Dutch Process Chocolate Cookie Sandwiches

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How are you guys doing? I hope you are being gentle with yourself during this crazy time. I'm sharing a cookie recipe if you fancy baking something right now. If you don't feel one bit like making this, tuck this away for later. If you have time, grab some double processed Dutch cocoa powder from the store. They make a HUGE difference in the flavor. I will never go back now that I know!

Guys, this recipe is so good. Like, can’t-stop-eating-it good! I’m sharing it exclusively with my Patreon supporters.

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Tomato Basil Bisque And Grown-up Grilled Cheese

One of my first jobs after high school was working as a chef … in a small café … in a church … a mega-church. You read all that correctly. I usually leave the last two parts out, when telling folks about that time.

I had been considering going to culinary school before this, but my father suggested I get more experience cooking professionally before embarking on such an expensive investment. That job came up, and I took it. It was up to me to determine the menu, make orders, try to configure costs versus sales, etc. The kitchen was really more like a storage room that had been furnished with a panini maker, mini oven, two small burners, and a commercial fridge and sink. As you can imagine, the limited resources made coming up with a menu challenging. My boss also determined that the menu would be changing each week. So, there I was, a recent high school graduate that had merely cooked at home for her parents and friends, trying to run a kitchen.

It turned out to be a really lovely season of growing, experimenting, and learning. I plumbed the depths of soups, salads, and sandwiches that I still love to make.

Today, I’m sharing a beloved combo I used to throw on the menu in the Fall and Winter: Tomato Basil Bisque and my version of a grilled cheese. It’s good. Really good. The kind of good that people would break their low-carb diets for. And even though it’s far from cold in Tennessee, sharing this meal with my husband today gave me all the warm and fuzzy Fall feelings.

I would suggest pairing this comfort food with my go-to comfort album: Josh Ritter's The Animal Years.

Tomato Basil Bisque (Serves 4-6)
3/4 cup celery, chopped
3⁄4 cup carrots, chopped
1⁄2 cup yellow onion, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced
1 tablespoon butter
3 cups tomato juice
1 cup broth
8 ounces of canned diced tomatoes
3 ounces tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried herbs de provence (optional salt & pepper)
1 cup heavy whipping cream … Sorry, no low-fat alternatives for this one.
3 teaspoons sugar (Trust me on this.)
1⁄4 cup fresh basil

In a large saucepan, cook celery, carrots, onion, and garlic in butter until vegetables are tender. Add tomato juice, broth, undrained tomatoes, tomato paste, dried basil, herbs de provence, and pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for about 30 minutes or until slightly thickened. Add fresh basil. Use immersion blender to blend the soup together. You can also place half of the soup in a blender or food processor, if you do not have a fancy immersion blender like I do. Cover; blend or process until smooth. Repeat with remaining mixture. Return all of the mixture to the saucepan. Stir in whipping cream and sugar; heat through. Taste and add more salt and pepper to your liking. Ladle into warm soup bowls. Garnish with fresh basil leaves, if you like to impress folks.

"Grown-Up” Grilled Cheese
4 ciabatta rolls
Salt and pepper
4 oz smoked gouda cheese
4 oz cheddar cheese
4 oz part skim mozzarella
Panini press, or something heavy, like a teakettle with the bottom wrapped in foil. I like to add some water to the kettle to make it heavier, because I’m creative like that.

French Onion Spread
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 TB olive oil
1/2 cup sour cream
1/8 cup mayo

Place chopped red onion and olive oil in a baking dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes, mixing a few times mid-way through the cooking process. Meanwhile, half the ciabatta bread and grate the cheeses.

Once the onion is cooled, mix with sour and mayo. Add seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

Spread French onion mixture on both sides of ciabatta rolls and layer with each cheese. Place in a greased pan on medium heat. Cook for a few minutes, then place kettle on top. Press down evenly. Cook for 3-5 minutes on each side, or until bread is crispy and cheese is melted.

Take off heat and slice grilled cheese in half diagonally. Serve alongside soup.

Chicken Salad Schlabswich

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This is my secret chicken salad recipe! I've been asked to give it out over the years, but have kept it to myself--that is--until now.

Guys, this recipe is so good. Like, can’t-stop-eating-it good! I’m sharing it exclusively with my Patreon supporters.

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Red Cabbage Salad With Marcona Almonds & Blue Cheese

Tasting new foods with people I love accounts for many of my favorite memories. I think of baking a pie with my dear friend Shannon, after we were inspired by the “Pie-Maker” from a show called Pushing Daisies. It was filled with a white chocolate ganache, orange zest, macadamia nuts, and a drizzle of dark chocolate on top. It was delicious and whimsical.

Before my husband and I were anything, we were friends who constantly talked about food and music. (Okay, so maybe we liked each other, but neither of us said anything for a while.) Once, he came over to help record some demos of my songs. Afterward, we decided to make eggs benedict for dinner. In case you were wondering, it is challenging to poach eggs while trying to appear cool and casual in front of for the person you are falling for.

Still today, we spend a lot of time in the kitchen together. We eat at home more often than not, but every now and then, we love to save up and go somewhere really wonderful. Last month, it was new restaurant called Barcelona. We were hesitant to go, partially because it is somewhat of a chain and partially because we have been disappointed by many hip-looking restaurants that have sprung up in Nashville. I am happy to report that the food is original, delicious, and reasonably priced. The wine choices are available in half glasses, which is wonderful news for the kind of person who wants to try everything.

One particular dish we had stole the show: a salad with cabbage, hazelnuts, pears, and a Spanish blue cheese called Valdeón. It was a perfect combination of flavor and texture. We decided we wanted to try try and replicate it. The tricky thing about recipes like this is that they seem simple, but can be difficult to execute. Still, I think my recipe turned out pretty damn good!

I used Marcona almonds instead of hazelnuts, simply because they are the food of the gods. I also added quinoa and roasted broccoli for some added texture and heartiness. 

I recommend pairing this salad with My Piece of Land by Amanda Shires.

Pimento Mac & Cheese

As I type this, I am confined to the attic of my house. Sitting on the carpet, I can feel the hum of the drill below. Downstairs, there are several nice men sanding, painting, and returning light fixtures to their proper places. Since the day we closed on this house a few months ago, we were ushered into the realities of owning a home. After waking up with headaches consecutively and feeling like we had the flu, we realized we must have some sort of gas leak. We did — carbon monoxide. We were advised to call 911. Firemen came, followed by our gas company, who turned off our gas. It was dramatic. We didn’t have hot water for three weeks. Then came the refrigerator. It froze every ounce of food we had several times. A few frozen heads of lettuce later, we reluctantly got it fixed. The fridge then stopped cooling and everything became too hot. That time I fixed it, because I’m a strong, capable women. And, I have access to Google.

Along with that, our kitcken sink and bathroom tub have been clogged, and our electrical meeter got struck by lightning. After all those fixes, we decided to still move forward with the renovations we had planned before we moved in. There has been dust in every inch of our house for a month, but today! Today is their last day, and everything looks great. In light of recent events concerning Houston, Florida, and the Caribbean, I’m immensely grateful for a dry and comfortable place of my own. My heart is with those who do not have that privilege. 

Getting back into the kitcken this week has been a welcome repose. There’s nothing quite like throwing a record on and chopping, searing, sautéing, stirring. It’s relaxing and it feels good to be productive. I was especially happy to break in our new-ish kitchen with a comforting and hearty dish I’m going to share with you today. Macaroni and cheese!

I never grew up eating Kraft, so all my memories are tied to my grandma making it with Velveeta and milk on the stove. As much as I love mac and cheese done that way, I’m giving you fancy mac and cheese. (Any recipe that has béchamel is fancy to me.) And, like a good Southerner, I’ve added pimento peppers! 

I’m pairing this with Norah Jones’ Feels Like Home. 

Ingredients
Kosher salt
1 pound elbow macaroni or cavatappi
1 quart whole milk
8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
12 oz gruyere, grated
4 oz smoked gouda, grated
8 oz extra-sharp cheddar, grated
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
5 slices of bread with crust removed
4 oz jar of pimentos 

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place bread into a food processor or chop finely. Spread out on a cookie sheet and toast for five minutes. Next, heat a pot of water on the stove until boiling. Add salt and a splash of olive oil. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package — six to eight minutes. Be sure to drain well. Chop pimento and drain. Place a paper towel over and press gently to get rid of any remaining liquid. 

Heat the milk in a small saucepan on a low to medium heat, making sure not to boil it. Melt six tablespoons of butter in a large (four-quart) pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for two minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth. Take off the heat and add the gruyere, cheddar, and smoked gouda, one tablespoon salt, pepper, pimento, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and stir well. Pour into a 9×12 pan. 

Melt the remaining two tablespoons of butter, combine them with the fresh bread crumbs, and sprinkle on the top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.

Mushroom Pesto Crostini

People have strong feelings about mushrooms — mushrooms and cilantro. One might overhear a conversation about them and mistake the subject for politics or religion. There are words like “hate,” “disgusting,” and “adore.” I happen to love them. The earthy, umami taste of mushrooms is something I crave. Some of my favorite ways to eat them are in in velvety eggs, a salad of leafy greens and pecorino romano, and any sort of vegetable sauté. 

Several years ago, when I was in a phase of experimental cooking, I would pour over cookbooks for hours and dream of all the lavish dinner parties I would throw. You know, as a broke 21-year-old could easily do! One of my favorite cookbooks during that time was Giada DeLaurentis’ Italian Made Easy. I realize a celebrity chef’s cookbook is not the modish choice, but every single thing I made from that cookbook was wonderful. There were multiple recipes for pesto, but the one that stuck was the mushroom pesto. I have made a few changes to it over the years, but I have to credit Giada for the idea. (Call me, girl!)

Most recently, I included it in a Father’s Day meal with my family. We served it atop grilled steak tenderloin, salad, potatoes, and the most delcious homemade rolls, courtesy of my sister-in-law. My grandma wasn’t so sure of the pesto, but a few other family members (who aren’t keen on mushrooms) loved it. Today I decided it needed to be the star of the show. It may not be for everyone, but it’s perfect, if you are looking for something unique to try!

I recommend pairing this with Anaïs Mitchell’s Hymns for the Exiled. It’s weirdness and awesomeness go well with the mushrooms. 

Ingredients

For the pesto:
1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
8 ounces white button mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
3/4 cup walnuts, toasted
2 garlic cloves
1 1/2 cups fresh Italian parsley leaves
3/4 cup olive oil
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan. 
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the rest:
3 ripe avocados, lightly mashed with salt and pepper
36 slices (1/2-inch-thick) baguette bread, toasted with olive oil, salt, and pepper
5 strips of bacon, cooked according desired doneness. You can obviously leave this out to keep it vegetarian! 

Place the porcini mushrooms in a bowl of hot water; press to submerge. Let stand until the mushrooms are tender — about 15 minutes. Scoop out mushrooms as not to stir any dirt that may have sunk to the bottom of the water. Discard mushroom water.

Combine the porcini mushrooms, button mushrooms, walnuts, garlic, and parsley in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. With the machine running, gradually add the oil, blending just until the mushrooms are finely chopped.

Transfer the mushroom mixture to a medium bowl. Stir in the parmesan. Season the pesto with salt and pepper, to taste. If not using mushroom pesto right away, cover tightly with plastic wrap to prevent possible discoloration of mushrooms.

Layer each slice of bread with some avocado, mushroom pesto, and bacon. Enjoy! 

Brussels Sprout Salad

I was trying to be productive all day yesterday. I tried to unpack the bag that has been on my guest bedroom floor for the last month. It has been packed and unpacked, only to be packed and unpacked again. This is not an unusual occurrence in Nashville. This town is full musicians and artists who zip in and out all the time. It can make it damn near impossible to have a get together with all my friends. I am not someone who tours often, but the last few months I have been traveling quite a bit.

So, after (not) unpacking my bag, I decided to try folding the laundry that I had left sitting on a chair last weekend before heading out of town. I only made it a few tank tops in before realizing I simply needed to listen to my body and rest. I plopped myself down on my bed, under my down comforter, and took a nap in the warmth of the afternoon sunshine. I’m not the kind of person who is good at letting things go unfinished, but I’m getting better at connecting with my body when it is telling me to slow down.

My sweet husband is a good reinforcement of rest, too. After I woke up from my nap, he had me sit on the couch and watch a favorite show while he made dinner. And, y’all, he made the best dinner. Seared chicken, brussels sprout salad with toasted walnuts, and skillet potatoes with loads of herbs. All drizzled with a buttermilk dressing.  I liked it so much, I’m making a version for you. This one has sweet potatoes, dried cherries, and cinnamon because I am a basic white girl with a major affinity for fall.

This is a batch that could feed 4-6 people as a main dish, so you could easily half the recipe, if you don’t need that much. I do call for quite a few spices on the sweet potatoes. So, if you have to go out and buy them, I am sorry. But, trust me on this: These are the kind of spices that are good to have around anyway!

I recommend pairing this cozy dish with one of my all time favorite records, especially for fall.

Ingredients

For the salad:
2 pounds brussels sprouts
1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
2-3 tablespoon olive oil, divided
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup dried cherries

For the sweet potatoes:
Two medium sweet potatoes
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

For the dressing:
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon (Duke’s) mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh chopped tarragon
1/2 tablespoon chopped parsley
Sprinkle of sugar or honey
Black pepper
Salt to taste

Directions

Peel sweet potatoes and cut into fourths. Boil until they can be pierced with a fork. Let cool, dry with paper towel, and chop into cubes. Heat a medium-sized skillet on high heat. Drizzle a tablespoon olive oil in skillet and place potatoes in skillet. Sprinkle salt and all the spices over potatoes. Avoid the temptation to toss continually. Leave them to cook until they are crisp! About three minutes. Toss and lower heat to low-medium, until they are desired tenderness. Could be between 15 and 30 minutes, depending on your skillet. Mine took 30 minutes.

Clean brussels sprouts and toss in food processor. If you don’t have one, you can grate the brussels on a cheese grater or chop with a sharp knife. Afterward, place in a large bowl with pecans, dried cherries, and 1-2 tablespoons olive oil.

Whisk the buttermilk, yogurt, and herbs together. If dressing is too thick, you could add a little more buttermilk. To serve, layer brussels sprout mixture and sweet potatoes, and drizzle with dressing. Enjoy!

The Most Magical Chocolate Raspberry Bars

As I sit here typing I am coming down from the inevitable sugar high that occurs when these bars are in my kitchen. I had two of them fresh out of the oven, because, of course I did. And that was after I had several bites while kneading the butter in the mixture of flour, oats, and nuts. I just can’t help myself. They are damn good.

So good, In fact, that five few years ago  I used these very bars to let a certain fellow know that I wanted to be more than friends. I carefully wrapped each of them in saran wrap and placed them inside a basket with water bottles and other snacks for a long road trip from Texas to Tennessee. I told myself I was playing it cool since he was traveling with a good friend of mine. The basket was for both of them to share. And, if he happened to conclude that I was amazing and he should love me forever, then that was just a bonus. I’m not saying these bars are a type of love potion, but that man eventually became my husband, so I’ll let you decide! 

Here are a few tips for living your best dessert life.

• Buy good chocolate and raspberry jam. 

 I’ve tried to cut corners on these before, but it makes a huge difference. For the chocolate I recommend Gurradeli Bittersweet chocolate chips. For the jam, whichever brand you like, just make sure it’s the one with seeds! It’s better that way. 

• Don’t skip roasting the pecans. If you’re worried about how long to toast them, keep them in the oven on 350 until they become fragrent! Your "nose knows.” as they say. 

• If you are making these for a certain event, make them a day ahead. They will be much too gooey to be cut into squares initially. However, if you don’t have the time for that, pop them in the freezer for a few hours

Chocolate Raspberry Bars

2 cups + 1/4 flour
2 cups + 1/4 cup brown sugar
1.5 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1.5 cups butter softened
2 cups + 1/4 cup quick-cooking or traditional oats (I use both) 
3/4’s cup toasted pecans
3/4’s shredded sweetened coconut
2 cups bittersweet or semi sweet chocolate chips. 
1 12 oz jar raspberry jam

Heat oven to 350 F. 

Mix flour, brown sugar, and baking powder, and salt in large bowl until blended. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or two knives until resembles course crumbs. Add oats, coconut, and nuts. 

Spray pan with non stick spray. Press half the mixture at the bottom of a 13x9 inch pan sprayed with cooking spray; sprinkle with chocolate. Top with jam and remaining crumb mixture. 

Bake 25 to 30 min or until golden brown.

My Mother's Strawberry Glacé Pie

Summer is my least favorite season. This may stem from growing up near Amarillo, Texas, where the months from June to August perpetually feel like a hair dryer -- windy and dry. As a kid, water needed to be involved to tempt me outside. As an adult, I am learning to like it more. Moving to Tennessee has helped, but heat is still heat. I hate being hot, and I hate how my hair grows three times its size in frizz.

But there is one thing thing about Summer I have loved ever since I can remember, and that is the produce. I grew up a few miles outside of the city on my grandparent’s land. Their house was just down the road from ours with fields of either corn or wheat in between. Each year, my grandparents would bring over whatever they grew in their garden: typically squash, zucchini, tomatoes, and corn (which we shucked ourselves). Summer brought our family a bounty of beauty to eat.

It still does. There are just so many options! Peaches, blueberries, strawberries, and watermelon. Tomatoes taste good on their own or with a pinch of salt and sliced basil. I tend to eat simpler because the food shines all on its own.

This strawberry pie is one my mom used to make when strawberries were at their peak. It is as lovely to look at as it is tasty to eat. A slice of this with a huge spoonful of whipped cream is bound to distract you from the heat.

And, of course, Patty Griffin’s 1000 Kisses is the perfect accompaniment to baking and eating this delicious dessert.

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Pie Filling Ingredients
9-10-inch baked pastry shell (See below for recipe.)
5 pints strawberries, washed and trimmed
2 cups sugar
6 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup water
2 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions
Crush enough strawberries to make 2 cups. In saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, crushed strawberries, and water. Cook over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens, stirring constantly. Blend in lemon juice. Cool. Add the remaining whole or sliced strawberries to glacé mixture, tossing gently. Arrange in cooled pie shell. You may have some leftover filling. Chill for an hour or when it appears the pie is set. Serve with fresh whipped cream.

Pie Shell Ingredients (Courtesy of my best girl Miranda. She’s a baking queen!)
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into pieces
7 to 8 tablespoons cold water or vodka. (That’s right, vodka. It makes it especially flaky. Sometimes I do half water/half vodka.)

Directions
Mix flour and salt in medium bowl. Cut in shortening and butter, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle with cold water (or vodka), 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost leaves side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary). Gather pastry into a ball. Divide in half and shape into 2 flattened rounds on lightly floured surface. Wrap flattened rounds of pastry in plastic wrap and refrigerate about 45 minutes or until dough is firm and cold, yet pliable. If refrigerated longer, let pastry soften slightly before rolling. Roll one round (save the other round for later!) on lightly floured surface, using floured rolling pin, into circle 2 inches larger than upside-down 9- or 10-inch glass pie plate. Fold pastry into fourths; place in pie plate. Unfold and ease into greased plate, pressing firmly against bottom and side.

Bake at 450 degrees for 10-15 minutes, depending on your oven. It’s ready when golden brown. Cool on rack.