My Next Life

Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Cumin

2012-01-24T21:12:00.001-06:00

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

2012-01-20T12:28:00.000-06:00

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.....

2012-01-07T12:28:00.000-06:00

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

2012-01-06T12:18:00.000-06:00

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

2011-12-22T10:42:00.000-06:00

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

2011-12-18T11:13:00.000-06:00

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

2011-12-14T08:04:00.000-06:00

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.

Cinnamon Eggnog Scones

2011-12-13T09:48:00.000-06:00

I have to admit that eggnog, as a drink, is not my thing. Eggnog in a scone, however, is my thing. Especially in these scones. One of my favorite treats at Starbucks is their Cinnamon Scones, and these blow those out of the water. They're extremely moist which, in my experience, is a tad rare in scones so that alone makes them a winner! Then throw in some warm, spicy cinnamon chips and well, you can just imagine!

These are perfect with a cup of coffee on a cold winter morning, or with a cup of tea for an afternoon pick-me-up!

You're going to want to make these!

cinnamon-eggnog scones

King Arthur Flour

Ingredients:
2 3/4 cups all-purpose Flour
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup butter, cut into pats or small cubes
2 cups cinnamon chips
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1/2 teaspoon eggnog flavor
3/4 cup cold eggnog

Topping
1 tablespoon eggnog
2 tablespoons sparkling white sugar or cinnamon-sugar, optional

1) In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients.

2) Work in the butter just until the mixture is unevenly crumbly; it's OK for some larger chunks of butter to remain unincorporated.

3) Stir in the cinnamon chips.

4) In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, vanilla or other eggnog flavor, and eggnog.

5) Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until all is moistened and holds together.

6) Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface; a silicone rolling mat works well here.

7) Divide the dough in half; each half will weigh about 18 ounces. Roll and pat each half into a 6 1/2" circle about 3/4" thick.

8) Using a knife or bench knife that you've run under cold water, slice each circle into 6 wedges. Alternately, use a 2 1/4" round cutter to cut each circle into 6 to 8 rounds, gathering, re-rolling, and cutting the scraps. Or cut one circle into wedges, the other into rounds.

9) If you've made wedges, transfer the circle of wedges to a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Carefully pull the wedges away from the center to separate them just a bit; there should be about 1/2" space between them, at their outer edges.

10) If you've made rounds, transfer the rounds to the prepared baking sheet, placing them close together; leave about 1/2" between them.

11) Brush each scone with some eggnog, and sprinkle with sparkling white sugar, or cinnamon-sugar.

12) For best texture and highest rise, place the pan of scones in the freezer for 30 minutes, uncovered. While the scones are chilling, preheat the oven to 425°F.

13) Bake the scones for about 20 minutes, or until they're golden brown. When you pull one away from the others, it should look baked all the say through; the edge shouldn't look wet or unbaked.

14) Remove the scones from the oven, and cool briefly on the pan. Serve warm. When they're completely cool, wrap in plastic and store at room temperature for up to several days.

Momofuku Milk Bar's Compost Cookie

2011-12-12T00:00:00.004-06:00

If you don't leave this cookie out for Santa, you're making a mistake. A big one. I made these for Hubs this weekend and I've already been promised this, this AND this. I'm just sayin!! That's how good they are.

This recipe comes from the new book Momofuku Milk Bar, which is the desert arm of David Chang's Momofuku empire and all I can say is that it's simply genius. I mean, who thinks of developing recipes from Cereal Milk? Now there are many "recipes within recipes" and none are overly difficult, but you will have to plan on some extra time being involved. Believe me....it's worth it.

Back to the cookies. The name, Compost Cookies, is pretty self explanatory and accurate. You pretty much throw in whatever is in the kitchen....including coffee grounds. Suriously! They're designed to be an oversized cookie which is genius, because you get a little something different in every bit, so you want a lot of bites! It's also that perfect combination of crispy and chewy/salty and sweet. I'm telling you they're quite possible The Best Cookie I've Ever Eaten. I've already called The Food Network about getting on their TV show.

Make the cookies. You'll be richly rewarded!!

Here's the recipe:

Compost Cookies

Momofuku Milk Bar

Ingredients:

16 tablespoons (2 sticks) butter, room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

2 tablespoons glucose (you can substitute 1 tablespoon corn syrup if you don't have glucose)

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/3 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 cup mini chocolate chips (I just had regular size)

1/2 cup mini butterscotch chips (ditto)

1/2 cup Graham Crust (recipe follows....this is an example of the "recipe within a recipe")

1/3 cup old fashioned rolled oats

2 1/2 teaspoons ground coffee (This is pre-brewed ground coffee and any kind except instant works fine)

2 cups potato chips (Book recommends Cape Cod potato chips "because they aren't paper-thin, so they don't break down too much in the mixing process".)

1 cup mini pretzels

Directions:

1. Combine the butter, sugars, and glucose in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and cream together on medium-high for 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the egg and vanilla, and beat for 7 to 8 minutes. (Don't skimp on the time here. It's really important to beat the mixture for the full time.)

2. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix just until the dough comes together, no longer than 1 minute. (Do not walk away from the machine during this step, or you will risk overmixing the dough.) Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.

3. Still on low speed, add the chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, graham crust, oats, and coffee and mix just until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Add the potato chips and pretzels and paddle, still on low speed, until just incorporated. Be careful not to overmix or break too many of the pretzels or potato chips. You deserve a pat on the back if one of your cookies bakes off with a whole pretzel standing up in the center.

4. Using a 2-3/4 ounce ice cream scoop (or a 1/3 cup measure), portion out the dough onto a parchment-lined sheet pan. Pat the tops of the cookie dough domes flat. Wrap the sheet pan tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 1 week. Do not bake your cookies from room temperature - they will not bake properly.

5. Heat the oven to 375 deg. F.

6. Arrange the chilled dough a minimum of 4 inches apart on parchment- or Silpat-lined sheet pans. (I only got four cookies on each pan. They really expand.) Bake for 18 minutes. The cookies will puff, crackle and spread. After 18 minutes, they should be very faintly browned on the edges yet still bright yellow in the center. Give them an extra minute or so if that's not the case.

7. Cool the cookies completely on the sheet pans before transferring to a plate or an airtight container for storage. At room temp, cookies will keep fresh for 5 days; in the freezer, they will keep for 1 month.

Graham Crust

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup milk powder (powdered milk....I tried to make "milk powder" more difficult that it actually was. Duh)

2 tablespoons sugar

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, melted

1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions:

1. Toss the graham crumbs, milk powder, sugar and salt with your hands in a medium bowl to evenly distribute your dry ingredients.

2. Whisk the butter and heavy cream together. Add to the dry ingredients and toss again to evenly distribute. The butter will act as a glue, adhering to the dry ingredients and turning the mixture into a bunch of small clusters. The mixture should hold its shape if squeezed tightly in the palm of your hand, If it is not moist enough to do so, melt an additional 1 to 1-1/2 tablespoons butter and mix it in.

Chocolate Truffles

2011-12-11T06:45:00.001-06:00

Since last week was all savory it's only fitting that we sweeten it up this week! Plus every cocktail party needs dessert, right? You have to have something to nibble on while you're sipping your Sauternes!

It doesn't get any easier, or more versatile, than truffles. Pick your favorite ganache recipe (I like Ina's, of course) and after that the possibilities are endless. I went with peppermint (crushed candies and then chopped finely in mini food processor) and cocoa powder (with a hint of cayenne pepper).

But you could go with toasted coconut, chopped nuts, sprinkles.....use your imagination. Like I said, I like the Barefoot Contessa's Grand Marnier truffle base recipe, but you could always replace the Grand Marnier with a drop or two of peppermint extract, or almond extract, or even infuse the cream with some coffee beans. Whatever tickles your fancy.

Here's the recipe:

Chocolate Truffles

Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients
1/2 pound good bittersweet chocolate such as Lindt
1/2 pound good semisweet chocolate such as Ghiradelli
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier, optional
1 tablespoon prepared coffee, optional
1/2 teaspoon good vanilla extract

Your choice of whatever you want to roll your truffles in!

Directions
Chop the chocolates finely with a sharp knife. Place them in a heat-proof mixing bowl.

Heat the cream in a small saucepan until it just boils. Turn off the heat and allow the cream to sit for 20 seconds. Pour the cream through a fine-meshed sieve into the bowl with chocolate. With a wire whisk, slowly stir the cream and chocolates together until the chocolate is completely melted. Whisk in the Grand Marnier, if using, coffee, and vanilla. Set aside at room temperature for 1 hour.

With 2 teaspoons, spoon round balls of the chocolate mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, until firm. Roll each dollop of chocolate in your hands to roughly make a round ball. (I keep the palms of my hands slightly damp to keep the chocolate from sticking to me and making a huge mess!) Roll in confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder, or whatever you choose. These will keep refrigerated for weeks, but serve at room temperature.

Cocktail Party Week.....Day 7.....Stuffed Jalapenos

2011-12-10T08:56:00.000-06:00

To recap the week, we've had bruschetta that included a little seafood, a spicy meatball, a hot pizza dip, a cold creamy chickpea dip, a buttery puff pastry loaded with ham and cheese, and a little crunch with the selection of nuts! I'm sure there's some health freak out there asking where the vegetable option is, soooo.......I offer you peppers. Never mind that I'm going to stuff them with a cream cheese and bacon mixture!! It's the holidays and you only have to eat one! I'll bet you can't. But you can try!

This stuffing is a perfect creamy foil for a spicy jalapeno pepper, but we all have those friends and relatives that can't handle the heat, so I thought these mini sweet peppers would be a suitable alternative for the wimps in your life!! I've started seeing packages of these everywhere so they shouldn't be too hard to find.

I like to serve these sprinkled with some fresh cilantro for freshness and a dollop of sour cream because, well, I love sour cream! And it's the right thing to do.

Here's the recipe:

Stuff Jalapenos

this one is my own!

Ingredients

8 oz cream cheese, softened
6 slices Applewood smoked bacon, fried and chopped (if you can't find it, regular bacon is fine)
8 oz pepper jack cheese, shredded (I used a habanero jack cheese which made for an extra spicy mix, however you can use regular pepper jack or even a mild or sharp cheddar if you want to limit the heat. Whatever turns you on!)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon salt
Cotija cheese to sprinkle on top (This is a white cheese used in mexican cooking)
20 peppers....your choice of jalapeno or sweet

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 deg. F. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil and spray foil with non-stick spray.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, whip the cream cheese until smooth. Add in the remaining ingredients except for the Cotija cheese and mix well.

Slice the peppers in half, length ways, and scoop out the seeds and ribs. Spoon the cream cheese mixture into the pepper and smooth down the top. Line up the stuffed peppers on the sheet tray and sprinkle with the Cotija cheese.

Bake for 20-30 minutes until the stuffing is bubbling and lightly browned. Let cool on pan for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh, chopped cilantro and serve with sour cream for dipping.

Cocktail Party Week.....Day 6.....Chickpea Dip with Toasted Cumin and Pomegranate

2011-12-09T10:45:00.000-06:00

No party would be complete without a creamy dip and a crunchy chip. This modern twist on hummus fits the first part of that equation perfectly. It's got a nice smokey backdrop from the toasted cumin seeds and when the pomegranate seeds explode in your mouth you get this great punch of tart-sweet flavor in addition to a little crunch.

I used to be so intimidated by pomegranates until I watched a tutorial on-line and realized how easy it was to get those seeds out of there! All you need is a large bowl of water and a knife and the rest is a piece of cake.

Fill a large bowl with water. Score the pomegranate from top to bottom in quarters. Submerge the pomegranate and pry the sections apart with your fingers. Then gently remove the seeds from the pith. Then this magical thing happens and the seeds sink to the bottom and the pith floats to the top! Genius!! Remove the large chunks of rind and then skim off the pieces of pith from the top of the bowl and then simply drain the seeds in a colander.

And viola! You've got these tasty little devils! I use them in everything from my oatmeal in the morning to my champagne at ~~noon~~ cocktail hour! Oh and to sprinkle on the Chickpea Dip.

And now for the ever-important crunchy chip. These Cumin-Crusted Pita Chips are sooo perfect here and extremely easy to make. All it takes is some pita bread rounds (I used whole wheat), olive oil, toasted cumin seeds and salt.

Here are the recipes:

Chickpea Dip with toasted Cumin and Pomegranate

Williams-Sonoma

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon cumin seeds (the pitas also call for 1 teaspoon cumin seeds so I toasted them at the same time)
2 cloves of garlic
sea salt
2 15-oz cans chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans)
1 pomegranate
fruity extra virgin olive oil

Directions
In a small, dry frying pan over medium heat, toast the cumin seeds, shaking the pan often, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Pour onto a plate to cool.

In a mortar (or you can do this on a cutting board and blend with the side edges of your knife), combine the garlic and pinch of salt and crush to a paste with a pestle. Add the toasted cumin seeds and grind them together with the garlic (or they can be ground in a spice grinder). Grate enough zest from 1 lemon to measure 1/2 teaspoon, and then halve and juice both lemons. Drain the chickpeas, rinse under cold running water and drain well again.

Seed the pomegranate as shown above.

In a food processor or blender, combine the chickpeas, garlic-cumin mixture, lemon zest, 4 tablespoons lemon juice, 1/4 cup olive oil, and 1/4 cup water. Process the mixture until very creamy, adding more water if needed to achieve the desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and lemon juice.

Scrape the dip onto a large plate. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with about 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds. Serve with the pita chips.

Cumin-Crusted Pita Chips

Williams-Sonoma

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted
3/4 teaspoons kosher salt
3 pita breads, 7 inches in diameter
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 deg. F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Toast cumin seeds, cool and grind in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Mix ground seeds in a bowl with the kosher salt.

Brush the pita breads on both sides with the oil, cut them into 8 wedges each, and arrange the wedges on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle the tops evenly with the salt and cumin mixture. Bake until the wedges are light golden brown and crisp, 10-15 minutes, turning them over halfway through baking.

Cocktail Party Week.....Day 5.....Mini-Meatballs in Chipotle Sauce

2011-12-08T08:33:00.000-06:00

It's been a well documented fact on this blog that I LOVE MEAT and meatballs may just be at the top of my meat loving list. These are one of my favorites because of the addition of smoky, spicy chipotle. It, along with cilantro instead of parsley, sets them apart from your basic Italian meatballs.

And one of the best things about serving meatballs at a party is that you can do all the work ahead of time and just reheat them giving you time for a pre-party cocktail. Win-win!!

Here's the recipe:

Mini-Meatballs in Chipotle Sauce

Rick Rogers

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 large onions, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes

1 15-oz can tomato sauce

1 or 2 canned chipotles in adobo sauce , finely chopped with any clinging adobo sauce, to taste (My taste calls for about a tablespoon extra adobo sauce!)

3/4 cup packaged dried bread crumbs

2 large eggs, beaten

1 tablespoon dried oregano

2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 pounds ground round

1 1/2 pounds ground pork

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 deg F. Lightly oil a large baking sheet

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring often, until the onions are tender, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and stir until it gives off its fragrance, about 1 minute. Transfer half of the onion mixture to a large bowl.

Return the saucepan with the remaining onion mixture to the stove. Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, and chipotles, and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, stirring often, until the sauce is lightly thickened, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the bread crumbs, eggs, oregano, salt and pepper to the onions in the bowl and mix well. Add the ground round and ground pork, and mix again. Using about 1 tablespoon for each, roll the meat mixture into balls and place on the baking sheet.

Bake until the meatballs are browned, about 20 minutes. Transfer the meatballs to the simmering sauce. Cover and simmer until the meatballs are cooked through, about 15 minutes. (The meatballs can be prepared up to 2 days ahead. Cool the meatballs in the sauce. Cover tightly and refrigerate. Or transfer the cooked meatballs and sauce to airtight containers and freeze for up to 1 month; defrost before reheating. To reheat, cook the meatballs and sauce in a large saucepan over medium-low heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until the meatballs are heated through, about 20 minutes).

Transfer the meatballs and sauce to a slow cooker or chafing dish to keep warm. Sprinkle with the cilantro. Serve hot with toothpicks for spearing the meatballs.

Cocktail Party Week.....Day 4.....Nuts (Two Ways!)

2011-12-07T00:00:00.006-06:00

Chipotle and Rosemary Roasted Nuts

Today's offering is a twofer!! (If I was on top of things I would have posted this on Tuesday. Get it? Twofer Tuesday? Never mind.) I love putting nuts out for guests to crunch on during cocktails while I'm putting the finishing touches on dinner. Or if I'm having a larger party, I'll make a few different types and sit them around the house or right beside the bartender. Everyone loves nuts. Well not my friend, Jenny, or my niece, Charlotte, or....ok, maybe everyone doesn't love nuts....but they should. Especially these Chipotle and Rosemary nuts. They're a great combination of slightly sweet and a hint spicy. And then there's the earthy rosemary. Really yummy.

Curried Nuts

While the first recipe required a little more effort, these curried nuts are easy-peasy and equally delicious. Hubs is not a big fan of curry and even he thought these were pretty good. I used a madras curry powder, but if you have your own favorite mixture, use that instead.

Both of these mixtures are flexible, so use whatever type of nuts you like best. Hubs would be happy if I just used cashews in both of them, but he needs to expand his horizons occasionally!

These would also be great scooped into a pretty cellophane bag with a festive ribbon and given as part of your Christmas cookie platter or even as a fabulous hostess gift!

Here's the recipes:

Chipotle and Rosemary Roasted Nuts

Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients
Vegetable oil
3 cups whole roasted unsalted cashews (14 ounces)
2 cups whole walnut halves (7 ounces)
2 cups whole pecan halves (7 ounces)
1/2 cup whole almonds (3 ounces)
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
2 teaspoons ground chipotle powder
4 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary leaves, divided
Kosher salt
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Brush a sheet pan generously with vegetable oil. Combine the cashews, walnuts, pecans, almonds, 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, the maple syrup, brown sugar, orange juice, and chipotle powder on the sheet pan. Toss to coat the nuts evenly. Add 2 tablespoons of the rosemary and 2 teaspoons of salt and toss again.

Spread the nuts in one layer. Roast the nuts for 25 minutes, stirring twice with a large metal spatula, until the nuts are glazed and golden brown. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with 2 more teaspoons of salt and the remaining 2 tablespoons of rosemary.

Toss well and set aside at room temperature, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking as they cool. Taste for seasoning. Serve warm or cool completely and store in airtight containers at room temperature.

Curried Nuts

from the book, Finger Foods

Ingredients
4 cups mixed nuts
1 egg white
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 300 deg. F. Spread the nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes.

Whisk the egg white until frothy in a large bowl. Add in the nuts, curry powder, cumin and salt. Toss together and return to the oven for another 10-15 minutes, then allow to cool. (I tasted mine when they were still warm from the oven and found they needed a little more salt. Use your own taste buds!)

Cocktail Party Week.....Day 3.....Soppressata and Gruyere in Puff Pastry

2011-12-06T09:22:00.000-06:00

This is one of those fabulous recipes that gives you a huge return on minimal effort. This is perfect to serve with cocktails before your fancy dinner party or at half time of the Gator Bowl (go bucks!!).

There's something for everyone....buttery, flaky puff pastry.....tangy mustard......spicy ham.....and creamy, nutty gruyere cheese.

Look how gorgeous! You'll definitely get some ooh's and ahh's when you pull this from the oven.

And I can say from experience, it pairs perfectly with a glass of Champagne! Not that I've found anything that doesn't pair perfectly with a glass of Champagne. Just sayin.

Here's the recipe:

Soppressata and Gruyere in Puff Pastry

Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients
1 package (2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, such as Pepperidge Farm, defrosted
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
12 thin (not paper thin) slices soppressata salami (3 1/2 inches in diameter)
6 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place a piece of parchment paper on a sheet pan.

Lay one sheet of puff pastry on a floured board and lightly roll into a 10-inch square. Place it on the sheet pan and brush the pastry with all the mustard, leaving a 1-inch border. Arrange the soppressata in overlapping layers on the mustard and sprinkle the grated cheese evenly on the soppressata, also avoiding the border. Brush the border with the egg wash.

Lightly roll the second piece of puff pastry into a 10-inch square. Lay the pastry directly on top of the first square, lining up the edges. Brush the top with the egg wash, cut three large slits for steam to escape, and chill for 15 minutes.

When the pastry is cold, trim the edges with a very sharp knife to make a clean edge. Bake the pastry in the center of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, turning once while baking, until puffed and brown. Allow to cool for a few minutes, cut in squares, and serve hot or warm.

Cocktail Party Week.....Day 2.....Baked Pizza Dip

2011-12-05T00:00:00.001-06:00

I found this Pizza Dip in my mom's recipe file that I forced her to hand over to me this summer! After I made it the first time, I knew it had huge potential....it just needed to be updated a tad. She did have to come clean and admit that she had pilfered the recipe from a former tennis acquaintance that now lives in Texas. Since mom couldn't remember her name, I can only surmise that she must have regularly lost to said tennis acquaintance?? Just sayin.

Fortunately, even though I inherited my mother's hatred of losing, I also inherited her ability to spot a good thing when I see one! This recipe is a total winner. And it truly is pizza disguised as a dip. It's cheesy, creamy and just a hint spicy. The first time I made it I served it with fresh bread slices, but like pizza, it's best with a crispy crust! So, the next time I toasted my own crostini and while they were still hot from the oven, I rubbed them with fresh garlic. Perfect.

Here's the recipe:

Baked Pizza Dip

(from my mother's obviously superior tennis friend from Texas!)

Ingredients:
1 8oz pkg. of cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
1/4 cup chopped scallions
1 log or tube of pepperoni, chopped (I tried this with slices of pepperoni and it makes it too hard to "dip" so I tried chopping up one of those tubes of pepperoni and it works much better. Just make sure you remove the paper wrapping!!)
1 1/2 cups marinara sauce (I prefer Rao's Arrabbiata Sauce)
Fresh Mozzarella

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 deg. F.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together cream cheese and sour cream. Add oregano, basil, pepper flakes and garlic powder and blend. Spread mixture in the bottom of pie plate. Top mixture with marinara. Top with chopped pepperoni and chopped scallions. Cover with slices of fresh mozzarella. Bake for about 20 minutes or until mixture starts to bubble around the edges. I like to finish mine under the broiler to brown the cheese. Serve with garlic crostini.

Cocktail Party Week.....Day 1....Crostini 6 Ways

2011-12-04T00:00:00.002-06:00

It's that time of year. Party time. There are the office parties, neighborhood parties, your kid's playgroup parties, tennis parties, the dreaded impromptu-drop-in-visitors-that-turn-into-a-party party, etc., etc. So everyday this week, I'm going to give you my favorite, most delicious go-to party dishes.

I'm going to start with crostini because the possibilities are endless, they're filling and are a consistent crowd pleaser. And even better, most of the time you've got all the ingredients already on hand.

Refried Beans and Pepper Jack Cheese

Mix canned refried beans with canned chopped green chili's. Spread on crostini and top with shredded pepper jack cheese. Pop under the broiler until the cheese is bubbly and browned and top with chopped fresh cilantro.

BBQ Chicken and Pickle Relish

Shred rotisserie chicken and toss with your favorite BBQ sauce. Heat and then spread on crostini and top with pickle relish. I prefer sweet relish but hubs likes dill relish. Whatever floats your boat!

Mascarpone Cheese with Chopped Grapes and Bacon

Spread mascarpone cheese on top of crostini and top with chopped grapes and and bacon. (This is one of my favorites....the salty bacon is fabulous with the sweet grapes)

Tuna with Wasabi Mayonnaise

Finely chop sashimi-grade tuna and marinate in toasted sesame oil. Mix wasabi paste with mayonnaise to suite your taste. Spread wasabi mayo onto crostini and top with chopped tuna. (I kept looking at this after I made it and knew it needed a finishing touch but damn if I wasn't brain dead. As I started to type this I thought that toasted sesame seeds would be perfect here. Duh!)

Chopped Grapes and Prosciutto

Sprinkle chopped grapes on top of crostini and wrap with a slice of prosciutto. (Does it get any easier than that?)

Smoked Salmon with Dill Cream Cheese

Combine chopped fresh dill with softened cream cheese. Spread onto crostini and top with a slice of smoked salmon. (I usually garnish these with a sprig of fresh dill but this time I was an idiot and forgot to save any. Typical!)

So there you have it. I got these ideas from the Food Network website and there are tons more where these came from. I like to make my own crostini because it's simple and much cheaper. Slice a baguette loaf in slightly diagonal slices. Brush on a thin layer of olive oil on both sides and sprinkle with salt and pepper and pop them under the broiler until toasted. That being said, most grocery stores now sell pre-made toasts in their bakery department.

Up tomorrow: Baked Pizza Dip

Roasted Sausages and Grapes

2011-11-30T15:28:00.000-06:00

It's been a good week to be a Buckeye. And considering the year we've had, it's about damn time! First, we landed ourselves a pretty good football coach, although I've despised the guy until I knew he was going to be one of my own. Hey, he kicked our ass in Glendale a few years ago when everyone was thinking Tressel would walk away with championship #2. I've called him all kinds of very mature names over the past several years, but when he took that podium Monday afternoon in Columbus, I said, "Pass the Koolaid." Welcome home, Urban!

And second, did you see that beat down we put on Duke last night? To quote Coach K...."We've had our butts kicked and we've kicked some butts, but tonight my butt is really sore." That was 40 minutes of near perfect Buckeye basketball.

So, like I said, it's been a good week to be a Buckeye. Sayonara "Tattoo Gate". Time to move on.

All of that sports talk was just to distract you from the picture of the Roasted Sausage and Grapes. No matter how delicious that dish is, I couldn't find a way to style it to make it look that way! I first saw this being made on The Barefoot Contessa and thought it sounded delicious. Ina's friend, Johanna Killeen, of Al Forno Restaurant in Providence, RI was demonstrating the dish on the show and said it was the best selling item on their menu. It had to be good, right?

While I couldn't quite wrap my mind around the combination of sausage and grapes (and roasted grapes, quite frankly, sounded mushy) I love anything involving sausage. Errr. Anyhoo.....this is de. lish. us. And why has no one told me about roasted grapes before? Not mushy. Well maybe a little, but in a totally amazing way. I used a combination of red and black grapes (make sure you buy seedless) which worked perfectly because the red ones get a little softer than the black grapes so you get this great combination of crunchy and soft. And while I know some people don't like spicy sausage, it's really these best counter to the sweet grapes. Regular italian sausage works, but I'm just sayin. And then there's the red wine and balsamic sauce. Oh my. This is slap-your-grandma good. Serve this with some focaccia bread or some ciabatta to sop up every last drop.

Here's the recipe:

Roasted Sausages and Grapes

Johanna Killeen

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds Italian hot sausage
1 1/2 pounds Italian sweet sausage
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 to 6 cups (2 pounds) red or green seedless grapes, stems removed
2 to 4 tablespoons dry red wine, preferably Chianti
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Directions
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.

Parboil the sausages in water to cover for 8 minutes to rid them of excess fat.

Melt the butter in a large heatproof roasting pan, add the grapes, and toss to coat. Over moderately high heat add the wine. Stir with a wooden spoon for a few minutes until the wine has reduced by half.

Using tongs, transfer the parboiled sausages to the roasting pan and push them down in the grapes so the sausages will not brown too quickly. Roast in the oven, turning the sausages once, until the grapes are soft and the sausages have browned, 20 to 25 minutes.

Place the roasting pan on top of the stove over a medium-high heat and add the balsamic vinegar. Scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the roasting pan, and allow the vinegar and juices to reduce until they are thick and syrupy. With a slotted spoon, transfer the sausages and grapes to a serving platter.

Pour the sauce over the sausages and grapes and serve immediately, accompanied with fresh bread.

This recipe was provided by professional chefs and has been scaled down from a bulk recipe provided by a restaurant. The Food Network Kitchens chefs have not tested this recipe, in the proportions indicated, and therefore, we cannot make any representation as to the results.

Peanut Butter Brownies

2011-11-10T12:16:00.000-06:00

It's been quite the news week, hasn't it? Seems Herman Cain is quite the horny badger; Rick Perry is, well....Rick Perry; Penn State is in the middle of the most horrific scandal to ever take place on a college campus, and OMG did you see what Kim is dating on Real Housewives of Beverly Hills??? Scandalous.

And even more scandalous are these brownies. These are creamy and gooey with the great combination of peanut butter and chocolate. Throw in some crunchy peanuts and a rich caramel topping and these are durn near perfect! Make these this Thanksgiving for the non-traditional dessert lovers in your family. Like me!!

Here's the recipe:

Peanut Butter Brownies

King Arthur Flour

Ingredients
3/4 cup peanut butter, crunchy or smooth
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

Topping:
1/2 cup lightly salted peanuts, chopped
1/2 cup (14-16 pieces) caramel
1 tablespoon water

Directions:
Grease a 9-inch square pan and line with foil or parchment. Preheat the oven to 350 deg. F. Combine peanut butter, butter, and both sugars in a large bowl; heat in the microwave or over simmering water to melt the butter and sugars, cool to lukewarm. Stir in eggs, vanilla and dry ingredients until the batter is smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and sprinkle half of the peanuts on top. Bake for 28 minutes, until the center is set. Remove from the oven and place on a rack.

For the topping:
Melt the caramel in a small saucepan with the water and drizzle over the top of the brownies; sprinkle with the remaining peanuts. Cool completely before slicing.

Meatless Monday....Spicy Spaghetti Squash with Black Beans

2011-11-07T07:13:00.000-06:00

There are no vegetarians in my house. I'm pretty sure there are no vegetarians in my family. Yup.....only meatetarians here. That being said, other than hubs little sweet tooth issue, we eat fairly healthy. Generally a lot of fish and chicken and fresh veggies. But after last week's little overindulgence at Blackberry Farm, we definitely needed a little detox up in here.

Hubs loved this and so did I. I follow Whole Foods on Twitter and they tweeted this recipe a few weeks ago. I admit, I did tweak it a tiny bit for our tastes because it's one of those recipes that lends itself to creativity. I added a few more spices and some mushrooms to give it a little heft! Feel free to put your own spin on it. We ate this as our meal but this would also be great served as a side dish. And if you're like me and craving some meat, you could totally add in some chicken, sausage or even shrimp. Yum!

(My changes are in red)

Spicy Spaghetti Squash with Black Beans

Whole Foods

Serves 4
Serve these stuffed squash halves immediately or fill with the stuffing and refrigerate them, covered, one day in advance. Simply reheat them before serving.

Ingredients
1 medium spaghetti squash

Filling
2 teaspoons olive or corn oil
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
1 jalapeño chili, seeded, minced
1/2 cup red pepper, chopped (I didn't have one so I subbed chopped Shiitake and Portabello shrooms)
1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained well
1/2 cup sweet corn, frozen or fresh
1 teaspoon chili powder (I used ancho chili powder and also added a heaping tsp. ground cumin and some red pepper flakes)
All of the reserved cooked squash, about 4 cups
1/3 cup cilantro, minced
1/3 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon sea salt

Directions
Roast squash in a 375°F oven for 50 minutes until tender or cut squash in half and place in a microwave dish with 1/2 inch of water, lightly covered with plastic wrap for 20 minutes on high until tender. cool. When cool, scoop flesh from squash halves leaving the shell intact for stuffing. (I prefer to roast the squash in the oven vs. the microwave method, but both work find. I slice the squash in have and place it cut side down on a sheet pan and roast until tender. I then scoop out the seeds and shred the squash with a fork)

For the filling, heat oil in a large pan and sauté red onion, jalapeño chili and red pepper for 2 minutes. Add beans, corn and chili powder; sauté 1 minute longer. Add cooked squash, cilantro, lime juice and salt, cook 1 minute until heated through.

Fill squash halves with filling, mounding mixture in the center. Sprinkle with cheese and return to the oven for a few minutes to melt the cheese.

On a completely unrelated note, we headed to Tuscaloosa Saturday to tailgate before "The Game of the Century" {cough, cough}. We had a great time partying with everyone pre-game, but if I ever hear another arrogant SEC fan say Big 10 football is boring I'm gonna have to slap them. We've been playing smash mouth, defensive football for years and getting criticized for it because it's not exciting, but when the SEC does it, it's suddenly awe inspiring. Whatever. (Oh and Nick, you may want to check your local high school's soccer teams and find yourself a kicker. Just sayin.)

Anyhoooo. Like I said, tailgating was a blast. Since we're Tuscaloosa rookies, we went down with a few seasoned Bama graduates and fans. Yes, they're our friends. We love them in spite of their poor choice in football teams!

There was lot's of houndstooth.....lots and lots of houndstooth. I'm thinking the little one preferred some Scarlet and Grey!

And lot's of bizarre!

And because the party started well before noon for a 7:00pm game, there's was also lots of this. This may be the only area that I'll acknowledge that SEC might have something over on the Big 10.....FOOD!

I will offer my condolences to my Alabama friends for not coming out on top in the game because if there's any team I like less than Alabama and Auburn, it would be LSU!!

Thanks to Chad and Jenny for showing us around your alma mater and as always we had a fabulous time!

Blackberry Farm

2011-11-04T06:36:00.001-05:00

Hubs and I took a little trip to the Tennessee mountains earlier this week. I've long been coveting a few days at Blackberry Farm but every time I think about booking it, the dates they have available are not the dates we have available! So a few weeks ago on a whim, I checked their website and whadda ya know, they had a few available nights at the end of October and so did we!

I'm not sure the timing could have been better. As if the grounds of this 4200 acre estate in the Smokey Mountains aren't beautiful enough on their own, throw in peak Fall colors and it was simply breathtaking.

We stayed in an estate room in the main house because that's what was available and you know what they say about beggars, but there are also cottages and larger homes to choose from.

Personally, I loved the charm of the main house. It felt more like I was the guest in the home of (some really fabulous) friends instead of just your typical resort hotel experience.

The views were fabulous from the back patio, where you can sit and read a book or sip a glass of wine before dinner (or lunch, for that matter!)

And if you're wondering, "What the heck am I supposed to do for fun at someone's damn farm. Milk the cows?" (Which if your interested in that sort of thing, these folks would find a way to make that happen, I'm sure. With a huge smile.) Besides all of the extra-special guests they invite (Sommelier Andrea Immer will be there in a few weeks and one member of the staff mentioned David Chang of Momofuku was coming in this week) to entertain you, you can hike, learn to fly fish or shoot clay pigeons, bike, play tennis, visit the spa or even follow the chef around for the day (which I'm sooo doing the next time).

They even provided pumpkins for carving since it was Halloween!

But, if I'm completely honest, my sole purpose was the FOOD! I think these people have won every culinary award possible (in addition to every hospitality award possible!).

Dinner is served every night in this barn. The story is that this barn was built in the 1700's in Pennsylvania and in 2007 was disassembled piece by piece and transported to Blackberry Farm and reassembled to become the center of all things culinary. Cooking classes and demonstrations are performed here and it also houses a 180,000+ bottle wine cellar (DUDE!) and cheese cave.

Let's just say that all of those previously mentioned awards are well deserved. The two dinners we ate were far and away some of the best food we've experienced. I finally figured out what Tom, Padma and Gail mean when they talk about "restraint and balance". Actually, I probably still don't know what they hell they're talking about but if I did......those dinners would be it.

Since we ordered the seven course tasting menu with wine pairings the first night, we had a LOT of walking to do the next morning. It was a bit overcast and crisp to say the least, but it really didn't matter.

These guys were extremely friendly!

We watched a few guests try their hand at fly fishing.

This is where you come to sign up for lessons. How charming is that??

Hubs took advantage of the spa and got a relaxing massage and I chilled and read a book by the fire the rest of the afternoon.

Then we forced ourselves to go back to The Barn for another dining masterpiece.

We're home and on some strict dietary restrictions (no butter or cream or grits with hollandaise) until we can once again button the jeans, but I can't wait to go back.

Red Snapper with Leeks, Mushrooms, and Shallots

2011-10-28T12:29:00.000-05:00

Remember me? I've been crazy, super ~~lazy~~ busy lately. Yeah, busy. Seriously. I swear my absence has had nothing to do with lack of motivation. Just busy, busy, busy. Doing really important stuff. So when I was looking for an easy preparation for some red snapper the other night, I was thrilled when I found this in Jacques Pepin's new book, Essential Pepin. His description said "quick and easy".and he meant it. This is a big-reward, little-effort recipe and seriously delicious.

This requires the massive effort of chopping one leek, a red bell pepper, a few shallots and maybe a few mushrooms (if you're like me, you'll buy the already sliced ones!). Throw all of those into a pan along with a few tablespoons of olive oil and a cup of white wine and cover it up and bring it to a boil. Let it simmer for a few minutes then add your fish, cover it again and let it simmer until it's cooked through. That will only take a few minutes depending on the thickness of your fish.

See.....quick and easy! I served this with roasted potatoes, because I was too ~~lazy~~ busy to make mashed potatoes but that would have been really delicious!

Here's the recipe:

Red Snapper with Leeks, Mushrooms, and Shallots

Essential Pepin, by Jacques Pepin

Ingredients:
1 small leek, trimmed (leaving some green) split, washed, and thinly sliced (1 1/2 cups)
3 ounces mushrooms, cleaned and cut into julienne strips (1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup chopped shallots
1/3 cup peeled and diced red bell pepper (I was too ~~lazy~~ busy to peel it)
1 cup dry white wine (such as Chablis) (I used a Sauvignon Blanc because that what I had in my glass)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 skin-on red snapper filets (about 5 ounces each) halibut and mahi-mahi also work
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Directions:
Put all the ingredients except the fish and butter in a large stainless steel saucepan, cover and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and boil gently for 3 minutes.

Add the fish, cover and cook for about three minutes or until just cooked through.

Arrange the filets on each of four plates. Add the butter to the liquid in the sauce pan and bring to a strong boil. Divide the mixture among the plates, spooning both sauce and vegetables on top of the fish and serve.

Friday Five.....including Cupcakes!

2011-10-14T14:52:00.000-05:00

1. Chocolate Chip Banana Cupcakes topped with Peanutty Buttercream. I was charged with bringing a sweet item to last week's tennis match and these were a huuuge hit. They are a perfect combination of salty peanuts and peanut butter and on top of a moist sweet banana and chocolate chip cupcake. I got the recipe out of The Butch Bakery Cookbook which is loaded with fabulous cupcake recipes "for dudes"!! Their words, not mine. All I can say is my entirely female tennis team must have "dude" taste buds.

2. Everyone knows that football season is usually my favorite time of year, but let's face it, both of my teams totally suck it this year. Did you see that complete CHOKE at Nebraska last week. Our back-up quarterback was so bad he's the biggest joke on the internet. And speaking of joke and quarterbacks, how about Tony Romo? I've been a Cowboys fan for 40 years, but I've officially pulled my "fandom" until they get rid of Tony "Oh No". Sooooo, football's been a bit of a bummer this season.

3. But, the good news is, college basketball officially kicks off tonight with Midnight Madness and all of the "experts" are calling for my Buckeyes to be a contender. Can't wait to see the newly buff, Jared Sullinger in action. He better still have that booty to back those boys outta the box! If not, I'm sending him some of those cupcakes.

4. I've recently discovered the huge time suck that is stumbleupon.com. You tell them your interests, click on the "stumble" button and it will find website after website that appeal just to you! There's even a Stumbleupon app for your iPad. Fabulous!

5. And finally, unless you've been living under a rock for the past few weeks you've heard of "Occupy Wall Street". I have my own opinions about all that which I'm sure you'd be interested in, but the best thing to come out of it has to be when one college football fan decided to join the movement and add his own hilarious twist in the form of "Occupy Herbstreit". One of the wittiest things I've found on the internet in ages. His list of thirteen demands is downright genius! Follow him on twitter @LostGamedayFan

Here's the recipe for the cupcakes:

Chocolate Chip Banana Cupcake with Peanutty Buttercream

The Butch Bakery Cookbook by David Arrick with Janice Kollar

Yield: 12 jumbo or 18 regular cupcakes

Cupcake Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups cake flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs, broken into a small bowl

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 cup mashed very ripe banana, about 3 medium

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, tossed in 1 teaspoon cake flour

Buttercream Ingredients:

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup creamy peanut butter (not freshly ground)

1 1/3 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted through a strainer

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/3 cup heavy cream

Pinch salt

Topping: (Optional)

3/4 cup honey-roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

Cupcakes: Place a baking rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 deg. F. Line two 6-cup jumbo-size muffin pans with liners and set aside.

Place a strainer over a medium-size mising bowl and sift together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In another medium-size mixing bowl, with an electric miser on medium-high speed, beat the butter, sugar, and brown sugar together until well combined, 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the eggs and vanilla, beating until combined. Add the flour mixture and the buttermilk and beat on low speed just until all the dry ingredients are incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Stir in the mashed banana, combining well and then the chocolate chips.

Fill each prepared muffin cup with a rounded 1/3 cup batter, about 3/4 full. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through, until the tops are just firm to the touch and a tester inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean, about 24 minutes. Leave the cupcakes in the pan on a rack to cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer the cupcakes to the wire rack to cool completely before frosting, about 1 hour.

Buttercream: In a large-size mixing bowl, with an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the butter and peanut butter together until creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, reduce the speed to medium, and add the confectioners' sugar, vanilla, heavy cream, and salt, beating on medium-high speed for 2 to 3 minutes until very smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Cupcake Construction: Top each cupcake with a heaping tablespoon of the frosting and using a butter knife or small offset spatula, smooth the frosting on the top of each cupcake. Sprinkle the tops with 1 tablespoon of the peanuts, if desired. Cupcakes can be refrigerated for up to days in an airtight container or frozen for 1 month.

Pumpkin, Cheddar and Sage Biscuits

2011-09-30T13:34:00.000-05:00

It's going to be a beautiful weekend here. Temperatures are supposed to dip down into the high 60's during the day and 40's overnight for the next few days....before heading back up into the 80's next week. So we actually get a peak into Fall.

What says autumn better than pumpkin and sage? I ran across this little gem of a recipe in a new (or new to me anyway) magazine, Alabama. Really reached deep into the creative juices for that title, eh? While I'm not sure Alabama needs yet another magazine devoted to itself, this one isn't bad. I mean I did get a new recipe, right?

These are flaky and moist and even with strong flavors like pumpkin and sage, they're still subtle.

I made mini-biscuits so I could serve them as an appetizer, but they would also be perfect full sized served as a side to some squash soup or just about anything, for that matter! Plus, minus the baking time, these come together in about 15 minutes.

Here's the recipe:

Pumpkin, Cheddar and Sage Biscuits

Alabama Magazine, Sept/Oct 2011

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/4 cup smoked aged cheddar (I don't like smoked cheese so I used aged white cheddar)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 deg. F. Stir together first 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or two forks. Stir in cheddar and pumpkin. Mixture will look very dry at first; stir until it comes together. Knead dough 2-3 times on a lightly floured surface; roll out to 1 1/4 inch thickness. Cut dough with a 2-inch circle cutter and place biscuits on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake 16-18 minutes or until lightly browned.

Someone else is a little excited about the cooler temperatures! He can finally control the neighborhood from the front yard.

Roasted Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage, Hazelnut and Brown Butter Sauce

2011-09-26T10:37:00.001-05:00

It's officially Fall. Southern Fall is not exactly like the Midwest Fall of my childhood. Even though the calendar says it's officially Fall, what I consider to be Fall.....cool temperatures, turning leaves and boots.....doesn't happen in Alabama until November sometime!

That doesn't mean that I have to wait until November for Fall foods! Like squash. I love me some roasted butternut squash and I happened to have some staring at me on the counter this weekend. I considered making soup, but we've had a ton of soup here in the last few weeks, plus I wanted to try something different. I've never made ravioli and I have tons of sage in the garden, so this sounded perfect.

I guess I didn't technically "make ravioli". I cheated and used wonton wrappers, but feel free to make your own pasta dough if you're a lot more ambitious than I am!

This is relatively easy to pull together if you're a cheater like me. Roast the squash and then mash it up. I used a food mill, but a potato ricer would work great also. You could probably even puree it in the food processor. Then throw it in a pot over low heat to remove all the moisture. Stir in the seasonings and you're ready to "make ravioli"!

Since wonton wrappers a a little larger, I used a small ice cream scoop for the filling.....a little more than a tablespoon.

Brush the bottom wrapper edges with an egg wash.

Place the top wrapper over the filling, flattening the filling and pressing out any air bubbles. Seal the edges really well.....you don't want any gaps for the filling to seep out when you boil it. That would be messy! I sealed my edges with a fork to be on the safe side. Sometimes I'm overly cautious.

Bring some generously salted water to a boil and toss in a few raviolis (don't crowd them). When they rise to the surface of the water, they're done. Remove them and toss them with the sauce (recipe below).

This is a perfect Fall dish. The ravioli can be made ahead of time and frozen and then tossed direct from the freezer into the boiling water. And this sauce comes together in five minutes. Totally doable for an elegant weeknight dinner. This would also make a great first course for your next dinner party.

Here's the recipe:

Roasted Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage, Hazelnut and Brown Butter Sauce

Bobby Flay

Ingredients

Ravioli:
2 butternut squash, halved and seeded
Pinch cinnamon
Pinch nutmeg
1 tablespoon finely chopped orange zest
2 teaspoons chipotle puree
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 sheets pasta dough, 12 to 14 inches long by 4 inches wide
2 eggs mixed with 2 tablespoons water
Chopped chives

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Place squash on a baking sheet and roast until soft 30 to 40 minutes. Scoop out flesh and run though a food mill. Place the puree into a medium saucepan and cook over low heat until almost dry. Add the remaining ingredients and season with salt and pepper to taste. Lay a sheet of pasta dough on a lightly floured work surface and distribute a heaping teaspoon-sized portion of the filling at least 2 inches apart. Use your fingertip or a brush to moisten the edges of the pasta sheet with the egg wash. Carefully place a second sheet of the pasta dough on top of the first and press with your fingertips to separate the rows of filling. Repeat with the remaining dough. With a ravioli cutter or pastry wheel, cut along straight lines on the vertical and horizontal to form each ravioli square. Press the edges closed with your fingertips to seal well. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Carefully drop in the ravioli and cook for about 5 minutes. Drain, plate and spoon butter sauce over and garnish with finely chopped chives.

Brown Butter Sauce:

2 sticks unsalted butter
1/4 cup coarsely ground hazelnuts
1/4 cup heavy cream
8 sage leaves, chiffonade
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Melt butter in a medium saute pan over medium high heat. Add hazelnuts and cook until the hazelnuts are golden brown. Add the heavy cream and cook for 1 minute. Add the sage and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Jilla's Gameday Chili

2011-09-22T09:47:00.000-05:00

Since chili is one of hubs' favorite things, it was one of the first things I attempted to make early in our marriage. Back when I knew nothing about much of anything about cooking! As I've improved in the kitchen, so has my chili. It's gone through several renditions over the years, but this is the version I've been making for the past several. It's thick, meaty and a tad spicy.....and it's always a hit during football season when the weather starts to cool off a bit.

Here's my cast of characters....cubed filet mignon, hot italian sausage, ground chuck, onion, garlic, kidney beans, black beans, jalapeno (or other hot pepper), chipotle peppers in adobo, canned tomatoes (crushed and diced), cumin, coriander, pimenton, ancho chili powder, and cayenne pepper.

Hubs informed me early on that he liked big chunks of meat in his chili. Back in the day, I couldn't afford filet mignon, so I used the only chunks I saw at the meat counter....stew beef. It worked fine!

For a little heat and extra flavor I use equal parts hot italian sausage and ground chuck. If spicy is not your thang, use mild italian sausage.

Start by heating your oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat.

Add in your chopped onions and saute until translucent, about 10 minutes. Don't forget to season with salt and pepper as you go. Add the garlic and saute for about 1 minute.

Because there is so much meat, you'll need to brown it in stages. I like to start with the sausage because it has the most flavor. Let's get this party started early, I say. Brown that up and then remove it with a slotted spoon to a large bowl and set aside. I then usually have to spoon out some of the extra fat that's accumulated. Leave about two tablespoons in the pan.

Next brown the filet until it's medium rare. Then toss it into the bowl with the browned sausage.

And finally brown the ground chuck.

This is where I thrown in whatever hot pepper I'm using. I generally use a jalapeno pepper, but since I have an abundance of these little Cuban peppers (my gardener planted them and didn't label them, so I'm not sure exactly what they are, but I love them!). Like I said, if you're not into spicy, leave these out or thrown in some chopped sweet red pepper. It's your party....spice if you want to!

Now it's time for everyone to get into the pool. Throw all that browned meat back in along with all of those accumulated juices. Once all the meat is back in the pot add all of the spices along with the chipotle peppers and let them get acquainted for a few minutes. Drain and rinse all of the beans and add them along with the cans of diced and crushed tomatoes.

Bring all of that to a boil, reduce the heat to low and let simmer for about 15 minutes. Give it a taste and adjust your seasonings. It might need a little more cumin or a little more heat in my case! It's flexible. You can absolutely serve at this stage, but I think chili is one of those things that just gets better every day, so I often make this the morning before I want to serve it or even the day before just to let all of the flavors fully develop and become one with each other!

For your football party, set out a group of condiments.....shredded monterey jack, sour cream, chopped cilantro, chopped green onions and some crushed tortilla chips (hubs prefers the blue ones)....and let your guests create their own perfect bowl.

Here's the recipe:

Jilla's Gameday Chili

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, finely minced
2 lb filet mignon, cut into bite size cubes
1 1/2 lb hot italian sausage, casings removed and crumbled
1 1/2 lb ground chuck
2 15oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 15oz cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 28oz cans Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes (if you can't find the fire roasted ones, regular works fine)
2 28oz cans Fire Roasted Crushed Tomatoes (ditto!)
2 chipotle chilis in adobo, chopped
2 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 1/2 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon ancho chili powder
1 teaspoon hot pimenton (smoked paprika)....you can also use mild pimenton
1/2 tablespoon ground cayenne pepper
Salt and Pepper

Calzone Poppers

2011-09-12T13:03:00.002-05:00

Try to ignore the fact that the pan is different in this picture than the rest of the post! This photo was taken when I made these over Labor Day.

Before we get to the Poppers, you're going to have to indulge me for a few minutes of observations from my weekend sports watching.

First of all, the college football game everyone is talking about around the water coolers this morning....Michigan and Notre Dame. Ugh. Poor hubs. He had such high hopes for his beloved Irish this year. Brian Kelly was supposed to return them to the promised land by bringing that high-powered offense with him from Cincinnati. Unfortunately he also brought along his defense. Do they even have a secondary?

He's been able to find solace in cheering for the Buckeyes the past several years, but that may not work out for him this year either. We almost, and should have, got beat by Toodle-le-do. Holy Toledo was that ugly. If it weren't for untimely and costly penalties on their part, we'd be the Michigan of 2011. Could be a long night in next Saturday's Cheater's Bowl.

And finally, I had to watch another inappropriate outburst from Serena Williams. She's all rainbows and unicorns when she's kicking someone's tennis panties, but boy howdy does she get testy when the tables are turned. Did you hear her tirade directed at the chair ump on the changeover? Here's a thought, Serena.....learn these words... "I'm sorry. I was WRONG." Because, once again, you were. Wrong for screaming out and celebrating a point that was not yet over, wrong for arguing with and attempting to intimidate the chair umpire because you don't know the rules, wrong for accusing her of being someone she wasn't, wrong for continuing to berate and belittle her on the changeover, and wrong for inappropriately and embarrassingly representing your country to the rest of the world on such an important and historic day. And finally wrong for selfishly diminishing Sam Stosur's moment. Because she deserved that moment for spanking your tennis panties 2 and 3. You owe her and us an apology. One that we'll never get because you did the same thing two years ago to Kim Clijsters and we never got an apology for that one either.

Okay. I'm finished. On to the poppers. These are a version of my mother's famous Calzone recipe and are perfect for you next game day party.

Start with your favorite bread or pizza dough.

Bridgeford bread dough is the brand we've used for years to make the calzone. It comes in packs of three frozen loaves. I usually sit mine out first thing in the morning to thaw to be ready for dinner. One loaf made about 16 poppers. Sit the dough out to thaw and let it rise then punch it down before you start separating off chunks for the poppers.

I don't normally put pesto in the calzone, but I had about a half of a cup of my Lemon-Basil Pesto left from last weekend so I decided to use it up. It's up to you if you add it or not. They're perfectly delicious without it.

Fresh Mozzarella. Last time I made them I used the small mozzarella balls but all I had were the larger ones this time. I just cut them into small cubes. Worked fine.

Pepperoni

And one clove of garlic to rub all over the dish you'll be baking them in. I used a deep dish pie plate.

Why does my had look so fat?

Simply pinch off a generous chunk of dough. You'll need enough to wrap around the pepperoni and cheese without any openings.

I put the cheese inside the pepperoni

Wrap the dough tightly around and make sure it's sealed well.

Here's one with the pesto. I spread it on first then proceeded with the pepperoni and mozzarella.

Tuck them all into your dish (I had sprayed mine with cooking spray). Brush on an egg wash (one egg, slightly beaten) and grate some fresh parmesan on top. You can either pop these into a 350 degree oven now or cover and refrigerate to bake later. Both work fine. Bake for about 20 minutes until they are nicely browned on top.

I serve mine with a bowl of my favorite marinara sauce and watch them disappear.

Here's the recipe for my favorite pesto:

2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
2 cups basil leaves
1/2 cup parsley leaves
1/2 cup oregano leaves
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
juice and zest from one lemon
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

In a food processor, pulse the pine nuts with the basil, parsley and oregano leaves, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest and olive oil until combined. Add the Parmigiano-Reggiano and pulse until smooth. Scrape the pesto into a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Can be stored in refrigerator tightly covered for up to two weeks.

Labor Day Fun

2011-09-07T15:39:00.000-05:00

Before Tropical Storm Lee blew through here starting Sunday evening, we had a beautifully HOT weekend. It's a good thing too, because I had my favorite two peanuts visiting.

And they wanted to swim!

They were here for a long weekend along with their mom and dad, aunts, uncles, cousin and great-grandparents! It was a HOUSEFUL!!

All this swimming made for some hungy kids and I've been asked by a few friends and relatives to share what exactly I fed them all weekend! Needless to say, I didn't have time for pretty food photos, so I'll take the lazy way out and point you in the right direction!

Let's see.....we had The Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon Rolls and the Barefoot Contessa's Cherry Almond and Cinnamon Granola for breakfast.

One night I made a whole beef tenderloin for sandwiches and served my version of this salad along with this brussels sprouts salad. For dessert I made a dark chocolate dipped version of these oreo cookie truffles and these nutter butter cookie truffles. These little truffles are delicious and were a HUGE hit with the adults and the little people.

The next day we fired up the pizza oven in the morning and had an all day pizza party! For lunch I made the Markley's famous calzone recipe with a little twist and I'll be sharing that with you later this week. It will be a perfect addition to your fall football parties. That night I did four pizza's....your basic pepperoni and fresh tomato; a Mexican pizza incorporating the left over corn salad from the day before; a roasted red pepper with capers (recipe also coming) and goat cheese; and a grilled chicken and Lemon-Basil Pesto....yes, you'll get my pesto recipe soon, also! It's the best EVAH!

On Saturday night I served pulled pork sandwiches made from a Boston Butt that had been dry-rubbed with Bobby Flay's rib rub and cooked for 8 hours in my slow cooker along with Balthazar's famous french fries! This really is the only way to get french fries that are soft on the inside and perfectly crunchy on the outside. They disappeared before I even got ONE!!

And on Sunday night, because I was exhausted and wanted to enjoy my last night with the family, we ordered Donato's pizza. Sue me!

Telluride

2011-08-23T18:17:00.000-05:00

So I'm in Telluride this week continuing my love affair with Colorado summers. And I have to say he's being very cooperative. Not at all like most men I know.

See. Look how nice the weather is. No 98 degree temps or 100% humidity ANYWHERE! Let's just say I'm NOT homesick.

My ass is a little sore though. We've hiked a total of about 15 miles in two days. Yup. My 71 year old mother is about to kill us all. She never stops. Except for cocktail hour.....thank God.

On Monday, we hiked Bear Creek Trail and I thought with a name like that I'd finally get to see that bear I've been looking for every year we come out here. False freaking advertising.

Not a bear in sight but it was a perfect hike for the first day.

And if you hit it early enough in the morning, it's not busy. We got there about 8:30 and only met a few folks on the way up.

It was starting to get a a lot busier on the way down. Plus the later in the day you go, the more annoying the flies can be.

We stopped at the 2.5 mile mark before heading back down, but can easily keep going. Well not "easily"........but if you're feelin frisky, go for it. Frisky, was not what we were feeling. Hungry and thirsty? Yup.

It's a beautiful spot to bring a picnic and hang out for a bit.

As a matter of fact. That's a fabulous idea. Just might do that later in the week. I'll make my mom carry the picnic basket.

Or maybe hubs.

He's a big, strapping, hunk of a man. He could easily carry the basket. Nah....I think mama should do it. Gotta wear her out somehow.

Another one of my favorite things about Colorado are the dogs. Everyone has one, and they're so well behaved. Never on a leash and never bothering anyone. There were several on the trail.

I think my favorite was this gal....Belle. We mistakenly made a comment about her being a "big girl" and her human rapidly corrected us saying she was just a little thick. He said Belle walked this trail every day and was in great shape. While we were stopped talking, she actually barked at her human to get going. She didn't have time to stop and chat.

This guy ran all the way up and all the way down.

They were all so stinkin cute.

And there is always one laying outside of a store just waiting for their humans to do their business. Never making a peep.

I'm not sure Rafter would ever be quite so well behaved.

Sweet Corn Gelato

2011-08-21T21:11:00.000-05:00

If you've visited here much, you know that I'm an Ohio girl. More specifically, I'm a small farm town Ohio girl. And Ohio sweet corn is king. We even have a sweet corn festival. I know. Totally corny. (Wow. That was bad).

There weren't too many summer nights growing up where there wasn't sweet corn on our table. It was easy to come by......just about every farmer in town sold it along the side of the road....and it's easily one of my mom's favorite things. That woman can thrown down when it comes to corn!

So when I saw the recipe for this in the August Bon Appetit, I knew I wanted to try it. It's not made with my beloved Ohio corn since I live in Alabama, but it's still amazing. Yes, it tastes like sweet corn, but it also tastes like a wonderfully smooth and deliciously sweet ice cream. So to all of my Ohio relatives who have an abundance of corn (and the rest of you too) you have to give this a try. I guarantee you won't be disappointed.

Here's the recipe:

Sweet Corn Gelato

Bon Appetit, August 2011

3 ears of sweet corn, preferably white, husked
3 1/2 ups (or more) whole milk
1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
1 cup heavy cream
8 large egg yolks
1 tsp. kosher salt

Cut kernels from corn cobs, reserve cobs. Break each cob into 2-3 piece. Bring milk to a simmer in a large saucepan. Add corn kernels and cobs. Remove mixture from heat, cover and let steep for 45 minutes.

Remove cobs from milk, discard. Puree mixture in batches in a blender. Set a coarse strainer over a large bowl. Strain mixture, pressing on solids, discard solids. Add more milk if needed to measure 3 1/2 cups.

Bring corn mixture, 1 1/4 cups sugar, and cream to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar.

Set a strainer over a medium bowl, set aside. Whisk remaining 1.4 cup sugar, egg yolks, and salt in a medium heatproof bowl. Gradually whisk in hot milk mixture, return to saucepan. Stir constantly over medium heat until custard registers 175 deg. F on an instant read thermometer, about 2 minutes.

Immediately pour custard through strainer. Place bowl with custard over a large bowl of ice water. Let stand until cool. Cover and refrigerate custard for at least 6 hours or preferably overnight.

Process custard in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to a container, freeze for at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.

Raw Brussels Sprouts Salad with Manchego and Toasted Walnuts

2011-08-17T01:00:00.002-05:00

So it seems that I haven't been posting enough savory items for some of my readers! After I posted a link for the baked camembert recipe on Facebook Monday, my favorite cousin commented, "Now we're talkin! No more desserts. :)" She's always been a little opinionated but fortunately for her, she's my homegirl and I happen to agree with her. So I'm making a concerted effort to make things a little more balanced around here.

This salad is a perfect place to start. I wish that the title didn't give it away because anytime you say "Brussels sprouts", OMG.....noses turn up, gag reflexes engage, and everyone starts acting like a six year old who refuses to eat their veggies. But, I guarantee you'll change your mind about the little cabbages after you try this. In fact, this is a great way to sneak some nutrition in on your unsuspecting vegetable hating friends and family. It's so good they'll end up thanking you. It's the perfect combination of taste and texture. And it's something that can be made ahead of time because the longer the Brussels sprouts, walnuts and cheese have to get to know one another, the better.

Serve this to everyone you know as soon as possible. They'll beg you for the recipe.

Here it is:

Raw Brussels Sprouts Salad with Manchego and Toasted Walnuts

In the Kitchen with A Good Appetite by Melissa Clark

10 ounces Brussels sprouts (1 container) trimmed
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Coarse seal salt or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, or more to taste (I only used about 1/3 cup)
1 cup chopped toasted walnuts
1/4 cup grated Manchego or young pecornio cheese (or even aged Gruyere)

In a food processor using the thinnest slicing disk (I sliced mine on a mandoline), slice the Brussels sprouts (they will fall apart into shreds). Or, using a knife, slice the sprouts as thinly as possible Put the sprouts in a bowl and toss with the lemon juice and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Let rest for 5 minutes.

Add the oive oil and toss well. Add the walnuts and cheese and toss gently. Taste and adjust the seasonings. You can serve this immediately, but it gets better after an hour or so.

Baked Camembert with Walnut Crumble and Ginger Marmalade

2011-08-15T17:36:00.000-05:00

Who doesn't love a gooey, oozing baked brie.....especially encased in a buttery puff pastry? OK, I'm sure there's someone out there that doesn't, but they're not members of my family of frankly, friends of mine! In fact, when I serve baked brie to my crew, all of those lessons in boxing out during my high school basketball days come in damn handy. You've got to throw some serious elbows to get my father out of the way so you're able to get remotely close to getting your fair share!

So imagine my shock when I read this recipe in Melissa Clark's fabulous book "In the Kitchen with A Good Appetite." Oh and if you don't read her column, "A Good Appetite" in the New York Times, you're really missing out. She has such a wonderful, engaging way of turning a simple recipe into a great story.....and a simple story into a great recipe! Anyhoo....in this recipe, she writes that during a party at her home, she happened to overhear a few snarky comments regarding her perceived lack of sophistication at serving baked brie. She also observed those same people gobbling it up.

Because she wasn't willing to forego a guilty pleasure, she decided she needed to maybe kick it up a notch, so to speak, so she went with the slightly more pungent Camembert. She also added the ginger marmalade for some subtle sweetness and warm spice and the toasted walnuts for texture. It totally works. One of the other advantages of using camembert is that it comes in those handy 4" rounds so it's easy to wrap in the pastry. Unless you're serving a big crowd (or my dad) and can use a whole large round of brie, the wedges tend to ooze a little too much and aren't quite as pretty once wrapped in the pastry.

That being said, I think the next time I'll try this with good ole trailer park brie! I really prefer the more mild flavor and besides my friends and family aren't all that sophisticated anyway! But if you need to impress at your next cocktail party serve this......but make sure you mention that it's Camembert. I guess.

Here's the recipe:

Baked Camembert with Walnut Crumble and Ginger Marmalade

Adapted from In the Kitchen with A Good Appetite by Melissa Clark

1/3 cup chopped toasted walnuts
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 tablespoon dark brown sugar
Pinch kosher salt
1/2 square of puff pastry, rolled out big enough to wrap around cheese
1 Camembert cheese wheel
1/8 cup ginger or bitter orange marmalade
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Preheat the oven to 350 deg F and line a baking sheet with foil. In a medium bowl, using your fingers to combine the walnuts, flour, butter, brown sugar, and salt. Gently rub the mixture together until it forms large crumbs.

On a floured surface, roll out into a round about 1/4 inch thick. Place the cheese in the center of the dough round. Spread the top with the marmalade, then cover with the walnut streusel. Fold the dough over the cheese. Brush with the egg.

Set the packet into a gratin dish and place on the prepared sheet pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. (Some of the cheese may bubble out.) Serve warm with slices of baguette or crackers.

Spiced Plum Streusel Cake with Toffee Glaze

2011-08-13T18:20:00.000-05:00

I'm having a houseful of family Labor Day weekend. They're all arriving on Thursday evening and staying until Monday and they all like to ~~drink~~ eat so I've been trying out several different recipes before they get here. There have been a few flops.....like the Butterscotch Pie that was actually butterscotch soup. Don't know what happened with that one.

This cake, however, was not a flop. It actually got the most glowing reviews from my taste testers. And they were skeptical from the get-go. I loved this one, as well. The plums are just the right combination of sweet and tart, and the cake is moist with that wonderful warm spice from the cardamom. And then there's the topping......crunchy almonds with cinnamon and a little more cardamom are sent over the top when you pour on that toffee glaze. Heavenly.

A slice of this would be equally as good with either your morning cuppa joe or as an afternoon pick-me-up. I'm sure my dad will have both!

Here's the recipe:

Spiced Plum Streusel Cake with Toffee Glaze

Ready for Dessert by David Lebovitz

Ingredients:

Streusel:

1 cup sliced unblanched or blanched almonds

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted or salted butter, melted

Cake:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature

5 medium plums, halved, pitted and cut into eighths

Glaze:

2 tablespoons unsalted or salted butter, cut into pieces

3 tablespoons brown sugar

3 tablespoons heavy cream

Big pinch of salt

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 deg. F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan.

To make the streusel, in a medium bowl, combine all of the streusel ingredients. Toss with a fork or your fingers until evenly moistened, making sure the almonds are well dispersed. Set aside.

To make the cake, in a small whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom, cinnamon and salt.

In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until completely incorporated. Stir in half of the flour mixture, followed by the 1 teaspoon vanilla and the buttermilk and finally the remaining flour mixture. Mix until just combined.

Scrape the butter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Arrange the plum slices in an even layer on top of the batter and gently press them in. Sprinkle the streusel over the plums.

Bake until the top is nicely browned and a toothpick comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Let cool completely.

Run a knife around the sides of the cake to help loosen it from the pan. Release the sides of the springform pan.

To make the glaze, in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the 2 tablespoons butter with the dark brown sugar, cream and salt. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, then decrease the heat to medium and simmer gently for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and let cool completely. Once cool, stir in the vanilla. Spoon the glaze over the cake, encouraging some to drip down the sides.

Serve slices of the cake warm or at room temperature.

The cake is best the same day but can be stored at room temperature for up to 4 days well wrapped.

You can also substitute fresh apricots for the plums. A handful of fresh raspberries can be added to the fruit as well.

Ricotta and Herb Stuffed Chicken

2011-08-04T11:55:00.000-05:00

Shocking! I'm not posting a dessert recipe. It seems like that's all I've been posting lately, but the regular dinner stuff I've been cooking just doesn't seem post-worthy! When it's this hot (it's been over 100 degrees for the past few days, but we finally got a little break today after a passing rain shower overnight!) I usually keep it simple....some fish and vegetables tossed on the grill. But I made this chicken a few weeks ago and we loved it so much that I thought I would share. I know the picture sucks, but the taste of the chicken more than makes up for it.

I did this with a whole chicken that I butterflied.....here's a video on how to do that yourself (it's simple), or you can always ask the butcher to do it for you. Or even easier, you can simply do this with a few whole chicken breasts.....bone in, skin on, of course! And you can even make the stuffing a day ahead and keep it in the fridge until you're ready making this a relatively quick weeknight dinner.

The smells this creates coming from you oven while it's baking are mouthwatering. Actually smelled like lasagna!! Oh, and don't throw that left-over filling away (I actually advise making extra!!). Bake it in a separate dish and serve it on the side. Dayum, is it good!

I adjusted the herbs also, based on what was in my garden. I used chopped fresh basil, oregano, parsley and lemon thyme. Use what you like.

Here's the recipe:

Ricotta and Herb Stuffed Chicken

Gourmet Magazine, July 2007

(The recipe is for two whole chickens, so adjust accordingly)

4 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 cups whole-milk ricotta (preferably fresh; 2 lb)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (2 oz)
1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano
1/4 cup shopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 whole chickens (about 3 1/2 lbs each)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F with racks in middle and lower third.

Cook garlic in oil in a small heavy skillet over medium-low heat stirring occasionally, until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and stir in ricotta, eggs, parmesan, herbs 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Take the butterflied chickens and spread them flat, skin sides up, in a oiled large 17- by 12-inch) shallow baking pan. Gently slide your finger between skin and flesh of breast and legs of chicken to loosen skin (be careful not to tear skin). Using a small spoon, slide 2/3 cup ricotta mixture under skin, using a finger on outside of skin to spread filling over meat of breast, thighs and drumsticks. Tuck wing tips under like pictured above. Stuff second chicken in the same manner. Brush skin of chickens all over with oil (2 tablespoons) and sprinkle each with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Spoon remaining filling into oiled baking dish.

Bake chickens in middle of oven 30 minutes, then put dish of stuffing in oven on lower rack. Continue baking until chicken is just cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of a thigh (through stuffing; do not touch bone) registers 170 deg. F and until gratin is puffed and golden, about 30 minutes more. Let chickens rest 10 minutes, then cut each into quarters. Serve with gratin.

Bahama Mama Banana Rum Cake

2011-07-31T11:46:00.002-05:00

Sometimes I'm not sure why I do this little blog. I seriously doubt that it's the highlight of anyone's day and frankly it can be a lot of work. But then I think of the 'rents and how disappointed they'd both be if I quit. I mean it truly gives them something to do besides play pickle ball all morning and search for someone to have post-golf cocktails with all afternoon! But, that's retirement in The Villages.

When they're not doing that, my dad gets hungry, surfs my site and yells, "Hey Charlie, you've gotta see what Dilla has on here today. You should make it for me." So that's kept him out of trouble for about 15 minutes and in turn gives my mom a couple of tasks. First call me to say "thanks a lot for THAT, daughter" and then trudge into the kitchen to pour a glass of wine (or maybe it's me that does that) and make whatever it was that got Pops all exited. Win-win.

So, sorry in advance, Nan. (Pssst....Pop. You'll want her to make this one!) To be honest, I was initially drawn to this by the name....Bahama Mama Banana Rum Cake. How fun does that sound? Oh, and the booze!! I'm not much of a liquor drinker (I said liquor. NOT wine) but I love it in food and what goes together better than rum and bananas? This is the perfect marriage (just like the 'rents') of Rum Cake and Banana Bread and the Dark Rum Glaze provides great moisture and sends this over the top. I had a little bit of the glaze left over, so when I served this to hubs, I threw on a scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzled the extra warm sauce over the top. Un. Be. Lieve. A. Ble. I had to make an extra batch of the glaze so he could eat the rest of the cake this way!

Here's the recipe:

Bahama Mama Banana Rum Cake

Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey by Jill O'Connor

For the Dark Rum Glaze:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar (I used dark, because that's what I had)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark rum

For the Cake:
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans, toasted (I left out the pecans in the baking process, because I knew I'd be serving this to people that can't have or don't like nuts. I, instead, sprinkled them on top when I served it.)
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
5 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup mashed very ripe bananas (about 3 medium bananas)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons dark rum
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sour cream

To make the glaze: Combine the butter, water and sugars in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the rum. Set aside and keep warm.

To make the cake: Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 deg. F. Spray a 10-cup tube pan with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle the pecans in the bottom of the pan. Set aside.

In a large bowl, with an electric mixer set on medium speed, beat together the butter and sugars until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one a a time, mixing well after each addition. Beat in the mashed bananas, vanilla, and rum. Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt over the batter and fold in using a rubber spatula, just until no streaks of flour remain. Fold in the sour cream. Spoon the batter over the nuts in the pan and spread to the edge of the pan using the back of the rubber spatula.

Bake until a wooden skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out with no more than a few moist crumbs clinging to it, 60 to 80 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Use a wooden skewer to poke holes all over the cake and pour 1/4 cup of the warm glaze over the cake. Let the cake cool for 5 minutes more. Place a serving platter over the pan and invert to release the cake onto the platter. Spoon the remaining glaze over the cake, a little at a time, and let stand until the glaze is completely absorbed into the cake. If the glaze starts to pool at the base of the cake, us a small metal spatula to spread it up and around the sides of the cake. As the glaze hardens, this will encase the cake in a rummy, sugary shell.

Let the cake cool completely before cutting into wedges and serving. This cake will last 2 to 3 days if covered well.

Peach and Blackberry Upside-Downer and a Happy Birthday!

2011-07-21T16:20:00.000-05:00

That handsome dude is my stepson and he's 31 today! He moved to B-ham a few years ago when hubs decided to buy a carwash and he's been running it ever since. It's open 7 days a week which means unless he's lucky and it rains, he doesn't get many days off. So as a little birthday treat, hubs offered to take over for the day. And guess what? It rained! It's starting to clear up, so hopefully cars are lining up to get washed, hubs is having to work his fingers to the bone and Barry is thoroughly enjoying his birthday!

In honor of his day, and because I had peaches I needed to use TODAY, I made this Peach and Blackberry Upside-Downer. Isn't it beautiful? I love the colors.

And look at how all of the juices from the fruit just soaked right into the cake to make it ultra moist.

This is quick, easy and sooooo delicious! Don't worry, Barry......I saved you a piece!! Have a fabulous birthday.

Peach and Blackberry Upside-Downer

Dorie Greenspan, BAKING From My Home to Yours

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 sticks (14 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup minus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup whole milk
3 large peaches pealed, pitted and sliced
10-15 blackberries (you could also use raspberries)

Directions:
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Put an 8 x 2-inch round cake pan on a baking sheet.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.

Melt 6 tablespoons of the butter in a small saucepan. Sprinkle in 6 tablespoons of the sugar and cook, stirring, until the mixture comes to a boil. Pour this evenly over the bottom of the cake pan, then scatter over the nuts and top with the peaches and blackberries, pressing the fruit gently into the sugar mixture. Set aside.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the remaining stick (8 tablespoons) of butter on medium speed until smooth. Add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and continue to beat until pale and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition and scraping down the bowl as needed. Pour in the vanilla and almond extracts. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add half of the dry ingredients, mixing only until they disappear into the batter. Mix in the milk, then the rest of the dry ingredients. Spoon the batter over the fruit and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.

Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the cake is golden and a thin knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove it from the oven and let it rest for 30 minutes to give the juices a chance to settle into the cake. Run a blunt knife between the sides of the pan and the cake. Carefully invert the cake onto a serving platter. If any of the fruit sticks to the plan, just scrape it out and return it to the cake.

Herb-a-licious

2011-07-19T16:44:00.000-05:00

It doesn't seem like it's been three months since I planted my herb garden, but here's what it looked like the day everything went into the ground (minus the rosemary....it went in last year) in mid-April.

This is what it looks like today.

Look how pitiful and bare.

Look at all that goodness now. I figured I needed to get busy and find ways to use some of this stuff

Lets start with the sage. I tend to think of using sage more in the Fall with things like butternut squash or tossing some in some browned butter and pouring over gnocchi or ravioli or even orzo.

But since I've got an abundance, I think I may try making some sage pesto and tossing it over some pasta.

Speaking of pesto......

I've got basil coming out of my you-knw-what!

I've got the Italian variety which I've been snipping at practically daily and using with all of the delicious farm stand tomatoes which are so easy to find right now.

And because I tend to live by the philosophy that more is better, I planted two of these.....boxwood basil. It's used the same way as the other basil, but it also looks great in the garden. Grows just like a boxwood so it's great to use for a border plant. I, of course, just planted mine haphazardly, because I suck at planning.

Like I said...a shitload of basil. So I've also been using it for a deliciously simple vinaigrette and of all things, ice cream...yes ice cream (I'll be posting that soon). What's your favorite way to use your your basil?

I've also got tons and tons of lemon thyme. I had no idea it grew and spread all over the place like mint. Hubs threatened to take the weed whacker to it if I didn't get it under control (he talks big) so I cut a bunch of it today and made Giada's Lemon Thyme Bars. If they taste half as good as they smell, I've found a use for all that lemon thyme!

And I'm thinking that Nigella's Linguini with Lemon, Garlic, and Thyme Mushrooms would make a yummy dinner.

Chives are something I also use a lot. It's also great for vinaigrettes, but I like to toss it into some grilled or roasted potatoes or mix it with some room temperature butter and slather it over some corn-on-the-cob. YUM!

And since we love tilapia, I can't wait to try this.

And then there's the summer savory. I don't recall ever using it, so I'm not sure why I planted it other than wanting to be exotic.....which I'm not. But I feel like I am now!

But it's doing fabulous, so I went searching and found this vinaigrette recipe (Why does anyone buy bottled dressings anymore? Making your own is so easy and you get to control the sodium and sugar content.)

Three Onion-and-Summer Savory Vinaigrette

1/2 standard vinaigrette

1 shallot lobe, minced

1 clove garlic, crushed and chopped

1 scallion, thinly sliced

1 T freshly chopped summer savory leaves

Combine all and use to dress neutral ingredients.

This sounds like it would be great on potatoes, chicken or even fish.

Another one I don't use much is tarragon, however it does make an appearance in my favorite chicken salad recipe.

And don't these look like delicious cocktail party fare?

If y'all have any other suggestions for ways to make use of all these delicious herbs, I'd love to hear them!

In honor of today's big movie release......Honeyed Goat Cheese Tart with Pistachio Crust

2011-07-15T11:03:00.001-05:00

We're not talking about Harry Potter here either, people. I, frankly, don't understand the fascination with that whole franchise but clearly I'm in the minority. No, I'm much more excited about the other big release today.....Winnie the Pooh. I've been asking around trying to borrow someone's toddler for the afternoon just so I can go see it. In light of all the Jaycee Dugard publicity recently, I don't think it would be a good idea for hubs and I to go to a kiddie movie sans child. People might get the wrong idea. Just sayin.

I don't remember exactly how it happened, but somehow I became so enamored with Pooh as a child that it became my nickname.....Pooh Bear. Occasionally, if my dad wants to embarrass me, he'll still call me that. I don't answer. So when the promo's started running on television advertising the new A Welcome Return to the Hundred Acre Wood, I got a little excited. But since I probably won't get to see it until it's video release, I thought I'd make something that Pooh would love.....something with HONEY!!

In this case, you cook the honey so it caramelizes like sugar before you drizzle it on top of the tart. I thought the end result was a great combination of sweet, tangy and crunchy. If you're looking for something summery and a little different, try this.

Honeyed Goat Cheese Tart with Pistachio Crust

Food and Wine

Ingredients:

Crust:
1/2 cup unsalted shelled pistachios
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
1/2 teaspoon salt

Filling:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
11 ounces soft goat cheese
2 cups full fat Greek style yogurt
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar

1/3 cup clover honey

Directions:

In a food processor, pulse the pistachios until finely ground. In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter with the granulated sugar at medium speed until pale, about 1 minute. Add the ground pistachios, almond extract and salt and beat until combined. Add the flour and beat at low speed until incorporated and the dough is crumbly.

Scrape the dough into a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Using the bottom of a glass, press the dough over the bottom and up the sides of the tart pan. Refrigerate until chilled, 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prick the dough all over with a fork. Bake the crust about 45 minutes until lightly golden. Transfer to a rack and let cool completely.

In the bowl of a mixer beat the goat cheese, yogurt, lime juice and lime zest until combined. Add the confectioner's sugar and beat until smooth. Scrape the filling into the crust and refrigerate for two hours.

Just before serving, in a small saucepan cook the honey over moderately high heat until it reaches 236 degrees on a candy thermometer. (If you'd like a crunchier topping heat the honey until it reaches 250 on a candy thermometer). Drizzle over the tart and let stand until the honey firms up, about 5 minutes. Cut the tart into wedges and serve.

Tomato Salad with Gorgonzola, Onion and Oregano

2011-07-12T10:02:00.000-05:00

As soon as summer tomatoes start showing up at the farmer's stands, my heart starts to beat a little faster! I l.o.v.e. tomatoes. I'm told as a child I would sit in my dad's (extremely weedy) garden and eat them straight off the vine.....dirt and all. I'd eat so many I'd eventually develop a reaction in the form of canker sores covering almost the entire interior of my mouth. My tongue would swell to about twice it's size and I wouldn't be able to eat much of anything for days. Nice, right? You'd think it would have deterred me from future tomato binges. Not so much. I've been known to be a tad stubborn. As soon as it would clear up, I'd be right back in the garden!

Fortunately, I outgrew it, or maybe I just learned moderation (which does not apply to wine, however!). As I've mentioned before, hub's favorite salad is tomatoes and mozzarella, but occasionally I like to mix it up a bit, so the other night I threw this together. So simple, fresh and delicious. Sliced tomatoes, your favorite blue cheese (I had gorgonzola on hand), thinly sliced red onions, and freshly chopped oregano (I have an abundance of greek oregano in the herb garden). Mix together a simple vinaigrette of equal parts white wine vinegar and olive oil along with a teaspoon of dijon mustard and some salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the tomatoes and let it sit for about 15 minutes for the flavors to meld and then dig in!

Peanut Butter Banana Cream Pie

2011-07-06T14:51:00.000-05:00

I'll bet you're looking at this scrumptious piece of pie and thinking...."I'll bet she served that over the Fourth of July holiday." Wrong. Didn't happen. That would have required a lot more effort than I put into my weekend entertaining!

I invited the BFF and her hubs to hang at the pool for the weekend and when she asked what she could contribute, I jumped all over that!! She's not exactly known for her prowess in the kitchen (she tells me her talents lie elsewhere.....I'm not asking!) but her father-in-law is one of those Southern grill masters that I don't even attempt to compete with, so I said, "Um, if your FIL is going to be doing any grilling, I'd love some of that!!"

He took the request so seriously that we ended up with two pork shoulders, two racks of ribs and about 5 lbs of smoked hot Italian sausage....for FOUR PEOPLE!!! Not only that, her MIL made SIDE DISHES and PIE! Woot!!! I didn't have to cook shizzle all weekend. When Mr. BFF picked up the loot from his parent's house, he was all concerned I'd be offended that his mom had done more than they were asked. I cleared that up for him very quickly! NOT offended. At all! Truth be told, I'M LAZY and I love other people to do all the work. ;)

So a serious thank you to the BFF's MIL and FIL for giving me an entire weekend off. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and the food was out of this world delicious. Those Southern men know their way around a grill and I'm forever a fan.

So yesterday I was feeling a tad guilty, plus that free Lemon Pie was all gone, so I dug into one of my favorite dessert cookbooks, Baked Explorations, and found this. It combines some of hubs favorite flavors....peanut putter, bananas and a hint of chocolate....into one creamy, delicious pie. And the vanilla wafer crust is to die for. Give this one a try.

Here's the recipe:

Peanut Butter Banana Cream Pie

Baked Explorations, by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito

Ingredients:

For the vanilla wafer crust:

6 ounces vanilla wafer cookies

6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

2 tablespoons sugar

For the banana pudding filling:

1/3 cup sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup whole milk

2 large egg yolks

1 vanilla bean

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

3 ripe bananas

2 tablespoons orange juice

For the peanut butter topping:

3 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla exract

1/3 cup creamy peanut butter (do not use old-fashioned or freshly ground)

2/3 cup heavy cream, chilled

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 deg. F and position the rack in the middle.

Make the vanilla wafer crust:

Place the vanilla wafer cookies, butter, and sugar in a food processor. Pulse in short bursts until the mixture resembles a moist crunch. Turn the mixture out into your pie plate and press it into the bottom and up the sides. Using the back of a large spoon will help you to create an even crust.

Bake the crust until it is golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. If it begins to puff while baking, use the back of the spoon to press it gently down. Allow the baked crust to cool completely.

Make the banana pudding filling:

In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch and salt. Slowly, while whisking continuously, stream in the cream, then the milk. Add the egg yolks. Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and, using the tip of the knife or a small teaspoon, scrape the seeds into the saucepan. Whisk until the mixture is combined. Discard the bean.

Turn the heat to medium-high and, whisking occasionally, bring the mixture to a boil, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, add the butter, and stir vigorously for about 2 minutes to release excess heat. Spread the warm pudding over the cooked crust and chill the pie until the filling is completely cool, about 1 hour.

After the filling has chilled, thinly slice the bananas on a diagonal. Toss the slices in the orange juice. Transfer the banana slices to a paper towel and pat them dry. Arrange them in a single layer over the pudding to cover it completely. Return the pie to the refrigerator while making the peanut butter topping.

Make the peanut butter topping:

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Add the vanilla and peanut butter, and beat until just combined.

In a clean bowl of a standing mixer, use the mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and whip the cream until soft peaks form. Remove the bowl from the mixer and, with a rubber spatula, gently fold the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture until the topping is uniform in color.

Spread the peanut butter layer evenly over the bananas on the pie. Chill for at least 3 hours or as long as 8 hours.

Garnish with more banana slices tossed in orange juice and/or chocolate covered peanuts. The pie tastes best if eaten within 24 hours, but can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Strawberry Crumb Cake

2011-06-30T11:37:00.000-05:00

Unless you've been living under a rock, you've all heard the phrase "the power of social media" and I've mentioned here before that I have a twitter account. I follow several people/organizations but I don't often tweet.....usually to promote a blog post, but a few times I've used it as a tool to get something accomplished because all other ways have been exhausted. Like yesterday.

A year ago we built a pool house with an outdoor kitchen. Because I had a good track record with Viking appliances, I opted to purchase their grill, refrigerator, and ice maker. Let's just say the train fell off that track. We've had nothing but problems with all three items and to make matters worse, the store where we purchased them in Birmingham has been less than helpful. Their "repairman" needs to head back to repair school and the sales staff needs some customer service training. And the owner of the store? Well, he could care less. Is business really that good??? In a bad economy shouldn't companies want to do everything they could to keep customers coming back to their place of business? Apparently not.

So this past weekend when the ice maker quit making ice ONCE AGAIN and the appliance store basically brushed us off, hubs and I had had enough. He called Viking hoping to get some satisfaction, AND THEY BLEW HIM OFF TOO! Instead of asking how they could help rectify the situation, they told him he'd have to call the regional distribution center. Which he did. They've yet to call us back. So yesterday, I took to twitter to air my frustration. It's amazing how quickly a company can respond when they know thousands of people are reading negative reviews of their products. I had a twitter response from Viking in 10 minutes and an email follow-up within an hour. Really?

So, as of this morning, Viking has all the pertinent information. Let's see what they do with it. I'd really like this shizzle fixed. It's a little hard to enjoy a pool in 100+ degree heat with NO ICE!! How's a girl to make frozen margaritas over the Fourth of July with NO ICE??

Speaking of the Fourth, what's on your menu? I'm keeping it simple.....grilling and firing up the pizza oven. Oh and dessert, of course. I made this strawberry cake a few weeks ago after finding a bucket of what were probably the last of the Alabama strawberries for the season. It was absolutely delicious. I'm going to try this with fresh peaches this weekend, but if you can get fresh strawberries where you live, I highly recommend this.

Here's the recipe:

Strawberry Crumb Cake

Food and Wine

Ingredients:

Filling:
3 lbs (8 cups) strawberries, bulled and halved
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch disolved in 2 1/2 tablespoons water
1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped

Crumb Topping:
1/2 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed and chilled

Cake:
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup buttermilk

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 deg. F. In a large bowl, toss the strawberries with the sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch slurry and vanilla seeds and let stand until the berries release some of their juices, about 30 minutes. Pour the fruit filling into a 9 x 13 inch glass or ceramic baking dish set on a sturdy baking sheet.

For the crumb topping: In a medium bowl, mix all of the ingredients with your fingers until a coarse meal forms; press into small clumps. Set aside.

For the cake: In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the baking pwder and salt. In a large bowl, using a handheld electric mixer or a stand mixer, beat the butter with the sugar at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between additions. Beat in the vanilla extract and scrape down the bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the batter in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk.

Spoon the cake batter over the fruit filling spreading it to the edge. Sprinkle with the crumb topping. Bake in the center of the oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes until the fruit is bubbling, the crumb topping is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. Transfer to a rack to cool slightly. Serve the crumb cake warm or at room temperature.

Wines of Bordeaux - Lynch-Bages, Sociando-Millet, Mouton Rothschild

2011-06-23T13:53:00.001-05:00

For our day two tastings, we headed north of where we were on day one to the Medoc. Let me see if I can explain this whole Medoc shizzle. There's Medoc the region (Left Bank) and Medoc the appellation. If you see Medoc on the wine label, that refers to Medoc the appellation. Our first visit on day two was to Lynch-Bages, in the Pauillac appellation, which is in the Medoc region. Got it? The French don't make anything easy. There's also the Haut-Medoc, the hoity-toity Medoc, but we won't go there right now.

Lynch-Bages was classified a Cinquemes Cru, or fifth growth, in the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855. Yes, 1855. Talk about living in the past. Seems London had this big ass World's Fair type exposition in 1851 that everyone was raving about. Well, hating to be outdone, French Emporer Napoleon III decided he'd throw his own little bash in Paris in 1855 and show the English how to par-tay. Since he was planning on showcasing the best wines of France, he decided these wines should be ranked or classified. So the wine know-it-all's got together and ranked Bordeaux's best wines based on price and reputation, which back then directly related to the quality of the wine. More than 150 years later, those classifications still apply. But don't be fooled. Things have changed a little since 1855 and those lowly "fifth-growths" are damn good wines....including Lynch-Bages.

This whole winemaking thing has been going on in Bordeaux for a few years now.....since sometime around 50 AD when the Romans established the vineyards so the soldiers would have something to drink! Few things have changed in the actual process of winemaking, but obviously the equipment has been modernized over the years.

What was unique about Lynch-Bages was they've paid homage to the past by keeping the old equipment and barrels in place for visitors to see.

It was a beautiful room.

That's where Lucy and Ethel stomped the grapes. Did Lucy and Ethel ever go to France?

I'd love to have some of these old pieces.

Where the grapes were pressed.

And back into the 21st century. Since this is Medoc and Cabernet Sauvignon is king, Lynch-Bages is usually 75-80% Cabernet, 10-15% Merlot and the remaining 10% a mixture of Cab Franc and Petit Verdot. I personally cannot drink this wines young.....I think regardless the vintage they need some age on them to be enjoyable. This was one estate we had the opportunity to taste the 2010 (which are still aging in the barrels for about another year....a total of approx. 18 months) and I couldn't spit it out fast enough. The tannins will slap you silly. But give it 10-20 years and it will slap you silly in a really great way!

We got lucky and got to watch them bottle the 2009 vintage the day we were there. I snuck a few bottles in my purse when no one was looking. What? It's supposed to be a killer vintage.

Actually, all we got were a few corks.

We also got to taste some older vintages (I swallowed!!) along with their second label, Echo. Most Chateau's produce a second label of their wines and I highly recommend giving some of these a try. Same vineyards, same grapes, same winemaker.....the only difference being the blend. In this case, Echo contains a higher percentage of Merlot and Cab Franc, resulting is a softer, slightly less complex wine that doesn't need to be aged quite so long. You also don't have to shell out the big bucks for these. I think they're great values.

Isn't that a delicious sight?

The beautifully quaint village of Bages.

We then moved on to stunning property of Sociando-Millet sitting on the banks of the Gironde. Even with a direct view of the nuclear power plant across the river, I thought this was the most beautiful property we visited.

It's been said that the vines with the best view of the Gironde produce the best wines of the Medoc. These must be some great wines.

Sociando-Millet is owned by Jean Gautreau, whom I've never met, but I already like him. He plays by his own rules. Rather than be classified as Cru Bourgeois, he raised the symbolic middle finger at the classification system. He chose not to engage in the petty politics of the system and operate on the outside. He instead chose to just continually produces great wine year after year. I love a rebel.

The Chateau is located just north of St. Estephe in the Haut-Medoc appellation and grows 55% Cab, 40% Merlot and the remaning 5% Cab Franc and Petit Verdot.

I loved their underground barrel room.

Especially this painting. It would look great in my wine cellar. Actually it's way too big for my meager little cellar, but a girl can dream.

While we're at it, I'd like a couple of these for my cellar, also. They're Neduchadnezzars! They contain the equivalent of 20 regular size bottles of wine. Just enough for me and a few friends on a Saturday night!

They were also bottling the 2009 vintage while we were there.

That's St. Estephe there in the distance.......

....where we had a delicious lunch at Le Peyrat with a beautiful view of the Gironde. After lunch we had an appointment at Mouton-Rothschild which was the only disappointment of the trip. In their defense, they are undergoing a huge renovation project, but we were shuffled in an out so fast I didn't even have time to take one picture. We were shown a 5 minute video on the history of the property and then had a very quick tasting of the 2009, then shown the door! As I said, it was our last appointment of the day, so maybe we all just smelled bad or something!

Since we had some extra time, Thomas drove us around to get a little peek-see at some of the more famous Chateaus, like Cos d'Estournel.

And this is Cos d'Estournel's extremely famous neighbor, Lafite-Rothschild. Beautiful property.

Chateau Pichon-Longueville

Chateau Branaire-Ducru.

Very cute wine shop in Margaux where we may have purchased a few bottles!

Main Street in downtown Margaux!

Chateau Margaux.

Chateau Palmer.

Next up.....day three in my personal favorites, St. Emilion and Pomerol. Cheers!

Happy Father's Day, Pop, said with Peaches and Bourbon!

2011-06-19T11:11:00.001-05:00

Since the 'rents live in Florida and I just saw them last weekend I knew I wouldn't be spending Father's Day with papa 'rent. Doesn't mean I couldn't make a dessert just for him. Sucks he wasn't here to eat it, because it's right up his alley! Peaches and bourbon.

If my dad is in Alabama during peach season, it's practically mandatory dessert has to be a peach something or other. He's also been known to occasionally enjoy a glass of Jack Daniels on the rocks, so I decided to combine those two in his honor....Upside-Down Spiced Peach Cake with Bourbon Ice Cream with Toasted Buttered Pecans.

Oh, Pop, you would have loved this! I'm not a bourbon lover, but this ice cream from the new Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home is ah. maze. ing. This is the second recipe I've made from this book (I just got it on Tuesday!) and this is the creamiest ice cream I've ever made. It's like your tongue is being coated with velvet. I think the secret is the cream cheese. Not an egg to be found anywhere!

And it paired beautifully with this cardamom-spiced cake, although if bourbon's not your thing, this would be fabulous with a vanilla bean ice cream as well. This cake is delicious.

Sorry you weren't here to enjoy this, Pop, but I certainly thought about you with every bite!! I hope you have a great Father's Day anyway. Love you!

Here are the recipes:

Upside-Down Spiced Peach Cake

Bon Appetit Desserts

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, divided

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar

1 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup sugar

1 large egg

1/2 cup plain whole-milk yogurt

3 small or 2 medium ripe peaches (about 1 pound total), pitted, thinly sliced (I pealed mine also)

Directions:

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Generously butter 9-inch diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in honey and brown sugar. Boil until mixture darkens slightly, stirring often, about 2 minutes. Immediately pour honey mixture into prepared pan to coat bottom completely. Let stand while preparing batter.

Whisk flour, cardamom, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and remaining 4 tablespoons butter in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in egg. Mix in half of flour mixture, then all of yogurt. Add remaining flour mixture and mix just until blended.

Arrange peach slices decoratively over honey mixture (it will be firm), covering completely. Drop batter by spoonfuls evenly over peaches and gently spread batter over peaches to cover completely. Bake until cake begins to pull away from sides of pan and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. (Mine was done in 30, but my oven tends to run hot) Cool cake in pan on rack 5 minutes. Run small knife around pan sides to loosen cake. Place platter over pan. Using oven mitts or pot holders as aid, firmly grasp pan and platter together, then turn over. Gently lift off pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Bourbon Ice Cream with Toasted Buttered Pecans

Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home

Makes about 1 quart

Ingredients:

2 cups whole milk

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) cream cheese, softened

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 1/4 cups heavy cream

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1/4 cup bourbon

3/4 cup Salty Buttered Pecans (recipe follows)

Prep:

Mix about 2 tablespoons of the whole milk with the cornstarch in a small bowl to make a smooth slurry.

Whisk the cream cheese and salt in a medium bowl until smooth.

Fill a large bowl with ice and water.

Cook:

Combine the remaining milk, the cream, sugar, and corn syrup in a 4-quart saucepan, bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat and boil for 4 minutes. (It's important to have a 4-quart saucepan, because the milk expands rapidly once it starts boiling) Remove from the heat, and gradually whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Bring the mixture back to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring with a heatproof spatula, until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat.

Chill:

Gradually whisk the hot milk mixture into the cream cheese until smooth. Stir in the bourbon. Pour the mixture into a 1-gallon Ziploc freezer bag and submerge the sealed bag in the ice bath. Let stand, adding more ice as necessary, until cold, about 30 minutes.

Freeze:

Pour the ice cream base into the frozen canister of your ice cream maker and spin until thick and creamy. Pack the ice cream into a storage container, press a sheet of parchment directly against the surface, and seal with an airtight lid. Freeze in the coldest part of your freezer until firm, at least 4 hours.

Salty Buttered Pecans

Ingredients:

3/4 cup nut halves or quarters

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Combine the nuts with the butter and salt in a bowl, tossing to coat. Spread evenly on a baking sheet and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, turning once, until crisp and aromatic. Let cool completely.

The Wines of Bordeaux - Chateau Sigalas-Rabaud and Chateau Larrivet-Haut-Brion

2011-06-17T20:07:00.002-05:00

(Let's just start this right off with a little disclaimer. I DO NOT CLAIM TO BE A WINE EXPERT. I don't even claim to be a wannabe wine expert. I like wine. A lot. I like to drink it and share it and learn about it and visit where it's made. That's it. So if there happens to be a few inaccuracies in my post, get over it.)

You thought I'd forgotten, didn't you. Or maybe you were hoping I would. If wine isn't your thing, then skip on over to Pioneer Woman's site and read about some cows for a few minutes because we're about to talk about grapes. Bordeaux grapes......like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot and Cab Franc. But we're going to start with dessert first in the form of some Sauternes, which means, in Sigalas-Rabaud's case, we're talking about mainly Semillon, but Sauternes can also contain some Sauvignon Blanc and possibly some Muscadelle.

Sauternes gets it's sweetness from something called botrytis, or noble rot. But in this case rot is not rotten, it's a very good thing. The rot causes the grapes to "raisin" which means all the sugars begin to concentrate resulting in pure yumminess! And because the grapes botrytize at different rates, harvest is not done all at one time. It can sometimes take as many as six trips through the vineyards with everything being harvested by hand. Which might explain why Sauternes can be a bit pricy!

These are the vines of Sigalas-Rabaud, the smallest premier cru producer of Sauternes, with only about 14 hectares. If you look in the above picture you may be able to see the Chateau in the distance. That would be Sigalas-Rabaud's more famous neighbor, Chateau d'Yquem, the only classified premier cru superieur in Sauternes and one of Bordeaux's most expensive wines.

It's typically aged in new oak for 12-15 months before bottling. In all my winery visits over the years, I've never got to do a barrel tasting, but we were offered this option in just about every Bordeaux Chateau this trip. Frankly, the Sauternes was the only one that didn't make me immediately want to spit the wine out. I don't get how Robert Parker can taste that stuff and find fruit in there anywhere. I couldn't get past the tannins that made me want to rip my tongue out of my mouth and never put it back.

Yeah, they were real generous with offering up the barrel tastings, but not once did they ask if I'd like to try something from 1855. Wassup with that?

If you click on the above picture and notice the difference in the colors of the wine from bottle to bottle. Also notice the vintages. The color of later (the 2007 on the left) vintage is much lighter than the 1989 in the larger bottle. They say the perfect time to drink a Sauternes is when it's the color of a dark copper penny, but whatever. I may not live that long to enjoy it!

This is Laure Compreyrot, the owner and first female winemaker at Sigalas-Rabaud, which I found interesting only in the fact that there are only about 20 female winemakers out of approximately 12,000 in all of Bordeaux and her more famous neighbor, Chateau d'Yquem, also has a female cellar master!

Go get 'em girls!

So that was the only Chateau we visited in Sauternes. Next, we headed north in the Graves region to Chateau Larrivet-Haut-Brion.

This Chateau produces both red and white wines with the majority of the vineyard dedicated to red....50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Merlot.

Wines are aged 18 months in new oak barrels. Most of the time the Chateaus buy their barrels from several different manufacturers in order to get different nuances in the wine when it's time to blend them all together before bottling.

Chateau Larrivet-Haut-Brion is located in the Pessac-Leognan area of the Graves region which is home to the first growth estate Chateau Haut-Brion.

This is the tasting room at Larrivet. I'm always a little excited to see the barrel rooms and tasting rooms at any winery. I think they give a small hint into the personality of the owner/cellar master of the property and maybe a hint into their philosophy on wine....big and showy, sleek and sophisticated, over the top, etc., etc.,.........or maybe not!!

So that was our first day in Bordeaux. Since the ship didn't dock until mid-afternoon, we only had time for a few visits before it was time to head back into town. On the way back to the boat, Thomas (our driver for the week) took us by the Bordeaux cathedral.

Sorry for the poor quality of the pic but it was taken from the car as we were driving by! This is the bell tower of the St. Andre Cathedral which happens to be separate from the cathedral itself.

We didn't go in. I was all cathedraled out!!

Only in France would you find a naked little one playing in the local reflecting pool. Or maybe Alabama, but for totally different reasons. Just sayin!

This is the Miroir d'eau or the Water Mirror at the Place de la Bourse and was about a half block up from where we were docked. It's a favorite of locals and tourists alike. The locals bring their children to play in the inch of water and the for the tourists it's a great photo op......especially at night when you can catch a beautiful reflection of the lights of the stock exchange building across the street.

Directly across the river from the boat was this restaurant, L'Estacade. The food was good but the setting was better. A perfect place to sit on the deck and have a post-dinner cocktail and watch the sun set.

Stunning views.

So that was day one!! Day two includes tours of Medoc, or left bank, wines including Mouton Rothschild!

Tomato Watermelon Salad

2011-06-16T11:56:00.001-05:00

Before I get to this amazingly refreshing summer salad, I want to say congratulations to my beautiful niece, Annie. We spent last weekend in Ohio attending her graduation from Otterbein University with a degree in Equine Science. I've mentioned her ~~obsession~~ love of all things horse before here. So now, she's out in the big world trying to find someplace to spend the rest of her life smelling like a combination of hay, leather, sweat and poo! She loves it and we love her! So proud of you, Nene!!

I also got to spend a lot of time with my two favorite little people!

Have you ever?

I made this salad before we left last week and couldn't stop eating it. It's everything a summer salad should be.....fresh, curnchy, tangy and completely satisfying. This would be a perfect addition to you upcoming July 4th celebration.

Here's the recipe:

Tomato Watermelon Salad

Food52.com

Serves 8

5 cups watermelon, cubed (I used a small seedless watermelon)
1 1/2 lbs heirloom tomatoes, cubed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 small Vidalia onion (or other sweet onion) sliced thin
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
fresh ground pepper to taste

Mix tomatoes, watermelon, salt and sugar in bowl and let sit for 15 minutes. (I mixed mine in a colander set over a large bowl.) Drain off any liquid. Stir in onion, vinegar and olive oil. Cover and chill for 2 hours. Sprinkle with pepper and serve.

Pineapple and Banana Crisp (aka Pina Colada Crisp!)

2011-06-08T10:27:00.000-05:00

Since we travelled practically the whole month of May that meant that I was out of the kitchen for that long also. Consequently the first day home I was a little anxious to see if I could still cook. After a very expensive trip to the grocery store (the cupboards were bare!), this is what I came up with.

Fruit crisps are a summer staple around here, but for some reason this combination never crossed my mind for a crisp. Sure I use them together for my yummy Pina Coladas (I'll have to post that recipe one day) all the time, but just didn't think about them for this. I'll definitely be making this again and again. It's like summer in a dish....or a baked Pina Colada! The coconut mixed into the crisp topping pulls it all together.

I found this in the "Playing Around" section of Dorie Greenspan's BAKING From My Home to Yours, under the recipe for Cran-Apple Crisps. You must try this!!

Here's the recipe:

Pineapple Banana Crisp

Dorie Greenspan, BAKING From My Home to Yours

Ingredients:

For the topping:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 stick (8 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces

For the filling:
6-8 firm bananas, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
2 cups thin pineapple slices
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Getting ready:
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly butter eight ovenproof cups or bows, each with a capacity of about 1 cup. (You could also back this in one large casserole dish.) Put the cups on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.

To make the topping:
Put all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse just until the mixture forms big curds, about 1 minute (You can make the topping up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate it in an airtight bag.)

To make the filling:
Toss all the ingredients together in a large bowl. Divide the fruit evenly among the cups, then spoon an equal amount of topping over each portion of fruit. Bake the crisps for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the topping is golden and the fruit juices are bubbling up around it. Transfer the cups to a rack and let them rest for at least 10 minutes (15 to 20 minutes if you've made one large crisp) before serving.

Exclusive Resorts - The World

2011-06-07T11:34:00.001-05:00

Let's just start this by saying that I've never been on a cruise before. Never had the slightest desire to do so. I hate small spaces and large crowds with a passion and from what I've seen of cruise ships, both are abundant! The exception to both of those is The World.

Because it's a residential ship, the cabins are large and the people few. If you're an ER member and have stayed in the NYC Park Avenue apartments, that's your reference for the size of the 808 cabin on the world.....I'd estimate about 1200 square feet. In the picture below, that's our cabin directly above the middle life boat. Check out the size of that balcony!

If you have the same feelings about crowds as I do, no need to worry. Maximum capacity on the ship is around 650 people (~240 crew) and we were told there were only about 120 on the week we were there, so not only were there no crowds, a lot of times you had to look for people!

This was one of two pools. See what I mean about crowds!!

The other pool was in the lower portion of the butt end of the boat. That's it inside in the center with the railing around it. I never saw the first person in there! The day we were in Ile d' Yeu, they dropped down the back deck and were organizing some water activities. A little too chilly for me!

Tennis court.

How awesome are these beds? A great place to relax with a book. They're at the butt end of the boat. I know that's not the technical boat term, but I never could get any of that straight. Mostly because I didn't care......

There were five restaurants but not all were open every day. I'd give the food an "average" rating with my favorite restaurant being the Japanese inspired East.

That's the master bedroom where I may have had the best night's sleep of my life the first night at sea. The captain termed the seas "rough" but our cruise-seasoned travel companions said they've seen "rough" and this wasn't it! They've been bounced out of bed by the rocking before so they'd know. I felt like a baby being rocked to sleep. And after spending a week not sleeping in the rock-hard hotel bed in Spain, I was dying to slip between the sheets of an Exclusive Resorts bed. They're all the same and always perfect.

See what I mean about space?

Aren't sunsets the best over water? This was our first night at sea.

One of the best times was sailing up the Garonne River into Bordeaux. I'm not sure where I expected us to port, but it certainly wasn't the center of the city.

But that's exactly where we ended up....one of the busiest parts of the city! It was so convenient to be within walking distance of everything. Especially on the last day when the taxi drivers went on strike. Seriously? Why does this always happen to me in France? Remember the transportation strike last Fall while we were in Provence? Barely made it out that time! This was just a blip on the radar compared to that one.

Our views from the ship.

So I can't say I've become a cruising junkie because the above mentioned phobias still apply, but I'd jump on The World just about anytime and I'm currently considering a couple of weeks in Alaska!