Tuscan Fries

Who doesn't love french fries?  

I'm kinda picky about fries and prefer them with the skins on, on the thin side, crispy, and well salted.  I occasionally fry my own but find standing over the stove frying batch after batch to be tedious.  When I spotted this recipe that calls for starting them in cold oil and pretty much just leaving them until they are done I knew this was the start of something wonderful.

And wonderful they were.  I sliced my potatoes thinner than suggested and ended up with this lovely pile of french fries that were perfectly golden and crispy.  Exactly like I like them.  Garlic and a handful of herbs are tossed in the oil after a while and add wonderful flavor and elevate these fries to something extraordinary.  As if a plateful of french fries weren't incentive enough, the easy prep for these makes this recipe a must try. 

In other news - I’m participating in a Good Old Fashioned Recipe Blog Swap! Julie {White Lights on Wednesday}, Kelley {Miss Information} and Rachel {i love my disorganized life} have paired up 30 incredible bloggers to trade blogs for the day.

Cindy from Crazylou Creations and I will be sharing a fabulous recipe on each other's blogs {but we can't tell you what they are, because they're a secret!}.  Be sure to visit both of us on May 27th, we wouldn't want you to miss out on any deliciousness!

Tuscan Fries
Nigellissima, Nigella Lawson

2 1/4 pounds potatoes (Nigella recommends Yukon Gold but I used Russets)
1 1/2 quarts corn oil or flavorless vegetable oil, for frying
Unpeeled cloves from 1 head garlic
8 tender top sprigs thyme, rosemary, and sage, or herbs of your choice
Kosher salt, to taste

Cut the short ends off each potato (but don't peel) so that it can sit up vertically, and then slice downwards into generous 1/2-inch slices.  Cut these slices into fries about 1/2 inch thick; again, err on the generous side.  Load up a clean dishcloth with the fries as you cut them.

Put the oil into a wide, heavy pan and add the freshly cut potatoes.  Then put the pan over high heat and bring to a boil, which should take about 5 minutes.  Keep a careful watch on the pan at all times.

Continue to cook the fries, without stirring them, for another 15 minutes.  The pan will be bubbling vigorously.  If the oil gets too hot or bubbles too hard, reduce the heat a little, and always keep a close eye on it.  (If you're using a thermometer, once the oil temperatures reaches 325° F, turn down the heat slightly and keep the fries cooking at between 300 and 325° F.)

Now you can very carefully give the fries a gentile stir with a pair of tongs held in an oven mitt, moving any that have stuck away from the bottom or sides of the pan.  Add the unpeeled cloves of garlic to the pan, stir gently again, and cook for another 5-10 minutes (watching the temperature and making sure the garlic doesn't look burnt or the fries too dark), before testing a fry for crispness on the outside and tenderness on the inside.  Do not burn your mouth!  You might need another 5 minutes or so beyond this, but stand by your pan; the fries can turn from a cooked gold to a burnt bronze quickly.

At the point when the fries are pale gold, but crisp, toss in the herbs, then after a minute or so scoop everything out - using a couple of perforated scoops for ease, and wearing oven mitts to protect your hands - onto a baking sheet or platter lined with a double thickness of paper towels.  Sprinkle with salt and serve.

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

Have you ever met someone that is so flippin' cute that you just want to stick them in your pocket and take them home?  That's how I feel about Kate Horning.  

Kate is a local blogger, dietitian, culinary instructor, and health guru.  Along with her partner, Bryan, she recently hosted a group of Kentucky Food Bloggers for a tapas style dinner party.  I'm not gonna lie, I was a little intimidated when I visited Kate's site for the first time because this girl is all about cooking healthy while I find it difficult to cook without a stick of butter and half a slab of bacon.  But I signed up for the evening with an open mind and I am so glad I did.

Our menu for the evening:
             Tofu with Sauteed Greens
             Shrimp & Grits
             Curried Butternut Squash Soup
             Creole Burgers
             Hot Bananas w/Ice Cream

We milled about the kitchen watching Kate and Bryan cook and share their stories and tips.  Truth be told, I was itching to get on the other side of the counter and help out.  The chemistry between these two is the real deal and was not only informative, but entertaining.  They are perfect together.

I was unprepared to really like most of the menu items, but I loved everything.  Now, I won't be making tofu anytime soon, but I have already made the kale dish and the butternut squash soup.   And can't wait to make the veggie burgers.  Each dish was so full of flavor.  Oh, and I can't forget the wine!  Each course was paired with an delicious Kentucky wines from Wildside Winery.  

As much as I enjoyed all of the delicious food, wine, and conversation the take away of the night for me was the desire to try new foods and to eat a little healthier.  I'm not planning on giving up my butter or bacon anytime soon, but am trying to incorporate my veggies into my daily diet.  And for that, I thank you Kate!

This soup is super easy to make and you will swear it gets its creamy texture from cream.  Tastes decadent, but it's totally healthy.  

Curried Butternut Squash Soup
slightly adapted from Simply Nutritious by Kate

1 large butternut squash
olive oil
salt and pepper
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced

2-3 cups chicken stock (I only used 2 and wish I had added the extra cup)
2 tablespoons curry
Sour cream for topping


Preheat oven to 425°.  Halve squash, scoop out seeds and place on baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Bake about 45 minutes, flipping halfway through, cooking until squash is tender.  In the meantime, place the onion in a stock pot with a drizzle of olive oil, and cook over medium heat until onions are soft and translucent, about 10 minutes.  Stir in garlic and remove from heat.  Scoop out squash and place in stock pot with onions and garlic.  Add chicken stock and curry and stir until combined.  Puree to desired consistency with blender, food processor, or immersion blender.  Cook until hot and serve with a dollop of sour cream.

Rub-All-Over-Your-Body Cornbread Stuffing

Are you ready for Thanksgiving?  The holidays have kind of creeped up on me this year, but I'm starting to feel the beginnings of holiday spirit.  

Stuffing, or dressing if you prefer, is probably my favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal.  Especially this one.  I found the recipe for Rub-All-Over-Your-Body Cornbread Stuffing in In Style magazine a couple of years ago and it has been the stuffing dish on my Thanksgiving table ever since.  The story goes it got its provocative name because it is so delicious you will want to rub it all over your body.  I've never been inclined to rub it on my body but I'm more than happy to eat multiple servings of it.  

The combination of cornbread and biscuits add for a variety in not only flavor, but texture.  I've used other bread crumbs instead of biscuits and it is equally delicious.  The other secrets are the poultry seasoning and the sausage.  So simple, but so delicious.  If you don't already have a family favorite stuffing/dressing recipe, please give this on a try.

Rub-All-Over-Your-Body Cornbread Stuffing
adapted from In Style, November 2010

1/2 - 1 pound of mild sausage

1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
1 cup onion, finely chopped

5 cups day old cornbread, crumbled
4 cups day old biscuits, crumbled (or other bread crumbled/cubed)
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon chopped sage (fresh or dried)
1 teaspoon chopped parsley (fresh or dried)
1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/2 cup butter, melted
4 cups chicken stock (more if needed)

Preheat oven to 350°.

Brown sausage in skillet over medium high heat, crumbling into small pieces.  Add celery and onion and cook until sausage is cooked through and vegetables are almost soft.  Set aside.

Place cornbread, biscuits, pepper, salt, sage, parsley, poultry seasoning, and butter in a large bowl.  Add sausage mixture and chicken stock and mix until combined and bread is moistened, adding additional chicken stock as needed or preferred.

Pour mixture in a 9" x 13" casserole dish and bake for one hour adding more chicken stock if the stuffing gets dry.  

FFWD - Broth-Braised Potatoes

These potatoes may look boring but they are anything but.  Broth-Braised Potatoes are one of my favorite recipes to date from Around My French Table to date.  

I've actually enjoyed recipes for side dishes from Dorie most of all.  Maybe because side dishes often feel like an after thought and don't receive the attention they deserve.  Sometimes it's hard to get the creative juices following with only broccoli as an inspiration.  But Garlic Crumb-Coated Broccoli proves that it can be gussied up with little effort.  Spiced Butter Glazed Carrots are crave worthy and have graced my dinner table numerous times.  And now these Broth-Braised Potatoes.

Why didn't I think of this?  Simply cooking small potatoes in an aromatic chicken broth full of herbs, garlic, and my favorite part, a strip of lemon peel, results in potatoes that are so full of flavor you will be hitting yourself on the head for not coming up with this one your own.  (If you are already cooking your potatoes in this manner, I bow to you and your genius.)

More technique, than recipe, these lovely little potatoes will be a regular around my dinner table.

Be sure to check out what the rest of our group thought of this recipe at French Fridays with Dorie.  Run to get the recipe,here.

Cauliflower-Bacon Gratin

Wow.  It has been forever since I've participated in French Fridays with Dorie.  But the Cauliflower-Bacon Gratin is one of the recipes I had been wanting to try since I received the cookbook.  And, it seemed like a perfect addition to my Christmas spread.

More of a crustless quiche than a gratin, this was very good.  Rich and decadent are hallmarks of many of the recipes in Around My French Table and this one falls into those same categories.  Cauliflower is cooked and then combined with bacon.  A whole bunch of eggs, cream, milk, and cheese are poured over the top and the whole thing is cooked until puffed and golden.

Finding the cauliflower a bit bland, I wish I had roasted it instead of boiling it.  This would have resulted in better texture and flavor of the cauliflower itself.  I used Swiss cheese instead of Gruyere not out of preference, but because I am often cheap and I already had some Swiss in my massive drawer of cheese.  Stronger, nuttier cheese is better here but the Swiss worked fine.  

I have to admit this wasn't the over-the-top, out-of-this-world delicious casserole I was expected.  But that's not a bad thing.  My initial disappointment turned to appreciation for a dish that highlights an under utilized and under appreciated veggie.  I plan on making this again but will roast the cauliflower, add lots more salt, and probably cut back on the cream.  

Please visit the French Fridays with Dorie site to see what other bloggers did with this dish and other fun stuff.

Cauliflower-Bacon Gratin
Around My French Table, Dorie Greenspan

1 cauliflower
1/4 pound bacon, cut crosswise into slender strips
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
5 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup heavy cream
2/3 cup whole milk
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg
3 ounces Gruyere (you can use Emmenthal, or even Swiss in a pinch), grated

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.  Generously butter an oven-going pan that hold about 2 1/2 quarts.  (It's not elegant and it's a tad too big, but a 9-by-13- inch Pyrex pan is fine.)  Put the dish on the baking sheet.

Put a large pot of salted water on to boil.  Pull or cut the florets from the cauliflower, leaving about an inch or so of stem.  Drop the florets into the boiling water and cook for 10 minutes.  Drain, rinse the cauliflower under cold running water to cool it down, and pat it dry.  (Alternatively, you can steam the florets over salted water.  When they're fork-tender, drain and pat dry.)

While the cauliflower is cooking, toss the bacon strips into a heavy skillet, put the skillet over medium heat, and cook just until the bacon is browned but not crisp.  Drain and pat dry.

Spread the cauliflower out in the buttered pan, and scatter over the bacon bits.

Put the flour in a bowl and gradually whisk in the eggs.  When the flour and eggs are blended, whisk in the cream and milk.  Season the mixture with salt, pepper and nutmeg, and stir in about two thirds of the cheese.  Pour the mixture over the cauliflower, shake the pan a little so that the liquid settles between the florets, and scatter over the remaining cheese.

Bake the gratin for about 25 minutes, or until it is puffed and golden and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.  If the top isn't as brown as you'd like it to be, run it under the broiler for a couple of minutes.  

Macaroni and Gouda Cheese Casserole

I have visited the lovely Asheville, North Carolina numerous times including an impromptu getaway with my husband earlier this year.  We had a great time sightseeing, white water rafting and eating but I regret not eating at Tupelo Honey Cafe while we there.  Known for their farm to table food that features traditional Southern favorites with a modern twist it is considered to be one of the best restaurants in the city.  

I didn't realize they had published a cookbook until I found it on the library shelf recently and am now enjoying their creative food at home.  The copy of the book is sitting on my kitchen counter with about a hundred post-its marking recipes I want to try.  It is quite obvious that a 14 day loan from the library is not going to be enough and I am going to have to purchase a copy of the book for my collection.  

First recipe I tried was the Macaroni and Gouda Cheese Casserole.  I wanted to make mac n' cheese for Christmas dinner and just happened to have a block of Gouda in my fridge.  A total sucker for manager's specials in the cheese case, the Gouda found it's way into my cart.  Foreshadowing, perhaps?

This recipe is a bit different than my usual macaroni and cheese recipe in that it doesn't begin with a roux.  As I poured in the three (yes, three) cups of cream and cheese, I was skeptical that this was going to turn out.  The mixture seemed too loose, almost soupy.  But I kept going and was pleasantly surprised with the finished product.  The pasta absorbed the cream and the resulting casserole was perfect.  Ritz crackers and panko are tossed together to create a bread crumb mixture to be layered on the bottom and the top of the dish resulting in crunch in every bite.  

I forced my husband and daughter to try this before I served it to the rest of the family.  (The missing portion in the photo.)  My daughter is a macaroni and cheese connoisseur and my husband a mac n'cheese hater.  Both loved this.  Loved it.  So much so that I had to fight them off to keep them out of it so I wouldn't be left serving a dish of food that looked like it was attacked by wild animals.

Now my new macaroni and cheese recipe, it combines traditional Southern ingredients and dishes (Ritz crackers and macaroni and cheese) with newer flavors and modern twists (panko and Gouda).  I can't wait to continue to cook my way through this beautiful book and am planning another visit to Asheville so I can taste their food first hand!

Macaroni and Gouda Cheese Casserole
adapted from Tupelo Honey Cafe, Elizabeth Sims with Chef Brian Sonoskus 

4 ounces Ritz Crackers
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
8 cups water
2 cups elbow macaroni
3 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups shredded gouda cheese (about 8 ounces)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Lightly butter a 9 by 13-inch baking dish.  In a food processor (or with your hands), pulse the crackers, bread crumbs, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, until coarsely ground.  Place the mixture in a large bowl and combine with the the melted butter.  Set the cracker mixture aside.

Bring the water to a boil in a large stockpot and add 1/2 teaspoon of the salt.  Add the macaroni and cook over high heat for about 12 minutes, or until just tender or al dente.  Drain the pasta and return to the stockpot. Add the cream cheese, remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.  Cook over high heat, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

Sprinkle half of the bread crumb mixture evenly on the bottom of the prepared baking dish.  Pour in the macaroni mixture and top with the remaining bread crumb mixture.  Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top and bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.  Turn the oven off and let the casserole rest inside for 5 minutes before serving.

Corn Casserole

Sweet summer corn. Is there anything better? Every time I go to the grocery I pick up a few ears because I know we are at the end of the season.

This easy dish combines the sweet, fresh, corn flavor of summer and is a great transition into fall dish. I don't use a lot of Paula Deen recipes because I find, like her, they are often too much but tweaked this one a bit so that it was still creamy and cheesy but I didn't feel like I was going to have a heart attack as I walked away from the table.

A big hit in my house, this may replace the traditional corn pudding I make during the holidays.

Linking to:

Mouthwatering Mondays

Melt in Your Mouth Mondays

Your Recipe, My Kitchen

Corn Casserole

Paula Deen

1 (15 1/4-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained (I used the corn from 2 ears of fresh corn)

1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn

1 (8-ounce) package corn muffin mix (I used Jiffy)

1 cup light sour cream

1 teaspoon finely chopped jalapenos (optional)

1/2 stick butter, melted (I dotted 2 tablespoons across top of casserole)

1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (I used about 1/3 cup)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a large bowl, mix together the 2 cans of corn, the corn muffin mix, sour cream, and melted butter. Pour into a large casserole dish prepared with non-stick cooking spray.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown. Let casserole rest for 5 minutes and then serve warm.

Cookbook Review - Modern Hospitality & 3 Recipes

I am a sucker for any cooking show and faithfully watched the first season of MasterChef. Whitney Miller was my favorite from the beginning because her food looked good and she was always a good competitor.

The second season of the show didn't hold my interest but I was excited to check out Whitney's cookbook. Based on her performance on the show and the good reviews on Amazon, I bought the book sight unseen.

The book itself is lovely with a feminine, vintage feel and lots of beautifully styled photos. The recipes are Southern and, for the most part, simple. My initial reaction was that some of the recipes are too simple; a recipe for scrambled eggs that calls for only eggs, salt and pepper? However, this recipe focused on the technique and since it is the same one that I use and I am famous for my scrambled eggs, I decided it was a worthy inclusion.

After making three of the recipes and pursuing several others, I think a few more details could have been included in spots. For example, the recipe for Sweet Potato Peanut Butter Blondies didn't indicate whether the mixture should be mixed by hand or with an electric mixer. I mixed it by hand and it was fine, but think an electric mixer would have resulted in a more consistent end product.

All of the recipes are true to Southern ingredients and flavor profiles but with a nod to making them slightly healthier and more modern. She also takes some non-Southern dishes and uses ingredients indigenous to this region of the country to put her own spin on them such as Butter Bean Hummus and Turnip Green Pesto.

I tried the Buttermilk Pan-Fried Chicken, Cauliflower Mac N'Cheese, and Sweet Potato Butter Blondies and would make all three again with some minor tweaks. The Buttermilk Pan-Fried Chicken was good, but nothing extraordinary. While I appreciated her technique of pan frying the chicken to get a crisp coating, I felt it lost some of that once finished in the oven. I also think this dish needed a bit more seasoning.

Cauliflower Mac N'Cheese is sure to be a hit with kids and an awesome way to incorporate an underused and unappreciated vegetable in their diet. My daughter thought that there was cauliflower and macaroni in the dish based on the name but loved it even without her beloved pasta. I would probably reduce the amount of milk in the dish for a slightly thicker sauce, but this was pretty awesome as is.

Sweet Potato Peanut Butter Blondies are another clever recipe featuring a hidden healthy veggie in the mix. I loved these bars and can see this being a go to recipe when I want to a quick sweet treat. Instructions or suggestions on how to cook the sweet potato would have been a nice addition. I cooked mine in the microwave until soft and then just scooped out the flesh. These bars are a great blank slate and easily could be upped a notch with the addition of salted peanuts, chocolate chips or a simple glaze.

While probably too simplistic for advanced home cooks, Modern Hospitality is a great resource for simple, delicious Southern cooking.

Buttermilk Pan-Fried Chicken

Modern Hospitality, Whitney Miller

3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 6 ounces each)

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 cup buttermilk

1 large egg

Pinch of cayenne pepper

1 cup all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons canola oil

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Season both sides of the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/8 teaspoon of the black pepper. Stir together the buttermilk and egg in a shallow dish. Combine the flour with the cayenne and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper on a plate.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dip the chicken in the buttermilk mixture and then coat in the seasoned flour. Carefully place the chicken in the hot oil. Cook for 2 minutes on each side. Remove from the pan and place on the baking sheet. Bake until cooked through but still juicy (about 155F on an instant-read thermometer), 6 to 8 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Serves 3

Sweet Potato Peanut Butter Blondies

Modern Hospitality, Whitney Miller

Unsalted butter, for greasing baking dish

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

2/3 cup butter, melted

2 cups packed light brown sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup cooked sweet potato, mashed

2/3 cup peanut butter

2 Tbsp vanilla

1/4 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with unsalted butter.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda into a small bowl.

In a medium bowl, mix together the melted butter and brown sugar. Stir in the beaten eggs, sweet potato, peanut butter, vanilla, and cinnamon until combined. Add the flour mixture ingredients and mix well.

Spread the batter evenly in the baking dish. Bake for 18 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes. Cut the blondies into squares or desired shapes.

Cauliflower Mac N' Cheese

Modern Hospitality, Whitney Miller

8 cups cauliflower florets (1 head)

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp Kosher salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

2 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp flour

1 1/2 cups fat-free milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 tsp table salt

1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400. Toss florets in oil on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until fork-tender and lightly browned, 25 minutes. Remove pan from oven and reduce to 350.

Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk. Simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently, until thickened, 2 to 4 minutes. Whisk in cream and cook 5 minutes.

Remove pan from heat and stir in 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp pepper and all but 2 Tbsp cheese. Stir over medium-low heat for 5 minutes.

Place cauliflower in an 8X8-in glass baking dish or 4 individual ramekins. Pour cheese sauce on top and sprinkle with 2 Tbsp. cheese. Bake until sauce is bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes.

Sweet Potato Peanut Butter Blondies

Modern Hospitality, Whitney Miller

Unsalted butter, for greasing baking dish

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

2/3 cup butter, melted

2 cups packed light brown sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup cooked sweet potato, mashed

2/3 cup peanut butter

2 Tbsp vanilla

1/4 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with unsalted butter.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda into a small bowl.

In a medium bowl, mix together the melted butter and brown sugar. Stir in the beaten eggs, sweet potato, peanut butter, vanilla, and cinnamon until combined. Add the flour mixture ingredients and mix well.

Spread the batter evenly in the baking dish. Bake for 18 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes. Cut the blondies into squares or desired shapes.

Mandarin Orange Almond Quinoa

I've been a little obsessed with quinoa every since I tried it for French Fridays with Dorie recently. I've played around with a couple of recipes and came up with this one a couple of weeks ago that I really like.

I loved the mandarin chicken salad that Wendy's used to sell and this sort of mimics those flavors with the almonds, oranges, and sesame dressing. I will probably still tweak the ingredients a bit (honey instead of sugar? a smidge of cayenne pepper? the addition of some scallions?) but am pretty smitten with it as is.

Let me know - do you like quinoa?

Mandarin Orange Almond Quinoa

1/4 cup sliced or slivered almonds

1 cup quinoa

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon juice from mandarin oranges

drop of sesame oil

1/4 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

ground pepper

1/3 cup mandarin oranges, drained

Preheat oven to 350 F and toast almonds, about 10 minutes. Cook quinoa in salted water until done, drain. Make the dressing by mixing olive oil, mandarin orange juice, sesame oil, sugar, salt, salt, and pepper with whisk or shake in jar until well combined. Place quinoa in bowl and coat with dressing. Mix in almonds and mandarin oranges.

FFWD - Cardamom Rice Pilaf

I love using cardamom so I was excited about trying Dorie's Cardamom Rice Pilaf. I love it in both in savory and sweet dishes and find it adds that little bit of something extra to a dish.

I rarely make rice and when I do, it's usually Uncle Ben's quick cooking rice in a bag. Pasta or potatoes are my family's preferred starches but I do enjoy eating it. Cooking it, not so much. I bought jasmine rice from the bins at the co-op and made sure to rinse it throughly before cooking. I caught it just before it was about to stick and ultimately, scorch. The rice was fluffy and cooked perfectly so I'm sold on Dorie's technique.

My daughter and I both grabbed a bit as soon as I plated it up and our first reaction was 'mmmm, yummy.' After a couple more bites my daughter decided she did not care for the cardamom seeds and I felt the flavor was a bit strong as well. I used cardamom pods in another dish I made that evening and we both noticed the cardamom flavor was strong there as well so maybe I just picked up some really potent pods. I thought the lemon zest was lovely in the rice. So this one was a hit for the cooking method, but a miss on the overall flavor for us.

I do plan on cooking rice more often using this quick recipe!

FFWD - Garlicky Crumb-Coated Broccoli

I love these super easy Dorie recipes.

Garlic is cooked in butter until fragrant, then bread crumbs are toasted/sauteed in the butter until they have absorbed the lovely flavors. Lemon zest and herbs are added for more flavor. Cooked broccoli is tossed in the bread crumbs and then served. That's it.

Easy, fast, and delicious. We loved this recipe. Broccoli is already a favorite veggie in our house but this elevated it to another level. The crumbs don't actually coat the broccoli, they maintain their own identity adding crunch and flavor. I used panko bread crumbs and they worked beautifully. The lemon zest adds a bright note and I think a little squeeze of the juice would be nice as well.

Another awesome recipe from Around My French Table.

FFWD - Pancetta Green Beans

This week's French Fridays with Dorie was super simple - green beans mixed with crispy pancetta and finished with a drizzle of olive oil.

Here in the South, we like our green beans cooked until they are soft, tender and are a mere shadow of what they started out as. I like to have a crisper green bean every once in a while but I knew this dish would be a tough sell to my husband and wasn't sure how my girl would recieve them. The husband hated them even after a boiled and sauteed them longer than the recipe called for and my daughter liked them quite a bit. I enjoyed the saltiness of the pancetta and also the finish with olive oil. However, I wish I had thought to use my super delicious olive oil that I bought in Chianti. All in all it was nice to have a recipe this week that only called for a few ingredients and came together quickly and easily!

To check out what the rest of the French Fridays with Dorie group thought of this one, visit here!

FFWD - Gnocchi a la Parisienne

I'm not going to lie, when I saw that we were making gnocchi this month I was a little apprehensive. I've only eaten gnocchi a few times and my impressions have been mixed. I've even made gnocchi twice. The first time was during a cooking class in Florence. Italy. With a real Italian chef. That gnocchi was out of this world delicious. And fun to make. Stateside, I made the recipe again and it wasn't nearly as fun, or delicious.

My apprehension about making gnocchi with French Fridays with Dorie was alleviated when I saw that this wasn't the gnocchi I was expecting. Who would have thought that pate a choux dough could be turned into gnocchi?! Making the dough was easy, I even followed Tante advice and whipped up an egg white to lighten the mixture up. I found a small cookie scoop was the easiest tool to drop the gnocchi into simmering water. The bechamel was easy, although my was lumpy. My fault for adding the milk to quickly. I topped the gnocchi with a mixture of grated Parmesan and Gruyere and popped this fancy French macaroni and cheese into the oven. A quick bake under the broiler helped the dish achieve a lovely suntan brown color.

On to tasting. This was good. A little different (not a bad thing). A lot rich. My daughter said it would be good with bacon and I think she's write. It needed an additional bit of flavor and/or texture to help tone down the richness. One last note - this recipe generates a sinkful of dirty dishes!

Spiced Butter Glazed Carrots

Three months with French Fridays with Dorie and I haven't missed a recipe yet! I am committed to trying to make as many of the recipes as possible although there are quite a few in the book that use ingredients that I'm not a fan of. This one for Spiced Butter Glazed Carrots does NOT fall in that category!

I love carrots but almost always just roast them with some olive oil and fresh thyme. I have a new way to fix them with this delicious recipe. I loved, loved how the natural sweetness of the carrot balanced beautifully with the earthy spiciness of the ginger and cardamom seeds. The butter and chicken stock reduce to create a finger licking good glaze that coats the carrots perfectly. Visually, this is beautiful dish. I like my carrots without much crunch but that often means sacrificing the vibrant orange color. Not so with this preparation! Gorgeous orange discs are mingled with the slivers of ginger and the black cardamom seeds. Homey and exotic, this dish is a winner!

French Fridays with Dorie group members are asked not to post the recipes on our blogs. Dorie Greenspan's Around My French Table is truly a work of art and is on many top ten cookbooks of 2010 lists. You can purchase it at your local bookstore or here. This recipe is too good not to share, so please email me if you want the recipe!

FFWD - Potato Gratin

Loved this! I saved Potato Gratin for the last November recipe in the French Fridays with Dorie rotation.

I love using my handheld mandolin for a couple of reasons. First, I'm always amazed that this little plastic utensil is so scary sharp and second, there is something incredibly satisfying about the volume of paper thin slices you can get from a few meager potatoes. In this dish, these delicate slices are artfully arranged layer by a layer in a dish with each layer receiving a liberal sprinkling of salt and pepper and then being covered with a garlic infused cream. The mixture is then showered with rich, nutty, buttery Gruyere cheese. The end result is a dish that is so simple and perfect. I had intended to add a little thyme to mine but forget and that is the only thing that I think could make this dish even more sublime!

Broccoli Salad

Broccoli, bacon, peanuts, and raisins???? I was skeptical that this mishmash of ingredients would taste anything resembling good the first time I tried Broccoli Salad but I was so wrong. This is one of my favorite salads and thought this would be the perfect time to share it with you since it is a great addition to a Memorial Day cookout.

Bite size florets of broccoli are tossed with peanuts, bacon, and raisins (you can also use some green onion for a little bite) and then coated in a dressing akin to a cole slaw dressing. This salad is really about texture and combining crunchy, chewy, salty, and sweet. While not low fat or particularly healthy, the abundance of raw broccoli always makes me feel like I am eating something that is good for me. Definately one of my favorite ways to get in a serving of veggies!

Broccoli Salad

4 cups broccoli florets
1/2 cup peanuts (I use lightly salted)
1/2 cup raisins
8 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled

Dressing

1/2 cup sugar
1 cup mayo (I use reduced fat)
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Combine all ingredients and chill.

Thanksgiving-Worthy Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

Is there any better comfort food than mashed potatoes? I have made these Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes from Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa at Home two times in as many weeks. After the first bite I deemed them Thanksgiving worthy.

I love using Yukon Gold potatoes and their butteriness comes through in this dish. The buttermilk adds a creamy tang and smooths out the consistency of the potatoes perfectly. Ina recommends using a food mill to mash the potatoes and it just so happens I have one (one of my favorite garage sale finds ever!) I have used both the fine and coarse blades on the mill and prefer the fine blade for a lighter, creamy potato.

A heaping bowl of these potatoes with pools of melted butter will fit in beautifully on your Thanksgiving table this year!

Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes
Barefoot Contessa at Home by Ina Garten

Kosher salt
3 pounds boiling potatoes, such as Yukon gold, peeled
1/2 cup milk
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter
3/4 to 1 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a large pot, bring 4 quarts of water and 2 tablespoons of salt to a boil. Meanwhile, cut the potatoes into 1 1/2-inch cubes and add them to the boiling water. Bring the water to a boil again, lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes fall apart easily when pierced with a fork.

Meanwhile, heat the milk and butter in a small saucepan, making sure it doesn't boil. Set aside until the potatoes are done.

As soon as the potatoes are tender, drain them in a colander. Place a food mill fitted with a small disc/blade over a heatproof bowl. Process the potatoes through the food mill, turning the handle back and forth. As soon as the potatoes are mashed, stir in the hot milk-and-butter mixture with a whisk or rubber spatula. Add enough buttermilk to make the potatoes creamy. Add 2 teaspoons of salt and the pepper, to taste, and serve hot.

Baby Back Ribs with Italian Beans and Sage

For the past year or so, much of my recipe discovery and research has occurred online. But lately, I have found myself returning to cookbooks. I love books, magazines, newspapers, anything I can read. And as much as I love the Internet and can't imagine life without it, it makes me very sad to think it is slowly replacing printed material, material that is tactile and makes noise and gets smeared with drops of tomato sauce as you cook from it.

So, I have been finding myself pulling my cookbooks off the shelf and buying them again. One of my recent purchases was the gem Italy Anywhere, Living an Italian Culinary Life Wherever You Call Home, by Lori DeMori with Jean-Louis De Mori and Antonio Tommasi that I picked up for $2 at the used bookstore. It is filled with traditional Italian recipes from their restaurants in Los Angeles and her Italian husband's childhood and with advice on bringing the Italian love and appreciation for good food and cooking into your own home. The first recipe I tried from the book were these delicious Baby Back Ribs with Italian Beans and Sage.

I intended to follow the original recipe to the letter, but it called for two types of dried beans with different cooking times. That seemed like too much work so I opted to use only the cannellini beans. However, when I went to make the beans, I realized I failed to soak them the night before, even after thinking all day long that the beans really should be soaked or they will never get soft. Kicking myself for not fully reading a recipe (again) I grabbed a can of cannellini beans from the pantry and found they worked great. The recipe below is adapted to include this change and some others I made to the beans. This dish was fantastic! The ribs were tender, moist, and full of flavor from the herbs. The beans were also full of flavor and I plan on making those regularly on their own. And as the book promised, I did live the Italian culinary life for an afternoon!

Baby Back Ribs with Italian Beans and Sage
adapted from Italy Anywhere by Lori DeMori

For the ribs:
1 slab baby back ribs, approximately 1 1/2 lbs
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 large sprigs of fresh rosemary
4 branches of fresh thyme
2 handfuls of fresh sage leaves

For the beans:
1 can cannellini beans
2 T extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 T Italian pancetta, finely chopped
2 t garlic, minced
1 C tomato sauce (I used leftover jarred sauce)
1 t each fresh rosemary, sage and thyme
1/2 C chicken broth, hot

Method: ribs
Preheat the oven to 350°.

If your butcher has not already done so, pull away the thin opaque membrane that covers the underside of the ribs.

Sprinkle both sides of each slab with salt and a generous grinding of black pepper.

Place a wire rack inside a large baking or roasting pan. Fill the pan with 1 1/2 inches of water.
Lay half of the herbs on the rack, then place the ribs, meaty side up, on top. Cover with remaining herbs.

Tent the pan with aluminum foil so that no steam will escape during cooking and place ribs in oven for about 2 hours. They are ready when the meat is tender and moist.

Let the meat cool for 5 minutes then cut into 2 or 3 rib sections.

Method: beans
Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan ove low heat. Add onion, pancetta and garlic. Sauté until onion and garlic are golden.

Stir in tomato sauce. When it begins to bubble, add chopped herbs, the cooked beans, and the chicken broth. Simmer mixture together.

Ladle the beans onto individual plates, place a portion of ribs on top, and serve.

BLT Pasta Salad

I made this BLT pasta salad on Memorial Day and meant to post it before the 4th of July. I didn't get around to posting it for a lot of reasons, but not because it wasn't blog worthy. I bookmarked it in the previous issue of Food TV magazine as soon as I saw it because I liked the different take on pasta salad. Also, I previously mentioned my dislike of raw tomatoes, and was drawn to this recipe because the tomatoes are cooked in the bacon drippings prior to adding them to the salad. I substituted grape tomatoes cut in half because I prefer their flavor.

This was quite tasty and easy to put together. The recipe makes a huge amount making it great for cookouts and pot lucks. I think it would be fun to pair this deconstructed BLT salad with a BLT sandwich.

BLT Pasta Salad

Food Network magazine

12 ounces corkscrew-shaped pasta
1/2 cup milk
12 ounces lean bacon
3 medium ripe tomatoes, cut into chunks
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 clove garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
4 tablespoons chopped chives or scallion greens
5 heads Bibb lettuce, quartered, or 5 cups chopped romaine hearts

Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water as the label directs. Drain and toss with the milk in a large bowl; set aside.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Discard all but 3 tablespoons drippings from the pan. Add the tomatoes, thyme and garlic to the pan and toss until warmed through; season with salt and pepper. Crumble the bacon into bite-size pieces; set aside 1/4 cup for garnish. Toss the remaining bacon and the tomato mixture with the pasta.

Mix the mayonnaise, sour cream and 3 tablespoons chives with the pasta until evenly combined. Season with salt and pepper. Add the lettuce; toss again to coat. Garnish with the reserved bacon and the remaining 1 tablespoon chives. Serve at room temperature.

Double Tomato Bruschetta

Stop reading if you don't like easy, quick, delicious recipes!

I found this recipe for Double Tomato Bruschetta while cruising All Recipes over the weekend and have already made it twice. They are delicious little bites and everyone that has tried them loves them, even my super picky niece. I love having recipes like this in my arsenal for parties and impromptu snacks.

I used canned tomatoes because I had them and it was easier but would not skimp on the fresh basil or balsamic vinegar. They, along with the sun dried tomatoes, are the stars of the show. I learned a lot about balsamic vinegar and tasted some amazing vinegars that had been aged for 10+ years while in Florence. Unfortunately, I didn't pick any up while there (still kicking myself) but the four-year aged vinegar I had in the pantry worked fine.

Seriously, give these a try, they are fantastic!

Double Tomato Bruschetta

submitted by Laurie Thompson - www.allrecipes.com

6 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil
3 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup fresh basil, stems removed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 French baguette
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat the oven on broiler setting.

In a large bowl, combine the roma tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, basil, salt, and pepper. Allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes.

Cut the baguette into 3/4-inch slices. On a baking sheet, arrange the baguette slices in a single layer. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes, until slightly brown.

Divide the tomato mixture evenly over the baguette slices. Top the slices with mozzarella cheese. Broil for 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

Notes: I used canned diced tomatoes and dried sun-dried tomatoes. I drizzled some olive oil over the bread slices and toasted for a couple of minutes. I then rubbed garlic over the bread slices rather than adding chopped garlic to the mixture.