Cook's Illustrated Baked Ziti

I've tried several recipes similar to this, and I believe the Cook's people got it right, again. Perfect Baked Ziti. If you haven't read the article, here it is.

"...Most versions seem like they went directly from the pantry into the oven, calling for little more than cooked pasta, jarred tomato sauce, a container of ricotta, and some preshredded cheese. The results—overcooked ziti in a dull, grainy sauce topped with a rubbery mass of mozzarella—more than earn the dish its reputation as mediocre church-supper fare."

YIKES. (My commentary)

The Goal
To make this dish the way it’s meant to be—with perfectly al dente pasta, a rich and flavorful sauce, and melted cheese in every bite.

The Solution
We didn’t want to spend all day hovering over a pot of stewing tomatoes, so we needed a sauce that was big on flavor and light on prep. Most “quick” tomato sauces call for sweating garlic in olive oil before adding some type of tomato product. Whole canned tomatoes and crushed tomatoes both had good flavor but took time to cook down. To speed things up, we added a can of diced tomatoes. Next, fresh basil added rich, aromatic savor, but more herbs were essential. In the test kitchen, we usually opt for fresh herbs, but for convenience and without sacrificing flavor, we chose dried oregano. Just when the tomato sauce seemed perfect, we added ricotta, and a familiar problem reared its head: Rather than baking up creamy and rich, the ricotta was grainy and dulled the sauce. A different dairy product was clearly in order.

First we tried cottage cheese, and, to our surprise, it was a success. Its pillowy curds have a texture similar to ricotta, but creamier and tangier. And since cottage cheese curds are bigger, they bake up with none of ricotta’s graininess. For our next batch, we boosted the flavor by combining the cottage cheese with eggs, Parmesan, and heavy cream thickened with a bit of cornstarch. Adding this milky, tangy mixture to the tomato sauce produced a sauce that was bright, rich, and creamy—all at the same time.

As for the pasta, most recipes cook the ziti in boiling water until al dente before tossing it with the sauce and baking. But pasta continues to absorb sauce as it bakes, with two drawbacks: overcooked pasta and sauce that has been robbed of moisture. We found that cooking the pasta for about half the cooking time that most recipes call for and with nearly twice the amount of sauce yielded perfectly al dente pasta in the baked dish with plenty of sauce left to keep the whole thing moist.

The remaining question was how to deal with the cheese. Grated cheese congeals into a mass that makes the dish unappetizing and difficult to portion. Instead of shredding the mozzarella, we cut it into small cubes—reasoning that they would melt into distinct but delectable little pockets of cheese—and mixed half of the cheese with the sauce just before adding it to the pasta, then sprinkled the rest over the top. This strategy yielded a hot, bubbly success. The cubes on top remained perfectly distributed, and the casserole below was dotted with gooey bits of cheese."

Me again. Absolutely delish. I loved it. Grant loved it. The boys loved it. Hardly any leftovers. That pretty much says it all.

Cook's Illustrated Baked Ziti

Note: The test kitchen prefers baked ziti made with heavy cream, but whole milk can be substituted by increasing the amount of cornstarch to 2 teaspoons and increasing the cooking time in step 3 by 1 to 2 minutes. Our preferred brand of mozzarella is Dragone Whole Milk Mozzarella. Part-skim mozzarella can also be used, but avoid preshredded cheese, as it does not melt well.

1 pound whole milk cottage cheese or 1 percent cottage cheese
2 large eggs , lightly beaten
3 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 1/2 cups)
Table salt
1 pound ziti or other short, tubular pasta
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
5 medium garlic cloves , minced
1 (28-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon sugar
Ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon cornstarch
1 cup heavy cream
8 ounces low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella cheese , cut into 1/4-inch pieces (about 1 1/2 cups)

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk cottage cheese, eggs, and 1 cup Parmesan together in medium bowl; set aside. Bring 4 quarts of water to boil in large Dutch oven over high heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon salt and pasta; cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta begins to soften but is not yet cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain pasta and leave in colander (do not wash Dutch oven).

2. Meanwhile, heat oil and garlic in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until garlic is fragrant but not brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and oregano; simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Off heat, stir in ½ cup basil and sugar, then season with salt and pepper.

3. Stir cornstarch into heavy cream in small bowl; transfer mixture to now-empty Dutch oven set over medium heat. Bring to simmer and cook until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove pot from heat and add cottage cheese mixture, 1 cup tomato sauce, and ¾ cup mozzarella, then stir to combine. Add pasta and stir to coat thoroughly with sauce.

4. Transfer pasta mixture to 13- by 9-inch baking dish and spread remaining tomato sauce evenly over pasta. Sprinkle remaining ¾ cup mozzarella and remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan over top. Cover baking dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

5. Remove foil and continue to cook until cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown, about 30 minutes longer. Cool for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons basil and serve.

Tips:

- Use fresh grated Parmesan.

-I used the fresh mozzarella from Costco, sold in the two pack. About 2 cups total.

-I used regular, not heavy cream.

-Not a huge garlic fan, so I only used about 1 clove.

Williams Sonoma Triple Chocolate Brownies

I know, you are probably thinking- really ANOTHER brownie recipe? I thought I'd share this one with you because it's such a great recipe for mailing to a loved one (service men and women, missionaries, students, etc). If you have ever tried to mail cookies (especially out of the country), no matter what you do, they never seem to make it all in one piece. Or if they do, they are just not quite as good as when they're first made. I sent these to Brookie when she was in China, and she could not believe how fresh they were upon arrival 10 days after they were sent from the US of A. Here's the skinny...

These are super chocolaty, dense brownies. Follow the recipe and do not over bake. This is the first key to keeping the treat fresh tasting. Make sure to line the pan with foil and grease the foil before spooning batter into the pan. When the brownies are out of the oven, let cool, and remove from pan (by lifting foil out of pan) in one piece, cut brownies, and wrap the whole slab in foil and then slide into a gallon sized Ziploc bag.

Squeeze out all of the excess air. Place in freezer, and freeze overnight. When ready to mail, place in package with other items, on bottom of package if possible, with other items stacked on top, so brownies remain flat and in one slab in box. Mail the same day.

What better Valentines gift than a box from home filled with home made brownies?? Seriously, it doesn't get much better than this.

Williams Sonoma Triple Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients:
8 Tbs. (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
1 1/4 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
3 eggs beaten, at room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup cake flour
3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
2/3 cup nuts (optional)

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 325°F. Line an 8 inch square pan with foil, grease foil.

In a saucepan over low heat, combine the butter and unsweetened chocolate. Heat, stirring often, until melted. Remove from heat and stir in sugar and salt. Add the eggs and vanilla and stir. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir until just blended. Do not over mix. Stir in the white and milk chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into the prepared dish and spread evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with a few crumbs attached, about 25-35 minutes. Do not over bake. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely. Cut into squares.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma

Sheri's Greek Pasta Salad

Yum yum. Loved this pasta salad recipe from Sheri. Cook the pasta while chopping the veggies and mixing the dressing. Full of flavor and color. Takes about 1/2 hour tops-start to finish. I know you're gonna love it too.

Sheri's Greek Pasta Salad

salad:

1 lb. small- shell shaped pasta

1 cup diced celery

1 lg can (small or medium) pitted olives, drained well

1 cucumber, seeded and diced

3 green onions, chopped

3 tomatoes seeded and chopped,

or 8 oz grape or cherry tomatoes

1/2 cup grated Parmesan, optional

8-10 oz. crumbled feta (reserve some for topping salad)

dressing:

1 cup prepared Zesty Italian dressing

1 cup mayo

1 tablespoon oregano

Cook pasta according to package directions, taking care to not overcook. Rinse with cold water and drain well.

Add celery, olives, cucumber, green onions, and tomatoes to pasta in large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together dressing, mayo, oregano and pepper. Fold dressing and cheeses into pasta- vegetable mixture. Add tomatoes, folding in gently. Sprinkle reserved feta on top of salad before serving.

Tips:

-I used about 2/3 of the dressing. I think next time I'll cut the mayo to 1/2 cup and try 1 1/4 cup Italian dressing.

-Best to make and let sit for a couple of hours in refridge.

-I used about 1 1/2 lbs pasta total.

-the large can of olives have "6 oz drained weight" label on front of can.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

It's that time again. The Superbowl is just around the corner. Superbowl= supersnacks. Unfortunately, Grant's all time favorite pro football team, the Vikings, lost last night in overtime to the Saints. Looking back, Grant has come a loooong way since we were first married. This is the team he latched onto as a 10 year old. A kid from SLC, UT, loving the Minnesota Vikings? Makes no sense to me. He's stuck with them through good (few and far between), and years and years and years of bad. For years I tried to persuade him to switch teams. Maybe pick a team with a better winning average? Last night he, along with the entire state of Minnesota were let down, again. Oh well. The good news? He is maturing, a bit. In fact he left at halftime with the score tied, to attend a church meeting. He told our boys- "there are more important things in life than football".

Wow. Revelation.

Now, if I could get him to grow out of the bow hunting phase that has lasted 25, umm actually 27 years...

So, the meatballs...This is a basic recipe I spiced up a bit. It's quick and easy and unbelievably better than store bought meatballs.

Oh, frozen meatballs- don't go there.

As my boys like to say - not good for your game.

SWEET & SOUR MEATBALLS

1 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 c. dry bread crumbs
1/4 c. milk
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 tsp. salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 egg


SWEET & SOUR SAUCE:

1 c. packed brown sugar
3 tbsp. cornstarch
2 cans (13 1/4 oz.) pineapple chunks in juice

1 tablespoon fresh grated or minced ginger

1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 green pepper, large dice
1 red pepper, large dice

MEATBALLS:

Mix ingredients, shape into 20 (1 1/2 inch) balls. Cook in ungreased 9x13 pan in 400 degree oven until light brown, 20 to 25 minutes.

SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE:

Cook meatballs as directed above; remove from cookie sheet, set aside.

Mix brown sugar and cornstarch in saucepan. Stir in juice from pineapple, ginger and dry mustard. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly; reduce heat. Add meatballs and pineapple. Cover, simmer, stirring occasionally, 5-10 minutes. Stir in green and red pepper. Cover; simmer until crisp-tender, 5 minutes. Keep warm in chafing dish or crock-pot.

Make approximately 24-28 (about 1 1/2 ") size meatballs.

Tips:

-I wait to add the peppers until just before serving. It helps keep the veggie colors bright.

-These are great served over rice for dinner.

Dad's Favorite Navy Bean Soup

Do you ever feel totally guilty about throwing out the bone that is in the middle of your Honeybaked Ham after the holidays? I do. Not surprising, since Guilt is my middle name. My mom always made Navy Bean Soup after Christmas and/or Easter with the leftover ham and of course, the bone. She made bean soup with her trusty pressure cooker. I remember watching that thing heat up, and was so afraid of the top popping off and exploding all over the kitchen. No idea where this fear came from...anyway, I make it on the stove in one of my stockpots. It's not quick, but really simple and inexpensive. If you are into food storage, and wondering (like me) what in the heck to do with all of those dried white beans, this is your chance to use up a few.

This was one of my dad's favorite foods- it's filling, and served with cornbread, feels like a meal. If you don't have a ham bone, (this sounds like an old Country Western song, doesn't it?) you can just chop up some ham and call it good.

Navy Bean Soup

adapted from Food Network

1 pound navy beans, picked over, rinsed and drained
10 sprigs parsley
2 sprigs fresh thyme or rosemary
1 bay leaf
2 large smoked ham hocks, about 1 1/2 pounds (or leftover ham bones)
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, coarsely chopped
4 cups cold water

4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups carrot, coarsely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper at least 1 teaspoon of each


Place the beans in a large saucepan and cover with cold water by about 2 inches (about 10-12 cups water). Bring to a boil and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes; remove from the heat, cover, and let sit for one hour. Drain. Tie the parsley, thyme, and bay leaf together with kitchen twine.

In a large soup pot or Dutch oven combine the beans, herb bundle, hocks, onions, and garlic with the 4 cups water and 4 cups broth. Bring to a boil, cover, and adjust the heat so the soup cooks at a gentle simmer. Cook until the beans and hock are completely tender, about 1-1/2 hours.

Turn off the heat and remove the hocks. Cool slightly. Remove the meat from the hocks, discarding the bones, fat, and skin. Cut the meat into small cubes. Remove the herb bundle and discard.

Puree about 3 cups of the beans with a some of the liquid in a blender, or use immersion blender to blend some of the beans. (For a smoother soup puree all the beans.) Stir the puree and diced meat into the soup. Heat the soup and adjust the seasoning as needed with salt and pepper.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies with Dried Cherries and WINNER!

Wow. Loved reading your hopes for 2010.

The winner of "The Sweet Melissa Baking Book" is Debbie L. who wrote:

"I hope that by the end of 2010 the people in Haiti will be on their way to recovery. It is going to take a long time."

Debbie, send me an email at ABountifulkitchen@gmail.com and I'll send out your book!

It snowed last night. So, I'm feeling a - stay at home and bake week, with the rain/snow forecast for every day this week. With the kids home today, it's the perfect day to make some yummy hot-from-the-oven cookies. I tried these a few weeks ago and loved them. I know, you are thinking- really, what a surprise.

This is what makes the cookie so yummy. Big, soft chunks of tart & sweet fruit with chocolate.

I'm not a fan of chocolate covered cherries. You know those icky gooey cordials. SICK. I'll save the rant. But I do love a good chocolate-fruit combo in a dessert. Anyway, these cookies are delicious. If you know a chocolate-cherry lover, bake up a batch and share.

Chocolate-Chip Oatmeal Cookies with Dried Cherries

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 1/2-1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups dried tart cherries (6 ounces)
1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Position 1 rack in bottom third and 1 rack in top third of oven; preheat to 375°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Blend first 4 ingredients in processor 30 seconds. Add eggs; process to blend. Add next 4 ingredients. Using on/off turns, process until oats are coarsely chopped and mixture is blended. Transfer to large bowl. Mix in cherries and chocolate chips.
Spoon batter by rounded tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart (cookies will spread). Bake until tops of cookies are golden brown, rotating baking sheets after 6 minutes, about 12 minutes total. Transfer cookies to rack; let cool. Repeat with remaining batter.

Tips:

-I used a Kitchen Aide mixer, and creamed the butter and sugars, added the eggs and vanilla, then all of the dry ingredients at once, until just blended. Mixed in the fruit and chocolate after adding the dry ingredients.

-Dried Montmorency cherries can be purchased at Costco. Found with the other dried fruits- the brand- Stoneridge Orchards. So good for snacking too. Especially if eaten with some chunks of dark chocolate.

-I used about 1 3/4 cups flour.

-The original recipe did not suggest, but I refrigerated the dough for about 1 hour.

-If you have a convection oven, bake at 375, you will not need to rotate the pans on different levels of the oven. Bake for about 7 minutes total at 375 convection setting.

Black Bottom Brownies and GIVEAWAY

First. If you love cream cheese brownies and have a New Years resolution to stay away from really sinful desserts, exit this page. Now.

If not, and you want to enter A Bountiful Kitchen's first giveaway of the year, stick around.

I dropped a plate of these brownies off to a darling group of 16-18 year old girls this week. The feedback - well, let's just say, the plate came back empty. This recipe came from the "Sweet Melissa Baking book". Everything I have tried out of this book has been a winner. The last recipe I made and loved: Butterscotch Cashew Bars. Melissa Murphy is the owner/chef of the Sweet Melissa Patisseries in Brooklyn, NY.

Black Bottom Brownies are not for lily livered chocolate/cream cheese lovers. This is quite possibly the most dense cream cheese brownie I have ever eaten. Since I am not a huge cream cheese dessert fan, I always like to top anything cream cheese with frosting. So here is the run down: thick, dense brownie layer (includes 6 eggs and 1/2 lb butter), topped with a pound of cream cheese, 6 MORE eggs (yes, 12 eggs total), and two cups of chocolate chips. Add a layer of chocolate frosting.

Hello. Bring on the Lipator.

Giveaway time! Leave a comment. Tell us: What is your hope for 2010?

One entry per person. Three entries if you become a follower or if you are already a follower. Wow, finally a reward for being a follower! Don't worry I won't tell your mother. Please place the entries separately. The Random Counter will choose a winner at the end of the day on Saturday, January 16th.

Oh - the prize? Your very own copy of "The Sweet Melissa Baking Book".

Good Luck!

Black Bottom Brownies

adapted from The Sweet Melissa Baking Book by Melissa Murphy

For the brownie bottom:
5 ounces unsweetened chocolate
½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
4 large eggs plus 2 large egg yolks
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla

Cheesecake layer:

1 pound (two 8-ounce packages) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 ½ cups sugar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
6 large eggs
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Position a rack in the lower third of your oven. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Lightly butter a 9×13-inch pan. Line the pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

Brownies:

In the top of a double boiler over simmering, not boiling water, melt the chocolate and the butter, stirring to combine. Set aside to cool to warm. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Pour the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and combine with a whisk. Add the flour mixture to the chocolate/egg mixture and stir until just combined. Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan, and spread evenly.

Cheesecake layer:

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together cream cheese, sugar, and the salt until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs, mix well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Stir in vanilla. In separate bowl, toss chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon flour. Fold chocolate chips into cream cheese mixture.

Pour the cheesecake mixture over the brownie layer. Bake for about 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until lightly golden. The brownie layer will be set, but will still stick to a knife when inserted into center of brownies. Do not over bake. Remove to a wire rack to cool. Cool completely. (If you want to speed up this process, place in freezer for about 1/2 to 1 hour after cooled a while on the counter.

Chocolate Frosting:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3-4 cups powdered sugar

dash salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup milk

Cream butter, add cocoa and powdered sugar. Add salt and vanilla. Beat until smooth, adding milk until desired consistency. Add more powdered sugar if too thin, a little more milk if too thick. Spread on top of brownies when completely cooled.

Top with chocolate frosting if desired. May be served cold or at room temperature.

Tips:

-This recipe makes a full 9x13 pan. It is hard to see in the pics, but the brownies raise to almost the top of the pan.

-The recipe says to cut the brownies into 12 pieces. hmmm. You would have to be a complete GLUTTON to want to eat 1/12th of this pan of brownies by yourself.

I think about 20-24 brownies per pan.

Streusel Coffee Cake

My mother's one and only cookbook growing up was the BH&G red checked cookbook. That book had a special spot above the stove in our kitchen cupboard for years. I think this recipe was one of the first (besides lasagna) I attempted as a young girl. Here's the great thing about this recipe. If I was a betting woman- ( I mean real Vegas betting, which I'm not, which is really surprising, because my dad loved gambling, and my mom loves, I mean LOVES slot machines, which btw, I loved one time, on one day back in 1989, when I put a dollar coin into a slot machine on a cruise ship and won $100. I took my winnings and walked away, bought an outfit. Grant couldn't believe it. He said - "Seriously, you are just going to walk away?" Well, yes, I won something, isn't that what you are suppose to do?? ) oh- anyway, odds are :) you have everything in your kitchen right now to make this yummy coffee cake. The term for this is a "no shop recipe". Did you know that? I didn't. It simply means you already have everything in your kitchen/pantry to make this. It's simple, easy on the budget and yummy. Perfect to take to a neighbor or friend who could use a treat. Still love it to this day.

I bet you and your family will love this too. Happy Monday!

Streusel Coffee Cake

adapted from BH&G Cookbook

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup oil (vegetable)

Streusel topping ingredients:

4 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

4 tablespoons butter

1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

if not using nuts, add 1/2 cup flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the first 4 cake ingredients in a bowl. Make a well in the center, and add the wet ingredients. Mix just until all ingredients are incorporated. Pour into a greased 8 or 9 inch cake pan (round or square).

Place brown sugar, flour and cinnamon for streusel into a small bowl. Cut butter into dry ingredients. Add chopped nuts, or more flour if omitting nuts. Crumble topping over batter .

Bake at 350 for about 30-40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve warm.

Classic French Onion Soup

French onion soup. How many people say it's their all time favorite soup? Creating an outstanding French onion soup experience (in my opinion) includes: home made broth; deep, dark caramelized yellow onions; good quality baguette (preferably stale); and the best Gruyere cheese you can buy.

Now, I know you are going to look at this recipe and say, Sheesh, have you ever heard of Campbell's ?? YES, my pantry is stocked with it. For the kids, or a quick lunch, it has it's place. Let's face it. Using canned soup won't produce the same rich flavor you'll get if you make the broth yourself. If you want to indulge yourself, or someone you love :) invest a little time and make this special soup. Nummy.

This recipe is adapted from Fine Cooking Magazine and Anne Willan, renown French chef, cookbook author and founder of La Varenne Cooking School.

Roasted Beef Broth

best if you make this the day (or two before serving)

5 lb. meaty beef or veal bones, such as shanks, knuckles, and ribs
2 medium carrots, cut into big chunks
2 medium yellow onions, quartered
1 bouquet garni (1 sprig fresh thyme, 1 bay leaf, and 4 parsley stems, tied with twine)
1 Tbs. black peppercorns
1 Tbs. tomato paste

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 450°F.

Put the bones, chopped carrot and onion on a large rimmed baking sheet and roast until brown, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

With a slotted spoon or tongs, transfer the roasted bones and vegetables to a stockpot, leaving any rendered fat in the pan. Add the bouquet garni, peppercorns, tomato paste, and 5 to 7 quarts cold water (enough to cover the bones and vegetables by a couple of inches) to the pot. Bring to a boil slowly over medium heat, reduce the heat to medium low or low, and simmer, uncovered, skimming the surface occasionally with a slotted spoon until the broth is flavorful and reduced enough to just barely cover the bones and vegetables, 4 to 5 hours.
Strain the broth into a large bowl, cover, and chill. Skim off all fat before using.

make ahead tips:
The broth can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.

French Onion Soup

2 oz. (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, more for the baking sheet
5-6 medium-large yellow onions (about 2 lb.), thinly sliced (8 cups)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. granulated sugar
1 small baguette (1/2 lb.), cut into 1/2-inch slices
2 quarts Roasted Beef Broth (recipe above) or canned beef broth :(
1 bay leaf
2-3 cups grated Gruyere

Melt the butter in a 4-quart pot over medium heat. Stir in the onions and season with 2 tsp. salt and about 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper. Press a piece of foil onto the onions to cover them completely, cover the pot with a lid, and cook, stirring occasionally (you will have to lift the foil), until the onions are very soft but not falling apart, 40 to 50 minutes. Remove the lid and foil, raise the heat to medium high, and stir in the sugar. Cook, stirring often, until very deeply browned, another 10 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, to make the croûtes (baguette toasts), position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 375°F. Butter a rimmed baking sheet and arrange the baguette slices on the sheet in a single layer. Bake until the bread is crisp and lightly browned, turning once, 20 minutes total. Set aside.

Add the broth and bay leaf to the caramelized onions and bring the soup to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 10 minutes to blend the flavors. Discard the bay leaf and season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep broth hot.

To serve, position a rack 6 inches from the broiler and heat the broiler to high. Put 6 to 8 broiler proof soup bowls or crocks on a baking sheet. Put 2 or 3 croûtes in each bowl and ladle the hot soup on top. Sprinkle with the cheese and broil until the top is browned and bubbly, 2 to 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

Tips:

-I added about 3-4 teaspoons of salt, total.

-This is not a difficult recipe, just time consuming. If you break it into steps, it is simple:

1. Brown the bones and veggies.

2. Cook the broth.

3. Refrigerate the broth and skim the fat.

4. Caramelize the onions.

5. Make the croutes.

6. Put the soup together, broil and serve.

Short Ribs Provencale with Creme Fraiche Mashed Potatoes

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas/Hanukah/holiday celebration!

Someone asked me the other day if I cook anything special for New Years Day. No, I don't. But if I did, it would probably be something really, really yummy, special, but a dish that doesn't require a lot of preparation. I love a lazy New Years Day. Love this recipe. It's absolutely delish. One of my all time favorites. Found it a few years back and have made it several times. One year I prepared it for my Recipe Club group. When I brought it to the table, they applauded! Wow. That was a first. You have to know this group of ladies. They LOVE food. And appreciate good food when they see/taste it. Which brings me to my next story.
People often comment about how lucky my family is, are, whatever. Ahem. Well. This story illustrates how you can't be a celeb in your own kitchen. The week after I made this dish for Recipe Club, I made it for my family. The dialogue went something like this:

Me: "What do you think??"
Family: "Tastes like roast beef and mashed potatoes."
Me: "THIS WAS THE BON APPETIT DISH OF THE YEAR."
Family: blank stare

Short Ribs Provencale with Creme Fraiche Mashed Potatoes

2 tablespoons (or more) olive oil
6 pounds meaty beef short ribs
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 medium carrots, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
3 whole garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 tablespoon dried herbes de Provence*
2 cups red Zinfandel ( I used red or burgundy cooking wine, sold in the grocery near the vinegars and reduced the amount to 1 1/2 cups)
2 1/2 cups canned beef broth
14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice, or 2 cups fresh tomatoes with

about 3/4 cup water added
1 bay leaf
3/4 cup water
24 baby carrots, peeled
1/2 cup Niçois olives,** pitted, optional
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 325°F.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Sprinkle ribs with salt and pepper. Working in batches, add ribs to pot and brown well, turning often, about 8 minutes per batch. Using tongs, transfer ribs to large bowl.
Pour off all but 2 tablespoons drippings from pot or add oil as necessary to measure 2 tablespoons. Add onion, chopped carrot, and celery and cook over medium-low heat until vegetables are soft, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, flour, and herbes de Provence; stir 1 minute. Add wine and 2 cups broth; bring to boil over high heat, scraping up browned bits. Add tomatoes with juices and bay leaf. Return ribs and any accumulated juices to pot. Add carrots. If necessary, add enough water to pot to barely cover ribs and vegetables. Bring to boil.
Cover pot tightly and transfer to oven. Bake until ribs are very tender, about 2 hours 15 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly, then refrigerate uncovered until cold. Cover and keep refrigerated. Bring to simmer before continuing.)
Add remaining 1/2 cup broth, and Niçois olives (if using) to pot. Cover, return to oven and continue cooking at 350°F about 15 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Transfer short ribs and vegetables to platter. Tent with foil to keep warm. If necessary, boil sauce to thicken slightly. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over short ribs. Sprinkle with parsley.
* A dried herb mixture available at specialty foods stores and in the spice section of some markets. A mix of dried thyme, basil, savory, and fennel seeds can be substituted.
** Small brine-cured black olives; available at Italian markets, specialty foods stores, and some supermarkets.

CREME FRAICHE MASHED POTATOES
3 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, quartered
2/3 cup creme fraische or sour cream
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 25 minutes. Drain. Return potatoes to pot. Add crème fraîche and butter; mash until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. (Potatoes can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Rewarm over low heat, stirring frequently.)

Adapted from Bon Appétit

Tips:

-If you happen to make this in summer months, and have fresh tomatoes on hand (I like Romas), half the tomatoes, and roast them in the oven for about an hour at about 300 degrees. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside. When plating the dish, Spoon mashed potatoes onto a large platter, then place roasted tomatoes, cut side down, on top (scattered over the potatoes). Spoon short ribs and remaining vegetables with some of the juice onto the mashed potatoes.

Rocky Road Fudge

A long, long time ago, I crowned myself the Queen of Botching Candy.

Grant's Grandmother Martin made caramel every year. It was so delicious. Back in the old days :) on the eve of Thanksgiving, we headed up to Pocatello,ID and stay at Grandma's house. She always had dinner ready for us when we arrived. After dinner we watched a little TV with her husband Bertil, and then went to bed early, because there wasn't much to do in Pocatello on a Wednesday night. Grandma would get up early, get the turkey in the oven and start preparing breakfast for us. It was always biscuits, ham, and what my kids to this day call "Grandma Martin Eggs". She placed the eggs in a pan with butter, fried them just until they started to set up, then pour water around the eggs and place a lid on top, and steam the egg for about a minute. Kind of a fake poaching? Still a fave in our home. Oh - and always some of her home made chokecherry jam to go with the biscuits. So yummy. Grant said the big dinner the night before and the big breakfast were necessities in order to prepare and stretch our stomachs for the feast on Thurs afternoon. Um, he would know, since his family did this for all of their growing up years. I always thought it was better to eat LESS before a big meal, so you would actually be hungry when the big meal was served? Anyway. Thanksgiving dinner was served no later than 1 PM. We would eat, then usually get packed up for the drive back home with lots of leftovers and always some yummy home made caramels.

One year, I asked Grandma for the recipe, and she obliged. Two handwritten 3x5 recipe cards letter, I had the treasured recipe in hand. It's really quite simple she said. And here are the key words "It just takes some time, and you have to be patient." Well, that should have been my first clue that this recipe and I were never going to make a connection.

One day before Christmas, I gathered all of the ingredients, and started cooking in our little turquoise kitchen. When I read the recipe it said, "Cook until candy forms a HARD BALL. "Well, how in the world (at 20 years old) was I suppose to know that didn't mean literally a HARD BALL would form in the pan?? I have a funny picture Grant took of me, holding up a SHEET of caramel. Over the course of maybe a dozen (or more) tries, I finally gave up on making caramels. It's V chocolate for me if I want yummy caramel -They make the most delish caramels ever. I know these things, trust me.

So, the point? I am not a candy maker. I think Grandma Martin was right, you have to be patient, which I am not. The planets have to be aligned just right when you make candy. The temp and humidity just right. The thermometer has to work. You have to have a thermometer. Yes, you do. And you have to be patient. Did I already mention that?

I asked the beautiful and talented Amy Morrison to make some treats for a teacher lunch the other day at our high school. She came with this big platter of Rocky Road candy. When I asked her for the recipe, she laughed and said it was the easiest treat to make. She was right. Finally a candy I could conquer! Three ingredients. No cooking. No thermometer. Hooray. Ten minutes, and it's setting up.

I love that Grandma Martin went to all of the work to make those caramels, prepare a Thanksgiving feast and perform countless other labors of love for us year after year. She passed away a few years back, and I still remember those holidays with her and the love she put into cooking for her family. Her birthday is coming up this week, on the 25th . Grant's dad always said it was fitting that she shared a birthday with the Savior.

I think he was right.

Amy's Rocky Road Fudge

1 lb dipping chocolate

1 bag large marshmallows, cut in half

2 cups walnuts or pecans, roughly chopped

butter for greasing pan

Generously butter bottom and sides of a 9 x 9 or 9 x 13 pan.

Cut or tear marshmallows in half and place in large bowl. Melt dipping chocolate in bowl in microwave or double boiler, taking care to not overheat. Mix with spoon until all chocolate is melted and smooth. Set aside. Place nuts in large bowl with marshmallows. Pour chocolate over marshmallow and nuts. Mix gently. Pour ingredients into greased pan. Place in refrigerator for quick set. Remove from refrigerator and cut into large chunks.

Tips:

-Amy just mixes this in the pan, instead of using a bowl. I like the bowl method, because I was able to mix the ingredients a little easier.

-I use Mrs. Cavanaugh's chocolate, a local company located in Bountiful, Utah. They sell 1 lb. bags of dipping chocolate in dark, light and white.

Sweet Fresh Cranberry Salsa

I love sweet-spicy salsa. Sara brought some of this over the other night, and it was love at first bite. This recipe came from Sara's friend, Joy, who just released a cookbook called "Bliss" (order it here). The salsa takes 5 minutes to make, and about 2-4 hours in the fridge to let the flavors mix together. Perfect for a holiday partay. Yummy.

Sweet Fresh Cranberry Salsa

1 bag fresh cranberries, washed
1 handful cilantro
1-3 serrano or *jalapeno pepper
1/2 chopped red onion
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon grated lime peel
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoons lime juice

Wash and remove seeds from jalapeno, using food handlers gloves, or plastic sack. In a food processor, place cranberries. cilantro, pepper, garlic and red onion.
Stir in sugar, salt and lime juice. Cover and refrigerate for 2-4 hour to allow flavors to mix. If serving over cream cheese, drain excess juice before using. Serve with tortilla chips.

Tips:
-*I used one jalapeno, but more could be used if you like your salsa hot.