Artichoke Dip

This simple and easy dip was a hit with the kids - who we had to monitor for challenging the "no double-dipping" rule. Mandy picked this recipe the night we polished off her torta-di-santantonio, so she thought she deserved something EASY to make this month.  You might even have all of the ingredients in your pantry! She baked in a Le Creuset dish which dressed this starter up nicely.

Artichoke Dip 

INGREDIENTS

3–4 cups cooked artichoke hearts or 15-oz. cans artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
Minced onions to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine the artichokes, cheese, and mayonnaise, mixing well. Stir in the onions.
3. Spoon into an 8" square baking dish and bake until bubbly and lightly browned.
4. Serve with assorted crackers

King Cake

King Cake

This traditional cake, made here with a rich brioche dough and stuffed with a decadent cream cheese filling, is drizzled with a buttermilk glaze and sprinkled with crunchy green, gold, and purple sanding sugars. 

This recipe just about had this Rookie in tears. For those of you that do not bake often and are not well versed in working with active yeast, I have a tip for you DO NOT BOIL THE WATER. I was told afterwards that hot tap water is warm enough. That whole 115 degree thing through this engineer for a loop. I ended up killing the yeast so it did not get "foamy" and in subsequent steps the dough did not double in rise...no matter how long I let it rise (and willed it to rise with my mind power). The filling is what really made this a "cake" and in the I believe the reason there was only one sliver of a slice left. Tara suggested this would make a great Sunday brunch coffee cake sans the colored sugar. You know the kids only wanted it BECAUSE of the colored sugar. Would I make this one again? Yes. because now I know it will work out in the end and not to kill the yeast!

For The Dough:

1 1/4-oz. package active dry yeast

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup milk

2 tbsp. light brown sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 egg

1 egg yolk

2 3/4 cups flour

3/4 tsp. kosher salt

8 tbsp. softened butter

For the Filling:

1 lb. cream cheese

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped pecans

2 tbsp. maple syrup

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Zest of 1/2 lemon

For the Icing:

2 cups confectioners' sugar

1/4 cup buttermilk

Green, purple, and yellow sanding sugars

Make the dough:

1. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a hook, combine yeast, 1/2 tsp. of the sugar, and 1/4 cup water heated to 115°.
2. Stir to combine and let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes.
3. Add remaining sugar, milk, light brown sugar, vanilla, egg, and egg yolk.
4. Beat on low speed until thoroughly combined, 1 minute.
5. Turn mixer off and add flour and salt.
6. Mix on medium speed until the dough just comes together.
7. Turn mixer speed to high and knead dough for 4 minutes.
8. Add the butter and continue kneading until dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, about 6 minutes.
9. Remove bowl from mixer, cover with plastic wrap
10. Let sit until doubled in size, 1 1/2–2 hours.

Make the filling:

1. Combine cream cheese, brown sugar, pecans, cinnamon, maple syrup, salt, and zest in a large bowl and beat on medium speed of a hand mixer until combined; set aside.

Shape and Fill the cake:

1.  Punch down dough and turn it out onto a heavily floured surface.
2. Using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a large circle, about 1/4"-thick.
3. Cut a hole in the center of the circle and pull with your fingers to widen.
4. Place dollops of filling evenly around circle halfway between outer edge and inner hole.
5. Drape outside edges over filling and continue rolling outside inward until filling is covered, widening inner hole as needed, until dough covers the seam.
6. Transfer rolled dough circle to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet; cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 1 hour.
7. Heat oven to 350°.
8. Uncover cake and bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes.
9. Let cool completely.

Make the icing:

1. Whisk together the sugar and buttermilk in a small bowl until smooth.

Finish the cake:

1. Transfer king cake to a cutting board or serving platter
2. Spread icing evenly over top of cake and sprinkle evenly with sanding sugars.

Red Rice

Red Rice

A Southern style rice recipe, similar to a Spanish rice, made with tomatoes, peppers, onion, rice, bacon, and other ingredients.

INGREDIENTS

4 strips bacon

1 onion, diced

1 stalk celery, diced

1 small green pepper, diced

2 cups long-grain rice

1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Brown bacon until crisp, remove, and drain on paper towels.
2. Add onions, celery, and peppers to bacon fat, and cook 10 minutes.
3. Add rice and cook 5 minutes.
4. Add crushed tomatoes, salt and pepper.
5. Put in baking pan with 2 cups water. Cover tightly with foil.
6. Bake at 350° for 1 hour.
7. Serve with crumbled bacon.

Chicken and Andouille Étouffée

Chicken and Andouille Étouffée

The word étouffée (pronounced eh-too-fey) comes from the French word “to smother.” The best way to describe the dish is a thicker stew, seasoned to perfection and chock full of delicious, plump crawfish (or shrimp, depending on the season). In some ways, its similar to gumbo – same types of Creole seasonings, served over rice, and made with a roux, but unlike gumbo, étouffée is made with a “blonde” roux, giving it a lighter color and a very different flavor. (and since Mandy is allergic to shellfish, we pass on anything involving crustaceans, so this version has chicken and andouille sausage which provides a nice kick)

Ingredients

3/4 cup canola oil
3/4 cup flour
2 ribs celery, finely chopped
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. freshly ground white pepper
1 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
3 cups chicken stock
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1" pieces
1 lb. andouille sausage, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/2"-thick pieces
6 large scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
Cooked white rice, for serving

Directions

1.  Heat oil in a 6-qt. Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it begins to smoke.
2. Add flour, whisking constantly, and cook for 1 minute.
3. Reduce heat to medium and cook, whisking constantly, until roux is the color of milk chocolate, about 12–15 minutes.
4. Add celery, onions, and peppers, and cook, stirring constantly, until soft, about 5 minutes.
5. Stir in salt, cayenne, black and white peppers, basil, and thyme, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more.
6. Add 2 cups chicken stock, and bring to a boil; cook until thickened, about 5 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, heat butter in a 12" skillet over medium-high heat.
8. Add chicken, and cook, turning once, until lightly browned, 4–6 minutes;
9. Transfer chicken and butter to Dutch oven.
10. Pour remaining chicken stock into skillet, stir to scrape up any browned bits, and then pour into Dutch oven along with andouille;
11. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thick and chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes more.
12. Remove pan from heat, stir in scallions, and serve étouffée with rice.

 
 

Crab Maison

Crab Maison

This is one of the most popular appetizers at the venerable French Quarter restaurant Galatoire's. It's a personal favorite of mine as well, and one that I simply can't resist getting whenever I dine there ('cause ... well, lump crabmeat is so damned good, and it's particularly good there, and this is a light and lovely way to dress it; it's simple, and full of flavor). I'll stop babbling now. Get the best lump white crabmeat you can afford. Your guests will love you for it. While we're on the subject, BE CAREFUL when you're folding the crabmeat into the other ingredients. The reason you just spent a fortune on this stuff is the big, beautiful lumps, so don't break them up! I see people shredding gorgeous lump crabmeat and I just wanna smack 'em.

Ingredients

½ cup mayonnaise

2 tbsp. high quality olive oil

2 tsp. white wine vinegar

1 tsp. Creole or Dijon mustard

1 tsp. small capers, rinsed, drained, and finely chopped

½ tsp. finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

½ tsp. kosher salt

⅛ tsp. freshly ground white pepper

3 green onions, finely chopped

1 lb. jumbo lump crab meat

12 large leaves butter lettuce

4 slices tomato, halved



Directions

1. Whisk together mayonnaise, oil, vinegar, mustard, capers, parsley, salt, pepper, and scallions
2. Add crabmeat and fold gently to combine.
3. Place 3 leaves lettuce each on 4 salad plates.
4. Divide crab mixture evenly among plates and garnish with two half slices tomato.



Not having vine ripe tomatoes, these tomatoes gave this dish color, but not much flavor.
We all agreed it would have been even better with a freshly picked one!



French Bread

 New Orleans French Bread

 I am not sure what the difference is between "french bread" and "New Orleans french bread" but this was wonderful bread. All four loaves were gone by the end of the evening!

Ingredients 

 2 tbsp. sugar

2 1/4-oz. packages active dry yeast

2 tbsp. vegetable shortening

6 cups bread flour

1 tbsp. kosher salt

Directions 

1. Place 1 tbsp. sugar, yeast, and 2 cups water heated to 115° in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a hook; let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes.
2. Add remaining sugar and shortening, and then add flour and salt.
3. Mix on low speed until dough forms; increase speed to medium-high and knead dough until smooth, 8–10 minutes.
4. Remove bowl from mixer and cover with plastic wrap
5. Let sit until doubled in size, 1 1/2–2 hours.
6. Uncover dough and transfer to a floured work surface; knead briefly to form a ball.
7. Divide dough into quarters and shape each quarter into a 16"-long thick rope.
8. Place two ropes each on a parchment paper-lined baking sheets, and cover with plastic wrap;
9. Let sit until doubled in size, 1–1 1/2 hours.
10. Heat oven to 375°.
11. Using a sharp knife or cutting blade, slash a long line down the middle of each loaf.
12. Bake loaves until light brown and an instant read thermometer inserted into the center of each loaf reads between 208°–212°, about 30 minutes.
13. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.

piping hot fresh from the oven!

Cookie Pizza Recipe

When I was assigned a dessert pizza, I was drawn to this simple Betty Crocker recipe.

Mostly because it was simple.

And let's face it, simple is best when one is involved in a Supper Club.

And when simple tastes this good, well, that's a win all the way around.

Sugar Cookie Pizza Recipe

Ingredients

1 package of Sugar Cookie Dough (to be honest, you could also use already refrigerated dough or, if you're really ambitious, make your own)
1 pint whipped cream
1 container frosting (again, you can make your own, but why when there are so many delicious pre-made ones?)
strawberries
blueberries
2 kiwi, peeled and sliced

Directions

Preheat your oven to 375.

1.  Mix your cookie dough according to package directions.

2.  Spread your cookie dough out on a pizza stone or pan. Warning. The dough WILL expand so leave yourself a little space or else you'll be cleaning up burnt cookie dough off the bottom of your oven. Not that I know from personal experience or anything. Just trust me on this one.

3.  Bake your giant cookie crust until the edges are golden.

4. While your "crust" is cooling, whip the cream with an electric mixer (do not try to use a whisk, not that I know from personal experience or anything). When stiff peaks form - and they will - fold in frosting. Gently.

5.  Spread the whipped cream and frosting combo on the cookie crust.

6. Top with fruit.

7. Eat and pretend it's healthy. After all, there's fruit!

Enjoy!

Buffalo Chicken Pizza Recipe

Buffalo Chicken Pizza Recipe

Many years ago I visited my friends in Pittsburgh for a long weekend. It was in the fall, and so, the guys had to watch football (well, the guys and some of the gals also). DeLeah brought this outstanding buffalo chicken dip that I could not get enough of. I remember the dip clear as day, I don't have any idea who was playing ball that day (a college in the Midwest, maybe?). I have been making it every holiday since. This pizza reminded me of that dip.

Ingredients

6 fresh or frozen chicken tenders (the Rookie used frozen)
1 pizza dough, store bought or from your favorite pizzeria ( or have the Foodie made a batch for you)
Cornmeal or flour, to handle dough
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, eyeball it
Some hot sauce (I didn't measure, it depends on your perchance for spice. Frank's Wing Hot Sauce is my go-to sauce when making DeLeah's buffalo chicken dip. However the store did not have it, we are trying a different brand tonight.)
1 can of diced fire roasted tomatoes (You could roast them yourself. I didn't.)
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, a few generous handfuls
1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
3 scallions, thinly sliced

 

Ready? Let's get cooking!

 Directions

Preparing the chicken:
Place chicken tenders in a large ziploc bag, and hot sauce, and smoosh chicken and hot sauce until the chicken is coated in hot sauce. (My 4 year old loved this step.)
Place in fridge to marinate for 3-4 hours.
         Note: If you are using frozen tenders, toss them into the bag while frozen. While the marinate in the fridge they will defrost. Once defrosted, you will be ready to cook them.

Once marinating is complete, remove the chicken from the bag and toss the icky sauce and chicken juice (keep the chicken). Grill the chicken tenders until cooked. Remove the chicken from grill and thinly slice it.

Preparing the sauce:
In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt butter and stir in Worcestershire, hot sauce, and tomato sauce.
Add chicken to sauce and coat.

Topping the pizza:  Cover the pizza dough with the saucy Buffalo chicken, cheeses, and scallions.

Cook: Bake 18 minutes or until crisp. (The out of comfort zone element of this month's supper club was cooking the pizza on the BBQ - more on that on the behind-the-scenes-post)


Eat: Enjoy!

 The kids LOVED making their own mini pizzas tonight.