Diannes Dishes

Key Lime Mousse

2010-03-11T16:07:49Z

If you've been a reader of Dianne's Dishes for a while you've heard me profess my adoration of key lime before. To say I'm a huge fan is somewhat of an understatement. From ice cream, to cheese cake, to cookie bars, to even a parfait I'm all about the key lime!

The other day I actually stumbled upon a bag of key limes and I was thrilled! I've never had fresh key lime juice before and I was excited to actually try my hand at juicing the little fruits. It's a lot of work, to be quite honest, for very little juice, but the flavor is well worth it in the end!

This mousse is ultra simple, yet oh so delicious. In minutes you have a really fabulous, impressive dessert that took no time (Other than squeezing those little limes if you go the fresh juice route!) to make. If you're a fan of key limes then this is the dessert for you!

What You'll Need:
1/2 of a 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk (Note: I used the fat free variety, but any will work.)
1/3 cup of fresh key lime juice (Note: If you're using bottled, it's a bit stronger since it's more concentrated so I'd cut it back to 1/4 a cup.)
1 cup of heavy cream
Graham cracker crumbs and graham crackers for garnish

In the bowl of your mixer mix sweetened condensed milk and key lime juice until well mixed. Add heavy cream and beat on high until the basic consistency of whipped cream:

It will be a bit smoother than whipped cream, but along the same lines.

To serve place a dollop of the mousse in a bowl:

The sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs and place a section of graham cracker in the middle of the mound just to shake things up a bit.

Serve immediately.

And enjoy every, delicious bite!

Notes: If you just must you could add a drop or two of green food coloring, but I wouldn't advise it. You could also do this process with any other citrus.

Egg Rolls: Baked or Fried? How About Both?

2010-03-10T14:38:08Z

The other day I had the notion to make some egg rolls. I hadn't made them in a very long time and thought about making them for Chinese New Year, but time got away from me. Alexis became intrigued with the idea and wanted to help so one day last week we set out to make some egg rolls.

I decided to take the same basic egg roll and cook it two different ways to see what would happen. I have always been curious about baking an egg roll versus frying it, so this was the perfect time to do a little experiment to see what would happen. Curious? Check out the recipe below and see how it turned out!

What You'll Need:
Oil for frying
Sesame oil
1/2 a small head of cabbage, chopped
1/2 a large bunch of bok choy, chopped
1/2 a large red onion, cut into thin strips
1 large carrot, shredded
1 leek, cut into strips
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Brown rice vinegar
Egg roll wrappers
A small bowl of cold water
A pastry or basting brush

If you want to bake your egg rolls preheat oven to 400 F.

If you want to fry your egg rolls heat oil to 375 F.

While oven or oil is heating prepare your vegetables.

Thinly slice onion:

Shred carrot:

Chop Bok Choy:

And cabbage:

And finally cut leek into strips:

In a large pot add a little sesame oil and then add all your vegetables, a sprinkle of sea salt, some freshly ground black pepper and a drizzle of brown rice vinegar, stirring to coat:

Saute, stirring often, until vegetables are tender. Remove from heat and set aside. I actually moved the vegetables into another dish because Lex was going to be helping me and I didn't want to risk burning her hands or fingers on the hot pot:

This step is up to you depending on whether you have a little helper.

Now you are ready to start putting together your egg rolls!

First lay your egg roll wrapper on point:

For those of you who aren't sure what on point means, it means that your square looks like a diamond.

Place a spoonful of filling in the middle of your diamond:

Bring the bottom point up to basically cover the filling:

Don't worry if every single piece of the filling is covered. It doesn't matter at this point.

Next bring in each side point and you'll end up with something that looks a lot like an envelope:

Gently brush the top of the "envelope flap" with a little water:

Lex got a little generous with her water brushing here, but hey she was having fun and it all works out in the end! ;oP

Gently roll the bottom of the "envelope" until a roll is formed:

The water helps seal the "envelope" and make the roll stay put while cooking.

Now you decided if you want to bake or fry!

For baking place your rolls on a baking sheet that has been lined with a silicone baking sheet or parchment paper:

Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden brown:

And now a look at the inside:

You'll see in a moment that insides of the fried roll look much the same.

Now if you'd rather fry!

Place egg roll in the heated oil and cook for 2-3 minutes turning often until golden brown:

Place on a baking sheet lined with paper towels to drain:

And the insides?:

And as you can see much the same as the baked.

So the verdict of which was better?

While both were really good, the frying really does add something to the flavor over all! However the oven baked version were good as well for when you want a slightly healthier option.

Notes: You can freeze these rolls after cooking for use later. You can also add in other veggies. Mushrooms would be fabulous! Or how about some bamboo shoots? The possibilities are endless!

Tater Tots (And Guess What? They're Gluten Free Too!)

2010-03-09T14:33:30Z

When I saw these tater (I hate that word!) tots a while back on Vanilla Sugar I immediately thought it would be fun to come up with a gluten free version for Jamison! Of course it seems to take me a while to get around to anything these days, so they sat there taunting me for a while until I finally got around to trying out my theories.

I've lately discovered potato flour, and let me tell you even if gluten isn't really an issue for you, you need to experiment with this versatile little flour! It's the perfect thickener for soups or macaroni and cheese, it just adds a little punch of flavor that is subtle, yet such a savory little bite. It also helps baked goods stay moist and things of that nature. It's really an all purpose little work horse in the kitchen!

Overall these tater tots might not be exactly what you would think of when you picture a tater tot from your youth, but they are really, really good! I still hate the word tater, but trust me you want to try these!

What You'll Need:
4 potatoes, peeled & cut into rounds
1 egg , beaten
1/2 stick of butter, softened
1/3 cup of potato flour
Sea salt
Finely ground black pepper
1-2 cups of gluten free bread crumbs (Note: I made my own with some gluten free bread, but you can purchase them if you like. I may or may not have set off the fire alarm during this step...That's up to you to figure out! ;oP)

Cover potatoes with water and bring to a boil. Cook until fork tender.

Heat oil to 375 F.

While potatoes are cooking gather your other ingredients and have them ready to go. Place bread crumbs into a shallow baking dish:

I find a pie dish works very well for this.

When potatoes are fork tender drain and place into a glass bowl with butter, salt and pepper and then mash:

You can mash to whatever consistency you like.

Next add potato flour and egg and stir until incorporated:

It will kind of look like a dough ball.

Shape 1 tablespoon of dough into a rough rounds:

Repeat until you round out of potatoes.

Roll each round in bread crumbs and then fry 3 or 4 at a time for 2-3 minutes until golden brown:

Place on a baking sheet that has been lined with paper towels to cool. Sprinkle generously with sea salt.

Repeat process until you run out of tots.

Notes: Jamison actually liked these, which really surprised me, but he would have preferred that they have more of the consistency of store bought tater tots. I on the other hand thought these were a thousand times better!

Creamy Vegetable Noodles

2010-03-04T16:56:48Z

I love pasta. It's such a fun, versatile sort of ingredient that really has no bounds! By adding a few vegetables, and some cheese, you end up with a really hearty, really comforting dish that is ready in no time! It's just perfect for a hectic weeknight dinner. Pair with a salad and maybe a glass of wine, and you're set to go!

What You'll Need:
1/2 a large package of egg noodles cooked according to package directions
Extra virgin olive oil
1/2 a large red onion, chopped
4-6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 pint of cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups of cooked spinach
1/3 cup of half and half
1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese (shredded yourself)

Cook eggs noodles, drain and set aside.

While the noodles are cooking saute onion, garlic and grape tomatoes in a little extra virgin olive oil with a pinch of sea salt and some freshly ground black pepper until onion and tomatoes are tender.

Once vegetables are tender stir in spinach and cook for 2-3 minutes or until heated through.

When spinach is warmed stir in half and half and Parmesan and cook until cheese melts.

Once cheese melts stir in noodles to mix and cook for another 1-2 minutes.

Serve immediately.

Notes: You could add other vegetables if you liked. I like to add mushrooms sometimes, and even peas.

Roasted Garlic and Rosemary Mashed Potatoes

2010-03-03T17:53:42Z

Mashed potatoes are one of those quintessential sides dishes that often grace dinner tables across the world. Don't get me wrong, a basic mashed potato has its place, but it's also fun to shake them up a bit! Jamison is a strictly plain mashed potato sort of guy and Alexis actually doesn't care for mashed potatoes, so I don't shake them up often, but when I do oh my!

Rosemary is one of my favorite all time things. I can't even begin to explain to you my adoration for rosemary. I like it dried, I like it fresh and oh my the smell of rosemary can just perk me right up on the weariest of days! In other words rosemary is good!

By pairing two simple ingredients garlic and rosemary, with a little Parmesan, you end up with a really fabulous, really delicious side dish that really hits the spot. What is better than that?

What You'll Need:
1 bulb of garlic
Extra virgin olive oil
2 pounds of red skinned potatoes
2 tablespoons of butter
1/3 cup of fat free half and half (or any other type of dairy)
1 tablespoon of crushed Rosemary or 2 tablespoon of freshly chopped rosemary
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese (the kind you shred yourself)

Preheat oven toe 425 F.

Cut the top of the bulb of garlic off and place on a piece of foil. Drizzle with olive oil and then wrap up the foil around the bulb. Place in a preheat oven for 20-30 minutes, until garlic sticks tender.

Let cool and then squeeze the roasted cloves of garlic out of the skin. Set aside.

Cut red skinned potatoes into chunks (don't remove the skins) and place in a pot with salted water. Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender.

While the potatoes are cooking place butter and half and half in a large glass bowl and microwave for 30 seconds or so until butter is melted and half and half is warm. Add roasted garlic, rosemary, a generous pinch of sea salt and some freshly ground black pepper and stir until incorporated. If your garlic is chunky then mash it a bit to make it a bit more smooth.

When potatoes are done drain well and add them to the bowl with the butter mixture along with the Parmesan. Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes and stir to mix in the ingredients from the bowl. I like the texture to be a bit chunky, but you can mash them as fine as you like.

Serve immediately.

Notes: The garlic can be roasted and stored in the fridge for up to a week. You could also sprinkle on some chopped parsley on top if you liked.

Angelfood Cake

2010-03-02T15:04:42Z

I love angelfood cake. Alexis does too, it's one of her favorites. It's so light, airy and just an all around a fabulous little dessert that isn't quite as heavy.

When we had company the weekend before last I wanted to have a bit of a variety when it came to dessert. I made some peanut butter cookies for Jamison and anyone else that wanted them, and then brownies and angelfood cake to round things out. I cut up some strawberries and made some whipped cream and viola...Dessert!

I've made angelfood cakes from mixes before, but this was the first time starting out from scratch. I have to say it was much easier than I had anticipated, but then again most things are it would seem! The crumb was fabulous, and the cake was airy, it was perfect!

Oh and anyone have any ideas what to do with 8 egg yolks other than brioche? Drop me a comment and let me know!

What You'll Need:
1 1/2 cups of egg whites at room temperature (Note: It took about 8 eggs.)
2 teaspoons of cream of tartar
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
1 teaspoon of almond extract
1 cup of organic cane sugar
1 1/4 of cups powdered sugar sugar
1 cup of unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon of sea salt

Place oven rack to the second lowest position.

Preheat oven to 350 F.

First up make sure your egg whites are at room temperature. It makes them beat a bit better. Place egg whites, cream of tartar, vanilla, almond extract and cane sugar in the bowl of a mixer and beat on high until stiff peaks form. Keep a close eye on this as it beats so you are sure they don't go too far.

While the eggs are beating sift flour, powdered sugar and salt together three or four times. (Note: For angelfood cake this is very important. This is one of the few times you'll see me sift something.) Set aside.

Once the eggs are beaten to stiff peaks slowly add the flour mixture a little at a time, folding to incorporate. Once all of the flour is incorporated pour the batter into an angelfood cake pan that is ungreased.

Bake for 45 minutes to an hour until cake is springy when touched and a very nice golden brown.

Cool inverted (that's upside down in case you didn't know! ;oP) and then remove from the pan. You may have to run a knife along the edge of the pan for it to release.

Serve as soon as cooled or store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Notes: Angelfood cake is good plain, or with berries and whipped cream. I was discussing angelfood cakes with someone that works at the grocery store I shop at and he said he had heard of people making strawberry and chocolate versions. I must experiment!

The Perfect Brownie

2010-02-26T14:43:39Z

I love brownies. Seriously what's not to like about a chewy, chocolatety bit of heaven? Jamison was never a fan before Celiacs reared it ugly head (I know, I know...My culinary talents are lost on that boy! ;oP) so I didn't make them that often, but when I saw this recipe at I Am Baker and the resulting pictures I was immediately drawn to the brownie goodness!

As you'll see I didn't make them exactly the same, but trust me these are really, really amazing, really, really awesome brownies! If you're a fan of brownies then you really have found the perfect brownie. They are chocolatey, chewy and just perfect! What's not to like about that?

What You'll Need:
2/3 cup of butter
1 cup of bittersweet chocolate chips
1 3/4 cups of organic cane sugar
1 tablespoon of vanilla
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour

In a medium sized sauce pan melt butter and chocolate chips stirring often until completely smooth. Set aside and let cool.

Place oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 F.

Mix together sugar, vanilla, eggs and sea salt and beat on high for 5 minutes. Slowly add cooled chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and stir until mixed. Add flour a little at a time and mix until just incorporated.

Pour batter into an 8 X 12 inch baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake for 45 minutes until brownies are slightly crackly on top. Let cool and cut and serve.

Notes: You could add chocolate chips to the batter or nuts, but really they are just perfect as they are!

Not Your Mama's Tuna Salad

2010-02-24T17:33:46Z

I'm a big fan of tuna. I don't eat it that often due to mercury concerns, and really I'm not going to get into bio-magnification or anything, no need to make you eyes glaze over on a food blog, but tuna is not something I'm going to eat everyday. When I do eat it though I like to shake things up a bit.

One of my favorite things to do with tuna is simply bake of pan fry a tuna steak, but I'm not adverse to tuna in the pouch either. Sure there is always a more traditional tuna salad, but why not take that to a whole new level! Who says you can't wow them with something really simple?

What You'll Need:
1 small cucumber, cut in half and sliced
1 cup of cherry tomatoes, cut in half
3/4 cup of green olives, sliced
1 bell pepper, chopped (Note: I used a red bell pepper this go around, but any color will work.)
1 small red onion, chopped
1 large pouch of tuna
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
Brown rice vinegar

In a large bowl toss together cucumbers, tomatoes, green olives, bell pepper and red onion until incorporated. Add tuna and stir to mix.

Sprinkle the top of the salad generously with sea salt and black pepper and then drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and brown rice vinegar. Toss to coat.

Serve immediately.

Notes: This is really an eat it immediately sort of salad. The vinegar will start to break things down if you let it sit. Left overs aren't really that great. This really isn't a sandwich type of tuna salad either. It's better eaten as is.

It's Never Too Soon To Dream About Summer!

2010-02-22T19:15:18Z

I'm posting over at the Greenists today. I talk about winter blahs and how dreaming about my summer garden helps me through all this snow! I also give some tips on containers for planting and a natural pest spray! So stop by and check it out!

Spicy Baked Chard

2010-02-18T17:05:44Z

We're melting! We're melting! Oh wait...I got sucked in to Wizard of Oz for a moment...Where was I?

After a couple of days just above freezing temperatures, despite the fact that Mother Nature scoffed at me and let it snow yesterday, we're actually seeing some melting! If I could dance, and rest assured I can not without looking like a chicken with seizures, I'd be dancing my happy little self around in a circle!

Today we're supposed to hit around 40, 40 I tell you! I mean let's break out the flip flops! And are supposed to continue to do so for the next two days. We're finally going to be able to reschedule our dinner with friends that was supposed to happen the night the first storm hit.

Keep in mind there is a slight chance of snow Saturday night that I am hoping will just go away and the extended forecast says we might have some snow on Monday, though details of that are too far out to know for sure. So fingers crossed that goes away, but still. We are making some progress in the melting department and that makes me a very, very happy spring yearning person!

Now on to chard.

I love chard. The past few months I had been actually craving it, but some reason I couldn't find it at my local store. I finally made it over to MOM and they had rainbow chard and I was a very happy girl. I promptly bought it and then put in the fridge and forgot it for a week or so. Luckily it didn't go bad and the other night I decided to see what would happen if it was baked, and you know what it worked!

The chard ended up a bit crispy (which I like), yet tender at the same time. This is the perfect, quick, easy and healthy side dish to spice up your dinner. This is the perfect side dish for a busy night when you need to get dinner on the table fast!

What You'll Need:
Chard, chopped
Extra virgin olive oil
Coarse sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Red pepper flakes

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Chop chard in place in a baking dish. Sprinkle with sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and red pepper flakes. (Note: More if you like it spicy, less if you don't.) Drizzle with olive oil.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until chard is slightly crispy around the edges and soft in the middle.

Serve immediately.

Notes: This works on any leafy green.

My Favorite Mushroom Soup

2010-02-17T15:03:11Z

I eat a lot of mushrooms. I've always liked them, even as a child. One of my favorite things to do with mushrooms is to make soup. A lot of people think of a creamy soup when they think of mushrooms, but my favorite is not only creamless, it's actually vegan as well.

Mushrooms are really quite versatile and I've made variations of this soup over time, but I have to say this is my favorite version. When steeped in water mushrooms give you a very "beefy" broth without the cholesterol. What's not to like about that?

This soup is easy, quick and delicious. In no time you have a steaming pot of soup that is not only healthy, but is also hearty and satisfying. Who says the two have to be mutually exclusive?

What You'll Need:
Extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, cut into strips (Note: Sometimes I use red onions, sometimes I use white or yellow. This time around I used yellow.)
1 leek, chopped
2 tablespoons of fresh rosemary, chopped fine (Note: If you don't have fresh, you can use 1 teaspoon of dried, but the fresh really is best with this soup.)
A generous pinch of sea sat
Finely ground black pepper
2 cups of button mushroom slices
2 cups of crimini or baby bella mushroom slices
4 cups of water
2 cups of spinach leaves, chopped roughly

In a large to medium pot saute onions and leeks with sea salt, black pepper and rosemary in a little extra virgin olive oil, stirring often until slightly caramelized:

This is the only place that you are adding seasonings so be generous. You want roughly a teaspoon of sea salt and up to a teaspoon of black pepper depending on how "spicy" you like things.

Add mushrooms and stir to mix:

Don't worry about cooking the mushrooms before the next step. They are going to cook in the water and form the broth of the soup, just like you are making mushroom broth.

Add water and again stir to mix:

Cook mushrooms at a simmer until broth darkens and mushrooms are tender. This usually takes about 20 to 25 minutes.

Next add spinach leaves:

Cook and additional 2 to 3 minutes until spinach wilts:

Serve immediately.

Notes: Sometimes I add in fresh thyme too, but for the most part I prefer this with the rosemary alone.

Sweet Potato Chips

2010-02-16T17:53:07Z

Want to hear some fabulous news? I mean really just stellar?

Do you?

Are you ready?

We only got an inch of snow last night! An inch! Today the sun is shining and more importantly it's going to be above freezing mind you! And the most important part of my happiness today, and the part that might just save my sanity, is that as of the time that I'm writing this, there is no foreseeable snow accumulation in the 5 day forecast!

None!

Zip!

Nada!

Zilch!

And did I mention none? And did I mention the sun is shining? And did I mention the part about it being above freezing?? (This could change, but I'm going to be Pollyanna and looks for the joy instead! ;oP)

Seriously this makes me more than happy. Who ever thought that I, the Snow Queen, would be actively seeking no more snow! It just goes to show that too much of anything is not a good thing! A variation of The Law of Diminishing Return if you will. But the point is, no snow! (Let's hope Mother Nature doesn't curse me for that statement! ;oP)

(Update: 1:34 PM: Well that didn't last long. Now they are saying we might get snow tomorrow, but "less than a half inch possible". *sigh* It could be worse I suppose! ;oP)

So now that that is out of the way, let's talk some sweet potato chips!

I have a soft spot for sweet potatoes. I just love them! For a while now I've want to make an actual sweet potato chip. I'm not a fan of potato chips in general, but occasionally I do like a sweet potato chip. I've made baked vegetable chips before, which are divine by the way, but I've never made chips the "old fashioned way" until yesterday.

This is another one of those things I assumed was hard. You'd think after all the things I've assumed were hard, yet found out to be anything but I'd get past that, but well I'm stubborn. Yes I'm stubborn. There I said it. Most of us are, but isn't admitting it the first step?

So all of that to say I've thought about making sweet potato chips for a long time, yet I hadn't made them. Boy was I sorry I had not! They are even better homemade than any I've every tried out in the wide blue yonder!

So I'd say these were a huge success. Next time I'm going to play around with sea salt and vinegar chips, but I'm not going to wait as long! ;oP

What You'll Need:
Oil for frying (Note: Safflower, vegetable, olive oil, etc. You choose. I do not recommend using canola oil, for this or anything really.)
Sweet potato(es)
A big bowl of water
Sea salt

Heat your oil to 375 F. I use a fryer.

While your oil is heating set up your ingredients and the things you will need for your frying process:

You'll need a big bowl of water, a sweet potato (or more if you want to make a big batch of chips), a potato peeler, a baking sheet lined with paper towels, a tool to remove the chips from the hot oil and sea salt.

You might also want to grab a cutting board and a very sharp knife if your sweet potato is big in diameter. We'll get to that in a few minutes.

Peel your sweet potato:

Look for a long skinny potato. Also look for one that is relatively unblemished and with few "eyes".

Next you want to make your potato "chips":

I like my chips to have a bit of a thickness to them, but you don't want them too thick or you'll end up with fried sweet potato chunks and not sweet potato chips.

You can use a mandolin if you have one (which I do, but I've never gotten it to work properly) or you can use a potato peeler (which I did).

Place "chips" in a bowl of water:

This prevents the potatoes from turning brown while the oil heats and you're slicing the rest of the chips.

If your potato gets to be too cumbersome in the middle to make chips, cut the sweet potato in half:

Continue slicing with the potato halves.

It also helps as you're cutting your chips to rotate the potato on each slice so that you don't end up with a slanted edge and you keep your cutting surface relatively flat.

Once your oil is heated take a handful of chips out of the water and drain on a paper towel to remove excess moisture:

Place chips in a thin layer into the heated oil, stirring with a metal strainer occasionally until the chips begin to curl:

Once the chips start to curl, continue to fry for another minute or two until they are slightly golden and continue to curl.

Remove chips from oil and place on a baking sheet that has been lined with paper towels. Add a generous sprinkle of sea salt immediately:

Repeat process until you run out of potatoes.

Serve immediately, or let cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Notes: I always like to use organic ingredients when possible. This is especially true with potatoes who tend to store pesticides in them readily! Find a really good organic sweet potato or yam. You'll be glad you did!

Gluten Free Parmesan Cornbread

2010-02-15T15:51:16Z

So yes we still have snow:

We still have A LOT of snow!

It has melted a little, but not much. I'd say we might have had 1 or 2 inches of melting at most.

The roads are relatively clear, though in some places it's more like a lane and a half instead of two lanes:

But hey that works!

And you're going to drive by a lot of really big piles of snow!

We're supposed to get up to 7 more inches today in to tonight and then possibly a bit more on Wednesday. While 7 inches does make me want to cry hysterically, I'm still not thrilled about it. BUT at least 7 inches of snow can be driven over easily. The path to the backdoor will have to be cleared again, but clearing 7 inches of snow, versus 27, well I'll take 7!

Now let's talk some cornbread!

This isn't a cornbread that Jamison would eat, but I've found that I really like the addition of the corn flour to cornbread in place of regular flour. It really just helps the over all corn flavor, so I've started making all of my cornbreads this way. The Parmesan gives the bread a nice savory punch and this is just perfect with a big bowl of soup or chili.

Sounds perfect for this kind of weather don't you think?

What You'll Need:
2 cups of stone ground yellow cornmeal (Note: Look for a variety that is certified gluten free.)
1 cup of corn flour (Note: Corn Flour is NOT corn starch. Again look for a variety that is certified gluten free.)
1 tablespoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1 cup of finely shredded Parmesan cheese (Note: You want to shred or chop this yourself. The stuff that comes in a bottle won't work. I like to use my food processor to do this.)
2 cups of buttermilk
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 425 F.

In a large glass bowl stir together corn meal, corn flour, baking powder, sea salt and Parmesan until incorporated:

Add milk and eggs:

Stir until batter forms and all the ingredients are well mixed:

Place batter in a 9 X 9 inch baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick spray:

Bake for 25-35 minutes until golden brown:

Let sit for 5 minutes and then cut and serve. Store leftovers in an airtight container.

Notes: You could add in a cup of corn kernels too if you liked.

Creamy Potato Soup

2010-02-11T17:36:45Z

First let's talk about this snow! *sigh*

It's no secret that I love snow, but I've come to discover over the past week I do not like snow of this magnitude! Give me 4-8 inches and I'm happy, I don't even mind shoveling that much snow! But add in more than that, and then two big storms back to back for a total of 53 inches of snow since Friday (28 the first storm, 25 the second) and well, no I don't love it! I don't even like it!

Now there is buzz about more heavy snowfall on Sunday night in to Monday and an ice storm in 10 days! That makes me want to go to Hawaii, now, only the county has closed all of our roads and I couldn't get down to the main road right now if I wanted to, not that it is clear to begin with. I've got serious cabin fever right now people!

So no, I'm not loving this snow and I'm not loving the thought of more. At. All! If anyone has any ideas on how to become independently wealthy by tomorrow so I can hop a plane out of here, you let me know! ;oP

But the sun is shining today! Oh how I missed you Mr. Sun! And we're supposed to hit a balmy 33! Let's break out the flip flops! ;oP

Now let's talk soup!

Cold snowy weather makes me think of soup and bread. Yesterday I decided to be decadent and make a really creamy potato soup. It was fabulous! There is just nothing like a creamy bowl of warm soup on a cold winter day!

Oh and if anyone wants some snow, I'd be happy to send you some. Really! There are piles out there taller than me (I'm five foot nine and half inches tall!) so we've got plenty to spare. ;oP

What You'll Need:
2 tablespoons of butter
1 small red onion, chopped
Finely ground black pepper
Sea salt
1 large potato, cut into cubes (Note: No need to remove the skin.)
1 quart of broth (Note: I used turkey broth that I had made and put in the freezer. Chicken broth will work too.)
2 baked potatoes, mashed (Note: If you don't want to take the time to bake them in the oven. Pop them in the microwave instead. I recommend baking them in the oven though.)
2 cup of heavy cream
1/4 cup of potato flour (Note: If you don't have potato flour on hand you can use regular flour, but the potato flour gives it a nice punch.)

Melt butter in a medium to large sized pot. Saute onions until tender:

Add cubed potatoes, a generous pinch of sea salt and some finely ground pepper to onions. Cook until potatoes are slightly browned stirring often:

Add broth and stir to mix:

Bring to a quick boil.

While you are waiting for the broth to boil, mash your potatoes. I like to do this in my food processor.

Slice your potato into rounds and place in the bowl of your food processor:

No need to remove the skins. Just leave them on there!

Process until smooth:

Once the broth has come to boil, reduce heat to a simmer and add the mashed potatoes to the pot of broth:

Stir in the potatoes:

It doesn't have to be smooth. It's just bit of potatoes.

Let the mixture cook for about 30 minutes.

Add cream and stir to mix:

Cook for about 3 or 4 minutes so that the cream warms and then add the potato flour:

Whisk the flour into the soup and then cook for another 5 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Serve immediately.

Oh and the leftovers are fabulous!

Notes: You can eat this as is or top it with cheddar, scallions and/or bacon. The broth that I made had hints of thyme and rosemary in it so that carried over into the soup in a very subtle way.

Forget Bread and Milk....10 Essentials for Making it Through Another Major Snow Storm

2010-02-09T16:07:27Z

10 Essentials for Making it Through Another Major Snow Storm:

1. A couple of bottles of wine (at least) and some lemon vodka.

2. Nutella. (Why had I never tried this stuff before last week?)

3. Bacon

4. Strawberry Häagen-Dazs

5. Gala apples

6. Lands End snow boots

7. Plenty of green tea

8. The Wii to keep the tea cup occupied since she can't play in snow that is almost taller than she is!

9. Netflix Movies, not to mention their Watch on Demand option!

10. And a bag full of new books!

That should keep me tied over for possibly 20 more inches of snow on top of the 28.25 inches we already have on the ground. Right? Right? But they are saying more snow on Monday? Really? Surely that can't be right. I'll just sit here in denial until I actually see more snow fall from the sky! ;oP

So what would be on your list?

Cross posted at Daffodil Lane.