Tasty Kitchen Blog » Erica Lea

French Onion Soup Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Erica Lea — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 11:00:44 +0000

Oh boy. I’m bonkers excited about these sandwiches, ya’ll.

When I first saw Joy post them I thought: That needs to happen in my kitchen. I mean, two whole onions reduced to caramely goodness and paired with melty cheese? Count me in.

Then, when Erika mentioned that Laurie had shared the recipe here on Tasty Kitchen, I knew I had to make if for ya’ll. It was a totally non-selfish decision.

Here’s what you’ll need to make these fancy grilled cheese sandwiches: butter (of course), olive oil, onions, salt and pepper, sugar, thyme (fresh or dried), beer or white wine (or beef stock if you’re not one for using alcohol), bread and Gruyere cheese.

Start by prepping your ingredients. Slice the bread.

Grate the Gruyere.

Slice the onions about 1/4-inch thick.

Melt the butter and olive oil in a skillet or Dutch oven.

Once the butter/olive oil is nice and hot, add the onions. Give ‘em a stir so they’re coated in that buttery goodness.

Add the salt, pepper, sugar and thyme.

Give it another good stir.

Cover the pot and let cook until the onions are soft and wonderfully golden brown, stirring occasionally.

You could stir less occasionally than I did if you’re obsessed with evenly browned onions.

Add the wine/broth …

And scrape up any pieces of onion that stick to the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat.

Now it’s time to assemble and cook your sandwiches!

Preheat a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Butter four slices of bread on one side. Place a slice on the skillet, buttered side down. Sprinkle on a bit of the shredded cheese. Top with half of the onions and more cheese.

Put a second slice of bread on top, buttered side up. Repeat with a second sandwich.

When the underside gets nice and crispy and browned, flip the sandwich and continue to cook until the other side is beautifully golden and the cheese is melted.

Eat immediately—just don’t singe your mouth in your eagerness to consume.

Even though Reuben dislikes onions—and French onion soup in particular—he admitted that these sandwiches were pretty good, and, if he did like onions, he would probably love these. High praise from an onion despiser!

Many thanks to Jessica of Portuguese Girl Cooks for coming up with this incredible sandwich, and to Laurie for sharing this crazy-good recipe. You should definitely check out Laurie’s blog Simply Scratch for more irresistible food. Excuse me while I attempt to tear myself away from her Fudgy Peanut Butter Bars …

Recipe

French Onion Soup Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

by Laurie {Simply Scratch} on December 5, 2012 in Main Courses, Sandwiches
See this recipe post on Laurie {Simply Scratch}’s site! December 5, 2012

5.00 Mitt(s) 4 Rating(s)

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Recipe Description

French onion soup in grilled cheese form. This is what heaven tastes like!

Preparation Instructions

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and olive oil together. Add in the onions and stir so they are coated in all the fat. Cook undisturbed for 5 minutes.

Stir and add in the salt, pepper, sugar and thyme. Stir, cover the pan with a lid and let cook. Stir occasionally until the onions are soft and deep golden in color. Reduce the heat if you notice the onions are browning too soon.

Add in the beer, scrape any bits that accumulated on the bottom of the skillet, and then remove them off the heat.

On a preheated griddle or large skillet, place a slice of buttered bread (butter-side down) and top it with a little shredded smoked Gruyere. Add half of the onion mixture and then more of the cheese. Top with a second slice of buttered bread (butter-side up).

Flip when the bottom is crispy and golden; repeat on second side.

Cut in half and serve.

Recipe adapted from Portuguese Girl Cooks, via Joy the Baker.

Ingredients

3 Tablespoons Butter, Plus More For Buttering Bread
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
2 whole Medium Yellow Onions, Sliced 1/4 Of An Inch Thick
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
½ teaspoons Black Pepper
1 teaspoon Sugar
1 teaspoon Fresh Thyme Leaves
3 Tablespoons Beer (beef Stock Or White Wine Can Be Substituted)
4 slices Sourdough Bread
½ cups Grated Apple Smoked Gruyere Cheese (or More If Desired)

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Newly-married Erica Kastner shares her wonderful recipes and amazing food photography on her blog, Cooking for Seven. She also writes about crafts and posts more of her beautiful photography in her personal blog, EricaLea.com. There really isn’t much that this amazing young lady can’t do, and we’re thrilled she does some of it here.

Homemade Eggnog

Erica Lea — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 11:00:49 +0000

To me, eggnog is the iconic Christmas drink. When we were little, around Christmastime, Mom would carefully pour out mini glasses of the thick, wonderfully flavored beverage and cut it with a bit of milk. We savored what little we got from the small carton.

Now that I’ve learned to make it at home, I can enjoy it in much larger quantities. Which is a good thing, right? Right?!

“I would ask you to make eggnog more often, but then we would get fat,” Reuben informed me.

Let me show you how to make this scrumptious drink for yourself!

Here are the ingredients you’ll need: eggs (of course), sweetener of choice, salt, whole milk, vanilla extract, freshly grated nutmeg and heavy whipping cream.

Note: I made a half batch since it’s only the two of us.

Crack your eggs into a pot.

Add the sugar …

And salt …

And whisk it all up.

Sloooowly whisk in half of the milk.

I switched to a smaller pan so it’d be easier to stir.

Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon, about 25 minutes.

Now’s a good time to listen to music, flip through a favorite magazine, or fiddle with your smart device.

You can also check to see if the eggnog is finished cooking with an instant-read thermometer. It should be between 170 and 175° F. Do NOT boil.

Once it’s finished cooking, pour the eggnog into a heat-proof bowl through a fine-mesh strainer.

See all the thumpies the strainer saved me from?

Whisk in the vanilla extract …

Freshly grated nutmeg (I’ll forgive you if you don’t use fresh) …

And the remaining milk. Cover and let chill in the refrigerator until completely cool, about 3 hours.

Just before serving, beat the cream until soft peaks form. Beautiful, soft cream …

Gently fold the whipped cream into the eggnog with a wire whisk.

Serve with extra whipped cream, if desired, and a sprinkling of freshly grated nutmeg.

Recipe notes:

1. You can use whatever sweetener (within reason) you like to sweeten this drink. I have used maple syrup, granulated sugar and evaporated cane juice with good success.
2. If you like the flavor of rum in your eggnog, you can add a bit of rum extract (or real rum, if you don’t mind the alcohol).
3. I highly recommend using an instant read thermometer to gauge when your eggnog is done cooking. Just make sure you have it set to Fahrenheit—I once made scrambled eggnog because I accidentally switched the thermometer to Celsius.

Recipe

Homemade Eggnog

by Erica Lea on December 21, 2010 in Drinks, Holiday
See this recipe post on Erica Lea’s site! December 21, 2010

5.00 Mitt(s) 2 Rating(s)

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Recipe Description

An easy recipe for eggnog that does not include alcohol or uncooked eggs.

Preparation Instructions

1) In a heavy 4 quart saucepan, with the heat off, whisk the eggs, maple syrup, and salt until well blended. Gradually stir in half of the milk.

2) Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 25 minutes. (Mixture should be about 170 – 175 degrees F). Do not boil.

3) Pour custard into a large bowl. Stir in vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg and the remaining milk. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, about 3 hours.

4) Just before serving, in a medium bowl, beat whipping cream until soft peaks form. With wire whisk, gently fold whipped cream into custard mixture. Serve with extra whipped cream on top and a sprinkle of freshly grated nutmeg.

Store in the refrigerator up to 3 days.

Ingredients

12 whole Large Eggs
1-½ cup Maple Syrup (or Granulated Sugar)
½ teaspoons Salt
2 quarts (8 Cups) Whole Milk
2 Tablespoons Vanilla Extract
1 teaspoon Freshly Grated Nutmeg + More For Garnish
2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream + More For Garnish

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No-Knead Dinner Rolls

Erica Lea — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 11:00:38 +0000

Let’s face it. There’s just nothing like fresh, homemade bread. Sure, you can get some wonderful, artisan breads at local shops, but they can’t come close to magic of the smell and taste of home-baked bread pulled from the oven and spread with butter and jam (or honey).

But here’s the problem: With busy lives, especially around the holidays, there’s precious little time to spend agonizing over kneading and rise times. And so homemade bread is often neglected.

This recipe, brought to us by Terri, is about as low-fuss as yeast bread gets. All you have to do is mix everything in a large bowl, let it rise, form into buns, and bake once they’re puffy. Still skeptical about no-knead bread? Let me assure you, it is good. Like, really good: fluffy and flavorful and soft. Let me show you!

To begin, grab the few ingredients you’ll need: yeast, sugar, oil (I used olive, but if you don’t like the flavor, you could use melted butter or vegetable oil), salt, flour (I used part white, part wheat), butter, and water.

Pour some warm water into a large mixing bowl and sprinkle in the yeast and 1/4 teaspoon of sugar. You can gently stir it with a fork if you wish.

Let the yeast “activate” in the water (about 5 minutes). Then add the flour …

… wheat flour (if using), sugar, oil and salt.

Stir it all together.

If the dough is too wet, you can add more flour. The right texture is soft and sticky, but not soupy.

See that? That’s how it should look. Don’t stir too much! After all, these are no-knead.

Cover the dough and set aside to rise until doubled. This only took about and hour for me, but it all depends on how warm your house is.

Now, give that dough a punch!

Ahhh … melted butter.

Pour a little onto a rimmed baking sheet.

Get your hands in it and smear it around.

Now it’s time to make a mess! Sprinkle your work surface generously with flour.

Scoop your risen dough out onto your counter/table and sprinkle with some more flour.

Roll the dough out to about a 1/2-inch thickness.

Take a round cookie/biscuit cutter and stamp out circles of dough. You could get your circles closer together than mine.

Grab a circle of dough …

And stretch it out a bit.

Dunk half of it into the melted butter …

And fold it in half with the butter side up. Now you have a lovely little Parker House roll.

Place on your buttered baking sheet (buttered side up). Repeat with remaining dough, placing the buns close together.

Gather up your scraps and go again!

Cover the buns and let rise until nice and puffy. Aren’t they beautiful?

Bake at 375°F until lovely and golden brown. You can brush the tops of the buns with extra butter, if you wish.

Just look at how pillowy soft they are!

Recipe notes:

1. This dough can be refrigerated for up to a week. You can mix up a big batch and just pull off pieces of dough and bake them for fresh bread throughout the week!
2. You don’t have to make Parker House rolls from the dough. Terri suggests cinnamon rolls, pull-aparts and breadsticks.
3. These rolls reheat very well. Just pop them in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes.

Thanks so much to Terri for sharing these buttery rolls with us. She blogs over at That’s Some Good Cookin’, where she posts many more lip-smackin’ recipes.

Recipe

No Knead Dinner Rolls

by Terri @ that's some good cookin' on September 20, 2011 in Breads, Dinner Rolls
See this recipe post on Terri @ that's some good cookin'’s site! September 20, 2011

3.83 Mitt(s) 6 Rating(s)

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Recipe Description

I have no idea why these easy rolls work so well time after delicious time.

Preparation Instructions

In a large mixing bowl dissolve yeast in warm water with 1/4 teaspoon sugar.

When the yeast has activated, add all other ingredients (except butter) and stir well with a wooden spoon until all ingredients are incorporated. Avoid over mixing and do not knead the dough. Just stir it. The dough is soft and will be somewhat sticky, not drier like other roll doughs that you may be used to using.

Cover bowl and let dough rise until doubled in bulk. Punch dough down and let it rest for a few minutes.

Melt the butter in a small bowl. Prepare a baking pan by greasing the pan with some of the melted butter.

To shape a Parker House style roll, divide the dough in half and roll out one half of the dough on a well floured counter top until about 1/2-inch thick. Using a round biscuit cutter, cut out circles of dough. Stretch the dough just a little lengthwise and dip one half into melted butter. Fold dough over in half and place on the pan. Place the rolls close to each other in rows. Repeat with remaining half of dough. Work the left-over dough from the two dough halves together to finish making your rolls. You should be able to get 32 rolls on a large baking sheet (4 rolls across and 8 rolls down).

Cover rolls and let rise again until almost doubled in size. Bake at 375ºF for 20 minutes or until the rolls are golden brown. Brush hot rolls with additional butter if desired.

Note: This dough can be kept in the refrigerator for at least a week and the dough just pulled off as you wish to use it to make cinnamon rolls, scones, pull-aparts, hot rolls or bread sticks during the week.

Ingredients

3 cups Warm Water
2 Tablespoons Yeast
½ cups Sugar
½ cups Vegetable Oil (canola Works Best)
2 teaspoons Salt
6 cups To 7 Cups White Flour
1 stick Butter

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No-Bake Granola Bars

Erica Lea — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 13:37:23 +0000

I’m the type of person that, when I get hungry, I need to eat something immediately. Perhaps it’s just my imagination, but if I go too long without eating I start to feel sick. And cranky. Especially now that I’m pregnant, I’ve taken to stuffing handy snacks into my purse to ensure I’m never in an emergency food situation.

These No-Bake Granola Bars, brought to us by Cheri, are a wonderful power snack for on-the-go. They’re filled with nutritious oats, nuts, dried fruit and honey. Plus they’re pretty tasty little treats.

Let me show you how to make them!

Here’s the ingredients you’ll need: rolled oats, nuts (I used pecans and pumpkin seeds), shredded coconut, dried fruit (I used raisins and figs), butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, honey and molasses.

Begin by chopping your nuts. The pumpkin seeds are nice and small so I didn’t chop them.

In a large skillet set over medium-high heat, toast the oats, nuts and coconut until fragrant. Make sure to stir often so it doesn’t burn!

Pour the toasted oat mixture into a large bowl.

If you’re using larger dried fruit you’ll want to chop it up as well.

Add the dried fruit to the oat mixture.

Stir to combine.

Place the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, honey and molasses in a small saucepan.

Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

Pour the butter mixture over the oat mixture.

Stir until the oat mixture is evenly coated with the butter mixture. Set aside to cool a little.

Line a dish with plastic wrap. Spoon mixture into pan and press down to compact. I used an extra piece of plastic wrap to keep my hands clean.

Place in the refrigerator to firm up, about 30 minutes.

Once firmed, turn out onto a cutting board and cut into bars.

Wrap the bars individually with plastic wrap, parchment paper or wax paper. Now they’re grab-and-go ready!

Recipe notes:

1. These bars are just a hair too sweet for my taste. I cut the amount of sugar down to 3/4 cup, so next time I’ll try going down to 1/2 cup and using a full stick of butter. If you like your treats nice and sweet, this shouldn’t be an issue for you.

2. I might add a pinch of salt next time as well.

3. I love how customizable these are. You could come up with so many different flavor combinations by switching up the nuts and fruits you use.

Thanks so much to Cheri for sharing her recipe with us! Make sure to check out her blog, Kitchen Simplicity, where she writes many more delicious recipes. I may have to make her Quick & Cheesy Chicken Pot Pie for supper sometime …

Recipe

No-Bake Granola Bars

by Cheri | Kitchen Simplicity on March 8, 2011 in Appetizers, Snacks
See this recipe post on Cheri | Kitchen Simplicity’s site! March 8, 2011

4.50 Mitt(s) 6 Rating(s)

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Recipe Description

Chewy No-Bake Granola Bars that are perfect to make with the kiddos. Prepare to never buy store-bought granola bars again.

Preparation Instructions

1. Toast oats, nuts and coconut in a large skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant, stirring often. Remove to a large bowl and toss with raisins.

2. Place butter, sugar, cinnamon, honey and molasses in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it comes to a boil. Remove from heat and stir into oat mixture until evenly coated. Let sit just until cool enough to handle.

3. In the meantime, line a 7×11 inch pan with plastic wrap. Spoon mixture into pan, pressing down to compact. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up. Once firmed, remove from pan, peel away plastic wrap and slice into 16 bars (half lengthwise and then into 8). Wrap individually in plastic wrap or parchment paper, if desired. Store covered at room temperature.

Ingredients

2-½ cups Rolled Oats
1-½ cup Nuts, Chopped, I Used Walnuts And Pecans
¼ cups Shredded Coconut
½ cups Raisins
6 Tablespoons Salted Butter
1 cup Brown Sugar
1-½ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
6 Tablespoons Liquid Honey
2 Tablespoons Molasses

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Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes

Erica Lea — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 10:00:22 +0000

Fall is, hands down, my favorite season. Who’s with me? This is our excuse to put pumpkin, apples and spices in whatever recipe we can!

While I was browsing through the Tasty Kitchen database looking for something fall-ish to make, and I stumbled across these Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes from TK member annmarsh. Pumpkin + espresso + spices + whipped cream frosting? Count me in, I thought.

We absolutely loved these cupcakes. As my husband and I drove home from a birthday party for my little niece (I made these for the occasion), I mentioned that I was going to eat a cupcake when we got home. “My cupcake?!” Reuben protested. I assured him there were two left.

Here’s what you’ll need to make these scrumptious treats: flour, espresso powder (I simply ground espresso beans very fine), baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt, pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, brown sugar, butter (or vegetable oil), brewed coffee or espresso, heavy cream, confectioner’s sugar and caramel sauce. Whew!

I forgot the eggs in the above photo, so here they are.

Line your cupcake tins with papers. I love fancy cupcake liners.

In a medium bowl, place the flour, espresso powder, baking soda, baking powder …

… cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt.

Whisk it all together.

In a large bowl place the pumpkin, both sugars and melted butter (you can use vegetable oil instead of butter, but I’m too in love with butter to opt for oil).

Blend it together until nice and smooth.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Add half the flour, mix, add the other half, and mix just until combined.

Fill your muffin papers about 3/4 full with the batter.

I think I filled mine a little too full—they spilled over a bit.

Bake in a preheated 350ºF oven for about 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. While the muffins are still nice and warm, brush them with a few coats of espresso goodness.

Now for the whipped cream frosting! Simply beat the cream and powdered sugar together until stiff peaks form.

I just used a star tip in a disposable bag to frost the cupcakes. Hopefully you’re better at frosting than I am!

Sprinkle each cupcake with a bit of cinnamon.

Top with some awesome caramel sauce. Mmhmm.

Try not to eat too many before serving.

Recipe notes:

1. The sweetness was spot on in these cupcakes. I don’t often say that about a recipe unless much of the sugar has been cut out.
2. Do not neglect the caramel sauce. It was my favorite part. You can use store bought if you like, but this recipe for homemade caramel sauce is so easy and dynamite.
3. Next time I might add a splash of vanilla extract to the cupcake batter. Just for kicks.

Major thanks to Annie for sharing this recipe with us! I’m sure you’ve all seen her gorgeous blog, Annie’s Eats. It’s chock full of irresistible recipes.

Recipe

Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes

by annmarsh on September 8, 2011 in Cupcakes, Desserts
See this recipe post on annmarsh’s site! September 8, 2011

4.50 Mitt(s) 10 Rating(s)

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Recipe Description

Espresso-laced pumpkin spice cupcakes topped with whipped cream and caramel, these sweet little cakes are a cupcake version of everyone’s favorite seasonal beverage.

Preparation Instructions

To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, espresso powder, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Stir together and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, blend together the pumpkin, granulated sugar, brown sugar and oil. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. With the mixture on low speed, add the flour mixture in two additions, mixing just until incorporated.

Fill the cupcake liners about three-quarters full. Bake until the cupcakes are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 18-20 minutes. Transfer the pans to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes, then remove the cupcakes from the pans. While the cupcakes are still warm, brush them two or three times with the coffee or espresso, allowing the first coat to soak in before repeating. Let cool completely.

To make the frosting, place the heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip on medium-low speed at first, gradually increasing to high speed. Blend in the confectioners’ sugar gradually. Whip until stiff peaks form, being careful not to over-beat. Use a pastry bag fitted with a decorative tip to frost the cooled cupcakes. Sprinkle with additional ground cinnamon and drizzle with the caramel sauce. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate.

Ingredients

2-⅔ cups All-purpose Flour
3 Tablespoons Espresso Powder
2 teaspoons Baking Soda
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon, Plus Extra To Sprinkle On Frosted Cupcakes
⅛ teaspoons Grated Nutmeg
⅛ teaspoons Ground Cloves
1 teaspoon Salt
15 ounces, weight Pumpkin Puree
1 cup Granulated Sugar
1 cup Brown Sugar
1 cup Canola Or Vegetable Oil
4 whole Large Eggs
½ cups Brewed Coffee Or Espresso, For Brushing
2-¼ cups Heavy Cream
¼ cups Confectioners Sugar
¼ cups Caramel Sauce

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Refrigerator Pickles

Erica Lea — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 13:54:35 +0000

When it comes to pickles, I’m just a tad finicky. Sorry to all you sweet pickle lovers, but when talking about cucumbers, I like them dilly, salty and sour. Hold the yellow 5 and polysorbate 80.

Rebecca’s recipe for Homemade Claussen Knock-Off Pickles seemed perfect to me: natural ingredients and (best of all) no canning required. You simply pour a brine over your cucumbers and let sit until soured.

Sounds too easy, eh? Let me show you how it’s done.

Start with some awesome ingredients: pickling cucumbers (I grew them myself. *proud moment*), fresh dill heads or dried dill seeds, garlic, cold water (not shown), cider vinegar, canning or kosher salt (I used sea salt—don’t use iodized salt!) and mixed pickling spices.

Wash your cucumbers—I like crunchy pickles, but not crunchy with dirt.

Cut a bit off of the blossom end.

If you let some of your cucumbers grow too long, no worries. Simply slice them crosswise—perfect for sandwiches!

Layer the garlic …

Dill heads …

And cucumbers in jars.

Now make your brine: pour your water into a big measuring cup. Add the vinegar …

Salt …

And pickling spices.

Whisk until the salt is dissolved.

Pour the brine over the cucumbers. Make sure you get some of the pickling spices in each jar!

Cover lightly with the jar lid and place a piece of cheesecloth over the top (secured with a rubber band) so no pesky fruit flies can get to your precious pickles.

Leave on the counter, out of direct sunlight, for 2-4 days, or until the cucumbers taste like pickles!

Cover tightly with lids and refrigerate. These will keep, chilled, for up to six months.

Recipe Notes:

1. I love these pickles – so much more fresh tasting than canned! And way more affordable than those yummy ones you get at the healthfood store.

2. Reuben thinks these are great, but when my brother-in-law tasted them, he didn’t like them at all. Refrigerator pickles should be sweet, in his book. To each his own.

3. Don’t worry if your pickles develop “fuzz”—simply scoop any fuzz off of the brine and get rid of any pickles that are affected. No need to throw out the whole jar!

Thanks so much to Rebecca for sharing these tasty little treats with us. You should also check out her blog, Foodie with Family, where she shares many more awesome recipes. These Grilled Spare Ribs look ah-mazing.

Recipe

Homemade Claussen Knock-Off Pickles

by Rebecca on July 22, 2011 in Homemade Ingredients
See this recipe post on Rebecca’s site! July 22, 2011

5.00 Mitt(s) 2 Rating(s)

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Recipe Description

Always crunchy and garlicky, this perfect homemade pickle requires no special equipment, no canning experience and tastes just like Claussen’s refrigerated kosher dill pickles.

Preparation Instructions

Wash cucumbers but do not scrub them. Trim 1/8-inch from the blossom end of each cucumber and slice in half lengthwise or into quarters, depending on how large your cucumbers are and how big you want them to be when they’re done.

In a gallon jar (or large, wide-mouth, food-safe container) layer the dill heads or seed, garlic cloves and sliced cucumbers.

In a separate pitcher or bowl, stir together the remaining ingredients until the salt is dissolved.

Pour the brine over the cucumbers, taking care to make sure all of them are fully submerged. If needed, place a plate or mug or other non-reactive heavy item on top of the cucumbers to weigh them down and keep them under the brine!

Cover lightly with a lid just perched on top or secure a piece of cheesecloth over the jar with a rubber band to keep fruit flies away.

Leave out of direct sunlight on the counter for two to four days*, or until the cucumbers taste like pickles throughout.

Then, fix your lid onto your jar or container and chill the pickles. These can be stored in the refrigerator for up to six months provided you keep them covered with brine.

Note: If at any point in the proceedings “fuzz” or “foam” develops on top of the brine, use a spoon to remove it. If there is “fuzz” attached to any of the cucumbers, remove the ones affected and be sure the others are still fully submerged.

Cover the jar lightly but do not screw a lid into place!

Ingredients

35 whole To 45 Whole Small To Medium Sized Pickling Cucumbers
4 heads Fresh Dill Or 4 Tablespoons Dried Dill Seed (not Weed!)
4 cloves Garlic, Or More To Taste (I Usually Use Double The Amount)
1 gallon Cold Water
1 cup Cider Vinegar
⅔ cups Canning Or Kosher Salt (do Not Use Iodized Salt!)
2 Tablespoons Mixed Pickling Spices

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Spring Greens with Pears, Sugared Walnuts & Gorgonzola

Erica Lea — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 10:00:24 +0000

I don’t know about you guys, but to me an iceberg + ranch dressing salad is so blasé. I prefer my salad with a bit of pizzazz.

Thus, when I saw Jennifer’s recipe for a mix of spring greens, pears, sugared walnuts and gorgonzola, I was very much excited to give it a go. The list of ingredients was just different enough to make it interesting but familiar enough to make it appetizing.

Let me show you how to throw (or toss) it together!

First off, these are the things you’ll need: spring salad greens (or any type of lettuce you prefer), red pear, fresh herbs of choice (I left these out), gorgonzola, walnut halves, white sugar, brown sugar, extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar (I used pomegranate-infused), ground mustard, salt and garlic powder.

Begin by sugaring the walnuts: Over medium heat, sauté the walnuts with white and brown sugars. Stir often.

The sugars will begin to melt after a few minutes. When the walnuts are toasty, light brown and covered with the melted sugar, they’re done.

Remove to wax paper (I used parchment) and allow to cool.

Now make the salad dressing: In a small jar place the olive oil, red wine vinegar, sugar, salt …

And garlic powder.

Screw on the lid and shake like mad until well combined.

Thinly slice your pear.

Now it’s time to assemble your salad. Put your greens in a bowl.

Add the sliced pears …

Sugared walnuts …

Homemade salad dressing …

And gorgonzola cheese.

Isn’t that prettiest thing you ever did see?

Recipe Notes:

1. Because I wasn’t taking this salad to a large gathering, I only fixed myself a small bowl. If you want to mix up a big bowl, I would suggest not adding the toppings until just before serving.
2. I thought the vinaigrette was lovely, but Reuben thought it was a bit sour. You could decrease the amount of vinegar if you prefer a milder dressing.

Thanks so much to Jennifer for sharing this lovely recipe with us. Make sure to check out her blog, Jennifer Cooks, for many more recipes. Her Greek Tostados have my mouth watering.

Recipe

Spring Greens with Pears, Sugared Walnuts & Gorgonzola

by Jennifer | JenniferCooks.com on May 19, 2010 in Green Salads, Salads
See this recipe post on Jennifer | JenniferCooks.com’s site! May 19, 2010

5.00 Mitt(s) 7 Rating(s)

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Recipe Description

I love all kinds of salad and this one is no exception! I also love gorgonzola and bleu cheese.

Preparation Instructions

Salad: Combine spring greens, pears and herbs (if desired) in a large salad bowl. Top with cooled sugared walnuts.

Right before serving, toss salad with desired amount of dressing. Add gorgonzola crumbles at the very last, tossing lightly to incorporate into the salad.

Sugared walnuts: In a small pan, saute walnuts and white and brown sugar over medium heat until walnuts are caramelized, stirring often (they will be light brown and coated with melted sugar), approximately 4-6 minutes. Spread the walnuts on foil or waxed paper. After they cool, break apart.

For the dressing: Combine oil, vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt and garlic powder in a jar or container with a lid and shake well. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss.

Ingredients

6 cups Spring Mix Salad Greens
2 whole Red Pears, Cored And Thinly Sliced
Your Choice Of Fresh Herbs, To Taste (optional)
8 ounces, weight Gorgonzola Cheese, Coarsely Crumbled
1 cup Walnut Halves
2 Tablespoons White Sugar
2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
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FOR THE DRESSING:
½ cups Oil
⅓ cups Red Wine Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Sugar
½ teaspoons Ground Mustard
½ teaspoons Salt
¼ teaspoons Garlic Powder

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Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

Erica Lea — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 10:00:24 +0000

Sometimes, you just need a warm, comforting supper; something that will fill your belly and keep you satisfied.

This casserole (or, as I like to call it, hotdish) is admittedly not the most healthy on earth. But, trust me, Terri’s recipe is worth the extra calories.

Let me show you how it goes together.

Here’s what you’ll need: 1 whole chicken (I used a rotisserie chicken), thinly sliced honey ham, thinly sliced baby Swiss cheese, butter, flour, milk, lemon, Dijon mustard, salt, smoked paprika and white pepper.

For the topping you will need: more butter (duh!), panko bread crumbs, seasoning salt and parsley.

Roughly chop the ham.

Butter a baking dish. I like to hold onto a stick of butter with the wrapper, but if you like to get your hands greasy, that’s alright, too.

Place the shredded or diced chicken in the bottom of the pan.

Put the chopped ham on top.

Place the sliced cheese on top of the ham.

Now make the white sauce: Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook until bubbly and smooth. Slowly add the milk. Cook until thickened. Add the lemon juice …

… mustard, salt, paprika and white pepper. Bring up to a boil and remove from heat.

Pour the sauce over the chicken/ham/cheese in the pan.

Time to make the topping: Melt the butter. Stir in the breadcrumbs, seasoning salt and parsley.

Just look at that buttery goodness. Mmhmm.

Sprinkle the topping over the sauce-laden chicken/ham/cheese. Oh yeah.

Bake at 350ºF until bubbly and the topping is lightly browned.

Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. Then, dig in!

Recipe Notes:

1. I thought this was brilliant. It tasted a lot like Chicken Cordon Bleu, only richer and creamier. Which is always good, in my book.
2. The sauce didn’t seem to want to thicken up too well for me. Next time I might add a bit more flour.
3. The lemon in the sauce was brilliant. It added just the right amount of tang.

Thanks so much to Terri for sharing this delicious recipe! Make sure to check out her blog, That’s Some Good Cookin’, for more lip-smacking recipes. This Cinnamon Roll Cake looks insane. And this Browned Butter Banana Bread sounds scrumptious.

Recipe

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

by Terri @ that's some good cookin' on March 6, 2012 in Casseroles, Main Courses
See this recipe post on Terri @ that's some good cookin'’s site! March 6, 2012

4.46 Mitt(s) 30 Rating(s)

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Recipe Description

Classic flavor, homespun ease.

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter a 9- x 13-inch baking dish. Set aside.

Put cooked shredded or diced chicken on the bottom of the baking dish. Rough chop the ham and scatter it over the top of the chicken. Lay the Swiss cheese on top of the ham.

For the sauce:

Melt the butter in a large sauce pot over medium heat. When butter is melted, quickly stir in the flour to form a smooth roux. Do not brown! Once the roux is smooth and bubbly, slowly pour in the cold milk while stirring briskly to make a smooth sauce. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens. Stir in the lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, smoked paprika and white pepper. Bring sauce just back to a low boil and turn off heat. Pour sauce evenly over the casserole, being certain to get some of the sauce around the edges of the pan.

For the topping:

Melt the butter in the microwave in a medium sized microwaveable bowl. Heat it for 30 seconds at a time and stop once it’s melted. Take the bowl out of the microwave and stir in the panko bread crumbs, seasoning salt and crushed dried parsley. Sprinkle over the top of the casserole.

Bake casserole uncovered for 45 minutes until hot and bubbly throughout and topping has turned a light golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes prior to serving.

Ingredients

FOR THE CASSEROLE:
1 whole Cooked Chicken, Bones Removed, Meat Diced Or Shredded (rotisserie Chicken Is Excellent, Should Be 5-6 Cups Of Chicken
½ pounds Very Thinly Sliced Deli-style Honey Ham, Rough Chopped
¼ pounds Thin Sliced Baby Swiss Cheese
FOR THE SAUCE:
4 Tablespoons Butter
4 Tablespoons Flour
3-¼ cups Milk (I Used Whole Milk)
2 Tablespoons Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
1-½ teaspoon Salt
½ teaspoons Smoked Paprika
¼ teaspoons White Pepper
FOR THE TOPPING:
6 Tablespoons Butter
1-½ cup Panko Bread Crumbs
¾ teaspoons Seasoning Salt
1-½ teaspoon Crushed Dried Parsley

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Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

Erica Lea — Fri, 25 May 2012 10:00:06 +0000

Now that the days are growing warmer, I’m more in the mood for ice cream. Okay. Forget everything I just said. I’m always in the mood for ice cream, especially homemade ice cream.

When Erika suggested this recipe (brought to us by Josie of Daydreamer Desserts), I knew it needed to be made. Soon. I mean, cheesecake ice cream filled with strawberries, chocolate grahams and dark chocolate? Seriously, who could refuse that?

But enough with the chit-chat. Let’s get to the good part: the part where I torture you with images of delicious food.

Here’s your list of lovely ingredients: fresh strawberries (preferably organic), cream cheese, sour cream, half-and-half, lemon juice, sugar, salt, dark chocolate, heavy cream, and chocolate grahams.

Core and slice 12 ounces of strawberries.

In a blender or food processor, puree the strawberries, cream cheese, sour cream, half-and-half…

And lemon juice, sugar, and a pinch of salt.

Make sure it’s nice and smooth.

Pour the pureed ingredients into an ice cream maker and churn.

Meanwhile, prepare the (optional) mix-ins. Slice the remaining strawberries very thinly. Sprinkle with a couple teaspoons of sugar and mix well. Place in the freezer.

Melt the chocolate and cream together in a double boiler (I used a heat-proof bowl set over a pot of simmering water).

Heavy cream and dark chocolate. Nom.

Spread three chocolate graham crackers with the melted chocolate and place in the freezer.

About five minutes before the ice cream is finished churning (25 minutes for me), add the mix-ins.

Chop the chocolate-covered chocolate graham crackers roughly and add to the ice cream.

When the ice cream is finished churning (about 30 minutes for me), transfer to a freezer container and freeze until firm. Or eat directly from the ice cream maker if you prefer a softer ice cream.

I cannot be held responsible for the amount of calories you will consume by devouring this ice cream.

Recipe notes:

1. While the strawberry mix-in added some nice color to the finished ice cream, they’re very cold and hard to taste. Next time I think I’ll leave them out.
2. This ice cream isn’t overly-sweet, but I, not being a fan of very sugary desserts, would probably cut out some of the sugar next time.
3. The chocolate grahams spread with dark chocolate were brilliant.

Thank you to Josie (a self-taught pastry queen and mom) for sharing this recipe with us. Make sure to visit her blog Daydreamer Desserts where she shares her beautiful photos and delicious recipes. These Peanut Butter Oreo Fudge Parfaits look particularly yummy.

Recipe

Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

by daydreamerdesserts on August 30, 2010 in Desserts, Ice Cream
See this recipe post on daydreamerdesserts’s site! August 30, 2010

5.00 Mitt(s) 3 Rating(s)

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Recipe Description

If you love strawberries, cheesecake and ice cream as much as I do… you’ve got to try this combination.

Preparation Instructions

For the ice cream:

In a blender or food processor puree the strawberries, cream cheese, sour cream, half-and-half, lemon juice, sugar and salt.

Pour ice cream base into your ice cream maker and churn per manufacturer’s instructions, approximately 30 minutes.

While the ice cream is churning, prepare mix-ins if desired.

For the mix-ins:

In a small bowl combine the strawberries and sugar, mix well and place in the freezer

Melt bittersweet chocolate and heavy cream in the microwave in 30 second intervals at 50% power. Stir after each interval. Repeat until melted.

With a spatula cover the chocolate graham crackers with melted chocolate and place in the freezer.

Approximately 5 minutes before ice cream is done, remove strawberry mixture and graham crackers from freezer. Add macerated strawberries to the ice cream while still churning. Roughly chop graham crackers and add to ice cream.

Ingredients

FOR THE ICE CREAM:
12 ounces, weight Strawberries, Hulled And Sliced
8 ounces, weight Cream Cheese
1 cup Sour Cream
½ cups Half-and-half
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
1 cup Sugar
1 pinch Salt
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FOR THE MIX-INS:
4 ounces, weight Strawberries, Hulled And Finley Diced
2 teaspoons Sugar
¼ cups Bittersweet Chocolate
1 teaspoon Heavy Cream
3 whole Chocolate Graham Crackers

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Bacon, Cheddar and Chive Scones

Erica Lea — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 10:00:02 +0000

Oh boy. You’re in for a real treat. Bacon. Cheddar cheese. Fresh chives. Heavy cream. Today’s recipe (brought to us by Tasty Kitchen member Schnoodle Soup via King Arthur Flour) is comfort food with a hint of sophisticated flare.

I was expecting these scones to be good; perhaps great. But they are more than that—they’re simply scrumptious.

My first bite was heavenly. The scone was flaky and soft and the flavors were amazing yet so complementary. But I’ll stop torturing you and show you how you can get these in your tummy today.

First, the list of ingredients: flour, salt, baking powder, sugar (I used organic evaporated cane juice), cold butter, cheddar cheese, fresh chives, bacon (I used a hickory maple), and heavy cream.

Begin by cooking your bacon. I fried my over the stove, but you could use your oven if you wish.

Crumble or chop the cooked bacon.

Cut the butter into cubes (I like to use this method), and stick it in back in the refrigerator.

Grate some cheddar. Cheese. I love cheese. Ahem. Sorry.

Chop the chives. I like to use scissors, but you can use a knife if you prefer.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder and sugar.

Add the cubed butter.

Using your hands, “cut” in the butter until the mixture is crumbly with butter pieces of different sizes. You don’t want it to be too uniform.

See how there’s some butter pieces that are bigger? That’s what you want to achieve.

Add the cheese, bacon and chives to the flour/butter mixture and combine.

Add the cream and mix with your hands. You want the mixture to stick together and have no crumbs at the bottom of the bowl. If it’s too dry, add some more cream. Dump the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat into a 7-inch disc that’s about 3/4 inch thick.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet and cut into eight wedges. Separate them slightly.

Brush the scones with some extra cream. This will help them to brown up nicely. Bake in a 425°F oven for 20-22 minutes, or until golden brown.

Notes:
The dough by itself is very rich. There’s no need to serve with butter. Unless you’re a butter addict, like myself.
I thought the hickory-maple-flavored bacon was an excellent flavor option, slightly sweet and smoky. If you prefer a more pure savory flavor, choose a regular bacon.
These scones can be reheated easily by popping them in the toaster for a few minutes. I think it preserves the original texture better than a microwave.

Thank you so much to Lindsay (and KAF) for sharing this delicious recipe with us! Make sure to check out her blog where she shares many more yummy recipes (like this Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf).

Recipe

Bacon, Cheddar and Chive Scones

by Schnoodle Soup on December 5, 2011 in Breakfast
See this recipe post on Schnoodle Soup’s site! December 5, 2011

5.00 Mitt(s) 5 Rating(s)

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Recipe Description

A savory scone sent straight from the breakfast gods.

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 425ºF. Prepare a baking pan by lightly greasing it or lining it with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder and sugar.

Using your hands, incorporate the butter until mixture is unevenly crumbly. Some of your butter will remain in larger pieces, which is exactly what you’re trying to achieve.

Mix in cheese, chives and bacon and make sure they are evenly distributed.

Add ¾ cup of cream and work in with your hands. If the mixture sticks together and you have no remaining crumbs at the bottom of the bowl, do not add more cream. If crumbs remain, add more cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the mixture holds together.

Transfer the dough to a floured work surface. Pat dough into a 7” disk and roll until it is about ¾” thick. Transfer the disk to your baking sheet.

Using a knife, cut into 8 wedges and spread apart slightly on the baking sheet. Brush the tops of the scones with additional cream to help them brown while cooking.

Bake for 20– 2 minutes until scones are golden brown.

(Recipe from King Arthur Flour.)

Ingredients

2 cups All-purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
2 Tablespoons Sugar
4 Tablespoons Very Cold Butter, Cubed
1 cup Freshly Grated Cheddar Cheese
⅓ cups Chives, Chopped
12 slices Bacon, Cooked And Crumbled
¾ cups Cream, Or More As Needed, Plus 2 Tablespoons To Brush On The Scones

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