Slow Cooker Cassoulet - NaBloPoMo - Day 6

Though I know it is only Friday, I thought I would give you this recipe so that you could make this on Sunday if you wanted to. It is one of those slow cooker recipes that you will have some leg work at the beginning, but be rewarded by a comforting and fantastic meal by dinnertime. Sunday has always been my very favorite day of the week for eating. Growing up at our house, this meant the day when it was going to be something special, something we didn't have on any other day of the week. It meant something that took more time, more work and was usually lingered over longer.

Not to long ago I got the email from Williams-Sonoma with Thomas Keller's recipe for a Cassoulet that could be made in a slow cooker. I have decided recently that I don't give my slow cooker hardly enough play lately, so I decided to give this a try. I made some modifications to the recipe, more to suit my tastes than anything else, and of course, since my slow cooker isn't the super fancy and oh so pretty one that Williams-Sonoma was selling, had to change some of the procedure. I think that the overall result turned out pretty darn good though and I enjoyed the process. I haven't ever had a Cassoulet, let alone an authentic one, so there is my disclaimer. We enjoyed it and it was definitely good comfort food.

So, should you decide that, maybe this Sunday, it is time for a nice, comforting meal that takes a little extra effort and care, and give your friends and family something different to talk about, then now you have Friday and Saturday to plan for this one. It does have a lot of steps, but none of them are difficult or confusing, so give this a try, and if you do, please let me know what you think.

I am trying to get back in the habit of cooking at least once or twice a week, and not just my usual routine of the same old stuff. I cook certainly, but I find that I am just making the same things over. Which, really, for the most part is just fine since it is what we love, but then again, how will I ever find new things to love if I am never trying new recipes.

So, while Mr. Keller's recipe called for enough ingredients to feed 8 to 10 people, since it was just for two people, I modified the recipe quite a bit and would still probably feed closer to 4 to 5 people. Other than that, as I mentioned before, it was to change up some of the ingredients due to what I had on hand, as well as what I like. It ended up being a departure from the original, but it worked out quite nicely. You can find the original recipe here, my version is below.

Slow Cooker Cassoulet

Ingredients:
2 lbs. boneless pork shoulder country-style ribs
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 Tbs. canola oil
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
8 slices thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch strips
2 cups coarsely chopped yellow onions (about 2 medium onions)
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomates
2 cups chicken broth
6 cups cooked Great Northern beans or other small white beans, drained
4 large chicken thighs
1 garlic head, halved crosswise
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
1 lb. baguette, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices (you might not use all of it here)
Extra-virgin olive oil for brushing
Coarse sea salt, such as sel gris, for garnish

Directions:
Season the pork generously with kosher salt and pepper; set aside. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, combine the canola oil and panko. Cook, stirring constantly, until the panko is toasted and golden, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer the panko to a baking sheet and season with kosher salt and pepper. Set aside.

Add the bacon to the skillet and cook until crisp on both sides, about 5 -7 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Reserve the bacon fat in the pan. Add the pork to the pan and brown on all sides, 7 to 8 minutes total. Transfer to a platter.

Brown the chicken thighs, skin-side down til golden and crisp, about 4 minutes, remove and set aside. Add the onions and 1/2 tsp. kosher salt to the insert and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and softened, about 7 minutes. Add 1 cup of the chicken broth and simmer until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, tomatoes and broth. Remove the pan from the heat and add ingredients to the insert of your slow cooker. To the slow cooker, then add the beans, pork, chicken and garlic. Place the insert on the slow-cooker base, cover and cook on low until the pork pulls apart easily with a fork, 6 to 8 hours. Skim off the fat, and remove and discard the garlic. Fold in the panko and the parsley. Adjust the seasonings with kosher salt and pepper.

Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat the broiler. Brush the baguette slices with olive oil. Arrange the slices, oiled side up, on top of the cassoulet, overlapping them. Broil until golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes.Let the cassoulet stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving. Sprinkle each serving with the reserved bacon, sea salt and parsley.

Serves 4 to 6.

Adapted from a recipe by Thomas Keller, Chef/Owner, The French Laundry.

Tuesdays with Dorie: Apple Cheddar Scones

So, I'm going to have to keep this post short and sweet because as usual lately, I am running behind - and it feels like I'm running in a million directions. So, while I have no clever words I can think of this week, I did make some little tweaks to this week's recipe choice from Karina of The Floured Apron for Apple Cheddar Scones.

Bacon. Oh yeah. In my humble opinion, there are few things that aren't better with bacon.

I also switched things up a bit by using about half of a fresh Granny Smith apple instead of dried. I just diced it really small and sauteed it with about 1 tablespoon of butter and about a 1/4 cup of chopped pecans.

As for the bacon I just rendered some small pieces of bacon in a skillet and added about 1 tablespoon of brown sugar here too til nice and cooked, then just chopped it a bit smaller - it was about 1/4 cup too.

There was plenty of moisture in the dough to incorporate all my little additions and these were pretty simple to make. We served them warm with some butter and they were great. They would definitely make a great little breakfast edition for a nice change.

Don't forget to check out the others over at Tuesdays with Dorie!

Trust Your Foodie Friends, They Know What They're Talking About

Waffles with cheese. Think I'm kidding? I'm not. My new friend, Melanie posted a recipe for golden, beautiful buttermilk waffle's on her blog My Kitchen Cafe. They looked so beautiful to me that I had to try them right away. Now, I know I'll be going back to this recipe over and over again. What's so different about these waffles? Shredded Cheddah'. Yes, she suggests sprinkling some shredded cheddar cheese on top of the batter before closing the lid. It is nothing short of fabulous. Thanks Melanie!

This actually didn't strike me as strange really at all. But then, I grew up with my Canadian Mom always eating her apple pie with a thick slice of cheddar too. Maybe that has something to do with it. As you can see in my picture I love bacon with my waffles. And since I read what the amazing Dorie had to say about it the other day, expect to see bacon. Besides, when you see what she was talking about, this whole idea shouldn't seem strange at all anymore.

Oh, I've done the whole berries and cream, or powdered sugar, on my waffles before, but this is my favorite. Hey, I've even done fruit and ice cream (and yes, it was for breakfast). The last time I did that though was several years ago on a trip to Vermont to visit my cousin and her family.

Funny enough, my husband and family, except my cousin who understands me too well, all thought it was odd that one of the first places I named to go on the trip was the King Arthur Flour store. These waffles reminded me that wonderful vacation back East. It's appropriate because Melanie's recipe comes from King Arthur.

Without further ado, here are the recipes. Don't be afraid to try this anytime. I followed Melanie's lead and we ate this for dinner and had leftover waffles the next morning.

Classic Buttermilk Waffles
from The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion

2 large eggs
1 3/4 cups (14 ounces buttermilk)
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups (7 1/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the eggs, buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla. In another bowl whisk together the dry ingredients; combine the wet and dry ingredients just until smooth.For an 8-inch round waffle iron, use about 1/3 cup batter (adjust according to waffle iron size). Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the iron stops steaming.



If making cheese waffles, pour 1/3 cup batter on waffle iron and sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese over batter before closing iron.


Brown Sugar Glazed Bacon

(Start making the bacon before the waffles as it will take longer)

1 pound bacon
1/3 cup light brown sugar

Line a cookie sheet with tin foil and a baking rack or with parchment paper.



Spread the sugar on a plate and press both sides of the bacon into the sugar. Place the strips out side by side, overlapping just a bit, if necessary, to fit the whole package on the pan.

Place the baking sheet into a cold oven and turn the oven on to 400 degrees (F). Bake 20 to 30 minutes or until the bacon is nicely browned and crispy. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

Remember These - A Do-Over - Sweet Bacon Chicken Bites

So, a quick note. I made these the first time a few days or so before the Superbowl.

They were super yummy, so I thought, "Yeah, I'll make these for game day."

This was before I found out we were actually going to have people over to watch the game.

Anyway, the point quickly is this little lesson learned.

I need to learn how to NOT fiddle with a recipe I haven't yet tried. I should have known better and frankly, it was a last minute addition the first time when I added the pecans to the mix. They were delicious, but they weren't as tasty as these turned out.

The point here folks, is whichever way you try them, these are G-O-O-D and addictive.

That said, Miss Paula had it right in the first place, and I therefore,

will make her recipe (or close to it).

Dinner and Game Food - How Sweet It Is!

Finding something that a 4 year old actually thinks looks good, sounds good, is somewhat good for him to eat and is actually something he can help make - how sweet it is! The chicken recipe I watched Paula Deen prepare yesterday that is.

I have seen the episode where she makes these before, but this time Aidan was watching the show with me and he thought these looked pretty tasty and fun. Granted, the bacon probably isn't the most healthy option in the world, but when you are dealing with someone who's idea of the perfect breakfast is still pop tarts (because he can watch cartoons when he eats them) then actually getting some protein in him and on a plate that looks like a meal is a beautiful thing.

We paired Paula's chicken/bacon bites with some oven roasted yukon gold potato wedges dredged in a sweet and spicy seasoning and roasted them together. We also added some ground pecans to Paula's version below mainly because, well, we love 'em.

Now I will just have to do this again for the big game on Sunday, maybe served with a hot chile butter sauce. (Favorite hot sauce - I like chipotle Tabasco), melted with some butter and a little crushed garlic and toss the chicken bites when they come out of the oven).

Sweet Chicken Bacon Wraps

(Adapted from Paula Deen's recipe)

1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless, chicken breasts (about 4 breasts)

1 (1-pound) package sliced bacon

2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar (we like dark)

2 tablespoons chili powder

1/4 cup ground pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes. Cut each bacon slice into thirds. Wrap each chicken cube with bacon and secure with a wooden pick. Stir together brown sugar, chili powder and ground pecans. Dredge wrapped chicken in mixture. Coat a rack and broiler pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place chicken wrap on rack in broiler pan. Bake 350 for 30 to 35 minutes or until bacon is crisp (turning over once after about 15 mins).

Roasted Potato Wedges

4 Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch wedges

2 egg whites

1/3 cup flour

1/2 tsp (or to taste) chili powder

2 Tbsp dark brown sugar

Salt and pepper, to taste

Vegetable cooking spray

In one bowl beat the egg whites til frothy. In another bowl combine the flour, chili powder, sugar, salt and pepper, stir well. Dip the potato wedges in the egg whites then the flour mixture. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Place the potato wedges on the baking sheet and spray lightly with cooking spray. Transfer the baking sheet to a preheated 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes until the potatoes are golden and cooked through. After 15 minutes, turn the potatoes over and continue roasting.