FR Weekly Cooking Thread *Recipes* Oct 8, 2011

The words Tequila & Beans put together got me hunting on the internet for a recipe - there’s a bunch on the net.

After reading a J Alexander review about BBQ sauce in the beans and a recipe that a blogger said reminded them of J Alexanders Tequila beans - I bet if you put these two recipes together (pulled the best parts out of each of them) you might come up with something close.

http://www.plainchicken.com/2011/06/ground-beef-baked-bean-casserole.html

http://bfchef.com/post/1346454406/tequila-and-bacon-baked-beans-with-belle-sabastian

Thanks.

On Friday we picked up a chocolate mousse cake on sale as a loss leader at the store to try. It had a devils food cake on the bottom, and that was topped with a layer of a fluffy chocolate mousse, and then topped with a hard chocolate shell layer on top.

While the cake was good, we did not like the hard shell on top, since it made the cake hard to cut into beautiful slices. We thought it would be better with a softer chocolate ganache instead. We have made something similar in the past using a chocolate brownie as the base, but we all agreed we like the devils food cake better than the brownie base. It also would make an elegant dessert for a holiday gathering, since it seems like most families I know have at least one person who doesn’t like the traditional pumpkin, mince, pecan, or sweet potato pies.

Here is what we came up with:

Chocolate Mousse Cake

1/2 a devils food cake mix or your favorite home made devils food cake. (enough for one layer of cake)

1 cup heavy whipping cream, beaten into whipped cream

1 batch of Easy Chocolate Mousse

1 batch of Easy Chocolate Ganache

Using a round spring form cake pan, with the base wrapped in foil just in case it leaks. Bake your favorite devils food cake or use a mix. It will only take half the cake mix, however, as you only need one layer of cake. Do not remove the cake from the pan, but let it cool.

While the cake is cooling whip the heavy cream and then make the Easy Chocolate Mousse. (recipe follows) Gently fold the whipped cream into the Easy Chocolate Mousse to make it light and fluffy. (Note, sometimes we don’t need to fold in all the whipped cream to make it a light and fluffy mousse. I assume that perhaps humidity or the temperature effects the texture of the mousse and the whipped cream. We just save any extra whipped cream to use as a garnish when we serve the cake.)

Spread the mousse over cooled cake and refrigerate one hour until the mousse is well set. I top the spring form pan with a plate to cover it before refrigerating it, but you could use plastic wrap too. If you don’t want a skin to form on the mousse, then use the plastic wrap directly on top of the mousse layer. My family prefers to have a skin form on top, since it reminds us of the pudding we had as children.

While the cake is cooling in the refrigerator make the chocolate ganache (recipe follows), and let it cool to room temperature.

Spread on the chilled cake and then refrigerate until ready to serve. The finished cake can be topped with whipped cream and/or dark, milk chocolate, and/or white chocolate curls for a beautiful presentation. The recipes for the Easy Chocolate Mousse and the Easy Chocolate ganache follow.

Easy Chocolate Mousse

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 large fresh egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup heavy cream, heated

Place chocolate chips, egg and vanilla into the container of electric blender and blend for 30 seconds.

Remove center of blender lid and while machine is running, slowly pour heated cream into the chocolate mixture. Blend until well-mixed and chocolate chips are melted.

(The Easy chocolate Mousse can also be made separately for a dessert all by itself. Simply pour it into 4 individual parfait dishes and refrigerate until ready to serve. Top each with a dollop of whipped cream on top for an easy dessert all by itself).

Easy Chocolate Ganache

1/2 cup chocolate chips (I usually use semi sweet)

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tbs. brewed coffee or 1/2 tsp. instant coffee granuals disolved in warm water to make about 1 tbs.

1/4-1/2 cup heavy cream (depending on how dark the chocolate chips are that you are using, the darker the chocolate the more cream I use the lighter the chocolate the less cream I use)

Melt the chocolate chips over a double boiler with the vanilla, coffee and cream stirring until it forms a smooth and silky looking ganache. I like to let it cool to almost room temperature before spreading over the mousse.

We like to use this recipe to top other cakes or cupcakes as well. It is a great topping for many desserts, so be creative and have fun with it.

Sounds pretty easy and elegant.

Just made these:

Trillian’s Arancini Di Riso
(Deep fried breaded rice balls stuffed with cheese and sauce)

6 cups of cooked white rice, drained and cooled (do not use instant rice)
¼ cup of tomato sauce
¼ cup of flour
1 large egg, beaten
4 oz of mozzarella cut into half inch cubes.
1 cup of Seasoned Italian breadcrumbs
4 cups corn or peanut oil for frying.
salt to taste

Taking about 2/3 cup of rice at a time, form into a ball. With two fingers open up the ball and fill with one cube of mozzarella and 1/2 teaspoon of sauce. Carefully close, dip in flour, then beaten egg and then in breadcrumbs. Repeat with rest of the rice. Deep fry at 350 F degrees until golden brown, drain on paper towels and salt to taste.
Makes about 10-12 rice balls.

I also made some bread balls the kids call moeballs.
I add more eggs and breadcrumbs to the leftovers and add a little water, parmesan, minced garlic, parsley, salt, form mini balls and deep fry. No exact amounts because i’m just adding to however much is left. My kids love these.

Pictures to follow.

I did a search and found several people requesting that particular recipe. Let me know if this sounds similar:

Beans with Tequila

Traditionally frijoles borrachos (drunken beans) are made with beer and pieces of pork and bacon. In this recipe from Juan Manuel Vivanco from Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, tequila is used instead of beer, and the pork has been omitted. The tequila is added twice during the last stage of cooking and again just before serving, to intensify the flavor.

INGREDIENTS
1 lb pinto beans, borlotti beans, or pink beans, cleaned
10 cups water
3 tablespoons lard
1 tablespoon salt plus salt to taste
1 small sprig epazote, optional
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups tomatoes, seeded, and chopped
4 serrano chiles, 2 whole and 2 chopped
1/2 cup tequila
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves

DIRECTIONS
In a large covered pot, simmer the beans with the water and 1 tablespoon of lard for about 2 hours until soft; add 1 tablespoon of salt and the epazote after the first hour. Drain the beans, reserving 1 cup of the broth.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of lard in a cazuela or large pot over high heat until it starts to smoke. Add the onion, tomatoes, chiles, and a little salt to taste. Cook until the fat rises to the surface and the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the beans and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the reserved broth and half the tequila. Continue cooking until almost all the liquid has evaporated.

When ready to serve, remove from the heat, add the remaining tequila, and sprinkle the cilantro over the top.

http://www.cooking.com/Recipes-and-More/recipes/Beans-with-Tequila-recipe-1374.aspx

This recipe was tried by Mrs. r_d today for a dinner with friends and came out great! From SouthernLiving magazine, not just another pecan pie recipe, this one uses no Karo syrup and is cooked in an iron skillet and is not grossly over sweet as most are. A very unique pie and a definate keeper. I hope the formatting copies and pastes right. Oh, She did substitute the vanilla for the bourbon.

Utterly Deadly Southern Pecan Pie
Ingredients
1/2 (14.1-oz.) package refrigerated piecrusts
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 teaspoons bourbon*
1 1/2 cups pecan halves

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Fit piecrust into a 10-inch cast-iron skillet; sprinkle piecrust with powdered sugar.
2. Whisk eggs in a large bowl until foamy; whisk in brown sugar and next 6 ingredients. Pour mixture into piecrust, and top with pecan halves.
3. Bake at 325° for 30 minutes; reduce oven temperature to 300°, and bake 30 more minutes. Turn oven off, and let pie stand in oven, with door closed, 3 hours.
• *Vanilla extract may be substituted.

That sounds really good! My husband loves pie, so I might have to try that one sometime soon!

This recipe is not at all like conventional pecan pie. I really liked it as did our guest, but there will be those that say it is dry and needs Karo.I found it to be light and flaky and mildly sweet.

Taste buds are like opinions, everybody has them and everybody's are different. I hope that you will enjoy it as much as we did.

Sweet corn on the grill is a treat for all of us in Wisconsin. I husk all but the last layer and soak the cobs in water before grilling.

As the corn gets larger, tougher and the husks get dry I do this:

Husk the cobs completely and lay them on alum foil.
Slather them with mayo, and I mean slather. Sprinkle with garlic powder, chili powder, s&p and parm cheese. Fold up the foil and grill. Even older corn tastes good this way,

Not much cooking to this but they are very easy to make and more than yummy to eat! I had to share it!

STUFFED TOMATOES

1. Cut mozzarella into little cubes-- they should be the right size to fit inside a cherry tomato. (Note: I used string cheese)

2. Cut the tops off of the tomatoes and pull out the insides with a little spoon. Discard insides.

3. Wrap each mozzarella cube in a basil leaf and stuff your tomato with it.

4. Place tomatoes on a serving tray and drizzle with oil and balsamic vinegar. (Note: I used 1/4 C. extra virgin olive oil, 1 1/2 tbsp. red wine vinegar, and a teaspoon of sugar)

5. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and a little basil.

6. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Recap of this week’s recipes 10-8-11

Appetizers/Sandwiches __ Week 10/08/11 __ Post # 06 Lemon Baked Chicken Wings
Appetizers/Sandwiches __ Week 10/08/11 __ Post # 29 Roasted Seeds
Appetizers/Sandwiches __ Week 10/08/11 __ Post # 45 Trillian’s Arancini Di Riso
Beans __ Week 10/08/11 __ Post # 47 Beans with Tequila
Cake __ Week 10/08/11 __ Post # 43 Chocolate Mousse Cake
Cookies __ Week 10/08/11 __ Post # 28 Fluffernutter Cookies
Dessert __ Week 10/08/11 __ Post # 12 Fresh Cranberry Mould
Glaze/Icing/Sauce __ Week 10/08/11 __ Post # 43 Easy Chocolate Ganache
Ice Cream __ Week 10/08/11 __ Post # 03 Popsicles
Marinades/Sauces __ Week 10/08/11 __ Post # 12 Fresh Cranberry Relish
Pies __ Week 10/08/11 __ Post # 48 Utterly Deadly Southern Pecan Pie
Pizza __ Week 10/08/11 __ Post # 09 Super Bowl Sausage Pizza
Rice __ Week 10/08/11 __ Post # 21 Cranberry Brown and Wild Rice
Rice __ Week 10/08/11 __ Post # 30 Lemon Pilaf
Salad __ Week 10/08/11 __ Post # 12 Layered Cranberry Salad
Vegetable __ Week 10/08/11 __ Post # 35 Baked Acorn Squash
Vegetable __ Week 10/08/11 __ Post # 51 Corn on the Cob
Vegetable __ Week 10/08/11 __ Post # 52 Stuffed Tomatoes
Waffles/Pancakes __ Week 10/08/11 __ Post # 07 Johnny Cakes

I want to make this, but could you check this-

The recipe said:
“Combine the lemon juice, honey and vegetable oil.”

should that be soy sauce instead of vegetable oil?

You put the oil on alone, cook the chicken, turn over the wings then baste with lemon, honey and soy sauce?

New Thread

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2793219/posts