Buttermilk-Chive Mashed Potatoes

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Buttermilk-Chive Mashed Potatoes

Have you guys started giving any thought to Thanksgiving yet? If not you need to get on it, it’s right around the corner! We usually keep things pretty traditional around here – roasted turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce…you know the routine. But I like to make all those traditional things just a little bit more special on Turkey Day, if I can.

I found myself with some dwindling chives outside and an-almost-gone-container of buttermilk last week when I made my favorite all-beef meatloaf, so I thought I’d mix them into mashed potatoes to make them a little more fancy. The slight tang from the buttermilk and the mild onion flavor from the chives were just perfect in the creamy mashed potatoes – making them delicious enough to eat plain, but not too overpowering that a spot of gravy on them wouldn’t be a welcome addition as well.

I’m hoping to get another couple of Thanksgiving day favorites up before the big day, so keep checking back for more yummy ideas for your Holiday table.

Buttermilk-Chive Mashed Potatoes

2 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 Tbsp half-and-half
4 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup chives, chopped
freshly ground black pepper

Put the potatoes in a large pot. Add the 2 salt and enough water to cover the potatoes. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the potatoes are tender when pierced, 15 to 20 minutes. Turn off heat, drain well in a colander, and return to hot pan to evaporate some more moisture.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the buttermilk, half-and-half, and butter. Heat until just warm and set aside.

Using a potato masher, ricer, or the lowest speed on your stand mixer to mash the potatoes well. Slowly add in the buttermilk mixture, continuing to mash and combine until the potatoes are smooth and creamy. Stir in the chives and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the potatoes to serving bowl and serve immediately.

This serves 4, but can easily be doubled or tripled to accommodate a larger crowd.

Antipasto Chèvre Spread

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Antipasto Chèvre Spread

This weekend I took a trip to Annapolis to meet one of my oldest girlfriends, and go to a Giada book signing (more on that next week!). Afterwards, I couldn’t resist a trip to Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s to stock up on goodies. My stockpile here had dwindled over the last couple months. It happened to be a Saturday – so there were all kinds of tasty treats to try and sample…

One of which was this absolutely delicious goat cheese spread. I’m embarrassed to admit that I kept circling the floor to get another taste until all the Melba toasts were gone. At that point I realized I had a problem, and put a tub of the fresh goat cheese in my cart. I’d not really tried it before, always was too scared – thinking it would be too funky for my taste. I couldn’t have been more wrong! Creamy deliciousness, with just a hint of a sharp bite. I picked up some tapanade and chopped roasted tomatoes from the olive bar to mix into it – just like they’d done at Whole Foods. I also added some roasted red peppers that I’d chopped up in as well, just to make it a little more antipasto-ish. And, that was a good call on my part.

We gobbled it up on Sunday afternoon as our football munchie, and both couldn’t get over how delicious it was. This is one I’ll be making again and again…for Holiday parties, for friends who stop by for an impromptu visit, or just for me – just because. I’m also looking forward to trying it in some recipes too. Like maybe stuffing into a chicken breast and then roasting? It’s definitely my new favorite thing, and I know it will be one of yours as well. Enjoy!

Antipasto Chèvre Spread

6 oz goat cheese
1/4 cup olive tapanade
1/4 cup roasted tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup roasted red peppers, chopped

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and gently mix to combine, trying to maintain some chunkiness in the cheese. Place in small serving bowl and serve with Melba toasts or crackers.

Will keep in refrigerator up to 3 days

Black Truffle Macaroni & Cheese

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Black Truffle Macaroni & Cheese

This macaroni and cheese has been on my “to make” for years, since seeing a rendition of it on Top Chef Season 1. Dave made it, and I remember just being in awe of black truffles as an ingredient. I’d had black and white truffle oil, and loved the flavor it lent to dishes. But, a whole black truffle? I figured that I’d never have a chance to use them in my kitchen.

Then a few years after that, I discovered Wegmans. If you don’t know what they are (they are regional), it’s a high-end grocery store where you can find pretty much anything. Including fresh black truffles…just hanging out in the produce department like it ain’t no thang! Whenever I visited the store, I’d gawk over them – but due to the high price tag I was afraid to buy one. How much did one weigh? What if I got up there and it was $500? That’s definitely too rich for my blood…

I went ahead and took the plunge a couple weeks ago when my girlfriend and I visited a huge craft fair in the mountains at Thurmont, MD. Came home with all kinds of goodies – apples, fresh pressed cider, and one black truffle. It cost me $15.00 for one  pretty good-sized truffle. While expensive, definitely do-able as a treat once in a while. Was thinking I might like to try infusing my own truffle oil at some point!

So, the macaroni and cheese I’d been dreaming about for 7 years finally transpired. And it was worth the wait. Rich and earthy, yet not overpowering. The combination of white cheddar and Gruyere is a great combo that adds plenty of cheesy flavor, but still lets the truffles shine. Black truffle butter is easier to find than  whole truffles, and more affordable. That in combination with a drizzle of the truffle oil would be a good substitution. Or really this macaroni and cheese is delicious on it’s own – with no truffles!

But, it’s getting to be that special time of year where we love to splurge to make a meal a little fancier, or the ingredients a little more special for the Holidays. My mom always called it “the horn of plenty”, and it’s something that I look forward to every year. Can you guys believe it’s November already? Where has this year gone?

Black Truffle Macaroni & Cheese

8 ounces elbow macaroni
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
3 cups milk
1/2 white onion, finely diced
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons finely chopped black truffles
8 ounces sharp aged white cheddar, shredded
5 ounces gruyere cheese, shredded
1 ounce parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 tsp truffle oil (black or white)
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
sliced fresh black truffles for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In large pot of boiling salted water, cook the macaroni to al dente (approximately 7 minutes). Strain and place on a lightly oiled sheet pan.

While the macaroni is cooking, in a separate pot, melt the butter and whisk in the flour. Continue to cook over low heat for 4 minutes stirring constantly. Add the milk, chopped truffles, onion and bay leaf. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove bay leaf.

Turn off the heat and add 3/4 of the aged cheddar and all of the other cheeses. Add mustard and truffle oil as well. Season with salt and black pepper and fold in macaroni. Pour into a 2-quart casserole dish. Top with remaining cheddar.

Top with remaining shaved truffles. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until brown and bubbly. Remove from the oven let stand for about 5 minutes.

Source: adapted from Wolfgang Puck

Perfect Chocolate Cupcakes

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Perfect Chocolate Cupakes

I know this may come as kind of a shock to some of you, but chocolate cake isn’t one of my favorite things in the world. If given the choice, I always pick vanilla cake. But, after discovering Beatty’s Chocolate Cake (Blackout cake? Whatever you want to call it!) my views began to shift. I’ve been looking for a good chocolate cupcake recipe – that was easy, baked up well, held up to frosting, but was still (and most importantly) moist and delicious. This recipe definitely fits the bill!

With the addition of buttermilk, cocoa, espresso powder and hot water – it’s totally reminiscent of my favorite chocolate cake recipe. But held it’s shape and is a bit denser, which is just what I was looking for in cupcake form. For the frosting, it’s a standard buttercream in which plenty you add plenty of melted unsweetened chocolate too. That leads to a frosting that is rich and chocolatey, but not cloyingly sweet.

This recipe is for 12 cupcakes, but could easily be doubled to dole out 24. Which, I’m sure will be happening in my kitchen next time. A truly perfect chocolate cupcake, kids. Another one for the books!

Perfect Chocolate Cupcakes

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp espresso powder
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup boiling water

For the frosting:
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
8 Tbsp (1 stick) butter, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and espresso powder.

Add milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla to flour mixture and mix together on medium speed until well combined. Reduce speed and carefully add boiling water to the cake batter. Beat on high speed for about 1 minute to combine well.

Fill cupcake liners about 2/3 of the way full.

Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting, melt the chocolate in a double boiler. Beat butter until fluffy. Carefully add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and salt and beat until no lumps remain. With the mixer on low, slowly add the chocolate and mix until combined. If frosting is too thick, add a splash of milk to reach desired consistency.

Frost cupcakes as desired.

Source: cupcakes adapted from Add A Pinch, frosting adapted from Williams-Sonoma.