I'd really love to get good at homemade ravioli / tortellini. I've made them a few times but never quite right. I have some family recipes and some from a great Italian cookbook. They just take soo long. Pregnant with #2 now, so it'll be a long time until I can get to this, but hopefully eventually!

Anonymous wrote:I'm going to attempt my own sourdough starter so I can make bread. I've seen some great looking recipes for sourdough pancakes and cinnamon rolls which sewed the deal. I love good bread but it's surprisingly hard to find in DC.

I've just started this too! Sooo delicious! Just starting to get the hang of timing and quantities. I've also been making a very good pain de mie recently, and I want to learn how to make super soft fluffy Asian style pain de mie next. Sort of an anti-diet, I know, but you only live once, right?!

Anonymous wrote:Sushi ?

Do it! You don't even have to use raw fish (I lived in Japan and we made temaki -- hand rolls -- and regular maki all the time out of cooked ingredients. It's common when you make it at home).

You can use this Youtube video as a jumping off point: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Hy55UIjaqY

Some popular fillings in Japan were things like ham, mayo, and cucumber; avocado and cucumber; pickled veggies; slightly sweet egg. I also like lox and creamcheese (Philly roll), california roll (with shrimp, avocado, and cucumber).

The only special equipment you need is a little bamboo roller, and those are like $2 at H-Mart or you can order some on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/BambooMN-Brand-Rolling-rolling-spreader/dp/B005O114V4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420484065&sr=8-1&keywords=sushi+roller

I'm going to attempt my own sourdough starter so I can make bread. I've seen some great looking recipes for sourdough pancakes and cinnamon rolls which sewed the deal. I love good bread but it's surprisingly hard to find in DC.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Creme brûlée is actually not that hard, you should try it! If you don't have the fancy-shmancy blow torch, just put the cooked/chilled custards (sprinkled with sugar) under the broiler for a minute or two. The blowtorch does make it easier to get an even finish, but it's not required.

I'd like to make more types of bread. I can make the basic dinner rolls, but the rustic artisan loafs intimidate me.

And homemade pasta. I've made gnocchi, but have never made classic pasta noodles.

OP, try one of the no-knead breads. They make beautiful boules and are absolutely effortless. there are also a lot of great recipes on The Fresh Loaf (aka bakers porn).

Oh my god that website looks amazing - thanks for the link! My New Year's Resolution to cut back on carbs is suddenly in direct conflict with my new resolution to learn to bake the perfect bread. Oh, what to do??? Well, this rainy weekend is the perfect time to try one of those no-knead loaves! Off to the recipe files!

Me again! I made this one yesterday:
http://breadbaking.about.com/od/yeastbreads/r/itallybrd.htm
and it was awesome!!

Question about the no-knead recipes: how do you time everything? Most of the recipes I see call for 12-18 hours for an initial rest, then 1-2 hours rise, then baking. I guess I could start it Friday or Saturday night, rest overnight, start the 1-2 hour rise the next afternoon, and bake in time for dinner? I was hoping that these would work for weeknights, but I don't really see that happening (I WOH, and get home around 6 pm). Is there a trick I'm missing here?

I usually make most of my breads on the weekends, or start the night before.

A great go-to recipe if you're looking for bread through the week is the 5 minute artisan bread:
White version (will easily take 1/2 the flour in whole wheat)

http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/five-minutes-a-day-for-fresh-baked-bread-zmaz08djzgoe.aspx

Whole grain version:

http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/whole-grain-artisan-bread-zmaz09djzraw.aspx#axzz3NyRlOk00

So, with these you just mix up once a week. Easy peasy!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Quinoa, but DH is suspect. He is a meat and potatoes type of guy.

Oh you should just make a side dish of it and see if he'll try it. I did and I'm not a fan - but at least I know now that I'm not a fan. Dh wouldn't even try it. He stuck with his rice.

Make a quinoa pilaf so it has a bit more flavor. Saute some shallots in butter, cook the quinoa with the shallots and chicken stock, then add some diced roasted red pepper, chopped arugula, and parmesan at the end.

Boeuf Bourgignon. Just made Julia's recipe for New Year's Day and it was so ridiculously good.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Creme brûlée is actually not that hard, you should try it! If you don't have the fancy-shmancy blow torch, just put the cooked/chilled custards (sprinkled with sugar) under the broiler for a minute or two. The blowtorch does make it easier to get an even finish, but it's not required.

I'd like to make more types of bread. I can make the basic dinner rolls, but the rustic artisan loafs intimidate me.

And homemade pasta. I've made gnocchi, but have never made classic pasta noodles.

OP, try one of the no-knead breads. They make beautiful boules and are absolutely effortless. there are also a lot of great recipes on The Fresh Loaf (aka bakers porn).

Oh my god that website looks amazing - thanks for the link! My New Year's Resolution to cut back on carbs is suddenly in direct conflict with my new resolution to learn to bake the perfect bread. Oh, what to do??? Well, this rainy weekend is the perfect time to try one of those no-knead loaves! Off to the recipe files!

Me again! I made this one yesterday:
http://breadbaking.about.com/od/yeastbreads/r/itallybrd.htm
and it was awesome!!

Question about the no-knead recipes: how do you time everything? Most of the recipes I see call for 12-18 hours for an initial rest, then 1-2 hours rise, then baking. I guess I could start it Friday or Saturday night, rest overnight, start the 1-2 hour rise the next afternoon, and bake in time for dinner? I was hoping that these would work for weeknights, but I don't really see that happening (I WOH, and get home around 6 pm). Is there a trick I'm missing here?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:French pastry pyramid with spun sugar threads like the ones Martha Stewart made.

Croquembouche. Martha doesn't even spell it correctly, but she does nice work. http://www.marthastewart.com/1005691/crockenbush-pastry-dessert-spun-sugar#1005691
If you do it, you have to do the sugar part and report back. And invite us over to taste test, naturally.

This was our wedding cake. But the vendor clearly had no clue and marked it phonetically(ish) "cock in bush" - we all died laughing & it still gives me the giggles 13yrs later!!

Sounds appropriate for a wedding cake!!

Anonymous wrote:Baguettes. I made them before and want to make them again, but they go stale so fast.

They freeze beautifully after the last rise (wrap well and freeze, or after a partial bake (my preference). I usually make a large batch and freeze so I always have them on hand.

Baguettes. I made them before and want to make them again, but they go stale so fast.

Pasta. Made it once a long time ago and want to try again. Not sure I'd make more than once so not sure about buying and finding storage for a pasta machine. Ravioli sounds good to me.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:French pastry pyramid with spun sugar threads like the ones Martha Stewart made.

Croquembouche. Martha doesn't even spell it correctly, but she does nice work. http://www.marthastewart.com/1005691/crockenbush-pastry-dessert-spun-sugar#1005691
If you do it, you have to do the sugar part and report back. And invite us over to taste test, naturally.

This was our wedding cake. But the vendor clearly had no clue and marked it phonetically(ish) "cock in bush" - we all died laughing & it still gives me the giggles 13yrs later!!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Creme brûlée is actually not that hard, you should try it! If you don't have the fancy-shmancy blow torch, just put the cooked/chilled custards (sprinkled with sugar) under the broiler for a minute or two. The blowtorch does make it easier to get an even finish, but it's not required.

I'd like to make more types of bread. I can make the basic dinner rolls, but the rustic artisan loafs intimidate me.

And homemade pasta. I've made gnocchi, but have never made classic pasta noodles.

OP, try one of the no-knead breads. They make beautiful boules and are absolutely effortless. there are also a lot of great recipes on The Fresh Loaf (aka bakers porn).

Oh my god that website looks amazing - thanks for the link! My New Year's Resolution to cut back on carbs is suddenly in direct conflict with my new resolution to learn to bake the perfect bread. Oh, what to do??? Well, this rainy weekend is the perfect time to try one of those no-knead loaves! Off to the recipe files!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:French pastry pyramid with spun sugar threads like the ones Martha Stewart made.

Croquembouche. Martha doesn't even spell it correctly, but she does nice work. http://www.marthastewart.com/1005691/crockenbush-pastry-dessert-spun-sugar#1005691
If you do it, you have to do the sugar part and report back. And invite us over to taste test, naturally.

Just made this using a Williams Sonoma recipe i found online. Worked great though i added stabilized whipped cream to lighten the filling. Time consuming but not hard.