Spicy Ricotta Bruschetta

I'll admit, I had high hopes for this one. As part of my repertoire for new cheese-y recipes (all of which are being submitted for a contest through Taste of Home), I tried to replicate the ridiculously flavorful bruschetta that I fawned over from La Tavola. Yeah...didn't exactly turn out how I thought. For one, I've decided that I need a new bruschetta recipe. The one I use most frequently is a part of the Hot Bruschetta Brie appetizer that I posted not long ago. Somehow, you don't notice the lack of flavor from the bruschetta when its mixed in with the rich and creamy brie. By itself? Ehh (shrugs shoulders). I've eaten a LOT of bruschetta in my day and I can now firmly say that this one just won't cut it. But i digress.

The hors d'oeuvres I attempted to replicate went like this-- one slice of crusty bread, covered with a thick layer of spicy ricotta cheese, topped with tomato bruschetta. Delish, right? Not too complicated, right? WRONG. Well ok, it's not complicated. But I clearly missed the boat on SO many levels. For one, the spicy ricotta. My first thought was to mix it with roasted red peppers to give it a spicy kick, so I found this handy roasted pepper bruschetta-in-a-jar from Whole Foods. Bingo! Except that it had no flavor. It was also mixed with artichokes. I was very disappointed. If I thought the bruschetta topping would save it, I was dead wrong. I don't think I've ever attempted something with so much promise to turn out to be so BLAH. Food should never be BLAH. Kinda looks pretty though, right?


Anyway, I guess the good news is that we never get better if we don't fail. This has made me reflect on what I LOVE about bruschetta- the slightly, sweet flavor from perfect tomatoes or balsamic vinegar-- maybe even sweet onions, fresh basil and garlic...the perfect combination is out there somewhere. So, I'll add this to my "ugh" list of experiments and keep trying!

Beef and Bleu Biscuit Cups

Well I hate to say it, but Husband was right. These were a gooooooood idea.

I love to bounce ideas off Husband as I develop recipes (particularly for this contest). Even though we have different culinary tastes, he is brutally honest and has great instincts when it comes to my recipes. Which I kinda hate because if I win the contest, I owe him 30%. Anyway, I'll give credit where credit is due. The bleu cheese and biscuit was Husband's idea, and the beef and shallots were mine. Put it together and you have a super-easy and super-delicious appetizer that is sure to satisfy your next cheese craving.

Beef and Bleu Biscuit Cups

Ingredients

2 7.5 oz cans of biscuits
8 oz roast beef, chopped
4 oz gorgonzola cheese crumbles
2 Tbsp horseradish sauce
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp olive oil

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees
1. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in small sauté pan over medium heat. Saute shallots, stirring occasionally, until onions start to turn golden and crispy, but not completely brown (about 10 minutes).
2. While shallots are sautéing, cut each biscuit into half and press dough into a greased muffin pan, making sure to press biscuits up around the sides in each cup.
3. Spread ¼ tsp of horseradish sauce into bottom of each cup.
4. Put 1 Tbsp of chopped roast beef into each cup.
5. Top each cup with 1 tsp of gorgonzola and ½ tsp shallots.
6. Bake at 375 degrees until bubbly and biscuits are golden brown, about 10-12 minutes.

Yields 40 biscuit cups.

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

I love it when two of my favorite appetizers combine to make one KILLER appetizer--in this case, Hot Bruschetta Brie. I stumbled upon this recipe a few years ago whilst perusing allrecipes.com, and instantly fell in love. I mean, what's NOT to love, right? Traditional bruschetta mixed with my favorite cheese of all time--brie. Actually, it used to be my favorite cheese of all time (I was basically reared with a wooden spoon and a wheel of brie), until I had an "incident" with a very questionable slice of brie and some fig preserves. I went on a year-long hiatus from my beloved cheese and have since recovered, albeit with a slight shudder at the memory. But that's neither here nor there...

This appetizer is simple, stunning, savory and...what's another "s" adjective?? Scrumptious? Sure. It's especially beautiful during the holidays, with the bright reds and greens from the tomatoes and basil. Serve with assorted artisanal breads--my personal fave is the Roasted Garlic loaf. I mean, you can never have too much garlic, right? Not while this Twilight craze is still going strong...

ANYway, here is the recipe. And I was just kidding about the wooden spoon...also (in case any of you are wondering), I am Team Edward.

Hot Bruschetta Brie
adapted from allrecipes.com

Ingredients
2 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup olive oil
1 (8 ounce) wheel Brie cheese

Directions
1. In a small bowl, mix roma (plum) tomatoes, onion, garlic, basil and olive oil. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 1 hour.

2. Remove top layer of rind from brie. Place brie in a small microwave safe serving dish. Microwave on high 1 minute, or until the cheese begins to soften. Spoon roma tomato mixture over the cheese. Microwave on high 1 minute, or until slightly melted. Serve immediately with artisanal breads.

Roasted Red Pepper and Feta Dip

In keeping with my feta obsession, I experimented with a new recipe this weekend while hanging out with my sister and brother-in-law. It's similar to my mom's yummy Artichoke Dip, but with feta instead of parmesan, and peppers instead of artichokes. Ok, so maybe they're not that similar. But they are both delicious. I love the combination of the tangy feta with the fiery peppers, and the Panko breadcrumb topping added a nice crunch to the creamy dip. It's kind of like a really gourmet pimiento cheese--either way, it's a keeper!

Ingredients

1 shallot, diced
1 12 oz. jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
8 oz. feta, crumbled
1/2 cup mayonnaise
4 tbsp. butter
3/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs
Sliced baguette or pita chips

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. In a small saute pan over medium heat, melt 1 Tbsp. of butter and saute shallot until softened (8-10 minutes). Combine next four ingredients in a glass bowl; add shallots and blend well. *Note- Make sure the peppers are VERY well drained, so they do not add too much water to the dip. Pour mixture into 8×8 casserole dish and top with Panko breadcrumbs. Melt remaining 3 Tbsp. of butter and drizzle over dip. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Broil for an additional 3-5 minutes, until the topping is crispy and golden brown.

Serve with a fresh, sliced baguette or pita chips.

Rosebud

So Day 2 of our weekend (or rather, 24 hours) in Atlanta started off pretty much perfectly--with Mimosas. I know you saw that coming...

Rosebud is another adorable eatery in Virginia Highlands. It's chic, yet comfortable--perfect for a girly brunch, but equally inviting for solo dining. I can imagine myself sitting at the bar on a Sunday mornig, chatting with the staff as I read the paper and try to decide what in the world to order. It's times like this I wish that I were a food critic so I could order everything on the menu and not feel weird or guilty, because you know, it'd be my job. That's about what we did. Not because it's our job but because we love food and we do what we want...good-bye diet, hello Big Nasty (more on that later).

We began our descent into gluttony with one of Rosebud's "Morning Starters"-- Hashbrown Casserole with Fresh Crab, Jalapeno, Caramelized Onions and Aged Cheddar. Out of this world. Everything tasted so fresh-- I thought at first that so many strong flavors (the crab, peppers, onions) would be overwhelming, but they blended perfectly. As you can see, I liked it.

Next up was the Wild Georgia Shrimp and Grits with Andouille Sausage, Caramelized Onions and Tomato Gravy. Our sweet waiter took the time to divide the dish into individual bowls for each of us--very thoughtful. The grits were the creamiest I have ever tasted--almost like a risotto. Normally, I don't care for tomato-based sauces in my shrimp and grits, but I was more than pleasantly suprised. In fact, I'm pretty sure we licked our bowls clean.

Our entrees were the Omelette Special (Braised Beef and some kind of cheese that was similar to Camembert--HEAVEN), the Big Greek Omelette, Brioche French Toast with Mascarpone and Rosemary-Orange Honey and everyone's favorite-- The Big Nasty. And by nasty they mean delicious. It's a beast of a sandwich with lightly breaded and fried chicken, topped with a scrambled egg, smoked bacon and cheddar.

I'm pretty sure I gained 10 more lbs. just writing about it, but I'd say it was worth it...can't wait to try and re-create some of these delightful dishes at home!

Girls Just Want to Have Fun…and Food…and Wine…

I love girls weekends…mostly because my girls love the same things I do…good food, great wine and even better company. This past weekend, we went to visit our dear friend Hope, who recently left us for the big ATL. We miss her terribly, but the upside is that we have the perfect excuse to make frequent trips to see her and I can check out all the fun places that I didn’t get a chance to try/wasn’t allowed to drive to when I lived there.

We started out at La Tavola in Virginia Highlands, where Hope is a hostess on nights and weekends. Sidenote--in all the 8 years I lived in Atlanta, I never went to Virginia Highlands. Boy, did I miss out. The area is full of amazing eateries, trendy boutiques and eclectic crowds. If only we’d had a few more days…but I digress.

La Tavola is everything I imagine an authentic trattoria to be…simple and intimate with a wine list to die for. Oh, and the food is pretty stellar too. We started our meal with some delightful Prosecco Rose and three appetizers-- Mozzarella Burrata with tomato conserva and crostini, Escarole and Sausage with Parmigiana-Reggiano fonduta and Bruschetta with cherry tomatoes, oregano, garlic and spicy ricotta. I love a good bruschetta, and this version was no exception. The cherry tomatoes were halved, instead of chopped or diced, which soaked up the flavor from the garlic and oregano beautifully. The spicy ricotta was smooth with a nice kick, and a welcome change from the traditional shredded parmesan or mozzarella that I’ve had in other bruschettas. The Escarole and Sausage was delicious, but the Burrata…oh the burrata. I had never heard of burrata until reading one of favorite blogs, Orangette. It’s essentially a ball of mozzarella, stuffed with more mozzarella that has been mixed with heavy cream. Cheese stuffed with cheese?? Yes, please! To quote the wonderful Molly Wizenberg of Orangette, “I am deeply in love with it”. I’ve heard that it doesn’t need more than a drizzle of olive oil and sea salt, but I honestly can’t imagine anything better than the delicious tomato conserve (sort of like a sweet tomato jam) that La Tavola paired with it-- it was the perfect complement to the smooth, creamy and slightly tangy flavor of the cheese. If I go missing one day, I'm huddled in the kitchen at La Tavola and eating my weight in burrata...

And moving on. There were several entrees that looked amazing, so we each decided to get something different and share (we’re sweet like that). The winners-- Smoked Risotto with Butternut Squash (one of my faves) and Boar sausage, Pork Porterhouse with Buckwheat Polenta, Saltimbocca alla Romana (veal scallopini) with prosciutto, sage, roasted fingerling potatoes and braised brussel sprouts, and Braised Beef Ravioli in a red wine reduction with marrow butter and fresh thyme. I'm drooling over my keyboard as I type...

The risotto was perfectly creamy, sweet from the butternut, and smoky from the boar sausage--incredible combination. I’m not sure how to describe the pork and polenta, other than really tasty. The veal was also delicious, and I can happily say that someone else besides Tyler Florence can make me love brussel sprouts. But my MOST favorite was the Braised Beef Ravioli. The ravioli was fresh and tender, and the marrow butter added an incredibly rich, velvety flavor. It is quite possibly the most sumptuous (ha! I’ve always wanted to use that word) dish I have ever enjoyed.
We were so in love with the restaurant that they basically had to kick us out so they could clean and go home. We headed back to Hope’s house to finish the evening with La Tavola’s dessert sampler and more wine (FYI, the Chocolate Nemesis cake is as serious as its name). We tore into that sampler like we hadn't eaten in DAYS (it was maybe 15 minutes).

Well five paragraphs and who knows how many words later, I guess what I meant to say was, I think I know where we're going for my birthday dinner. See you in April, La Tavola!

Turkey Meatloaf with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Feta

I'm in the middle of what I like to call a "love affair with feta". It's all I want to eat, cook with, read about, etc. So when I was trying to figure out what to make Husband and some friends for dinner, this jumped out at me-- Giada's Turkey Meatloaf with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and FETA (yippee!). Done and done.

Now for all you meatloaf-haters out there (you know who you are, *cough* Heather), let me say this--this is NOT your momma's ketchup covered hunk 'o mystery meat. This is the good stuff. Gourmet meatloaf, if you will (who knew there was such a thing?). It's suprisingly moist (I say "surprising" because turkey is so much leaner and therefore, more likely to get dry) and full of flavor. I honestly felt like I could taste the Mediterranean...the tangy feta and sun-dried tomatoes came together beautifully. Not the most photogenic meal, but really, sometimes food tastes better than it looks. Not always...but sometimes.

Turkey Meatload with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Feta
adapted from Giada de Laurentiis

Ingredients

Vegetable cooking spray
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup chopped garlic and herb-marinated sun-dried tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced, optional
2 eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons whole milk (I used Skim because that's what I had and it worked fine!)
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound ground turkey

Directions

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Spray a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, parsley, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, if using, eggs, milk, feta, salt, and pepper. Add the turkey and gently stir to combine, being careful not to overwork the meat.

Carefully pack the meat mixture into the prepared pan and bake until the internal temperature registers 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and slice. Put on a serving platter and serve.

*Pairs well with smashed baby new potatoes.

Robusto, Robusto, wherefore art thou, Robusto?

I had a really awesome rhyme that ended in "baguette" (get it--because "baguette" rhymes with "Capulet"--I'll wait while you give a courtesy laugh). I kill myself, sometimes...

But seriously, where has Robusto been all my life? I'll tell you where. Whole Foods. In the cheese section. With my name all over it.

I happened upon Robusto during one of my lunch breaks (Heather and I love to go to Whole Foods at lunch because they always have yummy samples so we can fill up and its free--sshh, don't tell on us). Anyway, there were several different cheese to sample that day but I can't remember anything past reaching the little plastic tongs in the clear dome because I think I might have swooned. It is the most amazingly delicious cheese I had ever tasted. It's described as a cross between Gouda and Parmesan, but who really cares because either way, Robusto cheese will change your life. Try it on a fresh baguette with some olive oil and a little sea salt, or add it to your favorite panini-- but I'd recommend sitting down the first time you try it so when you faint from sheer tastebud-ecstasy, you won't hurt yourself. Personally, I am looking to make the word's best homemade mac 'n cheese with this sucker...let the swooning begin.

Some Like it Hot

I’ve been craving a lot of Buffalo wings lately (no, I’m not pregnant). Not really sure why—other than the fact that they are awesome. You know what’s even awesomer—ahem, more awesome…Buffalo Chicken Dip. It’s everything you love about hot wings, minus the mess. I first saw the recipe in Taste of Home magazine but in my pre-Christmas cleaning frenzy, I apparently threw it away. So I Googled it (of course), searched through at least 100 versions that all claimed to be “the best” and finally settled on this one. How I have never heard of this before is BEYOND me. It was such a hit the first time I served it (to a bunch of hungry guys during a football game--no brainer), I made it twice in one week during Christmas. Sadly, no pictures of this one. You’ll just have to trust me.

Ultimate Spicy Buffalo Chicken Dip
Adapted from Adrienne Bailey, Mary England and Susie Cromer Clements

1 cup Ranch dressing
¾ cup chopped red onion
2 8-oz packages cream cheese, softened
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded OR one rotisserie chicken, shredded
1 cup Frank’s Hot Sauce (adjust to your tastes)
2 cups shredded Cheddar
Tortilla Chips and celery for dipping

Directions
1. Saute red onion in butter until tender (about 10 minutes); remove from heat.
2. In a large bowl, combine chicken, hot sauce, cream cheese, half of shredded cheddar and sauted onions.
3. Mix thoroughly and pour into baking dish.
4. Sprinkle remaining cheddar on top.
5. Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes, until bubbly.
6. Serve with tortilla chips and celery.

*Adrienne’s note said this goes best with a nice cold beer, and I must say, I agree (preferably, Stella).

Christmas Comes Early

Any of you who might know me are well aware of my Williams-Sonoma obsession. I will happily spend hours perusing the tools, gadgets, recipes, books, etc. (not to mention, enjoying the tasty samples). Well, they just made my Christmas season. Why? I’ve had my eye on this wonderful little pancake pan…not just any pancake pan, I tell you…an Ebelskiver pancake pan. I know, I know…an Ebil-WHAT? Let me give you a little back story…my dear Uncle Charlie used to make Ebelskivers, a traditional Danish pancake, for my family when I was little. It was always such a treat, since we never made them in my own house. They are basically round pancakes that are light, fluffy, slightly sweet and pretty much a small piece of heaven. So last Christmas when I was doing my daily drooling over the Breville Panini Press at WS, I spotted the pan! It had been years since I’d even seen one…I had kind of thought they were hard to find. In any case, it was a little pricier than I wanted to spend at the time and I have been coveting it ever since. Imagine my absolutely DELIGHT when I received an email from WS this morning, announcing 1-day deals that they will be promoting throughout the month. Today’s deal? The Ebelskiver pan HALF-PRICE! I bought two (one for my parents), as well as the cookbook that accompanies it. It is filled with both sweet and savory recipes; every one of them looks divine (especially the chocolate ganache, pictured here--YES PLEASE). If you’ve got a pancake-lover in your family, head over to Williams-Sonoma today and pick up this fabulous gift! i don't know about you, but I'm looking forward to Christmas-morning breakfast…

*Photo from http://www.williams-sonoma.com/

DC Weekend Kick-off at Jaleo

So I arrived in DC on Friday evening, with just enough time to share a bottle of red wine with my friend Emily, do a little catching up and then hit the sack so as to rest up for the big weekend.

Saturday started like this...

Emily suggested this fabulous tapas restaurant, Jaleo, for brunch. At first I was skeptical...tapas? For brunch? Don't get me wrong, I LOVE tapas. I also love to eat. A lot. Particularly at breakfast (I mean, it's the most important meal of the day). Anyway, we got this cute little table right in front of the window so we could people-watch as we ate (I adore sidewalk cafes/restaurants for this very reason). We started off with a Mimosa (duh) and an order of Pan con Tomate, topped with Manchego. Pan con Tomate is a very traditional Spanish tapa. It's basically rustic bread that has been smeared (for lack of a better term) with fresh garlic and a juicy, ripe tomato. This version was topped with one of my favorite cheeses OF ALL TIME-- Manchego. Manchego is a sheep's milk cheese from the La Mancha region of Spain. It. Is. DELICIOUS. Some people compare it to feta, although it's not as salty. In any case, if you have never tried Manchego (shame on you!), I highly recommend that you run out this very minute and get some.

Next, we ordered Revuelto de queso y set--scrambled eggs with chef selected wild mushrooms and cheese. I forgot to ask what kind of cheese was in the dish, but whatever was used was wonderful. I also forgot to take a picture. But don't worry- I DID get a shot of another brunch highlight--complimentary roasted garlic in olive oil and rosemary with fresh bread. Needless to say, I was in heaven. While there were so many other dishes we wanted to try (such as pancakes made with Spanish extra virgin olive oil--the more carbs, the better), we were actually full after our two dishes. We also knew we were headed for a day of sipping and tasting at the MCES, so we needed to pace ourselves.

Exhibit editorial to come...

My "Saved by the Bell" Moment

Man, I tell you--nothing like being surrounded by celebrity chefs for the weekend to provide some major inspiration to get in the kitchen and make some magic. With this sort-of-new job that I'm still getting used to, I confess that I feel overwhelmed at times with all I want to do (and feel like I should be doing) with this blog. Kind of reminds of that episode from Saved by the Bell where Jessie gets hopped up on caffeine pills and proceeds to get hysterical while singing "I'm So Excited" before totally breaking down (you all know what I'm talking about)...except that I'm not taking caffeine pills and I'm breaking down in Husband's arms instead of Zack Morris's. ANYWAY...the weekend in DC was an absolutely incredible experience. I'll be posting the highlights soon --undoubtedly while hearing Jessie's voice in my head yelling, "There's never enough time!". Sigh.

The Stalking of Tyler Florence- Part Deux

So if I thought that I didn't embarrass myself nearly enough last April when I accidentally hit on Tyler Florence at the Metro Cooking and Entertaining Show, now is my chance to redeem myself (or embarrass myself further--it could go either way).

The MCES is headed to the Washington Convention Center this weekend, and I'm headed out this evening to enjoy the food, fun and of course--stalking my fave Food Network celebs. Not only have I coerced my dear friend Emily into attending with me, but we'll also be participating in Tyler's Ultimate Food and Wine Pairing and a celebrity presentation by Giada de Laurentiis (have I mentioned that I want to be her when I grow up?). Should be an interesting weekend, to say the least. Paula Deen, Guy Fieri, The Neelys and many more amazing people will be in attendance. I'll be sure to post pics throughout the festivities.

Cheers!

*Note: Photos from http://www.metrocooking.com

Steak and Onion Rings

The cool thing about being a Foodbuzz Featured Publisher is that you get to participate in their Tastemaker program. In other words, they will send you samples of food, gadgets, etc. for you to try out and write about on your blog. Imagine my delight when I got my very first package--a box with Emeril's Steak Rub, Essence of Emeril and Beef Stock.

I decided that my first entry would be a recipe (well, two actually) that I had been dying to try since I first started my blog. On a rare Saturday off last fall, I was lounging on the couch channel-surfing and stumbled upon Barefoot Contessa. I had never watched Ina Garten before, but I was instantly intrigued by her show. That day, she was making Steakhouse Steaks with Cornmeal Onion Rings and Sauted Wild Mushrooms. Love at first sight.

I decided to take her steak and onion ring recipes and tweak them a bit, adding Emeril's steak rub and Essence of Emeril seasoning. They turned out pretty good--considering that I have never cooked steak or onion rings before. The steaks were definitely too salty, but still good. I'm sure that adding the steak rub added some salt. However, I absolutely LOVED the addition of Essence of Emeril to the onion rings. It gave them a nice little kick that was just delish!


Steakhouse Steaks
adapted from Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten
Episode: Steaks and Sides

Ingredients

2 (10-ounce) filet mignon
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 tablespoon fleur de sel
1 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 tablespoon Emeril's Steak Rub
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, optional

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Heat a large, well-seasoned cast iron skillet over high heat until very hot, 5 to 7 minutes.
Meanwhile, pat the steaks dry with a paper towel and brush them lightly with vegetable oil. Combine the fleur de sel, cracked pepper and Emeril's Steak Rub on a plate and roll the steaks in the mixture, pressing lightly to evenly coat all sides.

When the skillet is ready, add the steaks and sear them evenly on all sides for about 2 minutes per side, for a total of 10 minutes.

Top each steak with a tablespoon of butter, if using, and place the skillet in the oven. Cook the steaks until they reach 120 degrees F for rare or 125 degrees F for medium-rare on an instant-read thermometer. (To test the steaks, insert the thermometer sideways to be sure you're actually testing the middle of the steak.)

Remove the steaks to a serving platter, cover tightly with aluminum foil and allow to rest at room temperature for 10 minutes.

Cornmeal-Fried Onion Rings
adapted from Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten
Episode: Steaks and Sides

Ingredients

2 large Spanish onions (or 3 yellow onions)
2 cups buttermilk
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp Essence of Emeril, divided
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (medium) yellow cornmeal
1 quart vegetable oil

Directions
Peel the onions, slice them 1/2 to 3/4-inch thick, and separate them into rings. Combine the buttermilk, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper and 1 teaspoon Essence of Emeril in a medium bowl. Add the onion rings, toss well, and allow to marinate for at least 15 minutes. (The onion rings can sit in the buttermilk for a few hours.) In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1 teaspoon Essence of Emeril. Set aside.

When you're ready to fry the onion rings, preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with paper towels.

Heat the oil to 350 degrees F in a large pot or Dutch oven. (A candy thermometer attached to the side of the pot will help you maintain the proper temperature). Working in batches, lift some onions out of the buttermilk and dredge them in the flour mixture. Drop into the hot oil and fry for 2 minutes, until golden brown, turning them once with tongs. Don't crowd them! Place the finished onion rings on the baking sheet, sprinkle liberally with salt, and keep them warm in the oven while you fry the next batch. Continue frying the onion rings and placing them in the warm oven until all the onions are fried. They will remain crisp in the oven for up to 30 minutes. Serve hot.

Margaux's

So I know that this blog is primarily focused on cooking, but I just HAVE to give a little plug to my new favorite (out-of-state) restaurant--Margaux's in Raleigh, NC. My parents moved to North Carolina two years ago, and this quickly became their favorite dining spot. On a recent trip to visit them, Mom and Dad were nice enough to treat me to dinner. Words cannot express my gratitude. Dramatic, but true. This place is THAT GOOD.

We started out at the bar with our favorite cocktail-- Apple Martinis (actually, Dad got a Gin and Tonic--he's not that girly) to enjoy the atmosphere and watch a little football. The decor is very eclectic--it's not stuffy, but still upscale. The menu changes periodically, and they always have seasonal specials. I had my eye on a dish that I found on the menu a few days earlier (doing my due diligence--I always look at menus before I go to new restaurants. It gets me excited), but my parents warned me it might not be on there any more. I'm happy to say they were wrong. Not only that, but when the bartender described the dish to them, they decided that they would get it too! We're all about variety, in my family.

Anyway, the dish was Pan Seared Lobster Tails with Shrimp and Scallops, served with a Smoked Bacon and Pumpkin Sage Risotto. I can't even type it without drooling, but the best part was the presentation. My photo does not do it justice (the restaurant was very dark), but the dish was served in this adorable mini pumpkin. I all but licked my plate clean (pumpkin included). And though we didn't really have room for dessert, I couldn't resist their White and Dark Chocolate Mousse. In a word--heavenly. Food is my best friend (sorry, Husband).

Homemade Pumpkin Bread

About a year ago, I started this very fun, stressful, fulfilling and time-consuming thing--my blog. It's been a great year...I mean, no book deals or movies with Meryl Streep, but I've definitely learned a lot about cooking and even more about myself. Cheesy, I know. Anyway, I decided to celebrate my anniversary by paying homage to my very first blog post--those decadent Pumpkin Pie Waffles. But instead of waffles, I would venture into baking my first ever homemade Pumpkin Bread. We all know how great I am at baking (insert sarcastic comment here), but something about the cool, fall weather inspired me. Or maybe it was the Pumpkin Spice Latte at Starbucks, I can't be sure...

Anyway. I found this easy (idiot-proof) recipe at RecipeZaar and decided to give it a whirl. The bread was moist, delicious and full of my favorite pumpkin flavor. This will definitely be one to share over the holidays!

Pumpkin Bread
adapted from RecipeZaar, recipe #264721

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup olive oil (can sub with canola or vegetable)
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350°F.
2.Sift together flour, salt, sugar and baking soda.
3.In a separate bowl, combine pumpkin, oil, eggs, water and spices.
4.Combine pumpkin mixture with dry ingredients, being careful not to over mix (this will make the bread tough).
5.Pour into a well-buttered 9x5x3 inch loaf pan. Bake 50-60 minutes until a thin skewer poked in the very center of the loaf comes out clean. Turn out of the pan and let cool on a rack.

Serving: One 9x5 loaf

Baby Shower

Well I think the hard work paid off. I successfully schlepped (almost) every entertaining piece that I owned to Atlanta for my dear friend Anna's baby shower (or as Husband liked to refer to it, "the thing that took over my life and my dining room). Husband looked at the pile on the living room floor as he was about to load the car and said, "Ok, how about we leave half of this stuff here." I ignored him. Of course, as soon as we arrived Anna's sweet mom saw our stash and said, "I have dishes, you know." I might have gotten a glare from Husband at that point, but I can't be sure.

Anyway, our resident photographer (aka my mom) got some great shots of the food, table and of course, beautiful parents-to-be. It was an incredibly special day and we were so happy to be a part of it!

My pride and glory--the diaper cake. I decided that instead of flowers, I would make this the "centerpiece" of the table.I mean, flowers are beautiful, but diapers are useful. I followed the instructions on this helpful site...it wasn't nearly as difficult as I thought it would be! Don't you love it when that happens?

After I put it together, I decorated with some cute ribbon that coordinated with the invitations, plates and napkins that I picked out (because I'm a big nerd). I topped the "cake" with some fresh hydrangea and used an ivory cake stand (one of my favorite wedding gifts) to display it. I was really excited about these adorable socks I found at Swoozie's. Anna and Jeremy have decided to wait until the baby is born to tell us his name (believe me, I have tried to get it out of them) so they affectionately call him "Little Buddy." Imagine my delight when I found little baby socks embroidered with (you guessed it)... Little Buddy! Perfection!

Oh, the food. My favorite part of any gathering. I have to give a HUGE thank you to Anna's amazing father, Mr. Yanni, who slow-cooked his own BBQ pork for us to make mini BBQ sliders with. It was incredible. I filled out the table with Warm Swiss and Bacon Dip, Artichoke Dip with Pita Chips, Mini Roast Beef and Havarti Sliders, Red Potato Salad and some fresh veggies.

Dessert included Brownie Bites, Petit Fours (with blue baby booties--adorable!) and Anna's favorite pregnancy craving--Oatmeal Cream Sandwiches. It was actually the only thing she could eat for about three months.

As another gift to Anna and Jeremy, we asked the guests to write down some words of encouragement or blessings for the parents-to-be. I added their baby pictures to the table in some adorable frames that they can use for the nursery. Note: Given the number of swine flu cases that had been diagnosed at the time of the shower, we asked guests to sanitize their hands. Anna thinks of everything.

Congratulations Anna and Jeremy! We can't wait to meet Little Buddy!

BB Birthday Sheet Cake

So I'm off to a great start. It's my first ever Barefoot Bloggers post, and I'm late. =( The cookout that Husband and I went to ended up lasting past midnight (which is really impressive, actually, considering that I'm usually in the bed by 10pm and trying to count how many hours of sleep I'll get). Anyway, I was too tired to post when we got home so I'm doing it before work. Forgive me, I will do better next time!

I was actually kind of terrified to make this recipe (what with this being my BB debut and all). I don't really bake, I don't have a standing mixer (which seemed pretty necessary for this task) and the recipe had gotten some iffy reviews on the Food Network. Nonetheless, I rolled up my sleeves and got started.

I followed the recipe almost exactly--I omitted the lemon zest, used almond extract instead of vanilla (which is what I had on hand), and lessened the amount of baking soda (following the lead of other reviewers). For the icing (after reading more reviews), I decided to use half semi-sweet and half milk chocolate chips. I also did not have the correct size sheet pan, so I used a 9x13 inch baking pan. The cake took forever to cook, and never really set in the middle. Finally, I just got annoyed (and was already 30 minutes late to the cookout), so I took it out and hoped it would continue to cook a little during the car ride. I don't know enough about baking to know why that happened or what I might have done wrong, so any advice is greatly appreciated!

When we got to our friend's house, I proceeded to pour (that's right, pour) the icing over the cake. It was nowhere near thick enough, but I was anxious to finish the cake and take some pictures before everybody got a piece. Our friend, Chris, wanted to know what the "sauce" on my cake was. Nice. Also, it sunk in the middle (because it had not finished cooking) so it looked like I had a little chocolate pond in the center of the cake. Sigh.....apparently cakes aren't my thing (remember Husband's birthday incident last month?).

All that to say....the cake was actually delicious! I was really pleasantly surprised. It was moist, had a nice texture and the hint of almond gave it a wonderful flavor (I also added some Reese's Pieces to the top of the cake because I wanted it to look "fall-ish"). Here's the kicker--as we were leaving the cookout 5 hours later, I noticed that my frosting had thickened and had the perfect consistency. Of course.

Oh well. My new motto is, "It tastes good no matter what it looks like". I'm posting the recipe with my minor changes below, but you can find the original here. Enjoy!

Barefoot Contessa's Birthday Sheet Cake

Adapted from Barefoot Contessa (Ina Garten)

Ingredients

For the cake:
18 tablespoons (2 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 cups sugar
6 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
8 ounces (about 1 cup) sour cream, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda

For the frosting:

12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

12 ounces milk chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
Chocolate candies for decorating

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan.

To make the cake, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. On medium speed, add the eggs, 2 at a time, then the sour cream, vanilla, and lemon zest, scraping down the bowl as needed. Mix well. Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir just until smooth. Finish mixing by hand to be sure the batter is well mixed. Pour evenly into the pan, smooth the top with a spatula, and bake in the center of the oven for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan to room temperature.

For the frosting, place the chocolate chips and heavy cream in a bowl set over a pot of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until the chips are completely melted. Off the heat, add the corn syrup and vanilla and allow the chocolate mixture to cool to room temperature. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the chocolate mixture and softened butter on medium speed for a few minutes, until it's thickened.

Spread the frosting evenly on the cake. Decorate with candies.

Barefoot Bloggers

One of the things I love about blogging is the community. No matter what topic you blog about, chances are you can find several (or several hundred) people who LOVE to blog about the same thing! For me (obviously) it's cooking, so imagine my delight when I stumbled upon Barefoot Bloggers--a group of bloggers that love all things Ina (aka the Barefoot Contessa). Finally, people who will understand me when I begin a sentence with, "Well Ina says..". Husband just looks at me like I have three heads.

Anyway, here's how it works. Each month, two of Ina's recipes are chosen for members to cook or bake (members get to choose the featured recipes in an order determined by the date they join the site). Those recipes will be posted on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month, and then everyone gets to compare notes and talk about how the recipes turned out. Fun, right?

The first recipe for September is Ina's Birthday Sheet Cake. As it happens, Husband and I are cooking out with some friends tonight so now I can bring dessert! I'll post the pics and update later today.

Happy Cooking!

Roasted Red Pepper and Turkey Wrap

Sometimes Husband and I like to play a game called, "Let's cook everything in our pantry/fridge before we go to the store again." It didn't actually work today because I had to get toilet paper...nonetheless, it did get me searching through the fridge to see what random items I could make lunch out of. I ended up with a new turkey wrap that I was actually quite proud of. Its very rare that my first attempt at a new recipe or dish turns out any good. Usually, I'm disappointed and hem and haw over what I missed and did wrong. This time I can honestly say it didn't need a thing (except maybe a better photo). Granted, this isn't super gourmet--(as such, I barely have an actual recipe to share). But its not just any ol' turkey sandwich, either. Somewhere in between...I think I can handle "in between" for now.

Ingredients

1 flour tortilla
1 Tbsp. chive and onion cream cheese
2 Tbsp. sliced roasted red peppers
5 slices oven roasted turkey breast
2 Tbsp. shredded mozzarella cheese


Spread chive and onion cream cheese in a smooth layer over flour tortilla. Top with turkey slices, red peppers and mozzarella. Starting with one end, roll tortilla over mixture and place seam-side down on baking sheet. Place under broiler in oven for 3-5 minutes, until cheese is melted and tortilla is slightly brown.