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Sweet Tea Ice Pops | Make Ahead Mondays

July 2, 2012 by 6 Comments

I have a confession to make but I’m going to do it quickly and quietly because I’m going to offend the entire South in one fell swoop. (Idon’tlikesweettea.)

There. I said it.

I just don’t. I love tea -don’t misunderstand me- but I like my tea black and bitter… like my attitude in hot weather. I recognize that there’s an entire industry built around sweet tea and that the love for it has crept north steadily. I just don’t have much of a sweet tooth. I was analyzing my feelings about sweet tea the other day* trying to figure out why I don’t like it when everyone else seems to love it. Conclusion: it feels desserty to me and I don’t like to drink my dessert unless it involves a blender, sinful quantities of ice cream, and a drizzle or seven of chocolate syrup.

*Everyone else analyzes their feelings about food, right? I’m totally normal, right? RIGHT?!?

But in the same self-analysis, I had a thought. What if I turned the sweet tea into dessert? Well, that would make sense! I just happened to have root beer syrup on hand, so I opted for root beer sweet tea  but any simple syrup (syrup made by boiling equal amounts of sugar and water together until sugar is dissolved) would work in its place. I mixed the root beer syrup with the freshly made iced tea and poured it into ice pop moulds and popped those into the freezer.

I used decaffeinated iced tea because I can’t handle caffeine past a certain hour and a caffeinated dessert would be a sure-fire way to keep me up into the wee hours of the morning cursing myself. I’m a caffeine weakling. If you’re tougher than me, feel free to make yours more high octane by substituting regular black tea for the decaf variety I used.

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Sweet Tea Ice Pops | Make Ahead Mondays

Sweet Tea Ice Pops | Make Ahead Mondays

Sweet Tea takes a chill in the form of ice pops. Kick back on the front porch with your feet up and a Sweet Tea Ice Pop in your hands. Summer just got a little sweeter and a lot cooler.

Ingredients

    For Sweet Tea Ice Pops:
  • 4 cups boiling water
  • 4 standard-sized black tea bags (Lipton, Red Rose, Luzianne, etc...) either regular or decaf or a blend
  • Simple Syrup to taste (see ingredients and recipe below)
    • For Simple Syrup:
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup water

Instructions

To Make Simple Syrup:

Stir the sugar and water together in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over high heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture comes to a boil. Pour into a clean canning jar or pitcher, cover tightly and refrigerate for up to one month, using as needed.

To Make Sweet Tea Ice Pops:

Pour the boiling water over the 4 teabags in a heat-proof container such as a canning jar. Let steep between 3-5 minutes. Keep in mind that when frozen, the tea will taste less strong, so you may want to let it brew longer than you normally might. Remove the tea bags and sweeten to taste, again remembering it will taste less sweet when frozen.

Pour the sweet tea into ice pop (popsicle) moulds or small, disposable paper cups, insert sticks or handles and put into the freezer. It will take about 8 hours for the ice pops to freeze solid, depending on the size of your moulds. These are best eaten within 1 month of being made.

http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/2012/07/02/sweet-tea-ice-pops-make-ahead-mondays/

 

Filed Under: Desserts, Freezer Pleaser, Gluten Free, Happy Healthy and Wise, kid food, Party Food, Rebecca, Recipes, Snacks, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , , , ,

Rosemary and Garlic Slow-Roasted Almonds

May 31, 2012 by 13 Comments

My friend Lisette is a good person to befriend. She’s funny. She’s charming. She has exquisite taste. And wherever she goes, she has snacks.Good snacks. She has bags of granola bars, homemade energy bars and her signature Rosemary Garlic Roasted Almonds.

My children hover around Mrs. Heckathorn on field trips with their best “I’m starving!” faces on in the hopes that she’ll break out her stash of almonds and offer to share. Is it because I don’t bring food? Or they don’t like what I have? No. It’s just that a.) they love Mrs. Heckathorn and b.) they love those nuts. Big time.

 

Why?

Lisette slow roasts raw whole almonds (overnight!) in a very, very low temperature oven with just enough garlic, rosemary and salt to make them utterly habit-forming. The fragrant, piney rosemary flavour amps up the sweetness of the almonds. The garlic roasts down to a mellow, mild garlic presence and the salt. Well, what isn’t better with a little salt?

These nuts aren’t just delicious, they’re simple. Oh my goodness. You have no excuse (other than forgetfulness) not to have these on hand. The most work of the entire process is peeling and mincing or pressing a garlic clove. Slap ‘em on a pan and let them slow-roast to pure savoury perfection while you snooze.

If you’re a little nervous about letting your oven go overnight (even at such a low temperature) you can use a dehydrator if your dehydrator has an adjustable thermostat. Just set it down around one hundred and seventy degrees Fahrenheit. Ta da!

Not only are they crave-able and simple, but they’re oh-so-good for you. In a one-ounce serving of almonds, you get a full twelve percent of your USRDA of protein with zero cholesterol, thirty five (35!) percent of your daily allowance of vitamin E, and about as much calcium as one-quarter cup of milk. (Plus, you don’t have to drink milk. SCORE!*)

*I know, I KNOW. Milk is good for you. I just don’t like to drink it. Never have. Ask my sister who -when we were children- kindly managed a switcheroo with me so she would drink my milk and her own and I wouldn’t have to touch it.

Make yourself nuts today! In a good way!

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Rosemary and Garlic Slow-Roasted Almonds

Rosemary and Garlic Slow-Roasted Almonds

These fragrant and toasty rosemary garlic almonds slow-roast in an ultra low oven overnight (so as not to destroy all those good fats that almonds contain) while you sleep. When you wake, you are in possession of one ultimately sustaining and habit forming snack. Make yourself nuts today! In a good way!

Ingredients

  • 4 cups whole, raw almonds (out of the shell)
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced or pressed
  • 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon whole dried rosemary, crumbled between the fingers to break it into smaller pieces

Instructions

Toss all of the ingredients together in a mixing bowl until everything is evenly dispersed and the nuts are evenly coated with oil. Pour the nuts onto a rimmed baking sheet and spread them into a single layer. Put in a cold oven and set the temperature to 170°F or thereabouts. Roast overnight (or 8 hours) or until the oil is absorbed and the nuts appear matte. Remove from the oven, cool completely and transfer to a canning jar or another container with an airtight lid. The seasonings may fall off of the nuts. That's okay! Just transfer the seasoning to the jar as well!

These are good for up to a month, kept tightly covered, at room temperature. I seriously doubt you'll be able to keep your hands (and mouth) off of them that long, though!

http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/2012/05/31/rosemary-and-garlic-slow-roasted-almonds/

Filed Under: Appetizers & Snacks, Comfort Food, Happy Healthy and Wise, Healthy Foods, kid food, Party Food, Rebecca, Recipes, Snacks, Stretching your dollars, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , , , ,

English Muffin Bread Pizzas

April 11, 2012 by 14 Comments

I’ve entered that parenting stage where I am, apparently, running a taxi service for my children. I always thought the whole “Mom’s Taxi” thing was a cliché. It isn’t. Clearly.

I mean wow. I’m still having trouble mentally adjusting to the fact that I’m a grown up, let alone that  I have an honest-to-goodness teenager and one on the cusp and three coming close behind. Eep.

Two to three days out of the week, I find myself on the campus of our local private college for various kid related activities; classes, youth group, etc… Early on in this weekly invasion schedule, I realized -in a grand shock to my system- that I was likely the oldest person in the student center and that I did. not. look. like. the. students. I got the vapours, folks.

I’m resilient though. I take one look at those five little men who keep me hopping and smiling -I know I’m living the life- grab a head and deliver a loving maternal noogie and race my kids back to the van to head home and whip up a batch of something that is going to make everyone happy in the kitchen before we’re off to our next commitment.

It’s at times like these that fancy is all wrong for all kinds of reasons. Every so often (and more often than not depending on circumstances) you just need good food good and fast. It doesn’t have to be pretty. It doesn’t have to be refined. And in fact, it’s better if it isn’t.

This is when you toss things, scatter things with abandon, pause to kiss a little one walking by, and slap something into the oven (not the kid, not the kid, I tell ya!). Life is moving fast. We need to, too.

Here’s the just the thing for it. English Muffin Bread Pizzas. This riff on one of my own childhood favourites -my Mom’s English muffin pizzas- is lightening fast and ever so satisfying. It won’t win awards for its looks or its sophistication, but that does not make it any less crave-able or smile-producing. English Muffin Bread ends up being an even better vehicle for super fast pizzas than English muffins because it lets the little bit of olive oil drizzled over the top soak down to the bottom to give you a crisp bottom crust.

A crispy crust, gooey and stretchy cheese, favourite pizza toppings… That’s good enough, right? There is just nothing better than something that tastes so good with so little effort.

Because I promise there’s almost no work to this. Here’s the thing. You put bread on the pan, drizzle with oil, toast, toss a bunch of toppings on it and bake. The messier you get with tossing on the toppings the better! Little bits of cheese and toppings that fall between the slices get crunchy and snackable. Pinky swear.

…Just when I was looking like an adult.

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English Muffin Bread Pizzas

English Muffin Bread Pizzas

A crispy crust, gooey and stretchy cheese, favourite pizza toppings and done in minutes to boot. Serve with a salad for a fast meal, or as a snack or part of your game day munchies. Comfort food is where it's at!

Ingredients

  • 12 slices (about 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch thick) English Muffin Bread or 6 English muffins, split
  • 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
  • 3/4 cup pizza sauce
  • 2-3 cups shredded mozzarella
  • Optional:
  • Diced, cooked ham
  • Pepperoni
  • Thinly sliced onions
  • Pineapple tidbits, well drained
  • Black or green olives
  • Italian sausage, cooked
  • ...Whatever floats your pizza boat!

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet (or two) with heavy duty foil or parchment paper.

Arrange the slices of English Muffin Bread (or the English muffins) closely on the lined pan. There should be just a small amount of space between the slices. Drizzle the olive oil evenly over the slices. Place the pan in the oven and bake for about 6-8 minutes, or until the olive oil is bubbly on the bread and the edges of the bread are golden brown. If you lift a piece of bread, the oil should have soaked through and be bubbly on the bottom, too.

Remove the pan from the oven and set on a heat-proof surface. Evenly divide the pizza sauce among the slices of bread and spread with the back of a spoon to the edges. Scatter the cheese over the tops of the bread, not taking too much care. There will be cheese that falls between the slices. That is not just okay; it's desirable! Scatter any additional toppings you like over the cheese and return the pan to the oven.

Bake for 10-18 minutes (depending on how browned you like your cheese). Let the pizzas cool for 3-5 minutes on the pans before using a spatula to transfer to a platter. Use the spatula to scrape up any crispy brown bits from the pan and toss those over the tops of the pizzas on the platter.

Serve hot, warm or room temperature.

http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/2012/04/11/english-muffin-bread-pizzas/

 

 

 

Filed Under: Appetizers & Snacks, Bread, Comfort Food, kid food, Rebecca, Recipes, Snacks, Stretching your dollars Tagged With: , , , , ,

English Muffin Bread

February 23, 2012 by 55 Comments

English muffins hold a very special place in my heart. How could you possibly not love the craggy, full-of-holes, moist bread and the crunchy, toasty bits of cornmeal stuck to the outside that transfer to your fingers when you grip it? I love them every which way, from the English muffin pizzas my mom used to make as after-school treats, to dripping with butter and slathered with berry jam or  marmalade, to topped with a fried egg and a good squeeze of rooster sauce.

I can’t imagine my life without English muffins.

Yet, as much as I love English muffins, that is how much I love this English Muffin Bread. I know, it feels kind of disloyal to say it, but it’s true. This bread is everything that an English muffin is, but more convenient. And way-hay-hay-hay less expensive.*

*Unless, of course, you’re making your own, in which case it’s no less expensive but a heckuva lot more convenient and far less time consuming. Carry on.


What I mean to say is that this bread has the crags, the holes, (*cough the nooks and crannies cough*) the moistness, the crunchy, toasty bits of cornmeal that transfer to your fingers and the incomparable ability to carry sinful amounts of butter and jam, or sauce and cheese, or egg and hot sauce just like its namesake muffins.

Let me tell you something. This bread is so easy, so DEAD easy, that there is no reason a complete beginning baker can’t successfully make it. It doesn’t require any exotic ingredients or specialty equipment. The hardest part of the whole process is waiting for it to cool. Because cool completely it must. If you cut into this gorgeous, tempting, incredible bread before it is one-hundred-percent cooled, you will cry many bitter, salty tears of regret.

There is a very good scientific reason to this. The bread continues to cook and set up as it cools. Unlike some other breads where it’s a-okay to wrench large fistfuls of warm bread and stuff them into your mouth, this will simply assume a gummy texture and stay there when sliced warm. That’s where your crocodile tears would flow. Sigh. But if you wait, your wildest dreams will come true. Kind of like if you vote for Pedro.  In short, LET IT COOL!

And then when it has finally cooled and you slice it and toast it…

There have to be little blackened parts around the edges. You can’t half-heartedly toast an English muffin, right? Well, you can’t be meek about toasting English Muffin bread, either. You have to go all-in, full-throttle; you have to commit to toasting it.

For heaven’s sake, don’t let a toaster anywhere near this bread. Toast this bread in a good puddle of melted, salted butter in a cast-iron (or other heavy-bottomed) frying pan or on a griddle over medium high heat. Does this really make a difference? Let me answer it this way. Does breathing make a difference in your quality of life?

When it’s browned in the middle and black around the edges, flip it over with a fork. Oh, yes. It is far more hands-on than a toaster, but the results will speak for themselves. Salted, crispy, buttery on the outside and moist and soft on the inside. We’re talking about toasty, crunchy, bready nirvana.

Oh me. Oh man. Oh mama…

If this doesn’t make you happy, I just don’t know how to help you.

I never, ever make this in quantities less than four loaves, but I am feeding a regiment here with my five boys and their buddies and, let’s be honest, my husband and I can eat impressive quantities, too… If you have a wee bird appetite, or are feeding fewer people than we are, I’ve included a halved recipe in the printable. Nothing in the method changes, so choose your level of consumption and let’s get baking!

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English Muffin Bread

English Muffin Bread

This gorgeous, simple, golden brown bread has the crags, the holes, the moistness, the crunchy, toasty bits of cornmeal that transfer to your fingers and the incomparable ability to carry sinful amounts of butter and jam, or sauce and cheese, or egg and hot sauce just like its namesake muffins. This recipe is suitable for novice bakers and is easy on the wallet, to boot!

Ingredients

    For a Standard Recipe (3-4 loaves):
  • 5 1/2 cups warm-to-the-touch water (not hot)
  • 2 tablespoons kosher salt
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 tablespoons plus 3/4 teaspoons instant yeast (or 3 packages)
  • 11 1/2 cups (3 pounds 1 1/2 ounces by weight) all purpose or bread flour (I often do a half and half combination of the two.)
    • For a Half-Size Recipe (1-2 loaves):
  • 2 3/4 cups warm (not hot) water
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast (or about 1 1/2 packages)
  • 5 3/4 cups all-purpose or bread flour (1 pound 9 ounces, by weight)
    • Also Needed:
  • Non-stick cooking spray
  • cornmeal
  • plastic wrap
  • melted butter for brushing the bread mid-way through and after baking

Instructions

To Prepare the Dough:

Stir all of the ingredients together by hand in a large mixing bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle) just until combined. The dough will be shaggy and very sticky.

Spray a piece of plastic wrap with non-stick cooking spray and lay it loosely over the mixing bowl. Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free place for about an hour or until it looksbubbly and puffy.

Spray 3 standard loaf pans (8.5" x 9.5") with non-stick cooking spray and sprinkle in a fistful of cornmeal. Tilt the pans, tapping gently, until the interiors are coated with a thin layer of cornmeal. Tap out any excess cornmeal.

Spray your hands with non-stick cooking spray and use them to divide the dough evenly between the pans. The pans should be no more than halfway full. If you need to, spray and cornmeal an additional loaf pan for any excess.

Spray more pieces of plastic wrap with non-stick cooking spray and lay them loosely over each loaf pan. Let rise in a warm, draft-free place until the dough looks bubbly and puffy again, and has risen with the top of the dough dome just peeking above the edge of the pan.

While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 350°F.

It is possible to let this dough rise too long, so be sure the oven is waiting for you rather than you waiting for the oven.

Evenly space the loaf pans in the oven and set the timer for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, take out one bread pan at a time and brush the tops of the loaves with melted butter. When you place the bread pans back in the oven, rotate their positions from front to back. Bake for an additional 10 minutes or until they are just lightly golden brown.

Immediately turn the loaves out onto a cooling rack and brush again with melted butter. Cool completely before slicing.

The bread can be stored, tightly wrapped, at room temperature for up to a week. If you do not think you can eat it in that time, wrap the cooled, unsliced loaves with two layers of plastic wrap and cover that with one layer of foil before storing in the freezer for up to 3 months. They can be thawed or simply sliced from their frozen state before toasting.

http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/2012/02/23/english-muffin-bread/

Filed Under: Bread, Breakfast Foods, Comfort Food, Freezer Pleaser, Happy Healthy and Wise, kid food, Rebecca, Recipes, Snacks, Stretching your dollars, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Cheddar and Chorizo Stuffed Twice Baked Potatoes and a Giveaway!

December 8, 2011 by 56 Comments

The giveaway info is below the recipe, so make like a scuba diver and keep on going down!

Some of the best food is just not pretty. It’s gooey, gloppy, brown, and not even a little bit elegant. It looks like it’s not worth the paper plate it rode in on. But when the scent wafts to your nose, when you take that first bite and the inelegance of the whole thing gives way to an explosion of flavour, it suddenly transcends the need to be another pretty dish. You plate it how you want. Heck. Sometimes you just skip a plate if the spirit moves you. It doesn’t matter as long as you get the food to your mouth. How can this happen? Isn’t there the axiom about eating with your eyes before you eat with your mouth?  I’m working on a hunch about the phenomenon, though.

I call it my Frog in a Box theory.

Everyone remembers the Looney Tunes cartoon where the down-on-his-luck, unemployed construction worker finds a frog with the extraordinary ability to sing like an angel, right? The man hoards his new found, potentially lucrative critter in an attempt to make money off of it. He goes to a talent agent’s office, talks a big game, plops the frog on the desk where he promptly delivers a resounding, “Brrrrrrrrrrrr-ibbit!” The man and his frog are bounced out on their respective ears* and once the door is slammed shut, the frog sings an aria in the hallway. Oh the frustration! Darned frog!

*Do frogs have ears? I should know this. I feel a homeschooling unit coming on…

After a few more rejections the man takes matters into his own hands and rents a theater where he resorts to trickery to bring in a crowd. (Free beer and chicken, anyone?) He gets a full house, raises the curtain, shoves the frog on stage and once more, “Brrrrrrrrr-ibbit!” The crowd exits, stage left and the frog consoles the man by singing a few popular ditties.

So here’s the deal. This dish is my Frog in a Box. No matter which light, which plating, which lens and which toppings I used, these things just plain looked ugly. And every time I took a bite, I heard a glorious choir in my head. What was a gal to do?  I don’t give up as easily as our  poor Looney Tunes construction worker. I’m posting it anyway, ugly photos and all. That blasted frog was able to escape detection but these potatoes? They’re here for everyone else to try and enjoy. Make them. Try them yourself! Stick it to the frog!

The crispy potato shell holds a creamy Cheddar, chorizo and green onion studded mashed potato filling. Eat them for breakfast, second breakfast, lunch, snack or dinner. Plate them or hold them in your hot little hands while you eat them. Have them with a proper dinner or slap a platter of them on the coffee table for the ultimate hockey or football viewing snacks. You can even make these up to the point where you’d bake them and stash them in the freezer (minus their cap of shreddy-cheddy) until you want to serve them. Top with cheese as directed and bake. How neat is that?

 

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Cheddar and Chorizo Stuffed Twice Baked Potatoes and a Giveaway!

Cheddar and Chorizo Stuffed Twice Baked Potatoes and a Giveaway!

Crispy shelled, creamy Cheddar and chorizo and green onion stuffed twice baked potatoes are a great comfort food addition to your winter meal and snack repertoire. I've eaten these at breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack time and can promise they're one of the best game day snacks you could ever serve. All that and they're easy, too!

Ingredients

  • 6 leftover baked potatoes
  • 4 tablespoons softened butter
  • 1/2 cup room temperature milk or half and half
  • 4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
  • 2 1/2 cups cooked and crumbled Mexican style chorizo , divided
  • 6 green onions, cleaned and thinly sliced
    • Optional for serving:
  • sour cream
  • candied jalapenos
  • additional sliced green onions
  • salsa

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Halve each potato lengthwise. (Before halving each potato, pay attention to how it naturally lays on the cutting board so that after halving, they don't tip when placed skin side down on the pan.) Scoop most of the potato innards into a mixing bowl, just leaving enough in place to maintain the shape of the potato skin. (This means leaving about 1/4" of potato guts in place.)

Smash the potato guts together with the softened butter, milk or half and half, and 2 1/2 cups of the cheese in the mixing bowl until the potatoes are relatively smooth. Stir in the chorizo and green onions until evenly distributed.

Divide the potato filling evenly among the potato shells, spreading the filling to the edges of the potato skins. Sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly over the tops of the stuffed potatoes.

Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and the filling is hot all the way through. Serve as is or topped with sour cream, candied jalapenos , salsa, and sliced green onions.

http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/2011/12/08/cheddar-and-chorizo-stuffed-twice-baked-potatoes-and-a-giveaway/

 

The Giveaway!

I have a seriously fun giveaway that has me pretty excited. Okay, I lie. I’m stupidly excited about this. In the years I’ve been blogging here, you’ve gotten to know a lot about me; my book/movie/Doctor Who/music/bacon obsessions. It’s all true, but one of the biggest obsessions in my life is…

Wait for it…

Clothing. I love clothing. I love clothes far more than any woman who has carried and birthed five children has any right to be. I love all sorts of dresses- retro dresses, vintage dresses, modern, sleek, voluminous, old-fashioned, cute, sultry… Anything I can afford to buy and I can carry off I adore. I’ve long admired the selection over at Shabby Apple (you HAVE seen their website, right?) and I know from personal experience how their dresses are the kind of women’s dresses that make every woman feel like an old-fashioned movie star- glamourous, sexy, and oh-so-put-together.  Unlike my pauvre potato recipe, their designs look good in any light, any situation, and any lens that catches them.

When Shabby Apple contacted me and offered to give away a dress from a list of dresses to one of my readers I jumped on it. I might’ve even squealed a little bit. I’m telling you honestly their dresses are squeal worthy. In other words, I said yes.  Do you want to see the dress I picked to give away? Hmm? Yes? Are you excited yet? I know I’m not the only dress nut out there. Feast your eyes on this!

 

Image used courtesy of Shabby Apple

Isn’t it gorgeous? Shabby Apple describes the dress as being “Plum-colored folds of soft jersey fabric dip from the shoulders into a ruched waist that runs from bust to hip on this flouncy, ballet-inspired dress.  Perfect for traveling, this dress sports a V-neck and fully lined skirt for extra coverage, so whether at the office or on the road, you’ll feel comfortable and beautiful.” So, so true.

Anyway, let’s get down to brass tacks. To enter for a change to win this incredible dress (think holiday parties and beyond! Dress it up with a jacket and some tall boots for the office or church or a dinner date!) just head over to Shabby Apple’s Facebook Page and like them. (That’s easy enough with to-die-for dresses like that!) Then scoot back over here and leave me a comment saying you did it.

And the nice folks over at Shabby Apple don’t want anyone to feel left out. They’ve issued a coupon code just for Foodie with Family readers: foodiewithfamily10off . This code is good through January 7th, 2012, so get a-shopping. Then you can stand around in your splendid Shabby Apple dress eating one of my Frog in a Box Chorizo and Cheddar Stuffed Potatoes looking magnificent. Maybe the potatoes will even look prettier next to that dress!

The contest fine print: Shabby Apple is providing a dress for the giveaway, but all opinions about their company and their wares are my own.  With apologies to my global friends, this contest is open to US residents only. Winner will be selected using random.org on December 15th, 2011.

 

 

Filed Under: Appetizers & Snacks, Breakfast Foods, Comfort Food, Freezer Pleaser, Getting Creative With Leftovers, Giveaways!, kid food, Main Dish, Party Food, Rebecca, Recipes, Snacks, Stretching your dollars Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Fromage Fort (Cheese Spread)

November 23, 2011 by 6 Comments

We interrupt these Thanksgiving preparations to bring you a Public Service Announcement. This is only an announcement. This post will take less than five minutes to read and less than five minutes to prepare. You may then return to cooking for your feast:

Did you get invited to a last minute shindig? Do you need just-one-more-thing to round out your holiday feasts? Do you love cheese?

That last question is the most important really, because this is a recipe for cheese lovers. Serious cheese lovers only. Because this is how you use up the odds-and-ends in your cheese collection. You do have a cheese collection, right? A nub of Romano, a hunk of Cheddar, a couple tablespoons of crumbled bleu, some Asiago pieces rattling around in a bag or a drawer or a container in your refrigerator…

Well, the French ride to the rescue here, with the classic Fromage Fort. Fromage fort translates as “strong cheese” and believe you me, there’s nothing wussy about it. It is CHEESE writ large. It is a cheese spread from the country that many people find synonymous with cheese.

So what is Fromage Fort like? (Look away, my French friends. You may be horrified at this description.) It’s kind of like good ole American pimiento cheese, but minus the pimientos and plus wine. How could you possibly go wrong?*

*Let me tell you how you could go wrong. You could use Velveeta or American cheese. If you do that? You’re totally on your own. Blech. Don’t misunderstand. There’s a time and a place for both of those, but neither of those belong here. Emphatically. Amen.

The only specialty item you’ll need is a food processor. That’s kind of non-negotiable here for the best texture. Other than that, the world is your Fromage Fort oyster. You can make this five minutes before running out the door or a week in advance. The longer it sits, the stronger it gets!

Serve with crackers or crusty bread or veggie platters or on baked potatoes or pretzels or… or… or… You get the idea!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Important Cheese Eating advice: When making Fromage Fort, try to steer away from using too much from the bleu cheese or really salty cheese families (Asiago, Romano, Parmesano). Let those be “accent” notes. Use a milder cheese (Cheddar, Jack, etc…) as the melody!

 

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Fromage Fort (Cheese Spread)

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Fromage Fort (Cheese Spread)

Fromage Fort -French for strong cheese- is a classic recipe that uses up odds and ends in your cheese collection. This slightly garlicky cheese spread touched with a flavour of white wine makes a wonderful appetizer or addition to any cheese course when served with crackers, crusty bread or crudites.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound of assorted cheeses (Cheddar, Asiago, Romano, Parmesan, Monterey Jack, Colby, Swiss, etc...)
  • 1/4 cup of dry white wine (or more, depending on desired texture)
  • 1/2 a large clove of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
  • Cracked black pepper to taste
  • Optional: Chopped herbs for garnish

Instructions

Grate cheeses and add to the bowl of a work processor fitted with a metal blade. Add remaining ingredients and fix lid onto the food processor. Process until you have a spreadable consistency. Check the texture. If you want it runnier, add a splash of white wine and process again. Scrape into a bowl or a ramekin. Cover tightly and refrigerate until ready to serve, up to a week.

If desired, garnish with chopped herbs.

http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/2011/11/23/fromage-fort-cheese-spread/

 

Filed Under: Accessible Ethnic, Appetizers & Snacks, Comfort Food, Comfort Food, Getting Creative With Leftovers, Holiday Food, Rebecca, Recipes, Snacks, Stretching your dollars, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Carnitas Style Chicken Tostadas

November 7, 2011 by 8 Comments

Authenticity Alert: As in, this is not authentic but it is far, far too tasty not to share, and so, I am telling you now that I am completely not responsible for anyone taking offense to what I’ve done to Tex-Mex or Mexican cuisine. Honestly, I don’t even know enough to tell you which of those categories it strays from the most. All I know is you should make these tonight.

I know. Carnitas are pork. Crispy, delicious, succulent little fried bits of braised pork. This is not that. But it is the chicken equivalent and I’ll be darned if it isn’t crispy, delicious, succulent little fried bits of chicken on a crunchy fried tortilla with pan sauces and all the things that are great and good about Tex Mex food piled on top. Hallelujah, Amen and pass the tostadas.

First, though, I have to tell you a little story.

Last week there was a day that mucho much candy entered our home. I think you know which day I mean. When I say much candy, let me set the stage. Five grandsons, one Nana, and a good working knowledge of which houses in town give out the best goodies. There was so much candy that I feared for the peace in our home. Or at least for the textured ceiling. I mean honestly, sugared up kids bouncing off the ceiling leaves a mark. Each child had netted close to three pounds of candy in a little over an hour of wandering the beautiful streets of Geneseo. I had visions of weeks of blue tongues and green lips and twirly eyes. After forty-eight hours of utter chaos, I laid the smack down.

“Guys. You can each choose ten pieces of candy and put them in one of these bags,” (here I brandished pre-labeled zipper top bags), “Those are your pieces. You can stretch them out as long as you want. The rest of the loot goes into this bag,” (I waved a two-and-a-half gallon zipper top bag), “This is the family bag. I’ll use it in brownies and on cakes and all sorts of good stuff like that.” Then I braced myself for the blow-back.

“Cool! You’ll make brownies?” said one son while the others sorted through to pick their ten favourite pieces before handing over the rest. Don’t pity them. They each had at least two regulation sized, honest-to-goodness candy bars in their bags. Geneseo folks don’t mess around.

The rest of the candy went into the mega bag and then into the broom closet and I didn’t think of it for a few days.

Then came this weekend…

The weather was glorious. The sun was shining, the breeze blew and we had loads of yard work to do to prepare for the winter weather that’s right around the corner. My husband and I were like two ships passing in the pretty-nifty day. We were hanging laundry on lines, stacking wood, trimming weeds and whatnot when I asked, “Has anyone seen Daddy?”

Our youngest said, “Daddy’s out in the annex eating candy.” I said, “Hey. Don’t tell fibs. The candy isn’t out there. Is Daddy really in the annex*?”, then got distracted by yet another yard chore.

*Before you start thinking I’m all fancy with my annex let me explain that it is a large, uninsulated, exterior-walls-only room with window openings (sans glass) that is full of wood for keeping us warm over the winter and is attached to the house. Why such a hoity-toity name? Because I can. And technically? I’m right. Plllllbbbbbt.

Later that night when the kids were all tucked cozily into their beds, my husband brought the loot bag to the den have a little sweet snack. I reached in for a Heath bar (again, Geneseo gets mega points) and asked my husband how they got so cold. I wondered aloud whether there was a problem with the insulation in the broom closet. He responded, “I’m keeping them in the annex in a locked box. Hey! Where you going?”

I went straight upstairs to apologize to my son then came back down for the Heath bar.

The candy has been flying like glitter before a cheerleading tournament. People are fired up here, self included, so we needed something to counteract all that sugar and food dye. Enter mondo protein meals, stage left.

Protein gives your body something to do other than jitter. I can’t think of a simpler way to get a delicious protein-packed meal into you than these Carnitas-style Chicken Tostadas. The body soothing protein comes in the form of three-ingredient braised chicken that is then shredded and dropped into a wicked hot pan with a little oil so that it is crispy on the outside and succulent on the inside. This is, quite possibly, the easiest meal this side of heaven.

Toast or fry some corn tortillas and pile on refried beans (the protein fairy says hi!), the crispy chicken, some lettuce, cheese (Huzzah for more protein!), hot sauce or The Sauce, some candied jalapenos, and a fistful of chopped cilantro if you fancy it. Now comes the only difficult part of the whole process; balancing the whole shebang and getting it to your mouth. I do advise you to eat this over a plate. Then eat another. Maybe one more? Now call everything that fell onto your plate a taco salad. See? I love you.  And I’m not at  all sugared up*.

*Chocolate bars don’t have sugar, right?

Print
Carnitas Style Chicken Tostadas

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Yield: a lot!

Serving Size: 2 Tostadas

This super fast and satisfying supper takes advantage of individually frozen boneless, skinless chicken thighs. In a little over an hour and a half, you go from frozen blobs of chicken to braised, flavourful, crisped chicken on crunchy corn tortilla tostadas with a compliment of refried beans, cheese, sour cream, smoked paprika and chipotle sauce and candied jalapenos. I am willing to bet this becomes a regular in your rotation like it is for us on busy nights.

Ingredients

    For the Chicken:
  • 3 pounds of individually frozen boneless, skinless chicken thighs (you can start with fresh rather than frozen, just adjust cooking time accordingly.)
  • 1 teaspoon canola, vegetable or peanut oil, plus additional oil for crisping the meat later
  • 2 cups of chicken broth
  • 1 cup of your favourite salsa ( I use smoky roasted tomatillo and tomato salsa )
  • 4 garlic cloves, peeled but left whole
    • For the Tostadas:
  • 1-inch of vegetable or canola oil in a heavy pan
  • corn tortillas (2-3 per person)
  • salt, to taste
  • refried beans
  • shredded or baby lettuce
  • sour cream
  • Smoked Paprika and Chipotle Sauce
  • Candied Jalapenos

Instructions

In a large, heavy pan with a tight fitting lid (preferably a dutch oven) over high heat, pour the teaspoon of oil. Arrange the frozen boneless, skinless chicken thighs in the pan in such a way that the lid can be put on it and sit firmly. Before adding the lid, toss in the garlic cloves and pour the salsa and chicken stock or brother over the top. Place the lid on the pan and let cook over high heat until steam starts escaping from under the lid. Drop the heat to medium low and let it continue cooking until a piece of chicken removed from the pan shreds easily between two forks, between 45 minutes and an hour*.

*If you start with fresh (not frozen) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, you can cut that time down a bit.

Remove all of the chicken to a bowl or platter, leaving the juices in the pan, and allow it to rest for 5 minutes, lightly covered with foil. Replace the pan over the burner and turn the heat to high, bringing the pan juices to a boil and letting it reduce by 3/4, or until thick like gravy. Set aside.

Use two forks to shred all of the chicken. Set aside.

In a large, heavy skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium high heat, add 1-inch of canola, peanut or vegetable oil. Fry tortillas, 1 or 2 at a time, until golden brown, about 2 minutes, flipping once or twice to ensure it is crispy all over. Transfer the fried tortillas to a paper towel lined plate and season with salt.

Drain all but about 1 tablespoon of the oil from the skillet and return it to high heat. When the oil is very hot and shimmery, slide about half of the shredded chicken into the pan and press down on it with the back side of a sturdy spatula so that you bring more surface area of the chicken in contact with the hot oil and pan. Do not stir the chicken. When the edges appear to be dark brown or deep golden brown, pick up the crisped chicken with a spatula and flip it crisp side up onto a plate. Repeat with another tablespoon of oil and the remaining chicken.

To Assemble Tostadas:

Spread hot refried beans on a crisped tortilla, top with chicken, a drizzle of the reduced pan juices, cheese, lettuce, sour cream, Smoked Paprika and Chipotle Sauce and candied jalapenos.

http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/2011/11/07/carnitas-style-chicken-tostadas/

 

 

Filed Under: Accessible Ethnic, Appetizers & Snacks, Comfort Food, Instructional, kid food, Kitchen Techniques and Hints, Rebecca, Recipes, Snacks Tagged With: , , ,

Fried Bologna Sandwich

October 17, 2011 by 16 Comments

There are some things you just have to do when presented with the opportunity:

  • Stand up and scream when your team scored the winning goal in overtime.
  • Blow on a cut that stings.
  • Kick your way through piles of leaves on the ground.
  • Foot race your dog in a field.
  • Put your bare toes in Lake Superior.
  • Watch your kids climb a rock wall in the woods.
  • Scramble up behind them.
  • Hug your dad and stepmom really tightly before leaving for the fourteen hour drive home.
  • Walk outside in high winds just because you can.
  • Eat a fried bologna sandwich with yellow mustard on white bread.

Say what? No, really!

If you dangle a piece of plain old bologna in front of me, it’s likely to activate my gag reflexes. Let’s be honest, it’s not the most appetizing looking stuff, is it? But if you fry it in a pan, pop it on some white bread and slather on yellow mustard? Well, you’ve found one of my guilty pleasures: The Fried Bologna Sandwich.

When you fry a slice of bologna, it changes the texture from wet and mooshy to crisp and chewy. There’s nothing fancy, elevated or chic about this sandwich. It is simply comforting and delicious. While these sandwiches show up on many Midwestern and Appalachian diner menus (and I have called both regions home), I grew up eating these at my own dining room table as a treat.

Since the ingredient list is so short (just three!) I figure the enjoyment of the sandwich is based on technique. Now don’t worry. I’m not going to go all Thomas à Keller on the classic bologna sandwich; I’m just going to give you a couple tricks to enhance your enjoyment of the sandwich.

  1. Use the thinnest slices of bologna you can get that will still hold together. Thick cut bologna kind of whiffs it here. Deli bologna or the stuff that has a first name will work very well with slightly different results.
  2. Cut some vents in the slices of bologna to keep them from pouffing up in the center. Center pouf keeps that part of the bologna from crisping. Very sad. Trust me. My dad likes to cut an “x” in the center. I do one slice from the center to the outside edge (as in the radius of the circle. Dang. Did I just Keller this by saying that?) I find that one cut it makes it easier to do step five but either way will do the job.
  3. Don’t bother with oil, butter or margarine (you shouldn’t ever bother with margarine anyway, but I digress…) Have you seen the fat content on the bologna package? On second thought, don’t look at the fat content on the bologna sandwich. Just trust me, you don’t need to use fat in the pan.
  4. Actively ignore the nutritional content label on the bologna.
  5. Use whatever white bread you like. I used my homemade semolina bread and it was outstanding. Got something more “wonder”ful in mind? Go for it. I like it best untoasted, but there is room for debate there. Step away from the multigrain and health nut breads for this would you? It won’t change the fact that we’re eating a fried bologna sandwich, so let’s all just stick with the white bread for now.
  6. As soon as the bologna has been fried on both sides, immediately -and I do mean immediately- grab the bologna with a pair of tongs and pile it onto your bread. I like to hold it above the bread and let it fold itself as I lower it and slightly twist it. It gives a sandwich loft. (Shoot. There I go again.) Going quickly from pan to bread allows the bread to absorb some of that tasty, salty grease. Yes. I said tasty grease.
  7. Do not. I repeat do NOT use fancy mustard here. This is a job for grade A yellow mustard. Or grade B. The point is, don’t muck around with cranberry or horseradish or grainy mustard on this sandwich. You will regret it if you do.
  8. Accompany this with an icy cold something: root beer, water, milk, or beer.

Above all else, enjoy it. Is it indulgent? You betcha. It’s calculated to make you smile. What do you say? You want a sandwich?

Print
Fried Bologna Sandwich

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

There is nothing fancy about this simple, hearty comfort food other than its near magical ability to put a smile on the face of anyone who eats it.

Ingredients

  • Per Sandwich:
  • 2 slices white bread
  • 2-5 slices bologna (depending on how stacked you want your sandwich and how thick the bologna is.)
  • yellow mustard, to taste

Instructions

Make a cut from a center point of the bologna through the outer edge of the slice. In other words, kind of give your bologna slice a Pacman mouth.

Lay your bologna in a cold, heavy frying pan and turn the heat to medium.

When the pan is fully heated and the bologna starts to show signs of browning around the edges, flip over with tongs or a fork. Continue cooking until well-browned on the other side.

Pile the bologna onto one slice of the waiting bread. Repeat with any bologna that didn't fit in the pan the first time (you don't have to wait for the pan to cool off, just keep in mind it will cook faster.)

Spread yellow mustard on the remaining slice of bread use it to top off the sandwich. Slice in half and serve immediately.

http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/2011/10/17/fried-bologna-sandwich/

Filed Under: Comfort Food, kid food, Rebecca, Recipes, Snacks Tagged With: , , , , ,
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