spice

Pimena. That’s what we call the perfect snack where I grew up. Pimena and cheese. Grandbecky makes the best pimento and cheese in the world. Everytime we visit Louisiville, MS where my dad grew up, Grandbecky has pimento and cheese and it’s usually eaten up within the first 30 minutes of our visit. She has told us the secret a hundred times and we still can’t get it right. I know there’s a pinch a sugar, and it has got to be dramery pimentos but something about her dip always trumps mine. I made some to take to eagle lake this weekend and you would have thought it was as good as granbeckys. I certainly enjoyed it and judging by the empty Tupperware I brought back, I think everyone else liked it pretty good, too.

Eagle Lake, Thank you REED!!!!!!

Here’s the recipe:

2 blocks of sharp cheddar, shredded in the food processor

1 cup of Hellman’s mayo

healthy pinch of kosher salt and cracked pepper

pinch of sugar

¼ yellow onion, grated

small jar of pimentos

Place in processor and go! Serve with Frito’s, please

I love Bowen’s garlic bow, cute huh?

I’d really love a food processor that can hold more that a garlic clove, mom, please, if your reading;)

Does your family have a recipe for pimento and cheese??? I’d love to try it if you’ll share!

How’s everyone’s Tuesday after memorial day? Feels like Monday to me. I have been running around like a chicken with its head cut off  all day long!!! Funny thing we fabricated (broke down) whole chickens in class today. Not only does that require a good bit of muscle strength, it requires a lot of clean up because that is a sticky job-YUCK. We used the carcasses to make stock and the breast for poached chicken today. We also made a tarragon sauce, parmesan Reggiano risotto, and tomatoes Provencal. Woooooh I am worn out. I am not sure when I will get my appetite for chicken back, but tearing one apart at 8 in the morning will change your chik-fila lunch plans real quick.

We headed down to Eagle Lake this past weekend to celebrate memorial weekend with a big group of friends. Luckily for me, I don’t have school on Fridays and Jackson was on the way! I got to spend some time with my Aunt Penny (who lives in Virginia) on Friday night. We did some cooking and catching up. Mom always has the best ingredients in the fridge and her herb garden makes mine a mockery. I saw goat cheese in the fridge, peppers, and lots of basil in the garden that would make an easy pasta dish I wanted to make earlier in the week.

Aunt Penny also put together a caprese salad for us using burrata cheese (my absolute favorite), summer tomatoes, basil, and good extra virgin olive oil.

Penne pasta with goat cheese, peppers, and basil

What you need: yellow/red bell peppers, seeds and membrane removed, med dice (1/2 in. square)

5 oz package of soft goat cheese

1 T garlic, minced

1 leek (halved and rinsed) white only, sliced 1/4 in rondelles

1 bunch of basil

good quality olive oil, 2 T

1 lb penne, al dente

 How I did it:

Saute garlic, leeks, and peppers in 1 T of olive oil until soft, meanwhile drop penne in salted boiled water until al dente. Use 1 cup of pasta water to thicken sauce of leeks, peppers, and garlic. Add pasta, goat cheese and basil off the heat. Toss and season with kosher salt and cracked pepper. Finish with drizzle of olive oil.

Welcome back to wiaw. Its been a while since ive had a “day in the life” of eating post and considering we are making veal in class that might make for an interesting lunch I thought I’d give you an update. I’ve gotten in a habit of snacking all day and eating a rather large supper. I am trying to run everyday because that much exercise leaves me too tired to toss and turn at night. I cannot not miss ONE class this semester, it’s just too important this phase so I HAVE to get a good nights rest. I have really fallen in love with running for more than the vanity reasons I probably started for. I have a hard time shutting my mind off from the day’s worries and getting back to what’s really important. That alone time running offers has become a time of worship for me and also a time to wear myself out so I can sleep good, I love it!

Anyways today for breakfast I had an almond butter to go packet with a banana on the way to school at 6 this morning and a kefir drinkable yogurt– sounds nasty but so good.

I’m currently sitting in my backyard pretending my feet are dipped in the pool and there’s a body of water behind me. Not the case at all. I am looking at a homemade bad mitten court that has gotten a lot of use already this summer. I would do anything to be in  at home swimming in the pool or at River Hills laying out. My parents are going fishing this weekend in Venice Louisiana and it just makes me feel like everyone in the world is having a summer but me. We do have sweet friends that lives across the way who have offered to let me layout whenever so maybe ill grab my new food network mag and just walk over. Hope you all are at the beach, at a pool, or at least enjoying a popsicle outside like me. If you like coconut, you have got to try the best popsicles in the world. They have a heaping amount of grated coconut that makes for a nice textural contrast to the creaminess of the bar. I have got to get in the habit of describing my dishes because at the end of each class this phase we present our dishes to the class and chef and must able to describe our dishes in a way that makes you HAVE to have that dish, hope I can practice on y’all!

Today we made a Blanquette of veal with an arugula salad and a vinaigrette recipe that I will forever use as my stand by, at least till I find another I love even more. Fresh tarragon and finely, finely minced garlic were the ticket. Veal blanquette with cannellini beans is a rustic dish that did not photograph well but was delicious. Tomorrow we are making a chilean sea bass dish– chef said the sea bass was very fresh so I excited for tomorrow!!!

For the vinaigrette: (the same ratio always 3:1–  oil to an acid)

2 teaspoons grain mustard

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 tsp minced chives

1 tsp minced tarragon (FRESH)

kosher salt and cracked pepper to taste

Combine grain mustard, vinegar, garlic, honey slowly whisk in oil until emulsified, fold in herbs, season with salt and pepper.

Ill post an update on supper later tonight. I know I am making something with goat cheese and vegetables, we will see what exactly when the time comes. Any suggestion???????

Happy happy Mother’s Day to my mom!!! I love you, mom! You inspire me to be better and I am so thankful I have you as my mom. We went to the cabin this weekend to celebrate mom and spend some time together. Unfortunately it rained most of the weekend, but we did get in some fishing Saturday morning. We caught about ten blue gill bream, got caught in a rain storm and had a close encounter with an alligator.

We also ate the best burgers I have ever put in my mouth Friday night. Mom has started grinding her own burger meat using her kitchen aid attachment. For these burgers she used sirloin and beef short rib– 60:40. GOOD-NESS. The burger literally melted in my mouth. It taste exactly like what a burger should taste like– fresh, meaty, juicy American burger with a buttered bun, cheese and juicy slice of summer tomato. Mom also has a new way to make french fries that is out of this world.. don’t think she is going to let me share (or steal) that one.

Mom also brought me fresh herbs to plant for my house in Memphis. Mom’s garden is ridiculous at home. Any fresh herb she needs is within arms reach— it sure will be nice to have rosemary, basil and parsley right outside the back door.

SEE THE GATOR?????

It’s that time of year again– longer days, school’s letting out for the summer, trips to the beach…except I have to go to school all summer. I’m not happy about this. I know when you work you don’t get a summer break but I would like to think that since I am still in school, I get the perks of a summer break. NOPE.

Anyways, I have finals next week and then I am done with the first baking phase, YES. This week, we have been making high ratio cakes and egg foam cakes along with italian buttercream, simple buttercream, crumb coats, and decorative frostings. Here’s some pictures. I’ll be back with more post once this week is over!

Whelp. That’s all I have to say about that. Puff pastry is just about the hardest thing to make and I just don’t have the patience. In the meantime, I get to spend my free time writing a three page paper on Baklava. REALLY?????? Does this sound bitter? I hope not, I am just a bit burned out on baking. Is this spring fever or am I really burned out? I want to be at the beach. Someone take me PLEASE!!!!

On the bright side, I did get off work today early and it’s a beautiful day and I am thankful!

Last night I made some guacamole and bowen made fajitas on the green egg!!!!  Charlie’s meat market filet and green and peppers and 1/2 yellow onion. Sear the vegetables first, at the last minute sear steak for a couple of minutes on each side for medium rare. Enjoy with warm tortilla. Not a bad Monday night.

Easy Guacamole:

3 avocados

1/2 yellow onion small dice

jalepeno (TT (to-taste))  (brunoise-very small dice)

1 tomato small dice

juice of one lime

1/3 c. cilantro

pinch of cumin

kosher salt and cracked pepper to taste