Peppermint Stick Ice Cream

What kind of birthay cake do you want, Jane? "Cream puffs!" Aiming to satisfy, and wanting to try out Food 52's idea to flavor ice cream with the remaining post-Christmas candy canes, I set out to create the birthday "cake". Below I've adapted my fresh ice cream base, but you can also stir crushed candy canes into a pint of your favorite vanilla ice cream. I do highly recommend the profiterole treatment for serving (i.e. scoop of ice cream in a split cream puff with whipped cream on top) -- the sweet peppermint stick ice cream is balanced by the egg-y cream puff and very lightly sweetened whipped cream.

Peppermint Stick Ice Cream
2 cups organic heavy cream, not ultrapasteurized
2 cups organic whole milk
1 cup unrefined sugar
pinch sea salt
4 egg yolks

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 or 4 crushed candy canes

Thanks to Jerry Traunfeld of the Herbfarm for inspiring the following method for the custard.
1. Boil the Cream. Combine cream, milk, and a pinch of salt in a medium sized saucepan. Bring milk/cream to a boil and then remove from the heat.

2. Prepare egg yolks. Put the egg yolks in a medium mixing bowl set over another bowl filled half way with hot tap water. Whisk the yolks until they are lukewarm, 90 - 100 degrees (this will just take a minute or two), then remove the bowl from the water.

3. Second boil. Add the sugar to the milk/cream and bring back to a boil. Remove saucepan from heat, stir in the vanilla and immediately pour a gradual stream into the egg yolks, whisking constantly for a minute. This will cook the egg yolks, an instant-read thermometer will register 170 - 180 degrees. Whisk for another minute to slightly cool the mixture and pour through a fine sieve into a 4 cup glass measuring cup. Refrigerate overnight for best results.

4. Freeze. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturers instructions, usually about 20 minutes total churning time. Add the crushed candy canes during the last 5 minutes of churning.

Parker House Rolls

I was signed up to be pastry chef at my friend Paul’s Thanksgiving feast this year and I planned a roster of delicious desserts -- everything from bourbon pumpkin pie to Daniel Boulud’s gingerbread cake. A few days before the event, what did Paul confess? “I don’t really have a sweet tooth, but you know what I’d really like? Some yeast rolls.”

My crinkled page from Gourmet magazine (1992) for Parker House Rolls has served me well over the years, but the instructions made them seem more complicated than they really are. Hopefully I have enhanced the original with my instructions below. You need about 4 hours and some basic ingredients. I hope you will try them.

Parker House Rolls
makes 32 rolls

1 package active dry yeast (1/4 oz.)
1/4 cup warm water
1 cup organic milk, lowfat or whole, heated to lukewarm
1/4 cup non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening (I like Spectrum organic)
3 tablespoons unsalted organic butter, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 large egg, beaten
3 1/2 - 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons unsalted organic butter, melted (for brushing on rolls while forming them)

1. Measure water in 1 cup glass measuring cup (warm - not too hot or you will kill the yeast) and sprinkle yeast on top. Mix gently and let yeast “proof”, which just means to let it activate. You can tell this is happening because the yeast gets puffy in the water - this will take about 5 minutes.

2. In the work bowl of a standing mixer with the paddle attachment, beat together the warm milk, the shortening, 3 tablespoons butter cut into bits, the sugar, the salt, and the egg until the mixure is combined well. Stir in the yeast mixture and 2 cups of the flour. Beat the mixure until it is combined well and beat in the remaining 1 1/2 - 2 cups flour, just enough to make a soft dough.

3. Trade the paddle attachment for the dough hook and knead the dough for 1 minute then rest for 10 minutes. Knead the dough 1 minute more then turn the dough out on a floured countertop and knead by hand for another minute or so until the dough is smooth and elastic.

4. Transfer dough to a buttered large bowl, turning it to coat it with the butter. Cover bowl with a clean kitchen towl and let it rise in a warm place for 2 hours, or until it is double in bulk.

5. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter over low heat. Punch down the dough and divide it into 2 pieces. Keeping 1 piece covered in the bowl, roll the other piece of dough on a floured surface into an approximate rectangle, about 16x8. With a pizza wheel or knife, cut the rectangle once, down the middle, the long way. Now cut across the short way, dividing the rectangle in half, then each half into quarters, so you have 16 pieces.

6. Butter a baking sheet (a quarter sheet pan is ideal (12x8.5 inches), or you can fill part of a larger baking sheet pan) and set aside. With a pastry brush or spoon, coat the bottom half of each piece with some of the melted butter. Fold the top half of each piece over the butter-coated bottom half, so that it extends about 1/2 inch. Lay the rolls in the buttered baking sheet, so that the fold of each roll rests on the extending flap of the roll preceding it, to prevent the rolls from opening up while baking. Repeat with the other piece of dough.

7. Cover rolls on the baking sheet with the kitchen towel you used above, and let rise for 30 minutes.  (Original recipe says to put in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, but I have skipped this step with success -- depending on your yeast, the rolls could "over-rise", but I've never had a problem with that.)  Bake in preheated 350 degree F oven for 15 - 18 minutes, or until they are golden brown.

Amy's Kitchen Coach Tips

• You can mix this dough with a wooden spoon and bowl if you don’t have, or don’t want to use, a standing mixer. Sometimes this is a fun way to make bread/rolls and a great way for kids to participate.
• This dough is a great basic and can be use to make other shapes of dinner rolls -- once you have the Parkers down, feel free to experiment with cloverleafs or other shapes.
• This recipe can be doubled and the rolls will fit on a standard half-sheet pan.

Lemon Yogurt Waffles

When you’re in a waffle mood, and are willing to trade some crispy-factor for fewer fat calories, try these lemon yogurt waffles. I’ve adapted this recipe from the original in The Best of Waffles and Pancakes by Jane Stacey, and the result is belgian-shaped, but cakey and soft - tasty plain, dusted with powdered sugar, or, if you're feeling worthy, a slab of butter, as in the photo. Bake the whole batch and save any leftovers in the refrigerator for toaster waffles of your very own.

Lemon Yogurt Waffles
6-8 Belgian waffles

6 oz. organic nonfat or lowfat yogurt, lemon flavored (I like Wallaby brand)
3/4 cup organic milk, nonfat or lowfat
2 eggs
1/4 cup sucanat (or any unrefined sugar)
5 tablespoons unsalted organic butter, melted
grated lemon zest from 1 lemon

1 cup unbleached flour
1/2 cup oat flour
1/2 cup barley flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Plug in your waffle iron and get it started heating.

2. Measure milk into 4 cup glass measuring cup. Add yogurt, eggs, sucanat, lemon zest and whisk to combine. Add melted butter and whisk to combine.

3. Measure flours, leavening and salt into large bowl and whisk to break up clumps of oat flour.

4. Pour milk mixture over flour mixture and mix just until incorporated.

5. Pour a heaping 1/2 cup batter into waffle iron and cook until golden brown. (My Uno waffler takes 5 - 6 minutes to cook a waffle.)

Pumpkin Seed Pesto

I don’t know about you, but I hate to offend people with garlic breath, and, let’s be honest, it is pretty unpleasant to be on the receiving end as well. So, enter the all-purpose appetizer base that will keep everyone happy and tastebuds jumping during this festive season. I pestered this top secret recipe out of my friend, Annette. This "green goo" (as I lovingly refer to the stuff) is one of her staples from her connections at Bauman College, the holistic nutrition and culinary arts program over in Berkeley. I tweaked, tasted and documented, so I can officially call this recipe my own, but I want to thank Lauren Mendez, NE, NC (and Annette) for the original "Green Omega Spread".

Pumpkin Seed Pesto
makes about 2 cups

1 cup raw pumpkin seeds, the green ones, “pepitas” (soaked in water to cover + 1/4 teaspoon salt for 7 - 24 hours; refrigerate if soaking longer than 7 hours)

1/2 bunch Italian flat-leaf parsley leaves, stems removed (mostly)
1/2 bunch cilantro
1/2 bunch basil leaves, stems removed (mostly)

juice from 1 lemon
8 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt

1. Drain the water from the pumpkin seeds and discard the soaking water. Place pumpkin seeds, greens, lemon juice, olive oil and salt in the workbowl of a food processor or powerful blender (i.e. Vita Mix) and puree until smooth. Store tightly sealed in the refrigerator. Keeps several days.

Amy's Kitchen Coach Tips

• This pesto can be used as a dip for just about anything, that is why it makes such a great quick appetizer. Set it out with crispy rice crackers, pretzel sticks or veggies. The pesto pairs nicely with goat cheese and makes a great layered spread for baguette slices.

• Try the pesto on hot whole wheat pasta for a healthy main dish.