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Beef Stroganoff

Posted on September 29, 2010 by amydeline

My husband is a recovering picky eater. When we first met almost fifteen years ago, there was a lengthy list of things he wouldn’t eat. I nearly ended the relationship on the spot when I discovered he didn’t like bacon. Doesn’t like bacon??? Clearly, this was a cause for alarm. But, I stuck around. And as our relationship developed I learned more about his lifelong history as a picky eater. I giggled when his mom shared stories of ordering cheeseburger happy meals, sans the burger on the cheeseburger. I questioned his ability to eat a turkey sandwich with swiss cheese and mustard on whole wheat every single day, without exception. And I puzzled over the quantity of Sunny D he consumed. What in the world is Sunny D, anyway??

As a person who thrives on cooking and eating a wide variety of foods, I was flummoxed by his limited diet and long list of food biases. Thankfully, since the time we met fifteen years ago, he has greatly expanded his food repertoire. Not only does he eat bacon, he loves it. Burgers delight him. And he now eats a tuna sandwich for lunch every day instead of turkey and drinks real orange juice, made from real oranges. He still won’t eat Chinese food, or anything whose name or flavor profile slightly resembles Chinese food. And I’ve repeatedly failed to get him to appreciate duck. But, for the most part, he eats whatever I place in front of him. For that, I am thankful.

But during our early days, cooking for my picky mate was a bit more challenging. He had not yet grown to trust my cooking ability and I was not fully clear on what he would or wouldn’t eat. So, imagine my delight when I discovered that one of his favorite meals was Beef Stroganoff. That just so happened to be one of my very favorite meals. I was happy to make it for him. There are endless versions of this classic recipe floating around. My version is my memory’s adaptation of the recipe my mom used to make for our family. I’m not sure how it compares to my husband’s childhood memory of Beef Stroganoff, but he’s never complained. No matter how you make it, it’s hard to go wrong with tender bites of beef in a creamy sauce over buttered egg noodles. Perfect comfort food deliciousness.

Beef Stroganoff

Ingredients

  • 1.5 pounds Beef (Flank Steak, Sirloin, Bottom Round, Chuck Roast, etc.)
  • 5-6 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 small Onion, chopped
  • 2 cups Mushrooms, sliced
  • 1/2 cup Flour
  • 1 1/2 cups Beef Stock
  • 2 Tbsp Worchestershire Sauce
  • 1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
  • 3/4 cup Sour Cream
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 1 bag Wide Egg Noodles, cooked according to package directions
  • Butter, for noodles

Directions

To prepare the meat, cut the beef into small slices or chunks. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the flour over the meat and toss so that each piece is evenly coated in flour. Set aside.

Heat a tablespoon or two of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and mushrooms. Cook for about 5-7 minutes, until the mushrooms and onions are tender. Remove the mushrooms and onions from the pan and set aside.

Add a few more tablespoons of oil to the pan, over medium heat. Add the beef in a single layer. Cook for a few minutes on each side, until the beef is browned and almost completely cooked through. (It will finish cooking as it simmers in the sauce.)

Add the beef stock to the pan and use a wooden spoon or whisk to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring the liquid to a simmer. Return the mushroom and onions to the pan and simmer for a few minutes. The sauce should begin to thicken.

Add the worchestershire sauce and mustard. Season with salt and pepper. Turn down the heat to low and add the sour cream. Stir until evenly combined. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.

Serve over hot, buttered egg noodles.

Serves 4

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Post-Party Relief and a Caramel Apple Cake

Posted on September 26, 2010 by amydeline

Ahhhhhhhhh… Deep breath of relaxation. The birthday party for the little man was a grand success. I love throwing parties, but it’s always a great relief on the morning after. No long list of things to cook, corners to clean, or balloons to inflate. Just a house which looks like a herd of elephants charged through during the night and me on my computer, looking through pictures from the party and eating leftover caramel apple cake.

Mmmm… Caramel Apple Cake.

We’ll get to that cake in a minute. But first a few pics from the party.

The little man requested a dumptruck party. So, a dumptruck party he received.

There were construction themed plates with dumptruck designs, construction vehicles hanging in the windows, dumptrucks filled with potato chips, and hard hats, of course.

The sandwich and salad menu was a hit. Once the work of composing the sandwiches was complete, it was an easy meal to serve. The popular favorite turned out to be the Roast Beef, Cheddar, Apples, and Horseradish Sauce, which I served on cheese bread, lightly warmed in the oven.

For dessert, we enjoyed the Muddy Cups, which were my personal favorite. You may remember that I made the Muddy Cups as a solution to mangled, over-filled cupcakes. They turned out to be delicious. I’d purposely mangle cupcakes any day, in order to make more Muddy Cups.

We sang Happy Birthday, of course, and the little man blew out his birthday candle. It was sweet to watch the expression on his face as the room full of people sang to him. He was clearly confused and intrigued by the event.

Amongst other fantastic gifts, he received a dinosaur costume, which we all enjoyed.

Rrrrroar!

And did I mention this Caramel Apple Cake??

On the flight home from NYC a couple weeks ago, I picked up a copy of Food Network magazine and was greeted with the recipe for this cake. I instantly added it to my list of recipes to try.  Last weekend’s apple picking excursion provided me with the star ingredient. So, I whipped it up yesterday as an extra party treat.

The recipe starts with a homemade caramel, which is delicious and simple to make. The entire process sort of has a mad scientist feel to it. You start with a pot full of dry sugar, which magically melts in an amber syrup. Then you add the butter and cream. Do be careful and use a deep pot and a long spoon for mixing. It will bubble up a storm once you add the butter and cream. The vigorous bubbling which ensues the moment the butter and cream hit the syrup actually led my husband to question whether I was doing it right. Yes, dear. I’m doing it right. It’s a lot of fun to make. Just be careful and keep kids at a distance.

Part of the hot caramel is poured into a buttered pan. You need a deep pan for this recipe, at least 3 inches deep. I was able to find one in the baking section of my local craft store. After the caramel has cooled a bit, sliced apples are arranged in an overlapping round and a halved apple is placed in the center.

The batter is then prepared and poured over the apples. Chopped apples are placed on topped and the cake is baked for about an hour and twenty minutes.

To serve, the caramel is remelted by placing the cake pan in a dish of boiled water. The cake is inverted over a serving plate. Then, the reserved caramel is warmed and drizzled on top.

Overall, I really liked this recipe, though I agree with some of the reviews that 1 1/2 cups of caramel is more than necessary for drizzling over the top. No real complaints here though, since the extra caramel will be great over ice cream. As far as the cake batter goes, I’d rework this part of the recipe if I made it again. It was just a touch too dry and a tad bland for my tastes. I’d be inclined to sweeten it up a touch, add a bit more cinnamon, and decrease the flour for a moister, sweeter, spicier cake.

You can find the recipe for Caramel Apple Cake, along with a step by step slideshow, by clicking here.

Looking forward to a day of eating leftovers and relaxing in my messy house!

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Eggplant Parmigiana

Posted on September 15, 2010 by amydeline

Winter comes on fast here in Syracuse. It seems like one week you’re sweating in 90 degrees weather at the fair and the next week you’re rummaging through the house trying to figure out where you stashed your scarf when winter finally ended in June. It’s a long, cold, snowy winter ’round here, predominated by gloomy, gray skies and frostbitten noses.

But, there’s a short period of time between the summer and winter, where the sun is still shining, but the air carries just a touch of chill; sweater weather. The leaves turn a beautiful rainbow of rusty reds, burnt oranges, and golden yellows. Apples are ripe for picking. It’s perfectly autumn.

And though I don’t particularly care for the long periods of Syracuse winter gloom, I feel a buzz of excitement on the day I wake up to that perfectly autumn weather. To me, the first cool day in September is shouting one thing, loud and clear… Welcome to Comfort Food Season!

Comfort food season. It’s the time for spending a little longer in the kitchen. Time for heating up the oven and letting the warm aromas permeate the house. Time for hot, cheesy dishes, casseroles, and slow-cooked meats with roasted potatoes. Time for forgiving stretchy pants and bulky sweaters. Comfort food season makes this Gourmand Mom a very happy girl.

So, in honor of comfort food season, I’m making one of my childhood comfort food favorites. You see, I’m Irish, Scottish, and Armenian by heritage, but a good part of my family is Italian. I was raised on Italian food. There may not be a drop of Italian blood in me, but there’s the heart of an Italian cook hiding in there. And, as far as I’m concerned, when it comes to comfort food, it doesn’t get much better than Eggplant Parmigiana. Breaded and fried eggplant, layered with cheese and tomato sauce, then baked until perfectly hot and delicious.

My recipe is based on the recipe I was raised with. The secret comes from the combination of three different cheeses between each layer of eggplant; parmigiano-reggiano, mozzarella, and ricotta. The ricotta’s the real key, if you ask me. You can use any kind of tomato sauce in the dish. Homemade marinara or a high-quality store-bought sauce would be fine. I’m using a jar of Bertolli’s spicy Arrabbiata Sauce, which I received in the welcome gift bag over the weekend.

My process for making eggplant parmigiana begins with salting the eggplants. If you’re using freshly picked or baby eggplants, you can probably skip this step. For larger eggplants, which have been off the plant for a few days, salting serves a dual purpose. The salt draws out the bitter liquids which can accumulate in older eggplants, leaving you with a better flavor. Also, as a result of removing some of the liquid, you’ll have a firmer eggplant which will absorb less oil during the frying process.

The entire process of composing the eggplant parmigiana is a little time-consuming, but not complicated. The great part is that is can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated or frozen until you’re ready to eat. If baking from refrigerated or frozen, be sure to add some additional cooking time to ensure that the dish gets thoroughly heated through.

Eggplant Parmigiana

Ingredients*

  • 2 medium/large Eggplants, sliced into approximately 1/3″ slices
  • Salt
  • 1 cup Flour
  • 3 Eggs, lightly beaten
  • 2 cups Bread Crumbs
  • 1/2 cup Olive Oil
  • 2 cups Tomato Sauce
  • 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese, shredded
  • 2 cups Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
  • 2 cups Ricotta Cheese

* All measurements are approximate. Adjust according to the size of your eggplants and your preferences.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Arrange the eggplant slices on a baking sheet. Generously sprinkle the slices with salt. Allow the salted eggplant to rest for 15-20 minutes. You will begin to see droplets of liquid forming on the eggplant. Rinse the eggplant slices and pat dry.

Then, set up a dish of flour, bowl of the beaten eggs, and a dish of bread crumbs. Press both sides of each slice into the flour, dip in the beaten eggs, then press into the bread crumbs to thoroughly coat. Repeat this process with all eggplant slices.

Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Places slices of eggplant in a single layer in the pan. Cook for about two minutes, then flip and cook on the other side for two minutes. Both sides should be a golden brown. Place the slices on layers of paper towels to drain. Continue this process, adding more oil as necessary, until all of the eggplant has been cooked. If the bread crumbs remaining  in the pan between batches begin to burn, wipe out the pan and replace with fresh oil before beginning the next batch.

Pour a small amount of sauce in the bottom of a baking dish. To compose the eggplant parmigiana, spread a spoonful of ricotta onto a slice of eggplant. Place the slice on top of the sauce in the baking dish. Sprinkle with parmigiano-reggiano and mozzarella. Then drizzle a small spoonful of tomato sauce on top. Repeat with additional eggplant, cheese, and sauce to create layered towers of eggplant, cheese, and sauce, each without about four eggplant slices. After placing the final slice of eggplant on the tower, top with sauce, then parmigiano-reggiano and a generous amount of mozzarella.

Bake for about 30-35 minutes. For a firmer cheese crust, leave the baking dish uncovered. For a meltier, gooey cheese topping, cover the baking dish with foil for the first 25 minutes or so.

Serve over spaghetti with extra sauce and cheese.


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The Gourmand Mom Hits the Big Apple

Posted on September 11, 2010 by amydeline

Hi everyone!

Just wanted to pass along a quick update from our big trip to NYC. If you haven’t been following the story, we’re here as a result of my winning recipe, Braised Lamb Shanks and Mushroom with Brown-braised Onions, which I entered into a contest sponsored by Bertolli, the company which produces delicious pasta sauces, olive oils, and fresh-tasting frozen meals.

We arrived early yesterday afternoon and were greeted at the airport by a swanky Lexus towncar. Not a bad way to start the weekend. The driver got us into the city in a snap and we checked into our room on the 39th floor of the Crowne Plaza Times Square Hotel.

Within a few minutes of our arrival, there was a knock on the door, announcing the arrival of a welcome gift from the Bertolli team. The highlight of the gift was seeing my recipe printed on a glossy recipe card.

By this point, it was well past our lunch time and my belly was burning with hunger. We set out in search of food, specifically Italian food, which my husband had a hankering for. We bypassed an Olive Garden and landed upon a little corner place called Ciro Trattoria. The placard in the front advertised a $15 Prix Fixe 3-course menu, with options such as Spaghetti and Meatballs, Chicken Marsala, or Rigatoni Bolognese. Sounded right up our alley, so we entered.

Upon opening the front door, we were greeted by four uniformed police officers and a self-proclaimed psychotic who’d apparently just downed six Coronas and a Hennessey on the rocks in a thirty-minute time frame before deciding that she didn’t feel like paying. Ahh… good ole New York City. I sure did miss it here. The host ushered us to a comfortable table far removed from the commotion. We ordered our drinks and selected our entrées.

Our meal began with a house salad, in a surprisingly delightful vinaigrette. The sweetness of the dressing provided an excellent contrast to the saltiness of the olives in the dish. Italian bread was served warm, perfectly crispy on the outside, chewy in the middle.

We shared an order of Fried Calamari, which were lightly seasoned and well-cooked. The sauce was unremarkable, but overall it was a pleasing dish.

For my entrée, I selected the Rigatoni Bolognese. My husband had the Spaghetti and Meatballs. Once again, the sauce was somewhat unremarkable, but the pasta was cooked perfectly al dente and the parmesan cheese was particularly delicious. I had no trouble clearing my plate.

For dessert, they served Tortoni; a small ice cream dish topped with a light layer of ground nuts and a cherry. It was delicious. My only complaint is that is didn’t come with extra nut topping!

By the time we left, the raving woman had been escorted out of the restaurant and was standing in the middle of the road yelling at the cars. We made our way past and headed back to the hotel for a much-needed nap.

In the evening, we had the opportunity to meet up with the other contest winners and the Bertolli team at a welcome dinner, which was held in a private dining room at a Bryant Park restaurant called Aureole. What a truly lovely group of people!

The drinks, conversation, and laughter flowed easily amongst this new group of friends. We even had the opportunity to meet an extraordinarily well-spoken and well mannered young man, who floored us with his knowledge of the culinary world. He also happens to be a skilled drummer, bassist, and pianist; a young Rock & Roll chef! He shares a food blog with his foodie mom, called The Mouths, which I will definitely be following!

Dinner was truly impressive, prepared to perfection. I started with the Organic Baby Greens with Fresh Buffalo Mozzarella, Summer Vegetables, and White Balsamic Vinaigrette.

For my entrée, I selected the Beef Tenderloin with English Peas, Smoked Fingerling Potatoes, Pearl Onions, and Sauce Au Poivre. It was melt-in-your-mouth tender and expertly seasoned.

Dessert was a Warm Chocolate Cake served with Pistachio Ice Cream and Candied Pistachio. The flavor was full of rich, decadent chocolate, yet the texture was indescribably light. Chocolate heaven on a plate.

It was a lovely dinner, which I felt honored to be part of. Tonight is the big event at Lincoln Center. I’m both incredibly excited and nervous. We’ll be attending the Zac Posen fashion show, followed by the Bertolli after party, hosted by Rocco Dispirito and Zac Posen. The winning dishes have been carefully scaled down into passed hors d’oeuvres and will be served to the attending celebrities and media. It’s certain to be an event unlike anything I’ve ever experienced.

Wish me luck!

: )

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Surf and Turf – Anniversary Style

Posted on September 10, 2010 by amydeline

Five years ago, on a sunny early-September afternoon, I married my best friend. And what a beautiful five years it has been. As I sit here reflecting on the past five years, I am eternally thankful for all we have. Love, trust, respect, humor, empathy. We are acutely aware of how fortunate we are.

Photograph courtesy of Tamela Kemp Photography ~ http://www.tamelakemp.com

After a long dating relationship, begun during our college days, we decided to formally tie the knot, which we’d informally tied long before. We carefully crafted all of the details of our wedding to represent our tastes and the result was a memorable wedding day, which our friends and family continue to remark on.

Photograph courtesy of Tamela Kemp Photography ~ http://www.tamelakemp.com

We married at the Thomas Birkby House in Leesburg, Virginia; a lovely property, circa 1770. We said our vows in front of the carriage house, where 130 or so of our closest friends and family had gathered. The bridesmaids wore warm autumn brown and carried rust colored Leonides roses. I carried a bouquet of ivory roses with moss green hydrangeas.

Photograph courtesy of Tamela Kemp Photography ~ http://www.tamelakemp.com

Immediately following the ceremony, our guests enjoyed a cocktail hour in the courtyard to the sounds of a harpist. Hors d’oeuvres were passed and guests mingled while enjoying the assortment of wines and specialty beers we’d hand-selected.

Passed Hors d’oeuvres Menu

Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail with Tangy Cocktail Sauce

Little Washington Tartlette ~ Melange of Virginia Country Ham, D’Anjou Pear, Baby
Arugula and Parmigiano-Reggiano,

Dried Figs with Gorgonzola garnished with a Poached Cranberry

Smoked Salmon on Sweet Potato and Apple Pancakes

Crispy Tomato Toast with Fresh Mozzarella and Basil

Photograph courtesy of Tamela Kemp Photography ~ http://www.tamelakemp.com

Following the cocktail hour,we moved into a large white tent with a ceiling of soft, gathered fabric and a brass chandelier, where the pièce de résistance of our wedding awaited; the food. Of all the details we’d carefully planned, the food was our highest priority. Well, at the very least, it was my highest priority. And when it came down to planning the meal for our wedding, our plan was certain. Skip the traditional multi-course dinner in exchange for a wider assortment of unique, carefully-crafted, decadent hors d’ouevres; arranged on tables scattered throughout the tent. Casual but elegant. Enough food to fill everyone’s bellies, all in bite-sized portions. My favorite way to dine.

Stationary Hors d’oeuvres Menu

Domestic and Imported Cheeses

Savory Cheese Torte with Sun-Dried Tomato

Creamy Brie with Apricot Preserves

Saga Bleu Polenta Rounds with Beef Tenderloin

Smoked Duck on Pecan Crackers with Red Currant Chutney

Bouchees with Brie, Chutney, and Almonds

Miniature Maryland Crab Cakes on a Bed of Creole Slaw with Red Remoulade Sauce

Sate Station – Grilled Beef, Chicken, and Pork with Hot Mustard, Indonesian Barbecue and Peanut Sauces

Scallop Tostada – Seared Sea Scallop on a Salpicon of Lump Crabmeat and Sweet Yello Corn with Poblano Pepper Aioli

Baby Vegetable Crudite with Yellow Pepper Thyme and Black Olive Feta Dips

Butternut Squash Bisque with California Fruit Chutney and Crunchy Cheese Straws

The surprise standout of the menu was the bisque, which we added to the menu at the last minute after enjoying an amuse bouche of pumpkin bisque at a local restaurant sometime during the months preceding our wedding.

Photograph courtesy of Tamela Kemp Photography ~ http://www.tamelakemp.com

We used a wonderful Washington DC area caterer, Ridgewells, who made our vision become reality. Ridgewells is well known in the DC area and they more than fulfilled our expectations. They even worked with us to design custom hors d’ouevres, including a special Little Washington Tartlette, based on one of the courses we enjoyed at The Inn at Little Washington on the evening we got engaged.

Photograph courtesy of Tamela Kemp Photography ~ http://www.tamelakemp.com

Oh, and the cake! The cake, the cake, the cake! Honestly, while planning the our wedding, the cake was not incredibly high on my list of priorities. I had an idea for the design and, of course, I wanted it to taste good, but I felt no need to run around to various bakeries looking for the perfect wedding cake. We’d tasted a few of the cake selections which Ridgewells offered and it was enough for us to feel comfortable having them provide the cake. We requested a Rich Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Mousse and Raspberry Filling. I remember the moment the first bite of that cake entered my mouth. It was a complete surprise. I had expected wedding cake. Know what I mean? Doesn’t it seem like wedding cake always tastes like wedding cake? Well, not this wedding cake. I was floored by how rich and moist and utterly delicious our cake was. Seriously the best wedding cake I’ve ever tasted.

Photograph courtesy of Tamela Kemp Photography ~ http://www.tamelakemp.com

In honor of our 5th anniversary, I decided to prepare two of the items from our wedding menu, entrée style. An anniversary surf and turf duo of Beef Tenderloin on Sage Blue Polenta garnished with Julienned Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Jumbo Lump Crab Cake on a bed of Spicy Creole Slaw.

I seasoned the tenderloins with salt and pepper and seared them in a hot pan with a bit of olive oil. Then, I placed them several inches under the broiler and cooked in the oven until they reached our desired doneness. After allowing the beef to rest for a few minutes, I sliced the steak, which I served over warm polenta. To the polenta, I added some Saga bleu cheese. Any other bleu cheese would be delicious as well. I garnished the steak with thin slices of sun-dried tomatoes.

For the crabcakes, I used my recipe for broiled jump lump crab cakes, which you can find here. I served the crab cakes on a bed of creole slaw, which added the perfect amount of crunch and spice to the dish. Leftover crabcakes and slaw make to-die-for sandwiches the next day.

Creole Slaw

Ingredients

  • 6 cups Cole Salw Mix (Shredded Cabbage and Carrots)
  • 1/2 cup Mayonnaise
  • 1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1/2 Tbsp Worchestershire Sauce
  • 1 Tbsp Creole Mustard
  • 1 Tbsp Brown Sugar
  • 1 tsp Garlic, minced
  • 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
  • 1/2 tsp Salt

Directions

Combine the mayo, vinegar, worchestershire, mustard, brown sugar, garlic, cayenne and salt. Taste and adjust seasoning, if desired. Toss with the cole slaw mix. Make several hours or a day ahead if possible.

Photograph courtesy of Tamela Kemp Photography ~ http://www.tamelakemp.com

Later this morning, we take off to New York City for our 3-night getaway, courtesy of Bertolli. Tonight we’ll be attending a welcome dinner at Aureole, which is certain to be a treat! We’ll have a chance to meet the winners of the other categories and the Bertolli team. Tomorrow evening we’ll get dolled up to attend the Zac Posen show, followed by the afterparty, where my winning Braised Lamb Shanks will be served in passed hors d’oeuvres form. Should be a very exciting weekend! Stay tuned for more details.

In totally unrelated news, my little man started nursery school yesterday. Unbelievable.

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Coconut-Macadamia Nut Biscotti

Posted on September 9, 2010 by amydeline

It took me a long time to appreciate the flavor of vanilla. As a child, and most of my adulthood, I equated anything vanilla flavored as being plain flavored. You might have just asked me if I wanted chocolate or plain flavored ice cream. Of course I’d choose chocolate. I couldn’t fathom why anyone would pick plain.

And then there was the scent of vanilla. Vanilla candles, vanilla body washes, vanilla room spray. I just didn’t get it. What was so darn intriguing about the scent of vanilla?? At one point during my early teenage years, I joined my mom at a gathering with her girlfriends. They would meet at one or another’s house each week to watch the show Thirty-Something. They’d ooh and aah over the leading males characters and talk girl-talk. I felt shy. Then, at one point, someone took out a bottle of vanilla extract, unscrewed the top, and passed it around the room for all to smell. I’m pretty sure they told me I wouldn’t understand, when I questioned this odd ritual. I wanted to go home. From then on, vanilla was not only plain to me; it was weird too.

I avoided vanilla for most of my life. Given the choice, I’d always pick the chocolate option. And then my life was changed at the Starbucks inside my local Target. I’d stopped by to pick up a Grande Nonfat Iced Peppermint Mocha for myself, my drink of choice. For the kids, I grabbed a couple biscotti, a considerably less messy option than the giant chocolate chip cookies. I picked up one double chocolate biscotti for my oldest and a vanilla-almond for the younger. I broke off a piece of the vanilla almond for myself, since I knew the baby wouldn’t give me any slack about it.

And that’s when my world was forever changed. It was in that bite of Starbucks Vanilla Almond Biscotti that my perception of vanilla was altered. It was no longer the plain flavor. It was good. It was amazing. I must have eaten 10 of those biscotti in the first week after my earth-shattering discovery. Vanilla tastes good. Only took me 30 or so years to figure it out.

I owe many thanks to my mother-in-law for a multitude of generosity, including traveling out from Ohio yet again to watch our little men while we head down to NYC for our weekend of food and fashion fun, courtesy of Bertolli. I wanted to bake a little something as a welcome and thank you gift. After a bit of brainstorming, I decided this was as good a time as any to try my hand at vanilla biscotti. For good measure, I decided to throw in a few macadamia nuts and a handful of shredded coconut. The result was quite good. Quite cook indeed. Sweet, crunchy, and perfectly dip-worthy.

Coconut Macadamia Nut Biscotti

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup Sugar
  • 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 1/4 tsp Baking Powder
  • 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 2 1/4 cups Flour
  • 1/2 cup Macadamia Nut, slightly chopped
  • 1/2 cup Shredded, Sweetened Coconut

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper. In a bowl, mix together the sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, baking powder, and vanilla extract. Add in the flour, nuts and coconut. Stir to combine. The batter will be soft and sticky. Coat your hands with flour, then gather the dough from the bowl. On a well-floured surface, knead the dough a few times. Divide the dough in half. Roll each half into a log with a diameter of about 2 inches. Place the logs on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Use a serrated knife to cut 1/2 inch slices. Stand the slices up on the baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes more.

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Almost Perfect Fontina Chops

Posted on September 8, 2010 by amydeline

A few years ago, in search of child-friendly dining option, we found ourselves in a Bonefish Grill. Prior to this visit, my only knowledge of Bonefish Grill was through one of our family members, who spoke with great passion about the Filet Mignon with Gorgonzola Butter he’d eaten there. At the time, he’d claimed it was the best meal he’d ever eaten. Based on his description of the meal, I made the silly mistake of trying to cook this idolized meal for him. We went over to our local Whole Foods to buy the finest, freshest ingredients. I meticulously crafted the meal as described. Then we all sat down to enjoy the meal together.

Well, my Filet Mignon with Gorgonzola dinner came out fantastic, truly fantastic. Everyone was fully pleased, except perhaps, the family member I’d cooked it for. His critique was that it was almost perfect. I’d accepted the praise and thanked him. I’ll take an almost perfect review. But, my husband wasn’t about to let his comment go. What do you mean almost?? He pressed. What should have been improved? Our family member then tried to argue that it couldn’t possibly be as perfect as in a restaurant because I didn’t have access to restaurant stuff. We giggled and let it go, but we still joke with him today about his almost perfect comment. All in good fun and with love.

So, when I found myself sitting in front of the Bonefish Grill menu, there was part of me that was very strongly leaning towards ordering the Filet Mignon with Gorgonzola Butter, so that I could dissect the dish and discover the errors of my almost perfect recreation. And then I spotted the Fontina Chop; a pork chop with Marsala sauce, prosciutto, garlic, and fontina cheese. Just reading the description had me salivating. I almost always order steak or seafood in restaurants, so a pork dish was a departure for me. But it sounded so irresistible. And it was. It was probably the best rendition of a pork chops and gravy dish I’ve ever eaten. If you ever find yourself in a Bonefish Grill, I highly recommend this dish.

Notice the absence of Fontina cheese; the result of cooking and photographing with two little people and a dog at my heels. My cheese was added post-pictures.

It was years ago, but the flavor combination in that dish stuck with me. So, I decided to have a go at recreating another Bonefish Grill dish. My advantage, this time, is that I’ve actually seen and eaten the sought after dish. My disadvantage is that it was so long ago that my memory will be fairly worthless in terms of comparing the actual taste match between the dishes. Regardless of differences between Bonefish’s dish and mine, I have to admit that this recipe is delicious…almost perfect.

Fontina Chops

Inspired by Bonefish Grill

Ingredients

For the Pork Chops

  • 2 Boneless Pork Chops
  • 1 Egg, lightly beaten
  • 3/4 cup Bread Crumbs
  • 2-3 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 1/2 cup Fontina Cheese, shredded

For the Sauce

  • 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 3-4 slices Prosciutto, chopped
  • 2 cups Baby Bella Mushrooms, Sliced
  • 1/2 tsp Garlic, minced
  • 3/4 cup Marsala Wine
  • 1 can (15 ounces) Chicken Broth
  • 1 Tbsp Cornstarch
  • Salt and Pepper

Directions

For the pork chops:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Trim any excess fat from the chops. Season with salt and pepper. Dip the chops into the beaten egg, then press all sides in the bread crumbs until thoroughly coated. Heat the olive oil in an oven-proof pan. Place the breaded chops in the pan and cook for a minute or two on each side until golden brown. Place the pan in the oven and cook until the pork chops are fully cooked. Time will vary depending on the thickness of the chops. My 1″ pork chops took about 15 minutes in the oven. A instant read thermometer inserted into the center should read 165 degrees.

(**Edited to Add: The USDA has recently reduced its recommended safe temperature for pork to 145 degrees. Based on this new recommendation, you can probably cut the cooking time to about 12 minutes in the oven, but cooking time will vary based on the thickness of your chops. An instant-read meat thermometer is your best friend in determining doneness!**)

For the sauce:

Prepare the sauce while the chops are cooking. Heat olive oil in a pan. Add the mushrooms and prosciutto. Cook for 8-9 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender and lightly browned. Add the garlic. Cook for another minute or two. Then removed the cooked mushrooms, prosciutto, and garlic and set aside. Add the marsala to the hot pan. Bring to a simmer and cook until the liquid has reduced to about 1/4 cup. Add the chicken broth. Return to a simmer and cook until a little more than 1 cup of liquid remains. Place the cornstarch in a small bowl. Spoon a few tablespoons of the hot liquid into the cornstarch and stir until combined. (Dissolving the cornstarch in a small amount of liquid before adding to the sauce will help to prevent lumps from forming.) Then, add the cornstarch mixture to the pan and simmer for another minute or two to thicken. Return the mushroom mixture to the pan and simmer for a minute to reheat.

To serve:

As soon as the pork chops come out of the oven, sprinkle the fontina cheese on top. Allow the pork chops to rest and the cheese to melt for a couple minutes. Then spoon the sauce over the chops and serve. Smashed Red Potatoes and Steamed Asparagus make wonderful side dishes!

Serves 2

Hubby's dish, cheese properly applied.

Since writing this recipe, it has come to my attention that the Bonefish fontina chops are not breaded. I stand by my breaded chops in this recipe, as it is hands-down my favorite way to prepare pork chops. But, if you’re looking for a more similar recreation to Bonefish’s dish, you may wish to skip the breading steps and simply season your chops with salt and peppers and sear in a pan before finishing in the oven. Enjoy!

10 Comments

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Funny Bone Cupcakes

Posted on September 2, 2010 by amydeline

I love the feature on my blog stats page which shows me all of the search terms which have led people to my blog. As you might expect, most of the search terms have something to do with food; marinara using fresh tomatoes, best oatmeal cookie, Nick Tahou’s at the New York State Fair. But I also get a fair share of hits from search terms which leave me puzzled, for example, How to Make a Christmas Money Wreath. What’s a Christmas money wreath? I want one of those.

And then today, I awoke to find that someone had been led to my blog by the search term, Irresistible Hot Moms. HAHA! That’s absolutely awesome. I’m pretty sure it led the searcher to my post on Irresistible Spinach Dip with Wonton Pasta Chips, wherein the recipe included details about getting the cooking oil hot. Just a wild guess, but I suspect the searcher wasn’t looking for a spinach dip recipe. Funny stuff.

Speaking of funny stuff… Does it get any better than Funny Bones? You know, those delicious chocolatey-peanut buttery Drake’s cakes. As a child, I’d easily bypass the racks of Twinkies, Devil Dogs, Yodels, or Ding Dongs in search of my all-time favorite snack cake, Funny Bones! I could’ve eaten a whole box in one sitting and wouldn’t have even regretted the resulting bellyache. For some reason, as I grew up, Funny Bones seemed to be in shorter supply. Perhaps they have a limited distribution area and I was moving to all of the wrong places. But one day I woke up and realized I hadn’t seen a Funny Bone in ages. That realization was not so funny at all.

I don’t eat snack cakes very often these days. The deep-fried twinkie, which I recently devoured at the fair, was probably the first snack cake I’ve eaten all year. But, I’ve been feeling a bit nostalgic lately, so I’ve decided to build a cupcake inspired by childhood favorite. The only difference is that my cupcake will feature grown-up deep chocolate flavor. Moist, dark chocolate cupcakes, filled with sweet peanut butter filling, and decked with a smooth chocolate ganache. Funny Bones improved.

For the cake, I’m using a recipe I stumbled upon a few months ago while searching for a base for my Baked Alaska endeavor. The recipe for Deep Dark Chocolate Cake, found on the Hershey’s website, is perhaps the best chocolate cake I’ve ever tasted. I’ll never make another chocolate cake recipe. It’s rich, oh so moist, and a cinch to make. For the filling, I’m simply combining creamy peanut butter with confectioners sugar and a bit of cream for a sweet and creamy texture. My favorite simple chocolate ganache will deck the cupcake tops with a sprinkle of chopped peanuts as a finishing touch.

Tomorrow night, my girls are coming over to help me figure out a hairstyle for the big Bertolli Fashion Week event next week. I’m sure they’ll also be willing to help me take care of a few of these cupcakes!

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

(Barely adapted from Hershey’s Deep Dark Chocolate Cake recipe)

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Sugar
  • 1-3/4 cups All-purpose Flour
  • 3/4 cup HERSHEY’S Cocoa or HERSHEY’S SPECIAL DARK Cocoa
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons Baking Soda
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 cup Milk
  • 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
  • 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
  • 1 cup Boiling Water

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare cupcakes pans with cupcake liners or grease and lightly flour.

In a large bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Beat for a couple minutes until well combined. Add the boiling water and stir. The batter will be thinner than you might expect. Pour the batter into the prepared cupcake pans. *Fill each cupcake about 2/3 full, to avoid overflowing. Bake for  25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely before filling and frosting.

Peanut Butter Filling

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
  • 1/2 cup Confectioners Sugar
  • 3 Tbsp Heavy Cream

Directions

Warm the peanut butter for a few seconds in the microwave to soften. Add the sugar and stir together until smooth. Add the cream, as necessary, to reach a consistency which is thick, but loose enough to easily squeeze through a pastry tip.

Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients

  • 6 ounces Semisweet Chocolate
  • 1/2 cup Heavy Cream

Directions

Give the chocolate a coarse chop. Place the chocolate pieces in a bowl. Heat the cream, just to a boil. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and stir until smooth.

To compose the cupcakes…

Spoon the peanut butter filling into a pastry bag fitted with a small/medium round tip. (You can also use a ziploc bag with the corner cut off and a pastry tip inserted.) Insert the pastry tip into the top of each cupcake and squeeze to fill the cakes with a small amount of peanut butter filling. Refrigerate for about 10 minutes to set the filling.

Prepare the ganache. One at a time, hold each cupcake by the base and dip the top into the ganache to evenly coat. Return to the cooling rack. Garnish the cupcakes with a few chopped peanuts. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Children will especially enjoy helping out with the dipping and tasting the results!

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Posted in Baking, Chocolate, Cooking with Kids, Desserts, Food, Recipes and tagged , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Fair Day!

Posted on August 30, 2010 by amydeline

Well, we did it. We had our day at the New York State Fair. Excuse my slip. I mean the Great New York State Fair. It was hot, crowded, and slow to get around, but it was still great! What’s not to love about the fair?

Painted horses, spinning round and round, up and down.

Crazy wind men, mesmerizing as they flap through the air.

Time to smell the roses (or other assorted potted plants).

Shopping, shopping, shopping.

The annual sand sculpture…

…and the sand sculptor, hard at work.

The ferris wheel, glowing in the clear evening sky.

Buildings full of prize-winning cows and rabbits, horse shows, butter sculptures, giraffe-feeding, and free Styx concerts. These are all valid reasons for attending the fair. But there’s one main draw for me. Fair food!

Gyros, oozing with Tzatziki Sauce.

Corn dogs, a sweet and savory meal on a stick.

Chocolate-Vanilla Twist Ice Cream, a sweet treat for my sweet kids.

But, I didn’t eat a gyro, or a corn dog, or ice cream. And I didn’t eat the bloomin’ onion, salty butterfly fries smothered with cheese, or fried dough sprinkled in sugar, all of which my family enjoyed. I was saving myself, exercising my most remarkable fair day self-control ever, for this year’s grand-daddy of fair food offerings; Nick Tahou’s Garbage Plate.

Nick Tahou’s is a well-known Rochester, New York joint, famous for its greasy, sloppy, and delicious Garbage Plate. My college days are marked by more than a few 3 a.m. garbage plates. I hadn’t had once since, until our fair day, that is. Boy, did it bring back memories!

The Garbage Plate. A messy mound of deliciousness. Bed of french fries and macaroni salad, topped with two, hot cheeseburgers, then smothered with Tahou’s signature, greasy-beefy hot sauce, chopped onions, and mustard. Other options include hamburger, white or red hot dogs, Italian sausage, or chicken tenders for the meats and baked beans or home fries for the sides.

This year is the first year that Nick Tahou’s has made an appearance at the fair and I certainly hope it’s not the last!

Here piggy, piggy.

Some time later in the evening we found our hunger again. This time, a huge ear of sweet, roasted corn on the cob, brushed with cajun butter, satisfied my cravings.

A creepy clown lured us towards his fried dough van…

…where he tempted us with Funnel Cakes and powdered sugar.

The grand finale of the evening came in the form of twinkie, dipped in batter and deep-fried, until the outside took on a crispy golden brown and the inner cake and cream blended together to create a deep-fried twinkie heaven.

Until next year, dear fair…

In other news…

I’m currently the proud owner of my first domain. You can now find The Gourmand Mom by going to http://www.thegourmandmom.com, which will take you right back here to this site!

And…

I’ve set up an email account specifically for The Gourmand Mom, so to contact me with any questions, comments, or feedback about this blog, you can email: thegourmandmom [at] yahoo [dot] com

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Fresh Tomato Marinara Sauce

Posted on August 12, 2010 by amydeline

The summer night is quiet. A couple rests peacefully in their comfortable feather-topped bed. The windows are open; the low hum of a fan filling the air as it sends a soothing breeze throughout the room. The couple has drifted off into a tranquil dreamland, never suspecting what lie ahead.

Down the hall, a door swings open; the constant murmur of the fan providing cover to the sound.

Tap.

Tap. Tap.

Tap, Tap, Tap.

Taptaptaptaptaptap.

The sound of small, bare feet on hardwood floors.

She doesn’t feel the breath upon her face. She isn’t aware that she is being watched. Until it yells, Snuggle up!

The Snuggle Monster (post watermelon feast)

Startled and confused, she reaches over and lifts the small, warm person into bed and does as he commands. Snuggle up. And they begin drifting back to sleep; the midnight snuggle attack a roaring success. Until the small person begins talking. Mommy? Mommy? Mommy? At which point the slumbering man awakes and demands that the small noisy person return to his bed.

Don't be deceived by the snuggle monster's cute ploys.

Thus began a mostly sleepless night.

And so it is a great joy to me that today’s post was actually last night’s dinner. Cooking complete. Food taste-tested. Photos taken. Recipe written. Just a matter of a few edits and done for the day. Leftovers for dinner…

Above all else, tasty food starts with tasty ingredients. Fresh ingredients at their prime require minimal fuss to produce outstanding results. When it comes to homemade tomato sauce, most of the year, your best bet may be canned tomatoes. Has lack of sleep made the gourmand mom lose her mind?? But, no. Tomatoes are canned at the peak of their ripeness at the peak of their season, their flavorful prime. You’d be hard-pressed to find fresh tomatoes nearly that tasty mid-winter. When tomatoes are not in season, canned crushed or whole tomatoes will offer you the most flavorful, nutrient-rich option.

But, there is a window of time when the ripe tomatoes, fresh from your garden, the farmer’s market, or your local grocery store are bursting with flavor. And in the Northeast, that time is now.

We’ll start with ripe, fresh tomatoes. (Taste one to ensure that they have vibrant, sweet tomato flavor.) Use a knife to make an ‘x’ at the bottom of each tomato. This will allow the skins to slip off easily.

Drop a few tomatoes at a time into a pot of boiling water. Allow them to sit in the boiling water for about 30 seconds.

Use a slotted spoon the remove the tomatoes.

Immediately place them into an ice bath to cool. The skins should begin slipping off on their own. Use your fingers to peel the tomatoes.

Once the tomatoes have been peeled, they’ll only require a few simple steps and a handful of fresh ingredients to become a flavorful marinara sauce. Make a big batch and freeze a few containers for some fresh tomato sauce, post peak tomato season.

Serve the sauce over pasta as is, or add a few more ingredients to make your own tomato sauce variation. Try olives, ground meat, roasted red peppers, mushrooms, or roasted garlic.

Basic Fresh Tomato Marinara Sauce

Ingredients

  • 3 1/2 pounds ripe Plum/Roma Tomatoes
  • 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 4 cloves Garlic, smashed
  • 2 small Onions, chopped
  • 1/2 cup Basil, chiffonade*
  • Salt (about 1 1/2 tsp)
  • Crushed Red Pepper, to taste

*Click here to see my photo guide on How to Chiffonade Basil.

Directions

Cut the top off of the tomatoes. Cut the tomatoes in half. Squeeze the seeds from the tomatoes into a strainer. Reserve the strained tomato liquid. Rough chop the tomatoes. In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and smashed garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the chopped tomatoes and tomato liquid to the pan. Cook for about 25 minutes over medium heat, until the tomatoes have broken down. For your safety, allow the mixture to cool slightly. Then, use a blender, food processor, or immersion blender to blend the mixture to your desired consistency. Be careful while blending hot liquids. Add the basil and season with salt and crushed red pepper. Continue cooking for about 10 more minutes to allow the flavors to blend and condense.

**You can make this recipe using canned tomatoes too. Look for canned whole or crushed tomatoes with no added salt. If you really want to use fresh tomatoes, but they’re not at their flavorful best, try adding a bit of tomato paste. The concentrated tomato flavor will do wonders for your sauce!

5 Comments

Posted in Dressings and Condiments, Food, Recipes, Sauces and tagged , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.
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