Baked potato soup

So, at one point in the past there was a potato soup that someone loved. It was served to him at a restaurant. It was thin with just the hint of potato and a ton of cheese. He doesn't remember any other flavorings and has been looking for me to make this recipe (of a food I've never eaten) for a while now. It is, sad to say, one of many such requests.

I found a nice potato soup and tried it out on Sunday night. It was fairly easy to make, and quite tasty but the milk got the better of me and I shan't make it again.

The original recipe is here: Baked Poato soup from Cooking light.

The first time I tried to make the molk and flour mixture, it burned. The pot sits still in the sink, scrubbed and waiting to be saved from the black scars that mar its shiny bottom.

New pot, second attempt. Now I was paranoid. I whisked the flour and the milk together over a low heat, keeping the milk in a rathful foam for the duration until it just barely started to shimmer. It magically thickened as I thrashed it mightly; refusing to let the flour settle and burn (again). I covered it only reluctantly, and even then only until I heard it pop a single bubble. Far less time I'm sure than the recipe called for. Then I wisked the cover off and thrashed it mightly again, even tipping the pot to make sure my over-used wisk got into the corners.

I added the roughly mashed potatoes (there were chunks, I'm not afraid to admit it), cheese, salt and pepper into the mix and stirred (a softer version of my previous thrashing, and with a wooden spoon instead of a whisk) until everything was hot and nearly bubbly. I turned off the heat and moved the pot to another burner.

There, I added the sour cream and green onions. I put it back on the cooled burner and turned the heat to low. I stired it slowly, watching the ripples form and spread across the surface and stood on guard against it ever boiling again. When it was shimmering anew, I called dinner. I dumped in two good handfuls of diced cheese, and garnished it with a tablespoon of diced bacon and cracked pepper.

The soup was delicious, but unbelievably creamy and rich. It would have been better, I think, if I'd added the bacon instead of the onions to cook with the sour cream and then topped with the onions; as the onions almost overpowered the dish.

The cooking time as a scant 30 minutes (I microwaved the potatoes rather than baking them); but it took all of my attention during that time.

It was, alas not the recipe we were looking for. In addition, despite pills that help me deal with milk and using lower fat milk than the recipe called for -- it was still too rich for me. So, as pleasant as it was; it shall not be mine again.

Ingredients

• 4 baking potatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds)
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour (about 3 ounces)
• 6 cups 1% reduced-fat milk
• 1 1/2 cup (6 ounces) reduced-fat Montaray Jack cheese, divided (1/2 shredded, 1/2 chunked)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
• 1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 3/4 cup green onions, chopped & divided
• 6 bacon slices, cooked & crumbled
• Cracked black pepper (optional)

Preparation

1. Microwave potatoes according to your microwave's instructions. Mash coarsely and set aside.
2. Cook the bacon until crisp and set aside to drain and cool before crumbling.
3. Spoon flour into a dry measuring cup.
4. Dump the flour in a large pot and gradually add the milk, stirring with a whisk until blended.
5. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly (about 8 minutes).
6. Add the mashed potatoes, grated cup cheese, salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, stirring until the cheese melts.
7. Remove the pot from the heat.
8. Stir in the sour cream and 1/2 cup of onions.
9. Cook over low heat 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated (do not boil).
10. Add the remaining cheese to the pot.
11. Ladle 1 1/2 cups soup into each of 8 bowls.
12. Sprinkle each serving with 1 tablespoon bacon. Garnish with cracked pepper, if desired.

"Guilt-Free" Cinnamon Rolls

These are quick and easy cinnamon rolls. While they are about 1/2 the calories of the more traditional recipes, I wouldn't actually call them completely "Guilt-Free"; they're still really sweet. I've made them twice with good results. I got the recipe from Cooks Illustrated's Cooking Light magazine (Spring 2008).

The recipe calls for a lot of equipment, fortunately I keep a pan of hot soapy water to hand whenever I bake.

Once my counter was clean (and the previously standing dishes washed), I changed the washing water, and dug out the ingredients.

The dough ingredients were mostly familiar, but I hoped the strangers amongst them would be easily warmed. The microwave made quick work of melting the butter and bringing the skim milk up to 110 degrees. They initially mixed well, but kept separating every time I put the large measuring cup down to tend to other things. The maple syrup did little to help these familiar ingredients keep mixed.

Using the dough hook of my Kitchen Aid mixer, I mixed the four, yeast, and salt together. Then, turning the machine to low, and giving the liquid an extra wisk to get it to at least pretend to be mixed, I drizzled the liquids into the dry ingredients as the Kitchen Aid slowly turned the mixture over and over again.

I had a few problems figuring out when the dough was ready. The recipe calls to allow the dough to be mixed until it's shiny and smooth. It was sticky, but I don't have the experience to know if that was OK. I guessed it was, and turned it out onto a floured silicone baking sheet.

The recipe calls for the dough to be shaped into a ball. But it came out of the Kitchen Aid mixer in a fairly ball-shaped lump. I worked it over for a minute or two (adding flour so it wouldn't all stick to my hands), then dumped it in a metal bowl that was well greased.

I then put the metal bowl in a warm oven, covered with a towl.

After washing my hands (and my equipment), I got to work on the filling. This meant melting more butter. I mixed the butter, sugars, cinnamon, and salt together in the same large measuring cup I used previously.

When the dough came out of the oven, it hadn't risen much. I put it back on the lightly floured silicone sheet, and rolled the dough out to the size of the sheet. I sprinkled the sugar and cinnamon mixture over the dough, but ended up using the backside of a spoon to press it all in. I think I rolled the dough out too big because I had a devil of a time trying to get the sugar mixture as even as it looked in the picture.

Rolling was easy enough, but it took some practice to roll the dough tightly enough so that when I cut it, the dough roll didn't fall apart.

The cut dough then went into a 13x9 inch baking dish that was liberally lubed. I covered the dish with plastic rap, then the dish went into a warm oven for 40 minutes while I did up the dishes and tried to scrub the flour off the counter, and the floor.

After 40 minutes, the rolls had puffed up a little. I took them out and set the oven to heat to 350. When it was ready, I took off the plastic covering and set the rolls into the oven to cook. I then went back to finding more errant flour in the cubbards, on doors and in drawers in my kitchen.

When the timer went off, I returned to the kitchen and took out the rolls. They were soft and smelled strongly of cinnamon. I made the icing as the rolls cooled on a wire rack, then poured icing over the rolls. Note to self: next time line the counter with some parchment paper before icing the rolls.

They tasted great. The icing was gooy and the rolls soft and delicious.

Cinnamon Rolls

A lighter version of the more traditional rolls, these are quick and easy to make. They taste best if fresh from the oven, but can be stored overnight if they are frosted first.

Categories: Desert, Rolls, Yeast
Cuisine: American
Serving: 1 roll.
Yeild: 12 rolls.
Time to make: 45 minutes.
Cooking time: 1 hour 15 minutes (includes rising time)
Author: Katie Henderson,
Source: Cooks Illustrated Cooking Light (Spring 2008)
Copyright: Cooks Illusrated
Sering ideas: Great for breakfast, or as a snack in a meeting.

Ingredients

For the dough:

	Nonstick cooking spray
1 1/3 cups	skim milk, warmed to 110 degrees
3 tablespoons	maple syrup
2 tablespoons	unsalted butter, melted
3 1/2 cups	unbleached, all-purpose flour, plus extra for the work surface
1 package	rapid rise, or instant yeast
1 teaspoon	table salt

Filling:

1/2 cup	dark brown sugar, packed
1/4 cups	granulated sugar
2 teaspoons	ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon	table salt
1 tablespoon	unsalted butter, melted

Icing

1 cup	confectioners' sugar
4 tablespoons	light cream cheese
1 tablespoon	skim milk
1/2 teaspoon	vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 200 degrees.
2. Lightly grease a large bowl and a 13 by 9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
3. When the oven reaches 200 degrees, turn it off.
4. Combine the milk, syrup and melted butter together in a large measuring cup.
5. Combine the flour, yeast, and salt together in the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a dough hook.
6. Turn the machine to low speed and slowly add the milk mixture.
7. After the dough comes together, increase the speed to medium and mxi until shiny and smooth (4-6 minutes).
8. If the dough is wet and not forming a ball, add up to 1/4 cup more flour as needed, and knead the dough for 2 more minutes.
9. Turn the dough onto a heavily floured work surface, shape it into a ball and put it in the greased bowl.
10. Cover, and let the dough rest in the warm oven for 10 minutes.
11. While the dough is resting, mix the filling together.
12. When the 10 minutes are up, put the dough on a lightly flowered work surface and roll it out into an 18x12-inch rectangle.
13. Sprinkle the surface with the filling and press it evenly into the dough. Leave a 1/2-inch border along the edges.
14. Starting at the long edge nearest you, roll up the dough into a cylinder.
15. Brush he border with water and press to seal.
16. Using a chef's knife, slice the dough into 12 rounds.
17. Place them in the prepared pan, with the cut side up. Cover the pan with plastic wrap coated with nonstick cooking spray, and return them to the warm oven until the rolls have nearly doubled in size 30-40 minutes.
18. Remove the pan from the oven, and heat the oven to 350 degrees. the rolls will continue to rise on the counter as you wait for the oven to heat.
19. Remove the plastic wrap and bake the rolls until they are a deep brown, 20-25 minutes. Rotate the pan from back to front 1/2 way through baking.
20. When the rolls are done, make the icing by whisking the ingredients together until smooth.
21. Remove the pan from the oven, and turn the rolls out on to a cooling rack. Remember to put a piece of parchment paper, or a pan beneath the rack!
22. Cool 10 minutes, then spread the icing over the rolls.

Notes

The color and size of the rolls are more important than the times given in this recipe. If the rolls have not doubled in size after the second rise, give them 10-15 minutes more time and turn the oven back on to 200 degrees. When the oven is at that temperature, turn it off immediately.

Best Light Lemon Bundt Cake

I recently purchased Cook's Illustrated Light Recipes (Spring 2008). The first recipe I tried was their "Best Light Lemon Bundt Cake" by Julia Collin Davidson.

I was pretty nervous and time was fleeting.
Gathering my ingredients together, I gave them (and my kitchen aid mixer) a pep talk. Thinking to save time, I filled a tub with hot soapy water and did the dishes before starting.

Reading down the list of ingredients, the recipe seemed straightforward. All the ingredients were old friends. I thought it should be fairly straightforward.

With the kitchen straightened, and the floor swept, I set to work. I lined up the ingredients with military precision. I measured out the dry ingredients (2 cups sugar, zest of 3 large lemons, pinch of salt, and 1 teaspoon baking powder) and let the kitchen aide mixer run them through the obstacle course. By the time they were done, they were a unit.

I set out another bowl and whisked the wet ingredients together (1 cup 2% milk, 3 large egg yokes, 1/4 cup olive oil, 4 tablespoons melted butter, and 1 tablespoon vanilla).

After cleaning out the kitchen aide mixer bowl, I whipped three egg whites up into a froth. A pinch of cream of tartar and 1/2 a cup of sugar made the eggs stand up straight and stay at attention.

I then mixed the wet mixture with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, then mixed the wet mixture with the dry. Once they merged, I added the egg whites. It was then that I noticed the 3 1/2 cups of flour at 1/2 teaspoon baking soda were AWOL. I gingerly added the ingredients to the already mixed cake, and the egg whites began to sag. It was at that time that I noticed I should have only added 1 1/2 cups of sugar to the cake, not 2 cups. Ack!

Resigned to my mistakes, I poured the batter into a pan coated with a paste, made from 1 tablespoon melted butter and 1 tablespoon flour. The cake went into a hot (350 degree F) oven, and I set the timer for 45 minutes.

When it was done, and cooling, I made up the glaze (1 cup confectioners' sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon zest and 5 teaspoons lemon juice).

Just before leaving, I poured the glaze over the cake and let it sit for 10 minutes, then I wrapped it in plastic and left.

The cake was really well received; a bit heavier than the recipe said it would be (but then with the egg whites deflated, the texture of the cake made sense). I'm definitely going to have to try this again - with the proper recipe.

Lemon Bundt Cake

A light and lemony cake that is designed to please. The unique form of a bundt pan makes this cake perfect for glazing with either a lemon sugar glaze, or even just plain old confectioner's sugar. The lemon flavor is quite strong and offsets the sweetness of the cake.

Makes 16 servings.
Time: 1 hour + cooling time (1-2 hours).

Ingredients
3 cups cake flour + 1 tablespoon (for dusting the pan)
2 cups sugar, divided (1 1/2 cups and 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup lemon zest, finely grated
2 tablespoons lemon juice (from 4 lemons)
1 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
3 large eggs, yokes and whites divided
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter + 1 tablespoon (for the pan), melted
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
Lemon glaze (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. The oven rack should be in the lower-middle position.
2. Lightly coat the bundt pan with a paste made from 1 tablespoon flour and 1 tablespoon butter.
3. Whisk the remaining flour, 1 1/2 cups sugar, lemon zest, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together in a large bowl. Set aside.
4. In a second bowl, wisk together the milk, yokes, oil, butter, and vanilla together.
5. In a third bowl whisk the egg whites with an electric mixer. When the eggs are broken and foamy, add a pinch of cream of tartar and increase the speed of your mixer.
6. Continue to whisk the egg whites, adding the remaining sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. When all the sugar is added, continue to beat until the egg whites are shiny and foam stiff peaks.
7. Slowly whisk the milk mixture and lemon juice into the flour mixture until the mix is smooth.
8. Fold one third of beaten egg whites into the batter until combined.
9. Fold remaining two thirds into the batter until combined.
10. Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan and smooth the top. Clean the edges of the pan.
11. Bake until deep golden brown, about 40 to 45 minutes. A toothpick should come out with a few moist crumbs attached. Halfway through baking, rotate the pan.
12. Cool the cake on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes before inversing the pan.
13. Leave the cake for 1-2 hours to cool it. When cool, either dust with confectioner's sugar, or drizzle with glaze.

Lemon Glaze

Makes 1 generous cup, enough to glaze 1 cake.
Time: 5 minutes.

Ingredients
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon lemon zest, finely grated
5 teaspoons lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon table salt

Directions

1. Whisk all ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl.
2. Move the cake to a cooling rack over top of a piece of parchment paper.
3. Drizzle cake with glaze and let it set for 15 minutes before serving.

Mexican Pie

Taken from a Live Journal’s Recipe Maven post. Posted by neokibo on the 6th of December, 2005. This is a variation on shepherd’s pie. It’s far more flavorful and downright messy to cook.

Serves: 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 45 minutes

Modification/Notes
Cilantro is optional, as to some it has an unpleasant taste. Remember to put a baking sheet beneath your casserole dish as Mexican Pie tends to overflow the container. The batter bakes best if the casserole dish remains uncovered.

Mexican cheese is just a pre-shredded mix of cheddar, Monterey jack, bits of jalapeño and often a mild cheese (like Emmentaler). Feel free to make your own. I recommend equal portions of jalapeño-flavored cheese (Havarti, Gouda or even Monterey jack), cheddar and Colby.

Equipment

• Measuring spoons & cups
• Paring knife & cutting board
• Non-stick skillet
• Baking sheet
• Casserole dish

Ingredients
Corn bread batter

1 cup	flour
1 cup	cornmeal
1/4 cup	sugar
3/4 teaspoon	salt
3 teaspoons	baking powder
1/4 cup	oil
2	eggslightly beaten
1 cup	milk
1	jalapeños, minced (optional)
1/2 cup	"Mexican mix" cheeses, shredded (optional)
1 1/2 tablespoons	lemon juice

For the meat mixture:

1 to 1.5 pounds	hamburger
2 tablespoons	oil
1 medium	onion, roughly chopped
2-3	garlic cloves, minced
1 can	whole tomatoes, crushed
1 cup	frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 tablespoon	chili powder
1 teaspoon	oregano
1 teaspoon	cumin
½ teaspoon	ground black pepper
	cilantro, roughly chopped
2-3 cups	"Mexican mix" cheese, shredded

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350° F (176° C) degrees. In a medium-hot skillet sauté the onion in oil for 5-7 minutes
2. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute.
3. Add hamburger, chili powder, oregano, cumin, and fresh cracked pepper and saute until hamburger is browned through.
4. Add corn and crushed tomatoes with juice and cook until warmed.
5. Add cilantro and cheese (as well as optional ingredients as you desire) and mix until incorporated.
6. Pour a thin layer of batter on the bottom of a 2-quart oven-proof casserole dish.
7. Add the meat mixture.
8. Top with corn bread batter.
9. Bake for 30-45 minutes