Sunday in the Kitchen

My assignment for tonight's neighborhood Christmas party was to bring an appetizer.  My first thought was Artichoke Dip, that lucious cheese dip that has been a favorite for years.  Then I thought, why play it safe? 


Black Pepper Cheese Shortbreads

So today was all about trying new recipes, some with success, others not so great.  The first recipe was Kale Chips since there was kale in the garden ready to be picked.  I used the standard recipe with olive oil and seasoned salt, but I did not like the results.  I think the problem is my kale, the curly variety.  The biggest problem was not the flavor, but the texture.  But I'm not giving up.  Next time I will try a different variety and see if what happens.
Next on the list are two recipes from Virginia Willis' new book, Basic to Brillant, Y'all.  As I am writing, the Black Pepper Cheese Shortbreads are in the oven, with one minor change.  Instead of sharp white Cheddar cheese, I am using extra sharp Cheddar since that was what was in the frig.  I was "brillant" and added a pecan garnish.

The second recipe is Mini Country Ham Cheddar Biscuits.  They are hanging out on our cold screened-in porch waiting for their time in the oven.  I decided to go "brilliant" with time and make the Honey Bourbon Butter.  Who knew that adding bourbon would add such an unique flavor to the honey?

Sorry, no recipes for these, you will have to buy the book!  Thanks, Virginia for a great cookbook that allows us to take our creations from basic to brilliant!

Potato, Broccoli and Cheddar Soup

To my surprise, I have broccoli in the garden! I have planted broccoli many times before but have never had much success. This year I decided to try it again and the four plants have grown and produced some beautiful heads. The garden and the weather were the inspiration for this recipe. A cold, rainy day, where the high for the day is in the morning calls for a bowl of warm, thick soup. Serve with a simple fruit salad and you have a meal that will add some sunshine to any dreary day.

Potato Broccoli Cheddar Soup

1 onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced

2 leeks, thinly sliced
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon aleppo chili
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups milk
3 pounds potatoes, diced
1 head broccoli
2 cups grated extra sharp Cheddar cheese
Salt and Pepper
Sour cream

In a heavy Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Saute onion and celery until tender, seasoning with salt as it cooks. Add flour, paprika and aleppo chili to pot and stir until the flour bubbles. Add the broth, milk and potatoes and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes and the potatoes are tender.

While the potatoes cook, cut broccoli into bite-size pieces and steam until tender crisp. When the potatoes are tender, use a potato masher to break up some of the potatoes. Reduce the temperature to low and add the broccoli and cheese and stir until the cheese is melted and the soup is heated through, adding salt and pepper as needed.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream. Serves 6 to 8.

Chocoflan

I admit, I am not a baker. Kenny will be the first to tell you that if flour is involved, there is more on me than in the cake! But Chocoflan is truly one of those easy, delicious recipes that I will make again.

When I decided to give it a try I had to borrow a bundt pan from Dale. But since then I bought Williams-Sonoma's Anniversary Bundt and it works great. The handles on the pan make it easy to remove from the hot water after baking. I also had to substitute caramel sauce for the cajeta.This is a fun cake to make and bake. Caramel sauce in poured into the buttered pan, followed by a chocolate cake batter and topped with a flan mixture. While baking the flan sinks and the chocolate cake rises.

Next time you need a dessert to impress guests, bake a Chocoflan!

Blueberry Peach Cobbler

It is a big mistake to watch the Food Network while working out. But I must admit that Guy was the inspiration for tonight's dessert. And it was seasonal, with fresh Georgia peaches from the Veggie Patch and blueberries from our garden. After a quick search on the Internet for Guy's recipe I decided to do my own version. The result was a delicious cobbler. Next time you have access to fresh blueberries and peaches, give this a try.

Blueberry Peach Cobbler

Filling
2.5 to 3 pounds ripe peaches, peeled and sliced
1 pint blueberries
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Mix together in a large bowl.

Crust
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 stick cold butter, diced
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Use a pastry blender, cut in the butter until the butter is the size of very small peas.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Butter a 10-inch iron skillet. Pour in the fruit mixture and top with the flour mixture. Bake 45 minutes or until lightly brown. Serve warm with ice cream.