Change Tastes Good

Roasted Provincial-Style Potato Salad...

It's human nature too think "my way is the right way." We often draw conclusions about a certain matter, then fossilize them in our minds. Even with focused effort of being open to new ideas, sometimes our brains simply hit the "automatic reset button" and we are back to square one.

This sums up my  feelings on potato salad. I've eaten a myriad of potato salads over the years, and always felt that nothing could compare to my mom's classic mustard version. It has a bright yellow hue; the result of a LARGE dollop of yellow mustard. Mom also adds dill, hard-boiled eggs, sweet relish, celery, mayo and paprika. You know the kind. In my mind, this WAS potato salad, anything else was lacking! Case closed.

Until one day...the day I had a hankering for potato salad, but found my pantry bare. There I stood, desperate for potato salad, with no eggs, relish, celery or dill! Heaven help me--what would I do???

I took a deep breath and decided to improvise. What did I have? I had new potatoes, not russets. I had  capers, shallots, garlic, Dijon mustard, and some Herbs De Provence. How about provincial-style potato salad? Yes, that was the answer...and the answer was goo-ood! In hindsight, I often find that improvisation births many of my best kitchen creations. As Plato said, "Necessity is the mother of invention." I say, necessity keeps you open-minded--at least in the kitchen!


In my heart, mom's potato salad will always be #1. But I do love this new variety, tremendously! Since that day, I have swapped dried Herbs De Provence, for fresh rosemary, thyme and lavender. This creates a BRIGHTER, floral, french-countryside quality. I've also taken to roasting the potatoes instead of boiling them--producing a much better color and texture! As with ALL potato salad, the longer it sits, the better it gets. I like to make this the night before it's going to be served. That way, the flavors have time to fully absorb into the potatoes! But, if you can't wait--it will still taste wonderful moments after mixing!

Bon Appetit'
Sommer

Roasted Provincial-Style Potato Salad

2 lbs. new potatoes, chopped into eighths
2 garlic cloves
1 shallot, chopped
2 Tb. capers, 1 Tb. brine from caper jar
2 tsp. Rosemary, chopped
2 tsp. Thyme, chopped
2 tsp. Lavender, chopped (dried or fresh)
4 tsp. Dijon mustard
½ cup mayonnaise
Salt and Pepper

Preheat the oven to 400*. Cut each potato into bite-size pieces. Lay them on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with a little oil. Lightly salt and pepper.

Shake the pan to spread the oil around; then roast for 30-40 minutes—until golden brown and tender. Make sure to flip once half way through, and add the chopped garlic to the potatoes 5-10 minutes before they are ready to come out of the oven.

Once the potatoes and garlic are roasted, allow them to cool for a few minutes; then toss them with the capers, fresh herbs, Dijon and mayo. Mix well, and add a little caper juice to season and thin out the dressing. *Be careful with the caper brine—it’s really salty!

Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serves 4+.

The Makings Of A Rebel

Maple-Bacon Corn Muffins...

I have been a good girl most of my life... always a rule-follower. Growing up as the middle child, I was the watcher. I watched my older brother make mistakes in his teen years, and suffer the consequences. I watched my care-free little sister make even worse mistakes, and I watched my parents stress over the whole ordeal! I remember several specific moments when I wanted to be a little reckless, but thought to myself, "Poor mom and dad, I'll just be good and save them the headache!"

This didn't come without resentment from the edgier members of my family. As I caused little trouble, I felt somehow entitled to special  privileges. It's sort of a family joke now. I was known to whine to my parents, "Why can't I  ______? I'm the GOOD KID!!!" On occasion, the rest of the bunch still call me the "good kid" with a snarky undertone. I agree, I deserve it!

Nowadays, I live in beautiful Asheville, North Carolina. A town that advertises itself as a "Foodtopian Society". A place where culinary and dietary endeavors are celebrated. Where sustenance has a certain religious quality. Whether a classically-trained chef, an athlete, a nutritionist, animal-rights activist,  herbivore, loc-a-vore, farmer, or plain-old-eater...Asheville citizens have a exuberant passion for food! A LOUD passion, I might add! You could say I've heard an opposing opinion or two in the last six years. This is thrilling, for those of us who love a good food-debate, but I admit, a little confusing at times!

Always a selective shopper and cook, I feel like my family eats well. However, an eternal student of...well, LIFE, I'm always eager to learn of healthier cooking methods and ingredients. Here is a list of popular "Food Laws" I've collected since moving here. Let's see if I can get them all straight.

Food Law List:

Avoid high fructose corn syrup. (Check!)

Avoid trans fats. (Check!)

Avoid caffeine. (Check..except for chocolate!)

Don't eat anything processed, only whole foods. (Check, 95% of the time.)

Eat low fat, but get lots of essential fatty acids. (hmmm...)

Never cook with oils and fats...but don't use Teflon either. (HMMMM!)

Never eat animal fat--except for duck fat--that is, unless you're a vegetarian!

Watch out for GMOs! They cause cancer!

Avoid dairy at all costs, but eat LOTS of yogurt (probiotics) and cottage cheese (protein) (???)

Only buy raw-milk cheese. No wait, I mean raw goat's milk cheese...I mean consume NO cheese at all!

Totally avoid all SOY products. (They say soy is actually DANGEROUS!)

Avoid nut milks and goat's milk. (Too fatty.) In other words...NO MILK of any kind.

Eat tons of whole grains for fiber, but never those that come from wheat or corn (You know, the two little grains that are in EVERYTHING!?!)

Humans were not meant to consume grains. We should all be eating a grain-free diet.

Avoid alcohol, but drink red wine for the antioxidants.

Don't drink fruit juices--too high in sugar--even the natural kind.

Drink a gallon of water a day, but NEVER while you are eating. (Disturbs your digestion.)

Oh...and the water you are constantly drinking when you are not eating? It should be either ice cold or room temperature, depending on who you talk too.

Never store, eat, or drink anything in plastic, only glass. (Cancer, again.)

Never use a microwave. (You guessed it--cancer.)

Always bake on parchment paper, but you better recycle it!

Avoid all corn bi-products. (In EVERYTHING from cheese to chicken soup.)

Never eat anything with MSG in it--you might as well eat rat poisoning! (Also in everything and labeled with code names.)

Eat at least five servings of veggies EVERYDAY--but only those that are organic, locally grown, and in season. (Winter???)

Eat mostly dark or brightly colored veggies. (But only those meeting the previous criteria.)

Don't cook your veggies because it kills the nutrients.

Eat dark berries and pomegranate for the antioxidants EVERYDAY--but again, only in season, and pesticide free.

Don't eat fruit--too high in carbs.

Eat red meat for iron. Whoops! I mean, don't EVER eat red meat. Ok, if you MUST eat red meat, only eat local, grass-fed red meat. 

Eat LOADS of fish, but only those that are sustainable, caught wild, and low in mercury.

Only eat free range chickens. (Food Inc.)

Never eat pork or shellfish. (Dirty.)

Fully cook your meat because of bacteria. OR some say, under-cook your meat so you don't kill all the nutrients. I also heard--don't cook your meat at all, eat it raw to absorb the most nutrients!

You know what...just don't eat meat! (Easier to remember.)

Eat small portions of protein 5-6 times a day, but of course, not dairy or meat protein. Not soy or whey supplements (for OBVIOUS REASONS), or nuts either, too fatty! (What does that leave, beans?)

Only use natural sea salts, and very little of that!

Avoid sugar, and all sugar substitutes...and food coloring for that matter (Sorry bakers!)

ENJOY YOUR FOOD, SAVORING EVERY BITE!

HUFF...I suddenly feel bewildered, exhausted and slightly light-headed! This list, my friends, would make anyone, even a "good kid" feel a smidge rebellious! Dan and I have decided we land soundly in the All-Things-In-Moderation camp. We accept only the "food laws" that support our personal beliefs and life-style. And still, every now and again, I just throw all caution to the wind and make sugary, fattening, corn-starchy, pork-laden Maple-Bacon Corn Muffins! Is that so wrong??? I dare you to make them!

Sommer

Maple-Bacon Corn Muffins
4 oz. bacon
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup flour
1 Tb. baking powder
½ cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
2 eggs
¼ cup melted butter
¼ cup maple syrup

Preheat oven to 400*. Heat a skillet to medium-high. Chop the bacon and cook until slightly crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and set the skillet aside.

In a large bowl combine all dry ingredients. Whisk in the milk and eggs, followed by the melted butter, maple syrup and ¼ cup bacon grease.

Stir the bacon pieces back into the mixture.

Place muffin liners in a 12-cup muffin tin. Evenly divide the mixture into the liners. Bake for 15 minutes—until golden.

Remove from the muffin tin and serve warm! Makes 12.

The "Man" Salad

Salad of Beef Fillet, Roasted New Potato, and Fennel with Creamy Red Wine Vinaigrette...

Not trying to stereotype, but I know very few men who would go out to dinner and order a BIG SALAD. Or if asked what they wanted for dinner would reply, "A leafy, green salad sounds really fantastic!" Most men I know either are, or claim to be Meat and Potatoes kind of guys. These are the same men that check sports stats on their Iphones thirty times a day, and only like BIG dogs. They may secretly adore a big plate of greens, but no one will ever know! To those men out there who proudly proclaim their love for salad, opera, and Maltipoos...I commend you! We obviously haven't met. I say veggies are NOT feminine fare...veggies are for everyone! 

My husband loves vegetables just as much as I do, but NEVER requests salad. I've created this salad in his honor because, after all, marriage IS compromise! The "Man" Salad has all the right components to satisfy a manly appetite...but it's still pretty!

I started with a couple good sized fillets Then layered some roasted potatoes and roasted fennel over a bed of cool arugula. I whisked together a creamy, but tart dressing and topped it with golden raisins for a little sweetness. My husband--who THINKS he hates fennel--couldn't stop commenting on how much he loved those sweet onions! (Smirk!) I love that game...feed you something you say you don't like, and watch you gobble it up!

One more thing, I grilled the steak, but roasted the veggies in the oven. Why? Grilled potatoes and fennel are absolutely lovely, but thinly sliced veggies can be tricky on the grill. They burn fast and fall through the grates. You often sacrifice quite a few to the fire! I found if I start roasting them in the oven first, I can go about preparing the rest of the salad and just pull them out when everything else is ready. It's mindless--and they taste delicious roasted. You could definitely pan-sear your steaks if you don't have a grill!

Sommer

The “Man” Salad

1 ½ lbs. steak, 1 inch thick (I use fillets)
1 large or 2 small fennel bulbs
4-5 medium new potatoes
Oil
Salt and pepper

½ a shallot, roughly chopped
¼ cup mayo
¼ cup red wine vinegar
2 Tb. dijon mustard
2 Tb. oil
1 Tb. honey or agave

5oz, arugula leaves
½ cup golden raisins

Preheat the oven to 425*. Cut the stalks off the fennel bulb—save the stalks for another dish or stock-making. Cut the bulb in half through the core. Remove the core, then slice the bulb vertically into 1/3 inch wedges.

Cut the new potatoes in half length-wise, then slice them into 1/8 inch semicircles.

Lay the potatoes on one rimmed baking sheet and the fennel on another. Drizzle both sheets with oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss the potatoes and fennel and spread them out in a single layer. Place in the oven. Roast the fennel for 20-30 minutes. Roast the potatoes for 30-40 minutes flipping once.

Meanwhile, preheat the grill to high heat. Drizzle the steaks with oil, then liberally salt and pepper.

In the blender, puree the shallot, mayo, vinegar, Dijon, oil and honey until smooth. Salt and pepper to taste. Prepare 4-6 plates by piling them with arugula leaves. When the grill is ready, cook the steaks 2-3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Allow the fillets to rest for at least 5 minutes under foil. When the steaks have rested, slice them on a bias.

To plate: Drizzle the creamy red wine vinaigrette over the arugula. Place a pile of potatoes on the greens, followed by several slices of steak, followed by the roasted fennel, topped with a sprinkling of golden raisins.

A lovely dinner salad, even the most “meat-n-potatoes” guy can appreciate!

Ready For A Throwdown?

Moules Fromage Bleu...Blue Cheese Mussels with Bacon.

Sometimes, at the end of a long day, all I want to do is veg-out! Most days between 5 pm and 8 pm, I've cooked dinner (sometimes incorporating a photo shoot), cleaned, bathed children, assisted with homework, read stories and started laundry. Now it's time to sit and STARE for a bit, before I hopefully get my second wind!

One of these worn-out nights, my husband and I were flipping through the channels--trying to find something to watch we could both agree on. Bobby Flay's Throwdown was on Food Network. Now, my husband would probably tell you I have a crush on Bobby Flay. That's just silly. I simply appreciate his culinary-style...and maybe his freckles! That night Bobby challenged Teddy Folkman to a Mussel Throwdown. We had to watch!

Mussels are one of hubby's favorite things to eat. He could sit and eat pounds of them at a time, oohing and ahhhing like "What About Bob". There is a little french bistro here in Asheville we like to frequent, called Bouchon. Bouchon feels like a casual eatery in France. The interior a little too dark, a little too crowded, and a little too warm on a sultry summer evening...utterly charming! Aromas of warm pungent cheese, garlic-wine sauce and yeasty bread waft through the open windows at both ends of the restaurant, and into the back alley (also used for seating). They offer several delectable varieties of mussels accompanied by their devilish matchstick frites dipped in aioli. Choices range from the Parisian-Born Redneck, steamed in PBR beer with Dijon mustard and butter, to the Mediterranean, in a tomato-wine sauce with garlic and saffron. Bouchon is a true Asheville staple. Questions we ask tourists include...Have you visited the Biltmore? Did you drive up the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway? Have you gone to Bouchon for Mussels and Frites??? Maybe I'm exaggerating a little, but not much!

I have to admit, before Bouchon I wasn't crazy about mussels. It was a textural thing. Yet, thanks to this wonderful little restaurant, I am a mussel-convert! Hooked enough to occasionally make them at home!

Back to My Bobby...uh...I mean, Bobby Flay. Truthfully, I can't remember how he prepared his mussels that episode. All I remember is that the challenger beat him with Moules Fromage Bleu, or blue cheese mussels...with bacon. Doesn't that sound incredible? Here is the recipe--I haven't changed a thing. I figured if it could beat Bobby, I better leave them alone!

P.S. As soon as I'm able to acquire one of Bouchon's mussel recipes, I'll share!

Sommer

Teddy Folkman's Moules Fromage Bleu

Serves one as a meal; two to four as an appetizer (I usually double this for my family of four!)

1 1/4 pound rope-grown P.E.I. mussels
4 tablespoons blended oil (40 percent extra-virgin olive oil, 60 percent canola oil)
1/3 cup diced applewood-smoked bacon
1/3 cup thinly sliced shallots
1/4 cup Hook's Blue Cheese, or a similar mild, creamy blue
1/3 cup white wine, preferably a dry Chardonnay
Juice of 1 lemon
1/3 cup baby spinach, cleaned and de-stemmed
Sea salt, as needed
Black pepper, as needed

*First rise and check all the mussels. If they are cracked--throw them out! If they are slightly opened, squeeze them. If they don't close back up within a few seconds--throw them out! One bad mussel can spoil the whole pot!

Heat the oil in a pan over high heat. Cook the bacon until the fat is rendered and it is slightly browned. (I take the bacon out, then add it back in at the end so it stays a little crisp!)

Add the shallots, saute a minutes or two, then add the mussels and toss together. Add the white wine and lemon juice and toss together.

When the mussels start to open, add half of blue cheese, melting it into the broth. As soon as all mussels are open, toss in the spinach.

Season to taste with sea salt and black pepper. Top with the rest of the blue cheese and the bacon! Serve with crusty bread to sop up the blue cheese broth!

Want to share another way to prepare mussels? Click "comments" below and tell us how you do it!

Quintessential Chocolate Cake

There are certain things every good cook should know. A culinary artillery belt, of sorts. For example:

- How to perfectly sear a steak so that the outer layer is crusty and the interior is pink and juicy.
- Where to buy the freshest produce.
- How to hand-whisk fluffy whipped cream and glossy meringue (although you'd rather use a mixer!)
- How to work a knife.
- How to make chocolate chip cookies that still taste incredible three days after baking.
- The earth-shattering importance of salt and pepper.
- How to prepare a basic cream sauce, wine sauce, and bolognese
- The makings of a good chocolate cake.

Every good cook should have a reliable recipe for an unforgettable chocolate cake, don't you think? You never know when you are going to need it! Friends coming over for movie night and pizza? Chocolate Cake! Asked to bring a dessert to a party or shower? Chocolate cake! Chocolate cake is the answer to many of life's dilemmas.

We all have our ideas about what makes a good chocolate cake. Think about yours. Is it light and airy, or dense and fudgy? Is it extra-sweet, or just barely sweetened? Is it teddy bear brown or the color of dark soil? One solid slab, or layers? How many layers??? And the icing...the most important consideration of all. Drizzled with chocolate glaze, covered in thick, rich ganache, or slathered with buttery chocolate frosting?

When I close my eyes and think about the perfect chocolate cake, MY rendition is light and moist, NOT dense, not too sweet and dark in color. There are layers...lots of layers. The icing is the only conundrum! Forget the glaze, but I love both classic chocolate frosting and chocolate ganache...EQUALLY! Chocolate frosting is nostalgic. When I taste it, blissful memories of childhood birthday parties and church picnics flood my mind. Ganache on the other hand is...well? There's nothing like ganache! It melts into warm pools of molten chocolate the moment it touches your tongue--how can you beat that? I guess my chocolate cake needs to have BOTH!

The recipe that I've adapted as "my" chocolate cake started as the Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cake recipe on the back of the Hershey's cocoa tub. Don't snub the Hershey's recipe before you've tried it! Hershey's pays BIG MONEY to a large team of chefs, for developing the most classic and delicious chocolate cake recipe to represent their product. It's GOT to be good!

I made two alterations to the cake. 1. I substituted buttermilk for regular milk--to give it a twangy quality that balances out the richness of the ganache. 2. I substituted 1 cup of scolding hot coffee instead of boiling water. Other than that, it's the same cake. The buttermilk and coffee give this cake serious depth, but leave the light, moist texture just as it was meant to be.

My cake has both ganache and frosting...I couldn't choose. I made a 2 layer cake, then cut each layer into 2 thin disks to make a cake with 4 thin layers. More layers means more room for ganache! Then I frosted the outside with buttery chocolate frosting--also from the Hershey's tub. I added coffee to the frosting to enhance the flavor. The result? My idea of what chocolate cake should be. Moist, tall, RICH, dark, creamy. Maybe more accurately described as a mocha cake. Mmmmm!

Warnings- This cake MUST be consumed with vanilla ice cream OR a cold glass of milk! And NE-VER, under any circumstances, give this to your children after 4 pm. They will be up 'til midnight! Trust me!

Sommer

I am NOT a pastry chef. In fact, the only cake training I have, came from a cake decorating class I took at the community center when I was ten! Still, it's fun to play with a piping bag and tips every now-and-again. It's a good idea to practice on a piece of wax paper, if you're a little rusty. Then don't be too hard on yourself--taste racks up higher points than appearance!

Once you've frosted the cake, leave in sitting out at room temperature so the frozen layers can thaw. Generally, cake tastes best at room temperature so that the ganache and frosting are soft! If you plan to serve it the next day, cover and refrigerate until morning, then sit it out on the counter. It takes several hours for the interior temperature to rise.

The Quintessential Chocolate Cake

Cake
2 cups sugar
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup cocoa powder
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
1 ½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
½ cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup scolding hot coffee

Ganache Filling
12 oz. heavy cream (about 1 ½ cups)
12 oz. baking chocolate ( I use Ghirardelli dark chips)
2 Tb. butter
2 Tb. sugar

Frosting
1 stick butter, melted (1/2 cup)
2/3 cup cocoa powder
3+ cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup cream (or milk)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. instant coffee

For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350*. Grease and flour 2- 8-9” round cake pans. Sift (or whisk) all dry ingredients in a bowl.

Beat together the eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Slowly mix in the dry ingredients, and beat for two minutes. Once well combined pour in the hot coffee and mix well. Pour into the cake pans and tap each pan on the counter a few times to remove any large bubbles.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Allow the cakes to cool for 10 minutes, then use the edge of the pan as a guide to cut of the round top. This makes a great mid-cake-baking snack!

Run a knife around the edges and flip out onto a cooling rack. I like to “slam” the cakes out of pan to (hopefully) insure they come out in one piece! Once totally cooled, carefully slice through the middle to make 4 thin round disks. Stack with wax paper in between, then wrap in plastic wrap. Freeze, until ready to assemble. Frozen cakes are SO much easier to handle while frosting. It also helps to keep the frosting from getting crumby!

For the ganache: Place the chocolate chips in a glass bowl.

Heat the cream, butter and sugar in a small pan. Once the cream is just barely simmering, pour it over the chocolate and allow it to sit for 5 minutes.

Then whisk until perfectly smooth. Allow the ganache to cool another 10-15 minutes before assembling layers.

For the frosting: Heat the cream in the microwave until hot to the touch, then add the instant coffee to it and mix. Place the cream in the freezer for a few minutes to cool rapidly. Using an electric mixer, mix the melted butter, vanilla and cocoa powder until well combined. Alternate, adding the cooled coffee-cream and powdered sugar until smooth. Add a little more cream or powdered sugar until desired consistency is reached.

To assemble: Take the cakes out of the freezer. Slather 1/3 of the ganache in between each layer, until all four layers are stacked.

Press the top of the cake to level it. Using a large spreader, smooth the frosting around the sides. Then frost the top and re-smooth the edges.

Use a damp paper towel to clean up the edges of the cake stand. Place the last bit of the frosting in a piping bag to “fancy-up” the edges, if you want!

Leave the cake out, at room temperature so the insides can thaw. Cake taste better when the frosting and filling are room temperature and soft!

What's your idea of the perfect chocolate cake???