- 6 weeks ago
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00:00I'm whipping up a colossally cozy dinner on the farm.
00:04The faster I can plate it up, the faster I can taste it.
00:07Hallelujah!
00:08Asian chicken pot pie with a crust made out of layers of fluffy scallion pancakes.
00:13Dang! That is so flavorful.
00:16Saucy and sticky orange broccoli and cauliflower.
00:19I am not gonna be able to stop eating this.
00:22Aren't you glad it's just a bunch of veggies?
00:24Juicy pork potsticker stir fry.
00:26Get at me!
00:28I almost don't even want to share this with the girls.
00:31And for dessert, my five spice gingerbread cookies with tangy cream cheese frosting shine.
00:37Five spice, more like five stars.
00:44I'm putting together a hearty dinner for the family because it's my favorite thing to do.
00:49It's how I show my love.
00:50For dessert, I'm making frosted five spice gingerbread cookies.
00:54They're soft and sweet and flecked with the uniquely cozy flavors of Chinese five spice.
01:00And then they get finished with a thick layer of orange cream cheese frosting.
01:05They're sort of like a gingerbread cookie for sugar cookie people, such as myself.
01:10I'll start with the dry ingredients for the dough.
01:12Three and a half cups of all-purpose flour.
01:14A teaspoon of baking powder.
01:16A little bit of baking powder is really helpful in the overall softness of the cookie.
01:21But what I love about these cookies is that they hold their shape with crisp edges after they're cut out.
01:27A teaspoon of kosher salt.
01:29And now the star flavor of the show, Chinese five spice.
01:32It's got cinnamon, cloves, fennel, anise, and Sichuan peppercorn.
01:37So you get the licorice notes of the fennel and the anise, and then that little peppery bite from the Sichuan peppercorn.
01:43It is such a complex, cozy combination of spices.
01:47All the flavors work so gorgeously together.
01:50I'm bumping up with a tablespoon of cinnamon because cinnamon truly is a key flavor of gingerbread.
01:55Ginger gets the naming rights, but cinnamon lays the foundation for everything.
02:00And then, of course, some ground ginger.
02:02And it's that signature zinginess that makes for a great gingerbread.
02:07And I'll just whisk this together.
02:09Cookie decorating is a central part of winter.
02:12We go all out with the buttercream and the sprinkles.
02:15And typically we do sugar cookies because those are the most fun to decorate.
02:19But always a little part of me feels bad that we skimp out on the traditional gingerbread.
02:24So this actually kind of combines the two.
02:26I'm using gingerbread flavors in a sugar cookie shape and topping it with frosting
02:31because frosted cookies are the best cookies.
02:34It's good to go.
02:35In my stand mixer, I'll combine one cup of softened unsalted butter
02:39and then four ounces of cream cheese is my secret ingredient for making a cut-out cookie
02:45that once it bakes up, it retains this gorgeous softness.
02:49It'll also contribute a little bit of tang, which is so tasty.
02:52And then one and a quarter cups of dark brown sugar.
02:55I'll beat this up until it's creamy and combined.
02:58This isn't like a fluffy cake where you have to beat in a ton of air in order to get a fluffy crumb.
03:06I love a cut-out cookie that is super-duper dense.
03:09So I'm not too concerned with beating in a ton of air at this stage.
03:13Which is great.
03:14Takes last time.
03:15I'll crack in an egg.
03:19And splash in some vanilla.
03:21And then turn the mixer down to low and gradually incorporate the dry ingredients.
03:27The smell of the Chinese five spice is so nostalgic for me.
03:31It makes me think of Peking duck and char shu.
03:34It's combined when I can no longer see any dry bits of flour.
03:38Let me grab some plastic wrap.
03:40I'll divide it in half, wrap it in plastic, and then refrigerate it for a few hours.
03:45And this is also the type of thing you could make a couple of days in advance and just keep in your fridge until you're ready to bake.
03:51It's smelling so good already.
03:56My dough is chilled. It's ready to be rolled out.
03:58I'm rolling this out to a scant quarter of an inch thick.
04:00So just slightly less than a quarter of an inch.
04:03It'll be just thick enough to stay soft after they've baked.
04:06That looks good.
04:09I'll cut out my shapes.
04:11I'm using a star.
04:12And it's a big star because a big cookie is a tasty cookie.
04:16You get a lot of those chewy innards.
04:19And stars are fun to decorate.
04:21Just like that.
04:23I love those clean edges.
04:25I'll place it onto a baking sheet that's lined with parchment.
04:28I'll keep on cutting and then I'll actually freeze these for an hour before baking.
04:32It's 350 for eight minutes until they're no longer shiny and just set.
04:36And then I'll get going on the frosting.
04:42It's just butter, powdered sugar, and salt.
04:44Start on low, then increase speed to high once you know the sugar won't fly.
04:49Oh, that rhymed.
04:50Add some cream cheese, orange zest, vanilla, and beat some more.
04:56Then scrape into a piping bag fitted with a quarter-inch tip for frosting ease.
05:01Easy peasy.
05:03My cookies are cool.
05:04They smell incredible.
05:05I'm ready to frost and decorate.
05:07So I like a cookie with a frosting as opposed to an icing that hardens.
05:13You can't beat a really soft, fluffy frosting.
05:16I've got it in a big piping bag with a fairly large tip.
05:20I honestly like almost a one-to-one ratio of cookie to frosting.
05:24So I'm going to pipe on a thick layer.
05:29I'm doing these big cartoon-like lines.
05:34Ta-da!
05:35I'll finish with a little dusting of cinnamon.
05:37That way that's the first thing that you smell when you go for a bite.
05:40Speaking of going for a bite, I'm just going to steal taste.
05:44Mm-hmm.
05:45Mm-hmm.
05:46They're soft and sweet and so cozy, and the brightness from the cream cheese and the orange and the frosting balances everything out.
05:56Five spice?
05:57More like five stars.
05:59For the main event, I'm making my Asian chicken pot pie.
06:15It's got a super hearty, super flavorful filling that's loaded with chicken and ginger,
06:20and it gets topped with a freaking scallion pancake crust.
06:24Go off, pie.
06:26I start with the filling and then do an easy puff pastry scallion pancake hack.
06:31I've got some oil in my pan here.
06:33I'm building everything in my braiser and then serving it out of that as well.
06:36I've got onion and celery along with some scallions.
06:39I'll just add the white parts of the scallions right now.
06:42It must take a little bit longer to cook.
06:44A pinch of salt.
06:46And then I'll cook these for a few minutes to soften.
06:49If I had to choose, I would say that chicken pot pies are the coziest food of all time.
06:54They're just like soup, but more.
06:56They're heartier.
06:57They're creamier.
06:58And then you have that crust.
07:00Oh, and with the scallion pancake crust, this is going to be otherworldly.
07:05Next, I'll toss in some ginger and garlic.
07:08Is ginger the theme of the day with the gingerbread cookies?
07:11I'm okay with it.
07:13A little crushed red pepper for some heat.
07:15I'll let this cook until it's fragrant.
07:17You want to be careful not to overcook the ginger or the garlic and cause them to burn and get bitter.
07:23I'll start to build the base of my pot pie.
07:26So with any pot pie, I do the veggies and then add some flour, which is going to thicken up the liquid and create that creamy sauce.
07:33I'll get in six tablespoons of all-purpose flour.
07:36And whenever you're adding flour to a dish like this, you want to cook it for a couple of minutes before adding the liquid.
07:42And that toasts the flour and it gets rid of that floury flavor.
07:46I'll switch to a whisk now and then whisk in two and a half cups of low-sodium chicken stock.
07:51So you want to add this gradually to create the smoothest sauce.
07:55The first food that Bernie ever inhaled when she was probably about eight months old was chicken pot pie.
08:02So I know she's going to be into this.
08:04You can really start to feel it in your whisk when it's thickened up and you can kind of see the tracks that the whisk leaves.
08:10So I'm ready to add the chicken.
08:12I've got four cups of cooked chicken here.
08:14I'll toss this in.
08:15I like to use a mixture of chicken breast and chicken thigh so you get those contrasting textures.
08:21Okay, I'll fold this in.
08:23Then you can't have a chicken pot pie without peas.
08:26I'm just using frozen peas, which will thaw almost immediately when they hit the hot mixture.
08:31They're like little balls of sweetness scattered throughout.
08:34And then a few of the scallion greens, but I'll actually reserve most of them for the topping.
08:37Some black pepper.
08:39I'll season with a bit of soy sauce.
08:41A splash of rice vinegar adds crucial acidity to balance out the flavors.
08:46And then to maximize its coziness, half a cup of heavy grape.
08:50I'll stir this all together.
08:52This looks so creamy and good.
08:54All right, I'll remove it from the heat while I make the scallion pancake crust topping.
09:00I've got two sheets of store bought puff pastry that I've thawed.
09:03You can either do it in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for about 45 minutes or an hour.
09:09And I'll roll this out until it's a wide 18 by 12 inch rectangle.
09:14You want to work fairly quickly and keep it as cold as it can be to maximize those flaky layers once it bakes up.
09:20My rectangle's rolled out.
09:22I'll drizzle it with some toasted sesame oil.
09:24Even though it's called a scallion pancake, sesame is a necessary part of it because this sesame oil infuses it with so much flavor.
09:31That dark toasty notes paired with the fresh scallions are such a great flavor match.
09:37I'll sprinkle with my reserved scallion greens.
09:43A pinch of salt.
09:45And I'll roll this up like a jelly roll.
09:47I want a nice tight roll to lock in all the scallions.
09:50Okay.
09:51And then I'll coil this up like a snail to create layers upon layers of scallion sesame goodness.
09:59I'll roll it out again.
10:00And I'll roll it out this time to be a little larger than the top of my brazier here.
10:06So it's going to be quite large.
10:07I can start to see the scallion greens through the dough.
10:10I'll brush this all over with egg wash to help it get shiny and golden on top.
10:18I'll brush the edges of the brazier with some egg wash too.
10:21And this will be glue that will help the puff pastry stay on.
10:24I'll cut some slits on the top for vents so that the steam can release as it bakes.
10:29I'll transfer it to the brazier.
10:31Drape it over the top.
10:33Oh, it looks so good.
10:35I want to make sure it touches all the edges.
10:38And then before it goes in the oven, some flaky salt and sesame seeds for crunch.
10:43Oh, that's so pretty.
10:44I'll bake this at 425 degrees for 30 minutes, tenting with foil for the last 10 so that it doesn't get too brown.
10:52Cozy town, here I come.
10:57It smells spectacular in here.
10:59Let me check on that pie.
11:01Yum.
11:02That is one gorgeous pot pie.
11:06I'm going to go for it right now.
11:08Because family means that you don't care if the person who cooked the pot pie snakes a taste before serving it.
11:15You know what this needs is some hot Chinese mustard for just a touch of that sinus-clearing deliciousness.
11:22Mmm.
11:24Dang.
11:25That is so flavorful with that ginger and the scallions.
11:37And that crust is so chewy and crispy and flaky and good.
11:42This is some alpaca sweater-level coziness in one spoon.
11:52For a side dish that is vying to be even more comforting than the main, I am making orange broccoli and cauliflower.
11:59It's basically orange chicken, but with veggies.
12:01So it's healthy...ish.
12:03I'm starting with half a head each of cauliflower and broccoli.
12:07And I'll coat them in some flour, season with some salt.
12:10And it's so easy just to put them all into a bag and shake them up.
12:13This is a job that Bernie and Ira would love to do.
12:16I'll just get them fully coated in the flour.
12:18And this just helps the surface of the veggies stick really well to the batter.
12:22All right.
12:23That's it for the batter.
12:24I'll start with three quarters of a cup of all-purpose flour.
12:27And three quarters of a cup of rice flour, which will help the batter fry up to be light and crispy.
12:33Two teaspoons of baking powder will allow the batter to puff up while it fries.
12:38And a teaspoon of salt.
12:39And I'll whisk together.
12:41This is just like a tempura batter.
12:43I love a battered vegetable.
12:46Kind of creates this shell that's crispy on the outside, but chewy once you get right below the surface.
12:52Such a good texture.
12:53One and a half cups of seltzer adds the bubbles that will keep this batter light and airy.
13:00This will be a very thin batter, but it puffs up in the fryer.
13:05I love seeing this bubbly batter come together.
13:08I'll transfer my veggies to the batter and get them fully coated.
13:12Cauliflower and broccoli are so great with this because their florets catch the batter and just provide so much delicious textural excitement.
13:22Broccoli is one of the few vegetables that Bernie and Ira reliably eat with excitement.
13:27So we have it pretty much every other day.
13:30They've got to have it crispy.
13:31They're actually pretty snobby about their broccoli texture.
13:34If they have broccoli somewhere else and it's not crispy or salty enough, they won't eat it.
13:39But this deep frying is going to take the broccoli crispiness to a whole other level.
13:44I'll toss these to allow the batter to coat everything and then I'll get them into my pot of oil.
13:49I have a couple of inches of neutral oil heating to 350 degrees here.
13:54That is exactly the sizzle you want to hear.
13:56I'll add a couple of spoonfuls.
13:58I'll fry these for four to five minutes until they're golden all over.
14:02I'm frying in cast iron, which is a great vessel for deep frying because cast iron holds heat very well.
14:10And it kind of slows that dropping of the oil temperature once the cold veggies go into the oil.
14:15And one thing I love about orange chicken is how the nuggets are all very smooth and almost blob-like in appearance.
14:24And that's what's happening here too.
14:26The batter is just getting so puffy and happy.
14:29And there are still some craggles though, which is important because those craggles will catch the sauce and add for some great crunchy excitement.
14:38Even if the batter starts to turn lightly golden, you want to make sure to go for the full four to five minutes
14:43because it's important that the veggies cook all the way through.
14:47This is the golden brown color that I'm looking for.
14:50And I love seeing those craggly bits.
14:52They'll be extra crunchy.
14:53I'll transfer these to a wire rack to allow any excess oil to drip off.
14:57And I'll just hold them here while I fry up the rest of the batch.
15:01And then I'll make my sauce.
15:02This sauce contributes tang and zippiness, and it just shellacks the veggies with glossiness.
15:12I'm starting with some orange juice.
15:14And to this, I'll add a couple of tablespoons of soy sauce.
15:17Rice vinegar for acidity.
15:19I love a sweet salty combo, but you also got to have some sour.
15:23A couple of teaspoons of toasted sesame oil.
15:25And then a quarter cup of apricot jam, which will help the sauce caramelize and thicken.
15:31And then it'll woo onto the veggies in that deliciously sticky way.
15:35And a tablespoon of cornstarch to thicken everything up.
15:38I'll whisk this until it's smooth.
15:40I love to have this combination of orange and apricot so you get complex fruitiness.
15:45Now, ultimately, it's going to be heating it up that thickens it.
15:48But before I add it to my pot to thicken, I'll sizzle together some aromatics.
15:53I'll add a drizzle of oil to my big braiser here.
15:56And I'm using a pot that's big enough to add in the veggies after I've made the sauce.
16:00I'll sizzle some scallions and garlic and ginger.
16:05And crushed red pepper.
16:06I love a kiss of heat in this dish.
16:08I'll pour in the sauce.
16:12I'll simmer this for just a minute until it thickens.
16:15Mmm.
16:16That is a really good smell, and a really good smell is the key to a cozy kitchen.
16:20Oh, yeah.
16:21It's getting thick.
16:22When you can drag your spoon across the bottom of the pot and see it's tracked the whole way, you know it's thick enough.
16:31All right, it's go time.
16:33I'll add the veggies right into the sauce.
16:35I'm so excited.
16:36I like handling these.
16:38They're so satisfying and crunchy.
16:40I'll toss them all together and get them fully coated in the sauce.
16:44This looks so good.
16:47Yowza.
16:48The faster I can plate it up, the faster I can taste it.
16:53This is the perk of wearing sweaters.
16:57Hallelujah.
17:02Look at that stain coming off of it.
17:04It still needs toasted sesame seeds.
17:08And scallions.
17:09This is just giving my hands something to do while it cools so that it's not lava hot going into my mouth.
17:16Which one of you do I want first?
17:18I want you.
17:19So sweet and sticky and the breading is so crunchy and chewy and satisfying.
17:33I am not going to be able to stop eating this.
17:36Or aren't you glad it's just a bunch of veggies?
17:46To really stir up this dinner, I'm making my potsticker stir fry.
17:49It's just a quick and easy veggie base with juicy pork dumplings to make it craveable.
17:55I'm starting with my potstickers, just frozen pork potstickers.
17:58I keep these on hand at all times.
18:00The girls cannot get enough of them.
18:02I've got some oil in my skillet here.
18:05I'll spread these out so that all of them can make contact with this skillet and start to get crispy.
18:11Sometimes when I see my girls inhaling bananas, the grossest food of all time,
18:15I am like, whose child is this?
18:18You are not related to me.
18:20But then when I see them eat potstickers with as much exuberance, I'm like, oh yeah, we're totally related.
18:26And now to get the insides hot and steamy, I'll add a quarter cup of water and then quickly cover it up.
18:31This is a two-step process.
18:33Step one makes them crisp.
18:34Step two makes them cook throughout.
18:36I'm always looking for ways to make potstickers into a full meal.
18:40Sometimes I'll put potstickers on a salad.
18:43But one day I just cooked up some veggies right along in the skillet with them.
18:47Throw in a sauce and bam, you've got to stir fry.
18:50They smell so good.
18:52All right, I'll uncover these.
18:55Hello.
18:56And allow the steam to evaporate.
18:58Oh, look at that good brown color.
19:00This is my happy place.
19:02A pan of dumplings.
19:04I'll get these out of the skillet to make way for the veggies.
19:10Add a little more oil.
19:12And then I'll get going on my veggies.
19:14I've got some broccoli, bell pepper, and onion here.
19:17Within a pile of potstickers, I'll eat any veggies.
19:20Oh, it smells so good.
19:22And I'll cook these for just a few minutes.
19:24If your pan ever seems dry, you can add a little bit more oil.
19:30They're so colorful.
19:32Bernie just had a rainbow birthday party.
19:34This would have been perfect for it.
19:36I'll sprinkle in a few cashews.
19:38I'll let them toast.
19:39Cashews are such a happy nut.
19:41They're always smiling.
19:42I'll have the potstickers back in.
19:45This is almost like a pasta dish.
19:47If you think of the potstickers as, like, ravioli.
19:49I'll bring this all together with my sauce.
19:52Sriracha.
19:53Soy.
19:54Rice vinegar.
19:55Sesame.
19:56Water.
19:57Cornstarch.
19:58Salt.
19:59Ginger.
20:00Garlic.
20:01Mix it up.
20:02Sauce done.
20:06The sauce just adds the most delicious bit of heat.
20:09Brings everything together.
20:11This is my ideal form of balance.
20:13Fried potstickers.
20:15The rainbow of veggies.
20:16I am so here for this.
20:18I cannot wait.
20:19I'm going to get a serving bowl immediately.
20:22Oh, yeah.
20:24Get at me.
20:27I'm so excited.
20:29I almost don't even want to share this with the girls.
20:32I'm gonna spoon this one.
20:34Oh, yeah.
20:35Here we go.
20:41Mm-hmm.
20:42Those potstickers are so crispy and juicy.
20:45And these veggies are perfectly cooked.
20:47Time to get this colossally cozy dinner started.
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