Cheaters Paella Ruth Reichl Recipes

CHEATER'S PAELLA

Steps:

• Wash and cube chicken.
• Bring water to boil in a large sauce pan. Add rice with seasoning and butter or olive oil.
• Cook for 1 minute, then cover and reduce heat to simmering.
• Cook rice for 20-25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, spray skillet with non-stick cooking spray.
• Saute chicken, garlic and fresh cracked pepper on medium heat till chicken is white on the outside, but not cooked through (about 10 minutes).
• Add vegetables and stir to combine. Cover and cook another 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
• Remove chicken and vegetables from skillet with a slotted spoon and mix into rice.

RUTH REICHL'S GOUGERES (YUMMY CHEESE PUFFS!) GREAT FOR HOLIDAY!

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Combine the water, butter and a teaspoon of the salt into a sauce pan and bring to a boil, stirring until butter melts.
• Remove from heat, let cool slightly, stir in flour, and mix well.
• Return the pan to the heat and stir with a wooden spoon over high heat until the mixture comes away from the sides of the pan and remove from heat.
• Stir in eggs, one at a time until well combined.
• Add the diced cheese, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper, stirring well.
• Drop the dough by rounded tablespoons onto a well buttered baking pan. Smooth the top and sides of each gougere with a knife and sprinkle with the grated cheese.
• Bake in batches for 25 minutes or until puffed and golden.

RUTH REICHL'S GIANT CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter two large rectangular baking pans (13 by 9 by 2 inches) and line them with waxed or parchment paper. Butter the paper and dust the pans with cocoa (you could use flour, but cocoa adds color and flavor).
• Measure the cocoa powder into a bowl, and whisk in 1 1/2 cups of boiling water until it is smooth, dark and so glossy it reminds you of chocolate pudding. Whisk in the milk and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk the flour with the baking soda and 3/4 teaspoon salt.
• Put the butter into the bowl of a stand mixer and beat in the sugars until it is light, fluffy and the color of coffee with cream (about 5 minutes). One at a time, add the eggs, beating for about 20 seconds after each before adding the next. On low speed, beat in the flour mixture in 3 batches and the cocoa mixture in 2, alternating flour-cocoa-flour-cocoa-flour.
• Pour half of the batter into each pan and smooth the tops. Bake in the middle of the oven until a tester comes out clean, 25 to 35 minutes. Let the pans rest on cooling racks for 2 minutes, then turn the cakes onto racks to cool completely before frosting.
• Make the frosting: Chop the chocolate and melt it in a double boiler. Let it cool so that you can comfortably put your finger in it. While it's cooling, mix the butter with the whipped cream cheese. Add the chocolate, the vanilla and a dash of salt, and mix in the confectioners' sugar until it looks like frosting, at least 5 minutes. Assemble the cake, spreading about a third of the frosting on one of the cooled layers, then putting the second layer on top and frosting the assembled cake.