The Foodie Files

Real talk: I haven't cooked in a long time.  A long, long time.  It's terrible for many reasons, though more than anything else it's just something I really miss doing.  I'll get back on the ball once we're settled, but in the meantime I've got my Dad's AMAZING flan recipe to share.  One of the funny things about having a chicken coop in your backyard is an occasional surplus of eggs...my Dad employs this recipe when they start to stack up (and/or when I beg him to make it like I did today).  

Ingredients:

12 eggs total, 6 yolks, 6 whole

1 cup sugar

1 can evaporated milk

1 can condensed milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a heavy skillet over medium-low heat, cook and stir sugar until melted and light brown, about 10 minutes.  Mix eggs with an electric mixer...be careful not to over mix.  Add the rest of the ingredients and blend smooth.  

Carefully pour sugar into a 9 inch round baking dish or bundt pan, tilting the dish to coat the bottom and sides completely.  Pour custard into caramelized mold and place in a hot water bath. 

Fill with water about halfway up bundt pan.  Cover with foil then bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.  Remove from water bath and allow about an hour to come to room temperature.  

Re-cover with foil and refrigerate until cool, then flip and serve!

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I usually employ the "if it's not broke, don't fix it" rule when it comes to the classics, but curiosity got the best of me this week and I decided to try a few new techniques in regards to my ol' faithful meatball recipe.  The results were astonishingly positive.  Sometimes you've just gotta switch things up, you know?  I like to try new, potentially risky recipes when I'm all by my lonesome...it takes an enormous amount of pressure off and I'm less likely to try and play it safe.  This particular recipe turned out so well I'm tempted to keep all the leftovers for myself!

Ingredients:

For the meatballs-
16 oz ground pork
16 oz Italian sausage, removed from casing
1 1/4 cups breadcrumbs
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1 tsp thyme, chopped
2/3 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated

3 eggs, lightly beaten

Salt and pepper to taste

For the sauce-

4 shallots, diced

3 garlic cloves, diced

3 TBS extra virgin olive oil
1 28oz can peeled tomatoes (San Marzano if you can find them!)
1 15oz can plain tomato sauce

1 6oz can tomato paste

4 bay leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large sauce pan heat extra virgin olive oil over a low flame, then add shallots and garlic.  

In a large mixing bowl add pork, Italian sausage, bread crumbs, parsley, thyme, salt and pepper.  Using your hands, mix the ingredients until evenly distributed (but not over worked).

Whisk beaten eggs, ricotta and parmesan together in a separate bowl until there are no large clumps.  Pour into meat mixture and mix until just incorporated.

Form meatballs in your hand, about 1 1/2-inches in diameter, using about 3 TBS of the mixture to form each meatball.  Pack tightly to avoid breakage.  Turn up your flame to medium and brown meatballs in shallots, garlic and oil mixture.

The garlic and shallots should caramelize a bit but keep an eye on them to ensure they don't burn.  Once all sides are browned, add tomato paste.  Allow 5-10 minutes for the tomato paste to develop some flavor, mixing occasionally (I read an article about this the other day and saw a big difference in my sauce).  Add tomatoes, sauce and bay leaves and simmer for about 2 hours.  Remove bay leaves (make sure you got them all!) and add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve alone or with pasta and top with parmesan cheese.

The Foodie Files

One of our dearest friends turned 30 earlier this week, so Davey (my handy dandy fiancé/sous chef) and I pulled out all the stops for his birthday dinner.  The menu was sublime…shrimp cocktail, mascarpone mashed potatoes, lightly blanched asparagus, a tasty little salad and the pièce de résistance: filet mignon with champagne crab cream sauce (which is the recipe we'll cover today).  You turn 30 exactly one time, so I wasn't about to take any short cuts.  If I had it to do over again, I'd half- possibly quarter- the recipe for the cream sauce.  You can't reheat it and it just made way, way too much (and considering there were nine of us and we all dug in, that's saying something).  As celebratory feast recipes, it doesn't get any better than this!    

Ingredients:

For the steak-

9 filet mignon steaks

4-5 TBS butter

Salt and pepper to taste

For the sauce-

4 TBS shallots, diced

2 cups champagne 

1 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup butter

16 oz crab claw meat

Pre-heat oven to 400.  Pour champagne and shallots into a medium sized pot over low heat.  Cook for 10-15 minutes.  

While the sauce is cooking, season filets thoroughly with salt and pepper.  Melt butter over medium heat then sear filets for 2-3 minutes per side.  Cook for 10-15 minutes in pre-heated oven (depending on desired temperature…medium, medium well, etc).

Return to sauce and add 1 cup heavy cream.  Bring heat up to medium low and reduce by half (about 5-7 minutes).  Whisk in butter then remove from heat and add crab.  Stir, serve and enjoy!

The Foodie Files

I'm pre-tty excited about this Dark Chocolate Soufflé Cake.  I made it for our Oscars dinner on Sunday and have enjoyed a little piece every night since.  I first spied it on Scientifically Sweet, a really interesting website that takes a scientific approach to artisanal baking…there's way more to discover there so check it out when you get a chance!  Don't let this recipe intimidate you- it's not nearly as difficult as it seems and it's at least twice as delicious as you'd imagine.

10 oz dark chocolate chips
7 TBS unsalted butter
6 TBS sugar
4 large eggs, separated and at room temperature
2 TBS all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp salt

Preheat your oven to 350°F then butter the sides and bottom of a 9x5-inch loaf pan.  In a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the chocolate and butter together until smooth.

Remove from heat and stir in 3 tablespoons of the sugar, the egg yolks and flour.  Using a mixer, beat the egg whites and salt until soft peaks begin to form. Gradually beat in the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar and whip until the whites are smooth, glossy and hold firm peaks.

Use a wide rubber spatula to fold 1/3 of the egg whites until the chocolate mixture. Once incorporated fold in the remaining egg whites in two parts just until the mixture is smooth and no white streaks are visible.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the cake has puffed up and feels slightly firm in the center.  Do not over-bake.  Let the cake cool in the pan.  It will collapse as it cools.  Let it cool to room temperature before serving.

My favorite part?  It's rich but not too rich and very, very decadent.  I'd suggest serving it with some freshly whipped cream, berries or vanilla ice cream…or if you have them on hand, all three!

The Foodie Files

Here ye, here ye; I have an announcement!  Even as I type it, I can hardly believe it…as of today, Davey and I are the proud parents of the most delightful English bulldog puppy there ever was.  My soon to be in-laws set the whole thing in motion as a wedding present and I'll tell you what, I'm over the moon excited.  So without further ado, meet Virgina…my snuggly, calm, incredibly cute little munchkin.  

Before I tell you about the homemade dog treats I threw together this afternoon let me first say I promise not to be a finger-pointing, organic-only, self righteous dog owner.  To quote Sweet Brown, "Ain't nobody got time for that".  But I was excited to make a welcome home treat for my big eater and I'm glad I did cause she loves them.  I first spied the recipe on Cesar Milan's website and it looked like something simple she'd enjoy.  Davey tried one…needless to say I did not, but I will say they actually smell really good!

Ingredients:
2 ½ cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 egg
1 tsp beef or chicken bouillon cubes
½ cup hot water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Dissolve bouillon in hot water and set aside.  Add remaining ingredients then knead dough until it forms a ball.

Roll dough until ½ inch thick.  Cut into slices or use cookie cutters (I used hearts and stars cause it's what I had on hand but a nice dog bone might be a nice touch).

Place dough pieces on a lightly greased cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes.  Let cool and serve to your darling canine doll baby.

The Foodie Files

I've got an extremely simple but very tasty recipe on tap today…goat cheese, lemon and and asparagus pasta.  In fact, basically all the ingredients are in the title so you know it's not complicated.  When I first spotted a similar recipe here I thought it might actually be too easy to turn out correctly…then I figured I'd try some of their techniques (straight goat cheese melted onto the pasta) instead of the more complicated thing I probably would've done (more of a goat cheese Alfredo with a roux, cream, etc).  I'm glad I did cause it was delish.  Sometimes easy is the way to go…who knew?

3/4lb mezzi rigatoni pasta
1 lb fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into pieces
3-4 oz goat cheese
1 TBS lemon juice
1/2 TBS olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Prepare pasta according to package instructions.  In a separate pot, bring water to a rolling boil, salt and add asparagus.  Cook for 2 minutes, drain and set aside.

Drain pasta and reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water.  Place hot pasta into a large bowl and add in goat cheese (breaking it up as you put it in), olive oil and lemon juice, along with a TBS or two of the pasta water.  Stir to combine.  Mix in asparagus and toss to combine.  Season with additional salt and pepper and serve immediately.

The Foodie Files

I wandered around the grocery store today looking for warm, hearty meal inspiration to fend off the cold and landed on a delicious lamb and chick pea chili that did not disappoint!  I used a variation of a recipe I first spotted here and was thrilled to discover it's a true 30 minute (or less) meal.  Add this one to your winter repertoire for a real treat!

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large bell pepper, chopped (I used orange but red would work, too)
4 cloves garlic, minced
16 ounces ground lamb
4 medium tomatoes, chopped

3/4 cup yellow cherry tomatoes, chopped
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed
1 tsp chili powder
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add onion, bell pepper and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions and peppers begin to soften, about 3-5 minutes.  Add lamb, salt and pepper, then stir until brown, about 5 minutes.  Drain excess fat, then add tomatoes.  Cook 5 minutes more.  Add chili powder and salt and pepper to taste.  Lastly, add chickpeas, stir, then immediately remove from heat.  Serve garnished with cilantro (trust me, it really makes a world of difference).

The Foodie Files

I've really been dropping the ball when it comes to cooking as of late.  I'm not sure what's gotten into me but for some reason I want to blame it on winter (ahh cold weather...my truest adversary).  I've been killing it on the snacking front, however!  Since I enjoy to lobbing the occasional snacking post in your direction, now seemed like a great time to share a few of my current obsessions.  

1. Most folks fall pretty firmly into one camp or another when it comes to grapefruit…you love it or you hate it, no middle ground.  I'm overwhelmingly pro-graprefruit…in fact, it's my citrus of choice.

2. Believe me when I tell you, Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Brownies will ruin all other brownies for you.  Period, paragraph.  Keep in mind, there's no wiggle room here…they have to be Ghiardelli and they have to be Dark Chocolate or it's no dice.

3. My darling brother brought Noosa to our family's attention a few months ago but I have to admit, I didn't actually try it until recently.  I was meandering around Target and threw a blueberry flavored one in my cart because Joey is on tour and I miss him and somehow it made me feel like buying something he likes so much would make me miss him less.  Turns out, it's delicious…so, so good!  Scary good, actually.  Wish I would've tried it sooner!

4. Let me start by saying I'm literally eating these right now.  The amount I consume in a sitting can't possibly be good for you, but if you eat them like a reasonable person they're a much better (and dare I say just as tasty) alternative to most chips.

5. I'm a creature of habit.  As such, I start my day with Starbucks darkest french roast and end it with Sleepytime Vanilla tea.  Don't be fooled, you can barely taste any vanilla…just a tiny twinge of sweetness that makes honey or sugar unnecessary.  At this point just smelling it signals my brain to start winding down which is just the best.  If you're looking for a light herbal tea, I highly recommend it.

The Foodie Files

I made dinner for the gentleman of Dismas House this evening and we had such a wonderful time sharing a meal together (in fact, if you're in Nashville and looking for a place to get involved might I suggest giving their website a once over).  Since Davey works there, I had him ask around for meal requests over the course of the last week…when breakfast for dinner came out on top across the board I got straight to organizing my menu.  The centerpiece for the meal ended up being a really tasty Baked French Toast.  I found the recipe here and was delighted with how easy but scrumptious it ended up being.  

1 loaf of french bread
8 eggs
2 cups whole milks
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 TBS vanilla extract

1 TBS Butter, For Greasing

For the topping:
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick cold butter, cut into pieces
Syrup

Grease a large baking pan with butter.  Cut bread into cubes and evenly distribute them in the pan. Crack eggs in a big bowl and whisk together with milk, cream, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla.

Pour evenly over the bread.  Cover the pan tightly and store in the fridge until needed (overnight is ideal).

For the topping, mix the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and some nutmeg in a separate bowl. Stir together using a fork. Add the butter and with a pastry cutter, and mix it all together until the mixture resembles fine pebbles. Store in a plastic bag in the fridge.

When you're ready to bake the casserole, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the casserole from the fridge and sprinkle the topping over the top. Bake for 45 minutes for a softer, more bread pudding texture or for 1 hour-plus or more for a firmer, crisper texture.

Scoop out individual portions. Top with butter and drizzle with warm pancake syrup and sprinkle with blueberries.

The Foodie Files

I had the great pleasure of checking out the grand opening of Pinewood Social yesterday, Nashville's latest, greatest addition to the foodie scene.  If you're in or around Nashville or planning a trip here anytime soon put it on your list of must visits.  For starters, the atmosphere is killer…very Nashville-esque.  

Since I knew the background of Josh Habiger, the chef who developed the menu (and previously worked at critically acclaimed restaurants like Alinea and The Catbird Seat), I had extremely high expectations for the food.  Long story short, it did not disappoint.  

Their coffee bar is run by my favorite local haunt, Crema, so I went with my standard order of a delicious hot Cuban coffee (so tasty).  

I ordered the lobster roll for lunch and whoa.  It was incredible…so, so fresh!  The menu is extensive and surprisingly affordable.  I can't wait to go back and try a few other things, though I'll be hard pressed not to get the lobster roll again.  They're open very early to very late (7am-1am…pretty incredible, right?) so I'm hoping to get in for a brunch sometime in the very near future.  

As if all that wasn't enough, Pinewood Social offers a few other bonuses the rest of Nashville will be hard pressed to compete with…one of which is this in house re-claimed bowling alley!  Come summer, they'll have a pool, cabanas, bocce ball court and all kinds of other goodies.  I told you- it's a gem.  For reservations, call 615-751-8111…I've got a feeling it's about to get real busy so get to dialing!

The Foodie Files

I was craving a bowl of really delicious soup yesterday and was so excited when I came up with this hearty vegetable and lamb meatball recipe.  It's a perfect way to combat the cold and really, really tasty. Hope you love it!

Ingredients:

64 oz chicken broth

64 oz water

1 zucchini, cubed

1 yellow squash, cubed

1 cup carrots, chopped

1 large red potato, cubed

3 large stalks of celery, diced

1 1/2 large cups kale

1 lb ground lamb

1 TBS parsley, chopped

1 egg

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup breadcrumbs

Salt and pepper to taste

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.  Pour chicken broth and water in a large pot and add zucchini, squash, carrots, potato and celery.  Set over medium-low heat, cover and let cook for 20 minutes.  

Make meatballs by thoroughly mixing ground lamb, parsley, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, egg, salt and pepper and rolling into 1 inch balls.  Grease a baking sheet with extra virgin olive oil and place meatballs at least an inch and a half apart.  Bake for 20 minutes. 

Bring soup to a rolling boil, then return to medium heat.  Add meatballs and kale, cover and cook for 20 additional minutes.  Serve and enjoy!

The Foodie Files

I made a few minor changes to The Foodie Files, though most weeks you'll still find a test kitchened recipe here.  From time to time I'll also feature some of the snacks and treats I'm currently fixated on (like the post below)...and I may even throw in the occasional restaurant review.  Though the general focus on delicious food will stay the same, I'm excited to have a few more options to share.

1. Trader Joe's Beurre Meuniere Popcorn- Check out this flavor combination: browned butter, lemon, parsley, and thyme.  On popcorn!  Maybe I ate the whole bag in one sitting.  It's possible that happened. 

2. Starbucks' Double Short Mocha- If you've never heard of the "short" size at Starbucks, might I suggest you try it at your earliest convenience.  It's smaller than a tall, though you won't find it advertised on any menu.  The extra shot of espresso makes the chocolate to coffee ratio both perfectly sweet and strong.

3. Pomegranate- My very favorite fruit...delicious, nutritious and finally in season!  

4. Trader Joe's Pumpkin Bread Pudding- Not so much a snack as it was a tasty dessert.  I ate a good amount of this with some butter pecan ice cream the other night and it was incredible!

The Foodie Files

I whipped up a few lamb burgers the other day and was so happy with how they came out!  The process is extremely simple and the taste is killer...it's a great, hearty fall meal.  I topped ours with a sharp Vermont Cheddar cheese but feta would be delicious, too.  When it comes to add-ons, think anything from sun-dried tomatoes and olives to baby spinach and aioli (which, according to Davey, is just a fancy way of saying mayonnaise...but I like fancy so aioli it is).  I served our burgers plain but use your imagination when you top yours!

1 large shallot, diced

1 garlic clove, diced

2 TBS extra-virgin olive oil

24 oz. ground lamb

1 tsp dried Greek seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
6 hamburger buns

Heat extra virgin olive oil over medium high heat.  Add shallots and garlic and cook until browned, about six minutes.  In a bowl, mix shallots, garlic, lamb, Greek seasoning, salt and pepper.  Form meat into six 1" thick patties; set aside.

I cooked our burgers in a George Forman Grill, but you could just as easily make yours over a gas grill or with a skillet.  Cook to desired doneness, set on a bun, top with cheese and call it a day.  Delish!

The Foodie Files

We've talked about my Dad's Most Interesting Man In The World-esque hobbies on many occasions (bee keeping, brick oven baking, chicken raising, vineyard operating, wine making and the list goes on) but today's Foodie File incorporates one of his most recent interests: aquaponics.  In case that doesn't mean a thing to you (and really, why would it?), allow me to explain.  Aquaculture is the raising of aquatic animals in tanks, hydroponics is the growing of plants in water (without soil)....put those hands together and you get aquaponics.  We've enjoyed many delicious vegetable offerings since his aquaponic greenhouse was built last summer, but the tilapia he's raising only recently reached the point where they can be eaten.  So!  For the farm to table meal of all farm to table meals, he and my Mom recently prepared the dish below.  While I didn't get to taste it (ah, the perils of living halfway across the country from your parents), they really loved how the flavors came together (and it certainly sounds amazing).  Though chances are you won't be preparing this dish using tilapia you raised in your backyard, I went ahead and wrote the recipe out in a way that accommodates using whole fish.  The thought of cleaning, scaling and deboning a fish may seem scary, but it's kind of a fun challenge- don't you think?  And bonus: whole fish are even much less expensive.  Just an idea to consider...might make a good New Years Resolution.  One last note (just cause I'm so ridiculously proud of him)- everything in this recipe except for the black olives, olive oil, salt and pepper came from my Dad's greenhouse.  Is he amazing or what?

Ingredients:

4 tilapia, whole

1 bunch broccoli rabe

1/3 cup black olives

2 poblano peppers, seeded and chopped

1 large shallot, diced

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1 lime

3 TBS extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Scale and clean tilapia thoroughly, remove the side fins and head, then make 2-3 small slashes in one side.  Salt and pepper tilapia inside and out.  Blanche broccoli rabe for 1-2 minutes, then mix with olives and half of your diced shallot.  

In a separate bowl, combine lime, olive oil, shallots, chopped peppers, parsley and wine.  Place Tilapia on top of broccoli rabe, then pour mix over the entire dish.  Cover with tin foil and bake for 25-30 minutes or until flaky.  Debone as you eat (tips on how to do that here).

The Foodie Files

Sweet Nina just celebrated a birthday with a low key bonfire (per her request), so I wanted to bring a fun and festive treat to fit in with the evening's vibe.  Since hot chocolate is a fall fave, I went that route and made a batch of hot chocolate cookies.  And the verdict: awesome!  I stayed pretty true to a recipe I found here and was pleasantly surprised by how well the hot chocolate flavor comes through.  If you use the measurements below, be prepared to bake at least 3 dozen cookies...possibly more.  It's certainly not the worst problem you could have (seriously, they're so delicious) but heads up- it's a little too easy to eat several in one sitting.  You've been warned.  

Ingredients:
2 sticks room temperature butter
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 1/4 cups flour
4 packages hot chocolate mix (not sugar free)
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup white chocolate chips  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Whisk together flour, hot chocolate mix, salt and baking soda.  In another bowl, mix sugar, brown sugar and butter until light and fluffy.  Add eggs and vanilla to butter mix then slowly add in the dry ingredients.

Add the chocolate chips to the cookie dough.  Keep in mind, the texture is very thick so it's slightly challenging.  

Using a ice cream scooper, transfer dough to a greased cookie sheet. 

Bake for 10 minutes, then allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pan.