Haters gonna hate...

...but to those who really love pumpkiny things, I've got a great muffin recipe for you! The coolest part is? It's completely original. I didn't take someone else's recipe and butcher it until it was "my own". I didn't look at a recipe online and tweak it just to make it suit my taste. This is all mine, from start to finish. I didn't even copy someone else's measurements. Now, this is a pumpkin crumb muffin. The idea has likely crossed many a mind and I don't take any credit for the general idea of a pumpkin muffin. Duh. But I will forever cherish this successful recipe as my very own. And I'm going to be brave and share it with the world because I would like others to try it out and tell me if it really is as successful as think it is.

Now that you know how much this recipe means to me (oh my goodness be nice, please)...

Pumpkin Crumb Muffins (makes 1 doz.)
for the muffins:
1 stick of unsalted butter at room temperature -OR- 1/2 C. coconut oil at room temperature
3/4 C. packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 C. pumpkin puree
2 C. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
1/4 tsp. ground clove
1 tsp. vanilla extract
crumb topping**

Set a rack to the center of  the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Next, mix in the egg and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth. Then add the pumpkin puree. Now it's time to blend in the sifted flour mixture. Mix until all the ingredients are incorporated, but try not to over mix. The batter will be quite thick and that's totally okay. Evenly divide the batter between 12 lined muffin cups. Spraying the paper liners with a little cooking spray before spooning in the batter is a good idea. Sprinkle the crumb mixture on top of the batter. Gently press the crumbs into the batter to ensure they stick while the muffins bake and rise. Bake for approximately 25 minutes. The crumb should be a light, golden brown and the tops of the muffins should spring back when pressed gently. These can over bake VERY quickly, so around the 22 minute mark, watch them like a hawk. Allow the muffins to cool (preferably on a wire rack) for about 10 to 15 minutes. I think these are best served warm, but you can certainly store them in an air-tight baggie or container for about a week.

**for the crumb topping:
5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
3/4 C. all purpose flour
1/2 C. granulated sugar OR 1/4 C. each brown sugar and granulated sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients for the crumb topping and mix well; set aside to cool completely.

A few notes:
I know it seems like there is a lot of spice in this recipe. But the pumpkin is a fairly strong flavor so I find that these are actually well-balanced.

These are not overly sweet, which is great. They lend themselves well to adding a drizzle of confectioner's glaze or a spread of cream cheese.

I found that the muffins were nice and moist, as long as they didn't over-bake. If you have hot spots in your oven, be sure to rotate the pan about halfway through cooking.

I have absolutely no clue how these freeze. I'm hoping they don't last long enough to find out. But if anyone makes them and freezes them, please let me know how well they fare.

If you do try this recipe, I would greatly appreciate your [constructive] comments and feed back. If you don't like them or have a problem, I welcome that discussion as long as it's polite. You may leave comments here on this post or you are welcome to email me at ellebelle.kol@gmail.com

Smaczny Pierozki!

[Because the phrase "Delicious pierogi!" looks way cooler in Polish.]

I love pierogi. I do I do I do! They are especially wonderful this time of year since they are hearty and filling. For those who need a clue, I'll fill you in. Many different cultures have some version of a dumpling. There are fried buns (Russian), pot stickers (Chinese), gyoza (Japanese), Fufu (Africa), Ravioli (Italy), and a whole bunch more that I can't think of at the moment. Dumplings are simply cooked balls of dough. They are typically starch based using flour, potato, or bread; they may or may not be filled. Pierogi are the glorious dumplings that come from Poland. Traditionally they are filled with potato, ground meat, sauerkraut, cheese, or fruit. Most often they are boiled, then fried or baked to give a slightly crisp texture. And dude, are they yummy!

In my area, what we consider "specialty foods" can be hard to find. The only pierogi I can find around here are Mrs. T's in the freezer section. And I almost picked some up the other day. Then I thought better of it. I said to myself, "Elle! You have culinary training. Like, good culinary training. You've made pot stickers and ravioli all by yourself like a big girl chef! Surely you can make pierogi." Oh! And when I got home, the first post in my news feed was from a lady that goes to my church who posted a recipe for- wait for it- homemade pierogi. IT WAS A SIGN! So I did it. And they were awesome. So here is the recipe, with my small adjustments:

Homemade Cheese and Potato Pierogi (adapted from 12 Tomatoes)
Dough:
2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 large egg, room temperature and lightly beaten
1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
1/4 butter, softened (you could also use olive oil)

Mix together the flour and salt. Add in the egg and blend together with a fork. The dough will be very clumpy and crumbly which is totally ok at this point. Work in the sour cream and butter. I found that it was easiest to start blending these ingredients in with a fork, then switching to fingertips as the dough comes together more. Knead the dough for approximately 3 minutes folding it over a few times as you go. The end result should be a moist, relatively smooth ball of dough. Wrap it in plastic and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes. It will hold nicely for up to 48 hours.

Filling:
1 cup mashed potato*
1 cup shredded cheese (I used sharp cheddar this time)
1 Tbsp butter
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp garlic powder or 1 small clove of fresh garlic, grated

*[I peeled and roughly chopped 1 large, russet potato. I boiled it in salted water for about 8 minutes until it was tender, drained it, and mashed it with a fork.]

While the potato is still warm, mix all ingredients together until the cheese has melted and is evenly incorporated. Allow mixture to cool completely.

Assembly:
2 to 3 Tbsp flour**
1 large pot of boiling salted water
rolling pin
2-inch round cutter or drinking glass

Break the dough into 2 pieces. Roll out half of the dough to about an 1/8 inch in thickness. **You will need to flour your rolling pin and cutting surface very well as this dough tends to be quite sticky. Cut as many dough circles as you can and gently set them aside. Repeat with the other half of the dough. You should get 20 to 24 circles if using a 2-inch cutter. Place about 2 tsp of the cooled filling in the center of each dough circle. Fold the dough over forming a pocket and pinch the edges together to make a seal. Press the tines of a fork around the edges to unsure the dumplings are sealed well. (I tried using a pastry wheel to make the edges pretty, but it didn't work so well. The dough is too sticky. I don't recommend it.)

This poor little guy in the front fell victim to my pastry wheel experiment.
Just stick with the fork. Ha! 

Place the finished dumplings- 6 to 10 at a time, depending on pot size- in a pot of boiling water for about 8 minutes. When they float to the top, give them about 5 minutes before you pull them out and they should be cooked. The original recipe says 10 minutes, but they didn't take that long at all for me. If you are not serving these immediately, you can skip the boiling stage and just freeze them until you're ready for them. To serve, saute the pierogi in a small amount olive oil or butter until golden on each side.

Mmmmm...

I served ours with kielbasa sausage, applesauce, and sour cream.
(The green stuff are snow peas I threw in for color.)

Now that I've made them successfully, I'll start playing around with the fillings and try to make them look prettier. If you try this recipe, let me know how you liked it!

Sources:
Original Recipe
Pierogi research

Shared at: Frugal by Choice, Cheap by Necessity 

Whaddaya want for nothin'? Rrrrruber biscuit?

Bow, bow, ooh ooh oooh, ooooooooooooooh

Luckily, the biscuits I'm about to introduce you to are not made of rubber. They are made of flour, shortening, some leavening, and butter. Mmm, butter. But, after the day I've had, I needed to hear some Blues Brothers. They always seem to cheer me up. So, about these biscuits...

Until I found this recipe about 2 months ago, I was unable to make a decent biscuit. Actually, I was unable to make an edible biscuit; I'll just be honest. The last time I made a good biscuit was in culinary school a few years ago. They really aren't that difficult to make and I even tried cheating by using jiffy mix! Nope! Must have been a skill God did not bless me with. Or so I thought. But then! Alton Brown came to my rescue. I had to tweak his recipe just a little and that's what I'm about to share with you, but you can find his original recipe here. This is a very idiot proof forgiving recipe and fast. Oh! And I recently did some of my own experimenting and found that it is also a glorious and wonderful thing because you can freeze these biscuits [unbaked] and save them for whenever you need them. Never buy store bought frozen or canned biscuits again! I'll give you those details towards the end. Ready? Go!

Southern Biscuits
2 Cups AP flour (I use King Aurthur brand)
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 kosher teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small cubes
3 Tablespoons all-vegetable shortening [or lard if you've got it and feel like throwing caution for your heart health to the wind], chilled and cut into small pieces
1 Cup chilled buttermilk*
2 Tablespoons butter, melted (optional)

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix these ingredients lightly with your fingertips. Using your fingertips or a pastry blender, cut in the butter and shortening until the mixture looks like crumbs. Your fingertips work best, but try to work quickly so the fats don't melt. Cold is key when making crusts and biscuits. Make a shallow well in the center and add the buttermilk. Stir, again with your fingertips (or a spoon, you sissy) just until the dough comes together. It will be a sticky mess. Be sure to scrape as much dough as you can off of your fingers/spoon.

Turn the dough out onto a heavily floured surface, dust the top of the dough with flour, proceed to drop flour on the floor and make a mess. Gently fold the dough over itself 5 or 6 times. Turn it a few degrees each time you fold it. Press the dough out until it's about an inch thick. Then, using a 2-inch cutter, cut out your biscuits. It's helpful to dip the cutter into a bit of flour every other time you cut a new biscuit. Place the biscuits on a greased or lined baking sheet. Reform the scraps of dough, working it as little as necessary, and continue cutting. If there is any scrap dough left over after the second pass, just discard it. Bake the biscuits at 450 degrees for about 15 minutes or until they are golden on top. Brush with melted butter.

This was my very first batch (from March-ish?). They came out
slightly lopsided but so yummy!

OR

After you've cut out your biscuits, lay them on a wax paper lined baking sheet and place them in the freezer for at least 4 hours. Then, put them in a plastic zip top bag and freeze until you need them! When you want to bake them preheat your oven to 350 degrees, place the frozen biscuits on a greased or lined baking sheet and bake for about 22 minutes.

*If you don't have any buttermilk on hand, fear not! Just add a tablespoon of white or apple cider vinegar to a cup of milk and let it sit for about 5 minutes. It doesn't have the exact same tang, but it will have a similar acidity to buttermilk, which I find necessary for this recipe.

This isn't a very "healthy" item that I can have all the time now that I'm making an honest effort to change how I eat. But man, oh man, to I look forward to these as a treat every few weeks. I hope you enjoy them, too!

Elle

PS The picture of the biscuits count as my photo for Photo Friday. Two birds, one stone, blah blah blah.

To those of you still making Hamburger Helper...

...just stop it! Stop it right now! You'll get cancer and die. Well, maybe not. But there are unpronounceable words in that stuff! Why would you want to eat that?

I know a topic like this isn't very "gourmet", but I had this epiphany when I was flying around like a mad woman trying to come up with something to make my fiance for dinner. I was running late (as usual) and had about 30 minutes to cook something, put it in a container, and send him on his way to work (3rd shift). I thought about burgers or some kind of pasta dish, because he enjoys both. And then the little light bulb in my head came on and I combined the ideas. It turned out to be my version of Hamburger Helper, which tastes way better and could possibly be slightly healthier. Healthier in the sense that you won't get cancer from the preservatives and weird chemicals. By eating my version, you may just have a heart attack. That's easier to come back from than cancer, obviously.*

Anyway, this is a quick meal that I was able to put together in just under 20 minutes. Add a salad or some sauteed veggies for a side dish to lessen the guilt factor.

Elle's [non-cancer causing] Hamburger Helper
1 bag of egg noodles (extra-wide)
1 pound ground beef
1/2 pint cream
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. chopped parsley

Boil the egg noodles in salty water until al dente; drain and set aside. In a large skillet, brown the ground beef on medium heat until just cooked through (do not over cook). Strain off any excess fat if necessary. With the skillet set to medium-high, add the cream to the ground beef. When the cream starts to bubble add the spices and stir thoroughly. Then, add the cheese. Continuously stir the mixture until the cheese has melted to make a creamy sauce. Turn the heat off and add in the parsley last.

Ta-da! Dinner :)

I added some frozen peas before I added the cream. You can add any kind of frozen vegetable if you so desire. Charlie just happened to ask for peas. You can also adjust the seasonings and spices as you see fit. Adding some chili powder and ground cumin along with the garlic powder will yield a more "taco" flavored version. Using ground turkey or chicken would be a good alternative to the ground beef, too. As always, I encourage you to play around with the spices and ingredients to suit your tastes.

Now, put down the box of sodium and preservatives and eat something really yummy instead!

*Just as an aside, I know that cancer and heart attacks aren't funny. Luckily, sarcasm can be hilarious. And in my own little world, I'm a hilarious, sarcastic person who happens to be a fabulous chef.

The 12 Days of Christmas Cooking...Day 3

I'm sorry Day 3 is late. Yesterday was not a nice day and I had a lot of errands to get done. But I'll make up for it, I promise!

It's getting colder where I live. We've actually had some frozen precipitation and school closings in my area, which is pretty unusual in December. Normally, our coldest month is January. So in attempts to keep myself cozy and warm, I've been drinking lots of hot beverages like tea, hot chocolate and coffee. With that in mind, I bring you day number 3 in the 12 Days of Christmas Cooking (and drinking).
_________________________________________________________
On the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...

3 Lovely Hot Beverages!

Coffee: Red Sea Blend by Allegro Coffee
Howie, my co-host on The Geeky Gourmet and coffee guru extraodinaire, suggests the Red Sea Blend by Allegro Coffee, sold at Whole Foods Markets around the US. It's one of his favorites because it's not over-roasted, like Starbucks coffees tend to be. He says, "It's a good, solid blend that is consistent. It's as good as you're going to get on a normal basis." The company that roasts this blend describes it as a fragrant, exotic flavor with notes of cherry, strawberry, tobacco, and nutmeg. Howie also encourages you to do a little research for local places that roast their own beans and offer sample packs. That way you can try a few different varieties to decided what you like best.

Tea: Imperial Republic Snow Rose Full-Leaf Herbal Tea
This is one of my favorite teas. It comes from The Republic of Tea- an awesome company for tea enthusiasts. It's made from a native Chinese herb called Snow Rose, as well rose petals and other fragrant herbs. It's light and soothing. I've only had it a few times because it's a bit pricey at $31.00 per 3.5 ounce tin (that makes about 50 cups), but a nice treat. But in all honesty The Republic of Tea offers something for everyone. They have a wide variety of black, green, red, oolong, and herbal teas. There's even a tea of the month club and a tea blog that is full of information to help you better understand traditions and new trends in tea.

Hot Chocolate: I love them all!
Okay, I don't know that I love them all. However, I do like so many that no particular type sticks out in mind. I just enjoyed a cup of white hot chocolate from Dunkin Donuts the other day. Starbucks has a really tasty salted caramel hot chocolate. I love the Mexican hot chocolate from my local coffee shop. And I make a mean homemade version, myself. So I think that's what I'll share.

Elle's Double Chocolate Hot Chocolate

3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
3 Tbsp. granulated sugar
2 Tbsp. water
1/4 chocolate chips (milk chocolate, semi-sweet...it's up to you)
3 C. whole milk or half and half
Marshmallow fluff or whipped cream for topping

In a small sauce pan over medium heat, combine the cocoa powder, sugar, and water into a smooth paste. When this mixture is well combined and starting to heat through, add the chocolate chips and gently melt them into the cocoa powder mixture. When everything is completely melted, slowly whisk in the milk. Bring the milk and chocolate mixture up to a simmer, whisking often. Simmer for about 5 minutes to help thicken. Pour into mugs and top with marshmallow fluff or whipped cream. Oh! If you add a bit of cinnamon and a teeny pinch of cayenne, the flavor of this drink changes in wonderful ways!

Stay warm and enjoy!

Elle

Baking season has begun!

In the Hinson household, baking is a season. We tend to bake all year long, but in the fall and winter months it's almost as if baking were a sport. The oven is constantly on with something baking away, making the air smell delightful. We, being my mother and I, make cookies, breads, cakes, pies...the list goes on. I always enjoy being in the kitchen concocting something new. My dad and fiance make great taste testers, too! As a side note, it still feels weird (and awesome) to say fiance as opposed to boyfriend.

This year's baking season began with Pumpkin-Pear spice bread and a pumpkin cheesecake. I used roasted pumpkin that I froze earlier this fall for both recipes. I added the pear to the bread basically just to use up some over ripe pears that I didn't want to throw out. It added a lot of moisture to the bread making the texture awesome! I think it also added a nice sweetness, but it's not too sugary. Tonight, my baking season continued with Coconut-Chocolate chip cookies. They taste like a Mounds candy bar in cookie form. The flake coconut helps keep the cookies moist and chewy, which is my favorite texture combination in a cookie.

As requested, here's the recipe!

Coconut-Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 C. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 C.white, granulated sugar
3/4 C. light brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. coconut extract
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 and 1/4 C. all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1, 12 oz. package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup flake coconut

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cream the butter, white granulated sugar, and brown sugar together using a stand or hand mixer. Next, add the eggs and extracts. Blend until everything is incorporated very well. Then, add the salt, baking soda and about half of the flour. When that is well mixed, add the rest of the flour and mix just until blended. Using a heavy duty wooden spoon, stir in the coconut flakes and the chocolate chips. (Charlie had to help me with this because I have zero upper arm strength.) When the cookie dough is mixed well, drop rounded teaspoon fulls of the dough onto greased or parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake for about 9 minutes give or take, depending on your oven. Allow to cool on the pan for about 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack or sheet of parchment. This recipe makes about 5 dozen cookies.

Most cookies freeze well if you put them in vacuum sealed bags. Otherwise, they'll keep for about 2 weeks or as long as the people in your house allow them to :)

I'll try to share some pictures and a few more recipes of my baking season in the coming weeks. Until then, happy baking!

What we can learn from "My Cousin Vinny"

To be honest, I'm still a little mad at Howie for trying to "out southern" me with Joe Pesci quotes. There's just something so very wrong about that. And besides, it doesn't take that long to cook oatmeal either, but he cooks that in the crock pot. So why not grits? It's the same principal. The whole point is to slow cook them while you're asleep so you wake up to a yummy, warm breakfast that's ready to go. If you have no clue what I'm prattling on about, you should listen to show #6- The Crock Pot Show! We took a step back from the "gourmet" side of the culinary world and relaxed in the homier side of cooking. Crock pots are the original "set it and forget it" machines that can make meal time a lot easier.

I was a little worried about this one. It seemed that when we recorded, there was more of us goofing around than there was actual information. But somehow, by Howie's editing magic, this one came out great. I hope you have or will enjoy it!

I did want to mention something that got left out that I, personally, deem important when it comes to crock pots or slow cookers. So here we go...
Buying a crock pot- When I first starting thinking about this show, it occurred to me that a lot of people think all slow cookers are created equal. Nope! Not true. There are some things that are good to consider when purchasing a crock pot.
1. Buy the size suitable for your space. If you live in a small apartment with a teeny kitchen, chances are there are only one or two of you living in that space. There is no need for you to have a giant 7 quart slow cooker hogging the precious little counter space you have. A smaller 1.5 or 2 quart model ought to suit your needs well and can easily make enough to feed up to 4 people.
2. Buy a slow cooker with a removable crock. It makes life so much easier when trying to clean up. It's also handy when you've made a big meal and have leftovers. You can leave everything in the crock, cover it, and put in the fridge. When you want to reheat it, just stick it back in the heating element.
3. Look for temperature settings and timers. Newer models with timers and auto-function settings are awesome. But at the very least, your crock pot should have low, high, and warm temperature settings. I speak from experience on this one. I have a small crock pot with no temperature control. When you plug it in, it goes to whatever temperature it feels like that day. Uhg.
4. Think about what you'll be using your crock pot for most often and keep that in mind when going to purchase one. If you plan to use it for family meals, I recommend a simple model that is size appropriate. Keeping the controls simple will allow multiple family members to use it properly and perhaps give mom (or the head chef) a bit of a break. If you plan on using it for pot lucks, small catering events or anything where the food should be portable, consider a model with a tight fitting and/or locking lid. If it's just to hold meatballs, cocktail smokies, or nacho cheese warm on game day, I'd get a smaller one with simple temperature settings and a removable crock so you can let it soak for 2 days after your husband/boyfriend leaves it on high for the entire game and after the party. Or to avoid this disaster, buy a crock pot with a timer and set it to automatically turn off by the 3rd quarter.
5. Always buy a brand that has a decent warranty. Crock Pot, Rival, Hamilton Beach, Kitchen Aid, All-Clad...these are all brands that come with at least a limited warranty. As with any small appliances, follow through with your end of the warranty agreement. Send off what ever receipts and papers you need to. It might seem like a pain, but it ensures that you're covered if anything breaks or goes wrong. It seems like a slow cooker would be a sure thing, but knowing my luck? Something would go wrong. I always try to send in for the warranty.
____________________________________

I messed up my information a little during the show and would like to clear a few things up. I said that the running temperature for a crock pot is 190 degrees to 215 degrees F depending on your settings. I was a little off. The correct range is 175 degrees to 215 degrees (again, depending on what setting you have it at). I also kinda stumbled over my words when I was trying to explain why vegetables take longer to cook in a crock pot. Let me try that again. Veggies usually respond better to high heat methods of cooking like sauteing or boiling. It has a lot to do with water content and drawing out the water as fast as possible to preserve the color and nutrients of the vegetable, while still cooking it through. That's why steaming root vegetables, especially, takes forever. If you're going to cook veggies with your protein, place them at the bottom of your slow cooker (under the meat) so they will be immersed in liquid and cook evenly.
____________________________________

While researching recipes and clever trivia for the show, I came across a wonderful site. I'm sure it's one of hundreds of crock pot websites but I really enjoyed this one. It's got a lot of good ideas and recipes.

Speaking of recipes, it's that time again!

Howie's "Pot Roast"
3-5 lb chuck roast, shoulder roast, london broil... whatever roast-type beef is on sale or that you prefer
8-12 oz. white button or cremini mushrooms, cleaned and stems removed
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 14.5 oz. cans of crushed tomatoes
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. cumin
additional spices*
1/4 C. olive oil
1/4 C. red wine (or white if you prefer)
1/4 C. Balsamic vinegar (optional)
Salt and Pepper for seasoning the beef

Place mushroom caps at the bottom of your crock pot, stem-side down. Heat a large skillet with about 1/8 C. olive oil. Trim the roast as needed and season the beef on all sides. When the skillet is hot and the oil is just starting to smoke, sear the beef on all sides. When the meat is caramelized and seared, place it on top of the mushrooms. Add the onion to the same pan and cook until translucent-about 3 minutes. Then, add the garlic and continue cooking for about 2 minutes more. De-glaze the pan by adding about 1/4 C. red wine. Allow to simmer for about 2 minutes, then pour the onion mixture over the beef and mushrooms. Add the remainder of the olive oil, spices, balsamic vinegar, and both cans of crushed tomatoes. Cook on your crock pot's low setting for 6 to 8 hours.

*Howie always uses salt, pepper, and cumin in this dish. You can add whatever spices suit your taste. If you'd rather go a more Italian/Greek route, I recommend rosemary and oregano.

After that great meal, what about dessert? I got ya covered.

Basic Bread Pudding (please personalize this any way you'd like)
3 C. day-old French bread*
3 large eggs
1 C. heavy cream
1 1/2 C. whole milk
1/2 C. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. Whiskey, Brandy, or Bourbon
1 tsp. cinnamon, ground
1/2 tsp. nutmeg, ground
1 C. fresh or frozen berries, stone fruit, bananas, apples, chocolate chips, or what ever flavorings you'd like
2 Tbsp. butter

Grease the crock with 2 Tbsp. butter. Cube or tear bread into 1 inch pieces and place in the crock pot. Sprinkle the flavorings of your choice on top of the bread pieces. Whisk together cream, milk, vanilla, liquor, salt, and spices. Pour over the bread and flavorings. Cover and cook on low for 2 1/2 hours. Raise the heat to high for another 30 minutes. You'll know it's done when you insert a knife into the middle and it comes out clean.

*If your local market has an in-house bakery, chances are you can get the "fresh baked" left overs from the day before at a discounted price. Any bread with a chewy, soft texture will work. Avoid using loaf bread or something too hard like a baguette.
____________________________________

I'm currently in the testing phase of my Swedish Meatball challenge. When I've got it where I'd like it, I'll let you know. For now I'd just like to share my ideas again. Typically, the "Swedish Meatball" most of us are used to is a basic beef meatball cooked in cream of mushroom soup mix, milk, and maybe a little allspice. This dish is often served over egg noodles. I've had it before and it's edible, but Howie challenged me to make it better. Here are my thoughts so far:

Instead of a standard beef meatball, a combination of ground veal and lamb would be much more flavorful and meaty. I'd also like to add some vegetables to make this more of a complete dish. My choices right now are mushrooms and fennel. Then to replace the cream of mushroom soup, I think a bechamel sauce finished with some nutmeg would be a good alternative. I would most likely keep the egg noodles as the starch for this dish. It sounds good, right? Experimenting and testing is the only way to know for sure. Like I said, I'll keep you posted.

Well, there you have it. 6 shows down with (hopefully) many more to go.

We do apologize for how slack we've been lately. Life seems to be giving Howie and I, both, a swift kick in the pants. We had a lot of momentum for this project in the very beginning and then all of a sudden, everything seemed to stutter to a halt. We're working to get back on a semi-normal schedule that we can both live with. Thanks for your patience. We haven't forgotten about our listeners. Please don't forget about us. Even if there isn't a blog post or a show posted, there are still discussions on our Facebook page and our inbox is always open at thegeekygourmet@gmail.com.

<3 Elle

Tasty Starters

Okay. I know it's not a big landmark number or anything, but Howie just posted show #5. We've been doing this for over a month and I think we really might have something here. It's pretty exciting! We're closing in on 200 "likes" on Facebook, which is neat and weird at the same time. I have a few more people following this here blogging contraption, too! Although, I will admit that I wish I had never pressed the "stats" button. The traffic this thing gets, or lack there of, makes me slightly sad. However, a great man once said, "We must press on!" (Thanks, Adam.)

So here we go. Show #5 was about appetizers- those delicious nibbles to whet your appetite and wake your palette up in hopes to better the experience of your entire meal. What we now see in most casual and fine dining restaurants come from either simpler or more elegant beginnings. Especially in the United States, the bigger and better attitude has taken the simple canape and turned it into something like "Joe's Rockin' Rib Rolls". I'm not saying that's a bad thing, but it's certainly different.

Here are some of the most popular appetizers people have come to enjoy:

• Mozzerella sticks (this was the most popular answer along with "anything with cheese"
• chips and dip
• potato skins
  
• fried calamari
• onions rings/bloomin' onion
• hot wings
• cheese fries
• jalapeno poppers
• fried mushrooms
• garlic bread

Those were to most common answers from my friends, family, and classmates when I asked them what their favorite restaurant-style appetizer was. Some of the answers like clams casino or blackened tuna bites with horseradish cream, were a bit more unique.

Once you come up with something yummy and marketable in restaurants the next step, of course, is to make it available at home. Unfortunately that's not always the best idea, in my opinion. Now there seems to be an issue with overly processed, pre-packaged junk that isn't good for you and it's definitely not good tasting.

In response to this "junk", chefs and home cooks alike are looking for and creating new, fresh, and delightful treats. I am among those chefs and home cooks. And that means I have a few recipes to share!

Here's hoping you'll never have to buy frozen, breaded mozzerella sticks again:

Homemade Mozzerella Sticks
1 pkg string cheese (there's usually 12 sticks per package), unwrapped and cut in half
1/2 C. all purpose flour
1/2 C. bread crumbs (Italian, plain, panko...whatever you like)
2 eggs + 2 Tbsp water, beaten well

Preheat a large skillet on medium to medium-high heat. Add enough oil so that there is about a 1/4 inch layer in the pan and 2 Tbsp butter. Allow the butter to melt into the oil and let the mixture heat up. DO NOT LET THE OIL SMOKE OR BURN. Test the oil to see if it's hot enough by placing the end of a toothpick or wooden skewer in the oil. If bubbles form rapidly around it, the oil should be ready. Roll the cheese sticks in flour first, then gently shake off any excess. Dip them in the egg wash, then finally coat them very well in the bread crumbs. Carefully place the cheese sticks in the hot oil, a few at a time. Cook for 30 to 45 seconds then turn them and allow to continue cooking. The cheese sticks should only take 1 to 2 minutes total to cook. Let them drain on a paper towel after frying. They should be crispy and golden brown on the outside, soft and gooey on the inside.

Here's a recipe that can easily be changed (I'll share a few variations) and is great for parties or potlucks:

Easy Stuffed Mushrooms
2 pounds cremini or white button mushrooms, cleaned and stems removed
1 8 oz. pkg cream cheese, softened
1/2 C. grated parmesan cheese
1/4 C. grated provolone cheese
2 Tbsp fresh chopped chives, sage, basil...whatever fresh herbs you have on hand
1 pound Italian sausage (or your favorite bulk sausage), browned and drained
Salt and Pepper to taste
4 Tbsp melted butter

Mix together cream cheese, 1/4 C. parmesan cheese, provolone cheese, herbs, and sausage. Season with salt and pepper if necessary. Fill the mushroom caps with the cheese and sausage mixture. Place in a large baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese and evenly pour over the melted butter. bake in a 350 degree F oven for about 20 minutes or until the tops of the mushrooms are golden brown. Serve warm.

There are a lot of variations with this recipe. You can really use what ever kind of cheese you'd like. You can also substitute the sausage for a package of frozen spinach that's been thawed and drained. You could also use chopped artichoke hearts or bell peppers or a combination of all 3 vegetables. Oh! And as Howie pointed out during the show, if you're using white button mushrooms, reserve the stems, chop them up and add them to the filling. That way there's no waste :)

If you need some more ideas for quick, easy, and yummy appetizers send us me an e-mail at thegeekygourmet@gmail.com

Enjoy!
Elle

I'm strong to the finish, because I totally love spinach!

However, I am not Popeye the sailor man. But, I do love the cartoon :)

This week's installment of the Geeky Gourmet was about a leafy green that most kids grow up hating- spinach. Yes, it's green and it's good for you. It's enough to send my boyfriend running for the hills. Well, really he just makes these hilarious faces and says ewww!

Me? I love spinach! Howie really likes it too, so I think we both really had a lot of fun with this show. Howie even contributed a recipe of his grandmother's. We found some pretty interesting things about the nutritional value along with all the other research. Did you know spinach contains tryptophan? Yeah, I didn't either. And while it's true that a serving of spinach has a good portion of your daily iron intake in it, vitamin K, vitamin A, manganese, and folate are much more prominent nutrients.

I find that spinach is fairly easy to grow, if that's something you're interested in. The key to growing spinach is loose, nutrient rich soil and a good balance of sun light. Too much direct light will damage the leaves. Bright morning sun and afternoon shade are ideal, along with plenty of water.

There are a lot of uses for spinach in either of it's forms. I use the frozen stuff when making dips, stuffings, or casseroles. I like the fresh leaves when making salads, sandwiches, and when sauteing or creaming it as a side dish. And speaking of lots of uses, here are a few recipes as promised:

Howie's Grandmother's Borekas

2 bunches of spinach (2 boxes of frozen spinach, thawed and drained or 2 regular bags of fresh spinach should work)
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 pound feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 C. grated parmesan cheese
1/8 tsp. kosher salt
1 box of phyllo dough, thawed
1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted
1 egg, well beaten plus 1 Tbsp cold water (egg wash)

Mix all ingredients (except phyllo and butter) together well in a bowl. Set aside. Layer 2 sheets of phyllo together, brushing melted butter between each layer. Using a pastry wheel or pizza cutter, cut the phyllo into approximately 2-inch wide strips, length wise. Place a small amount of the spinach mixture at the top of each column of phyllo. Fold the phyllo into triangles like you would a paper football or a flag. Brush the tops with egg wash. Place on a sheet pan. Bake all the Borekas on a greased or lined sheet pan at 350 degrees F for about 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown on top; "Bake until done", according to the original recipe. Just be mindful of when you put these in the oven. Phyllo can over-bake or burn really easily.


Here's a "weird" one. It is a little different, but tasty and refreshing:

Watermelon and Spinach Salad

1 bag of baby spinach
3 C. watermelon (seeded or seedless), diced
6-8 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 C. red onion, VERY thinly sliced
Your favorite vinaigrette, sweet and sour or poppy seed dressing

Top a bed of fresh, baby spinach with the red onion, feta and watermelon. Finish with the dressing of your choice. Simple, right? And it's tasty, too :)

And finally, something that's making a come back on Steakhouse menu's across the U.S., Creamed Spinach

1 bag of baby spinach
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/2 C. heavy cream
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
Salt and Pepper to taste

Heat olive oil and garlic together in a pan until the garlic is fragrant, then add all the spinach. Allow the spinach to wilt for 3-4 minutes before adding the cream. Add the cream to the wilted spinach and continue cooking for 5 minutes to reduce the cream. Add the nutmeg and season the, now, creamed spinach with salt and pepper to your liking. Serve hot and enjoy! Adding a little grated parmesan never hurt, either ;)


I hope y'all have enjoyed the show and will try the recipes. If you've got questions or comments, just let us know! Find us on Facebook, Twitter or e-mail us at thegeekygourmet@gmail.com

Elle

Glorious Butter!

Show #3 is here and we're talking about butter! We have some fun facts to share and some recipes, too. I hope you'll give us a listen and enjoy :)

In the first segment, I mention that I was at my Aunt's wedding a few weekends ago and that the theme was cows; Jerseys and Holsteins. It was all very adorable. And here's the cake!



(And also a cowbell...)


A few fun facts I forgot to mention on the show:
~It takes roughly 10 quarts (or 21 pounds) of whole milk to make 1 pound of butter.
~Food scientists have discovered over 120 unique flavor compounds in butter which contribute to it's flavor.
~The United States produces 1.2 billion pounds of butter each year.
~Butter (like *many* other things) was once used as currency. People would barter for merchandise at a town store or general store with butter.

Now to the really good stuff- the recipes!

Mason Jar Butter
1 pint of heavy cream*
1 large mason jar with lid and ring
cheese cloth

Let the cream come to room temperature. Pour it into the mason jar, put the lid on VERY tightly and shake it to your heart's content! It'll take 20-30 minutes to actually form the butter. I made this little project a family affair (because my arms was getting tired). My family took turns with me. I did manage to take a few pictures so you know what to expect.

Starting out with cream and a jar with a good, tight fitting lid.



After about 5-6 minutes, it should be a beautiful whipped cream consistency.


When you hit the 15-20 minute mark, you should start seeing something like this. The butter is starting to form, meaning the butter fat is separating from the buttermilk.


You can stop shaking when you see this- a big clump of butter in the middle of all that liquid.

Now comes the dirty work. You need to get a medium bowl and place a few layers of cheese cloth in the bottom. Pour all the contents (solid and liquid) on top of the cheese cloth. Strain the butter, then rinse it under cold water (while wrapped in the cheese cloth) until the water starts to run clear. Then dab the little bundle of joy with a paper towel to get rid of any excess water. Finally, put your butter into an air tight container and voila! Homemade butter. And let me tell you, it's worth the sore muscles. If you'd like to have salted butter, add about a half teaspoon of salt after the butter is made and rinsed. Mix it very well before storing. This makes just under a cup of butter.

Yay! Almost done. Just have to rinse and add salt. Then you have...


...glorious, fresh butter!

*It's best to use regular ole heavy cream. Avoid "whipping cream" as sometimes it contains a bit of a sweetner. It's also a good idea to avoid "Ultra-Pasteurized" cream. It's hard to come by around these parts, but the fresher and the less it's been processed, the better.

And now, death by cookies! Brought to you by the American Heart Association's list of things that will clog your arteries! Okay, not really. But these are definitely meant to be a treat and made every once in a while.

Buttery, buttery shortbread cookies
2 cups (1 pound) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees (F). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Beat the butter with a hand mixer or a in a stand mixer for about 5 minutes. Then add the sugar and cream together for 2-3 minutes at medium speed. Add the cornstarch and flour. Mix until all ingredients are incorporated. Roll into 1 inch balls and flatten them on the cookie sheet slightly with your fingers or palm. Bake at 350 degrees (F) for about 15 to 18 minutes. The tops should be VERY light, golden brown. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. They are totally yummy while slightly warm, but they taste even better the next day. The recipe makes about 4 dozen cookies.




Compounds Butters
Apricot-chipotle butter:
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 Tbsp chipotle in adobo sauce (1 chipotle seeded and minced, plus sauce)
2-3 Tbsp of apricot preseves (depending on how sweet you'd like it)

Garden Butter:
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tsp of the following (fresh or dried):
Basil, oregano, thyme, parsley, lemon zest
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 clove of garlic finely minced
Salt and Pepper to taste

Cinnamon-honey butter:
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 Tbsp honey

To make any of these, simply blend all ingredients well with a spatula, hand mixer, or in a stand mixer. You can serve these as just a spread or you can roll the butter into logs and freeze them. Then cut slices of the logs to top meat, potatoes, or soups for a last minute addition of flavor.

Hollandaise
Here is the best reference and set of recipes I could find for Hollandaise. I took a second look at Alton Brown's and realized that I only used his measurements, but everything else was different. So, here ya go. Happy sauce making!

Questions, comments, etc.? We want to hear them! Leave a comment here on the blog, on our Facebook page or at thegeekygourmet@gmail.com and we'll get back to you asap :)

<3 Elle

Respect the Fat!

Show #2 is here and ready to go! It's all about fat. More specifically, animal fats like lard, griebenscmalz, beef tallow...things like that. I had a lot of fun getting prepared for this show. I always learn something new from our research. I also tend to learn things from Howie. I mean, I might be the expert, but he's old. And with age comes knowledge of things from long ago. I'm totally going to get in trouble that statement.

As always, there is at least one recipe to go along with the show. And here it is!



Cracklin' Cornbread

1/4 cup butter or bacon grease

2 cups self-rising cornmeal

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 1/2 cups buttermilk*

2 large eggs, beaten

2 tsp. sugar or honey

1 cup cracklin's (the fresher, the better)



Heat a large cast-iron skillet** in a 425 degree oven for about 4 to 5 minutes. Meanwhile, stir together the cornmeal, flour, buttermilk, and eggs just until combined. Try not to over mix. Lumps are ok. Gently fold in the cracklin's last. Carfeully take the pan out of the oven (please remember your oven mit!) and melt your butter or bacon grease in the hot pan- slightly tip and swirl the pan to coat the bottom. Pour the cornbread batter into the hot pan and place it back in the oven for about 25 minutes.



*You can use whole milk, however buttermilk is recommended; not only for it's flavor, but for moisture.

**If you don't have a cast-iron skillet, you can do the same steps with a glass or metal baking dish.



Now, I do have a little secret to share. If you're worried about your cornbread being dry you should try adding one small can of creamed corn. Trust me, the above recipe is fool proof. It's moist and the flavors are well balanced every time (as long as you don't over cook it). But if you like a creamier, more pudding-like consistancy, try this little trick.



Try the recipe ,if you are so inclined, and tell me what you think about it! Take a picture and send it in, send a comment or a suggestion for other recipes, send a recipe of yours...we'd love to hear from you! Send to thegeekygourmet@gmail.com



I hope y'all are enjoying the show and the blog and the recipes and...well, everything! thanks for the support and thanks for listening!



Elle

Insert fanfare music here!

Y'all! It's here! My first show! And while the show is called "The Geeky Gourmet", you're going to find out why I am the Giggly Gourmet. There are a lot of giggles. But beyond that, there is good information and a show that I'm really proud of. Howie did an amazing job co-hosting and producing this. It is the first one, so there are always some glitches. The good news is that it only gets better from here.

I really hope you all enjoy this and of course I welcome constructive critiques, comments, and questions.

Show #1- Figs!

The show is split into 4 segments, basically so it makes it easier to download and/or e-mail.

Below are some of the recipes I talked about on the show. There will be more of them posted later this week. Some just need a little more testing before I feel comfortable enough to share them.

Fig Tart
10-inch pastry crust:
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp kosher salt
3-4 Tbsp cold water

In a bowl, combine the flour and salt. Cut the butter into the flour mixture until the particles are pea sized. Sprinkle in the water a little at a time moving the flour with your hands to try and work the mixture into a ball. If it's a little sticky, add a bit more flour. Wrap it in plastic and you'll want to refrigerate the dough ball for about an hour. After it's chilled, place the dough on a floured board and roll it out into a 12-inch circle. Place the dough in a 10-inch tart or pie pan and press it in gently so it clings to the sides. Trim any dough hanging off the sides of the baking pan and patch any holes or cracks with dough scraps. Using a fork, perforate the dough all over. This will help the air escape so the crust doesn't puff up. Pre-bake the crust in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes or just until it is very lightly browned. Cool completely before filling.

Tart Filling:
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
2 eggs
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp candied lemon peel, minced (or 1 tsp fresh lemon zest)
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
12-15 fresh figs, quartered

Combine all ingredients except for the figs. Pour the filling into the cooled tart shell. Arrange the figs on top of the filling in an even, single layer. I chose to arrange them in a circular fashion. Bake the completed tart for about 20 minutes in a 350 degree oven. The middle may be slightly gooey.

Cool completely, cut, and serve!



Figs "Foster"
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp cardamom (optional)
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/3 cup dark rum
10 figs, halved
vanilla or brown sugar ice cream

Combine the butter, spices, and brown sugar in a skillet. Cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Carefully place the figs in the pan and cook for about 3 minutes. Then, add the rum and continue cooking the mixture until the rum is hot. VERY CAREFULLY set the rum aflame with a long stick lighter or long match. If you have a gas stove, you can gently tilt the pan to catch the flame that way, as well. When the flame subsides, lift the figs out of the pan and divide them evenly among portions of ice cream. Spoon the warm sauce over the figs and ice cream.dd

Serve immediately.

**The step in the recipe where you set it on fire is completely optional. I still recommend adding the rum for flavor, though. If you don't want to use rum, you can add about 1/3 cup of apple juice to thin the sauce.


Recipes coming soon:
Late Summer Salad with Roasted Figs
Thumbprint cookies with fig "jam"
Kelly's Fig preserves

Again, if you have any questions you can e-mail me (thegeekygourmet@gmail.com), leave a comment here, or find us on our Facebook page.

<3 Elle

Edit: I have a list of people I'd like to thank that I may have missed on the show (I know this isn't the Oscar's and I'm not Sally Field, but regardless...):

My parents for putting up with my nonsense, letting me ruin the kitchen, being my tech support, and being my guinea pigs.

My Aunts L and S for being wonderful foodies and full of ideas.

My Charlie for putting crazy ideas in my head, wanting me to cook, eating my food whether it's good or not, and for coming up with crazy food combinations that actually work.

Justin for his awesome artistic abilities and creating such a great logo.

My slores for keeping me calm and level headed when I get nervous about trying new things.

Howie for making me start this blog again, being my fantastic co-host, having enough faith in me to pull this show off, and for doing a rock awesome job editing and producing.

Publix of Anderson, SC for having figs and always being so nice!

And all of you! The people reading this now, listening to the show, and spreading the word. Thank you so much!

The Great Lime Massacre of 2010

It's summer time and it is particularly hot this year. In order to cool off, I tend to drink tons of water and eat ice cream. But I've grown tired of ice cream. It's hard to believe, right? I mean, unless you don't care for it in the first place, who honestly gets sick of ice cream? I couldn't make sense of what I was saying until I thought about cool, creamy alternatives that are just as delicious in the summer. One of the first things that came to mind was Key Lime Pie.

Being the specific breed of Elle that I am, I often think things are more complicated than they really are and the recipe for Key Lime Pie was no exception. Here I was thinking that I'd have to make a curd filling and pray to goodness that it doesn't come out grainy. Uh huh. Turns out this is one of the easiest recipes on the planet. I got my recipe from epicurious.com and added my own twists (of course). The ingredients go something like this:

For crust:
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs from 9 (2 1/4-inch by 4 3/4-inch) crackers
2 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For filling:
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
4 large egg yolks1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh or bottled Key lime juice (if using bottled, preferably Manhattan brand)

For topping:
3/4 cup chilled heavy cream
2 Tbsp powdered sugar
Super simple. Now, remember just a few minutes ago when I mentioned that I like to make things complicated? It's true! And I'll prove it.

While I was in the grocery store, it came time to make a decision- fresh squeezed or bottled? It was $6 for a bottle of key lime juice or $2.99 per pound of key limes. Like any glutton for punishment, I chose to pick up 2 lbs of key limes and squeeze them myself. I will say that it was totally worth it. That way I could also use the zest of the key limes as well as save a few for garnish. Admittedly, my hands hurt. I used a wooden reamer and a fine mesh strainer. I also discovered another way to dull my favorite chef's knife. This can be accomplished by slicing 2 lbs. of key limes in half. Oh! And did you know key limes have seeds? I didn't. Or at least I didn't remember them having seeds. I'm so used to our little seedless limes that it really threw me off.

Below are some pictures I took of the Great Key Lime Massacre of July 2010 and the end result:

2 pounds of key limes


Let the massacre begin!



The aftermath...

The recipe makes 1 pie. I doubled the recipe to make 2; one for dessert this week and one to be frozen for later use.

The end result!

A few suggestions:

I chose to simply spread the whipped cream on top of the pie. You can also pipe the whipped cream on and make it a little more decorative if you'd like.

I highly recommend adding about a teaspoon or two of the zest if you can. I personally feel that it brings out the actual lime flavor rather than just tartness.

These pies can easily be frozen and saved for a potluck, a welcome to the neighborhood gift, or just another nightly dessert.

There is no shame in eating it frozen!

The End.

Arroz Con Pollo

Arroz con Pollo, Pollo con Arroz...tomato, tomahto. It's a classic Latin dish meaning 'rice with chicken'. I made it for supper tonight and shared a picture of it. Within a few hours I've had numerous people (via facebook and e-mail) asking for the recipe. Admittedly, I sighed. I'm one of those annoying, budding chefs who doesn't really measure or do the exact same thing twice. While I love it when people take interest in my food, giving you a recipe isn't always easy. Never-the-less, I love you all and have really thought through what I was doing tonight. Yes, I have a recipe! I do things a little differently than that of the traditional dish. I like having more control over what the chicken tastes like separately from the rice/veg, so I chose to cook mine separately. There are a few differences in what spices I used as well.

Elle's Arroz con Pollo (serves 4)

Arroz/veg:
1 medium onion, diced small
1 poblano pepper, roughly chopped
8 fresh, plum or campari tomatoes, diced large
1 can original Ro*tel
2 tsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes (if you like it hotter, add more)
1 Tbsp kosher or sea salt
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
4 C. chicken broth, low sodium is best
2 C. long grain white rice
1/4 C. fresh chopped cilantro

Pollo:
4 boneless/skinless chicken breasts or 8 tenders, thawed and trimmed as necessary
2 to 3 Tbsp Tabasco
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp olive oil
The juice of 1 lime
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder

Extras:
Fresh lime wedges
Warm flour or corn tortillas
Salt and Pepper (to taste)
Vegetable or Canola oil for cooking

Marinate the chicken about 2 hours in advance by combining all liquid ingredients with the spices and pour over the chicken. Cover and place in the refrigerator.

In a medium stock pot or dutch oven*, heat a few tablespoons of cooking oil on medium-high heat. Sweat the diced onion until translucent. Then, add the poblano peppers. Cook until tender. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Next, add the fresh tomatoes. Cook until the vegetables start to look saucy, stirring frequently.When the tomatoes start to give off their juices and form a sauce with the other vegetables, add the Ro*tel, all of the spices, and about half of the chopped cilantro. Stir to combine well and continue cooking for about 3 minutes. At this point, you should check for seasoning. Add salt, pepper, or more cayenne/red pepper if you'd like. Next, stir in the rice. Coat the rice well with the vegetable mixture. Then, add the chicken broth. You will need to bring this entire mixture to a low boil. When it's reached a low boil, turn the heat down to medium/medium-low, cover, and allow to simmer for about 20 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender. While the rice is simmering, grill or saute the marinated chicken. Combine the chicken and rice when both are done, or serve separately. Fresh lime wedges, a sprinkle of cilantro, and warm tortillas are good accompaniments.

Personally:
I grilled the chicken. I like the way it looks and prefer the char-grilled flavor for this time of year. Once both chicken and rice were done, I stacked the chicken on top of the rice and sprinkled the remaining cilantro over the dish. I served the rice in a bowl with 2 chicken tenders on top, along with warm corn tortillas on the side.

*I used a well-seasoned, cast-iron dutch oven. I know not everyone has one of these and that's just fine. A medium sized, heavy-weight stock pot will do nicely.

A few final things:
~I strayed from the traditional recipe in several ways, but I'm still confident that this is damn tasty and it's close enough to still be considered a classic Arroz con Pollo dish. I didn't use saffron, because I wanted a zestier flavor and I knew the heavier spices would completely over power the scent and flavor of saffron.
~There are a lot of ingredients and you can really tame down the spice list if you'd like. Just be sure to taste the dish along the way. Seasoning each layer is very important. Use a light hand when seasoning during each step. You can always add more, but it's a lot more difficult to reduce the amount of seasoning.


Enjoy!

You're gonna love my nuts!

No, really. While I don't endorse this guy or his products, I think he's hilarious (and creepy). Plus, it's true. Nuts are delicious and I think they are under appreciated. I'll give you a minute to get your mind out of the gutter.

Done? Okay, good. I really think that nuts, specifically tree nuts, aren't utilized enough. True that they are in a lot of baked, sweet, and pastry items-breads, baklava, cookies, garnishes, candied, brittles, in spreads, etc. But in the savory side of cooking, not so much.

I just ate one of my favorite pasta dishes* for dinner and the superstar of the dish is pine nuts. It got me thinking of how little nuts are used in savory dishes. Now maybe many of you can come up with a million and one savory dishes that include nuts, but I really can't. I think of pesto, peanut butter sauces in some Asian cooking (Yeah, yeah. Peanuts are ground "nuts"), stuffing or dressing, crusts for meats, and garnishes for salads.

Now, part of this under-utilization is due to allergies. I get that. I can count about 20 people or more that I know that have some sort of nut allergy. Some allergies are very severe. It's tragic. I'm very fortunate to not have any known food allergies, so I can't relate. And honestly, more for me!

Nuts can add healthy oils that your body needs to your diet. Nut oils can add great flavor to a simple meat or vegetable dish. Tired of olive oil? Try using walnut oil. Just be mindful of your cooking temperature. Certain nut oils can burn fast and shouldn't be used for frying. Need some texture in your pasta or rice? Toast some pecans or almonds and toss them in for crunch. Take a few risks and play with your food. Pine nuts in a simple marinara sauce changes the flavor entirely. Roasted, chopped walnuts (and some golden raisins) in sauteed spinach is fantastic and adds a gourmet touch to what can be a boring green. And please, please, please use a different nut to make pesto. Traditional pesto is great, but have you tried using pistachios instead? You ought to. The next time you need a new idea, think about using some nuts in your savory recipe.

*My supper was linguini with prosciutto and pine nuts. Toast 3 Tbsp of pine nuts in a dry saute pan. Remove when just starting to turn golden and smell nutty; allow to cool. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil and 1 Tbsp butter in a pan. Add a serving of linguini or whatever pasta you have on hand, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Warm through. Add two slices of prosciutto cut into ribbons. Toss the pine nuts back in and finish with a few leaves of basil, torn. Top with parmagiano if you'd like (I, personally, do like). It's a great way to use up leftover pasta.

~Elle

In a pickle!

Everything in my container garden is starting to take off. I've finally got tomatoes coming in. I've been using all of my herbs like crazy. There have been radishes and spinach and I even got my first zucchini. Then, there is the matter of my deck-eating cucumber plant. The same thing happened last year. If I never grow anything else in my life, I'm 99.9% sure I will always be able to grow cucumbers. This plant has a mind of it's own. I can usually harvest at least one cucumber a day. This will last for at least another month. I love cucumbers. Home-grown ones are like no other. But lately I've had so many that I haven't been able to use them before they go bad.

One obvious solution to this issue is to make pickles. However, I'm extremely picky about my pickles. I like them cold cured, never cooked. I prefer sour or savory over sweet flavored. I like thick cut round, whole, or spears. I'd rather they not be crinkle-cut or salad cubes. I'm not a big fan of the sandwich slices either. See? Picky about pickles. So I did a little research to find a good refrigerator pickle recipe that involves absolutely no cooking. I found one! Of course, I tweaked it to my preferences, but it was a great base recipe to start with. It goes something like this:

2 cups cold water
1/3 cup vinegar*
1 Tbsp Kosher or sea salt
2 tsp sugar
5 whole peppercorns
1-2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
3 medium cucumbers, cut into 1/4 inch rounds or 3 inch long spears
1 large Mason jar with lid OR a sturdy zip-top bag

*The recipe calls for white wine vinegar. I used cider vinegar, personally. This is where personal preference comes into play. However, balsamic vinegar is not recommended.

Mix all ingredients except cucumbers until the salt and sugar are dissolved to create a quick brine. Place the cucumber pieces in the bag or jar, then add the brine. Place the new pickles in the refrigerator to cure. If you use a zip-top bag, you will need to turn the pickles twice a day. If you use a Mason jar, invert the jar a few times, once a day. These "light pickles" will take about 2 days to cure.

Chef's note: I also chose to add some chopped dill to my brine. For a spicy flavor, you could add some red pepper flakes. If you like an old-fashioned pickle taste, use a teaspoon or two of traditional pickling spice. These pickles will be lighter in flavor if you follow the above recipe. You can experiment with the amount of vinegar you use if you'd like a stronger or weaker flavor.

I just made my first batch tonight and have to wait a few days before they're ready. I'll let you know how the turn out. And if you try this, please let me know how it worked for you!

Original recipe credit: Instructables.com

Delicious adventures in cheesecake!

Momma's birthday was on the 5th of May. And mother's day is coming up this weekend. I wanted to make her a cake of some sort. But apparently so did everyone else. One of her co-workers is making her a tasty birthday cake of some sort. Honestly, I can't remember what kind of cake it's supposed to be, but Momma seemed to be very excited about it. Regardless, I'm the cook/baker around here that hasn't been doing much baking as of late. This was a great excuse to change that. I suggested a few kinds of cakes that I could make, including her favorite carrot cake, but when I said, "ricotta cheesecake" I had her attention.

I've made something similar in the past with my own tweaks, of course. They were mini cheesecakes made in muffin tins. They were delicious, but I needed to find a recipe that would fit my needs a bit better. I've seen a few Food Network personalities make a ricotta cheesecake, so that was the first place on the Internet I searched. I found a recipe by Giada DeLaurentiis that interested me. I figured out how I was going to change it and add my own twist to it, then set off for the grocery store.

I returned with an armful of goodies for the cheesecake including some very beautiful strawberries! {/tangent} It's that time of year! It's nearing summer and here in the south, the berry season is starting. We just got a notice from our local Berry Farm that strawberries are in and ready to be picked! This is the best time of year for produce. My garden is starting to look wonderful, the farmer's markets will be in full-swing soon, and we get notices from the berry farms that things are ready to be picked! {tangent} I got everything to the kitchen and put in it's proper placed. Then I gathered my ingredients and made the following recipe:

2, 8 oz. packages of cream cheese (at room temperature)
1, 12 oz. container of ricotta cheese
1/4 C of clover or orange blossom honey
3/4 C granulated sugar
2 tsp orange, lime, or lemon zest
4 eggs
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
8 oz. Biscotti cookies

9 inch spring-form pan
9 inch parchment circle (optional)
Aluminum foil
Large roasting pan
Boiling water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a food processor*, finely grind the biscotti cookies. Add the melted butter to the cookie crumbs and mix thoroughly. The mixture should be slightly moist. Place the crumb and butter mixture into the bottom of a lined spring-form pan and press down to even out the crust. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Allow to cool completely.

Meanwhile, with a hand or stand mixer**, blend the ricotta until smooth and creamy. It will still have the normal texture of ricotta, but needs to be smoothed a bit for better blending. Add the 2 blocks of room temperature cream cheese and blend completely. Be sure to stop the mixer occasionally and scrape down the sides of the bowl so all ingredients mix properly. Next, add the sugar and citrus zest. When those ingredients are incorporated, add the honey. Lastly, add the eggs and mix until just combined.

Wrap the outside of the spring-form pan with foil. This will keep water from seeping into the cheesecake. Pour the cheesecake mixture into the pan with the cooled crust. Place the spring-form pan into the larger roasting pan and place it on a middle oven rack. Pour the boiling water into the ROASTING PAN until it is about an inch and a half deep creating a water bath. This helps ensure more even baking and will hopefully give you a beautiful cheesecake with no cracks in the top. (Unfortunately, mine had a few small cracks. It'll still taste good!) Bake in the 350 degree oven for about an hour and five minutes. The cheesecake should have a very light golden hue and should jiggle slightly in the middle. Take the cheesecake out of the hot water bath and place it on a cooling rack for about an hour. After that, refrigerate for about 6 hours or over night. After the cheesecake is set and chilled completely, slice it and enjoy! Serving this with fresh fruit or a little bit of a fruit preserves would be delicious.

The great thing about using ricotta is that this isn't a super sweet cheesecake. It can also be adapted for a low fat diet. You could use part skim ricotta and reduced fat (or fat free) cream cheese. Using Splenda instead of sugar would also help cut some calories and fat.

See? I can share.

*If you don't have a food processor or a way to mechanically grind these, you can simply place them in a plastic baggy and beat the hell out of them with a mallet, rolling pin, or (if you have serious rage) your hand.
**You can also do this by hand if you're insane and want your shoulder to hurt the following day. If you have neither a hand mixer or a stand mixer, might I also suggest using the food processor again.

Elle