Bread Booze Bacon: Bourbon Bacon Roast Beef Sliders

I told you I was going to make something else out of the candied bacon I did back in November.  And it was difficult, I promise you, keeping that bacon frozen and out of my mouth hole.  Because it is fantastic.  But so are these sandwiches.  If there is a pack of hungry meat-eating guys in your family, I highly recommend you feed them this.  It will go over well.

Bourbon Bacon Roast Beef Sliders
Adapted from Bread Booze Bacon blog

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided use

1 large sweet onion, chopped

Kosher salt, to taste

1 (12-ounce) package King's Hawaiian rolls

1 pound thinly sliced roast beef
4 slices Whiskey Candied Bacon, chopped
6 sharp Cheddar cheese slices

½ teaspoon granulated garlic

½ teaspoon onion powder
Black poppy seeds

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Heat three tablespoons of butter in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat.  Once the butter is melted, add the onions.  Lower the heat to medium or medium-low, and cook the onions, stirring often, until brown and caramelized, possibly up to an hour.  Season with kosher salt while cooking.  Set aside.

Cut the rolls in half to form tops and bottoms, and place the bottom half of the rolls in a greased 13x9-inch baking dish.  Place a layer of roast beef over the bottom rolls.  Top with a layer of cheddar cheese slices, about half a slice per roll. Finish with a layer of Whiskey Candied Bacon pieces and a spoon of the caramelized onions. Place the top of the rolls on the sandwiches.

Cover the dish with foil and bake for 10 minutes, then remove the foil.  Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter and mix it with the granulated garlic and onion powder. Brush the rolls with the melted butter mixture and sprinkle with poppy seeds.  Continue baking for another 10 minutes.

Makes 12 sandwiches

Serious Eats: Gideon's Bakehouse Kris Kringle Cookie Knockoff

As my second Christmas cookie this year, I wanted to replicate a cookie that I had seen online, but have never actually eaten.  So I honestly don't know if this is what they taste like.  But these were super delicious, big as your hand, and just this side of too sweet.  Lots of white chocolate going on, and all the other flavorings working in the background for a pretty delicious cookie.  One of these is probably the same as 3 regular cookies, so take your time.

Note: For the finely ground coffee, I used the contents of a couple of Keurig K-cups in the flavor Green Mountain Caramel Vanilla Cream.

Gideon's Bakehouse Kris Kringle Cookie Knockoff
Adapted from Serious Eats

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup packed light brown sugar

1½ teaspoons finely ground coffee

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon coconut extract

½ teaspoon caramel extract

¼ teaspoon white chocolate extract (optional)
2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
1¾ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 large eggs, straight from the fridge
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 cups white chocolate chips, divided use

Coarse sanding sugar

Edible glitter  

Combine butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, coffee, all flavoring extracts, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.

Mix on low to moisten, then increase speed to medium and beat until soft, fluffy, and pale, about 8 minutes; halfway through, pause to scrape bowl and beater with a flexible spatula. With mixer running, add eggs one at a time, letting each incorporate fully before adding the next. Reduce speed to low, then add the flour all at once. When flour is incorporated, add 1 cup of the white chocolate chips and keep mixing until dough is homogeneous.

Divide dough into 6 equal portions (about 5 ounces each) and round each into a smooth ball. Dip the tops of the dough balls in the remaining 1 cup white chocolate chips, pressing to ensure they adhere. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 12 hours before baking.

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 350°F. Line an aluminum half-sheet pan with parchment paper.

When the oven comes to temperature, arrange up to 4 portions of cold dough on the prepared pan, leaving ample space between them to account for spread. Sprinkle evenly and generously with the sanding sugar.

Bake until cookies are puffed and lightly brown, about 22 minutes, or to an internal temperature of between 175 and 185°F. The ideal temperature will vary from person to person; future rounds can be baked more or less to achieve desired consistency.

Cool cookies directly on baking sheet until no warmer than 100°F before serving. Sprinkle with edible glitter.  Enjoy warm, or within 12 hours; these cookies taste best when freshly baked.

Makes 6 very large cookies

Houston Chronicle: Spumoni Refrigerator Cookies

I'm a little embarrassed that I'm making Christmas cookies after Christmas, but here we are.  I knew that I wanted to make something very retro and obnoxious this year, and what could be more retro and obnoxious than cookies that are bright pink and green?  And I got to throw those ultra-red maraschino cherries into the mix.  These are about as 70's as anything else I could find.  And they're actually pretty good.  Not very sweet, lots of interesting things going on, and as a slice-and-bake cookie, not terribly hard to make.

Spumoni Refrigerator Cookies
Adapted from the Houston Chronicle, December 8, 2020, as submitted by Cindy Cannon Albert for the Great Holiday Bake contest

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
½ cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon almond extract
2 large eggs
2¼ cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ cup chopped unsalted pistachios
4 drops green food coloring
1 (1-ounce) square unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
¼ cup mini chocolate chips
3 tablespoons drained and chopped maraschino cherries
1 drop red food coloring

In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy. Add extracts and mix to combine. Add eggs, one at a time, until well combined. Add flour and salt, and mix on low speed until partially combined, then increase speed back to medium to finish incorporating.

Line the bottom and ends of a 9x5-inch loaf pan with aluminum foil, allowing the ends to extend over the edges of the pan. This will make removing the dough easier.

Divide the dough into three equal portions, approximately 9 ounce each. Combine one portion with the chopped pistachios and green food coloring, the second portion with the melted chocolate and chocolate chips, and the third portion with the cherries and red food coloring. Mix well to insure the ingredients are fully incorporated and there are no streaks in the dough.

Press the green dough evenly in the bottom of the prepared loaf pan. Press the chocolate dough directly on top of the green dough in an even layer. Follow with the cherry dough, ensuring everything is even. Cover the top with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the dough and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, but not longer than 6 hours.

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and remove the plastic wrap. Pull the dough out of the loaf pan using the foil to assist, then remove the foil. Using a sharp knife, cut ¼-inch slices from the loaf and then cut those slices in half. Place slices about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake until set, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove and let cool.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

Darius Cooks: Creamed Spinach Tortellini with Shrimp

When I saw the picture of this dish on Pinterest, I knew what I needed to do with the shrimp and the spinach tortellini I had sitting in my fridge.  I didn't quite follow the original recipe since I had some fresh spinach and some beautiful Gruyere that I needed to find a home for, but I think it still turned out beautifully.  The seasoned shrimp are the perfect foil for the creamy sauce and tender pasta.

Creamed Spinach Tortellini with Shrimp

Adapted from Darius Cooks

1 (8.8-ounce) package spinach and cheese stuffed tortellini
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1½ cups half-and-half

3 teaspoons Badia complete seasoning, divided use
1½ teaspoon roasted garlic powder, divided use
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Pinch red pepper flakes
1 cup grated Gruyere cheese

2 tablespoons Parmesan

2 tablespoons Pecorino Romano

Kosher salt, to taste

8 ounces fresh baby spinach or 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, cooked and well drained
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tail left on if desired

1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning

Olive oil, for frying the shrimp

Cook the tortellini according to the package directions, drain, and set aside.

In a saucepan, over medium heat, melt the butter. When the butter is melted, whisk in the flour and cook for about 90 seconds until the flour taste has cooked out. Then, add in the half-and-half and whisk well to combine. Add 1 teaspoon of the Badia seasoning, ½ teaspoon of the garlic powder, the black pepper, nutmeg, and red pepper flakes. When the sauce has thickened, add the cheeses and check the seasoning for any additional salt that might be needed.  Fold in the spinach and stir until the fresh leaves have wilted, or if using frozen, until well distributed. Fold in the cooked tortellini and keep warm while preparing the shrimp.

Toss the shrimp together with the Old Bay, the remaining 2 teaspoons of Badia seasoning, and the remaining 1 teaspoon of garlic powder. Get a skillet hot, add in the olive oil, and then sauté the shrimp on both sides until they’re cooked through. Serve immediately on top of the pasta.

Makes 4 servings

Greedy Gourmet and Lirim Gula: Amaretto Cherries and Lirim Gula: Bourbon Godfather

I originally saw this video somewhere - maybe Pinterest? - but apparently it originated on TikTok, and the drink looked right up my alley.  The author calls this an Old Fashioned, but with the amaretto, it's more of a Godfather, hence the name change here.  The amaretto cherries can definitely also be used as a topping for ice cream or pound cake if you're looking for ways to use them that don't involve alcohol.

Note: Yes, cherry pits contain cyanide, but it's only really a danger if the pit is cracked.  If you're pitting your cherries and you crack open a pit by accident, toss it.  Only use complete pits with no cracks.  If it really bothers you, just make the syrup without the pits.  I used the pits, and I'm still kicking.  For the simple syrup, I used some vanilla bean syrup I had around, but it's not absolutely necessary to go that far.

Amaretto Cherries

Adapted from Greedy Gourmet blog and Lirim Gula of Tasty UK

1 pound sweet cherries
1¼ cups water

2 cinnamon sticks
Peel of one orange, in large strips
¾ cup maple syrup
1 cup amaretto

Pit the cherries and retain the pits, except for any that are cracked or otherwise compromised. Place the cherries in a jar.

Cook the cherry pits in the water, adding the cinnamon stick, orange peel, and maple syrup, until syrupy.  Remove from the heat, strain the liquid, and then mix the syrup with the amaretto.  Pour the syrup over the cherries in the jar, then refrigerate for at least a week before using.

Bourbon Godfather
From Lirim Gula of Tasty UK

2 to 3 dashes chocolate bitters
¾ ounce simple syrup
3 ounces bourbon
1½ ounces amaretto

Toasted orange peel

2 to 3 Amaretto Cherries along with a spoonful of the syrup

Combine all ingredients in a glass with a couple of ice cubes.

Nigella Lawson: Ultimate Christmas Pudding and The Daring Gourmet: Hard Sauce

Final recipe of the day, this is #5!  I have wanted to make a traditional British pudding for quite a while, and had honestly intended to do it last year, but my suet took months to arrive from the UK.  And I wanted it to be authentic.  So this year it is!  I went with Nigella Lawson's recipe, and it's everything she promises - flavorful but not super heavy.  I also wanted to do a hard sauce for the first time, and it melts into the hot pudding in the best way.  For what is essentially a fruit cake, this was surprisingly good.

Ultimate Christmas Pudding
Adapted from Nigella Lawson

1¼ cups currants
1 cup golden raisins
½ cup roughly chopped pitted prunes

¾ cup Pedro Ximenez sherry
⅔ cup all-purpose flour
2⅓ cups fresh breadcrumbs
14 tablespoons grated suet or coarsely grated vegetable shortening (freeze overnight to make it easier to grate)
¾ cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon baking powder
Grated zest of 1 lemon

¼ cup candied orange peel

¼ candied citron
3 large eggs
1 medium apple (peeled and grated)
2 tablespoons honey
½ cup brandy (to flame the pudding)

Hard Sauce (for serving, below)

Put the currants, golden raisins, and scissored pitted prunes into a bowl with the Pedro Ximénez, swill the bowl a bit, then cover with clingfilm and leave to steep overnight or for up to 1 week.

When the fruits have had their steeping time, put a large pan of water on to boil, or heat some water in a conventional steamer, and butter your heatproof plastic pudding basin (or basins), remembering to grease the lid, too.

In a large mixing bowl, combine all the remaining pudding ingredients (except the brandy), either in the traditional manner or just any old how; your chosen method of stirring, and who does it, probably won’t affect the outcome of your wishes or your Christmas.

Add the steeped fruits, scraping in every last drop of liquor with a rubber spatula, and mix to combine thoroughly, then fold in cola-cleaned coins or heirloom charms, if desired. If you are at all frightened about choking-induced fatalities at the table, do leave out the hardware.

Scrape and press the mixture into the prepared pudding basin, squish it down and put on the lid. Then wrap with a layer of foil (probably not necessary, but I do it as I once had a lid-popping and water-entering experience when steaming a pudding) so that the basin is watertight, then either put the basin in the pan of boiling water (to come halfway up the basin) or in the top of a lidded steamer and steam for 5 hours, checking every now and again that the water hasn’t bubbled away.

When it’s had its 5 hours, remove gingerly (you don’t want to burn yourself) and, when manageable, unwrap the foil, and put the pudding in its basin somewhere out of the way in the kitchen or, if you’re lucky enough, a larder, until Christmas Day.

On the big day, rewrap the pudding (still in its basin) in foil and steam again, this time for 3 hours. Eight hours combined cooking time might seem a faff, but it’s not as if you need to do anything to it in that time.

To serve, remove from the pan or steamer, take off the lid, put a plate on top, turn it upside down and give the plastic basin a little squeeze to help unmould the pudding. Then remove the basin — and voilà, the Massively Matriarchal Mono Mammary is revealed. (Did I forget to mention the Freudian lure of the pudding beyond its pagan and Christian heritage?)

Put a sprig of holly on top of the dark, mutely gleaming pudding, then heat the brandy in a small pan and the minute it’s hot, but before it boils — you don’t want the alcohol to burn off before you attempt to flambé it — turn off the heat, strike a match, stand back and light the pan of brandy, then pour the flaming brandy over the pudding and take it as fast as you safely can to your guests. If it feels less dangerous to you, pour the hot brandy over the pudding and then light the pudding. In either case, don’t worry if the holly catches alight; I have never known it to be anything but singed.

Hard Sauce

From The Daring Gourmet blog

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened but not liquid
1½ cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons brandy (can substitute rum, cognac, sherry, whiskey)
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract (optional)

Place the softened butter in a medium mixing bowl and beat for several minutes until pale and fluffy. Add the sugar and continue to beat until smooth. Avoid over-beating otherwise the brandy butter will become oily.

Add the brandy one tablespoon at a time, beating between additions, along with the vanilla. Beat just until combined.

Cover and refrigerate the hard sauce for at least two hours before serving, preferably overnight or maximum flavor. Remove it from the fridge at least a couple of hours before serving so it can come to room temp. The texture should be soft and spreadable. To store it keep it in the fridge where it will last for several months.

Makes a little over 1 cup

Bacardi Rum: Rum Cake

For recipe #4, we're moving on to dessert.  For some reason this rum cake has become a sort of holiday item, so I figured I might as well make one and see how it went.  While I don't normally use cake mixes, with the amount of other items on my list, I decided to stop being so picky and gatekeeping cake baking.  And you know what?  It's delicious.  And pretty easy to pull together.  It's fantastically moist, and not so overwhelming after all that other rich food.

Note:  I misread the recipe and used the 4 eggs and ½ cup oil it recommended for a regular cake mix (without pudding/super moist), and it was still delicious.  Use what you feel is right.

Rum Cake
From an old Bacardi Rum advertisement

Cake:
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 (15¼-ounce) package super moist yellow cake mix (with pudding)
3 large eggs
½ cup cold water
⅓ cup canola oil
½ cup Bacardi dark rum

Glaze:
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
¼ cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup Bacardi dark rum

Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan or a 12-cup Bundt pan.

Sprinkle nuts over bottom of pan. Mix all cake ingredients together.  Pour batter over nuts. Bake 1 hour. Cool.

Invert cake on serving plate. Prick top. Spoon and brush glaze evenly over top and sides. Allow cake to absorb glaze. Repeat until glaze is used up.

To make glaze:

Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in water and sugar. Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in rum.

The Essential New York Times Cookbook: Gratin of Sweet Potatoes and Chipotle Cream

This is recipe #3 (getting tired yet?), and it honestly turned out much better than I ever expected.  I was a little nervous making a new recipe for such a big dinner, but it seemed simple enough that even if it wasn't superb, it would still be "okay".  Well, I'm a doubter no more.  These sweet potatoes were pretty fantastic - tender, rich, and just the right amount of seasoning.  These will definitely happen again.

Note: The original recipe called for "yams", but since I wasn't about to go to a Caribbean grocery to find real yams, I figured they meant sweet potatoes.  I needed more than 4 servings, so I used 1½ times the recipe below: 2¼ pounds sweet potatoes, 1½ cups heavy cream, 1½ teaspoons adobo sauce.  I baked it in a large square baking dish, and it turned out beautifully.  Also didn't do the decorative cutting into squares - everyone just dug in.  I may have lost an arm if I tried to cut fancy squares while they waited.

Gratin of Sweet Potatoes and Chipotle Cream
Adapted from The Essential New York Times Cookbook

1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon adobo sauce from canned chipotles
1½ pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ⅟16-inch slices
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oven to 375°F. Whisk together the cream and adobo sauce in a bowl until smooth.

Arrange a thin layer of the sweet potatoes in an 8½x4½-inch terrine or loaf pan. Season with a little salt and pepper and spoon over a little of the cream mixture. Repeat, layering the remaining sweet potatoes and cream mixture, seasoning every other layer. Press firmly on the gratin to compact the layers.

Cover the terrine with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for 35 to 40 minutes, or until most of the cream has been absorbed and the yams are tender and browned. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes.

Cut the gratin into 4 rectangular pieces and carefully transfer to serving plates with a spatula and fork.

Makes 4 servings

Meat Church BBQ: Garlic and Herb Prime Rib with Horseradish Cream

Here we have recipe #2, and let's be honest, the star of the show.  It seems like every grocery store had their beef roasts on prominent display, so I'm sure I'm not the only one who worked on one of these for the big day.  Once again, my fantastic pellet smoker did its thing with very little interaction required of me, and the results were delicious.  And the horseradish sauce was a surprise stand out.

Note: Mine took 4 hours, and it was only 2 bones.  I also cooked it to 125°F so that it would be approaching medium when cut.

Garlic and Herb Prime Rib with Horseradish Cream
From Meat Church BBQ

Bone-in ribeye roast, choice grade or higher
½ cup fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
½ cup fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
½ cup fresh tarragon leaves, chopped
¼ cup fresh thyme, chopped
½ cup garlic, minced
¼ cup olive oil
4 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 to 3 tablespoons Meat Church Holy Cow Rub
Horseradish Cream (below)

Prepare your smoker at 250°F with a medium smoke wood or pellets such as oak, hickory, or pecan.

Combine the oil, herbs, garlic, Dijon mustard, and Holy Cow rub. Add mustard as needed to obtain your desired consistency. Feel free to add more garlic as well. Slather the paste all over the rib roast. Allow to adhere for 1 to 4 hours.

Place your rib roast on the smoker, targeting medium rare in the middle, which is 130 to 135°F. Therefore, smoke the rib roast until you reach an internal temperature of 120°F in the middle, as it will carryover cook a few more degrees. The end result will be medium rare in the middle and medium on the outside ends. This will take approximately 2 to 4 hours, depending on size of roast.

Remove the rib roast from the smoker. Tent the meat with aluminum foil and allow it to rest at least 10 to 15 minutes. The meat will continue to rise another 5 degrees to a final internal temperature between 125 to 130°F. Slice the roast to serve with the Horseradish Cream and enjoy!

Horseradish Cream
2 cups mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
½ jar fresh horseradish
Squeeze of lemon
3 tablespoons Meat Church Holy Cow

Mix the mayo and sour cream. Add you in your desired amount of horseradish to taste. Add the Holy Cow. Then add a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten it up. Optionally you can add truffle oil if you like.

Baker Bettie: Wassail

Okay, let the Christmas cooking marathon begin!  This is recipe #1, for a delicious drink to keep everyone warm while the rest of the goodies are cooking.  Because you add the alcohol to each individual serving, the main slow cooker stash stays child-safe.  Pretty darn tasty.  And easy.  I'm all about easy this time of year.

Wassail
From Baker Bettie blog

½ gallon apple cider
3 cups pineapple juice
2 oranges, sliced into rounds
⅓ cup honey
4 cinnamon sticks
1 tablespoon whole cloves
1 tablespoon allspice berries
Bourbon, for serving

In a slow cooker, combine all ingredients except for bourbon. Set to HIGH for 2 hours. After 2 hours, set the crockpot to LOW and allow it to sit until and during serving time. When ready to serve, add about a shot of bourbon to each serving, if desired.

Makes 12 servings

Jerusalem: Basic Hummus

I don't know why I decided now was the time to whip up a homemade hummus, but here we are.  Maybe it was the bag of beautiful Rancho Gordo garbanzo beans.  Maybe it was because I needed to make something not specifically linked to a holiday.  Whatever prompted it, I'm pleasantly surprised at how good and yet easy it was.  Biggest hassle is just remembering to soak the beans overnight.

Note: I felt like my dip needed a little more salt and lemon juice; just taste and adjust as you see fit.  I topped mine with a very nice olive oil and some dukkah I had laying around in the fridge, but there are also much fancier versions in the cookbook.

Basic Hummus
From Jerusalem: A Cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi

1¼ cups dried chickpeas/garbanzo beans
1 teaspoon baking soda
6½ cups water
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons light tahini paste
4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 cloves garlic, crushed
6½ tablespoons ice-cold water
Kosher salt

The night before, put the chickpeas in a large bowl and cover them with cold water at least twice their volume. Leave to soak overnight.

The next day, drain the chickpeas. Place a medium saucepan over high heat and add the drained chickpeas and baking soda. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the water and bring to a boil. Cook, skimming off any foam and any skins that float to the surface. The chickpeas will need to cook between 20 and 40 minutes, depending on the type and freshness, sometimes even longer. Once done, they should be very tender, breaking up easily when pressed between your thumb and finger, almost but not quite mushy.

Drain the chickpeas. You should have roughly 3⅔ cups now. Place the chickpeas in a food processor and process until you get a stiff paste. Then, with the machine still running, add the tahini paste, lemon juice, garlic, and 1½ teaspoon salt. Finally, slowly drizzle in the ice water and allow it to mix for about 5 minutes, until you get a very smooth and creamy paste.

Transfer the hummus to a bowl, cover the surface with plastic wrap, and let it rest for at least 30 minutes. If not using straightaway, refrigerate until needed. Make sure to take it out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before serving.

Makes 6 servings

Uglesich's Restaurant Cookbook: Baked Shrimp with Garlic

I think that the most perfect way to cook shrimp is with some sort of butter/garlic mixture.  There's something about those flavors that just works beautifully with shrimp.  This is why scampi is such a popular item at restaurants: everyone else agrees with me.  And even though I have other similar recipes on this blog, I'm never going to turn down trying another version.  This is a pretty quick meal that can be served with almost anything - pasta, rice, cheese grits - you name it.

Baked Shrimp with Garlic
Adapted from Uglesich's Restaurant Cookbook by John Uglesich

¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails left on
8 cloves garlic, chopped
4 tablespoons chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
Grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Place the butter, olive oil, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper in a small saucepan and cook over low heat for 10 minutes.

Place the shrimp in a baking dish and pour the sauce over the shrimp. Spread the garlic over the shrimp, and then sprinkle with the parsley, paprika, and Parmesan cheese. Bake for 15 minutes.

Makes 4 servings

Appetizing.tv: Savory Vatrushki (Russian Cheese Buns)

Okay, these cheese buns took a surprising amount of research, but they're pretty darn delicious.  The original content creator is from Romania, and the recipe called for mozzarella and "cow cheese".  Now, last time I checked, there is a plethora of cow's milk cheeses.  I needed to get more specific.  I looked up what would be a common crumbly cow's milk cheese in Romania, and found that there is a cheese called Urdă that is used often.  No Urdă at the store, but it does have a good substitute: Ricotta Salata.  I actually kind of enjoy these little food detective cases, especially when the result makes it worth the investment.

Note:  I had to add an additional 100g of flour on top of the 350g that the original recipe called for.  That seems excessive just for humidity differences (and it's a sunny day today), so I would just start with 350g and work your way up until you have a good elastic dough that isn't sticking to every surface of your hands.

Savory Vatrushki (Russian Cheese Buns)
Adapted from Appetizing.tv

1 cup warm whole milk, approximately 110°F
1¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
2¾ to 3⅝ cups (350 to 450g) all-purpose flour
1¾ teaspoons kosher salt, divided use
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
4 large eggs, divided use
6 green onions, thinly sliced, green portions only
1 tablespoon salted butter, softened
2 tablespoons canola oil
5½ ounces shredded mozzarella
3½ ounces crumbly cow cheese, such as Urdă or Ricotta Salata

Whisk together milk, yeast, and sugar; set aside for five minutes to bloom yeast. Add yeast mixture to flour with 1¼ teaspoons salt, garlic powder, and one egg, mix well. Knead mixture into a dough. Add green onion and softened butter and knead again briefly just to combine. Cover and let rise for 1 hour.

Remove dough from bowl, sprinkle lightly with flour, and roll into a cylinder. Divide dough into eight portions, rolling each portion into a ball shape, and place each on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover and let rise 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Using a drinking glass with about a 2-inch diameter on bottom dipped in oil, press down on each dough ball to create an indentation. Mix together cheeses, two eggs, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Spoon cheese mixture into indentations on dough balls. Beat remaining egg in a small bowl; brush edges of dough balls. Bake for approximately 25 minutes, or until golden brown.

Makes 8 servings

Kimmy's Kreations: Cornbread and Chicken Dressing

I have had this dish multiple times over the years at comfort and soul food restaurants all over the south.  I knew that it probably wasn't that hard to make, but probably a bit more complicated than just slapping some chicken in a box mix of cornbread dressing (although this is probably a quick way to the finish line).  More and more I'm trying to get layers of flavor into my cooking, and using a seasoned cornbread as the basis for this recipe gets everything off to a good start.  I will admit to backing off on the seasonings ever so slightly, but really, season with your heart.  Taste along the way.  You'll know when it's right.

Note: I used a cast-iron skillet to cook my cornbread, as should you all.  I used a big lasagne pan for the casserole dish - this makes A LOT.  You can also use turkey instead, especially if you have a lot left over from the holidays.

Cornbread and Chicken Dressing
Adapted from Kimmy's Kreations

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
1 small sweet onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
4 teaspoons poultry seasoning
4 teaspoons granulated onion
4 teaspoons granulated garlic
2 tablespoons Badia Complete seasoning

1 tablespoon kosher salt  
1 (10½-ounce) can cream of chicken soup

1 (10½-ounce) can cream of celery soup

3 to 4 cups chicken broth
1 pan Seasoned Cornbread (below), crumbled
Meat from one rotisserie chicken, shredded

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

3 large eggs

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter, then add bell pepper, onion, and celery, and sauté until soft. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds or so.  Sprinkle with the seasonings and add the two cans of condensed soup. Add the chicken broth and mix well.

In a large bowl, combine the crumbled cornbread, the shredded chicken, and the soup mixture together. Add additional chicken stock if needed, and taste to see if additional seasonings are needed. Once thick, add the eggs and mix well. The mixture should be thick but jiggly. Pour into a casserole dish and cook at 375°F for 45 minutes.

Makes 8 to 10 servings  

Seasoned Cornbread

1¼ cup yellow cornmeal
1¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ tablespoon poultry seasoning
½ tablespoon garlic powder
½ tablespoon onion powder
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
½ cup vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
Melted butter, for pan

Preheat oven to 400°F.

In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients and whisk to ensure all spices are evenly distributed. Add liquid ingredients and mix well. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan with melted butter, and pour in the batter.  Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick entered into the center comes out clean.

Reddit: Brown Butter Espresso Brownies

Sometimes you're just really craving a good brownie.  And sometimes you're just cruising Reddit, and your wish is granted.  I came across this luscious beauty and knew immediately that this was going to happen in my kitchen.  Each step of the process adds more and more flavor, until these are bursting with goodness.  And definitely don't skip the Maldon salt sprinkle at the end - this adds the something super special to the whole thing.

Note: I used Valrhona cocoa powder in my version, as I feel like it gives a really deep chocolate flavor.  If a 9x13-inch pan is too many brownies (is this even possible??), you can make a half recipe and use an 8x8-inch square pan.  If you can't find the espresso chips, you can of course use regular.

Brown Butter Espresso Brownies
From u/christophwelty on Reddit

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon espresso powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup Dutch process cocoa powder, sifted to remove lumps
1 cup espresso chocolate chips
Maldon sea salt, to finish

Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter and then proceed to cook it, stirring occasionally, until it browns and smells nutty. Remove from the heat and let set to cool slightly.

Add the sugars to the browned butter and mix well. Beat in each egg, one at a time. Mix in the espresso powder, salt, and vanilla paste. Stir in the flour and cocoa, taking care to mix just until combined completely.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle with the espresso chips. Bake for 23 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the top with the Maldon sea salt.

Jubilee: Catfish Étoufée and Pappadeaux Copycat Dirty Rice

When I got the Jubilee cookbook on a whim, I was not expecting to immediately identify a recipe I wanted to make.  Especially one that I wanted to make pretty much immediately.  But when I saw this catfish étoufée, it was love at first sight.  The recipe is really not hard to make (I was scared to make roux!), and it's absolutely delicious.  This will definitely be a repeat.  I served it with some dirty rice that I cooked up from an old recipe I got from the corners of the internet many many years ago.  Who knows where it originally came from, but it was also pretty good.

Note: I have doctored the dirty rice recipe to bring it more in line with what I remember the actual Pappadeaux version being like.  1) Less cayenne, since the restaurant version isn't that spicy, 2) more salt, since this one was a little bland, and 3) I think more pork next time instead of the gizzards it originally called for, since there's nothing chewy like that in the restaurant version.

Catfish Étoufée
From Jubilee by Toni Tipton-Martin

1 pound catfish fillets, or any other firm-fleshed white fish, cut into 4-inch pieces
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
½ cup vegetable oil
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¼ cup minced onion
2 tablespoons minced green bell pepper
2 tablespoons minced celery
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 small bay leaf
1½ cups fish stock, warmed
1 tablespoon tomato paste
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons minced green onion
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley
Freshly cooked rice

Place the catfish pieces on a plate and dry with a paper towel to help the seasonings adhere to the fish. In a small bowl, combine the cayenne, salt, black pepper, and thyme. Season the fillets with half of the seasoning.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over high heat until sizzling and nearly smoking. Reduce the heat to medium-high. Gradually whisk in the flour until smooth, being careful not to splatter any of the hot roux on your skin. Cook, stirring constantly, until the roux is medium-brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic, bay leaf, and the remaining seasoning mixture. Return to the heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the vegetables are softened, about 2 minutes. Gradually stir in ½ cup of the warm fish stock and the tomato paste and stir until the sauce begins to thicken, about 1 minute, then remove from the heat.

In a separate skillet, heat 4 tablespoons of the butter until sizzling. Add the catfish and green onions and cook until the catfish is opaque (it does not need to brown), 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Transfer the fish, the remaining 4 tablespoons butter, and the remaining 1 cup stock to the skillet with the vegetables and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, shaking or stirring the pan constantly to melt the butter and emulsify it into a rich sauce. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Sprinkle the étoufée with the parsley and serve over rice.

Makes 4 servings

Pappadeaux Copycat Dirty Rice

⅓ pound ground chicken livers
⅔ pound ground pork
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons Dirty Rice Seasoning (below)
1 bay leaf
½ cup onion, diced

½ cup finely chopped green bell pepper  
1 tablespoon finely minced garlic
2 cups uncooked long grain rice
4 cups chicken stock
2 cups steamed long grain rice

Brown the ground meat mixture in the oil. Stir in the seasoning mixture and the bay leaf, and sauté about one minute. Add the vegetables and sauté 3 to 4 minutes over high heat, stirring frequently. Add the uncooked rice and chicken stock and mix in well. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes. Stir in the steamed rice.

Dirty Rice Seasoning

2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1¼ teaspoons sweet paprika
1 teaspoon dry mustard (such as Coleman's)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
½ teaspoon dried oregano leaves

A License to Grill: Smoked Beef Back Ribs

Holy heck.  I have to admit, I never thought something this beautiful and tender and succulent would come from anywhere but my local barbecue restaurant.  This new toy of mine is definitely earning its keep.  These babies cooked along all afternoon, mostly unheeded by me, and they turned out fantastically.  Get yourself a Traeger, folks.  Worth every penny.

Note: I used a beautiful rack of wagyu beef ribs I grabbed at Costco and The Salt Lick rub, because that's what I had, and their smoked meats are delicious.  Use what makes you happy.  I chose not to use the spray, as I read elsewhere that it basically destroys the crust and makes it take a lot longer to cook.  Every time you open the smoker, you disturb the internal temperature - "if you're lookin', it's not cookin'" appears to be the mantra.  My ribs took somewhere between 7 and 8 hours to finish; I stopped checking time and just checked temperature, so that's an estimate.

Smoked Beef Back Ribs
Adapted from A License to Grill blog

1 rack beef ribs
Rub of your choice

Preheat the smoker to 250°F.

Turn the ribs over so the bony side is up and peel off the membrane. This is the thick tissue that covers the back of the ribs. Use a butter knife to get under the membrane and loosen it. Once you get it lifted, use a paper towel to hold onto it and pull it off. Sometimes it pulls right off in one piece.

 
Generously coat both sides and all edges of the ribs with the rub. Let the ribs sit for 10 to 20 minutes to let the rub settle into the meat. You could also let the ribs sit in the fridge overnight with the rub – it will act as a dry brine and tenderize the meat further.

 
Place the ribs in the pre-heated smoker and cook for somewhere between 4 to 8 hours, until the ribs are 160°F on a meat thermometer.  Remove the ribs from the smoker and wrap in butcher paper.  Return the ribs to the smoker.

Continue smoking until the ribs register between 200°F and 205°F on the meat thermometer.  Remove the ribs from the smoker and cover with butcher paper or aluminum foil for 10 to 20 minutes before serving.

Jam Hands: Creamy Carrot Cornflake Casserole

I figured if there was going to be a lot more meat in life now that I have a smoker, I should probably start working more vegetables into the mix.  I randomly came across this recipe on Pinterest, and I was intrigued.  Carrots in cream sauce?  It sounds slightly odd to me for some reason, but it actually works out pretty well.  And I'm always a sucker for buttered cornflake topping.

Note:  This recipe was a mess.  The original called for ½ cup of flour, which meant that I was basically dealing with a blob of glue until I added another two cups of half-and-half.  I've fixed the ratio in the recipe below, so hopefully this doesn't happen to anyone else.  Otherwise, it's pretty yummy.  Also, not enough cornflakes for the amount of butter; also fixed.

Creamy Carrot Cornflake Casserole
Adapted from Jam Hands blog

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided use
4 green onions, sliced
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup heavy cream
1½ cups half-and-half

2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
2 pounds frozen crinkle-cut carrots, cooked according to the package directions and drained
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes

4 cups cornflakes, crushed

Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter.  Add the onion and sauté for approximately 2 minutes.  Sprinkle the flour over the butter, then the seasonings.  Whisk in cream and half-and-half slowly until there are no lumps remaining.  Lower the heat and continue to cook until the sauce thickens.  Add the cheese; stir until smooth. Stir in the prepared carrots and parsley.

Spread the carrots in the prepared baking dish and cover with foil.  Bake for 40 minutes.

While casserole is cooking, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter.  Combine the crushed cornflakes and the melted butter; set aside.

Remove casserole from the oven, sprinkle with the cornflake mixture and return to the oven for another 5 to 7 minutes for the cornflakes to crisp and start to brown.  Serve hot.

Makes 8 to 12 servings

Showstopping BBQ with Your Traeger Grill: Smoked Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Jalapeños

Well, I got a new toy, and that means that I need to start putting it through its paces.  I've never been a grill or smoker girl, and I think this is a bit of a lapse in my culinary experience, so I think it's time to take care of that deficiency.  But I didn't want to start out with a brisket, so I opted for these little parcels of fun.  And they are so delicious.  Not super spicy, but definitely flavorful.  No smoker?  Just make them in the oven, broiling a bit at the end to get the bacon to crisp.

Smoked Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Jalapeños
Adapted from Showstopping BBQ with Your Traeger Grill by Ed Randolph

10 large jalapeños, 3 to 4 inches long
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
½ cup finely shredded Cheddar cheese
¾ teaspoon granulated garlic
¾ teaspoon granulated onion

½ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon garlic pepper
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
⅛ teaspoon Accent powder (optional)
10 slices thinly-sliced bacon

Meat Church Honey Hog BBQ rub

Prepare your smoker by bringing it up to 275°F.

Slice the jalapeños in half vertically, preserving as much of the stem as possible. Using a gloved finger, small spoon, or jalapeño corer, scoop out all the ribs and seeds and discard them.

In a bowl, mix the cream cheese, shredded cheese, and spices together until well combined. Slice the bacon in half longways, to make 20 long strips.

Spoon the cheese mixture into the jalapeños, then wrap each with a piece of bacon. Sprinkle evenly with the rub.  Place the jalapeños on a sheet tray and put the tray in the smoker for 30 minutes.

Increase the temperature of the smoker to 375°F and smoke for another 30 minutes to crisp the bacon.

Makes 20 jalapeños

Kimmy's Kreations: Fried Shrimp Fettuccine

I've had a craving for more seafood in my life lately, so I've been trying to step outside my comfort zone and make some seafood dishes that may be a bit new to me.  I don't think I have ever actually deep-fried shrimp, so this definitely counts as new.  This dish is delicious, but it's also super rich, so you won't be able to eat a lot at one time before your taste buds are blown out.  Definitely worth the effort of zealously monitoring the Dutch oven oil temperature.

Note: While I appreciate all the flavor in this, the alfredo sauce was a bit salty from the combo of seasonings and cheese.  I backed the seasonings off a bit in the recipe below.  Also, I used a combo of Parmesan and Pecorino Romano, since I had both in the fridge, and why not.

Fried Shrimp Fettuccine
From Kimmy’s Kreations

1 pound large shrimp, shelled, but tail on
1½ teaspoons garlic powder
1½ teaspoons onion powder
1½ teaspoons seafood seasoning, such as Old Bay
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic pepper
1 large egg, beaten

For breading:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon seafood seasoning, such as Old Bay
4 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons garlic pepper

For alfredo sauce:
2 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons Badia Complete Seasoning
2 teaspoons seafood seasoning, such as Old Bay
1½ cups grated Parmesan cheese
Cooked fettuccine

Coat shrimp in seasoning and toss with egg. Combine breading ingredients in a Ziploc, dump shrimp in and toss to coat. Fry shrimp at 355°F to 360°F until golden brown, about 2 to 5 minutes, depending on shrimp size.

Heat cream with seasonings until it thickens slightly, add cheese. Toss cooked fettuccine with alfredo sauce and serve with shrimp on top.

Makes 4 servings

Lauren's Latest: Gingerbread Cream Pie and Karen Demasco: Gingersnap Pie Crust

I originally made a version of this pie for Thanksgiving.  I used a pre-made graham cracker crust, different spice amounts, different milk amounts, basically different everything.  It was...okay.  For a gingerbread pie it was decidedly not gingerbread spicy.  But I could tell that it could be so much more.  So back to the drawing board.  And what you see below is what I came up with. So. Much. Better.  The crust helps significantly, but bumping up the spices and bringing down the milk helps the filling out quite a bit.  This is pretty darn tasty now.

Note: This uses the BIG BOX of pudding, not the little one.  Don't be tricked, or else your pie will be soup.  I also add ¼ teaspoon meringue powder when I'm mixing up the whipped cream, just to give it a little extra help on the stabilization front, but not absolutely necessary.

Gingerbread Cream Pie
Loosely adapted from Lauren's Latest blog

1 (9-inch) prepared Gingersnap Pie Crust (below)

1 (5.1-ounce) box instant vanilla pudding mix (BIG BOX)

1½ cups cold whole milk

2 tablespoons unsulphered molasses
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves

1½ cups heavy cream

¼ cup powdered sugar

In a large bowl, whip vanilla pudding with milk. Let sit 3 minutes to thicken, then stir in molasses and spices.

In a separate bowl, whip heavy cream with powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold one third of the whipped cream into the pudding mixture, and then pour the pudding into the pie shell. Top with the remaining whipped cream and sprinkle with a little ground nutmeg for garnish, if desired. Refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving.

Gingersnap Pie Crust

Adapted from Karen Demasco, as seen at Martha Stewart

2 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs (from approximately 9 ounces gingersnap cookies)

¼ cup packed light brown sugar

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon kosher salt

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Combine the cookie crumbs, brown sugar, flour, salt, and melted butter in a small bowl until well mixed.  Dump the crumbs into a 9-inch pie dish, and using a measuring cup, press the crumbs into the bottom and sides of the dish.  Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Bake refrigerated crust for 10 minutes, or until set.  The crust should be fragrant.  Let cool completely before making the filling.

Always Order Dessert: Cranberry Sauce Bread

Over the years I've really enjoyed experimenting with different recipes for cranberry sauce, but after the big day is done, I'm always pondering what to do with quite a lot of leftovers.  No matter how delicious the cranberry sauce, it's never going to be the star of the show.  And there's only so many things you can do with the excess (turkey cranberry sauce panini?).  I figured there had to be something I could make that would allow me to continue to experience the deliciousness of my homemade sauce, and luckily I came across this recipe.  This bread could not be any easier, and it is warm, comforting, and delicious, especially with a cup of coffee or tea.

Cranberry Sauce Bread
Adapted from Always Order Dessert blog

1½ cups cranberry sauce, divided use
⅓ cup canola oil
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350°F (or 325°F for convection). Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan and set aside.

In a large bowl, stir together 1 cup of the cranberry sauce, oil, sugars, egg, and vanilla. Add the flour, salt, baking soda, and ground cinnamon. Mix well just until evenly combined.

Spread into the prepared pan. Dollop the remaining cranberry sauce on top and swirl the sauce into the batter with a knife to make a marble pattern.  Bake about 50 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Aunt Nellie's and Reddit: Creamed Onions

Each year I look for something new and interesting to make for Thanksgiving, and I have to pilot the recipes for myself before introducing them to the family at large (this is how fennel became a Thanksgiving staple).  I've long been fascinated with creamed onions, but the thought of having to peel five thousand pearl onions always gave me pause.  When I saw it could be done with jarred onions, this recipe got moved to the top of the pile.  This dish really gives me a whole 1950's nostalgia feeling.

Note: I had a really hard time finding these onions.  Not even Amazon had them in stock.  I did end up ordering from a random grocery website, but if you see them in stock in your area, just grab them.

Creamed Onions
Adapted from Aunt Nellie's and u/C4bl3Fl4m3 on Reddit

2 (15-ounce) jars Aunt Nellie’s Holland-Style Whole Onions
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter

¼ cup all-purpose flour
1½ cups half-and-half

2 tablespoons dry sherry
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1½ teaspoons Badia complete seasoning

¼ teaspoon dry mustard
Pinch nutmeg

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon ground white pepper

Salt and ground white pepper
¼ teaspoon paprika

Drain onions, reserving ½ cup of the liquid.

Melt butter in 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour; cook and stir 1 minute, until bubbly. Stir in half-and-half, onion juice, and sherry; cook and stir 2 minutes or until sauce thickens. Stir in cheese, Badia seasoning, mustard, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Add onions; pour into a 1½-quart baking dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray; sprinkle with paprika. Bake at 350ºF 15 to 20 minutes, uncovered, until bubbly.

Spicy Bourbon Cranberry Sauce

For years I've been trying to find a cranberry sauce recipe that yields something sweet and sour and complex.  I've been disappointed multiple times (although the sauces themselves were fine, if basic).  So finally I decided it was up to me to work out what I wanted.  I knew I wanted citrus, and I'm never going to turn down the opportunity to add bourbon.  But then I thought - what if it was a little spicy?  And not just spicy, a little smoky?  I'm honestly really happy with the way this turned out, and I think I've finally found my cranberry sauce.

Note: As much as I love fresh orange juice, I feel like the stuff in the bottles has a stronger orange flavor.  For this recipe I used a little bottle of pulp-free Simply Orange.  I used Maker's Mark as the bourbon, but you do you.  Also, the number of chipotles is determined by how spicy you want the cranberry sauce: one if serving to grandma, two if you want some zing, 3 or more if you like searing the skin off your tongue.

Spicy Bourbon Cranberry Sauce

1 (12-ounce) bag cranberries
1 cup orange juice
½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup packed light brown sugar
Finely grated zest of one orange

1 to 2 chipotles in adobo, finely chopped
1 cinnamon stick
Pinch of kosher salt
2 to 3 tablespoons bourbon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Wash cranberries; pick out any mushy ones and discard. Add cranberries to a medium saucepan along with the orange juice, sugars, orange zest, chipotle pepper, cinnamon stick, and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring frequently, until berries have popped and softened and mixture is thickened.

Remove from the heat and add in the bourbon. Return to the heat for 30 to 60 seconds, then remove from the heat and add the vanilla. Let cool.  Remove cinnamon stick and refrigerate until serving.

The Country Cook: Butter Dip Biscuits

I'm a big sucker for a good biscuit, but I've also not found a good recipe for that perfect flaky buttery biscuit nirvana, so I occasionally play with random recipes I find.  This one had me intrigued, with its butter on the outside instead of the inside.  It definitely is not the recipe I'm looking for, and the biscuits turned out a bit dense, but this makes sense with the butter in the pan instead of the dough.  They do come together quickly if you need a bread with dinner.

Note: If you want a seasoned biscuit, I recommend adding some to the butter before adding the dough.  That way it all gets baked together.  I also used a weird pan size for mine, so they made 6 big biscuits instead of the 9 you would get from a square pan.

Butter Dip Biscuits
From The Country Cook blog

½ cup (1 stick) salted butter
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
1¾ to 2 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 450°F. Grease a glass or ceramic 8x8-inch or 9x9-inch baking dish.

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt stick of butter in the microwave. Pour melted butter into prepared baking dish.

In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Pour in the buttermilk. Stir until a sticky batter forms. If batter still seems too dry, add a tad bit more buttermilk until the batter is thick and sticky.

Pour biscuit dough into baking dish (right on top of the melted butter). Some of the butter will run over the top of the dough. You can spray your hand with some nonstick spray to help spread the dough out evenly in the pan. Cut the dough into 9 squares with a sharp knife (as best you can). This will help with cutting later when the biscuits are baked.

Bake, on the middle oven rack, for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until the biscuits are golden brown on top and spring back to the touch.  Rotate the dish once during baking to ensure even browning.

Gennie's Bishop Grill: Candied Butternut Squash

Many years ago I came across a recipe book for an old Dallas restaurant called Gennie's Bishop Grill.  I'd only ever made one other recipe from it, for peanut butter pie, and I figured it was about time that I took a look to see if anything else seemed interesting.  I finally came across this recipe, and even though it seemed like an obscene amount of butter and sugar, I went ahead and tried it.  I'm glad I did - this squash is pretty fantastic.  I had to stop myself from picking pieces out of the dish.  Definitely a holiday or once-in-a-while treat, but delicious.

Note: I had to cook my squash closer to the 2 hour mark, but just keep checking it until it's tender.  Low and slow.

Candied Butternut Squash
From Gennie's Bishop Grill cookbook

3½ pounds butternut squash cubes
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
½ cup honey
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon orange extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Place squash cubes in a large casserole dish.  Preheat oven to 275°F.

In heavy saucepan, melt butter. Stir in brown sugar, honey, and spices. Bring to a rolling boil; cook for five minutes and then remove from heat. Stir in extracts.

Pour syrup over squash. Cover casserole with foil tightly, sealing all edges. Cook for 1 to 2 hours, depending on size of squash cubes, until squash is tender.

Makes 8 servings

Get Off Your Butt and Bake: Chicken Broccoli Supreme

I may have printed this recipe off in around 2008, with every intention of making it.  I have no idea what happened.  Somehow it got shuffled to the back of the line.  Which is unfortunate, because this is a really delicious casserole.  And since there's not much to it other than making the sauce, it only takes about 20 minutes to throw together.  I served it with mashed potatoes, but honestly it's probably just fine on it's own, maybe with a slice of freshly baked bread on the side.

Note:  In order to steam my flowerets, I put them in a microwave-safe bowl, added a tablespoon or two of water, and covered the bowl.  I then nuked them for 2 minutes.  Worked out great, especially if you don't want to drag the steamer out.  Also, I think you could probably forgo the cheese in the sauce and just use 1½ cups on the top.  The sauce is pretty darn delicious without covering it up with cheese.

Chicken Broccoli Supreme
Adapted from Get Off Your Butt and Bake blog

1 pound fresh broccoli flowerets, steamed for 2 minutes
3 cups cooked chicken, broken up into bite-size pieces (meat from one rotisserie chicken)
3 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided use

Sauce:
⅓ cup unsalted butter
⅓ cup all-purpose flour

1 cup chicken broth
2 cups whole milk
2 teaspoons Badia complete seasoning
1 teaspoon Kinder Garlic and Herb with Butter seasoning

Topping:

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

2 long sleeves Ritz crackers (~50 crackers)

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Preheat oven to 350°F.  In greased 9x13-inch baking dish, layer the broccoli and chicken, then set aside.

In saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.  Sprinkle the flour over and stir until it smells slightly nutty, about 2 to 3 minutes.  Do not let flour brown.  Whisk in the chicken broth, milk, and seasonings, and continue stirring until sauce has thickened.  Turn heat down to low, and add 1½ cups of the cheese. Stir until melted.  Pour over the chicken and broccoli.  Top with remaining cheese.

To make the topping, melt the butter and add the poppy seeds; stir well.  Crush the crackers in large zip-top bag with a rolling pin; don’t crush too small.  Add the cracker crumbs to the melted butter. Sprinkle crumbs over the top of the grated cheese in the casserole.

Bake, uncovered, for about 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

RecipeTin Eats: Arroz Rojo (Mexican Red Rice)

While most people view the rice and beans that come with Tex-Mex plates as a bit of an afterthought, I've always considered them to be something that can really elevate the whole dinner if done properly.  I really notice if a restaurant has particularly good sides, because to me it means that they're paying attention to everything, not just the stars of the show.  So in an effort to bring that same attention to my home kitchen, I decided it was time to whip up some red rice.  This recipe makes a super tasty rice, and you are free to add peas and carrots if you so desire.  I personally think it's fantastic as is.

Note: The bouillon and seasoning I've used can be found in Mexican groceries (or honestly, in regular groceries if you live somewhere like Texas), but can also be ordered from Amazon.

Arroz Rojo (Mexican Red Rice)
Adapted from RecipeTin Eats blog

1½ tablespoons unsalted butter

2 garlic cloves, minced
½ small white onion, finely chopped
1 cup long grain white rice
2 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 cube Knorr tomato bouillon with chicken

1 packet Sazón with cilantro and annatto

¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 jalapeño pepper, whole

1 sprig cilantro

Heat butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and rice, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until onion is translucent and rice is just beginning to color.  Add garlic; stir briefly.  Add tomato paste, and toss with rice mixture for 30 seconds or so. Add broth, salt, and seasonings, stir until tomato paste is dissolved. Plonk in the jalapeño and cilantro. Cover, bring to simmer, then lower heat to low so the water is simmering gently.

Cook for 20 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed (tilt pot to check).  Remove from heat, leave lid on and rest for 10 minutes. The residual liquid on the surface of the rice will get absorbed and rice will go from sticky to fluffy. Fluff with fork, then serve.

Makes 4 servings

Rick Bayless: Barbacoa de Res (Beef Barbacoa)

My absolute favorite taco at Taco Cabana is the beef barbacoa breakfast taco.  I love that thing deeply and passionately, especially with cheese and salsa ranch on top.  But for some reason, I never thought to make my own.  I figured it was just a braise, but it just seemed like a lot.  That is, until I found this recipe.  The whole thing gets taken care of in the slow cooker, and you just show up at the end to eat the delicious food.  That is definitely a recipe I can get on board with.

Note: I was convinced that six hours wasn't going to be enough to make this beef delicious, but it absolutely was.  The pieces were falling apart as I tried to lift them from the sauce.  I used a Shiner Bock in my version, but I think Rick Bayless says Modelo Negra is also a good choice.  It looks like he's further tinkered with the recipe since I grabbed it; the version below is what I made.

Barbacoa de Res (Beef Barbacoa)
Adapted from Rick Bayless

For the optional lining of the slow cooker:

A 12-inch chunk of agave leaf (penca de maguey) OR a dozen or so good-size avocado leaves (available at Mexican groceries) OR a 2-foot piece of banana leaf

For the beef:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil or freshly rendered pork lard
3 pounds beef cheeks
1 (12-ounce) bottle of beer
Salt

For the red chile adobo marinade:
2 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed, seeded and torn into large pieces
2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded and torn into large pieces
4 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 canned chipotle chile en adobo
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, preferably Mexican canela
½ teaspoon dried Mexican oregano

For serving:
Your favorite hot sauce or salsa
A little chopped white onion
A handful of cilantro leaves

Roast the agave leaf being careful not to touch the exposed flesh of the agave) over an open flame, turning every few minutes until pliable and charred, 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness. (If using a banana leaf, run it briefly over an open flame to soften it.) Cut into 3 pieces. If using avocado leaves, scatter half of them on the bottom of the slow-cooker and set the others aside.

In a large (12-inch) skillet, heat the oil over medium-high. Pat the beef dry with a paper towel, sprinkle generously with salt and lay it in the skillet. Cook, turning occasionally, until richly brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer the meat to the slow cooker.

Combine all the marinade ingredients in a blender with 2 cups of water and blend to a smooth puree. Pour through a medium mesh strainer into the slow cooker. Nestle the pieces of agave leaf or banana leaf under and around the meat, if you are using them, and pour the beer over the top. Cover with the remaining avocado leaves, if using. Cover and turn on the slow cooker to high. Your barbacoa will be done in about 6 hours, though you can hold it for longer.

When you are ready to serve, coarsely shred the beef and arrange it on a warm platter. Skim any fat from the sauce that remains in the slow cooker, then taste it. If you feel it would be better with a more concentrated flavor, pour it into a medium saucepan or remove the insert and set it over high heat. Boil for a few minutes to reduce that quantity, then taste and season with salt if it needs it. Spoon as much as you like over the beef. (I like to sprinkle coarse salt over the meat at this point.) Serve the barbacoa with the hot sauce or salsa, onion, and cilantro. Grab some tortillas, if you like, and you’re ready to make some delicious tacos.

Makes 6 servings

Kimmy's Kreations: Crab Cake Scampi

When I first saw the Instagram video for this recipe, I was wiping the drool from my face.  A giant crab cake?  A GIANT crab cake?  I could do that?  I could make a giant crab cake just because and eat it for dinner??  It's sad that I've gotten to this point in my life, and I'm contemplating if it's okay for me to make crab for dinner.  Hell yes.  Make the crab.  Eat the crap out of that big ol' crab cake.  YOLO.

Note: This recipe was originally meant to create two super whopping crab cakes, for two dinner servings.  I had already decided that as much as I wanted a super huge crab cake just for me, it was probably wiser to make it into four, because there's no way I'm eating ½ pound of crab at one time, but once I saw the size of the FOUR crab cakes, I honestly think you could maybe even push this out to make six cakes.  I also almost fainted when I saw the price of a pound of lump crab ($50+??), so I made mine out of 100% claw meat, and they were still scrumptious.

Crab Cake Scampi
Adapted from Kimmy's Kreations

For the crab cakes:
1 large egg
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
3½ tablespoons mayonnaise

1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
8 ounces lump crap, picked for shell pieces
8 ounces special lump crap, picked for shell pieces
½ cup crushed Ritz crackers (one sleeve of 13 crackers)

Mix the first seven ingredients together; this is the crab cake seasoning. Fold the crab in gently. Fold the crackers in. Form four large crab cakes, and put them on a greased cooking sheet. Bake at 450°F for 15 minutes until golden brown.

For the scampi pasta:
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided use
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup dry white wine
½ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

½ teaspoon garlic pepper  
Salt and pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons heavy cream  
⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh basil, cut in chiffonade
8 ounces cooked pasta, such as angel hair

Lemon wedges, for serving  

Heat the oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the shallot and sauté until almost translucent. Add the garlic and cook very briefly, about 30 seconds. Add the lemon juice and white wine and reduce by half. Add the Old Bay, garlic pepper, salt, and pepper. Then add remaining 3 tablespoons butter, heavy cream, cheese, and basil. Toss cooked noodles in the sauce. Plate with noodles on the bottom and a crab cake on top.  Squeeze lemon over the dish.

Makes 4 servings