Soooooo. You should make this.

I know. I say that all the time. BUT.

I really mean it. Really really.

I’d have to say this is in the top ten of things I’ve ever made. Yeah. For serious. Which is like… the top ten in a million things. Big deal.

And it totally took me by surprise. Gave me a big, fat punch of bewilderment square in the face.

I mean, I expected it to taste good. Obviously. But like… not THAT good.

My grandma always loved this little swiss almond cheese spread that came in a plastic container, and my mom still often buys it to serve with snacks and appetizers. It’s delicious smeared on crackers, but I decided it would be more delicious if someone combined a ton of toasted almonds with a few plentiful thousand handfuls of cheese.

I was right.

Happy happy joy joy.

I mean, just look at that hot, melty mess down there. I can’t even tell you how freaking good this is.

NOW MAKE IT FOR THE SUPER BOWL! Orrrr… just because you are awesome.

Toasted Almond Parmesan Dip

makes about 1 1/2 cups of dip

6 ounces cream cheese

2 ounces mascarpone cheese

1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

3/4 cup sliced toasted almonds

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a bowl, combine cream cheese, mascarpone, parmesan and 1/2 cup almonds. Mix with a spoon to combine, then press into a baking dish. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven and top with remaining almonds. Serve with crackers and pita chips!

Note: you can use low-fat cream cheese since the mascarpone has fat in it; not sure about using fat-free.

You are awesome, right?

  Who can resist buttery, flaky breadsticks made of puff pastry? Not me! And you thought puff pastry was only for tarts and pies.

If you can use a rolling pin, mix a few spices together, sprinkle some cheese, and twist strips of dough together, you will love this recipe for Spicy Cheese Breadsticks by Tasty Kitchen member Heather Christo.

     

I have a feeling most of you have some if not all of these ingredients in your kitchen: puff pastry, flour, shredded cheddar cheese, fennel, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, poppy seeds, and kosher salt.

     

Heather’s blend of spices is what makes these breadsticks yummy!

     

First you will need to generously flour a clean surface for rolling dough. Unfold the puff pastry and roll it as thin as you can. Make sure to retain the square shape as closely as possible. Periodically check to make sure the dough is not sticking to the surface by adding more flour when necessary.

     

Look at this beautiful sheet of buttery goodness!

     

Add all your spices to a small bowl.

     

Give the spices a quick stir. This will make it easier for you to sprinkle and spread on the puff pastry.

     

Evenly sprinkle the spices over the puff pastry. Use your hand to make sure you get it as even as possible from edge to edge.

     

Using a rolling pin, roll over the spice so they embed themselves into the puff pastry. This is a critical step in making sure the spices remain on the puff pastry without rubbing off.

     

Similar to a previous step, sprinkle the spiced puff pastry evenly with the cheese, edge to edge, using your hands if necessary. Using a rolling pin, roll over the spiced puff pastry to embed the shreds of cheese into the pastry.

     

Cut the puff pastry into 8 even strips. You can use a pizza cutter or a knife. I like to make one cut down the middle of the pastry, then two more cuts down the center of each half, and then one last cut to halve each strip so I have 8 perfectly even strips.

     

With both hands on each end of a strip, gently begin to twist each strip until it will not twist any further. Do this with all eight pieces.

     

Carefully transfer the breadsticks to baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

     

Bake the breadsticks in a preheated oven for 15 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when they look nice and golden brown with cheese oozing out of them.

     

Allow the breadsticks to slightly cool before serving them. Heather suggests serving them vertically by placing them in a tall cup and fanning them out. They are almost too beautiful to eat!

     

Thanks so much Heather, our family loves your breadsticks!

For more great recipes and home decorating or entertaining advice, be sure to check out her blog, Heather Christo Cooks.

   

Recipe

    _______________________________________

Alice Currah is the force behind Sweet Savory Life and Everyday Alice. She and her husband Rob are the proud parents of three children: Abbi, Mimi, and Elli. Alice is the winner of Saveur’s Cover Contest and is on the Forbes.com list of Eight of The Very Best Food Bloggers. She’s also a weekly writer for PBS Parents’ Kitchen Explorers. She’s the best-est.

 

ENJOY! is a subscription gift program.  It’s a mystery gift delivered right to your door. Like a wine of the month club… only better!

Every three months I pair up with a different cool, quirky company and hand-select a unique little gift package for you.  It could be a cool kitchen item.  It could be something for you to carry in your purse.  It could be a little something for your vanity.   Whatever it is, it’s a new and exciting thing that arrives in your mailbox every three months.  …We’re not talking freebies or samples… we’re talking full-on awesome gifts!

It’s easy!  Every three months, you get a gift!

What was the last ENJOY! gift?

For the last round of gifting I worked with a Los Angeles company called Poketo.

Poketo creates “art for the everyday”.  They work with artists and turn their work into awesome everyday things like wallets, stationary, calendars, plates, and these awesome clay chain necklaces that I’m obsessed with.  With Poketo we gifted cool wallets and arty calendars.  Surprise gift success!

Read on… sign up! (I’m bossy.)

What is the next Enjoy! gift?

Don’t be silly!  That’s a surprise!  I can’t tell you!

But… let me give you a hint… because I’m totally SO bad at keeping secrets.

The next Enjoy! gift is a few treats that you’ll get down with in the kitchen.  I love them and I hope you do too!

What if I don’t like my Enjoy! gift?

I try hard to select fun, useful gift that I think everyone can enjoy.  I choose things that I love, and I want you to love them as well.  I won’t ever send you peanuts or booze… not everyone is into that sort of thing.  Beyond that, it’s a surprise gift!  A surprise treat to yourself!  If you don’t like your subscription gift, please feel free to regift the heck out of it.  We’re unable to accommodate returns or refunds.  It’s a surprise!  If you don’t like surprises… and not everyone does… Enjoy! may not be the program for you.

Ps.  I really do think you’ll like it though…

When will I receive my next Enjoy! gifts?

Great question!  International and domestic Enjoy! gifts will be shipped  the last week of February.  Domestic gifts will arrive within one week after shipment.  International gifts will arrive within two weeks to a month after shipment.

Already a Subscriber?

If you’re already a subscriber, you don’t have to do a thing!  You’re all set!  An automatic payment will post to your account and you’ll receive your gift in early March.

If you need to amend your subscription status, or change your mailing address, please login to Paypal to make any adjustments.

Want to be a Subscriber?

I’m bonkers excited about the next round of gifting!  Enjoy! has been a super unique way to put the things that I love in your hands.

ENJOY! subscription slots filled up so fast last round! We’ve buffed up the program and we’re ready for more!

If you’d like to sign up for Enjoy!, now is your time!

ENJOY! subscriptions are $25 domestic and $30 international.  Price includes gift and shipping, and are charged every three months for as long as you’re a subscriber.  Each gift is worth more than the cost of subscription… so it’s a deal and a treat all in one.  I love it and I want you to love it too.  Think of it as that little treat that helps keep you sane.

 

US shipping.

International shipping.

payment through paypal or credit card

thank you for the photos Tracy.

This blood orange smoothie.

This TJ’s tricolor quinoa.

We’ve loved quinoa for years, but this makes it 800 times more fun to eat.

The pinto beans and bacon bubbling away on my stove. OMG.

This chicken. !!!

This chocolate that has magic powers since it somehow jumped into my grocery cart.

Not as good as my fave Lindt sea salt chocolate, but still fab.

Avocado toasts. They will never, ever, ever get old. Ever ever.

The way I’m still wasting my life away on Pinterest.

This face scrub.

I’ve used Yes to Carrots daily moisturizer as my daytime face :stuff: for years, but just recently picked up the scrub. It is so gentle yet really cleansing at the same time. Lovey dovey.

My spur-of-the-moment lunch today.

When Bella sits pretty.

This.

Obviously.

This raw chocolate milk.

The fact that I’m almost through Dexter which means I can finally regain my productive life back.

This blog. As usual.

Anything that Rachel writes. Really. Anything.

These.

I wasn’t joking when I said earlier in the week that I literally thought my lips were going to fall off. I was three steps away from Urgent Care when my screwy combo of Neosporin cream topped with Aquaphor 8 times a day started to kick in. These are the only things that have been soothing when I don’t have that combo.

Annnnnd the fact that tonight’s dinner basically REQUIRES me to have a margarita. Or at least a tequila shot.

"Now this is how oxtails should taste," my father declared after taking a bite of these glazed oxtails. I couldn't agree more. We have a thing for oxtails in our family. Oxtail stew was a favorite winter dish my mom prepared when we were growing up. If you are unfamiliar with oxtails, they are tails of steers, typically sold cut into segments. Most of what you buy is bone, and the meat is well exercised and fatty, so oxtail preparations lend themselves to slow cooking. Much like short-ribs, but in my opinion, even better. Think of the best pulled pork imaginable, but with beef. In this recipe the oxtails are first browned, then slow cooked with red wine and stock. Then the segments are removed so you can strip the meat off of them and the liquid is reduced to a glaze. It's actually pretty easy to make, most of the cooking time is hands-off while the oxtails are simmering.

Continue reading "Glazed Oxtails" »

This is lots of hard work and love in the making and so finally... Registration for our 2012 food styling and photography workshop is now open! As a reminder, the 4-day workshop will be held in Beynac in the Perigord region of France during September 23 through 27. Class is limited to 8 students and the cost is $2,240/person (for a shared room) and $2,740/person (private room). You can read more details about the workshop here or read last year's workshop review posts here and here. HOW TO REGISTER: 1. Send an email to stephmodogetaways@gmail.com indicating your intent to register for the workshop. Please include the following contact information: name, mailing address, email address, blog/professional website, and your preference for either a shared or private room. 2. If/when we are able to place you, you'll receive an email from us with a little paperwork for you to sign and return. After paperwork is completed, you'll receive an email from us confirming the good news (!!!). If you are not able to secure your spot at this time, we will be sure to add your contact information to a waiting list. 3. If you are able to secure a spot in this workshop, and receive an email from us indicating so, then we will pass along a PayPal address (for an e-check or standard payment) and information pertaining to sending a money order. A full payment, at this time, is required to secure your placement. 4. A detailed itinerary will be issued to the 8 participants via email within 2 weeks of registration. Ready? I know I am. I cannot wait!!

The other day, I was in a taqueria eating a sandwich stuffed with a spicy, saucy picadillo that was rich with tomatoes and chiles. It was delicious, but it was also a bit of a mess as the meat kept... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Insanity.

That’s what this is. Pure In.San.It.TEEEEE.

You know those days when you’re in desperate need of sugar and you’ve already downed more gummy vitamins than recommended while seriously considering how many more you can ingest without causing severe harm to your internal organs? They’re just so gooooood.

Well… in that case you should make some homemade snickers bars. Because I definitely did that.

And I KNOW you know what I’m talking about.

I spent the majority of my pre-pubescent and adolescent years scheming just how I would be able to steal my brothers’ Halloween candy. Snickers were always my favorite, and the boys weren’t huge fans so more often than not, they would hand them over. But sometimes… they kept them just to spite me. Brats.

Then I went through a SERIOUS phase of those Snickers ice cream bars. I swear they only had like 4 in a package or something but I could easily take down 2 for dessert. As kids, we were rarely allowed candy bars, but my mom had no issue with buying bags of fun-sized candy because, well… when things are fun-sized it means the calories don’t count.

And that you can eat a million of them.

 

These days, it’s rare that I crave actual candy, often preferring some chewy cookies or super rich cheesecake or a bar of amazing chocolate that costs thrice as much as the recent organic meyer lemons I purchased. But snickers are in my blood.

They are the peanut butter to my jelly.

The salt to my pepper.

The broccoli to my… wait, no.

This recipes comes from my friend Nikki who, well… I didn’t even know until Instagram and Twitter.

But now Nikki is like my bestest friend ever. Because when someone emails you a recipe for homemade snickers bars, they are your BFF for life. I mean, who else has my best interests at heart like that? I don’t even know.

And the fabulous part? This is SO EASY. So, so, so, so, so easy. Like, had-five-drinks-and-a-recent-breakup-easy. It has four distinct steps and in print seems slightly intimidating, but it isn’t whatsoever. I promise. I swear. I even had every single ingredient on hand. And not just because I’m a hoarder. Would I lie to you?

I’m not even going to waste your time trying to convince you to whip up a batch because, uhhh…. look at them. They are irresistible. Literally… considering they ruined two of my family members’ January diets.

Now that’s a win.

Homemade Snickers Bars

[recipe from Nikki, who lightly adapted it from and old Taste of Home recipe]

makes one 9×13 pan

bottom chocolate layer

1 1/4 cups milk chocolate chips

1/4 cup peanut butter

Melt ingredients together in a saucepan or microwave, then pour into the baking dish and spread until even. Let cool and harden completely.

nougat layer

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup evaporated milk

1 1/2 cups marshmallow fluff

1/4 cup peanut butter

1 1/2 cup salted peanuts chopped, roughly chopped

1 tsp vanilla extract

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add in sugar and milk, stirring until dissolved and bring to a boil. Let cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in fluff, peanut butter and vanilla, stirring until smooth. Turn off heat and fold in peanuts, then pour over bottom chocolate layer. Let cool completely.

caramel layer

1 14-ounce bag of caramels

1/4 cup whipping cream

Combine ingredients in a saucepan over low heat. Let melt, stirring occasionally, until smooth – this took about 10 minutes for me. Pour over nougat layer and let cool completely.

Top chocolate layer

1 1/4 cups milk chocolate chips

1/4 cup peanut butter

Melt ingredients together in a saucepan or microwave, then pour over caramel and spread until even. Let cool and harden completely.

Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving, then cut as desired. These can stay at room temperature, but they do get gooey. I like them refrigerated best!

I can’t even take that.

Last night I attended my first beer and cheese pairing (I’d love to go to a wine and cheese pairing, too!) at the establishment I work at.  It was a lot of fun, and there were quite a few beers and cheeses to try.  I’d actually tried all of the cheeses before (part of my job is cutting and wrapping cheese – yes, I cut the cheese.), but the beers were new to me. The beer was from Perennial Artisan Ales out of St. Louis, Missouri - a new brewery that makes rare beers using locally made ingredients.  They’re website seems to be having some trouble right now, so I can’t link to it or find out any more information. 

Twenty of my closest burly man friends (not really, I didn’t know anyone and sat by myself) and I tried six flights of beer paired with cheese from our store. 

And no, I didn’t finish every single glass of beer.  I know my limitations.  And no, I didn’t finish every single piece of cheese.  I know my limitations. 

This is a display of all of the cheeses we tried + local Askinosie chocolate.

 

 

1. English white stilton with mango & ginger.  If you’re going to try a fruit stilton, this is the one.  It’s our best selling flavor and probably my favorite.  It’s a crumbly sweet cheese with a bite. 2. Fresh goat log.  You all know how I feel about goat cheese.  Love. It.  Sometimes I eat goat cheese straight from the package with a spoon?  3. Barber’s Vintage English Cheddar: a sharp white cheddar with a dry texture.  This one is a good cheese as well.  Aged cheddars have so much more flavor. 

4. Fenugreek gouda: a raw cow’s milk cheese with a hint of maple.  This cheese is gouda!  I love the maple flavor I get from the fenugreek.  5. Fourme d’Ambert Bleu: a cow’s milk blue from France.  This was the only cheese I’m not a fan of.  It’s a leeetttle bit too strong for me.  I do like blue cheese though.  But not by itself.  If I’m cooking with it I like to use Maytag or Italian gorgonzola. 

6. Askinosie Chocolate Savao Phillipines Bar.  77% dark chocolate.  Oh baby.  I love all dark chocolate, but especially Askinosie.  It’s pretty amazing. 

 

  We started off with the Saison de Lis paired with the mango & ginger stilton.  “A straw colored Belgian-style saison brewed with chamomile flowers.  It’s fermented with a traditional saison yeast that imparts fruity and spicy notes that dovetail perfectly with the tea-like quality of the chamomile.  This refreshing brew finishes dry and slightly tart.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Followed by the Strawberry Rhubarb Tart paired with the fresh goat cheese.  “It begins as a Belgian-style witbier, to which strawberries, rhubarb and Indian coriander are added.  The result is a refreshingly tart and surprisingly citrusy beer with a subtle essence of strawberries.” Hommel Bier paired with vintage white cheddar.  “Hommel is a dry-hopped Belgian style pale ale which defies tradition by combining Pacific Northwest hops and American malts with Belgian yeast.  Earthy hop aroma, spicy yeast character and slight orange notes flavor the beer.”

Peace Offering paired with fenugreek gouda.  “An American brown ale brewed with a few hundred pounds of maple-roasted Missouri squash and a dash of cinnamon and clove.  This unique brew has a bold, caramel body, and hints of floral, hop bitterness balanced with the savory squash notes.”

 

 

Heart of Gold paired with Fourme d’Ambert Bleu.  “This well balance wheat wine has a creamy mouth feel, a big hop character and a rich, caramel malt finish.  You’ll find that it’s surprisingly smooth for its strength (10% ABV).” And finally, we ended the tasting with Abraxas paired with Askinosie chocolate.  “An American imperial stout brewed to accentuate the sweet chocolate character and aged on cacao nibs, vanilla beans, freshly ground cinnamon sticks and ancho chili peppers.”

Whew.  That was a lot of information to throw at ya.  I hope you’re not asleep or gone by now.  If you are, I understand.  Cheese and beer pairing posts aren’t for everyone!  I just wanted to share my evening and what I learned with you.  Honestly, I liked every single beer I tried.  If I had to pick my favorites I’d probably pick the Saison de Lis and the Peace Offering.  I thought the cheese pairing for those was spot on.  If you live in the area and would like more information about the beer, cheese, or tastings, feel free to email me. 

Okay, that’s all for today.  Class is dismissed.  I’ll be back with more dessert recipes soon.   I’ve also been planning a cheese post for the future; I already took pictures.  I’m not sure if you all would like that or not.  Sometimes it’s just nice to give myself a little break from all of the desserts.  And by that I mean blogging about desserts – not eating desserts.  Eating desserts never gets old.  Never.

What an exciting honor, to be a part of The Great American FreshOver Project with Ziploc® Brand, launching this month.

As a home entertainer, I’m always on the lookout for ways to keep things fresh in the kitchen. I’ve written for the SCJ.com Family Economics blog in the past, and I’m excited about this new project which will show American families everywhere that eating fresh can also be convenient.

That’s how my family eats fresh.  For us to be able to teach others, fresh really needs to start in our kitchens, in our homes, and with our kids.

Ziploc® is committed to helping families find easy ways to eat fresh, but here’s the FANTASTIC NEWS:

Ziploc® has now partnered with Food Network personality Rachael Ray, who’s helping launch this national campaign and who will be sharing her recipes and secrets for preparing fresh foods.

I can’t wait to learn more of Rachael’s tips!

I appreciate how Rachael doesn’t claim to be a chef, but proclaims that she is a “cook.” I feel the same way, although my kids at times think I am a chef. HA!  Our college-aged son Elliot loves my cooking and recently I made a huge pot of rice, quinoa, beans, and ground turkey (with yummy spices) and sent a couple of Ziploc® Brand bags plus 2 pans of enchiladas to college with him.

Lucky boy.

Elliot’s learned the value of eating healthy, but he had to be taught. It doesn’t come naturally to kids, that is for sure.

Fresh food, divided up, some frozen, some used right away, some sent to college.

 

 

To learn more, there will also be other campaign items on the Ziploc® Facebook page.

Finally, as a part of the FreshOver mission, Ziploc® will be donating to Rachael Ray’s non-profit organization – Yum-O!, which is dedicated to helping children across the country develop positive attitudes towards eating fresh. I love this!

Families can support the cause by “pledging” to start their family’s FreshOver project by “liking” the Ziploc® Brand Facebook page, downloading Rachael’s exclusive FreshOver Recipe Guide on Facebook.com/Ziploc.

With every download, up to a maximum of 50,000 downloads, between 1/1/12 and 12/31/13, Ziploc® Brand will make a $1 donation to Rachael Ray’s Yum-O! organization on the fans behalf, for up to a maximum $50,000 donation. To further support Yum-O!, Rachael Ray and Ziploc® will donate an additional $200,000 during the same time period, no matter how many guides are downloaded.

Lastly, there are going to be some cool giveaway opportunities: A year-long supply of Ziploc® Brand Products!

Can you even imagine?

Do you ever cook healthy meals for your family, doubling the recipe and saving half for future use?

*I have partnered with Ziploc^® and am being compensated for my posts. However, my opinions on the product are my own.

I love make-ahead breakfast casseroles, also known as strata, also known as Breakfast Bread Pudding, also known as I Don’t Care What It’s Called, I Just Want to Eat It. There are thousands of variations on the theme: Mix chunks or slices of bread with your choice of ingredients, then pour an egg mixture over the top, refrigerate overnight if you can, and bake. And the world suddenly makes perfect sense again.

I made a large quantity of a breakfast strata just before Christmas, and it wound up being enough for an army. This is the full recipe, but you could easily halve it if you just need a few servings. And feel free to sub whatever ingredients you have on hand: bacon, ham, different cheeses, caramelized onions, red peppers…have fun making your own.

But most of all, have fun eating it.

  The Cast of Characters: Breakfast sausage, crusty bread, eggs, half-and-half, kale, mushrooms, salt, pepper, Monterey Jack cheese, and fresh oregano if you can get it.

      First, roast the mushrooms by placing them on a baking sheet…

      Then sticking the pan in a 425-450 degree oven for 15 or 20 minutes, until they’re nice and roasted.

      Don’t be like me. I forgot about them until they were crisp. Oops.

At this time I will decline to show you the oyster mushrooms I also roasted and forgot about. Scariest looking things I’ve ever seen.

But I was not going to be thwarted.

      Next, tear the kale into large pieces and rinse it really well.

      Then throw it into a large skillet with a little olive over over medium-high heat.

      Move it around with tongs until the kale begins to shrink up, just about 2 minutes or so. Then remove it from the pan and set aside.

Kale is still my boyfriend. We’re totally hot and heavy these days.

      Next, cook up the sausage patties…

      Remove them from the pan and let them cool…

      Then chop it into cubes.

      Next up, grab the oregano (or you can use parsley, basil…whatever you can get right now)…

      Then mince it really finely and set it aside.

      Grab the bread and cut it into a dice, then set it aside…

      And grate the cheese and set it aside.

Whew. We just set a lot of things aside! I’m exhausted.

Roasted mushrooms Sauteed kale Diced sausage Minced oregano Cubed bread Grated cheese

Oh! And one more thing:

  Mix a bunch of eggs with some half-and-half or milk…

      Then sprinkle in some salt…

      And some pepper.

      Then whisk it all together and add in the minced oregano.

      And whisk it to combine. Yum!

And *sniff sniff* YUM. Smells so, so good.

      Now it’s time to build the sucker. Add half the bread to a large, buttered casserole dish (I used a lasagna pan because I’m making so much.) Then lay half the kale on top.

      Then add half the mushrooms. Yours will look much better than mine.

      Next, add half the sausage.

      Then comes half the cheese…

Then you repeat all the layers, ending with cheese. It’ll probably be sticking up over the surface of the pan, but that’s a good thing. It conveys abundance!

      After you get the second layer on, just pour the egg mixture all over the top, pouring it on as evenly as possible.

      Go kinda slow, as you want the egg mixture to touch all the bread, both on the top and bottom layers.

Then, here’s what you do: Cover it in plastic wrap and stick it in the fridge. Of course, you could bake it right away (I did for the purposes of this post) and it will be totally delish. But if you keep it in the fridge overnight and bake it the next day, that’ll give the bread a chance to really soak up the eggy goodness and for all the flavors to marry and live happily ever after.

      To bake it, cover it in foil and bake it in a 350 degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes, which will give the egg/bread a chance to cook. Then remove the foil and continue cooking it for 20 to 25 minutes, to allow the top to get nice and crisp and wonderful. And that’s the glory of a dish like this: the top surface is nice and golden brown and crisp, but the underside is soft and tender.

I made this a few weeks ago and now I’m craving it again. I need to stop talking about it. It’s causing me pain.

      And…yum. To serve it, just scoop it out onto a plate (or cut it into neat squares if you’re a neat square kinda person) and serve it with grapes or other cool, fresh fruit.

      Divine! A breakfast fit for a king…and enough to feed an army.

(And just to remind you: you can easily halve this recipe!)

Enjoy, my friends.

Here’s the handy dandy printable:

 

I don’t have anything crazy for you today – just some simple cookies.  They were very delicious and blog-worthy, though.  Cherry-Vanilla Bean Cookies.  Isn’t that a good name for a cookie?  These are crisp, yet soft, slightly chewy and full of fun ingredients: fresh vanilla bean seeds, dried cherries, chopped toasted pecans, and white chocolate chips. 

I love the flavor combination, I love the name, I’m giving these five stars on the cookie rating system. I have a distant cousin and her name is Cherry-Marie.  I’ve never met her before, but I did hear her name mentioned occasionally when I was growing up.  Every time I’d hear it, I’d wish my name was Cherry. 

I also wished my name was Victoria, Samantha, Jasmine, and Claudia when I was a kid.  What did you wish your name was?  Or was I the only one who did that?  I was definitely inspired by American Girl and Babysitters Club books… Time to go to work!  Have a good day!

Cherry-Vanilla Bean Cookies

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened 1 cup granulated sugar 1/2 a vanilla bean, seeds scraped out 1 large egg 1/4 cup sour cream 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 cups all purpose flour 3/4 cup dried cherries 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans, walnuts or almonds, toasted 1/2 cup white chocolate chips Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat together butter, sugar and vanilla bean seeds until creamy - about 1 minute.  Beat in egg, sour cream, baking powder, baking soda and salt until well combined - about 1 minutes.  Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in flour, cherries, nuts and white chocolate chips until just incorporated. 

Place heaping tablespoons full of dough onto cookie sheets.  Bake 12 minutes or until light golden brown.  Cool 1 minute before transferring to wire racks to cool completely. Makes 2 dozen big cookies

Mac and cheese cures all.

…conflict.

…tantrumy husbands.

…tantrumy toddlers.

…which are pretty much the same thing.

…rainy days.

…sad faces.

…loose jeans.

…life.

You know, like HUGE things!

This makes my head spin.

Lots o’ green stuff.

A little peppery and almost neon… this arugula pesto took one of my favorite crispy shrimp dishes to a whole new level last year. Basil pesto, what? I don’t even know you anymore. This was one of the first recipes I ever shared (hellllo freaky pictures) and still makes the top ten of which I whip up just about every month to have on hand.

People… this.is.huge. It rarely happens. Like, never. Because boredom calls to me like a creeper in the night.

And while I think that mac and cheese is simply perfect on it’s own… that whole boredom creep grabs me and sometimes I torture the pasta.

Good torture, I promise.

Like, adding an arugula pesto swirl type of torture.

Otherwise known as… ruining-my-husband’s-side-dish-torture.

Otherwise known as… one of the only things I succeed at in my itty bitty life.

We served this with the maple bourbon pork chops and those brussels sprouts I’ll tell you about later, and holy FLAVOR POP. And while I pretty much watched him attempt to pick out every single solitary speck of pesto (can this be done?), he soon gave up and scarfed it. And was happy.

Leading me to believe that just as I thought… I am always right. Today marriage is great.*

Arugula Pesto and White Cheddar Mac and Cheese

serves 4-6

4 cups uncooked whole wheat pasta (smallish pasta works best, like elbow noodles, etc)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons flour

2 cups milk

1/4 cup heavy cream

10 ounces freshly grated white cheddar cheese + more for topping

pinch of nutmeg

salt and pepper to taste

1/3 cup arugula pesto 

1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Bring water to a boil and cook pasta according to directions. I always shave a few minutes off the cooking time since it will be going in the oven.

While pasta is cooking, heat butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Once sizzling, add flour and whisk until smooth to create a roux. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until golden and has a nutty aroma. Add milk and cream, bring to a boil while constantly whisking. Reduce heat to low and add cheese, then cook for a few minutes while stirring until cheese is melted and mixture thickens. Add nutmeg, then taste and season with salt and pepper as desired.

Add pasta to a baking dish and pour cheese sauce over top. Stir to distribute sauce, then stir in pesto. Top with additional grated cheese and breadcrumbs. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until top is golden and bubbly.

 

Arugula Pesto

4 cups arugula

1/3 cup asiago cheese

3 garlic cloves

1/4 cup olive oil

In a food processor, combine garlic, arugula and cheese. Pulse until combined. Stream in olive oil a tablespoon at a time until the pesto becomes smooth.

*I made this over a week ago. I’ve since changed my stance.

  I love recipes that expand my horizons. This Spicy Thai Coconut Shrimp Soup from Jackie Dodd, for example, is not something that I would normally make on my own. But her recipe looked to enticing that I had to give it a try. Plus there’s a grocery store near me that offers up things like lemongrass and Thai chili, and that sealed the deal.

     

You’ll need: shrimp, chicken stock, basil, Thai chili, coconut milk, lemon, lemongrass, butter, ginger, garlic, and fish sauce.

     

Start by removing the outer layers of the lemon grass and slicing it.

     

Melt some butter or oil or margarine in a pot until it bubbles.

     

Next slice your chiles. These are green chiles because that is what I could find but Jackie suggests red chiles which are equally wonderful, I’m sure. Depending on your tolerance for heat, you’ll probably want to remove the seeds from these before chopping and adding them to the pot. And be sure not to touch your eyes for a long while afterward and give your hands a good wash. Since I love things super spicy, I left the seeds in. I was testing fate.

     

Saute it all together in the butter.

     

Then mince your garlic and ginger. You could leave the garlic a little chunky if you want as well, it adds some texture.

     

Saute that for a few minutes as well.

     

Next pour in the stock and simmer for a few minutes.

     

Then add the coconut milk and simmer for a few minutes more.

     

Then squeeze a bit of lemon juice for some tang. You can also add some fish sauce here if you’d like. I skipped that step but it would add another dimension of flavor.

     

Toward the end you’ll add the basil. Tear it up into various sized pieces.

     

Toss it in and let it stew for a few minutes.

     

Then toss in the peeled rinsed shrimp.

     

They will only need a few minutes to cook. In fact, you can turn off the heat shortly after you put them in and let the flavors meld as the shrimp finishes cooking.

     

This is a magical soup. It is so quick to make and it is refreshing to work with these light and tangy flavors. Thanks so much to Jackie for this recipe! Be sure to check out her website, Domestic Fits, for other delicious concoctions.

   

Recipe

    _______________________________________

There’s so much to say about Georgia, we don’t know where to start. Leaving Wall Street for the French Culinary Institute, followed by a stint at the Gramercy Tavern and La Chassagnette in France, her passion for food and food traditions are evident and inspiring. Visit her site at Georgia Pellegrini, where you’ll find more recipes, photos, learn all about her wonderful books Girl Hunter and Food Heroes, and enjoy her latest adventures.

   

A few weeks ago, I spotted a bag of shelled English peas at our local Costco.

The memory of peas for me goes back to 4th grade, as we were gathered around our family table with a well-balanced meal cooked by my mother (she always included a vegetable, although many times they were a little over-cooked).

Our meal started off every night with a family prayer.

The next thing that happened was a little embarrassing to me at the time.

In my 10-year-old state of mind, and looking back, being rather cocky, I had the bowl of peas in one hand and was teasing everyone as the bowl was circling the table, above the other foods, Anyone want peas? Anyone want peas?

And then you guessed it.

The bowl of peas was dropped and peas went everywhere … everywhere … and my Dad was not happy. I was scared to death as I saw thousands of little peas rolling around on the dining room floor.

I was not sent to my room without dinner, but I’m sure I had to do the dishes that night.

I never forget this story when I think of peas.

But back to the glorious bag of shelled peas that I lucked out on finding in Costco, and then made into this delicious soup that my family devoured. (I’ve gone back several times to Costco and they do not have the peas now, bummer!)

What’s your memory of “peas” as a child?

Before saying hi to the cows casually grazing in the field, or giving the ponies much attention, before gathering a few garden scraps for the sake of making the chickens happy or giving much of a hello to my parents, I headed straight towards the walnut trees at the mini farm that is my parent’s house.

I had never before watched the process of walnuts turning from a lime-like pod to become a buttery, slightly bitter nut that I know and love. The shadow that the large leaves provided was a perfect canopy to escape the warm summer sun. In the spring we watched a flourishing insect community take roost among the branches – some bad, most good. I examined every change and anticipated when they would finally be ready, all the while gathering recipes in my mind.

Then one day when the days were gray and the ground was wet it happened. I got a text from my mom with an image of walnuts half out of their greenish-brown coverings, strewn all over the green carpeted floor under the tree, “they’re ready.”

Before long the five of us we’re making an hour long trek to the little farm with fresh walnuts as the mission. Well, it was my mission any way,  I’m sure the kids were more excited about pony and tractor rides. Either way we were all eager and excited to stretch our city legs on the farm.

Ivy and I fetched a deep wicker basket from my mom’s collection and quickly headed towards those trees. Her black boot covered feet found balance difficult as she had only recently discovered walking. Quickly realizing the mission she proudly plopped walnuts into the basket even if it meant taking one out only to plop it in again. She noticed the joy on my face and collected as many as she could understanding that something delicious was to become of these wet and wrinkled shells.

Ivy was right, something delicious did become of those walnuts. A caramel walnut tart. In my mom’s kitchen we made a vanilla scented butter crust. The sort of crust you dream about. One that doesn’t require cold butter and delicate hands and hours to chill. I’ve been known to force people to time me while making this crust – they oblige and it’s about 30 seconds. All the ingredients get dumped and stirred together, then the wet dough is patted into form. It bakes with no fear of shrinking and awards your minimal efforts with a lightly sweet, tender bite.

While the crust baked Ivy and I whisked together bittersweet chocolate, cream and creme fraiche anticipating the desire for a dark, bitter taste to balance the sweet caramel. We ate it, although not necessary. Both she and I are not ones to turn down chocolate.

Let’s talk for a moment about caramel. It can be intimidating, right? It is one of my favorite things to teach as so many are afraid to try but when they see how easy it can be it opens up a world of possibilities for them.

We start with a large, very clean sauce pan. If there is any fear of residue, wipe the interior with lemon juice or vinegar using a clean dish towel. All the utensils involved in making a caramel should be impeccably clean. In the restaurant this was the reason why we required a set of spatulas separate from the savory side – a speck of leftover anything can wreak havoc on a pot of perfectly golden caramel.

Next add your sugar, lemon juice and enough water to enable the sugar to reach the consistency of wet sand. If you add too much water don’t worry, it will just take a bit longer to caramelize. During the next few steps I like to use my hands so that I can really feel where the sugar is and what is happening in my pan – a spatula works fine if you are opposed to sugar fingers.

Stir the sugar, lemon juice and water until completely combined. Wipe down the sides of the pan with more water until you don’t feel or see any sugar granules clinging to the side. What we are fighting against is crystallization - it’s the enemy of a smooth caramel. It’s the enemy of most candy making actually. Crystallization happens when sugar caramelizes at different points. So if you have sugar that is nearly caramelized and a granule falls into the pan from off the side you may have a problem. Now, in saying all this I don’t mean to add to the intimidation of caramel making but simply to inform you of the problem and give you the proper ways to avoid it.

At this point crank up the heat and don’t touch the pan. Let the sugar dissolve then boil like crazy but don’t walk away. It happens quickly and there is no coming back from a pan of burnt sugar.

If around the sides of the pan you notice some color but the middle remains colorless, carefully swirl to mix.

The caramel is done when it has reached the color of a penny – a deep amber. You can go lighter but I like to take it to the edge, teetering the line of bitter and sweet.

Turn off the heat and add the butter, cream, and creme fraiche. You will see why we use a large pan at this point as the caramel bubbles up madly at the addition of the cold fats. Stand back until it has calmed down then carefully swirl the pan to combine. Then you are done. Perfect caramel.

Unless you are okay with warm caramel puddling all over your plate, the only down side to this recipe is needing to wait. We couldn’t and didn’t with no complaints of puddled caramel. Being a resourceful bunch we used the crust to help mop up the mess.

My recommendation is joining this rich tart with a lightly sweetened cream. If you like the mature tang of creme fraiche add a heap of that to the cream you are whipping, I find it settles the intensely sweet caramel nicely.

This tart made the long wait for ripe walnuts completely worth it. That and seeing my baby girl clenching those golden shells around her pudgy fingers. I’m already excited for next year’s harvest.

Tart shell

makes enough dough to for a 9” or 10” tart

¼ cup powdered sugar

½ cup butter (melted)

pinch salt

½ tsp vanilla

1 cup flour

In a medium bowl stir together all the ingredients. The dough will be quite wet but can easily be pressed into a tart pan or spring form pan.

Bake at 350*F for about 20-25 minutes or until lightly golden.

Let cool.

Chocolate Glaze

Not necessary to make this tart a memorable one but really what isn’t improved upon by the addition of chocolate?

½ cup heavy whipping cream

½ cup cream fraiche

7 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Add the chocolate to a medium bowl.

In a small sauce pan, heat the cream and creme fraiche over medium heat. Watch carefully as cream tends to bubble up and boil over quickly. When bubbles appear all over the surface, remove from the heat and immediately pour over the chocolate. Let sit for 1 minute the whisk to combine.

Can use immediately or store in a covered container in the fridge for 2 weeks. Makes a great ice cream topping or hot chocolate base.

Caramel Filling

The recipe in the video had double the caramel but I found it to be a bit too much. As it is this recipe is quite rich but I like this ratio of crust, caramel, and cream much more pleasant.

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

1 tbl lemon juice

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, cut into pieces

¼ cup whipping cream

1 tablespoons crème fraîche

1 cup walnuts, toasted, roughly chopped

Place sugar, water, and lemon juice in a heavy, large saucepan. Stir to combine. Wash down the sides of the pan until no sugar remains. Set on high heat and boil without stirring until syrup is deep amber color, about 7-10 minutes depending on the power of your stove and the pan you use. If the sugar around the sides begin to caramelize more rapidly, gently swirl the pan to mix.

Remove from heat. Whisk in butter, cream and creme fraiche (mixture will bubble vigorously).  Stir in walnuts. Let cool until slightly thick before pouring into prepared crust. Let cool until caramel is set. If you are really eager you can pop it in the refrigerator for a bit.

Serve with lightly whipped cream.

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Hey Dude (that I’m currently dating),

We need to talk.  It’s about your mother.

Mostly… it’s about how I need to meet your mother.  We’ve been carrying on for a while now… and I need to meet the lady that birthed you, clothed you, slapped you upside the head, and made you the awesome man you are now.  If I don’t meet her soon, she will surely think me some sort of hussy harlot who was born in a barn and doesn’t much care for other people’s mothers.  This is not the case.  I care about most mothers, often.

It’s a lady thing that perhaps you don’t understand.  I need to be nervous.  I need to bite off all my nails.  I need to agonize over the perfect outfit that will make me look sophisticated, but sweet and approachable, womanly without being more womanly that her.  I need the outfit that says I can damn well take care of myself, and keep her dear and darling son in line for the rest of his life.  It’s a fine fine fiiiine line.

I need to let your mother look me up and down in examination.  I need to stand there and let her envision me as her daughter-in-law.  I need to eat her casserole, express my desire for the recipe… then I need to do her dishes.

I need to let her tell me how to do things that I already know how to do, like make a pie, and pluck my eyebrows.  We need to watch 60 Minutes together.  Her in her recliner, me sitting on the floor.  I need to offer to bring dessert.  She’ll make a face when it’s being served, and enjoy it despite herself.  It’s all a dance.  Every moment of it.  It’s all a test… because mothers do not let their sons go quietly… they let them go passive aggressively.

Lastly, she needs to see that I make you happy.  That’s where you come in.  Don’t act weird.  Well, don’t act weirder than you usually act.  Be natural… and put your arm around me once in a while.  It’s your job to make sure that no one gets a third glass of wine.  That’s when things get weird.

It’s also your job NOT to tell your mother that there are beets in the cake I’m serving for dessert.  That will be our little secret.  Unless she loves it… then I’m taking all the glory.

Cool.

Love,

Joy

Quite right.  This chocolate cake is chocked full of roasted beets.

Beets are trimmed of their greens (which are delicious sauteed) and roasted whole in foil and just a touch of oil.  You know… like you’re making a beet salad, but you’re totally making cake.

Besides beets, this cake also has the usual cake- y suspects:  flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, powder, and salt.

I love preparing cake pans for baking.  Something about the ritual just calms me.

Parchment paper rounds (that are cut by hand) totally ensure that the cake will come out of the pan in one piece.  It’s an extra bit of work, but I love the insurance.

Roasted beets are cooled and peeled (which is easy… not to worry), and grated on the fine side of a box grater.

If you’re wondering about beet stained hands… yes, I had two.  They eventually wash clean.

Beets add moisture and sweetness to the cake.  Beets do not make the taste like a salad.  That’s an important thing to know.

The cake batter will be a purple color, but will bake into a moist chocolate cake with no trace of beets.

Let’s talk about frosting.  Butter and cream cheese are left at room temperature until soft.  They’re beaten with powdered sugar, vanilla, and a squeeze of lemon.

Beets, too!  Beets, shredded and mashed add a slight sweetness and intense color to the frosting.  It’s all you need for food coloring.  It’s delightful and delicious.  And again… it does not taste like salad.

You may have a few beet strands in your frosting as you decorate the cake.  Think of it as nature’s sprinkles.

… I can’t believe I just typed that.

I’m sorry.

I want you to fall in love with this cake.  I did.

The cake itself is moist and chocolate-y.  It’s not too sweet either!  Bonus.  The frosting is bright pink, speckled with beet bits, and creamy sweet.

No one would ever know this cake is chocked full of vegetables.  We can just keep that little bit of information between us.  Secret ingredient power!

1. Somehow this and this ended up in my online shopping cart. I searched high and low for it while on vacation last year but it was sold out everywhere. Not anymore, my friends. Not anymore.

2. Remember last week when we all talked about Dawson’s Creek? Tracy shared this website with me and made me the happiest camper ever. You’re welcome.

3. It’s National Peanut Butter Day! I have absolutely no idea how you should celebrate.

4. Tell me: is there anything better than grilled cheese sandwiches and pickles? Oh wait. Yes there is… grilled cheese sandwiches with ketchup. Better than that? Two grilled cheese sandwiches with ketchup

5. Seal? Heidi Klum? I will never learn. Just shoot me now.

6. My jaw quadruply dropped four times this week. Can you say asparagus cake, red velvet milkshakes, red wine lollipops and PIG CANDY. Pig freaking candy. I die.

6.5. Nevermind, I can’t die. It’s PIG CANDY! It’s given me something to live for.

7. My cookie butter is almost gone. Meaning… my life is almost gone. For real this time.

8. Ummm I don’t even want to tell you how many hours of Dexter I’ve watched in the last week. It’s maddening. And desperate. And PATHETIC. And hot.

9. You know you’re a food blogger when the giddiest you get all week is at 5:17PM because it’s still sort of light out. Life needed, please.

10. The only good part of #7 is that I bought this on Saturday. Life regained.

Without a doubt, the very best part of fried chicken is the battered, seasoned, gold-tinged and impossibly crisp exterior. But, as far as I’m concerned, the tender chicken within is no distant second. The best fried chicken recipes have you soak the uncooked chicken in a salty/sweet brine of buttermilk and seasonings for at least day, resulting in meat that’s decadent long before it hits the fryer. Wouldn’t it be great if the insides could garner the same gushing their pretty skins do?

This is what I was thinking of when I stumbled on an old Nigella recipe for buttermilk roasted chicken. Of course, that was four weeks ago and for three of them, I sat at a table piled with eraser dust and red pencil overlooking the avenue below, editing away dreaming mostly of the buttermilk chicken I would finally make when I was done. The recipe turned out to be a good place to start, but I wanted more — a longer soak, more salt, less oil, more garlic and, for some reason, I felt the recipe was itching for paprika. So, I went another round with it last night — finishing it with a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle of more paprika and flaked sea salt before roasting it — and this, at last, was the buttermilk chicken I had dreamed about.

... Read the rest of buttermilk roast chicken on smittenkitchen.com

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Welcome to the easiest soup ever. Ever ever.

Just 30 minutes and you can have a big, steaming bowl of chicken soup with a cute and cheesy toasted baguette and tons of other stuff piled on top. In a snap I tell you.

You are going to like this. I promise.

 

This is what it looks like when you ladle soup into a bowl from behind a camera.

This is what it looks like when you miss. Missing is my middle name.

These things down here… they equal the best flavor combo ever. Takes potatoes to the next level too. Trust me. Do this.

Here is my really tan hand.

See? Really tan.

When I first started this blog thing, my brother mentioned that he had an incredible buffalo chicken soup that I needed to recreate. It’s been on my radar and I’ve been harassed for… the lack there of. But sometimes things just don’t sound good to me. That’s the only way I develop recipes. What sounds good to me righthisveryinstant? With few exceptions, obviously. I mean if I had it my way, we would eat mashed potatoes, gravy, pulled pork and chocolate chips every way ’til Sunday.

Then I’d make something out of Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Hellllllllo lover of 1996.

Luckily for me and my mouth, I was in the mood for buffalo chicken soup.

Not luckily for my lips, which are the most chapped (chappiest? chappest? most chappedetest?) they’ve ever been in my life. They currently hate me. Seriously. This is becoming a problem. I’m ’bout to go to the ER for my lips then stuff my head in a jar of vaseline.

This soup is straight up broth. No cream and just a little cheese, but not enough to make it super thick. In fact… I claim that this soup is healthy. Not all of you might… but I’m weird. Or maybe it’s you that’s weird. Whatever. It works for me.

So let’s get all of the bits and pieces out of the way:

Do I think you can make this in the crockpot? Sure.

Do I think you should add heavy cream? Definitely. I was out. And lazy.

Do I think you should make it for the Super Bowl? Yes, but quadruple it. Or more.

Do I think you should make it because it’s Tuesday? Um, duh. I’ll be over.

Do I think you can use other cheese? Frankly, no. But what am I gonna do, hunt you down?

Do I think you can skip the cilantro, because you know, cilantro is disgusting and you’d rather put the bar of soap in your mouth before actually even eating it? Don’t get me started. But I love you anyway.

Buffalo Chicken Soup

serves 2 as a meal, 4 as a starter

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 8-10 oz), cooked and shredded

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 sweet onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon flour

32 ounces low-sodium chicken stock

1/3-1/2 cup buffalo wing sauce

1/3 cup freshly grated cheddar cheese

1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

sliced whole wheat baguettes, toasted with parmesan cheese

sliced green onions, crumbled gorgonzola and cilantro for topping

Heat a large pot over medium heat and add olive oil. Add onions with a sprinkle of salt to the pot, stirring to coat, then cook for about 5 minutes until soft. Add in garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes more. Sprinkle in flour and stir for another 1-2 minutes. Add in stock, buffalo sauce, chicken and grated cheeses, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil, then reduce and let simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring every so often.

Serve soup and top with toasted baguettes, cilantro, green onions and gorgonzola.

Now why are you still here? You should be in the kitchen.