Delish Dish Experiments

Devil's Food Donut Experiment II: the Glaze. . .

2010-06-27T23:20:00.000-04:00

Thank you LA Times. This glaze really is a dream.

Ingredients:
1 pound bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate (chips or finely diced)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup water
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons corn syrup
Pinch salt

Directions:
1. Place the chocolate in a large bowl.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, cream, water, vanilla, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a good simmer over high heat. Remove from heat.
3. Pour the cream mixture over the chocolate and gently stir to combine, melting the chocolate and forming a glaze.
4. The glaze will thicken as it cools. This makes 2 1/2 cups glaze, which will keep for up to 1 week, covered and refrigerated. Rewarm slightly to thin.

Note: I used a package of semi-sweet chocolate chips (which is really only 12 oz) and added about 1/4 of another package of chocolate chips. It turned out dreamy.

My thoughts:
You know how Anne Hathaway in the Princess Diaries talks about her foot popping when she has the perfect kiss? Well, this glaze brought about a foot pop.

It keeps for a week, so I am already thinking of things to use it on--in fact I had it on a fresh peach tonight before I went to bed. Delish! I also have some French vanilla gelato in the freezer which may need some of this later. I tried out some oatmeal pancakes last weekend (which will become a post) and added chocolate chunks in. This glaze would be amazing with those. . . There aren't a lot of things I think would be bad with it. Maybe watermelon.

An experiment in donuts. . .

2010-06-27T23:01:00.003-04:00

Donut or Doughnut? Which one do you choose? I cannot decide, and I keep switching back and forth. After drooling over this waffleizer post, I decided that I HAD to have these doughnuts.

Note: One batch, really is enough. At the same time, if you have problems with scale (read: me), then you make two batches. My eyes are still watering from the oil in the air.

Ingredients:
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate
3 tablespoons butter
3 cups (12.75 ounces) flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup strong coffee, cooled--as I do not drink coffee, so don't have it on hand, we mixed water with cocoa and added it in.
Canola oil for frying

Directions:
1. In a glass bowl or measuring cup, combine the bittersweet chocolate and butter. Microwave, stirring every 30 seconds or so, until the chocolate and butter have melted and are combined. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cocoa. Set aside.

Note: this made the house smell like a chocolate lover's dream.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat together the eggs, egg yolks and sugar until lightened in color, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in the sour cream, vanilla and melted chocolate.
4. Gently beat half of the flour mixture, a spoonful at a time, into the egg mixture, then beat in the coffee. Continue to beat in the rest of the flour mixture, a spoonful at a time, until all of the ingredients are combined and a sticky dough is formed.

Note: if you are using a stand mixer, you should have used the bread hook, if you are using a hand mixer, about halfway through the flour, you will have switched to a spoon--and then your hands (picture coming shortly). It will be sticky.

5. On a well-floured surface, roll the dough into a round just over one-half inch in thickness. Using a doughnut cutter, or 2 biscuit cutters (a larger one measuring 3 to 3 1/2 inches in diameter, and a smaller one measuring about 1 inch in diameter), cut the dough into doughnuts, spacing the doughnuts as close as possible. Collect the scraps and roll out to form another batch of doughnuts (note that this batch may be a little tougher than the first as the dough has been worked).

Note: Use a lot of flour on the surface you are rolling--in fact, roll on parchment or wax paper--it will make your life easier. Also, with a double batch, we rolled out a few times, and it got easier. We also rolled it between wax paper, to make it less sticky, kind of. Also, we tried a few different sizes. The size of a goblet with middle of the vanilla cap was the best size, though the donut holes were delicious!

6. Fill a deep fryer with oil, or fill a large pot to a depth of at least 3 inches, and heat to a temperature of 350 degrees.
7. Gently place the doughnuts in the fryer, being careful not to crowd. Fry the doughnuts on each side until puffed and golden, about 4 minutes, flipping every 30 seconds or so.

Note: this is an experimental process. Because the dough is dark, you have to make sure the oil isn't too hot, and that the donut is cooked all the way through (though we didn't mind some of the doughy in the middle ones--it is like brownie batter, so not a lot of bad there). It puffs on the side in the oil, so make sure you flip them well. These will not hold onto the oil, so you really just need paper towels to drain onto.

8. Drain the doughnuts on a rack and cool slightly, then frost and decorate as desired.

Note: See the next post for the glaze. LOVE the glaze. . .

My thoughts:
I'd definitely make these again. They are extremely dense, so you cannot eat a lot of them. Well, you can, but, you know. . . Also, the recipe says they take an hour, but they take more than an hour if you double the recipe. I recently watched an episode of Top Chef Masters where they made a honey bacon donut, so that may be next in the donut experiment.

I'm still trying to get the smell of the fair out of my house, so I am not loving that, but when you bite into one you've just glazed, and it all melts together in a smooth lusciousness of chocolate, you kind of don't mind. I cannot wait to have them for breakfast tomorrow.

A slight change. . .

2010-06-27T22:42:00.000-04:00

So, no one wanted to take over the blog for me, so it is switching up. I haven't had a lot of time to blog of late, but I still want to have some fun foodie moments. I want to debate Top Chef (Why was the Masters version not as good this year? Why do I already hate Angelo?), experiment with new recipes (Donuts! Bacon-wrapped things), and try out new restaurants in the Triangle area. Feel free to come along for the ride, or just enjoy the moment.

With Taste,
T

A recipe, An experiment, and a request. . .

2010-05-18T17:18:00.000-04:00

I've been craving a good grilled cheese lately. This looks fantastic!

Recently for a post-church lunch, I made waffled grilled cheese. It was fun, and easy (though I am still working out some of the kinks (cleaning burnt cheese must be done while the waffle iron is still hot).

So here goes. . .

Waffled Grilled Cheese!

Ingredients:

Cooking Spray

Bread

Butter

Cheese

Toppings (optional)

Tools:

Waffle Iron

To do:

Heat waffle iron and spray with cooking spray. Butter outsides of bread slices and cut cheese. Put one slice of bread, butter side down, on the waffle iron. Add cheese (not too much, you don't want it to get on the waffle iron if at all possible). Add toppings if desired (tomatoes, bacon, basil, apples--sliced thinly). Add top slice, butter side up.

Press down with the waffle iron, hard. Don't break your waffle iron, but don't let it wussily rest on top. Be careful, steam will come out of the waffle iron, and so you need to avoid getting burned.

I figured out how long it takes by peeking every so often--the time it takes for the light to go off was longer than I like it (I like my grilled cheese slightly grilled, not really grilled). Remove, and eat. The quarter-cut, small-holed waffle iron I have, made perfect rip-able quarters, and I loved that each little square had a little pocket of cheese.

They were delicious, but your bread and cheese (and optional toppings) cannot be too bulky or it doesn't come out right. We plan to experiment more.

Finally, the request. It is over, my sisters. It is time I graduated from the ward, and with that, I believe the D3 Delish Dish needs a new mommy. One who has a little more time on her hands. And who will build it back up to its glory days. Any takers? I'll still happily contribute as a guest if asked. . .

Tantilizing Photos

2010-03-31T17:16:00.003-04:00

I've been drawn to amazing pictures lately, but I've really been enjoying gorgeously rendered food photographs. Click on the image, and you can zoom in. Anything you haven't been able to look away from?

Many thanks to Fosters Market, Pixdaus, Waffleizer, Say Yes! to Hoboken, and A Cup of Jo.

P.S. Happy Easter!

An Invitation and a recipe

2010-03-17T06:19:00.002-04:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day, Sisters of the D3!

I enjoyed seeing you last night, and hope to see you again soon when we have our first Dining Out of the new year (sorry, I've been a little out of it).

Tuesday, March 23 at 7:00pm at Hibernian in Cary, we'll be meeting for a late St. Patty's Day celebration. Come feast on the flavors of that emerald isle--scrumptious Fish & Chips, Bangers & Mash, Soda Bread, and all things Irish. The food is delightful, and you'll love the funky pub atmosphere (I totally want their library). Please RSVP by noon Tuesday, March 23!

And a recipe for your St. Patrick's Day festivities (thanks, AP!):

___________________________________________

Irish Soda Bread with Raisins (optional) Bon Appétit | February 2005

by Anitra Earle, Yonkers, NY

Anitra Earle of Yonkers, New York, writes: "I'm a perfume detective who hunts down hard-to-find and discontinued scents. One of the benefits of running my business from home is that I get to cook every day. I usually make dishes that I've relied on for years."

Yield: Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
2 cups all purpose flour
5 tablespoons sugar, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons butter, chilled, cut into cubes
1 cup buttermilk
2/3 cup raisins (optional, try dried blueberries for a fun twist!)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray 8-inch-diameter cake pan with nonstick spray. Whisk flour, 4 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in large bowl to blend. Add butter. Using fingertips, rub in until coarse meal forms. Make well in center of flour mixture. Add buttermilk. Gradually stir dry ingredients into milk to blend. Mix in raisins.

Using floured hands, shape dough into ball. Transfer to prepared pan and flatten slightly (dough will not come to edges of pan). Sprinkle dough with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.

Bake bread until brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool bread in pan 10 minutes. Transfer to rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

_________________________________________________

Serve with Corned Beef and Cabbage. . . I saw this recipe for Corned Beef and Cabbage recently, and was BLOWN AWAY by their presentation. I don't think I've ever thought of creatively producing my recipes.

Have a delightfully lucky St. Patrick's Day!

The Easiest Cookies You'll Ever Make

2010-03-01T17:27:00.003-05:00

I made these for the first time a while ago for a little get together we had, and everyone loved them. I made them again for two potluck dinners in one weekend. Finally, I made some for Valentines Day. Every time, they were delicious.

Cake Mix Cookies

Ingredients:

1 box cake mix, any flavor
1/2 cup oil or 1 cube butter
1 egg

Mix ingredients until moistened. Roll into teaspoon size balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Optional: Dip into sprinkles, sugar, or cinnamon sugar.

Bake for about 8 minutes at 375.

Thus far, I've made yellow, chocolate, German chocolate, Funfetti, yellow with cinnamon sugar, strawberry, and chocolate with red sprinkles. (The above is strawberry with red sprinkles.)

An odd way to say, "Thank you!"

2010-02-28T08:51:00.004-05:00

My food story since surgery has been interesting.

A "bounty!" of produce brought by Mom and Dad (B has a habit of singing this while raising her arms that compels me to shake my head at her).
The night before surgery, the nummy pork from Cafe Rio that Ashlee gifted us with for Mom's birthday (made by me).
The night after surgery (my first food in more than 24 hours), the hospital's beef with broccoli.
The next day and part of the next--grilled cheese and tomato soup--Velveeta and Campbell's--totally childhood memories of feel-better comfort food (sorry, it is what I wanted).
A beautiful Southern Season chocolate gift basket from the 3 Musketeers at work.
Gorgeous, delicate, white bean soup while cheering for various Olympic sports with AP.
Mashed potatoes.
Pineapple, clemantines, oranges, bananas . . .
German Pancakes from B.
Cereal--as a non-cereal eater, I've been weirdly pro-cereal of late. Maybe because all of the drugs make my body uneasy about a lot of things, so cereal is simple enough not to throw it into a tailspin.
A pasta salad bursting with so many intricate flavors, I am sure I haven't hit them all yet--maybe Rachel will share the recipe?
Crepes, crepes, crepes. Brit's berry sauce recipe and Thells's lemon custard recipe, I may need. Though the standard Parmesan chicken with Boursin and raspberry jam is always delicious, spiced nuts with pear and goat cheese is pretty amazing.
Crack cupcakes (really pumpkin, chocolate baby cupcakes that you can't stop eating) from the Major Baker.
German Chocolate Cake Balls--mmm, mmm, mmm. CC, we need to have a tasting of various flavor combinations and then rate them all!
Reheated sausage and egg, from A, mixed with golden pancakes for a delicious new take on pigs in a blanket.
As a kid, I hated meatloaf, but when HK (doesn't that kind of feel like a combination of Harry Potter and JK Rowling?) stopped by with baked potatoes, green beans, and mini-meatloaves (almost a deconstructed shepherd's pie), both Miss B and I couldn't get enough! Long after there were exclamations of it's goodness.
Pizza, Pizza.
Oatmeal, pumpkin, chocolate chip cookies (another Major creation of doom--and by doom I mean I cannot stop eating them) and milk.
Pineapple.
Shakespearean in it's flavor pedigree, but simple in its ingredients--gorgeous, perfectly seasoned Asparagus with moist, flavorful chicken. And a berry pie. Perfectly, lusciously delicious and filling--not too fancy, but perfection in every bite.

So there you have it, a week and a half worth of food to fill the tummy and warm the soul of a recuperating, slightly vertigo-troubled individual who truly appreciates those who have brightened her recovery with their gifts. Thank you!

P.S. Please, if you can, post recipes--I think everyone deserves to revel in the splendor of this glorious "Bounty!"

Around the Web in Foodie Posts: Randomness

2010-02-02T06:34:00.004-05:00

My favorites from the past few weeks:

Pie Pops - brilliant!
A menu plan for Sunday School
Waffleizer - fabulous new blog I have stumbled across. This is genius!
Ironman meets Ironchef - if you are into working out and cooking, do not miss this year's!
Eating light for the new year
An amazing way to reuse your lemon peel.
A defense of crisco - it really does make the best pie crust!
A conversation about school lunches.
Gorgeous pictures of a Paris open-air market.
Cocoa brownies to die for
A restaurant in a tree!
Bizarre Lady Gaga cookies
Superbowl recipes! - just in time for this weekend!

ETA: Sorry, I have been MIA of late. I'm working on it.

Feliz Navidad Tamales

2009-12-28T17:41:00.004-05:00

Last month I learned how to make tamales from an Ecuadorean woman in my ward. She has been cooking since she was five years old, and her enthusiasm for making food is infectious. She says that tamales are often made as a dish for a special occasion, such as Christmas, because they can be time consuming to make, therefore special.

This weekend I came home for Christmas and made tamales for my family. They are not hard to make, and so delicious and healthy! The filling can be modified to any taste--mine are not very spicy, for example, but yours could be full of chili peppers if you'd like.

Ingredients for the Tamale Filling:

4 tablespoons achiote oil (or you can dissolve achiote powder into hot oil, and its pretty much the same thing)
2 small onions or a bunch of scallions cut small
1 box or small bag of frozen peas and carrots
2 or 3 cooked and shredded chicken breasts (boiling them is quick & easy, or use leftover chicken)
2 or 3 hard-boiled eggs cut small
1 handful chopped fresh cilantro
2 minced garlic cloves
1 cup chicken broth
black olives sliced small (not quite a whole can)
salt and pepper to taste

The tamale filling can be made the night before. Heat the oil in a large skillet and saute the onions, garlic, cilantro, and olives until they are soft and hot but not yet beginning to brown. Add the chicken meat and stir well. Add the chicken stock, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a rapid simmer and add salt and pepper to taste. Add the peas and carrots and eggs, and mix well. Simmer for a few minutes then remove from heat and either set aside or refrigerate until later.

Ingredients for Tamale Masa:

3 cups masa harina (or any instant corn flour masa)
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cumin
1 cup softened butter
2 cups chicken broth or water
corn husks

Rinse off the corn husks and place them in a deep pan or pot. Pour boiling water over them and let them soak for about 15 minutes or until soft and pliable, while you make the masa dough. Mix the masa, baking powder, salt, and cumin together, then add the butter and broth and mix (best done with hands) until soft, pliable, and fully combined.

Prepare the Tamales:

Prepare a pot with a steamer in the bottom and a few inches of water (if you don't have a steamer you can use a foil pie pan with holes cut in the bottom and placed upside down in the bottom of the pan) and cover the steamer with a few of the soaked corn husks. Drain and pat dry the corn husks. Take one and spread it out, and place about 2 tablespoons of masa dough in the middle of it. Using the corn husk, roll the dough into a tamale shape and then put a large spoonful of the chicken filling on top of the dough. Fold one side of the corn husk over, then fold the bottom up, then fold the other side over, and then the top. Place the wrapped tamales in the steamer and when the pot is full cover them with a cotton dishtowel and a lid, and steam for 45 minutes. (You might need to add some more water after about 30 minutes.)

To eat the tamales, just unwrap carefully (the steam is hot!) on a plate, and enjoy!

The recipe makes about 25 tamales, and a good portion is 2 medium sized tamales per person.

(Sorry, I should have taken step-by-step pictures of the process and finished product, but I was so excited about making and eating them that I entirely forgot.)

Cheesecake or Pie?

2009-12-15T22:25:00.000-05:00

Julianne's Apple Cinnamon Cheese Pie

I have made several cheesecakes now, and I find it interesting that they all have slightly different amounts of ingredients and different ways to cook it. I decided to make up my own recipe and see how it turns out. From the sounds of it, you can change a lot with a cheesecake, and it will still turn out good. This one is more of a cheesecake pie, hence the name "Cheese Pie".

Ingredients:

9 inch graham cracker crust

8 oz cream cheese
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup apple cider
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 large apple or 2 small apples peeled and sliced thinly
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tbsp butter
1 tsp lemon juice (leave out if you use granny smith apples)

Directions:

Prepare a graham cracker crust or use pre-made graham cracker crust. Preheat oven to 350 F.
Beat softened cream cheese until smooth (this is important if you like your cheesecake smooth). Add brown sugar and beat until smooth. Add heavy cream, sour cream, apple cider, and vanilla.
In medium saucepan, saute apples with butter cinnamon and lemon juice until softened (medium to medium-low heat).
Beat egg in separate bowl. Add to cream cheese mixture and mix until consistency is even. Poor half of mixture into pie pan. Add apples in one layer (two if necessary). Poor rest of mixture into bowl. Optional: I saved about 1/4 cup of the mixture and added 1/2 tsp cinnamon. I then added this in drops/ swirls over top and used knife to create a marble effect. You can just add the cinnamon ahead of time if you prefer.
Put pie pan in large pan filled with about 1 inch of water (optional). Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes. Turn off oven and leave in oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, and let pie cool to room temperature. (All of this helps prevent cracking.)
Refrigerate several hours or over night. Enjoy!

Fire-roasted Tomato Vegetable Soup

2009-12-15T09:44:00.002-05:00

From November's Dining In (but also perfect for right now):

Allyson's Fire-Roasted Tomato Vegetable Soup

1 medium onion, chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped

4 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

5 garlic cloves

2 (14 1/2 oz.) cans diced fire roasted tomatoes

1 (14 1/2 oz.) can fire roasted tomatoes, crushed

3 c. vegetable broth

1 T. oregano

1 tsp. rosemary, crushed between your fingers

4 roasted garlic cloves

1 T. minced parsley or chopped basil

salt and pepper

1 tsp. sugar (if needed)

Preheat oven to 350. In a shallow roasting pan, combine the celery, carrots, and garlic, sprinkle with salt, and lightly drizzle with olive oil. Cover the pan with foil and roast 45 minutes to hour, until the celery is almost tender, stirring every 15 minutes to prevent burning. Set aside.

In a large saucepan, sauté the onion over medium heat, until translucent. Add the roasted vegetables, tomatoes, broth, oregano, and rosemary; bring to a simmer. Simmer on very low heat for 10 minutes.

Use a blender to puree the soup to preferred level of consistency, then transfer back to the liquid. Add the parsley and salt and pepper to taste, and simmer for about 10 more minutes to allow the flavors to blend. If it is too acidic, add a little sugar to taste. Serve with some chopped fresh basil and either a crusty baguette or rye chips.

Cinnamon Roll Season

2009-11-17T21:08:00.004-05:00

My mother is a big fan of traditions, especially when it comes to food. One of my favorites is her propensity for making cinnamon rolls every November. Now, there's nothing wrong with making cinnamon rolls any time of year, but there is something about November, when the air is cool and crisp and kids come home from school with rosy cheeks and big appetites to find mom pulling a fresh batch of hot cinnamon rolls out of the oven. Cold autumn days and kids and cinnamon rolls go together naturally, so in my family we only make cinnamon rolls when it's perfect, when it's November.

Mom's Cinnamon Rolls:

1/4 cup warm water
1 Tbsp dry yeast
1/4 cup lukewarm milk
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 egg
1/4 cup shortening
2 1/2 cups flour
Raisins (optional)

Glaze:
butter or margarine
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar
hot water

Combine the water and the yeast, then combine all ingredients. Stir well until ball forms, then knead for 5 minutes. Let rise till double. Roll dough into an oblong shape about 15 X 9 inches. Spread with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar - liberally! Add raisins if you wish. Roll up tightly, seal edges, cover and let rest for 20 minutes. Then, cut rolls in 1 inch slices, place in greased 13X9 cake pan, not touching each other, and let rise until double. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes until golden.

Frost with the glaze, then eat 'em while they're hot!

Shaking up dining in

2009-10-31T12:10:00.011-04:00

So, for November's Dining In, I wanted to try something different. We have routinely had only about 8-12 show for a Dining In, so I thought we could do something like this (If we have more interest, we'll add another main dish and a little more of everything):

Fall Food is the theme

Assignments:

Drinks (1 person):

BRu - Blueberry Limeade

Appetizers (2 spots left):

ALDyer - Fire Roasted Tomato Vegetable Soup

Salads (1 spot left)

Zahra - Apple, Pomegranate goodness

Sides (2 spots left)

TRu - Garlic Bread

Main Dish (1 spot left)

Lindy - Lasangna

Dessert (1 spot left)

Julianne - Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

We'll meet at the Jumanji House at 7pm on Saturday, November 14th. Please let me know what you will bring in the comments, and I will update the post as we get more people. Please also bring your recipe, and we will post it here. Please RSVP by Friday, November 13. We can always add more items, but I want to make sure we have all the first bases covered.

If you would be willing to host one of these dinner groups, please let me know, and we will start a rotating schedule of themes and dishes. Thanks!

ETA: Thanks to all who came! I thought dinner was perfect! I cannot wait for the recipes.

A true Carolina Shrimp Boil

2009-10-30T10:30:00.004-04:00

For my birthday this year, my cousin came to visit. Part of showing her the true North Carolina experience, we decided a Shrimp Boil (pronounced Shrimp Boll) was in order. Mixing potatoes, corn, and sausage from Saturday's Farmers' Market and fresh from the coast shrimp from Fishmongers (and newspapers pilfered from my work recycle bin), we truly made a heavenly night of it.

To have a great shrimp boil you will need:

Newspaper (they make clean up shockingly easy)
Old Bay Seasoning
Lemon (lots!)
An instructional on deveining shrimp (optional)

And the following:

Old Bay Shrimp Boil

Ingredients

4 quarts water (16 cups)
1 can (12 ounces) beer (optional)
1/2 cup OLD BAY® Seasoning
2 tablespoons salt
8 medium red potatoes, quartered
2 large onions, cut into wedges
2 pounds lean smoked sausage, cut into 2-inch pieces
8 ears fresh corn, shucked and halved crosswise
4 pounds unpeeled jumbo shrimp (21 to 25 count)

Directions

1. Bring water, beer, OLD BAY Seasoning and salt to boil in 12-quart stockpot on high heat. Add potatoes and onions. Cook 8 minutes. Add smoked sausage. Cook 5 minutes. Add corn. Cook 7 minutes.

2. Stir in shrimp. Cook 4 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink.

3. Drain cooking liquid. Pour contents of pot into large serving bowl or platter. Or, mound on paper-covered table. Sprinkle with additional OLD BAY Seasoning, if desired.

Ashley's Special Cocktail Sauce

Spoon full’s of:

Cocktail sauce
Mayo
Mustard
Horseradish sauce
Ketchup

More cocktail and horseradish than the others. But just taste it and add more of
what you want as you go along. Enjoy--and so will your guests, people raved!

If you want to be daring, feel free to add another take on the shrimp boil, by getting a little steamy.

Old Bay Steamed Shrimp

Ingredients

1/2 cup cider vinegar or beer (again, I did the cider vinegar)
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons OLD BAY® Seasoning
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined, leaving tails on
1 cup OLD BAY® Cocktail Sauce (or make your own).

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, mix vinegar, water and OLD BAY. Bring to boil on medium heat. Gently stir in shrimp, then cover.

2. Steam 2 to 3 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink. Drain well.

3. Serve immediately or refrigerate until hungry guests arrive. Best served with punchy cocktail sauce and lively conversation.

Garlic Butter

For a delicious shrimp dip, just serve up this delight. It is incredibly easy. Microwave one stick of butter for 14-30 second (or until melted). Mix in 1/4 tsp garlic powder until dissolved. Dip away.

If you want a fancy option as well (or if you know people who don't go for old bay), you can try these:

Olive Oil Poached Shrimp

Take your shrimp and lay them in a lipped baking sheet (a jelly roll pan will work). Drizzle with olive oil and a little parsley. Bake at 250 degrees for 15 minutes. Toss shrimp at the 15 minute mark to coat one more time. Bake 10 more minutes, or until they look right.

Lemon-Basil Aioli

Prep and Cook Time: 30 minutes. Notes: If you are concerned about salmonella or bacteria in raw eggs, use 1/2 cup pasteurized whole eggs (available at some grocery stores) in place of the egg yolks. Yield: Makes 1 cup

Ingredients

1 cup loosely packed basil leaves
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup canola oil
2 egg yolks (I used egg-beaters)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon each dried mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper

Preparation

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Dunk basil leaves into the boilin

g water for 20 seconds. Drain and squeeze out as

much excess water as possible.

2. In a blender, whirl blanched basil leaves with olive and canola oils. Empty into a measuring cup or small pitcher and reserve.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, garlic, mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

4. Whisk in a drop of the basil oil; continue adding drops of oil, whisking until mixture thickens to a mayonnaise-like consistency. Continuing to whisk, pour in remaining basil oil in a very thin stream. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

If you are an overachiever, you do all three. Dump on the newspapers and go to town. Laugh, chat, eat, dip, savor, and sit back with a full heart and belly at the end. Enjoy your true Carolina Experience.

Around the web in foodie posts: Halloween

2009-10-29T12:07:00.010-04:00

Oh so fabulous foodie posts about All Hallows Eve. . .

Some creepy treats. Shudder
Pumpkin bread pudding? Oh yes!
30 minute Apple Turnovers. . .
Using Halloween Candy--Smart(ies)!
Vegan Marshmallows (Ghosts, people, ghosts!)--watch the short at the end, cute!
A cake-wrecks Halloween
What fall looks like
Recipe Zaar's list of Halloween snacks.
B found these gorgeous Fall Leaf Tortilla chips--perfect with a ghoulish guacamole!

Have an eerie, entertaining, edible evening, my fellow ghouls and goblins!

Around the Web in Foodie Posts: September & October

2009-10-15T12:30:00.004-04:00

Here is the long list of foodie posts I've enjoyed lately--

September:

That fabulous salad j.bradley borrowed from Sitti
A beautiful end of summer treat
A Ravioli Thells will love
Debating the Food Police--with possible upsetting consequences for foodies
It's all about the presentation
Basic Kitchen Tools
Gorgeous Lemony Pastries that I haven't gotten up the courage to ruin (I struggle with pastry patience)
A Top Chef Rundown (They are pretty on with their top four--those are mine)
A feature on Vegetarian recipes (really just a glorified recipe list)
CFM's market recipes page always tickles my fancy. . .

October:

In honor of dining in: a crepe post
A cool look at solar powered kitchens
A fun twist on a birthday favorite
Feminist Food-storage
A plum tart (Kel is a friend and former-roommate who was a guinea pig in many of my college food experiments--she is very brave, and a great cook!)
A 50-cent interview to prep you for the fair
Halloween Party Food
A way to prep your kitchen for the holiday season
And though not a blog, it is very nice to mention that Guglehupf is now serving dinner on the weekends (I loved the Schnitzel and the Beef short ribs with potato dumplings, though the desserts were also amazing--try the apple tart--wow!)

Any posts that changed your world or helped you set new food goals? Tell us more!

Chicken Soup & Apples for K

2009-10-13T05:00:00.001-04:00

Every so often my friend K will need a recipe, and I will get an email that allows me to be a superhero sans tights. But hey, why wouldn't you love a friend who puffs up your ego just a bit?

In September it was Chicken Soup (she loved the Mexican Lime Chicken Soup):

Today it was apples:

Betty's Apple Crisp (I will admit that ever since I got my first red Betty my sophomore year of college, I hate being without her--she is my most consistent cooking instructor/buddy): http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes.aspx/apple-crisp
I know, don't look at the wallpaper, but it really is amazing for something from a chain restaurant: http://recipecircus.com/recipes/gijane/DESSERTS/Maggiano39s_Warm_Apple_Crostata.html
I love a good apple pie that you don't need a pie plate for--have it with cinnamon or dulce de leche ice cream and you are set! http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/apple-crostata-recipe/index.html
Southern Apple Pie: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/paula-deen-savannah-high-apple-pie-recipe/index.html
This is a bread, but boy is it tasty: http://www.fostersmarket.com/recipes.php?recipe_id=47
How can you go wrong with apple dumplings? http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Old-Fashioned-Apple-Dumplings/Detail.aspx
Or, see what you like (the apple salsa looks cool): http://allrecipes.com/recipes/fruits-and-vegetables/fruits/apples/top.aspx

What have you been dying for a recipe for? Should we have a "Dear Prudie"-like post that answers everyone's food dilemmas or recipe needs every month? It is definitely something to think about.

Foodie Favorites: Mashed Seasoned Cauliflower

2009-10-12T06:14:00.002-04:00

I adore Jim's Famous BBQ in Chapel Hill. No one in the area has better ribs. Since I tracked them down when I first moved here; whenever I am in the mood for baby-back or St. Louis (pronounced Louie) cut ribs, succulent sides, and mouth-watering cobbler; I will make a few calls then make my (or our) way to Jim's. I have had everything from dry rub to Sweet and Saucy (just like me), and it is all fall-off-the-bone tender and smokey-barbecue goodness. Yum!

That being said, their best feature has always been their mashed seasoned cauliflower. Sadly, it has recently been a casualty of the recession. As my heart broke thinking of this lost treasure, I decided I had to send an email begging for the recipe.

I was blessed with the restaurant quantity recipe below. I am pretty sure I'll have to experiment to make sure a smaller portioned recipe works well, but I cannot wait!

Jim's Famous BBQ's to-die-for Mashed Seasoned Cauliflower

Ingredients

-5 Pounds of Cauliflower
-3 Tablespoons of Liquid Butter
-1 Tablespoon of Garlic Powder
-1 Teaspoon of Salt
-3 Tablespoons of Vegetable Broth
-Choice of Cheese (Optional)

Instruction
-Bring water to a boil.
-Rough chop the cauliflower.
-Put in the pot basket.
-Place basket in boiling water.
-Boil for 12 to 15 minutes (Or until it is soft).
-Remove from pot and place in hotel pan.
-Mash and add the remaining ingredients.
-Transfer to sheet pan and let cool.

Add a little cheddar on the top, and you have a beautifully luscious, but seemingly simple side for any meal--an easy non-carb substitute for mashed potatoes. My mouth is watering just thinking of it!

Telling your food story

2009-09-15T12:00:00.001-04:00

I finally got around to watching the finale of Top Chef Masters last night. Out of 24 Chefs who have been in the industry for a long time and who have James Beard Awards, Michelin Stars, and have owned restaurants for years, it was down to three. Their final challenge, to create a four course meal that told their food story.

Course 1: Their first food memory.

Course 2: The first time they cooked something, and they knew they wanted to be a chef.

Course 3: The first restaurant they opened.

Course 4: Where they are now and where they are heading.

From making gnocchi with an Italian mother, to living over a Pastry shop in France, to taking 20 years to get the perfect black mole sauce, every moment was exquisite. My mouth watered the entire time. I would have killed to be at that table taking that journey with them. I loved the true artistry and passion each chef had for food.

So, now I have a challenge for you--write a post about it, post in the comments, send me an email as a guest post--whatever, but I want to know! You do not have to answer all of them.

Course 1: Your first food memory.

Course 2: The first time you cooked something and knew you loved to cook (or ate something and knew you loved food).

Course 3: The first time you had to cook something all by yourself (whether it turned out well or not).

Course 4: What you wish you could cook if you had the chance.

This may just be a dream menu, or maybe we'll have a dining in and you bring one of the above mentioned dishes. I just love the idea of food telling a story, starting relationships, and bringing people together who are passionate about life, love, and everything around them. What will your story be?

Nigella's Brownies

2009-08-31T21:32:00.004-04:00

This weekend I became a domestic goddess when I bought a cookbook by British baker Nigella Lawson and made these brownies for my party, to smashing success:

Brownies

1 2/3 c. soft unsalted butter (I used salted butter though, because I like things to be saltier than not)
13 ounces bittersweet chocolate (I used 8 oz. generic baking chocolate, a 3.5 oz. Ghirardelli 60% cacao bar, and a handful of milk chocolate chips)
6 large eggs
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1 2/3 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 1/3 c. chopped walnuts

Melt the butter and chocolate together in a large heavy-based pan. In another bowl beat the eggs with the vanilla and sugar. When the chocolate mixture has melted, let it cool a little and add the eggs and sugar, then sift in the flour and salt, and add the nuts last. Mix well, then scrape the batter into a 13 x 9 x 2 pan lined with foil (I put mine into individual cupcake papers in a muffin tin). Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes (20 for the muffin tin method) until the top is dry and pale but the inside is still gooey.

Nigella says you can try it with dried cherries instead of nuts, or with nothing at all. And normally I don't like nuts in my brownies, but these were divine. It's also heavenly to top them with chopped strawberries and some whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Really, the possibilities are endless, and the recipe is so easy I might not even bother with brownie mixes ever again.

White Lasagna

2009-08-30T23:18:00.007-04:00

For some reason the idea of a white lasagna came to my mind one day, and I decided to make it. I'm not sure if it's my blood type diet which says that I'm supposed to avoid tomatoes or my recent desires to try making creative dinners that sparked my interest in this lasagna, but I think it turned out pretty good. I've never even eaten a white lasagna before let alone made one, but I definitely enjoyed both making and eating this one.

Disclaimer: When cooking, I don't really follow any recipes, so the measurements used here are all approximated.

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons flour
3 cups milk
1 cup water
seasoned salt (or just plain salt is fine)
1 cup chopped green onions
1 cup chopped spinach

1 egg
15 oz ricotta cheese
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp basil
2 cloves minced garlic

1 zucchini
3/4 pound mozzarella cheese
1/4 pound mixed Italian cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1 package lasagna noodles (9 or 12 noodles)

Directions:

Make a roux with the butter and flour. Here's how: Melt the butter over a medium heat. Add the flour. Stir over a medium heat for 5-10 minutes.
Slowly add the milk and water. Stir constantly with whisk until thick (this may take awhile).

Note: I never precook my lasagna noodles, so I add water to the sauce which will cook the noodles while the lasagna cooks in the oven.

Add salt to taste. Add green onions and spinach to white sauce.
In a small bowl, mix the egg, ricotta cheese (I didn't use the whole container.), 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, garlic, and basil

Note: I usually make a 4 layer lasagna with 12 noodles, but for some reason, the box I bought came with 10 1/2 noodles, so I just made a 3-layer lasagna this time. This recipe will explain the 3-layer version.

In a 13x9 pan, pour a little bit of the white sauce mixture to coat the bottom of the pan. Place 3 noodles on the bottom. Spread half of the ricotta mixture onto the 3 noodles.
Slice the zucchini into thin slices. Place one layer of zucchini in the pan. Sprinkle some mozzarella cheese over the zucchini. Top with a small layer of the sauce.

Note: Be careful not to use too much sauce. You want to make sure you have plenty of sauce for the top layer! If you think you won't have enough sauce consider thinning the sauce with a little bit of water.

Make another noodle-ricotta mixture-zucchini(use the rest)-mozzarella cheese-white sauce layer.
Place the last three noodles on top and cover with the last of the white sauce. Top with 1/4 pound of the mixed Italian cheese mixture (you can substitute this with mozzarella if you prefer) and 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 375 for 1 hour. Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes or until the cheese on top is slightly golden.
Enjoy!

Side note:

I recommend trying more vegetables: broccoli, bell peppers, artichoke hearts, whatever sounds good to you.

Poor Girl's Pizza

2009-08-24T20:04:00.004-04:00

Since I'd procrastinated my grocery shopping as usual, on Sunday afternoon I opened the fridge to find nothing but a lonely tomato and a chunk of old feta cheese. What's a girl to do? Make pizza! There's always flour in my cupboard, usually a packet of yeast too, and some olive oil, and that's all you really need to make a good crust. Top your pizza with any old thing you have in the fridge (well, maybe not anything) and you've got an easy, cheap meal. My pizza recipe:

Combine 2 teaspoons dry yeast, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/2 cup water in a bowl and set it aside for about ten minutes. Then, when it looks all bubbly, mix in 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, forming a ball of dough. Turn it onto a floured surface and knead it for about five minutes, until it is smooth and elastic. Coat it with a little oil or cooking spray and put it back in the bowl, covered, to rise until doubled in size (about a half hour).

When the dough has risen, stretch it out nice and round and flat onto a pizza pan coated with a small handful of cornmeal. Rub some olive oil all over it, then add your toppings. I used dried basil flakes (fresh basil would have been even better), tomato slices, and crumbled feta cheese. Salt and pepper it too, if desired. I like to salt the crust nice and good for sure.

Bake it for about 15 minutes in a 450 degree oven, or until the crust and the edges of the topping look toasty brown. Depends on how crunchy you like your pizza to be. Anyway, right when you take it out of the oven, rub butter onto the crust. Then slice it up and enjoy!

Mama's Sweet Salsa

2009-08-21T20:07:00.003-04:00

When I went home to Illinois, I helped Mama cut up some of her garden vegetables and together we watched the pot of salsa boil down. Mama spared 2 of her fresh jars and gave them to us. On Monday, I took the jar of salsa into work. My coworkers couldn't get enough of it and suggested even that Mama sell the product in stores. I won't charge you for it- but know that it is darn good- I even had to gaurd the office fridge.

Mama's Sweet Salsa (Makes about 8-9 pints)
19-20 tomatoes (Medium sized)
10 Chili Peppers/Green Preppers 3 Jalepeno Peppers
2 c onions or 2 large onions
1/2 c cilantro
1/2 c vinegar (apple or white, apple makes it sweeter)
5 cloves of garlic
1/2-1 c sugar (you can put more in if your peppers aren't that sweet)
salt & pepper to taste
add 2-3 stocks of celery if you like some crunch

chop all ingredients, vary sizes: if you like it chunky go for it- some people peel the tomatoes- mama leaves the skin on.

boil the mixture down till liquid is gone (about 1- 1.5 hours on medium heat, continue stirring)

pour into jars while hot, boil lids for 1 minute then place lids & rings on jars. place jars into water bath with 1"-1.5" of water above the jars. Boil the water 20-35 minutes (depending upon size of jars) Remove jars from water bath, let jars cool. (they should seal up at this point)

enjoy with fresh chips, in a breakfast burrito with some ranchero cheese, or best sprinkle on grilled fish.

Around the Web in Foodie Posts for the past couple of weeks

2009-08-12T12:00:00.001-04:00

Sorry I have been on Hiatus, y'all. Travelling puts a crimp in my writing schedule. Luckily, a bunch of bloggers have been filling in the summer blanks:

The FMHousewives have been talking gardens. Twice!
The Mormon Foodie took on Salt and Sourdough Starter.
Both B-Rad and Chou have been perfecting sauces.
Lady Holiday & Ruby have been touring grocery stores.
Ashes checked out Maine's Lobster Fest again (though it isn't quite ex-D3er Jen's Bratfest--though, to be honest, what is???).
Slate talks about how food storage will help Mormon's survive an apocalypse, while the Deseret News' Mormon Times talks long term food storage.
Finally, Top Chef Masters is crowning a winner & Top Chef: Las Vegas kicks off August 19th!

Do you have posts that you have especially enjoyed this summer?

Magic!!

2009-08-11T23:56:00.005-04:00

Are you avoiding using your Crockpot because it's a pain to clean after you've been cooking the goodness for 8 plus hours??

Well... avoid no more! Crockpot clean up is a breeze now with Crockpot liners from Reynolds.

Here's some chili I cooked in the crockpot for over 10 hours.

This is what the Crockpot looked like after I took the liner out... I just had to wipe it out with a damp paper towel!!

Brilliant I tell you!! Brilliant!

In honor of Comic-Con

2009-07-29T16:01:00.004-04:00

I didn't eat the best my four days in San Diego (I had a few pretzel dogs which are not as bad as you may think), but I did see a ton of people in costumes as various superheroes, minions, and monsters. So in honor of it, I would like to point you to these delightful creatures thought up by Chou.

Me & the Britster are headed for Home this week, but we should have some fun posts for you when we get back. I'm getting ready to tackle my Bloomington-Normal favorites. In the meantime. . . Do you have any good ideas? P. S. Go Ironmen!

Dining Out Cancelled!

2009-07-28T09:06:00.003-04:00

Sorry, not enough RSVPs.

Food Storage - How on earth?

2009-07-15T12:29:00.009-04:00

The strength of the church welfare program lies in every family following the inspired direction of the church leaders to be self-sustaining through adequate preparation. God intends for his Saints to so prepare themselves "that the church [as the Lord has said] may stand independent above all other creatures beneath the celestial world." (D&C 78:14.) Ezra Taft Benson, "Prepare Ye," Ensign, Jan 1974, 68

A prophet commands it. So, how do we get started? You may not know it, but the new guidelines list a three-month supply (as well as a water supply and financial reserve) rather than the year-supply that my mother has, but always seems incredibly daunting to me. Leslie Probert on Mormon Times has some good ideas:

Plan 2 weeks of recipes, then double it (and you have a month). Then, come up with two more weeks, and double that. Finally, one more set of two weeks, and you have your final month--or any other grouping of meal plans.

It doesn't have to be all ramen, spam, and yellow death. With all the food available to us these days, you may be able to eat gourmet (though canned) food for three months. It is all about figuring out substitutions to your favorite recipes--but also recipes that can be done when you may or may not have electricity.

The problem with a lot of the old food storage guidelines was how to cook with 30 lbs. worth of wheat and no wheat grinder. You can only eat so much wheat chili (shudder--sorry, Mom). My favorite of her ideas is building a food storage cookbook--listing favorite recipes, and substituting in canned goods or food storage goods for it--And then having a booklet of 90 different days of recipes. This seems a little daunting, but I think we, as a foodie group could totally pull it off.

Is this something you may be interested in? Let me know in the comments, and I'll go to work gathering recipes from everyone.

The Carrboro Farmer's Market...again. Because I love it.

2009-07-13T13:51:00.004-04:00

In keeping with tradition, B and I (and this time H came, too) went to the CFM on Saturday morning. Let me tell you, there are few things I am willing to get out of bed for, and this is one of them.

This week I left with:

Peaches-$5 a quart (about 7 peaches)
Fresh flowers-$1.25 a stem (they've already paid for themselves in happiness)

Every one should go. Everyone.

Review: Fosters Market

2009-07-11T00:05:00.002-04:00

I run an orientation that happens every other month for work. With work residing across from Panera on Franklin Street, you would think that they would be perfect for catering--and they were, but about a year to two years ago the service went downhill fast (I'm sure they are better now that I have complained, but I still have no desire to go back).

When they started to go South, I decided to check out Foster's as I had enjoyed them before and they deliver. Elana, the catering manager for the Chapel Hill store, is excellent. Whether I called the day before or a week before; whether I call to add to the order or cancel part of an order, she swings with the punches, and I don't think I'd order lunch with anyone else anymore. There is something to be said for great service. I even got a hand-written Christmas card this past December--I was impressed (maybe easily), but a hand-written card? That is kind of impressive (I know, I have ordered pre-printed cards for work).

I have tried a bunch of their stuff, and here are my favorites:

1. BLT Chicken Caesar wrap: The stuff dreams are made of. I like it hot or cold. I've even tried to recreate it, and it just isn't that amazing. With every bite, the crispness of the lettuce, the smokiness of the bacon, the creaminess of the Caesar dressing, and the tanginess of the Parmesan all mingle together in a perfect blend of flavor. I crave this sandwich for at least a week before and a week after orientation. So good.

2. The brown sugar cookies: I don't know what they put in these, but I am addicted. Sometimes they only put one in a cookie tray, and I snag it before anyone even knows it is there. A blend of the lighter sugar cookies you remember in all of your perfect Christmas memories, with a deeper caramelized flavor. They melt in your mouth, and you try to figure out excuses to get more (for others--really). I would share as a testament to their greatness, but then there wouldn't be enough for me.

3. The Spinach Mac & Cheese: Mouthwatering? Divine? I think the picture describes it best (even better, they also have the plain version and a spicy one with a kick of chipotle peppers).

4. Roasted Pork Loin with Foster's applesauce: a delicately roasted pork loin--juicy and succulent, the flavors seduce you into a perfect dizziness of taste and delight as the sweet and tart of the applesauce emphasize the flavor of the pork.

5. Hot Chocolate: A mix of Ghirardelli chocolate syrup and steamed milk, mixed together in a perfectly creamy, frothy concoction of loveliness. A perfect end to a lovely meal.

The website has some mouth-watering pictures (whomever their photographer is, he or she is very gifted with food), and I also love that they have Sara Foster's recipes available (for free!--though her cookbook is also amazing--though a little pricey at the store itself). The store also has a bunch of foodie lovers delights--imported chocolate, gourmet sauces, nifty cake & cupcake mixes, and 80s candy that I adore (pop rocks & fun dip!). They also serve smoothies, pies, various salads by the pound, platters for parties, and great breakfast & brunch options.

Maybe the Caesar dressing is the element I don't have right in the BLT Chicken Caesar. . . hmmm. Sorry, where was I? Ah, yes. We'll try out the Durham restaurant and store for July's dining out (easier parking than Chapel Hill) --Wednesday, July 29th, 7:30 pm. See you then!

Around the Web in Foodie Posts: the chocolate edition

2009-07-10T12:21:00.010-04:00

Once more into the breach, my friends. . . .

My trip to Hershey, PA
All Chocolate - recipes, education, helpful tips
The perfect brownie?
The Barefoot Contessa's top 5 chocolate recipes
Oh, and don't forget Chocolate the Exhibition (I'm hitting the tasting and class on the 15th!)--feel free to meet us there if you are interested!

We few. We happy few.

P.S. Though not chocolate related--check out Bravo's Site for Top Chef Masters, which I have truly been enjoying this year. Between the girl-scout food critics, the whiny French chef, a Lost-themed dinner, and Neil Patrick Harris, it definitely isn't horrible. I can't wait to see what is next!

Staying Creamy Cool

2009-07-07T13:05:00.007-04:00

My Recipezaar Newsletter came today. I enjoy all the recipes and recipe suggestions they send, but today, the pictures were what sold me.

Don't you just want a drippy cone of something creamy? Go forth, and make ice cream!

Red, White, and Blue!!

2009-07-02T12:36:00.003-04:00

Who says the 4th of July can't be delectable!? While my personal favorite 4th of July food is Navajo Tacos made by real Navajo's... red, white, and blue is also a fun little challenge. So below, you'll find some colorful recipes you can use to celebrate this land of promise!!

About.com helps us out... with a bunch of yummy ideas!

Blueberry soup, salad, and dressing!

Recipe Zaar has few to offer...

A few more great ideas from Hugging Coast!

Enjoy perusing the sites... and links from those sites... we look forward to tasty treats at Break the Fast!!

Dining In[dian]

2009-06-22T16:27:00.003-04:00

Hey D3 Diners In! Our Dining In[dian] Luncheon is coming up, and I suspect that some of us don't know roti from lassi yet, so I'm posting some information that will help you get started on the road to Indian cooking greatness.

Cooking Indian food can seem daunting at first because of the sheer number of ingredients and spices required, many of which you may never have heard of. You can get smaller amounts of spices at Weaver Street, which sells them by weight, and A Southern Season (because you WILL feel buyer's remorse if you buy a $15 bottle of cardamom powder). I have turmeric, cardamom pods, cumin seeds, a garam masala, fenugreek seeds, chili powder, amchoor powder, brown mustard seeds, gram flour, and a few others, if you'd like to borrow some for Dining In. Spices, vegetables, and other ingredients that are commonly used in Indian cooking are also sold at Asian food stores like the one next to Guglhopf or (obviously) the Indian grocery behind Target on 15-501.

I am also including some links to recipes of varying degrees of difficulty. And just remember, you can always just bring rice or naan (flat bread)!

(Disclaimer: I haven't tried any of these particular recipes, but I didn't want to put the recipes that I use up for fear of copyright infringement...)

Simple recipes: Channa Masala (curried chickpeas): http://vegetarian.about.com/od/vegetarianindianrecipes/r/quickchickpeas.htm; Mango Lassi (mango yogurt drink): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLYcksxOgzM ; Indian Rice Pudding (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/indian-rice-pudding-recipe/index.html)

Less simple recipes: Aloo Paratha (potato-stuffed flat bread): http://www.ivcooking.com/p269_75.php; Dal Makhani (lentils and kidney beans) http://www.sailusfood.com/2006/07/01/dal-makhani/; Tandoori chicken: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/grilled-tandoori-chicken-recipe/index.html

Bring it on: Vegetable Biryani: http://www.recipesindian.com/south_indian_recipes/rice/Vegetable-Biryani.html; Samosas: http://www.manjumalhi.co.uk/recipes/vegetarian/baked-samosas.html

Happy cooking! I can't wait to see what you all bring!

Fresh from the farmers' market

2009-06-22T12:06:00.008-04:00

B's birthday was on Saturday, and like almost every Saturday she started it at the farmers' market in Carrboro (I was at water aerobics)--the Farmers' Market is even listed as one of the main attractions on Carrboro's wikipedia page!.

That little square at the end of Weaver Street is one of my favorite, tiny pockets of North Carolina. A perfect Saturday activity for those who like to get up early (It opens at 7), or sleep in a little (it closes at noon). Three circuits around the square, and you know exactly what you want. Try some of the cheeses from Maple View Creamery (We love their mozzarella and pheta); get your own grass-fed beef or chicken; debate which flowers are happier looking; find the most gorgeous blueberries; or have a sip of freshly-squeezed lemonade--and whatever you do, do not miss out on the Sunshine Rolls from the Farmer's Daughter--the perfect bite to start off your Saturday.

On my way home from the pool, I called to find out B's farmers' market finds. This week, she picked up light, creamy mozzarella; luscious, plump tomatoes; and fresh, fragrant basil. As I drove home, I conceptualized lunch...

Using some leftover spaghetti (just the noodles) from the fridge, I tossed it with a little olive oil on medium until they were slightly warm. Then I added in the basil, slightly torn and just enough to make their sweet fragrance fill the air (with a pinch of salt and pepper). I removed that from the heat and, in a bowl, added chopped tomatoes and mozzarella. A refreshing glass of limeade, and we were set!

Sunday, we turned the same concept on it's head; and on multi-grain bread, we grilled the mozzarella with basil and tomato for a crunchy, cheesy, and delicious lunchtime treat before our Sabbath-day nap. Truly, the Carrboro Farmers' Market was created just for perfect birthday meals.

ETA: Vote for them as your favorite Farmers' Market here: http://www.care2.com/farmersmarket/

Dining Out Reminder!

2009-06-18T06:36:00.002-04:00

Remember, we are meeting this Friday, June 19th at The Carolina Inn's "Friday's on the Front Porch." There will be live bluegrass music and scrumptious food from 5pm-7pm. Please bring cash, as we will be ordering group dishes off the "Tiny Vittles Menu," or you can get food from the Southern Picnic Buffet Menu. RSVP by Tomorrow at noon (just so we can look out for you).

This event provides the perfect atmosphere for kicking back, relaxing and getting a jump on the weekend. The Inn offers its classic southern buffet as well as Tiny Vittles menu with full bar service (including sodas and Shirley Temples), and plenty of comfortable seating under the shady oaks and magnolias on the Inn's front lawn. There is no cover charge for the event.

"Friday's on the Front Porch" runs from April 2 to October 9th, and is usually a good mix of Alumni, Chapel Hill fixtures, families, staff, and some students, rocking on the porch enjoying good food and fun music. Check out a list of bands here.

Some of us will be headed to Maple View for ice cream after--just to add to the fun.

Ready to enjoy the South as it should be, in a rocking chair on the front porch, savoring true Southern cooking? Perfection!

Pseudo Guest Post: Cutouts from Childhood

2009-06-16T23:05:00.000-04:00

My sister posted this on her blog around Easter and I liked it... so I'm posting it here... along with the recipe

Childhood memories work in such funny ways.

We went to Grandma and Grandpa Taylors house for Easter dinner. Grandma had made red finger jello for one of the dishes. Aunt Kellee was cutting easter shapes into it with cookie cutters. I saw the bunny cookie cutter. I had completely forgotten it even existed.

All these memories came back to me of those red cookie cutters. I remembered the turkey cutter quite clearly and think about it every thanksgiving when I make cookies. But I can't believe that I had forgotten about the cake and the bunny and that great flag cutter. Sugar cookies were one of the first things I learned how to make. My mom makes the best cookies and instead of frosting them we actually sugar them with colored jello so you can see the designs from the cutter on the cookie. They are so delicious.

Anyway, I got such a kick out of seeing these cookie cutters that I tried to make mom promise to leave them to me. But she wasn't committing. I'm a girl that takes matters into my own hands so I bought my own set on e-bay. Gotta love e-bay. They were easy to find as they were made by Tupperware.

So watch for some cool flag cookies to be coming your way in July.

Sugar Cookie Recipe:

1/2 C shortening (butter)

1 C sugar

1 egg

3 C flour

3 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 C milk

Cream shortening and sugar. Add egg. Mix well. Add dry ingredients alternately with liquid. Chill 1 hour. Roll out on floured board. Cut into shapes. Place on greased cookie sheet. (Here's where you would sprinkle on the colored jello if so desired) Bake at 350' until light brown (8-10 min).

Around the Web in Foodie Posts

2009-06-16T06:25:00.001-04:00

Yet again, my collection of "mmm, I'm hungry, I really hope I have ingredients" post:

I wish I had a french baguette (or you know, something labeled correctly): http://balancefood.blogspot.com/2009/06/frenched-toast-with-cinnamon-creme.html
A cool place to go (Other than Pants! house) for Mac & Cheese: http://ladyholiday.blogspot.com/2009/06/family-visit.html
Reasons to read and eat cake: http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/2009/05/sunday-sweets-reading-rocks.html
A review of cookbooks that take you around the world in your kitchen: http://www.slate.com/id/2219280/?from=rss
Savoring the food in Florence: http://us1.campaign-archive.com/?u=5a58ce056111520e1f8ced40a&id=1e37e2b74a&e=864ce79b61
Spice up your picnic, with grilling around the world: http://www.recipezaar.com/newsletter/view.php?date=060909
Frozen Treats to get you through the heat! http://www.delish.com/recipes/cooking-recipes/frozen-summer-dessert-recipes?click=pp

P.S. Don't forget that this Sunday is Father's day! It is a great time to put together a creation--even if you just make cookies, freeze them, and then send them via FedEx--he'll appreciate it.

Improvising

2009-06-15T06:26:00.004-04:00

Recipes used to be the only way I would cook. My sophomore year in college, I bought my red Betty (Betty Crocker Cook Book), and I have been collecting cook books ever since. Funny enough, I don't always use them--a lot of times they are a jumping off stage (See Betty's Strawberry Glace pie--so good! Even better, when B improvises and makes it a Strawberry-Mango Glace pie--AMAZING!).

My brother Nathan used to just throw things in, and it would turn out perfectly succulent! I always envied him that. For some reason the chemistry would always befuddle me, and I would worry that I would ruin something. Gone are those days. Well, maybe I just don't care anymore.

Yesterday, after my regular Sunday nap, I was laying in bed planning out my dinner menu (I had signed up to feed the missionaries, but forgot about it, so was hoping I had all the ingredients I needed). The night before I had made a butternut squash, apple cider soup, and a trifle. I had a little left over soup (that I wasn't in the mood for), cream, whipped cream, and pudding. B had gotten some yellow squash at the farmers' market, and I always have a little ground beef in the freezer.

"Okay, maybe some kind of stroganoff?" I thought. Turns out I didn't have any pasta, which is when I decided it was handmade pasta time. Egg noodles are incredibly easy if you have a food processor--all you need are two cups of flour, 3 eggs, and a pinch of salt. My multiple cookbooks all mention the volcano method (build a mountain out of the flour, put the eggs in a well in the middle, slowly mix until you have a dough), but that has never worked especially well for me-- only about half the time. The New Best Recipe comments on this, and says to try it in the food processor.

Many years ago, I made spinach pasta, which turned out great, but was super involved. As I thought it through, I realized that a lot of the steps for the spinach I had already done--when making the soup. A butternut squash, apple cider noodle, perhaps? And using leftover butternut squash make a kind-of stroganoff.

Throwing the leftover soup and the flour in the food processor, I went to town. Unfortunately, I had way too much soup, and had to slowly add more and more flour during the kneading process. As I was too lazy to get out my pasta maker, I pulled out the rolling pin and pizza cutter, and went about making my noodles. While those were cooking (place them in a pot of not-too-violently boiling, salted water, and drain when they float to the top), I started on my sauce.

I had already steamed the last of the butternut squash, added butter, a little cream, and as I started to throw in the almonds to add a nuttier flavor and a little crunch, I was abruptly halted by B.Rad explaining, "Elder Peterson is deathly allergic to almonds, actually any kind of nut other than peanuts!" Great. Glad I knew. Thank goodness he was there, or I would have sent a missionary to the hospital. Also, thank goodness my ground beef was still browning, rather than in the pot with the now unusable (except sometime later this week for dinner) sauce.

Back to full-on improvising. . . Butter, cream, a tiny bit of left-over smoked Gouda, a little salt, pepper, nutmeg. Add in the ground beef, toss with the noodles, and pray. I sauteed up the yellow squash for a side, and had some pineapple and strawberries chopped and in a bowl. It turned out pretty good. I had to thin it with a little milk, and sadly, the subtle flavors of the pasta were somewhat masked, but hey, I didn't kill a missionary, so plus for me.

Also, plus for me? A quick devil's food cake recipe whipped up with Dark Chocolate Cocoa, and frosted with a vanilla pudding/whipped cream mixture. As Thells said, "Ooh, tastes like an Oreo." Only better, because it was warm, dark chocolate cake and not a semi stale, hard cookie! I was going to eat it for breakfast, sadly, I forgot it on my way out the door.

Hey, at least I can have it when I get home tonight. Yay! for Improvising in the kitchen!

P.S. Always tell someone before dinner that you have a food allergy. Or they could kill you! 19 year old boys, gotta love them.

Chocolate, Anyone?

2009-05-21T12:30:00.001-04:00

I am somewhat a lover of all things chocolate (cough, understatement, cough)--I tried out a new recipe last night for Chocolate Puddle cookies--Win (and which are now all gone and may need to be made again)! It is from a book I got on my first excursion to Hershey, PA with Miss Lindy--500 Chocolate Recipes. I cannot wait to try the chocolate chip shortbread. Wow.

Anyway, from now until Monday, September 7th, those of us in the triangle have a treat. Chocolate, the Exhibition is coming to the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. Though fascinating in itself, I am really looking forward to some of the lectures they are presenting--including the lecture and tasting that I will be attending on July 15th with Lindy and B.

Hmm, learning about and tasting chocolate. . . If there is a bad there, I don't know what it would be. Feel free to join us or not, but while it is here, Chocolate, the Exhibition should not be missed!

5 Minute, Single serving, Chocolate Cake

2009-05-15T07:06:00.001-04:00

How about a little cake? I do not often blog about forwards, but this recipe needed to be shared. Isn't there ever a moment where you are reading a book, watching TV, or needing an ice-cream chaser; and you think, "I want chocolate cake!" This is the recipe for you...

THE 5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE CAKE FOR ONE PERSON.......
4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
A small splash of vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug (MicroSafe)

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again. Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts. The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed! Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired. EAT! (this can serve 2 if you want to feel slightly more virtuous.)

And why is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world? Because now we are all only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake at any time of the day or night!

Wow. Just, Wow.

What Guys Eat

2009-05-12T22:52:00.005-04:00

Holiday:

hey, tell me how you made that rice pudding

Josh:

leftover rice
2 cups rice
3 cups milk (but half of that was coconut milk)
uummm
2/3 cup sugar
some vanilla
raisins
boil/simmer
that seems like everything

This was my facebook conversation with my friend Josh. I went over to his house on Sunday for our weekly Arrested Development party and he gave me homemade rice pudding. It was so delicious! Not only that, his roommate made this really great spice-encrusted baked chicken (except he was grinding red pepper and it was making our eyes sting--I don't recommend doing that at home.) Not only did these two guys cook, but they frequently have conversations about cooking. It is endlessly fascinating to me. Anyway, I have not tried making this rice pudding myself, but I'm going to, because it was delicious, and infinitely superior to the cornbread he made the previous Sunday out of Jiffy blueberry muffin mix and canned corn! Guys can definitely cook, but sometimes they make the strangest things. Don't even get me started on cake-in-a-bowl!

3rd Annual Bluegrass for Babies benefiting the NC Children's Hospital

2009-05-12T17:00:00.002-04:00

Please mark your calendar for the 3rd Annual Bluegrass for Babies!!!

This special edition of The Carolina Inn's "Friday's on the Front Porch" will be held on Friday, May 29 to benefit NC Children's Hospital Newborn Critical Care Center. The event will take place from 5pm-7pm and will feature the live bluegrass music from The Gravy Boys.

This event provides the perfect atmosphere for kicking back, relaxing and getting a jump on the weekend. The Inn offers its classic southern buffet as well as Tiny Vittles menu with full bar service (including sodas and Shirley Temples), and plenty of comfortable seating under the shady oaks and magnolias on the Inn's front lawn. There is no cover charge for the event.

Please go support this wonderful cause!!

I cannot be there the May 29 weekend, but we would like to invite the EQ to join us for a Friday in June (for Dining Out--we'll narrow down a date soon). "Friday's on the Front Porch" runs from April 2 to October 9th, and is usually a good mix of Alumni, Chapel Hill fixtures, families, staff, and some students, rocking on the porch enjoying good food and fun music. Check out a list of bands here. I'll have more details for June's dining out shortly, but until then. . . Rock (as in rocking chair) On. They may even play some Skynyrd!

Mother's Day Food?

2009-05-10T07:55:00.000-04:00

So, we don't get a lot of comments on the Delish Dish, but hopefully we can up them today.

B mentioned last night that she wanted deviled eggs because deviled eggs were a Mother's Day food. I don't think I've really thought about it. When you think of Mother's Day, what foods spring to mind? Please fill up the comments section--I want a discussion.

Oh, and Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

Around the Web in Foodie Posts

2009-05-02T06:00:00.007-04:00

A tour of the Interwebs with an eye to good food

Slate asks about making your own staples--I can't wait to try the bagel recipe!
Check out a bread cookbook I may just have to get. No kneading?!? Awesome!
Once again, Chou outdoes herself!
And then she gardens! Sheesh. There is no living up to her...
Smart ways to use coupons.
The Worldwide Ward Cookbook
Kitchen Cleaning Tips
Looking for Cinco De Mayo recipes? Travel South of the Border without getting the flu.
Yes, please. Stephanie Plum would be proud.
A recipe to make your tastebuds tingle. . .
Bizarre Kitchen Pictures/Nightmares? - though I can totally see my death by Nutella.

Not Your Mother's Pasta Salad

2009-05-01T06:00:00.002-04:00

Well, sometimes it is, but growing up it wasn't. Pasta salad growing up was macaroni, shells, or rotini mixed with egg, cheese, peas, tuna or crab, a little mayo, and seasoned to taste. Which isn't bad - especially if you add dill. Oh, and she would sometimes add onion and celery (meh--if eating it at a ward potluck, you really couldn't talk to anyone due to the lovely flavors wafting from your breath, and I'm not a huge celery fan).

Then a few years ago (I had to go back 3 journals), I had Karen's pasta salad recipe. Wow. Different flavors, less pedestrian, and perfect for bridal showers or just finishing off the perfect meal (side dished with spinach & feta infused burgers on a toasted rustic roll with garlic-feta mayo, red onion, bacon, tomato, and spring greens). I made it for my grandmother's funeral, and both of my mom's sisters kind of sneered (craisins? tortellini? broccoli? bacon?). Then they had to try it just to see. And then they had to check it a little more. It really is delicious. Tomorrow, you will see it at J&J's reception. Until then, check out the recipe, and dream.

Tortellini Pasta Salad

4c. Broccoli1
8 oz cheese tortellini (add tricolore for more color--I get the refrigerated kind)
1/4 c. craisins or raisins
1/4 - 1/2 c. finely chopped red onion
1/2 c. reduced fat mayo (not miracle whip--wrong flavors!)
3 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp cider vinegar
5 slices crumbled bacon (or more)
1/4 c. sunflower kernels (optional)

Cook the broccoli for about 2 minutes, set aside. Cook tortellini as indicated. Rinse with cold water after draining. Add onion, craisins, broccoli, tortellini, and toss together. In a small bowl mix mayo, sugar, and vinegar. Toss with the larger bowl to coat. Refrigerate at least 1 hour. Add bacon right before you serve it, or the bacon gets soggy.

Hummus with a twist

2009-04-26T14:02:00.006-04:00

There are many ways to make hummus (and many places to buy it), but by far my favorite is from The New Best Recipe (one of the most amazing cookbooks ever!--Love you forever Miss Thells), page 13. I'm definitely a foodie more than a gourmet (foodie=someone who loves & adores food; gourmet=someone who only cooks with certain high end foods and can be a little snobby about their food), and The New Best Recipe caters to both.

A favorite Ru Sister Dinner menu:

Herb-encrusted, boneless pork chops
Hummus with roasted red peppers & feta
Pita bread (quartered or smaller and warmed in the oven)
Orzo pasta with some kind of sauce
Steamed veggies

I made this the first time we ever cooked for Elder Walters. An insult to the chef, some newly named foods, and a few glares later, and we had the makings of a House Legend. Most of the food in that menu is thrown together with whatever we have in the pantry, or whatever herbs I am in the mood to add to the pork chops, but the hummus is pretty upfront--why mess with perfection?

Hummus:

1 (15 oz) can of garbanzos or chick peas, drained and rinsed
1 medium garlic clove, minced or pressed through a garlic press (I use so much garlic that I keep a large jar of minced garlic in my fridge at all times - 1/2 tsp = 1 clove of garlic - most labels will tell you that).
3/4 tsp. salt
Pinch cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons juice from a large lemon
1/4 c. tahini (sesame butter - can be found in the international aisle, near the salad dressings, or near the peanut butter in multiple grocery stores)
1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 c. water

Process all of the ingredients in a food processor until smooth, about 40 seconds. Transfer the hummus to a serving bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and chill until the flavors meld, at least 30 minutes; serve cold.

Makes about 2 cups, serves around 8-10, and can be kept for up to 2 days in your fridge.

Hummus can be served with anything, but my favorite is by adding a few strips of roasted red pepper and some crumbled feta as just a light garnish. I think it adds depth to the hummus, and everything mingles together blissfully. Post your favorite hummus twist in the comments!

Guest Posts & Posting

2009-04-22T17:00:00.001-04:00

Know someone who loves food as much as you do--or even more? Dreaming of a recipe only your mom can make? Adore listening to a friend give restaurant reviews of the best brunch places in Durham? Get her (or him) to guest post for us!

Post it yourself or email it to me, and I'll happily post it. Please add a couple lines of intro just to give us a little context. My mom is supposed to be working on one, and the Jolly Holiday was roped in after describing some mouthwatering soul food on her blog (and then gave us a perfectly luscious post!). Remember, it can be anything food related. Anything.

A couple of ideas:

Cheese and why it is so good
Favorite foods and how they evolved over the course of your life
Best restaurant (and the runner-up) in all of the cities you've lived
Canning
Salsa
Favorite cookbooks
Kitchen gadgets you'd rather not live without (Conversely, gadgets you see no need for except on bridal registries--for those of us who are poor)
Cooking for others and why you love/hate it
Party recipes
Favorite cakes
First foods
Genre, item, or ethnicity of food you cannot live without right now
Your favorite food city

Happy Blogging!

Carrboro Farmer's Market or CFM (that's for you, B.)

2009-04-22T10:10:00.005-04:00

Last fall I read Animal Vegetable Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver, and I will never be the same. I'm obsessed with it. I may even succumb to stalking Barbara Kingsolver--it's that great.

Read it.

After I read this book I decided I wanted to do what I could to support local farmers and produce. Because we all know that I have ample time at work, I started googling Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). A CSA lets you purchase in advance a share of the farm's produce, eggs, meat, etc. And then every week you pick up your box filled with whatever is in season. I decided to buy a share from one of the local farms that is at the Carrboro Farmer's Market. Lots of the farmers there offer CSAs, and you can read all about them via the links provided on this website. The CSA I chose was only $106 for 13 weeks and last Saturday was my first pick-up. I scored a pound of mild country sausage, a bag of mixed greens, and bunch of green garlic.

Awesome.

Can't wait to go again this Saturday.

Guest Post: The Ups and Downs of Pineapple Upside Down Cake

2009-04-21T23:27:00.008-04:00

Hello D3 Delish Dish readers! I'm a former D3 sister, and now I'm a Harlem sista, having moved away from Chapel Hill and into the big city about a year and a half ago. Nevertheless, I have followed your blog with interest, being a true lover of food, and I am happy to be able to contribute to the group. My passion is baking, so I will probably end up sharing mainly desserts, but you never know--I just might get inspired and start branching out. Heaven knows I need more vegetables in my life.

The past few days I have been consumed by Pineapple Upside Down Cake. A coworker hired me to bake one for her husband's birthday, and I accepted the challenge, even though I had never attempted one before. It always sounded so complicated. But it's really not. Maybe a 6.5 on the 1-10 baking scale of difficulty, and if you buy almond flour that brings it down to about 4.

Anyway, since she asked me on Saturday, I decided to make a practice cake on Sunday using a simple recipe I found online. It turned out okay, and it was a hit at the dessert party I took it to (especially with the guys! note that men seem to LOVE this type of cake) but I was not a hundred percent sold on it. It seemed kind of flat. So the next night I tried a different recipe, with more unusual ingredients, which I spent half the night running around in a rainstorm to find. You won't have a problem in Chapel Hill, but in New York, you'd be surprised at how barbaric the grocery stores are. They never have anything I need. That second cake seemed to turn out really well, and that is the cake I gave my coworker for her husband.

So, tonight I decided that after all my trouble, I should make a Pineapple Upside Down Cake for me! And I did. Here is the recipe I used, and my notes:

Ingredients:
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 can (20 ounce) pineapple slices (rings)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
6 Tbsp cake flour
6 Tbsp ground almonds
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 3/4 cups white sugar
1 cup butter or margarine
4 eggs
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup sour cream

1. Gather all your ingredients together, along with 2 mixing bowls and a big cast-iron skillet. If you don't have a skillet, you can use a 10-inch cake pan with 2-inch sides.

2. In the skillet, melt 1/2 cup butter and add the brown sugar, stirring until the sugar is liquid and bubbling. Remove from the heat and add the pineapple slices, with one in the center and the rest all around. Set aside.

3. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

4. Whisk the flours, almonds, baking powder, and salt together in one mixing bowl and set aside. (Note, you can either chop up almonds for about 45 minutes by hand or use some kind of modern kitchen appliance to grind them into powder, or you can use almond flour from Whole Foods. It's either your time or your money! I chopped, then ground with a rolling pin, then sifted until I had fine almond powder and nice arm muscles.)

5. In a separate bowl, mix the 1 cup butter and the white sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one by one, beating after each one. Add the vanilla, too.

6. Alternately add the flour mixture and the sour cream, continuing to mix well after each, and scraping the sides of the bowl to mix thoroughly.

7. Pour the batter into the cast iron skillet, over the pineapple and brown sugar base, completely covering it.

8. Bake for about an hour, or until toothpick comes out clean. (Mmmm... lick the bowl!) When the cake is done, cool it in the pan for 10 or 15 minutes and then turn it over onto a pretty platter, revealing the sugary pineapple top.

9. Enjoy warm, with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, or just a tall glass of cold milk.

10. There should be ten steps to this recipe, so I will say lastly: share a slice with your neighbor. When my cake was done baking tonight, and my sister and I were enjoying it, I noticed that my adorable neighbor-guy (our windows face each other across an alley, so yes--we are always spying on each other!) was home alone watching TV. So I took him a piece of cake. He was completely surprised and genuinely happy to receive it, and promised to cook something for me next week. See! What did I tell you? I think there is something about this cake and men... In fact, my hunt for a cast-iron skillet resulted in me making at least 3 new male friends. It might sound silly, but I think this cake is charmed with romantic powers. And even if it weren't, it's amazingly delicious!

Who Died?

2009-04-19T20:33:00.006-04:00

I was talking with my mom recently and she said she was making chocolate cake. The first thing that came out of

my mouth was, "Who died?"

That may seem an odd and insensitive thing to say, but my mother has developed a pattern of chocolate cake baking that only occasionally breaks free. Whenever a member of her ward passes away, she is asked/volunteers to make the chocolate cake for the lunch following the services. So here's what my hometown's so excited about:

Mom's Moist Chocolate Cake:

(also known as Texas Sheet Cake)

2 Cups sugar

1 Cup liquid shortening (may use applesauce)

2 eggs

4 Tbsp cocoa

2 Cups hot water

3 Cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 Tbsp vanilla

Grease and flour a 10x15 jelly roll pan. In large bowl mix all dry ingredients except soda and baking powder. Mix with 1 cup water. Add soda and baking powder and eggs with 1 cup water. Add vanilla. Combine with dry mixture. Add shortening. Makes a very runny batter. Bake at 350 for 23 minutes. Cool about 5 min before frosting. Frost. This can be left uncovered and still remain moist. (Bake for 35-40 min if using regular cake pan)

Dark Chocolate Frosting:

1/2 Cup margarine or butter

4 Tbsp cocoa (heaping)

4-4.5 Cups powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

milk (about 6 Tbsp)

Melt margarine in pan. Add vanilla and cocoa. Stir in half of milk and powdered sugar. Add rest of milk and more powdered sugar to make consistency you desire. Drop by spoonfuls onto warm sheet cake and let cake warm the frosting before you try to spread it. Spread frosting around carefully. May sprinkle with nuts if desired.

Dining In: Waffle Bar

2009-04-19T08:36:00.007-04:00

Deeply pocketed squares or small-holed round waffles? That was the question of the day yesterday as a few of us met to enjoy a dining in waffle bar and plan the structure of Dining Outs to come. Marti is all for the small rounds--that way they evenly hold all of your goodies and no one divot gets too much topping--equality in bite. I normally agree, but for some reason yesterday, I was reaching for the square waffles with the deeper holes. Strange. It is the dilemma of a two waffle iron house--choices, choices.

With strawberry puree, chocolate sauce, syrup, or the funky French cookie spread (that was like 5000 calories per 1/4 cup), and a healthy dose of whipped cream, we chatted about food, farmers markets, and so much more. The end was spent lazily talking about our Saturday plans as we nibbled grapes, pineapple, and a little bacon.

All in all, I felt I learned more about the other sisters who were there--and I cannot wait for next month's. Mac & Cheese party at Marti's (we'll have a date for you shortly). Make Mac & Cheese, bring a recipe, and try some of everything (and remember, you can bring friends, even if it is just to steal their amazing mac & cheese recipe). I recently made a three-cheese, ham and asparagus, mac & cheese that was delicious; but I am going to have to really think about what I am going to bring next month. Mac & Cheese Dining In will be the stuff that dreams are made of.

No More Plain Green Beans

2009-04-09T14:32:00.006-04:00

My family Easter gathering is quickly approaching and my Mom was making assignments. She said "why don't you bring a vegetable. Maybe green beans, you could even do the classic green bean casserole if you would like." Ever since Christmas and the unending leftovers I was not thrilled with the idea...to say the least. So here is a new twist on serving those green beans.

Roasted Green Beans with Peppers & Onion

1 lb. whole frozen or fresh green beans, ends trimmed
1 red pepper, cut into thin strips
1 yellow pepper, cut into thin strips
1 large onion, cut into thin strips
1/2 cup Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
1/2 cup Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese

PREHEAT oven to 400°F. Toss vegetables with dressing in large roasting pan.
BAKE 30 min. or until vegetables are tender, stirring after 15 min.
SPRINKLE with cheese. Bake an additional 2 to 3 min. or until cheese is melted.

I have made this recipe several times and always enjoy the delicious taste of all the onions, peppers and cheese intertwined with the green beans. ENJOY :)

Dining Out: Nantucket

2009-04-05T10:14:00.004-04:00

Twelve of us dined out last evening. I knew some of the people there were foodies, but I was truly pleased by those I didn't know were foodies joining the group. Reading the menu was a pleasure. There were so many choices that seemed perfect. Truly rough battles were fought between Chicken Pot Pie or Sauteed Shrimp & Scallops. Or Pine Nut Salad vs. the Cranberry Bog (Hot roasted turkey with warm stuffing, cranberry sauce and mayonnaise, served on a grilled French bread roll). The french fries were lauded, but the onion rings looked like perfection. The fry bread brought to the table melted in your mouth without being too oily. The crab dip burst in an explosion of flavor off your tongue. After having my wisdom teeth out the day before, the Lobster bisque and mashed potatoes with homemade country gravy were savory moments of tasty goodness.

Though, I expect a few entries from those who went last night, or at least critiques of your dish in the comments, I truly had a fantastic experience. As each of us bit into a final bite of Chocolate Sundae Cake, I knew that we were sisters of this perfect shared experience--chocolate and cookies, combined with white cake and a whipped cream frosting, tantalizing your taste buds in an exquisite moment of pure delight. And we were sisters of a shared gospel, coming together to enjoy good company and great food.

Food Posts enjoyed recently

2009-04-04T18:30:00.005-04:00

A list of the posts, I've read and enjoyed this week:

A critique of one of Sara Foster's books (she of Foster's Market fame).
A gorgeous post that just happens to touch on a restaurant experience.
The Feminist Mormon Housewives take on bread again.
The Food Storage Starter kit available for members.
Chou's Caramel Rice Pudding sounds divine.
The Carrboro Farmer's market (as well as other local farmers markets) have CSAs. Slate goes over one way to make it work.
The Chatham County Buy Local guide.
General Conference Cornbread. Though I keep meaning to try making his spaghetti pie.
Mmmm. . . Grilled Cheese.

Dining Out Decisions

2009-03-27T07:00:00.001-04:00

Okay, foodies, it is time for you to vote. . .

Dining Out is Saturday, April 4th at 7:00 pm, but a restaurant is still in limbo. If there is a specific basketball game on, we may switch locales, but as of now, we are still on.

Please choose one of the following for dinner:

1. Carrburritos--parking is a little iffy (especially if one of those basketball games is on, but the food more than makes up for it).

2. Nantucket--not always too crowded, also great outdoor seating. And the cake. . . Wow (It is a Stephanie Plum dream).

3. The Melting Pot--a little pricey, but if we just get cheese and dessert, it could be perfect.

Please leave your vote in the comments section! Or, if you have a better suggestion, add it!

Oatmeal Crispies

2009-03-24T15:52:00.004-04:00

My best friend made these cookies for me and JLO when we were visiting her family in New York this past summer, and they have been a favorite ever since. They are ridiculously easy to make, the dough stores well in the freezer, and they even pass as a food storage dessert because almost all the ingredients (except eggs and butter) are long-term or short-term food storage items. You'll be using that can of oats you don't know what to do with!

Don't be Dull

2009-03-15T21:02:00.004-04:00

Last week I acquired a physical attribute that I didn't necessarily want to obtain... a nice slice on my index finger! Ouch! I'll show you what I was trying to create in a later post... but before I do let's go over some basic Knife Safety!!

1. Use the right kind of knife for the job. Don't know what knife to use? Check this link out.... it should help.

2. Regardless of what you see Iron Chefs do, it's good practice to cut away from you. (Even when you're sharpening said knife)

3. Sharper is safer. It takes less energy to cut with a sharp knife and it is less likely to stick. The natural instinct when a knife sticks is to apply more force... but that's when slips occur and you get cut. Trust me. I know.

4. Use a cutting board. The old veggie bag, the counter, sink, and/or stove top are not good cutting surfaces.

5. Keep it clean. Make sure to wash and store your knives properly. Knives are like small children... don't leave them unattended.

6. Don't try to catch a falling knife. Unless you're this kid... cause he has some mad skills.

FHE Fun with the Sisters Ru

2009-03-15T14:16:00.006-04:00

It is no secret that B and I have our own little FHE. Being that we are sisters, family home evening is quite easy for us, and every so often some of our transient family here joins us (we're a drop-in household, so often we'll have a few friends join our family). This past week, FHE was especially enjoyable. I had extra cream puffs left over from the Family History Dessert Night last Sunday, and all I needed was something to fill it for dinner/FHE.

Rather than have dinner ready when B got home, we made dinner together. One of our family friends makes a killer chicken salad that she brings over whenever we go home (to IL), and we set about trying to recreate it. Looking through various recipes, only one seemed easy and kind of close. Okay, we didn't quite get to Sandy's level, but it was pretty good nonetheless (Julianne also makes a mean chicken salad). I even ended up making more cream puffs so we could take it for lunches this past week. I knew we had done all right when B said, "Oh yeah" after her initial taste.

Quick and easy chicken salad:

2 c. shredded chicken (you can easily bake 1-2 chicken breasts and shred it or just buy canned chicken)
1 c. chopped celery (I'm not a huge celery fan, but I chopped it pretty fine; and it was perfect!)
1 c. halved grapes
1/4 c. toasted almonds (I didn't toast them due to the fact that I was cooking more cream puffs, and it still tasted fantastic)
1/2-3/4 c. mayo (depending on how dry you like it)
salt & pepper to taste

Mix everything except the mayo, salt, and pepper, then add those last three ingredients.

I dare you to eat it

2009-03-09T00:12:00.007-04:00

We've been counseled for a very, very long time to "prepare for adversity in life by having a basic supply of food and water and some money in savings" (Church pamphlet, All is Safely Gathered In). But as members of a YSA ward, most of us being in rather temporary housing situations, it has sometimes felt like a stretch to have a week's supply of food, let alone a year's supply. But the leadership of the church has also encouraged us "to store as much as circumstances allow."

I found a great website this week that has, for the first time in my life, helped me realize not only that my circumstances really do allow me to store a year's supply of food (it really doesn't take up that much space), but also that I can use that food to eat on a daily basis. The website is http://www.idareyoutoeatit.com/. Once there, go to the "strategies" section to understand how easy it really is to have a year's supply and eat it too. I have a copy of the author's book, so if anyone wants to learn more or see more of her recipes, just let me know.

I tried two of the recipes this week, and loved them. I even fed tacos covertly laced with wheat to the elders, and they had no idea until I spilled the beans. Here's the recipe for Hippie Tacos, as found on http://www.idareyoutoeatit.com/. They were delish.

HIPPIE TACOS

Fresh Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef
15 10″ tortillas

toppings: baby spinach leaves, grated cheese, diced tomato, avocado, cilantro, and Ranch dressing

Storage Ingredients

2 c. cooked whole wheat berries
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. chili powder

* 1 packet of taco seasoning may be used as a substitution for individual spices

Brown ground beef and drain fat. Stir in the cooked wheat berries and spices. Spoon meat mixture onto warm tortillas and top with fresh baby spinach, grated cheese, diced tomato, avocado, cilantro, and Ranch dressing.

Good luck food storaging!

Easy Dessert: Fruit Pizza

2009-03-08T21:07:00.013-04:00

To celebrate the warm weather we have been having lately I decided dessert should include FRUIT!

This is an easy recipe and one you can be creative with too!

Fruit Pizza

1 small pkg sugar cookie dough
8oz cream cheese
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c sour cream
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
fruit of any variety (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, grapes, bananas, kiwi, etc)

1. Roll out cookie dough into a thin shape (circle, square, triangle, you decide) on a cookie sheet. Bake as directed on package.
2. Cool completely.
3. Mix cream cheese, sugar, sour cream, egg and vanilla.
4. Spread on cookie. Place in oven at 350 for 4 - 7 mins until mixture melts.
5. Now pile on the fruit...be creative! (I opted for a circular design yet only got a picture of half as it was being consumed)
6. Refrigerate for about 15 mins, to allow everything to stay in place.
7. Serve in slices like a pizza and ENJOY!

Cafe Rio!

2009-03-08T21:06:00.015-04:00

Many of us here in D3 have spent some time living in the Beehive State. A love of many a Desereter is Cafe Rio (now with 17 locations within Utah and a few in Arizona and Nevada). My sister so loves Cafe Rio that she recreates several of their fresh and flavorful fares each year for her birthday. With a dear friend celebrating her birthday recently...I offered to try my hand at these famous recipes. After some Internet researching, personal tweaking, and several phone calls to my wonderful sister, here's what I came up with:

Cafe Rio Chicken:

8 oz Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing (it really does have to be this brand and flavor)

chili powder

cumin

3 cloves garlic - minced

5 lbs chicken breasts

Put a layer of chicken in bottom of crock pot. Sprinkle with chili powder and cumin. (More spices = hotter). Repeat with each layer of chicken. Add garlic and dressing over top. Cook all together in a crock pot for 4 hours, shred meat and cook 1 additional hour.

Cafe Rio Pork:

5 lb pork roast

1 bottle taco sauce (8 oz) (I used mild)

1 clove garlic - minced

1 T cumin

1 tsp dried mustard

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 C brown sugar

20 oz Coke (not diet)

7 oz can chipotle chilies in adobo sauce

Cook pork in Crockpot on low for 6 hours (cover roast 1/2 with water. When you add the other ingredients, take out some of the water, leaving only about 1/2" in the bottom.) Add other ingredients to pork and cook for another 4 hours. (Shred an hour or two before you serve)

Lime Rice:

In a saucepan, saute:

1 T butter

1/2 yellow onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic - minced

Add to a large pot, and bring to a boil the following:

3 cups water

4 tsp chicken bullion

1/4 bunch cilantro - chopped

1 tsp cumin

1 sm can diced green chilies

1/2 T lime juice

1/4 tsp pepper

1.5 C uncooked rice

Cook, covered, for 30 minutes or until rice is done.

Black Beans:

1 can black beans - drained and rinsed

1/3 C tomato juice

2 cloves garlic - minced

1 tsp cumin

2 T olive oil

2 T cilantro - chopped

In a nonstick skillet, cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over medium heat until you can smell it. Add beans and tomato juice. Continually stir until heated through. Just before serving stir in the cilantro.

Cafe Rio Tomatillo Dressing:

1 buttermilk ranch dressing packet (make per recipe)

2 tomatillos

1/2 bunch cilantro

1 clove garlic

juice of 1 lime

1 jalapeno

Use a food processor to blend all the ingredients well. Refrigerate.

(Sorry I didn't get a pic before it got devoured!)

Other ingredients:

Tortillas

Red and green leaf lettuce, shredded

Grated cheese - cheddar (I also like Parmesan)

Sour cream

Cilantro - chopped

Pico de Gallo

Limes - quartered

Crunchy corn strips

Round foil cake pans - to serve

Serve in the following order: (This is how I do it anyway... in a round foil cake pan)

Tortilla

Cheese

Shredded chicken or pork

Black beans

Lime Rice

Lettuce

Cilantro

Crunchy corn strips

Sour cream

Dressing

Pico de Gallo

Grated Parmesan cheese

Squeeze lime over all of it

Pastel de Tres Leches:

1.5 C all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 unsalted butter

1 cup white sugar

5 eggs

1.5 tsp vanilla

1 C whole milk

1/2 of a 14 oz can Sweetened condensed milk

1/2 of a 12 oz can Evaporated milk

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour a 9x13 cake pan.

Sift flour and baking powder together and set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy.

Add the eggs and vanilla. Beat well.

Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, 2 tablespoons at a time, mixing well until blended.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes. (As you can see, the above recipe is for a simple yellow cake...I'm sure a box cake would work just as well)

When cake has finished baking, pierce it with a fork all over and let it cool.

Combine the whole milk, evaporated milk, and condensed milk and pour over the top of the cooled cake. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Because of the milk in the cake, it is very important that you keep the cake refrigerated until ready to serve. Serve chilled. Serve with sliced strawberries and whipped cream. You can make your own whipped cream by beating 1 cup sugar and 1.5 cups heavy whipping cream.

You may no longer live (or never lived) in Utah, but now you can enjoy this Utah classic anytime. Make sure you invite lots of friends cause these recipes serve a lot of hungry folks!!

Food, Family, and Fish Haven

2009-03-07T19:55:00.002-05:00

Over the course of fall 1998- summer 2002 (I didn't have a car freshman year), I spent nearly a weekend a month in Bear Lake, ID. My grandparents lived in an old pioneer house built in 1865 just two miles past the Idaho Border (thank you, Google Earth for the picture).

A family history house in more ways than one, I think it will always be more special to me for the relationships it allowed me to have with my grandparents. We had spent summers there during my childhood, but these memories were mine and no one else's. For that one weekend a month, they got an extra daughter, and I learned to see them as real people and not just doting grandparents.

Many times my memories of those weekends are of food. Grandma was very particular about when meals were served. You could get your own breakfast (though heaven help you if it wasn't before 8:30), but lunch was at noon and dinner at five--and that is when I got them on the table--not a minute later.

I was a passable cook growing up and had some training thanks to Mom and 4-H, but Mom cooked in our house; and the rest of us were sous chefs. My brother Nathan had a gift for just tossing ingredients together, but I had to train and practice. And I did it in my grandparents kitchen, last updated sometime in the 70s, with the hand crank can opener (I still covet) on the wall and the cast iron stove brought across the plains from St. Louis back in the day (It was more a warming area for foods that came out of the electric oven across the kitchen) while Grandma told stories of her years growing up, being a young newlywed, or how many boyfriends my mother had. She always sent me home to Provo with enough food for weeks.

Sundays were the usual: church and then a roast of some kind, mashed potatoes & gravy, green beans with mushroom soup (or cauliflower with cheese), home-canned fruit, stuffing, and some kind of bread (rolls, bread rings, you name it), and what you didn't eat was sent home. But Saturday, Grandma and Grandpa were my guinea pigs. Grandma's staples were meat and potatoes or something she didn't have to work on too much (frozen dinners), but I would prepare tacos, homemade pizza, enchiladas, spaghetti, etc.--stuff that seems really basic to me (now that I have become more sophisticated in my food tastes), but were often new and different for them. After dinner, we would often watch an old timey musical for Grandma (often Deanna Durbin--a star from the 1930s and 1940s, the Julia Roberts of her day) and then a fun action flick with Grandpa after Grandma went to bed.

I cooked my first Thanksgiving for them. I grieved for friends and family with them--cooking the pain away. I picked fruits and vegetables (and Grandfather made fun of my jumpy nature--he said I had a guilty conscience). We watched General Conference while I made pie or bread or fudge. We canned; we cooked; we laughed; we loved. You name it, it happened in that kitchen or the living room or the picnic tables under the boxelder trees, and food and family history tied it all together.

One of my favorite memories of my Grandfather happened on their 60th wedding anniversary. I had been perfecting my fettuccine alfredo recipe at the time, and I decided to pair it with steak (Daddy did those on the grill usually, so I had never actually cooked one on my own). The look of bliss on my Grandfather's face as he bit into that steak--his first in 10 years--will stay with me forever (especially since it was probably overcooked and not my best--I do much better now), and Grandma could not stop talking about that moment of pure pleasure.

Another favorite memory of my Grandfather happened at my Grandmother's funeral. I flew in early to help Mom and her sisters with whatever they needed. Mom, who for years had been pretty territorial in the kitchen, had come to trust me in there, and turned the food over to me while she and her sisters hammered out the details you must during that kind of time. I threw together some kind of chicken pasta the night I flew in--but Grandpa wouldn't eat. Though years had passed since I had been the long-lost, Larsen daughter, coming up every month, I was once again his surrogate child, sitting in Grandma's chair as we talked. Well, I talked--he was never a big talker--after I set a plate of pasta on his lap. Half an hour later, the plate was clean, and I filled it up again and sat down to talk some more.

When it was time for me to leave, I remember holding his hand, tears close to the surface, and looking into his eyes as hours and days rushed back--me and Grandma and Grandpa in our own little world, with dinner at noon and five; music, stories, gospel, laughter, and food tying us together always.

How to pick produce...

2009-03-03T22:07:00.000-05:00

Picking produce can be difficult. If you don't have training (or a book) on the subject, it can be a close-your-eyes-and-point kind of activity. Why on earth did Mom pick one cantalope over the other? How do you know when fresh herbs are about to be not-so-fresh? Various cookbooks will note information about purchasing and storing produce (The Joy of Cooking has a great guide), but sometimes it is just picking what looks and smells the best.

Hopefully the following links will help.

An A to Z guide to produce
Video guides to picking good produce
A little guide to storage of produce
A summer fruit buying guide

Fried Jelly Sandwiches

2009-02-26T17:30:00.002-05:00

My sweet, loving roommate often likes to accuse me of remembering her childhood better than she does. I do--mostly because some of what I remember is what she wouldn't. Miss B had a few semi-sibling inspired accidents as a kid. Once while Nathan or I were supposed to be watching her, she grabbed Mom's curling iron and burned her poor little hand to nearly a crisp. The weekend after, we visited friends of my parents (whose name for the life of me I cannot remember). That trip included a visit to the local dump to watch the local bears dine, multiple walks in the woods (which you don't get a lot of in the Midwest--B's first comment on my first apartment here in Chapel Hill? "It is like living at camp!"), and an explosion of delicate flavor on my tongue as I tasted these amazing creations for the first time.

Years later, in my second year at girls' camp, one of the extra goals to pass off was "bring a recipe and prepare it." Being the overachiever that I was, I decided to bring this delicious recipe. Yep, in a cast iron skillet, I deep fried jelly sandwiches. They were such a hit, that the next two years, the other girls in my year begged that I make them again--and I did.

Ruth's Birthday Jubilee has been happening now for a few years. If you know Ruth, one of her favorite events is the North Carolina State Fair. The girl could give tours of the best food places at the fair with a map of what order to eat them in (deep fried Oreos, Methodist ham biscuits, a pineapple whip halfway through to cleanse the palate in order to keep going). In order to bring October's State Fair to February, fried jelly sandwiches have made another appearance.

The entire house smells like the fair when you make them (It is how Evelyn found the house this year), but biting into a golden, fried triangle made with homemade, Bear-Lake-Idaho-raspberry jam and sprinkled with powdered sugar, brings heaven a little closer. They are a little rich, but you don't have to make a lot.

The basic recipe:

Make Jelly Sandwiches - 2 slices of white or wheat with your favorite jam or jelly smeared in between.
Mix up some kind of pancake or waffle batter (adding a little more water--or milk depending on the recipe--to make it more liquid than regular batter).
Heat vegetable oil, canola, or Crisco (butter-flavor adds a little extra flavor) in a deep pot or deep fryer (enough to cover the sandwich pretty well).
Dip sandwiches in the batter and fry until golden - either hold it under with tongs or flip halfway through.
Place sandwiches onto napkins or paper towels to blot off excess oil.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar and cut into fourths.
Eat warm if possible, but cold is great, too.

I know this is pretty much the opposite of a healthy post, but what can you do--sometimes you just need a little of the fair.

Really ridiculously easy/tasty/healthy recipe

2009-02-25T18:36:00.007-05:00

A d3 food blog is such a great idea!

With some rather large, albeit planned for, expenses coming up pretty quickly, I wanted to find a few recipes that were really filling and healthy but also really, really cheap. I found this one yesterday, and because I already had most of the ingredients, this cost almost nothing to make.

Carrot Lentil Casserole Ingredients:

1 large onion, chopped
1 cup finely chopped carrots
3/4 cup dried lentils, rinsed
3/4 cup uncooked brown rice
3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 teaspoon each dried thyme, basil and oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) chicken or vegetable broth
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained

Directions:

In a 3-qt. baking dish coated with cooking spray, combine the onion, carrots, lentils, rice, cheese, green pepper and seasonings. Stir in broth and tomatoes. Cover and bake at 350° for 1-1/4 to 1-3/4 hours or until the liquid is absorbed and lentils and rice are tender. Yield: 6 servings.

Here's the link to the actual recipe. It was really good and has an earthy feel to it. And is great for this rather long winter we're having.

Favorite food articles around the bloggernacle and beyond...

2009-02-25T06:30:00.006-05:00

Some of my (semi-recent) favorite food posts:

Dinner Group Salvation from Feminist Mormon Housewives gives me ideas. . . As did their canning one.
A great rundown of various spices from the Mormon Foodie.
Slate's "State of the Cookie" address. . . well, conversation, really.
The new food storage (now called "Provident Living") section of lds.org.
Chou's food tours -- I also love her recent Iron Man-Iron Chef challenge. Next year, I am so in!
And from one of our own, an obsession confession (which obsesses about more than food, but who cares): Thanks ash-es!

Please share more in the comments section!

ETA: Slate has a fun one for today! Terrifying, but fun.

A D3 alumna lists scrumptious sites she wants to visit in New York!

T's Chapel Hill (and Carrboro) Top 5

2009-02-24T20:51:00.013-05:00

I have been dining in and around Chapel Hill's Franklin Street now for five years (well working on West Franklin for that long). Here are my top 5 on Franklin Street (and a few on Weaver/Main St.). . .

1. Peppers - Best Franklin Street Pizza, hands down. Add artichoke heart and feta or chicken and bacon. Try a white or pesto slice. The spinach calzone is to die for, and I love the stromboli. I've even heard their salads are good. As a plus, you can even get pizza dough to go! Say, "Hi!" to Hannah if she is your server--she's awesome!

2. Sandwhich - Eclectic, European-feeling, Sandwhich is the restaurant that has made me like sandwiches again. Order a change-your-life Tuna or an O.B.L.T. (O stands for Outrageous - A BLT with jalapenos and avocado), and you'll never know what hit you. Stop by the bathroom for a cool spacial experience. As an added bonus The Courtyard also has a LocoPops and the succulent delights of the new Bliss Bakery--try a chocolate bliss cupcake and let your taste buds take you to heaven.

3. The Spotted Dog - Just order the Spinnin' Dip. Order it and die happy.

4. Trilussa - Just a fresh, little, Italian slice of heaven. Tiny, out of the way, delicious, enjoy!

5. It's a toss up, Med Deli? Acme? Can't decide. . .

Experience one or all of these Chapel Hill or Carrboro treasures, and you'll have many mouth-watering moments. There are a bunch of others I haven't been to on East Franklin (price is also a factor), but any one of these will be a great dining experience. I keep threatening a take-out party where I send a bunch of people to pick up my favorite dishes or appetizers from many places around the Triangle. Maybe it will be the result of a blog post.

ETA ("edited to add" for future reference): I take it back. #5 is Carrburritos. Have the nachos. Add the sweet potato puree--I know, I said it, too. "Sweet potatoes on nachos???" with a look of incredulous derision. Don't knock it--it is amazing!

Tortillas/Flatbread

2009-02-24T20:18:00.007-05:00

So last night I tried to make tortillas (unleavened bread, anyone?). They turned out more like flatbread, but they tasted great (so I don't care--mostly). We filled them with taco meat, refried beans, cheese, tomatoes, avocado, sour cream, and romaine. I got nine pieces out of the following recipe even though it says eight. It takes some practice to get them flat enough, and luckily I have a press; but I think it will take a few more times to get them thin enough. I found this on a recipe website (you can find the original post by clicking on the recipe title).

Chewy Flour Tortillas
These tortillas have real body and taste; they are perfect for gorditas, fajitas and eating out of hand.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
3/4 cup lukewarm milk (2% is fine)

Stir together the flour and baking powder in a large mixing bowl. Add the salt and vegetable oil to the lukewarm milk and whisk briefly to incorporate. Gradually add the milk to the flour, and work the mixture into a dough. It will be sticky.

Turn the dough out onto a surface dusted with flour and knead vigorously for about 2 minutes (fold and press, fold and press). The kneading will take care of the stickiness. Return the dough to the bowl, cover it with a damp cloth, and let it rest for 15 minutes. (This dough will not rise, but it needs a rest.)

Divide your dough into 8 balls of equal size, cover them, and let them rest again for about 20 minutes. Avoid letting them touch, if you don't want them to stick together.

Dust your work surface with flour. Working one at a time, remove each piece of dough and pat it into a 5-inch circle. With a rolling pin, roll out the tortilla, working from the center out, until you have a 7- or 8-inch tortilla a little less than 1/4 inch thick. Transfer the tortilla to a hot, dry skillet or griddle. It will begin to blister. Let it cook for 30 seconds, turn it, and let the other side cook for 30 seconds. Remove the tortilla, place it in a napkin-lined basket and cover with aluminum foil. Repeat for the remaining tortillas.

Although flour tortillas, like corn tortillas, are best if eaten right after they are made, these tortillas will freeze well. Wrap them tightly in plastic, and they will keep, frozen, for several weeks. To serve tortillas that have been frozen, let them thaw and come to room temperature, then wrap them in aluminum foil and heat them in a warm oven. Microwaving tends to toughen them.

It Starts. . .

2009-02-24T16:13:00.012-05:00

Well, my lovelies, here we are starting out our new adventures in nummy eating. . . Please feel free to comment, post, or recommend restaurants around the area, recipes that have worked for you that you think others would like, and your personal feelings on experiences we will have together.

Enrichment is about enriching the lives of those around us as well as ourselves. We may as well share our love and knowledge with others seeking out good things.

Acts 14: 17 reads, "Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness." Let us nourish ourselves with the good word of God, surround ourselves with the company of good friends, and fill "our hearts with food and gladness!"

Did you know when you blog, you are following the counsel of the Lord? Elder Ballard, an Apostle, has spoken about the need to blog. Mostly he talks about testifying of the Restoration, but why can't the joys of food and sisterhood allow others to see us in a different light--it is true, Mormons are normal!

Check out the list of links on the right for recipe hints, restaurant guides, and much more. Also, if you would like to contribute and aren't already listed as an author, please email me.