Grandma's Kitchen Table

Tuesdays with Dorie: Baking with Dorie - French Riviera Lemon Tart

       The 19th recipe I made with the Tuesdays with Dorie: Baking with Dorie group is French Riviera Lemon Tart and can be found in the Baking with Dorie book on page 281.

       Ingredients:  flour, sugar, salt, butter, olive oil, egg, cornstarch, lemon zest, lemon juice, and whipped cream for serving. 

       There has been a lot of chocolate going on over here so it seemed only fair to balance things out a bit with this lovely lemon tart. I was expecting a lot of fussing, but really you just make the dough, bake it for 12 minutes, let it cool, fill it with the lemon filling you make stovetop, and chill it for a couple hours before serving.  The lemon flavoring is very forward with both zest and juice, perfect for my taste as lemon is my favorite flavor. I made a third of a recipe in a 6” tart pan which was a good amount to last a few days here.  This recipe is definitely worth a repeat, both in flavor and in ease of assembly.

       If you would like to join in, just make it, bake it, and leave a link to your post at the Tuesdays with Dorie website:  click here.  At the website you will find the postings for the current recipe, the list of recipes chosen each month, and some baking chit chat that is definitely helpful as well as fun.  We don’t publish Dorie's recipes here, but you can buy the book and have them ALL at your fingertips. 

 

 

       The 19th recipe I made with the Tuesdays with Dorie: Baking with Dorie group is French Riviera Lemon Tart and can be found in the Baking with Dorie book on page 281.

       Ingredients:  flour, sugar, salt, butter, olive oil, egg, cornstarch, lemon zest, lemon juice, and whipped cream for serving. 

       There has been a lot of chocolate going on over here so it seemed only fair to balance things out a bit with this lovely lemon tart. I was expecting a lot of fussing, but really you just make the dough, bake it for 12 minutes, let it cool, fill it with the lemon filling you make stovetop, and chill it for a couple hours before serving.  The lemon flavoring is very forward with both zest and juice, perfect for my taste as lemon is my favorite flavor. I made a third of a recipe in a 6” tart pan which was a good amount to last a few days here.  This recipe is definitely worth a repeat, both in flavor and in ease of assembly.

       If you would like to join in, just make it, bake it, and leave a link to your post at the Tuesdays with Dorie website:  click here.  At the website you will find the postings for the current recipe, the list of recipes chosen each month, and some baking chit chat that is definitely helpful as well as fun.  We don’t publish Dorie's recipes here, but you can buy the book and have them ALL at your fingertips. 

Cook the Book Fridays: Everyday Dorie - Chocolate-Covered Chai-Tea Bars

        The 33rd recipe I made for the Cook the Book Fridays group using the Everyday Dorie cookbook by Dorie Greenspan is Chocolate-Covered Chai-Tea Bars, it can be found on page 248.

       Ingredients:  almond flour, flour, sugar, ground ginger, cinnamon, salt, orange zest, egg whites, honey, vanilla, chai tea leaves, butter, and milk chocolate.    

       These were easy to make, you don’t even need to get out the mixer, and they are very quick to assemble.  After baking and cooling, you can frost them or not…husband thought they should be frosted so I went with that except for one square left without so I could have a taste. The flavorings were so nice, I would make these again (she did say the frosting was optional and I think these would be lovely during the holidays with the cinnamon, ginger, clove, pepper, etc. taste of the chai tea), but while Mark enjoyed eating them and polished off the remaining 15, he thought there were other things I have made or could try that he might enjoy just as much or better. 

       To see what others in the group made this week, click here, for the Cook the Book Fridays link. We don't publish recipes from the book here in deference to the author, but the author has been generous and  you can find many of them online.

Tuesdays with Dorie: Baking with Dorie - Devil's Thumbprints

      Disclaimer: I have no idea why these chocolate cookies look pinkish as they were a deep rich chocolate brown in real life.  I am not a photographer and can never figure out lighting...please know Dorie made these a rich chocolate brown in her recipe and mine were indeed that...all evidence to the contrary. Sigh.      

      The 18th recipe I made with the Tuesdays with Dorie: Baking with Dorie group is Devil’s Thumbprints and can be found in the Baking with Dorie book on page 173.

       Ingredients:  flour, salt, cinnamon, butter, chocolate, sugar, eggs, vanilla, turbinado sugar, and jam. 

       There are many recipes I make mini versions of with just the two of us here on a daily basis these days. This is not one of them. One of Mark’s favorite combinations is cherry and chocolate. So I made the whole batch of 36 cookies knowing he would be happy to eat them days on end.  

       The recipe is easy, the dough needs a bit of a park in the frig but nothing is unfamiliar or difficult. I went with cherry jam, she suggested raspberry, as I knew he would be most happy with the cherry jam. She also suggested filling the cookies with additional chocolate instead of jam…but for a non-chocolate lover (me), working with one dose of it seemed plenty enough. These would be pretty on a Christmas cookie tray and I’ve made a note to do just that, definitely Mark thinks they are worth a repeat.

       If you would like to join in, just make it, bake it, and leave a link to your post at the Tuesdays with Dorie website:  click here.  At the website you will find the postings for the current recipe, the list of recipes chosen each month, and some baking chit chat that is definitely helpful as well as fun.  We don’t publish Dorie's recipes here, but you can buy the book and have them ALL at your fingertips. 

 

 

      Disclaimer: I have no idea why these chocolate cookies look pinkish as they were a deep rich chocolate brown in real life.  I am not a photographer and can never figure out lighting...please know Dorie made these a rich chocolate brown in her recipe and mine were indeed that...all evidence to the contrary. Sigh.      

      The 18th recipe I made with the Tuesdays with Dorie: Baking with Dorie group is Devil’s Thumbprints and can be found in the Baking with Dorie book on page 173.

       Ingredients:  flour, salt, cinnamon, butter, chocolate, sugar, eggs, vanilla, turbinado sugar, and jam. 

       There are many recipes I make mini versions of with just the two of us here on a daily basis these days. This is not one of them. One of Mark’s favorite combinations is cherry and chocolate. So I made the whole batch of 36 cookies knowing he would be happy to eat them days on end.  

       The recipe is easy, the dough needs a bit of a park in the frig but nothing is unfamiliar or difficult. I went with cherry jam, she suggested raspberry, as I knew he would be most happy with the cherry jam. She also suggested filling the cookies with additional chocolate instead of jam…but for a non-chocolate lover (me), working with one dose of it seemed plenty enough. These would be pretty on a Christmas cookie tray and I’ve made a note to do just that, definitely Mark thinks they are worth a repeat.

       If you would like to join in, just make it, bake it, and leave a link to your post at the Tuesdays with Dorie website:  click here.  At the website you will find the postings for the current recipe, the list of recipes chosen each month, and some baking chit chat that is definitely helpful as well as fun.  We don’t publish Dorie's recipes here, but you can buy the book and have them ALL at your fingertips. 

Cook the Book Fridays: Everyday Dorie - Fresh-Off-The-Cob Corn Chowder

       The 32nd recipe I made for the Cook the Book Fridays group using the Everyday Dorie cookbook by Dorie Greenspan is Fresh-Off-The-Cob Corn Chowder, it can be found on page 72.

       Ingredients:  corn, celery, onion, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme, bay leaf, fennel, water, bouillon base, potatoes, bacon, white wine, half-and-half, and fresh herbs.    

       The list of ingredients for this recipe looked very long, but as I read through it, I realized I had everything on hand except for the fennel.  I thought about leaving the fennel out but I knew it would have a completely different taste without it, and we happen to love fennel, so I made a point to stop for it when I was out.

       This is such a warm and comforting bowl of soup, substantial and hardy enough to be an entire meal.  It was delicious the first day, even more so the second day, and a couple days later when I finished it was maybe even better at that point. Using fresh corn is key, I can’t think it would be as good with frozen or canned corn.  Definitely a repeat, I’m sorry I made it at the tail end of sweet corn season, next year, I’ll start earlier.

       To see what others in the group made this week, click here, for the Cook the Book Fridays link. We don't publish recipes from the book here in deference to the author, but the author has been generous and  you can find many of them online.

Cook the Book Fridays: Everyday Dorie - Meatballs and Spaghetti

      The 31st recipe I made for the Cook the Book Fridays group using the Everyday Dorie cookbook by Dorie Greenspan is Meatballs and Spaghetti, it can be found on page 157.

       Ingredients:  can of tomatoes, can of crushed tomatoes, garlic, sugar, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, ground beef, Italian sausage, onion, rolled oats, walnuts, herbs, egg, olive oil, spaghetti, and grated Parmesan.    

       Every family seems to have their own version of Spaghetti and Meatballs, the recipe that they have made for years and years and the standard go-to by which all other Spaghetti and Meatballs recipes are measured against.  So, I wasn’t sure I wanted to try this recipe, a couple of the ingredients sounded suspiciously untraditional. That said, the reason I like cooking in a group is that I try things I don’t normally make and I learn new things along the way. 

       I assembled all the ingredients, got out my meatball making scooper, and started thinking maybe I would be surprised and really like it as I do like all the ingredients. In the recipe she makes small meatballs but I totally spaced that and grabbed my regular size scooper to make them…by the time I realized I was supposed to make them small, they were all made and browning, too late to start over.  The sauce was pretty much like my regular sauce (I don’t add sugar to mine, and I use tomato paste to thicken it) so that all went well.  When I put it all together, it looked great. It was, however, a bit odd.  The ingredients I had originally thought were suspicious, were indeed unwelcome.  The walnuts are definitely not great in there (taste and texture), and I can taste those rolled oats and am not a fan.  These are my opinions only, so you try it and see what you think.  It won’t be a repeat here, but it was interesting trying it, and I’m glad I made only a partial batch…no leftovers!

       To see what others in the group made this week, click here, for the Cook the Book Fridays link. We don't publish recipes from the book here in deference to the author, but the author has been generous and  you can find many of them online.

Cook the Book Fridays: Everyday Dorie - Blueberry-Buttermilk Bundt Cake

       The 30th recipe I made for the Cook the Book Fridays group using the Everyday Dorie cookbook by Dorie Greenspan is Blueberry-Buttermilk Bundt Cake, it can be found on page 254.

       Ingredients:  flour, baking powder, baking soda, blueberries, sugar, lemon, butter, salt, eggs, vanilla, canola oil, buttermilk, and confectioner’s sugar.    

       The recipe couldn’t be easier, it all comes together quickly with ingredients one mostly has on hand, bakes for an hour, and is ready to dust with powdered sugar when it cools to room temperature.  I made half a recipe in a 6 cup bundt pan. It worked perfectly and gave us enough to have a little and freeze a the rest for another time. I was lucky to have some of those extra large blueberries on hand and those were wonderful in this cake, nice big pops of flavor. We like cakes that aren’t iced, so this will make an appearance again. The book says the cake’s flavor is improved if it sits overnight which is a great help when planning for company, etc. 

       To see what others in the group made this week, click here, for the Cook the Book Fridays link. We don't publish recipes from the book here in deference to the author, but the author has been generous and  you can find many of them online.

Cook the Book Fridays: Everyday Dorie - Cornmeal-Buttermilk Loaf Cake

      The 29th recipe I made for the Cook the Book Fridays group using the Everyday Dorie cookbook by Dorie Greenspan is Cornmeal-Buttermilk Loaf Cake, With or Without Berries, it can be found on page 264.

       Ingredients:  flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt, eggs, sugar, vanilla, buttermilk, butter, and berries.    

       The recipe suggested using blueberries or raspberries for this loaf cake, but I had blackberries on hand, and a place to share the loaf, so that’s the direction I went with this one.  It’s a quick mix with common ingredients that one usually has on hand. It bakes in less than an hour, cools a little, and slices nicely.  I wasn’t sure what cornmeal in a loaf cake was going to taste like, but it is very good, not too sweet, and the berries are such a fun pop of unexpected flavor as they squish in your mouth. I love warm blackberries, toasting it worked nicely, too.  This was a surprise find, and I think it deserves repeating now and again. It will be nice to try it with the other berries as well. 

       To see what others in the group made this week, click here, for the Cook the Book Fridays link. We don't publish recipes from the book here in deference to the author, but the author has been generous and  you can find many of them online.

Cook the Book Fridays: Everyday Dorie - Drop-Biscuit Peach Cobbler

       The 28th recipe I made for the Cook the Book Fridays group using the Everyday Dorie cookbook by Dorie Greenspan is Drop-Biscuit Peach Cobbler, it can be found on page 273.

       Ingredients:  peaches, sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, cream, and buttermilk.    

       Straight out, biscuits are not my thing, that said, Mark loves them so I knew this recipe would be a happy occurrence for him, and it was. Biscuits are very easy to make, especially drop biscuits like these. I had a little bit and the biscuits held up (were not soggy) and did have a nice flavor with a creamy texture.  The peaches were very good, she adds just the right amount of sugar for nice ripe peaches. I’m thinking I will try this with canned peaches this winter (without adding extra sugar) when fresh peaches are nowhere to be seen as he also loves canned peaches.  All in all this was a hit, and as you can see, I will make it again for him this winter.

       To see what others in the group made this week, click here, for the Cook the Book Fridays link. We don't publish recipes from the book here in deference to the author, but the author has been generous and  you can find many of them online.

Cook the Book Fridays: Everyday Dorie - Black Bean-Chipotle Dip

       The 27th recipe I made for the Cook the Book Fridays group using the Everyday Dorie cookbook by Dorie Greenspan is Black Bean-Chipotle Dip, it can be found on page 19.

       Ingredients:  black beans, cumin, salt, chipotle chili powder, lime, red onion, cilantro, and jalapeño pepper.    

       It’s baseball playoff season, this happens to be a baseball-loving household, so it stands to reason that long games need a few snacks.  Crunchy chips and dips seem to be favorites with the guys, so when I saw this recipe, I knew it would be easy to work this into rotation.  It all comes together very quickly/easily.  It happens to be fairly economical. The lime in the recipe goes great with lime tortilla chips, it all worked wonderfully well and was delicious.  I can see this being something that will be repeated before the last of the World Series games this year.

       To see what others in the group made this week, click here, for the Cook the Book Fridays link. We don't publish recipes from the book here in deference to the author, but the author has been generous and  you can find many of them online.

Tuesdays with Dorie: Baking with Dorie - The Everything Cake

        The 17th recipe I made with the Tuesdays with Dorie: Baking with Dorie group is The Everything Cake and can be found in the Baking with Dorie book on page 129. 

       Ingredients:  flour, baking powder, sugar, eggs, salt, vanilla, milk, butter, and confectioner’s sugar (I also used orange segments). 

       The cake is called The Everything Cake as she has many variations listed in the Playing Around section of the recipe that you could go in whichever direction you choose…I chose citrus (oranges) as I am a big citrus fan and Mark is happy to come along for the enjoyment of it.  The cake is fast, easy, and all the ingredients are things one usually has on hand in the pantry/frig at any given time. We loved this little cake (I made a third of the recipe in a 6” cake pan and it was perfect), it wasn’t too sweet, and the citrus really did shine in the flavor-profile. Definitely a repeat for both of us. I’m also looking forward to trying out some of the other flavor options she has listed in the book.

       If you would like to join in, just make it, bake it, and leave a link to your post at the Tuesdays with Dorie website:  click here.  At the website you will find the postings for the current recipe, the list of recipes chosen each month, and some baking chit chat that is definitely helpful as well as fun.  We don’t publish Dorie's recipes here, but you can buy the book and have them ALL at your fingertips. 

 

 

        The 17th recipe I made with the Tuesdays with Dorie: Baking with Dorie group is The Everything Cake and can be found in the Baking with Dorie book on page 129. 

       Ingredients:  flour, baking powder, sugar, eggs, salt, vanilla, milk, butter, and confectioner’s sugar (I also used orange segments). 

       The cake is called The Everything Cake as she has many variations listed in the Playing Around section of the recipe that you could go in whichever direction you choose…I chose citrus (oranges) as I am a big citrus fan and Mark is happy to come along for the enjoyment of it.  The cake is fast, easy, and all the ingredients are things one usually has on hand in the pantry/frig at any given time. We loved this little cake (I made a third of the recipe in a 6” cake pan and it was perfect), it wasn’t too sweet, and the citrus really did shine in the flavor-profile. Definitely a repeat for both of us. I’m also looking forward to trying out some of the other flavor options she has listed in the book.

       If you would like to join in, just make it, bake it, and leave a link to your post at the Tuesdays with Dorie website:  click here.  At the website you will find the postings for the current recipe, the list of recipes chosen each month, and some baking chit chat that is definitely helpful as well as fun.  We don’t publish Dorie's recipes here, but you can buy the book and have them ALL at your fingertips. 

Cook the Book Fridays: Everyday Dorie - Flounder Meunière with Onion-Walnut Relish

       The 26th recipe I made for the Cook the Book Fridays group using the Everyday Dorie cookbook by Dorie Greenspan is Flounder Meunière with Onion-Walnut Relish, it can be found on page 188.

       Ingredients:  fish, flour, salt, pepper, butter, lemon, walnuts, olive oil, bread cubes, lemon zest, onion, parsley, and anchovies (I left out the anchovies).    

       This was all quick and easy to make...and delicious.  As I mentioned above, I left out the anchovies as neither of us cares for those. The recipe says to use flounder or sole ideally.  When I googled substitutions, just out of curiosity, it mentions tilapia, cod, plaice, and even red snapper, so it’s fair to substitute depending on availability and price in your area.  The lemon was such a nice accompaniment to the fish, and the relish made it all seem special and out of the ordinary, we liked the crunch of the walnuts. Definitely a repeat, definitely will try this with the other fish suggested.

       To see what others in the group made this week, click here, for the Cook the Book Fridays link. We don't publish recipes from the book here in deference to the author, but the author has been generous and  you can find many of them online.

Cook the Book Fridays: Everyday Dorie - Tomato Tart with Mustard and Ricotta

       The 25th recipe I made for the Cook the Book Fridays group using the Everyday Dorie cookbook by Dorie Greenspan is Tomato Tart with Mustard and Ricotta, it can be found on page 48.

       Ingredients:  tart pastry shell, olive oil, kale, salt, pepper, tomatoes, ricotta, eggs, cream, and grainy mustard.    

       We are at the tail end of fresh tomato season here, so I’m hurrying to make all the recipes I can squeeze in before I turn up at the co-op farm and hear those most unwelcome words: “Tomato season is over.” Once you make the tart crust, the rest is very quick and easy to do…takes no more than 5 minutes. It baked in the time stated, and it was beautiful to see it gracing our table.  Mark said he could have this once a month or more, which is a good compliment as he likes a lot of variety. It was all delicious but the ingredient that really set it all off was the grainy mustard, it provided a nice punch of flavor. Definitely I would make this again. 

       To see what others in the group made this week, click here, for the Cook the Book Fridays link. We don't publish recipes from the book here in deference to the author, but the author has been generous and  you can find many of them online.

Cook the Book Fridays: Everyday Dorie - Bean and Tortilla Soup

        The 24th recipe I made for the Cook the Book Fridays group using the Everyday Dorie cookbook by Dorie Greenspan is Bean and Tortilla Soup, it can be found on page 60.

       Ingredients:  onion, red bell pepper, olive oil, carrots, jalapeño, garlic, salt, sugar, cumin, chili powder, adobo sauce, Old Bay Seasoning, broth, diced tomatoes…and your choice of add-ins: beans, sour cream or yogurt, avocados, onion, red bell pepper, shredded cheese, cilantro, limes, tortilla chips, and hot sauce.    

       Night darkness is coming earlier, there is a chill in the air, and it’s definitely Soup Season. (Okay, I admit it, it is always soup season for me).  This is one of those recipes that comes together quickly, after all the chopping it gets tossed into a pot on the stove so it can spend a little time in the meet-up.  It’s also one of those recipes that I usually have the ingredients on hand, so I don’t have to run to the store for the odd things, even the add-ins are commonly found in our frig or pantry.

       Another reason it’s nice to have a lot of interesting soup recipes is that it is the end of Baseball Season, just about World Series time, as well as Big Ten Football and Basketball Seasons, requiring make-ahead meal options so if the games are over the dinner-hour, one doesn’t have to stop to prepare a meal. Absolutely delicious, warming, and flavorful…can’t say anything negative about anything here. Definitely I would make this again. 

       To see what others in the group made this week, click here, for the Cook the Book Fridays link. We don't publish recipes from the book here in deference to the author, but the author has been generous and  you can find many of them online.