The Sisters Fierce

Best Snickerdoodles of All Time

2012-01-23T16:25:00.000-05:00

I would like to eat all of these. Now.

In the Fierce household, scattered as it is these days across continents and time zones, there are a few minor differences in palates. The eldest Fierce Child, he will eat whatever it is as long as he didn't have to make it himself. You can see C Fierce's preferences for yourself. It's probably no surprise that I used to claim onion allergies to avoid picking them out of everything put in front of me (now I just try to cook for myself). The one thing we can all agree on, with the exception of The Youngest Fierce, is dessert. As long as it's there, we're happy.

Sometimes though, the rest of us aren't convinced The Youngest Fierce is one of us. He has this thing.... it's not something I can relate to, and I probably wouldn't believe it were possible if I hadn't grown up with him: He doesn't like sweets.

Young Fierce (good rap name huh - I just checked, already in use) doesn't want to stop and pick up a cinnamon roll. He doesn't need to go down the bakery aisle. He doesn't put jam on a piece of bread and call it dessert if there's nothing else. He doesn't eat chocolate chips right out of the bag, not that I do, or am right now. He didn't even eat a slice of all four pies at Thanksgiving. He doesn't need dessert. He doesn't hoard enough ice cream in his freezer to open his own shop or beg for pies to be sent cross-continent. I would be willing to bet that he doesn't even put sugar in his Dunkin Donuts coffee.

Anyway, there was a graduation gift I hadn't sent him (it's only been a year and a half) and I thought, well I can't send it by itself. I better put some really awesome brownies in there. He didn't sound thrilled. FIIIIIINE, what do you want? And he suggested snickerdoodles. So, I texted my resident snickerdoodle afficiando, my boss, and within the hour I had his mother's snickerdoodle recipe in my inbox. I have never made snickerdoodles before. They aren't something I pick at the bakery - if I'm not making it, I want something really labor intensive, like the chocolate eclairs from this wonderful place. There better be sweat in those eclairs. I don't want to taste it unless its sugar and cocoa sweat, but it better be in there.

I looked at the recipe and decided it wasn't enough for my brother and ten classmates (end of semester festivities, yes, this happened a long time ago). I decided to double it and change a few things. Turns out by my measures, I made 6 dozen 3 inch cinnamon-rolled cookie deliciousness. Seventy Four cookies to be exact. That's plenty. And if you're wondering, my brother liked the ten he received so much that he dedicated an entire solo Facebook post to celebrate them. It went something like this:" slammin on some of the best snickerdoodles of all time, some of the best snickerdoodles of all time." Young Fierce in the house.

Best Snickerdoodles of All Time
adapted from Nick's Mom's recipe
yield: 6 dozen cookies: 72 cookies and some change.

Ingredients
1 cup shortening
1 cup butter
3 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
5 1/2 cups flour
4 teaspoons cream of tartar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
For rolling: 3/8 cup sugar + 2 1/2 Tablespoons cinnamon

Method
Cream together butter and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down between additions if your mixer is like mine, not as OCD as me.
Whisk together the dry ingredients and add them to the butter sugar mixture until just combined. Some people like to refrigerate the dough here, but I didn't find it necessary. I used a dough baller and that worked just fine.
Roll into 1" balls, roll into cinnamon sugar mixture.
Bake at 350, spaced 2 inches apart on cookie sheets for 10-12 minutes.

Mexican Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

2011-12-06T23:00:00.001-05:00

Oh, oh my.

We have this blog, this blog we update as often as is fun and we have fun things to share. [So for C Fierce that means ... once a quarter. Sorry.] Know what comes with it? An email address that we never check. We should somehow forward it our real emails that we spend all day gchatting on. We haven't. We mostly get spam.

I promised what, a year ago? that I would write about these amaaaaaaazing cookies, and I haven't. And then I got an email reminding me to do so in March. Well, I checked thesistersfierce email yesterday and that's the first time I saw it. Apologies to the internet, as I dropped the ball on that one. Sheesh, totally dropped the ball.

Well, here are the cookies. They are wonderful. And I might just make them tomorrow since they're fresh on my mind. I was thinking about making lemon bars or marshmallows or maybe some cupcakes, or something new.

worst picture evarrrrr
srsly.

Mexican Chocolate Crinkle Cookiesfrom Sur la Table's The Art and Soul of Baking
Ingredients

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 tablespoon coffee liquor or cooled brewed coffee

6 ounces 70 percent (bittersweet) chocolate, finely chopped (I hate chopping chocolate)

2 large eggs

1/2 cup plus 1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup flour

1/2 cup whole almonds, toasted and cooled completely

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ancho chile powder

3/4 cup unsifted confectioner's sugar

Method

1. Combine the flour, nuts, cinnamon, baking powder, and chile powder in the food processor. Blend until finely chopped (60-90 seconds).
2. Put the butter, liquer/coffee, and chocolate in the top of a double boiler . Mix together over medium heat until smooth-stir occasionally. Remove and let cool slightly (while you do the next step!)
3. Put 1/2 cup sugar and the eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip on high speed until the mixture becomes thick and very light in color. This will take 5-6 minutes, thank goodness for the stand mixer. Scrape the melted chocolate mixture into this and whip until blended, about a minute.
4. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and beat on low speed until just combined. Make sure it is fully mixed buy using a spatula to gently fold it a little more. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, 1-2 hours. Seriously important because this dough is messy.
5. Set your oven to 325. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper.6. Using a tablespoon or a scoop-ball-thinger, make the dough into little balls. Set the remaining granulated sugar in one shallow dish and the confectioner's sugar in the other. Roll the balls first in the granulated sugar and next in the powdered sugar. More is better when it comes to powdered sugar.
7. The cookies should be about an inch and a half apart on the cookie sheets. Bake 11-14 minutes until the cookie is slightly puffed and cracked. Try the "nudge" test-if the cookie moves when prodded, it's ready. If you're going to mess these up, underbake them rather than overbake. They are pretty awful when all dried out (I still eat them but I don't share them that way. I don't want anyone to think that I have ever made a less than perfect cookie). They're best the day that they're baked-if you want to do these ahead of time, freeze them in individual balls and then defrost them before rolling in the sugars and baking. That's what I did last year and it was awesome.

Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies

2011-11-15T09:19:00.001-05:00

Are you ready for Thanksgiving yet? What are you bringing? Are you hosting?

I'm not going to be able to celebrate with family this year - I've jumped right from one service industry to another. I knew what I was getting into when I signed up for this, but it's still a little bit of a downer.

Around this time of year there are more occasions for get togethers - not just the holidays but the weekends in between. I like to be able to contribute something, to have a housewarming gift of sorts. Cookies are great for that because they aren't as intimidating as something bigger like a pie. Now, if you're coming to my place that would be the perfect housewarming treat, but it can get a little messy and you're showing off a little more. Look what I brought! A pie! What, you don't have ice cream to match with this? See, that's not polite when you're visiting someone else. Cookies creep right in, no accessories needed, and everyone can have one without blowing their diet. Even better, you can have a monster baking session, freeze the dough and only bake what you need when you need it.
That's my preamble to The Best Cookies This Holiday Season. Okay, I have one other recipe that I was supposed to post last year but didn't. Stuff got busy. So, this recipe and the other one are the only ones I'm bringing to holiday celebrations. And maybe some of these. Or these. I see a pattern: if its spicy, chocolate and dramatic, I'm bringing it.

Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies
adapted (doubled-it's silly to do all the work and not have tons of these-and added the candied ginger, because I can never get enough) from Martha Stewart, discovered by my dear friend Alice who fed me these last year and I've been thinking about them ever since.

Ingredients
14 ounces best-quality semisweet chocolate (don't use chips, they won't melt the right way. I know, chopping chocolate is the worst, but it's so worth it)
3 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger (this was about 3 inches of fresh ginger)
1 cup dark-brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup granulated sugar for a little gorgeous exterior.
4 ounces candied ginger chopped into ¼ inch pieces (optional)

Method
Do these the night before, or else you’re going to be making these cookies all day long (anyway, I usually measure the dry ingredients the night before. It makes it go faster the next day when I’m really getting impatient for cookies)

1. Chop all the chocolate into ¼ inch pieces. Chop the candied ginger. Set aside.

2. Measure out and combine the flour, spices, and cocoa.

Next day:
1. Put the softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachement.

2. Grate the ginger into the butter and mix at medium speed until it’s white and fluffy looking. Add the brown sugar, beat till combined. Add the molasses and beat until combined.

3. In a small bowl, add 3 teaspoons boiling water to the baking soda. Mix till combined.

4. Beat half of the flour mixture into the sugar-butter-deliciousness. Add the baking soda, mix to combine. Add the rest of the flour mixture just until combined. Stir in (or mix on low) the chocolate and candied ginger.
5. Divide the dough in half, turning out onto a big piece of plastic wrap-each half should get its own plastic wrap. Smoosh the dough until it’s about 1” thick, then refrigerate about 2 hours. I know,waiting is the worst.

6. Divide the dough somehow into equal portions. Initially I used a cookie baller thing. Not a good idea. Try this technique:

You can use a ruler if you’re picky (I am). Roll each 1-1 ½ inch cube in between your hands to make a ball. Roll in the sugar to coat.

7. To bake them all now (or at least a few so you know how awesome these are): preheat the oven to 325. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the cookies about 2” apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes until just cracked on the top. They’ll firm up after they’ve cooled. Don’t overbake them or they’ll be crunchy not chewy.

8. If you’re going to freeze these individually: line a baking sheet with parchment paper, putting the sugar coated dough just enough apart to not stick. Flash freeze and then put in a baggie. They’ll need to cook a little longer when you’re ready for them, but this way they’re always fresh.

Pumpkin Chocolate Bread

2011-11-01T13:14:00.002-04:00

Every year, I buy extra cans of pumpkin so that when I want pumpkin muffins in the summer I don't have to search through four grocery stores before I find one that carries it in the off season. Every year, I go all summer without wanting pumpkin muffins. Once the weather turns a little chilly (which happens much later now that I don't live in the arctic-It was 80 here two weeks ago!), I start to crave them. I go to the cabinet and rearrange everything until I find my stash of pumpkin puree.

Chocolate and pumpkin have been on my mind these past few weeks. I don't think the combination shows up nearly enough. When it does, it's usually chocolate chips thrown into something without much deliberate effort. You may find this hard to believe, but I actually don't have chocolate chips in my baking cabinet (yes, my cabinets are divided that way. Yours aren't?). I don't make a lot of things that require chocolate chips. You'll probably never see a chocolate chip cookie recipe on here because my BFF refuses to share hers and they're the best I've ever had. Why settle?

So, I made this banana chocolate bread for the first time nearly a year ago now. It stayed with me: It isn't too sweet, it's stunning, and yeah it's a little fussy but did I mention how beautiful it is? I like dramatic things.

I was trying to think of a way to put chocolate with my pumpkin without making a cake. As much as I love some cream cheese frosting, things get a little messy if you're me and I didn't want to deal with the extra step since I never start these things until after dinner. Maybe when I have a party to go to I'll get the pumpkin cake with maple cream cheese frosting cake out. That stuff is good.

Long story short, I added some spices to make it more fall appropriate and swapped pumpkin for banana. It is gorgeous and delicious and I really hope I don't eat it all by myself.

Chocolate Pumpkin Marble Bread
Adapted From the Art and Soul of Baking by Cindy Mushet/Sur la table

Ingredients:
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup buttermilk at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups (7 oz) sifted cake flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cloves
some grated nutmeg
ginger?
1/4 cup unsifted unsweetened dutch-process cocoa powder
3 tablespoons boiling water plus more if needed
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs at room temperature, lightly beaten

Method:
1. Set the oven to 350. Butter a 9x5" loaf pan and line it with parchment paper that hangs over the sides by about 1".
2. Add the vanilla and buttermilk to the pumpkin puree.
3. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and spices. Set aside. Put cocoa powder in a small bowl. Pour the boiling water over it and stir until smooth. You really want to get rid of all the lumps here. Keep stirring. Add some more boiling water if you need to.
4. Cream the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed in the bowl of a stand mixer. You want to do this until the mixture is almost white in color-4-5 minutes. Scrape down the sides. Set the speed to medium and mix in the eggs, one tablespoon at a time. Completely blend between additions. Scrape down the sides about halfway through again.
5. Put the mixer on its lowest speed. Add a third of the flour mixture and when it is just blended, add half the pumpkin mixture. Repeat with the flour and pumpkin, ending with the dry mix. Scrape down the bowl once in between additions.
6. Put half the batter into a different bowl. Add the cocoa paste-fold it in gently, you don't want to deflate the batter.
7. Drop alternating spoonfuls of chocolate and plain batter into the pan like the picture I took.

checkerboard cake

8. Take a knife and do a zig-zag type thing. The book suggests to "marbelize by using a spoon to gently turn the batter over in 3 places down the length of the pan".
9. Bake for 55-65 minutes. The bread should be firm to the touch and a toothpick should come out clean when inserted into the center. Transfer to a rack to cool completely. When you can touch it and it feels cool, removve it from the pan, peel off the parchment paper. Cut with a serrated knife. Enjoy.

Lavender Sea Salt Sables

2011-10-07T13:06:00.000-04:00

It's a little ironic, as someone who posts recipes on the internet, that I am afraid of internet recipes. What bugs me about all recipes and cooks.com and all that? They're not really tested, and half of the comments are "I made this, it was awesome, here are the three hundred things I changed about it" and I just can't get on board with that.

I want to know that someone somewhere measured and timed and sliced and baked more than once and got the same result. I want to see a publishing house behind the book. I've been burned before by the hard bound variety (I'm looking at you, booze cakes), but not as often as by the internet. I want to know that what I'm investing my organic sugar and butter in (and time!) is going to turn out GOOD.

This is probably why my sister and I have about two drafts for every one post. The recipes that we forget about or aren't so enthusiastic about posting are forgotten, left lingering in the purgatory of blogger. You aren't missing those, internet friends.

I went to my cookbook on the internet, Smitten Kitchen. Deb at Smitten Kitchen has always been good to me. Searching through her cookie recipes I found one that didn't require any fancy ingredients or equipment (I've been living with boys who don't cook. Even a lime is hard to find around here, forget about a zester).

These are super simple and delicious. They're like the danish ones in the blue tin, stacked neatly in the white paper. Only you don't have to wait until Christmas, and they're all gone before they get stale.

I added the lavender and sea salt to satisfy a craving. I actually tried no fewer than three variations on lavender before I got it right. It became my white whale, getting them right. The secret is to use food grade lavender, not the kind from the supplements department, and really crush it up with the salt (I used the tiniest mortar and pestle ever). The lavender is actually really nice and doesn't taste a thing like soap, but if it's not your thing that's cool too. I'm not offended if you don't like them, more for me! I ate three of them for dinner last night (and some ice cream for a well balanced meal).

These are really nice and really simple.

Sables from Smitten Kitchen via Dorie Greenspan's Paris Sweets who adapted from Boulangerie Poilane. Confused yet?

1 1/4 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 cups of flour
3/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt
3/4 teaspoon food grade lavender flowers

1. Using a mortar and pestle, combine the salt and lavender. Mix them till you are sick of it, this will take about a minute. I whisked this mixture into the flour.

2. pulse the butter in your food processor until smooth. Add the sugar and pulse until blended. Next, add the egg (don't forget this, not that I have ever done it, but it will be much better with the egg) and pulse until it is smooth and satiny. Add the flour mixture, pulse 10-15 times until it is just combined. Divide the dough into two equal portions, roll into logs, and refrigerate 4 hours or as long as you can stand to wait, up to 4 days.

3. Preheat your oven to 350F. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper. Cut the logs 1/8-1/4" thick discs and place about 1-2" apart on the sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes, until lightly browned on top. They are so good and crumbly if you can let them cool before eating. I understand that is nearly impossible, but in case you have self control it is totally worth it.

The first one always burns.

Hello Fall

2011-09-28T16:51:00.000-04:00

Can you believe i took this with my phone?

I have been making this all summer when I can't stand to be in the kitchen longer than ten minutes. Now that apples are more in season I'll let you in on my secret: cooked endive. I like to make this when I want to eat something good and don't want to have to stay in the kitchen while it cooks.

The first time I had this, I think it knocked my socks off. I had never had a cooked endive and now I don't know what took me so long. Endives are incredibly bitter, but super sweet apples and grapes really make this gorgeous. That's all it is! Endives, apples, and grapes. You'll figure out a ratio of sweet to bitter that works for you. I like more grapes than apples with mine.

Here's how it works:

(from Dorie Greenspan's Around my French Table)

cut an endive in half like a hot dog

do the same with one apple, then quarter it. cut off a strip of skin from the backside; you just want to expose more of the apple to the pan to get a little more liquid out of it. You will only use 1/2 of the apple (see the picture)

rinse a handful or two of grapes.

Add two sprigs of rosemary if you have them. It will smell amazing, but I don't usually have it.

Turn a pan on medium and melt a tablespoon of butter. Add everything to the pan and reduce the heat to low. Let cook for 30 minutes or until softened, turning halfway through. Seriously, that's it. I let this serve me as one small meal. To serve more, use double the stuff. You'll figure it out, I promise.

Summer Fail

2011-08-31T17:30:00.000-04:00

The past few weeks have been nuts. First I moved. Then the earth moved. Then there was a hurricane. Then I had no power for five days. The entire summer has gone that way: things interrupted, fits and starts, eating like a little bird. I think I had hummus and veggies for at least 6 meals last week.

Being without power wasn't that bad because I was gone for the first two days of it. Imagine how surprised I was when at 1am, I got home to an apartment building whose front doors were unlocked. I was certain I was going to be attacked before I could gouge my perpetrator's eyes out like The Boyfriend so enthusiastically taught me. Obviously, I was safe in my locked studio. Then it hit me: no power means the freezer isn't working. Four pints of ice cream, gone (Talenti gelato: new obsession). Even worse, the Italian meringue frosting I made (and put on a phenomenal cake from this cookbook, with lemon curd), gone. Leftover lemon curd I was hoping to put on cookies? Also gone.

This is kind of breaking my heart all over again. I ate bread and peanut butter for two days straight. It's too soon to talk about.

Hot milk cake with lemon curd and italian meringue frosting

So while I have power and my own kitchen again and hope to resume baking activities soon, maybe someday I will also have The Internet and it will not require walking uphill both ways in two feet of snow or through a hurricane to tell you about my adventures.

How To Have Brunch

2011-06-24T13:30:00.011-04:00

What are you doing this weekend? Having me over for brunch, I hope. Get out your champagne ~~mugs~~ glasses!

Brunch is an institution: a special time where drinking in the daytime is not only appropriate, it is encouraged. I adhere to very strict Brunch Club Rules.

At least one food item on the table must be made up of at least 50% eggs.
One food item must be 100% bacon.
Each beverage consumed must be made up of at least 50% champagne (or other appropriately bubbled alcoholic intoxicant). This is my new favorite method of making a mimosa. You're welcome.

You should put some fruit on the table. It feels healthier this way. Coffee also helps. So does dining Al Fresco, if possible. Al Fresco is not that weird guy who lives around the corner from you; it is a fancy way of saying outdoors. Eating is one of the only outdoor activities I truly enjoy. To reiterate, the bubbly alcohol helps me enjoy outdoor activities. So does the bacon.

Here is a closeup of your 50%-egg-ingredient-brunch-component: a challah, sausage, pepper and swiss strata.

I'm probably going to get into trouble with the Strata Police here because I didn't weight this down or actually LAYER anything at all. But whatever. It's DELICIOUS. Here is how I make it.

No One Talks About Brunch Club Challah Strata
An original, by me.

Ingredients

At least five eggs

A couple of cups of milk
A loaf of challah (HOLLA!) bread
Salt, pepper, little bit of nutmeg if you have it
A pound of sausage
Peppers, one or two
Two cups of cheese, preferably emmentaal or gouda but that shit is expensive so just use bagged swiss. Nobody has to know. (Sorry for lying last week, guys.)
Maybe a cup of parmesan if you got it

Method
On Saturday night (Rule #4: Brunch is always on SUNDAY!), get out the eggs, milk, bread, and salt and pepper. In a big bowl - bigger than you think! - whisk the eggs and add two cups of milk, whisking until combined. Set aside. Take your loaf of challah bread. Admire the work you - or the grocery store baker - took to braid it up, because you are going to ruin it. Cut the loaf of bread into one-inch cubes. NO BIGGER!

Add the cubed bread to the egg and milk mixture in the big bowl. Stir it up real good, like you mean it. If it's not swimming in milk, fill it up to the top so every piece of bread is awash in liquid. Put some plastic wrap on top (does anyone else have as much trouble with plastic wrap as I do?). Put it in the fridge. Go do your Saturday night thing, whatever that may be. Who am I to judge.

Sunday morning! Wake up. Forget about Saturday night. It's BRUNCH TIME! Get out a casserole dish, a pretty one. Get out your big bowl of eggy bready ish. Be amazed at how much of the egg and milk those one-inch cubes of holla-back-bread have soaked up. It's science! Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Cook the sausage all the way through over medium heat. While it is cooking, dice your peppers. If you want to add some onions that is a great idea. When the sausage is cooked through, add the peppers to the pan. Get some color on them. Add the sausage and pepper bonanza to the big bowl of eggy bready ish. Stir it up REAL GOOD. Add the whole bag of swiss cheese. Continue stirring. Pour the entire ridiculous mess into the pretty casserole dish. It is going to look overflowy. This is good. You want this. Smash it all down with the back of a spoon or your hands if you are me. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese on top.

Bake at 350 F for 50-60 minutes. After 30 minutes, turn on the oven light and take a moment to admire how high the strata has puffed up. It looks like a giant mushroom muffin! It is going to taste so good. Basically I eyeball it when it looks "done" - when it's super puffy and looks like it might explode, and nice and golden brown on top. (J Fierce editorial note: Like some of our readers - all 12 of you - I prefer accuracy. I stick a fork in it, and if it comes out with a couple of bits sticking to it, it's done.) Let cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.

EN FIN. Other brunch things you can do while this is happening: make bacon, make a fruit salad, drink bubbly and coffee, forget about Saturday night.

A Tale of Two Pizzas

2011-06-20T10:30:00.001-04:00

More confession time. I love pizza. Bad pizza is good pizza. My favorite pizzas, though, all share similar traits: thin, crispy, yeasty, crackly, chewy, perfect ... oh, did I mention I'm a bit of a dough/crust fan? Screw the toppings. I want to talk about pizza crust.

Making your own dough is SO EASY. Seriously why are you not doing this? And here is my trick/commandment: make it as far in advance as you want. A week even. All that time in the fridge just lets the yeast work its magic and get all stretchy and delicious. Here are two pizzas, made within one day of each other.

Day One: FLUFFY DOUGH. My nemesis. Still delicious, but still. This tasty but you know it could be better.

Toppings: skirt steak, caramelized garlic and shallots, roasted cherry tomatoes, goat cheese, Mexican crema (have you had this ish? It is like sour cream but TANGIER. This probably deserves an entire post unto itself but that would be kind of gross, just C Fierce, eating a jar of Mexican sour cream. I'll do it, Internet. Don't tempt me.)

What could POSSIBLY be hiding behind the jump? Let's find out!

Day Two: CHEWY CRISPY DELICIOUS CRUST. My favorite. I wish I could have waited a few more days but hungry friends require immediate pizza.

Toppings: my favorite pizza sauce (it comes in a yellow can and costs $1), pepperoni, mozzarella, parmesan, caramelized shallots, roasted cherry tomatoes. And, um, red wine.

Here is the dough recipe. You can't mess this up. (Well, I'm sure there are ways to mess it up - I just have yet to figure them out. Give me some time.)

Pizza Dough
adapted - hardly - from America's Test Kitchen

Ingredients
4 1/2 cups bread flour, plus extra for the counter
1 envelope (2 1/4 tsp) instant or rapid-rise yeast (please don't call your sister wondering why your dough did not rise before checking what kind of yeast you are using)
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 cups water, warm

Method
Pulse 4 cups of the flour, yeast, and salt in a food processor (fitted with a dough blade if possible - I always forget this and nobody's died yet) to combine. With the processor running, pour the oil, then the water through the feed tube and process until a rough ball forms, 30-40 seconds. Let the dough rest for two minutes, then process for 30 seconds longer.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter and knead by hand to form a smooth, round ball, about 5 minutes. (Don't get too aggressive. Not that A Sister Fierce would ever do that.) Add the remaining 1/4 cups of bread flour as needed to prevent the dough from sticking to the counter. Transfer to a lightly oiled large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place until doubled size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Put it in the FRIDGE! And let it rise for days.

When you have finished your dough and let it rise for centuries, make some pizza. Roll it out as seen above (I remembered to take a picture halfway through, that is the only reason this is included).

Top it, bake it at 500 F (YES THAT HOT) on a pizza stone if you have it, on the back of a sheet pan if not, for 12 minutes max. Think about all the weight you are losing in your kitchen in June with an oven at 500 degrees. Drink more red wine because you're so damn hot. Enjoy your pizza.

Rosemary White Bean Spread

2011-06-17T16:50:00.002-04:00

We are without a photograph for this post. My apologies, but my trash can is less photogenic than you'd expect.

Maybe you have noticed the trend on here: I do not cook. When I cook it is more like chopping and mixing; side dishes and salads.

I am halfway through an insane summer (like the last one). Meals have been erratic. I haven't baked at all (okay, I baked muffins, but they weren't very good. I'm not pulling a Grandma Fierce and saying that so you'll tell me how awesome they were, they were not good. Dense. Chewy. Not the things you usally associate with delicious muffins). I've been eating tabbouleh, the add 1 cup boiling water, chopped vegetables and fluff before serving! type and fruit salad. And hummus I did not make with crudites I chopped. Really advanced stuff here.

I was really wanting some bruchetta with white bean spread, so I figured I could just soak some beans overnight, puree with oil and garlic and all would be good. Weeeeelll. Apparently on this side of the stove all acids are not equal. What can I say, I'm a baker. I decided that in lieu of lemon juice, which I did not have, not one drop, I could use champagne vinegar.

Let me be frank: if I were David Hasselhoff, I would call it "hofful" (say it aloud...). It smelled like vomit and though I was brave enough to try some with my pinky finger, it went right into the trash.

Lesson Learned. Let someone else cook.

Introducing ... The Pie Cup

2011-05-31T11:15:00.000-04:00

Now, this was rarely an issue in the Fierce household I grew up in, but a few weekends ago I noticed a little bit of a problem. It began innocently enough. I made a pie. I ate a piece or two. I shared a few pieces. And then I wanted my sister to try some. She didn't want to; she was "full" (some Fierce, saying No to Pie?!).

At this point, we'd already cooked and eaten tons of brunch: strata, more bacon than we had at the pig roast this year, fruit fruit fruit, ice cream (Guinness, strawberry-rhubarb, and rhubarb, for those of you taking notes at home). It was a "I haven't seen you in forever! Eat all of these things I made!" Sister Attack, and it included mimosas. Lots of mimosas.

So I offered the option of taking some home with her. I ran out of paper plates and wanted to keep the rest of my tupperware. What can I say, necessity is the mother of invention.

Behold ... the Pie Cup!

... and I'm officially a commuter.

I can safely say I invented it because I looked on the internets and all I found were pies baked in cupcake pans. That is not a Pie Cup. A true Pie Cup embodies some of my favorite things about America: pie being the first thing, convenience another, and excess, the third. Of course, the version I sent home with my sister had tinfoil over the top and a spoon poking out of the side. It wouldn't be fair give her something so delicious without utensils!

So, in case you don't have time to sneak that piece of pie for breakfast this week, just put it in a cup! You can always enjoy it on your morning commute. And if it's a solo cup, you can just toss it out after you finish. Heck, throw it out the window if you want. Just another favorite thing about America!

... and the Garlic Bread From Heaven That Hates Your Thighs

2011-05-18T10:30:00.002-04:00

Confession time: I love garlic. I love garlic bread. I love crappy garlic bread, I love Stouffer's garlic bread, I love dipping garlic bread in tomato sauce, I love the cheesy nasty "garlic sticks" from Pizza Hut. I love it without abandon. And I don't care who knows it. (That was for you, Francesca.)

So when I got it into my head that I would make Perfect Spaghetti and Meatballs, I immediately made sure that garlic bread was on the menu. You can't have one without the other, right? Well, I guess I can have garlic bread without anything else. But it certainly doesn't hurt the situation one whit to combine the two.

This recipe is not for the faint of ~~heart~~ artery. It's roasted garlic, butter, and cheese. On bread. I don't really know how else to say this but it is DELICIOUS. And probably not something I should have too frequently. My thighs aren't as big a fan of it as my taste buds are. But if you decide to make the most perfect spaghetti and meatballs ever, please, do yourself a favor and add this.

Garlic-Parmesan Bread
adapted from Bon Appetit (yeah, I doubled the garlic. SO WHAT.)

Ingredients
2 large heads of garlic
Extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Pinch or two of freshly grated nutmeg
1 1- to 1 1/2-pound loaf crusty whole wheat bread, cut horizontally in half

Method
Preheat oven to 400°F. Place head of garlic on sheet of heavy-duty foil. Drizzle with oil and seal foil. Place packet on oven rack. Roast garlic until tender, 45 to 50 minutes.

Cool garlic, then peel and squeeze soft cloves into bowl. Add butter and cheese and blend. Season with salt and pepper.

Place bread, cut side up, on rimmed baking sheet. Spread with garlic butter. Preheat oven to 425°F. Bake bread until very crusty and topping is browned, about 20 minutes. Cut bread crosswise into strips. DEVOUR.

Perfect Spaghetti and Meatballs

2011-05-16T10:15:00.001-04:00

I know. Who makes spaghetti and meatballs in April? (I know it's the middle of May. I take a while for this weblogging business.) A wintry, comfort food at its finest - sure, let's make it from scratch. On a Tuesday night. In April. When it's 85 degrees INSIDE your kitchen (have I ever mentioned how much I love DC weather?). But when a craving hits, a craving hits.

I searched high and low for a perfect meatball recipe. Apparently "pillowy and flavorful meatballs" is not the smartest Google search. I'd trust Molly Wizenberg's recipes with my eyes closed, so off to the grocery store I went. Pork, beef, SAN MARZANO tomatoes, lots of Parmesan cheese ... sigh. Now I'm hungry again. Stay tuned for the Garlic Bread From Heaven That Hates Your Thighs.

Spaghetti and Meatballs
adapted (just barely) from Molly Wizenberg at Bon Appetit
Note: You will need an immersion (stick) blender. They are so fun, why don't you have one already?

Ingredients
For the Sauce
2 28-ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes in juice, drained, juice reserved, tomatoes finely chopped. IMPORTANT NOTE: USE SAN MARZANO tomatoes. I know, they are four dollars a can. But when your sauce is made up of four ingredients, one of which is salt, you must must must use the best. SAN MARZANO SAN MARZANO SAN MARZANO. If your sauce is crap because you used Giant brand tomatoes I don't feel bad for you.
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 medium onions, peeled, halved through root end
1/2 teaspoon (or more) salt
For the Meatballs
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs made from crustless French or country-style bread
1/3 cup whole milk
8 ounces ground beef (15% fat)
8 ounces ground pork
1 cup finely ground (not grated) Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup finely chopped Italian parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
2 large garlic cloves, pressed
1 pound spaghetti
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (for serving)
Method
For the Sauce: Combine tomatoes with juice, butter, onions, and salt in large wide pot. Bring to simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Everything in your house is going to smell SO GOOD. Remove the onions and save for later. Trust me they are delicious. You can just eat them sliver by sliver if you are me.
Using immersion blender, process sauce briefly to break up any large pieces of tomato (texture should be even but not completely smooth). Season sauce with more salt and freshly ground black pepper. Remove from heat.

For the Meatballs: After your sauce has been simmering away happily for a few minutes, start on the meatballs! Combine breadcrumbs and milk in small bowl; stir until breadcrumbs are evenly moistened. Let stand 10 minutes.

Place beef and pork in large bowl and break up into small chunks. Add 1 cup ground Parmesan, parsley, salt, and pepper. Here, look: a bowl of meat and cheese.

Whisk eggs to blend in small bowl; whisk in garlic. Add to meat mixture.

Using hands, squeeze milk from breadcrumbs, reserving milk. Add breadcrumbs to meat mixture.

Using hands, quickly and gently mix meat mixture just until all ingredients are evenly combined (do not overmix). Chill mixture at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour.

Moisten hands with some of reserved milk from breadcrumbs, then roll meat mixture between palms into golf-ball-size balls, occasionally moistening hands with milk as needed and arranging meatballs in single layer in sauce in pot. Bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until meatballs are cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.

Put It All Together: Cook spaghetti in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Above: pasta in the green pot, meatballs and sauce in the red one. (Duh.)

Using slotted spoon, transfer meatballs to platter. Add pasta to sauce in pot and toss to coat. Divide pasta among 6 plates. Top each serving with meatballs. Sprinkle meatballs with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and serve.

Happy Mother's Day from the Sisters Fierce

2011-05-06T15:50:00.000-04:00

In honor of Mother's Day this year, we thought we'd reprise one of our favorite posts ever. That's right, it's dedicated to our awesome mother. We love you Mom!

- - - Originally posted May 7, 2010 - - -

Have you mailed your mother's day card yet? Better get to the post office, kiddos! Your mom is waiting! And if you forgot, oh boy. Call up the flower shop immediately.

What better way to celebrate Mother's Day at The Sisters Fierce than to dedicate a post to our fantastic Mama Fierce? She's obviously influenced us in many ways, not only genetics and the remarkable ability to turn any sentence into a pout. (Trust us on this one. Just ask our boyfriends.)

Look at those babes! Mama Fierce on the right, and our amazingly gorgeous Grandma Ruth, whom we miss very much, every single day. And we also wish they had held on to their wardrobes - yes, those are little anchors on Mama Fierce's dress. Ahoy!

Mama Fierce taught us how to drive stick shift, why you should always always ALWAYS wear earrings (you'll feel naked without them), and many other Very Important Life Lessons. But since this blog revolves around food, we thought we'd share some of the many tips and tricks Mama Fierce taught us in the kitchen.

Confectioner's sugar is not flour. Mistaking one for the other does not a good broccoli soup make.
The electric cooktop is not the best place to leave a cordless phone (or two or twelve).
Come to think of it, the microwave is also not really a great spot for a wire-framed basket. Oops.
Don't be afraid to make substitutions. Lasagna will probably be just as good if you realize you don't have enough ricotta so you use cottage cheese instead. (See #1 when you are curious as to what substitutes well for flour.)
Don't be afraid to stay out of the kitchen for an evening or two. Use up your leftovers. We both inherited the penchant for finishing off random small bits of dinners past from Mama Fierce: occasionally skipping a whole meal and replacing it with a snack when you've eaten well all day is just fine. This is called "grazing."
Stave off the pre-dinner munchies with a pile of crudites. We think slicing a bunch of veggies was a diversion tactic meant to keep her four wild, ravenous, hungry children out of her hair. It worked and we ate more veggies.
Does your kitchen stink because you burnt something? This never happens to us, just so you know. But in case it did... Bring about a cup or so of water to boil on the stove and throw in some cinnamon, cloves, or other aromatic spice. Let that simmer away for an hour or two and presto chango - stinko gone-o.
Sometimes, simply setting the table does wonders for your mood. When we were in high school and had free lunches, each and every Wednesday, Mama Fierce would make us lunch at home. It could have been blue-box-mac-n-cheese or a plain turkey sandwich, but she always set the table. Flowers from our backyard garden, real napkins and placemats, too. Taking the time to make things a little nicer is always worth it. Our mom always makes sure to tell us she loves us, but more importantly, she always takes the time to show us she loves us, too.

Of course she's also imparted to us some absolutely killer recipes. We drool just thinking about Mama Fierce's famous summer strawberry pie - and her Texas sheetcake is just absurd. Stay tuned this week for those recipes. We can't wait to share them with you, and in case she thought we forgot ...

Happy Mother's Day to the greatest mom on earth. We love you Mama Fierce!

Couscous Salad

2011-04-27T10:30:00.001-04:00

When we were little, the four Fierce Children referred to chickpeas as "butt beans" ... because let's face it, they look like little butts. Since we were not allowed to read at the dinner table (doing the crossword does not count if you can include the whole family), we found other obnoxious things to do. I can imagine that four young Fierces going on and on about butts during the meal is why Mama Fierce did not make more things that include them. In public, I know to politely call them garbanzo beans or chickpeas, but at home I will lovingly refer to them as butt beans.

I made this last week and ate it every day until it was gone (this took about six days). I know now I have found my summer's alternative for when I get sick of tabbouleh (that will take much longer than six days). Quick to put together, has minimal heat involved. It is crunchy (probably number two on my favorite food textures list), fresh, and if you don't like the vegetables Dorie suggests, the recipe would accommodate many others.

Click through for the World's Longest List of Ingredients And Most Delicious Butt Bean Recipe Ever.

From Dorie Greenspan's Around My French Table
makes 6 servings

Ingredients
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, split, germ removed, and minced
salt
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon tumeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
6 ounces quick cooking couscous (Dorie suggests 10, but I didn't have that much, and if I did have that much next time, I would double all of the spices so that I got the same flavor punch as I did this go around)
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 small cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 carrots, trimmed, peeled (I am not about to waste my time peeling carrots for this recipe, if the skin doesn't bother you, it doesn't bother me either), quartered lengthwise, and thinly sliced
1 cup thinly sliced sugar snap peas (and no I don't have a good method for removing the string. The string bothers me. I had to invest in removing that.)
1 can chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and patted dry
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
pepper
3/4 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup toasted almonds

Method
Bring the broth, 1 tablespoon of the oil, garlic, salt, and spices to a boil in a medium saucepan. Whisk the broth making sure the spices have dissolved, then stir in the couscous and the raisins, and turn the heat to medium. Cook according to the directions on the box.

While that is happening, chop everything up, throwing it all in one bowl with the chickpeas. Make sure everything is stirred up and add the lemon juice, olive oil and salt to taste. Add the prepared couscous and toss to blend.

Just before serving, add cilantro and toasted almonds.

Cinnamon Coffee Cake

2011-04-13T20:35:00.000-04:00

I'm working on it.

A Conversation with Mama Fierce on the Eve of St. Patrick's Day

2011-03-17T12:00:00.002-04:00

Act I, Scene I
Scene: C Fierce's car // Mama Fierce's kitchen

MAMA FIERCE: Hi honey. Did you fill out your bracket yet? Your dad is logging me in right now.
C FIERCE: I'm heading home from work, I'm making Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes for the office tomorrow.
MAMA FIERCE: Oh I LOVE car bombs!
C FIERCE: You do? Do you even know what a car bomb is?
MAMA FIERCE: Of course I do. It's that drink, what is it, a train station. A sidecar! I love those!
C FIERCE: No, those are not the same thing - and besides, a train station isn't even a drink. You made that up.
MAMA FIERCE: It has car in it, it's the same thing.
C FIERCE: No, it isn't. A car bomb has Guinness in it --
MAMA FIERCE: Oh that's that beer I don't like, the gross one, right?
C FIERCE: -- Yes, you hate Guinness -- and then you put a shot of Jameson in it --
MAMA FIERCE: That's whiskey? Oh my. This is not like a train station at all.
C FIERCE: -- It's not a train station, it's a sidecar, and anyway, you have the Guinness, and the Jameson, and then you fill up a shot glass with Bailey's and --
MAMA FIERCE: OH I like Bailey's, that is delicious! Only one out of three, this isn't going well for me, is it.
C FIERCE: No, it isn't. So you have the Guinness, the Jameson, the Bailey's, and then you have to drink it before it curdles --
MAMA FIERCE: Oh that's disgusting.
C FIERCE: Well yes, you have about 12 seconds before it curdles so you drink two shots and a beer in that amount of time.
MAMA FIERCE: Who thinks of these things? HONEY -- [offstage] -- have you heard of this thing called an IRISH CAR BOMB? Do you know what GOES INTO ONE OF THESE THINGS?
C FIERCE: [pause] [pause] [pause]
MAMA FIERCE: Your father says "an Irish car bomb is a beer, with a whiskey, plus an apertif." Is that right?
C FIERCE: Well, he's on the right track, yes.
MAMA FIERCE: I don't know where you learned all this drinking from, certainly not at my elbow!
C FIERCE: I have no idea, but I'm not drinking them tonight, I'm making cupcakes with those ingredients.
MAMA FIERCE: Well that's a relief. I'm having a nice glass of white wine, a pinot grigio, from the Wall Street Journal Wine Club.
C FIERCE: That sounds nice.
MAMA FIERCE: Did you drink all that champagne I got you for Christmas already?
C FIERCE: It's March, of course I did.
MAMA FIERCE: Well that's good. Bethanne asked me if I'd had prosecco the other day and I told her of course I knew what that was. I don't know where you learn these things.
C FIERCE: Mom I have to go now, I am recording this conversation for posterity.
MAMA FIERCE: Oh I bet your phone has one of those fancy APPS for that.
C FIERCE: Enjoy your wine, Mama Fierce.
MAMA FIERCE: And not a train station in sight!

* * * En fin. * * *

Here are some other green things to eat. Look! Green things to eat on St Patty's Day! These are naturally green, to boot, and not a pint of beer with green food coloring in it. Weird.

Spinach mascarpone dip
Pistachios and apricots
More pistachios: pistachio praline bars
Even more: pistachio tart cherry ice cream
Spinach round two: spinach salad

Happy St Patty's Day to all our readers. Are you doing anything special today? Other than making up imaginary cocktails? What goes in a train station, anyway?

C Fierce is BACK. And She Brought Lemon Squares.

2011-03-14T11:00:00.001-04:00

So. Some sheeeeeeeeeeeet happened in my life. It sucked, now it's good, and I'm back. And I have lemon squares. Meyer Lemon Squares to be precise. I went on a lemon square binge about two months ago. I found the best recipe of all time, but of course it's Cook's Illustrated, takes nineteen hours, and gives you the best lemon squares you have ever put in your mouth.

These are not those lemon squares. These take about an hour, including washing dishes. They are still excellent. They also didn't fall apart like the Failed First Post Of This Blog. Someday I will photograph and give you the Cook's Illustrated version of lemon heaven, but this is not that day. Until then, enjoy these. And I promise I will be back soon with Actual Blogging And Food Things Because I Have Time For That Now That My Life Has Calmed Down. Seriously I Mean It.

Quick and Dirty Lemon Squares

adapted from a friend's family recipe from a newspaper somewhere in the annals of time

Ingredients
2 cups AP flour

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar, plus more for sprinkling

3/4 cup chopped pecans
4 eggs
1 - 2 cups sugar (1 cup if using Meyer lemons, 2 if using regular old ordinary lemons)
1 tsp baking poweder

8 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (gotta get that Meyer lemon)

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Mix flour, butter, confectioner's sugar and pecans in a large bowl. Press in an ungreased 13 x 9 baking pan, evening out with your fingers or the back of a measuring cup if you are neurotic about these things. (I am.) Bake for 20 minutes, until the top of the crust is slightly browned.
2. While the crust is baking, beat together the remaining ingredients for 3 minutes with an electric mixer, until light and fluffy. Pour over the hot crust and return to the oven. Bake for another 25 minutes until no imprint remains when touched lightly in the center.
3. Cool. Sprinkle with more confectioner's sugar. Cut. Use a ruler if you are neurotic about these things. (I am.) Eat. Be happy about your life.

Shrimp and Grits

2011-03-07T16:05:00.000-05:00

Have I mentioned I live in the South?

Sometimes, I forget this fact. My little town finds itself to be just cosmopolitan and democratic enough that there are times it slips my mind.

There are other times, however, when it is blatantly clear.

I had decided to do a month of being vegan in preparation for a cholesterol test (I'm not sure if being vegan really matters, the jury is out and the internet is undecided). It was awful. I had all this free time and I couldn't bake anything, because if there is one thing I don't do, its substitute butter and eggs for their cheap imitations. I went out to eat and all I could have was scallops pan seared in butter (I kid, I kid. I know they're not vegan, but i was trying to irritate my sister. I swear I'm a grown up). Okay, so I had to forgo the vegan oath for a few meals, but I tried really hard. I went without eggs in my fridge for at least two weeks. The poor KitchenAid was left to gather dust. Did I mention how awful it was?

The morning of the test which was at the god awful time of 7:45 (and yes, even though there are days including today when I start work a full hour earlier than that, it does not mean the same thing on your DAY OFF. I have black out curtains for a reason: I hate the morning), I actually planned my time correctly and had fifteen minutes to spare before my appointment. I guess that's what happens when you are forbidden breakfast. Never one to miss an opportunity, I went to one of the best pastry shops in town to get my after-meal breakfast: two eclairs, a cannoli, and a piece of sacher cake.

After my test (You can let out that breath you've been holding because I have no news; I am still waiting on results) I went to the nearest grocery store and I let my favorite fishmonger pick out the best thing on the rack that day. It was fresh shrimp.

Have I mentioned that I don't really like shrimp? They're really cute-style points for color and accessory antennae, but all I really like is cocktail sauce. So after she packaged them all up for me, I had to figure out what to serve with them. Did I mention that whole vegan thing? I was beginning to think of some creamy cheesy grits as the perfect accompaniment. I let my second favorite fishmonger and all around gourmet pick out some cheese. We went with asiago (which, if you're like me and was first introduced to you by Panera Bread's bagels, is so much better in real food).

Well, my breakfast was a great hit, and not just to my blood glucose levels. I had some errands to run and things to do, so I was planning on the grits as dinner. It got to be about 7pm, and I got all my supplies out. Because I am not from the south (I just live here) it wasn't until then that I realized that corn meal is not the same thing as grits. Thank you, wikipedia. Can you tell I had never made them? Apparently, grits are ground white hominy. Apparently, they are hard to find in stores (thank you again, online forums devoted to Best Hard to Find Food Stores).

I went to the closest open store with a foolproof backup plan: a bottle of cocktail sauce. The store, which had only four aisles and one wet rack for produce (I notice things like this, I know too much about the grocery industry), had a fine selection of grits. Five different brands, to be exact, and three different varieties of each brand. Not just your quick or traditional cooking times, but flavored varieties as well (butter flavored? Red eye gravy and country ham? What does that even entail? I can't make this up). Now, if I lived in New York City (New York City? get a rope!) I might not be so surprised. But Charlottesville, Virginia? Where locally owned stores aren't open on Sundays or past 8pm? Ten or more varieties on one tiny grocer's shelf? They hadn't gathered any dust. A subtle reminder that I live in the land of tobacco.

So, dinner: after peeling and de-veining the shrimp, was a huge success. I now own white hominy grits, have had them for more than just that dinner, and know where I can get "Country Bacon" flavored ones at a moment's notice. Let me know if you need some shipped.

Shrimp and Grits Adapted from Cooking for Two 2009

Ingredients
8 oz large shrimp (31-40/pound), peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
pinch of cayenne pepper
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 small onion, minced (I omitted, obvi)
1 1/2 cup water
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup quick grits, the normal flavor (America's test kitchen recommends you not use a different cut as it will require a different amount of water)
4 ounces asiago cheese, shredded
1 scallion, sliced thin

Preheat your oven to 375F.

Throw the shrimp, olive oil, garlic and cayenne with some salt and pepper.

Melt the butter in a 10 inch OVEN SAFE skillet over medium heat. Add your gross onion and cook until it has softened, 3-5 minutes. Add the water, cream, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Bring this to a boil. Whisk in the grits slowly. Reduce the heat to low and cook (keep on stirring) until they are thick and creamy, 5-7 minutes.

Remove from heat. Whisk the cheddar until combined. Lay the shrimp on their sides in a pinwheel formation over the grits. You can press them down to embed them if you want it to be extra pretty. Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook for 5-7 minutes until the shrimp are cooked through. Garnish with scallion before serving.

Other ways they suggest cooking them:
with bacon (use 2 pieces in place of butter, removing the bacon after it has cooked and using hte remaining fat to cook the onion)
With a chipotle chile added in during the water and cream boiling.

More Granola

2011-02-24T16:00:00.000-05:00

An unoriginal way to pose granola

I started this post nearly a year ago - it took me that long to work a few things out in the recipe. I was trying to evoke the bar that my favorite restaurant makes; it's really chewy and I love the texture. Its just too sweet for my palate (yes, I said something was too sweet for me. It happens, not often, but it happens).

The process of making granola requires a judicious mind. My tendency is to get carried away and toss in everything but the kitchen sink. When the results come in, I have to say, I'm not a fan of that approach. When I plan it out and stick to something more unified I'm always happier.

This time, I began with my favorite dried fruit (because of course everyone ranks their favorites, right? My rankings: tart cherries, cranberries, golden raisins. Favorite foods to add to other foods? Whether the dish is savory or sweet, mine are: jam, hot peppers, cheese). I expanded from there: what would be good with dried tart cherries? Another stone fruit: apricots. Then I decided almonds would complement those two, and added sesame seeds (including black ones for visual interest), a few sunflower seeds, and oats.

Granola in its infancy

No, this isn't hard-it might not be as easy as this (okay, its easier-no eggs) and maybe I wouldn't recommend my brother make it (he's never been great with ovens. Frozen pizza incident of '99 I'm looking at you). It will make your kitchen smell lovely. And you won't miss breakfast for the next week or so.

J Fierce's Chewy Granola

psst: try C Fierce's Crunchy Granola, if you are extra adventurous

Ingredients

4 cups rolled oats

2 cups mixed nuts

My mix:

1 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup cashews
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
Yes, I am aware that photo has coconut in it.
No, there is none in this recipe.
I started this post a year ago.
Feel free to add some.
I bet it would be good with a papaya-mango mix.

2 cups dried fruit

My mix:

1/2 cup golden raisins
1 cup tart cherries
1/2 cup apricots

1/2 teaspoon orange peel

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ginger

3/4 cup honey

2 tablespoons agave nectar

1 tablespoon grapeseed oil

Method
Mix all dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Pour wet ingredients on top and stir until blended.

Pour mixture into a jelly roll pan lined with parchment paper. Put a piece of wax paper that fits the top of the pan and press the mixture down until it fits in (Keeps your hands from getting too messy). Remove the wax paper before putting the pan in the oven (Ahem, Frozen Pizza Incident of '99).

Preheat the oven to 350F. Bake for 24-30 minutes, until the top is golden brown and it smells like granola. Am I the only person who can tell whether something is done by the smell of it?

Let cool and break into chunks. I keep mine in an airtight container at room temperature. It also freezes just fine.

Ideas for fruit/nut pairings:

macadamia nut, pineapple, papaya, add nutmeg or allspice
walnut, fig, date
pecan, apple, lots more cinnamon

Seven Grain Bread

2011-02-03T10:20:00.000-05:00

I wrote a while back about the most amazing place I've ever been. There have been times, I confess, at the end of a vacation, when I'm ready to be home. I want to sleep in my own bed and wash my clothes. I need to cook something where I know the ingredients. I want to wear a pair of shoes that is not one of the four I brought (C Fierce note: J Fierce is lying if she thinks anyone will believe she only brought four pairs of shoes on vacation). Last week, I wasn't. I'm not. Sharing a studio with two other boys (in addition to The Boy) and two kittens who played with my toes while I slept? None of it phased me. Here I am, and I'm still dreaming about San Francisco.

I hadn't been in a kitchen in a week. I didn't want to settle back in - I began to purge everything for the "well if I lived in a studio in San Francisco I wouldn't take this with me" mentality. Failing all else, I made bread.

It calmed me a bit-the process of kneading, rising, shaping. Measuring usually does that. The transformation that happens over the course of those few hours is incredible. And that photo? up top? I made that! It would look right at home in the basket at a bakery. You would happily pay about $5 for that.

This weekend I'm going to slip back into vacation mode with help from this girl. I am going skiing for the first time ever. I know, I lived in the snow belt, and now I live in the mountains, and I've still never been skiing.

Seven Grain Whole Wheat Harvest Bread

Ingredients

1/2 cup (3 oz) 7 grain hot cereal mix (not instant) (If you can find 9 grain that is what they suggest; I couldn't)

1/2 cup (4 oz) boiling water

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (9 oz) warm water (110-115F)

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon active dry yeast, or 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast

1/4 cup (3 oz) honey

2 3/4 cups (14 oz) bread flour or unbleached all purpose flour

3/4 cup (4 oz) whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon salt

Method

1. Put the cereal mix in a medium bowl. Add the boiling water. Stir to blend. Let it sit for 20 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed. Don't worry, it will absorb.

2. Pour the warm water in to the bowl of a stand mixer, add the sugar and yeast and whisk with a fork or something to blend. You don't need to use the whisk for the mixer at this point, just the bowl. Let it sit for 10 minutes, until the yeast has activated-it will be foamy. Now, add the cooled cereal mix, honey, both flours, and salt. Knead the dough on low speed 2-3 minutes. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp cotton towel and let it rise for 20 minutes. You're doing this to ensure it is fully hydrated. Turn the mixer to medium low, and continue to knead until the dough is firm and elastic, 4-7 minutes.

3. Lightly oil the tub or bowl. Scrape the dough into the tub. Be sure to lightly coat it with oil so that it doesn't dry out on this rise. Cover with the plastic or towel you were using until it is doubled in size. Depending on the temperature in your room, this will be 35-45 minutes. If at 45 minutes nothing has happened, try turning on your oven and placing the bowl near it.

4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Press down on the dough. You want to break some air bubbles in there but you don't want to knead it again. Shape it into a round, taught loaf.

5. To shape into a "round, taught loaf" you will need to get comfortable with your inner sculptor. Make the dough into a round. Gather all of the sides toward the middle, like you're wrapping a round present really badly. Pinch the edges together, and turn it over so that the smooth side is now up. Cup the edges in your hands, tucking them under as you go. You want there to be tension so that it will keep its shape as it rises. If it isn't perfect, thats okay-its hand made, after all.

6. Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a towel again until it is almost doubled in size, 20-30 minutes.

7. Get the oven ready. Preheat to 400F.

8. Dust the top of your beautifully risen loaf with a little bit of flour. Slash a pattern in the top with a knife or something.

9. Bake 40 minutes, or until it is golden brown. If you have an instant read thermometer and are into that, you want the internal temperature to reach 190F. Transfer to a rack so that it can cool completely, and slice with a serrated knife.

San Francisco

2011-01-21T10:30:00.001-05:00

Last week we went to San Francisco - my first time in California, as well as The Boy's. We both had some time off and good friends there (who graciously gave us their home, home brew, keys, and a hand drawn map of the BART system). I spent most of my time taking in gorgeous views (twin peaks, dolores park, golden gate bridge, any hill I could get to the top of) and contemplating my next meal.

San Francisco seen from Alcatraz Island

So what all did we eat?

Plantain cakes with cumin sour cream and black beans in the Mission
Roti bread with curry dipping sauce Downtown
French bread french toast with mascarpone (brilliant!) and berries in the Mission
lots and lots of seafood in Monterey
pad thai somewhere within view of the Golden Gate Bridge
unbelievable dumplings and hot pot in Chinatown
Real Italian Pizza (cracker thin crust! mozzarella di bufalo! heart be still!) and a frutti di bosco-cream tart in North Beach
blood orange tiramisu in the Mission
build your own garlic bread near the painted ladies
vegan split pea soup in the Mission
lots of beverages, everywhere: Trappist in Oakland, Monk's Kettle and Pi Bar in the Mission, mimosas with every breakfast

Do you sense a pattern? Obviously, I stayed in the Mission district. We had great late night burritos and quesadillas, awesome breakfasts, and easy transportation.

Der, Does this need a label?

The best meal I ate was lunch in Berkeley, at Chez Panisse. There was a terrine with pickled vegetables, a house salad, pasta with mushroom sauce cooked just al dente. For dessert there was grapefruit sorbet (I'm on a grapefruit kick)and a panna cotta with citrus fruits. I took some horrible pictures. The arts and crafts-style room was just dim enough that I couldn't get anything solid without a flash, and I hate using the flash. So no good pictures, but great ambiance. We ate upstairs at the cafe, the first table of the week. Our server was impeccable. When she sensed hesitation she confidently suggested, and we were pleased until it came to an end.

Now, I'm back to Real Life: cooking and baking for myself. Working. Putting aside money for the next vacation. Any suggestions? What was the last place you went that hurt you to leave?

Nutella Peanut Butter Brownies

2011-01-10T11:00:00.000-05:00

Yes. You read that correctly. Nutella. Peanut butter. Brownies. Together. FINALLY. And what's that on top? Why yes, that is a dark chocolate ganache.

I made a batch of these last week and took them to three (!) three separate occasions. A New Year's Eve game night party (this is our new favorite game), the office, and a fabulous friend's birthday party.

Why three places, you ask? Well, it's nothing to do with them not tasting good. In fact, it's quite the opposite. It just happens to be one of the richest treats I've made in a long time. And people, a 9 x 13 dish of these brownies? Well, look at the photo. A little goes a looooooong way.

I first made this a few years ago, adapted from the great Deb. Over time I've perfected my own tweaks and additions. Such as, um, the Nutella.*** And the sprinkling of sea salt. And all the dark chocolate. Good lord I'm hungry again.

PS: J Fierce is in San Francisco, eating at Chez Panisse, finding the origins of Sriracha, and visiting friends. I'm sure she is going to come back with lots of stories. I miss my sister!

***Ask me sometime about the origins of Nutella. I will use my best Italian accent and tell you the story of the only good thing Mussolini ever did, thanks to my best friend Francesca. Hey Francesca when are you guest-posting, caccolina?!

Nutella Peanut Butter Brownies

adapted wildly from Gourmet via Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients

For brownies:

2 sticks (1/2 pound) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup Nutella

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter (look, don't use that natural crap here. We want the real deal, Jiffy, Choosy Moms Choose It, okay?)

2 large eggs plus one large egg yolk

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 teaspoon salt

For ganache:

1 1/2 cups dark chocolate, chopped (I use Scharffenberger, freeze the bar, then chop it up with a serrated knife)
3/4 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened

1 tablespoon sea salt, good stuff, like Maldon or something fancy

Method

Make brownies: Preheat oven to 350 F with rack in the middle. Butter a 13- by 9- by 2-inch baking pan, then line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper (or foil), and butter parchment. (I like to make a sling: one piece of parchment down the short side, hanging over the edges. Then take a longer piece and put it over the long side, down the middle. Then when you need to take the brownies out of the pan to slice, you grab the short sides and voila! Perfecto!)

Beat together butter and sugar with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until mixture is light and fluffy, then add in Nutella and peanut butter, and beat until incorporated. Beat in whole eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla. Reduce mixer speed to low, then mix in flour until just combined. Do not overmix!

Mix in chocolate chips, then spread batter in baking pan, smoothing the top with an offset spatula. The batter will be really thick, like a cookie batter. Don't even try to resist the urge to eat it. It is freaking delicious. You know cookie dough ice cream? Yeah. It's like that. But better: NUTELLA. Okay, back to the recipe.

Bake until brownies are deeply golden, puffed on top, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs adhering, 40-45 minutes. Cool completely in pan on a rack, about 1 - 1 1/2 hours. (Remove the brownies using the Sling Method described above to hasten the cooling.)

Make ganache: Put chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring the cream to boil in a small saucepan. DON'T TAKE YOUR EYES OFF OF IT OR IT WILL BOIL OVER. Once it boils, remove immediately from the heat and pour over the chocolate. Let stand one minute.

Gently whisk in the softened butter until it is incorporated, the chocolate is melted, and a smooth mixture forms. (Ganache: it sounds so fancy, right? Yeah um you just made it. You're practically French now. Quick, find something to strike about.)

Spread ganache on cooled brownies. Using an offset spatula, smooth it out to the edges. The edges of your brownies might be higher than the middle, depending on the type of baking pan you used (glass vs metal). Just spread the ganache so you get a smooth topping all over. Then, sprinkle the sea salt all over the ganache. Trust me this is deeeeeeeeeelicious. Let stand until set, at least 15 minutes. Refrigerate if you have time.

Slice brownies into 1 x 1 inch squares, using a pizza cutter. Eat as many as you can when no one is looking. Every time someone eats one they will become your new best friend.

Last Week and Peppermint Marshmallows

2010-12-30T09:30:00.004-05:00

Last week was exhausting. Here is what worked:

Mexican Chocolate Crinkle Cookies - Phenomenal. Not just as in "we both know I'm a phenomenal dancer." The best cookie I've made in a long time. Better than World Peace Cookies. Seriously. When I made those I couldn't stop eating the dough, but these are better.

Lebkuchen were wonderful as well, but very complicated. It cemented its status as something that is the quintessential Christmas cookie (say that twelve times fast). Using all kinds of holiday spices, it is finicky enough that you're a better woman than me if you're willing to make them for just any old weekday. And we all know I'm willing to make just about anything for any old weekday. One of my taste testers said they reminded him of German stollen, but in cookie form. Another, who lived in Germany and has had The Real Deal, was impressed by them, knowing the work that they require.

Fudge was great, a little on the skinny side.

I was happy with just about everything I made. Especially the mexican crinkle cookies. Wow. Look for that recipe here sometime soon - as soon as I bake some more and have them pose for me.

The marshmallows had a great flavor, but their texture was a little funny. Because I added actual pumpkin puree to the meringue-candy base, they were wetter and less springy than a person expects from a marshmallow. They got consumed, no worries there. My brain began to wander... how to make hot chocolate's perfect companion a little fancier. With peppermint.

Adding peppermint oil to the marshmallows makes them ideally suited for your warm mug and fireplace winter routine. If I get my act together next year, they will accompany me to Christmas, wherever I am.

Peppermint Marshmallows
Adapted from Dorie Greenspan's Baking: From my home to yours (maybe I should make this a permalink or something).

Toolbox
candy thermometer*
stand mixer with whisk attachment or hand mixer
9x9x2" pan
parchment paper
kitchen scissors or your favorite cutting tool

Ingredients
2 Tablespoons corn syrup (get over it, you gotta use it to make candy)
about 3/4 cup corn or potato starch for dusting the marshmallows
1/4 cup powdered sugar (optional)
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract (go easy, you don't want this to taste like a breath mint)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup cold water
2 1/4 oz. packets unflavored gelatin
1 1/4 cup sugar
3 egg whites

Method
Line the 9" square baking pan with parchment paper. If you're using the powdered sugar, sift together with corn starch. Cover the bottom with about a third of the mixture, reserving the rest for later.

Add 1/3 cup of the water and sugar to a medium saucepan over medium-medium low heat. Stir to dissolve sugar. Let boil without stirring until mixture reaches hard ball stage (265F).

Meanwhile, dissolve the gelatin in the remaining water, and begin to whip the eggs on medium high speed. The timing should be such that your egg whites are glossy, just forming stiff peaks as your sugar mixture reaches the desired temperature. I know, its tricky. You may have to change heat settings or mixer settings if you notice one progressing ahead of the other. Just when the sugar mixture is approaching 265F, throw the gelatin mixture in the microwave for 15 seconds to liquify it. Once it reaches 265F, remove the mixture from the stove. Now, turn your beaters down to medium speed. Add the sugar mixture, then add the gelatin mixture. Beat for three additional minutes to fully combine. Add the peppermint and vanilla and beat until combined.

Pour the fluffy stuff into the prepared pan, just barely touching up the top with a spatula. Use about half of what remains of the corn starch mixture to sprinkle over top. Let set uncovered for at least 3 hours or up to twelve.

When marshmallows are set, gently pull parchment paper from the sides to loosen them from the pan. Using kitchen scissors, cut into 1" strips, cubes, diamonds, whatever shape you want for that matter, rolling in whatever remains of your starch-sugar mixture. To store: they keep well in a cool dry place. Marshmallows will absorb whatever liquid is around, and their texture changes accordingly. That said, they are more difficult to make when its raining. They keep fine uncovered on my kitchen counter-They might get a teeny bit harder on the outside, but I really couldn't tell much texture change. Apparently the humidity in my kitchen is just perfect for marshmallows.

*It can be done without a thermometer, if you're willing to put in the work. To test your mixture, drop a small amount of it in a glass of cold water. Now remove it. What does it feel like? Can it be rolled between your fingers? Does it completely retain its shape regardless of the effort you put forth to smoosh it? In this instance, you're looking for hard-ball stage. This means the small peice you drop in the water will be somewhat pliable, but you will have to put a good amount of pressure on it. It is as the name implies, a hard ball.

For Unto Us An Oven Is Born!

2010-12-24T10:20:00.000-05:00

For unto us an oven is given.

Unto us, an oven is born!

And the government shall be upon its shouuuuuulders!

And its name shall be called WONDERFUL! OOOOOOVEN!!!

And this is where the analogy of my new oven to the Baby Jesus (haps to the bday dude!) ends.

Goodbye Old Oven, we don't miss you at all.

HELLO GORGEOUSSSSSSS!

Merry Christmas! Happy New Year!

See you in 2011 (it's Twenty Eleven not Two Thousand Eleven, no one ever called it One Thousand Nine Hundred and Ninety Nine let's get to it people).

Things I am Baking Today

2010-12-21T13:30:00.000-05:00

I don't work today, thanks "flexible schedule" (don't worry, I'll be working on boxing day). Instead I got up at the crack of 10 and got to grocery shopping for my Holiday Baking Session (sorry sister, these all require the use of an oven. Some also require a stove). Here is what I'm attempting:

Mexican chocolate crinkles (chocolate, coffee, cinnamon, chile powder)
Marshmallows (sugar and more sugar, and gelatin)
Fudge (chocolate, sugar, butter, delicious)
Lebkuchen (all kinds of fanciness)
Linzer cookies (almond, raspberry, C Fierce's favorite)

I think I have every base covered, including sugar coma. What's the over under on Stomachache Onset Hour?

When your oven breaks ...

2010-12-15T12:09:00.000-05:00

You feel really sad.

Then you turn off the gas and open the windows so you don't die.

Then you order Chinese. And hope your landlord reads your blog and buys you a new oven.

Quick Cast Iron Chicken Wings

2010-12-10T13:30:00.003-05:00

At Casi di Fierce, we watch a lot of football. Plans are made from September to February well in advance. Saturdays & Sundays = football = chicken wings. (And beer, but that's another story. But it might explain why these photos are not that focused.)

You'll need at least dozen wings, a cast iron pan, and a hot oven. And some other stuff. But that's what these recipes are for.

Quick Cast Iron Chicken Wings
Adapted from myself, I mean, who hasn't made chicken wings? I think the Neanderthals probably were eating these so this recipe is not that hard.

Ingredients
12 chicken wings (or drumettes, or a combination thereof)
Enough Chiavetta's marinade to cover your wings in a happy bath of flavor (or 2 parts water to 1 part cider vinegar and lots of spices)
1 cup - 1 1/2 cups of your favorite hot wing sauce (we are partial to Frank's)
2 -3 tablespoons of unsalted butter
Blue cheese dressing, ranch dressing, carrots, celery, what have you

Method
Marinate your wings: Put the wings, as snugly-fitting as possible, in a shallow bowl/baking dish. Cover them with Chiavetta's or your marinade. You want the wings nice and cozy so that you don't waste any marinade. Let marinate for 30-40 minutes, but no longer.

Preheat your oven to 375 F. Put your cast iron pan (at least 10 inches) into the oven. Let it get nice and hot, at least 10-15 minutes. Once you start preheating the oven, take your wings out of their happy marinade bath. Dry them off as well as you can with paper towels.

USING A POTHOLDER OR TWO, remove the cast iron pan from the oven. Here comes the tricky part: put it on the stove. Turn the burner on to medium. One by one, add the wings to the pan. (They are going to sizzle so nicely and make you so hungry.) Sear each side for 2-3 minutes, until they get nice and brown. Then (another hard part!), put the cast iron pan full of wings back into the oven. Let them cook for another 20-30 minutes until a thermometer reads 165 F. Raw chicken is not your friend.

While the wings cook, melt your butter, and add it to the hot sauce in a big bowl. Add the cooked wings to this lovely combination and toss to coat. Put them on a plate with sauce and carrots and celery sticks. Eat them. Then watch your team beat the crap out of its divisional rival.

Buckeyes Proper

2010-11-23T13:00:00.001-05:00

We know you're probably getting ready for the biggest feast of the year - and so are we. We are coordinating side dishes and rounding up enough utensils so that we don't have to wash between turkey and the other main course, dessert. There is also another Major Calendar Event coming up: Game Day. In solidarity with every other Buckeye Fan in the Nation, and the state of Ohio, we present to you, Buckeyes Proper.

If I knew anything at all about football I might have something sports related to say here, but I leave that to My Sister (who once refused a perfectly good apartment on the grounds of its former resident being a graduate from That Evil University: TERRIBLE color scheme). I know enough to know that I do not like That Team Up North and when Game Day is, but other than that I consider myself unaware. Please do not assume that I know the names of the players this year, let alone which high school they attended and their intended major. I don't know and I don't have anything to add to that conversation. It isn't that I don't care, I do, but I would rather show my support by making sure the fans are well fed. (C Fierce note: I was not allowed to write this post because it would be about the high school the players went to and their intended majors. I am what some might call a "big fan.")

I feel a little silly writing about a recipe my favorite blogger (who isn't my sister) just recently posted. Those of you who aren't here because you know and love the wonders that are The Sisters Fierce probably have already read and made it. The other nine of you, prepare to be impressed. These Buckeyes aren't as sugary sweet as Mrs. T's bars, they're a little grown up and fancy. Which is how you can pass them off as dinner party fare.

Buckeyes
adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups smooth or chunky peanut butter
10 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
1 cup graham cracker crumbs (I used one sleeve and crushed it in the sleeve: fancy!)
3 cups powdered sugar
10 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Method
Combine peanut butter and cream cheese, mixing with a stand or hand mixer until smooth. Add melted butter and graham cracker crumbs, mix until combined. Add the powdered sugar, again mixing until it looks like it has blended. Form into little balls, rolling them in your palms. I got about 36 and I think I could have rolled them smaller in order to make more. You can do this a day in advance if you want. Store them in the fridge.

In a double boiler or in the microwave, melt the chocolate. I upped the amount of chocolate because some of my buckeyes didn't exactly get the full coat. Dip the peanut butter balls in using a skewer or if you're Ultra Midwestern Like Me, a corn holder. These are exactly what I used. I guess I could have used a toothpick, but like I said, I was keeping it stereotypical. They will need about a half hour in the fridge to set up.

Eight Down, Five to Go

2010-11-18T09:19:00.000-05:00

Hey internet! How's it going? I'm good. I have what some people would refer to as "a tan" (or, others, "normal human coloring"). Thanks, Hawaii! You were awesome. You are also good at mai tais, happy hour all the time, Japanese tourists, Louis Vuitton, and sunshine. In no particular order. Keep it up!

Anyway, enough about Hello Kitty-themed buffet restaurants. Do you remember when I broke my camera, got a new one, said I would blog All The Time and Be Really Good At The Internet, and even made a list to prove it? That was a long time ago.

Let's see where we stand on my commitment to you.

~~1. Carrot juice.~~ I got a juicer this summer with some frequent flyer miles. Woot! It's huge. It makes a lot of noise. I made a lot of carrot juice, and all kinds of juices, for about ... three weeks. It is really hard to clean. And it is huge. We have a small kitchen, people.
~~2. A whole fish~~ all by myself. Does it count if Boyfriend Chef makes this all the time and I eat it? I have to get the bones out myself. Okay, yes, it counts.
3. Croissants.
~~4. Bagels.~~ A classic Sisters Fierce outing: make these!
5. Challah. CHALLAH BACK Y'ALL. (Fierce Brother the Younger hates it when I say anything "challah = holler" related, which is why I am leaving this in here. To torture him. It's what big sisters do.)
~~6. Handground hamburgers ...~~
~~7 & 8. ... with homemade ketchup, mayo, and mustard~~.
~~9. ... and homemade french fries.~~
~~10. ... and brioche buns to accompany numbers six through nine.~~ Operation Cheeseburger was a resounding success. Hopefully we don't get snowed in for eight more days this year and I won't have to repeat it.
11. Swedish kanellbullar. (Cinnamon and cardamom rolls. In Swedish. Trust me they are JÄTTEBRA.)
12. Real gingerbread cake.
13. BONUS ITEM!!! Homemade pasta.

So, what's left? Croissants, challah, kanellbullar (without messing up this time), gingerbread cake, and pasta. I have 43 days to go: better loosen up my elastic waistband pants now cause it's going to get a little carbtastic, evidently, with what remains.

Anyone have any good recipes for my remaining items? Send them our way! I promise to work hard to finish up my list. Elastic waistbands be damned.

Pumpkin Muffins

2010-11-15T16:38:00.002-05:00

While C Fierce is sunning herself on island beaches, hiking up volcanoes and eating all the pineapple and macadamia nuts she can get her hands on, fall in Virginia is in full swing. There are jack-o-lanterns on porches and red yellow and orange leaves on the trees. I have to reassure myself that fall is fun, even as there is frost on my car in the morning, the promise of the ice that will come. The only way I can do it is by thinking of the best and biggest holiday of all, right around the corner. That, and the pumpkin muffins on my plate for breakfast.

These muffins are sweet but not overly so. Walnuts and golden raisins are a welcome surprise that keep it from being every other pumpkin muffin you've had. They're incredibly moist, even a few days after they're baked. I left a few at a friend's who unlike me showed restraint, and when we got into them a few days later they were still wonderful. No microwaving needed.

Pumpkin Muffins
From the always wonderful Dorie Greenspan: Baking: From my home to yours.

Ingredients

2 Cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

pinch ground allspice

1 stick of unsalted butter at room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3/4 cup canned unsweetened pumpkin puree

1/4 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup golden raisins (I think dried apricots would be wonderful here)

1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

about 1/3 cup unsalted raw sunflower seeds for topping

Method

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Get 12 cupcake molds ready with butter or paper liner.

Whisk the dry ingredients together.

Using a stand mixer, beat the butter at medium speed until soft. Add the sugars, beat until light and smooth. The mixture will get lighter when a lot of air has been incorporated. Add the eggs one at a time and mix between additions until they are incorporated. Beat in the vanilla.

Lower the speed of the mixer. Add buttermilk and pumpkin, mixing until combined. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until they disappear. Stir in the raisins and nuts. Divide the batter among your 12 cups and sprinkle the sunflower seeds over top. Bake for 25 minutes or until a thin knife (anyone else use a piece of spaghetti?) inserted comes out clean. Enjoy!

Grapefruit, Fennel and Herb Salad

2010-10-28T10:00:00.001-04:00

I am afraid of cooking.

I'm going to try to learn how, and to get myself into the swing of things, I'm starting out easy with a salad. Can J Fierce chop? Yes she can. Can J Fierce slice? Yes she can (and so can her mandoline). Can J Fierce section? Yes she can, although it is more complicated. Can J Fierce toss? Yes she can. (C Fierce note: what is this, an Obama rally? I thought we were a cooking blog.)

To review:

Chop Herbs

Slice Fennel

Section Grapefruit

Toss together.

Revisiting this salad with attempts to further refine it only had me amp up the grapefruit to fennel ratio. At this point, I have to admit that I'm still not quite good enough at the whole "combine flavors that are not sweet" thing, so the addition of prosciutto lasted only one bite (sour and salty do not combine well with anise-y in this scenario). With just a touch extra citrus, I will revisit this - I've already had it twice this week.

Fiiiiine here are more complete instructions:

Fresh Herb, Grapefruit and Fennel Salad

only barely adapted from Bon Appetit, December 2009

Ingredients

2 large grapefruits (I have used both Texas and California varieties, and they are both delicious, but look how pretty that bright red Texas one is in the picture!)

2 bulbs fresh fennel

1 cup parsley, chopped

1/4 cup mint, chopped

extra virgin olive oil

salt to taste

Method

Section the grapefruit, working over the bowl you plan on serving in (to catch all the juice). Good step by step pictures are here if you're a visual learner like me.

Slice the fennel as thinly as you can and add to the bowl. Add chopped herbs and a drizzle of olive oil.

Toss together and serve.

Bad Blogger Chili & Cornbread

2010-10-18T08:55:00.000-04:00

I am a bad blogger. Recent C Fierce Life Events that have kept me from Le Blog include but are not limited to:

Moving apartments.
A war with the United States Postal Service - "delivering the mail" is not something they do well, let's not even get into this. However if you need any phone numbers to high-ranking USPS officials just let me know.
Ninety degree days in October that make me want to do anything BUT turn on the oven. Last night I had strawberries and sour cream for dinner. (Trust me: delicious.)
General lack of effort towards kitchen-related activities.
Not being able to open up the end of my camera to put the pluggy-inny thingy in it to add photos to my computer because YEAH I work in the IT industry and I'm good at computerz.
Driving a car. This might sound strange to our non-DC readers, but it is a Huge Life Change for me. Stay off the roads.

I know, pathetic. And inexcusable to our twelve readers (Hi Mom!). What can I say? I'm a bad blogger. Sigh.

Here is some chili and cornbread we made yesterday.

That is queso fresco and avocado on that chili. (Guess who likes to play with the Hipstamatic iPhone app. THIS GIRL. Especially when she can't use her regular camera because she's a dingbat.)

In our new apartment we are close to three wildly varying grocery stores:

Whole Foods: we can't go there with credit cards and should only really bring $20 at a time otherwise we walk out with weird chocolate bars and $13 bottles of French hard cider I'mlookingatyou,boyfriend.
Ghetto Giant: lots of pork products and animal feet for sale there.
A strange and delightful place called Capitol Supermarket: this store sells only Korean and Mexican ingredients. The "ethnic aisle" there consists of marshmallows and cereal. It is always an adventure at the Capitol Supermarket, tamarind paste for days and queso fresco for miles. YUM.

Inspired by Grocery Choice 2, Pork Galore, I put some bacon in the cornbread. I really wanted to make a chipotle whipped butter but as you already know, I'm really lazy. So I just kept sitting on the couch, looking at the cornbread in the kitchen, and watching football, and thinking "damn this would be pretty good with some butter on it but that's sooooo farrrrrr awaaaaaaaay" (it is four steps away).

Chef Boyfriend made the chili. I would post the "recipe" but it goes something like this: Go to three grocery stores, buy way too many Mexican spices from the "ethnic aisle," buy veal and beef, make the apartment smell really good, break a spice grinder halfway through making your chili powder, forget the chocolate (secret ingredient!), go back to grocery store 2, finish the chili, eat it.

And here is the Bad Blogger Cornbread:

Ingredients

4 slices bacon, cut into pieces

1 cup cornmeal

1 cup AP flour

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp baking powder

2 eggs

2 tbsp oil (or 1 tbsp bacon fat!!! + 1 tbsp oil)

1 1/4 cup milk (or 3/4 cup milk + 1/2 cup half-n-half because that's all I had)

Shredded cheddar cheese

Method

Fry up some bacon. Eat some pieces while it cools. Make the cornbread:

Preheat oven to 425 F. Butter an 8 x 8 baking dish (or use cute mini bread loaves which I would have except they are not unpacked yet.)

In a large bowl, sift together dry ingredients and set aside. Mix together eggs, bacon fat, oil and milk. Add to dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Let rest for 15 minutes. This means you get a nice rise and dome to your cornbread. Add 3/4 of your bacon to the batter and stir. Pour into the greased dish.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, checking obsessively because your oven is new and you have no idea how hot it runs, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Eat with your chili and think about how good chipotle butter would be on it.

Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes

2010-09-24T09:30:00.001-04:00

It happens just once a year, every year, on the same day. You get your very own special holiday, where you are free to revert back to an eight-year-old child and do things a certain way just because you can. Things like eat ice cream for breakfast, have a bundle of helium balloons follow you around work all day, wear a paper crown. Well, it was his. Celebrations were in order. Last year I made these. How could I top that?

There were clues all year. Seconds on dessert at the holiday staff party, certain dinners out, repeatedly getting the same thing when He Never Even Wants Dessert! That kind of thing. I had an inkling.

Boston Cream Pie it is.

Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes

adapted from America's Test Kitchen

Ingredients

Pastry Cream

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

3 large egg yolks

1/3 cup sugar

pinch salt

4 teaspoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 2 pieces

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Cupcakes

1 3/4 cups (8 3/4 ounces) unbleached all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoons salt

1 cup sugar

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened but cool, cut into 12 pieces

3 large eggs

3/4 cup milk

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Glaze (original recipe - I used Frosting -- see below)

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup light corn syrup

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting (approximation)

8 ounces cream cheese

1/4 cup of butter (1/2 stick)

2-4 cups powdered sugar, sifted. (I used more toward the 2 cup side. I like the frosting less sweet, and it doesn't necessarily have to stand up.)

1/2 cup cocoa powder, sifted

Method

I recommend making the cream the day before you make the cupcakes. Then it's all ready to be assembled whenever you bake the cupcakes.

For Pastry Cream:

In medium saucepan, bring cream to a simmer over medium heat. Stir occasionally. Meanwhile, whisk yolks, sugar, salt together in a medium bowl. Do not use a small bowl because you did not read ahead. You will only have to get another bowl dirty later when you realize this will not hold the cream and the yolks at the same time. Add cornstarch and whisk until the mixture is pale yellow and thick, about 15 seconds.

When the cream is simmering (a bubble breaks the surface every few seconds), slowly whisk it into the yolk mixture. Aren't you glad you used that medium bowl? Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat. Whisk constantly. When it is thick and glossy (about 1 1/2 minutes of nonstop whisking, set your timer), remove from heat. Whisk in the butter and vanilla.

Transfer to a small bowl and press plastic wrap to the surface. It needs to cool about 2 hours.

For Cupcakes:

Adjust oven to middle rack and set temperature to 350. Get your muffin trays ready: I use liners because I'm lazy. Cook's Illustrated recommends greasing and flouring. No thank you, more to scrub that way.

With a mixer (hand-held or stand, doesn't matter) combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar on low speed. Add butter, 1 piece at a time. Combine until the mixture looks like coarse sand. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix until combined. Add milk and vanilla, increase the speed to medium, and mix until light and fluffy and no lumps remain (3 minutes for handheld mixers, half that for stand).

Fill muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake until toothpick inserted comes out clean, 18-20 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, and on a wire rack until completely cooled.

For Cook's Illustrated Glaze:

Cook the cream, corn syrup, chocolate, and vanilla in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Set aside and let thicken for 30 minutes.

For J Fierce's Frosting:

Mix butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Mix in powdered sugar and cocoa. Beat until smooth.

To assemble:

Cut holes out of the tops of the cupcakes. Either use a 1" round cookie cutter or your favorite paring knife at a 45 degree angle. Try to limit yourself to eating just the bottom half of that cupcake hole, you will need the top to act as a lid! Fill the holes with pastry cream (I use a plastic sandwich bag with the end cut off as my "pastry bag" ... one less thing to wash -- are you sensing a pattern yet?) and top with cupcake lid.

If using glaze, spoon 2 tablespoons over top of the each cupcake, allowing to drizzle down the sides. If you are like me a huge perfectionist, use a different kind of chocolate frosting that will mask imperfections in cake-lid-replacement. Pipe frosting on.

Angel Food Cake with Blueberry Sauce

2010-08-27T13:30:00.000-04:00

Do you ever look at an angel food cake and think, man, they make them too cheap for me to ever try that at home! I do, a lot. It could be because I spend most of my waking hours surrounded by food, but they've been taunting me for a while from their perch in the bakery: Psst ... J Fierce, don't you want to break down and actually purchase a baked good? Not just the ingredients for a baked good? Over here you can get all the flavor and none of the hassle, mess or cleanup ...

I'm here to tell you, those cakes are no angels. Far from it. Their goal is to make you full, and leave your curiosity for kitchen taste testing unsatisfied. If only they knew that comments like that only make me steel myself harder against them. You know the philosophy over here with The Sisters Fierce. Why buy something I can make at home for twice the cost and double the effort?

In this case, though, its a little different. I'm here today to persuade you to try these on your own. It's a mini version (because mini is always better, have you caught that yet?) because I didn't want to spend all afternoon separating the whites from the yolks. I also didn't want an entire mountain of angel food in my kitchen. I certainly didn't want to insinuate I was having angels for company.

The afternoon was enticing me to bake. I had just two hours before I had an appointment. Since it seems to give me a rush to bake down to the wire (or do anything down to the wire, I can't tell you how often I'm putting on my socks and shoes at traffic lights), I started these. And I left the sauce for them on the stove while I showered. I was asking for it to burn, wasn't I? Somehow, I eked it out. I even shaved my legs while blueberries simmered.

In the end I was pleasantly surprised by how quick, easy, and unburned it all was. I mean this objectively, not just as a person who owns thirty different designs of muffin liners and three separate sets of mixing bowls. (I have told all those privy to my housewares purchases, and now am setting it in stone for the entire internet to read, NO MORE MIXING BOWLS. Yes, prep bowls count. No, pie pans do not. Guess who just bought a new pie pan!)

Now, if you don't already own two mini tube pans like I do, you'll have to get creative. Since the biggest issue is making sure that the cake cooks evenly, I think mini muffin tins would work fine. You have now made angel-food-cake-bites. Do I hear those cakes calling out again?

Angel Food Cake adapted from Cooking For Two 2010 Magazine

Ingredients

3 large egg whites at room temperature (I used 4 medium egg whites because they were all already together)

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

6 tablespoons cake flour (1.5 ounces)

pinch of salt

1/2 cup sugar (3 1/2 ounces)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

Set your oven to 325, and put the rack in the lower center position.

Whisk together 1/4 cup of the sugar with the flour and salt. In a large bowl, whisk eggs with cream of tartar on low speed until frothy (about 1 minute). Increase speed to medium-high and whisk until "soft, billowy mounds" appear (about one more minute). Slowly add 1/4 cup of sugar. Whip until egg whites are glossy and form soft peaks, 1-3 more minutes.

Add the vanilla in by hand, whisking until blended. Sift half of the flour-sugar mixture and fold in. Fold in the remaining portion. It will be a lot easier if you use your sifter, I promise its worth cleaning it later. Divide the batter evenly in whatever you pan you plan on using. Do not grease the pan, but if you are using a springform without a removable bottom they recommend using parchment paper. I used two 1-cup tube pans and one mini muffin tin.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center is clean and any cracks in the cake look dry. You will also need to cool these inverted. Use whatever you need to to make sure that happens. The cake is so light it will collapse on itself like a souffle if you don't. Using a small knife, run it along the edges of the pan to loosen the cake. Tap the pan until the cake frees itself.

Blueberry Sauce (I made it up as I went along and hoped it didn't burn when I left the kitchen for twenty minutes to take a shower.)

Ingredients
5 ounces frozen blueberries or whatever frozen fruit you prefer

1 cup water

4 tablespoons sugar

1/2 tablespoon cornstarch, mixed with cold water to liquefy before mixing in with blueberries

Method
Put blueberries, water, and sugar in a medium saucepan on medium low heat. Stir a few times, then get impatient because it hasn't thickened and take a shower. While in your bathrobe with your hair wrapped in a towel, stir it some more and raise the heat to medium. Get frustrated because it is still watery. Think for a second. Get out some cornstarch. Mix it with a little bit of cold water so that it will mix evenly with what is already on the stove. Add to blueberry mixture. Stir until thickened, about 3-5 minutes. Pour over cake.

When I made this, I was thinking about the cranberry sauce we make for Thanksgiving every year. All we do is put water, cranberries and sugar together on the stove until they look like a sauce, so thats what I did here. Its not too sweet; add more sugar to taste, but it seems just about right with the cake.

Coconut Rice Pudding

2010-08-18T16:30:00.000-04:00

Hello internet! Guess what, I made something! In the kitchen, on the stovetop. Something with milk, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla.... aren't you proud? One of my unmentioned August goals was to make something gluten-free and celebratory (unmentioned because I didn't know if I would have time to fit it in and I didn't want to make any promises). I envisioned something majestic, with piles of frosting, something worthy of celebrating both a birthday and going away occasion in one splendid baked good.

Well.

Let me tell you how that went down. I looked and looked through my 37 baking books. I was hunting for something either gluten free or with a small amount of flour so that I could substitute it for rice flour. Thirty-seven books (that's my ballpark estimate, I haven't really counted ... yet), and not one appropriate towering cake recipe. I was discouraged. I paced and huffed. Then I improvised. What is delicious and rarely ever made by hand any more? That's right, internet! Pudding!

Coconut rice pudding. Creamy and chewy, delicious warm right out of the pot or cold from the tupperware in the fridge. Bonus: solid enough to hold candles!

Coconut Rice Pudding for two, adapted from Cooking for Two 2009

Ingredients
1 cup water
1/2 cup arborio rice

1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk

1 1/2 cups milk (use whole or half and half, just not skim)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Method
Bring the water to boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in the rice and salt. Cover, simmering over low heat until the water is almost entirely absorbed. This should take between 10-15 minutes.
Stir in coconut milk, milk, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. Continue simmering, stirring frequently, 45-55 minutes, or until a spoon (or in this case, a celebratory candle) can stand up easily in the pudding. Serve warm or chilled, if you can wait.

Too Hot To Cook

2010-08-10T18:00:00.000-04:00

All this summertime vacationing -- and hosting vacationers! -- has equaled lots of dinners out, in town and away from home, for the Sisters Fierce. We've had lobster, steak up to our ears, peach cobblers in spades, crabcakes out the wazoo ... you get the point. And all these amazing dinners mean that sometimes all a girl wants is a simple dinner at home. And when this particular girl gets home and the hour hand has nudged beyond 8pm, the last thing she want to do is cook.

I especially do not want to cook, if, at 8pm, the temperature is still hovering near 80 degrees, which is unfortunately highly typical for my fair city. In fact, in its early days, my town was deemed a "hardship" post for foreign ambassadors due to its swamplike conditions. Deeeelightful!

Enter C Fierce's Summer Weeknight Dinner to the rescue.

Please ignore my giant thumb. It's the same size as the raspberry. That is not normal.

That's crackers, goat cheese, fruit and some honey. (Sometimes there is balsamic vinegar if I'm feeling extra fancypants!) I eat this meal, or a variation of it, at least three nights a week. Especially if no one else is home and I know I'm going to just eat the goat cheese standing in front of the fridge with a spoon so why not put it on a plate in the first place, self.

Oh lord it's even bigger here ... You don't even know how hard it is to type with these things.

C Fierce's Weeknight Summer Dinner
Ingredients
Crackers (as many as you can get out of the cellophane wrapper without them breaking, eat the ones you broke standing over the sink)
Fruit (at least as many pieces/slices of fruit as you have crackers)
Goat cheese (way more than you think is necessary because you know you're going to eat it off the plate anyway)
Honey (a little prep-bowl-full)
Optional: Lemon juice, cracked black pepper, fancy salts, whatever the heck you think tastes good

Method
Put the ingredients on a plate.
Eat them.
The end.

August Goals (and apricot cherry pie)

2010-08-04T12:55:00.001-04:00

I meant to tell you about this cherry pie weeks ago. Before I moved for the first time this summer, and before I hit critical mass with my courses. The bottom was layered with apricots, baked in the only pie dish not packed yet, and cut with my finest silver. Obviously.

See, when you score cherries for the deal I did (the deal of the summer, weeks ago, when they were at their peak), and you already packed all ten of your pie plates (yes, I really have ten, anywhere from 2"-9" in diameter) you just make do. You borrow a cup of sugar from your neighbor, some corn starch, and then you don't use enough of it because you're trying to eyeball a tablespoon since all of those are packed too, and it seems like a lot because its corn starch and you don't want the thing to gum up. So even though this apricot cherry pie was a little bit liquid-y, it didn't exactly go to waste. Pie? yes, make do would be the term.

Now, I know we've been pretty lazy this summer on the blog front. My sister has no excuse for the lack of blog writing. I certainly don't think 60 hour work weeks are an excuse for shirking your internet public! Me, on the other hand, well, I work a measly forty hours and took two college courses this summer. J Fierce, on a consistent 7 hours of sleep a night? Not a pretty sight.

However, in the three weeks between summer finals and fall courses beginning, I have some goals for my kitchen. They're not lofty like my sister's 2010 goals (i think she has checked off four of them. Five actually, and a sixth she hasn't told you about), but they'll do.
Without further ado: Make

a tiramisu that will make our Italian sister proud
Use up some of the thirty new sets of muffin liners (I have some REALLY cute ones) (you know you have a good roommate when she's not scared of you for having an entire drawer devoted to muffin liners)
Actually post some of the adventures here. With photos.
PS: Did you note the flakiness in that pie crust? Mmm. I swear I will post pie-crust-making directions. In September. September 2012.

Apricot Cherry Pie

 Adapted from Pie Pie Pie: Easy Homemade Favorites (want to know how I found the page in the cookbook? its the one with all the now-purple splatterings from pitting cherries over the pages)

Pie crust for 9" double crusted pie

2/3 c sugar (less if your cherries are super sweet like mine)

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 cups pitted sweet cherries (about 2 pounds)

3-4 apricots, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Method:

In a large bowl, combine sugar, salt, and cornstarch until evenly mixed. Add pitted cherries and stir to coat. This recipe calls for 6-8 drops of almond extract. The one time I used it, I was not impressed; now I just leave it out. You can too, it will be fine.

Arrange the apricots attractively along the bottom of your pie pan (that has been lined with dough. September. I'll get to the dough in September). Sprinkle with sugar. Pile the coated cherries on top. Scatter the butter over the fruit.

Now, cover with the top crust. Make sure you seal it well (ahem, September. Tips in September). Cut several holes to vent in the top layer. If you're cutesy like me, use cookie cutters to make something pretty. I went with the ever-so-subtle cherry motif. No one will guess what kind of pie I made!

Bake for 25 minutes at 425F, then reduce the temperature to 350F. Bake for 25-30 minutes more, until the juices are bubbling and the crust is well browned. Put a knife through the vent-if it easily pierces (fierces?) a cherry, its done! Use as bait for moving help.

July, where did you go?

2010-07-21T12:45:00.000-04:00

So, um ... where have we been? That's a good question. We have posts drafted - lots of them! We promise. We have all kinds of things to tell you about! Seriously. We've been eating lots of good food, some of it stuff we even made. There are granola bars, and cakes, and homemade juice. There are cherry pies. And steak for breakfast. And and and.

It's just that, well, we've been a little busy. C Fierce went on vacation.

She did some blueberry picking, too, and got her blueberry-picking-butt kicked by KFTF's mom (remember him?) who somehow managed to pick eight pounds of blueberries in four minutes. (There are rumors out there that she might be taking blueberry-picking-performance-enhancing-drugs, but more on the juice later.)

J Fierce moved. Twice. (She has a very bad habit of doing this every ten to twelve months. She keeps your address book on your toes.)

July, it seems, has gotten away from us. Don't despair, internet friends (and the ten followers who read us who are not related to us - seriously, who are you people? we love you. Tell your friends about us). Once the dust settles - and J unpacks, by which time she will be ready to move again - we'll be back on track with all those delicious little posts.

Stay tuned, because we miss you, too.

Mama Fierce's Strawberry Pie

2010-07-01T10:00:00.001-04:00

Remember how we promised to post some mom recipes after Mother's Day? And then how we didn't post a single thing, nothing, for two entire weeks? Well, I'm blaming that on my sister, but I can tell you that it was worth the wait.

Mama Fierce makes a mean strawberry pie. Now, I know, some people may object to this version, maybe they think its too Sandra-Lee-ish. I don't care what they say. I don't like mushy strawberries in my pie. I always think they're past their prime, and I don't like to eat mushy, slippery, soggy things. Now, its not that I won't eat it (a true Fierce only likes two kinds of pie: hot and cold). I absolutely will. But when I think of a summer pie, a perfect representation of the fruit at its peak, I go for this version. You don't even have to turn on the oven: its summer; leave it off.

The recipe couldn't be simpler. It entails cutting the strawberries, arranging them attractively, and pouring jello over top. But you know what? It is fabulous. It tastes like the early days of summer. There are still a few left, so get to it!

Mom's Strawberry Pie
probably clipped from a newspaper when we were little

One Graham Cracker crust (melt some butter, mix it with some graham crackers, you know the drill)
2 pounds strawberries, hulled and halved
2/3-3/4 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/4 cup water
1-3oz package strawberry jello

Arrange strawberries attractively in the pie shell.

In a medium pot, bring water to boiling. Add sugar and cornstarch and stir until completely dissolved. Let boil until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in jello mix. Pour over strawberries. Let chill until set, about 5 hours. Serve with whipped cream.

Carrot Cake Cookies with Lemon Cream Cheese Icing

2010-06-25T16:30:00.000-04:00

People of the internet. Stop whatever it is that you're doing. Look at this cookie, hovering in the ether. Don't you want to just reach through your computer screen, grab a hold of that sucker and just devour it?

Yes, I thought so too.

Go get yourself some carrots, a bottle of Maker's Mark, some raisins and a lemon. You are going to need a few more things but these are a very good start.

Have you ever had a slice of carrot cake and thought to yourself, boy, do I wish this was in cookie form? Your wish is granted. I'm like a regular genie here, I tell ya. I have to tell you, they may take a little time, what with all the frosting and the sprinkling of the walnuts. You can just enjoy some of that Maker's Mark as you go. What, you don't drink whiskey while baking? Trust me, it makes the going a lot quicker ifyouknowwhatImean. It's Friday! I've been drinking since eleven! (hiccup!) Booze it up and make these cookies.

Carrot Cake Cookies with Lemon Cream Cheese Icing

adapted from Bon Appetit May 2010

Ingredients

Cookies

1/2 cup raisins

1/4 cup old-fashioned oats

1/4 cup Maker's Mark or other whiskey, plus more for sippin'

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1 large egg

2 cups packed finely grated carrots

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour (or you can use 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour altogether)

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

3/4 cup chopped walnuts + 1/2 cup additional for garnish

Icing

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

6 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1 - 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

zest of one lemon

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about a half a lemon)

Preparation

Make the cookies: Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 3 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment. Place raisins and oats in small bowl, add whiskey. Let soak until whiskey is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Beat butter and both sugars in large bowl until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in egg, then carrots. Do not overstir! Add flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon; beat to just blend. Stir in raisin-oat-whiskey mixture and 3/4 cup walnuts. Drop batter by level tablespoonfuls onto sheets, spacing 1 1/2 - 2 inches apart.

Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until light golden, about 20 minutes. Cookies will be soft and this is a very very good thing. Cool on sheets 5 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

Make the icing: In a medium sized bowl, beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy, about three minutes. Slowly add in 1/2 cup of powdered sugar, being careful icing does not clump up. Add lemon zest, lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of cream and beat until combined. Add remaining powdered sugar to taste.

Frost cookies and top with chopped walnuts. Drink some whiskey and DEVOUR.

Happy Father's Day, Papa Fierce

2010-06-18T16:34:00.000-04:00

Happy Father's Day to our Papa Fierce!

Somebody just said "Hey! Who wants pie!"

In honor of our dad, we're both going to go to the grocery store under the pretense of picking up milk, eggs and bread. We'll go straight to the deli counter, order a half a pound each of at least six different sliced cold cuts and cheese, then we'll swing by the snack aisle and pick up a few bags of chips. (Ruffled, if you please.) Man cannot live on bread alone, so the saying goes. Man needs some deli meat to survive.

In continuing our Parental Unit Appreciation Series, here's a few things we've learned from our dad over the years.

The early bird gets the black raspberries on their cereal in the morning. Growing up, we had raspberry bushes in our backyard and our dad was always the one out in the garden first, stockpiling the fruit for breakfast. It pays to get up early when fresh fruit is involved.
Dessert is a must, even if its just some jam on toast.
The one condiment we will always have on hand, in at least seven different varieties, is jam. See #2.
When dining out with the family, say you aren't hungry and just order soup and salad. Then make sure to load up on everyone else's entree. It helps to get an extra dinner plate from the waiter to do this properly. Papa Fierce has perfected this trick to the point where we know what's going to happen once the "I'm not that hungry" comes out of his mouth. Guard your entrees.
Make sure you always have a few varieties of cold cuts on hand so when no one wants to cook, a sandwich is always an option. Trust us: a sandwich is ALWAYS an option.
Are you still hungry? Offer to help. Papa Fierce is always ready to do some of the sous-chef work of peeling apples or pitting cherries to jump start the pie-making process. He once deveined two pounds of shrimp on Christmas Day in no time flat only to get to that shrimp cocktail awaiting him.

Don't forget to thank your own father for the foibles that make your family so much fun. And if you see our Dad, tell him The Sisters Fierce love him, but could he please just save us some deli meat.

Crunchy Granola

2010-06-10T12:00:00.001-04:00

Oh, granola. You are such a fickle creature, aren't you? Crunchy or chewy. Bars or ... cereal. With chocolate or without. Coconut? Maybe. There are as many varieties of granola as there are fish in the sea. Okay, maybe not that many. But you get my point.

In college I spent a year overseas and became addicted to an unpronounceable brand of granola that to this day makes my heart swoon. We bought it from the cheap German warehouse grocery store - and I mean, I bought it by the kilo (if you know your conversions, that's really not that much). Hunks of dark chocolate lurked throughout and stumbling upon them was a revelation. I ate it for breakfast, I ate it for dessert. I ate it for a snack, straight out of the box, anytime, all the time. This granola? This shit was GOOD. And I loved it.

However ... life moves on. You move home, you miss your friends and you miss your granola. You forget about that granola - you never forget about your friends - until one day, you find yourself flipping through the pages of Bon Appetit and lo! A new granola recipe.

Granola has failed me so many times - it's too sweet, it's not sweet enough, it doesn't crunch, there's too much honey. This one? It's crunchy, sweet, savory, a little gingery, and above all, delicious.

It may not be the perfect granola, but it may become my favorite. Now, that's not to say it will be your favorite - all those fish in the sea and all - but people. This granola? This granola is GOOD. Add hunks of dark chocolate if you want ... I know I will.

Everyday Granola
adapted from Bon Appetit, May 2010

Ingredients
3 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
3 tablespoons (packed) brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon (generous) salt
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup assorted dried fruit (I used apricots, raisins and two kinds of figs)

Method
Preheat oven to 300°F. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Mix first 7 ingredients in large bowl. Stir honey and oil in saucepan over medium-low heat until smooth. Pour honey mixture over oat mixture; toss. Spread on prepared sheet.

Bake until golden, stirring every 10 minutes, about 40 minutes. Place sheet on rack. Stir granola; cool. Mix in fruit. Yield: about five cups. Can be made 1 week ahead. Store in an airtight container.

Raspberry Brownies

2010-06-03T16:40:00.000-04:00

I went on vacation, right? This girl who loves to bake, who loves to eat delicious things, went on vacation. Without bringing her most favorite cookbook in the whole wide world (if you've been reading the recipes I don't have to tell you which one this is. If you're curious, do some research).

I knew I would be relying on modern conveniences like stealing your condo neighbor's wi-fi to check your email, and get recipes. We ate delicious seafood (no, not the kind you're thinking, the subject of my most favorite juvenile joke), white fish topped with green apple compote and fried garlic chips, I swear I'm going to try my hand at that sometime soon, like September. You know, after my sister fulfills goal #2 of Cooking An Entire Fish.

By about four days into my kitchen vacation I was aching to do something with my hands, to create something. After surveying the kitchen's stockpiles (sugar? check. eggs? check. butter? also check) I borrowed a bike and rode a mile or so to the nearest grocery store. My purchases: raspberries, chocolate, and flour. Making brownies doesn't require too many special ingredients. No leavening to buy, minimal mixing not requiring a fancy appliance, a standard sized pan - it was the perfectly simple way to go. That and we were having the best barbeque I've had in quite some time. Brownies seem to be the appropriate finish to a such a meal. The recipe was based off of what is becoming my standby, with a twist: the addition of fresh raspberries scattered on top.

And man, were they wonderful. Even though I used the wrong amount of chocolate, not out of laziness or economy, but because I forgot, and had already poured everything into the pan when I realized only two of the bars had been opened.

Here's what you do: this recipe, plus a handful or two or three or whatever you have left of a pint of raspberries. Increase the baking time to 40 minutes. And enjoy.

Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

2010-05-20T11:30:00.001-04:00

I made these a few weeks ago.... and its not that they weren't good, its that lately, well, I've been preoccupied. With pedicured toes in the sand, with sunburned legs, with warm breezes, with stacks of trashy novels. Ah, vacation.

Snap out of it, J Fierce! You're back to real life now. Time to cram in baking around hectic work schedules, working out, that thing you're supposed to eat first called dinner, with reruns on tv. Want to know how these came about? Well, I'll begin at the end.

There had been a minor natural disaster of some kind in my kitchen: the microwave was covered in butter, the floor with freshly squeezed lemon juice. In my hand, the fruits (in this case, the muffin-fruits) of my labor: still warm lemon poppyseed muffins. I know you're thinking, when is J Fierce going to get off the lemon poppyseed kick? I hate to break it to you, but this is one of my favorite combinations, so if you don't like it, tough.

These muffins weren't making it easy for me. I'm beginning to think I have a coordination problem since it seems like I'm writing about near-failures more than I ought to be, at least for someone who is writing a food blog. The day was a chilly spring day (or at least, the kind you get in Virginia before the humidity hits approximately three seconds into the month of May. Only afros from here on out). I worked a later shift that day, so I had appointments and errands in the morning and I figured I'd have time to make a quick muffin or two. Even with my foresight to measure out the dry ingredients before I left for my errands, the clock was ticking down to "not enough time for muffins to bake and cool or I will be late work" I managed not only to explode butter in the microwave but also to spill lemon juice all over myself and the floor, necessitating a change of clothes before work (When will I learn the "wear your apron" lesson?).

These are the kind of muffins are the kind my sister can get on board with. (C Fierce note: I will NOT get on board with a preposition at the end of a sentence. Get it together J Fierce!) They're light, sweet and tender like a cupcake, but they're not called a cupcake, a crucial difference when you're incorporating them into your morning. Plus, they have an optional icing (not a frosting) which is awesome and gives them another lemony punch. Awesome, yes. Necessary for enjoyment? No.

I used meyer lemons, as I'm kind of obsessed, so if you're using regular lemons you may want to increase the sugar some.

Lemon Poppyseed Muffins
Adapted from (what else?) Dorie Greenspan's Baking: From my home to yours (best baking book ever)

Ingredients
1/3 cup sugar
grated zest and juice of one lemon
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sour cream
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 tablespoons poppy seeds

Optional Icing
1 cup confectioner's sugar, sifted
2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Method
Center the oven rack, and preheat to 400 degrees F.

Butter or spray 12 muffin molds or fill with paper. Put the muffin pan on a baking sheet.
Using a large bowl, rub sugar and lemon zest together between your fingers until the sugar is moist and everything smells like lemon. Whisk in flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together liquid ingredients (sour cream, eggs, vanilla, lemon juice, melted butter) until well blended. Add to dry ingredients, mixing just until blended. Don't overmix, or your muffins will be tougher than beef jerky. Stir in poppyseeds. Divide the batter between the cups.

Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer pan to rack and cool 5 minutes before removing from the mold. Cool completely before icing them.

To make the icing, add the lemon juice a little at a time to the confectioner's sugar. When it is drizzling consistency, you're done!

Spinach Salad with Roasted Cherry Tomato Dressing

2010-05-13T11:30:00.000-04:00

I have to admit something, internet. I do not like grapes. I know this is very wrong of me, that people go ape over grapes, that they are the classic summertime snack. I just don't like them. They make my stomach hurt and I think they are blander than a beige painting on a taupe wall.

However. I love me some cherry tomatoes. Lest you think this is a bizarre tangent, think for a moment, please, on the size and shape of grapes and cherry tomatoes. Pretty much the exact same, right? Yet grapes, in all their spherical glory, really gross me out.

Now some cherry tomatoes ... oh my. I cannot imagine a life on this earth without them - I can easily put away a pint in two minutes flat. Pop pop popping them in my mouth one at a time until they're gone, they are my grapes. But cherry tomatoes are better than grapes in so many ways - bet you can't make this delicious salad dressing with a pint of grapes, now can you! Ha!

A lot of foodie bloggers in the internet world always talk about their "simple, easy, go-to recipes." I tend to be rather wary of statements such as those, as typically those simple, easy recipes end up involving bizarre ingredients never found in my pantry. But this dressing? Cherry tomatoes. Olive oil. Salt, pepper, vinegar. Couldn't be easier. Nor could it be more delicious.

Spinach Salad with Roasted Cherry Tomato Dressing
adapted from me, boo ya! This recipe will make one salad for one hungry person. Multiply accordingly.

Ingredients
Couple of handfuls of washed baby spinach
Two pieces of bacon, cooked to perfection, crumbled (Did J Fierce ever tell you about how she cooks bacon for the week and brings pieces of it to work in a plastic baggie? That shit is weird, I'm telling you.)
Couple of spoonfuls of toasted, chopped walnuts
2 - 4 ounces of goat cheese, crumbled
One pint cherry tomatoes
Olive oil
Salt & pepper
Cider vinegar
White wine vinegar

Method
First, make your salad dressing: Preheat the oven to 425 F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, crimping it up around the edges (so nothing will spill and then you don't have to wash the baking sheet, yes, I am a genius). Place the cherry tomatoes in the pan and drizzle with a few tablespoons of olive oil, tossing to coat. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper and roast 30-40 minutes, until they are bursting and browned. Toss a few times during roasting in order to brown evenly.

Remove the pan from the oven, and toss the cherry tomatoes immediately so they don't stick to the foil. (You can eat some of the crispier bits at this point, I won't tell.) Let the tomatoes cool to room temperature, about 15-20 minutes.

Using a blender (stick or classic), blend the tomatoes, including all the juices and oil, until smooth. Add 1/4 - 1/2 cup of olive oil in a steady stream to emulsify. Add a few splashes of cider vinegar and white wine vinegar to taste, and salt and pepper. Toss all ingredients with dressing and enjoy the simplest, easiest, go-to recipe I know.

PS: This is also a great dip, just add less olive oil and dip veggies to your heart's content just like Mama Fierce taught us.

Happy Mother's Day, Mama Fierce

2010-05-07T10:00:00.002-04:00

Have you mailed your mother's day card yet? Better get to the post office, kiddos! Your mom is waiting! And if you forgot, oh boy. Call up the flower shop immediately.

Confectioner's sugar is not flour. Mistaking one for the other does not a good broccoli soup make.
The electric cooktop is not the best place to leave a cordless phone (or two or twelve).
Come to think of it, the microwave is also not really a great spot for a wire-framed basket. Oops.
Don't be afraid to make substitutions. Lasagna will probably be just as good if you realize you don't have enough ricotta so you use cottage cheese instead. (See #1 when you are curious as to what substitutes well for flour.)
Don't be afraid to stay out of the kitchen for an evening or two. Use up your leftovers. We both inherited the penchant for finishing off random small bits of dinners past from Mama Fierce: occasionally skipping a whole meal and replacing it with a snack when you've eaten well all day is just fine. This is called "grazing."
Stave off the pre-dinner munchies with a pile of crudites. We think slicing a bunch of veggies was a diversion tactic meant to keep her four wild, ravenous, hungry children out of her hair. It worked and we ate more veggies.
Does your kitchen stink because you burnt something? This never happens to us, just so you know. But in case it did... Bring about a cup or so of water to boil on the stove and throw in some cinnamon, cloves, or other aromatic spice. Let that simmer away for an hour or two and presto chango - stinko gone-o.
Sometimes, simply setting the table does wonders for your mood. When we were in high school and had free lunches, each and every Wednesday, Mama Fierce would make us lunch at home. It could have been blue-box-mac-n-cheese or a plain turkey sandwich, but she always set the table. Flowers from our backyard garden, real napkins and placemats, too. Taking the time to make things a little nicer is always worth it. Our mom always makes sure to tell us she loves us, but more importantly, she always takes the time to show us she loves us, too.

Happy Mother's Day to the greatest mom on earth. We love you Mama Fierce!

Pistachio Tart Cherry Ice Cream

2010-05-04T12:00:00.000-04:00

This stuff is amazing.

But I know what you're thinking, who really makes their own ice cream? I do... sometimes.

A few years ago I got a KitchenAid freezer bowl attachment for Christmas (read: exchanged a pretty cashmere sweater that was under the tree and didn't fit). I used it once the first year. It takes forethought (can I really think about what I want to make fifteen hours in advance?). It takes up a lot of space (my freezer is full of breakfast burritos and ling ling spring rolls, so I put it at my boyfriend's. He loves those 9am phone calls: "will you pleeeeease put the ice cream maker in the freezer? I think its under the shelf where your big chili pots are, and if it isn't there check next to the oven or maybe its above the stove and and and and). Then you have to wait even longer, because after you freeze it in the freezer bowl, you have to freeze the custard base in the regular freezer. For three more hours. A lot of waiting. It can be a three day process if you do it the way I do (that is, not planning ahead).

My method of ice cream consumption is not like what I imagine a typical adults to be. I eat right from the pint (all good flavors come solely in pint form) and I only have about four spoonfuls while standing in the kitchen. Hopefully I have the forethought to close the freezer door while I savor my treat. This usually happens after a nice run when my face is bright red and I'm probably wearing spandex so short it makes C Fierce cringe (she is definitely not the exhibitionist of the pair. I can't help it, my legs are, like Mama Fierce's, my best asset).

Suffice it to say a pint goes a long way in my freezer, so I don't just make stuff on a whim. Sure, it may begin as such, but it has to fester for a while before I bring it to fruition (or, fruit-ition). After those gorgeous Irish Flags I made, I got really into pistachios. Though my tart cherry phase is starting to wane, this recipe found me at just the right moment: the apex of my two obsessions.

So here it is, and maybe you wont make it yourself (I don't blame you, really, you have to have the expensive equipment and the desire to do something that costs three times as much and takes three days out of your life when you could buy it for $4.50 at a convenience store which we all know is a total rip off, Target has them on sale at 2/$5 almost every other week in the summer), but the next time you see something resembling it, say at Jeni's or Splendora's, give it a try. And then remember that yes, you can make that at home. And it will taste better because you did it yourself.

Leftover egg whites? try this site. Or, make these.

Pistachio Tart Cherry Ice Cream
un-adapted from Williams Sonoma Ice Cream (I swear, I'll branch out sometime soon)

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1 1/2 cups cream

1 cup coarsely chopped unsalted pistachios (you may want to put these through a colander or sieve of some sort after chopping to avoid graininess)

1 cup coarsely chopped tart dried cherries

4 large egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

In a heavy saucepan, combine milk, 1 cup of the cream, 1/2 cup cherries and 1/2 cup pistachios. Cook over medium heat just until bubbles form around the edges of the pan, about five minutes. Remove from heat, let steep 20 minutes.

Strain mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl. Press solids to remove all liquid. Discard solid. Return milk to saucepan.

Meanwhile, combine egg yolks, sugar, remaining 1/2 cup cream in a bowl, whisk until smooth.

Gradually whisk about 1/2 cup of the warm milk mixture into the egg mixture until smooth. Pour egg mixture into saucepan and cook on medium heat, stirring constantly. You'll want to use a wooden spoon here as it is easier to get the custard off of the pan. Keep the custard at a low simmer until it coats the back of the spoon and a finger drawn on it leaves a clear trail. Do not let the custard boil! Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl, add vanilla.

Place the bowl in a larger bowl partially filled with ice cubes and water, stirring occasionally until cool (about 20-30 minutes). Cover with plastic wrap, pressing the surface directly to avoid a skin forming. Refrigerate until cold, at least 3 hours or up to 24 (see?? all this waitiing!).

Pour the custard into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's directions. Once your custard is almost frozen and has the consistency of whipped cream, add remaining pistachios and cherries. Churn/stir just until mixed. Cover and freeze until firm, at least 3 hours or up to 3 days. But really, we know you won't wait three days to try it.

Makes about a quart.

Farmers Market Breakfast

2010-04-30T10:00:00.003-04:00

Springtime in DC is a treacherous time. Will it be humid? Rainy? Ninety nine degrees out or 52? How many tourists will I need to push down the escalators on the metro? Three minutes into my morning commute today I immediately regretted not wearing tights. Yes, the weather forecast says it will be 72, but when it's 43 degrees at 7:45am, my legs, they are a-shiverin.

However, with the springtime weather ups and downs comes some forms of sunshine: produce! At the farmers markets! Certainly, it is glorious. There is really nothing that makes a weekend as lovely as a morning walk down to the bustling market, scoping out the vendors, doing some good people watching ... and of course, picking up fresh produce.

This is not a recipe, really - a recipe tends to dictate what you must make, whereas this is dictated by what is freshest and what you really want to eat. Then you figure out how to put it all together. Are the spring onions looking especially lovely? Did you get some ramps? (Full disclosure: I can eat my weight in grilled ramps.) What about asparagus? (Yes, that too.) If you're especially lucky to snag farm fresh eggs, color me jealous.

Farmers Market Breakfast (or brunch, or lunch, or dinner ... you get the point)

Ingredients (for two eaters)
2 eggs
2 slices of bread
1 bunch of asparagus, cleaned and trimmed
1 bunch of ramps, cleaned and trimmed
Romesco sauce (you don't have this in your fridge at all times? Shame on you!)
Oil, salt and pepper

Method
I start by preheating the oven to 300 F, throwing in two pieces of bread, and letting the bread toast while I make everything else. I don't trust my toaster, mainly because it was from Freecycle, is approximately nineteen years old, and burns anything you put in it after 34 seconds at level two.

Grill your greens: start by heating a dry cast-iron grill pan to very very hot. Drizzle asparagus with olive oil and throw it on the grill, turning every two minutes. I like my asparagus really grilled, so I grill them about ten minutes. Add the ramps and grill for five to six minutes, until they're nice and wilty and smell delicious.

While the greens are grilling, poach your eggs. I would type out directions how to do this, but come on, people this is easy. Here is how I learned: thanks, Deb! I like my eggs on the runny side, so I only poach them for 1 1/2 minutes, 2 minutes at the very most.

Get your toast out of the oven, get it on some plates, and top the slices with one egg each. Attractively arrange your greens on the toast, top with romesco, and dig in. Happy springtime, indeed.

Brownies with Cherries and Chiles

2010-04-27T16:10:00.002-04:00

I have a cookbook problem.

There is an entire shelf of in my living room stacked with cookbooks. There's more than one that I haven't made a single thing from. I have single topic cookbooks. Take pie, for example. I have three completely devoted to it. There is also a book solely about macaroons, and I hate to tell you this, but I have never had a macaroon, not once. I'm not even entirely confident about the standard ingredients. I looked through the book, I promise, but I think it may have been written in Engrish and some things definitely didn't quite translate.

You know what gets me about cookbooks? Its leafing through the pages and creating the scenarios where you get to share that meal. Its thinking, oh, that would be fun to bring to a potluck, or my book club. Or, maybe for Poppa Fierce's birthday I'll try that caramelized pear pie. I like to think about the possibilities in the pages. Its a fun day dream.

Given that, I didn't mean to buy another cookbook today, I swear. It isn't like me to lie and say I totally ignored the cookbook section at the store and that the book literally fell out of the sky accompanied by a live piano performance singing songs of its deliciousness within. Just kidding, it is. If I thought you would believe me. I read each and every title on the shelf, my head cocked slightly sideways like your pup when he's confused.

The book stood out to me, not necessarily because of the brand but the title. Come on, who doesn't love chocolate? So I picked it up and leafed through-I figured it looked pretty good. I continued to browse, looking for bargain Le Creuset (preferably a mini coquette in the shape of a vegetable). I got the thing I had actually come for, and decided I didn't really need the cookbook. So I put it down.

Then I heard a voice: You should probably just page through it one more time to see if anything jumps out at you, you know, its worth it if you get one good recipe! I obliged my inner shopaholic, and was feeling above the influence until I saw this recipe, the one here after the jump (you didn't think I was going to just let you see it, did you?). This recipe is my favorite chocolate bar in brownie form. I wasn't going to leave without it.

I'm glad I didn't, because I earlier today I attempted chocolate marshmallows that were a complete failure. I've made them a few times before and never had trouble, but I hate having the day end on an unsuccessful note, so I went for the brownies. You'll be so glad I did.

Ancho Chile Cherry Brownies
adapted from Green and Black's Chocolate Recipes
8 oz dark chocolate (they suggest 72% cocoa content, I used 4 oz 100% and 4 oz 70% because that is what I had) roughly chopped
1/2 cup butter, plus some for greasing pan
2 large eggs
1 1/3 cup granulated sugar (recipe called for 1 2/3 cup, I find that a bit excessive and like my chocolate on the bitter side)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup flour
3/4 cup dried tart cherries, chopped
2 small dried ancho chiles, roughly ground in a spice grinder or 1 1/2 teaspoons depending on heat of chiles (I used ancho chile powder, 1 1/4 teaspoons because I was afraid of them being too spicy)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (my own addition)

Set the oven to 350 and let preheat. Grease a 9" square pan and line the bottom with parchment paper to prevent sticking.

Put six ounces of the chocolate in a double boiler (or my method: a heatproof bowl on top of a saucepan with simmering water in the bottom. The steam heats the bowl and melts the chocolate, voila! Also, I have a really difficult time melting chocolate that isn't uniformly chopped in the microwave-I am really good at burning it). Add the butter and melt until smooth, stirring occasionally. Do not let the chocolate burn or get too hot; it will separate.

Using a large bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt until doubled in volume and thick. Add the melted chocolate mixture and fold in. Gradually add the flour, folding well between each addition. Mix in the cherries, remaining 2 oz chopped chocolate, and ground anchos (worried it wouldn't evenly spread, I mixed the anchos with the flour and incorporated it during that step). Stir until evenly mixed.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes or until the brownies pull away at the sides. Allow them to cool in the pan before cutting. If you can wait that long.

Homemade Bagels

2010-04-21T12:00:00.001-04:00

Goodness gracious. We've had this post in the queue for what, oh, four weeks now - we know, we know, we already apologized, but the last month has been a bit ... involved. So. Now that we have that out of the way for good, MOVING ON. Don't these look lovely?

That's J Fierce's poppyseed bagel on the left, and C Fierce's onion garlic salt bagel on the right. We spent a few days together hanging out at J Fierce's, eating a lot of dried sour cherries, making mango/pineapple/strawberry/mint salsa (it's probably still in the fridge somewhere because someone *ahem ahem C Fierce* got a leeetle carried away with chopping the pineapple), grilling steak, eating the best fried chicken in town, drinking beer out of mason jars ... and didn't even have any fights! Nope, no bar fights! And no fights with each other, either, which, in itself, is an amazing feat. (Ask J Fierce about the time she refused to speak to C Fierce and Little Brother Fierce for the entire duration of a flight, layover, and subsequent flight. ALL OVER A STUPID FOUNTAIN SODA. WEIRD I THINK MY CAPS LOCKS KEY GOT STUCK.)

ANYWAY back to the bagels. Some were cuter than others ...

Why yes, we did put the comparison photo after the jump for a reason - see the deformities and odd shapes and sizes? The recipe we used, from Williams Sonoma, was a little light on details. Details that might have explained that it is okay for the bagels to be very small on the second rise. Details that could have shed some light on the fact that those babies were going to plump up big time once they hit the poaching bath.

Thank goodness you have the Sisters Fierce to do the troubleshooting for you! Here's the recipe with our notes. Who knows what we'll get into next time we get together, but we're taking requests. We know you're reading; the Google Tubes don't lie, people. Leave us comments! Send us emails! We're just here waiting patiently.

Bagels

adapted from Williams Sonoma: Baking

Ingredients

1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) quick rise yeast (we used regular active dry yeast)
2 1/2-3 cups (12 1/2-15oz) unbleached bread flour
1 cup lukewarm milk
1/4 cup oil, plus extra for greasing
1 teaspoon regular salt
1 egg, separated
1 tablespoon sugar
poppy seeds, sesame seeds, garlic powder mixed with salt, etc for sprinkling

Method

In a large bowl, combine the yeast and a half cup of the flour. If you're using a stand mixer, use the bowl that fits. Stir in the milk, let stand until frothy, about ten minutes. Use a wooden spoon to beat in the oil, regular salt, egg yolk, and sugar. Gradually beat in enough of the remaining flour to make a stiff but workable dough.

Knead the dough by hand or with the hook. We couldn't find the dough hook (it had the nerve to turn up three days later, looking ashamed of itself) so J Fierce, bless her heart and her kneading hands, got to get in there. C Fierce has, shall we say, an issue with yeast doughs. (Can you tell who got the task of typing up the directions? Hint, NOT C FIERCE. I swear, we both have this cookbook, she acts like she still lives with our mom and wont turn the heat up long enough to remove her mittens from her hands and type something.) If you're kneading by hand, do this until it is smooth and elastic, or until your sister tells you to stop, adding more flour if you need to as you go.

Those of you who don't like to get your hands dirty and are using your dough hook, wait until the dough is no longer sticky and pulls cleanly from the sides, 6-7 minutes. Form the dough into a ball, put it in a greased bowl, turning to coat completely. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled, 45-60 minutes.

Lightly flour your work surface and turn risen dough out on to it. Press flat. Roll into a log about 8 inches long and cut into 16 equal pieces. Cover with a clean kitchen towel. One at a time (take you turns, bagels to be!) form each piece into a ball, flatten it into a 2 1/2 inch diameter round. Poke a hole in it. Williams Sonoma, ever the proper guide, suggests using the end of a wooden spoon. I used the end of my hands, my fingers. Widen the hole so it is about 1 inch. Place the rounds on the work surface, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let rise until doubled, about 20 minutes. (Note: poking a hole in the middle works much better than trying to make bagels out of long skinny pieces. They just don't stay together.)

Preheat your oven to 375 F and grease a baking sheet (or use parchment paper).

In a pot, boil 3 quarts of water or so. We just used a big old pot and filled it halfway up. Reduce the heat to low, and slip 2 or 3 bagels into the simmering water. Poach turning once, for 3 minutes a side, reform the holes if you need to. Watch them puff up. Use a slotted spoon or a spider, transfer to prepared sheet.

Lightly beat the egg white and brush over the bagels. Sprinkle with your delicious toppings. I hope you picked garlic salt, because those will be your favorite. You may have to fight your sister for the last one. Remind her you did all the kneading, and will later do the recipe typing. (AND THEN SHE WILL REMIND YOU THAT SHE IS YOUR OLDER SISTER SO DO WHAT SHE SAYS. LOVE, C FIERCE.) Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Transfer bagels to wire racks to cool.

This recipe is supposed to make 16 bagels. Ours were all different sizes, but if you made the 16 pieces earlier I don't know how you could end up with less. This isn't really the kind of thing that you have, to use a retail term, "shrink" on due to mid-recipe-sampling. When your bagels have all been devoured, bask in the fact that the next time someone says, wow these are good bagels, you can say, "my homemade ones were better."

Mediterranean Quiche

2010-04-14T12:00:00.001-04:00

Yesterday, C Fierce and I were talking on the phone. Somehow the topic of food came up (weird). and I said something very true but never before articulated: "you know, I just don't get that excited about food. Unless its dessert." To date, exactly two of my multitude of posts have not been sugar-laden. Everything else on here not baked? That would be the work of C Fierce.

Today, however, I am sharing a recipe that makes me excited. It is infinitely adaptable with whatever you have in your cupboards. We'll ease me into the savory world with a pie crust and pan. Behold the quiche.

Imagine, if you will, a dish that can be enjoyed at any time of day, morning noon or night. With the tanginess of feta and the greenness of spinach, you really can't lose. Beware, if you're hungry: I ate half of it at one meal (that was the only thing on my plate, but still. Oink Oink).

Spinach and Feta Quiche

adapted from Gourmet (March, 1994)

Ingredients

One 9" pie crust (please don't get mad at me, I used these and they were amazing and also free. I promise as soon as stone fruit season starts I will share my super awesome crust recipe.)

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups packed chopped fresh spinach

1/3 cup feta cheese crumbled

1 artichoke heart, quartered and sort of shredded (I used these)

1/2 cup cream

3 eggs

salt and pepper to taste

Olives would be really good in here, too, if you have some (no thank you, says C Fierce). So would a little diced tomato.

Method

Preheat your oven to 425F. Bake the pie crust for approximately 7 minutes until golden.

Just before the crust is set to come out, saute spinach in olive oil, about one minute. Whisk together eggs and cream.

Spread feta evenly over the bottom of the baked crust, top with artichokes and spinach. Pour egg mixture over top. Bake for 15 minutes at 425. Reduce oven temperature to 350 and bake 20 minutes more, until top looks set in the middle.

Try to save some for breakfast tomorrow.

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

2010-04-09T11:15:00.001-04:00

You know how sometimes carrot cake isn't very good? Face it, you went after it for the cream cheese frosting, and now you're wondering why it isn't culturally acceptable to just eat that stuff with a spoon. The problem lies in the cake underneath: it is either too dry, crumbly, or just plain lacks that carroty flavor.

I have found the foil to your problem. This is the moistest carrot cake I have ever tasted, and I have tried quite a few. A sample of what I'm sure are unbiased reviews from my tasters: "the best cake you have ever made," "awesome," "did you make any more?"

The occasion was a dinner party, and I didn't know the menu. I knew I wanted to bring something slightly different than normal. Not a chocolate or vanilla cake, and not a pie (though my pie crust is something to behold. Come stone fruit season I promise the best cherry pie recipe ever). It would have to transport easily and be something I could make ahead, since I had to work both days leading up to the event. This cake was perfect. I made the cake the morning before the day of the dinner, made the frosting the evening before, and frosted it the morning of. After the jump, see a picture that made C Fierce attempt to eat her computer screen.

Did I mention it was delicious?

For Delicious Carrot Cake, adapted from Williams-Sonoma: Baking
unsalted butter for greasing
2 cups (10 oz all purpose flour, plus extra for dusting)
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
3/4 cup canola oils
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk (or sour milk: place 1/2 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice in glass, fill to 1/2 cup line with milk and let sit 5 minutes)
3 cups lightly packed peeled shredded carrots

Set the oven to 350F. Grease two 9" round, 2" deep cake pans. Dust with flour, tap out excess flour.

In a bowl, sift together the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices, and salt). In another bowl, whisk together eggs, oil, both sugars, and buttermilk until blended.

Stir the blended ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Fold in the carrots and pour the batter evenly into the two pans.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, approximately 40 minutes. Transfer to wire racks and let cool 15 minutes, then invert the cakes onto the racks and let them cool completely.

Place one cake on a plate, spreading a little less than half on the top. Place second cake on top and frost with remaining frosting.

For Cream Cheese Frosting
1 pound (16 oz) cream cheese at room temperature
6 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/4 cups confectioner's sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Combine cream cheese and butter in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer beat on medium-high speed until smooth. With the speed reduced to low, add the sugar and beat until smooth. Add vanilla. Makes about 2 1/4 cups. Keeps for one week covered in the fridge.

Lemony Apple Spice Muffins

2010-04-05T12:00:00.001-04:00

Question and Answer Time, Internet!

Q. Where in the world have the Sisters Fierce BEEN all this time?
A. Hunting on the Serengeti. Floating around the world in a hot air balloon in ninety days. Suffering with a broken stove/oven combo and waiting for the landlords to replace it. Starting a new job and re-learning how most jobs work ... i.e. having interesting fun work to do during work time instead of blogging. (OOPS.)

Q. What is a cupcake without frosting?
A. A muffin.

Q. Who wants a cupcake without frosting?
A. NOBODY. Not the Sisters Fierce, no sir.

However, a few Sundays ago I found myself scrounging the pantry for something, anything, to bring to a potluck cookout. The weather? Rainy. The mood? Cozy. The pantry? Nearly empty. Quickly rifling through the cupboards and a half a dozen cookbooks, I came to a winning solution. Shredded apples, a touch of lemon and spice, and a happy little muffin was born, no frosting necessary. Enjoy the recipe after the jump.

Why yes, that is a mini bundt pan. Why do you look so surprised? The leftover batter went right in. And yes, all the muffins were gone before I could take a photo. (Cupcakes-without-frosting aren't that cute, anyway.)

Lemony Apple Spice Muffins
Recipe is adapted wildly from a page-a-day calendar from Mama Fierce years ago. No idea where it came from, sorry.

Ingredients
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups packed grated, peeled apples (about two medium apples), with juice
2 tsp lemon zest (about the zest of one lemon)
2 tbsp lemon juice (about the juice of one lemon
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
scant 1/2 tsp salt
4 tbsp warm melted unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Method
Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat to 400 F. Grease a standard 12-cup muffin pan (or line with paper muffin cups).

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, grated apples, lemon zest and lemon juice. Set aside and let stand for ten minutes. (Rendering the apples and lemony goodness infuses the rest of the batter.)

Whisk together in a medium bowl the flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.

Add to the egg mixture the butter and nuts (if using). Add the flour mixture and fold until the dry ingredients are moistened. Do not overmix. Divide the batter among the muffin cups, filling about 2/3rds of the way full.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in one or two muffins comes out clean, 14 to 16 minutes. Let cool for two or 3 minutes before removing from the pan. Serve as soon as possible, preferably the day they are baked.

Coming Soon...

2010-03-29T10:46:00.001-04:00

we are really busy, and we miss you, too.

Rice Krispie Treats Grow Up

2010-03-19T10:15:00.004-04:00

Do you remember just how good those rice krispie treats were? The ones your mom made. The ones that seemed like magic-the transformation of marshmallows and cereal, yes, cereal, into something so much greater? You know, before they came in the shiny blue wrapper. When they were a treat your best friend's mom sent with her to school during the holidays? Oh, they were good.

But like this? They even better. I have to say, Rice Krispie Treats have grown up a bit.

Make a ganache. Let it set. Take your butter and brown it. Add some salt. Let it set. Frost with ganache. Watch the fireworks.

See my ganache topped treat (as opposed to the adorbs sandwich versions above. I'll let you guess which ones are easier to eat) after the jump.

For Ganache:
8 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped, in a medium bowl
1 c heavy cream
Bring cream just to a boil on the stove. Pour into chopped chocolate, let sit for 30 seconds. Stir. until smooth. Let set. This could take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours. I prefer to refrigerate mine, stirring every 15 minutes or so.

Ingredients for Salted Brown Butter Crispy Treats from Smitten Kitchen

6 cups crisp rice cereal (I used an unsweetened version with 2g sugar/serving compared with the Brand Name's 10g/serving and did not feel deprived)

10 oz marshmallows

heaping 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt (I used double, what can I say, I like the sweet-salty combo)

one stick butter (yes, 8 tablespoons)

Grease an 8x8x2" pan.

In a large pot, melt the butter on the stove. Keep cooking it until it has browned. You'll know because it will smell nutty. Turn off heat, stirring in the marshmallows until they melt and are smooth. Add the cereal and salt, stirring to coat. When evenly mixed, spread into pan. The best way to smooth the tops is with a greased piece of wax paper, pressing down.

When you're ready to serve them, frost with ganache and cut into pieces. And here's my 2 cents on the sandwich v topped issue: the sandwich is cute, super cute, but more effort. And you must eat them in one bite or the ganache squirts everywhere. The topping is also cute, makes them look a little fancier, and you can eat them in as few or many bites as you want.

Currant Pecan Scones

2010-03-16T12:00:00.001-04:00

Fed up with all the Irish themed stuff swirling around you yet? Me neither. For those of you who are, though, this recipe isn't really Irish exactly, but it's pretty close without doing a soda bread-type thing. I'm not a huge fan of soda bread, but maybe all that really means is I haven't had a great one yet.

Sometimes, it is really nice to bake with a friend. Though most of my adventures involving oven and flour are solo expeditions, I occasionally am fortunate enough to have an evening off and the luxury of a friend there with me. After a delicious dinner of pizza and PBR (because really what more do you need on a Tuesday night) we felt the need to call ourselves civilized. Thus began the very simple task of scone making.

I like scones much less in coffee shops. They always taste floury and aseptic. A good scone, a really really good one, should be flaky. Melt in your mouth. Kind of crumbly, even, to the point where you're picking up after yourself and reminding you why you shouldn't eat them in the car on the way to work-you already had one anyway, and now you're getting your pants crumbly. Everyone at work will know of your impatience, plus you'll distract yourself from driving if you keep trying to get every last morsel that you've dropped.

These were not overly sweet which makes them feel more appropriate for breakfast, and they take to freezing really well. If you're a big planner, may I recommend flash-freezing them and cooking on an as-needed basis? They won't keep until next St. Patty's, but they'll keep for your cup of tea over the weekends of the next few months. My tip on that is after the jump, accompanied by some step by step photos! These "process shots," though not the gorgeous images to which you've become accustomed, are going to make my sister so excited.

Currant Pecan Scones (or as they call them, Cream Tea Scones with Currants)

adapted from Williams-Sonoma: Bread

Ingredients

2 cups unbleached flour, plus extra for sprinkling

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

2 large eggs

2/3 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup dried currants (currants are like raisins, but smaller)

1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted

1 heaping tablespoon raw or coarse sugar

butter or jam for serving

Toast the pecans either in your oven at 350, stirring occasionally until they smell nutty, or on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally. This step gives the pecans a much fuller flavor.

Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a bowl, stir together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the butter to the flour mixture. With a pastry blender (I prefer using 2 knives) cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and cream together. Add all but 2 tablespoons of the egg mixture to the dry ingredients all at once and stir until a sticky dough forms. Quickly stir in the currants and pecans, just until evenly distributed.

Turn the dough out on to a lightly floured board. Knead gently until the dough holds together, about six times. The dough should be soft; do not overknead, or the scones will be tough. Divide into two equal portions and pat each portion into a round 1" thick and 6" wide diameter. Cut each round into 4 equal wedges (Alternately, you could simply drop by tablespoon the dough and end up with round scones like I did. Much easier on my sticky fingers).

Arrange the wedges, 2 inches apart, on the prepared baking sheet. Brush each wedge with the reserved egg mixture and sprinkle with the raw sugar.

Bake until crusty and golden brown, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

If you decide to flash freeze them (freeze individually until frozen, then put in freezer bag all jumbled together), my preferred method is to bake them right from the freezer, only to lower the temperature by 25 degrees and increase the baking time slightly. Your oven may be slightly less crazy than my 1950s version, should you be so lucky.