Three Cheese Veggie Sandwich #SundaySupper

Who is ready for New Year’s Eve?  Thanks to the #SundaySupper crew and Emeril’s new cookbook, Kicked-Up Sandwiches, I am ready to ring in a flavorful 2013.  Keep reading because by the end of this post, you’ll see how you could also receive a copy of this amazing cookbook!

I am not exaggerating when I say that I’m thrilled about this cookbook.  THRILLED!  I was so excited about this book that I brought it to work with me to show-off, and before I knew it, one of my coworkers had already inserted torn up post it notes on all the recipes that she wanted to try when she bought her own copy.  How fun is that?! 

Today, I’m delighted to show you the Three-Cheese Veggie sandwich.  I am from Wisconsin, so of course I had to make the cheese sandwich.  Now, here’s the “kicked up” part--- the Sun-Dried Tomato and Walnut Pesto.  OH MY WORD, this was to die for!! TO DIE FOR!!  This takes cheese to a whole new level of love…..I’ll be making this pesto in mass quantities and freezing it. (if it makes it far enough to get to the freezer)

 

THREE-CHEESE VEGGIE SANDWICH

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, Emeril’s Kicked-up Sandwiches, William Morrow Publishers, New York, 2012

·         8 slices seeded or multigrain bread toasted

·         1 cup Sun-Dried Tomato and Walnut Pesto

·         ½ cucumber, sliced into 1/8-inch-thick rounds

·         Salt and freshly ground black pepper, for seasoning

·         4 slices provolone cheese

·         4 slices cheddar cheese

·         4 slices Swiss cheese,

·         ½ avocado, thinly sliced

·         ½ cup thinly sliced sun-dried tomatoes

·         1 cup alfalfa or green leaf sprouts

·         1 teaspoon olive oil

 

1.       Arrange the toast slices in a single layer on a work surface.  Spread 2 tablespoons of the Sun-Dried Tomato and Walnut Pesto on each slice of the bread.  On 4 of the slices, arrange the cucumber in a single layer, covering as much of the bread as possible, and season with just a pinch of salt and pepper.  Place a slice each of provolone, cheddar, and Swiss cheese on top of the cucumber.  Divide the avocado slices evenly among the sandwiches and season with salt and pepper.  Spread 2 tablespoons of the sun-dried tomatoes evenly over the avocado.

2.       In a small mixing bowl, toss the sprouts with the olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.  Spread ¼ cup of the sprouts over the tomatoes on each sandwich.  Complete the sandwiches with the remaining slices of toast.

Sun-Dried Tomato and Walnut Pesto

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, Emeril’s Kicked-up Sandwiches, William Morrow Publishers, New York, 2012

·         ½ cup walnut halves or pieces, toasted

·         1 teaspoon minced garlic

·         ½ cup fresh basil leaves

·         ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves

·         ¼ cup whole sun-dried tomatoes

·         ¼ cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

·         ½ teaspoon salt

·         ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

·         Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

·         1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

·         1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

·         ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

 

Place the walnuts in a food processor and pulse until they are thoroughly chopped.  Add the garlic, basil, parsley, sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan, salt, pepper, lemon zest, lemon juice, and balsamic vinegar.  Pulse for a few seconds.  With the machine running, add the oil in a steady stream to combine.  Transfer the pesto to a serving bowl and use immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week, or store in the freezer for 3 months.

 

If you like this, you’ll certainly like what the other #SundaySupper Contributors have made this week.  Remember to stop by and see what they’ve cooked up—and don’t forget that many of them are also hosting giveaways this week!

 
Sunday Supper NYE Potluck Drinks:

• Champagne Punch by girlichef
• Champagne Punch by Daily Dish Recipes
• Champagne Punch by Midlife Roadtrip
• Champagne Punch by Family Foodie
• Chi Chi Cocktails by The Messy Baker Blog

Sunday Supper NYE Potluck Starters:

• Spiced Nuts by The Cookie A Day Challenge
• Spiced Nuts by Small Wallet Big Appetite
• Spiced Nuts by Home Cooking Memories
• Spiced Nuts by Mama.Mommy.Mom
• Prosciutto Breadsticks & Spiced Nuts by Galactosemia in PDX

Sunday Supper NYE Potluck Dishes and Sandwiches:

• Sopressata and Genoa Salami Calzones by The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
• Paul’s Make the Whole Crew Happy Sausage Meatballs with Red Gravy by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Paul’s Make the Whole Crew Happy Sausage Meatballs with Red Gravy by The Meltaways
• Paul’s Make the Whole Crew Happy Sausage Meatballs with Red Gravy by Craving’s of a Lunatic
• Three Cheese Veggie Sandwich by Supper for a Steal
• Three Cheese Veggie Sandwich by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Three Cheese Veggie Sandwich by Diabetic Foodie
• Three Cheese Veggie Sandwich by From Fast Food to Fresh Food
• Three Cheese Veggie Sandwich by In the Kitchen with Audrey and Maurene
• Columbia Street Grinder by The Foodie Army Wife
• Columbia Street Grinder by The Weekend Gourmet
• Columbia Street Grinder by She likes ruffles, he likes truffles
• Columbia Street Grinder by Momma’s Meals
• Emeril’s Columbia Street Grinder Kicked Up a Notch New Orleans Style by The Catholic Foodie
• Eggplant Muffuletta by Mom’s Test Kitchen
• A Vegetarian Take on Emeril’s Kicked Up Sandwiches Tonkatsu Sandwich by Ninja Baking
• New Orleans Style Garlic BBQ Shrimp by Comfy Cuisine

Sunday Supper NYE Desserts:

• New Orleans-Style Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce by Magnolia Days
• New Orleans-Style Bread Pudding with 2 Sauces by Juanita’s Cocina
• Angel Cake Sandwiches by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Coffee Cake with Crumble Topping and Brown Sugar Glaze by Damn Delicious

 

Now, on to what many of you have probably been waiting for—how to enter the giveaway to receive a copy of one of Emeril’s cookbooks: Kicked-Up Sandwiches or Emeril’s Potluck.

·         Leave a comment on this post and tell me your favorite Emeril recipe. (If you haven’t tried one, let me know the one that you want to try the most!)  IMPORTANT- your comment must include your twitter handle!  If you do not put your twitter handle in the comment, the entry will not count. –In order to enter the giveaway, your comment must be posted by 7pm Central time today, Sunday, December 30^th, 2012.

 
AND

·         Join in the conversation during the live #SundaySupper chat on Twitter from 6pm-7pm Central Time today, Sunday, December 30^th, 2012.  Your tweet(s) must contain the #SundaySupper hashtag. 

The winner will be chosen randomly from the eligible entries. Eligible entries will be assigned a number and the number will be selected using Random.org.  Sorry- this Giveaway is open for United States residents only.

 

Remember, the #SundaySupper Twitter chat is at 6pm Central Time.  To find us, all you have to do is follow the #SundaySupper hashtag or you can follow us through TweetChat.  If you’re entering the giveaway on my blog, remember the requirements above—and feel free to tweet me directly if you have any questions.  My twitter handle is @FF2FFBlog

Also, please feel free to share your favorite New Year’s Eve recipe on our #SundaySupper Pinterest Board. We are excited to have you Around the Family Table for this special Party!

*Many of the bloggers in the list are giving away a copy of one of either Kicked-Up Sandwiches or Emeril’s Potluck during the #SundaySupper Chat.  The more blogs you visit and enter at, the more chances to win!
 

                                                   Tweet

Save the Date: Dec 30th is our New Year’s Eve Potluck #SundaySupper Emeril Style

Save the Date!!!  On Sunday, December 30th, we’re having a #SundaySupper New Year’s Eve Party, and you are all invited!  Not quite sure what to make for New Year's Eve?  Then, this is perfect timing!  These recipes, from the Kicked-Up Sandwiches and Emeril’s Potluck cookbooks are perfect recipes for a fun, casual and delicious New Year’s Eve Celebration!

Plus-- here's the awesome part!!!

25 Bloggers (including me!) will be giving away a copy of Emeril’s Cookbook!*

To be eligible for the giveaway, you MUST join us on Twitter, this Sunday, December 30th at 6pm Central Time, for our New Year’s Eve #SundaySupper Potluck Party.  Because of the Twitter requirement for this giveaway, I wanted to give you all as much notice as possible. Check back here on December 30th, 2012 at 12:30am Central Time for all the official rules about how to receive the cookbook that one of my lucky readers will receive. (US Residents Only)

Here's a preview of all the amazing recipes that will be featured by the talented #SundaySupper contributors this week:

Sunday Supper NYE Potluck Drinks:

• Champagne Punch by girlichef
• Champagne Punch by Daily Dish Recipes
• Champagne Punch by Midlife Roadtrip
• Champagne Punch by Family Foodie
• Chi Chi Cocktails by The Messy Baker Blog

Sunday Supper NYE Potluck Starters:

• Spiced Nuts by The Cookie A Day Challenge
• Spiced Nuts by Small Wallet Big Appetite
• Prosciutto Breadsticks & Spiced Nuts by Galactosemia in PDX
• Spiced Nuts by Home Cooking Memories
• Spiced Nuts by Mama.Mommy.Mom

Sunday Supper NYE Potluck Dishes and Sandwiches:

• Sopressata and Genoa Salami Calzones by The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
• Paul’s Make the Whole Crew Happy Sausage Meatballs with Red Gravy by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Three Cheese Veggie Sandwich by Supper for a Steal
• Three Cheese Veggie Sandwich by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Columbia Street Grinder by The Foodie Army Wife
• Paul’s Make the Whole Crew Happy Sausage Meatballs with Red Gravy by The Meltaways
• Emeril’s Columbia Street Grinder Kicked Up a Notch New Orleans Style by The Catholic Foodie
• Columbia Street Grinder by The Weekend Gourmet
• Three-Cheese Veggie Sandwich by Diabetic Foodie
• Eggplant Muffuletta by Mom’s Test Kitchen
• Three Cheese Veggie Sandwich by In the Kitchen with Audrey
• Columbia Street Grinder by She likes ruffles, he likes truffles
• Three Cheese Veggie Sandwich by From Fast Food to Fresh Food
• Columbia Street Grinder by Momma’s Meals
• Paul’s Make the Whole Crew Happy Sausage Meatballs with Red Gravy by Craving’s of a Lunatic
• A Vegetarian Take on Emeril’s Kicked Up Sandwiches Tonkatsu Sandwich by Ninja Baking
• New Orleans Style Garlic BBQ Shrimp by Comfy Cuisine

Sunday Supper NYE Desserts:

• New Orleans-Style Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce by Magnolia Days
• New Orleans-Style Bread Pudding with 2 Sauces by Juanita’s Cocina
• Angel Cake Sandwiches by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Coffee Cake with Crumble Topping and Brown Sugar Glaze by Damn Delicious

Please join on us on Twitter throughout the day during #SundaySupper on December 30th. In the evening we will meet at 6pm CST for our #SundaySupper New Year’s Eve Potluck Party Emeril Style! We are so excited to have you join us. All you have to do is follow the #SundaySupper hashtag or you can follow us through TweetChat.

Please feel free to share with us and our followers your favorite New Year’s Eve recipe on our #SundaySupper Pinterest Board. We are excited to have you Around the Family Table for this special Party!

* The bloggers with royal blue posts will be giving away a copy of one of either Serious Sandwich Cookbook or Potluck Cookbook during the Chat. 


Tweet

Panera Bread French Onion Soup

Many of you are probably familiar with Panera Bread.  For those that live in my area, Central Wisconsin, we don't actually have a Panera yet, however Wausau, WI will be getting their very own Panera Bread very soon!  Hopefully, after reading this, you'll be excited to try it out.  I know that I'm stoked!

Typically, I like to support smaller businesses, however Panera is one of those chains that I can get behind.  This is primarily due to their good food options as well as their Panera Cares program. If you're not familiar with the Panera Cares concept, check out their website.  More businesses should take a risk and try this type of format out. 



Today, I'm talking soup.  When I lived in Madison, I'd often go to Panera because they have a fantastic selection of vegetarian options.  They also do a great job of keeping their website updated with the days offerings.  For instance, if you visit their Panera Soup page, you can click on a link to find the soup schedule for the day.  I'd usually get the Low-Fat Vegetarian Black Bean or the Broccoli Cheddar.  This time, I decided to get something I've never tried at Panera before-- the French Onion soup.  The website describes the French Onion Soup as:

Sliced onion sautéed in sweet butter and seasonings, gently simmered in a light beef broth with essence of tomato, topped with our homemade croutons and Asiago-Parmesan cheese.
 

Yes, please!  I've have that!  Now, my memory of Panera was that I could get soup and a sandwich, and it would probably take 10+ minutes for me to get my order.  Not this time!  Panera must have streamlined their operations because I had my meal in three minutes flat.  It was just as fast as fast food without all the fat.  I took my "You Pick Two" and I sat down at a table by the window.  Here is where I had a blogger fail moment.... I pulled out my camera, and the SD card was missing from my dSLR camera!! DRAT!!!!  You'll have to settle for a grainy picture from my cell phone instead....

My meal at Panera was exactly what I needed!  It was warm soup in my tummy on a pretty cold day...  The ratio of onions to soup was perfect.  My only complaint was the it was a bit heavy on the salt.  I'm not sure if it was the soup itself or if the croutons on top were a bit too salty.  Regardless, since I was "on-the-road" for business, I was much happier eating Panera than I would have been with a greasy fast food order of fries and a sloppy veggie burger.  I probably saved a lot of calories, too!  (as long as you don't count the fresh danishes that somehow managed to jump into my hand as I walked out the door.... opps!)

Disclaimer: I was compensated for my meal  and this is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Panera Bread as part of the DailyBuzz Food Tastemakers program.  All opinions expressed above are my own.

Tweet

Wisconsin Style Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce featuring @MainGrainBakery Rustic White

Challenge?  Did someone say challenge?  You know that I'm all over that......

So, when a local bakery, The Main Grain, announced their Cookbook Challenge, I knew that I had to jump right in!  Here is the description from their Facebook post:

Sometimes we wonder what happens to our bread after it leaves these doors, and now we are on a mission to find out....but we are going to need your help. We are pleased to announce that starting in December we will be putting together a cookbook of sorts in a facebook photo album. It will contain pictures of dishes that use our bread. We are asking YOU, yes you, to help by sending in photos of your delicious homemade meals that incorporate our bread. The photos will then be added to our "cook book" photo album on our facebook page as we get them. Then at the end of the month Kyle, Nick and Sarah will vote on their favorite dish and that dish will receive a prize because we love prizes. Prizes will be announced at the beginning of each month. Send your photo along with a short description to our email address. We are hoping this will educate us on how our bread is being used so we can in turn better our product as well as give some cooking ideas to all our wonderful customers. Remember sharing is caring especially when it comes to food.

There are so many reasons why I absolutely love The Main Grain.  First, they source many of their ingredients locally.  Local is so much better for our environment, our economy, and it just tastes good!  Second, the way they produce their product is done in a sustainable way-- they don't overproduce their product (which would result in a ton of waste), their packaging and cleaning supplies are "green", and they compost and/or recycle what they can.  Finally, when they do over-produce product, they will donate goods to organizations that have a need.

All of these things mean that it's a business I feel GREAT about supporting!  For those that are local to Central Wisconsin, you definitely should check them out.  If you're on Facebook, you should "Like" their page, too.  They're pretty savvy at the social media thing-- it's very entertaining to get updates from them!

Now-- on to the Wisconsin Style Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce. 

The key to this recipe is the high quality bread.  Make no doubt about it that the Rustic Style White I bought from The Main Grain in Stevens Point, Wisconsin was what gave this recipe its kick.  You could really tell that this was a bread made from natural fermentation rather than industrial yeast found in most breads.  The rye flavor, which I was concerned about at first, truly did enhance the tartness of the Wisconsin grown dried cranberries.  It was truly delectable!

A loaf of Rustic Style White from The Main Grain in Stevens Point, Wisconsin

Ingredients

• 1/4 dried cranberries
• 2 Tbsp bourbon plus 1/4 bourbon
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 1/2 sugar plus 1/2 sugar
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon, ground
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg, ground
• 3 eggs, beaten
• approx 3/4 loaf of "rustic style" bread, cubed
• 1/4 corn syrup, light
• 1/4 butter

Directions

In a small bowl, combine the dried cranberries and 2 tablespoons bourbon.  Allow to stand for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, using a slotted spoon, remove the cranberries and set aside.  Reserve the liquid.

In a large bowl, whisk together the reserved liquid, milk, 1/2 cup of sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and beaten egg until well combined. Add the cubed bread to the liquid.  Using a large spoon, toss the bread in the liquid until the bread is evenly coated.  Spoon the mixture into an 8 or 9 inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Evenly sprinkle the bourbon soaked cranberries on top of the bread.  Cover the dish with foil and place in the refrigerator for 1 to 4 hours to allow the liquid to be fully absorbed into the bread.

After the bread has chilled, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Take a 13x9 inch (or larger) baking pan and fill with hot water to a depth of approximately 3/4 inch.  Place the 8 or 9 inch dish that contains the bread pudding into the larger pan filled with water so that it is sitting in a "water bath".  Bake the entire thing, with the bread pudding covered, for 20 minutes.  After 20 minutes, remove the foil cover and bake an additional 10 minutes. 

During the last 10 minutes of the bread pudding's baking time, prepare the bourbon sauce.  In a medium saucepan, combine the remaining 1/2 sugar, corn syrup, and butter over medium heat.  Bring the ingredients to a simmer, stirring frequently.  Once the ingredients have been simmering for a minute or two, remove the pan from heat and immediately (and carefully) pour in the remaining 1/4 cup of bourbon. 

Serve immediately by spooning a tablespoon (or three!) of the sauce on top of each slice of warm bread pudding. 

Left,  Wisconsin cranberries soaking in the bourbon.  Center, tossing bread cubes in the liquid.  Right, sprinkling the cranberries on top. 

What I really liked about this recipe is that it wasn't as "moist" as most other bread puddings I've made-- I increased the amount of bread so that it was less about the liquid and more about the complex flavors of the bread playing on the palate.  This is now going to be my new "go-to" bread pudding recipe.  New Orleans move over! Wisconsin Bread Pudding may just start to catch on!

                                           Tweet

National Blogging Day of Remembranc​e for #Newtown

(I Can't Believe They're Crispy!) Baked Latkes #HanukkahBP

Welcome to our first ever Hanukkah Blog Party, hosted by Leah of Cook Kosher and Miriam of Overtime Cook. It's traditional on Hanukkah to eat fried treats, most notably donuts and latkes, and we've got a fabulous array of Hanukkah themed recipes, treats and crafts from Jewish bloggers all over the world! Scroll down for links to all of the delicious treats.

For this year's Hanukkah Blog Party, I've decided to make a Baked Latke.  What's that you say?  Blasphemy?  I know, I know.... Hanukkah is all about the miracle of oil.. I get it.  But I'm going to show you a different miracle-- it's called the miracle of still being able to fit into your pants and not having a house that smells like deep fried latke! (Anyone that's ever made fried latkes knows what I'm talking about-- you have to put away anything precious before you fry them up because you walk around smelling like a greasy potato for a week or two afterwards!)  Now, are these "as" crispy as a deep fried latke?  Well, not exactly-- but they're still crispy, and they're AMAZING!  I assure you that you won't care what you're missing because you'll feel really good about these in the morning, and they still taste divine!

So, it's super simple-- you take ANY latke recipe, and instead of frying them in buckets of oil, you dip them in egg whites and bake them. Easy! Here's how:

Samples Latke Ingredients
Remember- this will work with any latke recipe, so feel free to use your own!

• 1 large russet potato
• 1/4 white onion
• 1 Tbsp flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp of vegetable oil (for frying)
• non-stick cooking spray
• 2 egg whites, beaten

Directions
Using a food processor, grate the potato and onion.  Place the grated potato and onion in a large bowl and squeeze and drain as much of the liquid out of the mixture as possible.  (you can also use a clean dish towel to "press" the water out of it)  Once you have squeezed and drained out the liquid, add the remainder of the ingredients (except for the egg whites) and mix until thoroughly combined.

Pre-heat an oven to 400 degrees. Cover a cookie sheet with foil, and spray liberally with non-stick cooking spray.  Set aside.  Meanwhile, in a large frying pan, add about 1 tsp of oil.  Heat the oil and spread it around the pan using a pastry brush to make sure the pan is coated with the oil.  Drop 3 inch round, flat dollops of the potato mixture into the heated pan.  Fry each side of the latkes until they are a golden brown.  The latkes will be very limp.

Dip the latkes into the beaten egg whites and place them onto the prepared cookie sheet.  Bake the latkes for approximately 3-5 minutes on each side.  Serve with sour cream or applesauce. Makes about 4-5 latkes. (perfect for 2 people)




A very small amount off oil is used to add color and crisp the outside of the latke.

 

Once the latkes are done, dip both sides in the egg white mixture and place them on the prepared cookie sheet.

To help get everyone into party mode, we have a bunch of fabulous new cookbooks to giveaway! Here's how you can enter:

Leave a comment on this post telling me your favorite Holiday recipe!  When you do that, you'll get a chance to win one of:

 

2 copies of Susie Fishbein's new Kosher By Design Cooking Coach (sponsored by Artscroll)

2 copies of Leah Schapira's Fresh and Easy Kosher Cooking (sponsored by Artscroll)

2 copies of Esther Deutch's CHIC Made Simple (sponsored by the author)

The Giveaway is now Closed.

 

Giveaway ends at 11:59 PM on Sunday, December 16th. Limit one entry per person per blog, so visit the other blogs for extra chances to win!

 

Prizes can only be shipped within the US. Entries must be accompanied by a valid email address in order to qualify.

This is the second of many fabulous Holiday Blog Parties. If you would like to be added to the mailing list to participate in future parties, please email holidayblogparties@gmail.com

 

 

Stop by the other blogs and check out these Chanukah Themed Recipes:

Latkes:

Jamie from Joy of Kosher made Zucchini Latkes with Tzatziki

Daniel from Peikes Cookbook made Potato and Fennel Latkes Fried in Duck Fat With Chinese Five Spice Apple Sauce

Susan from The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen made Squash and Potato Latkes

Samantha from The Little Ferraro Kitchen made Ruby Red Beet Latkes with Cumin

Nechamah from TIforOA Food Ideas made Healthy Oatmeal Latkes

Liz from The Lemon Bowl made Traditional Potato Latkes

Yosef from This American Bite made Latkes & Brisket on Rye

Melanie from From Fast Food to Fresh Food made (I Can't Believe They're Crispy!) Baked Latkes

Laura from Mother Would Know made Three Variations of Sweet and Savory Latkes

Sarah from Crispy Bits and Burnt Ends made Kimchee Latkes

Shulie from Food Wanderings made Baked Panko Sweet Potato Leek Latkes

Donuts and Desserts:

Miriam from Overtime Cook made Shortcut Cannoli with Chocolate Mousse Filling

Leah from Cook Kosher made 5 Minute Donuts

Estee from The Kosher Scoop made Tropical Fruit Fritters

Melinda from Kitchen-Tested made Sweet Steamed Buns

Amy from What Jew Wanna Eat made Homemade Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Gelt

Avidan from Baking It Up As I Go Along made Orange Olive Oil Cake

Tali from More Quiche Please made Glazed Chocolate Donut Holes

Amital from Organized Jewish Home made Mom's Sour Cream Sugar Cookies

Princess Lea from The Frumanista made Túrógombóc

Stephanie and Jessica from The Kosher Foodies made Beignets

Gigi from Gigi's Kitchen made Bunuelos: Mini Powdered Cheese Donuts

Esther from Esther O Designs made Edible Menorahs

Patti from No Bacon Here made Hanukkah Oreo Balls

Shoshana from Couldn't Be Parve made Churros con Chocolate

Shaindy from My Happily Hectic Life made Inside Out Apple Crisp

Eve from Gluten Free Nosh made Gluten-Free Hanukkah Sugar Cookies

The Gluten Free maven made Gluten Free Vegan Cake Donuts

Amy from Baking and Mistaking made Mini Cream-Filled French Beignets

Sarah from Food, Words, Photos made Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

Victoria from Itsy Bitsy Balebusta made Pure Vanilla Donuts

Vicky and Ruth from May I Have That Recipe made Dulce de Leche and Eggnog cream filled mini sufganiot

Dena from Oh You Cook made Poached Pears in Pomegranate Sauce

Michele from Kosher Treif Cooking made Tiramisu Cheessecake

Sharon from FashionIsha made Sparkly Chanukah Cookies

Appetizers, Soups, Sauces, Drinks and other Hanukkah Food:

Laura from Pragmatic Attic made Caramel Spice Applesauce

Jessie from Bread and Butter made Honey Spiced Hanukkah Martini

G6 from Guess Who's Coming 2 Dinner made Sweet Potato Leek Soup

Claire from I Love Soup made Sweet Potato, Coconut & Lemongrass Soup

Jennifer from Juanita's Cocina made Kugel

Liz from Kosher Like Me made Ready, Stuff Roll!

Shelley from The Kosher Home made Hanukkah Crafts and Printables

 

                                         Tweet

Buttermilk Country Fried Steak

It's been a veeeery long couple of days!  I've been lucky enough to have some time off of work.  Normally, I would use that time in the kitchen, but the last few days, we've been helping out a local shopkeeper "clean up" his store.  It's been really fun, but it's exhausting.  It also meant some quick meals.  For some of these meals, we were lucky enough to pull a container out of the freezer and thaw/heat, but we did go out to eat a few times.

The first time, we had breakfast at Denny's.  I found something on the menu that I though sounded good, but when they brought it out, it really wasn't all that appetizing.  I finished about half the meal before I started to feel "not so great".  You think I would have learned my lesson about eating out, but the next day, we grabbed lunch at a fast food place.  Double yuck.  It's amazing how much your taste buds can change when you eat at home more regularly.

After four straight days of working at the shop, I really just wanted to come home tonight and make something quick yet "homestyle".  What I made is not exactly healthy... but it satisfied my need to get in the kitchen and cook.  Plus, it has buttermilk in it!  Everything is better with buttermilk, right?

What resulted was the world's best Buttermilk Country Fried Steak.  It's a very basic recipe.  There are lots of variations on it.  I've tried to make country fried steak many different ways, and this has been the keeper recipe for me.... plus, I get to use the leftover buttermilk in a cookie recipe tomorrow.  Life is good.



Battered on the outside yet moist on the inside, this country fried steak is cooked perfectly!

Ingredients

• 4 to 6 medium sized cube steaks
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp black pepper + more for seasoning
• 1/2 tsp salt + more for seasoning
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder + more for seasoning
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1 - 2 Tbsp Tabasco**
• 2 - 3 cups flour
• oil for frying

Directions

In a medium sized bowl, combine the baking powder, baking soda, 1 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp garlic powder.  Lightly mix.  In the same bowl, add the buttermilk, egg, and Tabasco.  (**if you like spice, go closer to the 2 Tbsp amount.  I have a non-spice eater, and we use 1 full Tbsp.  You can barely taste the Tabasco. It'll be okay-- I promise!)  Using a whisk, lightly beat the mixture until combined.  It will be somewhat airy/frothy.  Set aside.  Place the 2 - 3 cups flour in a separate, medium sized, shallow bowl.  Set that bowl aside.

In a large frying pan, heat up enough oil (any vegetable based oil is fine) so that a cube steak would be sitting in the oil, but the oil wouldn't cover the cube steak.  Usually, this is a little less than a 1/4 inch of oil on the bottom of the pan.  Heat the oil on medium heat.  Do not overheat the oil.  When the oil is hot, you can start preparing the meat and cooking.

Lightly season both sides of the cube steak with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  Then, dredge both sides of the steak in flour, then dip the entire steak in the buttermilk mixture, then generously dredge the steak in the flour again.  This is messy and your fingers will probably become dredged in the mixtures, too!  Immediately (and carefully!) place the dredged meat in the hot oil.  Repeat with the other steaks. Cook approximately 4-6 minutes on each side, carefully flipping the meat over when the coating is a golden brown.  If the coating browns too quickly, your heat is too high.

When the steaks are done, place them on a plate lined with paper towels so the excess oil can be absorbed.  Serve immediately with your favorite sides.  We like to do something quick (like ramen or left over mashed potatoes) since these steaks cook so quickly.



The buttermilk mixture is on the left and the flour is on the right.
 I've already done some dredging, so you can see the mess it left behind.

Two of the steaks frying- this is the second batch, so the oil is a bit cloudy.  The edges are just starting to brown.  Keep an eye on those edges and if they get darker, it's either time to flip or your oil is too hot!

These steaks are about the perfect color!  Don't be alarmed if a bit of the coating comes off when you flip.  It may take some practice to perfect the right amount of coating to put on as well as the exact timing to flip. 

 

So, this meal isn't very fancy, and doesn't take a lot of time, but boy does it taste great!  Don't be afraid to use some seasoning in this-- if you don't use enough, it may be bland. This is one dish where it's hard to season after cooking.  I also think that buttermilk is the "key" ingredient.  I've never tried it with milk-- I imagine that you could (or use vinegar to make your own buttermilk out of milk), but this recipe is so good with real buttermilk that I haven't even wanted to experiment.  My family just goes wild when I make it and swears that it's the only way that cube steaks get moist and tender. 

                                   Tweet

Paula Deen's Sand Tarts #SundaySupper

This week's #SundaySupper is all about Celebrity Chefs.  I've always been intrigued by television chefs.  I grew up watching the Mr. Food segment on each of the daily news broadcasts, and my Grandpa loved the Cajun Chef, Justin Wilson.  "I Garontee" that when we went to visit Grandpa, Justin Wilson would make an "appearance" at some point or another. 

I also spent my young adult years watching the Food Network and PBS cooking shows.  To be honest, I really don't have a single favorite chef, but I know that the style of cooking I like best is "real" cooking-- things that remind me of family potlucks.  If the recipe could be in a country cookbook or the local church fundraising cookbook, then I'm probably going to like it. 

For me, Paula Deen is the chef that represents this real, down-home cooking.  Also, I never trust a thin cook-- and with a bit of meat on her bones, you know that her cooking is good! 

Paula is also an amazing business woman.  Most of you have seen the bit of "controversy" around her diabetes diagnosis.  She has made a huge change to her cooking style lately, however the down-home feel hasn't changed.  Also, her boys have their own "Not my Moma's Meals" spin-off where they take her taste and make it healthier.  I'm really happy to see the Deen Dynasty moving in that direction.... however... these Sand Tarts are definitely not diet friendly.  They are so full of butter that Julia Child would be proud.

Seeing as it's the holiday season, I thought that these Sand Tarts would be a perfect way to feature a recipe from a Celebrity Chef.  I didn't make any alterations to Paula's recipe-- it's perfect the way it is--they're so buttery and light that they literally melt in your mouth.  I make numerous batches of these each holiday.  Despite being Jewish, I look forward to "Christmas cookie season" just so I can eat these cookies.  Don't tell my Rabbi, okay?

To find the recipe for these amazing cookies, I'd encourage you to check out Paula's website directly. 
Her "Grandma Paul's Sand Tarts" can be found by clicking HERE.


When you're done looking at her recipe, make sure you stop back here to check out all the other fabulous celebrity chef inspired posts.  The #SundaySupper crew has really gotten fired up this week-- there are some great recipes and some even better stories of "chef inspiration". 


Starters or Snacks :
Martin at ENOFYLZ Wine Blog - Oyster and Brie Soup and Wine Pairings for Celebrity Chef #SundaySupper
Linda at The Urban Mrs. - Inspired by Bobby Flay, Lobster Chowder with Roasted Corn Salsa
Erin from Dinners, Dishes and Desserts - Rachael Ray’s Cinnamon Popcorn
Cindy over at Cindy’s Recipes and Writings - Jamie Oliver’s Bread and Tomato Soup
Jeff at The Catholic Foodie - Drop Biscuits – Breakfast with Chef John Besh
Renee over at Kudos Kitchen By Renee - Giada De Laurentiis’ Garlic Toasts With Red Pepper Aioli


The Main Dish:
Sheila at Cooking Underwriter – Paula Deen’s Chicken in a Crock Pot w/ Sauerkraut and Apples
Laura over at Small Wallet Big Appetite – Martin Yan’s Beef Chow Fun
Sarah over at Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends - Michael Symon’s Lola burger with crab tater tots
Susan at The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen - Ina Garten’s Baked Shrimp Scampi
Tammi at Momma’s Meals – Lee Drummond’s Sloppy Joe’s
Lane over at Supper for a Steal - Bobby Flay’s Rosemary Bricked Chicken
Tara from Noshing with the Nolands - Michael Symon’s Pork and Apple Scallopini
Shannon at Country Girl in the Village – Simple Red Sauce over Rigatoni. Inspired by, Debi Mazar and Gabriele Corcos
Kris over at In the Kitchen with Audrey and Maurene - Rachael Ray’s Muffin Tin Meatloaf
Nicole from The Daily Dish Recipes - Paula Deen’s Slow Cooker Pulled Pickled Pork Sandwiches
Becca from It’s Yummilicious - Ina Garten’s Grown Up Bacon Mac & Cheese
Alice at Hip Foodie Mom - Sunday Pot Roast with Risotto Cakes from Kelsey Nixon
Jen over at Juanita’s Cocina - The Neely’s White Turkey Chili
Brianne from Cupcakes & Kale Chips - Crockpot Beef Pot Roast with Mushrooms inspired by Giada DeLaurentiis
Isabel at Family Foodie - Polenta with Garlicky Shrimp inspired by Chef Todd English
Wendy from The Weekend Gourmet - Shrimp Penne in Pesto Cream Sauce, From Emeril Lagasse
Bobbi over at Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen - Cheesy Poblano Chicken
Patti at Comfy Cuisine - Tyler Florence’s Chicken Francese
Roxanne over at The Roxx Box - Jambalaya Pasta with Penne, Chicken, Shrimp and Andouille
Sue from Sue’s Nutrition Buzz – Rachael Ray’s Spicy Corn Chowdah Mac ‘n’ Cheese
Jamie at Mama Mommy Mom - Penne with Asparagus, Smoked Gouda and Prosciutto. Adapted from, Giada De Laurentiis’
Tora over at Tora’s Real Food – Pork and beans with Alton Brown’s pickled pork
Elisabeth over at The Hand That Rocks The Ladle - Emeril’s New Orleans Style Red Beans & Rice


Amazing Sides:
Megan from I Run For Wine - Curtis Stone’s Acorn Squash Roasted with Thyme
Sandi over at Midlife Road Trip - Gabriele Corcos’s Gnocchi di Patate
Shelby at Diabetic Foodie - Orange Pecan Black Rice, adapted from Ina Garten
Katie from She likes Ruffles, He likes Truffles - Chef Fabio Viviani’s Spinach and Artichoke Risotto


Sweet Endings:
Renee over at Magnolia Days – Brownie Tart
Conni at The Foodie Army Wife - Inspired by Ree Drummond – Scrumptious Apple Coffee Cake
Paula over at Vintage Kitchen Notes - Bill Granger´s Cherry Tart
Pam from The Meltaways – Savannah Sheet Cake
Katy over at Happy Baking Days - Mary Berry’s Treacle Tart
Jaime over at Mom’s Test Kitchen - Southern Tea Cakes
Amy over at Kimchi MOM - Crack Pie, I Can’t Quit You

Lyn from The Lovely Pantry - Sweet Potato Chocolate Chip Squares
Melanie at From Fast Food to Fresh Food – Sand Tarts

Wine Pairings:
Martin at ENOFYLZ Wine Blog

 

 

Please join on us Twitter for #SundaySupper.  In the evening, we will meet at 6 PM CST for our weekly #SundaySupper live chat. All you have to do is follow the #SundaySupper hashtag or you can follow us through TweetChat.  See you soon!

 

                                           Tweet