HappyTummy              

I’m on maternity leave until mid-September. You’d think that with that much time off, I’d have plenty of opportunities to play in the kitchen. Ahh, my friend, welcome to motherhood. For the past eight weeks, my days have consisted of nursing, comforting a screaming baby, catching up on lost sleep, laundering cloth diapers and tidying up the tornado of baby clothes, gear, blankets, burp cloths and other things that come with a newborn. I haven’t had any time (or energy) to whip things up in the kitchen.

However, I was lucky to have my mother come visit from California to help out. Not once, but twice (The second time was a last-minute, unplanned visit. Again…welcome to motherhood. After she left the first time, I realized how much I needed the help. Thanks mom!). So while she was here, I did get some time to make a few things. This Creamy Cucumber Salad was one of those things. I made it especially for my mom, who loves all of these flavors.

This is an Ina Garten recipe, so you know it has to be good. Cool sour cream, tangy yogurt, crunchy cucumbers, sweet red onions and fresh dill. It’s the perfect side to a summer barbecue…or, if you’re like us, a great snack to keep in the fridge. My mom and I would literally scoop out little bowls of this salad throughout the day and savor its cool bite. Now…who wouldn’t like that? *wink*

Today happens to be my mom’s birthday. Happy birthday, mom! I love you very much.

Recipe: Creamy Cucumber Salad
Adapted from Ina Garten’s recipe, as featured on foodnetwork.com (Note: I drastically reduced the amount of yogurt and sour cream, as the original recipe was a bit too creamy for my tastes.)

• 4 hothouse cucumbers, thinly sliced (about 4 pounds)
• 2 small red onions, thinly sliced in half rounds
• Kosher salt
• 2 cups plain whole-milk yogurt
• 1/2 cup light sour cream
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup minced fresh dill
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Mix the cucumbers, red onions, and 1 1/2 tablespoons of salt in a bowl. Pour them into a colander and suspend it over a bowl. Wrap the bowl and colander with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator to drain for at least 4 hours or overnight. Discard the liquid that collects in the bowl.

Pour the yogurt into a sieve lined with a paper towel and suspend it over another bowl. Wrap the bowl and sieve in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Discard the liquid that collects in the second bowl.

When the cucumbers are ready, roll them up in paper towels or a kitchen towel and press the towel lightly to remove most of the liquid. Place the cucumbers and yogurt in a large bowl with the sour cream, vinegar, dill, 2 teaspoons salt, and the pepper. Toss well and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and serve chilled.

It’s been about six months since my mom gave me an ice cream maker as a gift. Considering how much ice cream B and I eat, it’s pretty stupid that I haven’t tried using it until now. After making Dorie’s Chocolate Ganache Ice Cream, I wish I had. If you like chocolate ice cream, you’ll love this. It’s very rich and creamy and it screams chocolate.

I almost didn’t succeed with this recipe, though. Despite taking great care not to cook the yolks during the custard-making phase, I ended up with an extremely liquidy, scrambly-egg mess that never thickened, even though it sat in the refrigerator for more two hours. I came nowhere close to turning out a custard to freeze. I was so mad and was about to throw out the whole thing…but ultimately decided that it wouldn’t hurt to just put it all into the ice cream maker anyway, just to see how it would turn out.

I’m glad I did. The chocolate-y, eggy concoction churned into a delicious ice cream. I didn’t even strain out the egg bits! The end product still turned out perfectly.

Thanks for picking this recipe, Katrina. You can see my lower-fat version of the ice cream (I used 1% milk instead of whole milk)…but if you want to see Dorie’s original recipe, visit Katrina’s blog, Baking and Boys.

Recipe: Chocolate Ganache Ice Cream
Adapted from Baking:From My Home to Yours

• 6 ounces of bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream
• 1 cup 1% milk
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup of sugar

Put the chocolate in a 2-quart liquid measuring cup or a large heatproof bowl. Bring 3/4 cup of the cream to a boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate and let it sit a minute, then using a rubber spatula and starting in the center of the mixture, slowly stir the cream into the chocolate in ever-widening concentric circles. When the ganache is smooth, set it aside.

Bring the milk and the remaining 3/4 cup cream to a boil in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk the yolks and sugar together until well blended and just slightly thickened. Still whisking, drizzle in about one third of the hot liquid—this will temper, or warm, the yolks so they won’t curdle. Whisking all the while, slowly pour in the remaining liquid. Pour the custard back into the pan and cook over medium heat, stirring without stopping, until the custard thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon; if you run your finger down the bowl of the spoon, the custard should not run into the track. The custard should reach at least 170 degrees F, but no more than 180 degrees F, on an instant-read thermometer. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and slowly and gently stir the custard into the ganache.

Refrigerate the custard until chilled before churning it into ice cream.

Scrape the chilled custard into the bowl of an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Pack the ice cream into the container and freeze it for at least 2 hours, until it is firm enough to scoop. Makes about 1 quart.

Simple. Pretty. Delicious. That pretty much describes this recipe. And isn’t that what you want in a pound cake?

• Simple: It’s very easy to make. Especially if you aren’t using the vanilla beans (I used vanilla extract).
• Pretty: You don’t need fancy garnishes. Just a simple syrup wash will do. I made a rum-flavored whip cream, but really, that’s unnecessary.
• Delicious: It may look plain, but it tastes great. It’s got a deep, vanilla flavor; a tight, dense texture; and a wonderful like-you-just-walked-into-a-bakery scent. Yum.

I’ve wanted to make this recipe since I first got Baking: From My Home to Yours two years ago. I’ve always been a fan of pound cakes, and the addition of rum made it sound that much more delicious. Now perhaps that is the pregnant woman in me that is swooning, although by the time you read this, I’ll have already had my baby girl. But know that when I was making this cake, I was breathing in the intoxicating scent of rum and savoring its whisper of flavor in the cake. While I’m not a heavy drinker at all, nine months of having none can make you crazy for alcohol!

I made a rum whipped cream with the leftover heavy cream. It was light and airy, and a perfect compliment to the dense cake. My favorite way of eating it? Cold, straight from the refrigerator. This cake didn’t disappoint. Just as Dorie writes, you could mistake it for a Sara Lee pound cake. It’s that good.

Thanks to Wendy of Pink Stripes for picking this lovely recipe. The recipe for my adapted version of this cake is below, but if you want the real deal, visit Wendy’s blog Pink Stripes.

Recipe: Rum-Drenched Vanilla Cakes
Adapted from Baking:From My Home to Yours

For the cakes:

• 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cups white whole wheat flour
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup plus 2 tbsp. turbinado sugar
• 2 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup Egg Beaters
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. dark rum
• 7 tbsp. Smart Balance 50/50 butter blend, melted and cooled

For the syrup:

• 1/3 cup water
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup dark rum

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a loaf pan, dust the inside with flour and tap out the excess. Place the pan on an insulated baking sheet or on two regular sheets stacked one on top of the other.

Sift the flours, baking powder, and salt together.

Place the sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add the eggs and whisk them into the sugar, beating until they are thoroughly incorporated. Whisk in the vanilla extract. Then whisk in the heavy cream, followed by the rum. Continuing with the whisk, gently mix in the dry ingredients in 3 additions. The batter will be smooth and thick. Remove the bowl from the mixer and using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the melted butter in 2 or 3 additions.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans, filling them about 3/4 full. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a cake comes out clean. While the cakes are baking, prepare the rum syrup. Stir the water and sugar together in a small saucepan over medium heat until the sugar melts, then bring to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the rum. Pour the syrup into a liquid measuring cup and let cool.

When the cakes are done baking, let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Gently turn out onto a wire rack. Place a plate or baking sheet below the wire rack to catch excess syrup. Poke holes all over the cakes using a long, thin skewer. Pour the syrup all over the cakes (you will not need to use it all). Leave the cakes on the rack to cool to room temperature.

Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Recipe: Rum Whipped Cream

• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon dark rum

Before starting, make sure you’ve chilled a mixing bowl in the freezer.

Whip the cream in the bowl using an electric mixer. When the cream starts to stiffen a big, add the sugar and rum. Continue whipping until the sugar is dissolved and everything is thoroughly mixed. You’ll be done when you see fairly stiff peaks.

Serve cold.

OK, OK, so I know it’s not authentic Indian food. But this Chicken Tikka Masala is still delicious! It’s got the wonderful spicy flavors of cumin, corriander and garam masala…and it tastes even better the next day. And the yogurt marinade really makes the chicken tender and moist.

I made this over the weekend on a make-as-much-freezer-friendly-food-as-you-can race, as this little baby will be here any day now. Ever since I got pregnant, my body’s been really keen on chicken (in fact, in my first trimester, I made B go to Costco on more than one occasion to buy me rotisserie chickens—I’d dig in with my fingers, I was so craving it!).

In addition to this tikka masala, I made a large batch of Rajma to freeze.

Recipe: Chicken Tikka Masala
Adapted from the September 2007 issue of Cooks Illustrated
Serves 4 to 6

This dish is best when prepared with whole-milk yogurt, but low-fat yogurt can be substituted. For a spicier dish, do not remove the ribs and seeds from the chile. If you prefer, substitute 2 teaspoons ground coriander, 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper for the garam masala. The sauce can be made ahead, refrigerated for up to 4 days in an airtight container, and gently reheated before adding the hot chicken. Serve with basmati rice.

Chicken Tikka

• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp table salt
• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts , trimmed of fat
• 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt (see note above)
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
• 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger

Masala Sauce

• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion , diced fine (about 1 1/4 cups)
• 2 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
• 2 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 1 fresh serrano chile , ribs and seeds removed, flesh minced (see note above)
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp garam masala (see note above)
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp table salt
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

For the chicken: Combine cumin, coriander, cayenne, and salt in small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with spice mixture, pressing gently so mixture adheres. Place chicken on plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes. In large bowl, whisk together yogurt, oil, garlic, and ginger; set aside.

For the sauce: Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until light golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, chile, tomato paste, and garam masala; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, and salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cream and return to simmer. Remove pan from heat and cover to keep warm.

While sauce simmers, adjust oven rack to upper-middle position (about 6 inches from heating element) and heat broiler. Using tongs, dip chicken into yogurt mixture (chicken should be coated with thick layer of yogurt) and arrange on wire rack set in foil-lined rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan. Discard excess yogurt mixture. Broil chicken until thickest parts register 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer and exterior is lightly charred in spots, 10 to 18 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through cooking.

Let chicken rest 5 minutes, then cut into 1-inch chunks and stir into warm sauce (do not simmer chicken in sauce). Stir in cilantro, adjust seasoning with salt, and serve.

Chocolate and peanut butter…is there really any flavor combination out there that’s better than this? I can really only think of a few (chocolate and caramel, anyone?). As far as sweets are concerned, the marriage of chocolate and peanut butter really tops the list. And these cookies showcase the union perfectly.

Soft pillows of chocolate cookie surround a sweet, creamy, peanut-y center. This isn’t a cookie you just chomp away at—you can’t help but break the cookie in half to admire its beauty before biting into it. My only regret was not flattening out the dough before baking…it would have given me a bigger cookie with a bigger diameter. Because you know: Bigger cookies equal more bites per cookie!

Recipe: Peanut Butter-Filled Chocolate Cookies
Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens
Makes 32 cookies

• 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup Smart Balance 50/50 Butter Blend, softened
• 1/2 cup turbinado sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup natural peanut butter
• 1/3 cup Egg Beaters
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium mixing bowl stir together flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl beat together butter, the 1/2 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, and the 1/4 cup peanut butter with an electric mixer until combined. Add egg, milk, and vanilla; beat well. Beat in as much of the dry ingredients as you can with mixer. Stir in remaining dry ingredients by hand with a wooden spoon. Form chocolate dough into 32 balls about 1 1/4 inches in diameter. Set aside.

For peanut butter filling, in a medium mixing bowl combine powdered sugar and the remaining 1/2 cup peanut butter until smooth. Shape mixture into 32 (3/4-inch) balls.

On a work surface, slightly flatten a chocolate dough ball and top with a peanut butter ball. Shape the chocolate dough over the peanut butter filling, completely covering the filling. Roll dough into a ball. Repeat with the remaining chocolate dough and peanut butter filling balls.

Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Lightly flatten with the bottom of a glass dipped in the 2 tablespoons granulated sugar.

Bake cookies in preheated oven for 8 minutes or until they’re just set and surface is slightly cracked. Let cookies stand for 1 minute. Transfer cookies to wire racks; cool. Makes 32 cookies.

To Store: Place in layers separated by waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.