Fam Fun

Everyone arrived in B'ham last night safe and sound and we've been going strong ever since.

It started with the all important game of Whack-a-mole, which Reece obviously won.

Reece also got to see some fireworks

Getting ready for bed  with Mama and Aunt Carly

Connally got really tired of all the picture taking and thought if he closed his eyes we'd just go away!

Today was beautiful and warm (76 degrees!!) so we headed down to the zoo.

Reece and his Aunt NieNie

This is what Zach felt like after a night of Stoli Doli's

Ran into the Meerkat Manor dudes

This is how I feel after all I've been eating all weekend.

Mr. B after he found out all the beer was gone this morning.

Shy Reece with Dada and Mama

Just checkin to see if I'm still taking his picture.

Serious discussion with Dada

I just thought this was disgusting!

Annie and Matt

Mr. Big Shot

We're having a great time so far!!

Barefoot Bloggers - Pappa al Pomodoro

There's a little break in the action this morning at my house....most of the family is still sleeping....so I'm going to sneak this post in.

This weeks BB recipe was Pappa al Pomodoro and was chosen by Natalie at Burned Bits.

This was, once again, a killer soup.  I didn't think I was going to like the texture as it was going together, but eventually the bread just blends into the rest of the soup and just acts like a very nice thickener.  After that it just becomes a really great tomato soup.

I will say that the topping...croutons, bacon (I substituted), and basil....is really the star of this.  For me, anyway.  

I froze a large portion of this and served it to the 'rents and it was a huge hit.  Nan's probably going to have to make this one back in Florida!

Here's Ina's recipe:

Pappa al Pomodoro

can also be found in Barefoot Contessa's "Back to Basics" cookbook

1/2 cup good olive oil
2 cups chopped yellow onion (2 onions)
1 cup medium-diced carrots, unpeeled (3 carrots)
1 fennel bulb, trimmed, cored, and medium-diced (1 1/2 cups)
4 teaspoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
3 cups (1-inch) diced ciabatta cubes, crusts removed
2 (28-ounce) cans good Italian plum tomatoes
4 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

For the topping:
3 cups (1-inch) diced ciabatta cubes
2 ounces thickly sliced pancetta, chopped
24 to 30 whole fresh basil leaves
3 tablespoons good olive oil, plus more for serving
Salt and pepper

Directions
Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, fennel, and garlic and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, until tender. Add the ciabatta cubes and cook for 5 more minutes. Place the tomatoes in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process just until coarsely chopped. Add the tomatoes to the pot along with the chicken stock, red wine, basil, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, lower the heat, and allow to simmer, partially covered, for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

For the topping, place the ciabatta cubes, pancetta, and basil on a sheet pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss well. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 25 minutes, until all the ingredients are crisp. The basil leaves will turn dark and crisp, which is perfectly fine. Reheat the soup, if necessary, beat with a wire whisk until the bread is broken up. Stir in the Parmesan and taste for seasoning. Serve hot sprinkled with the topping and drizzled with additional olive oil.

TWD -Real Butterscotch Pudding

I have a good excuse, really.  I could even provide a written note from my parents, if necessary (since it's probably their fault).

I had this assignment done waaaaayyyy ahead of time.....swear.

But the 'rents arrived yesterday afternoon and they kept me so busy.....yeah, busy....that I just didn't get this posted.

Whatever, right?

This week's TWD choice, Real Butterscotch Pudding,  was made by Donna of Spatulas, Corkscrews & Suitcases.  After reading all of the bloggers' suggestions on the TWD site, I decided to make this as written by Dorie.  Some had expressed concern with using the food processor for all of the different steps in the recipe, but I've never had any bad experiences with mine, so I went for it.  Again, no problems.  Was it absolutely necessary.....probably not......a whisk would have been just as good, but it did make a really smooth final product, so who knows.

A lot of people were going to leave out the Scotch in this, but you know me.....fully stocked bar at this house......so I pulled out the good stuff and threw it in.  I mean it's not called ButterSCOTCH, fer nothin!!

The recipe made four ramekins (I filled them all the way) and since Mr. B was the only one here when I made this on Sunday, a few of them sat in the fridge for a couple of days.  I will say that the longer they sat, the more pronounced the butterscotch flavor became (I snuck a taste each time I served him one.....sue me).

There was one left for Pop last night and both he and Mr. B proclaimed them  two thumbs up! 

As you can see, I served them with Grandma's Butterscotch Cookies.  YUM!

As I said, the 'rents have arrived and can you tell how happy Raf is about this?  He LOVES his Nan, but they wear each other out!

If you want the recipe for the pudding, check out Donna's blog and to see what creative things the other TWDer's did with the recipe, check out the blogroll.  I highly recommend this one.

Everyone enjoy their Christmas Eve.  We'll be cheering on Mr. B's Irish tonight (they need all the help they can get!)

Extra Credit....Chive Risotto Cakes

Sometimes the Barefoot Blogger girls offer up some "extra credit" recipes....ones that you can either participate in...or not.  Mostly I chooose....NOT!  But last month one of the extra recipes was one from Ina's new "Back to Basics" book that I had put a little check mark on in my initial perusal....the Chive Risotto Cakes.  So, I decided I'd try this one while Mr. B was in the house.

First, let me say that we both LOVE risotto, so I thought this would be a perfect weeknight dinner....a little risotto cake....a little salad....you feel me here, right?  So, I mixed these up on Sunday afternoon and threw them into the fridge (cause they need a "resting" time), watched some football, opened some wine and enjoyed my Sunday afternoon.

I then formed them into little cakes, coated them in some panko and fried them up. Let me just add that this makes a LOT of cakes, so if there are just six of you (hehe) halve the recipe.  I think I ended up with about 18 cakes....I'm just sayin.

I'm going on record here and saying that fried foods are not my favorite.  It seems that once foods are fried, all I taste is the coating and not the food.  I didn't expect that to happen with an Ina recipe  Her food usually has enough flavor to counteract the "fried".  These cakes did not, for me.  I think I may not have salted them enough initially (which is highly unusual for me as I love my salt), but all I tasted was the panko crust.  Sorry, Ina.  But mostly, I'm sorry for me.  I had really high hopes for these.

Mr. B, however, gave them a 3 points out of 5.  

Here's the recipe....

Chive Risotto Cakes

can be found in "Back to Basics"

Kosher salt
1 cup uncooked Arborio rice
½ cup Greek yogurt
2 extra-large eggs
3 tablespoons minced fresh chives
1 ½ cup cups grated Italian Fontina cheese (5 ounces)
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¾ cup panko (Japanese dried bread flakes)
Good olive oil

Bring a large (4 quart) pot of water to a boil and add ½ tablespoon salt and the Arborio rice. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. The grains of rice will be quite soft. Drain the rice in a sieve and run under cold water until cool. Drain well.

Meanwhile, whisk together the yogurt, eggs, chives, Fontina, 1 ¼ teaspoons salt, and the pepper in a medium bowl. Add the cooled rice and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight, until firm.

When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 250 degrees.

Spread the panko in a shallow dish. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Form balls of the rice mixture using a standard (2 1/4 –inch) ice cream scoop or a large spoon. Pat the balls into patties 3 inches in diameter and ¾ inch thick. Place 4-6 patties in the panko, turning once to coat. Place the patties in the hot oil and cook, turning once, for about 3 minutes on each side until the risotto cakes are crisp and nicely browned. Place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and keep warm in the oven for up to 30 minutes. Continue cooking in batches, adding oil as necessary, until all the cakes are fried. Serve hot.

Note from Ina: “Panko, or Japanese bread flakes, have a crisper, lighter texture than regular bread crumbs.”

PS.  I just want to add that I have BOTH my TWD and BB recipe assignments for this week FINISHED and will be posting ON TIME!!  ::patting myself on the back::

Grandma Shields Butterscotch Cookies

The sainted woman in that picture with my Grandpa is my Grandma Shields and man could she cook!  I don't ever remember going to her house and not having wonderful smells coming from her kitchen.....always something homemade.   They lived on a farm so it was always something fresh as well.....from a chicken that she probably killed and cleaned herself (luckily I never had to witness that!) to fresh bread and homemade noodles...O.M.G.!!

When my Grandpa became too old to take care of the farm, they moved to a trailer outside of town, but she never stopped cooking.  The one thing you could always count on when you walked in the front door was the smell of these cookies coming fresh out of the oven.   (How did she always know just when we'd be there?)  My mother says she never used a recipe so when she passed it was up to my Aunt Kate to try to recreate them.

I'm ashamed to say this is the first time I've baked them, but it won't be the last.  They are just as I remember (or else I've convinced myself they are)!  Doesn't matter.  They are simple and really good....a little crunch on the outside and nice and soft on the inside.  I think Aunt Kate did Grandma proud!  

Aunt Kate passed away a few years ago also and I'm sure she and Grandma have made these together (with Uncle Chuck doing all the eating!)  And I know when I arrive there will be a tray fresh out of the oven waiting for me!

I'm not sure these had an official name, but Kate called them Butterscotch Cookies, so that's what they are!

Grandma Shields' Butterscotch Cookies

(this makes a shitload of cookies, so you may want to halve the recipe)

1 cup butter, room temperature

4 cups light brown sugar

5 eggs

1 tablespoon baking soda

1 tablespoon cream of tartar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

8 cups of flour

Cream the butter and sugar until smooth and creamy.  Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well.  Combine the dry ingredients and slowly add to the egg  mixture.  Form the dough (this is a wet, sticky dough) into 2-3 logs and refrigerate overnight.

I ended up with 3 good size logs and put them into the freezer.  This dough freezes well and makes easy slice and bake cookies.  Line the sheet pan with parchment or a Silpat.

They will spread some, so don't place them too close together on the cookie sheet.

Bake them for 10-15  minutes depending on how thick you slice them.  They will crack on top and turn a nice golden color.

This Southern thing might be rubbing off!

I love living in the South.  Mostly because of the weather.  I'm over the whole snow thing......been there.....froze that.  But, while I love living here, I've never really tried to "be Southern".  My personality and attitude are strictly Yankee.  There's no "how nice" boshizzle here, dahlin!

That being said, I looooove Southern barbecue.  Love.  It.  But have always been too intimidated to try making it.  I don't have a BBQ pit in the back yard big enough to roast three whole pigs, but I do have a kick-ass All Clad slow cooker.  So, I bit the bullet.

I stopped by the meat counter at Whole Foods the other day and they had this:

A Boston Butt.  It's not Matt Damon's (he's from Boston.....work with me here), but it was adorable, none the less.

I had also seen this spice packet in WF a while ago and love anything chipotle, so I got a couple of packets and figured I'd find something to do with it......that's when the bell's rang and the lights flashed.....chipotle spice rub.....Boston Butt....match made in Heaven!

In case you can't find this or don't live hear a WF, here's the ingredients:  Spices (black pepper, cumin, mustard, coriander, oregano, red pepper, chipotle, celery seed, cloves, cinnamon, allspice), turbinado sugar, sea salt, paprika, garlic, onion).  Nice, right?

I was also looking for a little smoke flavor and since I don't own a smoker, I put in a tablespoon of Pimenton which is a Spanish smoked paprika.  I have this in sweet, bittersweet and hot.  I would have preferred the hot version, but I want to be able to serve this to the Fam next week and they're wimps when it comes to spicy, so I went with the sweet version.  If you've ever smelled this stuff, you know what I'm talking about when I say smokey!!  I love it.

I got mine at www.tienda.com.  It's great on everything from pork to fish.  You need this in your pantry.

So, I combined the spices and rubbed it all over my Butt (that made me smile) and then wrapped my Butt in saran wrap (Tawanda!!) and threw it in the fridge overnight.

The next morning I put it in the slow cooker, turned it on low for eight hours and went to play tennis, workout, did some shopping, went to the BFF's for dinner, had a cocktail and came home to this:

Now it may not look like much here, but did it smell f.a.b.u.l.o.u.s.

I did the whole "two fork pull" and I actually had pulled-pork!  Yes Virginia, I am Southern!!

Which lead me to the realization that you can't exactly have barbecue with just the meat....you may need some sauce.  So, in staying with the chipotle theme,  I thought "who does chipotle better than Bobby Flay?"  I Googled Mr. Flay and found this recipe:

Chipotle-Molasses BBQ Sauce

by Bobby Flay

Yield:  about 5 1/2 cups

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large Spanish onion, coarsely chopped (I only had yellow onions in the house)

3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

2 cups canned plum tomatoes and juices, pureed

2 cups water

1/4 cup ketchup

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons honey

1/4 cup molasses

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons ancho chile powder (this is sometimes hard to find, but you can get it at Spice Barn....it's worth it to find it)

2 chipotle chiles, canned

salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat the butter over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed medium sized saucepan.  Add the onions and garlic and cook until translucent, 3-4 minutes.  Add the tomatoes and water and simmer for 10 minutes.  Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for an additional 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.   Transfer the mixture to a food processor and puree until smooth, season with salt and pepper to taste.  Pour into a bowl and allow to cool at room temperature.  Will keep for 1 weeks in the refrigerator stored in a tightly sealed container.

This sauce is delicious.  My first taste, I was afraid it was going to be too sweet, but then you get this subtle heat and smoke, and it just this perfect combination.  Just a great barbecue sauce....great for chicken also.

I took about two cups and mixed it into the meat and put the rest in a plastic container.

I put the pork into the refrigerator overnight, heated it up the next day with some additional sauce and wow....really good.

Mr. B's coming home from a snowy, COLD Detroit this afternoon, so I think in combination with the 70 degree temperatures of Alabama, some barbecue would be perfect for dinner!  Sorry, yankees.

R-Fed in B-ham

Davis Cup is coming to Birmingham! 

Holla!

In March!

US vs. Sweden!

R-Fed!

Who knew about all this talent??

If you scroll down a little bit, you'll notice on the right hand side a new column with some of my favorite foodie blogs.  Now, as far as I know, none of these individuals are professional chefs....just your average, everday lovers of all things food.....like me.....only immensely more talented than moi!!  

Some of them I click on because I know I'm going to get a kick-ass recipe; some I click on because I think they're funny/interesting/thought provoking/have cute bunnies; some I click on for both!

Like, I've gotten some great recipes from I Heart Food 4 Thought and that's the main reason I read her, but you have to check out her Bunday Monday posts.  She has some of the cutest (and ginormous) rabbits I've ever seen....I'm thinking about getting Raf a bunny to play with because of her!!

Anyway, if you're looking for some GREAT cooks with some KILLA ideas, don't go to the professionals....check out the REAL chefs!  It's become my latest obsession.

TWD - Buttery Jam Cookies

This being on time thing is starting to become a trend!

This was another one of those TWD selections that I wasn't excited about.  Another cookie recipe.  On top of all of the other cookie recipes.....TWD's and my own....that I've been baking lately.  But in the spirit of not being a party pooper, I participated.  

These are not cookies that anyone would beg you to make, or probably not the first cookie picked in a game of dodgeball (huh?) but once you try them, I guarantee you'll pick them the next time.  They're really good.  Light.  Kind of biscuity flaky....but moist.....and jammy.  And easy.

I used a pineapple-mango jam in mine and I think it paired well with the ginger.  When I tasted the first batch they seemed a little plain...good, but in need of a little boost.  Mostly for Mr. B's benefit.   I didn't think he'd eat these without icing, so I made an orange glaze and dipped half of them.

To my surprise, he liked the plain ones better....I liked the iced ones!  Who knew.  Since I'm the only one in the house this week, these went into the freezer.  In a moment of weakness yesterday, I snuck one.  They freeze great!

If you want the recipe you'll have to visit Heather's site, Randomosity and the Girl.  Thanks, Heather.

No "Silent Nights" around here.....

......not when this group's around!   And they're all showing up here in 'Bama the day after Christmas.

Let me introduce the Fam.....(I pulled out some really old pictures just to piss them off....I can hear them whining all the way down here)

From left to right....Zach, Annie, Barry, Charlotte and Will

Z, A, C, and W are nieces and nephews and B is my step-son

Z, A, C, W and B

The 'rents are actually leaving The Villages (where they are President and First Lady)

Raffie's (left) BFF and Uncle Carson will be reluctantly joining the festivities.  He hopes that Raf has learned some manners in the past year, but isn't expecting much.  Rafter LOVES him (in the biblical sense) if you know what I mean.

Are they not the absolute cutest???  Ashley's been Z's blushing bride for a little over a year now, so all bets are off, baby.  You're a part of us now!!  And we're thrilled.

OK, I lied....those two aren't the cutest....this guy is.  Since he's theirs, I guess they're all the cutest.  Enough.  This is Reece and I can't wait to spoil him ROTTEN while he's here!

A & C's BFF Jenn (aka "Duuuude") is coming.

Oh....and look who's making a celebrity appearance.....Mr. B.

This was actually the point of this post.....at Ashley's request (she's never had them), I made my "famous" Stoli Doli's.  You know how most family's have these great recipes that everyone wants and get passed down over the years??  Well the only recipe this group has requested from me is this one.....pineapple and vodka.  I should be offended, but I'm not......this is killa and anyone (and I mean anyone) can make it.  Fill a jar with pineapple....cover it with vodka....let it sit for 4-5 days.....put some ice in a glass and DRINK.  (Everyone has to eat a piece of the pineapple their first time, but my suggestion is DON"T) 

The making of Stoli's usually leads to this.....

......which leads to this.

I'm so excited about everyone coming....thank God I have enough room  ;)

Hopefully none of these will be visiting!!!

HO!  HO!  HO!