December 2010 Recipes

I hope the beginning of the holiday season finds you all well!  I think the HEIT recipes for December will fit nicely into those crazy December weeknight menus and may provide you with some ideas to bring to your holiday parties.  Enjoy!

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Lemon Chicken Breast, page 120 (post on 12.2.10)

Roasted Summer Vegetables, page 169 (post on 12.9.10)

Easy Cranberry & Apple Cake, page 205 (post on 12.16.10)

Roasted Figs & Prosciutto, page 28 (post on 12.30.10)

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November 2010 Recipes

Welcome to blogging through How Easy is That? !!!!

We’re starting at the beginning of the book and working our way through with 4 recipes each month.  You’ll need the book because the recipes will not be posted here (though some may be available on FoodNetwork.com)…so hurry!!

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Here are November 2010 recipes:

French Toast Bread Pudding, page 18 (post on 11.4.10)

Watermelon Mojitos, page 26 (post on 11.11.10)

Onion and Fennel Soup Gratin, page 57 (post on 11.18.10)

Roasted Vegetable Frittata, page 90 (post on 11.25.10)

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Post your recipes on the above posting dates or by the end of the month.  You’ll see Musings posts here for questions or comments AND posts for each recipe so that you can link your post as a comment.

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Housekeeping: If you’ve requested to be added to the blogroll, hang in there.  I’m adding names as I have time.  As long as you sent an email, consider yourself a Barefoot Blogger.

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August Recipes

Can you believe it’s August already??  Where has this summer gone to?!

Even if time is zipping by, we’ve still got some great Ina recipes!  The 3rd recipe is optional but you may want to join in the fun while we start trying out new recipes from Ina Garten’s 7th (!!!) cookbook,  How Easy Is That? which is set to be released on October 26, 2010.  Ina’s cookbook publicist sent me an advanced copy of the book and has encouraged us to start trying some of the recipes – how cool is that??

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Vicki of My Fare Lady

has chosen Oven-Fried Chicken

which can be found in Barefoot Contessa Family Style on page 81

and should be posted by Tuesday August 31st.

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Nathalie of Snowbell Jewelry

has chosen Mixed Berry Cheesecake

which should be posted by Tuesday August 31st.

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BONUS RECIPE!!

Ultimate Grilled Cheese

as chosen by Rebecca of Ezra Pound Cake – to be posted by August 31st.

serves 6

12 slices thick-cut bacon, such as Nodine’s applewood smoked
1 cup good mayonnaise
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 white pullman loaf or sourdough bread, sliced 1/2 inch thick (12 slices)
6 tbsp salted butter, at room temperature
6 oz aged Gruyere or Comte cheese
6 oz extra-sharp Cheddar, such as Cabot or Shelburne Farms

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Arrange the bacon on a baking rack set over a sheet pan in a single layer and roast for 20 to 30 minutes, until nicely browned.  Drain on a plate lined with paper towels and cut in 1-inch pieces.

Meanwhile, combine the mayonnaise, mustard, Parmesan, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.  Lay 12 slices of bread on a board and spread each one lightly with butter.  Flip the slices and spread each one generously with the mayonnaise mixture.  Don’t neglect the corners!

Grate the cheeses in a food processor fitted with the largest grating disk and combine.  Distribute the bacon evenly on half the slices of bread.  Pile 1/3 cup grated cheese evenly on top of the bacon and top with the remaining bread slices, sauce side down.

Heat an electric panini press.  When the press is hot, cook the sandwiches for 3 to 5 minutes in batches until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted.  Allow to cool for 2 minutes.  Cut in half and serve warm.

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July Recipe Choices

I don’t know about the rest of you, but it is H.O.T. here in the Northeast…but that doesn’t mean I’m opposed to turning on my oven for a great recipe here and there.  I think you’ll really enjoy these recipes even if the oven is required for one of them!

A couple of things to note:

1. For July, August, and September, we’re going to keep the posting day as the last day of the month.

2.  I’ve had trouble contacting people for the second recipe of the month and since it’s so late, I’ve gone ahead and chosen this one.  I hope you all don’t mind!

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Maria of Close to Home

has chosen Blueberry Muffins (Coffee Cake or Streusel – recipe below)

which can be found in BC Family Style pg 174 and Back to Basics pg 244, respectively,

and should be posted by Saturday July 31st.

Since Ina has two blueberry muffin recipes, I thought it would be fun to post both of them; you can make one or both.  If you make both, we’d love to see one comparison post that includes both recipes.  Similarly, if you’ve made one of these recipes in the past and make the other this month, please write about your experience with both recipes in your post.

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Tara of Smells Like Home (by default)

has chosen Greek Panzanella

which should be posted by Saturday July 31st.

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Blueberry Streusel Muffins

• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp Kosher salt
• 2 cups buttermilk, shaken
• 1/4 lb (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
• 2 extra-large eggs
• 2 cups fresh blueberries (2 half-pints)

For the Streusel Topping

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp Kosher salt
• 4 tbsp (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Line muffin tins with paper liners.
2. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in to a large bowl and blend with your hands.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, butter, lemon zest, and eggs.  Stir the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture with a fork, mixing  just until blended.  Fold the blueberries into the batter.  Don’t overmix!  With a standard (2 1/4″) ice cream scoop or large spoon, scoop the batter into the prepared cups, filling them almost full.
3. For the topping, place all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and pulse until the butter is in very small pieces.  Pour into a bowl and rub with your fingers until crumbly.  Spoon about 1 tbsp of the streusel on top of each muffin.  Bake the muffins for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown.

August Recipes

Let’s welcome August with some great new recipes!  I think these choices will give you something to hang on to and serve over and over again.  You probably have noticed that there was no BRC last month.  I’ve decided to give this challenge a break for July and August to allow you to focus on the two required recipes each month and reduce the feeling of being overwhelmed by trying to squeeze in three BB recipes in the midst of vacations, swimming lessons, camp, and the seemingly never-ending heat where some of you call home. This leads me to tell you that we’re going to take the bonus recipe in a different direction for September.  I’m working the kinks out of a new challenge which will be announced early next month so stay tuned!  So without further ado, I give you August’s recipes…

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Veronica of Supermarket Serenade

has chosen Mango Banana Daiquiris

which can be found in Back to Basics on page 47 (which is not available on FN.com – recipe below)

and should be posted on Thursday August 13th.

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Andrea of Nummy Kitchen

has chosen White Pizza with Arugula

which can be found in Back to Basics on page 82

and should be posted on Thursday August 27th.

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Mango Banana Daiquiris

serves 4

2 cups chopped ripe mango (1 to 2 mangos, peeled and seeded)

1 ripe banana, chopped

1/2 cup fresh squeezed lime juice (4 limes)

1/4 cup sugar syrup*

1 1/4 cups dark rum, such as Mount Gay

Mango slices, for serving

Place the mango, banana,  lime juice, sugar syrup, and rum in a blender and process until smooth.  Add 2 cups of ice and process again until smooth and thick.  Serve ice-cold in highball glasses with the mango slices.

*To make simple syrup, heat 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan until the sugar dissolves.  Chill.

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July Recipes

Hopefully you are finding yourselves in the middle of some beautiful weather as July begins!  I know those of us here in the Northeast are hoping that there is never a repeat of June’s weather and that July will bring some happy days.  In any event, Ina’s recipes always make ME happy and I think July’s recipes will definitely make YOU happy.  Enjoy!!

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Cat of Delta Whiskey

has chosen Pasta with Sundried Tomatoes

which can be found in Barefoot Contessa Family Style on page 58

and should be posted on Thursday July 9th.

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Aggie of Aggie’s Kitchen

has chosen Peach & Blueberry Crumbles

which can be found in Barefoot Contessa at Home on pages 197-198

and should be posted on Thursday July 23rd.

This recipe is not available on the FoodNetwork website:

For the fruit

• 2 lbs firm, ripe peaches (6-8 peaches)
• 2 tsp grated lemon zest
• 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup fresh blueberries (1/2 pint)

For the Crumble

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 lb (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Immerse the peaches in boiling water for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until their skins peel off easily.  Place them immediately in cold water.  Peel the peaches, slice them into thick wedges, and place them in a large bowl.  Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, granulated sugar, and flour.  Toss well.  Gently mix in the blueberries.  Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes.  Spoon the mixture into ramekins or custard cups.
3. For the topping, combine the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.  Mix on low speed until the butter is the size of peas.  Rub the mixture with your fingertips until it’s in big crumbles, then sprinkle evenly over the fruit.  Place the ramekins on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and back for 40 to 45 minutes, until the tops are browned and crisp and the juices are bubbly.  Serve warm or at room temperature.  If you want to make these early, store the unbaked crumbles int he refrigerator and bake before dinner.  Serves 5 to 6.

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June BRC

As we all know, June begins a new cooking season for most of us.  We bust open the grill.  We revive the coolers for weekend BBQs, picnics, and road trips. We scour the local farmers markets for fresh fruits and veggies. And best of all, we inundate our blogs with drool-worthy posts filled with fruit-filled posts.

So it should make you all happy to hear that Em of The Repressed Pastry Chef has chosen Ina’s Cranberry Orange Scones (from Barefoot Contessa at Home, page 214) as her June BRC recipe! It’s a light and fruity scone recipe that’s perfect for the late spring/early summer palette.  Please take a moment and congratulate Em on earning this month’s honor! And don’t forget to post your scones on Thursday, June 18th!