Around the Web in Foodie Posts: Randomness

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.

A true Carolina Shrimp Boil

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.

What Guys Eat

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

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!

Not Your Mother's Pasta Salad

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

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 Post: The Ups and Downs of Pineapple Upside Down Cake

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?

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.