I happened to catch an episode of Down Home with the Neelys on Food Network and saw them make a buttermilk baked chicken recipe and a roasted broccoli and feta salad, so I decided to make tonight Southern cooking night and try both recipes.
The broccoli salad was okay -- I prefer Melissa D'Arabian's parmesean roasted broccoli, myself -- but the chicken was delicious. I put it in the buttermilk marinade around 1:00 after Ben and I got home from the grocery store (where his cheeks were repeatedly pinched by gray-haired shoppers). When I baked it off at 6:00, it was tender and flavorful.
I modified the recipe a bit, so I'll include the original recipe with my modifications in parentheses.
Ingredients
2 cups buttermilk
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon hot sauce (I left this out, since I hate tabasco)
1/2 yellow onion, sliced
5 sprigs fresh thyme (I used lemon thyme from my planter on the porch)
3 cloves garlic, smashed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (3 pound) chicken cut into 8 pieces, rinsed and patted dry (I used 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts instead, since I hate having to cut chicken off the bone for Jack)
2 cups crushed corn flakes
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Fit a sheet tray with a wire rack and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
Mix together buttermilk, lemon juice, hot sauce, onion, thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper to a large bowl. Add chicken and coat with mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 3 hours or up 12 hours.
Mix corn flakes, Parmesan cheese, and thyme together. Season with salt and pepper.
Remove chicken from the marinade, letting the excess drip off, and dredge through the corn flake-Parmesan mixture, pressing to help it adhere.
Place on the wire rack-fitted sheet tray and bake for 45 minutes until golden and crisp. (Since I was making boneless chicken breasts, I only cooked them for 35 minutes instead and they were perfect.)
*****
I was able to cook the roasted broccoli salad right on the same cookie sheet as the chicken, so I'll include that recipe too, since it was ridiculously easy and relatively tasty.
Ingredients
2 heads broccoli, cut into florets
2 cups cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 ounces baby arugula (about 3 large handfuls)
4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Add the broccoli florets and cherry tomatoes to a rimmed sheet tray. Drizzle with 1/4 cup olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat completely. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until the broccoli is tender and lightly golden brown.
Toss with arugula and crumbled feta cheese. Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss. Serve immediately.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Smoky Pork and Polenta
Yesterday on Rachael Ray, I saw her make a Smoky Chipotle BBQ Potted Pork that sounded delicious and sounded like something both of my men would like (Ben doesn't get included in this yet). I was not mistaken -- both Jack and Brian gobbled it up. But I do have to say that this is definitely NOT a 30 minute meal -- it took closer to an hour and a half from start to finish. Granted, I had to take a 15 minute break to hold Ben who got tired of being in his exersaucer, but it took a while to chop the pork and the veg, and then I had to cook the stew a bit longer than planned because the pork wasn't cooked all the way through. Well worth the wait.
Here's the recipe:
Ingredients
2 pounds pork tenderloin, cut into bite-sized pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Smoked paprika, for seasoning
Flour, for dredging
4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
2 onions, chopped
2 red bell peppers, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 bottle Mexican-style beer (I used some Moose Drool because it's what we had and I wasn't cooking with Oberon -- I drank the Oberon instead)
15 oz. can fire-roasted tomatoes
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, medium to spicy heat level, seeded and finely chopped, plus 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
A handful fresh cilantro, finely chopped (I used the kind that comes in a tube, just to try it out, and couldn't tell the difference)
Quick-cooking polenta, for serving
Lime wedges, for serving
Directions
Season the pork cubes with salt, pepper, and paprika. Dredge in the flour. Heat a Dutch oven with 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, 3 turns of the pan, over high heat. Brown the pork on all sides. Remove to a plate, reduce the heat, and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the onions, peppers, celery, and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cover and sweat for 8 minutes or so. Uncover and stir for 1 to 2 minutes, and then deglaze the pot with the beer and let the liquid reduce, 1 minute more. Add the tomatoes, chipotle and adobo sauce, thyme, and cilantro and heat through. Add the pork back to the pot and simmer over medium-low heat until ready to serve. (This process took a while because the pork wasn't cooked all the way through, so it had to cook in the liquid. I think this allowed the flavors to meld nicely though.) Prepare quick-cooking polenta (1 minute). Serve with lime wedges.
Here's the recipe:
Ingredients
2 pounds pork tenderloin, cut into bite-sized pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Smoked paprika, for seasoning
Flour, for dredging
4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
2 onions, chopped
2 red bell peppers, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 bottle Mexican-style beer (I used some Moose Drool because it's what we had and I wasn't cooking with Oberon -- I drank the Oberon instead)
15 oz. can fire-roasted tomatoes
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, medium to spicy heat level, seeded and finely chopped, plus 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
A handful fresh cilantro, finely chopped (I used the kind that comes in a tube, just to try it out, and couldn't tell the difference)
Quick-cooking polenta, for serving
Lime wedges, for serving
Directions
Season the pork cubes with salt, pepper, and paprika. Dredge in the flour. Heat a Dutch oven with 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, 3 turns of the pan, over high heat. Brown the pork on all sides. Remove to a plate, reduce the heat, and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the onions, peppers, celery, and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cover and sweat for 8 minutes or so. Uncover and stir for 1 to 2 minutes, and then deglaze the pot with the beer and let the liquid reduce, 1 minute more. Add the tomatoes, chipotle and adobo sauce, thyme, and cilantro and heat through. Add the pork back to the pot and simmer over medium-low heat until ready to serve. (This process took a while because the pork wasn't cooked all the way through, so it had to cook in the liquid. I think this allowed the flavors to meld nicely though.) Prepare quick-cooking polenta (1 minute). Serve with lime wedges.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Another Pretty Salad
Tonight, we went with another pretty chilled salad for dinner, largely because Meijer had red peppers, English cukes, and rotisserie chicken on sale this week, so we're all set for the salad fixings.
Lemon-Orzo Salad with Chicken and Veggies
Adapted from Cooking Light by Our Best Bites
3/4 c uncooked orzo pasta
1/4 tsp grated lemon rind
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbps extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp honey
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 c cooked shredded or diced boneless, skinless chicken
1/2 c diced cucumber
1/2 c diced red bell pepper
1/3 c sliced green onions
1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill, or 1 tsp dried dill
1/2 c crumbled feta cheese
Cook orzo according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water until pasta feels cool to the touch. Drain and place in a large salad bowl.
While orzo cooks, combine lemon rind, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, garlic, honey, and black pepper. Whisk to combine.
Add chicken, cucumber, bell pepper, green onions, and dill to pasta. Drizzle with dressing and toss to combine. Divide onto 4 plates and sprinkle with feta.
I served it on top of a bed of spinach for some extra veggies. The bright flavor of the lemon is perfect for a warm summer evening.
I also would consider making it with quinoa next time instead of orzo to add a little more fiber and protein, rather than empty carbs.
Nutrition Facts per Serving (1 1/4 C)
Calories: 275
Fat: 9.7g
Protein 18.2 g
In addition to making this for ourselves, I made an extra batch (along with some blueberry crisp) for our neighbors who just had a baby. It seems like the kind of salad that would travel well.
Lemon-Orzo Salad with Chicken and Veggies
Adapted from Cooking Light by Our Best Bites
3/4 c uncooked orzo pasta
1/4 tsp grated lemon rind
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbps extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp honey
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 c cooked shredded or diced boneless, skinless chicken
1/2 c diced cucumber
1/2 c diced red bell pepper
1/3 c sliced green onions
1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill, or 1 tsp dried dill
1/2 c crumbled feta cheese
Cook orzo according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water until pasta feels cool to the touch. Drain and place in a large salad bowl.
While orzo cooks, combine lemon rind, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, garlic, honey, and black pepper. Whisk to combine.
Add chicken, cucumber, bell pepper, green onions, and dill to pasta. Drizzle with dressing and toss to combine. Divide onto 4 plates and sprinkle with feta.
I served it on top of a bed of spinach for some extra veggies. The bright flavor of the lemon is perfect for a warm summer evening.
I also would consider making it with quinoa next time instead of orzo to add a little more fiber and protein, rather than empty carbs.
Nutrition Facts per Serving (1 1/4 C)
Calories: 275
Fat: 9.7g
Protein 18.2 g
In addition to making this for ourselves, I made an extra batch (along with some blueberry crisp) for our neighbors who just had a baby. It seems like the kind of salad that would travel well.
Friday, June 10, 2011
The Prettiest Salad Ever
Tonight Jack helped me make dinner. That's how easy it was.
He rinsed the black beans, put all the ingredients in the bowl, squeezed the lime, and whisked the dressing. And then he ate it, which is perhaps the most impressive part, especially if you know that it was a Mango Quinoa Salad that we made.
I found the recipe on a down-to-earth food blog I follow (Our Best Bites) and it was adapted from a recipe Ali Vincent demonstrated this season on The Biggest Loser. So, we know it's ridiculously healthy. Here's how to make it:
Mango Quinoa Salad
2 cups of cooked quinoa, at room temperature or chilled (I used about 3/4 c. dry quinoa and 1 1/2 c. chicken broth to cook it)
1 mango, peeled and chopped
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
4 green onions
1 red pepper, chopped
1/2 c. chopped cilantro
1 lime, juiced
4 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
3 Tbsp. olive oil
salt
pepper
Mix the quinoa through the cilantro in a bowl. Whisk together the lime through pepper for the dressing. (I confess that I used approximations for the measurements as I am wont to do and it turned out delicious.) Pour the dressing over the quinoa and chill for at least an hour.
The result was so pretty that both Jack and I took pictures with our cameras.
He rinsed the black beans, put all the ingredients in the bowl, squeezed the lime, and whisked the dressing. And then he ate it, which is perhaps the most impressive part, especially if you know that it was a Mango Quinoa Salad that we made.
I found the recipe on a down-to-earth food blog I follow (Our Best Bites) and it was adapted from a recipe Ali Vincent demonstrated this season on The Biggest Loser. So, we know it's ridiculously healthy. Here's how to make it:
Mango Quinoa Salad
2 cups of cooked quinoa, at room temperature or chilled (I used about 3/4 c. dry quinoa and 1 1/2 c. chicken broth to cook it)
1 mango, peeled and chopped
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
4 green onions
1 red pepper, chopped
1/2 c. chopped cilantro
1 lime, juiced
4 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
3 Tbsp. olive oil
salt
pepper
Mix the quinoa through the cilantro in a bowl. Whisk together the lime through pepper for the dressing. (I confess that I used approximations for the measurements as I am wont to do and it turned out delicious.) Pour the dressing over the quinoa and chill for at least an hour.
The result was so pretty that both Jack and I took pictures with our cameras.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Grandma's Chocolate Cake: A Birthday Tradition
I'm a baking snob. I'll admit it. I think box cakes are cheating and I brag that I can spot a box cake a mile away. I think in part my need to bake from scratch has to do with love: I know how good a homemade cake tastes, so why would I make something that is not as good for my family, especially for special occasions, like birthdays. It's an act of service to those I love to make something from scratch, a way of demonstrating my affection.
But my snobbery has another legitimate source: my grandma. I learned from the best, and that genius with pastries and batter would never have considered making a box cake. And after eating her homemade concoctions, neither would anyone else.
My grandma makes the best chocolate cake EVER. Even the Barefoot Contessa's famous chocolate cake is essentially my grandma's recipe with a little bit of coffee stirred into the boiling water at the end for good measure. While I confess to liking the coffee addition, my little family has no need for added caffeine, so we stick to Grandma's version. Brian always requests it with chocolate frosting; my mom always liked it with peppermint candies crushed on top, too; Jack prefers his with sprinkles.
Grandma's Chocolate Cake
2 c. sugar
3/4 c. cocoa powder (we've tried the extra dark kind, but regular is better)
1/2 c. shortening (I like Butter Crisco in the stick form)
2 eggs
3/4 c. buttermilk (or in a pinch, make sour milk by adding 1 Tbsp. lemon juice to regular milk)
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. boiling water
I recommend a stand-mixer for this, since there is a lot of beating. I'm usually pretty resistant to using the stand-mixer because I'm a traditionalist, but it does make it so much easier.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease two round cake pans or fill 2 muffin tins with paper cups.
Cream together the sugar, cocoa and shortening. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add buttermilk with soda stirred in; beat well, scraping the sides of the bowl. Add dry ingredients and vanilla; beat for 2 minutes while boiling the water in the microwave. Add boiling water and slowly mix in to avoid spattering.
Pour prepared batter into the two cake pans or into the muffin tins. Bake for 35 minutes for layer cakes or 20 minutes for cupcakes.
Once cooled, frost with Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting
Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting
6 oz. chocolate chips (I prefer Ghiradelli bittersweet chips over the semi-sweet variety for a richer flavor)
1/4 c. butter
1/2 c. sour cream
2 1/2 c. sifted powdered sugar (I frequently skip the sifting in favor of mixing it all together by hand -- remember, I'm a traditionalist -- in the double boiler, so I only put in 2 1/4-ish c. of powdered sugar)
Melt the chips and butter in a double boiler over medium heat, stirring frequently until completely melted. Cool 5-10 minutes. Stir in the sour cream until blended. Stir in the powdered sugar 1/2 c. at a time. (As I said, I usually just stir it all in by hand with a spoon until it gets a smooth sheen to it and there are no chunks of sugar left, but it would probably be easier to put it all in a separate bowl and use a hand-mixer. On the other hand, you'd dirty more dishes, which is why I always do it by hand.)
Frost cake and store in refrigerator.
Jack demonstrates the delicious messiness of taste-testing a chocolate cake.
But my snobbery has another legitimate source: my grandma. I learned from the best, and that genius with pastries and batter would never have considered making a box cake. And after eating her homemade concoctions, neither would anyone else.
My grandma makes the best chocolate cake EVER. Even the Barefoot Contessa's famous chocolate cake is essentially my grandma's recipe with a little bit of coffee stirred into the boiling water at the end for good measure. While I confess to liking the coffee addition, my little family has no need for added caffeine, so we stick to Grandma's version. Brian always requests it with chocolate frosting; my mom always liked it with peppermint candies crushed on top, too; Jack prefers his with sprinkles.
Grandma's Chocolate Cake
2 c. sugar
3/4 c. cocoa powder (we've tried the extra dark kind, but regular is better)
1/2 c. shortening (I like Butter Crisco in the stick form)
2 eggs
3/4 c. buttermilk (or in a pinch, make sour milk by adding 1 Tbsp. lemon juice to regular milk)
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. boiling water
I recommend a stand-mixer for this, since there is a lot of beating. I'm usually pretty resistant to using the stand-mixer because I'm a traditionalist, but it does make it so much easier.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease two round cake pans or fill 2 muffin tins with paper cups.
Cream together the sugar, cocoa and shortening. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add buttermilk with soda stirred in; beat well, scraping the sides of the bowl. Add dry ingredients and vanilla; beat for 2 minutes while boiling the water in the microwave. Add boiling water and slowly mix in to avoid spattering.
Pour prepared batter into the two cake pans or into the muffin tins. Bake for 35 minutes for layer cakes or 20 minutes for cupcakes.
Once cooled, frost with Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting
Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting
6 oz. chocolate chips (I prefer Ghiradelli bittersweet chips over the semi-sweet variety for a richer flavor)
1/4 c. butter
1/2 c. sour cream
2 1/2 c. sifted powdered sugar (I frequently skip the sifting in favor of mixing it all together by hand -- remember, I'm a traditionalist -- in the double boiler, so I only put in 2 1/4-ish c. of powdered sugar)
Melt the chips and butter in a double boiler over medium heat, stirring frequently until completely melted. Cool 5-10 minutes. Stir in the sour cream until blended. Stir in the powdered sugar 1/2 c. at a time. (As I said, I usually just stir it all in by hand with a spoon until it gets a smooth sheen to it and there are no chunks of sugar left, but it would probably be easier to put it all in a separate bowl and use a hand-mixer. On the other hand, you'd dirty more dishes, which is why I always do it by hand.)
Frost cake and store in refrigerator.
Jack demonstrates the delicious messiness of taste-testing a chocolate cake.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Salad-on-a-Stick
If you ask Jack if he wants a salad, his response may vary from, "Um, yeah, okay..." to a firm "no". But if you ask him if he wants salad on a stick, his little eyes light up and he answers with a resounding "Yes!".
I saw the concept on a Rachael Ray episode about kid-friendly foods and decided to replicate it for Jack's birthday party.
Salad-On-A-Stick
Bamboo Skewers
Cherry or grape tomatoes
Cucumber, peeled and sliced 1/2 inch thick
Orange and yellow peppers, in 1 inch pieces
Salami, cut in 1-inch rounds
Marinated mozzarella balls
Dressing for dipping (we used Ranch and Italian)
I saw the concept on a Rachael Ray episode about kid-friendly foods and decided to replicate it for Jack's birthday party.
Salad-On-A-Stick
Bamboo Skewers
Cherry or grape tomatoes
Cucumber, peeled and sliced 1/2 inch thick
Orange and yellow peppers, in 1 inch pieces
Salami, cut in 1-inch rounds
Marinated mozzarella balls
Dressing for dipping (we used Ranch and Italian)
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Jack's Pink-and-Purple Birthday Cupcakes
Jack presented me with quite the dilemma this year: he asked for a pink cake with purple frosting. At first I thought he was joking, but he continued to ask for it, so I decided that I'd have to deliver. First of all, I love that he doesn't have any gender stereotypes about colors -- he thinks that the two new houses being built in our neighborhood should be pink and purple, too. I love this kid.
I asked him what flavor of "pink" he wanted and he said strawberry, so I set out to find a good strawberry cake recipe. It wasn't easy. Most strawberry cakes involve a box or a boxed white cake with strawberry jello mixed in. I know I'm a total food snob when I say this, but box cakes are not acceptable in our house, especially not for a birthday. Finally, a former yearbook student of mine, now a mom of a toddler herself, helped me track down a "from scratch" recipe that didn't involve big chunks of strawberries (another undesirable, in my opinion) and was actually a modified version of a Martha Stewart recipe. I trust Martha to make good cake, so I followed the recipe for Strawberries and Cream Cupcakes.
But there was still the issue of the purple frosting. I thought I'd have to break down and use food coloring, which I prefer not to do, but even that became an issue because a friend of mine told me that Wilton's purple cake dye tastes really bitter. So, I decided to try using blackberry jam as a colorant. I made my usual cream cheese frosting recipe and added about a 1/4 cup of blackberry jam. Voila! Purple frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
1 stick of butter, softened
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 1/4 c. powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
(and 1/4 c. blackberry jam, to make purple blackberry frosting)
I followed the suggestion from the cupcake recipe of using a ziploc bag to pipe the frosting on, and I was amazed by how nice the cupcakes looked -- my cupcakes normally look like they've been assembled by clumsy-handed yeti, so this was a huge improvement. I can't wait for Jack to see his birthday cupcakes tonight.
I asked him what flavor of "pink" he wanted and he said strawberry, so I set out to find a good strawberry cake recipe. It wasn't easy. Most strawberry cakes involve a box or a boxed white cake with strawberry jello mixed in. I know I'm a total food snob when I say this, but box cakes are not acceptable in our house, especially not for a birthday. Finally, a former yearbook student of mine, now a mom of a toddler herself, helped me track down a "from scratch" recipe that didn't involve big chunks of strawberries (another undesirable, in my opinion) and was actually a modified version of a Martha Stewart recipe. I trust Martha to make good cake, so I followed the recipe for Strawberries and Cream Cupcakes.
But there was still the issue of the purple frosting. I thought I'd have to break down and use food coloring, which I prefer not to do, but even that became an issue because a friend of mine told me that Wilton's purple cake dye tastes really bitter. So, I decided to try using blackberry jam as a colorant. I made my usual cream cheese frosting recipe and added about a 1/4 cup of blackberry jam. Voila! Purple frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
1 stick of butter, softened
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 1/4 c. powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
(and 1/4 c. blackberry jam, to make purple blackberry frosting)
I followed the suggestion from the cupcake recipe of using a ziploc bag to pipe the frosting on, and I was amazed by how nice the cupcakes looked -- my cupcakes normally look like they've been assembled by clumsy-handed yeti, so this was a huge improvement. I can't wait for Jack to see his birthday cupcakes tonight.
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