Patriotic Trifle

It's almost here folks!  A true mark of summer, the Fourth of July.  I love this holiday!  The weather is always nice, everyone is in good spirits, it usually involves BBQ, you get to lay in the sun and play in the water, fireworks end the day, and of course there's amazing food.  Forth of July fare is comfort food at its finest.  One thing I particularly enjoy about cooking for this holiday is the abundance of fresh fruit.  The pies are one of the best parts for sure.  But If you're looking for something maybe a little cooler and more refreshing this trifle fits the bill.  Nothing but fresh fruit and homemade whip cream, you can't beat it.  What better way to celebrate our independence from the English than by eating a dessert they created but putting an American twist on it!

Ingredients
{amounts may vary depending on the size of your trifle dish}
4 cups fresh blueberries
4 cups halved fresh strawberries
3 cups heaving whipping cream
3 teaspoons vanilla
1/4-1/2 cup granulated sugar to taste

Directions
Using an electric mixer add the whipping cream, vanilla and sugar (add more sugar if you like it sweeter).  Whip on high speed for about 3 minutes or until stiff peaks form.  (Don't mix too long or it will turn into sweet vanilla butter!)

In trifle dish put a layer about an  inch thick of whipping cream.  Then using about 3 cups of the blueberries spread evenly over the whip cream.  Next add another layer of whip cream, this time about 2 inches thick.  Next add a  layer of about 3 cups of the strawberries.  On top of the strawberries add another 2 inch layer of whip cream.  Now you can decorate the top how you like.  I put a ring of strawberries on the outside, with a circle of blueberries in the middle.  Then I put a dollop of whip cream in the middle of the blueberries and added a final strawberry on top.

Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.  Serve on top of vanilla bunt cake or all on its own, both ways are delicious.  Enjoy! Serves about 10.

Thanksgiving Prep

Here are a few yummy recipes to help you get your menu together for the upcoming Thanksgiving feast. [click on the name to get the recipe]

Classic Mashed Potatoes

Pecan Pie Bars

(easier to make than pecan pie and feeds a lot more people)

 Oven Roasted Carrots

One Hour Dinner Rolls

Parmesan Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

Flaky Pie Crust

Corn Fritters

Green Bean Casserole

Vancouver Dip 
(one of my most favorite appetizers)

One Hour Rolls

These are my favorite dinner rolls to make.  They are so easy and they taste amazing.  Way better than the frozen dough kind you buy at the grocery store.  I love rolls fresh out of the oven, but I'm not a huge bread making fan.  However, you can't mess these puppies up too easily.  They are a cinch to make and you don't have to do any kneading.

These rolls come out so soft and flavorful, you'll be hooked.  Make a batch with soup, or your upcoming Thanksgiving dinner.  Here's the DL...
Ingredients
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons butter
3 teaspoons salt
6 3/4 teaspoons dry active yeast (or 3 packages)
1 1/2 cups water
5 cups all-purpose flour
Directions
In microwave safe bowl or glass measuring cup stir together milk and sugar.  Add the butter and microwave until butter is melted (usually about 45 seconds-1 minute).  Set aside and cool to lukewarm.
Using a mixer bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water (warm, not hot).  Add the milk mixture to it (make sure milk mixture is not too hot, or it will kill your yeast).  Mix in the salt.
Using the dough hook on low speed, add in the flour one cup at a time.  Mix for about 3 minutes, until dough is forming into a ball and is cleaning the sides of the bowl off.  Dough will still be a little sticky.
Put some oil on your hands and form the dough into a ball.  Put dough back into the bowl and cover with a clean dry dish towel.  Let rise in a warm, draft free spot for 20-25 minutes.
Lightly grease a baking dish.  Roll balls of dough about 2 inches in diameter.  Place the dough balls in the baking dish about 1 1/2 inches apart.  Cover the rolls with a clean dish towel and let it rise in a warm place for 15-20 minutes, or until dough has doubled in size.
Bake rolls in 425 degree oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.  I like to brush the tops with melted butter for the last 1 minute of baking.  Remove from oven and let sit for 3-5 minutes before serving.  Enjoy with butter and homemade jam!  [makes about 24 rolls]

Goat Cheese and Garlic Potato Swirls

I know everyone is planning their Easter dinner menu.  So I thought I'd throw this recipe at you.  I came across it a while back and loved how it looked.  I'm also a big fan of goat cheese so I pretty much was hooked at the title.  These potatoes look so fancy, but take very little effort.  In fact, you pretty much do what you would do with regular mashed potatoes until the very end.  If you didn't want to take the time to make cute individual servings you could also throw these in a baking dish & serve them up the old fashion way.  These potatoes are perfect for an Easter table.  They have a wonderful orange color and with the sprig of rosemary they look so festive.  Here's the DL...
Ingredients
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces
6 medium russet potatoes, peeled & cut into 2 inch pieces
6 ounces goat cheese
2-3 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
4 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup half and half
1 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 bunch fresh rosemary or parsley for garnish (optional)
Directions
In large pot combine potatoes and garlic and cover with water.  Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook about 20 minutes oar until potatoes are tender.  Drain and return to the pot.

Add goat cheese, salt, butter, half & half, and paprika.  Mash with potato masher until fairly smooth.  Add Parmesan and beat potatoes with electric mixer until smooth and fluffy (but do not beat too long).  If potatoes seem too thick to pipe into swirls add more half and half until desired consistency.  (If you are not swirling the potatoes you can serve them now.)

Chill potatoes for about 20 minutes.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

These potatoes swirls were made using the cookie sheet method.

Grease a cookie sheet or about 14 small dishes.  Using a spoon fill up a piping bag attached with a large star tip with the potatoes.  Pipe potatoes in a swirl fashion like an ice cream cone.  If doing this on a cookie sheet place potato swirls about 2 inches apart.  It is better to go tall and skinny with your swirls because they will settle as they cook.  Drizzle the tops of each swirl with melted butter.  Bake for about 10-20 minutes or until golden brown, the time will depend greatly on the size of your swirls.  Remove from oven and add a small sprig of rosemary or parsley and serve immediately.  Enjoy!

Open-face Apple Pear Pie

I love open face pies like this.  So easy to put together without sacrificing on taste & tons of yummy pie crust.  Inspired by the galette, this pie looks pretty & the fruits are sliced thin.  This is a great pie to pull together in a jiffy.  A good Thanksgiving pie, pulling fruits from the current harvest.  Here's the DL...
Ingredients
1 full recipe for  Flaky Pie Crust
3 large pears cored & thinly sliced
2 large Gala apples peeled, cored, & thinly sliced.
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
dash of nutmeg
1 egg beaten
1 tablespoon butter melted

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Mix sliced pears & apples with the sugar, cinnamon, & nutmeg.  Let sit for 5-10 minutes.  Roll out cold dough onto lightly floured surface into a circle shape.  Dough should be about 1/4 inch thick.  Gently fold dough in half & then in half again.  Transfer to a cookie sheet & unfold into circle shape again.  Pour fruit onto the middle of the dough.  Fold dough over the fruit allowing for the center to remain uncovered.  Brush entire top, including fruit, with melted butter.  Brush the crust with the beaten egg.  Bake for 45 minutes or until crust is brown & flaky.  Slice it up & enjoy!

*The apples I used were very large.  If you have smaller apples you may need to bump up the quantity.
Make the crust a day or two before to save time on Thanksgiving day.

Good Ol' Green Bean Casserole

I like green bean casserole because it taste so good & because it is so easy!  This is a must at any of our holiday tables.  Green bean casserole is a great dish to have your kiddos pitch in for the meal & make... it's that easy.  Here's the DL...
Ingredients
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 cans cut green beans
1/2 cup milk
1 cup French's fried onions
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix soup & milk together.  Add in beans & stir well.  Pour into casserole dish & bake for 30 minutes.  Stir again & sprinkle fried onions on the top.  Return to oven & bake 5 more minutes or until onions are golden brown.  Enjoy.

4th of July Feast: Meat

I think it's required by U.S. law that we BBQ for the 4th of July.  If it's not a law, it should be.  You can go many routes for your BBQ main dish.

Burgers

Steak

But today I want to share with you my baby back ribs recipe; an excellent all American 4th of July dish.  I love ribs, & I mean L.O.V.E. ribs.  Many people are intimidated by ribs, but they are actually quite easy.  Here's the skinny (or not so skinny if you're mean & scarf down about 10 of these babies):

You got to start by making the rub (recipe below).  This is a combination of seasonings that you literally rub on the ribs before you cook them.  The rub makes the meat wonderfully flavorful.

Now take your hands & rub that rub all over those ribs, both sides please.

Now many people would think you throw them on the grill at this point, but I differ.  If you want a really tender rib don't just go to grillin' them (unless your smoking them, but that's a whole other post).  Cover these babies up with tin foil & stick them in a 350 degree oven for an hour.

In the mean time whip you up some BBQ sauce (recipe below) & get that grill nice & hot.  Remove ribs from the oven & place on the prepared BBQ grill.  Next start slathering the ribs in BBQ sauce.

The ribs are already cooked so just grill it long enough for the BBQ sauce to caramelize & get all bubbly.

And a little charred looking... mmmm!  Now cut the ribs up by simply taking a knife & cutting in between each rib bone.

Eat em' up hot with an extra side dish of BBQ sauce.  Make sure to have extra napkins or wash clothes close by.  Enjoy your yummy Fourth of July!
Rub Recipe
2 tablespoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds

BBB Q Sauce
1 onion diced
3 Tbls butter
2 cups ketchup
1/3 cup molasses
1 teaspoon mustard
2 teaspoon brown sugar
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/8 cup whiskey
Melt butter in sauce pan.  Add diced onion & cook until tender, about 8-10 minutes.  Add remaining ingredients & allow to simmer stirring often for at least 10 minutes.  Taste it & add more salt or sugar as desired.  It you like things a little spicy add some chili powder.  So good you could eat it by the spoonful, but I suggest using it on top of ribs.


*recipe for 2 medium size rack of baby back ribs, adjust accordingly for your size of feast

4th of July Feast: Sides

Baked beans are a staple to any Fourth of July feast.  You could make your own homemade... or you can buy these.  I love these baked beans!  Which is saying a lot because in general I do not like baked beans.  The flavor in these Bush's Bourbon & Brown Sugar Grillin' Beans is awesome & the prep time only requires a can opener.

Easter Dinner: Veggie

Does anyone else always have carrots at Easter dinner?  It seems every year we do.  It must have something to do with correlation to the Easter Bunny... because bunnies eat carrots.  Hello... is this thing on?  Or maybe just because they taste good & there is no weird subconscious tie to the Easter Bunny.

Anywho... this is one of my favorite ways to make cooked carrots:
Ingredients
3 tablespoons butter
6 large carrots
dill
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Wash & peel carrots.

Cut carrots in half, then cut cut length wise to to 3 or 4 sections, or about 1/4 inch thick as pictured.  Fill a large saucepan with about 1/2 inch of water.  Heat until boiling & add carrots.  Cover and cook about 3 minutes, just until they are barely tender.  Meanwhile put butter on a large baking sheet & set in the oven until butter is completely melted.  Remove from oven.  Drain blanched carrots & place the carrots to the baking sheet.  Gently turn carrots to coat in melted butter.  Place in the oven for about 10-15, or until carrots start to turn light brown.  Remove from oven & sprinkle dill on the top.  Serve immediately.

Happy Easter dinner preparing!

Easter Dinner: Potatoes

It's coming folks.  Despite the snow that keeps falling from the sky (two mornings in a row here), spring is ushering in Easter... in like, a few days!  That means you need to get Easter outfits ready & pressed, Easter baskets filled with goodies, & the big one, Easter dinner prepared.  One staple of Easter dinner in our family is potatoes.  Their not necessarily prepared the same way every year, but they are there in one form or the other.  This is one of my favorite potato dishes.  It hails from me trying to recreate a potato side I had at a restaraunt a long time ago.  It's taken a few years, & although it's not exactly the same it's close.  And its yummy.  And it's easy.  Perfect for busy holidays that require your best foot forward.  Here goes...

Cheesy Potato Cakes
1 cup half & half
1 cup heavy cream
6 medium russet potatoes
4 tablespoons butter
4 chopped garlic cloves
1 diced medium onion
1 package cream cheese (8 oz), softened
3 ounces goat cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
4 tablespoons minced chives


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking dish (I use butter, but you could also use non-stick spray or another healthier option).  Scrub potatoes & then slice very thinly, if you have a mandolin that would work best, but I don't- so I slice very thinly.  Mix 1/2 cup half & half, 1/2 cup heavy cream, salt & pepper together in a large bowl.  Place potatoes in the cream mixture stir a couple of times just to coat, set aside.  


In a large skillet melt the butter & add the garlic & onion.  Cook for about 5 minutes until onions are translucent & smell delicious.  Add the cream cheese & goat cheese & stir constantly for a couple of minutes until incorporated & smooth.  Add the remaining half & half & heavy cream, stir to combine.  Add in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese & blue cheese & stir to combine.  Remove from heat.


Evenly place the potatoes into the baking dish & press down slightly.  They don't need to be perfect but you want them fairly flat.  Pour the cheese mixture over the top of the potatoes & sprinkle remaining Parmesan over the top.  Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes or until golden on top.  Remove from oven & sprinkle chives over the top.  Loosely cover with tin foil & let it stand for 10 minutes.  Cut into single serving squares & enjoy.

This dish looks so pretty & fancy.  Bonus: it taste awesome.  Few things with Parmesan & blue cheese & cream taste bad.  Enjoy!