Archive for December, 2007

The year in review:
My marriage and my blog turned 1.
We remodeled our kitchen.
I dared.

A glimpse at some of my favorite dishes from 2007:

January
Homemade Ricotta Cheese
Oven-roasted broccoli
Avocado & Orange Salad
Prosciutto Ravioli with Browned Sage Butter
PB&J Bread Pudding

February
Super Bowl Truffles
Cilantro-Pecan Pesto
Farfalle with Prosciutto-Melon Cream Sauce
Shrimp Tacos with Lime-Cilantro Crema

March
Pink Lemonade Cupcakes
Dirty Risotto
Mini Nutella & Banana Sandwiches

April
Margarita Cupcakes
California Rolls
Black & White Salsa
Farfalle with Sausage, Artichokes, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Fried Ravioli
Rosemary Coleslaw
Strawberries Romanov Cupcakes

May
Beef & Bean Enchiladas
Bacon, Cheddar, and Green Onion Scones
Spicy Strawberry Ice Cream
Grilled chicken Quesadillas
Dulce de-Choco-leche Cake
Take-out Fake-out Potstickers

June
Rigatoni with Asparagus, Roasted Red Peppers, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Margarita Tart
Peach-o de Gallo
Spinach & Nectarine Salad
Pecan Shortbread
Asparagus Tart

July
Homemade Hamburger Buns
Barbecue Chicken Pizza with Grilled Pineapples, Prosciutto, and Cilantro
Chocolate Chewies

August
Chocolate Chip Cookies

September
Pumpkin Pie Fudge
Parmesan Cheese Bread
Classic Brownies
Tipsy Chocolate-Covered Cherries Cake

October
Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
All Sold Out Chicken Pot Pies
One-Way-Ticket-to-Hell Chili
Chicken-Pancetta Roulade

November
Honey-Roasted Peanut Butter Cookies
French Toast Bagels
Cranberry Walnut Cream Cheese Muffins
Penne alla Vodka

December
Texas Tortilla Soup
Chilean Sea Bass with Citrus-Soy Reduction
Chocolate Crackles

There are just some things that I prefer to leave for other people to cook. Like my grandma’s “Fuzzy Fingers” and my dad’s Baked Beans. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I realized my dad’s beans were something special. Sure, as far as my family is concerned they’re the best thing about Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, Memorial Day, The 4th, and Labor Day… and every other family dinner in between. But that point is always driven home after taking a bite of not-my-dad’s recipe, where I have found everything from mustard, ketchup, or barbecue sauce to ground beef, sliced hot dogs, or dill pickle slices.

My dad’s 5-ingredient baked beans are rich, dark, and sweet. Dad goes on look and feel but I was at least able to get him to agree on standard amounts so I can make them at home when I get a craving. He makes them the same way my Papaw did, beginning with a can of Van Camp’s Pork and Beans.

Another thing Dad is very insistent on is the type of molasses – it must be Grandma’s Molasses. And using a bacon other than Blue Ribbon might get you that squinty, furrowed-brow, side-eye, NEW YORK CITY?! look that he has perfected over the last almost 32 years. That’s my dad, the judgey brand snob.

Dad uses strips of bacon on top of the beans as his gauge to doneness. When the bacon looks good enough to pull off the top and eat, he says the beans are done. That’s my dad, the bacon lover

Father of the (Foodie) Bride’s Baked Beans
Printer-friendly recipe

1 can (1 lb 12 oz) Van Camp’s Pork and Beans
3/8 cup Grandma’s Original Molasses
2-3 heaping tablespoons brown sugar
3 green onions, chopped
2 strips thick-cut bacon (Blue Ribbon is Dad’s favorite)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Drain beans well in a colander and pour into a casserole dish – the bigger the dish, the more surface area on which to place extra bacon Stir in molasses, brown sugar, and onions, mixing well. Lay bacon strips separately across the top of the beans. Cook for 35-45 minutes, until the bacon has browned and started to crisp.

Enjoy hot or room temperature – or for breakfast the next day, like my sister Angie does.

Yields 6 1/2-cup servings
Source: Confections of a Foodie Bride

Nutritional Information
Calories: 152 | Fat: 2.1 | Fiber 0
WW Points: 3

…to those of you on my Christmas list this year. I’m watching my weight, not yours

Is biscotti this season’s Oreo Truffle or do I just have “biscotti vision?” (That’s where you just, out-of-the-blue, start noticing something… everywhere.) Either way, I put them on my Christmas Goodie Basket list several weeks ago. Why? ‘Cause they’re crunchy.

I’m a crunch fiend. If it’s crunches, I’ll eat it. Chips, nuts, ice from Sonic, ice not from Sonic… you get the picture. My husband takes issue with my noisy chewing – he should buy pens with softer pen caps

These cookies are pretty much a solid stick of crunch with just a hint of chewy from the cranberries. We’re not coffee drinkers but we had a wonderful time dipping these cookies into hot chocolate.

Red, White, and Green Biscotti
3 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 3/4 tsp almond extract
1 cup shelled raw unsalted pistachios
1 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup high-quality white chocolate, chopped (for biscotti)
8 oz high-quality white chocolate, chopped (for dipping)
1 Tbsp vegetable shortening

Preheat oven to 350. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat sugar, eggs, oil, and almond extract in large bowl until well blended. Add flour mixture and beat until smooth. Stir in pistachios, dried cranberries, and 3/4 cup chopped white chocolate. Drop dough by heaping tablespoonfuls in two 12-inch-long strips on prepared baking sheet, spacing strips 3 inches apart. Using wet fingertips, shape each strip into 3-inch-wide log, pressing for even thickness (logs may look slightly lumpy).

Bake logs until lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Cool logs on sheet 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325.

Carefully transfer logs to cutting board. Line same baking sheet with parchment paper (I used the same sheet). Cut each log crosswise into generous 1/2-inch-thick slices. Stand biscotti upright, spacing about 1/4 inch apart, in 3 rows on prepared baking sheet. Bake until pale golden (biscotti may be soft but will firm as they cool), about 20 minutes. Cool completely on baking sheet.

Line another large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place shortening remaining chopped white chocolate in medium glass bowl. Microwave for 60 seconds, stir until smooth.

Dip 1 end or 1 side of each biscotti in chocolate; place on baking sheet. Chill until chocolate is set, about 30 minutes. (Can be made ahead. Arrange in single layer in airtight container and chill up to 5 days or freeze up to 2 weeks.)

Yields: ~3 dozen cookies
Adapted from Bon Appetit, November 2005