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Category Archives: Cookin’

Recipe: Salted Caramel Upside-Down Pecan Pie

31 Oct
Salted Caramel Upside-Down Pecan Pie

Salted Caramel Upside-Down Pecan Pie

Pecan pie is one of my favorite desserts, but this year, my goal was to create a recipe presenting a new take on a classic. I decided to make a version that uses a salted caramel instead of a maple syrup base. It’s also baked upside down in an iron skillet. I’m of the belief that all things cooked in an iron skillet turn out better.

With the holidays just around the corner, this pecan pie recipe is one worth trying. It’s sure to be a hit because of the salty/sweet balance.

Ingredients

  • 12 TBSP unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks)
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 4 cups pecan halves (about 1 pound)
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
    • Salted Caramel

    Making the Salted Caramel

  • 1 TBSP salt
  • 1 pre-made pie crust (thawed)

Directions:

  1. In a 10-inch iron skillet over medium heat, melt butter, honey and sugars. Bring to a boil and boil for 4 minutes. Add in pecans and heavy cream and boil 3 more minutes.
  2. Remove from heat and set aside. Let cool about 30 minutes.
  3. Using a wooden spoon, mound pecans and caramel slightly in center of skillet, leaving space between pecans and edge of skillet.
  4. Preheat oven to 425F and place rack in the top third of oven.
  5. Roll out pie crust into a 13-inch circle. Place the crust over the skillet, tucking the dough down against the edge of the skillet and around the pecans.
  6. Place two baking sheets, one of top of the other, underneath the skillet to catch drippings while pie is baking. Place skillet in the oven and bake until dough is just turning golden brown (about 10 minutes.
  7. Reduce oven temp to 350F and continue baking until pie crust is cooked and the caramel is bubbling around the edges of the skillet (about 30 minutes).
  8. Remove the pie from the oven and let cool about 20 minutes.
    9. Salted Caramel Upside-Down Pecan Pie in the Oven

    The Pie in the Oven

  9. Carefully invert the pie onto a parchment-lined tray, baking sheet or directly on to serving plate. Do not invert into a pie dish, you should invert the pie onto a flat surface.
  10. If the pie does not release easily, heat the skillet over medium heat for about 30 seconds.
  11. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

You can always adjust the salt of this dish if you want something sweeter. I’m a big fan of salty/sweet dishes and this pie is the perfect blend. Especially, with the salty/sweet of the caramel pairing with the nuttiness and butteriness of the pecans.

Make this pie to wow your guests on Turkey Day.

Photos courtesy of Miguel Solorzano Photography.

 
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Posted by on October 31, 2011 in Cookin', Desserts, Recipes

 

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Recipe: Curried Cauliflower Soup

30 Oct
Curried Cauliflower Soup

Curried Cauliflower Soup

If you’re looking for a soup recipe that has a nice kick, this Curried Cauliflower Soup is the perfect find. It’s creamy and light with lots of flavor. Top it with toasted almonds for a nice crunch.

I would categorize this as a Fall or Summer soup since it’s light, but utilizes cauliflower. It has a frothy texture to it which keeps it nice and light.

Ingredients

  • 3 1/2 cups 2% organic milk
  • 3 teaspoons curry powder
  • 1 cup chopped red onion
  • 1/4 cup almonds
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 5 cups cauliflower florets (about 1 pound)
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350F. In a medium bowl, toss almonds with 1 teaspoon milk and 1 teaspoon curry powder. Spread on to baking sheet and bake until toasted (6 to 8 minutes). Set aside.
  2. Meanwhile, heat 1/2 cup milk in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
  3. Add cauliflower, remaining curry powder and milk, cover and simmer until cauliflower is very tender (about 30 minutes).
    4. Cooking Curried Cauliflower Soup

    Boiling the Cauliflower

  4. Season to taste with salt, pepper and additional curry powder (if necessary).
  5. Working in batches, puree in blender until smooth. Transfer to bowl and garnish with toasted almonds before serving.

This is a very healthy recipe that avoids the use of cream so it’s not loaded with fat. You can also substitute skim milk to eliminate even more calories and fat. Making the substitution won’t sacrifice any of the flavor.

The spicy kick of the curry goes really well with the creaminess of the cauliflower. Serve it as a side with dinner or as an appetizer.

Photos courtesy of Miguel Solorzano Photography.

 
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Posted by on October 30, 2011 in Cookin', Recipes, Soups/Stews

 

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Recipe: Tofu-touille

26 Oct
Tofu-touille

Tofu-touille

Tofu-touille is a take on the French vegetable dish ratatouille. This is a great way to add some extra protein to ratatouille without sacrificing calories. If you’re wary to try tofu A) you shouldn’t be and B) you can omit without changing up the dish too much.

This makes a great casserole for Fall that’s loaded with nutrients and low on calories.

Ingredients

  • 2 TBSP olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 block firm tofu, drained and dried
  • 2 tsp Italian seasoning
    • Sauteeing Eggplant

    Sauteeing Eggplant

  • 1 eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1 zucchini, sliced
  • 1 cup oyster mushrooms
  • 1 cup button mushrooms
  • 1 large yellow onion, sliced into rings
  • 1 green bell pepper
  • 1 red bell pepper

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Coat bottom and sides of a 2 quart Dutch oven with olive oil.
    2. Tofu-touille Finished

    Tofu-touilee Out of the Oven

  2. Saute garlic until lightly browned, mix in parsley and eggplant. Saute until eggplant is soft, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Spread eggplant mixture evenly across bottom of the Dutch oven. Sprinkle with some mozzarella cheese. Spread zucchini in an even layer over top. Lightly season and sprinkle with more cheese. Continue layering in the order of your choice with onion, mushrooms and bell pepper. Cover each layer with seasoning and cheese.
  4. Bake for 45 minutes and serve.

This is a delicious one-pot wonder that can serve as an entree or a side dish. You can also add in any vegetables of your choice making this version of ratatouille a truly versatile vegetarian dish.

Photos courtesy of Miguel Solorzano Photography.

 
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Posted by on October 26, 2011 in Cookin', One-Pot Wonders, Recipes

 

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Recipe: Spicy Asian Coleslaw

25 Oct
Spicy Asian Coleslaw Ingredients

Spicy Asian Coleslaw Ingredients

Coleslaw is a great side any time of the year and pairs well with most main dishes. This recipe uses purple and napa (white) cabbage and skips out on the mayo which means it’s healthier and not packed with as many calories.

Because of the Srirachi and chili oil I incorporate it has a nice kick that’s offset by the lime juice and cilantro.

Ingredients

  • 3 TBSP canola or peanut oil
  • 1 TBSP chili oil
  • Juice of 2 limes
  • 1 TBSP Sriracha
  • 1/2 head purple cabbage
  • 1/2 head napa cabbage
  • 1/2 cup roasted almoonds
  • 1/2 cup shredded carrots
  • 1/4 cup cilantro
  • 1 TBSP white sesame seeds
  • 1 TBSP black sesame seeds

Directions:

  1. Cut up cabbage, cilantro, almonds and carrots.
    2. Spicy Asian Coleslaw

    Spicy Asian Coleslaw

  2. Whisk together oils, lime juice and Sriracha.
  3. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss with dressing to coat.
  4. Refrigerate 20-30 minutes and serve.

This is a really versatile recipe by that can be eaten alone, used on a sandwich or as a colorful garnish bed. It’s simple and doesn’t rely on too many ingredients yet it’s full of flavors and crunch. Plus, one cup of cabbage is only going to cost you 22 calories so I imagine this recipe won’t exceed 100 calories for an entire cup. It’s guilt-free.

Photos courtesy of Miguel Solorzano Photography.

 
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Posted by on October 25, 2011 in Cookin'

 

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Recipe: Pumpkin Turkey Chili

24 Oct
Pumpkin Turkey Chili

Pumpkin Turkey Chili Ready to be Served

Chili is a great Fall one-pot wonder. This chili recipe boosts the flavor by using pumpkin puree as the base. It’s also loaded with healthy vegetables and lean protein (this recipe uses turkey, but I’ve also used tofu) for a very balanced meal. It’s suited for most diets as the chili itself is gluten-free and dairy-free.

So next time you’re hosting a football watching party or any other Fall event, be sure and add this recipe to your must-try list.

Ingredients

  • 1 15 oz. can of pumpkin puree
  • 2 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
    • Pumpkin Turkey Chili Ingredients

    Pumpkin Turkey Chili Ingredients

  • 1 green bell pepper, cored and chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, cored and chopped
  • 2 jalapeño peppers, cored and chopped
  • 1 small yellow onion
  • 1 small red onion
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 ear of fresh corn, roasted*
  • 1 tomato, cored and chopped
  • 1 can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 pound ground turkey (or other protein of your choice)
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 TBSP chili powder
  • 2 tsp ground cumi
  • 1 tsp white pepper
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Hot sauce, such as Tabasco, to taste

Directions:

  1. Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat.
  2. Add chopped onions, peppers, jalapeños and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until tender. Roughly 5 minutes.
  3. Add turkey (or other protein) and cook until browned.
  4. Add roasted corn, tomatoes, pumpkin puree, water and spices and bring to a boil.
  5. Reduce heat to medium-low and add all beans.
  6. Cover and simmer, stirring every 5 minutes, for 30 minutes more.
  7. Serve chili in bowls with garnish. Some of my favorite garnishes include sliced avocado, shredded cheese, sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt) and cilantro.
    Pumpkin Turkey Chili in the Pot

    Pumpkin Turkey Chili in the Pot

  • *To roast corn, preheat oven to 350F. Place corn (in husks) on oven rack and roast for 30-40 minutes. Slice corn from cob.

You can mix and match the suggested garnishes as you see fit. I prefer all of them together. I also serve this chili with a jalapeño cheese cornbread and crumble it over the top. No matter how you dish it out, this is a great chili loaded with nutrients and perfect for a cool Fall day.

Photos courtesy of Miguel Solorzano Photography.

 
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Posted by on October 24, 2011 in Cookin', One-Pot Wonders, Recipes

 

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Recipe: Pumpkin Butter

12 Oct
Pumpkin Butter Ingredients

Only 7 Ingredients

It’s officially Fall so will someone please tell the weather gods? While we’re waiting for the temperatures to come down to the Fall conditions we know and love, here’s a simple and quick Pumpkin Butter recipe packed with Fall flavors.

Some gourmet stores have jars of pumpkin butter listed for up to $15. With this recipe you can make more than a jar for about 10 bucks. My recipe uses pumpkin puree, but you’re welcome to use a whole pumpkin to make your puree. I don’t have enough hours in the day to do so.

Apologies for the photos, while Pumpkin Butter tastes great, it’s not the easiest thing to photograph.

Pumpkin Butter in the Pot

All Ingredients in the Pot


Ingredients

  • 1 15 oz. can of pumpkin puree
  • 1/2 cup 100% apple juice
  • 1/2 cup real maple syrup
  • 1 TBSP cinnamon
  • 1 TBSP ginger
  • 1 TBSP nutmeg
  • pinch of salt

Directions:

  1. Mix all ingredients over medium-high heat in a non-stick medium-sized pot (or Dutch oven).
  2. Bring to a boil, stirring regularly.
  3. Reduce heat to let ingredients simmer, stirringly regularly, until mixture thickens (about 30-40 minutes.
  4. Cool pumpkin butter and room temperature.
  5. Once cooled, refrigerate in airtight containers for up to a week.
Pumpkin Butter on Toast

Pumpkin Butter on Toast

You may think I’m a little heavy handed with my spices, and that may be the case. I really like spices especially when they simmer in liquids infusing the flavor into the final product. So if you think it’s too much for you, adjust accordingly.

This Pumpkin Butter is a great topping for toast, yogurt, bananas, even chicken or fish. You can also use it in place of oil or butter for baked goods (similar to applesauce’s use). My personal favorite is to make a PBx2 — Peanut Butter and Pumpkin Butter sandwich.

I’m sure there are many more uses I haven’t thought of yet. All I know is that this Pumpkin Butter is truly a versatile sauce that will spice up your Fall.

 
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Posted by on October 12, 2011 in Cookin'

 

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Recipe: Bananas Foster German Pancake

10 Oct
Bananas Foster German Pancake Ingredients

Bananas Foster German Pancake Ingredients

I don’t know many people who don’t like pancakes. So impress your next breakfast guests with this New Orleans-style take on a fluffy German pancake. This is a quick recipe that takes about 30 minutes tops.

Simply top the finished pancake with thinly sliced bananas, brown sugar and pecans then briefly broil to get a nice caramelization effect for the bananas.

Ingredients

  • 1 banana (thinly sliced)
  • chopped pecans
  • 2 TBSP butter
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • sprinkle of granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup milk (I usually use almond milk)
  • 3 eggs
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • pinch of nutmeg
  • powdered sugar (for topping)
The German Pancake in the Oven

The Pancake in the Oven

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 450F. Add in oven-safe skillet while over is preheating.
  2. Whisk eggs until nice and fluffy.
  3. Gradually mix in flour, granulated sugar, nutmeg and salt.
  4. Add in milk and vanilla extract and mix well. Batter may not be thick as compared to regular pancake batter.
  5. When oven has preheated, remove skillet and melt butter in it.
  6. Once butter has melted, pour in batter and place skillet back in over. Bake at 450F for 20 minutes.
  7. While pancake is baking, thinly slice banana and chop pecans.
  8. Once pancake is finished baking, remove from oven. Set broiler to high.
  9. Add bananas, pecan and brown sugar to top of pancake and place under broiler for 2 minutes. Monitor the pancake closely while it’s broiling.
  10. After approximately 2 minutes, remove pancake and dust with powdered sugar.
  11. Serve immediately. Syrup and butter are optional.
Bananas Foster German Pancake

The Finished Product

The sweetness from the brown sugar and banana slices should make it sweet enough to not have to use syrup. However, I’ve tried it with syrup and without and it’s delicious either way so you really can’t go wrong.

If you prefer not to use the bananas foster topping, your favor fruit topping will suffice.

Ideally, this pancake should serve four. In reality, it will most likely serve two. It’s that irresistible.

 
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Posted by on October 10, 2011 in Cookin'

 

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Recipe: Crawfish and Andouille Sausage Grits

25 Sep

Fresh Louisiana crawfish (don’t even think about using Chinese tails), smoky Andouille sausage, roasted garlic and the best grits in the world combine to make a great dish that’s a perfect addition to any brunch.
The challenging part will be exercising the patience necessary to wait for the grits to finish cooking. And don’t even think about using anything but high-quality, stone-ground grits.

Crawfish and Andouille Sausage Grits Ingredients

Crawfish and Andouille Sausage Grits Ingredients


Ingredients

  • 1 pound Louisiana crawfish tails
  • 1 cup Andouille sausage (I use Jacob’s World Famous Andouille from LaPlace, La.)
  • 1 cup stone-ground grits (I use white grits from Sciple’s Water Mill in Dekalb, Miss. which has been in continuous operation since 1790. And yes, they’re that good…)
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup Abita Amber (you can drink the rest)
  • 1 head of garlic (peeled)
  • 4 oz. cream cheese
  • 4 TBSP butter
  • Salt, pepper and Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning to taste

Directions:

Louisiana Crawfish Tails in the Grits

My favorite part? Adding in the Louisiana crawfish tails.

  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Break up peeled head of garlic and roast on an oven-safe plate (about 12 minutes).
  2. While garlic is roasting, melt 2 TBSP of butter on low heat in large saucepan or Dutch Oven. When butter is melted, pour in grits and stir to coat.
  3. Add in all liquids (heavy cream, Abita Amber and chicken broth) and stir and simmer on low.
  4. When garlic is finished roasting, combine garlic, crawfish, Andouille, cream cheese, seasoning and remaining butter into grits. Leave to simmer, stirring every 5 minutes over low heat for about an hour until grits are creamy.
  5. Season to taste and serve immediately.

Simmering All the Ingredients

Simmer all the ingredients over low heat




This dish is a guaranteed brunch hit, but it’s appropriate for any meal time. You can also reheat any leftovers to make this one-pot wonder last. To reheat, stir in 1/4 cup of liquid of your choice and simmer over low heat until grits are heated through.

 
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Posted by on September 25, 2011 in Brunch, Cookin', Recipes

 

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Recipe: Peach Tart with Pecan Crust

22 Sep
Peach Tart

Peach Tart from Chez Castle (My Kitchen)

If you’re looking for a simple and cost-efficient dessert that isn’t loaded with sugar and pairs well with any fruit (though this recipe specifically calls for peaches), this tart is ideal.

The hardest part is the crust. But if you’re apprehensive to make the crust from scratch, I’m sure a pre-made crust of your choosing will suffice.

Ingredients

For Crust:

  • 2 cups of vanilla wafers (trust me when I tell you the Whole Foods brand is heads and tails above Nila Wafers)
  • 4 tablespoons melted unsalted Butter
  • 1/2 cup pecans
  • 2 tablespoons sugar

For Filling:

  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 8 oz. cream cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup Chobani plain Greek yogurt
  • 2 ripe peaches, cut into wedges

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Combine vanilla wafers with pecans, 2 tablespoons of sugar in food processor and process until fine (be carefully not to overprocess). Add melted butter and process until crumbs are moistened. Press crumbs into 1/2 thick layer in 9-inch pan. Bake 10 minutes or until crust sets.
  2. While crust is baking, clean out food processor. Add cream cheese, Chobani plain Greek yogurt, egg and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Process until smooth.
  3. After removing crust from the oven, pour the custard into the crust and bake an additional 15 minutes until it sets. Place tart in freezer to cool, 10 to 15 minutes.
  4. In a bowl, toss peaches with remaining sugar. Arrange peaches as pictured. Cut tart into wedges and serve.

This tart really does make an excellent addition to any dinner party. In lieu of peaches, I would suggest berries, bananas, or possibly mango.

 
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Posted by on September 22, 2011 in Cookin', Desserts, Recipes

 

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