Chantilly Cream

Chantilly cream by any stretch of the imagination is just fancy whipped cream with vanilla added to it. But it's fancy because you whipped it yourself and it's not from a can (or a tub, for the love).


Oh and it's flecked and flavored with beautiful vanilla seeds

Chantilly Cream

• 1½ vanilla beans
• 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Split and scrape the vanilla beans. Drop the seeds into a chilled glass bowl with the cream and sugar. Whip the cream with an electric hand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Start low and gradually increase the speed to high as the cream thickens (to avoid splatter painting your kitchen with heavy cream). Beat for about 2 minutes or until stiff peaks form. Do not overbeat.

Profiteroles

Profiteroles, cream puffs. 

Whatever, whatever. 

Pastries stuffed with cream, who cares what they're called?

Makes enough for 24 profiteroles or cream puffs

2 large eggs plus 1 large egg white

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 10 pieces

2 tablespoons whole milk

6 tablespoons water

1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour, sifted

Beat the eggs and egg white in a measuring cup or small bowl; you should have 1/2 cup (discard the excess). Set aside.

Bring the butter, milk, water, sugar, and salt to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. When the mixture reaches a full boil (the butter should be fully melted), immediately remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the flour until combined and the mixture clears the sides of the pan. Return the saucepan to low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is slightly shiny and looks like wet sand, about 3 minutes.

Immediately transfer the mixture to a food processor and process with the feed tube open for 10 seconds to cool slightly. With the machine running, gradually add the eggs. When all the eggs have been added, scrape down the sides of the bowl, then process for 30 seconds until a smooth, thick, sticky paste forms. Transfer the paste to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2 inch plain tip.

(If not using immediately, transfer the paste to a medium bowl, press a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface, and store at room temperature for up to 2 hours.)

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 425 degrees. Spray a large (18 by 12-inch) baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and line with parchment paper; set the pan aside.

Twist the top of the bag and pipe the paste into 1 1/4- to 1 1/2-inch mounds on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 1 to 1 1/4 inches apart. Use the back of a teaspoon dipped in a bowl of cold water to even out the shape and smooth the surface of the piped mounds.

Bake 15 minutes (do not open the oven door), then reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees and continue to bake until golden brown and fairly firm (the puffs and éclairs should not be soft and squishy), 8 to 10 minutes longer. 

Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Cut a 3/4-inch slit into the side of each puff and return to the oven, turn off the oven, and prop the oven door open with the handle of a wooden spoon. Dry the puffs oven until the centers are just moist (not wet) and the puffs are crisp, about 45 minutes.

Transfer the puffs to a wire rack to cool completely. 

I fill these with a stiffly whipped Chantilly Cream and top with powdered sugar and then eat them all before my husband gets home, but if you want to fill them with pastry cream or top with chocolate ganache, go to browneyedbaker, where this pate a choux pastry dough recipe was adapted from.

(The cooled puffs can be stored at room temperature for up to 24 hours or frozen in a zipper-lock plastic bag for up to 1 month. Before serving, crisp room-temperature puffs in a 300-degree oven 5 to 8 minutes; crisp frozen puffs/éclairs 8 to 10 minutes.)

Rules: Substituting dried herbs/spices for fresh

While I always recommend following the ingredients the recipe calls for as closely as possible, sometimes, it's just not. Here's a quick rule of thumb when you need to substitute what you've got, for what the recipe calls for: the 3:1 ratio.

3 parts fresh : 1 part dried

Dried herbs and spices have much stronger, more concentrated flavors than fresh; you'll need a lot less dried herbs in a recipe that calls for fresh herbs- a lot more fresh herbs in a recipe that calls for dried herbs.


for example:

• your recipe calls for 3 tsp of fresh ginger, but all you have is dried

--> 3 tsp fresh ginger : 1 tsp dried ginger

• your recipe calls for 1 T of dried basil leaves; but you bought fresh basil today

--> 3 T fresh basil (chopped finely) : 1 T dried basil leaves

Happy Cooking!

Mexican Cafe Sopapillas

Sopapillas.

Mexican Beignets.

Donut Triangles.

Perfection.

These little pillows from heaven are a favorite dessert at my local Mexican Cafe. Served warm, they are the perfect deep-fried bite to end a meal.

Here is the easiest recipe I've ever seen for them. They're great to share! 

Or not.

Sopapillas

2 C all purpose flour

2 T shortening

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 C water

Oil for frying

Cinnamon Sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

Mix the flour, shortening, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Make a well in the mixture and slowly add the water a little at a time until the dough comes together. It should not be too sticky. 

Cover the dough and let it stand for 20 minutes.

Roll the dough out to 1/8"-1/4" on a floured surface. Cut into squares/diamonds/triangles.

Bring your frying oil to 375 degrees F. 

Fry your sopapillas 4-5 at a time, until golden on both sides (abt 2 minutes a side)

Drain excess oil on paper towels and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture.

Unabashedly stuff your face.

Cinnamon sugar. honey. why not?

honey drizzle/rolled in cinnamon sugar

oh my gatos

Salted Chocolate & Caramel Shortbread Bites

chocolate. salted caramel. shortbread.

stop it.

Shortbread:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temp

1/4 cup sugar

pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 325. Line 8"x 8" baking dish with parchment paper

In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt, whisk to blend.

Cream butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy (1-2 minutes)

On low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients, mix until just combined

Press the dough into the baking dish as evenly as possible, creating the first and bottom layer of the bite

Bake 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Set on a wire cooling rack and allow to cool completely.

Caramel

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp. light corn syrup

1 can sweetened condensed milk

When the shortbread is completely cooled, combine the butter, sugar, corn syrup and condensed milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until butter is melted, increase the heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, stirring constantly. Continue to stir while simmering until the mixture turns an amber-caramel color and thickens slightly. Remove from heat and pour over the shortbread, making sure the layer is smooth. Cool until the caramel is set, I popped it into the fridge to set up for about an hour.

Chocolate

4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 tsp light corn syrup

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

fluer de sel or sea salt, for sprinkling

Once the caramel is set, combine the chocolate, butter and corn syrup in a heatproof glass bowl and set over simmering water (double boiler). When the chips start to look shiny, remove the bowl from the heat and whisk the mixture quickly until all of the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Pour the chocolate over the caramel layer and make the layer smooth. After a minute or two of cooling, sprinkle the top with the fleur de sel. Chill at least one hour, cut up and serve when set.

Homemade Tzatziki

tzatziki.

oh.em.geez.

this cool and creamy sauce is one of my favorites of all time. I could probably eat it plain.  It's great with pita bread. It's great with lamb. 

those Greeks knew what they were doing.

here's a quick and easy recipe for my take on tzatziki...

Tzatziki Sauce

17.6 oz. tub of at least 2% milkfat greek plain yogurt

1 tsp. grated lemon zest

1/2 T extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced (or more if your like your sauce garlicky like moi)

1 tsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 cucumber, seeded and chopped

2 T fresh dill

salt to taste

Place the chopped and seeded cucumber in a food processor and puree.

Strain as much of the water from the cucumber puree, pressing the pulp into the mesh with the back of a spatula.

Wrap the cucumber pulp in cheese cloth and squeeze out any remaining water. 

You really want the cucumber pulp as dry as possible, otherwise it doesn't blend well with the yogurt and makes the sauce watery.

Open the yogurt tub and drain any water from it that has risen to the top.

Then it's pretty simple....

top the yogurt with the remaining ingredients and combine

I didn't have fresh dill, so I used dried... meh.

season with salt to taste

and there you have it, you're own tub of homemade tzatziki sauce, ready for your dipping pleasure!

enjoy!

How To: Shuck an oyster

OYSTER SEASON HAS ARRIVED!

If you don't like raw oysters then you're insane and not my friend this post is not for you...

Oyster season takes place during all the months with an "R", however last year I was baking

this beautiful little bun

in my oven during a majority of that season, so it's been almost a whole year since I've been able to safely enjoy one of these little beauties of the sea.

So in celebration of the season, I thought I'd post with an easy How To: Shuck an oyster

for those of you who are curious, these are Choptank Bay Sweets

Using an oyster knife or another dull knife (or a flathead screwdriver like me), find the back of the oyster, called the hinge

insert your knife into the hinge, breaking the suction seal (this will take a lot of elbow grease, and unless you're like me and don't mind bloody knuckles I recommend wearing a glove of some kind)

 once you've popped it open, run your knife under the oyster to detach it from the shell

a squeeze of lemon, a little mignonette, some cocktail sauce, or as is- slurp and enjoy! 

Happy Oyster Season!

Chipotle Aioli

Aioli is essentially a fancy garlicky mayonnaise used as a dipping sauce for many fried foods. Here is a favorite of mine:

1/2 C mayonnaise
1 canned chipotle chile in adobo
1 clove garlic
1/2 lemon, juiced
pinch of salt

Combine all ingredients in a food processor for about 1 minute. Let sit in the fridge to allow flavors to marry. Serve as a dipping sauce for any fried seafood or fried potato wedges.

Fried Calamari

A crowd-pleasing appetizer, calamari is simple to make and easy to enjoy with any dipping sauce of your choice. 

1 lb whole squid tubes, cleaned and cut into 1 in. rounds

1 C whole fat buttermilk

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Canola Oil for frying

1 C all purpose flour

2 tsp paprika

Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

Lemon Wedges

toothpicks *these help to maintain the round "O" shape of the calamari, allowing the flour breading to coat evenly*

Mix the egg and the buttermilk with a pinch of salt and marinate the squid rounds for at least 15 minutes (up to 30 min). 

Meanwhile, combine the flour, paprika and 2 T of salt and 1 T of pepper in a shallow baking dish

When the squid is done marinating,  pierce them crosswise with a toothpick to keep the round in an "O" shape. This will ensure that they get evenly floured inside the ring so that they fry evenly and do not collapse when you through them in the oil.

Heat the oil over medium heat, testing the oil for temperature by throwing a few pinches of flour in it (the flour should fry and bubble, but not turn brown for about a minute or so).

Dredge the squid through the flour, ensuring to coat each piece inside and out. Let rest, then repeat (my secret to crispy fried anything)

When the oil is at the right temperature, fry the squid in two batches. Sprinkle with a little more kosher salt when you take them out of the fry oil. Serve with marinara, my favorite Chipotle Aioli or your dipping sauce of choice.

China Bistro Mongolian Beef

I drag Scott to P.F. Chang's just so I can get my fix of this little number right here. I'm so happy to have finally found a recipe comparable enough that I can confidently make it as a substitute. It's so simple and pretty much all of the ingredients can be found in your kitchen! Enjoy!

Mongolian Beef

1 lb flank steak, thinly sliced against the grain- on bias

1/4 C cornstarch

3 tsp canola oil

1/2 tsp grated ginger

1 T minced garlic (3 large cloves)

 1/2 C water
1/2 C soy sauce ( I would use low sodium because the sauce reduces pretty significantly)
1/2 C brown sugar
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
3 large green onions, chopped into thirds

Pat the slices of steak dry, then dredge them in the cornstarch in a shallow dish. Coat thoroughly then shake off excess cornstarch by placing the steak in a fine mesh sieve. You don't want a heavy coating of cornstarch or your meat won't crisp up nicely (the coating will fall off  and into your sauce, yuck).

Heat half of the oil in your wok or large pan over med- high heat. Add the garlic and ginger and let them cook and become fragrant for about 30 seconds. Add the soy sauce, water, sugar, and red pepper flakes. Cook the sauce for about 2 minutes and then transfer it to a bowl so that you can cook the meat.

Add the rest of the oil to your pan and brown the meat. Pour the sauce back into the pan and allow it to cook down to a thick syrup. Once you've reached the consistency you like, add in the green onions and cook another 30 seconds, keeping the onions green and slightly crisp.  Serve hot, with your favorite kind of rice (you could even try my mom's fried rice) and, as always, enjoy!

Tomato & White Wine Mussels

grab your straws because this broth is where it's at

4 T butter

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 shallot, chopped

1 can petite diced tomatoes, drained

1/4 c white wine

1/2 cup chicken stock

1 lb mussels

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

In a large saucepan, melt the butter

Add the garlic and shallots  and sautee over medium heat (3 minutes)

Add the white wine, and reduce by 1/2 (4 minutes)

Add the stock and reduce by 1/4 ( about 3 more minutes)

Add the mussels, tomatoes and red pepper flakes; cover and cook about five minutes until all are opened

Discard any unopened mussels and serve immediately with french bread....

and straws. don't forget the straws....

How To: Chiffonade

Chiffonade (shif-oh-NOD): a thin, shred-like cut used for leafy herbs and greens. The leaves are stacked, rolled into a cylinder and thinly sliced.

Basil...

... a leafy herb

...stacked...

...rolled...

How To: dice an onion

Because we'd all like to handle these as little as possible... you're making my mascara run...

Quarter your onion 

Now, make half-inch cuts TO the back but not THROUGH the back of the quarter

Here's the view from the bottom (?) of the quarter.. half-inch sections... go all the way across

Garlic- Rosemary Lamb Chops

These lamb chops are one of my favorite dinners to cook. 

Delicious lamb lollipops... mmm.

It's a great dinner to make when you're aiming to impress because the chop has a lot of flare and plates up beautifully.

This recipe, you will find, is super simple and full of flavor...

Garlic- Rosemary Lamb Chops

1/2 lb. Frenched Lamb Chops ( about 6 chops)

1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed

2 sprigs of fresh rosemary

2 tsp kosher salt

Fresh ground pepper

3 T olive oil

Preheat your oven to broil

About a half hour before you start cooking, season your lamb liberally with salt and pepper and pop em back in the fridge. (You should always season meat at least a half hour before cooking, any less and the seasonings (salt) will work against you by drawing all of the moisture out of your meat, leaving it dry and flavorless. A half hour allows for the water to be drawn back into the meat, bringing that seasoning back in with it!)

About 15 minutes before you start cooking, pull out those chops to let them temper... you don't want to shock your cold meat by putting it directly on to the hot pan

Heat 2 T of your olive oil in a large sautee pan over med-high heat

Rub the chops down on either side with your smashed garlic

Rub the chops with the remaining olive oil

Sear the chops, about 2 minutes on the first side (until a nice brown crust is formed)

Turn the chops and sear another minute on the other side 

Sprinkle the chops with rosemary and then pop them directly into the oven RIGHT under the broiler

Broil about 3-4 minutes for a beautiful medium-rare chop

Grab a pot holder and pull the pan out carefully

Remove the chops from the pan and allow to rest about 2 minutes before plating

And there you have it!

I served mine with an orzo and green pea sautee.... I think next time I'll whip up some creamy tzatziki to dip them in... mmmm.... enjoy!

Peanut Butter Cookie Sandwiches

So, these cookies are unreal. And so simple. Since we have been married, I think this is the first time Scott and I have been happy to polish off a full batch of anything I've baked.

And I usually bake things with a party-sized yeild.

Our Best Bites Peanut Butter Cookie Sandwiches

Cookies:
1 C butter flavored crisco
1 C cream peanut butter
1 C sugar (plus extra for rolling)
1 C brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
3 C flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

filling
1 C creamy peanut butter
1/2 C butter, softened
4 C powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla
a few T of milk for consistency

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Cream shortening, peanut butter, and sugars together until fluffy (abt 1-2 min)
Add vanilla and eggs (one at a time)
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt
Add to peanut butter mix, the dough will be very soft!

Roll dough (or use a cookie dough scoop) into 1/2 inch balls. Roll in sugar.
Place on ungreased cookie sheet, and press with a fork in a criss-cross pattern

Bake for 6-8 minutes, don't overcook!
Remove and let cool

Meanwhile, make the filling by creaming together all filling ingredients until smooth. Add milk if necessary. When cookies are cool, pipe filling and make a cookie sandwich!

Bite Club: Rules to Cook By

 Here is a running list of hints/tips/tricks/rules that I use in my kitchen

1. Butter is ALWAYS better
2. Always salt your pasta water generously, it helps add flavor to your pasta
3. MOST fish and steak have such an amazing flavor as they are, all they need is a little salt and pepper
4. When in doubt, use a pot holder.
5. Microwaves are only good for two things: baking potatoes and melting chocolate- I pop my popcorn in an air popper and then refer to rule number one.

That's all I can think of now, but it's only 1:30... I'll have more by dinner time.

Pan Roasted Salmon with Orzo Pasta Sautee

Salmon is so elegant. The color and the flavor are so rich, and the texture so delicate, I can understand why some people find the task of cooking it a little intimidating.  But lemme tell ya, to cook a delicious salmon filet

IT'S SO SIMPLE!

Let me preface this recipe, however, by saying that I am not a crazy fish marinader, topper, or whatever kind of fish maker you can think of. Salmon has such great flavor on its own, and can be used in other recipes as leftovers that I dont like to mess with it. If it ain't broke don't fix it, so please trust me when I say, all you ever need for most fish is some salt and pepper! ( This also goes for all good cuts of steak)

Ingredients

• 2, 6-8oz salmon filets (Scott insists on wild caught Sockeye Salmon, I agree)
• 1 C orzo pasta, cooked
• 1/2 C green peas
• 1/4 C julienned sundried tomatoes
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 small shallot minced
• 2 T fresh dill, plus some for garnish
• 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
• 3 T butter
• 3 T olive oil

Directions

• Set out fish filets about 10 minutes before cooking to allow them to temper
• Season liberally with salt and pepper

• In another sautee pan, heat butter and oil over medium heat
• add shallots and garlic, sautee until translucent but don't let the garlic burn
• add tomatoes, peas and cooked orzo; reduce heat and toss
• sprinkle with parmesan and dill

• Sear salmon skin side down for 2-3 minutes (less time if you like it more rare inside)
• Flip and finish the fish for another 1-2 minutes
• Serve with orzo sautee and top with more fresh dill

Coffehouse Blueberry Muffins with Streusel Topping

If your mornings are anything like mine, sometimes I wish my kitchen were a coffeehouse and I could just pick out a muffin from behind the glass and return to the havoc. Muffins are a great one-handed breakfast. Easy to scarf down while you're feeding the baby, brushing your teeth, and pulling your pants on all at the same time. Here's a delicious recipe for that coffeehouse style muffin, you'll find that the lemon zest really sets off the flavors!

Ingredients

Streusel:

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons butter, chilled in freezer 5 min then grated with microplane
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel

Muffins:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 large eggs
• 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
• 1 cup fresh blueberries

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.

To make the topping, in a medium bowl, mix together the topping ingredients until crumbly. Set aside.


In a bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the melted butter. Add the buttermilk and lemon zest and whisk to combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir just to combine. (Batter will still be somewhat lumpy; do not overmix.) Gently fold in the blueberries so the berries do not break open and pour into the prepared muffin tin.
Crumble the streusel topping over the muffins and bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes.


Let cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then remove and cool on wire racks.

Easy Pancakes

Who doesn't love pancakes for breakfast? But who also doesn't love slaving in the kitchen first thing in the morning? Am I right or am I right?

Enough questions, here's a recipe for super simple and delicious pancakes.
My advice: skip the heavy maple syrup and opt for a generous dusting of powdered sugar and a couple dabs of butter, there's something light and satisfying about it...

Ingredients

• 1.5 C all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 T sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 4 T unsalted butter, melted

Directions

• Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a bowl
• Mix the milk and eggs in a large pitcher (this makes it easy to pour portions onto the griddle)
• Slowly whisk in melted butter
• Quickly mix in flour mixture, leaving lots of lumps (these create an extra fluffy, airy pancake)

• Heat skillet or griddle pan on medium hot heat *

* My trick for having a perfectly tempered pan: drip a few drops of water over the pan- they should "dance" around before evaporating. If the water doesn't sizzle- it's not hot enough, if the water sizzles aggressively and evaporates almost immediately it's too hot!

not ready to flip

ready to flip... see those bubbles?

mmmm perfect

• Pour a tester pancake, flip pancake when bubbles start to form in the batter and the bottom is golden brown, about 1-2 min.
• Cook pancakes in batches, remembering to temper the pan between each batch for perfectly cooked pancakes!

Yellow Squash and Orzo Pasta Sautee

Here is a quick and simple side dish to accompany any seafood or chicken entree. It's also a healthier alternative to mashed potatoes and baked potatoes and french fries and potato gratin and...

Ingredients

• 1 C orzo pasta, cooked
• 1 medium yellow squash, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
• 1/4 C parmesan cheese
• 3 T light olive oil
• 3 T fresh dill

Directions

• Heat olive oil over medium heat
• Sautee squash rounds, until tender and sides are golden brown
• Quarter each round for bite-sized pieces
• Toss squash, pasta, parmesan and dill
• Garnish with a litle dill on top

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

i. love. butternut squash.

This creamy, soul-warming soup is great on cold winter nights (which I daydream about during these Maryland summer days where the heat is classified as "oppresive". seriously?)

Ingredients

• 2 medium butternut squash
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1 T grated fresh ginger
• 3 T unsalted butter
• 3 C chicken broth
• heavy cream

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350
• Peel and dice squash, spread evenly in one layer on a cookie sheet
• Roast squash for about 45 minutes or until fork tender
• Meanwhile,  heat butter over medium heat and sautee onion and ginger until onions are translucent (about 5 min)
• Add broth to pan and Simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes
• In a food processor, puree broth and onion mixture with roasted squash
• Stir in cream to desired consistency and add salt and pepper to taste

I like to reserve, clean and lightly salt and toast the squash seeds as a garnish. Another great garnish is a dallop of sour cream and some minced chives.

Scott's Slow Cooker Deer Roast

So, before I met Scott, I was definitely too cool for a slow cooker. It seemed too easy.... until he brought home a deer roast and said, "Here's dinner!".

Deer or venison meat is extremely lean, and can taste pretty game-y if you don't cook it right. Having only ever handled the most tender steak cuts, the deer meat scared me. So he proceeded to teach me something new... slow cooking!

Deer roasts are not unlike chuck roasts, brisket or round roast. Tough but flavorful. So braising was the way to go.

This meal is great for the busy family because you just throw all of the ingredients in the slow cooker in the morning and let it do its magic until dinner time...

Ingredients

• 2-3 lbs deer roast (or any chuck roast, brisket or round roast if your not feeling so adventurous)
• 2 cans of Golden Mushroom condensed soup
• 2 T all purpose flour
• 32 oz. beef broth
• 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
• 1 large carrot, roughly chopped
• 2 stalks of celery, roughly chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, smashed
• 2 T butter
• 3 T light olive oil
• 1 T whole black peppercorns
• 2 bay leaves

Directions

• Set slow cooker to low setting (8 hour cook time)
• Add golden mushroom soup and broth to slow cooker, whisk to mix
• Add peppercorns and bay leaves to slow cooker

• Heat the butter and oil over medium-high heat.
• Season meat liberally with salt and pepper (this is your chance to add a lot of flavor!)
• Dust meat lightly with flour
• Brown meat on all sides; once you place meat in pan DON'T TOUCH IT! Let the meat form a beautiful brown crust on each side before turning it, this process helps to seal in all the juices!
• Place meat in slow cooker, liquid should cover a majority of the meat

• Turn down heat to medium; sautee carrots and celery 2 minutes- scraping up the brown bits leftover from the meat (these bits are packed with flavor)
• Add onions and garlic, and sautee 2 more minutes
• When carrots, onion, celery and garlic are all tender and lightly browned, remove from pan and add to the slow cooker.

The slow cooker will work its magic over the next 8 hours... you can turn the meat once or twice if you are around to do so. Once the 8 hours are up, remove the meat and "pull" it apart using two forks.

From here on out, the meal is your own to be creative with. I like to boil up some wide noodle pasta and make a light sauce with the braising liquid. I heat about 2 cups of the braising liquid over medium heat and add about 3 T of tomato paste. I cook this sauce for about 7 minutes, it thickens up pretty nicely, and then toss it with the meat and the cooked pasta.

Enjoy!

Dad's Homemade Meatballs

This dish is definitely a staple at the Foulger home. It always turns out great. It's a great meal if you need to feed a hungry husband and you don't feel like spending a lot of time or effort, because who does?

I like to serve them with papardelle pasta, or any wide noodle pasta. The prepared meatballs can be frozen for up to two weeks making them a great make-ahead and left-over meal!

Ingredients

• 2 slices of stale white bread, crumbled (panko crumbs also work great!)
• 1/2 # ground prok
• 1/2 # ground beef
• 1/2 # ground veal
• 1/2 cup shaved parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/2 medium onion, grated
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 C cooking oil ( I like canola)

Directions

• Combine all ingredients & form into 2 " meatballs
• Refrigerate 2 hours (or overnight)
• Heat oil in a deep frying pan over medium-high heat
• Fry meatballs in batches for 40 seconds at a time (you are just browning the outsides)
• Place on paper towels to soak up excess cooking oil
• Simmer in your favorite red pasta sauce for 10 -15 minutes over low heat
• Serve over pasta, top with more grated parmesan cheese.

Southern Living Scones

I am always daunted by the task of baking pastires. They seem so light and delicate.


I'm not good at light and delicate.

So imagine my relief when I found this recipe in Southern Living for scones that even I couldn't mess up!
They can be made with sweet or savory additions. They make for great appetizers or a simple dessert.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup cold butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 cup whipping cream, divided
• Wax paper

Directions

• 1. Preheat oven to 450°. Stir together first 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Cut butter into flour mixture with a pastry blender until crumbly and mixture resembles small peas. Freeze 5 minutes. Add 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. cream, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened.
• 2. Turn dough out onto wax paper; gently press or pat dough into a 7-inch round (mixture will be crumbly). Cut round into 8 wedges. Place wedges 2 inches apart on a lightly greased baking sheet. Brush tops of wedges with remaining 2 Tbsp. cream just until moistened.
• 3. Bake at 450° for 13 to 15 minutes or until golden.

Sweet Variations

• Chocolate-Cherry Scones: Stir in 1/4 cup dried cherries, coarsely chopped, and 2 oz.coarsely chopped semisweet chocolate with the cream.
• Apricot-Ginger Scones: Stir in 1/2 cup finely chopped dried apricots and 2 Tbsp. finely chopped crystallized ginger with the cream. Drizzle with Vanilla Glaze after baking.
• Cranberry-Pistachio Scones: Stir in 1/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries and 1/4 cup coarsely chopped roasted salted pistachios with the cream.
• Brown Sugar-Pecan Scones: Substitute brown sugar for granulated sugar. Stir in 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans with the cream.

Savory Variations

• Bacon, Cheddar, and Chive Scones: Omit sugar. Stir in 3/4 cup (3-oz.) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup finely chopped cooked bacon, 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives, and 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper with the cream.
• Ham-and-Swiss Scones: Omit sugar. Stir in 3/4 cup (3 oz.) shredded Swiss cheese and 3/4 cup finely chopped baked ham with the cream. Serve warm with Mustard Butter: Stir together 1/2 cup softened butter, 1 Tbsp. spicy brown mustard, and 1 Tbsp. minced sweet onion.
• Pimiento Cheese Scones: Omit sugar. Stir in 3/4 cup (3-oz.) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese and 3 Tbsp. finely chopped pimiento with the cream.
• Rosemary, Pear, and Asiago Scones: Omit sugar. Stir in 3/4 cup finely chopped fresh pear, 1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese, and 1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary with the cream.

Festive Touch

• Bite-Size Scones: Pat dough into 2 (4-inch) rounds. Cut rounds into 8 wedges. Bake as directed for 12 to 13 minutes.

Appetizer Cheese Ball

Hubby invite friends over for dinner at the last minute? Here's a recipe for a quick appetizer (if you find those friends important enough for a formal appetizer). If anything, it's simple and tasty enough to buy you more time preparing those extra dishes!

Ingredients:

• 16 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 4 green onions, finely chopped
• 1 T fresh parsley
• 1 T (or more to taste) Bon Appetite Seasoning

Directions:
Combine all ingredients. Form into a ball (or whatever cute shape you choose) and serve with crackers.

Mom's Fried Rice

Here is a recipe for authentic Vietnamese Fried Rice. As a disclaimer, I say authentic because it's my mother's recipe, and she is Vietnamese. So to all the haters out there, keep a lid on it.

Ingredients

• 2 servings of cold cooked white rice
• 2 green onions, chopped (green and white ends)
• 2 pieces cooked, crispy bacon- crumbled
• 1/2 cup cooked green peas
• 1/4 cup diced carrot
• 1 scrambled egg
• soy sauce (to taste)
• tobasco sauce (to taste)

Directions

Sautee all ingredients together until warmed through

Alton Brown's Southern Biscuits

These are a great side for fried chicken. I love them with a little butter and honey, but they are great alone as well. Simple, affordable, delicious!

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons shortening
• 1 cup buttermilk, chilled

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Using your fingertips, rub butter and shortening into dry ingredients until mixture looks like crumbs. (The faster the better, you don't want the fats to melt.) Make a well in the center and pour in the chilled buttermilk. Stir just until the dough comes together. The dough will be very sticky.

Turn dough onto floured surface, dust top with flour and gently fold dough over on itself 5 or 6 times. Press into a 1-inch thick round. Cut out biscuits with a 2-inch cutter, being sure to push straight down through the dough. Place biscuits on baking sheet so that they just touch. Reform scrap dough, working it as little as possible and continue cutting. (Biscuits from the second pass will not be quite as light as those from the first, but hey, that's life.)

Bake until biscuits are tall and light gold on top, 15 to 20 minutes.