{Recipe of the Week: Sweet & Savory}

This brown butter rosemary orange cornbread is quite a mouthful to say but looks absolutely delish! What a perfect combination of sweet and savory.

Brown Butter Rosemary Orange Cornbread

makes 1 8×8-inch pan

1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup coarse ground cornmeal

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon grated orange zest

2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

Directions:

Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease and 8×8-inch square baking pan.  Line with parchment paper and grease and flour the baking pan.  Set aside.

In a light-colored small saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat.  Melt and cook butter down completely.  It will sizzle and crackle.  That’s the butter cooking out of the butter.  Keep an eye on the butter and you’ll see brown bits begin to form at the bottom of the pan.  Swirl pan and cook until browned bits are a chestnut color and the butter smells nutty.  Remove from the pan and immediately transfer butter (browned bits and all) to a small bowl to cool.

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, orange juice, and browned butter.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, blend together sugar, orange zest, and chopped rosemary.  Blend with the back of a spoon working the orange and rosemary flavors into the sugar.

Add flour, cornmeal, salt, and baking soda to the large bowl with the flavored sugar.  Whisk to combine.

Add the wet ingredients all at once to the dry ingredients.  Stir to combine, ensuring that all of the dry ingredients are moistened and incorporated into the batter.  Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth to the edges.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.  Bread is best served warm and will last, well wrapped, at room temperature for up to three days.

*Image and recipe via joythebaker.com

{Super Bowl Sunday: Dips & Sips}

Super Bowl Sunday is a wonderful day to gather with your friends, watch the game, and eat delicious food. Here I have two recipes for my favorite dips and two recipes for some thirst quenching sips!

Buffalo Chicken Dip

 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups cooked and shredded chicken or 1 (12 ounce) can chunk chicken, drained

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup Ranch dressing

1/2 cup Buffalo wing sauce (such as Frank’s Red Hot, not to be confused with their pepper sauce. Start with less if you want and add more to your desired hotness.)

3/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

blue cheese crumbles (optional)

 

Instructions:

Heat chicken and Buffalo sauce in a skillet over medium heat, until heated through. Make sure to break up the chicken so there are no big chunks. Stir in cream cheese and ranch dressing. Cook, stirring until well blended and warm. Mix in shredded cheese.  Pour into a shallow dish or pie pan and sprinkle with blue cheese crumbles and microwave it until the cheese melts. We usually only sprinkle blue cheese on half of it for those who aren’t blue cheese fans. Serve with chips for dipping.

Warm Spinach Mascarpone Dip

Yields 2 cups
adapted from In a Cheesemaker's Kitchen by Allison Hooper

I think the original recipe lacked a crucial step - and that is to squeeze out all of the water from the frozen spinach. I like to serve the spinach dip with sliced french bread, celery sticks or warmed pita bread triangles. I've also used two small ramekins, each ramekin holding 1-cup of the spinach dip comfortably. Oh, I've also added freshly grated nutmeg to the original recipe too.

ingredients:

16 ounces frozen chopped spinach, defrosted1 small onion, minced2 tablespoons olive oil1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt (1/4 teaspoon table salt)1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (freshly grated if you have)1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper powder8 ounces mascarpone cheese, softened at room temperature1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.

2. Take a handful of the defrosted spinach and squeeze and discard the water from the spinach. Squeeze as much of the water out as you can, you should get about a little less than a cup of spinach water.

3. Heat a saute pan over medium heat. When hot, add the olive oil and swirl to coat. Add the onions and saute until soft and translucent, about 4-5 minutes (take your time, if you do this over high heat, the onions will burn and become bitter). Add the spinach and saute until the spinach is warm, but still bright green about 30 seconds.

4. Season and toss with salt, pepper, nutmeg and cayenne. Turn off the heat and stir in the mascarpone cheese and the grated parmesan.

5. Pour into 2 small ramekins (or other oven-safe dish) and bake for 30 minutes until the cheese is bubbling around the edges. Serve warm with pita chips, bread or celery sticks.

Now for the cocktails!

Thyme Paloma Cocktail

4-6 sprigs fresh thyme (optional)
1 teaspoon sugar, superfine if possible
1 shot anejo tequila or mezcal
1 shot fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice
Juice of 1/2 a lime
Club soda

If using thyme, muddle it with the sugar in a cocktail shaker first–if not, just add the sugar to the shaker.  Pour in tequila and juices and stir until sugar is dissolved.  Strain into an ice-filled 6-ounce glass, then top off with club soda.  Makes 1.

• 
  
• Whiskey Lemonade
• 
  
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons whiskey
• 2 tablespoons Simple Syrup
• Ice
• Lemon zest

Directions

1. In a glass, combine lemon juice, whiskey, and simple syrup over ice. Garnish with lemon zest. Add a splash of water if desired.

Also, here are a few neat ideas on how to spice up your Super Bowl tables!

*Images via pinterest.com and recipes via marthastewart.com, steamykitchen.com, the-girl-who-ate-everything.com, and 10thkitchen.com

{Recipe of the Week: Blueberry Crumb Bars}

Sunday's usually entail mimosas and baking! This Sunday my friend and I made these delicious blueberry crumb bars. I highly recommend making them. They are easy and are the perfect accompaniment to a mimosa or a cup of tea.

Blueberry Crumb Bars

Yield: I cut these into 36 smallish rectangles
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cold unsalted butter (2 sticks or 8 ounces)
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
Zest and juice of one lemon
4 cups fresh blueberries
1/2 cup white sugar
4 teaspoons cornstarch

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9×13 inch pan.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup sugar, 3 cups flour, and baking powder. Mix in salt and lemon zest. Use a fork or pastry cutter to blend in the butter and egg. Dough will be crumbly. Pat half of dough into the prepared pan.
3. In another bowl, stir together the sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice. Gently mix in the blueberries. Sprinkle the blueberry mixture evenly over the crust. Crumble remaining dough over the berry layer.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until top is slightly brown. (This took an extra 10 to 15 minutes in my oven.) Cool completely before cutting into squares.

*Images and recipe via smittenkitchen.com

{Recipe of the Week: Sausage, Chard, and Lemon Lasagna}

This is one of my favorite lasagna recipes. 

It is a creamy dish that will surely put a smile on your face. 

Tip: Substitute spinach instead of swiss chard for a more 

mild taste and type of milk can be changed for a healthier option.

Sausage, Chard, and Lemon Lasagna

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups whole milk
• 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 4 ounces)
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 5 cups coarsely chopped Swiss chard (about 1 bunch)
• 1 pound spicy or sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 lemon, very thinly sliced
• 6 no-boil lasagna noodles, preferably Barilla

Directions

1. Melt butter in a saucepan over high heat. Stir in flour; cook for 2 minutes. Whisk in milk. Bring to a boil, stirring. Reduce heat. Simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Whisk in 3/4 cup cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Stir in chard.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook sausage in a skillet over high heat, breaking up pieces, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes.
3. Cover lemon slices with cold water by 3 inches in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 7 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate using a slotted spoon.
4. Spread 1/4 cup sauce in an 8-inch square nonreactive baking dish. Top with 2 noodles, half the sausage, and 1 cup sauce. Repeat. Top with a layer of lemons, 2 noodles, then remaining sauce and lemons. Bake, covered with parchment-lined foil, for 27 minutes.
5. Remove from oven. Heat broiler. Uncover lasagna; top with remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Broil until bubbling, 2 to 3 minutes.
   *Image and recipe via marthastewart.com

{Recipe of the Week: Leftovers Put to Great Use}

Fromage Fort is a delicious hors d'oeuvre for any occasion that puts to use your leftover cheese and white wine. 

There are no rules as to how you put this together. You can add more or less wine, hard or soft cheese. Top with chives or add quince paste or fig jam as an accompaniment. 

The cheeses used in the recipe above are one part each of blue, brie, goat cheese and gruyere, a handful of chives and a full cup of wine.

Fromage Fort

Ingredients:

1 pound mix leftover cheese, harder cheeses grated, softer ones cut into chunks

A couple pats of butter, if using mostly firm cheese varieties1 small clove garlic, minced, or more to taste1/2 to 1 cup leftover white wine1 to 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, thyme, rosemary or chivesSalt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

Blend cheese, butter (if using) and garlic in food processer until combined. Drizzle in wine with the motor running until you get your desired consistency — some like it completely smooth, others prefer chunks. Add herbs, pulsing the machine until just combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Fromage fort can be used right away, or kept in the fridge until needed. In the fridge, it will thicken and age a little; the flavors will mingle and deepen.

*Images and recipe via smittenkitchen.com

{Recipe of the Week: Cauliflower-Feta Fritters}

I am intrigued by this combination of cauliflower, feta, and pomegranates. These fritters look absolutely delish and would be the perfect compliment to any holiday dinner menu. 

Cauliflower-Feta Fritters with Smoky Yogurt, Pomegranate

Makes 18 2-inch fritters

1 small head cauliflower (1 pound florets, i.e. stems and leaves removed), cut into generous 1 to 2 inch chunks
1 large egg
1 garlic clove, minced
Few gratings of fresh lemon zest
3 ounces crumbled feta (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon Aleppo pepper flakes; less if using regular red pepper flakes, which are hotter
3/4 teaspoon table salt or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Olive oil for frying

To serve
3/4 cup yogurt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
Handful pomegranate arils

Cook cauliflower in simmering salted water, uncovered, until tender, about 5 to 6 minutes, until firm but tender. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking. Drain well. Spread on towels to dry as much as possible.

In the bottom of a large bowl, whisk together egg, garlic and lemon zest. Add cauliflower florets and mash with a potato masher until they’re crushed into an average of pea-sized pieces (i.e. some will be bigger, some smaller, but most will be little nubs). Sprinkle in feta and stir to combine egg mixture, cauliflower and feta. In a small dish, whisk flour, salt, pepper and baking powder until evenly combined. Sprinkle over cauliflower batter and stir just until combined.

Heat oven to 200 degrees and place a tray inside. On the stove, heat a large, heavy skillet over moderate heat. Once hot, add a good slick of oil, about 2 to 3 tablespoons. Once the oil is hot (you can test it by flicking a droplet of water into it; it should hiss and sputter), scoop a two tablespoon-size mound of the batter and drop it into the pan, then flatten it slightly with your spoon or spatula. Repeat with additional batter, leaving a couple inches between each. Once brown underneath, about 2 to 3 minutes, flip each fritter and cook on the other side until equally golden, about another 1 to 2 minutes.

Transfer briefly to paper towels to drain, then the tray in the oven to keep them warm until needed. Once all fritters are cooked, mix yogurt with cumin, salt and pepper. Spread fritters on serving platter. Dollop each with cumin yogurt and sprinkle with pomegranate arils.

Do ahead: Fritters both freeze and reheat well. To warm and recrisp them, lay them on a tray and toast them at 400 degrees in the oven until crisp again.

*Images and recipe via smittenkitchen.com

{Recipes of the Week: Scones & Pot Pies}

This weeks recipes involve two of my favorite things, scones and pot pies. These recipes are the perfect gourmet rendition to these classics. I love the combination of pears and chocolate for the scones and the combination of pancetta and beans in the pot pie. 

Absolutely scrumptious.

 Enjoy!

Roasted Pear and Chocolate Chunk Scones

Makes 6 generous scones; you can absolutely make these a bit smaller and reduce their baking time accordingly

3 firmish pears (about 1 pound or 255 grams)
1 1/2 cups (190 grams) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar plus 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated or coarse for sprinkling
1 1/2 teaspoons (8 grams) baking powder
1/2 teaspoon (3 grams) table salt plus additional for egg wash
6 tablespoons (85 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1/4 cup (60 ml) heavy cream
1/4 cup (3 ounces or 85 grams) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped (or chips)
2 large eggs, 1 for dough, 1 for glaze

Heat oven to 375°F. Peel and core pears. Cut into 1-inch chunks. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange pear chunks on parchment and roast until they feel dry to the touch and look a little browned underneath, about 20 minutes. Slide parchment paper with pear chunks onto a cooling rack (or onto a plate in the fridge or freezer to speed this up) and cool to lukewarm. Leave oven on. Line baking sheet with another piece of parchment.

Whisk flour, baking powder, 1/4 cup sugar and salt together in the bowl of an electric mixer. Toss in cooled pear chunks, bits of butter, heavy cream and 1 egg. With the paddle attachment, mix the dough on low speed until it just comes together. Don’t overmix. Add the chocolate chunks and mix for 5 seconds more.

On a very well floured counter, pat out dough into a 6-inch round. Cut into 6 generous wedges and transfer to baking sheet at least two inches apart (do as I say, not as I did here!). Whisk remaining egg in a small dish with 1 teaspoon of water and a pinch of salt. Brush each scone with egg wash and sprinkle with remaining tablespoon of sugar.

Bake scones until firm and golden, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack. Serve, and pat yourself on the back for your excellent host skills.

Do ahead: You can get this recipe all the way to the point where you’d bake them, and instead cover the pan with foil or plastic wrap and freeze them overnight. Bake them directly from the freezer in the morning; they should only take a few minutes longer. For longer than overnight, transfer frozen, already shaped, scones to a freezer bag until needed. In both cases, brush the egg wash/sprinkle the sugar on while still frozen, before baking the scones.

Pancetta, White Bean, & Swiss Chard Pot Pies

Serves 4

Lid

2 cups (250 grams) all- purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon table salt

13 tablespoons (185 grams or 1 stick plus 5 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, diced

6 tablespoons (90 grams) sour cream or whole Greek yogurt (i.e., a strained

yogurt)

1 tablespoon (15 ml) white wine vinegar

1/4 cup (60 ml) ice water

1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

Filling

2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil

4 ounces (115 grams or 3/4 to 1 cup) 1/4-inch-diced pancetta

1 large or 2 small onions, finely chopped

1 large carrot, finely chopped

1 large stalk celery, finely chopped

Pinch of red pepper flakes

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced

Thinly sliced Swiss chard leaves from an 8- to 10-ounce (225- to 285-gram)

bundle (4 cups); if leaves are very wide, you can halve them lengthwise

3 1/2 tablespoons (50 grams) butter

3 1/2 tablespoons (25 grams) all- purpose flour

3 1/2 cups (765 ml) sodium- free or low- sodium chicken or vegetable broth

2 cups white beans, cooked and drained, or from one and a third 15.5- ounce

(440-gram) cans

Make lids: In a large, wide bowl (preferably one that you can get your hands into), combine the fl our and salt. Add the butter and, using a pastry blender or your fingertips, cut them up and into the flour mixture until it resembles little pebbles. Keep breaking up the bits of butter until the texture is like uncooked couscous. In a small dish, whisk together the sour cream, vinegar, and water, and combine it with the butter-flour mixture. Using a flexible spatula, stir the wet and the dry together until a craggy dough forms. If needed, get your hands into the bowl to knead it a few times into one big ball. Pat it into a flattish ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and chill it in the fridge for 1 hour or up to 2 days.

Make filling: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium- high heat in a large, wide saucepan, and then add the pancetta. Brown the pancetta, turning it frequently, so that it colors and crisps on all sides; this takes about 10 minutes. Remove it with a slotted spoon, and drain it on paper towels before transferring to a medium bowl. Leave the heat on and the renderings in the pan. Add an additional tablespoon of olive oil if needed and heat it until it is shimmering. Add onions, carrot, celery, red pepper flakes, and a few pinches of salt, and cook over medium heat until the vegetables are softened and begin to take on color, about 7 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic, and cook for 1 minute more. Add the greens and cook until wilted, about 2 to 3 minutes. Season with the additional salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Transfer all of the cooked vegetables to the bowl with the pancetta, and set aside.

Make sauce: Wipe out the large saucepan; don’t worry if any bits remain stuck to the bottom. Then melt the butter in the saucepan over medium- low heat. Add the flour, and stir with a whisk until combined. Continue cooking for 2 minutes, stirring the whole time, until it begins to take on a little color. Whisk in the broth, one ladleful at a time, mixing completely between additions. Once you’ve added one- third of the broth, you can begin to add the rest more quickly, two to three ladlefuls at a time; at this point you can scrape up any bits that were stuck to the bottom — they’ll add great flavor.

Once all of the broth is added, stirring the whole time, bring the mixture to a boil and reduce it to a simmer. Cook the sauce until it is thickened and gravylike, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir the white beans and reserved vegetables into the sauce.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Assemble and cook pot pies: Divide the filling between four ovenproof 2-cup bowls. (You’ll have about 1 1/2 cups filling in each.) Set the bowls on a baking pan. Divide the dough into four pieces, and roll it out into rounds that will cover your bowls with an overhang, or about 1 inch wider in diameter than your bowls. Whisk the egg wash and brush it lightly around the top rim of your bowls (to keep the lid glued on; nobody likes losing their lid!) and drape the pastry over each, pressing gently to adhere it. Brush the lids with egg wash, then cut decorative vents (smaller than mine, please, as they led to lots of draping) in each to help steam escape. Bake until crust is lightly bronzed and filling is bubbling, about 30 to 35 minutes.

*Images and recipes via smittenkitchen.com