Left-Over Wednesdays Special Event: Julia Childs Day Celebration!

As previously referenced on this blog, Saturday, August 15 was Julia Childs' birthday! To celebrate, I had an entire day of cooking Julia recipes! I used Baking With Julia and Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

Brunch

Buttermilk Crumb Muffins

Scrambled eggs

Sausage

French-pressed coffee

Berry mix

Dinner

Beef Burgundy

Rice

French bread with goat cheese

Red wine

"Improvised" berry shortcake from the morning's muffins

I had a lovely day cooking...but had forgotten what it's like to cook all day! Recipes will be posted in two more posts, just to keep things organized!

Bon Appetit!

Left-Over Wednesdays: Espresso Pots de Creme

Espresso Pots de Creme

Ooo lala! Little heavenly, creamy, pots of chocolately goodness...I first had a pot de creme at Chez Lulu, my absolute favouite restaurant in Birmingham. This is pronounced, "po [long o] de crem". Good way to practice your French accent. This is basically a cream custard, baked in the traditional water bath, served chilled. I like to accent with a couple of strawberry slices and fresh whipped cream. The recipe is simple, just be careful when incorporating the eggs, or they will curdle and you'll end up with lumpy pots. Nobody wants that! This recipe is adapted from gourmetleauth.com. Photos here are my own.

2 cups heavy whipping cream, chilled

1 1/2 tablespoons strong brewed coffee or espresso

5 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, broken into pieces

6 large egg yolks, room temperature

2 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

pinch salt

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Position oven rack to the center.

2. Heat the cream in a sauce pan over medium heat to just scalding. Add coffee and stir well. Remove from heat and add chocolate pieces, stirring occasionally with a whisk to incorporate chocolate with cream until completely smooth.

3. In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar, vanilla and salt, until well blended.

4. Temper the egg mixture with about 1/4 cup of the chocolate mixture, whisking the chocolate very slowly into the eggs. Gradually add all of the chocolate to the eggs.

5. Place 6 small, oven-proof cups in a large roasting pan (souffle cups, ramekins, etc. As you see in my photos I use small espresso cups) that hold approximately 3/4 cup each. Divide the mixture evenly in the small cups, keeping the edges clean. Pour hot water into roasting pan so that the water comes at least half-way up the side of the small cups. Tent foil over the entire pan and place in oven.

6. Bake approximately 25 minutes, or until custard is set around the edges, and the middle is not very jiggly. Remove cups from pan and let chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.

7. Serve with whipped cream and sliced strawberries.

Left-Over Wednesdays: Party Food!

Well, just in time for Christmas! Here's a few of my favorite things for holiday food!

Sausage Balls

1 "tube" hot sausage
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2 cups Bisquick baking mix, more on hand as needed

1. Mix cheese and Bisquick together in large bowl
2. Start combining raw sausage with Bisquick mixture by hand. (Gloves are a good idea if you are squeamish about raw meat!)
3. The consistency must not be too loose, so the balls don't hold together. The sausage is the binding agent, but I have added small amounts of milk to help, if I've added too much Bisquick. 4. Hand roll mixture into golf-ball sized balls and place on greased or lined baking sheet.
5. Bake in 375 degree oven about 10 minutes, or until golden brown.

Tomato and Goat Cheese Dip with French Bread 1 jar gourmet tomato pasta sauce (I use Classico's Tomato Basil)
3 TBS pesto
3 TBS goat cheese

1. Pour tomato sauce in small baking dish (something you would serve in too)
2. Spoon the pesto into tomato sauce, but don't combine fully
3. Spoon dollops of goat cheese on top of sauce, and again, don't combine.
4. Bake in 350 degree oven until warm through and bubbly.
5. Serve with sliced French bread.

Cranberry-Apple Crisp

from America's Test Kitchen

Topping
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon (but I like to add more)
12 TBS unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces and chilled
3/4 cup old fashioned oats

Filling
1 pound cranberries, fresh or frozen
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup water
2 1/2 pounds Granny Smith apples (I used 6 and it was plenty), peeled, cored and cut
2 1/2 pounds Braeburn apples (same as above), peeled, cored and cut
1 cup sweetened dried cranberries (Crasins)
3 TBS Minute tapioca

1. Make the Topping: combine flour, sugars, cinnamon and butter in food processor and pulse until you have course crumb texture; OR use pastry cutter (and elbow grease!) to combine in large bowl manually. Stir in oats and set aside.
2. Make the Filling: bring fresh cranberries, 3/4 cup sugar and water to simmer in stockpot/soup pot over med-high heat and cook until cranberries are softened and mixture is jam-like, about 10 minutes. Scrape mixture into bowl and set aside.
3. Add apples, remaining 1/2 cup sugar and dried cranberries to pot and cook over med-high heat about 5 minutes.
4. Off heat, stir in cranberry mixture and tapioca and pour into 9X13 baking dish.
5. Scatter topping completely over apple mixture and bake in 400 degree oven about 30 minutes, until brown and bubbly.
6. Serve hot with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Chocolate Truffles

16 oz dark chocolate bar, top quality, broken into small pieces

8-10 oz heavy cream
2 oz rum, whisky or other, if desired


Coatings:
cocoa powder
cinnamon-sugar
chopped pistachios
crushed peppermint
coconut


1. Heat cream in pot over very low heat until scalding.
2. Remove from heat and stir in alcohol (if desired) and chocolate pieces. Stir until chocolate is completely melted, smooth and shiny.
3. Pour chocolate into shallow dish and place in refrigerator to chill completely. This will take several hours, chocolate must be completely "set".
4. Working quickly, roll ping-pong ball sized balls of chocolate mixture in your hands and place on a lined sheet pan. I use a small scoop to help or you could use a melon-baller if you want smaller truffles.
5. Place your desired coatings in bowls. Toss each truffle in your desired topping. I like classic cocoa powder the best, but be creative. I included a few ideas here.
6. Store in the fridge if you are not serving immediately.

So, what about you? What are some of your favorite things to serve at holiday parties?