Amber's Big Birthday Surprise

My friend Amber is totally awesome. That's why I was very inspired to throw her a big surprise party for her birthday last Saturday. It was the first surprise party I've ever thrown so, as you can imagine, I was quite excited and motivated to make it a night to remember.

For the cake, I made a two-tiered layered almond wedding-style cake. Within each layer (seven total between the two tiers), I spread strawberry jam, topped with a layer of sliced strawberries, then a layer of vanilla bean-flecked whipped cream. I covered the whole cake with this luscious whipped cream and lots more sliced strawberries, then served it with my homemade strawberry-vanilla bean gelato. I must admit—it was pretty delish.  

Now a bit about my thought process for the cake: When I first

began brainstorming about this cake, I wanted to feature three very delicious, very compatible flavors: almond, strawberry (in-season right now), and vanilla. So, a couple weeks ago, for my "practice cake" (pictured below on the left), I decided to spread a layer of thinned almond paste, along with strawberry jam and whipped cream, within the cake layers. As you can see, I also decorated it with sliced strawberries as well as sliced almonds. Then, after analyzing the flavors and appearance of the practice cake, I decided that I would minimize the use of almonds in the cake (I just used almond extract to flavor the final cake), and maximize the presence of the strawberries. I thought adding more of the brightly hued strawberry slices would make the cake look more fun and would seem more suited for Amber that way. Let me tell you, I am sure glad I made that practice cake. It had been a while (about a year, I think!) since I had baked and decorated a layer cake, so I am certain the final cake benefitted tremendously from the practice cake. Plus, it was really fun to make and I also had some very eager taste-testers.

The appetizers were quite a hit as well. My friend Abby made miniature cheeseburger pizzas, a specialty of hers. They were awesomely delicious, as usual. I made creamy spinach-artichoke dip, crostini topped with sauteed eggplant and kale, 4-cheese stuffed mushrooms, and my spicy shrimp scampi. These tasty hors d'oeuvres, along with cosmopolitan martinis—one of Amber's favorite drinks—fueled our enthusiasm all evening. It was a TON of fun!! Surprise parties are AWESOME! Here are a few of the recipes from this fun night:

Eggplant & Kale Crostini

These tasty things are actually quite healthful. Packed with Vitamins K, A, and C, kale is one of the most nutritious veggies around.

1. Dice 1 large or 2 small Japanese eggplants into 1/2-inch pieces. Place the eggplant pieces into a strainer or colander placed over a large bowl. Toss the eggplant with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Allow to sit for about 1 to 2 hours. Moisture from the eggplant will drip into the bowl below via osmosis. Squeeze the excess water from the eggplant. 

2. Preheat oven to 375 F. Slice one long baguette onto 1/2-inch slices. Place on a large baking sheet, drizzle them lightly with olive oil, and bake them for about 15 minutes. 

3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 1 to 2 tablespoon olive oil. Add 2 cloves garlic (minced) and a pinch of crushed red pepper. Cook and stir over medium heat for about 1 minute. Add the squeezed-out eggplant. Cook and stir for 5 more minutes, or until the eggplant in almost translucent. Add about 1/2 of a bunch of kale and 1/2 teaspoon salt (large stems removed and thinly sliced). Cook and stir for 5 more minutes, or until the kale is wilted but still bright green. Transfer mixture to a bow; cool for about 10 minutes. Season with additional salt and black pepper to taste.

4. To assemble, evenly distribute the eggplant mixture among the toasted baguette slices. Top with thin slices of provolone cheese. Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown. Let cool about 5 minutes before serving.

Annie's Spicy Shrimp Scampi

If you can find raw shrimp that has been peeled and deveined, this dish is super-quick to make. I recommend serving it with bread to soak up all the tasty juices.

1. Preheat oven to 425 F. Peel and devein about 2 pounds of small to medium shrimp. Arrange on an oven-safe platter in a decorative fashion.

2. In a small bowl, stir together about 4 tablespoons melted butter, 2 tablespoons olive oil, a really big handful parsley (minced), 4 cloves garlic (minced), 1 teaspoon each of sea salt and black pepper, and 2 big pinches of crushed red pepper. 

3. Pour the butter mixture over the shrimp and spread evenly to cover. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the it is bubbly and the shrimp are opaque. 

Amber-Inspired Cosmopolitan Martinis 

We started off the party with these special cosmos. Infusing the vodka with the flavors of cranberries, lime, and orange one week in advance makes this classic martini extra tasty.

1. One week before you plan to serve the drinks, pour about 3 cups vodka into a one-quart jar. Place 6 ounces whole cranberries (whole or fresh, depending on the time of year) into the jar. Using a vegetable peeler, peel the zest from 1 lime and 1 orange and place in the jar of vodka. Meanwhile in a small bowl, stir together 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup hot water. Stir until sugar is dissolved; let cool completely. Once cooled, add this "simple syrup" to the vodka jar. Place the jar in a cool, dark place for 1 week. Shake the jar once a day. Strain before using, reserving some of the cranberries to use as garnish.

2. To make the martinis, in a large pitcher, combine the infused vodka, 2 cups triple sec, 2 cups cranberry juice, and 1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice. Add ice to fill and stir. Serve in martini glasses. Garnish with lime slices and the reserved cranberries, if desired.

Classics Revisited

This week, I have been taking some artistic freedoms in the kitchen with a couple of my favorite dishes to make: Lasagna and Chili. I made a lovely vegetable lasagna, loaded with all kinds of veggies—from eggplant to carrots to zucchini—that turned out utterly scrumptious. I basically prepared it the way I usually do, but replaced the meat with vegetables seasoned with sweet French basil and Turkish oregano (I most often use pork and maybe a little beef seasoned with French thyme, chile, and fennel seed) . The wide variety of veggies I selected along with those flavorful dried herbs, created a tasty depth of flavor that made me—and even Jay—not miss the meat at all. The second dish I tweaked was my classic chili. I decided to skip the chili powder, leave out most of the tomatoes (I did end up adding tablespoon of tomato paste to thicken at the end) and instead make it with lots of smoky rehydrated Mexican chiles, a spicy fresh jalapeno, and a few yellow and red bell peppers for sweetness. I also added some tequila, which helped bring together all the awesome flavors. The results were very tasty and contained a whole lot of heat. 

While I was making this chili, however, I found a small piece of salmon that I had accidently thawed in the refrigerator. I had meant to put the previously frozen fillet in the freezer after a recent trip to the grocery store, but had apparently put in the fridge instead. So, knowing that this fillet wouldn't be very good refrozen, I opted to whip up a couple salmon quesadillas as an appetizer for the chili. It was quite delicious, so I am including that recipe here as well...

Annie's Vegetable Lasagna

You may create your own mixture of veggies in this lasagna. Just use what's fresh and in season. Note: Penzey's spices is a great place to find Turkish oregano and sweet French basil.

1. In a large skillet, heat about 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add 1 onion (chopped), 1 carrot (finely chopped), 1 stick celery (finely chopped), and 8 ounces button mushrooms (chopped). Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to brown. Add 1 red pepper (chopped), 1/2 of an eggplant (diced), 2 cloves garlic (minced), 1 zucchini (diced), 1 yellow squash (diced), 1 teaspoon sweet French basil, 1 teaspoon Turkish oregano, 1 teaspoon salt and some freshly cracked pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened. Remove from heat and let cool.

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir together two 15-ounce containers of whole-milk ricotta, 1 egg, a handful of chopped parsley, 1/4 cup grated parmesan, and 2 handfuls of shredded provolone cheese; set aside. 

3. In a medium saucepan, saute 2 cloves  garlic (minced), and a big pinch of crushed red pepper for about 2 minutes, or until the garlic just begins to brown. Add about 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth, two 6-ounce cans tomato paste, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon sugar. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for about 15 minutes. Remove from heat.

4. Preheat oven to 325 F. Stir the cooled vegetable mixture into the ricotta mixture. Begin layering: In a large shallow baking dish, spread about 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce. Arrange 3 or 4 lasagna noodles (I like no-boil ones) over the sauce. Spread about 1/3 of the filling over the noodles and drizzle about 1/4 cup tomato sauce over the filling. Repeat this layering 2 more times. Top with a fourth layer of noodles. Arrange about 8 ounces of sliced provolone cheese evenly over top the noodles. Pour the rest of the sauce over the cheese. (The baking dish should be almost over-flowing.) Sprinkle with about 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese. Place on a baking sheet (it will—and should—drip over the sides while it bakes). Bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until bubbly around the edges. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

Chile Chili

Top this spicy dish with some good sharp cheddar cheese and perhaps a dollop of sour cream. Jay and I drank a glass of milk with it to help tame the heat, which I personally found to be quite necessary. Feel free to choose which types of dehydrated Mexican chiles to use in this chili. 

1. Season 1 to 1 1/2 pounds ground chuck with lots of salt and pepper. Heat about 1 tablespoon oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the beef, pinching it into little chunks at you add it. Cook about 10 minutes, or until the beef is nicely browned. Meanwhile, in a small skillet, toast about 1 teaspoon cumin seeds and 2 teaspoons coriander seeds. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Once cool, grind the seeds, along with 2 teaspoons peppercorns, until finely ground. Add this to the beef along with 1 yellow pepper and 1 red pepper (coarsely chopped), 1 jalepeno (thinly sliced), 1 onion (coarsely chopped), and 3 cloves of garlic (chopped). Cook, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, pour 2 cups boiling water  over 1 dried chipotle chile, 1 dried ancho or pasilla chile, and dried 3 puya chiles. Cover and let steep for about 20 minutes. Remove the chiles from the steeping liquid, let cool a little, then give them a good chop. Add the chiles, along with about 1/4 cup tequila (silver or gold), and one 15-ounce can pinto beans (drained), and one 15-ounce can black beans (drained). Cook about 2 more minutes, then add the chile steeping liquid and about 1 cup water (until it looks thin enough to boil, but not too thin). Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer about 1 hour. 

3. Add 1 tablespoon tomato paste, the zest and juice of 1/2 a lime, and a squeeze of honey (to balance the sourness of the lime). Simmer for another 15 minutes. Serve with cheddar cheese and sour cream, if desired.

Salmon and Aged Cheddar Quesadillas

I love spur-of-the-moment dishes like this one. Best of all, it was quick, simple, and fun to make!!

1. Place an oven rack just above the center of the oven and preheat broiler on high. Place a 4-ounce salmon filet on a small, foil-lined baking sheet. In a small bowl, mix together 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon ancho chile powder, 1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Rub spice mixture and 1 teaspoon olive oil over salmon. Broil for about 10 minutes, or until the salmon flakes easily with a fork. Let the salmon cool a little, remove and discard skin (or give it to your dog or cat) then break the salmon into small pieces. 

2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together a heaping 1 cup shredded aged cheddar, a little handful chopped cilantro and parsley, and about 2 tablespoons chopped pickled jalepenos. When the salmon is cool add it to the cheese mixture; stir.

3. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes. Spread softened butter onto 1 side of four 6-inch flour tortillas. Place one of the tortillas, buttered side down, on the skillet. Place 1/2 the filling over the tortilla in the skillet and top with another tortilla, buttered side up. Cook for about 5 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking, until brown on both sides. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling. Let cool for a few minutes before cutting into wedges. Serve with lime wedges and sour cream.

Eggs and Beer: It's Egg-tastic!

My wonderful hens have been quite busy egg layers lately. So, it's no wonder I've especially been inspired to experiment with some fun new egg recipes. This weekend I decided to throw a little dinner party starring eggs and beer, which I think is a very tasty combination. I made two kinds of pickled eggs—a sweet, bright purple version made with beets and a spicier version made with chiles and bell pepper. I must admit that up until trying some fantastic ones at a local bar in the last few years, I had a slight aversion to pickled eggs. They always seemed weird and quite unappetizing to me. But I'll be the first to say I was totally wrong. If  you like eggs and you like pickles, then chances are you'll like pickled eggs. They are actually very delicious—especially with beer! I served mine along with my friend Abby's freshly baked bread and dill butter. They were a hit! In addition, I made my special version of Scotch eggs, which are hard-boiled eggs encased in a layer of pork sausage then breaded and baked, and also prepared some Russian-style deviled eggs, made with lots of mustard and dill. Both of these other egg dishes were also very scrumptious. This slightly unusual party idea actually turned out to be super fun! Here are my egg recipes, just in time for Easter. Enjoy!

Pickled Eggs and Beets

Both these sweet pickled eggs and the spicy ones taste delicious on bread with some dill butter. To  make dill butter, use a fork to combine about 6 tablespoons butter and 1 teaspoon  salt with about 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill. Hot sauce also makes a great accompaniment!

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Wrap about 1 pound of small to medium beets in foil. Place on a baking sheet and roast until tender, about 1 hour. Set aside to cool. When cool enough to handle, peel the beets and cut them into small wedges. 

2. In a medium nonreactive saucepan, combine 2 cups cider vinegar, 1/2 cup honey, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 cup water, 2 teaspoons black peppercorns, 4 whole allspice, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 onion (cut into wedges), the beets, and 4 cloves garlic (smashed). Cover and let come to room temperature. 

3. Meanwhile, hard boil about 8 eggs. Peel the eggs and place them into two 1-quart jars (4 eggs in each jar). When the vinegar mixture has cooled to room temperature, pour it into the jars to cover the eggs, dispersing the beets, onion, a garlic evenly between the two jars. Seal the jars and refrigerate at least 1 day before serving.

Spicy Pickled Eggs

These eggs taste especially good with good bottle of lager beer.

1. In a medium nonreactive saucepan, combine 1/2 cup white vinegar, 1/4 cup cider vinegar, 1/4 cup rice vinegar, 1/4 cup white wine vinegar, 2 bay leaves, 4 Thai chiles, 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, 2 teaspoons sea salt, 2 whole allspice, 1/4 teaspoon celery seed, 1 teaspoon peppercorns, and  1 teaspoon mustard seed. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat; cool about 30 minutes, then add 1 onion (sliced), 1 green bell pepper (sliced), 1 jalapeno (halved), and 2 cloves of garlic (smashed). Allow to cool to room temperature.

2. Meanwhile, hard boil about 8 eggs. Peel the eggs and place them in two 1-quart jars (4 eggs in each jar). When the vinegar mixture has cooled to room temperature pour it over the eggs in the jars, dispersing the onion, bell pepper, jalepeno, garlic, and bay leaves evenly between the two jars. Seal the jars and refrigerate at least 1 day before serving.

Annie's Scotch Eggs

Serve these eggs with Dijon mustard and your favorite hot sauce.

1. Hard boil 8 to 10 eggs. Chill thoroughly and peel.

2. Meanwhile, into a food processor, place about 4 cups of torn fresh baguette, 2 handfuls

 fresh parsley, 1 teaspoon salt, and about 1 tablespoon olive oil. Process until green bread crumbs are formed. Set aside. In a small bowl, stir together 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons honey, and 1/4 cup dijon mustard. Cover and chill.

3. In a medium bowl, combine 1 pound ground pork (I like pork shoulder for this), 1 egg, 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs (purchased bread crumbs work well here), 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon sage, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, 1/2 teaspon oregano, 1 big pinch of crushed red pepper, 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg.

4. Preheat oven to 350 F. Using a small handful of the pork mixture for each egg, carefully encapsulate the peeled hard-boiled eggs in a layer of pork, slowly working the meat around each egg to cover. Brush the meat-covered eggs with the mayonnaise-mustard mixture. Carefully roll each egg in the green bread crumbs. Arrange the eggs, pointy side up, on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Mustard-Dill Deviled Eggs

1. Hard boil 6 eggs. Cool and peel. Cut each egg in half. Remove each yolk to a small bowl. Place the egg halves on a platter.

2. In the small bowl, use a fork to combine the egg yolks with 1/4 cup sour cream, 2 teaspoons Dutch mustard, 2 teaspoons dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons chopped dill pickle, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, and 1 pinch each of salt and black pepper. Place the mixture into a small resealable plastic bag. Snip of a little of one corner of the bag and pipe the mixture into each egg half. Sprinkle with a little sweet paprika. Chill until ready to serve.

Hot and Steamy Goodness!!

Quite often, it is the weather that first inspires me to make a particular type of food on a particular day. Yesterday was definitely one of those days. It was very unpleasantly cold and blustery—not at all springlike. On days like this, I always crave something warming and comforting. However, with the long, cold Iowa winter just coming to an end, it seems that I've recently made many of my chilly weather favorites at least a handful of times. That's when I know I need to add a new twist to one of these warming comfort foods. So yesterday, that is exactly what I did.  I whipped up a luscious bolognese sauce enhanced by a variety of chile peppers and a subtle hint of cinnamon. The results were totally delish and something I will definitely remember next time it gets really chilly out. (Hopefully not until the end of this year!) Here is my jazzed up bolognese sauce:

Chile Pepper Bolognese

Look for dried chile peppers at your local Mexican market. You'll find a large variety with which to experiment. They are quite inexpensive and totally worth the extra trip.

1. Bring about 4 cups of water to a boil. Place 5 dried chile peppers of your choice (I used 3 pasilla, 1 ancho, and 1 puya) in a small glass bowl. Pour enough boiling water into the bowl to cover the peppers. Cover and allow to steep for about 20 minutes. In a Dutch oven, heat about 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium high heat. Add about 1 1/2 pounds ground meat (I used a combo of ground venison and beef, but any combination of beef and pork would work well.) Cook and stir until the meat is just starting to brown, about 10 minutes. 

2. Meanwhile, in a food processor, finely mince 2 stalks celery  (coarsely chopped), 2 carrots (coarsely chopped), 1 onion (coarsely chopped), 3 cloves garlic (smashed), 1 jalepeno or serrano chile pepper (seeded, if you don't want a lot of heat), a handful of parsley, and about half of a green pepper. Add to the meat in the Dutch oven. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 more minutes. 

3. Add 2 bay leaves, 1 Thai chile (dry or fresh), 1 stick cinnamon, and about 1/2 a bottle of white wine to the Dutch oven. Continue to cook over medium-high heat until the wine has mostly evaporated. Then add about 2 cups milk. Continue to cook over medium heat until the milk has reduced by about half. 

4. Meanwhile, remove the rehydrated chiles to a cutting board; reserve the soaking liquid for later. Give the chiles a coarse chop (remove stems and most of the seeds) then place them in the food processor along with one 15-ounce can whole tomatoes. Process until the mixture is  almost smooth; add to Dutch oven. Bring to a boil, adding enough of the chile pepper soaking liquid to create a thin sauce (but not too thin—just thin enough to simmer). Cover and simmer for about 45 minutes. Serve with hot cooked pasta and a shredded cheese of your choice.