This Broccoli Cheese Soup actually tastes and looks like broccoli, versus the neon orange, processed soup that looks more like a bowl of nacho cheese with specks of green in it.  Cauliflower Gratins are my new favorite side dish; they scratch the mac & cheese itch, but feel so much lighter and less starchy.  And lastly, Broccoli & Cauliflower salad is such a summer picnic favorite and a lovely departure from regular old coleslaw.

Be sure to tune in next week for Veggies, Pt. 2: Beets, Kale & Spring Onions!

Broccoli Cheese Soup

• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 lbs broccoli
• 1 quart chicken broth
• 1-2 cups water, to thin to desired consistency
• ¾ cup grated cheddar
• ½ cup grated parmesan
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Additional cheddar, for garnish

Melt the butter and sauté the onion until soft and translucent, about 4-5 minutes.  Add the garlic and stir, then add the broccoli and chicken broth.  Simmer for 30-35 minutes, until the broccoli is very soft.  Using an immersion blender, puree the soup to desired consistency, keeping it slightly chunky if desired.  Add 1-2 cups of water along the way to thin and facilitate blending, if needed.  Add the cheeses to the soup and stir, then season with salt and pepper.

Cauliflower Gratin

• 1 head cauliflower, broken into florets
• ½ onion, sliced
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 3 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp flour
• 2 cups milk
• ¾ cup grated Gruyere
• ½ cup Parmesan
• ½ cup panko bread crumbs
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp parsley

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  On a large baking sheet, arrange the cauliflower florets and onion slices.  Drizzle with olive oil and season with plenty of salt and pepper.  Roast in oven for 12-15 minutes, until al dente.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat and add the flour, stirring to form a roux.  Cook for about one minute, then add the milk and bring to a simmer.  Remove from heat and add the Gruyere and Parmesan cheese, stirring to melt and combine.  Season with salt, and pepper.  Transfer the roasted cauliflower and onions to this sauce and stir to combine.  Pour into a baking dish.  In a small bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, olive oil, and parsley, then sprinkle this mixture over the gratin.  Turn the oven down to 375 degrees and bake for 20-25 minutes, until hot, bubbly, and browned on top.

Broccoli & Cauliflower Salad

• ¼  red onion, sliced
• 6 slices bacon, diced
• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• ½ head broccoli
• ½ head cauliflower
• ½ cup roasted, salted cashews, chopped
• ½ cup golden raisins

If red onion is especially strong, soak the red onion slices in cold water for about 5 minutes to temper their flavor. Then cut into a fine dice.

In a skillet, cook the diced bacon until crisp.  In a large bowl, make the dressing by whisking together the mayonnaise, vinegar, honey, and mustard.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add the onion, broccoli, cauliflower, cashews, and raisins, tossing to combine and seasoning again with salt and pepper.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Bourbon Ball Baked French Toast

Inspired by all the flavors in a bourbon ball, this baked french toast is way easier than soaking and frying individual portions of French toast.  It can also be assembled the night ahead and baked in the morning.  Cut the bourbon to 2 tbsp (or omit entirely and replace with 2 tsp vanilla extract) and skip the bourbon in the maple syrup if the kiddos are partaking.  Or better yet, make two separate pans, because chances are that Dad will want the boozy version, which I think has the perfect touch of bourbon.

• 1 tbsp softened butter
• 8-10 slices (1/2 inch thick) challah or brioche
• ½ cup chocolate chips
• ½ cup chopped, toasted pecans
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups whole milk
• 3 tbsp sugar
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ cup bourbon
• Maple Syrup and bourbon, for serving
• Powdered sugar, for serving

Grease a baking dish with the softened butter.  Place one layer of bread down, and lightly sprinkle with some of the chocolate chips and pecans.  Top with another layer of bread, chocolate chips, and pecans.  In a larger, shallow baking dish, you’ll have two layers; in a smaller, deeper dish, make three layers.

Whisk together the eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and bourbon and pour over the bread, pressing down gently to make sure that all the bread is submerged.  Allow to soak for at least 10-15 minutes and up to overnight, refrigerated.  Bake at 400 degrees for about 30-40 minutes, until browned and set.  Serve with powdered sugar and warm maple syrup, spiked with a tablespoon or two of bourbon.

Grits with Spicy Bacon & Onion Jam

Bacon & Onion Jam, what?? Totally.  It is SO good.  I’m wishing I’d made a bigger batch for jarring up and giving away (or keeping for myself.) It’s fantastic on these super simple grits, but better yet, the leftovers are awesome in just about anything: sandwiches, scrambled eggs, roasted potatoes, or spread on a brick of cream cheese to be served with crackers.

• ½ cup grits
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup milk
• ¼ cup grated cheese or a couple slices of Pepper Jack, torn into small pieces
• 6 strips bacon, diced
• 2 yellow onions, thinly sliced
• 2 jalapenos, seeded and finely diced
• 3 tbsp cider vinegar
• 3 tbsp sorghum
• Salt and pepper

To make the grits, heat the water and milk to a simmer.  Whisk in the grits and continue to simmer, covered, until grits are tender and creamy.  Season with salt and stir in the cheese until melted.

To make the bacon and onion jam, cook the bacon in a skillet until browned and crisp.  Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.  Cook the onions and jalapenos in the remaining bacon grease over medium heat until they have greatly reduced in volume and are soft, caramelized, and browned.  This can take 15-20 minutes.  Add the cider vinegar and sorghum, then season with salt and pepper.  The jam should be sweet and smoky, with a slight tang from the vinegar.  To serve, ladle grits into a bowl and top with a generous dollop of the bacon & onion jam.

Sausage Breakfast Sliders

I am obsessed with Hawaiian Rolls and I think they make the BEST sliders.  Since they are a hint sweet, they’re even better suited for a brunch slider stuffed with local sausage patties, eggs, and cheese.  So simple, but so satisfying.

• 8 sausage patties or ¾ lb bulk sausage, patted out into 8 small patties
• 4 slices pepper jack cheese
• 4 eggs
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp chives
• 1 tbsp hot sauce
• 1 tbsp butter
• 8 Hawaiian Rolls, split

Fry the sausage patties in a skillet until browned and cooked through.  Cut the slices of pepper jack into quarters and place two small slices on each sausage patty to melt.  Crack the eggs into a bowl, season with salt and pepper, and whisk in the chives and hot sauce.  Melt 1 tbsp butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and pour the egg mixture into the hot pan.  As eggs begin to set, gently scramble and flip to cook.  Divide the eggs onto the bottoms of the rolls, then top with the sausage patties and bun tops.

I grew up in a house where we had something sweet every night, but 9 times out of 10, dessert was fruit.  I remember drizzling half-and-half, which was usually reserved for Mom & Dad’s morning coffee, over a tiny bowl of berries, sprinkled with a teensy bit of sugar.  I’d mush up the berries until the cream turned purple and savor every single bite.  It was an utterly simple dessert that felt a little indulgent.  Eating it always reminds me of hot summer nights in Walnut Creek.

Mixed Berry Jam

My favorite way to stretch that taste of summer into the fall and winter months is by making jam.  I have a strange habit of buying jam because evidently, I always forget that we already have plenty of it.  Our refrigerator rarely has fewer than six open jars of jam and there are usually a few on deck in the pantry.  But homemade jam takes precedence over them all and I favor it for stirring into Greek yogurt every morning.  It takes less sugar than you think (and far less than most recipes call for), so add it slowly and taste along the way.

• 1 lb strawberries, hulled and cut into chunks
• 1 cup sugar (can always add more as needed)
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 1 Granny Smith apple
• ½ lb blueberries
• ½ lb raspberries

Toss the strawberries with ½ cup of sugar and lemon juice and set aside.  In just a few minutes, the strawberries will release some of their liquid.  Meanwhile, peel the apple and grate the flesh on the large holes of a cheese grater.  Transfer the strawberry mixture to a large pot and add the remaining berries, another ½ cup of sugar, and the grated apple.  Bring to a simmer over low heat and continue to cook until thickened, about 20-25 minutes.  Along the way, gently crush the fruit with a spoon or spatula if it hasn’t already broken down.  To test the jam, place a saucer in the freezer for a few minutes, then dollop a teaspoon of jam onto the cold plate. If the jam spreads and runs all over the plate, it is too thin and you should continue to cook it.

Fresh Strawberry Pie

Please do not make this pie with the notion that you’ll be able to slice it beautifully and serve up picture-worthy wedges of strawberry perfection.  Most often, it ends up being served in piles, albeit delicious ones, of shiny, glazed strawberries and graham cracker crust bits.  And it. is. delicious.  Don’t ever buy a jar of thick, overly sweet, overly red “strawberry glaze” when it’s so easy to make this version.

Crust:

• 10 full size graham crackers
• 6 tbsp butter, melted
• ¼ cup sugar
• Pinch salt

Filling:

• 2 ½ lbs fresh strawberries, cleaned and hulled
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 ½ tsp low sugar pectin
• 2 tbsp lemon juice

Place the graham crackers in the bowl of a food processor and process to form crumbs.  Add the melted butter, sugar, and a pinch of salt and process again to form a mixture that resembles wet sand.  Press this mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9 inch pie pan.  Bake the crust at 375 for 10 minutes, until fragrant and lightly browned.  Remove and allow to cool.

For the filling, puree about 1 cup of the strawberries.  Stir in the sugar, cornstarch, and pectin and transfer to a small saucepan.  Bring to a simmer to thicken, remove from heat, and add the lemon juice.  Allow to cool completely before pouring over the remaining strawberries and gently tossing to coat.  Gently spoon this mixture into the graham cracker crust and place in refrigerator for 30 minutes-1 hour to set.

Berry Morning Muffins

I love making variations of this recipe with different fruits, flours, and add-ins.  Ina Garten’s recipe for Banana Crunch Muffins was my jumping off point, but since then, I’ve cut back on the butter and sugar and amped up the fiber.  Sprinkling granola on top (I used granola with bits of freeze dried berries from Trader Joe’s) gives them crunch and makes them look less like a naked cupcake and more like a bakery muffin.

• 1 ½ cups flour
• 1 ½ cups oat bran
• 1 ¼ cups sugar
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• Pinch salt
• 1 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup applesauce
• 1 stick butter, melted
• 1 cup blueberries
• ½ cup raspberries
• ½ cup strawberries
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 1 cup granola

Place the flour, oat bran, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl.  Stream in the melted butter and stir to combine.  In a separate bowl or glass measuring cup, whisk together the milk, eggs, applesauce, and almond extract.  Add the liquids to the dry mixture and combine just until the batter comes together.  Fold in the berries and scoop the batter into paper-lined muffin tins.  Sprinkle the tops with granola and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

I so enjoyed chatting with Jon about his life in farming, as this is his second career and he has completely devoted himself to providing the local area with an alternative to mass-produced beef.  He started raising cattle when he realized just how far our food travels to end up on our plates.  Jon raises Belted Galloways, a black and white breed from his home state of Vermont.  His cattle are steroid-free and primarily grass-fed in rotational pastures, resulting in a leaner, but more flavorful meat.

To highlight Jon’s steaks, I prepared two fairly simple recipes.  The first calls for marinating flank steak, which is exactly what this lean, tough cut of meat needs.  Flank steak is great for feeding a crowd, as it slices beautifully into tender strips–just be sure to slice it thinly and across the grain.  Strip steak is my absolute favorite cut, as it reminds me of family steak night in our house growing up.  Basting it in butter is a simple restaurant trick that gives it an extra layer of flavor and luxury.  Get some local beef this weekend and treat yourself to a homemade steak dinner.

Marinated Flank Steak Salad

• 1 flank steak (about 1 ½ lbs)
• 3 cloves garlic, grated
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• ½ tsp crushed red pepper
• Freshly grated black pepper
• 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 3 oz arugula (about half a bag or 4 handfuls)
• ¼ red onion thinly sliced
• 1 small cucumber, diced
• 1 cup cherry, grape, or small heirloom tomatoes, halved
• 2 scallions, sliced, green parts only
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro
• Cilantro, for garnishing

To make the marinade, combine the garlic, ginger, red pepper, black pepper, vinegar, sesame oil, vegetable oil, and soy sauce.  Reserve about 3 tbsp of the marinade to use later as a dressing.  Place the flank steak in a resealable plastic bag and pour the remaining marinade on top.  Marinate for at least an hour and optimally, overnight in the refrigerator.

To cook the flank steak, position an oven rack on the highest rung, set the oven to broil, and place the flank steak on a broiling pan.  Broil the steak about 4 inches from the top of the oven for about 4-5 minutes, then flip and cook for another 4-5 minutes on the other side, until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the steak registers about 135 degrees.  Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes.  Slice the flank steak thinly, on a bias, against the grain.

Toss the arugula, red onion, cucumber, tomatoes, scallions, and cilantro with the reserved dressing and top with the sliced flank steak.  Garnish with additional cilantro.

Butter Basted Strip Steak

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 strip steak
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp butter
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed
• ½ tsp dried thyme
• ½ tsp dried rosemary
• 1 cup small fingerling potatoes, halved
• 1 small onion, sliced

Heat the vegetable oil in a stainless or cast iron skillet over high heat.  Season the steak well with salt and pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes on either side.  Turn the heat down to medium, removing the pan from the heat briefly to cool it down so that you don’t burn the butter.  Add the butter, garlic, and dried herbs and baste the steak by tilting the pan and spooning the melted butter over the steak repeatedly.  Cook until a meat thermometer registers 135 degrees for medium rare.

Transfer the steak to a plate and place the potatoes in the skillet, cut side down.  Cook these on medium heat until crisp and cooked through.  Add the onion and cook until soft and caramelized.  Slice the steak thinly and serve with the potatoes and onions on the side.

As for dessert, this is one of the best things I’ve ever made.  Cream cheese pastry cream with vanilla wafers and fresh berries?  YES, please.  It’s totally worth the effort to make homemade pudding, as instant will never come close.

Grilled Vegetable Kabobs

• 1 pint grape tomatoes
• 3 small zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced into ½ inch pieces
• ½ red onion, cut into chunks
• ¼ pineapple, cut into chunks
• 1 orange bell pepper, diced into 1 inch pieces
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp olive Oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Salt and pepper

Soak wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes.  For the vegetable skewers, place the cut up vegetables in a large bowl.  Prepare the marinade by mixing together the balsamic, honey, olive oil, garlic, and salt and pepper.  Pour directly over the vegetables and toss to combine.  Skewer the vegetables however you like and grill until caramelized and tender, about 2-3 minutes on each side.

Pork Skewers

• 2 pork tenderloins, cut into 1 inch pieces
• ¼ cup Kentuckyaki
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp cilantro, chopped

To marinate the pork, whisk together the Kentuckyaki sauce with the oil and cilantro.  Pour over the pork pieces and allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes.  Skewer the pork onto soaked, wooden skewers and grill over medium high to high heat until cooked through.

Berry Patriotic Pudding Parfaits

• 2 cups milk
• 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
• ½ cup sugar
• 3 tbsp cornstarch
• 3 egg yolks
• 4 oz cream cheese
• 1 cup heavy cream, whipped to stiff peaks
• Vanilla wafers
• 1 lb strawberries, hulled and sliced
• 1 cup raspberries
• 1 cup blueberries

To make the pastry cream, bring the milk and the vanilla bean to a simmer over medium heat in a saucepan.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and egg yolks.  Once the milk simmers, temper it into the egg mixture by slowly streaming in the hot milk and whisking continuously.  Strain the mixture back into the saucepan, to remove the vanilla beans and any stringy egg bits, and bring it back to a simmer, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or whisk.  Once it thickens, remove from heat and stir in the cream cheese.  Cover with plastic and refrigerate to chill.

Once the pastry cream is cold, whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks and gently fold it into the pastry cream, one third at a time.  This will lighten the pastry cream.  This can be assembled as one large trifle or individual parfaits.  If making individual, place one vanilla wafer in the bottom of 12 small cups.  Place a dollop of pastry cream on top, followed by a layer of berries.  Place about 3 vanilla wafers on the next layer, followed again by the pastry cream and top with berries.  Refrigerate until ready to serve and for at least one hour to soften the wafers.  If you’d like to serve them sooner, crush the vanilla wafers before layering.

Elmwood Inn Teas has been on my radar for a few years now, so I was super excited to visit their retail store in Danville.  Bruce and Shelley Richardson have opened the most charming tea shop where you can taste and shop to your heart’s desire.  After shooting, my executive producer and I spent almost an hour milling over their tea selection, teapots, mugs, sachet bags, etc.  I bought several tins of tea to send to my mom, dad, and sister! I love their packaging.

Elmwood is the best example I’ve seen of a local KY Proud business that has grown its footprint far beyond this state.  Their teas can be found all over the country and their books (Bruce has authored or co-authored 14 books on the subject of tea!) are sold globally.  I was so impressed by their business and the love they have for tasting, acquiring, blending, selling, and brewing teas.  I never thought tea could be so interesting until Bruce started talking and I couldn’t stop asking questions.

We wanted to couple our tea visit up with some easy afternoon tea recipes.  I love any sort of pastry or scone with afternoon tea, but I’m partial to these crumbly, buttery tea cakes that are so unassuming.  And I admit that I’m a sucker for a dainty little tea sandwich.  On the way home from Elmwood, we stopped at Marksbury Farm where we picked up their ridiculously good prosciutto.  Salty, chewy, and incredibly flavorful, it pairs really well with fresh, spicy arugula and a bit of cream cheese.

Russian Tea Cakes

• 2 sticks butter, softened
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp almond extract
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 2 cups flour
• Pinch salt
• 1 cup toasted nuts (i.e. pecans, almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, etc. or any combination), finely chopped
• Powdered sugar, for rolling

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter, vanilla and almond extracts, and powdered sugar.  In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, salt, and chopped nuts.  Add the dry mixture to the butter and beat to form a dough.  Shape and roll dough into 1 inch balls.  Place on parchment lined baking sheet (these can be placed close together, as they will not spread much).  Bake at 350 until the bottoms are barely brown, about 11-14 minutes.  Allow to cool slightly, then roll in powdered sugar.  If a thinner, more even coating is desired, cool the cookies completely before rolling in sugar.

Tea Sandwiches: Cucumber Radish and Prosciutto Arugula

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 2 tbsp parsley, chopped
• 2 tbsp chives, chopped
• ½ tsp garlic or onion salt
• About ½ English cucumber, sliced thinly
• ½ bunch radishes, sliced thinly
• 2 handfuls arugula
• Juice of ½ lemon
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 6 slices prosciutto
• Thin sandwich bread

To make the herbed cream cheese, blend together the softened cream cheese with the herbs and salt, adding additional salt if needed.

To assemble open-faced tea sandwiches, spread thin sandwich bread with cream cheese mixture and shingle the cucumbers and radishes on top.  Using a sharp knife, cut into small squares, rectangles, or triangles.

For the prosciutto and arugula sandwiches, dress the arugula with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.  Spread two slices of bread with cream cheese, then layer 2 slices of prosciutto and a heap of arugula on one side.  Top with the other piece of bread and cut into small squares or triangles.

Sandwiches can be kept fresh and moist by placing a barely damp paper towel directly over the bread or cucumbers/radish.