Tag: brunch

Smoky Chocolate Baklava recipe and cookbook review: Orexi! by Theo A. Michaels

jenniferguerrero1 April 10, 2019

#TheoCooks @TheoCooks #Orexi @RylandPetersAndSmall @RylandPeters #RylandPetersAndSmall #RylandPeters

Smoky. Chocolate. Baklava. I’m listening. Theo Michaels has you smoke chocolate on the stovetop for a few layers in his baklava. Then there’s a few layers of pistachios, hazelnuts, walnuts, and cinnamon. Encased in flaky, buttery phyllo. Obviously, that needed to happen. I have one of those big old macho smokers in my backyard, so I smoked the chocolate in there. Then I made it a second time baking the whole baklava right in my smoker. Yeah. Either way, that baklava is even better than the title sounds. A huge thanks to Ryland Peters and Small for letting me share that recipe with you! I’ll tell you all about the book after the recipe. I have a terrible fondness for Greek cookbooks, and that shelf is extensive. Orexi! is my personal favorite to date. Hope you love it, too!

Blintz Soufflé recipe and cookbook review: Little Book of Jewish Feasts by Leah Koenig

jenniferguerrero1 February 15, 2019

#ChronicleBooks #LeahKoenig #LindaPugliese #LittleBookofJewishFeasts #brunch #blintzes #souffle

Leah Koenig’s flavors are amazing! Just delicious! Little Book of Jewish Feasts is just a little bigger than my hand. There are 25 main dishes in it for holidays. There are no sides in it, but she does make some recommendations. The dishes are so special and are pretty easy. Some of her techniques are unusual, but absolutely brilliant for making a dish appropriate for feeding a crowd. We’ve loved everything we’ve tried and totally recommend it!

Julia Turshen’s Scrambled Eggs with Cilantro + Coconut Chutney recipe and Cookbook review: Now & Again

jenniferguerrero1 September 10, 2018

#Juliaturshen #nowandagain #chroniclebooks

Julia Turshen’s new book, Now & Again, is absolutely amazing. I love everything about it. In one of her recipes she instructs, “Arrange the mango slices artfully-but not too preciously-on a serving platter.” That really captures the feel of the book. Everything has a breezy elegance to it and nothing is fussy. The recipes are global, and I adore that many of them are off the beaten path. I love being exposed to new things. The book is organized by season, and then menus for all different sorts of get-togethers. The recipes are casual, beautiful, interesting, nourishing, and delicious, and nothing’s difficult. She generally has you serving dishes right in what they’re made in. I’ve had the book in my hands for 3 days and I’ve made 4 meals from it already. <Minus the desserts. I already run 5 miles a day and don’t care to increase that – lol!> It’s a hard book to put down.

I don’t have a copy of her ridiculously popular book, Small Victories <I know!>, so I can’t make a comparison there. This has a gingham print detail running along the spine just like that one, so I’m betting it’s in the same vein. Feed the Resistance is a tiny book of hers focusing on food and activism, and that one’s terrific. And she worked with Gwyneth Paltrow on It’s All Good, another yummy, feel-good title.

My full review of the book with my pics and thoughts of all the dishes we tried so far, is at the bottom. But first I wanted to share with you her recipe for Scrambled Eggs with Cilantro + Coconut Chutney from her Sunday Morning Bangladeshi Breakfast menu. Read More

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

jenniferguerrero1 July 16, 2018

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

What 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.

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

jenniferguerrero1 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

Jen’s Bacon, Berry, Brie, and Caramel Apple Waffle with Warm Maple Syrup

jenniferguerrero1 December 9, 2017

We have a glorious brunch place in Fort Worth, Texas, that I adore. It’s called Bird Café. It’s a wonderful place, and you must go if you’re ever in town. Their brunch cocktail menu is inspiring. My husband’s favorite thing there is called the Mother and Child Reunion. It’s fried chicken, a poached egg, and jalapeno gravy on a bed of grits. <I know!> But you will forgive their sick sense of humor the second you taste it. My favorite is called The Badass Waffle. It’s a waffle covered in berries, caramel apples, bacon, brie fondue, and maple syrup. It’s why I have a mouth.

I should probably explain why I’m telling you about that amazing waffle. We’re doing a traditional Texas Christmas Eve this year. That’s tamales, queso, and margaritas. I thought it would be super fun to decorate in an understated cowboy glam. Then I wondered to myself what the best Texas Christmas Eve breakfast would be. Well, migas are my favorite, but I make them constantly. We’ve always cracked up at the Texas shaped waffles that you see in hotels all over the state. I have a killer double waffle maker, so I couldn’t justify buying The Texas Waffle Maker. Well, I can think of no better excuse than Christmas Eve morning! Now for a waffle that’s special enough. I had to try to recreate that Bacon, Berry, Brie, and Caramel Apple Waffle with Warm Maple Syrup. Sounds like a delicious challenge to me! Giddy up!

I love yeasty waffles with a bit of exterior crunch from Belgian pearl sugar. I adapted a King Arthur waffle recipe as my jumping off point.

Vegetarian friends, go ahead and skip the bacon, and go to your happy place. Swine-enthusiasts –scale up the bacon as needed. You do you.

My Amazon affiliate links to the waffle irons are below the recipe if you need one.