Sunday, March 17, 2013

Pasta Piccata

Yields 6 servings

Ingredients:
1 Pound pasta, rotini, tricolor 
2 Tbls oil, olive 
1 Large onion, white minced
6 Cloves garlic, fresh minced
1/2 Cup wine, dry white 
1 Cup stock, chicken, low-sodium 
Tbls juice, lemon 
1 1/2 tsp Silver Service Chef Zesty Italian Seasoning
28 Ounce(wt)s artichoke hearts, canned chopped, liquid reserved 1 can
Tbls cornstarch 
Tbls water 
Tbls capers with a little liquid
Tbls butter, unsalted 
1/2 Cup cheese, parmesan, grated 
Tbls parsley, flat-leaf chopped 


Tools Needed:
Cuisinart 622-30G Chef's Classic Nonstick Hard-Anodized 12-Inch Skillet with Glass Cover 
Kuhn Rikon Epicurean Garlic Press
Rosle Can Opener
Microplane 40020 Classic Zester/Grater

Directions: 
Put pasta on to cook while preparing the sauce. 

Heat olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Mince the garlic with a garlic press. Cook and stir the garlic and onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. Pour the white wine into the skillet, turn the heat to high, and cook until the wine reduces by half, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth, lemon juice, Italian seasoning, artichoke hearts, and reserved artichoke liquid. 

Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Mix together the cornstarch and water. While sauce is boiling, stir in slurry. Once sauce is thickened, stir in the capers and butter. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. 

Grate cheese with a microplane grater.

Drain pasta. Put pasta back into pasta pot, add sauce, cheese and parsley. 

Put pasta into 3-quart casserole dish and place in preheated oven for 10 minutes or until bubbly. Serve.

Friday, March 15, 2013

Big and Chewy Oatmeal-Fruity Cookies

Adapted from America's Test Kitchen
Yields 4 dozen cookies

Ingredients:
1 1/2 Cup flour, all-purpose 
1/2 tsp salt, table
1/2 tsp baking powder 
1/2 tsp nutmeg, fresh grated 
1 Cup Crisco, butter-flavored 
1 Cup sugar, light brown, packed 
1 Cup sugar, white (plus extra for flattening)
2 Large egg, whole 
3 Cups oats, old-fashioned 
1 1/2 Cup Trader Joe's Golden Berry Blend (blend of golden raisins, dried cherries, blueberries and cranberries)


Tools Needed:
Chicago Metallic Non-Stick 3-Piece Value Pack with 2 Cookie/Jelly Roll Pans and Cooling Grid 
Parchment Paper Sheets - 12 × 16½
Microplane 40020 Classic Zester/Grater
OXO Good Grips Medium Cookie Scoop


Directions: 
Adjust oven racks to low and middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper. 

Grate the nutmeg with a microplane grater.

Whisk flour, salt, baking powder, and nutmeg together in medium bowl. 

With electric mixer, beat butter until creamy. Add sugars; beat until fluffy on medium-high, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs on medium-low, one at a time. 

Stir dry ingredients into butter-sugar mixture with wooden spoon or large rubber spatula. Stir in oats and raisins. 

Working with generous 1 tablespoon of dough each time, roll dough into 2-inch balls. Place balls on parchment-lined cookie sheet, leaving at least 2 inches between each ball. Use a glass, or bowl, dipped in white sugar and lightly flatten each ball of dough.

Bake until cookie edges turn golden brown, 13 to 17 minutes. (Halfway during baking, turn cookie sheets from front to back and also switch them from top to bottom.) Slide cookies, on parchment, to cooling rack. Let cool at least 5 to 10 minutes before peeling cookie from parchment.