Pretzel Jello "Salad"

2 C crushed pretzels
3/4 C butter, melted
3 T sugar
8 oz cream cheese
1 C sugar
8 oz thawed cool-whip
1 pkg strawberry Jell-o (6 oz)
2 C boiling water
2 pkg (10 oz) strawberries

Mix crushed pretzels, butter and 3 T sugar together and press into 9 x 13 pan - bake at 400 for 8 minutes, cool.

Mix softened cream cheese and 1 C sugar, fold in cool whip, then spread over pretzel layer.

Dissolve Jell-O in boiling water, add frozen strawberries, chill until syrupy then pour over cream cheese layer and refrigerate.

Cut into squares and then serve.

Rice Cooker

Long Grain - 1 C rice; 1.5 C water

Ina Garten's Shortbread Cookies

The Barefoot Contessa's Shortbread Cookies

• 3/4 lb unsalted butter at room temperature


• 1 C sugar, plus extra for sprinkling


• 1 t pure vanilla extract


• 3.5 C AP Flour


• 1/4 t salt

Preheat oven to 350

Fit electric mixer with paddle - mix butter and 1 C sugar until just combined, add vanilla. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt, then add them to the butter and sugar mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto flour dusted surface and shape into a flat disk - wrap in plastice and chill for 30 minutes.

Roll the dough 1/2" thick and cut into 3" x 1" shapes, place cookies on ungreased baking sheet and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes until edges begin to brown - allow to cool to room temperature.

Japanese Cooking Terms & Techniques

My notes from Harumi Kurihara's cookbook, Harumi's Japanese Home Cooking.

mijingiri - finely minced into tiny cube shapes
sengiri - julienned, or into strips
hangetsugiri - cut into half moons
koguchigiri - cut into fine slices - for round ingredients like spring onions
nanamegiri - cut on the diagonal
Ichogiri - round pieces cut into quarters
Usugiri - finely sliced

Drop lid - Traditionally made out of wood, they are placed in a pan, directly on top of food as it cooks. It is a technique frequently used in Japanese cooking to ensure the even distribution of flavor. You can make one from amuminum foil or greaseproof paper with a hole in the middle - make a disk slightly smaller than the inside of the pan.

Onion Confit

Shamelessly stolen from Tom Colicchio with slight adjustments to volume

4 large Vidalia onions, sliced thin (Tom says to use Vidalia, I respectfully disagree - Vidalia really aren't designed to be cooked. I use ye olde 3lb bag of yellow onions and they come out sweet as candy and, IMO, far tastier than the time I actually used the Vidalia.)
2 T olive oil

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium, then add onions and reduce heat to medium low. Stir frequently and add kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Cook until onions are soft, but not carmelized - about 30 minutes. Then add:

1 C chicken stock
2 T white wine vinegar

Continue stirring frequently until pan is mostly dry - about 30 minutes. If using dried herbs, add them during this last half hour, add fresh herbs after you are done cooking and toss to combine.

Can be refrigerated for 1 week.

Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits

Shamelessly stolen from Ina Garten

Preheat oven to 425

2 C (+ additional for sprinkling/as needed) AP Flour
1.5 teaspoons Kosher salt
1 Tablespoons Baking Powder

combine in mixer bowl, attach paddle, stir on low, then add:

1.5 sticks (12 T) diced, cold, unsalted butter

continue to mix until butter is pea sized, then combine the following in a glass bowl or cup:

1 egg (cold) - recipe calls for Xtra large egg, I simply used a large egg)
1/2 C shaken, cold buttermilk

add to the flour mixture while continuing to stir on low, when just combined, combine the following in a small bowl:

1 C grated sharp white cheddar
1 small handful of AP flour, tossed to coat cheese

Add the cheese mixer to the dough, mix until combined and then turn out onto a floured surface. Roll into 5" x 10" rectangle and cut into 8 pieces. Brush with egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 T water) and sprinkle with flaked sea salt. Bake on parchement lines sheet for 20 - 25 minutes.

Modifications:

I totally forgot the egg wash and sea salt - still tasty!

I think that these would be even better as drop biscuits brushed with garlic butter after they come out of the oven!

Grilled Eggplant

Peel and slice eggplant in 1/2" rounds - sprinkle both sides with salt and let it sit for about 20 minutes. Rinse out the salt and give the eggplant a squeeze to remove as much moisture as you can. Toss slices with balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and a little olive oil and preheat George Foreman grill. Grill slices in batches, turning once while cooking - they should take a minute or two on each side, just long enough for grill marks.