Golden Photos and Golden Cream Soup

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We spent a glorious day on Saturday with friends on a dock.  The light at the end of the day was so beautiful, and watching Walker and his friend jumping in the water and swimming, it really was a golden afternoon.  It reminded me of a soup I had a while ago called Golden Cream Soup- delicious name and even more delicious soup.   As we say goodbye to our last days of summer and welcome in the cooler days, I love having a good stockpile of yummy soup recipes, and this is a great one.

Golden Cream Soup

Ingredients:

3 cups potatoes, peeled and chopped

1/2 cup celery, sliced

1/2 cup carrots, peeled and sliced

1/4 cup onion, chopped

1 cup water

1 tsp chicken bouillon granules

1 tsp dried parsley

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

2 tbsp all purpose flour

1 1/2 cups milk 8oz pkg cheese spread, cubed

Directions:

In a large saucepan, combine veggie’s, water, bouillon and seasoning; mix well. Cover; simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes or until veggies are tender.
Place flour in a medium bowl. Gradually add milk, whisking until blended.
Add mixture to soup; cook and stir until thickened. Add cheese and stir until melted.

A Bowl Full of Fall Flavors

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We are taking a house party up to Linville in about a month, and I am so excited for it that I have already started planning the menu.  I was going to have traditional spaghetti sauce, homemade bread, and salad for dinner one night because it is what we always have for house parties in Linville, but I came across a recipe yesterday that looked so intriguing and delicious, that I might have to put aside the spaghetti for once.  The recipe is for BBQ chicken over grits, and what really stopped me was that it called for putting a can of pumpkin in the grits as well as pepper jack cheese.  Wow!  I can not wait to try this!! (the photo is from www.tasteofhome.com)

BBQ Chicken and Grits

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/4 tsp pepper

14.5 oz can reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided

1 cup hickory smoke-flavored BBQ sauce

1/4 cup molasses

1 tbsp ground ancho chili pepper

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 1/4 cups water

1 cup quick-cooking grits

1 cup canned pumpkin

3/5 cup shredded pepper jack cheese

1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped

6 tbsp sour cream

2 green onions, chopped

2 tbsb minced cilantro

Directions:

Sprinkle the chicken with pepper and place in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine 1 cup of the broth, bbq sauce, molasses, chile pepper and cinnamon and pour over chicken.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the chicken reads 170 degrees.  Shred the meat with two forks and return to skillet.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, bring the water and remaining broth to a boil.  Slowly stir in the grits and pumpkin.  Reduce the heat and cook, stirring, for 5-7 minutes or until thickened.  Stir in the cheese until melted.

Divide the grits among 6 serving bowls and top each with 1/2 cup chicken mixture.  Serve with tomatoes, sour cream, green onions and cilantro.

French Croissants

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On Sunday, Corby and I walked up to the Starbucks to get an iced coffee and my weirdo son Walker a hot chocolate.  I say weirdo affectionately and only because it was 90 degrees outside, and who wants a hot chocolate when it is 90 degrees?  Corby also got a croissant.  I love a croissant.  They are buttery and flaky and make me want to live in France.  The great thing about croissants is that they can be used for so many things.  They are exceptional for breakfast with jam or butter.  They make a sandwich extra special when used as the bread.  And they add something extra to dinner when they are served as the dinner roll.  Also, when you dip them in coffee or hot chocolate, it is sublime.  Here is a great croissant recipe from allrecipes.com.  Hope you enjoy as much as I do.

French Croissants

Ingredients:

1 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

3 tablespoons warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

1 teaspoon white sugar

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons white sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2/3 cup warm milk

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2/3 cup unsalted butter, chilled

1 egg

1 tablespoon water

Directions:

Combine yeast, warm water, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Allow to stand until creamy and frothy.
Measure flour into a mixing bowl. Dissolve 2 teaspoons sugar and salt in warm milk. Blend into flour along with yeast and oil. Mix well; knead until smooth. Cover, and let rise until over triple in volume. Deflate gently, and let rise again until doubled. Deflate and chill 20 minutes.
Massage butter until pliable, but not soft and oily. Pat dough into a 14 x 8 inch rectangle. Smear butter over top two thirds, leaving 1/4 inch margin all around. Fold unbuttered third over middle third, and buttered top third down over that. Turn 90 degrees, so that folds are to left and right. Roll out to a 14 x 6 inch rectangle. Fold in three again. Sprinkle lightly with flour, and put dough in a plastic bag. Refrigerate 2 hours. Unwrap, sprinkle with flour, and deflate gently. Roll to a 14 x 6 inch rectangle, and fold again. Turn 90 degrees, and repeat. Wrap, and chill 2 hours.
To shape, roll dough out to a 20 x 5 inch rectangle. Cut in half crosswise, and chill half while shaping the other half. Roll out to a 15 x 5 inch rectangle. Cut into three 5 x 5 inch squares. Cut each square in half diagonally. Roll each triangle lightly to elongate the point, and make it 7 inches long. Grab the other 2 points, and stretch them out slightly as you roll it up. Place on a baking sheet, curving slightly. Let shaped croissants rise until puffy and light. In a small bowl, beat together egg and 1 tablespoon water. Glaze croissants with egg wash.
Bake in a preheated 475 degrees F (245 degrees C) oven for 12 to 15 minutes.

 

Leave the Cannoli

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I feel like we had our last real summer weekend this past weekend.  My brother and his wife invited us out to a beach house they had rented on Folly Beach for Friday night.  We went to Taco Boy for dinner and then sat around talking and listening to the ocean.  Saturday morning I got up early and took Nemo for a walk.  As we watched the surfers and the ocean, I thought back on our summer and how wonderful it was, and for some reason, I remembered the cannoli ice cream that we had up in the Catskills.  It is one of those flavors of ice cream that you don’t find very often, and the memory of it comes back at random times and just makes you happy that you were lucky enough to have tried it when you had the chance.  It is also one of those things that I will leave to the professionals.  Cannoli, however, I can do.  Here is a great recipe that I love.

Cannoli

Ingredients:

Shells:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons shortening
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup sweet Marsala wine
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
2 tablespoons water
1 egg white
1 quart oil for frying, or as needed
Filling:
1 (32 ounce) container ricotta cheese
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 cup chopped candied citron
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
(optional)

Directions:

In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, sugar and cinnamon. Cut in the shortening until it is in pieces no larger than peas. Make a well in the center, and pour in the egg, egg yolk, Marsala wine, vinegar and water. Mix with a fork until the dough becomes stiff, then finish it by hand, kneading on a clean surface. Add a bit more water if needed to incorporate all of the dry ingredients. Knead for about 10 minutes, then cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.
Divide the cannoli dough into thirds, and flatten each one just enough to get through the pasta machine. Roll the dough through successively thinner settings until you have reached the thinnest setting. Dust lightly with flour if necessary. Place the sheet of dough on a lightly floured surface. Using a form or large glass or bowl, cut out 4 to 5 inch circles. Dust the circles with a light coating of flour. This will help you later in removing the shells from the tubes. Roll dough around cannoli tubes, sealing the edge with a bit of egg white.
Heat the oil to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) in a deep-fryer or deep heavy skillet. Fry shells on the tubes a few at a time for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden. Use tongs to turn as needed. Carefully remove using the tongs, and place on a cooling rack set over paper towels. Cool just long enough that you can handle the tubes, then carefully twist the tube to remove the shell. Using a tea towel may help you get a better grip. Wash or wipe off the tubes, and use them for more shells. Cooled shells can be placed in an airtight container and kept for up to 2 months. You should only fill them immediately or up to 1 hours before serving.
To make the filling, stir together the ricotta cheese and confectioners’ sugar using a spoon. Fold in the chopped citron and chocolate. Use a pastry bag to pipe into shells, filling from the center to one end, then doing the same from the other side. Dust with additional confectioners’ sugar and grated chocolate for garnish when serving.

Indaco- New Favorite in Charleston

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A new Italian restaurant opened in Charleston a couple of months ago, and I had dinner there yet again last night, and again, it was fabulous!  I was there with some girhttps://thesouthwillrise.com/wp-admin/post-new.phplfriends, and we started out with the butter bean puree, Castelvetrano olives, and the 24-month aged American Iberico prosciutto.  All of it was amazing- especially the prosciutto.  We also had the pork trotters, which is one of my favorites on the menu, and all I can say about them is they are ridiculous.  We were talking with one of the owners who came over to say hello (did I mention how amazing the service is??), and he was saying that it used to be a restaurant needed to specify if it was a Northern Italian or Southern Italian restaurant, but that Indaco didn’t do that.  They just put really good food on the menu.  I really love that sentiment.  Instead of trying to cater to a certain theme, its just really good food.  I mean, really good!  We then had several of the pizzas and the eggplant lasagnette.  The pizzas are to die for, and while I did not think that I enjoyed eggplant, it turns out I do- amazing.  One of the pizzas we had was an eggplant pizza with tomato, ricotta, buffalo mozzarella, and grana padano.  It was truly delicious.  So, here is a recipe I found for easy eggplant pizza, and while it won’t be as good as Indaco (only because I don’t have a wood fire pizza oven- ha) it will tide me over til the next time I find a reason to go to my new favorite place! (The picture is from the Indaco website www.indacocharleston.com of one of the pizzas.)

Eggplant Pizza

Ingredients:

1 eggplant, sliced

1/2 cup pizza sauce

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

1/2 tsp each salt and pepper

2 tsp olive oil for brushing
toppings as needed

Directions:

Slice the eggplant and sprinkle with some salt on each side. Set aside for thirty minutes, then rinse and pat dry. This will take some of the bitterness out of the eggplant, especially if you’re using a larger/older fruit.

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Brush each side of the eggplant slices with olive oil, then sprinkle both sides 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper. Place the eggplants on a cooling rack that’s on a baking sheet, and bake until they are softened and a little brown, about six minutes.

Spoon the tomato sauce on the eggplant slices, then add the cheese and toppings.

Return the baking sheet to the oven and bake for another five minutes, until the cheese is melted. Go ahead and broil it for a minute if you’d like some extra crispy toppings.

 

 

End of Summer = College Football

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It is Friday of Labor Day weekend which to me officially is the end of summer.  One last weekend at the beach before we hope the weather turns a bit cooler. However, as sad as I am about summer being over, it also means that college football has started again.  South Carolina kicked off the season last night against the Tarheels, and yesterday, the whole atmosphere in Charleston was all about college football.  Clearly, tailgates are my favorite part of the whole football season- I am starting to enjoy watching the games a lot more, especially since I recognize some of the names of the players.  But really, it is all about the food.  I was looking on-line today for some great tailgate recipes, and I found it very amusing that the breakfast burrito showed up in a lot of lists- as this is for the serious tailgater who is there in time for breakfast.  So, here is my favorite breakfast burrito recipe in honor of those tailgaters who can last all day.

Breakfast Burritos

Ingredients:

12 eggs

2/3 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter

1 pound bulk pork sausage

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1/2 red onion, diced

20 (6 inch) flour tortillas

1 tomato, diced

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1  package taco seasoning

1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

1 can diced jalapenos (optional)

Directions:

Whisk together the eggs, milk, and salt in a large bowl. Heat butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pour in the egg mixture; cook and stir until eggs are completely set, about 5 minutes. Chop the cooked eggs and place in a large bowl. Set aside.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and stir in the sausage and garlic. Cook and stir for 5 minutes, then add the onion. Continue cooking and stirring until the sausage is crumbly, evenly browned, and no longer pink. Drain and discard any excess grease. Combine the sausage with the eggs, tomato, cilantro, jalapeno, and taco seasoning. Allow mixture to cool to room temperature, then stir in the Cheddar cheese.
Place a tortilla onto your work surface, then spoon some of the filling halfway between the bottom edge and the center of the tortilla. Flatten the filling into rectangle shape with the back of a spoon. Fold the bottom of the tortilla snugly over the filling, then fold in the left and right edges. Roll the burrito up to the top edge, forming a tight cylinder. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
Tightly wrap individual burritos with plastic wrap and freeze until ready to serve. Heat in the microwave until hot, 3 to 4 minutes, before serving.

 

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies

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We have survived the first week back to school- it actually was relatively easy.  Walker came home the first day saying that he had the best group of teachers which is always good, and more importantly, he has not had too much trouble waking up in the morning.  The main change in school this year according to Walker is that they redid the lunch room and got a new lunch service company.  He is very impressed.  Gone are the days of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches every day which is what I had for lunch long long ago in my school days.  I really do love a good peanut butter sandwich, but of course better than that is a peanut butter cookie.  I saw these very fun cookies on Martha Stewart.com and thought they were a perfect “back to school” treat.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar, plus more for rolling
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup raspberry jam

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat peanut butter and butter with a mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add sugars, and beat until pale and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, and beat until incorporated. Reduce speed to low. Add dry ingredients, and mix until combined.

Scoop level tablespoons of dough, and form into balls. Roll each ball in granulated sugar, and transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart.

Bake until cookies are puffy, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven, and make indentations in centers by pressing with the handle end of a wooden spoon. Return to oven, and bake until edges are golden, 6 to 7 minutes more. Transfer sheets to wire racks, and let cool completely.

Heat jam in a small saucepan, stirring, until loosened, about 30 seconds. Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon into each indentation. Cookies can be stored in a single layer for up to 1 week.

Lemonade Stands and Lemon Trifle

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Walker and his two friends have spent a lot of time this past spring working on a pushable lemonade cart so they can better sell lemonade to the masses in Charleston.  Since they have all been gone all summer, yesterday was the first day they were able to try it out.  They went down to White Point Gardens with their stand and a cooler of lemonade and several hours and a Brazilian couple who had never seen a lemonade stand before, they concluded it was a success.  In honor of their lemonade success, I made a lemon trifle for dessert last night.  I love this recipe because it is simple, sweet and delicious.

Lemon Trifle

Ingredients:
1 package angel food cake mix – prepared according to instructions on package
1 1/4 cups sugar
4 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter
1 cup lemon juice – with zest
12 ounces whipped topping

Directions:

Prepare the angel food cake mix as instructed on the package. Allow it to cool completely.
Combine the sugar, cornstarch, water, and salt in a saucepan and stir until the cornstarch is dissolved.
Cook these ingredients over medium heat until the mixture is clear and has thickened. Cook it until it just comes to a boil.
Remove from the heat and add the butter; stir until melted.
Pour in the lemon juice and stir until completely mixed.
Allow it to cool and then refrigerate the mixture so that it thickens a little more. It should be about the consistency of pudding.
Remove the lemon mixture from the refrigerator and begin to layer all the ingredients. Begin by putting a layer of torn pieces of cake on the bottom of a trifle bowl. Use a little less than half the cake.
Spread half the lemon mixture over the cake and then sprinkle this with coconut.
Add half of the whipped topping and spread out evenly.
Repeat the layers of cake and lemon mixture. You will probably end up with a little of the cake leftover.
Next add the rest of the whipped topping and spread out so that it covers the entire top except for about an inch around the outer edge.
Sprinkle coconut over the entire top of the trifle.
Serve the trifle immediately or it can be refrigerate for a few hours before serving.

Carrot Cake Doughnuts

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This past weekend we spent Friday night out at the Sanctuary at Kiawah Island- a “staycation” if you will.  It was absolutely wonderful.  I felt like I had been on vacation for a week and we weren’t even there 24 hours.  We arrived on Friday afternoon.  It had been raining the whole day in Charleston, but just 45 minutes away, it had not rained at all.  We sat by the pool for a cocktail and then met some friends on the beach.  After that, we had drinks in the lobby bar with some other friends we ran into who were doing the same thing.  We then walked up  to The Ocean Room, sat at the bar and had a fabulous dinner.  Corby got the steak and I had the pesto gnocchi- delicious!  We were then “talked” into getting dessert.  It was going to be a very tough decision but fortunately they had a dessert trio which included the two things I wanted to try- the carrot cake doughnuts and the chocolate and malt. I can’t remember what the third was but I am sure I enjoyed it.  However, I do remember the carrot cake doughnuts very well.  Amazing.  They were served with cream cheese ice cream and a caramel sauce.  And of course since it was a carrot cake doughnut, that means it was healthy because of the carrot- right?  Either way, they were really special.  The next morning we went for a long walk on the beach and then sat at the pool for many hours until it was time to go home and pick up the dog.  It really was a phenomenal night/day/vacation.  Now, Walker is finally home after two and a half months of being away and school starts tomorrow- how has the summer gone by so quickly?  I dug around this morning to find a recipe for the carrot cake doughnuts that might make the first morning of school a little more bearable.

Carrot Cake Doughnuts

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 stick butter, softened
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 whole egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup plain yogurt
2/3 cup crushed pineapple, drained, reserve 4 tablespoons juice for the frosting
2/3 cup finely shredded carrots

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. Lightly grease the doughnut pan; set aside.
In a medium sized mixing bowl sift together the flour, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside.
In a large mixing bowl cream together the butter, light brown sugar, and salt. Add egg, vanilla, and yogurt; beat until smooth. Add flour mixutre. Stir in pineapple and carrots.
Spoon the mixture into a ziploc bag and pipe batter into prepared pan, filling only 1/2 way up the doughnut cavities.
Bake for 10 minutes.
Cool doughnuts in pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack.

Refreshing Watermelon

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We had a great weekend celebrating a friend’s 40th birthday, for which I made the cake (of course, in the shape of a 40- it was pretty awesome), and we had a super fun Sunday beach day yesterday.  However, despite all of the fun in the sun, it is really hot.  I know it is summer, but I mean it is really hot.  We have or now had tickets to see one of my favorite bands, The Killers, tomorrow night at the Family Circle Tennis Center, which most of the time is a fantastic place to see a concert, but I actually sold our tickets yesterday on Craigslist because at 8:30 am yesterday, it felt like 95 degrees outside.  That does not bode well for an early evening outdoor concert.  So, what to eat in the heat?  Watermelon, obviously, and what better than a watermelon salad!  Here is a great recipe with Feta Cheese.

Watermelon Salad

Ingredients:

3 cups chopped watermelon (3/4-inch chunks)
1 cup chopped cucumbers (1/4-inch chunks)
½ cup crumbled Feta Cheese
2 tbsp. chopped fresh mint
2 tbsp. Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a big bowl and enjoy!