Tiny Food Snob

My son will eat just about anything.  I got lucky with that.  He asks me for broccoli, avocado, and oranges for snacks.  How is this possible with a skittle pushing, oreo hoarding, cheetos in the glove box mom?  I'm not sure, but I'll take it!  Where does he draw the line?  Mushrooms.  I ordered a pizza with pepperoni and mushrooms.  He peeled one off, popped it in his mouth, and right back out it came.  "Ewwwwwwwwwww!"
He seemed downright disgusted that I would have ordered his favorite treat and put those on there.  Needless to say I no longer get mushrooms on my pizza.  I still love mushrooms.  There are so many different kinds.  Cremini, button, portabello, shiitake, oyster, morel, the list goes on.  One night when the little boss wasn't in charge of dinner I rebelled and bought mushrooms.  The result was this fantastic soup.  Earthy mushroom flavor with a smooth silky texture.   I made it again for blog testing purposes and the final step is to put it in the blender.  When he heard the blender he came running in the kitchen and shouted "Yay! Smoothies!".   You can guess that after the soup came out  I was whipping up the prince a smoothie.  Gotta love motherhood.  So, when you are in the mood for soup, give this one a try.  

Creamy Mushroom Soup with Havarti Soup
Serves 6-8

2f        Tbsp        Olive Oil
3        Cups        Mushrooms, Cleaned and Sliced (I used Cremini and Shiitake)
2        Each        Celery Stalks, Diced
1        Each        Small White Onion, Diced
4        Each        Cloves Garlic, Minced
2        Each        Small Russet Potatoes, Peeled and Diced
4        Cups        Chicken Broth
2        Cups         Heavy Cream
8        Ounce      Block Havarti Cheese, Shredded
2        Tsp          Salt
1/2     Tsp          Fresh Ground Pepper
Minced Chives for Garnish

Heat  olive oil in a large sauce pot over medium-high heat.  Add in the onion, garlic, and celery, saute for 2 minutes.  Add in the mushrooms and potatoes, saute for 2 more minutes.  Pour in the broth, cream, salt, and pepper, bring to a boil.  Turn down to low heat and simmer for 30 minutes.  Take off the heat and puree.  If you have an emulsion blender that would work great or you can do it in the regular blender in two batches.  Pour back in the pot and whisk in the cheese.  Ladle into bowls and serve hot, topped with the chives.

The Bomb Biscuits

When I think of biscuits, I think of my grandmother.  You know what I'm talking about.  I used to spend weekends with her as a child and I loved eating breakfast at her house.  She always made homemade biscuits, and had this old pastry cutter that looked like it was from like 1914.  She would use it to cut shortening into flour with baking powder, and salt, then fold in buttermilk never measuring anything.  Then she would roll them out and cut out circle biscuits with a juice glass.  I always liked watching her do that.  Somehow I cannot recreate those biscuits, even with her recipe.  Maybe I need that juice glass.  I was recently trying out some different ways to make biscuits and came up with this delicious drop biscuit.  I decided to amp it up with some meat and cheese and they were the BOMB!!  My boyfriend hates when I say "the BOMB!", but it is the appropriate term.  These are good as a side or you can eat 6 of them for dinner like me.  Don't worry I punished myself for about 5 minutes for this.  Give them a try.  You won't be disappointed.

Big "K"s Loaded Drop Biscuits

1        Cup        Flour
2        Tbsp       Baking Powder
1/2     Tsp         Salt
1/2     Tsp         Garlic Powder
1/2     Cup        Melted Butter
1/2     Cup        Buttermilk
1        Cup        Shredded Smoked Cheddar
1/2     Cup        Chopped Ham
1/2     Cup        Chopped Green Onion

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.  In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and garlic powder.  In a small bowl whisk together the butter and buttermilk.  Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until just moistened.  Toss in the cheese, ham, and onion and fold to incorporate.  Drop into 12 equal spoonfuls.  Bake for 18 minutes.  Gobble them up as fast as you can.

Comfort Food

You know what I love about food?  The way it can evoke memories.  Sometimes the reason I remember a moment is because of the food I had.  Out of the blue the other day I remembered this pasta I had years ago.  I hadn't had it since and I can't remember what I wore yesterday, but for some reason I remember that pasta.  I was working at a golf club at the time, where we did a lot of catered events.  In the summer we were always slammed and I worked a lot of 12 hour days.  On this particular day I had gotten there early in the morning.  We were prepping for a big wedding that night and had a lot of work to do.  I prepped furiously all day and never thought to stop and eat.  Next thing I know it's 7 o'clock, the event is underway, and my stomach is growling at me.  The chef that worked there realized she hadn't eaten either.  She offered to whip us up something for all of our hard work.  I watched her as she boiled some bowtie pasta and then threw together some random ingredients to make a sauce.  She tossed it, put it on a plate, and served me some.  I found an empty pickle bucket and flipped it over to make a stool.  I dug into that pasta like a fat kid on chocolate cake.  It was fantastic!  I still remember exactly how it tasted.  I recently tried to recreate it and although it is a little different, it was still very comforting somehow.  I wanted to share this recipe because I love that a few simple ingredients thrown together in haste can turn into something that is remembered for years.

Roasted Tomato Orecchiette with Brie
Serves 6

8         Ounces   Dry Orecchiette
1         Pint         Red Grape Tomatoes
1         Pint         Yellow Grape Tomatoes (or any small yellow tomato you can find)
1/4      Cup         Olive Oil
6         Each        Cloves of Garlic, Chopped
8         Ounces    Brie Cheese (rind removed, cut into cubes)
1/4      Cup         Basil, Chopped
1/4      Cup         Freshly Grated Parmesan
1         Tsp          Salt
1         Tsp          Pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place the tomatoes on a baking sheet with the garlic and drizzle with the olive oil.  Bake for 35 minutes.  Meanwhile, bring 2 quarts of water to boil in a sauce pot with a tablespoon of salt.  Once boiling, add in the pasta and cook for 12-15 minutes until tender.  Drain.  When the tomatoes are done, place them with all the juices they made into the pot you boiled the pasta in.  Stir them together over medium heat crushing them to make a sauce for about 3 minutes.  Turn the heat off and fold in the brie, parmesan, and basil.  Toss in the pasta and stir to coat.  Serve hot with crusty baguette.  Yum!  I ate all 6 servings over a few days...don't judge me.

Bread Aholic

A few weeks ago my sister told me that she wasn't feeling well and went to bed early.  The next day, when I called to see how she was, she had been to the hospital because her throat swelled up.  She was back at home and hungry, but couldn't eat solids.  I thought I would be a good sister and get her some soup.  If you have kept up with my blog, you will be aware of my Panera obsession.  So, of course that is where I went for the soup.  I ordered 2 soups that she could have for a few meals.  I drive up to pay the man and get the goods.  As I am driving away I peer into the sack and spy a crusty french roll for each soup.  I have been trying to eat healthy and lay off the starchy carbs.  I decided one bite wouldn't hurt.  Which means I devoured both rolls before I arrived at her house.  She couldn't eat solids.  I did her a noble favor.   I delivered the soups and told her what I had done.  She reminded me that you could buy loaves of their bread.  Yes or a dozen bagels or maybe they could attach a Panera window to my bedroom wall!  The loaf of bread idea was in my head now, the least I could do was take advantage.  The reccipe I created was a grilled cheese breakfast sandwich.  It turned out so good!  My son was a big fan, bet you will be too!!

Grilled Cheese Breakfast Sandwich
Serves 4
8         Slices         Tomato Basil Bread (from panera)
8         Each           Large Brown Eggs
8         Slices         Apple-wood Smoked Bacon
4         Slices         White Cheddar Cheese
2         Tbsp           Fresh Chopped Chives
2         Tbsp           Chopped Sun-dried Tomatoes
1/2      Tsp             Salt and Pepper
8         Pats            Butter
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Place the bacon on a baking sheet lined with foil.  Pop it in the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes until crispy.  Put the bacon on a plate lined with a paper towel.  Set aside.  Next, put the eggs in a bowl with the chives, sun-dried tomatoes, salt, and pepper.  Whisk it all together for 2 minutes until mixed and fluffed.  Scramble the eggs in a saute pan until cooked through.  Now to assemble.  Lay out four pieces of bread top each one with a slice of cheese, two slices of bacon, then 1/4 of the eggs and the last piece of bread.  Heat your saute pan to medium heat.  Add a pat of butter to the pan, once it melts add in a sandwich.  Toast for about 2 minutes or until golden.  Lift the sandwich and add a second pat of butter then flip the sandwich over and toast 2 more minutes until golden and cheese is melted.  Repeat with remaining sandwiches.  Slice in half and serve immediately.  Enjoy!  Love as Always, "Big K"

Sweet Treat

Valentines Day.  Some love it.  Some don't.  It involves chocolate so you know I love it.  A few days ago I was getting a pedicure and the woman beside me was casually chatting with me.  We started talking about Pinterest and recipes.  When I told her I had a food blog, she started asking me for tips on how to make chocolate covered strawberries for Valentines Day.  I saw an ad for chocolate covered strawberries that get delivered to your door.  Yea, for a pretty penny.  Ranging from $30.00 and up.  My research began, is this worth it?  I found that for a much less money and a little work you can make your own.  Instead of a recipe I am just going to give the method to make a perfect quick and easy Valentines gift.  It makes it even more special that you made it from scratch!

Step 1:
Buy your ingredients.  I found big ripe strawberries at my local supermarket for $2.98.  Great price. The Whole Foods market had nice organic ones for a couple dollars more.  When you get home do not wash your strawberries.  They can soak up the water and it will effect the chocolate.  I take a damp paper towel and gently wipe them clean.
Get your chocolate.  I used a 12 oz pkg Ghiradelli dipping chocolate.  Its about $4.00 and I only used half the package.
Gather pink sprinkles, mini chocolate chips, nuts or any toppings you desire or have on hand.  I also had some pink dipping chocolate from the craft store, but white chocolate would be fine too.

Step 2:
Gather Supplies.  Two small bowls, 2 pieces parchment paper, and a spoon.  Get a working space together with these items.  Melt both chocolates in the bowls in 30 second increments until smooth and cool for 1 minute.

Step 3:
Get to dipping!  Take the first parchment and lay it on the work space.  One at a time dip each berry in the chocolate.  I scoot the strawberry on the parchment as soon as I dip it to get the excess chocolate off.  This prevents the chocolate from pooling at the bottom and they look prettier.  Now dip your spoon in the pink or white dipping chocolate.  Gently go back and forth across the strawberry making a stripe pattern.  Put your sprinkles on right away so they stick to the drizzle.  Then transfer them to the clean
piece of parchment and let them sit for 30 minutes to set up.

Step 4:
Refrigerate them until ready to use.  They will last up to 3 days, although the sooner you eat them the better.  Put them in a cute box or basket lined with pink tissue paper and you have the perfect gift for your Valentine!! This made about a dozen for me.

Weight Watcher...

It is no secret that I am the Queen of butter, cream, bacon, ranch, and cheese.  My five food groups.  It is also 15 degrees outside, so I have been staying in my house eating nothing but this.  I may or not have put on a couple of pounds.  This will annoy me when it is time for tank tops and swimsuits.  I may have to lay off the bacon a little.  My mother and sister have both run into this predicament as well.  They just joined Weight Watchers, to give them a little boost for tank top season.  The reason my sis loves Weight Watchers is because you can still eat the things you love, just lighten them up a little.  So, I got to work on a few recipes to help them out.  The one meal my sister can't give up is a steak and baked potato loaded with all the good stuff.  Growing up my mom always mixed sour cream with a ranch packet and put it on baked potatoes.  It's like potato and ranch dip heaven.  So, I took that thought and ran with it.  I came up with twice baked broccoli ranch stuffed potatoes.  They only have 225 calories per serving.  I had my cousin over for taste testing and they were amazing, we stood in the kitchen eating half the batch and bragging that we had done Zumba for 30 minutes that day.  Whip these up next time you need a healthy side for your meal.

Broccoli Ranch Stuffed Potatoes
Serves 5 (4 potatoes each)
1 1/2          Pound        Bag of Baby Yellow Potatoes
1/4             Cup           Light Sour Cream
1/2             Cup           2 % Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
1                Cup           Fresh Broccoli, Steamed & Chopped Finely
1                oz              Package Ranch Dip Seasoning (for testing purposes I used Hidden Valley)
2                T               Olive Oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Pour olive oil in a 13x9 inch baking dish.  Put in your potatoes and shake it all about until the potatoes are well coated.  Bake for 40 minutes.  Set aside and allow them to cool for 10 minutes or until you can handle them.  Cut off the very top part, being careful not to get much potato.  Scoop out the insides with a small spoon and place them in a mixing bowl.  They will be soft enough that you can mash them with a fork.  When you have mashed them add in the sour cream, cheddar cheese, broccoli and ranch packet.  Gently fold this together, then scoop it evenly back into the potatoes until they are all filled.  Put them back into the pan and bake 15 more minutes.  Allow to cool a couple minutes, then enjoy!  Love as Always, "Big K"

Double Dip

Broccoli cheese soup.  Yum.  Queso.  Double Yum.  Put them together?  Yes please!  Super Bowl was this last weekend, I love football, so a party was had.  Where there is a party, there must be dip!!
I would rather not attend a dipless party.  Growing up, my grandma made this amazing broccoli dip.  Its cheesy and spicy and what makes it different than most cheese dips is that it's got broccoli in it.  My version of the recipe is a little different as over the years I have experimented with it.  I need to warn all my culinary buddies that this recipe contains processed cheese and soup in can.  Two things that are total debauchery in culinary school.  One of my favorite chefs, and closest friend, Dave's least favorite things are casseroles and soup in a can.  He will sneer as soon as he reads the words "cream of anything".  One time I walked in on Dave going to town on a blue box mac and cheese smothered with hot sauce like a fat kid on chocolate cake so, we are even.  All judgement aside, throw this recipe in your crockpot, go about your day, and by party time you have a delicious dip.  You can even convince yourself it's healthy, it does have broccoli in it!

Hot Broccoli Dip
Serves 8
2        Cups        Steamed Chopped Broccoli
1/4     Cup         Minced Onion
1/4     Cup         Minced Celery
1/4     Cup         Minced Red Bell Pepper
2        Tbsp        Butter
16      oz            Velveeta, cubed
1        Can         Cream of Mushroom Soup
1        Tsp          Worcestershire Sauce
1        Tsp          Garlic Powder
1        Tbsp        Hot Sauce
1/2     Tsp          Salt

Melt butter in a medium saute pan.  Saute onion and celery until tender.  Place that and the remaining ingredients in the crock pot.  Cook on low for 2-3 hours.  Serve with chips and crackers.  I like it with Fritos corn chips.  Love as Always, "Big K"