How to Cook Rice

 

Ever have your rice be too sticky or too dry or my personal favorite – Burnt on the bottom.  Well this might sound simple, but it also might help you.

riceSay good-bye to sticky rice, undercooked rice, or dry, overcooked rice: With the right technique—this video shows how easy it is—cooking rice perfectly is a snap.

What You Need

  • measuring cup, water, saucepan with lid, salt, rice, wooden spoon, fork

Follow These Steps

  1. Boil water and add salt
    Pour water (for every cup of rice, use 1¾ cups of water) into a large saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Bring to a boil. Mix 1 teaspoon salt into the water.
  2. Pour in rice
    Add it to the boiling water.
  3. Stir once, or just enough to separate the rice
    Use a wooden spoon to separate any clumps. Don’t over-stir: That can cause the rice to become sticky.
  4. Cover the pot and simmer
    Be sure the lid fits tightly on the pot. Turn down the heat to its lowest setting. Let rice simmer for about 18 minutes, then remove from heat and allow the rice to steam in the pot for another 5 minutes.
  5. Fluff rice with a fork
    Just before serving, gently fluff the rice with a fork to separate the grains.

    Tip: Don’t uncover the saucepan or stir the rice during cooking. If it’s done before you’re ready to serve it, place a folded towel over the saucepan, replace the lid, and set aside. The towel will absorb excess moisture and condensation, helping prevent overcooked and mushy rice.

How to Cook Rice

Ever had a Rafanata?

The Italian Omelet/Frittata you didn’t know you needed.

rafanata

If you haven’t heard of rafanata yet, listen up. A kind of omelet-frittata hybrid, this fluffy disk of horseradish, potato, and cheese bound with beaten egg is exactly what you’ve been missing all your life. OK, so it’s what I’ve been missing all my life, but I bet you’re at least interested. Its name comes from the Italian “rafano,” meaning horseradish, and the flavor is wonderful. Oodles more exciting than a Plain-Jane quiche, whip out a rafanata when you’re in the mood for a savory, eggy breakfast.

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil, then toss in 2 peeled Russet potatoes. Cook the potatoes for 10 minutes, then fish them out of the water and turn off the heat. Let the potatoes cool a bit, then move them to a cutting board. Slice the potatoes very thinly (think less than ¼-inch)

Heat a large skillet with plenty of olive oil over medium high heat. Fry the potato slices until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Depending on how large your pan is, you may need to fry the potatoes in shifts. When the potatoes are golden brown, turn them out onto a plate lined with paper towels. Wipe out the skillet and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat 6 eggs with ½ cup water, ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, and 2 tablespoons jarred horseradish. Season the mixture with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and black pepper. Drop the fried potato slices into the egg mixture and stir until fully incorporated.

Heat 2 tablespoons more olive oil in the skillet over medium, then pour in the egg and potato mixture. Let the mixture cook for at least 5 minutes before checking underneath to make sure it’s cooking. Now, with confidence, flip the rafanata out onto a plate so the cooked side is exposed (the best way to do this is to place a large dinner plate over the pan, then flip the pan, catching the rafanata). Slide the rafanata back into the pan, cooked side up, and cook for another 3-5 minutes.

Slide the rafanata out onto a serving plate and slice into wedges. Serve with sour cream, mustard, or solo.

Ever had a Rafanata?

Another Day of cooking….

Kohlrabi:Apple:Hazelnut Salad

There is a new farm near Kingston that delivers a box of home grown veggies to your home.  I thought I would give it a try and am so glad I did.  Lots of wonderful surprises.  One that I had never cooked or eaten before was Kohlrabi.

kohlrabi

One big and beautiful green one was part of my bounty!  Luckily it came with a wide variety of apples as the first recipe I found was Shaved Kohlrabi with Apples and Hazelnuts.  I had apples in my box and hazelnuts in my freezer so made the following salad for dinner tonight.  It was excellent.  I might even buy Kohlrabi again. I think you might like this!

Shaved Kohlrabi with Apples and Hazelnuts.

INGREDIENTS

  • ½ cup blanched hazelnuts
  • 2 medium kohlrabi (about 2 lb. total), peeled, thinly sliced on a mandoline
  • 1 tart apple (such as Pink Lady or Crispin), peeled, cored, thinly sliced on a mandoline
  • ½ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar or white balsamic vinegar
  • Kosher salt
  • ½ cup torn fresh mint leaves, plus more for serving
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 oz. Pecorino di Fossa or Parmesan, shaved (about ¼ cup)

RECIPE PREPARATION

  • Preheat oven to 350°. Toast hazelnuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing occasionally, until golden brown, 10–12 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop.

  • Toss kohlrabi, apple, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vinegar in a medium bowl; season with salt. Add ½ cup mint and gently toss to just combine.

  • Toss toasted hazelnuts and oil in a small bowl to coat; season with salt.

  • Divide kohlrabi salad among plates and top with seasoned hazelnuts, Pecorino, and more mint.

  • DO AHEAD: Hazelnuts can be toasted 1 day ahead; store airtight at room temperature.Chicken Piccata

    Chicken Piccata (for 2) for two giants…. from Cook’s Illustrated

    For this recipe, we used our easy approach to butchering and cooking chicken cutlets. First, we cut each chicken breast in half crosswise. Then, we halved the thicker portion horizontally to make three similar-size pieces that required only minimal pounding to become cutlets. We salted the cutlets briefly to boost their ability to retain moisture and then lightly coated them in flour, which helped with browning. We seared the cutlets quickly on both sides and set them aside while making the sauce. Including both lemon juice and lemon slices in the sauce adds complexity and textural appeal. We then returned the cutlets to the pan to cook through and to wash any excess starch into the sauce, eliminating a gummy coating. A hearty amount of briny capers and a few tablespoons of butter finished the dish.

    INGREDIENTS

    2 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
    Kosher salt and pepper
    1 large lemon
    ½ cup all-purpose flour
    2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
    1 small shallot, minced
    ½ teaspoon minced garlic
    ½ cup chicken broth
    1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces
    1 tablespoon capers, drained
    1 ½ teaspoons minced fresh parsley

    INSTRUCTIONS

    SERVES 2

    Serve with buttered pasta, white rice, potatoes, or crusty bread and a simple steamed vegetable.

    1. Cut each chicken breast in half crosswise, then cut thick half in half again horizontally, creating 3 cutlets of similar thickness. Place cutlets between sheets of plastic wrap and gently pound to even ½-inch thickness. Place cutlets in bowl and toss with 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Set aside for 15 minutes.

    2. Halve lemon lengthwise. Trim ends from 1  half, halve lengthwise again, then slice crosswise ¼ inch thick; set aside. Juice remaining half and set aside 1½ tablespoons juice.

    3. Spread flour in shallow dish. Working with 1 cutlet at a time, dredge cutlets in flour, shaking gently to remove excess. Place on wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until smoking. Place cutlets in skillet, reduce heat to medium, and cook until golden brown on 1 side, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook until golden brown on second side, 2 to 3 minutes. Return cutlets to wire rack.

    4. Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil and shallot to skillet and cook until softened, 30 seconds. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add broth, reserved lemon juice, and reserved lemon slices and bring to simmer, scraping up any browned bits.

    5. Add cutlets to sauce and simmer for 4 minutes, flipping halfway through simmering. Transfer cutlets to platter. Sauce should be thickened to consistency of heavy cream; if not, simmer 1 minute longer. Off heat, whisk in butter. Stir in capers and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon sauce over chicken and serve

Another Day of cooking….

Perfect Pasta

Must be the weather….  Rain – Rain – and more – Rain.  I found an article by Claire Saffitz in the recent edition of Bon Appetit and could not find it online, so scanned it (thus a tad crooked) and share it here.  I think it makes some good points.  
Carbonara

At restaurants, those noodles get coated in a silky, glossy sauce—the secret is an emulsion of fat, pasta water, and cheese.

Here are the 5 key steps to replicating that at home.

There’s something about pasta at a restaurant that just seems different. The sauce clings to each noodle perfectly, as if separation were physically impossible. That alfredo or carbonara is so sublimely smooth that it could never be replicated at home, right? Wrong. Here’s how to make pasta at home that is every bit as saucy and glossy as it is at your neighborhood trattoria. Get out your Dutch oven (or sauce pan or large skillet), and follow these 5 easy steps to at-home pasta perfection.

pasta-dutch-oven-sauce
Nikole Herriott

Photograph by Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott

1. Start in a Dutch Oven

A big one, so you avoid half-cooked pasta caking onto your stovetop, which can happen easily when saucing with a skillet. Higher sides mean the pasta won’t flip out as you’re tossing—and there’s going to be a lot of tossing.

pasta-dutch-oven add-flavors-cheese
Nikole Herriott

Photograph by Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott

2. Build Your Flavors

Pour a few tablespoons of olive oil into the Dutch oven (enough to cover the bottom) and heat over medium. Add some aromatics like garlic or shallots, then cook mushrooms or other veg in the oil until they’re tender.

pasta-sauce-dutch-oven-drop-noodles
Nikole Herriott

Photograph by Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott

3. Drop the Pasta

In a pot of very salty boiling water, cook noodles until they’re several minutes shy of al dente. Transfer them to whatever you’ve got in the Dutch oven, along with a ladleful of pasta water. The noodles should swim, and the liquid should be bubbling.

dutch-oven-pasta-finish-butter-noodles
Nikole Herriott

Photograph by Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott

4. Marry the Noodles and Sauce

Toss, toss, toss as the pasta finishes cooking. Then add a bit more pasta water. Toss some more, then slowly stir in some finely grated hard cheese—Parmesan, Pecorino, Grana Padano—little by little so it melts evenly and completely.

5. Finish It Right

Keep tossing until each strand or shape is coated and no bits of cheese remain. Remove from heat, stir in a spoonful of butter, and top with more cheese and some crispy bits (prosciutto FTW), then serve directly out of the Dutch oven at the table.

Perfect Pasta

What is over-looked in the kitchen?

Here is another article from Dwell.
A panel of experts from Dwell suggested the following and I added a few comments in Italics. 

1. Don’t dismiss the kitchen’s potential as a modern-day parlor.

What's the Most Overlooked Feature When Planning a Kitchen Renovation? - Photo 1 of 17 - Agencie believes that kitchens are modern-day parlor rooms, incorporating stunning visual elements in the design.  A majestic Lacanche range takes center stage in this kitchen.

 Kitchens are modern-day parlor rooms, incorporating stunning visual elements in the design. A majestic range takes center stage in this kitchen. Kitchens are modern parlor rooms. In modern homes, kitchens serve a double function of both cooking and entertaining zones.
 As everyone knows, no matter how small a kitchen happens to be, people always end up hanging out in there during parties.
Historically, the parlor was the room in which the world encountered the private sphere of a family’s home. Colloquially, it was referred to as the “best room.” The family’s best furniture and artwork were displayed in the parlor room.

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2. Don’t skip over the layout.

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The most overlooked thing in kitchen design would be space design/planning. Everyone wants to jump straight to materials without thoroughly vetting the layout—this can be fatal, as you can’t “polish a turd.” No amount of expensive materials can compensate for a lack of planning.

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3. Sniff out hidden opportunities.

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The best kitchen remodels simplify an owner’s life and make efficient use of every available square inch. Sometimes this means considering what is hidden as much as what’s visible. With counter space at a premium, valuable space can be saved by designating an enclosed area to tuck away those space-sucking counter-top appliances and gadgets. It’s a great way to condense kitchen “clutter” into one enclosed space that can be out of sight and out of mind when not in use.

In our kitchen the appliance cabinet hides my food processors.  I do have a popup cabinet for my Kitchenaid mixer, as it was too tall and is too heavy to carry around.  It works great until I put it high and it just about jumps off the pull-up counter.  

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4. Don’t underestimate the power of lighting.

What's the Most Overlooked Feature When Planning a Kitchen Renovation? - Photo 10 of 17 -

 

One of the most overlooked features in kitchen design is efficient, well-designed lighting. Not only is good lighting essential to the function of the kitchen, but it highlights and accentuates the design. Often lighting isn’t on the forefront of the client’s mind when they are thinking about new cabinets and appliances, so it can easily become an afterthought. [The kitchen] is the one room that I think all three types of lighting should be incorporated: ambient, task, and accent lighting.

Undercounter lighting can be added easily to a design. Many of them offer outlets, places for Iphones and Ipads.  We have a TV mounted under the cabinets so I can watch cooking shows while I cook.  Love the Great British Bakeoff. 

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5. Incorporate details that make everyday life easier.

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 The details of the kitchen are so often underestimated during the design phase. A few overlooked features that clients must consider include a coffee station, pot filler, the kitchen’s connection to the [other spaces], skylights, and island outlets

6. Choose meaningful embellishments.

Homeowners tend to focus predominantly on the utilitarian components of their kitchen remodels (cabinets, appliances, plumbing fixtures, countertops) and place less emphasis on decorative elements such as tile, open shelves, visual art pieces. The kitchen is the heart of our homes and the most occupied space. Meaningful embellishments   add beauty and a personalized touch to a kitchen remodel, such as a display of heirloom teacups, framed photography or original art.

What is over-looked in the kitchen?

7 Design Tips For a Chef-Worthy Kitchen

This a great article from Dwell Magazine.

If you have serious culinary chops and take pride in preparing meals that wow your family and friends, keep these tips in mind when designing or renovating your kitchen.

If boiling eggs is not your forte, and you’d much rather eat out than experiment with new recipes, then a basic kitchen may be all you need. But if you’re serious about cooking and love nothing more than spending hours trying out new dishes that’ll impress guests at your next dinner party, then here are some elements to incorporate for a professional-grade kitchen.

1. The Magic Triangle

When planning the layout for your kitchen, refer to the “kitchen work triangle” with the cooking area, sink, and refrigerator at its three points. Though modern kitchens have evolved, and it is sometimes geometrically impossible to abide by this configuration (for example, in a single wall kitchen), the triangle is a good concept to keep in mind when designing to maximize functionality and ease of movement.

What they did not talk about is the new triangle, where the refrigerator is off to the side and a little out of the way.  There needs to be space across from it or beside it to put food when cooking, but it does not absolutely need to be part of the triangle anymore.  I love the cooktop part of my triangle, as I am working there, more than in the refrigerator. (unless I am really hungry)

7 Design Tips For a Chef-Worthy Kitchen - Photo 1 of 7 -

 

2. Two Sinks

Install two sinks so that you can clean fruits and vegetables in one while washing or stacking used pots and pans in the other. Ensure that the sink is deep and the faucets are high, so you don’t have to worry about water splashing onto the countertop as you strain your pasta or wash your dishes.

I have a little different take on this.  My utility room is adjacent to my kitchen, so I added a large stainless sink in there if I need a place for pots and pans.  If I am entertaining, I do not want my guests to see dirty pans in my kitchen, so this works great! 

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3. Plenty of Durable Work Counters

As a home chef, you’ll be engaged in many food preparation tasks, so think about how to maximize counter space. Surface counters made of quartz, laminates, and solid surfaces are good choices for their durability, and antibacterial and anti-staining properties. Such surfaces are ideal for areas where you’ll do the most peeling, chopping, and blending.

Quartz is the new popular countertop and it is great, but if you select a plain one, be prepared to constantly be cleaning it, as it shows every spot.  I love a good granite that hides a little.  

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4. Built-In Appliances

Integrated appliances are your best bet for freeing up space, hiding unsightly electrical cords, and getting a clean, streamlined look. Wherever possible, choose built-in ovens, dishwashers, coffee machines, microwaves, and pullout fridges. This will help free up more counter space and make your kitchen look much more inviting.

I love making my dishwasher and refrigerator look like cabinets.  Now there are drawer refrigerators and freezers.  I hide my microwave and toaster oven in my pantry.  Clean is the new look!  

5. Good Lighting

A bright kitchen is not only healthier for your eyes, it makes preparing food safer and will probably put you in a cheerier mood. Locate your kitchen close to windows or incorporate skylights to increase the amount of natural light it receives. When choosing light fixtures, consider ambient lights, task lights, and accent lights. Use down lights to prevent glare and shadows, strip lighting under cabinets, and wide-rimmed pendant lights above the bar or island counter.

In my last home I had windows under the cabinets that looked out to the garden.  It had a wonderful effect.  We added another window when we remodeled last summer to take full advantage of our water view. 

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6. Ample and Intelligent Storage

Easy and intuitive access to a large pantry, spice racks, pots and pans, utensils, dinnerware, and cutlery can make all the difference when you’re preparing a feast for a large group. Consider storage systems which hold all your kitchen basics neatly and beautifully like a secret armoire.

I personally think that although this is “cool”, there are a lot better use of space, than hanging your utensils and knives.  One knife block on the counter is quite practical. 

7 Design Tips For a Chef-Worthy Kitchen - Photo 6 of 7 - On/Off Monoblock by Boffi

7. Wine Storage Facilities

Good food isn’t complete without great wine, so consider including wine storage facilities.  We love ours and use it every day.  

7 Design Tips For a Chef-Worthy Kitchen - Photo 7 of 7 - Perlick wine cooler

 

7 Design Tips For a Chef-Worthy Kitchen

Luxury Kitchens Sell the Home: Design Trends

 January 21, 2018 by 

Recently some 60,000+ people gathered in Orlando, FL at the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS) hosted by the National Kitchen and Bath Association. It’s where companies that supply the kitchen and bath trade showcase their wares to interior designers, retailers and dealers, architects, builders, and remodelers. KBIS is part of Design and Construction Week with the NAHB International Builders’ Show.

Kitchens take center stage at KBIS and have been a focus of my research over the past year as well. I participated in a series of AuthLux day-long workshops on luxury kitchen and bath design sponsored by ROHL, the kitchen and bath luxury fixtures company, and part of the Fortune Brands family of companies.

An excerpted hour-long version of that full-day event was presented at this year’s KBIS, but I thought to share more insights from an AuthLux Summit panel discussion about designing the luxury kitchen of tomorrow today, hosted by Dallas-based interior designer Denise MaGaha.

The kitchen unlocks the value of a home

The kitchen is now the showpiece of the modern home. “The ultimate design statement of the home starts in the kitchen,” said MaGaha as she introduced the discussion focused on the three essential design elements for the modern kitchen – Cabinetry, Appliances and Water Appliances. “With the trend toward open-floor plans, the kitchen sets the stage for all the other design decisions in the home.”

The kitchen’s importance to the home owner is second to none. In today’s open-floor home designs, the kitchen takes center stage as the place where the family’s lifestyle starts. Kitchens are the most important selling point in home buyers’ decision, according to Realtor.com, and homes listed with “luxury kitchens” sell faster and command a higher selling price than similar-sized homes in the same ZIP code.

It’s no wonder then that interior designers find the greatest demand for their services in remodeling kitchens. Some 80% of home remodeling projects take place in the kitchen, according to the National Association of Home Builder’s Remodeling Market Index survey.

Here are some highlights from the panel discussion:

Upscale cabinets must be as beautiful on the inside as on the outside

Cabinets are the grounding element in the luxury kitchen, as all the other elements are mounted on them or placed within them. What’s more, they set the design style for the kitchen. “Today we see transitional and modern style with strong architectural references increasingly popular,” explained Jason Artus of Rutt HandCrafted Cabinetry, based in Lancaster County, PA.

“That’s also why we find European style frameless-constructed cabinets growing in demand,” Artus said. Frameless cabinets allow for additional storage with wider drawers and pullouts because they do not have a face frame attached to the front of the cabinet box and no center stile coming down in the middle of two cabinet doors. Frameless cabinets give a sleek, simple aesthetic that provide easier access to the items inside.

Another trend Artus sees in luxury cabinet choices is more drawers, instead of hinged door cabinets. “Additional drawers in the kitchen results in more accessible storage and organization, which is a top priority for clients to be sure that each and every kitchen item has its place.” And once those drawers or cabinets are opened, lights need to turn on automatically to guide the way.

And for the luxury home owner, the outside is just as important as the inside when it comes to cabinets. “It is expected that today’s upscale cabinetry look as beautiful on the interior as it does on the exterior,” Artus said, as he points to growing interest within the design community in white oak on cabinet interiors for “those looking for a lighter option to pair with darker exterior finishes.”

Luxury kitchens mean chef-quality appliances

While cabinetry provides the modern kitchen’s form, the appliances provide its function. And today that function is going more high-tech as smart technology is added into the mix. Selecting appliance brands that serve their function in style and are ahead of the curve in innovation is key.

Juanita Galliford, of Thermador, part of BSH Home Appliances Corporation, shared that her company has been at the forefront of kitchen innovation since its founding in 1916. It invented the wall oven and cooktop combination and was the first to introduce stainless steel. And in 1948 it brought the first professional-quality and performance ranges to the home owner, followed by the first self-cleaning oven in the 60s. When it comes to kitchen appliance innovation, she said, “Thermador has led while other brands have followed.”

On the cutting edge of cooking technology today is the steam/convection oven, Galliford explained. “The steam oven is one of the healthiest ways to cook a meal. Traditional ovens pull moisture out of the food as it cooks, while in a steam oven food is cooked in its own juices, enhancing flavor and retaining nutrients,” she said and told how it is also super-fast, allowing a 14 lb. turkey to cook in only 90 minutes.

And in the modern luxury kitchen, the refrigerator has taken on a new role as the “culinary preservation center,” noted Galliford. “Refrigerators are no longer just about preservation. Today’s homeowner wants personalization allowing them to customize the line up of cold storage combinations that give them exactly the cold storage solutions they desire.” So a modular concept in cold storage is required allowing the homeowner to pick fresh food store, freezer and wine storage combinations right for their needs.

From sink and faucet to water appliance

And perhaps the most overlooked, yet most critical function in the kitchen is the faucet and sink, which ROHL has redefined as the water appliance. “The most used appliance in the kitchen is actually the faucet/sink combination,” said Greg Rohl. “A family of four uses their water appliance 20-30 times a day. We encourage designers to think about reallocating budgets towards this most heavily used ‘appliance’ allowing clients to spend more for better quality and more attractive solutions.”

To discover the water appliance faucets, fixtures and fittings that meet 21st century needs in quality, style and function, ROHL canvases the world to find products that meet the luxury homeowners’ needs, like the innovative Pull-Out Kitchen Faucet, which founder Ken Rohl discovered in Europe in 1983 and which became the flagship product for the ROHL brand.

Through close collaborations with its worldwide partners, ROHL finds it critical to maintain authenticity in time-honored material and craft while adapting to modern needs. “We work closely with on-staff engineers and industrial designers to incorporate low-lead material requirements, meet California water-use and flow restrictions and IAPMO and EPA WaterSense criteria without compromise,” Rohl noted.

Designing the luxury kitchen of tomorrow today

Designing the kitchen of tomorrow today requires bringing many separate components provided by a variety of suppliers with unique expertise together into a cohesive kitchen package that combines beauty and function, efficiency and style. “Traditional kitchen configurations with upper and lower cabinets are being replaced by full-on kitchen islands – grounded by larger sinks, faucets and accompanying accessories,” Rohl explained. “Today, and in the future, the multi-function sink/faucet combination will continue to be the mainstay of the kitchen, flanked by the cooking and cold storage appliances, and installed with beautiful, architectural cabinetry that defines the kitchen’s style.”

The kitchen’s place of presence in the home is without doubt. Yet its form and function continues to evolve with technology, product and design innovations. Perhaps Christopher Peacock, a high-end cabinetry designer in Norwalk, CT expressed the evolution of the modern kitchen best: “It’s almost not worth calling it a kitchen anymore—it’s a living room that you can cook in.”

Luxury Kitchens Sell the Home: Design Trends

Gnocchi More

Gnocchi has always been something I would order when we went out to eat all over the world.  I wanted to see what the lightest and most tasty one might be.  I have tried so many different kinds.

Today I made Sweet Potato Gnocchi using Gluten Free Flour.  The recipe was quite simple, even though you had to let the ricotta drain in the refrigerator.  Adding gluten free flour made it almost impossible to blend together.  I finally added two eggs and some regular flour to be able to pull it together and roll it out.

It tasted a little different than plain flour, not better, but different.

IMG_6973

I decided to try a slightly different sauce, so I made a Rosemary Cream Sauce with fresh rosemary from my garden.  Rich and delicious, even though I prefer a slightly more simple sauce. I was able to use the last of the Heavy Cream left over from the Millionaire’s Shortbread.  Next time less cream and simpler with less calories.

Sweet Potato Gnocchi

INGREDIENTS

    • 2 1-pound red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams), rinsed, patted dry, pierced all over with fork
    • 1 12-ounce container fresh ricotta cheese, drained in sieve 2 hours 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces)
    • 2 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar
    • 2 teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons salt
    • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
    • 2 3/4 cups (about) all purpose flour

PREPARATION

    1. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place sweet potatoes on plate; microwave on high until tender, about 5 minutes per side. Cut in half and cool. Scrape sweet potato flesh into medium bowl and mash; transfer 3 cups to large bowl. Add ricotta cheese; blend well. Add Parmesan cheese, brown sugar, 2 teaspoons salt, and nutmeg; mash to blend. Mix in flour, about 1/2 cup at a time, until soft dough forms.
    2. Turn dough out onto floured surface; divide into 6 equal pieces. Rolling between palms and floured work surface, form each piece into 20-inch-long rope (about 1 inch in diameter), sprinkling with flour as needed if sticky. Cut each rope into 20 pieces. Roll each piece over tines of fork to indent. Transfer to baking sheet.
    3. Bring large pot of water to boil; add 2 tablespoons salt and return to boil. Working in batches, boil gnocchi until tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer gnocchi to clean rimmed baking sheet. Cool completely. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)

ROSEMARY CREAM SAUCE

  • 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) butter
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/3 cup fresh grated parmesan, plus more for serving
  • pinch fresh grated nutmeg
  • pinch cayenne pepper
  • kosher salt and pepper

. To make the sauce. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook until it begins to brown, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in the rosemary and then slowly pour in the cream. Whisk in the parmesan, nutmeg, cayenne, and season with salt and pepper. Simmer the sauce for 3-5 minutes, whisking until smooth. Keep warm over low heat.

6. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the gnocchi until they float to the top and are cooked through, about 3-4 minutes. Remove the gnocchi using a slotted spoon or spider strainer and drop it right into the sauce, gently tossing to combine. If the sauce thickens up, add a splash of the gnocchi cooking water to thin it a bit.

7. Divide the gnocchi among bowls. Top with rosemary and parmesan, of desired. EAT!

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After I finished dinner and cleaning up I was browsing on line and found one of the most complete gnocchi sites that I will share here.

How to Make Light and Tender Potato Gnocchi

Gnocchi More

Millionaire’s Shortbread

This is a recipe straight from America’s Test Kitchen.  It has several steps, but the results are “Oh My Gosh” delicious!  I am taking a batch to our local fire department and a batch to a meeting Tuesday morning.  If you put them in a sealed container in the refrigerator they will last up to two weeks.  You really should try to make them!  Next time, I am going to add a little salt to the top, as I think that would be amazing!

msb

Millionaire’s Shortbread

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

Millionaire’s shortbread has a lot going for it: a crunchy shortbread base; a chewy, caramel-like filling; and a shiny, snappy chocolate top. The only thing that could make it better would be foolproof methods for producing all three layers. We started by making a quick shortbread with melted butter rather than pulling out the mixer or food processor. Sweetened condensed milk is important to the flavor of the filling, but it also makes the filling vulnerable to breaking because the whey proteins, crucial to keeping the mixture emulsified, have been damaged by heat both during processing and during the cooking of the filling. We added fresh cream to supply just enough whey to keep it together. Melting the chocolate very carefully so that it never got too hot and stirring in grated chocolate at the end created a smooth, firm top layer, which made a suitably elegant finish for this rich yet refined cookie.

MAKES 40 COOKIES

For a caramel filling with the right texture, monitor the temperature with an instant-read thermometer. We prefer Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Premium Baking Bar for this recipe. Grating a portion of the chocolate is important for getting the chocolate to set properly; the small holes on a box grater work well for this task. Stir often while melting the chocolate and don’t overheat it.

INGREDIENTS

Crust

2 ½ cups (12 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
½ cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
¾ teaspoon salt
16 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup packed (7 ounces) brown sugar
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup corn syrup
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ teaspoon salt

Chocolate

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate (6 ounces chopped fine, 2 ounces grated)

1. FOR THE CRUST: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Make foil sling for 13 by 9-inch baking pan by folding 2 long sheets of aluminum foil; first sheet should be 13 inches wide and second sheet should be 9 inches wide. Lay sheets of foil in pan perpendicular to each other, with extra foil hanging over edges of pan. Push foil into corners and up sides of pan, smoothing foil flush to pan. Combine flour, sugar, and salt in medium bowl. Add melted butter and stir with rubber spatula until flour is evenly moistened. Crumble dough evenly over bottom of prepared pan. Using your fingertips and palm of your hand, press and smooth dough into even thickness. Using fork, pierce dough at 1-inch intervals. Bake until light golden brown and firm to touch, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack. Using sturdy metal spatula, press on entire surface of warm crust to compress (this will make finished bars easier to cut). Let crust cool until it is just warm, at least 20 minutes.

2. FOR THE FILLING: Stir all ingredients together in large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture registers between 236 and 239 degrees (temperature will fluctuate), 16 to 20 minutes. Pour over crust and spread to even thickness (mixture will be very hot). Let cool completely, about 1 1/2 hours.

3. FOR THE CHOCOLATE: Microwave chopped chocolate in bowl at 50 percent power, stirring every 15 seconds, until melted but not much warmer than body temperature (check by holding in palm of your hand), 1 to 2 minutes. Add grated chocolate and stir until smooth, returning to microwave for no more than 5 seconds at a time to finish melting if necessary. Spread chocolate evenly over surface of filling. Refrigerate shortbread until chocolate is just set, about 10 minutes.

4. Using foil overhang, lift shortbread out of pan and transfer to cutting board; discard foil. Using serrated knife and gentle sawing motion, cut shortbread in half crosswise to create two 6 1/2 by 9-inch rectangles. Cut each rectangle in half to make four 3 1/2 by 9-inch strips. Cut each strip crosswise into 10 equal pieces. (Shortbread can be stored at room temperature, between layers of parchment, for up to 1 week.)

 

Millionaire’s Shortbread

Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Sage Brown Butter

Made this the other day and forgot to take a photo of it, but it was SO easy and SO delicious I just wanted to share with a photo I stole online.

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I think I am in love with gnocchi.  I have some purple sweet potatoes in the refrigerator that I found at our local market, so am excited to see how gnocchi made with them will turn out!

So here is a simple recipe for Butternut Squash Gnocchi that I found in Bon Appetit.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 1-pound butternut squash
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 12- to 14-ounce russet potato, peeled, quartered
  • 3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided
  • 1 large egg, beaten to blend
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 3/4 cups (or more) all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
  • Additional grated Parmesan cheese

RECIPE PREPARATION

  • Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut squash lengthwise in half; discard seeds. Place squash halves, cut side up, on baking sheet and brush with oil. Roast until squash is very tender when pierced with skewer and browned in spots, about 1 1/2 hours. Cool slightly. Scoop flesh from squash into processor; puree until smooth. Transfer to medium saucepan; stir constantly over medium heat until juices evaporate and puree thickens, about 5 minutes. Cool. Measure 1 cup (packed) squash puree (reserve remaining squash for another use).

  • Meanwhile, cook potato in medium saucepan of boiling salted water until very tender, about 20 minutes. Drain. While potato is warm, press through potato ricer into medium bowl; cool completely. Measure 2 cups (loosely packed) riced potato (reserve remaining potato for another use).

  • Mix squash, potato, 1/2 cup Parmesan, egg, nutmeg, and salt in large bowl. Gradually add 1 3/4 cups flour, kneading gently into mixture in bowl until dough holds together and is almost smooth. If dough is very sticky, add more flour by tablespoonfuls. Turn dough out onto floured surface; knead gently but briefly just until smooth. Divide dough into 8 equal pieces.

  • Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment. Sprinkle parchment lightly with flour. Working with 1 dough piece at a time, roll dough out on floured surface to about 1/2-inch-thick rope. Cut rope crosswise into 3/4-inch pieces. Working with 1 piece at a time, roll gnocchi along back of fork tines dipped in flour, making ridges on 1 side. Transfer gnocchi to baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and chill at least 1 hour. DO AHEAD Can be made 6 hours ahead. Keep chilled.

  • Working in 2 batches, cook gnocchi in large pot of boiling salted water until very tender, 15 to 17 minutes (gnocchi will float to surface but may come to surface before being fully cooked). Using slotted spoon, transfer gnocchi to same parchment-lined baking sheets. Cool. DO AHEAD Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover loosely and chill.

  • Cook butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat just until golden, stirring often, 3 to 4 minutes. Add sage; stir 1 minute. Add gnocchi; cook until heated through and coated with butter, 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan. Serve with additional Parmesan.

    Here is a useful Utube for making gnocchi using a gnocchi board.  It makes it so fast and so simple.  So worth the $5.99 and the space it takes in a drawer when not using.

    Using a gnocchi board

Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Sage Brown Butter