28 by 28: Homemade Ketchup

I made this homemade ketchup awhile back.  It is super easy and has a depth of flavor that is just AMAZING.  (I am semi-ashamed to admit that I ate a few warm spoonfuls straight from the pan!)  And best of all, it keeps in the fridge for up to 3 weeks, so you can enjoy it again and again.

Note:  The full 2/3 cup of brown sugar may make the ketchup a little too sweet if you prefer a tangier ketchup.  Try adding 1/2 cup in the beginning, then taste and add more if necessary about 30-45 minutes into cooking if you are concerned.

From Gourmet.com (Oh, how I miss Gourmet magazine!!!  *Tear*)

INGREDIENTS 
1 (28-oz) can whole tomatoes in purée 
1 medium onion, chopped 
2 tablespoons olive oil 
1 tablespoon tomato paste 
2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar 
1/2 cup cider vinegar 
1/2 teaspoon salt 

DIRECTIONS
1.  Purée tomatoes (with purée from can) in a blender until smooth.

2.  Cook onion in oil in a 4-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 8 minutes. Add puréed tomatoes, tomato paste, brown sugar, vinegar, and salt and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until very thick, about 1 hour (stir more frequently toward end of cooking to prevent scorching).

3.  Purée ketchup in 2 batches in blender until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Chill, covered, at least 2 hours (for flavors to develop).

28 by 28: Crispy Roast Chicken

Winner, winner, I've finally discovered the secret to a tasty chicken dinner!  

 

 

 

The chicken develops a flavorful, crisp skin thanks to a quick rubdown with salt and cornstarch prior to roasting.

 

As seen on The Teacher Learns to Cook, originally from Cook's Country

 

INGREDIENTS

1 whole roaster chicken (3 1/2 to 4 1/2 pounds), rinsed and patted dry

2 teaspoons cornstarch

2 teaspoons salt

2 pounds small potatoes, scrubbed and halved

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

 

DIRECTIONS

1.  Line roasting pan with foil.  Adjust oven rack to middle, place roasting pan on rack, and heat oven to 475 degrees.

 

2.  Combine cornstarch and salt in a small bowl.  Using a skewer or the tines of a fork, poke small holes all over the chicken skin.  Rub the cornstarch mixture evenly over the entire skin.

 

3.  Place the chicken wing-side up on the roasting rack, remove the roasting pan from the oven, place the rack with the chicken in the pan and roast for 15 minutes

 

4.  Carefully remove the pan and turn the chicken onto its other side (try using oven mitts, or wadded up towels to gently handle the chicken and turn it) and roast for 15 more minutes.  While the chicken roasts, toss the potatoes with the vegetable oil and a few pinches of salt.

 

5.  Remove the roasting pan from the oven after 30 minutes, take the rack with the chicken out of the pan and place it on a cookie sheet nearby.  Gather the tin foil by the corners and lift it out of the pan with all the grease and throw it away.

 

6.  Arrange the potatoes, cut-side down, in the pan.  Flip the chicken breast-side up and put it back in the roasting pan over the potatoes.  Place the roasting pan back into the oven and roast for about 20 more minutes, until a thermometer in the deepest part of the thigh registers 170 degrees. 

 

7.  Remove the chicken, pour any juices in the cavity over the potatoes, and rest the chicken upright on an angel-food cake pan insert or an empty soda can for about 15 minutes

 

8.  Toss the potatoes with the chicken juices (you may have to scrape a bit off the bottom of the pan if they are sticking) and roast for an additional 20 minutes or longer until they are as crisp and brown as you like them. 

 

28 by 28: Enchiladas Verdes

I used to avoid green things at Mexican restaurants like the plague.  Guacamole?  Nuh uh.  Green dip?  No way.  Green enchiladas?  Not a chance.

Lucky for me, I've seen the light.  I can put back some serious green dip and order a plate of enchiladas verdes at pretty much every Mexican restaurant I visit.  It's a kind of test- like ordering lasagna at a new Italian place.  If the enchiladas verdes are good, the place is okay in my book.
 
I recently made some enchiladas of my own, and they passed with flying colors.  :)  I used some leftover cooked chicken in mine, though I've included the directions for poaching some raw breasts if you don't have any around.  (Also, I used queso quesadilla rather than queso fresco, so I popped mine in the oven for a few minutes to melt the cheese.  This step is unnecessary if you use a crumbling cheese.)

Adapted from Allrecipes

INGREDIENTS

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 cups chicken broth

1/4 white onion

1 clove garlic

2 teaspoons salt

1 pound fresh tomatillos, husks removed

5 serrano peppers

1/4 white onion

1 clove garlic

1 pinch salt

1 cup chicken broth

12 corn tortillas

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup crumbled queso fresco

1/2 white onion, chopped

1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. In a saucepan, combine chicken breast with chicken broth, one quarter onion, a clove of garlic, and 2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until cooked through, about 12-15 minutes. Set chicken aside to cool; discard onion and garlic. When cool enough to handle, shred chicken with your hands.

2. Place tomatillos and serrano chiles in a pot with water, enough to cover them. Bring to boil, and continue boiling until tomatillos turn a different shade of green (from bright green to a dull, army green). Strain tomatillos and chiles, and place in a blender with another quarter piece of onion, 1 clove garlic, a pinch of salt, and chicken broth. Blend until completely pureed. Pour salsa in a medium saucepan, and bring to a low boil.

3. Pour oil in a frying pan, and allow to get very hot. Slightly fry tortillas one by one in hot oil, setting each on a paper towel afterwards to soak some of the oil. Finally, dip slightly fried tortillas in low-boiling green salsa, until tortillas become soft again. Place on plates, 3 per person.

4. Fill or top tortillas with shredded chicken, then extra green sauce. Top with crumbled cheese, chopped onion, and chopped cilantro.

28 by 28: Chocolate Milk Mix

Chocolate milk mix was the one item on my 28 by 28 list that I expected to whip out in 2 seconds and call it good.  I even felt a little funny including it on any sort of bucket list, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to have a couple of easy fillers.  Let's just say it wasn't as easy as I anticipated.

Things I learned while attempting to make homemade chocolate milk:
1.  Cookies-and-cream milk = milk-and-Oreo-sand
2.  Cocoa powder does not incorporate into milk.
3.  Neither does dutch-process cocoa powder.
4.  Not even if you use powdered sugar instead of regular.
5.  Cocoa powder WILL incorporate if it is microwaved in a small amount of milk or water.
6.  Who wants to do that?!

It was a long road, but this final iteration is wonderful- a silky chocolate syrup that stirs into a cold glass of milk with ease. The original recipe called for semi-sweet chocolate, but I opted for milk chocolate instead. 

From Tasty Kitchen

INGREDIENTS
1 cup heavy cream
4 oz quality semi-sweet or milk chocolate chocolate pieces

DIRECTIONS
1.  Heat cream over medium-high heat until it begins to boil. 
2.  Remove from heat and add chocolate pieces.  Whisk until chocolate is melted and mixture is fully combined.
3.  Store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. 
4.  Stir 2-3 tablespoons of the mixture into cold milk to make chocolate milk.  Add to hot milk for hot chocolate.

28 by 28: Panna Cotta

I included Panna Cotta on my 28 by 28 list because I thought it looked intriguing.  I had never actually tried it before, so I was a little concerned that it would come out tasting like cream-flavored Jell-o.  Thankfully, that wasn't the case!  It's basically an eggless custard that is so smooth, rich, and creamy you won't be able to get enough of it. 

With such a simple ingredient list, it's important to be mindful of freshness and quality.  According to Mark Bittman, you can freeze the leftovers and thaw them for 20 minutes before serving for more of a Philadelphia-style ice cream consistency and flavor.

And don't sweat if you don't have custard cups- I used a muffin tin.  : )

From Mark Bittman, via the New York Times

INGREDIENTS

3 cups cream, or 1 1/2 cups cream and 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1 envelope (1/4 ounce) unflavored gelatin
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or to taste) or 1 vanilla bean
1/2 cup sugar

DIRECTIONS
1. Pour 1 cup cream in a medium saucepan and sprinkle gelatin over it; let sit for 5 minutes. Turn heat to low and cook, stirring, until gelatin dissolves completely.

2. If using vanilla extract, add remaining cream and sugar to gelatin mixture and heat gently, just until sugar dissolves; add vanilla and proceed to Step 3. If using vanilla bean, cut it in two, lengthwise. Scrape out seeds; add seeds and bean pod to pot, along with the sugar and remaining cream. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until steam arises. Turn off heat, cover, and let steep for 15 to 30 minutes.

3. Remove vanilla bean, if you used it. Pour mixture into 4 large or 6 small custard cups. Chill until set, about 4 hours. Serve in cups, or dip cups in hot water for about 10 seconds, then invert onto plates. Serve within 24 hours.

28 by 28: Luby's No-Bake Fluffy Cheesecake

Of all the dishes on my 28 by 28 list, the Luby's Fluffy Cheesecake (aka Cream Cheese Pie) was the one I'd been most looking forward to trying.  Growing up, there was no greater treat than a slab of this delicious graham-cracker covered goodness, and I wondered if an in-home rendition would do it justice.  I am happy to say that it did!  I found the official recipe on a Texas Monthly message board and have scaled it down for a single pie.  While the original recipe calls for a "graham cracker crust," don't make the mistake of throwing all that decadence in one of those pre-fab cardboard crusts from the grocery store.  A homemade crust, thrown together with a few common ingredients and lightly baked, is an absolute must.

Notes:
I have made this pie several times now and it turns out delicious every time.  I have had a couple of questions about why my slice looks a little wilted in this picture.  When I made it that time, I sort of forgot to pre-whip the cream before adding in the other ingredients (Whoops!).  That made it much softer than usual.  If you follow the directions as written, you will end up with the same lovely texture as the slices you buy at Luby's.
 
Graham Cracker Crust
Adapted from Allrecipes

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups finely ground graham cracker crumbs
2 tbsp white sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted

DIRECTIONS 
1.  Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter until well-mixed. Press mixture into an 8 or 9 inch pie plate. 

2.  Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 5 minutes. Cool before filling.

No-Bake Fluffy Cheesecake, aka Cream Cheese Pie
From the kitchen of the Kerrville, Texas Luby's, via Texas Monthly

INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 pound butter (or oleo), room temperature
1.5 8-oz. packages cream cheese
1/4 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup whipping cream, whipped
Graham cracker crust (see above)
Graham cracker crumbs for topping

DIRECTIONS
Cream together first three ingredients until fluffy. Blend in lemon juice and vanilla extract. Add the whipped cream. Pour into a graham cracker crust and sprinkle top with graham cracker crumbs. Chill 3 or 4 hours.

28 by 28: Sandwich Bread

I've officially completed the first dish from my 28 by 28 list!  I threw together this sandwich bread over the weekend, and it yielded a loaf that was soft and moist on the inside with a crisp outer crust. It was so good that I willingly burnt my fingers trying to break off pieces of the heel to munch on.  Some reviewers recommended replacing half the water in this recipe with milk.  I plan to try that the next time around.  (And there definitely will be a next time around!)

And a tip:  In the past, I've made the mistake of killing my yeast by putting it in water that was too hot.  I've since begun using a digital thermometer to check the water temperature and have had no problems ever since.

Adapted from Martha Stewart Magazine, July 2004 via Food.com

Yields 1 loaf

* As written, the recipe calls to mix the ingredients using an electric mixer.  I chose to mix the ingredients by hand.

INGREDIENTS
1 envelope active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (approximately 110°)
1/4 cup honey or granulated sugar (I used brown sugar)
1 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp salt
3-3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided (I used bread flour)
Additional butter for greasing bowl and pan as well as top of bread
 
1.  Combine warm water, yeast, honey, melted butter, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.  While until yeast is dissolved.  Let stand until foamy, 5-10 minutes.


2.  Add 2 cups flour; mix on low speed until smooth, about 3 minutes.  Add additional cup of flour; mix until incorporated.


3.  On a lightly floured surface, knead dough, adding up to 1/2 cup more flour as needed.  Knead until smooth, elastic, and slightly sticky, about 4 minutes.


4.  Let rise in a large buttered bowl, covered with plastic wrap or a damp dish towel in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.  


5.  Preheat oven to 400 and butter a 4 ½ by 8 ½ inch loaf pan.  (Mine was 5 by 9.)  


6.  Punch down the dough and transfer to a lightly floured surface.  Gently knead until smooth.  Shape dough into a loaf, tucking sides underneath to form a seam down the middle.  Place the loaf in the buttered loaf pan.  Cover and allow to rise until dough reaches the top of the pan, about 15 to 20 minutes.  


6.  Brush top of loaf with melted butter.  Bake until golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped, 30-40 minutes.  Cool slightly in pans on wire racks; unmold.  Let cool until just warm before slicing.

28 by 28

My cooking ability has come a long way since I first started this blog over three years ago. The first year of our marriage, the Mister and I survived solely on frozen tamales and corn dogs. My uncle's jabs that the only things I could make were toast and boiled water weren't terribly far from the truth. Although the learning curve has been steep at times (see exhibits A and B), I am now more comfortable in the kitchen than I ever thought possible.

In about 15 months, I will be turning 28. In anticipation of the occasion, I've put together a list of 28 foods I'd like to tackle in the coming months. I hope you enjoy this journey with me!

Breads
1. Croissants
2. Sandwich bread
3. Focaccia
4. Custard bread

Appetizers & Sides
5. Hummus
6. Stuffed artichokes
7. Panzanella

Entrees
8. Roasted chicken that actually tastes good
9. Homemade pasta, preferably a filled one
10. Gumbo from scratch
11. Mo Mo's chicken stew
12. Pad Thai
13. Enchiladas verdes
14. Spring rolls (or egg rolls- haven't decided yet!)
15. Bolognese sauce

Desserts

16. Chocolate flan
17. Something piped
18. Baklava
19. Panna cotta
20. Gelato
21. Linzer cookies
22. Luby's cheesecake

You made what from scratch?
23. Butter
24. Ketchup
25. Sour cream
26. Peanut butter
27. Chocolate milk mix
28. Ricotta