Well Hello There 2012!

I haven't posted since last December? Guess it's time for an update.
College Search: Stay tuned for an exciting announcement. Waiting for confirmation on Daughter #2's choice.
Graduation Festivities are in the works! Daughter #3 is in the throes of senioritis and I'm alternately happy/sad at the thought of "She's the last one!"
Barista Boy: Happily pulling shots at Cafe Medici in Austin. Hook 'Em Horns and have an espresso while you're at it!
Grandbaby #4 made his arrival since the last post. I can probably scrounge up a picture or two...hundred.
Oldest daughter is now officially a stay-at-home-mom and is navigating the world of cloth diapers. I can honestly say "I'm glad it's you and not me!"
Recipes: Urban Cowboy and I are trying to cut carbs and sugar. Not much exciting going on in that department.
Me? I'm still teaching writing and English and already planning for the  next school year.

If you haven't forgotten little ol' Add More Chocolate then stick around. I'll bet we can find something to talk about.

Hugs,
Renee

Christmas Dinner–Just in Case

With Jaimee’s due date just days away, I thought an early Christmas dinner might not be a bad idea! This menu gave me a chance to try out several new recipes, all of which I can attest are easy to do after spending the day in line at the post office and grocery store. Enjoy!

Menu: Salmon with Cider Sauce, Butternut Squash Bake, Sauteed Spinach, Grand Marnier Cake with Chocolate Glaze.

(Note – I’m going to make an effort – gulp! – to use this space to keep track of recipes that work. I’m not a food photographer by any means; I’m a teacher. I can’t promise gorgeous pics, but I’ll do my best to explain things clearly. If you have questions just holler.)

Simple Salmon with Cider Sauce

1 salmon filet, fresh, figure about 1/2 lb. per adult serving

Seasoning, your choice. I like Paul Prudhomme’s Magic  Salmon Seasoning (grocery store) or Williams Sonoma Potlatch Seasoning

Olive Oil

Flour

Directions: Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with Pam. Place the salmon, skin side down, and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with seasoning. Dust with flour. Cook under preheated broiler, close to the element, until done on the inside (some like it more rare – your preference) and crusty on top. Should take around 10 minutes or so at the most. Serve with Cider Sauce.

Cider Sauce (can make ahead and warm later)

1 can frozen apple juice concentrate

3 large or 4 small shallots, sliced

2 T. whole black peppercorns

Directions: Boil the ingredients together until sauce is reduced by 1/2. You’ll have about a cup or so of liquid. Drain. Serve warm drizzled on top of salmon.

Butternut Squash Bake

(This is a nice change from the super-sweeet “It’s really a dessert” squash recipes that are common this time of year.)

2 small or 1 large butternut squash. Use a potato peeler to peel the skin off. Cut off the bottom rounded part and cut in half. Use the peeler to scoop out the seeds. Using a large chef’s knife slice the whole thing into 1/4” slices.

4 T. butter for sautéing squash

salt, pepper, freshly grated nutmeg

1 c. heavy cream mixed with 1/3 c. sherry

1/2 c. chopped pecans

1/2 c. Panko bread crumbs

2 T. butter for sautéing bread crumbs

Directions: In a large skillet melt 4 T. butter and sauté slices until brown, about 7-8 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and a little grated nutmeg. Place half of slices in a buttered casserole dish (I actually used a deep dish pie plate. It was red. I love red.) Top with 1/2 of cream-sherry mixture. Repeat.

In the skillet where you sautéed the squash, melt the remaining butter and toast the pecans for just a minute. Mix in the bread crumbs. Sprinkle topping over squash. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Technorati Tags: Menu,mains,salmon,sides,squash,recipe

Not Just Any Ice Cream Sundae

If you’re going to serve your guests, gasp!, ice cream when the first cold snap hits, it better be worth it! Trust me, this is not a picnic-summertime-all-American frozen treat. Tiramisu Sundaes lift dessert to another level altogether. (Trivia: Did you know that “tiramisu” literally means “lift me up”?)

Did I mention that this dessert requires no advance prep and can be put together while your guests are vegging on the couch watching the last game of the world series? Hey, the name may be Italian, but we do love our Texas baseball over here!

As much as I love cooking and baking, I also realize there are times when time is short and you need to be able to throw something truly scrumptious* together. Last minute should NOT mean second rate. By using the best possible ingredients and having fun with the presentation, you won’t need to apologize for a thing.

These have all the ingredients of traditional tiramisu: coffee, marsala, chocolate, mascarpone, and ladyfingers.

Tiramisu Sundaes

Coffee Ice Cream

Butter Pecan Ice Cream (You could also use an almond brickle flavor.)

1 container mascarpone cheese, mixed with 2 T. powdered sugar and beaten into 1 c. heavy cream, whipped. If mixture seems too thick, add more cream.

1/2 c. caramel sauce (I used Hershey’s) mixed with 2 T. Marsala , brushed onto cut sides of ladyfingers.

Dark chocolate shavings (I buy a block of Callebaut and keep it handy)

To assemble: I used straight sided mason jars, inspired by Jeni’s Ice Cream in Nashville. The sundaes are pretty to look at and the jars keep the layers together beautifully.   Layer 1 ladyfinger (both halves) in the bottom, topped with 1 scoop coffee ice cream, and a layer of whipped cream. Repeat the layers with the other flavor of ice cream and top with chocolate shavings.

Enjoy!

*Points to you if you can figure out which movie this comes from.

Jeni Knows Beans About Ice Cream

Happy Birthday to Me! Thanks Mom for the amazon.com gift card and thanks girls for pointing out that Jeni Britton Bauer has a cookbook full of her splendid ice cream recipes. (Those of you who were with us last summer for Kristin’s grad party know all about our love of ice cream and my…ahem…overestimation of the amount we would need. Let’s just say our church was very, very happy to partake of the leftovers.)  But that is Amy’s and this is Jeni’s and boy are we in love!

When visiting our favorite Nashvillians, we do love to find the local hot spots and this summer was no different. We gladly stood in a long line with the other friendly folks and waited for our turn to order Roasted Cherries w/ Goat Cheese, Ugandan Vanilla, Brambleberry Crisp, & Buckeye State. Well worth the wait!

So where is the recipe? Well sweet readers, I’m not going to give you one this time. Instead I’ll give you a few previews and encourage you that for the same price of 1 pint bought locally (Hubbell & Hudson, $12.99) you can buy the book and reach ice cream nirvana for yourself. It’s really that good. No, make that incredible!

What I’ve learned from Jeni-My-Mentor:

Ice, therefore water, is the enemy. Cook the milk and cream down to eliminate the excess. Use a little cornstarch and corn (or tapioca) syrup for their thickening and sweetening properties that don’t add water.  Don’t mix fruits directly into the ice cream (hello frozen ice chunks) but reduce them to a concentrated syrup that can be layered with the ice cream before the final freeze.

Flavor is key. Use the very best ingredients and don’t muddy them up with unnecessary things. Like eggs. That’s right, you will have an incredibly smooth, thick frozen dessert but no eggs needed. My vanilla beans weren’t from Uganda but I do believe they were from Madagascar. Use the good stuff and you won’t be sorry!

Equipment:  A Cuisinart countertop ice cream maker, the kind with the insert you keep in the freezer, is what you need to get. It takes less than 10 minutes to make the base, 30 to quick chill in an ice bath, 30 to freeze, and then 4 hours to finish in the deep freeze.

Dairy Specs: Organic whole milk, organic cream cheese (helps bind and thicken – you only use 3T. so no worries about this tasting like frozen cheesecake. Organic is milder tasting.), and heavy cream.

Chocolate: Oh yes you knew we would get here sooner or later didn’t you? Jeni includes plenty of sauces and toppings in her cookbook and yesterday we made our very own Bombe Shell topping. Melt chocolate with the secret ingredient (coconut oil), layer in with the vanilla bean base, and you have pieces of dark chocolate that will melt in your mouth.

Don’t let the crazy flavors scare you off. If Cardamom Lime or Black Raspberry Sweet Corn sound a little odd, wake up your tastebuds with some Dark Chocolate, Coffee, Vanilla, or Roasted Strawberry.  Have fun!

(*Yes, I bought some cardboard freezer containers and let my artist-in-residence have fun with the labeling.)

Texas Forever: FNL Top Ten

I’m not a TV person. My 10 second attention span is legend in our house. So what on earth would compel me to stay seated for not one, but 5, seasons’ worth of shows?  Something sure struck a chord because my girls & I, both here and in TN found ourselves hooked. We finished the final episode last weekend and, because I process things by writing and talking  about them, these are the thoughts that wouldn’t go away.

The show isn’t perfect but it does, in the words of Coach Taylor ,“a damn fine job” of portraying some powerful truths. In case you thought this was just about football, think again. In case you ever played on the field, cheered for the team, or marched in the band – you’ll enjoy this all the more. (Disclaimer: Use your judgment. There is plenty to talk about, especially with older kids, but every family is different. You know your comfort zone when it comes to certain hot topics.)

1. Place. Filmed in Austin, the show has this state nailed down. Whether it’s churches with messages out front, the local BBQ joint & ice cream hangout, or the wide sweeping hill country sunsets, there is a sense of community here that goes beyond the game of football.

2. Practice. You don’t make progress unless you are willing to work hard and sweat. Some might have more gifts than others, but persistence pays off. Thank you writers for showing kids who thrive in a disciplined environment and are grateful for it. Thank you for showing adults who care enough to require respect.

3. Leadership. Some did it right and some didn’t. The best built honor into those they led. An inescapable fact: boys need fathers and those that aren’t fortunate enough to have them need a father-figure to fill that void. Leaders sometimes make the hard choices that may not be understood right then. One of the most touching scenes involved a forfeit. Coach couldn’t let his team continue to be beaten, bruised, and bloodied. In a seemingly odd juxtaposition of music, Sufjan Stevens’ “Come Thou Fount” played in the background. Was the forfeit a blessing? Yes it was. Perfect choice.

4. Work. There is virtue in a job well done and FNL never backed off from showing folks working hard. On the field, in a store, behind a counter.  Nurses, policemen, farmers, and mechanics. Parents come home late and they’re tired. Students have to study. Some of the best interaction happens while people are working, proving that this is a fundamental part of our lives – not something to escape from. (Some might argue that watching a tv series is doing just that; the irony is not lost on me.)

5. Commitment. The best coaches, teachers, counselors know that you can’t just impart information, you have to know the ones in your care and be willing to go the extra mile with and for them. You don’t clock out at 5:00.  In the words of the inimitable Buddy G, “You can’t fake boosterism.”

6. Decisions. Choices have consequences and, for the most part, the characters reaped them. Some showed the long hard climb back from the depths of addiction and others showed the shame and loss of reputation that comes from taking the easy way out. In most cases it wasn’t the end however. The nice thing about a 5 season series is that if a character ends up in the gutter, he doesn’t have to stay there. Someone called TV “The American Dickens” and in this case I agree. Continuity provides room for redemption.

7. Sacrifice. Loving someone means dying to yourself. Demonstrated over and over.

8. Marriage. It’s the small things that carry the day. Don’t grow weary in well-doing.

9. Faith. People attend church. They pray. They acknowledge that they are part of something bigger than themselves. For mainstream TV to portray Christianity as something other than purely a caricature is unusual and welcomed.

10. Home. In a workshop recently, I listened to an esteemed college professor explain that “there is really only one story.”  You leave home, you struggle to return home, and you do. It may not be the same as when you left, but if there is going to be a satisfying ending – you find your way home. Eric & Tami move to a new one, Matt & Julie begin one, Tim & Billy build one, and Luke ships off to protect them all.

Ending this post with a very full heart,

Renee

Welcome Home Cookies

I offered one of these to Jaimee last night, and “chocolate cherry cookie” came out “chookie.” Rich, chewy, zingy from the dried cherries, and crunchy from the toasted pecans – these have a hint of coffee flavor as well.

Thanks to The Pastry Queen and her amazing cookbook, these Café Chocolate-Cherry Bites were the perfect welcome home for Kevin, my coffee-loving son who is here for a few days.

I’ve checked out all 3 of Rebecca Rather’s cookbooks from the library and so far every recipe has been a winner. She’s a Texas gal who owns her own bakery in Fredericksburg (Road trip anyone???)  and certainly deserves her title. The Pastry Queen, Pastry Queen Parties, and The Pastry Queen Christmas will be keeping me busy for quite a while!

What this recipe teaches: Toasted = terrific! Pecans (and any other nuts) always taste much better if you toast them before adding to the dough.  It’s an extra step that doesn’t take much time but pays off. Toast before chopping and there is less chance of burning.

1 c. pecans

2 sticks unsalted butter (room temp)

1 1/4 c. light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 T. instant espresso powder

1 T. boiling water

1 T. vanilla extract

1 1/4 c. flour

1/4 c. cocoa powder

1 t. baking powder

1/4 t. salt

1 c. bittersweet chocolate chips (I used Nestle’s Dark Chocolate Chips)

1 1/2 c. dried cherries (These are pricey. I used a package from HEB. It was probably slightly over a cup but I didn’t bother with buying a second package.)

Preheat oven to 350. Arrange the pecans on a baking sheet and toast for 7-9 minutes until golden brown and aromatic. Cool then coarsely chop.

Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicon mats.

In a mixer, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs and beat on medium speed. In a small bowl, stir the espresso powder into boiling water until dissolved.

Add espresso and vanilla to the batter and beat for 30 seconds. Add the dry ingredients all at once and mix until just incorporated. Add the nuts, chips, and cherries. The dough will be softer and wetter than average cookie dough.

Using a scoop, drop the dough on the prepared sheets and bake for around 10 minutes, until the cookies have spread and the dough looks the same in the center and on the edges (that is, not raw in the middle). Cool on baking sheets for 10 minutes then transfer to wire racks.

Trip Report #4: Get Your Goat

The only thing more fun than discovering new taste treats at a restaurant is finding a way to recreate them at home. Mission accomplished! The Hotel Contessa is one of the Riverwalk’s most wonderful hotels and the restaurant, Las Ramblas, makes a yummy cheesecake out of…goat cheese! Topped with a sweet caramel Cajeta, it has a little  tang, a little something extra to set it apart from regular cheesecakes. I would have included a picture, but the family was all over this last night. Only the crumbs remain.

How about a quick ingredient lesson?

Cajeta, or leche quemada, is made by simmering goat’s milk and sugar. If you do the same thing with cow’s milk you end up with dulce de leche. Cajeta has that characteristic tang that makes the flavor a little more complex than just overwhelmingly sweet. I bought this from HEB and used it straight out of the jar. Great topping for cheesecake and whatever else you’d like to sweeten up.

Goat Cheese Cheesecake

Crust:

2 c. graham cracker crumbs

1/3 c. sugar

6 T. melted butter

Combine and line the bottom and sides of a 9” springform pan. Hint: Use a straight sided beverage glass to smooth the crumbs into the bottom of the pan where it meets the sides. This makes for a nice and even crust, which in turn makes for prettier slices.

Cheesecake:

16 oz. cream cheese, softened

12 oz. goat cheese (do NOT buy anything flavored with basil, sun dried tomatoes,  or habanero peppers. Please.)

12 oz. sour cream

4 eggs

1 c. sugar

2 t. vanilla extract

Blend the softened cheeses in a mixer. Add the sour cream and eggs. Blend until smooth. Add the sugar and vanilla.

Bake at 350 for 60 minutes. You will have much better results if you put your springform pan, lined with foil, into a roasting pan and pour boiling water halfway up the sides. A water bath keeps the cheesecake from over baking and cracking.

Cool on the counter then refrigerate at least 6 hours. Drizzle with Cajeta before serving.