The Clara Project: old-fashioned rice pudding.

Posted on April 17, 2013 by

Rice pudding. I’ve never made it. Never eaten it. I seem to recall that it was banned in my family because my dad hated rice pudding (or maybe it was tapioca pudding, or maybe both). In an age of fancy constructed desserts and cupcake towers and the like, rice pudding seems so boring.

But, weirdly, I keep running into recipes for rice pudding lately (like here and here). And sure enough, my collection of vintage recipes included a very basic recipe for rice pudding. Clearly, the recipe gods were telling me I needed to explore this sweet comfort classic.

My bias against rice pudding stems in part from my impression that it’s sweet but otherwise bland. And Clara Shenefelt’s recipe, frankly, did nothing to change that impression. So I borrowed an idea from this rice pudding recipe and added vanilla bean and orange peel. I used arborio rice instead of long-grain rice for a more satisfying texture. And I referred to Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything to decipher what a “slow” oven means (that’s 300 degrees).

This old-fashioned rice pudding is exactly what I thought it would be: sweet, creamy, vanilla-y, comforting.

rice pudding recipe

old-fashioned rice pudding

(makes about 3 cups)

1/3 cup arborio or long-grain white rice
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 vanilla bean
1 strip orange peel (orange part only), about 1 inch by 3 inches
pinch of salt
4 cups whole milk
optional add-ins: dried golden or dark raisins, cherries or blueberries
optional whipped cream for serving

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and use the tip of a paring knife to scrape out the inner seeds and pulp. Combine the vanilla bean halves, the seeds/pulp and the rest of the ingredients in a large ovenproof baking dish. Give everything a stir and set the dish in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes, then stir—if a skin has settled on the milk, just stir it back into the mixture. (You want this; over time, it will brown slightly and add a rich, caramel-y flavor.) Bake 30 minutes more, then stir. Bake another 30 minutes, then stir—and at this point, taste the rice. You’ll want a very soft texture—the rice will swell as it absorbs the milk and the mixture will thicken. Bake for another 10 to 30 minutes (thick-grained rice like arborio will need the extra minutes), until the level of rice and milk in the dish is roughly even. The pudding will thicken as it cools. Remove the dish from the oven and let cool for a couple of minutes, then stir in the dried fruit (if using); it will soften as the pudding cools. Serve warm, cold or at room temperature, with a dollop of whipped cream if you’d like.

old fashioned rice pudding recipe #writes4food

About The Clara Project
Once a week, I’ll make and share a recipe from a collection of vintage recipe cards that were written in the 1930s by Clara Shenefelt. See all the Clara Project recipes.

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The Clara Project: creamy corn soup.

Posted on April 12, 2013 by

In browsing through my 1930s-era collection of vintage recipe cards, and also in paging through vintage cookbooks, it becomes evident that most women had a basic understanding of cooking techniques, probably taught to them by their mothers and grandmothers. Many of these vintage recipes are written with instructions that seem vague to modern cooks accustomed to having every single detail of a recipe spelled out step-by-step. For us, phrases like “bake in a slow oven” or “make a thin white sauce,” presented without further instruction or specificity, are befuddling.

That’s been part of the fun of The Clara Project: Trying to decipher what’s meant in these old recipes. Recognizing that a 1930s one-bowl chocolate cake recipe calling for sour cream meant “soured” heavy cream and not the sour cream we know today. Researching other recipes to determine that a “slow” oven is about 300 degrees. Knowing how to make a thin white sauce.

corn soup recipe #writes4food

Clara Shenefelt’s recipe for cream of corn soup included one of those nonspecific instructions: Make a thin white sauce. And, in fact, making a thin white sauce is one of those things a capable cook should know how to do (see instructions in the recipe).

This simple soup recipe is delicious in a comforting and old-fashioned sort of way. I fiddled with the recipe a bit, using frozen fresh corn that I’d stashed in the freezer at the height of last summer’s bounty instead of canned corn, and increasing the amount of corn by half to build flavor. And I agree with her note that “A dash of paprika or a bit of pimiento added to each dish gives character.”

Character, indeed.

old-fashioned cream of corn soup

(makes 3 cups)

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. flour
2 cups whole or 2% milk
1 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
1/2 tsp. salt
fresh fine-ground pepper
toppings: crumbled bacon, finely diced red bell pepper, crème fraîche or sour cream

Make a thin white sauce: Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat; sprinkle flour over melted butter and whisk well to combine. Season with 1/4 tsp. salt and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes or until the paste is slightly golden and smells toasty. Very slowly whisk in the milk, a bit at a time. The mixture will seize up into a thick paste; don’t worry, just keep adding milk gradually and whisking well until the mixture thins and smooths out. After you’ve added the milk, bring the soup base to a gentle boil and cook for about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally as it thickens (look for a ring of fine bubbles around the perimeter of the pan). Add the corn and 1/4 tsp. salt, stir well. Lower the heat slightly and simmer the soup for 20 minutes, until the corn is thoroughly cooked and the soup is chowder-ish in texture. Taste and add a pinch of salt if needed. If you’d like, let the soup cool for a few minutes, then use a blender or stick blender to puree the soup to a texture you like. Like most soups, this improves in flavor after a day in the fridge. Reheat very gently to prevent scorching. Serve with toppings of your choice.

creamy corn soup recipe #writes4food

About The Clara Project
Once a week, I’ll make and share a recipe from a collection of vintage recipe cards that were written in the 1930s by Clara Shenefelt. See all the Clara Project recipes.

Posted in Clara Project, Dinner, Soups, Vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Clara Project: cheesy chicken shortcakes.

Posted on April 10, 2013 by

The name of this recipe, clipped out of a magazine advertisement (probably in the 1940s or 50s) and stashed in Clara Shenefelt’s recipe collection, stopped me in my tracks:

Cheese and Chicken Shortcake.

Um, hello!

Here’s the thing: I’m not really the open-a-can-of-cream-of-chicken-soup, melt-a-block-of-Velveeta kind of cook. And this recipe starts with, Slowly melt one half-pound pkg. of full-flavored Kraft American in top of double-boiler.

cheesy chicken shortcakes

Oy. Clearly, this was one of the recipes in my ongoing exploration of vintage recipe cards (learn more about The Clara Project) that was going to need some updating. Still, I loved the idea: Kind of an upside-down or inside-out version of chicken pot pie, with crumbly biscuits and a cheesy, creamy chicken topping.

So I totally hacked the idea and created a new recipe, one that includes a whole bunch of vegetables and a whole lot less cheese (and fat and calories). It’s delicious. Ridiculously so. Comforting and super easy to make. I loved this newfangled recipe for cheesy chicken shortcakes, and I hope you do too.

cheesy chicken shortcake recipe

(serves 6)

2 Tbsp. butter
2 carrots, diced
1/2 onion, diced
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cup chicken stock (I prefer Swanson’s organic)
1 1/2 cup diced cooked chicken
1 cup frozen peas, thawed (I used leftover sugar snap peas)
3/4 cup finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese

6 homemade biscuits (I love this recipe from Smitten Kitchen), warmed

Melt butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat; when it’s foamy, add the diced carrot and onion. Season with salt, stir and cook for about 2 minutes, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook until the vegetables are softened, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle the vegetables with 2 Tbsp. of flour and stir to incorporate; cook over medium heat for 2 minutes. Slowly, a little bit at a time, stir in the chicken stock, stirring well until the sauce is smooth and the flour is fully incorporated. Raise the heat a bit and bring the mixture to a boil; cook for 2–3 minutes until it thickens slightly. Add the cooked chicken and peas (or other cooked vegetables) and heat until everything is warmed through and nicely bubbly, about 5 minutes. Lower the heat and stir in the cheese, a handful at a time, until it’s melted.

Split and butter one biscuit for each serving; top the bottom half with some of the cheesy chicken mixture and place the biscuit “lid” on top.

chicken shortcake recipe #writes4food

Here’s the original recipe, in case you’re curious:

Slowly melt one half-pound pkg. of full-flavored Kraft American in top of double boiler. Add 1/3 cup chicken broth gradually, stirring until sauce is smooth. Add 1 1/2 cups cubed chicken (a chance to use left-overs!). Split hot biscuits, butter them, and put together with a generous filling of the hot cheese-and-chicken sauce. Serve with hot, buttered green beans garnished with strips of pimiento and the main part of your dinner is all one one platter. When you make this dish, notice how beautifully Kraft American melts. That’s because Kraft experts have perfected the cookability of cheese!

About The Clara Project
Once a week, I’ll make and share a recipe from a collection of vintage recipe cards that were written in the 1930s by Clara Shenefelt. See all the Clara Project recipes.

Posted in Clara Project, Dinner, Recipes | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Great low-fat salad dressing recipes.

Posted on April 8, 2013 by

It isn’t obvious, but the one thing that can wreck a good salad’s healthy characteristics (not to mention its flavor) is bad bottled salad dressing. Ditch the store-bought stuff and try one of these low-fat homemade salad dressing recipes.

creamy low-fat basil dressing

1/2 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt
4 Tbsp. slivered fresh basil
1 Tbsp. sliced scallion greens
1/2 to 1 clove garlic, chopped
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. honey
salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a tall jar and use a stick blender to puree until smooth; season to taste with salt and pepper.

lower-fat blue cheese dressing

1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
1/2 cup lower-fat mayonnaise
1 very small shallot, finely minced and rinsed under water (to temper the sharp taste)
juice of half a lemon
4 ounces good quality blue cheese (we prefer Maytag)
salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

Whisk together Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, shallot and lemon juice. Add crumbled blue cheese and season with salt and pepper. 

sunny day tomato dressing

2 large perfectly ripe, right-out-of-the-garden summer tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 clove garlic, smashed with a pinch of salt to make a paste
2 Tbsp. (packed) chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup good quality extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
pinch of sugar
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Combine everything together in a lidded glass jar or bottle; season to taste with salt and pepper. Cap the container and place it in a sunny spot for 4 or 5 hours. Dressing can be refrigerated, but be sure to serve it at room temperature.

BasilDressing2

Posted in Recipes, Sauces & dressings, Sides | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Roasted carrot and red pepper salad.

Posted on April 5, 2013 by

About a month ago, I started tinkering around with the idea that salad doesn’t have to be about lettuce. I love a savory Caesar or iceberg wedge with blue cheese dressing as much as the next girl. But I wanted to shake up the conventional idea of salad to include different vegetables, add-ons and dressings.

For inspiration, here’s a list of interesting salad ingredients to get your creative wheels turning.

This lovely salad of roasted carrots, avocado and toasty croutons from Jamie Oliver sparked a ton of ideas. Oliver notes the recipe’s Moroccan inspiration, and it reminded me of our trip to Marrakech a couple of years ago, where the salad course typically involved platters of roasted carrots, peppers, squash, potatoes and other simple vegetables.

I came up with this vegetable salad recipe that combines carrots and red pepper, with the flavors of cumin and tahini for a definite North African vibe. See what this salad recipe might inspire for you!

roasted carrot and red bell pepper salad

(serves 2)

6 slender (about 1/2-inch diameter at the top) carrots, peeled and trimmed
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, sliced
olive oil
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
3 Tbsp. tahini (sesame paste)
3 Tbsp. water
1 Tbsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice
salt and fresh ground pepper
1 Tbsp. toasted pistachios
handful of baby spinach leaves, washed and dried

Preheat broiler. Place the whole carrots in the basket of a steamer over boiling water, and steam for 5 minutes. Remove the carrots and halve them lengthwise. Place the carrots, cut side down, and the bell pepper slices on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle the vegetables with olive oil and season with cumin and kosher salt. Broil the vegetables for 5 or 6 minutes, until they begin to brown. Remove and let cool slightly.

Make the dressing: Whisk together the tahini, lemon juice and water; season with salt to taste.

To serve, arrange the roasted vegetables on a platter or individual plates. Scatter a few baby spinach leaves around the vegetables. Drizzle with tahini dressing and sprinkle with toasted pistachios.

roasted carrot and pepper salad #writes4food

 

related recipes

roasted sugar snap pea and shallot salad
creamy basil dressing

Posted in Dinner, Recipes, Salads | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Try this: How to toast pasta.

Posted on April 2, 2013 by

Have you ever enjoyed toasted pasta? Toasting takes this staple ingredient into a different stratosphere. The Italian specialty fregola sarda—little pearl pasta toasted to a rich golden brown—was my first experience with this idea; I love it in a simple recipe for pasta with zucchini and pine nuts.

Last weekend, we made a wonderful pasta recipe with mushrooms and hazelnuts from Food & Wine magazine—it called for making your own pasta using oven-toasted flour. I didn’t have time to fuss over making pasta (but here’s an easy homemade pasta recipe if you’d like to try it). Instead, I toasted a big handful of Cipriani tagliardi pasta (a brand I love and highly recommend).

Toasted pasta brings a deep, nutty flavor to a dish. I wouldn’t go to the trouble with spaghetti and meatballs, for example, but it’s well-suited to recipes that are earthy or vegetal in flavor, like this recipe for wild mushroom bolognese from SoupAddict or this recipe for cheesy pasta with arugula and mushrooms.

Pasta shapes that would benefit from toasting:

  • pearl pasta or large Israeli couscous
  • orzo
  • tagliardi (a thin, square pasta)
  • farfalle

how to toast pasta

Preheat oven to 350 degrees; line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Portion out the amount of dry pasta you need and spread it evenly on the baking sheet. Bake for 5 or 6 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure even browning, until the pasta is lightly golden brown and begins to smell toasty. Cook in well-salted boiling water according to package directions.

how to toast pasta #writes4food

Posted in Dinner, Fun ingredient, How-to | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Lovely Easter side dishes.

Posted on March 28, 2013 by

Rob and I typically celebrate Easter just the two of us with a simple meal of seasonal foods, perhaps centered on a roast spring chicken or grilled salmon filet. With such an uncomplicated main dish, I like to prepare side dishes or salads that are a little dressier, and still perfectly seasonal.

Here are a few recipe ideas for Easter brunch or dinner:

salad of roasted sugar snap peas and shallots—Ditch the lettuce for a change and compose a salad of roasted seasonal vegetables with a light dressing.

arugula salad with cranberries and pistachios—Peppery arugula plays so nicely with sweet and salty add-ins like dried fruit and nuts. Other ideas: dried apricots, raisins, sunflower seeds.

spring arugula salad recipe #writes4food  sugar snap pea salad #writes4food

spaghetti squash with garlic and parmesan—Did you know that a full serving of spaghetti squash has just about 45 calories? Here’s the best way to cook spaghetti squash; toss it with sautéed garlic and Parmesan cheese for a light side dish.

zucchini ribbon salad—You’ll find good-quality zucchini in the grocery at this time of year. This beautiful salad recipe is delicious and healthful.

best way to cook spaghetti squash #writes4food  zucchini ribbon salad #writes4food

almond-oat buttermilk scones—For an Easter brunch, you’ll want a yummy baked good that’s not too heavy or sweet. This buttermilk scone recipe with almonds and oats fits that bill perfectly.

toasted pecan granola—Another brunch idea: Set out a bowl of fresh berries, some plain nonfat Greek yogurt and let your family scoop on some homemade granola.

almond buttermilk scone recipe #writes4food  toasted pecan granola recipe #writes4food

Posted in Dinner, Holiday, Recipes, Salads, Sides | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Best chocolate chip bar cookies: a cure for the winter blahs.

Posted on March 27, 2013 by

I’m grouchy. There: I said it. Grouchy McGroucherson.

Seriously, can we be done with winter now? Can we stop with the friggin’ snow? Please?

See? Grouchy.

You too?

You know what makes me not grouchy? Cookies. Chocolate chip cookies. Especially this new-to-me, I-swear-this-is-the-best recipe for chocolate chip bar cookies. Now, I know what you’re thinking: Didn’t she recently post a recipe for sea salt chocolate chip cookies? [Guilty as charged.] But this is flat-out the best bar cookie recipe I’ve ever made. If I use only one chocolate chip cookie recipe for the rest of my days, this will be the one.

Why? It’s beyond easy. Even better, it has a unique depth of flavor—like toffee or butterscotch—and a wonderful texture—crisp, like good shortbread. This recipe comes courtesy of my new friends at Edible Vancouver in British Columbia; I’ve adapted it slightly. The instructions read, “Cut into friendly sized squares.”

See? No more grouchies.

salty chocolate chunk bar cookies

(makes about 30, if you’re stingy)

1/2 cup good quality whole pecans
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. table salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips (see Note)
1/2 cup chocolate chunks, divided
1/4 tsp. good-quality flaky sea salt

Note: Use a combination of dark, milk or semi-sweet chocolate in this recipe. I like Barry Callebaut chocolate chunks from King Arthur Flour; if you don’t have chocolate chunks on hand, just use 1 cup of chocolate chips, reserving 1/4 cup for topping as directed below.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Spread the pecans on a rimmed baking sheet and toast until they’re fragrant, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Remove the pecans to a cutting board and let cool, then chop them very coarsely.

Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using a bowl and hand-held mixer), cream the butter until it’s smooth; add the sugar and cream together until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in vanilla extract. Add flour and table salt, mix gently to combine thoroughly. Add chocolate chips, 1/4 cup chocolate chunks and chopped pecans; mix to combine—the dough will be more crumbly than your typical cookie dough.

Line a rimmed 13-by-9-inch baking sheet with parchment paper (alternately, use a glass baking dish, though I’m not sure if that will alter the texture of the finished cookie). Place a plastic baggie over your hand (to prevent sticking) and use that to press the crumbly dough evenly into the paper-lined pan. Scatter the remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate chunks over the dough and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp. of flaky sea salt. Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, or until cookies are nicely browned and pulling away from the pan slightly. Cool for about 30 minutes, then use the parchment paper to carefully lift the cookie out of the pan and cut into squares. (These cookies get crispy, and cutting them after they’re fully at room temperature is messy; better to cut them when they’re just slightly warm.)

best chocolate chip bar cookie recipe #writes4food

related recipes

sea salt chocolate chip cookies
raspberry almond bar cookies

 

Posted in Baking, Desserts, House favorites | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Trust in spring.

Posted on March 25, 2013 by

It will come. I know it will.

I keep repeating this to myself, two days after the equinox, when the weather is as chilly and dreary as it’s been all winter.

But spring will come—or rather, its lovely weather (the calendar tells us it’s already here). And I trust that it will. The tiny arugula and lettuce sproutlets in my covered garden spaces tell me so.

If you need a dose of spring, here are a few photos for inspiration. I’m just back from a food conference in Santa Barbara (don’t hate: the cold, foggy weather, while better than it was here, was hardly California dreamy). I visited the Saturday farmers’ market—let’s call it earning extra credit instead of playing hooky from the conference—and was wowed by the bounty. Everything is in season there. I brought back 2 pints of strawberries (very carefully), a half pound of freshly roasted local almonds, some golden flame raisins harvested just last fall and the most gorgeous assortment of dried beans, all purples and reds and blacks, that I’ve ever seen.

Here’s some farmers’ market veggie porn, just to tide you over …

artichokes farmers market beans farmers market lettuce fresh eggs fresh sugar snaps

related recipes

roasted sugar snap and shallot salad
white bean puree

Posted in Farmers' market, Travel | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Wonderful spring recipes.

Posted on March 21, 2013 by

So, here we are: The first day of spring. According to the calendar, anyway; the weather here in the Midwest is anything BUT springlike.

Nonetheless, I’m feeling a gradual shift toward a lighter way of cooking, with more seasonal vegetables as they roll into the farmers’ markets. I’m thinking of simple pasta dishes tossed with the freshest veggies and dusted with Parmesan. Easy side dishes. Grilling. Berries.

In that spirit, here are a few of my favorite spring recipes. Enjoy!

best spring recipes

spring vegetables with pasta—peas, asparagus, spinach, chard or kale; pretty much any spring vegetable is perfect when sautéed and tossed with fresh tortellini

spring vegetable frittata—the frittata is a perfect preparation for spring’s best veggies, and it’s a great way to use leftover cooked vegetables. This is our weeknight go-to meal.

spring pasta with vegetables recipe #writes4food  spring vegetable frittata recipe

grilled 3-cheese and arugula sandwiches—load peppery, spring-y arugula onto your favorite grilled-cheese sandwich

grilled flatbreads—as the weather warms and we start grilling out, this easy flatbread recipe one of our favorite side dishes

spring vegetable grilled cheese recipe #writes4food  grilled flatbread recipe #writes4food

arugula salad with pistachios and cranberries—in my garden, arugula is just sprouting now, and I can’t wait to dress it up with crunchy pistachios and zingy cranberries; it’s the perfect flavor/texture pairing.

raspberry almond squares—even though raspberries are more of a summer fruit, their bright flavor seems fitting for spring, too.

spring arugula salad recipe #writes4food  raspberry squares recipe #writes4food

Posted in Baking, Desserts, Meatless Monday, Recipes, Salads, Sides | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment