Tempt My Tummy - Pretzel Covered Fish

I have a hard time getting my kids to eat fish. A friend of mine suggested breading it with pretzels and panko. I didn't have panko crumbs so went with only crushed pretzels and we LOVED it. Even my oldest daughter asked for seconds. I had left over compound butter from a blackened catfish recipe I did the previous week, which put it over the top (I used plain butter on the kid's fillets). The fish was moist and flavorful.

Pretzel Covered Fish

4 fillets of whatever fish you like (We used Talapia)

1 cup pretzels

1 egg

butter or compound butter (below)

Crush pretzels inside an empty cereal bag/liner, because they are thicker than plastic bags, to avoid messy crumbs. My daughter had a rough day so she used a rubber mallet to crush them. There were some pretty large crumbs as you can see by the picture.

Butter the bottom of a baking dish (or use half of the compound butter). Coat the fish with an egg wash (I used only whites) then dip in pretzel crumbs. Drizzle with butter. Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes (or until fish is flaky - will really depend on the thickness of the fish).

Blackened Compound Butter

1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 tablespoon Creole seasoning

1/2 lemon, juiced (1 TBS or so)

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

Mix all.

Enjoy! Go find more Tempt My Tummy recipes at Blessed With Grace!

Do you have any other ways you can get kids to eat fish?

FNCCC - Week #11 Daisy Martinez

This week's featured chef is Daisy Martinez. You can tell by her list of recipes that she comes from a Latin background. Too many good things to choose from!

I chose the corn empanadas and was very happy with them. I had an oozing problem so the next time I make them I'll seal them much better. Now that I have discovered frozen empanada wrappers I will be creating many flavorful empanada delights! Think of the possibilities.... :)

Creamy Corn Empanadas: Humitas
Recipe courtesy Daisy Martinez

Ingredients
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika (is regular paprika the same?? that is what I used)
Kosher or fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper
2 cups frozen corn, defrosted (I used low salt canned corn)
1 heaping tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley (we left out for the kid's sake)
8 (6-inch) store-bought empanada wrappers, preferably red (seasoned)
Vegetable or canola oil (didn't fry them so I didn't need)

Directions
Make the filling: Heat the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook until smooth and bubbly, about 3 minutes. Add the milk slowly while whisking constantly. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly, paying special attention to the corners of the saucepan. Add the paprika and salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in the corn and parsley, return to a simmer. Scrape the filling into a bowl and cool completely before filling wrappers. (mine wasn't completely cool, we were hungry!)

Here is the corn filling that I was eating by the spoonful. It was so yummy!

To Form: Moisten the edges of 1 of the empanada wrappers with a fingertip dipped in warm water. Center a generous 1/3-cup of the filling on the wrapper. Bring the sides of the wrapper together to meet over the filling and pinch the sides together to seal and form a half-moon shape. Lay the half-moon flat on the work surface. Work you way around the edges, bringing about 1/2-inch of the bottom layer of dough up and over the top layer, to make a mini-pleat. Press as you go to seal the pleats. If you don't want to mess with crimping, just seal the edges all the way around with the tips of the tines of a fork.

(If I had a picture I would have messed with the crimping but no visual equals fork closure for me).

Fry the Empanadas: (empanadas may also be baked; see Note below): Pour enough vegetable or canola oil into a large heavy skillet to fill about 3/4-inch up the sides. Heat over medium heat until the tip of the handle of a wooden spoon immersed in the oil gives off a lively sizzle, about 375 degrees F. Carefully slip as many of the empanadas into the oil as will fit without crowding. Cook until the dough is lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Carefully flip and repeat. Drain briefly on paper towels before serving. Repeat with remaining empanadas.

I just have this phobia of frying foods. I like to eat them but don't like the grease smell it makes my house have for way too long after eating. So needless to say, I baked them.

Note: To bake empanadas, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or use a nonstick baking sheet. Bake until the empanadas are light golden brown, about 25 minutes. Cool a few minutes before serving. (we didn't wait)

Aren't they pretty?

So what did you make??

Tempt My Tummy - Crock Pot Refried Beans

I have been crazy for homemade for quite some time. This past week, while buying the hundredth can of refried beans this year, it dawned on me that I could be making these myself. Which turned out to be a great idea because they are easy, incredibly tasty AND a fraction of the cost of canned. I bought the 4 pound bag of dried beans and made a bunch - they freeze well.

Crock Pot Refried Beans

1 pound dried pinto beans, soaked overnight in cold water, rinsed, and drained.

1 medium onion (minced, if you want to keep them in there, or cut into big enough chunks to take them out after cooking. I left them in and you couldn't tell they were there)

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp coriander

1 TBS kosher salt (I would use a little less regular grain salt)

Combine all in the crock pot, add enough water to cover the beans and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or until the beans are tender. Strain (reserve liquid in case you need to thin the beans a little). Mash beans with a potato masher using reserved liquid to get them to the desired consistency. Enjoy!

While checking out recipes for this (the above is a combination of many) I made a list of things that could be added as well. If you are daring, try a variation!

Salsa

chili powder

bay leaves

cilantro

paprika

ham hocks

jalapenos

diced tomatoes

Enjoy! Go find more Tempt My Tummy recipes at Blessed With Grace!

FNCCC Week 10 - Claire Robinson

This week's featured chef is Claire Robinson who is the host of Food Network's 5 Ingredient Fix. This was a tasty recipe. Too much of lots of ingredients but it was good! While plating the meal I had to laugh at my completely orange meal....on an orange plate. So much for a rainbow meal :)

Blackened Catfish

Compound Butter: (we only used half of this)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon Creole seasoning
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped chives (we didn't have any so it didn't get included)

Catfish:
2 lemons, thinly sliced
Compound butter
4 (8-ounce) fresh skinless, boneless catfish fillets (we used grouper)

1/4 cup Creole seasoning (recommended: Tony Chachere's) - I even found this brand, but didn't use nearly as much as recommended.

Whole chives, for garnishing

Directions
In a bowl, add the butter, Creole spices, lemon zest and juice, salt and pepper and mix to combine. Stir in the chopped chives and set aside. The butter can be made ahead and chilled; bring to room temperature before using.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Preheat a large well-seasoned cast iron skillet or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Line the bottom of a 9 by 11-inch baking dish with the lemon slices and dollop half of the compound butter evenly over the lemon.

Evenly coat both sides of each fish fillet with 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning. Working in batches if necessary, add the seasoned fillets to the hot skillet, and cook 2 minutes on each side to just toast and brown the seasoning. With a spatula, carefully place the seared fish on top of the buttered lemon slices in the baking dish. Bake until fish easily breaks apart with a fork, 12 to 15 minutes. Immediately top each hot fillet with a spoonful of compound butter; transfer to heated serving plates and garnish with a few whole fresh chives crossed like an x over each fillet.

So what recipe did you tackle this week? Link your post to Mr. Linky below.

Tempt My Tummy - Grilled Eggplant

A few months back I was turned on to grilled asparagus and have not wanted it any other way. Last night we grilled asparagus, corn on the cob, and eggplant. The eggplant was an experiment but it was fantastic!! The best part is, it couldn't be more simple (unless you just ate it raw).

Recipe:

Slice eggplant in 1/4 inch slices (the thinner slices were better tasting)

olive oil

salt (I LOVE kosher salt for grilled veggies)

pepper

Drizzle oil over slices and top with salt and pepper. Grill until brown. Don't be scared to keep them on the grill until they are nice and dark brown. They look a little soggy at that point but they are delicious! Beware, you may never go back to cooking veggies any other way!

Enjoy! Go find more Tempt My Tummy recipes at Blessed With Grace!

FNCCC Week 9 - Cat Cora

This week's featured chef is Cat Cora, who has been on numerous FN shows. If you looked at her recipes at FN you realize her Greek heritage runs deep in her cooking. I wish I had time to make some of those Greek dishes but ran short on time. I have her Avgolemono: Chicken Soup with Egg-Lemon Sauce on my must-try list. Hopefully one of you chose that one so I know if it should stay there :)

I just happened to buy broccoli slaw last week so needed a recipe to use it. I don't like mayonnaise based slaw so this was great for me. Very tasty. Very easy. I would make it again.

Cat's Broccoli Slaw
Recipe courtesy Cat Cora

--

Ingredients
Dressing:
1/3 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons hot sauce (I only had wing sauce so used that)
1 teaspoon celery seeds
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 packages broccoli slaw
Directions
In a large bowl, whisk together the mustard and the sugar. Slowly add in the remaining ingredients for the dressing, continuing to whisk. Add in the broccoli slaw and mix thoroughly.

So what did you cook? Enter your link below!

FNCCC Week 8 - Brian Boitono

This week the featured chef was Brian Boitono, figure skater turned FN chef/host. His show is really new and has only aired 4 episodes, so the pickin's were slim (unless you opted to do another recipe from a previously featured chef, or maybe one you missed). I didn't think I would be able to choose one from Brian that would fit my family but decided to give this one a shot. It was a winner. Everyone ate it (some things were picked out by the girls) but overall it was very tasty and I would make it again. The croutons themselves were WONDERFUL!

Tomato and Garlic Crouton Salad
Recipe courtesy Brian Boitano 2009

Serves:
6 servings
Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus 1/4 cup
3 tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 loaf ciabatta bread, cut into small cubes
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 pints red and yellow, grape and pear tomatoes, sliced in 1/2
1 cup halved, sliced kalamata olives (I didn't add these because everyone would have picked them out)
1/2 pound perlini mozzarella (couldn't find this specific so used fresh mozzarella, cubed)
8 basil leaves, chopped
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
In a small skillet over medium-low heat, add 3 tablespoons olive oil, the butter, garlic, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper, to taste. Cook to infuse the butter and oil with the garlic, about 4 minutes.
Add the cubed bread to a large bowl, pour the butter and garlic mixture over the bread and toss to coat. Transfer to a sheet tray and bake until crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.
In a small bowl whisk together the remaining olive oil and red wine vinegar and set aside.
In a large serving bowl, combine the tomatoes, olives, mozzarella, croutons, basil, and the oil and vinegar mixture. Gently toss to coat all the tomatoes and croutons. Let the salad sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Can't wait to see what you are cooking. Link your recipe posts below. Next week we will be cooking and posting recipes from Cat Cora, who has a ton of recipes to choose from. She was the first female Iron Chef. Neat.

Tempt My Tummy - Baked Eggplant Parmesan

This is one of my favorite recipes....and nobody in the family likes it but me. I'm OK with that because that means I get to eat leftovers all week long :) I like that it is baked and not fried. And I make everyone try a bite or two then serve with a side of spaghetti noodles.

Baked Eggplant Parmesan

1 1/2 cups bread crumbs (make your own from all of the heals that your kids refuse to eat :)

1 cup wheat flour (or get rid of this step all together)

2 tsp. Italian seasoning

2 cups Parmesan cheese

3 eggs, beaten with 1 Tbs water

2 medium eggplants cut into 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices (you can peel it but I like the extra fiber, I like thick slices because it seems more "meaty" but thin slices are more the norm)

spaghetti sauce (I don't have an exact measurement because I use a bag of my own from the freezer but you could use about 2 jars of store bought....depending how saucy you like it)

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350. In medium bowl combine bread crumbs, spice, and 1 cup Parmesan cheese. Put flour in another bowl and egg mixture in another. Dredge in flour, then egg, them bread crumbs. You can skip the flour I just have always done it (anyone know why??). Arrange slices on a sprayed cookie sheet. Bake 20 minutes or until golden.

2. In 13x9 baking dish, spread about 2 cups of spaghetti sauce. Layer half of the baked eggplant, then 1 cup sauce, and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat.

3. Bake covered for 45 minutes. Remove cover, sprinkle with mozzarella and bake an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Enjoy! Go find more Tempt My Tummy recipes at Blessed With Grace!

FNCCC Week 7 - The Deen Brothers

I chose a "Lady and Sons" recipe from Food Network, to include the Deen Brothers. Asparagus was on sale this week again and after falling in love with grilled asparagus from a recipe a few weeks ago I couldn't wait to try this....but I had to wait until I was cooking for myself (I knew nobody else in the house would want it).



I grilled a big bunch of asparagus and used in on a salad as well. With that being done in advance, this recipes was quick and easy to prepare and SUPER delicious!! It's a grown up grilled cheese. I did not make her Thousand Island Dressing as listed because I was only making one sandwich and don't use it on salads. I used the ingredients she listed in questionable amounts (I don't know what Thousand Island is supposed to taste like) and I liked my concoction - but can't vouch for hers. I saved the leftover asparagus so I could make another one of these tomorrow. Two thumbs up!!



Lady and Sons Asparagus Sandwich
Recipe courtesy Paula Deen
Serves:
1 sandwich


Ingredients
8 to 10 fresh asparagus spears, washed and trimmed
2 tablespoons butter, divided
Salt and pepper or lemon pepper
2 slices pumpernickel bread
2 slices Jack cheese (I only had shredded, so used that)
1 or 2 tablespoons Thousand Island Dressing, recipe follows
3 slices red onion, cut into rings
Pickle slices or fresh parsley, for garnish, optional

Directions
Blanch asparagus spears in boiling, salted water for 1 minute. Remove immediately to a bowl of ice water.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add asparagus and lightly saute. Season with salt and pepper, or lemon pepper. Remove asparagus from pan and set aside. (I skipped this whole step and used grilled asparagus)


Butter 2 pieces of bread with the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Place bread in the same skillet, buttered side down, and grill on 1 side. Flip bread and lay 1 piece of cheese on each slice of bread. Grill until cheese is melted and then remove from pan.


Spread desired amount of dressing on top of each slice of bread. Arrange asparagus on top of cheese, rotating the spears. Place onion rings on top of asparagus. Cut sandwich in half. Garnish with pickle slices or parsley, if desired.


Thousand Island Dressing:
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1 hard-boiled egg, crushed finely
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup dill relish
Salt and pepper
Lemon pepper
In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients together. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon pepper, to taste. Store in an air-tight container and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Yield: 2 3/4 cups

So what Deen Family recipe did you try out?? Next week we'll post a recipe by Brian Boitano , yes, the skater turned FN chef/host. OR, because there are only 21 eclectic recipes listed by Brian Boitano (there are only 4 episodes), do a recipe from a chef we have already posted about but you didn't get around to trying. I have several of these!

On a side note, Rebekah added her Alton Brown Southern Biscuits to the challenge a few weeks ago. Check them out here. They are pretty! And Tanya, who posts on Facebook, I love your posts but can't figure out a way to comment. I want that bacon!

Tempt My Tummy - Chicken and Dumplings

I made chicken and dumplings for the first time last week and LOVED it! It's the northern way (like stew with fluffy dumplings).....not southern (with only chicken and the little slippery dumplings that are more like thick noodles). I made extra broth out of the carcass as well (in the crock pot) - bonus! The recipe (and picture) I used comes from Penzey's Spices. If you have never heard of them, go visit. They have excellent recipes and spices! If you are lucky enough to have a store near by you should definitely consider going.

Chicken and Dumplings
1 fryer chicken, cut up

2 tsp. your favorite SEASONING (we used NORTHWOODS)
2 TB. canola (vegetable) oil (I didn't use oil)
3 Cups water or chicken broth
1 WHOLE BAY LEAF
1 Cup celery, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 small onion, chopped (1/2 Cup) (I used more)
1 Cup carrots, cut into small pieces
1-11/2 tsp. salt (too much for us)
1/2 tsp. PENZEYS FRESHLY GROUND PEPPER
1/3 Cup flour or chicken gravy mix
1/2 Cup water

Dumplings:
2 Cups flour (I used 1 cup wheat and 1 cup white)
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. PENZEYS FRESHLY GROUND PEPPER (I didn't use because of the kids)
2 TB. butter
1 Cup milk

Preheat oven to 375°. Place the chicken in a pan and SEASON. Bake the chicken until browned, about 30 minutes. It doesn’t need to be fully done. Remove the chicken from the bones and skin and set aside.

Place the bones and skin in a soup pot and cover with the water. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Add the BAY LEAF. Cook for 45 minutes.

While the stock is cooking, cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces.

Strain the stock and return to the pot.

Add the chicken, celery, onion and carrot to the pot. Add the salt and PEPPER. Simmer for 30 minutes, using a large spoon to skim off any fat that rises to the top.

Combine the flour and water and whisk to a smooth paste. Slowly drizzle into the broth, stirring continuously, until the desired consistency.

Dumplings

Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and PEPPER.

Cut in the butter and blend until you have pea-sized bits of dough. Add the milk and stir until mixed.

Drop by the teaspoon into the broth and chicken mixture. Cover and simmer until the dumplings become light and fluffy (about 10 minutes).

Check out Blessed With Grace for some more Tempt My Tummy recipes!

FNCCC Week 6 - Bobby Flay

I got my recipe out of Bobby Flay's "Mesa Grill Cookbook" from which I want to try about a dozen recipes. I chose Queso Fundido with Roasted Poblano Vinaigrette.

WOW! Loved, loved, loved it (and it got great reviews from all my spicy loving friends). The poblano vinaigrette is amazing and made the queso special. Leftovers warmed up nicely and still had wonderful flavor. I will make this again in a heartbeat.

Here are the roasted poblanos. Aren't they pretty?

QUESO FUNDIDO WITH ROASTED POBLANO VINAIGRETTE

1 TBS unsalted butter

1 TBS all-purpose flour (I used wheat)

1 cup whole milk

3 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper

8 ounces fresh goat cheese, cut into 8 slices (I used 8 ounces of crumbled)

Roasted Poblano Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

2 TBS chopped fresh cilantro

Tortilla chips

1. Preheat the broiler

2. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for one minute. Whisk in the milk and cooked until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the Monterey Jack cheese; season with the salt and pepper.

3. Scrape the mixture into an 8-inch cast iron skillet and place slices of goat cheese over top. Pu the pan under the broiler and brown until the goat cheese is golden on top. Remove from the over an drizzle with the poblano vinaigrette and sprinkle with cilantro. Serve with chips.

Roasted Poblano Vinaigrette

2 poblano chilies, roasted, peeled, seeded, and chopped
2 TSB cold water
1 TBS red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tsp honey
1/4 cup canola oil
salt and pepper to taste

Combine everything in a blender and puree until smooth. This can be made up to 8 hours in advance and refrigerated.

Next week we will tackle a recipe from Bobby and Jamie Deen - no recipes on FN (although you can do a search for "Lady and Sons" and can find some) so you can do a Paula Deen recipe instead (it's a long time until we get to her again and she has a TON of recipes :) If you have one of their cookbooks, feel free to use a recipe from there! - post October 14, 2009

Can't wait to see what you are cooking!

Kids in the Kitchen - Popcorn Ball Ice Cream Cones

We made these that I saw in a magazine a while back. Any popcorn ball recipe you have would work (colors would be cute).

Spray your mixing bowl with cooking spray. Measure 8 cups of popcorn into bowl. The recipe called for 2/3 cup slivered, toasted almonds as well. You could add all sorts of stuff to them for variety. Did you notice Little Bit in the background scooping popcorn??

Melt 4 TBS unsalted butter in a medium sauce pan. Add a bag of marshmallows and stir until melted. Add marshmallow mixture to the popcorn and mix until well coated. When it's cool enough to handle, spray hands with cooking spray (or coat with butter), Fill cones with popcorn and make a ice cream scoop looking ball on top. Cut holes in a box so the cones can cool standing up.

Cute, huh? They are fun eating. Especially if you don't like your hands to get sticky.

Go over to A Little Fun With Me and Lu to check out more Kids in the Kitchen posts!

FNCCC Week 5 - Anne Burrell

This week's chef was Anne Burrell who didn't have a ton of recipes but some pretty interesting sounding ones! I'm not sure why I have a hard time trying recipes that don't have pictures along side them, which this one did not. I guess I'm a visual kind of person.

I got pretty far out of my comfort zone with Grilled Asparagus with Poached Egg, Parmigiano and Lemon Zest. I like all the components of this recipe but have not had them all together. The reason I picked this is that I have never poached an egg before and wanted to try. I survived. So did the eggs. And here is a picture to prove it :)

Grilled Asparagus with Poached Egg, Parmigiano and Lemon Zest

Recipe courtesy Anne Burrell

Ingredients

1 bunch asparagus

High quality extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

4 slices rustic Italian bread (I am bread in the bread machine for this)

1 clove garlic

3 tablespoons white vinegar

4 large organic eggs

2 cups baby washed arugula (couldn't find it so used another kind)

1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1 lemon, zested

Directions

Preheat grill or grill pan.

Holding the tip and stem of each asparagus spear snap the asparagus where it will naturally break. Discard the ends. Toss the asparagus with oil and salt, to taste. Grill the asparagus until slightly charred and pliable on all sides. Remove to a platter and reserve at room temperature. Grill each slice of bread until crispy and slightly charred on both sides. Rub each piece of bread vigorously with the raw garlic clove. Reserve with the asparagus.

Fill a bowl with cold tap water and 4 to 5 ice cubes. This will be the holding area for the eggs after they have been poached. Keep the bowl near the stove.

Fill a medium saucepan 2/3 of the way with water. Add the white vinegar and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat on the burner until the bubbles in the water have subsided. Gently crack and drop each egg into the water. Cook the eggs for 3 to 4 minutes. When done the whites will be cooked through and the yolks will be warm but still liquid. Using a slotted spoon remove the eggs from the saucepan and place in the bowl of cold water. Reserve.

To assemble the salad: Toss the arugula with half of the lemon juice, a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Gently toss the salad until coated with the lemon and olive oil. Add more lemon juice and oil if needed. TASTE IT! The salad should be dressed and flavorful but not soggy. Divide the arugula between 4 individual plates. Arrange the asparagus on top of the arugula on each plate.

While dressing the salad bring the saucepan of poaching water to a simmer. Gently return the eggs to the saucepan until heated through, about 1 to 2 minutes. When the eggs are hot, remove them from the pan with a slotted spoon and gently blot on a tea towel to remove any excess water. Immediately place 1 egg on top of the asparagus on each plate. Sprinkle each with salt, Parmigiano and lemon zest. Drizzle each piece of grilled bread generously with olive oil and cut in half on the bias, lean the toast halves against each egg.

Verdict: I loved it. I never would have guess that all of that mixed together would create such a nice flavor. Eggs, salad and asparagus. Who would have thought? I especially liked the grilled asparagus and will prepare it this way every time (every time that dear husband is willing to do it). I didn't attempt to feed this to the kids.

What did YOU cook this week?? Can't wait to see! Next week we will be cooking something from Bobby Flay (one of my favorites!).

Kids in the Kitchen - Rice Crispy Treats with a Twist

Is there a better way to make something more fall-ish than to add candy corn? Mimi and I made rice crispy treats with added candy corn for her teachers. They are SO good. I used the recipe on the box....you know where to find it :)

Go over to A Little Fun With Me and Lu to check out more Kids in the Kitchen posts!

FNCCC Week #4 - Alton Brown

Alton Brown has way too many recipes to choose from. I wanted to make The Chewy (as in chewy chocolate chip cookie - there was also The Puffy and The Crispy) which I will hopefully get done sometime soon. I chose Swedish Meatballs and I'm glad I did. These were great.

Swedish Meatballs
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2005
Serves: approximately 30 meatballs, 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients
2 slices fresh white bread (I used wheat bread)
1/4 cup milk
3 tablespoons clarified butter, divided (I used evoo)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
A pinch plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 pound ground chuck
3/4 pound ground pork (I used all beef)
2 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (I used wheat flour)
3 cups beef broth
1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions
Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. (my over doesn't get down that low - only 300....I do have a warming drawer but have never used it)

Tear the bread into pieces and place in a small mixing bowl along with the milk. Set aside.
In a 12-inch straight sided saute pan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and sweat until the onions are soft. Remove from the heat and set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the bread and milk mixture, ground chuck, pork, egg yolks, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, black pepper, allspice, nutmeg, and onions. Beat on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes. (I saw a recipe for Swedish meatballs that had you beat for 10 minutes, until smooth, to get a very soft meatball, I did this and they WERE very tender)

Using a scale, weigh meatballs into 1-ounce portions and place on a sheet pan. Using your hands, shape the meatballs into rounds. (no scale for me, just pinch and roll)

Heat the remaining butter in the saute pan over medium-low heat, or in an electric skillet set to 250 degrees F. Add the meatballs and saute until golden brown on all sides, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the meatballs to an ovenproof dish using a slotted spoon and place in the warmed oven.

Once all of the meatballs are cooked, decrease the heat to low and add the flour to the pan or skillet. Whisk until lightly browned, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add the beef stock and whisk until sauce begins to thicken. Add the cream and continue to cook until the gravy reaches the desired consistency. Remove the meatballs from the oven, cover with the gravy and serve.

So what were you cooking? Enter the link to your post in Mr. Linky below! Next week's chef is
Anne Burrell .