strawberry chocolate cookies

22 May

I warned you all. Since strawberries are in season and since they are one of my favorite foods and since I have a huge bucket of them in my fridge, you guys get the grunt of my situation: strawberry recipes. I did a strawberry lemonade and strawberry buttercream recipe a few weeks back and it seems that the list may just keep right on growin’. Everybody okay with this?

…Bueller?…Bueller?…

…okay, then onto more strawberry recipes it is.

This cookie is an adaptation of a Martha recipe I found a while back with a really great chocolatey, moist, chewy, non-cakey consistency. Pause. Does anyone really like cakey cookies? I’ve not met one person who is like, “YES, this cookie is dry and puffy. Now get me some milk.” If I want cake, I’m gonna eat some cake, but when I want a cookie, I want a little crunch on the outside with a really soft inside. This chocolate cookie is one of those cookies.

Strawberries! Chocolate! Chewiness! With these powers combined, this cookie is awesome.

strawberry chocolate cookies
adapted from Martha’s Outrageous Chocolate Cookies
yield: 2 dozen cookies prep time: 20 minutes cook time: 15 minutes
ingredients
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup diced strawberries, stems removed

create
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat chocolate chips and butter in a microwave-safe bowl in 20-second increments, stirring between each, until almost melted; do not overheat. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla on high-speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low; beat in melted chocolate. Mix in flour mixture until just combined. With a rubber spatula, gently fold in diced strawberries.
Drop heaping tablespoons of dough 2 to 3 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are shiny and crackly yet soft in centers, about 15 minutes. Cool on baking sheets 10 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Note: If the batter appears thin, it’s okay. It should look more like brownie batter rather than cookie dough.

State climate update: The 18 skeeter bites on my ankles can attest to the fact that summer has plopped itself down and is hastily soaking up any welcome it’s been given here in SC. Those almost blue blueberries out in my front yard can attest to that, too. It’s cool, though. I think I can accept SC’s quirks and personality traits and letting strawberry season and, basically, every other season come a wee early this year. That broiling heat, confidently I say, will be around for a while, so South Carolinians, brace yourselves. Let’s get through it by eating fresh and tasty food and by never being more than two feet away from a glass of glorious sweet, sweet tea.

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strawberry buttercream

7 May

Do I realize I just did a buttercream recipe several weeks ago? Mmhmm. Big whoop, right? It’s icing. Plus, my brother’s birthday was yesterday. Sniff, sniff, he’s no longer a teenager. The big two oh. It’s weird, you know? I totally remember the Power Ranger phase, the skateboarding phase, the long hair phase, the Barney phase. And now he’s an adult. Phew. Movin’ on up.

Remember those big ol’ South Carolina strawberries I was telling you about a little bit ago? They are coming back into play for this recipe. I used some berries from Lowrys, SC and they are it. This buttercream is sweet, happy, and I’m gonna say addicting, just because I love strawberries and I couldn’t stop eating it from the tip of the piping bag. Oh, please don’t tell my family. I don’t have germs, hehh.

My sister told me this cake looked too girly. Sorry, brother. We’re cool, though, right?

strawberry buttercream
yield: enough for a 3 layer cake or 24 cupcakes time: 10 minutes
ingredients
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup strawberries, puréed
4 cups unrefined powdered sugar

create
In the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, cream the butter until smooth. Add the strawberry purée and mix until thoroughly combined. While the mixer is running on low, gradually add the powdered sugar until it’s incorporated. Turn the mixer to medium-high speed and beat for 2 minutes, until fluffy. Adjust the powdered sugar to create the right consistency, if needed. The buttercream should be pliable, but firm enough to hold a peak.

Happy Birthday, Joey! Here’s to lots more years of siblinghood!

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zucchini boats

4 May

I’ve been married to my husband for two and a half years (and we dated for more than two) and I still have no concrete, comfortable name for my momma-in-law. Of course, she has a legitimate name. Her name is Sharon. But that’s too…normal…for me. If we’re gonna be BBOPs (brothers-in-law, did I get this right? BBOP? Best buddy ol’ pal?), then we need cool, I-really-know-ya names for each other. For me, it’s easy: Jessa. I love that nickname and love that just about everyone calls me that. But for her? Hmm. Shar Bear? Too soft. Mom? Too Cosby. Meme? Too…early. I think the closest thing we have right now is Mamacita. So, for the rest of this post, I will refer to my momma-in-law as Mamacita.

Mamacita is a warrior among men. Fo’ real. She’s married and raised four crazy boys. First of all, how do you cook for five raging, bottomless pit men…everyday? My fridge is constantly stuffed to the brim as it is. And what does a school morning look like? Sheesh. I have trouble getting my tired ol’ body out of the bed every morning and I’m just one person. Lordy, I hope when I have kids I develop these super mom powers like so many women have (To those women: you’re awesome. I don’t see how you do it. You have the hardest job in the world). Even today, when those four boys are grown, dinner still sometimes consists of flying grapes and licked plates and random snickering, all the while, Mamacita is quietly enjoying the conversation and meal. Warrior among men, people.

Several Christmases ago, Mamacita created a cookbook to give out as gifts. It was a compilation of family recipes, some created by older generations, others simply favorites from various cookbooks. One of the recipes in the book, somewhere down the line given credit to Southern Living, is for zucchini boats. It was one of my husband’s favorite dishes as a child and was often thought of, in his mind, as the main course. It has the same concept as a deviled egg. Cook. Remove middle. Mix middle with other yummy things. Return middle. I think zucchini boats are gonna stay in the family for a while. Thanks, Mamacita!

zucchini boats
adapted from Southern Living
yield: 8 boats prep time: 15 minutes cook time: 25 minutes
ingredients
1/2 lb fresh spinach
4 zucchini
4 tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup onion, diced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded Gruyère cheese
5 drops hot sauce
1 tbsp shredded Parmesan

create
Preheat oven to 350º. Heat a sauté pan over medium heat and add the spinach with just a touch of water. Cover. Cook until soft and wilted, about 2 minutes. Lay the spinach on paper towels and, when cool enough to handle, gently squeeze out the excess water. Roughly chop and set aside.
Place the zucchini in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Drain, cool, and trim off the stems. Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise. Scoop out the pulp and seeds, leaving 1/4-1/2 inch wall. Chop the pulp and drain the same way you did with the spinach.
Melt the butter in a pan over medium-low heat and add the onion, along with salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the onion is soft, about 3 minutes. Add the flour and cook for one minute, stirring constantly. Slowly stir in the cream and milk. Cook until thickened and bubbly. Add spinach, zucchini pulp, cheese, and hot sauce and stir until evenly heated and combined.
Place zucchini shells in a greased baking dish. Fill shells with spinach mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

I forgot to mention that Mamacita is a garden master. Have a question about how to raise a plant? Ask Mamacita. Need to know about the migration patterns of a Monarch? Ask Mamacita. To my readers who are birds: Mamacita’s backyard is a rich, flowing paradise of never-ending seed and sturdy perches and fat, juicy earthworms and endless drinks of cool water. Go live there.

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rice pasta with lemon cream sauce

26 Apr

“Rice pasta? Whut in tarnation…”

I honestly don’t think my readers are a bunch of dopes who have no idea what’s going on in the foodie food world, but I have this little, old, grumpy, country man in my head that pops up every time I do something slightly different from the norm. Rice pasta, for example. Most pasta is made from wheat, be it white flour or whole wheat flour. So, sometimes when I cook with rice pasta I can picture the old country man mumble things under his breath, usually starting with either, “Whut the…” or “In my day…” or “…aggervatin’ youngin’…”

I know, I’m crazy. Let’s forget about the grumpy Southerner. Let’s talk about that rice pasta. Pasta can be made with lottttttts of different ingredients: semolina, spelt, corn, rice, quinoa, etc., etc. What you buy and cook all depends on your tastes and/or allergies. I love whole wheat pasta because of its rich nutrition, but, even after eating it for years and years, I still sometimes find it too heavy. Rice pasta, if cooked properly, seems a little lighter and less robust than the in-your-face, almost standoffishness of whole wheat. And it’s wonderful with any sauce you’d like. I could drink quarts and quarts of cream sauce by itself. Nine times out of ten, I will choose a cream-based sauce. I’m a calorie-lover like that.

rice pasta with lemon cream sauce
yield: 2 servings prep time: 10 minutes cook time: 15 minutes
ingredients
4 oz rice pasta (spaghetti or your choice)
1 tbsp olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 oz frozen peas
3 tbsp unsalted butter
zest of 1 lemon, about 2 teaspoons
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
8 oz heavy cream
1 cup grated Parmesan

create
To cook the pasta, fill a stock pot halfway with water and bring to a gentle boil. Add the olive oil and a generous amount of salt. Stir the pasta in and continue to stir until the water returns to a boil. Stir occasionally while cooking. Cook for just several minutes until the pasta is very al dente. You can read the package directions for specific cooking times. Just make sure to take it off earlier than you’re supposed to since it will cook slightly longer in the sauce (rice pasta can easily overcook, causing it to become mushy and gummy). Add the peas to a colander and drain the pasta over the top of them.
To make the sauce, melt the butter over medium-low heat in a large sauté pan. Stir in the lemon zest and garlic and let the butter get slightly bubbly. Slowly add the heavy cream and stir. Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste. Let simmer for several minutes until the cream has reduced and thickened slightly. Add the Parmesan and stir until melted.
Turn the drained pasta and peas into the sauce pan and use tongs to evenly coat the noodles with the sauce. Serve hot.


Rice pasta is probably mostly consumed by those with a gluten (a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye) intolerance. I tried to go gluten-free for a while. Fatigue is a symptom of a gluten allergy and my body was (and is? ahem) butt-tired all the time. I figured I’d give it a whirl. Nothing happened. Zip. One day, in the midst of my experiment, I saw a tender, buttery biscuit somewhere and was like, “…oh, heck no. Forget this.” I snapped my hips in its direction and that beautiful, gluten-filled, wheat flour flakiness was snatched and consumed right then and there. And nothing changed. Y’all. Let’s get real. We all know the reason I’m butt-tired all the time is because I go to sleep at 2:30 every night. Er, every morning. Er, I’m trying to get better.

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peanut butter cupcakes with banana buttercream

18 Apr

My husband despises bananas. Well, it’s not really that he doesn’t like the flavor. They just make him feel funny. Sometimes I chase him around the house with a banana peel shouting, “Ooo! Banana!” and fling it at his face just to see him squirm at the thought of his dreaded banana tinglies. Man, I’m mean. And just so you can picture the situation: our house is about two square feet. No, really, it’s like 550, so a chase in our house is more or less running around in circles.

Why, then, did I make miniature cakes with banana frosting? I happen to love bananas. Doesn’t that leave 12 cupcakes floating around our house with possibly only one consumer? Yes. Yes, it does. No, I didn’t plan it this way. I didn’t.

peanut butter cupcakes with banana buttercream
yield: about 12 regular cupcakes prep time: 30 minutes cook time: 20 minutes
ingredients
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups all natural cane sugar
1/3 cup  all natural peanut butter
2 eggs
1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 ripe banana, mashed
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups unrefined powdered sugar

create
Preheat the oven to 350º. In the bowl of a mixer fixed with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the peanut butter and eggs and mix until fully incorporated. Pour in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix until just combined. Finally, add the buttermilk and vanilla extract and mix on low until combined. Turn the mixer speed to medium and beat about two minutes.
Butter and flour a standard 12 count cupcake pan. Fill each space about halfway with batter. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a cupcake returns clean. Let cool for a few minutes in the pan and then run a knife along the edges to loosen the cakes. Transfer to a rack or plate to cool completely.
To make the buttercream, use a hand mixer to fully combine the mashed banana and butter in a large mixing bowl. Add the powdered sugar in stages, mixing well after each addition, until the desired consistency is met. It should be pliable, but firm enough to hold a peak.
Once the cupcakes are cooled completely, pipe the buttercream onto the cakes using a piping bag.

For the love of all things good, please please find a peanut butter that doesn’t contain a hydrogenated oil. Hydrogenated oils (oils pumped with hydrogen) are basically the ingredients slack, greedy companies use in place of butter. Calm down, self. Holy moly, I can get fired up. Calmly, these oils are not the natural fats our bodies need. They are molecularly changed. Our bodies don’t know what to do with them. They are, undramatically, poison. What’s wrong with a good ol’ plain peanut? Nothing, I tell you! Nothing!

Ay caramba. Someone get me a glass of water. I’m gonna wave these cupcakes around in front of my husband while he plays the original Grand Theft Auto pretending to ignore me. The two of us, owh, boy.

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fizzy raspberry strawberry lemonade

12 Apr

 

 

Y’all! Guess what? It’s time for strawberries in South Carolina! Of course, you can find them year-round, both conventional and organic, but you know what we say around these parts: local rules. And, by golly, pretty soon those berries are gonna be sproutin’ up all over the state. We’re not talkin’ a little-pink-mostly-white-sour berries. We’re talkin’ red, meaty, totally juicy berries that leave your forearms and tee shirts permanently tainted pink. And those berries, just like this sparkling, tart, cool drink, scream, “Make room for me on your picnic table. It’s cookout time.”

fizzy raspberry strawberry lemonade
yield: 8 servings prep time: 15 minutes
ingredients
1 1/2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/4 cups natural cane sugar
6 oz raspberries
16 oz strawberries, stems removed
1 25.3 oz bottle sparkling mineral water

create
In a bowl, combine the lemon juice and sugar. Mix until the sugar is completely dissolved. Set aside.
Using a blender, pulse the raspberries and strawberries together until completely smooth. Set a sieve over a large mixing bowl. Pour the berry mixture into the sieve and scrape and mash with a rubber spatula until most of the liquid has separated itself into the bowl. It will take several minutes. Discard the seedy remains.
In a pitcher, combine the lemon juice mixture, berry juice, and sparkling water. Stir to combine. Serve over ice.

Enjoy this while the grill is burning, while people are surrounding, while you’re fighting the inevitable skeeters, and while you’re relaxing at dusk into the nighttime.

I’ll leave you with this amateur, yet appropriate, joke to feed your current inner sillies:

What do you call strawberries in five o’clock traffic?
Strawberry jam.

Oh man.

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masters chicken salad

7 Apr

In my best Jim Nantz voice,

“A tradition unlike any other…the Masters on CBS.”

Ahem. I wouldn’t really consider myself a golf person. I did once, however, par a hole on a par three course and, at that moment, expected bands to come marching out of the trees next to the green and the clubhouse attendees to run out with sashes and embroider a patch on my collared shirt that said, “Winner.”

I am, though, in actuality, rather bad at the sport and still can’t figure out how real golfers hit the ball from the tee on the first stroke. I use baseball rules and give myself three strikes. It’s after that when the grass suffers the blows from my club. I’m still convinced that my body can not physically torque itself to keep my arms straight, head down, and, all the while, keep my eyes on that one-inch-across white speck they call a ball.

Although I wouldn’t consider myself a golf person based on the fact that I simply can’t play, I do enjoy keeping up with the professionals and watching tournaments with my husband. And for golf nerds like him, this time of year is prime. Augusta National is saturated with the best and their fans, who most likely have been holding onto those golden tickets for the past few months tighter than their own children. The birds are chirping (I think those sounds are fake, by the way. Too perfect. Too, too perfect). The azaleas are (usually) blooming. And, surprisingly, people are paying nickels and dimes for sandwiches and drinks. Oh, yes. Their refreshments are dirt cheap. What they hey, right? It’s cool, though, and I think they’re just trying to keep some traditions alive. It’s mostly simple sandwiches, like tuna salad and pimiento cheese and things that are easy to walk around and eat in the sun.

I’ve never been to the Masters (podunk me, right), but I’m assuming that chicken salad there is probably two things: chicken. And mayonnaise. And I bet egg salad is egg. And mayonnaise. And that’s cool, that’s cool, but I wanted to spruce this (still simple) salad up. They also serve the sandwiches on plain white bread and…y’all. I just…can’t…tell you to eat plain white bread. The whole food fairy would come beat me up in my sleep tonight. So, just pick up some whole wheat and pretend.

masters chicken salad
yield: 4 cups prep time: 15 minutes cook time: 40 minutes
ingredients
2 chicken breasts, bone in and skin on
2 tbsp olive oil
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup diced onion
1 celery stalk, diced
1 apple, peeled, cored, and diced
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp yellow mustard
dash hot sauce
1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped parsley

create
To cook the chicken, preheat the oven to 350º. Place the chicken, breast side up, on a baking sheet and coat evenly with the olive oil. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper and roast in the oven for 40 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165º. After the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and tear the meat from the bones. Finely chop the chicken.
In a large bowl, add the chopped chicken, onion, celery, apple, mayonnaise, mustard, hot sauce, lemon juice, and parsley. Mix well until the ingredients are evenly distributed. Taste and add salt and pepper, if desired.

My husband and I actually stood at the edge of the green as Rory McIlroy snagged his first PGA win in Charlotte, NC. He was basically a baby and we cheered with the crowd as we watched him beat Phil and all the other old guys. But…I’m not gonna tell you who I’m rootin’ for. Wink.

Masters fans: Enjoy the weekend. Don’t get stressed. Eat a sandwich. Congratulate the winner. Swing a golf club. Have fun.

And to Masters fans and everyone else: Happy Resurrection Day Eve!

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roasted chicken panini with pistachio pesto and mozzarella

28 Mar

I’m back, I’m back, I’m back! I’m back in Columbia after the most had-to-be-pretend, enchanting, bring me to my knees and force me to be a five-year-old trip to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. Somehow, despite them plopping me down in 30,000 of the most magical acres on the planet, they expected me to learn about food blogging and concentrate on presentations given by the most knowledgeable and successful experts in the field. I’m totally kidding. Not about the experts part. They really were experts. No, I had so much fun listening and taking notes and soaking up information from these greats. I kept saying to myself while listening, “I’m totally dreaming, right? My dog is gonna wake me up barking to go outside in about five seconds, right?” How thankful am I that these wonderful professionals wanted to spare these elevating morsels? I can’t give enough standing ovations to the sponsors (KitchenAid, Whole Foods Market, Land O Lakes, OXO, and more), the host (Walt Disney World Resort), the coordinators (Julie Deily of the little kitchen and Jaden and Scott Hair of Steamy Kitchen), and the speakers (Diane Cu and Todd Porter of White on Rice Couple, Rachel Barbarotta of The Fabulous Foodie, Arianna Bastianini from OXO, Tom Smith from WDWR, David Leite of Leite’s Culinaria, and Dawn Viola, research chef and food writer).

One of the things I learned from Diane and Todd was to share my story. The food I make is the result of my personal journey. Yeah, yeah, going food sappy on y’all, but it’s true. I make recipes that mean something to me, that pluck a heart string, that make a memory resonate, that mirror my current feelings or environment. Can I share something with you? Right now my mind is wrestling with my finger to hit the delete key and shouting, “Abort! Abort!”, but I think some readers will say, “Yes. I’m not alone.” I struggle pretty often with anxiety and depression, no beating around the bush. I can’t say exactly what triggers it, only because I’m honestly unsure, but it seems to hover around changes in my life. Don’t get me wrong. If someone said, “You and your husband have to travel 364 out of 365 days in the year.”, I’d do it in a heartbeat. It’s not that I don’t like changes, but my body knows it’s stressed long before I actually realize it. And when it does trigger, well, it’s basically and frankly…not fun. My mind tells me it’ll never end and I feel like I’m trapped in a cage and every way I turn looks the same and it seems there’s no escape.

Whoa, Nellie, a little bit of a downer, hey? I’m done with the dark statements. But when this does happen (like it did right after we left Orlando, you caught me, we actually returned last week), my passions and cares usually go out the window for a while. Forget running, forget cooking, and writing? Yeah. Right. And I’m not telling you this for a bunch of hoobaloo or fluff or because I’m randomly throwing part of my story out into the world wide web. I think it’s relevant to my food life and I think some of you guys can relate.

So, now I’m feeling back to normal and started having a longing to cook a couple of days ago. With a tired brain and body, I wanted something simple, yet comforting. Something with gooey cheese. I remembered! My brand new, beautiful blue panini press from Le Creuset! I bought four new Le Creuset pieces with my Stonyfield/Organic Valley/Wholesome Wave prize money and have been waiting for the right moment to initiate them into my kitchen. A grilled panini sounded ideal. Y’all. I have so much to be thankful for. Thank you, Jesus, for opportunities and resources.

roasted chicken panini with pistachio pesto and mozzarella
yield: 4 paninis prep time: 10 minutes cook time: 45 minutes
ingredients
2 chicken breasts, bone in and skin on
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 cups fresh basil
1/2 cup roasted pistachios, shelled
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
pinch of salt
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
8 slices whole wheat bread
8 oz fresh mozzarella

create
Preheat oven to 350º. Place the chicken, breast side up, on a baking sheet. Coat evenly with the olive oil and sprinkle generously with the salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 40 minutes or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165º. After the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and tear the meat from the bones. Slice the meat with a knife and set aside.
To make the pesto, use a sharp knife to finely chop the basil, pistachios, and garlic. Place in a bowl and add the Parmesan and salt. Stir. Gradually add the olive oil, mixing vigorously, until it reaches your desired consistency.
Heat the grill pan and panini press (I used a cast iron pan with two separate pieces. You can actually heat the oil-free press directly on your stove’s eye) over medium heat. While those are preheating, assemble the sandwich. Using two slices of bread, spread 2 tablespoons of pesto and slice about an ounce of mozzarella for each slice of bread. Top one slice with the prepared roasted chicken. Close the sandwich and brush each side with olive oil to prevent sticking. Place the sandwich in the heated pan and press down with the heated press. Release the pressure and, keeping the press on, cook for about 3 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and mozzarella is melted.

I wish I could dedicate a whole post with only the words thank and you to the people of Food Blog Forum. I sincerely thank you for taking me up and letting me learn and for putting me in great hands. I met really neat people (Kim with The Suburban Cook, Sam with Sweet Remedy, Jacqueline with Beyond Infinity, and Erica with Erica’s Sweet Tooth, just to name a small few) with incredible talents and I feel like I have some great tools to keep moving forward. And I know my husband, twin sister, and her husband are so grateful as well. We felt so on top of the world and created some of our best memories yet (for some pictures of the conference as well as fun times in the parks, check out my Facebook page! facebook.com/heedthefeed). It was the best and I don’t see how you guys are gonna top it! Oh! And guess what?! I met Mickey!

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porridge with cinnamon and brown sugar

14 Mar

Remember the scene in Beauty and the Beast where Belle and Beast (what’s his name, anyway? Surely Belle doesn’t go through their married lives calling him Beast) are eating together? And Beast is completely barbaric? And they meet in the middle? And both eat sloppy white stuff politely from the bowl without a utensil?

Man. I can’t seem to get away from that movie, can I?


The sloppy white stuff they’re eating is actually porridge. Yep, Goldilocks ate porridge. Yep, Beast and Belle ate porridge. Yep, there’s even a Grimm Fairy Tale called Sweet Porridge. Maybe it’s seen all over the make-believe world because it’s very humble, very homey, very simple, and very nutritious. Most of the time, porridge is simply made with cooked oats (they have so much soluble fiber, which actually soaks up water and helps us feel fuller longer, and is proven to lower cholesterol), although other grains can also be used. It’s like an oatmeal, but it’s served hot with cold milk or cream poured over the top, creating a striking and satisfying temperature difference.

I used steel-cut oats in my porridge recipe. They’re a traditional porridge ingredient and contain the whole grain, so it has all the good fiber-rich bran and germs (basically the embryo of the seed). Who knew Beast and Belle were so healthy?

porridge with cinnamon and brown sugar
ingredients
4 cups water
1 cup steel-cut oats
pinch of salt
milk or cream
ground cinnamon
brown sugar

create
Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Slowly whisk the oats into the boiling water to prevent any clumps. Add the salt and reduce the heat to low. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.
Serve hot in a bowl with a small pour of milk over the top, a sprinkle of cinnamon, and a few pinches of brown sugar. You can add other ingredients if you’d like, like dried or fresh fruits or vanilla extract or granola.

See you guys next week! We’re off to Disney World!

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cheese soufflé

13 Mar

“…you’ll be our guest, oui, our guest, be our guest. Beef ragout, cheese soufflé, pie, and pudding en flambé, we’ll prepare and serve with flair a culinary cabaret…”

The animated words of Lumière can’t seem to find their way out of my brain, but I don’t blame them. After all, my friends, this week, yes, THIS week is the week I travel to the world of Disney to learn, eat, did I say learn?, and meet a new, supportive, bang-up blogging community. At this point, my Disney Pandora station is worn out and I’m pretty sure my DVD player is going to gag if I put one more princess-themed animated feature in its mouth. Too bad, though, I just can’t seem to get enough of it and my brain somehow always finds a comforting foundation in food. That’s where I got the idea to do several posts based on food from Disney movies. My thoughts immediately jumped to “Be Our Guest” from Beauty and the Beast and I proceeded to sing the song (from memory, don’t judge) to figure out what those household items (…if I go into my kitchen to find my plates waltzing out of cupboards and spoons synchronized swimming in a bowl of soup, my first thought will be, “…Yes. Finally.” Anyway.) were trying to serve Belle.

1. Gray Stuff: Psh, who knows what that is.
2. Beef Ragout: Stew? Heavy beef? Just not feeling it after a couple of days of leftover chili and enchiladas. Phew.
3. Cheese Soufflé: HA! You must think I’m some kind of chef. Dream on, buddy.
4. Pie: Just made that.
5. Pudding: Love me some puddin’, but I think I’m leaning to something savory.

…and just what’s so scary about a soufflé? Self, soufflés are really scary. Why? Self, they just…are. You know their reputation. People…regular people, just can’t…they just can’t do it. You better get in that kitchen and start makin’ a dang soufflé. 

The other me is pretty pushy. So, I went in the kitchen and started making a soufflé. If you think I just dreamed up some recipe and threw together some ingredients, well, then I’m the queen of England. No, no, if I was going to make a soufflé, my first soufflé, then I was turning to the best. Alton, this time, you’ve got me. And let me tell you, I didn’t improvise like usual. I followed every step of that recipe. I was not about to try to mess with the tenderness of a soufflé. And y’all know what? That “walk gently and don’t bang stuff while a soufflé is in the oven” is bull-hockey. But you should have seen me walkin’ around that kitchen, lookin’ like a dang nerd, telling the dog to tip-toe and my husband to put his fork down on the plate a little more gently and washing the dishes with enough water pressure to bathe a ladybug. Like I said, I was doing everything I could to make those things rise, rise, rise.

And, y’all, they did. They did! I’ll bet they got five inches high while in the oven. It’s natural for them to gradually sink once removed (argh, and so hard to photograph), but they rose. Lumière would certainly serve these proudly to Belle.

cheese soufflé
ingredients
butter, room temperature, for greasing the soufflé
2 tbsp grated parmesan
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp kosher salt
1 1/3 cups milk, hot
4 large egg yolks
6 ounces sharp cheddar, grated
5 egg whites, plus 1 tbsp water
1/2 tsp cream of tartar

create
Use room temperature butter to grease an 8-inch soufflé mold (I used little individual ramekins). Add the grated Parmesan and roll around the mold to cover the sides. Cover with plastic wrap and place into the freezer for 5 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375º. In a small saucepan, heat the butter. Allow all of the water to cook out.
In a separate bowl combine the flour, dry mustard, garlic powder, and kosher salt. Whisk this mixture into the melted butter. Cook for 2 minutes. Whisk in the hot milk and turn the heat to high. Once the mixture reaches a boil, remove from the heat.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks to a creamy consistency. Temper the yolks into the milk mixture, constantly whisking. Remove from the heat and add the cheese. Whisk until incorporated.
In a separate bowl, using a hand mixer, whip the egg whites and cream of tartar until glossy and firm. Add 1/4 of the mixture to the base. Continue to add the whites by thirds, folding very gently (I use a rubber spatula to fold stuff in. It’s flexible and gentle enough for sensitive ingredients).
Pour the mixture into the soufflé mold. Fill the soufflé to 1/2-inch from the top. Place on an aluminum pie pan. Bake in the oven for 35 minutes.

Soufflé comes from the French souffler, which means to puff up. If you can get the technique down pat, your egg mixture will certainly puff up. Give it a try. It’s really not that scary. I have full faith in you, my friend. Besides, if a kitchen full of dancing knives and pans can do it, you certainly can.

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