Cook's Illustrated's Baklava

     I LOVE baklava, yes that strongly ;).  Here's the truth though, I hate nuts, so how can I love a nut pastry so much?  Part of it is memories, and part of it is just how delicious baklava is.  When I was a kid living in Michigan, we would sometimes take the Detroit People Mover into Trapper's Alley (it doesn't exist anymore :( ), and visit Greek Town.  I loved these trips, and Greek Town is awesome (or was 20-30 years ago, I haven't been there in about 20 years).  We would eat at Pegasus Taverna, see the waiters lighting the cheese on fire and yelling opa, and shopping in the cool little stores around us.  My dad, another of the sweet tooths (teeth?) in our family, bought us baklava as we went around Trapper's Alley shopping center.  Man, that was some good pastry, and I don't know that I've ever had baklava that good, but this one I made was pretty darn great.
     Baklava isn't a dessert that comes together quickly, but it is so worth the effort.  Aaron really enjoyed this, he said it was his favorite baklava ever, but then he hasn't ever been to Greek Town :).  I found this recipe in my Cook's Illustrated International Best Recipe cookbook, and Aaron and I gave this a perfect 10, and the boys gave this a 9.  Although my cuts didn't make nice diamond shapes like I wanted, they still came out great, and we had about 28 slices in our 9x13 pan.  Each slice was 247 calories, but I had to change the recipe a little to make up for my lack of almonds, so here's what to do:

1 lb of phyllo pastry (about 30 sheets or so), thawed
24 T unsalted butter

Sugar Syrup
1 1/4 c sugar
3/4 c water
1/3 c honey
3 2-inch strips lemon zest plus 1 T lemon juice
1 cinnamon stick
5 whole cloves
1/8 t salt

Nut Filling
1 c chopped, blanched almonds
1/4 c pine nuts
1 1/2 c walnuts
2 T sugar
1 1/4 t ground cinnamon
1/4 t ground cloves
1/8 t salt

Bring all the sugar syrup ingredients to a boil together, stirring occasionally.  Allow to cool then remove the spices and lemon zest.
Pulse the nuts in a food processor until finely chopped, add in the sugar, cinnamon, cloves and salt and pulse quickly, then set aside.
Preheat the oven to 300.  Melt the butter slowly, about 10 minutes, until the milk solids have separated from the butter fat, about 10 minutes.  Remove the pan from the heat, allow it to cool about 10 minutes, then skim off the top.  Separate the butter fat from the liquid, toss out the fats, and have about 1 c clarified butter to use.  Grease your baking pan, then layer 8 phyllo sheets in the pan, brushing each one well with butter, then repeating for each of the eight sheets.  Gently spread 1 c of the nut mixture over the sheets.  Layer and butter six more phyllo sheets, then sprinkle with 1 more cup of the nut filling.  Repeat with six more sheets, then 1 more cup nut filling.  Layer remaining 8-10 phyllo sheets, brushing each layer except the final layer with butter, then press carefully with your hands to compress the layers.  Spoon the remaining butter over the top layer and brush to cover the entire surface.  Using a serrated knife tip, cut the pastry into diamond shapes (or try :)).  Bake about 1 1/2 hours, rotating the pan halfway through baking.  Remove the pan from the oven, immediately pour all but 2 T of the syrup over the cut lines.  Drizzle the remaining syrup over the surface.  Garnish each piece with some of the nut filling.  Let baklava cool completely for about 3 hours, then cover with aluminum foil and let sit at room temperature for about 8 hours before serving, although it still tastes good after only three hours :).

Cook's Illustrated's Brown Sugar Sugar Cookies

I love sugar cookies, and so do our boys, so I knew these would be a hit.  The nice surprise was since they were made with brown sugar, Aaron also enjoyed them, so that was a great plus.  We all gave them a 9, and I had to change the recipe just a little because I ran out of brown sugar, so I added molasses, sigh :).  Anyway, these come together easily, and the molasses and brown sugar really added a nice rich flavor.  I found this recipe in my Cook's Illustrated Baking cookbook, and each cookie for 24 cookies was approximately 174 calories.  Here's what to do:

14 T unsalted butter
1 c packed brown sugar, plus 1/4 c for rolling
3/4 c white sugar mixed with 1-2 T molasses, plus 1/4 c sugar for rolling
2 c plus 2 T flour
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
1 T vanilla

Melt 10 T butter over medium-high heat.  Continue cookie, swirling pan constantly, until the butter is dark golden brown and has a nutty aroma, 1-3 minutes.  Transfer browned butter to a large heatproof bowl.  Add remaining 4 T butter and stir until completely melted.  Set aside to cool.
Preheat the oven to 350.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.  Mix 1/4 c brown sugar and granulated sugar until well combined; set aside.
Whisk flour, baking soda, and baking powder together and set aside.
Add remaining brown sugar and salt to the bowl with the cooled butter; mix about 30 seconds.  Scrape down the bowl; add egg, yolk, and vanilla and mix about 30 seconds.  Add flour mixture and mix until just combined.  Roll the dough into balls, roll them in the sugar, then place them on the lined cookie sheets.  Bake for 12-14 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through baking.  Let cookies cool on the sheets five minutes, then let cool on racks.

Cook's Illustrated's Tacos (tostadas) al Pastor

Aaand once again we have no picture, I don't actually know what happened to them, but oh well, sigh :).  Tacos al pastor is a pretty traditional taco, and I've always shied away from making them because of the pineapple.  I don't love pineapple with meat, but I decided to go for it, because we are all about tacos in this family :).  I ran out of corn tortillas, and so we made these into tostadas, which worked out well.  This was a hit.  They were a little spicy, a little sweet, and the meat was tender and delicious.  It was also surprisingly simple to make, so a total win around here.  Owen and I gave these a 9, and Noah and Aaron gave them a perfect 10.  Calories are hard to figure out, depending on how many servings you want, but it is low, since the majority of the calories are from the rest of the ingredients, not the meat.  Plan for about 40-50 calories per serving.  I found this recipe from Cook's Illustrated's Best International Recipe cookbook, and here's the easy recipe the way I made it:

3 dried chilies
1-2 chipotle chilies in adobo sauce
6 oz pineapple juice
1-2 c cut up fresh pineapple
garlic salt, salt, cumin, and a pinch of ground cloves
around 2 lbs pork loin
1 T white vinegar

Preheat the oven to 350.  Toast the dried chilies for about 5 minutes, cool them and then stem and seed them.  Cover them with about 3 cups of hot water, and stir them intermittently until the chilies have softened.  Drain the chilies, transfer them to a food processor, then add the pineapple juice and spices, and chipotles and puree until smooth.
Lay the pineapple pieces in a greased square baking dish.  Place the pork on top of the pineapple, then cover it with half of the pureed mixture.  Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake it for about 2 hours.  Remove the pork from the oven and let it set.
Shred the meat with two forks, add in the vinegar, and more of the chili mixture if desired.  Serve.

Cook's Illustrated's Pot de Creme au Chocolat

Soooo crazy good :).  That's what I have to say about this recipe from Cook's Illustrated International Best Recipes cookbook.  It was really rich, it is imperative to let this chill completely, but man is it delicious.  Each ramekin was 553 calories, for 6 servings, and we all gave this a perfect 10.  It is smooth, luscious and so decadent.  The recipe calls for this to be split into eight portions, and it would be better if the servings were smaller than I made them.  Anyway, here's the great recipe:

10 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
5 large egg yolks
5 T sugar
1/4 t salt
1 1/2 c cream
3/4 c half and half
1 T vanilla extract
1 T strongly brewed coffee

Place the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl; set a strainer over the bowl and set aside.
Whisk the yolk, sugar, and salt together in a bowl until combined, then whisk in the heavy cream and half and half.  Transfer the mixture to a medium saucepan.  Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pan, until thickened and silky.
Pour the custard through the sieve, let the mixture stand to melt the chocolate, about five minutes, then stir until smooth and whisk in the vanilla and coffee.  Divide the mixture between the eight ramekins, then cool to room temperature.  Cover and refrigerate until chilled.  Serve with whipped cream.

Cook's Illustrated's Sticky Toffee Pudding

I know that often times English cooking is said to be less than delicious, but after spending time there, I have to heartily disagree.  English pub food, and English desserts, might be some of my favorite foods ever.  I found this recipe for Sticky Toffee Pudding in my Cook's Illustrated International cookbook, and it was amazing.  Noah and I gave it a perfect 10, Owen gave it a 9, and Aaron gave it an 8, saying it's one of his favorite "cake" desserts he's ever had.  Each pudding, with the creme Anglaise was 832 calories, so ouch! but worth it ;).  Although called a pudding, it isn't like our pudding, rather it is more like bread pudding, a solid, cake-like steamed pudding that is so moist and delicious.  This has dates in it, and although I don't like to eat dates by themselves, I do love them in desserts.  This seems to have a lot of steps, but it is relatively easy to put together.

Creme Anglaise:

1 c cream
1 c half and half
1/2 c sugar
1 t vanilla
4 egg yolks
1/2 t cornstarch (this isn't required, but makes it a little thicker)
pinch of salt

Bring the cream and half and half to a simmer, and keep it at medium-low after reaching a simmer.
In a medium bowl, beat together the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch and salt.  Slowly temper the eggs with the hot cream, then add the egg mixture to the pan and stir constantly until thickened a little and the temperature of the cream is 180 degrees.
Pour the creme anglaise through a fine mesh sieve, stir in the vanilla, and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours.

Pudding Cakes:

butter, flour and parchment for the ramekins
1 1/4 c flour
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
14 Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
1/2 t baking soda
3/4 c water
3/4 c packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 t vanilla
4 T unsalted butter, melted

Toffee Sauce:

8 T unsalted butter
1 c packed brown sugar
2/3 c heavy cream
1 T rum (optional, use rum flavoring or more vanilla if desired)

Preheat the oven to 350.  Butter and flour the ramekins, then cut a parchment round to fit the bottom of each ramekin.  Place a kitchen towel in a large roasting pan, place the ramekins on top, and bring some water to a boil.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together and set aside.
Combine the water, half the dates, and the baking soda together and set aside to soften, about 5 minutes.  Remove the dates and reserve the liquid.
Process the remaining dates in a food processor with the brown sugar until just blended.  Add in the reserved soaking liquid, the eggs, and vanilla and process until smooth.  With the food processor running, pour in the melted butter.  Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add in the rest of the dates.
Gently fold in the flour mixture until just combined, divide the batter between the ramekins, and pour the boiling water into the roasting pan, with the towel there to keep things moist and securely in place.  Cover the roasting pan tightly with aluminum foil, then bake about 40 minutes.

While the cakes bake, melt the butter for the toffee sauce in a pan, whisk in the brown sugar until smooth, about 3-4 minutes, then stir in the cream and rum.  When well combined, set aside and cover to keep warm.

When the cakes are done, transfer them to a rack immediately to cool for 10 minutes.  After 10 minutes, poke holes all over the top of the cakes, and spoon toffee sauce over them, allowing the sauce to soak in.  When ready to serve, unmold the cakes from the ramekins, invert them onto a plate with creme anglaise on it, then top the cake with more toffee sauce and serve immediately.

Peach and Cookies Ice Cream

Noah loves fresh fruit, and he wanted to make some peach ice cream.  We thought it would be fun to make our own cookies and cream ice cream, but I didn't like the idea of peaches and Oreos, so we made our peach ice cream with golden Oreos, and this turned out so well.  Owen didn't like it, but the rest of us really did, Aaron especially.  He gave it a perfect 10, Noah and I gave it a 9, and Owen gave it a 6.  I followed the Cook's Illustrated recipe for peach ice cream featured in their America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook, since I don't trust my ability to make up my own perfect ice cream recipe.  Anyway, each serving was 290 calories, for 12 servings.  Here's what we did:

1 1/3 c cream
1 1/4 c whole milk
1 c sugar, divided
3 medium peaches, peeled and chopped
6 egg yolks
1 t lemon juice (or a little more)
3 T peach Schnapps
1 t vanilla
around 15 golden Oreos, mashed into small pieces

Bring the cream and milk and 1/4 c sugar to a simmer.  While this is warming, mix together the egg yolks and 1/4 c sugar until thick and pale in color.  Temper the egg yolks, and cook the custard until slightly thickened.  Strain the custard into a bowl, let cool and then chill.
Cook the peaches with the remaining 1/2 c sugar, mashing them while cooking, until the peaches have released their juices.  Cool and chill.
When the custard has chilled for at least 3 hours, strain the peach juice from the peaches into the custard, and add in the vanilla and lemon juice.  Toss the peaches with the peach schnapps to prevent the fruit from crystallizing too much, then mix them all in the ice cream maker.  Towards the very end of churning, add in the Oreos.  Freeze.

Cook's Illustrated's Buttermilk Donuts

This is a simple donut recipe, since it isn't a yeasted donut, and it turned out really well.  The boys and I gave these a 9, and Aaron gave them a perfect 10.  He liked that they were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.  I got over my shortening aversion to fry these in shortening, since I trust those Cook's Illustrated people, but I don't know how often I will make these again, since you know I loathe shortening :).  I found this recipe in my Cook's Illustrated Baking book, and they really are the easiest donuts ever :).  Each donut was 335 calories, and we had some donut holes which were 112 each.  Here's what to do:

3 1/2 c flour
1 c sugar
2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1 1/2 t cinnamon
1 t salt
3/4 c buttermilk
3 T unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
a can of vegetable shortening for frying
1 c sugar
1 1/2 T cinnamon

Beat 1 c flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon on low speed to combine.  In a small bowl, mix together the buttermilk, butter, eggs and yolk together.  Add the wet ingredients to the mixer, and beat until smooth, about 30 seconds.  Add in the additional flour gradually, until just combined.  Dough will be very moist.  Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/2 inch thickness while you heat the shortening to 375 degrees.  Continue rolling out the dough over and over until all is used, I had about 20 donuts with 6-8 donut holes.  Slip the rings into the oil, and fry about 50 seconds per side.  Remove the doughnuts, and let them drain on paper towel.  Stir together the cinnamon and sugar, then toss the donuts into the mixture after they have drained and cooled about 1 minute.  Serve.

Cook's Illustrated's Cheese Danishes

letter fold

folding the corners into a square

finished product

So here is my next difficult undertaking of pastries, and it turned out really well.  I think I could do better next time, they didn't rise quite as well as I think they should have, because I didn't let my yeast warm up before using it, but these were still the best danishes I have ever had, and they were so delicious.  Aaron gave them a 9, and the rest of us gave them a perfect 10.  I want to try them again with fruit, I think they will be better for a second go around, and they will taste better for Aaron with a different filling :).  Anyway, although these do take all day, they aren't really that difficult to make. I found these in my new Cook's Illustrated Baking cookbook, and I love how the instructions are so clear as to make everything work.  Each danish was 506 calories, and I have added some extra pictures to make the folding job easier.  Here's what to do:

Dough:
1/3 c warm whole milk
1 egg
1 1/2 c flour
1/4 c sugar
1 1/2 t instant yeast
3/4 t salt

12 T unsalted butter, cut into 3 equal pieces, chilled
1 T flour

Glaze:
1 1/2 c powdered sugar
5 t milk
1 t lemon juice

Icing:
1 c powdered sugar
1 T milk

Mix milk and egg together.  Using a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine 1 1/4 c flour, sugar, yeast and salt on low speed.  Slowly add the milk mixture and mix about 2 minutes more.  Knead the dough about 8 minutes more, checking to see if the dough needs flour after about five minutes, if it is too sticky or doesn't come together.  Grease a bowl, and cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate about 1 hour.
Lay butter pieces side by side on parchment paper.  Sprinkle the 1 T flour over it, then cover with another parchment piece.  Gently pound the butter with a rolling pin until butter is softened and flour is fully incorporated, then roll it into a 5-inch square.  Wrap the square in plastic and refrigerate about 1 hour.
Roll the chilled dough into a nine inch square on a floured surface.  Place chilled butter square diagonally in center of dough.  Fold the corners of dough up over butter square so the corners meet in the middle and seal seams.  Gently tap the dough with your rolling pin, starting from the center and working outward, until the square becomes larger and the butter begins to soften.  Gently roll dough into an 11-inch square.  Fold dough into thirds like a letter (first picture), then fold the rectangle into thirds to form a square (second picture).  Wrap dough in plastic wrap and let rest in refrigerator for two hours.  Repeat the rolling and folding another time and refrigerate another two hours before using.  When ready to make your individual danish, choose your filling, we made a cream cheese filling, and make it ahead of time so it cools.  Make the glaze by mixing all ingredients together.  Make the icing by mixing all ingredients together.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Roll danish into a 15 inch square and cut dough into 9 equal pieces.  Place cooled filling in the center of the dough, then fold the corners together.  Place the danishes on the parchment lined cookie sheet, then let rise in a warm place, covered, for about 30 minutes.  Bake danish about 15-20 minutes, then brush with glaze.  Let the danish cool completely, then drizzle with icing.  Let the icing set about 20 minutes, then serve.

Cook's Illustrated's Pear Crisp

Our boys love pears, so we decided to make pear crisp.  I found this recipe in my new cookbook from Cook's Illustrated, The Baking Book, and we really enjoyed this.  Each serving was 199 calories, and the boys gave it a perfect 10, while I gave it a 9, because although it was a great crisp, I don't love pears.  Here's what to do:

1/2 c oats
1/2 c pecans
1/2 c flour
1/4 c brown sugar
2 T sugar
1/4 t cinnamon
1/8 t nutmeg
1/8 t salt
6 T unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2 T sugar
2 t lemon juice
1 t cornstarch
pinch of salt
3 lbs pears, peeled, cored, and cut into bite-size pieces

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil.
In a food processor, pulse the nuts, oats, flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until nuts are finely ground.  Drizzle the melted butter over the mixture and pulse a few seconds, then set aside.
Whisk sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch and salt together in a bow.  Toss the pears with the mixture and place on the cookie sheet.  Crumble the nut/oat topping over the pears and bake for 30 minutes, rotating the crisp halfway through cooking.  Let cool slightly and serve.

Cook's Illustrated Pear, Cranberry, and Ginger Relish

We had this at Thanksgiving, but this recipe is just in time for Christmas now :).  This has to be my favorite cranberry sauce, and it is easy and delicious.  My mother, Noah, Owen and I gave this a perfect 10, and Aaron and my dad gave this a 9.  I have tried lots of different cranberry relishes/sauces, and this one tops them all for me.  I found the recipe in Cook's Illustrated Best Recipe cookbook, and each serving is about 120 calories.  Here's what to do:

3/4 c water
12 oz cranberries
1/4 t salt
2 pears peeled and cut into 1/2 inch chunks (I cut them into matchsticks)
1 t ginger (if using fresh ginger, use 1 T)
1/4 t cinnamon

Bring the water, salt, sugar, ginger and cinnamon to a boil, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar.  Stir in the pears and cranberries, bring it to a boil, then let it simmer for at least five minutes (I let mine cook much longer).  Bring to room temperature and serve or store for future use in the fridge.

Cook's Illustrated's Spaghetti and Meatballs

These are amazing meatballs, and probably our favorite recipe for them, at least the family's favorite, but I don't enjoy frying things, so I prefer other meatball recipes.  However, these are delicious, easy, and guaranteed to please, just like all Cook's Illustrated's recipes.  These get a perfect 10 from everyone except for me, and I give them a 9.  Because of the simple tomato sauce, dried pasta, and fast cooking meatballs, this comes together super quickly, and is a great week night meal.  Each serving, because of the frying and my high calorie ground beef, is 683 calories for 6 servings.  Here's what to do:

Meatballs:
2 slices white sandwich bread
1/2 c buttermilk
1 lb ground beef or a mixture of beef and pork
1/4 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 T minced fresh parsley leaves
1 large egg yolk
1 small garlic clove, minced
3/4 t salt
pepper
1/2 c oil for frying (You can use more or less, depending on how quickly you want to fry them)

Tomato Sauce:
1 T olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 T minced fresh basil leaves
salt and pepper

1/2 lb spaghetti, cooked according to package directions in salted water and drained
Grated Parmesan cheese for serving

 Combine the bread and the buttermilk, smooshing them together with a fork occasionally while they sit for 10 minutes.
Place the meat, cheese, parsley, egg yolk, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl, then mix together with the bread/buttermilk mixture.  Shape each meatball about 1-1 1/2 inches in diameter, then set aside, being careful to not compact the meat too much.  I made about 20 meatballs.
In a large pot or pan, heat up the oil, then cook each meatball about 10 minutes, turning to brown all sides.  I had to do two batches.  When done frying, drain and set on a paper towel lined plate.
Dump out the oil, leaving the browned bits in the pan, then place the 1 T olive oil in the same pan.  Heat it up and brown the garlic for a few seconds, then add in the tomatoes.  Cook for about 10 minutes, then stir in the basil, salt and pepper.  Return the meatballs to the pot with the sauce, and stir carefully for about 5 minutes.  Serve with the pasta.

Cook's Illustrated Macaroni and Cheese

So this is comfort food, and probably my favorite recipe for homemade mac and cheese in the world.  Guess where it's from...Cook's Illustrated.  I know, I am totally predictable, but I do like their recipes so much.  Anyway, I don't follow their recipe exactly, so this is how I do it, and unfortunately it is a calorie bomb.  Each serving is 567 calories, and it is pure deliciousness :).  We all gave this a perfect 10, except Aaron who gave it an 8 because he doesn't like home made mac n cheese.  Here's what I do:

1 lb macaroni
salt
5 T unsalted butter
6 T flour
1/2 t dry mustard
5 c milk (whole milk is what I used)
12 oz (3 cups) grated Monterey Jack cheese
12 oz (3 cups) grated sharp cheddar cheese

Cook the macaroni in well salted water until the pasta is tender.  Drain it and set aside.  Heat the butter in a large Dutch oven or pot and whisk in the flour and mustard.  Continue whisking as the mixture becomes fragrant, then add the milk, bring it to a boil, and then let it thicken, whisking, about 5 minutes.  Add in the cheeses and salt to taste, then mix in the macaroni.  Let settle about 10 minutes, then serve.

Cook's Illustrated's Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic

This is another Cook's Illustrated winner, we love this recipe so much.  If it weren't bone in chicken, it would receive a perfect 10 from all of us, but only the boys give it a perfect 10, Aaron and I give it a 9.  This is not a difficult recipe to make, but it does take a little time.  Each serving is about 185 calories per piece of chicken, but that is an average, so a little less or more depending on how big your chicken is and what piece you eat.  Anyway, this is such a great chicken dish, so flavorful and moist.  Here's what to do:

4 lbs of bone in skin on chicken pieces
1/4 c table salt
pepper
3 medium heads garlic, cloves separated but unpeeled
2 medium shallots, peeled and quartered
1 T olive oil
salt
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 c chicken broth
2 T unsalted butter

Preheat the oven to 400.  Dissolve the 1/4 c salt in 2 quarts cold water, and brine the chicken for 30 minutes.  Rinse the chicken pieces and pat dry, then season with pepper.
Toss the garlic and shallots with 2 t of the olive oil and salt and pepper and place in a 9 inch pie plate.  Cover with foil and roast until softened, about 30 minutes (or more), shaking the pan after 15 minutes.  Stir, and roast uncovered for another 10 minutes.  Remove the garlic from the oven and increase the oven to 450.
Heat the remaining 1 t of olive oil in a heavy bottomed skillet over medium-high heat, and brown the chicken pieces skin side down.  Brown on both sides, then remove the chicken to a plate.  Discard the fat.  Add the chicken broth and herbs, scraping the brown bits from the pan.  Add the garlic/shallot mixture to the pan, then nestle the chicken skin side up in the pan.
Bake the chicken until the breast registers 160, and the thigh reaches 170 degrees.  When chicken is cooked, remove the pan, and remove 12 garlic cloves to press through a fine mesh sieve.  Transfer the rest of the garlic, the shallots, and the chicken to a serving plate.  Push the garlic through the sieve into the pan juices, bring the liquid to a simmer, then adjust seasoning to taste.  After thickened slightly and seasoned, remove from heat and whisk in the butter.  Serve with the chicken.

Cook's Illustrated's Polish Dumplings

These are fun, and different than our usual fare.  These pierogis filled with meat are delicious, and I like that the dough isn't a pastry dough but more like a pasta dough, and they make for a tasty dumpling.  I gave these an 8, and the boys all gave these a 9.  I felt like they could've used more flavor, but regardless, they are fun and good.  The calories for four of the dumplings is 372, but that includes extra carmelized onions on the top and we didn't have that.  Anyway, here's what to do:

2 c flour, plus more for dusting the work surface
1/2 t salt
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 T vegetable oil
4-6 T cold water
4 T unsalted butter

4 T unsalted butter
3 large onions halved and sliced thin
salt

Meat or cheese fillings

Pulse the flour and salt together in a food processor.  With the machine running, slowly add the eggs and oil, about 30 seconds.  Slowly add the water until the dough forms a ball.  Knead the dough for about 2 minutes by hand, cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest for about 15 minutes, or up to two hours.  Melt 4 T of the butter, then add the onions and 1/4 t salt and cook until well browned and softened.  Reserve 1/4 c of the onions, chop them finely, and keep them to fill the pierogis with.  (I used the rest of the onions in another recipe, instead of eating them with this recipe.)  Divide the dough into two pieces, roll each out to a very thin dough, and cut the dough into small circles.  You should get about 32 dumplings in all.  Fill the dumplings with your choice of filling, then form them into half moon shapes and crimp them together.  Boil water, adn add salt.  Cook the pierogis until al dente, about 5-6 minutes.  Melt the remaining butter in the skillet used to carmelize the onions, then cook the pierogis 1-2 minutes per side.  Serve.

Cook's Illustrated's Meatball Lasagna

While not our favorite lasagna, we liked this lasagna because it had great flavor and the meatballs are fun and different.  We all gave this an 8, and for 1/16 of the total, the calories are 392.  This came out of the Cook's Illustrated Best International Recipe cookbook, and we really enjoyed it, Jonah included.  He had thirds :).  I feel like this would be more to our family's taste with more sauce, the lasagna feels a little dry to us.  Anyway, here's what I did:

Meatballs and Sauce:
1 lb ground beef
1 c Parmesan cheese
1/2 c bread crumbs
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 c minced fresh basil
salt
3 T olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
28 oz crushed tomatoes (I think this needs more)

Noodles and Cheese:
1 T salt
12 dried lasagna noodles (don't use the no-boil noodles)
1 lb mozzarella cheese
2 c Parmesan cheese

Cook the noodles in the salted boiling water, set aside.  Preheat oven to 450, grease a cookie sheet, and set it aside.  Mix the beef, cheese, breadcrumbs, eggs, 5 T of the basil, 1 t salt, and 1/2 t pepper together.  Make small meatballs, I made about 50 of them or so, and place them on the cookie sheet.  Bake for 8-10 minutes.  Place the meatballs on a paper towel lined plate, then begin making the sauce.  Heat the oil and garlic in a pan over medium heat.  Stir in the tomatoes, bring to a simmer, then cook for about 10-15 minutes until the sauce thickens.  Remove the sauce from the heat, stir in the remaining basil and season with salt and pepper.  Stir the meatballs in to the sauce, and keep it warm.
Spray a 9x13 pan with oil, then smear 3 T of the tomato sauce onto the bottom of the pan.  Lay 3 noodles in the pan, then spread the meatball/sauce mixture over the noodles.  Sprinkle with 1 c of the mozzarella, and 1/2 c of the Parmesan.  Repeat this two more times, then finish with one more layer of noodles, 1 c of mozzarella, and 1/2 c of the Parmesan.  Heat the oven to 400, then bake for at least 20 minutes, or until cheese turns golden in spots and the sauce is bubbling.  Let rest for 10 minutes and then serve.

Cook's Illustrated Meat and Onion Turnovers

I can't clearly explain how amazingly good these things are.  These pies from Cook's Illustrated Best International Recipes cookbook, similar to pasties, are just so full of flavor, the pastry is perfectly flaky, the ease of being able to eat them at any temperature and have them still be delicious, all adds up to a perfect 10 from all of us here at the Tunell house.  While not super simple, these can be made at any time of day, so make them when convenient and they will taste great.  Each Forfar Bridie, the Irish name for them, is 651 calories, so a full meal with a small salad, but worth the calories.  Everyone begged me to make them again soon, which I did :)

3 3/4 c flour, plus more for the work surface
1 T sugar
1 1/2 t salt
12 T butter, cold, and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 1/4 c ice water

2 T unsalted butter
1 lb ground beef
1 medium onion, minced
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 T minced fresh thyme leaves
Salt and pepper
1 t dried mustard
1/4 t ground nutmeg
1 T flour
1/4 c dark beer, such as Newcastle Brown Ale (use beef or mushroom broth if prefer)
1/4 c heavy cream
2 t Worcestershire sauce
1 large egg, beaten

For the Pastry:  Process the flour, sugar, and salt together in a food processor until combined, about 4 pulses.  Scatter the butter pieces over the flour mixture and pulse, about 16 pulses.  Transfer the flour mixture to a mixing bowl, sprinkle 1/4 c of water over the dough and stir using a rubber spatula.  Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and divide into 2 equal parts, and make 2 6 inch discs and wrap in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate dough at least 1 hour.

For the Filling:  Melt the butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the ground beef, onion, garlic, and thyme, and season with salt and pepper.  Cook, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the mustard, nutmeg and flour and cook, about 1 minute.  Stir in the beef and bring to a simmer.  Stir in the cream and simmer until thickened, about 1 minute.  Off the heat, stir in the Worcestershire sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Refrigerate mixture to cool.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.  Remove 1 disk of dough from the fridge, and roll out the dough to a 15 in ch square.  Cut 6 inch rounds.  Transfer the rounds to a prepared baking sheet, then cover the dough rounds with plastic wrap and refrigerate.  Repeat for the second disk.
Heat the oven to 425.  Fill the rounds of dough with 1/4 c filling, then seal and crimp the dough, using water to help the dough stick together, into half moon shapes.  Transfer all the pies to one baking sheet covered in parchment, and brush all of them with egg.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, rotating halfway through (I did 15 minutes, then 15 minutes, and mine came out perfectly).  Cool 5 minutes, or cool to room temp before serving.  Also, refrigerate, then serve later at room temperature or warmed.

Cook's Illustrated Sizzling Shrimp In Garlic Sauce

Another Best International Recipe hit, this was so easy and delicious.  Aaron, Noah and I gave this Sizzling Shrimp a perfect 10, and Owen gave it a 9, because it is pretty spicy.  This is traditionally a tapas, served with other food too, but we used it as a main dish.  This takes about 10 minutes total, and it is super delicious.  Make sure to have some crusty bread to dip into the oil, and we ate this with a big salad and it made a great meal.  Here's what to do:

2/3 c olive oil
4 medium garlic cloves, minced
2 bay leaves
1 1/3 T red pepper flakes (the source of the heat)
1 1/3 T minced fresh parsley
1 lb large shrimp
Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 500.  Pour the oil in a shallow casserole dish, I used an 8 inch pie plate.  Add the garlic, the bay leaves, the pepper flakes, and the parsley, and bake about 2-4 minutes, making sure the oil is sizzling.  Add the shrimp to the sizzling oil and continue to bake, stirring once, about 2-3 minutes until shrimp are cooked through.  Remove the dish from the oven and discard the bay leaves.  Season the dish with salt and pepper and serve immediately with crusty bread.

Cook's Illustrated's Queso Fundido

Cook's Illustrated Best International Recipe cookbook brings another hit for our family!  I wish I had gotten a better picture of this, because it is so good, and it doesn't look as appetizing as it really is in this picture.  Oh well.  Noah liked this so well, he asked for it for his birthday meal, and it is super delicious and easy.  Queso Fundido, or melted cheese with poblano and chorizo makes four servings with each serving being 339 calories.  If you want to use it as an appetizer, just make the portions smaller.  Serve this with warm tortillas and you are set to go!  Owen gave this an 8 because it is spicy (a little), and Aaron and I gave it a 9, and Noah gave it a perfect 10.

4 oz chorizo
1 medium poblano chili, sliced into thin strips (remove seeds and ribs if desired, we did)
1/2 small onion, sliced thin
8 oz Monterey Jack cheese (don't use the preshredded kind)

Preheat oven to 375.  Cook the chorizo, then add the poblano and onions and cook until the veggies have started to brown.  Spread the cheese evenly in an 8 inch pie plate, top with the chorizo mixture, then transfer it to the oven.  Cook for about 10 minutes, until cheese is melted.  Serve immediately.

Cook's Illustrated Pork Chops with Apples and Onions

Pork and Apples go together really well, and this is another example of that pairing working.  Cook's Illustrated came up with a winner again, like usual, and although Aaron doesn't love pork chops, he still gave this a 7.  Owen gave it an 8, and Noah and I gave it a 9.  For 1 serving, the calories are 312, and we made six servings for this recipe.  This was found in my Cook's Illustrated International Best Recipe cookbook, our favorite :), and this is what I did.

3 oz bacon, chopped
2 T oil
2 T flour
1 3/4 c apple cider
3 bone-in pork chops (we cut them in half for our servings, they were really big)
salt and pepper
1 medium onion, halved and sliced thin
2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into thin wedges
2 T water
1 medium garlic clove, minced
1 t minced fresh thyme leaves
2 bay leaves

Fry the bacon until crisp, leaving 2 T of bacon fat in the pan.  Gradually whisk in the flour until smooth.  Whisk until the mixture is a light brown, then whisk in the apple cider.  Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, then set aside and cover.
Salt and pepper the pork chops.  Heat 1 T of the oil in a skillet until smoking.  Brown the pork chops on both sides, about 3 minutes per side, then set aside.  Add the onions, apples, water, 1/2 t salt, and the remaining T of oil to the same skillet.  Scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan, and stir until the onion is softened.  Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook, about 30 seconds.  Return the chops to the skillet in a single layer along with any juices and the cider sauce.  Cover the chops and onions and add the bay leaves.  Cover the skillet, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the pork is tender, about 30 minutes.
Remove the chops, increase the heat of the skillet to medium high, and simmer the sauce, stirring frequently, until thickened.  Discard the bay leaves and serve with the chops, apples, and onions and reserved bacon.

Cook's Illustrated Seared Shrimp

Here is another family favorite around here, everyone loves it, and it is such an easy dish to make.  We love this, and Cook's Illustrated Best International Recipe cookbook comes through with another hit :).  This recipe makes four servings, and each serving was 277 calories.  We all gave this a 9, because I used a little too much lime juice, otherwise it would have a 10.  Also, I changed it a little from the original recipe because I didn't have green onions :).

Doesn't that look beautiful? Here's what to do:

1 lb shrimp
1 1/2 T olive oil
3 roma tomatoes, diced
1 t salt, divided
pepper
1 pinch sugar
1/2 onion, diced
1-2 t chipotle chilies in adobo sauce
1/2 c cilantro, chopped
1 T garlic, minced
2 T lime juice
1 avocado, diced

Mix together tomatoes, garlic, onions, chilies, cilantro, and 3/4 t salt.  Set aside.  Sprinkle shrimp with 1/4 t salt, pepper to taste, and a pinch of sugar.
Heat the olive oil in a skillet, then add the shrimp.  Cook the shrimp on one side, about 1 minute, then remove.  Shrimp will not be fully cooked.  Add the lime juice to the skillet, then add in the tomato mixture and cook until the onions have softened a little and the tomatoes just start to lose shape.  Add the shrimp back in, cook together, then remove from heat and add in the avocado.  Serve.

We had ours with refried beans.  Yummy!