My Newest Obsession: TofuXpress

I have been wanting a tofu press for the longest time.  I cook with tofu pretty frequently and I'm always finding creative ways to squeeze out the excess water from tofu before baking or stir-frying it.

Pressing Tofu For My Marinated Baked Tofu Stir-Fry

No matter what my method, I never feel like I have quite gotten all of the water out and the tofu never ends up having quite the crispy texture that I'm looking for. 

I saw a few product reviews for the TofuXpress on some of my favorite blogs and I put it on my Amazon wishlist in 2010.  Almost two years later, I finally got it as a Christmas gift from my sister (thanks, Jessica)!

The tofu press is everything that it says it will be.  It helps easily squeeze out the excess water and without excess water (and a really hot pan), you can get an awesome crust on the tofu. 

We made a simple tofu stir-fry tonight for dinner and the tofu texture was really meaty.

The TofuXpress was one of many food-related items I received for Christmas and Hanukkah, including cookbooks, food-themed fiction, and a new rice cooker.

Tell me, what are your favorite food-related gifts to give or receive?

Brown Sugar Cookies

In addition to my Salted Toffee-Chocolate Squares, I also baked up a batch of Brown Sugar Cookies for Christmas.  This Cook's Illustrated recipe is very similar to their Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe, which I made for the Boston Blogger Cookie Challenge.

First, I gathered my ingredients:

• 14 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 cups packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg plus 1 large yolk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

I started out by browning ten tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium-high heat.  I melted the butter and swirled the pan occasionally until the butter turned dark golden brown and had the most wonderful nutty aroma.

I poured the browned butter in a large bowl and then added the remaining four tablespoons of butter to the melted butter.  I stirred the butter until it was completely cooled and set it aside.

I then preheated the oven to 350 degrees and lined two baking sheets with parchment paper.  In a shallow bowl, I mixed 1/4 cup brown sugar and the granulated sugar and set aside.

I also whisked the flour, baking soda, and baking powder in a medium bowl and set aside.

I then added the remaining 1 3/4 cups of brown sugar and salt to the bowl of melted browned butter.  The sugar and salt were mixed in until there were no sugar lumps remaining.

I then stirred in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla.

I finally added in the flour mixture until the dough was just combined.

I rolled two tablespoons of dough at a time into balls and then pressed half the dough ball into the sugar mixture.  The dough balls were placed two inches apart on the baking sheets.

I baked the cookies one sheet at a time on the middle rack for six minutes before rotating the sheet and baking for another six minutes.  The cookies cooled on the tray for about ten minutes before I transferred them to a serving platter.

These cookies were simply lovely.  They had the perfect soft and chewy texture.  The brown sugar really elevated these sugar cookies by adding a nice depth of flavor. 

These might have been my favorite cookies of the holiday season!

What have been your favorite cookies this holiday season? 

Salted Toffee-Chocolate Squares

When I asked my mom what she wanted me to make for Christmas dinner, she asked me to bake some cookies to go along with her other dessert dishes.  I had just baked nine dozen cookies the weekend before so I wasn't exactly thrilled with this assignment.  I did perk up pretty quickly when I realized that it gave me an excuse to make super decadent Salted Toffee-Chocolate Squares, which I had clipped from Everyday Food in May of 2010.

First I gathered my ingredients:

• 12 graham crackers (the original recipe calls for 13 but I went for an even dozen)
• 1 bag toffee bits
• 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped toasted natural almonds
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup (4 ounces) bittersweet chocolate, chopped (you can also use bittersweet chocolate chips)
• 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt

I preheated the oven to 350 degrees.  I lined a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.  I placed the graham crackers in a single layer with the edges touching.  I sprinkled the toffee bits and almonds over the graham crackers.  (Thanks Bret for chopping up the almonds!)

In a small saucepan, I brought the sugar and butter to a boil over medium-high. I reduced the heat and cook the butter-sugar mixture at a rapid simmer, stirred occasionally, until the mixture was thick and syrupy.

Once the butter-sugar mixture was ready, I spooned it over the graham crackers.

The graham crackers went into the oven for twelve minutes until the sugar topping was bubbling.  I immediately sprinkled the chopped chocolate and salt over graham crackers.  Since the squares were right out of the oven, the heat helped melt the chocolate down.

With a sharp knife, Bret cut the graham crackers into two-inch squares.   I let the salted-toffee chocolate squares cool completely before moving them to a serving platter.

While these were a bit messy to eat, these were a big hit on Christmas!  Everyone love the salty and sweetness of these squares.  And the squares had the perfect crunchy texture.  Since they were super easy to make, I'll definitely be making these squares again in the future.

If you celebrate Christmas, did you bake or make anything for the holidays?

Dave & Buster's (Braintree, MA)

Before it opened, I recently received an invitation for a media preview of the new Dave & Buster's in Braintree.  I've seen so many commercials for this place and have passed by the one in Providence so many times but I've never actually been inside Dave & Buster's.  Since this is the first Massachusetts location, I definitely wanted to check it out but I unfortunately couldn't make the media preview because of my schedule.

Since I couldn't make the media preview, the kind folks at Schneider Associates asked if I'd like to come down after work one night to check it out.  Since Bret and I are just big kids at heart, we were both excited to have a fun date night that involved food, drinks and, of course, games!

We started the evening by splitting a few appetizers for dinner.  One of the dishes was the Buffalo Bar Chicks, which were four mini buffalo chicken sliders and fries.

Our second appetizer was the Philly Steak Rolls, which were ridiculously addictive.  We both loved the spicy ketchup and queso that came with the rolls.

And we also munched on some tortilla chips with queso and salsa.  There was also an option for a "loaded" queso which came with ground beef, sour cream and guacamole but we were pretty happy with the unloaded version.

The food was pretty standard bar food but we weren't there for the food.  After we finished our meal, we spent over an hour playing a ridiculous amount of arcade games.  Since Wednesday night is half-priced game night, we got to play a lot of different games - from Connect Four to basketball to race cars.  It was a total blast and a really fun dining experience.  I was glad we finally got to check Dave & Buster's out!

Full disclosure: Dave & Buster's provided me with a complimentary $40 gift card but as always, my opinion is honest and completely my own.

Dave & Buster's has over 50 locations nationwide.  We went to the one at 250 Granite Street, Braintree, MA.

Happy Hanukkah!

Although it is a holiday that is new to me, I always look forward to celebrating Hanukkah with Bret.  We take a quiet moment to light the candles, say a prayer, and just reflect on the things that are important to us - family, friends, love, health and happiness.  Amidst all of the holiday chaos this time of year, I always appreciate these quiet moments.

Since Bret is off of work until next year, he has been doing a lot of heavy lifting for us.  This include running last minute errands, wrapping gifts, doing laundry, and basically running our household.  I'm incredibly grateful.  Among his never-ending list of things to do, Bret cooked a wonderful Hanukkah dinner tonight.  He chose a recipe from Slow Cooker Revolution, which I recently received, as a Hanukkah gift from Bret's parents.

Photo Credit

Bret adapted a recipe for beer-braised chicken thighs and served it with steamed green beans and twice-baked potatoes. 

It was absolutely fabulous.  It may not have been a traditional Hanukkah meal but Bret and I are all about making our own traditions.

To those who celebrate, Happy Hanukkah!

The Weekend in Numbers

This blog post is lovingly borrowed from Melissa!  After a whirlwind weekend, I thought there is only one way to sum it all up - weekend in numbers. 

10 - The number of songs I sang and danced to like a fool on Saturday night.  Cover bands are the best.  Cover bands + vodka tonics are even better.

9 - Dozen cookies baked for Hanukkah, the Floozies' Party and Sunday's holiday cookie swap.

8 - Number of red lights we hit from Charlestown to West Roxbury on Sunday.  Worst google directions ever!

7 - Number of times my nephew and niece made me laugh out loud at Hanukkah.  Little kids crack me up!

6 -  The approximate number of hours I barely slept on Saturday night.  Thanks, Kim, for the sleepover! 

5 - Number of latkes I ate at Hanukkah dinner.  I love latkes.

4 - The number of cookies I brought home on Sunday from the cookie swap.  My co-workers are enjoying them as we speak!

3 - The number of homemade cranberry vodka spritzers I indulged in (thanks Anna!)

2 - Number of pounds I probably gained this weekend.
Um, this is exactly why I keep my "fat" jeans around for!

1 - The number of Hanukkah gifts I bought for Bret. 

Somehow I knew that the iPad would be just enough.

I have no idea how I survived this whirlwind weekend....but I'd do it all over again!

How was your weekend?

A Few Of My Favorite Things

This is the time of year when people are often writing about holiday wishlists.  My wishlist is pretty simple - to spend more time with my friends and family, really get motivated with wedding planning (nine months away!), and be grateful for the wonderful people and things in my life right now.  Since I'm not really wishing for a whole lately, I thought I'd write instead about some of my favorite things right now...

First, I've been loving the show Homeland.  I adore Claire Danes and she has been phenomenal as the star of this show.  This show deals with themes of terrorism and conspiracy, all tied up with a lot of drama and action.  If you liked (or in my case, loved) 24, you'll love this show.

Photo Credit

I fell in love with these blue peacock pillowcases from West Elm this summer and purchased them immediately for my three small throw pillows.  I also have two larger throw pillows and couldn't find any pillowcases that would compliment the blue peacock pillowcases.  On Black Friday, I found these pillowcases at Pottery Barn and thought they matched perfectly (without being too matchy-matchy).

I've also been loving this velvet-lined Aunt Sadie's candle.  I've been a big fan of Aunt Sadie's candles for quite some time.  I could find them in so many different stores when I lived in Boston and I would buy them regularly.  I was planning on stocking up the next time I was in the city but I was thrilled to find that a small gift boutique (Simply Smashing) in downtown Andover carries them.  The owner was so excited about my enthusiasm when I discovered that her store carried them that she gave me a discount and a coupon for future use.  I will definitely be a regular customer, if not for the candles alone!

Even though it is chilly outside, I've definitely been enjoying Stonyfield "Gotta Have Vanilla" Frozen Yogurt lately.  I got a free coupon at the Boston Brunchers' birthday brunch and I finally picked up a pint.  The frozen yogurt is so creamy and has a slightly nutty flavor.  It has definitely been my guilty pleasure this week. 

I've also been loving Trop50 Farmstand Apple.  I recently received a coupon for a complimentary bottle of Trop50.  While I don't drink juice regularly, I've been indulging in a glass of Trop50 every morning.  There are only 50 calories in an 8-ounce glass but what really has me hooked is that it isn't super thick or overly sweet.

Speaking of apples, my new favorite beer is Shipyard Applehead.  If Pumpkinhead is my fall beer, Applehead is my new winter love.  If you love beer and apple cider, you will love this beer as much as I do.

These are just a few of the things that I've been loving lately.  What has you smiling these days?

Hearty Lentil Sausage Soup

Doesn't December always feel like the busiest month in the year?  Every weekend is always jam-packed with fun plans and activities.  This weekend was no different.  On Friday night, Bret and I strolled around downtown Andover for the Andover's Holiday Happenings.  On Saturday, we drove down to Connecticut to visit my friends Gen, Matt and their adorable baby daughter before heading to MGM Grand at Foxwoods for dinner at Craftsteak and to see Jerry Seinfeld perform.  By the time we came home on Sunday, after a long walk and an afternoon of football, I was ready to seriously unwind.  Thankfully my hearty lentil sausage soup was worth slowing down for.

I had planned on making this soup before we left on Saturday so I took out a package of mild Italian sausage from the freezer and soaked two cups of lentils overnight.  On Sunday afternoon, I gathered the rest of my ingredients:

• 5 mild Italian pork sausages
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 6-7 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups of lentils, soaked overnight
• 32 oz of chicken broth
• 1 can of crushed tomatoes with basil
• Cayenne, to taste
• Chili powder, to taste
• Salt and pepper, to taste

I started out by browning my sausages in a nonstick pan with a splash of vegetable oil and half a cup of water. 

While the sausages were cooking, I warmed up the Dutch oven with a splash of olive oil and cooked the chopped onion and minced garlic until the onion was soft and the garlic was browned.

By this time, the sausages had a gorgeous brown color and I set them aside to cool before slicing them up.

While the sausages were cooling, I drained and rinsed the soaked lentils.

I added the lentils along with a cup of chicken broth to the pan and let all of the great flavors come together.

After about fifteen minutes, I added the crushed tomatoes and the rest of the chicken broth to the pot.

I sliced up the sausages and added them to the soup.

I seasoned the soup with salt, pepper, cayenne and chili powder and let the soup simmer for two hours on low.  During this time, the lentils softened and broke down, which made the soup wonderfully thick and hearty.

Bret and I slowly indulged in a bowl (or two) of this soup while we unwound from the weekend.  This soup also helped cut down on our meal prep for the rest of the week.  This batch of soup was enough for several lunches and dinners. 

Tell me, what hearty dishes did you cook up this past weekend?

Shortcuts With Sukhi's Gourmet Indian Food

When life gets busy, I'm not ashamed to take a shortcut or two in the kitchen as long as it doesn't sacrifice on flavor and taste.  I recently received a generous package of Sukhi's Gourmet Indian Foods cooking sauces, spice mixes and chutneys.  These products are meant to be starter kits to help cut down meal prep time.  After a particularly long day at work recently, I decided to finally try two of these products out.

I started out by warming up my Dutch oven on the  stove on medium-high heat with a splash of vegetable oil.  I added a chopped shallot, drained and rinsed can of chickpeas and two cubed chicken breasts to the pan.  I then added the Vindaloo Curry Sauce, which was more like a curry paste, to the pot, along with a cup of water.

I let all of these ingredients continue cooking until the chicken was cooked through and the sauce began thickening up.

I served this curry with whole wheat naan, which was baked with garlic butter, along with some Mango Chutney.

I was also excited to eat Indian food on the place mats that Bret's parents purchased for us during their recent trip to India.  I know, I'm a dork.

While I do enjoy cooking from scratch, it is cannot always be a reality with my work schedule.  I liked that these are meal starters and not just re-heating a frozen meal.  The meal starter seriously made the meal prep so minimal.  I mean, it took only minutes to chop a shallot, drain and rinse a can of chickpeas and cut up two chicken breasts.  Even though the cooking is minimal, using the meal starter didn't sacrifice in taste.  I thought that the vindaloo curry tasted fairly authentic (although I would have preferred that the curry be a little bit spicier).  The mango chutney was equally good and I'm looking forward to eating more of it with a creamy cheese and crackers. 

As things continue to get busy both at and outside of work, I'm always looking for more time-saving ideas.  Tell me, what shortcuts do you take in the kitchen when you're in a time crunch?

Full disclosure: The Sukhi's products were complimentary, but as always, my opinion is honest and completely my own.