bacon, cheddar, and chive popovers

A few months ago I became obsessed with popovers. I wanted to make every variation of popovers I could find. So I went to William Sonoma on my lunch break and bought a 20 dollar popover pan. You can use a regular cupcake tray, but the popover pan makes the real deal popover. My first recipe was cheddar chive. They were good, but I wanted to make a popover for all my carnivourous friends who unlike myself get to enjoy one of life's best flavors, BACON. The key to a good popover is not peaking into the oven during baking. Be patient, they are worth the wait.

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups milk
4 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
6 large eggs
4 tablespoons melted butter

5 strips bacon cut into small pieces

3 tablespoons chopped chives

1/2 cup grated cheddar

Directions

Break the eggs into a bowl and beat well. Add the milk, flour, baking powder, and salt, and beat until just blended. Add bacon, chives, and cheddar, mix. Use bacon grease to grease popover tins. Fill tins 3/4 cups full with batter. Place the pan on the center rack in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes without opening the oven door (don't open the door!)

pizzoccheri alla valtellinese

This is an italian dish, and like most italian dishes, there is lots of butter and cheese. There is also an assortment of greens, which makes this dish a win-win meal. I made it with my Mom, and she tried to only put 3/4 of the butter in. Luckily I was there to put the rest in! I was worried because the Taleggio is a very sticky cheese, but at the end when i was looking at an empty bowl, the cheese complimented the dish perfectly!

Ingredients

buckwheat pasta

2-3 potatoes cut into 1/2 inch cubes

2 cups shredded swiss chard

3 cups shredded cabbage

1 stick BUTTER

4 cloves garlic peeled and smashed

8 fresh sage leaves

1/3 cup pasta cooking water

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup Taleggio cheese cit into 1/4 cubes

1 cup parm

Direction

turn the broiler on

boil large pot of water. Add potatoes and boil till tender. Remove potatoes. In same water, blanch chard and cabbage for 2 min and remove, then boil pasta.

In a large stainless steel pan, melt butter, garlic cloves, sage leaves and 1/4 cup of the pasta water. Melt slowly over low heat, do not boil. after a few minutes remove garlic and turn off heat.

Add the pasta and vegetables to the butter sauce and coat. Finally, add the Taleggio cheese and 1/2 of the parm. Top the rest with parm and broil for about 5 min.

-Devin

homemade flour tortillas

another thing other than eating meatless twice a week in my house is that we have to eat mexican one night a week. thank the lord above i already have a boyfriend because let me tell you, mexican can catch up to you and your backside. mmmhmm.

my bf is from san antonio. every time we go, which is normally once or twice a year, i pig out on some mexican cuisine. i'm talkin' burritos, enchiladas, queso, chips, salsa, might as well just give me spoonfuls of lard. why not? i also learned from dating a texan, that if you slap some butter on a fresh flour tortilla you can see the pearly gates to heaven. ohmygosh-it's SO good. no surprise though right? butter and bread is the best combo everrrr! but you don't put butter on a store bought ( <--key word here) tortilla. no good!

so what am i suppose to do then when i head back home after spending a week in texas? just buy store bought tortillas? so i asked my live-in texan what i should do. he's reply.."just make 'em." ummmm...no? how about i have a full time job, a side gig with devin, in charge of cleaning house, have a social life, and don't have t-i-m-e. turns out i was wrong. i have the key to the pearly gates! and it only takes 30 mins. soften your butter now, you're about to have a fresh tortilla to slap it on...

whatcha need:

2 c. flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 tsp veggie oil

3/4 c. warm milk

whatcha do:

Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and oil.
Slowly add the warm milk.
Stir until a loose, sticky ball is formed.
Knead for two minutes on a floured surface. Dough should be firm and soft.
Place dough in a bowl and cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap for 20 minutes.
After the dough has rested, break off eight sections, roll them into balls in your hands, place on a plate (make sure they aren’t touching) and then cover balls with damp cloth or plastic wrap for 10 minutes. (It’s very important to let the dough rest, otherwise it will be like elastic and won’t roll out to a proper thickness and shape.)
After dough has rested, one at a time place a dough ball on a floured surface, pat it out into a four-inch circle, and then roll with a rolling pin from the center until it’s thin and about eight inches in diameter. (If you roll out pie crusts you’ll have no problem with this.) Don’t over work the dough, or it’ll be stiff. Keep rolled-out tortillas covered until ready to cook.
In a dry iron skillet or comal heated on high, cook the tortilla about thirty seconds on each side. It should start to puff a bit when it’s done.
Keep cooked tortillas covered wrapped in a napkin until ready to eat.
Can be reheated in a dry iron skillet, over your gas-burner flame or in the oven wrapped in foil.
While you probably won’t have any leftovers, you can store in the fridge tightly wrapped in foil or plastic for a day or so.
Makes 8 tortillas.

*thank you to the homesick texan- check out her blog!*

-andi

eggplant melt

i try to cook a vegetarian meal 2 nights out of the week. i am not by any means trying to be on some "health kick" or ease my way into a meatless lifestyle. i'm just broke. plain and simple. i can't afford to eat meat every night of the week...so eating meatless 2 nights a week sounds easy...maybe have soup and salad one night, pasta the next, blah blah blah... and it would be if it was just me living in this household. but i also cook for the person who holds the #1 top rank for our nations pickiest eater. yes, this is the same person who eats kraft mac and cheese (sober) and wouldn't mind chopping up a hotdog to mix in it. yum! (not.)

so HOW did it end up that an eggplant melt would be his favorite vegetarian meal??!! seriously eggplant? not many people i know care for it. definitely not a veggie commonly found a grocery list. the key to this recipe is: good bread and good cheese.

whatcha need:

1 eggplant- sliced 1/2in thick rounds

good bread from the bakery

good mozzarella

good jar pasta sauce (spend the extra couple bucks)

bread crumbs- plain or italian

2 eggs

salt and pepper

olive oil

whatcha do:

preheat oven to 475. in a shallow bowl, lightly beat eggs with salt and pepper. spread bread crumbs on a plate. oil a rimmed baking sheet. dip eggplant in egg, then dredge both sides in breadcrumbs, transfer to baking sheet. bake 15-20min or until golden. spilt bread loaf in half, take out some of the center if you want, or just press it down to create a well. place bread on another baking sheet, layer with sauce, eggplant, and cheese. bake until cheese is a little brown about 8 min.

-andi

basic chicken noodle soup

i wish i had a REAL excuse for my absence on this blog. like i've been backpacking in europe and was so busy eating and drinking great food i had no time to blog. or i was preparing for the NYC marathon and was determine to have a some absurd record time. nope. didn't come close to any of those. honestly, my excuse is: laziness. i've been sitting on my butt this whole time. i didn't "feel like" pressing the on button and watch my slow computer load up. i didn't "feel like" typing. you know what i'm talking about. you had that same excuse today at some point. you didn't "feel like it".

well i'm gonna keep using my lame excuse. i didn't "feel like" cooking fancy tonight so i made the easiest soup recipe on the planet. chicken noodle soup .

whatcha need:

chicken broth (1 big container)

3 carrots- chopped

3 celery stalks- chopped

1 yellow onion- chopped

egg noodles (no yolk brand, or whatever noodle you want)

chicken breast (i used 2)

salt and pepper

whatcha do:

grab a stock pot. dump in broth. add veggies and chicken. add enough water so that veggies and chicken are covered. salt/pepper generously. bring to a boil. reduce to a simmer and partially cover pot. cook for 35 mins. remove chicken and shred on a plate. bring water back to a boil, add noodles and shredded chicken. (add more water if you need too) cook until noodles are done, about 10 mins.

-andi

cioppino

Cioppino is the kind of dish that one should only make and serve on a special occasion. It shouldn't be a 40 dollar whole foods run on a Monday night when you are not cooking for anyone but yourself! I had the pleasure of having this soup for not only one meal, but three. Oh and also, my number one food fan Josh came over and had a bowl too.

Ingredients

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

8 tbsp. butter

1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped

2 medium carrots,chopped

1 leek, white part only, trimmed, cleaned, and chopped

1 28-oz. can crushed Italian tomatoes

2 tbsp. tomato paste

1 cup white wine

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. dried basil

2 pinches cayenne

Salt and pepper

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

3/4 pound halibut filet, cut into large pieces

8 sea scallops

15 large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1–2 cups flour

1 crab

1⁄2 bunch parsley, chopped

parm

Directions

Heat 1/4 cup of the oil and 4 tbsp. of the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring often, for about 2 minutes. Add carrots and leeks and cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 cups water, 1 cup white wine, oregano, thyme, basil, and cayenne and season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 45 min- 1 hour.

Clean and crack crab. Cut crab into four pieces, set aside.

Heat remaining 1/4 cup oil, 4 tbsp. butter, and garlic in a large, heavy skillet over high heat until fragrant, 1–2 minutes. Dredge halibut, scallops, and shrimp in flour, and fry, turning seafood frequently, until golden, 1–2 minutes. Transfer seafood and crab to soup, cover, and simmer for 10–15 minutes. Serve with parm on top.

mushroom spinach stuffed shells with homemade vodka sauce

Andi makes the most amazing vodka sauce, so i decided to give it a try. It wasn't until I was reading her directions that I realized I would have to light the vodka on fire. This was really exciting for me! I was a bit embarrassed buying vodka at the liquor store with all the homeless kids on Haight on a Monday evening. I made sure to tell the cashier I was making vodka sauce, but he just stared at me like I was crazy. I made the vodka sauce last week with penne pasta. I have been wanting to make stuffed shells for a long time now, and decided that I could use the rest of my vodka and make a combo of the two.

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
2 cups chopped mushrooms
1/2 onion, diced
1 15 oz ricotta cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup of fresh spinach, chopped
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
Vodka sauce
Box of jumbo shells

Andi's Vodka Sauce

Ingredients

3 tbsp olive oil

2 tablespoons garlic sliced

1/2 cup vodka

2 cups tomato sauce

3 tbsp heavy cream

fire!

Directions

Cook oil and garlic together for 1 min. Add vodka and turn off heat (make sure you do this!). Light pan on fire and let burn off, about a minute. Add sauce and cream, cook for 20 min.

Cooking the Shells

cook shells as directed

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet add the mushrooms and onions and sauté until golden brown (about 5-6 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool

In a large bowl combine the ricotta, 1/4 cup of the mozzarella, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, the spinach, 1/2 the parsley, salt and pepper to taste. Mix thoroughly then add the mushrooms and onion sauté and combine.

Pour 1/2 of the vodka sauce in the bottom of a baking dish. Place the shells in the pan. Stuff each shell with the ricotta and mushroom mixture. Pour the remaining sauce over the stuffed shells. Add the last 1/2 cup of mozzarella and 1/4 cup of Parmesan. Cover with tin foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the tin foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes to brown the top

sauteed brocollini

I like brocollini more than I like broccoli. brocollini is not only tastier but prettier. If you live in Sonoma County, head over to Green String Farm and pick some up! I got a huge bag of it (about 5 bunches) for 2 dollars.

Ingredients

brocollini

• Kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 lemon, zested
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Blanch the broccolini in a large pot of boiling salted water for 2 minutes. Drain immediately and immerse in a bowl of ice water.

Melt the butter in a large saute pan. Add the lemon zest and garlic and stir. Drain the broccolini and add it to the garlic mixture and heat for 2 minutes. Add the lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the pepper.

cheesecake with blackberry sauce

This cheesecake is so filling! If you are looking for a cheesecake that is 3 inches tall, then this is the recipe for you. My Mom always tells me not to serve a dish before I have made it twice. I never follow this rule, and it turned out great with the cheesecake. The sauce is excellent too.

Cheesecake

Ingredients

graham cracker crust

1 1/2 cups crushed graham crackers

1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup butter, melted

pulse crackers and sugar in a food processor, add butter. Press down in a spring form pan, making sure crust goes about half way up the sides of the dish. Bake for 8 min on 400. 

Filling

4 8oz. packages of Cream Cheese
1 1/2 cups Sugar
3/4 cup Heavy Cream
4 whole Eggs
1 cup Sour Cream

1 tablespoon Real Vanilla
1/4 cup All Purpose Flour

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Grease a 9-inch spring-form pan.
• In a medium bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs, or, I used my food processor to make the crumbs, with melted butter
• Press onto the bottom of the pan using the bottom of a glass or measuring cup.
• Only press the crust up about half way. Part of the appeal of a NY Style Cheesecake is the unevenness of the crust (go back and look at that very first photograph)
• Onto the filling...In a large bowl, mix cream cheese with sugar until smooth.
• Blend in Cream, and then mix in the eggs one at a time,
• Mix in the sour cream, vanilla and flour until smooth.
• Pour filling into prepared crust.
• Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour.
• Turn the oven off and let cake cool in oven with the door closed for 5 to 6 hours.
• Chill in refrigerator until serving.

Blackberry Sauce

Ingredients

2 cups blackberries

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 lemon

Directions

Mix all ingredients in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil, then simmer on medium heat for 15 min.

pour sauce on top of cheesecake right before serving.