Welcome to my Food Journey

Curious Southern Cook on a journey to learn...and to create exceptional dining experiences. I love entertaining and preparing food for loved ones & friends and sharing those experiences with others. My wish is that you will be fed too. Bon Appetite!







Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Chocolate3 Oatmeal Cookies





This recipe is the culmination of a rework from a “Loaded Oatmeal Cookie” recipe that I posted previously and was originally inspired by one of Ina Garten’s favorites.  It’s fun to take a standard and gussy it up, so here you go!   

Chocolate3 Oatmeal Cookies
Total Time: 49 min
Prep: 10 min
Total Cook: 39 min

Yield: 56 to 60 cookies

Ingredients

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup white chocolate chips
1/4 cup cacao nibs
1 cup sliced almonds

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a bowl beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed with an electric mixer until combined. With the mixer on low, add the eggs and vanilla and beat until combined.

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together into a medium bowl. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Add the oats, chocolate chips, white chocolate chips and cacao nibs, sliced almonds and mix just until combined.

Using a small cookie scoop, drop dough onto sheet pans lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat (12 per half sheet pan). Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until lightly browned. Transfer the cookies to a baking rack and cool completely.

Enjoy,
CGJ

Monday, January 19, 2015

Southern Faire: Rainbow Salad

Southern Faire: Rainbow Salad: The home gardens, Farmers’ Markets and Grocery Stores are laden with options aplenty for fresh salads and assuredly they’re not always ...

Rainbow Salad


The home gardens, Farmers’ Markets and Grocery Stores are laden with options aplenty
for fresh salads and assuredly they’re not always consistently the same items.  If you
make a habit of growing/selecting a multiplicity of ingredients to keep on hand from the
six categories below…you will have a tasty, balanced formula for making interesting
salad combinations that you may not have thought of before.

Rainbow Salad

Ingredients (Pick one or more from each of the 5 categories below)

Base - Iceberg, Spinach, Arugula, Mesclun, Romaine, Kale
Protein - Tofu, Cheese, Nuts, Seeds
Veggies and Fruit - (fresh, steamed, roasted, pickled or dried) = Carrots, Potatoes, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cucumbers, Radishes, Celery, Tomatoes, Onion, Squash, Brussel Sprouts, Green Beans, Peppers, Cabbage, Mushrooms, Strawberries, Blueberries, Grapes, Orange, Grapefruit, Apple, Pear, Melon, Cranberries, Apricots, Pineapple, Peaches
Dressing - Various (I prefer homemade...see "Orange Vinaigrette" below)
Other - Sprouts (various), Croutons, etc.


Method

Procure ingredients, wash veggies, fruit and prepare each item to advance to the state
desired for salad readiness.  Ex: if roasting veggies, slicing/grating cheese.  Begin to
layer in a visually appealing way starting with base and the next items go from largest to
smallest, ending with nuts cheese and other small item toppings.  Tip:  Pre-moisten Base
with dressing in a bowl before plating.

The salad I prepared in the photograph was made with, Arugula, Carrots, Red Onion,
Peppers, Steamed Small Purple Potatoes, Radishes, Steamed Green Beans, Orange, Pan
Sautéed Tofu, Clover Sprouts,
Sunflower Seeds, an Irish Cheddar Cheese and dressed with a homemade Orange Vinaigrette (see recipe below).

Orange Vinaigrette:

1/2 c freshly squeezed Orange Juice, strained
1/2 c White Wine Vinegar
1/2 c Canola Oil
1 T Granulated Sugar
2 t Yellow Mustard
1/4 t salt
1/4 t white pepper

Place all ingredients in a jar with tight fitting lid and shake until combined. 
Store in the refrigerator until needed.
Enjoy
~CGJ