Dear Matt's Cookies:

I am your closest competition on the corner of Cullom and Wolcott Avenues. For friendly thank you gesture for a friendly computer guru who fixed our lap top, over the weekend I baked chocolate chip cookies galore, each loaded with milk chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate chips, gobs of butter, a hint of saltiness, baked to a chewy/crisp finale.

Yes Matt, or so you call yourself, I even snuggled the still-warm cookies into tight containers so they would retain their chew the next day, as that was the first I could see my computer guru friend.

And finally Matt (if that is your true name), yes I did give away all my cookies all the time hinting to Shane that if he wanted me to make him some chocolate chip cookies (with pecans no less!) instead of my buying him your cookies Matt (as I do on a twice-weekly basis), well, frankly, I was snubbed.

“It’s no bother,” I said to Shane. “I enjoy baking you cookies. I’ll even put pecans in them, such as Matt’s.”

“No honey, you rest. Besides, only Matt can make chocolate chip cookies with pecans. Don’t try to duplicate Matt’s.”

Fine – I’ll just go read.

Sincerely,

Emilie K. Tytenicz

P.S. I tried Matt's oatmeal raisin cookies for the first time last night. This is cookie madness. Even Shane-who-does-not-like-raisins did not and could not stop at one cookie.

My Chocolate Chip Cookies (Sans the Pecans)

Based on and Adapted from Jacques Torres - New York Times - Published: July 9, 2008 (they, that was 2 days before my 30th birthday!)

Okay, these are really Jacques’ Cookies and my additions are italicized in parenthesis.

2 cups minus 2 tablespoons cake flour
1 2/3 cups all purpose or bread flour (Jacques says bread flour, I say either or – I used all purpose as the protein count is not much different than bread flour's protein count)
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt (I used 1 ¼ teaspoons fine sea salt)
2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar (I used dark brown sugar)
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract (I left out the vanilla)
1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate disks or fèves, at least 60 percent cacao content (I used about 10 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate chips and about 10 ounces of milk chocolate chips)
Sea salt. (I did not sprinkle with sea salt, although I would have if these cookies were for strictly for me)

Back to Jacques --

1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.

2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.

3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.

4. Scoop 6 3 1/2-ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day. Eat warm, with a big napkin. (Or transfer straightaway to a container after the 10 minute cool-off time.)

Yield: 1 1/2 dozen 5-inch cookies. (I made more like 3-inch cookies yielding a good 2 dozen cookies, and this was after Shane ate about 1/6 of my dough – I am sure I could have gotten an even 30 out of the deal.)

Oh Happy Day Part II

Woo woo! The farmers’ market opened this week, and yesterday I took advantage of the sunshine, gorgeous outside temperature, and my two good legs (no offence Shane). Way too excited to wait until a later lunch hour, I left at 10:30 in the morning, walked over to the Daley Plaza, hit all the stalls sporting lots of produce (flowers, baked goods and cheese stalls ignored – I was on a mission), and made it back to work in 33 minutes flat.

And here is what is what landed in my goody bag:

Two bunches of Asparagus
Three bunches of Rhubarb
One large bag of Spinach
One bunch of Watercress
Green Garlic
Leeks
Dried Michigan Cherries
Morels
Shiitake Mushrooms
Cremini Mushrooms

One Hazelnut Chocolate Truffle for Shane
One Chocolate Walnut Caramel for Emilie

And the menu for the upcoming week:

Asparagus and Morel Orzo Risotto
Potato Leek Soup
Watercress Pesto over Linguine
Fontina, Caramelized Onions and Mushroom Pizza
Green Garlic and Spinach Soup
Chicken Salad Sandwich

Okay, the chicken salad sandwich has nothing really to do with my farmers’ market finds. Shane just requested to have some in the refrigerator for a quick snack. However, I may try to find a way to sneak the dried Michigan cherries into the salad as a replacement for the grapes or raisins I normally use.

The chocolate walnut caramel is long gone. In fact, it barely survived through lunchtime. Somehow a hybrid of fudge, a fudge-like brownie and a fudge-like caramel wrapped into one intense package, I have a feeling this will be my $0.75 weekly Thursday treat.

Oh Happy Day

I am happy, happy, and happy today despite the sleepy, rainy, dreary weather (and despite the attorney –ahemJocelynahem - who insisted on coming into work after having been up all night revisiting everything she had eaten within a 24 hour period). Why am I so happy, happy, happy? Pretend as if you asked instead of my just wanting to share. In my hurry to get Shane and me out the door so we would not miss the train, I left my afternoon snack in my refrigerator at home. I do not necessarily need an afternoon snack, but sometimes I go from satisfied to ravenous and the deconstructed path I make is not a beauty.

Today, however, was an exception. Firstly, I did not eat lunch until 1:00 in the afternoon. I do enjoy eating a later lunch as eating lunch at 11:30 in the morning has me staring at the 3:18 PM on my computer screen and counting down the hours until suppertime. Lately, suppertime has not occurred before 7:00 due to physical therapy and Shane’s and my taking a later evening train home.

However, I did need a little something sweet, and the 2 plump Turkish figs would have fit that bill had I not been in such a hurry this morning, as would the citrus-infused, locally made, artisan dark chocolate truffle I had already devoured at 10:30 this morning with the last of my iced coffee. Citrus infused – does that count as a serving of fruit?

Never mind the fruit-infused chocolate truffle versus the apple or banana I should have eaten instead (oh wait, I did eat that banana before I ripped into creamy, dark chocolate goodness); I now am happy, happy, and happy because a sweet co-worker offered me part of her tangy, juicy, just-sweet-enough grapefruit that fulfilled the “gotta-have-something sweet-after-lunch” bill.

Thank you Sandy.

And many thanks to you Jocelyn for going home for the rest of my day and for not touching my stapler as Steve invariably does every time he comes into the office with a head cold. (And shall I mention the time he did get sick in the men’s room, only to walk over to my desk afterwards to tell me the gory details all the while picking up my stapler, stapling papers he had printed before getting sick, and then breathing into my space. That is an Emilie no-no.)

3:57 PM and I am still satisfied. I can make it until the 7:30 chicken tortilla soup mark. I am most happy, happy, and happy for leftover Sunday soup.

This is One Ramp That Will Not Hold Shane's Wheelchair

Last Wednesday night after his physical therapy session, Shane took me for steak, fries, wine and ambiance, which was just what this tofu and salad gal needed on a chilly and rainy evening. Mmmm… steak frites and a healthy dose of merlot before I was dropped back into cooking reality the next evening. Meals around the Chicago chapter of the Tytenicz household have of lately been fast and more furious than any lame attempt of a summer blockbuster film, and the following evening was no exception.

I came across a display of locally grown ramps in my locally constructed Whole Foods, and I, being the fascinated child I am with unfamiliar ingredients, bought a bunch without even knowing how to use the green onion-looking bulbs each sporting a house plant-like leaf – edible as well. After a few searches via Google, I soon learned one of the most popular way to fix ramps was in a simple scrambled egg dish.

What a peasantry trend.

Being raised on scrambled eggs as a Saturday morning breakfast, sometimes paired with pancakes sporting little hearts or happy faces or even my initials of ER (Emilie Roop you silly people); and sometimes paired with square waffles with crispy edges and shallow pockets that caught just enough Country Crock without being overwhelmed with the freshly churned taste; and sometimes simply with a few pieces of bacon or breakfast sausage and heavily buttered and toasted Wonder Bread (buttered first and then toasted – that’s an art).

As an adult, scrambled eggs have not been my first choice as I enjoy the thick, runny yolk of good poached, fried or soft boiled eggs as an accompaniment to thick slices of home made and buttery sourdough bread (bread toasted and then buttered – it’s a statement). I do enjoy food that comes with its own sauce.

Here lately I have re-discovered the scrambled egg, lightly stirred, just barely set, and chased around my plate by slices of crusty bread. A few mushrooms or newly discovered ramps, sliced and sautéed before adding the eggs, turns an old Saturday routine into an elegant last minute meal.

And what an easy meal to throw together after an evening of Shane’s physical therapy –

Scrambled Eggs with Ramps with a side of home fries.

For 2 servings

6 large eggs
2 tablespoons cream, half-and-half or milk
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil or butter (or a combination of both)
1 good sized bunch of ramps, about 6 or 7 ramps

Beat eggs with cream (or whichever milk product is preferred) and salt and pepper to your delight. Set aside.

Clean ramps thoroughly, peeling off the outer skin if necessary. Chop the bulbs and the leaves separately, and set aside. Over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon of butter and/or oil in a medium skillet. Add the ramp bulbs and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the ramp leaves, sauté until wilted, about a minute or two. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter and/or olive oil to the skillet. Add the eggs to the skillet, and let them sit for a minute or so before gently stirring them until they are just set (I like mine still wobbly). Serve immediately with home fries or buttered toast.

Home Fries

For 2 servings

2 medium Yukon Gold or other roasting potatoes
2 teaspoons olive oil
Salt and pepper

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil (grease foil with a bit of oil). Slice potatoes into quarters or eighths – the smaller the wedges the faster they will roast. In a medium bowl toss together the potato wedges and olive oil, and salt and pepper the potatoes. Roast potatoes in a single layer on the baking sheet for 20 to 40 minutes depending on the size of the potatoes wedges. Check frequently to ensure the potatoes are not burning. Serve with an optional side of ketchup (generously peppered in our household).

Happy Mother’s Day Mom – This Blog is for You!

Faithful readers (that means you mom) do not despair. I am still in the kitchen, apron tied at the waist and at the neck, hot pads still in my hand, making a din of the pots and pans just out of my arms’ reach. However, I am between cooking seasons -- transitioning from bean stew to bean salad -- and I am tired of winter vegetables as I eagerly await the abundance of summer produce. My being in between cooking seasons is much like the end of a haircut – I have no inspiration causing me to reach for the bobby pins to make the most of my ‘do until I visit the salon. Coupled with a busier schedule as Shane and I are scuttling off to physical therapy at least two nights a week and to the workout center the remaining evenings, suppers have been fast, simple, and, in my honest opinion (that’s IMHO for the computer lingo-fluent readers) not especially blog-worthy. Okay, admittedly I have created something special only to have sat down and devoured every morsel before regretting I did not snap a photo.

Take my creation of a lamb and feta pizza on flat bread. Humble ingredients – leftover roast lamb, chunks of French feta cheese, roasted tomatoes, garlic, salt and grindings of pepper – were piled onto lavish bread bought from one of many Middle Eastern Bakeries in Albany Park, popped into a hot oven directly onto my baking stone allowing for the feta to soften and brown and ooze all over the lamb. Wow – especially with a ripe, thick and spicy red wine – and, oops, forgot to give the meal a photo op.

I still have leftover lamb in the freezer, I still have French feta cheese in the fridge, do I hear “repeat”?

Going along with the pizza kick, last night’s pizza and salad de jour was a clever combination of bitter, savory, nutty, salty, smooth and sweet – Radicchio and Wild Mushroom Pizza with Mozzarella and Blue Cheese paired with a Butter Lettuce, Radicchio and Toasted Walnut Salad tossed in Maple Mustard Vinaigrette. I can still taste the creaminess of the melted mozzarella, meatiness of the mushrooms and saltiness of the Maytag blue cheese. Though I baked the pizza directly on my baking stone, it was still a touch soggy in the middle. A little regretful, though this did not take away from the *WOW!* factor, I vowed to next time pre-bake my crust before piling on the sautéed radicchio and mushrooms.

And while trees are coming alive on Cullom Avenue and Tulips are making their jolly appearances in red, yellow, purple buds on Hutchinson Street, I still await the 2009 farmers’ market season to spring, opening next week in the loop. I look forward to stockpiling strawberries and rhubarb for jam kicked with balsamic vinegar (note to self, put balsamic vinegar on grocery list) and a hint of brown sugar; asparagus for quiche, pastas, and simply roasted alongside the chicken or two that will find their way into my eco-friendly reusable shopping tote.

Alas, right now Shane and I are making our way through the last bits of split pea soup, ham and beans, drunken beans, sober beans with shrimp, and every other last bit of winter coziness. I have officially put away my snow boots for the season, and now the only bean I want to see is one in a salad dressed with a handful of fresh tarragon served alongside slices of heirloom tomatoes, zippy peppers, and a wedge of tangy cheese. Mmm, feast.

Radicchio and Wild Mushroom Pizza with Mozzarella and Blue Cheese


Serves 2 with a bit of room for dessert

For the pizza:

You will need a pizza crust, 10-12 inches in diameter. Use your favorite recipe, or try this one here. It’s a touch fussy, but make a large batch, shape the shells, and freeze. Tossing the dough to shape it is optional.

1 small head of radicchio, shredded
6 ounces of wild mushrooms, brushed clean and sliced
2 large shallots, sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 ounces Maytag Blue, Roquefort, Gorgonzola or your favorite blue cheese, crumbled
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees, and, once oven has heated, pre-bake the pizza shell for 5 minutes if desired. As I have not tried this myself with this combination, I cannot guarantee the results lend a crisper crust. However, if a crisper crust all around is desired, this is a good step to take.

While the optional crust-baking is, well, baking, in a heavy pan, sauté the radicchio, mushrooms and shallots in one tablespoon of olive oil, over medium heat, until the radicchio has wilted and the mushrooms have given up their water, about 5 minutes. Towards the end of the sautéing time, turn the heat up a smidge to allow the mushroom water to evaporate. Salt and pepper the mixture to taste.

Pile sautéed radicchio mixture onto crust and top with mozzarella and crumbled blue cheese. Grind pepper over the top and bake for 10-20 minutes depending on how thick the crust is (thinner crust equals less baking time) and if the crust has been pre-baked. I baked my pizza, fairly thin crust, for 15 minutes. Remember, I did not pre-bake my crust. When crust is browned and cheese is melted and even turning a bit brown itself, remove from oven, let cool for a few minutes, slice and enjoy with a tangy and sweet salad on the side.

Butter Lettuce, Radicchio and Toasted Walnut Salad tossed in Maple Mustard Vinaigrette

1 tablespoon olive, hazelnut, or walnut oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup (grade B is great for this)
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp grainy mustard
Salt and freshly ground pepper

½ small head of butter lettuce, washed, dried and chopped
1/3 head of radicchio, washed, dried and chopped
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts (toasted optional)
1 ounce blue cheese (again Maytag, Roquefort, Gorgonzola, etc.) sliced or crumbled

In a small jar or in a bowl, combine the oil, maple syrup, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper until dressing is thick. Taste and adjust seasonings.

In a medium bowl toss together the lettuces with the nuts and blue cheese, add the dressing, toss some more, and serve with a grinding of pepper on top for a bit kick.