RSS Feed

Author Archives: amydeline

How to Supreme an Orange

Posted on August 5, 2010 by amydeline

To surpreme an orange is simply the process of  removing the peel, pith, seeds, and membranes, which leaves you with clean, sweet orange segments. You may remember that I used orange supremes in the Piña Colada Salsa recipe and we’ll be using them tonight in duck a l’orange. Orange supremes are also delicious in salads. This same process can be used for lemons, limes, or other citrus fruits.

Start with an orange.

Cut off the top and bottom of the orange.

Use a knife to cut off the peel and any white pith.

You should be able to clearly see the membranes between the segments.

Carefully cut the segments from between the membranes.

Repeat the process until all orange segments are removed.

3 Comments

Posted in Culinary Techniques, Food and tagged , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

White Garlic Lasagna

Posted on August 4, 2010 by amydeline

For as much as I love food and all things food-related, there are whole worlds of food content that I’m entirely clueless about. Take, for example, the presence of a food blogging community. Prior to beginning my own blog, I had no idea that such a community of like-minded individuals existed. I emphasize the word, community, because it truly describes the support and camaraderie which exists amongst this group of food-lovin’, food-writing, food-photo-taking people.

And it’s through this group of food-focused people, that a whole other world of food knowledge has been opened for me. I’m talking about the world of food holidays; national days of observance devoted to food. Take, for example, September 26, which is National Corned Beef Hash Day or October 8 which is National Fluffernutter Day. And you can bet your bippy I’ll be celebrating National Bagels and Lox Day when February 9 rolls around. I found out, only after reading another food blogger’s blog, that yesterday was National Watermelon Day. I did an inner dance of joy for the accidental appropriateness of yesterday’s Watermelon Roll post. Then I started probing around for more information about food holidays, cause I’m all over the idea of celebrating food. And I found this link, with a comprehensive list of food holidays.

Turns out that today is Nationa Lasagna Day. How in the world is a girl supposed to let a special day like this go by without a little celebration? So, tonight I’m making a lasagna inspired by my favorite kind of pizza in the whole world; white garlic. My husband and I clash heads on this topic almost every time we order pizza. He asks what kind of pizza I want. I say White Garlic. He says Bleh. Occasionally he’ll agree to a garlic pizza, as long as we add some crumbled sausage on top. But I could eat white garlic pizza every time and never miss the tomato sauce.

You won’t miss the tomato sauce in this lasagna either. For the sauce, I made a basic white sauce, with the addition of minced garlic and a bit of asiago cheese. I could eat bowls full of this garlicky sauce as if it were soup. It would be seriously fantastic over pasta. Then, I threw a bit more garlic in the spinach mixture so the lasagna is absolutely oozing with garlic. For my hubby, I added some spicy Italian sausage to the lasagna, but it would totally work without it. I truly love how this lasagna came out. It’s like having a slice of garlic pizza, between noodles of lasagna.

Happy National Lasagna Day!

White Garlic Lasagna

Ingredients

  • 3 Hot Italian Sausages
  • 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 box No-Boil Lasagna Noodles
  • 1 1/2 cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded*
  • 1/2 cup Fontina Cheese, shredded

    • For the Spinach Mixture

    • 1 16 oz package Frozen Chopped Spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
    • 1 15 oz container Ricotta Cheese”
    • 2 tsp Garlic, minced
    • 1/4 tsp Salt
    • 1 egg, lightly beaten

    For the Garlic Sauce

    • 3 Tbsp Butter
    • 1 Tbsp Garlic, minced
    • 3 Tbsp Flour
    • 2 cups Milk”
    • 1/2 cup Asiago Cheese, shredded
    • 1/2 tsp Salt
    • 1/8 tsp Cayenne
    • Pinch of Nutmeg

    *Reduced fat cheeses and milk would work fine with this recipe.

    Directions

    Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 13×9 baking dish with cooking spray. Heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil in a skillet. Remove the sausage meat from the casings. Add the sausage meat to the hot skillet and cook until fully-cooked, using a spoon to break it into small pieces. Set the cooked sausage aside.

    Combine the spinach with the ricotta cheese, minced garlic, and salt. Stir in the lightly beaten egg. The egg will help to bind the spinach-ricotta mixture.

    In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the 1 Tablespoon minced garlic to the butter. Cook for about two minutes. Add the flour to the mixture and stir. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth. Bring to a simmer and continue cooking for 4-5 minutes, until the milk begins to thicken. Turn down the heat. Add the asiago cheese, salt, cayenne, and nutmeg. Stir to combine.

    Spread a very thin layer of the sauce into the prepared baking dish. Lay 3 no-boil lasagna noodles over the sauce. Spread half of the spinach mixture on top of the noodles. Sprinkle with half of the sausage. Drizzle with about a third of the sauce. Lay 3 more lasagna noodles on top. Spread the other half of spinach mixture. Sprinkle the other half of sausage. Drizzle another third of the sauce. Lay 3 more lasagna noodles on top. Drizzle with the remaining third of sauce. Sprinkle with the mozzarella and fontina cheeses. Cover the baking dish with foil. Bake in the oven for about 45 minutes. Remove the foil. Bake for 10-15 more minutes, until the top begins to brown. Remove from the oven and wait 5 minutes before cutting.

    White Garlic Lasagna

    9 Comments

    Posted in Cheese, Food, Main Course, Pork, Recipes, Sauces and tagged , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

    What a Watermelon Roll!

    Posted on August 3, 2010 by amydeline

    My ice cream maker hates me. Honestly, I don’t blame it. It’s been sitting in my basement, neglected for years. My husband bought it for me several years ago. I was thrilled at the time. I opened the box and tenderly caressed my new toy. I had big plans. I was going to be an ice cream maker extraordinaire, put Ben and Jerry’s to shame, give Mr. Baskin and Mr. Robbins a run for their money. And you know what? In all the years I’ve had the ice cream maker, I haven’t made even one single batch of ice cream.

    Sort of reminds me of the summer my dad decided he was going to become an amateur fisherman. He went out and bought all of the supplies; a couple rods, lures, and a box to keep it all in. He fished for a summer, which is more than I can say about me and my ice cream maker. But then the fishing supplies got packed away alongside the abandoned bread machine and juicer. My sister blames Price Club for all of their tantalizing deals, which repeatedly sold our father on new hobbies alongside large tubs of mayonnaise and 100-packs of toilet paper.

    But this post isn’t about fishing, juice-making, or other neglected hobbies. It’s about ice cream. I was inspired to give my ice cream maker its maiden whirl by a friend of mine, who recently started a wonderful blog with her sister, www.weknowstuff.us.com. They write about all sorts of interesting topics, including childcare, healthy eating, caring for an elderly relative, and my favorite topic, recipes! In one of their recent posts, they shared a step-by-step recipe for Watermelon Ice Cream, slightly modified from an Emeril Lagasse recipe. The little chocolate chip seeds are what really sold me. I was instantly reminded of the delicious Friendly’s Wattamelon Roll, which my husband goes gaga for, and set my mind on making one.

    There’s a long story here, involving the mutilation of multiple innocent watermelons, an angry and uncooperative ice cream maker, and four (yes, four) batches of watermelon ice cream/sherbert and one batch of lemon sherbert. There are tales of too icy, too creamy, and too sweet. There are tales of repentance and forgiveness. I could regale you with stories of watermelon water content, ice-crystallization, cream vs. milk, and no-sugar added. I could explain why I chose to make a sherbert instead of an ice cream. But, I won’t bore you with the details. Suffice it to say, the ice cream maker and I are now the best of friends and I mastered two beautiful, melt-in-your-mouth sherbert recipes.

    Enjoy either recipe on its own or use the two recipes together to make your own watermelon sherbert roll with all the same flavor of the original Wattamelon Roll, minus the Disodium Phosphate, Red 40, and Blue 1.

    But first a few tips from my weekend of ice cream making:

    • Make sure your ice cream bowl is completely and thoroughly frozen. I turned the temperature down on my freezer to get the bowl to get the bowl cold enough.
    • Leave the ice cream bowl in the freezer until the last minute. It will begin defrosting quickly once you remove it.
    • Chill your ice cream mixture before pouring it into the ice cream maker.
    • You can make ice cream or sherbert with milk or cream, but what you use will affect the texture. Choose wisely. The recipes I have provided are what I found to be the best balance of texture and taste, while keeping waistlines in mind.
    • If you don’t have an ice cream maker, you can make a decent sherbert by allowing the mixture to freeze for 30 minutes or so, then blending the partially frozen mixture in a blender. Allow it to partially freeze again. Blend again. Then, allow it to completely freeze. This process will introduce some air into the mix as it freezes and breaks up some of the ice crystal formation. It will produce a tasty sherbert but the end result won’t be as creamy or smooth as with using an ice cream maker.

    Lemon Sherbert

    Ingredients

    • 1 Cup Light Cream
    • 1 Cup Milk
    • 1/2 Cup Sugar
    • 1/2 cup Lemon Juice (freshly squeezed, if possible)

    Directions

    Combine the cream, milk and sugar until completely dissolved. Add the lemon juice. Stir to combine. Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and freeze according to your machine’s directions.

    Watermelon Sherbert

    Ingredients

    • 4 cups Seedless Watermelon, chopped
    • 1 cup Light Cream
    • 1 cup Milk
    • 1/4 cup Sugar
    • 3 Tbsp Lemon Juice
    • 3/4 cup Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

    Directions

    Puree the watermelon until it’s liquid. You should have about 3 cups of watermelon liquid. Pour the liquid in a saucepan and simmer until the liquid reduced to about 1 cup. It will appear thick and syrupy. Cool the liquid completely. In bowl, combine the milk, cream, and sugar. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the watermelon mixture to the cream mixture. Add the lemon juice. Stir to combine.  Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and freeze according to your machine’s directions. When the mixture has thickened, add the chocolate chips to the machine.

    To create a watermelon roll, press lemon sherbert onto the bottom and sides of a round bowl. Fill the center with watermelon sherbert and freeze. If desired, paint the exterior with green food coloring.

    Another alternative is to create watermelon pops.

    6 Comments

    Posted in Desserts, Food, Ice Cream, Recipes and tagged , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

    Ratatouille Repentance

    Posted on August 2, 2010 by amydeline

    I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. It’s all about balance.

    Yesterday, I served you a heart attack on a bun and called it a burger. I have to admit that I used my healthy side of steamed broccoli to wipe up the cheese, chili, and egg yolk, which dripped from my burger. But, today I’m making up for it with a delicious, fresh spinach salad for lunch and a healthful dinner, chock full of vegetables and oozing with nutrition. That, and a nice long run should set us right back on track.

    Months ago, while watching the Disney-Pixar movie, my son asked me to cook him ratatouille. Now, what mom is going to say no when their son requests a dish that is completely loaded with vegetables? Then I lost track of his request and the months went by, until last week, when I spotted the most irresistible package of vegetables at the supermarket.

    Instantly, I knew I would be cooking eggplant very soon. I started running through my mental library of eggplant recipes. My first thought was Eggplant Parmesan, one of my favorite dishes, but it seemed sacrilege to cover those beautiful baby eggplants with bread crumbs. That’s when I remembered the pending ratatouille request.

    In the big climax of the movie, Ratatouille, little chef Remy, decides to serve a dish of ratatouille to the most discriminating food critic, Anton Ego. Chef Collette is appalled. But, it is a peasant dish, she exclaims. Remy astounds everyone by transforming this traditional Provencal stewed vegetable dish into something elegant and mouthwatering, which pulls Ego back in time to warm memories of his childhood. The culinary genius of a mouse saves the restaurant with his comfort food makeover.

    The real-life chef mastermind behind Remy’s ratatouille is famed chef Thomas Keller of The French Laundry in Napa. For the film, he designed a layered version of ratatouille inspired by the Turkish dish, Confit Byaldi; same flavor profile of a traditional ratatouille, same slow-cooked flavor, prettier presentation. In his version, a pipérade of roasted peppers, onions, and garlic is spread in a baking dish, topped with layers of fresh eggplant, tomatoes, and squash, then slow cooked until the vegetables are tender and sweet. The final dish is topped with a drizzle of balsamic vinaigrette.

    Inspired by that package of beautiful eggplant, I decided that we would make Keller’s version of ratatouille. I told my son that we were going to make a fancy ratatouille, just like in the movie. His response was, I don’t want to make a fancy ratatouille! I want to make a smiley-face ratatouille! Where in the world does he get this stuff?? Anyway, we met in the middle with both a fancy and a smiley faced ratatouille. We’re serving our ratatouille with balsamic vinaigrette marinated, broiled fillets of salmon.

    For the complete recipe, as published a few years ago in the New York Times, click here.

    Here’s what we did…

    Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut a red, yellow, and orange bell pepper in half. Remove ribs and seeds. Roast in the oven for about 15 minutes.

    Meanwhile, slice up some baby eggplant, plum tomatoes, and yellow squash.

    When the peppers have finished roasting, place them in a ziploc bag or cover with plastic wrap. This will help the skins to separate as they cool. When cool enough to handle, remove the skin from the peppers. Chop into small pieces. Turn the oven heat down to 275 degrees.

    In a pan, heat a little olive oil. Cook a chopped onion until softened. Add minced garlic and thyme. Cook a few minutes more.

    Add the chopped peppers, cook for a few more minutes. This your pipérade. Spread the pipérade in an even layer on the bottom of a baking dish.

    Arrange the sliced vegetables in an overlapping pattern on top of the pipérade.

    The kids worked on their smiley-face version of ratatouille.

    Drizzle a mixture of olive oil, minced garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper over the vegetables.

    Cover with foil and bake in a 275 degrees oven for 2 hours. Remove the foil and cook for 30 minutes more.

    **If you have leftover sliced vegetables, toss them in a bit of the oil and garlic and arrange them on a baking sheet. Place them in the oven for about 45 minutes. You’ll have some delicious roasted vegetables, which make great roasted veggie sandwiches with a bit of fresh mozzarella.

    This dish is best made a day ahead of time and reheated in the oven before serving. Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette and enjoy.

    The kids enjoyed tasting their smiley-faced ratatouille.

    6 Comments

    Posted in Cooking with Kids, Food, Recipes, Side Dishes, Vegetable and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

    The Hangover Burger

    Posted on August 1, 2010 by amydeline

    Thought I was so slick. Went down to the grocery store Friday night and picked up all the things I would need for tonight’s dinner. The supermarket was quiet, peaceful, a virtual oasis of food; unlike on summer weekends, where it transforms into a frenzied circus of activity. But I was ever so clever and got it all taken care of Friday night.

    Then, I woke up this morning, not so bright-eyed and bushy-tailed; the result of a small child who decided to start his day at 5:00am. I made the kids their breakfast, tended to the labrosaurus rex, and started the coffee. I had a hankering for some eggs in a hole; the dish my mom used to call Rocky Mountain Breakfast. So I heated a little butter in a pan, removed the centers from my bread, cracked the eggs into the middle, and fried them up. Then I sat down to enjoy my delicious breakfast.

    Boy, did it hit the spot! I could have eaten two more, but I’d used the last of the eggs. I sat there, lingering over the last bite and then it struck me. Right smack in the middle of my head. I’d intended to use those eggs for tonight’s dinner. Foiled again by my overwhelming food cravings!! So much for avoiding the supermarket on the weekend.

    Tonight’s dinner is an indulgence; a guilty pleasure. You’d better start running in place right now, cause it’s going to take some work to burn off the calories in this one. It might be a good idea to have your blood pressure checked before consuming. It will be worth it though.

    Austin Grill, a Maryland based Tex-Mex restaurant has a burger on their menu called The Hangover Burger. I’m not exactly sure whether this burger is intended to be the cure or the cause of the hangover. But, lordy, lordy is this a good one! I ordered it once and dreamed about it forever after. The burger features a beef patty, smothered with chili, bacon, queso, roasted jalapeño peppers, and a fried egg. It’s the egg that really does it for me!

    Tonight, we’re having my version of The Hangover Burger. Once, you’ve made the chili, there’s really nothing to it, besides putting the pieces together. Here’s how it’s done…

    Austin Grill-Inspired Hangover Burger

    Ingredients

    • Burger Patties
    • Hamburger Buns or Hard Rolls
    • Bacon
    • Chili Con Queso
    • Chili*
    • Eggs
    • Butter
    • Jalapeño Pepper
    • Salt and Pepper

    *For my easy recipe for Spicy Beef Chili, click here.

    Directions

    Cut the jalapeño in half. Remove the seeds and ribs. Roast in a 300 degree oven for about 45 minutes, until softened. When cool enough to handle, cut into small pieces. Set aside. Cook the bacon and place a few slices on each bun. Season the burgers with salt and pepper. Grill or broil the burgers to your preferred doneness. While the burger is cooking, warm the chili and queso. Place the cooked burgers on top of the bacon. Top with a spoonful of chili and a spoonful of warm chili con queso. Sprinkle with the roasted jalapeño peppers. Top with a freshly fried egg.

    Serve with a side of steamed broccoli, to make yourself feel better about eating the burger.

    I foresee many salads in my future.

    14 Comments

    Posted in Beef, Burgers, Cheese, Food, Main Course, Recipes and tagged , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

    Chicken and Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce

    Posted on July 30, 2010 by amydeline

    This post almost didn’t happen. This post was almost a picture of a salad from Panera or burger from Five Guys. I’d begun gathering what I needed for dinner, my mise en place, if you will. It wouldn’t take more than 15 minutes to prepare. But 15 minutes was apparently way too long for my littlest guy. As I moved about the kitchen, he was on my heels, quick as a cheetah and loud as lion. Hold my hand. I’m ready to snuggle up. He roared. He screeched. He howled. And I surrendered to my little master. The kids’ dinner became a quick PB&J and microwaveable mac and cheese. The screaming stopped. I packed away the ingredients for tonight’s intended dinner. I’m not proud. But hey, I never claimed to be supermom.

    Once everyone had their fill of snuggle and food, I had the chance to prepare the dinner I’d planned; breaded chicken with a spicy peanut sauce. Honestly, this is all about the peanut sauce. The chicken is merely a vehicle to transport the sauce to my belly. It’s sweet, it’s spicy, it’s salty. This sauce is also magic with skewered, grilled chicken and shrimp.


    Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce

    Ingredients

    • 1/2 cup Peanut Butter
    • 1/4 cup Brown Sugar, loosely packed
    • 1 Tbsp Lime Juice
    • 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
    • 1 tsp Minced Garlic
    • 1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper (plus more, if desired)
    • 1/4 tsp Ground Ginger
    • Chopped Peanuts and Sliced Scallions, for garnish

    Directions

    Place the peanut butter in a microwaveable bowl. Microwave for a few seconds to soften the peanut butter. Add other ingredients and stir to combine. Add small amounts of warm water and stir until the sauce reaches your desired consistency. Taste and add more cayenne, if desired. Top with the chopped peanuts and/or scallions.

    Delicious served with chicken or shrimp!

    For the chicken:

    Season chicken tenders or chicken breasts cut into strips with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. In a small bowl, beat a couple eggs. Dip the chicken in the eggs. Then roll the chicken in seasoned bread crumbs until well-coated. In a pan, heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for a few minutes on each side until lightly browned and cooked through.

    6 Comments

    Posted in Food, Main Course, Poultry, Recipes, Sauces and tagged , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

    Vanilla Carrot Bisque

    Posted on July 29, 2010 by amydeline

    A few weeks ago, my three-year-old asked me to make him Vanilla Soup. Hmmm…vanilla soup? Never heard of such a thing, but who am I to argue with the kid whose binoculars can transform into a jetpack; the kid who calls the fan a Bloominator; the very same kid who decided he’d prefer to be called Gastack and has been introducing himself as such ever since; the kid who, as I write this, is stomping around the living room in robot fashion, shouting Robot, Robot, Robot Secrets as he cleans up his toys. Vanilla Soup it is!

    I thought about his request for a while; pondered how I’d go about making a vanilla soup. My sister suggested that I just melt a container of vanilla ice cream and pour it in a bowl. Voila! Vanilla Soup. That idea probably would have worked just fine for my little guy, but it didn’t gel well with me. If I were going to cook a vanilla soup, I was going to make a valiant effort at creating something that was both delicious and nutritious.

    I’d need to select flavors which would showcase the vanilla, without overwhelming it. It should be sweet, but not necessarily fruity. My first thought was pumpkin, but that hardly seemed seasonal. I considered butternut squash for a while; a definite contender.I gave sweet potatoes their due consideration as well. And then I thought about carrots. Why, yes! Carrots would work nicely.

    Carrots are loaded with natural sugars. To help develop their natural sweetness, I decided to give them a slow roast in the oven. I threw a couple apricots in the mix for added sweetness and a touch of tart. To the roasted carrots and apricots, I added light cream, infused with fresh vanilla bean. I pureed the carrots, apricots, and vanilla cream with a touch of honey and ground ginger. Finally, I added milk until the consistency seemed right. Simple as that. I chose not to add any other seasonings; not even salt…gasp! Let the vanilla be the star.

    Turned out to be a very yummy soup; creamy and slightly sweet with a definite vanilla flavor. I adore the little specks of fresh vanilla bean running throughout the soup. My only complaint is that the texture turned out to have a slightly gritty feel; not entirely unpleasant, but definitely noticeable. I’m pretty sure this was a result of my decision to roast the carrots, which caused them to develop a slightly hardened exterior. I tried straining the soup, but my fine sieve was too fine and the holes in my colanders were too big. I knew I needed more strainers! My guess is that boiled carrots would probably produce a smoother, though less sweet soup. Despite the somewhat gritty texture, I think I’d stick with roasting.

    This soup is best served warm. For a nice finish, top it with a drizzle of creme fraiche and some diced dried apricots or pumpkin seeds.

    Vanilla Carrot Bisque

    Ingredients

    • 1 8oz package Baby Carrots (about 3 cups)
    • 2 Apricots
    • 1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
    • 1 cup Light Cream
    • 1 1/2 cups Milk
    • 1 Vanilla Bean, split in half, seeds scraped with the edge of a knife
    • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
    • 1 Tbsp Honey
    • 1/2 tsp Ground Ginger

    Directions

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss the carrots in the oil and arrange in an even layer on a baking sheet. Place the apricots in a small baking dish. Roast the carrots and apricots in the oven for about an hour. When cool enough to handle, cut the apricots in half, remove the seed, and scoop out the tender insides. In a saucepan, add the cream, vanilla bean, vanilla bean seeds, and vanilla extract. Heat the cream over medium heat until it comes to a gentle simmer. Simmer for 3 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean. Use a blender, food processor, or immersion blender to puree the carrots, apricots, and vanilla cream until smooth. Add the honey and ginger. Puree for a few seconds more to combine. Add milk until the soup reaches your desired consistency. Taste and add more honey if desired.

    To serve, warm the soup in a saucepan or microwave. Top with creme fraiche (or sour cream), dried apricot, or seeds.

    Tasting his creation.

    12 Comments

    Posted in Food, Recipes, Side Dishes, Vegetable and tagged , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

    A Lesson about Little Bread

    Posted on July 29, 2010 by amydeline

    My husband has been complaining lately. His gripe is with the size of the bread I buy him, which he claims is too big for the amount of tuna in the pouch, which he prepares each day for lunch.

    The bread is so HUGE that my tuna is barely a spread between the two slices, he argues.

    Then, make half a sandwich, I reply. It is normal sized bread.

    Exhibit A

    But he persists. On and on about the gigantic bread. I can’t listen to it anymore. So, I go to the supermarket with my ruler in hand. Ok, not really. But, I did spend a lot of time in the bread section, holding one loaf up to another and scrutinizing the weight and dimensions of each loaf. And I found a suitable loaf of wheat bread.

    Exhibit B

    My husband returned home for his lunch that day to discover the new smaller bread. He held it in front of me and said, This is what I’m talking about, in that I told you so tone of voice.

    I don’t like that tone of voice. No siree, I do not.

    So, I went shopping again today. And I found my husband some even better bread.

    Exhibits C & D

    And then I made my husband lunch.

    I’ve got a recipe coming up later for you. In the mean time, if you happen to find yourself with a package of tiny toasts, a little piece of smoked salmon, dollop of creme fraiche, and sprig of dill makes a great snack.

    10 Comments

    Posted in Food, General Rambling and Such and tagged , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

    Some Chili with that Cornbread??

    Posted on July 28, 2010 by amydeline

    Wow! What a whirlwind blogging day this became! I was so thrilled to find myself on WordPress’s Freshly Pressed today. It’s exciting to know that there are people out there who are enjoying what I’ve been posting. Thank you so much for all of the wonderful feedback! I’ve been smiling all day. I’d also like to thank Netflix Instant Streaming for entertaining the kiddies while I’ve played in the blogosphere and chatted about cornbread all day.

    In light of my day trip to the big time, my sister thanked me for changing the world with my blog. (I sense a touch of sarcasm in her comment.) But, you’re welcome, sis. It’s been my lifelong ambition to change the world, one pan of cornbread at a time.

    The cornbread recipe was actually just Part 1 of 2. The main course tonight is the chili. But I have to be honest about the chili. The only reason I’m making chili tonight is because I want to use the leftovers for another recipe I’m working on. Poor neglected chili, upstaged by the cornbread and brought into this world with the intention of being leftover.

    Regardless of its inception, it’s good chili; worthy of praise in its own right. I have a secret ingredient. I’ve swooned over skirt steak before for its wonderful flavor and texture in quesadillas and sandwiches. And I’m going to swoon over it again today for the intense beefy flavor and delicious chewy tidbits it adds to my chili; ever so pleasing to eat. If you can’t get your hands on skirt steak, flank or hanger steak would make suitable substitutions.

    Besides the skirt steak, this is a pretty basic, spicy beef chili recipe. As with most of the things I cook, the ingredient list is limited and focuses on the flavors that matter. We like our food pretty spicy over here, but you can adjust the seasonings to suit your tastes. (If you like it super spicy, throw a pureed chipotle in the mix.) If you’re cooking for kids, set a bit of milder chili aside before you season for yourself. Serve this chili with a side of my Sweet Honey Cornbread or over a bowl of macaroni.

    The Gourmand Mom’s Spicy Beef Chili

    Ingredients

    • 1/2 pound Skirt Steak
    • Salt and Pepper, for seasoning steak
    • 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
    • 2 cups Onion, diced (about 1 Large Onion)
    • 1 Tbsp Garlic, minced
    • 1 Jalapeno Pepper, seeds and ribs removed, finely diced
    • 1 pound Ground Beef
    • 1 1/2 Tbsp Chili Powder
    • 1 tsp Salt (plus more, if desired)
    • 1 tsp Cayenne Pepper (plus more, if desired)
    • 2 cups Crushed Tomatoes
    • 1 can Kidney Beans, slightly drained

    Directions

    Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place the skirt steak on a baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Place on the middle rack of the oven and cook for about 10 minutes. When cool enough to handle, cut the steak into small pieces. Set aside.

    In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 3-5 minutes, until slightly transparent. Add the garlic and jalapeno. Cook for a few minutes more. Add the ground beef and cook until completely brown, using a spoon to break it up as it cooks. Once the ground beef is fully cooked, add the bits of skirt steak and any juices that have leaked from the steak. Add the chili powder, cayenne and salt and stir to combine. Cook for a minute or two. Add the crushed tomatoes and the kidney beans. Stir to combine. Cook for about 5-10 minutes, until all ingredients are heated through and the flavors have mingled. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and cayenne, as desired.

    Serve with cornbread, rice, or macaroni. Top with cheese, scallions, or sour cream if desired.

    Leftovers freeze and reheat well. Keep a lookout for an upcoming recipe which will feature the leftover chili.

    11 Comments

    Posted in Beef, Cheese, Food, Main Course and tagged , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

    Sweet Honey Cornbread

    Posted on July 28, 2010 by amydeline

    Don’t ever buy cornbread mix again. Make this instead. It’s sweet, slightly crumbly, doesn’t contain the preservatives in that boxed mix, and won’t take you more than three minutes longer to prepare. I bet you already have most of the ingredients in your pantry!

    I love cornbread, especially when it’s got little kernels of fresh summer corn and a hint (or more than a hint) of honey flavor. You can have fun with this recipe and add bits of jalapeno, scallions, cheddar, or even bacon, if you’d like! Serve it warm with a pat of butter or alongside a bowl of spicy chili, as I’ll be doing tonight!

    Sweet Honey Cornbread

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup Flour
    • 1 cup Corn Meal
    • 1 Tbsp Baking Powder
    • 1/4 cup Sugar
    • 1/2 tsp Salt
    • 1 cup Buttermilk
    • 1/4 cup Honey
    • 1/2 stick Melted Butter
    • 2 Eggs, lightly beaten
    • 1 cup Sweet Corn Kernels
    • 1/8 cup Honey, for brushing on top (optional)

    Directions

    Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

    Lightly grease a small baking dish or cake pan.

    In a bowl, combine flour, corn meal, baking powder, sugar, and salt until well blended.

    In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, honey, melted butter, and beaten eggs. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix just until they are combined. Do not over mix. Fold in the corn kernels.

    Pour into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

    If desired, brush the top of the cornbread with a little honey, about 20 minutes into the baking time.

    Allow the bread to cool for about 15 minutes before cutting and enjoying!

    Check back later today for a spicy chili recipe!

    Cornbread with a Drizzle of Honey

    Edited to Add: Hi, everyone! I can’t believe I made it to Freshly Pressed! Wow! Hope you enjoy my blog. I really love writing it. If it makes you hungry, click on the right to subscribe. I add several new recipes each week, always with lots of pictures. Thanks for reading! ~Amy

    92 Comments

    Posted in Baking, Breads, Food, Side Dishes and tagged , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.
    ← Older Posts
    Newer Posts →
    Look, Feel, Live Beautiful

    Beauty Awaits

    The Gourmand Mom

    Good food, seasoned with a dash of life