Spooky, Scary, and... Tasty?

 Photos taken by Andrew!

Halloween is the perfect holiday to get creative in the kitchen. It helps if you have young children around that will delight in your kitchen creations, but it's fun for adults alike!

I found this great snake recipe from Food Network's Paula Deen. Make it for your next Halloween gathering or party and... happy scaring!!

Snack Bites
Recipe adapted from Paula Deen

Ingredients

• 1 can crescent rolls
• Flour, for dusting
• 4 tablespoons spicy mustard
• 6 ounces thinly sliced ham
• 6 ounces thinly sliced smoked turkey
• 6 ounces Gouda, or favorite cheese, grated
• Liquid food coloring
• 3 egg yolks
• 2 whole cloves or peppercorn
• Toothpicks
• 2 small pimiento-stuffed olives
• 1 (1-inch) strip from a fresh red pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Line a cookie sheet with foil. Grease the foil and set aside.

Dust a flat surface lightly with flour. Spread out the crescent dough — do not separate. Pinch together the seams so that you have 1 piece of dough. Roll out to make a large rectangle. Make sure the dough is not stuck to the surface at all.

Brush the dough with the mustard, leaving a 1-inch border. Layer the meats down the center of the rectangle, leaving a 1-inch border on either end. You can feel free to use your favorite cold cuts.
Top the meats with the cheese. Fold 1 side of the dough over the filling, lengthwise. Then, fold the other 1/2 over and press the seal the filling inside. Take 1 egg yolk, and beat lightly with a fork. Brush the egg yolk over the top of the dough. The yolk will act as the glue to hold. Fold the dough in 1/2 again lengthwise. Pinch the seam with your fingers to seal. Press the outside of the dough to make sure everything is sealed tight and to make an even thickness for the body of your snake. Taper 1 end of the dough to form a tail shape. Form the other end into a head shape.

Beat the 2 remaining egg yolks together. Transfer to 3 separate small bowls. Add some food coloring to each bowl — whatever colors you like! Using a clean paintbrush, "paint" the snake with the egg yolk/food coloring mixture.

Transfer the snake to the foil lined sheet tray. Form into an "s" shape so it looks like the snake is slithering. Insert 2 cloves into the head to look like nostrils and 2 stuffed olives for eyes. Create a mouth or tongue with the red peppers. Bake the snake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.

My Favorite Cinnamon Rolls

I recently had an all day work meeting and the only thing we talked about the entire day were the cinnamon rolls that I made. Ok- I'm exaggerating a bit. But my coworkers really couldn't stop talking about how amazing these rolls are.

So, the lesson learned here is this: if you want to impress your coworkers or boss, make these immediately. You might end up getting that raise you requested!

Cinnamon Rolls
From Our Best Bites
Dough
1 T active dry yeast
1/2 C warm water (105 degr F/ 40 deg C)
4 1/2 C all-purpose flour (22 1/2 oz 700g)
4 large eggs
1/4 C sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 C (1 stick) real butter at room temp

Filling
1/2 C (1 stick) real butter at room temp
3/4 C packed brown sugar
1 T cinnamon

Glaze
1 T butter
1 cup powdered sugar
2 T maple syrup extract (or to taste)
1 T Almond Milk (or regular milk) 
In the bowl of a stand mixer, sprinkle the yeast over the water, allow to bloom for a few minutes, then whisk until smooth.  Whisk in 1/2 C of the flour.  Cover with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm spot for about 30 minutes. 

Add the eggs, sugar, butter, and remaining 4 cups flour to the yeast mixture.  Fit the mixer with the dough hook and knead on medium speed until smooth 10-12 minutes. Add a bit more flour to reduce stickiness if needed.

Cover with plastic wrap, set in a warm spot and let rise until doubled, about 2 hours. 

While dough is rising, prepare filling.  Take 2 T of the stick of butter and set aside.  Beat  remaining butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon together until combined and slightly fluffy, about 1 minute.

Butter a 9x13 baking dish.  Transfer the dough to a floured work surface.  Roll  out into a rectangle about 15x10 in.  Spread filling onto dough and roll up length-wise. 

Use string or dental floss to score and cut the dough into rolls.  You can make 12 small rolls, 10 medium ones, or 8 large.   Place cut side up in baking dish.  Melt the reserved 2 T butter and brush on top of rolls.  Cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight.

The next morning remove from refrigerator and let rise until half again as high, about 1 hour.  While rising mix glaze ingredients until combined.  Preheat the oven to 350.  Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes.  Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes.  Spread the glaze over warm rolls and serve.

Sunrises, Flowers, and Banana Bread

As some may know I am not a morning person. During the summers when I was in middle school, I would sleep past noon.

Now a days, my alarm wakes me up at 6 during the workweek. But it's not all bad... especially when you get to wake up to sunrises

And flowers

and of course... Banana Bread!

Banana Walnut Bread
Adapted from Starbucks's recipe  
 
Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 egg
• 1 1/8 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 5 tablespoons buttermilk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 ripe medium-large bananas (mashed)
• 1/2 cup plus 1/3 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9x5x3 loaf pan and dust with flour. 
2. Blend together the flour, baking soda and salt and set aside.
3. Mix together the egg, sugar and vegetable oil until combined. 
4. Add the flour mixture and when blended add the buttermilk, vanilla and mashed bananas and mix until combined. 
5. Fold in 1/2 cup chopped walnuts and pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Top batter with remaining 1/3 chopped walnuts.
6. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 
7. Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack before removing from pan.

Red Velvet

Cupcakes, cupcakes and cupcakes!! Need I say more??

The celebration of a friend's birthday called for these Red Velvet Cupcakes. I didn't have enough red food coloring... so they're not quite as red as they should be. But still delicious as ever!

Cream cheese frosting tops the cake (or cupcakes, in this case!)

Red Velvet Cupcakes
from Sweet Pea's Kitchen

For the Cupcakes:

• 2 1/2 cups cake flour (not self- rising), sifted
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon red gel-paste food color (2 tablespoons regular food color)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar

For Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pan with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together cake flour, cocoa, and salt; set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat sugar and oil on medium-high speed until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Mix in food color and vanilla.
4. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk and beating until combined after each.
5. In a small bowl, stir together the baking soda and vinegar (it will foam); add mixture to the batter, and mix on medium speed until combined, about 10 seconds.
6. Fill the cupcake papers three-quarters full, making sure that the batter is divided evenly. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer muffin pan to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes.
7. To make the cinnamon cream frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Add cinnamon and vanilla extract and beat until combined.
8. Place frosting into a large decorators decorating bag fitted with the 1M decorating tip and approximately 1/4″ above cupcake top at a 90° angle to cupcake surface,  pipe a spiral of icing, beginning at the outer edge and working inward.
9. Store cupcakes in the refrigerator up to 3 days in airtight containers; bring to room temperature before serving.

Yum!!

Cocktail Party 101

There are many, many things I learned while in college.  How to do laundry without turning my entire wardrobe pink, for one.  How to make friends with a whole bunch of strangers, another valuable one.  How to get home safely after an evening at a block party, for another.

Oh yeah. There was some actual studying and learning done there too.

But the one thing that college didn't teach us was how to throw a fun evening in with some friends, while keeping everyone's bellies happy too. That's something I've learned on my own in my years post college.

And what I've learned is that it's actually not that hard! Throw in a few appetizers, some fresh fruit, a few tasty cheeses, some good crusty bread and a good bottle (or two) of wine and everyone is satisfied and happy.

Here is a new found and totally wonderful appetizer recipe. I hope you love it as much as I do.

Roasted Artichoke Antipasto Salad
Recipe from Circle B Kitchen, originally from Ina Garten

(Photo by Andrew!)

3 boxes (9 ounces each) frozen artichoke hearts, defrosted
Good olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 shallot, minced
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
6 tablespoons capers, drained
1 roasted red pepper, sliced thin
1/2 cup minced red onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 pinches hot red pepper flakes, optional

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the artichoke hearts in a bowl with 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss until the artichoke hearts are coated. Dump the artichoke hearts onto a sheet pan and spread out into 1 layer; roast in the oven for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette. Place the minced shallot, lemon juice, mustard, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process for 5 seconds. Add the basil leaves and process into a green puree. With the processor running, slowly pour 1/2 cup olive oil into the bowl through the feed tube until the ingredients are finely pureed. Set aside.

Place the roasted artichoke hearts in a bowl and toss with enough vinaigrette to moisten. Add the capers, red peppers, red onion, parsley, 1 tablespoons vinegar and red pepper flakes, if using, and toss gently. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper and let stand for 30 minutes for the flavors to blend. Serve at room temperature.

Peaches and Cream

What is one to do in the midst of a sweltering, staggeringly sweaty DC summer?

Leave immediately and head toward the nearest beach.

... If you can. If not, immediately make some peach ice cream.  Close friends and family members will be able to tell you that I am obsessed with fruit.  I do not discriminate between blueberries and blackberries; mangoes and watermelon; I love them all.  I would go so far as to say that I am a Fruit Freak.  That having been said, peaches are among the top contenders for Most Favorite Summer Fruits.  There are very few fruits that just seem to define a season as clearly as peaches seem to.

So if you find yourself in desperate need of a cooling dessert to help you escape the summer heat, look no further.

Peach Ice Cream
Recipe Courtesy of The Food Network

Ingredients

• 2 cups chopped fresh or frozen peaches, peeled if preferred
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons brandy
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 egg yolks

Directions

In a bowl combine peaches, 1/2 cup sugar, lemon juice and peach brandy. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours or overnight, stirring occasionally. Remove peach mixture from refrigerator and drain juice into a cup. Return peaches to refrigerator.

In a saucepan combine 3/4 cup sugar, heavy cream, milk and vanilla. Bring just to a boil.
In bowl whisk egg yolks. While whisking stream in about 1/3 of the boiled cream mixture. While whisking cream and sugar mixture, stream in egg and cream mixture. Return to the heat and continue to heat while stirring. Mixture will thicken as it returns to a boil. Remove from heat and strain into a bowl set over ice. Add the reserved peach juice.
Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. After the ice cream begins to stiffen, when very close to done, add the peaches and continue to freeze until done.

 

Milk and Cookies

Guide to enjoying Milk and Cookies, in five acts:

1. Have a sip of milk.

2.  Regard cookie with great suspicion.

3. Have another sip of milk, in preparation for what's to come.

4. Talk yourself into trying the cookie. I know- confronting the unknown is scary.

5. Realize that, surprisingly, a cookie tastes good. Take another bite. Enjoy life.

The Worlds Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adapted from Radical Rob's Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
• 1 cup butter
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs, slightly beaten
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 bag (2 cups) semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped toasted walnuts

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, mix sugars until well combined. Melt butter in the microwave and add to sugar mixture. Stir until well combined. Add vanilla and eggs and stir until well mixed. In a separate bowl sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add dry ingredients to the wet and stir until just combined and NO MORE! The dough will be stiff. Add chocolate chips and nuts. Stir until just combined. Avoid any extra stirring to avoid tough cookies. Line cookie sheets with parchment or waxed paper. Drop dough onto sheets with a small ice cream scoop. Flatten the dough slightly with your hand and bake 10 to 12 minutes or until edges and tops of cookies are just turning brown. Cool on wire racks.

Stuffed Peppers

 Hello friends.

I am sorry to have neglected you for so long. I have come begging for forgiveness and I bring you...

Stuffed Peppers.

These peppers are sinfully delightful. But I will not try to convince you of their worthiness. Instead, I will let you judge them for yourselves.

(Photo taken by Andrew Shansby!)

Stuffed Peppers
Recipe adapted from Rachael Ray

Ingredients

• 4 large bell peppers (I used a combination of yellow, red, and orange)
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 cups brown rice
• 3 to 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 can beef broth
• 1 pound ground lamb, lean beef, or turkey
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 sprigs fresh marjoram or oregano, leaves picked and chopped or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried
• 2 small sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves picked and finely chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 
• 1 teaspoon red pepper
• 1/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 (28-ounce) can tomato sauce

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Remove the tops from the peppers and scoop out the seeds and ribs. Carefully trim the bottoms if necessary to make peppers stand straight when upright. Put aside.

Cook brown rice according to package instructions. ** Optional: replace water with beef broth.**Once cooked, stir in a tablespoon of butter and allow to cool to room temperature.

Place the ground lamb (or beef) in a bowl and add the cooled brown rice. Season with 1/2 the marjoram, the rosemary, 2 tablespoons parsley, and season with salt, and pepper. Overstuff the peppers with the filling. Drizzle about 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil over the peppers, pouring about 1 tablespoon over top of each. Arrange the peppers in a casserole or small baking dish and add 1/2 cup of beef broth to the bottom of the pan. Roast 50 minutes to 1 hour, until crispy at the edges and cooked through.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in a saucepot over medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, remaining oregano and parsley, and saute until soft. Add the tomato sauce, and season with salt and pepper.

Cool the peppers and sauce for a make-ahead meal or serve immediately.



Serve the peppers hot with sauce over top, or in a puddle underneath the peppers.

Spring Has Sprung

It has been a long, cold, dark winter but finally, finally it looks like spring has arrived to DC. Spring has not arrived willingly this year but we are so glad it has made an appearance and hope it will stay awhile.


And with it's arrive I present to you the very yummy Lemon Poppyseed Cupcakes. Can anyone think of a more appropriate way to usher in the warm breezes, blue skies, and blooming flowers? I think not!

Lemon Poppyseed Cupcakes
Recipe from Indian Simmer
Yield: 12 cupcakes

Ingredients: 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1/2 tsp Baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
zest and juice of one meyer lemon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup poppy seeds

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 12 cupcake tins with paper or silicone liners.
• Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a small bowl.
• In bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar until fluffy, about five minutes.
• Beat in eggs one at a time, ensuring they are completely incorporated before continuing to the next one.
• Mix in the zest, lemon juice and vanilla.
• Add flour and buttermilk to batter in two separate additions, beating completely between additions.
•  Fold in poppyseeds.
• Fill cupcake liners 2/3 of the way to the top. Bake for 25-30 minutes, rotating half way through baking time.
• Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
Adapted from Sweet Pea's Kitchen
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

To make the cream frosting:

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Add vanilla extract and beat until combined.
• Place frosting into a large decorators decorating bag fitted with the 1M decorating tip and approximately 1/4″ above cupcake top at a 90° angle to cupcake surface,  pipe a spiral of icing, beginning at the outer edge and working inward.
• Store cupcakes in the refrigerator up to 3 days in airtight containers; bring to room temperature before serving.

Helen's Note: This frosting recipe makes enough for 24 cupcakes. I saved half for a half batch of Red Velvet Cupcakes, which I'll blog about soon!

 

Homemade Hummus

Recently Andrew and I were invited to a friend's place for an evening of drinks and good food.  All attendees were asked to bring an appetizer and drinks to share.  Well, the drinks part of the equation was a no brainer. 

We like wine.  Yes we do.

So a bottle of Kluge's Albemarle Simply Red, purchased recently on a wine tasting weekend in Charlottesville (see, I told you we're winos), was the perfect choice for the evening.

The appetizer selection proved to be a bit harder.  I wanted to bring something filling and tasty, but I also wasn't prepared to spend a whole afternoon cooking.  Also, I wanted to make something that would be easy to transport without fear of a leaking, stinking mess on our hands. After searching some blogs and the food network, I decided that hummus would be the perfect accompaniment to a night with good friends and good wine.

Roasted Garlic Hummus
Recipe adapted from several sources: Sweet Pea's Kitchen and About.com

Ingredients:

•  1 15 ounce can chick peas, drained
•  1 head garlic, intact
•  1/4 cup olive oil
•  1/4 cup tahini
•  1 teaspoon salt
•  1/2 teaspoon chili powder
•  Juice from one lemon
•   1/4 cup water
•  1 teaspoon onion powder

Preparation:

• Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Remove outer papery skins from the garlic heads. Chop off the top quarter of garlic heads so that all of the cloves are exposed. Drizzle with olive oil (about a tablespoon), and wrap the garlic in foil and roast until very tender, 45 minutes to an hour. Once the roasted garlic is cool enough to handle (about 10 minutes), squeeze the cloves from their skins. 

•  In the bowl of a food processor, combine chickpeas, tahini, roasted garlic, minced garlic clove, lemon juice, water, salt and chili powder, until the mixture is almost fully ground, about 15 seconds.  Scrape down  bowl. With the food processor running, add the olive oil through the feed tube in a steady stream. Scrape down the bowl and continue to process until the hummus is smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. (Helen's note: I ended up adding an extra tablespoon of olive oil and an extra tablespoon of tahini paste, as requested by Andrew, my official taste-tester). 

• Transfer hummus to a serving bowl, top with roasted garlic slices and sprinkle extra chili powder. Drizzle with extra olive oil (optional) and serve with pita, grape tomatoes, peppers, carrots, or any other vegetables.

Bagels and Happiness

One of my favorite guilty pleasures is a beautifully baked bagel.  And really, who doesn't love a good bagel?  Crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, bagels are one of my favorite brunch items. I never once thought about actually making them myself.

Until now.

When I told family and friends of my decision to experiment with bagel making, a confused look would suddenly cross their faces. "But..." They would begin. "But... why?!"

I know it sounded crazy to them. Heck, it sounded crazy even to me. But my brain is a strange creature. Once the thought had entered it, there was no stopping it. Suddenly I was dreaming of perfectly round and scrumptious little bagels emerging from my kitchen. And so, the search for the perfect recipe began. After reading dozens of recipes, I finally decided on Peter Reinhart's recipe which was featured on smitten kitchen's blog.

Peter Reinhart’s Bagels
Very minimally adpated from smitten kitchen



Yield: I got about 15 medium sized bagels

Sponge
1 teaspoon instant yeast
4 cups high-gluten flour (I used King Arthur's Sir Lancelot Unbleached high-gluten flour)
2 1/2 cups water, room temperature

Dough
1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
3 3/4 cups unbleached high-gluten or bread flour
2 3/4 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon dark or light malt syrup

To Finish
1 tablespoon baking soda
Cornmeal or semolina flour for dusting
Sesame seeds, poppy seeds, kosher salt, rehydrated dried minced garlic or onions or chopped onions that have been tossed in oil (optional)

1. Day one: To make the sponge, stir the yeast into the flour in a 4-quart mixing bowl. Add the water, whisking or stirring only until it forms a smooth, sticky batter (like pancake batter). Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for approximately 2 hours, or until the mixture becomes very foamy and bubbly. It should swell to nearly double in size and collapse when the bowl is tapped on the countertop.

2. To make the dough, in the same mixing bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer), add the additional yeast to the sponge and stir. Then add 3 cups of the flour and all of the salt and malt. Stir (or mix on low speed with the dough hook) until the ingredients for a ball, slowly working in the remaining 3/4 cup flour to stiffen the dough.

3. Transfer the dough to the counter and knead for at least 10 minutes (or for 6 minutes by machine). The dough should be firm, stiffer than French bread dough, but still pliable and smooth. There should be no raw flour – all ingredients should be hydrated. The dough should pass the windowpane test and register 77 to 71 degrees F. If the dough seems to dry and rips, add a few drops of water and continue kneading. If the dough seems tacky or sticky, add more flour to achieve the stiffness required. The kneaded dough should feel satiny and pliable but not be tacky.

4. Immediately divide the dough into 4 1/2 ounce pieces for standard bagels, or whatever size desired (I weighed them on my kitchen scale because I wanted them to bake evenly). Form the pieces into rolls.

5. Cover the rolls with a damp towel and allow them to rest for approximately 20 minutes.

6. Line 2 sheet pans with baking parchment and mist lightly with spray oil. Proceed with one of the following shaping methods:

Method 1: Poke a hole in a ball of bagel dough and gently rotate your thumb around the inside of the hole to widen it to approximately 2 1/2 inches in diameter. The dough should be as evenly stretched as possible (try to avoid thick and thin spots.)

Method 2: Roll out the dough into an 8-inch long rope. This may require rolling part of the way and resting if the pieces are too elastic and snap back, in which case, allow them to rest for 3 minutes and then extend them again to bring to full length. Wrap the dough around the palm and back of your hand, between the thumb and forefinger, overlapping the ends by several inches. Press the overlapping ends on the counter with the palm of your hand, rocking back and forth to seal.

7. Place each of the shaped pieces 2 inches apart on the pans. Mist the bagels very lightly with the spray oil and slip each pan into a food-grade plastic bag, or cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let the pans sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes.

8. Check to see if the bagels are ready to be retarded in the refrigerator by using the “float test”. Fill a small bowl with cool or room-temperature water. The bagels are ready to be retarded when they float within 10 seconds of being dropped into the water. Take one bagel and test it. If it floats, immediately return the tester bagel to the pan, pat it dry, cover the pan, and place it in the refrigerator overnight (it can stay in the refrigerator for up to 2 days). If the bagel does not float. Return it to the pan and continue to proof the dough at room temperature, checking back every 10 to 20 minutes or so until a tester floats. The time needed to accomplish the float will vary, depending on the ambient temperature and the stiffness of the dough.

9. The following day (or when you are ready to bake the bagels), preheat the oven to 500 degrees F with the two racks set in the middle of the oven. Bring a large pot of water to a boil (the wider the pot the better), and add the baking soda and a few tablespoons of barley syrup. Have a slotted spoon or skimmer nearby.

10. Remove the bagels from the refrigerator and gently drop them into the water, boiling only as many as comfortably fit (they should float within 10 seconds). After 1 minutes flip them over rand boil for another minute. If you like very chewy bagels, you can extend the boiling to 2 minutes per side. I wanted them chewy so I used the two minute option. While the bagels are boiling, sprinkle the same parchment-lined sheet pans with cornmeal or semolina flour. If you want to top the bagels, do so as soon as they come out of the water. You can use any of the suggestions in the ingredients list or a combination.

11. When all the bagels have been boiled, place the pans on the 2 middle shelves in the oven. Bake for approximately 5 minutes, then rotate the pans, switching shelves and giving the pans a 180-degree rotation. (If you are baking only 1 pan, keep it on the center shelf but still rotate 180 degrees.) After the rotation, lower the oven setting to 450 degrees F and continue baking for about 5 minutes, or until the bagels turn light golden brown. You may bake them darker if you prefer. I actually baked them for about 5 minutes longer, and probably could have baked them for a bit longer. I did not lower the oven temperature.

12. Remove the pans from the oven and let the bagels cool on a rack for 15 minutes or longer before serving.

 My bagels being boiled. I was able to fit about three in the pan at a time. Don't overcrowd them!

 After being boiled, these bagels are ready to be topped with various yummy toppings.

 Everything bagels.

 Poppy seed and garlic bagels.

 Having been topped, they're ready for the oven.

They're done!! Time to smother with cream cheese and lox :)

Let me know if you decide to try them!

Till next time,

Helen