Smoked Pork Butt

The first round was dueling pork butts over mesquite, one BBQ and one Adobo. Both were smoked low and slow until fork tender and then finished with respective sauces. The BBQ pork was turned into sandwiches and served with pickles and grilled veggies; all delicious. The Adobo Pork was pulled and simmered in Salsa Verde for another hour. We ended up making tacos out of the Adobe Pork with queso fresco, lettuce and tomatoes and after many servings of deliberation the Adobo Pork was the victor.

Jerk Chicken

The next round was Jerk Chicken over Pimento wood chips. For truly authentic Jerk, this in the only way to grill. The chicken was marinated overnight in my homemade jerk blend based on the recipe I got while visiting Montego Bay. The trick here is to use the legs and thighs; they are much less expensive and absorb more flavor.

For smoking the meat, I used a plate setter in the grill between the grate and the coals. This acts a diffuser, giving you an intense, indirect heat. The soaked wood chips are placed on top of the plate setter, not in the coals. Pimento wood can make food a little bitter if it burns to hot. By placing them on the plate setter, they will smoke without burning as fast. This will give a more balanced flavor. The Jerk was cooked at 425 degrees until the internal temperature was just less than 165 degrees; the carry over heat will finish them. We served this with some mango salsa and coconut sweet potato puree.

Next up is beef brisket. What are you smoking this summer?

I tend to drink whiskey, rye, scotch or a big yummy Cabernet during the cooler months, which I am officially declaring is over, no matter what the weatherman says. As soon as we hit weather in the 80’s, it is officially time to move to gin, vodka, white whiskey, Rosé and crisp white wines.

I’ve been experimenting with creating my own grenadines with some success. I just finished making a ginger one that I thought would be great for summer cocktails. Here’s the recipe to get you started off right for the summer.

Ginger Grenadine

3 cups water

1 cup sliced ginger

1 cup sugar

Simmer the water and ginger over low heat for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and smash the ginger to release some of the juices, but there’s no need to pulverize it. Let the mixture steep for 1 hour. Strain the ginger out and return the liquid to the pan. Add the sugar and bring to a low boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Turn off the heat and let cool on the stove for 30 minutes. Pour into a glass jar and keep refrigerated. This will keep for at least a month.

Shelley’s Summer Cocktail

2 ounces Gin or Vodka

1 ounce Ginger liquor

½ ounce Cointreau

Juice of one lemon, peel some lemon zest to use for garnish

Pour all ingredients into a martini shaker with ice and shake the dickens out of it. I like these cold! You can serve this up in a chilled martini glass over rocks for an ice cold sipping experience.

My last tip for summer cocktailing is to drink Rosé! I implore you to explore this wine if you have not already. It quenches a thirst you didn’t know you even had. Get a bottle and chill it well, wait for the next really hot day where you can sit outside and enjoy it with a friend, pop the bottle open and be transported into a new world of wine enjoyment. At The Chopping Block we await with anticipation the Rosé selection, both for the shift in the season that it represents as well as its beautiful, bright and unique characteristics. We just got our summer selection in and at a retail price of $11.00 how can you resist? Stop anytime, and we would be happy to share a taste with you.

What is your favorite summer cocktail or wine?

Sangria is really not a super difficult thing to accomplish, though you would never guess that by their exorbitant prices at a lot of restaurants around the city. If I wanted to pay $30 for what is essentially a bottle of cheap alcohol, I’d go to Rush Street and order bottle service. Better to do it yourself, saving money and drinking in the privacy of your own home. The wine you use doesn’t have to be expensive. In fact, the Sangria you’re making doesn’t care what kind of wine you’re using. Since I’m pretty sure the instructions on a bottle of Bordeaux are not “mix with soda and juice,” why not save your expensive bottle for other projects?

Sangria works with either red or white wine. Either way, I would recommend something dry. My girlfriend, Kaytee, loves Riesling, so I thought it would be nice to make her some Riesling-based Sangria. The acid of the citrus wasn’t enough to offset the sweetness of the wine (kind of my main complaint about Riesling, actually), and I spent the whole evening incredibly self-conscious about how sweet my wine was. Plus, it gave everybody headaches.

Here is my basic Sangria recipe:

2 or 3 lemons, sliced into wedges

2 or 3 limes, sliced into wedges

1 orange, sliced into wedges

1 bottle dry wine, red or white (Red: Cabernet, Shiraz, Zinfandel; White: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay)

2/3 cup sugar

As much brandy as you see fit

1 liter soda water, lemon lime soda or ginger ale

Squeeze juice of citrus fruits into pitcher, add other ingredients, stir. Chill for as long as you can possibly stand it.

Serves 4-6 or one depressing person.

Briefly, let’s talk Mojitos. Now, most everyone knows that a Mojito is composed of mint, lime juice and light rum. You can jazz it up with sugar or soda water if you like, but the main problem with Mojitos and me (aside from my personality when I’ve had a few of them) is the pieces of mint getting in everything. Fresh mint is essential for this drink, but once you crush it and release its delicious oils, it becomes wet and has a way of getting stuck in your teeth. I have had to excuse myself from more than one dinner party because I got a small leaf caught in my throat. It’s not somewhere you want to be, trust me. So why not mix everything together, let it sit for a while (preferably overnight), and strain it? This may be heresy in the field of Mojito-making, but if enjoying a smooth drink is a crime, then lock me up! Please don’t lock me up.

What are some summer drinks that you enjoy? Share them in the comments!

And for more on the supercomputer known as Big Windy, stay tuned for my next blog: Circus Accidents in the Finger Lakes Area.

Recently I cooked Indian food for the first time. I knew it would be the first of many dishes. What I didn’t know was how soon it would be before I made the next one. It was shortly after I made Moong Beans when an Indian cookbook arrived in the mail. How great! I looked through Easy Indian Cooking by Suneeta Vaswani and spotted the next recipe for me to try: Yellow Lentil Soup with Vegetables.

Why did I choose this soup? There were a couple of reasons. One is because at the same time I bought the green mung/moong beans I also got yellow lentils. The color was so nice and different than other ones I had seen before. They have been sitting in my pantry waiting to be cooked. The soup calls for yellow lentils and that made it a prime choice. The other reason is there was a recent drop in temperature. Waking up to a chilly morning put me in the mood for soup.

How is the soup? It is done in about an hour and a half and tastes as if it was simmered all day. The spices and flavors come together nicely. Turmeric, cumin, and a touch of cayenne give it a warmth I find in many Indian dishes. The vegetables give even more flavor and texture. The soup is not spicy unless you decide to increase the cayenne or add in peppers. Be sure to watch the pot when cooking the lentils at the beginning. They soak up the water and can easily stick to the bottom. Only cook them until they are done (mushy).

About the cookbook: It is the second edition with 30 new recipes not included in the 2004 edition. There are 8 additional photos also. The easy-to-prepare recipes are for beginners and experienced home cooks alike. The recipes are from both northern and southern India plus the author’s personal favorites. There is an introduction with common ingredients, spices and herbs, hints and tips, and basic techniques. There is a wide range of recipes from beverages, snacks, mains, sides, chutneys, desserts, and more.

Do I recommend this cookbook? Yes. It is a great resource for anyone wanting to tackle cooking Indian cuisine. The recipes are well laid out with detailed instructions. The photography is wonderful. Note there is not a photo for each recipe.

Are you ready to cook Indian food? It’s easy to get started with this cookbook. You can purchase it directly from Amazon.

Yellow Lentil Soup with Vegetables

1 hour, 30 minutes

Makes 8 servings

• 1 cup yellow lentils (toor dal)
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 cup chopped tomato
• 1 cup cubed potato
• 1 cup sliced carrot, 1/4-inch thick slices
• 8 green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 1/2 cups steamed rice
• 1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
• Lemon wedges

Clean and pick through lentils for any small stones and grit. Rinse several times in cold water until water is fairly clear.

Drain and transfer lentils to a large saucepan. Add 3 cups water and soak for 10 minutes. Bring to a boil, uncovered, over medium heat, skimming froth off surface. Cook, partially covered, until dal is soft and mushy, about 30 minutes. Purée in blender or using immersion blender, or whisk vigorously to batter-like consistency.

Return to pan. Stir in another 3 cups water and turmeric. Add tomato, potato, carrot, green beans, cayenne pepper and salt. Cover and return to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add cumin seeds. Sauté until cumin is fragrant and a shade darker, about 30 seconds. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add onion and cook until golden, about 10 minutes.

Pour mixture into dal and simmer, covered, until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.

Place 2 to 3 tablespoons rice in each bowl. Top with dal and vegetable mixture. Garnish with cilantro. Serve with lemon wedges on the side.

Disclosures: I received a copy of the Easy Indian Cooking Second Edition cookbook at no charge from the publisher, Robert Rose Inc. I was under no obligation to give a positive review. All opinions are my own unless otherwise stated or contained within a guest post. 

As a result, I have found myself home alone quite often these past few weeks as my husband goes out to enjoy these tournaments with other people who care. He gets to watch the game and I get to watch old movie musicals. Win-Win.

This also presents the problem that I am home by myself for dinner these nights. As someone who is used to cooking for two, this now presents the issue of altering and making dinner for one that is either a smaller portion or can easily be saved for work the next day.

Lately, that has resulted in a lot of risotto. I love risotto, and that is one dish that I can make as little or as much as I want, and it also heats up pretty well the next day. I had never dreamed of making risotto before working at The Chopping Block, and after learning how in class, I make it all the time. It’s really not as hard or intimidating as Top Chef makes it seem!

This is my favorite TCB recipe, and I challenge you to make it the next time you’re home alone (or with a house full of sport fanatics) and let me know how it turned out in the comments. It is sure to be a three point power play!

Fresh Herb Risotto

Yield: 4 servings

Active time: 35 minutes

Start to Finish: 35 minutes

3 1/2 to 4 cups of chicken stock

2 tablespoons of butter

1 small onion, small dice

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup arborio rice

1/2 cup white wine

1/4 cup fresh parsley, rough chopped

2 tablespoons fresh dill, rough chopped

1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

salt and pepper to taste

1. place the chicken stock in a saucepan and heat over medium-low heat. Keep handy off to the side.

2. Heat a heavy-bottomed pot over medium low heat and add the butter.

3. Gently saute the onions until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook an additional minute.

4. Stir in the rice, and cook an additional 2 minutes while stirring constantly or until the rice is lightly toasted. Add the white wine to deglaze, and then reduce until the pan is almost dry.

5. Add one ladle full of the warm stock and stir until the pan is almost dry. Continue in this fashion until the rice is cooked to your liking.

6. Sprinkle in the herbs and remove from the heat. Fold in the cheese and season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

It’s sandwich time! That statement is true at some point almost every day for me. I usually eat one for lunch. Sometimes I’ll make them for dinner. My usual one is ham, turkey, and cheese with a boatload of toppings. Every now and then I’ll make a turkey reuben when I have leftovers from roasting a turkey. When I want a special sandwich, one that stands out from the rest, I’ll make prosciutto and brie on baguette. Oh la la!! The ultimate one to go with wine.

Prosciutto and brie on baguette is a simple sandwich. I make it a bit more decadent by adding butter to it. I discovered that addition while on one on my trips to California wine country. This little cafe on the Sonoma square had it on the menu. As soon as I took a bite of that sandwich, I knew it was how I had to make mine from then on. It’s funny how it took a trip across the country to find another great use for butter. You know I like butter a whole lot.

How often do you eat sandwiches? Do you switch it up or have a usual? The good thing about them is how they are easily transportable. This sandwich is perfect for a picnic too. The weather is getting so nice. Now is the time to get out and enjoy the great outdoors. You might as well eat something tasty while you are at it.

Prosciutto and Brie on Baguette

10 minutes

Makes 3 or 4 servings

• 1 baguette
• Butter
• 1/4 pound prosciutto, sliced very thin
• 1 wedge of brie cheese (about 6 to 8 ounces)

Slice the baguette in half lengthwise. Spread a thin layer of butter on each half. On the bottom half, spread out the prosciutto evenly. Slice the brie into 1/4-inch slices and place on top of the prosciutto. Cover with top half of bread. Cut into 3 or 4 pieces. Serve immediately or wrap in parchment paper for later enjoyment. Store in a cool place or in the refrigerator.

I’m a sucker for pretty pasta. I get excited when I see packages of pasta with different shapes and colors. It gets thrown in my shopping cart faster than most anything else. It isn’t like I go out and hunt for it. I run across it when I’m out shopping. I was in a HomeGoods recently and spotted this flower shaped colored pasta. At least it looks flower shaped to me. I immediately thought it was a perfect shape for a spring dish. But what to make? Then I had this idea for pasta with lemon butter garlic sauce.

I run across lots of recipes on the internet. I don’t subscribe to a lot of food magazines. Occasionally I’ll pick up one in the store or someone will give me one. It was in one of those magazines I remembered seeing a pasta with garlic sauce recipe. I should have saved it. In one of my “cleaning before company comes over” moments, I trashed a pile of magazines I had sitting on the counter. Perhaps some of you can relate. The house never is cleaner than when entertaining family and friends. Drop by unannounced and you will find those piles of clutter hanging out in different spots. *Ahem*

Pasta with lemon butter sauce is meatless. I wanted to keep it light and fresh. Well, light as could be because it does have butter. You could go with all olive oil if you want. Although buttered noodles do have a special place in my food loving soul. I used arugula for this pasta for a change instead of spinach. I added pine nuts for a little crunch and because I think they go so well with lemon. Shaved parmesan tops it off. Use parmigiano-reggiano if you have it.

What pasta shape is your favorite? Does colored pasta strike your fancy? I’m glad it isn’t all the same. The shapes and colors make it fun and interesting too. Who knows what I’ll find next time I’m out and about. Stay tuned…

Pasta with Lemon Butter Garlic Sauce

30 minutes

Makes 4 to 6 servings

• 12 ounces dried pasta
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Grated zest from 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 ounces (about 3 cups) baby arugula leaves
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
• Shaved parmesan cheese for garnish

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain cooked pasta.

In the same large pot over medium heat, melt the butter and cook an additional 1 to 2 minutes. If you want browned butter, cook until it has a light brown color. Add the garlic and thyme, stir, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Be careful not to over-brown the butter or garlic.

Remove the pot from the heat. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt. Stir to combine. Add the pasta, arugula, and pine nuts and toss to coat with the sauce. The arugula will wilt.

Transfer pasta to a serving bowl, platter, or individual plates. Top with shaved parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

I started experimenting and bought several how-to books on pickling and preserving. Next thing I knew, my kitchen was filled with a huge canner and all the canning utensils you could ever want. After trying some of the different recipes, I realized that the best-tasting pickles (in my humble opinion) were refrigerator pickles (not requiring the canning process). This meant that I could make them very quickly, without the anxiety of worrying about the traditional canning process, and they would be ready to eat after only having to wait a week.

The best pickles I ever made were from home-grown pickling cucumbers out of my garden. But those aren’t readily available, so I usually buy them from my local produce store.

I buy about 5 pounds of cucumbers to make a batch of pickles. This makes about 8 – 9 pint-sized jars of pickles. Here is my favorite recipe, loosely adapted from The Joy of Pickling by Linda Ziedrich.

You will need:

8 or 9 pint-sized jars and lids

4 – 5 pounds pickling cucumbers

1 bunch of dill heads or fresh dill

garlic cloves, peeled (1 for each jar)

For the brine:

6 Tablespoons pickling salt

2 quarts water

For the pickling solution:

4 cups water

4 cups cider vinegar

8 teaspoons pickling salt

1 cup sugar

4 teaspoons pickling spices

Try to get your pickles started as soon as you can after you bring the cucumbers home from the store. They start to degrade very quickly and hate being in plastic (I have found this out the hard way!). Wash them and cut off the blossom ends of the pickles, as it can add bitterness to your pickles (I just cut both ends off since I can never remember which is which!). Cut them lengthwise into quarters. Prepare the brine solution of pickling salt and water. You can usually find pickling salt at the grocery store or a well-stocked hardware store. Place the pickles in a non-reactive bowl (glass, ceramic or stainless steel) and pour the brine over. Place an inverted plate or bowl over them (that will just fit inside the bowl) and let them brine for about 8 – 12 hours.

Place the cucumbers in a colander and rinse them thoroughly in cool water; drain them very well. Prepare your jars. I like to use pint-sized Ball jars and plastic lids because they hold up well over time and can be reused. The metal canning lids tend to rust over time. I bought mine at my local hardware store. Wash the jars and lids in hot, soapy water and rinse well.

Put one peeled garlic clove and a few sprigs of dill in each jar, then pack the jars full with the cucumber spears. Drain any excess water in the jars before adding the pickling solution.

Put the water, vinegar, salt, sugar and spices in a non-reactive pot (hard-anodized aluminum, heat-proof glass or stainless steel). Bring to a boil and stir to dissolve the salt and sugar with a non-reactive spoon. Pour the hot liquid into the jars, filling them to just below the top of the jar. Place jar lids on top, close tightly and let jars cool for a bit. Transfer the jars to your refrigerator and let them sit for a week. They will keep for several months. Enjoy, and stay tuned for The Chopping Block’s pickling classes coming up this summer.

What’s your favorite food to pickle?

With a bottle of rum and hopes to regain a sense of home in my new city life, I have chosen to forgo the costly trip to my local bar and open my own drinking establishment: my front porch. So Chicago, as you continue with your forecast of tomfoolery, I will usher in the overdue season with a cocktail that is sure to leave one’s whistle whet with the dew of spring.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you:

The Hemingway Affair

2 sage leaves muddled

1 tbsp fresh pineapple muddled

2 oz aged rum

1/2 oz simple syrup (2:1)

3/4 oz lime juice

1/2 egg white

dash of Angostura bitters

*The most important aspect of this drink is the shake. You gotta put your body into it.

1. Muddle fresh sage leaves in the bottom of your shaker tin.
2. Add pineapple and muddle until it releases its juices.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients into your tin.
4. Dry shake the heck out of it (DRY=SHAKE WITH NO ICE) for a full 30 seconds.
5. Open shaker and add ice and shake again until your tin is almost too cold to hold.
6. Strain through a small mesh strainer into drinking vessel, and garnish your frothy cocktail with a few dashes of Angostura bitters and small sage leaf for added nose appeal.

-CLOSING THOUGHTS-

-drink responsibly-

-throw it over some ice if you so desire, who’s gonna stop you?-

-if you can bear it, throw on some Jimmy Buffett while you sip it on your front porch-

-invite me over to your porch-

Shake this one up and let me know what you think. I encourage you to be bold and try different base spirits (i.e. tequila, Mezcal, and Pisco). See you outside!

If you are anything like me, as a mom, you look for ways to get creative with home cooked foods, especially when it comes to feeding the kiddos. My boys (7 & 8) love my pancakes, but we eat them often, so when I suggested them this morning they were not overly excited. I knew however, they needed a good breakfast before heading off to a baseball game.

Inject fact: I am not a fan of single use appliances. I live in a condo – so space is limited for unnecessary play-things in the kitchen…

This morning after hearing the disappointment in my one son’s voice at the thought of pancakes, I began to peruse the kitchen for another idea… I used to own a waffle stick maker, but I got rid of it because it took up space and I never used it. As I was perusing the kitchen I came across another single-use appliance that for whatever reason I had hung on to and within 10 minutes, my brainstorm was a huge hit… Easy Peasy Pancake Bites!

Start with your favorite fluffy pancake mix… Mine includes:

• About 1 1/2 cup flour
• 1 egg
• About 1 tsp baking power
• About 1 tsp salt
• About 2 tsp sugar
• About 1 tsp melted butter
• About 1 1/2 cup milk

I don’t typically measure – start with your dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and mix with a fork. Add butter, egg and milk until consistency is right for pancake batter (eyeball it), it should stir nicely – not too thick, but thick enough! (If you are worried, you can do a search for a simple pancake recipe and get actual measurements, but I dare you to try without!)

I add stuff to mine – like chocolate chips, or Tastefully Simple Caramel Cinnamon Sprinkles – this time I split the batter into two bowls and made half chocolate chip, and half cinnamon caramel.

Using a cake-pop or donut-hole maker, after it’s warmed up – spray with non-stick cooking spray. Fill each hole and close the lids for about 3-4 minutes each batch.

I serve with a little bit of fat-free maple syrup for dipping. Using the approximate measurements above it yielded about 24 bites.

Serve up and enjoy!

Pancakes for Breakfast!

I remember, fondly, my father making breakfast when I was a kid. So it’s natural I’d want to make breakfast in my house, for my kids. It’s what I’m known for now, especially my pancakes. It’s true I also make waffles, French toast and eggs — scrambled, fried or omelette’d. But I’m known for my pancakes.

It’s not that I can’t make other meals. I can. I’ve been known to make some mean desserts and even some dinner-type foods or something on the barbecue. But what I really do is make breakfast. And my favorite breakfast to make is … pancakes.

Quite simply, I love breakfast foods. I get excited about them. I get my kids excited about them. There’s many a weekend morning (or even on school days) where I’ll tell my girls I’m going to make pancakes, eagerly anticipating the squeals of glee.

They get so excited they tell their friends about it. And they don’t just tell their friends that I make breakfast, they tell their friends about my pancakes.

So, it’s what I’m known for.

From a business point of view there are a lot of things I understand and a lot of things I know how to do. Sales, marketing, technology, business strategy — I’ve worn many hats in my day. There’s a lot I can say about what it is I do, but that’s where I need to be careful. It’s not bad to do be able to do many things. It just makes it harder for people to understand…and remember.

Even more important, it’s tough to get people excited about too things at once. What I have found, though, is people remember the things that make ME the most excited.

Sound familiar? So I try to keep it simple. When it comes to food, I make breakfast. And for breakfast, I make pancakes.

My (sneaky-nutritious-don’t-tell-your-kids) pancake recipe:

Dry ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat flour (whole wheat pastry flour for smoother texture and taste)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar (or 2 tbsp Agave Nectar) (optional)
2 tbsp wheat germ (optional)
1 tbsp ground flax seed (optional)

Wet ingredients:

1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup milk (add a little more if you add wheat germ and flax seeds)
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Method:

1. Whisk together dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl.
2. Lightly mix wet ingredients in a small bowl.
3. Lightly mix wet and dry together in bowl. Batter should have some small lumps. (If you mix it until there are no lumps at all, the pancakes may be tough, so don’t overmix.)
4. Cook pancakes on a preheated griddle (375 degrees), or on a skillet over a medium flame. The pan is hot enough when drops of water “dance” across the hot pan. Pancakes are ready to be flipped when the top side shows lots of bubbles on the surface.

Makes about dozen palm-sized pancakes. Enjoy!

Lemon seems to be quite the popular ingredient these days. Perhaps it has been that way all along and I never noticed. Only in recent years has my taste for lemon grown. I really didn’t care for it all that much for the longest time. Now I cook and bake with it often. A squeeze of fresh juice or a bit of zest can perk up so many things.

Lemon desserts have a certain lightness to them. At least it seems that way to me. It may be the balance of sweet and tart or the freshness of citrus. Either way, they don’t feel as heavy as other desserts. When it came time to make a dessert for a recent celebration, I chose lemon bars. One reason is because my friend Terry very much enjoys lemon. It was her birthday and I knew we would be going out for a big sushi dinner. I felt a heavy cheesecake or chocolate cake would be too much. The small bars were just right for the evening.

The lemon bar recipe is a quick and easy one. It’s pretty much two bowls and a square pan. Well, there may be some measuring devices and a grater involved too. Oh, and a hand mixer. The steps are basically mix, bake, mix, bake, dust, cool, and cut. That is what I call easy. The longest time is waiting for it to cool before cutting. The flavor is lemon through and through. The bars are sweet but not overly sweet.

Would you like more lemon recipes? Take a look at my lemon pie tartlets, oil and lemon dressing, lemon parsley cocktail, and lemon clarified butter. There are also these recipes from some of my fellow food blogger friends:

• Creamy Lemon Fudge by Carla at Chocolate Moosey
• Lemon Blueberry Polenta Cake by Paula at Vintage Kitchen
• Creamy Meyer Lemon Pasta by Jen at Juanita’s Cocina
• Fried Smashed Potatoes with Onions and Meyer Lemon Dressing by Kim at Cravings of a Lunatic

So go get some lemons and head into the kitchen. Bake lemon bars and keep on cooking. Make it an adventure and try something new. You never know when you will discover a new favorite.

Lemon Bars

1 hour, 15 minutes

Makes 12 bars or 16 squares

For the crust:

• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• Pinch of salt
• Zest from 1/2 lemon

For the filling and garnish:

• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Zest from 1/2 lemon
• Powdered sugar for garnish

For the crust:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom only of a 8- X 8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, add all crust ingredients. Beat using an electic hand mixer on medium speed until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Pour mixture into prepared baking pan. Spread and press down evenly. Bake until edges are lightly browned, about 15 to 20 minutes.

For the filling and garnish:

While the crust is baking, make the filling. In a medium bowl, add all filling ingredients. Beat using an electric mixer on low speed until well combined and scraping down sides of the bowl as needed.

Pour the filling over the partially baked crust. Contine baking until filling is set, about 18 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle powdered sugar on top. Cool completely on a wire rack before cutting.

Cut into rectangle bars or squares and serve immediately. Store in a sealed container at room temperature.

Recipe adapted from one on the Land O Lakes website.

Red Snapper

This time we spent some time on St. Thomas. While the island isn’t known for its street food, it is known for its fresh seafood, purchased on the docks that morning and served that evening. One of the favorite things the local fishermen and restaurants enjoy is showing off the day’s catch by parading it through the dining room between lunch and dinner service. If you’re lucky enough to be hanging around, it is quite the sight to see: whole Mahi Mahi, Grouper, Snapper and Caribbean lobsters brought in to the shock and amusement of tourists.

While walking by the harbor in Charlotte Amalia, we came upon some local fishermen cleaning flounder dockside. They also had buckets of Red Snapper that were headed to local restaurants to be served that evening. I couldn’t help noticing they were throwing all the scraps overboard right into the harbor. I thought it was a little odd, so I took a closer look and realized they were feeding a school of small Mahi Mahi that had gathered on the far side of the boat looking for a quick meal. Waste not, want not.

Grilled Mahi Mahi with Pineapple Salsa

The seafood dishes are amazingly fresh with bright flavors and color. Whether left raw in Ceviche, grilled to perfection over an open fire or lightly breaded and fried, the meals are always an amazing dining experience. Given the number of different kinds of ethnic cuisine represented on the island, the food rarely gets repetitive. Seared Salmon with Cassava Puree, Blackened Tuna with Ginger-Guava sauce, Curried Shrimp and Lobster and Grilled Mahi Mahi with Pineapple Salsa were just a sampling of the dishes we ate.

Jerk Chicken

There are also standards like Conch Fritters, Fried Plantains and Jerk Chicken with Red Beans and Rice we enjoy every time we visit the Caribbean. While the ingredients are mostly the same from island to island, the preparation and seasoning changes giving each island a unique take on the recipe. The jerk chicken in Jamaica is spicier, in the Caymans it is a little smokier and in St. Thomas it is milder with more emphasis on the flavors. Conch fritters can range from the texture of a crab cake to a hush puppy, all equally delicious.

My only disappointment is seeing people visiting the islands for the first time and going to a Wendy’s or Subway. Somehow I can’t justify traveling 2000 miles and eating the same food from down the street. Always try the local food.

What’s your favorite island-inspired dish?

This stuffed delight stirs up memories of my parents entertaining. Deviled eggs are a crowd pleaser and your guests are sure to know you went the extra mile for them. My presumptions also allowed me to believe that this was a very Americana style recipe. Not true. The deviled egg actually traces its roots back to ancient Rome. The origins of what we know today as a stuffed treat started as hard boiled eggs served with a spicy sauce poured over the top. Spicy stuffed eggs appear in Andalusia sometime in the 13^th century. Evolution of the dish brought about the very classic approach to pair the egg stuffing with a briny mate. Gherkins, olives and caviar are staples to the stuffed egg throughout Europe and Russia.

The egg yolk always needs to be balanced with spice. Most technically, the stuffing need only have a kick to be considered “deviled”. Mustard seeds or dried chili powder could supply that punch in earlier times. In the present day, you have a myriad of ingredients to help you achieve that bit of heat. Raw garlic, horseradish, wasabi or Kim-chee would all be excellent additions to your “deviling” repertoire.

If you haven’t deviled an egg in a while, let me point out some keys to success:

• The perfectly boiled egg is covered in cool water and brought to a boil with some vinegar or lemon juice added. The presence of acid allows the shell and the egg to pull away from each other with ease. When the water reaches a boil, turn the heat off and put a lid on the pot. Set a timer for 10 minutes. Immediately, run eggs under cool running water when time is up. Peel eggs when cool to the touch with water still running.
• Slice eggs lengthwise with a clean knife. Clean with a damp towel with each swipe.
• Mix yolks and mayo and desired flavoring agents with a potato masher or food processor for finer results.
• Scoop or pipe filling back in and garnish.

What’s your favorite kind of deviled egg?

White Asparagus & Sausage at the Market

I have been dying to go to Paris for what seems like forever, and I finally got to go for two weeks! We stayed in Saint Germaine, which I would highly recommend. The neighborhood is beyond charming, extremely lively and home to a multitude of great restaurants and food markets. We chose to rent an apartment so I could have a kitchen to cook in. As amazing as the restaurants are in Paris, I go crazy if I can’t shop at local markets and cook with the beautiful ingredients. What I really ended up cooking was extremely simple: soup, salad or just a baguette with some local cheese and sausage.

Escargot with Bone Marrow and Bordelaise

Everyone had told me I would get tired of the food, but I never once needed a break from the French fare. The food was delicious and if you moderate your quantities and know how to order, I don’t see how it is possible to get sick of it. In fact, I’m ready to cook some French food right now!

We only ate at simple brasseries and bistros, since I much prefer a romantic simple cozy place over a fancy one. To me, French food parallels Midwest cooking. When I reflect on the very best home cooking I had growing up in Iowa, I can’t help but see it: the fresh produce highlighted so simply, the braised meats falling off the bone, potatoes made with love and cream, butter used in just the right way, very simple freshwater fish and everything cooked perfectly, simply and without apology.

Braised Lamb Shank, Endive Salad and Potatoes Dauphine

The Chopping Block’s French cooking classes are still as popular as always, and after this trip I am reminded of why. French food is AMAZING and the techniques are not that much different from how most people cook at home. The recipes can be prepared all year long and people never get sick of them. I suggest expanding your repertoire of French recipes in some of our upcoming classes: April in Paris, Celebrating Julia Child and Paris in the Spring!

What’s your favorite French food? Please share in the comments.

In the past few weeks, I had become aware of a hole in my life. I tried to fill it with the usual things (love, friendship, religion, wine), but came up short. After exhausting nearly every option, the problem finally hit me square in the face when I was doing my Passover Seder. I had planned to make Matzo Ball Soup for eight people, filling my guests to the brim with homemade chicken stock while saving enough to eat like a king for the next day or so. Basically, the recipe called for a five pound chicken and a bunch of other stuff. I had a four quart Dutch oven. You do the math. Actually, let me do it for you:

Chicken + Other Stuff + Tiny Dutch Oven = Jordan No Happy Forever

In simpler terms, I had to divide my broth up between two smallish pots, and I feel it may have seriously compromised the overall quality of the soup. Granted, the minor percentage drop in quality (.007 % by my estimate) was imperceptible to my guests, but I knew it was there, around my neck like an albatross (though the soup was actually chicken-based). It hit me so hard that I refused to come out of the crawl space during dinner. I think my guests thought this was customary behavior during Passover, so they sat there and smiled awkwardly (which is the official facial expression for non-Jews at a Seder). My girlfriend quietly cursed the day we even had the crawl space installed. Looking back, it was pretty clear that I was only going to use it for temper tantrums. Nobody can accuse me of not taking my cooking seriously.

Consequently, I was in the market for a large Dutch oven and my intense desire occupied my every waking thought and more than a few sleeping ones. But where to find such an item? If only I knew of a store that specialized in high-quality cookware. Alas, I could line a large-sized knapsack with “if onlys.”

After an embarrassingly long time, I went to the place where I work and picked it up there. I landed on the Lodge 7-quart. It’s made of cast iron in the U.S.A, and has the heavy lid that is so important for simmering and braising. The lid forms a seal, and the steam released during cooking has nowhere to hide, returning to the food and lending flavor and moisture. It is also a nice, cost-effective alternative to our Le Creuset line. Though also made of cast iron, Le Creuset ovens and braisers have an enamel coating that allows the product to be dishwasher safe. Admittedly, this is awesome, but regular cast iron retains the seasoning and flavors of everything that is prepared in it, meaning it literally gets better every time you use it. Also, did I mention that it is way less expensive?

I experienced nothing even so much as resembling buyers’ remorse, and when I made a huge batch of tomato sauce that night, I knew I had made the right decision. My girlfriend may or may not have caught me whispering “I love you” to my brand new piece of equipment, but that is a matter for a different blog altogether.

What dishes do you make in your Dutch oven? Share them in the comments below.

And for more information about knapsacks of any size, check out next month’s entry, “Incredibly Rude Lobsters of Lake Huron.”

But baked goods were another story. I’ve had more bad than good cookies, and some pretty awful cakes. At a certain point, I just stopped trying these products. I said to myself, “I’m a pastry chef. I can make these way better”. So, I began playing with new “flours” and gums. I had some great success, and a lot of failures. There was a learning curve, as with anything new. I tested, tested, and then tested some more. What I found was that I was reaching too far to start with. I needed to bring it down a bit, to go from plated five star desserts back to a simple chocolate chip cookie.

Enter my niece, Elana. She has been baking with me since she was two years old. She has a bigger selection of baking equipment than I have at home. I got her pink spatulas, pink measuring spoons, pink measuring cups, pink whisk, pink cookie cutters (anyone notice a theme?), a chef coat with her name (in pink), pink checks and a pint size rolling pin (not to be used on her baby brother!). Her favorite cookie is chocolate chip, and so she is always very happy to assist me in my testing endeavors.

But I’m trying to get Elana to expand her horizons. So, we’ve begun making sweet-n-savory biscuits together. While they don’t have chocolate chips, they do have cheese! Others wanted to partake in these goodies too, so we started making them gluten-free for me and sugar-free for my dad. I’ve learned a lot about what you can and should do in gluten-free baking, but most importantly, to trust my taste buds! While rice flour is an easy substitute, it doesn’t always have the best results. There have been a lot of grainy and mealy cookies spat out, but all of the learning experiences (as well as my niece’s funny faces) helped me to create the recipes in The Chopping Block’s new Gluten-Free Baking Class. This class had to include those biscuits, and of course, cinnamon rolls!

These cinnamon rolls are delicious and gooey. One of my fellow chef instructors even told me that she couldn’t even tell it was gluten free! There is no greater compliment. I think I’m on to something here!

What summer dessert recipe would you like to see be transformed into gluten-free?

Mother Nature seems to be taking that April showers thing to heart in these past few weeks of spring. I’m still waiting for those first crisp warm days that mark the end of our cold bitter winters and provide the tiniest whisper to the glory that is Chicago summer. To finally have the smell of BBQ and happiness wafting through the air for all to enjoy is something I yearn for, where baseball games can be enjoyed without multi-layers and walks outside are not met with the agonizing task of selecting the appropriate coat. I think we all can agree that this rainy, sometimes cold, sometimes colder, start to spring is no one’s favorite and has overstayed its welcome.

Now you may be asking yourself: “How does this relate to a food blog that I come to for wonderful recipes and insight into the delicious food that my friends at The Chopping Block are making?”

Warmer weather is inspiring for food! People throw dinner parties. Guests leave their houses to attend said parties. Folks cook outside and finally meet those neighbors that have been holed up in their heated apartments avoiding the chill. And stores start selling tasty Summer Shandy!

I know that warm weather will be just the motivation I need to explore some of the great restaurants I have yet to try and test out a few new recipes I’ve been saving, like this Thai Turkey Burger with Cilantro Carrot Slaw. Now, that belongs on a deck with a beer.

What summer dish are you waiting to try? Share your ideas here!

Thai Turkey Burgers

Yield: 4 sliders (or 2 regular burgers)

Active time: 25 minutes

Start to finish: 40 minutes

1 tablespoon grapeseed oil

1 scallion, thinly sliced on the bias

1 small shallot, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon ginger, freshly grated

1/2 pound ground turkey

1 egg white

2 teaspoons fish sauce

1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, rough chopped

1 tablespoon fresh mint, rough chopped

1/2 teaspoon nam prik pao (roasted chili paste)

Salt to taste

4 slider buns or brown ’n’ serve rolls

Sweet chili dipping sauce

1. Heat a sauté pan over medium-low heat and add the grapeseed oil. Gently sauté the scallions, shallot, garlic and ginger until aromatic, 1 to 2 minutes. Allow to cool.
2. In a bowl, mix together the ground turkey, egg white, fish sauce, cilantro, mint, chili paste and salt to taste. Stir in the sautéed aromatics.
3. Form the mixture into four sliders.
4. Heat a grill pan over medium heat.
5. Grill the sliders on the first side until caramelized, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and continue to cook until the meat reads 155º on a meat thermometer. Set aside on a plate.
6. Toast the buns on the grill until light golden brown.
7. Serve the sliders on the toasted buns and top with a dollop of sweet chili dipping sauce. Serve with Cilantro Carrot Slaw (recipe follows).

Cilantro Carrot Slaw

Yield: 4 servings

Active time: 25 minutes

Start to finish: 25 minutes

1/2 pound carrots, peeled and grated

1 jalapeño, seeds removed (optional), and minced

2 scallions, thinly sliced on the bias

1/4 cup unsalted peanuts, roasted and rough chopped

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, rough chopped

Zest of 1 lime

1 to 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1/4 cup grapeseed oil

1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted

Salt and pepper to taste

1. In a medium-size bowl toss together the carrots, jalapeños, scallions, peanuts, cilantro, lime zest, rice wine vinegar, olive oil and sesame seeds.
2. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve chilled.

Since the grocery stores might not offer many financially practical solutions for eating healthy and budget-friendly, planting a garden could be the perfect solution to keeping delicious and nutritious fruits and veggies at your fingertips without breaking the bank. To weigh the many benefits of planting your own garden, check out the following top five reasons to get started on this project today.

1. You Can Skirt the Expense of the Grocery Trip Itself

Aside from the grocery bill itself, there are a few other expenses involved with grocery shopping that you might not have even thought of. One of the biggest bills is the gas to get you there. Many families go to the grocery store a minimum of once per week, which can add up to $72 per year– assuming the grocery store is approximately 10 miles away and your car gets 25 miles per gallon. Taxes are also added to the food you buy at the grocery store, which can quickly add up to more than $800 once the year is over. Having a garden keeps your fresh vegetables conveniently within reach, which means no need for fuel and no taxes!

2. Having a Garden Prevents Waste

If you’re worried about the minimal expenses of fertilizer, seeds and other items necessary for your garden to flourish, you’ll be glad to hear that you can actually save money by composting food waste to limit your consumption and save money on fertilizer. Recycling food waste also helps to limit the trash build-up in your home, so you can potentially even save a bit on trash bags and federal garbage pick-up fees.

3. Lower Likelihood of Food Spoilage

When you buy a bag of tomatoes at the grocery store, you can count on them always being ready to eat, but this also means a higher chance that they’ll spoil before you get a chance to do so. Freezing fruits and vegetables can compromise their nutritional value, so this often isn’t a very desirable alternative. With a garden, you can pick out the right amount of tomatoes that you’d like to eat right before your meal, so there’s a very low chance that they’ll go to waste.

The USDA estimates that consumers in North America waste between 209 and 253 pounds of food per person each year. Given that the average person in the U.S. eats 4.7 pounds of food per day, the same family of four would lose nearly $1,500 of grocery funds on wasted food.

4. Save Money on Maintenance

If you’re used to watering your lawn, you know how much this can add to your water bill. Your plants don’t have to double this water consumption when you use a rain barrel instead. Rain barrels offer a simple solution to water waste by collecting water from the gutter that would otherwise just go down the drain. You can use this water for multiple purposes beyond watering your plants. For example, you can run it through a filter and enjoy a natural beverage with your fresh food.

Although your garden will require a bit of an investment, spending too much on these upfront costs will defeat the purpose of your project in the first place. Look for discounted gardening tools online, at yard sales or thrift stores to save money without sacrificing quality or utility.

5. Seeds are Cost-Effective Starters

If you’re feeling really impatient and want to get your garden started right away, you might be tempted to just go ahead and buy the full plants now. However, seeds are often a much more cost-effective option. The best part about plant seeds is you only need to buy them once, since your plants will naturally produce more seeds as they begin to develop and grow. Naturally, this can lead to quite a surplus in your stock.

Luckily, you can benefit from this surplus by joining a seed exchange in your area. These organizations are designed to help gardeners all over the country avoid seed waste by trading both common and rare seeds, which would also offer easier access to a larger variety of different plants.

It’s important to emphasize all of the benefits of planting a garden because the initial start-up might be a bit of a challenge. You’ll have to fully prepare the ground and make sure the soil is ideal for nurturing plants. Make sure to water your plants as needed and don’t be discouraged if flowering takes a bit longer than expected. Gardening will be a learning process and you’ll make some mistakes along the way, but the lessons learned will only lead to a more sophisticated technique and higher savings in the long run.

References:

http://www.dailyfinance.com/2012/08/06/food-prices-rise-drought-money-saving-tips/

http://www.chow.com/food-news/83216/7-shocking-food-waste-stats/

http://www.forbes.com/sites/moneybuilder/2011/02/15/how-to-save-money-by-growing-your-own-food/

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/article/20130310/LIVING04/303080309/Savvy-Shopper-Save-money-by-planting-garden

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123983924976823051.html

Excuse me, pass the butter my way please! Yes, I’m a southern gal and I love butter. Or as some say, buttah. It is so stereotypical, probably because of Paula Deen. However it does not matter how the connection between butter and the south was made. What matters is how good it is, either plain or flavored. Shallot Herb Butter is the latest one I made to use the fresh herbs in my garden.

I also made it because a cookbook arrived. The nice folks at The Harvard Common Press sent a copy of Flavored Buttersby Lucy Vaserfirer to me. They asked if anyone would like a copy for review and I jumped at the opportunity. I’ve always enjoyed compound butter and have shared recipes for lemon clarified butter and a butter thyme pasta dish. The thought of having a cookbook solely about butter made me smile.

The cookbook has more than recipes. It begins with the basics and covers molding and shaping plus clarifying and browning butter. The recipes are divided into two chapters; savory and sweet. I looked at every one from front to back and back to front. There were many that caught my attention. My copy has several pages flagged. The one I had to make first is the Shallot Herb Butter. I adore fresh herbs and it called to me the loudest.

Shallot Herb Butter can be used on many foods. First there is bread. Slather it on a slice of a fresh baked baguette, French, or basic white bread:

It also would be wonderful on vegetables. I immediately thought of haricot verts. Blanch them for a few minutes then finish them in a pan with a big dollop:

There are many possibilities for this butter. I also thought of shaping it into a log and then rolling hot grilled corn on it. Oh, then dipping it into grated Parmigiano Reggiano. You could put a pat of it on top of a steak right after you take it off the grill. The butter would melt and the shallots and herbs would become fragrant. It would add so much flavor to the steak.

Do I recommend the cookbook? Yes, I do. It is a great resource to have on hand when you want to add a nice touch to something ordinary. Make your next meal a little fancier with Flavored Butters. You can order a copy from Amazon by clicking on the photo of the book:

How often do you use butter? Is it a daily thing or only for special recipes? It is almost daily for me. It may become daily since I have so many new recipes to try.

Shallot Herb Butter

10 minutes

Makes 8 servings

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced flat-leaf parsley
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
• Generous pinch of freshly ground black pepper

Blend together the butter, shallot, parsley, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper in a medium-sized bowl. Form into a log and refrigerate until firm before slicing or serving, or use another shaping method.

Notes

Recipe ©copyright 2013 Lucy Vaserfirer from the Flavored Butters cookbook. Used with permission by The Harvard Common Press.

Disclosures: I received a copy of the Flavored Butters cookbook at no charge from the publisher, The Harvard Common Press. I was under no obligation to give a positive review. All opinions are my own unless otherwise stated or contained within a guest post.

Cupcakes
Cupcakes are perfect for small hands to handle and create a whole lot less mess than slices of cake on a plate. Cupcakes are contained in wrappers that can also add to the festive occasion. Cupcakes are also small enough for little ones to decorate on their own. Cupcakes disappear like hot cakes, so always make plenty.

Birthdays
A fun party idea for birthdays is to bake one small cake for the birthday celebrant and cupcakes for everyone to enjoy. Prepare frosting and allow the kids to frost their cupcakes. Supply sprinkles, candies and anything else you choose for them to decorate their cupcakes. If they decorate two, they can eat one and take one home to enjoy later. Of course, in order to have cupcakes available, they have to be baked.

Here are the steps you can use to bake up cupcakes that draw rave reviews.

What You Need
This recipe makes a dozen cupcakes. Figure out how many are needed for your meal, party or event and multiply the ingredients accordingly. For the basic recipe you’ll need the following ingredients:

• 3 tsp baking power
• 2 1/4 Cups flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1 Cup milk
• 1/2 Cup shortening
• 1 1/3 Cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 100% organic vanilla has a deep, rich taste and no additives, such as gluten.

For a slightly less fat version, use 2 or even 1% milk instead of whole milk.
Also, if one of the recipients of the cupcakes has a gluten sensitivity, use a flour that does not contain wheat, barley or rye and that is certified “gluten-free.”

Pots and Pans
You need something in which to mix and bake the cupcakes. So include the following in your list of supplies, before you start making the cupcakes:

Oven
Mixing bowl
Frosting and any decorations such as sprinkles
Mixer–hand or electric
Cupcake pan
Spatula
Cupcake wrappers

Cupcake pans come in sizes of six or twelve. If making a lot of cupcakes the larger pans are more efficient.

Oven
Once you have all the ingredients and other items gathered. Turn the oven on to 350 degrees. You want the oven ready to bake as soon as the cupcake batter is ready to go in.

Wet and Dry
To the large mixing bowl, add the flour and baking powder. Mix these dry ingredients together. Add in the vanilla, shortening and milk. With a mixer, beat all these wet and dry ingredients together until smooth. Be sure to use a spatula to turn the batter over, making sure to get all dry ingredients from the bottom and sides fully mixed in.

Eggs
Eggs as well as the baking powder helps the cupcakes rise and provides a nice consistency to the finished product. Add in the eggs and mix together until the batter is smooth and creamy looking.

Line and Pour
Take the cupcake pan. Place a liner or wrapper in each cupcake “hole.” Liners not only help keep the pan cleaner and the cupcakes easier to remove, they also make serving the cupcakes less messy and more individual.

Fill the wrappers in the pan 2/3 full of batter. You want to leave room for the cupcakes to rise. As they bake, they will fill and push above the liners like small cakes. If the wrappers have too much batter, they will overflow and make a mess for you to clean up.

Bake Them Up
By now, the oven should be just the right temperature for baking the cupcakes. Place the cupcake pan into the over and close the door. Place the pan on a rack in the centre of the oven. Wait for 23-25 minutes. During this time, leave the door of the oven closed. Opening it up numerous times will let out the hot air and hinder the proper baking of the cupcakes.

Read a book or the paper; catch up on email. But don’t forget about the cupcakes. It might be a good idea to set a timer, so, even if you get distracted, you will be reminded when the cupcakes are finished.

Are They Done
Use a toothpick, or a clean knife if you have no toothpicks, to test whether or not the cupcakes are done, not just on the outside, but also on the inside. Stick the toothpick into the cupcake to the centre.  If the toothpick comes out clean, the cupcake is done all the way to the inside.

If they are not done, give them another five minutes and check again. If they are done, remove them from the oven and shut the oven off. Cool cupcakes completely before decorating them for that special event.

When the Smith brothers purchased the  200 acre ranch in 1971, it included a vineyard that had been planted over a century before.  But the forest had reclaimed much of the land. The brothers had to call in loggers to clear patches of land that would become vineyards.  There remain numerous historical sights on the ranch, as well as the huge array of natural beauty and wildlife.

Stu and Charles Smith – Image courtesy of Smith Madrone

All their wines are produced exclusively from their 34 acres of hillside vineyards planted by the Smith brothers.  The vineyard is planted to 6.25 acres of Riesling, 10.25 acres of Chardonnay and 13 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon, with the Merlot, and Cabernet Franc available for blending.

The vineyard sits high atop Spring Mountain, west of St. Helena in the northern Napa Valley. The vineyards sit at elevations between 1,300 and 2,000 feet, on steep slopes which range up to 35%.

Smith Madrone Vineyards at Twilight. Image courtesy of Smith Madrone Vineyards and Winery

Smith Madrone offer four wines, Riesling, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and a special Cook’s Flat Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. The wines are available for purchase at the winery or on their website.  They produce about 4,000 cases/yr. The winery is open for tasting by appointment Monday-Saturday, 10 – 4:30.

I recently had the opportunity to taste a trio of their latest releases, which included the 2011 Riesling, 2010 Chardonnay, and 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon.

My tasting notes follow:

• 2011 Smith Madrone Riesling Estate Bottled - USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District
  Pale golden yellow color with peach apricot, mineral and a hint of lychee aromas. On the palate, it’s between light and medium-bodied, and dry with fresh peach, mineral, and a hint of citrus rind flavors. Medium-long finish; 12.6% alcohol. Retail – $27; 521 cases produced (90 pts.)

• 2010 Smith Madrone Chardonnay Estate Bottled - USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District
  Pale golden yellow color with citrus, peach, spiced oak and a kiss of butterscotch aromas. On the palate it’s medium-bodied, and balanced with vibrant acidity, and peach, lemon, guava, mineral and vanilla flavors. Medium-long finish. 100% Chardonnay, barrel-fermented in 100% new French oak. Retail – $30; 703 cases produced. (90 pts.)

• 2007 Smith Madrone Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Bottled - USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District
  Opaque violet color with lovely cassis, dried herb, roast coffee and eucalyptus aromas. On the palate it’s light-bodied, focused and balanced with youthful tannins and cassis, blackberry, and roast coffee flavors. Medium-long finish. 14.2% alcohol. 97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc. Aged 22 months in new American oak. Unfiltered and unfined. Retail – $45; 1,434 cases produced (91 pts.)

I really enjoyed these wines.  The Riesling is the best American Riesling I’ve had.  The Chardonnay was delightfully different, and i was surprised it was aged in new oak because the oak manifests itself so judiciously.  The Cab is an elegant delightful now, but will improve with some additional aging.

Before trying these wines, I wasn’t familiar with Smith Madrone.  I’ve tended to stay on the beaten path when visiting Napa.  My bad!  I’m looking forward to getting off of the beaten path, and if you are too, I highly recommend a visit to Smith Madrone. 

Wine provided as a sample for review.  Many thanks to Smith Madrone Vineyards and Winery and Julie Ann Kodmur

It’s cookie time! When is it not cookie time? A day does not go by without me having a cookie. I confess they are not always homemade. Yikes! I know. I keep a box of Teddy Grahams in the pantry and give a couple to my hounds after lunch and dinner. (Did I mention I have very spoiled hounds?). Anyway, I will eat a few too. Every so often I want a good homemade ones. This week I decided to bake Oatmeal Toffee Cookies.

I am spring cleaning my pantry and freezer. Both have become so full and I need to use up the food I have on hand. I already used most of my supply of dried fruits for Mixed Berry Bread. Next to those fruits was a container of oats and a bag of toffee chips. I thought about making granola, then bars, and settled on cookies.

It’s a good thing the recipe makes 4 dozen. They were disappearing rather quickly. I handed one to my husband when I was baking and next thing I know I see him in the kitchen again and again and again. I laughed and said I hope you didn’t eat the pretty ones because I still have to take photos. A little while later he was at the cookies again. I asked if they were calling his name a bit too much. He said they are evil. I have to agree because they were relentlessly calling me too.

Do you have a pantry or freezer clean out time? It’s easy to put things away and sometimes too easy to forget to use them. A voice in my head (mom/dad) reminds me not to be wasteful of food. At least I have more room now after baking these wonderful oatmeal toffee cookies.

Oatmeal Toffee Cookies

1 hour

Makes about 4 dozen cookies

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1 bag (8 ounces) toffee bits

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or sil-pat.

In a medium bowl, add flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk to combine. Set aside.

In a large bowl, add butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Scrape down bowl as needed.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and beat to combine.

Add the oats and toffee bits and stir to combine. Drop rounded tablespoonfuls of dough on to baking sheets.

Bake cookies for 9 to 11 minutes until light golden brown. Cool cookies on baking sheets for 2 to 3 minutes. These cookies are very soft. Carefully transfer cookies to a cooling rack and cool completely. Store in a sealed container at room temperature.

Recipe adapted from one on the Quaker Oats website.

Shrimp and grits is a very Southern dish. What’s interesting is that I never had it until several years ago. Why? Well, it has to do with my history of grits. I thought of grits as breakfast. Even more, the grits I had growing up were sweet. My dad would mix in sugar and cream. The thought of sweet grits with shrimp wasn’t appealing to me. It took my tastes changing to open up a whole new savory world of grits.

My tastes in food changed right before I hit 40. It was quite drastic. Almost overnight I began eating foods I completely disliked before. My husband would look at me and ask “who are you and what did you do with my wife?” (jokingly of course). I would smile and shrug my shoulders. Now we laugh every time he notices me going for something different.

A few words about grits. Authentic Southern grits are stone-ground and either white or yellow. I use white for this recipe. They take a long time to cook. I’ve seen some recipes for up to 2 hours. I feel they are done in about 40 minutes. If you cannot find stone-ground, you can substitute with the type you find in the store and cook according to the package instructions. I would avoid instant or quick cooking ones as they are not quite as good as the long cooking ones.

Shrimp and grits are a bit spicy. The spice and heat comes from the andouille sausage, cayenne pepper, and Tabasco sauce. The spice is balanced with the shrimp and creaminess of the grits. This is a hearty meal and I consider it a comfort food. It is a meal I have to make a few times throughout the year. I think it stands on its own with a nice crusty bread or biscuits. You can serve it with a salad or a vegetable on the side.

How much do you enjoy shrimp? I love it. You have to check out some of my other recipes: Shrimp fra Diavolo, Shrimp Salad, and Shrimp Arnean. As spring and summer get into full swing I’m sure I’ll throw some on the grill too. When I do, I’ll be sure to share that recipe too. Stay tuned…

Shrimp and Grits

1 hour

Makes 4 servings

For the grits:

• 2 cups whole milk
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup white stone-ground grits
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Salt and Pepper

For the shrimp:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 pound andouille sausage, casing removed and cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• 2 to 3 drops Tabasco sauce
• Juice from 1/2 lemon
• Salt and Pepper
• 4 green onions, thinly sliced

For the grits:

In a 3-quart pot over medium heat, add the milk and water. Add the grits slowly, whisking constantly. Bring the grits to a simmer and reduce heat to medium-low or low to maintain a simmer. Stir frequently. Cook until the grits are creamy and thick, about 40 minutes. Thin with additional water or milk if too thick. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

For the shrimp:

In a large, deep skillet or saute pan over medium heat, add the olive oil. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the sausage and cook until until the sausage has browned and rendered a fair amount of fat in the pan. Sprinkle in the flour and stir to create a roux. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly pour in the chicken broth, stirring constantly. Add the bay leaves and bring the liquid to a simmer. Add the shrimp and cook until shrimp is just cooked through. Add the cayenne pepper, Tabasco, and lemon juice. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To serve:

Spoon grits into a bowl. Top with the shrimp mixture. Garnish with green onion slices. Serve immediately.

Recipe adapted from one by Tyler Florence on the Food Network website.

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