Snowstorm Cookies

Almonds in the pre-biscotti stage

The Northeast, once again, is facing a major snowstorm. It's a once a week event lately and people's nerves are frayed.  But if you ask me, there is nothing a good cookie can't cure.  So for your reading and eating pleasure, here now Traditional Italian Almond Biscotti and Kitchen Sink Cookies.


The biscotti are from an excellent NPR story, Not All Biscotti Are Created Equal (how true). Susan Russo, author of Food Blogga, and NPR contributor, wrote a terrific article on the many faces of biscotti.  They all look terrific and I plan to try all of them, but I wanted to start with the most traditional to see if they could take me back to my Italian roots (spoiler alert: they do).

A slight difference in the baking method of these biscotti is that they don't really go through a second baking like most biscotti recipes.  Instead, after the first baking and cooling, they are cut, placed back on the baking sheets, and sent back into the turned off (still warm) oven for 30-60 minutes. 


Jam-packed with whole toasted almonds, with the fragrance of fresh orange zest, and baked super crisp, these biscotti reminded me very much of the cookies my Grandmother used to make and the ones I loved from my first trip to Italy. 


Print Biscotti Recipe Here


From delicate biscotti to hearty Kitchen Sink cookies.  As an aside, I must share with you that I really detest the name of these cookies because it conjures up visions of just throwing in whatever you've got laying around and that is so not the case.  These cookies come from the Martha Stewart cookie collection and since I didn't create them I'll just have to put up with the name.


If you don't think about it too much, you can might be able to convince yourself that these babies are actually good for you.  What with the oats, raisins, pecans, and dried apricots they are at the same time chewy, sweet, and nutty.  Throw in the semi-sweet chocolate and they become rich and luxurious.  The recipe supplies a nice variation to skip the oats and add in some coconut to transform these into tropical delights.

The recipe calls for forming the dough into 2" balls, which I did, but I felt like they were a tad too big.  I know, right now some of you are saying to yourself, "is she kidding? a cookie too big?" Yes, there is such a thing.  

A very satisfying cookie,  

oozing with chocolate, raisins, and apricots!

So I might not like the name but I really like the cookie, and I guess that's all that counts!


Bake up one of these cookies the next time you are staring down a snowstorm and you'll come through just fine.


Print Kitchen Sink Cookies Recipe Here

ZinBurger Update for Jets Fans

Attention Jets Fans of New York and New Jersey: now through February 6, ZinBurger in Clifton is featuring the "Jet Fuel" Burger.  Even though the Jets lost the AFC Championship game this past Sunday, the folks at ZinBurger wanted to offer fans a way to show their support for the Jets' valiant effort.


The Jet Fuel Burger is comprised of all New York ingredients: certified Angus beef, topped with 1000 Islands Mean-N-Nasty Cheddar, Gulden's Mustard, New York Pastrami, lettuce and mayonnaise,  The burger is cooked to order on a griddle in its own juices and served on lightly buttered, brioche style bun.


ZinBurger is located in the Promenade Shops at Clifton, 850 Rt 3 West, Clifton, NJ, 973-272-1492.

Blueberry Banana Muffins

Right about this time of year, I start to feel like winter has a pretty firm hold on us here in New Jersey. What with the bone-chilling temps and the weekly snowstorms, it seems as though it will last forever.  Of course, I know that won't happen (I think...).  


So to help myself through the winter doldrums, I baked up a batch of luscious, summery Blueberry Banana Muffins. The recipe comes via the good folks over at Food52 and it is a winner!  They are not overly sweet, so you can enjoy them for breakfast (as I did several times last week). Or with a nice hot cuppa tea in the late afternoon (rooting on my favorite team).

These muffins are nicely moist, thanks to the banana and the buttermilk.  And the addition of whole wheat flour lends a healthy note.  Try them next time you need a lovely, albeit brief, respite from the howling winds.


Print Blueberry Banana Muffins Recipe Here

One other delicious item I want to clue you in on are these terrific granola bars from Nature's Path.  I make it a habit to always have some granola bars on hand for those times when I need a small snack at work or on a road trip.  I stumbled upon these at my local Costco last week and decided to give them a try.  Although intrigued by two of my favorite flavors (pumpkin and maple), I feared they'd be alot like other granola bars...you know - the dreaded cardboard. Much to my happy surprise, they are not at all cardboard-y.  They are chewy, moist, flavorful, and packed with all kinds of stuff that's good for you.  You're welcome.

ZinBurger - Clifton, NJ

Greetings, Readers!  


The Cook's Tour was invited to a special VIP preview of the new ZinBurger that opened in Clifton in December.  My review was just published in JerseyBites and I wanted to share it with you.


ZinBurger is part of the Fox Restaurant Concepts group from Arizona and ZinBurger is their first step into the northeast market.  


As you will read in the article, we were impressed with the food, beverages, and service. A well-trained bar staff keeps the waiting crowd happy with a nicely priced selection of wine, beer, and cocktails.  On Wednesdays they offer half-price bottles of wine (can't beat that!) and just this week on our second visit, we enjoyed a luscious 2006 Educated Guess cab from Napa. Rich and ripe with juicy black cherry, currants, and cassis with a lingering finish. 

It's not a large menu, but there are about 8-10 burger selections, including Ahi tuna, turkey, and veggie.  The burgers were juicy and flavorful.  Four variations of fries (I can personally attest to the delicious hand-cut and the truffle - both thin, crispy, and salty) are offered along with a few good looking salads (but let's be honest - you're here for the burgers).

Dessert is limited to shakes, floats, and good old-fashioned pie (pie is the new cupcake).  Loved the classic Black Cow Float (vanilla ice cream and Stewart's root beer)!

ZinBurger is a welcome addition to the dining scene in northern NJ.  Let me know if you've tried ZinBurger or if you have a favorite burger joint.

Buttermilk Biscuit Sandwiches

I am a sucker for biscuits baked with butter and full fat buttermilk.  And being a baker, I love working the dough; the smell of the butter and flour, the feel of the dough coming together as you knead it, and then watching the beauties rise in the oven.  Ahhhhh, not much comes close to this.  Except maybe eating them.


This recipe is from the January issue of Food and Wine, courtesy of Peels restaurant in NYC. It's a cinch to bake the biscuits and even easier to put the sandwiches together. Fry up some eggs, add a slice of smoky country ham, and sliced or crumbled sharp cheddar and voila, there's your sandwich.  The recipe gives you the option of adding raspberry jam to the biscuits before compiling the sandwich, and I must admit this sounded a little strange, but the sweetness of the jam with the savory flavor of the ham, egg, and cheese was delicious.  

These biscuits were as good as any I've enjoyed in self-proclaimed biscuit-famous restaurants and making them at home was very satisfying. I foresee these biscuits being used as platforms for little strawberry shortcakes or a delightful chicken salad lunch.  Or hot out of the oven slathered with Bellini Jam (a delicious concoction of peaches and Prosecco) from Stonewall Kitchens.


I am making Chocolate Pumpkin Tiramisu for tonight's festivities. If it turns out as luscious as it sounds, I'll be back tomorrow with the recipe for you.

By the way, if you need a fabulous drink for your New Year's Eve celebrations, try this Pomegranate Martini. The recipe comes from Oprah.com and they are absolutely delightful!


Happy New Year, dear readers.  May 2011 bring you good health, happiness, and of course, good food!

Two Hour Chicken (or the perfect excuse to skip a holiday party)

With all the holiday hub-bub going on, you might just want a quiet dinner at home one night. I've got the perfect meal for you right here. A cinchy baked chicken, cozy mashed potatoes, a side dish so easy and tasty you are going to want to make it part of your regular repertoire, and two great cookie recipes that you can wow your friends with.

The chicken dish was created by the late writer, Laurie Colwin, however, I picked it up via The New York Cookbook by Molly O'Neill. It is simply called "baked chicken," but we lovingly refer to it as "two-hour chicken." The recipe calls for two broiling chickens (quartered), however, I always make it with bone-in breasts. A fragrant mixture of Dijon mustard, garlic, fresh thyme, and cinnamon is brushed on the breasts, topped with fresh seasoned breadcrumbs. Fresh breadcrumbs are definitely worth the little bit of extra effort for this recipe - it really makes a difference. Arrange the chicken in a baking dish, top with a few pats of butter, sprinkle with paprika and in it goes for 2-1/2 hours. What emerges on the other side of the clock is the most delicious, moist, flavorful breast of chicken I've come across in a long time. Crunchy outside, tender and juicy inside.

Perfect side dishes: the aforementioned mashed potatoes, which I'm sure you've got your own terrific recipe for, and one which you may not be as familiar with -- a mixture of cabbage and onions sauteed with butter and olive oil, seasoned with salt and pepper. This is a hearty winter vegetable that fits well with the chicken but is also a great companion to any number of braised dishes, such as brisket, or a nice pot roast. A nice alternative to the these sides would be buttered orzo and sauteed spinach.

For dessert, two cookies from last week's excellent NY Times holiday cookie article, Cardamom Crescents and Shortbread Jammers. The crescents are so light they are almost ethereal, and the cardamom essence is heady.  The jammers (love that name) are made with a delightful little shortbread cookie dough and topped with a preserve of your choice (I used raspberry). 


So there you have it! An easy meal for this hectic time of year when you need a night off from the holiday party circuit. 


Stay warm and eat well!


Print Chicken Recipe Here
Print Cabbage and Onions Recipe Here
Print Cardamom Crescents Recipe Here
Print Shortbread Jammers Recipe Here

Dinner for a Cold Winter's Night

When I was a child, my aunt Millie made the most delicious Pasta Fagiole. Pasta Fagiole is really nothing but a pasta and bean peasant soup but without just the right seasoning, the end result could be blandly flavored water. Not so with aunt Millie's version. Hers was full of flavor, thick with tiny Ditalini pasta and rich white cannellini beans. A care package of this soup was the perfect antidote to the bone chilling weather outside.


I never got the recipe for her soup and until today never tried to make it. But in the December issue of La Cucina Italiana, in a story titled "In From the Cold," they featured this dish, among other warming selections.  It was blustery today in New Jersey. Just the perfect day for Pasta Fagiole. The La Cucina Italiana recipe is very different in that it contains pancetta and crumbled sausage (not typical).  I wasn't sure how this would affect the soup (and my fond memories), but I really liked these new variations. It made the soup much heartier and I used hot chicken sausage so the addition of a little spice really bolstered the overall flavor. It's a delicious, simple, one pot meal that comes together in about an hour if you use canned beans (which I did). Although the recipe calls for dried beans, none of my local stores carried them; I don't think it diminished the dish at all using canned beans.

I served it with grated Parmigiana Reggiano, a drizzle of olive oil, fresh parsley, and homemade fennel tarralles (old-fashioned Italian savory cookies). This is not my aunt Millie's Pasta Fagiole, but on a cold night it warms me up just like hers used to.


Our dessert tonight also came from La Cucina Italiana, by way of the wonderful pastry chef, Karen DeMasco. I'm sure many of you are fans of Nutella, the chocolate hazelnut spread from Italy. Strangely enough, I had never sampled it but when I read DeMasco's recipe for Nutella Sandwich Cookies, I was more than intrigued. She combines an oatmeal cookie batter with Nutella for a crisp, buttery, nutty cookie that would be fabulous on its own.  But then she sandwiches a tablespoon of Nutella inbetween to make an incredible cookie (move over Oreos!). A sprinkling of Demerara sugar on top before baking adds just a hint of sweet and crunch.

The cookies are a cinch to make, but the batter is very dry so it doesn't roll easily. I also think I would make them much thinner next time as this is alot of cookie in one sitting!  But oh so delicious!