Shhh. Be still my beating heart.

What?

I said shhh.

The photo explains it all. Soft velvety potatoes with just a little bite. Cooked slowly to absorb the cheesy creamy goodness of it all. Who doesn’t like scalloped potatoes?

These little individual portions are intensly delicious with creamy parmesan and fresh thyme. Elegant enough to serve at a dinner party or just for everyday at the family meal. Parmesan Scalloped Potatoes Stacks are our family’s newest obsession.

Parmesan Scalloped Potato Stacks makes 12
50 minutes cooking time 

• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 shallot
• 2 cups half and half
• 1 cup + 1/2 cup Parmesan, freshly grated
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 1 Tbs fresh thyme leaves
• 3 to 4 large baking potatoes

Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter a 12 cup muffin tin. Peel and finely dice the garlic and shallot.

Place the diced garlic and shallot in a large bowl along with the half and half, 1 cup of grated Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and thyme. Stir to combine and set aside.

Peel the potatoes and slice into 1/8″ thick rounds with a knife or mandolin. Stack about 7 to 8 potato slices into each muffin tin. The number of slices will vary depending on the thickness of the cut. Stack them tightly but not any higher than the muffin tin itself.

Next, spoon the half and half mixture into each muffin tin over the potato slices, being careful not to overflow. Loosely cover the muffin pan with foil and place in the oven. Bake for 35 minutes. Remove the foil and carefully top each muffin tin with the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Place back in the oven without foil and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese is golden brown, the potatoes are tender, and the liquid has absorbed.

Allow to cool in the pan for an additional 5 minutes, then carefully remove and serve. Add additional thyme sprigs as garnish if desired.

love. love. love.

There is nothing more simple to make that produces such an elegant outcome than a compound butter. It is one of my favorite little tricks for entertaining and always adds a pop to a dish. Placing a small bowl of compound butter on a holiday table brings an extra bit of glamor to a meal and will have your guests talking. A compound butter is basically a butter with added ingredients that produces a flavored butter and can change a meal completely! Practically anything can be combined with softened butter and it takes only minutes.

Recently, I was asked by Kerrygold, the makers of pure Irish butter and cheeses, to create a usage for their new Kerrygold Naturally Softer Pure Irish Butter and Kerrygold Reduced Fat Irish Butter as part of a contest between a few selected food bloggers. Naturally I said yes. I mean how could anyone say no to butter? And Kerrygold isn’t just any plain butter but an all-natural butter that uses milk from grass fed cows.

Their new Naturally Softer Pure Irish Butter is unlike that of many soft spreads out their that contain oils and additives. Kerrygold just contains two ingredients: cream and salt and I have found with it’s smooth consistency it is perfect to use for a compound butter. Their new Reduced Fat Pure Irish Butter is just as good and great to use for a compound butter as well. With 25% less fat than traditional butter and 50% less sodium, Kerrygold’s Reduced Fat Butter is a wonderful choice if you are cutting down on fat and sodium but still want natural ingredients (just cream and salt) and delicious butter flavor. The taste of both Kerrygold Softer Pure Irish Butter and Reduced Fat Irish Butter is unbelievable!

Now lets get onto those compound butters, shall we? Like I said earlier a compound butter can be made with your favorite flavors and spices. Here are two intensely delicious butters to add a kick to practically anything you would use butter with. The first compound butter is a Pumpkin and Spice Compound Butter. Perfect for the holidays or an indulgent treat on breads, pancakes, waffles, or french toast. The second is a reduced fat Roasted Garlic and Herb Compound Butter that will add falvor and depth to sauteed, grilled, or roasted meats, seafood, and vegetables without the extra fat.

*cooks note: today I’m using both Kerrygold Softer Pure Irish Butter and Kerrygold Reduced Fat Irish Butter that come in 8 ounce tubs. One 8 ounce tub equals 2 (4oz) sticks of butter.

Pumpkin and Spice Compound Butter makes 8oz

• 1 tub (8 ounces) of Kerrygold Softer Pure Irish Butter
• 2 1/2 Tbs pumpkin puree, fresh or canned
• 2 Tbs brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp fresh ground nutmeg (1/4 tsp if using dried ground nutmeg)

Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To serve, spread on warm toast, bread, bagels, french toast, waffles, the possibilities are pretty much endless and the outcome is incredible.

…now for the Roasted Garlic Herb Compound Butter.
Just give me a loaf of bread and a knife.

Roasted Garlic and Herb Compound Butter makes 8 ounces

• 1 head of garlic
• 2 Tbs fresh thyme, chopped
• 1 Tbs fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/2 Tbs fresh oregano, chopped
• 1 tub Kerrygold Reduced Fat Pure Irish Butter (8 oz)

Serve right away or store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.

Try this Roasted Garlic and Herb Compound Butter on grilled or sauteed vegetables, meats and seafood, and pasta for a light meal or on toasted bread for an insanely good garlic bread. Enjoy!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the product mentioned above for free for review purposes from Kerrygold. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. 

First of all, lets all thank Julia Child and Dorie Greenspan for teaching us you can stuff practically anything in a pumpkin, cook it, and have an insanely delicious and impressive meal. Second of all, who is as obsessed with fall vegetables like butternut squash and pumpkin as I am? Love, love, love, me some pumpkins Charlie Brown.

Stuffed pumpkins are very simple to make. Serve in multiple small pie pumpkins or 1 large sugar or Cinderella pumpkin. Just takes a few minutes to prep and then throw it in the oven for about an hour. I love this recipe because it’s healthy, fun, and can be treated as a side or a main dish. And picture how beautiful a wild rice, apple, and cranberry large stuffed pumpkin (minus the ground turkey) would be as a side at your Thanksgiving table? Yeah, that would get you out of the dog house with the in-laws.

Sweet and savory, these Turkey, Wild Rice, Apple, and Cranberry Stuffed Pumpkins is the perfect fall meal for everyday, an upcoming holiday, or dinner party. I will warn you though, the resident 3 year-old was not as impressed with this particular pumpkin and opted for a bowl of peas instead. The Husband on the other hand ate almost 2 whole pumpkins.

Turkey, Wild Rice, Apple, and Cranberry Stuffed Pumpkins
makes 3 small pie pumpkins or 1 large 3 – 4 pound sugar pumpkin
serves 4 to 6 as a meal 

• 3 small pie pumpkins or 1 large sugar or cinderella pumpkin (3 to 4 pound)
• 1 yellow onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 large Granny Smith Apple (about 1 1/2 cups diced)
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries
• 3/4 cup walnut halves
• 3 cups cooked wild rice or wild rice/brown rice mix*
• 2 Tbs fresh sage, chopped or 1 Tbs dried sage
• 1 Tbs fresh oregano, chopped or 1/2 Tbs dried oregano
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken or turkey broth

Is there anything better than a fresh warm popover? Popovers are so insanely easy I don’t know why I don’t make them more often. Oh wait, yes I do. Because there is not one ounce of willpower in me to resist eating the entire batch. 

Quick and easy, these Goat Cheese and Rosemary Mini Popovers are light and airy with a deep flavor that is sinfully good.

Goat Cheese and Rosemary Mini Popovers makes 20

• 3 eggs, room temperature*
• 1 cup whole milk
• 6 oz. goat cheese
• 2 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup all purpose flour

So incredibly good and I have witnessed my child try to sneak them out of the kitchen.

Nothing goes better together than garlic and butternut squash and I’m jumping up and down because we are finally getting butternut squash down here in Texas! If you’ve been hanging around ISMS for awhile then you know when fall hits the butternut squash recipes are abundant and that’s no exception this year. But in those recipes and the various baby food purees I’ve never just shown you the most simple way of eating this fall candy. Here’s the most basic way to enjoy a butternut squash. And if you have any leftovers just pop them in a blender with some chicken stock for a delicious butternut squash soup.

Garlic Roasted Butternut Squash

• 1 butternut squash
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 tsp Kosher salt

Preheat oven to 400°F. With a sharp knife slice the ends off of the butternut squash. If you wish, cut the skin off the squash with a knife or vegetable peeler now. When I have time or when I want the squash cubed I do take the time to peel it but this blog would not be me if I didn’t represent my flaws and sometimes with a kid running at your feet and a dog chasing a cat you just got to do what you gotta do. Stand the squash on its bottom end and slice the squash in half. With a spoon, scoop out the seeds and discard.

Next, slice the squash in 1 inch thick slices and lay on a foil lined baking sheet.

Peel and chop the garlic cloves. Sprinkle the garlic on top of the butternut squash.

Drizzle olive oil over the squash and garlic.

Next, sprinkle the salt over the squash and toss to coat.

Place in the oven and roast for 30 to 40 minutes, flipping the slices over halfway through roasting.

Plate and serve. Simple and delicious, garlic butternut squash is an easy side dish perfect for any meal like this porcini roasted pork tenderloin (that will be posted soon). Tip: roasted cauliflower is made the exact same way and is a great pairing with the squash. Decrease the cooking time to 25 to 30 minutes.

When I was a kid my nanny, RoRo (really more like another grandmother to me), would boil carrots down in sugar and butter. That was the only way we would eat carrots and I can still remember exactly how they tasted (I’m actually drooling a little on the keyboard). Now raising a child in a more health conscious society, carrots with a pound of sugar and butter will probably never see daylight on my table.

Cooking is always a learning experience even when making something as simple as baby food. It was then that I realized that when you roast fruits and vegetables it naturally enhances its sugar for a richer flavor. Needless to say, if we’re not eating our veggies raw they are going in the oven.

Roasted carrots and radishes with dill is a delectably sweet and earthy side dish that will accompany almost any meal (we served ours with one of our family favorite meals, Chicken Paillard from Tyler Florence’s Family Meal). What was Mia the resident almost 3 year old’s verdict on this one you ask? She ate 4 whole carrots and a half of a radish and she’s not a big fan of carrots. We’ll have to work on the whole cooked radish thing with her but the husband and I had seconds of ours.

Roasted Carrots and Radishes with Dill serves 4

• 1 bunch of carrots (8 to 10 carrots)
• 1 bunch of radishes (7 to 10 radishes)
• 1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly cracked pepper
• 2 Tbs fresh dill, chopped

Oh my holy love handles! Who doesn’t love hot crusty artisan bread!? Of course, those who are gluten intolerant will disagree with me and for that a shed tears for you. No, really I do but I know that y’all have tricks up your sleeve that would make a grown baker cry so I know you are going to be ok. Give me a fresh baked loaf of bread (sourdough especially) and it will not last 5 minutes. I think if I were stranded on a desert island and had access to one thing it wouldn’t be a life raft, phone, or satellite signal… that is what I smart person would ask for and if you have read this blog you know that I certainly have my moments of stupidity. No, this girl would ask for fresh sourdough bread and a bottle of wine (ok, maybe two things).

Before you say anything, yes, this recipe has been floating around ever since the geniuses Jeff Hertzberg and Zoë François, created Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day but I love it so much that for those who haven’t seen or tried it that I wanted to share it with you. This recipe is an adaptation of Hertzberg and François from my favorite site for bread recipes, King Arthur Flour. In no way am I being paid to say this, but King Arthur is my favorite flour to use. Of course, you are more than welcome to send me a check, King Arthur.

If you haven’t already, this is a great recipe to make even if you have never tried to make your own bread. It is super simple, crusty, delicious and the perfect no-fuss recipe to make with your kids.

No-Knead Artisan Bread makes 2 to 4 loaves
simplified from King Arthur Flour

• 3 cups lukewarm water
• 6 1/2 to 7 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour*
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons instant yeast

*The flour/liquid ratio is important in this recipe. If you measure flour by sprinkling it into your measuring cup, then gently sweeping off the excess, use 7 1/2 cups. If you measure flour by dipping your cup into the canister, then sweeping off the excess, use 6 1/2 cups. Most accurate of all, and guaranteed to give you the best results, if you measure flour by weight, use 32 ounces.

1) Combine all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl, or a large (6-quart), food-safe plastic bucket. Water should be not too cold and not too hot. Just about the temperature of a baby’s bath.

2) Mix and stir everything together. If you have a stand mixer, beat at medium speed with the beater blade for 30 to 60 seconds.

3) Place the dough in a large greased bowl and cover lightly with plastic wrap or a shower cap.

4) Let the dough rise at room temperature for 2 hours. Then place it in the refrigerator for 2 hours to 7 days. If you’re pressed for time, skip the room-temperature rise, and stick it right into the fridge). The longer you keep it in the fridge, the tangier it’ll get; if you chill it for 7 days, it will taste like sourdough. Over the course of the first day or so, it’ll rise, then fall. That’s OK; that’s what it’s supposed to do.

5) When you are ready to bake, place the dough on a floured work surface. With knife, cut the dough into portions, anywhere from 2 to 4. I have found that I like a bigger loaf so I just cut the dough in half. I use one half then I place the other back in the bowl cover and set it in the fridge for later in the week. 6) Form the dough into a ball.

7) Place the dough on a piece of parchment (if you’re going to use a baking stone); or onto a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Sift a light coating of flour over the top; this will help keep the dough moist as it rests before baking.

8) Let the dough rise for about 45 to 60 minutes. Preheat your oven (and baking stone, if you’re using one) to 450°F while the dough rests. Place a shallow metal or cast iron pan (not glass, Pyrex, or ceramic) on the lowest oven rack, and have 1 cup of hot water ready to go.

9) When you’re ready to bake, take a sharp knife and slash the bread 2 or 3 times, making a cut about 1/2″ deep. It’s ok for the bread to deflate.

10) Place the bread in the oven, and carefully pour the 1 cup hot water into the shallow pan on the rack beneath. It’ll bubble and steam; close the oven door quickly.

11) Bake the bread for 25 to 35 minutes, until it’s a deep, golden brown.

12) Remove the bread from the oven, and cool it on a rack. Store leftover bread in a plastic bag at room temperature.

So simple and delicious, there’s no reason not to make it!

This post is for all of you who have sent e-mails begging for a breakdown of the cilantro-lime corn I’m always mentioning when we break out the grill. I’ve been making corn this way since my college days (don’t ask how long ago that was) when we would Bar-B-Q constantly. Seriously, you’ve never tasted corn as good as this before and kids love it when corn comes to the table with the husks still on. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Grilled Cilantro-Lime Corn On The Cob serves 4

• 4 ears of corn with husks
• 3 Tbs butter, room temperature
• 2 Tbs cilantro, chopped
• 1 tsp lime juice
• 1/4 tsp sea salt*
• 1/2 tsp lime zest, grated

* omit or be cautious with salt if you use butter with salt added

Light grill. We use charcoal. Through the many years I have made this, I’ve never used gas and I’m not sure how corn does on a gas grill.

Submerge corn in water for 10 minutes.

While the grill is cooling down to the right temperature and the corn is soaking, combine the butter, cilantro, lime juice, sea salt, and lime zest. Mix well.

15 minutes after lighting the grill and you can hold your hand 8 inches from the grill for 5 seconds, Place the corn directly on the grill. Grill for 15 to 20 minutes rotating often. The corn husks will turn black but if they seem to be catching on fire, move them to the sides of the grill.

Once finished, remove from the grill and allow to cool enough to touch. Remove the husks, spread on the cilantro-lime butter and enjoy!

Super simple and delicious.

First of all, I would like to say a happy belated Mother’s Day to all of you out there and to apologize for some the photography and lack of food styling on this post. Someone (as I look around with that, “What are you looking at? It’s not me” look) was a little over served on Mother’s Day and couldn’t hold the camera straight. I hope you all had a wonderful day as I did.

Since we couldn’t travel to see our moms, I pulled the mommy card out and sat on my rear enjoying the day. I gave The Husband full notice that I was off duty. I awaited disaster but he surprised me. Not only did I get my first mother’s day card (yes, Mia is almost three) and didn’t have to drive anyone to the hospital but a champagne brunch, a day relaxing in the Adirondack chair in the back yard, and an amazing dinner. Not only was it an amazing dinner but the best cooking he has ever done. Earlier he had asked me what I wanted and jokingly I gave him the current issue of Food & Wine and sarcastically said, “Something form here.” Before you say anything, I’m not that demanding and I really didn’t mean it as he doesn’t cook much. I told him anything from a steak to a bowl of cereal would do.

I was totally shocked when I sat down to dinner to find this…

Cumin-glazed ribs with avocado-pineapple salsa, grilled okra, and grilled corn on the cob with cilantro lime butter. Seriously, I can’t tell you how amazingly good this is! The rib recipe was from Food & Wine and the okra and corn are just the way I usually prepare them. If you’ve never tried grilled okra or corn before you absolutely must. The ribs were juicy, very tender and the slightly sweet spicy rub/glaze made for some of the most unique and flavorful ribs I’ve ever had. He did everything to perfection, including pairing the ribs with a grapefruity IPA. I will be begging him to make them again soon.

Thanks babe for making me a mother and being a fantastic husband and friend.

Cumin-Glazed Ribs with Avocado-Pineapple Salsa Food & Wine, June 2011

Grilled Okra

• 1 quart of fresh okra
• 1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbs kosher salt

Light the grill and let the fire die down enough so you can hold your hand over the fire for 10 seconds. Place okra in a large bowl. Add olive oil and salt. Stir to coat. Place on grill for 8 to 10 minutes, turning once.

Cilantro-Lime Corn on The Cob

• 4 ears corn, in their husks
• 2 Tbs butter, softened
• 1 Tbs fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 squeeze lime, about 1/2 tsp

In a bowl, mix together butter, cilantro, and lime. Set aside. Submerge the corn in water and soak for 10 minutes. Pat dry and place the corn on a hot grill. Grill turning a few times so all sides feel the heat for 15 to 20 minutes. Allow to cool to the touch and remove the husks. Serve with cilantro lime butter.

First of all I’m not gonna lie, this is a hit and miss with most kids. Mia loves it because it has her favorites: cheese, peas, pasta, and lemon. Yes, lemon. I know it’s weird but she will bite right into it and say delicious. Of course it just makes me cringe. Lemon Ricotta Farfalle with Peas is a super simple delightfully fresh summertime pasta dish that will be gone in seconds if you’re not careful.

Lemon Ricotta Farfalle with Peas serves 6 to 8

• 16 oz box of Farfalle pasta, cooked according to directions
• 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
• 15 oz Ricotta, part skim or whole milk
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 Tbs lemon juice
• 1 1/2 Tbs lemon zest
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cup frozen thawed peas
• 2 Tbs fresh basil, chopped
• 1 tsp fresh mint, chopped

Cook pasta according to the directions on the box. Reserve 1/2 cup of the water that the pasta was cooked in. In a large bowl, combine ricotta, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt. Fold in peas and add the reserved water. Mix well.

Add the cooked pasta to the cheese mixture and stir to evenly coat.

Next, fold in the basil and mint.

Now serve and garnish with a little extra Parmesan cheese, lemon zest, or basil. See how easy that was! Super simple for a quick summer lunch.