Pastry Queen Parties by Rebecca Rather

Another winner from Pastry Queen Parties. I've made three batches in the past week and these went over great with everyone who tried them.  The author says you can actually make these without any fresh peaches at all, and I did that for one batch because my peaches weren't ripe, but please try to get some fresh ones if you can. They bring this recipe into new heights of deliciousness!  I can't believe I'm saying this, but you won't even miss the chocolate. 

Cookbook Note: Most of these recipes make very generous quantities. They are for parties after all! 

Peach Almond Bars

Preheat oven to 350.

Butter a 9 x 13 baking dish.

In a food processor mix the following:

2 c. flour

1/2 c. sugar

11 T. unsalted butter

pinch salt

Pat the mixture into the baking dish and bake for 10 minutes.

While it is baking, peel and slice 5 peaches.

Set aside, along with 13 oz. good quality peach preserves (Bonne Maman brand is wonderful)

In the food processor (no need to wash), mix the following:

1/2 c. flour

1/4 c. sugar

8 oz. almond paste

Spread the preserves on top of the crust and top with the peaches. Sprinkle the topping mixture over all. 

Sprinkle with 1 c. sliced almonds.

Bake for 35 minutes until topping is lightly browned.

Variations: Can use raspberries and raspberry jam. Can use frozen fruit that is thawed and drained.

Cookbook Review: Texas Eats by Robb Walsh

Texas is big. Some might say it's too big to have a definable cuisine. If you think Texas cooking is all about BBQ, burgers, and beef, you are probably still wondering who shot JR. Robb Walsh claims to have written "the new Lone Star heritage cookbook" and he delivers on that promise. Organized into 6 sections, each corresponds to a region of the state. Lone Star Seafood (coastal plain), East Texas Southern, Vintage Tex-Mex (South Texas), Old World Flavors (hill country), and Country and Western (West Texas).  Within each section, chapters delve into the specifics, everything from German and Czech to Vietnamese and Cajun.

I love cookbooks that tell stories and this one is complete with pictures and personalities. The recipes had better be pretty amazing as well. Good thing Mr. Walsh is no stranger to good food. I consider a cookbook a winner if I love at least 10 recipes and make them more than once. Texas Eats has earned its spot on my shelf.

Pecan Praline Ice Cream
Mama Sugar's Margarita Ribs
Chicken Fried Steak
Rebecca Rather's Ancho Brownies
Basic BBQ Rub
Chipotle BBQ Sauce
Apfelkraut
German Cucumber Salad with Dill
Puffy Tacos

Buttermilk Macaroni and Cheese w/ Homegrown Tomato

1/4 c. butter

16 oz. package elbow macaroni

3 eggs

1 c. buttermilk

1 c. half-n-half

1 tsp. dry mustard

1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper

8 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded

12 oz. jack cheese, shredded

3/4 c. dried bread crumbs (I used panko)

1 lg. tomato, sliced 1/4" thick

Preheat oven to 350. Using 1 T. of the butter, grease a 3 quart baking dish. Cook the macaroni in boliing water; drain well. In a large bowl whisk eggs, buttermilk, half n half, mustard, salt, and pepper. Add to the drained macaroni along with the cheeses and place in casserole dish. Melt the remaining butter and toast the bread crumbs. Arrange the tomato slices on top of the macaroni then top with the buttered bread crumbs. Bake for 45 minutes and allow to set for 15 minutes before serving. 

Jeni Knows Beans About Ice Cream

Happy Birthday to Me! Thanks Mom for the amazon.com gift card and thanks girls for pointing out that Jeni Britton Bauer has a cookbook full of her splendid ice cream recipes. (Those of you who were with us last summer for Kristin’s grad party know all about our love of ice cream and my…ahem…overestimation of the amount we would need. Let’s just say our church was very, very happy to partake of the leftovers.)  But that is Amy’s and this is Jeni’s and boy are we in love!
When visiting our favorite Nashvillians, we do love to find the local hot spots and this summer was no different. We gladly stood in a long line with the other friendly folks and waited for our turn to order Roasted Cherries w/ Goat Cheese, Ugandan Vanilla, Brambleberry Crisp, & Buckeye State. Well worth the wait!
So where is the recipe? Well sweet readers, I’m not going to give you one this time. Instead I’ll give you a few previews and encourage you that for the same price of 1 pint bought locally (Hubbell & Hudson, $12.99) you can buy the book and reach ice cream nirvana for yourself. It’s really that good. No, make that incredible!
What I’ve learned from Jeni-My-Mentor:
Ice, therefore water, is the enemy. Cook the milk and cream down to eliminate the excess. Use a little cornstarch and corn (or tapioca) syrup for their thickening and sweetening properties that don’t add water.  Don’t mix fruits directly into the ice cream (hello frozen ice chunks) but reduce them to a concentrated syrup that can be layered with the ice cream before the final freeze.
Flavor is key. Use the very best ingredients and don’t muddy them up with unnecessary things. Like eggs. That’s right, you will have an incredibly smooth, thick frozen dessert but no eggs needed. My vanilla beans weren’t from Uganda but I do believe they were from Madagascar. Use the good stuff and you won’t be sorry!
Equipment:  A Cuisinart countertop ice cream maker, the kind with the insert you keep in the freezer, is what you need to get. It takes less than 10 minutes to make the base, 30 to quick chill in an ice bath, 30 to freeze, and then 4 hours to finish in the deep freeze.
Dairy Specs: Organic whole milk, organic cream cheese (helps bind and thicken – you only use 3T. so no worries about this tasting like frozen cheesecake. Organic is milder tasting.), and heavy cream.
Chocolate: Oh yes you knew we would get here sooner or later didn’t you? Jeni includes plenty of sauces and toppings in her cookbook and yesterday we made our very own Bombe Shell topping. Melt chocolate with the secret ingredient (coconut oil), layer in with the vanilla bean base, and you have pieces of dark chocolate that will melt in your mouth.
Don’t let the crazy flavors scare you off. If Cardamom Lime or Black Raspberry Sweet Corn sound a little odd, wake up your tastebuds with some Dark Chocolate, Coffee, Vanilla, or Roasted Strawberry.  Have fun!
(*Yes, I bought some cardboard freezer containers and let my artist-in-residence have fun with the labeling.)

Welcome Home Cookies

I offered one of these to Jaimee last night, and “chocolate cherry cookie” came out “chookie.” Rich, chewy, zingy from the dried cherries, and crunchy from the toasted pecans – these have a hint of coffee flavor as well.
Thanks to The Pastry Queen and her amazing cookbook, these Café Chocolate-Cherry Bites were the perfect welcome home for Kevin, my coffee-loving son who is here for a few days.
I’ve checked out all 3 of Rebecca Rather’s cookbooks from the library and so far every recipe has been a winner. She’s a Texas gal who owns her own bakery in Fredericksburg (Road trip anyone???)  and certainly deserves her title. The Pastry Queen, Pastry Queen Parties, and The Pastry Queen Christmas will be keeping me busy for quite a while!
What this recipe teaches: Toasted = terrific! Pecans (and any other nuts) always taste much better if you toast them before adding to the dough.  It’s an extra step that doesn’t take much time but pays off. Toast before chopping and there is less chance of burning.
1 c. pecans
2 sticks unsalted butter (room temp)
1 1/4 c. light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 T. instant espresso powder
1 T. boiling water
1 T. vanilla extract
1 1/4 c. flour
1/4 c. cocoa powder
1 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1 c. bittersweet chocolate chips (I used Nestle’s Dark Chocolate Chips)
1 1/2 c. dried cherries (These are pricey. I used a package from HEB. It was probably slightly over a cup but I didn’t bother with buying a second package.)
Preheat oven to 350. Arrange the pecans on a baking sheet and toast for 7-9 minutes until golden brown and aromatic. Cool then coarsely chop.
Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicon mats.
In a mixer, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs and beat on medium speed. In a small bowl, stir the espresso powder into boiling water until dissolved.
Add espresso and vanilla to the batter and beat for 30 seconds. Add the dry ingredients all at once and mix until just incorporated. Add the nuts, chips, and cherries. The dough will be softer and wetter than average cookie dough.
Using a scoop, drop the dough on the prepared sheets and bake for around 10 minutes, until the cookies have spread and the dough looks the same in the center and on the edges (that is, not raw in the middle). Cool on baking sheets for 10 minutes then transfer to wire racks.

Back in Business!

We have a stove, a sink, a fridge, a microwave, and a dishwasher! All the beautiful comforts of home and I’m one happy cooker. Yesterday I ran into my favorite local used book store and found the same book on the shelf that was waiting for me at the library. What a happy coincidence. It was an autographed copy to boot!  It’s not a brand new book, but since my love for Brennan’s of Houston is no secret, I’m thrilled to add The Kitchen Table to my collection.
The first recipe was incredible. I’m going to spending my summer vacation with this one I can tell! This morning I roasted fresh corn and jalapenos to go into the Corn Pound Cake. (Think “cornbread with honey in it, baked in a loaf pan”).
Next comes the Maque Choux. For you non-Cajuns, it’s a mixture of fresh corn, okra, onion, tomatoes, and peppers. This one is a little more upscale because it features shrimp. You finish it off with some Worcestershire, Tabasco, and a lot of butter! Randy Evans, you are my new best friend.

Toast the pound cake.

Plate and serve. 

The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook: Review

My shelf space is limited so my cookbooks have to earn their spot. The real favorites? Pages steamed and a little warped. Sauce drizzled and stuck in spots. Don’t need to use the index because the page opens automatically, revealing the family favorite. Thanks, Jaden Hair. Steamy Kitchen is hot stuff!
No disappointing recipes, no colossal failures, no missteps that leave me  as frustrated as a shopper with a wayward cart. Her book lives up to its promise of “Asian recipes simple enough for tonight’s dinner.”
I thought the ingredients would be hard to find. My daughters and I enjoyed our trip to the Asian market, scouring the shelves for exotic items with which to begin our far east foray. Guess what? The next week I saw the same things at Kroger. (Except for spring roll wrappers! I learned this lesson the hard way: Authentic wrappers are worth the trip!)
So far we’ve made, and made again:
Shrimp Pad Thai (Why pay for Pei Wei?*)
Mom’s Famous Crispy Egg Rolls (Made these at least 5 times!)
Quick Vietnamese Chicken Pho (Pho-bulous!)
Healthy Chinese Chicken Wraps (Chicken salad minus the mayo. Moist & delicious
Grilled Fish with Kabayaki Sauce (shh…I left off the seaweed shred garnish and no one noticed.) The sauce has 3 ingredients and couldn’t be easier!
Chinese Beef Broccoli (Ever wondered just what’s in that sauce? Now you’ll know.)
Thai Coconut Chicken Curry (This is not like Indian curry. What’s more, you can keep the ingredients on your shelf and throw this together in an instant.)
Thai-style Chicken in Sweet Chili Sauce (Oh my goodness! Colorful, fresh, easy.)
Pan-Fried Tofu with Dark Sweet Soy Sauce (teen girls loved this one)
Chinese Sausage Fried Rice (I didn’t know there was such a thing, but now it’s a favorite. You want authentic? Chinese sausage is the new bacon.)
Ready for a taste? We had these last night and there wasn’t a single bite left over.
Healthy Chinese Chicken Wraps
Honey Mustard Yogurt Vinaigrette: 3 T. honey, 1 T. dijon mustard, 2 T. plain yogurt, 2 T. rice vinegar, 1/2 t. sesame oil, salt
Chinese Chicken Salad: 3/4 lb. cooked chicken in bite sized pieces (I cut up a rotisserie chicken from the deli), 15 or so red seedless grapes (halved), 1 diced celery stalk, 3 T. almond slivers, 1/4 t. Chinese 5 spice powder, salt and pepper

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Mix the salad ingredients. Toss with the dressing. Garnish with arugula or watercress, wrap, and serve.

Ten For Tuesday: Cookbook Connections

This is my cookbook shelf. Actually, this is just the main cookbook shelf (I have auxiliaries). I know this is the time of year when we’re all on a mission to declutter and pare down, but here are 10 books that have earned their spot. You’ll probably notice a trend.
10. Special Mexican Dishes: Easy & Simple to Prepare by Amalia Ruiz Clark. When I was in college in Tucson, I interned at a cooking school called The Tasting Spoon. That turned into a part-time job where I was paid in free classes and leftovers. (Steve did not complain! We were probably the only UofA students eating Beef Wellington.)  Mrs. Clark  taught me how to make tamales and even gave me an autographed copy of her book.
9. Renee’s Recipes. The blue binder was a wedding gift from a family friend in Tucson and contained many of her favorite recipes. Judy left plenty of space for me to add my own and it is now overflowing. On the first page of the section marked “Sweet Stuff” she included a picture of a precious baby along with the instructions “Don’t make one of these until you finish college.” (Sorry, Judy. I never was one to follow a recipe exactly.)
8. & 7. Mastering the Art of French Cooking and Julia Child & Company. We know who wrote these two! My mother-in-law Dorothy was a fabulous cook and I used to love poring over her cookbook collection.  Now these are on my shelf where they remind me of many happy dinners and conversations about recipes and cooking.
6. Cooking With Love – Recipes compiled by the Women’s Grow Group of Bear Creek Community Church. Our previous church home for over 15 years, BCCC closed its doors this past spring, which makes this book even more special.
5. (Unnamed – I call it the Brown Binder)– Compiled by longtime friends Holly & Diane, this is a collection of their favorites. It makes me smile because it brings back memories of when we were all up to our ears in sippy cups and diapers. And baby showers. We hosted a lot of baby showers!
4. The Taste of Texas Anniversary Cookbook. The owners used to go to church with us and I remember having dinner at their house once, back before the restaurant moved to its current location, and hearing Edd talk about how he always looked for ways to make everything better, even something simple like taking a great blue cheese salad dressing and then adding more cheese, or a filet that’s seasoned AND bacon-wrapped AND served with butter. (Is it any wonder this place now has a 2 hour wait?)
3. Royer’s Round Top Cafe. Also former church members (what was it about Bear Creek & restaurant owners?), Bud & Karen taught us to find a passion and pursue it, no matter where the Lord leads. Cooking is more than just filling hungry tummies, it’s about the relationships around the table.
2. Betty Crocker’s New Boys and Girls Cookbook. I unwrapped this one the Christmas when I was 8. Thanks Mom & Dad! The Mad Hatter Meatballs and “Ham” Loaf Hawaiian were only the beginning…
1. Home is Where the Heart Is: Memories and Family Recipes by Connie Augustine. Mom wrote her own cookbook! She and Dad filled it with family history, stories, photos, and of course recipes. They printed it, published it, and presented it to each of us this year. One day little Emmie & Jack and their cousins can read about their roots and hopefully make their own 3AM Salad or Graham Cracker Pudding and know the history behind it.
Some cookbooks are on my shelf because they are the “go-to” source for the best way to do certain things. Some are there because they are guaranteed crowd pleasers. But some are there because they hold memories of people and places-- cooking connections.

And Merry Christmas Dad!

Dear Dad,
What to get you for Christmas? I know you think that food gifts are for “old people” and you certainly don’t qualify on that front. You won’t be getting any jellies or candies or Hickory Farms cheeses from me. (Not that I’m opposed to giving you the odd sack of licorice when we visit. Your secret is safe with me.) I also know that you don’t need any more computer gear – at least not any that I would be able to choose! But I do know that when you emerge from your office that you and Mom can be found in the kitchen, cooking up one of your latest recipe finds.  I think you two were just waiting until all us kids were grown so you could turn into gourmet chefs!
So here’s my proposal: Mom is happy that I’m blogging again (I’m trying Mom! Three posts in one week!) and I think you and I need to start a father-daughter cooking project. To that end I’m sending you your own copy of the same book I just bought. Why this one? Because the very first recipe in there is for smoked bacon! And more follow – for sausage, boudin, cracklins, and tasso. No, the entire book isn’t about pork, and  yes, you are the best “Real Cajun” cook I know, but I thought it would be fun to keep our family “charcuterie” in business. (Plus I’m a sucker for books that speak rapturously of rice and gravy.)
And now I need to find out where to buy pork bellies!
Love,
Renee