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Browsing Tag: Mara May
Football season is here!
Despite the fact that I love frosting so much, I tend to eat a very healthy diet on a day to day basis. I stay active and eat right, and it gives me energy to do everything that I want.
One thing that I cannot understand is football snacks. Whenever football season comes, all of a sudden you see field-themed chips, nachos, fat-covered carbs bombs. All you’re doing is sitting there! You don’t need 1500 calories of empty, greasy carb to fuel your football passion.
These snacks fix that problem. They are simple, they are cheesy, they are beyond addicting. And the best part – they are low carb. That means that you can eat them guilt free!
Snack without guilt this football season with these ranch-seasoned, spicy, cheesy pepper bites. You won’t even miss the chips!
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Step One.
Prep Step! Measure out your ingredients. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
Step Two.
Prep the peppers! First, with a paring knife, cut the peppers in half so that you get two tall and deep halves, not the shallow ones.
Next, cut off the stems by making a “V” shape around it with your paring knife.
Finally, placing the blade of your knife flush with the pepper, cut off the veins.
Line up the peppers on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. If some of them tip over, slice a small piece off of the bottom to make it flat.
Step Three.
Make the filling! Beat the cream cheese in a stand mixer on high for three minutes.
Grate the cheddar cheese into the bowl and mix until incorporated.
Tip: Don’t want to take the time to grate? Buy shredded cheddar, and give it a few chops to make smaller pieces.
Add the spices and mix until incorporated.
Carefully mix in the bacon pieces.
Step Four.
Stuff the peppers!
Add about 1 Tablespoon of the cheese mix to each pepper, enough so that it is full. Careful, though – you don’t want to add too much, because then it will melt out in the oven.
Bake at 350°F FOR 20 minutes.
Serve with some greens for an added health benefit!
Snack without guilt this football season with these ranch-seasoned, spicy, cheesy pepper bites. You won't even miss the chips!
Ingredients
- Bite-sized peppers (about 15)
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 4 oz block sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 Tbsp ranch dip mix
- 2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 cup cooked bacon pieces (not bits)
Instructions
- Measure out your ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350°F
- First, with a paring knife, cut the peppers in half so that you get the tall, deep halves, not the flat, shallow ones.
- Cut off the stem by making a “V” shape around it with your paring knife.
- Placing the blade of your knife flush with the pepper, cut off the vein.
- Line up the peppers on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. If they are falling over, slice a small piece off of the bottom to make it flat.
- Beat the cream cheese in a stand mixer on high for three minutes.
- Grate the cheddar cheese into the bowl and mix until incorporated.
- Add the spices and mix until incorporated.
- Carefully mix in the bacon.
- Add about 1 Tablespoon of the mix to each pepper, enough so that it is full. You don’t want to add too much, because it will melt out in the oven.
- Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes.
- Serve with some greens for an added health benefit!
I remember the first time that I had a banana split. My grandpa had taken us fishing, and I had a really good day! This was not normal fishing, where 90% of the time is a test of your patience. This was a trout farm, where they bite the second the lure hits the water. So I was a very happy camper already, AND I got a banana split! I don’t know if I ate the whole thing, but I like to think I did. I remember liking the pineapple part the best.
This cupcake combines all of the yumminess of a banana split into one delicious baked treat that you can enjoy year round!
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Step One – Sauces!
Step Two – Cupcakes!
Prep the cupcakes! Measure out all of your ingredients. Let the butter and the eggs warm up to room temperature (about 30 minutes). Preheat your oven to 350°F.
With a fork, mix together your dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
This cupcake combines all of the yumminess of a banana split into one delicious baked treat that you can enjoy year round!
Ingredients
- !Banana Cupcakes
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 2 bananas, mashed
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
- 2 cups strawberries, chopped
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- 2 cups pineapple, chopped
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1 cup milk chocolate morsels
- 1 Tbsp heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 Tbsp powdered sugar
- Salted peanuts, crushed
- Sprinkles
- Ice cream (I used strawberry)
- Maraschino cherries
Instructions
- *Note: You want to make the sauces first so that they are cool enough to use when the cupcakes are done!
- Prep Step!
- Put the chopped strawberries into a saucepan over medium heat. Cook for about five minutes, until they start to lose their juices.
- Add the sugar and mix thoroughly.
- One the sauce looks slightly syrupy, add the cornstarch.
- *Tip: I pre-mix my cornstarch with about a teaspoon of water so that I don’t get clumps.
- Cook for about three minutes, just until it starts to thicken and come together.
- Repeat the same steps for the pineapple sauce.
- In a microwavable bowl, heat the chocolate chips and whipping cream at 30 second intervals, stirring in-between.
- Let all sauces cool to room temperature.
- Prep the cupcakes! Measure out all of your ingredients. Let the butter and the eggs warm up to room temperature (about 30 minutes). Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- With a fork, mix together your dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
- In a stand mixer, beat together the butter and sugar for about five minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Now add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until it is mixed together.
- Add the vanilla and beat until it is well-mixed.
- Stir in the mashed bananas.
- Add one-third of the dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated.
- Now, add half of the yogurt and mix until incorporated.
- Repeat this process until all of the dry ingredients and yogurt is used.
- Now they are ready to bake! Use about 2/3 of the batter in a regular sized pan; use the rest in a mini cupcake pan. Bake at 350°F for 20-22 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.
- Add the heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar to a mixing bowl. Beat on high with the whisk attachment until stiff peaks form. Add to a piping bag fitted with a star attachment.
- Unwrap the mini cupcakes from their wrappers. Using either a knife or a fancy cupcake corer, cut the middle out of the big and small cupcakes.
- Fill the big cupcakes with strawberry filling and the small ones with pineapple filling.
- Place a scoop of the ice cream on the big cupcake. Drizzle with chocolate sauce.
- Place the small cupcake on top and “frost” with the whipped cream. Sprinkle with the peanuts and sprinkles, and add a cherry on top!
This flavor-packed burger pairs well with the light crunch of coleslaw and the tang on fried pickles. It is best enjoyed relaxing outside with family and friends!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup catsup
- 1/2 tsp Worchestershire sauce
- 2 tsp spicy brown mustard
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- salt, pepper, and hot sauce to taste
- 1/3 cup greek yogurt
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- salt, pepper, and hot sauce to taste
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cabbage
- 1/3 cup shredded carrots, diced
- 1/3 cup green tomato, seeds removed, diced
- 1/4 cup bell pepper, diced
- 2 large pickles
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp cajun spice seasoning (no salt)
- 1 lb ground chuck
- 8 slices bacon
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp Tony’s seasoning (with salt)
- pepper
- 4 Brioche buns, sliced
- Mayonaise
Instructions
- Don’t pull everything out just yet. There is so much to prepare for this recipe, so walk through it with me in order.
- We will start with the sauce because it is easy and go in the fridge until we are ready to serve. With more rest time, the flavors have an excellent chance to mix and become more bold.
- Mix everything together in one bowl. Stir the sauce until is is homogenous, then cover with plastic wrap and chill until ready to use.
- Measure out your dressing ingredients. Dice the vegetables so that they are in small pieces. Even though the carrots are already shredded, you will want to chop them further so that you don’t get any big chunks in the final slaw. Remember, this is going on the burger! Manageable bites are best.
- In a large bowl, whisk together your dressing ingredients. Add all of the vegetables and toss to coat evenly with the dressing. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until ready to serve.
- **At this point, put the bacon for the burger into the freezer. It will cut a lot easier if it is partially frozen. Do not leave the slices in the freezer for longer than ten minutes**
- Measure out your coating ingredients. Slice the pickles (about 1/4 inch thick)
- Mix the spice together with the flour. Lightly coat the pickles by adding them to the flour bowl and tossing them around. Let them sit for a minute (so that the flour soaks up a little of the juice), then repeat the coating process.
- Add all of your ingredients to a big bowl. Working quickly so that you don’t overwork the meat, mix the ingredients together. Divide the meat into four patties, making them about the size of your hamburger buns.
- Slice the buns in half; spread mayonnaise on each half.
- Grill the burgers following the recommendations for your grill. I do not have a grill, so I seared mine in a grill pan, then baked them at 350°F for 15 minutes, until the inside read 160°F when measured with a thermometer.
- While your burger are grilling, finish the pickles.
- I used a deep fryer for the pickles. It automatically heats the oil to 375°F, but you can do this in a pan as well. Once your oil is heated, fry for about two minutes, or until the flour coating is golden brown. Definitely taste test a lot of them 😉
- Place the fried pickles on paper towels until ready to serve.
- Once your burgers are off the grill, they need to rest for a few minutes. Use this time to grill the buns. Place the halves face side down on the grill; grill until they are browned and crisp.
- Lay the bottom half of the bun on a plate. Top with a generous scoop of coleslaw, and flatten with the spoon. Lay the burger patty on top. Spread a layer of Spicy Southern Sauce on top of the patty. Layer with fried pickles. Finally, top with the remaining half of the bun.
- Dig in!
Back to school! I always loved back to school. New outfit, new pencils, new goals.
Whether you are a teacher, a student, or a parent, you will absolutely enjoy these cute and tasty treats. They are so easy!
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp butter
- 1 10-oz bag of marshmallows
- 1 tsp red food coloring
- 5 cups rice cereal
- 2 green fruit rollups for leaves
- Black licorice or Tootsie Rolls for stems
Instructions
- Prep Step! Measure out all of your ingredients. Hold off on cutting the leaves and stems, that will come later.
- Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat. Then add all of the marshmallows and stir together until they are dissolved. Mix the food coloring into the marshmallow.
- Add the marshmallow mixture to the cereal. Fold it into the cereal carefully, so that you don't crush too much of the cereal.
- Now you need to wait a bit so that molding the apples is not a sticky mess. This is a good time to cut your leaves and stems.
- With a sharp knife, cut a leaf shape out of the green fruit rollup. Cut the "stem", whatever you choose to use, into a length that looks good with the size of your "apples." I cut mine to about 3/4 in.
- Once the treats are cool, grab a handful and mold it into a sphere with your hands. Using your smallest finger, push a little depression in the middle.
- Put the leaf in the hole first, then add the stem. Eat like an apple!
State Fair. What whimsy does that call to mind for you? First, I hear Templeton the Rat singing that obnoxious song in my head. But next, I remember all of the wonders, merrymaking, and smells of the Wisconsin State Fair.
We were always very methodical about it. We would get up at the crack of down, slather up in sun screen, and get there are soon as the gates opened. After picking up our coupon book, we would visit the animals in the barns. I always liked the cows the best. They’re so delicate for animals that weigh literally tons. When you look into their eyes, covered in the most beautiful, long lashes, it makes you almost reconsider hamburgers. Almost.
Then we went down the pig slide. To the “Oriental Market”, the name for the shops before Wisconsin got with the program and realized that was in bad taste. After picking up a fresh-shaken lemonade, I begrudgingly followed my eager mom to the pig races. I have never understood pig races. Just, why…?
Lunch was always a gyro from Eileen’s. Then the Kids from Wisconsin. When I was little, I dreamed of being one. The trade center, avoiding that creepy Smoky the Bear at the DNR exhibit and finally….
The Cream Puff.
It was always the last thing we got, and we ordered an extra to take home to dad. Now, truth be told, I’m not a huge fan of those cream puffs. It’s more the nostalgia that still makes me want one. They’re too sweet and as huge as your face. But there’s some kind of reminiscent satisfaction of getting cream on your nose that will never fade from my memory.
But that was years ago. Now, I live somewhere else. No more state fair. To try to relive the fun, my mom and I ran (well, I ran) in the Cream Puff 5k this summer. We posed with a live cream puff. It was pretty cool.
But it still doesn’t beat state fair and all of the weirdo people you see. So when you feel like running down memory lane or just need some good, ol’ fashioned, creamy deliciousness, whip up a batch of cream puffs. Be sure to get some on your nose.
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Cream puff pastry (pâte à choux) seems complicated, but it’s actually the easiest thing. And once you can make , your baking world is open to eclairs, profiteroles, and other such delights.
Step One.
One bite of this cream puff will take you to the state fair. Sweet whipped cream fills a delicate pastry for a nostalgic treat!
Ingredients
- 1 cup water (8 fl. oz)
- 1/2 cup butter (1 stick) (113 g) (4 oz)
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup all purpose flour, sifted (140 g)
- 4 eggs
- --
- 1 egg
- 2 Tbsp water
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream (8 fl. oz)
- 2 Tbsp powdered sugar (16 g)
Instructions
- Prep Step! Measure out your ingredients for both recipes (pastry and cream). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat your oven to 425°F. Pour the cream into your mixing bowl and place in the fridge until ready to use.
- Bring the water, butter, sugar, and salt to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, turn the heat down to medium. Add the flour and mix in with a wooden spoon. Stir the flour in until it comes together in the middle of the pot. Remove from the heat source.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the eggs one at a time (up until you have four eggs! Not the last one on the list!), making sure to mix them until they are full incorporated. When your pastry is ready, it should be glossy and look like a loose blob. If you pick it up, it should slowly drip down.
- Now, time to pipe! Put the dough into a piping bag (see tip above in blog post!). Cut off the bottom of the bag. In a circular motion, pipe the dough into little piles. If you want, pat down the top so that you do not have a tip.
- Mix the egg with 2 Tbsp water - this is an egg wash. This will make the pastry nice and glossy. Brush the tops of the puffs with the wash and immediately put them in the oven. Bake for 15 - 10 minutes, or until golden brown on the top!
- Now that your bowl and cream and nice and cold, add the powdered sugar. Starting on low speed, gradually increase the mixing speed to high (so that you don’t shoot sugar all over your kitchen). Once that speed is at high, beat the cream for about 5 minutes.
- Fit a piping bag with a star tip, and fill it up with the whipped cream.
- Let the puffs cool completely before you fill them - you don’t want the cream to melt! With a serrated knife, cut the puffs in half. Pipe a generous amount of cream into each puff. Dust the tops with powdered sugar.
- For the most kitschy state fair results, serve on a stick!
On a sticky summer day, I just love to crunch down on a crisp, flavorful salad. Usually I like to enjoy a hot dinner at night, but I just can’t bring myself to do that when it’s 95° outside!
I have a cooking philosophy that I think this salad does a wonderful job of exemplifying. Gourmet cooking is fun and zen, but sometimes “what’s in the fridge” is just as good, and way easier. This is that salad.
I didn’t run to the store. I didn’t spend a lot of time. Any cook of ANY skill level can whip up this salad and bite into yum.
Protein-rich salmon and hemp seeds paired with sweet mango and bursts of grape make this salad another summer staple.
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Step One.
Protein-rich salmon and hemp seeds paired with sweet mango and bursts of grape make this salad another summer staple.
Ingredients
- 4 oz salmon (wild is best!)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1.5 oz spinach (one large handful)
- 3 oz iceburg lettuce (about three leaves), torn
- 5 broccoli florets, sliced
- 1/2 mango, sliced
- 1/8 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 Tbsp hemp seeds
- 1 small bunch baby green grapes (or sliced regular ones)
- 1/2 mango
- 1 Tbsp white balsamic vinegar (or vinegar of choice)
- dash hot sauce
- 2 Tbsp avocado oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Salmon Prep Step! We’re going to prep the rest of the salad while the salmon bakes. Preheat your oven to 425°F. Line a baking pan with parchment paper.
- Pat the salmon dry with a paper towel. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Add any other spices (like cayenne) if you prefer a stronger taste.
- Place the salmon, skin side down, in your lined pan. Bake for 20 - 24 minutes, until done. If you want your salmon warm, slice it up and add “as is” to the salad. If you would like it cooler, let the salmon cool for a few minutes, and then stick it salmon in the freezer for a few more minutes.
- Now prep the salad! Measure out and chop your ingredients. Have those on stand by for when the salmon is done.
- Add all of the ingredients, except the oil, to a food processor or blender and process until liquified. In order to create an emulsion, you must slowly add the oil and mix it in vigorously. This is done by adding a very light trickle of oil in, with your blender or processor going, until it is all added. You will want to store it in a closed container so that you can shake it up again before serving.
- Arrange the spinach and lettuce on the plates and top with broccoli, mango, and red onion. Add your (hot or cold) salmon, and sprinkle the hemp seeds on top. Drizzle with dressing. Enjoy on a hot summer day, preferably with some Chardonnay.
I think I’m ready to quit my life and start fresh as a farmer! Well, almost. But this experience was so zen and wonderful!
Travels have kept me away from the kitchen recently (sorry, but no apologies for that!), but I had to see what I could make when visiting Seattle. Apparently, blackberries are weeds, effectively, there. I first saw them when we were driving to a national park- they were everywhere!
Decision made.
I bought a perfect little pie tin at the Pike Place Market for my adventure. Then I set to picking berries, listening to a small creek behind me and smiling at the birds in my baking Cinderella moment.
Naturally, half of the blackberries went straight into my mouth. They were so perfect and tart, so I knew that a plain Jane butter crust would not be the perfect partner. A sweeter platform for a low-sugar filling would be perfect.
Quick question to address:
Why don’t these cookies have normal cookie ingredients?
Think of it more as a shortbread. Cookies are meant to rise, and that does not make for good pie crust. Trust me on this one!
This cookie crusty is the perfect base for all-natural, tart berries. Another quintessential summer treat!
Please Note: Unfortunately, my uncle’s kitchen has awful lighting. As such, I have not done the usual step-by-step with pictures before the recipe. I do have the pictures, though, so if you need more information or want to see what a step looks like, just ask! Thanks!
This cookie crusty is the perfect base for all-natural, tart berries. Another quintessential summer treat!
Ingredients
- Note: this recipe has been scaled up from what you see in the picture so that it will make a full pie
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- Zest of one lemon
- 9 basil leaves, chopped
- 3 Tbsp heavy cream
- 4 cups blackberries
- 2 Tbsp sugar (add more of you like it sweet!)
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 3 Tbsp cornstarch mixed into 1 tsp water
- 1 Tbsp butter
Instructions
- Prep Step! Measure out all of your ingredients. Wash the blackberries now, so that they can drip- dry while you make the crust. Preheat your oven to 375
- Cream the butter on medium speed for 2 minutes until it is aerated. Add your sugar and beat on high for 5 minutes until it is light and fluffy.
- Add 1 cup of flour and incorporate on low speed, or with a spatula. Add 1 Tbsp of the cream, and do the same. Repeat your process, scraping down the bowl, until the batter is ready.
- Mix in the zest and basil. It's ready! Wrap the dough with plastic wrap and chill for an hour. If you're impatient, like me, freeze it for 15 minutes.
- Press the cookie crust with your fingers into your pie plate. Pinch around the edges so that they don't look messy.
- Cover the edges with aluminum foil (so that they don't brown too much) and stick it in the over for 15-20 minutes. Check it to make sure you're not getting it too brown (like I did. Oops.)
- Once done, let the crust cool completely. Bonus points for cooling it on the windowsill like in children's books.
- Heat the blackberries over medium heat. Once they get warm and start to steam a little, start stirring. Sprinkle the sugar over the berries, and mix it in. Juice the lemon into the pan and cook, cook, cook.
- Once they are all juicy-looking, add the cornstarch. Follow this tip:
- Mix the cornstarch with one teaspoon of water before adding it. This will keep is from clumping and yielding nasty-tasting, starchy glops in your final pie.
- Remove the filling from the heat and stir in the butter. Let the filling cool.
- Pour the filling into the pie crust. You can dig right in, or chill for 30 minutes to let the filling stiffen and get thicker.
- I whipped some very legit cream with just a little lemon zest to serve.
- Best enjoyed overlooking the beauty of the Pacific Northwest!
Door County is one of my favorite places in the world. Granted, there are many places that I have not been, but I’m sure it would still rank highly had I been to every country. There are multitudes of outdoor activities, orchards, great restaurants, quaint boutiques, everything wonderful.
There are two types of big orchards there – apple and cherry. Each season is a celebration and there are festivals, custom dishes, and special treats galore. We even saw a musical up there are cherry picking. Seriously, they’re way into this stuff.
So, whenever i go, I stock up on fruit. Recently, I was there right at the end of kirschen (German for cherry) season. Naturally, I got many cherry things, along with a pint of tart cherries. I like their puckery flavor, so of course I ate a few straight, but these are best for baking.
I can’t promise that this pie will be as amazing with cherries sourced elsewhere (ok, maybe that’s a bit dramatic), but it will still be a spoonful of happiness on a summer day.
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**Note – I only bought enough cherries for baby pies, but the recipe here will yield you a full pie.
Picture Note – I was not baking at home, and the only vodka on hand was citron. It did not seem to leave any flavor behind, but the crust was of a slightly different consistency because of the sugar. Use plain if possible.
Step One
Prep – but just the crust. I always stick the butter in the freezer for a few minutes to get super cold after I cut it. Mix the vodka and water, and put that in the freezer too.
….Vodka? I’m giving this to kids….
No worries! The alcohol part will be gone after you bake the crust. But why vodka? It gets a lot colder than water without freezing. The secret to great crust is the coldness of the ingredients when you mix them in. This ensures that your “wet” ingredient will be as cold as possible.
Step Two
Make your crust now – cut the butter into the dry ingredients, then mix in the vodka / water mix by Tablespoon-ful until your crust is just wet enough. DO NOT OVERWORK IT. It will get all tough and nasty when baked.
Wrap that bad boy in plastic wrap and let it chill in the fridge for an hour.
Step Three
Filling time. If you have a cherry pitter, use it. So much less work. But if you don’t, you can push them out with a straw or the tip of a pairing knife. It’s just a pain in the butt.
Add the sugar and cornstarch (pre-mixed) to the cherries.
Step Four
Roll out your pie crust to fit your pie plate. You can do whatever you want on the top – make a full cover, do a lattice, or get fancy and cut out some shapes.
Step Five
Add your filling – it should be a bit domed so that the pie looks nice and stuffed. Dot with up to a Tablespoon of butter and place your top on. You can seal it with a fork (dipped in water so that it doesn’t stick) or make the pretty pinches. Later on, I’ll add a demo of how to do this – so check back!
Step Six
Time to bake! Even though it’ll be tempting to dig in as soon as it’s out of the oven, let it cool for at least ten minutes. Brew a pot of coffee while you wait. Slice, top with ice cream, and enjoy!
Warm and juicy, this is a perfect pie for summer. Cherry pie is a classic!
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour (350 grams)
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground allspice
- 2/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) (226 g) (8 oz)
- 2 - 3 Tbsp ice cold water
- 2 - 3 Tbsp vodka
- 1 egg white mixed with 2 tsp water
- 4 cups pitted cherries
- 3/4 - 1 cup sugar (83 - 110 g)
- 3 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
Instructions
- Prep Step! Measure out the ingredients for the pie crust. Mix the dry ingredients in a large
- mixing bowl. Cut each stick of butter in a 3 x 3 grid. Mix the water and vodka in a small bowl. Put the butter and liquid mix in the freezer for 5 - 10 minutes.
- Cut the butter into the dry mix using two forks or a pastry cutter.
- Mix in the liquid, one Tablespoon at a time, until the crust is just holding together as a dough. DO NOT OVERMIX.
- Gather the crust into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill in the fridge for 1 hour.
- Pit the cherries, preferably using a cherry pitter. Mix the sugar and cornstarch. Cover the cherries with the mix and stir to coat.
- Roll out the pie crust to the size of your pie plate. Dump in the filling, and dot with butter. Cover with the crust in the method of your choice (full crust, lattice, shapes, etc). Brush the crust with the egg white and water mixture to make it nice and golden brown.
- You many want to protect the crust before you put it in the oven. Rip three rectangles of aluminum foil, about 3 in tall. Wrap around the edges of the crust so that they do not get burnt. Bake for 45 - 50 minutes.
- Let your kirschen pie cool for at least ten minutes, then top with ice cream. Enjoy with a cold glass of milk or a warm mug of coffee.
When I started my first year of college, my daddy flew down with me to help me move into my dorm room and provide a familiar buffer against all of the unknowns. Well, that and to get more free checked baggage…
The night before the big “move -in” day, we stayed in a nice downtown hotel. In the morning, we headed down to the continental breakfast to fuel up before lugging duffel bags and suitcases up 11 flights of stairs.
I remember several snapshots from that morning.
It’s silly how memory works: I know exactly what I wore – short jean shorts with an army green tank top and a short sleeve beige cardigan, with a wooden headband holding back my new haircut. I remember putting so much effort to pick the perfect outfit simply to sweat in… but joking aside, I didn’t want my new roommate to think I was lame.
I remember there being a lot of options for a hotel breakfast. Sure, they had cereal and yogurt and a waffle iron… in fact, no matter how good of a cook I ever will be, no waffle will top a hotel waffle. There is something about the beeping that made me so nervous when I was kid, the sheer joy of being able to have a waffle just because I wanted one, and the anticipation to go on to wherever the hotel was a detour from… the nostalgia is better than any recipe.
But again, I digress. Aside from what you might expect, they had eggs and bacon and sausage and…. lumpy grey stuff. The label said grits.
I had heard of these. Deep South grits that for some reason people seemed to enjoy even though the name was inherently unappetizing. But hey, if I was going to make it in the South, I was going to like grits. Here goes bite one as this new Southern Belle. Watch out, Scarlett.
I think I spit it into my napkin.
From that moment, I decided grits were nasty. My later experience in the university dining hall confirmed this conviction. But eventually, when I was talking to a nice Southern man, he told me that I only despised them so much because I never had them the right way. And boy, was he right.
Now I’m in love…
Cheese grits, plain grits, shrimp ’n grits. I love them all. So of course I had to learn to make them.
This is my favorite recipe for my Southern brunch. They are velvety and tangy; they go well with shrimp or just on their own.
I assure you, these won’t end up in a napkin.
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Step One.
Prep Step! Get your grits ingredients ready. No rush on the shrimp part – you have time while the grits cool. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
Step Two.
Bring the milk, butter, and water to boil over medium heat in a Dutch oven. Add the grits, whisking them in. For you northerners out there, don’t just dump the grits in. They will clump. Bad.
Step Three.
Cover it, stick it in the oven, and bake, bake, bake. They’ll stay in there about 20 – 30 minutes. But you have to take them out about halfway through to add some wine, so pay attention. Halfway through, stir in the wine, and return it to the oven.
Step Four.
More Prep! Get all that shrimp stuff ready. Chop, chop!
Step Five.
Melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and shallots and sauté for two to three minutes. Dump in the peppers and tomatoes, and sauté for another four minutes. Now, deglaze the pan with the wine and lemon juice.
What is this “deglazing” business?
Deglazing happens when you add a cold liquid to a very hot pan or pot- it releases the little brown, tasty bits from the bottom of the pan and adds them to the sauce. Om nom.
Step Six.
Add those shrimp and continue to cook until the shrimp are just done – they should be pink.
Step Seven.
Take the grits out – add the cheeses. Plate and add the shrimp – serve!
Another Southern Classic! The cheeses and wine zest it up!
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 1 cup quick- cooking grits
- longish pour white wine - about 1/3 cup
- 2 oz shredded parmesan
- 2 oz crumbled goat cheese
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped
- 1/2 lemon
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 14 shrimp, peeled and deveined
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prep Step! Measure everything out for the grits and preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Bring the butter, milk, and water to a boil over medium heat in a cast iron pot. SLOWLY add the grits, and whisk so that there are no clumps.
- Put the grits in the oven - bake for 25 - 30 minutes. At 15 minutes, pull it out to stir in the white wine. ((The cheese step is at the end of the recipe))
- Melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and shallots and sauté for two to three minutes.
- Add the peppers and tomatoes, and sauté for another four minutes. Now, deglaze the pan with the wine and lemon juice.
- Add the shrimp to the pan and continue to cook until the shrimp are just done - they should be pink.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste
- Remove the grits from the oven and stir in the cheeses. Plate, top with shrimp, and serve!
Don’t get me wrong – I LOVE Southern food. It’s comfort food; what’s not to like?!? But I also laugh a little bit when a nice Southern feast is served – brown, brown, tan, and brown.
It’s easy to feel unhealthy while you feel oh-so-satisfied and full of gravy, grits, and biscuits. Adding this light and yummy salad will trick your stomach into thinking that you are being healthy, and your taste buds will appreciate it too!
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Step One.
Prep all of your ingredients – cut the melon, crumble the cheese, yada yada.
Step Two.
Make your vinaigrette. Make sure that you add the oil SLOWLY!
Is that really necessary? How come these ingredients are having family feuds?!
Oil and vinegar are not meant to mix. When you get all chemistry about it, vinegar is polar and and oil is non-polar. They are not friends. They are not soluble. So you have to confuse them into mingling. This is why dressings (like Italian) settle in the fridge and you have to shake them up before using. Not a sign of something bad, just a chemistry war going on.
Step Three.
Put all those salad ingredients together on a plate and drizzle with your homemade vinaigrette! Voila!
Simple. Tasty. Healthy.
This is a lovely green addition to your Southern Brunch!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar (2 oz) (59 mL)
- 1/4 cup hot pepper jelly (2.9 oz) (80 g)
- 1/2 lemon
- 1/4 cup olive oil (2 oz) (59 mL)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tub Organic Girl pea shoot mix (has spinach too)
- watermelon - about 2 cups
- 4 oz gorgonzola cheese
- walnuts - about 1/4 cup
Instructions
- Prep Step! Measure your your ingredients. Cut a lemon in half.
- Whisk together hot pepper jelly, vinegar, and juice of the half lemon.
- While whisking, slowly add the olive oil. It is necessary to do this slowly! Vinegar and oil are not buddies; you need to be slow to create an emulsion.
- Add greens as desired to the plates. Top with cut watermelon, crumbled gorgonzola cheese, and crushed walnuts. Stir up vinaigrette if it has settled, and serve!
Notes
adapted from Southern Living: Watermelon, Mâche, and Pecan Salad
