Food for My Family » Featured

Last-Minute Buffalo Chicken Dip Bites

Shaina — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 18:58:45 +0000

These tiny buffalo chicken dip bites have just the right amount cream cheese, blue cheese, chicken and hot sauce all in a little phyllo pocket and ready to pop in your mouth, fuss free, on Super Bowl Sunday.

My mind has felt a bit cluttered lately. I suppose it is because there are plenty of things I should be doing and many more that I have yet to do. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but my mind seems to be focused on the other things that I rather *want* to do instead.

Confession: I have walked away from this post no less than 12 times this morning.

The point is, tomorrow is the Super Bowl. THE Super Bowl. We don’t have any plans. Our friends that used to host a kid-friendly event have long since moved to Oklahoma, leaving us to fend for ourselves with four kids on Super Bowl Sunday, and that means we generally entertain ourselves with the game on in the background, the kids squealing in the foreground and plenty of food right in the middle of all of it.

Food like this will be served. Perhaps a few football chips and guacamole-based dips that look like the football field itself will make an appearance for the kids, and then we’ll tuck sweet little angel heads into bed on time while their mom and dad settle down for one last weekend beer and the end of the game. It’s not such a bad thing.

If you haven’t tried buffalo chicken dip, this is your chance. It’s all the goodness the wings have to offer without all the finger-licking mess. (Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for the finger-licking, too, just not on my couch, thankyouverymuch.) This is taking it one step further into bite-sized dip pieces. Happy Super Bowl Sunday to all of you!

Note: I used phyllo dough sheets for this, but using the pre-made phyllo cups (as pictured in the lemon-dill cheesecake bites with lox) would make this appetizer even easier to execute.

Buffalo Chicken Dip Bites

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1 roll phyllo dough sheets (plus olive oil for brushing) or 1 box phyllo cups
8 ounces cream cheese
4 ounces cream-style blue cheese
1 generous cup cooked chicken, cut into chunks or shredded
1/4 cup buffalo-style hot sauce
2 ounces crumbled blue cheese
1-2 chopped green onions, optional garnish

If using phyllo dough sheets: Carefully lay one sheet of phyllo dough on a dry work surface. Brush lightly with olive oil, covering the sheet. Repeat with 3 more sheets until a layer of 4 sheets is brushed, keeping unused sheets covered with plastic wrap and a wet towel. Using a pastry wheel or pizza cutter, cut into 2″ squares. Transfer squares to a parchment-lined baking sheet to fill. (Repeat with remaining phyllo sheets after filled and baking, one set of 4 sheets at a time.)

If using phyllo cups: Line the cups on a baking sheet, spaced an inch or so apart to fill.

In a small bowl, mix together cream cheese and cream-style blue cheese until combined. Add 1-2 generous teaspoons in the bottom of the phyllo cups or the center of the phyllo squares. Top with 1 teaspoon of chicken. Add enough hot sauce to cover the chicken and top with blue cheese. For the squares, pinch up the corners of the phyllo to the center to create a small box.

Bake at 350º F for 15-18 minutes, just until phyllo starts to brown and cheese is hot and bubbly. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before serving. Garnish with green onions. Best served warm.

**These can be made ahead, stores and then warmed in the oven for a few minutes just before eating.

Makes 30-40 buffalo chicken dip bites.

Pompelmocello: A Celebration of Grapefruit, Spiked

Shaina — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 17:43:37 +0000

How to make your own pompelmocello (or grapefruit limoncello) using seasonal grapefruits and Everclear. Start now, drink later.

I’ve left you waiting unintentionally. My intentions were to come back and tell you a story or two, share a recipe and even a fun something I have been sitting on (tomorrow). Good intentions don’t get you very far, though. Forgiveness will.

So, here I am asking you for a bit of forgiveness in my absence, as it’s now time to celebrate. The book is tucked away. The pages have been proofed and combed through, and there’s nothing left for me to do but…okay, are still things for me to do, but the majority of it is out of my hands and in the competent hands of the team at HCP now.

It’s time for a toast. Really, my family started toasting the minute I sent in my last photo. There was soup. Then eggs. Biscuits and gravy. We had a steak dinner, the very first we’ve had from our portion of a cow that was delivered a whole five months ago now. We’re making up for lost time, the family dinner and I. Ole’s enjoying not being the only one cooking at 5:00, and I’m enjoying not being tied down elsewhere for the busiest hours in the family day.

Some things are worth waiting for, like this toast to turning the page in my life, to moving into the waiting phase of my book. Infused alcohol takes time, just like writing a book, but the ultimate reward is sweet in the end.

While the citrus is in season, why not take a few peels (avoiding the pith) and let them bathe for a while in a strong alcohol. This is where the waiting starts, and as the peel and the alcohol start to mix and meld and infuse their flavors together, the seasons will change, the snow will melt and the citrus will become scarce. Yet you’ll have this reminder of the time that has passed and how it was worth waiting for.

This toast is not just for me. It’s for you. Really, I can’t say enough about the people in this online space, the readers, friends and family who have been supportive the entire way through the process. Thank you.

Pompelmocello

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4-5 large organic grapefruit
750 ml Everclear (151 proof) or vodka
3 cups water
1 1/2 to 2 cups granulated sugar (depending on your sweetness preference)

Carefully peel the grapefruit or zest, avoiding the pith. In a large canning jar or other airtight container add the grapefruit peel and pour the Everclear over the top, completely covering the peel. Seal the jar and place in a cool, dry place for 20-40 days, agitating regularly.

After the peels and alcohol have seeped, in a medium saucepan combine water and sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, and cook until all sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Line a fine mesh strainer with a coffee filter. Slowly pour the alcohol and the simple syrup through the filter and the strainer into a large container. Stir to combine and pour into bottles or jars. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Serve chilled.

Makes approximately 1.25 liters pompelmocello
Copyright © Food for My Family.

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Butternut Squash Soup with Bacon and Sage

Shaina — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 17:18:16 +0000

A well-balanced butternut squash soup featuring chowder-like consistency with potatoes, parsnips, fresh sage and jalapeño, all topped with bacon crumbles. A perfect cold weather soup.

Our house is rather small. A modest ranch-style home with three small bedrooms, each housing two people. In the hallway you will find a linen closet barely a foot wide and deep, and just to the right of it is the one and only bathroom for the family. It’s the size of a proper linen closet itself, and with two people in there, you’re constantly reaching over and around and pushing each other.

The selling point in our home, however, was the previous owner had converted the breezeway between the garage and tiny kitchen into a dining room. The breezeway is a long and narrow room just off the kitchen with a large sliding glass door at one end and windows at the front of the house. It holds a massive dining room table that, in turn, holds all six members of our family comfortably and still allows us to entertain a few guests when the mood strikes.

The downfalls of this large room are that it has but one tiny vent to heat it, and the cement that was left under the cheap linoleum that they put down is exceptionally cold on the feet come January, even a mild January.

So it is the midwinter months that have me simmering broths on the stove, happily stirring the steaming pot in the kitchen and then sitting down to eat around the table as a family. I smile as I look around our table, watching my kids dunk pieces of bread into creamy orange bowls and feel content.

This soup gets most of its thickness from a healthy dose of butternut squash. The peppers counteract the sweet just enough, and the bacon is essential. I may have used a piece of whole bacon yesterday as a spoon while we were eating. Just sayin’.

Butternut Squash Chowder with Bacon and Sage

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6 slices bacon, cut into small 1/2″ pieces
1 medium onion, diced
3 celery stalks, diced
3 parsnips, diced
1 pound fingerling or Yukon Gold potatoes, diced
2 jalapeños, seeded and diced
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
1/4 cup white wine
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
4 cups butternut squash purée
1/2 cup cream
kosher salt and pepper

In a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium to medium-high heat, brown bacon pieces until crisp. Remove bacon bits and set aside to drain. Spoon bacon grease out of the pan, leaving approximately 2 tablespoons’ worth. Add onion, celery and parsnips to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until onions and celery are soft. Add in potatoes, jalapeños and sage. Stir to combine and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes.

Pour white wine into the pot and stir to combine, deglazing the pan. Pour in the chicken stock and increase heat to medium-high. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10-12 minutes until potatoes are tender. Stir in the butternut squash purée and heavy cream. Stir to combine and continue cooking until heated through, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm with bacon bits sprinkled liberally over the top.

Makes 8-10 meal-sized servings.
Copyright © Food for My Family.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma after eating it at a church potluck in Mankato when we were visiting the in-laws. I can thank Katie Dick for bringing it, I believe, and my sister-in-law Gretchen for knowing where to find the recipe to make my own.

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Stuffed French Toast with Gingerbread Praline Sauce: A Christmas Breakfast

Shaina — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 15:43:22 +0000

A warm and spiced breakfast just waiting to awaken your senses Christmas morning, with you surrounded by family and a plate piled high with cardamom cream stuffed French toast swimming in gingerbread praline sauce.

The gifts already sit under the tree, wrapped and calling to the kids. Only the stockings have yet to be filled. For the first three days they squealed and sorted the piles into the ones with their names. They added bows to the tops from the stash in the wrapping box. Then they wrapped the gifts for their cousins and their grandparents and added them to the pile, sweetly writing the “to” and “love” portions of the homemade labels on each gift and imagining the delight the recipient would show as they opened the packaging.

Our Christmas morning at home traditionally takes place on Christmas Eve before heading out to run from one family event to another, sweeping in, staying a while and then taking off for the next one. The kids will be covered in kisses and gifted presents and offered sweet treats at each house, and yet, at the heart of it all is something more.

For Christmas, whether you head to church, to family or the theater, I hope you have the chance to share it with those you love. To give of yourself, and to receive fully. And if Christmas isn’t what you are celebrating this season, the same holds true. A good, warm breakfast shared with those closest to you can be one of the best gifts of the year.

If gingerbread flavor isn’t your thing, you can just omit the spices from the praline sauce.

Stuffed French Toast with Gingerbread Praline Sauce

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For the Gingerbread Praline Sauce:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons molasses
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon lime juice
1/3 cup chopped pecans

For the French Toast:
1 loaf crusty, day-old bread (like challah, a crusty french loaf or brioche)
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
butter for grilling

Make the gingerbread praline sauce: In a saucepan melt the butter over medium heat. Add in brown sugar and molasses and heat until sugar is dissolved. Whisk in the cream slowly. Stir in fresh ginger, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring frequently, 8-10 minutes until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and lime juice. Mix in pecans. Serve warm over french toast.

Slice the loaf of crusty bread lengthwise, making a 1-1/2″ slit along the side. In a small bowl, blend together cream cheese, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and cardamom until well mixed. Spread the cream cheese evenly in the slit in the bread. Cut the bread into 1″-thick slices.

Preheat a griddle to 375º F and oven to 275º F. In a shallow bowl or plate, beat together eggs, milk, brown sugar, remaining 1 teaspoon of vanilla and salt. Soak bread on both sides in the egg mixture. Lightly butter griddle or pan. Place soaked bread slices on the preheated griddle and cook for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Flip and repeat on the next side. Move toast to a baking sheet and store in a warm oven for 5-10 minutes while you finish the remaining pieces of bread. Serve warm with the gingerbread praline sauce.

Makes 12-15 pieces of French toast.

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Gingerbread Cookie Mix in a Jar: An Edible Gift

Shaina — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 00:32:13 +0000

Give the gift of cookies that they can enjoy whenever the mood strikes them. An easy gingerbread cookie mix in a jar makes a great teacher gift this Christmas and holiday season.

Christmas is right around the corner, and that can only mean one thing: Run through the mall scanning the shelves for random gifts to throw into your cart for all those people you still have left to buy for, right? Okay, so I try to avoid the mall at all cost this time of year. I haven’t even stepped foot inside one in weeks, and I have still managed to cross just about everyone off my list, and those that remain are the ones who will be receiving plenty of homemade gifts, many of the edible variety, like this one. Last year we did gingerbread pancakes and hot chocolate. This year, I have a few more up my sleeve.

The other day when I showed you just how versatile gingerbread cookie dough was? Well, I forgot one thing. It also makes a lovely jar mix. This is the same recipe from the other day, just repurposed as an edible gift for someone you love.

Plus, I made a printable for the labels. You’re impressed, aren’t you? (Truthfully, Mandi helped me work out the kinks.)

If the preview above is not working for you, click here to download this free printable.

Gingerbread Cookie Mix

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1 quart-sized glass jar with a lid
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 tablespoon ground ginger
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup packed muscovado or dark brown sugar
Additions:
small containers of sprinkles
cookie cutter

In a small bowl, mix together 1 3/4 cups flour and the ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, cloves and nutmeg. Add in an even layer to the jar. Layer the brown sugar, followed by the remaining 1 3/4 cups flour. Top the jar with the lid and decorate.

For the label:
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1/4 cup molasses

Mix together butter, eggs and molasses. Stir in the contents of the jar until incorporated. Chill the dough for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350º F. Roll out gingerbread dough and cut into shapes and then place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes until edges just start to brown. Allow to cool completely. Decorate with icing and sprinkles.

Makes 1 gingerbread cookie mix
Copyright © Food for My Family.

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The Many Faces of a Gingerbread Cookie

Shaina — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 15:46:31 +0000

Gingerbread cookies are the quintessential Christmas treat. People from all over enjoy variations of them come Christmastime. Here are a few variations you could try with just one simple gingerbread cookie recipe.

I’ve been sitting quietly for a long time thinking about what to write in this space. I had set out to show you the versatility of gingerbread cookies, and I thought I might entertain you with a story. I’d weave a tale of childlike fantasy of a gingerbread boy and the amazing skill he possessed with the gingerbread craft. He would mold and meld the gingerbread into whatever his heart desired, creating all things happy for his small family.

Instead, I’m staring at my to-do list of things to do before Kjell, Ole and I jump on a plane for a short jaunt to San Francisco tomorrow. I’m trying to take a deep breath, hold it in and make the minutes stretch just a bit more than they ought naturally be able to.

I like things that stretch, that can transform and become something else. I judge many things in life on its ability to be multipurpose, and this, my friends, is where the gingerbread comes in. Where you may think of these cute little “men,” you can create so much more with just one recipe and a few different ways of baking it up.

Ole was quick to declare this his favorite, which is unsurprising if you know his cookie-eating preferences. Crisp on the outside, just the very center of these cookies gives the most amazing chew. It’s also the best way to use up the dough scraps after you’ve just had enough rolling and cutting, and the kids are happily decorating the cookies.

Push a little further and your dough could become a spiced cookie bowl, ideal for a late night snack.

The addition of ginger buttercream turns these tiny cookies into delectable sandwiches. I shared them earlier this week over on Life…Your Way’s 101 Days of Christmas.

These are probably my favorite, tiny little cookies dipped in white chocolate and sprinkled (or not) with a few holly sprinkles. They’re perfectly adorable without being futsy or requiring I break out the pastry bags. Again, white chocolate, creamy confection. Win.

It turns out gingerbread is a most versatile dough, melding its way into different shapes, sizes and purposes, and giving you a wide assortment of cookies, just perfect for creating a story about the gingerbread boy.

Starting your holiday baking? Check out the Holiday Baking 101 Checklist with tips for freezing and more on getting your kids involved.

Gingerbread Cookies

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3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground ginger
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup packed muscovado or dark brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1/4 cup molasses
To decorate:
granulated sugar
candies
icing
frosting
chocolate for melting

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, cloves, nutmeg and salt. Set aside.

Cream together brown sugar and butter in a stand mixer for 2 minutes. Add in eggs and molasses and stir until combined. Mix in flour and spices and mix until a soft dough forms and the dry ingredients are incorporated. Split the dough into two balls, wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.

For Cut-Outs:

Lightly flour a flat surface. Roll out gingerbread dough and cut into shapes and then place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Preheat oven to 350º F and chill the dough on the baking sheet while the oven preheats. Bake for 8-10 minutes until edges just start to brown. Allow to cool completely. Decorate with icing and sprinkles.

For Sugared Cookies:

Preheat oven to 350º F. Scoop chilled dough into 1″ balls, rolling until uniform with hands. Roll the cookie balls in granulated sugar to coat. Bake on a parchment-lined sheet for 10-12 minutes or until edges just start to brown. Cool on a wire rack.

For Dipped Cookies:

Lightly flour a flat surface. Roll out gingerbread dough and cut into 1-2″ shapes and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Preheat oven to 350º F and chill the dough on the baking sheet while the oven preheats. Bake for 8-10 minutes until edges just start to brown. Allow to cool completely. Once cooled, melt chocolate or white chocolate in a double boiler. Dip half of each cookie into the chocolate and then allow to cool and set completely on a wax paper or parchment-lined baking sheet

For Cookie Cups:

Lightly flour a flat surface. Roll out gingerbread dough and cut into circles, 2-3″ across. Lightly press circles over the bottom side of a mini muffin tin. Chill in the freezer while you preheat oven to 350º F. Bake for 8-10 minutes until edges just start to brown. Cool slightly and then use a knife to pop them off the muffin cups. Allow to cool completely. Fill with a scoop of ice cream and sprinkles, if desired, before serving.

Makes approximately 3 dozen cookies.
Copyright © Food for My Family.

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Cordon Blucy Burgers to Tailgate To: A Juicy Lucy Twist

Ole — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 01:45:13 +0000

Prosciutto and Gruyère stuffed and grilled into the center of the cheeseburger, creating an oozing center of delicious to your Juicy Lucy tailgate eats. Try this along with a side of Bush’s Boston Recipe Baked Beans for a complete tailgating meal.

Tailgating in the summer is easy. It’s often done in t-shirts and flip-flops, and the variety of food available is vast. Nothing more than a few hot dogs or a thin cheeseburgers are required for a main course and they can be casually ingested on a balmy afternoon.

The same cannot be said for late fall or winter sports. To tailgate a football or hockey game your preparation needs to be a bit more tactical. Wimpy hot dogs can turn into meat-sicles in a matter of minutes and that puny quarter-pounder can turn into a hockey puck before you sit down. Luckily, however, there is a little known Minnesota specialty that just so happens to be the perfect fit for a crisp autumn tailgating session.

As the story goes, two bars on the same street in Minneapolis both claim to be the original inventor of what’s known as the Juicy Lucy (or the Jucy Lucy). It consists of a generous portion of cheese pressed between two uncooked hamburger patties and then fried on the flat top until the cheese transforms into a molten core. A trip to Minneapolis is not complete without consuming at least one of these.

It turns out, this technique lends itself perfectly to outdoor, cold weather cooking because the volcanic cheese will keep the burger hot for an extended period of time, even when the air temperature is quite low. This translates to a more pleasurable and leisure dining experience in the presence of cold air. Another plus is that all of the hard work can be done before hand thus making it easier for the cook on game day. Add a side of baked beans, and your tailgate meal is complete.

Today, we’ll be making something we like to call a Cordon Blucy. This borrows flavors from the classic cordon bleu palate, by using a slightly sweet and savory Gruyère cheese and salty chopped prosciutto on the inside and a topping of tangy Dijon mayonnaise and baby arugula, which pair perfectly with the sweet and rich Boston Recipe from Bush’s. All the steps prior to grilling can be done beforehand in the comfort of your own home and packaged for later use in the parking lot of your choice.

For each burger, slice up about 1 ½ ounces of cheese, chop about 3 slices of prosciutto and gently form out two quarter pound patties, being sure to make them fairly thin. Place the cheese and prosciutto on top of one patty, and then cover with the other. Here is the important part. Lovingly press the edges of the patties together making sure to completely seal in the cheese. Any breach between the pocket and the outside will result in your cheese being lost as an offering to the grill. Nobody wants that, so take care when sealing the burgers. And they’re ready for the trip to the big game.

WARNING! When you pull the burger off the grill, it is not time to eat. Your burger needs to rest for a good five to ten minutes, although the outside air temperature will determine the exact rate of cooling. Nobody wants a mouthful of burning cheese. Give it a minute to come down to a reasonable temperature.

So take a few minutes, breath deeply, and prepare to enjoy a big bite of Minnesota food heritage, a hearty burger that will stay warm, and keep you warm during the cold months of the year.

This post was sponsored by Bush’s Beans. Their Baked Beans make a great side dish for your tailgating session. Opinions, recipes and photos are my own. You can get more tailgating in with these sweet and sticky chicken wings and a few tailgating tips.

Cordon Blucy Burgers

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2 pounds ground beef
8-12 thin slices prosciutto
6 ounces Gruyère cheese
salt and pepper
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 cup olive oil mayonnaise
3 cloves of garlic, pressed
baby arugula
4 soft French rolls
butter

For each burger pat out two 1/4-pound patties of ground beef. Finely chop 2-3 slices of prosciutto and spread in the center of one patty. Cover the prosciutto with Gruyère cheese and place the second patty over the first. Seal well, pressing the edges of the burger together. At this point you could refrigerate the burgers until ready to grill.

Add patties to a preheated grill and grill for 4-5 minutes, sprinkling with salt and pepper once on each side. Flip and continue grilling 3 more minutes. Flip twice more, grilling 3 additional minutes for each flip. Remove from grill, tend with foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes.

While the burgers are resting, butter and toast the rolls on the grill until golden brown. Mix together mayonnaise, garlic and Dijon mustard. Place the burger on a toasted French roll and top with Dijon mayo and baby arugula.

Make 4 burgers.
Copyright © Food for My Family.

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