Barefoot Bloggers: Popovers

The second Barefoot Blogger pick of the month was popovers. At first I was going to skip it since I didn't have a popover pan and didn't really want to get one. Then I read the recipe and it said I could use custard cups. Since they would go good with the potato chowder I was making I decided to give it a try.

They were very easy to make and came out perfectly. They are a little differently shaped than ones made in a popover pan, a little more short and squat, but they taste just the same.

Popovers

Source: Barefoot Contessa Parties, page 189

Make 12 popovers

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus softened butter for greasing pans
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups milk, at room temperature

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Generously grease aluminum popover pans or Pyrex custard cups with softened butter. You’ll need enough pans to make 12 popovers. Place the pans in the oven for exactly 2 minutes to preheat. Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, salt, eggs, milk, and melted butter until smooth. The batter will be thin. Fill the popover pans less than half full and bake for exactly 30 minutes. Do not peek.

Barefoot Bloggers: East Hampton Clam Chowder (Not Really)

No Barefoot Bloggers last month but it looks like it is back now. The first pick of the month was for East Hampton Clam Chowder. I love clam chowder but, unfortunately, my wife does not. I decided to adapt this into something she would eat by getting rid of the clams and adding a little bacon for some extra flavor.

I am sure I would have loved the clam chowder even more but it was fantastic this way as well. Thanks to Laura at Family Spice for this pick. I love the look of her blog.

I'll post my version of the chowder without clams but if you want to try out the version with clams you can see it here on the foodnetwork.com site. Hopefully I get to try it some day.

Potato Chowder

Adapted from Barefoot Contessa Family Style, Page 28 (East Hampton Clam Chowder)

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

• 4 slices bacon, chopped
• 8 tablespoons (1 sticks) unsalted butter, divided
• 2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
• 2 cups medium-diced celery (4 stalks)
• 2 cups medium-diced carrots (6 carrots)
• 4 cups peeled medium-diced boiling potatoes (8 potatoes)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves (1/2 teaspoon dried)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 quart (4 cups) chicken broth
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• Shredded Chesse (optional)

Directions

1. Cook the bacon in a large heavy-bottomed stockpot or dutch oven until just crisp. Remove the bacon to a paper towel lined plate and set aside.
2. Pour off all but 4 tablespoons of the bacon greasefrom the stockpot. Add the onions and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, or until translucent. Add the celery, carrots, potatoes, thyme, salt, and pepper and saute for 10 more minutes. Add the chicken broth, bring to a boil, and simmer, uncovered, until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
3. In a small pot, melt the remaining 8 tablespoons of butter and whisk in the flour. Cook over very low heat for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Whisk in a cup of the hot broth and then pour this mixture back into the cooked vegetables. Simmer for a few minutes until the broth is thickened.
4. Add the milk and about 3/4 of the bacon and heat gently for a few minutes. Taste for salt and pepper. Garnish with the rest of the bacon and some shredded chesse if you like. Serve hot.

Barefoot Bloggers: Oven-Fried Chicken

This has been a fun month of artery clogging recipes. Starting out with grilled cheese (made extra bad by adding mayonnaise), then on to two desserts, and now we finish it with fried chicken. This gives the illusion of being healthy by saying it is oven-fried, but after looking at the recipe you quickly discover it is anything but healthy.

This was a pretty standard fried chicken recipe with two exceptions. The first is that you soak the chicken overnight in buttermilk. The second is that you pan fry it just to brown the skin, then you finish it in the oven. I am not sure if either of these made for better fried chicken but I would say it was at least as good as other fried chicken I have made. The time in the oven probably does help give the chicken time to drip off some of the oil - so maybe it is a little healthier. You do end up with more dishes with the extra step but it is kind of nice to have time to prepare the rest of your dinner while the chicken is in the oven.

Thanks to Vicki at My Fair Lady for this pick. She added some spices to give the chicken some more flavor - sounds like a good idea to me.

Oven-Fried Chicken

(Source: Barefoot Contessa Family Style, page 81)

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 2 chickens (3 pounds each), cut in 8 serving pieces
• 1 quart buttermilk
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• Vegetable oil or vegetable shortening

Directions

1. Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl and pour the buttermilk over them. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Combine the flour, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Take the chicken out of the buttermilk and coat each piece thoroughly with the flour mixture. Pour the oil into a large heavy-bottomed stockpot to a depth of 1-inch and heat to 360 degrees F on a thermometer.
4. Working in batches, carefully place several pieces of chicken in the oil and fry for about 3 minutes on each side until the coating is a light golden brown (it will continue to brown in the oven). Don't crowd the pieces. Remove the chicken from the oil and place each piece on a metal baking rack set on a sheet pan. Allow the oil to return to 360 degrees F before frying the next batch. When all the chicken is fried, bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is no longer pink inside. Serve hot.

Barefoot Bloggers: Mixed Berry Cheesecake

If I had to pick my perfect desert it would probably be cheesecake. I have made a few cheesecakes in my day and haven't really had one I haven't liked (just keep the chocolate and caramel away from my cheesecake).

Looking at this cheesecake it seemed pretty normal to me. It didn't have cream like most others I have made. It also didn't need a water bath - I am all for that if it works. The other thing that seemed a little unusual was that they have you put the graham cracker crust 1 inch up - I kind of like the way it the crust looks this way.

This was definitely not the time of year for the berry topping - I think about a month late. The berries were all expensive and the strawberries needed a lot of picking through. I would say the cake was a good to average cheesecake. That is not a bad thing - even an average cheesecake is a very good desert - just not sure it was the best cheesecake I have ever had. It looked great and didn't even crack.

Thanks to Nathalie of Snowbell Jewelry for this month's pick.

Mixed Berry Cheesecake

(Source: Barefoot Contessa Food Network)

Servers 12-15

Ingredients

For the crust:

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (10 crackers)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:

• 2 1/2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 5 whole extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the topping:

• 1 cup red jelly (not jam) such as currant, raspberry, or strawberry
• 1/2 pint sliced strawberries
• 1/2 pint fresh raspberries
• 1/2 pint fresh blueberries

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. To make the crust, combine the graham crackers, sugar, and melted butter until moistened. Pour into a 9-inch springform pan. With your hands, press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan and about 1-inch up the sides. Bake for 8 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
3. Raise the oven temperature to 450 degrees F.
4. To make the filling, cream the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Reduce the speed of the mixer to medium and add the eggs and egg yolks, 2 at a time, mixing well. Scrape down the bowl and beater, as necessary. With the mixer on low, add the sour cream, lemon zest, and vanilla. Mix thoroughly and pour into the cooled crust.
5. Bake for 15 minutes. Turn the oven temperature down to 225 degrees and bake for another 1 hour and 15 minutes. Turn the oven off and open the door wide. The cake will not be completely set in the center. Allow the cake to sit in the oven with the door open for 30 minutes. Take the cake out of the oven and allow it to sit at room temperature for another 2 to 3 hours, until completely cooled. Wrap and refrigerate overnight.
6. Remove the cake from the springform pan by carefully running a hot knife around the outside of the cake. Leave the cake on the bottom of the springform pan for serving.
7. To make the topping, melt the jelly in a small pan over low heat. In a bowl, toss berries and the warm jelly gently until well mixed. Arrange the berries on top of the cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Barefoot Bloggers: Ultimate Grilled Cheese

The Ultimate Grilled Cheese is the Barefoot Blogger bonus recipe this month. Ina Garten has a new cookbook coming out called How Easy Is That? and we get to try out some of the recipes early. I almost didn't try this recipe since it called for a panini press. A panini press is one of those things that might be cool to have but I would only use it a few times a year and it would be taking up room all year so I don't get one. I thought I would see if I could make it without a press.

Instead of the press I just made it in a heavy pan and pressed it down with my spatula. The sandwiches were good but I had a few problems with it. The cheese didn't completely melt - I will assume this is because I didn't use a press. It was also a little salty for me - should have left the salt out. Other than that they were great. I also didn't notice until I got home from the store that it called for aged Gruyere - I am sure it would have been even better if I had got the right cheese.

Thanks to Rebecca at Ezra Pound Cake for this months bonus recipe. Looks like she got away without a press too.

Ultimate Grilled Cheese

(Source: How Easy is That? by Ina Garten)

serves 6

Ingredients

• 12 slices thick-cut bacon, such as Nodine’s applewood smoked
• 1 cup good mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 white pullman loaf or sourdough bread, sliced 1/2 inch thick (12 slices)
• 6 tbsp salted butter, at room temperature
• 6 oz aged Gruyere or Comte cheese
• 6 oz extra-sharp Cheddar, such as Cabot or Shelburne Farms

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Arrange the bacon on a baking rack set over a sheet pan in a single layer and roast for 20 to 30 minutes, until nicely browned. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels and cut in 1-inch pieces.
2. Meanwhile, combine the mayonnaise, mustard, Parmesan, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Lay 12 slices of bread on a board and spread each one lightly with butter. Flip the slices and spread each one generously with the mayonnaise mixture. Don’t neglect the corners!
3. Grate the cheeses in a food processor fitted with the largest grating disk and combine. Distribute the bacon evenly on half the slices of bread. Pile 1/3 cup grated cheese evenly on top of the bacon and top with the remaining bread slices, sauce side down.
4. Heat an electric panini press. When the press is hot, cook the sandwiches for 3 to 5 minutes in batches until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted. Allow to cool for 2 minutes. Cut in half and serve warm.

Blueberry Streusel Muffins

A little something different this month for the Barefoot Bloggers. We got to pick between two different Barefoot Contessa Blueberry Muffin recipes. We could either make her Blueberry Coffee Cake muffins or her Blueberry Struesel muffins. I decided to go for the struesel version because - well because there is struesel on them.

I had a bunch of blueberries in the freezer and almost used them but it is blueberry season and they were on sale very cheap so I decided to go for the fresh ones. I kind of doubt it makes much of a difference in muffins but might as well. The recipe went together very easily and the muffins were delicious. I could have used more struesel but maybe that is just me. The copy of the recipe I was using didn't say how many it made and I started it late at night so I currently have half the batter in the freezer and will probably attempt to make that in a day or two. I'll post a comment on how that goes.

Thanks to Maria of Close to Home for this pick. Looks like she one upped me by picking her own berries. I'll have to do that soon since I know my 3 year old would enjoy it. I'm hoping for less desert this month - as you can see from this months posts I have been eating too much of it.

Blueberry Streusel Muffins

(Source: Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics, page 244)

Makes about 24 muffins

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp Kosher salt
• 2 cups buttermilk, shaken
• 1/4 lb (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
• 2 extra-large eggs
• 2 cups fresh blueberries (2 half-pints)

For the Streusel Topping

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp Kosher salt
• 4 tbsp (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line muffin tins with paper liners.
2. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in to a large bowl and blend with your hands. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, butter, lemon zest, and eggs. Stir the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture with a fork, mixing just until blended. Fold the blueberries into the batter. Don’t overmix! With a standard (2 1/4″) ice cream scoop or large spoon, scoop the batter into the prepared cups, filling them almost full.
3. For the topping, place all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and pulse until the butter is in very small pieces. Pour into a bowl and rub with your fingers until crumbly. Spoon about 1 tbsp of the streusel on top of each muffin. Bake the muffins for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown.

Barefoot Bloggers: Sour Cream Coffee Cake

I think this is my fourth post in less than a week - a lot for me. Even though our leader over at Barefoot Bloggers gave us ever time to get our cooking done over the summer I still almost didn't make it on this one. Looked too good to pass up though and it is always easy to get rid of some coffee cake at my wife's work.

I made one mistake while making this recipe. I bought a Nordic Ware Bavaria Bundt Pan a few years ago. This is not something I would normally but without having a use for it but it was at our company store for less that $10 so I couldn't pass it up. After buying it, it has sat in our cupboard ever since. When this recipe came up I figure it was my perfect opportunity to try my pan.

It is a beautiful pan, heavy cast-aluminum with a nice design and a non-stick finish. I figured out there was one issue when I got to the part where I put the batter in the pan and it says to do half batter, half streusel, half batter, half streusel. When the cake is done it wants you to flip it out streusel side (or bottom side) up. I can't really display a cake from this pan bottom side up. I wasn't sure if it would work to put the streusel in first so I made a little but of a sacrifice and decided to have both streusel layers inside the cake - this means I don't have a nice streusel topping. My second issue came in plating the cake. The pan, even with non-stick finish ( oiled and floured ) did not want to let go of the cake. You can see in the picture above that I lost a small layer on the top of the cake. Not sure if a different cake would work out better or not.

Despite my issues, the cake was a big winner. I sent a bunch of it to my wife's work and got these comments back:

"Yum! It was awesome!"

"I think it was your husband's best cake to date, but then again I'm not much of a cake and frosting guy. This was coffee cake? Superb!"

I would have to agree that it was really good. Very moist and good flavor. I especially like the hint of maple flavor from the glaze - I love maple anything.

Thanks to Gwenn of Cooking in Pajamas for this pick. Check out the picture of her Sour Cream Coffee cake - that is what it is supposed to look like.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

(Source: Barefoot Contessa Parties!, Page 37)

Yields 8-10 servings

Ingredients

• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 extra-large eggs at room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups sour cream
• 2 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

For the streusel:

• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts, optional

For the glaze:

• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 tablespoons real maple syrup

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.
2. Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for 4 to 5 minutes, until light. Add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla and sour cream. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Finish stirring with a spatula to be sure the batter is completely mixed.
3. For the streusel, place the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and butter in a bowl and pinch together with your fingers until it forms a crumble. Mix in the walnuts, if desired.
4. Spoon half the batter into the pan and spread it out with a knife. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup streusel. Spoon the rest of the batter in the pan, spread it out, and scatter the remaining streusel on top. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.
5. Let cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Carefully transfer the cake, streusel side up, onto a serving plate. Whisk the confectioners' sugar and maple syrup together, adding a few drops of water if necessary, to make the glaze runny. Drizzle as much as you like over the cake with a fork or spoon.

Barefoot Bloggers: Scalloped Tomatoes

Here is something a little different. I wasn't really sure what this would be like but I have been wanting to try something like this for a while so I didn't want to pass this one up.

It is about a month early for fresh tomatoes here in Minnesota so I ended up using some Roma tomatoes. I think that was a good choice since I saw lots of comments on the food network site about soggy bread - the Roma tomatoes were so meaty that soggy bread is not an issue. The store I shopped at didn't have a French broule so I used a loaf of French sourdough and it worked well.

I served this for my father's day dinner and it was a big hit. Nice crispy chewy bread along with tomatoes and garlic and cheese. I ended up serving them just slightly above room temperature and they were great but they would be even better a little warmer. As someone on the food network site commented - "Think bruschetta hot on your plate". Thanks to Josie of Pink Parsley Catering for this pick.

Scalloped Tomatoes

Source: (Barefoot Contessa Farm Stand Food)

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

• Good olive oil
• 2 cups (1/2-inch diced) bread from a French boule, crusts removed
• 16 plum tomatoes, cut 1/2-inch dice (about 2 1/2 pounds)
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup julienned basil leaves, lightly packed
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large (12 inch) saute pan over medium heat. Add the bread cubes and stir to coat with the oil. Cook over medium to medium-high heat for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the cubes are evenly browned.
3. Meanwhile, combine the tomatoes, garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. When the bread cubes are done, add the tomato mixture and continue to cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the basil.
4. Pour the tomato mixture into a shallow (6 to 8 cup) baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with the Parmesan cheese and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the top is browned and the tomatoes are bubbly. Serve hot or warm.

Barefoot Bloggers: Grilled Herb Shrimp (Chicken)

It is still spring but it feels like summer here in Minnesota even though it is a month early. This week up to the nineties and very high humidity. Here is a nice summery recipe to kick off the season. We just had a shrimp recipe a few months ago and now we get another one. Last time I actually went and got some shrimp but I was feeling too lazy this time to make two versions for my wife and I so I just made a chicken version of this recipe.

I am sure the shrimp would have been fabulous but I can say that chicken is a great option too. You could probably do at least six breasts with the recipe. This was a great spring/summer recipe with all the fresh herbs - and I love most anything on the grill. This would be a wonderful recipe for a party - easy to prepare ahead of time and it cooks up really quick.

Thanks to Penny at Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen for this recipe pick. In her blog she says she needs a new neighbor across the lake and I might have to start saving now because the lake (and her cottage) looks beautiful from her pictures.

Grilled Herb Shrimp ( or Chicken)

(Source: Barefoot Contessa Parties!, page 138)

Yields 6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 pounds large shrimp (16 to 20 per pound), peeled and deveined (see note)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium yellow onion, small-diced
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup minced fresh basil
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup good olive oil
• 1 lemon, juiced

Directions

1. Combine all the ingredients and allow them to marinate for 1 hour at room temperature or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
2. Skewer the shrimp. I use 3 or 4 shrimp on a 12-inch skewer for dinner. Heat a grill with coals and brush the grill with oil to prevent the shrimp from sticking. Grill the shrimp for only 1 1/2 minutes on each side.

Note: I leave the tails on when I'm peeling the shrimp. If using chicken use 6 split boneless skinless breast cut in 3/8 inch strips and increase cooking time a little (3-4 minutes per side).

Barefoot Bloggers: Spring Green Risotto

I was hoping for a recipe I could use in my Mother's Day meal this month but since I decided to do a brunch thing it didn't quite work out that way. After cooking a big Mother's Day meal I had to make the first recipe of the month the next day so I was at least hoping for quick and easy - I didn't get that wish either.

The recipe was a typical risotto with all the constant stirring that goes with a risotto. I like risottos but it is something that is hard to make while watching a two year old. It is also hard to make anything else for your meal since they require a fair amount of attention. This risotto was probably even more complicated than most since you have to cook a bunch of veggies to start and then you blanch and add the asparagus half way through along with a bunch of other ingredients.

It sounds like I am complaining. This was really good and it is not really hard to make - it just takes time. The flavors were all really good together. I hardly ever make anything with fennel in it but I love the flavor of it. Thanks to Kimberly at Indulge and Enjoy for this pick. She has a lot of good looking vegetarian recipes on her site.

Spring Green Risotto

(Source: Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics, page 147)

Serves 4 for dinner, 6 for appetizer

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoons good olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (2 leeks)
• 1 cup chopped fennel
• 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
• 2/3 cup dry white wine
• 4 to 5 cups simmering chicken stock, preferably homemade
• 1 pound thin asparagus
• 10 ounces frozen peas, defrosted, or 1 1/2 cups shelled fresh peas
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/3 cup mascarpone cheese, preferably Italian
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh chives, plus extra for serving

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks and fennel and saute for 5 to 7 minutes, until tender. Add the rice and stir for a minute to coat with the vegetables, oil, and butter. Add the white wine and simmer over low heat, stirring constantly, until most of the wine has been absorbed. Add the chicken stock, 2 ladles at a time, stirring almost constantly and waiting for the stock to be absorbed before adding more. This process should take 25 to 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cut the asparagus diagonally in 1 1/2-inch lengths and discard the tough ends. Blanch in boiling salted water for 4 to 5 minutes, until al dente. Drain and cool immediately in ice water. (If using fresh peas, blanch them in boiling water for a few minutes until the starchiness is gone.)
3. When the risotto has been cooking for 15 minutes, drain the asparagus and add it to the risotto with the peas, lemon zest, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Continue cooking and adding stock, stirring almost constantly, until the rice is tender but still firm.
4. Whisk the lemon juice and mascarpone together in a small bowl. When the risotto is done, turn off the heat and stir in the mascarpone mixture plus the Parmesan cheese and chives. Set aside, off the heat, for a few minutes, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve hot with a sprinkling of chives and more Parmesan cheese.

Barefoot Bloggers: Jam Thumbprint Cookies

I don't think there have been any cookie recipes so far for Barefoot Bloggers and now this month there are two. Unfortunately I was on vacation the beginning of this month and did not get to make the Raisin Pecan Oatmeal Cookies. I may have to go back to that one because they sound really good. I decided this recipe would be a good opportunity to do something I have been wanting to do for a long time - cook with my 2 1/2 year old son.

I have let Victor do a little cooking with me but I decided this might be a little better than most of my projects. There are some tasks he could do and have fun with and the fact that they were cookies would make it a little more fun for him.

The cookies were a great success. Victor helped add ingredients to the mixer and he helped clean off the mixer beater when we were done with it. It was also his job to roll the cookies in the coconut. As you can see in the picture below there may be more coconut in his cheeks than there is in the bowl.

The cookies were really good. Unfortunately I have do not have any homemade jam so I used some store bought raspberry and peach jams. I have had similar cookies in the past but without the coconut. I think the coconut was a nice addition but I made a few without for my wife. Thanks to Cassandra at Foodie with Little Thyme for this recipe pick. The eclairs for her son look really good.

Jam Thumbprint Cookies

(Source: Barefoot Contessa Family Style, page 208)

Yield 32 cookies

Ingredients

• 3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
• 7 ounces sweetened flaked coconut
• Raspberry and/or apricot jam

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until they are just combined and then add the vanilla. Separately, sift together the flour and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the creamed butter and sugar. Mix until the dough starts to come together. Dump on a floured board and roll together into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
3. Roll the dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. (If you have a scale they should each weigh 1 ounce.) Dip each ball into the egg wash and then roll it in coconut. Place the balls on an ungreased cookie sheet and press a light indentation into the top of each with your finger. Drop 1/4 teaspoon of jam into each indentation. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the coconut is a golden brown. Cool and serve.

Barefoot Bloggers: Caesar Club Sandwich

If I had to pick my favorite food a good sandwich has to be high on the list. It is hard to beat a good New York sub or a Bánh mì. Even though I say this a good sandwich like this is something I never make.

I did make a few changes when I put this together. Since I can't ever seem to find arugula I ended up just using some leaf lettuce. Also I knew my wife wouldn't like the sun-dried tomatoes so I left those off as well. I know it would have been better without those changes but I can say that this was a terrific sandwich even with the changes I made. This has to be one of my favorite Barefoot Blogger recipes so far.

Thanks to Karen of Shortbread for this pick - I really liked this one. And check out her blog for lots of southern cooking. I have to try the ham salad recipe she has listed for another sandwich.

Caesar Club Sandwich

(Source: Barefoot Contessa at Home)

Serves 3

Ingredients

• 2 split (1 whole) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on
• Good olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 4 ounces thinly sliced pancetta
• 1 large garlic clove, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 1/2 teaspoons anchovy paste
• 1 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 cup good mayonnaise
• 1 large ciabatta bread
• 2 ounces baby arugula, washed and spun dry
• 12 sun-dried tomatoes, in oil
• 2 to 3 ounces Parmesan, shaved

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan skin side up. Rub the chicken with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until cooked through. Cool slightly, discard the skin and bones, and slice the meat thickly. Set aside.
3. Meanwhile, place the pancetta on another sheet pan in a single layer. Roast for 10 to 15 minutes, until crisp. Set aside to drain on paper towels.
4. Place the garlic and parsley in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and process until minced. Add the anchovy paste, mustard, lemon juice, and mayonnaise and process again to make a smooth dressing. (Refrigerate the Caesar dressing if not using it immediately.)
5. Slice the ciabatta in half horizontally and separate the top from the bottom. Toast the bread in the oven, cut side up, for 5 to 7 minutes; cool slightly. Spread the cut sides of each piece with the Caesar dressing. Place half the arugula on the bottom piece of bread and then layer in order: the sun-dried tomatoes, shaved Parmesan, crispy pancetta, and sliced chicken. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and finish with another layer of arugula. Place the top slice of ciabatta on top and cut in thirds crosswise. Serve at room temperature.

Barefoot Bloggers: Individual Meat Loaves

I'm a big fan of meatloaf so I was happy to see this choice. I looked at the recipe though and it seemed like a pretty standard meatloaf. The only thing that seemed a little out of the ordinary was the amount of the onions and the fact that you pre-cook the onions.

After making these I can honestly say I have no idea what people commenting on these are raving about. Not that there was anything wrong with them - they just seemed pretty ordinary to me. Maybe I have spoiled myself but most good meatloaf recipes I have used have more than one type of meat, maybe some bacon, and probably something better than ketchup on top. I am clearly in the minority from what I see in the comments on foodnetwork and the barefoot bloggers that have done this so far. I might make this again in the future and try to dress it up a bit but it is definitely not my favorite meatloaf.

Thanks to Tonya at What's on my Plate for this selection. She has a very varied blog. A lot of vegetarian cooking (obviously not all if she chose meatloaf) and even has an entry on making your own butter.

Individual Meat Loaves

(Source: Foodnetwork.com )

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon good olive oil
• 3 cups chopped yellow onions (3 onions)
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/3 cup canned chicken stock or broth
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 1/2 pounds ground chuck (81 percent lean)
• 1/2 cup plain dry bread crumbs (recommended: Progresso)
• 2 extra-large eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup ketchup (recommended: Heinz)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Heat the olive oil in a medium saute pan.
3. Add the onions, thyme, salt, and pepper and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent but not brown.
4. Off the heat, add the Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and tomato paste. Allow to cool slightly.
5. In a large bowl, combine the ground chuck, onion mixture, bread crumbs, and eggs, and mix lightly with a fork. Don't mash or the meatloaf will be dense.
6. Divide the mixture into 6 (10 to 11-ounce) portions and shape each portion into a small loaf on a sheet pan. Spread about a tablespoon of ketchup on the top of each portion.
7. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the internal temperature is 155 to 160 degrees F and the meat loaves are cooked through. Serve hot.

Barefoot Bloggers: Baked Shrimp Scampi

I have a Valentine's day tradition to make a fancy dinner for my wife and I was hoping that this months recipe would be something I could use. Well since my wife doesn't eat shrimp I was a little disappointed at first - this would be another recipe I would not make since it would be only for myself. I thought about it a little more and thought - why not try it with chicken? Even better - why not do chicken and shrimp?

I'm not sure I have ever actually cooked with shrimp. The first thing I discovered was how hard it is to find some nice large shrimp in Minnesota. None of the grocery stores near me seemed to have what I needed so I ended up having to go to Coastal Seafoods - a specialty seafood store that I knew would have them and they did not disappoint.

The scampi was very easy to make. Since I was doing shrimp and chicken I made only a quarter recipe of each and made them in individual gratin dishes. The recipe makes it really easy to make part chicken since the meat really only comes into play at the end. I cut up a chicken breast into pieces about the same size as the shrimp. I even "butterflied" them like the shrimp. I put the chicken in the oven a little earlier since I thought it might take longer but I don't think it was necessary. As you can see from the pictures my shrimp browned a little too much on the top - only because I was busy taking pictures of the chicken and let the shrimp go too long.

The shrimp and the chicken were both terrific. I haven't had good shrimp like that in a long time and they were simple to make. The chicken was good too and my wife and son enjoyed it. Thanks to Jill at Insanely Good Food for this recipe. I have got to try the Mustard Wings she has on her site - they look really good.

Baked Shrimp Scampi

(Source: Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics, pages 128-129)

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 2 pounds (12 to 15 per pound) shrimp in the shell
• 3 tablespoons good olive oil
• 2 tablespoons dry white wine
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 4 teaspoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
• 1/4 cup minced shallots
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 extra-large egg yolk
• 2/3 cup panko (Japanese dried bread flakes)
• Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Peel, devein, and butterfly the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Place the shrimp in a mixing bowl and toss gently with the olive oil, wine, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Allow to sit at room temperature while you make the butter and garlic mixture.
3. In a small bowl, mash the softened butter with the garlic, shallots, parsley, rosemary, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, lemon juice, egg yolk, panko, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper until combined.
4. Starting from the outer edge of a 14-inch oval gratin dish, arrange the shrimp in a single layer cut side down with the tails curling up and towards the center of the dish. Pour the remaining marinade over the shrimp. Spread the butter mixture evenly over the shrimp. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until hot and bubbly. If you like the top browned, place under a broiler for 1 minute. Serve with lemon wedges.

Barefoot Bloggers: Coconut Cupcakes

When I saw this months recipes I thought - Oh great, two more recipes my wife won't eat. Normally I don't make the ones that only I will eat but I changed that rule for these. I have never really been a big cake person but coconut cake is one that I have a hard time passing up. I think it goes back to childhood memories when my grandmother would make a cake every year for my grandfather's birthday. The cake was always half coconut and half banana and I remember liking both halves.

So I decided to make these. It makes way more cupcakes than I will eat but it is not like it is that hard to get rid of cupcakes. I passed out a bunch at a meeting tonight and I will send whatever else I don't want to eat to my wife's work tomorrow - they won't last long there.

These cupcakes weren't much like my grandmothers cake but they were delicious. There is coconut in the cake so there is lots of coconut flavor. I loved the cream cheese frosting too - just like on a good carrot cake. As you can see my son had to use every ounce of his self control to keep from sticking his finger in a cupcake - I did let him lick the beater though. At lunchtime he told me "full ravioli, hungry cupcake".

Thanks to Jamie at Jamie's Green Kitchen for this pick. Looking at her blog it looks like she really, really, really likes cupcakes - I can see why she picked this recipe.

Coconut Cupcakes

(Source: Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, page 175)

Yield: 18 to 20 cupcakes

Ingredients

• 3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 5 extra-large eggs at room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract
• 3 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 14 ounces sweetened, shredded coconut

For the frosting:

• 1 pound cream cheese at room temperature
• 3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
• 1 1/2 pounds confectioners' sugar, sifted

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well.
3. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In 3 parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in 7 ounces of coconut.
4. Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Fill each liner to the top with batter. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove to a baking rack and cool completely.
5. Meanwhile, make the frosting. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on low speed, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and almond extracts. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth.
6. Frost the cupcakes and sprinkle with the remaining coconut.

Barefoot Bloggers: Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

I am kind of cheating here. The pick for this week was Shrimp Bisque which was selected by Jennifer at The Blessed Home. I am sure I would enjoy it but I would be the only one and the recipe looked like it would be way to much work for just me. I feel especially guilty since it was recently my turn to pick and Jennifer did make my selection. Sorry Jennifer. I wanted to make something so I decided to make the Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms which was the pick right before Christmas - I was unable to make it then because I was so busy with Christmas stuff.

I can say I am very happy I decided to go back and make this one. It was easy to make. You can make the stuffing ahead of time and just throw them together when you are ready to bake them. This would be a very nice item to make for a party. My wife doesn't like sausage but with the sausage mixed with everything else she had no problem with it. I made these with the large stuffing mushrooms but other people made them with smaller mushrooms and they look great either way.

Thanks to Michelle of Welcome to the Club for this selection. If you want to check out the Shrimp Bisque you can check her blog. Sorry I didn't get this done in December but better late than never.

Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

(Source: Barefoot Contessa - Thanksgiving 2.0 Episode)

Yields 6-8 Servings

Ingredients

• 16 extra-large white mushrooms
• 5 tablespoons good olive oil, divided
• 2 1/2 tablespoons Marsala wine or medium sherry
• 3/4 pound sweet Italian sausage, removed from the casings
• 6 scallions, white and green parts, minced
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 2/3 cup panko crumbs
• 5 ounces mascarpone cheese, preferably from Italy
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 2 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Remove the stems from the mushrooms and chop them finely. Set aside. Place the mushroom caps in a shallow bowl and toss with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and Marsala. Set aside.
3. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage, crumbling it with the back of a wooden spoon. Cook the sausage for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until it's completely browned. Add the chopped mushroom stems and cook for 3 more minutes. Stir in the scallions and garlic and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the panko crumbs, stirring to combine evenly with all the other ingredients. Finally, swirl in the mascarpone and continue cooking until the mascarpone has melted and made the sausage mixture creamy. Off the heat, stir in the Parmesan, parsley, and season with salt and pepper, to taste, Cool slightly.
4. Fill each mushroom generously with the sausage mixture. Arrange the mushrooms in a baking dish large enough to hold all the mushrooms in a snug single layer. Bake until the stuffing for 50 minutes, until the stuffing is browned and crusty.

Barefoot Bloggers: Indonesian Ginger Chicken

Well this is exciting! When I first started participating with the Barefoot Bloggers over a year ago I think I was a little over a hundred on the list of bloggers and I thought it would be several years before it was my turn to pick a recipe. For one reason or another people drop out and I am now number 27 of the 114 bloggers in Barefoot Bloggers. That makes it my turn to pick the recipe this month.

I was just talking to a buddy of mine a few weeks ago and he told me that he follows my blog but has never made anything since it all takes too many ingredients. I don't totally agree with that since I know that there have been several recipes that did not have many ingredients, I do know that there have been a fair share of recipes with a lot of ingredients and some hard to find ingredients. That brings me to my pick. I picked Indonesian Ginger Chicken because it looked like it would be good, easy to make, and because it had only five ingredients. So to my buddy - you better make this one - I know they have all this stuff in Switzerland or wherever you live now.

So I just got done saying how easy this recipe looked. I think I was a little overconfident but I tried to make this one twice before today. Last week I was all ready to make it but didn't read the recipe until the day I needed to make it and discovered that it needed to be marinated overnight. Next I decided to make it on this past Monday so thawed my chicken and was ready to make it and discovered that I neglected to buy ginger - who knew I would need ginger for Indonesian Ginger Chicken. That pushed my schedule to today - I almost was late on my own recipe pick.

With all that out of the way it really is easy to make. Takes about 5 minutes prep the night before to prepare the marinade. It marinates in the pan you cook it in so you just pop it in the oven an hour before you need it - flip it half way through and you are done. The chicken looked beautiful - shiny dark skin. It tasted just as good. The skin was crispy and flavored nice with the honey and ginger. I saw a few comments from people that thought some hot pepper flakes or something might have been a nice addition and I agree with them. I think it could have used a little salt too - an unusual thing to need in a Barefoot Contessa recipe.

Indonesian Ginger Chicken

(Source : Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, page 125)

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

• 1 cup honey
• 3/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup minced garlic (8 to 12 cloves)
• 1/2 cup peeled and grated fresh ginger root
• 2 (3 1/2 pound) chickens, quartered, with backs removed

Directions

1. Cook the honey, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger root in a small saucepan over low heat until the honey is melted. Arrange the chicken in 1 layer in a shallow baking pan, skin side down, and pour on the sauce. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil. Marinate overnight in the refrigerator.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Place the baking pan in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover the pan, turn the chicken skin side up, and raise the temperature to 375 degrees F. Continue baking for 30 minutes or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh and the sauce is a rich, dark brown.

Barefoot Bloggers: Croissant Bread Pudding

This post almost didn't happen. I am sure it is a busy time of year for everyone and it almost was too busy for me to make this one. I did really want to make this recipe though so I managed to make it at the last possible time I could. I have always loved eating bread pudding but I have not made it since I baked in a restaurant 25 years ago - and that bread pudding served 100+. This bread pudding recipe is not much like that one I made 25 years ago.

With all the eating and desserts this time of year I decided it would be best to cut this recipe down to 1/4 of the recipe. I needed to get a croissant so I decided I would just stop with my son and eat at Panera for lunch and get some croissants there. Well turns out the croissants at Panera are huge. I decided just to get one and assume that would be at least the same as 1 1/2 normal croissants. The single croissant fit pretty much perfect in a 6x6 baking dish so I decided to use that. The recipe is a little hard to make 1/4 with the eggs. I ended up using just one jumbo egg and one yolk.

I haven't really had a bread pudding I haven't liked and I am not going to start now. This is not really like any bread pudding I have had before. It is much lighter and more delicate. I don't think you can really compare it to another bread pudding since it is so different. I did enjoy it though and would definitely make it again sometime.

Thanks to Peggy at the Pantry Revisited for this recipe pick. She made a few modifications to this recipe so check out her blog on that.

Croissant Bread Pudding

(Source: The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, page 192)

Serves 8-10

Ingredients

• 3 extra-large whole eggs
• 8 extra-large egg yolks
• 5 cups half-and-half
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 6 croissants, preferably stale, sliced horizontally
• 1 cup raisins

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the whole eggs, egg yolks, half-and-half, sugar, and vanilla. Set the custard mixture aside. Slice the croissants in half horizontally. In a 10 by 15 by 2 1/2-inch oval baking dish, distribute the bottoms of the sliced croissants, then add the raisins, then the tops of the croissants (brown side up), being sure the raisins are between the layers of croissants or they will burn while baking. Pour the custard over the croissants and allow to soak for 10 minutes, pressing down gently.
3. Place the pan in a larger one filled with 1-inch of hot water. Cover the larger pan with aluminum foil, tenting the foil so it doesn't touch the pudding. Cut a few holes in the foil to allow steam to escape. Bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 40 to 45 more minutes or until the pudding puffs up and the custard is set. Remove from the oven and cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Barefoot Bloggers: Company Pot Roast

I knew I shouldn't have procrastinated on this post. Here I am the night before Thanksgiving and I still didn't have my post that is due on Thanksgiving done. The apple pie is in the oven now so I have a little break to get this done. To everyone else in the US (or even if your not) - Happy Thanksgiving - enjoy the meal.

This post isn't about Thanksgiving dinner though - it is about this weeks Barefoot Blogger recipe - Company Pot Roast. The name of this recipe kind of got me into trouble - my wife decided that it must mean we have to have company over to eat it. That is OK though - gives me a chance to try out a few recipes. I served the pot roast over Ina's rosemary polenta recipe and served a Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake for dessert.

So how was the pot roast? I would have to say it was very good. It is not really what I am used to since there are not really any identifiable vegetables in it when you serve it. I think that would take a little getting used to for me. That being said - blending all the vegetables into the sauce makes a very tasty gravy - and probably a lot healthier than your standard gravy too. The only question I had on the recipe is - who uses a Prime cut of meat for pot roast? I thought the whole point of pot roast is that is used a little bit of a cheaper cut of meat.

Thanks to Lisa at Lime in the Coconut for this recipe. I haven't had much time to check out her blog yet but it looks like she has some nice photos of her recipes.

Company Pot Roast

(Source: Back to Basics, Page 117)

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 1 (4 to 5-pound) prime boneless beef chuck roast, tied
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• All-purpose flour
• Good olive oil
• 2 cups chopped carrots (4 carrots)
• 2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
• 2 cups chopped celery (4 stalks)
• 2 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (2 to 4 leeks)
• 5 large garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 2 cups good red wine, such as Burgundy
• 2 tablespoons Cognac or brandy
• 1 (28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes in puree
• 1 cup chicken stock, preferably homemade
• 1 chicken bouillon cube
• 3 branches fresh thyme
• 2 branches fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Pat the beef dry with a paper towel. Season the roast all over with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper. Dredge the whole roast in flour, including the ends. In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the roast and sear for 4 to 5 minutes, until nicely browned. Turn and sear the other side and then turn and sear the ends. This should take 4 to 5 minutes for each side. Remove the roast to a large plate.
3. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the Dutch oven. Add the carrots, onions, celery, leeks, garlic, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper and cook over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender but not browned. Add the wine and Cognac and bring to a boil. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock, bouillon cube, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Tie the thyme and rosemary together with kitchen string and add to the pot. Put the roast back into the pot, bring to a boil, and cover. Place in the oven for 2 1/2 hours, until the meat is fork tender or about 160 degrees F internally. Turn the heat down to 250 degrees F after about an hour to keep the sauce at a simmer.
4. Remove the roast to a cutting board. Remove the herb bundle and discard. Skim off as much fat as possible from the sauce. Transfer half the sauce and vegetables to a blender or a food processor fitted with the steel blade and puree until smooth. Pour the puree back into the pot, place on the stove top over low heat, and return the sauce to a simmer. Place 2 tablespoons flour and the butter in a small bowl and mash them together with a fork. Stir into the sauce and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring until thickened. Taste for seasonings. Remove the strings from the roast, and slice the meat. Serve warm with the sauce spooned over it.

Barefoot Bloggers: Crème Brulee

The first Barefoot Blogger recipe for November is a fun one - Crème Brulee. I think Crème Brulee was probably the first real fancy dessert that we had after we were married. We liked it enough that my wife and I went to a community education class that taught how to make a dinner that had Crème Brulee as the dessert. We have tried to make it a few times with varying levels of success so I was excited to get the chance to try it out again.

This recipe was easier than the recipe I have done before. There is really no cooking on the stove other than scalding the milk (and you can do that in the microwave if you want to cheat.). This recipe uses a little liqueur so I will now be a little closer to making that Grand Marnier purchase worth it - it is expensive but it can be used in a lot of recipes. The recipe says to use a cooking torch but don't go purchase one just for this if you have one in the workshop - a normal propane torch works great.

The recipe was easier but I think it was just as good. I do think I like a little more vanilla flavor so I might use a vanilla bean like my other recipe next time - just cook the vanilla bean with the milk and scrape the insides into the milk when done. The liqueur taste was very mild and I only noticed it on the first bite or two. The only other change I might make to the recipe is to strain the custard before you put it into the ramekins. Sometimes, no matter how careful you are when you pour the milk into the egg, the egg will cook a little. I only noticed this in the last dish I poured that there was a little cooked egg to mess up the smooth texture a little and straining would have prevented. I made the full recipe since I like this so much. It does keep pretty well and they are just as good a few days later.

Thanks to Suzie at Munch and Nibble for this months recipe. Go to her blog and check out her very cool Halloween cake.

Crème Brulee

(Source: Barefoot in Paris, page 222)

Makes 5-6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 extra-large egg
• 4 extra-large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for each serving
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon orange liqueur (recommended: Grand Marnier)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the egg, egg yolks, and 1/2 cup of the sugar together on low speed until just combined. Meanwhile, scald the cream in a small saucepan until it's very hot to the touch but not boiled. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the cream to the eggs. Add the vanilla and orange liqueur and pour into 6 to 8-ounce ramekins until almost full.
3. Place the ramekins in a baking pan and carefully pour boiling water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the custards are set when gently shaken. Remove the custards from the water bath, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate until firm.
4. To serve, spread 1 tablespoon of sugar evenly on the top of each ramekin and heat with a kitchen blowtorch until the sugar carmelizes evenly. Allow to sit at room temperature for a minute until the caramelized sugar hardens.