Barefoot Bloggers: Curried Couscous

The latest "Barefoot Bloggers" recipe is from Ina's Barefoot Contessa cookbook and is another keeper! Thanks to Ellyn of Recipe Collector and Tester for selecting this easy and delicious recipe! It can easily be adapted to use anything you have in your refrigerator or pantry. (You could even substitute many different grains for the couscous!) I forgot to get both scallions and red onions at the store so I used the sweet onion I already had at home. I made the dressing as directed, using less salt, of course, and then made a little extra after I mixed it with the couscous. I think it needed it. This would be a great side dish for a summer picnic, BBQ, or just dinner at home.

CURRIED COUSCOUS
from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

Serves 6

1 1/2 C couscous (I used half whole wheat couscous and half regular)
1 T unsalted butter
1 1/2 C boiling water
1/4 C plain yogurt
1/4 C good olive oil
1 t white wine vinegar
1 t curry powder
1/4 t ground turmeric
1 1/2 t kosher salt
1 t freshly ground black pepper
1/2 C small-diced carrots
1/2 C minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 C dried currants or raisins
1/4 C blanched, sliced almonds
2 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)
1/4 C small-diced red onion



DIRECTIONS

Place the couscous in a medium bowl. Melt the butter in the boiling water and pour over the couscous. Cover tightly and allow the couscous to soak for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Whisk together the yogurt, olive oil, vinegar, curry powder, turmeric, salt, and pepper. Pour over the fluffed couscous, and mix well with a fork. Add the carrots, parsley, currants, almonds, scallions, and red onions, mix well, and season to taste. Serve at room temperature.

Barefoot Bloggers: Outrageous Brownies

Ina, Ina, Ina--we've had such a good run so far. Until now. Call me crazy--but I just don't feel the brownie love that everyone else feels for this recipe. In fact, I found it to be kind of......meh. I know, I know, it's subversive to even THINK like that, much less put it in writing. Maybe it was the coffee, maybe I overbaked them--although they cooked for exactly 30 minutes, I don't know what the problem was, but all I know is I have two chocolate-loving boys at home--and a week after I made this "Barefoot Bloggers" recipe from Ina's Barefoot Contessa cookbook, I STILL had brownies left over. Yes, you heard that right. I rest my case. That NEVER happens with my old stand-by--my secret, never-fail, to-die-for brownie recipe. OK, OK, it's the Ghirardelli brownie mix (pack of five) that I buy at Costco. But if you tell anyone, I'll deny it. Get it??? Good. Glad we understand each other. This conversation NEVER happened.



OUTRAGEOUS BROWNIES
from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

INGREDIENTS

1 pound unsalted butter
1 pound plus 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
6 extra-large eggs
3 T instant coffee powder
2 T real vanilla extract
2 1/4 C sugar
1 1/4 C all-purpose flour, divided (1 C for batter and 1/4 C in the chips and nuts)
1 T baking powder
1 t kosher salt
3 C diced walnut pieces (I omitted)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour a 13 by 18 by 1 1/2-inch sheet pan.

Melt together the butter, 1 pound chocolate chips, and unsweetened chocolate on top of a double boiler. Cool slightly. Stir together the eggs, instant coffee, vanilla and sugar. Stir in the warm chocolate mixture and cool to room temperature.

Stir together 1 C of the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to cooled chocolate mixture. Toss the walnuts and 12 ounces of chocolate chips with 1/4 C flour to coat. Then add to the chocolate batter. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until tester just comes out clean. Halfway through the baking, rap the pan against the oven shelf to allow air to escape from between the pan and the brownie dough. Do not over-bake!! Cool thoroughly, refrigerate well and cut into squares.

Barefoot Bloggers: Tuna Salad or This is Not Your Mother's Tuna Salad!

Put the mayo and the pickle relish away--this is a whole new kind of tuna salad. Ina Garten's Tuna Salad is made with fresh tuna and has sort of an Asian vibe going on. It's light, fresh, and delicious--a great summer lunch or dinner for people you really like--because fresh tuna steak is not cheap!! I walked out of the first store I went to when I saw that fresh tuna was $30.99 a pound. If I paid that much for the tuna I would have to put it in my safe deposit box!! I ended up getting it at Whole Foods for $20.99 a pound. As always, I didn't use as much salt as our girl Ina calls for. I sprinkled kosher salt on the tuna steaks before cooking and then added a little additional salt to the mixture after tasting. I would definitely make this one again! Probably a good dish to make when you see tuna on sale at your grocery store.



INGREDIENTS

2 pounds very fresh tuna steak, cut 1-inch thick
4 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for brushing
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus extra for sprinkling (NOTE: taste dressing before adding salt)
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black, plus extra for sprinkling
2 limes, zest grated
1 teaspoon wasabi powder (available in the Asian food section of most grocery stores)
6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (3 limes)
2 teaspoons soy sauce
10 dashes hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco) (NOTE: I used all 10 dashes)
1 to 2 ripe Hass avocados, medium diced
1/4 cup minced scallions, white and green parts (2 scallions)
1/4 cup red onion, small diced

DIRECTIONS

Brush the tuna steaks with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the tuna steaks in a very hot saute pan and cook for only 1 minute on each side. Set aside on a platter.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the olive oil, salt, pepper, lime zest, wasabi, lime juice, soy sauce and hot sauce. Add the avocados to the vinaigrette.

Cut the tuna in chunks and place it in a large bowl. Add the scallions and red onion and mix well. Pour the vinaigrette mixture over the tuna and carefully mix.

Barefoot Bloggers: Croque Monsieur

You don't need your passport to get a taste of France--Ina Garten's come up with another winner and it's the classic French ham and cheese sandwich known as Croque Monsieur. A simple sandwich that the French have transformed into heaven on a plate, the Croque Monsieur is surprisingly easy to make. This "Barefoot Bloggers" recipe from Ina's Barefoot in Paris cookbook took me no more than half an hour start to finish. Thanks to Kathy of All Food Considered for a great choice! This would be great with a simple salad for lunch or dinner--and it would be a big hit as lunch for your girlfriends. Bon appetit!



CROQUE MONSIEUR
from Barefoot in Paris

INGREDIENTS

2 T unsalted butter
3 T all-purpose flour
2 C hot milk (I used skim)
1 t kosher salt (I used less, knowing Ina's a bit of a salt freak)
1/2 t freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of nutmeg
12 ounces Gruyere, grated (5 cups)
1/2 C freshly grated Parmesan
16 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed (Ina prefers Pepperidge Farm white bread--I used supermarket brand no-
name white bread and it was fine)
Dijon mustard
8 ounces--or more (at least 8 slices) baked Virginia ham, sliced but not paper thin (I think I used French ham from the deli

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 400ºF.

Melt the butter over low heat in a small saucepan and add the flour all at once, stirring with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Slowly pour the hot milk into the butter-flour mixture and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thickened. Off the heat add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup grated Gruyere, and the Parmesan and set aside.

To toast the bread, place the slices on 2 baking sheets and bake for 5 minutes. Turn each slice and bake for another 2 minutes, until toasted.

Lightly brush half the toasted breads with mustard, add a slice of ham to each, and sprinkle with half the remaining Gruyere. Top with another piece of toasted bread. Slather the tops with the cheese sauce, sprinkle with the remaining Gruyere, and bake the sandwiches for 5 minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the topping is bubbly and lightly browned. Serve hot.

Barefoot Bloggers: Chinese Chicken Salad

Today's recipe from "Barefoot Bloggers" is Ina Garten's Chinese Chicken Salad. This recipe was chosen by McKenzie of Kenzie's Kitchen. and is from Ina's Barefoot Contessa Parties! cookbook. I just got back from a weekend away AND am trying to get ready for Passover, so I decided to make my life a bit easier and use a rotisserie chicken from Costco. I have roasted chicken breasts per Ina's instructions before and they turned out great, but the store-bought chicken worked out fine in this recipe. I also omitted any extra salt, as the soy sauce contains plenty of salt, and many commenters said that the recipe as written was too salty. I felt that the 1/4 C of peanut butter was a bit too much and added a bit more vinegar and soy to compensate. Next time I would start with 1/8 C of peanut butter and taste before adding more. I also added a package of Chinese noodles and some snow peas, making this a Chinese Chicken Noodle Salad. The salad was delicious and I would definitely make it again. Ina, although a bit of a salt freak, certainly knows her stuff!

CHINESE CHICKEN SALAD
from Barefoot Contessa Parties!

INGREDIENTS

4 split chicken breasts (bone-in, skin-on)
Good olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound asparagus, ends removed, and cut in thirds diagonally
1 red bell pepper, cored and seeded
2 scallions (white and green parts), sliced diagonally
1 T white sesame seeds, toasted

FOR THE DRESSING

1/2 C vegetable oil (I would probably use a bit less next time)
1/4 C good apple cider vinegar
3 T soy sauce
1 1/2 T dark sesame oil
1/2 T honey
1 clove garlic, minced (I grated it using a Microplane)
1/2 T peeled, grated fresh ginger (I also used a Microplane to grate this-and I probably used more than 1/2 t)
1/2 T sesame seeds, toasted
1/4 C smooth peanut butter (I would start with less and taste before adding more)
2 t kosher salt (I omitted)
1/2 t freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350º. Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan and rub the skin with olive oil. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is just cooked. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove the meat from the bones, discard the skin, and shred the chicken in large bite-sized pieces. (Or just go buy a rotisserie chicken and shred.)

Blanch the asparagus in a pot of boiling salted water for 3 to 5 minutes until crisp-tender. Plunge into ice water to stop the cooking. Drain. Cut the peppers into strips about the size of the asparagus pieces. Combine the cut chicken, asparagus, and peppers in a large bowl.

Whisk together all of the ingredients for the dressing and pour over the chicken and vegetables. Add the scallions and sesame seeds and season to taste. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Barefoot Bloggers: Tomato and Goat Cheese Tarts

Today's recipe from "Barefoot Bloggers" is Ina Garten's Tomato and Goat Cheese Tarts. This recipe was chosen by Anne of Anne Strawberry. and is from Ina's Barefoot Contessa at Home cookbook. It looks elegant and is easy and delicious! This would be a great appetizer or first course. Using frozen puff pastry made it really easy--Ina herself even admits that "pastry still makes me anxious" and that when she "discovered frozen puff pastry, it was such a relief." If it's good enough for Ina, it's probably good enough for you and me! Ina also suggests this tart for an elegant lunch.

TOMATO AND GOAT CHEESE TARTS
from Barefoot Contessa at Home

This recipe makes 4 individual tarts

INGREDIENTS

1 package (17.3 ounces/2 sheets) puff pastry, defrosted (just defrost overnight in the refrigerator)
Good olive oil
4 C thinly sliced yellow onions (2 large onions)
3 large garlic cloves, cut into thin slivers
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 T dry white wine
2 t minced fresh thyme leaves
4 T freshly grated Parmesan, plus 2 ounces shaved with a vegetable peeler
4 ounces garlic-and-herb goat cheese (Ina recommends Montrachet)
1 large tomato, cut into 4 (1/4-inch-thick) slices
3 T julienned basil leaves

DIRECTIONS

Unfold a sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and roll it lightly to an 11 by 11-inch square. Using a 6-inch wide saucer or other round object as a guide, cut 2 circles from the sheet of puff pastry, discarding the scraps. Repeat with the second pastry sheet to make 4 circles in all. Place the pastry circles on 2 sheet pans lined with parchment paper and refrigerate until ready to use.

Preheat the oven to 425ºF.

Heat 3 T of olive oil in a large skillet over medium to low heat and add the onions and garlic. Saute for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are limp and there is almost no moisture remaining in the skillet. Add 1/2 t salt, 1/4 t pepper, the wine, and thyme and continue to cook for another 10 minutes, until the onions are lightly browned. Remove from the heat.

Using a sharp paring knife, score a 1/4-inch-wide border around each pastry circle. Prick the pastry inside the score lines with the tines of a fork and sprinkle a tablespoon of grated Parmesan on each round, staying inside the scored border.

Place 1/4 of the onion mixture on each circle, again staying within the scored edge. Crumble 1 ounce of goat cheese on top of the onions. Place a slice of tomato in the center of each tart. Brush the tomato lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with basil, salt, and pepper. Finally, scatter 4 or 5 shards of Parmesan on each tart.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown. The bottom sheet pan may need an extra few minutes in the oven. Serve hot or warm.

Barefoot Bloggers: Chicken Piccata

The latest recipe from "Barefoot Bloggers" features Ina Garten's Chicken Piccata. I am weeks late on the last recipe, Meringues Chantilly, but it is coming soon. The current recipe was chosen by Lindsey of Noodle Nights and Muffin Mornings. This recipe is from Ina's Barefoot Contessa at Home cookbook and it is a keeper! I actually have made this before, following Ina's instructions to the letter. I liked it but found the sauce not "saucey" enough--in other words, there wasn't enough sauce, and a bit too lemony, if that is possible. This time around I added about a 1/2 cup or so of chicken broth at the same time as the wine. I also added some capers at the end or, in the words of Boy #2, "What ARE these things???" I will definitely make this again--it is easy and delicious!

CHICKEN PICCATA
from Barefoot Contessa at Home

(This recipe makes 2 servings. Adjust quantities accordingly for more.)

INGREDIENTS

2 split (1 whole) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 C all-purpose flour
1 extra-large egg (NOTE: Ina always uses extra-large eggs--she feels they are the best value for the money)
1/2 T water
3/4 C seasoned dry bread crumbs
Good olive oil
3 T unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
1/3 C freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons), lemon halves (scrubbed clean) reserved
1/2 C dry white wine
1/2 C chicken broth, optional (NOTE: I added this to the recipe)
sliced lemon, for serving
Chopped fresh parsley leaves, for serving (NOTE: I forgot to get parsley at the store, so mine were parsleyless)
1 T or so capers, optional

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Place each chicken breast between 2 sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap and pound out to 1/4-inch thick. (NOTE: You can also ask your butcher to do this for you at the store). Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.

Mix the flour, 1/2 t salt, and 1/4 t of pepper in a shallow plate. In a second plate, beat the egg and 1/2 T of water together. Place the bread crumbs on a third plate. Dip each chicken breast first in the flour, shake off the excess, and then dip in the egg and bread crumb mixtures. NOTE: This works best if you use one hand only to dip the chicken in all three mixtures.

Heat 1 T olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium to medium-low heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for 2 minutes on each side, until browned. Place them on the sheet pan and allow them to bake for 5 to 10 minutes while you make the sauce.

For the sauce, wipe out the sauté pan with a dry paper towel. Over medium heat, melt 1 T of the butter and then add the lemon juice, wine, the chicken broth if you are using it, the reserved lemon halves, 1/2 t salt, and 1/4 t pepper, and capers if you like. Boil over high heat until reduced in half, about 2 minutes. Off the heat, add the remaining 2 T of butter and swirl to combine. Discard the lemon halves and serve 1 chicken breast on each plate. Spoon on the sauce and serve with a slice of lemon and a sprinkling of fresh parsley.

Barefoot Bloggers: Real Meatballs and Spaghetti

Today's edition of"Barefoot Bloggers" is Ina Garten's Real Meatballs and Spaghetti. This recipe was chosen by Rebecca of Ezra Pound Cake. I guess I have been making fake meatballs all this time but now I have the secret-- straight from the master. Actually, Ina tells us (in her Barefoot Contessa Family Style cookbook) that spaghetti and meatballs was not something her mother made while she was growing up, so she had to do some research about the dish. She tells us that "the best idea came from the famous New York Italian restaurant called Rao's"--where they add water to the meatballs, which keeps them "moist and delicious." I really liked the meatballs--they WERE moist, light, and delicious--but found them a bit salty. I find in general, that Ina has a bit of a heavy hand with the salt. I cut the salt down to about 1 1/3 t kosher salt--yet I still found the meatballs a bit too salty. That also may have been due to the seasoned bread crumbs. I might use only 1 t of salt the next time I make them. Also I think next time I would bake the meatballs rather than fry them in order to cut down on the fat. Ina's sauce was good but not great. It was missing that certain something that makes you want to take a piece of bread and sop up all the extra sauce on your plate. Maybe some fresh basil would be a nice addition. I would definitely make this dish again with a few tweaks. Bon Appetit!!!

FINAL VERDICT:

Meatballs--Great!
Sauce--Needs something.....not sure what.

REAL MEATBALLS AND SPAGHETTI
from Barefoot Contessa Family Style

For the Meatballs:

1/2 pound ground veal
1/2 pound ground pork
1 pound ground beef
1 C fresh white bread crumbs (4 slices, crusts removed) (NOTE: I used 1 C only of seasoned dry bread crumbs and
omitted the fresh ones)
1/4 C seasoned dry bread crumbs
2 T chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 C freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 t kosher salt (NOTE: I used 1 1/3 t and I thought THAT was too much)
1/2 t freshly ground black pepper
1/4 t ground nutmeg
1 extra-large egg, beaten
3/4 C warm water
Vegetable oil
Olive oil

For the Sauce:

1 T good olive oil
1 C chopped yellow onion (1 onion)
1 1/2 t minced garlic
1/2 C good red wine, such as Chianti
1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes, or plum tomatoes in puree, chopped
1 T chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 1/2 T kosher salt (may want to cut down a little)
1/2 t freshly ground black pepper

For Serving:

1 1/2 pounds spaghetti, cooked according to package direction
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Place the ground meats, both bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan, salt, pepper, nutmeg, egg, and 3/4 C warm water in a bowl. Combine very lightly with a fork. Using your hands, lightly form the mixture into 2-inch meatballs. You will have 14 to 16 meatballs. (NOTE: I used a small ice-cream-type scoop to measure out the meat and then formed them into balls with my hands. I ended up with about 30 meatballs.)

Pour equal amounts of vegetable oil and olive oil into a large (12-inch) skillet to a depth of 1/4 inch. Heat the oil. Very carefully, in batches, place the meatballs in the oil and brown them well on all sides over medium-low heat, turning carefully with a spatula or a fork. This should take about 10 minutes for each batch. Don't crowd the meatballs. Remove the meatballs to a plate covered with paper towels. Discard the oil but don't clean the pan.

For the sauce, heat the olive oil in the same pan. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the wine and cook on high heat, scraping up all the brown bits in the pan, until almost all the liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, parsley, salt, and pepper.

Return the meatballs to the sauce, cover, and simmer on the lowest heat for 25 to 30 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through. Serve hot on cooked spaghetti and pass the grated Parmesan cheese.

Some helpful hints from Ina:

When you cook spaghetti, don't use oil in the water; the sauce will stick better.

When the spaghetti is cooked, drain it in a colander. If you don't use it right away, run hot water over it and it will separate.

I (Ina) use Pepperidge Farm sandwich white bread for fresh bread crumbs.

Barefoot Bloggers: Easy Sticky Buns--or "You Might Want to Have Your Sweat Pants Handy"

Ina, Ina, Ina. You'll stop at nothing to fatten us all up, won't you? You don't care about our New Year's resolutions or our tight jeans, is that it? It's all about the butter, isn't it, Ina? This installment of "Barefoot Bloggers" features Easy Sticky Buns. This recipe was chosen by Melissa of Made by Melissa.
This recipe WAS easy and very good. You DO need to discard the ends of the roll as instructed by Ina--just listen to her--she knows what she's doing. Also--make sure you check on the rolls toward the end of cooking--burned raisins and blackened puff pastry are NOT a good combo. I mean, that's what I hear.





INA GARTEN'S EASY STICKY BUNS
from Back to Basics

12 T (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 C light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 C pecans, chopped in very large pieces
1 package (17.3 oz/2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, defrosted

For the filling:

2 T unsalted butter, melted and cooled--NOTE-you may need a bit more
2/3 C light brown sugar, lightly packed
3 t ground cinnamon
1 C raisins

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place a 12-cup standard muffin tin on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the 12 tablespoons butter and 1/3 cup brown sugar. Place 1 rounded tablespoon of the mixture in each of the 12 muffin cups. Distribute the pecans evenly among the 12 muffin cups on top of the butter and sugar mixture.
Lightly flour a wooden board or stone surface. Unfold one sheet of puff pastry with the folds going left to right. Brush the whole sheet with half of the melted butter. Leaving a 1-inch border on the puff pastry, sprinkle each sheet with 1/3 cup of the brown sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the cinnamon and 1/2 cup of the raisins. Starting with the end nearest you, roll the pastry up snugly like a jelly roll around the filling, finishing the roll with the seam side down. Trim the ends of the roll about 1/2 inch and discard. Slice the roll in 6 equal pieces, each about 1 1/2 inches wide. Place each piece, spiral side up, in 6 of the muffin cups. Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry to make 12 sticky buns.
Bake for 30 minutes, until the sticky buns are golden to dark brown on top and firm to the touch. NOTE: It's a good idea to check on them at about 20 and 25 minutes--you don't want to burn these babies!. Allow to cool for 5 minutes only, invert the buns onto the parchment paper (ease the filling and pecans out onto the buns with a spoon), and cool completely.

Simple and easy, right? Unbutton your jeans, eat, and enjoy! Great for a brunch too!

Barefoot Bloggers: Banana Sour Cream Pancakes

Yes, it's time for another episode of "Barefoot Bloggers" featuring Banana Sour Cream Pancakes. This recipe was chosen by Karen of Something Sweet by Karen. I make pancakes from scratch all the time for my kids, so at first this recipe didn't seem that exciting to me, but the pancakes were actually quite good and my kids really liked them. I think the lemon zest and the vanilla extract really added something great to the batter. The recipe I usually use is from one of the older Joy of Cooking cookbooks and is pretty similar but does not include sour cream, lemon zest, and vanilla. I made a few minor changes to Ina's recipe (my changes are included as notes below)--I added more milk because we don't like our pancakes quite as thick as she apparently does--and the pancakes were STILL pretty thick even with the additional milk I added.. I also added 3 T melted butter to the batter, thereby eliminating the need for butter on the pan or griddle. I used a non-stick pan for cooking. You can make this batter the night before if you like, but you may need to add additional milk to the batter in the morning before cooking. Another easy way to save time is to measure out the dry ingredients into a bowl or ziplock and then add the liquid ingredients in the morning. When my kids were younger and I made pancakes A LOT, I used to measure out several ziplocks of dry ingredients at a time in an effort to make my life just a bit easier! You can also substitute another fruit for the bananas (berries, peaches, etc) or serve them without any fruit at all. I made these for dinner the other night because, in our house, whenever I can't think of anything for dinner, I make breakfast! We all agreed that we would definitely make these pancakes again!

INA GARTEN'S BANANA SOUR CREAM PANCAKES

1 1/2 cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (NOTE: I used about 3/4 t kosher salt)
1/2 cup sour cream (NOTE: I used light sour cream)
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk (NOTE: I used about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 C skim milk)
2 extra-large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (NOTE: Anywhere from 1/2 to 1 t should be fine and if you don't have a lemon-just make it without the zest and it will be fine)
Unsalted butter (NOTE: I added 3 T melted butter to the batter)
2 ripe bananas, diced, plus extra for serving
Pure maple syrup


Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk, eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones, mixing only until combined.

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat until it bubbles.(NOTE: If you've added melted butter to the batter and you are using a non-stick skillet you can skip the previous step.) Ladle the pancake batter into the pan to make 3 or 4 pancakes. Distribute a rounded tablespoon of bananas on each pancake. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until bubbles appear on top and the underside is nicely browned. Flip the pancakes and then cook for another minute until browned. Wipe out the pan with a paper towel, add more butter to the pan, (NOTE: Again, if you've added butter to the batter, no need to wipe out the pan--just keep cooking!) and continue cooking pancakes until all the batter is used. Serve with sliced bananas, butter and maple syrup.

Barefoot Bloggers: Pappa Al Pomidoro

It's time once again for another "Barefoot Bloggers" recipe. This time Natalie from "Burned Bits" got to choose the recipe, and she chose this classic Italian tomato soup with lots of basil that is thickened with......bread!!!!! This soup was not only easy to make but delicious. I made it exactly as written--although I DID peel the carrots. I guess I'm not quite as rustic as Ina. The soup was great even without the carrot dirt. Don't skimp on the basil--you'll be sorry if you do! Enjoy!

INA GARTEN'S PAPPA AL POMIDORO
from her Back to Basics cookbook
Serves 6

1/2 C good olive oil
2 C chopped yellow onion (2 onions)
1 C medium-diced carrots, unpeeled (3 carrots) NOTE: I peeled.
1 fennel bulb, trimmed, cored, and medium-diced (1 1/2 cups)
4 t minced garlic (4 cloves)
3 C (1-inch) diced ciabatta cubes, crusts removed
2 (28-oz) cans good Italian plum tomatoes
4 C chicken stock, preferably homemade
1/2 C dry red wine
1 C chopped fresh basil leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 C freshly grated Parmesan

For the topping:

3 C (1-inch) diced ciabatta cubes
2 ounces thickly sliced pancetta, chopped
24 to 30 whole fresh basil leaves
3 T good olive oil, plus more for serving
Salt and pepper

Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, fennel, and garlic and cook over medium-low
heat for 10 minutes, until tender. Add the ciabatta cubes and cook for 5 more minute. Place the tomatoes in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process just until coarsely chopped. Add the tomatoes to the pot along with the chicken stock, red wine, basil, 1 T salt, and 1 1/2 t pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, lower the heat, and allow to simmer, partially covered, for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375˚F.

For the topping, place the ciabatta cubes, pancetta, and basil on a sheet pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil, sprionkle with salt and pepper, and toss well. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 25 minutes, until all the ingredients are crisp. The basil leaves will turn dark and crisp, which is perfectly fine. reheat the soup, if necessary, beat with a wire whisk until the bread is broken up. Stir in the Parmesan and taste for seasoning. Serve hot sprinkled with the topping and drizzled with additional olive oil.

Barefoot Bloggers: Coq au Vin

In an effort to get myself to post more regularly, I have joined a group called"Barefoot Bloggers" -- a group of people who love to cook and bake and also looooove that Barefoot Contessa . Every month two members of the group each pick a Barefoot Contessa recipe and members make it and write about it on their blogs. The first recipe this month was selected by Bethany of this little piggy went to market..... . It is Coq au Vin. I have never made Coq au Vin but I have always thought of it as a chicken stew. Imagine my surprise when I pulled out my "Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics cookbook "and opened to page 115 to read the Coq au Vin recipe. In her notes before the recipe, the Contessa says that for years she had tried many times to make Coq au Vin with disappointing results until her TV producer told her that it's just beef bourguignon with chicken and she thought, "So it is!" So it is, Ina, although many of us just call beef bourguignon beef stew. So anyway, here is Ina Garten's Coq au Vin--or, for those of you who are intimidated by French--chicken stew in wine.

I followed this recipe exactly as written, which I often do when trying a recipe for the first time. I used brandy, not cognac. Actually, the only thing I didn't do was to light the brandy on fire. I'm not that daring. I'm not sure if it was "good" brandy as Ina instructed, but at $6.99 a bottle, how good could it really be? Nonetheless, the dish turned out great! The only change I would make in the future is that I would remove the chicken skin from the chicken after I browned the chicken. Ina didn't tell me to, so I didn't, and the stew had a lot of fat in it that I removed after it was done. It would have been much easier and probably just as good to get rid of the skin after the browning process and have less fat to skim off after the dish was done. The Coq au Vin was delicious---the chicken was fall-off-the-bone moist, and the gravy had a great flavor that I don't think would have been there if not for the $6.99 brandy!

INA GARTEN'S COQ AU VIN
from her Back To Basics cookbook
Serves 6 (according to Ina)

Good olive oil
8 oz good bacon or pancetta, diced
2 (3- to 4-pound) chickens, each cut into 8 pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound carrots, cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces
2 yellow onions, sliced
2 t chopped garlic (2 cloves)
1/4 C Cognac or good brandy
1 (750-ml) bottle good dry red wine such as Burgundy
2 C chicken stock, preferably homemade
1 bunch fresh thyme sprigs
4 T (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided
3 T all-purpose flour
1 pound frozen small whole onions
1 pound porcini or cremini mushrooms, stems removed and thickly sliced

Preheat the oven to 275°F.

Heat 1 T olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove the bacon to a plate with a slotted spoon.

Meanwhile, pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Liberally sprinkle the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. After the bacon is removed, add a few of the chicken pieces in a single layer and brown for about 5 minutes, turning to brown evenly. Remove the chicken pieces to the plate with the bacon and continue to add the chicken in batches until all the chicken is browned. Set aside.

Add the carrots, onions, 1 T salt, and 2 t pepper to the pot and cook over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the Cognac, stand back!, and carefully ignite with a match to burn off the alcohol. NOTE: I DID NOT DO THIS STEP AND THE DISH TURNED OUT GREAT!! Put the bacon, chicken, and any juices that collect on the plate into the pot. Add the wine, chicken stock, and thyme sprigs and bring to a boil. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and place in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is just no longer pink. Remove from the oven and place on top of the stove.

Mash 2 T of the room temperature butter and the flour together in a small bowl and stir the paste into the stew. Add the frozen onions. In a medium saute pan, melt the remaining 2 T butter and cook the mushrooms over medium-low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until browned. Add to the stew. Bring the stew to a simmer and cook for another 10 minutes. Season to taste. Serve hot.