Southern Fried Corn

Posted by Michele at 9:51 AM 0 comments

Before anyone says it, yes, I know.  This recipe has basically taken corn and made it hardcore unhealthy.  But oh how delicious!  And the smell of it simmering... Yum!

It's really not ttthhhaaattt bad.  If you divide the recipe into 12 servings, they weigh in at about 285 calories each (about 20g carbs, 21g fats, and 2g protein... I know, I know- but delicious!!!)

In a large, cast iron pan (Don't have one? Stop now and go buy one.  Not kidding.), melt:
1 stick (4oz) of butter.

Stir in:
32 ounces/ 2 pounds of sweet, white corn (freshly schucked, in season is the best, but frozen will work).

Once the corn is fully coated in the butter, reduce the heat to low and stir in:
1 pint of heavy cream,
1 tbsp (to taste) of pepper, and
1 tsp (to taste) of salt.

Slow simmer all day (yep, I start this in the morning to serve with dinner), or for a minimum of 4 hours.  You want the cream to reduce and thicken, and the corn to melt in your mouth.

Southern Pecan Pie

Posted by Michele at 9:50 AM 0 comments

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Prepare an:
8in pie shell

In a stand mixer, mix together:
3 eggs,
2oz (4 tbsp) melted butter (cooled),
3/4 cup of dark brown sugar,
2/3 cup of brown rice syrup, and
1 tbsp of bourbon.

Stir in:
14-16 ounces of pecan pieces.

Pour into the prepared pie plate and bake at 350°F for 60 to 75 minutes.  The pie should be fully set and lightly caramelized on top.

Gluten Free Pie Shell

Posted by Michele at 8:39 AM 0 comments

1 1/2 cups of GF AP Flour (I really like the Bob's Red Mill Pie Flour, but the 1 to 1 is great, too)

4oz cold butter, grated

Up to 1/4 cup of water


Finger in the butter into the flour, until it's the texture of breadcrumbs.  A tablespoon at a time, work in the water.  I usually find 2 to 3 tablespoons does the trick for me.  Chill your dough for about 30 minutes, then roll it into a disc.  Press into an 8 inch pie plate and create your magic!  This shell is great for pies and quiche alike!

Gluten Free Orange Cranberry Scones

Posted by Michele at 11:44 AM 0 comments

My kids lucked out with godparents (or mayb , we've just lucked out with the folks in our lives).  And nothing brings people together like food.  Sarah (Nicholas and Sophia's godmother) makes me think of halumpki (stuffed cabbage), while Terri (Alexander's godmother) makes me think of wine! 😉 When I think of Esteban and Jody (Bobby and Maya), I am reminded of Paraguayan stuffed meat rolls and scones always, always, always remind me of Gary, Barbara (Michael), and their family (their son of whom is Lucas's godfather and their daughter, Ana's godmother).  This quarantine has me missing the people I love and care about, and this morning, I was longing for one of Barbara's hugs and Gary's perfect scones.  Hence...  My first attempt at a gluten free scone!

(And not to leave anyone out... The other godparents also remind me of food: Meg (Maya) and dinner at a favorite gastropub; Eileen (Lucas) and chicken parm; and Clinton (Ana) and lunches with laughter and good times .)

Based loosely off my soda bread recipe, this one made 8 scones.  I don't have a pan, so I cut them by hand.  A note : keep it cold.  Freeze the butter, freeze to chill the scones before baking.  Cold, cold, cold.

Heat your oven to 375°.

In a small bowl, finely cut it grate 1/2 a cup of butter (1 stick), then put it in the freezer while you work on combining your other ingredients.  (Once you get going, this will go fast, so you don't want the down time).

In a mixing bowl , stir together :
2 cups of (GF) AP flour;
1 tbsp of baking powder;
1 tsp of baking soda; and
1 tsp of salt.

In another bowl, whisk together :
1 egg;
1/2 cup of buttermilk;
1 tbsp of orange juice; and
1/2 cup of sugar.

Prepare 1 cup of dried cranberries.

Flour your hands and quickly cut the frozen butter into your flour mixture before adding in the liquids and quickly mixing together.  Hand in your cranberries and roll onto a floured cutting board, forming the dough into a rectangular pyramid.

Using a floured knife, slice into 8 pieces and place on a greased baking sheet.  Put into the freezer while you prepare the remaining ingredients.  (For what it's worth, Peter and I danced in the rain for a few minutes too... Strictly for extra freezing time!  ♥ 💃🕺)

Melt 1/4 cup (1 stick of butter) and combine with 2 tbsp of orange juice.  Measure out 1/4 cup of demerera sugar.

Reserve 1/3 of the liquid and 2 tbsp of the sugar.  This will coat your scones prior to cooking.

Over medium heat (in a cast iron pan), add the remaining butter /juice and sugar.  Bring to a rapid boil and simmer until thickened but not candied, about 2 to 3 minutes.  Remove from heat.

Remove the scones from the freezer and brush with the reserved butter/juice.  Sprinkle with the set aside sugar.

Bake for 30 minutes .  They will be lightly browned and the sugar will glisten on the top.  Cool for 10 minutes and drizzle with the orange caramel sauce.

Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Posted by Michele at 11:09 AM 0 comments

This recipe should be called "chocolate chip pancakes for an army".  With a family of 8 eating and needing to be full until lunch, this is a staple during our week.

Combine:
3 cups (GF) AP flour;
1 tbsp each of baking soda and baking powder;
2 tsp of salt; and
1/4 cup of sugar.

Mix in:
3 eggs; and
4 1/2 cups of buttermilk.

(That's not a typo.  Four and a half cups.)

When the batter is well mixed, stir in:
1 cup of mini chocolate chips.

Bring your cast iron to low-medium (or, based on your stove, low) heat.  Ladle on 1/2 cup of batter.

Cook until the edge begins to brown and bubbles break the surface.  Flip and then cook another 60 to 90 seconds.

You can also use a quarter cup (1/4c) of batter for smaller, mini pancakes.

Serve with butter and warm (preferably grade B/dark amber) maple syrup!

Southern Peach Cobbler

Posted by Michele at 5:14 PM 0 comments

This is the recipe my Mamaw has been making since I was a girl (with a few minor tweaks).  I still remember the jars of her home canned peaches that made even winter taste like summer!  (On that note, I need to make chili soon... Her canned tomatoes were awesome!)  I talked to Mamaw yesterday and, as we chatted, her cobbler recipe came up.  So, here's to my Mamaw and her amazing recipe!

Heat the oven the 350°F and grease a 13x9.

Mix together:
2 cups of (GF) A. P. flour,
1.5 tsp of salt:
2 tsp of baking soda; and
2 tsp of baking powder.

Once those are combined, add in and beat on medium until well mixed:
1 cup of sugar;
2 eggs
1/2 cup (1 stick) of melted butter
2 cups of buttermilk OR 1 cup of buttermilk and 1 cup of peach water/juice*

Stir in:
2 lbs of sliced peaches*

*You can use fresh peaches; peel and slice, then bring to a boil for 10 minutes to soften and to create peach water.  If using canned peaches, you can use the juice that is in the can (do not use peaches in syrup).

Pour the batter into your prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes or until brown and bubbly.  A fork will be clean when the dish is poked to ensure doneness.  Serve warm with vanilla ice cream!

Corned Beef Crusted Quiche

Posted by Michele at 12:13 PM 0 comments

With a large family, so much of our income goes to groceries, so it's important not to waste food.  (It's important, regardless of family size!). This morning, I made a breakfast of eggs, toast, bacon, Obrien potatoes, and corned beef hash.  As the table was cleared, there was a little bit of food left an , as I looked at, I decided to grab a few more leftovers from the fridge and craft a breakfast - for - dinner favorite: quiche!  Serve this for any meal of the day and it will soon become a "leftover" your family begs for!


I had about half a cup each of potatoes and corned beef hash leftover, which I combined and mashed into a 9"pie plate.

In addition to the 2 slices of bacon I had leftover, I grabbed from the fridge: 1" wedge of red onion , half a small bell pepper, 1/3 of a large tomato, and half a bag of shredded cheese (the one I had was a 6 cheese, Italian blend).

I diced the veg and bacon, then tossed all those leftovers (with the cheese) in with 3 eggs, 3/4 cup of half and half  , and salt & pepper (3 turns of the grinder each) that I had whisked together.  I poured the prepared mixture into my pie shell and put it in the oven at 350°F for 55 min.

I often precook quiche, then freeze it.  You can either pop it in the oven frozen for an hour or so (covered in foil), or defrost in the fridge and reheat until your level of hot is achieved.  Peter bought me several Hot Logic products years ago, including the MacroWave for mass reheating, and I tend to defrost, then stick fully cooked things like quiche and eggplant or chicken parm, in the HL for a few hours.  I love them and use them all the time.  It's also how Peter reheats his lunches at work.

Recipe : all measurements appropriate.

For the crust:
1/2 cup of Obrien potatoes
1/2 cup of corned beef hash

For the filling:
3 eggs
3/4 cup of half & half
1/4 cup of diced bacon
1/4 cup of diced red onion
3/8 cup of diced bell pepper
3/4 cup of diced tomato
1 cup of shredded cheese
salt & pepper to taste

Temp and Time: 350° F for 55 minutes

Maya's Gluten Free Smores Cookie

Posted by Michele at 8:14 PM 0 comments

https://youtu.be/e8WdDtfBTzA

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Waffles

Posted by Michele at 8:50 AM 0 comments

In a mixing bowl, put together: 

2.5 cups of gluten free A. P. flour; 

1 tbsp baking powder; 

1.5 tsp baking soda; 

1.5 tsp salt; 

1/2 cup of sugar. 

Mix together in another bowl: 

1/2 cup of butter, melted and cooled; 

3 eggs; 1/2 cup of whole milk; 

3 cups of buttermilk. 

Mix in the wet into the dry, then add in: 

1 cup of mini chocolate chips. 

Let the batter rest and begin heating your waffle maker. Use approximately 1/3 a cup for traditional, thin waffles. Enjoy with butter and warm maple syrup!

Irish Explosion Cake

Posted by Michele at 12:00 AM 0 comments

(my original recipe link is found here )

I initially made this as cupcake . Over the years, it's been modified and I tend to make it as a cake instead.  It's a tradition in our home for St. Brigid's Day and St. Patrick's Day.  Enjoy!



For the cake:
8oz. Guinness Extra Stout
1 cup salted butter, cut into small pieces
3/4 dark unsweetened cocoa
2 cups gluten free A. P. flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
3 eggs
1/3 cup Greek yogurt

(Want to cheat or short on time?  You can get a decent dessert by using a box of dark chocolate cake mix, 8oz Guinness, 3eggs, and 3oz oil.  The cake will be slightly denser, but it's still delicious.) 


For the ganache:
5oz dark chocolate (90%)
4oz heavy cream
1 tbsp butter
2oz Irish Whiskey


For the frosting:1 cup salted butter, room temp (2 sticks)
4 cups powdered sugar
4oz  Irish cream



1. Preheat the oven to 350 and prepare 2 8"pans. Bring the stoudt and butter to a simmer over medium heat. Add the cocoa and sugars, and whisk until smooth. Remove from heat. Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together and set aside. Mix the eggs and yogurt together and whisk into the liquid.  Slowly add the liquid into the dry ingredients and, once mixed, pour into pans.  Bake for 25 minutes or until done.

2. Finely chop the chocolate for the ganache and place it in a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream and butter until simmering and pour it over chocolate. After 1min, begin to whisk. Add whiskey. Whisk until glossy. 

3. Beat the students butter until light and fluffy.  Alternate thirds of the powdered sugar and Irish cream, beating until the frosting is airy. 

4. When the cakes have cooled and are turned out, even them by slicing the top off.  Paint on a layer of ganache.  Frost the bottom layer then stack the second layer (painted with ganache) before frosting the top layer and sides.

5. After you've frosted as desired, you can thin out the remaining ganache with Irish cream and drizzle on a design.  Sprinkle some green sugar on top to complete the perfect look!

Corned Beef

Posted by Michele at 7:20 AM 0 comments

If you are Irish American, nothing screams out "St. Patrick's Day" like corned beef and cabbage alongside a Guinness. Why corned beef you ask?  Many Irish immigrants longed for the traditional salted pork (read: BACON!) and cabbage.  Corned beef reminded them of the homeland, and the American tradition of corned beef and cabbage was born!

Here's my take (which we eat on days other than St. Patrick's Day).  Enjoy it with a side of Colcannon!

You will need:
3-4 lbs corned beef (with the fat untrimmed)
1.5 lbs potatoes, cubed
1 lb baby carrots
Half head of cabbage, sliced into ribbons
1 large onion, diced
2/3 full stalk of celery (about 6 ribs), diced
2 tbsp olive oil
Seasonings (salt, pepper, Montreal steak seasoning, peppercorn blend)
1 bottle of Guinness (approximately 12 oz)
2 tbsp cornstarch
Large, cast iron Dutch oven

Season the beef to taste.  My preference is salt, pepper, and Montreal.

In a large, cast iron Dutch oven , heat the oil and sweat the onions and celery for approximately 5 minutes.

If needed, slice the beef so that it fits the pot, fat down.  (For the above slab, I cut it into thirds and filled the bottom of the DO.)

Layer over the carrots and potatoes.  Finish with the cabbage.  Pour the Guinness over SLOWLY (be careful to not spill it, since it will try to sit on the cabbage).

DO NOT STIR.  Put the top on the oven and reduce the heat to low (2 on the electric range). Leave it alone!  Don't check it!  Don't touch it!  Let it cook, unimpeded, for 4 hours.   Turn the heat off but keep covered; it will continue to cook, courtesy of the cast iron.  Leave it on the burner for an hour.

Plate it by covering the bottom of the plate with cabbage, piling the sliced corned beef in the center, and surrounding the plate with your root vegetables .

To make the gravy, pull out about a cup and a half of liquid from the pot (include onions and celery if desired) and place in a pan over high heat.  Pull another quarter cup of liquid and whisk in the cornstarch, then add the dissolved mixture into your pan, whisking rapidly.  Bring to a boil and whisk for 3-5 minutes, until thickened.

Best served with colcannon and soda bread, with gravy drizzled over the top.  Enjoy this tradition with a pint of Guinnes , and be grateful for time with good foo , good friends, and amazing family!

☘ Happy St. Patrick's Day! ☘

Irish Soda Bread

Posted by Michele at 12:00 AM 0 comments

(originally found here)

My soda bread recipe hasn't changed much since I first started making it, but I've added a few helpers!  ☘ ♥ 🧒 👧 ♥ ☘

This year,  we used dates and raisins, and that seemed to be quite the hit!   Regardless what fruit you use, this is a perfect addition to every meal.

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

In a large bowl, mix together:
4 cups of (gluten free) A. P. Flour
1 cup of sugar
2 tsp of baking powder
1 tsp of baking soda
1 tsp of salt
1 cup of raisins 
1 cup of diced dates

Let your flour mixture sit while you melt:
1/2 cup (1 full stick) of butter
Let the butter cool but still remain warm.

Put a hole in the flour mixture and pour in:
2 cups of buttermilk
2 eggs
the melted butter from above. 


Use a spatula or wooden spoon to mix until sticky.   Dust with flour to make the dough formable.  Place on a greased cookie sheet in a circle.  Bake for 45 minutes or until cooked.  A crisp exterior will form, but the bread will spring to the touch.

(Keep in mind that the batter will spread out as it bakes.)

Let the bread sit for 5 minutes before removing to a cutting board.  Cool for an additional 10 minutes before slicing.  We love to cover it with Irish butter while it's still warm!  

Colcannon

Posted by Michele at 3:03 PM 0 comments

3lbs. potatoes (washed, skin on, diced)
1/2 large heat of green cabbage (sliced into thin strips)
1/2 cup butter (1 stick) (sliced)
Salt to taste

In a large pot, bring to a boil the potatoes and cabbage with enough water to cover.  Salt to taste (I use about 1 tablespoon).

When tender (15 to 20 minutes), remove and drain.  In a large mixing bowl, put the butter pieces and cover with the potatoes and cabbage.  Use a potato masher to loosely mash, then whip with the mix attachment until smooth.

Taste and salt appropriately.

(Makes about 8 cups.  This makes amazing potatocakes if you have leftovers!)

Irish Cream

Posted by Michele at 10:08 AM 0 comments

makes approximately 36 ounces

Mix the following in a blender until will mixed and smooth:

14oz Irish Whiskey (for this, I love Jameson Cask Stout Edition)

8oz of heavy whipping cream

14oz of sweetened condensed milk (you can make your own!)

3/4oz (about 1tbsp) dark coffee (we roast our own, but Backyard Beans Punch in the Face is awesome!)

1oz melted chocolate or chocolate syrup (this is an outstanding use for any leftover ganache you have from making Irish Explosion Cake ☺)

1/4oz each (about 1tsp) vanilla and almond extracts (optional)



Refrigerate after opening.  This will keep for 3 months (if it lasts that long!)

Sweetened Condensed Milk

Posted by Michele at 10:05 AM 0 comments

Quick and Dirty (half the time of the below recipe):

12oz evaporated milk

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

Combine sugar and milk and bring to a boil, whisking until the sugar dissolves.  Whisk continuously until thickened.  Remove from heat and cool.

Truly Homemade:
(dairy free option!)

2 cups full fat milk (or any high fat milk substitute you choose for dairy free...  I've used coconut milk to do dairy free and it was great!)

1 cup granulated sugar

Combine sugar and milk and bring to a boil, whisking until the sugar dissolves.  Reduce heat to medium and whisk continuously until thickened.  (This will take some time.). Remove from heat and cool.