Spaghetti alla Carbonara

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

Approximately 4 ounces or 4 slices of thick-cut bacon, sliced into 1/4 inch wide strips or equivalent amount of pancetta or guanciale, chopped

2 eggs, beaten

2 ounces finely grated parmesan, parmigiano, or pecorino romano

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper (I go up to 1 teaspoon)

8 ounces spaghetti

Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until it is crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a piece of paper towel.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Salt it generously, it should taste like sea water. Cook spaghetti according to package instructions, until it is al dente. 

Temper the eggs like making a custard. With one hand beat the eggs and with the other slowly drizzle approximately 1/4 cup of hot pasta water with a measuring scoop or cup into the egg mixture. Set aside. 

Before draining the pasta, set aside about half a cup of the boiling pasta water to loosen the pasta if needed. 

You'll have to move fast at this point. When the pasta is al dente, drain the pasta then return the pasta back into the hot pot. Keep the pot off heat. The residual heat in the pot and pasta will thicken the sauce. Add the drained bacon, ground pepper, pasta and with one hand, stir the pasta while pouring in the tempered egg mixture.

Keep stirring to mix the cheese and egg evenly and the sauce will be thickened and silky smooth. Add a bit of the pasta water if needed. 

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Blueberry Crumb Bars

Blueberry Crumb Bars

3 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 C white sugar (original recipe calls for 1 C, feel free to use that much if you like sweeter desserts) 

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup cold butter (2 sticks or 8 ounces)

1 egg, beaten

1 tsp of vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

Zest and juice of one lemon

4 cups fresh blueberries

1/4 cup white sugar

4 teaspoons cornstarch

Topping:

Confectioner's/powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9 x 13 baking pan.

In a medium bowl whisk together the 3 cups of flour, 3/4 C sugar, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest. Use a pastry cutter or fork to cut into the butter until the butter is in peices no larger than a pea then mix in the egg. Or you can do this in a food processor. The dough will be crumbly but stick together when you squeeze it. Pat half of the dough into the pan.

In another bowl, mix the sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice. Add the blueberries and gently toss them to coat. Pour the blueberry mixture on top of the dough in the pan. Then crumble the rest of the dough evenly over the surface of the berries.

Bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 60 minutes, or until the top is slightly browned. Cool completely then cut into squares. Dust with powdered sugar if preferred. Can be stored in the fridge for a few days.

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Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies with Dried Cranberries and Pecans

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies with Dried Cranberries and Pecans

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies with Dried Cranberries and Pecans

1 C all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 C old fashioned rolled oats

1 C toasted pecans, chopped

1 C dried cranberries

1 C semi sweet chocolate chips or 4 oz. bar of semisweet or dark chocolate, chopped

4 oz./ 1 stick butter, at room temperature

1 C packed brown sugar, preferably dark

1 large egg

2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a heatproof bowl, pour about one cup of hot water on the dried cranberries and let them soak for 5 minutes. The cranberries will absorb some of the moisture and retain their chew after baking and won’t dry out. While the cranberries are soaking, chop the toasted pecans. After the cranberries have soaked, drain in a sieve, rinse them off under cold running water, and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined. In another bowl, toss the chopped pecans, chocolate chips, and oats together.

Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until fluffy, add the brown sugar and beat again. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the egg and vanilla and continue to beat until the mixture is light and fluffy, like frosting. Add the flour mixture and mix the dough is beginning to come together. Then add the oats, nuts, and chocolate mixture and cranberries and continue to beat until the dough is evenly mixed

I like to line my cookie sheets with parchment instead of a silicone baking mat, I find that cookies don't spread and brown as nicely on a baking mat. Scoop 1/4 C of the dough and space the dough 3 inches apart. It's easiest to use a trigger release cookie/ice cream scoop. Use your hands and flatten them slightly until they are about 3/4 inch thick and look like a hockey puck. My cookie sheet can hold 8 or 9 cookies and I like to bake only one sheet at a time.

Bake for 10 minutes then rotate the sheet, and continue to bake for another 5 to 8 minutes. The cookie edges should golden brown but the center will look a little underdone and still gooey and doughy in the middle. Remove the tray and let the cookies set for 1 minute on the sheet tray then using a spatula, slide them onto a cooling rack.

Makes 16 cookies.

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Vanilla pound cake

vanilla pound cake

simple vanilla pound cake

8 ounces all purpose flour (approximately 1 3/4 cup)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon table salt

8 ounces unsalted butter at room temperature

8 ounces granulated sugar (approximately 1 1/4 cup)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract or one vanilla bean split lengthwise and scraped

8 ounces or 4 large eggs

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Butter and flour or line with parchment a 9 x 5 loaf pan. Set aside.  

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, salt, and baking powder together until no lumps remain. Set aside.

Beat butter until smooth and creamy, approximately 2 minutes. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes.

In a separate bowl, add the eggs and beat briefly until eggs are scrambled. Drizzle 1/4 cup of the beaten eggs into the butter mixture and continue beating the butter until the eggs are completely incorporated. Scrape the bottom of the bowl. Repeat with another 1/4 cup of egg and continue until all the eggs have been beaten into the butter, scraping the bowl between each addition. 

Sift the dry ingredients into the butter mixture and mix on the lowest setting until almost no streaks or clumps of flour remain. 

Finish the batter by folding with a rubber spatula to get rid of any last streaks or lumps.

Scrape the batter into a prepared pan.

Bake at 325 degrees F for 70 to 80 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

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