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Wednesday, May 15, 2013 – Daily News 5A County Fare & fresh tasty Culinary SOS: Oatmeal raisin cookies from Maine By Noelle Carter Los Angeles Times (MCT) Dear SOS: On a trip up the coast of Maine, we found a wonderful bakery in Portland called Standard Baking Co. Everything was delicious, but my husband declared the oatmeal cookies the best he'd ever had, and we made a special detour on the return route to buy more cookies. I'd love it if you could obtain their recipe, so I could surprise him with a batch. —Helene Morrison, Arroyo Grande, Calif. Dear Helene: If I didn't know how easy they were to make, I'd plan a vacation in the area just so I could get my fix of these cookies. Richly flavored and not overly sweet, Standard Baking Co.'s cookies also are crisp and chewy in all the right places. The bakery was happy to share its recipe with us. The cookies, and other recipes from the bakery, are also available in their recently published cookbook. ——— STANDARD BAKING CO.'S OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIES About 1 hour, plus cooling time. Makes about 11⁄2 dozen 1 1⁄2 cups (6.4 ounces) flour 1⁄2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking powder 1⁄4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 3⁄4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (13⁄4 sticks) butter, at room temperature 3⁄4 cup plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar 3⁄4 cup plus 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar 2 eggs, at room temperature 2 1⁄2 cups rolled oats 1 1⁄4 cups raisins 1. Position racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and heat it to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. By Lisa Abraham Akron Beacon Journal (MCT) 2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder and nutmeg. 3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in the granulated and brown sugars over medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Over low speed, beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, until each is fully incorporated. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Slowly add the flour mixture, beating until thoroughly combined, and scraping down the sides of the bowl and paddle as needed. Slowly add the oats and raisins until they are evenly distributed in the dough. 4. Using an ice cream scoop, or a spoon and your hands, to form 2inch balls, drop mounds of the dough onto the baking sheets, evenly spacing them to fit 6 mounds per sheet. 5. Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, then rotate the baking sheets from front to back and top to bottom, and continue to bake until the edges of the cookies are golden brown and the centers are puffed and feel set when lightly touched, 10 to 12 additional minutes. The cookies might seem slightly underbaked, but they will crisp as they cool. 6. Remove the sheets from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack. Continue baking the rest of the dough (be sure the baking sheets are completely cool before reusing to bake additional cookies). EACH OF 18 SERVINGS: Calories 280 Protein 4 grams Carbohydrates 45 grams Fiber 2 grams Fat 10 grams Saturated fat 6 grams Cholesterol 44 mg Sugar 28 grams Sodium 105 mg NOTE: Adapted from Standard Baking Co. Pastries in Portland, Maine. Quick Fix: Pizza's easy on cook, pocketbook By Linda Gassenheimer McClatchy-Tribune News Service Here's a quick pizza dinner that takes less time than ordering one. Sweet onions, mozzarella cheese, bell peppers and mushrooms top a ready-made thin crust for this quick meal. Anything goes these days with pizza, from figs to pickles. Or you can make a cheese burger pizza with ground beef, cheddar cheese and tomatoes. In Philadelphia they serve a Philly-cheese steak pizza with grilled steak, peppers, onions and provolone. Thin crust pizza bases are now available in the market. It makes a crisp base for the pizza. Or if you have time, use a refrigerated pizza dough. Roll it out until it is thin and it will fill your kitchen with the aroma of freshly baked bread. The order in which the ingredients are layered makes a difference in how fast the pizza cooks. I place the peppers and onions on top so that they are exposed to the heat and will cook through in just 15 minutes. Serve an Italian-style washed, ready-to-eat salad on the side. Wine suggestion: Pizza, naturally calls for Chianti. This meal contains 676 calories per serving with 33 percent of calories from fat. HELPFUL HINTS: Red onion can be used instead of Vidalia onions. Sliced baby-bello mushrooms can be found in most markets, but any type can be used. French bread or pita bread can be used as a pizza base. COUNTDOWN: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare pizza. Bake pizza. Toss salad with dressing. What's for dinner? Grilled pork chops ONION, PEPPER AND MUSHROOM PIZZA 1 (10 or 12-inch) thin crust pizza base Olive oil spray 1 large, ripe tomato, sliced (about 11⁄2 cups) 1 teaspoon dried oregano 4 ounces part skim milk mozzarella cheese, sliced 2 1⁄2 cups sliced babybello mushrooms 1 bell pepper (red, yellow or green), sliced (about 1 cup) 1 cup sliced Vidalia onion or other sweet onion Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place pizza base on the foil and spray with olive oil spray. Arrange sliced tomatoes on top in a single layer, overlapping as necessary. Sprinkle on oregano and top with mozzarella slices. Spread mushrooms over the cheese and bell pepper and onions on top of the mushrooms. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 15 minutes. Makes 2 servings. Per serving: 676 calories (33 percent from fat), 24.8 g fat (8.5 g saturated, 2.6g monounsaturated), 36 mg cholesterol, 31.5 g protein, 88.9 g carbohydrates, 7.5 g fiber, 831 mg sodium. SHOPPING LIST Here are the ingredients you'll need for tonight's Dinner in Minutes. To buy: 1 (10- or 12inch) thin crust pizza base, 1 can olive oil spray, 4 ounces part-skim milk mozzarella cheese, 1 bell pepper (red, yellow or green), 1 large ripe tomato, 1 Vidalia onion and 1⁄2 pound sliced baby-bello mushrooms. Staples: dried oregano MESSINA MEATS ★ Now Offering ★ Custom Cutting and Wrapping **Animals are processed under a clean, state inspected facility** ***All Meat Is Vacuum Packaged*** Beef Slaughter $80.00 + $0.80/lb. cut & wrap Hog Slaughter $40.00 + $0.80/lb. cut & wrap Bison Slaughter $125.00 + $0.80/lb. cut & wrap Lambs and Goats *One price* $75.00 *includes slaughter and cut & wrap ➞ Call for information on Wild Game Processing ➞ Bring your animal to us, or we will pick it up for a small fee ➞ We welcome our customers to be present during the cutting and wrapping process 1230 Highway 99 W. Orland, CA 95963 • (530) 865-4440 It's May and that means grilling season is officially here. So fill up the propane tank or buy a new bag of charcoal and get your flame on. There's really nothing you can't cook on the grill, but plenty of folks never get past the basics. If the only pork you ever put on the grill is a slab of ribs, consider chops and tenderloins for an easy and tasty dinner. For some inspiration, consider the new book by James Beard-winning authors Cheryl and Bill Jamison, "100 Grilling Recipes You Can't Live Without: A Lifelong Companion" ($16.95, softcover, Harvard Common Press). The book is packed with plenty of grilling advice and 100 tried and true recipes, like this one for dry-rubbed pork chops on the grill. CHURCH PICNIC PORK CHOPS For the chile dry rub: 2 tbsp. sweet paprika 1 tbsp. kosher salt or coarse sea salt 1 tbsp. ground chipotle chile 1 tbsp. ground dried mild to medium-hot red chile, such as New Mexican, ancho or pasilla, or a combination of these chiles 1 tsp. ground cumin 3⁄4 tsp. sugar For the chops: 4 bone-in center-cut pork chops (3⁄4-inch thick, 10 to 11 oz. each) Vegetable oil spray A favorite barbecue sauce (optional) At least 2 hours and up to 8 hours before you plan to grill the pork chops, combine the dry rub ingredients in a small bowl. Coat the chops with the spice mixture, place them in a zippertop plastic bag, and refrigerate. Fire up the grill, bringing the temperature to medium. Remove the chops from the refrigerator and let them sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes. Spritz the chops with oil and transfer them to the grill. Grill, uncovered, for 20 to 23 minutes, turning three times while cooking. Rotate the chops a half turn each time for crisscross grill marks. The chops are done when barely white at the center with clear juices.