Butter

When I was a toddler, I climbed out of my crib and went downstairs. I took out some sticks of butter from the refrigerator and joined my younger sister. I shared the butter with her and we made a huge mess. My Mom informed me that butter isn't easy to clean up. 

 I'm telling you this story because at a certain time in ones life there comes a time when something becomes too buttery. If you haven't reached this milestone yet, then this tart is for you. It wasn't one of the popular recipes I have made from the Project Pastry Queen. This week's pick was from Alice of This Home Plate. I did learn that I liked Frangelico liquor which I don't think I've ever tried before so I'm glad I made the tart. I only say tried because you use Frangelico in mixed drinks. One of my sisters has her bartending license and I just know she has made me some great drinks but I don't ask what she is mixing. Next time she visit, can you guess what type of drinks I'm going to ask her to make? Alright, I will still ask her to make butterball shots and drinks with Frangelico.

Since it seems like I haven't had great luck making tarts, it must be the pan, right? Maybe I will just have to purchase another tart pan and then I will have better luck. Do you like my reasoning? I guess it is like purchasing a new pair of shoes. If they hurt your feet since they aren't broken in, you should purchase another pair, right?

Hazelnut Filling
1 cup hazelnuts
3 sticks of unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
4 Tbsp Frangelico liquor
6 Tbsp all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Arrange the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast for about 7 minutes.
3. Gather the hazelnuts in a clean kitchen towel and rub to remove the hazelnut skins. 
4. Allow the hazelnuts to cool for 5 minutes and coarsely grind in a food processor. Set aside.
5. In a mixer, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed for 1 minute.
6. Add the egg and beat for 30 seconds on medium high speed.
7. Add the hazelnuts, vanilla, Frangelico, flour, and salt. Mix on low speed until incorporated.

To make the tart:
Spoon the batter into an unbaked tart crust and bake for 40 minutes. Allow the tart to cool for 30 minutes before adding the fruit topping and any glaze. Please see the Project Pastry Queen for the tart crust and the other members variations of this dessert. 

Recipe adapted from the Pastry Queen cookbook. 

 Did you already know....
-Frangelico is a hazelnut liquor from Northern Italy.
-Frangelico is kosher and gluten free.
-The bottle is shaped like a monk's habit with a rope belt as a symbol of the monks who made the liquor over 300 years ago.

Tennessee

Occasionally, I have to travel out of state for work. If I'm going to be gone for weeks, I will ask my family if they want to visit me. My Mom, husband, and sister have all taken me up on the offer. They are so nice to me since they will bring the kids. Two weeks is a long time to be gone without little ones.

One time, I was fortunate to visit Nashville, Tennessee. My Mom joined me at first and we toured Graceland with a friend. It was an interesting tour. Then my husband and kids later joined me. While we were there, we ate at the Neely's restaurant. Everything had barbeque sauce even the spaghetti. I happen to see this recipe on Foodnetwork and figured I would give it a try. 

We liked it. It is easier to make then my sloppy joes since I am trying to hide more vegetables in it. If you like barbeque and sloppy joes, you should try it. I always know if my husband likes it since he will eat the leftovers the next day. 

Spenser's Sloppy Joes
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
salt and pepper 
2 lbs. ground beef
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
3 Tbsp tomato paste
1 cup barbeque sauce ( I used Jack Daniels original)
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp hot sauce (I used Frank's RedHot sauce)
4 hamburger buns
Desired toppings: barbeque sauce, cheddar cheese, onions, etc.

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil.
2. Add the bell peppers and garlic. Saute for 3 minutes.
3. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Add the ground beef and stir. Cook for 8 minutes or until the meat is fully cooked. 
5. Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, barbeque sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and the hot sauce. Simmer for 10 minutes.
6. Spoon the sloppy joes over one side of the bun and add any desired toppings.

Recipe adapted from the Neely's.

By the way, my son informed me I shouldn't take the photo with the pepper on the plate since it would make it look messy.  I know he is my food stylist but I told him it was sloppy joes and there is always some on the plate. Just so you are aware, my son wants you to know he did not approve of these photos. He is now 7 years old.

Did you already know.........
-In 1957, Elvis purchased Graceland for  around $100,000.
-Elvis had floor to ceiling carpeting in his Jungle room.
-Elvis purchased his plane Lisa Marie for around $250,000.

Life is good

At dinner time, we ask everyone what their favorite part of their day. Normally, our teenager has the most to tell us which is very nice. The other day my son said he wanted to tell us two favorite parts of his day. Afterwards, he decided to give everyone a hug including his older sister. 

When he sat back down, he said, "Oh, I forgot one person." Then he gave himself a big hug. It is nice that he thinks life is good. The day we had these potatoes skins life was good. My oldest daughter made them. She did a great job!

PW's Potato Skins
8 slices of bacon
8 russet potatoes, scrubbed clean
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp salt
1 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
3/4 cup sour cream
4 green onions, sliced

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Cook the bacon and then chop into small pieces.
3. Rub the cleaned potatoes with the vegetable oil and place on a baking pan.
4. Bake the potatoes for about 45 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.
5. Slice the potatoes in half lengthwise.
6. Scope out the inner potato but leave a small area of potato on the skin.
7. Brush both sides of the potato with oil and salt liberally.
8. Place the skins cut side down onto the baking pan and bake for 7 more minutes.
9. Flip the potatoes over and bake for another 7 minutes or until the skin is crispy.
10. Sprinkle cheese into each potato and then top with bacon.
11. Return the potatoes to the oven until the cheese melts.
12. Serve each potato with sour cream topped with green onions. 

Recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks cookbook.

Did you already know......
-Potatoes are native to South America.
-Potatoes first arrived in the U.S. in 1621 when the Gov. of Bermuda sent a chest full of vegetables to the Gov. of Virginia.
-Potatoes weren't first cultivated in the U.S. until Scottish immigrants planted them in 1719 in NH.

Milk Chocolate Cookies

My husband said to me, "You know, you were right." Before he could continue, I replied, "You know, you can tell me that every day." He just laughed. Wouldn't that be a great way to start the day? "Good morning, dear. You know you are always right." I don't think he'll go for it or he'll try to comprise and I'll have to greet him as, "Good morning, Great One!"

When I made these cookies, he hadn't returned home yet. I left a couple on the counter for him. I had previously told him they were good. He tried them and told me that I was right. The kids agreed that the cookies were really good.

Dark Chocolate Cookies
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder, dark
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
8 oz. mini chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter, unsalted
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a microwave safe bowl, add 1/2 the chocolate chips and the butter. Microwave for 1 minute and stir. If needed, microwave in 20 second intervals until all the chocolate is melted.
4. Allow the chocolate to cool slightly.
5. Add the eggs, sugar, and vanilla to the cooled chocolate mixture. Mix until combined. 
6. Slowly add the flour mixture to the chocolate mixture. 
7. Fold in the remaining chocolate chips into the batter.
8. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
9. Scoop the batter onto the cookie sheet. Bake until the surface of the cookies have cracked. The cookies should be soft. The large cookies took about 15 minutes and the mini cookies took about 10 minutes.

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart Cookies cookbook.

Did you already know.....
-Chocolate is made from chocolate liquor, chocolate butter, and sugar.
-White chocolate has no no chocolate liquor but does contain chocolate butter.
-Milk chocolate contains milk while dark chocolate has no milk added.

Rice Pilaf

I grew up on Rice-A-Roni which I like. The problem is I don't do well with high sodium products. So, I have tried several rice pilaf recipes for awhile. I have made this version several times and I keep trying to take photos of it but there is never any leftover. My family loves rice so any rice dish is gone. 

When I think of rice pilaf, there is a mix of rice with pasta. So, I had to add broken pieces of spaghetti to this recipe. I think I make this about once a month. It is a great side dish.

Rice Pilaf
1 Tbsp butter, unsalted
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
 1/2 cup of uncooked spaghetti noodles, broken into 1 inch pieces
2 cups basmati-style long grain rice
3 cups chicken broth, low sodium
1 bay leaf
2 Tbsp parsley


Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil and butter.
2. Add the shallot, salt and pepper.  Cook for about 5 minutes.
3. Add the spaghetti noodles and 1 cup of the rice. 
4. Stir and toast the noodles and rice for about 5 minutes.
5. Add the other cup of rice, chicken broth, and bay leaf. 
6. Cover and bring the rice to a simmer over low heat. 
7. Cook the rice for about 15 minutes. 
8. Remove the rice from the heat and allow to sit for 5 minutes. 
9. Remove the bay leaf from the rice.
10. Add the parsley and fluff the rice with a fork.

Recipe adapted from Tyler Florence.

Did you know....
-Rice-A-Roni was created by the DeDomenico family in 1958.
-The DeDomenico's family pasta plant was located in San Francisco.
-The recipe is influenced from the Armenian style rice pilaf. 
-Rice-A-Roni is a Quaker Oats brand which is owned by Pepsi.