Night of the Living Peeps

Ed and I returned home the other night to find these little protestors on our doorstep.

That's right. Revenge of the Peeps, protesting their diminishing role in our household. Sure, they look cute. That's what they want you to think. Until you eat them, feeling all of the guilt and none of the satisfaction.
"Iron Homemaker Unfair"? Fair's where you see the pigs, my friends.

I had no choice. They haunt my dreams.

Pea & Bacon Risotto

Last week the weather was still crappy. Still time to make risotto! I've never made risotto before, but I think it's high time. I found the perfect recipe on Epicurious.com for Pea and Bacon Risotto, so if you want the recipe, click the link.

The verdict? Ed and I loved it. The kids thought it was a little too rich. I didn't make anything to go with it and they were wondering where all the "meat" was. It's not that expensive to make, with the exception of the parmesan cheese. I still suggest not skimping on the parmesan. I bought an $8 lump of the real thing and we've been enjoying it all week, on salads, potatoes, garlic bread, etc.

I get all my ingredients together...

Who am I kidding? I'm no Pioneer Woman. I'm more like the Swedish Chef (Bork, bork, bork!). Still, I try and have some semblance of mise en place as I don't want to be frantically prepping ingredients while the risotto burns.

I brown the bacon and heat up a mixture of chicken broth and water. When the bacon is done, I add the garlic and a couple of shallots (shallots not included in recipe, but I had them on hand and one reviewer suggested the addition of an onion).

Toasting the rice...

I start adding the liquid a little at a time. Stirring. And stirring. And trying not to drop the camera in the pot...

Finally it was time to add the peas. Then the butter, parm, and lemon. By this point I probably overcooked it a bit as I anticipated my kids not appreciating "al dente" rice.

Still, it turned out creamy and rich. The addition of the lemon gave it a nice bright note in the face of so many rich ingredients. I'm going to make this again, but not for the kids. Anyone want to come over?

Bloody Peeps

It's 10:40 p.m., and I hear the distant rustling of candy wrappers. "Bloody Peeps," Ed mutters quietly, giving in to their pillowy softness and sandy sugared coating.

 

I enter the room. 

"Did you just say what I though you did?"

"Yes", he answers, his voice muffled by marshmallow.

"How many are left in the row?"

"Two."

"Give them to me."

I stare at them. They stare back. Eat me, they whisper.

That's it. The Peeps are going in the garbage. In the quiet of the night, my blood sugar racing, I can almost hear their muffled cries for help, clamoring for air under the refuse.

Nice Buns

Going to grandma's on a Sunday evening was a delicious tradition. As kids were were often cheeky enough to call grandma beforehand and ask timidy, "What are we havin', grandma?". She'd laugh and tell us the menu. She didn't have to tell us there would be rolls, because there were always rolls. It was the first smell that hit you when you walked in the door, and the last thing you grabbed before leaving, sneaking on more soft, tender crescent before hitting the road.

As we got older we were put in charge of taking the rolls out of the oven so the adults could stay at the table and talk. I remember the stick of butter, still resting in its wax wrapper next to the oven. If you took the rolls out, you were also in charge of buttering the tops, running that stick of butter back and forth as it melted in your hands.

Dinner Rolls

2 1/2 c. milk

1 stick (1/2 c.) unsalted butter (plus more for brushing)

1/2 c. sugar

2 t. salt

4 lg. eggs

1/2 c. water

5 t. instant yeast (I use SAF; you could also use 2 pkgs. regular yeast)

1/3 c. dry milk

8-9 1/2 c. flour

2-3 T. dough enhancer (optional)

1. Scald the milk. Pour into mixing bowl and add butter, sugar, and salt to help cool the mixture.

2. When the milk mixture has cooled a little more, whisk in the eggs.

3. When the milk mixture reaches lukewarm, add the yeast. If using instant yeast, just throw in the yeast and the water together. (If you're using regular yeast, you'll want to use the water to proof the yeast.)

4. Add the dry milk and most of the flour. Knead in your mixer, adding more flour a little at a time as needed. (You can knead by hand, but it will be difficult as this is a soft dough. This is a sticky dough, but not excessively so. Keeping the dough on the soft side will result in a more tender roll. )

5. Dump into oiled bowl and let rise until doubled. You can also do a slow rise in the fridge for several hours or overnight.

6. When dough is ready to shap, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

7. Gently push down down and knead a couple of times. Portion and shape rolls. If you want big, softball-shaped rolls, do 3-oz balls of dough. Otherwise, 2 oz is fine.

8. Place rolls on parchment-lined half sheet pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes, depending on roll size and shape.

9. Brush rolls with melted butter and sprinkle with a little kosher salt, if desired.

Soup for The Day After

Yesterday I had one of those days. It began happily enough, with a relief that I didn't have a jam-packed schedule. Sadly, it unraveled in one of those days where I didn't shower until 4:00 and ate almost everything that wasn't bolted down. Without divulging quantities, the day's menu consisted of bread, chocolate, chicken nuggets, diet coke, chocolate, crackers, toast, olives, and chocolate. After "dinner" I'd had enough and decided to run down to Sunflower Market to take advantage of double-ad Wednesdays and find something to fix my anticipated chocolate hangover.

I filled that cart with some amazing fruit and produce. I couldn't stop! 88-cent/pint blackberries. Pink grapefruit 4/$1. Eggplant, garnet yams, spinach, apples, mushrooms, kiwis, lemons, zucchini, onions, garlic, some beautiful little red potatoes.

I've been reading Jacques Pepin's Fast Food My Way, and he has a recipe for "instant vegetable soup". This is my take. Make it your own.

Mormon Hangover Soup

1. Saute a chopped onion and a minced clove of garlic in a little oil and/or butter. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Meanwhile, chop your vegetables and add them to to pot, adding the longer-cooking vegetables first. (Some people just add vegetables to water to broth and boil them, but I like to give some of the vegetables a quick saute first, especially the onions and garlic.

3. I added carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, zucchini and yellow squash.

4. And some water and chicken broth, enough to cover everything. Bring to a boil.

5. I blanched a whole tomato in the broth so I could peel the skin off, give it a fine chop, and add it back into the soup.

6. Simmer until vegetables until tender, checking and adding seasoning as you go. I added a dash of soy for depth and a good pinch of cayenne and black pepper.

At the last minute, add a handful of fresh baby spinach. Top with some shredded cheese and more pepper. This would also be good with fresh pesto or croutons.

Eat two bowls and feel instantly and entirely forgiven for the previous day's indiscretions.

An Artistic Diversion

I'm taking a break from food today to tell you about an amazing artist and designer: my brother Clark Chamberlain.  

Clark is not your run-of-the-mill graphic designer. He has such a breadth of experience--it will amaze you what he can do. I've included about .01% of his work below. To check out his full portfolio, click the link below.

Portfolio Home Page

Clark's email: clark.chamberlain@gmail.com

Logos and Graphic Design

(Click to enlarge.)



He did an amazing custom family tree for our family. Does your family want one?

Stage Events

Ever wonder why the Conference Center looks so amazing?

Or why a special event looks so good?

Concept Art and Illustration

Clark is one of the few designers that can actually illustrate. He's a classically trained artist that knows his stuff.

Retail Environments

Clark has done some really unique store environments.

Float Design

Ever wonder who does those cool floats in the Days of 47 Parade?

Hot & Sweet Roasted Butternut Squash

Spring is terribly stubborn in arriving. Fine. I'll make a few winter dishes while I still can.

I love butternut squash. I love hot & sweet. I love roasting stuff. I ate the whole squash. This is roasted with maple syrup and hot sauce. It was good, but next time will change a couple of things. I felt that the squash was a little underseasoned. Next time, I will peel and cube the squash to expose more of the flesh to the seasonings. I think I'll add more hot sauce, too, or a little cayenne. And maybe bacon. (My mom always cooks squash with a strip of bacon on top. It is so good.)

This recipe is adapted from The Food Network Cookbook.

Hot & Sweet Roasted Butternut Squash

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Quarter and seed a butternut squash. (Or, peel and cut into large cubes.) Place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Season squash with salt and pepper. 

3. In a small saucepan or glass measuring cup in the microwave, heat 1/2 c. real maple syrup, 1-2 T. hot sauce, and 2 T. butter. Pour sauce over the squash, coating as much as you can.

4. Place in oven and turn squash ever 10 minutes to ensure even cooking and coating in the sauce. Cook for 30-40 minutes, or until tender and darkly caramelized.