Lemon | 20something cupcakes

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roquefort-avocado dip + beet chips.

July 9, 2012 — 16 Comments

Making chips out of vegetables makes me feel slightly better about sneaking massive amounts of tangy blue cheese into my guacamole.

Roquefort-Avocado Dip + Beet Chips

We all know I’m a cheese freak, and for that matter – an avocado/guacamole freak.

You’ve seen my white bean + avocado dip, which was fantastic but for very different reasons. You see, the white beans make the dip healthier. You’re sneaking fiber and protein into a place which subsequently has less room for fatty avocado (yes, we’re talking healthy fats … but too much of even the good stuff is no bueno for the waistline) and in turn, creating an all-around healthier situation.

But! Here, you’re enjoying the most sinfully delicious spread of chips and dip, and there are no carbs to be had! All because very thinly sliced beets have gone and turned themselves into crunchy, savory little chips rivaling anything that comes out of a bag. Terra chips, you’re out!

In Food Matters Project, Starters avocado, beets, blue cheese, chives, crème fraîche, dips + spreads, guacamole, lemon, orange, shallots, tarragon, vegetable chips

how-to: thomas keller’s fried chicken.

May 31, 2012 — 20 Comments

Before this fried chicken, I’d made one recipe out of Thomas Keller’s Ad Hoc cookbook.

Thomas Keller's Fried Chicken

It was his chicken pot pie recipe, funny enough. You may recall that pot pie is Daniel’s favorite, so of course I had to try it. There were things involved like boiling carrots, celery, and potatoes in separate pots with exactly 8 peppercorns in each … things I would never ordinarily do – but I did, because Thomas Keller said so.

It sounds fussy, and it probably is, but that’s not what Thomas Keller’s all about. What he is about is precise cooking methods in an effort to bring every ingredient to its very best possible potential. And while I can’t say that that chicken pot pie was the best I’ve ever made – my heart still belongs to Ina on that one – I am proud to say that this is the best fried chicken I’ve ever made.

It’s also the only fried chicken I’ve ever made.

But, allow me to say this: I can’t imagine ever making fried chicken another way. How ’bout that statement … bold enough for you?

In other news, this chicken made me do a happy dance. And … it’s on video. You can now officially watch me do a happy dance in my kitchen – it’s only fair, it does happen often enough that you fully deserve to see it – and I can now officially be embarrassed.

I kid. Lord knows it’s gonna take more than that to ruffle these feathers!

In Main Dishes, Sassy in the Kitchen bay leaves, chicken, fried, lemon, thomas keller, thyme

{mini} BBQ shrimp + blue cheese grits.

May 30, 2012 — 6 Comments

These blue cheese grits have been a long time comin’. In fact, it was these grits that inspired the rest of my Southern menu and dinner party.

BBQ Shrimp + Blue Cheese Grits Appetizer

This is how a menu comes to life, more often than not: I become obsessed with one idea, and then it builds from there. I believe I actually first dreamed these up to rest alongside a chicken-fried steak. But alas – I realized Thomas Keller’s fried chicken would make an equally perfect pair, and more importantly – a perfect video!

{Be on the lookout for that tomorrow – Dan captured me doing a happy dance for the chicken … which I decided to include, because it’s something I do embarrassingly often in the kitchen. Keeping it real, that’s for sure!}

I was surprised to learn that most of my guests had never had blue cheese grits. And then I thought, “Have I ever had blue cheese grits before?”

In Starters BBQ, blue cheese, bourbon, grits, lemon, rosemary, shrimp, southern recipes

arugula-crème fraîche pasta.

May 15, 2012 — 8 Comments

It’s totally not weird to get excited about, say, the most ridiculous salted caramel buttercream … or THE perfect shade of tangerine lipstick you’ve been looking for everywhere.

Arugula-Creme Fraiche Pasta

But what happens when you get excited about a meal that’s super-simple … something easy enough for a weeknight, even? Well, then you know you’re onto something.

I’d been eyeing this easy idea in my favorite cookbook {pretty sure I should start getting paid for these mentions} for a while. The idea seemed so simple, it was like – whaaaa?

Crème fraîche = pasta sauce. That just about sums it up.

Add a little lemon and seasoning, and crème fraîche becomes a perfect vehicle for pasta. Now, toss that with a few handfuls of fresh arugula and grated Parmesan and you’ve got a gorgeous and satisfying meal.

You could very easily stop right there, as the original recipe suggested, or you could pop in a few more additions and make it just a litttttle bit better. In my crazy-brain, the arugula, lemon, and Parmesan were speaking to me … asking – no, begging – to be transformed into a riff on a deconstructed arugula pesto. Who am I to argue with such an idea?! Enter in the garlic, pine nuts, and basil – and you’re there. Simple as that.

In Fabulously Simple, Main Dishes arugula, basil, crème fraîche, easy-breezy, lemon, parmigiano-reggiano, pasta, pine nuts, weeknight fix

shrimp + white bean cassoulet.

April 2, 2012 — 12 Comments

When my BFF Keely chose “Cassoulet with Lots of Vegetables” as her pick for The Food Matters Project, was I surprised?

Nope!

This was one of the first recipes I made from the book, before I even started the project. And, yes, as the saying goes – great minds do think alike.

The first time I made it, I followed the recipe in its original form – filled with white beans, sausage, and tomatoes – which can be found on Keely’s fabulous blog, here. It’s a delicious meal, and I would absolutely make it again. It’s the kind of recipe you can make once and then use the same method again and again with different ingredients. I actually puréed the leftovers the first time I made it, and with the help of a little truffle oil, transformed it into an incredible spread for crusty French baguettes. Oui, s’il vous plaît.

The style of this recipe is similar to last week’s pick, a riff on coq au vin, in that they are both French countryside-esque of meals. It’s hearty, soul-soothing food – and while I’m totally into that in the cooler months, I wanted to brighten things up here, just like I did last week.

In Food Matters Project, Healthy Eats, Main Dishes cauliflower, lemon, one-dish wonder, panko, shrimp, spinach, weeknight fix, white beans

lemon meringue cupcakes.

March 15, 2012 — 11 Comments

Lemon meringue: It’s just one of those things. You’re either in, or you’re out.

You either like lemony-tart action happening in your desserts, or you don’t. Clearly, I’m into this sort of thing, as a lover of these lemon meringue tarts that I consider to be one of the greatest desserts ever created. But, as it turns out, there’s more to lemon meringue than just pies and tarts.

There’s lemon meringue in cupcake form! And it’s a total sock-rocker.

Spring just makes you want to run out and bake a lemon meringue cupcake or two, doesn’t it? As you can imagine, recipes for these types of cupcakes exist. Lots of them. There aren’t, however, any lemon meringue cupcake recipes that make sense – or should I say, there didn’t used to be … until now!

{Remember a couple of weeks ago when I got to talking about developing recipes that make sense? It’s kind of a new hobby of mine}

Here’s the thing: I’m not trying to have 6 egg yolks here and then 2 egg whites there and then 4 more egg yolks for this part of the recipes and then 4 egg whites over here – no, no, and no. This is not my idea of fun. If I’m making a recipe with three different components – lemon curd, cupcake batter, and meringue frosting – all of them involving eggs, I’d like them to add up to a whole number. And if.at.all.possible, I’d like to make jussssst enough curd and frosting to top the number of cupcakes I’m making.

Is that even possible? You wouldn’t think so, if you started to search this crazy world-wide-web we call the internet for a solution to this problem.

In Sweets + Treats cupcakes, lemon, lemon curd, meringue, spring recipes

white bean + avocado dip.

January 31, 2012 — 11 Comments

I’ve always wondered if there was a way that guacamole could be improved upon.

I’ve discovered that there is. Well, that’s if you consider making it healthier an improvement. I do, when it still tastes just as good – if not better.

Question: Do you ever think it’s funny when you hear people say, “Oh, I make the best guacamole!” or “I don’t know what my dad puts in his guacamole, but it’s the best ever!” Now I’ve made guac many, many times. It’s, like, always good. I like to think I make the best guac, but in truth, I think pretty much everyone that takes a stab at it does a decent job.

This stuff is hard to mess up, peeps! Mash up some avocado, add lime or lemon juice to taste, maybe a chopped tomato if you’re in the mood, a little minced something from the allium family…are you WTF-ing over there? New vocab word of the day comin’ at ya: The allium family is made up of garlic, onions, shallots, scallions, leeks, and chives – yes, these little guys are imperative in the world of good eats when it comes to building and adding flavor. Lesson concluded.

Now back to the guac…seasoning! Seasoning can make or break your guacamole. And by seasoning, I mean salt. Add all of these ingredients – to TASTE, by the way, which anyone is capable of doing – and you too can make the very best guac that your mother, cousin, half-brother and his wife and kids have ever tasted.

In Healthy Eats, Starters avocado, basil, cilantro, dips + spreads, football fun-day, guacamole, lemon, mexican recipes, white beans

beer shrimp boil.

July 27, 2011 — Leave a comment

Who watches 5 Ingredient Fix?

It’s one of my personal favorite shows on the Food Network. I am always amazed at what Claire can do with 5 ingredients – and I love her spunk.

Her saying “BYOC” (Be Your Own Chef) is something I can totally relate to – because I think that’s one of the most important things you can do when following a recipe. The joy of cooking is that the longer you do it, the more adventurous you become and the more you start to know and understand flavors, textures, ingredients – and how they all work together.

This is the stuff Sundays are made of. It doesn’t get any more fun – any more relaxed or vacation-like than these peel-and-eat shrimp. Right in your living room. Dining room. Whatever your thing is.

Well, it does get more fun if you’re also enjoying mango margaritas. I imagine you wouldn’t dream of separating the two.

Beer Shrimp Boil

Adapted from Claire Robinson

3 (12-ounce) bottles lager beer
1 cup water
1 tablespoon shrimp boil seasoning or Creole mix
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 lemon, juiced, halves reserved
1 stick unsalted butter
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, shells left on, rinsed well
Your favorite French bread, for dipping and sopping

The recipe calls for shrimp with the heads on, but unless you have access to shrimp right off the boat, you probably won’t be able to find them. I found gorgeous jumbo Key West shrimp with the shells, and they were great.

In a large pot, bring the beer, water, shrimp boil seasoning, salt, peppercorns and the juiced lemon halves to a boil over medium heat. Allow mixture to boil covered for 10 minutes. In the meantime, melt butter in a small saucepan and add the lemon juice. Add the shrimp to the pot of boiling beer, cover, and turn off heat. Check shrimp after 3 minutes for a pink color throughout. Using a slotted spoon, remove the shrimp and transfer to serving bowls.

Add 1/2 cup of the beer boiling liquid to the butter and simmer for 2 minutes, then transfer to small serving bowls. Serve the warm shrimp with the butter dipping sauce on the side, and don’t forget the empty bowls for the shrimp shells. Enjoy!

Makes 4 servings.

In Dinner Party Worthy, Fabulously Simple, Main Dishes beer, claire robinson, lemon, seafood, shrimp, summer recipes

lemony artichokes au gratin.

July 25, 2011 — Leave a comment

What if I told you that something from a can is capable of producing one of the most addicting-ly delicious side dishes you’ll ever taste?

Although I don’t typically cook with canned goods, artichokes are one of my exceptions. If I’m doing them in something like an antipasti, I’ll buy the higher-quality jarred variety, but for a dish like this, canned works best.

Using canned artichokes makes this dish seriously easy. Baking it in a casserole dish does, too. The only prep you’ll need to do is slice a few scallions and grate/shred some cheese – which doesn’t really take much work at all if you use your food processor. It’s not really “some” cheese – it’s a lot of cheese. That coupled with the panko is what makes this dish so sinful and fulfilling. The lemon adds the brightness, and the red pepper flakes and Tabasco give it some kick.

I think it’s a natural fit for serving alongside your favorite summer seafood dish, don’t you?

Lemony Artichokes Au Gratin

from Rebecca Rather’s Pastry Queen Parties

1 cup (2 sticks) melted butter
4 (14 ounce) cans quartered artichoke hearts, drained (about 6 cups artichokes)
1 cup thinly sliced green onions (about 2 bunches)
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Juice of 2 lemons
Dash of Tabasco sauce
3 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat the bottom of a large gratin dish with a bit of the melted butter. Spread the artichoke hearts evenly over the bottom of the dish and sprinkle with the green onions.

In a bowl, stir together the remaining melted butter, Cajun seasoning, red pepper flakes, black pepper, lemon juice, and Tabasco. Add the Parmesan, Monterey Jack, and panko; stir to combine. Spoon the mixture evenly over the artichokes.

Bake until the breadcrumb-butter mixture is golden brown and the casserole is hot throughout, 20 to 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

Makes 8 servings.

DO-AHEAD: Can be assembled up to 1 day ahead, then covered and refrigerated. Bake just before serving.

{I think this dish is best when eaten the same day it’s cooked – I didn’t think the leftovers did it justice}

In Dinner Party Worthy, On the Side artichokes, au gratin, lemon, panko, the pastry queen

curried lentil soup.

January 27, 2011 — Leave a comment

If the idea of a hot bowl of soup isn’t enough to warm you up through these cold winter days – well, I don’t know what to tell you. Other than: I hope you have access to lentils and curry.

Because this isn’t just any hot bowl of soup. This is a hot bowl of soup. Sometimes heat by temperature just isn’t enough; whether you’re snowed in upstate, or donning gloves because we’re currently facing temperatures below – wait for it! – 60 degrees in South Florida – this soup is here to save the day.

I’d been waiting for the right time to use my precious glass jar of curry, picked up from Whole Foods one day on a whim, and after listening to (or reading, rather – though Molly does have that ability to make her words come alive through the pages) Molly Wizenberg wax poetic on this beautiful soup, I knew this was the time. I’d never cooked with curry, or lentils for that matter, and this soup seemed to be the perfect first dance. I was right, because I quickly fell in love with the perfectly spicy Indian condiment; I learned that adding heat to a dish doesn’t have to overpower or scold the tongue. You will feel warmer when you eat this soup, but not uncomfortably so.

I’m also a new-found fan of the lentil, in all of its health-packed, protein-filled glory. The lentil cooks faster than other beans, making it a wiser choice for a weeknight meal. The addition of pureéd chickpeas toward the end makes for a thicker, creamier soup, and the lemon juice adds a subtle brightness – complemented, not overpowered by the curry. It’s a simple meal, but it feels special, especially if you opt to serve some warmed Naan on the side (the storebought version is as far as I’ve gotten, though I do intend to make it myself at some point).

Curried Lentil Soup

Recipe by Molly Wizenberg, via Bon Appétit

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
2 large garlic cloves, chopped, divided
2 tablespoons (or more) curry powder {I probably used closer to 3}
1 cup French green lentils {I couldn’t find these and used regular green lentils}
4 1/4 cups (or more) water, divided
1 15- to 16-ounce can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons butter
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 lemon, cut into 6 wedges

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion and carrot; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until onion is translucent, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Add half of chopped garlic; stir until vegetables are soft but not brown, about 4 minutes longer. Add 2 tablespoons curry powder; stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add lentils and 4 cups water. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Increase heat and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until lentils are tender, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, pureé chickpeas, lemon juice, 1/4 cup water, remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and remaining garlic in processor. Add chickpea pureé and butter to lentil soup. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and additional curry powder, if desired. Add water by 1/4 cupfuls to thin to desired consistency.

Divide soup among bowls. Sprinkle with thinly sliced green onions and serve with lemon wedges.

In Healthy Eats curry, lemon, lentils, soups, weeknight fix