July 5, 2012

Oatmeal Cookies with Giada

I’m always suspicious of TV chefs who spend their show cooking and never take a bite. I want them to convince me it’s delicious! Make me want to cook that dish! Have me thinking I can actually smell the food through my television, because it’s so intoxicatingly scrumptious. I enjoy watching chefs like Giada, Laura Calder, Anne Burrell and Nigella, who by the way, under the cloak of darkness, goes for late night seconds at the end of every show. These chefs happily steal an olive before they hit the salad, taste the sauce as it’s cooking and I’ve even seen them take a swig of the wine (not from the bottle) that they’re cooking with. I’m not saying TV chefs should be swirling their fingers through the sauce or licking the spoons. At least take a bite at the end of the show to let us know it’s good stuff. Can you honestly cook an entire meal without scarfing a little taste here and there?

Moving on to cookies… there’s nothing Italian or typically Giada about these cookies. I’ve confessed to owning all her books and was thrilled when my Aunt brought me “Weeknights with Giada.” Like her other books, this is filled with recipes that you would like to make for your family. I love her section called “Breakfast for Dinner” and she also includes a chapter titled “Change of Pace,” where she strays from her Italian roots and includes recipes like Thai lettuce cups, Greek meatballs and vegetables in red curry. Rather than jump into making a savory dish, I found these cookies and decided they would be my first go from her book. Loaded with rolled oats and dried cranberries, I’ve convinced myself they’re healthy. I’m obviously ignoring the stick of butter and cup of sugar found in the list of ingredients.

OATMEAL, CRANBERRY, AND CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES (makes 12 big cookies)

Adapted from Weeknights with Giada

Giada recommended using a 1/4 measure to scoop the cookies, so I thought I’d show you what they looked like before they hit the oven. I thought they looked so pretty.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 1 – 4oz bar 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate bar, chopped into 1/4″ pieces (I used Ghirardelli)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl and set aside.

Cream the butter and sugars in a stand mixer using a paddle attachment until they are light and fluffy. Add the egg and the vanilla, mix until combined. Add the flour mixture slowly until incorporated. Lastly, add in the oats, cranberries and chocolate and run the mixture until they are just blended through the dough.

Using a 1/4 cup dry measure, scoop the dough into little towers on parchment lined baking sheets.

Press them down slightly…

Giada says to bake the cookies for 13-15 minutes until they are slightly golden on the edges. I bake cookies using the convection setting on my oven. These were done in 10 minutes. Leave the cookies on the baking sheets to cool for 20 minutes before removing them to a cooling rack. A really hearty, delicious cookie.

* I wonder if these could be made using whole wheat flour? Or use half whole wheat and half all-purpose? I’m not enough of a baker to figure this one out. Are you?

Posted in COOKBOOK SHELF, EAT, Sweets | 10 Comments »

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June 26, 2012

Za’atar, Zaatar, Zahatar

One of my foodie friends, Laviza, recently posted a recipe on her blog (www.lazizabites.com) for Za’atar Grilled Asparagus with Onions and Garlic. Laziza means delicious in Arabic, not to be confused with her name Laviza, which in my dictionary also means delicious… trust me, I’ve eaten her cooking. Laviza’s blog focuses on global cuisine and she always has something unusual to share from her kitchen. This asparagus from her blog looked great and I wanted to give it a try. I’d heard about za’atar, a Middle Eastern spice mixture, but had never tasted it and certainly didn’t have any on hand. After a little research and a quick consult with Laviza I made my own.

I’ve been slowly expanding my spice collection. The breadth of spices available is mind-blowing. My collection already included ground sumac, a key ingredient in za’atar. Sumac has a unique sour, almost vinegary taste. It’s a must for this recipe. I would recommend doubling this batch of  Za’atar, so you can keep it on hand. In looking around online, there are recommendations and recipes for using it on everything from grilled meats to popcorn.

I decided to use the za’atar (or zahatar or zaatar) to make roast chicken. I also roasted broccoli, cauliflower and onions with the za’atar, this might be a way to get the kids to eat their vegetables. It made for a delicious and healthy dinner. No matter how you spell it, za’atar is now a permanent part of my spice collection.

INGREDIENTS FOR ZA’ATAR

Adapted from Bon Appetit

  • 1 tbsp ground sumac
  • 1 tbsp dried thyme
  • 1 tbsp sesame seeds
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • Lots of fresh ground black pepper

Place all the ingredients in a container and shake it up. You can store any leftover za’atar in an air-tight container at room temperature with your other spices. I should note that there are many variations of za’atar. Some use fresh thyme, some use fresh oregano, some use dried herbs as I did here. Some recipes call for toasted sesame seeds and some not toasted. What they all seem to have in common is ground sumac. Start your search today. I found it at The Larder in Doylestown, PA. You can also find packaged za’atar in specialty food stores.

INGREDIENTS FOR ZA’ATAR ROASTED BROCCOLI, CAULIFLOWER & ONIONS (Serves about 6)

  • 1/2  head of broccoli, cut into wedges
  • 1/2 head of cauliflower, cut into wedges
  • 1 red onion, cut into wedges and separated
  • Heavy drizzle olive oil
  • 2 tbsp Za’atar

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

Cut the vegetables in wedges… almost like little trees. I like to keep a nice amount of the stems on, they’re just as delicious as the tops.  Lay the broccoli, cauliflower and onions on a sheet pan. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the za’atar . Using your hands, toss the whole thing together to make sure it is evenly coated with the oil and spices. Roast in the preheated oven for about 20min or until the veggies are browned on the edges and tender.

INGREDIENTS FOR ZA’ATAR ROASTED CHICKEN (Serves 4-6)

  • 1 whole chicken, cut in half
  • 1 lemon, zested and then sliced
  • 4 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp za’atar
  • About 1 tbsp olive oil

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Remove the backbone from the chicken and cut it in half… or you can have your butcher do it for you. Chop the garlic and lemon zest together. Carefully run your fingers under the skin of the chicken and put the lemon zest and garlic mixture under the skin. Rub the outside of the chicken with a little olive oil and sprinkle the za’atar all over the chicken, rubbing a little under the skin.

Lay the lemon slices on the bottom of a sheet pan and place the seasoned chicken on top of the lemons. Roast the chicken in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes or until it reaches 165 degrees. Enjoy!

SOME OTHER DELICIOUS USES FOR ZA’ATAR

Here are a few other great looking recipes that use za’atar.

  1. ROASTED EGGPLANT & ZA’ATAR PIZZA from The Sprouted Kitchen
  2. GRILLED LEBANESE FLATBREAD from Mark Bittman
  3. GRILLED CHICKEN WITH ZA’ATAR from Bon Appetit

Posted in EAT, Main Dishes, Sides | 8 Comments »

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