Blueberries!

Summer means berries.

Burnt's Blueberry Vodka

I have been noticing all the blueberries on sale as well as all the great recipes other blogs have been posting.  I usually make blueberry muffins or cobbler but I wanted to try something different.  I saw Bon Appetit's blog, Infuse Your Booze, and I wanted to make blueberry vodka.  In addition to the blueberry vodka, I also made strawberry vodka, pineapple vodka and watermelon vodka.  You have to try this.  It is so tasty and so much better than those infused vodkas you buy at the store (so long Absolut Acai Berry aka vomit inducer)

Bon Appetit also featured Blueberry and Cream Cookies by Christina Tosi of Momofuku.  The same cookie was also the Cookie of the day on Martha Stewart.  I am obsessed with all things David Chang so I had to make these cookies.  They. Are. Awesome. I love chewy, thin cookies and these are exactly that.  The recipe calls for dried blueberries but you can use fresh. 

Hank wants the cookie

Here is a list of my favorite blueberry recipes:
Infuse Your Booze
Blueberry and Cream Cookies
Thomas Keller's Blueberry Cobbler
Banana Muffins with Blueberries -this recipe doesn't call for blueberries but I add them.

Perfect Burger recipe

From the Celebrity Cookbook, published in 1967

Dean Martin is my kind of man.

Source: NY MAG

Listening to Dean Martin- You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You

Cornflake Crusted French Toast with Strawberries

Breakfast is important.  We all heard the studies about how eating breakfast is important to maintain your concentration, metabolism, yadda yadda yadda, but for me breakfast is important because it used to be the one meal I prepared for myself at home.  Most of my other meals were eaten at work, standing in the corner behind the oven or sitting on a dish machine rack by the mop sink.  Now that I am unemployed, I cook all my meals at home and eat them sitting down (usually in front of the TV) but breakfast still has a special place in my heart.

During the winter, I pretty-much ski everyday. I'll ski for about 3 hours (more if it is a powder day), go home, have a quick bite like a grilled cheese (if time permits) then make my way to work.  So breakfast basically became the only complete meal I could enjoy without having to wolf down my food. I like typical breakfast foods: bacon and eggs, pancakes, waffles, eggs in a basket, fritattas .......

For awhile now, I've had the craving for French Toast.  French Toast is not something I usually make because it is more labor intensive than I prefer. Soaking the bread and cooking it was usually one more step than I'd like to do.  But somewhere I saw this picture of cornflake crusted french toast and I just had to eat it.

Cornflake crusted french toast actually involves THREE steps! But I knew the extra labor of coating the french toast would yield a delicious crunch, so I fought back the laziness and coated my french toast!


Cornflake Crusted French Toast
makes 4

8 slices of thickly sliced bread
1/4 cup cream
2 TBSP. whole milk
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
3 eggs, beaten
3 cups cornflakes, coarsely crushed
6 TBSP. butter
Maple Syrup, to serve
Fresh Berries, to serve

1. Preheat oven to 200˚F.
2. In a shallow dish, mix cream, milk, salt, sugar, cinnamon and eggs.  Put crushed cornflakes in another dish.  Working with one slice at a time, soak each slice for 10 seconds on each side, then place in dish with cornflakes, pressing cornflakes onto each side.  Transfer french toast to parchment lined baking sheet.
3. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add 3 TBSP butter and heat until butter starts to foam.  Add four slices of the french toast and cook, turning once, until both sides are golden brown.  Transfer french toast to warm oven, wipe out the skillet, add remaining 3 TBSP of butter and cook the remaining four pieces.
4. Divide the french toast amongst 4 plates and serve with warm maple syrup and fresh berries

Cheers,
Burnt

Listening to Katy Perry- Last Friday Night

I'm BAAAAACK!

Wow, it has been forever. After a busy, busy winter and an equally busy summer, I'm back with a redesigned blog and logo! I promise to try and keep blogging.  I swear.  To kick off my return, I present to you slow cooker chili mac! I just got a slow cooker and I have been testing out new recipes.  Fall is slowly making its way to winter and slow cooker recipes are just what I need on these frosty days. Also I can't wait to come home from skiing to enjoy a meal waiting for me in the slow cooker.

This chili is perfect for this autumn weather.  I prefer chili made with chuck roast but the BF likes ground beef chili better but this chili has good beefy flavor.  I am also of the Texas style chili persuasion- NO BEANS!  I made the chili in my slow cooker but you can easily make it on the stovetop.






 



TBC Slow Cooker Chili
makes 6 portions


3 slices of bacon, diced
1 small onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1½  lb. ground beef
½  tsp. oregano
½ tsp. cumin
1 TBSP. chili powder
1 14oz. can crushed tomatoes
1/2 can of water
7-8 drops hot sauce
Salt and pepper to taste


Preheat a skillet to medium heat.  When it is ready add the bacon and cook until crispy, about 5 minutes. Pour out all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat. Next add the onion and saute until translucent, about 4 minutes.  Add the garlic, spices and ground beef, breaking up with a wooden spoon.  Cook until no longer pink. Season with salt and pepper. Add the tomatoes and using the same tomato can, add 1/2 can of water. Stir to combine.  Add beef and tomato mixture to slow cooker and cook on high for 6 hours.  If you don't have a slow cooker, bring the beef and tomato mixture to a boil and reduce to a simmer.  Continue to simmer on the stove top for 4 hours.

Butternut Squash Soup

Winter is finally here! We are in the midst of a huge winter storm that is expected to bring over 20 inches of precipitation which can mean anywhere from 2-5 feet of snow. I have been holed up in my condo for several days now because it is SO COLD! Like 22˚F with crazy 75 MPH winds.  It is miserable.

Since it is so cold, I've been making really homey and comforting foods.  This butternut squash soup will warm you up and is super easy to make.  It only requires a few ingredients which is good on a day like today when the wind is howling, the snow is falling and going outside can be treacherous.  This soup can be made vegetarian by substituting vegetable broth for chicken broth however the soup will taste much sweeter! It is also a good gluten-free option for those with gluten allergies.

TBC Butternut Squash Soup
makes 4 generous entree portions or 6 appetizer servings


1-3 to 3 1/2 lb. butternut squash
2 TBSP vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 medium sized boiling potato (about 10 oz), peeled and cut in 1-inch chunks
Thyme, fresh or dried
Salt and pepper to taste

 Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line baking sheet with foil. Halve butternut squash lengthwise.  Scoop out and discard seeds. Brush one half with 1 TBSP oil and season with salt and pepper.  Place flesh side down on the lined baking sheet and roast until tender, about 1 hour. Reserve the other butternut squash half for another use like butternut squash risotto.  When baked squash is done, you should be able to pierce the flesh with a paring knife with little resistance.  After the squash has cooled enough to handle, scoop out the flesh and reserve.

Put the remaining TBSP oil in a stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme and some salt and pepper (but not too much because the broth maybe seasoned already). Saute a few more minutes being careful to not burn the garlic.  

Add the broth, potatoes and reserved butternut squash. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and simmer for 25-30 minutes until potatoes are tender and can be pierced with a paring knife with no resistance.

Transfer the soup to a blender and puree until smooth. Taste the soup and adjust seasonings adding more salt and pepper if needed.

Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with some cream, chives or croutons if desired.

Song: Baby, It's Cold Outside

Homemade Dog Biscuits

I have been so bored! This lack of weather in my new home is really driving me bonkers. To pass the time in between dog walks on the golf course and Farmville sessions, I have been experimenting with baking in the high altitude (The town of Mammoth Lakes is at an elevation of 7800). For my first experiment I thought I would make dog biscuits because dogs don't care about texture or whether or not the dough has risen properly.

After some Internet research, I found this great website www.bullwrinkle.com. It has a ton of great dog biscuit recipes as well as information and tips about bulldogs and owning dogs. I made the Everyday Dog biscuit and my dogs LOVE them. These dog biscuits are super easy to make and are made with ingredients that are found in any typical pantry. The high altitude didn't affect the recipe too much (I added a little extra of water) and I omitted the garlic because I read somewhere that garlic may not be so great for dogs digestion. Also since I just moved and didn't have any honey I substituted black strap molasses. I've heard of molasses dog treats so I don't think the molasses substitution affected the outcome too much. Hank and George still gobbled up the treats.


Everyday Dog Biscuit
Originally published at www.bullwrinkle.com

2 tsp. dry yeast
1/2 cup lukewarm water
2 TBSP dry parsley
2 TBSP minced garlic (I omitted the garlic)
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
3 TBSP honey ( I used black strap molasses)
1 egg
5-6 cups whole wheat flour

Preheat oven to 350˚F.

In a bowl, dissolve yeast into water. After it foams (about 5 minutes), stir in parsley, garlic (if using), honey, egg and chicken broth. Gradually add flour, stirring to combine until a stiff dough forms. If using a stand mixer, using the dough hook, mix until dough pulls away from the side of the ball, forming a ball on the hook. It should be smooth. If mixing by hand, knead on a floured surface, until smooth. Shape dough into a disk and roll to 1/4 inch thickness.

Using dog bone cutters, make biscuits. Gather scraps, re-roll and cut out more biscuits. Transfer to parchment lined baking sheets and bake for 30 minutes, remove from oven and turn over. Bake for another 15 minutes. After the biscuits are done baking, transfer all the biscuits to a baking sheet and leave in oven overnight to crisp.

Thumbprint Cookies

My neighbor in Costa Mesa gave me two jars of apricot jam she made from her backyard apricot trees. I am a huge fan of the thumbprint cookies with the jam filled centers so I used her apricot jam for my cookie filling. You must try making these cookies. They are far superior to the store bought kind. I used a great recipe from the December 2007 issue of Gourmet magazine. You can find the recipe here at epicurious.com


Jam Thumbprint Cookies
recipe by Gourmet magazine

2 1/2 cups AP flour
1 tsp. salt
2 sticks (8 oz) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
your favorite jam

To make cookie dough:
Whisk together flour and salt. Beat butter and sugar in bowl with electric mixer until light colored and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. At low speed, add flour in three batches, mixing until dough forms. Divide dough in half and flatten into a disc and chill until firm, at least an hour.

To assemble and bake cookie:
Roll 1 oz (about 1 TBSP) of dough into a ball, then flatten slightly. Place on parchment lined baking sheet. Continue with the rest of dough. When all the cookies are rolled out, using the end of a wooden spoon, make an indentation in the center of each cookie.

Place your favorite jam in a pastry bag or a plastic bag with one of the corners snipped off. Pipe enough jam to fill the indentation in each cookie, about 1/8 tsp. I like to refrigerate the cookies for at least another 45 minutes after assembling the cookie to prevent overspreading.

After cookies have chilled, bake in 350˚F oven for 15-20 minutes or until the cookies are baked through and the edges are golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes and then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes 3 1/2 dozen cookies. These cookies are best eaten the day they are baked but they can be stored for two days in an air tight container.

Corn and Bacon Pasta

I have been a terrible blogger. I apologize. I have actually been cooking up a storm. I have been trying to perfect my pie technique and am proud to say, I am pretty close! But more on pie later. I just recently moved to Mammoth Lakes home of Mammoth Mountain Ski resort. Hopefully I will be working at the Westin Monache Resort but in this economy one cannot put all her chickens in a basket. I am SO bored right now as there is no snow so no work. This is the perfect chance for me to catch up on my blogging. I have so many recipes and pictures backed up from last month!

Because of the big move, money has been kind of tight and I was also trying to use some of the ingredients that wouldn't survive the 5 hour drive to Mammoth. This is another great pantry dinner. It's probably not the healthiest but I love the salty bacon with the sweet corn. It is one of my favorite flavor combinations. This is also one of my go-to-recipes when I don't feel like cooking. With a green salad, this meal is super simple and takes less than 30 minutes!


TBC's Orecchiette with Corn and Bacon
serves a generous 2 portions

4 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces.
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 TBSP butter
2 ears of corn, shucked and kernels removed or 2 cups frozen corn
8 oz. orecchiette pasta or other short pasta
2 TBSP cream
chives for garnish

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling water. Drain and reserve.

Cook bacon in a medium size saute pan over medium heat until crispy. Drain on paper towel and reserve.

Pour out bacon grease. Add the butter and wait until foam subsides. Add the chopped shallots and cook until translucent. Add the corn and cook until corn starts to make popping noises.

Combine cooked pasta with corn mixture. Add the cream and toss pasta to coat. Divide servings among bowls and add bacon and chives.

Raclette Burgers

So nearly after a month, finally here is post for the much talked about Raclette Burger. I've been kind of lazy about blogging because my food photography is less than par. It's hard to make food look pretty for the camera when you want to eat it right away.

So what is raclette? According to Wikipedia, raclette is a semi-firm salted cheese made from cow's milk originating from mountainous region of Valais in Switzerland (home of the Matterhorn and Lake Geneva). Raclette comes from the French word "racler" which means to scrape. This cheese dates back to the Middle Ages when Swiss cow herders would carry blocks of raclette with them when they would herd their cows to and from the pastures in the mountains. They would place the cheese next to the campfire and when it would reach the perfect softness, scrape it onto some bread or potatoes. Traditionally raclette is served with small potatoes, cornichons (gherkins), pickled onions and dried meats such as prosciutto. Nowadays, raclette is served using an electric table top grill pan that grills the potatoes on top and melts the cheese on the bottom tray. This is how I first encountered raclette. It was at the boyfriend's parent's condo in Mammoth and now, every time we are in Mammoth, we break out the raclette machine. There is something about being in the mountains that makes me crave raclette! But raclette cheese is SO good it shouldn't just be for the mountains which is why I made a hamburger with it!

These hamburgers are AWESOME! I just love raclette cheese with the cornichons. It sounds like a weird flavor combination but trust me, it is the bomb! The hamburger would work well with slices of raclette cheese on top instead of stuffed in the burger. The Amateur Gourmet found pre-sliced raclette which would work perfectly.

If you want to try the real thing and don't want to splurge for a machine, Basilic on Balboa Island has raclette night on the first Tuesday of the month. My friend's parents own the restaurant; her dad is the chef and her mom is the maitre-d. It is a cozy and intimate gem amongst Orange County's overabundance of chains and was named OC's Most Romantic Restaurant by OC Weekly. Be sure to make reservations before dining, especially for raclette night. There are only 9 tables.

TBC Raclette Burgers
makes 3 burgers

1 lb. ground chuck beef 80/20
3 oz. raclette cheese, shredded
Montreal steak seasoning
3 freshly baked hamburger buns
1 bunch of frisee or arugala

for the aioli:
1/4 cup mayonaise
a large spoonful of cornichons, coarsely chopped
1 tsp. cornichon juice

Directions:

1. To make the cornichon aioli, combine the mayonaise, chopped cornichons and juice, Set aside.

2. Separate the ground chuck into 1/3 lb chunks. To make the patties, take a 4 inch cookie cutter lined with plastic wrap and press half of the 1/3 lb chunk into the cookie cutter. Place 1 oz. of the shredded raclette and then top with other half. Pressed the edges to seal the patties together and lift out of the plastic wrap. Repeat with remaining beef and raclette cheese. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before cooking.

3. Preheat pan or grill to high. Brush burgers with oil and sprinkle liberally with Montreal Steak seasoning. Cook for 5-7 minutes on each side.

4. Lightly toast hamburger buns and generously spread with cornichon aioli. Place cooked hamburger and top with frisee or arugala followed by the hamburger bun top.

Homemade Hamburger Buns

Homemade bread always beats bread from the store. Last night when I wanted to make hamburgers I opted to go through the tedious process of making my own buns rather than use the store-bought buns, even though they were on sale for 99¢. For once, the at-home method would cost more than buying from the store. But when I glanced at the ingredient list for the store buns, I saw high fructose corn syrup, shortening and crazy 13 lettered words. Forget about it! Homemade was the better, healthier way. After all, the hamburger bun recipe I found in this month's issue of Saveur contain actual real ingredients like milk, flour, sugar and BUTTER! Beats any 99¢ pack of hamburger buns anyday!

I found this recipe from the September issue of Saveur magazine. The recipe makes 12-3 oz. buns. They are light and fluffy with a nice sturdy exterior, perfect for holding any juicy burger and all the toppings. However unlike the store-bought variety, these hamburger buns will go stale the next day, so you better use them up! But they are pretty tasty with just some butter so I'm sure you and your friends will gobble them up. If you happen to have some leftover, throw the extra buns in the food processor to make fresh bread crumbs and freeze them in a bag.

Hamburger Buns from Saveur Magazine

1 package active dry yeast (1/4 oz)

1 1/3 cups milk heated to 115F

1.5 tsp. + 2 tbsp. sugar

4 cups flour

1 1/4 tsp. kosher salt

1 lightly beaten egg

4 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened, cut into cubes

3 tsp. sesame seed

1. Mix yeast, milk and 1.5 tsp sugar; let foam.
2. Stir in remaining sugar, flour, salt and egg. Mix with paddle on low speed until dough forms.
3. Replace paddle with hook and add butter. Knead on medium high speed until dough pulls away from sides of bowl, about 8 minutes.
4. Let rest in an oiled bowl until doubled, about 2 hrs.
5. After bulk fermentation, divide dough into 12 and shape into tight balls about 3 oz each.
   
6. Let balls rise in parchment-lined sheets, covered with oiled plastic, for about 1.5 hrs.
7. Spray tops with water, then sprinkle with sesame seeds.
8. Bake in 400F oven until golden brown, about 18-20 minutes.

Cheesy Grits with Coca-Cola Red-Eye Gravy

To continue the theme of pantry cooking, here is the ultimate pantry meal, Cheese Grits with Hot Dogs and Coca-Cola Red Eye Gravy. Actually it sounds like the ultimate white trash meal. I didn't feel like going to the grocery store so I just threw this dinner together. In the South, grits are often served with ham and red-eye gravy for breakfast. Red-eye gravy is traditionally made with black coffee but can be made with Coca-Cola. It sounds totally weird but Coca-Cola is acidic like beer and wine and is great for deglazing and making sauces. I use it in my Pulled Pork recipe. Hamsteaks are usually used for the red-eye gravy but I didn't have any so I just used some sliced up hot dogs. The grits recipe serves 4-6 people (so if serving more than 2 people, double the ingredients for the gravy). I like to make extra grits and put them in a loaf pan, then slice it up and fry it in butter for breakfast the next day. Or maybe pour some chili over it. I use Bob's Red Mill Coarse Ground Cornmeal which can be found in most grocery stores. The Albertson's near my house has it in the "Organic" aisle alongside the gluten-free products. If you can't find the Coarse Ground, the Medium Grind Cornmeal will work, which can be found in the baking aisles of most grocery stores.

TBC Cheesy Grits with Hot Dogs and Coca-Cola Red-Eye Gravy
serves two

2 cups whole milk
2 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup coarse ground cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 ounces sharp Cheddar, shredded
3 hot dogs, sliced
1 TBSP butter
1/2 onion, small diced
1 cup Coca-Cola

Place the milk, water, and salt into a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Once the milk mixture comes to a boil, gradually add the cornmeal while continually whisking. Once all of the cornmeal has been incorporated, decrease the heat to low and cover. Remove lid and whisk frequently, every 3 to 4 minutes, to prevent grits from sticking or forming lumps; make sure to get into corners of pot when whisking. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes or until mixture is creamy.

Remove from the heat, add the pepper and butter, and whisk to combine. Once the butter is melted, gradually whisk in the cheese a little at a time.

While the grits are cooking, start the Red-Eye gravy. In a saute pan, add the butter over medium-heat. When it stops foaming, add the onions and cook until lightly browned. Add the cut up hot dogs and cook until lightly browned. Add the Coca-Cola and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and cook until desired consistency.

Divide grits and hot dogs among two bowls and then ladle gravy on top.

Goat cheese stuffed Turkey Burgers with red pepper apricot relish

So my MacBook malfunctioned again last week! :( It is the 4th time in a year. First I lost all my pictures. A few months later, the DC board went out so I wasn't able to use my laptop unless it was plugged in. In February, my hard drive completely died. It just literally stopped working. And just recently, the computer screen went blank. Luckily I have a good friend who works at Apple and he is able to get my MacBook running, usually with only a little damage to my pocket book. That is what I love about Apple! Had this been a PC, I would probably still be computer-less and dealing with Geek Squad or whoever you deal with when a PC malfunctions. When my computer screen went blank on Tuesday, I simply made an appointment at the Apple Genuis Bar for Thursday (when my friend worked) and my computer was fixed by Sunday. So Thanks Torey and Thanks Apple Genuises at Fashion Island! That explains my Internet absence last week. And now on to better and tastier things!

A while back, Albertson's had some crazy sale on ground turkey. Being budget conscious, I stocked up and froze a couple pounds. After making several dinners, I had a mere 1/2 lb. left. I also had about 2 oz. left of goat cheese from the Beach Blanket Blackout Bingo Birthday Bash. So I made goat cheese stuffed turkey burgers. I had the perfect amount for 2 burgers and a slider. To accompany the burger, I made a roasted red bell pepper and apricot relish from the bell peppers I bought from the Irvine Farmer's Market. The relish recipe is more than enough for the burger recipe. It taste delicious in grilled cheeses and an accompaniment to any BBQ'd or roasted meat.

This meal is a perfect example of how budget cooking can still produce a gourmet meal. I actually had all the ingredients on hand except for the dried apricots. Lucky for me I have a lemon tree. I made my own bread crumbs by toasting a piece of bread and then grinding it in the food processor. Chicken broth, vinegar, Dijon mustard and hot sauce were all in my pantry. Just because you are poor, you don't have to eat poorly!


Goat Cheese Stuffed Turkey Burgers with Red Pepper and Apricot Relish
adapted from Culinary Institute of America Grilling
makes about 2 burgers

1/2 lb. ground turkey,
1/4 cup toasted bread crumbs
2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp lemon zest
pinch of dried thyme
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 oz goat cheese, sliced into 1/4" medallions
hamburger buns or sandwich bread (I used Trader Joe's Cheddar and Garlic Sourdough Loaf)

For the Relish:
Makes 2 cups

2 roasted red peppers
2 TBSP cup vegetable oil
1 cup dried apricots, chopped
1 cup diced red onion
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 TBSP white wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2-3 drops hot sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper

1. Combine turkey, breadcrumbs, lemon juice, zest, thyme, salt and pepper. Mix well. Divide into two or three portions. To make the patties, take a 3 inch cookie cutter lined with plastic wrap and press 1/4 of the turkey mixture into the cookie cutter. Place the goat cheese medallion next and then top with 1/4 turkey mixture. Pressed the edges to seal the patties together and lift out of the plastic wrap. Repeat with remaining turkey mixture and goat cheese. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before cooking.

2. Preheat pan or grill to high. Brush burgers with oil and cook fro 7-8 minutes on each side.

Red Pepper and Apricot Relish

1. Roast the bell peppers. The easiest and fastest way to do this is by directly placing the bell peppers on the burner and charring the skin. After the skin has blistered and turned black all over, place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. When the peppers are cool enough to handle, peel the skins off under running water. Seed and dice the peppers into 1/2 cubes.

2. Heat oil in medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Add apricots, onion, and garlic. Saute until translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add the diced red bell peppers and broth. Simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5-10 minutes.

3. Add the vinegar, mustard, and hot sauce. Cook until liquid has almost evaporated. Check the seasonings. Chill. The relish should be served at room temperature or chilled.

Pavlova with Lemon Curd and Blueberries

My friend Caroline is allergic to gluten. For a baker/ pastry chef, this can seem like an obstacle but actually there are plenty of desserts that do not contain gluten: flourless chocolate cakes, macarons, ice cream, just to name a few.

At first I attempted to make a gluten-free cake using Betty Crocker Gluten-Free cake mix. It turned out absolutely disgusting. The cake did not rise properly and had the most terrible texture: similar to a wet sponge. It reminded me of this Vietnamese rice cake we would eat at Chinese New Year but not as tasty. I could not imaging frosting it with chocolate frosting as pictured on the box.

Since the gluten-free cake mix was a total FAIL, I had to make another dessert. Because it was summer, I felt like making something fresh and with fruit. A pavlova was perfect: gluten-free, I had all the ingredients and Caroline loves Australia. The pavlova is the national dessert of Australia.

I found this recipe on Epicurious. It is a great recipe because the entire egg is used in the recipe: the whites for the meringues and the yolks for the curd. Also you don't need to buy superfine sugar. You can just pulse white granulated sugar in the food processor a few times.

To read more about being gluten-free, check out this article in the NY Times: The Expense of Eating With Celiac Disease (Did you know that in England, patients with Celiac disease are actually prescribed gluten-free products? And in Italy, they receive a stipend to purchase gluten-free products? Yet in America where we supposedly have the best health care system in the world...)

Pavlova with Lemon Curd and Blueberries

For meringue:

1 cup superfine granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 large egg whites at room temperature 30 minutes
3 tablespoons cold water
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar

For filling:

2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 stick unsalted butter
3 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 cup heavy cream
4 cups mixed berries

Directions

Make meringue:
Preheat oven to 300°F with rack in middle. Trace an approximately 7-inch circle on a sheet of parchment paper. Turn parchment over and put on a baking sheet.

Whisk together superfine sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl.

Beat whites with a pinch of salt using an electric mixer at medium speed until they hold soft peaks. Add water (whites will loosen) and beat until whites again hold soft peaks.

Increase speed to medium-high and beat in sugar mixture 1 tablespoon at a time. After all sugar has been added, beat 1 minute more.

Add vinegar and beat at high speed until meringue is glossy and holds stiff peaks, about 5 minutes (longer if using hand-held mixer).

Gently spread meringue inside circle on parchment, making edge of meringue slightly higher than center (the "crater" is for curd and fruit). Bake until meringue is pale golden and has a crust, about 45 minutes (inside will still be marshmallow-like).

Turn oven off and prop door open slightly with a wooden spoon. Cool meringue in oven 1 hour.

Make Lemon curd while meringue bakes:
Stir together sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a 2-quart heavy saucepan, then add lemon juice and butter. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, whisking, then continue to simmer, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Lightly beat yolks in a small bowl and whisk in 1/4 cup lemon mixture, then whisk into remaining lemon mixture in saucepan. Reduce heat to low and cook, whisking constantly, until curd is thickened, about 2 minutes (do not let boil). Transfer to a bowl and stir in zest. Chill, surface covered with parchment, until cool, about 1 1/2 hours.

Assemble Pavlova:
Beat heavy cream until it just holds stiff peaks, then fold 1/4 cup beaten cream into curd to lighten. Spoon lemon curd into meringue and mound berries on top. Serve remaining whipped cream on the side.

Farmer's Market Salad

I picked up some beautiful organic and pesticide free green beans and red bell peppers from the Irvine Farmer's Market this past Saturday. Usually I just saute the green beans with some garlic and butter but on KCRW's Good Food's Farmer's Market segment, Daisy Tamai of Tamai Farms shared her recipe for green bean salad. It is a very simple salad: green beans, bell peppers and red onion marinated with a kicked up Italian dressing. I didn't have bottled Italian dressing on hand so I just made a simple vinaigrette. It's just as easy as buying a bottle but cheaper.

You can listen to Daisy Tamai on KCRW's Good Food here

TBC Green Bean Salad inspired by Daisy Tomai

1 lb of green beans, ends trimmed
1 red bell pepper
1 red onion

For the dressing:

1 TBSP white wine vinegar
1 TBSP balsamic vinegar
1 TBSP Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
4 TBSP olive oil
fresh herbs: basil, chives, parsley

Directions:

Blanch the green beans in boiling water for just a few seconds. Remove and put in ice water. Thinly slice the red bell pepper and red onion. Combine the vegetables into a bowl.

Combine the vinegars, mustard, sugar, and herbs. Whisk in the olive oil. Season to taste. If your vinegars are too acidic, add a little more sugar. The dressing should be a good balance between sweet and tart. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Broke as a Joke Risotto

This Saturday will mark seven months since I was laid off as a line cook. It has been a rather tumultuous journey since January. I graduated from culinary school (yay!), mentally prepared myself to leave all my friends and family to move to Baltimore only to find out Matt was laid off from his job one month before I was to move, my roommate asked me to leave earlier than anticipated (thanks for the two week notice, very thoughtful of you), scrambled around Costa Mesa to find a place that accepts two dogs and two unemployed people (next to IMPOSSIBLE), and then on top of it all, there was an incident involving Hank and Matt's dad's cat. Let's just say Hank emerged victorious and the cat, well, it ended up in a box. The cat incident has estranged us from his parents and any help they would offer us.

The money is running out and because I made diddly squat at as a line cook, I barely make anything from unemployment, just enough to pay my phone bill, car payment and insurance. And you want to know the most disheartening thing is? Matt makes more money from unemployment than I do working 60 hours a week as a line cook.

So it has been an interesting past two months, complete with breakdowns and serious contemplation periods of what to do with my life (graduate school? buckle down and get a corporate job? suck it up and get paid $10/hr to work as an overworked/underpaid line cook at a chain restaurant and never see my friends or family?). All that fun stuff plus beach time, bicycling, trips to the library, quality time with Hank and George and LOTS of cooking.

As you can tell, I don't have a very big grocery budget, so many of the dishes I cook now rely on pantry staples. Risotto is a good budget dinner because you can pretty much throw anything in there: from frozen vegetables to last night's take out dinner, risotto is very versatile. I always have frozen peas and some chicken broth in my pantry so pea risotto was the obvious dinner choice. I also had some goat cheese and some cherry tomatoes leftover from the Beach Blanket Blackout Bingo Birthday Bash so I just threw that in as well. The result was a delicious, healthy dinner for less than $6 for the total meal!

TBC Broke as a Joke Risotto
serves 3

1/2 medium onion, chopped, about 1/3 cup
1 TBSP olive oil or butter
3/4 cup Arborio rice
32 oz. carton of low sodium chicken broth
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 cup frozen peas
3 oz. goat cheese
handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Place the chicken broth and crushed garlic clove in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Set aside. Meanwhile, add butter or oil to saute pan over medium heat. Wait until it starts to foam and then add the onion. Saute the onion until translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the Arborio rice and saute the rice until translucent, about 2 minutes. Ladle some of the warmed chicken broth into the rice, stirring until liquid has evaporated. Continue adding liquid in stages, constantly stirring. Wait until the liquid has absorbed before adding more. When the rice is creamy and you have used all of the chicken broth, check the seasonings. Add some salt and pepper to taste.
3. Add the frozen peas and the goat cheese and stir to melt the goat cheese and to heat the peas. Add the halved cherry tomatoes and top with Parmesan cheese.

Please don't forget to vote for Hank and George in the Cutest Dog Contest. We could win a million dollars!

Spiked Sweet Tea

A few weeks ago, while beaching it at 56th st. someone brought over this tea-infused vodka. I'm not too much off a drinker but this stuff was tasty! It tasted just like a glass of sweet tea, the ubiquitous Southern drink found everywhere from grandma's house, family reunions and church picnics to football games, bars and restaurants. Apparently Firefly Sweet Vodka Tea has been sweeping the nation since its debut in April with others following with their own versions of the sweet tea vodka.

Infused vodkas are very easy to make so I thought I would try making my own sweet tea vodka. It is so easy to make, I suggest everybody try it. The sweet tea vodka makes an excellent cocktail mixed with TBC Best Lemonade to make a "John Daly", an alcoholic version of Arnold Palmer or serve it over ice, lime juice, mint leaves and soda water as a “mo-tea-to.”

I will warn you though. This stuff is tasty, especially when mixed with TBC Best Lemonade. You can give it to a non-drinker and they would never know. I made two gallons of this stuff for the Beach Blanket Blackout Bingo Birthday Bash and things got real weird, real quick!

Oh and please don't forget to vote for Hank in the Cutest Dog Competition. He really needs your support!

TBC Sweet Tea Vodka

1 handle of middle quality vodka such as Smirnoff
7 black tea bags, such as Lipton or 4 heaping tablespoons of loose tea
3 cups of sugar

In a large jug, combine tea bag, sugar and vodka. Put lid on and shake until sugar dissolves and then steep for about 3 hours. If using loose tea leaves, strain vodka through coffee filter into a serving pitcher or another jug. Otherwise, remove tea bags. Serve over ice.

Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwiches

I was at Costco buying my monthly ration of cheese (don't kid, Costco has an excellent selection of artisinal cheeses, try the Coastal Cheddar and their Parm. Yum!) when this month's issue of Gourmet magazine was staring me in the face. I had to make the cover recipe! I just bought the ice cream attachment for my Kitchen Aid and ice cream sandwiches were a perfect recipe to break in my new toy.

Last week was my friend Chiron's birthday along with my friends Annika, Jed and Caroline. Since I am the resident chef of 56th St, I was in charge of the menu for the big birthday bash. Chiron requested a cherry vanilla cake so I made cherry vanilla ice cream sandwiches inspired by Gourmet's cover recipe.

The brownie recipe from Gourmet magazine is a chewy blondie. Blondies are basically brownies but instead of chocolate or cocoa powder, it uses brown sugar for the main flavor component. For the cherry part, I made a simple cherry compote (similar to making cherry pie filling) which I folded into my homemade vanilla ice cream.

TBC Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwiches

for the brownie:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

for the Ice Cream Base:
2 cups milk
3 cups heavy cream
8 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
4 tsp. vanilla

for the Cherry Compote:
4 cups pitted sweet cherries, chopped (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tbs. water
2 tsp. cornstarch

Directions

Make the ice cream base and cherry compote first. The ice cream base needs to chill and rest at least 8 hours before churning. The cherry compote must be chilled before adding it to the ice cream

In a saucepan over medium heat, heat the milk and 2 cups of the heavy cream until hot but not boiling. Remove from heat, set aside. Whisk egg yolks and sugar in a bowl. Slowly add hot milk/cream mixture to eggs while stirring. Do this carefully and slowly because you do not want scrambled eggs. Return tempered egg/milk mixture back to saucepan and cook over medium heat stirring constantly with a rubber spatula. Make sure you scrape the bottom and the sides when you are stirring. Cook the mixture until it has thickened enough to leave a streak on the spatula when you swipe your finger across. Transfer mixture to a container, stir in remaining one cup of heavy cream and 4 tsp. vanilla. Cover and chill thoroughly, at least 8 hours. After chilling, churn ice cream according to your ice cream maker instructions. After ice cream is churned fold in the cherry compote.

To prepare the compote, combine cherries, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons water, and cornstarch in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and cool.

Preheat oven to 375˚F with rack in middle. Spray two 8 X 8 baking pans and line with foil leaving a 1-inch overhand on each side. Spray foil with baking spray. Whisk together flour, baking powder, soda, and salt in a bowl. Beat butter, brown sugar in with electric mixer until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla. Add flour mixture in 2 batches, mixing until just combined. Divide batter amongst the two baking pans and spread into a thin, even sheet using a spatula. Bake until golden brown but still tender about 10-12 minutes. Cool completely in pans, about 30 minutes.

To assemble the sandwiches:

Spoon all of the ice cream over 1 sandwich layer (in the baking pan) and spread evenly with a spatula. Invert second sandwich layer over ice cream, pressing gently to form an even sandwich. Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze until firm, at least three hours. Transfer sandwich to cutting board using foil overhang. Trim edges if desired and cut into 9 pieces.

Fettucine Alfredo with Fresh Pasta

I just love freshly made pasta. It is a real treat for an Italian food lover like myself. Fresh pasta is very easy to make and even the most amateur cook should have no fear when attempting to make pasta. It is so easy with a food processor but the traditional "well method" can be used that you see utilized by an Italian nonna and even the chefs on Food Network. The "well method" is when you make a pile of flour like a volcano (with a depression in the middle). The eggs go in the middle and you beat the eggs whilst incorporating flour (This method is also good for pancakes). To watch a video on how to make fresh pasta using the "well method" check out this video by the Academia Barilla Culinary School on YouTube.

In culinary school, my chef instructor taught us the easiest method possible using a food processor. You throw the flour, salt, olive oil and eggs in the food processor until the dough forms little balls the size of the interior of these: 00

Then you just wrap it in plastic, let is rest for 20-30 minutes and your dough is ready to roll out. You don't need a fancy pasta machine either. You can just use a rolling pin and make tagliatelle (long strands of pasta about 1/4" inch wide).

Now that you know how to make your own pasta, it is important to know what sauce to use on it. You may have wondered before why there are so many different pasta shapes. Pasta is pasta right? WRONG! A pasta shape determines what sauce it will be paired with. Same thing with fresh pasta vs. dry pasta. Fresh pastas don't do very well with tomato sauces but are excellent with rich sauces such as cream sauces or ragouts.

I had some extra cream from my foray into ice cream making (ice cream posts will be in the future!) so I made this simple Alfredo sauce to accompany my fresh pasta. It only requires 4 ingredients: heavy cream, parmigiano reggiano, butter, salt and pepper. Well five, if you count salt and pepper as individual ingredients.

TBC's Fettucine Alfredo
serves 4

for the pasta:

3 large eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
2-3 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
10-12 oz. all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)

for the Alfredo sauce:

1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a food processor combine eggs, oil, salt and pulse. Add flour and continue to process until coarse meal forms about the size of these : oo

Remove the mixture from food processor and form into a ball. Dough should be firm and not sticky when touched. If it is sticky add, more flour. Wrap in plastic and let rest for 20-30 minutes.

After dough rests, set a large stockpot of water to boil. Roll out dough while you are waiting for the water to boil. If using a pasta machine, start with the rollers in the largest position. Take 1/4 of the dough (keep the rest covered in plastic so it will not dry out) and pass through the rollers , gradually decreasing the distance between the rollers with each pass until you reach your desired thinness. To keep the finished pasta from sticking together and from drying out, place in a sheet pan dusted with flour. Sprinkle some flour in the strands of pasta and gently form into "bird nests" and cover with a tea towel. The fresh made pasta should rest for another five minutes more which is perfect time to assemble the Alfredo sauce

In a skillet over medium-low heat, combine cream and butter, adding 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

When the water boils, add pasta nests. The pasta should only take 3-4 minutes, maybe even less depending how thin you rolled the pasta. Using tongs or a pasta spoon, transfer pasta to sauce. Add cheese and toss to combine. If sauce is too thick, add some pasta water. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Best and Easiest way to cook Bacon

Who doesn't love bacon? I bet vegetarians who converted later on in life even miss bacon a little. I love when bacon is crispy, flat but has enough fat in it still to melt in your mouth. I hate bacon that is overly crisp, curly and burnt where the curls touch the pan, often due to too high heat. To cook bacon to perfection, the fat must be rendered out over low flame or in low heat. Baking bacon in the oven my fool proof and splatter-proof way to cook bacon. It is especially good if you are cooking large amounts of bacon.

TBC's Best Way to Cook Bacon

Line a rimmed baking sheet (half sheet pan) with foil. Fit rack on top. Line bacon up without touching each other. The bacon will shrink as it cooks so it doesn't need to be spaced out, just don't have the edges touch because they can stick together.

Place in the cold oven and turn the oven to 350˚F. The oven heating to temperature will render out the fat slowly without burning or curling. After the oven reaches 350˚F, leave the bacon in for 10 minutes more. After 10 minutes, your bacon is done and is perfectly crisp and flat.

Try these variations:

Brown Sugar Bacon: Mix 1/4 cup brown sugar with 1 tsp. freshly ground pepper. Evenly sprinkle brown sugar mixture over 1 lb. bacon and bake following the instructions above.

Sweet n' Spicy Bacon: Mix 1/4 cup brown sugar with 2 tsp. cayenne pepper. Evenly sprinkle brown sugar mixture over 1 lb. bacon and bake following the instructions above.

Blueberry Cake

I am not an expert cake maker. I may technically be a pastry chef but cakes are not my forte. They are a pain in my butt actually. At work, I dread birthdays and special occasions that require a cake or their named piped in chocolate. But cake means celebration so I better get my pastry chef butt in gear. I need to practice, dammit. I cannot rely soley on my pastry techniques. Most people won't care that I can make a perfect creme anglaise or fold egg whites expertly. The people have spoken and they want cake and they want it to look pretty.

I came across this blueberry frosting recipe from Rachel of Coconut and Lime. She is a fellow foodie from Baltimore (of all places!). The color was so pretty and I happen to have a package of blueberries so I just had to try this recipe. I thought it would pare nicely with the lemon filling.

The frosting was very easy to make, although I could see how it could be intimidating to the newbie baker. Pouring liquid hot sugar down the side of the stand mixer can be quite daunting. You could take a note from Alton Brown and use a metal turkey baster to add the molten sugar but it seems like a superfluous step to me. Also if you don't have a vanilla bean, you can add 1 tsp. of vanilla extract to the egg whites after adding the blueberry syrup.

Image courtesy of Coconut and Lime

Rachel's Blueberry-Vanilla Bean Frosting

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
2 egg whites
2/3 cup blueberries
1 vanilla bean, split length wise
pinch salt

Directions:

Beat the egg whites and salt to soft peaks using an electric mixer. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, bring sugar, vanilla bean, blueberries and water to a boil, stirring occasionally, mashing the berries a bit with the back of your spoon. Continue to boil until it reaches soft ball stage (when a drop of the syrup forms a soft ball when dropped in cool water or 235˚-240˚F if using a candy thermometer) while continuing to stir occasionally.

Whisk the blueberry mixture through a fine sieve into a heat safe measuring cup and discard the blueberries. Keep the mixer running (to be safe use a stand mixer or a friend to complete this next step) and carefully pour a continuous stream of molten syrup into the egg whites. Continue to beat for about 5 minutes or until the frosting is fluffy, glossy and cool. Do not get any syrup on the whisk or it will spread sugar strings throughout your frosting! Frost cooled cupcakes or cake.

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