Cracker Barrel Biscuits (copycat recipe)

You know how I love a good biscuit.
This recipe is a Southern classic. It's rumored to be the Cracker Barrel recipe.  It calls for ingredients all self-respecting Southern cooks have in their kitchen: self rising flour, shortening, and buttermilk. If you're a Yankee, (like me) you probably don't have self rising flour on hand at all times. No worries. You can make your own in a minute with three simple ingredients.

Oh, one more tip, My dear friend Miss Mary (what the kids love to call her) was visiting from Mississippi a few weeks ago. I made a big batch of biscuits for breakfast one morning, and we ended up having quite a few left over. I'm kind of a biscuit snob, so I'm not one to eat a leftover biscuit. I was about to throw them away when she told me the secret to re-heating leftover biscuits.  Listen up. Split them in half. Butter both of the insides. Lay them on a cookie sheet and broil just until lightly browned and heated through. Careful not to burn. They taste fresh and almost better than the first baking. We ate up every last crumb.
The rumor about these being the Cracker Barrel recipe? I've eaten a Cracker Barrel biscuit and I can tell you this.  This recipe makes a biscuit that's tender and flaky, like CB's. A bit of crunch from being baked at 450, a bit salty, which is perfect with the jam you're going to put inside. If we're comparing, I have to say no restaurant I've ever dined in serves a biscuit this good. It's hard to beat a home made biscuit.
Get baking.


Cracker Barrel Biscuits
adapted from cdkitchen.com found on Pinterest
print recipe

2 cups self rising flour (or  you may make your own, recipe below)
1/3 cup solid shortening, I prefer Crisco
2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk, shaken
melted butter

Pre heat oven to 450 degrees, and set rack in middle of oven.
Place the self rising flour into a medium size bowl. Cut the shortening in , using a pastry cutter, or two knives. Add the buttermilk all at once. Gently fold the buttermilk into the flour and shortening, until the
dough gathers together, and the flour is mixed in. I use a large wood spoon for this.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat gently into a disc about one inch thick. Do not over handle the biscuits, this will make them tough, and not tender.
Gently cut the biscuits, using a biscuit cutter or glass. Place onto a cookie sheet.
Brush the tops of biscuits with melted butter.
Make sure the oven is completely pre heated  and up to 450 when the biscuits are placed in to bake.
Bake for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown on top and bottom.
Makes 9- 2 1/2 inch biscuits. Biscuit yield will depend on size of cutter.

Self Rising Flour :
1 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Mix together in a bowl with a fork. Store in a container or Ziploc bag until ready to use.
I double this for the Cracker Barrel recipe, and have a little leftover for the next time I make biscuits.
Measure out 2 cups for the recipe above.

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Everyone's Favorite Shrimp and Avocado Salsa

I just returned from spending a few days in the Pacific Northwest, one of my favorite places in the world. Bremerton was my childhood home, a ferry ride away from Seattle. I grew up among these beautiful sights but never really appreciated them until I moved away! A few days with family is always treasured time :)

I was also able to attend the International Food Blogger's Conference in Seattle! Yes, a conference just for FOOD bloggers. Since I haven't been to a blogger conference (ever) I was wondering what to expect? I was pleasantly surprised. It was: food food food, gifts gifts gifts, fun fun fun. Who wouldn't love that? Seriously, three days of 300 women, (and a few men) talking about food blogging, taking classes, collecting an IN-sane amount of gifts from vendors, eating from morn until night, and taking pictures of food. Want to hear the funniest part of the conference?  Before eating, people were almost reverent about allowing the food to be photographed. If someone showed up after the initial photos were taken, and people were dishing up food, they would step aside and allow the food to be photographed again. No weird looks while photographing, or impatience while waiting in line to dish up a plate, just mutual understanding. Hell-o.
THESE ARE  M Y   P E O P L E!!!

Top l-r : Four cute food bloggers I met at lunch one day, trying out some fun new food products, the SWAG bags, and yes, it was bags. Plural. As in- I had to buy another suitcase to get everything home!, a tasting before dinner one night from Alaska Seafood featuring Alaska Halibut Corndogs, Buffalo Alaska Cod Quesadillas, Sockeye Salmon and Bacon Wrapped Scallop Sliders. 

The classes were awesome.  Dorie Greenspan, Andrew Scrivani, Chef Jon Mitzewich, Jeffrey Lunak, Mark Briggs, the people from Allrecipes, Foodista and so many more. The only problem was how to attend every class, when there were three going on at the same time...
I met the nicest people and it was a great learning experience.  An experience that helped me to appreciate, a little more, what a blessing it is to spend time sharing my love of family, friends, community and cooking through ABK!

In honor of my recent visit to Seattle, I'm sharing (my daughter Corrine's) Shrimp and Avocado Salsa. This is one of our family favorites. Corrine has been making it for a few years and it's become one of those recipes. You know the dish that you make once and then get assigned to make for  EVERY party from that time forward because it's just So. Darn. Good.
Yup. This is that recipe. I've had people text, email and call me for this recipe. If you're a seafood hater, you may want to reconsider,  even seafood haters tell me they love it.
Tuck it away for your holiday parties coming up.
I know you're going to love it.

Everyone's Favorite Shrimp and Avocado Salsa
Adapted from Corrine at Mint Arrow
print recipe

1 lb cooked shrimp, thawed, tails removed and rinsed*, medium to large in size
juice of 6 limes
1 large white or sweet onion, chopped ( about two cups)
two bunches of cilantro, stemmed and chopped coarse, reserving a little for garnish
2 Serrano chilies, seed the chilies if you don't like spice and chop fine
4-6 medium avocados, slightly soft, chunked
1 large red pepper,  seeds removed, diced
Several dashes of hot sauce, to taste
1-1 1/2 cups ketchup
a few dashes of Worcestershire Sauce
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper

The day before serving, remove shrimp from freezer and thaw in refrigerator in bag (see note below).
The next day-
Pull the tails off shrimp and devein the shrimp if needed. Chop the shrimp into large chunks, place in large bowl. Squeeze the fresh lime juice over the shrimp.
Place the chopped onion, cilantro, chilies, avocados, red pepper, hot sauce, ketchup and Worcestershire into bowl with shrimp. Season with salt and pepper. Gently fold the ingredients together.  Chill until ready to serve.
Serve with tortilla chips.
Serves 15-20 as an appetizer

Tips:
-Plan ahead when making this dip. The best way to thaw the frozen shrimp is to leave it in the fridge overnight. If you forget and try to run it under cold water to thaw, the shrimp can take on a water-logged texture.
-If you like your dip more saucy, add another 1/2 to 1 cup of  ketchup.
-This can be made up to about 6 hours ahead of serving.

Night-night Seattle.

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Tessa's French Peasant Bread

Guess what the weather forecast is for the weekend. If you said SNOW, you're a winner.  Heavy sigh. Last week, we went to Southern Utah for baseball.

Oh.
Sun. I remember you. Warm. Blue skies. Sunscreen. No boots.
Then Monday came, reality along with it. Back to the North.
Snowy day= The perfect time to bake bread.

If you are a lifer on A Bountiful Kitchen, you know I love my friend Tessa. And I love her cooking. Tessa brought this to a dinner party at Christmas and I fell in love.  So simple. No kneading. No mixer required. Makes two loaves. Perfect for sharing on a cold winter day.


Tessa's French Peasant Bread
Tessa Reinemer
print recipe

1 pkg dry yeast
2 cups warm water
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
4 cups flour
oil
cornmeal
melted butter

Place yeast, water, sugar and salt in warm water and stir until dissolved. Add flour and stir until blended. Do not knead.

Cover and let rise for one hour or doubled in size. Flour or grease hands and remove dough from bowl and place in 2 rounds on oiled cookie sheet ( or parchment paper ) sprinkled with corn meal. Let rise and additional hour. Brush top with melted butter.
Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes.
Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees and cook an additional 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and brush again with butter.
Serve warm.

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Grilled Salmon with Simple Lemon Aioli

Did you think I had fallen off the face of the earth? I'm still here. Just returned from a vaca with Grant. Celebrating our 30 years of wedded bliss.
Fish is one of my favorites. It probably doesn't seem like it, since I don't post a lot of fish recipes. Here's the deal- my favorite recipe for fish is: a little lemon juice, salt and pepper. Cook until barely done.
A few thoughts about fish from my fuzzy mind at 3:30 in the morning. Insomnia/jet lag. It's a beautiful thing...

The first pic is of a sea bass we ate in Greece. Absolutely melt in your mouth delicious. The price tag? Not so wonderful. Let's just say, never, ever, sit down to lunch in Greece (or anywhere else for that matter) and let the restaurant owner give you suggestions without seeing the printed menu. The bill may form undesirable negative attitudes about Greece in general. No worries though, Greece's economic  woes may now be repaired. eh eh eh.

Here's another pic from the trip. I know, you wanted to see photos of ruins, but I thought you would enjoy this special treat. A fish pedicure. It's all the rage in Europe and Asia. Yes. That's right. Tourists lining up to pay money to plunge their feet into a tank (not cleaned in between pedicures) of small fish who then eat the dead skin off of their feet. Really? Am I the only one who thinks this is really disgusting?

Alright. Back to my dish. I wanted to serve salmon for Brookie's birthday a few weeks back, but also  wanted it to be a little out of the ordinary.  It was June, so we fired up the bbq.  Thought maybe some type of lemony drizzle would be festive. I Googled "Aioli and lemon" and came up with a recipe calling for mayo and lemon juice. Typically aioli is made with crushed garlic, egg yolk and olive oil. Whisking those ingredients together will produce an aioli. I was in a hurry, so I improvised and came up with this quickie sauce.
If you love simple, fresh and delish, you'll love this.




Grilled Salmon with Simple Lemon Aioli
A Bountiful Kitchen
print recipe

Wild Salmon fillet, about 1 1/2  lbs
one fresh lemon
salt and pepper
cilantro or parsley for garnish

Heat grill to medium high heat. Coat grill with non stick cooking spray.
Squeeze the juice of one lemon on to fish. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
Place fish on grill, skin side down.
Cover with lid of grill and cook for about 8-12 minutes. Do not turn over.
Check to see if fish is done by using a fork and pulling apart the fish gently at the thickest part. If the fish flakes apart easily, and is not fleshy looking inside, it is done. Do not overcook. The fish should be done in no more than about 12 minutes. Using a large spatula, transfer the fish to a plate. Cover with foil until ready to serve. Garnish with fresh cilantro or parsley.
Serves about 4-6

Simple Lemon Aioli
1/2 cup mayo (not low fat)
1/4 cup yogurt, plain
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon rind, grated
fresh ground pepper and coarse seal salt to taste

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. Pass alongside fish, vegetables, chicken.
If desired, spoon into a small plastic bag. Snip off small corner of bag, squeeze sauce onto fish in zigzag pattern.

Tips:
-I have found the freshest fish in Btown is sold at Costco. A few years ago I took a series of sushi making classes at Orson Gygi in SLC.  Jonas Otsuji, Sushi Chef (Survivor 2012 contestant) who taught the class recommended Costco as a source of fresh fish for those who live in mountain states.  I've purchased it several times over the years to make sushi and fresh fish dishes. I highly recommend cooking fish the same day it is purchased.
-I also highly recommend spending a few extra bucks and buying wild salmon, instead of the farm raised. It's seasonal, so it is not available year round. Wild vs farm raised? Remember the story about the fish pedi's?
Same concept.
In my mind.
The farm raised are swimming around eating everything in the tank. Ok, Ill stop there. Just buy the fresh and not farm raised when you have the option. Enough said.
-Broiling as an option- I broil fish all of the time. Simply place on a cookie sheet, line it with foil if you like for easy clean up. Spray the surface of the pan or foil with cooking spray. Place the rack on the second to top rack in the oven. Broil on high for about 8-10 minutes. Do not turn over.
-Make sure to snip a small corner of the bag if you want your aioli drizzle to look beautiful. I obviously was in  a hurry and snipped off a large hole, hence the thick, unattractive drizzle  :o
-If your grill has grates that are spaced quite far apart, you may want to use a soaked cedar plank to cook the fish, so it doesn't fall into the grill. Another option is to place the fish on a layer of foil, (double layer is best) then grill over the flame. You won't get as much of the bbq flavor, but if the option is foil or losing the fish in the grates, I choose foil. 

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Fresh Blackberry and Lemon Yogurt Muffins with Warm Vanilla Yogurt Glaze

Grant, Corrine and I lived in Portland while Grant went to school at Lewis and Clark back in the (should I say it??) 80's. Gasp! We are old. Last summer, my mom and I took a little trip back to the Oregon Coast.

We loved our three years in Portland. We especially loved that in about two hours, we could be at the beach. My favorite place in the world. What is it about the ocean? The sound of the waves is so soothing. The Oregon coast is not the trendiest spot as far as beach destinations go. If you are looking for bikini-clad hotties and muscle bound bodies, you are probably going to be a bit disappointed. We went last August, and I wore a jacket most of the trip.

The Oregon coast probably attracts more folks who are on the Eddie Bauer/Birkenstock/granola side of life. More for families, and people who really enjoy long stretches of deserted beaches, fresh air, and a laid back coastal lifestyle. Big sigh. I love it there. Did I already say that? Back to the trip. Mom and I spent days driving, walking, and stopping at every little fruit stand, bakery, restaurant, antique shop, roadside marker and beach along the way.
So.
Much.
Fun.

I love to travel with people who will indulge in my road trip crazy. Meaning, we need to stop at every bakery/quaint restaurant/gas station that might sell funky junk and home made treats.

We drove to Tillamook one day. Sound familiar? Yes. The Cheese people. Actually Tillamook is more than just cheese. It's ice cream, yogurt, cheese, and butter. Yum.  We drove through Tillamook,  to the beach at Cape Lookout and also to the Cape Meares Lighthouse. Serene and absolutely beautiful.





    Cape Lookout, Tillamook, Oregon

Recently, I received an email from Kelly, who represents Tillamook asking if I would be interested in developing a recipe using their new line of  yogurt, Tillamook Light. It's the first light yogurt on the market naturally sweetened with Truvia, has 100 calories and is made with no artificial junk. No artificial sweeteners, flavors, colors, high fructose corn syrup or growth hormones. Wow. Now you know I'm not a health nut, but this was intriguing to me. After enjoying Tillamook cheese for years, and honking at cows while driving through valleys in Tillamook, last summer,  I had to try it. It's really, really yummy. If you want to read more about this line of yogurt go here.




A couple of mornings later, I got up started writing a recipe for yogurt muffins. I tried to stay with a light and (semi) healthy theme, so I used 1/2 cup of canola oil (instead of butter) and only 1/2 cup of sugar (this is almost sugar free to me). Fresh and light, but enough sweet to qualify as a yummy breakfast treat. Wouldn't your mom love these on Sunday?? You remembered, right?
Yes people.
Next Sunday is Mother's Day.
This year I'm posting a Mother's Day Brunch menu. I'll have quiche and salad posted later this week.
See you soon.
After you finish your Mother's Day shopping.
Yes, I'm talking to you.
P.S. I my next life, I'm definitely living on the beach.
P.S.S. I did not receive any payment for this post. I did receive a box of Tillamook yogurt for testing purposes. And some gift certificates for more yogurt that I will( in the near future) include in a giveaway to you on this blog :)





Oh, the recipe!  Here it is...





Fresh Blackberry and Lemon Yogurt Muffins with Warm Vanilla Yogurt Glaze
A Bountiful Kitchen
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1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup canola oil

3 tablespoons lemon juice

zest from 1 lemon

1- 6 oz container Tillamook Light Vanilla yogurt*

1 1/2 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cup blackberries, rinsed

for glaze/topping:
1- 6 oz Tillamook Light Vanilla yogurt*
2 tablespoons granulated or powdered sugar

Grease a 12 cup muffin tin, set aside.
Preheat oven to 400, set rack in center of oven.
In a medium size bowl, whisk together the eggs, and 1/2 cup of sugar.  Add the canola oil, lemon juice, zest and vanilla yogurt.
Place the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a small bowl and whisk together with a fork. Pour dry ingredients into the bowl with wet ingredients. Mix with a large spoon or spatula just until all of the wet and dry ingredients are incorporated. Fold in the blackberries.
Scoop the batter evenly into the muffin cups.
Bake at 400 degrees for about 15-17 minutes or until center springs back when touched lightly.
Remove from oven.
Heat the remaining 6 oz of yogurt in a small pan over medium-high heat on stove. Whisk and heat to a low boil for about one minute. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of granulated or powdered sugar.

Dip each warm muffin top into the pan of heated yogurt. Set aside to cool for a few minutes. If there is enough yogurt glaze remaining, you may dip the muffin tops again to create a second layer of glaze, or spoon on the remaining glaze.
Muffins are best served while warm, but may also be served at room temperature.

Tips:
-*You may use any flavor/brand of yogurt. This recipe would also work well with a lemon or berry flavored yogurt. I recommend using a lemon or vanilla flavor for the glaze/topping.
-You may also use any type of fruit. I suggest fresh blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, etc.

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Italian Oven Fries

We had these at River's Run last time we visited Mary and Will in Mississippi.  I use this recipe when I'm short on time and want to whittle away at the 50 lb bag of Idaho potatoes in my garage. It's a quick, kid friendly side dish that goes with almost any meal. YUM.

Baked Italian Fries
adapted slightly from Mad Hungry
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6 or 7 Idaho Russet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/3-inch-thick French fry-style strips, soaked in cold water
4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs or some combo of dried oregano, thyme, marjoram, and basil
2 cups freshly grated Romano cheese
1/4 cup parsley leaves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) salted butter, cut into cubes
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400* degrees.
Drain the potatoes and pat dry with paper towels. Spread 1 tablespoon of the olive oil on each of 2 rimmed baking sheets and spread out the potatoes. Overlapping is fine.
Sprinkle the dried herbs evenly over the potatoes. Liberally spread the cheese and parsley on top. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the cheese. Scatter the cubed butter around the pans.
Bake until the potatoes are golden brown, rotating the pans after 30 minutes, for 45 to 50 minutes total. Use a spatula to lift off the potatoes with all the crusty cheese adhered to them. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot. 

Potato Prep: For a French-fry cut, peel the potatoes and slice lengthwise into 1/3-inch-thick slices. Stack the slices on top of one another, a few at a time, and slice lengthwise into 1/3-inch-thick strips. Peeled and sliced potatoes can turn brown pretty quickly. To avoid this, try floating the peeled, cut pieces in cold, salted water. When you're ready to cook, drain them and pat dry.

Tips:

-Soaking the potatoes in water is not necessary if you are in a hurry. I have made this recipe several times and skipped this step.

-You may also skip the peeling step. Just scrub the potatoes clean before slicing. 

-* I turn the oven to 425 convection and bake them for about 20 minutes total.

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Crunchy Coconut French Toast

Last year Grant and I took a few days and visited one of our favorite spots in the U.S. -   Marco Island, Florida. Marco is a beautiful island south of Naples on the Gulf side of Florida. If you visit after Easter, you practically have the beach to yourself on the weekdays. Unbelievably beautiful. Wanna see some pics?









We ate breakfast twice at a little place called Nene's Kitchen. First visit, the waitress talked me into trying the Crunchy French Toast. Pleasant surprise. The second time back, I ordered the same thing.  Which I normally wouldn't do on vaca. But it complies with my "Food Rules" as Brooke calls them:

Rule #1: No ordering the same thing twice (while on vaca), unless it's unbelievably amazing, or you are trying to figure out how to make it at home.
Rule #2 No ordering the same thing as your dining partner (EVER). I'll spare you and stop at rule #2.




Following rule #1, we tried  about 10 different flavors at this delectable little cupcake shop- 
Simply Cupcakes of Olde Marco. My favorite? The Key Lime Cupcake. Still on a quest to re-create. That's another post....


When I returned home, I wanted to re-create the dish, and not by mistake (bc I don't believe in those, that, whatever) my friend Jo made this yummy stuffed french toast for a neighborhood breakfast. I'm not usually a fan of stuffed french toast, but this recipe was not too rich, and had the crunch I loved at Nene's. Here it is, revised a little. I'll print it as Jolene made it, and also with my alterations.  Oh, btw, when Jake was a baby, he called Corrine  "Neenee". Prob bc we always called her Corriney. Hence the reasoning behind trying this restaurant.
There are no mistakes. Even at breakfast.




This would be yummy for Easter Brunch. This weekend. Remember? You are cooking Easter brunch/dinner, right?  Yes, I'm talking to you.
One last thought.
Just say no to prepared food at Costco.


Crunchy Coconut French Toast
Jo Cash
print recipe

For stuffed french toast:
1-8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup powdered sugar
chopped pecans

8 slices white bread, thick slice or dense white (Jo used Granny Sycamores)

Mix together and spread a little (1-2 tablespoons) between two slices of bread.
If you want to make the french toast without stuffing the slices of bread, simply cut out the step above.

For coating bread:
4 eggs
1/4 to 1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup crushed cornflakes
1 cup loose packed coconut

Beat eggs, milk and vanilla in a pie plate.
Mix the crushed cornflakes and coconut in a separate dish.
Dip bread into the egg mixture and then the cornflake mixture.
Heat  a griddle to medium - medium high heat and coat lightly with butter or spray with PAM.
Fry the bread pieces on griddle until lightly browned on each side. Do not pat down. Do not turn more than once. Watch carefully so coconut does not burn. Keep slices warm in oven till serving.
Serve with Cinnamon Syrup.

Jo's Cinnamon Syrup

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup heavy cream

Stir together everything except the cream. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil over moderate heat and boil for 2 minutes. Syrup will thicken as it cools. Remove from heat and stir in cream.
Makes 1 1/3 cups, store in fridge.


Tips:
-When I asked Jo for this recipe, she ran the recipe over with a loaf of Great Harvest Cinnamon Swirl Bread. I tried it with the Cinna-Swirl and loved it. As stated above, Jo used the Granny Sycamore White bread. I loved that as well. She made a tray of the stuffed version, and cut the pieces into triangles (fourths of a slice). Usually, I'm not interested in touching a piece of french toast that is not piping hot, but this was really yummy. If you are serving this to a crowd, double the recipe and place the slices in the oven until ready to serve. Slice the pieces in half or fourths, serve with a bowl of Cinnamon Syrup in the center of a platter.
-You could also make this ahead of time and "stuff" the pieces of bread, dip and coat with crumbs, arrange in a single layer on cookies sheet or 9x13 pan. Cover dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate. When ready to cook, remove from fridge, and cook as directed.
-Always serve with home made syrup, this will give your french toast, waffles or pancakes the WOW factor :)

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Pasta Al Pomodoro!

Remember last fall, when I had to accompany Brookie to Europe? We traveled through Spain, Italy and France on our two week vaca. I could go on and on, and bore you about every bite of pastry, pasta and gelato we consumed, but I'll spare you and just say, Italy was the highlight of our food experiences.

When I received my May, 2011 Bon Appetit, I was delirously happy to see the entire issue was dedicated to ITALY.  Yips!  The cover photo, Pasta Al Pomodoro is our recipe of the day.  BA shares some of Italy's cooking secrets in their article "Pasta Perfect, A  BA Cooking Manifesto".  Their 10 point guide to the "simplest, most luxurious sauces imaginable" is at the very least, informative. Here are five of their ten pointers:

1. Forget the pot, use a pan-   BA points out the difference in pasta you get in "top flight" restaurants as opposed to everywhere else.  The key - a saute pan. The reason pasta in a top quality restaurant tastes better- "the pasta is cooked till almost done, then transferred to a saute pan, where the pasta and sauce are cooked together, therefore insuring each strand of pasta is coated with the sauce."
Brilliant!  I've never thought of this. 

2. You're not using nearly enough salt-  You should use about 1 tablespoon of salt- per quart of water. Well, this one I did already know, blogged about that here. Yes, this really makes a difference in the way your cooked pasta tastes.

3. Don't dump the pasta water- Starchy, salty pasta water is the secret ingredient in most sauces. Always save some of the cloudy, starchy pasta water to add to your sauce.  It gives your dish body and flavor.

4. Everything is better with butter- This goes without saying.  BA says-the secret to "rich, silky sauce" is extra fat.  They also share this tidbit of info (not sure if I needed to know this) "Yes, all of the restaurants use it. "  Andrew Carmellini of NYC's Locanda Verde restaurant says "In Italian its called mantecare which means to make creamy" .

5. Cheese is not just a garnish-  "Restaurants also always enrich pasta sauces with cheese before grating it table side. When a little is added to the sauce, it melts and becomes a binder that lends to texture and flavor."

So there you have it. If you want to read the rest of the article, click here.  The article, written by Oliver Strand is a wonderful mini-education on how to make perfect pasta in your very own kitchen.

Oh yes, the recipe! Why you'll love this dish:  It's easy on the budget, but tastes like a million bucks. It's not complicated. It takes less than an hour start to finish (most of the time is simmering on the stove top, not actual work). I've made it twice, and we've loved it both times.  Last Sunday, I started this at about 5.  Served it before 6 with some crusty rolls, olive oil, balsamic and fresh green beans. It was almost like being back in Firenze.
Almost.

Venice, Florence, Siena and Pisa

Pasta Al Pomodoro
Serves 4
Bon Appetit, May 2011
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1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped or minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
pinch red pepper flakes
1-28 oz can peeled tomatoes, pureed
kosher salt
3 large fresh basil sprigs
3 quarts water
12 oz bucatini or spaghetti
1/2 cup pasta water, reserved from cooking pasta
2 tablespoons cubed unsalted butter
1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese

Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a 12 inch skillet over medium low heat.
Add one minced or chopped onion, stirring until soft, about 12 minutes.
Add minced garlic cloves and cook, stirring for 2-4 minutes.
Add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for about 1 minute. Increase heat to medium and add can of tomatoes that have been pureed in a food processor or blender. Lightly season with kosher salt.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens slightly and the flavors meld, about 20 minutes.
Remove pan from heat, stir in fresh basil and set aside.
Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil in a 5 quart pot. Season with salt. Add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally until about 2 minutes before tender.  Drain pasta, reserving at least 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.
Discard basil and heat skillet over high heat.
Stir in reserved pasta water to loosen sauce, bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook stirring until sauce coats pasta and pasta is al dente about 2 minutes.
Remove pan from heat and add the cubed butter and grated cheese. Toss with metal tongs until the cheese melts. Transfer to warm bowl or plates; serve with more grated cheese if desired.

Tips:
-Long (12" or longer) metal tongs, get some. Cost just a few dollars. You need them for this dish.
-Both times I have made this, I chopped my onion, because I usually like my onions chunky. In the future, I think I'll mince. It would lend to an even smoother sauce.
-One time I was out of whole peeled tomatoes, and I subbed chopped tomatoes. No prob.
-If fresh basil is unavailable in your area, go ahead and use dried basil. Of course, you won't be retrieving it from the sauce before serving, as you would with the fresh sprigs. I would try about 1 tablespoon of dried basil leaves. Fresh is best, if at all possible.
-I'm not a huge garlic fan ( upsets my tum) so I cut back and used only 2 cloves. Still plenty of flavor.

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Amy's Bakery Black and White Cake

Last summer, I took my Mom to New York, where we visited sites and played for a week.  I love being with my mom. We love the same things. Eating. Touring museums and sites, and shopping. She LOVED the Empire State building.  This was my third trip to NY, and I've never had a desire to stand in the two hour (or more) line and go up. But Mom wanted to, so we did. It was the highlight of the trip for her.  I'm glad we did. Took this pic while we were on top.

We walked over to see Times Square at night.  It is amazing to see how many people congregate there.
Every.
Single.
Night.

We rode the entire "Hop On, Hop Off" tour bus route. Not a lot of hopping off.
See the couple behind mom? She was mad at her hubs bc she was HOT. 

An example of sites you see on the bus:  This is a butcher shop where apparently you can pick out your meat while it's still alive. Hmmm. That's what I'm thinking. Like I WANT to see this animals life before I make it into Sunday dinner? The number's on the banner, in case you are interested.

Walking in Central Park...lots and lots of walking.

Boat ride to Statue of Liberty. Harbor tour. The Met. Grand Central. Little Italy. Chinatown. Ground Zero. Saw Kathi Lee outside of the Today Show as we were passing through. Mom loves Kathi Lee.



At 75, my mom is a trooper.  When we go on a vaca together, and there are sites to see, I lay out the schedule, and off we go.  She gets up early every day, puts on her Reebok's, has breakfast  and is ready to be a tourist. She's a great travel partner.  Never complains. She can sleep anywhere, anytime. Hard bed, soft beds? Either are fine for her. Sleeping aids?  Never needs one.  At 8PM, she's done, and in bed.  Ready for the next day.

And then there's food. She'll eat anything. Fast food, slow food.  She goes along with all of my food craziness. We made a few new discoveries (to me) last summer. We stopped back at Amy's Bakery too. Discovered this place with Corrine and Brooke the summer before.

I love their cakes. Tried this one last summer. I love a good chocolate cake. This cake is moist, chocolaty, with a smooth buttery white frosting. I love the way Amy's decorates theirs with a little chocolate dot. As you can see, my dots look more like chocolate chips. I'm not exactly the Cake Boss when it comes to decorating cakes.
Taste: SO GOOD.
Dots: I'm working on it.

Amy's Bakery Black and White Cake
recipe adapted from Amy's Bakery
print recipe

5 oz  unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sour cream (not low fat)
5 tablespoons (1 oz) Valrhona cocoa powder or Dutch process cocoa powder
2 3/8 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 3/4 cups dark brown sugar, firmly packed
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
4 large eggs
2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips, for decorating cake

White Butter cream Frosting (see below)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease, line and lightly flour 2- 9" cake pans.  Shake out excess flour.

Pour the boiling water over the chopped chocolate in a small heat-proof bowl, mix with fork until chocolate melts. Set aside to cool.

In  a large bowl, whisk together the sour cream, cocoa powder and soda until the mixture is smooth.  After the chocolate mixture has cooled a bit, but is still pourable, mix into sour cream mixture until all ingredients are incorporated and mixture is smooth.

In another bowl, cream the butter and dark brown sugar together about 3 minutes.  Add vanilla. Add the cooled chocolate/sour cream mixture, mixing well.  Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

Add the flour and salt all at once.  Mix for about 2 minutes or until all ingredients are incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.  Batter will be thin.

Divide the batter equally among two-9 inch prepared cake pans. Place the pans on the center rack of the oven.  Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached.

Turn the cakes out onto a cooling rack and let cool completely.  You may wrap the layers in Saran Wrap before they are completely cooled and freeze, for easier handling and frosting.

When ready to frost, place one layer of cake onto platter.  Brush off any crumbs. Spread a layer of frosting on top of cake.  Place other layer on top, and frost sides of cake.  Top with remaining frosting, and frost top and any areas on sides that need touching up. When ready to finish with dots, place 1/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips into small plastic (Ziploc) sandwich bag.  Microwave for about 30 seconds, or until melted.  Snip off tiny corner of the bag.  Make dots on cake.

White Butter Frosting

1 cup butter, softened, but not melted
4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
milk or half and half or cream to thin about 2-3 tablespoons

Beat butter in large bowl. Add powdered sugar, vanilla and salt. Beat until smooth.  Add milk until frosting is smooth and spreadable.

Tips:
- I changed the method in which Amy's made the cake.  They take several steps to incorporate the ingredients.  I followed this the first time, but found the steps didn't make a big difference in the texture overall.
- I just looked again at the pic of the cake in my copy of Amy's Bakery cookbook,  The Sweeter Side of Amy's Bread, and see that their dots look like chocolate chips too.

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