Family Food Friday: Sam I Am Eggs

I am not going to promise that I will be diligent about posting a family food idea every friday, but I've been thinking about doing something like this for a while. Most moms I know have a hard time coming up with easy, healthy foods for their kids, so, when I have one I'll share it. This week's: Sam I Am Eggs.

Ilan hardly eats. Honestly. He just doesn't have much of an appetite, so it's really important to me to make sure that most of what ends up in his mouth is pretty nutritious. Of course, it doesn't always end up that way and veggies are the hardest thing to get in. One of the things I've been doing lately for breakfast is taking leftover broccoli, asparagus or even fresh spinach and giving it a fine dice and tossing it in with some scrambled eggs. When the eggs are almost done I might add some shredded cheese - whatever I have on hand. Ilan eats it up and the first time I made them he called them Sam I Am Eggs, which I thought was pretty clever.

Tri-tip Sandwich

I LOVE sandwiches. The combination of good bread, lots of veggies, cheese and maybe some meat just always seems to hit the spot for me. So, the other day when we had almost a whole tri-tip left over, I thought about how I would like to eat it and came up with a winner. I had some red peppers that I roasted earlier in the week left over and bought some provalone cheese, tomatoes, red onions that I caramelized, spinach, basil, and garlic mayo to finish it off. YUM!

Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

When I saw the recipe for Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies in the latest issue of Cook's Illustrated I wasn't too interested. My aunt makes pretty good chocolate chip cookies and it was hard for me to imagine a better recipe that was equally simple. As I read the article I was intrigued by their description of toffee flavors in the cookies. When the ladies from MOPS came over for an after-the-kids-go-to-bed cup of coffee, I thought it would be a good opportunity to try this "perfect" cookie recipe.

I must admit that I didn't follow the instructions exactly. I have a tendency to get ahead of myself and assume what the step is before reading...so I browned all of the butter instead of most of it. I think it probably sent the toffee notes over the top, but my "tasters" (em, Erin and Kirsten) seemed pleased none the less and said that the cookies seemed too good to be made at home.

I tried using stoneware and think the result was better on the parchment lined baking sheets. My first batch came out puffy and thick, which I don't like in chocolate chip cookies, so I flattened the dough a little bit for the next couple of batches which resulted in a flatter cookie. These are big, bakery-style cookies, so the recipe doesn't make too many.

Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies
Cook's Illustrated Magazine, No. 98; May & June 2009
Makes 16 cookies

1 3/4 C. All-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
14 Tbsp (1 3/4 stick) Unsalted Butter
1/2 C. Granulated Sugar
3/4 C. Packed Dark Brown Sugar
1 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract
1 lg Egg
1 lg. Egg Yolk
1 1/4 Semisweet chocolate chips (preferably Ghirardeli)
3/4 C. Chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted (optional)

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 Degrees. Line 2 lg. baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour and bakind soda together in med. bowl; set aside.

Heat 10 Tbsp. butter in 10-inch skillet over med-high heat until melted, about 2 m inutes. Continue cooking, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has nutty aroma, 1-3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and using heatproof spatula, transfer browned butter to large heat proof bowl. Stir remaining 4 Tbsp. butter into hot butter until completely melted.



Add both sugars, salt and vanilla to bowl with butter and whisk until fully incorporated. Add egg and yolk and whisk until mixture is smooth with no sugar lumps remaining, about 30 seconds. Let mixture stand 3 minutes, then whisk for 30 seconds. Repeat process of resting and whisking 2 more times until mixture is thick, smooth and shiny. Using rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture until just combined, about 1 minute. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts (if using), giving dough final stir to ensure no flour pockets remain.

Divide dough into 16 portions, each about 3 Tbsp. (or use #24 cookie scoop). Arrange 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets, 8 dough balls per sheet. (Smaller baking sheets can be used but will require 3 batches).


Bake cookies 1 tray at a time until cookies are golden brown and still puffy, and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft, 10-14 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack; cool cookies completely before serving.

Oznei Haman

In the US these cookies are called Hamentashen (Haman's pockets); in Israel they are Oznei Haman (Haman's Ears). Whatever you call them, these labor-intensive treats are served up at Purim, the feast celebrating God's goodness and the heroism of Esther. Typical flavors include strawberry, apricot, poppyseed and prune, however last year while in Israel we discovered a whole host of middle-eastern flavors that we prefer to the American kind. So, this year I made them with Halvah, Chocolate and the old stand-by Poppyseed. The cookie recipe is good, but it isn't my favorite. Since all my recipe books are in storage I had to make do.

I made a double recipe, which used most of 1 can poppyseed filling (available at Ralphs or any store with a nice Jewish section), almost a whole small tub of nutella, and for the halvah I mixed 1/2 C. Tehina with a little over 1/3 C. honey.

Hamantashen Recipe
By Joan Nathan (Jewish Holiday Kitchen)
Makes about 36

2/3 cup pareve margarine or butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla (I use more)
2 1/2-3 cups sifted unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Dash of salt

1. Cream the shortening with sugar. Add egg and continue creaming until smooth.

2. Add the vanilla. Stir in the sifted flour, baking powder, and salt until a ball of dough is formed (a food processor is excellent for this). You may need to add a couple teaspoons of water if dough seems too crumbly.

3. Chill for 2-3 hours, or overnight.

4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees

5. Taking 1/4 of the dough at a time (leaving the rest in the fridge), roll out on a lightly floured board to a thickness of 1/8 inch. Cut circles of dough with a drinking glass or round cookie-cutter. With your finger put water around the rim of the circle. Fill with 1 teaspoon filling and fold into three-cornered cookies. (Press two sides together, and then fold the third side over and press the ends together.)

6. Bake on a well-greased cookie sheet 10-16 minutes, until the tops are golden.

FYI: the dough can get quite crumbly; if it's too hard to work with, add a bit of water, and it should behave. Also, DON'T skip the step of putting water around the edge of the circle. It's the only thing that makes them keep their shape. Enjoy!

Shabbat Shalom

I started making Challah bread when Scott and I were first married and bumbled my way through until I finally came to understand yeast! I think as our family grows I will need to start making a couple of loaves of Challah because it seems like there is less an less left-over for french toast the following morning. This recipe is a little combination of methods...I am using the recipe from the CPM newsletter (from ages ago), which called for a bread machine to do all the prep. The hand-made method was learned by trial and error and the braid was taken from Nancy Silverstein, creator of La Brea Bakery. I like the natural look, so I don't do the egg-wash.

⅞ C. Water
3 egg yolks
3 C. Bread flour
11/2 tsp. Salt
1/4 C. Vegetable oil
⅜ C. sugar
2 tsp. Active dry yeast
1 egg (beaten)

Heat water to 110º. Add yeast and stir to dissolve. (Hint: if your yeast is kept in the refrigerator, try taking it out an hour or so before you bake the bread to let the temperature rise a little)

Mix flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the middle and add the egg yolks, oil and yeast/water mixture. Break the egg yolks and combine them with the liquids. Once eggs are incorporated, combine liquids into the flour mixture. When dough is formed knead until all ingredients are well incorporated and dough is soft.

Spray large bowl with non-stick spray and place dough in bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place. This can take from 45 minutes to several hours.

Punch down dough and knead slightly. Separate into 6 equal pieces and roll into 12" ropes on floured surface. Join the ropes at one end by pinching tips together.

To begin braid: Bring the fourth rope from the left up to the top left of the other ropes. Lift the rope farthest to the left up to the top right. Bring the rope on the top left down to the center of the 4 ropes below.

For the rest of the braid: Lift the rope to the farthest right up to the top left. Bring the rope on the top right down to the center of the 4 bottom ropes. Bring the rope from the farthest left to the top right. Bring the rope from the top left down to the center of the 4 bottom ropes. When the braid is finished pinch the ends together and tuck under the braid.

Turn oven on to 250º for two minutes. Place braided loaf in oven and allow to rise (about 30 minutes). Remove loaf from oven and turn oven on to 350º.

Paint the loaf with the beaten egg and sprinkle with poppy or sesame seeds. Bake at 350º for 25-35 minutes.

Lemon Squares

The Meyer Lemon is truly one of the world's lost secrets. All the lemony tastes from my childhood are centered on the sweet and tangy fruit of the Meyer Lemon tree in my parents' front yard. Lemonade stands, pies and the unforgettable lemon bar. In my 8 years away from home I have never tasted a lemon bar or lemonade as sweet and tangy as those from Meyer lemon. They are in season and I finally satisfied my eight-year longing for Lemon Bars...the kind that reach back to the sides of your mouth and tickle your senses with their tartness.

Crust:
3/4 C. Butter
1 1/2 C. flour
1/2 C. Powdered sugar


Topping:
3 eggs slightly beaten
2 Tbsp. Flour
1 1/2 C. Sugar
Juice from 1 lg Meyer lemon (2 small)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease 9x12 baking dish.
Mix crust ingredients and press into bottom of the pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until crust is golden.
Meanwhile mix egg, lemon juice and sugar. Pour over hot crust and bake an additional 20 minutes or until set. Cool completely
Cut into squares and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Oreo Truffles

While we were living in Dallas working with CARES each team was to bring treats into the leasing office once a month. Erin made a big hit when she brought these into the leasing office (that further obligated her to be truffle maker extraordinaire for the next couple of years). These little treats are, in theory, quite disgusting. But once you take a bite you forget the ingredients and give way to the chocolately goodness. Only make these if you want to impress folks and be obligated to make more.



1 lb Oreo Cookies
8 oz Cream Cheese
1/2 to 1 tsp. Extract (vanilla, almond, mint or whatever sounds good to you)
1 lb. Milk or Semi-Sweet Chocolate (after experimenting I prefer to use the Wilton baking chips)
1/2 lb. White Chocolate (see note above)
Food coloring if you would like your drizzle to be colored

Using a food processor, grind cookies to a fine powder. With a mixer, blend cookie powder, cream cheese and vanilla extract until thoroughly mixed (there should be no white traces of cream cheese).

Roll into small balls and place on wax-lined cookie sheet. Refrigerate for 45 minutes.

Line two cookie sheets with wax paper. In double-boiler, melt milk chocolate. Dip balls and coat thoroughly.With slotted spoon, lift balls out of chocolate and let excess chocolate drip off. Place on wax-paper-lined cookie sheet.

In separate double boiler, melt white chocolate and food coloring if you are using it. Using a fork, drizzle white chocolate over balls (I prefer to use a plastic squeeze bottle that you can find in the cake decorating section of Michaels). Let cool.

Store in airtight container, in refrigerator.