parvenu.ingenue.foodie.too

I keep dancing on my own.

2012-05-02T18:23:00.001-04:00

I know this is probably a waste of time since there are no new photos of food, but I just wanted THE loyal follower to know that while I have been busy working I have not forgotten you. I will get back to updating this more in the next few weeks. I will have more time and time is what I need to do what I love.

I hope you are all enjoying your springer (spring/summer). It's been almost 90 degrees everyday for the past week.

Cheers, from your favorite person.

NOW PLAYING Bear In Heaven - The Reflection of You by Bear in Heaven

Bring on the sweets, sweeties.

2012-02-18T21:00:00.000-05:00

You all know that I've been working my derriere off and because of that, I do allow myself a few dietary deviations. I balance this out by drinking juiced carrots and kale. My sweet of choice to delight in just happened to be devilishly delicious and not too bad on protein. I give you, Chocolate Drop Peanut Butter Cookies:

Crisp edges with a soft center!

I am feeling so great about these, I will give you the recipe.
Preheat oven to 350
Line a baking sheet with parchment

1 stick smart balance buttery sticks (with omega)
2 tbl shortening
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup organic sugar
1/3 maple syrup
1 cup peanut butter
(Cream them alllllllllll until smooth)

1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
(Mix just until incorporated)

1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch of sea salt
1 cup patent flour
1/2 cup cake flour
(Add all dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until incorporated)

I used a 2 oz scoop and flattened the cookies gently with my fingers.
At this size, they take no longer than 10 minutes to bake.

Carefully, as soon as you remove them from the oven, press the back of a tablespoon into the middle of each cookie and transfer them to a cooling rack.

For the chocolate drop center, I used a basic ganache recipe. For the chocolate, I used melted dark dove squares that were on sale after Valentines day.

In a double-boiler, melt the chocolate of your choice, and add a bit of cream or butter to thin it out slightly. When the ganache is ready, spoon a bit of the melted chocolate mixture into the center of each cookie and allow to cool until the chocolate has set... Or not. They were really quite dreamy when the chocolate was still a bit warm and oozing!

Have fun!

Peace love and peanuts.

NOW PLAYING: THE WALK by TAKOMA

Welcome to my Pad.

2012-02-04T22:32:00.000-05:00

I just made the best pad thai. No. Seriously. I have butchered a peanut sauce or 20 in my life, but this one was golden. Not once did I wish I was eating something else.

Pardon my flashing.

I went to the gym for a later than usual workout and by the time I got home, it was 7 pm. I knew I wanted something high in protein so I reached for the tofu and was off to make tofu and green beans in a brown sauce and suddenly it hit me that I didn't want that.
I took a hold of Mr. Planters, stole two heaping spoonfuls of his goodness and threw it in my brown sauce that contained fish sauce, ginger, minced garlic, brown sugar. hoisin and rice wine vinegar. It was good, but it was missing something! I threw in more ginger, some ground orange peel and last but not least I went to add some coconut milk, but I didn't. Have. Any. Coconut Milk.
Thank goodness I just happen to have an awesome assortment of ingredients in my pantry because guess what I found? SHREDDED COCONUT! Why not? It turned out to be one of the best decisions I made all day. But why stop there? I then substituted toasted walnuts for the typical chopped peanut garnish and pan-fried the tofu in safflower oil and it was fabulous!

Yummm-ya-yum-yum-YUMMMM.

Peace and chopsticks!

NOW PLAYING: Penguin Prison - The Worse It Gets (RAC Mix) by Penguin Prison

A little bit sorry.

2012-02-01T20:39:00.000-05:00

It has been months since I last posted and I apologize from the middle of my heart.

Truthfully, I've been on a health-kick so that I can continue to blog for many, many more years to come as opposed to months. This is not the result of a New Years resolution, but rather a preemptive strike.

In late November, I just happened to watch two very great documentaries that highlighted the many benefits of juicing and knew that it must be a sign, so I bought a Breville and went on a juice fast. After that, I knew I really needed to get going with the physical aspects of fitness, so I joined another gym with equipment better suited for me.

That brings us to the current day and time. I have simply not been making the sort of delicious, sugar-laden foods that I once had. Not that they are bad, but I needed a break from all of the carbs and sweets. And I've been doing very well with that which brings me to my latest diet deviation: Lasagna.

In order to really make this meal count and not completely negate my kettlebell workout, I used cottage cheese in place of ricotta and threw in some turkey meatballs I made last week that contained brown rice and eggplant. I did use provolone and mozzarella cheeses, but those are two of the better cheese choices for people watching their caloric intake. To top it all off, I made my own pasta using semolina and rye flour. I really tried to incorporate as many natural, high protein ingredients as possible.

For specifics, feel free to contact me. I do love a q & a.

NOW PLAYING:
It's Automatic | Zoot Woman by Zoot Woman

Thanksgiving success!

2011-11-28T10:00:00.000-05:00

I hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday and if you are anything like me, I am still enjoying it because I made entirely too much food!

Balsamic Chocolate Cake

Caramel Pound Cake

6 Cheese and Macaroni

Corn Muffins and Yeast Rolls

Turkey!

I had a blast cooking, baking and eating; because of this, I will share one of these recipes with you. All you need to do is ask. I don't know what the people want so I will ask the people. If no one asks, no one receives. It's that simple!

I will be visiting the gym soon and I hope you all enjoy your Monday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NOW PLAYING:
Jeremy Enigk - Mind Idea by aloisance

Don't hate the baker. Hate the game.

2011-11-22T19:57:00.001-05:00

I am so sorry you's guys! Really I am! I made quite a lot of blog-worthy foods, but alas, I vowed to stop taking those terrible webcam pics. I finally got my mocha-paws on a better camera and I have some things to show you.

German Chocolate Cake!!!!

I have a friend that loves my German chocolate cake so what better time to twist my arm into making one than now?!? Her daughter is home from college and it's been several years since her last bite of my magnificence.

I readily admit that I am tempted to cut a piece and offer her a discount on the rest. I am so bad. I would almost do it! She is one of the only people I know that would let me get away with it and more than likely, she would understand. After all, this is the woman that sent me home without MY leftover banana pudding a few superbowl's ago. She said, "the good news is that you're getting your container back". And that was that. She kept the contents and I took my container.

This is why I am so tempted to cut a piece! Now you see things from my point of view!

I also made her a cobbler.

I think her family will be happy, don't you?

I have also started on a cake for MYSELF. Well, it is not entirely for me, but I will get to eat some of it. I used a great new recipe and I will gladly share it tomorrow once I have assembled my masterpiece! Just for kicks, I will tell you that I used a balsamic reduction in this heavenly, moist chocolate cake and I plan to layer it with rich, toffee cream. It's going to be soooo good.

I love you all like my own puppies.

And you should know that I am always here to help in times of cooking crises. Just holla atcha girl!

NOW PLAYING: new order-leave me alone by dvgf

Double oven.

2011-11-14T09:00:00.000-05:00

Don't be sad! I know I have not posted since Friday, and it's not because I have been slacking; in fact, I have been cooking up a storm! i have not taken any pictures because I decided that I need to get a real camera to do my food justice. This is what it means to move up in the world. I did want to let you all know that I have just started writing for Dead Journalist and I am loving it thus far. I have always known that I am extremely opinionated and it is finally paying off.

Crispy tofu, Thai fried rice and steamed veggies.

I decided to post just one more terribly lit photo as a swan-song to webcam photos of food.
One of these days when I am not coming down with a cold, tired, grumpy and well, in the mood, I will post a recipe for crispy tofu goodness!

If you wish to read more of what I have to say, please do so.

NOW PLAYING: Phantogram - Don't Move by vibetothis

Bite-sized bomb bagels

2011-11-11T12:18:00.001-05:00

Yes. Yes. It is Friday once again and I hope that you did not miss me too much. If you did, you need to get some friends outside of the internet. This does not mean I love you any less; let's make that clear.
On this amazing, fall day I bring to you mini-bagels!

I have not posted an actual recipe in quite some time so I figured I would do that. I know how frustrating it can be to wish that you were me so I want to extend this recipe as a grand gesture. Consider it an e-hug.
And don't you dare forget about my awesome music pick for this special day.

Mini Bomb Bagels

1 2/3 cups high gluten flour

1/3 cup barley flour

1 cup water 110 degrees

1 ½ tbsp raw sugar

¼ tsp garlic powder

2 tbsp sea salt

1 tsp sugar

In a medium bowl, mix yeast, water and sugar. Wait until foamy.

Add dry ingredients to wet and mix until incorporated.

Form a ball, coat with veg oil and let rise for 1 to 1.5 hours until doubled.

After the dough has risen, place on a floured surface, roll into a log shape and cut into 6 equal pieces.

shape each piece by smoothing across the top with your thumbs and using your other fingers to tuck the edges under. When the top looks smooth, use your thumbs to poke a hole through the middle.

Allow to rise again. About 15-20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400

Boil approx. 5 cups of water with 2 tbsp sugar added to the water.

When the bagels have risen, but not doubled, place each bagel in the water and boil the dough for about 35 seconds on each side.

Transfer to a non-stick cookie pan or sheet and place directly into the oven unless you wish to add sesame or poppy seeds or even cheese and herbs.

Bake @ 400 for 12-15 minutes until golden brown and crusty on top.

FOODIE TUNE:

Class Actress - Weekend by stellarspark

If it's ugly...

2011-11-08T11:48:00.000-05:00

Throw some chocolate on it!


Chocolate Croissants

After my success with cinnamon rolls, I was determined to move on to other traditional breakfast treats. My hope is to "wow" and "amaze" friends and guests throughout the holidays so what perfect way to do that than to make homemade croissants? I knew from my culinary school days that this was a hard to dough to master and somehow, I managed to do it with great ease back then and perhaps it was because I was doing nothing BUT cooking for 7 hours a day, 5 days a week. I also believe that it didn't hurt having a commercial dough sheeter!

Crazy Sheeter

I have since figured out a way to potentially remedy the lack of a $2,500 counter-top appliance. I will be back with another attempt in a week or so and they will not have chocolate on them because they will not be ugly. I will have you know that I will also be using whey in the recipe!

I will be making my ricotta gnocchi for dinner and I dare you not to look forward to those photos!

NOW PLAYING: Apples by My Brightest Diamond

Showing off my rolls!

2011-11-04T10:32:00.000-04:00

Cinnamon rolls because I told you so!
So I literally took this picture at 2 am. I did mention in my last post that I was making them and here they are! And that is me making a creepy, exhausted, excited face. Unfortunately for all of you, this is one of the recipes I will be putting in my cookbook. I will tell you, however, that I used the whey from the cheese I made in the recipe. As if that didn't make it incredibly hard to duplicate. Right? Well, that is what I here for. Until then, you could always bribe me to make some for you.

As promised, I do have a great Foodie Tune for you on this rather chilly Friday. Here goes nothing:

FOODIE TUNE: Phoenix - If I Ever Feel Better by lnus

When you're tired, you go to bed. When I'm tired, I cook!

2011-11-03T22:44:00.000-04:00

I had the pleasure of cooking for 7 hours, sleeping for 4.5 and then cooking for another 3.5 before heading out to a McDonald's corporate event for which I was providing the food! ~~YAY!!!~~ Thank God it's over.
I love to cook. We all know that. But there can be quite a reasonable amount of stress to shoulder when cooking for 125 people. I did have the help of my parents who tag-teamed to help grate 7 pounds of cheese, put/pull pans from the oven, pack/unpack pans from the car and fry fish so I could go change my clothes! They even helped me do the dishes. Pretty amazing. What would I do without them?? I don't want to think about it...

Seeing as how I have been cooking for over 10 out of the past 24 hours, why not keep going!? So what I did was make mozzarella cheese, sour cream and prep cinnamon rolls. This was my second attempt at mozzarella and it went extremely well. I could not be happier! I used the residual whey from the cheese to make my cinnamon rolls and I cannot wait to taste them! They should be nothing short of amazing.

I love you all and didn't want you to miss me too much so I just had to stop by and make you jealous. I will be back tomorrow with photos of my cinnamon rolls and a totally amazing song that will change your life.

yeast, peace and cheese,

chef jenni

NOW PLAYING:

Pete+Suck+Rust= ???

2011-11-01T13:36:00.000-04:00

I am eating this RIGHT NOW! You are soooo jealous.

PIZZA CRUST! That's right. I am going to share a bit of my amazing pizza making tips with you. Get ready to make an awesome pizza crust dough that I have made so many times that I don't have to measure anything. I realize I am bragging right now and sometimes that is OK; bake what your mama gave ya'!

Happy November!

For all of you that have no idea what that means, please take it upon yourself to search for "shake what your mama gave ya'". I take no further responsibility for what you stumble across. Now moving on!
I present you with a pizza dough recipe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And don't be so hard on yourself. If you neither have nor care to purchase the specialty flours, feel free to substitute all purpose in their place. Just know that you can use semolina to make fresh pasta. So it is something that you can use again!

Pizza Dough Version 1
2 1/2 - 3 cups water @ 110 degrees fahrenheit
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup patent flour
1/2 semolina
1/2 rye flour
1 1/2 tablespoons dry active yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
Additional flour for kneading

I do this by hand and so will you:
In a large bowl, mix all dry ingredients including yeast.
Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and enough of the water to form a ball.
Move the dough to a floured surface and knead by spreading the dough outwards with your palm and bring the edged inward to form a ball and repeat.
Add a bit of water, about 1/4 cup, and knead until it is absorbed into the dough and the dough becomes firm.
Continue to add the water and knead until the dough springs back after you poke it.
In a glass or stainless steel bowl, place the dough and cover with the remaining olive oil.
Place a wet towel over the bowl.
Allow the dough to rise for roughly an hour, preferably an oven that is roughly 75 degrees or so*.
After the dough has doubled, punch it down, re-wet the towel if needed and allow to rise again.

Your dough is ready to use after it has risen again!
This recipe makes roughly 2 medium pizzas or 2 large, thin crust pizzas.
* I typically pre-heat my oven for just a few minutes until it is "warm", then turn it off and let the dough rise inside.

On pizza featured above, I used a very quick and easy tomato sauce; crushed tomatoes, basil, garlic, onion, salt and pepper. I then topped with cheddar, monterey jack and mozzarella cheese as well as ham and salami on half. I used a pizza screen and baked @ 500 degrees fahrenheit for about 12 minutes on the middle rack. Use of a pizza screen will help you to achieve a nice, even crust. It will also help keep the shape of a thinly stretched dough if you want a thin, crisp crust. Make sure that your dough is well floured before placing on the pizza screen or else it will stick!

Get creative and let me know how it goes!

NOW PLAYING: The Drums - Money by orchardmktg

Foodie Tunes Friday

2011-10-28T18:48:00.000-04:00

I am posting this while guzzling a french press of huehuetenango @ Octane WESTSIDE! They were playing Mumford and Sons so I opted to listen to something else. I can't say that I didn't enjoy a song or two 3 years ago, but it's simply too much. They are not one of those bands that I could ever listen to an entire album of. Is it me or do most of their songs sound the same?!?! Anyways... Bring on the hate mail! I have always been a fan of offering remedies and solutions; in light of that, here is a song that I hope will get you all dancing. You won't be annoyed by it. You won't hear it in the drug store as you are picking up tums or Christmas cards. It is possible. I heard Arcade Fire in Kroger not so long ago. I hope to continue this every Friday. I did mention that I am a huge music fiend so it is only fair that I dedicate an entire post at least once a week to the addiction. Without further adu, the first ever FOODIE TUNE: Zoot Woman "Hope In The Mirror" by djnomnoms

Feta Recipe

2011-10-27T21:01:00.001-04:00

This cheese has more of a mildly tart flavor than typical feta.The HUGE difference with this recipe is that I did not use goats milk, rennet tabs or yogurt. It is a great cheese to make if you have some milk that is bordering on expiration. By this, I mean milk that is within 1-2 days of expiration. By no means am I advising anyone to use milk that is a week old. Ew.

5 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons white vinegar
Sea salt
Cheesecloth, stainless steel or glass bowls

In a saucepan, bring 5 cups of whole milk to a boil.
Remove the saucepan from the burner and add 2 tablespoons of white vinegar.
Stir until you see the curds begin to float to the surface.
Place a large glass or stainless steel bowl under a strainer lined with cheese cloth, pour the contents of the sauce pan into the strainer. (You will want to reserve the whey for storing the cheese.)
Bring the edges of the cheesecloth together and gently squeeze the curds to remove more of the whey.
Tie the ends of the cheese cloth and allow to air dry for roughly 2 hours. I used the knobs on my kitchen cabinets to hang the cheese cloth and simply placed a plate underneath to catch any excess liquid.
After 2 hours, you will see that the cheese curds are firm and hopefully dry!
Pour some of the whey into a quart sized container, about 2 cups or so.
Add 1-2 tablespoons of sea salt and any other spices and/or herbs to the whey and add the dried cheese and store in the refrigerator for at least 5-6 hours before use.
I drained the curds AGAIN and simply crumbled the salted curds and stored them back in the fridge.

This is extremely unorthodox in comparison to other recipes I've come across, but it worked fine for me and I hope that someone will try it out and let me know how it goes!

Also, the photo above is straightforward ricotta filled ravioli, sauteed rutabega and chopped spinach garnished with the feta cheese I made using this recipe!

Good luck!

NOW PLAYING: Painted Palms - All of Us by rocksteddie

Mastering Mozzarella

2011-10-27T13:39:00.001-04:00

I ventured into cheese making not so long ago and it was fun except for the fact that I didn't have everything I needed. This time around, I am making mozzarella I have the appropriate cloth, buttermilk and rennet tabs. I am ready to make a mess! I am so excited.

I was going to start the process after I made dinner last night using my feta cheese, but I decided to wait so that I would not be making cheese until 4 AM, again. Speaking of dinner and my cheese, not only do I have a video, but I took a picture! You're excited right? The sort of people that enjoy watching my videos probably love the first few weeks of talent shows. You know, the footage of people that are oblivious to how terrible they are. My videos are a little bit like that. I can't say I care. Maybe one day I will meet someone that want's to show up to my house and video tape me making strudel. That day has not come so you will have to suffer through the strange, out of sync audio and the poor lighting. It's part of my charm. This should not be a surprise to any of you. I'm charming.

Feel free to geek out and look out for me to post the recipe for my feta in the near future.

Love, peace and pastries.

NOW PLAYING: James Blake and Bon Iver - Fall Creek Boys Choir (ft Bon Iver) by FBi Radio

Vaniller Puddin' Y'all!

2011-10-26T17:34:00.001-04:00

Around 11:30 pm or so, I did what any normal person does and I went downstairs to cook something(s). I remembered that there was some souring milk, so I put that on simmer with some white vinegar and left it to curdle so I could make cheese while I made vanilla pudding. After straining the whey from the curds, I whisked up my pudding, threw it in the fridge to cool and quickly set out to make cookies because I was going to make banana pudding at midnight. I am so awesome all the time!

Since I am mean and in the middle of writing a cookbook, I will only give you the recipe for the vanilla pudding. If you're a fellow foodie, you will recognize this as being an almost straightforward pastry cream recipe. The difference is that I am fantastic and added some flare for kicks.

Tasty Vaniller Puddin'
(We're in the south.)

2 cups of whole milk
1/2 cup turbinado sugar
1 large egg
3 tablespoons cornstarch
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon vanilla vodka

Bring 2 cups whole milk to a simmer.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk sugar, egg, salt, and vanilla vodka.
VERY slowly introduce the hot milk to the whisked mixture.
By VERY slowly, I mean a tablespoon at a time until the mixture becomes runny.
At this point, you can add the rest of the milk.
The point of that painstaking process is to avoid lumps. No lady lumps, humps or bumps. This pudding has class!
Now for the fun part! Put everything back into the saucepan and stir, stir, stir on medium heat until the mixture thickens.
Don't you dare write me telling me you burnt it! Be careful, watch the heat and for the love of God don't stop stirring! Get all up in it! Use a spoon that is capable of getting in and around the bottom of the pan.
Once the mixture thickens and is pudding consistency, after about 3 minutes, remove the saucepan from the burner and add the butter.
Of course you'll need to stir it!

Transfer the hot, gorgeous, SMOOTH mixture to a glass or stainless steel bowl and cover with plastic. I always like to make sure that the plastic is in DIRECT contact with the pudding. This keeps the pudding from forming a crusty layer, or 'skin'. I know. Gross. So make sure the plastic is t-o-u-c-h-i-n-g your beautiful pudding.

Most recipes that you'll find will tell you to strain the mixture. That's for losers! People that read my blog and make my food are winners. M'kay?

Have fun and tell me what you did with your puddin'!

NOW PLAYING: Here we go magic - Backwards Time by hanskilledwildcat

So, what are you doing now?

2011-10-25T17:40:00.001-04:00

For all of those that have no idea who I am, your life is about to change. To those that do, celebrate! I am a great person to know. Seriously.

Just a year ago, I was praying for my taste buds and feeling burnt. I had just completed months of cancer treatments and I was simply trying to pick up the pieces of my life after losing my identity as a business owner, energetic, healthy young woman. What now? Well, it took several months for me to feel human and once I did I just started to cook! Food was tasting less and less like copper, my dizziness had subsided and I was able to go several days at a time without feeling nauseous.

As soon as I started to feel more like myself, I just kept cooking. I started with the basics; pie crust, cookies, soups, sauces and gradually began to tackle breads which had once been easier. Right out of culinary school, I was constantly practicing what I had learned and had several jobs that required me to cook on a regular basis. But once I started in the management field, I was required to cook less and less and simply did not have the time to do what I loved most. We all know that what you don't use, you lose. This is unfortunate and devastatingly correct. Don't get me wrong, I was still cooking for myself, family and friends every chance I got, but it was not nearly enough and certain things were not as effortless and natural as they had once been.

After opening Brew Awakenings, I was even more limited as a chef. I didn't have the time, equipment or money to do everything I wanted. I made some great soups, pasta dishes, salads, cakes and brag-worthy rice crispy treats, but it was simply not a testament to my full potential as a chef. Strangely, cancer afforded me the ability to start over. So that is what I am doing now. I am beginning again. My hope is to make a name for myself beyond the Atlanta city limits, finish my cookbook and introduce readers to some great music and food along the way. It would also be pretty awesome if you laughed every now and then.

NOW PLAYING: Dale Earnhardt Jr.Jr.- "Nothing But Our Love" by ModernMystery3