Haute Home Cooking

New Project!

2011-06-24T09:05:00.000-05:00

So, you might have noticed my lack of posting over the last several months....I have a good reason, I PROMISE. :)

Head over here to check it out!

Sunday Brunch

2011-02-23T15:51:00.011-06:00

So, we all know how much I love brunch. So much that I’ve dedicated at least 30% of my blog posts to the subject. And I’m proud to say, I have a new favorite spot…Little Savannah in Forest Park.

I first enjoyed Little Savannah during Birmingham’s first-ever Restaurant Week (a smashing success), and was blown away by the laid-back atmosphere and outstanding food. I’m about to be their neighbor (a fact I am especially ecstatic about), so I knew I had to at least try their bruch before I committed to eating there every Sunday.

It was love at first bite. Oh, who am I kidding, it was love when they didn’t question the red Solo cups of Prosecco that accompanied us into the restaurant (nothing to see here, folks). It just got better from there.

Our visit, made even more enjoyble by the company of some of my favorite people in town (i.e., the lovely EatBHM), looked like this:

*Clockwise, from Top Left: Farm Egg Frittata with Sausage, Potato & Leek, Wright's Cheddar and Lettuces; Provencal Violet Sparkler; Petite Beef Tenderloin with Fingerling Potatoes, Brussels Sprouts, Poached Egg and White Truffle Oil.

True story – one of our fellow diners ordered the Bananas Foster. Little Savannah was out of bananas. :( No worries, dear Nancy hopped across the street to V. Richards and voila! Ten minutes later we were enjoying TWO dishes of the sweet and delicious dessert – free of charge. They also comped our French Press coffee. I’d say we were more than compensated for the purchase of the bananas. Kudos to Little Savannah for going above and beyond to ensure our satisfaction.

My next visit, a mere week later with more of my favorite people, looked like this:

*Top: Cinnamon Apple and Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast with Smoky Bacon and Maple Syrup; Bottom: Scallops and Grits with Sauteed Mushrooms, Bacon Vinaigrette and Fresh Thyme

The second visit also included Crab Cake Benedict and repeats of the Farm Egg Frittata and Mimosas. Needless to say, every dish tasted even better than it looked and I will absolutely be claiming a cozy little table for my weekly brunch-fix.

Valentine's Day Treats

2011-02-11T15:22:00.001-06:00

Forget the generic heart-shaped box of chocolates this Valentine’s Day, and indulge in these simple and sweet treats for your loved ones.

Besides, baking is sexy. ;)

Hazlenut Meringue Kisses
Recipe and photo from MyRecipes.com
Yield: 4 dozen (serving size: 4 kisses)

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup finely chopped hazelnuts, toasted
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup sifted powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 3 large egg whites
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• Dash of salt
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 325°.

Combine first 3 ingredients in a food processor; process until finely ground. Combine hazelnut mixture, 1/4 cup powdered sugar, and cornstarch in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk.

Place egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until soft peaks form. Add granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating at high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently fold hazelnut mixture and vanilla into egg mixture.

Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper. Spoon egg white mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip. Pipe 48 (1 1/2-inch-round) mounds onto prepared baking sheets. Bake at 325° for 25 minutes or until meringues are done and dry to the touch. (Meringues are done when surface is dry and meringues can be removed from paper without sticking to fingers.) Turn oven off; partially open oven door. Cool meringues in oven 30 minutes. Remove from oven; carefully remove meringues from paper.

Peanut Butter Caramel Pound Cake
Recipe from Giada de Laurentiis, photo from foodnetwork.com
Yield: 8-10 servings

Ingredients

• Vegetable oil cooking spray
• 1 (9.5-ounce) bag soft caramel candies, unwrapped (recommended: Kraft Classic Caramels)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 3 eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

Directions

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a 9-by-5-by-3-inch nonstick, metal loaf pan with vegetable oil cooking spray. Line the bottom of the pan with a 14-by-3 1/2-inch piece of parchment paper. Spray with vegetable oil cooking spray. Line the sides of the pan with a 14-by-7-inch piece of parchment paper. Set aside.

In a small, heavy saucepan, combine the caramel candies and heavy cream over low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the candies have melted and the mixture is smooth, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium and beat in the eggs and vanilla. With the machine running, gradually add the flour mixture in batches to form a thick batter. Beat in the peanut butter. Transfer half of the batter to the prepared pan. Pour 2 tablespoons of the caramel lengthwise along the center of the batter. Using the tip of a knife, swirl the caramel sauce into the batter. Place the remaining batter on top and pour another 2 tablespoons of the caramel sauce lengthwise along the center of the batter. Swirl the caramel sauce into the batter.

Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out with moist crumbs, 55 to 60 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan and peel away the parchment paper. Cool completely on a wire rack, about 1 hour (center of cake will fall during cooling). Slice the pound cake and place on a serving platter. Warm the remaining caramel sauce over low heat. Drizzle the caramel sauce over the pound cake slices or serve alongside.

Enjoy!

Superbowl Snacks

2011-02-04T23:38:00.000-06:00

Whether you are a football fanatic or half-hearted fan, everyone knows that the best part of the Superbowl (besides the commercials, of course!) is the FOOD. Take a look at these scrumptious-sounding snacks below, sure to keep your tastebuds happy while cheering on your team.

You can’t cheer for the Pittsburgh Steelers without a good ‘ol Philly Cheesesteak. Try this bite-sized version from Guy Fieri- it’s an easy pick-up appetizer that’s perfect for a crowd.

Guy Fieri's RITZ Cheese Steak Sliders

*photo from kraftrecipes.com

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups balsamic vinegar
1 lb. trimmed thin cut boneless beef rib-eye steak
1/2 tsp. each granulated garlic, chili powder and dry mustard
1/2 tsp. each dried thyme, basil, kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper
1/4 tsp. each white pepper and cayenne
4 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 cup sweet onion, quartered, thinly sliced
1 cup red bell pepper, cut in julienne stips, 1″ long
1/2 cup each yellow bell pepper and Anaheim chile, cut in julienne stips, 1″ long
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1-1/2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 pkg. (8 oz.) KRAFT DELI DELUXE Process Jalapeno American Cheese Slices
96 RITZ Crackers

Directions

IN a small saucepan, bring 1-1/2 cups balsamic vinegar to a boil, then simmer gently over low heat 40 min. until reduced to 1/3 cup.

CUT meat across the grain into ¼”-thick slices, then julienne to 1″-long pieces. In a large bowl, combine dry spices. Add steak pieces; toss to evenly coat. Set aside.

IN a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 Tbsp. of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, bell peppers and Anaheim chile and sauté 4-5 min., stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook 1-2 min. Remove to a plate. Heat remaining oil in same skillet. Add steak and cook 2 min. until done, stirring frequently. Add the 1-1/2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar and the Worcestershire sauce, stir to combine. Add the vegetables and cook until heated through. Drain excess liquid.

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Cut each cheese slice into 6 pieces. Place 1 piece on each of 48 crackers, then top with approximately 1 Tbsp. of the steak mixture. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake 5 min., or until cheese melts. Place on serving plate and drizzle with the balsamic reduction. Top each with a second cracker.

Every good football gathering needs buffalo wings – pair with this yummy Wisconsin Bleu Cheese sauce and its the perfect choice to support the Green Bay Packers.

Buffalo Wings with Wisconsin Bleu Cheese Dipping Sauce
recipe and photo from www.eatwisconsincheese.com/recipes

Ingredients

2 1/2 to 3 pounds chicken wings
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon hot-pepper sauce
1 teaspoon paprika
2/3 cup (4 ounces) Wisconsin Blue Cheese, crumbled
2/3 cup sour cream
4 teaspoons white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons green onions, finely chopped, divided
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons milk
3 celery stalks, cut into sticks

Directions

Preheat broiler. Cut off wing tips; discard. Split wings at joint. Place in 1-gallon resealable plastic bag. Combine oil, hot pepper sauce and paprika. Pour over chicken, turning to coat pieces evenly. Marinate while making sauce.

In small bowl, combine Wisconsin Blue Cheese and sour cream. Stir in vinegar, 2 tablespoons green onions and pepper. Whisk in 1-2 tablespoons milk until sauce is smooth. (Or pulse in food processor.) Sprinkle the top with remaining green onions. Refrigerate if not using immediately.

Broil wings 10-15 minutes, until lightly charred and no longer pink inside, turning occasionally until crisp and cooked through. Remove to platter and sprinkle with a few more dashes of hot pepper sauce, if desired. Serve with the celery sticks and Blue Cheese dipping sauce.

Enjoy (and Go Packers)!

Halloween Soup Cook-Off

2010-10-30T09:04:00.003-05:00

Every year, my office hosts a Halloween Luncheon that includes a Costume Contest, Pumpking Decorating Contest and Soup Cook-Off with homemade grilled cheese sandwiches (cooked by our CFO). Last year (my first Halloween with the company), I was determined to make a good impression. I made my very first soup from scratch, Roasted Butternut Squash, and walked away with a prize for 2nd place! I can't say the same for my pumpkin or costume, but it didn't matter- I was just thrilled that my first homemade soup attempt wasn't a total disaster.

This year, I spent all month thinking that I would miss the festivities because of being out of the office for a wedding. On Tuesday, I realized that the luncheon was on Thursday (not Friday, as it normally is), and I would, in fact, be here. Blast. Two days to come up with a costume, pumpkin and killer soup recipe. Since my Soup Repretoire consisted only of that One-Hit Wonder from last year's event, I scoured my favorite foodie sites for tips and recipe ideas. I settled on Rachael Ray's Sausage, Pepper and Onion Stoup, which sounded delicious and (more importantly), EASY. I tweaked it a bit (added a few ingredients and adjusted the cooking time) and tested a batch on Husband, who gave his approval ("Yes, but is it CONTEST-WINNING good").

Well, I guess you could say I work well under pressure, because this year I received 1st place for both my pumpkin AND soup! I was shocked. I mean, my pumpkin really was the cutest (is that mean?) but there were many outstanding soups.

This recipe is perfect for the chilly Autumn nights ahead (that I hope and pray will come to Alabama soon). Delicious on its own, it would also be great as a chunky "sauce" over pasta.

Italian Sausage and Roasted Pepper Soup
adapted from Rachael Ray

Ingredients

2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound bulk Italian sausage
½ pound bulk hot pork sausage
4 cloves fresh garlic, minced (or 2 tsp. minced garlic from jar)
2 Anaheim peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
1 12-oz. jar Roasted Red Peppers, drained well and sliced
2 medium sweet onions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 cups chicken stock
2 15-oz cans diced fire-roasted tomatoes
1 6-oz. jar Tomato Paste
½ cup basil leaves, torn
1 ½ cups shredded Parmesan
Salt and Pepper, to taste
½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions

1. Heat extra-virgin olive oil in deep skillet.
2. Add sausage and brown about 6-8 minutes, until mostly cooked through.
3. Add garlic, Anaheim peppers, Roasted Red Peppers and onions. Cook until peppers and onions are soft, about 10-12 minutes.
4. Deglaze pan with balsamic vinegar.
5. Stir in chicken stock, diced tomatoes and tomato paste.
6. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until thickened to your liking (about 15-20 minutes).
7. Add salt and pepper, to taste, and red pepper flakes (if desired).
8. Stir in basil leaves and half of parmesan cheese.
9. Set bowl of remaining parmesan on table for guests to add on top of soup.
10. Enjoy!

Serves 6-8.

Caramelized Onion Dip

2010-09-23T09:47:00.002-05:00

Some of you may remember my love affair with Vidalia Onion dip last summer. Well, I have a new obsession. Same basic concept- cheese, onions, and more cheese. But with one tiny change, this dip has changed my life. Dramatic? I think not.

I fully realize that it’s hard to mess up a dip with three (you heard me, THREE) packages of cream cheese, so I suppose I should give Philadelphia most the credit. But I digress…

WARNING: This is not your average “powder in a packet” onion dip. Cooked over low heat for about an hour, the sweet, deeply caramelized onions add a new dimension of flavor to this creamy dip. The Havarti doesn’t hurt, either. My family was still talking about how good it was three days later. Serve with Ritz crackers (or some crusty bread- you know how I like my carbs) for your Game Day fun this weekend. You won’t be disappointed!

Caramelized Onion Dip

1 Tbsp. butter
3 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened
1 8oz package Havarti cheese
2 large onions, thinly sliced
Salt and Sugar, to taste
1/2 cup mayonnaise (I always use Hellman’s)
Ritz Crackers to crumble on top (optional)

Directions

Melt the butter over medium heat and add onions. Cook the onions for about 10-15 minutes, until softened, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle some salt and sugar (which helps the caramelization process) and stir. Lower heat and cook onions another 30-45 minutes, until deeply browned and caramelized. The trick is to leave them alone long enough to start browning, but then stir before they burn. Just be sure to keep an eye on them throughout.

Combine the cream cheese, mayonnaise, Havarti and onions, stirring until thoroughly mixed. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Before heating, crumble Ritz crackers over the top. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees and bake about 25-30 minutes, until bubbly.

You might just want to make a whole batch for yourself. No judgement here. Enjoy!

Birmingham Restaurant Week

2010-09-16T09:53:00.003-05:00

The first-EVER Birmingham Restaurant Week is officially here! Well ok, it actually starts tomorrow…but last night, Birmingham foodies were in full-force at the Preview Party at Hotel Highland (benefiting Railroad Park, opening Saturday!) where participating restaurants gave us just a taste of what we have to look forward to. And Birmingham, we are in for a treat.

Folks from Jinsei, making the magic happen - Mini Kadoma Tuna

I just have to say how much it made my YEAR when I saw the announcement on Twitter that Birmingham was launching it’s first Restaurant Week. I’ve been fortunate enough to experience the same event in a few different cities, and had literally JUST been thinking to myself, “With all of our amazing chefs and restaurants here, why don’t we have our own?”

Dream. Come. True.

Not only is this an INCREDIBLE opportunity to experience our fine-dining gems, such as Bottega or Highlands, for an amazing price (that was my pitch to Husband, too), but you also have an excuse to finally check out those casual eateries you’ve been hearing about but never tried. With three-course menus offered at $10.10, $20.10 and $30.10, there is no better way to experience our food scene.

As for me, I am currently mapping my “plan of attack” (i.e. dinner at Little Savannah Wednesday, Highlands Friday, perhaps a few lunch dates scattered in the middle) with blog posts to follow. Good thing I’ve been saving up! Now if only I could keep from gaining 30 pounds…

Be sure to check out the official 2010 Birmingham Restaurant Week website for more details and menus from participating restaurants. NOTE: Perusing menus is likely to induce sever bouts of hunger and/or salivating over your keyboard. You have been warned.

Bon Appetit!

Favorite Game-Day Snacks

2010-09-02T10:02:00.007-05:00

In the South, football is part of our culture (there’s a reason the SEC is the best). In Alabama, it defines you (FACT: First question you’ll be asked when you arrive in Birmingham is “Are you for Auburn or Alabama?”). In Auburn (yes, I know I’m outnumbered), it’s your LIFE. At least for the first four months of the school year…

For me, football is yet another way to enjoy great food with great friends. Nothing beats curling up on the couch with some yummy snacks, a cold beer, and a big TV (all the better for yelling, my dear).

Husband and I will be spending Labor Day weekend at the lake with the WHOLE family (bless his heart, he’s the lone Alabama fan), so I’m already planning the delicious food that will accompany our day ‘o football.

Buffalo Chicken Dip
I first made this dip for the SEC Championship game last December. It lasted MAYBE 10 minutes. It’s everything you want in a Game-Day snack - the delicious combination of spicy wings and cool Ranch dressing, without all the mess. There are several great recipes out there, but this version from the blog “Woman, Wine and Song” is my favorite.

Ultimate Spicy Buffalo Chicken Dip
Adapted from Adrienne Bailey, Mary England and Susie Cromer Clements

Ingredients
1 cup Ranch dressing
¾ cup chopped red onion
2 8-oz packages cream cheese, softened
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded OR one rotisserie chicken, shredded
1 cup of your favorite wing sauce (I like local favorite, Moore’s Buffalo Wing Sauce)
2 cups shredded Cheddar
Tortilla Chips and celery for dipping

Directions
1. Saute red onion in butter until tender (about 10 minutes); remove from heat.
2. In a large bowl, combine chicken, hot sauce, cream cheese, half of shredded cheddar and sauted onions.
3. Mix thoroughly and pour into baking dish.
4. Sprinkle remaining cheddar on top.
5. Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes, until bubbly.
6. Serve with tortilla chips and celery (and a cold beer!).

Black Bean, Corn and Feta Dip
With temps still in the high 90′s (come on Fall weather…), a cold, refreshing dip is also a great choice for the first Game Day of the season (a nice side for your Labor Day picnics, too).

* Adapted from Martha Reiser, AU Alum website

Ingredients
1 can black beans
1 can corn, shoepeg
4 oz feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

Directions
1. Combine black beans, corn, feta, olive oil, sugar and cider vinegar in a bowl.
2. Toss and serve with tortilla chips or Fritos.
*This dip gets better the longer it sits.

Roast Beef and Havarti Sandwiches
This fabulous recipe from Southern Living is a welcome twist on the tried-and-true Ham and Poppyseed Sandwiches. With the creamy Havarti, sweet peach preserves and crunchy walnuts, these are truly addicting (definitely my most-requested hors d’oeuvres!). Bonus: Perfect “make- ahead” snack. Stick a few batches in the fridge on Game Day and heat as needed.

photo from myrecipes.com

*Recipe from Southern Living, December 2008
Yield: Makes 12 to 16 servings

Ingredients

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
2 (9.25-oz.) packages dinner rolls (I use Rainbo Dinner Rolls)
2/3 cup peach preserves
1/2 cup mustard-mayonnaise blend (i.e. Hellman’s Dijonnaise)
3/4 pound thinly sliced deli roast beef, chopped
1/2 pound thinly sliced Havarti cheese
Salt and pepper (optional)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 325°.
2. Heat walnuts in a small nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, stirring often, 5 to 6 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant.
3. Remove rolls from packages. (Do not separate rolls.) Cut rolls in half horizontally, creating 1 top and 1 bottom per package. Spread preserves on cut sides of top of rolls; sprinkle with walnuts. Spread mustard-mayonnaise blend on cut sides of bottom of rolls; top with roast beef and cheese. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, if desired. Cover with top halves of rolls, preserves sides down, and wrap in aluminum foil.
4. Bake at 325° for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted. Slice into individual sandwiches. Serve immediately.

Now all you need is some icy cold beer and good company, and you are ready for a full day of football-watching.

These Are a Few of my Favorite Things...

2010-08-13T10:43:00.002-05:00

It’s hard to believe that summer is almost over (don’t freak out – I said ALmost). As usual, the year is flying by. For me, this was an especially enjoyable summer as it was my first REAL summer in years. After being in the event plannning industry for quite some time, I got used to working every weekend and subesquently, missing out on a lot of fun summer activities – trips to the beach, the lake, Saturday morning brunch, etc. I’ve been at my new job just over a year (ok, so I guess it’s not really “new” anymore), and I tell ya- Monday through Friday ain’t so bad.

But I digress…

I’ve enjoyed the last couple of months so much that I wanted to share some of my FAVORITE things from Summer 2010. I hope you enjoy!

Farmer’s Markets

I experienced my very first Farmer’s Market at Pepper Place in May, and instantly fell in love. I know, so dramatic, right? But it’s true. Even though I had known about Pepper Place for years, it was the first time that my eyes were really opened to the amazing local farmers that we have right here in Alabama, producing some of the finest cheeses, herbs, fruits and veggies that I’ve ever seen/tasted. It’s got a cool vibe, with live music, chef demonstrations and people everywhere (dogs, too!). I loved wandering aimlessly around all of the booths, daydreaming about whatever recipe I would make with my goodies when I got home. I look forward to many more weekends at Pepper Place as the summer months come to a close, and anxiously anticipate the Harvest Market in the fall.

Roasted Tomatoes

Speaking of goodies from the market, I developed a newfound appreciation for my oven when I made a batch of these:

Slow-roasted tomatoes. I’d never roasted anything in my life (at least, not intentionally). Who knew that a hot oven and a couple hours could produce such a heavenly flavor? I’ve roasted many things since then (particularly loved some eggplant that I purchased at the Urban Cookhouse market), but nothing beats that first day, standing in front of the oven, impatiently waiting for the tomatoes to be perfectly caramelized, then standing over the counter and eating them one after another right off the pan, savoring the sweet, intense flavor (and not caring that I burned the roof of my mouth). They also make an easy and fabulous appetizer. Just roast some fresh garlic with the tomatoes and serve with crostini and fresh basil. Simple, but SO delicious.

The B.A.L.T.

Ok, so this is really two of my favorite things- my new favorite sandwich (everything good about summer rolled into one- local tomatoes, buttery avocado, Applewood Bacon and lettuce with mayo and classic white bread) and my new favorite restaurant, Urban Cookhouse (actually, make that three – I crave their fresh Strawberry Lemonade on a daily basis!). The restaurant started off with a bang and has been packed ever since. I love to see Birmingham supporting restaurants that are totally committed to the “farm-to-table” approach of serving food, and I partly credit UC with igniting my own passion to buy and eat local (hence telling Husband that we are never eating at “chain” restaurants again and him looking at me like I’d lost my mind). As their menu says, “Buy Local. Eat Urban.”

Canebrake Gouda

This creamy and delicious cheese from Wright Dairy Farm in Alexandria, AL is the perfect addition to your pre-dinner cheese tray or hors d’oeuvres menu. Better yet - pair it with a glass of wine and enjoy it for lunch, which is what I did (and not ashamed to admit I almost ate the whole block in one sitting. My sister helped).

Watermelon Mojito

This is the quintessential summer cocktail. It’s cool, minty, refreshing, delicious, pretty…need I say more? Oh yeah, it’s on special at Jinsei every Monday night. So you can get two.

I could go on, but I haven’t eaten lunch and I’m afraid that drooling over the keyboard cannot be a good thing. So it’s your turn! What are some of YOUR favorite things from this summer? Share with me!

Summer Desserts

2010-08-05T11:07:00.003-05:00

I don’t know about you, but I am pretty great at procrastinating. Not because I work better under pressure (although that’s a nice excuse); it’s just in my nature to wait until the very last minute. Drives my mother CRAZY. Which is funny, because I’m pretty sure I inherited that trait from her…ANYway.

I’m bringing dessert to a cookout tonight and in true “Southern Soiree” fashion, I have only just begun to think about what to bring. Naturally, this leads me to what I like to call a ”Carrie Bradshaw” moment (say it with me) – I couldn’t help but wonder, what are some of the best quick and easy desserts to pull together for summer entertaining?

Enter the Banana Pudding. Some say its boring, I say dependable (which is totally different than boring. Totally). My standard go-to recipe is this low-cal version that my Aunt Dianne introduced me to (it makes me feel so much better about eating the entire bowl by myself), but it’s also fun to experiment by changing just a few ingredients. Use small cubes of pound cake instead of Nilla Wafers. Add some Nutter Butters to create the taste of a PB&B sandwich (a fave from my childhood…and maybe adulthood). For a more grown-up version, add a splash of Banana Liqueur to the pudding, or take it one step further and cook the bananas in Rum and Brown Sugar, “Bananas Foster” style. See? Not so boring anymore. And if you have a few extra minutes on hand, take the presentation up a notch by serving the dessert in individual glasses. I love the look of these parfait glasses featured in Southern Living. I like to serve mine in stemless Cosmo glasses (easier to eat out of).

*Photo from myrecipes.com

This dessert doesn’t necessarily scream “summer”, but we serve Chocolate Eclair Cake at the lake a lot and it ALWAYS disappears quickly. It’s easy, light and great for a crowd. I like the recipe on the Kraft Foods website; although, sometimes I cheat and use canned chocolate frosting. Ssshhhhh……

*Photo from kraftrecipes.com

Of course, you CAN’T have a summer dessert in the South without using our delicious Chilton County peaches. When you’ve already got the grill fired up, why not use it for dessert, too? This recipe from Epicurious is a favorite of mine – Grilled Peaches with Fresh Raspberry Sauce. You can make the Raspberry Sauce ahead (provided you are not a procrastinator extraordinaire, like yours truly), and the rest only takes a few minutes. Serve it over ice cream or pound cake for a simple, but impressive dessert.

*Photo from epicurious.com

Pick up some fresh peaches at the farmer’s market this weekend (Pepper Place, East Lake or Urban Cookhouse/Homewood are my personal faves) and try it out!

And just in case you are wondering, I’m going with the Grilled Peaches tonight.

Greek Panzanella

2010-06-01T21:09:00.001-05:00

We were all over the map during Memorial Day weekend (more on that later), so I'm a little late sharing my latest dish. Better late than never, right? I figure there is still plenty of time to try it out for upcoming 4th of July gatherings.

I've made Giada's traditional Panzanella (aka "bread salad") before, but Ina Garten recently featured a Greek version on her show -- all it took was for her to say “feta” and “bread” and I was hooked.

My favorite part of the weekend was when my Aunt Judi tried the salad and exclaimed, “Oh, delicious! And what are these little black things?”. I peered over her shoulder…”Ah”, I replied. “That would be burnt bread.” I started off with the oil a little too high when I was toasting the bread so some of the cubes got a little crispy. Whoops. Nonetheless, the salad got rave reviews (whew!).

Enjoy!

Greek Panzanella
Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients

•Good olive oil
•1 small French bread or boule, cut into 1-inch cubes (6 cups)
•Kosher salt
•1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
•1 red bell pepper, large diced
•1 yellow bell pepper, large diced
•1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
•1/2 red onion, sliced in half rounds
•1/2 pound feta cheese, cut in 1/2-inch cubes
•1/2 cup calamata olives, pitted (these can be optional, depending on your tastes)

For the vinaigrette:
•2 cloves garlic, minced
•1 teaspoon dried oregano
•1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
•1/4 cup good red wine vinegar
•1 teaspoon salt
•1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
•1/2 cup good olive oil

Directions

Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large saute pan. Add the bread cubes and sprinkle with salt; cook over low to medium heat, tossing frequently, for 5 to 10 minutes, until nicely browned. Add more olive oil as needed.
Place the cucumber, red pepper, yellow pepper, tomatoes and red onion in a large bowl.

For the vinaigrette, whisk together the garlic, oregano, mustard, vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt and the pepper in a small bowl. While still whisking, add the olive oil and make an emulsion. Pour the vinaigrette over the vegetables. Add the feta, olives and bread cubes and mix together lightly. Set aside for 30 minutes for the flavors to blend. Serve at room temperature.

Slow-Roasted Tomatoes

2010-05-20T14:38:00.006-05:00

Baby, I’m a believer (cue the Monkees). Check these out.

Gorgeous, greenhouse tomatoes. I mean, look at the color. Now, I know tomatoes are very much a “love it or hate it” fruit. As in, I love it but I know lots of people that hate it. I get it. I’ve had one or two run-ins with a questionable cherry tomato, but there are just SO MANY reasons why I love tomatoes (like this one. And this one). But as of today, I have a new love. Slow-roasted tomatoes. I don’t know what it is about roasting that brings out the best flavors in food, but it might just be my new favorite cooking method.

I didn’t exactly cut these tomatoes in all the same size (or shape, for that matter), but I don’t suppose it mattered. I lined a baking sheet with parchment paper, lined up the tomatoes, drizzled them with some EVOO, followed with a generous sprinkling of sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and a finished with a pinch of sugar. Into the oven at 275 degrees and time for waiting. And waiting. And more waiting. And peeking through the oven door the check progress. And resisting opening the door for fear of releasing the contained heat that is so clearly working its magic. And salivating.

Finally, when I just couldn't stand it any more, I took the tomatoes out and barely waited for them to cool before popping one in my mouth. Oh...my....gosh....the scorched mouth was SO worth it.

The flavor is so amazing, I don't even know how to describe it. I'm talking sweet, juicy, melt-in-your mouth amazing (I mean, I guess that counts as a description). Disclaimer: Ignore the random pita bread and cilantro on the plate; I had more plate than tomatoes and those were the only two things in my fridge that looked remotely decent enough to photograph.

Batch 2

I was so excited about the outcome of my first batch, that I decided to roast the remainder of my tomatoes for dinner. On the menu, Slow-Roasted Tomatoes with Fresh Basil and Parmesan over Bow-Tie Pasta for Husband and Tomato Omelette for moi (watching my girlish figure...doesn't sound nearly as appetizing, does it.

I basically used the same method as before (tomatoes, sea salt, pepper, sugar, EVOO, hot oven, let it do its thing). When I thought they were about ready (just over 2 hours), I did a little taste-test. And then another one. And another one. And before I knew it, I had eaten half of the tomatoes meant for Husband's dinner. Whoops.

I am really looking forward to more trips back to the farmer's market as we get into summer and tomatoes really come into season (visions of brandywine dance in my head). Until then...

Pepper Place Farmer's Market

2010-05-15T08:32:00.001-05:00

I’m off to Pepper Place this morning, the official opening day of the Summer Farmer's Market. I’ve only been once and it was 5 years ago, so I’m really pumped. As a result of my latest “you don’t need culinary school you just need to read and practice more” conversation with Husband, I’ve been pouring over Mark Bittman’s “How to Cook Everything” and Tom Colicchio’s “Think Like a Chef” (Larousse Gastronomique is next on the list—but you could call it a tad intimidating). If there’s one thing that stuck out in both of these books, it’s the importance of seasonal, fresh, farm stand ingredients. For a girl who has never ventured outside the normal frocery store for produce and dairy, this is a big deal. I anticipate a lot of yummy looking veggies, baby strollers and large dogs (farmer's markets are a family affair, after all). Wish me luck!

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

2010-05-05T12:52:00.012-05:00

I love Cinco de Mayo for two reasons: guacamole and margaritas (responsibly, of course). Plus, it's a great excuse to throw a party! I've got a couple last-minute ideas here, with recipes and more pics to come after tonight's fiesta. Enjoy!

I'm no florist, BUT I am good with produce. :) This assortment of bell, serano, jalapeno and habanero peppers piled high in a hurricane glass vase is an easy and efficient centerpiece -- and just look at those gorgeous colors! The best part? When the party’s over, just pop them back in your veggie drawer for future use.

My FAVORITE guacamole in the whole entire world comes from Rosa Mexicano. It's prepared table side in a molcajete, with your choice of mild, medium or hot spices (I always go with hot). It makes me happy. Lucky for me, Rosa Mexicano is kind enough to share the recipe on their website. I URGE you to try it (back away from the green mush at the grocery store)...seriously...I mean it.

These yummy Mexican Sushi bites were another one of Husband's ideas...I'm thinking maybe he should just write this blog...but anyway. These were a lot more time-consuming than I thought and I was running out of daylight, so I only have a few pics to post (and no actual recipes - yet). The fun thing about this unique appetizer is that the possibilities are endless. Fill them with anything from avocado and peppers to Spanish rice with rotisserie chicken...delish!

Last but not least, we're trying out Williams-Sonoma's Berry Margarita mix tonight (I love their mixes-- they are always yummy and easy!) in the BIGGEST MARGARITA GLASS YOU'VE EVER SEEN. Can't wait to post pictures...it's actually NOT a margarita glass. It's a big bowl that is meant to float candles in, but I always thought that it looked like margs should be served from it. So that's what we're doing.

Cheers!

Twitter Feed

2010-05-03T10:00:00.003-05:00

Hey guys! Check out my Twitter feed on the right-hand side of the page...it's part of my entertaining blog that I write for Birmingham Magazine, called Southern Soiree. I'll be tweeting both cooking and entertaining tidbits, so be sure to check it out!

Metro Cooking and Entertaining Show 2010

2010-04-30T14:30:00.005-05:00

It's that time of year again...celeb chefs beware, Haute Home Cooking is back in celebri-stalking style! This weekend, I am headed to the Metro Cooking and Entertaining Show in Atlanta . Well, I'm actually only going to the show on Sunday, but it's going to be quite a day -- Bobby Flay AND Mario Batali. I can hardly wait! Also, Martie Duncan of Martie Knows Parties will be there again with her amazing summer party ideas! If you are in the area, come check it out! I wonder how I'll manage to embarrass myself this year...

Perfect Punch

2010-04-26T14:01:00.006-05:00

This might be the most addicting punch recipe I have EVER tasted…certainly the most delicious! I first tried it a few years ago during my wedding-planning days. One of our brides gave the chef this recipe and requested it for her reception. I have no idea where it originated from, but it quickly became our favorite beverage for parties. I’ve served it twice this month for baby showers and have gotten so many requests for the recipe, I thought I would share it will all of you!

Slush Punch

4 cups Cran-apple juice
4 cups Pineapple juice
1 ¾ cups sugar
2 Tbsp. almond extract
½ of 2 Liter bottle Ginger Ale

Mix the first 4 ingredients together and pour into gallon Ziploc bags to freeze overnight. Pour slush mixture into punch bowl, and pour ginger ale over. Stir and serve. Garnish with strawberries, raspberries or limes.

Just look at that gorgeous color! Perfect for a girly baby shower or spring fling. For a more “adult” version, add a splash of Amaretto or Vodka and you’ve got the perfect spring cocktail!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2010-03-17T15:20:00.006-05:00

I remember the first time that I ever tried Corned Beef Hash. I was actually in Chicago for work (oh, how I miss that city) and it happened to be St. Patrick's Day. I have to admit, even though I am Irish, I never really got into celebrating the holiday. Probably because until just recently, I could not stand the taste of beer or whiskey (well, STILL can't stand whiskey) and it seemed like that was a necessary ingredient to get into the proper spirit. Anyway...

In Chicago, they celebrate St. Patrick's Day like it's Christmas. They dye the river green, have parades, tons of parties-- it's a whole big "to-do". My former boss took a co-worker and myself to lunch at Smith and Wollenksy's on North State Street, which basically sits right on the Chicago river. We had an amazing view of the city and festivities (not to mention the BRIGHT green water), and it was the perfect time for me to try the traditional Irish dish-- Corned Beef Hash. Oh my. WHAT have I been missing? I mean, I know that the Irish aren't exactly known for their (how do I put this politely)...culinary delicacies, but this was delish--comfort food at its best.

I'm sad to say that I've never had it since, but I thought this year would be the perfect time to put my own spin on the traditional dish-- in other words, I did what I do best and made it an appetizer. Pair it with some green beer (ick) and you are ready to celebrate the luck o' the Irish!

Corned Beef Hash Bites

Ingredients
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 lb. cooked corn beef, chopped
1 1/2 lbs. baby new potatoes
4 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup shredded Irish reserved cheddar (such as Kerrygold)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Parsley, to garnish

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Pierce potatoes and lay on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss to coat.
3. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until tender.
4. While potatoes are baking, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
5. Saute onions until they begin to become tender and translucent, but not brown (about 5-7 minutes).
6. Add chopped corn beef to saucepan; mix together with onions and then flatten into a thin layer in the saucepan. Let the mixture for about 5 minutes, until the onions and beef start to brown.
7. Flip mixture on the other side and let sit for an additional 5-7 minutes, or until the beef is crispy. Remove from heat.
8. Remove potatoes from the oven and let cool, until they are easy to handle.
9. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise; carefully remove the pulp from each half, leaving a thin shell in tact.
10. Sprinkle the potato shells with salt and put back in the oven for about 10 minutes, to let the shells get crisp.
11. In a small mixing bowl, blend the potato pulp with the cream cheese and sour cream. Add the beef and onion mixture, blending well.
12. Take potatoes shells out of the oven and fill each with about 1 Tbsp. of the potato, beef and onion mixture.
13. Top with shredded cheddar and broil for 5-7 minutes, until heated through and cheese is melted.
14. Top with parsley for garnish.

Spicy Ricotta Bruschetta

2010-02-05T09:56:00.002-06:00

I'll admit, I had high hopes for this one. As part of my repertoire for new cheese-y recipes (all of which are being submitted for a contest through Taste of Home), I tried to replicate the ridiculously flavorful bruschetta that I fawned over from La Tavola. Yeah...didn't exactly turn out how I thought. For one, I've decided that I need a new bruschetta recipe. The one I use most frequently is a part of the Hot Bruschetta Brie appetizer that I posted not long ago. Somehow, you don't notice the lack of flavor from the bruschetta when its mixed in with the rich and creamy brie. By itself? Ehh (shrugs shoulders). I've eaten a LOT of bruschetta in my day and I can now firmly say that this one just won't cut it. But i digress.

The hors d'oeuvres I attempted to replicate went like this-- one slice of crusty bread, covered with a thick layer of spicy ricotta cheese, topped with tomato bruschetta. Delish, right? Not too complicated, right? WRONG. Well ok, it's not complicated. But I clearly missed the boat on SO many levels. For one, the spicy ricotta. My first thought was to mix it with roasted red peppers to give it a spicy kick, so I found this handy roasted pepper bruschetta-in-a-jar from Whole Foods. Bingo! Except that it had no flavor. It was also mixed with artichokes. I was very disappointed. If I thought the bruschetta topping would save it, I was dead wrong. I don't think I've ever attempted something with so much promise to turn out to be so BLAH. Food should never be BLAH. Kinda looks pretty though, right?

Anyway, I guess the good news is that we never get better if we don't fail. This has made me reflect on what I LOVE about bruschetta- the slightly, sweet flavor from perfect tomatoes or balsamic vinegar-- maybe even sweet onions, fresh basil and garlic...the perfect combination is out there somewhere. So, I'll add this to my "ugh" list of experiments and keep trying!

Beef and Bleu Biscuit Cups

2010-01-26T20:56:00.012-06:00

Well I hate to say it, but Husband was right. These were a gooooooood idea.

I love to bounce ideas off Husband as I develop recipes (particularly for this contest). Even though we have different culinary tastes, he is brutally honest and has great instincts when it comes to my recipes. Which I kinda hate because if I win the contest, I owe him 30%. Anyway, I'll give credit where credit is due. The bleu cheese and biscuit was Husband's idea, and the beef and shallots were mine. Put it together and you have a super-easy and super-delicious appetizer that is sure to satisfy your next cheese craving.

Beef and Bleu Biscuit Cups

Ingredients

2 7.5 oz cans of biscuits
8 oz roast beef, chopped
4 oz gorgonzola cheese crumbles
2 Tbsp horseradish sauce
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp olive oil

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees
1. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in small sauté pan over medium heat. Saute shallots, stirring occasionally, until onions start to turn golden and crispy, but not completely brown (about 10 minutes).
2. While shallots are sautéing, cut each biscuit into half and press dough into a greased muffin pan, making sure to press biscuits up around the sides in each cup.
3. Spread ¼ tsp of horseradish sauce into bottom of each cup.
4. Put 1 Tbsp of chopped roast beef into each cup.
5. Top each cup with 1 tsp of gorgonzola and ½ tsp shallots.
6. Bake at 375 degrees until bubbly and biscuits are golden brown, about 10-12 minutes.

Yields 40 biscuit cups.

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

2010-01-25T09:15:00.000-06:00

I love it when two of my favorite appetizers combine to make one KILLER appetizer--in this case, Hot Bruschetta Brie. I stumbled upon this recipe a few years ago whilst perusing allrecipes.com, and instantly fell in love. I mean, what's NOT to love, right? Traditional bruschetta mixed with my favorite cheese of all time--brie. Actually, it used to be my favorite cheese of all time (I was basically reared with a wooden spoon and a wheel of brie), until I had an "incident" with a very questionable slice of brie and some fig preserves. I went on a year-long hiatus from my beloved cheese and have since recovered, albeit with a slight shudder at the memory. But that's neither here nor there...

This appetizer is simple, stunning, savory and...what's another "s" adjective?? Scrumptious? Sure. It's especially beautiful during the holidays, with the bright reds and greens from the tomatoes and basil. Serve with assorted artisanal breads--my personal fave is the Roasted Garlic loaf. I mean, you can never have too much garlic, right? Not while this Twilight craze is still going strong...

ANYway, here is the recipe. And I was just kidding about the wooden spoon...also (in case any of you are wondering), I am Team Edward.

Hot Bruschetta Brie
adapted from allrecipes.com

Ingredients
2 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup olive oil
1 (8 ounce) wheel Brie cheese

Directions
1. In a small bowl, mix roma (plum) tomatoes, onion, garlic, basil and olive oil. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 1 hour.

2. Remove top layer of rind from brie. Place brie in a small microwave safe serving dish. Microwave on high 1 minute, or until the cheese begins to soften. Spoon roma tomato mixture over the cheese. Microwave on high 1 minute, or until slightly melted. Serve immediately with artisanal breads.

Roasted Red Pepper and Feta Dip

2010-01-24T15:00:00.000-06:00

In keeping with my feta obsession, I experimented with a new recipe this weekend while hanging out with my sister and brother-in-law. It's similar to my mom's yummy Artichoke Dip, but with feta instead of parmesan, and peppers instead of artichokes. Ok, so maybe they're not that similar. But they are both delicious. I love the combination of the tangy feta with the fiery peppers, and the Panko breadcrumb topping added a nice crunch to the creamy dip. It's kind of like a really gourmet pimiento cheese--either way, it's a keeper!

Ingredients

1 shallot, diced
1 12 oz. jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
8 oz. feta, crumbled
1/2 cup mayonnaise
4 tbsp. butter
3/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs
Sliced baguette or pita chips

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. In a small saute pan over medium heat, melt 1 Tbsp. of butter and saute shallot until softened (8-10 minutes). Combine next four ingredients in a glass bowl; add shallots and blend well. *Note- Make sure the peppers are VERY well drained, so they do not add too much water to the dip. Pour mixture into 8×8 casserole dish and top with Panko breadcrumbs. Melt remaining 3 Tbsp. of butter and drizzle over dip. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Broil for an additional 3-5 minutes, until the topping is crispy and golden brown.

Serve with a fresh, sliced baguette or pita chips.

Rosebud

2010-01-20T16:15:00.019-06:00

So Day 2 of our weekend (or rather, 24 hours) in Atlanta started off pretty much perfectly--with Mimosas. I know you saw that coming...

Rosebud is another adorable eatery in Virginia Highlands. It's chic, yet comfortable--perfect for a girly brunch, but equally inviting for solo dining. I can imagine myself sitting at the bar on a Sunday mornig, chatting with the staff as I read the paper and try to decide what in the world to order. It's times like this I wish that I were a food critic so I could order everything on the menu and not feel weird or guilty, because you know, it'd be my job. That's about what we did. Not because it's our job but because we love food and we do what we want...good-bye diet, hello Big Nasty (more on that later).

We began our descent into gluttony with one of Rosebud's "Morning Starters"-- Hashbrown Casserole with Fresh Crab, Jalapeno, Caramelized Onions and Aged Cheddar. Out of this world. Everything tasted so fresh-- I thought at first that so many strong flavors (the crab, peppers, onions) would be overwhelming, but they blended perfectly. As you can see, I liked it.

Next up was the Wild Georgia Shrimp and Grits with Andouille Sausage, Caramelized Onions and Tomato Gravy. Our sweet waiter took the time to divide the dish into individual bowls for each of us--very thoughtful. The grits were the creamiest I have ever tasted--almost like a risotto. Normally, I don't care for tomato-based sauces in my shrimp and grits, but I was more than pleasantly suprised. In fact, I'm pretty sure we licked our bowls clean.

Our entrees were the Omelette Special (Braised Beef and some kind of cheese that was similar to Camembert--HEAVEN), the Big Greek Omelette, Brioche French Toast with Mascarpone and Rosemary-Orange Honey and everyone's favorite-- The Big Nasty. And by nasty they mean delicious. It's a beast of a sandwich with lightly breaded and fried chicken, topped with a scrambled egg, smoked bacon and cheddar.

I'm pretty sure I gained 10 more lbs. just writing about it, but I'd say it was worth it...can't wait to try and re-create some of these delightful dishes at home!

Girls Just Want to Have Fun…and Food…and Wine…

2010-01-19T11:30:00.015-06:00

I love girls weekends…mostly because my girls love the same things I do…good food, great wine and even better company. This past weekend, we went to visit our dear friend Hope, who recently left us for the big ATL. We miss her terribly, but the upside is that we have the perfect excuse to make frequent trips to see her and I can check out all the fun places that I didn’t get a chance to try/wasn’t allowed to drive to when I lived there.

We started out at La Tavola in Virginia Highlands, where Hope is a hostess on nights and weekends. Sidenote--in all the 8 years I lived in Atlanta, I never went to Virginia Highlands. Boy, did I miss out. The area is full of amazing eateries, trendy boutiques and eclectic crowds. If only we’d had a few more days…but I digress.

La Tavola is everything I imagine an authentic trattoria to be…simple and intimate with a wine list to die for. Oh, and the food is pretty stellar too. We started our meal with some delightful Prosecco Rose and three appetizers-- Mozzarella Burrata with tomato conserva and crostini, Escarole and Sausage with Parmigiana-Reggiano fonduta and Bruschetta with cherry tomatoes, oregano, garlic and spicy ricotta. I love a good bruschetta, and this version was no exception. The cherry tomatoes were halved, instead of chopped or diced, which soaked up the flavor from the garlic and oregano beautifully. The spicy ricotta was smooth with a nice kick, and a welcome change from the traditional shredded parmesan or mozzarella that I’ve had in other bruschettas. The Escarole and Sausage was delicious, but the Burrata…oh the burrata. I had never heard of burrata until reading one of favorite blogs, Orangette. It’s essentially a ball of mozzarella, stuffed with more mozzarella that has been mixed with heavy cream. Cheese stuffed with cheese?? Yes, please! To quote the wonderful Molly Wizenberg of Orangette, “I am deeply in love with it”. I’ve heard that it doesn’t need more than a drizzle of olive oil and sea salt, but I honestly can’t imagine anything better than the delicious tomato conserve (sort of like a sweet tomato jam) that La Tavola paired with it-- it was the perfect complement to the smooth, creamy and slightly tangy flavor of the cheese. If I go missing one day, I'm huddled in the kitchen at La Tavola and eating my weight in burrata...

And moving on. There were several entrees that looked amazing, so we each decided to get something different and share (we’re sweet like that). The winners-- Smoked Risotto with Butternut Squash (one of my faves) and Boar sausage, Pork Porterhouse with Buckwheat Polenta, Saltimbocca alla Romana (veal scallopini) with prosciutto, sage, roasted fingerling potatoes and braised brussel sprouts, and Braised Beef Ravioli in a red wine reduction with marrow butter and fresh thyme. I'm drooling over my keyboard as I type...

The risotto was perfectly creamy, sweet from the butternut, and smoky from the boar sausage--incredible combination. I’m not sure how to describe the pork and polenta, other than really tasty. The veal was also delicious, and I can happily say that someone else besides Tyler Florence can make me love brussel sprouts. But my MOST favorite was the Braised Beef Ravioli. The ravioli was fresh and tender, and the marrow butter added an incredibly rich, velvety flavor. It is quite possibly the most sumptuous (ha! I’ve always wanted to use that word) dish I have ever enjoyed.
We were so in love with the restaurant that they basically had to kick us out so they could clean and go home. We headed back to Hope’s house to finish the evening with La Tavola’s dessert sampler and more wine (FYI, the Chocolate Nemesis cake is as serious as its name). We tore into that sampler like we hadn't eaten in DAYS (it was maybe 15 minutes).

Well five paragraphs and who knows how many words later, I guess what I meant to say was, I think I know where we're going for my birthday dinner. See you in April, La Tavola!

Turkey Meatloaf with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Feta

2010-01-10T15:49:00.003-06:00

I'm in the middle of what I like to call a "love affair with feta". It's all I want to eat, cook with, read about, etc. So when I was trying to figure out what to make Husband and some friends for dinner, this jumped out at me-- Giada's Turkey Meatloaf with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and FETA (yippee!). Done and done.

Now for all you meatloaf-haters out there (you know who you are, *cough* Heather), let me say this--this is NOT your momma's ketchup covered hunk 'o mystery meat. This is the good stuff. Gourmet meatloaf, if you will (who knew there was such a thing?). It's suprisingly moist (I say "surprising" because turkey is so much leaner and therefore, more likely to get dry) and full of flavor. I honestly felt like I could taste the Mediterranean...the tangy feta and sun-dried tomatoes came together beautifully. Not the most photogenic meal, but really, sometimes food tastes better than it looks. Not always...but sometimes.

Turkey Meatload with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Feta
adapted from Giada de Laurentiis

Ingredients

Vegetable cooking spray
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup chopped garlic and herb-marinated sun-dried tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced, optional
2 eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons whole milk (I used Skim because that's what I had and it worked fine!)
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound ground turkey

Directions

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Spray a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, parsley, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, if using, eggs, milk, feta, salt, and pepper. Add the turkey and gently stir to combine, being careful not to overwork the meat.

Carefully pack the meat mixture into the prepared pan and bake until the internal temperature registers 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and slice. Put on a serving platter and serve.

*Pairs well with smashed baby new potatoes.

Robusto, Robusto, wherefore art thou, Robusto?

2010-01-04T16:48:00.004-06:00

I had a really awesome rhyme that ended in "baguette" (get it--because "baguette" rhymes with "Capulet"--I'll wait while you give a courtesy laugh). I kill myself, sometimes...

But seriously, where has Robusto been all my life? I'll tell you where. Whole Foods. In the cheese section. With my name all over it.

I happened upon Robusto during one of my lunch breaks (Heather and I love to go to Whole Foods at lunch because they always have yummy samples so we can fill up and its free--sshh, don't tell on us). Anyway, there were several different cheese to sample that day but I can't remember anything past reaching the little plastic tongs in the clear dome because I think I might have swooned. It is the most amazingly delicious cheese I had ever tasted. It's described as a cross between Gouda and Parmesan, but who really cares because either way, Robusto cheese will change your life. Try it on a fresh baguette with some olive oil and a little sea salt, or add it to your favorite panini-- but I'd recommend sitting down the first time you try it so when you faint from sheer tastebud-ecstasy, you won't hurt yourself. Personally, I am looking to make the word's best homemade mac 'n cheese with this sucker...let the swooning begin.

Some Like it Hot

2009-12-28T11:13:00.004-06:00

I’ve been craving a lot of Buffalo wings lately (no, I’m not pregnant). Not really sure why—other than the fact that they are awesome. You know what’s even awesomer—ahem, more awesome…Buffalo Chicken Dip. It’s everything you love about hot wings, minus the mess. I first saw the recipe in Taste of Home magazine but in my pre-Christmas cleaning frenzy, I apparently threw it away. So I Googled it (of course), searched through at least 100 versions that all claimed to be “the best” and finally settled on this one. How I have never heard of this before is BEYOND me. It was such a hit the first time I served it (to a bunch of hungry guys during a football game--no brainer), I made it twice in one week during Christmas. Sadly, no pictures of this one. You’ll just have to trust me.

Ultimate Spicy Buffalo Chicken Dip
Adapted from Adrienne Bailey, Mary England and Susie Cromer Clements

1 cup Ranch dressing
¾ cup chopped red onion
2 8-oz packages cream cheese, softened
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded OR one rotisserie chicken, shredded
1 cup Frank’s Hot Sauce (adjust to your tastes)
2 cups shredded Cheddar
Tortilla Chips and celery for dipping

Directions
1. Saute red onion in butter until tender (about 10 minutes); remove from heat.
2. In a large bowl, combine chicken, hot sauce, cream cheese, half of shredded cheddar and sauted onions.
3. Mix thoroughly and pour into baking dish.
4. Sprinkle remaining cheddar on top.
5. Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes, until bubbly.
6. Serve with tortilla chips and celery.

*Adrienne’s note said this goes best with a nice cold beer, and I must say, I agree (preferably, Stella).

Christmas Comes Early

2009-12-07T11:22:00.006-06:00

Any of you who might know me are well aware of my Williams-Sonoma obsession. I will happily spend hours perusing the tools, gadgets, recipes, books, etc. (not to mention, enjoying the tasty samples). Well, they just made my Christmas season. Why? I’ve had my eye on this wonderful little pancake pan…not just any pancake pan, I tell you…an Ebelskiver pancake pan. I know, I know…an Ebil-WHAT? Let me give you a little back story…my dear Uncle Charlie used to make Ebelskivers, a traditional Danish pancake, for my family when I was little. It was always such a treat, since we never made them in my own house. They are basically round pancakes that are light, fluffy, slightly sweet and pretty much a small piece of heaven. So last Christmas when I was doing my daily drooling over the Breville Panini Press at WS, I spotted the pan! It had been years since I’d even seen one…I had kind of thought they were hard to find. In any case, it was a little pricier than I wanted to spend at the time and I have been coveting it ever since. Imagine my absolutely DELIGHT when I received an email from WS this morning, announcing 1-day deals that they will be promoting throughout the month. Today’s deal? The Ebelskiver pan HALF-PRICE! I bought two (one for my parents), as well as the cookbook that accompanies it. It is filled with both sweet and savory recipes; every one of them looks divine (especially the chocolate ganache, pictured here--YES PLEASE). If you’ve got a pancake-lover in your family, head over to Williams-Sonoma today and pick up this fabulous gift! i don't know about you, but I'm looking forward to Christmas-morning breakfast…

*Photo from http://www.williams-sonoma.com/

DC Weekend Kick-off at Jaleo

2009-11-11T16:11:00.015-06:00

So I arrived in DC on Friday evening, with just enough time to share a bottle of red wine with my friend Emily, do a little catching up and then hit the sack so as to rest up for the big weekend.

Saturday started like this...

Emily suggested this fabulous tapas restaurant, Jaleo, for brunch. At first I was skeptical...tapas? For brunch? Don't get me wrong, I LOVE tapas. I also love to eat. A lot. Particularly at breakfast (I mean, it's the most important meal of the day). Anyway, we got this cute little table right in front of the window so we could people-watch as we ate (I adore sidewalk cafes/restaurants for this very reason). We started off with a Mimosa (duh) and an order of Pan con Tomate, topped with Manchego. Pan con Tomate is a very traditional Spanish tapa. It's basically rustic bread that has been smeared (for lack of a better term) with fresh garlic and a juicy, ripe tomato. This version was topped with one of my favorite cheeses OF ALL TIME-- Manchego. Manchego is a sheep's milk cheese from the La Mancha region of Spain. It. Is. DELICIOUS. Some people compare it to feta, although it's not as salty. In any case, if you have never tried Manchego (shame on you!), I highly recommend that you run out this very minute and get some.

Next, we ordered Revuelto de queso y set--scrambled eggs with chef selected wild mushrooms and cheese. I forgot to ask what kind of cheese was in the dish, but whatever was used was wonderful. I also forgot to take a picture. But don't worry- I DID get a shot of another brunch highlight--complimentary roasted garlic in olive oil and rosemary with fresh bread. Needless to say, I was in heaven. While there were so many other dishes we wanted to try (such as pancakes made with Spanish extra virgin olive oil--the more carbs, the better), we were actually full after our two dishes. We also knew we were headed for a day of sipping and tasting at the MCES, so we needed to pace ourselves.

Exhibit editorial to come...

My "Saved by the Bell" Moment

2009-11-10T15:44:00.006-06:00

Man, I tell you--nothing like being surrounded by celebrity chefs for the weekend to provide some major inspiration to get in the kitchen and make some magic. With this sort-of-new job that I'm still getting used to, I confess that I feel overwhelmed at times with all I want to do (and feel like I should be doing) with this blog. Kind of reminds of that episode from Saved by the Bell where Jessie gets hopped up on caffeine pills and proceeds to get hysterical while singing "I'm So Excited" before totally breaking down (you all know what I'm talking about)...except that I'm not taking caffeine pills and I'm breaking down in Husband's arms instead of Zack Morris's. ANYWAY...the weekend in DC was an absolutely incredible experience. I'll be posting the highlights soon --undoubtedly while hearing Jessie's voice in my head yelling, "There's never enough time!". Sigh.

The Stalking of Tyler Florence- Part Deux

2009-11-06T14:14:00.008-06:00

So if I thought that I didn't embarrass myself nearly enough last April when I accidentally hit on Tyler Florence at the Metro Cooking and Entertaining Show, now is my chance to redeem myself (or embarrass myself further--it could go either way).

The MCES is headed to the Washington Convention Center this weekend, and I'm headed out this evening to enjoy the food, fun and of course--stalking my fave Food Network celebs. Not only have I coerced my dear friend Emily into attending with me, but we'll also be participating in Tyler's Ultimate Food and Wine Pairing and a celebrity presentation by Giada de Laurentiis (have I mentioned that I want to be her when I grow up?). Should be an interesting weekend, to say the least. Paula Deen, Guy Fieri, The Neelys and many more amazing people will be in attendance. I'll be sure to post pics throughout the festivities.

Cheers!

*Note: Photos from http://www.metrocooking.com

Steak and Onion Rings

2009-10-23T22:02:00.010-05:00

The cool thing about being a Foodbuzz Featured Publisher is that you get to participate in their Tastemaker program. In other words, they will send you samples of food, gadgets, etc. for you to try out and write about on your blog. Imagine my delight when I got my very first package--a box with Emeril's Steak Rub, Essence of Emeril and Beef Stock.

I decided that my first entry would be a recipe (well, two actually) that I had been dying to try since I first started my blog. On a rare Saturday off last fall, I was lounging on the couch channel-surfing and stumbled upon Barefoot Contessa. I had never watched Ina Garten before, but I was instantly intrigued by her show. That day, she was making Steakhouse Steaks with Cornmeal Onion Rings and Sauted Wild Mushrooms. Love at first sight.

I decided to take her steak and onion ring recipes and tweak them a bit, adding Emeril's steak rub and Essence of Emeril seasoning. They turned out pretty good--considering that I have never cooked steak or onion rings before. The steaks were definitely too salty, but still good. I'm sure that adding the steak rub added some salt. However, I absolutely LOVED the addition of Essence of Emeril to the onion rings. It gave them a nice little kick that was just delish!

Steakhouse Steaks
adapted from Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten
Episode: Steaks and Sides

Ingredients

2 (10-ounce) filet mignon
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 tablespoon fleur de sel
1 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 tablespoon Emeril's Steak Rub
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, optional

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Heat a large, well-seasoned cast iron skillet over high heat until very hot, 5 to 7 minutes.
Meanwhile, pat the steaks dry with a paper towel and brush them lightly with vegetable oil. Combine the fleur de sel, cracked pepper and Emeril's Steak Rub on a plate and roll the steaks in the mixture, pressing lightly to evenly coat all sides.

When the skillet is ready, add the steaks and sear them evenly on all sides for about 2 minutes per side, for a total of 10 minutes.

Top each steak with a tablespoon of butter, if using, and place the skillet in the oven. Cook the steaks until they reach 120 degrees F for rare or 125 degrees F for medium-rare on an instant-read thermometer. (To test the steaks, insert the thermometer sideways to be sure you're actually testing the middle of the steak.)

Remove the steaks to a serving platter, cover tightly with aluminum foil and allow to rest at room temperature for 10 minutes.

Cornmeal-Fried Onion Rings
adapted from Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten
Episode: Steaks and Sides

Ingredients

2 large Spanish onions (or 3 yellow onions)
2 cups buttermilk
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp Essence of Emeril, divided
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (medium) yellow cornmeal
1 quart vegetable oil

Directions
Peel the onions, slice them 1/2 to 3/4-inch thick, and separate them into rings. Combine the buttermilk, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper and 1 teaspoon Essence of Emeril in a medium bowl. Add the onion rings, toss well, and allow to marinate for at least 15 minutes. (The onion rings can sit in the buttermilk for a few hours.) In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1 teaspoon Essence of Emeril. Set aside.

When you're ready to fry the onion rings, preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with paper towels.

Heat the oil to 350 degrees F in a large pot or Dutch oven. (A candy thermometer attached to the side of the pot will help you maintain the proper temperature). Working in batches, lift some onions out of the buttermilk and dredge them in the flour mixture. Drop into the hot oil and fry for 2 minutes, until golden brown, turning them once with tongs. Don't crowd them! Place the finished onion rings on the baking sheet, sprinkle liberally with salt, and keep them warm in the oven while you fry the next batch. Continue frying the onion rings and placing them in the warm oven until all the onions are fried. They will remain crisp in the oven for up to 30 minutes. Serve hot.

Margaux's

2009-10-20T10:12:00.003-05:00

So I know that this blog is primarily focused on cooking, but I just HAVE to give a little plug to my new favorite (out-of-state) restaurant--Margaux's in Raleigh, NC. My parents moved to North Carolina two years ago, and this quickly became their favorite dining spot. On a recent trip to visit them, Mom and Dad were nice enough to treat me to dinner. Words cannot express my gratitude. Dramatic, but true. This place is THAT GOOD.

We started out at the bar with our favorite cocktail-- Apple Martinis (actually, Dad got a Gin and Tonic--he's not that girly) to enjoy the atmosphere and watch a little football. The decor is very eclectic--it's not stuffy, but still upscale. The menu changes periodically, and they always have seasonal specials. I had my eye on a dish that I found on the menu a few days earlier (doing my due diligence--I always look at menus before I go to new restaurants. It gets me excited), but my parents warned me it might not be on there any more. I'm happy to say they were wrong. Not only that, but when the bartender described the dish to them, they decided that they would get it too! We're all about variety, in my family.

Anyway, the dish was Pan Seared Lobster Tails with Shrimp and Scallops, served with a Smoked Bacon and Pumpkin Sage Risotto. I can't even type it without drooling, but the best part was the presentation. My photo does not do it justice (the restaurant was very dark), but the dish was served in this adorable mini pumpkin. I all but licked my plate clean (pumpkin included). And though we didn't really have room for dessert, I couldn't resist their White and Dark Chocolate Mousse. In a word--heavenly. Food is my best friend (sorry, Husband).

Homemade Pumpkin Bread

2009-10-12T09:55:00.007-05:00

About a year ago, I started this very fun, stressful, fulfilling and time-consuming thing--my blog. It's been a great year...I mean, no book deals or movies with Meryl Streep, but I've definitely learned a lot about cooking and even more about myself. Cheesy, I know. Anyway, I decided to celebrate my anniversary by paying homage to my very first blog post--those decadent Pumpkin Pie Waffles. But instead of waffles, I would venture into baking my first ever homemade Pumpkin Bread. We all know how great I am at baking (insert sarcastic comment here), but something about the cool, fall weather inspired me. Or maybe it was the Pumpkin Spice Latte at Starbucks, I can't be sure...

Anyway. I found this easy (idiot-proof) recipe at RecipeZaar and decided to give it a whirl. The bread was moist, delicious and full of my favorite pumpkin flavor. This will definitely be one to share over the holidays!

Pumpkin Bread
adapted from RecipeZaar, recipe #264721

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup olive oil (can sub with canola or vegetable)
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350°F.
2.Sift together flour, salt, sugar and baking soda.
3.In a separate bowl, combine pumpkin, oil, eggs, water and spices.
4.Combine pumpkin mixture with dry ingredients, being careful not to over mix (this will make the bread tough).
5.Pour into a well-buttered 9x5x3 inch loaf pan. Bake 50-60 minutes until a thin skewer poked in the very center of the loaf comes out clean. Turn out of the pan and let cool on a rack.

Serving: One 9x5 loaf

Baby Shower

2009-10-06T08:17:00.006-05:00

Well I think the hard work paid off. I successfully schlepped (almost) every entertaining piece that I owned to Atlanta for my dear friend Anna's baby shower (or as Husband liked to refer to it, "the thing that took over my life and my dining room). Husband looked at the pile on the living room floor as he was about to load the car and said, "Ok, how about we leave half of this stuff here." I ignored him. Of course, as soon as we arrived Anna's sweet mom saw our stash and said, "I have dishes, you know." I might have gotten a glare from Husband at that point, but I can't be sure.

Anyway, our resident photographer (aka my mom) got some great shots of the food, table and of course, beautiful parents-to-be. It was an incredibly special day and we were so happy to be a part of it!

My pride and glory--the diaper cake. I decided that instead of flowers, I would make this the "centerpiece" of the table.I mean, flowers are beautiful, but diapers are useful. I followed the instructions on this helpful site...it wasn't nearly as difficult as I thought it would be! Don't you love it when that happens?

After I put it together, I decorated with some cute ribbon that coordinated with the invitations, plates and napkins that I picked out (because I'm a big nerd). I topped the "cake" with some fresh hydrangea and used an ivory cake stand (one of my favorite wedding gifts) to display it. I was really excited about these adorable socks I found at Swoozie's. Anna and Jeremy have decided to wait until the baby is born to tell us his name (believe me, I have tried to get it out of them) so they affectionately call him "Little Buddy." Imagine my delight when I found little baby socks embroidered with (you guessed it)... Little Buddy! Perfection!

Oh, the food. My favorite part of any gathering. I have to give a HUGE thank you to Anna's amazing father, Mr. Yanni, who slow-cooked his own BBQ pork for us to make mini BBQ sliders with. It was incredible. I filled out the table with Warm Swiss and Bacon Dip, Artichoke Dip with Pita Chips, Mini Roast Beef and Havarti Sliders, Red Potato Salad and some fresh veggies.

Dessert included Brownie Bites, Petit Fours (with blue baby booties--adorable!) and Anna's favorite pregnancy craving--Oatmeal Cream Sandwiches. It was actually the only thing she could eat for about three months.

As another gift to Anna and Jeremy, we asked the guests to write down some words of encouragement or blessings for the parents-to-be. I added their baby pictures to the table in some adorable frames that they can use for the nursery. Note: Given the number of swine flu cases that had been diagnosed at the time of the shower, we asked guests to sanitize their hands. Anna thinks of everything.

Congratulations Anna and Jeremy! We can't wait to meet Little Buddy!

BB Birthday Sheet Cake

2009-09-11T07:28:00.013-05:00

So I'm off to a great start. It's my first ever Barefoot Bloggers post, and I'm late. =( The cookout that Husband and I went to ended up lasting past midnight (which is really impressive, actually, considering that I'm usually in the bed by 10pm and trying to count how many hours of sleep I'll get). Anyway, I was too tired to post when we got home so I'm doing it before work. Forgive me, I will do better next time!

I was actually kind of terrified to make this recipe (what with this being my BB debut and all). I don't really bake, I don't have a standing mixer (which seemed pretty necessary for this task) and the recipe had gotten some iffy reviews on the Food Network. Nonetheless, I rolled up my sleeves and got started.

I followed the recipe almost exactly--I omitted the lemon zest, used almond extract instead of vanilla (which is what I had on hand), and lessened the amount of baking soda (following the lead of other reviewers). For the icing (after reading more reviews), I decided to use half semi-sweet and half milk chocolate chips. I also did not have the correct size sheet pan, so I used a 9x13 inch baking pan. The cake took forever to cook, and never really set in the middle. Finally, I just got annoyed (and was already 30 minutes late to the cookout), so I took it out and hoped it would continue to cook a little during the car ride. I don't know enough about baking to know why that happened or what I might have done wrong, so any advice is greatly appreciated!

When we got to our friend's house, I proceeded to pour (that's right, pour) the icing over the cake. It was nowhere near thick enough, but I was anxious to finish the cake and take some pictures before everybody got a piece. Our friend, Chris, wanted to know what the "sauce" on my cake was. Nice. Also, it sunk in the middle (because it had not finished cooking) so it looked like I had a little chocolate pond in the center of the cake. Sigh.....apparently cakes aren't my thing (remember Husband's birthday incident last month?).

All that to say....the cake was actually delicious! I was really pleasantly surprised. It was moist, had a nice texture and the hint of almond gave it a wonderful flavor (I also added some Reese's Pieces to the top of the cake because I wanted it to look "fall-ish"). Here's the kicker--as we were leaving the cookout 5 hours later, I noticed that my frosting had thickened and had the perfect consistency. Of course.

Oh well. My new motto is, "It tastes good no matter what it looks like". I'm posting the recipe with my minor changes below, but you can find the original here. Enjoy!

Barefoot Contessa's Birthday Sheet Cake

Adapted from Barefoot Contessa (Ina Garten)

Ingredients

For the cake:
18 tablespoons (2 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 cups sugar
6 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
8 ounces (about 1 cup) sour cream, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda

For the frosting:

12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

12 ounces milk chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
Chocolate candies for decorating

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan.

To make the cake, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. On medium speed, add the eggs, 2 at a time, then the sour cream, vanilla, and lemon zest, scraping down the bowl as needed. Mix well. Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir just until smooth. Finish mixing by hand to be sure the batter is well mixed. Pour evenly into the pan, smooth the top with a spatula, and bake in the center of the oven for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan to room temperature.

For the frosting, place the chocolate chips and heavy cream in a bowl set over a pot of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until the chips are completely melted. Off the heat, add the corn syrup and vanilla and allow the chocolate mixture to cool to room temperature. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the chocolate mixture and softened butter on medium speed for a few minutes, until it's thickened.

Spread the frosting evenly on the cake. Decorate with candies.

Barefoot Bloggers

2009-09-10T08:43:00.009-05:00

One of the things I love about blogging is the community. No matter what topic you blog about, chances are you can find several (or several hundred) people who LOVE to blog about the same thing! For me (obviously) it's cooking, so imagine my delight when I stumbled upon Barefoot Bloggers--a group of bloggers that love all things Ina (aka the Barefoot Contessa). Finally, people who will understand me when I begin a sentence with, "Well Ina says..". Husband just looks at me like I have three heads.

Anyway, here's how it works. Each month, two of Ina's recipes are chosen for members to cook or bake (members get to choose the featured recipes in an order determined by the date they join the site). Those recipes will be posted on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month, and then everyone gets to compare notes and talk about how the recipes turned out. Fun, right?

The first recipe for September is Ina's Birthday Sheet Cake. As it happens, Husband and I are cooking out with some friends tonight so now I can bring dessert! I'll post the pics and update later today.

Happy Cooking!

Roasted Red Pepper and Turkey Wrap

2009-08-23T23:00:00.007-05:00

Sometimes Husband and I like to play a game called, "Let's cook everything in our pantry/fridge before we go to the store again." It didn't actually work today because I had to get toilet paper...nonetheless, it did get me searching through the fridge to see what random items I could make lunch out of. I ended up with a new turkey wrap that I was actually quite proud of. Its very rare that my first attempt at a new recipe or dish turns out any good. Usually, I'm disappointed and hem and haw over what I missed and did wrong. This time I can honestly say it didn't need a thing (except maybe a better photo). Granted, this isn't super gourmet--(as such, I barely have an actual recipe to share). But its not just any ol' turkey sandwich, either. Somewhere in between...I think I can handle "in between" for now.

Ingredients

1 flour tortilla
1 Tbsp. chive and onion cream cheese
2 Tbsp. sliced roasted red peppers
5 slices oven roasted turkey breast
2 Tbsp. shredded mozzarella cheese

Spread chive and onion cream cheese in a smooth layer over flour tortilla. Top with turkey slices, red peppers and mozzarella. Starting with one end, roll tortilla over mixture and place seam-side down on baking sheet. Place under broiler in oven for 3-5 minutes, until cheese is melted and tortilla is slightly brown.

Penne a La Vodka Casserole

2009-08-20T22:20:00.007-05:00

For Husband's birthday dinner, I referred to an old favorite--Emeril's Penne a La Vodka casserole. It's hearty, delicious, feeds 12 people (which is perfect for a crowd OR when you're trying to stretch your groceries) AND it gave me an excuse to use another goody from my Foodbuzz Tastemaker package--Emeril's Original Essence seasoning. Sometimes I cheat a little (such as using Vodka Sauce from a jar instead of making it from scratch) but you really can't tell the difference. This time I added roasted red peppers for a little extra kick, and I loved the flavor they added. Bonus: It tastes even better the next day--our leftovers lasted us almost a week!

Penne a La Vodka Casserole
adapted from Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, cut into 1-inch slices
1 pound hot Italian sausage, cut into 1-inch slices
2 large onions, diced
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 jar Vodka sauce
1/4 cup roasted red peppers, sliced into strips
1 teaspoon Emeril's Original Essence
1 pound penne pasta
15 ounces ricotta cheese
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
11/2 cups grated mozzarella

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add the sausages and cook, stirring, until browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the onions, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and the black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are just soft, about 4 minutes. Add the red peppers, basil and garlic, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the Vodka sauce and Essence; stir to mix, and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Heat about 4 quarts of water with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt in a large pot over high heat. Bring to a boil, add the pasta, and cook until al dente, 12 to 14 minutes. Remove from the heat and drain well. Combine half of the ricotta cheese and half of the Parmigiano-Reggiano in a large mixing bowl. Add the pasta and toss to coat evenly. Add the sausage mixture and mix well. Add the remaining ricotta cheese and the remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano and mix well.

Transfer the mixture to a 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with the mozzarella. Bake until bubbly and golden, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven. Serve warm with crusty bread.

Almost Homemade Chocolate Mousse

2009-08-19T20:37:00.006-05:00

After Husband's cake disaster, I needed to think of another dessert for his actual birthday. Preferably, something that wouldn't fall apart and/or leave me in tears. This one came about from the following conversation:

Me: So what do you want for your birthday dessert?

Husband: Pudding.

Me: Like....banana pudding?

H: No, like just regular pudding.

Me: Um...

H: Chocolate pudding.

Me: Are you just saying that because we have a box of chocolate pudding in the pantry?

H: No.

Me: Right. How about chocolate mousse?

H: Whatever...

Me: (Sigh)......

So I remembered this delicious Amaretto Chocolate Mousse that my mom used to make when we had company, and I decided to give it a whirl. It's one of those that made guests think she'd been slaving in the kitchen for hours when really it only took about 15 minutes.My version was more like what I like to call a "progressive recipe". I just kept adding stuff to it until I felt like it was ready. The result? Well, let's just say...I won't tell about the boxed pudding if you won't.

Amaretto Chocolate Mousse

1 pkg Chocolate Pudding Mix (Instant)

1 pkg Cool Whip, thawed

1 1/2 cups cold milk

1/4 cup Amaretto

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup cocoa powder

Mix chocolate pudding mix and milk according to the directions on the package. Fold in thawed Cool Whip. Pour in Amaretto, mixing well. In a small bowl, beat whipping cream with a hand mixer until stiffened, about 2-3 minutes. Fold into pudding mixture. Stir in cocoa powder and mix well. Cover and chill in refrigerator at least 1 hour. Pour into martini glasses or tea cups and serve.

Serves 4.

Panzanella

2009-08-18T21:47:00.014-05:00

It's hard to believe, but sometimes we let bread go stale in my house. You see, Husband is not a carb-fiend like I am, so sometimes I'm left to finish an entire loaf of rustic Italian something-or-other on my own. Normally, this would not be a problem but I'm trying to practice a little restraint (and not be wasteful).

So what's a girl to do when the bread goes stale? Make panzanella! This recipe is loosely based on Giada's version in Everyday Italian (I do love Giada). I would have followed it exactly, but I didn't have all of the ingredients so I decided to improvise a little. In fact, now that I am re-reading my scibbbled notes, I barely followed it all. Oh well. The inspiration is authentic, even if the dish is not...

Panzanella
adapted from Giada de Laurentiis

6 Roma Tomatoes, sliced
8-10 oz. Italian loaf (or some other kind of good, crusty bread), 2-3 days old, cubed
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 cup basil, thinly sliced
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup chopped cucumber
1 Tbsp. each oil and vinegar

In a large bowl, combine olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper and whisk until blended. Add bread, tomatoes and sliced basil; toss well to combine. Let bread mixture sit about 10 minutes, tossing occasionally. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Drizzle with 1 Tbsp. each of oil and vinegar. Cover and let sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour. Garnish with fresh basil and shaved parmesan, and serve.

Serves 4.

Limeades for Learning

2009-08-16T11:19:00.000-05:00

Limeades for Learning

Posted using ShareThis

Happy Birthday, Husband!

2009-08-15T22:47:00.013-05:00

Husband's birthday is next week and at my insistence, we are having a little birthday cook-out with some of our nearest and dearest. I think Husband is a tad bit grumpy about turning 32 (he didn't even want a party!) but I happen to love birthdays, so I put my foot down (and by that, I mean pitched a little fit) and voila! A cook-out it is.

For the occasion, I decided to attempt making one of Husband's favorite desserts--German Chocolate Cake. My morning went something like this:

Step 1. Googled every recipe for German Chocolate Cake ever published.
Step 2. Became enamored with Annie's Eats GCC post. Vowed to make my cake look half as good as hers (she is adorable, by the way. If ya'll don't already read her blog, you need to).
Step 3. Played around on at least 20 different blogs that I love but have not read in awhile.
Step 4. Scolded myself for not keeping my blog up-to-date.
Step 5. Made a resolution to keep my blog up-to-date.
Step 6. Got distracted by the beautiful weather and made plans to lay out at the pool with some friends.
Step 7. Went to the store to buy ingredients where I got further distracted by Betty Crocker's boxed cake and coconut/pecan icing.
Step 8. Convinced myself that Husband would never know the difference.

Successful, huh. In my defense, I planned to make homemade chocolate ganache to pour over the cake. I know that traditional German Chocolate Cake is iced with coconut/pecan gooey yummy-ness, but I had a brilliant idea for a cake topper that needed a smoother (and darker) surface. Husband's wedding cake was poker-themed, with white chocolate playing cards sitting on top and chocolate "suits" scattered around the outside of the cake. I thought they were adorable, so I wrapped them up and stuck them in the fridge to save for another use. A year and a half later, I had my opportunity!! Also, Husband would no longer have to threaten to throw them out.

Now I would like to say that my cake turned out exactly like Annie's masterpiece, and that our friends oohed and aahhed and marveled at my ingenuity. But that would be a lie. It didn't even survive the 12-minute car ride. I'm not entirely sure what happened, all I know is that at one point I heard Husband say "Oh crap", and when I got out of the car to go take the cake from him, the entire thing collapsed in my hands. Needless to say, I cried. Hard. For 20 minutes.

Lucky for me, I am married to a man who is unfailingly encouraging and supportive. Or maybe he just can't stand to see a woman cry...who knows. Either way, he calmed me down and we entered the party---me with black mascara under my eyes and Husband holding what was left of his birthday cake. At the end of the meal, I did what any refined hostess would have done--I stuck the cake in the middle of the table, handed out forks and said, "Dig in."

Oklahoma, OK!!!

2009-07-30T10:01:00.011-05:00

I hope I'm not the only one who understands the reference of my blog title...ya'll have seen the musical Oklahoma, right? Anyone?

Anyway, I just returned from a business trip to OK City, completely exhausted and probably 5 pounds heavier. My boss and I were meeting with the marketing folks at the Sonic headquarters (which is awesome, by the way--though I found myself craving tater tots throughout the entire meeting). Our day started with a 6am flight (why did we think that was a good idea?) and we were in meetings until 5pm. We were a little tired, but looking forward to a nice, relaxing dinner. We did our research before we arrived and chose the Red Prime Steakhouse in downtown Oklahoma City. Oh. My. Word. Where do I even begin...

It has a very trendy atmosphere…the lights are dim and everyone is bathed in a red glow. The bar is obviously a hot spot (highlighted by a floor-to-ceiling metal "cage", for lack of a better word, that houses I don't even know how many bottles of wine). Everything from the white square plates down to the cutlery and stemware was impressive. Although the floor was a little slick---ladies in heels, beware.

To say the wine list is extensive is an understatement….my boss (we'll call her "M", like in the James Bond movies. I could be the James Bond of marketing. You don't know.) took the reigns on that. I mean, I like to think that I know a little bit about wine, but when M started talking about how Napa produced a really lovely Cab in '95 I knew I was WAY out of my league...I'm thinking this job will be a learning opportunity in more ways then one. Anyway, M chose the Turnbull Cabernet, '95 from Napa. I'm still learning how to distinguish between "notes" and "flavors" and whatnot, but this was smooth and delicious and I gladly would have drank the entire bottle by myself.

Moving on to my next favorite food group--the bread. This was not just any ol' roll--these were warm and freshly baked with black and green peppercorns scattered throughout the dough. Being the proud, carb-craving girl that I am, I ate 6 or 7.

We couldn't pass up the Prix Fixe menu, which at $35 for 3 courses was an absolute steal! I chose the RP Tomatoes as my appetizer--fried green and hot house tomatoes with fresh mozzarella, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, cracked pepper and sea salt. Absolutely delicious. My main course was the 7oz. petite filet, cooked to perfection. This was my favorite part-after you choose your cut of steak, you get to choose from 6 crusts and 6 sauces to accompany it. I wish I could have tried every single one, but I settled on the freshly cracked pepper crust and creamy horseradish sauce. Always a sucker for great french fries, I chose the Idaho fries as my side. My boss chose seared green beans, which looked delicious, and some sauted mushrooms for us to share (also delicious). And last but not least--dessert. Chocolate spoon cake with walnuts and a small scoop of vanilla ice cream. Absolute heaven—but the real gem was the tiny dish of salted caramel served next to the cake. I all but licked the plate clean. Finished off with some wonderful coffee, I can absolutely say that it was one of the best meals I have ever enjoyed. I think I'm going to like this new job....

The Pleasure is All Mine

2009-07-14T09:36:00.005-05:00

I'm standing in one of my happy places (the cooking section at the Barnes and Noble), sipping my White Chocolate Mocha, eyes slightly glazed over, when something catches my attention. A book cover with a gorgeous brunette in a stunning white dress and fabulous black heels, holding a bottle of wine in one hand and a plate of steak and fries in the other, laughing delightedly at some inside joke that immediately makes me wish I were in on the secret. Dang. If I ever have a cookbook one day, THAT'S what I want the cover to look like.

Meet Suzanne Pirret, Harvard-trained actor, extremely successful voice over artist and a oh yeah--a kick-a%$ chef, thank you very much (she's also a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu).

Her highly entertaining and impressive cookbook reads like a novel. Each chapter starts with a story from her cooking/living experiences in Paris, London, New York and LA--whether it be from her stint as a pastry chef for Jamie Oliver or a nasty run-in with some Chinese take-out.

The opening recipe is Steak au Poivre with Frites. A girl after my own heart, this one. If I have neglected to mention my slightly unhealthy obsession with french fries before, let me do so now. I went through a phase last month where I was eating french fries at least three times a week. Great comfort food, in my opinion--not so good for the waistline.

Anyway, this clever, decadent and "naughty" (her words) cookbook will either have you curled up on the couch with a good glass of wine to indulge in some late-night reading (did I mention she also includes fabulous wine pairings?) or heading straight to the kitchen to whip up General Tso's Chicken. Or both.

Strawberry Amaretto Skillet Cake

2009-07-13T21:49:00.004-05:00

So it's time for another cooking experiment. While I'd like to think that my passion for cooking is enough to have me whipping up gourmet delicacies every evening, I know better. I'm pretty sure that I have not cooked ONCE since we got back in town and I started my new job (both good excuses, right?). And although I have a continuous stack of recipes and ideas that I want to try, sometimes I need a little motivation. That motivation comes in the form of another contest (but thankfully, no video).

This time the contest is for the Simple and Delicious magazine, part of the Taste of Home publications. They have great contests every few months and after my first contest experience, I decided it was time to give another one a shot.

The theme is Berry Bonanza, featuring strawberries, raspberries, blackberries or blueberries. My first attempt features strawberries along with one of my favorite coffee cake recipes given to me by my grandmother--I call it Strawberry Amaretto Skillet Cake. My recipe will use the same cake ingredients, but with a different topping. Instead of using the full amount of almond extract in the batter that the original recipe calls for, I'm going to half it and make up the difference in the topping with...you guessed it, amaretto liquor. I do adore amaretto. And after all, what's a great brunch without a little booze?

(Kidding, Mom).

Ingredients

1 1/2 sticks of margarine
1 1/2 C. sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 C. flour, sifted
1 pinch salt
1/2 tsp. almond extract

Topping Mix
2 cups sliced strawberries
2 tbsp. amaretto liquor, divided
1/3 C. sliced almonds, crushed
1/4 C. sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Melt butter and stir in sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add flour, salt and almond flavoring; mix well. Line a cast iron skillet with aluminum foil, letting the foil extend up over sides. Pour batter into lined skillet.

Cook 30-40 minutes, until top is firm. Let cool about 20 minutes. Using a fork, poke holes throughout the cake. Pour 1 tbsp. amaretto evenly over entire top of cake, so that it drips through the holes. Toss strawberries with remaining 1 tbsp. liquor and pour over cake, spreading evenly so that it covers entire surface. Sprinkle crushed almonds and sugar over top of strawberries.

It still needs a little tweaking (I'll update this recipe/post as needed), but I think the first attempt turned out pretty well! The cake itself has such a delicious flavor and moist texture, which contrasts nicely with the crunchy almonds. The strawberries add beautiful color and the amaretto...well, if you don't like amaretto then I'm afraid my blog just won't do anything for you! ;)

I'll be back soon with more berry-inspired recipes. Happy cooking!

Highlight of the Day

2009-07-13T15:36:00.007-05:00

So Husband just emailed me to say that I received something in the mail from Columbia Crest Winery and wanted permission to open it. It was a thank-you note for entering the Flay-vors of Washington contest AND Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill cookbook!! Cool, huh? I was actually going to eat at Mesa Grill while we were in Vegas (he has a location in Caesar's Palace, and others in NY and the Bahamas) but the line was long and I was starving so I went elsewhere (sorry, Bobby!). I take that to mean that the restaurant is awesome! I'll be sure to check it out and review next time we're there. Also, I have yet to try out any of Bobby's recipes (I'm lucky to make mac 'n' cheese these days), so this gives me a great excuse to start. Cheers!

Celebri-Stalking Alert

2009-07-02T16:30:00.000-05:00

I was just THISCLOSE to Ben Affleck at the Ante Up for Africa Tournament at the Rio. Also, Matt Damon, Jason Alexander, Don Cheadle and Nelly are here. I just thought everyone should know. Pics posted soon!

P.S. I realize that none of my recent posts have anything to do with food, but I promise that will change soon (when I'm back in town and focused on something other than Matt Damon).

The Good Life

2009-06-28T12:15:00.000-05:00

It's about noon in Vegas and Husband and I are enjoying the Champagne Brunch at the MGM Grand. Well, I'm enjoying champagne...Husband is enjoying Diet Coke. And lots of Prime Rib.

We arrived at 10:30am, tired and starving, but excited for the week ahead. We checked into the hotel at the airport (EVERY hotel should have this option. At every airport. Everywhere), boarded a shuttle and 5 minutes later we were strolling through the monstrous casino/hotel, sans bags, which would be sent up to our room when ready. We got a little lost on the way to the Grand Buffet (easy to do), but pretty soon we were piling up our plates with everything from sushi to ravioli, and sipping some bubbly.

I could get used to this....

Vegas, Baby!

2009-06-28T01:45:00.001-05:00

It's 1:30am and I just finished packing for our trip to Vegas (wahoo!!!!). Its not that I wasn't prepared. I was. I had a List (I like to make lists). I had everything checked off, except for the necessary toiletries that I would need pre-flight. The problem was the shoes...its always the shoes. Husband said AT MOST I should only have 3 pairs. I laughed at him. And proceeded to sit on my suitcase to stuff everything in.

Anyway, our flight leaves in 5 hours so I'm thinking of just staying up all night. I mean, what's the point? I can sleep on the plane. I hope.

Meanwhile, we'll be back in a week with hopefully some great restaurant reviews, recipe ideas and maybe a good story or two. Here's to hoping our trip is half as fun as the movie The Hangover (without the tiger in the bathroom...but maybe the baby in the closet). If you don't know what I'm talking about, go see the movie. Totally worth it.

Peace out!

No Luck

2009-06-18T08:27:00.000-05:00

Well dear readers, no Top 20 for me. It's ok. Really, it is (Mom, are you reading??). As I mentioned in my last posts, there were some truly fantastic entries out there--lots of inspiration. I wish them all the best! Be sure to check them out and vote for your favorites!

Meanwhile, I've discovered three more contests that I'm going to enter this summer (one rejection just wasn't enough!) so I'll be sure to keep you posted on those ideas, experiments and disasters.

Happy cooking!

Flayvors of Washington Update: And The Winner Is....

2009-06-12T11:39:00.009-05:00

Ok, I haven't won yet. I'll be lucky to make it to the Top 20 (there are some AMAZING entries out there), BUT I am pleased to say that this recipe is definitely the winner among all other attempts, experiments and disasters. I know this because as soon as Husband tried it, his first response was "WOW". From a man whose most enthusiastic response is "That's good", this was high praise. All that to say, this is the recipe that I am MOST proud of since I started this blogging adventure less than a year ago (amidst delusions of grandeur, I must admit).

So now its all up to the powers-that-be at the Food Network. But in the meantime, feel free to try it out. I promise you won't be disappointed.

Asiago Encrusted Halibut over Sweet Onion and Chardonnay Cheese Grits
with Fresh Asparagus
Wine Pairing: Columbia Crest Grand Estates Chardonnay

INGREDIENTS

Grits:
3/4 cup Quick-cooking grits
3 cups water
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 of a sweet onion, chopped
2 Tbsp. butter
3/4 cup aged Asiago cheese
1/4 cup half & half
4 Tbsp. butter
1/4 cup Columbia Crest Chardonnay
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Halibut:
2 6oz. Halibut fillets
1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup aged Asiago cheese
2 Tbsp. flour
1 large egg white, beaten
1/2 of a large lemon
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Asparagus:
1 bunch of Asparagus tips, washed and trimmed to 1-2 inches
2 cups water
Splash of Columbia Crest Chardonnay
Salt, to taste

DIRECTIONS
Grits:
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
1. Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a skillet over medium-high heat and saute chopped sweet onions, until tender (about 15 minutes).
2. While onions are cooking, bring 3 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir grits and 1/4 tsp. salt into rapidly boiling water. Reduce heat and simmer (covered) 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
3. Once grits are thickened, stir in 3/4 cup Asiago cheese and 4 Tbsp. butter; blend well.
4. Add the sweet onions, 1/4 cup half & half, 1/4 cup Chardonnay, freshly ground black pepper and additional salt (to taste, if necessary).
5. Pour grits into small baking dish (8x8) and bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes, until thick and creamy.
Yield: 2 large servings or 4 small servings

Halibut:
1. Place flour in a shallow dish. Mix panko breadcrumbs and Asiago cheese together and place in another shallow dish. Place egg white in another shallow dish.
2. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over both sides of the halibut to bring out the flavor of the fish. Sprinkle both sides evenly with salt and pepper.
3. Dredge fillet in flour, shaking off excess. Dip into egg wash, allowing excess to drip off. Coat fish with panko/Asiago mixture, pressing lightly to adhere. Set aside and repeat with remaining fillet, in the same order.
4. Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat.
5. Add fillet to pan; reduce heat to medium and cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side, until the crust is a nice golden brown and the fish flakes easily with a fork.
Repeat with additional fillet.
Yield: 2 servings

Asparagus:
1. Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add sprinkle of salt and splash of Chardonnay.
2. Boil asparagus until they turn bright green, about 3-5 minutes.
3. Remove from heat, drain, and immediately plunge into ice bath to stop cooking process while retaining the bright color and crisp texture.
Yield: 2 servings

To serve:
Place two heaping spoonfuls of the grits onto a plate and sprinkle with fresh asparagus tips. Top the grits with one piece of halibut. Finish with a glass of Columbia Crest Chardonnay.

Enjoy!

Seriously??

2009-06-02T17:42:00.002-05:00

So, apparently you cannot buy Dungeness Crab in Birmingham. I know, I know...I probably should have done some research before I wasted time/gas driving to every fish market and gourmet grocery store in town, only to be met with looks of amusement and/or pity when I presented my request ("Where does she think she lives, the west coast?").

Back to square one. AGAIN.

After poring over the contest's ingredient list for what would hopefully be the last time, I decided that I really wanted to keep grits in my recipe (I'm hoping a little southern flair will help me stand out), and I think that some sort of seafood will be the best pairing for the grits. Turns out, Halibut is about the only Washington-state seafood item that I can actually get in Birmingham. So there you have it. I've got six days to come up with a brand new recipe, test it, perfect it, video it, and submit it.

Remind me why I thought this was a good idea?

Havarti Crab Dip over Andouille Grit Cakes

2009-05-31T16:58:00.000-05:00

So we're on to round two of my recipe experimentation for the Flay-vors of Washington contest. I've adapted an old recipe from a dear family friend--Lynn Hennessy. Her Crab Toasts have always been a favorite in my family, but I thought I would add a new twist. Instead of serving the crab dip on a crostini or cracker, I'm going to try making grit cakes with some Andouille sausage. I think the sausage will add a nice texture to the grit cakes, which will be an interesting alternative to the more traditional english muffin that the original recipe calls for.

Havarti Crab Dip

1 stick butter, softened
8 oz. Havarti cheese, shredded
6 oz. lump crab meat (I'll be using Dungeness Crab for the real deal, but testing with some local crab from Publix for my first try)
1 1/2 tsp. mayonnaise
2 small garlic cloves, grated
1/2 cup cream cheese
1/2 tsp. salt

Mix all ingredients, blending well. Set aside until grit cakes are ready.

Andouille Grit Cakes

1/2 sweet onion, chopped
1 cup cooked Andouille sausage, chopped
2 T. butter, melted
1 (14oz) can chicken broth
3/4 cup half & half
1 cup Quick-cooking grits
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

In a large skillet over medium heat, saute onion in butter until tender (about 15 minutes). Add Andouille sausage, chicken broth, half & half; bring to a boil. Stir in grits and salt, reduce heat, cover and simmer about 10 minutes, until thickened. Pour into an 8x8 baking dish; cover and chill at least 8 hours.

Cut grits into squares. Brush with olive oil and broil in oven until crispy on both sides (about 5-8 minutes on each side).

Top grit cakes with crab dip and sprinkle with cayenne pepper.

Yeah, the pictures don't look like much, do they? I had trouble getting a really clear shot...of course, I'm still learning how to play with my camera so that could be why.

*NOTE: After this round of testing, we decided to try the grit cakes again in a larger baking dish so that they made a thinner layer. I used a cookie cutter to cut them into circles, and omitted the olive oil before broiling. It made a huge difference--they really got golden brown and crispy, and worked much better as a base for the dip. I've still got a little work to do on the crab dip...it's good, but not WOW. I'm thinking (hoping...praying...) that the Dungeness Crab will make a difference. I'll pick it up on my way home from the lake and try again!

Happy Vidalia Onion Season!

2009-05-28T14:26:00.005-05:00

I always know that summer is here when the sweet, delicious Vidalia onions arrive in the grocery store. FINALLY I can make my grandmother's oh-so-easy but sinfully delicious Vidalia Onion Dip that I've been craving since last summer. We have it at practically every family get-together. In fact, I'm making it at our lake house this weekend for her 91st birthday (Happy Birthday, MaMa!). My family will be lucky if I don't eat the whole dish...

You can find a great recipe almost anywhere, but MaMa's comes from an old favorite--the Good as Gold cookbook, courtesy of Ashland Place United Methodist Church. No self-respecting Southern woman should be without it (or at least in my family).

The great thing about this dip is that there is room for experimentation--use a different cheese, add another spice, etc. Just don't take it too far and mix in something like artichokes and ruin the whole thing. The onions deserve all the glory.

Serve with tortilla chips, crackers or even veggies. I like to spread mine between two layers of french bread and make a Vidalia Dip Sandwich. Don't knock it 'till you try it--I'm talking "weak-at-the-knees" good. I wish I had a great picture for you but once again, my insatiable appetite overpowered my need to take pictures.

Vidalia Onion Dip

3 large Vidalia Onions, chopped
2 Tbsp. butter
8 oz. shredded sharp Cheddar (sometimes I add a little more--I love cheese)
1 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. fresh minced garlic
1/2 tsp. Tabasco or other hot sauce (adjust this to your liking)
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add onions and saute until tender.
2. Mix together the shredded cheese, mayonnaise, garlic, Tabasco, salt and pepper.
3. Add onions to cheese mixture; blend well.
4. Pour mixture into a lightly greased 8x8 baking dish.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes; let stand about 10 minutes before serving.

Happy Eating!

Update on the Flay-vors of Washington

2009-05-20T13:24:00.004-05:00

So my first attempt didn't quite turn out how I anticipated...and by that I mean it was terrible.

Ok, ok, maybe not terrible. But bad enough that I shed a small tear in frustration and asked why in the world I thought I cook anything more complicated than spaghetti, to which my mom replied, "1. It's only your first try, 2. This is what "recipe developing" is like, and 3. Calm the heck down."

I felt a little better.

While I think we had a good idea going, we just didn't get the flavor we were looking for. I tried two different versions. Both had a Gorgonzola cream sauce as the base (that I didn't actually make--I got to borrow it from our chef at work for experimenting), which ended up being the most prominent flavor. One version was topped with a roasted pear, the other with diced apples and pears that had been sauteed in white wine, and both were finished with toasted walnuts and Gorgonzola crumbles. Now on paper, it sounds delicious (or at least, to me it did). But in real life? Ehh (shrug). Both my mom and grandmother loved the overall dish, but agreed that the Gorgonzola sauce overpowered the fruits (which were supposed to be the highlighted flavor). Granted, I didn't know what I was doing. But still--it prompted me to explore other directions/ingredients. Hors d'oeuvres are what I do best, so I think I'll stick to what I know.

We're headed back to the lake this weekend to celebrate my grandmother's 91st birthday (yeah, she's a rockstar) so I'm going to enlist my family as guinea pigs once more. This week the Washington-state ingredients are dungeness crab and sweet onions. Here's to hoping I don't cry this time!

Flay-vors of Washington

2009-05-17T15:38:00.007-05:00

So I'm about to do something that will either be really great or really stupid. I'm entering a cooking contest to win a chance to cook with Bobby Flay. I'll wait while you laugh...

I've only won one contest my entire life. It was a coloring contest. I was in first grade (I think) and was home sick on the day the picture was due. My neighbor offered to turn it in for me, so I rushed upstairs to finish it (I was such a procrastinator, even then) and practically threw it out the door. And I won. It was ridiculous, really. But I did get a nifty little savings bond that I'll be able to cash in about 30 years from now.

Anyway, I found this contest on the Food Network site. It's called the "Flay-vors of Washington Recipe Contest" and it's sponsored by Columbia Crest, the award-winning winery in Washington state. Contestants have to submit an original recipe inspired by a Columbia Crest Grand Estates wine, using at least one Washington-state ingredient, AND a short video presentation of the dish. Two lucky finalists will be flown to New York to prepare the dish for Bobby Flay and a panel of judges, and one incredibly lucky winner will get some amazing prizes and the chance to cook with Bobby Flay.

I'm going to the lake tonight to hang out with my family (lucky for me they're all great cooks), so I've coerced them into helping me experiment. I'm fairly certain this will be a disaster (particularly the video part), but I'll let you know what we come up with.

Cheers!

Italian Eggs Benedict

2009-05-10T15:31:00.017-05:00

I'm actually spending this Mother's Day alone. Husband and I are a few years away from kids (so we think--God might have other plans), both sets of parents are out of town, and my sister and her husband will be spending time with his family.

Husband played in a golf tournament in Montgomery yesterday, and then headed to Troy to hang out with his family (I had to work late last night so he said I didn't need to make the trip), so I had the house to myself. Despite my laundry-list of chores a mile long, I decided to make brunch. For myself. At 1:30pm.

I'm not sure where this craving came from, but I really wanted to make Eggs Benedict. Maybe it's because that's what my dad usually makes on special occasions. Or maybe it's because I already had most of the ingredients and didn't want to go to the store (it was raining--I hate grocery shopping in the rain). Either way, I craved it. So I made it. Or at least, I made a slightly skewed version of it.

For you dear readers who don't know me very well, I love all things Italian. I'm convinced I must have Italian blood in me somewhere (though my Scotch-Irish ancestry begs to differ). Italian food is my favorite thing to cook, eat, stare at, think about...you get the picture. So naturally, I decided to add a little Italian flair to my brunch-for-one. Plus, I had some Pancetta that I got on sale Friday night and I was anxious to cook with it for the first time. Add to that some fresh parmesan, eggs and Bisquick and ta-da! Italian Eggs Benedict with Pancetta and Rosemary Parmesan Biscuits. Sounds yummy, huh?

Now, obviously I have cheated a little bit. I did not make the biscuits from scratch. I mean, why let all that good Bisquick go to waste? I just doctored up the recipe a little bit to give the biscuits some extra flavor. I also opted for simple drop biscuits, as opposed to kneading, rolling and cutting the dough. Drop biscuits look more homemade to me, so I can pretend I made them from scratch. Like I'm playing a trick on myself.

Anyway, here is the recipe for you:

1 cup Bisquick
1/3 cup milk
1/8 tsp dried rosemary (I would have preferred fresh, but had dry on hand)
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan
2 slices Pancetta
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 egg

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees. Mix Bisquick and milk together until soft dough forms. Stir in the rosemary and parmesan, blending well (be careful not to over-stir, this will make the biscuits tough). Drop spoonful of dough onto ungreased cookie sheet (this recipe will make about 3 medium biscuits--I halved the original recipe since I was only baking for myself). Bake for 8-10 minutes. While biscuits are baking, heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in 8" saute pan over medium heat. Fry two slices of Pancetta until crispy (about 5 minutes). Remove from pan and drain on paper towel. In the same pan used for the Pancetta, fry one egg until edges are set and the center is slightly cooked (or until desired doneness). When biscuits are done, cool slightly on wire rack. Cut the biscuit in half horizontally. Place egg on bottom half of biscuit, top with Pancetta and the other half of the biscuit.

Now I'm sure you all have noticed something my recipe is lacking. The essential ingredient to Eggs Benedict--hollandaise. Well, I've never made a hollandaise before and I've heard it's kind of tricky. So I thought I would save that task for another day. I did, however, find a delicious recipe that I want to try when I'm up for the challenge--Michael Chiarello's Olive Oil Hollandaise. I think it would be the perfect touch to my version of Eggs Benedict. I'll keep you posted!

Italian Margaritas, Bite-Sized Snacks and Decor

2009-05-02T13:06:00.005-05:00

My mom and I absolutely love the Italian Margaritas at Johnny Carino’s (one of my favorite “chain” restaurants–casual, fun atmosphere and terrific food). So I decided to try my hand at re-creating the delicious, sweet taste of their signature drink for my Cinco de Mayo celebration.

I cheated a little bit and used a Bacardi Margarita frozen mixer instead of making the entire thing from scratch, but the end result was so good that no one seemed to mind!

Italian Margaritas

1 10 oz. can Bacardi Margarita frozen mixer
3/4 cup Tequila of choice
6 cups ice
1/2 cup Amaretto
Margarita salt OR coarse sugar
Lime

Follow the directions on the Bacardi package (essentially, combine the mixer with the tequila, amaretto, plenty of ice, blend until smooth). Rim your glass with some lime juice and dip in margarita salt or sugar, whichever you prefer. Pour margarita into glass, garnish with a lime and enjoy! Feel free to adjust the amaretto to your taste. I happen to love the sweet, almond flavor so I’m apt to add a bit more. This makes about 4 servings.

Mini Cilantro Salsa Bites

Hors d’oeuvres just don’t get any easier than this. I took some Tostitos Scoops and filled them with my favorite Southwestern Black Bean and White Corn salsa (Sam’s Choice–who knew??), then sprinkled some fresh cilantro on top. Quick, easy, yummy–what’s not to love?

Decor

Speaking of things I love, let's talk about Pier 1. They never cease to amaze me with their great products and even better prices. I refrained from going crazy (easy for me to do) and picked up just a few pieces to complete my festive display. A colorful, striped platter was the perfect backdrop for my tiny snacks and I couldn’t resist these martini-shaped candles. Adorable AND functional. What more can you ask for?

These Gerbera daisies were on sale–three bunches for $10! I picked out the brightest of the bunch–orange and hot pink. Used in a vase or on a platter, they added color and fun to my table.

Fabulous At-Home Fiesta

2009-04-29T16:42:00.001-05:00

I don’t need an excuse to throw a party, but Cinco de Mayo sure is a good one! Not only is it fun, but it’s EASY. Throw together some chips n’ dip, quesadillas and a pitcher of margs (margaritas) and call it real! This year, I’ve got some super-simple ideas that will be sure to impress.

Individual Mexican Layered Dip

I learned this trick while interning at Southern Living during college. My dear friend, Kate Graham, and I had the opportunity to work on a video shoot for Wal-Mart. We spent two days buying groceries and cooking utensils in massive quantities, became best friends with the Wal-Mart employees (and left 10 lbs. of butter in the photo stylist’s van…overnight…in July), and learned fun new recipes and behind-the-scenes secrets. It was a blast. Except for the butter incident…

Anyway, I loved the idea of individual servings of dip in a martini glass. Turns out, SL was way ahead of their time. In the catering world, EVERYTHING is now served in a mini-this or individual-that.

The how-to is simple. Start with a clean martini glass and coat the rim with a lime. Dip the glass in a shallow dish of red pepper or chili powder, just like you would in salt for a margarita. Shake off the excess. Layer your dip ingredients in the following order:

1. Re-fried beans (I mixed mine with some spicy Rotel to give it an extra kick).
2. Guacamole
3. Sour Cream
4. Shredded Cheese (I used the Fiesta blend, but Cheddar works too!)
5. Jalapenos and homemade baked tortilla chips, for garnish

Feel free to mix it up any way you like–you can add shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, bell peppers, whatever looks good to you! I made homemade tortilla chips in an effort to be somewhat healthy. Take 3-4 tortillas layered on top of one another, cut into 8 triangles (which will give you about 24-32 chips), arrange on a cooking sheet coated with cooking spray, drizzle some olive oil, squeeze some lime, sprinkle salt and pepper, and bake at 350 degrees until nice and crispy (10-12 minutes).

UP NEXT: Italian Margaritas and Mini Salsa Cilantro Bites!

MCES Part 1-The Stalking of Tyler Florence

2009-04-24T22:19:00.018-05:00

I have FINALLY received pictures from my mom of the cooking show in Atlanta. The anticipation nearly killed me (don't worry, I snagged a few off Facebook so I could at least change my profile pic and share my new found stalking-tendencies with the world).

Meanwhile, having to rely on someone to mail me pictures for my blog confirmed my decision to use birthday money for a new digital camera. I explained to Husband (in my best "Disney" voice, as he likes to call it) that to be a serious food blogger I simply HAD to have great pictures. So we ventured out to Best Buy where I spent a good hour taking random pictures with every camera in the department. The sales people loved me. I came home with a Canon Powershot and have since then been strutting around our condo saying things like, "Make every shot a Powershot" a la Maria Sharapova. But I digress...

I have three words for you. I am crazy. Going to this cooking show confirmed it. Here's a rundown of my adventures in Atlanta with my fabulous mother.

We arrived at the Marriott on Friday evening with just enough time to daydream about meeting famous people and then it was time to hit the hay (needed plenty of rest for our first day). By the way, I'm usually not this celeb-crazy. Really, I swear.

Anyway, we were planning on meeting my former boss/entertaining extraordinaire Martie Duncan (http://martieknowsparties.com) Saturday morning to help her get set for her first show. We're winding our way through the convention center when who do we stumble upon, but Tyler Florence (finishing up his first show in the Celebrity Theatre). I smiled. He smiled. I swooned. Mom caught me. I recovered (and immediately tweeted about it) and we continued.

The MCES basically had three parts to it--the exhibits (food and entertaining vendors), the workshops (mostly local chefs and restaurants) and the Celebrity Live Theatre (along with book signings and VIP events). Martie's workshop on parties/entertaining was a huge hit. The theme was a beach party, and her presentation was absolutely spectacular. The audience loved it, and I could tell they were pumped about her awesome ideas. Check out her blog for a full rundown and photo gallery.

Thanks to Martie, Mom and I were able to attend Tyler's second Celebrity Theatre show. We had killer seats (2nd row) so we could gawk appropriately. You can't really tell in the image to the right because it's blurry, but he was looking straight at us. =)

Tyler was an absolute rock-star--funny, friendly and informative. Oh, and he clearly knows a thing or two about cooking. And did I mention he's dreamy? He cooked three incredible dishes--Chicken Marsala, Shrimp Scampi and Lamb T-Bone Steaks with Lemon Mashed Potatoes. We got to taste a little bit of the marsala and it was out of this world. We also learned that you should NEVER substitute dried herbs for fresh, Colorado lamb is just as tasty as New Zealand lamb and you should only think about buying expensive olive oil if you are using it as a finisher (such as on a mozzarella salad), but pretty much any kind of olive oil is fine for cooking. We were on cloud nine as we headed back to prepare for Martie's second workshop.

A few minutes into her show, Caroline (Martie's awesome assistant/artist/whatever you need her to be) starts waving frantically to me from across the stage. I run around the back curtain wondering what we had forgotten. And I stop dead. Because Tyler Florence is 5 feet away autographing aprons for the volunteer culinary students. I shamelessly jump in line and then realize that I don't have anything for him to sign...so I dash to my purse and pull out my day planner (no, that is not a joke). Finally, it's my turn. Our exchange goes something like this:

Tyler Florence (sticks out his hand and smiles charmingly): Hi, how are you?
Me (looks down, blushes, and thrusts day planner into his hand): This is all I have!
TF (looks at me curiously): Ok.
Me: I mean, to sign. Hi, I'm Courtney (we shake hands). I loved your show.
TF: Thank you.
Me: It's actually my birthday tomorrow (a kid in Tyler's show told him it was his birthday and he was rewarded with the yummy-looking lamb chops). So uh, you're my birthday present! (wink-wink).
TF (laughs awkwardly): Oh, Happy Birthday!
TF signs both day planner and my official MCES name badge, and hands it back to me. Just smiling away. Dreamily.
Me (cursing myself for being an idiot): Thanks!

We smile for a picture. I walk away. And then it dawns on me...I just accidentally hit on Tyler Florence. Not exactly how I pictured that going....

Eventually I recovered (but not before tweeting about it and telling the embarrassing tale to my dad, sister, Husband and anyone else I could get in touch with) and moved on to Part Deux of the weekend. Stay tuned!

Easter Brunch Recap

2009-04-20T14:32:00.005-05:00

I just wanted to share some pictures from my very first Easter Brunch! It was a beautiful day with two of my favorite things--food and family. I think we have a new favorite dish with the Decadent French Toast.
As far as decor, I cheated a little bit--I got lucky and snagged some leftover flowers from a wedding at work the night before, and made my centerpiece. I added my most "spring-y" looking place mats and napkin rings, my hand-painted eggs from Wrapsody and Voila! Instant table scape (it doesn't take much, my table isn't that big!)

The Fruit Salad Martini ended up being a great idea--we were a little behind getting out of church, so the casserole still had about 20 minutes to bake when my family arrived. Everyone enjoyed the fruit while watching the Masters, and I was able to finish up in the kitchen. Just use any fruit you like--whatever is in season. I picked out my favorites (strawberries and blackberries) and filled in with melon, cantaloupe, grapes and blueberries. I topped it off with my favorite Almond Vanilla Granola, which gave it a nice crunch.

And now the main event...the Decadent French Toast. True to its name, this dish was every bit as rich as I expected it to be. I made one slight modification, using almond extract instead of vanilla. My family loves anything almond. It definitely gives the dish a more pronounced flavor and the texture was wonderful--almost like a custard. This is definitely not your average french toast. I can only imagine that it would taste like with a little drop of Amaretto or Grand Marnier. I may have to try that next time! If you're wondering why you can't see the whole dish, it's because I forgot to take a picture before we ate and this was all that was left! I guess that means they really did like it and weren't just trying to be nice.

Decadent French Toast

2 tbsp. light corn syrup
3/4 to 1 cup light brown sugar (I used dark because that is what I already had, and it worked fine!)
5 tbsp. butter
12 slices Honey Wheat bread, crusts removed
5 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract (or almond)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries

Directions
Combine syrup, sugar and butter in a saucepan, and heat until bubbly. Pour into 12x9x2 inch baking dish. Place bread in two layers over syrup. In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, milk and vanilla (or almond) extract. Pour over bread, cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Spread sour cream over french toast and cover with sliced strawberries. Serve hot with maple syrup.

Enjoy!

I Heart Tyler Florence

2009-04-19T20:40:00.002-05:00

I admit it...I have a teensy crush on Tyler Florence. And by teensy, I mean huge. Boy, is he dreamy (sorry, Husband). It's been an AMAZING show in Atlanta, and I can't wait to share everything with you! As promised, I've got tons of great pictures, cooking tips, ideas, stalker stories and more. I'll be back in town tomorrow and post the highlights!

Let Us Entertain You

2009-04-17T10:21:00.008-05:00

I'm headed to Hotlanta this weekend for the Metropolitan Cooking and Entertaining Show-- a trade show for cooking and entertaining enthusiasts packed with plenty of food and fun! I'll get to hang with some Food Network favorites, like Tyler Florence, Paula Deen, The Neely's, etc. (and by "hang with" I mean "stare at"), attend workshops and tastings with local chefs, meet vendors from every aspect of the food/entertaining industry and more. In other words, my dream come true. ;) Husband was not quite as enthusiastic... I'm sure the idea of walking around for hours and hours looking at cookware and party ideas is slightly nauseating to most males. Luckily, my mom thought it sounded like a perfect girls weekend/birthday present (my birthday is also this weekend), so she's tagging along and somewhere Husband is breathing a sigh of relief.

My former boss, Martie Duncan (http://www.martieknowsparties.com/), is also presenting four entertaining workshops at the show, so mom and I get to help her out. Martie just got back from a whirlwind weekend in Palm Beach (also with MCES) and said it was FABULOUS! Be sure to check out her blog for some incredible party ideas.

I'll be back on Monday with hopefully some good stories, pictures, ideas, recipes, and maybe even a book signed by Tyler Florence! Happy weekend!

P.S. I'm way behind on posting the recipes and pics from Easter Brunch, but I'll get it done as soon as I get back. Can't wait to share, it was a hit!

Turkey Meatballs

2009-04-15T15:47:00.002-05:00

My very favorite birthday meal growing up was my mother's meatballs. I know, right? Meatballs? Random. But they were so delicious, I requested them year after year. My dad always marveled at how I'd eat them right out of the oven, without sauce or anything. They were that good. The leftovers made a great lunch the next day, wedged in between some really yummy Italian bread...delicious.

With my birthday coming up in a few days, I had the urge to re-create my favorite celebratory meal. Instead of using the traditional ground beef, I decided to try something new--ground turkey. Turns out, they might be my new favorite (sorry, mom).

I combined my mom's recipe with a recipe from Giada's Everyday Italian. By the way, I adore Giada. One day I'm going to dedicate a whole week to Giada recipes. Or maybe a month...there are a lot I'm dying to try.

ANYway, here's the recipe:

Adapted from Giada de Laurentiis, Everyday Italian

Ingredients

1/4 cup dried Italian bread crumbs

2 tablespoons milk

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup grated fresh Parmesan

1 pound ground turkey

1 tsp. minced garlic

1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

5 cups tomato sauce (NOTE: I don't love tomato sauce, so I actually used some Vodka sauce I had in the fridge. It was delicious!)

1 pound dried penne pasta

Additional fresh Parmesan for garnish

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the first 8 ingredients (add turkey last) and mix well, being careful not to overwork the meat. Season with salt and pepper and shape into golf-size balls.

Arrange meatballs on ungreased baking sheet and cook for 30-35 minutes, turning once.

In a large pot, bring to a boil 6 quarts of salted water. Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain pasta in a colander.

Heat your sauce of choice (if you are not making homemade, like me) over medium heat until warm. Add meatballs and cooked penne, toss well to coat. Pour into serving dishes and garnish with fresh Parmesan. Enjoy!

Easter Decor

2009-04-09T14:43:00.002-05:00

Of course I have waited until the last possible second to come up with a darling centerpiece/tablescape for my Easter Brunch (in my defense, I have been sick, thanks to this crazy weather!).

Short on time and money (aren’t we all, these days?), I’m relying on two of my favorite stores to help me come up with something frugal and fabulous.

I was literally about to jump in the car and head to Williams-Sonoma’s Easter Sale (one of my happy places—more on that later) to snag this tree when I realized that it is no longer available. BLAST!

It was so cute I just had to show it to ya’ll, even if they don’t have it anymore. They still have the ornaments that you can see hanging from the tree in the picture, so I may pick those up and hunt for a tree elsewhere.

Wrapsody in Patton Creek is often my go-to place for great gifts and entertaining pieces. They have everything from cute and whimsical to elegant and sophisticated, and their easter stuff is just down-right adorable. I picked up some adorable hand-painted eggs that I will somehow incorporate to my centerpiece (whenever I figure out what that might be). I wish I had some pictures to post, but I guess ya’ll will just have to head over there and check it out! Even better, all of their Easter stuff is now 50% off! Happy hunting!

Brunch

2009-04-05T14:38:00.000-05:00

My sweet mother-in-law gave me a subscription to Taste of Home magazine, and I absolutely LOVED this cover. What a fun way to serve fruit salad! I have some martini glasses that don’t get nearly enough use, so I’m thinking a “Fruit Salad Martini” will be a perfect “first course” for brunch. It’s something that I can easily put together before church, stick in the fridge, and set out right as my family arrives. With a little Almond Vanilla Granola sprinkled on top for a finishing touch, they’ll have something yummy to munch on while I finish the casserole.

Here Comes Peter Cottontail...

2009-04-01T14:28:00.002-05:00

This is my first Easter as a married woman (Husband and I celebrate our one year anniversary this Sunday—wahoo!), so to “act the part” I have invited my parents, sister and her husband over for Easter Brunch. It just sounds so grown up, doesn’t it? Plus, it’s an excuse to finally break out the fine china that Husband swore we would never use. Only two questions remain: 1. How did I ever think that I was going to fit 6 people (plus a toddler) in our tiny condo and even tinier dining room, and 2. What shall I feed them?

I decided on brunch instead of lunch because I’m not good at coming up with yummy lunch menus. We eat a lot of ham sandwiches around here. Plus, anything I can eat while drinking a mimosa pretty much makes my day.

I had all of these grand ideas about what I would serve, until I realized that most of them would mean not eating until 3pm. And my family is not that patient. So I’m going with a good ‘ol French Toast casserole (I’m a sucker for good casseroles). The recipe is from one of my favorite cookbooks that I’ve never actually used (I mostly stare at the pictures).

The book is Food for Thought by the Birmingham Junior League. Aren’t those always the best? I’ll post the recipe shortly and let ya’ll know how it turns out next week. Meanwhile, I’ll be back soon with some other great brunch ideas. Enjoy this beautiful weather!

Kiss Me, I'm Irish!

2009-03-17T14:52:00.013-05:00

I really am, actually—it’s not just a line. You might think that with my Irish heritage, I’d be all about St. Paddy’s Day. To tell you the truth…I completely forgot about it. No green outfits, shamrocks or corned beef hash…I won’t even be partaking in any green beer (1. because that’s gross and 2. because I’m baby-sitting my nephew tonight and that would be inappropriate). So I've COMPLETELY dropped the ball on any great cooking or entertaining ideas. I’ll do better next year.

In the meantime, here are some cute ideas I found for Irish-inspired sweets that are easy to whip up at the last minute if, like me, you are less than prepared for whatever shindig you might be heading to.

How adorable are these? Michael’s or any craft store will probably have whatever supplies you need to duplicate these pennants. Or, have the cupcakes already decorated and let your guests make their own. With a little Guinness in them, I’m sure their sayings will be quite creative!

*Photo courtesy sascupcakes.com.

These are from a fabulous bakery in Beverly Hills (with other locations around the US). They serve nothing but cupcakes in extremely unique flavors (these have a Bailey’s Irish Cream frosting—YUM!). The best part is, you can buy the mix at Williams-Sonoma so you don’t have to go cross-country to get them.

*Photo courtesy sprinkles.com.

Ya’ll can keep your green beer. I’ll be over here with my Bailey’s Irish Martini (after my adorable nephew is off to bed, of course).

*Photo courtesy fineliving.com.

Entertaining Class (or more accurately, Excuse to go Shopping)

2009-03-13T14:59:00.001-05:00

No plans this Sunday night? Head over to Pottery Barn at the Summit for a complimentary entertaining class. The topic is “Hosting a Fabulous Weekend Brunch”, featuring ideas from the book Fandango: Recipes, Parties and License to Make Magic by Sandy Hill. I’m pumped—I am all about some brunch. I’m sure there will also be some adorable decorations and ideas for Easter entertaining. If you need an extra incentive, all class participants will receive a 10% discount off products featured in the class. Reason enough, right?The class begins at 6:15pm. Space is limited so call soon to reserve a space or get more information. See you there!

Pottery Barn
300 Summit Blvd.
(205) 298-0373

Death by Chocolate

2009-03-03T16:01:00.017-06:00

I thought this would be a great dessert to add to the champagne party, which I have now christened "Champagne and Chocolat" (French pronunciation, please). The name says it all--Death by Chocolate. I mean, what a way to go...

I got this recipe from my DEAR friend Anna at my kitchen/recipe shower last year. She made it in college all the time (to rave reviews) so I was thrilled to get the recipe. She also drew hearts on the recipe card to "make it special". I love her. =)

It's so simple and so yummy...what better combination is there? It also has a nice presentation, as you can see to the left here. Feel free to dress it up however you like--crushed candy bars, syrup, chocolate curls, etc. Just don't bank on any leftovers!

INGREDIENTS:
1 (19.8 ounce) package brownie mix
2 (3.9 ounce) packages instant chocolate pudding mix
1 (16 ounce) package frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 bag of mini Heath Bars, crushed (a hammer works nicely)

DIRECTIONS
1. Prepare brownies according to package directions and let cool completely (I did them the night before).
2. Mix pudding according to package directions.
3. In a glass trifle bowl, layer in the following order: 1/2 of the brownie, crumbled; 1/2 of the pudding; toffee bars, crushed; 1/2 of the whipped topping. Repeat layers in the same order.
4. Save some toffee bars to crumble and sprinkle on top before serving. Refrigerate at least one hour.

Champagne Tasting

2009-03-01T12:39:00.002-06:00

I got the inspiration for this idea while Husband and I were in Hotlanta for a wedding last weekend (congrats Mr. and Mrs. Simmons!). It was fabulous, though we expected nothing less—the bride has exquisite taste. Upon arriving at the reception we chose our priorities carefully-drink first, food later. I wasn’t really in the mood for wine (shocking, I know) so I opted for some champagne. (Also, the champagne glasses were gorgeous—I always notice great glassware. It might be because I have a slightly unhealthy obsession with china/glassware/entertaining pieces, but whatever). Disclaimer: the photo below is not actually from this wedding. I was not clever enough to think about photographing said gorgeous glass and posting it on my blog, so I'm using an image from my own wedding to get the idea across). =)

Anyway, there’s something about being dressed up and sipping some bubbly that makes me want to walk around humming “I Feel Pretty” from West Side Story (and by “want”, I mean “did”). In any case, my friend Claire declared my beverage of choice “swanky” and pretty soon several of my girlfriends were sipping champagne and humming Broadway show tunes (ok, I’m kidding about that last part). I have to admit, I was a teensy bit impressed with myself. I’ve never really started a trend before! But more than that, I never really noticed that we liked champagne all that much. Maybe it was just the occasion, maybe it was the atmosphere (stop me before I break out in “Maybe it was Memphis”), but I decided that for our next “Girls Night In” we’d trade our wine and cheese stand-by for something just as simple but slightly more sophisticated—a champagne tasting.

Now when I say “tasting” I don’t mean let’s go buy a $4 bottle of Andre and a $50+ bottle of Veuve Clicquot and see which one we like better. I don’t know a lot about champagne but I’m pretty sure the general consensus is that the more expensive the bottle, the better it tastes. With this economy, just give me the cheap stuff. Ignorance is bliss, right?

Instead, I’m thinking of something more like a Champagne Bar, where you can mix and match different flavors to make your champagne cocktail of choice.

Supplies:

1. Champagne—I’d go with something mid-priced, such as Korbel. Brut is the most common level of dryness, but you can also try an Extra Brut (very dry) or Extra Dry (hint of sweetness) and let your guests decide how sweet they like it. And yes, the names confuse me too.

2. Mixers—Orange juice for Mimosas, Peach Schnapps for a Bellini, Pomegranate juice for a Pomelini—you get the idea.

3. Garnishes—Fresh fruit always adds a little “something”. I like to use strawberries, raspberries and peaches.

4. Snacks—I prefer sweets with my champagne, but real food works too. Some easy and yummy ideas are chocolate-dipped strawberries, mini cheesecakes or my personal favorite—cake bites from Pastry Art in Homewood. They are DIVINE (I’d go with the Red Velvet or Caramel—but that’s just me!!).

Enjoy!

Mexican Casserole

2009-02-28T13:54:00.003-06:00

We had a potluck dinner with our Sunday School class the other night, and as usual, I fretted over what to make. I wanted to do something that was easy, could feed a large crowd and most importantly—really, really yummy. I curled up on the couch surrounded by my cookbooks, magazines, recipe cards and a glass of wine (I find that wine always helps in any cooking process). Husband looked at me at one point and said “I think you’re over-thinking this”. Duh.

I finally settled on a new favorite in our house—Mexican Casserole. My sister gave me the recipe a few weeks ago and it was a big hit. You can’t go wrong with this one—cheese, rice, ground beef, Rotel and Doritos. What’s not to love (although, it tastes better than it looks!).

I think I might experience with the topping to see if I can get it to look more like "Gourmet Casserole al la Mexicana" and less like “Congealed Cheese Mess”. I added a little garnish to the top, but you can see what good that did. ;) Luckily, no one seemed to mind. I even heard one guest say it was his “favorite dish by far”. Maybe that will keep me from freaking out the next time I need to cook something…but probably not.

Ingredients:

1 Family Size package of Saffron Rice (gold package)
1 ½ lbs. of lean ground beef
1 lb. of Velveeta cheese
1 can of Cream of Chicken Soup
1 can of Rotel Tomatoes and Diced Chilies (I used Hot for an extra kick, but Mild still adds good flavor)
1 bag of Nacho Cheese Doritos
2 cups of shredded Cheddar cheese (a Fiesta blend works great as well)

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cook rice according to package directions.
3. Brown ground beef and drain the fat.
4. Cut the Velveeta into cubes so it will melt easier.
5. Combine the cooked rice and meat with the cheese, mixing until well blended.
6. Add soup and Rotel, stirring until blended. Pour into 9x13 casserole dish.
7. Crush Doritos and spread on top of casserole. Add shredded cheese over Doritos.
8. Bake uncovered for 40 minutes, or until heated through.

The Doritos really make the dish, believe it or not. I’m thinking of creating a similar recipe using my favorite Doritos-Cool Ranch. Maybe a Chicken, Bacon and Ranch Casserole? I’ll keep you posted.

Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball

2008-12-06T14:44:00.001-06:00

So if you've read my profile, you know that two of my favorite food groups are cheese and chocolate. I know the food pyramid doesn't really support this, but I stand by my taste buds.

Normally I wouldn't think of cheese and chocolate being yummy together, but I could easily eat this entire cheese ball in one seating. The recipe comes from my dear friend Melissa Walker, and was one of the items we had at the Girls Night Christmas Ornament Swap. I'm pretty sure I hovered over it the entire evening.

Ingredients:

1 8oz cream cheese-softened

½ C butter (no substitute)-softened

¼ tsp vanilla extract

¾ C confectioners sugar

2 Tbl brown sugar1

1 1/2 C mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Chocolate graham cracker sticks

Preparation:

In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter & vanilla until fluffy. Gradually add sugars; beat until combined. Stir in 1 cup chocolate chips. Cover & refrigerate for 2 hours. Place cream cheese mixture on a large piece of plastic wrap; shape into a ball. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Just before serving, roll cheese ball in remaining chocolate chips. Serve with graham cracker sticks.

Girls Night is Back

2008-12-03T11:15:00.001-06:00

Before we all grew up and got married, Monday nights used to be our token "Girls Night". The boys played poker, and the girls drank wine and watched The Bachelor. As it often happens, lives got busier and busier and Girls Night occured less and less often. This depressed me.

So to get the month of December started off in the Christmas spirit (and put Girls Night back on the calendar), some of my favorite ladies and I planned a Girls Night Christmas and Ornament Swap party. It was a HUGE success, and I dare say, will turn into an annual event.

My favorite planning process of any party is deciding on the menu, and I’m lucky that my friends love food as much as I do. We had fun coming up with delicious hors d’oeuvres for our guests. I'll spread the recipes out into a couple of posts, so as to not overwhelm anyone (or have a post that goes on for days). I'm hoping you'll add these to some of your favorite snacks!

Chardonnay, Artichoke and Parmesan Dip

Probably one of the tastiest and EASIEST dips in all of the land is artichoke dip. My mom would make it for all kinds of occasions, and I would park myself right next to the bowl (and stare down anyone who dared to take my dip from me). Anyway, I started making it in college for my own round of parties, girls nights, showers, etc. and tweaked a few things along the way. I know there are a million other versions that are similar (I’m pretty sure the original recipe is on the back of Hellman’s Mayonnaise) but here is my take.

Ingredients:
1 can artichokes, drained and chopped

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup real mayonnaise

1 tsp. minced garlic (or however much you like--I love garlic so sometimes I add more)

½ tsp. hot sauce

Pinch of freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup dry Chardonnay (preferably from the bottle you've open to enjoy as you cook) =)

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix ingredients together until well blended. Bake in Pyrex dish or casserole dish for 20-30 minutes, or until bubbly. Garnish with fresh shaved parmesan and serve with tortilla chips, crackers, fresh bread, whatever your fancy.

I could eat the whole dish in one sitting. I am not ashamed.

Pumpkin Pie Waffles

2008-11-30T12:35:00.000-06:00

Williams Sonoma is one of my “happy places”. I have several…New York, Barnes and Noble, Target…any place where I can spend literally hours in peaceful contentment (or in this case, until the salespeople politely tell me they are closing and my husband has to drag me away from the Breville Panini Press I’ve been coveting).

One of my favorite things about Williams Sonoma is their handy-dandy recipe cards. I usually spend about the first 10 minutes of my trip picking up every recipe in sight, while the salespeople wonder "who is this strange girl and is she ever going to actually buy anything". I would gladly spend my whole paycheck in their store. Unfortunately, my husband and I have differing opinions on this subject--I believe that fancy cheese graters, vegetable choppers and espresso machines are necessities. Husband does not. But I digress...

Throughout my window-shopping I’ve collected numerous recipes that I am dying to try—everything from Grilled Ham and Cheese Biscuits to Shepherd’s Pie with a Stilton Cheese Crust. YUM. Though undoubtedly delicious, they are also slightly intimidating--lots of fancy-schmancy ingredients and whatnot (I'm still a beginner, here). So in an effort to avoid complete disaster, I chose my first attempt carefully.

The occasion: Thanksgiving morning.
The guinea pigs: My family, always willing test subjects.
The recipe: Pumpkin Pie Waffles (this is starting to sound like a game of Clue--it was Courtney in the kitchen with the waffle iron!).

The verdict: They were a little more time consuming than I anticipated but WELL worth the effort. The texture was almost like a warm custard--gooey and delicious. I was actually expecting a light and crisp waffle, but the pumpkin gives the batter more density. They are definitely smooth and filling.

A few things to keep in mind: 1. Measure all of the dry ingredients the night before and save some prep time (it took me a long time to make the batter--lots of sugars, spices, etc.). 2. With most waffle irons, you can only make one at a time. This is great if you're doing what I like to call a progressive breakfast--everyone can come in and eat at their leisure. If your goal is to have everyone sit down to eat at the same time, you'll want to keep the first few warm in the oven while you cook the rest.

Luckily, my family was patient with me. I served up waffles one at a time while they oohed and ahhed with the appropriate enthusiasm. Even Husband offered his compliments, and he refuses to eat anything pumpkin. After everyone tried at least one, we got a little impatient and decided to use the rest of the batter to make pancakes on the griddle. I think most of us actually liked the pancakes better-because of the difference in texture, the pumpkin flavor was more pronounced. Either way, they were a welcome twist to my favorite Thanksgiving dessert. Pumkpin Pie for breakfast? I'm in!

Ingredients:
5 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 cup pumpkin puree (you can use canned puree)
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 1/4 tsp. grated peeled fresh ginger
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/8 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of salt
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbs. double-acting baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
2 eggs
2 Tbs. dark rum
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Vanilla ice cream and/or maple syrup for serving

Directions:
Preheat a waffle iron. If you want to hold the finished waffles until serving time, preheat an oven to 200°F. Melt the butter; set aside. In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin, brown and granulated sugars, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg and salt. Using a rubber spatula or handheld electric mixer, mix together well. Stir in the flour, baking powder and baking soda. The mixture will be thick and a little lumpy. Dont try to smooth it out; just mix until the ingredients are incorporated. In another bowl, beat together the milk, sour cream, eggs, rum and vanilla. Add the liquid ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and stir until combined. Fold in the melted butter. Whether or not your irons grids are well seasoned or made of a nonstick material, it is best to lightly butter or spray the grids for these waffles because the batter is quite sticky. Brush or spray the grids again only if subsequent waffles stick. For a Belgian waffle iron, spoon out 2/3 to 3/4 cup of batter (or the amount recommended by the manufacturers instructions) onto the hot iron. Use a metal spatula or wooden spoon to spread the batter evenly over the grids. Close the lid and bake until golden. If the waffle is hard to remove from the iron, peel it off gently and carefully. Serve immediately or keep the waffles, in a single layer, on a rack in the preheated oven while making the rest.

Adapted from Waffles from Morning to Midnight, by Dorie Greenspan (Weldon Owen, 2001).

Thanksgiving Turkeys

2008-11-19T16:23:00.006-06:00

In the spirit of Thanksgiving (my second favorite holiday), I decided to dedicate my first ever blog post to my latest craft project—Oreo Thanksgiving Turkeys. I wish I could say that I was the creative genius behind these adorable treats, but alas, I am not. There are several versions that can be found on the web, but I found my inspiration in First Magazine. I happened to be baby-sitting my cousins, Mary Katherine and Hunter, the weekend after I found the idea, so I knew they would the perfect helpers. We took a trip to Publix to find our supplies:

* Oreos (preferably Double Stuffed)
* Whoppers
* Reese’s Cups
* Candy Corn
* Chocolate Frosting
* Decorating Gel—Black, Orange and White

Step 1: Take two oreo cookies, and place one “standing up” on the back end of a flat oreo (which will act as your base). Use some frosting to “glue” the two oreoes together.

Step 2: Take the Reese’s cup and attach the bottom of the cup to the front of the “stand up” oreo. This is the body of the turkey.

Step 3: Using frosting again as your glue, place the Whooper on top of the Reese’s cup and against the standing oreo (making the head).

Step 4: Using the black and white decorating gel, draw eyes on the Whopper (note: I think the magazine version used Googly Eyes, which can be found at the Dollar Tree or a craft store, and probably work much better!).

Step 5: Bite a candy corn in half and use the smaller, pointed section as the beak. Glue to the front of the whooper.

Step 6: Stick 5 candy corns into the middle of the stand up oreo, making the feathers.

Voila! If you have any family gatherings this Thanksgiving, try making this with your little ones. The best part is, you get to eat them when you’re finished (or before…and during…).