Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies

Article first published as Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies on Blogcritics.

Have you ever traveled somewhere previously and then wish you could travel to the same place knowing what you know now? This is how I feel about New York City. I've been there a few times in my younger years. The last time was when I was in my senior year of college. I went to NYC to experience the theatre district and took in all the plays and Broadway shows I could in a week. It was a wonderful time, yet I wish I could go back. I have such a different focus now in my mid-thirties than I did in my early twenties. Visiting NYC now would mean I'd spend most of time exploring the culinary scene and checking out the plethora of great food spots the city has to offer. One place I'd love to visit is the Levain Bakery. I've heard such  raves about their cookies and it's gotten to the point of me attempting to make a clone of a cookie I've never even tasted. These Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies are pretty amazing so I can only imagine how much more the real mccoy would be! These cookies have a butterscotch caramel dough that's studded with chocolate chips and walnuts. If that's not enough to tempt you, I don't know what will!...

Hands down, my favorite cookie in the whole world is the classic chocolate chip walnut cookie. Apparently this Levain Bakery makes some mind blowing version but since I can't fly out to NYC to try them out first hand, making a clone that folks swear by is the next best thing. There are a few variations of this clone recipe, but I adapted a version I got from another blog. Maybe one of these days I'll make another batch and take some with me to NYC for a true taste test...

Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies
recipe adapted from How to Eat a Cupcake

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 cups dark brown sugar
2 eggs
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup walnuts, chopped


Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix together butter and sugar on low speed until blended. 

Add eggs, one at a time, and beat on low speed until incorporated.

Add flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and mix until just combined. Gently fold in chocolate chips and nuts.

Scoop 2 heaping tablespoons of cookie dough onto parchment lined baking sheet 1 1/2 inches apart.

Bake 15-20 minutes until the edges are golden brown and the tops are just lightly browned. Cool completely on wire racks and store in an airtight container.

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GLAZED LEMON BUNDT CAKE

BARBECUE FANTASIES





A barbecue culture. From Girl Scout campfires to front yard grills, from Fourth of July parties on backyard decks, Brooklyn rooftops or lakeside park to summer bonfires, I’ve lived and eaten my way through many a tremendous barbecue. Foot longs nestled into soft, warm buns, burgers flipped and chicken dripping with spicy sauces were our mainstay, those homey barbecue staples both north and south, always causing endless minutes of agonizing distress and indecision, never being able to decide which to choose, wanting it all yet knowing that I would never be able to eat one of each. Tables groaning under the weight of endless bowls of cool, crispy coleslaw, tangy with vinegar, creamy potato salad studded with gems of celery and carrot bits or speckled with chopped fresh herbs; steaming bowls of baked beans, heady with the salty bite of bacon, thick with molasses, as spicy or as smooth as you please. Potatoes tossed whole straight into the fire, snuggled deep down into the coals then opened like presents, peeling back the shimmering silver foil to reveal the crispy skin and meltingly smooth flesh of a truly “hot potato”. Pyramids of sweet corn on the cob, dripping with butter, its saltiness mingling ever so perfectly with the sugary corn; each kernel cracking under the bite of your teeth, digging into the tender-cooked nibs, the best part of the meal hidden underneath her silky husk.



Wash it down with glasses of fruity sangria, just a spritz of lemon, or a frosty beer. Cans of soda spilling out of coolers, tucked into mounds of ice itself just waiting, begging to be scooped up in spite of the drinks and spilled into a glass, crunched and slurped to stave off the August heat. Bright red watermelons sliced by the dozen and passed around like candy, as sweet as sugar, black seeds spit across lawns, a favorite summer occupation for kids and adults alike. Cold watermelon, an outdoor meal’s best friend, followed quickly by ice cream in a rainbow of colors, a flavor for everyone; or sheet cakes in lemon, vanilla or chocolate slathered with whipped cream and piled with berries of red, white and blue.





Drunk on food and laughter, the summer barbecue rarely seems to change from one American backyard to the next, one Fourth of July to the next. Yes, in Florida we often added shrimp, plump and pink and marinated in something citrusy, crunchy with coconut or savory with the flavors of Asia. Or maybe there were T-bone steaks, grilled until beautifully charred on the outside, pink and tender on the inside, turning the family barbecue into something surely more sophisticated and elegant. The pleasure and excitement of youth group bonfires heightened as the Sloppy Joes were passed around. Often the parties stayed outside, crowds of guests mingling as they might, the talk loud, the laughter infectious, steaming plates of meat carried from grill to table in an endless parade, forks stabbing at this or that, spoons carrying mounds of food to plates already overflowing; hobnobbing with this clutch of people then that one, an impromptu game of football adding noise and movement to an already vivacious garden party. And how many childhood barbecues around a swimming pool? While the adults manned the grill, sipped mixed cocktails and talked about their next cruise, the kids would splash in the water, playing shark or water tag and trying to play pranks on the parents. Exhausted, wrapped up in damp towels, we would plop down hungry around the picnic table on the patio, paper plates laden with everything we could squeeze onto it: a burger and a hot dog, slaw and beans, piles of chips, grab a soda and eat to our fill, probably knowing that thick slices of watermelon and ice cream bars waited for us after. Or, better yet, toasted marshmallows and S’Mores.



Once in a while, the meal was eaten at the table, indoors: plates passed to and from the grill as seconds and thirds were called, platters of sides shuffled from one end of the table to the other as desired. This was certainly a well-loved summer ritual every year up in New York whenever we stayed with Aunt Millie, Uncle Al and the cousins. After a day running around the park or, older, maybe taking an exciting trip into the city, we’d gather round the diningroom table for the summer barbecue. Yes, one kosher hot dog followed by one hamburger and all the fixings – which always included Marci and Uncle Al’s famous and fabulous coleslaw - most likely followed by cinema night, all the cousins packed downstairs in the den watching Top Hat or Swingtime. Or barbecues up in Albany at Sandra’s in their huge backyard, eating steamed clams followed by popsicles while we watched the fireworks.



I loved Saturdays when dad would wheel the stand barbecue out into the driveway in front of the house and fire up the coals. Mom would buy plastic containers of slaw and potato salad and bakery buns, maybe roast sweet potatoes in the oven until so soft the crispy skin would fall away from the flesh, which would just melt in the mouth, sweet like candy. And of course there was always watermelon, those huge sugary Florida watermelons that we would pick up at one of the small farmer’s market stands that stood in any number of gas station parking lots along South Patrick Drive, piled up next to the mountains of local tomatoes and peaches, bright, sweet and fragrant. Dad would flip burgers that he made himself, always studded with chopped onion. Happy we were in spite of the stifling heat with no shade to protect or comfort us, bare feet dancing on the burning cement sidewalk, just happy for the barbecue. And we would finish standing in the grass, leaning against the lamppost and having watermelon seed spitting contests like millions of American kids from coast to coast.





But these are typically American experiences, ones so many of us grew up with, those sweet memories tucked away in our minds, popping out every summer when the air blows a certain way, when the temperature climbs to searing with only the hint of a mild ocean breeze rustling our hair. I’ll be home, back in Florida, in a couple of weeks and I can already imagine walking through the deli section of the grocery store, wiggling my way through the barely-clad beach crowd, each baring as much skin as allowed, dressed down to tanks, shorts and flip-flops and grabbing what for an impromptu picnic or barbecue. But we were invited to a barbecue here in France last weekend and I must admit that JP and I, although not knowing at all what to expect, were as excited as kids to be there as visions of those American do’s swished and dashed through our brains.



Do the French ever let their hair down? I’m not so sure. We arrived, walking around the house and onto the well manicured expanse of green lawn and shook hands with the host (a former work colleague of my husband) and his lovely wife (who I liked quite a lot). Their 3 children stood quietly by, politely greeted us, kissing each of us on the cheeks in the French manner then stood patiently waiting to be dismissed. Organized and orderly, just a handful of close friends, beautiful food and plenty of wine, the French concept of a barbecue, as we quickly discovered, is just another elegant meal albeit served and eaten al fresco. The grill was tucked away in a lovely little alcove, part of a well thought out décor of leather swing chair and Moroccan chandelier. A wooden picnic table was laid out for 6 just outside the kitchen entrance and prettily decorated with dishes, wine glasses and cloth napkins tied up in ribbons, equally elegant children’s table off to the side. Marinated duck breasts were lined up on the rack over the flames as we sipped our first bottle of sparkling white wine and nibbled thin slices of bread spread with rillettes and taramasalata. Instead of piling food on plates willy-nilly and wandering from group to group, this was a quiet, sophisticated version of the barbecue, but lovely it was. The sun was warm on our shoulders, the food was plentiful and luscious, the wine flowed and the company nice… although I was indeed astonished that the two former colleagues of my husband continued to call him Mr. D…. instead of JP. Oh well, I’ll never get around the formality of the French, no matter the situation.





And as the meal wound down, as their huge Airedale shuffled over to the barbecue and proceeded to gently and quietly lick the meat and marinade essence off of the grill, as the wine glasses were drained and replaced with delicate demitasse cups, the Glazed Lemon Cake I had baked and brought was sliced and served to an eager table. A foolproof cake I have been making for twenty years or more based on a Maida Heatter recipe, this is a fabulous, moist cake, oh so lemony thanks not only to the lemon zest added to the silky batter but to the gorgeous tangy sweet lemony glaze slathered on the top and sides. The glaze (and do not be stunned or put off by the quantity! Use it all!) soaks into the dense pound cake and forms a wonderful thin crust on the outside of the cake as it dries and infuses the entire moist cake with its tart lemony goodness. Don't let the simple demeanor or plain-Jane outward appearance fool you: this is the perfect cake, delicious and flavorful, fantastic for a dinner party dessert, barbecues, picnics, lunchboxes and snacks. Or feeling decadent? Top with freshly whipped cream.





GLAZED LEMON BUNDT CAKE

A family favorite for twenty years. Mostly from Maida Heatter.



3 cups (420 g) flour, very lightly spooned into measuring cup then sifted

2 tsps baking powder

½ tsp salt

½ pound (1 cup/225 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

2 cups (400 g) sugar

4 large eggs

1 cup milk, preferably whole milk

1 tsp vanilla

Finely grated zest of 2 lemons



Adjust the oven rack one-third up from the bottom. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and generously butter a Bundt pan (or 9 x 3 1/2 – inch tube pan) and dust with flour, tapping out the excess.



Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt into a small bowl and set aside. In a large bowl using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping the bowl as needed to keep the mixture smooth and blended. Beat in the vanilla.



On lowest speed, beat in the dry ingredients in 3 additions alternating with the milk in 2, beginning and ending with the dry, beating only until blended and smooth after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the grated lemon zest.



Pour the batter into the prepared pan then level the top by rotating the pan briskly back and forth.



Bake the cake for an hour or a bit more, until puffed, the top is a golden brown and it is completely set in the center (lightly press the top of the cake to tell and a tester inserted in the cake should come out dry).



Let the cake stand in the pan for about 3 minutes and then cover with a rack and invert. Gently remove the pan, leaving the cake upside down (if using a tube pan instead of a Bundt pan, I would flip back upright). Place the cake on the rack over a large piece of aluminum foil or wax paper and prepare the Lemon Glaze.



LEMON GLAZE

To be prepared just before using; use right after it is made.



1/3 cup (about 85 ml) freshly squeezed and strained lemon juice

¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar



Stir the lemon juice and sugar together until thick and well blended. Brush all over the cake (top, sides and inside the “tube”) heavily and evenly until you have brushed on all of the glaze. Allow the cake to cool completely before, using wide, flat, metal spatulas, gently sliding onto a serving platter.

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Top 3 Unknown Persons with Severe Autism List

It is routine to see references to very high functioning persons in the mainstream media.  On a web site called TopTenz the site owners have compiled a list called Top 10 People with Autism Known Today. Not suprisingly the list comprises those with very high functioning autism. It is difficult to understand why some of these people have mental health disorder diagnoses but they do.  What is unfortunate about these portrayals is that they do not represent those who are more harshly,  particularly those who are most harshly, affected by autism disorders.  The list includes, among others,  Daniel Tammet, Temple Grandin and  John Elder Robison.  All the names on the list  are successful, creative people who have functioned very well in society, business and the arts. One possible exception is Thomas McKean who was institutionalized for a period but emerged from that institutionalization and is an autism advocate.  Even his story though is not reflective of those who in fact remain institutionalized and cannot advocate or, in many cases, communicate with the world.

Why some on this list of distinguished, accomplished individuals even have an autism disorder diagnosis when they are so successful in life is beyond the understanding of this humble father of a severely autistic 15 year old boy.  Unlike some on the list my severely autistic son was not diagnosed at age 40.  He was diagnosed at age 2 because his challenges were obvious and severe at a very young age.  My son has nothing in common with the geniuses and talents on the Top 10 People with Autism Known Today list.   My son`s challenges are not known though to the general public which is very familiar, as this list demonstrates, with the Tammets, Grandins, Robisons and others of great ability.

My son has much more in common with those persons with severe autistic disorder who live out their lives  in psychiatric hospitals and general hospital wards.  My son has limited communication skills and limited understanding of the world.  He engages in self aggression and can not tell us if he is sick or hurting other than  through his frustrations.   He occasionally engages in public meltdowns and sometimes meets the stares of those who do not understand.  The public that sees a child or youth engaged in a public meltdown does not see autism, the public sees autism in the faces of gifted individuals splashed relentlessly on the media`s pages and sites.  The public will see instead a spoiled child, incompetent parents but they will not see a child with autism because, after all, persons with autism are very smart people accomplished in business, science, literature, rock music organizations and the arts.

There is a top ten list of known autistic persons. There is no list representing those who are uknown, those persons with autism who disappear in a Nova Scotia blizzard or wonder into automobile traffic or drown in a neighborhood pool.  There is no list of autistic persons who can not tell their parents why they don`t feel well.  

The unknown autistic persons  are those with the most severe challenges but the general public doesn`t see those challenges in web site  lists or in the mainstream media.  The media does not inform the general public about the realities of severe autism.  There is no list for the invisible autistic persons who have no flashy skills to show the world.  And the public remains fundamentally ill informed about autism disorders. 

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Creamy Lemon Caper Chicken

Article first published as Creamy Lemon Caper Chicken on Blogcritics.

Every now and then my husband will bring up a random ingredient, asking how I would use it. It's kind of like a fun game we play... like a verbal Iron Chef battle of sorts. The other night, he brought up the ingredient, capers. We got to talking about capers and the dishes I've made incorporating them. And as usual, when an ingredient is stuck in my head, the only way to get past it is to physically play in the kitchen with it! As a result, I made this Creamy Lemon Caper Chicken for dinner. The creamy lemon caper sauce livens up a plain chicken dish with a boost of flavor...


This recipe was inspired by a  Swiss Pork Schnitzel I found online. I made a few substitutions and additions including swapping out the pork with chicken, switching the dill for capers and adding a touch of garlic powder. With all the changes, it came out wonderfully! You can certainly use this over pork cutlets if you prefer.

Creamy Lemon Caper Chicken
recipe adapted from Food

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons milk
3/4 cup fine dry breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon paprika
3 tablespoons cooking oil
3/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon capers
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sour cream
juice of 1 lemon
lemon slices for serving
Pound the chicken breasts to 1/4-1/8 inch thickness with a meat mallet.

Set out 3 shallow bowls. Fill one with a mixture of the flour, salt, pepper and garlic powder; the second with the egg and milk whisked together; and the third with a mixture of the bread crumbs and paprika.

Heat the oil in a large skillet on medium high heat. Dredge the cutlets first in the seasoned flour, then dip the cutlets in the egg mixture, and then into the mixture of bread crumbs and paprika.

Working in batches, sauté the cutlets for 3-4 minutes on each side. Remove the cutlets from the skillet and cover with foil or place in a warm oven to keep warm.

Add the chicken stock into the skillet to deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen the brown bits. In a small bowl mix the thyme, capers, lemon zest and salt into the sour cream. Stir the sour cream mixture into the chicken stock. Heat and stir until mixture thickens - do not let it boil. Just before it's finished, add the lemon juice and stir.

Serve the cutlets with the sauce over the top and lemon slices on the side.

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Mango Margaritas

So I’ve been busy…
And not just drinking these delicious margaritas
We’ve had skating competitions…

BMX races in PA and NC and all throughout FL…
And sadly only an 8 week summer to fit it all in!
But this is all about these delicious margaritas that we made last weekend.  I have a friend who keeps me in nice supply of fresh herbs, lemons and mangos depending on the season.  Right now we are coming up on the tail end of mango season and she brought me bags full!  I juiced all of the mangoes in my heavy duty juicer.  Some of the juice became popsicles and I made a delicious batch of Mango Frozen Yogurt (which I just polished of without so much as a picture *sigh*).  But with the rest I wanted to make something adult like.  That celebrated the fruit at it’s finest.  Mango Margaritas it was…
Mango Margarita
2 oz Tequila
1 oz limoncello (or triple sec but we like the lemon flavor with the mango)
3 oz of fresh mango juice
2 ounces of water
juice of 1/2 a lime

Mix all ingredients together and serve chilled over ice.  These could be made into frozen margaritas by simply blending with ice but they were delicious like this…

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My Kodak Photobook Experience

Growing up, my mom made several photo albums capturing my youth. They are suck keepsake albums that I love looking through and sharing with my 1+ year old son, Joel. These days, photos are often shared electronically online, making it a much different experience viewing and sharing photos with others. When my son was born, I didn't take pictures to put into a photo album like my mom did. Instead, I kept the pictures in an online album and in my computer to make it easier to share with loved ones electronically. I've always wanted to create some kind of physical album that could showcase some pictures of Joel's first year. I know it would be a wonderful keepsake for him when he's older and an item we'd treasure as new parents.

When I was asked to participate in making a Kodak Photobook through FoodBuzz's TasteMaker Program, I was excited! Now was my chance to create a photobook of Joel's pictures! Although it was great to be chosen among other food bloggers to participate, the hardest part is selecting the pictures you want to be highlighted in the photobook. I took so many of Joel during his first year that it's made it a challenge to select the ones I want. As a result, I'm still working on my photobook... and I started working on it in late July! Here are some pictures I have chosen and I can't wait to see it all in a photobook when I'm done...

As for making the Kodak Photobook, it's extremely easy to use. Once you've downloaded pictures you want in the photobook, you're able to play around with them to design the album the way you want. There are quite a few customizeable options including several various backgrounds and layouts to choose from. And as hard as it is to believe the holidays are a few months away, these Kodak Photobooks make a wonderful gift for the holidays and special occassions like birthdays, anniversaries, etc.

Kodak also provided me with a special offer for you! You can receive 40% off any Medium Hardcover or Large Photobook using this link only: www.kodakgallery.com/creativity Offer valid until 8/31/11. So if you want to get a head start on Christmas gifts, this would be the time!

* This post is part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program with KODAK Gallery. In exchange for this post, I received a free photobook with KODAK Gallery through the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program.

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Thai Chile Beef

Article first published as Thai Chile Beef on Blogcritics.

When it comes to making dishes for the family, it can be challenging to keep food preferences in mind... especially when you're craving something you know others just won't eat. Such was the case at our house the other night when I was in the mood for this Thai Chile Beef. I like beef and peanuts. The husband isn't a fan of either, especially together. But that didn't stop me from satisfying my cravings. This dish brings Thai take out into your kitchen and it's easy to do too! Marinated beef is tossed with jalapenos, basil, cilantro and a spicy sauce to bring it all together...

The first time I made this, it was way too salty for our tastes. It was no wonder since the original recipe called for a total of 3 tablespoons of fish sauce! Normally recipes from Cook's Illustrated work wonderfully for me but this one had to have a few tweaks. I tried it a second time with some changes and the recipe below reflects what was a much better ratio of saltiness in the dish. If you cannot find Thai basil, you can substitute it with regular basil. Since my husband doesn't eat beef (for health reasons), I made him the same dish separately using sliced pork which is just as good. You can even substitute chicken in the dish for beef as well.

Thai Chile Beef
recipe adapted from Cook's Illustrated

Marinade:2 pounds blade or flank steak, trimmed and cut into 1/4 in strips
3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
2 teaspoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon fish sauce


Sauce:
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon Asian chili paste
4 garlic cloves, minced

Stir Fry:
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 jalapeno pepper, ribs and seeds removed, sliced thin
3 medium shallots, chopped
1/2 cup Thai basil leaves
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
1/3 cup roughly chopped peanuts
Lime wedges for serving
Place the beef in a medium sized bowl and add the marinade ingredients. Toss to combine and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the sauce ingredients (fish sauce, rice vinegar, water, brown sugar, and chili paste) and set aside.

Heat 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil in a nonstick skillet or wok over high heat. Add a third of the beef and brown; transfer the beef to a bowl and repeat with remaining beef in 2 batches using 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil for each batch. Doing this in batches allows a better browning so it's best not to add all the beef at once.

After the beef is cooked, reduce the heat to medium, and add 2 more teaspoons of oil to the skillet. Add the garlic, shallots and jalapenos, cooking until softened, stirring frequently.

Add the sauce mixture to the skillet and increase the heat to medium high until the sauce thickens a bit. Add the beef and any juices back to the skillet and toss in the sauce.

Take off the heat and stir in the Thai basil leaves and cilantro. Add half of the chopped peanuts and toss.

Serve over rice with lime wedges on the side.

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