Barefoot Bloggers
Thursday, November 13, 2008, by Leigh Anne
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I am so excited to share one of this month’s Barefoot Blogger recipe with you. It is so yummy and I am not a big onion fan! I did shed a few tears over this recipe though as I cut up the onions.
I have been looking for an additional side dish to serve for Thanksgiving dinner and I think I have found it! (I”ll share my whole Thanksgiving menu next week)
This recipe was selected by Kelly from Baking with the Boys - thank you Kelly!!
This is an easy to prepare dish and it smells yummy while it’s cooking and tastes even better - even the burnt parts taste great.
I followed the recipe as is except I used only red onions because that’s what I had. I also used dried thyme instead of fresh.
Herb Roasted Onions
2 red onions
1 yellow onion
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 Tbsp minced fresh thyme leaves
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup good olive oil
1/2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley leaves
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Remove the stem end of each onion and carefully slice off the brown part of the root end, leaving the root intact. Peel the onion. Stand each onion root end up on a cutting board and cut the onion in wedges through the root. Place the wedges in a bowl.
For the dressing, combine the lemon juice, mustard, garlic thyme, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Pour the dressing over the onions and toss well.
With a slotted spoon transfer the onions to a sheet pan reserving the vinaigrette that remains in the bowl. Bake the onions for 30-45 minutes, until tender and browned. Toss the onions once during cooking. Remove from the oven and drizzle with the reserved dressing. Sprinkle with parsley, season to taste and serve warm or at room temperature.
Popularity: 18% [?]
Categories: Barefoot Bloggers, Nourish, Recipes
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Thursday, September 25, 2008, by Leigh Anne
Last week they were having a potluck soup and bread night at church (the evening I taught my Meal Planning class) so I decided that was the perfect opportunity to make this Barefoot Blogger recipe. You see, I don’t like mushrooms. Those of you who know me will not be surprised by this. Remember I have texture issues and mushrooms are just too slimy, rubbery etc. for my taste.
For those of you who do like mushrooms, this soup got rave reviews. I served my husband a bowl before I left for church and he loved it and told me to bring any of the leftovers home for him!
This is not a quick and easy dish to prepare. There is a lot of chopping and a lot of simmering so allow time. The recipe calls for 3 different types of mushrooms. I used shitake, portobello and whatever those basic button shaped mushrooms are called that are easy to find at the store. I have no idea what a cremini or porcini mushroom looks like and there was nothing labeled with that name in my produce department.
I pretty much followed the recipe as is except for that one change.
So if you are a mushroom lover I think you will enjoy this soup! Thanks to Chellie at Browned Eye Baker for selecting this Ina Garten recipe - once again it got me to try something I never would have tried otherwise (even if I didn’t eat it!). My husband thanks you!
Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup
5 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms
5 ounces fresh portobello mushrooms
5 ounces fresh cremini (or porcini) mushrooms
1 tablespoon good olive oil
1/4 pound (1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 carrot, chopped
1 sprig fresh thyme plus 1 teaspoon minced thyme leaves, divided
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (2 leeks)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup half-and-half
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
Clean the mushrooms by wiping them with a dry paper towel. Don’t wash them! Separate the stems, trim off any bad parts, and coarsely chop the stems. Slice the mushroom caps 1/4-inch thick and, if there are big, cut them into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
To make the stock, heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large pot. Add the chopped mushroom stems, the onion, carrot, the sprig of thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until the vegetables are soft. Add 6 cups water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Strain, reserving the liquid. You should have about 4 1/2 cups of stock. If not, add some water.
Meanwhile, in another large pot, heat the remaining 1/4 pound of butter and add the leeks. Cook over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until the leeks begin to brown. Add the sliced mushroom caps and cook for 10 minutes, or until they are browned and tender. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the white wine and stir for another minute, scraping the bottom of the pot. Add the mushroom stock, minced thyme leaves, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the half-and-half, cream, and parsley, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and heat through but do not boil. Serve hot.
Popularity: 40% [?]
Categories: Barefoot Bloggers, Nourish, Recipes
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Thursday, September 11, 2008, by Leigh Anne
Our first Barefoot Blogger recipe for the month of September, Grown Up Mac and Cheese was selected by Heather of Randomosity and the Girl.
I am not a fan of Macaroni and Cheese. My kids have always loved the orange stuff in the box - yuck! I do remember eating it as a kid but I believe it was smothered in ketchup. Doesn’t just about anything taste good smothered in ketchup!?
Since Mac and Cheese is not on the Zone Diet my husband wasn’t going to be partaking of this particular dish so with only one child left at home - that left only Tessa to enjoy it. I filled a small little ramekin with enough for her and decided to share the rest with someone else.
There is a young family at church that I visit on a monthly basis that could use a little help and love right now so I filled a disposable pan with Grown Up Mac and Cheese, covered it with foil and dropped it off as a surprise. The husband was home going through the refrigerator at the time looking for something to fix for dinner so my timing was perfect. I hope they enjoy it.
Even though I didn’t eat any I loved the idea of mixing the breadcrumbs with basil - a real grown up touch! I also loved the combination of grown up cheeses - Gruyere, extra sharp Cheddar and Blue Cheese. The addition of bacon made in more grown up too -and everything tastes better with bacon! I promise I’ll have a bite of Tessa’s when she enjoys it for dinner tomorrow night.
My picture is a shot of the uncooked version. I took it to the family uncooked so if they wanted to freeze it for another night they could but I don’t think it made it that far!
Grown Up Mac and Cheese
4 oz. thick sliced bacon
vegetable oil
Kosher salt
2 cups elbow macaroni or cavatappi
1 1/2 cups milk
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. all purpose flour
4 oz. Gruyere cheese, grated
3 oz. extra sharp Cheddar, grated
2 oz. blue cheese, such as Roquefort, crumbled
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
pinch nutmeg
2 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed
2 Tbsp. freshly chopped basil leaves
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Place a baking rack on a cookie sheet and arrange the bacon in 1 layer on the baking rack. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the bacon is crisp. Remove the pan carefully from the oven - there will be hot grease in the pan! Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and crumble when it is cool enough to handle.
Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6-8 minutes. Drain well.
Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don’t boil it. Melt the butter in a medium pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or 2 more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the cheeses, 1 tsp. salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and crumbled bacon and stir well. Pour into pan.
Place the bread slices in a food processor fitted with a steel blade (I used my blender) and pulse until you have coarse crumbs. Add the basil and pulse to combine. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the top of the pasta. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.
Popularity: 29% [?]
Categories: Barefoot Bloggers, Nourish, Recipes
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Thursday, August 28, 2008, by Leigh Anne
This week’s Barefoot Blogger recipe is Butterflied Chicken and was chosen by Stefany of Proceed with Caution.
We eat a lot of chicken at our house so this was a popular dish. The recipe calls for using whole chickens, deboned and butterflied. Since I was under a bit of a time crunch - too much “getting ready for college” going on around here - I just used chicken breasts with the bone and skin. They worked great and a lot easier!
I also chose to bake the chicken in the oven - about 45 minutes at 350 instead of grilling it as our gas grill cooks a little hot and fast.
The chicken came out nice and moist and I love the crispy skin! The combination of rosemary and lemon is a favorite of mine. Thanks Stefany!
Butterflied Chicken
Ina Garten
1/4 cup chopped fresh rosemary leaves, plus 2 sprigs
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp. lemon zest
1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
good olive oil
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 roasting chickens (2 1/2 to 3 lbs. each), deboned and butterflied
1/2 lemon, thinly sliced
Mix the chopped rosemary, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper together in a small bowl to make a paste. Place the chickens on a sheet pan, skin side up, and loosen the skin from the meat with your fingers. Place 1/2 of the paste under the skin of each chicken. Rub any remaining paste on the outside and underside of the chickens.Turn the chicken skin side down and scatter the lemon slices and sprigs of rosemary over each chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Roll each chicken up, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.Heat a grill with coals. Spread the coals out in 1 dense layer and brush the grill with oil. Unroll the chickens, place them on the grill and cook for 12 minutes on each side.
Popularity: 31% [?]
Categories: Barefoot Bloggers, Recipes
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Thursday, August 14, 2008, by Leigh Anne
So this is my third Barefoot Blogger recipe. I’m not setting any world records for cooking my way through Ina Garten’s cookbooks but I’m having fun.
So far, 2 of the 3 recipes we have made are ones I never probably would have made otherwise. That is one of the reasons why I joined the Barefoot Bloggers group - it is pushing me outside my comfort zone. Forcing me to try new things.
I have found that it is a technique that works well for me -I commit myself to a group rather than try to do it on my own. I do really well with that accountability thing.
It worked the same way with my book group. I hesitated joining a book group for years but now that I have I love how it gets me to read books I never would have read otherwise.
Have you ever done that - joined a group or organization that pushed you out of your comfort zone, that got you to do things (good things) you wouldn’t normally have done on your own?
So onto the recipe - Panzanella Salad is a traditional bread salad from Tuscany, usually made with day old bread with a combination of tomatoes, basil, olive oil and vinegar. It was chosen by Melissa of Melissa’s Kitchen
The recipe called for yellow and red peppers, I had red peppers on hand so only used those. I used cucumbers and basil out of our garden.
The vinaigrette uses Champagne vingar - I used white wine vinegar.
We were invited to a Barbecue this past weekend so if was the perfect opportunity to give it a try. The bowl was almost empty when we left so I guess that is a good sign!
Panzanella
3 Tbsp. good olive oil
1 small french bread, cut into 1 inch cubes (6 cups)
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 large, ripe tomatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 cucumber, unpeeled, seeded and sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1 inch cubes
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1 inch cubes
1/2 red onion, cut in 1/2 and thinly sliced
20 large basil leaves, coarsley chopped
3 Tbsp. capers, drained
For the vinaigrette:
1 tsp. finely minced garlic
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
3 Tbsp. Champagne vinegar
1/2 cup good olive oil
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Heat the oil in a large saute pan. Add the bread and salt; cook over low to medium heat, tossing frequently for 10 minutes or until nicely browned. Add more oil as needed.
For the vinaigrette, whisk all the ingredients together.
In a large bowl, mix the tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper, yellow pepper, red onion, basil, and capers. Add the bread cubes and toss with the vinaigrette. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Serve, or allow the salad to sit for about half an hour for the flavors to blend.
Popularity: 33% [?]
Categories: Barefoot Bloggers, Nourish, Recipes
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Thursday, July 24, 2008, by Leigh Anne
This is my second recipe as part of the Barefoot Blogger group. One more recipe down towards my goal of cooking my way through the Barefoot Contessa cookbooks.
I have to perfectly honest - I did not want to make this dish. In fact I was considering using one of my “free passes” and skipping this one. I am not a seafood lover and I hate salmon. Yes, a girl living in the Northwest that does not like salmon - such a waste!
I have some smell issues when it comes to food and two fish I can not stand are salmon and tuna. In fact when I was in preschool they would fix creamed tuna for lunch each Friday. (That was back in the good old days when fish was served every Friday!)
My mom would have to come and pick me up early from school, before they started cooking the creamed tuna, because the smell made me gag!
Well, we were invited to a barbecue last week and I needed to take an appetizer so I figured I’d just be a big girl and give this recipe a try. What I discovered is that smoked salmon does not smell nearly as bad as fresh salmon! I didn’t even gag!
The recipe was quick and easy to make and I even took one bite - not too bad. My husband thought it was great and those at the party seem to enjoy it. So if you like smoked salmon you might want to give it a try. If nothing else - the pink color is pretty!
This recipe was selected by Ashley of The Spicy Skillet
Smoked Salmon Spread
Barefoot Contessa Family Style
8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 Tbsp. minced fresh dill
1 tsp. prepared horseradish, drained
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 lb. (4 oz.) smoked salmon, minced
Cream the cheese in an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until just smooth. Add teh sour cream, lemon juice, dill, horseradish, salt and pepper and mix. Add the smoked salmon and mix well. Chill and serve with crudites or crackers.
If you can find it the Barefoot Contessa prefers Norwegian salmon, it’s drier and less salty than other smoked salmons.
Popularity: 34% [?]
Categories: Barefoot Bloggers, Nourish, Recipes
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Thursday, July 10, 2008, by Leigh Anne
A few years ago I read the book Julie and Julia : 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen
It was about a woman, named Julie who decided to make all 524 recipes in Julia Child’s Mastering The Art of French Cooking, in one year - 365 days in her tiny New York apartment. She blogged and cooked her way through the year - accomplishing her goal and then wrote a book about it. In fact I never knew what a blog was until I read her book!
Being the “foodie” that I am, I enjoyed the book and recommend to all of you other “foodies” out there!
Well, her book got me thinking….if I were to cook every recipe in a cookbook, what cookbook would it be??
One of my favorite cooking shows on the Food Network is the Barefoot Contessa with Ina Garten. I own almost all of her cookbooks and have loved everything I have ever made from them. So why not cook my way through her cookbooks? (there are currently 5 of them with one more to come out this fall)
Although I thought this was a great goal - I didn’t really do much about it until one day I discovered a new blogging group - the Barefoot Bloggers. Each month various members of the group select two of Ina’s recipes for the group to try. Each blogger cooks or bakes up the recipe and then blogs about it on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month.
Well, I figured this was the perfect way for me to work on my goal of cooking my way through Ina’s cookbooks! So I joined the group. Although I won’t be doing it in 365 days - we’re only doing 2-3 recipes a month!
Since this is the 2nd Thursday of July I am sharing with you my first “Barefoot Blogger” recipe - Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread which was chosen by Cooking with Kids.
I decided at the last minute to make it for dinner Tuesday night (since I only had two days left to post I figured I better get with it). Since I didn’t want to make another trip to the store that day I used green chilies instead of jalapenos. I knew my kids would like it better that way too. For the cheese I used a blend of cheddar/jack cheese because that is what I had in the freezer. I also didn’t have any green onions so I used some fresh chives right out of the garden and they worked great.
It is a mild cornbread and my favorite part of it is the crisp cheese topping!
One recipe down and lots more to go!
Head over to the Barefoot Bloggers to check out some of the other Barefoot Bloggers or even join up yourself!
Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread
from Barefoot Contessa at Home
3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. baking powder
2 tsp. kosher salt
2 cups milk
3 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus extra to grease the pan
8 ounces aged extra-sharp Cheddar, grated, divided
1/3 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts, plus extra for garnish, 3 scallions
3 Tbsp. seeded and minced fresh jalapeno peppers
Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, eggs and butter. With a wooden spoon, stir the wet ingredients into the dry until most of the lumps are dissolved. Don’t overmix! Mix in 2 cups of the grated Cheddar, the scallions and jalapenos, and allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 x 2 inch baking pan.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and sprinkle with the remaining grated Cheddar and extra chopped scallions. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool and cut into large squares. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Popularity: 39% [?]
Categories: Barefoot Bloggers, Nourish, Recipes
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