Deviled Eggs

Deviled eggs are the best, especially for a summer party. My Grandma Eulie made great ones but I've added balsamic and truffle salt, two ingredients not too likely to be found in mid-70s Paw Paw, Michigan. Here's the recipe my friend Lydia goes crazy for...

Vintage egg plates make a difference

18 eggs, hard-boiled
1/2-3/4 c. mayo
2 T. yellow mustard
splash of the very best, sweetest balsamic vinegar
1/4 t. truffle salt
Cayenne to taste
White pepper to taste
Sea salt to taste
Paprika, for the classic garnish. Hot paprika, chives, fancy grey or red salts, black sesame seeds, what-evah... also fun.


Boil the eggs. Cool and peel under cold water. Chill.


Cut eggs in half the long way and throw the yolks in your Kitchen-Aid with the whisk attachment. Add your mustard, balsamic, and half cup mayo. Start on low and eventually work up to your highest speed, adding the remaining mayo to desired creaminess. Stop and season to taste. Whip until very smooth and fluffy.


Using a pastry bag or gallon ZipLoc with the corner cut off, fill the whites in a pretty, swirly pattern. Garnish. Serve, preferably with a cold cocktail.

Moscow Mule

We haven't ventured into cocktail land yet, but it hit 85 in Chicago today (and it's Chuck Hafner's birthday, to boot) so we're all ready for something really good on the porch. How about a Moscow Mule?


8 oz ginger beer, I like Goose Island's Spicy Ginger Soda
2 oz vodka, I like Death's Door
generous squeeze of lime


Serve in a tall, tall glass (fancy) or a copper mug (classic).


Last summer, the Death's Door folks made a nice version with a little mint, too, and a few fresh blueberries thrown in the bottom of the glass. It's not classic but who am I to complain?

Chilaquile Casserole

It's Mother's Day and that means one thing: brunch. Amy Spar, domestic goddess and queen of Lunch Bunch and other fabulous things, turned me on to this brunch gem in 2006 and happy people have been inhaling it ever since. It's maybe the most adaptable recipe ever since there are infinite combinations of things to put in and on it, and can be eaten around the clock. It's become a staple for our post-triathlon brunch and Christmas Day breakfast, too. It's also worth noting that this is Amy's go-to-dish whenever someone has a baby and she brings them dinner. I think you're getting the picture. Amy got the recipe from Mollie Katzen’s Still Life with Menu.  

12 corn tortillas

1 4-ounce can diced green chiles

2-3 c. jack cheese

6 eggs

2 c. buttermilk

salt & pepper

Optional fillings: mushrooms, peppers, beans, spinach, tofu etc.

Optional toppings: enchilada sauce, salsa, sour cream, guacamole, chopped tomatoes, sliced avocado, bean & corn salad, etc.

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Butter a 9x13 pan.
2. Tear 6 tortillas into bite-sized pieces and spread them in pan.
3. Spread ½ the cheese and ½ the chiles over the tortillas, as well as any additional fillings.
4. Tear the other 6 tortillas and spread them on top.  Follow with remaining chiles and cheese.
5. Beat the eggs with the buttermilk and salt and pepper.  Pour over casserole evenly.
6. Bake uncovered for 35 minutes.
7. Serve hot or warm with toppings.

Bill’s Famous Chicken Tenders

You all know I'm a vegetarian. I have been for 30 plus years. And as a vegetarian/cook/parent I'm having good veggie success with the girl child but the boy loves meat. In fact, he loves it so much that he was begging for it when he went to people's houses (literally, "Do you think you could you make me a bacon grilled cheese?") or ordering super-sized burgers and nuggets with great zeal when people would take him to lunch. At home, we continued to eat a vegetarian diet, supplemented with more and more fake "meat." But it was the idea of real meat of poor quality that grossed me out. I had to do something. So we agreed that his occasionally-meat-eating-but-surely-willing-to-at-least-touch-meat-father would make him these homemade chicken cutlets/tenders/nuggets with chicken breasts from Whole Foods or the farmer's market so at least I could have some modicum of control. He makes a double batch, bakes 'til just done, then freezes for easy re-heating by this veggie mama. It's not perfect, but it works.

This recipe is from my dear friends Bill and Maureen. It's apparently some sort of South Beach adaptation and Bill has become famous throughout all of Oak Park for its crispy goodness.

1 c. whole wheat bread crumbs (and maybe throw in some flax seed for good measure)
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 c. finely chopped almonds 

2 tbs. chopped parsley

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. dried thyme

ground black pepper

1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil

2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2 " thickness and cut into 12 pieces

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
In a medium bowl, combine bread crumbs, cheese, almonds, parsley, garlic, thyme and pepper.  Mix thoroughly.
Place oil in a shallow dish.  Dip chicken first in oil, then dredge in crumb mixture.  Place chicken in a shallow baking pan.
Bake for 25 minutes or until done (do not turn chicken during cooking)

Makes 6 servings.

Chocolate Waffle Cakes from Waffleizer

Most of you already know that my son is crazy for waffles and anything related to waffles, waffle irons, and Belgium, so you can imagine my delight at finding a website for all things waffleized. Waffleizer.com will show you how to waffle up a whole bunch of stuff, none better than these truly delicious little chocolate cakes. Just think, no pans to wash and really, really happy children.

When this posted on facebook, a (grown) friend asked if she could move in with us. Such is the power of the chocolate waffle.

Ingredients:

1 stick butter

2 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt if using unsalted butter

1/4 cup dutch-process cocoa powder

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

Optional: 1/2 ounce cocoa nibs, broken down into bits in a food processor, or in a plastic bag with a blunt object (meat tenderizer, rolling pin, old waffle iron, etc.)

Powdered sugar for dusting

Directions:

1. Melt butter in a saucepan. Let cool slightly.

2. Put eggs, vanilla, and sugar in the bowl and mix with an electric mixer on medium speed until pale, 4 to 5 minutes. Mix in butter, salt, cocoa powder, cocoa nibs (if using -- I didn't) and the flour.

3. Heat a waffle iron until hot. (I found this recipe worked best with a regular, not Belgian, waffler.) Lightly grease iron with a neutral oil, such as canola. Spoon about 1 tablespoon batter onto center of each waffle-iron section to make 1 1/2-inch rounds. Close cover; cook until set, about 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack. Let cool. Repeat with remaining batter, coating grids with oil after each batch.

4. Dust with powdered sugar. I suggest eating them with ice cream and some nice hot fudge sauce, too.

Jordan Marsh Berry Muffins

My Grandma Nancy had a real thing about eating in department stores and hotel coffee shops (back when such places were fine places to eat and weren't named things like "Champs".) In fact, for many years, we ate at the Tea Room at Gilmore's department store every Monday. So you can imagine her excitement when we went to Boston to visit my Aunt Dede and had the famous muffins at the Jordan Marsh department store. She was beyond thrilled. We proudly brought that recipe back to Paw Paw, MI and made them in the pizza oven in lieu of the usual Sara Lee coffee time treats.


I can't remember what they originally called for - blueberries or raspberries. Having come late to blueberries, I make these with raspberries and they are delicious.


1/2 c. butter
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 c. flour, sifted
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. milk
1 t. vanilla
2 1/2 c. berries

1. Cream butter and 3/4 c. sugar.
2. Add eggs. Blend well.
3. Sift all dry ingredients.
4. Add to butter mixture, alternating with milk and vanilla.
5. Mash 1/2 the berries with a fork and fold into the batter.
6. Fold in the remaining whole berries
7. Pile high into greased muffin tins.
8. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 c. sugar.
9. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes.

Eulie's Ozark Apple Cake

My grandmother made this as a breakfast or snack cake when I was a child. It's similar to a typical "Ozark" apple cake, but uses butter, not oil. I think she got the original recipe from a cookbook called Symphony of Cooking. The actual honest-to-God note handwritten on the back of the original recipe card says, "If you are planning to serve this to guests, better make two as Jen can eat one whole one." Um, yes.

SERVES 6

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 1/4 cup flour, sifted
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 cups finely chopped, peeled apples
• 1/2 cup nuts, dried fruit, etc. optional, though I never include them

1. Cream butter and sugar.
2. Add egg. Beat well.
3. Sift all dry ingredients.
4. Blend into wet ingredients.
5. Fold in apple and optional items
6. Spread into a well-greased 8x8 inch pan.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.
8. Serve warm or room temp, with whipped cream or without.