A Holiday Helper

We've all been there: you have a holiday party to go to in a few hours and, amid all the excitement, you suddenly realize you've failed to think of a festive treat to bring along. Sure, you can grab a bottle of wine on the way, but you'd also like to have a little homemade something that says thanks for the invite in a more personal fashion. Yesterday, craving a sweet snack on a chilly, quiet Saturday, I discovered the perfect solution in my ATK Family Cookbook: "Emergency Chocolate Cake." Named for the ease and speed with which it can be prepared, this cake seemed an ideal fit for my urgent but lazy need for sweet. The editors note that they tried dozens of recipes for a cake that would prove both fast and delicious, but were dissatisfied until one staffer brought in his grandmother's recipe, which proved to be simple, quick, and tasty. There is one catch, however...the secret ingredient? There's no way to sugarcoat it, so I'll just put it out there: mayonnaise. Yes, you can take a moment to make a terrible face. I am totally with you. It sounds gross. When I read it, I nearly closed the cookbook in consternation. But, my faith in the folks at ATK (and perhaps my desperation for cake in any form) propelled me forward.

I followed the instructions nearly to a T, swallowing my doubt as I blended the mayonnaise in with the short list of ingredients. A foodie friend who knew what I was up to expressed her concern on twitter: "mayo?? i am a little bit worried. but let me know how it goes." I was worried as well, but I threw it in the oven and headed back to the couch to wait.

Result? Perfection! It sounds impossible, I know but this cake is moist, rich, chocolatey, and fluffy--you would never guess how easy it is, or that it has a sandwich condiment as a main ingredient. As I sampled one tiny taste after another, I found myself thinking, "What is mayonnaise, after all, but eggs and oil? Essential ingredients in any good cake!" With each passing bite, the idea of mayo in a cake became a little less outrageous. And with a quick dusting of powdered sugar, you've got a gorgeous, festive party offering that can be whipped up in a pinch.

You may still be skeptical, which I completely understand. Try it out at home first, or make one to bring into the office. I guarantee you it will not last long!

Emergency Chocolate Cake, from America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook

Ingredients:

2 c all-purpose flour

1 1/4 c sugar

3/4 t baking soda

3/4 c cocoa powder

1 1/4 c water

1 c mayonnaise

1 T vanilla extract (I used 1.5 T)

Confectioners' sugar for serving

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly coat an 8-inch square pan with butter. (I used an 8 inch round pan, the smaller area of which resulted in a cake that puffed up and got crusty like a brownie on the top--I highly recommend it.)

Whisk the flour, sugar, and baking soda together in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the cocoa and water together until smooth. Whisk in the mayonnaise and vanilla. Stir the mayonnaise mixture into the flour mixture until combined.

Pour batter into the pan and smooth the top. Bake until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out with a few crumbs attached, 35-40 minutes. (It took closer to an hour for me, probably because of the different pan.)

Let cool, turn out onto a serving plate, and dust with confectioners' sugar.

Unveil it to oohs and aahs at your next holiday party, and when they ask how you made it? Give a smile and a wink, and tell them that's your little secret.

The Season of the Sprout

As a child, Brussels sprouts and I did not get along. I wasn't a particularly picky eater, but just the smell of those little green spheres provoked a rather powerful reaction in me. "I can't!" I remember telling my mother, as I tried to swallow through my gag reflex. My mother, not the vegetable tyrant type, would only ask me to have two or three bites, but nothing had ever been so difficult. Those sprouts might as well have been poison, for the way my body reacted.

So, it is no great surprise that, even through 15 years of vegetarianism, I've gone most of my adult life without touching a Brussels sprout. I'm just not into self-torture. But then, one night a couple of years ago, a friend prepared them for dinner, sauteed with a little butter and olive oil and a touch of salt and pepper. What a revelation it was! I could not believe what I'd been missing. I began eating Brussels sprouts whenever I could get them--at restaurants mostly--but I was still too scared to prepare them on my own, worried that some magic touch was required to make those little cabbages taste so sweet.

Enter the farm share, which last week included a gorgeous stalk full of beautiful little sprouts. As I marveled at their rather Seussian appearance, I found myself slightly panic-stricken, wanting to pick up the phone and call the friend who had first cooked them for me. How did you do it?? Instead, I took a deep breath and the same approach that I've taken with all of my farm share firsts. I did a little research on my own, looking for the simplest, easiest method of preparation--I figured that would minimize my chances of screwing things up. Thanks to Ina Garten, of Barefoot Contessa fame, I found a recipe that's as basic as it gets:

*Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

*After cutting off any tough ends and removing any wilted leaves, toss the Brussels sprouts with olive oil, salt, and pepper.

*Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until crisp on the outside and tender on the inside.

And just like that, I had a plate full of delicious, golden brown sprouts, crispy and tender as promised. Fast, easy, and the perfect way to showcase the beautiful flavors of sprouts fresh off the stalk.

Of course, if you're looking for something a little richer, a little heartier on a chilly November evening, I recommend this recipe from the folks at America's Test Kitchen. My husband has made it a couple of times, and it us fabulously, decadently yum. Enjoy!

Skillet-Braised Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Shallots

Ingredients:

4 oz. bacon (4 slices), chopped fine

2 shallots, sliced thin

1 lb. Brussels sprouts, stem ends trimmed, discolored leaves removed, and halved through the stem

1/2 c water

1 t unsalted butter

1 T red wine vinegar

salt and pepper

Directions:

Cook the bacon and shallots together in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat until the bacon is crisp and the shallots are browned, about ten minutes. Transfer the mixture to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain.

Add the Brussels sprouts, water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the skillet and increase the heat to medium-high. Cover and simmer until the Brussels sprouts are bright green, about 9 minutes. Uncover the pan and cook until the liquid has evaporated and the sprouts are tender, about 5 minutes longer.

Off the heat, stir in the bacon mixture, butter*, and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.

*to me the butter is optional...Paula Deen would definitely do it, but it's a bit too rich for me!