The Dutch Oven

Dutch vs The Ducks

2010-09-19T21:58:00.004-05:00

We love our house and we love the atmosphere that comes with it. We love that our house backs-up to a creek...until recently. We have never had issues with Dutch and the creek (except we had a small episode the first day we brought him home) but that was 3 years ago. This summer however is a different story. Dutch has discovered the ducks...

Brian and I have spent lots of hours now yelling at Dutch while he romps and plays up and down the creek chasing ducks. He has no idea how to catch a duck and I must say it is hilarious watching him make the fearless attempt over and over again, of course being unsuccessful. If you have never watched a duck be "hunted" in the water, they swim away as they are being chased and right when the "hunter" (a.k.a. Dutch) goes for the attack, they dive under the water so the "hunter" (a.k.a. Dutch) has no idea where they went. They end up coming out of the water at the complete other end of the creek and the process starts all over again. Dutch sprinting after the duck, finally catching up to it, then swimming behind it, then diving for it, and then being left dumbfounded by the duck's disappearance. Also, 10 minutes in to the chase, he is panting from exerting so much energy, however he is completely clueless that he doesn't have the stamina to continue chasing duck after duck. It is quite humorous most of the time, however I am getting extremely tired of this process. This happened twice today. Dutch can no longer be trusted to be outside with us...I am convinced he will take off into the creek.

Also, Dutch apparently goes deaf when he goes into "duck chasing" mode. It is like Brian and I don't even exist. When Brian and I realize that our yelling is not going to be enough, Brian goes to the garage...puts on his waders...heads into the creek...and pulls Dutch out of the water. Dutch of course is soaking wet, so he then gets to spend some time tied to the pole outside in order to dry off.

You think Dutch would learn...the ducks are going to win every time.

New Staple Side Dish...Pureed Cauliflower with Goat Cheese

2010-09-19T20:57:00.008-05:00

Where has the time gone? I realized today that it is September 19th. I swear just the other day it was July...what happened? I was making my way through a blistering summer, and unfortunately I am still making my way through the blistering heat. I am totally ready for Fall and I hope it stays for a while. I am ready for cooler weather, but nothing that requires a coat. Just nice, cool weather that can be enjoyed without sweating your make-up off, without having flat hair, without having to think about which outfit won't stick to my sweltering skin, and without wanting to jump into an ice bath after every moment I spend outside. It's hot out there people...

I also realized today that I have been on the road for 5 weeks since July, so that is where my time has gone...it has literally flown by.

Anyway, on to more interesting things. With all my time on the road, I have definitely gone on a binge fest, eating whatever I want whenever I want. (By the way, that is one of the problems with traveling for work...you constantly eat...all day every day. I still don't really know why.) So that means, when I am home I gotta be more aware. Since we are spending our Saturdays tailgating, and Friday nights are spent having a Mexican feast at our favorite spot, that leaves about 5 days to be more conscious of what we eat...which actually means that if I aim for 5 then I might do 3...

Tonight we had Bison Tenderloin with a Shallot Marmalade, Sauteed Garlic Spinach, and Pureed Cauliflower with Goat Cheese. Unfortunately, the battery in the camera was dead tonight when I went to take a picture of this feast, which believe it or not was healthy. (At least to me since our typical Sunday night meals are packed full of unhealthiness...)

I really want to emphasize how AH-MAZING the pureed cauliflower was. Please try it the next time you want something different. I was leaning towards grits, polenta, mashed potatoes, and all the other usual suspects for something rich and creamy to go with our filets, however I really didn't want a high calorie dinner. Bison by the way is great for you. Our 8oz filets had only 4.8 grams of fat, 50 grams of protein and only 260 calories.

Pureed Cauliflower with Goat Cheese (recipe by me)

1 head cauliflower

4 cloves garlic, smashed

1/3 cup buttermilk

1 tsp butter

1 tsp olive oil

3 oz goat cheese, cut into small pieces or crumbled

Salt and Pepper to taste

Simply core the cauliflower and cut into florets. Place a steamer basket over boiling water and steam the cauliflower with the smashed garlic until tender and done, about 12-15 minutes. Once the cauliflower is cooked through, place them in a food processor and add the buttermilk, butter, olive oil, goat cheese, and salt & pepper to taste. Puree the mixture until the cauliflower is completely smooth and all the ingredients are well incorporated. If the mixture is too think, add a little more buttermilk. Taste the mixture for appropriate seasoning and serve hot.

Roasted Shrimp with Orzo and Feta

2010-09-04T20:50:00.004-05:00

The other night I tried this recipe for dinner. It was one of the last nights of the dead heat of summer (so I think as of right now) and I thought we needed a nice cool summer dinner. I stumbled across this recipe from Ina Garten and was quite impressed with the way it turned out. I even spent some extra time peeling and deveining the shrimp because I still can't understand why it is so much more expensive to buy them this way at the store. For my 2 lbs of shrimp I could have spent an extra $15 to be lazy...tempting, but ridiculous. Anyway, this recipe for dinner was great, but what I really want to suggest for this recipe is to pack this goodness in your lunchbox. We were too hungry to wait the the suggested hour at the end and I didn't plan ahead to refrigerate it overnight, so it is fair to say that it's our own fault we weren't wowed the first night. Pleased, but not wowed. The next morning I packed up some leftovers and took it to work the to enjoy for lunch, and enjoy did I. It was fabulous. The flavors had really come together and I was super glad I had made such a big batch so I could enjoy it all week. I think it will definitely become a lunchbox staple. I served mine with some toasted bread rubbed with fresh garlic.

Roasted Shrimp and Orzo (recipe by Ina Garten) Serves 6

kosher salt

good olive oil

3/4 lb orzo

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 3 lemons)

freshly ground black pepper

2 lbs shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 cup minced scallions, white and green parts

1 cup chopped fresh dill

1 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded and medium-diced

1/2 cup small-diced red onion

3/4 lb good feta cheese, large diced

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Fill a large pot with water, add 1 tablespoon of salt and a splash of oil, and bring the water to a boil. Add the orzo and simmer for 9 to 11 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it's cooked al dente. Drain and pour into a large bowl. Whisk together the lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Pour over the hot pasta and stir well.

Meanwhile, place the shrimp on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to combine and spread out in a single layer. Roast for 5 to 6 minutes, until the shrimp are cooked through. Don't overcook!

Add the shrimp to the orzo and then add the scallions, dill, parsley, cucumber, onion, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Toss well. Add the feta and stir carefully. Set aside at room temperature for 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend, or refrigerate overnight. If refrigerated, taste again for seasonings and bring back to room temperature before serving.

The Ultimate Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

2010-08-25T20:39:00.000-05:00

I am about to share one of my most favorite cookie recipes. Nothing fancy, nothing gourmet. Just a good recipe for your back pocket when you need to take cookies somewhere or even just curl up on the couch with glass of milk. I have always loved both oatmeal raisin cookies and chocolate chip cookies and when I am buying cookies, I always have a hard time deciding between the 2...this recipe brings my 2 loves together.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies (recipe from All Recipes)

Yields 3 1/2 dozen cookies

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups quick-cooking oats

1 cup chopped walnuts (sometimes I use pecans)

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F

2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until just blended. Mix in the quick oats, walnuts, and chocolate chips. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.

3. Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Beef Burgers with Green Chile Salsa, Goat Cheese and Caramelized Onions

2010-08-08T20:10:00.003-05:00

Okay, don't be bored with burgers yet. There may be several more coming your way. Sunday night has become burger night at our house. I don't know what it is lately that has led us to want burgers, burgers, and more burgers. We have craved them for the past few weeks and I anticipate that this will continue for awhile. Kinda like our pizza craze a while back...

Tonight, the 2 of us enjoyed green chile salsa burgers with goat cheese and caramelized onions. You may not remember, but I brought this burger to you last year. I didn't have a picture then...but I do now!

This burger is awesome. It is so perfectly balanced in all aspects of flavor. Last year, we made the salsa with hatch green chiles, which I must say is slightly better than our improvised version today. When we headed to Central Market this morning, we thought it was the season again for these amazing chiles. I may need to start doing my research before heading to the store because we quickly discovered we were wrong and we were a few weeks premature on collecting a bag full of the green greatness. Bummer...my thought out menu for the week, centering around Hatch Chiles, wasn't going to happen...so, what to do when my heart was set on Hatch Chiles? I had to improvise by buying Poblano's and Anaheim's.

Once our patties were cooking we smeared some amazing local goat cheese on the top while they had just a few minutes remaining. We also added some caramelized onions before topping each burger with the star of the show...the Green Chile Salsa.

A girl can never have too much bakeware

2010-08-04T20:12:00.005-05:00

Is it too early to start a Christmas list? Aren't these bowls and Cassoulet adorable? All I am thinking of right now is how wonderful it would be to eat chili, stew or a gratin out of these, preferably curled up on the couch with my fuzzy winter socks on. With it being a blistering 105 degrees outside lately, this gift definitely seems a little premature, but such a perfect gift for me come December!

I just hope they look this amazing in person.

Party Time

2010-08-04T19:25:00.007-05:00

Well, the party was a huge success. We had so much fun with all of our close friends and family. So much fun that we are actually still recovering. I realized once again how exhausting it is to entertain. Well worth all the time and energy, but geez, it's tiring. I love it though. It was so fun and all of the details paid off. Brian had a blast which was of course the main goal. Unfortunately, I didn't get to take many pictures and these don't really do the party scene justice, but I guess it helps provide some sort of a visual. Why I didn't find the time to take a picture of the large lanterns in the backyard that I spent hours hanging or take a picture of me and the birthday boy before the party started is beyond me... I was in hostess mode and not good wife preserving a memory mode. Honey...please forgive me.

Stocked bar with an amazing Peach Sangria.

My prized dessert table. After all the decorating, cleaning, preparing, running errands, and stocking the bar, 3 homemade desserts was all I could crank out. I resorted to having the food catered by Pappasito's, so we were all able to enjoy some great fajitas. Here are my Triple Chocolate Cream Cheese Brownies, Brian's Birthday German Chocolate Cake, and some OMG Good Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies. The cookies post is coming, and they are totally going to be a staple for you! The girl's at work greatly appreciated some of the leftovers...

Lame partial view of the backyard. You can't see the light posts, the lanterns, the personally and artfully created birthday sign that was hung...Ridiculous.

P.S. I should be able to blog more often now that Brian has his new birthday gift from me. We can now both sit on the couch together...him on his iPad and me on my MacBook Pro lovin' life.

He's 30!

2010-07-30T08:20:00.005-05:00

Yesterday was Brian's 30th Birthday. The day was great (for the most part...) I have taken off work yesterday and today in preparation for the big party tomorrow night. I ran errands in the morning, planted some new flowers, took Brian to lunch at Cafe R&D, ran more errands, baked cookies, baked brownies, cooked homemade cheeseburgers, drank wine, made Happy Birthday Milkshakes and still had time to clean out the entire area under the sink because the pipe to the disposal busted. Yes, this was the only part of the day that was not great. I was trying to clean out the fridge because I needed to make room for several of my desserts and other random ingredients for the party. As I am shoving lettuce down the sink (because I never made all those salads I was planning to have for lunch) I feel myself standing in a pool of green water. The water is running out of the cabinet underneath the sink and I just close my eyes and say a few choice words to make myself feel better. We have had a few problems with the disposal before as Brian has been determined to put some things down the sink that the disposal just can't handle. We have always managed to fix the pipes back and clean-up the mess and move on. Yesterday was worse than it had ever been before. Not only did the pipe get clogged, but it busted at one of the places where the pipes come together, so when I opened the cabinet doors, it looked like a lettuce firecracker had gone off under the sink. SICK. I hadn't scheduled in the 2 hours it took to clean it all out into my day, but what do you do? I hunkered down in the floor and proceeded to wipe lettuce and green water off of everything...walls, pipes, cleaning supplies, etc. Finally, Brian got home and fixed the pipes so I can now continue baking and washing dishes, however we both need to think before putting anything down the disposal in the future...

Moving on to the better part of the day...dessert! I am making Brian's favorite German Chocolate Cake for the party on Saturday, so unfortunately is wasn't available for our enjoyment last night. Lucky for me, Brian just wanted milkshakes! Woo Hoo! Super simple. I thought it needed a candle...so cute!

I found this recipe last summer when the Food Network first came out with its new magazine. You probably know which one I am talking about because the cover is advertised all over the place. The one with Bobby Flay on the cover with an amazing looking classic burger. Anyway, Bobby had this recipe to go with his burger, so it was only appropriate for Brian's birthday.

Chocolate Milkshakes with Marshmallow Creme

Whisk 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1/4 cup marshmallow fluff and 1/8 tsp vanilla extract until stiff peaks form; set aside. Combine 1 cup milk and 3 cups chocolate ice cream in a blender and blend until smooth. Fill 4 glasses one-quarter of the way with the shake; add some marshmallow cream, then more milkshake, then more cream, then milkshake. Finish with a dollop of marshmallow.

Brian's Turning 30...whether or not I succeed at the party is still up in the air

2010-07-18T17:19:00.005-05:00

Once again, I am stuck at a hotel and can't get out! That's what I do for a living though. I travel quite a bit and spend countless nights in random hotels. Sometimes it's great and sometimes it's not. This time...not so much. The meeting is going super well and I must say I have been getting decent sleep, but the problem is that tonight will be the 9th night I catch zzz's here out of a total of 11. Needless to say...I am ready to get out. I am ready for a home cooked meal made by none other than myself! More on that later...

Today......stress. I am stressing. I am stressing because Brian's 30th birthday is literally around the corner. I am stressing because I am throwing him a wonderful birthday bash with his close friends and family. I am stressing because I am spending 12 days at a hotel and that is keeping me from planning, shopping, organizing, decorating, baking, etc. You get it. I know you do cause you have probably been here. The party is going to be great and super amazing and an absolute blast. I am so excited to plan this for such an amazing husband and have this memory for year's to come. With that being said, stress still follows...

I need to be hanging these...

And putting up the tiki torches...

And figuring out how the heck to string extention cords so all my lights work. Not these lights. White christmas lights I have hung from the posts on the patio. I realized during the first part of this project (I am now on part 3 and not even done yet...this really could be a post all by itself, but I will spare you - I have wrapped one pole 3 times and unfortunatley for me, I think there will need to be a 4th) that hanging lights is quite complicated. I also realized that I desperately needed (and still need) my husbands help, but I am desperately trying to not make him help with the petty details of his own party...

And then there is deciding what type of Sangria to make...

And making 3 different desserts for all these peeps...including an extraordinary German Chocolate Cake...

And decorating the patio...and the kitchen...and the living room...

And figuring out how the heck I am going to fit the abundance of people who have accepted our invitation in our house without having them step all over each other...

And finally...determining how to add days in to the month of July.

The Best Basic Beef Burger

2010-07-03T19:23:00.009-05:00

We have safely made it back from Mexico. After a cancelled flight out of Dallas, being redirected out of the way through Miami, surviving Tropical Storm Alex for 2 1/2 days, tackling 30 mph winds every single day, shielding 24 hour sandblasts, and not melting from the most extreme humidity known to mankind, we truly did have an amazing trip. Despite all of this, we managed to enjoy every moment of our time together. We ate decent food, drank plenty of Dos XX, mastered every 2 player card game we remembered from childhood, and came back golden brown and relaxed. Brian even managed to significantly improve his Spanish speaking skills. (He practiced non-stop for the entire trip and I am still waiting for it to wear off.) Unfortunately, there are no pictures as proof we had fun...every time we brought out the camera, it completely fogged up.

After eating resort food for an entire week (which was better than expected) we came home craving our local Texas favorites. The night we got in we hit up Fernando's for some of our favorite Tex Mex enchiladas, last night we had Louie's for great pizza, and tonight...what better than homemade juicy cheeseburgers.

We've made good burgers before and I think my favorite is still the hatch chile burger we made last summer. I cannot wait to give that another go round this year...

Anyway, tonight's burger came in 2nd place as far as Bischoff home burger's go. It was EXTREMLY juicy and full of flavor. It was so easy and fast too. We didn't even bother heating up the outdoor grill. We just straight up cooked 'em in the cast iron skillet.

Best Basic Beef Burger (recipe by The Bischoff's)

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 tbls soft butter

2 large soft buns (we use the freshly made ones from Central Market)

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1 lb beef chuck (80% lean meat, 20% fat)

Vegetable oil

4 slices of your favorite cheddar cheese (no American...we've talked about this)

4 slices tomato (we used heirloom because they are in season and perfect right now)

2 leaves of lettuce

Pickles (this is totally up to you whether you want sweet, dill, or a combination. this is an important piece, so think about it...we found the most amazing homemade pickles at Central Market that are perfectly sweet, sour and a tad bit spicy)

Thinly sliced red onion

2 tbls mayonnaise

1 tbls mustard

Directions

Start by dividing the 1 lb of beef into 2 patties and let it come to room temperature. Season each patty liberally with salt and pepper on each side.

Heat a large cast iron skillet to medium high heat. Add a small amount of vegetable oil and wait for it to heat through. Once the oil is hot, add both patties to the pan and cook 3-4 minutes per side for medium. (The amount of time will vary depending on the width and size of your patties).

Meanwhile, spread the softened butter on each side of the buns and toast until golden brown on the inside, but still soft on the outside.

After the first 3-4 minutes is up, flip the patties and cook for 1 minute. Add 2 slices of cheese to each patty and cook for about 3 minutes longer.

Remove the patties from the skillet and let rest on a plate for about 5-10 minutes. (You want all those wonderful juices to redistribute themselves into the meat and not all over your plate when you cut or bite into your burger.) Note: the burger is still ridiculously juicy after letting it rest...make sure you have a roll of paper towels nearby.

Assemble your burger...Brian and I assemble differently, but the goal is to put something on the bottom bun that creates a barrier. Brian puts mayo and I put lettuce...either way, it keeps the juices from the beef from creating a soggy bun.

We paired our burgers with a mustardy potato salad and some Malbec.

Boccalone

2010-06-21T22:08:00.005-05:00

I've talked about it before...my love for pig fat and pork products. Here the story continues...

I found out a few months ago I would be spending a week in San Francisco in August for work. Of course I was super excited because after visiting this wonderful city last October I realized how amazing it is. At the time however, Brian and I were spending several days of our vacation in Napa and in Oakland to visit some of Brian's family. Therefore, I spent the bulk of my restaurant research on Napa making sure to hit up Michael Chiarello's Bottega, wishing to go to Thomas Keller's French Laundry, and so on...I did ask around to a few friends who had been to San Fran where to eat, so we ended up at some amazing places. However, it was not until the past several months that I realized I had missed out on experiencing Boccalone. Lately, I have learned more and more of Chris Constantino and his true obsession with the pig. The Whole Pig. Boccalone. Tasty Salted Pig Parts.

You can begin judgement now. This IS a total man place. A guy's fantasy of delicious salami, pulled pork, mortadella, etc. and I cannot wait to stand in line for my sandwich.

2010-06-14T17:15:00.004-05:00

Tickets are bought, hotel is booked...we are bound for Mexico in 11 days. Brian and I researched the heck out of every possible beach vacation and landed on the Riviera Maya at an all-inclusive adult only resort. I know it may not sound super fancy...it's not. We weighed the time we had with the money we had and this was the best fit. We are super excited to do nothing for 6 days except relax...we may read some books...we may not. We may leave the resort and do something active...we may not. The goal is to do nothing...

I am super glad I booked this trip when I did. Work is getting quite busy for the summer and it looks like I will be traveling A LOT in the next few months. I am re-dedicating myself to the blog though. I am making it a priority to bring you delicious dishes.

For the next 11 days, Brian and I are in beach-body diet mode. (Whatever that means) We are basically on strict diets to shed a couple of extra flabby pounds that I seem to have grown accustomed to carrying around. I have thought about this whole "diet" off and on today. Why do we do this? It seems like everyone I know goes on some form of a diet before a vacation or other special occasion...is it to off-set what we eat on vacation? I guess. If feeling a pound or two lighter now makes me feel less guilty later about a week's worth of indulgences while I am living it up in Mexico...than so be it.

However, for the past month or so we have been enjoying wonderful fruit smoothies for breakfast. They are extremly healthy and delicious and have kept me full until lunch while also making me feel energized. Try it...you might like it.

Energy Smoothie - Makes 2 smoothies (recipe by the Bischoff's)
1 cup Almond Milk (I buy unsweetened vanilla almond milk by Blue Diamond)
1/2 cup Coconut Water
1 1/2 cups fruit (fresh or frozen) I like to use the combination below
1 Small Banana
1/4 cup Blueberries
1/4 cup chopped Pineapple
1/2 cup Ice
1 tbls Almond Butter
1 tsp Cinnamon
2 tsp Agave Syrup
(If you workout add your protein powder)

Combine everything into your blender and puree until smooth. Enjoy!

King Ranch Chicken Casserole. From Scratch.

2010-05-04T21:45:00.004-05:00

Ok, so you are probably wondering what I mean by "from scratch" with this recipe. I mean, no can of chicken soup and no can of mushroom soup. Please don't freak out. I know these are your comforts with this recipe. Trust me. I mean, "from scratch" by creating your own thickening agent with flour and cooking all of your veggies and spices until the flavors harmonize. This means taking more time with this dish and focusing on fresh ingredients. Not just dumping everything into a bowl and layering it in a casserole. Here cooking is required prior to baking.

What's my reasoning for putting all the added time and attention to making this dish from scratch? #1. I have been wanting to try a delicious recipe from The Homesick Texan #2. My dear friend Dana just had her first baby...a precious baby boy named Carter and she and her husband needed a delicious homemade meal. What is better to serve than a comforting casserole that just keeps on giving? #3. I have been wanting to make a casserole for Brian and me to eat off of all week and I didn't want to have to feel guilty about it being loaded with crap. #4. I am starting to focus on using the freshest ingredients I can in preparing week night dinners. So, here is where The Homesick Texan's Slightly Fancy-Pants King Chicken Casserole comes in. Please follow along below.

P.S. I did not use any cilantro, because as you know, I just do not have a taste for it. (Don't be fooled by my picture. That is simply a snip of parsley from my herb garden.)

Slightly Fancy-Pants King Ranch Chicken Casserole

(Recipe by The Homesick Texan & Photos by Me!)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds of chicken, without skin and bones
4 teaspoons of lime juice
1/4 cup of olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, minced
4 tablespoons of butter
1/2 an onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 poblano pepper, diced
1 10oz. can of Ro-Tel tomatoes (or you can use a can of regular diced tomatoes and a 4 oz. can of diced green chiles, or if tomatoes are in season, can use two cups of diced fresh tomatoes with 1/4 cup of diced green chiles, such as a jalapeno)
4 teaspoons ancho chile powder
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of chicken broth
2 tablespoons of flour
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1/2 cup of half and half
1/3 cup of sour cream
1/2 cup of cilantro, chopped
3 cups of grated pepper jack and cheddar
10 corn tortillas
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
1. Cook the chicken in the olive oil on medium, adding 2 teaspoons of lime juice, 2 teaspoons of ancho chile powder and salt to taste.

2. When chicken is done (after about 20 minutes), shred it with two forks and set aside. Should yield about 3 cups.

3. Melt the butter in a saucepan on medium, and add the onions, red bell pepper and poblano pepper. Cook for 10 minutes.

4. Add the garlic, flour, cumin, cayenne pepper and 2 teaspoons of ancho chile powder, and cook for 1 minute.

5. Add the chicken broth and cook on low until mixture is thickened, a few minutes.

Stir in the half-and-half and Ro-Tel cover the pot, and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

6. Uncover the pot, and add the sour cream, 2 teaspoons of lime juice and 1/4 cup of cilantro, and add salt and pepper to taste. Turn off heat.
7. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
8. Heat up the tortillas (you can do this by adding a bit of oil on an iron skillet and then cooking the tortillas for about 30 seconds on each side).
9. Ladle 1/2 cup of the sauce onto the bottom of an 11 x 7 inch baking pan.
10. Layer half the tortillas along the bottom of the pan (on top of the sauce). To make sure entire pan is evenly covered, you can rip some of the tortillas into strips to fill any gaps.
11. Add half the chicken, half the remaining sauce, half the remaining cilantro and 1 1/2 cups of grated cheese.

12. Repeat the layering, leaving the cheese layer on top.

13. Cook uncovered for 30 minutes or until brown and bubbling. Serves 6-12, depending on how big a portion you distribute. Goes great with sour cream and cilantro on top.

Homemade Hollandaise. The only way to eat it...

2010-05-04T16:00:00.000-05:00

Ok, so it's been awhile. I'm sorry. I had an accident, a cooking accident actually and I haven't been cooking or baking or doing anything in the kitchen that requires using a knife since. So I haven't had anything to bring to you from my kitchen. It has been almost 3 weeks since it happened and last week I finally got to chopping some chocolate and pecans for some brownies, and got to a few veggies this week. I don't want to get too detailed or be too dramatic, but the accident did require a trip to the ER and makes me cringe thinking about chopping kale.

With that being said, I do have plans to make some divine dishes soon, so don't give up on me just yet. I also realized that I never shared with you my amazing hollandaise from Easter, which is a true tragedy because you should have made it by now...really.

Ok, so here is the dish on the hollandaise. On the Saturday before Easter, Brian and I had discussed making a veggie eggs benedict and on Easter Sunday we executed the masterpiece. We savored every bite, and we even took smaller bites to make the enjoyment last longer...it was incredible, and I am still thinking about it. Not only were all of the ingredients so fresh and so perfectly tastey, it was the hollandaise that brought it all together. You always need that unifying piece to the puzzle and for this dish, it was this hollandaise. I say THIS hollandaise because it wasn't just any hollandaise. It was crafted in my home, in my kitchen and it was lovely. It was so much better than anything I have ever had in any restaurant. Don't get me wrong, I have had ones that I thought were great at the time, but now after this experience, they were just good. Ours was light, creamy, slightly tangy with a touch of S&P and dill. Try it and tell me you have had better...

Homemade Dill Hollandaise (serves 6)

4 egg yolks, large

2 tbls freshly squeezed lemon juice, divided

1 cup clarified butter *(recipe below)

3 tbls water

Salt and freshly ground pepper (white pepper if you want it to look really pretty)

1 tbls fresh dill

This recipe is so super easy. Start by heating a saucepan with a few inches of water. Place a large metal bowl on top of the saucepan, but do not let the bottom of the bowl touch the water. The water should just heat the bottom of the bowl. Combine the eggs, water, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice and whisk quickly until the sauce thickens and gets frothy. Once the sauce has reached this consistency, remove the pan from the heat and whisk rapidly to cool is slightly. About 30 seconds. While whisking, drizzle in the warm butter and whisk until sauce has thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Season to taste with salt, pepper, dill and the remaining lemon juice. If the sauce is too thick, add warm water 1 teaspoon at a time. Keep in a warm place until your dish is ready for hollandaise.

*Clarified Butter

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Continue to cook the butter over low heat until the butterfat becomes very clear and the milk solids drop to the bottom of the pot. (This will be obvious, just give it some time.) Skim the surface foam as the butter clarifies. Ladle off the butterfat into another container. Be careful to leave all the milky residue in the bottom of the pan. That's it!

Easter Brunch

2010-04-04T20:26:00.004-05:00

I love the food on Easter Sunday...it is always packed with wonderful springy brunch dishes and includes some of the traditional spring favorites for dinner. Easter Sunday really starts off the spring season of eating. In Dallas, the weather has not been able to make up its mind. One day chilly, one day pouring rain, the next day hot and sunny. It is really confusing to the palate. Yesterday, it was beautiful outside and was really the ultimate spring day, so I headed to Whole Foods to stock up for the week. (Today, cloudy and chilly, but I am still so ready for spring.) Brian and I had a long run in the morning, preparing our appetites for a wonderful brunch together at home. There are so many things I could focus on with this creation. Everything came together so perfectly. Please invest the time and energy to make this one...it is worth it!

Egg's Benedict - Veggie Style (Recipe by me)

Serves 2

Ingredients
1 large freshly baked ciabatta roll
6 spears asparagus, ends trimmed
Olive Oil
Salt and Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
Handful of fresh spinach
1 small jar marinated artichoke hearts
4 eggs
1 tbls white vinegar
4 tbls Kasey's Homemade Dill Hollandaise*** recipe here

Directions

For the asparagus and artichokes: Heat oven to 400 degrees. Toss the asparagus spears with about a tablespoon of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread the asparagus on a foil lined baking sheet and roast in the oven for about 6 minutes. After 6 minutes, take out the asparagus and add a few artichoke hearts to the pan. Continue roasting for about 2 minutes more. Cut the asparagus spears in half.

For the bread: Turn the oven to broil. Cut the bottom off of the ciabatta roll and cut the top into 2 halves. Toast in the oven until crispy.

For the spinach: Heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Once oil is hot, add the garlic and saute for about 1 - 2 minutes until the garlic has infused the oil. Add the spinach and toss until the spinach as slightly wilted. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Continue to cook until the spinach has wilted completely.

For the eggs: Bring a saucepan 3/4 full of water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to low until the water reaches a low simmer. Add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar. Crack the first egg into a ladel and carefully drop the egg into the water. Set your kitchen timer for 4 1/2 minutes. Make sure to watch the water and do not let it come back to a rolling boil. When the timer goes off, remove the egg carefully with a large spoon and place on a paper towel and gently pat dry. Continue with the other 3 eggs. Once all eggs are done, sprinkle with salt and pepper.

To assemble: Place each piece of toasted ciabatta bread on a plate and top each one with spinach, cut asparagus, artichokes, and 2 eggs. To finish the dish, drizzle the hollandaise over the top.

Scarves...Nothing food related

2010-03-25T17:15:00.001-05:00

Don't you just love a good scarf? I know this is totally random, but I have really come to love scarves of all forms. I love my older really long knitted scarves that have tassles at the end. I love my new spring scarves that are a simple pattern or a bright fun solid, but that are extremly light weight and that I can throw around my neck in several different ways. I love my pashmina shawl that's thick, warm and a lovely, cozy gray. I love my standard black scarf that goes with almost everything in my closet and that it can be dressed up or down. I love my skinny silk scarves that match some very unique pieces in my closet and the fact that I only paid a dime each for them at a garage sale in Greenville, Texas. (Such a steal! I know...I felt like I was robbing them.) I love the 2 scarves knitted by one of our family friends, Sharon, and the wonderful corkscrew shape one of them has. My dear friend Haley has this fabulous corkscrew scarf in a wonderful mustard-y yellow that her mom knitted. Little did I know that when I obsessed over her scarf that one was in my very near future. You see, the 2nd scarf I got from Sharon was not originally intended for me, but for my mom. My mom, however, could not see herself in it, so naturally I claimed it to make sure the world sees me in this fabulous scarf.

What got me to thinking about scarves? Well, I thought it was going to be warm and sunny today, but instead it is quite cloudy, windy, and chilly. I wish I was wearing one of my fabulous scarves...that's it.

Cheesecake Cookies (Recipe by Paula Deen)

2010-03-24T19:33:00.017-05:00

Welcome to the wonderful land of cheesecake...Well, I have actually never tried to make cheesecake before. I am afraid I have feared failure for the past several years. My really good friend Dana made cheesecakes all the time in college and they always cracked on the top...she has now mastered cheesecake though, and they are truly delicious. I however decided to cheat a little this time and made the cheesecake in a 9 x 13 baking pan so they were a lot thinner than actual cheesecake. Don't call me a slacker...I needed to start out easy just for my own sane of mind. I was attempting the dessert for Brian's family who was in town for the weekend and I really didn't want something ugly or inedible, so I took a no-fuss, simple recipe from Mrs. Paula Deen to help me out. I was serving a simple house salad with homemade garlic croutons, warm toasted garlic bread with butter and oregano, my traditional homemade lasagna layered with my delicious red sauce made from scratch of course and these cheesecake cookies for dessert sprinkled with a touch of powered sugar, mint, and a sliced strawberry. (The picture doesn't include any strawberries because I pretty much gobbled those down because they were so delicious and forgot to save some for photo purposes.) Anyway, if you are looking for a simple, creamy, and decadent dessert...this one's for you!

Ingredients

Crust:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
1 stick butter, melted

Filling:

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla or almond extract
Fresh berries and mint leaves, for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Start by sifting your flour into a large mixing bowl.

Combine flour and brown sugar.

Add in pecans and butter into your bowl and stir to combine.

Press dough into an ungreased 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

I started the filling while my crust was baking.

For the filling, place your softened cream cheese and sugar in a bowl

Beat cream cheese and granulated sugar together in a bowl until smooth.

Using a handheld electric mixer; add eggs and extract; beat well.

Pour the filling over a slightly cooled crust. Bake for 20 minutes. Cool completely.

Cut into squares before serving. Decorate tops with berries and mint leaves.

Breakfast in Bed

2010-03-17T09:31:00.007-05:00

So I decided this week to give myself a spring break. I was on the road a lot during the first quarter of the year, so why not right? I love all meals of the day, but I truly love breakfast. I usually only get to enjoy a nice hearty breakfast on the weekends, but I love days when I can make myself a nice fulfilling breakfast during the week. I adore eggs and woke up today craving a nice piece of egg toast. I brewed some coffee and whipped up a fabulous egg over medium, toasted some fresh sourdough bread and topped it with some mozzarella. I took it all upstairs to enjoy breakfast in bed while watching the Today show...I could get used to this.

Egg Toast for one

1 large egg

salt and freshly ground pepper

1 large slice of fresh sourdough bread

1/8 cup shredded mozzarella

1 tbls butter

Start by heating a nonstick skillet on low and spray with some Pam. Crack the egg into the pan, careful not to break the yolk and let it start to cook low and slow. Sprinkle with some salt and freshly ground pepper. After yolk has slightly set, flip egg over and cook for a couple of minutes. You will know it is medium when you touch the yolk and it gives back slightly. I usually cover the pan with the plate while it cooks to help steam the egg.

Spread the butter on the piece of sourdough and toast until it reaches your desired "toasty-ness". Top with mozzarella and place under broiler until cheese is melted.

Top your cheesy toast with your perfectly cooked egg and get ready to enjoy.

Make sure your coffee is ready to go. This is going to be a great breakfast which will be a great start to your day...Look at that slightly runny yolk...mmmm. Delicious.

Meet Dutch

2010-03-14T21:47:00.000-05:00

Wow...Dallas has had such beautiful weather lately. It is hard to believe that it was only a month ago that we experienced such a large snowfall. I thought now might be a good time to formally introduce Dutch...the famous chocolate lab that inspired the name of my blog. (With the help of my love for cooking) Dutch definitely enjoyed the white wonderland by running through a field by our house. I thought you should get to enjoy seeing him romp in the snow. These pictures continue to make me laugh and smile...he is a goofey, goofey dog, but oh so full of love.

A New Twist on an Old Tradition

2010-03-08T20:40:00.003-06:00

Last night I snuggled up to watch the Oscar's with a nice big bowl of Coq Au Vin and a side of toasted garlic bread. I spent 2 hours yesterday preparing the wonderful dish, so tonight...leftovers. But I wanted to do something different with it. Hmmm...my mind immediately went to a sandwich, since I do think that is my favorite food of all time. I took some leftover Coq Au Vin and heated it through and cut a nice healthy piece of French bread. I placed the chicken, sauce and veggies along the bottom piece and placed Muenster cheese along the top. I put the 2 pieces together and wrapped the whole thing in foil. I placed it in a preheated 450 degree oven for about 10 minutes or until the cheese was ooey gooey and the bread was warm and soft. Delicious.

Easy and Delicious Weeknight Dinner

2010-03-01T19:18:00.006-06:00

Grocery shopping was the last thing I wanted to do today. Brian and I had a kinda busy weekend and I never got around to going to the store. I hate to start the week without a full stock of fresh ingredients and a menu in mind of what to cook. The cold, rainy weather really put a damper on things today. (No pun intended) All I wanted was a nice warm stew to come home to with some freshly baked bread for dipping. Well, needless to say, I had definitely not prepared for that, so I headed off to Whole Foods after work. I absolutely adore the fish counter at Whole Foods. I actually enjoy when I have to wait because then I can gawk at all the fish without being frowned upon for holding up the line. Today, I just wanted something healthy, easy, quick, and delicious...salmon...check.

Whole Foods makes it all too easy for you. They have 7oz center-cut salmon filets ready to go. This is great if you are in a hurry or new to the fish counter. I'll take 2, thanks!

Simply season your filets with some kosher salt, freshly ground pepper, and one of the best herb blends ever created, Herbs de Provence. This is the easiest prep but it delivers such a wonderful flavor. Heat a non-stick skillet with some olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add your salmon filets skin side down.

Sear the salmon on each side for just a couple minutes until it is done all the way through.

I served the salmon with some roasted vegetables. I chopped one fennel bulb into wedges and cut some small potatoes in half tossed them with salt, pepper, and olive oil until coated and roasted them at 425 degrees for about 20 minutes. Once the potatoes were fork tender, I tossed in some sliced asparagus and dill. I roasted them for about 10 minutes more, then served alongside the salmon and a simple salad.

Valentine's Dinner for Two

2010-02-14T14:40:00.008-06:00

How do you celebrate the most romantic holiday of the year? I feel like there is so much hype for this holiday and talk of how much it is a "ladies" holiday. I kinda disagree...I feel like it is a day to actually take the time to tell and show the one you love just how much you care for them. No need for gifts or heart shaped desserts or chocolate. (Even though I do agree that is just fun sometimes.) To celebrate Valentine's Day in the past, Brian and I have gone to very nice dinners, had a casual night of just pizza and cooked at home, but my favorite so far is this year. We just stayed at home and had a blast cooking together. We made filet mignon with bearnaise sauce, mac and cheese, chopped wedge salads and drank a great Cade wine that we bought in Napa. We finished the meal with a yellow cake with buttercream icing. Why eat out...

Dessert first. I have been looking for a simple cake recipe that I can adapt with different flavors and that stays super moist. Although I feel that I am still looking for that, this is still a great cake, just be sure to make every effort to keep it moist as it has the tendency to dry out quickly if left on the counter. I got the recipe from one of my favorite blogs, bakerella, she knows her stuff! So if you are interested in my beautiful cake below, please go here for the recipe...Moist Yellow Cake with Buttercream Frosting.

Ok, back to the first course. The chopped wedge is something that is so super simple and so super delicious. Please serve it the next time you have company or just the next time you make dinner for your family.

Chopped Wedge (recipe by me)

1 head iceberg lettuce, washed and chopped fine

4 slices thick cut bacon, cooked and crumbled

Handful grape tomatoes, cut in half

Blue Cheese crumbles (I prefer Stella)

Ranch Dressing (I prefer fresh from bulk section of Central Market)

Start by making sure your lettuce is washed and chopped earlier in the day to give it time to stay nice and cold in the refrigerator. (I like to put my salad plates in the fridge too in order to keep them cold.) To assemble, I just put a handful of lettuce on a small salad plate and top with a few tomatoes. I then like to drizzle the ranch dressing over the salad, then add the bacon and blue cheese crumbles.

Filet Mignon (recipe by me)

Start by buying the best filets you can. We bought ours from Central Market this weekend, and bonus, they were on sale for $16.00 per lb.

Let the filets come to room temperature. Rub the filets with vegetable oil until just coated and season heavily with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

I like to use a cast iron skillet for searing, but use your favorite pan for this. (Preferably one that can go from the stove top to the oven.) Get your pan smoking hot on the stove top before adding any oil or the filets. Once hot, add a little bit of vegetable oil (any light oil that can reach a high smoking point) and wait for it to come to temperature. When the pan is super hot, add your filets and sear on each side for a few minutes each. You know it is time to turn them when they no longer stick.

Once you have seared the filets on all sides, transfer the pan to the oven to finish cooking. Remove filets at your desired doneness. I like to take mine out between 130 degrees and 135 degrees for medium rare. (The meat will continue to cook about 10 degrees once removed from the oven.)

MMM...The perfect meal...

Roses are Red...Violets are Blue...

2010-02-14T14:00:00.004-06:00

Well, my roses are actually Fire Tipped, my favorite. What is Valentine's Day without fresh, beautiful flowers? Brian and I went grocery shopping at Central Market to get all of our ingredients for our wonderful dinner and I talked him in to letting me pick out my flowers and arrange them myself. The floral department was overflowing with gorgeous beauties, and I was just dying to get some. I love arranging flowers myself, and I really don't understand why you would pay so much money to have it done! It's so easy. Take a look at my beautiful blooms, each one hand cut and perfectly arranged...thanks babe!

Seafood Pasta

2010-02-06T21:11:00.003-06:00

Tonight we were craving seafood...

I got back in town last night from being in Phoenix for 8 days and eating nothing but hotel food. Some hotels are definitely better than others, however, anything for 8 days straight gets old. I was making my grocery list this morning and couldn't think of anything that even sounded good. Brian suggested a seafood pasta and that sent my mind racing. We decided on clams, shrimp and scallops with a white wine reduction with butter and lemon juice over fresh linguine. It was divine...you can see I bit into the bread just to make sure it was truly delicious!

Seafood Pasta (recipe created by me)

Ingredients

2 tbls olive oil

1 large shallot, minced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup dry white wine

2 tbls lemon juice

3 tbls unsalted butter

1 pkg cherry tomatoes, halved

1 tbls capers

1 tbls kalamata olives, chopped

Salt and Pepper to taste

1/2 lb shrimp (peel and devein yourself, save shells for a shrimp stock!)

1/2 lb littleneck clams, scrubbed and cleaned

Handful of scallops (we used bay scallops)

1 lb fresh linguine (you can use dry if that's what you have on hand)

1 tbls basil, chiffonade

1/4 cup parmesan cheese, shredded

Directions

Start by heating the olive oil and sauteing the garlic and shallot. Once fragrant, add the white wine and lemon juice and reduce slightly. Stir in butter. Add tomatoes, capers, and olives and cook until tomatoes are tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Note: You will not need to add much salt as the olives and capers are salty.)

In the meantime, cook pasta until al dente. Drain.

Add clams to white wine mixture and cook a few minutes, then add shrimp and scallops. Cook for 2 - 3 minutes more until shrimp are pink and clams have opened. Once seafood is done, toss pasta into the mixture to coat all noodles with the sauce. Serve immediately sprinkled with basil and parmesan cheese. I like to serve a salad and garlic bread on the side.

Something I love...Bacon Fat

2010-01-19T19:25:00.004-06:00

Ok, I know it is the new year and everyone is attempting to eat healthier and I keep vowing I will too, however it is so hard when I have such strong feelings for bacon fat. It just makes everything better. Last night I did not have dinner planned and decided I would just whip up some Bacon, Egg, and Cheddar Cheese Sandwiches. I cooked the bacon low and slow like normal until it was nice and crispy. I poured out the bacon fat into the old soup can I keep in the freezer to store all that fatty goodness for later use. I set the pan aside to cool and kept some fat in the pan to cook the eggs...naturally. (This is a requirement in my book by the way if you are ever cooking eggs and bacon.) I whisked my eggs with cream, salt and pepper and poured them in the slightly heated pan to cook the eggs low and slow. When I bit into my finished sandwich, I savored the powerful smokey flavor that the bacon provided to the eggs. I don't know why I am choosing to mention this food love affair now. I have been in love with bacon fat (any pork fat really) for a long time, and I just absolutely adore eggs cooked in bacon fat.

Bon Appetite...Here's to breakfast for dinner and saving your bacon fat!

Wild Mushroom and Asparagus Risotto

2010-01-17T19:17:00.011-06:00

Happy New Year! Sorry I have taken such a long break to soak in the new year. I had good intentions to bring you my wonderful black eyed pea recipe and mexican cornbread on New Year's Day, but my free time lately is hard to come by. I have been quite busy with work. Last week I was only able to accumulate 24 hours of sleep in 6 nights due to work, so needless to say there was no time left over for blogging. All I could think about all week though was cooking. I travel so much with work and it is hard to not have a home cooked meal for a week straight. This weekend my husband treated me by taking a trip to the Spiceman here in Dallas to get a bag full of wild mushrooms. What else to do with a bag of wild mushrooms than to make a wild mushroom risotto? I was hoping we would have some left over to enjoy some chicken marsala later in the week, but I ended up using them all. We had a mix of yellow chanterelles, black trumpets, king oysters, mini shiitakes, and hedgehogs. This dish is incredibly hearty and delicious and made for a wonderful Sunday night dinner.

Wild Mushroom and Asparagus Risotto (Created by Me)

Ingredients

1 lb asparagus (cut in small pieces in a diagonal)

3 tbls olive oil, plus 2 tbls separated

1 tbls red wine vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

5 tbls butter

3 shallots, minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups aborio rice

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 lb assorted wild mushrooms, cleaned and chopped into bite size pieces

7 cups chicken stock, heated through

1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated (plus more for topping)

4 tbls parsley

2 tbls lemon juice

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Whisk 3 tbls olive oil with 1 tbls red wine vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and toss in asparagus. Let marinate for about 15 minutes.

Next, melt 3 tbls butter and 1 tbls olive oil in your dutch oven. Toss in shallots and let saute for about 5 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and saute for about 1 - 2 minutes until fragrant.

Add aborio rice and toss to coat with the butter, olive oil, shallot and garlic mixture. Let rice toast slightly.

Once rice is slightly toasted, add wine and stir until wine is fully absorbed. Add chicken stock one ladel at a time, stirring constantly until fully absorbed. Keep gradually adding stock until rice is cooked through. This should take about 20 - 30 minutes.

In the meantime, roast marinated asparagus for about 8 minutes until tender. DO NOT OVERCOOK! Set aside.

Also, melt 1 tbls butter in a skillet and add cleaned mushrooms. Cook until browned and crisp on the sides. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Once risotto is fully cooked, stir in lemon juice, parsley, parmesan cheese and last tbls butter. Stir until combined. Last, fold in cooked asparagus and cooked mushrooms. Serve immediately.

Happy Belated Birthday to Me

2009-12-28T10:27:00.005-06:00

Well, last week I celebrated my 28th birthday! It started a few days early with dinner at Fearing's with Brian, my best friend Lauren and her husband Michael who was also celebrating his 28th birthday. It was a fabulous dinner with lots of wine and great food!

My actual birthday falls on the 23rd of December. I have always loved my birthday and love that it is 2 days before Christmas. The season is filled with holiday spirit and warmth and everyone is excited and ready for the best holiday of the year. This year, I really just wanted to relax and cook a fancy dinner for Brian and me. I decided on filet mignon with bearnaise sauce and a potato and brussel sprout hash with a bottle of Silver Oak.

I seared the filets in a super hot cast iron skillet on all sides then transferred it to the oven to finish cooking, then I began the hash and sauce. I have always heard how wonderful bearnaise sauce is with steak, however Brian and I had a really bad experience with tarragon when we were dating and tried to make a nice dinner of tarragon chicken. The licorice flavor was way too strong. I decided to give tarragon a second chance and the bearnaise sauce was incredible. I am so glad I decided to experiement with it. The flavor paired so perfectly with the steak. I know it is such a classic sauce, and I can't believe I have never had it, and if you haven't either...please do!

Bearnaise Sauce (recipe by Tyler Florence)

1 bunch fresh tarragon
2 shallots, minced
1/4 cup champagne vinegar
1/4 cup dry white wine
3 egg yolks
1 stick butter, melted
salt and freshly ground pepper

Make the bearnaise reduction first. In a small saucepan, combine half of the tarragon, shallots, vinegar and wine over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until reduced by half. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Blend yolks and bearnaise reduction together in a blender. With the blender running, add 1/3 of the butter in a slow steady stream. Once it emulsifies, turn the blender speed up to high and add the remaining butter. Add the remaining half bunch of fresh tarragon leaves, season with salt and pepper and give it 1 more buzz. Set aside in a warm spot to hold the sauce.

A Simple Red Sauce

2009-12-19T10:16:00.011-06:00

Tonight is the big Christmas celebration with half of our family. Brian and I are spending the evening with my mom, step dad, 2 step sisters, 2 brother-in-laws, 1 step brother, 2 nieces, 1 niece on the way, and a partridge in a pear tree...

We decided to have a casual evening with a laid back comforting meal. We have had the big turkey with all the sides at Thanksgiving, a ham and all the sides at a family Christmas party last weekend with some of our extended family, and there are many more gatherings on the way with this type of feast on the menu. So...I have volunteered to make a homemade lasagna that makes my mouth water just talking about it with some garlic bread on the side. My mom is preparing the salad and my step sisters are making the desserts.

I decided to prepare the sauce this morning because I love to let it simmer for an hour or so to get nice and thick. It will also make my life that much easier later today when I am ready to build my lasagna.

I absolutely love this sauce. I love altering it every time I make it, depending on the dish. I use it with pastas, on pizza, in casseroles, on chicken parmesan, you name it...it is so versatile.

Start by heating about a 1/4 cup of olive oil over medium high heat. I of course use a Dutch Oven for this, but you can use a large sauce pan of your choice.

Then begin chopping a small onion and a couple cloves of garlic.

I add the onion to the oil once it has heated through and saute it a few minutes before adding the garlic. Saute the onion and garlic until they are translucent. About 5 - 10 minutes.

Chop a carrot and a celery stalk while your onions and garlic are cooking. Quick tip: I like to cut slits in the celery and then chop my pieces all at once. I think it is easier because the strips are still being held together by the stalk.

Add the chopped carrots and celery and some salt and pepper to the onion and garlic and saute for about 5 - 10 minutes. Basically until the vegetables are soft and tender.

Next, add 2 28 oz cans of crushed tomatoes, some dried basil, parsley, oregano, and 2 - 3 bay leaves and simmer on low heat for about an hour or so to let the sauce thicken. (Sometimes I add red pepper flakes here for some heat.) I like to use an Italian brand of canned tomatoes, but you may have to experiment with brands. I definitely like some brands better than others.

Here is the reduced sauce. I like to taste it after it has reduced for seasoning because the flavors have had a chance to concentrate. Today, the tomatoes were still tasting a little acidic, so I added a couple of sprinkles of sugar and a drizzle of honey. I also added a couple tablespoons of butter. Remember that the sauce will sweeten slightly after pureed due to the carrots.

I like to use my immersion blender for pureeing the sauce, but you could use a blender or a food processor and do this in batches. Once pureed, you can use the sauce immediately or store it in the refrigerator. If you are not planning on using all the sauce soon, you can let it completely cool and freeze it in smaller portions.

More to come...lasagna!

Coq Au Vin - I'm Mastering the Art of French Cooking...

2009-12-14T21:40:00.001-06:00

This weekend was packed full of holiday parties, which meant lots of cooking and baking...I made a wonderful mac & cheese, some blondies (which we actually got to enjoy this time), Coq Au Vin, Garlic Bread, and some Day and Night Cookies for a party on Tuesday. WOW! My kitchen was in constant use for the few hours I was actually home. I want to focus this post on the Coq Au Vin though. This was my idea for a relaxing and incredible meal to wind down the busy weekend. This is one of my favorite meals to prepare and eat and Brian even said last night that he thinks it is his favorite dish I make. The sauce is rich and velety, the chicken is tender, and the vegetables pop with flavor. This dish is super simple and delicious and it really focuses on the use of layering flavors to result in a truly delectable chicken.

Coq Au Vin (recipe courtesy of Ina Garten)

2 tbls good olive oil

4 ounces good bacon or pancetta, diced

1 (3-4 lb) chicken, cut in 8ths

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 lb carrots, cut diagonally in 1 inch pieces

1 yellow onion, sliced

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

1/4 cup Cognac or good brandy

1/2 bottle good dry red wine, such as Burgundy

1 cup good chicken stock, preferably homemade

10 fresh thyme sprigs

2 tbls unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided

1 1/2 tbls all-purpose flour

1/2 lb frozen small whole onions

1/2 lb cremini mushrooms, stems removed and thickly sliced

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Add the bacon and cook over medium heat fo 8-10 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove the bacon to a plate with a slotted spoon.

Meanwhile, lay the chicken out on paper towels and pat dry. Liberally sprinkle the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. When the bacon is removed, brown the chicken pieces in batches in a single layer for about 5 minutes, turning to brown evenly. Remove the chicken to the plate with the bacon and continue to brown until all the chicken is done. Set aside.

Add the carrots, onions, 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon pepper to the pan and cook over medium heat for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lighly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the Cognac and put the bacon, chicken, and any juices that collected on the plate into the pot. Add the wine, chicken stock, and thyme and bring to a simmer. Cover the pot with a tight fitting lid and place in the oven for 30-40 minutes, until the chicken is no longer pink. Remove from the oven and place on top of the stove.

Mash 1 tablespoon of butter and the flour together and stir into the stew. Add the frozen onions. In a medium saute pan, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and cook the mushrooms over medium-low heat for 5-10 minutes, until browned. Add to the stew. Bring the stew to a simmer and cook for another 10 minutes. Season to taste. Serve hot.

Weekend Holiday Baking

2009-12-07T08:00:00.000-06:00

This weekend I decided to make these German Chocolate Cookies from Paula Deen's 2008 Holiday Magazine. I woke up Saturday morning just dying to sqeeze something else into my day, so why not whip up some cookies. I had 30 minutes to spare...and chocolate makes everything better. I had a crazy busy weekend and next weekend will be even crazier. The month of December is definitely one of my favorite months of the year because I love the holiday season and shopping, but I don't know how I (and everyone else) does it. We wake up early and we go go go all day and almost every night is filled with a holiday party or dinner. Exhausting. Anyway, these treats are super simple and super delicious. The recipe states you will get 3 dozen cookies...I did not get near that, but I never do, I must make them too big, but I don't like small cookies.

German Chocolate Cookies (recipe by Paula Deen, 2008 Holiday Baking Magazine)

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 4oz bar German Sweet Chocolate, melted
1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat the ove to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and mix until combined. Add the melted chocolate and stir until combined.

In a seperate bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add to the butter mixture, beating until combined. Stir in the coconut and pecans. Drop batter by the spoonful on to the cookie sheet.

Bake in oven for 10 - 12 minutes or until cookies are done.

Snow Day

2009-12-02T23:59:00.000-06:00

I woke up this morning to find it snowing outside! How wonderful. This so rarely happens in Texas, but I so enjoyed seeing all of the white flakes fluttering through the air. I was tempted to call in sick and curl up on the couch with Dutch while drinking a latte and watching the Today Show. That obviously didn't happen and I was off to work, driving with the flurries hitting my windshield. By the time I got to the office, the snow had stopped, but it was a great morning anyway, and cold enough to bust out my long, black, wool coat that I so adore. I was excited to listen to my Josh Groban Christmas CD and wear my new scarf knitted by my mom's dear friend Sharon.

Do you ever make dinner that is a total flop? Last night I made a Turkey Meatloaf that was just not stellar. I guess I should have known it wouldn't be considering I was using ground turkey breast, but I thought since I was using Ina's recipe (and everything of hers is top noch by the way) that it would be successful. I use ground turkey breast all the time to healthify dishes, but I am usually careful and cautious to make sure I keep moisture in. The turkey meatloaf was just kind of bland and dry. I am going to have to turn the leftovers into a sloppy joe cause there is just no hope for it any other way...

Baking for Turkey Day

2009-11-25T16:10:00.001-06:00

I am so ready for Thanksgiving I can hardly stand it. As much as I enjoy being with my family on Thanksgiving, I was really looking forward to waking up this morning and spending the day in my favorite room of the house...my kitchen. I was able bake all of my goodies a day ahead of time so my stuffing can have my full attention tomorrow. I decided to make my pie dough first since I had doubts on how it would turn out. I have only made a homemade pie crust a couple of times and I have not yet been 100% satisfied with the results. Since I made it first, I still had time to recover if I blew it. Yesterday I went shopping for a pastry cutter. Of course I could have used a fork, but I am a serious baker and I need a pastry cutter, right? (Truly, I needed it to rev up my confidence and at least make me feel like I knew what I was doing.)

Here is my beautiful dough all rolled out. Still working on getting it to a perfect circle. Please disregard my overuse of flour...for some reason it looks like way more in the picture than was actually used. I swear I used a lightly dusted surface, it just all squished out to the sides.

I was worried about getting the dough from the counter to inside the dish without tearing or breakage, but I just folded in to a small square and gently folded it out into my dish (inherited from my grandmother by the way). Be patient and it will work perfectly. After all my googling for the perfect pie dough, I ended up using Ina Garten's. It worked out great!

Here I decided to get creative and decorative and use one of my fall cutters from last year (that I just had to have) to cut small flowers around the edge of my pie. Nice touch I think.

I poured my filling into my crust and outlined some pecan halves I had as extra to make it "holiday worthy". I was a little disappointed that the filling did not come all the way to the top of the crust. The recipe said it was for a 9 inch pie plate...I guess that is what I get for testing a new recipe. I used the recipe from the Pie Winner from Martha Stewart's Pie Contest this year. Obviously I used a different dough, and I also left out the toffee bits, but most of the same principles still apply. Time for baking.

Here we are. The finished product. Don't be too critical, it's my first homemade pecan pie. I hate not knowing what the center looks like, but maybe I'll take photo's tomorrow when it is getting enjoyed...I figure running or dense, Brian and I will eat it.

Ok. Moving on to the Pumpkin Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting. I was inspired to make this cake by the November/December 2009 Cooking with Paula Deen magazine. By the way, you should totally spend the $4.99 on this one because there are tons of good looking recipes in there. I have all of her magazines this holiday season (and last) and I have found the most potential in this one. I started the batter with my new hand mixer that I also bought yesterday...I have had my other one for 4 years and not that they ever go bad, but mine broke and I use that thing all the time. I have a fancy Kitchen Aid mixer, but sometimes you just need the ease and convenience of the good ole hand version. It was quite a difficult purchase by the way, who knew there were so many options and price ranges. I almost bought an $80 9-speed version until I woke up and realized that I would never need 9 speeds. 5 are fine, thank you, and only $40.

Added the wonderful pumpkin now...and oh how the smell is filling my kitchen. Oh, maybe that was my new Orange Pumpkin candle. Lovely.

Ok, my cake is in the oven...what to do...what to do. Oh, I'll make some sugared cranberries and rosemary that I already have on hand to decorate my cake! No, I unfortunately did not think of this myself...thanks Paula.

Ok, they are baked and gorgeous. Didn't quite get them on to my cooling rack like I wanted, but it's hard to do without my hubby to help. They do look gorgeous though don't they...

Here we are...the big Ta-Da. It looks so divine...I can't wait to cut me a slice tomorrow.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Sunday Night Dinner

2009-11-23T17:19:00.002-06:00

With my brain obsessing over Thanksgiving treats, I had the most difficult time deciding what I wanted to make for our Sunday night meal this week. Since the summer, Brian and I have really been treating ourselves to wonderful Sunday dinners that we look forward to it each week (probably due to the nice bottle of wine we have as well). I finally decided on Roasted Pork Tenderloin, Roasted Carrots and Parsnips, Garlic Bread, and a Simple Salad. I bought 2 1lb Pork Tenderloins for roasting, 1 for dinner on Sunday and 1 for dinner on Tuesday. Leftovers will make a great sandwich!

This meal is so easy...I started by prepping my

veggies and then prepping my pork. I put them

in the oven at the same time and while they were roasting, I prepared the bread and the salads. Also, since I seared the tenderloins in the skillet I was left with some wonderful pan drippings that were screaming at me to make a gravy, so I got out some butter, flour, chicken stock and thyme and I whisked it up quickly. Everything was done 25 minutes later and Voila...dinner is served.

Roasted Pork Tenderloin

2 1 lb Pork Tenderloins, trimmed of excess fat and silverskin

Salt, Pepper, Paprika

Canola Oil

1/2 cup Water

I sprinkled Salt, Pepper, and Paprika all over each tenderloin then tied them up with kitchen twine so they would cook evenly. I drizzled some oil in my skillet and seared each side of the tenderloins and set them on a rack for roasting. (Let me just add that I had to sear them seperately because I do not have a large enough skillet to sear them both at the same time...Also, I had to make-shift a roasting pan because I do not own one. I just took a regular baking sheet and put some water in it then set a rack over it for the pork to sit on, this of course would not work for your turkey...but my pork turned out delicious!) I roasted them at 425 degrees for about 20 - 25 minutes, basically until the internal temperature read 150 degrees. (mine read 149...) Then I took them out and LET THEM REST. This is very important...all those juices have to come back together. Do not slice it for 10 - 15 minutes please. It will be wonderfully juicy and slightly pink...just perfect.

Roasted Carrots and Parsnips (recipe inspired by Ina Garten, Back to Basics)

1 lb Carrots, cut diagonally in large pieces

1 lb Parsnips, cut diagonally in large pieces

1 1/2 tbls Olive Oil

1 tsp Kosher Salt

1/2 tsp Freshly Ground Pepper

1 tbls Fresh Parsley, chopped

Begin by peeling the carrots and parsnips and cutting them diagonally in large pieces. Place the cut pieces on a baking sheet and toss with oil, salt, and pepper. Roast on 425 degrees for 20 - 30 minutes, tossing frequently. When they are soft and tender, remove them from the oven and toss with chopped parsely.

Stuffing vs Dressing

2009-11-20T16:54:00.002-06:00

It's that time of year again when the scent of sage and poultry seasoning fills the air with a hint of pumpkin pie spice in the background. I love this particular week of the year because I spend so much time researching recipes and thinking of ways to spice up traditional favorites. This year we are spending Thanksgiving Day with my family and I am making the stuffing, cranberry sauce, green beans, and pumpkin pie (and if I get crazy a pecan pie too). I have decided to steer away from my family tradition of dressing this year and make a stuffing to go along side our turkey. I have always been confused on stuffing vs dressing, but I think my definition now is pretty good. I know technically stuffing should be cooked inside the bird, but really that is just setting you up for disaster. Either your turkey is going to be overdone with great stuffing or you are going to have a great turkey with underdone stuffing meaning salmonella may be lurking in there...not good. So, I have moved towards defining the two not by the way they are cooked, but by the ingredients involved and how they are used. To me, stuffing is a little dryer and the bread stays cubed and defined with a little bit of broth for moisture and any other ingredients you desire. Dressing on the other hand is a lot more moist and dense. The bread, whether it be cornbread or biscuits or a combination of both, absorbs a lot of broth and is packed tight with other ingredients. Anyway, Brian grew up on stuffing and I grew up on dressing, so it is a discussion each year as to which is better. Naturally, I vote for dressing and Brian votes for stuffing, but maybe if I make a moist stuffing this year it will be a new tradition in our family, a combination of each of our traditions if you will. More to come once I start cooking next week...I have taken off Wednesday to begin a full day of baking and getting things ready for cooking on Thursday.

Bischoff's in the Bay Area

2009-10-30T20:17:00.015-05:00

We are back from Napa and San Francisco! We had such a great time on our much needed vacation and spent time seeing every inch of the city and drinking every sip of wine in the valley. We flew into Oakland to stay with Brian's family for a few days while we toured San Fran. We got some great views of the city and ate at some great restaurants. Here we are at the Golden Gate Bridge! We were too lazy to ride bikes across it, but we were still able to get an amazing picture. Awe...

Here we are waiting in a very long line to ride the famous cable car. We finally got on the 4th one that came by and paid $5.00 each...Brian was not near as impressed as I was, but he rode it anyway. Thanks babe!

On to Napa!! We did not want to come home...being in Napa was just incredible and I know we could spend forever there if we had too. Great food, great wine, and great company. Luckily we brought enough wine back with us to be able to enjoy Napa in Dallas for quite some time.

One of the many beautiful views of the Napa Valley. No matter what angle you stand or which way you look you are surrounded by absolute beauty. If only I could wake up to this everyday.

This was one of the cutest little places to eat. It had such a great deli with all kinds of meats and cheeses. They also sell all kinds of olive oils and vinegars...I loved just looking around. One of my other favorite lunch spots was at the winery V.Sattui. It had the most amazing deli counter with all kinds of sandwich choices as well as prepared pasta salads, potato salads, olives, cheeses, crackers, spreads...the list goes on and on. And their wine wasn't bad either. We knocked out a full bottle during our very first lunch here in Napa. What about dinner you ask? The first night we ate at Market where we had a wonderful dinner and enjoyed some good ole mac and cheese. The next night we went to dinner at Bottega, Michael Chiarello's new restaurant. Where do I begin with this one? AMAZING. We started with bread and a dip consisting of garlic, parmesan, scallions, olive oil, lemon and maybe some other stuff that was delicious. We then moved on to our appetizer of a fried dough ball wrapped in prosciutto and dipped in a sweet wine sauce. Next up, the Rabbit Ragu over pasta followed by Lamb Rib Chops with Figs over polenta. Brian had to roll me back to the hotel. (I am still dreaming of that Rabbit Ragu by the way...it was delightful) And finally, we finished our trip in Napa with dinner at Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen where we brought our own wine and got free corkage. Here we had some of the best Oysters I have ever had and definitely one of the best Caesar salad's I have ever had. I just need to make a little more money so next time we can wine and dine ourselves at the French Laundry where it costs only $250 a person and doesn't include wine, just a glass of champagne. I wonder if I would even be able to appreciate and understand the complexity of the 9 courses? I am willing to try...

Me at the winery of Brian's favorite Cabernet, Silver Oak. I don't know why it's me and not him in the picture though...I was in a hurry to get to the wine I guess.

Great view at the top of Sterling. Not award wining wine, but great views.

The new Castle, built by V.Sattui was incredible. The tour was great and extremely interesting. They actually have space to barrel all the wine under the hill in a cave format to keep the wine at a constant 55 degrees year round. The place goes on forever...

Here is Brian in the torture chamber sitting on a chair with 100s of iron spikes that are heated internally from a fire beneath. It looks more like he is on his throne.

Here we are enjoying our final tasting of the week...

We had to stop by the Culinary Art Institute in Napa! I had to see if there were any unique gadgets or gizmos I needed. Didn't find any, but it was still fun. I did learn a lot about the local ingredients and how to better pair my wine with my meal choices at home.

Happy Birthday turns to Business Proposition

2009-10-16T17:00:00.004-05:00

This week I was asked to bake a cake for my friend/co-worker's husbands birthday. At first I was flattered, then I was nervous, then excited, then nervous again, and now I am relieved. I love to bake and everytime I do bake I am very pleased with the results, so I don't know why I get so nervous, especially for this one. She asked for a German Chocolate Cake which I am extremely familar with and completely comfortable with. I think it is the whole concept of not being able to taste the end result before someone else dives in. And I also have the memory of one night going in the kitchen to whip up some oatmeal raisen cookies for Brian and me. I just threw stuff together as usual and started dolloping out my cookies. When I was done, there was still a small amout of batter left in the bowl so I snuck a sampling only to gag at my use of salt instead of sugar. Ooops.

Anyway, so this week during my episodes of mixed emotions, I got to imagining myself as a baker. I like the image in my head of me baking away, alternating my cute aprons, and using all my fun pans and colored spatulas. I know that is not reality, but reality has not sunk in yet. The girls at work also encouraged the idea by promising to give me business for birthdays and holidays. What a great job, bake a few cakes a month and bake a ton around the holidays which is when I get the itch to bake the most. There I would be, using my 2 ovens to bake everything from Chess Pie, to Cream Cheese Brownines, to Red Velvet Cake, to Peppermint Scones, to Lemon Pound Cake, to 100 different types of cookies (if you can't tell, my preference is cookies...love them!) with Dutch sitting quietly by my side, licking up anything that falls to the floor. I know...Dream On

I miss my Nana

2009-10-12T22:00:00.003-05:00

My apologies once again for it being so long since my last post. Unfortunately, my life has taken a chaotic turn and blogging was pushed off the priority list. I have been traveling quite a bit with work and my grandmother passed away last week who I was extremly close to. I called my grandmother "Nana", and I grew up cooking next to her and baking with pecans from her backyard. Every year we collect all the pecans and have several pounds shelled which we would divvy between us and freeze for use throughout the year and we bushel the rest to sell. My mom and I have been going through her things and I keep collecting box fulls of cookware and bakeware that I just cannot part with. I have adopted several of her cast iron skillets, her glass pie plates, some very unique and old kitchen utensils, and the list goes on and on. Nana taught me so much about cooking and baking. To her it was no challenge...she never measured and hardly ever looked at a recipe. She was famous for her pecan pies, coconut pies, mac and cheese, fried okra, pork chops, pear preserves (made with pears from her pear tree), and sweet pickles. It is so sad to me how her generation is slowly leaving us...it is that generation that possesses the skills to grow their own vegetables, raise their own chickens for eggs, can jelly, can preserves, can pickles, and truly make everything from scrath. I love you Nana, and I will truly miss you!

Is it un-American to not like American Cheese?

2009-09-26T10:32:00.004-05:00

Well, I just got back in town last night, so I apologize for not posting for so long. I was in Orlando. Not too exciting and even less appetizing. I did manage to go to Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville twice which does have some great food. The volcano nachos loaded up with chili, guacamole, sour cream, cheese, jalapenos, tomatoes, and scallions were a great finish to such a long day. I also tried the crab, shrimp, and mushroom dip which I will have to try to make at home because it was that good (just in case you want more details on that it was jumbo lump crab meat, shrimp and mushrooms simmered in a Cajun cream sauce that was severed with some toasted garlic bread.) Awesome.

Considering the two wonderful appetizers we had had and knowing that the "bar food" was pretty great here, I thought for sure my choice for the "Cheeseburger in Paradise" was going to be spot on. I mean that is one of the most famous songs my Jimmy Buffet, it would almost be a sin not to get the burger right. I got my burger, ordered cooked medium of course, and I cut into it to see that it had indeed been cooked to just medium. Great, I am about to go to Paradise with my burger. I had barely glanced over the description of the burger, but I did notice it stated American cheese. I have never been American Cheese's number one fan or even a fan at all really because there are just too many better choices out there. Why use a processed cheese EVER when there are infinite natural cheeses to choose from? I kinda ignored my intuition to ask for a different cheese because I thought for sure they know what they are doing by putting American Cheese on this famous burger. My first bite was so disappointing. That fake American Cheese flavor really stood out. I don't consider myself to be extremely picky or particular, but a natural Colby or Cheddar would have upped the burger into greatness. Unfortunately, just because of the cheese it wasn't very good, but the onion rings...now those helped make it all ok.

So, is it un-American not to like American Cheese? I don't like it, my husband can't stand it, so why do people even use it. The cost of a burger is cheap enough for me to use a different cheese. You will never catch me putting American Cheese on a burger, in my grilled cheese or in my Mac and Cheese, so you shouldn't either, unless of course you like that unnatural flavor...to each his own I guess. I will make the exception for Velveeta used for queso, I manage to like that just fine.

Rain, Rain...Not Going Away

2009-09-13T19:15:00.009-05:00

Today I woke up and I was ready for fall. For the past few weeks I have been anxiously awaiting a drop in temperature, but not quite ready to let go of summer. There is just something about summer that is freeing, the days are longer and for me there seems to be a little more free time. This morning however, I was ready for a change. I think all the rain this weekend made me feel all cozy and lazy and ready for fall. I am ready to begin a new season of cooking and baking. I am ready to slow cook a stew or chili all day to serve with some warm cornbread from my cast iron skillet. I am ready to bake fall pies, cookies, and cakes that will fill my kitchen with the smell of cinnamon. I am ready to sit out on the patio with a glass of wine and not sweat to death. I am ready to wake up to early morning daylight for my morning runs, (but today I slept in until around 11am and didn't even get out of my pajamas until around 4pm, oh well). I am ready to tailgate every Saturday of SMU home football games. I am ready to watch football with Brian every night of the week... (Well, not really quite ready for that yet, but I am working on it.) If only I had overcome the lazy bug and armed myself with some hearty ingredients this weekend, we could have sat down to a classic Sunday comfort meal to watch football and listen to the rain. That didn't happen because I was way too lazy and didn't make it to the grocery store. I am leaving town on Wednesday and will be gone for 10 days, so I did not feel the need to stock up on groceries, however I was able to whip up a comforting stroganoff that I made with ground turkey to lighten it up and that really hit the spot. (No, I don't mean the kind from the box...GROSS!) By the way, I made just enough to serve the 2 of us, but feel free to double this if you want to make enough for 4 servings.

Turkey Stroganoff Kasey's way (2 Servings)

Ingredients

1/2 lb egg noodles

1 Tbls unsalted butter

1/2 lb ground extra lean turkey

1 tsp garlic, minced

1 cup chicken stock

1 1/2 tbls ketchup

1 tsp salt

freshly ground pepper, to taste

1/2 onion, finely diced

3 oz mushrooms, sliced (you can use either white button mushrooms or baby bellas)

2 tbls flour

4 oz sour cream

shredded cheddar cheese for topping

Directions

Bring large pot of water to a boil. Add some salt to the water and toss in egg noodles. Cook until noodles are al dente.

Melt butter in non-stick skillet until melted. Add turkey and break up with a wooded spoon. Cook until the turkey is browned and cooked through. Add garlic, 3/4 cup of chicken stock, ketchup, salt, pepper and onion. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cook covered for about 8-10 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook another 5 minutes or so. Whisk flour into remaining 1/4 cup of chicken stock and add to skillet. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and stir until sauce has thickened. Gently stir in sour cream. Add egg noodles and toss to coat them completely with the sauce. Serve hot and top with a sprinkle of cheddar cheese.

Blondies...the non-traditional brownie

2009-09-07T19:56:00.007-05:00

I think it was just a week and a half ago that I vowed to take a break from baking. To give Brian and I a break from sweets. Oops, I forgot. This week I was craving Blondies. Many people call these special treats "light colored (or chocolate free) brownies" which I do not really agree with at all. I feel that they stand alone as a dessert and should be considered completely separate. Plus, I love adding chocolate chips to mine which I guess technically breaks the rule of a traditional blondie. Anyway, blondies rely heavily on brown sugar, so make sure yours is fresh. (Don't use the old brown sugar that is hard as a rock that's been hanging out in the back of your pantry.)

The goal for making blondies this week was to take them to the taligate on Saturday to kick-off football season. Well, to kick-off the first SMU game really... So, I planned ahead and made a special batch on Friday cause I knew the morning would get away from me on Saturday since my husband requires a good 6 hour tailgate. Blondies, beer, fajitas, and Texas heat for 6 hours, it was going to be a great day. Well, unfortunately the blondies didn't quite make it. Just as Brian was lifting my dessert travel carrier, I remembered that not all of the handles were completely locked. (That's because I kept sneaking samples just to make sure they were edible.) Yep, you guessed it, all my beautiful blondies landed on the kitchen floor. I was so sad, but about 6 were saved because they didn't hit the floor. The rest...trash.

Blondies (makes about 36 squares)

Ingredients

Pam for baking

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

3/4 cup light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup toasted pecans

1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

1/4 cup toffee chips

Milk (for serving)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 13x9 baking dish with Pam spray.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl.

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add both types of brown sugar and whisk until fully incorporated and sugar is melted. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl and let cool slightly. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla extract. Gradually add the flour mixture and whisk until combined. Fold in the chocolate, white chocolate, toffee and pecans. Pour the mixture into your prepared baking dish.

Bake for about 25 minutes. (The top will crack slightly). Let baking dish cool on a wire rack. Once cooled, cut the blondies into small squares for serving. (Serve with milk!)

Build a Better Burger

2009-08-30T18:49:00.006-05:00

I think I just ate the best homemade burger I have ever had. I love to make burgers at home, eat them at friends houses, eat them at family's houses, anywhere really, but usually they are just that...burgers at home that taste generically homemade. You know what I mean, the ground beef topped with cheddar cheese with mayo and mustard, lettuce, tomato, onion, and maybe pickles if you're lucky. I have tried to fancy up the "at home burger" with different spreads and cheeses, however they never turn out quite like the greasy, juicy, and unique burgers I love from dives, or my favorite restaurants. Tonight, I think Brian and I designed a burger that will be added to the menu of my imaginary restaurant. Yep, I dream of what my restaurant would be like all the time and what delicious dishes I would serve. It varies all the time, quite drastically, but that is the beauty of it all being made up in my head. Anyway, back to the burger. Today at Central Market (after enjoying a fish taco from "The Grill" outside) I purchased some more Hatch green chiles and other veggies for my soon to be famous Hatch Chile Salsa. I also got some of Central Market's freshly made hamburger buns and 90% lean ground beef. I usually don't purchase ground beef leaner than 85% for a burger, but today the 90% lean was on sale for $2.49 per lb, so I went with that. Ok, so you know the drill for the salsa so I won't bore you with that, but are you curious what else made this burger so distinctively awesome? Goat Cheese...yep, believe it! Creamy, tangy goodness that was covered in sweet caramelized onions that complemented the smokey, spicy salsa that dressed our medium rare salt and peppered patties that sat between a freshly toasted bun. Are you drooling yet? It was awesome...

Delicious Hatch Chile Salsa...

2009-08-23T20:40:00.005-05:00

Ok. So the enchiladas turned out delicious, however they were more the consistency of a casserole. The corn tortillas got a little mushy. I am definitely going to have to do some more research in order to perfect the texture of future enchiladas. I do want to supply you with the Hatch chile salsa recipe though because it was terrific! First, I thought a brief description might be in order for these tremendous Hatch chiles just in case you aren't familiar with this extreme goodness. Hatch is a village in New Mexico that is known as the "Chile Capital of the World". They produce this famous green chile that is harvested once a year and used in all types of delicious dishes. You cannot duplicate this flavor with any other type of chile...I will be stocking up on these peppers next week, roasting and freezing them for the big chili cook-off we have every fall during football season. Watch out...I am here to win this season.

Hatch Chile Salsa Verde (Straight from the Bischoff's)

Ingredients

1 pound tomatillos, husked

1 white onion, sliced thin
2 tbls olive oil, seperated

4 garlic cloves, (roast one whole head)

2 Hatch Chiles, roasted and seeded

lime juice, to taste (about 1/4 lime)

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Kosher salt, to taste
Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

Cut the top off of a small head of garlic and place on a sheet of aluminum foil. Pour 1 tbls olive oil over exposed head of garlic and sprinkle with salt. Fold the foil into a pouch like shape and place in the oven. Roast the garlic in the oven for about 45 minutes at 400 degrees F until the cloves are soft and golden brown. You can remove the cloves by either squeezing the skin or piercing each clove with a fork. Meanwhile, on a grill, roast tomatillos and hatch chiles until skin is black and charred all over. Immediately place in a plastic bag for about 3 minutes. Remove the tomatillos and hatch chiles and begin removing the charred skin and seeds. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a saute pan and caramelize the onion over medium heat. Transfer all vegetables and any juices to a food processor. Add the cumin, lime, and salt to taste. Pulse mixture until well combined but still chunky.

Hatch Chiles...YUM

2009-08-23T14:53:00.007-05:00

I just ate my way through Central Market. That has to be the best grocery store ever created. I am so unbelievably happy and full when I leave that incredible store. Earlier this summer Brian and I discovered "The Grill" at Central Market. I don't know if it is only on the weekends, but they set up a grill out by the Cafe and serve up hot dogs, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, mahi mahi tacos (this is what I always get...they are so ridiculously good), brats, and sausage. Today they were having the Hatch Chile Festival so the cheeseburger Brian got had a roasted Hatch chile and caramelized onions nestled on top of the patty. I had my traditional mahi mahi taco in one of their homemade four tortillas with coleslaw and remoulade sauce. (p.s. I have tried to re-create this perfect taco, but have been unsuccessful...try try try again.) Bonus...our lunch today totaled $9.00 for the 2 of us...beat that! (Don't worry if you missed the big evet this weekend, so do yourself a favor and schedule your lunch at the grill next weekend and stock up on some Hatch chiles right after.) Anyway, I love chiles and spicy foods, so I happily made my way through the store sampling everything they had to offer from Hatch crab cakes to Hatch flour tortillas to Hatch pesto and even Hatch baked brie. If heat is not your thing...the chiles come in mild or hot so you can choose whichever you like. Tonight we are making Hatch chile enchiladas! I'll be roasting up some tomatillos, garlic, onion and of course...Hatch chiles for a salsa to go over the enchiladas. We've decided to have beef enchiladas, but chicken would be great too. I'll post the recipe later...gotta make sure it's delicious first...

Celebration Dinner

2009-08-17T21:04:00.013-05:00

Weekend cooking...I love the weekends because there is usually so much more time spend cooking. I definitely make more elaborate dishes during the 2 days I have off, partly because Brian is willing to lend his helping hands in the kitchen. This weekend it was all about celebrating our 3rd year anniversary (which is actually the 19th, but we chose to celebrate this weekend). We tried to re-create the incredible meal we had at Fearing's a few weeks ago because fortunately for me, Dean posts his recipes online! Fabulous - we can actually have Buffalo Tenderloin with Maple and Black Pepper on Jalapeno Grits at home! We opted not to make the squash taquito, not because it was not amazing, but because I was just flat out too lazy I guess. We went to Central Market on Friday and purchased Bison (yes, bison, or you can call it buffalo)...but please try it, it is so tender and full of flavor. It is similar to beef, but a lot healthier. We marinated it in a spicy maple and black pepper combination and let it sit for about 8 hours. I also made Dean's jalapeno grits but I added some aged white cheddar at the very end. This was a great dinner, only made better by the Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon. Yep, we splurged because A-we were celebrating and B-we decided not to do gifts, so we upped the wine selection. (My friend Jessica would be so happy we celebrated with this wine...she loves Caymus wine so much she named her precious lab after it). Anyway, it was the perfect pairing.

The one tradition we have so far is the dessert we share on our anniversary. When we got married, we decided to have a traditional wedding cake on all the layers except the top tier. That was ours to do whatever we wanted, so we decided to make it carrot cake. Brian and I absolutely love carrot cake and it was so delightful to cut into that comforting orange cake on our wedding day to shove in each others mouth. (I know, I know. You aren't supposed to cut into the top tier until your 1st anniversary, but have you met me? Not always so traditional. Don't worry, my mom was still able to save and freeze our top tier for us to enjoy the next year.) After we chose the carrot cake for our wedding, I had the idea that we would enjoy that cake every year on our anniversary, and so far so good, we aren't sick of it yet. So...I have been on the hunt for a great carrot cake recipe. Last year, I made one from Emeril which I decided to stick with again this year. The cake is super moist and the icing is a delicious classic buttercream with toasted pecans. Usually I am blessed to get to use my Nana's (that's my grandmother) East Texas Pecans. She has a huge pecan tree in her backyard that my mom and I help harvest every year and sell several pecans by the pound, but we also have a lot shelled and keep for ourselves. This is for the benefit of my Nana's famous pecan pie and for me to use in all of my own baking concoctions. I won't go on and on about how wonderful the carrot cake is, but it looks great don't you think?

Gigi's Carrot Cake

Recipe Courtesy of Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients for cake

1 tablespoon butter (I use Pam for baking)

3 sticks, unsalted butter

2 cups granulated sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

4 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 cups freshly grated carrots

1 cup, chopped toasted pecans

Ingredients for icing

(I iced my cake differently for elegance, but feel free to use the idea below for a more homemade rustic look)

8 ounces cream cheese

1 stick unsalted butter

1 (1 pound) box confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup, chopped toasted pecans

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter 3 (9-inch) cake pans with 1 tablespoon of the butter and set aside. In a large bowl, cream the butter with an electric mixer. Add the sugar, and beat. In a medium bowl or on a piece of parchment, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt, and mix well.

Add the dry ingredients, alternating with the eggs, beating well after the addition of each. Add the vanilla extract and mix. Add the carrots and beat on medium speed until well incorporated, about 2 minutes. Fold in the nuts. Divide between the 3 cake pans and bake until set and a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest in the cake pans for 10 minutes. Invert onto wire racks, remove from the pans, and let cool.For the Frosting: In a large bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add the sugar gradually, beating constantly. Add the vanilla and pecans.When the cake is cool, place 1 cake layer on a cake plate or stand. Spread the top with cream cheese frosting and top with a second and third cake layer, spreading the icing between each layer. Spread the icing around the sides of the cake and let harden slightly before serving. To serve, cut into wedges.

Sandwiches are underestimated

2009-08-14T11:29:00.005-05:00

I am a sandwich lover. I have enjoyed sandwiches my whole life. I love them because they are always satisfying when you are hungry and they can be as easy or as complex as you want them to be. I grew up eating Subway as my mom rarely cooked. I still go to Subway every now and then trying to re-create my perfect sandwich, but their bread just doesn't seem so freshly baked anymore and I wish they would slice the meat fresh. Growing up, I loved Subway because of all the toppings (including my favorite one of all - black olives, which most deli's don't carry these days). My new love for a great deli sandwich is the Great Outdoors. Luckily, there is one right by my office, so every now and then I will pick that up for dinner when I end up working late. With all that said, I appreciate a well made sandwich. So last night for dinner, I created a Club Sandwich for us to enjoy. I used a delicious homemade spicy mayo, but I am saving the art of homemade mayo, aioli and remoulade for another day. I think sandwiches are a perfect canvas to coat with tons of fresh veggies, homemade spreads, gourmet meats and fine cheeses, although sometimes the best ones are the simplest. The biggest mistake I find that people make with homemade sandwiches is in the assembly. Do not underestimate the importance of the layers people. It is crucial in order to prevent your sandwich from being soggy and to ensure your textures and flavors are working together. I listed the recipe of what we had last night, but please don't stop here...try adding avocado, black olives, pickles, any spread you like, different cheeses...I could go on all day, but I have to go fix lunch.

Club Sandwiches (makes 2 sandwiches)

Ingredients

6 slices fresh sourdough bread

Softened butter

6 slices smoked turkey breast, thinly sliced

6 slices honey ham, thinly sliced

2 slices swiss cheese

2 slices medium cheddar cheese

2 tbls mayo (I used a spicy homemade mayo, but use whatever you love)

2 tbls mustard

4 slices fresh tomato

2 small handfuls of shredded lettuce

5-6 slices bacon, cooked and drained

Directions

I started off with 6 slices of fresh Sourdough bread and toasted 2 in the oven (this would be the center slice to each sandwich). I then spread one side of each of the remaining 4 slices with butter and placed in a non-stick skillet to brown up the buttered side. Next, I cooked about 5 slices of thick cut bacon until crispy and drained off the fat. With the 4 slices of bread from the skillet, I spread about a tablespoon of the spicy mayo on 2 of them and spread the remaining 2 with mustard. Now you are ready for assembly...pay close attention. On the 2 slices with mayo, next add a little bit of lettuce on top of the mayo, followed by 2 slices of tomato, a slice of swiss cheese and 3 thin slices of honey ham. Now add the toasted center piece of sourdough bread followed by some crispy bacon, 3 thin slices of turkey and a slice of cheddar cheese. Add the remaining slice of sourdough with the mustard on top of the slice of cheddar. I of course cut each sandwich into the classic 4 triangles. I just served this with some super sweet pineapple we got at the Farmer's Market on Sunday. Enjoy!

Weekend Cooking

2009-08-09T20:15:00.000-05:00

What did you cook this weekend? My list includes, deep dish pizza (inspired by my trip to Chicago of course, I have been talking about it so much, Brian insisted we make some, so...we did), homemade mayo, mahi mahi tacos, and remoulade sauce for the tacos. I should first start out by saying that I was only going to be fully dedicated to making all of these items if Brian was planning to assist, and he was totally on board. Saturday morning we got up and went to breakfast at a wonderful new restaurant by our house, Zinsky's. It's off Preston and Royal, so if you are in the area, check it out. Wonderful breakfast, lunch, and dinner options made fresh. So then we wandered over to Molto Formaggio to get the perfect cheeses for our pizza. We had several samples of exceptional cheese and decided to go with Buffalo Mozzarella (next time for deep dish we will use shredded mozzarella), Pecorino Locatelli, and Trugole. I did not list these cheeses in the recipe below, but they were great alternatives to the basic cheeses normally used on pizza. Next stops, the Farmer's Market and then Central Market. (I had to knock it all out in one swoop or I would loose Brian). When we got home, we had to start making the dough. I was using a new recipe for pizza dough, and as we were combining everything I could tell something was off. The dough was way too sticky. We added some flour, but I just wasn't confident with it. I set it aside in a bowl just in case it decided to rise and we started over. The dough is such a huge part of a pizza that we could not afford for it to be off. Round 2, we began with a trusted recipe which I have listed below. This dough is not near as flaky as the one I had in Chicago, but it is a great dough for a basic homemade pizza, very soft center but gets crispy around the edges. Next, I began the sauce. I bought 2 lbs of fresh tomatoes from the Farmer's Market because Brian and I wanted to try a really fresh sauce. I have always just bought canned tomatoes (San Marzano whenever I can find them) for my homemade tomato sauces, but the fresh were absolutely wonderful! I was slightly concerned that we should have purchased Roma Tomatoes, but I had tasted these regular round tomatoes from one of the vendors and thought how perfect they would be in the sauce. I started boiling some water and got an ice bath ready for the tomatoes. I scored each one so they would peel a little bit easier and plopped them into the boiling water. Each one only needs about 30 seconds in the boiling water, then out they come and directly into the ice bath they go. Once they are cool enough to touch, peel the skin off and cut each tomato in half and remove all the seeds. The rest of the sauce recipe is below and feel free to substitute the fresh tomatoes with a 28 oz can. Brian spent the last part of the afternoon chopping all the veggies for our toppings. Once our dough had proofed, we were ready for roll out and begin the assembly. We were planning on making one pizza in our cast iron skillet, but we ended up with some extra dough, so I created another pizza in an 8 inch round cake pan. We still had leftover scraps so you could probably get about 2 10-12 inch pizzas out of it. We made the main pizza with Italian Sausage, mushrooms, fresh tomato, green pepper, onion, black olives, and basil. On the second one we added spinach, but didn't have any sausage because we had used it all on the other. Pizza toppings are endless and you can make the most unique and wonderful combinations. We didn't reach too far out of the box with ours, but next time, I might. We finally got the pizzas in the oven and counted down all 40 minutes waiting to sink our teeth through the warm veggies, through the gooey cheese and through the crispy crust of our homemade pizza. The wine helped pass the time. When the pizzas came out of the oven, the aroma spilled into the the entire house and we both started drooling. They looked amazing. They tasted even more amazing. I was even able to recover the first dough...so I wrapped it loosely several times in seran wrap and put in in a freezer ziplock bag and stuck in in the freezer so that we can have another Deep Dish Pizza Party soon.

Pizza Dough

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups warm water

1 package of active dry yeast

1 tbls honey

3 1/2 cups bread flour

2 tbls olive oil

2 tsp kosher salt

corn meal

Directions
In a bowl, mix together the warm water, yeast and honey. Whisk slightly. Let sit for about 5 - 10 minutes until yeast has dissolved.

Next attach the mixing paddle to your mixer (Kitchen Aid if you have one). Pour in flour, olive oil and salt. Add the yeast mixture and mix on low for about one minute. Remove the paddle and attach the dough hook. With the dough hook attached, put the mixer on low to medium for about 10 minutes. It might not take this long, but the dough should be very smooth and elastic.

Place the ball of dough in a bowl that you have lightly coated with olive oil. Turn the dough in the oil so that it is fully coated. Place plastic wrap around top of dough in the bowl. Place the dough in a warm place about 1 to 2 hours. The dough should double in size.

When you are ready to assemble your pizza, divide your dough into 2 even sections. With a rolling pin, roll out each ball of dough slightly bigger than each of your pans. Sprinkle corn meal on one side of the rolled out dough and place on top of one of the pans. Gently lift one of the sides to allow the dough to reach the bottom of the pan while also pressing the dough into the sides of the pan. There should not be any air bubbles in the dough or any space between the pan and the dough. The dough should come up about 2 inches to the sides of the pan.

Pizza Sauce

Ingredients

2 tbls olive oil

1/2 onion, finely chopped (I used yellow)

1 carrot, finely chopped

1 stalk of celery, finely chopped

1 tbls chopped fresh parsley

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbls chopped fresh basil

1 tbls chopped fresh oregano

2 bay leaves

2 lbs fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped

2 tsp tomato paste

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions

Heat oil in a large skillet and add onion, carrot, celery, and parsley. Stir to coat. Turn heat to low and cover skillet. Let cook for about 15 minutes until the vegetables are extremely soft and tender.

Remove the lid and turn up heat to medium. Add the minced garlic and let cook until slightly fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, oregano, bay leaves, and season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low, and let simmer for about 15 minutes until the sauce has thickened.

When sauce has finished cooking, place the mixture in a blender or food processor and process until everything is combined. There should be no large chunks of carrot or celery, but do not over process.

Pizza

(dough and sauce are enough for about 2 pizzas, the other toppings are estimated per pizza)

Ingredients

Dough assembled in pans, see above

2 1/2 cups pizza sauce, divided, see above

2 cups shredded mozzarella

(we used buffalo mozzarella instead, but will use shredded next time)

1/2 cup Romano

1/2 cup Parmesan

2 - 3 links Italian sausage

1/2 onion, chopped

1/2 green bell pepper, chopped

Handful black olives, chopped

1/2 cup white button mushrooms, sliced and cooked down to release juices

1/2 cup spinach, chopped

tomato, sliced thin

2 tbls basil

Preheat oven to 425 Degrees F.

Begin by placing a layer of mozzarella cheese on the bottom of the crust. Add the tomato sauce and toppings of your choice. Add remaining cheeses and place in the oven for about 30 - 40 minutes until golden and crispy.

Serve immediately.

Kitchen of the Week

2009-08-05T20:05:00.000-05:00

I'm always looking at pictures of kitchens. I love them. This week I have discovered a fabulous one on the Southern Living website.

Who wants this kitchen? Ok, take a number because I want this kitchen! I am already envisioning myself cooking and baking away in this kitchen...I wish I could see the whole thing just to make sure there is a gas stove somewhere closeby, but there are so many things done right in just this one corner that I am not too worried. First, love the paint color! Brian and I spent weeks trying to find a color like this for our current kitchen, we tried several samples (including banana, lemon, cream, butterscotch - of course these were not the actual names, but more of what they reminded me of when they were on the wall - great for cooking/baking - yuck for paint). So we gave up on finding the right yellowish color and we ended up with Sweet Georgia Brown from Home Depot...great color, but oh how I envy the one here. I feel so cozy looking at it. I want to make my coffee in that pot and stare out the window imagining what I am going to create for breakfast. I think maybe a nice veggie frittata... Second, love the white cabinets and how some have a glass pane with the glorious paint color on the shelves (for displaying all the wonderful serving pieces we all have stored away in a dark place) and how some are solid (to hide all the clutter). These cabinets are the perfect way to have the best of both worlds! Third, love all the stainless steel appliances, especially the refrigerator. Definitely want the double sided fridge with the freezer drawer at the bottom. Fourth, love the perfect little window that overlooks a huge backyard with lots of trees (totally guessing, but it seems fitting). Fifth, love the quaint little breakfast nook with chairs to compliment the other decor. I know you have to agree...this is a great kitchen.

Decadence

2009-08-02T21:00:00.023-05:00

We spent the weekend celebrating Brian's birthday by wining and dining ourselves until we are now sick of food...(Well, not really...I don't think that would ever happen to us, but if it were to happen to someone, it would be after a weekend like this.) Last night we both agreed that we had the absolute best meal of our life in Dallas. We went to Fearing's Restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton. We started our meal with the crispy barbecued oysters over creamed spinach. These oysters were perfectly fried and accompanied by the creamy spinach and slightly sweet barbecue sauce. For the meal, I had Fearing's incredible maple-black peppercorn soaked buffalo tenderloin that came with jalapeno grits and a butternut squash taquito. (to die for) I knew going into this dinner that is was going to be good, great even, but the flavors of everything we had popped distinctly and yet blended with one another so amazingly, that this dinner forced me to close my eyes and re-open them to make sure I was not dreaming. Yes, it was that good! We refused dessert because we had a homemade German Chocolate Cake waiting for us at home. (I had slaved away all day in the kitchen creating the masterpiece, so Brian was forced to eat it.) I have been making tiered cakes for several years now. It all started with a bake-off in college. I dedicated two full days to making an Italian Cream Cake because back then I had no idea what I was doing. I'll save that story for another blogging day...

Anyway, so yesterday I made a German Chocolate Cake because that is what Brian requested.

In all my history of making layered cakes (which is actually quite extensive because they are one of my favorite desserts to make), this one ranks among the best. Not to brag, but the flavor and texture was spot on, and the icing so divine. It's buttery with crunchy pecans and flaky coconut, I could eat it by itself. (Shhh, I let Dutch lick the spatula and he loved it too! Yes, of course after I was finished icing the cake.)

I was even able to create all my layers equal. If you are a baker (or not), you know how difficult it is to have 3 perfectly even layers. Most of the time one is slightly thicker or thiner than another, but no one can usually tell once you get the icing going. Well, yesterday, I almost got out a ruler because the layers were so identical, I was truly amazed. And bonus...the cakes totally fell out of the pans without me even throwing a fit like I sometimes do. (Also, another blogging day...) The baker in me was shining through yesterday, maybe I should switch careers. Just kidding, I get it, don't get ahead of yourself Kasey. Ok, I know you are waiting for the recipe, so here it is, make this one soon! Pure decadance.

German Chocolate Cake

(from the Magnolia Bakery Cookbook)

Ingredients

4 oz Baker’s German’s Sweet Chocolate, broken into squares
1/2 cup water
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cans evaporated milk
6 egg yolks
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter, cut into small pieces
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups sweetened, shredded coconut
2 cups coarsely chopped pecans

Directions
Preheat oven to 350.
Grease and flour 3 9x2 inch round cake pans, then line bottoms with wax paper.
In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the chocolate with the water, stirring to melt the chocolate, and blend well. Set aside and cool for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium sized bowl, sift together the flour, the baking soda, and the salt.

Set aside.
In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg yolks, about 1 minute.
In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter and the sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Add the egg yolks, beating until well combined.
Add the chocolate mixture and the vanilla extract.
Add the dry ingredients in thirds, alternating with he buttermilk, beating after each addition, until smooth.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites on the high speed of an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gently fold into batter.
Divide batter among the prepared pans.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Be careful not to over bake, as this cake has a different, lighter texture than most.
Let cake cool in pans for 10 minutes.
Remove from pans and cool completely on wire rack.
In a large saucepan, beat together the evaporated milk and the egg yolks.
Stir in the sugar, the butter , and the vanilla extract.
Stir over medium heat about 15-18 minutes or until thickened and bubbly and golden in color. Remove from heat.
Stir in the coconut and pecans.
Transfer to a large bowl and cool until room temperature and of good spreading consistency (about 2 hours.)
When cake has cooled, spread frosting between layers and over top of cake.

Birthday Celebration

2009-07-29T20:16:00.009-05:00

Brian turned 29 today, so we celebrated with a wonderful home cooked meal. We started with a mixed green salad with a homemade balsamic vinaigrette. I'm not sure if you have drifted into the wonderful world of homemade salad dressings, but if you haven't, please do. It is well worth the 5 minutes it takes to make them. This dressing is slightly tangy and with a hint of heat. I added some chopped tomatoes and buttery black olives to our salads as well. You will love it!

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients

2 tbls sweet hot mustard

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup walnut oil

1/2 cup canola oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Mixed salad greens (I prefer spring mix)

Combine all ingredients together (except the greens of course) and whisk until fully emulsified. I like to pull out my magic bullet for this...so easy! Toss lightly with your greens and serve!

Next we dove into a beautiful roasted chicken breast over a bed of lentils. I made a quick garlic paste and mixed it with some unsalted butter. I rubbed the mixture all under the skin of the chicken and some on the outside so it would crisp up and become golden brown. I also added a basil leaf under the skin for added flavor, but you could use any herb, I just had basil on hand. The bone in the chicken really helps to hold in the moisture and keep the chicken juicy. Use a thermometer if you need to, pull chicken out at 160 degrees.

I used Emeril's recipe for the lentils from his new show Emeril Green. He has easy and healthy recipes that really bring out the natural flavors of the fresh ingredients he uses.

Roasted Chicken

Ingredients

2 bone in chicken breast halves

1 clove garlic, minced and made into a paste

1 tbls unsalted butter, room temperature

salt and freshly ground pepper

2 large basil leaves

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Mince the garlic and form a paste by adding a little bit of salt and running your knife over the mixture back and forth until a paste forms. Mix this with the butter. Pat the chicken dry and spread the garlic mixture under and over the skin of each chicken breast. Add a basil leaf under the skin of each breast and sprinkle salt and pepper all over. Place chicken in a baking dish and roast for about 25 minutes in the oven, until chicken is no longer pink.

French Green Lentils

Recipe by Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients

1 carrot, chopped

1 celery stalk, chopped

1/4 cup onion, chopped

Salt and Freshly ground pepper

1 cup French Green Lentils

1 cup Chicken Stock

Saute the carrots, celery, and onion in a medium sauce pan until tender. Add lentils and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer about 15 - 20 minutes until lentils are tender. Serve warm.

Sunday Night Feast

2009-07-26T20:45:00.017-05:00

Tonight Brian and I had our Sunday night feast in preparation of our new habit to eat healthy. I think everyone I know eats a really unhealthy meal right before they start a new "diet". We think we are going to starve or be deprived of our favorite foods or something, which is usually not the case at all. Brain and I aren't starting a diet, we are just going to make an effort to make smarter choices. I have gotten a little carried away with my cooking lately and the "everything is ok in moderation" phrase has been recently changed to "everything is ok all the time"...so it's time for a change. Over the next few weeks I will share some healthier recipes that are also very satisfying...so let me know what you think! (I'm not sure we chose the best time for this change, as Brian's birthday is this week and our anniversary is just around the corner, which always means overeating and indulging in our favorite things...)

Tonight however, I will share a couple of easy recipes that would be great if you are looking to have a feast or simply just need to enjoy some comfort foods. What is more comforting than Fried Chicken with Mac & Cheese? These dishes are so good independently, but they are even better together. The chicken is juicy on the inside with a crispy/salty crust on the outside while the mac and cheese is sharp, creamy, and extremely comforting.

There are probably a thousand different versions of mac and cheese, and I think every family has their own twist on this classic. I love to use a variety of cheeses in mine and each time I make this dish I combine different flavors together. This time I decided to use Comté (which is basically a Gruyere, but is made in France), an Aged Wisconsin Cheddar, and a Roquefort Blue Cheese. I recommend using Cavatappi because the lines in the pasta really hold the cheese sauce onto the noodle...

Mac and Cheese (4 Servings as side dish)

Ingredients

4 Slices Thick Cut Bacon, cooked and crumbled

Kosher Salt

2 cups cavatappi (corkscrew pasta)

1 1/2 cups whole milk

2 tbls unsalted butter

2 tbls all purpose flour

1/4 lb Comté

1/5 lb Cheddar (recomm

ended, extra-sharp)

1/6 lb Blue Cheese (I have used Gorgonzola several times instead, works wonderfully)

Freshly ground pepper

Pinch nutmeg

Handful of breadcrumbs

2 tbls fresh basil chiffonade

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Add pasta to a large pot of boiling salted water. Cook until al dente, about 8 minutes.

Drain well.

Heat milk in a small sauce pan over low heat to prevent it from boiling. In another saucepan, melt the butter and whisk in flour. Cook on low for about 2 minutes. Add the hot milk and continue to whisk the milk until it has thickened. Take the mixture off the heat and add all 3 cheeses, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. When all the cheese has melted into a smooth sauce, add pasta and crumbled bacon. Stir well and pour into a medium baking dish. Mix together the basil with the bread crumbs and sprinkle over the top of the mac & cheese. Bake in the oven for about 35 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and the top is golden brown.

Fried Chicken (2 Servings)

Ingredients

2 Chicken Cutlets

2 Chicken Legs

2 Cups Peanut Oil
(Marinade)

2 Cups Buttermilk

1/2 White Onion, sliced

1/2 tsp each dried thyme, parsley, oregano, paprika, cayenne pepper

Couple splashes of ho

t sauce

(Dredge)
2 cups flour

3/4 tsp garlic salt

3/4 tsp onion salt

1 tsp cayenne pepper

Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper

Directions

Soak chicken in marinade for several hours.

Drain chicken and throw out marinade.

Combine dredge in a large bag. Meanwhile, heat oil in a cast iron skillet on medium high heat until the bottom of a wooden spoon bubbles around the edges.

Place chicken in bag and shake until pieces are completely covered. Using tongs, carefully add chicken to the skillet and fry for 10-12 minutes on each side. Once the chicken is golden brown on both sides, remove it from the pan and let drain on a rack. Be sure to sprinkle with salt, pepper, and paprika.

Back to Reality

2009-07-22T20:05:00.003-05:00

Well, I just got back from Chicago, and I must say it was awesome! My mom and I saw everything there was to see in the city and we ate everything there was to eat. The food was absolutely incredible! My taste buds are still dancing in my mouth waiting for the next treat.

We started our trip with a traditional Chicago-style hot dog complete with a poppy seed bun. For dinner, we headed to Lou Malnati's in downtown. I briefly told you about this pizzeria before, but whatever I said did not accurately describe what I experienced...actually nothing I say even now can do the pizza justice. We ordered the "Lou" (I figured it must be their best if it was named after Lou himself). It had fresh spinach, mushrooms, sliced roma tomatoes and was topped with a blend of mozzarella, romano, and cheddar cheeses. (I added pepperoni, although this pizza did not need any help in the flavor department.) When the pizza came out, I still had no idea that I was about to consume the king of all pizza's. The waitress served me my first slice and I got so excited as I watched the cheese stretch from the deep dish pan to my plate as she placed it down. I already had my knife and fork in my hands in anticipation, so I proceeded to cut my first bite...I placed the bite in my mouth and that was it...the angels started singing. There was a choir in my head singing loudly as all the flavors exploded...the sauce was slightly tangy, the vegetables were fresh and perfectly cooked, the pepperoni provided a slightly spicy element, the cheese was ooey gooey and the 3 varieties were in absolute harmony, but the crust...oh the crust! It was crispy and buttery and stood up ideally to all of the ingredients. I will forever remember my first bite (and all those thereafter) of the famous "Lou".

Bistro 110 did not disappoint either. They are the creator of the best french onion soup I have ever had. The onions were tender, wonderfully seasoned and nestled below a firm crouton, which was all folded in under a thick layer of gruyere and provolone cheese.

I made my way home, munching on my "Chicago Mix" of pop corn which is equal parts of cheddar cheese and carmel popcorn mixed together...I know I know, it sounds gross, but trust me, so delicious.

So anyway, back to reality...tonight for dinner I made Shepherd's Pie even though it's not winter...it sounded good. See this recipe from Rachael Ray, I changed several things in mine, but this provides a great basic version to play around with, so give it a try. Smoky Turkey Shepherds Pie

Next week Brian and I are going to start eating healthier...so I am already thinking about the Sunday night feast we will have in preparation for the new habit...I'm thinking fried chicken with mac & cheese and maybe some fried okra...

Long Time Coming...

2009-07-15T14:28:00.000-05:00

Well, today is the day! I have decided to start a blog after all of the encouragement from my friends over the past year. They seem to think that all of my random thoughts and love for cooking and baking will make a great blog...I guess we'll see! It may take me some time to get up and running to the blog status that I so admire from the daily blogs I visit, they seem to be so elegant and well designed, but I can't wait to see where my blog leads me...

I am leaving to go to Chicago this weekend, so all I can think about this week is the incredible Deep Dish Pizza I will be having in the windy city. My mom and I are going for a little girl's trip, so there will be a lot of exploring, eating, and laughing while we are there. (Don't you have those moments with your mom or best friend where you just get to laughing hysterically and hardly even remember what about when you finally catch your breath. I love those moments!)Anyway, I have mapped out a few places we have to eat at, and I can't wait to give you all an update when we get back, in case any of you are planning a trip to Chicago soon. First on the list is the all too famous, Lou Malnati's. Rumor is, they have the perfect deep dish pizza. I cannot wait to find out!! As long as there are fresh toppings and they use homemade pizza dough and lots of cheese I know I will love it.

Also on the list is Bistro 110. One of my favorite blogs, Simply Recipes, references this amazing restaurant often and I cannot wait to taste for myself what it is all about.

OK, I am going to keep planning our trip!