Ham and cheese croissants at home, you never need to go to Au Bon Pain again

Every year for MLK weekend my husband goes on a family skiing trip. I am invited every year, I even went one year but it was so freaking cold the break fluid in my car froze. NOT OK!

So last year, when I was still recovering from hip surgery, my friend Pam stayed with me all weekend. It was awesome, one of the best things about that weekend was that she made croissants. I had never thought of croissants as a thing you made at home. They are something that you buy. That was the end of my ruminations on croissants. Then she made them for me and I was in love. I honestly don't think I had eaten a croissant since sampling her delectable creations.

So, this year for christmas breakfast when I was wracking my brains for something delicious to make, I settled on croissants. I figured ( as I do with many of our more adventuresome food prospects) if Pam can make them then maybe I can too. She makes things less scary when I watch her effortlessly pull off pastries or create a loaf of bread from nothingness.
For my first foray into pastry making I decided that we would have plain, chocolate, and ham and cheese croissants, I even went so far as to purchase special cheese and ham.

Then the fateful day before christmas arrived and my husband and my friend April, who was visiting from out of town, marveled as I beat the crap out of not one butter block, but two. ( The first one crumbled and I forgot the flour.) As I beat the butter into the dough, Nathaniel asked, "Is that it? Are you done?" To which I replied, "No, I have to let it sit for two hours and roll it again, and then do it again, and then shape the croissants and let them sit in the fridge for 10-16 hours." To which my husband who knows me as a woman of little to no patience replied, "Yeah, right."

But, as the day wore on, and we watched an entire season of Big Bang Theory, I continued to get up every few hours and roll out the dough and carefully fold it back in on itself and let it sit in the fridge. You would think with all that work when it came time to cut the dough that I would be extra careful. Nope!

I didn't pay attention to the directions ( after 12 hours I can't be expected to pay attention to directions right?) And instead of cutting mostly rectangles ( for the chocolate and ham and cheese) with only a few diagonal pieces for the regular croissants I cut way too many rectangles. So I decided to dedicate most of my rectangles to the chocolate croissants and only a few to the ham and cheese and to risk dribbling by adding ham and cheese to some of the diagonal cut pieces. Then we waited, And as we opened presents the next morning buttery goodness puffed and baked away in the oven. It turns out that the leaky meltyness happened in the rectangular ham and cheese croissants where the triangular cut ones had a perfect distribution of savory goodness.

Would I recommend making these every day? No. But I would recommend keeping yeast in your fridge because these are perfect for a New England snowed in weekend when there is nothing to do but bake, watch TV, and enjoy being snowed in.

Croissants (I totally lifted this recipe from Cave Cibum but I don't think she'll mind :)
3 cups plus 2 Tbsp flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp instant or rapid rise yeast (about 1 1/2 packets)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cup warm milk
3 sticks unsalted butter
1 large egg, beaten
4 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped (optional)
4 small pieces ham ( about 1/2 an inch thick)
4 slices of muenster cheese.

In the bowl of a standing mixer, combine 2 3/4 cups flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. With the mixer at low speed and the dough hook installed, slowly add milk and mix until the dough begins to pull together, about 2 minutes. Increase speed to medium-low and mix until dough becomes sticky and elastic, about 8 minutes. If the dough isn't forming roughly into a ball by about 5 minutes, add 1/4 cup more flour, 1 Tbsp at a time. Scrape down the sides of the mixer bowl and put the dough into a lightly greased bowl. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Lay out a large sheet of parchment paper on a counter. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp of flour on the parchment, then lay the 3 sticks of butter side by side on the flour. Sprinkle 1 more Tbsp of flour on top of the butter, then top with another sheet of parchment. Working with a rolling pin, gently pound the butter until it is softened and the flour is incorporated. Roll butter into a 12-inch square. Keeping the butter in the parchment, refrigerate for 1 hour.

On a floured surface, roll out dough so that the butter square will fit diagonally in the center. Place the butter in the center of the dough in a diamond shape, with the corners of the butter at the middle of the sides of the dough. Fold the dough over the sides of the butter so that they meet in the middle and press to seal shut. Roll the dough out to a 14-inch square, sprinkling on more flour as needed to keep it from sticking. Once dough is rolled out, fold the square into thirds, like a letter, to form a rectangle, then fold that rectangle into thirds to form a small square. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Roll out the dough again, lightly dusting with flour to prevent sticking. Repeat the previous folding process, folding the dough into a rectangle and then a square. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper (rimmed baking sheets are best). Roll the dough into a 20-inch square. Cut the dough into two halves down the middle.

For regular croissants, cut each half into 3 rectangles, then cut each of those pieces diagonally into 2 triangles. Cut a small slit into the wide end of the triangle, then gently roll the dough, starting at the wide end and moving towards the point. Place the croissants on the baking sheet and curl the arms around to form the crescent shape.

For chocolate croissants, cut each half into 6 even rectangles. Place a tablespoon of chopped chocolate at one end, then roll the dough up around it into a log shape. Arrange on the baking sheet with the seam on the bottom.

For ham and cheese croissants cut each half into 3 rectangles, then cut each of those pieces diagonally into 2 triangles. lay the cheese slices down first starting at the wide end of the triangle and placing them to about halfway to the tip of the triangle. If you are using deli cheese slices you want to cut them in half lengthwise so they don't stick out the sides when you roll the croissant. Then, place the ham at the wide end of the triangle ( 2-3 strips about 1/4 of an inch wide and 2-3 inches long).Then gently roll the dough, starting at the wide end and moving towards the point.

Loosely cover shaped croissants with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 10 to 16 hours.

Preheat oven to 400°. Brush the croissants with egg wash and place the sheets in the oven, using both racks. Bake until golden, 18 to 22 minutes. Rotate and switch the baking sheets halfway through baking. Serve warm or at room temperature. For chocolate croissants, wait until the croissants have cooled, then drizzle with melted chocolate.

Cocoa Metro

Ok, so last week I was browsing with a friend at Russo's when I noticed one of my favorite things. Chocolate milk in a glass bottle. Intreigued, I of course bought a bottle of the thick silky looking concoction. When I got it home I opened it right away and poured a little into a glass. I have to say, this stuff is AMAZING. It's thick and packs enough rich chocolaty punch to satisfy even the most demanding chocolate craving. My husband compared it to melted Haagen dazs ice cream. And then, this morning, after french pressing a pot of godiva coffee, another chocolate lovers delight, I decided to try Cocoa Metro in my mocha. Best decision ever!
In fact, it was so delicious that I was inspired to march right up stairs and write about its awesomeness. So, In conclusion if you are a chocolate fan, a mocha fan, a milk fan or a fan of amazing feats of foodie goodness, go out and buy a bottle of Cocoa Metro, you won't regret it.

I have a confession to make

OK, I have a confession to make. I got a job. Not a real full time leave my house job. But a freelance work like a maniac for two weeks and then recover for a week job. My friends only get to see me intermittantly and I think I might be getting sick from the stress. The job will be more stable though probably more stressful in the New Year but I wanted to explain the absence. I am going to try to blog at least once a week from now on, for those of you who are left to care. This week will be pot roast with whipped potatoes, but not until tomorrow ( while I am waiting for my work to be released into my custody) .
Thank you for being patient and I hope to be a better blogger from now on.
Onward to the holiday season.
-Me

Easy creamy lemon pasta

This one is so easy that I honestly didn't believe it the first time I tried it. In fact, I have complicated it significantly since I first tried the recipe. I really wanted a light fresh cream sauce, and I was astounded at how easy this is. The lemon juice actually curdles the cream turning it into this lovely light and lemony cream sauce. The thyme is the perfect accompaniment. And depending on what you add into this one, this recipe can take as little as the amount of time it takes to cook pasta.

Creamy lemon pasta

Enough pasta for 2 people
1 cup cream
2 tsp lemon juice
Lemon zest from 1 lemon
3 tsp thyme
Salt
Pepper
Olive oil
Pecorino Romano cheese for garnish

-Saute the lemon zest and the thyme in the olive oil for 2-3 minutes.
-Add in the cream and cook until it is reduced a little.
-Add in lemon juice.
-Season to taste with salt and pepper.
-Coat pasta with sauce.

Serve with any of the following.

-Chicken breasts cooked with lemon juice and thyme cut into small pieces.
-Slightly wilted baby spinach
-Sliced proscuitto ( I recommend you add this to the sauce at the last minute)

Or you can do what I do and add all three. The great thing about this recipe is that you can add any or all of the ingredients above to accommodate any number of picky palates.

Forays into gourmet looking cooking

While I was in California this August I spent some time with my brother-in-law's fiancee. I have always liked her and was happy to get a little time alone with her. Recently, she found out that she has a rare bundle of allergies (the condition has a horribly unpronounceable name but for the life of me I can't remember what it was) that slowly makes her esophagus close up. When it closes too far they have to inflate a balloon in her throat in order to make it open up again. Now, I haven't experienced this myself, but I'm told that not only does this suck royally but it is also dangerous and can lead to tearing of the esophagus. Not good. So her only real recourse is to take steroid inhalers and avoid the foods that cause the problem.

You may think well, that's obvious you know you're allergic to something avoid it. But here's the problem. There is no way to tell what she is allergic to without having expensive allergy testing done. Also, some of the things that are bad for her are so common that they are almost impossible to avoid. Like onions. I know I would have a problem living without onions I can only imagine how hard it must be for her. Now luckily she can eat the biggies, dairy, meat, and gluten are all ok.

When we were in Cali we went out to Maggiano's for dinner and poor Katie had to order her own specialty things to eat. Though, the chef did seem pleased to finally have a chance to do something out of the ordinary. One of the things he made was a modified crab cake that was simply delicious so, knowing that I am a foodie, Katie turned to me and asked if I could figure out how this was made. I took a few bites to figure out the main ingredients involved and decided to give it a try once I was home.

This is a really easy light and flavorful appetizer and this recipe makes enough for around 5 people. You can make it as casual or fancy as you choose. Not only is it good for someone allergic to gluten or onions but my shellfish loving father is going to be extremely excited about this as well.

Crab a la Katie
1/2 cup minced fennel
1/2 cup finely chopped red pepper
12 finely sliced basil leaves
12 oz lump crab
1/2 juiced lime or lemon
Roughly 1 tsp old bay seasoning to taste
Dash of garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 or 2 grinds of pepper
2 avocados 1 chopped or mushed 1 sliced into arches

Mix seasonings with crab and set aside. Saute peppers and fennel in olive oil for 2-3 minutes at medium heat. Turn down heat, add in crab, heat through. Transfer to medium bowl, add avocado and combine. Mold inside biscuit cutter/tin can etc
Serve with avocado slices.


Oh, and Happy Birthday Katie!!

Stuff to Eat in the Suburbs: Saugus - Angela's Coal Fired Pizza

We’d heard some interesting things about Angela’s Coal Fired Pizza in Saugus, but frankly, this Bostonist hasn’t really sat down for just pizza and wings since she was in college (except of course for the occasional trip to Regina’s in the North End). So last week when we were out in the Saugus area we decided to check it out. Now a sit down restaurant that only serves pizza and wings seemed a little limited and frankly we were expecting a greasy hole-in-the-wall kind of place. But we were pleasantly surprised from the moment we walked in the door.

Angela’s high ceilings, spacious seating, and comfortable modern furnishings gives it both a trendy and family friendly feel. The open kitchen at the front of the restaurant makes it so that a perpetual aroma of coal-fired pizza wafts over diners as they await their delicious meal; making the anticipation even sweeter. Each table has a funky black pizza stand in the center to remind you what’s important. The outdoor patio is decorated with modern bar-height tables and chairs and small circular stands, just big enough to put your drink on, have been attached to a row of trees that give diners shelter from the building next door. The area feels secret and secluded even though it is right off Route 1.

The pizza is simply spectacular, as one would expect it to be in a sit down restaurant that has decided to specialize. But this pizza was particularly impressive. The pizza has just the right amount of cheese. Not too much, not too little, and the cheese runs throughout each piece of pizza both on top of and underneath the toppings. The thing that struck us in particular was how wonderfully melty and gooey it was. The toppings were generous on each piece but not overcrowded, and the crust was incredibly crisp on the bottom and provided a nice firm support for the toppings and cheese. The sauce is the perfect finisher for this fantastic pizza; salty and just a little bit spicy but not too chunky or runny.

The wings were another amazing surprise. No buffalo, crispy, hot, or sweet and sour here. You are only given two options: small or large. These wings are incredible. The meat simply falls off the bone and each bite is infused with lemon, garlic, rosemary, and who knows what other wonderful ingredients. The wings are served atop a tasty piece of focaccia and have sweet delicious onions heaped on top.

The wings and pizza aren’t the only things on the menu, there is also an extensive and very tasty looking wine and beer menu. Honestly, this may now be this Bostonist’s favorite pizza in the greater metropolitan area. Even though it is seriously out of the way, we will definitely be headed back out to Saugus soon to partake of this awesome new find.

Anglea’s is located on Route 1 in Saugus, they also have a location in Tyngsboro. You can check out their menu their website.

This post originally appeared on the Bostonist.

Stuff to Eat in the Suburbs: Waltham—Joe Sent Me

The first time this Bostonist saw Joe Sent Me it was winter. It looked like just another bar from the outside, pubby and cave-like in the winter snow. At the time we were worried about being cold and were doing much of our drinking inside our own house to avoid having to interact too heavily with outside’s frigid temperatures and piles of snow. However, a couple of weeks ago Joe Sent Me located on Main Street in Waltham got another look. Always on the lookout for any restaurant with outdoor seating to take advantage of the brief months of lovely Boston weather, we noticed a chalk board outside of Joe Sent Me proclaiming in bright red letters Patio Open. Immediately intrigued we vowed to try it before the climate turned south again. Well, we did just that last week with a friend for a late lunch.

The patio is open, airy, and pleasantly decorated, a little gem hidden in the back of this fine Waltham pub. You wouldn’t even know it was there if you didn’t notice the sliver of sunlight peeking through the back of the pub.

Joe Sent Me is your typical pub, benches and barstools abound on the inside and it’s a great place for trivia or an after-work drink with co-workers or friends. Their beer selection is varied and they even have Magner’s on tap for those of us who prefer their bubbles with a little apple flavor. Their mixed drinks are also quite tasty and well balanced. Not too much mixer or alcohol so you feel like you’re getting your money’s worth while sipping at something that doesn’t taste like jet fuel. The real surprise here was the delicious food menu.

We ordered a burger with bacon and caramelized onions and a pressed chicken sandwich with red peppers, cheese, and ranch dressing. The burger was juicy and perfectly cooked. And the saltiness of the bacon and the sweetness of the onions really complimented the juicy umami of the burger. The pressed chicken was a solidly put together sandwich with bread that was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The chicken was sliced, white breast-meat, well trimmed and juice with a lot of flavor. The red peppers, cheese and ranch dressing balanced each other out to create a truly deliciouscombination of flavors. None of the flavors were particularly overpowering by themselves but together they created a sandwich that was truly hard to put down.

Each sandwich came with a delightfully sour dill pickle wedge, the accompanying fries were appropriately crispy and salty, and we were pleasantly surprised when offered a set of condiments that included malt vinegar for the fries. Prices are reasonable and the food and drinks make Joe Sent Me a great place to hang out for an evening, in the winter or summer.

Joe Sent Me also has a location in Cambridge. You can find directions to either location and a menu on their website.

This Post first appeared on the Bostonist