514's Chocolate Chip Cookies

     
     Recently some friends and I took a trip to downtown Jasper to sample the fare of a new restaurant called 514. The locals remember this building as Yaggi's Tavern built back in 1949. In August of 2015 it was transformed into 514 - a smokehouse, urban tavern and raw bar.
     At 514 it's a priority to make food from scratch when at all possible and they use local vendors to do that. It's no surprise that they serve Libby's ice cream and Merkley meats made right in Jasper. 
    A prime example of this is Kim's Cookies. Two gooey chocolate chip cookies are served on a plate with a healthy dollop of Libby's vanilla ice cream and homemade chocolate or caramel sauces are served on the side.
    Kim was so kind as to share her chocolate chip cookie recipe. It's the ultimate dessert that once you taste, you would love to master. 

Kim of 514's Chocolate Chip Cookies
recipe courtesy of Kim Mosby
1 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2-3/4 tsp. salt
3 cups flour
18 oz. semi sweet chocolate chips

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In large bowl, cream together butter, sugars and eggs. Add vanillas.

Combine dry ingredients in a small bowl. Slowly stir into butter and sugar mixture. Combine well.

On air-bake cooking sheets, place a dollop of cookie dough the size of a golf ball. Bake 9 minutes.

Move to top rack for 2 minutes and then remove to flat surface too cool. (They will be a little pale and look undercooked, but that's OK.)

Serve with a scoop of ice cream and chocolate or caramel syrup on the side.

Crawfish Etouffee'

Photo courtesy of the Cooking Corner.

     Months ago a local restaurant, who has a knack for themed menus, offered a Cajun night. Since that's one of my favorite cuisines, I had to go check it out. The hubby and I sampled shrimp and grits, a low country boil and red beans and rice. One of our sons who also likes to try new dishes and is a fan of Cajun flavors asked us to bring him back some crawfish etouffee'. 

     One Saturday afternoon that same son walked in from a trip to the grocery store with a big bag of raw crawfish. He announced that he wanted to try his hand at redoing the etouffee'. This or any crawfish dish would be a new adventure. 
    Our etouffee, which basically means "smothered" (like a gravy), did not fit the bill for a successful remake. It was too green, too buttery and nothing to write home about, so to speak. 

     It was way too much hassle for what you get, even more so than lobster or crab. So the moral of this story is to buy only the tails that have been prepped. Of course, the other option is to just eat out and let someone else do the crawfish for you.

Crawfish Etouffee'

Recipe courtesy of Rz's Cafe'

1/4 cup onion, chopped

1/4 cup celery, chopped

1/2 cup butter

2 lb. peeled crawfish tails with fat

1/4 cup water

salt and cayenne pepper, to taste

1/4 cup parsley, chopped

1/4 cup green onion tops, chopped

Sauté onions and celery in butter until onions are transparent. Add crawfish fast and simmer 20 minutes. If fat is unavailable, use 1/4 cup butter.

Add water, salt, cayenne and crawfish. Simmer for 15 minutes.

Add parsley and green onion and serve over cook rice.

Serves 6-8.

Note: 2 tsp. lemon juice, 1 T. soy sauce and 2 tsp. minced garlic can be added just after the onions and celery cook for a little more kick.

Honey Butter

Honey butter on the holiday dinner table.

     When the holidays rolled about, I decided to give a small new twist to breakfast. After surfing some internet sites, I came across one for Texas Roadhouse's butter. 
    I must be honest, I don't go there often and can't remember for the life of me what their butter tastes like, but I do know that this remake was good. We dipped our croissants in it and used it as a spread for rolls during the holiday dinner. 
    There's just a hint of cinnamon and it's not a overly sweet. It's well worth it to give this recipe a try. It's easy, with only a few common ingredients, and if packaged correctly could make nice little gifts.

Honey Butter
1 stick butter (room temperature)
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup honey
1 tsp. cinnamon

Photos courtesy of the Cooking Corner.

Place all ingredients into a small bowl. Whip with electric mixer until thoroughly combined.

Scoop into a small bowl with lid. Refrigerate covered until ready to serve.

Use as a spread on toast or rolls.


(Based on a copycat recipe of Texas Roadhouse butter)

Chocolate Covered Cherry Pie

Photo courtesy of the Cooking Corner.

    One of the most notable things about small towns is the way they come together for a cause. It might be a parade when the high school teams win or it could be a fundraiser or benefit for a sudden, sad loss. Both through good times and bad times small communities band together.
   With the loss of Sam Johnson and his food truck, "Oh Taste and Sea," some local restaurant owners came together to organize a fundraiser for Sam's family. What started off as a few local food places donating some items for a meal grew into many restaurant owners in the area pitching in to create a benefit buffet for Sam and his family.
   The event was amazing. All said and done over 600 people passed through the food line that night. Many others just left donations at the pick up window of Dick Clark's restaurant. Only in a small town can you find this kind of care and support.
   Brynn from Broadway House Bistro was nice enough to keep sharing and passed on this recipe of her mother's that is just decadent. It's similar to a black forest pie but uses white chocolate. Her dad Jeff says it taste like a cherry cordial. Here's a great way to toast in the year.

Chocolate Covered Cherry Pie
courtesy of Brynn at Broadway House Bistro, Princeton, IN
9 inch chocolate cookie crust
16 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. almond extract
1 cup white chocolate chips
6 or 8 oz. frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 can cherry fruit pie filling

1. Beat cream cheese, sugar and almond extract in large bowl until creamy.
2. Melt white chocolate in microwave and add to cream cheese mixture.
3. Beat with electric mixer until smooth.
4. Fold whipped topping into mixture.
5. Pour evenly onto crust.
6. Spoon pie filling on top.
7. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Enjoy!!

Mushroom Chicken in White Wine Sauce

Photo courtesy Taste of Home

    A food friend that has a catering business and I got in a discussion about that side of the food service industry one afternoon over brunch. I learned many things from our talk that I passed on to others is my weekly food column. (Check the Pages tab on this blog, under Cooking Corner Columns for the whole story.)
     One thing I found interesting was that fried chicken is the most requested meat when catering a dinner. My food friend, Candy, had a great idea for a creative use of chicken that would impress guests and be a good compliment to an Italian meal. (See note below.)

Recipe courtesy of  Candy Yancey of Rz's Cafe

Mushroom Chicken in White Wine Sauce

1 lb. pasta of your choice, cooked al dente

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1/4 cup olive oil

5 T. unsalted butter

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper

1 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 cup chopped flat parsley

1/2 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

4 chicken breasts

1 lb. mushrooms, sautéed

Heat oil in skillet, add garlic and crushed red pepper. Sauté  for a few minutes until fragrant but do not brown. Add spices, wine and butter.  Stir and let reduce a bit. Toss with pasta and top with cheese.

Sauté  boneless skinless breast 10 minutes or so until juices run clear and meat is cooked through. Serve over pasta and top with sauce and mushrooms.

Note: Round out this meal service with an Italian salad of Romaine lettuce, Greek dressing, tomatoes, olives and banana peppers with an antipasto bruschetta. For dessert, try an Italian cream cake.

Smitty's Bread Pudding

Photo courtesy of the Cooking Corner.

    When you step through the doors of Smitty's Italian Steakhouse on Franklin Street in Evansville, it's like going back to a different time, when quality mattered. What started as Smitty's Little Tavern in 2001, served bar food and had local bands. This turned into Smitty's Italian Steakhouse and fine dining in 2012. After months of recipe testing and development a variety of sauces and dishes were created that now make fine Italian dining. 
    After a meal of great pasta or steak, there is homemade bread pudding, developed by one of the owner's daughter. Smitty's was nice enough to share the recipe so we could make it at home.

Smitty's Bread Pudding

1 loaf cinnamon bread, diced in 1 inch squares

3/4 cup sugar

2 cups whole milk

1 cup heavy whipping cream

4 eggs

1 tsp. cinnamon

Preparation

Mix eggs, heavy cream, milk, sugar and cinnamon together. 

In a large buttered pan with a 2-inch edge pour mixture over bread pieces. Add water to cover the mixture. 

Preheat oven to 325. Bake 1 hour. Cool 20 minutes.

Praline Sauce Ingredients

1 cup butter

1 cup pecans

1 lb. brown sugar

1 cup sour cream

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Preparation

Combine butter and pecans in medium saucepan and bring to boil then turn down. Add remaining ingredients and cool down. Then bring back to 230 degrees and remove from heat and stir. Top with vanilla ice cream and serve.

Corn and Goat Cheese Dip

Photo courtesy Taste of Home

     Brynn Cook from the Broadway House Bistro was nice enough to share the recipe for one of the appetizers off the menu. She has scaled the recipe down for us home cooks, but this still makes a healthy batch. The ingredients and directions are simple, once you find the goat cheese. Be careful working with the peppers, caution is always advised with these bombs. Try it yourself and then compare your batch to Brynn's.  

Corn and Goat Cheese Dip

3/4 cup butter

3 cups small diced onion

1 gallon plus 2 cups corn

3 oz. garlic

6 jalapeno, stemmed, seeded and chopped

3 lb. goat cheese*

3 cups heavy cream

1 T. salt

1 T. pepper

Preparation:

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onions and saute' until translucent. Stir in the garlic, jalapenos, goat cheese and heavy cream. Cook until thick. Season with last and pepper. Enjoy with pita or tortilla chips.

*Goat cheese can be found at Walmart, but make sure there are no other ingredients added to it.

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Shrimp and Grits from R'z Cafe'

Photo courtesy the Cooking Corner.

    When you combine the bold Cajun flavors with fresh shellfish, I'm right there with you. A local eatery recently hosted a Cajun night so I had to go. 
    Although I've made shrimp and grits that were good, I've never came close to this taste level. This version of shrimp and grits was so creamy and rich, with just a little hint of heat that went away quickly. 
   Don't be afraid of the grits either. It doesn't taste like it sounds. These were so smooth and creamy you could've almost imaged mashed potatoes. I'm so glad Candy decided to share the recipe.

Shrimp and Grits
Courtesy of Candice Yancey, R'z Cafe

8 pieces raw bacon - rough chop
4 oz. butter
finely diced red and green peppers
1 tsp. crushed garlic
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup beef stock
4 cups cream
2 T. crushed red pepper
4 oz. pepper jack cheese
Sriracha to taste

Sauté bacon, butter, garlic and onions until bacon is cooked. De glaze with stock. 

Add cream and stir. Add cheese until melted. Add crushed red pepper and sriracha to taste.
 
Serve over white cheddar grits.

Garnish with green onions and additional bacon if desired.

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French Quarter Cheese ball

Photo courtesy of the Cooking Corner.

     One of my favorite appetizers is a cheese ball. There's just something about soft flavored cheese spread on a cracker that hits my comfort zone. At recent party, the hostess offered a French Quarter Cheese Ball, which was a new idea for me. The cheese itself was flavored with garlic and there was a sweet but savory topping that glazed the cheese ball. I really liked the nuts that were sprinkled around the cheese ball instead of rolled all over it, making them optional. This is easy to do and classy to present, making it a perfect party food.

French Quarter Cheese ball
recipe courtesy of Candice Yancey of Rz's Cafe

Ingredients

8 oz. cream cheese

1 clove garlic, minced

Topping

1 cup pecans, chopped

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 shot bourbon

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp. mustard

1 T. onions, minced

Preparation

Mix cream cheese and garlic. Form into a ball and chill until ready to serve. 

In small saucepan make topping. Mix pecans, bourbon, brown sugar, Worcestershire, mustard and onions. Cook low, let cool and then pour on top cheese .

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Hot Brown from Rz's Cafe'

Photos courtesy of Candice Yancey from Rz's Cafe'.

      In Kentucky, their claim to culinary fame is the "Hot Brown." This open-faced toasted sandwich is almost as popular as the Derby. The Brown Hotel in Louisville is credited for creating the Hot Brown in 1926. It's layers of sliced turkey, bacon and a Mornay (cheese) sauce that is often topped with fresh sliced tomatoes. It's broiled to toast the bread and sauce and then is topped with bacon.
      Here in Gibson County we are in luck, because Rz's Cafe' in Ft. Branch serves their version of the Hot Brown and have agreed to show us the steps. Candy Yancey and crew have a flare with food and they do this dish with style.
     A Hot Brown will be great with those turkey leftovers in a few weeks. It sounds fancy, but it's not all that hard and will be a new twist on Thanksgiving leftovers.

Hot Brown from Rz's Cafe'

Making the roux.

First make the Mornay sauce so that it's ready to cover this classy open-faced sandwich.

Ingredients - Sauce
3 T. butter
3 T. flour
1/2 cup heavy cream or milk
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. white pepper
1 T. onion, chopped fine
1/2 cups ea. Cheddar and Parmesan cheeses, shredded

Melt butter on medium heat, cook onion until soft. Add flour - making light roux. 
Stir until blended. Add salt and pepper. Gradually stir in broth and cream or milk. We add the cheese at this point making it a cheese sauce, not just a basic Mornay. Let the cheese melt and incorporate. 

Stirring cream in to make the sauce.

Ingredients - Sandwich
6 slices nice white bread
smoked sliced turkey breast
12 bacon strips, cooked
12 tomatoes, sliced
Parmesan cheese, shredded

After the sauce is ready, assemble the sandwich.
In spray coated baking dish, layer bread, meat, cheese, tomato and then bacon. Add a little more sauce, then broil 4-5 minutes. Serves 3. Garnish with more Parmesan cheese.

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Fire Sauce

Photo courtesy of the Cooking Corner.

    Do you feel like adding a little zing to your wings for football season? Chef Tyler Weston of Roca Bar North shares his recipe for Fire Sauce. There aren't many ingredients, but they all pack a punch and are easy to assemble (if you're careful). Make sure to have a cold thirst-quencher ready.

Fire Sauce 

This image shows a Large Cayenne. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

(Courtesy Tyler Weston of Roca Bar North)
8 oz. butter
3 oz. distilled vinegar
1 T. garlic powder
1 tsp. cayenne pepper

Melt butter in saute' pan. Stir in vinegar, garlic powder and cayenne and mix until evenly distributed. Cook for a couple of minutes. Pour all contents in to blender.

2 lb. habaneros
1 cup diced onions
1 cup diced green bell peppers
1 cup sliced jalapenos
1/2  cup of crushed red pepper
1/2 cup cayenne pepper
1 bottle of any favorite hot sauce (just for thinning, like Franks)

Deep fry habaneros whole (stems removed) until they are blistered.
Add habaneros and remaining ingredients to blender.
Blend on high for 3-4 minutes or until smooth texture.

Pour content into a metal mixing bowl. Add any bottle of hot sauce (no more than 12 oz.) to thin out mixture. Heat over double boiler for 5-10 minutes. 

Makes 2 quarts. (Perfect for hot wings.)

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Hye Roller

Photo courtesy The Cooking Corner.

    Foods that can be held in your hand are perfect for party appetizers or game day food. A few Hye Roller's coupled with a side dish can be a quick and easy meal. They are made with a few basic ingredients from your fridge and are a perfect way to use up leftover lunchmeat.
    The Hye Roller is a wrap filled with ham, salami and cheese that is sold at our local IGA grocery store. It's one of the biggest sellers in their deli. They were nice enough to share the recipe with me, so I'm sharing it with you. Keep this in mind for upcoming holiday parties or game day food.

IGA's Hye Roller
soft shell wraps
cream cheese
ham, sliced thin
salami, sliced thin
colby jack cheese
lettuce

On top of soft shell, spread layer of cream cheese mixture almost to edges. Add layer of lettuce.

On one half of soft shell, layer beef and then ham. Top with sliced cheese. Spoon a thin layer of slaw mix on top of cheese.

From the side that's filled, roll towards the unfilled side, wrapping tightly as you go. Place wraps on plate and let chill for 30 minutes or so.

Cut ends off so that wraps are even. Slice in about 2 inch sections.

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