Pimento Cheese Popovers

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Corby has been making German pancakes on the weekend for breakfast, and since those don’t really have anything to do with Southern Baking, I have not blogged about them despite how amazing they are.  He adds vanilla, cinnamon, powdered sugar, syrup- they are pretty special.  But, the thing I like best about the German pancakes other than the sugar and butter and delicious taste, is how it puffs up in the oven.  My son Walker gets the biggest kick out of that- to see how big and puffy the German pancake will get.  So  I decided to experiment with popovers and cheese, which I love.  I got a popover pan and a recipe off the Internet and added my own twist of putting pimento cheese in them- I used Callie’s Pimento Cheese which is the BEST- they are so good, and so easy!

Pimento Cheese Popovers

Ingredients:

2 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon of salt
6- 1/2 tablespoon balls of pimento cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees, and I have found it best if you put the popover pan in the oven while it is preheating.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs slightly, then beat in the flour, milk and salt until smooth, but be sure not to over beat it.  What I have done, is when the oven is at 450, pour the egg mixture into a mixing cup or something with a pour spout.

Open the oven, and pull out the rack with the pan on it, spray some cooking oil (I have used Pam) or pour a little oil in each popover cup.

Then fill the cups up about half way- put a pimento cheese ball in each and then pour a little more of the mixture over top so that the cheese is covered.

Then cook for 20 minutes at 450 then reduce the heat to 350 degrees and cook for another 20 minutes.

I actually just left mine at 450 for about 25-30 minutes and they were perfect, and they got much bigger than the German pancake, so Walker was immensely happy!

The Local Palate- Charleston is a town where bacon is considered a vegetable!!

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We have a new food magazine in Charleston called The Local Palate.  The first issues arrived in my mailbox last week, and it is fabulous!!  Here is their “about us” from their web page www.thelocalpalate.com and find them on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/thelocalpalate :

We are a culinary magazine  that focuses on the food culture of Charleston.

Charleston is a town where bacon  is considered a vegetable, Sunday  suppers are an honored tradition,  farmers are revered community  leaders and white chefs’ coats  proliferate the cobblestone streets.

It is a town where African, Spanish,  French, Jewish, and English  influences meld seamlessly onto  the plate; a town where major  American food staples, such as  rice and tea originated; a town  where food knows no stranger and  hospitality is a way of life.

Welcome to Charleston.
We’ll save you a seat.

 

What’s better than that- bacon IS a vegetable!!  Will definitely be sharing recipes from this magazine- so excited to have it around!!

 

The Gateway to Bourbon Country:
Blue Cheese and Toasted Walnut Crostinis with Kentucky Sweet Sorghum

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I was searching for new fun recipes when I came across this website www.bourbonbarrelfoods.com, and what isn’t fun about bourbon?  Here is a little bit about the company from their website:

Bourbon Barrel Foods is a maker of gourmet food products that reflect the rich heritage of Kentucky’s Bourbon Country, “The Napa Valley of the Bluegrass.”  Our philosophy is to make quality gourmet sauces and seasonings by adhering to a three-word philosophy: slow, small, simple.  From the farmer in southern Kentucky who grows the soybeans for our naturally fermented, small-batch soy sauce, to the grower in Eastern Kentucky who harvests the sorghum we use as a sweetener, we have a hands-on approach that requires us to search for the best the state has to offer and develop relationships with the farmers who get great satisfaction seeing their crops grow from the seed to the shelf.

Bourbon Barrel Foods is located in Louisville, Kentucky.  The Gateway to Bourbon Country.

Fantastic!!  What’s even better is that they have recipes on their site that look amazing.  I am going home this afternoon to make this one!!

Blue Cheese and Toasted Walnut Crostinis
with Kentucky Sweet Sorghum

Ingredients
6 to 8 oz crumbled blue cheese
2 oz walnut pieces
Bourbon Barrel Foods brand Kentucky Sweet Sorghum
1 baguette sliced into rounds

Directions

Preheat oven to 375
Mix cheese and nuts and
portion onto bread rounds
Drizzle sorghum on top and toast until melted and slightly browned
Garnish with fresh herbs or fruit
Can be served warm or at room temp
Should keep 2 days in sealed container

I am in love with this ad!

 

 

House-Autry Mills Seeks Recipes for 200th Anniversary Cookbook

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Heat up the oil, gather the tasty ingredients and bring on the good food – the search for the best Southern-style recipes starts now! To celebrate its 200th anniversary as the choice of Southern cooks, House-Autry Mills is asking the public to submit delicious Southern recipes for a chance to be included in an upcoming House-Autry Mills cookbook.

House-Autry Mills is looking for Southern recipes that incorporate at least one House-Autry product. Additionally, the company hopes to learn the stories and traditions behind these special recipes. The best recipes will be included in the cookbook and possibly featured on the House-Autry Mills Facebook page, YouTube page or website at http://www.house-autry.com.

“House-Autry Mills will be celebrating its 200th anniversary in 2012, and we wanted to do something special,” said Jamie Hall, House-Autry Mills business development manager. “Compiling a Southern cookbook gives us an opportunity to hear from the people who have supported us for all these years and preserve their recipes for future generations.”

To submit a recipe and the story behind it, visit HouseAutry.com – calling all southern cooks.
The deadline for submissions is November 1, 2011.

About House-Autry Mills:

Based in Four Oaks, N.C., House-Autry Mills has been the choice of Southern cooks since 1812. The company’s extensive product line ranges from corn meal and breading to hushpuppy and biscuit mix. Today, House-Autry Mills’ products are available through thousands of grocery stores in 37 states, as well as foodservice distributors, restaurants and restaurant chains throughout the United States.

For more information on House-Autry, visit www.house-autry.com,
find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HouseAutryMills
or follow on Twitter @HouseAutryMills.

Glazed Gourmet Opened Today!!

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We now have a gourmet doughnut shop in Charleston- I am beyond excited! Glazed Gourmet (www.glazedgourmet.com) opened on Upper King Street, and I hear they have a pumpkin doughnut that is extremely tasty.  Can’t wait to check it out for myself! Will post with a picture and an update when I make it there. 

Cattle, Football, and Petit Fours

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I am back from a trip to Oklahoma and Arkansas, and what a trip it was- I saw the sunrise three out of the four days we were gone! We spent two days in Oklahoma at the Drummond Ranch, where Corby’s oldest friend, Ladd and his wife, The Pioneer Woman (www.thepioneerwoman.com) Ree, and their four children live.  It is so beautiful!  The first day we spent with Ladd, the kids, and the cowboys shipping cattle.  Cowboy Tim, Cowboy Sam, Cowboy Josh and the kids rounded up all the cattle from nearby pastures and brought them to a pen where they were divided into sections and weighed.  Then the 18-wheelers backed up one at a time to the shoot, where the cattle were then herded and loaded into the trucks.  They shipped over 400 cattle in about three hours.  It was amazingly efficient, and I only had to be on a horse for about ten minutes.  It was terrifying.

That night, Ree and Ladd came over to the Lodge where we were staying and cooked us amazing steaks and Delicious, Creamy Mashed Potatoes.  That is actually Ree’s name for the dish in her cookbook, and the recipe is below!

The next day, after watching the sunrise again- this time from my bed in the Lodge- which was much better, we drove to Fayetteville, Arkansas to visit Corby’s family and watch the Arkansas vs. Auburn game.  Two very good things came from this trip- first, Arkansas won- which while I don’t really have any passion for football what so ever, it makes Corby wildly happy.  Second, and more importantly, we went to Rick’s Bakery (www.ricksbakery.com) which was very much deserved after the extreme trail run Corby took me on Saturday morning.  Wow!  Of the many things I tried at Rick’s- donuts, petifores, cookies, and cake, I think the petifores with the Razorback decorative icing were my favorite, and who knew they were such a hit at tailgates.  Everything was so good!!  If you are in Fayetteville, AR for any reason, make a point to go there, and you will not regret it!

 

Delicious, Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

5 pounds Russet Or Yukon Gold Potatoes

3/4 cups Butter

1 package (8 Oz.) Cream Cheese, Softened

1/2 cup (to 3/4 Cups) Half-and-Half

1/2 teaspoon (to 1 Teaspoon) Lawry’s Seasoned Salt

1/2 teaspoon (to 1 Teaspoon) Black Pepper

Instructions:

Peel and cut the potatoes into pieces that are generally the same size. Bring a large pot of water to a simmer and add the potatoes.  Bring to a boil and cook for 30 to 35 minutes. When they’re cooked through, the fork should easily slide into the potatoes with no resistance, and the potatoes should almost, but not totally, fall apart.

Drain the potatoes in a large colander. When the potatoes have finished draining, place them back into the dry pot and put the pot on the stove.  Mash the potatoes over low heat, allowing all the steam to escape, before adding in all the other ingredients.

Turn off the stove and add 1 ½ sticks of butter, an 8-ounce package of cream cheese, and about ½ cup of half-and-half. Mash, mash, mash! Next, add about ½ teaspoon of Lawry’s Seasoning Salt and ½ teaspoon of black pepper.

Stir well and place in a medium-sized baking dish. Throw a few pats of butter over the top of the potatoes and place them in a 350-degree oven and heat until butter is melted and potatoes are warmed through.

Note: When making this dish a day or two in advance, take it out of the fridge about 2 to 3 hours before serving time. Bake in a 350-degree oven for about 20 to 30 minutes or until warmed through.

Heading to visit the Pioneer Woman!

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I am about to head off for a long weekend in Oklahoma and Arkansas- two states I have never been to.  We are headed to Oklahoma this afternoon to spend two nights with the Pioneer Woman (www.thepioneerwoman.com)  and her husband.  Corby and the Pioneer Woman’s husband have been friends since they were 4, which is the reason for the visit.  If you haven’t read her blog, book, cookbook or seen her TV show- you should.  She is amazing.  Not only is she an amazing cook- can’t wait to eat there!!- she is also an amazing photographer, and she homeschools her four children.  I can’t even help my sweet Walker with his homework without losing my mind.  I try to emulate her photography occasionally.  Here is how it turns out.

Clearly, you can tell which one is my picture vs. her amazing picture.  Corby on the ranch with the rainbow- beautiful.  Corby on the creek with bad lighting- mine.  Oh well.

So apparently, tomorrow on the ranch, they are shipping cattle. Apparently, we are helping.  At least there will be good food at the end of it all.  Here is one of her recipes for Mystery Rolls that is so easy and good and of course has cheese.

Mystery Rolls

6 oz crumbled blue cheese

1 stick of salted butter

1 roll of Pilsbury Biscuits

Preheat oven to 350.  Place the stick of butter and the crumbled blue cheese on a baking sheet.

Take out the biscuits and cut them into quarters.  Place the baking sheet with the butter and cheese in the oven until it has all melted.  When all the butter and cheese has melted, take the baking sheet out of the oven and dump the biscuit pieces onto the baking sheet.

Stir around the biscuit pieces until they are fully coated with the butter and cheese, and then arrange in rows on the sheet.

Place back in the oven for 8 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.  They are sooo good!

Feast in the Field

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Last night we went to a Feast in the Field event sponsored by Low Country Local First, FIG, and Garden and Gun Magazine. The setting was a beautiful spot on the river called Dirthugger Farm with lighted Live Oak trees, Spanish moss, and a sunset that was breathtaking.  The food was even better.  Passed hors d’oeurves were deep fried stone crab balls, chicken liver pate, and oysters (because as everybody knows, October 1st is the official day you can start harvesting local oysters here in Charleston).  The bluegrass band was fantastic, and they were giving boat rides on Scout crafts.  The whole evening was magical.  Dinner was family style and started off with Virginal Sheep’s Mil Ricotta and Oregano Grilled Sourdough bread- amazing!  I actually kept the bowl of the ricotta next to me, and continued to eat it for the whole night with everything else that was served.  At the same time, they brought out Escabeche of White Shrimp with Fall Vegetables and Fresh Ginger.  It was gone before I could get a good picture. The Porchetta Tomato Celery Heart Lemon Confit was divine as was the Butter Pea “Pasta e Fagioli”.  I could have eaten just that (and of course the ricotta) all night.  The Wood Grilled Keegan Filion Farms Chicken Al Mattone with Charred Lemon Jus and Dirthugger Bread Salad was if possible even better.

The evening was topped off with Pear Tartatin with Honey Syrup and Pistachio Creme and the Board of Lowcountry Local First gathering with Chef Mike Lata for a photograph in the live oak tree!

For good measure, here is the sunset and the river.  It was such a fun evening, and I can’t wait for next year!