Home-Made Donuts with Chocolate Glaze

These are OMG delicious! Make these when friends are over, or else you'll eat them all and get a tummyache.

2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
2 Tbsp warm water
3/4 cup warm milk)
2-1/2 Tbsp softened butter
1 egg
1/3 C granulated sugar
1 tsp salt
2-3/4 C all-purpose flour
3 C vegetable or canola oil, or enough for deep-frying

In the bowl of a stand mixer (fitted with a dough hook), combine all of the dry ingredients, except the yeast. In a large glass measuring or small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Add the milk and egg and stir to combine. Pour this liquid mixture into the flour, add the butter, and turn on the mixer to medium-low. When the dough is well-combined and kneaded smooth, check it for consistency: it should feel like a very soft bread dough, but not too sticky to handle. Knead in more flour if required, in small increments.

Remove the bowl from the mixer and clean off the dough hook, returning extra dough to the bowl. Cover the bowl and leave it in a warm place for about an hour, or until the dough has doubled in size. Not sure? Poke the dough with your finger. If the dent remains, instead of springing back, it's ready.
Dump the dough out onto a HEAVILY floured surface, and roll or pat it out to about 1/2 inch thick. Heavily flour your hands and/or rolling pin. Use a cookie or biscuit cutter about 2 1/2 inches in diameter to cut out your donuts, and a bottle cap about 1 1/4 inches to cut out the holes. Save the holes and other scraps- they'll be just as tasty!
Spread your your cut donuts several inches apart on a cookie sheet and let them rise again in a warm place, about 30-40 min, until puffed up to twice their size. .

Near the end of the rising time, heat your frying oil to about 350 degrees- this is easiest if you have an electric deep-fryer or skillet with a thermostat. Otherwise, use a steep-sided frying pan over medium heat and watch it carefully. Drop a scrap piece of dough in to test: it should instantly bubble rapidly, but not burn.
Fry each doughnut, donut hole, and scrap for about 30 seconds per side, or until light golden brown -- the color is key. Put only a few in the oil at once, and flip carefully with long tongs or a heat-proof flat slotted spoon.
Cool 5 minutes on paper towels.

CHOCOLATE GLAZE
3 tablespoons softened butter
1 cups powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/6 cup hot water
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Combine the butter with the powdered sugar and blend with an electric mixer.
Add the vanilla and hot water, and mix until smooth.

Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave for 15-20 seconds. Stir, then microwave another 15 seconds and stir again until completely melted.
Add the chocolate to the plain glaze mixture. Blend until smooth.
When the donuts have cooled, dip each top surface into the glaze and then flip over and cool on a plate until the glaze firms up, about 15 minutes.

Chocolate Lava Cakes

This recipe is adapted from a similar one in Cuisine at Home, a magazine I truly love. Ground rule for these decadent little cakes: use really good ingredients. That means quality chocolate, good cocoa powder, and real pure vanilla extract and butter. I will hunt you down and kick your butt if you defile this recipe with generic butter-flavor shortening, imitation vanilla, or store-brand chocolate chips. So don't do it.

Ingredients:
For 4 to 6 individual cakes:
8 oz semi-sweet chocolate, or about 1 1/3 C chocolate chips
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
4 eggs
1/2 C sugar
1/4 C flour
1 Tbsp cocoa
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp kosher salt

For 1 single, decadent cake for your private chocolate indulgence:
2 oz chocolate, or 1/3 C choc chips
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 egg
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp flour
1 scant tsp cocoa
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp kosher salt

Steps:

1. Find the needed number of ramekins, small oven-safe bowls, or single-serving baking dishes. They should hold between 6 oz and a cup. You can use bigger ones, but the baking time will become more experimental; it's up to you. Spray your baking vessels well with non-stick spray. Preheat the oven to 375 F.
2. If using block chocolate, chop it into small pieces. Place the chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl and melt in the microwave, checking and stirring in 30 second increments until melted and blended smooth. Don't scorch!
3. Meanwhile, beat the egg and sugar together in a bowl. I highly recommend an electric hand mixer for this. Keep beating until the color turns from bright to pale yellow and the consistency starts to thicken like lightly whipped cream. By hand this will take 5 minutes or longer. The beaten egg is the only leavening in this recipe, so don't wimp out on this step!
   
4. Add flour, salt, cocoa, and vanilla to the egg mixture, and beat even more until it's well combined.
5. Add the chocolate/butter mixture and beat again for several more minutes. The batter will be rather thick.
6. Divide batter evenly among your baking vessels, place the vessels on a baking sheet, and bake 15-20 minutes (small sizes less, larger sizes longer). Check frequently after the first 15 minutes. Don't overbake! The cakes will be done when they are puffed and the edges are mostly dry, but the centers will still appear sunken and somewhat wet. They should still jiggle slightly in the middle when shaken.
7. Let the cakes rest several minutes in their baking dishes after removing from the oven. Then, while they are still warm, run a dull knife around the inside of the dishes to loosen the cakes. Place a plate over the top of each baking dish and quickly invert. The cakes should unmold easily onto the plates. No topping is needed, but whipped cream, good vanilla ice cream, or macerated berries make a delicious extra. Break into one cake with a fork; if you find warm gooey fudge puddling out of the center, you will know the cakes are just right.

Sneaky make-ahead tip: The batter may be made several hours in advance, portioned into the baking dishes, tightly covered and refrigerated until ready to bake. Add an extra minute or so to the baking time, and put the cakes in the oven as you sit down to dinner. You'll have warm-from-the oven dessert ready 20 minutes later.

Nana's Anise Cookies

A guest post from my friend V, who continues the family tradition of making these Italian Christmas treats each year. They have a very strong licorice flavor!

Ingredients:
3 eggs
1 stick of butter (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp anise extract
1 TBSP baking powder
2 1/2 c flour

Directions:
Cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and extract. In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients. Mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Roll cookies into shapes with hands. Bake at 350 for approximately 10 minutes until light brown.


Glaze:
1/4 c powdered sugar
1/2 tsp anise extract
water if needed
nonpareil sprinkles :)

Dip the cookies into the icing and then into nonpareil sprinkles.

Air-fried Pork Chops

This is a guest post from my friend V:

I had thin sliced pork (7 slices to the pound instead of 4), so it came out a bit dry. Next time, I'll remember to cook it less :) I used Trader Joe's Garlic Aoli Mustard (no Dijion) and it tastes really yummy!

Ingredients
1 pound pork loin chops
24 tsp (1/2 cup) Dijon mustard
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
Canola oil spray

Directions
Slice pork into four 4-oz. portions.
Thickly coat pork chops with Dijon mustard (you may not need all of the mustard). In a shallow bowl, combine bread crumbs and seasonings. Dredge pork chops in crumbs. Arrange pork chops on a wire rack set on top of a sheet pan. Spritz bread crumb coating with a little bit of oil spray. Place under broiler and cook on both sides until coating is brown, about 5 minutes on each side.

Mudballs

This is my most requested holiday goodie. Is it a cookie or is it a candy? Who cares!


Ingredients

• 3 cups rice crispies
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 stick butter
• 1 regular-size jar of peanut butter
• 2 1/2 cups chocolate chips
• 1/4 bar paraffin wax (usually sold near the jello, candles, or canning supplies in supermarkets)

Directions:
In a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the rice crispies and powdered sugar. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter and peanut butter together in the microwave and stir into a soupy mess. Pour the melted mixture over the cereal mixture and combine, mixing with your hands or the stand mixer on low speed, until mostly uniform. (Do not try this with a hand mixer!)

Chill this mixture, then roll into walnut-sized balls (I use a melon baller for this step), and place on wax-paper-lined cookie sheets, and chill again. Meanwhile, chop up the paraffin into little bits, and melt the chocolate and paraffin together (use the microwave or a double-boiler), stirring until smooth and liquid.

Using small tongs, dip each peanut butter ball quickly into the chocolate, turning to coat, and then return to the wax-paper-lined trays and chill once more to set the chocolate. Store in a sealed container in a cool place, or in the fridge.

Maple Granola

This stuff is seriously delicious. It's calorie-dense, but full of healthful things like nuts and dried fruit. It's certainly much better for breakfast than store-bought cold cereal.

I adapted this recipe from Alton Brown's granola. My version takes out the coconut (I'm allergic), and adds more kinds of nuts. For the dried fruit, you can use anything approximately raisin-sized. My favorite is dried blueberries, but they are expensive. I've had yummy results with craisins (dried cranberries), regular and golden raisins, and dried apricots chopped into raisin-sized bits. I often mix several fruits to make up the amount.

I buy my nuts, seeds, and dried fruit at Trader Joes, whenever I can get there. Their nut prices are much cheaper than most other stores, and the quality is great. TJ's is also my best-price source for real maple syrup, which is an absolute requirement here. Don't even think about using that fake-maple pancake syrup. If you desecrate my granola recipe with that junk, I will hunt you down!

Ingredients:
4 cups rolled oats
1 cup raw slivered or sliced almonds (I prefer sliced when I can get them)
1 cup raw cashews, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/2 cup raw walnuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp cinnamon (optional)
2/3 cup REAL pure maple syrup
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup dried fruit, in pieces approximately raisin-sized

Directions:
Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, brown sugar, and cinnamon (if using).
In another bowl, combine the maple syrup, oil, and salt. Combine both mixtures and pour onto 2 non-stick or foil-lined sheet pans. Toast in the preheated oven 1 hour and 20 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes.

Remove granola from oven and dump into a large bowl. Add the dried fruit and mix until evenly distributed. Allow to cool completely before storing in an airtight container in a cool place.

Delicious in a bowl of milk as breakfast cereal, or eaten dry as a high-energy snack any time of day.

What do Librarians Love to Read?

I love to talk about books. I love to listen to other people who love books talk about books. It kind of goes with being a librarian, I suppose. So, I really had a great time at our Library Staff Book Club tonight. For a change of pace, we did not all read the same book and discuss it this time around. Instead, in honor of the upcoming holiday season, we each brought a holiday treat to eat or drink (Alesha, I have GOT to have that hot chocolate recipe!!!), and one or more of our favorite books. They could be books we'd give as gifts, or simply books we love to read.

Sue G., retired Children's Librarian and lately of the Caldecott committee, was our invited guest speaker. She talked about excellent picture books, and got to share the most books:
Show and Tell: Exploring the Fine Art of Children's Book Illustration by Dilys Evans
Flotsam by David Wiesner
Diary of a Spider by Doreen Cronin
Click Clack Moo: Cows that Type by Doreen Cronin
When Marian Sang by Pam Muñoz Ryan
Olivia Helps with Christmas (and other Olivia books) by Ian Falconer
Mercy Watson series by Kate DiCamillo

Then the rest of the club shared the books they'd brought:

Judy:
Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Catherine:
Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Book by Terry Jones
The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde

Janis:
Chaucer's First Winter by Stephen Krensky

Jill H.:
I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
Dinotopia: a Land Apart from Time by James Gurney
Dinotopia: the World Beneath by James Gurney
Dinotopia: Journey to Chandara by James Gurney

Alesha:
On Christmas Eve by Margaret Wise Brown
The Christmas Day Kitten by James Herriot
Off Armageddon Reef by David Weber

Tess:
Ash by Malinda Lo
The Wild Things by Dave Eggers

Jennifer:
Little Pea by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

Kathleen:
A Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Marilyn:
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

Mary Lee:
The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore (and the gorgeous pop-up version by Robert Sabuda)
Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl

Gail:
The Christmas Pearl by Dorothea Frank

Jeanette:
Tears in the Darkness by Michael Norman
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (Pop-Up Adaptation) by Robert Sabuda
Peter Pan (Pop-Up Adaptation) by Robert Sabuda

Christine:
The Christmas List by Richard Paul Evans

Terry:
I'm Just Here for the Food by Alton Brown
Rash by Pete Hautman

Jill Z.:
Sweet Revenge (& others in the Goldy Bear series) by Diane Mott Davidson

Lynn:
The Moonflower Vine by Jetta Carleton

Deep Dish Pizza (Veggie Version)

See also Meaty Deep-Dish Pizza. I often make one of each.
Ingredients
Crust

• 1 C water
• 1/4 C olive or vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 Tbsp sugar
• 2 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
• 1/2 C lukewarm water
• 3/4 C cornmeal
• 2 C all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 C whole wheat flour

Sauce

• 2 28-oz cans Italian style diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 small green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 small red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp fennel seed
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper ground
• 4 Tbsp olive oil

Filling

• 4 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 medium onions, cut into thin strips
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 C sliced portabella mushrooms
• 1 1/2 tsp basil
• salt & pepper to taste
• 2 boxes chopped spinach
• 4 C mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 C Feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 C Parmesan cheese, shredded

Instructions
For crust:
In work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with dough hook, combine dry ingredients. With mixer running on medium-slow speed, drizzle oil in a slow stream and mix until combined. Add water in a slow stream, only as fast as flour can absorb, until dough forms and begins to clean the sides of the bowl. Increase speed and knead for several minutes until smooth and elastic. Dough may be quite soft, but if it is too sticky knead in a bit more all-purpose flour. If it is too stiff, and more water, a small splash at a time. Remove the dough hook and gather the dough into a ball. Allow to rest about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425° and prepare 2 12-inch round deep-dish pizza pans. If using stoneware bakers, no preparation is needed. If using metal pans, brush with oil. When dough has rested, divide in half and press evenly over bottoms and up sides of the pans. Prick all over with a fork. Bake in preheated 425° oven for 5 minutes
For sauce:
In large skillet, saute onion, peppers, herbs, and spices in olive oil until peppers and onion are tender. Stir in well-drained tomatoes & mushrooms. Cook lightly, then remove from heat.
For filling:
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Saute the onion and garlic until clear. Add the mushrooms, salt, pepper, and basil and continue to saute, until the mushrooms are softened. Meanwhile, thaw the spinach in a colander under running water, then squeeze out the excess water with your hands. Squeeze again, one handful at a time, until the spinach is as dry as you can make it. Add the squeezed spinach to the skillet and stir, breaking up the clumps to thoroughly combine all ingredients. When the spinach mixture is hot through and fragrant, remove from heat.
To assemble:
For each pizza, sprinkle just a scant handful of mozzerella in the bottom of the pre-baked crust. Next, spread half the spinach mixture evenly into the pizza crust. Sprinkle the spinach layer evenly with half the feta, then cover with a layer of half the remaining mozzarella. Spread with a layer of half the sauce. Top with half the Parmesan. Use the second half of the ingredients to assemble the second pizza. Bake the pizzas 20-30 minutes in at 425° oven, or until bubbly and golden-brown.

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes (4 Ingredients!)

Ingredients
1 box of spice cake mix
eggs, the number specified by the directions on the box (mine called for 3)
1 can of pumpkin (just pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling)
1 C chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Line 24 muffin cups with cupcake liners. Combine the cake mix, pumpkin, and eggs in a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until well combined. Batter will be quite thick. Stir in chocolate chips. Spoon batter into cupcake cups, filling each about 2/3 full. Bake 25-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly before removing. Enjoy warm. No icing is needed.

Spinach & Cheese Casserole

Ingredients
1 box frozen chopped spinach, cooked & drained well.
1 medium onion, cut into thin strips
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 -1 tsp basil
salt & pepper to taste
1 C sliced portabella mushrooms
1/2 C Shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 C shredded Parmesan cheese
1/3 C crumbled feta cheese
3 eggs, beaten
bread crumbs (optional) & Parmesan cheese for topping

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a shallow casserole dish with nonstick spray. Sauté onion & garlic in a little olive oil with salt, pepper, & basil until clear. Add mushrooms & saute until all is very soft. In a large heat-proof bowl, combine onion mixture with with cooked, well-drained spinach and the cheeses. Spread into prepared casserole dish. Pour beaten eggs evenly over mixture in casserole dish, sprinkle with bread crumbs & additional Parmesan cheese, & bake at 350° until lightly browned.

National Book Festival = Nirvana for Librarians

NationalBookFest
Originally uploaded by librarianjill

Tess, Catherine & I made a Librarian's Pilgrimage to the National Book Festival this past weekend. It was pure book-loving awesomeness. We went by Metro, and had a minor mishap when the farecard machine ate Catherine's husband's money and didn't give him a farecard in return. It did rain a bit, but not torrentially, and we had umbrellas so it was all good.
We waited in line more than an hour to get our books signed by Mo Willems, the author of some of our favorite picture books, and when we got up to the front I got to talk to him a for a minute and tell him about our plans for a "Mo Willems book party" at the library soon. He laughed and looked delighted and said, "Sounds like fun!" Sigh...
(Dear readers, you must understand that for a children's librarian like me, meeting Mo is like meeting a rock star. Only better.)
We also went to his talk/reading later in the afternoon.
See that book Tess is holding? That's a copy of "Big Frog Can't Fit In," which is a brand-new book by Mo that was on advance sale at the festival. Not available yet anywhere else! We all got one, and Mo signed them. It is a pop-up book. It is awesome.
I had such a good time with my librarian friends!
Special thanks goes to Catherine's husband Greg, who braved the incredible crush of people in the Book Sales tent to get us those 3 books, while we waited in the book-signing line. Above and beyond the call of duty, that was, and we love him for it.

Deep Dish Pizza (Meaty Version)

See also Veggie Deep-Dish Pizza. I often make one of each.
Ingredients
Crust

• 1 C water
• 1/4 C olive or vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 Tbsp sugar
• 2 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
• 1/2 C lukewarm water
• 3/4 C cornmeal
• 2 C all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 C whole wheat flour

Sauce

• 2 28-oz cans Italian style diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 small green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 small red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp fennel seed
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper ground
• 4 Tbsp olive oil

Fillings

• 2 C mushrooms, sliced
• 1 lb mild Italian sausage, cooked & sliced
• 1/2 lb pepperoni, sliced or diced
• 4 C mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 C Parmesan cheese, shredded

Instructions
For crust:
In work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with dough hook, combine dry ingredients. With mixer running on medium-slow speed, drizzle oil in a slow stream and mix until combined. Add water in a slow stream, only as fast as flour can absorb, until dough forms and begins to clean the sides of the bowl. Increase speed and knead for several minutes until smooth and elastic. Dough may be quite soft, but if it is too sticky knead in a bit more all-purpose flour. If it is too stiff, and more water, a small splash at a time. Remove the dough hook and gather the dough into a ball. Allow to rest about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425° and prepare 2 12-inch round deep-dish pizza pans. If using stoneware bakers, no preparation is needed. If using metal pans, brush with oil. When dough has rested, divide in half and press evenly over bottoms and up sides of the pans. Prick all over with a fork. Bake in preheated 425° oven for 5 minutes
For sauce:
In large skillet, saute onion, peppers, herbs, and spices in olive oil until peppers and onion are tender. Stir in well-drained tomatoes & mushrooms. Cook lightly, then remove from heat.
To assemble:
For each pizza, arrange half the sliced sausage and half the pepperoni in the bottom of the pre-baked crust. Cover with a layer of half the mozzarella, then spread a layer of half the sauce. Top with half the Parmesan. Use the second half of the ingredients to assemble the second pizza. Bake the pizzas 20-30 minutes in at 425° oven, or until bubbly and golden-brown.

Italian Chicken Thighs(Slow-Cooker)

Great over pasta (such as spinach fettuccine) or garlicky smashed potatoes.

Ingredients
12 skinless bone-in chicken thighs, about 3 lbs
1 14.5-oz can Italian-style diced tomatoes
1 6-oz can tomato paste
1/2 C chopped onion
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Instructions
Combine all ingredients except chicken and stir well. Place chicken in slow cooker; pour sauce over chicken. Cover and cook on high 1 hour, reduce to low and cook 4-5 hours more. Remove chicken pieces, and use a fork to pull meat from bones. Return chicken meat to sauce and stir to re-combine. Serve over pasta or garlicky smashed potatoes. 6 servings.

Roasted Red Pepper Pesto

Delicious! This is my preferred sauce for dressing pasta. It also makes a great sandwich spread. Use a whole pepper from a jar of roasted red bell peppers, or if you're up to the task, roast your own. See also regular Pesto, & Pesto Tomato Sauce.

Ingredients

• 1 C fresh basil leaves
• 1 fire-roasted red sweet bell pepper
  
• 1/4 C walnuts
• 2 cloves garlic, or 2 tsp minced
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions
Place all ingredients in a mini-food processor or blender, and puree into a smooth and creamy sauce. If too thick, or won't combine smoothly, drizzle in additional olive oil. Keep in airtight container in the refrigerator up to 1 week, or freeze (also airtight, or your whole freezer will smell like pesto!) up to 6 months.

Pesto, Made w/ Walnuts

Pesto makes a delicious sauce for pasta or pizza, and a great spread to dress up sandwiches. Traditionally, pesto is made with pine nuts, but V & I prefer walnuts, which are far less expenive and make a creamier, sweeter pesto. For make-ahead convenience, freeze leftover pesto in ice cube trays, then store the frozen pesto-cubes in a zip-top bag in the freezer. You can take out and thaw one or two cubes as needed for weeks! Variations: Pesto Tomato Sauce; Roasted Pepper Pesto.

Ingredients

• 1 C fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 C walnuts
• 2 cloves garlic, or 2 tsp minced
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions
Place all ingredients in a mini-food processor or blender, and puree into a smooth and creamy sauce. If too thick, or won't combine smoothly, drizzle in additional olive oil. Keep in airtight container in the refrigerator up to 1 week, or freeze (also airtight, or your whole freezer will smell like pesto!) up to 6 months.

Really Good Hot Chocolate

This makes just about the yummiest hot chocolate you can make at home. It is more involved than opening a packet and adding hot water, but once you taste it, you'll never go back.

Ingredients

3 heaping spoonfuls sugar

1 heaping spoonful dutch-process cocoa powder

scant 1/8 tsp salt (a pinch)

1/8 tsp cinnamon (a generous pinch)

very tiny pinch (just a few grains) chili powder

1/8 tsp vanilla extract (the real thing, not that nasty imitation stuff)

~1 Tbsp water (just eyeball it)

~1 1/2 C milk (again, eyeball it, depending on the size of your mug)

Directions

In the bottom of your cocoa mug, combine the sugar, cocoa powder, salt, cinnamon, & chili powder. Mix them thoroughly so that they are uniformly combined- the cocoa powder will want to stay separate in the bottom of the mug. Add the vanilla and just enough cold water to stir the dry ingredients into a thick slurry, again being sure to incorporate all the cocoa powder. Add the cold milk but do not stir. Heat the mug in the microwave until piping hot (60-90 seconds, depending on your microwave), and then stir. For extra points, sprinkle the top with chocolate shavings or mini marshmallows, or top with whipped cream.

If you find yourself making cocoa often, it may be worthwhile to mix up a larger batch of just the dry ingredients, using the same proportions, so that you need only add the water, vanilla, & milk whenever you need a warm, chocolaty cuppa.

Peach Salsa

I love Trader Joe's. There isn't one around these parts, much to my sadness, but there is one quite near the home of my friend V. Whenever I visit her, we go there. Whenever we go there, I stock up on my favorite things, like Rosemary & Garlic Crackers, Cuban Black Beans, and Peach Salsa. Alas, last 2 times I went, there was no Peach Salsa to be had! V reports that it has since re-appeared, but I was spooked enough that, in order to ensure a continuous supply, I have set out to replicate what, in my book, is the Best. Salsa. Ever.
I have scoured the interwebs for peach salsa recipes, and read and re-read the back of my last jar of the good stuff for clues. Today I made my first attempt. It does not taste like Trader Joe's Peach Salsa, but it is really good. I think the basic recipe is right; what's missing are the mysterious herbs and spices that are probably unique to the TJ's brand. I know cumin is in there, but not what else. Anyway, what I made was tasty, so here's the recipe as it stands after one attempt. You could and probably should use all fresh tomatoes, but I didn't have enough, so I used part canned. Most of the recipes I used as source material called for cilantro, 1/4 to 1/2 cup, but I despise cilantro and so left it out. If you like cilantro, by all means add it back in.

Peach Salsa
Ingredients
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion,
2 large red, yellow, or orange sweet bell peppers
4 gloves garlic
4 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp oregano
5 large peaches, ripe but still very firm
4 largish roma-type tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes (plain, without Italian seasoning or other herbs)
1/3 C white vinegar (could substitute apple cider vinegar, probably would be an improvement)
2 Tbsp honey

Directions
Before beginning, prepare all your ingredients and place them ready in bowls near the stove:
Remove the seeds from the bell pepper(s), and dice into small pieces. Peel the onion and mince. Peel and mince the garlic, finely. Remove the 4 chipotle peppers from the adobo sauce, and slit them open. Rinse under running water to remove the seeds, which contain most of the heat (if you like really hot salsa, leave some or all of the seeds). Mince the chipotles very fine, almost making a paste.
Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil. Fill a large bowl 2/3 full of ice water. Use a slotted spoon to place the peaches into the boiling water, leave them 30-60 seconds, then quickly remove them to the bowl of ice water for several minutes. Use a paring knife to make an x-shaped pair of slits in the peach skins on their bottoms (opposite the stems), and use your fingers to peel away the skins, which should now come off easily.
To peel the fresh tomatoes, first make a small x-shaped cut just through the skins on the bottom end of each tomato, then treat like the peaches by placing first in the boiling water for 30 seconds, then removing to the ice water to quickly cool. The skins should then peel right off with little effort.
Slice the peaches in half, remove and discard the pits, then dice the peaches into half-inch pieces. Quarter the fresh tomatoes, then scoop out and discard the seed pulp, leaving only the flesh. Dice the tomatoes a little smaller than the peaches. Drain the juice from the canned tomatoes, dice them smaller if need be, and add them to the fresh tomatoes.
Measure out your spices and liquid ingredients.
Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in the bottom of a very large pot or kettle. Add the bell peppers, onion, and garlic, and saute, stirring often, several minutes until softened and the onions turn clear. Add the chipotles and the spices and continue to saute and stir for a minute longer. Add the peaches, stir, and bring the pot to a boil. Add the tomatoes and the remaining ingredients, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes, stirring often.
To taste for seasoning, dish out a small sample into a small bowl or cup and allow to cool briefly, then taste with a tortilla chip. Adjust the flavors according to your taste. If you are not planning to can the batch, cool it completely and store in sealed containers in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. I didn't try freezing yet, but I'd bet that the salsa could be frozen with minimal loss of quality.
Or, to preserve for up to a year, can the batch of salsa while still hot in sterile canning jars, using the water-bath canning method and carefully observing all the sanitary rules for home-canning. (This salsa recipe is a high-acid food, so pressure-canning is not necessary, and would only over-cook the salsa). Store jars of canned salsa in a cool, dry place away from direct light.

Huli-Huli Chicken

Last May, V & I went to Hawaii. It was a fabulous trip, not least of all because while we were there, V met her sweetie-pie, Sonny. A year and a half of arduous long-distance relationship later, they are still together, and we all think he is pretty certainly The One for her. Yay!
Another lovely thing that we encountered, besides Sonny, was Huli-Huli Chicken. It's sold all over Oahu, at roadside fundraisers and in supermarket delis (on the mainland we have rotisserie chicken in various flavors. In Hawaii, it's Huli-Huli). A kind of barbecue that's kind of sweet, kind of tangy, and other than that, hard to describe, Huli-Huli was also hard to replicate once I returned home. There are lots of recipes out there on the InterWebs, but none of them are quite the same as what we ate almost daily on our Hawaiian picnics.
The one I've found that comes the closest so far is this one, from Rachel Ray's Everyday magazine. I followed all the directions, except I grilled on a barbecue grill instead of broiling it. Even though it wasn't exactly the same as the real thing, all my friends (who haven't been to Hawaii) love it. Thanks, Rach! Here is Rachel Ray's recipe for Huli-Huli Chicken:

Ingredients:
One 4-pound chicken, cut in half
Salt
2 cloves garlic, peeled
One 1½-inch piece ginger, coarsely chopped
¼ cup dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons dark soy sauce
3 tablespoons chicken broth
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons frozen pineapple juice concentrate

Directions:
Loosen the skin of the chicken breast and season underneath it with salt. Season the exterior of the chicken with more salt. Let the chicken rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. Line a broiler pan with foil and preheat the broiler.
Using a food processor, pulse the garlic and ginger until finely chopped. Add the brown sugar, soy sauce, broth, rice-wine vinegar and pineapple juice concentrate and process until well combined. Strain the marinade into a bowl, pressing with the back of a spoon to extract all the liquid. Discard the pulp.
Blot the excess salt and moisture from the chicken and place the halves skin side down on the broiler pan. Broil, turning the chicken with tongs every 5 minutes for the first 20 minutes, until the raw surfaces have cooked. Continue to cook, turning and basting with the marinade every 5 minutes, until well browned, 20 minutes longer; cover loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes. Cut into pieces and serve.

Guinness Stew

This recipe traces its origins to a misadventure. While on our Grand Adventure Road Trip, V & I, fatigued from travel and a long, hot day in New Hampshire, forgot one of the Road Rules that had kept us from disaster thus far. Following hand-made signs indicating "Quilts for Sale," we deviated from the directions on The Clipboard, turned off the highway onto a gravel road that did not appear on the map, and proceeded to make numerous turns down unmarked gravel roads without making any notes on our route.
We did locate the quilt shop, in a very nice lady's front room, but then on our way back to the highway, became hopelessly lost in a vast maze of un-marked, identical, intersecting, looping gravel logging roads through dense forest. Our tummies began to growl. Hunger and fatigue dulled our wits and sharpened our tongues, and we began to snap at one another for only the second time in a month of living in our car. Storm clouds gathered, and a terrifying thunderstorm struck. The gas light came on on the dashboard. We recognized landmarks that told us, not the way out, but that we were going in circles. Stormwater sluiced down the roadside ditches and over the gravel, and the huge trees writhed like living creatures. It grew dark in the stormy woods. We were lost as we had never been lost before. There were few houses, far apart, and none of them looked like anyone was home. This was before the days of GPS, which probably wouldn't have helped us on these unmapped logging roads anyway.
At last, we did locate a house near the road with many vehicles outside and and with lights on. We asked for and were given directions, back to paved roads and the nearest gas station. The storm abated as we found the blacktop, bought fuel, and re-oriented ourselves to the map.
Ravenous, we headed back toward our campsite but wisely realized that we would die of hunger before getting a fire going and preparing a camp-cooked meal. So we turned into the tiny village, only to find no restaurants open (it was a weekday evening in the off-season of an area that only really comes alive for ski season).
Desperate, we headed back out of town, and stopped at a chain hotel with a restaurant in the parking lot. It looked like a cheesy faux-Irish pub, and we did not expect great things, but we were starving. We told the waitress a brief outline of our story and asked her, "what can you bring us right now, without waiting for something to cook?" Soup, she said. There were two soups that day, and one of them was Irish Stew. V ordered the other soup, and I had the stew. As the waitress brought it to our table, the last of the stormclouds outside parted, the setting sun broke through, and a rainbow appeared (I'm not making this up- just ask V!). The Irish stew at that tacky hotel pub was the most delicious thing I had ever tasted in my life.
Long after the Road Trip ended, I was obsessed with replicating that stew. I collected recipes and tried them, one after another, with endless variations. One day 2 or 3 years after the trip, combining at least 3 recipes from different sources, I came up with this one. It is the perfect stew. Rich, meaty, filling, and utterly delicious, it gets rave reviews from everyone who tastes or even smells it.
Guinness Stew is even better as re-heated leftovers than when first prepared. It freezes well, also.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 lb beef chuck, or other stew beef, cut in chunks
1/2 C flour (to coat beef)
4 to 6 potatoes, washed (not peeled), & cut in chunks
4 to 6 carrots, washed (not peeled), & cut in chunks
3 Tbsp bacon fat or oil
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp black pepper, coarsely ground
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/4 tsp tarragon
1/4 tsp sweet paprika
1/4 tsp thyme
2 bay leaves
1 can or bottle dark Guinness
salt to taste (you will need much more than you think. too little, and the stew will taste flat)

Directions:
Coat beef chunks with flour. Melt bacon fat or heat oil in large, heavy kettle. Brown floured meat on all sides. Add 1 C Guinness & the Worcestershire sauce; simmer 3 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the pan bottom. Add 1 C water, herbs & spices, & remaining Guinness. Simmer on medium-high 10-15 minutes. Add potato & carrot chunks. Add enough additional water to barely cover. Simmer on medium at least an hour, stirring occasionally. Or, transfer all to a large slow-cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours. If needed, thicken broth with a small amount of flour-water slurry. Add salt to taste and adjust seasoning; remove bay leaves before serving.

Samosa-Spiced Mashed Potatoes

Don't let the long list of ingredients intimidate you- this recipe is as easy as it is delicious. It's a great way to use up leftover mashed potatoes, or whip up a fresh batch just for this recipe. Serve as a starchy side to Indian or Middle-Eastern main dishes. Especially good with Country Captain Chicken, or Garam Masala Lamb Chops.

Ingredients
3C hot mashed potatoes
¾ C cooked green peas (optional)
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 med onion, peeled & finely chopped
1 clove garlic
½ tsp cumin seeds
1 ½-in. piece fresh ginger root, peeled & finely minced or grated
½ tsp tumeric
½ tsp garam masala
½ tsp salt
2 tsp lemon juice
½ tsp coriander

Instructions
Prepare the mashed potatoes and peas; set aside to keep hot. Measure and combine the spices in a small bowl or ramekin. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion, garlic & spices. Cook gently 5 minutes or until onions and garlic are soft and clear, and just beginning to brown. Add mashed potatoes and peas, then stir in lemon juice. Mix well, remove from heat, and serve.