Pumpkin Spice Latte



Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons canned pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 (1.5 fluid ounce) jigger brewed espresso

Directions:

1. Brew your espresso.
2. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, whisk together the pumpkin, vanilla, sugar, pumpkin pie spice and milk. Warm over medium heat, whisking constantly, until hot and frothy. Do not bring to a boil.
3. Pour the espresso into a mug and pour the pumpkin spiced milk over it.

This is my absolute favorite drink this time of year!  If you don't have an espresso machine, you can cheat by just using strong coffee instead.  Coffee snobs would turn their noses up at this notion, but who cares?!  (:

<3 H

The Rose's Thanksgiving 2010

Despite forgetting several key cooking utensils and supplies at my apartment, Thanksgiving was a success!  I cooked at my brother Justin's apartment since I am busy packing and moving into a new place.  I was worried that I would forget everything.  And I did forget quite a bit (the pumpkin pie crust!!), but overall I made it work.  Here are some pics of the festivities. 

Here's me and my brother Justin being silly in the kitchen.

The fam snacking on cheese, crackers, fruit, and cinnamon rolls.

Every good meal starts with fresh herbs!

And lots of butter...

The mess I made of my brother's kitchen...



The hardwork paid off!  Dinner was delicious.  (:

Plastic forks are dangerous!!

Afterwards, everyone was ready for a nap.

 

It was a great night.  Food was amazing.  The Saints won (GEAUX SAINTS!!).  And I think I laughed so hard I burned the 8 sticks of butter off just from laughing.  I hope y'all had an excellent Thanksgiving as well!

Sweet Potato Casserole

How on earth did I forget to add this to my Thanksgiving Menu??  It's hilarious that I nearly did considering this is my favorite Thanksgiving side dish.  (:  Anywho, here it is!!

Ingredients:
3 cups mashed sweet potatoes
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp cloves

Topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup chopped pecans
handful or two of mini marshmellows

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine top ingredients.  Pour into a buttered casserole dish. 
Mix remaining ingredients together and sprinkle over top. 
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until hot and browned.


(This recipe tastes almost exactly like Boston Market's sweet potato casserole.)

Baked Apples

One of my favorite smells is the scent of apples and cinnamon baking in the oven.  With the addition of raisins and pecans, these smell almost as good as they taste!  Baked apples make a great dessert for holiday dinners.  Serve them with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream.  Like apple pie without the crust (great for gluten-free eaters)!



Ingredients:

4 large good baking apples, such as Rome Beauty, Golden Delicious, or Jonagold (see cooking apple varieties)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup currants or chopped raisins
1 Tbsp butter
3/4 cup boiling water


Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Wash apples. Remove cores to 1/2 inch of the bottom of the apples. It helps if you have an apple corer, but if not, you can use a paring knife to cut out first the stem area, and then the core. Use a spoon to dig out the seeds. Make the holes about 3/4-inch to an inch wide.  (See photos below for demonstration.)

In a small bowl, combine the sugar, cinnamon, currants/raisins, and pecans. Place apples in a 8-inch-by-8-inch square baking pan. Stuff each apple with this mixture. Top with a dot of butter (1/4 of the Tbps).

Add boiling water to the baking pan. Bake 30-40 minutes, until tender, but not mushy. Remove from the oven and baste the apples several times with the pan juices.

Serve warm with vanilla icecream on the side.

(Recipe and photos courtesy of Simply Recipes.)

Baked Mac & Cheese

If you're looking for a low-fat mac & cheese recipe, look elsewhere.  In my opinion, there is no such thing as a good low-fat mac & cheese.  Go hard or go home!  If you're not scared of the words "butter", "heavy cream", "whole milk", or "7 cups of cheese", then proceed!  I promise you won't regret it.  This will be the best mac & cheese you've ever had in your life.  I will post my pic as soon as I make this again.  The one above really doesn't do it justice...

 

Ingredients:

• Kosher salt
• Vegetable oil
• 1 pound elbow macaroni or cavatappi
• 3 cups whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup Gruyere, shredded
• 6 cups extra-sharp Cheddar, shredded
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small-medium saucepan, but don't boil it.

This is the point where you have to have two hot pots going at once.  The first time you make it, it can feel like a juggling act.  So, if you're apprehensive or a beginner, have a second set of hands around. 

Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a large (4-quart) pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth.

Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar/American mix, add about 2 teaspoons of salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and stir well.  Taste to see if you need more salt or pepper.  Pour into a 3-quart baking dish.

Cover with remaining 2 cups of Cheddar/American mix. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is browned on the top. 

Let it sit for about 5 minutes to set.

Thanksgiving Menu



So, what's everyone making for Thanksgiving??  I've been trying to decide what to make for the past two weeks.  I never have trouble coming up with enough dishes to make.  My issue is paring it down.  I love to go BIG!!  If it were up to me, I'd have a huge table covered with 20 different dishes.  But, in a smallish Brooklyn apartment, this simply is not feasible.

At the same time, this was one of my mom's favorite holidays.  Since losing her in 2000, I do my best to remember her by making dishes she used to make when my brother and I were kids.  My menu has become a mix of those recipes, plus a few of my own I've grown to love over the years. 

So, after much consideration, this will be Thanksgiving 2010's menu at our home!

• Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast
• Cornbread Stuffing
• Garlic Parmesan Smashed Potatoes w/ Turkey Gravy
• Baked Mac n Cheese
• Green Bean Casserole
• Cranberry Sauce
• Pumpkin Tiramisu
• Dinner Rolls

Here are the recipes for each.  I will post my actual pics of each item once I make them on Thanksgiving. 

Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast

Ingredients:

• 1 whole bone-in turkey breast, 6 1/2 to 7 pounds
• About 3 cloves of minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons dry mustard
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup butter, semi-melted (or do half butter half bacon grease)
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 cup dry white wine

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place the turkey breast, skin side up, on a rack in a roasting pan.

In a small bowl, combine the garlic, mustard, herbs, salt, pepper, butter (or butter/bacon grease mixture), and lemon juice to make a paste. Loosen the skin from the meat gently with your fingers and smear half of the paste directly on the meat (under the skin). Spread the remaining paste evenly on the skin. Pour the wine into the bottom of the roasting pan.

Roast the turkey for 1 3/4 to 2 hours, until the skin is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees F when inserted into the thickest and meatiest areas of the breast. (I test in several places.) If the skin is over-browning, cover the breast loosely with aluminum foil.

When the turkey is done, cover with foil and allow it to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. Slice and serve with the pan juices spooned over the turkey or use drippings to make a gravy.

(Recipe adapted from Betty Crocker and Ina Garten.)

Cornbread Stuffing

Ingredients:

• Cornbread, recipe follows
• A few slices of cooked bacon chopped
• 7 slices oven-dried white bread
• 1 sleeve saltine crackers
• 8 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups celery, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 7 cups chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon sage
• 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning (optional)
• 5 eggs, beaten

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, combine crumbled cornbread, dried white bread slices, and saltines; set aside.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the celery and onion and cook until transparent, approximately 5 to 10 minutes. Pour the vegetable mixture over cornbread mixture. Add the stock, mix well, taste, and add salt, pepper to taste, sage, and poultry seasoning (if using). Add the bacon.  Add beaten eggs and mix well. Reserve 2 heaping tablespoons of this mixture for the giblet gravy. Pour mixture into a greased pan and bake until dressing is cooked through, about 45 minutes.

Cornbread:

• 1 cup self-rising cornmeal
• 1/2 cup self-rising flour
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine all ingredients and mix well. Pour batter into a greased shallow baking dish. Bake for approximately 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.  (I typically will make this a day ahead or that morning.)

(Recipe adapted from Paula Dean and my PawPaw.)




Garlic Smashed Potatoes

Ingredients

• 1 head garlic
• Olive oil
• 2 pounds red potatoes, washed well and quartered
• Few quarts of chicken stock or water (enough to cover potatoes to boil)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• Handful or two of shredded cheddar or american cheese (optional, but gives it a great texture)

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Slice off the very top of the garlic head. Drizzle head with olive oil and wrap in foil. Place on a sheet tray and bake until tender and fragrant, roughly 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Remove the cloves and mash with a wooden spoon.

Place potatoes in a large stockpot and cover with cold water (I like to boil mine in chicken stock to give it added flavor, but that's optional). Add salt and bring to a boil. Cook until fork tender and drain. Mash the potatoes until smooth.

Meanwhile heat butter and cream until butter melts. Add the roasted garlic and potatoes and mash all together.  If you're going to add the cheese, do it now and stir.  Cover and let sit for a few minutes and mix again.

Taste and season with salt and pepper.  Since potatoes cool quickly, I try to let this be one of the last things I make when orchestrating the meal  (:


Baked Mac n Cheese...  Since this is the best thing I make, I'm going to wait and post this tomorrow and let it have a post all its own.  It's really THAT good!

Green Bean Casserole

My family has always used the recipe on the back of the French's Fried Onion can.  I don't care what anyone says, it's the best!

Ingredients:

• 1 (10 3/4 oz.) can CAMPBELL'S® Cream of Mushroom Soup
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/8 tsp. black pepper
• 2 (9 oz. each) pkgs. frozen cut green beans, thawed*
• 1 1/3 cups FRENCH'S® Original or Cheddar French Fried Onions

Directions:

MIX soup, milk and pepper in a 1 1/2 -qt. baking dish. Stir in beans and 2/3 cup French Fried Onions.

BAKE at 350°F for 30 min. or until hot.

STIR. Top with remaining 2/3 cup onions. Bake 5 min. until onions are golden.

Cranberry Sauce...  This is something that I will forever prefer straight out of the can in gelled format.  I don't care if I can still see the can ridges in the sides of the sauce as it comes out in a plop.  It reminds me of childhood.  And I personally think it tastes better than any homemade cranberry sauce I've tried.  For me, it's all about the texture.

Refrigerator Rolls

I like to make these the night before.  The less I have to do the day of, the better!

Ingredients:

• 4 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 2 cups warm water
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 egg

Directions

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water and set aside to proof.

In another bowl, mix together sugar, salt, shortening, and egg with an electric mixer at low speed. Add mixture to yeast, and stir in flour. The last 3 cups of flour will have to be mixed in by hand.

Cover dough with a damp cloth, and place in refrigerator. Punch down occasionally as dough rises. You can leave dough in refrigerator overnight.

Two hours before baking, shape the dough into rolls. Place on greased pans, baking trays or muffin pans. Let rise 2 hours.

Bake at 400 degrees F for 8 to 10 minutes.

Pumpkin Tiramisu recipe was posted on my blog on the 19th.  Please see that post for the recipe.

Please feel free to share your menu plans for Thanksgiving.  I'd love to check them out!

Pumpkin Tiramisu

First of all, I have to say, I aboslutely ADORE pumpkin.  Love it!  This dessert is a great alternative to pumpkin pie, if you’re looking to make something different this year.  You can make individual glasses of the tiramisu or make it in an 8x8 inch pan and serve as wedges. Garnish with whipped cream flavored with sugar and a dash of cinnamon.

Ingredients:
2 cups chilled whipping cream
1 cup sugar
1 cup mascarpone cheese
2 cups organic canned pumpkin puree
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
30 Madeleine Cookies
1/4 cup rum (I use dark rum)

In a mixer with fitted with a chilled metal bowl and beater attached, beat whipping cream and sugar until soft peaks form. Add the cheese, pumpkin, and spices; beating until smooth.

Line bottom of an 8 x 8 inch dish with the Madeleines, overlapping and crowding to fit. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons rum. Spread half of filling over Madeleines.

Repeat with the remaining Madeleines, remaining 2 tablespoons rum, and remaining filling. Smooth. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then foil. Chill in the refrigerator overnight.

To serve, run a knife around the sides of the pan. Cut into wedges and serve with a sweetened cream.

<3 H

(Recipe courtesy of Donsuemor; Photos courtesy of Old Fashioned Living.)

Micro-Brew Honey Wheat Bread

Ingredients:

3/4 cup light/amber micro-brew at room temperature

1/4 cup orange or apple juice, at room temperature

3 tablespoons honey

1/4 cup canola oil

2 teaspoons dry active yeast

2 cups white whole wheat flour

1 cup unbleached bread flour

1/2 cup milled golden flax (if you don’t want to use this, add extra flour instead)

1 teaspoon salt

1 egg

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the beer, orange juice, honey, and canola oil.  Add the yeast, and whisk until it is completely dissolved in the liquids.

Add the flours, flax, and salt. 

Stir with a wooden spoon until a dough forms and begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl.  Use your hands to knead the dough until smooth (I did this in the bowl to contain the mess and avoid too much cleanup, but you can turn the dough out onto a floured surface, if you prefer).

Shape the dough into a ball and transfer to a lightly greased bowl.  Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled in size (about 1 1/2 – 2 hours).  Punch down the dough, and shape it into one loaf or eight rolls. If you make a loaf, place it in a lightly greased bread pan. If you are making rolls, place them on a lightly greased baking sheet or a baking sheet lined with a silicon mat.  Cover and let rise for an additional hour.

Towards the end of the second rising, preheat the oven to 350°F. Whisk the egg with a few drops of water, and use a pastry brush to brush the rolls or the loaf with the egg wash.  Bake uncovered – 30-35 minutes for a loaf and 15-20 minutes for rolls.  The bread is done when the internal temperature is 190°F.

Allow the bread to cool completely (removing from the pan when cool enough to handle and cooling on a rack) prior to slicing. Enjoy!

<3 H

(Adapted from King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking Cookbook; Photos courtesy of My Kitchen Addiction)

Shrimp Creole

This is a great dish for seafood lovers.  It is also less spicy than my gumbo or easier to make for people who can't handle the spice.  You can of course kick your individual portion up by adding hot sauce, which is what I do.  This is served the same way as gumbo, over rice.

Ingredients: 

2 pounds med-large shrimp, peeled or shells on (see note * below)
2- 16 oz. cans Cajun stewed tomatoes (chop them good) or fresh if you prefer, just peel them first
2 med. onions chopped
1 bell pepper chopped
2 stalks celery diced
2 cloves garlic diced
1/2 cup chopped green onions
handful of chopped fresh parsley
2 bay leaves
Salt & Pepper
Creole seasoning
Louisiana Hot Sauce
1 tsp. sugar (neutralizes the acid in the tomatoes)
1 cup water or stock (shrimp or chicken)
2 tbs. flour
3 tbs. oil
Cooked white rice

*Note on Shrimp: Before we get started let's talk shrimp. If you have peeled shrimp just continue with the recipe. If you have "shells on" shrimp, and, they are a good size [30 count or better] keep reading. 

There are a few things you can do to enhance the flavor of this dish. First you can rinse the shrimp and clip the tails before the final tail joint and throw them in like that. Understand that you'll have to peel them before you eat them. This technique allows the gravy to be absorbed by the shrimp and somewhat contains the shrimp flavor in the peel. In addition to that, the shells will give off that ever-so-good liquid we know as shrimp stock! Now, if you're feeding children you can peel half of them (for the kids) and leave the rest "as is" for you. 

To eat the "shells on" shrimp just pop the whole thing in your mouth, suck the juices out, take it out your mouth (duh), peel it, sop up a little gravy with it and eat the shrimp. My mouth is watering just typing this!!! If you choose to peel all the shrimp take the shells and make a little shrimp stock.

Shrimp Stock: Rinse peelings, put in a pot and just cover them with water. Bring to a boil, add a pinch of salt  and boil for about 5 minutes. Let cool and strain the stock and you're done. Substitute the water called for in the recipe with an equal amount of shrimp stock. Freeze the remaining stock (by all means don't throw it away!)

Prepare the dish as follows:

In a large pan or pot, make a blond roux with the flour and oil. Add the onions and sauté for about 10 minutes. Add the bell pepper and celery and sauté for another 15 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, garlic and bay leaves and continue to cook for 30 - 40 minutes on a med-low fire stirring frequently. 

Add the water (or stock) and sugar; bring to a boil stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to med-low. Add green onions and parsley and stir. Simmer for 20 minutes covered stirring every five minutes. Hint: look at the thickness, will it cover rice like a thin gravy? If not add more flour. Add the seasoning and shrimp  and simmer for about 2 to 5 minutes [larger shrimp = more time] stirring frequently. Taste and add seasoning as needed. 

Should look like this:

Many old Creole cooks will cook this mid morning or mid afternoon and let it sit on the stove an hour or more. This allows the flavors to "marry”.

Remove bay leaves and serve over hot cooked rice with a little hot French bread to sop up the gravy. A fried soft-shell crab on the side wouldn't be bad either!


<3 H

(Recipe adapted from Cooking Louisiana.)

Chicken and Andouille Gumbo

A lot of restaurants and recipe sites claim to know how to make gumbo.  However, each time I try theirs, I'm highly disappointed.  Real gumbo is not a soup.  It is more like a thick stew that is served over rice.  If you would like to know what real Cajun food tastes like, try this! 

Note: If you're an unexperienced cook, I suggest having a second pair of hands in the kitchen to help you make this, as it is a bit more advanced than most recipes.

Ingredients:

2 tsp  freshly ground pepper

1 ½ tsp  cayenne pepper

1 ½ tsp paprika

1 tsp dry mustard

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp salt

1 whole chicken (3 lbs cut up)

1 cup vegetable oil

½ cup flour

¾ cup chopped onion

¾ cup chopped celery

¾ cup chopped green bell pepper

Handful or two of sliced okra (however much you want)

1 ½ quarts chicken stock

1 ¾ cups thinly sliced sautéed andouille sausage (if you can't find it, use chorizo)

1 bay leaf

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 TB hot pepper sauce (or as much as you like)

Cooked Rice

1.       In a small bowl, blend together black pepper, cayenne pepper, paprika, mustard, garlic powder, and salt.  Rub about 4 tsp of the spice on the chicken pieces.

2.       In a large frying pan, heat oil over medium-high heat.  Combine flour and 2 tsp of the spice mixture in a plastic bag.  Add chicken pieces a few at a time; shake to coat.  Brown chicken in oil on one side for 2 minutes, then turn and cook for another 3 minutes.  Drain on paper towels.

3.       Add remaining flour mixture used for coating to the oil.  Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly with a whisk, until mixture turns nut brown.  Add the onion, celery, and green pepper to the roux.  Remove from heat.

4.       In a large Dutch oven, bring broth to a boil.  Whisk ½ cup of the stock into the roux mixture.  Gradually add to remaining broth, stirring with a whisk.  Add sausage (I sauté mine ahead of time).  Cook for 15 minutes, stirring often.

5.       Add chicken, bay leaf, garlic, and pepper sauce.  Cook 40 minutes.  Remove chicken and pull meat from bones; discard the bones.  Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and return to gumbo.  If you want to add okra, do it now and cook until done.  Usually only takes about 5-10 mins more. 

6.       Ladle over white rice.

*You can also add peeled shrimp or crawfish during the last few minutes if you want.  Just cook until pink.

This tastes even better the next day and even freezes well.  So, feel free to make ahead since it takes awhile to prep/cook.  I typically will make it over the weekend and then serve it during the week.

<3 H