Food Archives - Page 35 of 56

The Sheldon Trifecta (Maui Eats Part 2)

By threejamigos | March 19, 2018 | Comments 2 comments

Are you a fan of Top Chef?

For those of you who are, go ahead and skip to the next paragraph.

For those of you who aren’t…shame on you! Just kidding. Hubby and I love this show and have been watching it religiously since it first came on the air. Taking advantage of the popularity of reality TV land competition, Bravo came up with a show pitting cooks against each other. Think of it as Survivor for Chefs. Thirteen Chefs battle it out for weeks until “there can be only one”.

Every week a new cooking challenge results in the elimination of one of the chefs by a panel of judges. The judges include Tom Colicchio, Padma Lakshmi, Gail Simmons and a rotation of guest chefs. They and the guest chefs are all rock stars in the culinary world.

The Real Hunger Games

This isn’t your cook me something yummy and may the best dish win. This is, make me a Michelin meal out of ingredients you find in a gasoline station mini-mart or the office vending machine.

My favorite episode is restaurant wars. They divide into teams, come up with a concept, build a dining space to match the concept and menu, and boom make it happen on a limited budget of both time and money. Needless to say, it’s quite entertaining.

One of my all-time favorite contestants is Sheldon Simeon from Hawaii. Sheldon is the classic island boy, laid back, and cooks straight from the heart. His grandmother served as his inspiration. His food roots, Asian/Filipino/Hawaiian home cooking with a twist that elevates simple to sublime. I jumped on Team Sheldon early and was totally bummed when he did not win. He went home to the islands back to Star Noodle on Maui.

So, of course, it became my mission on this trip to eat at there.

Put Star Noodle on your Maui bucket list.

The food is delicious, it is down-home comfort food that starts with impeccable ingredients and finishes with a contemporary flair. The chicken wings were sweet, salty, spicy, crispy, and light. The garlic noodles are simple but packed with flavor. If you like pork belly…get the Pinoy version of Bacon & Eggs, sizzling chunks of pure porky goodness with a perfectly cooked 6-minute egg that oozes over the pork, yum. Elvis would be jealous.

The malasadas, come to the table as little pillowy bites of sweetness accompanied by chocolate and caramel sauces. If Leonard’s malasadas had hipster kids, these would be it. Ironically I thought the ramen was just ok, but then again I’m from Cali y’all where good ramen can be found everywhere.

Halfway between Kaanapali and the Maui Airport, sits Leoda’s Kitchen & Pie Shop. It’s across from the beach off of Honoapi’ilani Hwy (try to say that 10 times real fast) in an unassuming strip, if you blink, you will miss it. On my way to a Henry Kapono and Friends concert, I made a pitstop at Leoda’s. I chose the banana cream pie, Island Lime Pie, and 2 savory hand pies.

Bananas for Banana Cream Pie

The standout was the banana cream pie. Yum. The hand pies had too much crust and not enough filling. I LOVE crust so this was surprising me, wishing for a bit more filling. I kept the banana cream pie to share with the birthday girl.

So there we were Pam, Randi, and me sitting on the lanai overlooking the beach, eating pie, fresh mangoes, and papayas, sipping on our morning coffee-paradise found.

Checked out Henry of Cecilio & Kapono. One of the best-known musical duets from the islands, folk meets island music. While my friends were dining at Roy’s I was enjoying the music of Henry Kapono which immediately transported me back in time to my first visit to the islands.

On the way to the airport…because I can never get enough island grindz, we stopped at Tin Roof. We were fifth in line before the joint opened. Might have been first if we hadn’t stopped for gas..just sayin’. Tin Roof is Sheldon’s casual eatery, actually, it’s strictly take-out. There is a bench in front but that’s where everyone sits waiting to get in. Life’s 1st world island problems…

The star of Tin Roof is the bowls. Poke’, Pork Belly, Mochiko Chicken. You can choose to have the mains with rice or garlic noodles. I liked the poke bowl the best. The food here is fresh and flavorful, broke da mouth not the bank good. He has these vegan-like dessert Pono Pies that for me were just meh. I’d rather head out for shaved ice at Ululani’s instead.

All I can say is so many places to eat, so little time….my review of Sheldon’s eats was totally objective and professional…I am not at all starstruck and I offer proof.

HOLY JUMPING CATFISH, SHELDON WAS AT TIN ROOF!!!! So I asked to take one photo, yeah..I’m a groupie.

Corn Soup (玉米湯) Chinese Soul Food

By threejamigos | March 3, 2018 | Comments 0 Comment

Though I was only gone for 4 days, I’m glad I am back. Even paradise doesn’t compare to home. As much as I like trying new restaurants and not having to do dishes, I love getting in the kitchen and cooking. My go-to “I’m home!!” meal? SOUP. The ultimate comfort food that tells me I’m back where I belong.

Our plane touched down in the evening so a long-simmered pot of soup was not in the cards. I needed something quick, easy and yummy. I looked in the pantry and fridge to see what I could rustle up and what do you know, perched front and center on the shelf, a can of Del Monte Creamed Corn. A sign, obviously.

Does It Sound Corny?

What? I thought you were making soup Deb? I am, trust me. Chinese Style Corn Soup starts with a can of creamed corn. It’s the secret weapon to a quick and delicious soup. My kids love it, hands down one of their favorite soups. It’s sweet and savory, made with corn, seasoned ground pork, (you could use chicken or turkey) and egg. Best way to enjoy it? Ladle the soup over rice, stir to combine, and eat it piping hot with a big ole’ spoon-this is soul food, bowl food.

I learned how to make corn soup from my mom and if you have read my blog, you know my Mom did not cook much. It was my Dad’s domain, but she makes a mean corn soup. If you peruse the menu of any legit (lol) Chinese restaurant, you will find Corn Soup. THAT’S HOW YUMMY IT IS.

Max Flavor, Min Effort

My mom started with just a pot of water. I cheat and start with chicken stock, homemade or a commercially available low salt chicken stock, this adds another level of cheating, I mean flavor. Quick soups generally start with minced or thin strips of pork, chicken or beef. This extracts the maximum amount of flavor in a minimum amount of time. The meat is marinated for a couple of minutes in soy sauce, rice wine, salt, and sugar then sautéed briefly before adding the water or stock. Cook over medium heat to keep the soup at a nice rolling boil (not crazy boil) for 15-20 minutes. Add the creamed corn, cook for another few minutes and voila’ ALMOST DONE (gotcha).

The last step, whisk a barely beaten egg into the soup. This adds flavor and body to the soup. It’s very similar to egg drop soup. It’s important to remember never boil the soup after adding the egg. You want the eggs to have wispy strand look. I actually turn the heat off when whisking in the egg. Whisk the soup continuously so the egg doesn’t sit and clump or curdle. NO BUENO.

If you like a thicker soup consider adding cornstarch to both the soup and the eggs before adding it to the soup. A trick from Serious Eats-For tender shards of egg, blend 1 teaspoon of cornstarch into the eggs before adding them to the soup. I am old school, I just add the barely beaten egg to the soup, the yolk thickens it and the whites turn into wispy tendrils in the soup-just like my mom’s.

Soul Food: Chinese Corn Soup

An easy delicious soup that starts with canned corn!

Course soul food, Soup

Cuisine Asian, Asian-American

Keyword Cantonese cooking, Corn, soup

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Ingredients

14.5 ounce can of creamed style corn Del Monte is my go-to
1/2 cup ground pork or thinly sliced pork

Marinade for Pork

1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp oyster sauce
1-1/2 tsp rice wine
dash of white pepper
1/4 tsp salt and sugar

To finish the Soup

3-4 cups water or low sodium chicken broth or half and half water & broth
1-2 eggs
1 green onion sliced on the diagonal
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Combine marinade ingredients with pork in a small bowl, set aside, let it sit for 10-15 minutes.
Heat 1 T oil in a 3-4 quart saucepan. When oil is hot, add ginger and cook for 1 minute to flavor the oil.
Add pork to pot and sauté until it is no longer pink.
Add water and/or stock and bring to a boil, immediately lower heat to a simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Add creamed corn. Bring to a boil and turn down heat to low. Simmer for 5 minutes.
As the soup simmers, break eggs into a small bowl. Lightly beat, no need for the eggs to be completely blended.
Turn heat off or set to very low and add eggs to soup in a steady stream, all the while stirring the soup with a fork or chopsticks in one direction. If the flame is too high the egg will curdle!
Season with salt and white pepper to taste. Garnish with green onions.

Options:

1 tsp sesame oil
¼ - ½ cup corn kernels ( I use frozen) add with canned creamed corn
Substitute ground chicken or turkey for pork

For a thicker soup:

Mix ½ tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water or stock. Add this slurry to the soup, heat until soup thickens. Turn heat down and add egg. I find if you use 2 eggs in this soup this will create enough body in the soup such that cornstarch is not necessary.

Hmm Hmm Good..Potato Leek and Kohlrabi Soup

By threejamigos | February 19, 2018 | Comments 0 Comment

While making a pot of my favorite Potato Leek and Kohlrabi Soup, I realized I had added the recipe for it to a post on Parmesan Shortbread. The soup is so delicious it deserves its own post. This soup can be made year round and served hot, warm or room temperature depending on the season. A classic potato leek soup with a twist, kohlrabi. Not familiar with kohlrabi? It’s in the cabbage family and tastes a whole lot of broccoli. In fact, you could use broccoli stems in place of the kohlrabi in this recipe. It has a bulb and leafy top and comes in really cool colors, like purple and green.. Use it raw, thinly sliced and throw it in salads. It adds a crunch and sweetness to your greens. Saute the greens in a bit of olive oil and garlic, delicious.

Back to the potato, leek and kohlrabi soup. Summertime? Puree the soup until it is silky smooth and serve at room temperature, accompanied by a light salad or sandwich.

In the winter serve it piping hot in mugs with a sprinkle of pancetta or crisp bacon bits and slices of hearty bread.

This soup lends itself well to changes. I have used different stocks, vegetable, seafood, or chicken. I have replaced the kohlrabi with broccoli stems or cauliflower or omitted it altogether for a true potato leek soup. You can also use different potatoes to change the texture of the soup, from starchy russets to waxy Yukon Golds for a lighter, velvet-like consistency. I’ve topped it with cheesy croutons, chives, pancetta, or morsels of freshly picked crab. A gazillion variations, probably some I haven’t even thought of yet.

This is my go-to soup, period. Maybe it will become yours.

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Hmm Hmm Good..Potato Leek and Kohlrabi Soup

Ingredients

Potato Leek soup

3 leeks rinsed, white part only, thinly sliced
1 yellow onion diced
2 cloves garlic minced
3-4 potatoes diced (russets or Yukon Gold for a smoother soup)
6-8 cups of stock chicken, seafood, or water
1/3 - 1/2 cup heavy cream or sour cream
S&P to taste

Optional:

2-3 kohlrabi peeled and diced or broccoli stems from 1 bunch peeled and diced
chives
lump crab meat or sautéed wild mushrooms for garnish
pancetta or bacon salute until crisp and reserved for garnish

Instructions

Over medium heat, add 1 T oil + 1 T butter to 8 quart pot. Saute' onions until soft and transparent add garlic and saute' for additional minute. Add leeks, potatoes, kohlrabi if using, and 6-7 cups of stock. Bring to a boil and immediately reduce heat to simmer. Partially cover pot and simmer until vegetables are completely soft, about 45 minutes.
Using a hand blender or blender, puree soup until desired consistency. Completely smooth for a classic version or leave it a little chunky for a more rustic soup.
Add cream heat to warm through (for a lighter version omit cream.)
If soup is too thick, add broth to desired consistency with reserved 1 cup of stock
Salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish with bacon, pancetta or chives and a dollop of creme fraiche' or crab meat if a seafood stock is used.

Huli Today Gone To Maui (Instant Pot Huli Huli Chicken)

By threejamigos | February 19, 2018 | Comments 4 comments

So excited, going to Maui next week! Just a quick jaunt for a friend’s big birthday (I won’t divulge which big B-day). I have not been to Maui in a very long time. I was about to graduate from pharmacy school the last time I visited, a lifetime ago. Needless to say, there was a lot of plate-lunch and MacDonald’s Saimin on that trip. Won’t be doing that this time. Nope. Well, maybe for nostalgia’s sake…maybe just one 2-scoop plate lunch.

With Hawaii on the brain, I was looking for a quick easy meal one night after a long, frustrating, commute home from work. (2 hours to drive 25 miles, auugh). Wes had pulled out some chicken thighs and it was up to me to figure out what to do with them. Too cold and too late to barbecue, I was stymied when, “Look! On the Counter! It’s a Coffeemaker! It’s a toaster-oven!

No, it’s an INSTANT POT!”
A quick perusal online and what should pop-up? Huli Huli Chicken. I don’t think Hawaiian was one of my Google words but I’m going with it. Normally Huli Huli Chicken is grilled, but that calls for marinating the chicken for a couple of hours and then firing up the grill. We would be eating at midnight. I opted for the Instant Pot recipe.

STUPID EASY

That’s all I can say. Soy sauce, pineapple juice, catsup, fresh grated ginger and garlic, brown sugar, and broth. Throw it into the pot, submerge the chicken thighs in all that deliciousness and set it for 10 minutes. Then, let the pot do its thang and use natural release for 10 minutes.

Remove the chicken and pop it under the broiler to crisp up the outside. While the chicken is getting a Hawaiian tan ok, char, in the oven, add a cornstarch slurry to the sauce in the IP to thicken, DONE. Dinner is served. You could spice up the marinade by adding a touch of Siracha Sauce or lemon juice for a bit of tartness. Your call.

The Instant Pot version is an adaptation. Huli Huli chicken is a barbecue recipe. Skip the broth and use the remaining ingredients to marinade the chicken for a minimum of several hours. Then throw the chicken on the grill. Reserve some marinade to make the sauce and use the rest to brush on the chicken while grilling. Which you could definitely do….if you had time. Instead, by cooking the chicken in the sauce a la Instant Pot you have dinner on the table in a fraction of the time! HOW cool is that?

A glass of wine, a side of rice, and a salad, and my commute fading from memory. My mood definitely took an upswing. I took my first bite of chicken, pineapple-ly sweet, balanced with the saltiness of the soy, and finished with a garlicky-ginger bite. Jumped up and did a short hula-hip check on the hubs. Ono-licious.

5 from 1 vote

Huli Huli Chicken

Huli Huli Chicken an island favorite tweaked for a quick and easy meal. Instead of grilling chicken marinaded in a pineapple-soy marinade, the chicken and marinade components go in the Instant Pot.

Course chicken, dinner, Main Course

Cuisine Asian-American, Hawaiian

Keyword Carnitas in an Instant Pot, Huli Huli Chicken

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 17

Servings 6 servings

Equipment

1 Instant Pot

Ingredients

Da Main Ingredient

6 bone in chicken thighs ..you can use boneless, skinless thighs approximately 2 pounds

Instant Pot Marinade

1 cup pineapple juice
½ cup Shoyu or ponzu sauce
½ cup brown sugar
⅓ cup ketchup
¼ cup chicken broth or dry sherry
2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger root
1½ teaspoons minced garlic

Thickener

Cornstarch Slurry 1T cornstarch + 2 T cold water

Garnish

4-5 stalks green onions sliced at an angle for garnish
Roasted sesame seeds

Instructions

In your IP Pot, whisk together pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, chicken broth, ginger and garlic
Add chicken to the pot.
Close and seal your pot. Set your pot to Poultry, Pressure Cook or Manual for 11 minutes and allow a 10 minute NPR
Remove and place your chicken on a jelly roll pan lined with foil.
Set your pot to sauté, when the sauce begins to boil add the cornstarch slurry a little at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
Baste the thickened sauce over the chicken
Set your oven to broil.
Broil the chicken for 5 to 7 minutes or until some of the sauce caramelizes.
You could also put them on the grill...baste often
Transfer chicken to a serving dish and garnish with green onion

Classic Lemon Bars

By threejamigos | February 15, 2018 | Comments 0 Comment

This is the lemon bar of your childhood..tender, buttery, melt in your mouth crust, lemony bur sweet filling, and topped with a snowfall of powdered sugar. I love them and if I were being nostalgic or feeding a room full of kids, this is the bar ncookie I would make. But we all grow up, our taste change, we get a little bolder and crave a twist to childhood favorites. Luckily I found a “grown-up” version, Alice Medrich’s Lemon Bars to bake. A crisp, buttery crust and filling with enough lemon to make your tastebuds pucker up, so good.

There is absolutely no reason you can’t have both! If you’re feeling like a kid bake this version, if you’re feeling hipster-ish and sassy, bake Alice’s version, Lemon Bars with attitude.

When I am in a hurry I will make the crust for these bars in my food processor. Put flour and powdered sugar in FP bowl. Pulse to combine. Add butter (if you use unsalted butter add a pinch of salt) and pulse until it looks like powdery, loose crumbs. It should not come together. Pour the mixture into an 8×8 pan and press evenly. Don’t worry, it won’t look like dough, but will bake into a tender lovely crust.

While the crust is baking, prepare the filling. I have used just lemons, a combination of lemons and limes (2/3:1/3), Meyer lemons and oranges. Experiment!

Imperative to pour the filling on a hot crust which helps set the filling. The filling will keep baking after it comes out so a slight center jiggle is ok when you take it out of the oven.

Classic Lemon Bars

Kid tested-Kid approved version of Lemon Bars. Tender, buttery crust with a sweet, citrusy lemon curd topping. A classic from the SF Chronicle Food section.

Course bar cookies

Cuisine American

Keyword bar cookies, Dessert, lemon, Lemon Bars

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 25

Servings 16 squares

Ingredients

Shortbread crust

1 cup flour

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

Filling:

1 cup sugar

2 T flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 T lemon juice

2 teaspoon lemon zest, finely grated

2 large eggs

Instructions

Adjust the rack in the lower third of oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8 or 9 inch square pan.

To make crust: Briefly blend the flour and sugar in a medium bowl to combine. Cut in butter until the mixture resembles oatmeal. Using your fingertips, press the mixture into the bottom of the pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until pale golden.

To make filling: Whisk flour, sugar and baking powder together. Blend eggs, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a medium bowl. Add the dry ingredients and blend until thoroughly combined. Pour filling over partially baked crust and bake 25 minutes. Cool, sprinkle powdered sugar over top and cut into bars.

Options: Can add additional 1/2 T lemon juice or substitute 1/3 of juice with orange or lime juice and zest. Cut down on baking time ( 25 minutes to 15-20 minutes depending on pan size.)

Japchae-Oppa! Korean-Style, Sexy Noodles, Op Op

By threejamigos | February 8, 2018 | Comments 0 Comment

I decided to throw a surprise birthday party for the hubby. Since it was an impromptu event, I kept it simple. Just a handful of friends on a Friday night to help him celebrate another year. The menu included his favorites, cheesecake, apple pie, and sushi from our favorite place. Badabing, easy peasy-done. Then I started to worry, what if folks don’t eat fish? Then I thought, what if I don’t have enough food? A cardinal sin…so I added a few more of his favorites, Korean short ribs, Galbi, Ceasar Salad, and Japchae, a delicious Korean noodle dish.

The Skinny on the Noods

Japchae is Wes’s favorite noodle dish. It starts with sweet potato noodles also called glass noodles (당면 Dangmyeon) for their transparency. The noodles have a bit more elasticity and bite than wheat pasta and absorb seasonings well. Season the noodles with soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and sugar, which gives the noodles that characteristic delicious garlicky, sweet-salty flavor.

The beauty of this dish is its flexibility. Serve Japchae as a simple side dish, banchan, or as a main dish made with protein and vegetables. Vary the kinds of vegetables and protein, but always include shiitake mushrooms, yellow or red onions, and secret sauce (ok, not really a secret just the Korean quadfecta of soy, garlic, sugar, and sesame).

Beyond that, go CRAZY!

Add wood ears-fungi for crunch, carrots, spinach, zucchini, or watercress for veggies and chicken or beef for protein. Other additions include slices of fishcake and strips of scrambled egg. Knock yourself out.

Wes’s birthday version included chicken, carrot, zucchini, wood ear mushrooms, and spinach. Yummo.

The key to this dish is advanced prep work. Julienne vegetables, cut chicken into bite-sized strips, and make the sauce. Soak the noodles, shiitake mushrooms, and black fungus in water. The noodles should be soaked in room temp water for an hour or two, so start your prep early. You could make this a vegetarian dish by omitting the protein and marinating sliced shiitake mushrooms or pressed tofu.

My go-to recipe for Japchae is from a favorite cookbook called Hawaii’s Aloha Recipes published by The Japanese Women’s Society of Honolulu. My copy is food-stained, pages tattered, filled with handwritten notes. In short, well worn and well-used. It’s my favorite cookbook for down-home Hawaiian/Asian cooking. Wirebound with few photos, but filled with treasured family recipes and stories-books like this one were created by folks to raise money for their church, temple, or community. A reflection of who we are and the foods we have eaten for generations.

Aggie's Japchae, Oppa Korean-Style, Sexy Noodles Op Op

Classic Korean Noodle Dish, Japchae a family favorite

Course noodles, Side Dish

Cuisine Asian, Korean

Keyword japchae

Ingredients

1 pack of glass noodles sweet potato noodles
1/2 pound flank steak or chicken cut into strips
1 cup carrots julienned
1 cup string beans French cut or zucchini strips
1/2 cup yellow onions sliced
6 dried shiitake mushrooms soak in hot water until soft. Squeeze excess water, remove stem and julienned
1/2 bunch watercress or spinach
1/2 cup black fungus soaked and cut into strips
green onions

Seasoning for noodles:

4 T soy sauce
2 T sesame oil
1.5 T granulated sugar
1 T roasted sesame seeds
1/8 tsp black pepper

Marinade for protein

1/2 tsp fresh garlic minced
2 T soy sauce
3/4 tsp sugar
2 tsp prepared sesame seeds

Instructions

Soak noodles in room temp water for 1-2 hours until soft then drain. Alternatively boil for 7 minutes, drain and cool. Cut into 3-4 inch lengths. Set aside.
Cut beef or chicken or pork into strips. MIx seasonings and combine with protein. Set this aside too.
In a frying pan or wok, heat 1-2 T oil, add shredded carrots and fry just until tender. Don't overcook. Sprinkle with a little salt. Remove to plate.
Follow same procedure with zucchini or string beans. Add to plate with carrots.
In same wok, add 1 T oil and 1 tsp sesame oil, heat and add yellow onions, sir fry for approximately 1-2 minutes. Add chicken (beef), fry until half done, add mushrooms and wood ears and spinach, fry until meat is completely cooked.
Add noodles and sauce to wok, add carrots and zucchini to pan. Mix to combine.
Garnish with green onions and eggs.

Optional:

Fry 1 well beaten egg in an oil pan. Tilt pan to spread egg mixture into a thin sheet. Turn once. Remove and cool. Cut egg into thin strips.
Dish can be served warm or room temperature.

Rice Krispy Treats (Double Your Pleasure, Double Your Fun)

By threejamigos | January 31, 2018 | Comments 0 Comment

Oh Snap

It’s the last day of January and in order to avoid total embarrassment… here is the last cookie to complete my 12 Days of Cookies list. I give you the stupid easy, childhood favorite- Rice Krispy Treats! Wait, do not roll your eyes and think “lame”. This is not your mama’s, on the side of the Snap, Crackle and Pop box, recipe. This is Rice Krispy Treats with a twist that is not for the faint of heart.

Little Crackle

No, there isn’t booze in these treats. The recipe comes by way of Smitten Kitchen (love that site). I had been looking for a way to jazz up this childhood favorite (not just add multi-colored sprinkles) and bring a bit of pizazz to them. I found a couple of recipes that were just crazy, too much stuff, too complicated, just yuk. At the end of the day, a riff on Rice Krispy Treats should still transport you back to the ones you ate as a kid but at the same time your brain should be going “holy cow-what did she do to these!”

The Pop

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you…

SALTED BROWN BUTTER RICE KRISPY TREATS

Yep, the exact same ingredients as the original recipe plus a sprinkle of flaked salt and well, DOUBLE the amount of butter. Yep, mo’ buttah, mo’ betta.

And if that wasn’t enough, you kick it up another notch by browning the butter! Great balls of butter! You end up with a Rice Krispy treat that is gooey, sweet and salty, nutty and buttery. YES, scream it from the rooftops, DOUBLE BUTTER!

Up your Krispy Game, reserve half the salt to sprinkle on the treats at the end. Use Fleur de Sel or grey salt, your hipster friends will ooh and aah. Oh, snap.

That’s it folks, cookie number 12. Drop the mic, done.

Salted Brown Butter Rice Krispy Treats (Smitten Kitchen)

Not your mama's Rice krispy treats! Brown butter and more marshmallows madke these devilisly delicious

Course bar cookies, cookies

Cuisine American

Keyword rice krispies

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 5

Ingredients

1 stick unsalted butter 4 ounces
1/4 -1/2 teaspoon flake salt such as Fleur de Sel or Grey Salt or coarse kosher salt
1 10 ounce bag of miniature marshmallows DO NOT BY FANCYSCHMANCY ONES, they don't work
6 cups Rice Krispy cereal

Instructions

Butter a 9x9 inch square pan, set aside.
In a large saucepan or pot, melt butter over medium heat, The butter will begin to foam and the milk solids will start to brown. Watch it like a hawk, you don't want it to burn. It will smell nutty and toasty. Serious Eats has a great tutorial on brown butter
Remove pan from heat, add marshmallows and salt. Stir continuously until the marshmallows melt and blend with the butter into a homogenous mixture.
Add Rice Krispies and stir until well coated.
Pour into 9x9 inch prepared pan and press firmly to compress. If you want, decorate with Sprinkles on top.
Cool, run a knife around the perimeter of the rice krispies, invert pan and tap the bottom. The rice krispies should release fairly easily from the pan. Cut into approximately 2 inch squares.
Enjoy!

Want A Bakehouse Pecan BLONDIE – CALL ME

By threejamigos | January 28, 2018 | Comments 0 Comment

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel…Cookie #11 and it’s a good one. Bakehouse Pecan Blondies from Zingerman’s Bakehouse Cookbook.

Ipso Fatto posted her review of these delicious Pecan Blondies which then began the usual dance in my head I like to call the Cookbook Tango. Like mental Pong, do I or don’t I, should I or shouldn’t I? Really, I don’t need another cookbook… but it looks so good. Well, I could “kick the tires” so to speak beforehand, try some of the recipes, see if I like it. Okay, I’m gonna be tough and really scrutinize the book before getting it. Yes. Yes. Yes.

Who am I kidding, it took one recipe and I caved.

In my defense, Bakehouse Pecan Blondies are absolutely fabulous and justifies my quick surrender. Why? You take pecans, toast them in butter and salt, then toss them in a simple sugar-water caramel. Once the pecan-sugar mixture cools and hardens it literally turns into pecan crack. Chop it up and fold the pieces into the blondie batter and shazam, deliciousness is born! Pecan praline the zinger in Zingerman’s blondies.

The batter is simple and comes together quickly-melted butter, eggs, brown sugar (you can use dark brown sugar for the Muscovado brown sugar) and flour. Fold the pecans in, bake, dunzo. It’s not as dense as a brownie and not as airy as a cake. It’s just right.

Let’s get busy baking!

This is a beautiful book, filled with great stories about the bakery and the folks that are or have been a part of Zingerman’s tradition. This is not cutting edge, new wave fou-fou food, more like all-American homey food, desserts and artisanal bread done really well and with love. Photos for most recipes are included and informative crib notes on the side. The recipes are organized well and include both volume and metric weight measurements (yay!). Definitely making more treats out of this book soon!

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Want A Bakehouse Pecan BLONDIE – CALL ME

Ingredients

Praline

2 Tbs 57gm unsalted butter
1 cup 115gm pecan pieces
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 Tbs 27gm water
1/2 cup 115gm granulated sugar

Blondies

1 cup + 3 Tbs 230gm packed Muscovado brown sugar
1 cup 230gm unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1-1/2 cups 200gm all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp baking powder

Instructions

For the praline

Preheat oven to 325 degrees, spray a 9x9 square baking pan with non-stick cooking spray
Brown the butter: Haven't done that? Serious Eats step by step is really good
When butter is browned, remove from heat and add pecan pieces, salt and vanilla and toss to coat nuts.
Toast the pecan mixture on a sheet pan at 325 degrees for approximately 12 minutes until they are toasty brown. Start checking at 8 minutes. Set aside.

Caramelize the sugar: Stir together sugar and water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat without stirring until it is caramelized to a rich reddish-brown. Careful not to burn or go to dark, it will take on a bitter taste. Immediately add the pecans and stir to combine and then spread pecans evenly in the prepared 9x9 pan. The praline will start to harden so work quickly and spread as thin as you can. Set aside to cool. Once cooled, remove pecans from pan and chop into small irregular pieces, 1/4-1/2 inch size. The praline can be made ahead and stored in a cool, dry spot.

Blondies!

The easy part of this recipe
In a small bowl, combine the flour, salt and baking powder. Stir to combine and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk the brown sugar, melted butter, eggs and vanilla. Whisk until mixture is homogenous and thick.
Add dry ingredients to butter-sugar mixture and stir to until it is homogenous. Add the chopped pralines, stir to combine.
Pour batter into prepared 9x9 pan, spread evenly and bake for approximately 45 minutes until puffed in the middle and golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.
Cut into rectangles and serve with ice cold milk, coffee, tea..just about anything and wait for the smiles.

Mui-road trip to Ann Arbor from Minneapolis is on the bucket list!

Happy New Year! Bouchon’s Gougeres

By threejamigos | January 21, 2018 | Comments 1 comment

Happy Gougere!

What?! Too cheesy?

I had writer’s block when I sat down to compose this post. Staring at my screen, fingers poised on the keyboard, sipping a glass of wine and munching on these cheese puffs I had just pulled out of the oven, I was drawing a blank. Then my cell phone rang, “Happy New Year!” blurted a voice at the other end. Ta-da! Blogger’s block gone.

Continuing with my exploration of the Bouchon Bakery book I ooh-ed and aah-ed my way through the chapter on pate a choux (aka cream puff pastry). Dreamy cream puffs with a crackle finish, Chocolate Eclairs, Paris Brest-all looked exquisite. I wanted something simpler plus I had a wedge of Comte cheese in the fridge so I chose his recipe for the humble Gougere. Cheese, finely shredded, is added to choux pastry to create a savory, airy, small bite, perfect with wine or champagne. My next happy hour nibbler board will definitely include these little gems.

The recipe is straightforward. Be sure to have all your ingredients out and prepped before you begin. Water and butter are heated to which flour is added and stirred until it forms a ball that pulls away from the sides of the pot. Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl, blend briefly to release heat and moisture and add eggs a couple of tablespoons at a time. NOTE: TK uses weights for measurements in this book. Very helpful to have a scale.

The batter will look like this after adding eggs and blending.

I cheated. I didn’t have the silicon round pan so I used my non-stick donut hole pan instead (yay, I used it for something!) It worked well though they needed to sit a couple of minutes before I could remove them easily. I also didn’t have a pastry bag handy so I used a gallon-sized Ziploc bag and snipped off a corner. Piping directly onto parchment or a Silpat probably works just as well.

Next time I make these I may change up the type of cheese (gruyere cheddar), add chili pepper instead of black pepper and add chopped chives or green onions, yum! The batter freezes well so you can keep a supply of shaped ones in the freezer for impromptu get-togethers.

Stretching the boundaries, I’ve decided to make this Cookie #10 on my 12 days of holiday cookies list. They’re small and bite-size just like a cookie. I’m tackling Bouchon’s Cream Puffs one of these days!

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Happy New Year! Bouchon’s Gougeres

Ingredients

1/2 cup + 1 1/2 tbsp water
2.2 ounces unsalted butter 4.5 Tablespoons
1/2 + 1/8 tsp kosher salt
0.3 grams freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup + 2 1/2 tsbp all purpose flour
150 grams eggs approximately 2 eggs-crack eggs into a bowl, blend eggs and weigh out amount
scant 1 cup aged shredded gruyere cheese
options: Add chopped green onions or chives to batter 2 T, sprinkle tops with additional shredded cheese

Instructions

Combine the water, butter, salt, pepper in a medium saucepan, place over medium heat and stir until butter is melted. Once the butter has melted, increase heat to medium-high and then bring to a simmer, then remove pan from the heat, with a wooden spoon, stir in all the flour.
Continue to stir for 1 1/2 minutes until the mixture has a paste-like consistency, then place over medium-high heat and stir rapidly for 1 minute, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the pan and the bottom of the pan is clean. The dough should be glossy and smooth but not dry.
Immediately transfer the dough to a mixer bowl and mix on low speed for 30 seconds to release some of the moisture. Slowly begin to add the eggs, 50 grams at a time, beating until each addition is completely absorbed before adding the next one. Continue adding the eggs, mix until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl pulled with the paddle but immediately grabs back on again.
Increase speed to medium for 15 seconds to ensure that all the eggs are incorporated. Stop the mixer. When the dough is lifted, it should form a bird's peak- it should hold it's shape and turn down on itself but not break off. Add the cheese and pulse to incorporate (I used my mixer and blended the cheese in quickly)
Put batter into pastry bag. Pipe into molds (I didn't have molds, I used my donut hole pan) Or pipe little free form balls, slightly less than 1 inch in diameter onto a baking sheet, spread about 1 1/2 inches apart. When finished piping, I used my finger dipped in water, to push down and get rid of the little tip that is left on top of each one from the piping.
Freeze the gougeres for about four hours until firm.
If you want to bake some right away. Preheat oven to 350F. Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown.
If you are baking from frozen: Preheat oven to 375F. Line baking sheet with frozen gougeres, leaving about 1 inch between them. Spray lightly with water. Place in the oven, immediately lower temperature to 350F and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm.