Camille's room transforms into Carrie Bradshaw's NY apartment

I do happen to do other things besides cook and I wanted to showcase some of those things here as well. Camille is quickly, too quickly, turning into a teenager and decided that she wanted to update her bedroom's "little girl" decor. So, what teenage theme did she decide upon? Of course, the same thing any 12 year old girl would choose. . . Carrie's Sex in the City apartment. Well, after a little bit of research on-line, it was surprisingly easy to duplicate The look and feel of Carrie's single pad. a little paint and proper accessories and color scheme we rose to the challenge.
Here are the before and after pics along with my painting skills!

Kenny's Chicken & Sausage Gumbo

Just know from the beginning that the quantities of this recipe are for our annual Halloween block party, so it will serve a crowd! You can easily reduce the proportions and make just enough for your family. I learned to make this gumbo by assisting our Louisianan native neighbor. He has become infamous for this hearty soup. Neighbors now come from adjoining blocks just for a taste of this October tradition.
This year, Kenny was out of town and the incredible responsibility fell to me! Panic! Would I be able to pull off the 48 hour preparation? The roux was the most intimidating method I had to duplicate, this was an enormous pot to live up to. He toasts his flour dry, so I was horribly worried that I would burn it. This recipe happens in many stages, so be prepared to put in the time. Mine turned out fine, but not nearly as dark as Kenny gets his . . . mine was a light caramel his looks like a dark cinnamon or nutmeg color.
Following multiple calls and texts to Kenny and his wife for critical information and simple moral support, the gumbo was a success!
If I can do it, YOU can do it.


INGREDIENTS:

2 C flour, toasted

10 pounds chicken thighs, skin on
2-3 whole chicken breasts
Water
Pepper Corns, 2 bay leaves
celery leaves, one onion quartered, optional
6 pound of sausage


1 1/2 entire heads of celery, chopped (Hint: roughly cut then finish pulsing veggies in the food processor so they disappear when you saute them).
4 yellow onions, chopped
4 green peppers, chopped
6-8 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
1-2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
2-3 pkgs. frozen sliced okra
32 oz. of chicken broth, if needed

2 oz. butter
2 T olive oil
Salt and Pepper
File powder
1-2 T. Oregano
1-2 T. Cayenne, the spices are all to taste, add more if needed
2 bay leaves

White rice
Your favorite Hot Sauce


PREPARATION:
Step one: toast your flour. In a skillet, heat flour over low to medium low heat, stirring constantly to obtain a dark caramel color. Set aside. This can be done a day ahead or well in advance and stored in the freezer until you are ready to use. Be patient, this may take a while. I am afraid of burning it so I take an hour or so.

Step two: Place chicken thighs and breasts in a large stock pot, at least 6 quarts, along with the pepper corns and bay leaf, celery leaves and onion, cover with water. Bring the pot to a boil and allow to simmer an hour or two, until chicken is tender. I like to add some of the celery leaves and one onion to make a richer broth. Cool and de-bone the chicken, removing the skin and any fat, set aside. Strain the broth, throw out the solids and fat, store to use in the soup later. I like to do this step the day before, it makes it very easy to de-bone the chicken, once it has cooled and you can separate into smaller pieces, place in a plastic baggy Refrigerating the broth makes it easier to remove the fat.

Step three: Saute the veggies (all except the okra, that goes in at the very end) in olive oil and butter, 2-3 minutes. Add the seasonings and the reserved stock. (You may or may not need the extra 32oz of stock listed in the recipe, have it just in case.) Bring the gumbo to a boil and begin stirring in the roux. Dust roux over the top of the gumbo in 3-4 batches stirring each addition in completely prior to adding more roux. Repeat as many times as needed to reach the desired thickness, color and flavor. (Any left over roux can be stored in a baggy in the freezer for later use.) Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Meanwhile, slice the sausage. Cook the sausage in the oven, it is so much easier! Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place slices of sausage in the oven to bake at 350 degrees until nicely caramelized. Stir occasionally, drain on paper towel if needed then add to your stock pot. Simmer at least one hour.
The de-boned chicken can be added at this time too, if you want it to be shredded, allow it to cook longer and the chicken will completely fall apart. If you want the chicken to retain most of its shape, add it at the very end. Add the frozen okra and allow it to cook an additional 20 minutes. Remember to remove the bay leaves prior to serving.
As an option you could add a 28oz. can of crushed tomatoes, some gumbos have a more tomato base, but this one has so much flavor it doesn't need them.
Serve over steamed white rice, hot sauce on the side.

Ham & Bean Soup

Another busy weekend and with Beep arriving home I thought I would make something easy and satisfying to have around the house to feed the crew. I decided to change up the traditional version a little and add some noodles. Beep likes soups with noodles, so, why not? The one twist I was not planning on was Beep's addition of swiss cheese melted on top. I suppose it makes sense. Who doesn't like ham and swiss? I have to admit it was a brilliant addition. This soup will absolutely become a standard in the list of winter comfort food. I just hope it starts feeling a little more like winter here in Texas soon.




INGREDIENTS:
1 Large yellow onion, peeled and diced
3 Ribs celery chopped
3 Carrots peeled and diced
1 T Olive oil
1 T Butter
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
Fresh Cracked pepper
Pinch Kosher salt
5 C Chicken stock
1 C Water
2 Bay leaves
3 Small Ham Hocks, about 1 1/2 pounds
Additional Ham to cube and add to the pot
3 15oz.Cans of Great Northern & Cannellini Beans, I use one Northern and 2 Cannellini
Ditallini Pasta, cooked and drained
Swiss cheese, optional garnish

PREP:
In a large stock pot, heat the butter and olive oil. Add the onion, celery and carrot. I dice mine pretty finely, I like it to melt together and almost disappear.
Season with just a pinch of salt, you never know how much salt might be in the ham, garlic powder and plenty of freshly cracked pepper. Sweat, over medium low, for quite awhile until the veggies are very tender and translucent. Stirring occasionally. Add stock, water and ham hocks. Bring to a simmer and add additional cubed ham and beans. Allow to simmer at least 1-2 hours. Remove ham hocks and bay leaf. Meanwhile, cook pasta, drain and add to the stock pot.
Beep thinks that the flavor gets better the next day, so make it a day ahead if you like. I have to agree, the soup thickens with time and the flavors marry nicely.
When hot top with swiss cheese if desired. Melt cheese under broiler or in microwave on top of soup.

WOW

Beep came home from the Capital Grille with an incredible new wine find!! Since his first sip of this highly unusual crimson libation, we were hooked. A sparkling Shiraz??? I thought he had gone mad! A chilled, bubbly, red? I never would have imagined liking this wine.
The Chook, sparkling shiraz is a not at all sweet, wonderfully fizzy blend of red berries with a hint of licorice and pepper. This wine is a MUST try and the beautiful label as well as the price makes it a great gift.
We find it at Central Market, under $20. I have also found it on line listed at $15.99. This wine pairs perfectly with lamb.

WOW

I know it has been a very long time since my last wine post. Technically it is supposed to be wine of the week, but I knew it would turn into more of a wine of the month at best. I will try and do better, note to self drink more wine each week! Well, I hope it was worth the wait! I found a terrific new everyday red that is wonderfully dry and oh so drinkable. Kitchen Sink Red Table wine, has received glowing reviews. It may be a little bit sharp and tanniny(if that is even a word) for some, but I love it with a nice pasta dinner. I think Beep and I bought this one at Whole Foods for around 10 dollars. I love it! This California blend has a slight blackberry, oak and raisin finish but not very full bodied. Just a good everyday table wine.

Watermelon Martini

This summer my garden went wild with viney fruits and vegetables. I grew so many watermelons that I was forced to get creative. This is a fun appetizer or dessert, just something a little different!


INGREDIENTS:
1/2 C Water
1/2 C Granulated Sugar
3 Basil leaves
4-5 Spearmint leaves
1/2 C Vodka
Watermelon, cubed and chilled

PREPARATION:
Heat water, sugar, basil and mint in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until sugar is completely dissolved. Set aside and allow to cool. Stir in vodka and place syrup mixture in the freezer to chill. Meanwhile, cube watermelon and chill martini glasses. To serve, place watermelon cubes in chilled glasses and pour syrup over the fruit. Garnish with mint and basil.

My FIRST Watermelon

WOW! I was so surprised when taking the dogs out Saturday morning. I thought it might be a good idea to check the garden. There had not been a lot of veggies produced in the last few weeks, but we had a good amount of rain in Dallas the last few days, so I thought maybe, finally, I would find something. Boy, did I hit the jackpot! There was a suspicious looking group of leaves in the planter by the pool, I decided to target this spot. I carefully stepped in between the vines, taking care not to crush any of the delicate plants. I swept back the grouping of large leaves to find the watermelon resting on the ground. Like a proud parent I cradled it to the patio to rest in the morning sun and ripen to a lovelier shade of green.
I haven't cut it yet, but will post a recipe and picture when I do, maybe a minted vodka infused fruit would be fun. I suppose I could be a good mom and slice some for the kids too.

Ropa Vieja

Cuban food is something we dearly miss no longer being in South Florida. I have tried a number of recipes for this dish, one of Beep's favorites and mine with little success. This recipe is a hit! I decided Friday would be a great chance to try it, Beep was on his way home again from a week of working somewhere else and it was the perfect answer for a do ahead meal. I got the recipe while visiting my girlfriend in Tennessee, she had a book with basic homestyle dishes from various countries. I was so pleasantly surprised to find Ropa Veja was one of them! As with all new recipes, I made some slight changes. I always try to give the original as well as my changes. A few small ingredient changes and cooking time, I also served it with Quinoa instead of the traditional rice. We love Quinoa as a substitute, it is a yummy grain with added protien.

INGREDIENTS:
2 T Corn oil
2-3# Flank steak, split in two length wise. I used a 2# rump roast
Salt & Pepper
2 Bay leaves
1 Yellow onion, halved & un-peeled each half studded with a clove
2 Qts. Water, I used water plus 2 cups of beef broth to make a total of 2 Qts.
5 Garlic cloves
1/4 C Olive oil
1 T Cumin seeds
1 Cinnamon stick
1 Large yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 Red bell pepper, small dice
5 Plum tomatoes or 8 oz. can drained
3 T Capers, soak if they are salted, drain
Lime wedges and hot sauce for serving
Cooked Rice, I used Quinoa

PREP:
Pat the beef dry and season with salt and pepper. In a large, deep skillet or stock pot, heat the corn oil and brown the beef well on all sides. Drain any fat and cover with water/broth, 1 bay leaf, the studded onion halves and two cloves of unpeeled garlic. Turn heat to high and bring to a boil. When it comes to a boil, reduce to a simmer and partially cover, simmer for 2 hours and meat is tender.
Remove the meat from the pan to a dish and allow to cool, collecting any of it's juices. Strain the broth and reserve for later.
Peel and smash the other three garlic cloves. In the same pan, heat the olive oil until it shimmers, then add the garlic cloves, cinnamon stick and cumin seeds. Be careful not to over brown the garlic, reduce heat if needed. Heat approximately one minute, then add the onion and brown slowly over medium/low heat. Once the onions are browned add the second bay leaf and the red pepper. Cook until the peppers begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, add the tomatoes. I used fresh tomatoes, quartered and seeded them(I don't like the seeds they can make a sauce bitter). I also cooked the tomatoes long enough to remove the skin, it will peel easily after a few minutes in the hot pan. Then I added 1 cup of the broth as directed and allowed it to reduce over low heat for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, shred the beef. I added an additional 1/2 cup of the broth and mashed up the veggies with tongs to create more of a unified sauce. Remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaf, add the shredded meat and capers. It says to serve garnished with the capers, lime and hot sauce. I added the capers to the pan and allowed it to cook an additional 30 minutes so the meat could absorb the juices.
The Ropa Veja we used to get at our favorite cuban restaurants in South Florida was more of a sauce with the meat, that is why I deviated slightly from this recipe's directions, I wanted to create more of a sauce that didn't have identifiable veggies.
I am usually not a big hot sauce fan, but it was perfect with this dish, we prefer Crystal.

The Best Apple Pie

This apple pie originated from an old Florida friend and it is the best I have ever tasted. I love a pie with a double crust, a yummy buttery crust is my favorite part and this pie does not disappoint! The sugars and juices from the pie bubble out and coat the edges to become sweet and crunchy treat. The cream that you stir into the pie at the very end of adds an extra layer of decadence. I even cheat and often use store bought crusts instead of taking the time to make and roll my own.

INGREDIENTS:
2 Pie Crusts
3/4 C Sugar
1/4 C Brown sugar
2 T Flour
2 T Cinnamon
2 T Butter, cubed
3/4 tsp. Nutmeg
3 1/2 C McIntosh apples (4-5) peeled, cored and sliced
3 C Granny Smith apples (4) peeled, cored and sliced
1 egg, whisked with a little water (egg wash)
Large grain decorators sugar
1/2 C Whipping cream

PREP:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place one of the pie crusts in a 9 inch deep pie dish. (I baked it in a fluted tart pan shown above). Combine the sugar, flour and spices. Add the apple slices to the dry mixture and coat all of the slices. Fill the crust with apple mixture and dot with butter. Before placing the top crust you will need to cut holes to allow a place to pour in the cream. I usually tailor my cuts to the occasion. Stars are great for the summer/4th of July, apples, hearts, whatever shape strikes you. Place the decorated crust on top of the pie and pinch the edge closed. Brush crust with egg wash and sprinkle with decorative sugar. Bake for one hour or until the crust is golden and the apples are bubbling. Cover edges of crust with foil if they are getting too brown. Turn off the oven and remove the pie. Gently/slowly pour cram through the openings in the crust. Return the pie to the oven and allow it to remain in the warm oven for 20 minutes. Allow the pie to cool slightly, so the juices will set and the filling will not run everywhere, prior to cutting. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream. You can also reheat a slice in the microwave prior to serving, but this pie is much better served warm rather than cool.

Pappardelle with Bolognese

Beep was barely home 12 hours from our trip to Colorado when he had to leave for New Orleans, so I promised to make some homemade pasta when he returned home on Friday. I decided to do a different cut on the pasta as well as our regular thin spaghetti(the kids would want the thin) because I knew the pappardelle would hold up to the bolognese sauce better. I have learned my lesson and always cook something that will hold when Beep is on his way home, thank goodness I did last night. It was stormy in Dallas and he was delayed until 10, needless to say we had a very late dinner. Completely worth the wait!! I think that the sauce is better after it sits though, so it was perfect! I loved cutting the pasta into the wide pappardelle, it is quick and cooked beautifully.


INGREDIENTS:
3 Carrots, peeled
3 Celery stalks
1/2 Large yellow onion
4 Cloves garlic, peeled
1# Ground beef
1# Ground veal
1/2 # Ground pork, very lean
2 T Olive oil
1 T Butter
1/2 C 1% Milk & 1/2 C Cream, or 1 C Whole milk, I didn't have whole milk, so I use what I have.
1/2 C Red wine, plus a splash more
1/2 C Beef broth
1 C Crushed tomatoes
1 T Tomato paste, optional
1 T Sugar, optional, I use it to balance the tomatoes if they are to bitter
Salt & Pepper
Parmesan Cheese

Roughly chop the carrot, celery and onion and place in the food processor. Pulse a few times until the veggies are finely chopped. In a deep skillet, saute the veggies in 2 T Olive oil. Take your time and cook these long and over medium heat so you get really good caramelization. If the pan becomes too dry, add a tablespoon or so of butter. Cook about 20-30 minutes. Add ground meats and cook until brown, about 5-8 minutes. Add the milk and stir occasionally until the milk is completely absorbed, about 10 minutes. Deglaze the pan over medium high heat with red wine and beef stock. I add a good amount of wine and stock because I like my sauce to be a little wet, some people prefer a bolognese sauce to be on the dry side. Do what you like.
Add the tomatoes, along with the paste if desired and season with salt, pepper and sugar if needed. Allow sauce to cool, store in the refrigerator until ready to re-heat. I prefer making the sauce ahead even the day before, the flavor develops as the sauce sits. This is perfect for guests, you will have nothing to do but bring your sauce to temperature, which will allow you to enjoy their company as you prepare the rest of the meal.

ON VACATION

SORRY FOR THE LACK OF POSTING. . . WE HAVE BEEN ON SABBATICAL IN COLORADO FOR THE PAST 10 DAYS, BUT HAVE LOTS OF GREAT RESTAURANT PHOTOS!!! I WILL TRY TO GET SOME COOKING ACCOMPLISHED IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS BEFORE WE LEAVE TOWN AGAIN. OH WELL, THAT MEANS MORE GREAT RESTAURANT FOOD!

Steamed Clams with Italian Sausage

I'm not quite sure where this recipe came from, but I think Beep and I had something similar at a restaurant long ago, so I think I developed it from there. Regardless, it is fantastic! I don't have any other words to describe it, I am not a huge fan of clams or most seafood, but I can't get enough of them in this dish. Have some fresh crusty bread handy, the best part is dipping into the flavorful broth. Beep has been home for a couple of weeks and having his sis here to help out makes for more cooking and eating at home. Beep found the perfect clams at Rex's Seafood Market on Lovers Lane, they were the perfect size. Be sure to scrub them well prior to placing in the hot stockpot, there is nothing worse than sand and grit in the broth. This is one of those meals that could also be classified in comfort food. Eating it just makes you happy.


INGREDIENTS:1 Pound each Italian hot sausage and sweet sausage, slice into one inch pieces
1 T Olive oil
1 Small onion, halved and sliced 1/4 inch thin
3 Cloves garlic peeled, roughly chopped
1 C Chardonnay
1 C Chicken broth
1 15oz Can diced Italian tomatoes
4 Dozen small cherry stone clams, rinsed and scrubbed
Salt & Pepper to taste, approx. 1 tsp.
Crusty Italian bread for dipping

PREP:
In a large stock pot heat oil and saute sausage, stir occasionally and allow to brown.
Drain off any grease or use a paper towel to remove the liquid. Allow to cook approximately 10 minutes and add the onion, cook 5 minutes stirring occasionally and add garlic. Cook an additional 5 minutes and remove any remaining grease. Pour the wine over the mixture and allow to reduce by half, 5 minutes. Pour broth into pot and stir, place clams on top of the mixture and cover with a lid. Simmer, covered until the clams have opened. Pour into a large shallow serving dish and serve with bread.

A Quick Trip to the Big Easy

Beep and I had a short weekend trip to New Orleans and Baton Rouge, check out the video/food montage and this list of wonderful restaurants. We always hit the standard fare in New Orleans, this time we branched out and in the little time we had tried a few new places. We ate, drank, napped, then ate, drank and napped a little more.
Our first food stop was Lüke, Chef John Besh welcomes you to Lüke, his homage to the grand old Franco-German brasseries that once reigned in New Orleans. We started with spicy and wonderfully garnished bloody marys, followed by a not so light lunch, as we had intended, but I wouldn't have changed a thing. It was perfect! We had a reservation at Cochon, where chef Donald Link combines his German heritage with Cajun cuisine, in other words, MORE PORK. Well, long story short, we hit the Ritz concierge room and ended up missing our reservation. Some things happen for a reason. We ended up at the Davenport Lounge, downstairs and enjoyed some wonderful small plates and live music from Jeremy Davenport. A quick walk down Bourbon for some interesting people watching and an obligatory drink at The Old Absinthe House, we were home shortly after midnight. We awoke the following morning and enjoyed a light breakfast back at the concierge lounge, and headed north to Baton Rouge. Lunch at a great little Mediterranean spot and dinner at Jubans. It is worth repeating, if you only have one chance to visit New Orleans, you must visit the regulars, but if you are lucky enough to visit the crescent city more than once, change it up and get off the beaten path!
THE STANDARDS: (I wish we would have had time for!) Brennan's, Antoine's, Arnaud's, Mother's, Cafe Du Monde, The Pelican Club, August, Lafitte's Blacksmith Bar. These are just a few of our favorites in the Big Easy, as you can see it takes more than one weekend or one visit to enjoy all this city has to offer. I didn't even cover any of the spots on Magazine or the Garden District!

Tomato & Mozzarella Tart

A quick and easy recipe that is oh so versatile made with things from my garden! This large tart is perfect for lunch with a green salad on the side or when catering I make individual tarts in mini tart pans for a bite-size appetizer. Once again, this recipe can be changed to fit any occasion. Follow the basic preparation method and mix up the ingredients for an endless variety of tastes. A couple of variations to this simple tomato and cheese tart are: Mediterranean: a pesto with basil, thyme, parsley and marjoram topped with tomatoes, goat cheese, kalamata olives and artichoke hearts.
French: Caramelized onions and leeks with Gruyere and prosciutto (I know the meat is Italian.) Goat cheese, tomato and arugula, I could go on and on.

INGREDIENTS:
1 Pie crust (See recipe for Pate Brisee)or cheat and use a ready made Pillsbury crust.
4 1/2 T Pesto (See Basil Pesto recipe)
2 Medium tomatoes, sliced
1 Medium ball fresh Mozzarella, sliced
2 T Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
Kosher salt, to taste
Fresh cracked pepper, to taste

Serves: 6-8

PREP:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place pie crust in an 8 or 9 inch fluted tart pan. Place a piece of parchment paper over the dough and fill with pie weights or dried beans and bake 10-12 minutes. Remove weights and spoon pesto over the crust, bake an additional 6-8 minutes. Meanwhile, slice tomatoes and cheese. Remove crust from oven and top with tomatoes and cheese alternating slices. If the crust bubbles, prick with a fork or knife to deflate, prior to placing the slices. Sprinkle with Parmigiano and return to the oven to bake until edges are golden brown, approximately 15 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Cool enough to remove outer rim of tart pan, slice and serve or it can be served room temperature as well. Garnish with fresh basil if desired. Cover and store remaining slices in the refrigerator.

Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta

I recently came across this recipe for Panna Cotta and decided to give it a try. Beep always orders the light dessert at one of our neighborhood restaurants, so I thought, "why not make it for him at home?" Perfect for summer, this cool, creamy, much easier option to creme brulee is a joy to prepare. Quick and simple, no baking, it has become my new go to dessert. Just be sure to give yourself enough time for the chilling process, this is not a make at the last minute dessert. I was so pleased with the accuracy of the recipe, I wouldn't change a thing.


INGREDIENTS:
2 C Heavy cream
1 Vanilla bean
1/2 C Sugar
1 1/2 tsp. unflavored gelatin
1/2 C Whole milk
1/2 C Whole milk Greek yogurt, I used 2% and it was fine
Sliced strawberries for garnish, I made a blueberry sauce, see recipe below

In a small saucepan heat the cream over medium heat, split the vanilla bean, scrapping the seeds, place the seeds and bean in the cream. Add the sugar to the pan and bring to a simmer over medium-low, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, sprinkle the gelatin over the milk and allow it to soften. When the cream reaches a simmer, remove the vanilla bean, turn off the heat and stir gelatin mixture into the hot cream until dissolved. Stir in the yogurt and pour into eight 4oz. ramekins. Place all ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until set, at least 6 hours or overnight.
To serve, un-mold by dipping the bottom 3/4 of the ramekin in hot water and loosen with a knife. Invert onto a serving plate and garnish with your choice of berries, sauce or honey, whatever you like. Beep likes blueberry sauce with his, so that is why I chose to make it.

BLUEBERRY SAUCE:
2 cups fresh blueberries
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, I used a lime, it was what I had on hand.
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

PREP:

Wash and crush blueberries with a fork; add sugar, lemon juice and salt. Mix well. In a small saucepan, bring blueberry mixture to a boil; boil 1 minute. Add vanilla. Chill. (I kept it at room temperature to serve with the panna cotta.) I also made half this recipe and it was just enough for the eight servings.
Serve over puddings, cake, or ice cream.

Black Bean & Corn Salsa

I adapted this recipe from an old Fort Lauderdale friend's. We used to have a dinner club and one of the girls made a terrific rice salad with a cumin vinegarette. I eighty-sixed the rice to create this wonderful black bean and corn salsa. This is a great way to use left over corn on the cob, I always buy more than we can eat. You can use canned corn, but it just isn't the same.

INGREDIENTS:
2-3 Ears corn on the cob, cooked and cut from the cob
1 Small jalapeno, seeded and diced
1 15oz. Can black beans rinsed and drained
2 Small tomatoes seeded and diced
1/2 Small red onion, diced
Pinch Garlic powder
Pinch Adobo seasoning
Pinch Ground cumin
Salt & Pepper to taste
Fresh cilantro, chopped to taste, I like a bunch
1/4 C Cider vinegar
Olive oil added to vinegar to equal 1/3 C

PREP:
In a medium bowl, mix together all ingredients except vinegar and oil. In a small bowl whisk together vinegar and oil. pour over salsa and stir to coat. Store in refrigerator up to one week. Great served with chips, chicken or toss with cooked rice and make additional dressing for a rice salad.

Howard Ahren's Pickles

One of Beep's favorites, his mom got this recipe from the head of the kitchen at Pine Crest, Howard Ahren, hence the name. This is the perfect use for all of the cukes I now have growing in my garden. This pickle is the basic ice box cucumber or bread and butter pickle. A balance of sweet and sour with a few simple seasonings. I don't do anything different than Kim. I do slice the cukes and onions on my mandoline to make things easy. I peel the cukes, but don't take quite all the green. If you finish the pickles and still want more, simply slice up some more cucumber and onion and add them to the marinade and keep refrigerated up to one week.

My Summer Garden

I do actually do things other than cooking, I thought I might blog a little about them as well. My husband loves to say that, "For an Indiana farm girl, you have such a brown thumb." I think that I may have finally proven him wrong. Over the last two years I have taken to planting more than just my standard herbs and I think it has gotten slightly out of hand. This year Bo chopped away at an out of control Wisteria, clearing a small patch perfect for a little more than basil (See Basil Pesto and Tomato & Mozzarella Tart) and thyme. I was determined to raise the bar this year, so I planted all the regulars plus, watermelon, strawberries, cucumbers, tomatoes and onions. Great tip, by the way, the guys at the nursery know their stuff, they sold Beep hot peppers to plant along side the herbs and veggies to keep the pests away without using any chemicals!
So proud, I picked my first cucumber last week, thinking that all I was growing was vines and leaves I was astounded to find this 14 inch vegetable hiding under the large ground cover! I have included the spoon for scale at Beep's request. I also picked my first tomato and jalapenos this week. Related recipes to follow. Mom-mom made the best cucumber salad that is one of Beep's favorites, so it would be fitting to mix up a batch. Cucumber water is also a refreshing summer treat, or just a bowl of iced water, sliced cucumber and wash cloths by the pool may be the answer. (See Mom-mom's cucumber sandwiches and Howard Ahren's Pickles).
My blackberries were exceptionally good this year, very sweet, some Texans have told me that it was due to all the spring rain. (See blackberry buckle and blackberry lemonade).
So, get out there, get your hands dirty, make the kids dig along side you and reap the rewards of a bountiful garden full of memories and fantastic flavors to share with your family!

Austin Eatery Adventures

School is out and we had a quick family trip to Austin, one of our favorite weekend getaway destinations. We hit most of our favorite places, but it is difficult to fit them ALL in, only being there for a long weekend. Check out the links to our favorite spots and some photos of the yummy food we could fit into our busy schedule.
First stop and favorite pizza at HOME SLICE! The king of pizza parlors. Beep and I split our favorite, White Clam pizza. The kids filled up on Calzone, Cheese by the slice and Garlic Knots. Go early or be prepared to wait, even with the newly expanded spot next door, getting a seat is no easy task.
Day two: a late breakfast, early lunch of Crepes and we were off to South Congress for some family shopping adventures. Where else can you find cowboy boots, candy shops and Lucy in Disguise. Check out the the costumes, they never grow up!
We skipped our favorite local BBQ joints, Green Mesquite and Salt Lick and opted for a short drive to try something new. We headed over to Lockhart, with only minor amounts of whining from the backseat of, "How much further, are we there yet?" I suppose it was worth the drive, Beep had a beef rib that rivaled Fred Flintstone's famous carside treat and the family style food, history and atmosphere were an experience. We rounded out the trip with a Texas Steak House, Eddie V's. Texas has so many steak houses, this one is not much different from the rest, great selection of seafood though and Beep and I shared what was possibly one of the best desserts we have ever tasted. It was a variation on Bananas Foster that I don't even know how to begin to describe. We just thought it was YUMMY! Another late lunch at Juan in A Million was a must and well worth it. Again, go in between breakfast and lunch so you may not have to wait???? The queso with guacamole and ground beef is wonderful, AKA in Dallas as Bob Armstrong Dip.

Basil Pesto

Basil is another item in my garden that just keeps on giving. I end up having trouble coming up with ways to use it all summer long. Pesto is one of my favorites, and I love that it can be used in so may recipes. The basil is wonderful alone, but works great in pasta; warm pesto cream over your favorite noodle or tossed with a cold pasta salad. This weekend I whipped up a quick snack using the pesto. Instead of the standard pesto, sun-dried tomato and cheese terrine, I simply stirred a couple of spoonfuls of pesto into equal parts cream cheese and goat cheese, chopped some sun-dried tomatoes and stirred those into the mixture. Serve with crackers.

INGREDIENTS:
3 Large cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
1 tsp. Salt
1/4 C Pine nuts
2 C Basil
1/4 C plus 2 T Olive oil, the best quality
1/4 C Parmesan cheese, high quality freshly grated

PREP:
Place the garlic, salt, pine nuts and 2 T of olive oil into a blender. Blend, pulsing and scraping down the sides until the mixture is finely chopped. Add the basil to the blender and blend on low adding the remaining 1/4 C of oil. Blend in the cheese, just until mixed and taste for additional seasoning. Place in an airtight container, top with a small amount of oil to maintain color. I top with a layer of film(plastic wrap) pressed directly on top of the oil and then another layer of film over the container. Will store in the refrigerator up to one week. You can freeze for a month, but add the cheese after you thaw.

Blackberry Lemonade

One use that I have found for my blackberries growing in the back yard is this tasty beverage, that just screams SUMMER. Simple, quick and use whatever type of berries you may have on hand. You could also use limes and and make a limeade. I suggest doubling this recipe, it disappears way to quickly!





INGREDIENTS:
2 C Water
1 C Sugar
1 C Blackberries overflowing
1 C Lemon juice, freshly squeezed 4-5 lemons
2 C Cold water

PREP:
Put first 3 ingredients in a small pot and bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring occasionally. Turn heat down and simmer for five minutes. Squeeze lemon juice. Allow blackberry mixture to cool slightly and strain through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl large enough to hold all the ingredients. Press berries with the back of a spoon to release all the juices. Pour lemon juice through the strainer to remove any small seeds and pour in the remaining 2 cups of water and refrigerate.

Blackberry Buckle

This is me trying to use all my constantly ripening blackberries! It also happens to be one of my favorite recipes for summer time fruit. The recipe is from, The Amish Cook, a book filled with great stories as well as recipes. The original is Rhubarb Crunch, but since I am the only one in my family who will eat Rhubarb, I make it will blackberries or blueberries or I end up eating the entire thing!
INGREDIENTS:
1 C Granulated sugar
1 1/2 C plus 3 T flour
3 C Rhubarb, diced, I use blackberries or blueberries whole
1 C Brown sugar firmly packed
1 C Rolled oats
1/4 C Butter, softened
I also add the following,
*1/2 tsp. cinnamon and 1/2 tsp almond extract in the fruit mixture
Warm milk or cream for serving, or serve the crunch warm with vanilla ice cream.

PREP:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl, mix together the sugar and flour. Add the fruit and stir until evenly coated. Place in a greased 9X13, (I use a 10 inch round baking dish.) In another bowl, combine the brown sugar and oats, and cut in the butter to make a crumbly topping. Sprinkle the topping over the rhubarb mixture. Bake for 40 minutes, until the rhubarb juice bubbles up through the golden brown topping. Serve warm with milk or cream or ice cream.
Serves: 4-6

Super Rich Brownies

These brownies could quite possibly be the most decadent, chocolaty morsel you will ever put into your mouth. Please don't skimp, use a high quality chocolate. The method used in cooling these brownies gives them an almost truffle like texture.

INGREDIENTS:
4 oz. Butter, unsalted
4 oz. Unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 1/4 C Granulated sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
1/4 tsp. Salt
2 Large eggs
1/2 C All purpose flour
Foil
8 inch metal pan
Ice bath that will fit the 8 inch pan

PREP:
Line pan with foil, working in to corners and allowing a little to hang over the edges of the pan. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and place oven rack in lower third of your oven.
Melt butter and chocolate in a heat proof bowl over a pan of simmering water, stir to combine. Once melted, remove bowl from heat and stir in sugar, vanilla and salt, using a wooden spoon. Stir in eggs one at a time incorporating each completely. Stir in the flour and beat with the spoon about 1 minute, the batter should be smooth and glossy and come away from the sides of the bowl. Scrape batter into the prepared pan and bake 20 minutes. Rotate half way through cooking, I always do even if the recipe doesn't say so. The brownies should just begin to pull away from the sides of the pan and the top will look dry, but a toothpick WILL come out gooey.
While the brownies are baking prepare your ice bath. Immediately place baked brownie pan into the ice bath and allow them to cool completely in the bath. Take care not to splash any water on your brownies. When they have cooled, remove pan from ice bath and place on a dish towel to keep your work surface free of water. Lift brownies out of the pan using the foil overhang and invert onto cutting board. Peel away foil, invert again and cut into 16 squares. You can also make them go a little further for a party by cutting the squares in half into triangles as pictured. Trust me they are so rich even a small bite will satisfy your guests.

Fresh Pasta

So, my mothers day present from Beep was pasta attachments for my KitchenAid. Camille had gone shopping with Beep prior to mothers day and purchased some Tory Burch sandals, which I have yet to return, her heart was in the right place. The pasta attachments have already gone to good use. I am not sure what that says about my style, but I know I will get more out of making fresh pasta for the family than wearing those shoes. I sort of over did it on the first batch, I made one and a half times the recipe listed in the KitchenAid booklet and it has lasted all weekend. I am including the recipe from the book as well as a Duck Egg version that Carole an I have been making. My friend Carole gets duck eggs at our local farmers market, I haven't noticed a dramatic difference in taste, but the color of the duck egg pasta is a vibrant yellow. Fresh pasta is terrific, tender and light. I remember as a child my great grandmother coming over on Saturdays to make fresh noodles, she was German, we called them noodles, not pasta. It is a tradition we have slowly retreated from in this day of instant gratification. The older my children become, the more I realize the importance of putting a little more time and a little bit more of myself into the everyday things I do for my family. Creating something with your hands and heart that gives the people you love so much happiness is a feeling with which nothing can compare. I highly recommend it! There are so many variations, types of flour, look up your own recipe, try an old family favorite, just do it, find your favorite, make it a tradition for your family.
INGREDIENTS:
4 Large eggs
1 T Water
3 1/2 C Flour
1/2 tsp. Salt

Prep:
Place eggs, water, flour, and salt in mixing bowl. Attach bowl and flat beater, trun to speed 2 and mix 30 seconds. Change to dough hook and turn to speed 2 and knead 2 minutes. Remove dough from bowl and hand knead for 1-2 minutes. Let the dough rest covered by a bowl for 20 minutes. Divide dough into 4 pieces before processing with Pasta sheet roller. Cook pasta in boiling salted water until desired doneness. I mixed the pasta by hand in a bowl, making a well with the dry ingredients and pulling the wet ingredients in with a fork. When recreating the recipe one and a half times I did need to add an extra egg and a little bit more water to reach the desired consistency. Allowing the dough to rest under a bowl makes all the difference, don't skimp on time.

DUCK EGG PASTA
This recipe from Bravo TV, Top Chef Masters, Season 1
2 cups all purpose flour
4 duck egg yolks
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup cold water
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Knead everything together till smooth and elastic. Allow to rest 1/2 hour, make fettuccine in the usual fashion. Cook pasta till al dente. Then while still hot toss with sauce and plate.

Sweet & Spicy Pecans

These sweet and spicy nuts were originally an ingredient to top a salad, but I loved them so much I make them as a snack. They are still an amazing addition to a simple salad, simply chopped and sprinkle away. I always make at least a double batch, the quantities are listed below, but you can easily cut in half or double again when cooking for a crowd. The pecans also make a great gift when bagged. Try to make them when the weather is dry, the humidity will cause them to become extremely sticky.
INGREDIENTS:
Non-stick cooking spray
6 T. Light corn syrup
3 T. Granulated sugar
3 C. Pecans
1 tsp. Ground pepper
1/2 tsp. Cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tsp. Salt

Prep:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and spray with non-stick spray. Mix all ingredients except pecans. Add pecans to syrup mixture and stir gently to coat. Pour the pecans onto the baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes. Stir pecans and continue to cook for an additional 10 minutes until bubbly. During baking spread a large piece of foil to put pecans on after baking. Pour hot pecans onto the foil and separate as much a possible with a fork. Allow pecans to cool completely and break apart individual pecans. Store in an airtight container up to three days.

Chile Cheese Crackers

These light and buttery crackers are the grown up version of cheez-its! Spicy, Flaky, and oh so delicious. I love this dough from Shannon Swindle, it comes together so easily and the crackers bake up perfectly every time. I always make a double batch, the cheese usually comes in blocks of 8 ounces anyway and it is easy to roll all the dough, cut and freeze some for later. It is nice to have a baggy full in the freezer so you can bake and eat at a moments notice. Half of a double batch fits perfectly in my food processor and I just add both halves to my kitchenaid and mix.
INGREDIENTS:
8 oz. Unsalted butter, cold and cubed
4 oz. Sharp cheddar cheese, grated
4 oz. Pepper jack cheese, grated
8 oz. Flour
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Black pepper
1 tsp. Chile powder
1/2 tsp. Ground cumin
1/4 tsp. Cayenne pepper

PREP:
Mix all of the ingredients in a large bowl. In small batches, I can do one batch with the amounts listed above in my processor. Get an equal amount of the ingredients if doing it in batches. Pulse, until the cheeses and butter is cut into the dry ingredients. When this is done, place mixture into an electric mixer fitted with the paddle and mix on low until the dough comes together. It won't seem like it, but suddenly it will form a ball and hold together. Pull a good size length of plastic wrap on the counter. Form half of the mixture into a ball and flatten out on the plastic wrap to about an inch thickness, this will make it easier to roll later. Wrap tightly in the plastic wrap and chill at least 2 hours. To roll out dough, allow to sit a few minutes at room temperature then roll on a lightly floured surface to 1/8 inch thick. Cut with a 1 inch pastry cutter, square, round or any shape you might have. In this picture I used a fluted square. Place crackers on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees until puffed and browned. (I also put the pan with the crackers back in the refrigerator for a few minutes to re-chill the dough prior to baking.) I bake them for 6 minutes rotate and then bake an additional 6 minutes. Cool crackers on a wire rack to cool. Cool completely and store airtight 2-3 days. The crackers are very delicate so handle with care.
To freeze, cut into crackers and freeze on a parchment lined sheet in a single layer. Once frozen store in a freezer baggy labeled with the date. Dough can be frozen up to one month.

Focaccia

Another recipe that is well worth the time. There is nothing that can compare to freshly baked homemade bread. Plan ahead, it is one of those things that you fool with a little everyday and the more you do it the easier it gets. The Poolish can be made up to three days in advance, the longer you let it ferment prior to baking the more intense the flavor in the final product. I prefer to give it at least one day.

INGREDIENTS:
Poolish
2 1/2 C Unbleached bread flour
1 1/2 C Water, room temp.
1/4 tsp Instant yeast

Prep:
Stir together the flour, water and yeast in a mixing bowl until all of the flour is hydrated. The dough should be soft and sticky. Cove the bowl with plastic wrap and ferment at room temperature for at least 3-4 hours. The sponge will become bubbly and foamy. Immediately refrigerate the dough, it will keep up to 3 days.

Focaccia:
3 C Poolish
2 2/3 C Bread flour
2 tsp. Salt
1 1/2 tsp. Instant yeast
6 T Olive oil
3/4 C Water, lukewarm
Non-stick cooking spray
1/4-1/2 C Herb Olive oil or Plain Olive oil
Topping: Kosher salt, 1 1/2 T Rosemary or other Herb of choice, 1 C Caramelized onions, Cheese, use your imagination!

Prep:
One hour prior to making the dough, remove poolish from the refrigerator and allow to rest at room temperature.
In a mixing bowl, mix together, flour, salt and yeast with an electric mixer. Add the oil, poolish and the water, mix with the paddle attachment until it forms a large sticky ball. Switch to the dough hook attachment and mix on medium for 5-7 minutes, or as long as it takes to form a smooth, sticky dough. The dough should clear the sides of the bowl. You may need to add some additional flour to reach this stage.
Sprinkle a 6 inch square area of flour on work surface and transfer dough to the flour. Dust dough with additional flour and pat into a rectangle. Allow dough to rest 5 minutes and relax.
Coat your hands with flour and stretch the dough from each end to twice its size and fold it letter style and return to rectangular shape. Mist the top of the dough with non-stick spray and dust with flour again, cover with plastic wrap.
Allow dough to rest 30 minutes, then stretch and fold again, mist, dust with flour and cover. Rest 30 minutes then repeat this step again.
During the final rest, line a rimmed baking sheet (half sheet pan) with parchment. Drizzle 1/4 C of the Olive oil over the paper and spread to cover the bottom of the pan with your hands or a brush. Oil your hands and using a metal dough scraper, lift dough into the prepared pan retaining the rectangular shape. Pour the remaining oil over the top of the dough and using your finger tips only, dimple the dough spreading it to fill the pan as much as possible. You should reach a thickness of 1/2 inch. DO NOT use the heal of your hand to press the dough. Dimpling the dough to spread with your finger tips will allow gas to remain in the non dimpled sections. You do not need to reach the edge of the pan, the dough will rest an additional 15-30 minutes and will grow as it proofs.
Heat oven to 500 degrees, with the oven rack in the middle of your oven. You can sprinkle with salt at this time, other toppings will need to wait until later in the baking process. Place the pan in oven and lower the temperature to 450 degrees. Bake for 10 minutes. Rotate the pan 180 degrees and continue baking for 5-10 minutes until the dough begins to turn a light golden brown. At this point, add toppings, sprinkle over bread and bake an additional 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and immediately transfer focaccia out of the pan and onto a cooling rack. Peel parchment away if it is stuck to the bottom of the bread. Allow to cool for 20 minutes prior to cutting.

Thomas Keller's Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Don't allow the steps and number of ingredients listed in this recipe deter you, it is simple and well worth the 20 minutes or so of preparation. As a young girl, I remember my mom always making pineapple upside down cake, with those perfect canned rings and bright red cherry placed deliberately in the middle. I haven't really given the cake much thought since those days, but seeing Thomas Keller's version in Wine Spectator sparked my interest once again. I was visiting my best bud Becky in Nashville and thanks to the flood, had an extra day to spend there and do some baking. Not even Thomas escaped a few small changes, I have noted them in the ingredient list and instructions. I have made the cake twice now and although my husband commented that, "it is a little boozy," I plan on making it again! More recipes from Nashville to come, it was three solid days of rain and cooking.

INGREDIENTS:
Schmear:
8 T Butter, softened
1 1/2 T Honey, I used a very light honey
1/2 tsp. Dark Rum
1 C Brown sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla, he suggests paste, I used liquid
Kosher salt

PREPARATION:
Mix all ingredients except salt until smooth. Spread 1/3 C in the bottom of a 9 inch silicone cake pan. Sprinkle with salt. Mr. Keller didn't say what to do with the remaining Schmear, so I used all but 2 T of it in the bottom of a spring form pan. Only use the spring form if you have a very tight seal. You can check it by filling the sealed pan with some water. The second time I used it I was with another friend and the pan leaked, you don't want that mess in your oven. I also greased and dusted the sides of the pan only, the cake pulls away beautifully.

Cake:
1 Pineapple
1 1/3 C Cake flour
2 tsp. Baking powder
8 T Butter, softened
1/2 C plus 2 T Granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. Vanilla
2 Large eggs
1 T plus 1 tsp. Milk
I also added 1/2 tsp. of the rum to the cake and a pinch of salt
PREPARATION:
Beat butter and sugar on medium speed for 3 minutes. In another bowl mix flour, baking powder and salt. Cut top and bottom ends off of the pineapple, cut away all the outer peel. Cut pineapple from end to end into quarters and trim away the core on each quarter. Slice wedges into 1/8-1/4 inch slices and arrange slices in a circle beginning at the outside of the cake pan and slightly overlapping the slices until you reach the center and the schmear is completely covered.
Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl with butter mixture and add vanilla and the eggs one at a time, scraping again as needed. Add milk and beat in flour in 3 batches, just until combined.
Spread the batter over the pineapple and bake at 350 degrees, 15 minutes. Rotate the pan 180 degrees in the oven and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes. Test with a toothpick. Cool in the pan 20-30 minutes, if you can wait that long, we couldn't and it came out of the pan just fine. Run a knife around the pan to loosen the edges and invert onto a serving platter. The cake will store at room temperature for 2 days.

Ina's Peanut Butter & Jelly Bars

The first time I saw Ina make this on her beach volleyball episode, I fell in love with the recipe. Nothing goes together like peanut butter and jelly! The best part is you can pick your favorite flavor of jelly. We have done all the traditional flavors, strawberry, grape, cherry, but I recently used apricot and it may very well be my new favorite. One small note, not a lot of changes on this one, but in my opinion Ina's recipe makes a little bit too much peanut butter dough for the size of the pan. This can be remedied one of two ways, I use the desired amount and freeze the leftover dough for another time or use a slightly larger pan, two 8X8 pans will work. Haven't tried it yet, but I bet the dough would make great thumbprint cookies. I have tried baking it on its own as a shortbread dough, but something is lacking, it needs the fruit.
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 Pound unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 C Granulated sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
2 Jumbo eggs, room temperature
2 C (18oz.) Creamy peanut butter, Ina uses Skippy, I use Jiff
3 C Flour
1 tsp. Baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
1 1/2 C (18oz) Jam, your favorite flavor
2/3 C Salted peanuts chopped optional, I don't usually add them

Prep:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray, paper, spray your pan, Ina says to paper, grease and flour, but I don't. I hate messing with the flour coating the pan.
In you electric mixer, with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium until light yellow. 2 minutes. Add the vanilla, eggs and peanut butter, mix on low until combined.
Mix dry ingredients, Ina says sift them, but I just stir in the salt and powder then add them to the peanut butter mixture. Mix on low just until combined.
Ina says spread 2/3 of the dough into the 9X13 cake pan, I spread about a half inch layer. Spread the jam evenly over dough, an offset spatula works best as does stirring the jam well prior to spreading. Pinch small bits of remaining dough and place on top of the jam. Don't worry about covering all the jam completely. Sprinkle with chopped nuts if desired and bake about 45 minutes, until golden brown.
Remove from pan, cool and cut into squares. Enjoy with a really big glass of really cold milk!

Velvety Chocolate Cake

I know I say this a lot, but I have a few variations for this cake too. You can make the basic batter, pour it into the desired baking dish or spice it up with the variations listed below. This batter mixes for 10 minutes which may seem strange to some of you bakers, but believe me the mixing does not lead to a tougher batter. The version pictured above is a mini cupcake with plain icing. The cupcakes pop out perfectly even if your pan is ungreased, just allow to cool slightly and loosen edges with a knife and lift the cupcake out gently or flip pan over and allow them to spill out, continue cooling on a wire rack. Place wire racks over sheets of parchment and scoop a small amount of warm icing over each cupcake allowing it to run over the edges. Baked in paper loaf pans this cake makes a terrific gift.

CAKE INGREDIENTS:
4 3/4 oz. Cake flour
4 oz. Bread flour
3 1/2 oz. Cocoa powder
14 oz. sugar
3/8 oz. Baking soda
1/8 oz. Baking powder
Pinch Salt
8 oz. Coffee, cooled
8 oz. Buttermilk
5/8 C Eggs
4 oz. Butter, melted
1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla

VARIATION: add 1/4 oz. cinnamon to the dry ingredients
PREP:
Place all dry ingredients in the bowl of your electric mixer, mix just to combine with the paddle attachment. In a Large measuring cup combine coffee, buttermilk and vanilla. Pour 1/4 of this mixture into the melted butter. Slowly add the coffee/buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients, mixing on low speed. Next add the butter mixture to the mixing bowl, mix until combined. Slowly add the eggs while mixing on low speed. Mix for 2 minutes on 1st speed, then mix for 10 minutes on 2nd speed. Spray, paper, spray your desired cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for about 50-60 minutes for a large cake pan. Loaf pans check at 40 minutes with a tester, 40-50 minutes. Cupcakes 20-30 minutes depending on mini or regular size pan. **Cupcake pans do not need to be sprayed, but I remove them quickly before they cool, loosen the edges with a sharp knife and flip pan over to dump cupcakes onto a clean surface. Lift any stubborn cupcakes with the knife. Allow cakes to cool in pan on a wire rack.


ICING INGREDIENTS:
4 oz. Butter, melted
6 T. Buttermilk
1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla
16 oz. Powdered sugar
1/2 C Cocoa powder

VARIATIONS: Add 1 1/2tsp Instant espresso powder and 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon for a Mexican Chocolate Cake. Add 1 1/2 C chopped and toasted pecans to the icing.

PREP:
Melt butter over medium heat. Add all ingredients except sugar, whisk until smooth. Remove from heat. Place the sugar in the bowl of your electric mixer and pour the cocoa mixture over the sugar. Beat until smooth with whisk attachment. Stir in pecans if desired. Pour over cakes or cupcakes quickly before the icing sets.

Braunschweiger Dip

What a classic 60's - 70's appetizer, maybe it is only classic because we are German. Does everyone enjoy Braunschweiger? I can remember my dad slicing it with cheese and crackers for a Saturday night snack. Beep still loves it sliced thin with red onion as a sandwich. This recipe is written by my Grandmother, Betty. I don't really remember her ever serving it, but nothing says 70's childhood like cheese balls and meat log appetizers. I am sure it was a hit!

Pecan Pastry

This is the same filling recipe that is listed in the Pecan Toffee cookie. I really like using it for individual pastries or as a large tart that can be cut into individual servings. Use the blitz pastry recipe, or if you are in a big hurry, use a box pastry dough, I have used it in other recipes, but I will list it individually as well.
The pastry that is pictured is cut with a square cutter approx. 2 1/2 inch for the bottom piece, the top is cut from the same size but with a 1 inch square cut to allow for the filling. To assemble, moisten the outside edges of the bottom piece of dough with a little water and place the center cut piece of dough on top and press lightly to seal the two together. Scoop a teaspoon or so of filling into the small square, I use a 70 scoop. Bake them at 350 degrees rotating once or twice during baking 25-28 minutes. I set the time every 7 minutes or so and just check them until they have puffed and are golden. You can skip all the fuss and stuff some pastry dough into a round 9 inch or so tart pan and pour all the filling in and bake until golden. Slice and serve warm with vanilla ice cream!
Add a touch of Kahlua for extra goodness. FYI: A triple batch of filling will yield approximately 70 individual tarts.

Filling:
2 eggs
1 1/2 C brown sugar
2 T melted butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 C finely chopped pecans
you can also add a splash of Kalua along with the vanilla flavoring
powdered sugar for dusting

Lime Curd

Nothing screams Spring, like lime or lemon curd. Tart and fresh with that hint of sweetness, curd is the perfect wake up your palate dessert. This recipe is from Gale Gand, her recipe is for Lemon Curd, but you can substitute any citrus fruit you like. I made lime curd for these tarts, so I have written the recipe with lime juice.
I love the simplicity of this recipe, top the tarts with whipped cream or meringue. Gale serves the curd as a dip with phyllo triangles that have been coated with butter and sugar.

Ingredients:
2 Eggs
1/2 C. Sugar
Zest of 1/2 a lime
1/3 C. Freshly squeezed lime juice
2 T. Cold unsalted butter cut into cubes

PREP:
In a medium saucepan (your mixing bowl should be able to sit on top of the pan) bring about an inch of water to a simmer. Meanwhile, in a metal or glass mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together until very light yellow and fluffy. Whisk in the lemon zest and juice. Rest the mixing bowl over Cook, slowly, whisking often until the mixture is thickened and custardy, 10-15 minutes. The mixture should coat the back of a spoon and hold, run your finger through the custard and the line should stay in place and not run back together. Remove the bowl from the pan and whisk in the cold butter. Transfer to an airtight container and allow to cool completely. Cover and refrigerate once cool for at least 2 hours. The curd will hold in the refrigerator up to one week.

Ginger Crinkle Cookies

Unlike the ginger stars that are also included in this blog, these ginger cookies are of the CHEWY variety. This dough comes together so easily, I absolutely love mixing it and it is also easily doubled. Like almost all my cookies this dough can be scooped, frozen then bagged and stored in the freezer for easy baking at any time. Just remove the desired amount from your freezer, preheat the oven and roll them in sugar prior to baking.

INGREDIENTS:
2 1/4 C Flour
1/4 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Baking soda
2 tsp. Cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. Ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp. Ground cloves
1 Large egg
1/2 C Canola oil
3 T. Butter, melted
1/4 C plus 1 1/2 T. Molasses
1 C Light brown sugar
1/2 C Granulated sugar, to coat the unbaked cookie

PREPARATION:
In a large bowl, stir together all dry ingredients, first six on the list. In mixing bowl, mix on low speed, remaining ingredients,EXCEPT GRANULATED SUGAR, scrape the sides if needed and begin incorporating the flour mixture. Once all the flour has been absorbed, stop mixing. Scoop dough with the desired size cookie scoop (a 40 scoop will make a normal size cookie) or form into 1 1/2 inch balls. Prior to baking roll each cookie in the reserved granulated sugar to coat all sides. Place two inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet, bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes rotating the pans once during baking. Slide parchment with cookies onto a wire rack to cool.

Banana Bars

I was amazed to find that I had not posted this recipe prior to now! I make this recipe often, because my kids never eat the bananas I buy before they get too ripe. This recipe is so versatile, feel free to experiment and create your own yummy treat. The original is baked as a bar in a jelly roll or half sheet pan, but I also bake them in mini loaf pans or muffin tins of any size and they bake up perfectly, you just need to adjust the baking time accordingly. I have also developed a caramel version that is fantastic, I saturate them with flavored simple syrups, frost them with various icings, the possibilities are endless. I usually omit the nuts, but have listed them in the recipe and I add cinnamon.

Yields:
6 dozen 2X1 inch bars
24 muffins, double the amount mini muffins
3-4 small loafs

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 C Granulated sugar
1 C Sour cream
1/2 C Butter, softened
2 Eggs
1 1/2 C Mashed bananas (3 Large)
2 tsp. Vanilla
2 C Flour
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Baking soda
1/2 C Chopped nuts
Vanilla Glaze

PREPARATION:
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix sugar, sour cream and eggs on low speed in a large bowl for one minute. Scrape bowl if needed. Beat in bananas and vanilla on low for 30 seconds. Mix in dry ingredients, not nuts, on medium speed for one minute, scrape bowl if needed. Stir in nuts. Spread into a greased and floured half sheet pan, 15 1/2X10 1/2X1 inch, Bake until light brown, 20-25 minutes, a toothpick will come out clean. Cool. Frost with Vanilla Glaze and cut into bars.
VANILLA GLAZE:
Mix 2 C Powdered sugar, 1/4 C softened butter, 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla and 2 T. hot water.
Stir in 1-2 tsp. additional hot water if needed until you reach a spreadable consistency.

VARIATIONS:
*Use Almond extract in place of the vanilla in the glaze.
*Bake in small paper loaf pans and brush with a rum/banana liquor simple syrup immediately after baking. Drizzle with frosting, these make great gifts.
*Caramel muffins: 1 Jar caramel sauce. Fill muffin tins 1/3 full with batter, top with 1/2 tsp. of caramel sauce then top with batter to fill muffin tins to 3/4 from the top. Muffins will take longer to bake, approximately 30-35 minutes depending on the size. Test with a toothpick for doneness.

Luella's Escalloped Pineapple

I wanted to post some hand written recipes from family members who have passed away. Seeing the words on the well worn index card in my grandmother's handwriting is a special feeling, one that makes the recipe even more valuable. Learning to create these dishes, family traditions, passed down from generation to generation, it is the literal definition of COMFORT FOOD. I take great comfort in knowing that I will have these to share with my family and friends long after the ink has faded. Luella, ( AKA, Little Grandma Newman)was my great-grandmother, the mother of my mother's father (follow that one?), I was surprised to see her name on the recipe, because this is a recipe my mom's mother made for holidays. Betty, (AKA, Big Grandma Newman, because she was taller) didn't cook very often, especially from scratch. This recipe is written by her and we serve it every Thanksgiving and Christmas as a side dish. It is sort of more like a dessert.
Ingredients:
1 Qt. Bread crumbs (hand torn)
2 C. White sugar
3 Eggs beaten
1/2 C. Butter, melted
1/2 C. Whipping cream
1 Large can crushed pineapple with the juice
Mix sugar, butter, eggs, cream and pineapple. Stir in bread crumbs. Allow to sit for a moment, bread will absorb the liquid, while you prepare a casserole dish and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake in greased glass or ceramic dish approximately 30-45 minutes. The pineapple will be set and golden brown.

WOW

BIG Whoop!
Last weekend Beep & I decided to spend a thrilling night out, spending our Friday evening having dinner at one our new Thai spots and topping it off with a visit to the new Whole Foods in Dallas. Married nearly 20 years, we enjoy the simple things. This WOW is one of them.

BIG Whoop! 2008 Red Wine, South Eastern Australia is a wonderful surprise. Everything about this wine is FUN! The taste, the attitude and the size of the bottle( 1 Litre) are all simply fabulous. Oh, I almost forgot . . . the screw top and the cost, both equally as fabulous. Easy to drink and easy to buy, the price was great for an every day wine; $12.99 at Whole Foods. Here is what the bottle has to say: There's this nice wine right. From Australia. It's a cracker. Nice big-bodied red blend with a lot of flavour and a good dose of spice on the palate. What a beauty! Better still, it's in this very BIG bottle.

Palmiers

One of our families favorite sweet treats, so I had to try this recipe when I came across it in an old Gourmet magazine. Because this recipe uses a puff pastry, be patient, the roll and chill time seems like a lot of work, but you can break up the preparation time over a couple of days. Make the pastry dough a day ahead and roll and bake the cookies the following day. I find that when baking any pastry, chill the ready to bake product on the actual lined cookie sheet prior to baking (place the cookies and the sheet in the refrigerator or freezer for just a few minutes) and your final product will come out much better.
Reminder: as with all recipes containing few ingredients . . . use THE BEST QUALITY ingredients. I especially like using a great quality European butter with this recipe. I always use unbleached flour too.

Ingredients:
1 1/4C Flour(unbleached)
1 tsp. Salt
1 1/2 Sticks unsalted butter, frozen
5-6 T Ice water
1 C Sugar
2 tsp. Cinnamon

Yield: 6 dozen cookies


Preparation:
In a chilled metal bowl, stir together flour and salt. Coarsely grate frozen butter into bowl, toss with flour to coat butter. Drizzle 5 T of water over mixture and gently stir with a fork until incorporated. Test mixture by squeezing in your hand, it should hold together without crumbling apart. If necessary,add an additional T of water, stir just until mixed, do not over mix the dough, and test again to see if it holds together.
Form dough into a 5-inch square, wrap in plastic and chill at least 30 minutes. On a floured surface, roll dough to a 15x8 inch rectangle, with short side near you. Brush off excess flour, fold into thirds, like a letter re-wrap and chill at least 30 minutes. Beginning with the short side near you, roll, fold and chill 2 more times. Following your last fold, cut dough in half, crosswise with a sharp knife,wrap halves separately and chill 1 hour.
Stir together sugar and cinnamon, then generously sprinkle a clean work surface with some of cinnamon sugar and place 1 piece of chilled dough on top. Quickly roll out into a 16- by 12-inch rectangle (1/8 to 1/16 inch thick; if dough becomes too soft, chill on a baking sheet until firm). Trim edges with a sharp knife. Sprinkle top of dough evenly with some cinnamon sugar to cover completely, brushing off any excess. Roll 2 opposite long sides of pastry so they meet in center. Roll both sides of pastry in same manner, then fold one half over the other (like a book) and press gently with a rolling pin to flatten slightly, forming a long rectangular log. Sprinkle with additional cinnamon sugar if dough is sticky.
Chill on a baking sheet, uncovered, until firm, at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours. Meanwhile, repeat with remaining piece of dough and cinnamon sugar.
Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in middle. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut 1 log of dough crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices with a sharp knife and arrange slices, cut sides down, 1 1/2 inches apart on baking sheet. Bake until puffed and golden around edges, 7 to 9 minutes. Remove from oven and turn palmiers over with a spatula. (If palmiers begin to unroll, gently press to reshape when cooled slightly.) Continue baking until golden all over and sugar is caramelized, 3 to 5 minutes more. Transfer as done (palmiers may not bake evenly) to a rack and cool. Make more cookies on cooled baking sheet lined with fresh parchment.
Store in an airtight container, HUMIDITY will have a very negative effect on these cookies. Check out one of my favorite gadgets listed to help with this problem.