The taste of summer. Bright fresh citrus in the form of red grapefruits. Pretty pinkish color throughout these delicate, sponge-like cookies. Perfectly shaped into sea shells – which is another favorite of mine in the summer – the beach. These cookies are perfect!
I borrowed a madeleine pan a few weeks ago from a friend at church. Then I realized today that I had accidently not juiced a red grapefruit – then I hopped off the couch and ran to the kitchen to make these. Glad I always have butter and eggs.
As long as you follow the directions and spray the pan – these are really fool-proof cookies and the entire plate will disappear shortly!
4 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
3/4 of a grapefruit – zested
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
Glaze:
powderered sugar
fresh squeezed ruby red grapefruit juice
In a mixer, mix together eggs, sugar, and salt for about 8 minutes on low-medium speed until thickened. Then add the vanilla and zest. Then the flour until well-combined. Finally, add in the melted butter.
Well grease your madeleine pan (I used pam). Use a cookie scoop to get the batter in the molds. Bake at 375 for about 9 minutes, depending on your oven. Let cool slightly, pop out of pan.
Mix glaze until you get your desired consistency. Drizzle over warm cookies. Enjoy!
I love trying new recipes, especially with in-season ingredients, and having them be winners. I started with a recipe off of BrownEyedBaker – you guys need to go check her out if you already don’t get her blogs!
I made a few changes, and hubs said he wouldn’t change a thing!
1/2 vidalia onion, chopped
1 EACH red and green pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 chipotle in adobe sauce, chopped (just one pepper)
EVOO
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp EACH oregano and french thyme
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups milk
1 cup half and half
6 red potatoes, diced finely
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups diced chooked chicken
3 ears of corn (just kernels)
1 can cream corn
1/2 tsp adobe sauce (from chili)
Saute first ingredients and spices in evoo. Then add up through cheese and let simmer until potatoes are done (about 15 minutes). Then add the rest. Serve until warmed through.
A friend and I made an impromptu stop at an Asian market here in Little Rock yesterday. She was buying bok choy for a South Beach recipe she wanted to make that night. I got on my trusty phone and looked up recipes, found one, realized I had most everything, changed a few things things, and viola! a good recipe for the hubs and I! Enjoy it.
Spicy Asian Chicken & Bok Choy
The good thing about having a well-stocked kitchen is that you can be at the store and just need fresh ingredients when making a meal like this one. If you like to cook Asain foods, or want to get more into Asian cooking, here are some of the items you should invest in and have on hand: a wok, ginger (store in freezer), chinese 5 spice powder, Asian sesame oil, natural rice vinegar, soy sauce, stir fry sauce. You can make a lot with just those ingredients always on hand.
Spicy Asian Chicken and Bok Choy
1/2 cup chicken stock *I used homemade that I had leftover from cooking down my chicken bones – this saves money and tastes so mcuh better than store bought!
3 T soy sauce
1 T sherry cooking wine
1 T sugar
1 t cornstarch dissolved in 1 T water *Cornstarch is a thickener. In a seperate small bowl, stir the cornstarch and water together, then put it in with the rest
3/4 t natural rice vinegar
3/4 t Asian sesame oil
1 t crushed red pepper
Canola oil *You use this at different times during the recipe, and I used more than the original recipe called for. Your usage will be based on you stove, pan, and how saucy you want the finished product
1 lb white button mushrooms, stem removed, washed, sliced *To wash mushrooms, just dampen a paper towel and wipe them off, otherwise the spongy fungai will obsorb too much water
1 lb chicken breasts, thinly sliced *Salt and pepper this before cooking, I used 2 pinches of each
3/4 lb bok choy, thinly sliced *I just used the white part, not including the hard end which is bitter. Mine was baby bok choy, not the bigger full-grown version
1 medium red pepper, sliced then chopped in about 3/4 in pieces *Make sure you discard of the seeds and inner white part of the pepper, otherwise the dish will be too hot
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
1 tsp garlic *I used Gourmet Gardens (in a tube) – Thanks Jilly – love the smell of it!
Basmati rice
Supplies needed:
Cutting Board (2, one for the raw chicken)
Zester-grater (for ginger and/or garlic)
Sharp paring knife
Whisk
2 Small bowls
Large, shallow pan
Measuring spoons
Medium pan to cook rice in
Plate
Wooden spoon
This isn’t a hard recipe, just has several steps. And I did great till the very end and then baby started fussing, made me burn some of the rice. Oh, well. It was still yummy!
1. Chop all vegetables and chicken before starting. Will make it very easy just to dump everything to the pot
2. Mix the chicken stock through the red pepper and set aside.
3. Heat a large shallow pan with some of the canola oil. Saute mushrooms for about 5 minutes.
4. Take mushrooms out and place on plate.
5. Add more oil and cook chicken until browned but not cooked all the way through – about 4 minutes. When done, remove them from the pan and put on plate with mushrooms
6. Add more oil if necessary, saute bok choy and red pepper for a few minutes, then take out and put on plate.
7. Add liquid and seasonings (ginger and garlic) and just heat to make the ginger and garlic fragrant. Garlic has a tendency to burn quickly, so you want to act fast here.
8. Add the chicken and veggies and stir until all heated through and chicken is done.
When you return from a week of being out of town, and have guests coming the next day for food, you are thankful for two things:
1. A husband who will make a midnight, brain-dead, grocery run.
2. A crockpot.
My friend, Diana, posted this recipe on her blog, I made some tweaks to it and here is the final product. An empty crockpot (and I doubled the batch for my 6 qt crockpot).
Crockpot White Chicken Chili
1 whole chicken *I cooked one in the crockpot on high for 6 hours, just old bay seasoning and garlic powder), deboned
6 cans great northern beans *I drained and rinsed half of them, dumped the rest in as is
32 oz medium salsa
1 onion, chopped
1 T cumin *I would double this next time
2 t oregano
3/4 of a big block of sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 T chives, chopped
Cook on high for 4 hours. Serve over greens, with chips, top with sour cream, more salsa and cheese.
This was yummy. I would leave the chicken in slightly larger chunks. And perfect for a semi-quick meal (or at least hands-off)
Make sure you check out Diana’s blog linked above for lots of great recipes!
You know you are still in the South when on a Saturday in November you head out to a cornbread festival. It was my first outing in Little Rock.
There was a diverse crowd there and almost as many ways people cook cornbread.
Scattered on Main Street were individuals and professionals (like the Capitol Hotel and Boulevard Bread) who had entered their authentic recipe for cornbread to be chosen the winner of this year’s festival. But, along with the cornbread there was live music, arts and crafts, and even someone’s pet pig.
One of the vendors I stopped at was BVann Originals – bags, gifts, and pretty things that all had a touch of uniqueness. B.Vann and his other workers at his table were very nice to talk with and let me take their picture.
I tasted two good ones today – most were rather dry and served with good sides (meaning the sides were better than the star of the show, the cornbread). They served authentic southern sides as chili, red beans, chicken and dumplings, and of course a variety of greens. The best savory one I thought was more of a spoon bread sitting on top of some well-seasoned collards. delicious. Hint of jalapeno and sweetness. Perfect combination. The other one was sweet – like desssert sweet. Pumpkin Spice Cornbread, topped with homemade local coffee ice cream and drizzled with caramel sauce. Definitely a winner – and definitely non-traditional.
My only disappointment was there was no cornbread you could buy to take home – and no “secret” recipes to be given out.
I look forward to exploring more of the new state we live in.
I was given two of Giada’s cookbooks and am almost done reading both of them – and salivating at the contents. Here is one of them – the easier recipes of the two cookbooks. This would be a good cookbook for a beginner, with some of the recipes not really needing to be in there because they only have like 4 ingredients or something and most cooks with any experience could put combinations together.
Here are the recipes that I look forward to trying in Everyday Italian:
Marinara Sauce (though I’ve come to love mine, maybe I can comine the recipes to make a perfect batch)
Vodka Sauce (so yummy and simple)
Lemon Spaghetti (because it is perfect for this summer weather)
Pizza di Spaghetti (baked pasta – does it get any better?)
Chicken Cacciatore (to see how it compares to my favorite)
Stuffed Mushrooms (actually, I made these for a wedding reception recently: they were a hit and quick and easy)
Verdure al Forno (basically, baked veggies and cheese)
Grilled Pineapple with Nutella (perfect late pregnancy treat)!
What I’ve learned about Italian cooking: 3 key ingredients are really expensive: proscuitto, mascarpone cheese, and pine nuts.
For about two years now I’ve wanted to hop in a car, drive to Savannah, and sit down in a little bakery that boasts of great bread and antique cookery. Finally, I did it. And unfortunately it was one of the hottest days in Savannah and I was almost 8 months pregnant, but the food and company was well worth it.
The co-owner was sincere and cared about her customers. The menu was not extensive so they specialized in what they made: great homemade sandwiches on fresh baked breads, and delicious desserts (and though we weren’t there for breakfast, I know from personal experience how great their morning goodies are). The decor matched its name “Back in the Day” with antiques and mid-20th century kitchen finds.
I split the Super Chicken sandwich with E. Then we also split the bourbon bread pudding (to quote my husband, it was the best vread pudding he has ever had), and I took a few bites of my friend’s Coconut Cream Pie.
Here are some of the pictures from the day. Enjoy – and next time you are in Savannah, this is a must-stop!
Savannah is known for several things: shrimp, moss, SCAD, Lady & Sons, being one of my favorite towns in the US, Eden Village, and now…Back in the Day Bakery. This sweet Mom mailed me this cookbook – what a treasure!
When I was recently in Savannah I wanted to stop by here, but as we passed the bakery, baby Campbell wasn’t making me feel very good (you know, first trimester) and I had no energy to even allow E to find a parking spot, walk in, taste something, and take pictures. Jenna (happy birthday) at Eat Live Run introduced THE WORLD to this bakery from her blog and I’ve been intrigued ever since.
The blueberry muffins are a winner. I also want to try (one from each chapter, just so I don’t start out with wanting to make the whole book):
Breakfast: Since I’ve already made the blueberry muffins, my next choice would be the Carrot-Golden Raisin Muffins
Coffee Cakes, etc: Brown Sugar Banana Bread
Cupcakes and Cakes: Hummingbird Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting (a southern classic)
Pies, etc: Smore Pie
Puddings and Custards: Chocolate Pudding (not the instand kind)
Cookies: Oatmeal Coconut Cookies
Brownies and Bars: Lemon Pie Bars
Confections: Butter Mints (not the Brach’s 99 cent kind)
Savories: White Bean Soup with Bacon
This cookbook is a winner to me because of the:
1. Stories they tell with each recipe
2. The extras they include in it: pantry basic, background of their beginnings, etc
3. The beautiful pictures
4. It has traditional recipes with some new additions and just a few surprises!
(Picture taken by me on Boyce College grounds in Louisville, KY January 4, 2010 when they came to visit!)
My husband is a fan of the cilantro rice at chipotle. So, instead of buying expensive burrito bowls all the time (though I did give him a gc at Christmas time which he has graciously shared with me and baby)…I thought I would work at perfecting my own cilantro rice, especially now that I have cilantro growing in a pot on the back porch.
So, after 3 tries, I think we have done it. Here you go. Enjoy!
2-4 T olive oil
2 cups Jasmine rice
3 cups water
1 T orange zest
1/2 lemon zest and juice
1 lime zest and juice
cilantro handful (depending on your taste level for cilantro)
Just like you do risotto, add the rice to the olive oil and coat the rice BEFORE you add the water. Essentially you are toasting the rice, which makes a big difference in taste! Then add the water and juice and zest (and additional s/p if you care to add any). Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed into the rice. Take off the burner and add in the finely chopped cilantro.
Enjoy with black beans or chicken or meat of your choice. So yummy!
Chop onion. Dump potatoes into a bowl and cover with HOT water before you begin cooking the sausage. (Set aside the powder cheese packet, you’ll need that later.)
Cook sausage and onions together until done. Drain. Drain potatoes. Mix potatoes, sausage mixture, green pepper, mushrooms, and seasonings. Dump into a greased 2 qt casserole dish.
in a medium bowl, add 1/2 cup HOT water with the au gratin cheese packet. Stir till completely mixed. Add in the milk and 6 eggs. Whisk. Pour all over the sausage mixture.
Bake for 25 minutes at 350. For the last 10-15, top with cheese.
**The only thing I would do differently next time is stir my mixture better. Some of the potato slices didn’t get cooked well enough and some got crispy because they were sticking out on top. I loved the rustic nature of this dish, and oh so comforting.
