Spicy Hummus

This might be the best week of the year.  So many fun things happening.....the US Open starts today, BUCKEYE football starts Thursday, and then it's Labor Day weekend which means cooler temps can't be far behind.  All things that make me happy.

And spicy....we all know spicy makes me happy!  And no one does spicy better than Bobby Flay.  He does it such a spectacularly subtle way.  Never smacking you over the head with so much heat you have fire coming out your ears.  Just enough to coat your taste buds with the perfect amount of warmth.  (did that make any sense?)

This hummus is the perfect thing to greet your Labor Day party guests.  And it's a cinch to make.  Throw all the ingredients in the food processor and you've got yourself an appetizer.  Plus you can make it a day in advance!  I served mine with grilled pita bread, but Mr. B loves to have his with baby carrots.  It's versatile so whatever floats your boat!

Here's the recipe:

Spicy Hummus

Bobby Flay's Boy Meets Grill

1 1/2 cups cooked or canned chick-peas, drained and rinsed (1 can)

3 cloves roasted garlic (see note)

1 chipotle pepper, canned in adobo

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons honey

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons tahini

1/4 cup olive oil

1 1/2 tablespoons coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Place the chick-peas, garlic, chipotle, cumin, honey, lemon juice and tahini in a food processor and process until smooth.  With the motor running, slowly add the olive oil until emulsified.  Add the parsley and season with salt and pepper.  May be refrigerated for 1 day; serve at room temperature.  Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Note:  To oven-roast a head of garlic, first cut off the top (opposite of root end).  Drizzle the bulb with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, wrap it in foil and place it on a baking sheet.  Roast at 300 degree F until soft, about 45 minutes.

Ohhh and the most important reason I'm looking forward to this week so much..........

....this little peanut is coming for the weekend!!!

Olive and Sinclair's Chocolates and Mexican Chocolate Crackle Cookies

I've been on a "spicy chocolate" kick.  It all started with Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream a couple of months ago.  That Queen City Cayenne and Thai Chili (now called Bangkok Peanut) mix of sweet and spicy flavors just spoke to me and so now whenever I see anything with those combinations, I'm all over it.

My latest obsession is one I discovered in Whole Foods the other day.....Olive & Sinclair Chocolate Co. chocolate bars.  I was first drawn to them because it said they were "stone ground in Nashville, TN" and I love discovering and supporting businesses close to home.  I picked up three different flavored bars.....Sea Salt, Coffee, and Mexican Style Cinnamon Chili.  They were all fabulous but guess which one was my favorite?  Yup...the spicy one!

  

So when I saw this recipe in "The Art and Soul of Baking" I thought this would be a perfect place to use my new favorite chocolate.  It was.  Mr. B downed a dozen of them before I could blink.  I left out the ancho chili powder called for in the recipe and substituted the Olive and Sinclair's Mexican Chocolate in place of the bittersweet, but if spicy is not your thing, simply leave out the chili powder and use plain bittersweet chocolate.  They'll still be delicious.

Mexican Chocolate Crackle Cookies

"The Art and Soul of Baking"

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 tablespoon coffee liqueur or cooled brewed coffee
6 ounces 70% cacao bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 large eggs
1/2 cup plus 1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole almonds, toasted and cooled completely
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I used 1/2 tsp because chocolate had cinnamon in it too)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ancho chili powder (optional)
3/4 cup unsifted confectioners' sugar

Bring 2 inches of water to a boil in the bottom of a double boiler.  Place the butter, liquor and chocolate in the top of the double boiler (off the heat).  Turn off the heat, then set the chocolate over the steaming water.  (I simply use a pan with a glass bowl on top since I don't have a double boiler.)  Stir occasionally with a spatula until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.  Remove and let cool slightly while you whip the eggs.

Place the eggs and 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar in the bowl of a mixer and whip on high speed until very light in color and thick, 5 to 6 minutes.  Scrape the melted chocolate mixture into the eggs and whip until blended, about 1 minute.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Place the flour, nuts, cinnamon, baking powder and chili powder (if using) in the food processor and process until the nuts are very finely chopped, 60 to 90 seconds.  Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and beat on low speed just until combined.  Stir gently a few times with the spatula to make sure there are no patches of unincorporated flour or butter lurking near the bottom of the bowl.  Cover the dough with plastic and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours, until firm.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and position an oven rack in the center.  Line the baking sheets with parchment paper.

Scoop the chilled dough into tablespoon-size balls using an ice cream scoop or a spoon.  Place the remaining 1/2 cup of granulated sugar in one small bowl and the confectioners' sugar in another.  Roll each dough ball in the granulated sugar and then in the confectioners' sugar.  Be sure to coat the dough generously with the confectioners' sugar  -  in this instance, more is better.  Space the cookies about 1 1/2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.

Bake the cookies one sheet at a time, rotating the sheet halfway through the baking time, for 11 to 14 minutes, until the cookies are puffed and cracked.  If you nudge a cookie, it should slide on the sheet rather than stick.  It is better to slightly underbake these cookies than to go too far  -  when overbaked they are dry and unpalatable.  Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely.

These cookies are best the same day they are baked.  Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 to 4 days.

TWD - Crunchy & Custardy Peach Tart

According to The Foodimentary Guy, August is National Peach Month and today, August 24, is National Peach Pie Day.  That makes this week's selection of Crunchy and Custardy Peach Tart, damn near perfect.  Thanks, Rachel!  Make sure you visit her site, Sweet Tarte, for the recipe.

Confession time.....I made a rookie mistake this week.  I got a little cocky and didn't read the directions all the way through before I popped this into the oven.  Seems you weren't supposed the add the streusel topping until about 30 minutes into the baking process.  Oopsie.  It was still really delicious, but I'm sure I lost some of the crunch factor by not FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS!

I topped mine with a little Amaretto spiked whipped cream.  Might have gone a little overboard with the Amaretto because it was a little on the boozy side, but when has too much booze ever been a bad thing?  Right, Lindsay Lohan?

I know I say this every week, but you need to make this.  It's good.

Bambi

Unfortunately this is one of those stories that probably isn't going to have a happy ending. See that little baby?  My friend, Jenny, and I found him laying on the side of the road this afternoon when we were out walking on my street.  Just laying in the road, eyes wide open and not moving a muscle.  

We could tell he was probably not 24 hours old and was obviously hurt (although we couldn't see any visible signs).   At one point I think I got a little too close for his comfort because he got up and tried to get into the woods.  It was then clear that he had a broken front leg.

By this time, another neighbor was driving by and called a veterinarian that lives on our street to see if he could come help. 

Oh my.  The noises that baby made when Dr. Kelly picked it up.  Poor thing was scared to death.

When he finally got a look at the leg, he said it didn't look good.  

By this time, mama had shown up and was watching everything that went on.  She was not happy.  (I know you can't see her in this next photo, but she was in there!)

So doc said they'd take him home and sedate him and see if he could get a better look at the leg.

Unfortunately I think he was just saying that to make us feel better.

Crostini with Proscuitto, Figs, and Mint

Since it's just hubs and I around here, it's not always necessary to go all out every night at dinner.  Sometimes we've either had a late lunch and just aren't that hungry or a really busy day and just want something easy.  We'll pop the cork on a bottle of vino and set out some low fuss munchies.  Some sort of crostini is usually makes an appearance.....it's filling and delicious. 

And this combination of fresh figs, proscuitto, mint and balsamic was simply amazing.  I've made a few different combinations of fig and proscuitto appetizers, but this one is my new favorite.  At first I was a little wary of the mint, but it's what really put it over the top for me.  That little hint of freshness paired with the saltiness of the proscuitto and the tangy balsamic was perfect.

I served this with a grilled flank steak but these would be a great starter for your next cocktail party or wonderful served with a simple tossed salad for a light summer dinner.  So get yourself some fresh figs before they're gone for the summer and make this!

Crostini with Proscuitto, Figs, and Mint

Adapted from Jamie's Italy by Jamie Oliver

1 loaf sourdough baguette, sliced into 1/2" thick slices on the diagonal (could also use ciabatta)
1 large clove garlic, peeled and cut in half
Good quality extra virgin olive oil

6 large ripe figs
12 slices (very thin) of proscuitto
small bunch of fresh mint, chopped
Extra Virgin olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
freshly ground black pepper

Brush bread slices with a little olive oil, sprinkle with salt and grill.  While they're still hot, rub them gently with the cut side of the garlic.

Cut the stems off the figs and quarter them lengthwise.  Drape a piece of proscuitto over each slice of crostini and set the fig slices on top of the proscuitto.  Sprinkle with some of the mint and serve drizzled with a little extra virgin olive oil and a few drops of bansamic vinegar and some freshly ground pepper.

TWD - Oatmeal Breakfast Bread....errrr Muffins.

This week's recipe, Oatmeal Breakfast Bread, was the perfect canvas for some creative interpretation.  Or I thought so anyway!  The original recipe called for applesauce, buttermilk and dried fruit....none of which tickled my fancy.

Instead, I went with bananas, sour cream and chocolate chips!  Oh....and I left out the walnuts.  AND....I didn't make bread.  I made muffins.  See.  Creative interpretation.  Alive and well here in Alabama.

I think no matter what you did with these they would be fabulous.  The spices....nutmeg, cinnamon and allspice....would go well with a whole lot of add-ins.  YUM.

Thanks to Natalie of Oven Love for this week's pick.  These were a major hit in my house.  Check Natalie's site for the recipe.  And make sure you check the TWD blogroll to see the "creative interpretations" of the rest of the group!

Wordless Wednesday......Emma

TWD - Espresso Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

I'm, once again, not playing by the rules this week.  I'm supposed to be making Chocolate Ganache Ice Cream but instead I'm skipping ahead and giving you Espresso Chocolate Shortbread Cookies.  I'm really getting tired of this rebel role I've been playing.  (hehe)

Mr. B and I were leaving town on Monday morning and since I'm the world's best procrastinator I didn't decide to knock out TWD until Sunday afternoon.  Needless to say, I didn't have all the required ingredients on hand to make the ice cream.  But I did have everything needed for these cookies.  Decision made.

These are sooooo good.  What I like best is that you can really taste the espresso.  And on a little side note.....THERE IS NO "X" IN ESPRESSO!    It's not pronounced eXpresso, people.  Major pet peeve of mine.  Anyhooooo.....these are perfect little cookies.  I'm already planning on making these again and again and again.

And just in case anyone was thinking about disciplining me for breaking the rules again, I only have these two to blame.  I'm counting on their extreme cuteness to get me out of trouble!!

Espresso-Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

Baking: From My Home to Yours

Makes 32 cookies

1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
1 tablespoon boiling water
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped, or 3/4 cup store-bought mini chocolate chips
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting (optional)

1. Dissolve the espresso in the boiling water, and set aside to cool to tepid.

2. Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and confectioners’ sugar together on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until the mixture is very smooth. Beat in the vanilla and espresso, then reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour, mixing only until it disappears into the dough. Don’t work the dough much once the flour is incorporated. Fold in the chopped chocolate with a sturdy rubber spatula.

3. Using the spatula, transfer the soft, sticky dough to a gallon-size zipper-lock plastic bag. Put the bag on a flat surface, leaving the top open, and roll the dough into a 9 x 10 1/2 inch rectangle that’s 1/4 inch thick. As you roll, turn the bag occasionally and lift the plastic from the dough so it doesn’t cause creases. When you get the right size and thickness, seal the bag, pressing out as much air as possible, and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours, or for up to 2 days.

4. Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

5. Put the plastic bag on a cutting board and slit it open. Turn the firm dough out onto the board (discard the bag) and, using a ruler as a guide and a sharp knife, cut the dough into 1 1/2-inch squares. Transfer the squares to the baking sheets and carefully prick each one twice with a fork, gently pushing the tines through the cookies until they hit the sheet.

6. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point. The shortbreads will be very pale–they shouldn’t take on much color. Transfer the cookies to a rack.

7. If you’d like, dust the cookies with confectioners’ sugar while they are still hot. Cool the cookies to room temperature before serving.

Chunky Peach Ice Cream

In October, hubs and I are heading to the Provence region of France for a ten day wine and food indulgence with some dear friends.  Needless to say, I'm a little excited so I've been on a mission to cook as many of Patricia Well's Provencal recipes as I can fit in before then.  This little gem comes from her "At Home in Provence" book.  From what I've learned so far, Provencal cooking is all about taking advantage of simple ingredients at their freshest along with simple and easy preparation.

This ice cream is a perfect example of that....simply peaches, sugar and cream (and a little lemon juice).  Absolutely no custard making anywhere!  I love homemade ice cream but I HATE making custard so I knew I was going to love this.

Peach season in Alabama is starting to wind down but for those of you a little further North, go get yourself a basket of peaches and make this.  And if you don't have an ice cream maker at home, don't let that scare you away from making this.  Click here and get busy!

Chunky Peach Ice Cream

Patricia Wells at Home in Provence

Makes 1 quart

2 pounds ripe peaches (6 to 8)

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup heavy cream

(I never boil my peaches to peel them.  If they're nice a ripe it's totally not necessary, but if they're a little firm you may need to.)

In a large pot of boiling water, blanch the peaches for several seconds.  Transfer to a colander to drain.  Rinse quickly with cold water to stop the cooking and make the fruit easier to peel.  Peel, halve and pit the peaches.  Place peach halves in a bowl and crush them with your hands until no large clumps remain; do not puree.  You should have about 4 cups of pulp.  Add the lemon juice and sugar, and stir to blend and dissolve the sugar.  Taste for sweetness.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, several hours or overnight.

When the peach mixture is thoroughly chilled, stir in the heavy cream.  Transfer to an ice-cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Watercress Salad with Steak, Sauteed Shallots, and Stilton

(Crappy photo does not equate to crappy dish.  I ran out of daylight!)

I know I've been complaining a lot about the sweltering heat here in Alabama but I'm going to do it again.  It's been over 100 degrees for the past several days and it's not getting better any time soon.  Well unless you consider what the weatherman called "cooler temperatures" coming in this weekend......mid 90's.....relief.  Yeah.  Me either.

I haven't really felt much like sweating over a hot grill much lately, but last night I was seriously craving BEEF, so I sucked it up and grilled a few ribeyes for this salad.  This was seriously good.  I don't think I've heard hubs moan that much since......well, none of your business.

The recipe called for the steak to be pan cooked, but we much prefer ours grilled and I don't think it made any difference.  This belongs on your dinner table soon.

Watercress Salad with Steak, Sauteed Shallots, and Stilton

adapted from Fine Cooking

Serves 4

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Kosher Salt
1 12-to 14-oz strip steak or ribeye
Freshly ground black pepper
4 large shallots, sliced 1/4 inch thick (about 1 1/2 cups)
6 cups (lightly packed) small watercress sprigs (about 2 bunches trimmed of lower stems) torn into bite-size pieces  (If you can't find watercress, you could substitute arugula)
2 oz Stilton, crumbled (about 1/2 cup)

In a small bowl, whisk 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and a generous pinch of salt.

Season both sides of the steak with salt and pepper and grill to desired doneness.

Put remaining tablespoon of oil into skillet and saute the shallots on low heat until softened and lightly browned, 5 to 8 minutes.  (Use a spatula or spoon to break apart the shallot slices.)  Remove from the heat and cool slightly.

Slice the beef thinly.  Fan an equal number of slices on each of 4 dinner plates.  Rewhisk the dressing if necessary.  In a large bowl, toss the shallots, watercress and Stilton with a generous pinch of salt and just enough of the dressing to coat.  Season to taste with salt and pepper and arrange the salad over the beef slices.

TWD - Gingered Carrot Cookies

I have to start with a little disclaimer.....mine aren't actually "gingered".  I don't know what happened, but when I went to the pantry to get the ginger, there wasn't any in there.  I must have decided at some point that what I had was no longer any good and thrown in out hence, no ginger.  I had fresh ginger and candied ginger, but I didn't think those would be great substitutes, so I punted. 

Which means these are technically "Chinese Five Spice" Carrot Cookies.  And damn good ones.  What is Chinese Five Spice you ask?  The jar says, "This blend of sweet, warm, cool and spicy flavors work together to liven any dish.  An extremely versatile mixture for use in stir-fry, vegetables, pork; add a pinch to muffins, nut breads, or pancakes for a surprising and delightful twist."  So there you have it.

The actual mixture is Ginger, Star Anise, Nutmeg, Allspice, Cloves, and other spices.  Wonder with the "other spices" could be?  Anyone?  

So I don't know if mine tasted like the rest of the group, but they were delicious anyway.  I don't think I would have picked this recipe on my own, so I'm certainly glad Natalia of gatti fili e farina (I have no idea what that means!) did.  Check out her site for the recipe.

Wood-Fired Mexican Pizza

Can you flippin believe today is August 1?  That it's only 32, count 'em THIRTY-TWO, days until COLLEGE FOOTBALL begins!!  And that it's been 2,444 days since Michigan last defeated Ohio State in football.  Bwahahahaha.

But it also means that I have to endure the ridiculous month of August in Alabama and 30 more days of the heat index being 1,000 degrees.  That's what it was here yesterday.  1,000 degrees.  Brutal.  So I thought the best thing to do was to make hubs fire up the pizza oven.  Doesn't that sound like fun?  Building a fire in an oven that's outside where it's 1,000 degrees?  He thought so too.  

This is about the seventh or eighth time, I guess, that I've cooked in the oven but I'm still not quite organized enough to make the pizza, cook the pizza and serve the pizza all while taking amazing pictures!  I think that because there are always at least six people sitting at the bar watching me and drooling (not at me.....at the pizza) so I feel a little pressured to feed them.....quickly!  But I promise I'll get better.

Because the oven bakes the pizza at temps of between 750-900 degrees F, in order to get that nice thin, crispy crust associated with wood fired oven pizza, I make my own dough with "00" flour, or Italian Flour.  With the recipe I use, I can get four (roughly shaped) 12" pies.  I almost always make the first one a traditional margherita pizza mainly because it's the easiest (and will get them to stop pounding their forks on the bar) and the second one with some kind of meat  -  pepperoni, sausage, proscuitto  -  because men want meat!  The other two I like to experiment with.  I've made  caramelized onion and goat cheese a few times, a shaved asparagus pizza with  truffle oil, and a dessert pizza with chocolate chips and butterscotch chips.  All of them were fabulous and I have absolutely no pictures to prove it!!

This time I tried a Mexican version and it was equally fabulous and really simple.  I spread refried beans (from a can, but if you're ambitious you can certainly make your own) directly on top of the dough to within an inch of the edge, sprinkled on some cheddar cheese/chopped scallions/chopped tomatoes/browned Italian spicy sausage/a little more cheddar and popped it into the oven.  When it came out (about 3 minutes later!) I sprinkled it with some chopped cilantro and served it with sour cream.  So delicious.

You certainly don't need a wood fired oven to make this.  This would be just as good grilled.  And you don't even have to make your own dough.  I've walked into my local pizza shop on several occasions and just purchased a ball of dough.  Try it.  

And if you're a Buckeye fan, check this out.  If only!  GO BUCKS!!