Beer and Molasses Barbecue Sauce

1 1/4 cups bottled chili sauce
3/4 cup molasses
3/4 cup dark beer, such as Guinness
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon liquid smoke

Mix all ingredients in a heavy medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.  Reduce heat; simmer until sauce thickens and is reduced to 2 cups, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes.  Cool completely before using.  (Can be made 1 week ahead.  Cover and chill.)

Makes about 2 cups.

From Bon Appetit, July 1996

Horseradish Mashed Potatoes

2 pounds yellow or russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 1/3 cups (or more) whole milk
1 large garlic clove, sliced into large pieces
1/4 cup prepared white horseradish
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Cook potatoes in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 20 minutes.  Drain.  Return to pot.  

Meanwhile, bring 1 1/3 cups milk and garlic to boil in a large saucepan.  Remove garlic.  Add milk and horseradish to potatoes.  Using potato masher, mash until smooth.  Add butter, and stir until melted.  Season with salt and pepper.  (Can be made 2 hours ahead.  Let stand at room temperature.  Stir over medium heat until heated through, adding more milk to thin if necessary.)

Makes 6 servings.

From Bon Appetit, February 2002

Potato Salad with Artichokes and Roasted Red Peppers

3 pounds medium-size red-skinned potatoes, not peeled, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2/3 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon chipotle puree
1/2 cup chopped drained roasted red peppers from jar
1/2 cup chopped canned artichoke bottoms

Steam potato slices just until tender, about 15 minutes.  Meanwhile, heat the vinegar in a small pan until simmering; add the chopped onion, and let cook in the pan for 1 minute, then cover, remove from heat, and let stand 15 minutes.  Drain onions, reserving 2 tablespoons vinegar.

Transfer potato slices to a large bowl.  Add onions, reserved 2 tablespoons vinegar, and lemon juice.  Toss gently to coat.  Cool to room temperature.

Combine next 5 ingredients in a small bowl; whisk to blend.  Pour dressing over cooled potatoes.  Add red peppers and artichokes.  Toss gently to mix.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  (Can be made 1 day ahead.  Cover and refrigerate.)

Makes 6 servings.

From Bon Appetit, September 2002, with some changes

"Best Chocolate Cake in the Whole Wide World"

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 

1 1/4 cup hot water

3 cups brown sugar

2 2/3 cups cake flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

9 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into pieces

3 large eggs, at room temperature

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

3/4 cup warm-ish water

Heat oven to 350° F.

Grease and flour (or use cocoa powder instead of flour if you aren't going to frost the sides) two 8 or 9" round baking pans (make cupcakes with any extra batter if too much for pans).

Mix the hot water with the cocoa powder and let it sit for a few minutes, until the cocoa is dissolved. 

Combine the brown sugar, cake flour, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer.  Using the paddle attachment, mix on low until all is combined and looks consistent.  Add the cocoa water to the dry ingredients and beat on low until combined.  Add the butter to the batter.  Beat for about 3 minutes on low.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl a couple of times. 

Beat eggs lightly and mix them with the warmish water and the vanilla.  Add these wet ingredients to the batter in thirds until just combined.  Scrape down the bowl frequently.  Pour batter in the cake pans until they are 2/3 full.  Bake for 22 minutes and then check them; a toothpick poked into the center should come out clean. The cake might take 15 more minutes, but don't overbake.  Let the cakes cool in their pans, then remove and frost.

Makes one two-layer 8- or 9-inch cake.

From Alicia Paulson's blog, Posie Gets Cozy

Cloudburst Frosting

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup WHOLE (it has to be whole) milk

1 cup softened butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups sifted confectioner's sugar

In a small pan, gradually add the milk to the flour, whisking them together into a totally smooth mixture — you don't want any lumps here. 

Simmer, barely, over low/medium heat, until thick, whisking constantly so you don't get any lumps. (Do not walk away from the stove for even a minute! But, if you do get lumps, just push it all through a sieve.)  You want it to be the consistency of pudding. 

Remove from heat and let it cool for a few minutes, and then push a piece of plastic wrap down on the surface of the mixture (so a skin doesn't form).  Let it cool completely but NOT in the refrigerator (if you put it in the fridge, it won't work); this may take an hour or two or three.  

Cream together the butter and vanilla.  Add the confectioner's sugar and beat on high for several minutes until it is very fluffy.  Add the milk/flour mixture and beat until it is super fluffy.  The frosting will sometimes appear to separate when you add the milk/flour mixture, but just keep beating it on high until it whips up into smooth, fluffy clouds.

Just enough for a two-layer 8-inch cake.

From Alicia Paulson's blog, Posie Gets Cozy

Old-Fashioned Doughnuts

1 1/4 cup all-­purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg

Pinch of salt

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup plain yogurt or sour cream

1 large egg

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

Vegetable oil for frying

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, nutmeg, salt, and sugar.

In a separate small bowl, whisk together yogurt (or sour cream), egg, and melted butter. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold together until well-incorporated. The dough will take some smooshing to gather into a disk; it will be like a slightly more moist biscuit dough.  Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge to rest for 15 minutes.

Place a candy/fry thermometer in a medium saucepan.  Pour oil into the pan until it is about 2 inches deep.  Heat oil over medium-­low heat to 360°F.

On a lightly-floured work surface, roll dough to a 1/2-­inch thickness.  Cut doughnuts with a 2 1/2-­inch round cutter, and cut a center hole with a smaller circle cutter.

Fry 2 or 3 doughnuts at a time for about 1 minute on each side. Doughnuts will be golden brown. Carefully remove from hot oil, drain, and let rest on towel paper.

Makes between 6 and 10 doughnuts.

From Joy the Baker blog, recipe adapted from Doughnuts by Lara Ferroni

Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Cheddar Sauce

For the cauliflower:

10 cups water

3 tablespoons kosher salt

1/3 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes

2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns

1 bay leaf

1 head of cauliflower, leaves removed

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

For the sauce:

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

½ cup whole milk

¾ cup beer (something light like a pilsner or amber) or white wine

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons spicy brown mustard

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated

To make the cauliflower, pour water into a large pot and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, add the salt, olive oil, lemon juice, butter, sugar, red pepper flakes, peppercorns, and bay leaf. Stir until butter has melted.  Gently lower the cauliflower into the simmering water.  The cauliflower should simmer top down in the liquid – no need to stir much, just let it simmer away for 15 minutes or until very soft.  To test the softness, insert a thin knife into the cauliflower; the knife should meet no resistance.   

While the cauliflower simmers, place a rack in the center of the oven and heat oven to 450°F.

Carefully lift the cauliflower from the water and place in a colander to drain.  Then, place the warm cauliflower in a pie plate.  Drizzle generously with olive oil.  Sprinkle with smoked paprika.  Roast for 30 minutes, rotating the pan two or three times during baking.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool while you make the cheese sauce.

To make the cheddar sauce, heat butter in a small sauce pot over medium-high heat.  Add the flour and whisk together to form a paste; cook for a few seconds to develop a nutty aroma.  Slowly stream in the milk and whisk until thickened, about 2 minutes.  Add the beer or wine and Worcestershire sauce and whisk until smooth, well-incorporated and thickened, about 5 minutes.

Add the mustard and season with salt and pepper.  Remove from heat and add the cheese.  Stir with a wooden spoon until melted and smooth.

To serve, place warm cauliflower in a serving dish. Pour the warm cheddar sauce around the cauliflower and serve.

Serves 2 to 4.

From Joy The Baker blog, recipe originally adapted from Domenica Restaurant in New Orleans.