Flanally

Sometimes I am shocked at the ease of a recipe. I attempt what I believe to be my hardest recipes on days when I have a lot of free time to devote to them. When I finally decide to undertake a recipe I don't want to rush through it or skip steps because of time constraints. This recipe had been on my "to try" list for a long time. I was intimidated by the prospect of making anything custard-like after my failed attempt at the Lime Tart over a year ago. I finally had a weekend that wasn't overly busy so I put it on the menu as a side to our seafood and sausage skewers. I was amazed at how quick this recipe came together and how effortless it ended up being. And the results were incredible! The sweet corn paired perfectly with the light custard and the salty bite of the Parmesan rounded it out. I really didn't know what to expect from this recipe since I had never eaten flan of any sort before. These would be great as a side or an appetizer at any meal and are sure to impress. They made a beautiful presentation and the flavor was marvelous.

Sweet Corn and Parmesan Flan
Adapted from Cooking Light June 2006

Yeild

6 servings

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 2 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (about 5 ears)
• 1 teaspoon flour
• 1 cup 1% low-fat milk
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• A pinch of cayenne
  
• 4 large eggs
• 18 small multi-colored heirloom tomatoes, halved
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced basil

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add corn, and cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat. Set aside 1 cup corn kernels.

Place remaining corn in a food processor; pulse 5 times or until coarsely chopped. Add the teaspoon of flour and pulse 2 more times. Add milk and next 5 ingredients (through eggs) to food processor;

pulse 4 times or until combined.

Pour about 1/2 cup corn mixture into each of 6 (7-ounce) ramekins coated with cooking spray using a ladle.

Place ramekins in a 13 x 9-inch baking pan; add hot water to pan to a depth of 1 inch.

Bake at 350° for 35 minutes or until the center barely moves when ramekins are touched. Remove ramekins from pan; cool 5 minutes on a wire rack.

Invert flans onto each of 6 plates. Garnish each serving with about 2 1/2 tablespoons corn kernels, 6 tomato halves, and 1 teaspoon basil.

Salty Sweet Satisfaction

One childhood memory that I reflect on fondly is that of sharing the summer treat of watermelon with my family. I don't know how frequently this happened; whether it was once a week, once a month or only once every other summer. In my mind it was a very exciting occasion so I can only deduct that we didn't do it too often or it would have lost its charm.

My Mom would buy one of the gigantic melons at the grocery store and bring it home. Then my Dad would get a cooler out of the garage and cover the melon with ice for 24 hours to chill it to perfection. I am sure this 24 hour waiting period had a lot to do with the excitement - anticipating anything for 24 hours as a child can seem like a lifetime. When the wait was over my Mom would lay out newspaper on the table to catch the juice and then my Dad would cut the melon into slices for everyone. The shape of the slices was a very key factor. He didn't slice them into triangular shapes with the small rind to melon ratio you would expect at a party or a festival. Our portions were oblong so they could sit upright on the table as you ate. Everyone would have a butter knife that was used to cute bite size pieces of the melon as you worked your way down to the white flesh before the rind.

The most important part is that we didn't eat the melon on its own. Every freshly exposed layer of melon got a generous sprinkling of salt before you begin to chop it up into cubes. I don't know if other people around the world eat salt on the their watermelon. I have never seen it done this way in a movie and have never witnessed others eat it like that in person. But our watermelon was always paired with salt.

The combination of salty and sweet has never been done so well. The sweet juicy flesh of the watermelon was the perfect compliment to the common table seasoning. I knew right away I would love this recipe because I knew that the salty flavor of the feta would work wonderfully with the sweet fruit and would no doubt bring me back to those childhood summers and that special treat.

Watermelon and Feta Salad
Adapted from Paula Deen

Ingredients

• 1 (5-pound) watermelon
• 1 red onion
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled or cubed
  

Directions

Cut the flesh from the melon and cut into bite size pieces, removing and discarding the seeds, and set aside. Peel and slice the onion into paper thin rings and then chop the rings into 1 inch pieces.

In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, salt, pepper, and whisk until salt is dissolved. Slowly whisk in the olive oil, a few drops at a time. Taste, and adjust seasonings.

In a large bowl, combine the melon, onion, and feta.

Pour the dressing over the melon mixture and toss gently until everything is coated and evenly mixed.

To serve, divide salad among individual plates and garnish a sprinkle of dried parsley.

Enchi-LOT-a

I have been wanting to make enchiladas for a very long time now. I could never justify making the dish for just Forrest and I. All the recipes I came across yield so many and I knew that the deliciously cheesy leftovers would not be good for our waistlines. I was so excited to have Forrest's brothers and his parents stop by our house in DC on the way back from their visit to Upstate New York. I threw together a batch of these the night before they arrived and baked them off the day they got here. These were AMAZING! They were very simple to assemble and were unbelievably creamy. Make these - trust me.

Baked Chicken Cheese Enchiladas
Adapted from the Food Network

Ingredients

• 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 cans of Enchilada Sauce
  
• 2 cups grated Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken from a rotisserie chicken
• 1 small can of diced green chiles
  
• 1 cup canned corn kernels
  
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• Salt and pepper
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 12 to 14 soft round 6 to 8-inch flour or corn tortillas

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl cream together the cream cheese and the sour cream. Stir in 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce.

Stir in 1 cup of the grated cheese.

In a second bowl toss together the chicken, the corn, chiles, cumin, cayenne, salt, pepper, and 1/2 of the scallions.

Add the chicken mixture to the cheese mixture and stir to combine.

In a baking dish, spray bottom with cookie spray and spread a 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce over the bottom. Lay tortilla on a flat surface and brush the surface with enchilada sauce to moisten.

Place about a 1/3 cup of the filling on a corn tortilla,

roll up being careful not to break the tortilla

and transfer to the baking dish with the seam side down. Repeat process for remaining tortillas.

Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas, spreading to coat all of them.

Sprinkle remaining grated cheese over the top.

Enchiladas may be prepared up to this point 12 hours in advance. Transfer to preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes until hot and bubbly. Enchiladas may be reheated, covered with aluminum foil, before service. Sprinkle with the remaining scallions and serve warm.

Sandwich Switch Up

I found this recipe online and thought it was a very unique twist on a really popular sandwich. It was super easy to make and made for an extremely pretty presentation. It was a great addition to our Fourth of July cookout.

BLT Pasta Salad
Adapted from Food Network Magazine

Ingredients

• 12 ounces corkscrew-shaped whole wheat pasta
• 1/2 cup milk
• 12 ounces lean bacon
• 3 medium ripe tomatoes, seeded and cut into chunks
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 cup light mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 6 tablespoons chopped scallions
• 1 head of Bibb lettuce, cut into 1 inch chunks
  

Directions

Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water as the label directs. Drain and toss with the milk in a large bowl; set aside.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Discard all but 3 tablespoons drippings from the pan. Add the tomatoes, thyme and garlic to the pan and toss until warmed through; season with salt and pepper.

Crumble the bacon into bite-size pieces; set aside 1/4 cup for garnish. Toss the remaining bacon and the tomato mixture with the pasta.

Mix the mayonnaise, sour cream and 5 tablespoons scallions with the pasta until evenly combined.

Season with salt and pepper. Add the lettuce; toss again to coat. Garnish with the reserved bacon and the remaining 1 tablespoon scallions. Serve at room temperature.

Recipe Round Up

We are heading out of town for the Fourth of July. Here are some of my past recipes that are very fitting for the holiday weekend. Try one or two or all of them to keep you busy while I am gone.

From Top left to Right:

Roasted Corn Salsa with Tequila Lime Dressing

Flag Cheesecake

Tomatoes stuffed with Corn and Goat Cheese Salad

Greek Pasta Salad

Mustard Glazed Barbecue Chicken

Ham Stuffed Deviled Eggs

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Corn on the Cob with Chipotle Lime Butter

Corn Casserole

Happy 4th of July everyone!

Chop Chop

I was late getting home from work one night last week and I asked my husband if he could start dinner. I figured this recipe was doable, but honestly worried about him mincing the herbs and zesting the lemons. Lucky for Forrest I was exhausted from a long day at work and too tired to micromanage the details of him making this recipe. After I asked him to start it, I didn't call to check on him at all. To my delight, I walked into an amazing smelling kitchen with this completed meal on the table. He did a great job and it was very delicious! He even pulled off the preparation pictures required to blog the recipe - I was very proud of him.

Grilled Pork Chops with Shallot Butter
Adapted from Cooking Light July 2009

Yield

8 servings (serving size: 1 pork chop)

Ingredients

• 8 (7-ounce) bone-in center-cut pork chops
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh chives
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 1/2 teaspoons minced shallots
• 1/4 teaspoon grated lemon rind

Preparation

1. Prepare grill to medium-high heat.

2. Sprinkle both sides of pork evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper.

Combine oil, chives, thyme, rosemary, and garlic, stirring well.

Rub oil mixture evenly over both sides of pork.

Place pork on grill rack; grill 6 minutes on each side or until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of pork registers 155°. Remove pork from grill; let stand 5 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.

3. Combine butter, shallots, and lemon rind, stirring well.

Spread about 1 teaspoon butter mixture over each pork chop; let the pork stand an additional 5 minutes.

O-OREO

I much prefer cooking to baking. There are several reasons for this preference. First of all, I don't necessarily love sweets (I know - the horror). Sure, there are desserts that I feel like I could eat enough of to put me in the hospital; but in general I am more geared toward savory flavors than sweet ones. Secondly, my husband is a type 1 diabetic and having sweets in the house is not the best choice for his health. And lastly, the exactness of baking tends to stress me out. All of the precise measuring, leveling ingredients, and letting things get to room temperature make me high strung (well more high strung than I already am). Baking can be fun, but because of the aforementioned reasons I never plan baking recipes into my weekly menu. Every time I bake it is usually a result of boredom. If I am having a slow weeknight and feel restless I will hop in the kitchen and bake something with ingredients I have in the pantry and fridge. I always bring the outcome to my work and send half with Forrest to his work. I have found in my experience that co-workers are very willing participants in taste testing anything made with sugar.

Homemade Oreos
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

For the chocolate wafers:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1 large egg

For the filling:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Set two racks in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 375°F.

In a food processor, or bowl of an electric mixer, thoroughly mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, salt, and sugar.

While pulsing, or on low speed, add the butter,

and then the egg.

Continue processing or mixing until dough comes together in a mass.

Take rounded teaspoons of batter and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet approximately two inches apart. With moistened hands, slightly flatten the dough. Then mold the edges of the cookie into neat round circles.

Bake for 9 minutes, rotating once for even baking. Set cookies on a cooling rack to cool.

To make the cream, place butter and shortening in a mixing bowl, and at low speed, gradually beat in the sugar and vanilla alternating between the two. Turn the mixer on high and beat for 2 to 3 minutes until filling is light and fluffy.

To assemble the cookies, in a pastry bag with a 1/2 inch, round tip, pipe teaspoon-size blobs of cream into the center of one cookie.

Place another cookie, equal in size to the first, on top of the cream. Lightly press, to work the filling evenly to the outsides of the cookie. Continue this process

until all the cookies have been sandwiched with cream.