Saturday, January 12, 2019
Almond Roca
To be completely honest, this recipe is easy to make, but it takes patience and may take a few tries to get a good feel for where the caramel needs to be to reach hard crack stage. The good news is that even failed attempts will taste like chocolate-coated cocaine, so making several batches is no hardship. And once you get a feel for it, this is a pretty quick and very impressive candy. Great for Christmas parties or gifts (my extended family eats two recipes every Christmas eve, and begs for more).
You can use all brown sugar, all white sugar or any mix of both. Personally, I like 1 cup dark brown, 1 cup white sugar, which I think gives the caramel the best caramelly taste without being overwhelming.
Almond Roca
1 lb butter (4 sticks. I like salted for this, the salt is nice in the caramel. Use LandoLakes brand, other brands have a different butter fat content and may result in the caramel separating, which is no bueno.)
1 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
1 cup regular sugar
1/2 bag Hershey's dark chocolate chips (don't spring for great chocolate on this, Hersheys has a low cocoa butter content so you don't have to temper it before using to keep it from separating with the butter in the caramel)
1 cup almonds (I use sliced, you can use slivered or whole ones that you smash. You can roast the almonds or not beforehand. I don't roast them, I just pour them into the caramel a minute or so early and let the candy do the toasting for me.)
Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray.
Add the butter and sugar to a heavy-bottomed pan. Turn the heat up to medium, and stir. Once everything is melted, keep stirring. The mixture will gradually turn foamy, then darken. Keep stirring slowly, this is a recipe where you stir all the things. The caramel will go through a doughy stage, then will relax again. When it starts relaxing, start taking its temperature. Use a candy thermometer, and when the mixture reaches 290F, add 1/2 cup of the almonds. Stir those in while keeping a keen eye on the thermometer. When it reaches 300F, remove from heat and QUICKLY (because the caramel will set) pour it onto the cookie sheet. If you have a large cookie sheet, it may not touch the edges, this is okay. Use a spatula to spread it a bit until it's about 1/2 - 3/4cm thick. You don't want it too thin.
Wait a few minutes or so for it to set. You can touch it gently with a fingertip to see if it's set yet. Once the caramel is fairly firm (you can make a fingerprint, but your finger doesn't sink in), sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top. Wait another minute or two for those to soften, then use your spatula to spread the chocolate over the entire top of the caramel. Sprinkle the other 1/2 cup almonds over the top, and *gingerly* try to make sure the almonds are spread out and all touching the chocolate at least a little, otherwise they'll fall off later.
Put the cookie sheet in the fridge for an hour or so to let everything set.
Break the roca into uneven pieces approx 1 - 1 1/2 in square-ish. It should come off the cookie sheet easily when set, and you can snap it with your fingers or use a knife to crack it.
Mom's Favorite Apple Cake
Title says it all. This cake is WONDERFUL for breakfast, because it's only mildly sweet. I would compare the taste most closely to banana or zucchini bread.
Mom's Favorite Apple Cake
4 large apples (granny smith is traditional, I usually use Fuji)
2 cups sugar, melted
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 lb butter (2 sticks, and use butter, not margarine. I go for unsalted to keep the sodium down, but salted works also)
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice
1 cup pecans, chopped
Preheat oven to 350F.
Grate the apples into a large bowl and add the sugar. Stir, then wait 10 minutes (you can mix the dry ingredients and beat the eggs while you're waiting).
Mix the flour, soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice in a separate bowl, stir thoroughly to make sure the baking soda is evenly distributed. Add the nuts and stir.
Add the butter to the apple mix, stir it in, and add the egg. Stir all liquids together, then add dry to liquids and stir some more until all flour is incorporated. The batter should be fairly wet.
Pour into a bundt pan prepped with non-stick spray (my bundt pan is 12-15 cups and works well, a 10-12 cup bundt would also work) and bake for 75 minutes or until a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Rest for 10 minutes on a wire rack, then invert and tap to remove from the pan. Let cool the rest of the way, cut, and serve.
Servings: at least 16
Sunday, October 21, 2018
Tomato, Mushroom, Spaghetti Squash Bake
Super low-cal and really delicious, this recipe takes some prep time, but none of it is difficult. The flavor makes it worth the effort. Pair it with a protein of some sort and it's an easy meal. I've got it down for six servings, but the serving size is huge if you split it in six. You can easily make eight comfortable servings with it.
Tomato, Mushroom, Spaghetti Squash Bake
2 spaghetti squash (2-3 lbs each)
2 teaspoons olive oil
8 oz white mushrooms, sliced
1/2 videlia onion
4 cloves garlic
2 roma tomatoes, diced
.5 can diced tomatoes, well-drained (I use italian flavor, but you do you)
1 cup mexican blend cheese
1/4 cup toasted sunflower seeds or pepitas
2 tbsp fresh basil, chiffonade
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp dried basil
Red pepper flakes (to taste)
Salt
Pepper
Start by cooking the spaghetti squash. It actually works really well if you do this earlier in the day, or even the day before, and refridgerate the squash before you shred it. Gives it a more toothsome texture, I find. Anyhow, cook the squash by cutting one end off so that it will stand up straight, then slicing it in half. Scoop out the seeds, and place both halves facedown in a baking dish filled with about 1 inch of water. You can either roast it in the oven (~40 min at 357F) or microwave it on high for about 15 minutes (I find microwaving is easier). Once the squash is cooked, reserve either in the fridge or to one side.
When you're ready to cook your spaghetti bake, preheat the oven to 350F.
Use a fork to shred the spaghetti squash into strands in a large bowl or colander. Reserve. Spray a 9x13 casserole dish with nonstick spray.
In a large (emphasis on the large) saute pan, heat 2 tsp olive oil and cook the mushrooms, stirring, until partly done. Add the onions, and let them cook down. When the onions are sweated through and starting to get some color, add the garlic. Cook most of the moisture off the mushroom mixture, then add both the roma and the drained canned tomatoes to the pan. Cook until the moisture is almost wholly gone, again. Add half the reserved spaghetti squash, stir until well-mixed and heated through, then add the other half and stir again. Again, saute until much of the moisture is gone. Spoon it into the 9x13 casserole, making sure to leave any remaining moisture in the saute pan, not the baking dish. To the mixture in the dish, add 2/3 cup of the cheese, reserving the other 1/3 cup. Add the sunflower seeds or peptitas. Season with salt, pepper, oregano, basil (both fresh and dried), and red pepper flakes. Stir the whole thing together until well-mixed and gooey, then flatten it out evenly and place it in the oven uncovered to bake for 20 minutes.
After 20 min, sprinkle the remaining 1/3 cup cheese on top. Bake for another 10 minutes. Finish by placing it under the broiler on high for 2 min to brown the cheese on top. Let stand for 5 minutes, then slice and serve hot.
Servings: 6
Tomato, Mushroom, Spaghetti Squash Bake
2 spaghetti squash (2-3 lbs each)
2 teaspoons olive oil
8 oz white mushrooms, sliced
1/2 videlia onion
4 cloves garlic
2 roma tomatoes, diced
.5 can diced tomatoes, well-drained (I use italian flavor, but you do you)
1 cup mexican blend cheese
1/4 cup toasted sunflower seeds or pepitas
2 tbsp fresh basil, chiffonade
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp dried basil
Red pepper flakes (to taste)
Salt
Pepper
Start by cooking the spaghetti squash. It actually works really well if you do this earlier in the day, or even the day before, and refridgerate the squash before you shred it. Gives it a more toothsome texture, I find. Anyhow, cook the squash by cutting one end off so that it will stand up straight, then slicing it in half. Scoop out the seeds, and place both halves facedown in a baking dish filled with about 1 inch of water. You can either roast it in the oven (~40 min at 357F) or microwave it on high for about 15 minutes (I find microwaving is easier). Once the squash is cooked, reserve either in the fridge or to one side.
When you're ready to cook your spaghetti bake, preheat the oven to 350F.
Use a fork to shred the spaghetti squash into strands in a large bowl or colander. Reserve. Spray a 9x13 casserole dish with nonstick spray.
In a large (emphasis on the large) saute pan, heat 2 tsp olive oil and cook the mushrooms, stirring, until partly done. Add the onions, and let them cook down. When the onions are sweated through and starting to get some color, add the garlic. Cook most of the moisture off the mushroom mixture, then add both the roma and the drained canned tomatoes to the pan. Cook until the moisture is almost wholly gone, again. Add half the reserved spaghetti squash, stir until well-mixed and heated through, then add the other half and stir again. Again, saute until much of the moisture is gone. Spoon it into the 9x13 casserole, making sure to leave any remaining moisture in the saute pan, not the baking dish. To the mixture in the dish, add 2/3 cup of the cheese, reserving the other 1/3 cup. Add the sunflower seeds or peptitas. Season with salt, pepper, oregano, basil (both fresh and dried), and red pepper flakes. Stir the whole thing together until well-mixed and gooey, then flatten it out evenly and place it in the oven uncovered to bake for 20 minutes.
After 20 min, sprinkle the remaining 1/3 cup cheese on top. Bake for another 10 minutes. Finish by placing it under the broiler on high for 2 min to brown the cheese on top. Let stand for 5 minutes, then slice and serve hot.
Servings: 6
Sunday, July 23, 2017
Mom's Lasagna
I already have a recipe on this blog for a lasagna with bechamel, but the one I grew up eating doesn't do it that way. Here's the recipe my family ate when I was younger. I use slightly different proportions today (for example, it's virtually impossible to find 15 oz spaghetti sauce jars in stores nowadays, so I usually just use a 24 oz one. Doesn't hurt the recipe at all) but the principles are the same.
Mom's Lasagna
12 oz lasagna noodles
1 lb ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
24 oz jar spaghetti sauce with mushrooms
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
2 cup cottage cheese
2 cup shredded mozzarella
1 cup grated parmesan
Preheat oven to 350F.
Cook noodles according to package directions, drain.
In a large skillet, brown beef and onions, drain if there's excessive fat. Stir in spaghetti sauce, garlic salt, oregano, and basil. In 2 qt greased rectangular baking dish, layer 1/3 of noodles, 1/3 of sauce, 1/3 of cheeses. Repeat layers twice (ending with cheeses on top).
Bake at 350F for 45 min, until hot and bubbling. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting to give it time to set up.
Mom's Lasagna
12 oz lasagna noodles
1 lb ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
24 oz jar spaghetti sauce with mushrooms
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
2 cup cottage cheese
2 cup shredded mozzarella
1 cup grated parmesan
Preheat oven to 350F.
Cook noodles according to package directions, drain.
In a large skillet, brown beef and onions, drain if there's excessive fat. Stir in spaghetti sauce, garlic salt, oregano, and basil. In 2 qt greased rectangular baking dish, layer 1/3 of noodles, 1/3 of sauce, 1/3 of cheeses. Repeat layers twice (ending with cheeses on top).
Bake at 350F for 45 min, until hot and bubbling. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting to give it time to set up.
Saturday, June 17, 2017
Baked Chicken Breasts
A quick, easy recipe that produces fantastically tender and flavorful chicken breasts in the oven.
Baked Chicken Breasts
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or 2 large breasts butterflied in half to make 4)
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Garlic powder
Paprika
Begin by brining chicken for 15 minutes. Fill a bowl with warm water, add 1/4 cup salt, stir until the salt dissolves, and add the chicken. You can preheat the oven to 450 while the chicken is brining.
Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Lay it out in a baking dish sprayed with non-stick spray and brush both sides with olive oil. In a separate dish, combine approximately equal parts salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. sprinkle mixture over chicken and rub in, on both sides of all four pieces.
Bake at 450 for 15-18 minutes, then allow to rest for at least 5 min before cutting.
Serves: 4
Baked Chicken Breasts
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or 2 large breasts butterflied in half to make 4)
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Garlic powder
Paprika
Begin by brining chicken for 15 minutes. Fill a bowl with warm water, add 1/4 cup salt, stir until the salt dissolves, and add the chicken. You can preheat the oven to 450 while the chicken is brining.
Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Lay it out in a baking dish sprayed with non-stick spray and brush both sides with olive oil. In a separate dish, combine approximately equal parts salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. sprinkle mixture over chicken and rub in, on both sides of all four pieces.
Bake at 450 for 15-18 minutes, then allow to rest for at least 5 min before cutting.
Serves: 4
Tuesday, March 14, 2017
Chicken Salad
This is a take on the classic chicken salad with grapes and nuts. My version adds mustard and tarragon for a bit of flavor interest.
Chicken Salad
2 large chicken breasts, thawed (about 1.25 lbs chicken)
15 large red grapes, cut into 1/8ths
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1/4 cup celery, minced
1/4 cup red onion, minced
1/2 cup mayonnaise (don't substitute greek yogurt, it'll wind up too watery with the added waer from the grapes)
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tsp tarragon
Salt
Pepper
Begin by poaching the chicken breasts in boiling water for 15 minutes. I like to salt my water and add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes to try and get some flavor into the chicken as it poaches, so it won't be too bland, but what you do to your poaching liquid is totally optional. When the chicken is done, remove it from the liquid, dice it into slightly smaller than 1/2 inch cubes, then add salt, black pepper, and poultry seasoning to taste. Put it in the fridge to cool while you chop the rest of your ingredients.
Go ahead and do the rest of your chopping, then in a large bowl combine the grapes, celery, red onion, pecans, mayo, mustard and tarragon and stir. Adjust the mayo amount so that the salad achieves your desired level of creaminess, the 1/2 cup in the recipe is more of a guideline than any hard-and-fast law. Serve chilled.
This plates really well on a bed of spinach or lettuce leaves, with grape tomatoes around it for color. It's also great on sandwiches if you want to go that route.
Serves 6.
Chicken Salad
2 large chicken breasts, thawed (about 1.25 lbs chicken)
15 large red grapes, cut into 1/8ths
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1/4 cup celery, minced
1/4 cup red onion, minced
1/2 cup mayonnaise (don't substitute greek yogurt, it'll wind up too watery with the added waer from the grapes)
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tsp tarragon
Salt
Pepper
Begin by poaching the chicken breasts in boiling water for 15 minutes. I like to salt my water and add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes to try and get some flavor into the chicken as it poaches, so it won't be too bland, but what you do to your poaching liquid is totally optional. When the chicken is done, remove it from the liquid, dice it into slightly smaller than 1/2 inch cubes, then add salt, black pepper, and poultry seasoning to taste. Put it in the fridge to cool while you chop the rest of your ingredients.
Go ahead and do the rest of your chopping, then in a large bowl combine the grapes, celery, red onion, pecans, mayo, mustard and tarragon and stir. Adjust the mayo amount so that the salad achieves your desired level of creaminess, the 1/2 cup in the recipe is more of a guideline than any hard-and-fast law. Serve chilled.
This plates really well on a bed of spinach or lettuce leaves, with grape tomatoes around it for color. It's also great on sandwiches if you want to go that route.
Serves 6.
Saturday, March 11, 2017
Asian Lettuce Wraps with Teriyaki Pineapple Meatballs
These are fast, require little cleanup, and are surprisingly both tasty and healthy. Even my father, who is wary of all things Asian-inspired, loved them. It uses meatballs that I sampled at the store and liked, which is a lot faster than making your own.
Asian Lettuce Wraps with Teriyaki Pineapple Meatballs
For the coleslaw:
1/2 head red cabbage, grated
1 granny smith apple, cored and grated
1/2 cucumber with the seeds scooped out, minced
12 baby carrots, minced
1 tsp dried cilantro (fresh can also be used and is better, but dried is what I had)
Salt
Pepper
For the dressing:
3 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sriracha sauce (add more to taste)
1 tbsp lime juice
For the lettuce wraps:
6 leaves romaine or iceberg lettuce, large enough for wrapping
1 package Aidells Teriyaki Pineapple Meatballs
Coleslaw (see above)
Start by mixing all the ingredients in the coleslaw dressing into a small bowl, whisking vigorously, then setting aside. They'll meld while you prep the slaw vegetables themselves.
Grate the cabbage and the apple, chop your carrots and cucumber. Add all the ingredients for the slaw into a large bowl and pour the dressing over them, then stir well. Add salt and pepper to season to taste. Set slaw aside. If you're prepping this in advance, the slaw can go in the fridge for up to a couple days.
Prepare the meatballs according to package directions. I used the oven for 12 minutes at 375 and they came out well. Rinse your lettuce leaves and pat them dry.
Serve meatballs, slaw, and lettuce leaves and let guests assemble their wraps themselves. Sriracha sauce, sprigs of cilantro, and lime slices are optional garnishes.
Serves 3
Asian Lettuce Wraps with Teriyaki Pineapple Meatballs
For the coleslaw:
1/2 head red cabbage, grated
1 granny smith apple, cored and grated
1/2 cucumber with the seeds scooped out, minced
12 baby carrots, minced
1 tsp dried cilantro (fresh can also be used and is better, but dried is what I had)
Salt
Pepper
For the dressing:
3 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sriracha sauce (add more to taste)
1 tbsp lime juice
For the lettuce wraps:
6 leaves romaine or iceberg lettuce, large enough for wrapping
1 package Aidells Teriyaki Pineapple Meatballs
Coleslaw (see above)
Start by mixing all the ingredients in the coleslaw dressing into a small bowl, whisking vigorously, then setting aside. They'll meld while you prep the slaw vegetables themselves.
Grate the cabbage and the apple, chop your carrots and cucumber. Add all the ingredients for the slaw into a large bowl and pour the dressing over them, then stir well. Add salt and pepper to season to taste. Set slaw aside. If you're prepping this in advance, the slaw can go in the fridge for up to a couple days.
Prepare the meatballs according to package directions. I used the oven for 12 minutes at 375 and they came out well. Rinse your lettuce leaves and pat them dry.
Serve meatballs, slaw, and lettuce leaves and let guests assemble their wraps themselves. Sriracha sauce, sprigs of cilantro, and lime slices are optional garnishes.
Serves 3
Saturday, August 13, 2016
Peach Galette with Vanilla Whipped Cream
Galettes - for when doing a pie sounds like too much work. This is a rustic little pastry that doesn't require much in the way of fuss or cleanup, but still tastes outstanding and looks good enough for company. If peaches aren't in season, this recipe adapts well to plums, pears, berries, etc.
Peach Galette
1 Simple Pie Crust
3 large peaches, sliced thinly
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
Optional: whipped cream for topping (see recipe below)
Preheat oven to 375F.
Mix sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and ginger in a large bowl. Add in peach slices and toss until completely coated. Set aside.
Line baking sheet with parchment or silicone baking pad, roll out pie crust onto baking sheet. Pile peaches in center of crust, leaving at least 2 inches on all sides. Fold crust up and over edges of peaches to form galette.
Bake 35-40 min, until crust is golden and filling is bubbly. Let cool at least 15 minutes before slicing to serve. Serve with fresh whipped cream, garnish with mint leaf.
Vanilla Whipped Cream
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl, beat on medium high until soft peaks form. Chill until needed.
Peach Galette
1 Simple Pie Crust
3 large peaches, sliced thinly
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
Optional: whipped cream for topping (see recipe below)
Preheat oven to 375F.
Mix sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and ginger in a large bowl. Add in peach slices and toss until completely coated. Set aside.
Line baking sheet with parchment or silicone baking pad, roll out pie crust onto baking sheet. Pile peaches in center of crust, leaving at least 2 inches on all sides. Fold crust up and over edges of peaches to form galette.
Bake 35-40 min, until crust is golden and filling is bubbly. Let cool at least 15 minutes before slicing to serve. Serve with fresh whipped cream, garnish with mint leaf.
Vanilla Whipped Cream
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl, beat on medium high until soft peaks form. Chill until needed.
Friday, July 15, 2016
Chocolate Pavlova with Mascarpone Whipped Cream and Blueberries
Sounds and looks fancy, but this one is fairly easy to prepare and doesn't take as long as I thought it would. Honestly, chopping the chocolate bar finely enough was the most time-consuming thing here. So this is the recipe for when you want to flaunt your haute cuisine dessert skills, without putting in haute cuisine time and effort. Plus it's gluten-free, so if you've got a gathering with a bunch of people whose allergies and diets you don't know, you can still walk in and knock the socks off everyone present!
Chocolate Pavlova with Mascarpone Whipped Cream and Blueberries
Used with minor adaptations from Once Upon a Chef
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a dark marker, draw a 9-inch diameter circle on the parchment paper by tracing around a 9-inch cake pan or plate. Flip the paper over so your meringue won't touch the marker.
Use a mixer to beat the egg whites and salt on medium speed until foamy soft peaks form, about a minute. Increase the speed to medium-high and gradually add the sugar; continue beating until stiff peaks form, 8-9 minutes. (The meringue will be glossy.)
Pass the cocoa powder through a sieve or sifter and add to the meringue. Add the vinegar and chopped chocolate. Using a large rubber spatula, fold the mixture until well combined. It should be a light mocha color with no white or brown streaks.
Secure the parchment paper to the baking sheet by taping it down, or have an assistant hold it still while you spread. Mound the meringue onto the parchment inside the circle. Using the spatula or a butter knife, spread the meringue to fill the circle. Even the top and sides just slightly -- it shouldn’t be perfectly smooth or overworked. Place in the oven and cook for 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until the meringue is puffed and crisp all over. Don't worry if the top is cracked -- that's normal and it all gets covered with whipped cream in the end. Turn off the oven, prop the oven door open, and leave the meringue in the oven to cool to room temperature, at least 30 minutes. (The meringue won’t collapse as much if it cools gradually.)
Before serving, carefully peel the meringue off of the parchment paper and place it on the platter on which you intend to serve. In a medium bowl, beat the mascarpone cheese, heavy cream and vanilla until combined. Gradually add the sugar and continue beating until it holds soft, pillowy peaks. Do not overbeat; it should not be too stiff or grainy. Mound the mascarpone cream onto the meringue and gently spread it out about an inch from the edge (don't worry if the meringue cracks in the process). Top the pavlova with the blueberries. Cut the pavlova into wedges, wiping the knife in between slices, and serve.
Note: This pavlova can be made ahead and assembled up to 12 hours ahead of time. Keep in the refrigerator.
Chocolate Pavlova with Mascarpone Whipped Cream and Blueberries
Used with minor adaptations from Once Upon a Chef
Pavlova:
6 large egg whites
Pinch salt
1 1/2 cups superfine sugar (You can buy superfine, or grind regular sugar in the food processor until it's fine enough. You can't use powdered though, because it's got cornstarch and other additives in it to keep it from clumping)
3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp red wine vinegar
2 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (Use the best chocolate you can get. With not many ingredients, quality matters.)
Mascarpone Whipped Cream:
Mascarpone Whipped Cream:
8 oz (1 cup) mascarpone cheese, cold
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, cold
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
Topping:
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
Topping:
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
Preheat the oven to 300°F.
Preheat the oven to 300°F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a dark marker, draw a 9-inch diameter circle on the parchment paper by tracing around a 9-inch cake pan or plate. Flip the paper over so your meringue won't touch the marker.
Use a mixer to beat the egg whites and salt on medium speed until foamy soft peaks form, about a minute. Increase the speed to medium-high and gradually add the sugar; continue beating until stiff peaks form, 8-9 minutes. (The meringue will be glossy.)
Pass the cocoa powder through a sieve or sifter and add to the meringue. Add the vinegar and chopped chocolate. Using a large rubber spatula, fold the mixture until well combined. It should be a light mocha color with no white or brown streaks.
Secure the parchment paper to the baking sheet by taping it down, or have an assistant hold it still while you spread. Mound the meringue onto the parchment inside the circle. Using the spatula or a butter knife, spread the meringue to fill the circle. Even the top and sides just slightly -- it shouldn’t be perfectly smooth or overworked. Place in the oven and cook for 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until the meringue is puffed and crisp all over. Don't worry if the top is cracked -- that's normal and it all gets covered with whipped cream in the end. Turn off the oven, prop the oven door open, and leave the meringue in the oven to cool to room temperature, at least 30 minutes. (The meringue won’t collapse as much if it cools gradually.)
Before serving, carefully peel the meringue off of the parchment paper and place it on the platter on which you intend to serve. In a medium bowl, beat the mascarpone cheese, heavy cream and vanilla until combined. Gradually add the sugar and continue beating until it holds soft, pillowy peaks. Do not overbeat; it should not be too stiff or grainy. Mound the mascarpone cream onto the meringue and gently spread it out about an inch from the edge (don't worry if the meringue cracks in the process). Top the pavlova with the blueberries. Cut the pavlova into wedges, wiping the knife in between slices, and serve.
Note: This pavlova can be made ahead and assembled up to 12 hours ahead of time. Keep in the refrigerator.
Mrs. Ludell's Egg Custard Pie (with Blackberry Syrup Reduction)
When I was growing up, a woman in my father's church always made one thing for church potlucks: egg custard pies. Supposedly they'd won many prizes in the state fairs when she was younger, but she was elderly when I knew her (she's long since passed away now) and come hell or high water, if there was a potluck or a pig-picking or a funeral at our church and people needed desserts, there she'd be, two egg custard pies in tow.
You don't hear much about egg custard pies any more, they certainly aren't one of the well-known or glamorous pies featured on TV baking shows or upscale menus, but for a certain slice of the Southern low-country, they are a longheld tradition. I always think of Mrs. Ludell Fox when I make her recipe. The blackberry syrup reduction here is my own addition. It's optional, and can be made with fresh or frozen berries, but the tart berries add a spike of perfect contrast to the velvety rich custard.
Mrs. Ludell's Egg Custard Pie
1 cup sugar
1 cup whipping cream
4 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla
2 cups milk (any milk would work, but the higher the fat %, the richer the custard)
4 tbsp unsalted butter (Mrs. Ludell made hers with Superbrand margerine sticks, but those don't exist anymore, and butter work just as well)
1 Simple Pie Crust, uncooked
Preheat oven to 350F.
In the bowl for your mixer, stir sugar and half the whipping cream together with a spoon until smooth. Add 1 cup milk with eggs and beat with mixer until eggs are blended. Add vanilla, remainder of milk, and remainder of whipping cream. Melt butter and stir into mixture. Pour into 9-inch, deep pie shell. If you don't use a deep pie plate, you'll probably have some liquid left over, but a deep shell should hold it all.
Cook uncovered for 50-60 minutes, until crust is brown and custard is golden on top. The middle should be weakly set (this one always ends up more jiggly than I think it will, it's okay), but a knife inserted in the center should come back clean. Cool, then refrigerate for 2 hours before serving. If you are adding the blackberry syrup reduction, pour that on after the pie has cooled at least 15 minutes, but before you stick it in the fridge.
Blackberry Syrup Reduction
Approx 2 cups whole blackberries, rinsed (or if frozen, dethawed)
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp water
1/2 tsp cornstarch
In a small saucepan over medium high heat, mix blackberries, sugar and water. Bring this to a low boil, then turn the stove down and cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes or so, stirring frequently, until the blackberries have rendered most of their juices and are falling apart and soft. Remove pan from heat, and pour contents through a strainer into a small bowl, using the strainer to catch the blackberry solids. Mash the solids against the sides of the strainer with a spoon to force out all the juices, then discard the solids. Rinse everything off/out of the strainer and place a square of cheesecloth inside it, then wipe out the saucepan you were using for the cooking process. Pour the juices from the small bowl back through the strainer and cheesecloth into the saucepan, using the cheesecloth to catch blackberry seeds that may have slipped through the strainer the first time. This whole process leaves you with a simple syrup of blackberry juice and sugar, and with no blackberry solids at all to spoil the silkiness of the custard.
Whisk the 1/2 tsp of cornstarch into the syrup in the pan, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the syrup thickens to about the consistency of molasses. Remove from heat, allow to cool for five minutes, then pour/spoon over the top of the pie, spreading the syrup with the back of the spoon until the whole pie surface is covered. Refrigerate as above to allow pie and syrup to set.
You don't hear much about egg custard pies any more, they certainly aren't one of the well-known or glamorous pies featured on TV baking shows or upscale menus, but for a certain slice of the Southern low-country, they are a longheld tradition. I always think of Mrs. Ludell Fox when I make her recipe. The blackberry syrup reduction here is my own addition. It's optional, and can be made with fresh or frozen berries, but the tart berries add a spike of perfect contrast to the velvety rich custard.
Mrs. Ludell's Egg Custard Pie
1 cup sugar
1 cup whipping cream
4 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla
2 cups milk (any milk would work, but the higher the fat %, the richer the custard)
4 tbsp unsalted butter (Mrs. Ludell made hers with Superbrand margerine sticks, but those don't exist anymore, and butter work just as well)
1 Simple Pie Crust, uncooked
Preheat oven to 350F.
In the bowl for your mixer, stir sugar and half the whipping cream together with a spoon until smooth. Add 1 cup milk with eggs and beat with mixer until eggs are blended. Add vanilla, remainder of milk, and remainder of whipping cream. Melt butter and stir into mixture. Pour into 9-inch, deep pie shell. If you don't use a deep pie plate, you'll probably have some liquid left over, but a deep shell should hold it all.
Cook uncovered for 50-60 minutes, until crust is brown and custard is golden on top. The middle should be weakly set (this one always ends up more jiggly than I think it will, it's okay), but a knife inserted in the center should come back clean. Cool, then refrigerate for 2 hours before serving. If you are adding the blackberry syrup reduction, pour that on after the pie has cooled at least 15 minutes, but before you stick it in the fridge.
Blackberry Syrup Reduction
Approx 2 cups whole blackberries, rinsed (or if frozen, dethawed)
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp water
1/2 tsp cornstarch
In a small saucepan over medium high heat, mix blackberries, sugar and water. Bring this to a low boil, then turn the stove down and cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes or so, stirring frequently, until the blackberries have rendered most of their juices and are falling apart and soft. Remove pan from heat, and pour contents through a strainer into a small bowl, using the strainer to catch the blackberry solids. Mash the solids against the sides of the strainer with a spoon to force out all the juices, then discard the solids. Rinse everything off/out of the strainer and place a square of cheesecloth inside it, then wipe out the saucepan you were using for the cooking process. Pour the juices from the small bowl back through the strainer and cheesecloth into the saucepan, using the cheesecloth to catch blackberry seeds that may have slipped through the strainer the first time. This whole process leaves you with a simple syrup of blackberry juice and sugar, and with no blackberry solids at all to spoil the silkiness of the custard.
Whisk the 1/2 tsp of cornstarch into the syrup in the pan, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the syrup thickens to about the consistency of molasses. Remove from heat, allow to cool for five minutes, then pour/spoon over the top of the pie, spreading the syrup with the back of the spoon until the whole pie surface is covered. Refrigerate as above to allow pie and syrup to set.
Friday, January 22, 2016
Drop Biscuit Chicken Pot Pie
This recipe is surprisingly quick for a chicken pot pie, and is perfect for cold rainy winter nights when comfort food is required.
Drop Biscuit Chicken Pot Pie
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces
1/2 sweet onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup flour
3 cups chicken stock
2 cups frozen vegetables, (corn, peas, lima beans, carrots)
4 small red potatoes, skin on, diced into small 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 tsp celery seed
1/4 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp basil
Salt
Pepper
Drop Biscuits:
2 cups flour
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 cup whole milk
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Steam potatoes over high heat in small covered pot with bottom covered in about 1 inch water.
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and season lightly with salt and pepper. Add onion and cook until onion is translucent and chicken is lightly browned. Add garlic, cook for about 2 minutes until garlic is fragrant.
Add flour to chicken mixture and stir to combine. Slowly add chicken stock while stirring to make sauce. Add frozen vegetables, steamed potatoes, and cheese. Reduce heat to medium. Allow mixture to come to a boil, stirring occasionally. Add spices, salt and pepper. Taste, then adjust spices to taste.
Meanwhile: In a large mixing bowl combine flour, cheese, baking powder, sugar and salt. Stir to combine. Add butter and milk. Stir to combine.
Pour chicken filling mixture into 13"x8" dish. Drop biscuits by the rounded tablespoon full on top of pot pie filling. Bake for 15 minutes, until biscuits are browned.
Serves: 6
Drop Biscuit Chicken Pot Pie
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces
1/2 sweet onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup flour
3 cups chicken stock
2 cups frozen vegetables, (corn, peas, lima beans, carrots)
4 small red potatoes, skin on, diced into small 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 tsp celery seed
1/4 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp basil
Salt
Pepper
Drop Biscuits:
2 cups flour
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 cup whole milk
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Steam potatoes over high heat in small covered pot with bottom covered in about 1 inch water.
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and season lightly with salt and pepper. Add onion and cook until onion is translucent and chicken is lightly browned. Add garlic, cook for about 2 minutes until garlic is fragrant.
Add flour to chicken mixture and stir to combine. Slowly add chicken stock while stirring to make sauce. Add frozen vegetables, steamed potatoes, and cheese. Reduce heat to medium. Allow mixture to come to a boil, stirring occasionally. Add spices, salt and pepper. Taste, then adjust spices to taste.
Meanwhile: In a large mixing bowl combine flour, cheese, baking powder, sugar and salt. Stir to combine. Add butter and milk. Stir to combine.
Pour chicken filling mixture into 13"x8" dish. Drop biscuits by the rounded tablespoon full on top of pot pie filling. Bake for 15 minutes, until biscuits are browned.
Serves: 6
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
Pork Chops with Milk Gravy
A simple, super-flavorful take on a Southern classic.
Pork Chops with Milk Gravy
4 pork chops, about 1/2 inch thick (I like the bone-in kind, but to each his own)
2 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 1/2 cups whole milk (alternately: 1 cup 1% milk, and 1/2 cup cream)
1 1/2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp fresh thyme
Add salt, pepper, and flour to a bag. Shake to mix. Add pork chops. Shake until pork chops are well-coated with flour.
Melt butter in a large frying pan on medium high. Add pork chops and brown both sides of chops (about 3 minutes per side).
While chops are browning, add 1/2 cup milk to the remaining flour mixture in the bag you shook the pork chops in, a little at a time. Squish it around to completely mix the milk and flour. Once pork chops are browned on both sides, pour milk mixture over the chops, turn heat to low, and cover. If the gravy thickens too quickly, add a little extra milk to thin it so that it won't stick to the pan as the burner cools down to simmering temperature. Cook for 20 minutes.
Turn pork chops over, add remaining milk and thyme. Stir thoroughly, cook for another 20 minutes.
Remove cover. Cook for 15-20 minutes. Taste gravy and adjust seasonings to taste before you serve.
Serves: 4
Pork Chops with Milk Gravy
4 pork chops, about 1/2 inch thick (I like the bone-in kind, but to each his own)
2 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 1/2 cups whole milk (alternately: 1 cup 1% milk, and 1/2 cup cream)
1 1/2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp fresh thyme
Add salt, pepper, and flour to a bag. Shake to mix. Add pork chops. Shake until pork chops are well-coated with flour.
Melt butter in a large frying pan on medium high. Add pork chops and brown both sides of chops (about 3 minutes per side).
While chops are browning, add 1/2 cup milk to the remaining flour mixture in the bag you shook the pork chops in, a little at a time. Squish it around to completely mix the milk and flour. Once pork chops are browned on both sides, pour milk mixture over the chops, turn heat to low, and cover. If the gravy thickens too quickly, add a little extra milk to thin it so that it won't stick to the pan as the burner cools down to simmering temperature. Cook for 20 minutes.
Turn pork chops over, add remaining milk and thyme. Stir thoroughly, cook for another 20 minutes.
Remove cover. Cook for 15-20 minutes. Taste gravy and adjust seasonings to taste before you serve.
Serves: 4
Saturday, July 5, 2014
Southern Yellow Squash and Onions
A really simple, really traditional preparation for one of the staple side dishes of the South. I know that brown sugar plus squash sounds sweet, but trust me when I say it's not. The sugar is just there to bring out an extra dimension of flavor in the squash.
Southern Yellow Squash and Onions
2 medium sized yellow squash, sliced into rounds
1/2 videlia onion, diced
Heaping 1/2 tsp brown sugar (you want a little more than 1/2 tsp here, but not so much as 1 whole tsp)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp unsalted sweet cream butter
Salt
Pepper
Optional: up to 1/4 cup chicken stock
Add the oil to a pan over medium high heat, and melt the butter into this. When it's completely melted and starts to foam, add the onions and saute until translucent.
Add the squash and brown sugar, and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Season with salt and pepper. Use a light hand on the salt, you'll have a chance to season it again at the end. Bring to a simmer and cover, then turn heat down to medium low. Steam squash for 15 or so minutes, or until softened. Taste, then adjust the seasoning as appropriate. Serve immediately.
Serves: 2-3 people
Southern Yellow Squash and Onions
2 medium sized yellow squash, sliced into rounds
1/2 videlia onion, diced
Heaping 1/2 tsp brown sugar (you want a little more than 1/2 tsp here, but not so much as 1 whole tsp)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp unsalted sweet cream butter
Salt
Pepper
Optional: up to 1/4 cup chicken stock
Add the oil to a pan over medium high heat, and melt the butter into this. When it's completely melted and starts to foam, add the onions and saute until translucent.
Add the squash and brown sugar, and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Season with salt and pepper. Use a light hand on the salt, you'll have a chance to season it again at the end. Bring to a simmer and cover, then turn heat down to medium low. Steam squash for 15 or so minutes, or until softened. Taste, then adjust the seasoning as appropriate. Serve immediately.
Serves: 2-3 people
Baked BBQ Chicken
This recipe makes some of the juiciest, tenderest chicken I've ever tasted, and it's fantastic for leftovers. It takes a little time, but believe me it's worth it. The real key is the BBQ sauce: make sure you get one that you like. I personally am partial to a brand called Blues Hog that's sold at my local supermarket, but when it comes to BBQ sauce everyone has their own personal preferences. Just remember not to cut corners when it comes to the sauce. It's worth spending an extra buck or two for really outstanding flavor.
A couple other notes: the marinating process is not optional. Marinating is an absolute must on this one. Plan ahead far enough to give yourself time for the chicken to sit and absorb flavor for a while. Also, it's really cheap to buy a whole fryer hen (about 4 lbs) at the grocery store, and those work perfectly for this recipe. If you're not comfortable sectioning a whole chicken by yourself, see if your grocer's butcher is willing to section it for you. Mine is happy to do it if you ask. This saves you the time and trouble of sectioning the bird yourself, but also saves you money from what most stores charge for pre-cut chicken pieces.
I like this recipe served with simple sides that will let the chicken shine: butter beans and fresh tomato slices, fresh corn with squash and onions, that sort of thing.
Baked BBQ Chicken
Marinade:
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tbsp paprika (smoked paprika is also good)
1 tbsp ancho chile powder
1 1/2 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup chicken stock
Optional: 1/2 tsp liquid smoke
BBQ Chicken:
1 jar or bottle BBQ sauce (I like the Blues Hog brand, which comes in jars, but to each his own)
1 whole chicken, cut into quarters
2 tbsp olive oil
Start the process by placing the chicken quarters into a gallon plastic ziploc bag. Add all the ingredients of the marinade to the bag, and squish everything around for a while until it's mixed and all the chicken pieces are coated. Place the bag into a bowl, and stick it in the fridge to marinate for at least two hours and up to overnight.
When you're ready to cook, preheat the oven to 350F.
Line a roasting pan with tin foil and use the olive oil to grease it thoroughly. Place the chicken quarters skin side down onto the pan, and baste the exposed side of the chicken with BBQ sauce. Cook for 20 minutes.
When 20 minutes has expired, remove the chicken from the oven and flip it over so the skin side is facing up. Baste heavily with BBQ sauce. Stick it back in the oven and cook for 7 minutes, then baste again. Repeat this at least twice more (so that the chicken has been basted at least 3 times on the skin side). You can baste it 4 times if the fancy strikes you.
Test the chicken for doneness by sticking a meat thermometer into one of the breasts at the thickest part. It should register at least 165F. If not, your chicken needs longer in the oven.
When the chicken is done, remove from oven and serve immediately, with extra BBQ sauce for dipping if desired.
Serves: 4
A couple other notes: the marinating process is not optional. Marinating is an absolute must on this one. Plan ahead far enough to give yourself time for the chicken to sit and absorb flavor for a while. Also, it's really cheap to buy a whole fryer hen (about 4 lbs) at the grocery store, and those work perfectly for this recipe. If you're not comfortable sectioning a whole chicken by yourself, see if your grocer's butcher is willing to section it for you. Mine is happy to do it if you ask. This saves you the time and trouble of sectioning the bird yourself, but also saves you money from what most stores charge for pre-cut chicken pieces.
I like this recipe served with simple sides that will let the chicken shine: butter beans and fresh tomato slices, fresh corn with squash and onions, that sort of thing.
Baked BBQ Chicken
Marinade:
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tbsp paprika (smoked paprika is also good)
1 tbsp ancho chile powder
1 1/2 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup chicken stock
Optional: 1/2 tsp liquid smoke
BBQ Chicken:
1 jar or bottle BBQ sauce (I like the Blues Hog brand, which comes in jars, but to each his own)
1 whole chicken, cut into quarters
2 tbsp olive oil
Start the process by placing the chicken quarters into a gallon plastic ziploc bag. Add all the ingredients of the marinade to the bag, and squish everything around for a while until it's mixed and all the chicken pieces are coated. Place the bag into a bowl, and stick it in the fridge to marinate for at least two hours and up to overnight.
When you're ready to cook, preheat the oven to 350F.
Line a roasting pan with tin foil and use the olive oil to grease it thoroughly. Place the chicken quarters skin side down onto the pan, and baste the exposed side of the chicken with BBQ sauce. Cook for 20 minutes.
When 20 minutes has expired, remove the chicken from the oven and flip it over so the skin side is facing up. Baste heavily with BBQ sauce. Stick it back in the oven and cook for 7 minutes, then baste again. Repeat this at least twice more (so that the chicken has been basted at least 3 times on the skin side). You can baste it 4 times if the fancy strikes you.
Test the chicken for doneness by sticking a meat thermometer into one of the breasts at the thickest part. It should register at least 165F. If not, your chicken needs longer in the oven.
When the chicken is done, remove from oven and serve immediately, with extra BBQ sauce for dipping if desired.
Serves: 4
Thursday, July 3, 2014
Red Beans and Rice
One of the staple Cajun dishes, this recipe is both very inexpensive and very easy to make. It's also very tasty! It has to simmer for a while, but it's low-maintenance while it does. One of the keys to this one is getting good andouille sausage: you want sausage that's very smoky and spicy and flavorful. If the sausage looks sort of dry in the package, that's a good thing. It means it's been smoked longer.
Red Beans and Rice
1/2 lb andouille sausage, sliced into small bite sized pieces
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 small videlia onion, diced
2 stalks celery, finely diced
1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp flour
2 cans red kidney beans, NOT drained
4 cups beef broth
2 tbsp Cajun Spice Mix (see bottom of recipe for spice mix ingredients)
3 bay leaves
2 cups cooked white rice
Salt
Pepper
Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large sauce pan or dutch oven over medium heat, then add the sausage and sear until lightly browned. You may have to do this in batches depending on the size of your pan, and the sausage should get very fragrant during this process. When the sausage is finished cooking (about 3 min per side), remove it to a paper-towel lined plate to drain.
Add the onions, celery and pepper to the same pan you cooked the sausage in, adding a little more olive oil if necessary. Cook until vegetables are tender and onions are beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.
Add the garlic, stir, cook until you can smell the garlic (about 1 minute). Sprinkle the flour over the cooking vegetables and stir until the vegetables are well-coated and the flour has mixed with the oil/butter to make a roux. Allow a minute or so to cook the flour.
Add the beans, stock, cajun spice mix, bay leaves, and 2 cups water. Stir thoroughly to make sure the roux gets incorporated with no lumps. Bring the whole thing to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer covered for at least an hour (but two or three is much better). If desired, you can mash or puree about a quarter of the beans with 30 minutes left on the cook time to add even more body to the sauce. I don't do this, because I find the flour makes it thick enough, but to each his own.
Serve the hot beans and sausage over the rice.
Serves: 6
Red Beans and Rice
1/2 lb andouille sausage, sliced into small bite sized pieces
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 small videlia onion, diced
2 stalks celery, finely diced
1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp flour
2 cans red kidney beans, NOT drained
4 cups beef broth
2 tbsp Cajun Spice Mix (see bottom of recipe for spice mix ingredients)
3 bay leaves
2 cups cooked white rice
Salt
Pepper
Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large sauce pan or dutch oven over medium heat, then add the sausage and sear until lightly browned. You may have to do this in batches depending on the size of your pan, and the sausage should get very fragrant during this process. When the sausage is finished cooking (about 3 min per side), remove it to a paper-towel lined plate to drain.
Add the onions, celery and pepper to the same pan you cooked the sausage in, adding a little more olive oil if necessary. Cook until vegetables are tender and onions are beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.
Add the garlic, stir, cook until you can smell the garlic (about 1 minute). Sprinkle the flour over the cooking vegetables and stir until the vegetables are well-coated and the flour has mixed with the oil/butter to make a roux. Allow a minute or so to cook the flour.
Add the beans, stock, cajun spice mix, bay leaves, and 2 cups water. Stir thoroughly to make sure the roux gets incorporated with no lumps. Bring the whole thing to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer covered for at least an hour (but two or three is much better). If desired, you can mash or puree about a quarter of the beans with 30 minutes left on the cook time to add even more body to the sauce. I don't do this, because I find the flour makes it thick enough, but to each his own.
Serve the hot beans and sausage over the rice.
Serves: 6
Sunday, June 15, 2014
Creamy Carolina Shrimp and Grits
My version of shrimp and grits is a creamy, decadent take on this southern staple. I follow the tradition from my region of the Carolinas, and include andouille sausage in the recipe. Trust me, it takes the flavor to a whole other level. This particular take on shrimp and grits is mildly spicy. (My mother, who dislikes heavy spices and tends to scrape the blackening spices off chicken or fish, loves the spice mix I give here. My father, who likes his food the hotter the better, tends to add a few drops of Texas Pete or siracha sauce.) The nice thing about this recipe is that the spice can be adjusted to taste by adding more or less chili pepper depending on what you like. The recipe itself is so flavorful and varied that it doesn't need tongue-killing heat to make it special. Your pepper heat fanatics might be surprised at how much they like this one as-is.
Shrimp and Grits
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 lb andouille sausage, sliced into bite-sized pieces
3 tbsp cajun seasoning (see below)
1 1/2 lbs raw shrimp, peeled and deviened with tails removed
1 onion, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
2 tbsp unsalted butter
4 tbsp flour
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 tomato, diced
3 green onions, chopped
parsley for garnish
salt
pepper
Start by making the grits, so they can simmer while you work on the rest of the sauce.
Creamy Grits
2 cups milk
1 cup water
1 1/4 cups quick grits
2 tbsp unsalted sweet cream butter
Salt
Pepper
Mix the cream and the water, then bring the mixture to a slow boil. Add the grits slowly, stirring to avoid lumps. Add the butter. Turn the heat down to very low (below a simmer), and stir frequently for 10-15 minutes to allow the grits to thicken. Taste, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Add a little milk if the grits are too stiff when you go to serve them, you want these fairly creamy.
Serves: 4-6
Cajun Spice Mix
(Makes about 4 tbsp of mix. This mix also goes well with red beans and rice.)
2 1/2 tsp paprika
2 tsp salt
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ancho chili powder
1 tsp dried leaf oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
Mix everything together and stir thoroughly just before using to make sure all the spices are evenly distributed.
Shrimp and Grits
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 lb andouille sausage, sliced into bite-sized pieces
3 tbsp cajun seasoning (see below)
1 1/2 lbs raw shrimp, peeled and deviened with tails removed
1 onion, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
2 tbsp unsalted butter
4 tbsp flour
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 tomato, diced
3 green onions, chopped
parsley for garnish
salt
pepper
Start by making the grits, so they can simmer while you work on the rest of the sauce.
Meanwhile, heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and sear, about 3 minutes and set aside on a plate covered with a paper towel to drain. Toss the shrimp in 1 1/2 tbsp of the cajun seasoning until all shrimp are coated evenly, add the shrimp to the pan with the oil and rendered fat from the sausage, cook about 2-3 minutes and set aside.
Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in the pan, add the onions, peppers and celery and
cook until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme and creole
seasoning and cook about a minute, or until you can smell the garlic. Add the butter to the vegetables and let melt. Add the flour to the vegetables and stir to distribute evenly, then cook for about 2 minutes to let the flour brown just a little. Add the chicken stock and the whipping cream, stir thoroughly, and turn down the heat to a low simmer. Add the sausage and the shrimp to the pan, cover, and let simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep the sauce from sticking to the pan or skinning. The sauce's thickness can be adjusted at this time by adding more stock or cream to thin it out, or by adding a little slurry to thicken it if desired. Taste for salt and pepper, and season accordingly.
A minute or two before serving, stir in the tomato and green onions, and taste again for seasoning. Serve over creamy grits and garnish with freshly chopped parsley as desired.
Serves: 6
Creamy Grits
2 cups milk
1 cup water
1 1/4 cups quick grits
2 tbsp unsalted sweet cream butter
Salt
Pepper
Mix the cream and the water, then bring the mixture to a slow boil. Add the grits slowly, stirring to avoid lumps. Add the butter. Turn the heat down to very low (below a simmer), and stir frequently for 10-15 minutes to allow the grits to thicken. Taste, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Add a little milk if the grits are too stiff when you go to serve them, you want these fairly creamy.
Serves: 4-6
Cajun Spice Mix
(Makes about 4 tbsp of mix. This mix also goes well with red beans and rice.)
2 1/2 tsp paprika
2 tsp salt
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ancho chili powder
1 tsp dried leaf oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
Mix everything together and stir thoroughly just before using to make sure all the spices are evenly distributed.
Friday, May 2, 2014
White Sandwich Bread
This is a fast (well, fast for bread), easy, remarkably tasty recipe that's basically idiot-proof. It's been over a month since I bought bread from the grocery store, because this is so good that one recipe a week is totally worth the couple hours of time it takes to make it.
White Sandwich Bread
taken from thefrugalgirl
5 3/4-6 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 pkg (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
2 1/4 cups milk (you can use water if you don’t do dairy)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon butter or vegetable oil
2 teaspoons salt
1. In a large mixer bowl, combine 2 1/2 cups of flour and yeast.
2. In a saucepan or in the microwave, heat milk, sugar, butter, and salt to 115-120 degrees.
3. Add hot liquids to flour and yeast. Beat at low speed until combined, then beat at high speed for 3 minutes.
4. Add enough additional flour to make a soft, but kneadable dough, and turn out onto a floured surface. Knead for 5-10 minutes or until smooth and elastic.
5. Put dough back into mixing bowl, cover with wet tea towel, and let rise 1 hour.
6. Punch dough down, divide into two pieces, and roll into a rectangle, about 6″x18″. Starting from the short end, roll up jelly-roll style and place into two greased 4×8 inch loaf pans. Cover with wet tea towel and let rise 30-40 minutes, or until doubled.
7. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool before slicing.
Serves: varies, but the recipe makes 2 loaves.
White Sandwich Bread
taken from thefrugalgirl
5 3/4-6 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 pkg (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
2 1/4 cups milk (you can use water if you don’t do dairy)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon butter or vegetable oil
2 teaspoons salt
1. In a large mixer bowl, combine 2 1/2 cups of flour and yeast.
2. In a saucepan or in the microwave, heat milk, sugar, butter, and salt to 115-120 degrees.
3. Add hot liquids to flour and yeast. Beat at low speed until combined, then beat at high speed for 3 minutes.
4. Add enough additional flour to make a soft, but kneadable dough, and turn out onto a floured surface. Knead for 5-10 minutes or until smooth and elastic.
5. Put dough back into mixing bowl, cover with wet tea towel, and let rise 1 hour.
6. Punch dough down, divide into two pieces, and roll into a rectangle, about 6″x18″. Starting from the short end, roll up jelly-roll style and place into two greased 4×8 inch loaf pans. Cover with wet tea towel and let rise 30-40 minutes, or until doubled.
7. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool before slicing.
Serves: varies, but the recipe makes 2 loaves.
Sunday, December 22, 2013
Strawberry Holiday Salad
Every Thanksgiving and every Christmas, our family has a pretty set menu: turkey, green beans, dressing, sweet potato casserole, and strawberry salad. Sometimes we jazz it up with biscuits or muffins. If we're feeling really adventurous, the green beans will become the green bean casserole that I've previously referenced. But for the most part, our menu is set. We've figured out what tastes good. Strawberry salad is our traditional pseudo-dessert. It gets served alongside everything else, so you can eat it as a side dish if you want, but pretty much everyone eats it as dessert. After a lot of rich food, it's sweet enough but not too sweet, and it satisfies everyone's urge for a palate cleanser after turkey and gravy. An hierloom recipe in our house, for good reason.
Strawberry Holiday Salad
2 boxes strawberry jello
1 box frozen strawberries (do not defrost)
2 mashed bananas (you can also slice the bananas if you like your bananas chunkier)
1 1/2 cup boiling water
1 small can crushed pineapple
Stir jello and water together until jello is dissolved in boiling water. Add frozen strawberries, stir until strawberries are all separated. Add pineapple and bananas. Pour into 3 qt pyrex baking dish, refridgerate until set.
Serves: 6-8
Strawberry Holiday Salad
2 boxes strawberry jello
1 box frozen strawberries (do not defrost)
2 mashed bananas (you can also slice the bananas if you like your bananas chunkier)
1 1/2 cup boiling water
1 small can crushed pineapple
Stir jello and water together until jello is dissolved in boiling water. Add frozen strawberries, stir until strawberries are all separated. Add pineapple and bananas. Pour into 3 qt pyrex baking dish, refridgerate until set.
Serves: 6-8
Quick Sour Cream Rolls
These are addictively tasty, and they're fast to make. The one caution I would give is that they're buttery. So if you usually serve your biscuits in basket with a bread-cloth (this is how I was brought up, and is a staple for serving biscuits or muffins in the South), your bread-cloth may get stained with the butter in these rolls. So better to serve these with paper towels that can soak up any buttery residue instead of ruining a breadcloth on these tasty, tasty, TASTY rolls.
Quick Sour Cream Rolls
2 1/2 cups bisquick, DIVIDED (I always use bisquick, but you can use the biscuit mix of your choice)
8 oz sour cream
1/2 cup butter, melted
Preheat oven to 350F.
Combine 2 cups of the biscuit mix with the sour cream and butter. Stir well. Place the rest of the biscuit mix into a small bowl, and use it to flour your hands as you roll out tablespoon-sized balls from the mixed dough. Use two lightly-greased muffin tins (VERY lightly greased, as in, I usually don't actually grease the muffin tins because I don't need to. But if you really want to grease your muffin tins, err on the side of VERY LIGHT), and deposit three balls of dough per muffin cup.
Bake at 350F for 15-20 min, or until tops of rolls are golden brown. Turn them out of the muffin tin, and serve immediately.
Serves: 4-5. The yield here is 1 dozen rolls (two muffin tins' worth), but I'll guarantee you that everyone you serve will eat at least two of these things.
Quick Sour Cream Rolls
2 1/2 cups bisquick, DIVIDED (I always use bisquick, but you can use the biscuit mix of your choice)
8 oz sour cream
1/2 cup butter, melted
Preheat oven to 350F.
Combine 2 cups of the biscuit mix with the sour cream and butter. Stir well. Place the rest of the biscuit mix into a small bowl, and use it to flour your hands as you roll out tablespoon-sized balls from the mixed dough. Use two lightly-greased muffin tins (VERY lightly greased, as in, I usually don't actually grease the muffin tins because I don't need to. But if you really want to grease your muffin tins, err on the side of VERY LIGHT), and deposit three balls of dough per muffin cup.
Bake at 350F for 15-20 min, or until tops of rolls are golden brown. Turn them out of the muffin tin, and serve immediately.
Serves: 4-5. The yield here is 1 dozen rolls (two muffin tins' worth), but I'll guarantee you that everyone you serve will eat at least two of these things.
Friday, December 13, 2013
Mom's Pork Chops
The 'mom' in the title is actually my grandmother, from whom this recipe comes. It's simple, but tastes good and makes a great accompaniment to mashed potatoes on a night when you don't want to spend that much time making dinner.
Mom's Pork Chops
3 bone-in pork chops (you can use 2 or 4, just one chop for each person you intend to serve)
1 tbsp butter
1 small sweet onion, diced
1 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp prepared yellow mustard (whole grain mustard also works, but I prefer a smooth kind)
1 cup chicken stock
1 tsp Worchestershire sauce
Salt
Pepper
Salt and pepper pork chops, then brown on both sides in butter over medium-high heat. Remove from pan. Using same pan and remaining butter, brown onion. Add next four ingredients, and stir to make a sauce. Add the pork chops back in, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 20 minutes. Serve pork chops immediately with gravy for rice or mashed potatoes.
Serves:2-4
Mom's Pork Chops
3 bone-in pork chops (you can use 2 or 4, just one chop for each person you intend to serve)
1 tbsp butter
1 small sweet onion, diced
1 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp prepared yellow mustard (whole grain mustard also works, but I prefer a smooth kind)
1 cup chicken stock
1 tsp Worchestershire sauce
Salt
Pepper
Salt and pepper pork chops, then brown on both sides in butter over medium-high heat. Remove from pan. Using same pan and remaining butter, brown onion. Add next four ingredients, and stir to make a sauce. Add the pork chops back in, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 20 minutes. Serve pork chops immediately with gravy for rice or mashed potatoes.
Serves:2-4
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