BAREFOOT CONTESSA GARLIC MASHED POTATOES and BELINDA'S HOMEMADE ROLLS

Aren't real, genuine mashed potatoes the best! It's been so long since I had the real thing that I almost forgot what they tasted like. Of course, the Barefoot Contessa had a twist on the classic mashed--substituting olive oil for butter. I will tell you that I couldn't bring myself to add the full cup the recipe calls for but we couldn't tell the difference (I used 2/3rds cup of olive oil). And instead of 3 pounds of the naturally creamy Yukon Gold I added 4 pounds. So more potatoes and less olive oil--but, boy were these babies delish. And they were a nice fit with the Cascabel Chile Honey Glazed Pork on Easter Sunday.


Directions:

1/2 cup garlic cloves, peeled (about 1 head)

Ingredients
•1 cup extra-virgin olive oil (I used 2/3rds cup)
•3 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and quartered (I added 4 pounds)
•Kosher salt
•1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
•1/4 cup heavy cream, half-and-half, or creme fraiche
In a small saucepan, bring the garlic and oil to a boil, then turn the heat to low and cook uncovered for 5 minutes, or until the garlic is lightly browned. Turn off the heat and set aside. The garlic will continue to cook in the oil.

Meanwhile, place the potatoes in a large pot of salted water, bring to a boil, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until the potatoes are very tender. With a slotted spoon, remove the potatoes from the water, reserving the cooking water, and remove the garlic from the oil, reserving the oil.

Process the potatoes and garlic through a food mill fitted with the medium disk. (I do not have a food mill, so I just used an old-fashioned masher--we also like our potatoes with a bit of texture to them). Add the reserved olive oil, 2 teaspoons of salt, the pepper, cream, and 3/4 cup of the cooking water to the potatoes and mix with a wooden spoon. Add more cooking water, if necessary, until the potatoes are creamy but still firm. Season, to taste,and serve hot.


Also sharing the stage with the pork and potatoes were Belinda's homemade Rosemary dinner rolls. If you live in Mesa, do yourself a favor and order these little darlings from Belinda Smith of Belinda's Kitchen (4301 E. McKellips, Mesa, AZ, 480-203-4626).

SAUSAGE AND HERB STUFFING (Barefoot Contessa) and CARROT SOUFFLE (Sam Beall)

Love, love, love this dish! Sweet from the cornbread and a bit of a kick from the spicy sausage. I made a few changes as noted on the recipe. This is my new favorite Thanksgiving stuffing/dressing. Which, by the way, shouldn't it be called dressing when it is cooked outside of the turkey? I think so.

Ingredients


* 16 cups 1-inch bread cubes, white or sourdough (1 1/2 pound loaf) (I made with 1/2 cornbread, 1/2 crusty french bread)
* 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
* 2 cups medium-diced yellow onion (2 onions)
* 1 cup medium-diced celery (2 stalks)
* 2 Granny Smith apples, unpeeled, cored and large-diced
* 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
* 1 tablespoon kosher salt
* 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 3/4 pound sweet or spicy Italian sausage, casings removed (I used 1/3 lb sweet sausage and 1/3 lb spicy Italian sausage)
* 1 cup chicken stock
* 1 cup dried cranberries (I omitted)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Place the bread cubes in a single layer on a sheet pan and bake for 7 minutes. Raise the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Remove the bread cubes to a very large bowl.

Meanwhile, in a large saute pan, melt the butter and add the onions, celery, apples, parsley, salt and pepper. Saute over medium heat for 10 minutes, until the vegetables are softened. Add to the bread cubes.

In the same saute pan, cook the sausage over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until browned and cooked through, breaking up the sausage with a fork while cooking. Add to the bread cubes and vegetables.

Add the chicken stock and cranberries to the mixture, mix well, and pour into a 9 by 12-inch baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes, until browned on top and hot in the middle. Serve warm.

CARROT SOUFFLE


Hmmm, not so great. This is the recipe touted in a few magazines highlighting the fabulous Blackberry Farm and I like to try one new recipe every Thanksgiving. But this won't be made again. Darn. It looked so pretty in the dish. But I think the orange color tricks the taste buds into thinking something sweet is coming down the palate. Nope. I am sharing this with you lest you think everything I make turns out to be delicious and I also liked the picture.

Carrot Souffle
Serves 8

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for baking dish
• 2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
• Coarse salt
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup saltine cracker crumbs
• 3/4 cup grated sharp white cheddar cheese
• 1/3 cup very finely chopped onion
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3 large eggs

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 2-quart shallow baking dish; set aside.
2. Place carrots in a large pot and add enough water to cover by 1 inch. Generously salt water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until carrots are tender and easily pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, about 10 minutes.
3. Strain carrots and transfer to the bowl of a food processor; process until pureed. Transfer carrot puree to a large bowl; stir in milk, cracker crumbs, cheese, onion, butter, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk eggs until foamy. Whisk eggs into carrot mixture until just combined.
5. Transfer carrot mixture to prepared baking dish and bake until puffed and light golden brown on top, 40 to 45 minutes; serve warm.

WHITE BEAN AND ROSEMARY SOUP - Barefoot Contessa

It is very hard to take a decent picture of white bean soup. White beans, garlic, onions, go figure.

This is a mild tasting soup that is quick to make and keeps well in the fridge. I doubled the spices (garlic, bay leaf, and rosemary--although I'm never quite sure what exactly a bay leaf contributes?). I also cut back on the oil which makes for a healthier soup.

It still needs something more--I'm thinking a little bit of ham, prosciutto, or bacon sauteed with the onions would deepen the flavor. What do you think?

And since I don't love pureed soups, I quickly dipped my immersion blender in and pureed about 1/3 just to make it thicker.

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried white cannellini beans
• 4 cups sliced yellow onions (3 onions)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large branch fresh rosemary (6 to 7 inches)
• 2 quarts chicken stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

In a medium bowl, cover the beans with water by at least 1-inch and leave them in the refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight. Drain.

In a large stockpot over low to medium heat, saute the onions with the olive oil until the onions are translucent, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook over low heat for 3 more minutes. Add the drained white beans, rosemary, chicken stock, and bay leaf. Cover, bring to a boil, and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, until the beans are very soft. Remove the rosemary branch and the bay leaf. Pass the soup through the coarsest blade of a food mill, or place in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until coarsely pureed. Return the soup to the pot to reheat and add salt and pepper, to taste. Serve hot.

COCONUT CUPCAKES - Barefoot Contessa

Heavenly. Lovely. Pretty. Enjoy.

Ingredients

3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
5 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk
14 ounces sweetened, shredded coconut

For the frosting:

1 pound cream cheese at room temperature
3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 1/2 pounds confectioners' sugar, sifted

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In 3 parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in 7 ounces of coconut.

Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Fill each liner to the top with batter. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove to a baking rack and cool completely.

Meanwhile, make the frosting. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on low speed, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and almond extracts. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth.

Frost the cupcakes and sprinkle with the remaining coconut.

Makes 24 regular sized cupcakes

SUNDRIED TOMATO DIP - Barefoot Contessa

I've been making this dip for years and never get tired of it. The flavor has a slight kick and and it is so easy to make. I recently told my friend, Pam, she could choose which dip I made for a little get together I hosted and she chose the sundried tomato dip. I was secretly happy. Serve with plain water crackers so that nothing interferes with the yummy flavor.
Ingredients

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped (8 tomatoes)
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
10 dashes, hot red pepper sauce (I add more)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)

Directions
Puree the tomatoes, cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, red pepper sauce, salt and pepper in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add the scallions and pulse twice. Serve at room temperature.

FROZEN KEY LIME PIE - Barefoot Contessa

Although this recipe is entitled "key lime" you actually make it with regular limes--thank heavens, since they are more plentiful and larger than those tiny key limes.

This pie is just what it should be: tart, cold, and creamy--one of my favorite taste combinations!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (10 crackers)
1/4 cup sugar
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
For the filling:
6 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons grated lime zest
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (4 to 5 limes)
For the decoration:
1 cup (1/2 pint) cold heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Thin lime wedges

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the crust, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter in a bowl. Press into a 9-inch pyrex pie pan, making sure the sides and the bottom are an even thickness. Bake for 10 minutes until firm and golden. Allow to cool completely.

For the filling, beat the egg yolks and sugar on high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment for 5 minutes, until thick. With the mixer on medium speed, add the condensed milk, lime zest, and lime juice. Pour into the baked pie shell and freeze.

For the decoration, beat the heavy cream on high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat until firm. Spoon or pipe decoratively onto the pie and decorate with lime. Freeze for several hours or overnight.

Note: If you have concerns about raw eggs, combine the yolks with 1/2 cup of the lime juice used in the recipe in a double boiler. Whisk constantly over medium heat until the mixture reaches 140 degrees. Use in place of the raw egg yolks, remembering to add the remaining 1/4 cup of lime juice to the filling mixture along with the condensed milk and zest.

BARBECUE SAUCE - Barefoot Contessa

Ina Garten again. Her barbecue sauce is so good and so easy. It also could be slathered over an old shoe and you wouldn't notice because the sauce is that good.

We had a double birthday party last night for Tammy and Steve--what is it about March and birthdays? I have two family members with March birthdays and several darling friends also born in this month. Anyway, I made the barbecue sauce for chicken thighs and drumsticks--yum. I served it with salad, mashed potatoes, and walnut and apricot bread (not homemade). The dessert was a killer German Chocolate Cake (to be posted soon).

I marinated the chicken parts for several hours and placed them in a baking dish for 75 minutes in a 350 degree oven. I then broiled the chicken for 5 minutes to char them a bit.

Leftover sauce can go in to the freezer--isn't that great! I didn't know you could freeze barbecue sauce but apparently it works.

1 ½ cups chopped yellow onion (1 large onion)

1 T. minced garlic (3 cloves)

½ cup vegetable oil (I used a few tablespoons of olive oil)

1 cup tomato paste (10 ounces)

1 cup cider vinegar

1 cup honey

½ cup Worcestershire sauce

1 cup Dijon mustard

½ cup soy sauce

1 cup hoisin sauce

2 T. chili powder

1 T. ground cumin

½ T. crushed red pepper flakes

In a large saucepan on low heat, sauté the onions and garlic with the vegetable oil for 10 to 15 minutes, until the onions are translucent but not browned. Add the rest of the ingredients. Simmer uncovered on low heat for 30 minutes. Serve warm. Makes 6 cups.

MEXICAN CHICKEN SOUP - Barefoot Contessa

Ina Garten came through again. I had lots of carrots and onions on hand and wanted to make soup. I found a good, spicy recipe in her book, Barefoot Contessa at Home, for Mexican Chicken Soup. Of course you can make it mild, medium, or spicy depending on how many jalapenos you add. This was very good soup and I would make it again. I think it would freeze well, too. Also, since we don't love cilantro I left it out.

MEXICAN CHICKEN SOUP

Ingredients
4 split (2 whole) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on
Good olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups chopped onions (2 onions)
1 cup chopped celery (2 stalks)
2 cups chopped carrots (4 carrots)
4 large cloves garlic, chopped
2 1/2 quarts chicken stock, preferably homemade
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes in puree, crushed
2 to 4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander seed
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, optional
6 (6-inch) fresh white corn tortillas

For serving: sliced avocado, sour cream, grated Cheddar cheese, and tortilla chips

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the chicken breasts skin side up on a sheet pan. Rub with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until done. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, discard the skin and bones, and shred the meat. Cover and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, or until the onions start to brown. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes with their puree, jalapenos, cumin, coriander, 1 tablespoon salt (depending on the saltiness of the chicken stock), 1 teaspoon pepper, and the cilantro, if using. Cut the tortillas in 1/2, then cut them crosswise into 1/2-inch strips and add to the soup. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 25 minutes. Add the shredded chicken and season to taste. Serve the soup hot topped with sliced avocado, a dollop of sour cream, grated Cheddar cheese, and broken tortilla chips.

EGGPLANT GRATIN - Barefoot Contessa

So I made myself a promise that if I participated in Bountiful Baskets I would not give away or toss a vegetable I wasn't familiar with.


My first test was the collard greens and I passed that test by making the soup which was great.

Last Saturday was my second test--eggplant. I have never cooked an eggplant. So of course, I had to find something good to do with this pretty purple plant.


The Barefoot Contessa never lets me down. I have all of her cookbooks and her recipes are great. Even cutting back on the rich ingredients I have had great luck with her recipes. I found this recipe in her Barefoot in Paris book. It is excellent. I would definitely make this for my sister's family though I probably would not tell them it was eggplant. And I think it would be great served with grilled chicken.


But pretty much anything hidden below the conncoction of ricotta cheese, parmesan, and marinara sauce, all toasty and bubbly on top, would taste good.

Ingredients
Good olive oil, for frying (this always cracks me up--"good olive oil")
3/4 pound eggplant, unpeeled, sliced 1/2-inch thick
1/4 cup ricotta cheese
1 extra-large egg
1/4 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup good bottled marinara sauce

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Heat about 1/8-inch of olive oil in a very large frying pan over medium heat. When the oil is almost smoking, add several slices of eggplant and cook, turning once, until they are evenly browned on both sides and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Be careful, it splatters! Transfer the cooked eggplant slices to paper towels to drain. Add more oil, heat, and add more eggplant until all the slices are cooked.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the ricotta, egg, half-and-half, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.

In each of 2 individual gratin dishes, place a layer of eggplant slices, then sprinkle with Parmesan, salt and pepper and spoon 1/2 of the marinara sauce. Next, add a second layer of eggplant, more salt and pepper, half the ricotta mixture, and finally 1 tablespoon of grated Parmesan on top.

Place the gratins on a baking sheet and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the custard sets and the top is browned. Serve warm.

Note: I cooked the eggplant in a very seasoned pan and did not need to use much olive oil. I also substituted regular milk for the half and half. And I made one gratin not two.

Lemon Glaze - Barefoot Contessa

It's hot! And the call of a tart lemon cake is ringing in my ears. But instead of heating up the kitchen baking a cake I do the next best thing--I get a store bought pound cake and dress it up with a homemade lemon glaze. I purchase my pound cake at Costco (usually two cakes for $5). I stash one cake in the freezer and begin preparing the glaze for the other cake.

First, warm the cake in a 250 degree oven for 10 minutes (a toaster oven is even better).

Combine equal parts of sugar and lemon juice. For one cake I use 1/4 cup granulated sugar with 1/4 cup lemon juice in small saucepan and cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves and makes a syrup.

Invert the cake onto a rack and punch several holes into the bottom of the cake using a toothpick. Pour the lemon syrup over the bottom of the cake. Allow the cake to cool completely.

For the glaze, combine 1 cup confectioners’ (powdered) sugar with 1 to 2 tablespoons of lemon juice in a bowl mixing with a wire whisk until smooth. Pour over the top of the cake and allow the glaze to drizzle down the sides.