Southern Living: Mississippi Mud Cake

For a long time, Southern Living magazine was my source for the most over-the-top, horribly bad for you, yet amazing in your mouth recipes.  I mean, this is the South.  We eat some amazing stuff, and we make no promises about the nutritional aspect.  And when we make dessert, we make DESSERT.  How else can you describe what is basically a brownie topped with toasted marshmallows topped with chocolate pecan frosting?  Over the top probably applies.

This is certainly a sugar bomb, so if you already have diabetes, you probably want to steer clear.  Otherwise, I probably wouldn't eat more than a slice or you're liable to make yourself sick.  But it would be such a good sick...

Mississippi Mud Cake
From Southern Living magazine, June 2004

1 cup butter, melted
2 cups sugar
½ cup unsweetened cocoa
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon salt
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ cups coarsely chopped pecans, toasted
1 (10½-ounce) bag miniature marshmallows
Chocolate Frosting

Whisk together melted butter and next 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in flour and chopped pecans. Pour batter into a greased and floured 15x10-inch jellyroll pan.

Bake at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven; top warm cake evenly with marshmallows. Return to oven, and bake 5 minutes. Drizzle Chocolate Frosting over warm cake. Cool completely.

Chocolate Frosting

1 (16-ounce) package powdered sugar, sifted

½ cup milk

¼ cup butter, softened

⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa

Beat all ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth.

Williams-Sonoma: Blackberry Farm's Sweet and Spicy Foothills Coleslaw

If you ask what to serve next to potato salad, the answer always seems to be coleslaw.  Too bad that most of the coleslaw salads I've had are watery, tasteless messes.  Cabbage is awfully boring on its own.  It needs lots of high-flavored friends to really make it shine.  And mayo alone doesn't cut it.

Enter this recipe I dug up on Williams-Sonoma's website.  Lots of good flavor, lots of fresh veggies, and not something I would be embarrassed to turn up with at a cookout.  Which is where this bowl went.  Add the sauce a little at a time...it makes a ton.

Blackberry Farm's Sweet and Spicy Foothills Coleslaw
From Williams-Sonoma

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoon malt vinegar
1½ teaspoons mustard seed oil or very spicy mustard such as English or German
1½ teaspoons kosher salt, plus more, to taste
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper, plus more, to taste
1 cup mayonnaise
3 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
3 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
1½ cups shredded carrots
¾ cup shredded red onion

In a large bowl, whisk together the Dijon mustard, brown sugar, malt vinegar, mustard seed oil, the 1½ teaspoons salt and the ¼ teaspoon pepper, whisking until the sugar dissolves. Whisk in the mayonnaise.

Add the red and green cabbages, the carrots and onion and toss until the vegetables are coated. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Strain the coleslaw. Taste and season it with more salt or pepper if desired.

Makes 6 servings

Ted Allen: Creamy White Bean Soup with Bacon

I'm not a big soup person.  So if I have soup, it needs to be really good soup.  But how can you tell ahead of time that the soup is actually going to live up to your high standards for soupness?  Well, considering this one has 1) bacon, 2) cream, and 3) lots of seasoning, I was pretty much sold.  And it certainly does deliver.  The original recipe had a crouton smeared with goat cheese floating on top, but honestly, more bacon makes it pretty much perfect.

Creamy White Bean Soup with Bacon

Adapted from Ted Allen in Food Network magazine

2 strips applewood smoked bacon, diced
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 shallots, chopped
2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini or other white beans, drained and rinsed
10 leaves fresh sage, chopped, divided use
4 cloves garlic, chopped
3 cups chicken broth
½ cup heavy cream
⅛ to ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¾ teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Fry the bacon in a medium saucepan over medium heat until halfway done, 3 minutes. Remove ¼ of the bacon to a dish and cook the remainder until done.  Remove the fully cooked bacon to a paper towel to drain.  Pour off the bacon grease.  Return the partially cooked bacon to the pan.  Add the olive oil, butter, and shallots and sauté until soft, 6 minutes. Add the beans, 6 leaves sage, garlic, and broth, bring to a simmer and cook 15 more minutes.

Transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor in three batches and puree until smooth. (Be careful-hot liquids are prone to explode when whipped!) Return the pureed soup to the pan and add the cream, cayenne, salt, and pepper to taste. Keep warm.

To serve, ladle the soup into bowls, top with cooked bacon and remaining sage.

Makes 6 servings

The Paleo Recipe Cookbook: Roast Beef Horseradish Pinwheels

Okay, I'm kinda tired of dips for appetizers.  I mean, I know they're good, and I even daydream about my spinach-artichoke version every once in a while.  But at some point you have to expand your views.  You need to tempt your eaters with something more than a cracker with stuff on it.

I in no way participate in the paleo diet, but these looked pretty darn good on pinterest.  And since I was able to get some Kobe roast beef carved up at Central Market, I figured they would be pretty tasty.  I was right.  I even ate the leftovers for lunch the next day.

Roast Beef Horseradish Pinwheels
Adapted from The Paleo Recipe Cookbook blog

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
3 green onions, chopped
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish, drained
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
8 ounces roast beef, sliced
2 10-inch flour tortillas, preferably tomato flavored

Combine the first 6 ingredients.  Place the two tortillas on work surface, spread half of cheese over each, top each with half of the roast beef slices, leaving a ½-inch border around edges.  Roll up, wrap tightly in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate until firm, 30 minutes or up to 1 day ahead.  Cut diagonally into ½-inch slices and serve.

Lulu the Baker: Carmelitas and Ina Garten: Caramel Sauce

Okay, this one definitely goes in the Evil Desserts file.  Cookie, chocolate, caramel?  That sounds like some pretty horrific evil to me.  These are so sweet and rich, you can only have a little.  Don't believe me?  Try it.  I dare you.  I made my own caramel sauce.  Because I don't like processed foods.  And because I'm a food nerd.  But you can certainly cheat and use those little individually wrapped squares.

Carmelitas
Adapted from Lulu the Baker blog

32 caramel squares, unwrapped
½ cup heavy cream
¾ cup unsalted butter, melted
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup rolled oats
½ cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon baking soda
6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

Combine caramels and cream in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until completely smooth; set aside. In a separate bowl, combine melted butter, brown sugar, flour, oats, and baking soda. Pat half of the oatmeal mixture into the bottom of an 8x8-inch pan. Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over crust. Pour caramel mixture over chocolate chips. Crumble remaining oatmeal mixture over caramel. Return to oven and bake an additional 15-20 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes.  Drizzle additional caramel sauce over the top and cool completely before cutting.

Notes: If you want to use homemade or store-bought caramel sauce in place of the caramel/cream mixture, use 1¼ cups of caramel sauce, and omit the caramel squares and heavy cream.  To make a 9x13-inch version, simply double the amounts.

Caramel Sauce
Adapted from Ina Garten

1½ cups granulated sugar
⅓ cup water
1 cup heavy cream
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Mix the water and sugar in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until the sugar dissolves. Do not stir. Increase the heat to medium and boil uncovered until the sugar turns a warm chestnut brown (about 350°F on a candy thermometer), about 5 to 7 minutes, gently swirling the pan to stir the mixture. Be careful – the mixture is extremely hot! Watch the mixture very carefully at the end, as it will go from caramel to burnt very quickly. Turn off the heat. Stand back to avoid splattering and slowly add the cream and vanilla. Don't worry - the cream will bubble violently and the caramel will solidify.

Simmer over low heat, stirring constantly, until the caramel dissolves and the sauce is smooth, about 2 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature, at least 4 hours. It will thicken as it sits.

Makes about 2 cups

King Arthur Flour: Overnight Coffee Cake

Sometimes it's nice to get up in the morning and be greeted by a warm breakfast waiting just for you.  Unfortunately, when you're single, the breakfast will not magically appear.  You have to get up, find your slippers, get some coffee, check the fridge, etc.  It's not really worth the effort when you could be better spending your time with further sleep.

Luckily this recipe solves most of those issues.  You whip this up the night before and just throw it in the oven in the morning.  That's about as easy as it gets.  Certainly easier than having to find a spouse to cook breakfast for you.  And this coffee cake doesn't leave towels on the bathroom floor.

Overnight Coffee Cake
Adapted from King Arthur Flour

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
Cinnamon Pecan Topping

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.

Cream the butter with the sugar and brown sugar. Add the vanilla extract and mix. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Add the buttermilk in two additions, alternating with the flour mixture.

Spread the cake mixture in a greased and floured 9x13-inch baking pan. Sprinkle with the Cinnamon Pecan Topping and cover the pan with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the cake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Makes 16 servings

Cinnamon Pecan Topping

½ cup packed light brown sugar
½ cup chopped pecans
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup cinnamon baking chips (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.

Garden & Gun: Country Captain

Maybe I'm a bad Southerner, but I honestly didn't realize there was actually a magazine called Garden & Gun.  I mean, how strange of a title is that?  It's like having a magazine called Puppies & Grenades.  But my brother-in-law swears by it, so we'll go with it.

I'd heard about Country Captain before.  Something about the curry powder coming into the port at Charleston, making this a bit of an oddity.  I figured I'd try it.  I have no problem with wild foods, so why not.  I mean, that curry powder list is long.  It has to be good, right?  Well, the dish was pretty good, but I honestly felt like with all those spices, I should have gotten a little more dancing in my mouth.  I'm wondering if the long cooking time baked out my goodies.  Next time maybe I'll reserve some for the finish.

Country Captain
From Garden and Gun magazine

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons bacon fat
1 whole chicken (cut into 10 pieces: wings, legs, thighs, and quarter breasts), patted dry with paper towels and seasoned with coarse salt and ground black pepper
2 cups diced yellow onion
2 cups diced celery
2 cups diced green bell pepper
1 fresh hot chile pepper, seeded and minced
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
Homemade Curry Powder
2 cups good-quality canned tomatoes, chopped

1 cup tomato juice (reserved from can of tomatoes)

1 cup chicken stock
2 bay leaves
½ cup seedless raisins 

Grated toasted fresh coconut

Place large ovenproof braiser 
or oval Dutch oven (in which the chicken fits in a single layer) over moderate heat, and melt butter and bacon fat until slightly foaming, about 3 to 5 minutes. Raise heat, add chicken, and brown well on all sides. Remove crisped pieces to platter, continuing until all pieces are golden brown.
Lower heat to moderate and add the onion, celery, peppers, and garlic, using a wooden spoon to stir well. Slowly add curry powder, stirring well to evenly coat all the vegetables, and cook until they are tender, stirring frequently, about 7 to 10 minutes. Add tomatoes, tomato juice, stock, and bay leaves, 
and stir well, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits. Bring liquid to simmer, return chicken to pot, and cover tightly.

Cook on top of the stove over low flame until chicken is cooked through, about 35 to 45 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To serve: Transfer chicken to beds of rice in shallow bowls, sprinkle with raisins and coconut and serve surrounded by condiments 
like thinly sliced scallions, crushed roasted peanuts or almonds, green tomato or apple chutney, pickled hot peppers, or pickled okra.

Homemade Curry Powder

1 tablespoon ground ginger

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons ground cardamom

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

2 teaspoons Hungarian paprika

2 teaspoons freshly ground coriander

2 teaspoons freshly ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon freshly ground clove

1 pinch cayenne pepper

1 pinch Colman’s mustard powder

1 pinch dried thyme

Rachel's Irish Family Food: Cabbage with Bacon and Cream

I talk a lot on this blog about these dishes I cook being delicious, and honestly, they are.  Every once in a while I get a stinker, but that nasty mess doesn't get a beauty shot.  And then every once in a while I make a dish that literally has me licking the bottom of my plate and throwing the remainder in the freezer for god's sake so that I can't eat anymore and gain five pounds.

This dish is so smoky and creamy that it's almost a sin, but then you have.....green stuff!  See?  It's healthy.  There's green stuff.  And the green stuff makes it Irish!  So there you go, healthy Irish side dish that also makes you slap any hand that dares to sneak the last bite.

Cabbage with Bacon and Cream
From Rachel's Irish Family Food by Rachel Allen

4 tablespoons butter
6 slices of smoked regular bacon, thinly sliced
1 large Savoy or green cabbage (about 1⅓ pounds), outer leaves removed
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon water
¾ cup light or heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Melt the butter in a large frying pan or wok over high heat, add the bacon, and fry for 4 to 5 minutes, until crisp and golden.  Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

Meanwhile, cut the cabbage into quarters, removing the core from each piece, and thinly shred across the grain.  Add the cabbage to the pan, along with the garlic and water.  Saute for about 5 minutes over medium-high heat, tossing frequently, until wilted and just tender.

Increase the heat a little and return the bacon to the pan.  Pour in the cream and allow to bubble for a few minutes until thickened slightly.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Homesick Texan: Cactus Casserole

When I was living in New Jersey, I missed Texas like you would not believe.  Okay, maybe you would.  I missed it terribly.  Especially the food.  Tex-Mex, Mexican, and every combination thereof.  I spent my time cruising the internet, mostly to the Homesick Texan blog, and made myself feel better with the thought that at least one other person was suffering just like I was.

Around that time I saw her post a recipe for a cactus casserole.  I had eaten some cactus when I took a cruise to Mexican forever ago, and it wasn't bad, but this sounded really good.  What's not to like with rice and cream and spices?  The cactus works really well here, and I took all the shortcuts she suggested to get it to my mouth faster.  It's really rich, so you may just want a salad on the side.

Cactus Casserole
From Homesick Texan blog

1 (15-ounce) jar of cactus paddles (nopales)

1 tablespoon canola oil
½ medium yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups sour cream
2 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground oregano
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon cayenne
3 cups cooked rice
1 pound Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded
Salt to taste

Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Drain the cactus paddles and then rinse with cold water.

In a large cast-iron skillet, heat up the canola oil on medium heat. Add the onions to the skillet and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one more minute. Remove the skillet from the heat.

In a bowl, mix together the sour cream the chili powder, cumin, oregano, allspice, cayenne, and half the shredded cheese. Then stir in the cooked rice and the cactus. Taste and add salt and adjust the seasonings. Spoon the sour cream, rice and cactus mixture into the greased skillet, stirring well to combine with the onions and garlic. Top with the remaining shredded cheese.

Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until brown and bubbling.

Makes 8 to 10 servings

Betty Crocker & Savour Fare: Baklava Bars

My friend Kim has a bad habit of looking at what I have pinned to my boards, and then demanding that I make all the wonderful things that she sees.  I'm not sure who is going to eat all these luscious goodies, especially since she eats like a bird, but just this one time I figured I would humor her.  I mean, what are friends for?  Especially friends with baklava bars?

These were stellar.  I like the changes that were made to the Betty Crocker recipe, although I had to cut back on the lemon juice for my finalized version.  Maybe I just had a particularly juicy lemon, but ½ a lemon was a bit overpowering.  Oh, and schedule a dentist appointment before you indulge.  I promise you'll get a cavity.

Baklava Bars
Adapted from Betty Crocker and Savour Fare blog

Cookie Base:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

2 cups granulated sugar

¾ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon almond extract

Zest of 1 lemon

3 large eggs

3⅔ cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

Filling:

8 sheets frozen phyllo dough

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided

1½ cups chopped walnuts

⅓ cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

⅛ teaspoon salt

Glaze:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons packed brown sugar

⅔ cup honey

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Cream the butter with the sugar, baking soda, salt, extracts, and lemon zest until fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time.  Add flour and baking powder and beat until combined.

Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter, and lay the phyllo sheets out on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or silpat, brushing each sheet with melted butter before adding the next. It does not matter if it bunches or tears since it will all be crumbled up anyway. Brush the last sheet with the remaining melted butter, and pop it in the oven until the phyllo is golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.

Reduce oven heat to 350°F. Press the cookie dough into a greased 9x13-inch rectangular pan. Bake for 15 minutes, until just starting to color, and remove from oven to cool.

Crumble the phyllo sheets into a medium bowl. Add the walnuts, sugar, cinnamon, salt, and 4 more tablespoons of the butter, softened, and mix to combine. Spread this mixture over the par-baked cookie dough, and bake 18 minutes longer. Remove from the oven.

Meanwhile, in a small, microwave safe bowl, combine remaining 4 tablespoons butter, cinnamon, lemon juice, brown sugar, honey, and vanilla extract. Microwave 1 minute or until the mixture is bubbly (this can also be done on the stovetop). Pour the glaze evenly over the cookies still in the pan. Let cool thoroughly, and cut into triangles.

Makes 48 cookies