Chocolatechipkt

FYI, Certifikid is offering a $5 for $10 deal on meat at WF Bethesda this week.

http://www.certifikid.com/deal/2294/5-for-10-worth-of-all-natural-meat-or-poultry-at

(and apologies if this shouldn't be here ... I just got this deal and thought I'd share.)

Eggs baked in Canadian bacon, with strawberries, oranges, and a slice of challah.

Vanilla bean sables ... simple but flavorful.

I like pie, but I keep running into a lot of people who don't ... so I make it less.

Did y'all see the article about 20 people and 19 pies that was in Slate around Thanksgiving? Using that as an excuse I made seven desserts--four pies, one tart, and two cakes--for T-giving dessert. We only had 21 people lol, but it's possible I went overboard. Maybe next year I'll only make five ... maybe.

http://www.slate.com/articles/life/food/2011/11/_20_guests_19_pies_my_mother_s_demented_glorious_thanksgiving_baking_extravaganza_.html

Chicken thighs baked with onions, apples and cider syrup

Roasted butternut squash and carrots with a little maple drizzled over

Asparagus

English muffin bread (now mostly gone) and two loaves of challah

Thank you!

Do you have a link for the black raspberry custard pie Pool Boy? We're going raspberry picking tomorrow.

Lemon scones

Dessert tonight: variation on a berry shortcake using a lemon layer cake (one layer out of the three the recipe made, split) filled and topped with whipped cream and strawberries, blueberries and raspberries.

I actually like the recipe on the side of the can -- it's not my favorite biscuit recipe ever, but it's quick and easy, and the results are very fluffy and tasty.

I haven't yet tried anything else with Bakewell Cream, but I just noticed that the company's site has a recipe of the month, if anyone's interested in their suggestions (without buying the cookbooklet.)

http://www.newenglandcupboard.com/recipe-of-the-month.php

Went strawberry picking ....

strawberry shortcakes

strawberry-lime pie

strawberry-blueberry souffle

(all while drinking strawberry daiquiris)

I'm not a big cracker person, but now that you mention it, I can't think of any local crackers. Cheesetique does have a nice selection of crackers (from all over, though) -- though Whole Foods etc has plenty as well.

Have you ever tried making them yourself? They're actually pretty simple. Martha's hors d'oeuvres cookbook has lot of recipes--and great pictures.

Oven-baked parmesan fries and grilled burgers (on fresh challah rolls)

http://areyouhungryyet.blogspot.com/2011/05/oven-baked-parmesan-fries.html

Just answered my question:

"Free Gifford's Ice Cream! The Real Thing, Not Some Imposter" by Chris Schott on washingtoncitypaper.com

I drove by where Gifford's used to be in Friendship Heights yesterday and saw everything looking like normal. Has this location reopened?

I love Cheesetique -- and while Del Ray (nor Shirlington) is not nearby, I'm ALWAYS happy to make the trip.

According to their Web site, they're re-opening the Bethesda location on April 25, and they've sent out an email listing all sorts of classes there.

Chicken thighs braised in Guinness. I marinated the chicken (about 2 lbs boneless skinless thighs) in 2 c of Guinness with a couple smashed cloves of garlic for an hour or so. Then, I browned the chicken in two batches in olive oil, removed that from the pan, and let about 1 c of sliced shallots cook down a bit. Then I added the Guinness marinade (minus the garlic, but you could leave it in) and scraped up any bits from the bottom of the pan. To that I added about a cup of sliced carrots and maybe a cup or so of chicken stock and a big teaspoon of thyme and salt and pepper. Add the chicken back in. Let this all come to a boil, and then simmer for an hour or more, til the liquid has reduced some and the chicken is super tender and flavorful. Adjust for seasoning, and serve on top of creamy polenta. The house smells SO good right now -- and this tastes delicious.

Catching up from last week a bit, but I made Irish muffin bread (like English muffins, except as bread and with Guinness) -- which is about the best thing ever toasted, since sliced bread. I also made a chocolate-Guinness cake with a completely over-the-top dark chocolate frosting and caramelized hazelnuts as little pots of gold around the base.

My latest effort. There was almost nothing inside, just air surrounded by buttery brown crispness. That's a cup of maple syrup on the side for dipping. Click.

They look great!

I'm baking a coffee cake -- apple-ginger, I think -- for brunch tomorrow. I'm making a cheddar-red bell pepper strata, too (make ahead ... in the fridge tonight, in the oven in the morning.)

I was just there for lunch today. I had a ginger pork bento box, which included some very light tempura, a dumpling, and several salads (trad, edamame etc.) the pork itself was very flavorful -- possibly a little too salty, but I'm not big onsalt -- and tender, cooked with ginger, peppers, onions and zucchini. Rice and miso soup were included, so it was a lot of food, but all very tasty.

I've been using Ina's recipe with success. Made them last night actually. I painted the nonstick popover pan with butter, poured in the batter (which filled up to more than the halfway mark she suggested), and let them cook for 30 min. at 425. Her recipe does include a little butter (1.5 Tbs, I think), but the added fat hasn't caused any problems.

I finally made macarons. They'd been on my to-do list for over a year, but I knew that making them would be involved, so I kept putting them off. I was right -- they were involved, and used many bowls -- but they were also very yummy. I made pink-raspberry ones and cream/plain ones filled with dark chocolate ganache.

Would you mind sharing the recipe for these? They look great!

Gingerbread and toasted hazelnut biscotti dipped in semi-sweet chocolate.