Betcha Can't Eat Just One

As I mentioned in the last blog entry, I made drop biscuits to go along with that Broccoli Rabe, Black-Eyed Pea, White Bean and Sausage Soup. While I try to limit carbs around here during the week, that soup kept calling out for something “bread-ish.”

Soup and salad without bread just doesn’t sound right.

So, I caved. Since I was deep into perusing Lee Bailey’s “Soup Meals,” it didn’t take long to stumble upon his recipe for Mozzarella Biscuits. Since I didn’t have any mozzarella on hand, it didn’t take long to adapt the recipe to what I did have in my fridge.  Here is the delicious result:

CHEESE-Y AND PEPPER-Y DROP BISCUITS  (Adapted from Lee Bailey’s “Soup Meals”)

2 cups all-purpose, unbleached flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground cayenne (or more to taste)
6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cubed
1 ½ cups buttermilk
1 cup grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 450-degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Sift the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, black pepper and cayenne into a medium bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or, better yet, your fingers until butter is incorporated and is the size of small peas. Add buttermilk and stir to make a thick dough. Stir in cheese. The dough should be thick enough so that it will just drop from a spoon with a little nudge (Lee’s words, not mine. Gotta love that).

Drop onto the baking sheet by the tablespoonful and bake for 15 to 18 minutes until golden. Remove to a baking rack to cool slightly before serving.

Yield: 20 – 40 biscuits, depending upon how big you make them

*  As usual, I used an ice cream scoop to drop these onto the baking sheet.  (Alright, I will admit to having a ridiculous assortment of the things).  For this recipe, I used the 1 1/2-inch scoop.  Worked like a charm!

Oy veh.  What's wrong with me that I have this many scoops, anyway?

How.  Ridiculous.

*  These are cheesy, savory little morsels that are crunchy on the bottom and absolutely addictive.  My no-carb scruples were totally thrown out the window once these biscuits came out of the oven.  Damn!

*  In fact, they are so good, they don't even need butter.  Can't believe I said that.

*  Lee says you can bake, then store these for a couple of days.  To reheat, place them directly on the oven rack so the bottoms stay crispy.  If it works for Lee, it works for me!

*  As I was about to close the book, I noticed Lee's recipe for Pecan Snickerdoodles with Mandarin Oranges.  What?????  Guess that's showing up soon on my recipe agenda......

Encore

As I mentioned in the last post, I recently spent an entire day testing cornbread recipes.  If you live in the south, that's what you want to accompany your chili on Superbowl Sunday ( haha, we Southerners love us some cornbread!)  Heck, even if you live in other parts of the country, it's what you should make to go along with your chili tomorrow. 

The question is, what kind of cornbread should you make?  Plain?  Sweet?  Cheesy?  Cake-y?  The possibilities are endless.

Here are several recipes for your perusal before the big game tomorrow.  All three are a snap to make and come together in no time whatsover.  One is fairly plain and delicious in its simplicity, while the other two are more dense and studded with cheeses and jalapenos.  Any of them would be a terrific addition to your Superbowl spread alongside your chili.  Even if you don't live in the South!

CASSEROLE CORN BREAD  (adapted from Prudence Hilburn's "A Treasury of Southern Baking")

1 1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 cup sour cream
1 egg (I use extra-large)
1/3 cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 400-degrees.  Generously grease an 8-inch round cake pan that is at least 1 1/2-inches deep. 

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, cornmeal and Parmigiano-Reggiano.  Stir to mix then add the sour cream, egg and vegetable oil.  Stir to combine.  Batter will be thick.

Place prepared pan in the preheated oven for about 5 minutes, until it is hot. Remove from oven and turn dough into the pan.  Use a spatula to spread evenly.  Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.  Let cool 5 minutes, then turn out of the pan.  Serve warm with lots of salted butter.

Serves 8

*  This is a lovely, cake-like bread which is light and delicious.  If desired, you could add chopped red or green peppers, chopped scallions or chopped jalapenos to taste to the dough before baking.

*  If you like a more pronounced cheese flavor, sprinkle the top with additional Parmigiano-Reggiano prior to baking.

*  One of the secrets to baking cornbread is to preheat your pan before adding the batter and baking.  We think it produces a better crust.

Fox Brothers Bar-B-Q is a well-loved institution here in Atlanta.  Unfortunately for me, we only live about 5 minutes from the place.  I can't pass it without a craving for their fried pickles (keep driving, Liz).  In addition to their barbecue, they are also known for "The Tomminator" which is a mess of Tater Tots smothered in Brunswick stew and topped with lots of gooey melted cheese.  Gotta love that, even if I would have to shoot myself if I ever indulged in it. 

http://www.foxbrosbbq.com/

FOX BROTHERS BAR-B-Q  JALAPENO CORN BREAD

3 cups self-rising corn meal (not corn meal mix)
1 1/4 cups all-purpose, unbleached flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
8 oz. (1 pkg.) cold cream cheese, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
2 cups buttermilk
1 cup creamed corn
3 eggs (I use extra-large)
1/4 cup melted butter
Juice from one large orange
3 jalapenos, finely minced

Preheat oven to 400-degrees.  Butter a 9-by-13-inch rectangular baking pan.

In a large mixing bowl, combine corn meal, flour, sugar and salt.  Add cream cheese and toss to distribute evenly, rubbing it in lightly with your fingers.

Place the prepared pan in the oven for 5 minutes to preheat.

In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, creamed corn, eggs, butter, orange juice and jalapenos.  Pour this into the dry mixture and stir until just combined.  Turn into the hot pan and bake for 30 to 40 minutes until lightly browned and a cake tester comes out clean when inserted in the middle.

Remove from oven and cool for 20 minutes.  Turn out onto a baking rack and cool before cutting and serving.

Serves 10 - 12

*  This is a denser, moister cornbread than the first recipe.  I love the chunks of cream cheese that are scattered throughout!

*  Oh, and a word about jalapenos.  I remove the seeds and the ribs before mincing as they contain most of the heat.  If you have a tougher palate, feel free to leave them in, but beware of the consequences!

Virginia Willis is a national treasure, as far as I am concerned.  She's an expert in all things Southern, she's an amazing cook and cookbook author and she has a wonderful line of products which she sells through "My Southern Pantry."  (Treat yourself to some of her pecan-smoked sea salt when it becomes available).  When I came across her recipe for cornbread, I figured it would be a winner.  Indeed it was.

http://virginiawillis.com/msp-home.html

JALAPENO, CHEDDAR AND BACON CORN BREAD  (adapted from Virginia Willis' "Bon Apetit, Y'all")

1/4 lb. bacon, diced
1 3/4 cups yellow cornmeal
1 1/4 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 3/4 cups buttermilk
3 eggs, beaten (I used extra-large)
1 (15-oz.) can creamed corn
3 jalapenos, minced
1 cup shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375-degrees.

Place bacon in a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat.  Cook until bacon is crispy and fat is rendered.  Use a slotted spoon to remove bacon to paper towels to drain.  Turn off heat and set pan aside.

In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  In a medium bowl, combine the buttermilk and eggs.  Add the buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring just to blend.  Fold in the creamed corn, jalapenos and cheese.  Stir in the melted butter and fold in the reserved bacon.

Place the reserved pan with the bacon drippings in the oven and heat for 3 to 5 minutes until hot.  Remove from oven and pour in batter.  Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.  Cool then serve directly from pan.

Serves 12

*  Virginia serves this with honey butter, but I think it's so good that it doesn't need any butter at all.  Your choice.

*  The addition of bacon to this was my idea and not a part of her original recipe.  Feel free to omit it; instead grease the pan with butter.  Nonetheless, I think everything is better with bacon!

*  You could also use this batter to make muffins.  I, however, love the idea of serving it from a cast-iron skillet.  Just another one of those "southern-things," I suppose.

So there you have it.  Whew, I'm done now.  This may be my longest post EVER.  Whether you like football or not, happy baking, have a great evening and don't forget to watch those Superbowl Commercials.  Cheers!

The "S" Word

Superbowl Sunday.  Packers vs. Steelers.  Whoop-de-doo.

You'll notice I did not punctuate that with an exclamation point. 

That's because I could care less about football.  I don't want to hear any grief about it, either - that's just the way it is.  I know many of you ladies out there LOVE the game (more power to you), but not me.  The same holds true for baseball, as evidenced by the fact I once gave away my ticket to a World Series game because I had no interest in going.  To this day, Henry is still in disbelief over that one.

I would admit to the fact that I watch the Superbowl  for the ads alone, but then you will think I am shallow, so I'll just keep quiet and tell you that what I really like about Superbowl Sunday is cooking for it.  What are you making this Sunday?  Guacamole?  Chili?

Fortunately for Henry, we've been invited to watch it with a group of friends, so he will have the luxury of being around people who actually like football.  And yes, chili is on the menu and no, I don't have to make it.  Instead, I'm working on what to serve alongside it.

Cornbread is an obvious choice and yes, I went there, baking up three separate batches of it today.  I'll post those results shortly.  But I also wanted to push the envelope a bit and come up with something a little less traditional.  That translated into Savory Cheese Biscotti.

These are crunchy, savory little bites that go well with chili but would be equally good as an appetizer with a nice glass of wine (or two).  You can make them several days ahead or you could even shape the dough and freeze it unbaked.  No need to thaw before baking, either.  It can go straight from freezer to oven.  How forgiving is that?

SAVORY CHEESE BISCOTTI (adapted from "The Minimalist" Mark Bittman)

2 1/4 cups all-purpose, unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon heavy cream
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Set aside.

Mix dry ingredients in a medium bowl.  Place eggs in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and beat until thick and creamy, about 5 minutes.  Change to the paddle attachment and blend in grated cheddar.  Add dry ingredients and blend just to combine.  Turn out onto a floured surface and knead briefly until mixture comes together.

Divide dough in half and shape each into a 10-by-3-inch log.  Flatten tops and even out sides.  Chill for at least 30 minutes before baking.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350-degrees.  Brush logs with the egg/cream mixture then sprinkle the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano evenly over the top of each log.  Bake for 30 minutes until just lightly browned, but not baked completely.  Remove from oven and cool 30 minutes.

Slice logs into 1/2-inch slices.  Place slices on the baking sheet and return to the oven.  Bake until firm and lightly browned, about 15-20 minutes.  Cool on a rack before serving.

Yield:  3 1/2 to 4 dozen pieces

I'm writing this right now and I know there is a bag of these tightly sealed up, stored in my pantry, just waiting for Sunday.  Think anybody will miss just one???????

Snowmageddon Days Three and Four

Complete.  Carb.  Overload.  That's how I am coping with the fact that I am still a captive in our house.

Obviously, we Southerners are clueless when it comes to snow and ice.  What's the first thing that happens when there is a mere whisper of anything white in the forecast?  The grocery store shelves get completely emptied of milk and bread, that's what.  This week was no different.  In fact, I just saw on the local news that stocks still have not been replenished.

I can't do anything about our diminishing supply of milk, but bread?  I'm all over that!  With nothing else to do, baking a couple of loaves sounded like a good plan.

Now bear in mind, I try to limit carbs during the week.  At least when things are "normal" (whatever that is) around here.  But these last four days have been anything but, so food scruples have flown out the window.  Needless to say, Henry is not disappointed by this.

I started with Oatmeal Wheat Bread.  This recipe produces soft and delicate loaves, which are lovely and not too heavy.  I toasted some slices for breakfast this morning (since my egg supply is almost depleted) and it had a lovely, crunchy crust.  I may never buy bread in the supermarket again!

OATMEAL WHEAT BREAD (Adapted from “Gourmet Today”)

2 cups whole milk
1 cup rolled oats (not quick-cooking), plus additional for sprinkling
½ warm water (105 – 115-degrees)
3 packages (1/4 oz.) yeast
½ cup honey
4 tablespoon (1/2 stick) butter, melted and cooled
3 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 egg, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water for egg wash

Heat milk in a medium saucepan over low heat until hot but not boiling. Remove from heat and stir in oats. Let stand, stirring occasionally, until cooled to warm.

Stir together the warm water, yeast and 1 teaspoon of the honey in a small bowl and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. If mixture doesn’t foam, discard it and start over with new yeast.

Stir yeast mixture, melted butter and remaining honey into oatmeal.

Place the flours and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Blend briefly to combine. Add oat mixture and blend again to combine then let sit for 10 minutes. Turn mixer on low speed and mix for 10 minutes, until dough gathers on the beater.

Remove dough to a well-oiled bowl or container and place in a warm, draft-free place for 1 – 1 ½ hours until doubled in size. Grease two 8 ½ by 4 ½ inch loaf pans.

Punch dough down and knead briefly. Divide in half and pat or roll each half into a 10 x 6-inch rectangle. Starting from long side, roll up each rectangle tightly. Pinch seam to seal and place dough seam-side-down in pans, gently tucking ends under to fit. Place pans in a warm, draft-free place and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Put a rack in the middle of oven and preheat to 375-degrees.

Lightly brush tops of risen loaves with egg wash and sprinkle with oats. Bake until bread is golden and loaves sound hollow when tapped, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, then remove bread from pans and transfer on a rack to cool completely.

Yield: 2 loaves

*  I did not have whole milk, so I used 1 1/2 cups of my usual 1% milk, then added 1/2 cup of half-and-half.

Haha, but after I made these loaves, I logged on to my Facebook account.  Two of my very talented friends (Bobby and Don, you know who you are) had sent me a recipe for beer bread.  Beer bread?  I went back to my recipe files and unearthed my dinosaur recipe for it that called for Bisquik.  Uh, I think not.

This recipe, though, called for self-rising flour.  And an entire stick of butter.  Now really, how bad could it be?  Besides, I know these two and they really GET food.  I took the plunge.

BOBBY AND DON'S BEER BREAD

4 cups self-rising flour (see note)
1 1/2 cups (1 12-oz. bottle) warm beer (I used Sweetwater 420)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Do NOT preheat your oven.

Grease a 6-cup ovenproof bowl (I used a 6-cup souffle dish which measured 6 3/4-inches in diameter and was 3 1/2-inches high).

Combine flour, beer and sugar in a medium bowl.  Pour into the greased souffle dish (or whatever you are using) and pour the melted and cooled butter over.

Place in the cold oven and put a bowl or pan underneath to catch any dripping butter.  Turn oven on to 325-degrees.  Bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours then remove from oven and cool for 15 minutes.

Remove from pan to a cooling rack and let cool completely.

Serves 12

Bobby and Don's ideas for flavor variations:

Italian - add 1 tablespoon each fresh basil and oregano, 2 minced garlic cloves and 1/2 cup parmesan or romano cheese
Herb - add 1 teaspoon each of chopped fresh rosemary, oregano and thyme
Spicy - add 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar and 1/4 can green chili peppers, chopped
Seeds - add 5 tablespoons poppy, sesame or caraway seeds

They also suggest experimenting with different beers.  A darker beer will give a deeper, fuller flavor, while a lighter beer will taste less robust.

And of course, I have a few comments....

Don't have any self-rising flour in the house?  No worries (I didn't either).  Just use all-purpose, unbleached flour and add 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt for every cup of flour.

I have to say that in terms of overall effort, the beer bread wins hands-down.  It was SO easy, no yeast, no kneading and no drama.  Yes, my Oatmeal Wheat Bread was delicous, but not so much that it was worth the work as compared to the effortless and delicious Beer Bread.  Interesting.....

And although I've been indulging in carbs (I won't tell you about the whipping cream pound cake I made yesterday, unless of course, you ask me for the recipe), I got my workout today.  We live on a cul-de-sac at the top of a very long hill.  The bottom of the hill doesn't get much sunlight, so there was a tremendous amount of ice build-up.  It also dumps out onto a very busy road, so sliding your car down there into tons of oncoming traffic is not a good idea.  Henry rallied the neighbors today and lots of people showed up to hack up the ice and clear the road.  That included me, although my real contribution was a couple dozen freshly baked, warm chocolate chunk cookies.  Thanks, neighbors!

My hands are so sore from wielding that shovel today that I can hardly lift my wineglass.  I'll manage, however.  Here's to tomorrow's escape!