Pepper-Crusted Filet Mignons with Blue Cheese-Chive Butter

March 23, 2015

Craig and I usually do a big dinner menu for Valentine’s Day (I know I am a little late) but since my birthday is just 4 days later, and we usually do a big dinner for that as well, that’s just too much food in such a short period of time. So this year we wanted to keep it simple. Just my favorite cut of steak, filet mignon and a side salad.

My favorite thing about this recipe is the texture of the peppercorns on the steak as well as the little kick of heat the peppercorns provide. Cooking the peppercorns helps to remove a lot of the pungency from the pepper, but it still has a bit of spice so if you prefer a little less spice, drain the cooled peppercorns in a fine-mesh strainer in step 1. And then toss them in 5 tablespoons of fresh oil, add the salt and proceed.

Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated

Pepper-Crusted Filet Mignons with Blue Cheese-Chive Butter

Yield: 4 SERVINGS

5.0 Stars (1 Review)

Ingredients

STEAK

5 tablespoons black peppercorns, crushed
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon kosher salt
4 7-to 8-ounce center cut filets mignon, 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick

BUTTER

1 1/2 ounces mild blue cheese, room temperature
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/8 teaspoon table salt
2 tablespoons minced chives

Instructions

STEAK

Heat peppercorns and 5 tablespoons oil in a small saucepan over low heat until faint bubbles appear. Continue to simmer, swirling the pan occasionally until the pepper is fragrant, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. When the peppercorns are at room temperature, add the salt and stir to combine. Rub steaks with the pepper mixture coating the top and bottom with peppercorns. Gently press to secure peppercorns and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, adjust an oven rack to the middle position and place a baking sheet on the oven rack, and preheat oven to 450 degrees. When oven reaches 450 degrees, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a 12 inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Place steaks in the skillet and cook without moving until a dark brown crust has formed, about 3 to 4 minutes. Using tongs, turn steaks and cook until well browned on the second side, about 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and transfer steaks to the hot baking sheet in the oven. Roast until the meat registers 115 to 120 degrees for rare, 120 to 125 degrees for medium-rare, or 130 to 135 degrees for medium. Transfer steaks to a wire rack and let rest for 5 minutes, tented loosely with foil before serving.

BUTTER

Combine blue cheese, butter and salt in a medium bowl and mix with a rubber spatula until smooth. Fold in chives. While steaks are resting, spoon 1 to 2 tablespoons butter onto each steak.

Nutrition Information:

Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 782Total Fat: 51gSaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 230mgSodium: 1770mgProtein: 66g

Old-Fashioned Chicken Noodle Soup

March 16, 2015

I have to be upfront with you about this Old-Fashioned Chicken Noodle Soup does take some time and work, and should probably be made on a weekend or when you have some time to devote to it, about 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

But trust me it will all be worth it in the end. I don’t mind a challenge in the kitchen but even I said to myself “this better be worth it”. Well when I went to take my first bite I said out loud “Oh Yeah!!!”

I instantly tasted the time, effort and love that went into this soup. And that’s exactly how homemade chicken noodle soup should taste.

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Adapted from americastestkitchen.com

Old-Fashioned Chicken Noodle Soup

Yield: 8 servings

No Ratings

Ingredients

STOCK

1 3 1/2 to 4 pound whole chicken
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
8 cups water
2 teaspoons table salt
2 bay leaves

SOUP

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, minced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 celery rib, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 teaspoons minced fresh thyme, or ¼ teaspoon dried
2 cups wide egg noodles
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
Salt
Ground black pepper

Instructions

STOCK

Cut up chicken in 7 pieces (2 split breasts, 2 legs, 2 wings and a backbone). Set the breast aside and chop the remaining chicken pieces into 2-inch pieces with a cleaver.
Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat until just smoking. Add the chicken breast and cook for 5 minutes until lightly browned. Transfer breast to a large bowl and set aside. Add half of the chicken pieces and cook for 5 minutes until lightly browned. Transfer to bowl with the chicken breast and repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.
Add chopped onion to fat left in the pot and cook until softened about 5 minutes. Return chicken pieces (not the breasts) along with any accumulated juice to the pot. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally until the chicken has released its juice, about 20 minutes.
Add reserved chicken breasts, 8 cups water, 2 teaspoons salt and 2 bay leaves and bring to a boil. Cover, and reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cook, skimming the fat as needed, until chicken breasts register 160 to 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 20 minutes.
Remove the chicken pieces from the stock and set aside to cool slightly.
Strain the stock through a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl. Let the stock settle for 5 to 10 minutes. Wash and dry the Dutch oven. Skim the stock of fat with a spoon.

SOUP

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in the Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion, carrot and celery and cook until softened about 10 minutes. Stir in thyme and cook until fragrant about 1 minute.
Stir in stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until vegetables are just tender, about 10 minutes.
Stir in 2 cups egg noodles and simmer until tender, about 8-10 minutes.
Remove and discard skin and bones from chicken and shred into bite-sized pieces. Stir in the shredded chicken and let it heat through, about 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the parsley, salt and pepper and serve.

Nutrition Information:

Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 486Total Fat: 32gSaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 188mgSodium: 680mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 40g

Creamy Chocolate Pudding

March 8, 2015

I remember pudding as one of the easiest desserts to make as a kid. And it seemed we always had a box of chocolate pudding on hand. (I think it was mainly there for my mom’s chocolate fix.) Sure the box mixes are super easy to make, but so is homemade! And in my opinion, homemade chocolate pudding far exceeds those that come in powdered form.

This chocolate pudding is super smooth with a deep chocolate flavor and you most likely have all the ingredients on hand to make it. Top it with a little homemade whipped cream and chocolate shavings and this chocolate pudding is ready to be devoured.

Creamy Chocolate Pudding

Yield: 6

No Ratings

Ingredients

PUDDING

2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon instant coffee granules
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa powder
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon table salt
3 large egg yolks
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 1/2 cups whole milk
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine

WHIPPED CREAM

1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

PUDDING

In a small bowl, whisk together the vanilla extract and instant coffee granules and set aside. Whisk sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt in a large saucepan. Add the egg yolks and heavy cream and whisk until combined. Then add the milk and whisk to combine.
Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook whisking constantly, until the mixture has thickened about 5 to 8 minutes. Cook for 30 more seconds, then remove from the heat and add the butter and chocolate and whisk until melted and combined. Whisk in the vanilla mixture.
Pour the pudding through a fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl. Press a lightly greased piece of plastic wrap against the surface of the pudding and place in the refrigerator to cool, about 4 hours.

WHIPPED CREAM

In a chilled bowl of an electric stand mixer, using the whisk attachment, whip the cream at high speed until it begins to thicken. Add sugar and vanilla and continue to beat until soft peaks form. Set aside.
Whisk pudding and divide into serving dishes. Add a dollop of whipped cream and garnish with a few chocolate shavings. Enjoy.

Adapted from Cooks Illustrated and The Cake Book

Cobb Salad

March 1, 2015

Wow! When I was making this salad I had no idea how beautiful it would look when it was done. Talk about an easy meal to photograph. I guess I could call this salad “photogenic”. I heard that term a lot 15 years ago when I dabbled in the modeling industry. I realized it wasn’t for me when I was denied a soda at a fashion show. Not that I would drink soda now but as a young adult I wanted a Coke and all they had was diet and I wasn’t about to do that. Well times have changed and now I hold the camera and choose my models in food! I am happy to say I made the right decision.

Cobb Salad

Yield: 6

No Ratings

Ingredients

VINAIGRETTE

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

SALAD

3 eggs
18 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
Vegetable spray
1 large head romaine lettuce, about 14 ounces
4 cups watercress, about 4 ounces
2 pints grape tomatoes
2 ripe avocados, halved, pitted and cut into 1/2-inch dice 8 slices bacon, cut into 1/4-inch dice, cooked over medium heat until crisp
1/2 cup blue cheese
3 tablespoons minced fresh chives

Instructions

VINAIGRETTE

Whisk all the ingredients together in a medium bowl and set aside.

SALAD

Place eggs in a medium saucepan and cover with 1 inch of water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Remove the saucepan from the heat, cover and let sit for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, fill a medium bowl with 4 cups of water and a tray of ice cubes. Transfer eggs to the water bath and let sit for 5 minutes, then peel eggs and cut into 1/2-inch cubes and set aside until ready to use.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Adjust an oven rack 6 inches away from broiler element and heat broiler. Spray broiler pan with vegetable oil spray or line a baking sheet with foil and spray. Place chicken breast on top and broil chicken until lightly browned, about 4 to 8 minutes. Using tongs flip the chicken over and continue to broil until the thickest part of the chicken is no longer pink and registers 160 degrees, about 6 to 8 minutes. Let chicken cool and cut into 1/2-inch cubes and set aside.
Toss romaine and watercress with 5 tablespoons of the vinaigrette in a large bowl. Once coated, arrange on a very large, flat serving platter. Place the chicken in the now-empty bowl and add 1/4 cup of the vinaigrette and toss to coat. Arrange chicken in a row around the edge of the platter. Place the tomatoes in the now-empty bowl and add 1 tablespoon vinaigrette and toss to combine. Arrange the tomatoes on the platter alongside the chicken. Arrange eggs and avocado in separate rows near the center of the greens and drizzle with any remaining vinaigrette. Sprinkle bacon, blue cheese and chives evenly over the salad and serve.

Nutrition Information:

Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 438Total Fat: 32gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 64mgSodium: 470mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 5gSugar: 2gProtein: 29g

Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

February 22, 2015

Ever since I saw Alton Brown make these on Good Eats years ago I have wanted to make them but, truth be told I have always been a little intimidated with anything using yeast. That’s really why I have waited this long to make these. But ever since I made my first homemade pizza, I have been ready to take on new challenges. I am working on a comfort food cookbook and what’s a comfort food cookbook without cinnamon rolls? I’ll tell you what it is, it’s an incomplete cookbook! So I had to give Alton Brown’s Cinnamon Rolls a try. I hope you will give these a try as well. You won’t regret it!

I have re-written the recipe to make it a little easier to understand without watching the video.

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

Yield: 12

No Ratings

Ingredients

DOUGH

4 large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 large whole egg, at room temperature
1/4 granulated sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
6 ounces buttermilk, at room temperature
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 package instant dry yeast
1 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Vegetable oil or cooking spray

FILLING

1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon cinnamon
Pinch of kosher salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for buttering baking dish

ICING

1/4 cup cream cheese
3 tablespoons whole milk
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Instructions

DOUGH

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the egg yolks, whole egg, sugar, butter and buttermilk on low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Add approximately 2 cups of the flour along with the yeast, and salt, whisk until moistened and combined. It should look like cake batter. Remove the whisk attachment and replace with a dough hook. Add all but 3/4 cup of the remaining flour. Knead the dough on low speed for 5 minutes. Check the consistency of the dough. If the dough sticks to the bowl, add a little more of the reserved flour. Pull the dough off the hook and redistribute in the bowl. The dough should feel soft and moist but not sticky. Knead on low speed for another 5 minutes or until the dough clears the sides of the bowl. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead by hand for about 30 seconds. Lightly oil a large bowl with vegetable oil or cooking spray. Transfer the dough to the bowl and lightly oil the top of the dough. Cover and let double in volume 2 - 2 1/2 hours on the counter.

FILLING

Combine the brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. Mix until incorporated. Set aside until ready to use.
Butter a 9 x 13 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Shape the dough into a rectangle with the long side nearest you. Roll into an 18 x 12-inch rectangle. Brush the dough with the 2 tablespoons melted butter, leaving about a 1/2-inch border along the top edge. Sprinkle the filling mixture over the dough, leaving a 3/4-inch border along the top edge and gently press the filling onto the dough.
Beginning with the long edge nearest you, with your finger tips, gently roll the dough into a tight cylinder. Firmly pinch the seam to seal and roll the cylinder seam side down. Gently squeeze the cylinder to create an even thickness. Using a serrated knife, slice the cylinder into 1 1/2 inch rolls, creating 12 rolls. Arrange the rolls cut side down in the baking dish and cover tightly with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator overnight or up to 16 hours.
Remove the rolls from the refrigerator and place in an oven that is turned off. Fill a 9 x 13 x 2-inch baking pan 2/3 full of boiling water and set on the rack below the rolls. Close the door and let the rolls rise until the look slightly puffy, about 30 minutes. Remove the rolls and the baking pan of water from the oven.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
When the oven is ready, place the rolls on the middle rack and bake until golden brown or until they reach 190 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 30 minutes.

ICING

While the rolls are cooling, make the icing by whisking the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer until creamy. Add the milk and whisk until combined. Pour the sifted powdered sugar in and whisk until smooth. Spread over the rolls and serve immediately.

Waffles of Insane Greatness with Fresh Strawberry Compote

February 1, 2015

Waffles of Insane Greatness with Fresh Strawberry Compote

These Waffles of Insane Greatness are crispy on the outside, but also, light and airy on the inside thanks to the baking powder and cornstarch.

Fresh Strawberry Compote

Many recipes for Waffles of Insane Greatness are out there on the interwebs. My version comes with a Fresh Strawberry Compote topping that comes together pretty easily.

Sliced strawberries
Sugar
Pinch of salt
Strawberry jam
Fresh lemon juice (to bring out the flavors)

Lets Connect

The Cake Chica is on Facebook sharing sneak peeks of recipes to come, Instagram for your food porn desires and Pinterest for your board pinning needs.

Waffles of Insane Greatness with Fresh Strawberry Compote

Yield: 8

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Additional Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Waffles that are light and airy on the inside and crisp on the outside, topped with a fresh strawberry compote.

No Ratings

Ingredients

SPECIAL TOOLS

COMPOTE

3 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon table salt
1/2 cup strawberry jam
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

WAFFLES

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon table salt
2 cup buttermilk
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 large egg
2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

COMPOTE

Toss strawberries , sugar and salt in a medium bowl and let sit until the
strawberries have released their juice and the sugar has dissolved, about 30 minutes. Toss occasionally to combine.
Process jam in a food processor or blender until smooth about 10 seconds, then transfer to a small saucepan. Bring jam to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring frequently until dark, about 3 minutes. Stir in lemon juice, then pour the warm liquid over the strawberries and stir to combine. Set aside until ready to use.

WAFFLES

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt and mix well. Add the buttermilk, vegetable oil, egg, sugar and vanilla extract and mix until combined. Let the batter sit for 30 minutes.
Preheat your waffle iron. If your waffle iron is prone to sticking, use non-stick spray. However there is enough oil in the batter that most waffles irons should not need to use a spray. Follow the instructions for your waffle iron to cook the waffles. Serve with Fresh Strawberry Compote or real maple syrup.

Notes

Store finished waffles in a 200 degree preheated oven on a baking sheet in a single layer while you finish making the remaining waffles.

Cook time and waffle count will vary depending on your waffle maker.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 2
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 451Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 55mgSodium: 626mgCarbohydrates: 57gFiber: 2gSugar: 22gProtein: 7g

*Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary.*

Cream of Tomato Soup

January 25, 2015

Cream of Tomato Soup

This classic Cream of Tomato Soup will be ready in 30 minutes, but tastes like it took hours to make! Then, the soup is topped with fresh tomatoes, parsley and a swirl of cream.

How To Neutralize The Acid In Tomatoes

Tomatoes are acidic, so if you've ever had a tomato soup that tasted a bit sour, chances are it may not have had sugar or baking soda in it. Just a pinch of sugar and baking soda help bring out the flavor of the tomatoes while neutralizing their acid.

How To Puree Tomato Soup

You can either use a food processor or blender to puree this soup. Depending on the size of your blender or processor, this could take 2 to 3 batches. Be sure to keep a bowl on hand to hold the pureed soup while you puree the remaining soup from the Dutch oven. If you have an immersion blender you can puree the soup right from the Dutch oven.

Lets Connect

The Cake Chica is on Facebook sharing sneak peeks of recipes to come, Instagram for all your food porn desires and Pinterest for your board pinning needs.

Cream of Tomato Soup

Yield: 6

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Homemade Cream of Tomato Soup made in under 30 minutes but tastes like it took hours! Garnished with freshly diced tomatoes, parsley and a swirl of cream.

No Ratings

Ingredients

SPECIAL TOOLS

Dutch oven
Food processor, blender or immersion blender

SOUP

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2-28 ounce canned organic whole peeled tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup beef stock
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cups organic heavy cream

GARNISH

4 Roma tomatoes, cored, seeded and finely chopped
Chopped fresh parsley
6 tablespoons heavy cream

Instructions

In a Dutch oven or saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, beef stock, sugar, salt, baking soda, pepper and nutmeg. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
Transfer soup to a food processor or blender, (in 2 to 3 batches) cover and puree until smooth. Return the soup to the Dutch oven and stir in the cream. Cook on medium-low heat for about 5 minutes but do not boil. Divide soup into bowls and garnish with chopped tomatoes, parsley and a swirl of cream.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 357Total Fat: 31gSaturated Fat: 20gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 94mgSodium: 482mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 4gSugar: 12gProtein: 6g

*Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary.*

Greek Salad

January 17, 2015

With the New Year here I wanted to incorporate more salads and vegetables into my meals so I decided to make one of my favorite salads...the Greek salad! This recipe has a way of letting all the ingredients work together! I love that the onions and cucumbers marinate in the vinaigrette for 20 minutes, it really mellows out the bite of the raw onion. And the mint added to the salad also gives the salad a hint a freshness that cuts through some of the briny ingredients. Enjoy!

Greek Salad

Yield: 4

No Ratings

Ingredients

VINAIGRETTE

6 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

SALAD

1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1 cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/8-inch thick slices
3 romaine lettuce hearts, torn in 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/4 cup torn fresh mint
1/2 cup jarred roasted red peppers, rinsed, patted dry and cut into strips
1/2 cup jarred roasted piquillo peppers, rinsed, patted dry and cut into strips
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, cut in half
5 ounces feta cheese, about 1 1/4 cup, crumbled

Instructions

VINAIGRETTE

Whisk all ingredients together in a large bowl until combined. Add the onion and cucumber and let sit for 20 minutes.

SALAD

Add the romaine, tomatoes, parsley, mint, and peppers into the bowl with vinaigrette. Toss to coat with dressing.
Transfer salad to a wide, shallow serving platter and sprinkle olives and feta cheese on top. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Information:

Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 438Total Fat: 33gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 1690mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 4gSugar: 4gProtein: 11g

Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated Cookbook

Remember The Alamo

January 11, 2015

A few weeks ago my husband and I went to Fredericksburg, Texas, (a small town on the outskirts of San Antonio ) for my cousins wedding. We were also celebrating our 9 year wedding anniversary and wanted to celebrate by going to San Antonio before the wedding. We decided to go on a food tour called Fork in the River. This walking tour took us to 3 restaurants and was about 3 hours long.

The first stop was Justin’s Ice Cream. The first ice cream flavor we tasted was made with sultana raisins and Marsala wine, called Balaguer; an ode to Spain. The next flavor was Mango. This one Bill Clinton called a “national treasure” and requested that Justin send to both of Bill Clinton’s inaugural addresses. The third flavor was chocolate, but with a surprise. This chocolate ice cream had habanero pepper from Justin’s own garden, and cinnamon from Vietnam. The last one was more of a palate cleanser and was actually my favorite of the 4 as well as my husband’s, which is a sorbet or Italian ice, which is nothing but sugar, water, ice and fresh squeezed lemon.

Our second stop was Biga on the Banks. Biga on the Banks is Tex-Mex inspired cuisine at its finest! Chef and owner Bruce Auden prepared a very playful take on nachos for our tasting, Smoked Salmon Nachos.

Biga on the Banks opened 25 years ago in a town full of Tex-Mex cuisine. Chef and owner, Bruce Auden is a James Beard Award nominated chef for “Best Chef Southwest” 2000-2011 (the Oscars of the food world). He has also been featured in Texas Monthly, Gourmet, and other high profile publications. Below are a few pictures I took at Biga on the Banks.

What I loved most about this stop was being able to go behind the scenes and check out the immaculate kitchen! Chef Auden even took the time to pose for pictures with everyone on our food tour. That means a lot to this foodie!

Our last stop was Restaurant Gwendolyn, a restaurant that is “old school”, by that I mean there are no electrical appliances used in food preparation at Restaurant Gwendolyn. No microwave, toaster, blenders, deep fryers, food processors or anything like that. The food processor in this place is the mortar and pestle or what some Texans might call a molcajete. Which I am happy to say I finally bought one of my own on this trip in Fredericksburg at Der Kuchen Laden, my favorite store! If you like to cook and bake, then this is the place for you! Now back to the food tour.

Chef and owner Michael Sohocki is a James Beard award nominee for “Best Chef in the Southwest”, has been featured on Food Network, the Food Channel, Chuck Eats the Streets, Star Chefs and about 4 months ago USA Today ranked Restaurant Gwendolyn the number 1 food spot in the city and on the Riverwalk.

What I loved most about Restaurant Gwendolyn was how Chef Michael Sohocki uses local ingredients. The menu, which changes daily, has the local suppliers he uses listed next to the dish. He also butchers one animal at a time and uses every piece of that animal. Nothing goes to waste at Restaurant Gwendolyn. Oh and you’ll never see a Sysco truck delivering food there! Just real food! For more detailed information about Restaurant Gwendolyn, I encourage you to visit their website. It’s a real eye-opener!

Now no blog post would be complete without a recipe so I have a short and simple one for you to pay tribute to my great state of Texas and specifically, to San Antonio.

Remember The Alamo

Yield: 1

No Ratings

Ingredients

1 1/2 ounces tequila
1 1/2 ounces Lone Star beer
1 1/2 ounces premium mescal

Instructions

Fill three shot glasses with the separate ingredients. Quickly drink the tequila shot, then the Lone Star shot, then the mescal shot.

Red Walnut Praline Cake

November 17, 2014

I recently had the opportunity to try red walnuts by Sanguinetti. The two things I liked about these walnuts was their vivid red color and their flavor. They do not have the bitterness of regular walnuts, which was something that kept me from using walnuts in a lot of my baking. Well I am happy to say not anymore. Now that I know about these beauties I’ll be choosing red walnuts from now on. Red walnuts are available at the end of fall and during winter.

I really wanted to highlight the walnut in the best way possible and after researching about the red walnut and how carefully they are handled so their beautiful red color would not be ruined I also wanted to treat them in the same manner. I wanted to be sure I captured the flavor of the walnut but also the beauty of it as well. I decided to make a cake with the walnuts chopped up inside, and then garnish the cake with some candied red walnuts to let the walnuts really shine through. I hope you enjoy this Red Walnut Praline Cake, which is soaked in a bourbon simple syrup and iced with a vanilla cream cheese frosting. (I doubled the amount of frosting from the original recipe but you do not need to if you are not planning on doing any special decorating. But I like to always have more frosting than not enough so I usually will always double the frosting just to be sure I have enough to decorate with. )

Here are some interesting facts about red walnuts:

Delicious raw California red walnuts make for not just a delicious tasting snack but a beautiful looking one as well! They are beautiful on salads, baked good and many other dishes. These red walnuts pack an amazing walnut taste too! Brighten up any dish with our great looking red walnuts. Our red walnuts are a fairly recent creation.

They are not genetically modified and were created using natural methods of grafting Persian red-skinned walnuts onto larger and creamier English walnuts. Red walnuts are only red on the inside, the tree and the shells look just like your typical English Walnuts.

Our red walnuts are larger and the shells are a little harder than other walnut varieties, and the trees grow slower. To retain their red color, they are shelled and handled very carefully. We take great care to maintain the beautiful red layer.

Our red walnuts are late-producing, so they are available at the end of fall and in the winter. Because they are so rare, supplies are limited. We suspect that you won’t see many after the new year. The good news is that we’ll be back next year with more!

For more information on where you can buy these red walnuts, head over Sanguinetti website.

Red Walnut Praline Cake

Yield: 12

No Ratings

Ingredients

CAKE

2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup whole milk
1 1/2 chopped red walnuts or regular walnuts

SYRUP

3 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon bourbon

FROSTING

24 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
8 cups powdered sugar

PRALINE TOPPING

1 large egg white, at room temperature
1 tablespoon water
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups red walnut or regular walnut halves

Instructions

CAKE

Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Grease two 9-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with wax or parchment paper. Grease the paper and lightly coat both pans with flour. Whisk flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat the sugar and butter in a large bowl until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in egg 1 at a time, add vanilla. Beat in the dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with the milk in 2 additions. Fold in the chopped walnuts. Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans.
Bake the cakes until a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, about 35 minutes. Cool cakes in their pans for 10 minutes. Insert a thin flexible spatula to loosen the cake from the sides of the pan and turn cakes onto wire racks to cool completely

SYRUP

Stir 3 tablespoons water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and mixture comes to a simmer. Remove from the heat and stir in the bourbon, set aside.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Using an electric stand mixer, in the large bowl beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla. Beat sugar in 1 cup at a time, occasionally scrapping down the bowl.

PRALINE TOPPING

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon mat. Using a fork, beat the egg white and 1 tablespoon water in a medium bowl until foamy. Add the sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the walnuts and toss to coat. Spread the walnut mixture on the prepared baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes, then stir and bake for another 10-15 minutes. Cool nuts completely on baking sheet.
Place 1 cake layer, flat side up on a cake plate or cake round. Poke several holes on the top of the cake with a skewer or toothpick. Brush some of the simple syrup on top. Spread about 1 cup of the frosting over the top of the cake. Top with the second layer of cake flat side up. Poke several holes on top of the cake and brush the remaining simple syrup on top. Spread frosting on top of the cake and decorate.

Adapted from Bon Appetit Desserts

Classic Apple Pie

November 2, 2014

My favorite part of pie has always been the filling. When I was younger I would always eat the filling and leave the crust.

Let me tell you, that won't be happening with the crust for this Classic Apple Pie! It's almost like a buttery, flaky, crispy cookie wrapped around an apple pie filling.

Sure this pie is perfect for fall when apples are plentiful. However, the great thing about this Classic Apple Pie is you can use Granny Smith and Golden Delicious apples, which are available throughout the year, not just during the fall baking season.

This particular crust is made with a food processor, which for me, makes it easy. I found this recipe in a Cook's Illustrated cookbook several years ago and is the only pie crust that comes out perfectly for me every time.

The hardest part of this recipe is waiting for the pie to cool before you dive in!

If you make this pie I would love to see it on Instagram with #thecakechica1 @thecakechica1

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Adapted from Cooks Illustrated

Classic Apple Pie

Yield: 8

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Additional Time: 5 hours 45 minutes

Total Time: 7 hours 30 minutes

An American classic Apple Pie with an incredibly flaky crust, filled with an apple filling made with a mix of Granny Smith and Golden Delicious apples.

No Ratings

Ingredients

DOUBLE CRUST PIE DOUGH

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon table salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces and chilled
8 tablespoons vegetable shortening, cut into 4 pieces and chilled
1/4 cup vodka, chilled
1/4 cup ice water

APPLE PIE

3/4 cup, plus 1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
2 pounds Golden Delicious or McIntosh apples, peeled, cored and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 1/2 pounds Granny Smith, Empire or Cortland apples, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 large egg white, lightly beaten

Instructions

PIE DOUGH

Process 1 ½ cups flour, sugar and salt together in a food processor until combined, about 5 seconds. Add chilled butter and shortening, and process until combined and mixture starts to form clumps and no flour remains.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add remaining 1 cup flour and pulse until the mixture has broken up into pieces and is evenly distributed around the bowl, about 4 to 6 pulses.
Pour mixture into a large bowl and add vodka and water. Using a rubber spatula, stir dough until it sticks together. Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces and flatten out into a 4-inch round disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Let the dough sit on the counter for about 10 minutes to soften. (Dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month. If frozen, let the dough thaw completely on the counter before using.)

APPLE PIE

Roll out one disk of dough into a 12 inch round on a lightly floured surface. Gently roll dough around a rolling pin and place in a 9 inch pie plate. Let excess dough hang off the sides. Ease the dough into the pie plate, making sure not to stretch the dough. Use your fingers to press the dough into the bottom and sides of the pie plate. Wrap dough loosely with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. Roll out the other disk of dough on a lightly floured surface in a 12 inch disk. Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Adjust an oven rack to the lowest position. Line a baking sheet with foil and place in the oven on the oven rack. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
In a large bowl, mix together ¾ cup sugar, flour, lemon zest, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and all spice together. Add the lemon juice and apples and stir to combine. Spread apple and their juices into the dough lined pie plate, mounding them slightly in the middle. Loosely roll the remaining dough around a rolling pin and gently unroll on top to the pie. Trim overhang to about 1/2inch over the edge of the pie plate. Press the edges together, tuck under and crimp edges. Cut four 2-inch slits on the top. With a pastry brush, brush egg whites on top and sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar.
Place pie on the heated baking sheet in the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 425 degrees. Bake until the crust is light and golden, about 25 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 375 degrees and rotate the baking sheet. Continue to bake until the juices are bubbling and the crust is deep golden brown, about 30 to 35 minutes. Let the pie cool in a rack at room temperature for about 4 hours.

Notes

MAKE AHEAD: Dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month. If frozen, let the dough thaw completely on the counter before using.

STORE: Pie can be stored in the refrigerator in an air tight container for up to 3 days.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1 slice
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 601Total Fat: 30gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 83mgCarbohydrates: 75gFiber: 5gSugar: 40gProtein: 5g

Classic Pecan Pie

November 2, 2014

Here’s a Classic Pecan Pie recipe that will instantly become your family's favorite! And best of all it’s not overly sweet and the crust is crisp and flaky. Plus, the pie dough is made with a food processor, making it pretty fool-proof!

Close up of sliced Classic Pecan Pie on white plate.

Pie Dough - Food Processor Method

Ugh pie dough. It’s not my friend. And back in the day I never much cared for the crust of the pie anyway. I’ve always been a filling girl. But as I’ve continued to bake over the years, I’ve grown to appreciate a good pie crust.

The method that’s worked the best for me is the food processor method. It takes much of the guess work out and the dough comes together very quickly.

Overhead shot of ingredients in the food processor.

Overhead shot of pie dough ingredients combined in food processor.

At first glance it may look like the dough isn’t going to come together. But after you add the liquids and give it a gentle knead, it comes together easily.

I used liqueur to help keep the gluten development to a minimum. Less gluten helps to create a tender and flaky crust. You can also use vodka or any other alcohol that fits your recipe.

You can use white vinegar in place of the alcohol if you like. Start with 1 tablespoon and add more if needed.

Classic Pecan Pie Tips

Toasting the pecans brings out the best flavor in the pecans. Toast pecans in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes, tossing halfway through baking. Let pecans cool before chopping.
Partially baking the crust and adding the hot filling to the warm pie crust helps keep the crust from getting soggy.
Brushing the partially baked pie crust with egg wash helps reduce the chances of the pie filling leaking out while baking.
Slowly heating the filling over a double boiler helps keep the filling from curdling during the baking process.

Overhead shot of Classic Pecan Pie in pie plate with whipped cream and pecans.

Pecan Pie Filling

Dark brown sugar is used in place granulated sugar for more depth of flavor. And in addition to slowing heating the filling in a double boiler, this pie is also baked on low heat slowly, to prevent curdling.

Overhead shot of sliced Classic Pecan Pie on white plate and pie plate.

Cooling Time

It’ll be tough not to cut into this beauty right out of the oven, but be sure to allow adequate cooling time before slicing the pie. About 4 hours should do the trick. Or plan ahead of time and let the pie cool overnight for the best results.

Pie Crust Decorations

To jazz up this Classic Pecan Pie, I used store-bought pie dough and cut out festive shapes and baked them separately.

Brush the cutouts with egg wash and bake them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet in a 450 degree oven. Bake until cut outs are nicely browned. The timing will depend on the size of your cutouts. Arrange the cutouts on top of the filling or around the edges.

Close up of sliced Classic Pecan Pie in pie plate.

Pecan Pie Storage

Pecan pie can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days.

Close up of sliced Classic Pecan Pie with fork.

Classic Pecan Pie Baking Schedule

Day 1: Make pie dough.
Day 2: Bake pecan pie.
Day 3: Serve pecan pie.

Let’s Connect

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Three quarter angle shot of sliced Easy Cherry Pie. — Easy Cherry Pie

Adapted from America's Test Kitchen

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