Jacques Pépin’s Quiche with Bacon and Cookbook review: Essential Pépin

July 16, 2018

#hmhco #jacquespepin #essentialpepin #fcdallas #worldcup #france

51jxcSx+9GLWhat a soccer weekend it’s been! FC Dallas had a killer deal on tickets this weekend as they were trying for their 300th MLS win. It was 100ºF in the hot Texas sun, but oh so worth it, as they got that 300th victory in a 3-1 game! It was a fan’s dream game with constant possession of the ball. We had too much fun. Then we woke up and watched the final World Cup game. Vive la France!

In honor of France’s victory, I thought I’d share my favorite French cookbook, Essential Pépin: More Than 700 All-Time Favorites from My Life in Food. Jacques’ Quiche with Bacon is fantastic, and easy peasy. Perfect, foolproof crust and gorgeous flavor. I can’t imagine a holiday brunch without it. It’s also lovely on a plain old Saturday morning with a simple green salad. A big thanks to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for letting me share it with you! I’ll get to my review of the book afterwards, but first, that glorious quiche!

If you need more Jacques in your life, here’s my first blog post, Jacques Pépin Heart & Soul in the Kitchen. That one’s filled with photos and Jacques’ charming artwork.

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Butterscotch-Potato Chip Balls recipe and Cookbook review: The Vintage Baker

July 10, 2018

#chroniclebooks #jessiesheehan #thevintagebaker

9781452163871Love everything vintage? Can’t resist a recipe that’s off the beaten path? Or maybe you just need the perfect sweet and salty mash-up. Oh baby! Butterscotch-Potato Chip Balls do all of that. They are amazing cookies. I found them in a fabulous book I’ve been playing in, The Vintage Baker: More Than 50 Recipes from Butterscotch Pecan Curls to Sour Cream Jumbles. Thanks to Chronicle Books for letting me share the recipe with you! I’ll get to my review of the book later, but first, let’s go make those cookies!

 

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Elizabeth Orsini’s (Grilled Teriyaki) Tofu Broccoli Salad and cookbook review: From Garden to Grill

June 25, 2018

#CiderMillPress #ElizabethOrsini #FromGardentoGrill

Summer grilling season has arrived! I’ve been playing in a great produce-centered grilling book,  From Garden to Grill: Over 250 Vegetable-based Recipes for Every Grill Master. My review of the book is below, but first I wanted to share a terrific grilled teriyaki tofu and broccoli dinner with you. This recipe is vegan, but the book itself is vegetarian with a lot of suggestions of how to make recipes vegan, paleo, gluten-free, or how to add meat. It’s delicious and super filling, so no side dishes are required. Perfect dinner on the patio. You just need a few string lights overhead and icy Pellegrino, lemon cucumber water, or lovely white wine to go with it.

If you’re new to tofu, a nice dish is all about the drain. Cut it into chunks as the recipe instructs, wrap it in a lot of paper towel, set a plate on it, and set a big can on that and let it sit for 15-30 minutes. Or, I sometimes cheat, and just stick it in my panini press for the same amount of time. Saves, paper, too. Niiice. In this recipe, I threaded the tofu on soaked skewers, so I’d have less to turn on the grill. 

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Jen’s BBQ Smoked Brisket (or Pulled Pork) Migas. Brunch!

June 20, 2018

#Texas

I’ll gladly spend all day working on dinner but I suffer from serious morning laziness. This is a problem because I love brunch. We moved to Texas about 10 years ago, and discovered migas. Tortillas fried in oil, and eggs scrambled in. Oh baby. That is a fine breakfast. It seems tragic that I’d missed out on these until then. <sniff> No, it’s okay. I’ve been making up for lost time. My version is for morning underachievers who want to get close enough without extending themselves. I make them with tortilla chips. Sometimes the atomic orange ones. <I know!> I treat them like nachos and load them up with everything good. When I smoke meat, I love to save the leftovers in little baggies in my freezer for future migas. Come on! Let’s get you into some migas! Read More

Serena Cosmo’s Maltagliati with Creamy Lemon Sauce AND Ravioli with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe with a Browned Butter and Sage Sauce recipes and Cookbook review: The Ultimate Pasta and Noodle Cookbook

June 16, 2018

51-xiz1wwiL._SX342_BO1,204,203,200_Do you have a pasta roller collecting dust? Oh, baby! Let’s break that thing out! I’ve been playing in an amazing pasta book for a week. The Ultimate Pasta and Noodle Cookbook. It’s just fantastic.

I couldn’t decide which recipe to ask permission for. Maltagliati with Creamy Lemon Sauce is the perfect first homemade pasta. As the author explains, “Maltagliati translates to “badly cut” in Italian.” It’s generally the scrap pieces from making more specific pasta like ravioli, so she has you cut diamonds and triangles in the sheets with a pasta wheel without any fussiness. And the creamy lemon sauce is the easiest and it’s delicious. It would be the perfect first pasta to tackle, getting you that wow at the table right out of the gate

At the other end of the spectrum, is a Ravioli with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe with a Browned Butter and Sage Sauce, showing you what you can do when you want to flex in the kitchen.

I couldn’t decide. So I asked for either one of those. A huge thank you to Cider Mill Press for giving me permission to share both so you can really taste that book! I’ll tell you all about the book first, then give you the recipes to try! Read More

Dorie Greenspan’s World Peace Cookies recipe and Cookbook review: Dorie’s Cookies

June 12, 2018

61NlG6XhBMLDo you love cookies? Me too! I have the ultimate cookie book, Dorie’s Cookies. I thumbed through it and it had so many beautiful cookies that I was surprised that she’d chosen such a humble looking cookie for the cover. Then I found the recipe, World Peace Cookies. I had to try them. They are amazing cookies. She’s really not overselling it with that name. A huge thank you to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for letting me share the recipe with you. I’ll get to my review of the book afterwards, but first those cookies! Read More

RIP Anthony Bourdain

June 8, 2018

I’m so sad about Anthony Bourdain. What a tragic loss.

Today, I’m raising my glass in celebration of him and all of his wonderful contributions to the world. Also, making his chicken satay with fake ass peanut sauce and serving it in a pineapple. I adored his storytelling. Read More