My Version of an $8 Chocolate Chip Cookie

Posted on June 16, 2015 by Jack & Barbra Donachy

High quality milk chocolate, white chocolate, toasted almonds, browned butter and vanilla paste pack in the flavor. Served warm out of the oven, this cookie adds up to… Irresistible!

This week, I read an article about a restaurant which offers a chocolate chip cookie and a glass of flavor-infused milk for $8! The value of this pricey cookie lies in the care with which it is baked and served as well as with the quality of the ingredients. Customers love that this warm-from-the-oven-cookie has a soft, melty chocolate center and crispy edges.

Using the concepts from the article – ingredients should be top notch and the cookie needs to be served individually-baked and warm – I created my own version of a cookie that would deserve an $8 price tag. I love the flavor and texture of nuts in my chocolate chip cookies, so I browned the butter and toasted some chopped almonds to ensure plenty of nutty flavor. I added a dash of almond extract for additional flavor. Traditional chocolate chip cookies use vanilla extract. I substituted the extract with vanilla paste for a richer vanilla flavor. I baked the cookies at a little lower temperature than traditional recipes to allow the cookie to retain its gooeyness a little longer… not that these cookies will last long! I highly recommend you bake only the number of cookies you will immediately serve. The dough will keep in the refrigerator so you can make ’em as you need ’em fresh out of the oven.

Both Jack and I agreed that the flavor was amazing. Jack thought the cookies could have been a little bit bigger for the price tag. Feel free to scoop them larger if you agree with Jack!

Ingredients

1 large egg
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
3 tbsp granulated sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter, browned
2 tsp vanilla paste
1/2 tsp almond extract
3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch salt
1/3 cup toasted almonds, chopped
1/3 cup good quality milk chocolate chips
1/3 cup good quality white chocolate, chopped

Directions

Mix the sugars and the egg well.
Add in the browned butter.
Mix in vanilla paste and almond extract.
Stir flour, baking soda and salt into the mixture.
Fold in the almonds and chocolate pieces.
Chill the dough for at least 1 hour.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C).
Scoop tablespoon-sized balls using a small ice cream scoop onto the baking sheet. Bake for 8 – 10 minutes.
Let the cookies set on the baking sheet for about 3 minutes before removing them to a wire cooling rack.
Continue to cool for another two minutes on the wire rack.
Serve cookies while still warm.

Makes 10 cookies.

Perfect Gourmet Popcorn (for Date Night or Any Night)

Posted on June 15, 2015 by Jack & Barbra Donachy

Savory stovetop popcorn, a favorite lager and your main squeeze. All that’s needed now is the movie.

A blend of Italian seasonings and powdered chili peppers add a savory and zesty kick to this classic movie-night dish. Step by step directions for a perfect bowl of popcorn follow. (10 more photos)

You’ll need:

an herb and spice blend
salt
a pan with a lid for popping the popcorn
a pan for melting the butter
a large bowl for slightly cooling the popcorn
a fairly large plastic bag for shaking the popcorn to mix in the butter and seasonings
a serving bowl
a couple of glasses set in the freezer to get frosty cold
a beverage

Start by mixing together a savory blend of herbs and spices.

1 tsp basil

1 tsp marjoram

2 tsp oregano

1 tsp powdered garlic

1 tsp smoked chipotle chili powder

1 tsp smoked paprika

No need for an air popper or countertop gadget. Excellent popcorn can be made right on your stovetop.

Start with 1/3 cup popcorn. Set three kernels aside. These will go into your pan first.

Place 2 tablespoons olive oil (or other oil) into a pan such as the one pictured below. Add the three test kernels and heat over medium heat. (Use three in case one or two are duds.) When one of the test kernels pops, remove it, and add the rest of the popcorn.

A pan with a clear lid is helpful, but not necessary. Gently shake the pan occasionally. While preparing the popcorn, melt about 1/3 cup of butter in a separate pan. When the butter is melted, remove from heat, but keep it warm.

Place the popped popcorn in a bowl. This will allow it to slightly cool which will prevent the hot seeds from causing the plastic bag to melt. If you’ll be making additional batches of popcorn, place the bowl in a warm oven of around 100 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius).

Place the popcorn in a plastic bag. Drizzle on the butter. The butter should be liquid, but not hot. Otherwise it might melt through the bag.

Close the bag and shake vigorously to evenly distribute the butter.

Add the herb & spice mix and salt to taste.

Close the bag and shake again. Pour the seasoned popcorn into a serving bowl.

Get the glasses from the freezer. Fill with a beverage that will compliment this savory popcorn. We recommend a favorite lager.

And dinner and a movie is served!

Long-tailed Rosefinch: Tuul River, Ulaanbaatar

Posted on June 14, 2015 by Jack & Barbra Donachy

After a long winter, this striking male long-tailed rosefinch (Carpodacus sibiricus) was fattening up on fresh willow seeds near the Tuul River.

And here’s the female. Although residents of Mongolia, these birds were likely passing through Ulaanbaatar on their way to higher elevations to the north. Rosefinches are mainly seed eaters. There are several species throughout the Northern Hemisphere.

Penduline Tits: Nest-Builders Extraordinaire

Posted on June 9, 2015 by Jack & Barbra Donachy

His face stuffed with down from willow catkins, this male white-crowned penduline tit (Remix coronatus) was hard at work finishing one the bird world’s most unique nests. (Eight more photos)

During this past winter, we found a couple of mitten-shaped nests suspended from bare branches near the Tuul River. The birds were long gone, but I looked up the nest: Penduline tits, a new species for us and one we hoped to see when they returned in springtime. So, on a recent evening as I was walking along the river, I was listening for something I hadn’t heard before. With the willows and poplars now leafing out, I figured song was my best bet at locating nesting pendulines.

Sure enough, not long into my walk I heard something I hadn’t heard before – a twittering and song that sounded like it came from a small passerine. I followed the voice till I thought I was as close as I dare get without spooking whatever was singing, quietly set up my camera and tripod, froze, listened, tried to part the dense willow tangles with my eyes, caught movement and hoped the bird would present itself where I could get a decent photo.

Above is my first photo of a penduline tit.

Hidden in plain view…

I knew that finding the bird was no guarantee I’d find his nest, but using clues from the nests we’d stumbled upon over the winter, I located the same sort of tree in the same sort of setting, looked carefully among the boughs about 17 feet up, and there it was, hidden in plain view. Penduline tits do not reuse their nests, but they do seek out the same habitat year after year.

There was cloud cover off and on, it was getting late in the day, and the light was all wrong to shoot the nest from the front, so I moved to the side. I was concerned about spooking him off his nest (the males do most of the building), so I kept a distance and tucked in behind some small willows.

Cottony-soft and virtually impervious to rain and predators, these tough, tightly-woven nests were used as children’s slippers in Europe in the past. The Masai of Africa used those of a related species as purses. This one was swaying and rocking in the fresh spring breezes.

Intervals of several minutes passed between the bird’s visit to his nest. I waited still and quiet, my ears straining for his voice among the songs and sounds of rose finches, azure tits, magpies, sparrows and other birds in the riverine forest. I was able to spend a fair amount of time with this little fellow. Above, he is heading into his nest with more downy material.

In this frame I caught him just as he was disappearing into his nest. I read that there is a flap, which the bird must open, inside the nest.

A slight pause just before completely entering…

A quick look over his shoulder…

…and off again for more material.

He was still hard at work when it was time for me to call it an evening and meet up with Barbra…

Click these links to read more about our birding and hiking adventures near Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Urban Birding in the World’s Coldest Capital City: A Winter Walk along Ulaanbaatar’s Tuul River

Crows Ice Fishing for Caddis Larva: Tuul River, Mongolia

Connected by Waxwings

Cinnamon Toast Biscotti – A Light, Satisfying Small Batch

Posted on June 7, 2015 by Jack & Barbra Donachy

Warning: the enticing aromas from baking this crunchy, cinnamon biscotti may cause neighbors to knock on your door.

During our summer break, Jack and I don’t have as many little volunteers to help us eat our sweet creations. Being mindful of our waistlines, it is time to switch gears to confections that are either made in smaller batches, are lower in fat, or are just plain healthier. Curious what I’d discover, I searched for “lowfat cookie recipes” on the Internet. The top result, according to Google, was biscotti. Delicious and versatile, I could see how they would make the cut. I decided today’s creation would feature cinnamon, which always tricks my taste buds into thinking the cookie is sweeter than its sugar content would indicate. This small batch will be just right for the coming week.

So with all this, I give you a small batch of cinnamon biscotti that that is easy to whip up in about an hour’s time. This “two bake” recipe is especially galley and camper friendly, as it limits propane use.

Cinnamon Toast Biscotti

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp baking powder
Pinch salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 tbsp butter, melted
1 large egg, beaten
½ tsp vanilla extract

Cinnamon topping (just mix ingredients together)

2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees Celsius).
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
Whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and sugar in a medium bowl.
Stir melted butter, egg, and vanilla into flour mixture
Form dough into a flat log shape on parchment-lined baking sheet. Log should be about 10 inches long and 1 ½ inches wide.
Generously sprinkle top of log with about half of the cinnamon topping.
Bake for 20 minutes in preheated oven. Log will be firm to the touch.
Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes.
Cut log into 10 pieces using a serrated knife.
Place pieces on their side, exposing a cut side.
Sprinkle with remaining cinnamon topping.
Bake for 10 – 15 more minutes, until biscotti is nicely toasted.
Cool completely on wire rack before serving. Store leftovers in an airtight container.

Individual Pizza Crusts: For Dinner, Breakfast, Camp and Galley

Posted on May 31, 2015 by Jack & Barbra Donachy

Tasty individual-sized pizza crusts ready to use for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snacks. The size is perfect for the grill, for a galley, or the small oven we use here in Mongolia.

After trying many different recipes, I now have our go-to basic pizza crust recipe. The recipe can be easily modified by adding different spices or cheese into the crust. I’ve also substituted half of the all-purpose flour with wheat for a heartier crust that goes especially well with olive oil-based toppings. The best thing about the recipe is that it makes six crusts – two for now and four more for two more meals later. These crusts freeze well.

The crusts bake up best on a pizza stone, or, as I’ve recently learned, on an untreated clay tile from your local hardware store. The stone provides for even baking, giving the bottom a satisfying crispiness and leaving the top of the crust nice and chewy.

Our traditional dinner pizzas tend to be fully loaded, like our cheese and burger pizzas or smoked anchovy and salmon pizzas or our Alaska silver salmon pizzas. Pizza crusts can be loaded up for breakfast, too. How about a pepperonata and fried egg pizza? Or brush on some olive oil and grate some parmesan cheese on the crust, bake for 10 minutes and you have yourself a tasty appetizer. The possibilities are endless.

Individual-Sized Pizza Crusts

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups water
2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
1 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp salt

Directions

Mix water, olive oil, yeast, and sugar together in a large bowl.
Mix in salt and about half of the flour.
Knead in more flour in increments of about 1/4 cup. (I actually knead the dough in the large bowl.)
When all flour is incorporated, dough should no longer be sticky.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and clean the large bowl.
Oil the bowl well and place the dough in the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rise until doubled, about an hour.
Divide dough into six pieces. Stretch the dough into the shape of a plate. Let pizza-shaped crusts rest for 10 minutes while you preheat oven.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (about 200 degrees C). Preheat with baking stone in oven. If you don’t have a baking stone, preheat baking sheet.
Place two crusts on baking stone, pricking each generously with a fork.
Bake for 10 minutes.
Repeat with remaining crusts.
Let cool completely before you keep in the freezer or refrigerator.
When you are ready to use crusts, let them thaw slightly (if frozen) cover with desired toppings and bake at 400 degrees F (200 C) for about 10 minutes – cheese should be bubbly and slightly browned.

Need some tasty ideas to top these crusts?

Click here for silver salmon pizza.

Click here for smoked anchovy and salmon pizza.

Click here for pepperonata and fried egg pizza.

Almond Bread Pudding with Cognac Caramel

Posted on May 17, 2015 by Jack & Barbra Donachy

You don’t need to share an individual serving of sweet nutty bread pudding drizzled with cognac caramel sauce!

Heavy whipping cream is not readily available in Ulaanbaatar. This surprised me. Since the Mongolian culture is heavily tied to herding and to dairy, I assumed that whipping cream would be much easier to get than in remote Point Hope, Alaska, where we had to fly in this precious commodity. The plight of whipping cream difficulties has followed me across the globe. Well, that’s a bit overdramatic. I did come across heavy whipping cream in the one store that carries many western groceries here in UB. But at about $28 a liter, I decided it wasn’t worth it. Plus it was UHT (ultra heat temperature processed) in order to keep it shelf stable. My experience with UHT whipping cream is that it turns to butter with the slightest amount of whipping.

The other day, I noticed a box of a new product in the dairy section of a grocery store we frequently shop. Everything was in Korean, except for the words “whipping cream.” Since the price was reasonable and since I could not find anything that looked like “UHT” written anywhere, I took a chance. Boy, am I glad I did! Not only does this cream whip up beautifully, it is the best tasting whipping cream I have ever had.

As is often the case in Ulaanbaatar, a product is here one day and gone the next. Alas, I can no longer find this whipping cream, so I am using it sparingly. I hope it will show up again.

One of our favorites is bread pudding. Using pantry staples such as homemade French bread, toasted almonds, and good cognac, I baked a small batch of individual bread puddings. It was the perfect amount for us to enjoy and share with guests. And it was a delicious way to use some of the precious heavy whipping cream.

Almond Bread Pudding with Cognac Caramel

Ingredients

1/4 cup almonds, chopped and toasted
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp almond extract
2 eggs, beaten
2 1/2 cups French bread, cubed small

Ingredients for cognac caramel

1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp heavy cream
2 tbsp good quality cognac

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C). Grease 6 cups in a muffin tin. Set aside.
Whisk together melted butter, milk, cream, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, almond extract and eggs in a medium bowl.
Stir in bread cubes. Let sit for a few minutes to allow the bread to soak up egg mixture.
Divide mixture equally into prepared muffin tin.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Add almonds to the tops of bread puddings and bake for 10 more minutes.
Let the bread puddings cool in the tin for 10 minutes. While they are cooling, make the cognac caramel.
Bring brown sugar and cream to a boil in a small pan and continue to cook for 2 more minutes. Sauce should thicken.
Remove from hit and stir in cognac.
Loosen the bread puddings from tin by cutting around the edges with a knife. Transfer puddings to individual plates.
Drizzle cognac caramel sauce on each bread pudding and serve warm.

Two Monster-Sized Monster Cookies

Posted on May 13, 2015 by Jack & Barbra Donachy

Sometimes you need a big, soft, peanut buttery cookie stuffed with M&Ms and white chocolate chips.

OK, sometimes you need two. I love recipes measured in tablespoons and minutes, especially when they produce a soft cookie with an instant connection to childhood – and when there is enough to share with a friend.

Two Monster-Sized Monster Cookies

Ingredients

2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2 tbsp granulated sugar
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp peanut butter
8 tbsp all-purpose flour
4 tbsp quick oats
1/4 tsp baking soda
pinch salt
1/3 cup M&Ms
2 tbsp white chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 C).
Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, mix together first 6 ingredients.
Stir in flour, oats, baking soda, and salt.
Fold in M&Ms.
Fold in chocolate chips.
Divide dough in half. Scoop each half onto parchment-lined baking sheet. Flatten slightly.
Bake for 20 – 22 minutes, until edges are slightly browned.
Let cookies cool on baking sheet for about 10 minutes.

Recipe adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction.

Double Flamed Coq au Vin on Homemade Pappardelle Pasta

Posted on May 9, 2015 by Jack & Barbra Donachy

With culinary roots tracing all the way back to the days of Julius Caesar, coq au vin remains one of the most savory dishes you can serve.

Popularized in America by Julia Child, coq au vin had been on our “to cook” list for quite some time. Fortunately, the ingredients for this dish are widely available. Even in Mongolia, we had no difficulty putting everything together.

Although not strictly necessary, flaming the chicken leg and thigh with a shot of cognac gives this dish an especially savory, umami flavor. Doing likewise with the vegetables makes it all the better. Thus, Double Flamed Coq a Vin.

Double Flamed Coq a Vin

Ingredients

2/3 cup lardons or cubed, thick bacon
olive oil
2 to 3 pounds chicken legs and thighs on the bone, patted dry. Preferably thigh and leg together.
1/2 cup cognac, separated in half
smoked sea salt
cracked black pepper
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp dried thyme, separated
3 tbsp all purpose flour
2 cups dry red wine such as Burgundy, Syrah, etc.
2 cups chicken stock, canned or see recipe below
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 lb fresh mushrooms such as crimini, chopped large
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 medium carrots, chopped coarse
2 medium onions, chopped coarse
2 cups leaks chopped into generously thick (1 cm) cylinders

Directions

Salt and pepper chicken. Let rest.
Add olive oil and bacon to a sauté pan with high sides and heat over medium-high burner. When bacon is rendered, remove and set aside.
Add the chicken to sizzling hot oil and bacon fat and sear on all sides, using tongs to move the chicken.
When the chicken is seared brown, add 1/4 cup cognac. Make sure the area is cleared, your hair is tied back, and a lid is handy to smother the flames, if necessary. Light the cognac and let it burn itself out.
Return bacon to pan and add red wine, chicken broth, bay leaf, 1/4 tsp of thyme and garlic. Simmer to allow liquids to cook down somewhat – about 1/2 hour.
In a stock pot, add butter and olive oil and heat on medium-high burner. Add onions, carrots, salt, pepper, and 1/4 tsp thyme. Stir occasionally. When onions and carrots just begin to soften, add leaks and mushrooms and continue cooking till just tender.
Add 1/4 cup cognac and flame.
Vigorously stir in flour, adding more butter or olive oil, if necessary.
Add liquid from chicken to the vegetables in the stockpot and stir together so that the flour mixes to thicken the liquid. Add chicken and additional seasonings to taste.
Serve on a bed of wide pasta such as pappardelle.

Chicken Stock from Scratch

Ingredients

2 lbs chicken bones and trimmings, chopped to expose marrow
smoked sea salt
12 whole peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp sage
1 medium onion, chopped coarse
1 medium carrot, chopped coarse
2 large cloves garlic, chopped coarse
1/2 cup dry white wine (optional)
water to cover all

Directions

Use a meat tenderizer or heavy chopping knife to crack and break chicken bones so that marrow is exposed.
Add ingredients to a stock pot. Bring to boil. Reduce to simmer. Cook for 20 minutes.
Strain broth through a fine wire strainer. Use fresh or freeze.

Semolina Grissini – Italian Style Crunchy Breadsticks

Posted on April 26, 2015 by Jack & Barbra Donachy

Crunchy, savory sticks ready to be eaten plain, wrapped in prosciutto, or dipped in any savory sauce imagined. In addition to the rich flavor extra virgin olive oil provides, our grissini were peppered with black sesame seeds, poppy seeds, smoked rock salt, and charnushka.

Grissini make a fabulous edible table centerpiece, and they are a cool prop to animate your dinner conversations!

Grissini, Italian-style crisp breadsticks, have long been on my list to make. They are a tasty and fun addition to so many meals. Imagine a romantic Italian meal where grissini are centered on the table alongside tapered lit candlesticks. How about enjoying grissini with a meal of crispy salad and hearty minestrone? The list could go on.

Any type of herbs or spices could be kneaded or pressed into the dough before baking. I experimented with poppy seeds, black sesame seeds, rock salt and charnushka. The smoked rock salt was the clear winner in the flavor category, but charnushka was a close second. If you haven’t experimented with this seed yet, now is the time. Charnushka has a moderately nutty, smoky, peppery flavor that I first enjoyed on one version of everything bagels. They worked perfectly on the grissini.

Semolina Grissini

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups warm water (110 degrees F/43 degrees C)
2 tsp granulated sugar
1 tbsp active dry yeast
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups semolina flour
2 tsp toppings of your choice (smoked rock salt, poppy seeds, charnushka, etc.)
additional extra virgin olive oil for brushing on sticks before they bake

Directions

Stir water, sugar and yeast together in a large bowl. Let sit for about 5 minutes to ensure your yeast is bubbling and active.
Stir in olive oil.
Add 1/2 of both flours and the salt. Mix well.
Stir in 1/2 of remaining flour.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
Knead in the rest of the flour. Continue kneading until dough is smooth and flour is well-incorporated, about 5 minutes. Dough will have a slightly coarse texture due to the semolina flour.
Lightly oil a large bowl. Place dough in bowl. Turn to coat.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rise in a warm, draft-free location until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
Cut the dough into 24 equal pieces.
Roll each piece into dough sticks, about 12 inches long, or the length of your baking sheet.
Brush both sides of dough sticks generously with olive oil.
Press in toppings, if desired.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Place 6 dough sticks on parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake for 10 minutes. Flip sticks over and bake for 5 more minutes. Sticks should be lightly browned and crispy.
Repeat with remaining dough, baking batches of 6.