ICM's Winter Wonderland

Ice cream in the snow? Yes, please. This past week was eggnog ice cream at Goldie's in Prairie City, Iowa. You can see my previous post about Goldie's here. The eggnog was phenomenal. The fuzzi-'rents and I stopped there last week on they way to pick up Lucky from doggy daycare in Runnells. It was so good I finished the whole thing (hence the less than gorgeous photo of the above ice cream phone).

In fact, it was sooooo good that we went back for a full 1/2 gallon of it the next day. I had gotten a holiday thank you from Goldie's for being on their mailing list and used it towards the half gallon. I was wondering if the soft serve would lose something in translation when frozen solid. But by dog! It was just as good. There's still most of it left...but not for long. Mwhahahaha!

Rockin' the Soups

This has been an awesome week for soup. I have been ON! and no clue why ;) The first one was the best batch of tortilla soup I've made to date. Recipe to come. The second was a Zesty Vegetarian Tomato Soup, served with a nice chicken caeser salad.

Disclaimer...I never really cared for tomato soup. My parents always used to have it when they made grilled cheese for the family. I seem to remember some friends in college dipping their sandwiches in ketchup. And it was good. So next time I was home I decided not to pass on the Campbell's tomato soup. And I enjoyed it. Then I discovered tomato basil bisque while in Switzerland. Swooon. And Amy's organic chunky tomato bisque when I returned home to the US.

I've tried a few attempts at tomato soup deliciousness and have been not so impressed. But the recipe I hacked this week was ALL THAT AND A BOWL OF SOUP! I'm even throwing in my bonus parmesan wafers. They look impressive, are super easy and really add some oomph to any tomato soup. Enjoy and let me know what you think.

Zesty Vegetarian Tomato Soup
yield enough for 3 medium to good sized bowls

1 - 28oz. can whole tomatoes
~1 T. tomato paste
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 - 1 clove of a shallot, minced
1 T. butter + olive oil
1 - 14.5oz can veggie stock
vodka
red wine
basil leaf
cayenne pepper

Sweat onions, shallots and garlic in butter/oil mix til clear. Add tomato paste. Deglaze pan w/ vodka and reduce. Add can of tomatoes including the juice and veggie stock. Add a glug of red wine, basil and cayenne pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 30 minutes. Cool, blend to desired consistency. Return to pot, heat and serve with parmesan wafers.

Parmesan Wafers
makes 8

1.5 c. coarsely grated parmesano reggiano (4 - 5 oz.)
1 T. flour

Put rack in middle of the oven preheat to 350F. Line baking sheet with non-stick paper. Make 4 mounds (about 3 T. each) and spread until they are 4-5" rounds. Bake until golden - about 10 minutes. Cool on the sheet for 2 minutes then transfer to wire rack using a wide spatula. Repeat. Can be made 2 days in advance and kept in airtight container at room temperature.

Cookie Cravings

Every once in awhile I get a craving for Subway's white chocolate chip chocolate cookie. Oh, heck. Who am I kidding? I often get cravings for many different types of cookies. But the Subway one is a killer.....I can't often find them at my local sandwich shop...so I decided to try and make my own.

After copious internet searching (2 minutes on google) I found out that most of Subway's (and many other restaurants) cookies are made by Otis Spunkmeyer. I found a 'copycat' recipe for my beloved cookies. I tried the recipe as is (except only made a half recipe just in case they turned out truly heinous...and added some regular chocolate chips as well. I just can't help tinkering!!!) and will try to tweak it a bit next time. It might also be helpful to have real deal cookie near by for a blind tasting. According to my tastebuds these cookies were a little overly sweet, maybe I'll use salted butter next time, less sugar or a bit more salt. The texture seemed ok. We'll see how they hold up over the next day or so.

Almost Subway's White Chocolate Chip Chocolate Cookie Recipe
yield 1 and 1/2 dozen cookies

1 c. butter, softened
2 c. white sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 c. flour
3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. white chocolate chips
2/3 c. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F (175C)

In a large bowl cream butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, then the vanilla extract.

Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a different bowl. Stir into the butter/sugar mixture.

Fold in chocolate chips and drop by rounded teaspoonful onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 8 - 10 minutes (I left them in the full 10 minutes) until set. Allow to cool on the cookie sheets for 5 minutes then move cookies onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Second Saturday Soup n Bowl

This 'Second Saturday' was spent reuniting with the CCFA crew in Corning, Iowa. The gallery has been hosting monthly show openings and this month they decided to try something a little different. The soup n' bowl event featured homemade soups in handmade bowls by Paul Koch of Prairie Fired Pottery.

There were 5 different soups to choose from - salmon chowder, seafood chowder, beef and noodle, chili, and beef stew. Beth's salmon chowder was a new recipe and had many separate elements come together in new ways. Rick's beef stew was a total hit and the first one to be polished off by the public. It was kind of zingy with giant chunks of potatoes and veggies...and paprika? In fact, they were all amazing (yes, I managed to sample almost all of them ;) and the bowls we took home are fantastic mementos of the event. Wish I had thought to bring my favorite onion soup, Jon's butternut squash soup, the hawayedge chicken soup or chile corn chowder. Next time....Actually, it may be time for a soup exchange...Iowans???

I was there not only as a spectator (and soup slurper) but in an officially official capacity as well. Studio fuzzishu offered blown glass ornament make and take sessions. It was fun to see the range of people who tried their hand at glass working and catch their enthusiasm and delight. I love offering people the experience of doing something they've never done and having them go home with an original piece of art and feeling of accomplishment.

It was a great time...until fuzzi-mom and I were packing up to leave. Winter decided to make itself known again with a major white-out blizzardy type thing. We (foolishly) decided to brave it, since I was scheduled to teach at the Des Moines Art Center today. There were times during the grueling, white-knuckle-inducing, normally 3o minute drive to Creston where the road was literally invisible. So? A hotel. And lots of kitschy tv movies (Sundays at Tiffany's with Alyssa Milano, anyone?) But alls well that ends well, we're back in Des Moines now and gearing up for a week of ornaments and probably more soup! ;)

Gobble Gobble Hey!*

Many families have passed down Thanksgiving traditions, my family's tradition is a recent one. I've started a new tradition, we use the holiday as a chance to try out new recipes on my captive audience...I mean, family. ;) Sometimes they're great, sometimes not so great. Then there are the few recipes great enough to hold on to year after year. Like Rachel-pi. Here's a list of the Thanksgiving 2010 recipes.

Rosa made a lovely Norwegian Mountain Bread. Oatmeal, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds? Yum. I simply had to try the recipe. You can find her recipe for this hearty loaf here. I also made a HUUUUGE pot of maple butternut squash soup with chef/friend John's recipe.


One of my favorite Thanksgiving recipe finds is this whole cranberry sauce (we also always make the Ocean Spray cranberry relish as well). This sauce is spiced, hearty and complex with bold fruit flavors. You can also make this recipe your own by varying the ingredients.

Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce

12 oz. fresh cranberries
1 c. sugar
1 c. water
1 c. dried fruit chopped
1 c. pecans, chopped
1 cap rum
1 orange, peel - process
1 apple, peel - dice
1 pear, peel - dice
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Boil sugar and water til sugar dissolves. Reduce to simmer, add all ingredients. Cover and simmer for approx. 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, let cool to room temp. and serve.


Here's a keeper! Super delicious and super easy. Two of our favorite 'supers'. ;) Everyone loved this recipe, I hope you do too.

Herb Bubble Bread (Taste of Home Mag. - Oct/Nov 2010)

1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese
3/4 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1/4 tsp. dill weed
1/8 tsp. each dried thyme, basil, and rosemary - crushed
1/4 c. butter, melted
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 loaf (1 lb.) frozen bread dough, thawed

In a small bowl, combine cheese and seasonings. In another bowl, combine butter and garlic, set aside.

Divide dough into 16 pieces. Roll into balls. Coat balls in butter mixture, then dip in cheese mixture. Place in a greased 9"x 5" loaf pan.

Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about an hour. Bake at 350F for 22-26 min or until golden brown. (cover loosely with foil if top browns too quickly). Cool for 10 min. before removing from pan to a wire rack. Serve warm.


Lucky waits for me to take my eye off of the turkey for just a quick minute.


This year we tried something new with the bird...baking it breast down. Juiciest white meat ever!
Read the complete how-to article here.

There was stuffing, two kinds of cranberry sauce, sauteed green beans with carrots, mashed potatoes with chives, cilantro lime rice (recipe to come...one of these days), and turkey (of course!) with gravy. I'm saddened by my gravy attempts. I'd really love to find a great recipe. Any suggestions? Dinner was great....but let's not forget dessert!

We tried this cheesecake recipe a year or two ago and it was one of the ones good enough to hold on to. This holiday is not only about giving thanks but sharing. So, from my kitchen to yours...

Cheesecake Factory Style Cheesecake (this is two blended recipes...I can't recall which at this time)

crust
1 1/2 c. gingersnap cookie crumbs
1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs
1 c. pecans, processed
1/2 c. packed golden brown sugar
about 4 1/2 Tbsp salted melted butter (or more)

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray 9 1/2" springform pan. Bake about 10 minutes, then remove and cool completely.

filling
1 c. sugar
3 (8oz.) pkgs cream cheese, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 can (15oz.) canned pumpkin
3 eggs
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. allspice

Combine cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Mix until smooth with an electric mixer. Add pumpkin, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. Beat until smooth and creamy. Pour filling into pie crust and bake 60 minutes until top darkens but is still slightly jiggly. Remove from oven, allow to cool to room temp., then refrigerate. Serve w/ whipped cream.

*My apologies to the Ramones. ;)

Bang!

Kiriel, of The Papillon Pantry, nailed it again! This pineapple bleu cheese soup is fantastic and totally 'fall-like', a perfect blend of sweet and savory. Like a liquid version of my bleu cheese and pear puffs with balsamic reduction syrup (recipe to come...one of these days).

I used my much loved Maytag Blue Cheese (mmmm Maytag Burgers) - that fuzzi-mom and I picked up at the Winter Farmer's Market - but I think it might have been a touch too strong. Next time I'll look for something a little less sharply flavored. Otherwise, the soup was smooth and flavorful. Kudos to Kiriel!


Pineapple and blue cheese soup
Re-post of Original Recipe by Kiriel of The Papillon Pantry

2 small onions
30g butter
60g blue cheese
480g pineapple (I was in a pinch so used drained pineapple in natural syrup)
2 cups chicken stock

Dice the onions finely and sweat in the butter until they go clear. Chop the pineapple into pieces (if using fresh pineapple make sure you remove the hard core) and add to the butter. Sweat until the pineapple has absorbed the butter and softened.

Blend the pineapple in a food processor or blender. Add the chicken stock and return to the pan. Simmer for about half an hour to give the pineapple more time to soften. Crumble in the blue cheese and remove from the heat. Stir to blend the cheese in but don't over stir - you want to discover lovely little nuggets of cheese as you eat.

Return of the ICM!*

It's summer. In Iowa. That means HOT! It also means a search for the best locally produced ice cream. It is still the ICM's goal to make it to Le Mars, Iowa and eat...I mean check out the Ice Cream Museum. For realsies. But for now we'll have to be satisfied with tastings a little closer to home.

On the list? Moo Roo (they raise cows and wallabies, is Iowa not trippy?) in Waterloo. Heyn's and Whitey's in Iowa City. And Wilton Candy Kitchen (one hundred and fifty years...and counting! the oldest continuing ice cream parlor in the US) in Wilton, IA.

This week we happen to be near Prairie City. Goldie's has been mentioned quite a few times in conjunction with the phrase 'excellent ice cream'. We passed it on the way to IL last time but didn't stop.

(unprepossessing small town cafe...a totally hidden gem)

Oh man, I wish we had! The butterscotch fuzzi-mom and I tried last week was AMAZING!!! Not too cloyingly sweet, subtle rich burnt sugar flavor and a 'small' cone that can easily satisfy two. Not surprisingly, I dragged my brother and his friend, Nikhil, back this week when I heard the featured flavor was papaya.

(Heh, Nikhil ordered a large. Guess he missed hearing me say how big the small was.)

Next week? Kiwi. How I missed pear and cranberry I'll never know. But I now have a flavor forecast through the end of the year. And trust you me, we'll be headed back several times. My current pick for favorite Iowa ice cream. Now all it needs is eyeballs ;)

Goldie's Ice Cream Shoppe
304 West 2nd Street
Prairie City, Iowa 50228

515.994.3190

Two (of three) of My Favorite (Panera's) Things

Mmmmm, way better than whiskers on kittens! One of the comforts of being back in Des Moines is the ready access to some of my favorites. It's also one of the most dangerous things! Panera's is my go to for the world's best onion soup (shhhh, don't tell the French!).


The other two favorites? A frozen caramel and a four cheese egg souffle. I am LOVIN' the cheesy egg souffle. Savory, light and fluffy, all wrapped in a sweetish puff pastry.


I've tried a hacked version of this recipe to disastrous results. As soon as I find a decent one I'll be happy to share. Until then, if you are in the Des Moines area let me know...we'll grab one of the above* :D


*or a cinnamon crunch bagel. Lucky and I love them good.

IceCreamMonster strikes again!

I haven't been doing much cooking (except for that delicious Emeril Jambalaya!) or blogging lately...but I do follow bites and pieces of the foodie community. When I read how the Ben & Jerry's Flourless Chocolate Cake flavor was tough to find I HAD to hunt it down.

So today I trekked to our local SuperWalmart (the only place that is carrying this limited edition flavor) to snag myself a carton....or two. ;) I'm happy to report it's as delicious as anticipated. It's like the chocolate fudge brownie ice cream but awesomer. The cake pieces are not quite as chewy as the brownie chunks. I failed to find the 'chocolate frosting ribbon' but it was delicious despite that fact. I plan to do another more extensive tasting tonight and add to this review. Until then....

Keeping my Finger in the Pot...Not Literally, That's Gross

Today pulled a shift over at Electric Burrito. It's been months and I forgot how hectic and crazy things can get in a kitchen. 20 orders in an hour is an awful lot for the inexperienced (read: me). It was nice to stick my fingers back into the cooking game. I've missed it.

The next week will be food oriented as well. Marty is catering the Corning All-Grad banquet for Homecoming. Over 150 guests are expected and in addition to teaching RiNGS classes on Friday and Saturday at the gallery, I will be helping prepare food late Friday night and serving the catered small(-ish) Class of '68 lakeside bbq Saturday night. All before whisking off to Altoona Sunday for a private RiNGS class. What can I say? I am a gal on the go ;)

If you happen to be in the SW Iowa area this weekend feel free to stop by, say hi, grab some amazing food and learn how to make a silver ring. Not a bad weekend plan eh?

Au Revoir Switzerland...Hello Iowa!

After my lovely trip to Interlaken with Mr. X it was time to go. Mom came the next day to visit and help me carry a kitty home, but I duped her into helping me sell off or pack all of my belongings. I don't know if you've ever left a place you'd come to love but it is so difficult. I was incapacitated by tears at almost every turn and everything became a 'last'. Last drink with friends, last fondue, last visit to the Globus.... We finished just under the wire (we celebrated),



the regie came the morning we left and ok'd the place, we rushed for the airport to make the earlier flight. Gizmo, whacked out on kitty drugs, bit me hard enough to make me bleed in the taxi, the turbulence between Geneva and Zurich was terrifying. The pilot missed our landing and your humble narrator almost became a runway pancake. Shudder. Then we had to do it all again to Chicago, another harrowing tale. Suffice it to say, we made it home in one battered but sound piece.

After a short respite at home, I packed my newly purchased old car and headed off to make my fortune...wait wait...no, face my future? anyhow headed off to my new locale. I think you might all like it. Far different from Geneva but special and stunning in it's own way. I'm on the search for foodies, so if you know of any in SW Iowa or surrounding areas, please, don't hesitate to contact me.