The World in My Kitchen

Gazpacho Salad

2012-01-24T13:51:00.000-05:00

I'm baaaaack! Yes, I had a lovely time in Europe, and yes, I'll post a few pictures as soon as I can, but can I just tell you that after almost three weeks in Central Europe, I am totally craving vegetables! Our food was delicious as we traveled, but our veggies were limited to making appearances in soups and almost always as the side of potatoes to our meals. By the end, I just wanted a giant plate of salad.

Last night, I wanted something simple to go alongside the Spanish tortilla I was making, and I initially thought of making a gazpacho soup. But then I remembered that we're in Kentucky in the middle of winter, and gazpacho is best made with off-the-vine tomatoes. So I settled for a gazpacho salad. Best in the summer, but totally worth the extra money for those red, red grape tomatoes in the winter. And best of all? My kids loved it! Score!

Gazpacho Salad
Cook's Notes: To tone down the onion flavor a little, soak the chopped onion in ice water for at least 5 minutes. Drain and use. This salad would also taste great with fresh herbs, such as cilantro or flat-leaf parsley, thrown in.

1 pint of grape tomatoes, halved (or any other ripe, tasty tomato, cut into chunks)
1/2 English cucumber, cut into quarters lengthwise and then into chunks
3/4 large green bell pepper, cut into 1/2" pieces
1/4 small red onion, peeled and chopped finely
1 large clove garlic, smashed
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Sherry vinegar (red wine vinegar would work too)
Salt and pepper to taste

Place the olive oil and garlic in a small pan and heat gently until the garlic just starts to brown. Remove from the heat and strain the olive oil into a heat-proof bowl to cool. Discard the garlic.

Combine all of the vegetables in a large bowl. Add a couple of teaspoons of vinegar and a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Add the salt and pepper and mix. Taste and adjust the seasonings, oil or vinegar to taste. Let stand for at least 30 minutes at room temperature. Serve with crusty bread to mop up the dressing!

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[Guest Post] Quinoa Salad Recipe Kentucky Style

2012-01-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

Our last guest blogger is Joyce from Friends Drift Inn. I haven't known Joyce for long, but I think everyone who knows her would agree that she's quite a spitfire and knows her way around the kitchen, both her own (in her barn!) and of chefs around the state. She hosts a regular column in the Appalachian News Express and has been published in several regional magazines. She also loves bourbon, like a true Kentucky gal! Joyce is going to share a winter quinoa salad made with Kentucky (yes, Kentucky) soy sauce. Thanks, Joyce!

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When Mindy sent out the S.O.S. for guest bloggers, I was quick to respond. Sometimes I bite off more than I can chew. Some exciting developments at Friends Drift Inn Farm-to-Table have had me so distracted that I almost forgot my hat! [Giggles] Mindy, hope this post is better late than never!

As a farmer, I am always intrigued by heirloom vegetables and grains. Where did they come from? How did they survive into modern times? What can we do to preserve their unique genetic markers in the purest way possible?

Quinoa, pronounced keen-wah, is one of the most ancient of grains. Actually, it’s not a grain at all being more closely related to beets and spinach by family ties. My cousin Jennie introduced me to the “exotic” offering last year. Because it is grown in a remote area, the genetic material is believed to be very pure. Your "vote," by purchasing quinoa, can keep this remarkable "super grain" in our contemporary lexicon and hopefully into the next generation.

Quinoa was revered by the Incas as “The Mother Grain.” In modern times it is treasured by those pursuing a gluten-free lifestyle. The taste is similar to a rice or couscous. The mild flavor lends itself to palate pairings from around the globe. In the summer I favor a quinoa salad with tomatoes and a Mediterranean-style presentation. In the depths of winter when the only tomatoes available are grown in greenhouses, I change up the menu adding depth and dimension with Soy Sauce and Asian-inspired dishes.

Quinoa is found on my grocery shelves here in remote Appalachia, so I assume you can find it anywhere. In our stores, it most often is found in the gluten-free section. I use a processed Quinoa which does not require a pre-soak to remove the bitter saponin seed coat. Read the cooking directions on your product to be clear on pre-soaking instructions.

Quinoa Salad Recipe Kentucky Style
Friends Drift Inn

1 cup quinoa
2 cups stock (I use chicken)
1 cucumber peeled and finely chopped
¼ cup of mint leaves finely chopped plus some left intact for garnish
¼ cup of toasted almonds
1 teaspoon orange zest
¼ cup of Bourbon Barrel Foods Soy Sauce

Method
In a heavy saucepan, add quinoa and stock. Bring up to a rolling boil. Reduce to simmer and cover with lid. Cook about 15-20 minutes until liquid has been absorbed. The “grain” will look like little “C’s” as it expands.

Remove from heat and let cool.

In a cute salad bowl combine all ingredients and toss. I generally let this stand overnight for best flavors. Garnish with mint leaves. I serve this on our appetizer table quite frequently. Vegetarians and meat-eaters alike enjoy the unique texture and taste.

Photo courtesy of the guest blogger.

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[Guest Post] How to Host a Soup Tasting Party

2012-01-13T08:30:00.000-05:00

To round out the soup posts from the previous week and a half, Deanna of Mirabelle Creations has graciously offered to give you some tips on hosting a soup-tasting party! Deanna is the maven of entertaining and always offers inspirational ideas on throwing parties and events. A soup-tasting party is a great way to bring friends together during these cold winter months. Make sure to read to the end...Deanna has offered us some free downloadable files to help make your party easier to host! Thanks, Deanna!

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Hello readers of The World in My Kitchen! I'm Deanna, of Mirabelle Creations, and I'm thrilled to be here sharing some party ideas during Soup Week. Over the past couple of weeks, you have been treated to some wonderful soup recipes from a few of my fellow Kentucky Food Bloggers. Now that you have all of these great recipes, it would be the perfect time to host a Soup Tasting Party, a fun, casual way to warm up a cold winter night. I have a few tips for you to make any Soup Tasting Party successful.

Black Bean Pumpkin Soup
Cream of Walnut Soup
Mini Soup in Disposable Cups

First, you will want to have at least three or four varieties of soup for tasting. If you plan on making all the soups, you can make some of the batches ahead of time and freeze them. Soups generally freeze easily, so are the perfect make-ahead dish. If you plan on hosting a potluck, you can ask each guest to bring a pot of their favorite soup. Since you will have several varieties of soup, you will need multiple serving dishes for the soup. Guests will be tasting several soups, so smaller portions are a good idea. Small cups of soup are also convenient because guests can carry them around and spoons aren't necessary. If you have numerous shot-glass sized glasses, that would be a perfect serving size. Also, my go-to individual serving container is actually mini glass candle holders. I purchase mine at Walmart for $0.60 each. For example, if you are serving three types of soup for a party of eight, you could buy enough glass cups for under $15.00. Another option is clear plastic cups, which you can find in a variety of sizes at any party supply store. Small cups of soup are also convenient because guests can carry them around and spoons aren't necessary.

Sweet Potato Soup in a Mug

If you want a more substantial serving size, you could gather all the mugs you have. Since soup tasting parties have a casual feel, there's no need to have all your mugs match. In addition, you may want to have bowls on hand in case someone wants a larger portion of their favorite soup.

Soup Toppings

A few days before the party, you can make a list of any toppings you might need for the soups you are serving. Gather up a few small coordinating serving dishes for the toppings. I love how the toppings in this picture were served out of small jars. I have a collection of several different sizes of inexpensive mason jars, which would be perfect for soup toppings. If your guests are bringing their own toppings, you might want to have a few extra containers on hand for any additional toppings.

Mini Pumpernickel Grilled Cheese with Pickles
Mini BLTs
Mini Italian Clubs

Mini Crudites

Snack Mixes

In addition to soup, you may want to provide a few finger foods. Different types of mini sandwiches go well with soup. They can also be made ahead of time. Crudités can be served in small cups, with dip poured in the bottom of the cup. This will eliminate the need for a plate, but will allow guests to mingle and not have to stand right by the dip. Another great accompaniment for soup is a crunchy, salty snack mix.

Chocolate Stout Cupcake

Finally, for dessert, a good plate-free option is the cupcake. A Chocolate Stout Cupcake with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting is a hearty cupcake that would pair well with most types of soup.

Soup Tasting Card

Soup Tasting Labels

Soup Recipe Card

I've also created these FREE, downloadable files for you to print for your Soup Tasting Party. The first is a Soup Tasting Card, so your guests can take notes on their favorite soups. Second is a sheet of fancy labels that can be used to label the types of soup and/or toppings. Finally, I have created a recipe card, so guests can take home the recipes for each soup.

Thank you so much for having me, Mindy. You can check out my other entertaining and party ideas at Mirabelle Creations.

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[Guest Post] Vegetarian Mulligatawny Soup

2012-01-10T08:46:00.000-05:00

I met Melissa from My McDonald Meal back in February of this year when a group of us toured the local butcher shop and meat processing plant Marksbury Farm, and soon thereafter she became one of the first members of the Kentucky Food Bloggers Association. Her blog is filled with tons of family-friendly and healthy recipes, and I've had a great time getting to know her and her cooking style. Go over and check her out! Thanks, Melissa, for offering this guest post while I'm away in January!

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Mulligatawny! Nope, I'm not the soup Nazi from Seinfield. Instead I'm the coaxing mother trying to convince her daughters that this time they will like the soup!! Honestly, it would be kind of nice, though, to have the power of that guy from those episodes! His deep voice, stern eyebrows and intimidating demeanour. Hey- whatever it takes to get your kids to eat sometimes--right?

Anyway, I took what I thought was the base flavor of the Mulligatawny soup from our favorite Indian restaurant in town and added some other ingredients. If you look this soup up in Google you'll find many talking about a "peppery" based soup with some heavy ingredients and some saying that the real thing has to have chicken. Well--see what you think of this one instead. A little lighter, still peppery, and plenty healthy! Vegetarian and vegans will enjoy.

Vegetarian MulligatawnySource: My McDonald Meal

1 tbsp coconut oil
1 small white onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large potato, peeled and diced
4 carrots, cleaned and diced
1 cup diced green pepper
1 small tart apple, peeled and diced
1 cup red lentils, sorted and rinsed
1 cup canned chickpeas
6 cups vegetable stock
1 tsp turmeric
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp coriander
1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper, or to taste
1 cup light coconut milk

Directions
Heat the oil over medium high heat in a large stock pot. Add the onion, and celery and saute until softened. Then add garlic, ginger, curry, turmeric and cayenne and briefly stir for to season the oil. Add the carrots, potato, and apple. Allow to cook until softened, about 7 to 10 minutes.

Stir in the broth and chick peas; season with a salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce heat, cover and simmer the soup, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 20 to 30 minutes.

Add the coconut milk and either lower heat and gradually add small batches to a food processor or carefully use immersion blender to smooth out the texture. Bring back to a low heat and serve. Enjoy with cooked brown rice as a side or stir in with a tad of plain yogurt!

**Photos courtesy of the guest author.

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[Guest Post] Hearty New England Corn Chowder for a Winter's Day

2012-01-06T08:00:00.000-05:00

Please welcome my second guest blogger, Catherine from Farmwife at Midlife, GROW Casey County, and In the Pantry. Yes, folks, you read that correctly! She maintains three different blogs! In addition, Catherine is the author of _In the Pantry--Its History and Modern Uses_. You can find more information about this book and her other endeavors at her website. Today she is going to introduce us to a New England inspired Hearty Corn Chowder. Thanks, Catherine!

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The first time I made corn chowder, I was a sixteen-year-old exchange student in England in 1979. As a gift, I had brought my home-stay family a copy of a quintessential New England cookbook, published by Yankee Magazine around 1976 (my own copy is kicking around here somewhere), called Yankee Magazine's Favorite New England Recipes (compiled by Sarah B.B. Stamm and "the Lady Editors" of the magazine, one of whom would have been my future mother-in-law, although I did not know it at the time and, sadly, never met her).

My fellow Americans and I had to put on a program for the Mayor of Lincoln and his large retinue and our collective home-stay families, and I thought, "Why not cater an American dinner?" Yes, why not? After all, my catering experience thus far had been limited to a meal prepared for my Girl Scout Cooking badge, various dishes for a Medieval dinner in high school (fried oranges, anyone?) and numerous attempts at playing "restaurant" for my poor, suffering family at home.

The meal took place in a small church hall, and the only dish I remember making that evening was the corn chowder from this particular cookbook (but I know there were other items, too). Perhaps the reason it was so memorable is because, whilst serving the chowder, I accidently dumped some in the Mayor's lap. He was gracious, but I was reddened by embarrassment and beyond mortified! [It was a good thing our talent show following the meal included our wearing big sacks over our torsos to emulate large faces.] And thus ended any prospect of a catering (or waitressing) career!

However, I have made corn chowder many times since for my family and always without benefit of a recipe. When I made it before Christmas so that I could also record the ingredients for this blog post, my husband said, "This is your best yet!" I hope you'll agree, even if I can't find the original Yankee cookbook, still in a box from our move, that prompted this version many batches ago.

This is a hearty milk-based New England soup, or chowder––perfect on a cold winter's day with a loaf of crusty bread (or better yet, oyster crackers). You can also use this recipe, with minor changes, to make any number of chowders.* In about an hour, from start until serving, you will have a big vat of chowder to feed many appetites––and, if you are lucky, you'll even have leftovers for the next day. Chowder is even better once the flavors have had a chance to meld.

Here is my latest incarnation:

Hearty Corn Chowder
Catherine Seiberling Pond

12 oz. (3/4 pound) diced bacon (we prefer using smoked bacon** and usually our own)
1 heaping Tbsp. minced garlic
1 large sweet onion, chopped (you can add a bit of red onion, if desired)
1 cup celery, chopped (include some leaves)
1 cup diced red bell pepper (OPTIONAL: I did not add this because my husband does not care for red peppers)
1/3 cup chopped parsley
4 large baking-sized potatoes, peeled and diced
1 quart chicken stock (if not, McNess*** is a great substitute)
1 Tbsp. Kosher salt
lots of fresh ground pepper
liberal dashes of sweet Hungarian paprika
1/2 - 3/4 cup flour
6-8 cups whole milk (you could use other kinds of milk but whole works best)
8 cups fresh, frozen or drained canned corn
1 cup heavy cream (or half-and-half, if you must)

On medium high heat in a Dutch oven, large skillet or heavy-duty stock pot, cook bacon, with garlic, until almost done and starting to crisp up a bit. Stir frequently and do not drain! Add onions, celery, parsley (and red bell pepper, if desired) and cook until translucent, stirring regularly. Add salt and pepper. Stir. Add diced potatoes. Stir for several minutes.

Add the flour (3/4 cup if you want a slightly thicker chowder) and stir well. Add 1 quart chicken stock and stir until thickened and bubbly. Add paprika (about one large teaspoon).

Set to low, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are done, but not too soft (about 15 minutes). Transfer your chowder "roux" to a large 2-gallon kettle. Heat roux on low, with 6-8 cups whole milk until just before boiling (do not boil!). Stir well as mixture will start to thicken somewhat from the roux. Add 8 cups corn (frozen is fine, or canned, but drain canned corn first––and fresh corn off the cob is even better!). Cook on low, stirring frequently, until nicely heated.

Shortly before serving, add heavy cream and stir in. Serve with homemade croutons, a good crusty bread or old-fashioned oyster crackers.

I like to turn off the kettle when the chowder is done, cover it, and take it off the burner. This will keep it warm until supper but will assure that the soup doesn't boil. You can also freeze this. It makes almost two gallons, too, so perfect for a crowd or for a stretch of easy winter meals for your family.

And remember, you can take the girl out of New England, but you can't take New England out of the girl!

~ Catherine Seiberling Pond
www.FarmwifeatMidlife.blogspot.com
www.InthePantry.blogspot.com
www.GROWCaseyCounty.blogspot.com
www.CatherinePond.com

NOTES:
*The wonderful beauty of this chowder is, with a few minor changes, you can readily make it into a New England Clam Chowder, Fish Chowder or Seafood Chowder. Here's how:

For CLAM, substitute 1 quart clam broth for the chicken stock and 1-2 quarts fresh shucked clams (or canned) for the corn;

For FISH, substitute 1 quart fish stock for the chicken stock and 2 pounds chopped up fresh (or frozen) fish (Cod works best as it holds up well in the soup);

For SEAFOOD, substitute 1 quart fish or lobster stock for the chicken stock and 2 pounds assorted fresh (or frozen) seafood: scallops, shrimp, tilapia, clams, lobster, etc.

**Another New England aside, as that is where we lived for many years (my husband and children were born and raised there and I spent childhood summers and much of my life there until age 45), is that there is socialite named Smoki Bacon who still lives in Boston's Back Bay. How can I not think of her whenever I open a package of bacon?

***McNess Chicken Soup Mix is a secret ingredient in many of my recipes, including our creamed spinach, served several times a year with roast lamb or beef. I get it at the Amish stores in Crab Orchard, Kentucky. You can also order it from www.McNess.com.

Photos courtesy of the guest blogger.

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[Guest Post] Broccoli Cheddar Soup

2012-01-03T08:00:00.000-05:00

Today is the first in my series of guest posts while I am traveling with my husband and 16 college students in Europe. I'd like to introduce you to my first guest blogger: Danielle at A Day in the Life. Her blog focuses on her life as a mother, travel, crafts, and most of all...food! Go check her blog out and read on for her post about Broccoli Cheddar Soup!

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A few months ago, I posted about a group I had proudly become a part of, the Kentucky Food Bloggers. One of the creators of this group, Mindy, helped organize our first outing in conjunction with the Incredible Food Show and did an incredible job, I might add. When she asked for help filling in the blanks while she went overseas, I jumped at the opportunity to help!

Perfect for the cold months ahead, Mindy decided to steer her guest posters in the direction of warm soups. There's nothing that sounds more enticing to me in the winter than a warm bowl of soup. I'm more of the wholesome, throw-as-many-vegetables-in-as-you-can type of soup lover but I try not to discriminate.

One of my favorite food blogs is Annie's Eats because I've loved everything I've ever made from her site. Batting a thousand at any one site is practically unheard of for me, but with Annie I feel fairly confident that if she liked it, I will too.

I have had her Broccoli Cheddar Soup bookmarked for quite some time, but because neither of my boys' young stomachs were able to tolerate broccoli, I haven’t had the chance to try it. Well, now that I have graduated from being their sole source of nourishment, I practically crave broccoli after going without it for so long. This was the perfect opportunity for me to get to try this recipe.

This is such a wholesome and delicious soup! I enjoyed how you could taste so many various flavors in every bite. The broccoli was certainly present, as were the richness of the butter and the creaminess of the sharp cheddar. With broccoli having a rather pungent flavor, the sharpness of the cheese really helped to cut that and make it a very mild tasting soup.

The only thing I might consider doing differently next time would be to let the cheese sauce get a little thicker, or add less chicken stock. In all fairness, I didn't actually measure the chicken stock before pouring it in, so I might have been a little heavy handed in my pouring. The flavor is so good though--it really doesn't matter what the consistency is, you'll still want to lick the bowl!

I hope you enjoy and I hope you'll visit me at A Day in the Life. Happy and safe travels, Mindy!

Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Source: Annie's Eats

Ingredients:
6 tbsp. butter, divided
¾ cup onion, chopped
1 cup carrot, chopped or shredded
4 cups small broccoli florets
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
½ tsp. onion salt
½ tsp. garlic powder
4 tbsp. flour
2 cups milk (I used a combination of skim and almond milk)
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste

Directions:
In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the onion to the pan and sauté until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add the carrots to the pan and cook a couple minutes more. Stir in the broccoli, chicken broth, onion salt and garlic powder. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.

In a medium saucepan, melt remaining butter. Add the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes until golden brown, whisking constantly. Whisk in the milk and cook until the mixture thickens and bubbles, about 5 minutes. Once the mixture has thickened, whisk in the cheese until completely melted. Remove from the heat and add the cheese sauce to the soup pot. Allow to simmer until warmed through and broccoli is tender. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. If desired, puree the soup with an immersion blender for a smooth texture.

Photo courtesy of the guest author.

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A World in My Kitchen's European Vacation

2012-01-02T08:27:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone! I'm going to be gallivanting across Europe with my husband and his class of 16 college students during most of January, so I won't have a chance to post here. I'll try to catch you up on my travels through Vienna, Budapest and Prague when I return, but in the meantime, I'd love to introduce you to a few of my fellow Kentucky Food Bloggers who were gracious enough to volunteer their time, writing and recipes to help keep this blog going while I'm gone. During the first two weeks, we'll focus on soups, and then we have a lovely winter salad to round us out.

I'll see you again in January, but while I'm gone please make my guest bloggers feel welcome! :-)

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David Lebovitz's Easy Jam Tart

2011-12-27T12:01:00.000-05:00

I have been a fan of David Lebovitz's blog since I started my own. His food and techniques are so down to earth, but absolutely impressive when the finished product gets to the table. I've never met the man, but he did help me out once via Twitter when I was trying to find the American substitute for crème épaisse. (That would be crème fraiche or a good heavy cream according to him, by the way.) I guess that's the next best thing to meeting him in person! ;-)

So when I was looking for something different to make for Thanksgiving dessert, my husband and I looked through his blog's recipes. We were having duck, so wanted something not too rich, but something fruity. I had bookmarked this recipe for his Easy Jam Tart long ago, so we decided to finally make it. I can't tell you how easy it was! I made it the day before, and as David suggests, the flavors really do meld after resting.

It's a beauty, too. Make this and take it to your next potluck. Or make it for your next fancy dinner. Or just eat the leftovers for breakfast as I did. It works well in all situations. The crust comes out like a cookie, so it's easily eaten with a hand, but you could also add a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream (only slightly sweetened) to dress it up on a plate.

But whatever the occasion, you do want to make this. Now. I used Bonne Maman Four Fruits jam, and it worked beautifully, but I'd like to try it with apricot next time. The cornmeal gives it a hefty bite, so if you want something a little more refined, whir the cornmeal in a blender or food processor before using it. I kind of liked the rough texture, though. I also made another 1/2 batch of the dough because my tart pan was a little bigger than what David used. Regardless, even with that little addition, this was a super easy and beautiful little tart to make and serve to your friends. Or just hoard to yourself.

The recipe can be found at David Lebovitz's blog. And if you haven't ever read it, take your time and read his other posts. You can come back and thank me later. :-)

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Baked Explorations: A Cookbook Review and Grasshopper Bars

2011-12-19T16:27:00.001-05:00

Who doesn't love baked goods?! My family can get quite addicted to them, and I think my husband did a little dance of joy when I started this blog and started taking baking seriously. I was just telling him the other day that when I started blogging three years ago (!), I wasn't very confident in my baking abilities, but now I feel like I could conquer the baking world with the right equipment. (I think that Santa might be bringing me a candy thermometer.) :-) So, when I saw the cover of Baked Explorations: Classic American Desserts Reinvented by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito, I couldn't wait to get my hands on a copy. I mean, just look at that cover! (And it's full of equally enticing photos of equally scrumptious desserts!)

Lewis and Poliafito run the well-known bakeries, Baked, in both Brooklyn and Charleston, but don't assume that the home cook knows everything there is to know about baking. The cookbook starts with sections on necessary tools for baking (but keep it simple for those of us with small kitchens) and baking terms/brand recommendations/techniques. The book is built around dessert chapters: Breakfast, Tarts and Pies, Cookies and Bars, Cakes, and Confections and Pastry. And it helpfully ends with conversion charts for those who prefer to use the metric system. Each recipe begins with notes from the bakers--all tongue in cheek, but helpful nonetheless.

When I received my copy, I flipped through it first with my daughter. I told her that we would need to pick one or two recipes to try, so she decided to help me...by bookmarking every page! I restrained myself from doing so as well, but I felt the same giddiness. The book is chock-full of recipes for baked goods that Americans would recognize from growing up...just a little more refined. (I'd highly recommend this book if you are lucky enough to score some gift certificates for Christmas and like to bake!) We finally settled on making Grasshopper Bars for some guests coming over, but with the caveat that I would make Nutella Scones for Christmas breakfast and the Caramel Apple Cake for Christmas dinner. I'll let you know how that goes after Christmas, but given how good these Grasshopper Bars were, I'm sure that the scones and cake will be delicious. These bars are rich with chocolate, but the mint provides a refreshing after-dinner quality to the smooth bars.

Grasshopper Bars
Ever-so-slightly adapted from Baked Explorations

For the brownie base:
3/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (The original called for 1 tablespoon dark unsweetened cocoa powder, but I couldn't find any at our local shops.)
5 ounces good quality dark chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used 60%, but you can go up to 72%.)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
3/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the buttercream:
3/4 cups sugar
2 tablespoons flour
3/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons heavy cream
3/4 cups (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, but still cool, cut into small cubes
3 tablespoons creme de menthe
1 teaspoon peppermint extract

For the chocolate glaze:
6 ounces good-quality dark chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used 60%, but you can go up to 72%.)
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened, cut into cubes

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Butter the sides and bottom of a glass or metal 9x13-inch pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper, and butter that too. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, salt and cocoa powder together and set aside.

Put about an inch or two of water in a medium saucepan and place a medium bowl or double boiler pan over the water (making sure the water does not touch the bowl) and place over medium heat. Place the chocolate and butter in the bowl and stir occasionally until they are completely melted and combined. Turn off the heat, but keeping the bowl over the hot water bath, add both sugars. Whisk the sugars until completely combined. Remove the bowl from the pan. The mixture should be at about room temperature.

Add the eggs to the chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined. Add the vanilla and mix until combined. Do not overbeat the batter.

Pour the chocolate mixture into a larger mixing bowl. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate. Using a spatula (do not use a whisk), fold the dry ingredients into the wet until there is just a trace amount of the flour mix visible.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top with a spatula, and bake for about 12-15 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time. The brownies should be just a little underdone. A toothpick inserted into the brownies at an angle should contain a few loose crumbs. Remove the brownies from the oven and let cool completely while you make the buttercream filling.

Making the buttercream:
In a medium saucepan, whisk the sugar and flour together. Add the milk and cream and cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally until the mixture some to a boil and has thickened, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Transfer the mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on high speed until the mixture cools. Reduce the speed to low and add the butter. Mix until thoroughly incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the filling is light and fluffy.

Add the creme de menthe and peppermint extract and mix until combined. If the filling is too soft, chill slightly in the refrigerator and then mix again until it is the proper consistency. If the filling is too firm, place the bowl over a pot of simmering water and remix until it is the consistency of buttercream frosting. Spread the filling evenly across the top of the brownie layer (once the brownie layer has COMPLETELY cooled) and place the pan in the refrigerator for at least 45 minutes.

Making the chocolate glaze:
In a large, non-reactive metal bowl, combine the chocolate, corn syrup and butter. Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and cook, stirring with a rubber spatula, until the mixture is completely smooth. Remove the bowl from the pan and stir vigorously for 1 minute to release excess heat.

Pour the mixture over the chilled buttercream layer and either use a spatula to spread the chocolate or tilt the pan back and forth until the butter cream layer is completely covered and the the chocolate is smooth. Place the pan back in the refrigerator for at least one hour or until the glaze hardens.

Remove the pan from the refrigerator 15 minutes before serving. Cut the bars with a warm knife. Cut into squares and serve immediately. The bars can be stored in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to 4 days.

Disclosure: A review copy of this cookbook was sent to me free of charge. I was not required to post about it and received no compensation for doing so.

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Double Chocolate Snowball Cookies [International Blogger Cookie Exchange]

2011-12-12T12:07:00.001-05:00

Last year I participated in the first annual International Blogger Cookie Exchange hosted by Lori at Fake Food Free and Andrea of Food Embrace and loved it so much that I put my name in the hat to participate again. Instead of actually sending the cookies we make to each other, we send each other recipes to try at home and eat ourselves! I was delighted to find out that my recipe was coming from fellow Kentucky Food Blogger Tammi from Picture Perfect Cooking. She sent me the recipe for Double Chocolate Snowball Cookies...and my entire family LOVED them! These are great cookies to make with kids--easy, but they get to get their hands dirty while rolling the dough around the chocolate chips. My daughter helped make these, but as you can see in the photo above, it was my son who tried to sneak a bite or two!

I made the recipe as instructed for half of the batch. The second half, I divided into two parts and tried different fillings. I had a craving for caramel, so my original idea was to stuff a caramel into each cookie, but my daughter begged to create her own cookie...how could I say no?! I cut caramel squares into quarters and placed two quarters into each of my cookies. My daughter wanted to play with hers, so put one quarter of a caramel and two chocolate chips into hers. Her version won hands down! The all-caramel cookies leaked caramel all over the pan and came out flat, while hers looked just like the original version. My husband described my daughter's cookies as tasting just like a candy bar. I'll definitely be making this again and am excited to try out new fillings: miniature candy bars, peppermint chips...the possibilities are endless!

Double Chocolate Snowball Cookies
Adapted slightly from Picture Perfect Cooking

Recipe Notes: This is the original version of the recipe, but feel free to play around with the fillings and possibly even the dough flavors. Try substituting other extracts for the vanilla and see what happens!

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1 cup nuts, crushed or chopped (I used hazelnuts.)
Semi-sweet chocolate chips
Powdered Sugar

In a large bowl, mix the butter, sugar and flour until light and fluffy. Stir in the flour, cocoa and nuts. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and flatten into a disk. Chill for one hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place a sheet of parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Unwrap the dough and cut it into about 24 even pieces. Flatten each piece into a circle and place three chocolate chips into the middle. Shape into a ball, tucking the chocolate chips inside. Place on the parchment paper and bake for 18-20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool for about 5 minutes on the sheet or until you can remove the cookies to a cooking rack without them falling apart. Once they've cooled a little more, roll in powdered sugar.

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How to Make Garlic Salt...and How to Balance Blogging and Life

2011-12-08T13:06:00.001-05:00

I don't know how parents stay sane. Really, I don't. Between work (whether you have a full-time job or stay at home), extracurricular activities, beginning-of-the-winter illnesses, last-minute work trips, etc., etc., I'm surprised that parents get to sleep at all, let alone have a hobby. My hobby is cooking and writing for this blog, and it will remain a hobby unless someone wants to pay me to do it. (Hint, hint...anyone out there want to pay me to write here???) And as fulfilling and fun as this blog is, it is often the first thing to get cut from my to-do list when duty calls. Unfortunately, duty has called a lot more recently. So please forgive my sporadic posts, and please understand that I probably won't be baking 18 different types of holiday cookies to share here. Not that I don't want to bake all of those cookies and share them with my lovely readers, but the reality is that I'll be lucky if I get to bake one type of cookie this season! It may seem like I'm complaining, but I'm not. My family is healthy and happy...just very, very busy at the moment, and I'd like to savor just a little of that time before my kiddos get too old to want to share that time with me. :-)

I am, however, going to share a great tip today about making your own garlic salt. For some reason, I'm either always out of the stuff or it's been so long since I used it that it's all caked at the bottom of the jar. The other day, I realized I was out, but really wanted to use some on baked kale chips. Then the proverbial light bulb went off over my head...and I made some from scratch! It takes all of 5-10 minutes to make and really tastes fresh--I guess anything's fresher when it doesn't come out of a plastic bottle! I made extra to have on hand and stored it in an airtight container in the refrigerator, but it didn't last long. The garlic salt turned a greenish tint, which although wasn't mold-based, did turn me off from using it. This should last a few days in the fridge, but it's easy enough to make it on demand whenever you need it!

First, peel and trim your garlic. I used two cloves for this batch, which made about 1/4 cup. Roughly chop the garlic and place in a mortar bowl.

Add about a tablespoon of Kosher salt and using a pestle, grind into a paste.

Continue adding Kosher salt until the mixture is no longer paste-like and looks more like salt.

And that's it! Use it as you would with store-bought garlic salt. It tasted delicious on the kale chips, but I bet it would also be great on popcorn!

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Lemon Curd [Secret Recipe Club]

2011-11-21T07:00:00.000-05:00

Today is the Secret Recipe Club reveal day. I was assigned the blog Apron Strings, written by Donna and Anne, a birth mother and daughter reunited who have bonded over cooking and created a blog, a cookbook and more! As busy mothers themselves, I'm sure they'll understand when I only ended up making half of one of their recipe. I received the assignment about three weeks ago, but in the meantime, my job became temporarily (I hope!) more demanding, my family has been passing around every germ known to man, and to top it all off, we're hosting 15 college students at our house for a Central European inspired dinner today, the day of the reveal, which meant that I spent the weekend preparing for that instead of reading the directions on my chosen recipe.

So enough kvetching already! Let's get to the recipe! I chose Lemon Pie Parfait, which looked like an easy version of one of my favorite pies: Lemon Meringue Pie. I've never made my own lemon curd, so I thought that this would be the perfect time to try it...ha! I have all the ingredients on hand to make the parfaits, but then last night at 7:00pm when I was making the lemon curd, I read the following horrifying words: "Let cool and then refrigerate at least 8 hours, up to 24 hours." My thoughts at the moment I read this aren't PG enough to write on this blog. So I made a wonderfully silky and lemony lemon curd that's not ready for the big time--to be the star of the parfait. Instead, I'm chilling most of the curd, but tested out a tiny bit in a crepe I was making for tomorrow evening. Delicious! I would suggest that if you're going to try it in a crepe that you fold it in with some whipped cream to cut the tanginess of the lemon, but since I love authentic tart lemon flavors, I liked it as is. And I'm chomping at the bit to finally make the parfaits!

Lemon Curd
from Apron Strings

4 large eggs
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
Zest from one lemon
4 tablespoons unsalted butter

Place a medium saucepan with about 1-2 inches of water in it on the stove to boil. Whisk the eggs and sugar together in a large glass bowl until it turns light yellow and fluffy. Place the glass bowl over the boiling water to create a double boiler.

Add the lemon juice and lemon zest and whisk. Cook over simmering water, whisking frequently, for about 15 minutes or until the curd becomes custard like (almost like a soft-set pudding).

Remove the bowl from the heat and add the butter, whisking until completely melted. Let cool and refrigerate for at least eight hours, or up to 24 hours.

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Slow-Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos

2011-11-18T13:13:00.001-05:00

I absolutely love Mexican food! One of the things I miss most about living in California is not being able to get mouth-wateringly good carne asada whenever I want. There are good Mexican restaurants here in Kentucky, but they just don't compare to those hole-in-the-wall places I came to love in San Diego. Mexican food has always been in my cooking repertoire, and it's one of those cuisines in which I feel confident when not using a recipe (except when making tamales!). I make delicious green chile enchiladas (if I do say so myself), but I don't remember learning how to make them...I just know.

So, enter the humble taco. I've always made tacos at home using hamburger meat, but last week while taking stock of my freezers (yes, I have multiple freezers), I realized that I have a ton of stew meat that I bought last fall from Marksbury Farm. I immediately thought that done right, it could make some awesome taco meat...and I was right! With five minutes of prep in the morning and about 10 minutes in the evening, you can have delicious and healthy tacos after a long day of work. Who doesn't want that?!

Slow-Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos

Cook's Notes: I used a Porter as the beer of choice, but feel free to use any beer that tastes good to you. Also, you can find queso fresco in the deli section or Mexican food refrigerated case at your local grocery store or at any Latin American specialty stores. If you're not sure how to cut an avocado, see my tutorial.

Taco Meat:
2 pounds beef stew meat
1 bottle of dark beer
1 cup fresh or prepared salsa
1/2 onion, roughly chopped
2 large cloves garlic, chopped finely
1 heaping teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
Pepper, to taste

Toppings:
Corn Tortillas
Finely shredded cabbage
Sliced avocado
Thinly sliced radishes
Queso Fresco
Lime wedges

To make the taco meat:
Pat dry the stew meat and place in your slow cooker. Add the beer, salsa, onions, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper. Stir to mix. If the meat isn't completely covered by liquid, add enough water to cover. Set on low and cook for 8 hours.

Once the meat has cooked and is falling apart, remove to a rimmed baking sheet with a slotted spoon. Taste the meat for any seasoning adjustments. If you're happy with the texture of the meat, using a wooden spoon, press down on the chunks until the meat is shredded. If you'd like the meat to be a little drier, place in a 400 degree F oven for about 15 minutes or until the meat is crispy enough for your taste. If it gets too dry, add a little bit of the slow-cooker cooking liquid. (When done, toss the remaining cooking liquid.)

To assemble the tacos:
Heat the tortillas on the stovetop (in a pan or on a griddle) or wrapped in foil in a hot oven. To make each taco, layer two tortillas and add about two tablespoons of taco meat. Top with crumbled queso fresco, radishes, avocados and shredded cabbage. Serve with lime wedges to squeeze on top of each taco right before eating.

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Chicken, Apple and Gruyère Salad: A Light Meal for Beautiful Fall Days

2011-11-07T11:09:00.000-05:00

Last week I was given a basket of apples by some friends. My kids love to eat them as snacks, but I've been trying to incorporate them into our meals since there are just too many to eat before they start going bad. This weekend, I was home alone with the kids, and since cooking while rounding up a five year old and an 18 month old can be dangerous, I decided to go simple with a salad. It was a beautiful fall day...probably one of the last that a salad would be satisfying as a supper. I came up with this salad with a chicken breast and leftovers in my fridge--the best kinds of meals in my opinion! Feel free to add other goodies into the salad, but for this version, I kept it simple with lettuce, apples, gruyère cheese and chicken.

Chicken, Apple and Gruyère Salad
Serves 2 as a meal

1-2 chicken breasts (depending on how much you'd like to eat)
1 cup apple cider
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 Tbl red wine vinegar
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp dried thyme
2 Tbl olive oil
Lettuce, enough to fill a medium or large bowl (I used Red and Green Leaf, but use your favorite here.)
2 small apples, chopped
2 oz. gruyère cheese, shredded

Honey Mustard and Apple Cider Salad Dressing:
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp honey
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 Tbl apple cider
2 Tbl red wine vinegar
8-9 Tbl olive oil

In a large ziploc bag or in a shallow dish, combine the apple cider, dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, garlic salt, thyme and olive oil until completely incorporated. Add the chicken breast(s) and completely coat with the marinade. Place in refrigerator for at least two hours, but up to overnight, turning the breasts a couple of times to marinate well.

Heat your oven to 350 degrees F. Heat an oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat and spray the skillet lightly with oil. Add the chicken breasts and brown on both sides. When the chicken is browned, cover the skillet lightly with foil and place in the oven for about 5-10 minutes (depending on the size of the chicken breasts), or until the breast is done and reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. When the chicken is done, remove from the oven and place the chicken on a cutting board to rest and cool for at least 10 minutes.

While the chicken is cooling, combine the lettuce, apples and cheese in a large bowl. Make the dressing by whisking the mustard, honey, salt, pepper, apple cider and red wine vinegar until they are completely combined. Drizzle the olive oil slowly while whisking. Taste. If it's not sweet enough for you, add a little more honey. If it's not tart enough for you, add a little more red wine vinegar. If it's too tart, add a little more olive oil. The flavoring on this dressing is up to you!

Toss the salad with the salad dressing until it is lightly coated, reserving a little dressing to drizzle over the completed salad. Split the salad between the plates.

Slice the chicken and lay it nicely on each salad. Drizzle with a little more salad dressing. Serve immediately.

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Kentucky News

2011-11-04T13:13:00.000-04:00

Did you miss me? I know I've been MIA for a couple of weeks, but I've just been too busy to cook, let alone blog. There are several Kentucky-related pieces of news and events I wanted to let everyone know about, though, so this will be a quick post dedicated to that. Hopefully, I'll get back to blogging about food next week!

The first item up is to let you know that there was a great article written about the Kentucky Food Bloggers Association in this month's issue of the Chevy Chaser Magazine. Go check out what the bloggers are saying about food, blogging and our community!

Secondly, I wanted to let those of you in the central Kentucky area (or those of you who would like to visit!) know that the Kentucky State BBQ Festival is happening this weekend in Danville, Kentucky. If you're in the area, come check it out! Pitmasters from all over the country will be here, and from what I've heard, this is one of the only BBQ contests where you actually get to taste the food being cooked. It looks like it will provide fabulous food and entertainment for the entire weekend!

To enter, go to Only One Kentucky!

And finally, a non-food-related bit of news, but still Kentucky-related: The Kentucky Department of Tourism has kicked off its newest marketing campaign with the theme "Kentucky: There's Only One" with a Twitter contest that will run through November 23rd. Just check out the website daily and tweet what you love about the day's Kentucky attractions. Winners will be chosen daily to win prizes from t-shirts to an iPod Nano to a Nook Color. I've already won a t-shirt and am hoping to win even more!

You have your homework now, so get to it! :-)

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Baked Spiced Chickpeas [Secret Recipe Club]

2011-10-24T07:00:00.000-04:00

This is my third month as part of the Secret Recipe Club, and I love it! I've met new food bloggers and have been challenged to make new food. This month was a challenge, but a fun one! I was assigned Gretchen's blog Veggie Grettie. A Certified Nutrition Specialist, Gretchen has been vegan for years because of health issues and also cooks gluten free because of her daughter's allergies. Because my family is neither vegan nor gluten free, I thought that choosing a recipe that we'd like was going to be difficult, but it turns out that choosing a recipe was difficult because there were so many great ones to choose from!

I finally settled on her Baked Spiced Chickpeas Snack. My family loves chickpeas, and I've seen recipes like this floating around and have made several mental notes to try one. This one is great because it's sweet and spicy and salty all rolled into a crispy chickpea. What's not to love?!

Baked Spiced Chickpeas
Adapted from Veggie Grettie

2 cups (or one can) cooked chickpeas
1 1/2 Tbl olive oil
3 Tbl spice mixture (below)

Spice Mixture:
2 tsp dark brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp Kosher salt

To make the spice mixture:
Mix all spice mixture ingredients well and place in an airtight container.

To make the chickpeas:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Rinse the chickpeas. Place the chickpeas on two layers of paper towels and then top with a third. Rub the top layer of paper towels over the chickpeas gently to dry. Remove the paper towel and discard any skins that have become loose. Let air dry for a few minutes.

Place the chickpeas in a bowl and add the oil. Mix until the chickpeas are well coated. Add three tablespoons of the spice mixture and mix well. Place the chickpeas on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper in a single layer. Place in the oven and bake 40-60 minutes until the chickpeas are golden brown and crispy all the way through.

Eat immediately once they've cooled. These do not remain crispy if stored in a container.

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How to Make Fresh Pumpkin Puree

2011-10-12T11:32:00.000-04:00

I have never bought a can of pumpkin. Before I started this blog, I just had never cooked with pumpkin, and when I did start using it in baking, I had nice, fresh "potirons" available to me in the French markets. I learned how easy it was to make my own pumpkin puree and have never looked back. Every fall, I stock up on pumpkins, make the puree, and then freeze it in one-cup portions to use in baking throughout the winter. I love fresh pumpkin for its taste and vibrancy, so I thought I'd share how I make my own puree here.

You need to start with a baking pumpkin, not a carving pumpkin (which can have a bland flavor). Cut your pumpkin in half.

Scoop out the seeds and membranes. You can save the seeds to roast if you'd like.

Place your pumpkin halves cut side down on a baking pan. I like to line the tray with foil since the sugars in the pumpkin can get kind of messy when roasted. Place your pan in a 350 degree F oven and bake for about 45-60 minutes, depending on the size of your pumpkin.

The pumpkins should get a little browned on the skin side. You'll know they're done when a sharp knife slides easily into the flesh. Take the pan out of the oven and let the pumpkins cool.

Scoop the flesh out of the skins and place in a food processor. Blend until completely pureed.

Depending on your pumpkin, the puree may be watery. If that's the case, layer a sieve with cheesecloth or coffee filters and spoon the puree into it. Let drain over a large bowl, covered, in the refrigerator for several hours until your puree reaches the desired consistency.

Once you've pureed the pumpkin, you can freeze them in freezer bags, freezer-safe plastic containers or freezer jars. Just defrost what you need when you're ready to use it!

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Kentucky Food Bloggers Association Inaugural Networking Dinner

2011-10-11T11:21:00.000-04:00

Way back when I started this blog, I thought that the only people who would care what I was cooking up was my mom and maybe a friend or two. I quickly realized that this food blogging thing was bigger than I ever imagined. It's a whole community of people willing to cook and share and help whenever possible. I was lucky enough to meet a fellow food blogger, Lori at Fake Food Free, in the infancy of my blog. I was living in France and she in Brazil, but we connected over food and the fact that we were both ex-pats. I returned to Kentucky and a few months later, she moved to the small town bordering mine. Crazy!

Last spring, we started to realize that there were quite a few food bloggers in Kentucky. She knew Melissa at My McDonald Meal, and I knew Sami from A Teenage Gourmet. We started talking about organizing a group of Kentucky food bloggers...because surely, if there were four of us in Central Kentucky, there would be more. Sixty (yes, 60!) food bloggers later, we have a strong and talented group. (Go check us out on Facebook if you haven't already!) And it doesn't stop there! In the spring, Alltech, a Kentucky company, approached Lori to see if we would be interested in hosting a dinner sponsored by them. Of course, we were! And that dinner finally happened last Friday night. At Jonathan's at Gratz Park nonetheless. And there was food. And swag. And raffles. And tickets to the Incredible Food Show. And laughter, always laughter.

From left to right: Carolyn from Bourbon & Beans, Lori from Fake Food Free, and Jessica from Urban Sacred Garden.

Jonathan Lundy and his staff created an amazing menu for us, featuring Alltech products. And man, was it good! We started with a little appetizer of Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale Beer Cheese on Fried Cornbread. Beer Cheese is something I had never had before moving to Kentucky, but I love it! A cheese spread with a kick to it...what's not to love?!

Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale Beer Cheese on Fried Cornbread

The next course was a Pearse Lyons Reserve – Molasses Marinated Alltech Angus Flank Steak with Arugula & Crispy Sweet Potatoes. I love arugula and I love steak...and now I love crispy sweet potatoes!

Pearse Lyons Reserve – Molasses Marinated Alltech Angus Flank Steak with Arugula & Crispy Sweet Potatoes

The next course scared me as I'm not a huge fan of shrimp. Weird, huh? But I ate this Shrimp Corn Dog (Kentucky Ale Beer Battered Fried Shrimp) with Hot Mustard down to the tail. And if I could have licked that mustard off of the plate, I would have. The sauce was amazing!

Shrimp Corn Dog (Kentucky Ale Beer Battered Fried Shrimp) with Hot Mustard

Now, I mentioned earlier that I was a steak girl, and the next course fulfilled my every steaky desire. The Grilled Alltech Angus Ribeye with Horseradish Creamed Collard Greens was done to perfection, and I wish I could have taken a tub of those collards home with me. This steak was so huge that none of us could finish it...but we had to save room for dessert, right?!

Grilled Alltech Angus Ribeye with Horseradish Creamed Collard Greens

And what a dessert it was! Jonathan served us a Bluegrass Sundown Chocolate Pot Pie with Jonathan’s Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. It was so pretty that I didn't want to break into it, but once I did, the crusty chocolate cake was filled with gooey chocolate filling. It was messy and rich, but I managed somehow to finish the whole thing!

Bluegrass Sundown Chocolate Pot Pie with Jonathan’s Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

I came away from the whole experience with a renewed sense of food, blogging and just being with people who love the same things I do. We're a diverse group, from college students to moms to professional chefs, but we're all in it together. And I can't wait for our next get-together!

From left to right: Me, Carolyn (Bourbon & Beans), Megan (The Art of Homemaking), Amy (Pappardella), Fiona (Crazy Englishwoman Cooks), Candy (Candy Girl), Cavan (ManCaveCuisine), Sarah Jane (BraveTart), Melissa (My McDonald Meal), Stella (BraveTart), Danielle (A Day in the Life), Meagan (Meagan's First Kitchen), Lori (Fake Food Free), Jessica (Urban Sacred Garden), Jennifer (Kentucky Foodie)

We were also lucky enough to receive a signed copy of Jonathan's cookbook Jonathan's Bluegrass Table from Alltech, "swag" from Kentucky companies, and quite a few raffle items. I can't wait to try all of this out in the kitchen! (This picture is minus the beer cheese, which I ate before taking the picture!) :-)

A big thank you to all of the organizations and companies who sponsored and supported this event:

Alltech
Jonathan's at Gratz Park
Incredible Food Show

Swag:
Alltech
Bourbon Barrel Foods
Bauer's Candies
Herb'N Renewal
Weisenberger Mill
Whole Foods Lexington
Howard's Creek Authentic Beer Cheese
Elmwood Inn
Holly Hill Inn

Raffle Items:
Whole Foods Lexington
Lexington Chocolate Company
Americandy
Marksbury Farm
Lori Rice
Kentucky Cutting Boards
Bleugrass Chevre

Disclosure: The foods and products reviewed in this post were given to me free of charge. I was under no obligation to post about them and received no compensation for doing so.

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Bourbon Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

2011-10-05T13:44:00.000-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, one of my newfound Kentucky food blogger friends, Judy from The Southern Lady Cooks, posted an awesome-looking recipe for a Bourbon Pumpkin Spice Cake. I had just bought a beautiful pumpkin from Marksbury Farm and thought, "This would be perfect! I have all of the ingredients on hand. I can whip it up this weekend!" Two weeks later I finally found the time and energy to make it, but when I did, I found that I hadn't held enough pumpkin out for the frosting, that we were down to our last dregs of bourbon, and that my toddler son had finished off the raisins. Not to be deterred, I forged ahead with what I had, and lo and behold, the cake was still delicious!

Now Judy calls it a cake, but in my family, it's called breakfast. We've been eating these mini bundt cakes all week for breakfast, and three days later, they are still moist and scrumptious. If you want the version with bourbon-soaked raisins and a pumpkin and bourbon frosting, then head on over to the original recipe, but if you're like me and only have the basic staples, this is your cake!

Bourbon Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Adapted from The Southern Lady Cooks

Cake:
1/2 cup bourbon
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup pumpkin puree

Cream Cheese Frosting:
3 Tbl cream cheese, softened
3 Tbl buttermilk
1-1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Cake:
Place the bourbon in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat. Reduce to about 1/2 of the original amount. Turn off the flame and set aside to cool.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray your pan with cooking spray or butter and flour it. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, mix the eggs, sugar, oil and buttermilk until well mixed. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, allspice and salt and mix until everything is incorporated. Add the pumpkin and the reserved bourbon and mix well.

Pour the batter into the mini bundt molds (about 2/3 of the way full) or pour all of the batter into a full-sized bundt pan. Bake mini bundts for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Bake a full-sized cake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let rest for about 25 minutes in the pan. Remove carefully and drizzle frosting over cake(s).

Cream Cheese Frosting:
Whisk the cream cheese and buttermilk until smooth. Add about one cup of powdered sugar and whisk. Taste for sweetness. If you'd like it sweeter, add a little more sugar until desired sweetness. If it's too thick, add a tiny bit of milk until it's thin enough. If too thin, add a little powdered sugar until you reach the desired thickness.

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Butternut Squash Risotto

2011-10-03T15:45:00.000-04:00

Butternut squash is one of those ingredients that I'm learning to love. I've never liked squash in general (as I've mentioned a thousand times on this blog), but since I get them from my CSA, I have always felt an obligation to keep trying the different squashes so I don't waste what we're given. Last year, I came up with a soup that my husband and I love and then I froze the rest to be used in quick breads in lieu of pumpkin.

Last week we received our first butternut squash, and I struggled to suppress a groan. I know, I know, I'm crazy, but I just haven't been feeling creative in the kitchen over the past couple of weeks. The slump is due to my crazy busy life, I know, but just thinking about figuring out what to do with the squash was exhausting. Then inspiration struck...I was going to make some risotto! I have about ten different rices in my cupboard, and had just been thinking about how to get them into my repertoire more often when the butternut squash crisis happened.

And that's how a delicious recipe and side dish was born out of the ashes of my worn-down self. Make it...you won't be disappointed!

Butternut Squash Risotto

Butternut squash "puree":
1 medium butternut squash, quartered into wedges and seeded
3-4 sage leaves, chopped
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Olive oil

Rice:
1 Tbl unsalted butter
1 Tbl olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 cups arborio rice
3 sage leaves, chopped finely
1/2 cup dry white wine
4 cups chicken stock
Butternut squash puree from one medium squash
4 Tbl grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish
Salt and Pepper, to taste

To make the butternut squash "puree":
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lay the butternut squash wedges in a rimmed baking sheet, skin side down. Sprinkle the flesh with the sage, salt and pepper. Drizzle a little olive oil over the squash, and using a pastry brush, brush the oil all over the flesh so that it's completely coated. Place in the oven and bake for 30-50 minutes or until the flesh is soft.

When the squash is cooked, remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Scoop out the flesh into a bowl and smash with the back of a fork until it is broken down. There should be some chunks left. Set aside.

To make the risotto:
Heat the chicken stock in a saucepan until just simmering. In a larger pot, heat the butter and oil over medium heat until the butter is melted. Add the onions and saute until the onions start to wilt, about 5-10 minutes. Add the rice and sage and stir to coat with oil. Saute, stirring often, for a couple of minutes, or until the rice starts to become translucent. Add the wine, stirring constantly until the wine is almost completely absorbed. Add 1/2 cup chicken stock and stir until it's almost completely absorbed. Continue adding chicken stock, 1/2 cup at a time, until the stock is used up or until your rice is done. (Risotto should be done "al dente," which means that there should be some chewiness to the rice. It should not get mushy.) If you use up all of the stock and the rice is not completely done, add a little hot water until it is done.

Add the butternut squash "puree" and parmesan cheese to the rice. Stir well and taste. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot with a sprinkling of parmesan.

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Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins [Secret Recipe Club]

2011-09-26T07:00:00.000-04:00

This is my second month as part of the Secret Recipe Club, and I was lucky enough to draw Rebecca from A Dusting of Sugar. I thought last month's SRC pairing was perfect for me because of the international connection, but this month worked out great too! Rebecca is a college student, and I work at a college! I love it when the students I work with get into the kitchen, and if they were half as talented at Rebecca, our campus would be constantly wafting with the smell of goodies from the oven.

I had a hard time choosing a recipe, so I let my coworkers choose for me. I'd been promising them some baked goods for some time, and this was the perfect opportunity to let them get involved a little with my blog. They voted for three finalists: Banana Streusel Muffins, Flourless Chocolate Cookies, and Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins. Obviously, the Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins won, but not without a fight. It turns out that one of my coworkers is a picky eater and had never had banana and peanut butter together! She was a little wary, so I had to promise that I would make her top choice--the flourless chocolate cookies--if she didn't like these. Luckily, they were fabulous and won over my coworker's taste buds.

These were perfect for breakfast as well as mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks at the office. The amount of peanut butter, banana and chocolate chips created a perfect balance of flavor...no one flavor outshone the other. I'll definitely be making these again in the near future!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins
Adapted ever so slightly from A Dusting of Sugar

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 Tbl baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
3 large ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup chunky peanut butter (I used all-natural here to great success.)
3 Tbl canola oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 large egg
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, white sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir to combine. (There will be little bits of brown sugar left in the sifter...just go ahead and toss that in with the flour mixture.)

In another bowl, mix the mashed bananas, milk, peanut butter, oil, vanilla and egg. Add the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray or place liners in the tin and fill each about 3/4 of the way full. This will make roughly 1 1/2 dozen muffins. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

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The Week in Review

2011-09-23T11:10:00.000-04:00

Can I make a confession here? My RSS reader has almost 600 unread posts in it. There, I said it. And it doesn't really make me feel better, but it does explain why some of the links below are just a teensy bit older. Maybe I should start calling this weekly post, "My RSS feeder that's sorely out of date in review..." :-)

Regardless, go check these links out!

Way back when I lived in Spain (13 years ago!), one of my secret addictions was magdalenas. Magdalenas were these little muffins that tasted like French madeleines, but were a little bit bigger and in a different shape. You could buy a big bag of them at the grocery store for a couple of bucks, and if I wasn't careful, I could eat them all in one sitting. I've always longed for magdalenas here in the States, but I don't have to any longer! Postres de la Cipota has posted her recipe for magdalenas, and as soon as I get a chance, I'm making them!
My Fiance! Likes It, So It Must Be Good posted a twist on the everyday grilled cheese...actually grilling it! I can't wait to try this (although it might have to wait until spring now), but I can already taste the smokiness that the grill will add to this staple in our household.
I love food served in food, and Fake Food Free has made a Hidatsa Stuffed Sugar Pumpkin that would be awesome to serve at a fall dinner party. She also reviews a book on Native American cooking that I'd love to take a look at!
And finally, Forks, Knives & Spades made an awesome-looking Corn Chowder a couple of weeks ago. My sister-in-law actually made the recipe and the report is that it's not only awesome-looking, but also awesome-tasting!

What have you been reading this week?

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Crockpot Chili for Cold Autumn Days

2011-09-21T16:32:00.000-04:00

I can't believe it's taken me almost three years to post my chili recipe here. It's a staple in our household during the autumn and winter months and is so cheap and easy to make! I usually make a ton so that I have leftovers to freeze or use on chili fries or nachos, and making a lot is easy in a large crockpot. I made it for the first time this season last week, and was wondering how my sweet 16 month old would like it. (He can be much pickier than my daughter.) I don't think I have to worry:

Licking the bowl

More, please!

Making this couldn't be easier. It takes me about 15-30 minutes to prep, and I often do it the night before, throwing all ingredients in the removable crockpot pot, covering it and keeping it in the fridge until I'm ready to start it in the morning. The crockpot does the rest of the work! I've made this with stew meat as well, and I really like it, although this version is cheaper. If you go with stew meat, just brown it before throwing it in the pot.

Crockpot Chili
1 lb. ground beef
2 Tbl plus 1 tsp chili powder, divided, plus more to taste
3 tsp Kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste
1 1/2 tsp pepper, divided
2 cans (or about 4 cups cooked) black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cans (or about 4 cups cooked) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
2 cans (or about 4 cups cooked) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 large tomato, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
1/2-1 jalapeño, diced
2 Tbl tomato paste
1 tsp cayenne pepper, plus more to taste
1 tsp herbes de provence
Water

Place the ground beef with 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a saute pan over medium-high heat and cook until browned. Drain the grease and place the ground beef in the crockpot. Mix in the rest of the ingredients (including the remaining 2 tablespoons chili powder, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper) and add water until you just see it under the ingredients. (I like my chili thicker, but if you like yours to have more of a gravy, then add more water.) Turn the crockpot on high for 1 hour and then down to low for 7 hours (or longer if need be). Taste the chili about an hour before serving to check the flavor. Adjust the spices accordingly.

Serve with pepperjack cheese and sour cream on top and cornbread with honey butter on the side.

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Canteloupe Sorbet

2011-09-19T12:00:00.001-04:00

Last week, I posted a recipe for Wild Blackberry Gelato, and this week I'm back with a Cantaloupe Sorbet from the same cookbook, Ciao Bella Book of Gelato and Sorbetto. I know it's gotten chilly in many places as autumn leaves begin to fall, but I want the summer to last just a little longer, with its long evenings and laid-back feeling. This bright Cantaloupe Sorbet does just the trick! My daughter was thrilled with the idea that her "ice cream" tasted just like cantaloupe. My husband, although he really liked it, wondered why you wouldn't just eat the cantaloupe as the fruit. :-) I, myself, liked the contrast of the iciness of the sorbet with the natural creaminess of cantaloupe.

This is a completely refreshing end to a meal, but could also be used to "cleanse the palate" between courses, if multiple courses is your thing. We don't do that kind of meal often, but when I do, I'm keeping this in my back pocket to make us seem fancier than we are.

Cantaloupe Sorbet
adapted from Ciao Bella Book of Gelato and Sorbetto

4 cups cantaloupe, seeded, peeled and chopped (from about one large cantaloupe), chilled
1 Tbl fresh lemon juice
Simple syrup

Simple Syrup:
1 cup sugar
1 cup water

To make the simple syrup: Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan and place over medium-high heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves and continue to simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let cool. Pour into an airtight container and refrigerate for at least an hour. (This will keep for quite a few days in the refrigerator.)

Once the simple syrup has been refrigerated, combine the cantaloupe, the lemon juice, and about half of the simple syrup in a blender and blend until smooth. (The original recipe says to use all of the simple syrup, but I thought that it would be too sweet. I used about half, and that was about right for me. Taste your puree and add more if needed.)

Pour the puree into your ice cream maker and churn according to your maker's instructions. Transfer the sorbet to an airtight container and freeze for at least two hours before serving.

If the sorbet is too hard to scoop, let sit on the counter for 5-15 minutes (depending on the temperature of your house) and then scoop.

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Zucchini Ribbon Salad with Feta and Oregano

2011-09-14T11:54:00.001-04:00

This is the time of year that my family and I dread: zucchini season. You'd think we were allergic to the stuff because none of us like it except for in baked goods. I get a ton of them in my CSA shares, and I hate for anything to go to waste, so I've been subjecting my kids and husband to zucchini recipe after recipe...and I think I finally found a winner!

I've seen zucchini ribbon salads floating around the internet this season, so I decided to try my hand at one. I thought that the thin slices would help the family over our zucchini texture issue, and I was right! I found fresh oregano at the farmer's market for a buck and decided to add that along with the sharp salty flavor of feta cheese. I'll definitely be making this again as everyone had seconds...and someone who shall remain nameless had a healthy portion of thirds. :-)

Just as a note for next time: although the ribbons are beautiful when served, they can be a little unwieldy on the plate. I think I'll slice the zucchini into thin rounds rather than ribbons next time to make it easier on everyone, but if you like the ribbons, just make sure to serve with a knife.

Zucchini Ribbon Salad with Feta and Oregano

2 medium zucchini, washed and ends trimmed
2 tsp roughly chopped fresh oregano
1/4 cup feta, crumbled (or more to taste)
Juice of one lemon
6-9 Tbl olive oil (depending on how lemony you like your dressing!)
Salt and pepper

Using a mandoline (using the 1/8" setting) or a a very sharp knife, cut your zucchini lengthwise (if cutting ribbons) or into very thin rounds. Lay in a deep platter or serving dish. Sprinkle with the oregano and feta.

In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Whisk in 6 tablespoons of olive oil and taste. If the vinaigrette is too lemony, add a little more olive oil until the flavor is how you'd like it.

Pour the vinaigrette over the zucchini about 10 minutes before serving.

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