So, my holiday weeked trip to Portland left me with the stomach flu, so coming up with ideas for my final blog post for my Comm class has proven difficult. I can barely keep water down, much less ponder the ideas of spanish tapas or duck a l'Orange or sushi. I know that on a food blog, the last thing I should talk about is being nauseous all the time, but it definitely affects my post for the week.
With that being said, I put it out to my blogging community to help me brainstorm some ideas. I know that I will feel better by the end of the week, so cooking won't be a problem by Sunday. What's your favorite meal? What did your mom used to make that always made you feel good? What's something that you've always wanted to try but haven't yet? Anything that inspires a memory or a feeling would be a great suggestion.
Even though this is the last required post for class, I am actually really enjoying the blogging process. It's a great way to keep track of what we've cooked, which recipes we've used and how we've altered them. It also gives the eaters the opportunity to suggest ideas, comment on the meal, and read about the menu ahead of time. I feel like it's one more stepping stone in preparing for my future in the food industry. Blogging reminds me to immerse myself on a daily or weekly basis in recipes, research, and discovery about what I'm passionate about. I had been meaning to keep better track of our process from the beginning, so I'm happy that I was pushed into the environment of blogging with help and support.
So, bloggers and blog readers... What should I cook this week? What sounds good to you?
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Jambalaya Results
So, the jambalaya ended up pretty fantastic. The recipe said 10 servings and we had 12 eaters who were able to go back for seconds and thirds (and they did!), so we ended up with no leftovers. That's a first for Sunday Night Dinner. We usually have extra bread or salad or potatoes, but this dinner we ate EVERYTHING - two loaves of sourdough, a giant bowl of mixed greens with tomatoes and mushrooms, and a dutch oven full of jambalaya.
Ugh. We added the okra. I have never worked with it before and it is probably the most vile vegetable I have ever handled. You cut into it and it's SLIMY. So slimy, that you can't even rinse the knife off. You have to wash and scrub it with a sponge. We only used four and I guess they broke down enough that I didn't notice them in there, but they realy thickened the jambalaya. Whatever the slimy stuff is, it works as a thickening agent.
We ended up altering the recipe a little more than originally planned. We used only andouille sausage and a beautiful bacon from the butcher. We added garlic and bay leaves, smoked paprika, and fresh jalapenos. We also used chicken broth and Mississippi Mud beer instead of the beef broth that the original recipe asked for. About 20 minutes before we pulled it out of the oven, we threw in the shrimp and right before we dished up, mixed in green onions and sprinkled the top with Italian parsley. Yum!
I don't mean to toot my own horn, but toot, toot! Dinner was great.
We ended up foregoing any appetizer. There just weren't enough people here to eat it before dinner was ready. The birthday boy's fiancee brought a chocolate cake for dessert and I had picked up a red velvet cake and so we sang Happy Birthday and he blew out his candles. Surprisingly, everyone ended up eating most of both cakes, as well! We had a hungry crowd last week and that always makes me happy.
I wish the pictures could do it justice, but taking pictures of something sitting in a big, black pot doesn't offer much for presentation. Hopefully, you get the idea.
Ugh. We added the okra. I have never worked with it before and it is probably the most vile vegetable I have ever handled. You cut into it and it's SLIMY. So slimy, that you can't even rinse the knife off. You have to wash and scrub it with a sponge. We only used four and I guess they broke down enough that I didn't notice them in there, but they realy thickened the jambalaya. Whatever the slimy stuff is, it works as a thickening agent.
We ended up altering the recipe a little more than originally planned. We used only andouille sausage and a beautiful bacon from the butcher. We added garlic and bay leaves, smoked paprika, and fresh jalapenos. We also used chicken broth and Mississippi Mud beer instead of the beef broth that the original recipe asked for. About 20 minutes before we pulled it out of the oven, we threw in the shrimp and right before we dished up, mixed in green onions and sprinkled the top with Italian parsley. Yum!
I don't mean to toot my own horn, but toot, toot! Dinner was great.
We ended up foregoing any appetizer. There just weren't enough people here to eat it before dinner was ready. The birthday boy's fiancee brought a chocolate cake for dessert and I had picked up a red velvet cake and so we sang Happy Birthday and he blew out his candles. Surprisingly, everyone ended up eating most of both cakes, as well! We had a hungry crowd last week and that always makes me happy.
I wish the pictures could do it justice, but taking pictures of something sitting in a big, black pot doesn't offer much for presentation. Hopefully, you get the idea.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Nat's Birthday Jambalaya
So, my friend has a birthday coming up this week and we decided to make this Sunday Night Dinner all about him! He has requested jambalaya, so jambalaya it is.
I found a great recipe on epicurious.com by Anna Beth and Vince Chao from the March 2011 Bon Appétit . http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Chicken-and-Sausage-Jambalaya-364172. It includes chicken and sausage but in order to make it my own, I'm going to tweak it to and eliminate the ham and replace it with shrimp at the end, because I've personally never eaten jambalaya without shrimp. We'll also add some garlic, bay leaf, and use smoked paprika and probably fresh jalapeno and maybe a little chipotle sauce. I like the smoky element. We are currently in the okra debate. To add or not to add. I say no (remember, okra scares me), but the boyfriend says yes. I guess, whoever goes to the store will make the final call.
Due to the fact that jambalaya is a meal in its own right, we don't really have to do much beyond the one pot. However, I will buy some sourdough bread (didn't have time to use my sourdough starter this week) and we will make a salad of some sort. Maybe a lightly dressed caesar or something. As for an appetizer, I'm just setting out a cheese, fruit, and cracker plate this week. Trying to keep it simple. Because it's a special occassion, we've got about 16 adults coming, and a couple of kids, so work space will be tight. Plus, another friend is coming that I haven't seen in a couple years, so I'd much rather spend the time catching up with him, than busy in the kitchen the whole time he's here.
Jambalaya is a pretty easy dish to make, but I've never done it before and I'm excited to try it. I love to eat it, so I'm sure it will turn out great.
I found a great recipe on epicurious.com by Anna Beth and Vince Chao from the March 2011 Bon Appétit . http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Chicken-and-Sausage-Jambalaya-364172. It includes chicken and sausage but in order to make it my own, I'm going to tweak it to and eliminate the ham and replace it with shrimp at the end, because I've personally never eaten jambalaya without shrimp. We'll also add some garlic, bay leaf, and use smoked paprika and probably fresh jalapeno and maybe a little chipotle sauce. I like the smoky element. We are currently in the okra debate. To add or not to add. I say no (remember, okra scares me), but the boyfriend says yes. I guess, whoever goes to the store will make the final call.
Due to the fact that jambalaya is a meal in its own right, we don't really have to do much beyond the one pot. However, I will buy some sourdough bread (didn't have time to use my sourdough starter this week) and we will make a salad of some sort. Maybe a lightly dressed caesar or something. As for an appetizer, I'm just setting out a cheese, fruit, and cracker plate this week. Trying to keep it simple. Because it's a special occassion, we've got about 16 adults coming, and a couple of kids, so work space will be tight. Plus, another friend is coming that I haven't seen in a couple years, so I'd much rather spend the time catching up with him, than busy in the kitchen the whole time he's here.
Jambalaya is a pretty easy dish to make, but I've never done it before and I'm excited to try it. I love to eat it, so I'm sure it will turn out great.
How to Make Potato Chips
Making potato chips is pretty easy and quick and you can adjust the seasonings to your own taste or favorite chip. If you want to bake them, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. If you want to fry, then heat 4 cups of canola or vegetable oil to 380 degrees.
For 4 servings, start with 4 russet potatoes. Most recipes recommend that you peel the ski off, but I like to leave it on. Then, slice really thin (1/16" - 1/8") and evenly with a mandoline or other uniform slicer. Take the slices and put them in ice water as you cut because it keeps them from turning brown.
To bake: Pat the slices dry with paper towels and spray rimmed cookie sheets lightly with oilve oil. I haven't tried it, but I would imagine this would be a good time to toss with a little vinegar if you wanted to make salt and vinegar chips. Place the chips in a single layer on the sheets and spray again lightly with olive oil. Bake for about 10-12 minutes or until the chips are golden brown. Pull from the oven and transfer to cooling racks.
To fry: Make sure that the potato slices have as little water on them as possible. After pulling them out of the ice water, I placed them in a single layer on 3 paper towels and then placed 3 more paper towels on top to try to draw out most of the moisture. This keeps the oil from spattering. When the oil has reached 380 degrees, carefully place 12-15 slices in the oil and fry for about 2 minutes, turning once or twice. Make sure the oil returns to 380 before adding the next batch. With a slotted spoon, pull the chips from the oil and let them drain and cool on paper towels.
Once the chips have cooled to room temperature, then you can toss them with whatever seasonings you like. This is where you can get creative. I like mine with a little Johnny's seasoning salt or I'll do sea salt, thyme, garlic powder and paprika. You can make and store them in an airtight container for 2-3 days. Yum!
For 4 servings, start with 4 russet potatoes. Most recipes recommend that you peel the ski off, but I like to leave it on. Then, slice really thin (1/16" - 1/8") and evenly with a mandoline or other uniform slicer. Take the slices and put them in ice water as you cut because it keeps them from turning brown.
To bake: Pat the slices dry with paper towels and spray rimmed cookie sheets lightly with oilve oil. I haven't tried it, but I would imagine this would be a good time to toss with a little vinegar if you wanted to make salt and vinegar chips. Place the chips in a single layer on the sheets and spray again lightly with olive oil. Bake for about 10-12 minutes or until the chips are golden brown. Pull from the oven and transfer to cooling racks.
To fry: Make sure that the potato slices have as little water on them as possible. After pulling them out of the ice water, I placed them in a single layer on 3 paper towels and then placed 3 more paper towels on top to try to draw out most of the moisture. This keeps the oil from spattering. When the oil has reached 380 degrees, carefully place 12-15 slices in the oil and fry for about 2 minutes, turning once or twice. Make sure the oil returns to 380 before adding the next batch. With a slotted spoon, pull the chips from the oil and let them drain and cool on paper towels.
Once the chips have cooled to room temperature, then you can toss them with whatever seasonings you like. This is where you can get creative. I like mine with a little Johnny's seasoning salt or I'll do sea salt, thyme, garlic powder and paprika. You can make and store them in an airtight container for 2-3 days. Yum!
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Results
It was an intense day of cooking. We didn't sit down from early in the morning until it was time to eat, but everything turned out pretty good! I started by soaking the beans on Saturday morning and made the pie crust Saturday night, but we did everything else on Sunday. The morning involved prepping the cole slaw and dressing, making the vanilla ice cream, and cooking the beans. We made the barbecue sauce which included a molasses base, then chipotle peppers, red wine vinegar, and stout. And there's the rub! The rub included chipotle powder, cayenne, brown sugar and garlic salt. Yum!
The afternoon involved boiling the ribs, prepping and slow cooking the collard greens, and frying the potato chips. Ugh! The potato chips! My boyfriend decided he wanted to deep fry them instead of baking, but we made so many that it was a project that took about 3 hours of constant supervision and work. They were delicious though and we made so many that now we have a snack to crunch on! The hamhock for the greens boiled in chicken broth for an hour, then broke down the meat off the bone and slow cooked the greens for another hour with red pepper flakes, onions, the broth and some vinegar. I've always been afraid of colard greens, but these turned out so good. They were everyone's favorite thing we made all night (except dessert).
The cornbread was the last bit to work on and we found a recipe that we stuck really close to. It involved jalapeno, fresh corn kernels off the cob, and creamed corn. It turned out super moist with a great combination of sweet and spice. Finally, we threw the ribs on the grill, and cooked over low heat while we coated with the barbecue sauce over and over. Unfortunately, the ribs did get a little overcooked on the surface because the sauce caramelized a bit too much, but the meat fell off the bone and the flavors were sweet and spicy.
I had made the pie earlier in the afternoon and put it in the oven about 30 minutes before we ate. After about 90 minutes and full bellies from dinner, I pulled the pie and let it rest. The sweet and tart apples were tossed with cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and a little lime juice and I sprinkled the crust with a cinnamon and sugar blend. If I do say so myself, it was really good. The bite from the nutmeg, the sweet from the cinnamon and sugar, and the combination of sweet and tart apples made the flavors layered and rich. The homemade crust turned out light and flaky and the color was perfect.
I've added some pictures of the dinner. I wish it had been easier to get some of the pictures before people started eating, but I think you'll get the gist!
The afternoon involved boiling the ribs, prepping and slow cooking the collard greens, and frying the potato chips. Ugh! The potato chips! My boyfriend decided he wanted to deep fry them instead of baking, but we made so many that it was a project that took about 3 hours of constant supervision and work. They were delicious though and we made so many that now we have a snack to crunch on! The hamhock for the greens boiled in chicken broth for an hour, then broke down the meat off the bone and slow cooked the greens for another hour with red pepper flakes, onions, the broth and some vinegar. I've always been afraid of colard greens, but these turned out so good. They were everyone's favorite thing we made all night (except dessert).
The cornbread was the last bit to work on and we found a recipe that we stuck really close to. It involved jalapeno, fresh corn kernels off the cob, and creamed corn. It turned out super moist with a great combination of sweet and spice. Finally, we threw the ribs on the grill, and cooked over low heat while we coated with the barbecue sauce over and over. Unfortunately, the ribs did get a little overcooked on the surface because the sauce caramelized a bit too much, but the meat fell off the bone and the flavors were sweet and spicy.
I had made the pie earlier in the afternoon and put it in the oven about 30 minutes before we ate. After about 90 minutes and full bellies from dinner, I pulled the pie and let it rest. The sweet and tart apples were tossed with cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and a little lime juice and I sprinkled the crust with a cinnamon and sugar blend. If I do say so myself, it was really good. The bite from the nutmeg, the sweet from the cinnamon and sugar, and the combination of sweet and tart apples made the flavors layered and rich. The homemade crust turned out light and flaky and the color was perfect.
I've added some pictures of the dinner. I wish it had been easier to get some of the pictures before people started eating, but I think you'll get the gist!
Friday, May 13, 2011
Menu has been established!
The invite has gone out via Facebook and we are patiently waiting on replies from 26 people as to who will be joining us for what should be an amazing dinner. After some pondering and recipe scouring, we've decided on the final menu for Sunday. We will start off with an appetizer of grilled chorizo skewers with grilled onions and bell peppers. Then for dinner we have ribs, of course, cole slaw, baked beans, homemade potato chips, collard greens, and corn bread. For dessert, homemade apple pie (crust from scratch) and homemade vanilla ice cream. Mmmm.
The barbecue sauce will be molasses and brown sugar based with some chipotle pepper for kick. The corn bread will have fresh jalapeno and fresh corn right off the cob. Honestly, I'm a little nervous about the potato chips. On the trial run, I sliced part of my thumb off with the mandoline when I was slicing the potatoes. Hopefully, they will come out this time without any finger parts mixed in. We've never made collard greens before either, but I am looking forward to working with ham hock and bacon! When it comes to southern style cooking, there's no such thing as too much pork!
I'm really looking forward to cooking this meal. It's one that we'll start tonight and will work on for the next three days. Because of the menu, my seven year old can help with the prep, too! I can't think of many other ways I'd rather spend my time.
The barbecue sauce will be molasses and brown sugar based with some chipotle pepper for kick. The corn bread will have fresh jalapeno and fresh corn right off the cob. Honestly, I'm a little nervous about the potato chips. On the trial run, I sliced part of my thumb off with the mandoline when I was slicing the potatoes. Hopefully, they will come out this time without any finger parts mixed in. We've never made collard greens before either, but I am looking forward to working with ham hock and bacon! When it comes to southern style cooking, there's no such thing as too much pork!
I'm really looking forward to cooking this meal. It's one that we'll start tonight and will work on for the next three days. Because of the menu, my seven year old can help with the prep, too! I can't think of many other ways I'd rather spend my time.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
So, we are constantly looking for inspiration for what to cook on Sundays. Sometimes it comes from something we see on TV, sometimes someone makes a suggestion for what they would like to have, sometimes we have a special guest, so we make something from their nationality's cuisine. This week, my daughter said she wanted corn bread, so that's our jumping off point. What goes good with corn bread that I haven't made before? RIBS! So, for now, the tentative menu is baby back ribs boiled for 3-4 hours then thrown on the grill, scratch cornbread, this delicious light and crunchy cole slaw (that I have made before, but is so good, it's worth making again), and I'd like to make my own barbecue sauce. I've never done that before and it would be good to know the basics.
We still need to settle on a potato (baked, twice baked, au gratin?) and a veggie. My southern friend (who has nicknamed me fried chicken due to his first Sunday Night Dinner) would love some okra, but I'm scared of it. Not many seem to know how to cook it well and I've never liked it before... Also, we always do an appetizer and/or a dessert and haven't come up with anything for that yet either. Any ideas out there in cyber land?
We still need to settle on a potato (baked, twice baked, au gratin?) and a veggie. My southern friend (who has nicknamed me fried chicken due to his first Sunday Night Dinner) would love some okra, but I'm scared of it. Not many seem to know how to cook it well and I've never liked it before... Also, we always do an appetizer and/or a dessert and haven't come up with anything for that yet either. Any ideas out there in cyber land?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)