It's a very strange weather pattern we're experiencing in Monterey, California. Yesterday, it was overcast and muggy. Today, the skies were gloomy and I had a craving for soup. I was also craving fresh bread to go with the soup. I love lentil soup, and I especially love it when it's paired with sausage. So, I grabbed my soup "Holy Trinity" of one onion, carrots and celery and speed chopped them with my food processor. I have plenty of homemade chicken stock in the freezer and then I just started grabbing what I could find in my pantry. What I didn't grab was my camera. I figured that there are plenty of lentil soup recipes on blogs and so I just started creating a soup. As a result, this time, there aren't my usual step-by-step photos on how to make this soup. I decided to make our favorite Buttered Rosemary Rolls because they are easy to make and don't take a lot of time. At the last minute, I decided to use Parmesan Cheese, instead.
These smelled so good, that I decided to grab my camera after all, so I could share it with you.
I'm so glad that I adapted the Buttered Rosemary Rolls with Parmesan Cheese. They were wonderful! My son was happy, because he doesn't care for Rosemary. By garnishing the lentil soup with a little Parmesan, my family had a hearty and comforting meal that was perfect for Fall weather.
Heaven help me, these are good!
From what I hear, we are supposed to have a heat wave next week. Sigh. That means my Weber will be back in action. I surprised myself, at how delicious my concoctions turned out! So here ya go...the printable recipes cards are below. That is, if you'd like to make either (or both) of these recipes. If you would like a step-by-step on making the rolls, click here.
I am submitting this post to Deb at Kahakai Kitchen for her Souper Sunday weekly roundup of recipes of bloggers who make soups, sandwiches or salads. It looks like my soup kettle is back in business again!
"People let me tell ya 'bout my best friend..." (Raise your hand if you are old enough to recognize that song.)
OnStar...yes, OnStar is my new best friend. There for me in an emergency, always answers my call (no matter the time of day), helps me find my way when I'm lost...sounds like a best friend to me!
One the perks of test-driving this Chevy Malibu this month is getting to play around with the OnStar system. I always used to cry during their commercials, but I didn't realize everything else that OnStar does! The turn-by-turn directions are definitely my favorite part. It's like having my own little concierge right there in the car.
If only it would go fetch me a Starbucks without my having to leave the house.
I brought these cookies over to the Chevy dealership where I picked up the car two weeks ago. Maybe they think I'm crazy professing my love for OnStar in cookie form? Let's talk about making white icing...
Royal icing looks pure white when you make it, but have you ever had it change to an off-white color as it dries? It happened to me only once in a blue moon, but that was enough to drive me insane.
Here's how to fix it: Americolor Bright White gel food coloring. Add some to your white icing....and add more than you think you need. It's a toughie because your icing is going to look white already and it depends on how much icing you are coloring. Pretend you are making a "color" icing and go from there.
(These cookies were made with royal icing colored with AmeriColor Bright White and Americolor Royal Blue mixed with Navy Blue. Letters and star were piped with a #2 tip.)
{psst....if you live in the Houston area, you can click here for a chance to win a trip for 2 to the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa from Gotta Love Chevy Houston!}
Sorry, Cosmo girls. Sweet cocktails are out. Spicy cocktails are in. It’s time to update your cocktail wardrobe.
Adding sliced chilies is perhaps the simplest and surest way to spice up a cocktail, but don’t stop there. Spicy cocktails have a wide flavor spectrum: Think sprigs of heady rosemary, a drizzle of sweet maple syrup, or a dab of nose-tickling wasabi.
According to Kara Newman, author of Spice & Ice: 60 Tongue-Tingling Cocktails (Chronicle Books), spicy cocktails come in a range of flavors. The most important thing to remember when mixing savory cocktails is balance. Why does the quintessential spicy drink, The Bloody Mary, remain a perennial favorite? Because of its balanced interplay between sweet tomato juice, pungent horseradish, and savory celery salt.
Newman clearly explains the "elements of spice" which run the gamut from fruity and floral to spicy and savory. She gives readers "spicy do's and don'ts," such as "do start with less heat," and "don't use shriveled, old peppers; fresh is best." She even tells you what to do if your mouth feels like it's on fire: drink milk, or eat cheese, bread, or a teaspoon of sugar.
Newman explains how to make infused liquors, such as jalapeno-infused tequila and simple syrups, such as chipotle-orange syrup. She even tells you how to garnish drinks and rim a glass with panache.
The recipes in Spice & Ice are divided by season and often include fresh, seasonal ingredients such as blood oranges, blueberries, and tomatoes. The recipes are a collection of Newman's own as well as those of chefs and mixologists across the country.
So if you're looking for something sexier in your cocktail wardrobe, then get yourself a copy of Kara Newman's Spice & Ice. It's like wearing a pair of red peep toe heels; you can't help but feel hot in those!
1 tea bag (preferably orange or black tea) 4 ounced vodka 1 Thai chile or serrano pepper, sliced 2 ounces triple sec 1 whole pepper, for garnish
1. Immerse the tea bag in hot water for 10 seconds. Then remove it and immerse it in the vodka. Allow to steep for 5 minutes. During the last minute, add the sliced chile pepper. Remove the tea bag before proceeding.
2. In a shaker filled with ice, shake the infused vodka and the triple sec. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with the whole pepper.
Last week, Whole Foods had grass-fed ground beef on sale for $3.99 a pound. How could I possibly resist that price for such quality beef? I spotted a bag of potato rolls and I had an idea that Beef Sliders would be fun to make. I've never made sliders, myself, but I see them all over Blogosphere. How hard is it to shape mini patties, for Pete's Sake?! Still, I like to Google and see if anything interesting pops up. Sure enough, Alton Brown's "Mini Man Burgers" recipe popped up. As I read his directions, I said a silent thank you to Mr. Good Eats. Here you go, Alton-- here is your version, with my own garnishes:
I grabbed a jelly roll pan and some parchment paper. I cut a piece of plastic wrap, and a rolling pin. Roll one direction...
...and another direction. The idea is to roll the ground meat very thin. Now, it's time to season the meat. Alton uses onion powder and garlic powder, salt & pepper. That's fine. But, I'm enchanted with the Susie-Q Santa Maria seasoning that I've blogged about a couple of times, this month. I use it on veggies and as my "go to" quick seasoning. No MSG, too.
Sorry, the shot is a little out of focus. But, I wanted to show you the label of the product. If you can find this at your local supermarket, this will become a pantry staple. Otherwise, go with Alton's seasonings. Or, have fun experimenting. You could season this with a South of the Border Flair-- taco seasoning. Use Greek seasoning. The sky is the limit.
Now fold each side in, using the parchment paper is helpful. Whatever method you use, don't forget to wash your hands thoroughly when you are finished. The raw meat police is watching. I realized, later, that cheese could be easily layered as well. Imagine those possibilities, would you? Feta... Parmesan... Smoked Gouda. But, this time I skipped the cheese. Grab a pizza cutter, or your favorite cutting tool. I love my metal bench scraper.
One pound of beef makes 8 burgers. You could easily substitute ground chicken, turkey or even lamb.
Grill each mini burger for 2-3 minutes, per side.
These kind of resemble White Castle Burgers. Only, I think these taste better. I made a mayonnaise by adding red chili sauce and some sweet pickle relish. For a garnish, I cut a garden tomato and I had the perfect excuse to test drive my homemade Bread & Butter Pickles.
gel food coloring. Add some to your white icing....and add more than you think you need. It's a toughie because your icing is going to look white already and it depends on how much icing you are coloring. Pretend you are making a "color" icing and go from there.
