Ina Garten's Creamy Hummus

  If I were a betting type of woman, I'd wager a bet that there were more hummus recipes on my blog than anything else. I love hummus and find myself somewhat compelled to try all the hummus recipes.

My favorite hummus recipe is Yotam Ottolenghi's Hummus Kawarma with Lemon Sauce, but Ottolenghi's Hummus with Ful is a close second. They are both insanely delicious, but require more time than one has for hummus most days.

I'm therefore always on the hunt for THE QUICK HUMMUS RECIPE utilizing canned garbanzo beans. Ina's Creamy Hummus seemed promising because it included a process I haven't tried yet - which is to simmer the garbanzo beans in a pot of water for 25 minutes, then stir repeatedly to loosen the skins of the beans, over and over for a total of about 5-6 times. The idea being that you drain those pesky bean skins right down the drain and then are able to create a smoother and creamier hummus.

I found the stirring and skinning of the beans a rather satisfying process and I will definitely continue to follow this process in all future hummus recipes. In fact, I highly recommend it! Turns out removing those pesky bean skins DOES IN FACT yield a smoother and creamier hummus.

The problem is, I didn't quite love the flavor of this hummus. Sorry, Ina. I'm quite surprised because most of the ingredients are the same, with the exception of the addition of Tabasco sauce (which I do like, but maybe not in hummus) and also, Ina had me soak the minced garlic in the lemon for about 25-35 minutes while the beans cooked and the skinning process occurred. Soaking garlic in an acid (lemon juice) is supposed to mellow the flavor of raw garlic, but for me it was like the lemon and garlic created a whole different flavor and one I just didn't care for. 

I will not be soaking my garlic in lemon juice or anything else ever again. And, quite honestly, I don't have any desire to mellow the flavor of garlic in anything. Just give me all the garlic straight up!

I would be curious to know if anyone else has tried this recipe from Ina's latest book and if so, did you love it? Did you like it? It's definitely very creamy, but it falls under the 'just ok' category for me.

Adapted from Go-To Dinners

by Ina Garten

Serves 6

2 (15.5 oz) cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus extra (3 lemons)

1 tablespoon garlic finely grated on a Microplane (4 cloves)

1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika, plus extra for garnish

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup tahini

olive oil

1/4 cup salted, roasted Marcona almonds, roughly chopped

Toasted pita triangles, for serving

Combine the chickpeas, baking powder, and 6 cups water in a large saucepan, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Uncover, lower the heat, and simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, combine the 1/2 cup lemon juice and the garlic in a small bowl and set aside.

Drain the water and any chickpea skins that have floated to the surface, leaving the chickpeas in the pan. Add cold water to cover, stir vigorously to loosen more skins, and again drain the water and skins that float to the top. Repeat 5 or 6 more times, until most of the skins are removed. Drain the chickpeas and place in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade, setting aside 2 tablespoons of whole chickpeas for the garnish. Add the lemon and garlic mixture, Tabasco, paprika, 1/4 cup warm water, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Process until very smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed. Add the tahini and 2 tablespoons olive oil and puree for one full minute, until creamy. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of extra lemon juice to taste, 1 teaspoon salt, and enough warm water (1 tablespoon at a time) to make the hummus the consistency of yogurt. Taste for seasonings.

With a rubber spatula, spread the hummus on a large flat serving plate or shallow bowl, leaving a 2" border. Sprinkle with the reserved chickpeas and almonds. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with paprika, and serve with toasted pita triangles.

Recipe Reset @ IHCC

Ina Garten's Hot Dogs In Puff Pastry {So Delicious}!!

 

 Happy 2023! Some years I have pretty serious food goals, while other years I feel more relaxed. This year is one of those relaxed years. I say cook what you want, when you want, and how you want. 

For example, if you want to start of the year with Hot Dogs In Puff Pastry, then go ahead! That's what I did! And I'm not even remotely sorry because these babies are some of the most delicious things I've shared in awhile.

What's not to like here? Get your favorite hot dog. We like Nathan's. Maybe you like Hebrew National, like Ina. Or maybe you like a vegetarian dog. Or maybe you even like the vegan carrot "hot dog." Do you.

The point is...wrap that baby in puff pastry and bake it in the oven. Top it with sea salt like Ina. Top it with Everything But The Bagel Seasoning, like me. Top it with whatever you want.

Dip it in ketchup. Dip it in mayo. Dip it in a combination of mayo and mustard, like I did. The puff pastry is golden brown and hot and flaky. The hot dog is so juicy. Together they are a perfection combination. Downright sinfully delicious dunked in mustard. 

These are an easy peasy sinfully delicious treat! I think they are perfect for families (namely kids). I think they would be wonderful at a party. You could even cut them and make them bite sized.

Not healthy, but all things in moderation, right? Give them a try. They just might be one of the most delicious things you've had in awhile!

 

Hot Dogs In Puff Pastry

Adapted from Go-To Dinners

by Ina Garten

Serves 2-4

1-2 sheets puff pastry, defrosted and refrigerated*

Good Dijon mustard

4 hot dogs*

1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

Flaked sea salt, such as Maldon

Freshly ground black pepper

Everything But The Bagel Seasoning*

Note: This recipe is more of a method and less of a recipe. The amount of puff pastry will vary depending on which brand you buy and how much of the hot dog you cover. I bought Dufour Puff Pastry and 1 sheet covered all 8 hot dogs in my package perfectly. Also, the flaked sea salt on top per Ina is probably just fine, but I saw an opportunity to use my favorite seasoning, Everything But The Bagel, and it was the perfect finishing touch to these dogs. 

Preheat the oven to 375F. Lay the cold puff pastry on a board and cut a 5-1/2" wide strip to match the length of the hot dogs. Brush a 3" wide strip of the cut pastry generously with Dijon mustard (I skipped this step since my husband dislikes mustard). Place a hot dog at the end of the pastry where you brushed the mustard and roll it up and away from you one turn, until the hot doh is just encased in one layer of pastry and mustard. Brush the next 1" strip of pastry with the egg wash and continue to roll the hot dog, so the pastry is completely sealed. Cut any remaining pastry across and place the hot dog, seam side down, on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Prepare the remaining 3 hot dogs, or however many you're making, the same way. (NOTE: Ina's directions are rather wordy - basically just roll the hot dog in the puff pastry so that the puff pastry goes around the hot dog one time and seals. You do not want to have any extra puff pastry going around twice or it won't bake properly).

Brush the pastry with the egg wash and sprinkle generously with sea salt and pepper. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes (mine took a little longer to achieve that perfect golden brown color), until the pastry is nicely browned. Serve hot with extra mustard on the side.

Foodgoals 2023 @ IHCC

 

My Top Five Dishes of 2022!

 It's time for my favorite post of the year...My Top Five Dishes of 2022! 

 
Here at Stirring the Pot, it was the year of Julia Child! I have two rather mind-blowing dishes of Julia's to start off our countdown.

Here are my TOP FIVE FAVORITES OF 2022, starting with Number One! Please click on the recipe title to be redirected to the original post and recipe!

Hitting the list at NUMBER ONE is Julia Child's Supremes de Volaille a l'Ecossaise, otherwise known as Chicken Breasts with Diced Aromatic Vegetables and Cream. I mean holy cow folks, or should I say holy chicken...this dish will knock your socks off. The chicken is so tender and that sauce....well, it was so velvety and flavorful...it kind of reminds me of the flavors in a chicken pot pie. It's visually stunning, and so comforting and delicious.

Julia's Biftek Hache a la Lyonnaise or rather her Ground Beef Burgers with Onions and Herbs, is not only crazy delicious...but economical and rather easy. Listen, DO NOT sleep on this dish. It is simply not just a beef burger with sauce. It's buttery and flavorful from the addition of butter and herbs and the burgers get dunked in flour before being fried so they form a little crust for texture. It looks simple, but I can assure you that it's delectable. This is a very close SECOND to Julia's chicken recipe above, simply depends on the day!

I also cooked a lot with Ina Garten this year and her newest cookbook, Go-To Dinners, is full of gems. I've made quite a few recipes from her new book and by far the best was her Ravioli En Brodo. This is a light brothy soup with complex flavors. We were blown away by the flavors and really enjoyed the addition of fennel. It's hard to beat fluffy pillowy ravioli in a flavorful broth. So comforting and delicious!

 You might think I've lost my mind, but WOW, Ina's Parmesan Chipotle Popcorn was something else! Cheesy, spicy, buttery, crunchy, and hot...it is ONE OF THE BEST SNACKS ever! I just loved it! Make it for yourself. Make it for a get together. Make it for your family. You can't go wrong!

Coming in at Number Five is dessert!  It was really tough to chose a favorite dessert for this roundup. I had three that I was considering: Dorie Greenspan's Salted Chocolate Hot Fudge Sundaes, Ina Garten's Milk Chocolate Oreo Ice Cream, and this one, Tessa Kiros' Sipi's Strawberry Cake. I chose Sipi's Strawberry Cake because it was made with local and seasonal strawberries from the farmer's market and they were the most delicious strawberries I've had in years. Not to mention, the cake was a stunner and what's not to love about fresh berries and cream? 

Bonus: Tessa's Hasselback Potatoes deserve a big Honorable Mention for two reasons: first, they are a new family favorite. Everyone loves the golden brown crunch on the bottom of the potato, the crispy slices on the top of the potato, and also the rather fluffy interior. They are indeed THE NEW BAKED POTATO in my house! And also, the post I wrote for Tessa's Hasselback Potatoes was pretty much my favorite to write all year. This recipe should come with a warning: Delicious, but quite the hassle!

 

 

 

HAVE A DELICIOUS NEW YEAR!!

Ina Garten's Lemon Bars

 

Lemon desserts have been a part of Christmas all throughout my life. My Gramps loved lemon meringue pie something fierce, so mom would make two pies,  one for us to eat on Christmas and one for Gramps to take home.

I've now had more years without Gramps than I had with him, but some people have such a presence they never escape you. I can still picture him sitting at the head of the table taking that first bite of lemon meringue pie. He always had a rather mischievous twinkle in his eye and without fail, almost on cue, he would throw his head back and close his eyes savoring that first bite before exclaiming how good the pie was. It was a little slice of heaven to him and we all felt it.

So, in honor of Gramps, and everyone else who is no longer physically with us, may we all have our own slice of heaven as we give thanks and praise to all the special moments over the years, old and new, for those are theses are the very best moments. The ones we hold onto. 

Lemon Bars

Adapted from Food Network

by Ina Garten

Makes 20 squares or 40 triangles

For The Crust

1/2 pound butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 cups flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

For The Filling

6 extra large eggs at room temperature

3 cups granulated sugar

2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (4 to 6 lemons)

1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 cup flour

Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Preheat the oven to 350F. 

For The Crust: Cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into a 9 by 13 by 2" baking sheet, building up a 1/2" edge on all sides. Chill.

Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.

For The Filling: Whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature.

Cut into triangles and dust with confectioners' sugar. 

Ina's Giant Crinkled Chocolate Chip Cookies

The I Heart Cooking Clubs group started out as Tyler Florence Fridays way back about 12-14 years ago. Back then Tyler's Big Fat Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe was all the rage. I think every group member made it, and for good reason. They are some award-winning cookies! In fact, to this day, after all the Tyler Florence recipes I've tried, his Big Fat Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe is my fave!

Ina's Giant Crinkled Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe from her Modern Comfort Food book reminded me of Tyler's recipe and I knew I needed to give them a try. The ingredients and size of the cookies are similar, but the difference is Ina takes turns baking and banging her cookies on the counter every 3 minutes to give them the crinkled appearance. Then she sprinkles them with sea salt.

Chocolate chip cookie recipes are a very personal preference kind of thing. I had to find out if Ina's recipe would trump Tyler's. Does the baking and banging and crinkling of the cookies make them better or worse? Do we prefer them with sea salt, or not? 

Well, it turns out both cookie recipe are very similar and both taste amazing. However, we all voted and said that we preferred Tyler's recipe better because we like thick chewy cookies and Ina's were thinner and cripser. Turns out the baking and banging does create crinkles in the cookies and the crinkles add a crisp texture to the cookie. Ina's cookies were also sprinkled with sea salt and were saltier. I am a huge fan of salt, but surprisingly I prefer the cookies without the salt. 

Again, it comes down to personal preference. If you prefer thick chewy cookies then Tyler's Big Fat Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe would be the one for you. If you prefer thin crisp cookies, then Ina's Giant Crinkled Chocolate Chip Cookies would be the one for you. Either way you can't go wrong! 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all who are celebrating!

Giant Crinkled Chocolate Chip Cookies

Adapted from Barefoot Contessa

by Ina Garten

Makes 12

1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, at room temp

1-1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

1 extra large egg, at room temp

1-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped, such as Lindt*

Fleur de sel or sea salt, for sprinkling

Note: Ina calls for bittersweet chocolate and I never use that in my cookies. We prefer semisweet so I always opt for that. You should always make recipes to suit your own tastes! Also worth noting is that even though I froze the cookies for the required 15 minutes and set them wide apart on the cookie sheet, they spread and and ran together. I think they may need to bake 2-3 per cookie sheet to avoid them spreading.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Arrange three racks evenly spaced in the oven (see note). 

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed for 3 minutes, until creamy. Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar and beat on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the egg, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons of warm water and mix on low speed just to combine. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and kosher salt. With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture, then the chocolate (including the fine chocolate dust) to the batter until combined. Mix well with a rubber spatula.

With a 2-1/4" standard ice cream scoop (or 1/3 cup measure), make 12 rounded scoops of dough and place them on a sheet pan. Freeze the dough for exactly 15 minutes, then arrange 4 balls of dough - spaced wide apart - on each of three sheet pans lined with parchment paper. Bake for 10 minutes, until the cookies are slightly puffed in the center. Remove the pans from the oven and bang them on the stove top, until the center of the cookies deflate. Bake for 3 minutes, then bang the pans again, repeating baking and banging every 3 minutes, for 18 to 20 minutes total, until the edges of the cookies are golden brown. (The centers will be lighter and not fully cooked.) Rotate the sheet pans in the oven so the cookies bake evenly. Sprinkle the cookies with fleur de sel and cool completely on the pans.

If your oven has only two racks or you have only two sheet pans, or less, bake these in batches but don't freeze any batch of dough for more than 15 minutes.

Spirit of Giving @ IHCC

Ina Garten's Parmesan Chipotle Popcorn {The Perfect Holiday Snack}!

  

I know what you're thinking...did she really post popcorn on her blog? Well, yes. Yes, I sure did, and let me tell you something, and I'll say it in bold so you don't miss it. DO NOT SLEEP ON THIS POPCORN! 

This popcorn is rated 5 stars of the Food Network and for good reason! It is simply coated in flavor: cheesy and buttery with a slight kick of chile. It is simply addictive and just plain impossible to stop eating. We inhaled it!

Right now we are in the thick of the holiday season and everyone is dithering about and shelling out money in a herculean effort to beat the clock and be ready for the big day. This popcorn takes all of 5 minutes to make and only cost a few dollars, if that, so I've declared it THE PERFECT HOLIDAY SNACK!

What are you waiting for? Get poppin'!

 

Parmesan & Chipotle Popcorn

Adapted from Food Network

by Ina Garten

Serves 3-4

1 bag microwave popcorn, such as Newman's Own Natural 

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, melted

1/2 cup finely grated Italian Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder

2 teaspoons fleur de sel

Microwave the popcorn for 3 to 5 minutes, according to the directions on the package, until the popcorn stops popping. Carefully pour the hot popcorn into a large bowl and immediately pour on the butter, then the Parmesan, chile powder, and salt. Toss well and serve hot.

Tree Trimming Party @ IHCC

Ina's Hasselback Kielbasa

I seldom see chefs use kielbasa in their recipes, but I am thrilled to see Ina Garten use it in several of her latest cookbooks. 

We loved Ina's Kielbasa with Mustard Dip from her last book, Modern Comfort Food, and also her Split Pea Soup topped with Kielbasa. It stands to reason that we would love her Hasselback Kielbasa! 

This method of cooking kielbasa is new to me, but I am beyond eager to give it a go! The kielbasa is cut every 1/4" to create crusty golden tops, as well as texture and flavor. Ina calls for the kielbasa to be brushed with a homemade honey mustard that adds a nice subtle flavor.

The hasselback kielbasa roasts atop a bed of sliced onions, fennel, peppers, garlic, thyme and fennel seeds. The vegetables serve as a nice accompaniment to the kielbasa. We really loved this dish and think it would be wonderful served alongside some pierogies or potatoes, but in the interest of trying to "healthify" the meal we served ours with some steamed broccoli.

I can definitely see making this again and adding it to the rotation as a comforting dish this winter!

Hasselback Kielbasa

Adapted from Go-To Dinners

by Ina Garten

Serves 6

3/4 pound yellow onions (2 to 3 onions)

1 (1-pound fennel bulb, stalks removed)

1 each red, yellow, and orange bell pepper

good olive oil

2 tablespoons minced garlic (6 cloves)

2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves, plus extra sprigs

1 teaspoon whole fennel seeds, chopped

salt and black pepper

2 pounds fully cooked, smoked kielbasa

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

1/4 cup liquid honey

Preheat the oven to 425F. Cut the onions in half, slice them crosswise in 1/2 inch thick half rounds, and place them in a large bowl. Cut the fennel bulb in half lengthwise, cut the halves in 1-inch thick wedges through the core (to keep the wedges intact) and add to the bowl. Cut the peppers in 1-inch wide strips, discarding the stems and seeds, and add to the bowl. Toss with 4 tablespoons olive oil, the garlic, thyme, fennel seeds, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Transfer the vegetables to a very large (14 x 18") roasting pan or two sheet pans, spread them evenly in a single layer, and roast for 20 minutes, tossing once with a large metal spatula.

Meanwhile, cut the kielbasa crosswise in 1/4" thick slices, being careful to cut only two thirds of the way through. When the vegetables are ready, toss them again, discard the thyme branches, and place the kielbasa on top. Combine the mustard and honey and brush the top and sides of the kielbasa. Roast for 30 minutes, brushing the kielbasa with the honey mustard every 10 minutes, until it is crispy and browned (Reserve extra honey mustard for serving.) Sprinkle the vegetables with salt and serve hot with the reserved honey mustard on the side.