Recipes

Cajun Salad, BBQ Shrimp and Chicken & Sausage Gumbo

January 8, 2016, posted by Gina – Earlier this week I had the pleasure of attending the Farmer’s Table Cooking School in Livingston, Miss. Our menu for the day was entitled “Traveling Through the Bayou” and it was all about Cajun cooking. What better way to get ready for Mardi Gras season? Chef Matt has a great way of teaching serious cooking techniques while at the same time making it fun. He has a great personality and was able to keep up with the 12 women in our group.

FMCS

We began our class with a fresh, crisp Cajun Salad made with romaine and an outstanding dressing that was the perfect combination of sweet, tangy and hot. I can’t recommend this dressing enough. Here is the recipe:

Cajun Dressing
1/8 cup red wine vinegar
1 tbs mustard
2 tsp brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp Cajun seasoning
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
Tabasco to taste
½ cup olive oil
¼ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp black pepper

Whisk everything together. We served this over romaine lettuce, heirloom tomatoes and sliced cucumber. Very yummy!

Then we moved on to Mr. B’s BBQ Shrimp…

The first time I had the pleasure of eating BBQ shrimp in New Orleans, I was quite surprised by its presentation and taste. The waiter first brought me out a bib. I felt ridiculous but when the delicious bowl of fantastically flavored shrimp swimming in a broth that I could only describe as heaven was placed in front of me, I no longer cared. Traditionally, this dish is served with head on, shell on shrimp. The version we prepared no longer had the heads intact and I was thankful.

BBQ Shrimp

Mr. B’s BBQ Shrimp
16 large shrimp with shells on
½ cup Worcestershire sauce
2 tbs lemon juice
2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp coarse black pepper
2 tsp creole seasoning
1 tsp garlic
3 sticks butter
French bread sliced

In a large skillet combine shrimp, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, black peppers, Creole seasoning, and garlic. Cook over moderately high heat until shrimp turn pink, about 1 minute on each side. Turn heat off and stir in butter, a few cubes at a time, stirring constantly and adding more only when butter is melted. Place shrimp in a bowl and pour sauce over top. Serve with French bread for dipping.

The next recipe we made was a Chicken and Sausage Gumbo. This is an ideal dish for a cold winter day. The roux was perfect and the flavors were fabulous.

Gumbo

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
1½ lbs boneless chicken meat cut into cubes
1½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp cayenne pepper
3 tbs flour
½ cup canola oil (cleaner than vegetable oil and higher smoke point than olive)
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 medium size yellow onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
½ pound andouille sausage
2 cups chopped okra
6 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 sprig thyme
Hot sauce to taste

Combine 3 tablespoons of flour with the kosher salt, black pepper, paprika and cayenne pepper. Sprinkle flour mixture over chicken cubes, making sure to cover all sides. In a cast iron skillet, heat 2 tablespoons canola oil and cook chicken until brown on all sides. Remove chicken and place on a plate lined with paper towels. In the same skillet, add another tablespoon canola oil and fry the okra for about 4 or 5 minutes. Remove okra and place on a plate lined with paper towels.

Add the remaining ½ cup canola oil and sprinkle ½ cup flour into skillet on medium low heat. Whisk constantly until the flour becomes brown and has a nutty smell, about 15 minutes. Add the onions, celery and bell pepper and cook for 3 – 4 minutes. Add garlic, chicken, sausage and chicken broth whisking until roux is combined with chicken broth, about 4 – 5 minutes. Add okra, bay leaf, thyme and cook for an hour to an hour and a half. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve over steamed rice.

I highly recommend each of these recipes. Bon Appétit!

Cooking Class: Calamari with Basmati Rice and Chorizo 1 comment

Squid with Basmati and Chorizo

December 18, 2015, posted by Michelle – It’s been quite a while since I’ve been to a cooking class but this week I found the time to go and a couple of friends even came along with me. The place I like to go to offers all kinds of classes but the one I like the most is the lunch time class. In the first half hour the chef explains the dish and how to prepare all the individual ingredients. We cut, chop or slice as directed and then take everything to the stove tops and ovens to cook it all. The meal is ready within 30 – 40 minutes and we eat together in a dining room just off the kitchen and talk about the dish. It’s interesting to hear everyone’s comments; how they like the meal, if they’d do something differently, if they wouldn’t change anything or if they’re likely to make the dish at home or for guests.

So, we made calamari with basmati rice and chorizo. When I first read the recipe I couldn’t imagine what those flavors would be like together. I have to say I loved it, as did my two friends, but the class was split 50/50, either people loved it or, ah, not so much. Though the three of us had eaten calamari before, none of us had ever made it at home and we were a little intimidated by it. To our surprise it’s super easy to work with and this recipe was simple to make though the flavors make it seem complex.

Calamari with Basmati Rice and Chorizo

Ingredients:

1.5 cups basmati rice, rinsed
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3.5 oz mild chorizo, diced
1.5 lbs calamari
1 bunch of chives, finely chopped
2 tbsp butter
Olive oil, salt, pepper

Directions:

In a medium size sauce pan, sauté the onion in a little olive oil until translucent then add the rice. Stir in 3.5 cups of water and then cover with a lid. Cover and let the rice cook on medium heat until the water has evaporated. Then turn off the heat and let the rice further steam another 10 minutes. Stir in the diced chorizo, butter and add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Rinse the calamari and pat it dry with paper towel. Cut off the tentacles and then cut them into pieces. Cut open the body then cut it into 1/2 inch strips. Sprinkle the chives over the calamari and drizzle it with olive oil. Heat some olive oil in a sauté pan until it just starts to smoke then put the calamari in. Sauté the calamari and chives for about one minute. Put the rice/chorizo mixture on a plate and add a little of the calamari on top. Bon appétit!

Chef’s Tips/Info:

Rinse the rice to get rid of the starch. You want this rice to be non-sticky and rinsing it will do the trick.

Pat the calamari very lightly because it has a tendency to stick to the paper towel.

When chopping an onion, keep the root intact and you won’t cry.

Video on how to clean and cut a whole squid : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05WufbZmu1I

Quad

Chocolate Christmas Cookies

December 12, 2015, posted by Gina – These cookies aren’t just for Christmas but because they are no-bake they are easy to prepare during this busy time. These are my absolute favorite cookies and everyone else seems to loves them too! I have seen this recipe in many cookbooks but someone gave this one to me a while back.

Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
½ cup milk
½ cup butter
3 cups instant oatmeal
1 teaspoon vanilla
5 tablespoons cocoa

Directions:
In a small saucepan bring sugar, milk and butter to a boil then turn the heat to low. Stir until all the sugar is dissolved. In a large bowl, combine the oatmeal, vanilla and cocoa. Pour the sugar mixture in the bowl and stir until well combined. Drop by teaspoonful onto a cookie sheet. Cookies will harden as they cool.

That’s it!! I usually prepare these the day before I need them so that they have a chance to harden.

Enjoy!

Balsamic Vinegar: The Secret Ingredient

December 11, 2015, posted by Gina – This week I went on a search for quick and easy weeknight recipes to make during the busy holiday season. I came across one for homemade chicken tenders and one for tortellini soup. These probably don’t sound so special but they have a secret ingredient that makes them outstanding: Balsamic Vinegar.

A while back I caught an episode of Everyday Italian and Giada De Laurentiis was making crunchy parmesan chicken tenders (click HERE for the recipe). What I really liked about them is that they are baked, not fried, and they are indeed easy to prepare. You soak them in buttermilk and cover them with a combination of bread crumbs and parmesan cheese and then you bake them. But what I wasn’t expecting was the flavor punch the balsamic vinaigrette gives to these. Word to the wise: if you have teenagers or younger children chances are they will still want to eat these with ketchup. My almost 18 year old would not even try the balsamic sauce but he did brag about how good the chicken was. Further, he has a t-shirt that says “I eat ketchup with my ketchup”, so how could I convert him?

The next night I needed to whip up something fast, so I grabbed one of my favorite cookbooks that never disappoints, Tables of Content. I found a recipe for tortellini soup which calls for, you guessed it, balsamic vinegar. My husband absolutely loved this soup and for a recipe that takes just 15 minutes to put together it is a clear winner. I hope you enjoy these as much as we did.

WARM TORTELLINI SOUP

Ingredients:
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (I used regular chicken broth)
9 ounces fresh chicken tortellini or cheese tortellini (I used cheese)
1 – 15 oz. can cannellini, drained and rinsed. (I just drained them)
1 – 15 oz. can diced Italian-style tomatoes (I used some seasoned with garlic and basil)
¼ cup chopped fresh basil (since I found the can of tomatoes seasoned with basil, I omitted this)
1 ¼ tablespoon balsamic vinegar (this is the secret ingredient and oh so good)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for garnish

Directions:
Bring the broth to a boil in a stockpot over medium heat and add the pasta. Cook for 4 minutes and stir in the beans and undrained tomatoes. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and stir in the basil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with Parmesan cheese.

Happy Thanksgiving

November 26, 2015

Thanksgiving Dinner

November 24, 2015, posted by Gina – Sunday morning after church I got right on my grocery list and headed for Kroger. I needed frozen strawberries for my Strawberry Banana Salad. Take a look at this section in the grocery store. I could not help think that locusts or some other phenomenon came to this freezer and carried off everything:

What this tells me is that “Maw Maw” salads are still alive and well on our Thanksgiving tables. You know how everyone rolls their eyes at the sound of a jello salad mixed with fruit and other goodies? If I tried not offering it on Thanksgiving Day, my boys would start a revolution. They eat it with their meal, for dessert and sometimes even breakfast! This was my mother-in-law’s recipe and is in her handwriting but I take credit for the food spills on the paper. She made this in a Pyrex dish and cut it into squares but I like making it in a trifle bowl since it is very pretty when complete.

Strawberry and Banana Salad:

Crockpot Green Beans

So, you probably fall into one category or another on green beans; fresh and crunchy or canned and soft. I like them both ways, but my family likes them soft.

6 cans whole green beans

2 cups chicken broth

½ stick of butter

½ cup of vinegar

1 onion, chopped and sautéed until soft and translucent

Put green beans in a crockpot and gently stir in all other ingredients Cook the green beans on high for about 4 hours. The flavor is so delicious.

Sweet Potatoes
I will confess that sweet potatoes are not my favorite thing. I like the color and want to love them, but I just don’t. That does not stop my family from loving these and so I prepare them. It is a labor of love. I have never had a set recipe or even one that was handed down to me from any side of the family. A friend and frequent reader of petals and plates, shared a wonderful sweet potato recipe for me that her family prepares every year. They feed about 30 people so I changed this a bit for my 6.

Preheat oven to 400°
Scrub sweet potatoes and dry
Cover a baking pan with foil and place potatoes on top
Bake for 1 ½ hours
Take out of oven and let cool for about an hour.
Slice potatoes in half and scoop flesh out of skins and place in a large Dutch oven
Add 1 cup sour cream, 1 cup heavy cream, 1 cup milk, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, 1 stick of butter and mash until well combined.
Pour into a 9 x 13 baking dish and top with marshmallows. Bake until marshmallows are melted and slightly brown.

Classic Mashed Potatoes
When I first started preparing Thanksgiving dinner over 30 years ago, I was surprised that with all the starchy vegetables, my husband still wanted mashed potatoes. Another labor of love, I prepare them for him. I like mashed potatoes but it just seems that one more starch is not necessary but my husband told me that what Thanksgiving is all about.

4 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, cleaned, peeled, cubed and cooked on low heat in just enough water to cover them for about 8 minutes or until tender
1 stick butter (yes I said the whole stick but this makes a lot of potatoes…sorry…we will eat healthy in January)
1 packet ranch dressing mix
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup milk
Salt and pepper to taste.

Deviled Eggs

If I made a million of these, my boys would eat every one of them. These are really easy unless you can’t get the shell off the egg. As you can see from my photo, this happened on one of them that I prepared. I boil my eggs with a bit of salt and about a tablespoon of white vinegar for 15 minutes, turn the heat off and let them sit for another 5 and then immerse in ice water for about 30 minutes. I am not sure about the science of all that but over the years different people have given me tips and now I incorporate all of them. It helps if your eggs are at least 1 – 2 weeks old.

18 eggs, peeled, cut in half lengthwise and yolks placed in another bowl

To yolks add:

½ cup mayo

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

4 small sweet pickles (I chop my own as they have a different texture than the pre-made relish)

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce.

Mix all ingredients until creamy. You may need to add more or less of the ingredients depending upon your preferences.

We’d love to hear about your Thanksgiving recipes and traditions. Please leave us your thoughts and comments Click on the title of this post and comment form will open up at the bottom of the page.

Cornbread Dressing

November 19, 2015, posted by Gina – Today I started my week long process of cooking our Thanksgiving meal. We will be going to my parents house and I will be preparing all of the food except the turkey. My family enjoys all of the very traditional side items so without further ado, here is my menu:

Cornbread Dressing
Mashed Potatoes
Green Beans
Macaroni & Cheese
Strawberry & Banana Salad
Deviled Eggs
Pecan Pie
Pumpkin Pie

GINA’S CORNBREAD DRESSING RECIPE

I use a cornmeal mix and follow the directions listed on the package except that I substitute buttermilk for milk because I love the flavor it provides. Now, don’t judge me on this recipe as there is a lot of butter in it. I have confessed and now can proceed.

1 recipe cornbread (this is for a 10 inch skillet or and 8 inch square baking dish)
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
3 stalks of celery, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cups Pepperidge Farm Herbed Stuffing Mix
1 stick butter, melted
2 -32 ounce boxes chicken stock
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 eggs

Once the cornbread is baked and cooled, break it into small pieces. Sauté the onion, bell pepper and celery in the olive oil and then stir them to the cornbread. Add the herbed stuffing mix to the cornbread mixture and stir. Pour the melted butter, chicken stock, and soup over the cornbread mixture and combine all ingredients. Stir two eggs into mixture. Place in a 9 X 13 baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes on 350° or until warmed though.

Here’s the 411: if you want to prepare this in advance, as I have done today, omit 1 can of the soup, the second 32 oz. box of chicken stock and the eggs. Cover it very tightly and place in the freezer. A day or two before serving, place it in the refrigerator for thawing. Once thawed and when you are ready to bake it, add the soup and eggs and additional chicken stock if needed for moisture. I usually have mine swimming in chicken stock before baking and afterwards it is very moist and delicious. So there you have it! That’s how I make the dressing for our family.

There was a question/answer report on Thanksgiving dinner on the news this morning and one of the questions was how do to make dressing without it being gummy. Well, I think the key is lots of moisture and the extra chicken stock seems to do the trick.

Cornmeal Mix – I like the Aunt Jemima brand cornmeal mix. I prefer the yellow cornmeal but as luck would have it Kroger did not have a yellow cornmeal mix. What is up with that? They do know it is Thanksgiving right? Oh, I’ll reserve getting on my soapbox about Kroger for another post! You may not have a Kroger where you live, but I am sure your local grocery has some of the same issues. Later.

Cooked Cornbread and Veggies – Look at that beautiful cornbread! You must cook this in a cast iron skillet. If you don’t have one….stop what you are doing and get one. Make sure you get a pretreated one that is ready to go. When I got mine you had to “cure” it yourself…it’s like giving it a patina in a day but nothing creates a good patina like time and use. The onions, celery and bell pepper were sauteed until soft and they really the dressing tasty.

I hope to be able to share some of my other recipes with you. Besides the Strawberry Banana Salad, all of these recipes are mine. I have tried to transmit this dressing recipe the best I can, but if something does not make sense leave a question in the comment box.

We would love to know what everyone else is cooking for Thanksgiving, so let us know in the comment section. Maybe you are getting my subtle hint about leaving comments? Click on the title of the post and the comment form will appear at the bottom of the page.

Cookbook Club: Thanksgiving Luncheon 2 comments

November 17, 2015, posted by Gina – A couple of weeks ago our Cookbook Club gathered for a Thanksgiving luncheon. All of the recipes for the day came from one of three Barefoot Contessa Cookbooks; The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, Barefoot Contessa Parties! and Barefoot Contessa Family Style. We have been cooking our way through these three cookbooks for almost a year and we all love the recipes. Ina Garten, aka Barefoot Contessa, writes easy to follow recipes with imagination and a sense of style in presentation. We feel like we know her.

This was our menu with links to each recipe:
Caviar Dip
Lamb Sausage in Puff Pastry
Butternut Squash and Apple Soup
Perfect Roast Turkey
Roasted Baby Pumpkins with Homemade Applesauce
String Beans with Shallots
Chocolate Buttercream Cake
Pecan Squares

We enjoyed our appetizers outdoors as the day was very nice. Deer sausage was a substitute in the Lamb Sausage in Puff Pastry recipe because lamb sausage was unavailable in our neck of the woods. They were nonetheless delicious and hearty. Our other appetizer was Caviar Dip which was fabulous. It is made with salmon roe and was very creamy.

We then moved on to the soup course; Butternut Squash and Apple Soup. You would have thought that lots of cream and butter went into this soup but there’s not one ounce of cream and only two tablespoons of butter for the whole 3 ½ quarts the recipe yielded. I am not a big apple eater so I had my reservations about this soup but they were quashed upon my first bite. It seemed very rich to me and a little goes a long way in my opinion. It was the perfect orange color and its flavor was spot on for a harvest lunch.

Our main course did not disappoint. Perfect Roast Turkey, Roasted Baby Pumpkins with Homemade Applesauce, and String Beans with Shallots made a perfect plate. Where to begin? First, the 12 pound turkey was so moist and was only roasted for 3 hours. Ina goes into a bit of discussion about how this is plenty long enough. Potatoes, carrots and fennel were cooked alongside the bird and they added a great flavor. The Roasted Baby Pumpkins with Homemade Applesauce were out of this world. Again, I am not a big lover of apples, but this applesauce had a rich velvety smooth texture. The presentation on this was just so perfect for a Thanksgiving feast. The green beans were super fresh and, along with the shallots, very good. They say you eat with your eyes first, and this plate sure provided a beautiful array of colors.

But the feast didn’t end there.Two desserts were offered; a delicious Chocolate Buttercream Cake and Pecan Squares. You may think that pecan squares are fairly ho-hum but these are very different and decadent. I truly recommend you try them and advise cutting them into small pieces as they are very rich and satisfying.

If you are looking for a Thanksgiving menu that has a few twists on the traditional fare, this would be a very good one to follow. The flavors, colors and aromas will certainly ignite all your senses.

Have any questions or comments? We would love to hear from you! Just click on the title of this post and the comment form will appear at the bottom of the page.

Chocolate Creations 2 comments

November 6, 2015, posted by Michelle -I finally made it to chocolate heaven after missing it for three years in a row. Every November The Salon du Chocolat, an annual event that showcases French chocolatiers, is held in the convention center just a stone’s throw from our apartment. Today was a beautiful, sunny 72° Indian summer day and the 10 minute stroll to all the chocolate anyone could ever want was delightful. Behold…

From top left: Chocolate evening gown, chocolate display, sassy chocolate houndstooth dress, decorated chocolates from L’Art Chocolatier, chocolate dog, chocolate “lipsticks” at Bouillet, chocolate dresses, chocolate bars and chocolate female form at Saladino

Mais oui…those dresses are made out of chocolate or have chocolate detailing. And they’re not just for show – there are two fashion shows each day but I was hours early for the first one so I didn’t get to see girls actually modeling them. One designer even made a chocolate dog to sit next to his dress. And those “lipsticks” are also made of chocolate! Most of the very well known Lyonnais chocolatiers were set up there; Bernachon, Voisin, Bouillet, Saladino (provided links for the curious). But I bought a small box of 14 different beautifully decorated chocolates from a chocolatier called L’Art Chocolatier from the South of France. Some of the flavors included violet, lavender honey, red wine, Sichuan pepper and lemon meringue. Oh la la!

There were also a few chocolate making workshops, demonstrations and of course, all the chocolatiers were handing out samples. I almost overdosed… there are worse ways to spend a Friday afternoon!

Are you a chocolate lover? Do you have a favorite local or regional chocolate shop? Let us know about it by clicking on the title of this post to open the comment form which will appear at the bottom of the page.

Spaghetti Squash Fritters 2 comments

October 18, 2015, posted by Michelle – I went to the grocery store today and bought a pretty, organic spaghetti squash (called courge spaghetti here). The previous few times I’ve cooked with one I’ve made a simple tomato sauce and served it like spaghetti. This time I was ready to try something different and went online looking for recipes. I came across a few different fritter recipes and came up with my own version that was really very nice. I served it with a garlic-cumin yogurt sauce and will definitely make this again.

Spaghetti Squash Fritters

Ingredients:

1 spaghetti squash

1 small white onion, grated

1 small bunch of fresh chives, chopped

2 eggs

1/2 cup plain bread crumbs

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1/4 tsp cumin

1 clove garlic, minced

salt & pepper

olive oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds with a spoon and discard. Rub a little olive oil on the insides of each half of the squash and place them, insides facing down, on a baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes. Let them cool. After it’s cool enough to handle, rake a fork across the flesh to remove it and place it all in a colander. Let the squash sit about 30 minutes to drain some of the excess water out. Transfer the squash to a mixing bowl and stir in the onion, chives, eggs, bread crumbs, salt and pepper – mix well. Heat about three tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add spoonfuls of the squash mixture to the pan and pat down a little with a spatula to flatten them out a bit. Reduce the heat to medium high. Cook on each side about 5 minutes.

For the yogurt sauce – mix yogurt, cumin, garlic and a little salt together. Serve on the side.

Makes about 10 fritters.