Brown Sugar Bacon

This is Brenda’s husband’s (John) absolute favorite food. He taught Brenda how to make it shortly after they married. When she’s preparing bacon for a recipe, she'll usually brown sugar at least one strip for him. It’s guaranteed to make John's day.

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Brown Sugar Bacon 

Preheat oven to 375F

Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper 

Arrange 1 lb bacon strips on parchment (okay if they touch)

Cook for 10 minutes

Pull pan from oven & flip each strip

Add to each strip, spreading over entire surface: 

1 tsp brown sugar 

Repeat for all strips

Return to oven, cook 10 minutes more

Crisp enough?? Brown sugar caramelized?? Remove from oven

Move bacon strips to a paper-towel-lined plate to cool (do not stack strips)

Pan: immediately drain grease* and strip parchment paper for quick cleanup

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Brenda’s tips:

• *Retain the bacon grease in a 1/2 pint jar and use to cook eggs

Best Oven Bacon

A note from Brenda about cooking bacon:

Please cook bacon however you prefer. But if you've never tried the oven method, I suggest you give it a try. Right now. Truly a no-fuss way to perfect bacon every time.

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Best Oven Bacon

Preheat oven to 375F

Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper 

Arrange 1 lb bacon strips on parchment (okay if they touch)

Cook for 10 minutes

Pull pan from oven & flip each strip

Return to oven, cook 10 minutes more

Crisp enough?? Remove from oven

Move bacon strips to a paper-towel-lined plate to cool 

Pan: immediately drain grease* and strip parchment paper for quick cleanup

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Brenda’s tips:

• *Retain the bacon grease in a 1/2 pint jar and use to cook eggs

• The cooking time is for regular thickness, shorten if extra thin bacon or extend if thick-cut.

• Smaller batches work just as well.

HOW TO: Cook Dry Beans

HOW TO: Cook Dry Beans

Dry beans are less expensive and much easier to buy in bulk than canned beans. With a little planning, they are also just as easy to use. Here are a few standard methods to prepare dry beans for use in any recipe that calls for canned beans.

Note: 3/4 cup dry beans is roughly equivalent to one (15 oz) can

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3/4 cup dry beans, rinsed

2 cups water

1/4 tsp salt (add after cooking)

Pressure cooker . . .

In Brenda's opinion, the pressure cooker is an essential small appliance for someone who enjoys cooking with beans, as it efficiently prepares perfect cooked beans with little advance planning.

• Directions: add ingredients to the cooker's insert bowl, select the pre-set "bean" option or "manual" and adjust the timing for the type of bean. Allow natural release and you've got perfectly cooked beans to serve hot or add to any recipe.

Par-boil + cook . . . 

It takes a little more time, but dry beans can be pre-boiled and then simmered to be ready for use in place of canned.

• Directions: add rinsed beans and water to a pot, bring to boil, cooking for 10 minutes, and then reduce heat to med-low to simmer until done. Time differs by type of bean but expect 1 to 4 hours. Make sure pot doesn't boil dry.

Soak + add directly . . . 

Alternately, dry beans can be soaked overnight and added to recipes. Lengthen the recipe’s cooking time to adequately offset using the soaked beans in place of canned and they work just as well. Expect cooking time to be longer by 2 to 4 hours.

• Directions: add beans and water to a bowl, set aside for 8-12 hours. Drain and rinse. Add to recipe. Cook 2-4 hours. Additional liquid may be required. Test beans to ensure cooked through. 

Par-boil + soak . . .

This is another method for soaking, but faster. Basically you're speeding up the soaking process significantly.

• Directions: add rinsed beans and water to a pot, bring to boil, cooking for 10 minutes. Shut off heat and leave beans to soak for 1-2 hours. Rinse and add to recipe. Cook 2-4 hours. Additional liquid may be required. 

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Brenda’s tips:

• For recipes calling for multiple bean types, compare the cooking times. If similar, cook varieties together using any of the methods. If not, it's best to prepare them separately so that the beans retain their structural integrity.

• Beans will continue to "dry" as they are stored. This means that the water content continues to decline and it will take longer to revive the bean and for it to cook. If you know the beans you are using have been stored, consider the following when pressure cooking: 

  • Add 1 minute for every year in storage. 

    • Example: Black beans 8 years stored, add 8 minutes for a total of 28-33 minutes pressure.

• Stove or soak directions have flexible time tables.

• Eventually, beans do age though their shelf life is generally considered "indefinite." From the kindness of others sharing stored beans, Brenda has experimented and determined that dry beans stored longer than 20 years are extremely difficult to revive. So like all food storage . . . rotate dry beans for continual quality.

HOW TO: Shape Round Rolls

HOW TO: Shape Round Rolls

Step 1: Make one batch of Brenda’s Favorite Dough Recipe. Complete initial rise cycle for dough.

Step 2: Flour the mat. A wire mesh strainer allows even flouring without excess, results in a light even dusting.

Step 3: Shape the dough. Dump risen dough out of bowl and fold into a rectangle, pressing with fingertips to direct the dough into the desired shape.

Step 4: Cut the dough. Brenda generally does a 4 x 8 grid (32 rolls). A dough scraper works great to divide the dough, and a butter knife is a good substitute. This method allows rolls to be fairly consistent in size which helps them cook evenly.

Step 5: Shape each roll.

• As you pick up each dough square, tap one side in the flour on mat/board

• Set dough square (flour side resting on palm) on your non-dominant palm

• Pinch: using the finger tips of your dominant hand, pull the edges together as your fingertips press the dough firmly into your dominant palm, squeezing and sealing the edges

  • Think: closing fingers into palm, momentarily creating a fist

• Rotate: pull dough back into non-dominant palm, pressing center with non-dominant thumb to push air out

• Repeat ‘Pinch’ & ‘Rotate’ until air pockets have been depleted, approximately 6-12 times

• Place completed roll on pan, spacing evenly with other rolls

Keep shaping the rolls until all the dough has been shaped. If you have small helpers, they’ll love assisting

Your completed pan will look something like this. When placing rolls, try to space so as to fill entire pan. Brenda creates a grid by placing rolls in corners, then evenly along sides, lastly filling in the middle.

This photo is a double-batch of Brenda’s Favorite Dough Recipe turned into 63 rolls, the pan is a three-quarter sheet pan (22" x 16") lined with parchment

Step 6: Let rolls rise for about 45 minutes, preheating oven to 350F about 40 minutes into rise time. Fingertip test to check that adequately risen.

• Gently press fingertip into the side of one roll, about 1/4” deep

  • Stays: dough is ready to cook

  • Disappears: let it rise another 10 min and test again

Step 7: Bake 22-28 minutes, until evenly golden brown across all rolls. Try not to over-bake as rolls will become dry and lose their rich flavor.

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Brenda’s tips:

• A few considerations:

  • Sometimes cutting the dough doesn’t result in similar sized dough squares. Simply cut a little dough off the really big ones and add to the really little ones. Practice will make it easier.

  • You can make any number of rolls out of a batch. Cut into 12 will result in very large dinner rolls. Lots of children at your Thanksgiving celebration? You don’t want them tossing your hard work after (if even) one bite? Cut the batch into 6 x 12 and you’ll have 72 rolls that are about 1” finished. A little more rolling time for a lot less waste. Or divide the batch in half and make 12 regular size from one half and 36 out of the other half. Be sure to bake on separate pans so the small rolls don’t over bake and adjust baking times as well.

HOW TO: Store Cilantro

HOW TO: Store Cilantro

Often cilantro acts as a fresh garnish and it's only necessary to use about 20% of the bunch. That means the potential for 5 meals! Only, it's cilantro. A soggy mess literally seconds after placing the produce bag in the refrigerator. Like, you close the door and bam! Grossness.  

But wait. The most magical thing . . . pretend your cilantro is fresh cut flowers . . .

Here are easy steps that guarantee your cilantro will stay fresh and delicious for 1 or 2 or even 3 weeks!! For serious.

1. Remove from produce bag - save the bag

2. Check bunch, removing any leaves showing signs of degrading

3. Trim stems, removing about 1/2"

4. Fill a jelly or pint jar about half full with cool water (cleaned yogurt container works great too)

5. Place cilantro stems into the jar, with the ends submerged

6. Use that produce bag as a cap over the leaves, extending down over the top of the jar

7. Loosely knot the corner of the bag to keep it in place, allowing some airflow

8. Store in the refrigerator

9. Refresh the water every 2-4 days, removing any suspicious leaves at that time

10. Enjoy many meals out of one bunch of fresh cilantro!

Try it out. Brenda has, more than once, stopped strangers purchasing cilantro in the grocery store to share this tip. I guess we all do what we can to make the world a better place.

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Window to B’s kitchen…

HOW TO: Prepare A Cake Pan

What may seem like an “extra step” for the casual baker/cook (i.e. Chelsea), is labeled “essential” by Brenda. Taking a few extra minutes to prepare a cake pan means your cake will:

• slide out of the cake pan with minimal effort, leaving the cake in one piece.

• be easier to freeze and save for later (remove the parchment paper from the bottom of the cake, put in a freezer-safe container/bag or wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze for up to 4 months).

• be easier to frost.

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HOW TO: Prepare A Cake Pan

Spritz bottom of cake pan lightly with

cooking spray

Trace and cut

parchment paper

to fit bottom of pan. Note: trace the outside of the pan, cut off the line, and it will fit the inside perfectly.

Lay parchment in pan, spritz parchment for easy release. Add cake batter. Bake. Cool. Remove from pan and pull off parchment to frost. If freezing, always remove parchment prior to wrapping cake in plastic wrap.

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Brenda’s tips:

• Using a combination of cooking spray and parchment will allow for quick release and a prettier cake.

• Wax paper can be used in place of parchment paper.

HOW TO: Cut Paper Snowflakes

Brenda LOVES Christmas. Every year she’d decorate the apartment with her paper snowflakes. She would meticulously hang these perfectly cut creations with white sewing thread all over the apartment. It felt like walking into a winter wonderland every time I’d come home.

Her snowflakes are as popular as her food. Throughout the year Brenda would have friends come to the apartment to learn how to make Brenda Cookies and Brenda Brownies. November and December friends would come over for snowflake cutting parties. And guess what? Everyone was able to create stunning snowflakes. It really is a simple and forgiving process!

The first section is a short instructional guide. If you need more instructions, scroll to the Brenda’s Tips section. Included at the very bottom, in the Window to B’s Kitchen… section, is a YouTube video, for all of us visual learners (:

Happy Snowflaking!

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HOW TO: Cut Paper Snowflakes

What you’ll need:

Paper: Regular printer paper (20 pound and bright white)

Scissors: Fiskars (old sewing scissors) or others with a strong, sharp blade

Step 1: Folding

• Sailboat fold (360 / 2 = 180 degrees)

• House fold (180 / 2 = 90 degrees)

• Accordion fold in thirds (90 / 3 = 30 degrees)

• Flip and fold the other side in thirds (90 / 3 = 30 degrees)

• Find the shortest edge

• Trim to the shortest edge

Step 2: Cutting

The goal is to create negative white space. It is necessary to keep enough paper to maintain structural integrity, but remove enough to achieve the ethereal illusion of snow.

Here’s how:

• Use the part of the blade that is near the hinge for control.

• Variations in size and shape of cuts allow for more attractive snowflakes.

• Start with large cuts. The large cuts will act as the template for deleting paper (aka that negative white space mentioned).

• Add small, clean cuts which will develop like facets of the crystals found in real snowflakes.

• And finish up with “snips” - small bites of paper removed to add dimension and create a unique paper snowflake. Great for adding character to the crisp cuts already made.

Step 3: Pressing

Open carefully and back-fold each crease. Press with a hot, dry iron between two sheets of paper. Tie white thread to one tip and hang from the ceiling or from windowsills.

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Brenda’s Tips:

What you’ll need:

Paper: Regular printer paper (20 pound and bright white)

Other paper is fine, but the heavier types are difficult to fold and even harder (on your hands) to cut through. Tissue paper is very easy to fold but doesn’t have the strength to hang without flopping.

Scissors: Fiskars (old sewing scissors) or others with a strong, sharp blade

Use scissors that comfortably fit your hand. Make sure those Fiskars are retired from fabric use.

Step 1: Folding

Real snowflakes generally have six points. They are not perfectly symmetrical, but usually very close. To create this shape from a piece of paper, the following formula may help: A circle has 360 degrees, to create six points, there need to be twelve sections. 360 degrees / 12 sections = 30 degrees per section. Therefore the “wedge” created when folding the paper will fit exactly 30 degrees. If you have access to a cutting mat, it generally has the 30/45/60 degree angles marked.

Sailboat fold (360 / 2 = 180 degrees): Bring the right top corner diagonally down, aligning the top edge perfectly with the left edge of paper. Use your fingertip (not nail) to firmly press the crease created. You’ve created a sailboat.

House fold (180 / 2 = 90 degrees): Bring the left top corner diagonally down toward the right edge, aligning the left (+ former top) edge with the former right edge of the paper. Use your fingertip to firmly press the crease created. You’ve created the house.

Fold in thirds (90 / 3 = 30 degrees): Lift the “roof” of the “house,” one edge will be hinged. Working with the lifted section, fold the “roof” in equal thirds

• The final snowflake will have 12 equal sections, each a 30 degree angle.

• Accordion fold - the purpose of folding in this manner is to keep the size of the angle on each of your 12 triangles as equal as possible.

• Keep the tip sharp - this also helps keep the angles equal, which results in a symmetrical final snowflake.

Flip and fold the other side in thirds, following the same lines and logic. Once again, it is important to align the tip and the sides of the paper as you fold, precision determines success.

Folding is complete. Hold the tip in your hand. Looking at the opposite end, find the shortest edge. This paper edge determines the size of your snowflake.

Trim to the shortest edge. Always make this your first cut or you may forget about the short edge and regret it later.

The excess paper just trimmed can be used for tiny flakes.

You’re ready to cut!

Step 2: Cutting

The goal is to create negative white space. It is necessary to keep enough paper to maintain structural integrity, but remove enough to achieve the ethereal illusion of snow.

Note: it will be tempting to remove the tip, but let it be. The tip left intact will maintain the structural integrity of the snowflake and enhance it’s ability to hang. Not only that, but real snowflakes generally have ice at their centers.

Use the part of the blade that is near the hinge for control. This allows for clean cuts, and will make effective cuts complete through all layers.

Remember: variations in size and shape of cuts allow for more attractive snowflakes.

Start with large cuts. Just as the step of trimming to the shortest edge limits your snowflake, the large cuts will act as the template deleting paper (aka that negative white space mentioned). Generally plan the following large cuts:

• One near the tip

• One on the opposite edge

• One shaping the top edge, most commonly shortening one of the edges. This will create the outer border of your final snowflake.

Add small, detailed cuts that will develop like facets of the crystals found in real snowflakes. Strategy for these cuts:

• One or two near the tip

• A series of cuts along both edges

• One or two that are used to enhance the top edge

And finish up with “snips” - small bites of paper removed to add dimension and create a unique paper snowflake. Some possibilities:

• Clip bits out to shape the larger cuts

• Create a “pinked” edge

• “V” or “X” clips

• Tiny diamonds or slits

Remember throughout: repeating patterns create symmetry

Long story short: Fold . . . . Fold . . . . Cut edge . . . . Large cuts . . . . Detail cuts . . . . Snips . . . . Unfold

Step 3: Pressing

And the often over-looked step – press with a hot iron! Don’t be afraid to throw it away if you don’t like it! But first, back-fold each crease and press the finished snowflake with a hot, dry iron. The heat from the iron will remove the folds and crisp the paper, almost like adding starch to fabric.

Tie white thread to one tip and hang from the ceiling or from windowsills. The snowflakes can then be hung from the ceiling using white thread or taped to windows for display.

Practice and practice!

Each year Brenda will cut a series of new paper snowflakes. For years she taught her nieces and nephews to cut paper snowflakes. When Brenda’s little sister was getting married she requested paper snowflakes as the decoration for her DIY open house. Brenda cut somewhere between 200 and 300 snowflakes for that. No two were the same! These days, she continues to hang paper snowflakes from the ceiling and now uses the tiny ones for decorating the family Christmas tree.

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Window to B’s Kitchen…

Step 1: Folding

Step 2: Cutting

Step 3: Ironing

YouTube Tutorial

In 2013, in NYC, our good friend (and neighbor at the time) Allison created this YouTube tutorial for making Brenda Snowflakes.

HOW TO: Defrost Meat

HOW TO: Defrost Meat

Brenda generally plans meals so that she is able to thaw meat in the refrigerator, however, life, so methods:

Water Bath

Fill a sink or container with cool water, set meat in and allow to rest until defrosted. Generally takes 1-2 hours per pound, be aware and don’t compromise food-safe temperatures. 

Microwave

A pre-set option based on weight of meat to defrost. It generally takes 3-4 minutes per pound. Careful, it may get slightly cooked around the edges. 

Refrigerator

Place frozen meat in an adequately-sized container. Cover. Refrigerate. Generally takes a minimum of 12 hours. Much longer for large cuts.

HOW TO: Roll Out Pie Crust

After you’ve made one of these five pie crusts, what’s the best way to roll them out? Today’s Brenda is teaching us, step by step, how to roll out pie crusts.

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1. Sandwich ball of dough between two layers of plastic wrap. Press firmly to flatten dough.

2. Roll with the intent to make a circle. Simply thinking a circle will improve the quality of your shape. 

3. Not yet a circle? Remove top sheet of plastic. Leveraging bottom plastic, fold dough edges in. Cover with top plastic.

4. Roll around edges to smooth out and improve circle. 

5. When complete, dough should be consistent thickness across full circle. 

6. Remove top sheet of plastic. Lift (keeping dough attached to other sheet of plastic), invert and place in pie plate. Use fingertips to smooth dough into pie plate, lightly pressing around the bottom and the rim. Remove plastic.

7. Using a table knife, trim crust along the outer edge of the rim. Brenda generally uses the dull side so as to prevent gouging the tin. Fill, cover with top crust and bake.

HOW TO: Form Cinnamon Rolls

HOW TO: Form Cinnamon Rolls

1. Prepare a large, clean surface by sprinkling with flour. You can use a rolling mat. Brenda’s preference is to use a large canvas cloth mat or a large silicon mat.

2. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough in a large rectangle shape about 1/2 inch thick. A true or close to true rectangle will result in uniform finished rolls. For large rolls, the rectangle should be approximately 24" x 18” from a single batch of dough.

3. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Spread the melted butter evenly over the rectangle of dough using a rubber spatula, being sure to get all the way to the edge.

4. Top with a layer of brown sugar. Drop handfuls on and then sweep the sugar by hand to spread it out, resulting in a continuous layer over the full surface. Light brown sugar recommended.

5. Sprinkle with ground cinnamon. Start at one corner and sprinkle back and forth until reaching the opposite corner, then go back and fill in any "light" spots.

   (Optional) Add chopped walnuts and/or raisins.

6. Using your hands and starting at a convenient corner of the dough, lightly flip the edge up and over, continuing this motion the full 24” length of your rectangle. Once you reach the other end, reverse direction and roll the flipped edge under. As you go back and forth along the edge of the dough, your hands will quickly turn the rectangle of dough into a 24” long tube. To prevent the centers from "popping" when baking, be careful not to stretch the dough while rolling it up, simply coax it into a tube as if the dough were not elastic.

7. Mark the dough using a serrated knife to score the spot where it will be cut. Brenda uses a ruler for precise 2” tall rolls. To estimate 12 equal rolls, mark half, then half of each half, and then thirds of each quarter - 11 marks that result in 12 spirals when cut.

8. Use non-flavored dental floss (or a length of thread) to cut into individual rolls. Slide the floss under the long tube of dough to the first mark. Bring the two ends up over the top, cross, and pull tightly together - the dough will cut into a perfect swirl.

9. Place the rolls on a greased baking sheet. Brenda uses a roaster pan that is about 16" x 12" x 2.25" in order to make 2” tall cinnamon rolls stay within the pan and not hang over the edge. Brenda puts 12 rolls (4 rows of 3) in that pan, carefully placed so that each has maximum space to expand to their baked size of 4" square. If you don't have access to a similar pan, Brenda suggests a sheet pan with 2" sides or use a regular 13" x 9" as they generally have 2" sides.

10. Let rise for 40-50 minutes or until fingerprint stays. Bake 350F for 25-30 minutes. Cool. Frost. Eat.

Recommended Frosting: Cream Cheese Frosting

Dough Recipe: Brenda’s Favorite Dough Recipe

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Window to B’s Kitchen…

1. Flour the surface

2. Roll dough into a large rectangle

3. Spread the melted butter

4. Cover with a layer of brown sugar

5. Sprinkle with cinnamon

6. Roll into a long tube

7. Score the dough with a sharp knife

8. Cut with unflavored dental floss (or strong thread)

. . . . resulting in a beautiful swirl

9. Cut rolls and space evenly in the baking dish

10. Let rest 40-50 minutes then bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes

HOW TO: Knead Yeast Dough

HOW TO: Knead Yeast Dough

“Kneading” is the motion required to incorporate the ingredients and develop the gluten in wheat flours. Kneading is used in both yeast and non- yeast applications, and techniques differ among cooks. 

Brenda’s love of making yeast dough is a direct result of being taught the skill by her mother. Brenda’s mom taught all of her children how to make bread, and Brenda developed a particular skill for the task.

Need to knead? Here’s how:

Brenda prefers a pull-punch motion. Keep the dough in the bowl as you knead, and only use one hand. Tilt the bowl with your left hand to roll the dough into your right fingertips that will pull the dough over, followed immediately by pushing that dough with the heal of your right hand as the bowl settles back to the countertop. The motion allows a natural clockwise rotation. Continuously repeat for about 5-10 minutes and you’re done.

Wait! That’s not enough!

OK. Let’s break it down.

When making yeast doughs, you’ll know when to begin kneading the dough by hand when the dough becomes “shaggy.” That is to say, difficult to continue stirring as the mass is holding together well but flour is no longer readily incorporating. 

First step is to clean the spoon (Brenda can’t abide to waste even a tablespoon of dough). Hold the spoon above your bowl of dough and dump a handful of flour on the spoon. Lightly rub with your kneading hand, dropping the dough to the bowl. The flour quickly removes all the dough, leaving none to be wasted. Set aside the spoon.

Second, pat the dough into a round, cleaning the bowl’s sides. Follow the same technique as with the spoon. Add some flour and rub the sides of the bowl, incorporating any bits into the main ball. Finish with a light dusting of flour on the bowls surface to start kneading. Brenda always keeps the dough in the bowl as she kneads.

Brenda’s favorite hands-on method is an alternating pull-punch motion. She only uses one hand to knead, pulling the dough with her fingertips and punching with the heal of her hand. As Brenda’s mom put it, “You never know when the doorbell or the phone will ring. Keep one hand clean and you won’t regret it.”

Brenda’s favorite mixing bowl is large and flat-bottomed with a concave lip. As she pulls the dough with her right fingertips, she tilts the bowl toward her with her left hand, allowing it to settle back to the countertop in the next motion of punching with the heal of her right hand. Repeating the cycle for 5-10 minutes develops the gluten and creates a smooth, elastic dough.

A few more bits . . .

Brenda adds ~ 1 tablespoon of flour at a time. There are two ways to add flour to your dough: the first is to lightly dust the top of the dough. The second is to sprinkle flour into the bowl and allow the dough to settle over the flour. Your kneading hand and the bowl should remain relatively dough-free. To achieve this, sprinkle flour lightly as soon as the dough becomes tacky. You might only need a teaspoon of flour each time.

Sprinkling flour on the dough:

Sprinkling flour on the bowl:

So when is enough enough?

Best tip: add minimal flour throughout. When the dough becomes tacky, dust as lightly as possible to continue to keep both the bowl and your hand mostly clean. This will allow you to knead the requisite time to achieve gluten development while not incorporating excessive flour. Continuously observe the texture of the dough and you’ll witness the smoothness develop.

I need a visual . . .

Consider a marshmallow. You just opened a bag and the marshmallows are so soft, but not sticky. Until you break it open — then it clings to your fingertips (see gif below). Yeast dough is similar. As you knead, you don’t want the ball to cling to your hand. But if you were to slice it open, the interior would be very sticky. It will still be sticky - on the inside - when you’re done kneading.

My arm hurts, can I stop yet??

The dough needs to be smooth and elastic, with great gluten development. There are stretch tests you can do (hello windowpane - please don’t break!), but Brenda’s mom taught her a faster way. Pause kneading and flip the ball to the smooth side. Observe the surface. Tiny blisters, slowly bursting? You’re done. Not really seeing blisters? That’s ok. If you’ve been kneading for 10 minutes then you can stop, it’s good enough for now.

Take a rest, let the dough rest, then you’ll both be ready for the next step: shaping.