sets up. After the chocolate hardens, store the cookies in plastic bags, separating the layers with sheets of waxed paper. Add a cut slice of apple or a piece of bread and let them rest for two days. This will soften them slightly while the flavors blend.

Two years ago: Ginger Thins (Pepparkakor)
One year ago: Fruitcake 2.0

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Vanilla Sauce

by Heather Harris Brady

I’m not gonna lie. I made this dessert entirely for the sauce, and because it would fabulous on the gingerbread from the last post, I’m posting the recipe for the sauce first. You might want to skip the frosting if you use the sauce, but hey, what you do in the privacy of your own kitchen is your business.

My son came home from a German-class field trip raving about a vanilla sauce that was on the dessert. Sure enough, I found the recipe below as vanillasosse in The German Cookbook (that’s it’s title, it has a black cover) I bought him last Christmas. To get down to brass tacks, it’s really a thin pudding, and it’s delicious.

Vanilla Sauce, Makes about three cups of sauce

• 2 c. milk
• One vanilla bean or 2 t. vanilla
• 1/3 c. granulated sugar
• 2 T. cornstarch
• 3 egg yolks, beaten in a bowl
• 2 egg whites

Since we’ve made puddings lots of times I’m skipping a few steps here. Warm the milk (with the vanilla bean if you’re using one) in a double boiler or over medium heat (if you’re brave and a conscientious stirrer). Stir together the sugar and cornstarch.

Whisk the sugar mixture into the milk and cook until thick. Remove the vanilla bean. Stir some of the hot, thickened milk into the egg yolks and return them to the pan, whisking all the while. Cook for another minute.

Remove from heat and quickly whisk in the vanilla (if you didn’t use the bean) and the egg whites.

(I have new bulbs in the kitchen lights and I’m still figuring out how to adjust my photos – sorry!)

Beat for two minutes, until lightened. (The hot sauce will cook the egg whites.) Pour the sauce into a shallow metal pan, press a piece of plastic wrap over the top and quickly cool it in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

I’ll post the clafouti recipe later in the week. I hope you will all have a chance to share a good meal with family and friends this week!

One year ago: Parker House Dinner Rolls

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Chocolate Mice

by Heather Harris Brady

I used to make these when my children were small for fun things like picnics at the zoo, but I think you’ll find kids of all ages can acquire a taste for these. The body is really just a cake truffle (or a cake pop if that’s how you roll). Then they get ears from sliced almonds, eyes and a nose from mini chips and a licorice tail. I think they would be amazing if you’re looking for something different for a Cinderella or wizard-themed birthday party.

These would be a great beginner/kids in the kitchen recipe too, they’re easy and quick to make.

Chocolate Mice, Makes about one dozen 2″ long mice

• 1 pkg. semi-sweet mini chips (you’ll have some leftover)
• 1/2 c. heavy cream
• 1 t. vanilla
• 2-1/4 c. crushed chocolate cookies or crumbled chocolate cake
• 1/2 sleeve of chocolate graham crackers
• 1/2 c. sliced almonds
• 1 strand of peel-apart licorice, not yet peeled

Melt 1-1/3 c. of the chips over medium heat with the heavy cream.

When the chocolate is melted and smooth remove it from the heat. Stir in the cookie crumbs and vanilla.

Keep stirring until the crumbs absorb the chocolate and you get something that starts to look like chocolate play-doh.

Put the chocolate mixture in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to thoroughly chill.

Process the grahams to a fine powder.

And arrange the rest of your ingredients in easy reach of the work surface: graham crumbs, remaining chips, almonds, licorice.

Get your chocolate mixture and pick up a spoonful, about a heaping tablespoon. Shape it into a little body.

Then roll it in the graham crumbs.

Add ears and a face like so:

Wearing glittery Halloween nailpolish while you do so is optional. Also, you can use colored chips, confectionery eyes, or melted pink chocolate to do the faces if you want to get really fancy.

In a few minutes you’ll be commander of your own mouse army! Don’t forget the tails.

They’re cute boxed up too.

I love this photo because it reminds me of my favorite picture book, Frederick.

Have a safe and fun Halloween everyone!
One year ago: Fall Dinner, Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

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Salted Caramel Banana Cake

by Heather Harris Brady

Sorry I missed my second post last week. Everyone was sick, even the dog.

If well-chilled this pretty cake slices neatly into three layers – a moist banana cake on the bottom with mini chips, a layer of salted caramel frosting and a thin layer of ganache on top to tie it all together. I like to bake it in a 13 x 9 pan but you could bake it in layers if you like, putting the caramel in the middle and the ganache on top instead.

Salted Caramel Banana Cake, Makes one 13″ x 9″ cake

For the cake:

• 1 stick (1/2 c.) butter
• 1 c. granulated sugar
• 1/2 c. brown sugar, lightly packed
• 2 eggs
• 1 t. vanilla
• 1 c. mashed banana
• 1 6 oz. container of yogurt (plain or vanilla)
• 2-1/4 c. flour
• 1 t. baking soda
• 1 t. salt
• 1 c. semisweet mini-chips

For the caramel frosting:

• 1 c. granulated sugar
• 1/3 c. water
• 1 t. vinegar
• 1 t. coarse salt
• 2/3 c. heavy cream
• 4 T. soft butter
• 2-1/2 c. powdered sugar
• 1-2 T. heavy cream

For the ganache:

• 1 c. dark or semisweet chips
• 1/2 c. heavy cream
• 1 T. butter
• 1 t. vanilla

First, the cake:

Preheat the oven to 350. Cream the butter and the sugars.

Add the eggs and vanilla. Beat until light.

Mash the banana well with a fork.

Add the banana and the dry ingredients. Beat well.

Beat in the yogurt, then the chips.

Spread the batter in a well-greased 13 x 9 pan.

Bake for about 25-30 minutes, until the center is firm to the touch.

While the cake is baking make the salted caramel:

Combine the sugar, water and vinegar in a saucepan. Bring to a quick boil.

As the syrup starts to turn a golden brown remove it from the heat.

Quickly whisk in the cream. It will bubble and look like this:

Stir in the salt and set the caramel aside to cool.

Beat the butter and powdered sugar together in a mixing bowl. Add the heavy cream and beat to a thick frosting. Then beat in half of your cooled caramel. (Save the other half of the caramel for drizzling over the top or on the serving plates.)

Set the frosting aside and start the ganache:

Combine the cream and the chips in a saucepan. Whisk over medium heat until smooth. Stir in the butter and vanilla. Set it aside to cool.

If your cake layer is now cool to the touch spread the caramel frosting over the top.

Put it in the refrigerator until the frosting is set. Then spread the ganache on top.

Add a sprinkle of sea salt so it’s extra pretty.

If you don’t mind soft frosting you can store the cake on the counter. But it will slice cleaner if you keep it in the fridge.

One year ago: Chocolate Mint Cookies

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Brioche Coffeecake

by Heather Harris Brady

Top off that cup of coffee or tea before you start this one, because it’s probably one of the longest single posts I’ve ever done. But if you haven’t worked with a brioche dough before I wanted to give you clear directions. I set out on this endeavor with the idea to make butterhorns, however, things took a turn. I was looking for something buttery but not pound-of-butter-for-30-pastries buttery.

This recipe makes a half-sheet pan of coffeecake, it also freezes well so you could bake it in two smaller pans if you like. It is also satisfying buttery yet lighter with only 1/4 lb. of butter. I based this recipe off Nick Malgieri’s brioche recipe in How to Bake. I’d highly recommend a large standing mixer with a dough hook too. But if you succeed in making this by hand you’ll be on your way to the arms of a goddess.

Brioche Coffeecake, Makes one half-sheet pan (About 24 generous servings)

• 2 pkg. quick rise yeast
• 1 c. warm water
• 1-1/2 c. flour
• Three eggs
• 1/3 c. sugar
• 2-3/4 c. flour
• 1 stick of butter
• Cinnamon sugar: 1 T. cinnamon + 3/4 c. sugar
• Egg wash: Two eggs, beaten well in a bowl and set aside
• One cup of 1-2-3-4 Streusel (see basics, above)
• Simple Icing: 1 c. milk, 1 T. butter, 1 T. cream

First make a sponge by combining the first three ingredients.

Set it aside for 30 minutes.

Turn the sponge into your mixer bowl and add the sugar, flour and eggs. Put on the dough hook.

Beat on medium until well mixed.

Add the butter. The dough may separate at first but keep beating on medium.

Keep going for at least five minutes. The finished dough should look like this:

Set it aside until doubled in bulk. See all these lacy strands? They’re going to give us our light lacy texture.

Punch the dough down on a well-floured countertop. I apologize for these photos. The sun comes into my kitchen at a funny angle this time of year.

Roll it out into a large rectangle about 1/2″ thick.

Paint it well with egg wash.

Cover it the egg with the cinnamon sugar.

Now fold the long sides in.

Give the top another coat of egg wash.

And fold it on top of itself like so:

Time to preheat the oven to 375! Cut the roll into 1″ thick slices and lay them on a lightly greased baking sheet. They will slide around a little bit and get wonky because of the egg wash but that’s okay.

Sprinkle the tops with streusel.

Bake for about 25-30 minutes, until the edges are a pretty brown.

Let the coffeecake cool while you stir up the icing. When the top is no longer warm to the touch drizzle it well with icing.

Cut into pieces, or pull it apart, and serve!

Lightly cover any leftovers. Serve warm or at room temperature.

One year ago: Chocolate Almond Torte

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Chicken Fajita Appetizers

by Heather Harris Brady

Stateside we are all deep in the heart of football tailgating season, and these little appetizers are a yummy yet healthier alternative to the usual array of greasier fare. (But if you want something REALLY cheesy the cheese fondue at the end of this post is great with fresh apple slices.)

These cups are low in fat and you could swap out the flatbread for a gluten-free option too!  To save time you could use a cooked rotisserie chicken from the market. These are two-bite size, and the recipe is based on one from Men’s Health magazine. You can make the cups and the filling a day ahead and assemble them right before serving.

Chicken Fajita Appetizers, Makes about 36 mini appetizers

• 1 c. steamed sweet corn, cooled
• 1 c. cooked chicken, cut in small dice
• 1 small can of black beans, washed
• 3/4 c. salsa (your choice)
• 1/2 c. non-fat sour cream
• 1/2 c. finely shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 pkg. sundried tomato flatbread

Combine the first six ingredients in a mixing bowl, stir and refrigerate (for up to a day in advance).

Make the cups: Preheat the oven to 400 and lightly grease a mini-muffin pan (or several if you want to do them all at once). Cut the flatbread into 2-1/2″ rounds, and press them into the pan.

Bake for about 10-15 minutes, until crisp. Turn the cups out and cool them on racks. Store them in a ziplock bag if you’re not using them right away.

To serve, add a tablespoon of filling to each cup.

One year ago: Cheese Fondue

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Cinnamon Bread

by Heather Harris Brady

This is a great bread for toast and should any of it hang around long enough to get dry it also makes incredible bread pudding. It slices nicely thick or thin. I like to rub the hot crust with butter to keep it soft and add extra flavor. My grandmother used to keep empty butter wrappers on hand for that part, they usually have just enough butter left on them!

Cinnamon Bread, Makes two small loaves or one large loaf

• 2 c. milk or 1 c. milk/1 c. water
• ½ c. mashed potato flakes or leftover mashed potatoes
• 3 T. butter
• 1 pkg. quick-rise yeast
• 3 T. sugar
• 1/2 c. wheat germ
• 4-1/2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
• 3 T. sugar
• 1 T. cinnamon
• 1 c. sugar
• 2 T. flour

Scald the milk and stir in the butter and mashed potato flakes. When the milk has cooled to lukewarm stir in the yeast and 3 T. sugar, followed by the flour. Set the dough aside to rise until doubled in bulk.

Punch the dough down and turn it out onto a floured worksurface. Knead for about five minutes, until the dough is soft and no longer sticky.

Divide it in half.

Take one half and roll it out into a large rectangle (about 11 x 17), ½” thick.

 

Stir the last three ingredients together in a bowl.

Spread half of the cinnamon mixture across the dough, then roll it up like a jelly roll.

Place it seam side down in a greased loaf pan.

Repeat with the second half of the dough if you’re making two loaves.

Preheat the oven to 375 and let the bread rise until doubled.

Bake for about 35-40 minutes, or until the loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when you tap the top. Take them out and rub butter over the hot crust. Let the pans sit for about five minutes.

Turn the loaves out onto a cooling rack to cool the rest of the way.

Wrap in plastic wrap to store.

One year ago: Dobos Torte

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Farmhouse Chicken & Biscuits

by Heather Harris Brady

Since it’s getting to be rainy cold and flu season here’s a hot dish to help ward off any flagging spirits. It’s a great dish to make your own, by adjusting the seasoning, adding herbs or cheese to the biscuits, whatever. My grandmother could really get mileage out of a stewing chicken. She’d poach it, use the stock, use some of the meat as it. Any meat leftover would get dredged in seasoned flour and crisped up in butter.

This recipe will likely leave you with some extra chicken and a few extra plain biscuits, do with them what you will. In any case, dishes don’t get more comforting than this one.

Farmhouse Chicken and Biscuits, Six generous servings

• One whole stewing chicken, about two pounds
• One cup of baby carrots
• Three potatoes, peeled and diced
• ½ a medium onion, finely diced
• 3 c. chicken stock
• 2 T. cornstarch stirred into 1/3 c. dry cooking sherry
• Seasonings to taste: bay leaves, cracked black pepper, etc.
• 1-3/4 c. regular all-purpose flour
• 2 t. baking powder
• 4 T. butter
• 2/3 c. milk

Poach the chicken. I find a crockpot works amazingly well. Wash the chicken and remove any giblets. Place the chicken in the crockpot with one cup of water, cover and cook on low about four hours.

The chicken is done when the breast meat pulls easily from the bone.

At some point while the chicken is poaching boil the potatoes until they are crisp-tender, repeat with the carrots. Rinse them under cold water, drain and set them aside. (You can cook them in stock if you want too.)

Separate the chicken, reserving any stock from the crockpot.

Add one tablespoon of olive oil to a saucepan and saute the onion until soft.

Add the stock from the crockpot and as much as additional as you need to bring it to three cups. Just eye-ball it, doesn’t need to be exact. Add the bay leaf and seasonings, simmer for about five minutes. Add the cornstarch mixture to the pan and whisk until thickened.

Set aside and preheat the oven to 375.

Lightly grease a three-quart casserole dish and line the bottom with the potatoes, followed by the carrots.

Dice the poached chicken to cover the vegetables and pour the thickened stock over the top.

Set the dish aside while you make the biscuits.

Combine the flour and baking powder, then cut in the butter. Stir in the milk quickly, turn it out onto a floured work surface and knead it for five-six quick turns. Roll it out to ½” thick and cut into rounds. You can reroll the extras.

Gently lay the rounds on top of the casserole to cover it completely and set the casserole dish on a baking sheet just in case it bubbles over.

You can put any extra biscuits on the sheet too.

Slide the casserole into the oven and bake for about 25 minutes, until the biscuits are brown on top and the sauce is bubbling.

Serve hot. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

One year ago: Cream Cheese Coffeecake

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