pie time for a party.

When I first came to divinity school, I wanted to keep throwing dinner parties like I did in Charleston, but there was just one small problem: I didn't have an income to pay for these parties. My mom suggested that I start a potluck supper club, which I did, and it was fun the first 3 or 4 times we did it, but most people's enthusiasm waned much more quickly than mine. Unless you really like to cook, committing to doing that once every two weeks just doesn't sound like that much fun.

Two years later and I'm trying again. This time I actually know some people in Nashville (which tends to happen when you've lived somewhere for two years), and I put out an open call on Facebook asking who was interested in joining. We had our first supper on Friday, and it was wonderful. Everyone brought amazing food--Senegalese peanut stew, butternut squash, rosemary, and goat cheese flatbread; and salted beer crescent rolls, to name a few--and several of our friends stayed for 3 or 4 hours just talking, laughing, and drinking the wide variety of pumpkin beer people brought. It was basically my dream come true.

Who knows if this iteration of the supper club will last, but I'm pretty sure I'll keep trying to make these happen as long as I live. There's just nothing I would rather do with my time than enjoy good food with good people.

Anyway, about what I brought to the party: When I was a kid, we used to have this savory pie at least 2 or 3 times a year, usually when we were in the middle of a "cold" snap (i.e., under 50 degrees). It's a magical dish, the epitome of warmth and comfort, but I hadn't made it in years. I'm not sure what reminded me of it, but as soon as I thought about it I knew I had to make it. I just ate the last leftover piece for supper tonight, and I already want to make it again. In fact, it was so good that every time I cut myself a slice I forgot to take a picture until I had already eaten a couple of bites. I promise, it tastes better than these pictures make it look.

A few notes: Feel free to substitute 1 lb. regular sausage + 1 tsp red pepper flakes if you don't have hot sausage. It's not spicy either way, but omit the red pepper if you don't want any spice at all. You can also use any frozen greens here in place of the spinach, or cook/drain about 32 oz (2 lbs) fresh greens to replace the frozen. Unless you happen to have fresh greens on hand, because you're mixing this with so many other ingredients I would stick with the frozen variety. Also, you can certainly use a pre-made refrigerated pie crust, but I think the flavor and flakiness of this recipe make it worth the effort.

cheesy spinach, mushroom, and sausage pie
serves 8

ingredients:
1 lb hot sausage
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb mushrooms, sliced
2 10-oz packages frozen spinach, thawed and drained
7 eggs
2 c grated mozzarella
16 oz ricotta or cottage cheese
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp kosher salt
2 prepared pie crusts

instructions:
Preheat oven to 350. In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, brown sausage with garlic; drain. In the same pan, brown the mushrooms; remove from heat.

In a very large bowl, beat 6 of the eggs, and beat yolk of remaining egg with 2 tbsp water; reserve egg white. Add sausage, mushrooms, cheeses, and salt to 6 beaten eggs and mix until combined (you may want to use your hands for this).

Roll out one layer of pie crush into a greased 9-inch deep dish pie pan and brush crust with egg white. Spoon filling into the crust and top with remaining layer of pie crust. Press edges together and crimp to seal. Cut a few slits in the top to allow steam to escape, and brush top layer with the egg yolk-water mixture.

Bake for an hour and a half to two hours, until the crust is golden brown and a knife inserted into the center comes out hot. Let cool for 15-20 minutes before serving.

a time for baking, a time for blogging.

Although I have done less blogging (ahem, no blogging) over the past few months, I have baked more than ever. I started making muffins, scones, granola bars, and various other breakfast-y items for the divinity school's weekly coffee hour back in September, and I've tried dozens of recipes, from walnut date bread with brown butter (YUM) to blueberry-buttermilk "biscones" (yum) to chocolate oatmeal flaxseed muffins (un-yum).

As much as I love whipping up three or four new baked goods each week, I keep going back to one scone recipe that consistently delivers. No matter how you embellish them, these scones are divine--rich but delicate, with a crumbly brown exterior and a soft, light interior. You can make them sweet and/or savory, add dried fruit, chocolate, nuts, or cheese, break them open and spread them with butter and jam or eat them as-is.

The scones pictured here have about 1/2 cup of oats replacing the same amount of flour, with about 1/3 cup of blue cheese and 1/3 cup of chopped dates mixed in. If that combination doesn't appeal to you, here are a few other options for mix-ins:

sweet:
1/3 c white chocolate chunks + 1/3 c dried cranberries
1 c fresh blueberries + 2 tsp lemon zest
1/3 c chopped pistachios + 1/3 c chopped dried figs

savory:
1/2 c grated parmesan + 2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
1/3 c chopped cooked bacon + 1/3 c gruyere, topped with cracked black pepper
1/3 c grated cheddar cheese + 1/3 c diced apple (okay, this one straddles the line a bit)

simple cream scones
adapted from The America's Test Kitchen Family Baking Book
makes 8 scones

ingredients:
2 c (10 oz) all-purpose flour
3 tbsp sugar (for sweet scones only)
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
5 tbsp butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces and chilled
1/2 - 1 c mix-ins (optional)
1 c heavy cream

instructions:
Preheat the oven to 450. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat.

Whisk together the flour, sugar (if using), baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in any mix-ins you are using.

Form a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the cream. Using a rubber spatula, stir together just until combined. If there's a bit of excess flour, incorporate it into the dough using your hands, but try to handle the dough as little as possible! (If you knead it too much, the scones will be tough.)

Lightly press the dough into a round cake pan and cut into 8 wedges. Place wedges on the prepared baking sheet, and bake until they are light brown, 12-15 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through if you remember.

Transfer the scones to a wire rack and let cool for as long as you can stand it (at least 5-10 minutes). Serve warm or at room temperature.

P.S. - If you don't want to bake eight scones at once, these freeze well. Once you've cut them into wedges, just place them on a baking sheet and freeze until firm (at least 3-4 hours). Transfer to a freezer bag, and they'll keep for at least a month.

blueberry-basil breakfast bowl

I promise these berries are of the blue variety.

Although recently my blog posts have been few and far between, I have been spending a lot of time in the kitchen. I'm the summer kitchen intern (or Kitchen Intern, if I'm feeling self-important) at this great organization called The Nashville Food Project, and although that means I'm working with food all day most days, I still usually want to cook for myself when I come home. I try to get all my cooking done at night, dinner first, then breakfast and lunch to take with me for the next day. This isn't any different from my school-year routine, but because I have more free time now I'm trying more new recipes than usual, including the one you're about to read!

Most of the time "new" recipes that attract me remind me of something I already like. This is a perfect example. Oatmeal is my default breakfast, but when it's 100+ degrees outside it's hard to get excited about a hot bowl of anything. When I saw The Kitchn's recipe for a breakfast blueberry and grain salad, I knew I had to make it. (This epiphany might have had something to do with the 8 pints of blueberries I had just bought on sale at Whole Foods.) So I did, and I ate it every day for breakfast last week. Tonight I decided to make another batch, but I changed a few things: more berries, fewer nuts, basil instead of nutmeg. I think my version is an improvement on the original, humility be damned.

I know the name I gave this recipe has a lot of "b"s--I was always a sucker for alliteration. And blueberries. And, as you probably already know if you know me, breakfast. This hits all three. You can substitute almost any grains, fruits, spices or herbs, and nuts or seeds you want, but make sure you come up with an equally snappy title for your new version, please.

blueberry-basil breakfast bowl
adapted from the kitchn
makes about 8 servings

ingredients:
1 c steel-cut oats
1 c quinoa
1/2 c millet
3 tbsp olive oil, divided
4 1/2 c water
3/4 tsp salt
2 lemons, zest and juice
1/3 c basil, chopped
1/2 c maple syrup
1 c Greek yogurt
1/2 c pecans, toasted and chopped
3 c blueberries

instructions:
Mix the oats, quinoa, and millet in a fine mesh strainer and rinse for about a minute under running water. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the rinsed grains and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until they begin smelling toasted. Pour in 4 1/2 cups water and stir in 3/4 teaspoon salt and the zest of 1 lemon.

Bring to boil, cover, turn down the heat, and simmer for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let sit for 5 minutes, then remove the lid and fluff with a fork. Spread hot grains on a large baking sheet and let cool for at least half an hour.

Spoon the cooled grains into a large bowl. Stir in the basil and the zest of the second lemon.

In a medium bowl whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil with the juice of both lemons until emulsified. Whisk in the maple syrup and yogurt. Pour this into the grains and stir until well-coated. Stir in the toasted pecans and blueberries. Taste and season with additional salt, if necessary.

Refrigerate overnight (or as long as you can stand it). This will keep in the fridge for several days and also freezes well, if you can't eat it all up in a week.

cookies for breakfast (or lunch, or a snack...)

I have a gigantic sweet tooth. I like to think I come by it naturally (my sister has the same condition, if you can call it that), but no matter the source it's there. My regular winter breakfast is oatmeal with almond milk, cinnamon, and a sliced banana, so I even start my day with something a little sweet.

These cookies are kind of a grab-and-go version oatmeal, akin to granola bars. Most of the "breakfast cookie" recipes I've seen include some measure of white flour and a fair amount of sugar, and although I'm certainly not opposed to either of those, I try to hold off on having them until after lunch. The only added sugar in this whole recipe is 1/4 c of maple syrup, which comes out to 1 tsp per (pretty large) cookie. Calling them "cookies" might be a bit of a misnomer, but I just like thinking that I'm eating dessert for breakfast.

These go great with tea or coffee, or they're delicious alone. You can also make any number of substitutions to this recipe; if you prefer different sweeteners, fats, grains, seeds, spices, or dried fruit, feel free to give them a shot. If you want more of a "real" cookie taste, chocolate chips would be a great addition (clearly, since the original recipe uses them).

breakfast cookies
adapted from 101 Cookbooks
makes one dozen large cookies  

ingredients:
2 medium bananas, mashed
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 c maple syrup
1/4 c peanut butter
2 c rolled  oats
1/4 c wheat germ
1/4 c flax seeds
1/2 c dried coconut
1/4 c dried dates, chopped
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder

instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 and line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Combine first four ingredients in a large bowl and set aside. In a medium bowl, stir together remaining ingredients; add to banana mixture and mix together until thoroughly combined (you can use a spoon or your hands, although it's a bit sticky).

Scoop dough into 1/4-c. portions and place on cookie sheet. Press down a bit to make them as tall or flat, neat or messy as you'd like. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes (longer if you'd like them to be crunchy rather than chewy).

The cookies will last a few days in an airtight container, or freeze them for up to a month and pop one into the toaster for a quick, healthy breakfast.

homemade bagel brunch

By now, it's probably pretty clear that I love breakfast and brunch food. And why shouldn't I? The first meal of the day often includes my three favorite food groups:  bread, fruit, and bacon. While I usually go for oatmeal during the week (quick oats + banana + cinnamon + soy milk), I like to give breakfast its due on the weekends.

I spent New Year's at the beach for the first time since 2008, and it was marvelous. On January 1st, we had a lovely brunch anchored by homemade bagels, courtesy of my sister and brother-in-law's friend Chrissy. They are phenomenal, and they actually seemed somewhat manageable to make. Maybe these will be my next DIY food project (homemade yogurt in the making as I write this!), but for now I'll just post a recipe and a few pictures for you to enjoy.

We had half plain and half sesame, but you can make them however you'd like. The sesame ones went like hotcakes (which I guess they kind of are). They're great with lox and cream cheese, and we had a lovely fruit salad on the side. We also had breakfast casserole, granola, and sausage, but really, the bagels are impressive enough on their own.
 

homemade bagels
courtesy of Chrissy Braden, adapted from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook
makes a dozen medium-sized bagels

ingredients:
3/4 tsp active dry yeast
1 2/3 c warm water
3 tbsp granulated sugar
3 tbsp malt syrup, molasses, or honey*
1 lb 6 oz bread flour (about 4 1/2 c)**
1 1/2 tbsp salt
toppings of your choice

 *Although the original recipe calls for malt syrup, Chrissy uses more readily available molasses. If she doesn't have enough molasses, she just adds a little extra sugar to the mix. I've also seen recipes that use honey, so you could probably use almost any syrup you want. 
**Chrissy has also made these with half bread flour/half whole wheat flour, and they turned out well.

instructions:
Whisk together active dry yeast and warm water. Let sit until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add sugar, 1 tbsp molasses, flour, and salt. Knead until dough forms (the dough will be a little sticky), plus 5-10 minutes more. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 2 hours.

Divide dough into 12 pieces. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest 20 minutes.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. With lightly oiled hands, roll each piece of dough into an 8"-inch-long cylinder, and shape into a circle to make the bagel.

Place bagels on prepared sheets at least 2" inch apart. Cover with oiled plastic wrap and let sit for another 20 minutes or until slightly puffy.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Fill a stockpot with about 4 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Add the remaining molasses.

Gently drop bagels into the water, putting in as many as possible without them touching. After 30 seconds, flip bagels over and simmer for another 30 seconds. Using a slotted spoon remove the bagel and place on parchment lined baking sheet. Top with toppings of your choice. Repeat with remaining bagels.

Immediately place baking sheets in oven and bake for 5 minutes. Then rotate sheet and lower oven temperature to 350 degrees. Continue to bake until the tops of the bagels begin to turn a golden brown, about 10 minutes. Flip bagels over and continue to bake until the tops are golden brown, about 5 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Although I don't know why you wouldn't eat them all immediately, these will keep in an airtight container for about 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 weeks. Slice them before freezing for easy toasting.

 

"ultimate" banana nut bread

I've tried dozens of banana bread recipes over the years, and honestly they've all been pretty good. Take a few speckled bananas, add sugar, flour, butter, a couple of eggs, and some leavener, and you're basically guaranteed to turn out something at least a little bit delicious. So when I saw America's Test Kitchen's recipe for "ultimate banana bread," I was skeptical. Could it really be that much better than your typical banana bread?

So I tried it, and it's definitely impressive. The title may have gotten my hopes up a little too high, but if pressed I can't recall a banana bread that I've enjoyed more than this one. I wasn't sure if the extra steps of microwaving the bananas and reducing their juice would be worth it, but actually the smell of bananas cooking in the microwave might have been my favorite part of the bread-making process!

The only step that I found unnecessary was topping the bread with sliced bananas and sugar. They're supposed to end up caramelized and crunchy, but honestly mine just turned out kind of chewy. Next time, if I'm feeling ambitious I'll try topping the bread with some honeyed walnuts instead. I'll include those in the recipe below, but my pictures have the banana topping. If you want to stick with that (it is pretty), just omit 1/4 c of the walnuts and the honey, slice an extra banana, and top the batter with banana slices and two teaspoons of sugar before baking.

P.S. - There is something weird going on with my formatting--the font size changed for this post, and I can't figure out why or how to fix it. This is driving me crazy, so if anyone has any words of wisdom please let me know!

"ultimate" banana nut bread

adapted from America's Test Kitchen

makes one loaf (about 12 servings)

per serving:  304.9 cal, 14.2g fat, 47.6g carb, 3g fiber, 5.1g protein, 8+ weight watchers

ingredients:

1 c all-purpose flour

3/4 c whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

5 large ripe bananas

1/2 c (1 stick) butter

2 large eggs

3/4 c packed dark brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 c walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped (optional)

1 tbsp honey (optional)

instructions (I pretty much copied them straight from ATK...too lazy to type my own version!):

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 8½ by 4½-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Whisk flours, baking soda, and salt together in large bowl.

Place bananas in microwave-safe bowl; cover with plastic wrap and cut several steam vents in plastic. Microwave on high until bananas are soft and have released liquid, about 5 minutes. Transfer bananas to fine-mesh strainer placed over medium bowl and allow to drain, 10-15 minutes (you should have ½ to ¾ cup liquid).

Transfer liquid to medium saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until reduced to ¼ cup, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat, stir reduced liquid into bananas, and mash with potato masher or fork until fairly smooth. Whisk in butter, eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla.

Pour banana mixture into flour mixture and stir until just combined. Gently fold in 1/2 c walnuts, if using. In a small bowl, combine other 1/4 c walnuts with honey. Scrape batter into prepared pan and top with honeyed walnuts.

Bake until toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean, 55 to 75 minutes. Cool bread in pan on wire rack 15 minutes, then remove loaf from pan and continue to cool on wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

fig & walnut cinnamon rolls

Oh my gosh, I LOVE figs. Fresh ones have been hard to come by this season, so I've only had a precious few thus far...but if I could, I think I would eat them every day.

preferably over Greek yogurt, drizzled with honey.

I can't, though, so I have to make do with dried figs, fig preserves, perhaps even the occasional fig newton. Since I'm moving out in just over a week, so I am currently trying to eat every food item I have in my apartment (a gallon of nutritional yeast, anyone?). One of those items was a jar of fig preserves, barely touched since I bought it to pair with a wedge of brie a couple months ago.

After very little deliberation, I decided to make a healthier version of cinnamon rolls. This was determined partly by my love for all things sweet and breakfast-y, and partly by the walnuts in my freezer, the half-block of cream cheese in my fridge, and the three bags of powdered sugar in my pantry. I told you I was dead-set on eating everything...at least I didn't try to incorporate the nutritional yeast.

The resulting rolls were sweet, sticky, and wheaty enough to make me feel like I was eating something marginally healthy for breakfast (I wasn't). Even though I've painted this recipe as a pantry-cleaning endeavor, these buns are worth making regardless of your aim. I think they'll be an even better winter breakfast, when figs aren't in season, I want to eat warm and nutty things all the time, and it doesn't matter what I look like in a swimsuit. 

fig & walnut cinnamon rolls
makes 12 small rolls
per bun:  229.1 cal, 7.1g fat, 37.8g carb, 2.5g fiber, 5.0g protein, 6+ weight watchers

ingredients:

filling:
   1/2 c fig preserves, room
      temperature
   1/2 c chopped toasted walnuts
   1 tsp ground cinnamon
dough:
   1 1/4 c all-purpose flour
   1 1/4 c whole wheat flour
   2 tbsp sugar
   1 1/4 tsp baking powder
   1/2 tsp baking soda
   1/2 tsp salt
   1 1/4 c nonfat milk
   3 tbsp butter, melted and divided
glaze:
   1/2 c powdered sugar
   2 tbsp light cream cheese, softened
   1 tbsp nonfat milk

instructions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray 9" round pan with cooking spray. Combine fig preserves, walnuts, and cinnamon in a small bowl; set aside.

Whisk together flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Combine two tablespoons of melted butter with milk in a medium bowl, and add to dry ingredients. Mix to form a ball of dough, then turn dough out onto lightly floured surface.

Form dough into a roughly 9 x 12" rectangle and brush with remaining melted butter. Spread preserve and walnut mixture over surface. Roll long side of dough into a pinwheel and cut into 12 rolls.

Place rolls in pan, cover with foil, and bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 10-12 minutes more, or until rolls are light brown and filling looks caramelized.

Prepare glaze: using a mixer set to medium, mix together powdered sugar, softened cream cheese, and buttermilk. Pour glaze over warm rolls and serve.

1402 palmetto shrimp & grits

  

First, a confession:  although I've lived in the Carolinas my whole life, until this weekend I had never made shrimp and grits. (I still haven't been to a NASCAR race or seen Gone with the Wind...I have a long way to go.)

Although I grew up in the South, my mom was an Air Force kid so we didn't eat your typical southern cuisine. We called our evening meal "supper," but it was more likely to be Chinese stir fry than chicken-fried steak.

If you know southern cooking, you probably know the Lee Bros...and if, like me, you have just started to get acquainted with it, their Southern Cookbook is a great introduction.

My recently wed sister and brother-in-law used this as a guestbook at their wedding this spring, and lucky for me they also gave copies as bridesmaid gifts. This is the kind of cookbook you can actually read, with stories to go along with every recipe and pictures that make you want to jump in and eat what's on the page.

I'm making my way through the recipes slowly but surely, and I thought I'd start with an essentially Charleston dish: shrimp & grits. My family changed it up a little to suit our tastes and what we had on hand, so for now, in honor of our beach house, I'm calling it 1402 Palmetto Shrimp & Grits.

 

1402 palmetto shrimp & grits 
adapted from The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook (83 East Bay Street Shrimp & Grits) 
4 servings

ingredients:
shrimp stock
   1 1/2 lbs headless large shrimp
   3 c water
   1/2 tsp peppercorns
   1/2 tsp celery seeds
   1 bay leaf, in pieces
   1 tsp kosher salt
   1 tsp ground red pepper (if you like things spicy) 
grits
   1 1/2 c stone-ground grits (recommended:  Anson Mills)
   1 1/2 c whole milk
   3 c water
   kosher salt and black pepper to taste

   kernels from 3 ears of sweet corn 

gravy
   1 lb tomatoes (about 3 medium tomatoes)
   1 tbsp olive oil
   1/4 lb andouille sausage, diced
   1 small green bell pepper, chopped
   1 small yellow onion, chopped
   1 tbsp plus 1 tsp all-purpose flour
   kosher salt and black pepper to taste
   handful chopped chives, to garnish (optional)

 
instructions:
Peel shrimp, reserving the shells. In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil over high heat. Add shells and rest of stock ingredients. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain the stock and reserve. Discard shells.


While stock simmers, stir grits into a bowl of cold water and allow to settle. Corn hulls may float to the surface. Skim off hulls and drain grits. In a medium saucepan, bring milk and 3 c water to a boil over high heat. Add grits, stirring to prevent lumps from forming. Reduce heat to medium, add salt and cook, stirring occasionally

Once grits thicken (about 10 minutes), reduce the heat and cook, stirring frequently and adding water if grits become too stiff. Cook until grits are fluffy and creamy, 35 to 45 minutes. Just before serving, season with salt and pepper and stir in corn kernels.

While grits cook, place tomatoes in a medium roasting pan or cast-iron skillet. Broil them about 3 inches from the flame or heating element, turning as their skins blacken, until they’re blackened all over, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer tomatoes to a food processor or blender and pulse to a soupy liquid, about three 1-second pulses. Press the liquid through a food mill or coarse strainer into a medium bowl.

Pour olive oil in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet or sauté pan set over medium-high heat. Add sausage, and with a slotted spoon move the pieces around until they are browned, about 3 minutes. Add bell pepper and onion and sauté until they just begin to soften, about 2 minutes.

Pour 2 tablespoons of the shrimp stock into a small bowl, add the flour and whisk until it becomes a smooth paste. Pour remaining shrimp stock into the skillet with the sausage, pepper, and onion. When the mixture reaches a simmer, reduce heat to medium and cook at a vigorous simmer until vegetables have softened.

Add flour paste to pan, whisking vigorously to distribute flour evenly. Add sieved tomato mixture to skillet, stirring, and return to a simmer. Cook until the mixture turns into a gravy thick enough to coat the back of a spoon heavily, 10 to 12 minutes more.

Add shrimp to gravy and continue cooking until they are pink and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, divide grits among 4 plates and ladle the shrimp and gravy on top. Garnish with chives.

summer brunch (& happy father's day)

We're wrapping up another Father's Day, and I have an announcement to make:  I have the best dad in the world. I know, I know, many of you probably thought your father or husband held that title, and I'm sure those men are all perfectly lovely human beings. To me, though (and I speak for my sister here as well), my dad wins.

So, what do you make for the best dad in the world on Father's Day? Brunch, obviously.

Brunch is an institution in Charleston, and there are a ton of great places to go (a few of my favorites:  High Cotton for food, Triangle for mimosas, Fuel for everything). But I was visiting my parents at Edisto Beach, and homemade brunch holds a special place in my heart anyway...not least because it means I can crawl back to my bed after the inevitable food coma that comes along with two meals in one.

We had a small group today, just my mom, my dad, and me, but the good thing about small groups is you can make a lot of different dishes without too much trouble. Our menu included light blueberry muffins, not-so-light cheddar and cream strata, fresh tomatoes and watermelon, mimosas, and the star of every show, bacon.

And now I'm really sad I didn't bring any leftovers home with me. But hey, at least I have pictures.


summer brunch menu
blueberry crunch muffins (recipe follows)
cheddar & cream strata (recipe follows)
sliced tomatoes 
sliced watermelon
mimosas
bacon



blueberry crunch muffins
adapted from america's test kitchen 
makes a dozen
per muffin:  199.7 cal, 2.1g fat, 45.8g carb, 1.0g fiber, 4.5g protein, 6+ weight watchers

ingredients:
1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1/2 c cake flour

1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 c packed light brown
   sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
4 tbsp butter, softened
1/2 c granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 c plain nonfat Greek
   yogurt
1 1/2 c blueberries

instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a muffin tin or line it with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose and cake flours, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and 1/2 cup of brown sugar.

In a small bowl, melt 1 tbsp of the butter. Add 1/4 cup of the flour mixture, remaining brown sugar, and cinnamon, and mix together with a fork to make a crumbly topping. Set aside.

In another medium bowl, use a mixer on medium-high speed to beat remaining butter with granulated sugar until thoroughly combined. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in vanilla.

Using a mixer on low speed, alternatingly add flour mixture and yogurt to butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Gently fold in blueberries.

Fill each muffin cup with about 1/2 cup batter, then sprinkle crumb topping over them all. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out with a few crumbs attached.

overnight cheddar and cream strata
adapted from america's test kitchen
serves 4
per serving:  353.6 cal, 21.4g fat, 22.3g carb, 1.6g fiber, 18.3g protein, 9+ weight watchers

ingredients:

does this look like a US state to anyone else?

1 tbsp unsalted butter,
   softened
a few slices dense white
   bread (I used sections of
   an epi I had left over)
4 oz sharp cheddar, grated
3/4 c whole milk
1/4 c heavy cream
4 large eggs
1 shallot, minced
handful of parsley, chopped
dollop of dijon mustard
1/4 tsp hot sauce
salt and pepper, to taste

instructions:
Grease a small casserole and line bottom with bread. Butter tops of bread and sprinkle with half of cheddar.

Whisk together milk, cream, eggs, shallot, parsley, mustard, and hot sauce. Pour over bread and top with remaining cheddar. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Unwrap dish and bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. You can also speed up the browning process by broiling for a couple minutes at the end.

my dad ate all the bacon before i could get a picture of it (who am i kidding? i ate most of it.)