Frozen Strawberry Daiquiris

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Tomorrow is Walker’s last day of 4th grade.  He keeps saying he can’t believe how quickly the year went by. I can’t believe how quickly the year went by.  The years somehow keep getting faster.  Fortunately, while summer does seem to disappear on me too quickly as well, I am looking forward to enjoying the long lazy days ahead.  Walker heads to camp for three weeks next week, and everyone keeps asking what I am going to do- the answer is nothing.  I am pretty excited about it.  Well, nothing is a relative term because I do plan on making strawberry daiquiris and sitting on my porch.  Here is my favorite daiquiri recipe- hope you enjoy it as much as I plan to.

Frozen Strawberry Daiquiris

Ingredients:

3 cups sliced strawberries
1 cup white rum
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 (12-ounce) can limeade concentrate, thawed and undiluted
1 cup crushed ice
6 lime slices (optional)

Directions:

Place the first 4 ingredients in a blender; process until smooth. Add ice; process until smooth. Serve immediately; garnish with lime slices, if desired.

Delicious Cream Puffs

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Happy Memorial Day!  We spent a wonderful weekend out on boats and at the beach.  The weather could not have been more perfect, and I am now convinced that every tourist who is currently in Charleston wants to move here, so I should probably get my real estate license as opposed to my continuous attempts at baking.  However, baking is clearly more fun.  We are grilling out tonight, and I am going to make cream puffs for dessert.  I am pretty excited about it.  I know that most people just cut the puffs open and fill with pudding or custard that way, but I am going to try to fill them without cutting them in half- it will probably be a huge mess but should be fun.  Because I love vanilla custard, that is with what they will be filled.  I might make chocolate custard as well, but we will see how it goes.

Cream Puffs

Ingredients:

1 cup water
1/2 cup butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
Bring the water to a boil in a medium-size saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add the butter.  When the butter has melted, add the flour mixture all at once and stir vigorously.  Cook and stir until the mixture forms a ball that doesn’t separate.
Remove from the heat and cool slightly (about 1 minute).  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each one until the dough is smooth.
Drop heaping tablespoons of dough about 2-inches apart onto a greased baking sheet.  Or transfer the batter to a pastry bag with a round tip and pipe circles about 2-inches in diameter and about 1-inch apart onto greased baking sheets.  Bake the puffs for about 30 minutes until they are golden brown and puffy.  If the puffs are medium-size, bake for about 22 — 25 minutes, and if the puffs are mini-size, bake for about 17 — 20 minutes.  Remove the cream puffs from the oven and cool on a cooling rack.

Vanilla Custard Filling

Ingredients:

2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
pinch of salt
4 large egg yolks or 2 whole eggs
2 cups milk
1 vanilla bean or 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions:

On a piece of plastic wrap, or in a small bowl, combine the sugar, cornstarch, flour and salt. In a saucepan, combine and whisk together the egg yolks and milk, or whole eggs if you are using them.

Gather the corners of the plastic wrap, or the bowl and pick up the starch mixture, pour it on top of the eggs and milk and whisk well to be sure that all of the cornstarch and flour are dissolved. Add the vanilla bean. (if using the extract, add it at the end of the recipe.

Set the pan over moderate heat and cook the custard for about 12 minutes, until thickened and brought to a boil. To do this, stir on and off for the first 5 minutes, then stir constantly for 7 minutes longer until the cream really thickens and reaches a boil.

Remove pan from the heat. The cream is done when smooth and thick enough to leave a clearly defined line when you draw your finger through the cream coating the back of the spoon.

Remove the vanilla bean, rinse it, and set it aside to reuse. If you are using extract instead of the bean, add it now. Add the butter and whisk until melted and blended in.

Pour the cream through a sieve into a bowl. Stir in any additional flavoring if using it. To prevent a film from forming on top of the cream, press a piece of plastic wrap onto the surface. Cool cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Homemade Oreos

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I just read that over 362 billion Oreos have been sold since they first came out in 1912.  That statistic is very relieving since I thought that I might be partially responsible for a decent percentage of their sales.  Clearly, with that many sold- I am not.  However, it just proves that there are many out there like me that really love Oreos.  Walker has a theory that men like the cookie part better and women like the cream part more.  This is true in our household, but maybe we need a wider basis for this theory to have any validity.  Walker would love to know, and for an easy science fair project at a later date, I would like to know as well.  Because they are the best selling cookie out there and oh so delicious, I had never thought to try to recreate its goodness.  While I doubt I can improve upon its perfection, what’s the harm in trying.  I could maybe sell 400 billion of my new Oreo if my kitchen were big enough.  However, here is a picture of my workspace, so maybe not. 

Homemade Oreo Cookies

Ingredients:

For the Dough:1 1/3 cups Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extractFor the Filling:1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Prepare the dough: Sift together the cocoa powder, flour and salt in a large bowl.Using a mixer, cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla, incorporating each ingredient before adding the next. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

Divide the dough into 2 pieces; place one piece between 2 lightly floured sheets of parchment paper and roll into a 1/4-inch-thick rectangle. Repeat with the other piece of dough. Refrigerate both rectangles, covered with the parchment sheets, until firm, at least 1 hour or up to several days.

Using a 2-inch round cutter, cut the dough into 64 circles. (You can reroll the scraps once.) Place the cookies about 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets and chill for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Bake the cookies until they are set and slightly darker around the edges, about 20 minutes. Cool completely on wire racks.

Meanwhile, prepare the filling: Using a mixer, cream the butter and shortening until fluffy. Beat in the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla.

Flip half of the cookies upside down and top each with 1 level tablespoon of filling. Press the remaining cookies on top to make sandwiches.

Valentine’s Day Cocktails

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My Valentine’s day presents to Corby have ranged from venison beef jerky to a weird ridiculously toxic old fabric cleaner that his dad used to have and is apparently awesome.  Clearly we are not traditional Valentine’s Day celebrators.  This is mainly because Corby’s birthday is on February 16th, and he likes his birthday a lot more than Valentine’s day, so this year I am just making Valentine’s Day cocktails- Raspberry Chocolate Kiss Cocktails to be exact (found them on www.delish.com- photo from Martha Stewart), and they hopefully they will be a huge hit!  The red color and chocolate garnish really does make them super Valentinesy and fun and delicious!  Happy Valentines Day!!

Raspberry Chocolate Kiss Cocktails

Ingredients:

1/4 cup vodka

2 tbsbs cranberry juice

3 chocolate cookies finely crushed

10 raspberries

ice cubes

Directions:

Fill a shallow dish with enough simple syrup to just cover the bottom. Place crushed cookies into another shallow dish. Invert a martini glass into simple syrup and then immediately into crushed cookies to coat the rim of the glass.
Place raspberries in a cocktail shaker; crush with a muddler. Add simple syrup and muddle again. Add vodka and cranberry juice; fill shaker with ice. Shake well until chilled. Strain into prepared martini glass. Serve immediately.

 

Skirt Steak with a Chimichurri Sauce

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We had a few people over for dinner this past Friday night, and while I have heard that you are never supposed to serve something new at a dinner party, these were my best friends, so I thought that I could experiment on them.  Everything I made was a first time attempt.  It was a little nerve wracking, so I can see why people say not to do this.  However, things turned out very well, if I do say so myself.  I made skirt steak in a chimichurri marinade.  I had been served this at a dinner party over the summer, and it was amazing.  I googled chimichurri marinade, and several different recipes turned up.  The main difference between the recipes was the use of vinegar or not.  I chose one on www.epicurious.com that came from Bon Appetit.  It wasn’t until after I had read and reviewed about 15 different recipes and chosen this one as the best that I realized it was a Matt and Ted Lee recipe.  I should not be surprised as they are the best!  The only thing that I did slightly wrong was not leave the meat on the grill long enough.  I had bought about 4 lbs of meat in 2 pieces.  The directions I had read said to grill for 5 minutes per side.  I think my steaks were a little bit thicker but in fear of over cooking, I followed the 5 minute rule without checking the inside.  It was a little rare for my taste, but I put the middle section of the steak under the broiler for a few minutes, and it was great.  This is an awesome marinade and a delicious meal to serve- it will definitely be on my go to list!

Here is the recipe for the marinade.

Chimicurri Marinade

Ingredients:

1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more
3–4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced or minced
1 shallot, finely chhttps://thesouthwillrise.com/wp-admin/post-new.phpopped
1 Fresno chile or red jalapeño, finely chopped*
2 cups minced fresh cilantro
1 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh oregano
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
*At Whole Foods, I could not find a Fresno chili or red jalapeno, so I got a green one.  It turns out there is no difference between a red and green jalapeno other than the color and season in which they are grown.*

Directions:

Combine vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt, garlic, shallot, and chile in a medium bowl and let stand for 10 minutes. Stir in cilantro, parsley, and oregano. Using a fork, whisk in oil. Remove 1/2 cup chimichurri to a small bowl, season with salt to taste, and reserve as sauce. Put meat in a glass, stainless-steel, or ceramic dish. Toss with remaining marinade. Cover and chill for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Remove meat from marinade, pat dry, and grill.

Bourbon Chili

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My dad has this saying that everything is good at the Waffle House except the waffles.  It is a big joke in our family, and I feel like this saying is apropos when I go to oyster roasts and say that my favorite thing is the chili.  However, since I can’t eat oysters and my dad can eat waffles- maybe not.  Anyway, we went to a dinner party the other night and were served the most delicious chili- actually it was bourbon chili which is probably why it was so good.  I have not experimented much in the making of chili just in the eating.  For instance, I did not even know there was a difference between regular chili and Texas chili (Texas chili doesn’t have beans), nor did I know that you never serve chili on the same day you make it.  It needs a day to marinate I guess.  Now that the days are getting colder- well not today since it is almost 80 degrees outside, but we have had some cold mornings when I wish I was wearing gloves on my bike ride to work, and chili is the perfect meal on a cold day.  Going to the best bourbon source, I found this recipe for Bourbon Chili on the Makers Mark website, and I can’t wait to try it (when it finally does get cold here). This looks delicious!!! And of course, here is a cute picture of Walker from long ago when it was cold.

Bourbon Chili

Ingredients:

1 cup Maker’s Mark® Bourbon
2 pieces dried Ancho chilies
1 piece dried Pasilla chile
2 pieces dried Guajillo chilies
2 pieces dried Chipotle chilies
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 pounds boneless beef short ribs
3 cups onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup masa harina, if desired
Salt and black pepper
Additional Maker’s Mark® Bourbon, if desired

Directions:

Toast the chilies in a large, dry skillet over medium-low heat until lightly charred and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
Bring 4 cups of water to a boil and pour over the chilies. Weight the chilies down in the water and submerge with a paper towel. Allow the chilies to soften for about 20 minutes in the hot water. Drain the chilies once they are soft, reserving the soaking liquid. If you prefer your chili to be spicy, remove only the stem of the chilies, leaving the seeds intact. If you prefer a milder chili, take the time to open up the softened chili peppers and remove the seeds before adding the peppers to the blender.
Add the softened chili peppers to the blender with 1 cup of Maker’s Mark®. Puree until smooth.
Heat a large skillet or Dutch oven over high heat. Pat the short ribs dry with a paper towel and season them generously with salt and black pepper. Add the tablespoon of oil to the hot pan. Reduce the heat to medium high. Sear the short ribs on all sides until well browned, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove the short ribs to a plate and pour off the browning liquid and fat into a small bowl. Return the pan to the heat.
Add the chopped onion and minced garlic to the skillet and cook until softened, about 10 minutes, stirring often.
Add the cumin, oregano, thyme, brown sugar, vinegar, browning liquid, chile water and chile puree to the pot. Season with a heavy pinch of salt. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and simmer over low heat until the meat is very tender, about 3 hours, turning the ribs every 30 minutes and adding water as necessary if the braise becomes too dry.
Once the short ribs can break apart with a spoon, remove the ribs from the stew and break the short ribs apart into small chunks using two spoons or forks.
The chili braise in the pot should be the consistency of a thick soup. Reduce over low heat if necessary or add more water to reach desired consistency. Skim any excess fat and oil from the surface of the chili and discard. Stir the pieces of short rib back into the chili braise. Add an extra splash of Maker’s Mark® if you want.
Thicken the stew with masa harina (fine cornmeal makes a great substitute) if you desire: Ladle 2 cups of chili into a bowl and stir in the masa harina. Return the mixture to the pot and stir in with the rest of the chili. Simmer for 15 minutes. Serve the chili hot garnished with chopped scallions, cilantro and/or sour cream.

My New Braiser

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I hope everyone had a great Halloween and has transitioned into it getting dark at 6:00pm well- I am not quite down with it, and we spent the better part of the weekend arguing over why Daylight Savings Time exists.  It is not for the farmers as I previously thought but was suggested by a New Zealander because he wanted an extra hour of leisure time in the summer during daylight but after work.  Kind of ridiculous if you ask me, but I guess if I really was against it I could live in Arizona- the only state that doesn’t follow Daylight Savings. Here is a quick picture from Walker’s Halloween tunnel- huge success! Now that is over with, I can concentrate on my new favorite thing in my kitchen- my new Le Creuset Braiser.  My amazing friend gave it to me for my birthday- it is in Bone, and it is really awesome.  I have been looking for excuses to use it and trying to find new recipes for it constantly.  Since it is Le Creuset, I went to their site, and they have an awesome Easy Polenta recipe using the braiser.  It is fantastic!  Many more to come.

Easy Polenta from Le Creuset

Ingredients:

2 3/4 cups spring water
2/3 cup quick-cooking polenta
3 tablespoons freshly grated imported Parmigiano Reggiano

Directions:

Use the 3 1/2 QT. braiser on the range top for this. Add the water to the pan and bring it almost to a boil.

Gradually add the polenta to the pan, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula. When all the grains are added, reduce the heat to low and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the polenta is thick, smooth and mounds easily. (If you detect any lumps, mash them with the tines of a heavy fork.) This will take about 5 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and fold in the cheese. Serve at once.

Charleston- Best City in the World!

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Conde Nast Traveler just named Charleston, SC the best city in the world (http://www.cntraveler.com/readers-choice-awards/top-cities-in-the-world-charleston-cape-town-bangkok-vancouver-photos#slide=1). Pretty impressive, and I completely agree, and I am not surprised.  Where else could my sweet Walker play on Civil War cannons looking out over the harbor- this city is amazing.  It is actually surprising how long it has taken for people to acknowledge this fact, a fact we in Charleston have known for quite a while.  And Between Mike Lata of FIG, Sean Brock of Husk, Ken Vedrinski of Lucca, Craig Deihl of Cypress and on and on, Charleston is also in my opinion the best food city in the world.  While the amazing food aspect of Charleston is relatively new- like in the last 15 years, the best parts of Charleston, the charm, the quaintness, and the history have always been here.  If you haven’t been to Charleston, you should.  Here is a very old school Charleston Shrimp and Grits recipe that would win Charleston awards even if it was a hole in the ground!  Very proud of my city.

Old Charleston Style Shrimp & Grits

Ingredients:

1 cup coarsely ground grits
3 cups water
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups half-and-half
 2 pounds uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
salt to taste
1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 lemon, juiced
1 pound andouille sausage, cut into 1/4 inch slices
5 slices bacon
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Directions:

Bring water, grits, and salt to a boil in a heavy saucepan with a lid. Stir in half-and-half and simmer until grits are thickened and tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside and keep warm.
Sprinkle shrimp with salt and cayenne pepper; drizzle with lemon juice. Set aside in a bowl.
Place andouille sausage slices in a large skillet over medium heat; fry sausage until browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove skillet from heat.
Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Retain bacon drippings in skillet. Transfer bacon slices to paper towels, let cool, and crumble.
Cook and stir green, red, and yellow bell peppers, onion, and garlic in the bacon drippings until the onion is translucent, about 8 minutes.
Stir shrimp and cooked vegetables into the andouille sausage and mix to combine.
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat; stir in flour to make a smooth paste. Turn heat to low and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is medium brown in color, 8 to 10 minutes. Watch carefully, mixture burns easily.
Pour the butter-flour mixture into the skillet with andouille sausage, shrimp, and vegetables. Place the skillet over medium heat and pour in chicken broth, bacon and Worcestershire sauce, cooking and stirring until the sauce thickens and the shrimp become opaque and bright pink, about 8 minutes.
Just before serving, mix sharp Cheddar cheese into grits until melted and grits are creamy and light yellow. Serve shrimp mixture over cheese grits.

Lowcountry Local First Field Feast- Food is Good

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We went to the 4th annual Lowcountry Local First Field Feast on Sunday, and it was as expected- AMAZING!! The setting was spectacular out at Rosebank Farm on Wadmalaw Island.  The tent  was set up by the river, we enjoyed cocktails on the lawn with Long Miles played, and then we moseyed down to the dock for a cool breeze and a raw bar.  I had gone over the menu when we arrived, and by the time we sat down, I almost couldn’t contain my excitement for the meal.   Fire charred bread was served with pumpkin seed condiment and a yogurt dip.  We snacked on this yumminess while introductions and thank yous were given, and then we heard from the farmer about the cow named Link that we were about to enjoy.  Okra soup followed, and then we were onto the meat.  Plate after plate of the best meat and sauces and vegetables and beans came out of the side yard where it was all prepared by Chef Mike Lata and his unbelievable staff from FIG (which stands for Food Is Good and they are so right).  I am in awe of this group.  It was a little warm on Sunday, the bugs were out, and the serving staff from FIG had been there all day on their day off no less.  While they passed around the drinks and appetizers, helped cook and serve us all dinner (and there were about 180 of us), dealt with the rain that came pouring down right after the soup course- they all smiled, were cheerful, were the best wait staff I have ever seen.  I could not be more impressed.  Now, I need to make special mention of dessert.  Because I am still dreaming about it.  On the menu, it just said Sea Island Milk Candy.  I was curious.  When dessert was served, it was cream stuffed crepes with a caramel sauce that was just special.  I don’t want to even degrade it by superfluous adjectives.  It was just special. This is by far and away my favorite event in Charleston, and if you are ever able to go, I would jump on the tickets as fast as possible, and if you can’t make it, then you should just eat at FIG because it is the next best thing.

The Whole Pig

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I have eaten a lot of pulled pork in the last two weekends.  It has been pretty awesome.  What I have been amazed at is the different ways said pork has been prepared and how tasty each different one is.  The first round of BBQ sandwiches was last weekend when we spent the day on the dock down in Wadmalaw.  My fantastic friends Brooke and Jodie said they were bringing some BBQ which was great because while I had dinner planned out, I had not done anything for lunch.  When we all got hungry from not catching any fish, Brooke ran up to the house to heat up the BBQ.  He came down with Jack Daniels new line of “ready to eat meats” Pulled Pork (http://jackdanielsmeats.com/products/PulledPork/index.html).  I must admit I was skeptical as I am not usually a fan of that kind of stuff, but this was really good.  The sauce was great, the meat was delicious, and it was so easy, and also the perfect size for just a few people.  Definitely a great thing to have in the fridge when you have a craving for BBQ.

The second event for pulled pork was this past Saturday night.  My brother and his wife have just recently moved to Charleston, and they had a house warming party.  Mac and cheese, biscuits, and pulled pork were on the dinner menu, and bourbon banana pudding and apple pie was for dessert.  It was pretty special.  Corby has cooked pulled pork on the grill a couple of times before, and it has been really delicious, but it takes forever!  He has to let it marinade in a brine for 24 hours and then he puts it on the grill for 8-10 hours, and it is just a huge effort that doesn’t happen very often.  Clearly, the low and slow technique is what good BBQ is all about, so why had I never thought to cook it in my crock pot like my sister in law did for Saturday night- genius!  As much as I love my crock pot and BBQ, I can not believe I have never done this!  Here is a great recipe I found for crock pot pulled pork- it is at the bottom.

Now, the third eating of pulled pork was last night at a Lowcountry Local First (www.lowcountrylocalfirst.org) event out at some friend’s house on Sullivans Island.  It was a great event to raise money for LLF which is a great group supporting local farmers and connecting them with restaurants and people to buy local and eat local.  The hosts had spent some time getting ready for the party.  The house is amazing and looked beautiful, they had a great band, and they had cooked an entire pig in a pit in their yard.  A big, huge pig in a hole- slow cooked for hours and hours.  It was pretty impressive and oh my god good.  So basically, from store bought to crock pot to whole pig in the ground- pulled pork BBQ is pretty awesome no matter what.

Crock Pot Pulled Pork

Ingredients:

1 pork roast or butt (size depends on how much you want)

1 large Vidalia onion, sliced thin
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (4-6 lb) boneless pork butt or shoulder
¾ cup cider vinegar
4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 ½ teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
1 ½ teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoons dry mustard
½ teaspoon garlic salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions:

Rinse pork roast under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.

Place onions in crock-pot. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, paprika, kosher salt and pepper; mix thoroughly. Rub mixture all over roast and place the roast on top of the onions.

In a medium bowl, combine vinegar, Worcestershire, red pepper flakes, sugar, mustard, garlic salt and cayenne pepper; whisk to combine. Drizzle about 1/3 of vinegar mixture over roast. Cover and refrigerate remaining vinegar mixture.

Cover crockpot; cook on low for 10-12 hours. Drizzle about 1/3 of reserved vinegar mixture over roast during last ½ hour of cooking.

Remove meat and onions; drain. Chop or shred meat and onions. Serve with remaining vinegar mixture or your favorite barbeque sauce.