Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Cumin

This was supposed to be a Meatless Monday post, but after all the tornadoes in Alabama early yesterday we were without internet service most of yesterday, so you get Meatless Tuesday!

Doesn't quite have the same ring to it, but whatever.  Hubs and I are heading to Costa Rica next week with two other couples which means I have to get into a bathing suit.  IN PUBLIC!  

So I made a big pot of this soup and damn is it good.  It's a combination of a few different recipes.  I wanted to find a way to give the cauliflower a little more flavor than simply steaming it.  Not a fan of steamed vegetables.   However I'm a HUGE fan of roasted vegetables and Melissa Clark has a great roasted cauliflower recipe that involves roasting the cauliflower with cumin seeds that is amazing.   So I went that route and then adapted a Cooking Light recipe for the rest of the soup.  

This is easy, full of flavor, and a creative way to get more vegetables in your diet.  Especially if you have to get into a bathing suit next to skinny bitches anytime soon!

Here's the recipe:

Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Cumin

Adapted from Cooking Light and Melissa Clark

Ingredients:

Two heads of cauliflower florets 

1 tablespoon of whole cumin seeds

1 teaspoon ground cumin

one medium yellow onion, chopped

two cloves of garlic, chopped

4 cups low-fat, low-sodium chicken stock

1 3/4 cup fat free milk

olive oil

salt

pepper

Directions:

Cut florets into approximately the same size pieces and put on roasting sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper and cumin seeds.  Toss to coat and roast at 400 degrees until almost fork tender.

While cauliflower is roasting, in a dutch oven, saute onion in a little olive oil until translucent, about 5-7 minutes.  Add in garlic and saute for additional minute.  Add roasted caluiflower to pot with onions and garlic.  Add in two cups of chicken stock and all of milk, along with the teaspoon of ground cumin.  Simmer for 20 minutes.

Remove from heat and puree mixture in blender.  Return mixture to pot and add additional two cups of chicken stock.  Adjust salt and pepper to taste.  (I also added in some red pepper flakes for additional heat, but leave out if this is not your thing)

I served mine with some homemade croutons.  

Brown Butter Crispy Rice Treats

I temporarily lost my kitchen mojo last week.  It was terrible.  I couldn't find anything fun or interesting to make and when I finally did I totally screwed it up.  I burnt two dozen cupcakes and somehow screwed up two pies that had taken most of the day to make.

So I decided to go old school and keep it simple.  Rice Krispie treats.  A kindergardener can make those, so I figured even I could manage success.  Plus, who doesn't love these?

The addition of real vanilla bean and browned butter gives these a richer, nuttier flavor and takes them from a simple childhood treat to a sophisticated dessert.  Make these for your super bowl party or send them to school with your kids for a Valentines Day.  And if you've also lost your kitchen mojo, I guarantee they'll get you out of your funk.

Here's the recipe:

Brown Butter Crispy Rice Treats

flour, by Joanne Chang

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
Two 10-ounce bags marshmallows
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
9 cups crispy rice cereal

Directions:
Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan, coat it with nonstick cooking spray, or line it with parchment paper.

In a large saucepan, melt the butter over low heat.  As the butter melts, use the tip of a knife to scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean directly into the butter.  (Reserve the pod for another use.  I throw mine into my sugar jar to make vanilla sugar).

Once the butter has melted, it will start to bubble and crackle.  Watch the butter carefully and you will see it slowly browning.  As soon as the bubbling subsides, after about 5 minutes, the butter will be fully browned and you will need to add the marshmallows.  (Be attentive, because if you don't add the marshmallows right away, the butter may burn.)  Add the marshmallows and salt and stir constantly over low heat, until the marshmallows are completely melted and the vanilla seeds are evenly distributed.

Remove the pan from the heat, add the cereal, and mix well with a wooden spoon to coat evenly.  Turn the mixture into the prepared pan and pat into an even layer.  Let cool for about 1 hour, or to room temperature, then cut into 12 pieces.

These treats can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Just call me Switzerland.....

I've got no dog in the hunt in Monday's National Championship Game.  Truth be told, I probably won't even watch the game.....at least the whole game.  If it's as boring as the first time these two played this year, I know I'll be asleep by halftime.  But I know some of you will be glued to the tube cheering on your team, so I'm offering up these two desserts as options for your party.

For the LSU fan, these bars are named (by me) after who,  had he not got caught smoking synthetic weed (really dude...synthetic??) during the year and suspended for a game probably would have won the Heisman.  Tyrann Mathieu.   I think he is arguably the best player on, at least up to this point,  the best team in the country.  They're sweet from the honey (like the way he can turn an entire game around with a punt return) and spicy from the cinnamon (like his personality).

If you prefer The Tide, you're gonna love this pie.  I found this in Baked...New Frontiers in Baking.  One of the authors, Matt Lewis, attended the University of Alabama and his neighbor made this pie for football tailgating.  Seems he made a particularly boozy version but this recipe only calls for 1 tablespoon of whisky.  If you like your dessert to give you a buzz, feel free to add more!  It's essentially a gooey, chocolate chip cookie with a crust.  Serve this warm with some ice cream on top.  It's sinful.

Here are the recipes for both:

Tuscaloosa Tollhouse Pie

Baked....New Ftontiers in Baking

Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito

Ingredients:

Pie Dough.....make your favorite recipe or take the easy route and use Pillsbury frozen pie dough

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened, cut into cubes

1 tablespoon whiskey (or more!)

3/4 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped (I had pecans so I used those)

1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Roll your pie dough into a 12" round and transfer the dough to a pie dish and carefully work it into the pie dish, folding any overhand under and crimping the edge as you go.  Wrap and freeze the crust until firm, about 2 hours or up to 3 months.

Preheat the oven to 350 deg. F

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour and sugars together until combined,  Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the eggs on high speed until foamy, about 3 minutes.  Remove the whisk attachment and add the paddle attachment.  With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture.  Turn the mixer to high and beat for 2 minutes.  Scrape down the bowl and add the butter.  Beat on high speed until the mixture is combined.  Scrape down the bowl, add the whiskey, and beat the mixture on high speed for 1 minute.

Fold the walnuts (or pecans) and 3/4 cup of the chocolate chips into the filling.

Pour the filling into the frozen pie shell and spread it out evenly.  Top the filling with the remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips.  

Bake in the center of the oven for 25 minutes, then cover the edges of the crust loosely with aluminum foil and bake for another 25 minutes (this will prevent the crust from browning too quickly).  Test the pie by sticking a knife in the center of the filling.  If the knife comes out clean, the pie is done.  Transfer to a wire rack and let cool before slicing.

The pie can be stored in the refrigerator, tightly covered for up to 2 days.

Honey (Badger) Bars

King Arthur Flour

Ingredients:

Dough

2 cups + 1 tablespoon All Purpose Flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup honey

1 cup sugar

1 large egg

Glaze

1 cup confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 tablespoon water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 deg F and lightly grease a 10x15" jelly roll pan.  Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together in a bowl and set aside.  With an electric mixer, combine the oil, honey, sugar and egg until well blended.  Add the dry ingredients and mix until they're incorporated.  Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan (grease your hand first then pat the dough into place) and bake for 16 to 18 minutes, until the top of the center looks dry.  The bars will puff up, then fall a bit when they come out of the oven.  This is how they should be.

Mix the glaze ingredients while the bars are baking.  When you take the bars out of the oven, immediately pour on the glaze and spread evenly over the bars (a pastry brush will help you with this).  Cool for 15 to 20 minutes before cutting into squares.

White Bean and Sausage Soup

I'll bet you thought I'd fallen off the face of the earth, huh?  What?  Didn't even notice I was gone?  Figures.  I'll tell you about our holiday travels in a bit, but first.....Happy New Year.  It's officially that time of year.  You know....that time when you make all of these lofty promises to yourself about healthy this and healthy that only to get bored with all that shizzle about the first of February when all you want is a big ole juicy ribeye and to veg out on the couch.

I've made all those same resolutions and promises that the rest of you make every January, but what I've learned about myself is that I'm crazy if I think I'll exist on lettuce and grapes for very long.  I just end up eating more in the long run.  So my strategy is healthier ingredients but still in a hearty way.  Take this White Bean and Sausage Soup, for example.  In November, I made this with spicy Italian PORK sausage, but in January I used more beans and went with a spicy CHICKEN sausage and added some spinach for a little more fiber. 

And you know what, it's actually better.  That could totally be my crazy brain playing tricks on me (because I know it's better for me, it tastes better?) but whatever.  This is a great soup to get your healthy January started on the right track.

Here's the recipe:

White Bean and Sausage Soup

King Arthur Flour

Ingredients:

1 pound dried white beans (navy, canneloni, Great Northern) picked over for stones, soaked overnight in  three quarts water, refrigerated.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 cups carrots, peeled, medium dice

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1 1/2 cups celery, or celery root, medium dice

2 cups leeks, well washed and drained

1 bay leaf

1 tablespoon dried marjoram or oregano

2 1/2 quarts chicken stock

1 pound diced cooked sausage of your choice

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Pour the beans onto a baking sheet and go over them for stones or clumps of dirt,  Put the sorted beans in a gallon container and add 3 quarts of water.  Refrigerate overnight.

The next day, drain the beans.  In a large heavy stockpot heat the oil until you see ripples in it.  Add the onions and carrots, stir and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until the onions are translucent.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, until it's fragrant.  Add the celery, leeks, bay leaf, marjoram or oregano, the drained beans and the chicken stock.

Simmer, skimming any foam that comes to the top for 30-45 minutes, until the beans are tender.  Add the sausage and Worcestershire sauce and cook for 3 minutes.  Season to taste and serve hot.

For New Year's,  Jack Hanna and I went to Colorado to visit some great friends.  Actually that's just Hubs in his Jack Hanna hat.  He thinks he looks pretty cute.  (So do I, but I'll never tell him that!)

Our friends live in Pagosa Springs, home to the Pagosa hot springs.  The Ute Indians claimed ownership to the world's deepest natural hot springs and people come to soak in the springs for their therapeutic powers.  I didn't partake.  The thought of getting into a "bath tub" with a bunch of people I've never met, frankly, grosses me out.  Plus, because of all those minerals in the water, it STINKS!  Like rotten eggs.   Just sayin.

The weather was crazy beautiful the entire week.  Unseasonably warm and sunny and not a flake of new snow.  They'd received a few feet in previous weeks, so there was plenty on the ground, but I'm not gonna lie.....totally didn't break my heart that it never snowed.   

Look at that sky.  It was like that EVERY DAY!!  And is that view beautiful, or what?

My poor, unfortunate friends have to look at that every day.

From here.  They just finished it this Fall and it's really beautiful.  

They have beautiful view of Pagosa Peak......

and lots of room for the Aussie Posse.

There's the baby, Commander....

his older sister, Olive

Sweet, gentle Oso

and his brother, Zeus.

And then there's Blue.  Blue is the oldest and she takes care of everyone else!

On New Year's Day we all went skiing at Wolf Creek.  When I say "we", I don't actually mean ME.  You see, our hosts threw a big ole NYE party and around midnight, someone suggested shots of Patron and apparently I thought that idea was GENIUS.  Until the next morning.  So.....in the interest of the other skiers I chose to not risk loosing my lunch all over the mountain and just watched.  Nice, huh?

I did participate in the snow shoeing.  Loved that.  If you've never tried it, you should.

 And we did some sledding down the hill in their back yard.

We had a fabulous time and I can't wait to go back.  I already promised to stay out of the Patron so my chances of an invite would go up!

Dutch Babies

Want to dazzle your family on Christmas morning?  Make them a Dutch Baby!  It's a little amazing what three eggs can do when beaten together with some flour and milk.  Quite the show stopper.  Your kids will think you're a genius.

When everyone is finished opening presents and your husband is cleaning up the mess (because that's what husbands should do!), slip into the kitchen and throw this together.  It takes five minutes to mix up the eggs, milk, flour and butter.  Pop it into the oven for 20-25 minutes and you've got breakfast.

You can finish it a ton of different ways....simply squeeze some lemon juice on top and sprinkle with some powdered sugar or do what I did and pile some fresh berries in the center.  If you've got a little extra time, some sauteed pears or apples (or pears and apples) would be delish.

Here's the recipe:

Dutch Baby

The Breakfast Book, Marion Cunningham

Ingredients:
3 eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Toppings of your choice.

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 450 deg. F.  Butter one 12-inch skillet or four 6-inch small skillets (with ovenproof handles) or pans (you can use small pie pans or cake pans).

Break the eggs into a mixing bowl and beat until thoroughly mixed.  Add the milk and blend well.

Sift the flour and salt together and slowly whisk into the egg mixture.  Whisk until smooth. Add the melted butter and mix briskly so the batter is smooth.

Pour the batter into the pan or pans and bake for 15 minutes at 450 deg.  If you using small pans, they will be done after 15 minutes.  If you are baking just one big pancake, reduce the beat to 350 deg. F and bake for another 5-10 minutes.

Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar and finish to your liking.

Sticky Pecan Bites

I'm going to get to these mini-sticky buns in a minute because they're amazing.  So amazing, hubs ate 15...yes, I said 15....straight out of the oven.  In his mind, he only had 15 bites, which is a minor snack.  

But first, we made a quick trip to Ohio the past few days to see these two little munchkins and that new addition laying on Reese's lap.  Not only did I get to kiss on them, I got to smell sweet puppy breath.  

 We also went up to help my niece, Annie, move into her first solo, big-girl apartment.  When we got there she had a couch, a bed and a dresser so we had our work cut out for us.  Her brother donated a table and chairs to the cause and we went shopping for the rest.  Pretty good for two days work, don'tcha  think?

I also want to mention where we stayed while we were in Granville....The Welsh Hills Inn B&B....a fabulous recommendation from a friend.  Usually when we visit the kids, we have to make the 30 minute drive back and forth to Columbus, because the other offerings in Granville need some serious updating!  This has changed everything.  The Inn is situated just a few miles outside of Granville on about 5 acres (I'm guessing) on a stunning property with rolling hills. The home, itself, is one thing.....decorated with beautiful antiques, really comfortable beds with plush linens, modern bathrooms and doting hosts....but I'll be back for the breakfasts, alone.  These peeps can cook!  The first day we had an omelet with caramelized onions, spinach and mushrooms, toast served with a delicious sour-cherry jam; day two was whole-grain french toast with sauteed Harry and David pears; and our last day was fresh fruit with granola and yogurt, fresh grapefruit and a cinnamon bread stick.  Delish!

I'll definitely be back and I know the 'rents are going to love it also.

Now, back to these mini-buns (I wish I could describe my own buns as "mini"....)  These are a great alternative to your regular sticky bun recipe because since there is no yeast, they come together very quickly.  Hubs said he loved them so much because they weren't too sweet like other sticky buns tend to be.  Perfect little bites of soft dough, crunchy pecans and a slightly sweet cinnamon syrup.

Here's the recipe:

Sticky Pecan Bites

Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy, by Alice Medrich

Ingredients:
24 pecan halves
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt, plus additional for sprinkling
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup packed brown or muscovado sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, very soft

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 deg. F.  Position a rack in the lower third of the oven.  Lightly grease a mini- muffin tin (24 cups) unless they are nonstick pans.

Place a pecan half in each cup, top side down.  Combine the flour, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl and mix together thoroughly with a whisk or fork.  Make a well in the center.  Pour the cream into the well.  Use a rubber spatula to fold and stir the flour mixture and cream together just until the dry ingredients are entirely moistened and a soft dough is formed, it should not look perfectly smooth.  Let the dough rest for 2 to 3 minutes to firm up.  Meanwhile, mix the sugar with the cinnamon.

On a lightly floured surface, with a floured rolling pin, roll the dough to a rectangle 12 by 7 inches and 1/4 inch thick.  Spread the dough with the soft butter and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and the brown sugar.  Starting at one short end, roll the dough tightly.  Gently stretch the dough to lengthen the roll.  Cut the roll crosswise into 24 equal pieces.  Place each piece in a muff cup cut side up.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until well browned.  Rotate the pan front to back halfway through the baking time to ensure even baking, immediately turn the cookies out onto a sheet of parchment on a heatproof surface.  Serve on the day you make them.

Spiked Coffee Cookies

Are there two ingredients that bring out the best in each other better than coffee and chocolate?  OK.  There might be, but are there any more enjoyable?  They're like Batman and Robin, Ginger and Fred, Sanford and Son, Demi and Ashton.....maybe not the last one, but you get my drift.

These are intensely chocolatey, cakey cookies with just a whisper of coffee.  It's subtle, but it's there.  Perfectly.  As for the glaze, I may or may not have doubled the amount of Kahlua because that's the way I roll.

I think I'll make these this summer and forego the glaze and sandwich two cookies together with some coffee ice cream in the middle.  What the heck....why wait until summer!

Spiked Coffee Cookies

King Arthur Flour

Ingredients:

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup coffee liqueur (such as Kahlua)

1 large egg

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon espresso powder

1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa powder

1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

glaze:

1 cup chocolate chips

6 tablespoons heavy cream

1 tablespoon coffee liqueur

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 deg. F.  Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets.

To make the dough:  In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar,  Add the liqueur, egg, baking soda, salt and espresso powder, beating until smooth.  Beat in the cocoa and flour.

Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto the prepared baking sheets.  Bake the cookies for 12 minutes, until they appear set and you can begin to smell the chocolate,   Remove them from the oven and transfer to a rack to cool.

To make the glaze:  In a microwave-safe measuring cup or bowl, or in a saucepan set over very low heat, heat the chocolate chips and cream, stirring until the chocolate melts.  Continue stirring until you made a smooth glaze then stir in the liqueur.  Spread the tops of the cooled cookies with the glaze.