I spent the last couple of days in beautiful Payson, Arizona at the summer home of my dear friend and mentor, Barbara Fenzl, along with Kim Howard, who rounds out our “3 Amigos”.  Kim and I drove up on Tuesday morning and the three of us spent a wonderful day relaxing, catching up, and cooking together. Then early on Wednesday morning we hiked for about 90 minutes up and down the Horton Creek Trail before heading back for a yummy lunch at the Chaparral Pines Country Club (recipe to follow tomorrow for my take on their scrumptious Ahi Tuna Sliders!) Kim headed back down to the Valley after lunch, while Barb and I drove north to Strawberry, Arizona to check out Fossil Creek Creamery.

We tasted and purchased their lovely goat cheese, which you will find on fine menus around the Valley; including Binkley’s, T-Cooks at The Royal Palms, Quiessence at South Mountain, and Kai at Wild Horse Pass. While the cheese is tasty, the best part was petting the baby goats – adorable! The little black and white cutie at the top of the page was my favorite!

Now, what to make with this fabulous fresh goat cheese… I can’t think of anything better than these amazing biscuits that are served at Art Smith’s southern-style Chicago restaurant, Table Fifty-Two. Art Smith was the personal chef to Oprah Winfrey from 1997 to 2007, so the biscuits have quite a pedigree! Enjoy!

P.S. Funny how things work out… my own adorable daughter talked about goats on her blog, “Linger”, just a couple days ago… strange when you think about it – how often do people you know actually mention goats?

Art Smith’s Goat Cheese Drop Biscuits

2 cups self-rising flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
1/4 cup goat cheese
1 cup buttermilk
Extra butter to grease pan and top biscuits
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Place one 10-inch cast iron pan into the oven while it is preheating.

Place flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder into a medium-sized bowl. Cut in the butter and goat cheese with pastry cutter or 2 forks. Make a well in the middle of the ingredients and pour in the milk. Stir until the mix is moistened, adding an extra tablespoon of milk if needed.

Remove the hot skillet from the oven and place a tablespoon of butter into it. When the butter has melted, drop 1/4 cupfuls of batter into the pan. Brush the tops of the biscuits with melted butter.

Bake from 14-16 minutes until browned on the top and bottom. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the grated cheese.  Enjoy warm!

Makes 12

Proud! That is what I am today! My precious baby girl graduates from the University of Arizona today with a Journalism major and Creative Writing minor. She has been a hard-working dedicated student ever since kindergarten 17 years ago. Heck, since her “mini-threes” days in preschool! So yeah, I am a proud braggart mom, and I will not apologize for that, at least not today!

After the ceremonies, Dave and I are taking Marissa, Alberto (boyfriend), Grandpa Gene (my dad), and Connor (treasured baby brother) out to dinner to J Bar. You may recall that I posted about the amazing nachos we had there earlier this month(May 2). Well Marissa has been craving them ever since reading that post, and whatever she wants, she gets today!

After dinner, we’ll be heading back to her house where she and her four beautiful roomies (see picture below for the proof of said beauty!) are hosting a dessert party for all their families. The girls requested I make a trifle they tasted back in October that was posted here.  I changed it up a bit for the occasion. The lemon curd is now a lemon-cherry curd and there is a fabulous addition – cream cheese filling. Expect more mama boasting and pictures tomorrow!

Marissa, Kaley, Kelsey, Paige, and Petra

Marissa’s Graduation Trifle

Lemon-Cherry Curd
1 cup fresh or frozen (thawed) pitted cherries
6 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
Grated zest and juice of 2 large lemons
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Filling
8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups chilled heavy whipping cream
Lemon Syrup
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup limoncello
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Purchased pound cake, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 cups blueberries
2 cups hulled and quartered strawberries
1 lemon, thinly sliced, slices then halved
Fresh mint, for garnish

Curd: Place cherries in the bowl of a food processor and blend into a smooth puree. Place puree in a strainer over a bowl and press on the solids until all the juices are released. You should have about 1/4 cup cherry juice. Discard the solids remaining in the strainer. Whisk the cherry juice, egg yolks, sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a large metal bowl. Set bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water). Stir constantly with a heat-resistant rubber spatula until thickened, about 12 minutes. Add butter pieces a few at a time, stirring until each addition is melted.  Remove from heat and allow to cool for about 30 minutes, then place a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the top of the curd and refrigerate until completely chilled.

Filling: Combine the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in a bowl with a whisk until smooth. In the bowl of a standing mixer, whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Fold the cream cheese mixture into the whipped cream until smooth.

Syrup: Combine the water, limoncello, sugar, and lemon juice in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Cool.

Assemble Trifle: Note: While layering, be sure you are able to see each layer along the sides of the bowl, all the way around. Place 1/3 of the pound cake cubes in the bottom of a trifle bowl. Drizzle with about 3 tablespoon of the syrup. Spoon 1/3 of the whipped cream mixture atop the cake and smooth to edges of bowl. Place 1/2 of the blueberries and strawberries on top. Spoon 1/2 of the lemon-cherry curd  atop the berries and smooth to the edges of bowl.  Repeat with 1/3 of the cake, syrup, and whipped cream. Repeat with remaining 1/3 of the cake, syrup, and whipped cream. Top with remaining berries and curd. Garnish with lemon slices and mint sprigs. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.  May be made 24 hours in advance.

Serves 12 – 16

Two weeks ago, Dave and I went down to Tucson for a long weekend. The first night we decided to go to J Bar, my friend and James Beard award-winning chef, Janos Wilder’s, casual restaurant which is right beside his acclaimed upscale namesake restaurant, Janos. After perusing the menu, we wanted to order everything on it!  Instead, we decided we’d control ourselves and just come back the next night, which we did. One appetizer we just had to have was the J Bar Nachos. They did not disappoint – I haven’t been able to get them out of my mind since!  When Janos came to the Valley last week to teach a class, I asked him to please share the secret of “the out of this world” chili con queso that pushed the nachos into a league of their own. Turns out the con queso had an Italian twist in the form of mascarpone. I didn’t ask for the exact recipe, although he offered, but Dave and I think this is pretty darn close.  The Salsa Fresca is from Janos’ cookbook, The Great Chilies Rellenos Book, which is a must-have if you love rellenos. I used heirloom tomatoes from the farmer’s market I visited this morning.  See, I took my own advise and went this weekend, hope you got a chance to get to one too!

Topnotch Nachos

Mascarpone Chili Con Queso
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup minced shallots
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 Anaheim chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded and diced
1 cup white wine
1 cup heavy cream
8-ounce container mascarpone cheese

Janos’ Salsa Fresca
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
3 green onions, finely chopped
1 Anaheim chile, roasted, peeled, seeded and diced
1 poblano chile, roasted, peeled, seeded and diced
2 tablespoons roughly chopped cilantro leaves
2 teaspoons finely minced garlic
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Nachos
Tortilla chips
1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
6 ounces chorizo, cooked
2 poblano chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced
1 avocado, diced

Chili Con Queso: Melt butter in a heavy medium saucepan, add shallots and sweat until soft, add garlic and chiles and sauté until chiles are softened. Add white wine and bring to a simmer, continue to simmer until wine is reduced by at least half. Add cream and bring to a medium simmer and reduce until thickened, about 12 to 14 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in mascarpone until completely melted and incorporated. Makes about 2  1/2 cups

Salsa Fresca: Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, refrigerate and serve within 24 hours.  Makes about 3 cups

Nachos: Preheat broiler. Lay tortilla chips in one layer on a large baking sheet. Scatter cheddar cheese evenly over chips, sprinkle evenly with chorizo and poblano slices. Spoon chili con queso on top and place under broiler until cheddar cheese is melted, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Use a spatula to transfer to a serving platter, sprinkle avocado on top and serve immediately with salsa fresca.

Serves 4

While our family was in Italy during the summer of 2008, I had Asparagus with Prosciutto di Parma, Parmegiano Reggiano, and Poached Eggs. The dish is a common site on Italian menus. I’ve taken quite a few liberties, basically Americanizing and bastardizing it at the same time! The inspiration to do so, came after a cooking class on Monday night with Chef Chris Curtiss of Noca, who made these outstanding fried poached eggs and served them on top of a fabulous salad with pickled red onions, bacon, and red wine vinaigrette – truly amazing! I often serve the asparagus as a side dish and it has already been feature on this site, but this is a wonderful light, refreshing, and satisfying main dish for any night of the week. Of course, it would also make a great brunch dish.

Roasted Parmesan Asparagus with Fried Poached Eggs and Beef Tenderloin

Fried Poached Eggs
Ice
4 large or extra-large eggs
1 tablespoon white vinegar
2 tablespoons salt
Canola oil, for frying
1/2 cup Wondra flour
1 cup Panko, finely ground in a food processor
1 egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon cold water)

Roasted Asparagus
1 pound fresh asparagus, ends snapped
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup (packed) grated Parmesan cheese
2 large garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced
Zest and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

4 ounces medium-rare cooked beef tenderloin, very thinly sliced

Fried Poached Eggs: Fill a medium bowl 1/3 full with ice, add water and set this ice bath aside. Fill a medium saucepan 3/4 full with water and bring to a boil over high heat, add vinegar and salt, taste, you should be able to taste the vinegar and the water should be nearly as salty as the ocean, if not, add more of either or both. Reduce heat to a simmer. Gently crack eggs into water and simmer for about 3 minutes.  Remove with a slotted spoon and place in the ice bath to stop the cooking and chill. Once chilled, remove to a paper towel to drain. (Eggs may be poached up to 1 day in advance, cover and refrigerate.)

Heat oil in a deep saucepan to 350 degrees.

Asparagus: Arrange asparagus on foil-lined baking sheet in a single layer. Preheat broiler. Place butter in a small bowl, using a fork, mix in Parmesan, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, Dijon, and Worcestershire sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Using fingers, drop butter mixture over asparagus, distributing evenly. Broil asparagus until topping bubbles and just begins to brown, about 3 minutes. Fry the eggs while the asparagus is under the broiler.

Fried Poached Eggs: Place the Wondra and ground Panko on plates. The egg wash should be in a shallow bowl. Dredge each poached egg first in the Wondra, next in the egg wash and finally coat with the Panko.

Gently slide eggs into hot oil and fry for 1 minute, or until lightly browned. Remove with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.

Divide the asparagus evenly between four dinner plates, top each with the thinly sliced beef and top with an egg. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

Just like yesterday, today we have dish that was inspired for our Easter menu by a dish we enjoyed at the new FnB restaurant in Scottsdale (here is the link). The night we went, Dave had the most amazing chicken dish. Mind you, chicken is not something either of us generally order at a restaurant, but I’d read rave reviews about Chef Char’s chicken with spaetzle. Those reviews were right on the mark – fabulous!

Spaetzle are tiny dumpling-like noodle nubbins from Germany and Austria that are made with flour, eggs, milk, salt and nutmeg. The spaetzle dough can be firm enough to be rolled and cut into slivers or soft enough to be forced through a sieve, colander, or spaetzle-maker directly into boiling salted water. They rise to the top then are drained and sautéed in butter or mixed with a sauce. Spaetzle literally translates from German as “little sparrow”. In Germany, spaetzle is served as a side dish much like potatoes or rice, and is often accompanied by a sauce or gravy.

There are spaetzle-makers that consist of a hopper to hold the dough as it slides across a metal plate with holes, others that look like ricers, and a third style that is a food mill with a handle and a paddle to force the dough through the holes of a special speatzle blade (which is what I have).

I served the wild mushroom spaetzle with my Pomegranate Molasses Lamb Chops which you can find on this previous post.

Brandied Wild Mushroom Spaetzle

Mushrooms
3 cups wild mushrooms (fresh or reconstituted dried)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1/4 cup brandy
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup soft goat cheese
Spaetzle
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 large eggs
1/4 cup milk

Mushrooms: If using dried wild mushrooms, first reconstitute in hot water until soft. Coarsely chop mushrooms. Melt butter in a large skillet, add mushrooms and garlic and sauté until mushrooms release their liquids and just begin to brown. Stir in the brandy and fresh thyme and season with salt and pepper, cook for 2 minutes.  Set aside while making the spaetzle.

Spaetzle: In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. In another mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the egg-milk mixture. Gradually draw in the flour from the sides and combine well; the dough/batter should be smooth and thick. Let the rest for 10 to 15 minutes.

Bring 3 quarts of salted water to a boil in a large pot, then reduce to a simmer. To form the spaetzle, hold a spaetzle-maker or a large holed colander over the simmering water and process with maker or push the dough through the holes of the colander with a spatula or spoon. Do this in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pot. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until the spaetzle floats to the surface, stirring gently to prevent sticking. Lift out the spaetzle with a slotted spoon and into a colander and give it a quick rinse with cool water.

Reheat the mushroom and stir in the cream and goat cheese. Add the cooked spaetzle and sauté mixture for 3 or 4 minutes to combine and heat through.

Serves 8

I was inspired to make chilaquiles for Easter brunch after learning about them at FnB, a fabulous new restaurant in downtown Scottsdale, (click here for link) where Chef Charleen Badman traditionally makes them on weekends for the late-night crowd.

Chilaquiles are a traditional Mexican dish. Typically, corn tortillas cut in quarters and lightly fried are the basis of the dish. Red or green sauce is poured over the tortilla triangles, called “totopos.” Scrambled eggs and/or shredded chicken are sometimes added. The dish is topped with queso fresco and crèma.  Usually, chilaquiles are eaten at breakfast or brunch. This makes them a popular recipe to use leftover or stale tortillas.

I’ll be using two of my favorite “convenience” items – 3 garlic cubes (purchased at Trader Joe’s) and 4 chipotle cubes(homemade using empty garlic cube trays – see this previous post on how to do so).  You can too, or just follow the recipe for the “traditional” method of peeling and mincing.

Chilaquiles

Vegetable oil
1 dozen corn tortillas, cut into quarters
1 large white or red onion, peeled and diced
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2 chipotle peppers, finely minced
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
10 large eggs
1/4 cup half and half
2 cups grated queso fresco or Mexican blend cheese
1/3 cup crèma or sour cream

In a skillet heat 1/2 inch of the oil over moderately high heat until it is hot but not smoking, in it fry the tortillas in batches for 10 to 20 seconds, or until they are pale golden and almost crisp, and transfer them as they are fried with a slotted spatula to paper towels to drain.
Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the oil and add the onion to the pan, sauté until soft and translucent, then add the garlic, chipotle, cumin, and oregano. Stir for 3 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and cook until sauce is thick and reduced over medium heat, about 6 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, lighty beat the eggs and half and half together in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Melt the butter in another skillet over low heat.  Add the eggs and cook, stirring gently with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon just until the eggs become set but are still creamy, about 4 or 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Once the sauce is thick, transfer all but about 1/4 cup of the sauce to a bowl.  Spread the remaining sauce thinly on the bottom of the large skillet it was cooking in. Place a single layer of the tortillas atop the sauce. Top with half of the shredded chicken and then with 1/3 of the sauce. Repeat with another layer of tortillas, then the rest of the chicken and another 1/3 of the sauce.

Top with the remaining tortillas, then all of the scrambled eggs. Spread with the last 1/3 of the sauce and sprinkle the cheese on top.

Cover the skillet with foil and bake the chilaquiles in the middle of the preheated oven for 15 minutes.  Drizzle the crèma or spoon sour cream over the chilaquiles and serve.

Serves 10 to 12

…That is the slogan for a fab new restaurant in town, The Grind.  My beautiful sister, Sloane, and I enjoyed a delectable dinner there last night. Chef Matt McLinn is at the helm, so you know it’s gonna be good (that’s Sloane and Matt, pictured above). I first met Matt nine or ten years ago when he and Sloane worked together. They dated for quite a while and that meant that we shared some wonderful holiday meals together too. It’s no wonder Matt’s food stands out, he has cooked alongside some of the culinary world’s most recognized names – such as world-renowned Chef Alain Ducasse of the Michelin three-starred restaurant Le Louis XV of the Hotel Paris in Monte Carlo and Chef Dominque Bouchet of the Michelin three-starred restaurant, Les Ambassadeurs, located in Paris, France. He also studied at the Michelin two-starred Le Hotel Carlton in Cannes, France and Michelin one-starred Le Maison du Seignuer in Brussels, Belgium. He is a graduate of the California Culinary Academy and  a member of the James Beard Foundation.

Matt was Executive Chef for several world-class resorts and restaurants located in both Arizona and California. Then in May 2006, Matt opened his own place – Méthode Bistro in Scottsdale, which we loved! Sadly, he sold it in 2008 – but happily he is back with The Grind. It’s a small neighborhood place reminiscent of something you might find in NYC or Chicago, with its 40-foot-long zinc bar and cozy booths.

Burgers are cooked in two custom-made 1000-degree coal-fired ovens which are the only ones of their kind in the States.  Matt gave us a look at them and a tour of the kitchen – pictured below – the ovens and “the line”.

The grass-fed beef patties are brushed with softened butter, salted, and cooked  in indiviual cast iron skillets placed in the oven for two minutes on each side. There are three kinds of burgers; steak house blt, sweet and spicy, and peppercorn crust. And three kinds of fries; herbed, duck fat country fries, and sweet potato fritters.

Sloane and I shared the sweet and spicy burger and the duck fat fries along with the fritters. We started with a most original appetizer…rosemary roasted camembert cheese with strawberry coulis and strawberry relish which you spread on toasted croutons. Loved it all! I’m sure you will too…

The Grind is located on the southwest corner of 40th Street and Camelback. You can check out the menu and more at The Grind website on this LINK. Thank you, Sloane for a great night out and thanks, Matt for a wonderful dinner… next time I’m going to take you up on those doughnuts for dessert!

Isn’t it strange how sometimes you go out for dinner and you are drawn to order the same thing at one restaurant and then another.  Recently, that item for me has been candied pecans. I use candied pecans often at home as well, but there is always something a little different about the ones I get while eating out. I finally asked a chef friend, what the difference was. He informed me that restaurants often first candy the nuts and then fry them. That makes sense, since I often wondered how their pecans were so much more “toasted” than mine. If you would rather not fry the nuts, just go to this previous post for candied almonds, and substitute pecans for the almonds.

You may be able to find balsamic glaze at the grocery store, I know that Trader Joe’s carried it at one time, not sure if they still do, but it is easy to make at home and easy to store extra for use again later.  I served this salad to three men last night, and in their honor, since they are “manly men”, this is a now referred to as a “manly man” salad!

Steak Salad with Creamy Horseradish Dressing and Balsamic Glaze

Restaurant-Style Candied Pecans
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
1 cup pecans, roughly chopped
Balsamic Glaze
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
Horseradish Dressing
1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons bottled horseradish
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup sour cream
Salad
3 small filet mignon steaks, each about 2-inches thick (beef tenderloin)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 cups mixed salad greens
20 cherry tomatoes, halved
12 large cremini mushrooms, ends trimmed and then sliced
8 ounces Gorgonzola, crumbled

Pecans: Using a medium heavy pot, bring water and sugar to a boil over high-heat. Once the sugar has dissolved, add pecans and lower heat to a simmer, cook about 8 minutes. Drain over a bowl. Set aside the sugar liquid in the bowl.

Wipe out the pan until dry, add oil and heat until oil is very hot, to approximately 375 degrees. Fry the nuts for 1 minute, drain over another bowl.

Place strainer with nuts over the pan the oil was in and pour the reserved sugar liquid over the nuts. Discard both the hot oil and the sugar liquid when they are cool.

Turn nuts out onto either a sheet of parchment paper or a Silpat and cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes to allow nuts to harden and crisp.

Balsamic Glaze: Pour the balsamic vinegar and sugar into a saucepan. Heat, stirring with a heat-resistant rubber spatula constantly for about 10 to 12 minutes until the sauce reduces by about half and coats the spatula. Do not boil, as the sugar will burn. Cool and store any extra glaze in a covered container.

Dressing: In a glass bowl, whisk together the vinegar, horseradish, mustard, salt, and pepper. Slowing whisk in the olive oil. Whisk in the sour cream, set aside.

Salad: Preheat a grill to high-heat. Generously season the steaks with salt and pepper and grill until desired doneness, about 8 minutes per side for medium-rare. Remove from grill and place on cutting board, allow to rest for 5 minutes before cutting into thin slices.

Divide the salad greens between four dinner plates, top with the tomatoes and mushrooms, toss each salad with 1 to 2 tablespoons of dressing. Place the steak slices on the salad and top with crumbled Gorgonzola, sprinkle with pecans and drizzle with balsamic glaze.

Serves 4

Peggy and I went to lunch today at our amazing mall, Scottsdale Fashion Square.  We ate at the new Fox Restaurant Concepts place called Modern Steak. Lunch was perfectly delish but what really stayed with me was a cocktail Peggy ordered called “Retail Therapy” (that name is just too cute!)  Once I tasted it, I wished I had ordered it too!  So, I came home, worked on it for awhile, and believe I have come close to duplicating it.  I’m calling my version, “Summer in a Glass” for obvious reasons.  It calls for simple syrup and for muddling, just as my Cucumber Martini did, so click here to go to that previous post if you need help with either the muddling technique or the simple syrup recipe. Thank you dear Peggy for lunch and my beautiful gift, but most of all, thank you for the gift of your friendship! xoxo

“Summer in a Glass” Martini

6 fresh or frozen (thawed) strawberries, stemmed
6 large basil leaves
1 ounce (2 tablespoons) simple syrup, chilled
Ice
3 ounces (about 1/3 cup) Absolute Citron vodka
1 ounce (2 tablespoons) Grand Marnier
Strawberry slices and basil leaves for garnish
Lemon juice, optional

In a cocktail shaker, muddle the strawberries and basil with the simple syrup. Fill 3/4 full with ice and add the vodka and Grand Marnier. Shake well, strain into two chilled martini glasses and garnish with a strawberry and basil leaf.  Taste and add a squeeze of lemon juice if it is too sweet for your taste. Serve immediately.

Makes 2

I had a lovely birthday, thank-you for all your sweet birthday wishes.  My wonderful friends, Ronnie, Amy and Lori took me to the Queen Creek Olive Mill for lunch; it was a gorgeous afteroon that we spend under the olive trees enjoying wine, antipasto, and sandwiches. Afterwards, we headed off to the Pork Shop and unfortunately, we discovered that they are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, so no amazing bacon, sausages or chorizo for us to take home….next time we’ll remember that! For my birthday dinner, Dave took me to Prado at the InterContinental Montelucia Resort and Spa where we shared a bottle of wine and Paella with mussels, clams and scallops. It was tasty, but I have to say my paella is really much better; I include sausage, chicken, and shrimp plus peas.  I’ll have to make it next time the kids come home and post the recipe.  Until then, we have Halloween to contend with, so here is a fun Spider-Web cake that is fun for kids but has an adult taste, with the addition of Espresso in the frosting.  You will find the Medaglia D’Oro instant espresso powder at any Italian Deli or locally at A.J.’s or on the web at this link. I use it often in baking and once you try it you will too, so invest in a jar now and I promise I’ll be posting more recipes using it in the future.  I am working tonight, and certainly don’t need to have a whole cake around the house, so I’ll be dropping it off at our monthly neighborhood Bunko night for the ladies to enjoy.

For the 7-minute frosting, or anytime you are beating egg whites, be sure the bowl and the beaters are completely clean and free of any grease.  The egg whites will not beat up and increase in volume with even a trace amount of fat, such as from the egg yolk, present.  Also, eggs separate much easier when the are cold, straight from the refrigerator, but they whip up best when they are at room temperature, so separate them a little bit ahead of time. Finally, ever wonder what my kitchen looks like after I’m done cooking and taking all these pictures and ready to put up a new post? You’ll see at the bottom of this recipe – scary indeed!

Halloween Spiderweb Candy Cake with 7-Minute Espresso Frosting

Cake
1 package (18.25 ounces) devil’s food cake mix
Water, vegetable oil and eggs as called for on cake mix box

Web and Spider
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Frosting
2 large egg whites
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder

6 ounces (16 mini-trick-or-treat size) Twix candy bars cut into chunks
48-50 black and white M&M’s or other small Halloween candies of your choice (such as liquorish pieces, candy corn, Reece’s pieces, etc.)

web "template"

spider "template"

Bake cake in two 8-inch round cake pans with cake mix, water, oil, and eggs following the directions on the back of cake mix box. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 12 minutes in pans on racks, remove from pans and cool completely on racks before frosting.

outline spider and web spokes, outline center, peeling off parchment

While cake is baking and cooling; make the spider and her web: On a sheet of paper draw an 11-inch circle with a pen or pencil and draw a spiderweb on it, extending the ends beyond the circle.  On another sheet of paper draw a spider. (see pictures). Place the pictures on the counter and place a piece of parchment paper over the drawings and tape parchment to counter to keep in place.

In a microwave melt chocolate chips about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally until smooth. Transfer chocolate to a pastry bag fitted with a #3 plain tip.  Pipe chocolate onto the parchment outlining and filling in the spider. Then outline the web, beginning with spokes, and then the circles.  Transfer parchment to a baking sheet and place in freezer until very firm, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.

beating over simmering water, halfway done, 7 minutes later- fluffy and ready

Frosting: In a metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water beat frosting ingredients with a hand-held electric mixer on low speed until mixture is warm and sugar is dissolved. Beat frosting on high speed 7 minutes, or until thick and fluffy. Remove bowl from heat and beat frosting until slightly cooled.

Assemble: Using a serrated knife, cut both cake layers in half horizontally for a total of four thin layers. Put one cake layer on a cake plate and spread top with a thin layer of frosting. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the Twix chunks. Repeat with 2 more cake layers, thin amounts of frosting and the remaining 2/3 of Twix chunks. Top with the final cake layer and frost entire cake with remaining frosting.  Press the black and white M&M’s into frosting around the bottom edge of the cake.

chopping Twix, 1st layer with candy, 3rd layer

Cut the corner of the parchment with the spider on it away from the parchment with the web and leave the spider in the freezer. Working quickly, invert parchment paper with frozen web onto another sheet of parchment and peel off paper quickly but carefully.

web placed on cake, allow to soften before pressing down.

Invert spiderweb carefully onto cake and allow to soften at room temperature until overhanging edges begin to droop. Press overhang gently (do not force it, allow to soften more, if necessary) against side of cake. Carefully peel off the spider from the parchment and perch on its web. Cake may be assembled and decorated 4 hours ahead, chilled. Let cake stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.

Serves 10 -12

Beautiful birthday flowers in a scary and messy kitchen!

I brought home a “doggie-bag” with a couple wedges of leftover cheese crisp and made it into a dinner for Dave by topping with two fried eggs.  I love cheese crisps, as you can see here, they are so easy and versatile. Honestly, they can be breakfast, lunch, snack, or even dinner!  And they can be as simple as a tortilla topped with good old cheddar cheese or dressed up as this one is with fun Mexican and Spanish cheeses and a variety of toppings.  All these cheeses are white and I think it makes for a prettier and more interesting crisp!

Asadero is a semi-firm Mexican cheese that is great for melting; it becomes creamy without giving off any oil, even at very high temperatures. It has a light, fresh, and slightly tangy taste. Manchego is a Spanish sheep’s milk cheese; its flavor is very distinctive, slightly salty but not too strong. It is creamy and tastes similar to feta cheese. Oaxaca cheese is a white, semi-hard cheese of Mexican origin, similar to Monterey Jack cheese but with a mozzarella-like texture.

If you need instruction or a reminder on how to roast the poblano pepper, go to “Roasting Peppers” in the Tip Index.

Chorizo, Roasted Poblano & Cilantro Cheese Crisp

2 ounces grated asadero cheese
2 ounces grated manchego cheese
2 ounces grated Oaxaca cheese
1/2 pound chorizo sausage
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
2 large flour tortillas
1 poblano pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced
1 large ripe tomato, diced
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

8 fried or poached eggs

Mix together asadero, manchego, and Oaxaca cheeses in a small bowl.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cover a baking sheet with foil and set aside.

Crumble chorizo sausage in a large skillet, stir over medium-high heat, breaking up, until cooked through and browned.  Remove to paper towels with a slotted spoon to drain.  Pour off all fat and wipe skillet clean with a paper towel.  Return skillet to burner and add 1 tablespoon oil, when hot fry one of the tortillas on each side until golden brown.  Drain well on paper towels.  Repeat with remaining tablespoon oil and tortilla. Allow tortillas to cool.

Place crisp tortillas on foil covered baking sheet.  Sprinkle each with the cheese mixture. Top each with chorizo, pepper strips, diced tomato and cilantro.  Bake in preheated oven for 5 minutes or just until cheese is completely melted.  Remove from oven and use a pizza cutter or large knife to cut into 8 wedges.

Place two wedges on each plate and top each wedge with a fried or poached egg.  Serve immediately.

Serves 4

Marissa drove home yesterday and stayed overnight, just a pit-stop on her way to Las Vegas for a girls’ weekend. She and I took Dave out for his belated birthday dinner.  Our family tradition is to take the birthday boy/girl out for a nice dinner to a place he/she has never been before, and it’s always a surprise to that person right until the moment we pull into the parking lot. I chose a seafood restaurant that has been here in Scottsdale since 1971, but for whatever reason, Dave has never been there. I had not been there since I was in high school, I  don’t know why!  It’s this cool “old school” place called The Salt Cellar and the seafood was as good as any we’ve ever had on either the East or West Coast!  Dave had a Maine lobster and Marissa and I each had crab legs.  So Good!!!  We had several left over crab legs and those high-end leftovers are what inspired this “have fun in Vegas – but please be Careful and Safe!” breakfast.

If you don’t have an oven-proof skillet, meaning a skillet with a handle that won’t be ruined under a broiler, just tightly wrap the handle of the skillet several times with aluminum foil, now it is oven or broiler-proof.

Crab and Vegetable Frittata

1 medium russet potato
1 medium shallot, peeled and minced
3/4 cup diced zucchini
1/4 cup diced bell pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 eggs
1/3 cup fat free half-and-half
1 cup shredded Pepper Jack cheese, divided
1 cup fresh crabmeat
2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese

Preheat broiler.  Pierce the potato several times with a small knife, wrap in a paper towel and microwave on high for 5 minutes.  Remove from microwave and using the paper towel to hold the hot potato, peel with a small knife. Cut potato into 1/2-inch cubes.

Melt butter in heavy broiler-proof 10-inch-diameter nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add potato cubes, zucchini, and bell pepper, season lightly with salt and pepper, and sauté until tender, about 6 minutes.

Whisk eggs, half-and-half, 3/4 cup of the pepper-jack cheese and the crabmeat in a medium bowl, season with pepper. Add egg-crab mixture to skillet; fold gently to combine. Cook, without stirring, until eggs are almost set about 3 minutes.

Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup pepper jack cheese and Parmesan cheese. Place pan on top shelf of oven and broil until frittata is puffed and cheese begins to turn golden, about 3 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve.

Serves 6 to 8

In a comment on the “Pomegranate – Another Super Food” post, Marissa requested a guacamole recipe that includes pomegranate seeds.  This amazingly delicious recipe comes from Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza, chef/owner of Bario Cafe in Phoenix, Arizona. It is simple and straight forward and oh so addictive!  Over the years, I’ve made one tiny change – and that is changing the serving size.  The original recipe was half the amount that I have here to serve four.  Believe me, it was never enough, so I have doubled the ingredients and now it really will serve four and they will be a very happy four people!  One of the best tips ever – to slice or dice an avocado, cut in half as usual and remove the pit.  Place one half of the avocado in the palm of your hand and, using a table knife, slice or dice the flesh while still in the shell/peel. Repeat with remaining half and then, using a spoon, scoop out the avocado out and into a bowl or onto a plate.  No need to peel, easy, and no mess!  Another bonus, if you have a large quantity of avocados to slice for use later in the day, slice or dice as directed, then replace the pit and put the avocado back together like puzzle pieces and wrap tightly in plastic wrap, set aside, then just scoop out when ready.  This keeps the avocado from turning brown and prevents you from having to prep it all at the last minute.

avocado diced in the shell, ready to scoop out

Guacamole from Bario Cafe

2 avocado
2 heaping tablespoons diced tomatoes
2 heaping tablespoons diced Spanish or red onion
2 heaping tablespoons of jalapeño, seeded and diced
2 heaping tablespoons diced fresh cilantro
1 fresh lime
Salt and fresh-cracked pepper to taste
2 heaping tablespoons fresh pomegranate arils (seeds)

Dice avocado into small chunks and place in a serving bowl. Add tomatoes, onion, jalapeño and cilantro. Squeeze fresh lime juice over mixture. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Fold together gently. Add pomegranate seeds. Mix gently and serve immediately with your favorite tortilla chips.

Serves 4