Burp! Where Food Happens

Make In, Don't Take Out: Easy Baked Chimichangas

noreply@blogger.com (Lo) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:17:00 +0000

Some nights you just don't feel like cooking. Face it, it probably happens more often than you'd like to admit. And it's kind of like not being able to find the right outfit to wear in the morning... it's seriously frustrating.

If you're like me, you get home from work, change clothes and waste a few minutes getting your bearings. Then you spend about 45 minutes standing around in the kitchen, opening up the cupboards and staring into the refrigerator. Maybe you consult one of your many cookbooks. Or you start puttering around, looking at recipes on Pinterest -- all of which require some sort of random ingredient that you know you don't have in the house. Eventually, you realize that inspiration is simply never going to hit. And that's when you begrudgingly pick up the phone to call for takeout (which always ends up to be "not quite what you wanted," doesn't it?)

It's on those evenings when you need some seriously awesome "Make In" recipes. These are the types of things that almost always sound delicious, don't require too much fussing, and can be pulled together on the flip of a dime -- even on a busy weeknight.

In addition to keeping frozen chili, tomato soup, and pasta sauce on hand, I have a small cadre of recipes in my repertoire that can be whipped up in 30 minutes or less. And these are one of them.

The fact is, I'm a sucker for Latin-American food. Give me Cuban, Puerto-Rican, Mexican, or Tex-Mex and I'm generally a pretty happy camper. Chicken chimichangas are one of my favorite indulgences. Crispy, deep fried tortillas filled with chicken and cheese. Calories galore, but never short on flavor.

Interestingly enough, these baked chimichangas are pretty killer, and they don't require you to haul out the deep fryer (and don't let the nay-sayers fool you... a little bit of cooking oil in a very hot oven gives even the most stubborn of tortillas a perfectly respectable crispy crust). As an added bonus, since you control exactly what goes into them, you can make them even easier, healthier, or more creative with a few small tweaks of your own.

We've been known to make ours with canned (or leftover homemade) refried beans, leftover roasted or rotisserie chicken, or (my favorite) Cuban pulled pork. Any which way is delicious. It just depends what you have on hand and how much work you're willing to put into it.

I like to serve meat-filled chimichangas with a side of refried beans & some sauteed kale. But, you could be even simpler and serve them with a quick chipotle-lime dressed side salad. Or a quick slaw. The point isn't to be fancy. It's to make good food, fast.

Got leftover meat or beans and tortillas? Make chimichangas. Dinner will be on the table in 40 minutes flat, and your kids will think you're a super hero.

Easy Baked Chimichangas

©BURP! Where Food Happens

Creamed Celeriac Soup with Potatoes, Sausage, and Kale

noreply@blogger.com (Lo) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 02:23:00 +0000

I always learn something from Soup Night.

This month, after I realized that we'd unintentionally scheduled our first soup event of the year right smack dab on top of a Packers' play-off game, I re-learned one of the initial lessons that apply when you don't require RSVP's: it doesn't matter how many people turn up, it's still a party.

The fact of the matter is, Soup Night always attracts just the right number of people. Not too many, and never too few. Though I make three pots of soup every time, it always seems to become the perfect amount. And I'm always surprised by how everything just works out.

Some guests wandered in and out of the dining room, checking the score of the game. Others stood near the table, nibbling and visiting like old friends. All the while I was moved by the goodness of friends -- not only in the joy they brought to the event, but by the way new guests were welcomed into the fold and embraced -- often by strangers.

I was also reminded about the beauty of simplicity. Although I made a lovely beef stock for the French onion soup, and tweaked a number of elements (including roasting the broccoli and garlic) for creamy broccoli soup, it was the hearty, seasonal peasant-inspired creamed celeriac soup with roasted potatoes, sausage, and kale that won the most accolades.

Diced celeriac, cooked in chicken stock and blended into a smooth puree, forms the base for this lusciously creamy soup. Sauteed Hungarian sausages provide seasoning, while roasted potatoes and chopped lacinato kale serve to give the soup a stick-to-your-ribs quality.

Celeriac is a gnarly vegetable -- often misunderstood simply for its looks, and likely avoided for the same reasons. But, this root vegetable has a gentle flavor, reminiscent of celery and parsley, and isn't nearly as starchy as many of its counterparts. It's hearty, stores well, and is delicious boiled, sauteed and roasted.

If you've never cooked with celeriac, this soup is a nearly perfect way to try it out for the first time. You'll be shocked by its sweet richness, and bewitched by its easy-going personality. Celeriac marries perfectly with potatoes. But it gets along with sausage and kale just as well.

Simple. Delicious. And no RSVP required.

Creamed Celeriac Soup with Potatoes, Sausage, and Kale

©BURP! Where Food Happens

NYE 2011: Starting off the year on the right foot

noreply@blogger.com (Lo) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 21:53:00 +0000

Or maybe it was the left foot. I'm not sure I really remember. But, I do remember this delicious pizza. And I've been lusting after it all year.

Not as bad as it sounds, considering we last made this delicious pie on New Year's Eve. But, when a food haunts you like this has... it's none too pleasant.

It's tradition for us to celebrate New Year's Eve at home in the company of our good friend Steph. It's customary for us to get together the week before Christmas to choose a theme for our celebration. And then we spend the days before New Year's gathering up a slew of great looking recipes to challenge us in the kitchen. Last year, we cooked up an amazing Greek feast that took us at least two days to consume.

This year, we decided to go simple. We picked pizza. And it was fabulous. We stocked up on cheese, vegetables, and meats. A few days ahead we made up a batch of hybrid sourdough ala Cakewalk (using beer instead of buttermilk).

And then we put our creative thinking caps on.

We made a host of stellar pies. We paired shredded brussels sprouts with bacon and caramelized onions. We indulged in a wild mushroom pizza with sheep's milk truffle cheese. There was spanikopita pizza topped with spinach, feta, and dill, and a homemade Italian sausage 'za with peppers and spinach.

And yet, my favorite remained. Fig and proscuitto.

I know it sounds like a gourmet cliche. But, I can't withhold my praise. It was wonderful. And oh-so-simple. An instance where the quality and simplicity of ingredients results in something far greater than the sum of its parts.

First, we took a handful of chopped dried figs, cooked down in a bit of water and mashed into a paste. After adding a pinch of salt, we had a deliciously nectarous sauce, which we spread on the uncooked pizza dough. We covered the fig paste with a liberal sprinkling of one of my favorite cheeses, Kerrygold Dubliner, along with a bit of shredded Romano. As a final gesture, we topped the pizza with lovely little rosettes of proscuitto (with a little dollop of fig in the center of each, just for good measure.

The finished product was crisp and caramelized. Sweet and savory. The cheese was sharp and nutty, with the bite and crystalline qualities of Parmesan, we suspected that this would be the perfect foil for the sweet figs... and it really was. And the proscuitto rosettes crisped up into the most delicious little bundles of pig we'd ever tasted.

What a nearly perfect way to end a far-from-perfect year.

©BURP! Where Food Happens

The Gift of a New Year: Making a Vow to the MORE

noreply@blogger.com (Lo) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 17:15:00 +0000

We're not generally makers of New Year’s resolutions. But this year, we've decided to make at least one.

In 2012, we make a vow to the "More".

And yes, Rebecca, more cowbell.

Because -- in this world of cynicism and anxiety-- where everyone is fighting for their own piece of the pie, and so very few people actually bother to stop and simply give a shit... the fact is, all anyone really wants is a little bit of comfort food and someone to share it with.

And so, we're going to work on giving you that in 2012.

And as for you, our dear readers and compadres, we wish all of the following --

And may 2012 be filled with Good Food, Great Friends, and MUCH to be thankful for!

©BURP! Where Food Happens

New Year Apron Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Lo) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 16:51:00 +0000

Caramel Apple Pie Apron - A crisp bib of caramel-
colored cotton with a gathered skirt descending
from a contrasting tie-waist and pleated detailing
at the bust will be sure to keep your most prized
silks protected from your favorite sauces.

If you've been reading Burp! for a while, you may remember being virtually introduced to my grandmother, Gladys, back in March of 2010 when I wrote about the cake we made for her 90th birthday party.

Grandma passed away this year -- the Sunday before Christmas -- peacefully, and just the way that she would have wanted.

Although it's been difficult, there is much to celebrate in the life of this woman who lived for almost a century. She lived to celebrate her 50th wedding anniversary, and 91 birthdays. And she left behind myriad children and grandchildren who were inspired and encouraged by her life of faith and strength.

One of the things I'll always remember about my grandmother is that she never wore pants. In fact, I can think of exactly one occasion when she put on a pair of "trousers" (as she called them) to do some particularly strenuous yard work.

Grandma was always decked out in a blouse and skirt, and almost every piece of her clothing was hand-made. She acted as her own tailor, so every piece of her clothing fit her to a "t".

Although my grandmother wasn't a particularly adventurous cook, she was a big fan of the waist-apron, which protected her skirts from greasy or floury hands & accidental spills. Her style was fairly conservative, so most of her aprons were plain and made to go with everything.

I'm a little different from Grandma in that way. I have a major "thing" for cute aprons... and I always feel that the more colorful they are, the better. If I had more space, and ignored my sense of frugality, I would probably own 50 of them.

This year, I was privileged to receive a Caramel Apple Apron like the one pictured above, from Shabby Apple.com. The apron is just as cute as you would expect, with designer details that make it not only a practical kitchen item, but also an adorable fashion statement. The apron is well constructed, made with sturdy cotton fabric and cute retro detailing, including somewhat unusual cotton rope ties (rather than fabric) at both the neck and waist. I would have been happy to find a utility pocket or two in the front of the apron, which would have increased the apron's utility; but overall it's a nifty little addition to my collection. And maybe, just maybe, I carry a little piece of my grandmother with me when I'm wearing my apron in the kitchen.

In honor of Gladys, who would have been 92 years old this spring, I'm pleased to offer one lucky reader a Shabby Apple Caramel Apple apron. This giveaway is a big THANK YOU to all of our loyal readers for being with us in 2011, reading and commenting, and reminding us of what's really important.

So, try your hand at winning a Caramel Apple apron. And usher in all that delicious cooking for 2012 with style.
___________________________________________________________
For your chance to win a Shabby Apple Caramel Apple Apron like the one pictured (a $40 value), please read the instructions below. Be sure to leave a comment for each entry (and leave your email address if you don't have it listed on your blog/contact info). Please note that this contest is limited to residents of the United States. Contest ends 12/31/11 at NOON (CST).

Mandatory entry (must be completed or no other entries will count):

Head over to Facebook and Give the Shabby Apple page a like (leave us a comment letting us know that you did so)!

Extra entries – please leave a comment for each additional entry, letting us know you completed it

Visit ShabbyApple.com, take a look at the products on their site and let us know which one is your favorite.
Use the following text to tweet about this giveaway (please leave a link to your tweet in the comments for credit):

Shabby Apple Apron giveaway - #win @Burp_blog: Ends 12/31 #giveaway

NOTE: The lucky winner will be chosen randomly and announced on Facebook on January 2, 2012 . The winner will be emailed separately to arrange for mailing of the prize pack.

Full Disclosure: This giveaway is sponsored by ShabbyApple.com. We were sent a free Caramel Apple Apron for the purpose of this review and giveaway. However, all opinions expressed in this review are our own.

©BURP! Where Food Happens

The Best of 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Lo) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 19:43:00 +0000

Difficult to believe we're coming to the end of another great year. As it gets to be this time, we always find ourselves looking back, reflecting, and planning for what's ahead -- and that includes content for the blog.

We were overwhelmed this year as we looked over our blog stats for the year and realized how much we've grown. Despite the fact that we've been busier than ever (and that has been reflected in the frequency of our posts, particularly lately), we've more than doubled our readership from 2010 to 2011.

We'd like to thank you for your readership, your comments, and your feedback. Burp! ~~wouldn't~~ couldn't exist without you!

As a thanks to all of you, we figured we'd share the top 11 posts on Burp! from 2011 (in order of popularity) ... just in case you missed them.

Top 11 Posts of 2011
These are in order of popularity, # 1 being the most popular post.

Share in the Comments

As always, we're always listening and open to your feedback. What was YOUR favorite post? What would you like to see more of in 2012?

©BURP! Where Food Happens

Bits on Blogging and the Food I Wish I Was Making

noreply@blogger.com (Lo) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 17:50:00 +0000

I'm impressed with all of you who blog up a storm during this time of the year -- sharing delicious treats and logging all of your holiday baking and meal planning. It's amazing, really.

Because while you're taking the time to share all the wonderful things you've got cooking (along with adorable anecdotes about your children, crafty ideas for holiday decorating, and plans for the new year), I'm experiencing a moment of not really feeling as if I have anything quality to convey.

Some of it has to do with other obligations, including my new freelancing gig at OnMilwaukee, which I really enjoy. But, some of it has to do with not wanting to pump out content just for the sake of pumping out content. When you come over to Burp! I really want to give you something of value -- something unique and interesting. Original recipes. Original content. All the things you've come to expect from us over the past five years. And right now, that's gotten to be a little bit tough.

I’ve also been struggling a lot lately with identifying my own voice as a writer. The fact is, now that I've taken some definitive steps to make something more of my writing and cooking (more, that is, than the purely self-indulgent activity that is food blogging), I find myself increasingly constrained. Blogging isn't so fun when there's all that pressure. And I'm certainly not nearly as amusing. And yeah, I really need to get over that. Because I really love what I do here on Burp! And I want to keep sharing it with you guys. For a very long time.

So, with all that off my chest, let's shift gears and talk a little bit about all the food I wish I was making -- and the food I plan to blog about in the new year. Like the homemade sausages we're going to make with the back-fat in our freezer. And the homemade doughnuts we've been meaning to tackle. And that recipe for Thai style waffle sundaes that we've been keeping from you for a very long time. And I'll bet there is plenty of new territory just waiting to be explored in our kitchen. We just need a little time (and patience) to get there.

Of course, while we're fallow, maybe you'd like to take a look at my "Eat Me" board on Pinterest...? It's kind of become my wishlist of sorts... All the food I'm NOT currently making -- but hope to tackle in some form, some day. Pretty delicious stuff, and the pictures are pretty good too.

"Eat Me" Board on Pinterest

You could also do us the favor of leaving a comment (either here or on Facebook or Twitter), and telling us what you'd really like to see more of over here at Burp! during the new year. We promise to take your suggestions to heart and use them to shape the content for 2012.

And, in the meantime, I'll be working on getting re-energized and inspired to come back here and give you what you really came for.

Promise.

©BURP! Where Food Happens

Relax Milwaukee: We're doing your holiday baking for you

noreply@blogger.com (Lo) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 19:21:00 +0000

There's no denying it, the holidays are here.
I feel the pace of life escalating, the stress mounting. I see the red and the green. The holly and the ivy. And I'll admit that it's making me feel just a little crazy.

And so, we're going to slow it down a bit. Take some time for ourselves. And concentrate on what really matters.

The fact is, the holidays are the perfect time of the year to focus on those special people that truly make a difference in our lives. It's also a great time to think about ways to really make a difference in the lives of others.

Maybe it's through a generous donation to a good cause. Or a simple expression of thanks to someone who's touched your life in some way this year. It could be a simple smile to perk up someone's day. Or a cup of tea with an old friend.

Or maybe you want to do what we're doing... and plan a bake sale!

Yup, we're doing it again.
Thanks to the generosity of the MKEfoodies, we're going to be pulling out all the stops for another amazing MKEfoodies bake sale. But, this time, it's all about the holidays.

We'll be making our famous chocolate covered cherries to be sold for the event. And we have it on good authority that there will be a whole lot of other delicious holiday treats. Including free tea from Milwaukee's Rishi Tea, coffee from Stone Creek Coffee, and some really great cookies and treats from Milwaukee area food bloggers like Nicole from OnMyTableBlog, Erin from Hot Dinner Happy Home, Dan & Melissa from Duo of Chefs, Sarah from Food, Fun, and Life in Waukesha and Karis from Karis' Kitchen.

If you're in the area, come on out to support Cookies for Kids' Cancer while picking up holiday treats and gifts for your friends, family, and colleagues.

We'll be doing all the baking -- so you don't have to!

MKEfoodies Holiday Bake Sale
Saturday, December 10, 2011
12p.m. – 4 p.m.
Best Place At The Historic Pabst Brewery
901 W. Juneau Ave.

Invite your Friends via Facebook!
Can't make it to the event? Give to Cookies for Kids' Cancer at our online donation page!

Interested in being a baker, a volunteer, or an event sponsor? Email lo@eatatburp.com

All proceeds from the MKEfoodies Holiday Bake Sale will go to Cookies for Kids' Cancer, a 501(c)3 non profit founded by parents inspired by their son Liam's battle with cancer. They were shocked to learn that the main reason over 25% of kids diagnosed with cancer do not survive is because of a lack of effective therapies. And the reason for the lack of therapies was very simple: lack of funding. They pledged to support the development of new and better treatments by giving people a simple way to get involved.

©BURP! Where Food Happens

Post-Thanksgiving Turkey Panini with Goat Cheese & Cherry Chutney

noreply@blogger.com (Lo) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 00:19:00 +0000

I promised there would be talk of the sandwiches we made with our delicious Maple Brined Cherrywood Smoked Turkey. And I can't leave you in suspense any longer. After all, these little morsels were so stellar that you're going to want to try them out for yourself just as soon as you have some of your own Thanksgiving turkey leftovers on hand.

Before we get to the details of the sandwiches themselves, I'm going to take the opportunity to put in a plug for this cherry chutney recipe, which is quickly becoming one of our all-time favorite condiments.

Though it might not be quite as traditional as your usual cranberry sauce, I'm going to challenge you to consider making up a batch to put right out there on your Thanksgiving table. It's tart and delicious. And it goes perfectly with turkey. And stuffing. It's also delicious spread on one of those dinner rolls you're bound to have left over.

Which brings me to the sandwich at hand. These little beauties make use of leftover dinner rolls, one of the holiday staples that seem to get thrown out more than re-heated. So, I like to think that these sandwiches are born of thrift. They're also super fast to throw together, which makes them the perfect dinner for one of those busy weeknights that become inevitable as the holidays draw closer.

Since the goal here is to make you hungry, let me give you a quick glimpse into the sort of sandwich I'm talking about. Just imagine a crisp, warm panini-pressed sprouted grain dinner roll spread with a liberal amount of fresh goat cheese, dolloped with cherry chutney and topped with delicious smoked turkey and fresh arugula. Sweet-tart, tangy, smoky, peppery -- all of these flavors come together in glorious harmony as you bite into this crisp little slider.

Reminiscent of the holidays, but definitely more than just a repeat, these delicious snack-sized sandwiches are sure to please. The best part is that, since they're small, you can even gobble up more than one.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Eat well. Enjoy family and friends. We'll lift our glasses to you at our holiday table!

Post-Thanksgiving Panini with Goat Cheese & Cherry Chutney

©BURP! Where Food Happens

Near Perfection: Maple Brined Cherrywood Smoked Turkey

noreply@blogger.com (Lo) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 02:05:00 +0000

Since it's never too early to start thinking about what to prepare for the upcoming holidays, we've decided to share our perspectives on the infamous Thanksgiving bird -- the source of much hype, frustration, and experimentation.

When it comes to turkey, it seems everyone is looking for the same thing – a perfectly browned bird with a crisp exterior and a lusciously juicy interior. We want it to taste great and produce collective “ooohs” and “aaahhhs” when it’s taken from the oven. And I'm not sure any of us really want to spend days and days of effort to get those delicious results. Especially when there are so many delicious side dishes to turn our attention to!

But, the fact remains that turkeys are notoriously easy to overcook and they often come out of the oven dry and tasteless (Admit it, this has happened to you! It's definitely happened to us!). In addition, your typical grocery store turkey is a mass-produced Broad Breasted White Turkey, factory-farmed and injected with a slew of chemical antibiotics and hormones. So, it’s not necessarily the most healthy or sustainable choice.

So, what's a food-loving, perfection-seeking blogger to do? Well, we think we might have some suggestions.

First, we opt for a locally raised organic turkey. These birds might be more expensive than regular grocery store birds, but they're well worth the cost. Not only are they good for the environment (just an added bonus, in this case), they are more flavorful than your average bird. To add to the magic, we like to brine our bird for about 24 hours before setting it up to cook in one of our favorite “kitchen” tools, our Orion Convection Cooker, an outdoor barbeque tool that uses indirect heat, generated by charcoal, to cook (and optionally hot smoke) foods.

I should probably clarify before I begin all my raving that we haven’t been paid to talk about this cool gadget. In fact, it was just dumb luck that got us hooked on backyard convection smoking. We got the Orion Cooker a few years back after spending some time reading the entries in the Orion Community forum while looking for a recipe for ribs. After drooling over entries about succulent smoked ribs, brisket, and chicken, we decided we needed one for our very own. So, we splurged on one for our 10th wedding anniversary. And gosh, we’re glad we made the leap.

Not only does the cooker produce stellar smoked ribs and absolutely fabulous smoked summer corn, but it’s an absolute wonder for cooking turkey. Moist, juicy, and delightfully smoky, we’ve never had a bad turkey come out of the Orion. The best part is, we can produce a full cooked, smoked 12lb Thanksgiving turkey in about an hour and a half.

The biggest time investment we now put into making turkey is tied up in the brining process – and even that is pretty minimal. Our favorite brine is made with maple syrup, soy sauce, garlic, and freshly grated ginger. It provides the perfect subtle flavor for the turkey, and it ensures that even the breast meat of the bird is ultra-moist.

And, oh my, you should smell it while it’s cooking… To. Die. For.

This bird was smoked with cherrywood for an early Thanksgiving celebration with friends. And trust me when I say that everyone was scrambling for the leftovers. We’ll be blogging about an awesome sandwich we made with some of ours in the next few days.

Since we realize that not everyone has access to a smoker or convection cooker, we’d like to assure you that a maple brined turkey roasted conventionally in the oven is also pretty darned impressive. For crisp skin, be sure you start the bird off at a high temperature (and unplug your smoke detectors for a bit) to get the bird nicely browned. Then proceed for the remainder of the cooking time at 350F.

It will take about an hour, but once your kitchen fills up with the smell of that delicious maple turkey, you will wonder why you ever did it any other way.

Maple Brined Turkey – Smoked or Roasted

And be sure to pay a visit to our friends over at Haute Apple Pie. They're doing a Thanksgiving recipe round-up that shouldn't be missed (including our turkey recipe!)

©BURP! Where Food Happens

Pasta with Creamy Blue Cheese Rosemary Sauce, Roasted Cauliflower and Sausage

noreply@blogger.com (Lo) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 01:00:00 +0000

Autumn in Wisconsin is a glorious and fickle time of the year. It generally begins quite mildly with breezy but sunny days and cool evenings. But, as October winds pull the last of the burnt umber leaves from the trees, the weather takes a turn. Days turn cooler. Evenings become crisp. By November, chilly rains, reminiscent of early spring, bid even the outdoorsy folks among us to seek solace in the warmth of our homes.

I'm a huge fan of this time of the year -- not only of the ever-changing weather, but also the metamorphosis that autumn sets into motion. Plants give off their fruit. Flowers go to seed. Dried leaves crumble beneath our feet. The chlorophyll in our garden plants degrades, revealing stunning yellow and orange pigments. We marvel at the unexpectedly bright colors of death, as the world enters into its slumber, preparing for the stark silence of winter.

However, despite the beauty and bounty that late summer and autumn brings, I sometimes find myself at a loss in the kitchen. There are no tomatoes littering my counter, needing to be used. No end-of-season produce from the garden begging to be turned into weeknight meals. I no longer have to keep up the lively, reactive pace of canning and preserving. And sometimes I find myself uninspired.

Fortunately, there is always something that comes along to pull me out of my cooking funk. This dish, for instance, was inspired by an unusually brilliant head of freshly picked local organic cauliflower -- stunningly white, with compact florets surrounded by a wreath of green leaves.

While I adore the simplicity of steamed cauliflower -- drizzled with a simple mustard sauce or spritzed with citrus -- I absolutely can't resist the toasted caramelized flavors that roasting brings to the table. So, after a liberal douse of olive oil, into the oven went the cauliflower.

Since the sweetness of cauliflower pairs so famously with cheese, and because I was craving something with a strong profile, I decided upon a simple cream sauce flavored with rosemary and gorgonzola.

Although this dish would be lovely as a vegetarian main, we happened to have a few smoked sausages in the refrigerator that needed to be used. And they turned out to be a perfectly complementary addition. Their salty, smoky flavor accentuated the sweetness of the cauliflower and pulled the herbal flavors of the rosemary right to the forefront.

Save this pasta dish for a cool autumn evening when the cold winds beckon you to the warmth of home.

Pasta with Creamy Blue Cheese Rosemary Sauce, Roasted Cauliflower and Sausage

©BURP! Where Food Happens

Spiced Apple Oatmeal: Autumn in a Dish

noreply@blogger.com (Lo) — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 17:31:00 +0000

I'm sitting inside, snuggled on the couch with a cup of Rishi peach oolong tea (which is delicious, in case you were wondering). And I've just finished one of my favorite autumnal breakfasts, a steaming hot bowl of spiced apple oatmeal.

It's a simple porridge. But, it's warm and hearty and redolent with all the flavors that exemplify the beginnings of autumn. Spicy ginger and warming cinnamon. A splash of vanilla and a quick grate of nutmeg. And a pinch of salt to bring everything together. On top of everything, oatmeal is seriously good for you. But, that's neither here nor there. It's delicious. And, on a brisk morning like today, there's really nothing better than a steaming bowl of oatmeal. Especially when Peef is the one in the kitchen, cooking it up.

But, there are a few tricks to making that perfect bowl of oatmeal. Here's what we like to do.

It helps to start with a good quality whole grain oatmeal (not instant or quick-cooking). Personally, I love both the texture of steel cut oats and the creamy texture you get from rolled oats. So, I like to use a mixture of the two.
Use milk for cooking the oatmeal. This gives your breakfast more protein, as well as a richer flavor and a super creamy texture. For two servings, we like to use 1 cup of whole milk and 1/2 cup of water.
Add fruit! In this case, we added crisp apples. But, just about any fruit will work. Try dried fruits like raisins, cranberries, cherries, or pineapple. Or add fresh fruit like peaches or blueberries toward the end of cooking.
If you'd like a little textural crunch, try adding a handful of chopped nuts. Walnuts are a particular nutritional powerhouse, but almonds offer additional calcium and an amazing sweet nuttiness. A dollop of peanut or almond butter is also delicious.
You can microwave your oatmeal... but trust me when I say that it's really better when cooked the old-fashioned way, right on the stovetop. To cut down on the cooking time, soak the oats in water overnight by bringing the water to a boil, turning off the heat, and adding the oats. Cover the pot and let sit over night. The next morning, reheat the oatmeal on low heat for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally.

And there you have it: the perfect bowl of oatmeal. Not too watery, not too thick... and it will make your entire house smell like you've been baking an apple pie.

Peef's Spiced Apple Oatmeal

©BURP! Where Food Happens

Pickled Red Onions: Summer's Prize & Winter's Bounty

noreply@blogger.com (Lo) — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 19:05:00 +0000

As I glanced at the pantry shelves in our basement over the weekend, I realized that we canned up a small storm this summer. And I'm pretty pleased. We've got a nice selection of items stowed up down there - and every single one of them is going to be a pleasure to crack open in the middle of our Wisconsin winter.

The corn relish we made reminds me of something I'd imagine they made back in the 1950's -- when every summer picnic included deviled eggs, cold-cuts, homemade lemonade, and a small vat of sweet & sour relish.

The pickles, on the other hand, hearken back to my childhood days. Back then, it was my mother who spent her spring and summer making jams and jellies and filling jars with tomatoes and peaches. She also made these amazing dill pickles. They were spicy and garlicky, and they made your tongue tingle, your eyes water, and your breath smell... well, garlicky. My pickles this year are pretty close, I think. And I'm pretty excited.

We also managed to put up a boatload of jalapenos. Nearly 20 pounds this year. From that, we ended up with 14 half-pints of candied jalapenos, and almost double that of pickled slices and spears... which means we'll be all set for making nachos, pulled pork sandwiches, and jalapeno-studded corn bread for the next 8 months!

Interestingly enough, one of the real pleasure of the summer turned out to be pickled red onions. We found this recipe over at one of my favorite cooking blogs, Voodoo & Sauce. And, in fact, her description of these pretty much guaranteed we were going to try them out. Just read this:

The hot brine takes the edge off the onions, and though the natural sweetness of the onions is enhanced, these pickles do not cloy. I boorishly ate half a jar of these with country pâté on a bagel, I admit it. My new favorite lunch is a cheese and sweet onion pickle sandwich on rye, but these are also wonderful on a hot dog or a steak taco. They pair well with salmon and rosé, and not just aesthetically. They are pretty in pink, and a perfect way to kick off any canning season.

Yeah. Really, how can you resist?

We followed Heather's recipe almost exactly on our first try. But, now that we've gotten our hands dirty, we'll be ripe for experimenting with the flavors next time. And there definitely will be a next time -- probably before the end of the harvest season.

Sweet Onion Pickles c/o Voodoo & Sauce

And just in case you're wondering what to do with a jar of pickled onions, let me give you a short (but delicious) list:

Give your tail-gating hot dog a grown-up twist.
Add a few to your next grilled cheese sandwich.
Make your favorite breakfast sandwich even better - egg, prosciutto, and avocado with pickled onions on rye, maybe?
Pair with smoked salmon for a delicious winter appetizer.
Serve alongside pork, or other roasted meats.
Eat out of hand - yes, I've done this, and I'm not ashamed to admit it.

©BURP! Where Food Happens

High End Appetizers: Right from your toaster oven

noreply@blogger.com (Lo) — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 02:07:00 +0000

It's confession time again. Sometimes it takes me a while to see the usefulness in some types of kitchen equipment. Take, for instance, the toaster oven.

In years past, I would have railed against the use of a counter-top oven. After all, I can make a pretty awesome pizza right in my regular oven. And I have a toaster that makes seriously fine toast. And bagels. And English muffins. So, why would I want another gadget to take up valuable counter space?

But, I've recently come around. The fact is, toaster ovens are actually a great solution for energy-conscious, small-space cooking. And I'm learning that they can be pretty handy to have around the house. Having become the lucky owner of a pretty snazzy West Bend 6-slice Convection Toaster Oven, I've started looking for ways to use it to make our lives a little bit easier. And greener, to boot.

So far, we use our toaster oven to:

Save energy - a typical toaster oven uses about half the energy of a regular oven.
Keep our kitchen cool on hot days - it doesn't give off nearly as much heat as your oven will.
Prevent stress on holidays, or on other days when you could really use a second oven - you can bake a side dish in the toaster oven while the oven is full of turkey and stuffing.
Dehydrate fruits, veggies, or herbs - many large ovens only go down to 200°F which can be too high. A counter-top oven goes lower, so it's perfect for sensitive items (be sure to rotate them regularly).
Help yeast doughs to rise - since the inside of the toaster oven can be warmed slightly, and is draft free, this is the perfect place to leave that dough.
Re-heat left-overs - so much better than a microwave, especially for items that you want to come out crispy.

Even better, I've started using the toaster oven to whip up small batches of snacks.

Got the urge to melt a bit of cheese on top of those crackers? Ouila! The amazing toaster oven gets it done - often in less time than my beloved gas oven.

Company shows up unexpectedly? Why not toast up a few dozen slices of French bread for impromptu bruschetta?

Or how about something a bit fancier? Sure, we can do that. In fact, here are three seriously simple appetizers we've created using wonton wrappers. These delicious nibbles would be pretty perfect for your next cocktail party, but they're also easy enough to whip up for a Sunday afternoon snack -- (dare I say?) especially if you have a toaster oven.

First, take your wonton wrappers and nestle them into a mini muffin pan to give them a cupped shape (note, a half-size muffin pan fits best in your toaster oven). Bake them at 350F for about 7-8 minutes, or until they're browned and crisped. Once they've cooled, you can fill them with any number of great fillings.

We prepped three different types in honor of the West Bend Company's 100th Anniversary Celebration, which is coming up this weekend (more information below):

Pulled pork with candied jalapeno peppers

Goat cheese with dried sour cherries and sliced almonds

Maple ricotta with crumbled bacon and rosemary

Recipe: Crispy Wonton Appetizers

Speaking of Parties, You're Invited:

For 100 years, The West Bend Company has developed exceptional small electric cooking appliances from the same west bend in the Milwaukee River as when the company first started back in 1911. In celebration of their centennial, they’re throwing quite the party. The shindig takes place this Sunday, September 25th and is completely free and open to the public. Start off your day with a free pancake and Klement’s Sausage brunch, take in a family movie (with free popcorn), and be sure to take some time to check out the “Sale of the Century” featuring West Bend and other Focus Products Group items for up to 50% off retail prices. More information about the West Bend Company's 100th Anniversary Celebration is available on Facebook.

And now for the fun part! We get to give one of our lucky readers the chance to win a West Bend Convection Toaster Oven of his or her very own!!

For your chance to win, just leave us a comment letting us know how you'd use this handy dandy toaster oven.

Rules: All comments must be received by Monday evening, September 26th, 2011 at 5:00 p.m. CST Winners will be announced on Facebook before the end of the day on Tuesday, September 27th. Entrants must provide a working email address in their comment or blogger profile to win. Limited to citizens of the U.S. and Canada.

Full Disclosure: Although we were given West Bend Company products free of charge for the purpose of this review and giveaway, all opinions expressed in this review are our own.

©BURP! Where Food Happens

Soul Food Fusion: Fried Chicken & Waffle Sandwich

noreply@blogger.com (Lo) — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 02:16:00 +0000

It all started with a trip to Roots, one of our favorite Milwaukee restaurants. We love Roots for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that it's got a gorgeous patio, surrounded with herbs and other edible plants, that overlooks one of the best views of the city. It had been a long week, and we decided to meet a friend of ours for drinks. While we were chatting, Peef picked up the menu and spied something that would change his (and thereby my) life forever:

Smoky Fried Chicken
Frank's Red Hot waffle, dill ranch, dressed kale

I'll pretty much guarantee that it was the Frank's Red Hot waffle that caught his eye first. Being a man obsessed with condiments, particularly spicy ones, he automatically has a visceral reaction to words like "grainy mustard," "siracha," and "hot sauce." And the man's pretty fond of waffles.

Once he got over the intriguing idea of putting hot sauce into a waffle, I'm quite sure he quickly glossed over the part about the dill ranch and kale, but he definitely saw the fried chicken part. And then it was all over.

We both ended up ordering the Smoky Fried Chicken. And it was pretty incredible.

Since, as I've said many times before, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, we decided to recreate this delicious sandwich for ourselves at home. So, a few months later (fast forward to this past weekend), we pulled together a cadre of all the necessary ingredients.

Since we're in the midst of the Milwaukee Eat Local Challenge, we opted for Wisconsin grown Cornish Cross chicken breasts from Angel Acres and a nice bunch of locally grown lacinato kale. We also subbed out the Frank's Red Hot for a more local option, Off Road Camp Fire Pepper Sauce.

After pounding our chicken breasts flat and dredging them in kefir, and then in a mixture of cornmeal, flour, and seasonings, we fried them up to a golden brown in a bit of oil. While I was frying the chicken, Peef made up a batch of cornmeal waffles (our favorite pairing with fried chicken).

The best part about making these particular waffles was, of course, the fact that he got to sub in hot sauce for 1/4 cup of the buttermilk. But, a close second was the fact that he got to make the waffles in our brand new West Bend Belgian waffle maker.

Our former waffle maker was a fancy blue FiestaWare model that I bought Peef for Christmas a number of years back. Unfortunately, we had some restoration work done on our house this past year, and the poor waffle iron got knocked off of its shelf, shattering into about 5 different pieces. So, we had been without waffles for quite a while before this handy dandy gadget arrived at our doorstep.

And I do mean handy dandy. This waffle maker turns out perfectly golden waffles with very little skill needed. Just by gripping the handle, it twists 180 degrees so your waffles bake and brown evenly every time. I've also been told this rotating action ensures that the batter is more evenly distributed leading to waffles that are are crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside.
But, I'm no waffle expert. All I know is that our waffles came out beautifully golden, perfectly tender, and -- whoo! -- just a little spicy from that cayenne pepper sauce we added.

We took those lovely waffles and sidled them up right against pieces of fried chicken, which we then topped with finely shredded kale tossed with a deliciously refreshing dill ranch dressing. Another waffle on top, and all of a sudden we had a pretty spectacular waffle sandwich.

Just like they make at Roots. And probably even better.

Cornmeal Waffles
Dill Ranch Salad Dressing

And now for the fun part! We get to give one of our lucky readers the chance to win a West Bend Waffle Maker of his or her very own!!

For your chance to win, just leave us a comment letting us know about your favorite way to eat waffles.

Rules: All comments must be received by Monday evening, September 19th, 2011 at 5:00 p.m. CST Winners will be announced on Facebook before the end of the day on Tuesday, September 13th. Entrants must provide a working email address in their comment or blogger profile to win. Limited to citizens of the U.S. and Canada.

Alright, ready...set... go!

Full Disclosure: Although we were given West Bend Company products free of charge for the purpose of this review and giveaway, all opinions expressed in this review are our own.

©BURP! Where Food Happens

Summer Tomato Sauce: Canning Made Easier

noreply@blogger.com (Lo) — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 15:12:00 +0000

What do you do with 45 lbs of locally grown organic San Marzano tomatoes?? Or maybe the question is better asked, what CAN'T you do?

I've been shying away from canning tomatoes for a very long time. Most years, when the tomato harvest hits, I spend my time roasting up batches of delicious plum tomatoes and packing them into the freezer. You'll also find me busily dehydrating all of the Principe Borghese tomatoes we've harvested from our garden. But, canning?

Not sure what it was, but for years I avoided canning. This year, I took it up out of necessity.

Our chest freezer has been a savior for us when it comes to our ability to eat more locally all winter long. We pack it full of frozen fruit, vegetables, locally raised meat, soup, and homemade sauces. And we relish the days when we can pop it open in the middle of February to produce a container of fresh Wisconsin peaches, Door County Cherries, or spicy chili made with garden vegetables. Unfortunately, we've done a really good job of stowing things away in the freezer. And our freezer is getting full. The realization hit me a few weeks ago after clearing away just enough space for a new batch of late summer Amish chickens.

We were out of space.

Fortunately, I had cut my canning teeth on a few easy items last summer. Pickled & candied jalapenos, a few jars of tomatillo salsa, and a small stash of citrus marmalade gave me some confidence in my ability to create shelf-stable foods that wouldn't inflict us with botulism. So, this year, I decided to tackle tomatoes. More specifically, pasta sauce.

I love a good homemade pasta sauce as much as anyone. But, I also have learned to enjoy the convenience of an occasional jar of store-bought pasta sauce for quick weeknight dinners. So, pasta sauce seemed like a pretty logical investment of our time and tomato money.

Now, washing and coring 45 pounds of fresh tomatoes isn't a big deal once you put your mind to it. But, peeling and seeding them? Ugh. Not my idea of fun. And that's where a new favorite gadget of mine comes into play -- the West Bend Food Strainer & Sauce Maker.

I should probably clarify that I'm not much of a gadget girl. I love the feeling of being creative and finding multiple uses for common kitchen tools. And my kitchen is pretty small -- so I don't have a whole lot of space for single-use tools. But, I'm pretty in love with this tool. This multi-use strainer forces food through a stainless steel screen automatically separating the juice and pulp from the seeds skins and stem. Best of all, it does it quickly and efficiently. And I mean quickly. And efficiently.

To quote Peef, "I love it when I can seed and peel tomatoes with one hand while drinking a beer with the other."

Once we got all that raw tomato pulp and juice extracted from the tomatoes, it was just a matter of cooking the sauce with a few herbs and spices (namely basil, oregano, thyme, cracked anise seeds, and garlic) and reducing it to the perfect pasta sauce consistency. Once that was completed, we moved along to the canning and processing phase of things -- which is pretty methodical.

Canned Pizza or Pasta Sauce ala Burp!

And now for the fun part! We get to give one of our lucky readers the chance to win a West Bend Food Strainer & Sauce Maker of his or her very own!!

For your chance to win, just leave us a comment sharing one of your favorite time-saving canning tips. Or, if you're not a canner, let us know how you'd use your food strainer to make one of your kitchen tasks easier.

Rules: All comments must be received by Monday evening, September 12th, 2011 at 5:00 p.m. CST Winners will be announced on Facebook before the end of the day on Tuesday, September 13th. Entrants must provide a working email address in their comment or blogger profile to win. Limited to citizens of the U.S. and Canada.

Alright, ready...set... go!

Full Disclosure: Although we were given West Bend Company products free of charge for the purpose of this review and giveaway, all opinions expressed in this review are our own.

©BURP! Where Food Happens

Celebrate September: Eating (and Buying) Locally

noreply@blogger.com (Lo) — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 17:55:00 +0000

I think it was 2008 when we first participated in the Eat Local Challenge. That first year changed the way we looked at our eating habits, and it started us on a brand new journey toward more sustainable living.

In her 2001 memoir, This Organic Life, Columbia University nutritionist Joan Dye Gussow writes that her commitment to eating locally "is probably driven by three things. The first is the taste of live food; the second is my relation to frugality; the third is my deep concern about the state of the planet."

We have to concur with her sentiments -- though probably to greater and lesser degrees. For us, the primary reason for choosing to eat locally is definitely the flavor quotient. Food grown close to home simply tastes better. There's more variety, more diversity, since local food doesn't need to be bred to survive thousands of miles of transport.

Frugality is certainly a concern when we purchase food products. But, it's not necessarily a driving force. When we purchase a locally grown product, we're making a conscious choice to spend our hard-earned money to support a local farmer and his/her farm. Sometimes that's not the cheaper option -- because we're buying from small family-owned farms, not huge corporate agribusinesses. But, I can always feel good about that decision because it means I'm assisting in preserving farming as a livelihood. Now, if I'm honest, I'll admit that our decision to spend our money this way means we make some trade-offs. We don't eat out or go to the movies terribly often. We spend quite a bit less on clothing and shoes than we used to. And we don't have cable television. But, it's worth it to us.

The earth is also a concern of ours -- though primarily from the perspective that it's our obligation to be good custodians of what we've been given. We have a great deal of confidence in the technology being used to develop alternative energy sources, so we're not pessimistic about the state of our world. But, it's a nice feeling to know that we're saving on energy & fuel costs, and keeping more money in our local economy, by supporting our local purveyors.

Eating locally is also, in our guesstimation, a safer option. When we get to know the farmers at our local farmer's market, we get a first-hand look into how they farm. We are able to ask them how they view the use of chemicals in agriculture, and we can talk with them about their growing philosophies. That kind of transparency doesn't exist when we buy a package of pre-washed organic spinach at the grocery store.

When we buy locally, we help keep my local farmers in business, and they help keep us well fed. And, when it all comes down, it's the elegance and sustainability of that exchange that is so very compelling... and certainly far more sensible than gambling on faceless producers who grow produce thousands of miles from my home.

And now... the fun news!

This year, in celebration of our fourth annual Eat Local Challenge, we've partnered up with the West Bend Company, a local kitchenware manufacturer that is celebrating its 100th year anniversary. For the next three Wednesdays, beginning tomorrow, we'll be giving you insight into some ways we make the most of local foods & food products. We'll be giving you a first-hand look at the benefit and functionality of some awesome kitchen items made by the West Bend Company.

Best of all, we'll be hosting three very special giveaways that will allow you to try these products out for yourself!

©BURP! Where Food Happens

The Cream City Cheeseburger

noreply@blogger.com (Lo) — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 16:45:00 +0000

When you hear the term “Cream City,” you think it’s a reference to dairy, right?
Well, would you believe me if I told you it was really a reference to bricks?

It just so happens that the red clay so prevalent along the western shore of Lake Michigan turns a creamy white color after it’s been fired. And since many of the buildings in Milwaukee are constructed of locally produced brick, it got to a point (beginning in the 1870’s) that visitors couldn’t help but notice that the buildings in the city were virtually all cream-colored. Hence the city became known as the "Cream City," and the bricks, in turn, became universally known as "Cream City bricks."

Now, this story might be neither here nor there were it not for a recently developed recipe that we named after our beloved “Cream City.”

Although the city of Milwaukee’s rich heritage has been influenced by many cultures and traditions it seems best known for its German ties. During the middle and late 19th century German immigrants fleeing the Revolution of 1848 discovered both inexpensive land and freedom on the banks of Lake Michigan. And their settlement created a culture that washed over the city and gained widespread influence, particularly with regard to its food.

Nowhere is this more evident than along Old World Third Street, a three-block historic landmark zone just north of downtown. The city’s past is brought to life in the detailed facades of the 19th-century European–style buildings lining this cobblestone street, home to Usinger’s Sausage, Mader’s Restaurant, Wisconsin Cheese Mart, The Spice House, and the Old German Beer Hall

This burger is a tribute to all that makes Milwaukee, the Cream City, famous.

It begins with a simple burger made from fresh Wisconsin-made bratwurst, removed from its casing, shaped into a patty, and grilled. The burger is topped with beer-braised onions and a liberal serving of delicious beer cheese sauce made with Springside beer cheddar and Lakefront Brewery’s Riverwest Stein lager.

Even the pretzel roll on which it is served has a German ancestry, with the word “pretzel” being derived from the German word “bretzel.” Because the dough contains no shortening, eggs, or milk, pretzels traditionally kept well, and their saltiness made them a favorite accompaniment to alcoholic beverages like German beer. These days, the Pretzilla pretzel roll is made by Miller Baking Company, an 88-year-old Milwaukee-based business known for its traditional German rye bread.

For the full Cream City experience, enjoy this burger on a warm summer night washed down with a cold beer and followed by a scoop of delicious frozen custard.

The Cream City Cheeseburger

We're pleased to say that this recipe is being featured on Wisconsin Cheese Talk, along with a series of other delicious recipes. Check it out!

References Related to "The Cream City"
Milwaukee Architecture, Dr. Steven Ryer
Seeing the Light: Lighthouses of the western Great Lakes

©BURP! Where Food Happens

You're Not Too Old for Crispy Rice Bars with Browned Butter & Rosemary

noreply@blogger.com (Lo) — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 01:29:00 +0000

Think you’re too old for “Rice Krispie” treats?

Allow me to chuckle for a moment at the sheer thought of that. Being “too old”… it’s a concept I reject flat out. I simply don’t buy it. After all, there’s a real charm in forgetting how old you REALLY are and allowing yourself to remember what it was like before you knew how you were “supposed” to act.

You’ve got to admit there’s something magical about the act of eating an ooey gooey crispy chewy Rice Krispie Treat? Isn’t there?

Exactly.

I first saw the recipe for salted browned butter crispy treats on Smitten Kitchen. But, it took me a very long time before I decided to make them. Even when I did, I decided they needed a little bit of a kick in the pants.

Those of you who know me will remember that I am absolutely ENAMOURED of rosemary. And during the summer months when I can get my grubby little hands on those fragrantly fresh stalks of the real thing, I’m a happy happy girl. And, since I know the herb is good in SimpleSyrup, why not try it out in a dessert?

And so the browned butter rosemary crisped rice treats were born.

They’re really quite grown up. But, as informal taste-tests in my neighborhood have revealed, they also go over really well with the kids.

So, make yourself a batch of deliciously buttery crisped rice treats. Relish the way they pull apart leaving ooey gooey strands marshmallowy goodness in their wake. And enjoy them utterly. After all, you’re never too old for a little bit of snap, crackle, pop…

And while we’re at it, here’s a nice list of some other things I hope you’re never “too old” to do:

Lick the batter bowl after making cookies/cake/frosting
Share butterfly kisses
Skip down the sidewalk
Call your mom
Close your eyes and make a wish
Say “When I Grow Up…” (and mean it)

As C.S. Lewis once said: “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”

Crispy Rice Bars with Browned Butter & Rosemary

Cookbook Review: Pink Princess Party Cookbook

noreply@blogger.com (Lo) — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 07:35:00 +0000

What do you remember about your childhood birthday parties?

I remember those funny paper party hats that never really stayed on your head properly. And I recall (somewhat gratefully) that my mom would NEVER break down and get me the latest and greatest cartoon character plates and napkins that I always seemed to want.

I also remember that one year I got a really cool tea set from Eric, the crazy little boy next door who always threw rotten apples at me over the fence. Turns out he had a bit of a crush on me… but had a pretty backwards way of showing it.

But, I don’t recall my mom throwing me a party QUITE as cool as anything in the Pink Princess Party Cookbook by Barbara Beery.

Barbara threw her first pink princess party for her four-year-old daughter (now age 28). There was pink lemonade, pink macaroni &amp; cheese, and a gorgeous Pink Princess birthday cake, complete with a tiara on top. Beery had always loved to cook. She also happened to be trained as an elementary school teacher. So, when the opportunity presented itself to combine her love for both teaching and cooking, she jumped right on board.

In 1990, Barbara started Kids Cook, a retail store and café offering hands-on cooking experiences and kid-friendly, innovative cooking supplies. She also began writing a series of successfully cookbooks containing tips, tricks, and tools to successfully teach kids to cook.

Now, you might be wondering why I decided to focus on a children’s cookbook over here at Burp! But, the truth is, we LOVE cooking with our nieces and nephews. And when we saw Barbara’s latest book, The Pink Princess Party Cookbook, we couldn’t help being intrigued.

First of all, I can’t think of a little girl between the ages of three and seven right now who isn’t completely OBSESSED with princesses. Can you? All you have to do is roll through the aisles of your local Target store to see the evidence of this latest trend.

Beery’s book takes the princess theme on – full throttle. It includes six party concepts, including menu items and activities for imaginative soirees like a Snowflake Princess Party, Garden Fairy Party, and Mermaid Princess Party. Full color photographs and menu ideas for pairing the best snacks with imaginative crafts make the book appealing to both parent and child. Even better, the well-executed photos provide a treasure trove of variations on creative themes suggested in the book, and allow moms and children to envision the possible look and feel of their unique creations.

Although this cookbook is more about party food than healthy eating (in fact, my biggest criticism might be that the book relies fairly heavily on processed convenience food), it does create a nice segue for parents who want to find a way to engage in the cooking process with their children in a fun and non-threatening way. Recipes like these Enchanted Sushi Roll-ups (recipe below) come together in a flash, and give little fingers the opportunity to really help out with the kitchen prep – which is the whole point, according to Beery.

“I’ve never met a child who didn’t want to try to create something. All you have to do is provide opportunities with simple recipes, a few ingredients,” Beery remarks, “The most important thing is, MAKE THE TIME to do it. Set aside an hour and a half … once a week, once a month .. to spend time with your child in the kitchen.”

My opinion in short? This book makes creating the picture perfect princess party almost as easy as waving a magic wand. *poof*
________________________________________

Enchanted Sushi Roll-ups
reprinted with permission
makes 24 sushi sandwiches

6 slices whole wheat bread, crusts removed
1/4 cup soft-spread cream cheese
3 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
salt and pepper
Twelve 6-inch-long carrot matchsticks
Twelve 6-inch-long peeled apple matchsticks
3 strawberries, minced

Place a sheet of parchment paper on the countertop. With a rolling pin, lightly roll each bread slice on the paper to flatten it.

Mix together the cream cheese, sour cream, mustard, honey, and salt and pepper to taste. Spread over each bread slice.

Lay 2 carrot matchsticks and 2 apple matchsticks across the bottom of each slice of bread, letting the fruit and veggies hang over the sides. Roll up the bread, pressing gently to seal. With a serrated-edge knife, cut each roll into 4 equal pieces.

Garnish with the strawberries and serve. May be made ahead up to three hours in advance.

NOTE: All activities in the Pink Princess Party Cookbook are appropriate for children five years and above with some level of parental supervision. Since quite a number of recipes use a stovetop, oven, and/or knives, supervision would be recommended even for children aged 8+.

Wisconsin State Fair: Door County Cherry Chutney

noreply@blogger.com (Lo) — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 14:53:00 +0000

I'm actually a little bit giddy as I write this.
This afternoon, we'll be doing a cooking demonstration at the Wisconsin State Fair on behalf of the Wisconsin Cherry Growers Association. I've actually been wracking my brains for days over what to make, and I've finally decided upon the perfect recipe.

Chutney.

If you're not familiar with chutney, well, I'd encourage you to rush right out and make its acquaintance. Similar in consistency to a jelly, salsa, or relish, chutneys usually embody both sweet and sour flavors. Originating in India, these condiments can range in flavor from very sweet to quite sour. They can be mild or spicy, thin or chunky. And they can be made with fruits, vegetables or both.

Chutneys can be served with meat, poultry, seafood, desserts, and cheeses. Or they can be eaten as a snack, simply served with flatbread or crackers -- which is how we love to eat ours. One of our favorite snacks has always been a bit of spicy mango chutney spread atop a wedge of whole wheat pita bread.

But, despite my love for the mango, there is nary a more perfect condiment than a chutney made from Montmorency cherries, a light red "sour" cherry most often used for cherry pies, jams and preserves. After all, the cherries are fragrantly sweet, tart, plump, and intense in both flavor and color. They also stay impressively moist and plump, even when dried. Best of all, tart cherries are seriously good for you. They contain numerous antioxidants, as well as anthocyanins and bioflavonoids which may help in the relief of pain due to arthritis and gout.

If you're interested in a bit of history, I can tell you that the first Montmorency cherry orchard was planted on the Door County peninsula in Wisconsin in 1858. At the peak of Wisconsin cherry production, right around 1959, Door County actually produced 95% of the tart cherry crop in the U.S.. which contributed to the area becoming known as Cherryland USA. These days, Door County is still famous for its cherries.

We're in the midst of Door County Cherry season right now, which means this chutney is just perfect seasonal food. And I'm getting excited to share this amazing recipe.

If you're in the area, please feel free to join us. We'll be on stage at the Wisconsin Products Pavilion at 12-noon. And we'd love to see a few smiling familiar faces.

Of course, for those of you who can't make it, we'd be happy to share our recipe!

Door County Cherry Chutney

©BURP! Where Food Happens
Want more? Read Lo's latest ruminations at DEVOUR Milwaukee, her Milwaukee Magazine blog.

Orecchiette with Mizuna Pesto

noreply@blogger.com (Lo) — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 19:51:00 +0000

Do you ever notice that your cooking habits seem to run in streaks? I know that ours do. For the past couple of weeks, we seem to have gotten hooked on pasta dishes. It probably has something to do with all the fresh greens we were finding at the market, since we've been on a bit of a pesto kick.

Purists we are not, since we seem prone to making pesto out of just about any available greens we have on hand. We're constantly tossing in variables -- jalapeno peppers, roasted red peppers, sundried tomatoes -- just to keep things interesting.

This week, the object of our pesto-love was a Japanese green called mizuna. Sometimes called Japanese mustard, mizuna has a mild, yet tangy flavor, and an almost other-worldly bright green color when chopped. I normally like to put it in salads or use it as a sandwich topping. But, when Bryan from the Jen Ehr Family Farm booth at the market mentioned that he'd been making his mizuna into pesto, we decided to try our hand at it too.

Into the food processor went our bunch of mizuna (ends trimmed), 5 stalks of green garlic, and a liberal dose of olive oil. We set the pasta on to boil while we were making the pesto, then tossed the pasta with the pesto and a bit of reserved pasta cooking water.

The best part of all? Dinner was on the table in less than 20 minutes.

I chose a bag of those lovely, cup-shaped, whole wheat orecchiette pasta for this dish, envisioning that the shape of the pasta would help to scoop up all of that lovely pesto sauce -- and I was right about that. We also used whole toasted pine nuts (instead of grinding them into the pesto) to give the pasta some additional texture.

The pesto was absolutely delicious, if a bit more mild than I expected. And, as you can see, it was a beautifully intense green color (pretty is always a bonus with food). We had a bit of extra sauce leftover, and we used that as the base for a chicken pizza a few days later.

So, next time you get tired of eating mizuna in your salad, think about making it into a quick summer pesto.

Classic Pesto (with variations)

©BURP! Where Food Happens
Want more? Read Lo's latest ruminations at DEVOUR Milwaukee, her Milwaukee Magazine blog.

Nettle & Garlic Ravioli with Rosemary Browned Butter

noreply@blogger.com (Lo) — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 18:47:00 +0000

A number of people have expressed curiosity about how we plan to use our nettle garlic paste this winter. Now, it wouldn't be so fun if we spoiled ALL the surprises, but I can definitely tell you that we'll be making this ravioli again.

My memories of homemade pasta go way back to my childhood. I remember watching my mother and grandmother making egg noodles -- kneading the tender dough, rolling it thinly, and then slicing each piece of pasta by hand. My mother would often hang the pasta on the backs of cleaned kitchen chairs until it dried slightly, and then she'd use them in soups or served alongside comfort food favorites like homemade Swedish meatballs or ragout.

I didn't try making my own pasta until about 5-6 years ago when we got a KitchenAid pasta roller attachment for Christmas. But, once I made my first batch, I knew I was hooked. These days I find myself wondering why I don't do it more often. Sure, it takes a bit of time. But, it's totally worth it. For that reason, I often make a double or triple batch of pasta dough at one time. Balls of dough can be wrapped in plastic wrap, placed in a freezer bag, and kept in the freezer for up to 6 months. Just thaw overnight in the fridge and let the dough come to room temperature before using.

We adapted our recipe for nettle ravioli from a recipe posted by Langdon Cook over at Fat of The Land. And it's absolutely lovely -- from its use of Marcella Hazen's deliciously tender pasta dough to the flavorful creamy, green and earthy filling. And don't even get me started on the rosemary browned butter. *Swoon*

Although ravioli (and other filled pastas) take a bit longer to make than other things, they're perfect company fare, and (even better) they freeze very well. So, you can make up a big batch when you have the time and enjoy them later. Just place the uncooked ravioli onto a large floured baking pan and pop it into the freezer until the ravioli are frozen (1-2 hours). Then empty the ravioli into serving-sized freezer bags. Frozen ravioli take a bit longer to cook than fresh, but they make a perfect weeknight meal for when you don't really feel like cooking.

I really love the flavor in this dish when nettles are used; but you don't need to avoid making it if you don't have any of the delicious weeds on hand. Simply substitute spinach for the nettles, and add a bit of garlic to the filling.

Nettle & Garlic Ravioli with Rosemary Browned Butter

©BURP! Where Food Happens
Want more? Read Lo's latest ruminations at DEVOUR Milwaukee, her Milwaukee Magazine blog.

Stinging Nettle & Garlic Puree: Putting Up a Bit of Spring

noreply@blogger.com (Lo) — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 02:05:00 +0000

I'm not really a fan of the summer months. I know that's probably perplexing, and maybe a bit difficult to believe. But, the truth is, I'm not great with heat and humidity, I'm a far bigger fan of the spring and autumn, when cooler winds blow and the sun flits her lashes at us a bit more demurely.

But I reallyreallyreally love the process of stuffing our coffers with all the delicious flavors that summertime offers. And I get a serious kick out of bringing a creative spin to all the delicious foodstuffs we decide to "put up."

Last year we started our preserving adventures somewhere in mid to late summer. We froze Door County peaches and we made both pickled and candied jalapeno peppers. We perfected our tomatillo salsa and stockpiled both roasted red and poblano peppers. We managed to put up enough fruit to get us through the winter without buying very much at all, except a few errant bunches of bananas for our morning smoothies. And we enjoyed fresh-frozen pesto right up through the first weeks in June. But, this year, I wanted to begin the adventures sooner. After all, there are a great many early summer delights that can be harvested and preserved.

I've been inspired for years by the foraging prowess of Langdon Cook, Pacific Northwest resident, foraging expert, published author and blogger at Fat of the Land. Although Langdon presents a phenomenally wide repertoire of both adventures and recipes, I've been most inspired by some of this writings on stinging nettles. His love for these humble weeds made me anxious to find some of my very own. And I can report success this summer, thanks to Dave Swanson of Braise and the amazing farmers over at Keewaydin Organic Farm in Viola, Wisconsin.

This year I was the proud recipient of just over 2 pounds of fresh stinging nettles.I was almost giddy as I slipped on a pair of latex gloves in preparation to wash and trim my nettles.

I had no idea what to expect from these ultra-green, nutrient packed weeds. I knew that a handful of nettles provides more than 100 percent of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A, as well as a plethora of minerals I also knew that they made a power-packed, if somewhat unappealing, tea. But I wondered after their flavor. Was it earthy? Woodsy? Interminably chlorophyllic?

Since nettles must be blanched to rid them of their infamous stinging barbs, we brought a large pot of cold water to a rolling boil and began the process.

We blanced and chopped and pulsed and blended. And we ended up with a delicious and pesto-like nettle and green garlic paste, which I could easily freeze in manageable portions for use all winter long.

I foresee mixing the nettle paste with pasta and whole toasted pine nuts for a delicious weeknight meal, spreading the past on pizza, and adding dollops of it to soups, risottos, and scrambled eggs on lazy February weekends.

It was a simple thing. But, it made me oh-so-very happy.
I can't wait to see what we'll put up next.

©BURP! Where Food Happens
Want more? Read Lo's latest ruminations at DEVOUR Milwaukee, her Milwaukee Magazine blog.

Brown Butter Rhubarb Bars - the best & last of spring

noreply@blogger.com (Lo) — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 22:05:00 +0000

It seems that summer took forever to arrive this year. April and May were cool and rainy, and during the whole of June temperatures never really got much above 70 degrees. So, that means we got to enjoy the bounty of spring produce for that much longer. There has been scads of asparagus, plenty of deliciously snappy radishes and pea pods, and all sorts of delights (including stinging nettles, which I'll talk about in my next post).

But the rhubarb! Ah, yes the rhubarb. It's been fantastic this year. The intense heat over the 4th of July weekend has probably caused most peoples rhubarb plants to bolt. But, before that, it seemed almost as if the bounty would never end.

That was a good thing, in my opinion, since I had a whole slew of rhubarb recipes that I was hoping to try -- including this one which I picked up from Jeannette Ordas over at Everybody Loves Sandwiches, a blog where you'll find a host of delicious things that don't get too silly and complicated.

This recipe is probably a bit more fussy than average (after all, it requires the creation of a compote, and a bit of messing around with the browned butter), but if you asked me, I'd suggest it's entirely worth the effort. The flavor is incomparable -- with the delicious perfume of fresh vanilla beans and the amazing nuttiness of plenty of irresistible browned butter... really, I don't know how you can't be a sucker for browned butter, since it's (IMHO) among the most delightful things ever discovered in the world of culinary invention.

As you know, I usually can't help futzing with recipes, tweaking them here and there until they're just perfect. But, somehow, this one just felt right as it was. The tang of lemon and the zing of ginger create the perfect counterpoint for the nuttiness of the browned butter, while complementing the classic tartness of the rhubarb. Best of all, these bars keep like a charm at room temperature, and they're perfect eaten slightly warmed with a bit of vanilla ice cream.

Maybe you've got a few stalks left from your garden. Or maybe you have a nice little bag of it stowed away in the freezer. Either way, you owe it to yourself to give this recipe a gander.

Brown Butter Rhubarb Bars

©BURP! Where Food Happens
Want more? Read Lo's latest ruminations at DEVOUR Milwaukee, her Milwaukee Magazine blog.

Burp! Where Food Happens

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Orecchiette with Mizuna Pesto

Nettle & Garlic Ravioli with Rosemary Browned Butter

Stinging Nettle & Garlic Puree: Putting Up a Bit of Spring

Brown Butter Rhubarb Bars - the best & last of spring

Smoky Fried Chicken
Frank's Red Hot waffle, dill ranch, dressed kale