Four Burners

Pretty in Pink

2011-06-28T08:59:00.000-07:00

Palmiers or elephant ear cookies are pretty standard fare in bakeries her and abroad. They are fun, easy and extremely tasty, but I wanted to try something a little different. I wondered if you could infuse them with flavor besides sugar and cinnamon. I've seen some savory versions made with paprika, chili powder and cheese. Could a alternative sweet version work? You bet!

By grinding freeze dried raspberries along with the sugar and cinnamon, I created a tart-sweet mixture to spread on the puff pastry to add a some umpphff to this classic bakery favorite.

What I really wanted besides the extra flavor, was some vibrant color. The raspberry definitely did the trick. The cookies turned out beautiful and delicious in the end. They would be pefect for a pink or red themed wedding or baby shower. For a mom-to-be expecting a boy, you might even be able to use dried blueberries in place of the raspberries for some bright blue cookies. Anything's worth a try.

I'm curious if using a thin coating of jam with just sugar and cinnamon would work just as well instead of dealing with the dried fruit. (Similar to a rugelach.) But, I wonder if the moisture from jam would keep the puff pastry from getting carmelized and crisp.

Raspberry Palmiers

(This looks long and complicated, but it is a breeze—I promise)

¾ cup sugar
½ cup freeze-dried raspberries (Just Raspberries brand)
½ teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 450°

Combine sugar and freeze-dried raspberries in bowl of food processor and grind until the berries have been reduced to a fine powder about the same grain as the sugar. You will still have some pieces a little bit larger than the sugar granules, but that is fine. If you’re really picky, feel free to run the mixture through a mesh strainer or sifter later.

Once the raspberries are processed to your satisfaction, add the cinnamon and salt and pulse once or twice to combine.

Take about 1/3 of the mixture and spread it a wooden board or other work surface (I just used a sheet of parchment paper to protect my counter from raspberry stains). Then unfold your sheet of thawed puff pastry onto the sugar mixture. Then begin to evenly spread the rest of the mixture over the top of the pastry. You want an even coating ….not just a sprinkling….however I still ended up with a good bit of sugar mixture left over in the end (probably about 1/3 cup).

With a rolling pin, gently roll over the dough a few times to press the sugar into the surface. Fold the sides of the dough toward the center so they go halfway to the middle. Fold them again so the two folds meet exactly at the middle of the dough. Then fold one half over the other half as though closing a book. You will have 6 layers. Slice the dough into 1/4 –inch slices and place the slices cut side up on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Bake the cookies for 5-6 minutes on one side until caramelized and then flip to cook for another 3-5 minutes until the other side is nicely browned and caramelized. Transfer to a rack for cooling and store in an air-tight container.

Ideas for the leftover sugar mixture: One of my favorite guilty pleasures from childhood is canned biscuits rolled in cinnamon/sugar and baked off…..I’m betting this raspberry/sugar would be a great addition to this 70s era breakfast item. It also might be good as a replacement sugar for cinnamon toast. I’m sure there are endless ideas…so enjoy!

Father's Day tribue

2011-06-19T22:01:00.000-07:00

Thinking of Father's Day, I was reminded of a simple candy my grandfather would often make. It is quick, rich and satisfying when you want something sinful and sweet. This was my first time making this candy and the first taste brought back plenty of wonderful family memories. Here's to hoping all of the fathers and grandfathers out there had a wonderful day. I made a peanut butter version with some chocolate toffee bits and pecans sprinkled on top, but it is just as easy to add cocoa instead for a chocolate version.

Quick Peanut Butter Candy

3 cups of sugar

1 1/2 cups of milk

1/2 cup peanut butter

2 tbsp chopped pecans (optional)

2 tbsp chocolate toffee pieces (Heath bar, optional)

Combine sugar and milk in heavy saucepan and cook at medium to high heat until it reaches soft ball stage (240°F). Remove from heat to add peanut butter and whisk to incorporate. Pour candy into buttered 8x8 square pan and sprinkle nuts and toffee pieces on top. Leave candy to cool either on the counter or in the refridgerator. Once the candy is cool, cut into 1/2 squares and enjoy.

Note: In retrospect, I would choose a larger pan for the candy and thus have a thinner layer of candy. This recipe is very rich and extremely sugary. So small portions are key.

Top Chef Stop

2011-06-11T14:45:00.000-07:00

Has San Antonio finally made its mark on the culinary map? Well if not, it at least made its mark on the Top Chef Tour this time around. Former cheftestants Ryan Scott and Dale Talde where in town June 11 to show off their skills and treat fans to a few "Quick Fire" demonstrations.

I had pretty much bailed on the idea of attending because I figured the first-come-first-served atmosphere would be a total mess and not worth the bother. But on a whim I changed my mind and started waiting in line at 7:50 a.m. (along with a few diehard fans who had been there since 4 a.m.) to secure a spot during the 10:30 demonstration. In the end it was worth the wait, crowds and heat. Both chefs were extremely personable, entertaining and very gracious. I was even lucky enough to be one of just a handful to be spontaneously invited inside the Top Chef mobile kitchen for quick look around while they cooked.

During the cooking challenge both chefs were required to use beef as their main ingredient but had 10 other ingredients from which to choose and use. Dale's dish was an Asian-inspired Beef Salad (left) and Ryan made his take on Steak Au Poivre with a melon salsa verde. I really enjoyed both. But I favored Dale's more for the it's unusual flavor and subtly with the coconut. While Ryan's had a lot of the heat that Texans are used to in their dishes, plus the watermelon salsa was a nice chilly accent. I'll link to the recipes as soon as they are posted to Bravo's website.

Granola has competition

2011-06-10T11:41:00.000-07:00

One of the things that send a dish over the edge for me is texture. I relish things with crunch, chew, snap—something to keep me guessing (in a good way).

And that's one of the reasons I love granola especially in my yogurt. Although I'm not a milk or yogurt fan and find the flavor almost unpalatable, I'm trying to eat more of it for its health benefits. So fruit, nuts and anything crunchy like granola are my culinary saviors.

When I saw this recipe for Quinoa Crunch in Power Foods: 150 Delicious Recipes with the 38 Healthiest Ingredients, it was the tipping point for me scooping up the cookbook and heading to the checkout line.

Once baked the quinoa takes on a nutty flavor reminescent of toasted sesame seeds and the agave nectar adds just the slightest hint of sweetness. Since making my first batch, I've sprinkled it on yogurt, ice cream, and oatmeal. And if I'm being completely honest, I have to admit to eating it by the spoonful every so often in moments of weakness.

Quinoa Crunch (from Power Foods)

1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
1 Tbsp. agave nectar
1 Tbsp. canola oil, or other neutral-tasting oil

Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix quinoa with nectar and oil until well coated. Spread mixture in an even layer on a foil-covered baking sheet and bake until crisp and golden brown. 8-10 minutes.

Fruit of the Land

2010-05-05T17:58:00.000-07:00

For years, I've wanted to visit an orchard or farm to pick my own fruit. So this past weekend we took a drive to Marburger Orchard near Fredericksburg, Tx., ... and it was well worth the trek.

If you live in Texas then you're probably aware of the famed Fredericksburg peaches that may be smaller than the ones you find at your local grocery store, but the flavor can't be beat. These definitely didn't disappoint. Later in the week, we enjoyed a fresh peach cobbler ... but I didn't think to take any pictures.

What I wasn't expecting were the beautiful strawberries.

All in all it was a great day trip despite the brutal sun and heat. Next time I'll hopefully plan better and bring along plenty of water and straw hat.

Julie & Julia movie review

2009-08-11T08:49:00.000-07:00

I have to preface this review with the fact that I had finished Julie Powell's book a mere day before I plunked down the cash to see Hollywood's version . . . and I wasn't surprised in my disappointment.

The entire time I was reading the book and seeing the movie commercial, I could tell there was going to be a problem. Basically the movie lacked BITE! Gone was everything that made me relate to Julie . . . her humor, her real angst, her booming biological clock. What was left on screen was a flat, boring ...almost Pollyanna who, mind you, faced a slump. I'm not knocking the Amy Adams, the fault lies with the screenplay.

At the end, I found myself wishing for more scenes about Julia ...actually wishing the entire movie was focused on Julia's life. . . which is sad because I think the book was wonderful in its own way.

Oh and can filmmakers please stop with the insanely stupid Texas accents. Do any of y'all find them find them the least bit annoying if not insulting?