Honey-Do Kitchen

I’ve Moved!

honeydokitchen — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 15:28:22 +0000

Hey Y’all,
Remember when I said “big things are coming”? Well… They came!

I’ve moved! Now you can find me over here – http://www.honeydobakes.com/
It’s a fancy new website that I’m way excited about. I’ve got new recipes, as well as room for new kinds of posts. I also have a facebook page, which you can connect to now to follow all the fun things that are happening. There are lots of fun things guys, just hop over to Honey Do Bakes and see!

Corn “Salad”

honeydokitchen — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 16:07:04 +0000

College Game Day is back.

Things I love about College Game Day:
Food
Friends
Relaxing
Beer
More Food

Things I don’t love about College Game Day:
Football

Not that I mind football or anything, it’s fun and entertaining and all, I just don’t LOVE it. But I do LOVE all the foods that go along with college game day. This is one of my all-time favorites. I got the recipe from one of Justin’s Aunts (I can’t remember which one, but whoever it was rocked my world with this). And funny story, I actually made myself sick once eating this, so it’s taken me a while to get back on the horse (as it were) and post about this. But seriously. Make this. It will rock your world too, just don’t over-eat.

Also, I called this corn “salad,” but I’m going to be frank with you – it’s really not a salad. I think it might be more fair to call it a dip or something, but I’m not sure. However, it was passed on to me as “salad,” so “salad” it shall remain.

And lastly, I’m addicted to Dr. Pepper. There, I just had to get that off my chest.

Are you drooling yet?

Corn Salad

Ingredients:
2 cans whole kernel corn (or one of those giant gans), drained
1/2 chopped green bell pepper
1/2 chopped red bell pepper
1/2 finely chopped purple onion
1 finely chopped jalapeno
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Fresh ground pepper to taste
2 cubs shredded cheese (I prefer Mexican Shredded or a mix of Cheddar and Jalapeno Colby Jack)
Spicy Ranch Dressing or Serrano Ranch Dressing (start with about a quarter of the bottle, then add as necessary)
1 bag of chile cheese fritos

Combine vegetables with garlic powder, fresh ground pepper, and shredded cheese. Pour spicy ranch dressing over vegetables and stir gently to combine, adding more until everything is coated. Gently stir in chile cheese fritos immediately before serving, or simply set them out to be added by guests. Fritos will get soggy eventually, which is one reason I prefer to serve them on the side.

Cherry Buckle

honeydokitchen — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 16:23:24 +0000

School may have started, but here in Texas, the time of year for picnics and potlucks has just begun. It’s still too hot to eat outside much, but there’s a glimmer of light ahead. In just a few short months we’ll be eating all our meals out on the patio again, and saying our thanks for the cooler weather. Cooler weather isn’t the only thing I’m looking forward to though.

Long before cooler weather arrives, something else will be here. College game days are upon us, which means Saturdays with friends, enormous amounts of food, and (duh) beer. I’m pulling out the big guns, and working on recipes that are very easy, require things I have on hand anyway, and will please a crowd.

A Buckle is somewhere between a cake and a cobbler. Like if two of the most delicious things I can think of (i.e. cake and cobbler) got together and made an edible dessert baby – it would be this buckle.

Nutmeg, orange, cherries and butter all rolled in to one great combination of delectability. Crispy and crumby on top, moist and soft inside. Is your mouth watering yet?

Cherry Buckle
Modified from a Gourmet recipe
Serves 6-8

Crumb Topping:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
Zest of 1/2 orange
1/4 cup (2 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cubed

Batter:
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons (8 1/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 heaping teaspoon nutmeg
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
Zest of 1/2 orange
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 cups cherries, halved and pitted (or any other fruit your heart desires)

Generously butter baking pan and set aside. Preheat oven to 350F

For Topping: Whisk together flour, sugar, salt, and orange zest. Add the butter and, using your fingers, work in until the butter and flour mixture looks grainy (like course sand with small pea-sized balls of butter in it). Set in the freezer until ready to use.

In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, and nutmeg. Set dry ingredient mixture aside. In an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand held electric mixer, cream butter, sugar, and orange zest until light and fluffy – 3 to 5 minutes. Add in eggs, one at a time, mixing throughly between each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add in flour mixture in three batches, alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour. Stir until all ingredients are just combined, then gently fold in 1 cup of the cherries.

Pour the batter into buttered pan, and top with remaining cherries. Sprinkle frozen/cold topping over everything, then bake for 45 to 50 minutes (until light golden-brown and firm on top).

Serve, still warm, with ice cream.

Gnocchi with Cream Sauce

honeydokitchen — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 18:07:43 +0000

Before I begin the school year I like to make a few different foods that can be frozen, then easily whisked out of the freezer and resuscitated for late night dinners. Otherwise, I end up eating “pasta sides” for dinner. Actually, if I’m being completely truthful, I usually end up eating an entire container of pop-n-fresh rolls. What? They’re delicious, don’t tell me you wouldn’t do it.

But later I get that greasy, shameful feeling of gluttony and too many carbs (is there really such a thing?). Thus, the gnocchi. It freezes great, and it’s an excellent cure for hunger-induced grouchiness, which is something I’m particularly prone to.

Heads up, and I’m pretty sure I said this last time I made Sweet Potato Gnocchi, this is an incredibly, insanely, ridiculously big mess. There will be potato all over you, in your hair, under your finger nails, and probably between your toes, by the time you’re done. Worth it.

Garlic Chive and Oregano Gnocchi with Cream Sauce

Makes: A lot

2 medium to large potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 1/2 – 2 Cups all-purpose flour
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh garlic chives
1 1/2 tablespoons oregano (1 teaspoon if using dried)
Pinch of salt

Peel and chop potatoes, then boil until fork tender. Remove potatoes into a medium mixing bowl and mash throughly. Using an electric mixer may help (the goal is minimal chunks). Add in 1 1/2 cups flour, salt, and egg, mixing into potato until combined. At this point a rough dough should form, add remaining 1/2 cup flour if necessary. Dough should be quite sticky, but malleable and well formed. Fold in chives and oregano.

Cover a work surface with an ample amount of flour, and coat hands likewise. Divide dough in half (or quarters, depending on your counter space). Use your hands to roll dough into long, thin snakes, about half an inch wide. Use a pastry cutter or knife to slice each dough-snake into half in pieces. Optional: Use a fork to create traditional groves around gnocchi.

If freezing, place each individual gnocchi piece on a baking sheet and set in freezer for about half an hour, or until gnocchi seems frozen. Remove and store, frozen, in a plastic bag until needed. This prevents the gnocchi from sticking together in the freezer and makes removing just a handful easy.

To cook (fresh or frozen) toss gnocchi in lightly salted boiling water for a few minutes. As the gnocchi are completely cooked they will float to the top and can be removed from a skimmer and tossed in sauce.

Herb Cream Sauce

1 tablespoon oil
1 heaping teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon flour

1 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon chives

salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil over medium flame, then sauté garlic until fragrant. Whisk flour into garlic and oil to form a roux (a thick mixture). Continue to whisk until flour is dissolved (add slightly more oil if clumps start forming) and allow to cook for another minute or two. Once roux is formed, add in milk and bring to a gentle boil, do not allow milk to burn. Lower heat and add in heavy cream, chives, and salt and pepper to taste.

Lemon Risotto

honeydokitchen — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 16:15:13 +0000

While I do realize that it is very adult to save money, it just doesn’t really feel adult. I feel adult when I go out to a fancy restaurant and wear fancy high heels. I feel adult when I workout, but then I like to reward myself by going out to a bar and having a beer. And I feel adult when I go shopping and come home with a file cabinet and a box of baking soda.

But I don’t feel very adult when I cook dinner; especially if that dinner is using ingredients I already have, and doesn’t involve an extensive shopping trip at Central Market or Whole Foods. I’m not sure why. Are there any therapists out there who could explain my aversion to saving money?

Aversion aside, I’ve been giving it a serious effort. Thus the recent posts like Strawberry Salad, Garlic Knots, and Bruschetta. That’s right, I’ve been cooking real food, not just dessert. This is rough, guys. All I want in my life is pie.

However, for nutritious food, risotto is actually pretty amazing. It’s creamy, comforting, and smooth. The lemon zest adds acidity, while the parmesan cheese adds a crisp sharp flavor. The flavors and textures in this dish might lead you to believe that there were heaps of butter or quarts of heavy cream involved, but believe it or not, there’s none.

The dish is very easy to make, very little technical skill is needed. The key to good risotto is patience and time. If you’ve got those, you’re set. If you’re like me, it’s a challenge, but ultimately worth it.

Lemon Risotto
Serves 4-6 as a side dish, 2-3 as a main dish
Preparation time: 30 to 45 minutes

2-3 tbs olive oil
1 cup arborio rice
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups water
1 medium onion, diced
1 lemon (juice and zest)
3/4 cup parmesan cheese + extra for garnish
Salt and Pepper to taste

In a small pot, begin to heat chicken stock and water until warm, barely simmering. Heat a large, heavy skillet or dutch oven, over medium heat. In large skillet, sauté diced onion in olive oil until the onion is translucent and soft, then stir in lemon zest. Add arborio rice and stir to coat. Cook for several minutes, allowing rice to brown just slightly.

Add one cup warmed chicken stock mixture to rice. Allow rice to simmer, and stir gently until the liquid is almost entirely absorbed, then add a second cup. Repeat this process until all the liquid has been added and rice is soft and very creamy (add an additional 1/2 cup to cup of water if necessary). The whole process should take at least half an hour.

Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and parmesan cheese. Season generously with salt and pepper. Serve with grated parmesan cheese on top, and additional lemon zest as an (optional) garnish.