Girl Meets Farm (2018–…): Season 12, Episode 13 - Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad - full transcript
[Molly Yeh] We're celebrating
Nick's parents'
41st wedding anniversary
with a memory-inducing meal.
- Muffin cheers!
- Cheers.
I'm making them the crunchiest
tofu schnitzel ever...
When life gives your lemons,
squeeze them on a schnitzel.
...heartwarmingly
humble bean soup
with buttery
challah croutons...
That is the definition
of comfort.
...my flavorful bacon
roasted brussels sprouts
with warm
mustard vinaigrette...
Mmm, mmm. That is great char
on those brussels sprouts.
...and I'm sending them home
with a basket of jumbo
...and I'm sending them home
with a basket of jumbo
blue corn blueberry muffins
stuffed with
cream cheese bellies.
Is that true love I smell?
[crowd cheering]
Oh, yum!
Yay!
Hey, this is me, Molly Yeh.
This is my husband, Nick.
This is our growing family.
And this is our home, our farm
on the North Dakota-
Minnesota Border,
the place where I eat,
sleep, and breathe food.
I'm putting together
a dinner to celebrate
I'm putting together
a dinner to celebrate
my in-laws' 41st
wedding anniversary.
[crowd cheering]
Roger and Roxanne are awesome.
They live right across
the street,
and I wanted to do
something special
so that I could be
the favorite daughter-in-law.
Only daughter-in-law.
To start, I am baking
them a batch
of my jumbo blue corn
blueberry muffins,
which are plump and cakey,
and they've got
cream cheese bellies,
and they're an ode
to the very first time
that Roger and Roxanne
ever met.
So I know they'll
appreciate them.
So I know they'll
appreciate them.
I am starting with a cup
of blue cornmeal.
It's a little sweeter
than yellow cornmeal,
but it functions
very similarly.
So if you can't find
blue corn meal,
you can use yellow corn meal.
And this ingredient is something
that was developed by the Hopi.
I first had it at an indigenous
restaurant in Minneapolis.
I had it in a tortilla,
and it was so delicious.
I'll combine this with one and a
half cups of all-purpose flour...
...two thirds of a cup
of sugar...
...a tablespoon
of baking powder...
...a tablespoon
of baking powder...
...and three-quarters
of a teaspoon of kosher salt.
And I'll whisk this together.
So the story goes
that Roxanne,
fresh out of college,
moved to Grand Forks
to be a music teacher,
and a mutual friend
invited them over
after church
for blueberry muffins,
and that's when they met
and fell in love.
The rest is history.
So I'm hoping
that these muffins
bring back memories
of the first time they met.
That's it for my dry.
For my wet ingredients,
I'll get one cup of whole milk
For my wet ingredients,
I'll get one cup of whole milk
and then crack in
one whole egg.
And then I'll also add
one egg yolk.
So the added egg yolk
in this mixture
will increase the richness
of the muffin.
And then it'll leave me
some of the egg white
to help bind together
the cream cheese center.
I'll get a lemon and zest in
two teaspoons of lemon zest.
Lemon flavor enhances
blueberry flavor so nicely.
It'll also allow the blue corn and
the blueberry color to stay vibrant.
If you've ever had
a blueberry muffin
If you've ever had
a blueberry muffin
that turns kind of
greenish-grayish on you,
you know that it's
lacking in acid.
So there's your chemistry
lesson for the day.
A splash of vanilla,
I love to smell vanilla
in my muffins,
and then two tablespoons
of neutral oil.
I'll whisk wet ingredients
and then mix them
into the dry ingredients.
And this is when that
blue cornmeal comes alive
and becomes a deeper color.
I'll mix those just until the
dry ingredients are hydrated.
I'll mix those just until the
dry ingredients are hydrated.
So I don't want to
see any dry bits.
And then I'll drizzle in one stick of
melted butter that's cooled slightly.
I do wanna be careful
not to over-mix this,
create a gummy muffin.
Okay, I'll set this aside
to hydrate while I make
their cream cheese bellies.
This is basically
a cheesecake filling
that'll be a sweet surprise
in the middle
of these muffins.
I'll start with half a block
of softened cream cheese,
and then sweeten it
with two tablespoons of sugar
and then sweeten it
with two tablespoons of sugar
and a teaspoon of flour,
which will help the filling
bind together
in the center of the muffin.
Flavor it with
a splash of vanilla,
add a teaspoon of milk,
and then two teaspoons
of the remaining egg white
will also help this mixture
hold together in the center.
And I'll just mix this
until it's combined.
So my assessment of muffins
is that they are
fundamentally flawed,
because they're essentially
just cake without the frosting.
They've gotta have
bells and whistles.
So something like
a cream cheese belly
or a streusel-top.
or a streusel-top.
These ones are getting
a sugary top.
You've gotta really try
to make muffins good.
This is smooth and combined.
I'll get the blueberries now
into my muffin batter.
And these
are wild blueberries.
They're sweeter, and they've
got a brighter color.
Mmm.
It's starting to smell
like a blueberry muffin.
I've got six jumbo muffin tins
lined with liners.
I'll scoop this batter
into my muffin tins,
and I'll divide the batter
equally amongst them.
So to get the cream cheese
into the center,
I'll use two spoons,
kinda make a space
in the center
and then dollop in some of
the cream cheese filling.
Fill up that space,
and then I like to
swirl a bit of the batter
on top of the cream cheese.
It looks pretty, and when
you bite into it,
you reveal this creamy,
white cream cheese center.
All right,
I'll keep on filling.
These look great already,
but in the absence of
a frosting or a glaze,
but in the absence of
a frosting or a glaze,
I do wanna add something
sweet on top.
So I'll sprinkle these with two
tablespoons of turbinado sugar.
I'll bake these now
at 375 degrees
for 30 to 35 minutes
until a toothpick
stuck into the
non-cream cheese part
comes out clean.
And then let's feel the love.
Is that true love I smell?
Oh, no. It's just great
blueberry muffins.
These look awesome.
These look awesome.
I love seeing that
cream cheese swirl on top.
Ooh, that's warm.
I'm going right
for the center.
This is how I like
to eat a muffin,
just break it in half.
Oh, look at that belly.
Mmm.
Mmm.
That's good.
The blue corn
and the blueberry
work so nicely together.
One might say they
make a good marriage.
Happy anniversary,
Roger and Roxanne.
- [wedding march playing]
- [crowd cheering]
- [wedding march playing]
- [crowd cheering]
Coming up, a hearty
and comforting bean soup
topped with a delicious
challah crouton.
It'll warm you right up.
For a hearty, comforting soup
for my in-laws' anniversary dinner,
I am making my bean soup.
It's loaded with
legumes and veggies,
and it's topped with a great
cheesy toast for dunking.
I'm starting with a
quarter-cup of olive oil here,
and I'll use it to
cook my veggies.
I have two leeks here.
I have two leeks here.
You can use onions too, but I love
that delicate, springy flavor of leeks.
A couple of carrots
and some chopped celery.
I'll add a pinch of salt,
and stir these around
and just allow them to soften.
Those leeks are already
smelling good.
So Roger and Roxanne are
the healthiest people that I know.
They love to hike,
they love to walk,
even when it is
30 degrees below zero
in the dead of winter,
they go on multi-mile walks.
When Nick and I are
married for 41 years,
if we are as active as them,
I will feel satisfied.
if we are as active as them,
I will feel satisfied.
As these continue to soften,
I'll chop up some herbs.
I've got rosemary
and thyme here.
I wanna avoid these
really thick stems.
You don't wanna eat those.
I love these herbs with beans.
They're just so cozy,
and they're hearty too.
And then for the thyme,
I'll just use my fingers
to strip the leaves
off of the stem.
Bean soup has got to
simmer for quite a while,
so these hearty flavors
will hold up nicely.
So I've got my rosemary thyme
and loads of garlic.
I'll toss these in.
I'll stir this in and allow
the garlic and the herbs
to become fragrant.
Ugh, yeah, the rosemary
smells great.
And a bit of
crushed red pepper.
I'm cooking these ingredients
only for a minute or two,
just until I can smell them.
I want to be careful
not to burn the garlic.
I'll get the beans.
I've got three types here,
a cup each of chickpeas,
cannellini beans,
and navy beans
that I've soaked overnight,
which helps speed up
the cooking process.
which helps speed up
the cooking process.
And I love this
combination of beans
'cause you get
a few different textures,
navy beans are a bit firmer
than cannellini beans.
Chickpeas fall somewhere
in the middle.
You get a couple
different flavors,
but these are all
pretty mild beans,
which I like because they'll
soak up the flavor so nicely.
Now I'm ready for my stock.
I've got two quarts
of low-sodium chicken stock.
Of course, you can use
low-sodium veggie stock
if you wanted to
keep this vegetarian.
And two quarts of water.
A few bay leaves to infuse
the soup with herby-ness.
Okay, some lemon peel.
We'll infuse that great,
citrusy bright flavor.
And then a parmesan rind,
which I adore with my beans.
It infuses the soup
with salty umami,
it's so good, and it's just
to use up a parmesan rind
'cause what the heck else
are you gonna do with it?
I'll bring this to a boil
and then reduce to a simmer
I'll bring this to a boil
and then reduce to a simmer
and allow it to cook
for an hour,
until the beans are tender.
My soup has thickened,
the beans are soft,
it's looking good and stewy.
Now, I feel like it's
the Hagen way
to add more
healthy stuff to it.
I've got two bunches
of Tuscan kale
that I removed the stems from
and have coarsely chopped it.
And I'll just stir this in
and allow it to wilt.
I love adding greens to soup
because they cook down a lot,
so it's easy to eat
a lot of greens
so it's easy to eat
a lot of greens
when they're
wilted down in soup.
I'll season with a good
couple pinches of salt
and some pepper.
I like seeing the flecks
of black pepper.
Looks great to me, but you know
what would make this even better
is cheesy challah toast
to dunk in it.
Mmm, that looks perfect.
To make this, I toasted
some pieces of challah...
...brushed on some butter...
...sprinkled it with gruyere
and parmesan,
...sprinkled it with gruyere
and parmesan,
and stuck it
under the broiler.
You gotta dip something
into soup.
Here, let me plate it up,
bowl it up.
If you want to get
some chewy parmesan,
you can go for that rind too.
Oh, I got some. Cha-ching.
I like finishing the soup
with a drizzle of olive oil
for added richness,
and it's pretty.
Some flaky salt
and black pepper.
And I'll balance
a cheesy toast right on top.
And I'll balance
a cheesy toast right on top.
Isn't that pretty?
I better try it to make sure that
it's good for Roger and Roxanne.
I'm gonna do
the old dunk and scoop.
Mmm.
That is the definition
of comfort.
and that little bit of
funkiness from the gruyere
completes the package.
I would marry myself
for 41 years
if I made me this soup.
Next, the secret to making
brussels sprouts memorable.
The first time I ever met
Roger and Roxanne,
I made them brussels sprouts,
and they were the first brussels
sprouts that Roger ever loved.
So today I'm making some
crispy roasted sprouts,
similar to those,
with dried cherries
and bacon and a tangy
mustard vinaigrette.
They're salty, they're sweet,
and they've got great texture.
I'm starting by
crisping up my bacon.
I'm doing this first because
I'll use some of the bacon fat
to help cook
the brussels sprouts,
and I'm doing this
in an oven safe skillet
and I'm doing this
in an oven safe skillet
because I'll start the sprouts
on the stove top
and then finish them up
in the oven.
I'll set the bacon aside
while I get my
brussels sprouts crisping.
I still have a little
bacon fat in my pan,
but I'll boost it up
with my olive oil.
I've got my one pound
of brussels sprouts here
that have been halved.
You cook them
in one single layer
in a very hot skillet
so that you can get
that great crisp texture,
and then you finish them
in the oven
so that they can get
cooked through.
The hardest part
is staying patient
The hardest part
is staying patient
during this first
crisping process
because it takes some time.
You don't want to disturb
the magic that's happening.
I'll nestle in this last one
and then allow these
to cook undisturbed
for three to four minutes
over medium heat
until they develop
that great, crisp brown color.
So that first meal that I made
for Roger and Roxanne,
the one where Roger discovered
that he liked brussels sprouts,
I made a birthday cake,
I made these brussels sprouts,
I made homemade gnocchi,
and I attempted my very first
roasted chicken.
and I attempted my very first
roasted chicken.
And it was delicious,
but it wasn't ready
until after we had
eaten the cake,
so I was all flustered
and felt like a failure,
but Roxanne felt like the meal
was a smashing success
because she met the greatest
future daughter-in-law of all time.
Just kidding.
It was because Roger
liked brussels sprouts.
That's why she thought
it was a success.
Yes.
That is an ideal specimen.
You see that crispy texture?
If you think you don't
like brussels sprouts,
If you think you don't
like brussels sprouts,
try getting this kind
of color on them
and then taste them.
Your life will be changed.
I'll toss these around as I
season them with salt.
A good heavy hand with salt is
also gonna make these taste great.
I'll stick these in
a 450-degree oven now
for 12 to 14 minutes until
they're fully cooked throughout.
And while those roast, I'll
make my mustard vinaigrette.
This has the kind
of brightness
that a deeply roasted
vegetable needs.
that a deeply roasted
vegetable needs.
I'll start with two tablespoons
of whole grain mustard,
mustard and brussels sprouts
goes so well together,
a tablespoon each of maple
syrup and sherry vinegar.
So you get some sweetness,
you get some sourness,
I'll grate in
a clove of garlic.
That way you get
the flavor of the garlic
without too many
big garlicky bits.
Salt and pepper.
And then I'll
whisk this together
as I drizzle in a couple
of tablespoons of olive oil
as I drizzle in a couple
of tablespoons of olive oil
to bring the whole
dressing together.
Roxanne roasts vegetables
every single day
pretty much.
Every single time
I'm over there,
it seems like she's just taking a
pan of vegetables out of the oven.
Okay, that looks great.
Let me get
my brussels sprouts out.
They look great.
While they're still warm,
I'll toss them with
the vinaigrette.
It's nice and glossy.
It's nice and glossy.
Okay, now I'll add
some texture.
So I'll get some
almonds and cherries.
I love a nut
with my brussels sprout.
Got some dried cherries,
gives it a nice, chewy,
sweet counterpoint
to all these salty things
going on.
I'll chop and add my bacon.
Bacon, brussels sprouts,
and mustard,
yeah, that's a good combo.
And it's just enough bacon
to add some salty smokiness,
but not so much
that it's stealing the show.
but not so much
that it's stealing the show.
I'll toss these around.
I'll finish with some
fresh parsley
since this is a classy meal.
Ta-da!
For the perfect bite,
a little bit of everything.
A brussels sprout, a cherry,
some bacon, a nut.
Mmm.
Mmm, mmm. That is great char
on those brussels sprouts.
Mmm, mmm. That is great char
on those brussels sprouts.
This is bringing me
back to Brooklyn.
Still to come,
fried tofu done right,
schnitzel style.
For a hunk-a-hunk
of fried goodness
that will satiate even the most
carnivorous anniversary guest,
I'm looking at you, Nick,
I am making my tofu schnitzel,
which is super crispy
on the outside,
which is super crispy
on the outside,
soft on the inside.
And let's face it, Tofu is
really just a vehicle
for crunchy, fried breading.
So to start, I'm making
my breading,
which is a mixture
of panko bread crumbs
and regular bread crumbs.
I like that combination
of textures
because panko pieces
are bigger
and regular bread crumbs
are finer.
And it's flavored
with parmesan cheese,
lemon zest, paprika,
cayenne, a little garlic
and onion
and parsley and salt.
It is so tasty because
no offense, cover your ears,
It is so tasty because
no offense, cover your ears,
tofu is so bland.
I have my extra firm
tofu slices here
that I have ridden of all
of the excess moisture.
I'll just take them through
my dredging station.
I have some beaten egg
with some corn starch,
which will give me a thicker
fried breading shell,
and tofu can be
kind of slippery.
So the cornstarch in the egg
helps it to glob on.
This schnitzel, it's good.
I mean, even if you're not
a tofu eater...
I mean, even if you're not
a tofu eater...
...it's delicious.
Pair it with a sauce,
you're good to go.
I'll get these nuggets
completely coated
in the bread crumb mixture.
I've got a half-inch
of neutral oil
heating over medium heat
in my skillet here,
and I'll fry these each for about two to
three minutes per side until they're golden.
That's the sizzle you need
for a schnitzel.
I'll fry these for
a few minutes per side,
I'll fry these for
a few minutes per side,
until they're golden
over medium heat.
I feel like this is
the best texture journey
because you have
the crispiness on the outside,
and that softer tofu texture
on the inside.
I'll fry them on
the other side now
for another couple of minutes.
Got some great
golden crisp texture.
I think I'll have,
like, two bites...
...and, like, enjoy
the two bites.
These look great.
These look great.
I'll get these out of my pan
onto a wire rack
so that any excess oil
can drip off.
And that way,
they'll stay crispy.
While they're still hot, I'll
season with a pinch of salt.
Awesome.
And the last thing is
necessary for a schnitzel,
some lemon wedges.
When life gives you lemons,
squeeze them on a schnitzel.
I'll nestle these in.
I don't think Roger
and Roxanne will mind
if I take one
for a test drive.
Oh, yeah.
Mmm.
That is some crispy, crunchy,
junkie tofu, and I love it.
It's time to celebrate
the big 41.
Happy anniversary!
[Roger] Hey, thank you.
- 41.
- 41.
- Whoa.
- [Molly] Whoa.
I just can't even believe it.
These are foods all inspired
by the two of you.
[Roger] Yes.
- [Roxanne] No kidding.
- [Molly] Tofu schnitzel,
- bean soup...
- [Roger] I'll give you one.
- [Roxanne] Thank you.
- [Molly] ...with challah toast...
- [Roxanne] Thank you.
- [Molly] ...with challah toast...
[Roger] Oh, my gosh.
[Molly] ...roasted
brussels sprouts,
- there's bacon in there...
- [Roxanne] Okay.
...and of course, we couldn't
celebrate your anniversary
without blueberry muffins.
- [Roger] Oh, my gosh.
- [Roxanne] Oh, these are incredible.
The first day we met,
the two ladies
that brought us together,
- they had us over for blueberry muffins.
- For blueberry muffins,
and I was trying
to have everyone eat
as slow as possible
so the moment would last.
- [Nick] Aw.
- [both laughing]
So I gotta know,
what's the secret?
[Roxanne] Love and respect.
[Roger] Listening.
[Roxanne] Yeah, listening
and recognizing
that we're a team,
but we're also individuals.
[Nick] Yeah.
Muffin cheers! [laughs]
- Cheers.
- Cheers.
- Happy anniversary.
- Happy anniversary.
[Molly] Thanks for
being married
[laughing] and having Nick.
Nick's parents'
41st wedding anniversary
with a memory-inducing meal.
- Muffin cheers!
- Cheers.
I'm making them the crunchiest
tofu schnitzel ever...
When life gives your lemons,
squeeze them on a schnitzel.
...heartwarmingly
humble bean soup
with buttery
challah croutons...
That is the definition
of comfort.
...my flavorful bacon
roasted brussels sprouts
with warm
mustard vinaigrette...
Mmm, mmm. That is great char
on those brussels sprouts.
...and I'm sending them home
with a basket of jumbo
...and I'm sending them home
with a basket of jumbo
blue corn blueberry muffins
stuffed with
cream cheese bellies.
Is that true love I smell?
[crowd cheering]
Oh, yum!
Yay!
Hey, this is me, Molly Yeh.
This is my husband, Nick.
This is our growing family.
And this is our home, our farm
on the North Dakota-
Minnesota Border,
the place where I eat,
sleep, and breathe food.
I'm putting together
a dinner to celebrate
I'm putting together
a dinner to celebrate
my in-laws' 41st
wedding anniversary.
[crowd cheering]
Roger and Roxanne are awesome.
They live right across
the street,
and I wanted to do
something special
so that I could be
the favorite daughter-in-law.
Only daughter-in-law.
To start, I am baking
them a batch
of my jumbo blue corn
blueberry muffins,
which are plump and cakey,
and they've got
cream cheese bellies,
and they're an ode
to the very first time
that Roger and Roxanne
ever met.
So I know they'll
appreciate them.
So I know they'll
appreciate them.
I am starting with a cup
of blue cornmeal.
It's a little sweeter
than yellow cornmeal,
but it functions
very similarly.
So if you can't find
blue corn meal,
you can use yellow corn meal.
And this ingredient is something
that was developed by the Hopi.
I first had it at an indigenous
restaurant in Minneapolis.
I had it in a tortilla,
and it was so delicious.
I'll combine this with one and a
half cups of all-purpose flour...
...two thirds of a cup
of sugar...
...a tablespoon
of baking powder...
...a tablespoon
of baking powder...
...and three-quarters
of a teaspoon of kosher salt.
And I'll whisk this together.
So the story goes
that Roxanne,
fresh out of college,
moved to Grand Forks
to be a music teacher,
and a mutual friend
invited them over
after church
for blueberry muffins,
and that's when they met
and fell in love.
The rest is history.
So I'm hoping
that these muffins
bring back memories
of the first time they met.
That's it for my dry.
For my wet ingredients,
I'll get one cup of whole milk
For my wet ingredients,
I'll get one cup of whole milk
and then crack in
one whole egg.
And then I'll also add
one egg yolk.
So the added egg yolk
in this mixture
will increase the richness
of the muffin.
And then it'll leave me
some of the egg white
to help bind together
the cream cheese center.
I'll get a lemon and zest in
two teaspoons of lemon zest.
Lemon flavor enhances
blueberry flavor so nicely.
It'll also allow the blue corn and
the blueberry color to stay vibrant.
If you've ever had
a blueberry muffin
If you've ever had
a blueberry muffin
that turns kind of
greenish-grayish on you,
you know that it's
lacking in acid.
So there's your chemistry
lesson for the day.
A splash of vanilla,
I love to smell vanilla
in my muffins,
and then two tablespoons
of neutral oil.
I'll whisk wet ingredients
and then mix them
into the dry ingredients.
And this is when that
blue cornmeal comes alive
and becomes a deeper color.
I'll mix those just until the
dry ingredients are hydrated.
I'll mix those just until the
dry ingredients are hydrated.
So I don't want to
see any dry bits.
And then I'll drizzle in one stick of
melted butter that's cooled slightly.
I do wanna be careful
not to over-mix this,
create a gummy muffin.
Okay, I'll set this aside
to hydrate while I make
their cream cheese bellies.
This is basically
a cheesecake filling
that'll be a sweet surprise
in the middle
of these muffins.
I'll start with half a block
of softened cream cheese,
and then sweeten it
with two tablespoons of sugar
and then sweeten it
with two tablespoons of sugar
and a teaspoon of flour,
which will help the filling
bind together
in the center of the muffin.
Flavor it with
a splash of vanilla,
add a teaspoon of milk,
and then two teaspoons
of the remaining egg white
will also help this mixture
hold together in the center.
And I'll just mix this
until it's combined.
So my assessment of muffins
is that they are
fundamentally flawed,
because they're essentially
just cake without the frosting.
They've gotta have
bells and whistles.
So something like
a cream cheese belly
or a streusel-top.
or a streusel-top.
These ones are getting
a sugary top.
You've gotta really try
to make muffins good.
This is smooth and combined.
I'll get the blueberries now
into my muffin batter.
And these
are wild blueberries.
They're sweeter, and they've
got a brighter color.
Mmm.
It's starting to smell
like a blueberry muffin.
I've got six jumbo muffin tins
lined with liners.
I'll scoop this batter
into my muffin tins,
and I'll divide the batter
equally amongst them.
So to get the cream cheese
into the center,
I'll use two spoons,
kinda make a space
in the center
and then dollop in some of
the cream cheese filling.
Fill up that space,
and then I like to
swirl a bit of the batter
on top of the cream cheese.
It looks pretty, and when
you bite into it,
you reveal this creamy,
white cream cheese center.
All right,
I'll keep on filling.
These look great already,
but in the absence of
a frosting or a glaze,
but in the absence of
a frosting or a glaze,
I do wanna add something
sweet on top.
So I'll sprinkle these with two
tablespoons of turbinado sugar.
I'll bake these now
at 375 degrees
for 30 to 35 minutes
until a toothpick
stuck into the
non-cream cheese part
comes out clean.
And then let's feel the love.
Is that true love I smell?
Oh, no. It's just great
blueberry muffins.
These look awesome.
These look awesome.
I love seeing that
cream cheese swirl on top.
Ooh, that's warm.
I'm going right
for the center.
This is how I like
to eat a muffin,
just break it in half.
Oh, look at that belly.
Mmm.
Mmm.
That's good.
The blue corn
and the blueberry
work so nicely together.
One might say they
make a good marriage.
Happy anniversary,
Roger and Roxanne.
- [wedding march playing]
- [crowd cheering]
- [wedding march playing]
- [crowd cheering]
Coming up, a hearty
and comforting bean soup
topped with a delicious
challah crouton.
It'll warm you right up.
For a hearty, comforting soup
for my in-laws' anniversary dinner,
I am making my bean soup.
It's loaded with
legumes and veggies,
and it's topped with a great
cheesy toast for dunking.
I'm starting with a
quarter-cup of olive oil here,
and I'll use it to
cook my veggies.
I have two leeks here.
I have two leeks here.
You can use onions too, but I love
that delicate, springy flavor of leeks.
A couple of carrots
and some chopped celery.
I'll add a pinch of salt,
and stir these around
and just allow them to soften.
Those leeks are already
smelling good.
So Roger and Roxanne are
the healthiest people that I know.
They love to hike,
they love to walk,
even when it is
30 degrees below zero
in the dead of winter,
they go on multi-mile walks.
When Nick and I are
married for 41 years,
if we are as active as them,
I will feel satisfied.
if we are as active as them,
I will feel satisfied.
As these continue to soften,
I'll chop up some herbs.
I've got rosemary
and thyme here.
I wanna avoid these
really thick stems.
You don't wanna eat those.
I love these herbs with beans.
They're just so cozy,
and they're hearty too.
And then for the thyme,
I'll just use my fingers
to strip the leaves
off of the stem.
Bean soup has got to
simmer for quite a while,
so these hearty flavors
will hold up nicely.
So I've got my rosemary thyme
and loads of garlic.
I'll toss these in.
I'll stir this in and allow
the garlic and the herbs
to become fragrant.
Ugh, yeah, the rosemary
smells great.
And a bit of
crushed red pepper.
I'm cooking these ingredients
only for a minute or two,
just until I can smell them.
I want to be careful
not to burn the garlic.
I'll get the beans.
I've got three types here,
a cup each of chickpeas,
cannellini beans,
and navy beans
that I've soaked overnight,
which helps speed up
the cooking process.
which helps speed up
the cooking process.
And I love this
combination of beans
'cause you get
a few different textures,
navy beans are a bit firmer
than cannellini beans.
Chickpeas fall somewhere
in the middle.
You get a couple
different flavors,
but these are all
pretty mild beans,
which I like because they'll
soak up the flavor so nicely.
Now I'm ready for my stock.
I've got two quarts
of low-sodium chicken stock.
Of course, you can use
low-sodium veggie stock
if you wanted to
keep this vegetarian.
And two quarts of water.
A few bay leaves to infuse
the soup with herby-ness.
Okay, some lemon peel.
We'll infuse that great,
citrusy bright flavor.
And then a parmesan rind,
which I adore with my beans.
It infuses the soup
with salty umami,
it's so good, and it's just
to use up a parmesan rind
'cause what the heck else
are you gonna do with it?
I'll bring this to a boil
and then reduce to a simmer
I'll bring this to a boil
and then reduce to a simmer
and allow it to cook
for an hour,
until the beans are tender.
My soup has thickened,
the beans are soft,
it's looking good and stewy.
Now, I feel like it's
the Hagen way
to add more
healthy stuff to it.
I've got two bunches
of Tuscan kale
that I removed the stems from
and have coarsely chopped it.
And I'll just stir this in
and allow it to wilt.
I love adding greens to soup
because they cook down a lot,
so it's easy to eat
a lot of greens
so it's easy to eat
a lot of greens
when they're
wilted down in soup.
I'll season with a good
couple pinches of salt
and some pepper.
I like seeing the flecks
of black pepper.
Looks great to me, but you know
what would make this even better
is cheesy challah toast
to dunk in it.
Mmm, that looks perfect.
To make this, I toasted
some pieces of challah...
...brushed on some butter...
...sprinkled it with gruyere
and parmesan,
...sprinkled it with gruyere
and parmesan,
and stuck it
under the broiler.
You gotta dip something
into soup.
Here, let me plate it up,
bowl it up.
If you want to get
some chewy parmesan,
you can go for that rind too.
Oh, I got some. Cha-ching.
I like finishing the soup
with a drizzle of olive oil
for added richness,
and it's pretty.
Some flaky salt
and black pepper.
And I'll balance
a cheesy toast right on top.
And I'll balance
a cheesy toast right on top.
Isn't that pretty?
I better try it to make sure that
it's good for Roger and Roxanne.
I'm gonna do
the old dunk and scoop.
Mmm.
That is the definition
of comfort.
and that little bit of
funkiness from the gruyere
completes the package.
I would marry myself
for 41 years
if I made me this soup.
Next, the secret to making
brussels sprouts memorable.
The first time I ever met
Roger and Roxanne,
I made them brussels sprouts,
and they were the first brussels
sprouts that Roger ever loved.
So today I'm making some
crispy roasted sprouts,
similar to those,
with dried cherries
and bacon and a tangy
mustard vinaigrette.
They're salty, they're sweet,
and they've got great texture.
I'm starting by
crisping up my bacon.
I'm doing this first because
I'll use some of the bacon fat
to help cook
the brussels sprouts,
and I'm doing this
in an oven safe skillet
and I'm doing this
in an oven safe skillet
because I'll start the sprouts
on the stove top
and then finish them up
in the oven.
I'll set the bacon aside
while I get my
brussels sprouts crisping.
I still have a little
bacon fat in my pan,
but I'll boost it up
with my olive oil.
I've got my one pound
of brussels sprouts here
that have been halved.
You cook them
in one single layer
in a very hot skillet
so that you can get
that great crisp texture,
and then you finish them
in the oven
so that they can get
cooked through.
The hardest part
is staying patient
The hardest part
is staying patient
during this first
crisping process
because it takes some time.
You don't want to disturb
the magic that's happening.
I'll nestle in this last one
and then allow these
to cook undisturbed
for three to four minutes
over medium heat
until they develop
that great, crisp brown color.
So that first meal that I made
for Roger and Roxanne,
the one where Roger discovered
that he liked brussels sprouts,
I made a birthday cake,
I made these brussels sprouts,
I made homemade gnocchi,
and I attempted my very first
roasted chicken.
and I attempted my very first
roasted chicken.
And it was delicious,
but it wasn't ready
until after we had
eaten the cake,
so I was all flustered
and felt like a failure,
but Roxanne felt like the meal
was a smashing success
because she met the greatest
future daughter-in-law of all time.
Just kidding.
It was because Roger
liked brussels sprouts.
That's why she thought
it was a success.
Yes.
That is an ideal specimen.
You see that crispy texture?
If you think you don't
like brussels sprouts,
If you think you don't
like brussels sprouts,
try getting this kind
of color on them
and then taste them.
Your life will be changed.
I'll toss these around as I
season them with salt.
A good heavy hand with salt is
also gonna make these taste great.
I'll stick these in
a 450-degree oven now
for 12 to 14 minutes until
they're fully cooked throughout.
And while those roast, I'll
make my mustard vinaigrette.
This has the kind
of brightness
that a deeply roasted
vegetable needs.
that a deeply roasted
vegetable needs.
I'll start with two tablespoons
of whole grain mustard,
mustard and brussels sprouts
goes so well together,
a tablespoon each of maple
syrup and sherry vinegar.
So you get some sweetness,
you get some sourness,
I'll grate in
a clove of garlic.
That way you get
the flavor of the garlic
without too many
big garlicky bits.
Salt and pepper.
And then I'll
whisk this together
as I drizzle in a couple
of tablespoons of olive oil
as I drizzle in a couple
of tablespoons of olive oil
to bring the whole
dressing together.
Roxanne roasts vegetables
every single day
pretty much.
Every single time
I'm over there,
it seems like she's just taking a
pan of vegetables out of the oven.
Okay, that looks great.
Let me get
my brussels sprouts out.
They look great.
While they're still warm,
I'll toss them with
the vinaigrette.
It's nice and glossy.
It's nice and glossy.
Okay, now I'll add
some texture.
So I'll get some
almonds and cherries.
I love a nut
with my brussels sprout.
Got some dried cherries,
gives it a nice, chewy,
sweet counterpoint
to all these salty things
going on.
I'll chop and add my bacon.
Bacon, brussels sprouts,
and mustard,
yeah, that's a good combo.
And it's just enough bacon
to add some salty smokiness,
but not so much
that it's stealing the show.
but not so much
that it's stealing the show.
I'll toss these around.
I'll finish with some
fresh parsley
since this is a classy meal.
Ta-da!
For the perfect bite,
a little bit of everything.
A brussels sprout, a cherry,
some bacon, a nut.
Mmm.
Mmm, mmm. That is great char
on those brussels sprouts.
Mmm, mmm. That is great char
on those brussels sprouts.
This is bringing me
back to Brooklyn.
Still to come,
fried tofu done right,
schnitzel style.
For a hunk-a-hunk
of fried goodness
that will satiate even the most
carnivorous anniversary guest,
I'm looking at you, Nick,
I am making my tofu schnitzel,
which is super crispy
on the outside,
which is super crispy
on the outside,
soft on the inside.
And let's face it, Tofu is
really just a vehicle
for crunchy, fried breading.
So to start, I'm making
my breading,
which is a mixture
of panko bread crumbs
and regular bread crumbs.
I like that combination
of textures
because panko pieces
are bigger
and regular bread crumbs
are finer.
And it's flavored
with parmesan cheese,
lemon zest, paprika,
cayenne, a little garlic
and onion
and parsley and salt.
It is so tasty because
no offense, cover your ears,
It is so tasty because
no offense, cover your ears,
tofu is so bland.
I have my extra firm
tofu slices here
that I have ridden of all
of the excess moisture.
I'll just take them through
my dredging station.
I have some beaten egg
with some corn starch,
which will give me a thicker
fried breading shell,
and tofu can be
kind of slippery.
So the cornstarch in the egg
helps it to glob on.
This schnitzel, it's good.
I mean, even if you're not
a tofu eater...
I mean, even if you're not
a tofu eater...
...it's delicious.
Pair it with a sauce,
you're good to go.
I'll get these nuggets
completely coated
in the bread crumb mixture.
I've got a half-inch
of neutral oil
heating over medium heat
in my skillet here,
and I'll fry these each for about two to
three minutes per side until they're golden.
That's the sizzle you need
for a schnitzel.
I'll fry these for
a few minutes per side,
I'll fry these for
a few minutes per side,
until they're golden
over medium heat.
I feel like this is
the best texture journey
because you have
the crispiness on the outside,
and that softer tofu texture
on the inside.
I'll fry them on
the other side now
for another couple of minutes.
Got some great
golden crisp texture.
I think I'll have,
like, two bites...
...and, like, enjoy
the two bites.
These look great.
These look great.
I'll get these out of my pan
onto a wire rack
so that any excess oil
can drip off.
And that way,
they'll stay crispy.
While they're still hot, I'll
season with a pinch of salt.
Awesome.
And the last thing is
necessary for a schnitzel,
some lemon wedges.
When life gives you lemons,
squeeze them on a schnitzel.
I'll nestle these in.
I don't think Roger
and Roxanne will mind
if I take one
for a test drive.
Oh, yeah.
Mmm.
That is some crispy, crunchy,
junkie tofu, and I love it.
It's time to celebrate
the big 41.
Happy anniversary!
[Roger] Hey, thank you.
- 41.
- 41.
- Whoa.
- [Molly] Whoa.
I just can't even believe it.
These are foods all inspired
by the two of you.
[Roger] Yes.
- [Roxanne] No kidding.
- [Molly] Tofu schnitzel,
- bean soup...
- [Roger] I'll give you one.
- [Roxanne] Thank you.
- [Molly] ...with challah toast...
- [Roxanne] Thank you.
- [Molly] ...with challah toast...
[Roger] Oh, my gosh.
[Molly] ...roasted
brussels sprouts,
- there's bacon in there...
- [Roxanne] Okay.
...and of course, we couldn't
celebrate your anniversary
without blueberry muffins.
- [Roger] Oh, my gosh.
- [Roxanne] Oh, these are incredible.
The first day we met,
the two ladies
that brought us together,
- they had us over for blueberry muffins.
- For blueberry muffins,
and I was trying
to have everyone eat
as slow as possible
so the moment would last.
- [Nick] Aw.
- [both laughing]
So I gotta know,
what's the secret?
[Roxanne] Love and respect.
[Roger] Listening.
[Roxanne] Yeah, listening
and recognizing
that we're a team,
but we're also individuals.
[Nick] Yeah.
Muffin cheers! [laughs]
- Cheers.
- Cheers.
- Happy anniversary.
- Happy anniversary.
[Molly] Thanks for
being married
[laughing] and having Nick.