Challenge Accepted

I recently participated in a very fun project hosted by one of my favorite blogs, The Bitten Word. Cover to Cover 2013 assigned each volunteer a recipe from the September 2013 issue of Bon Appetit. This is the dish I was assigned:

Carrot and Beet Slaw with Pistachios and Raisins

I provided the following review: "This lightly-dressed slaw is the perfect side for a BBQ, but with it's jewel tones and earthy flavor it would be just as at home on the Thanksgiving table."

It's true. I had fun trying something new, and testing out my julienne skills! And it reminded me what a great alternative white wine vinegar is to red or balsamic. I would definitely make this slaw again.

Avocado with Goat Cheese, Blueberry & Sunflower Seeds

I traveled to visit a friend in Bentonville, Arkansas over Memorial Day weekend. We had meals at some very memorable places: The Hive, where I tried a 25-minute egg; Tusk & Trotter for brunch; and lastly a casual dinner at the Press Room, a coffee shop with breakfast, lunch & small plates. At the Press Room, one of the dishes we shared was the avocado chevre crostini: crostini topped with sunflower seed pesto, celery, chevre, avocado and arugula.

It was then I realized that I do like avocado, but had always avoided it because it was typically in the form of guacamole and guac always contains onions. But the avocado on this crostini was simply sliced, and the combination of that with sunflower seed pesto and goat cheese was just fantastic. I'm so glad I tried it, and the flavor combo has stuck with me since. This has been my breakfast more days than not, smashed avocado with goat cheese, blueberries and sunflower seeds on a whole-wheat English muffin. All the healthy fats right?! Sure, we'll just say that.

All the Things!

Balsamic. Bourbon. Brown Sugar. Bacon. Tomatoes. Alfredo. Chicken. Pasta.

Everything!

I changed the marinade for the chicken, trying to be clever, but it didn't work. It needs to remain: olive oil, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, steak seasoning. I subbed out some of the vinegar with bourbon and it failed. It was tasteless, it just wasn't the right combo. Maybe on steak? But from now on I will stick with the original chicken marinade recipe - from Pioneer Woman. That really is magical on its own.

Also, did the organic chicken tenders from Trader Joe's really taste a hundred times better or was it just me? Seriously a difference.

Hit Rock Bottom-

Rock Bottom Brewery, formerly know as Big River Grille.

The menu is similar, and the beer remains brewed in-house,

but the best part of the new incarnation is the third story patio:

So, so awesome. An indoor/outdoor bar, and seats overlooking the 2nd Avenue and the Cumberland. It is just perfect. The menu on the patio is limited from what is offered downstairs in the restaurant,

but it's fine. Honestly, with that view and relaxing atmosphere, it's the perfect place for drinks.

Rock Bottom Nashville

Flank Steak with Asparagus & Parmesan Cheese Grits

'Cause Tuesday.

Polenta Pizza

I'm documenting this because I think it does work - it just didn't for me. The recipe is just what it says, a pizza crust made of polenta. And for me it inspires more classy toppings like tapenade, goat cheese, red peppers and olive oil and balsamic glaze. There's mushrooms involved in there too. This is not a three-meat pan pizza special with a side of chicken wingz and chocolate dipperz.

The crust is delicate though. It is not a pizza you can eat with your hands, it is definitely a 'fork' pizza. And at the end of the day, I kind of thought it wasn't really necessary to make the polenta into a crust - it could just be a bowl of polenta (or slices) with all of the toppings piled on. The crust gets a little crispy the the oven, but not much.

Or maybe I'm lazy, or maybe I'm weary of 830802485034875209 days of winter.

But, I'm glad I tried it and while it's not very pretty, it was delicious. And it's gluten-free and stuff. The recipe is here, from Macheesmo.

Short Rib & Sausage Ragu

 

I've wanted to cook with short ribs for some time now, and finally had an opportunity this week. They were on sale at Publix and I found a delicious recipe. But of course I made some changes.

I used a recipe from Serious Eats, Cheesy Short Rib and Sausage Lasagna Soup. But I wanted more of a sauce that I could put over pasta or polenta. So I omitted 5 cups of chicken broth. Other than that, I followed the directions, except I added diced carrots (a la bolognese) and 1 tablespoon of sugar.

 

It turned out well! I cooked it for 2 hours (I love my Lodge pot :) and then removed the bay leaves and bones and shredded the meat back into the sauce. After cooking short rib meat has a pot roast consistency, tender but with some chewiness. I skimmed the fat off and brought it back to a boil before serving with ricotta and shredded cheeses. In hindsight, it would be easier to prepare this a day before, and remove the fat after it's been refrigerated. But it all worked out and it was delicious and spicy and warm. I like this recipe - it would be easy to add some mushrooms, or use it in an actual lasagna. 

Short ribs FTW!

 

 

The obligatory artsy-filtered picture.

Beer Batter Bread (with a side of White Chicken Chili)

When I try a new recipe it's usually from a blog, so there are usually pictures, that in my mind, represent how my finished product should look.

My finished products usually don't look like those on the blog. For example, this White Chicken Chili. Which tastes delicious - it was perfect, in my opinion. It was a little spicy and quite tasty, full of jalapenos, chilis, and corn and I added some lime juice and cilantro. But it's not very pretty. And it didn't thicken up as much as I would have liked, but actually it was probably just as close in consistency as red chili. So maybe it's fine. Either way, the main star of this post now is what was the side to my chili, Beer Batter Bread.

I was immediately drawn to this recipe because I am not a baker. Yeast and I are mortal enemies, and nothing I have baked using yeast has turned out. Ever. This bread sounded simple enough: flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, beer. I used Blue Moon, a belgian-style wheat ale. And it did turn out - but, next time I would up the salt to 2 teaspoons. It was a little floury and bland for me. I'm not sure exactly how much influence the beer has, so I wonder how different flavors and styles of beer would work. But that is an experiment I don't mind repeating.

Beer Batter Bread
from Tracy's Culinary Adventures

3 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 (12 oz) bottle beer, at room temperature and unopened
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375 F. Spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt together until combined. Open the beer and immediately pour it all into the bowl with the dry ingredients (there will be lots of foam). Stir the batter with a spoon or spatula until it just comes together.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, spreading it into an even layer. Drizzle the melted butter over the top of the batter. Bake for about 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and allow the bread to cool for 5 minutes before turning it out of the pan.

<-----the meh-looking, super-delicious 

White Chicken Chili (from the Kitchn)

Farro



Well, it's not a pretty dish, but it was delicious.

This is a Mediterranean Farro Salad, with carrots replacing the tomatoes. I started seeing farro on menus, and wanted to try it. Farro is a grain that is reminiscent of brown rice, but much lighter, in heft and taste. It has fiber, magnesium, iron and vitamins A, B, C and E and it's low in gluten. It also low in fat, and 200 calories per cup. It's chewy, and made me feel like I ate a more solid meal than the usual grilled chicken salad. It was a nice change, anyway. You could add chicken to this salad and not feel bad about it though, farro isn't that high in protein.

Mediterranean Farro Salad
Modified from an Archer Farms recipe

2 cups cooked farro
1/2 cup diced red pepper
1/2 cup diced tomato
1/2 chopped parsley
1/4 kalamata olives, chopped
1/4 feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette

Mix!

One Year Ago--

I created this site. And discovered over-easy eggs, evidenced by the meticulously pierced yolk running all over my pictures the first few months. I also realized breakfast is my favorite meal, any time of the day.

This is my second or third attempt at a food blog and the one I'm happiest with. It's not traditional or consistent, but it's fun. I'm so shy - I duck in and out of Nashville's food scene - but hopefully I can start posting more about the great restaurants I visit.

That said, here are some random, not-blogworthy-but-interesting-nonetheless creations from the past year.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispie roll. Ridiculously easy. Also the beginning of the 5 pounds I gained over the holidays.

 

An Alabama cake for my friend's birthday. I was pretty proud of myself for thinking to use Oreos for houndstooth.

 

Caramel Apple Pie in an apple. How original right. But those little caramel bits are the Devil when they get in your teeth.

 

Buffalo chicken salad - my "diet" trick is to put Ranch in a squeeze bottle. Less is more when it's light and evenly distributed.

Pasta & Broccoli with Butternut Squash Sauce

Well, lots of people are down with the sickness, so I thought I'd have some vitamins for dinner, specifically A, C and D plus potassium. As a bonus, it's easy to make a creamless (healthy) cream sauce by blending the squash with water or chicken broth. I added garlic, a little nutmeg, and a couple of splashes of Balsamic vinegar too. Delicious.

Parmesan & Butternut Squash Risotto with Sausage & Spinach

Because I was feeling fancy. And lonely & bored.