Drink your Dessert !?!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year’s everyone!  With the holiday season coming to a close, I wanted to put out another recipe before 2013.  To help with my decision on what to make, I solicited my Facebook friends. 

 

On  December 17^th, 2012,  I posted this on my wall:

  

“Hey FB Family, I need your input...

Since Christmas and New Year's is around the corner, there will be a lot of parties, family gatherings, and of course food being served.  I had the idea of putting out another recipe, but I wanted to hear from you first. What's a classic holiday dessert from your childhood past?  Everyone loves dessert, but what about taking the classic dessert and turning it into an adult drink :) Need I say more...post up with your desserts and I may turn yours into a crowd-pleaser.

The dessert with the most 'Likes' will be showcased on my blog.”

After about 30 minutes or so, suggestions started to flow in:  Flan, Tiramisu, Sweet Potato Pie, Sugar Cookies, Peach Cobbler (my favorite), Pecan Pie, Pineapple Upside Down Cake, Bananas Foster, and even Cheesecake.  

Now, making desserts and even drinks for this matter, is not my thing (that’s more my wife’s department).  So this was a challenge to pull off, but I think I got it.  Oh yea, you want to know which dessert won?  Drum roll please….Cheesecake!  

With five to six thorough rounds of testing, I was able to deconstruct the original cheesecake dessert recipe and transform it into an adult beverage.  With that said, I want to thank all of my Facebook friends for making great suggestions and my wife for helping with taste testing and setting up the backdrop for the picture.  

Since Cheesecake is most popular amongst women, it was only appropriate to name this drink: Ladies Choice.  Sorry fellas!

Drink Responsibly and Be Safe!

If you find this to be helpful, or have any suggestions/questions, feel free to leave a comment below.

Ladies Choice 

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ oz. Half and Half
• 1 oz. Torani Cheesecake Syrup
•  ½ oz. Milk
• ½ oz. Vodka
• ¼ oz. Light Rum (Spiced)
• ¼ oz. Raw Vanilla Liqueur
• 2 Graham Crackers
• 2 Tablespoons of Sugar
• 2 Maraschino Cherries
• ½ Lemon

Equipment

• Martini Glass 
• Shaker
•  Jigger
• 2 Small Shallow Plates
• 1 Cutting Knife

Drink Recipe Instructions:

Step 1: Crush the 2 Graham Crackers together and add the 2 tablespoons of sugar to the graham cracker crumbs. Place in a small plate and set aside.

Step 2:  Slice a lemon in half, and squeeze one half of the lemon for juice into the other small plate and set aside. 

Step 3: Take the Martini glass and turn it upside down and dip and rotate the brim of the glass into the lemon juice, then dip the glass into the graham cracker crust mixture and rotate several times.  Leave the glass upside down in the graham cracker crust until you a ready to pour the liquid into the glass. 

Tip:  By leaving the glass upside down in the graham cracker crust, this will allow the mixture to set up and harden. Most importantly, any residual lemon juice on the brim will not go to the bottom of the Martini glass. If this happens, the lemon juice will cause the dairy to curdle.

Step 4: In the shaker over ice, use the jigger to add the ½ ounce Vodka, ¼ ounce Light Spiced Rum, ¼ ounce Raw Vanilla Liqueur, 1 ounce Torani Cheesecake Syrup, 1 ½ ounces Half and Half, and ½ ounce Milk.  Shake and pour into the Martini glass.

Step 5: Add the 2 Maraschino Cherries and enjoy!

S.M.S. Corn Bread "So good, makes you want to slap your mamma!"

The compliment to every southern meal, the added flare to any smoked barbequed meat, the base of any chili…yes, Corn Bread!  Whether you live in the Northern, Southern, or Midwest region of the country, I’m sure you’ve come across a piece of corn bread that you loved or maybe even hated.  For me, corn bread needs to be S.M.S. – “Sweet, Moist, and Savory” all at the same time.  In search for this, I couldn’t find what I was looking for, so I took matters into my own hands.  In hopes to accomplish this, I’ve created a simple, but original corn bread recipe that I wanted to share.  

Special thanks to my neighbor and friend, Caroline Kessler for helping me out by testing this recipe.  If you find this to be helpful, or have any suggestions/questions, feel free to leave a comment below.

S.M.S. Corn Bread “So good, makes you want to slap your momma!”

Ingredients:

• (2) Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix boxes
• (2) Large Eggs (kept at room temperature)
• Jell-O Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix 
• 1 Cup of Fat Free Milk
• 1 Cup of Frozen Sweet Corn Cut from the Cob
•  ½ Cup of Finely Diced Spanish or Yellow Onion (about a quarter of an onion)
• 2 Tablespoons of Vegetable Shortening (do not melt)
• 2 Tablespoons of Corn Meal
• 1 ½ Tablespoons of Butter (kept at room temperature)
• 1 Tablespoon of Flour
• ½ Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
• ¼ Teaspoon of Black Pepper
• 1/8 Teaspoon of Salt

Equipment 

• Large mixing bowl
• Small mixing bowl
• 8 x 8 inch glass pan (oven safe)
• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• Pastry blender or fork utensil
• Whisk or mixing spoon
• Spatula
• Chopping knife
• Chopping Board

Recipe Instructions:

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make sure oven rack is placed in the middle of the oven.

Step 2:  Cut up the onion by finely dicing until you get a ½  of a cup.  In a small to medium pan or skillet, add the tablespoon of butter, diced onions, a pinch of salt, and ¼ of the black pepper.  Cook the onions until they are translucent (clear or opaque looking).  Set mixture aside and let cool until Step 6.

Step 3: In the mixing bowl, put together Jiffy Corn Muffin and Jell-O Instant Pudding; mix thoroughly until blended together.  

Step 4: Add in the non-melted vegetable shortening.  Using a pastry blender or fork, incorporate shortening with dry mix until you get a crumbly texture.

 Tip:  Adding the shortening this way, will create an airy corn bread.

Step 5: Once the shortening is incorporated, make a well (or hole) in the center of the mixture and add the 2 large eggs, 1 cup of milk, ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract, and 1/8 teaspoon of salt.  Mix together the wet and dry ingredients until you have a thick batter.  Batter should be two times thick of what pancake batter should look like.  

Step 6:  *Important*Take the 1 cup of frozen sweet corn and add it to another small mixing bowl.  Add the 1 tablespoon of flour to the sweet corn and mix thoroughly until corn is coated with the flour.  

Tip:  Coating the corn with flour will help it disperse evenly throughout the batter.  Every piece of corn bread will have kernels in it!

Step 7: Before placing the batter into the baking dish, coat the pan with ½ tablespoon of butter (sides included) and add the 2 tablespoons of corn meal.  Again, coat the pan with the corn meal this time by shaking it and maneuvering it from side to side until a thin layer is formed (to the right).  You may have excess corn meal left over. If so, you can discard it appropriately. 

Tip: The corn meal layer will add texture to the dish and give you more corn flavor. 

Step 8: Pour batter into the baking dish, and with a spatula, level the batter out until you see that it’s evenly layered.  Put into the 350 degree oven and bake for 60 minutes until golden brown (to the right).  When finished, let the corn bread cool (away from the stove so it won’t continue to cook) for about 15 – 20 minutes. 

Cut, serve and enjoy!

Congratulations!  You’ve just made my S.M.S. Cornbread “So good, make you want to slap your momma!”  

From Your Community Food Chef

New Mexico: Red, Green, the Differences in Cuisine

Fresh Tortillas being made at El Paragua

I just came back from a week long business trip 

in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and what an experience!  I’ve been to New Mexico before, but I really never paid close attention to the cuisine in this region.  You’re probably thinking, “What’s the big deal, it’s only Mexican food…you can get this anywhere?”  Well, not quite. Through talking with locals and doing some research on my own, I found out that the native food there is known as New Mexican.  It’s not just called Mexican or Tex-Mex.  The first time I visited New Mexico for work, I made the mistake in calling it regular Mexican food, and I almost got my head bitten off (figuratively speaking of course).  My client warned me about this, but I didn’t believe them. So me being me, I tested this theory out last week and after work I asked three separate random locals where I can get some good Mexican food around here?  In three separate responses, they looked at me, and said (with no exaggeration), “I know where you can get some authentic New Mexican food .", "Mexican Food? What parts of the country you from? We don’t call it that..," and lastly (which is my favorite), “if you want some ordinary Mexican food, I can call my extended cousin up from Mexico and have her make you some (I laughed, this person kept a straight face)…this is New Mexican food…tell you what, go to this place in Espanola called El Paragua and you can get you some authentic New Mexican food."  Luckily, I was working nearby this place, so I decided to check it out for lunch. But, before I tell you about my experience at El Paragua, I want to explain the main differences between Mexican VS Tex-Mex VS New Mexican cuisine.

Mexican – As delicious and simple as it may seem, Mexican food can be complex in nature when preparing it.  This type of food was influence by the Spanish culture, where Spanish natives introduced various meats, cheeses, herbs and spices.  However, Mexican food has its own unique ingredients and dishes which make it stand out from all other cuisines.  As you may know, some staple ingredients consist of rice, beans, corn, and the chili pepper.  Mexican food can be mild, spicy or hot, but many times the chili pepper (along with other ingredients) is used for flavoring and in preparation of sauces like the red/green sauces, and the mole sauce.  I have yet to explore real Mexican food outside of the United States, but have come close to eating the real thing at local restaurants recommended by friends.

Tex-Mex – As the word might suggest, Tex-Mex is a blend of Mexican and Texas foods.  This is an American term that started in Texas and distinctively different than ordinary Mexican by its use of melted cheeses (mainly a blend of white and yellow), wheat, flour, corn, and the use of beef or pork only.  Strangely enough, Tex-Mex food was influenced by Native American and Spanish cuisine. Since most of Texas was populated by Native Americans back in the day prior to westward expansion, Texans till this day use corn, pinto beans, black beans (or refried beans), squashes, other vegetables, and even heavier with the spices, such as using cumin in a lot of meals. As Tex-Mex became more “Americanized,” you will see the use of sour cream, pico de gallo, different type of relishes, braised and grilled meats added to your plate.  So, next time you’re hungry and want some Qdoba or Chipotle, thank all of the indigenous people who invented the flour tortilla, and influence American culture so that we can have the chicken burrito or the burrito bowl at our local fast food joint.

New Mexican – Among the Southwestern cuisine, New Mexican food tops them all, in my opinion.  Chile, beans, corn and blue corn are the basic ingredients. However, each ingredient is used a bit differently and used across different meal platforms.  In New Mexican cooking, chiles are at the forefront.  There are many varieties of chiles that come in red and green.  These chiles are locally grown and usually picked at different stages of ripeness.  Usually, the closer it gets to the color red the spicier it gets and your green versions are much more tamed (but that’s not always the case). At every meal (breakfast, lunch or dinner), red or green chile is offered.  Another distinction between each cuisine is that blue corn is heavily used as a vehicle for other ingredients, and the majority of the restaurants who serve chips and salsa, also serve sopapillas. This New Mexican treat is a thinly fried bread that puffs up like soufflé. It is typically served with honey or can be stuffed with beans, meats and cheeses as an entrée. 

Fun Fact: While chile, the pod, is sometimes spelled chili, chilli, or chillie elsewhere, U.S. Senator Pete Domenici of New Mexico made this state's spelling official by entering it into the Congressional Record.[1]

El Paragua, the New Mexican restaurant that I was referring to before, is one of the most authentic places in Espanola according to the people I’ve talked to who live in this area.  It is located in a building that is over 100 years old and as I walked inside I could tell this place was filled with character.  From the stone walls, to the wooden beams, to the 100+ year old tree growing inside of the restaurant (to the right), I knew that I came to the right place. As I was sitting down for lunch here, I was talking to the nice waitress about the history and she explained that before restaurant was established, the sons of the owners decided to sell their mom’s famous tacos at a stand near the road. Since the owners’ sons were starting their own business in the scorching New Mexican heat, their father provided them an umbrella for some shade; hence, why the restaurant is called El Paragua, or “The Umbrella.”  The waitress explained that if you were in a rush for lunch and needed a quick bite to eat, you can proceed next door to the Taco Stand (not the original) and order you up some to-go food.  Needless to say, I ate there several times (three times to be exact) that week for lunch and was able to try different menu items. My favorite was the Beef Taco Plate!  Braised shredded beef on a freshly fried corn taco with lettuce and shredded cheese, served with seasoned refried beans, and Mexican/Spanish fusion rice with chucks of cooked onion, diced tomatoes and herbs. YUM!

Your Community Food Chef
Follow me on Twitter: @yourcfchef

References: [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

             http://www.elparagua.com/

             http://mexicanfood.about.com/

             http://www.foodtimeline.org/foodmexican.html

             http://www.newmexico.org/culinary/

The Dinner Club

On November 17, 2012, the Rourke Drive (R.D.) Dinner Club was born.  If you asked me a few years ago to start a neighborhood dinner club, I would’ve probably looked the other way.  But this idea came from our neighbor as a way to help us all get together and share a meal during the winter season when we don’t get to see each other so often.   We decided to start small and rotate from home to home on a monthly basis. I would like to eventually expand it out beyond the selected few so that the other “Rourkies” can have the same dinner club experience.  My street alone has plenty of potential when it comes to food.  From Spanish, Columbian, Brazilian, Italian, Irish to Korean, the R.D. Dinner Club could be the talk of the town.  Besides the food, dinner club will be a time for everyone to get to know their neighbor more intimately and possibly become close friends with someone they may not have known.

Being the “foodie” that I am, I thought I would take to the lead in getting things kicked off.  Not knowing how to run a dinner club, I did some “Googling” to figure out where to start, what to do, and how to present it. My first instinct was to just jump right into it by sending out invites and cooking.  But, what I had learned was that I needed a structure to the dinner party, and a theme. 

So, on October 25, 2012 at 8:13pm, I sent this meal to those selected few:

"What's up Community Family?

Yes, it's about that time! We've been talking about it for a while...The first monthly R.D. Dinner Club is right around the corner. You're probably thinking "R.D.??? What the..."  Yes, I had to give it an official name, "Rourke Drive Dinner Club." How original, huh? But, reason being is that when this gets going, every community is going to be doing it, so we need to remember where it started.

Anyway, the R.D. Dinner Club is Set for this date:

Event: R.D. Dinner Club
Date and Time: Saturday, November 17th, 2012 @ 7 P.M.

Please R.S.V.P. to this email by November 9th, 2012.

Yours truly will be preparing the meal; I just ask if you can bring the beverages, please and thank you, of course!

I'm thinking that the very first meal will be a little bit comforting....Yes, ladies and gentlemen, Southern Comfort Food!!!

Well, I hope all of you can make it because this is going to be EPIC!!

Your Community Food Chef"

A few days after, I finalized my meal. What my guest didn't know was that this menu had a Creole/Cajun twist.

Main Menu

• Southern Fried Chicken w/ Cajun Dust Seasonings (to the right)
• Smoked Mac' & Cheese w/ Crawfish and Bacon
• Braised Kale w/ Cajun Sausage
• Famous Cornbread "So good, makes you want to slap your mamma!"
• Southern Sweet Tea

 Dessert Menu

• Old Fashion Pound Cake w/ Fresh Strawberry Compote & Coconut Rum Whipped Cream

With an ambitious meal planned, I had my hands full.  Thankfully my wife helped me with the dessert, decor and of course, the clean up! Needless to say, everything turned out pretty well, but there were some things that I would've done differiently. 

Lessons Learned

1. Treat a three hour event, as if it was two days - preparation is key here; leave ample time so you won't feel rushed and you can enjoy everything else around you.
2. Even if you have a grocery list defined, don't shop, make preparations and cook all in the same day. Grocery shop one day, prep another and cook the day of the event.  That way if you do forget something you're not scrabbling around at the last minute.
3. If you work full time, try to take time out for yourself to get the aforementioned completed. You will be surprised on how much time you will need to do these things, including cleaning the house for your company and setting the table.

Overall, it was a successful night and my guests thoroughly enjoyed themselves. For those of you that hosted dinner parties before, what were your challenges? What would you do differently?  And, what were some of the themes that you came up with? Feel free to leave comments or questions that you may have.

If you would like a recipe to one or more of the items mentioned above, follow me on my blog and vote for what you want! For the most votes, I will be releasing the recipe within the next month.

Your Community Food Chef
Follow me on Twitter: @yourcfchef