cook it: french toast and berry butter

We have had a busy schedule since we moved to Oklahoma.  And by busy, I mean really busy.  And by really busy, I mean ridiculous.  We have decided to really celebrate our Saturday mornings as a family.  We stay in our PJs and cook a giant smorgasboard of what we all love: chocolate chip pancakes, biscuits and gravy, bacon, sausage, and french toast.  It's like a giant carb-lovers buffet.

Hands-down the star has been the french toast.  This 'Cooks Illustrated' inspired recipe is a must-try for your weekend!

photo cred: cook's illustrated

ingredients:
1 egg
2T butter, melted (plus more for frying)
3/4 cup milk
2t vanilla extract
1/3 cup flour (all-purpose is fine)
1/4t salt
thick sliced bread (preferably day-old)

directions:
1) mix egg, butter, milk and vanilla
2) sift four into mixture and then add salt
3) submerge bread into mixture; coat well, but be sure not to leave it in too long--it'll get soggy
4) pour a little melted butter onto frying pan (we use electric griddle) and then add bread.  cook two minutes per side.

**serving suggestions** we've been known to top our french toast with: fresh whipped cream, maple syrup, fresh berries and cheerios (lately Mills is adding them to everything)

photo credit: the pioneer woman blog

this is a little premature, but the kids and I just watched an episode of The Pioneer Woman (they are obsessed with her show) and Ree made this beautiful berry butter.  I've got my butter softening as we speak and I cannot wait to test this out!

ingredients:
1/2lb butter softened
1/2 cup blackberries/raspberries
foil

direcitons:
1) whip butter in mixer with whisk attachment
2) swap out for paddle attachment and incorporate berries and mix, but don't let berries get mushy
3) mold butter into a log-type shape on foil, wrap like a burrito
4) put in freezer for 30 minutes and then transfer to fridge

introducing Harvest: Small Batch Granola

I just started my own business y'all!

     Cooking with my family is one of the earliest and fondest memories from my childhood.  I've baked and sold a variety of goods over the years, from the basic box-mix-based cake to the complicated multi-course dinner party.  I love learning new techniques and trying different ingredients, but what I treasure the most is the face of a truly delighted customer.

     I've been making granola for the past three years.  I first started making granola for my husband and then quickly thereafter for my friends (and then their friends too.)  I would go to grab a cup for breakfast, only to find a few measly crumbs in the jar.  I began to toy with the idea of turning my granola-hobby into a real business.

     When we moved across the country this past summer I was excited (and honestly, a little daunted) about the opportunity for a "what-would-you-do-if-you-could-do-anything" type change.  It seemed like it might be just the right time to start my granola business.  I spent the next few months researching legal guidelines, recipes and branding.  Y'all, it turns out there is a lot more to running a business than knowing how to throw some ingredients together.
   
     After a lot of patience and prayer, Harvest: Small Batch Granola was born.  These recipes are dear to my heart and it's my hope to provide my customers with something they'd be proud to serve to their family and friends.  Each batch is crafted in my own kitchen, where it is lovingly sniffed by two toddlers and packaged with care before we sample it to smithereens.

      I'm currently selling: Original Recipe, Pecan Crunch, Fall Spice and Quinoa Crunch.  I can hand-deliver them if you live in the Stillwater, OK area, but if you aren't around town then you can check me out at: www.HarvestSmallBatchGranola.com


   

cook it: baked ziti

Elliot: Mom, what's for dinner?

Me: Baked Ziti

Elliot: What's Ziti?

Me: uhm...it's like spaghetti's more sophisticated older cousin

Elliot:  [blank stare]

     Did you parents ever describe food as a "cousin" to another food?  I can vividly remember my parents describing lasagna as a "cousin" to spaghetti.  As in, "eat the lasagna Blair, it's just like spaghetti's cousin and you love spaghetti so eat.it.already." 

     This is another one of our "use what you got" type recipes.  I wanted ziti, but the penne noodles were on sale.  And half our ingredients are from Aldi, which you know is a plus for me!  These humble ingredients transform into a hearty dish everyone in your family will love.  

Ingredients:

1 lb ziti or similar pasta (penne is a bit easier for our toddlers to wrangle)

15 oz ricotta

1.5 c mozzarella

0.5c grated parmesan ("sprinkle cheese")

1 egg

2 jars marinara sauce

directions:

1) cook noodles to al dente---you don't want them to be too cooked because they will get soggy when added to dish later

2) while noodles are cooking mix together ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, parmesan and egg.  be careful not to over mix, it's fine if there's a few clumps

3) drain noodels and rinse with cool water to stop the cooking process

4) add rinsed noodles to the cheese mixture

5) layer 1-1.5 cups of marinara sauce on the bottom of 9x13 dish.  layer noodle cheese mixture, then marinara, again with noodle mixture, top again with marinara and remaining mozzarella   (it's kinda like a lasagna with all the layering)

6) bake in 350degree oven for 45 minutes

notes:

-this makes a pretty full 9x13 pan, so we actually assemble in two 8x8 pans at our house.  we bake for 35-40 min

-you want to make sure you fully cover top layer of noodles or they will get a bit crispy in the baking process

*sidenote* i have no "after" picture of this meal because we ate it so fast.  so, just picture a beautifully prepared ziti masterpiece right about.....here.   ;)

freezer cooking

 

     We have yet to sell our house in NC, so we are living in the midst of mortgage + rent.  Y'all, it is not exciting.  I'm trying to convince myself that we have a "second home" in the vacation sense of the word, but the reality is a lot less thrilling.  So, keeping a strict food budget is one way I am attempting responsibility in the middle of our growing financial strain.   

     The easiest thing to do would be to announce to my family that we're eating "cheap and easy" things like spaghetti or beans and rice.  But if y'all have met my husband Josh then you know that kind of talk wouldn't be well received!  In addition to the financial stress, we have a wild ministry schedule.  Several nights a week Josh will only be home for an hour or two before he has an evening meeting at the high school or college.  I'd prefer to spend that time with him and our kids and not simply toss my kids at him while I cook dinner.

     The current circumstances (frugality + picky eaters + limited time) has led us to freezer cooking.  Freezer cooking?  (How the heck do you cook with a freezer??)  Basically, I plan out our dinners, divide them into family portions and then spend one day prepping/cooking/freezing our dinners for the month.  We pull the meals out and thaw/cook/bake as directed.  It takes a lot of organization and brain power beforehand, but then very little effort afterward.  The challenge is to:     

a) be cheap

b) find meals that freeze/reheat well

c) find recipes that have little 'day of' prep required

d) stick to the plan

     The first thing that I do is print out a calendar for the month.  I fill in all our nighttime obligations so that I know how much actual cook time I have each evening.  

     The next step is to write out what you will eat each evening.  Y'all, this is the tortuous part.  You need to know how many portions you need for your family for each night.  We have four people in our family, but its more like three adult portions for the meal and then seven for the bread (am i right?!)  For example, I know that baked ziti will feed our family for two meals, but that my family doesn't want to eat it back-to-back.  So, I'll make one baked ziti recipe, but divide it up into two separate dishes and then freeze---and then cook each one fresh on the day we've put it on the calendar.  Some recipes, like enchiladas, will make more that our family will eat in one month.  We use these recipes for having friends over for dinner or to help us out with menu planning for the next month.

     I check out pantry and spice cabinet, then compile a giant grocery list of all the ingredients that we need.  Then it's time for a Duggar-style trip to Aldi, Walmart and the natural food store.

     Then I will spend the next hours chopping, dicing, cooking, portioning, freezing and finally cleaning up.  I store soup in individual portions in freezer zipper bags, casseroles go in aluminum or glass trays and mason jars.

tips for first time freezer chefs:

1) take a deep breath!  this isn't nearly as hard as it seems

2) make a list of all your family favorite recipes.   And don't forget about seasonal favorites!  Who says Grandma's sweet potato soufflé can't be enjoyed all fall long?? 

3) use a free printable calendar from somewhere like this, I've just found it so much easier to make adjustments on paper than my iPhone

4) make notes about which meals are a hit and which ones are a miss, it'll help you when you plan your next month

5) some items, like roasted vegetable burritos, that are great for dinner also make great "homemade lean cuisine" type lunches.  i'll portion a few out and wrap individually to have for a quick, filling lunch.

cook it: tomato soup

Y'all, we just got a serious cold front coming through and it is time for a big bowl of soup.  With the Indian Summer that we've had going on out here in Oklahoma I thought that this day might never come!

I indulged in two bowls of this tomato basil soup today and thought y'all might want to make some for yourself!  It only makes around 6 servings, so you'll want to go ahead and grab your stock pot so you can double this recipe.  It's around 100 calories per bowl, so you're fine to grab a second helping!

I love how this recipe transforms totally average ingredients into out-of-this world deliciousness:

seriously, just grab store brand ingredients y'all

ingredients: 

can of crushed tomatoes (24 oz)

3 cups water

2T tomato paste

2t sugar

1.5t sea salt

bunch of fresh basil (chopped)

0.5t fresh pepper

1c heavy cream

directions:

1) combine tomatoes, water, tomato paste, sugar, salt and basil in a pot

2) bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer for 20 minutes

3) stir in pepper and cream, simmer for 2 minutes

serve alone or with salad, grilled cheese, crusty bread....the possibilities are endless. 

nom nom nom

cook it: chicken/vegetable pot pie

This recipe could also be called: is also known as:

"how to use up all those frozen veggies that have been in your freezer for a year (or more)"

or

"how a vegetarian, carnivore and toddler agree on a meal"

ingredients:
4T butter
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced onion
1 cup diced potatoes (preferably the tiny ones)
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup frozen green beans
1/2 cup frozen corn
1/4 cup flour
3 cups vegetable broth
dash salt
dash pepper (or a couple twists on a grinder)
1/4 cup cream
*shredded chicken beast (or not)
unbaked pie crust

directions:
1) melt butter in a large frying pan and sauté the onion, carrot and potatoes for around 3 minutes (until the onions get translucent)
2) add the frozen peas, green beans and corn.  feel free to toss in any other random frozen veggies you've got on hand (except eggplant---eggplant should only be breaded and fried beyond recognition)
3) sprinkle the flour over the veggies.  toss and sauté for one minute. we gotta get those veggies covered and the flour a little bit browned.
4) add vegetable broth and let it cook to thicken.  this may take a few minutes--this would be a good opportunity to make sure that your pie crust is thawed and not still in the deep freezer.  not that anything like that's happened to me before.
5) add the salt 'n pepper (and sing "push it", but not very loud if you're cooking with your kids)
6) add cream and watch it transform before you eyes (or 2 minutes)
7) this is where it gets tricky if you're trying to cook for a vegetarian, a carnivore and two toddlers.  bless my poor soul, right?  pour some of the mixture into a baking dish--this will be your vegetarian option.  now, toss the shredded chicken in the pot and fold into the mixture.  pour into a separate baking dish.
8) top both dishes with pie crust
9) bake 375 for 25 minutes

notes about dishes:
This recipe could be cooked in one deep dish pie pan if you're all of one eating accord---but we actually split this up at our house into 4 small dishes, two sets of chicken and veggies.  we eat one set and the freeze the other.

notes about chicken:
I have found THE EASIEST way to shred chicken.  here goes:
1) boil a pot of water and toss in chicken breast until cooked (maybe 7 minutes?)
2) remove chicken and put into kitchen aid mixer bowl.  use paddle attachment and set to medium speed and watch it magically shred before your eyes!  total game changer!

cook it: fresh greek salad

I am loving this Indian Summer that we are having out here in Oklahoma.  I've never been one to love hot summer days, but I'll hold on to these warm fall afternoons because I am definitely scared of the winters here!  The wind is something fierce out here (remind me to tell you about the time my shirt was literally almost blown off while running the OSU cross country course) and I have a feeling that I might be spending a lot of time inside.  

This greek salad has been a staple in our house for the past couple of months; it's refreshing, packed with nutrients and super filling.

so bright; always a good idea to eat colorful veggies

i love having the chopped veggies all tossed together, makes
it much easier to eat one handed (while the other is referring
two toddlers--promise me this doesn't just apply to me??)

Ingredients:

Spinach 

1/4 Red Pepper 

2T Sweet Onion 

2T Banana Pepper 

3 Baby Carrots 

1/2 Mini Cucumber 

optional: 1oz/2T Feta 

1) chop all ingredients

2) toss into bowl

3) top with 1-2 tablespoons of your favorite Greek dressing (side note: I have a wonderful recipe, but lately I've been using Newman's Own Olive Oil & Vinegar--it's awesome)

4) plate and serve with a side of hummus (side note: I have a great recipe for this too, but we eat it in such vast quantities and time has been so spare lately that we've been buying it in bulk from Aldi--it's a crowd pleaser for sure)

**note** you can also serve this with a side of warm pita; it's actually really great to line the pita with hummus and then stuff the salad mixture inside (it'll change your life, trust me)

cook it: balmasic-garlic crusted pork tenderloin and roasted parmesan green beans

This past weekend I had my family up for Christmas Dinner and Brunch.  I know that you're not supposed to attmept brand new recipes when you have company coming over, but Pinterest really got the better of me.  And what do you know, the recipes were a total success!

Here are two recipes that were a total hit at dinner:

Balsamic-Garlic Pork Tenderloin (recipe and photo from http://kitchenconfidante.com)

 Ingredients:

4-5 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt

1/2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 pork tenderloins (about 1.25 pounds each)

2 tablespoons canola oil

1) Mix garlic, balsamic vinegar, salt pepper and olive oil.  Rub onto pork and let marinate over night.

2) Heat canola oil in a large, heavy saute pan over medium-high heat.  Working in batches if necessary, add pork, and brown all over, about 4 minutes

3) Transfer pan to oven. Roast pork, turning occasionally, until the internal temperature is 160 degrees, about 20 minutes. 

4) Transfer pork to a cutting board, and try to let it rest 10 minutes before slicing. 

Roasted Parmesan Green Beans (recipe and photo fromhttp://www.skinnytaste.com)

Ingredients:

2 oz green beans, trimmed (make sure they are dry)

2 tsp olive oil

kosher salt + fresh cracked pepper to taste

1/4 tsp garlic powder1 1/2 tbsp shredded parmesan

Directions:  

1) Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum for easy clean-up. 

2) Lay green beans out on the baking sheet and drizzle oil over them. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder and toss to evenly coat.

3) Spread them out on the sheet so that they all lay flat and place on the lower third section of your oven. 

4) Bake 10 minutes, shake the pan to turn; bake 5 additional minutes. 

5) Remove from the oven and sprinkle with grated cheese.

cook it: ginormous biscuits

 Josh and I have been cooking at home more lately.  I'm not sure if its the cooler temperatures, night falling a little earlier or just spending more time at home---but I love it!  I love bumping into him while we cook, talking over our day and making something together.  We've been extra inspired by our Tupelo Honey cookbook lately.  We were actually looking for a dinner recipe (tomato pie, definitely will share soon!) when we came across their famous biscuit recipe. Josh made them on Sunday morning.  I'm not sure if it was using bread flour or the insane amount of butter, but these babies were delish!  Make some coffee and get out some blackberry preserves, these biscuits are yummmmm!

Tupelo Honey's Ginormous Biscuits

Makes 6 Biscuits 

2 cups bread flour 

1 tablespoon baking powder 

¼ teaspoon baking soda 

2 tablespoons sour cream

1 teaspoon plus ½ teaspoon salt

¾ cup unsalted butter, frozen 

½ cup buttermilk 

1 tablespoon butter, melted 

1) Preheat the oven to 450F. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sour cream, and ½ teaspoon of the salt in a large bowl. 

2) With a cheese grater, grate the frozen butter using the largest holes; quickly cut the butter into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter or fork until the mixture resembles coarse meal. 

3) Add the buttermilk to the flour mixture and stir just until combined. Do not overmix. 

4) On a floured surface, turn out the dough and roll out to a 1-inch thickness. Using a 3-inch biscuit cutter, cut the biscuits and place on a rimmed sheet pan. 

5) Cook on the top rack of the oven for about 20 minutes, or until light brown, and remove from the oven. 6) Brush the melted butter on top of each biscuit and return to the oven for about 5 minutes longer, or until the biscuits are golden brown.

cook it: back bean and sweet potato soup

go ahead and drool.
i promise this meal is worth it!

I loved the cool weather this past weekend!  It made me so excited about soup season this fall.  I found this recipe on Pinterest last week and thought it sounded like the perfect quirky alternative to regular old vegetarian chili.  I don't know if its the blend of spices or the addition of sweet potatoes, but this soup is great!  This recipe serves about 8-10, so invite over a few friends and enjoy!

ingredients:

1 1/2 onions chopped

2 gloves garlic minced

1 poblano pepper diced* (optional)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/4 teaspoon cumin

1 tablespoon chili powder

28 ounces petite diced tomatoes (in juice)

8 cups of broth (i make my own veggie broth)

1 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 large carrot peeled and diced

1 large sweet potato peeled and diced

1 cup frozen corn

2 cans of black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup fire roasted salsa

1/4 cup corn starch

directions:

1) heat olive oil over medium-high heat, add onion and saute for 5 minutes (until tender and golden)

2) add garlic and poblano pepper and saute for another minutes (until frgrant)

3) add cumin and chili powder and saute for another 2 minutes

4) lower heat to medium-low and add tomatoes and broth (save 1/4 cup broth), make sure to loosen any browned bits in pan

5) add all remaining ingredients except cornstarch and reserved broth

6) in a small bowl whisk together cornstarch and remaining broth until smooth.  add this to the chili pot and stir until well mixed.  bring to a boil for 2 minutes.

7) simmer over low heat uncovered for 1 hour. the continue to cook with a lid for 30 minutes.

serve topped with fresh cilantro, monterrey jack cheese and crusty bread. 

cook it: chocolate pecan pie

My dears, let me introduce you to my new favorite fall dessert.  Yep, my chocolate chip pumpkin muffins have been kicked to the curb (except that now that I thought of them, I'm so tempted to make them!) to make way for this beauty:

another great recipe from Tupelo Honey

I tried to give a few slices of this one away, but Josh refused.  Yep, we ate the entire pie ourselves (over several days of course...because chocolate pecan pie is a perfectly acceptable breakfast item.)  Trust me, this recipe is a total winner and will make you the hit of your holiday party this season!  Check it out:

Ingredients:

pie dough (i always use premade!)

3/4 cup light corn syup

3/4 cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons tupelo honey

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 and 1/2 cups pecan pieces

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

directions:

1) roll out pie dough into 10" pie pan and crimp edges

2) in a large bowl combine light corn syrup, sugar, sea salt, eggs, vanilla and honey.  mix well.

3) stir in the melted butter and pour entire mixture into pie crust

4) top with pecan pieces and semi-sweet chocolate chips

5) bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour 15 minutes (or until the crust is brown and the pie filling is bubbly)

tips:

-if you don't have honey on hand, you can use a total of 1 cup light corn syrup and 1 and 1/2 cups sugar instead

-make sure to rotate the pie half-way through baking to ensure even baking. be careful--the mixture is very soup-y while cooking!

-don't hesitate to bring the pie out a little earlier than you think.  this pie doesn't really "set" until it starts cooling. its not like making brownies or a cake :)

-serve with a side of ice cream and/or coffee.

-be warned: you will likely get a marriage proposal out of this pie.  you're already married?  well, you'll probably not have to do the dishes, feel free to make a mess while baking.  yes, it is that good!

cook it: white chocolate raspberry cheesecake

Monday is a night for girlfriends.  My girlfriend Allison comes over after work and we giggle, gossip and watch Bachelor Pad.  It is good for me to start my week with her!

So, in honor of good girl friends, I'm posting a winner of a recipe.  Bake this cheesecake, invite over your closest girls and turn on some seriously-so-bad-its-so-good reality tv. 

*note, I made this with raspberry preserves because its Josh's favorite.  I think this recipe would be great with any preserve though.  My mother-in-law gave me some homemade blackberry preserves---can't wait to try those out!

be still my heart.

Crust

1 1/2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs or 20 crumbled Oreo cookies (filling removed)
1/3 cup margarine, melted

Filling

1/2 cup raspberry preserves
1/4 cup water
4 8-ounce pkgs. cream cheese
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
5 eggs
4 ounces white chocolate, chopped into chunks

Optional Garnish

2 ounces shaved white chocolate
whipped cream

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Place a large pan or oven-safe skillet filled with about 1/2-inch of water into the oven while it preheats. This will be your water bath.

2. Combine the raspberry preserves with 1/4 cup water in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 1 1/2 minutes on high in your microwave. Stir until smooth. Strain to remove the raspberry seeds (toss 'em out), then let the strained preserves sit to cool, then put the bowl in the refrigerator until later.

3. Measure 1 1/2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs (or crush 20 Oreo cookie wafers -- with the filling scraped out -- in a resealable plastic bag) into a medium bowl. Mix in 1/3 cup melted margarine. Press the crumb into a 9-inch spring form pan that has been lined on the bottom and side with parchment paper. Use the bottom of a drinking glass to press the crumb mixture flat into the bottom of the pan and about 2/3 the way up the side. Wrap a large piece of foil around the bottom of the pan to keep the cheesecake in the water bath. Put the crust in your freezer until the filling is done.

4. Use an electric mixer to combine the cream cheese with the sugar, sour cream, and vanilla. Mix for a couple minutes or until the ingredients are smooth and creamy. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Whisk the eggs in a medium bowl and then add them to the cream cheese mixture. Blend the mixture just enough to integrate the eggs.

5. Remove the crust from the freezer and sprinkle 4 ounces of white chocolate chunks onto the bottom of the crust. Pour half of the cream cheese filling into the crust. Drizzle the raspberry preserves over the entire surface of the filling. Use a butter knife to swirl the raspberry into the cream cheese. Just a couple passes is fine, you don't want to blend the raspberry and cream cheese together too much. Pour the other half of the filling into the crust.

6. Carefully place the cheesecake into the water bath in the oven. Bake for 12 minutes at 475 degrees, then turn the oven down to 350 degrees and bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until the top of the cheesecake turns a light brown or tan color. Remove the cheesecake from the oven to cool. When the cheesecake is cool, use the foil from the bottom to cover the cheesecake and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

7. Before serving, sprinkle the entire top surface of cheesecake with 2 ounces of shaved white chocolate. To serve, slice the cheesecake into 12 equal portions. Apply a pile of canned whipped cream to the top of each slice and serve.

cook it: power balls

picture stolen from the internet
ooops ;)

Power Balls:

1 cup Peanut Butter

1 cup Honey

1 cup Dark Chocolate bits

1 cup Oats

1/2 cup Dried Cranberries (you can use raisins, but yuck, why would you?!)

2 cups Pretzels (crushed)

Directions:

1: mix honey and peanut butter together until smooth

2: add in dark chocolate, oats and cranberries

3: roll into small balls, rounded tablespoon is plenty big. trust me, these are filling!

4: roll power ball into crushed pretzels

5: store in air-tight container in fridge or freezer

makes about three dozen, which is plenty to share!

cook it: not your kid's chocolate chip cookies

I was stalking, I mean lurking, I mean oh-so-casually browsing Facebook when I saw that my friend Jordan was suggesting to my friend Hef that they make Jacques Torres Chocolate Chip Cookies. Since Josh is our resident cookie monster, I figured I try out the recipe.

Wow, the cookies are simply delish. I think the bittersweet chocolate and light sprinkling of sea salt on top make this a cookie that any true dessert connoisseur (uhm, or any girl with a craving) would enjoy. So get your workout clothes on friends...you're going to need to burn a few calories so you can enjoy these delectables. Or you can just enjoy an elastic waistband to eat a dozen or two---trust me, you're going to want to!

Recipe:

2 cups minus 2tbl cake flour

1 2/3 cups bread flour

1 1/4 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp coarse salt

2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups light brown sugar

1 cup plus 2 tbl granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate (min of 60% cacao)

sea salt

1) sift flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt into bowl. set aside

2) cream butter and sugers together until creamy (about 5 minutes)

3) add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition

4) add vanilla

5) slowly add in dry ingredients. mix until just combined.

6) stir in chocolate chips/pieces

-------now the hard part-------

7)cover the dough with saran wrap (not just the lid, but pressing saran wrap over top of dough)

8) refridgerate dough for 24-72 hours. the longer you wait the more the flavors increase. promise its worth the wait!

-------bring dough back to room temperature------

9)bake rounded tablespoons of dough at 350degrees for 10-12 minutes (don't worry about pressing the rounded balls down, they'll make perfect shapes without you having to do that!)

In true cheapo fashion, I used the ingredients we had on hand. Meaning, I used a mix of 60% and 100% cacao (I had to chop the 100% by hand) and only used swan's cake flour because I didn't have any bread flour. I did make sure to have the eggs and butter at room temperature, a trick I learned from the Magnolia Bakery cookbook. This was my first time using the cake flour. I had no idea that it was so much finer than traditional all-purpose flour---it certainly made a difference in the cookies. Josh didn't love the 100% cacao chips....I think it was because I had a hard time getting the chunks to be small without just ending up with shavings. Next go round I think I'll just use the 60% cacao morsels in the bag.

oh-so-yummy

cook it: blackening spice rub and catfish

When Josh and I ate at Tupelo Honey for his Father's Day brunch, we picked up a copy of their cook book. We've been slowly working our way through a few recipes. Last week I put together their Blackening Spice, but I couldn't figure out what to try it on. I'm still rocking the whole vegan thing, so I didn't really know what kind of meat to blacken for Josh. Tupelo Honey recommends catfish. Sounded totally gross to me, but Josh was up for the adventure!

Here's the recipe for the rub:

Blackening Spice
1 tbls sugar
1 tbls seat salt
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbls smoked paprika
1 tsp powdered onion
1 tsp powdered garlic
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried oregano

step 1) mix it all together
step 2) blacken something!

We (and by we, I actually mean Josh) dredged the catfish in the blackening spices. We (still just Josh) then placed the seasoned fish in a pan of lightly simmering oil. We (yep, just Josh) then fried each side for 3 minutes. Tupelo Honey suggests topping the spiced catfish with their Sunshot Salsa. Check it out:

I was having a veggie plate for dinner, so I plated up Josh's catfish with sides. He said the meal was delish. A perfect Sunday Southern meal!

tupelo honey blackened catfish with sunshot salsa
garden fresh green beans and sea-salt
garden fresh squash with olive oil, salt and pper
farmer's market silver queen corn (with butter!)
southern biscuit

cook it: doo-doo drops

Ok, these cookies are actually called 'Fudge Ecstasies'. I thought using the word 'ecstasies' might be a wee-bit racy for the 'ole blog, so I asked Josh what he'd refer to these cookies as. He said "I'd call them 'doo doo drops' so that no one would want them and then I wouldn't have to share any!" So here you have it; some amazing rich chocolate cookies:

ingredients:
12 oz semisweet chocolate chip pieces
2 oz unsweet chocolate
1tbl butter
2 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 all-purpose flour
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 cup chopped cashews, pecans or almonds* (nuts are optional, so we skipped 'em!)

directions:
1) melt half of the semi-sweet chocolate, all the butter and all the un-sweet chocolate in a saucepan

2) in another small bowl mix eggs, sugar, flour and baking soda. then add to melty chocolate mix

3) pour in remaining semi-sweet chocolate (and nuts, if you like!) then drop by rounded teaspoon onto greased cookie tray

optional step 4) top with something crazy if you're daring! i used a little sea salt on a few!

bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. cool on wire rack.

now pour yourself a big glass of milk (or coffee!) and enjoy a cookie (or a dozen!)

cook it: Nancy's Salsa

didn't know what to do with our latest batch of garden goodness
until i remember nancy's salsa!

Nancy was a chef out at Young Life's Crooked Creek Ranch. She made the best salsa ever. I ate gobs and gobs of it while Josh was working out there. I managed to pry the recipe out of her. Then I had to whittle it down to a manageable size (she was making salsa for 500 a week---me, not so much!)

Be prepared to be addicted folks!

Nancy's Salsa

12 roma tomatoes
2 jalapenos
1 bunch cilantro
1 bunch of green onion

1 T salt
1 T pepper
1 oz lemon juice
1/2 oz soy sauce
2 T sugar
1/2 oz distilled white vinegar

1) chop and mix tomatoes, jalapenos, cilantro and green onion. you can also you a food processor if you'd like
2) add in all other ingredients

Now, is that a simple recipe or what?! We use this salsa with whatever kind of tomatoes we can get our hands on. Roma tomatoes seem to make the least "water-y" salsa, but free is always best in my book and so we'll use whatever is growing in our garden (currently better boy and grape tomatoes.)

This salsa is great served with chips, quesadillas, nachos and over grilled chicken (I had it back when I was a meat eater---grilled chicken topped with mexican blend cheese and salsa---remember it being totally delish.)

So mix up a batch of margaritas, or sangria or just some good 'ole lemonade. You'll need something to quench your thirst when you're chowing down on this salsa!

whoopie pies

My stepmom brought these up the other day and they are delish! Seriously, don't read any farther unless you are prepared (both for utter delight and added inches to your waistline!)

Fortunately, they're really quick and easy to make; I made these while Elliot was taking a nap this morning. There are tons of different recipes out there, but this one is great:

Whoopie Pies

for cookie:

Pillsbury family size Chocolate Fudge Brownie mix

follow package directions using 3 eggs, plus add 1 1/2 C flour & 2 tsp baking soda

drop by rounded teaspoonfuls on parchment paper spaced 2-3 inches apart

bake for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees; let cool on wire rack

filling:

2 C marshmallow cream

2 C confectioners sugar

1 stick softened butter

2 tsp vanilla

4 oz cream cheese

mix all ingredients together and beat until fluffy

spread generous amounts of filling between two chocolate cookies

wrap individually & refrigerate

So go make some whoopie, pies that is ;)

yum. simply, yum.

I have just experienced the best muffins ever.
Let the drooling commence:

Magnolia Bakery Morning Glory Muffins
2 cups all purpose flour (i used whole wheat)
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
1 1/2 cups shredded apples
3/4 cup coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans (i tried walnuts in the first batch, the pecans are tastier!)
3 eggs, beaten*
1 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla

directions:
In medium bowl combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.
In separate bowl toss together carrots, apples, coconut, and pecans.
Stir in eggs, oil, and vanilla. ADD wet mixture to dry and stir until blended.
FILL tins 3/4 full and bake 18-20 minutes in 375 degree oven.
Makes 12 large muffins or 18 regular size muffins

*or vegan egg substitute, used it and josh couldn't tell the difference. promise!

how do you spell love?

Well, at our house we spell it C-A-K-E. That's right, red velvet cake to be exact. Although, I must admit that I actually made a "pink" velvet cake since we ran out of red food coloring. Oops!

Josh's favorite cake is a "red velvet" cake that his Grandma makes. Now, I say "red velvet" because its actually an old fashioned pound cake that she puts red food coloring in AND ICES. Yes, you just read that correctly....a pound of butter, pound of sugar, pound of flour, pound of eggs.....AND throw some cream cheese icing on top. Yeah, so its not really a red velvet cake at all actually (please do NOT tell Grandma that I just said that!!!) This holiday I decided to jazz it up a little bit and make it a three layer cake instead of baking it in a bunt pan. This is how it turned out:

I felt like it still needed a little sass. Maybe a sweet conversation-heart type message? After about 2.4 seconds of brainstorming, I went with an old classic:

I still had some pink icing left over......so I had to add a few girly touches:

Tada, the finished product:

Josh was completely surprised when he came home from work and he didn't even mind that the "red velvet" cake was pink. At one point he mentioned that there sure was a lot of icing on the cake....but then I knew he was just talking crazy. Too much icing?! Has there ever been such a thing????