Comfort Cooking - Perfect Chicken Stock

Rainy, gloomy, and damp, today is just a Chicken Soup kind of fall day. 

Of course, the first step to any great soup is a well developed stock, and if you've got some leftover Chicken and nothing better going on for a few hours, making it is from scratch is both wonderfully easy and very worthwhile. 

Now, keep in mind, you can certainly put your own stamp on Stock (it's very hard to mess up and the longer you simmer it, the more the flavors will intensify), but it you're looking for a good basic method, the below recipe works very well and always seems to deliver a tasty result. 

Here's how we do it:


Perfect Chicken Stock 
Makes 5 Quarts 
Slightly adapted from Ina Garten 


Ingredients: 

The seasoned, cooked carcass of a 4.5-5 lb Roaster Chicken, with some meat still on it (we like make Chicken Salad with the meat of the Roaster Chicken, and reserve about 2 Cups of chopped, cooked Chicken to add back whenever we make the Chicken Soup from this stock)
3-4 large Carrots, rinsed, cut lengthwise and broken half
1 very large Yellow Onion cut into quarters, skin on
4 Celery Stalks, leaves on, broken in half
2 Parsnips, halved crosswise
1 head of Garlic, top slice off
1 large Leek, (hard green tops discarded then cut lengthwise and in half, then and soaked to remove dirt)
1 large handful of fresh Dill
1.25 Tablespoons Kosher Salt (a bit less if you are sodium sensitive, you can always add more later if needed)
2 Tablespoons Whole Peppercorns 
5 Quarts (1 Gallon + 1 Quart) Spring Water 
Squeeze of Lemon Juice (optional) 

Method:Add all the ingredients into a very large pasta or cast iron pot (ideally with a strainer basket inside to easily remove the large solids). 

Cover with Water and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower to a simmer and cook uncovered for about 4 hours (skim foam from the top periodically if you can). When finished, let it cool and strain it all using a colander until all solids are removed. I like to finish it with a squeeze of Lemon Juice. Use the Stock to make your favorite Chicken or Chicken Noodle Soup! (Cook's Note: for a very simple, improvised Chicken Soup, I just saute some chopped yellow Onion, Carrot and Celery and add chopped cooked Chicken, Stock, and some cooked Barley or small Pasta. Greens like Parsley, Dill or Thyme would be a welcome addition -- add Salt and Pepper only as needed, serve and enjoy!). 

Tip - Use extra Carrots, Onions and Leeks you may have bought to make our favorite Turkey Mushroom Meatloaf!

Mad For Mezze - Perfect Tzatziki

Tzatziki atop a Lamb Burger, Photo: NK

A simple yogurt sauce or dip with Cucumber and fresh Dill, Tzatziki is indispensible in Greek Cuisine. Every culture has its version of pre-meal nibbles, and in the Near East and Balkans, these are collectively called Mezze. 

I am excited to show you how simple and delicious today's Tzatziki is. 

It's the perfect dip to make for your next party (great served with Pita or Pita Chips) or a deliciously easy offering if you're a guest at someone else's fete. 

We've served ours atop basic Lamb Burgers, but the possibilities are really endless. 





The key to Tzatziki is simple - Let it sit in the fridge two or more hours so the flavors blend and develop.

But first, let's quickly explore some of my other favorite Mezze. 

Baba Ghanoush
Tarmosalata
Dolma / Dolmades
Tabbouleh

We'll look forward to getting around to making these soon enough!

Now for the main event:

Tzatziki comes together in minutes, Photo: NK

Perfect Tzatziki
Adapted from GreekFood.com
Serves 4 as a dip

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Thickly Grated Seedless English or Hot House Cucumber (from ~1/2 a Cucumber)
3 Gloves of Garlic, crushed to a paste or very finely minced
7 Ounces Full Fat Plain Greek Yogurt, we prefer Fage brand
2 teaspoons Red Wine Vinegar
Scant 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1 heaping Tablespoon Minced Fresh Dill 
1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt
Lemon Juice (optional)

Method:

1. In a bowl, mix all the ingredients except the Olive Oil and Lemon Juice. 
Add the Oil and stir together gently. Finish with 1-2 optional squeezes of Lemon.

2. Allow to sit in the fridge for 2-3 hours

3. When ready to serve, taste for Salt and add extra if needed. Serve alongside Pita or Pita Chips. Enjoy!

Holiday Homemade - Dark Chocolate Stout Mini Bundt Cakes

Dark Chocolate Stout Mini Bundt Cakes, Photo: NK

My name is Samantha, and I am addicted to Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa.

It's true. I never considered how sinfully good this Cocoa could be, until I got this idea to make Dark Chocolate Brownies. They were such a success (and so simple that I've easily made them 5 more times since I first created the recipe), I thought I might apply the same logic to a majorly alluring dessert I'd come across. 

You see, my thoughts of late have been consumed by cake, Chocolate Stout Cake, to be exact, from a bakery called Ovenly in my hometown of Brooklyn. It's called Brooklyn Blackout and it's made with Brooklyn Brewery's Chocolate Stout. Wanna see it? Hold onto your seat and click HERE. I mean, you could probably just die happy now, am I right? Chocolate Stout is the secret sauce. Alongside rich Dark Chocolate Cocoa and a dollop of molasses, it's what makes this amazing cake so deeply chocolatey.  

Boxing up my homemade holiday treats, Photo: NK

Because it is the season for holiday gifts of food (check out last year's homemade sweet), I decided to create a mini, giftable version of Ovenly's insanely good confection. These Dark Chocolate Stout Mini Bundt Cakes would be the perfect treat for the special people in my life. 

Good thing several of those special people were all in one room just yesterday for our annual holiday potluck brunch. 

The event would be the perfect chance for me to lightly adapted Fine Cooking's recipe for Chocolate Stout Cake. I put my own stamp on it by adding Dark Cocoa and chunks of good quality Bittersweet Chocolate. I also amped up the Chocolate factor by using Chocolate, rather than regular, Stout. In a pinch, Guinness or something similar would work just fine in this but why not go for double the Chocolate beer-y goodness?? I opted not to glaze these already rich minis with ganache, although I am sure that would be heavenly. A simple dusting of Confectioner's Sugar would be a nice touch too. Whatever you decide, you won't be disappointed by the deeply decadent flavor of these cute little cakelets. 

Important Note: our mini bundts were made in an extra small individual "bite sized" Bundt Pan. Cook times will vary a bit depending on the size of mini bundt pan you use. Of course, the original recipe is for one large Bundt, so that's always an option if you are making it for a single recipient (or better yet, you!).You can even line cupcake pans with paper liners and bake this batter cupcake style. If you do so, I world recommend glazing or icing them. Cream Cheese Icing feels like the right move.

Annual Holiday Brunch, Photo: NK

The only thing nicer than a table full of good food and desserts...

Clockwise from top left: Peppermint Oreo Truffles, Dark Chocolate Stout Mini Bundt Cakes, and Chocolate and Brown Butter Salted Rice Krispie Treats, Photo: NK 

is being able to share it all with your best friends. 

Dark Chocolate Stout Mini Bundt Cakes
Adapted from Fine Cooking
Makes approximately 18 bite sized mini bundts or 1 large cake

Ingredients:
1 1/4 Cups Chocolate Stout (like Brooklyn Brewery or Samuel Smith's) don't count foam
1/3 Molasses (not blackstrap)
1 2/3 Cups All-Purpose Flour
3/4 Cup Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa
1.5 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda 
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 1/4 Cups Unsalted Butter, softened to room temperature
1.5 Cups Packed Light Brown Sugar
3 large Eggs at room temperature
4 Ounces fine quality Bittersweet Chocolate very finely chopped (at least 70% cocoa)

Optional Glaze: 3/4 Cup Heavy Cream & 6 Ounces Semisweet Chocolate. Click HERE for the how-to. 

Method:
1.Remove Eggs from the fridge and allow Butter to soften to room temp. 
2. Set a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350. 
3. Butter your mini or large Bundt Pan and lightly dust with Cocoa. 
4. In a small pan over high heat, bring Stout and Molasses to a simmer. Turn off heat and let stand. 
5. Into a large bowl, sift Flour, Cocoa Powder, Baking Powder, Baking Soda, and Salt. 
6. Using a stand mixer or handheld electric mixer, cream the Butter until very smooth, approximately one minute. With the mixer on medium, beat in in Brown Sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes (scrape down the bowl once or twice during). 
7. Now beat the Eggs into the Butter mixture, one at a time, stopping to scrape down the bowl after each addition. 
8. Turn the mixer to low speed and alternate adding the Flour mixture and Beer Mixture to the bowl, beginning and ending with Flour. Scrape down the bowl periodically, and put the mixer on medium for thirty seconds at the end to ensure the batter smooth. Stir in the chopped Chocolate. 
9. Pour into pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. If using Mini Bundt Pans fill only 3/4 of the way at most. The batter will rise as it bakes. If there is any overflow, the bottoms of the cakes can be easily trimmed off after cooling. 
Cook Times:
For a Mini Bundt Pan, bake 25 minutes or more,
For a Cupcake Pan, use liners and bake about 23 minutes,
or for a large Bundt, cook time will be more along the lines of 40 minutes but check it at 35 minutes. 
~You will know it is done when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean except for a few moist crumbs.
10. When cake is finished, invert onto rack and transfer to a platter. Best served slightly warm. 

Test Kitchen Tuesday - Homemade Taco Seasoning!

Taco Night is a favorite around here, and tonight, we're making good old-fashioned Beef Tacos. Nope, they'll be no fancy sauces or exotic toppings, just cheese, lettuce, tomato, and a dollop of sour cream. But what can you do to lend some extra special flavor to a comfortable old favorite? The answer is simple - Homemade Taco Seasoning.

Homemade Taco Seasoning - Alton Brown's Taco Potion #19, Photo: NK 

In today's Test Kitchen, we'll be trying out Alton Brown's Taco Potion #19. 
Potion... oooh, I like it. My dad named me after a TV witch (a cute and nice witch, mind you) so I guess it all makes sense. 

Alton's recipe is great because the spices required are pretty easy to find. In fact, I happened to have them all in my pantry. Finally, my spice hoarding pays off. 

The Results:

In just under 5 minutes, we were left with a batch of flavorful Taco Seasoning that will last a while. My Plan? Jar it up and be ready for our next lazy taco night. Idea: This mix, in a cute mini-mason jar, would make a great hostess gift or party favor. Super easy. 
Use this Taco Seasoning on any protein, even vegetarian meat substitutes. 

Flavor-wise, Taco Potion #19 is just plain good! It actually tastes like a much, much better version of the grocery store stuff in the little paper packets. As a bonus, we know exactly what's in it, as the recipe includes all ingredients that we can spell and of course, no creepy chemical additions. Also, the salinity is very balanced - it won't give you a sodium hangover. You could even use this blend as a jumping off point for your own proprietary Taco Potion. 

Upon seeing the results, my husband observed (seemingly to his dismay?) that unlike the store-bought version, this mix did not impart a bright orange coloring to our beef. "Good. Your food should not be artificially orange," I responded. "But what about about delicious Kraft Mac 'n Cheese?." My clever guy has a point! We'll look the other way on that guilty pleasure. 

Verdict: Check it out!  

Classic Beef Tacos with Taco Potion #19, Photo: NK 

Alton Brown's Taco Potion #19
Recipe Courtesy of Alton Brown

Yield: Approx 3 ounces - Makes enough for at least 8 servings of Tacos. Save the leftovers in an airtight jar for up to 1 month. 

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons Chili Powder 
1 Tablespoon Ground Cumin
2 teaspoons Cornstarch
2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
1 1/2 teaspoons Hot Smoked Paprika 
1 teaspoon Ground Coriander
1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

Method: 
Mix to combine and store in an airtight container. 
Application:
To use your Taco Seasoning, add 1/4 cup of liquid to your pan of fully browned and cooked protein. You can opt for Water or better yet, Beer (thanks for my friend Marina for that idea). Stir in the Seasoning. Roughly 2 Tablespoons per pound of Protein will do, but you can use your judgment. Allow liquid to evaporate a bit and stir. Serve right away on your favorite taco! 

Salad With a Spin - Kale & Parsnip Panzanella

Photo: NK 

Fact: Salads really do run the gamut from smashing to snore-worthy.


Fact: Bread makes everything better. Especially Salads. 


Fact: Grilled Bread with fruity Olive Oil, sprinkled with Salt, Pepper, and Smokey Paprika makes things infinitely better. 


Myth: Kale is always tough and unappealing if you don't cook it. 

Ho-ly-smokes. Make our raw Kale & Parsnip Salad and dispel the myth that Kale Must be cooked to be amazing. 

Not so! With the right amount of loving care, some lemon juice (or vinegar-acid is the key to softening up Kale) and a little time + a tenderizing leaf massage, Kale can be served au natural, no heat required. Slice up those sturdy leaves nice and thin, though. Now - how to make our little Kale Ribbons sing? That's easy. We're serving them in a Panzanella (aka Tuscan Bread Salad - see our last Panzanella HERE) with shavings of sweet Parsnips and homemade grilled Croutons made from hearty Peasant Bread that's been jazzed up with Hot Smoked Spanish Paprika.

Let's get to it:

Kale and Parsnip Panzanella with Grilled Paprika Croutons 
Serves at least 4 

Parsnip Ribbons, Photo: NK 

Salad Ingredients:
1 Head of Lacinato (aka Tuscan or Dinosaur) Kale, washed and dried, ribs removed from leaves

1 Large Parsnip, peeled, then shaved into thin ribbons using a vegetable peeler


3 Slices of Peasant Bread
Olive Oil (for brushing the Bread)
Kosher Salt
Black Pepper
Hot Smoked Spanish Paprika
Optional Grated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese


For the Dressing:
1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil + extra for brushing the Bread
1/2 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Light Agave or Honey

Kale Ribbons, Photo: NK

Method:
1.Pile Kale Leaves together and slice horizontally into very thin ribbons.

2. Add Kale Ribbons to a large Ziploc Bag.

3. Add Parsnip Ribbons.

Next,


4. Combine all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.



5. Pour Dressing into Ziploc Bag and seal. Shake the bag and squeeze between your fingers
to distribute the dressing and rub it all into the Kale.

6. Allow the bag to sit at room temperature for at least a half an hour, squeezing and shaking it occasionally.


7. Meanwhile, heat up a grill or grill pan over a very high flame. Lay Bread Slices on a surface and brush them one side with Olive Oil. Now sprinkle with Kosher Salt, Pepper, and an ample hit of Hot Smoked Spanish Paprika. (Don't skimp on the Salt, either).

Preparing the Grilled Bread, Photo: NK

8. Place Bread slices on the grill or grill pan and cook for 3 minutes on one side until grill marks appear. 

9. Flip Bread to the other side
and cook another 1 minute. 

10. Allow the Bread to cool and then slice into bite-sized chunks. 






To Serve:

Plate Kale and Parsnip Ribbons and lightly toss with Chunks of Bread. To finish, sprinkle with optional grated Parmigiana.

Kale & Parsnip Panzanella with Grilled Paprika Croutons, Photo: NK 

Cooking With a Pizza Stone - Pizza Piccante

One of the great things about being known food and cooking enthusiast is that people never need wonder what to get you for a gift. This year, my mom got us an amazing Pizza Stone which utterly delighted me and especially my pizza-loving husband. 

Pizza Piccante - Hot Soppressata, Sweet/Hot Peppers, Fresh Oregano and Mozzarella, Photo: NK 

We've already used our pizza stone three times in two weeks. The first attempt, (not pictured) was a classic Margherita with Basil, Tomato Sauce, and fresh Mozzarella. The results were delicious, but the cooking was not without challenges. The dough was impossible to shape, so in the end our Pizza tasted waaaay better than it looked. In fact, our romantic tandem cooking intentions were nearly derailed completely once I began muttering angrily about the disobedient dough, followed by my husband declaring "you're ruining pizza night!" and stomping out of the kitchen. After I coaxed him back with a hug and, when that didn't work, promises of mozzarella, we thankfully recommitted ourselves to the business at hand. In our house, when dinner's at stake, failure is not an option.

Round two, which is pictured above, proved to be a fabulous creation that came out quite good - a recipe I like to call Pizza Piccante. I encourage you to try it!  Piccante, in Italian, roughly means spicy, hot or piquant. Our Pizza Piccante was spicy, sweet, and vinegary - alive with the flavors of Hot Soppressata, Spicy Vinegar Peppers, Fresh Oregano, and gooey Fresh Mozzarella - all my favorite tastes in one place. Before you start cooking, feel free to first scroll all the way down for my general dough-handling pointers as well as a handy you tube video (not starring me!) on how to roll dough like a pro. 

Pizza Piccante - Mozzarella, Spicy Red Peppers, Hot Soppressata and Fresh Oregano
Serves 2-3 

Ingredients:
1/8 Lb Hot Soppressata chopped into bite sized pieces

7 or 8 small North African Sweet/Hot Peppers cut in half, or 3-4 Hot Cherry Peppers, seeds removed, roughly chopped 

Ingredients, Photo: NK 

1 Tablespoon Fresh Oregano, finely chopped

1/2 LB Fresh Mozzarella, thinly sliced

1 small can plain Tomato Sauce (we used Del Monte brand) or Homemade 

Salt and Pepper to taste 

2 or 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 teaspoon Crushed Red (or to taste)

1 standard size round of Pizza Dough 

*Cornmeal for dusting (only if you are using a pizza peel to place pizza on the stone)

*Parchment Paper (only if you are using a pizza stone but have no pizza peel)

Method: 
Place pizza stone in the oven. If not using a stone, prepare pizza as normal in a pizza pan. 

Turn oven on to 525 with the rack placed in the middle. Preheat the stone for 30 minutes. 

Flour a clean counter top and your hands. Place extra flour nearby.
Form Pizza Dough into a ball. Press it down onto the counter and continue pressing until you have a flat round. 

Form dough into your desired pizza shape, making it as thin as possible - ideally an eighth of an inch thick. Pinch the edges of the dough all the way around to form a crust. 
Check out this great video I found on the web for dough-handling pointers HERE.

Once Pizza Crust is formed, carefully transfer it onto a cornmeal dusted peel or parchment paper that is cut to a size just slightly bigger than the dough shape (enough to grab it on each side). If you are using a pan and no pizza stone, you needn't do either of the preceding steps. 

Now you are ready for toppings:
Drizzle a Tablespoon or two of Oil onto the dough. 
Using a paper towel, spread the Oil around the entire surface of the dough.
Using a Tablespoon, slowly spoon on Tomato Sauce and spread it around. The dough need not be totally covered (your pizza will be too saucy) and should appear similar to the first photo below).

Next, add the Fresh Oregano, Hot Peppers, Soppressata, and Crushed Red Pepper. 
Nestle slices of Mozzarella all over the Pizza, leaving some space in between them. You want some sauce and toppings to show through!

Sprinkle the entire pizza with Salt and Pepper to taste. If using a peel, slide Pizza onto the Pizza Stone. If using parchment, lift the Pizza and the Parchment onto the pizza stone. You may leave the parchment in the oven while cooking.

Cook for 10 minutes or until crust is crispy, puffed, and golden. 

Enjoy! 

Saucing the Pie, Photo: NK

Toppings, Photo: NK

Ready to Cook, Photo: NK 

Buon Appetito, Photo: NK 

Pizza Pointers
Given how much I cook, I haven't made too many pizzas in my life. Anything with dough or flour generally scares me. I've just never had the touch. I don't pretend to have a foolproof method for perfecting Pizza, but below are some general dough-handling pointers that worked for me. These can help you whether you have prepared your dough from scratch or purchased it ready-made. I would never dream of making my own dough. What can I say? I personally like the convenience of buying it, but if you are a dough maker, you have my utmost respect.

Pizza Stones are a great investment and can make a big difference in the quality of your pizza result. By providing a screaming-hot surface on which to cook your pizza, stones allow you to get an evenly cooked and crispy crust each and every time. Our pizza stone is from Emile Henry. We just love it so far. 

Preheat the Stone - Always. Give it a good thirty minutes in the oven before placing your topped pizza on it. To preheat, you'll want to use the hottest oven temperature available to you on your oven. For us, that was 525.

It's a nice bonus to have a pizza peel. I had to learn this the hard way. A peel is the wooden implement with a handle that you see used at pizza places to get the pies in and out of the oven. If you have one, good for you. Your life will be a lot easier. For the peel owners, you'll roll out your pizza dough on the counter, transfer it to a peel dusted with cornmeal, and then top the pizza right on the peel before transferring onto the pizza stone on it. 

If you are like us and you don't have a peel, here's how to handle your dough successfully: We prepared our pizza dough by rolling it out directly on our counter. Always flour your rolling surface and sprinkle both your hands and the dough round lightly as well. Once the dough is rolled out into your desired shape, transfer it onto a sheet of parchment before topping the pizza. This way, you can simply lift the parchment onto the pizza stone when ready to cook. Note that you may need an extra pair of hands to hold the parchment level as you place it on the stone so that none of the toppings slip off -  or, as an other option, you can certainly slide the parchment onto a stiff, portable surface (cutting board, perhaps) and carefully use that to shimmy it onto the pizza stone that is waiting in the oven. 

Be one with the dough. Call me crazy, but handling pizza dough feels to me like a highly psychological endeavor. Stay calm and make no sudden moves. Move slowly yet deliberately. As with any dough or kneading, be sure not to overwork. Smoosh and squeeze too hard and you can end up with a hard as a rock crust. A light touch is your best bet.

Who cares if your pizza isn't round? I sure don't. Here at NK, we have yet to achieve a truly round crust. Somehow our pizza dough seems easier to prepare in a rectangular(ish) shape. This is fine! It all tastes the same on the way down :)
Have fun with it!
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