In a bit of a Pickle... YUM!

Why do I want pickles right now? Because they are delicious!!!! Give me the choice between any kind of pickles (Kosher dill, bread & butter, cornichons, hot & spicy, sweet gherkins) or a piece of cake, I will 99% of the time chose the pickles. But that's just me...

Homemade Pickles!

This recipe makes about 2 jars:

• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 3 cups water
• 1 1/2 pounds small (persian) cucumbers, thoroughly washed and sliced
• Few sprigs fresh dill, washed and dried
• 1 garlic clove
• 4-6 whole peppercorns (optional)
• A pinch of red pepper flakes (optional if you want something spicy)

Combine vinegar, water, and salt over high heat in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Let coll completely.

Scrub cucumbers to remove any dirt. Remove any tails or pieces of stem and cut in half lengthwise, or slices, whichever you like. If you prefer them whole, expect them to take an additional 3-4 days to fully ferment. Divide cucumbers, garlic, and dill sprigs among jars, making sure to pack the cucumbers tightly.

Divide the water/vinegar mixture among jars, making sure to evenly distribute spices, leaving 1/4 of an inch gap at the top of the jars. Seal the lids and store in the fridge for at least 48 hours (longer if cucumbers are whole). Enjoy your homemade pickles for up to 2 months, mine never last longer than a week haha.

They are great with sandwiches, as an appetizer (cracker, Boursin cheese, pickle on top), or as part of a spread of antipasti (think cold cuts, olives, hard cheese, pickles, marinated artichoke hearts, etc).

In my family, we also make "Variantes," a.k.a. pickled veggies such as carrots, cauliflower, celery, green beans, fennel, onions... Will post a recipe for this soon!

-Cat

Monday Happy Hour!!

Happy Monday Everyone!!

In order to celebrate the very busy week ahead, I invited a few awesome ladies in my life for a Happy Hour at my new house.

Monday Happy Hour

Nothing fancy, but was great to have them come over and everyone had a wonderful time.

Have a great week everyone!

RENTED!

Congratulations to the Landlords and Tenants of these properties!

Kensington, MD

Chevy Chase, MD

Potomac, MD (Avenel)

Bethesda, MD

Olive Chicken Provencal!

This one goes to my mother. Every time she makes it I feel like a kid again...

Here is the article from The Washington Post the madre and I were in. Hope you like!!

Use a pressure cooker, and this dish is ready in about 20 minutes. Or it can be done on the stovetop in about an hour.

Potomac cook Michele Arnaud likes to use cracked olives with pits; she says the pits add flavor.

Serve with pine nut-studded couscous or polenta.

4 servings

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces, blotted dry with paper towel (about 1 pound total)

Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup flour

1 medium onion, finely chopped

4 cups homemade or no-salt-added chicken broth

5 large sprigs thyme

2 sprigs rosemary

2 fresh bay leaves

2 large cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 cups cracked green olives, with pits, drained (you can use other types of olives)

Olive Chicken Provencal with Pine nut coucous

Heat the oil in a pressure cooker (without the lid) over medium-high heat, until the oil shimmers.Season the chicken pieces lightly with salt and pepper. Use just enough of the flour to coat them evenly, shaking off any excess. Carefully add the chicken pieces to the hot oil; cook for 3 to 5 minutes, then turn them over and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, so they are lightly browned on both sides. Transfer to a plate.

Add the onion to the pot; cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring, until the onion has softened. Stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of the flour to form a roux; cook for a minute or two, stirring, then stir in 1 cup of the broth to form a creamy sauce. Return the chicken to the pot, along with the thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, garlic, the olives and the remaining 3 cups of broth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Secure the lid on the pressure cooker, following the manufacturer’s instructions. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, then de-pressurize the pot and uncover. The chicken will be tender and the sauce will be smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

(Alternatively, if the chicken is cooked in a heavy-bottomed pot with a lid, cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring it every 15 minutes.)

Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs before serving, if desired. Transfer to a tureen or divide among individual plates. Serve hot.

...just don't choke or break a tooth... remember these olives have pits :-)

-Chef Cat

Devine Cheesecake!

Homemade cheesecake + fresh raspberries on top = Devine!

Raspberry Cheesecake

Happy Friday Everyone!!



-Chef Cat

Bachelorette Brunch

Ahhh a love story within a menu... the best kind!
Our friends got married last year and asked my mother and I to showcase a brunch for the bachelorette group. The bubbly was pouring, the girls were eating, asking questions, all fun and games, just the way we intended it to be.

Prepping the ingredients before demonstrating the Brunch to the Bachelorette Party!!

We had one heck of a Saturday morning with the party. Of course, the first thing we did was make the champagne cocktail for everyone... always a good start.

Grapefruit, Pineapple, & Shrimp Cocktail!

Caramelized Onions, Tomato, Chives, & Goat Cheese Quiche! So Fluffy!

Bacon and Gruyere Gougeres! A+

Everyone was happy, with their stomachs full and giggly from the bubbly!
Now, for the pièce de résistance... Peach Clafoutis that melted in your mouth!

White & Yellow Peach Clafoutis!

Have a great Sunday Everyone!



-Chef Cat

Mini Cauliflower Souffles

Cauliflower in the fridge...need to make an appetizer... hmmm what to do... I KNOW! Mini Cauliflower Souffles.
Perfect, quick and easy, very tasty too! This recipe makes about 12 muffin size souffles.

Ingredients:
Half a cauliflower, grated
2 tablespoons of buttermilk (or heavy cream, or milk)
4 eggs, separated
1 tablespoon of basil
1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of pepper
1 tablespoon of Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 375. In a bowl, whip the egg whites until fluffy and peaks form. In another bowl, beat the egg yolks and add the rest of the ingredients. Add the mixture to the egg whites and fold together with a spoon or spatula. butter or spray the muffin tins with baking spray, then fill them with the cauliflower mix 3/4 of the way and pop in the oven. 

Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. They are delicious and a great way to make kids eat their veggies. These little bites are great for parties, light and fluffy with a great taste.

Cauliflower Souffles

A great way to end the year 2012!! Yum



-Chef Cat