Homemade Kahlua-style Liqueur.

A friend sent me this one. I'm not sure if she was suggesting that she needs to drink more, or if I do. Probably both......

Kahlua-style Liqueur

4 c. sugar
2 oz. instant coffee
4 c. boiling water
1 qt. 100 proof vodka
2 vanilla beans

Add 3 cups water to 4 cups sugar. Boil 20 minutes and cool. Mix in a separate bowl or pan, 2 ounces instant coffee and 1 cup boiling water. Let cool. Mix together both mixtures and add 1 quart 100 proof vodka and 2 vanilla beans. Age 3 to 4 weeks. Makes 2 quarts.

Pecan Dream Bars.

Pecan Dream Bars

1½ cups all-purpose flour
1¾ cups firmly packed brown sugar, divided
1 stick butter
4 large eggs
½ cup light corn syrup
1-1/3 cups melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1½ cups chopped pecans
1 (8 ounce) package almond brickle chips (may substitute chocolate brickle chips)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 13 x 9 pan. In a small bowl, combine flour and ¾ cup brown sugar. Cut in 1 stick butter with pastry blender, or two knives, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press mixture into pan and bake 15 minutes. In a medium bowl, combine eggs, remaining 1 cup brown sugar, corn syrup and melted butter, stirring until smooth. Stir in vanilla, pecans and brickle chips. Pour over hot baked crust. Bake 30 minutes or until set. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

Raspberry Bars.

Raspberry Bars

10 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cut into pieces, plus more for the pan
1 cup all purpose flour
½ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¾ cup rolled oats
½-¾ cup seedless raspberry jam

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter an 8x8 square baking pan. In food processor pulse the flour, sugar and salt to combine. Add the butter and pulse just until the dough comes together. Put dough in bowl and gently knead in the oats. Press all but ½ cup of dough into the pan. Spread the jam over the dough leaving a ¼-inch border around the edges. Sprinkle the top with the remaining dough, it doesn’t have to cover just sprinkle evenly. Bake about 25 minutes until the edges are golden. Cool about 10 minutes before cutting.

Chocolate Streusel Bars.

The Mobile Register food section had an article today on options to the standard brownie & lemon square. This one, and the next two posts, were the one that most interested me.

Chocolate Streusel Bars

2 cups all purpose flour
¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
¾ cup butter or margarine, divided
¾ cup finely chopped nuts
24 caramels, unwrapped
1(14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate

In large bowl, combine flour, brown sugar and egg. Cut in ½ cup (1 stick) of the butter or margarine until mixture becomes crumbly. Stir in nuts. Reserve 2 cups of crumb mixture, and press remaining mixture into a greased 13 x 9 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. While crust is baking, melt caramels, sweetened condensed milk and ¼ cup butter in saucepan over low heat. Add unsweetened chocolate and stir until melted. Pour over prepared crust. Top with reserved crumb mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool for several hours or overnight before cutting into squares.

Cold Avocado Soup.

This is the recipe, directly from Carnival Cruise Lines, for their cold avocado soup. As such, it is given for industrial quantity. If anyone wants to split it down to family size, it would be very much appreciated. The soup is perfection!

Here is the direct link to the original file, complete with photo.

White Chocolate Bread Pudding.

White Chocolate Bread Pudding

This is from the Columbia Restaurant, a legend in Tampa, Florida. I've heard amazing things about this dessert, especially from my friend, Alice, who fantasizes about it.

6 cups heavy cream
2 cups milk
1 cup sugar
2 oz. vanilla
28 oz. white chocolate (Small Pieces)
4 eggs
12 egg yolks
18 oz. day-old Cuban bread

Heat cream, milk, sugar and vanilla over medium heat in a large saucepan. When hot and small bubbles form, remove from heat and add 2 & 1/2 cups of the white chocolate, stirring until melted.

Combine eggs and yolks in a large mixing bowl. With an electric mixer, slowly pour in a little of the cream mixture, whipping on medium speed to incorporate into the eggs to warm them. Slowly add remaining cream, continuing to beat to incorporate.

Cut bread into half-inch slices, place in a large mixing bowl. Pour egg and cream mixture over bread; press bread to absorb mix and allow bread to become soggy. Let cool for 15 minutes.

Grease a 10-by-12-inch baking pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Add the remaining cup of white chocolate to the bread and stir. (Do not let the white chocolate melt.) Pour mixture evenly into prepared pan and cover with foil. Bake for 1 hour.

Remove foil, continue to bake for an additional hour (approximately) or until pudding is set and top is golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool thoroughly.

About 20 minutes before serving, slice bread pudding into individual portions and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake in a 350-degree oven until crispy and heated through. Top with White Chocolate Rum Sauce and, if desired, chocolate curls. Serve immediately.

White Chocolate Sauce

1/2 cup heavy cream

8 oz. white chocolate (small pieces)

2 oz. Bacardi Rum

In a medium saucepan, bring cream to a boil over medium heat. Remove from stove and add white chocolate. Stir until melted and smooth. Add rum, and stir with whisk to incorporate. Keep warm over very low heat until ready to serve. This can be made ahead and refrigerated, then reheated over low heat before serving.

Overnight Coffee Cake.

Saw this in the local paper, and thought that it looked good....

Overnight Coffee Cake

3⁄4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
3⁄4 cup brown sugar
1⁄2 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 & 1 ⁄2 cups confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons milk

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and beat well. Combine the flour, baking soda, nutmeg and salt. Add to the creamed mixture, alternating with the sour cream. Pour into a 13-inch by 9-inch baking dish. Combine the brown sugar, pecans and cinnamon in a small bowl and sprinkle over the coffee cake. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
In the morning, remove the coffee cake from the oven and bake at 350 de- grees for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 10 min- utes. Combine the confectioners’ sugar and milk. Drizzle over cake and serve warm.

Three Bean White Chicken Chili.

Three Bean White Chicken Chili


1 TBSP vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
3 stalks celerey, diced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (4 ounce) can diced jalapeno peppers
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
3 TBSP ground cumin
2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 (32 oz.) box good chicken broth, preferably Kitchen Basics brand
3 cups chopped cooked chicken breast (or a whole rotisserie chicken, deboned & chopped)
1(15 oz) can Great Northern white beans, drained & rinsed
1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans, drained & rinsed
1 (15 oz.) can cannellini (white kidney) beans, drained & rinsed
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Sour cream

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Slowly cook and stir the onion & celery until tender. Mix in the garlic, jalapeno, green chile peppers, cumin, oregano and cayenne. Continue to cook and stir the mixture until tender, about 3 minutes. Mix in the chicken broth, chicken and white beans. Simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove the mixture from heat. Serve warm, topped with shredded cheese & sour cream.

* For a less spicy version, eliminate the jalapenos, double the green chilies, and cut the cayenne in half.

** I made this for dinner tonight, and it is fantastic! Especially on a crisp autumn evening! I'm thinking that next time I'm going to swing it a little more toward the Mexican side, and add in a bunch of cilantro, some diced carrots, and perhaps cut back on the beans and add in some rice. Also, I did the less spicy version, and it was still plenty spicy. I could have easily tolerated the full dose of cayenne, but the rest of the family would not have.

Milk Punch.

A classic morning cocktail in New Orleans.

Milk Punch

1 ½ ounces brandy or good quality bourbon
1 ounce simple syrup
½ tsp. high quality vanilla extract
2-3 ounces half-and-half
Cubed ice
Grated nutmeg

Pour brandy, simple syrup, vanilla extract and half-and-half into a pint glass. Add ice to a shaker and shake the concoction until well mixed and frothy. Add cubed ice to a rocks glass and, using a strainer, pour the mixture into it. Top with a bit of grated nutmeg.

Almond Cream Cake.

Almond Cream Cake

1/2 c. slivered or sliced almonds
2 tbsp. coconut
1/4 c. honey
2 tbsp. butter, melted
1/8 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. active dry yeast
1/3 c. warm milk (105 - 115°F)
2/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. butter, softened
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 c. all purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder

In small bowl combine almonds, coconut, honey, 2 tablespoons melted butter and almond extract. Spread mixture in bottom of greased 9 inch round pan. Dissolve yeast in warm milk. In medium bowl cream sugar and 1/3 cup butter. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup. Level off. Combine flour and baking powder. Add flour mixture alternately with milk and yeast, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Pour batter over almond mixture, in pan, and bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 1 minute. Remove from pan. Cool completely.

FILLING:
1 c. milk
1/2 c. whipping cream
1 tbsp. honey
1/8 tsp. almond extract
3 1/2 oz. pkg. instant vanilla pudding

Combine all ingredients in large bowl. Beat with electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes. Slice cooled cake into 2 layers. Remove top layer. Spread filling over bottom layer; replace top layer, almond side up. Chill 1 hour before serving.

Chicken & Potato Pancakes.

Chicken-and-Potato Pancakes

2 cups instant pancake mix
2 cups milk
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 1/2 cups (6 oz.) shredded Colby-Jack cheese blend
1 cup refrigerated shredded hash browns
4 green onions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Quick Cream Gravy (optional)

Whisk together pancake mix and milk in a large bowl, whisking just until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in chicken and next 6 ingredients, stirring just until blended. Pour about 1/4 cup batter for each cake onto a hot (350°), lightly greased griddle or large nonstick skillet. Cook pancakes 3 minutes or until tops are covered with bubbles and edges look dry and cooked; turn and cook other side 5 to 6 minutes or until done. Serve with Quick Cream Gravy, if desired.

Quick Cream Gravy

Bring 1/4 cup dry white wine to a boil over medium heat in a small saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 1 minute. Add 1 cup water; whisk in 1 (1.2-oz.) package roasted chicken gravy mix and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Increase heat to medium, and return to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer 3 minutes or until thickened. Whisk in 2 Tbsp. heavy cream.

Mississippi Fried Catfish & Hushpuppies.

From Chef Martha Foose’s "Screen Doors and Sweet Tea"

HUSH PUPPY BATTER

2 cups self-rising cornmeal
1/2 cup self-rising flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup grated onion
1/4 cup finely chopped bell pepper or jalapeno
1 cup buttermilk
1 large egg

CATFISH

8 (6-ounce) U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish fillets, patted dry
2 cups corn flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil, for frying

1. MAKE THE HUSH PUPPY BATTER. In a mixing bowl, whisk the cornmeal, flour, salt, and sugar to mix and remove any lumps. In a separate bowl, combine the onion, bell pepper, buttermilk, and egg. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry, stirring well to combine. Let the batter sit for 15 minutes of until after the fish has been fried.

2. COOK THE FISH. Season both the fish and the corn flour liberally with salt and pepper. Place the seasoned corn flour in a bag. Add the fish pieces one by one, and shake until completely covered. Set the coated fish on a wire rack to dry slightly while the oil heats.

3. Set a wire rack over a baking sheet lined with newspaper or paper towels. In a deep pot or fryer, heat at least 4 inches of oils to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Drop the fish filets into the hot oil, being careful not to crowd the pot, and fry until ginger tan, slightly curled, and floating, about 4 minutes (8 to 10 minutes for whole fish). Remove with a skimmer or slotted spoon. Set the fish on the rack to drain while frying the hush puppies.

4. Do not stir the hush puppy batter, which would deflate it. Dip two spoons in the hot oil. Then with one of the coated spoons, scoop up a spoonful of batter and carefully slide the batter into the hot oil, using the other spoon to help guide the hush puppy into the pot. Repeat, dipping the spoons again if the batter begins to stick, until all the batter has been used. Be careful not to overcrowd the pot. Fry the hush puppies until crisp, turning them as needed, until they turn deep reddish brown and begin to float. Remove from the pot and rain on the wire rack before serving.

Notes:
I am a strong proponent of cottonseed oil for fish frying. It is an excellent medium: It has a high smoke point of 450 degrees Fahrenheit and does not impart as strong a flavor as peanut oil. Dark cottonseed oil straight from the mill is termed "crude" and must be refined further for most culinary uses. Some cotton-land residents swear by it because of the nutty flavor it imparts.
Never fill a vessel to be used for frying more than two-thirds full. The grease will rise and sputter violently. Mary fires have happened because this rule was overlooked.
Never, ever, throw water on a grease fire.
Many an experienced fish-camp cook checks the oil temperature by flicking a Diamond Strike Anywhere Match across the surface of the hot oil. If it lights, the grease is ready.
Look for corn flour sold boxed or bagged as fish fry, like Zatarain's. It is very finely ground cornmeal.
Hushpuppies fried after the fish are much more flavorful than those fried before. Mixing the hush puppy batter and letting it rest while the fish is crying bestows the ethereal crispness.
If desired add 1/2 cup of fresh, in-season corn kernels to the hush puppy batter.

Chocolate Fudge Bars.

Chocolate Fudge Bars

2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
2 (7.4 oz) packages Chocolate Chip Muffin Mix
1 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12 oz.) package semi-sweet chocolate chips, (2 cups)
3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350º F. Coat a 13 x 9-inch pan with no-stick cooking spray. Beat brown sugar and butter in large bowl with electric mixer at medium high speed until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and egg. Stir in muffin mix. Stir in oats until well blended. Reserve one cup of mixture. Set aside. Pat remaining mixture into prepared pan with oiled hands. Combine condensed milk and chocolate chips in medium saucepan. Cook over low heat until chocolate is melted, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in walnuts. Quickly spread evenly over muffin mixture covering completely to edge of pan. Drop reserved oat mixture by teaspoonfuls over chocolate mixture. Spread slightly. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely on wire rack. Cut into bars.

Espresso Pots de Creme.

From New Orleans chef Susan Spicer, whose cookbook, Crescent City Cooking, is truly excellent!

Espresso Pots de Creme

2 cups heavy cream
2 cups half and half
1/2 vanilla bean, split open and scraped
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon instant espresso
6 egg yolks
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Whipped cream for garnish, optional
Chocolate-covered espresso beans for garnish, optional

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
Heat a kettle of water. Combine the cream, half and half, vanilla bean (and inside scrapings), and
sugar in a heavy saucepan. Cook over low heat until the mixture just barely reaches a simmer. Stir in the espresso until dissolved.Whisk the egg yolks in a small bowl, then temper the yolks by whisking in a little hot cream. Add the remaining cream in a slow, steady stream. Whisk the cream mixture back into the pan. Stir in the vanilla, adjusting amount as necessary. Strain the mixture though a fine strainer. Ladle 5 or 6 ounces into eight custard cups, ramekins or coffee cups. Place the containers in a baking dish and
add enough hot water to come halfway up the sides; cover the dish with foil. Bake in the water bath for about 45 minutes, or until the cream is set around the edges; the centers will not be quite firm. Let the
cups cool in the water bath, then serve at room temperature or chilled, garnished with whipped cream and chocolate-covered espresso beans. 

Makes 8.

Perfect Creamed Spinach.

Creamed spinach can either be divine, or taste very earthy, which is my way of saying nicely that it tastes like dirt. I ran across it in the Times-Picayune column that gathers recipes from local restaurants, and it is purportedly the one served at Ruth's Chris. Having been lucky enough to sample the creamed spinach at Ruth's Chris several years ago, I have very high hopes for being able to create it at home.

Perfect Creamed Spinach

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter plus 2 tablespoons softened
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups milk or half and half
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1 small bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pound fresh spinach
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

In a small saucepan, melt 1 stick butter over medium heat until foamy, then add flour and stir until light brown in color. Add onion and seasonings and then whisk in milk, stirring until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens.

Reduce the heat and cook for 5 minutes. Pass through a fine strainer and reserve. The sauce will be very thick.

Cook 1 pound spinach immersed in boiling water for one minute. Remove and immerse in ice water to stop the cooking process. Squeeze spinach until very dry and puree in a food processor. Set aside.

Just before serving, combine the sauce with the pureed spinach and cook on low heat, stirring often, for about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Finish by stirring in the remaining 2 tablespoons softened butter. Serve warm.

Roasted Potato Salad.

I saw this one in the local newspaper this week, and it spoke to me. Maybe I'll actually find time to make it soon.

Roasted Potato Salad

1 small (4.5 ounce) can mild green chiles, undrained
3 pounds red new potatoes, cut into halves or quarters
3 tablespoons corn oil
½ cup olive oil
3 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/3 cup chopped purple onion
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup crumbled Queso fresco (optional but tasty)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place potatoes in a large ziploc bag and toss with corn oil to coat; then spread potatoes out onto a large baking sheet a single layer. Bake the potatoes for 35-40 minutes, stirring them once or twice during cooking.

While potatoes are cooking combine chiles, olive oil, white wine vinegar, onion and salt. Pour hot potatoes into a large bowl and pour dressing over all, stirring to combine. Cover bowl with foil and leave to cool for an hour or so. Serve at room temperature. Just prior to serving crumble cheese over potatoes, if desired.

Oatmeal Coconut Pecan Cookies.

I ran across this recipe this morning on another food blog (can't remember which one, sadly) and made them tonight. They are fantastic!

Oatmeal Coconut Pecan Cookies

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut (toasting is optional)
1 cup quick oats
1 cup chopped pecans (again, toasting first is optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl cream together the sugars, eggs, butter and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Drop by spoonfuls onto cookie sheet. Bake for about 12 minutes until cookies are lightly browned. Made 95 cookies for me. Recipe could be easily halved if necessary, although I can't imagine why anyone would.

Optional additions:

1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup rice krispies
1 cup crushed corn flakes
1 tsp. almond flavoring

New Blogs!

I have meant to reconfigure the sidebar section of other food blogs for quite a while. After adding quite a few new ones to the list recently, I finally took the time to do it today. Now, the blogs will automatically update in the sidebar as new posts are added to each one. It will greatly enhance the experience. Hope you enjoy it and find some great dishes!

Sweet Potato Hash.

Sweet Potato Hash

1 large or 2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and quartered (about 1 lb.)
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 11-oz. can Southwestern-style corn with black beans and peppers, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup dairy sour cream
2 Tbsp. chipotle salsa
3 medium avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced
Fresh cilantro leaves and chili powder (optional)

Place sweet potatoes in a microwave safe dish; cover and cook on 100 percent power (high) for 5 to 8 minutes or just until tender enough to chop. Cool slightly; cut into chunks. Sprinkle lightly with salt.

In large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add potatoes; cook until browned and crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Add drained corn to skillet. Cook 3 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Meanwhile, stir together sour cream and chipotle salsa.

To serve, divide sweet potato mixture among 4 plates. Top with avocado and serve with chipotle sour cream sauce. Add cilantro and sprinkle chili powder. Makes 4 servings.

Quick Hummus.

• Quick Hummus
• 
  
• 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed
• 1 clove garlic
• 1⁄4 cup olive oil, plus more for serving
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste; optional)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 
  
• In a food processor, puree the chickpeas and garlic with the olive oil, lemon juice, tahini (if using), cumin, and ¾ teaspoon salt until smooth and creamy. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons water as necessary to achieve the desired consistency. Transfer to a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with the paprika before serving.